Simp. May I be fo bold to say so, Sir?

Fal. Ay, Sir; like who more bold.

Simp. I thank your worship: I fhall make my mafter glad with thefe tidings.

[Exit Simple. Hoft. Thou art clarkly; thou art clarkly, Sir John: was there a wife woman with thee?

Fal. Ay, that there was mine Hoft; one that hath taught me more wit than ever I learn'd before in my life; and I paid nothing for it neither, but was paid for my learning.

Enter Bardolph.

Bard. Out, alas, Sir, cozenage! mere cozenage Hoft. Where be my horfes? speak well of them, varletto.

Bard. Run away with the cozeners; for fo foon as I came beyond Eaton, they threw me off from behind one of them in a flough of mire, and fet fpurs, and away; like three German devils, three Doctor Fauftuses.

Hoft. They are gone but to meet the Duke, villain; do not say they be fled; Germans are honest men.

Enter Evans.

Eva. Where is mine Hoft?

Hoft. What is the matter, Sir?

Eva. Have a care of your entertainments; there is a friend o'mine come to town, tells me, there is three cozen-jermans that has cozen'd all the Hoft of Reading, of Maiden-bead, of Colebrook, of horfes and money. I tell you for good will, look you; you are wife, and full of gibes and vlouting-stocks, and 'tis not convenient you should be cozen'd; fare you well. [Exit. Enter Caius.

Caius. Ver' is mine Hoft de Jarterre?

Hoft. Here, mafter Doctor, in perplexity and doubtful dilemma.

Caius. I cannot tell what is dat; but it is tell-a-me, dat you make a grand preparation for a Duke de Jamany; by my trot, der is no Duke, dat the court is know, to come: I tell you for good will; adieu. [Exit. VOL. L.

Hoft.

Hoft. Hue and cry, villain, go! affift me, Knight, I am undone; fly, run, hue and cry! Villain, I am undone !

[Exit.

Fal. I would all the world might be cozen'd, for I have been cozen'd and beaten to. If it fhould come to the ear of the court, how I have been transform'd, and how my transformation hath been wafh'd and cudgel'd, they would melt me out of my fat, drop by drop, and liquor fishermens boots with me. I warrant, they would whip me with their fine wits, 'till I were as creft-faln as a dry'd pear. I never profper'd fince I forefwore myself at Primero. Well, if my wind were but long enough to say my prayers, I would repent.Enter Miftrefs Quickly.

Now, whence come you?

Quic. From the two parties, forfooth.

Fal. The devil take one party, and his dam the other, and fo they fhall be both bestow'd.

I have fuffered more for their fakes, more than the villainous inconftancy of man's difpofition is able to bear.

Quic. And have they not fuffer'd? yes, I warrant, fpeciously one of them; miftrefs Ford, good heart, is beaten black and blue, that you cannot fee a white spot about her.

Fal. What tell'ft thou me of black and blue? I was beaten myself into all the colours of the rainbow; and I was like to be apprehended for the witch of Brainford; but that my admirable dexterity of wit, counterfeiting the action (26) of a wood woman,

(26) Action of an old woman,] This reading is no great compliment to the fagacity of our former Editors, who could content themfelves with words, without any regard to the reasoning. What! was it any dexterity of wit in Sir John Falstaff, to counterfeit the action of an old woman in order to escape being apprehended for a witch? Surely, one would imagine, this was the readieft means to bring him into fuch a scrape; for none but old women have ever been fufpected of being witches. The text muft certainly be reftor'd, as I have corrected it, a wood woman; i. e a crazy, frantick woman; one too wild, and filly, and unmeaning, to have either the malice, or mifchievous fubtlety of a witch in her. I have already explain'd, and prov'd the use of this term, in one of my notes on the Two Gentlemen of Verona. deliver'd

deliver'd me, the knave constable had set me i' th' stocks, i' th' common ftocks for a witch.

Quic. Sir, let me speak with you in your chamber; you shall hear how things go, and I warrant, to your content. Here is a letter will fay fomewhat. Good hearts, what ado is here to bring you together? sure, one of you does not serve heav'n well, that you are so crofs'd.

Fal. Come up into my chamber.

Enter Fenton and Hoft.

[Exeunt.

Hoft. Mafter Fenton, talk not to me, my mind is heavy, I will give over all.

Fent. Yet hear me fpeak; affift me in my purpose, And, as I am a gentleman, I'll give thee

A hundred pound in gold more than your loss.

Hoft. I will hear you, mafter Fenton; and I will, at the leaft, keep your counsel.

Fent. From time to time I have acquainted you
With the dear love I bear to fair Ann Page;
Who, mutually, hath anfwer'd my affection,
(So far forth as herfelf might be her chufer)
Ev'n to my wish. I have a letter from her
Of fuch contents, as you will wonder at;
The mirth whereof's fo larded with my matter,
That neither fingly can be manifefted.

Without the fhew of both. Fat Sir John Falstaff
Hath a great scene; the image of the jeft

I'll fhew you here at large. Hark, good mine Hoft;
To night at Herne's oak just 'twixt twelve and one,
Muft my sweet Nan prefent the fairy Queen ;
The purpose why, is here; in which difguife,
While other jefts are fomething rank on foot,
Her father hath commanded her to flip
Away with Slender, and with him at Eaton

Immediately to marry; fhe hath confented.-Now, Sir,
Her mother, ever strong against that match,
And firm for Doctor Caius, hath appointed
That he shall likewife fhuffle her away,

While other sports, are talking of their minds;
O 2

And

And at the Deanry, where a prieft attends,
Straight marry her; to this her mother's plot,
She feemingly obedient, likewife hath

Made promife to the Doctor. Now, thus it refts;
Her father means fhe fhall be all in white,

And in that dress when Slender fees his time
To take her by the hand, and bid her go,

She fhall go with him.Her mother hath intended,
The better to devote her to the Doctor,

(For they must all be mafk'd and vizarded)
That, quaint in green, fhe fhall be loose enrob'd,
With ribbands-pendent, flaring 'bout her head;
And when the Doctor spies his vantage ripe,
To pinch her by the hand, and on that token,
The maid hath given confent to go with him.
Hoft. Which means fhe to deceive? father or mother?
Fent. Both, my good Hoft, to go along with me;
And here it refts, that you'll procure the Vicar
To stay for me at church, 'twixt twelve and one,
And in the lawful name of marrying,

To give our hearts united ceremony.

Hoft. Well, husband your device: I'll to the Vicar.

Bring you the maid, you shall not lack a Priest.
Fent. So fhall I evermore be bound to thee;
Befide, I'll make a prefent recompence.

Re-enter Falstaff and Miftrefs Quickly.

[Exeunt.

Fal. Pr'ythee, no more pratling; go, I'll hold. This is the third time; I hope, good luck lies in odd numbers; away, go; they fay, there is divinity in odd numbers, either in nativity, chance or death; away. Quic. I'll provide you a chain, and I'll do what I can to get you a pair of horns. [Exit. Mrs. Quickly. Fal. Away, I fay, time wears: hold up your head and mince.

How now,

Enter Ford.

mafter Brook? master Brook, the matter will be known to night, or never. Be you in the park about mid-night, at Herne's oak, and you fhall fee wonders.

Ford.

Ford. Went you not to her yesterday, Sir, as you told me you had appointed?

Fal. I went to her, mafter Brook, as you fee, like a poor old man; but I came from her, master Brook, like a poor old woman. That fame knave, Ford her husband, hath the finest mad devil of jealousy in him, mafter Brook, that ever govern'd frenzy. I will tell you; he beat me grievously, in the shape of a woman; for in the fhape of a man, mafter Brook, I fear not Goliah with a weaver's beam; because I know alfo, life is a fhuttle; I am in hafte; go along with me, I'll tell you all, mafter Brook. Since I pluckt geefe, play'd truant and whipt top, I knew not what 'twas to be beaten, 'till lately. Follow me, I'll tell you strange things of this knave Ford, on whom to-night I will be reveng'd, and I will deliver his wife into your hand. Follow; ftrange things in hand, mafter Brook! follow.[Exeunt.

C

ACT V.

SCENE, Windfor-Forest.

Enter Page, Shallow, and Slender.

РАСЕ.

OME, come: we'll couch i' th' caftle-ditch, 'till' we fee the light of our fairies. Remember, fon Slender, my daughter.

Slen. Ay, forfooth, I have fpoke with her, and we have a nay-word how to know one another. I come to her in white, and cry mum; fhe cries, budget; and by that we know one another.

Shal. That's good too; but what needs either your mum, or her budget; the white will decipher her well enough. It hath ftruck ten o'clock.

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