suppose that this was the person to whom the tale related by Mistress Page alludes? She speaks of him as no very ancient personage :-" Oft have you heard since Horne the hunter died." Connected as the "Merry Wives of Windsor" certainly is with the historical plays, the manners and language throughout are those of the time of Queen Elizabeth; and it is only convicting our great dramatist of an additional anachronism to those already well known of a similar character, in attributing to him the introduction of a tale of the time of Henry VIII. into a play supposed to belong to the commencement of the fifteenth century. 35, Alfred Place, July, 1842. J. O. HALLIWELL. A Most pleasaunt and excellent conceited Comedie, of Syr Iohn Falstaffe, and the merrie Wiues of Windsor. Entermixed with sundrie variable and pleasing With the swaggering vaine of Auncient By William Shakespeare. As it hath bene diuers times Acted by the right Honorable my Lord Chamberlaines seruants. Both before her Maiestie, and elsewhere. LONDON Printed by T. C. for Arthur Iohnson, and are to be sold at his shop in Powles Church-yard, at the signe of the Flower de Leuse and the Crowne. A PLEASANT CONCEITED CO medie, of Syr IOHN FALSTAFFE, and the merry Wiues of WINDSOR. Enter IUSTICE SHALLOW, SYR HUGH, MAISTER PAGE, and SLENDER. Shal. Nere talke to me, Ile make a star-chamber matter of it. The Councell shall know it. Pag. Nay good maister Shallow be perswaded by mee. Slen. Nay surely my vncle shall not put it vp so. Sir Hu. Wil you not heare reasons, M. Slenders? You should heare reasons. Shal. Tho he be a knight, he shall not thinke to carrie it so away. M. Page, I will not be wronged. For you Syr, I loue you, and for my cousen He comes to looke vpon your daughter. Pa. And heres my hand, and if my daughter Like him so well as I, wee'l quickly haue it a match: In the meane time let me intreat you to soiourne Sir Hu. I pray you M. Shallowes, let it be so. The first man is M. Page, videlicet M. Page. The second is my selfe, videlicet my selfe. And the third and last man, is mine host of the gartyr. Enter SYR IOHN FALSTAFFE, PISTOLL, BARDOLFE, and NIM. Here is Sir Iohn himselfe now, looke you. Fal. Now M. Shallow, youle complaine of me to the Councell, I heare? Shal. Sir Iohn, Sir Iohn, you haue hurt my keeper, kild my dogs, stolne my deere. Fal. But not kissed your keepers daughter. Shal. Well this shall be answered. Fal. Ile answere it straight. I haue done all this. This is now answred. Shal. Well, the Councell shall know it. Fal. Twere better for you twere knowne in counsell, Youle be laught at. Sir Hu. Good vrdes Sir Iohn, good vrdes. Fal. Good vrdes, good Cabidge. Slender, I brake your head, What matter haue you against mee? Slen. I haue matter in my head against you and your cogging companions, Pistoll and Nym. They carried mee to the Tauerne and made mee drunke, and afterward picked my pocket. Fal. What say you to this Pistoll, did you picke Maister Slenders purse Pistoll? Slen. I by this handkercher did he. Two faire shouell boord shillings, besides seuen groats in mill sixpences. Fal. What say you to this Pistoll? Pist. Sir Iohn, and Maister mine, I combat craue Of this same laten bilbo. I do retort the lie Euen in thy gorge, thy gorge, thy gorge. Slen. By this light it was he then. |