Sten. I will marry her, sir, at your request; but if there be no great love in the beginning, yet heaven may decrease it upon better acquaintance, when we are married, and have more occasion to know one another: I hope, upon familiarity will grow more contempt; but if you say, marry her, I will marry her, that I am freely dissolved, and dissolutely.

Era. It is a fery discretion answer; save, the fanl is in the 'ort dissolutely: the 'ort is, according to our meaning, resolutely ;-his meaning is good. Shal. Ay, I think my cousin meant well.

Slen. Ay, or else I would I might be hanged, la.

Re-enter ANNE PAGE.

Shal. Here comes fair mistress Anne:-Would I were young, for your sake, mistress Anne!

Anne. The dinner is on the table; my father desires your worships' company.

Shal. I will wait on him, fair mistress Anne. Era. Od's plessed will! I will not be absence at the grace. [Exeunt Shal. and Sir H. Evans. Anne. Will't please your worship to come in, sir? Sten. No, I thank you, forsooth, heartily; I am Anne. The dinner attends you, sir. [very well. Sen. I am not a-hungry, I thank you, forsooth. Go, sirrah, for all you are my man, go, wait upon my cousin Shallow: [Exit Simple.] A justice of prace sometime may be beholden to his friend for a man:-1 keep but three men and a boy yet, till my mother be dead: but what though? yet I live Like a poor gentleman born.

Anne. I may not go in without your worship: they would not sit till you come.

Slen. Faith, I'll eat nothing: I thank you as much as though I did.

Anne. I pray you, sir, walk in.

Slen. I had rather walk here, I thank you; I bruised my shin the other day with playing at sword and dagger with a master of fence, three veneys for a dish of stewed prunes; and, by my troth, I cannot abide the smell of hot meat since. Why do your dogs bark so? be there bears i' the town? [of. Anne. I think there are, sir; I heard them talked Slen. I love the sport well: but I shall as soon quarrel at it, as any man in England:-you are airaid, if you see the bear loose, are you not?

Anne. Ay, indeed, sir.

Slen. That's meat and drink to me now: I have seen Sackerson loose, twenty time a; and have taken him by the chain: but, I warrant you, the women have so cried and shriek'd at it, that it pass'd:-but women, indeed, cannot abide 'em; they are very illlavoured rough things.

SCENE III.-A Room in the Garter Inn. Enter FALSTAFF, HOST, BARDOLPH, NYM, PISTOL, and ROBIN.

Fal Mine host of the Garter,

Host. What says my bully-rook? Speak scholarly, and wisely. [of my followers. Fal. Truly, mine host, I must turn away some Host. Discard, bully Hercules; cashier: let them wag; trot, trot.

Fal. I sit at ten pounds a week.

Host. Thou'rt an emperor, Cæsar, Keisar, and Pheezar. I will entertain Bardolph; he shall draw, he shall tap: said I well, bully Hector? Fal. Do so, good mine host.

Host. I have spoke; let him follow: let me see thee froth, and lime: I am at a word; follow. [Exit Host.

Fal. Bardolph, follow him; a tapster is a good trade: an old cloak makes a new jerkin; a withered serving-man, a fresh tapster go; adieu.

Bard. It is a life that I have desired; I will thrive. [Exit Bard. Pist. O base Gongarian wight' wilt thou the spigot wield?

Nym. He was gotten in drink is not the humour conceited? His mind is not heroic, and there's the

humour of it. Fal. I am glad, I am so acquit of this tinderbox; his thefts were too open; his filching was like an unskilful singer, he kept not time.

[rest.

Nym. The good humour is, to steal at a minute's Pis. Convey, the wise it call: steal! foh; a fico for the phrase!

Fal. Well, sirs, I am almost out at heels.

Pist. Why then, let kibes ensue.

Fal. There is no remedy; I must coney-catch; 1 must shift.

Pist. Young ravens must have food.
Fal. Which of you know Ford of this town?
Pist. I ken the wight; he is of substance good.
Fal. My honest lads, I will tell you what I am
Pist. Two yards, and more.

[about.

Fal. No quips now, Pistol: indeed I am in the waist two yards about: but I am now about no waste; I am about thrift. Briefly, I do mean to make love to Ford's wife; I spy entertainment in her; she discourses, she carves, she gives the leer of invitation : I can construe the action of her familiar style; and the hardest voice of her behaviour, to be English'd rightly, is, I am sir John Falstaff's.

say I.

:

Pist. He hath studied her well, and translated her well; out of honesty into English. [pass? Nym. The anchor is deep will that humou » Fal. Now, the report goes, she has all the rule of her husband's purse; she hath legions of angels Pist. As many devils entertain; and, To her, boy, [me the angels. Nym. The humour rises; it is good humour Fal. I have writ me here a letter to her and here another to Page's wife; who even now gave me good eyes too, examin'd my parts with most judicious eyelids: sometimes the beam of her view gilded my foot, sometimes my portly belly.

:

Pist. Then did the sun on dung-hill shine.
Nym. I thank thee for that humour.

Fal. O, she did so course o'er my exteriors with such a greedy intention, that the appetite of her eye did seem to scorch me up like a burning glass! Here's another letter to her: she bears the purse too; she is a region in Guiana, all gold and bounty. I will be cheater to them both, and they shall be exchequers to me; they shall be my East and West Indies, and I will trade to them both. Go, bear

thou this letter to mistress Page; and thou this to
mistress Ford: we will thrive, lads, we will thrive.
Pist. Shall I sir Pandarus of Troy become,
And by my side wear steel? then, Lucifer take all!
Nym. I will run no base humour: here, take the
humour letter; I will keep the 'haviour of reputation.
Fal. Hold, sirrah, (to Rob.) bear you these let-
ters tightly;

Sail like my pinnace to these golden shores.—
Rogues, hence, avaunt! vanish like hail-stones, go;
Trudge, plod, away, o' the hoof; seek shelter, pack!
Falstaff will learn the humour of this age,
French thrift, you rogues; myself, and skirted page.
[Exeunt Fal. and Robin.

Pist. Let vultures gripe thy guts! for gourd and fullam holds,

And high and low beguile the rich and poor:
Tester I'll have in pouch, when thou shalt lack,
Base Phrygian Turk!

Nym. I have operations in my head, which be humours of revenge.

Pist. Wilt thou revenge?
Nym.

Pist. With wit, or steel?
Nym.

By welkin, and her star!

With both the humours, I:
I will discuss the humour of this love to Page.
Pist. And I to Ford shall eke unfold,
How Falstaff, varlet vile,

His dove will prove, his gold will hold,
And his soft couch defile.

Nym. My humour shall not cool: I will incense Page to deal with poison; I will possess him with yellowness, for the revolt of mien is dangerous: that is my true humour.

Pist. Thou art the Mars of malcontents: I second thee; troop on. [Exeunt.

SCENE IV.-A Room in Dr. Caius' House. Enter Mistress QUICKLY, SIMPLE, and RUGBY. Quick. What: John Rugby!-I pray thee, go to the casement, and see if you can see my master, master Doctor Caius, coming: if he do, i'faith, and find any body in the house, here will be an old abusing of God's patience, and the king's English. Rug. I'll go watch. [Exit Rugby. Quick. Go; and we'll have a posset for't soon at night, in faith, at the latter end of a sea-coal fire. An honest, willing, kind fellow, as ever servant shall come in house withal; and, I warrant you, no tell-tale, nor no breed-bate; his worst fault is, that he is given to prayer; he is something peevish that way but nobody but has his fault; but let that pass. Peter Simple, you say your name is? Sim. Ay, for fault of a better.

Quick. And master Slender's your master?
Sim. Ay, forsooth.

Quick. Does he not wear a great round beard, like a glover's paring knife?

Sim. No, forsooth: he hath but a little wee face, with a little yellow beard; a Cain-coloured beard. Quick. A softly-sprighted man, is he not? Sim. Ay, forsooth: but he is as tall a man of his hands, as any is between this and his head; he hath fought with a warrener.

Quick. How say you?-O, I should remember him? Does he not hold up his head, as it were? and strut in his gait?

Sim. Yes, indeed, does he.

Quick. Well, heaven send Anne Page no worse fortune! Tell master parson Evans, I will do what I can for your master: Anne is a good girl, and I wish

Re-enter RUGBY.

Rug. Out, alas! here comes my master. Quick. We shall all be shent: run in here, good young man; go into this closet. (Shuts Simple in the closet.) He will not stay long.-What, John Rugby! John, what, John, Í say!-Go, John, go enquire for my master; I doubt, he be not well,

that he comes not home :—and down, down, adown a, &c. (Sings.)

Enter Doctor Caius.

Caius. Vat is you sing? I do not like dese toys; Pray you, go and vetch me in my closet un boitier verd; a box, a green-a box; do intend vat I speak ' a green-a box.

Quick. Ay, forsooth, I'll fetch it you. I am glad he went not in himself: if he had found the young man, he would have been horn-mad. (Aside Caius. Fe, fe fe, fe! ma foi, il fait fort chaud. Je m'en vais à la Cour,-la grande affaire. Quick. Is it this, sir?

Caius. Ouy: mette le au mon pocket; dépéche quickly:-Vere is dat knave Rugby? Quick. What, John Rugby! John! Rug. Here, sir.

Caius. You are John Rugby, and you are Jack Rugby: come, take-a your rapier, and come after my heel to de court.

Rug. "Tis ready, sir, here in the porch.

Caius. By my trot, I tarry too long:-Od's me! Qu'ay j'oublie dere is some simples in my closet, dat I will not for the varld I shall leave behind.

Quick. Ah me! he'll find the young man there, and be mad!

Caius. O diable, diable! vat is in my closet?Villainy! larron! (Pulling Simple out.) Rugby, my Quick. Good master, be content. [rapier. Caius. Verefore shall I be content-a? Quick. The young man is an honest man. Caius. Vat shall de honest man do in my closet dere is no honest man dat shall come in my closet. Quick. I beseech you, be not so phlegmatic; hear the truth of it: he came of an errand to me from Caius. Vell. [parson Hugh. Sim. Ay, forsooth, to desire her to Quick. Peace, I pray you. Caius. Peace-a your tongue :-Speak-a your Sim. To desire this honest gentlewoman, your maid, to speak a good word to Mrs. Anne Page for my master, in the way of marriage.

tale.

Quick. This is all, indeed, la; but I'll ne'er pat my finger in the fire, and need not.

Caius. Sir Hugh send-a you?-Rugby, baillez me some paper: tarry you a little-a while. (rites.)

Quick. I am glad he is so quiet: if he had been thoroughly moved, you should have heard him so loud, and so melancholy;-but notwithstanding, man, I'll do your master what good I can : and the very yea and the no is, the French doctor, my master, I may call him my master, look you, for I keep his house; and I wash, wring, brew, bake, scour, dress meat and drink, make the beds, and do all myself:

[hand.

Sim. "Tis a great charge, to come under one body's Quick. Are you avis'd o' that? you shall find it a great charge: and to be up early and down late;but notwithstanding, (to tell you in your ear: 1 would have no words of it;) my master himself is in love with mistress Anne Page: but notwithstanding that, I know Anne's mind, that's neither here nor there.

Caius. You jack'nape; give-a_dis letter to sir Hugh; by gar, it is a shallenge: I will cut his troat in de park; and I vill teach a scurvy jack-a-nape priest to meddle or make:-you may be gone; it is not good you tarry here:-by gar, I will cut all his two stones; by gar, he shall not have a stone to trow at his dog. [Exit Simple.

Quick. Alas, he speaks but for his friend. Caius. It is no matter-a for dat;-do not you tell-a me dat I shall have Anne Page for myselfby gar, I vill kill de Jack Priest; and I have appointed mine host of de Jarterre to measure our weapon:-by gar, I vill myself have Anne Page.

Quick. Sir, the maid loves you, and all shall be well: we must give folks leave to prate: what, the good-jer!