tell you) that will not mifs you morning nor evening prayer, as any is in Windfor, whoe'er be the other; and the bade me tell your worship, that her husband is feldom from home, but, the hopes, there will come a time. I never knew a woman fo doat upon a man; furely, I think you have charms, la; yes, in truth.

Fal. Not I, I affure thee; fetting the attraction of my good parts afide, I have no other charms. Quic, Bleffing on your heart for't!

Fal. But I pray thee, tell me this; has Ford's wife, and Page's wife, acquainted each other how they love

me?

Quit. That were a jeft, indeed; they have not fo little grace, I hope; that were a trick, indeed! but miftrels Page would defire you to fend her your little page, of all loves: her husband has a marvellous infection to the little page; and, truly, mafter Page is van · honeft man. Never a wife in Windfor leads a better life, than the does; do what fhe will, fay what she will, take all, pay all, go to bed when the lift, rife when the lift, all is as he will; and truly fhe deserves it; for if there be a kind woman in Windfor, truly, he is one. You must fend her your page; no remedy.

Fal. Why, I will.

Quic. Nay, but do fo then; and look you, he may come and go between you both, and in any cafe have a nay-word, that you may know one another's mind; and the boy never need to understand any thing; for 'tis not good, that children fhould know any wickedness: old folks, you know, have discretion, as they say, and know the world.

Fal. Fare thee well; commend me to them both: there's my purfe, I am yet thy debtor. Boy, go along with this woman. This news diftracts me!

[Exeunt Quickly and Robin.

Pift. This punk is one of Cupid's carriers:

Clap on more fails; pursue; up with your fights;
Give fire; fhe is my prize, or ocean whelm them all!

[Exit Pitol. Fal. Say'ft thou fo, old Jack? go thy ways; PH

make

make more of thy old body, than I have done; will they yet look after thee? Wilt thou, after the expence of fo much money, be now a gainer? good body, I thank thee; let them fay, 'tis grofsly done; fo it be fairly done, no matter.

Enter Bardolph.

Bard. Sir John, there's one mafter Brook below would fain fpeak with you, and be acquainted with you; and hath fent your worship a morning's draught of fack. Fal. Brook, is his name?

Bard. Ay, Sir.

Fal. Call him in; [Exit Bardolph.] fuch Brooks are welcome to me, that o'erflow with fuch liquor. Ah! ahl miftrefs Ford and mitrefs Page, have I encompass'd you? go to, via!

Re-enter Bardolph, with Ford difguis'd.

Ford. Blefs you, Sir.

*Fal. And you, Sir; would you speak with me? Ford. I make bold to prefs with fo little preparation

upon you.

Fal. You're welcome; what's your will? give us leave, drawer. [Exit Bardolph. Ford. Sir, I am a gentleman that have spent much; my name is Brook..

Fal. Good mafter Brook, I defire more acquaintance of you.

を

Ford. Good Sir John, I fue for yours; not to charge you; for I muft let you understand, I think myfelf in better plight for a lender than you are, the which hath fomething embolden'd me to this unseason'd intrufion; for they fay, if money go before, all ways do lye open. Fal. Money is a good foldier, Sir, and will on.

Ford. Troth, and I have a bag of money, here, troubles me; if you will help me to bear it, Sir John, také. all, or half, for eafing me of the carriage.

Fal. Sir, I know not how I may deferve to be your *porter

Ford

Ford, I will tell you, Sir, if you will give me the hearing.

Fal. Speak, good mafter Brook, I fhall be glad to be your fervant.

Ford. Sir, 1 hear, you are a fcholar; (I will be brief with you) and you have been a man long known to me, tho' I had never fo good means, as defire, to make my< felf acquainted with you: I shall difcover a thing to you, wherein I must very much lay open mine own imperfections; but, good Sir John, as you have one eye, upon my follies, as you hear them unfolded, turn another into the register of your own, that I may pass with a reproof the easier; fith you yourself know, how eafy it is to be fuch an offender,

Fal. Very well: Sir, proceed.

Ford. There is a gentlewoman in this town, her husband's name is Ford.

Fal. Well, Sir.

Ford. I have long lov'd her; and, I proteft to you, bestow'd much on her; follow'd her with a doating obfervance; ingrofs'd opportunities to meet her; fee'd every flight occafion, that could but niggardly give me fight of her; not only bought many prefents to give her, but have given largely, to many, to know what the would have given: briefly, I have purfued her, as love hath purfu'd me, which hath been on the wing of all occafions. But whatsoever I have merited, either in my mind, or in my means; meed, I am fure, I have received none; unless experience be a jewel; That I have purchas'd at an infinite rate, and that hath taught me to fay this;

"Love like a fhadow flies, "Pursuing That that flies, Fal. Have you receiv'd

her hands?

Ford. Never.

when fubftance love purfues;
and flying what pursues.
no promife of fatisfaction at

Fal. Have you importun'd her to fuch a purpose } Ford. Never.

Fal. Of what quality was your love then?

Ford. Like a fair house, built on another man's grounds

fo that I have loft my edifice, by miftaking the place where 1 erected it.

Fal. To what purpofe have you unfolded this to me? Ford. When I have told you that, I have told you all. Some fay, that tho' fhe appear honeft to me, yet in other places the enlargeth her mirth fo far, that there. is fhrewd conftruction made of her. Now, Sir John, here is the heart of my purpofe: You are a gentleman of excellent breeding, admirable discourse, of great admittance, authentick in your place and perfon, generally allow'd for your many war-like, court-like, and learned preparations.

Fal. O Sir!

P

Ford. Believe it, for you know it: there is money, fpend it, spend it; fpend more, fpend all I have, only give me fo much of your time in exchange of it, as to Tay an amiable fiege to the honelty of this Ford's wife; ufe your art of wooing, win her to confent to you; if any man may, you may as foon as any..

Fel. Would it apply well to the vehemence of your affection, that I should win what you would enjoy? methinks, you prefcribe to your felf very prepofterously..

Ford. O, underftand my drift; fhe dwells fo fecurely on the excellency of her honour, that the folly of my foul dares not present itself; she is too bright to be look'd againft. Now, could I come to her with any detection in my hand, my defires had inftance and argument to commend themselves; I could drive ther then from the ward of her purity, her reputation, her marriage-vow, and a thousand other her defences, which now are too too ftrongly embattel'd against me. What fay you to't Sir John.

Fal. Mafter Brook, I will firft make bold with your mony; next, give me your hand; and laft, as I am a gentleman, you shall, if you will, enjoy Ford's wife. Ford. O good Sir!

Fal. Maier Brook, I fay you fhall.

Ford. Want no mony, Sir John, you shall want

none...

▲ Fal. Want no miftrefs Ford, mafter Brook, you shall VOL. I.

M

want

want none; I shall be with her, I may tell you, by her own appointment. Even as you came in to me, her affiftant, or go-between parted from me; I fay, I shall be with her between ten and eleven; for at that time the jealous rafcally knave, her husband, will be forth; come you to me at night, you shall know how I speed.

Ford. I am bleft in your acquaintance: do you know Ford, Sir.

Fal. Hang him, poor cuckoldly knave, I know him not yet I wrong him, to call him poor; they say, the jealous wittolly knave hath masses of money, for the which his wife feems to be well-favour'd. I will use her as the key of the cuckoldly rogue's coffer; and there's my harveft-home.

Ford. I would you knew Ford, Sir, that you might avoid him, if you faw him.

Fal. Hang him, mechanical falt-butter rogue: I will flare him out of his wits; I will awe him with my cudgel; it fhall hang like a meteor o'er the Cuckold's horns. Mafter Book, thou fhall know, I will predominate over the peasant; and thou fhalt lye with his wife: Come to me foon at night; Ford's a knave, and I will aggravate his ftile: thou, mafter Brook, fhalt know him for knave and cuckold come to me foon at night. [Exit.

Ford. What a damn'd Epicurean rafcal is this! my heart is ready to crack with impatience. Who fays, this is improvident jealoufy my wife hath fent to him, the ? hour is fixt, the match is made; would any man have thought this fee the hell of having a falfe woman! my bed fhall be abus'd, my coffers ranfack'd, my reputation gnawn at; and I fhall not only receive this villainous wrong, but ftand under the adoption of abominable terms, and by him that does me the wrong. Terms, names; Amaimon founds well; Lucifer well; Barbajɔn, well; yet they are devils' additions, the names of fiends: but cuckold, wittol, cuckold; the devil himself hath not fuch a name. Page is an ass, a fecure afs, he will trust his wife; he will not be jealous: I will rather trust a Fleming with my butter, parfon Hugh the Welchman with my cheese, an Irishman with my Aquavita bottle, or a