And leave her on fuch flight conditions.
Now, by the honour of my ancestry,
I do applaud thy fpirit, Valentine,
And think thee worthy of an Emprefs' love.
Know then, I here forget all former griefs,
Cancel all grudge, repeal thee home again,
Plead a new state in thy unrival'd merit,
To which I thus fubfcribe Sir Valentine,

Thou art a gentleman, and well deriv'd ;

Take thou thy Silvia, for thou haft deferv'd her. Val. I thank your Grace; the gift hath made me happy.

I now befeech you, for your daughter's fake,

Το

grant one boon that I fhall aik of you.

Duke I grant it for thine own, whate'er it be. Val. Thefe banifh'd men, that I have kept withal, Are men endu'd with worthy qualities: Forgive them what they have committed here, And let them be recall'd from their exile. They are reformed, civil, full of good, And fit for great employment, worthy Lord.

Duke. Thou haft prevail'd, I pardon them and thee Dilpose of them as thou know'ft their deferts. Come, let us go; we will include all jars With triumphs, mirth, and rare folemnity.

Val. And as we walk along, I dare be bold With our discourse to make your Grace to fmile. What think you of this page, my Lord?

;

Duke. I think the boy hath grace in him; he blushes. Val. I warrant you, my Lord, more grace than boy. Duke. What mean you by that faying?

Val. Please you, I'll tell you as we pass along, ad
That you will wonder what hath fortuned.
Come, Protheus, 'tis your penance but to hear
The ftory of your loves difcovered:

That done, our day of marriage fhall be your's,
One feast, one houfe, one mutual happiness.

A C T I. SCENE I

Before Page's houfe in Windfor.

Enter Justice Shallow, Slender, and Sir Hugh Evans

Shal.

S

IR Hugh, perfuade me not; I will make a Star-chamber matter of it: if he were twenty Sir John Falftaffs, he fhall not abuse Robert Shallow, Efq;

Slen. In the county of Gloucefter Juftice of Peace, and Coram.

This play was written in the author's beft and ripeft years, after Henry IV. by the command of Q. Elifabeth. There is a tradition, that it was compofed at a fortnight's warning: but that must he meant only of the firft imperfect sketch of this comedy, which is yet extant in an old quarto edition printed in 1619. This which we have here was altered and improved by the author almost in every Speech. Mr. Pope.

Shal.

Shal. Ay, coufin Slender, and Guftalorum.

Slen. Ay, and Rato-lorum too; and a gentleman born, after Parion, who writes himself Armigero in any bill, warrant, quittance, or obligation; Armigera. Shal. Ay, that I do, and have done any time these three hundred years.

Slen All his fucceffors gone before him have don't; and all his ancestors that come after him may; they may give the dozen white luces in their coat.

Shal. It is an old coat

Eva. The dozen white lowfes do become an old coat well; it agrees well, paffant; it is a familiar beast to man, and fignifies love

Shal The luce is the fresh fish, the salt fish is an old

coat.

Slen. I may quarter, coz.

Shal. You may by marrying.

Eva. It is marring indeed, if he quarter it.
Shal. Not a whit.

Eva. Yes, per-lady; if he has a quarter of your coat, there is but three skirts for yourself, in my fimple conjectures; but that is all one. If Sir John Falstaff have committed difparagements upon you, I am of the church, and would be glad to do my benevolence, to make atonements and compromises between you.

Shal. The council fhall hear it; it is a riot.

Eva. It is not meet the council hear of a riot; there is no fear of Got in a riot: the council, look you, fhall defire to hear the fear of Got, and not to hear a riot; take your viza-ments in that.

Shal. Ha! o' my life, if I were young again, the fword fhould end it.

Eva It is petter that friends is the sword, and end it; and there is also another device in my prain, which, peradventure, prings good difcretions with it: there is Anne Page, which is daughter to Mafter George Page, which is pretty virginity.

Slen. Miftrefs Anne Page? fhe has brown hair, and fpeaks finall like a woman.

Eva. It is that ferry perfon for all the orld, as just as you will defire; and feven hundred pounds of mors, and gold and filver, is her grandfire upon his death

bed

bed (Got deliver to a joyful refurrections) give, when fhe is able to overtake feventeen years old it were a good motion, if we leave our pribbles and prabbles, and defire a marriage between Master Abraham and Mistress Anne Page.

Slen. Did her grandfire leave her feven hundred pounds?

Eva. Ay, and her father is make her a petter penny. Slen. I know the young gentlewoman; the has good gifts.

Eva. Seven hundred pounds, and poffibilities, is good gifts.

Shal. Well, let us fee honeft Mr. Page: is Falstaff there?

Eva. Shall I tell you a lye? I do despise a lyar, as I do defpife one that is falfe, or as I despise one that is not true. The Knight, Sir John, is there; and, I befeech be ruled by your well-wishers. i will peat

you,

the door [Knocks ] for Master Page. What, hoa? Got blefs your houfe here.

SCENE II. Enter Mr. Page.

Page. Who's there?

Eva. Here is Got's bleffing, and your friend, and Juftice Shallow; and here's young Maiter Slender; that peradventures, fhall tell you another tale, if matters grow to your likings.

Page. I am glad to fee your Worfhips well. I thank you for my venifon, Mafter Shallow.

Shal. Mafter Page, I am glad to fee you; much good do it your good heart: I with'd your venifon better? it was ill kill'd. How doth good Mistress Page? and I thank you always with my heart, la; with my heart.

Page. Sir, I thank you.

Shal. Sir I thank you; by yea and no I do.

Page. I am glad to fee you, good Mafter Slender. Slen. How does your fallow greyhound, Sir? I heard fay he was out-run on Cotfale.

D

age. It could not be judg'd, Sir.

len. You'll not confeis, you'll not confefs.

Shal.

Shal. That he will not; 'tis your fault, 'tis your fault 'tis a good dog.

Page. A cur, Sir.

Shal Sir, he's a good dog, and a fair dog: can there be more faid he is good and fair. Is Sir John Falstaff here?

Fage. Sir, he is within; and I would I could do a good office between you

Eva. It is fpoke as a Chriftians ought to speak.
Shal. He hath wrong'd me, Maiter Page.

Page. Sir, he doth in fome fort confefs it.

Shal. If it be confefs'd, it is not redrefs'd; is not that fo, Master Page he hath wrong'd me; indeed he hath; at a word, he hath; believe me, Robert Shallow, Efquire, faith, he is wrong'd. Page. Here comes Sir John.

S CEN E III.

Enter Sir John Falstaff, Bardolph, Nym, and Pistol. Fal. Now, Mafter Shallow, you'll complain of me to the council.

Shal. Knight, you have beaten my men, kill'd my deer, and broke open my lodge.

Fal But not kifs'd your keeper's daughter?

Shal. Tut, a pin this fhall be anfwer'd.

Fal. I will anfwer it strait: I have done all this, That is now anfwer'd

Shal. The council fhall know this.

Fal. 'Twere better for you if 'twere not known in council; you'll be laugh'd at.

Eva. Pauca verba. Sir John. good worts.

Fal. Good worts? good cabbage. Slender, I broke your head; what matter have you against me?

Slen Marry, Sir; I have matter in my head against you, and against your coney-catching rafcals Bardolph, Nym, and Piftol.

Bar. You Banbury cheese !

Slen. Ay, it is no matter.

Pift. How now, Mephoftophilus ?

Slen. Ay, it is no matter.

Nym