And here it rests,—that you '11 procure the vicar
To stay for me at church 'twixt twelve and one,
And, in the lawful name of marrying,

50

To give our hearts united ceremony. Host. Well, husband your device; I'll to the vicar: Bring you the maid, you shall not lack a priest. Fent. So shall I evermore be bound to thee; Besides, I'll make a present recompense.

52. “husband"; manage.-C. H. H.

[Exeunt.

ACT FIFTH

SCENE I

A room in the Garter Inn.

Enter Falstaff and Mistress Quickly.

Fal. Prithee, no more prattling; go. I'll hold.
This is the third time; I hope good luck lies
in odd numbers. Away! go.
Away! go.

They say
there is divinity in odd numbers, either in na-
tivity, chance, or death. Away!

Quick. I'll provide you a chain; and I'll do what I can to get you a pair of horns.

Fal. Away, I say; time wears: hold up your head and mince.

Enter Ford.

[Exit Mrs. Quickly.

How now, Master Brook! Master Brook, the 10 matter will be known to-night, or never.

Be

you in the Park about midnight, at Herne's
oak, and you shall see wonders.

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

Fal. I went to her, Master Brook, as you see,

1. "hold"; keep to the time.-H. N. H.

9. "and mince"; that is, walk: to mince signified to walk with affected delicacy.-H. N. H.

like a poor old man: but I came from her,
Master Brook, like a poor old woman. That
same knave Ford, her husband, hath the
finest mad devil of jealousy in him, Master 20
Brook, that ever governed frenzy. I will
tell you: he beat me grievously, in the
shape of a woman; for in the shape of man,
Master Brook, I fear not Goliath with a
weaver's beam; because I know also life is
a shuttle. I am in haste; go along with
me: I'll tell you all, Master Brook. Since
I plucked geese, played truant, and whipped
top, I knew not what 'twas to be beaten till
lately. Follow me: I'll tell you strange 30
things of this knave Ford, on whom to-night
I will be revenged, and I will deliver his
wife into your hand. Follow. Strange
things in hand, Master Brook! Follow.
[Exeunt.

SCENE II

Windsor Park.

Enter Page, Shallow, and Slender.

Page. Come, come; we'll couch i' the castleditch till we see the light of our fairies. Remember, son Slender, my daughter.

26. "life is a shuttle"; an allusion to the Book of Job, c. vii. v. 6. "My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle."-H. N. H.

28. "plucked geese"; to strip a living goose of its feathers was formerly an act of puerile barbarity.-H. N. H.

Slen. Aye, forsooth; I have spoke with her, and we have a nay-word how to know one another: I come to her in white, and cry, 'mum;' she 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 10 decipher her well enough. It hath struck ten o'clock.

Page. The night is dark; light and spirits will become it well. Heaven prosper our sport! No man means evil but the devil, and we shall know him by his horns. Let's away; follow me.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III

A street leading to the Park.

Enter Mistress Page, Mistress Ford, and Doctor
Caius.

Mrs. Page. Master Doctor, my daughter is in
green: when you see your time, take her by
the hand, away with her to the deanery, and
dispatch it quickly. Go before into the
Park: we two must go together.
Caius. I know vat I have to do.

Mrs. Page. Fare you well, sir.

Adieu.

[Exit Caius.]

My husband will not rejoice so much at the

15. “No man means evil but the devil"; Page indirectly alludes to Falstaff, who was to have horns on his head.-H. N. H.

abuse of Falstaff as he will chafe at the doc-
tor's marrying my daughter: but 'tis no
matter; better a little chiding than a great
deal of heart-break.

Mrs. Ford. Where is Nan now and her troop
of fairies, and the Welsh devil Hugh?
Mrs. Page. They are couched in a pit hard by

10

Herne's oak, with obscured lights; which, at the very instant of Falstaff's and our meeting, they will at once display to the night. Mrs. Ford. That cannot choose but amaze him. Mrs. Page. If he be not amazed, he will be 20 mocked; if he be amazed, he will every way

be mocked.

Mrs. Ford. We'll betray him finely.

Mrs. Page. Against such lewdsters and their lech

ery

Those that betray them do no treachery.

Mrs. Ford. The hour draws on. To the oak,

to the oak!

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV

Windsor Park.

Enter Sir Hugh Evans disguised, with others as Fairies.

Evans. Trib, trib, fairies; come; and remember your parts: be pold, I pray you; follow me into the pit; and when I give the watch'ords, do as I pid you: come, come; trib trib.

[Exeunt.