Quic. Ay, forfooth; and then you may come and fee the picture, the fays, that you wot of: Master Ford, her husband, will be from home. Alas! the fweet woman leads an ill life with him, he's a very jealousyman; fhe leads a very frampold life with him, good heart.

Fal Ten and eleven: woman, commend me to her, I will not fail her.

Quic. Why, you fay well but I have another meffenger to your Worfhip. Miftreis Page has her hearty commendations to you too; and, let me tell you in your ear, fhe's as fartuous a civil modeft wife, and one (I 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 fhe hopes there will come a time I never knew a woman fo doat upon a man; furely 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?

Quic. That were a jeft indeed; they have not fo little grace, I hope; that were a trick, indeed! but Miftres 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 Master Page is an honeft man. Never a wife in Windfor leads a better life than fhe does; do what fhe will, fay what she will, take all, pay all, go to bed when the lift, rife when she litt, all is as fhe will: and truly fhe deferves it; for if there be a kind woman in Windfor, truly fhe 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 wicked,

nefs:

nefs old folks, you know, have difcretion, as they fay, 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 pink is one of Cupid s carriers : Clap on more fails; purfue: up with your fights; Give fire; the is my prize, or ocean whelin them all! [Exit Pitol.

Fal. Say't thou fo, old Jack? go thy ways; I'll make more of thy old body than I have done. Will they yet look after thee? Wilt thou, after the expence of so much money, be now a gainer? Good body, I thank thee; let them fay, 'tis groisly done; fo it be fairly done, no matter.

SCENE IX.

Enter Bardolph.

Bard. Sir John, there is one Mafter Brook below would fain speak with you, and be acquainted with you; and hath sent your Worship a morning's draught of fack.

Fal. Brook, is his name?

Bard. Ay, Sir. ⠀

Fal. Call him in; [Exit Bardolph]. Such Brooks* are welcome to me that o'erflow with fuch liquor. Ah! ah. Mistress Ford and Miftrefs Page, have I en. compass'd you go to, via!

Re-enter Bardolph, with Ford difguis'd.

Ford. Bless 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.

Edition of 1619. In all the fucceeding editions this name of Brouk (I can't tell why) is altered to Ercom; whereas it is manife from this conceit upon the name, that it should be Brook, M. F pe.

Fal.

Fal. Good Mafter Brook, I defire more acquaintance

of you.

Ford Good Sir John, I fue for your's; not to charge you; for I muft let you understand, I think myself in better plight for a lender than you are, the which hath fomething embolden'd me to this unfeason'd intrufion; for they fay, if money go before, all ways do lie 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, take all, or half, for eafing me of the carriage.

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

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, I hear you are a scholar; (I will be brief with you); and you have been a man long known to me, though I had never fo good means as defire to make myfelf acquainted with you: 1 fhall difcover a thing to you, wherein I must very much lay open mine orn imperfections; but, good Sir John, as you have one eye upon my follies as you hear them unfolded, turn another into the regifter of your own, that I may pafs with a reproof the eafier; fith you yourfelf 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 pursued her, as love hath purlu'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

purchas'd at an infinite rate, and that hath taught me to fay this;

"Love like a fhadow flies, when fubftance love purfues; "Pursuing that that flies. and flying what purfues.

Fal. Have you receiv'd no promife of fatisfaction at her hands?

Ford. Never.

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

Fal Of what quality was your love then?

Ford Like a fair houfe built on another man's ground; fo that I have loft my edifice, by miftaking the place where I erected it.

Fal. To what purpose have you unfolded this to me? Ford. When I have told you that, I have told you all. Some fay, that though the appear honest to me, yet in other places fhe enlargeth her mirth fo far, that there is fhrewd conftruction made of her. Now, Sir

John, here is the heart of my purpose: you are a gentleman of excellent breeding, admirable discourse, of great admittance, authentic in your place and person, generally allow'd for your many war-like, court-like, and learned preparations.

Fal. O Sir!

Ford. Believe it, for you know it; there is money, fpend it, spend it; spend more, spend all I have; only give me fo much of your time in exchange of it, as to lay an amiable fiege to the honesty 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

Fal. Would it apply well to the vehemence of your affection, that I fhould win what you would enjoy? methinks you prescribe to yourself very prepofteroufly.

Ford. O, understand my drift; fhe dwells fo fecurely on the excellency of her honour, that the folly of my foul dares not prefent itself; fhe 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 themfelves; I could drive her then from the ward of her purity, her reputation, her marriage-vow, and a thousand other her defences, which

now

now are too too strongly embattel'd against me. What fay you to't, Sir John?

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

Fal. Mafter Brook, I fay, you fhall.

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

none.

Fal. Want no Miftrefs Ford, Mafter Brook, you fhall want none; I fhall 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 fhall 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 fhall know how I speed.

Ford. I am blefs'd 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 fay the jealous wittolly knave hath maffes of money, for the which his wife feems to be well-favour'd. I will ufe her as the key of the cuckoldly rogue's coffer; and there's my harvest-home.

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

Fal. Hang him, mechanical falt-butter rogue; I will ftare 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 Brook, thou shalt know, I will predominate over the peasant; and thou fhalt lie with his wife: come to me foon at night; Ford's a knave, and I will aggravate his ftyle: 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 fix'd, the match is made; would any