fer'd more for their fakes, more than the villanous inconftancy of man's difpofition is able to bear.

Quic And have not they fuffer'd yes, I warrant, fpeciously one of them; Miftrefs Ford, good heart, is beaten black and blue, that you cannot fee a white spot about her.

Fal. What tell'st thou me of black and blue? I was beaten myself into all the colours of the rainbow; and I was like to be apprehended for the witch of Brainford; but that my admirable dexterity of wit, counterfeiting the action of an old woman, deliver'd me, the knave conftable had fet me i' th' ftocks, i' th' common flocks, for a witch.

Quic. Sir, let me fpeak with you in your chamber; you fhall hear how things go, and, I warrant, to your content. Here is a letter will fay fomewhat. Good hearts, what ado is here to bring you together? fure, one of you does not ferve heav'n well, that you are fo crofs'd

Fal. Come up into my chamber.

[Exeunt.

SCENE XI. Enter Fenton and Hoft.

Hoft. Mafter Fenton, talk not to me, my mind is heavy,

I will give over all.

Fen. Yet hear me speak; affift me in my purpose, And, as I am a gentleman, I'll give thee

A hundred pound in gold more than your lofs.

Hoft. I will hear you, Maiter Fenton; and I will, at the leaft, keep your counsel.

Fen From time to time I have acquainted you
With the dear love I bear to fair Anne Page;
Who, mutually, hath anfwer'd my affection,
(So far forth as herself might be her chufer),
Ev'n to my wifh. I have a letter from her
Of fuch contents, as you will wonder at;
The mirth whereof's fo larded with my matter,
That neither fingly can be manifested,

Without the fhew of both. Fat Sir John Falstaff
Hath a great fcene: the image of the jeft
I'll fhew you here at large Hark, good mine Hoft;
To night at Herne's oak, juit 'twixt twelve and one,

Muft

Muft my sweet Nan prefent the Fairy Queen;
The purpose why, is here; in which difguife,
While other jefts are fomething rank on foot,
Her father hath commanded her to flip
Away with Slender, and with him at Eaton
Immediately to marry; the hath confented-
Sir,

Her mother, ever ftrong against that match,
And firm for Doctor Caius, hath appointed
That he fhall likewife fhuffle her away,
(While other sports are talking of their minds),
And at the Deanry, where a priest attends,
Straight marry her to this her mother's plot
She, feemingly obedient, likewife hath

:

Now,

Made promife to the Doctor.-Now, thus it refts;
Her father means the fhall be all in white,
And in that drefs when Slender fees his time

To take her by the hand, and bid her go,

She fhall go with him. Her mother hath intended,
The better to devote her to the Doctor,
(For they must all be mafk'd and vizarded),
That, quaint in green, fhe thall be loofe enrob'd,
With ribbands-pendent, flaring 'bout her head;
And when the Doctor fpies his vantage ripe,
To pinch her by the hand, and on that token,
The maid hath given confent to go with him.
Hoft. Which means the to deceive father or mo-
ther?

Fen. Both, my good Hoft, to go along with me;
And here it refts, that you'll procure the Vicar
To ftay for me at church, twixt twelve and one,
And in the lawful name of marrying,

To give our hearts united ceremony.

Hoft. Well, hufband your device: I'll to the Vicar.

Bring you the maid, you fhall not lack a priest.
Fen. So fhall evermore be bound to thee;

Befide, I'll make a prefent recompence.

SCENE XII.

Re-enter Falstaff and Miftrefs Quickly.

[Exeunt.

Fal. Pr'ythee, no more pratling; go, I'll hold.

This is the third time: I hope good luck lies in odd numbers; away, go; they fay, there is divinity in odd numbers, either in nativity, chance, or death; away.

Quic. I'll provide you a chain, and I'll do what I can to get you a pair of horns. [Exit Mrs. Quickly. Fal. Away, I fay, time wears: hold up your head and mince.

Enter Ford.

How now, Mafter Brook? Mafter Brook, the matter will be known to night, or never. Be you in the park about midnight, at Herne's oak, and you shall fee wonders.

Ford. Went you not to her yefterday, Sir, as you told me you had appointed ?

Fal. I went to her, Master Brook, as you fee, like a poor old man; but I came from her, Master Brook, like a poor old woman. That fame knave Ford, her hufband, hath the finest mad devil of jealoufy in him, Mafter Brook, that ever govern'd frenzy. I will tell you; he beat me grievoufly, in the fhape of a woman; for in the fhape of a man, Master Brook, I fear not Goliah with a weaver's beam; becaufe I know also, life is a fhuttle; I am in haste; go along with me, I’H tell you all, Mafter Brook. Since I pluck'd geefe, play'd truant, and whipt top, I knew not what 'twas to be beaten, till lately. Follow me, I'll tell you ftrange things of this knave Ford, on whom to-night I will be revenge'd, and I will deliver his wife into your hand. Follow; ftrange things in hand, Mafter [Exeunt.

Brook! Follow.

Enter Page, Shallow, and Slender.

Page. till we fee the light of our Fairies. Remem

Ome, come; we'll couch i' th' castle-ditch,

her, fon Slender, my daughter.

Slen.

I come

Slen, Ay, forfooth, I have spoke with her, and we have a nay-word how to know one another. to her in white, and cry, Mum; fhe 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 decypher her well enough. It hath ftruck ten o'clock.

Page. The night is dark, light and fpirits will become it well; heav'n profper our fport! No one means evil but the devil, and we thall know him by his horns. Let's away; follow me. [Exeunt.

SCE NE II.

Enter Miftrefs Page, Mistress Ford, and Caius. Mrs. Page. Mr. Doctor, my daughter is in green; when you fee your time, take her by the hand, away with her to the Deanry, and difpatch it quickly; go before into the park; we two must go together.

Caius. I know vat I have to do; adieu.

[Exit.

Mrs. Page. Fare you well, Sir. My husband will not rejoice fo much at the abuse of Falstaff, as he will chafe at the Doctor'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 Evans ?

Mrs. Page. They are all couch'd in a pit hard by Herne's oak, with obfcur'd lights; which, at the very inftant of Falstaff's and our meeting, they will at once difplay to the night.

Mrs. Ford. That cannot chufe but amaze him. Mrs. Page. If he be not amaz'd, he will be mock'd; if he be amaz'd, he will every way be mock'd. Mrs. Ford. We'll betray him finely.

Mrs. Page. Against such leudsters, and their lechery, Thofe that betray them do no treachery.

Mrs. Ford. The hour draws on; to the oak, to the oak. [Exeunt.

Enter Evans and Fairies.

Eva. Trib, trib, Fairies; come, and remember your

parts:

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.
[Exeunts

Enter Falstaff, with a buck's head on.

Fal. The Windsor bell hath ftruck twelve, the minute draws on; now, the hot-blooded gods affift me! Remember, Jove, thou waft a bull for thy Europa ; love fet on thy horns. Oh powerful love! that, in fome refpects, makes a beast a man; in fome other, a man a beat. You were alfo, Jupiter, a fwan, for the love of Leda: Oh, omnipotent love! how near the god drew to the complexion of a goose! A fault done firft in the form of a beast,—O Jove, a beastly fault; and then another fault in the femblance of a fowl:think on't, Jove, a foul fault. When gods have hot backs, what fhall poor men do? for me, I am here a Windfor ftag, and the fatteft, I think, i' th' foreft. Send me a cool rut-time, Jove, or who can blame me to piss my tallow? Who comes here? my doe?

Enter Miftrefs Ford and Mistress Page.

Mrs. Ford. Sir John? art thou there, my deer? my male deer?

Fal. My doe with the black fcut? let the sky rain potatoes; let it thunder to the tune of Green-fleeves; hail kifling-comfits, and fnow-eringoes; let there come a tempeft of provocation, I will fhelter me here.

Mrs. Ford. Miftrefs Page is come with me, fweet heart.

Fal. Divide me like a bribe-buck, each a haunch; I will keep my fides to myself, my fhoulders for the fellow of this walk, and my horns I bequeath your husbands. Am I a woodman, ha? Speak I like Herne the hunter? Why, now is Cupid a child of confcience, he makes reftitution. As I am a true spirit, welcome!

Mrs. Page. Alas! what noife?
Mrs. Ford. Heav'n forgive our fins!
Fal. What fhould this be?

[Noife within.

Mrs.