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2 Out. Come, bring her away.

Thou hast no faith left now, unless thou hadst two, '1 Out. Where is the gentleman that was with And that's far worse than none; better have noue ber?

Than plural faith, which is too much by one : S Out. Being nimble-footed, he hath outrun us, Thou counterfeit to thy true friend ! But Moyses, and Valerius, follow him.

Pro.

In love, Go thou with her to the west end of the wood, Who respects friend ? There is our captain : we'll follow him that's fled. Sil.

All men but Proteus. The thicket is beset, he cannot 'scape.

Pro. Nay, if the gentle spirit of moving words 1 Out. Come, I must bring you to our captain's Can no way change you to a milder form, cave;

I'll woo you like a soldier, at arms' end; Fear not; be bears an honourable mind,

And love you 'gainst the nature of love, force you. And will not use a woman lawlessly.

Sil. O Heaven! Sil. O Valentine, this I endure for thee. (Ereunt. Pro.

I'll force thee yield to my

desire.

Val. Ruffian, let go that rude uncivil toucb: SCENE IV.-Another part of the Forest. Thou friend of an ill fashion !

Pro.

Valentine !
Enter VALENTINE.

Val. Thou common friend, that's without faith Val. How use doth breed a habit in a man

or love; This shadowy desert, unfrequented woods, (For such is a friend now,) treacherous man! I better br ok than flourishing peopled towns : Thou hast beguild my liopes; nought but mine eye Here can I sit alone, unseen of any,

Could have persuaded me : Now I dare not say, And to the nightingale's complaining notes, I have one friend alive ; tbou would'st disprove me, Tune my distresses, and record my woes.

Who should be trusted now, when one's right hand O thou that dost inhabit in my breast,

Is perjur'd to the bosom ? Proteus, Leave not the mansion so long tenantless;

I am sorry I must never trust thee more, Lest, growing ruinous, the building fall,

But count the world a stranger for thy sake. And leave no memory of what it was !

The private wound is deepest : 0 time, most curst! Repair me with thy presence, Silvia;

'Mongst all foes, that a friend should be the worst. Thou gentle nymph, cherish thy forlorn swain ! Pro. My shame and guilt confound me.What halloing, and what stir, is this to-day? Forgive me, Valentine : if hearty sorrow These are my mates, that make their wills their law, Be a sufficient ransom for offence, Have some unhappy passenger in chase :

I tender it here; I do as truly suffer, They love me well ; jet I have much to do,

As e'er I did commit. To keep them from uncivil outrages.

Val.

Then I am paid; Withdraw thee, Valentine ; who's this comes here? And once again I do receive thee honest :

[Steps aside, Who by repentance is not satisfied, Enter PROTEUS, Suvia, and Julia.

Is nor of heaven, nor earth; for these are pleas'd;

By penitence the Eternal's wrath's appeas'd :Pro. Madam, this service I have done for you, And, that my love may appear plain and free, (Though you respect not aught your servant doth,) All that was mine in silvia, I give thee. To hazard life, and rescue you from him

Jul. O me, unhappy!

[Fui'tsa That wou'd have forc'd your honour and your love. Pro. Look to the boy. Vouchsafe me, for my meed, but one fair look ; Val. Why, boy! why, wag! how now ? what is A smaller boon than this I cannot beg,

the matter? And less than this, I am sure, you cannot give. Look up; speak. Val. How like a dream is this I see and hear! Jul.

O good sir, my master i barg'd mo
Love, lend me patience to forbear a while. [Aside. To deliver a ring to madam Silvia;
Sil. O miserable, unhappy that I am !

Which out of my neglect, was never done.
Pro. Unhappy were you, madam, ere I cam Pro. Where is that ring, boy?
But, by my coming, I have made you happy.

Jul.

Here 'tis : this is it. Sil. By thy approach thou mak’st me mos

[Gives a ring. bapps.

Pro. How ! let me see:
Jul. And me, when he approacheth to your pre- Why this is the ring I gave to Julia.

[Aside. Jul. O, cry you mercy, sir, I have mistook ; Sil. Had I been seized by a hungry lion, This is the ring you sent to Silvia. I would have been a breakfast to the beast,

[Shows another ring. Rather than have false Proteus rescue me.

Pro. But, how cam'st thou by this ring? at my 0. Heaven be judge, how I love Valentine,

depart, Whose life's as tender 10 me as my soul;

I gave this unto Julia.
And full as much, (for more there cannot be,) Jul. And Julia herself did give it me;
I do detest false perjur'd Proteus.

And Julia herself hath brought it bither.
Therefore be gone, solicit me no more.

Pro. How ! Julia ! Pro. What dangerous action, stood it next to death, Jul. Behold her that gave aim to all thy oaths, Would I not undergo for one calm look ?

And entertain'd them deeply in ber beart : 0, 'tis the curse in love, and still approv'd, How oft hast thou with perjury cleft the root? When women cannot love, where they're belov’d. O Proteus, let this habit make the e blush! Sil. When Proteus cannot love where he's be- Be thou asbam'd, that I have took upon me lov'd.

Such an immodest raiment; if shame live
Read over Julia's heart, thy first best love, In a disguise of love :
For whose dear sake thou didst then rend thy foith It is the lesser blot, modesty finds,
Into a thousand oaths; and all those oaths

Women to change their shapes, than
Descended into perjury, to love me

minds.

sence.

were man

ever.

Fro. Than men their minds ! 'tis true . O heaven! And think thee worthy of an empress' lov

Know then, I here forget all former griefs, But constant, he were perfect: hat onu error Cancel all grudge, repeal thee home again.Fills him with faults ; makes him run through all Plead a new state in thy unrivall'd merit, sins :

To which I thus subscribe,-sir Valentine, Inconstancy falls off, ere it begins :

Thou art a gentleman, and well deriv'd; Wbut is in Silvia's face, but I may spy

Take thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserv'd ber. More fresh in Julia's with a constant eye ?

Val. I thank your grace; the gift hath made mo Val. Come, come, a hand from either :

happy Le me be blest to make this happy close ;

I now beseech you, for your daughter's sake, 'Twere pity two such friends should be long foes. To grant one boon that I shall ask of you. Pro. Bear witness, heaven, I have my wish for Duke. I graut it, for thine own, wbate'er it be.

Val. These banish'd men, that I have kept withal, Jul. And I have mine.

Are meo endued with worthy qualities ;

Forgive them what they have committed here, Enter Out-laws, with Duke and TURIO.

And let them be recall'd from their exile :
Out.

A prize, a prize, a prize! They are reform’d, civil, full of good,
Val. Forbear, I say; it is my lord the duke. And fit for great employment, worthy lord.
Your grace is welcome to a man disgrac'd,

Duke. Thou hast prevail'd; I pardon them, and
Banished Valentine.
Duke.
Sir Valentine !

Dispose of them, as thou know'st their deserts. Thu. Yonder is Silvia; and Silvia's mine. Come, let us go; we will include all jars Val. Thurio, give back, or else embrace thy With triumphs, mirth, and rare solemnity. death;

Val. And, as we walk along, I dare be bold Come not within the measure of my wrath : With our discourse to make your grace to smile : Do not name Silvia thine; it once again,

What think you of this page, my lord ? Milan shall not behold thee. Here she stands Duke. I think the boy hath grace in bim; he Take but possession of her with a touch ;

blushes. I dare thee but to breathe upon my love.

Val. I warrant you, my lord; more grace than Thu. Sir Valentine, I care not for her, I;

boy. I hold him but a fool, that will endanger

Duke. What mean vou by that saying? His body for a girl that loves him not:

Val. Please you, I'll tell you as we pass along, I claim her not, and therefore she is thine. That you will wonder, what hath fortuned.

Duke. The more degenerate and base art thou, Come, Proteus ; 'tis your penance, but to hear To make such means for her as thou bast done, Ite story of your loves discovered : And leave her on such slight conditions.

That done, our day of marriage shall be yours ; Noi, by the honour of my ancestry,

One feast, one house, one mutual happiness. I do applaud thy spirit. Valentine,

[Ezerint

thee;

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MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR.

between you.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

Slen. I may quarter, coz!

Shal. You may, by marrying. Sir Joux FALSTAFF.

Eva. It is marring, indeed, if he quarter it. FENTON.

Shal. Not a whit. Snallow, a country justice.

Eva. Yes, py'r-lady; if he has a quarter of your SLENDER, cousin to Sballow.

coat, there is' but three skirts for yourself, in my Mr. FORD, Mr. Pace, two gentlemen dwelling at Windsor. simple conjectures : but this is all one : If sir John

Falstaff have committed disparagements unto you, WILLIAM Page, a boy, son to Mr. Page,

I am of the church, and will be glad to do my beSir Hucn Evans, a Welch parson.

nevolence, tɔ make atonements and compromises Dr. Carus, a French physician. Hest of the Garter Ion.

Shal. The Council shall hear it; it is a riot. BARDOLPII,

Eva. It is not meet the Council hear a riot ; Pistol, followers of Falstaff.

there is no fear of Got in a riot : the Council, look Nys,

you, shall desire to hear the fear of Got, and not Robix, page to Falstaff.

lo hear a riot; take your vizaments in that. SIMPLE, servant to Slender.

Shal. Ha! o' my life, if I were young again, the Recey, servant to Dr. Caius.

sword should end it. Mrs. FORD.

Eva. It is petter that friends is the sword, and Mis. Page.

end it: and there is also another device in my Mrs. ANNE PAGE, her daughter, in lme with Fenton. prain, which, peradventure, prings goot discre Mrs. QUICKLY, servant to Dr. Caius.

vions with it: There is Anne Page, wbich is daugh.

ter to master George Page, which is pretty vir. Servants to Page, Ford, &c.

ginity.

Slen. Mistress Anne Page ? She has brown hair, SCENE,- WINDSOR ; and the parts adjacent.

and speaks small like a woman.

Eva. It is that fery person for all the 'orld, as just as you

will desire ; and seven hundred pounds

of movies, and gold, and silver, is her grandsire, ACT I.

upon his death's-bed, (Got deliver to a joyful re

surrections !) give, when she is able to overtake SCENE 1.-Windsor. Before Page's House.

seventeen years old: it were a goot motion, if we

leave our pribbles and prabbles, and desire a marEnter Justice Shallow, SLENDER, and Sir Hugh riage between master Abraham, and mistress Anne Evans.

Page. Shal. Sir Hugh, persuade me not; I will make Shal. Did her grandsire leave her seven hundred a Star-chamber matter of it: if he were twenty sir pound? Jobn Falstaffs, he shall not abuse Robert Shallow, Eva. Ay, and her father is make ber a petter esquire.

penny. Slen. In the county of Gloster, justice of peace, Shal. I know the young gentlewoman : she has

good gifts. Shal. Ay, cousin Slender, and Cust-alorum. Eva. Seven hundred pounds, and possibilities, is

Slen. Ay, and ratolorum too; and a gentleman good gifts. bom, master parson ; who writes bimself armigero ; Shal. Well, let us see honest master Page : Is in any bill, warrant, quittance, or obligation, ar- Falstaff there? tigero.

Eva. Shall I tell you a lie? I do despise a liar, Shal. Ay, that we do; and have done any time as I do despise one that is false; cr. as I despise these three bundred years.

one that is not true. The knight, sir John, is there; Slen. All bis successors, gone before him, have and, I beseech you, be ruled by your well-willers. done't; and all his ancestors, that come after bim, I will peat the door (knocks] for master Page way: they may give the dozen wbite luces in their What, hoa ! Got pless your house bere !

Enter Pack. Shal. It is an old coat.

Era. The dozen white louses do become an old Page. Who's there? coat well; it agrees well, passant: it is a familiar Eva. Here is Got's plessing, and your friend, and beast to mar, and signifies-love.

justice Shallow : and bere young master Slender; The luce is the fresh fish ; tbe salt fish is that, peradventures, shall tell you another tale, is

matters grow to your likings.

and ceram.

coat.

Page. I am glad to see your worships well: I Pist. He hears with ears. thank you for my venison, master Shallow.

Eva. The tevil with his tam! what phrase is this, Shal. Master Page, I am glad to see you; Much He hears with ear? Why, it is affectations. good do it your good beart! I wished your venison Fal. Pistol, did you pick master Slender's purse! better; it was ill killed :-llow doth good mistress Slen. Ay, by these gloves, did he, (or I would I Page ?—and I love you always with my heart, la ; might never come in mine own great chamber again with my heart.

else,) of seven groats in mill-sixpences, and two Page. Sir, I thank you.

Edward shovel-boards, that cost me two shilling and Shal. Sir, I thank you ; by yes and no, I do. two pence a-piece of Yead Miller, by these gloves. Puge. I am glad to see you, good master Slender. Fal. Is this true, Pistol ?

Slen. How does your fallow greyhound, sir? I Eva. No; it is false, if it is a pick-purse. heard say, he was outrun on Costale.

Pist. Ha, thou mountain-foreigner!--Sir John Page. It could not be judg'd, sir.

and master mine, Slen. You'll not confess, you'll not confess. I combat challenge of this latten bilbo :

Shal. That he will not ;-'uis your fault, 'tis Word of denial in thy labras bere ; your fault:—'Tis a good dog.

Word of denial. froth and scum, thou liest. Page. A cur, sir.

Slen. By these gloves, then 'twas he. Shal. Sir, he's a good dog, and a fair dog; Can Nym. Be advis'd, sir, and pass good humours : there be more said ? he is good, and fair. Is sir I will say, marry trap, with you, if you run the nutJohn Falstaff here?

hook's humour on me : that is the very note of it. Page. Sir, he is within ; and I would I could do Slen. By this hat, then, he in the red face had it : a good office between you.

for though I cannot remember what I did wben you Eva. It is spoke as a Christians ought to speak. made me drunk, yet I am not altogether an ass. Shal. He hath wrong'd mo, master Page.

Fal. What say you, Scarlet and John ? Page. Sir, he doth in some sort confess it.

Bard. Why, sir, for my part, I say, the gentle. Shul. If it be confess'd, it is not redress'd ; is man had drunk himself out of his five sentences. not that so, master Page ? He bath wrong'd me ; Eva. It is his five senses : fie, what the ignoindeed, he hath ;-at a word he hath ;-believe rance is ! me ; Robert Shallow, esquire, saith, be is wrong'd. Bard. And being fap, sir, was, as they say, ca. Page. Here comes sir John.

shier'd ; and so conclusions pass'd the careires.

Slen. Ay, you spake in Latin then too; but 'tis Enter sir John FALSTAFF, BARDOLPH, Nym, and

no matter : I'll ne'er be drunk whilst I live again, Pistol.

but in honest, civil, godly company, for this trick: Fal. Now, master Shallow; you'll complain of if I be drunk, I'll be drunk with those that have the me to the king?

fear of God, and not with drunken knaves. Shal. Knight, you have beaten my men, killed Eva, So Got 'udge me, that is a virtuous mind. my deer, and broke open my lodge.

Fil. You hear all these matters denied, gentle. Fal. But not kiss'd your keeper's daughter?

men; you hear it. Shal. Tut, a piu ! this shall be answer'd.

Ful. I will answer it straight;--I have done all Enter Mistress Anne Page with wine, Mistress this:--That is now answer'd.

Ford and Mistress Page following. Shal. The Council shall know this.

Fal. "Twere better for you, if it were known in Page. Nay, daughter, carry the wine in ; we'll counsel : you'll be laugh'd at.

drink within.

[Exit Anne Page. Eva. Paucu verba, sir John, goot worts.

Slen. O Heaven! this is mistress Anue Page. Fal. Good worts ! good cabbage.-Slender, I Page. How now, mistress Ford ? broke your head; Wbat inatter have you against me ? Fal. Mistress Ford, by my troth, you are very

Slen. Marry, sir, I have matter in my head against well met: by your leave, good mistress. [Kissing her. you; and against your coney-catching rascals, Bar. Page. Wife, bid these gentlemen welcome : dolph, Nym, and Pistol. They carried me to the Come, we have a lot venison-pasty to dinner ; tavern, and made me drunk, and afterwards picked come gentlemen, I hope we shall drink down all my pocket.

unkindness. Bard. You Banbury cheese!

[Exeunt all but SHAL., Slender, and Evans. Slen. Ay, it is no matier.

Sleil. I had rather than forty shillings, I had my Pist. How now, Mephostophilus?

book of Songs and Sonnets here : Slen. Ay, it is no matier. Nym. Slice, I say ! pauca, pauca ; slice! that's

Enter SIMPLE. my humour.

How now, Simple ! Were bave you been? I must Slen. Where's Simple, my man ?-can you tell wait on myself, must I ? You have not The Book of cousin ?

Riddles about you, Eva. Peace : I pray you! Now let us under- Sim. Book of Riddles! why, did not you lend it stand : There is three umpires in this matter, as 1 to Alice Shortcake upon Allhallowmas last, a fort. understand : that is-master Page, fidelicet, master nigbt afore Michaelmas ? Page; and there is myself, fidelicet, myselt; and the Shal. Come, coz; come, coz; we stay for you. three party is, lastly and finally, mine host of the A word with you, coz: marry, this, coz; There is, Garter.

as 'twere, a tender, a kind of tender, made afar of Page We three, to !.ear it, and end it between by sir Hugh here ;-Do you understand me? them.

Slen. Ay, sir, you shall find me reasonable ; if it Eva. Ferry goot: I will make a prief of it in my be so, I shall do ihat that is reason. note-book ; and we will afterwards 'o k upou the Shal. Nay, but understand me. cause, with as great discreetly as we can

Slen. So I do, sir. Fal. Pistol, -

Eva, Give ear to his motivos, master Slender

have you

?

ber?

I will description the matter to you, if you be ca- for a dish of stewed prunes; ani, by my troth, I pacity of it.

cannot abide the smell of hot meat sinua. Why do Slen. Nay, I will do as my cousin Shallow says: your dogs bark so? be there bears i'the town? I pray you, pardon me; he's a justice of peace in Anne. I think there are, sir ; I heard them taiked bis country, simple though I stand bere.

of. Eva. But this is not the question; the question Slen. I love the sport well; but I shall as soon is concerning your marriage.

quarrel at it, as any man in England :-You are Shal. Ay, there's the point, sir.

afraid, if you see the bear loose, are you not? Eva. Marry, is it; the very point of it; to mis- Anne. Ay, indeed, sir. tress Anne Page.

Slen. That's meat and drink to me now ; I bave Slen. Why, if it be so, I will marry her, upon seen Sackerson loose twenty times; and bave taken any reasonable demands.

him by the chain : but, I warrant you, the women Eva. But can you affection the 'oman? Let us have so cried and shriek'd at it, that it pass'd :command to know that of your mouth, or of your but women, indeed, cannot abide 'em; they are lips ; for divers philosophers hold, that tbe lip is very ill favoured rough things. parcel of the mouth ;—Therefore, precisely, can you carry your good will to the maid?

Re-enter Page. Skal. Cousin Abraham Slender, can you love

Page. Come, gentle master Slender, come; we

stay for you. Slen. I biana, sir,- I will do, as it shall become

Slen. I'll eat nothing, I thank you, sir. one that would du reason. Eva. Nay, Got's lords and bis ladies, you must sir : come, come.

Page. By cock and pye, you sholl not choose speak possitable, if you can carry her your desires

Slen. Nay, pray you, lead the way. towards ber.

Page. Come on, sir. Shal. Tbat you must: Will you, upon good Slen. Mistress Anne, yourself shall go first. dowry, marry her!

Anne. Not I, sir; pray you, keep on. Slen. I will do a greater thing than that, upon

Slen. Truly, I will not go first ; truly, la : I wil your request, cousin, in any reason.

not do you that wrong: Shal. Nay,conceive me, conceive me, sweet coz;

Anne. I pray you, sir. #bat I do, is to pleasure you, coz: Can you love Slen. I'll rather be unmannerly than troub' ,the maid?

some ; you do yourself wrong, indeed, la. Slen. I will marry her, sir, at your request; but

(Exei nt. if there be no great love in the beginning, yet heaven may decrease it upon better acquaintance, when

SCENE II.-The same. we are married, and have more occasion to know one another : I hope, upon familiarity will grow

Enter Sir Hugh Evans and SIMPLE. more contempt; but if you say, marry her, I will marry her, that I am freely dissolved, and disso- which is th way: and there dwells one mistress

Eva. Go your ways, and ask of Dr. Caius' b ruse, lutely.

Era. It is a fery discretion answer ; save, the Quickly, which is in the manner of his nurse, or faul’ is in the 'ort dissolutely: the’ort is, according washer, and his wringer.

bis dry nurse, or his cook, or his laundry, his to our meaning, resolutely ;-bis m-aning is good. Shal. Ay, I think my cousin meant well.

Simp. Well, sir. Slen. Ay, or else I would I might be hanged, la. ter; for it is a 'oman that altogether's acquaintance

Eva. Nay, it is petter yet : -give her this let. Re-enter ANNE PAGE.

with mistress Anne Page: and the letter is, to deShal. Here comes fair mistress Anne :-Would sires to mistress Anne Page : I pray you, begone ;

sire and require her to solicit your master's deI were young, for your sake, mistress Anne ! Anné. The dinner is on the table; my father de

I will make an end of my dinner; there's pippins

and cheese to come. sires your worships' company:

[Exeunt. Shal. I will wait on him, fair mistress Anne.

Eva. Od's plessed will! I will not be absence at SCENE III.-A Room in the Garter Inn. the grace. (Ereunt Shallow and Sir H. Evans.

Anne. Will’t please your worship to come in, sir ? Enter Falstaff, Host, BARDOLPH, Nyu, Pistol., Slen. No, I thank you, forsooth, heartily ; I am

and Robin. very well. Anne. The dinner attends you, sir.

Fal. Mine host of the Garter, Slen. I am not a-hungry, i thank you, forsooth.

Host. What says my bully-rook? Speak schoGo, sirrah, for all you are my man, gr, wait upon

larly and wisely. my cousin Shallow : (Erit SIMPLE.] A justice of

Fal. Truly, mine host, I must turn away some peace sometime may be beholden to his friend for a

of my followers. man :-I keep but thrre men and a boy yet, till my

Host. Discard, bully Hercules; cashier : let them mother be dead : But what though? yet I live like wag; trot, trot. a poor gentleman born.

Fal. I sit at ten pounds a week. Anne. I may not go in without your worship: Pheezar. I will entertain Bardolph ; he sball draw,

Host. Thou 'rt an emperor, Cæsar, Keisar, and they will not sit, till you come. Slen. I'faith, I'll eat nothing ; I thank you as

he shall tap: said I well, bully Hector? much as though I did.

Fal. Do so, good mine host. Anne. I pray you, sir, walk in.

Host. I have spoke ; let him follow : Let me see Sien. I had rather walk bere, I thank you ; 1 thee froth, and lime : 1 amn at a word ; follow. brui ed my shin the other day with playing sword

[Erit Host, unul dagger with a master of fence, reo veneys

Fal. Bardolph, follow him: a tapster is a good

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