Mrs. Ford. Speak louder. [Aside.]-Tis not so, I hope.

Mrs. Page. 'Pray Heaven, it be not so, that you have such a man here; but, 'tis most certain, your husband's coming with half Windsor at his heels, to search for such a one. I come before to tell you: if you know yourself clear, why, I am glad of it: but, if you have a friend here, convey, convey him out. Be not amaz'd; call all your senses to you; defend your reputation, or bid farewell to your good life for

ever.

Mrs. Ford. What shall I do?-There is a gentleman, my dear friend; and I fear not mine own shame, so much as his peril: I had rather than a thousand pound, he were out of the house.

Mrs. Page. For shame, never stand" you had rather," and " you had rather;" your husband's here at hand, bethink you of some conveyance; in the house you cannot hide him.-O, how have you deceiv'd me !-Look, here is a basket: if he be of any reasonable stature, he may creep in here; and throw the linen upon him, as if it were going to bucking: Or, (it is whiting-time,) send him by your two men to Datchet-mead.

Mrs. Ford. He's too big to go in there :-What shall I do?

Enter FALSTAFF.

Fal. Let me see't, let me sce't! O let me see't! I'll in, I'll in;-follow your friend's counsel;-I'll in. Mrs. Page. What! Sir John Falstaff! are these your letters, knight?

Fal. I love thee,-help me away: let me creep in here; I'll never

[He goes into the Basket, they cover him with the Linen.

Mrs. Page. Help to cover your master, boy: Call

your men, Mistress Ford :-[Exit ROBIN.] You dissembling knight!

Mrs. Ford. What, John, Robert, John!

Enter JOHN, and ROBERT.

Go, take up these clothes, here, quickly: Where's the cowl-staff?-Look, how you drumble: carry them to the laundress in Datchet-mead; quickly,

come.

Enter FORD, PAGE, CAIUS, and EVANS.

Ford. 'Pray you, come near; If I suspect without cause, why then make sport at me, then let me be your jest; I deserve it.-How now, whither bear you

this?

Mrs. Ford. Why, what have you to do whither they bear it? you were best meddle with buck-washing.

Ford. Buck!-I would I could wash myself of the buck! Buck, buck, buck! Ay, buck; I warrant you buck; and of the season too, it shall appear. [Exeunt JOHN and ROBERT, with the Basket.] Gentlemen, I have dream'd to-night; I'll tell you my dream.— Here, here, here be my keys: ascend my chambers, search, seek, find out: I'll warrant, we'll unkennel the fox:-Let me stop this way first;-So, now un

cape.

Page. Good Master Ford, be contented; you wrong yourself too much.

Ford. True, Master Page.-Up, gentlemen: you shall see sport anon: follow me, gentlemen.

[Exit FORD. Page. Nay, follow him, gentlemen; see the issue

of his search. Eva. This is fery fantastical humours, and jealousies.

[Exit PAGE.

[Exit EVANS.

Caius. By gar, 'tis no de fashion of France: it is not jealous in France. [Exit CAIUS. Mrs. Page. Is there not a double excellency in

this?

Mrs. Ford. I know not which pleases me better, that my husband is deceived, or Sir John. Mrs. Page. What a taking was he in, when your husband ask'd who was in the basket!

Mrs. Ford. I think, my husband hath some special suspicion of Falstaff's being here; for I never saw him so gross in his jealousy till now.

Mrs. Page. I will lay a plot to try that: And we will yet have more tricks with Falstaff.

Mrs. Ford. Shall we send that foolish carrion, Mistress Quickly, to him, and excuse his throwing into the water; and give him another hope, to betray him to another punishment?

Mrs. Page. We'll do it; let him be sent for to-morrow eight o'clock, to have amends.

Enter FORD and PAGE.

Ford. I cannot find him.: may be, the knave bragg'd of that he could not compass.

Mrs. Page. Heard

you that?

Mrs. Ford. Ay, ay; peace!

Master Ford, do you?

Ford. Ay, I do so.

-You use me well,

Mrs. Ford. Heaven make you better than your

thoughts!

Ford. Amen.

[Exit MRS. FORD.

Mrs. Page. You do yourself mighty wrong, Master

Ford.

Ford. Ay, ay; I must bear it.

[Exit MRS. PAGE.

Enter EVANS and CAIUS.

Eva. If there be any pody in the house, and in the

chambers, and in the coffers, and in the presses, Heaven forgive my sins at the day of judgment! Caius. By gar, nor I too, dere is no bodies.

Page. Fie, fie, Master Ford! are you not asham'd? What spirit, what devil suggests this imagination? I would not have your distemper in this kind, for the wealth of Windsor Castle.

Ford. 'Tis my fault, Master Page: I suffer for it. Eva. You suffer for a pad conscience: your wife is as honest a 'omans, as I will desires among five thousand, and five hundred too.

Caius. By gar, I see, 'tis an honest woman.

Ford. Well:-I promis'd you a dinner:-Come, come, walk in the park.

Page. Let's go, gentlemen :-but, trust me, we'll mock him. I do invite you to-morrow morning to my house to breakfast; after, we'll a-birding_together; I have a fine hawk for the bush: shall it be so?

Ford. Any thing.-'Pray you, go, Master Page. [Exeunt FORD and PAGE. Eva. I pray you now, remembrance to-morrow on the lousy knave, mine host.

Caius. Dat is good; by gar, vit all my heart.

Eva. A lousy knave; to have his gibes and his mockeries.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

PAGE'S House.

Enter ANNE PAGE and FENTON.

Fent. I see, I cannot get thy father's love; Therefore no more turn me to him, sweet Nan.

Anne. Alas! how then?

Fent. Why, thou must be thyself.

He doth object, I am too great of birth:

And that, my estate being gall'd with my expense,
I seek to heal it only by his wealth:
Besides these, other bars he lays before me,-
My riots past, my wild societies;

And tells me, 'tis a thing impossible

I should love thee, but as a property.
Anne. May be, he tells

you true.

Fent. No, Heaven so speed me in my time to

come!

Albeit, I will confess, thy father's wealth

Was the first motive that I woo'd thee, Anne:
Yet, wooing thee, I found thee of more value
Than stamps in gold, or sums in scaled bags;
And 'tis the very riches of thyself
That now I aim at.

Anne. Gentle Master Fenton,

Yet seek my father's love; still seek it, sir:
If opportunity and humble suit

Cannot attain it, why then,-Hark you hither.

[FENTON and ANNE retire a little.

Enter MRS. QUICKLY, SHALLOW, and SLENDER. Shal. Break their talk, Mistress Quickly; my kinsman shall speak for himself.

Slen. I'll make a shaft, or a bolt on't : 'slid, 'tis but venturing.

Shal. Be not dismay'd.

Slen. No, she shall not dismay me: I care not for that, but that I am afeard.

Quick. Harkye; Master Slender would speak a word with you.

Anne. I come to him. This is my father's choice. O, what a world of vile ill-favour'd faults,

Look handsome in three hundred pounds a year!