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Jul. Because, methinks, that she lov'd you as | But since she did neglect her looking-glass, well

As you do love your lady Silvia:

She dreams on him that has forgot her love;
You dote on her that cares not for your love.
"Tis pity, love should be so contrary:
And thinking on it, makes me cry, alas!
Pro. Well, give her that ring, and therewithal
This letter; that's her chamber.-Tell my lady,
1 claim the promise for her heavenly picture.
Your message done, hie home unto my chamber,
Where thou shalt find me sad and solitary.
[Exit Proteus.
Jul. How many women would do such a mes-
sage?

Alas, poor Proteus, thou hast entertained
A fox, to be the shepherd of thy lambs:
Alas, poor fool! why do I pity him
That with his very heart despiseth me?
Because he loves her, he despiseth me:
Because I love him, I must pity him.
This ring I gave him, when he parted from me,
To bind him to remember my good-will:
And now am I (unhappy messenger!)
To plead for that, which I would not obtain;
To carry that, which I would have refus'd;"
To praise his faith, which I would have disprais'd.
I am my master's true confirmed love;
But cannot be true servant to my master,
Unless I prove false traitor to myself.
Yet I will woo for him: but yet so coldly,
As, heaven, it knows, I would not have him
speed.

Enter Silvia, attended.
Gentlewoman, good day! I pray you be my mean
To bring me where to speak with madain Silvia.
Sil. What would you with her, if that I be she?
Jul. If you be she, I do entreat your patience
To hear me speak the message i am sent on.
Sil. From whom?

Jul. From my master, Sir Proteus, madam.
Sil. O-he sends you for a picture ?
Jul. Ay, madain.

Sil. Ursula, bring my picture there.
Picture brought.
Go, give your master this: tell him from me,
One Julia, that his changing thoughts forget,
Would better fit his chamber than this shadow.
Jul. Madam, please you peruse this letter.-
Pardon me, madam; I have unadvis'd
Deliver'd you a paper that I should not;
This is the letter to your ladyship..

Sil. I pray thee let me look on that again.
Jul. It may not be; good madam, pardon me.
Sil. There, hold.

I will not look upon your master's lines:
I know, they are stuff'd with protestations,
And full of new-found oaths; which he will break
As easily as I do tear his paper.

Jul. Madam, he sends your ladyship this ring.
Sil. The more shame for him that he sends it me;
For, I have heard him say a thousand times,
His Julia gave it him at his departure:
Though his false finger hath profan'd the ring,
Mine shall not do his Julia so much wrong.
Jul. She thanks you.
Sil. What say'st thou ?

Jul. I thank you, madam, that you tender her: Poor gentlewoman! my master wrongs her much. Sil. Dost thou know her?

Jul. Almost as well as I do know myself: To think upon her woes, I do protest, That I have wept a hundred several times. Sil. Belike, she thinks that Proteus hath forsook her.

Jul. I think, she doth, and that's her cause of

sorrow.

Sil. Is she not passing fair?

Jul. She hath been fairer, madam, than she is: When she did think, my master lov'd her well, She, in my judgment, was as fair as you;

And threw her sun-expelling mask away,
The air hath starv'd the roses in her cheeks,
And pinch'd the lily-tincture of her face,
That now she is become as black as I.
Sil. How tall was she?

Jul. About my stature: for, at Pentecost,
When all our pageants of delight were play'd,
Our youth got me to play the woman's part,
And I was trimm'd in madam Julia's gown,
Which serv'd me as fit, by all men's judgment,
As if the garment had been made for me;
Therefore, I know, she is about my height.
And, at that time, I made her weep a good,
For I did play a lamentable part:
Madam, 'twas Ariadne, passioning
For Theseus' perjury, and unjust flight;
Which I so lively acted with iny tears,
That my poor mistress, moved therewithal,
Wept bitterly; and, would I might be dead,
If I in thought felt not her very sorrow!

Sil. She is beholden to thee, gentle youth!Alas, poor lady! desolate and left!

I weep myself, to think upon thy words. Here, youth, there is my purse; I give thee this For thy sweet mistress' sake, because thou lov'st her. Farewell. [Erit Silvia. Jul. And she shall thank you for't, if e'er you

know her.

A virtuong gentlewoman, mild, and beautiful.
I hope my master's suit will be but cold,
Since she respects my mistress' love so much.
Alas, how love can trifle with itself!
Here is her picture: Let me see; I think,
If I had such a tire, this face of mine
Were full as lovely as is this of hers:
And yet the painter flatter'd her a little,
Unless I flatter with myself too much.
Her hair is auburn, mine is perfect yellow:
If that be all the difference in his love,
I'll get me such a colour'd periwig.

Her eyes are gray as glass; and so are mine:
Ay, but her forehead's low, and mine's as high.
What should it be, that he respects in her,
But I can make respective in myself,
If this fond love were not a blinded god ?
Come, shadow, come, and take this shadow up
For 'tis thy rival. O thou senseless form,
Thou shalt be worshipp'd, kiss'd, lov'd, and
ador'd;

And, were there sense in this idolatry,
My substance should be statue in thy stead.
I'll use thee kindly for thy mistress' sake,
That us'd me so; or else, by Jove I vow,

I should have scratch'd out your unseeing eyes
To make my master out of love with thee.

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Pro. O, sir, I find her milder than she was;
And yet she takes exceptions at your person.
Thu What, that my leg is too long?
Pro. No; that it is too little.

Thu. I'll wear a boot, to inake it somewhat
rounder.

Pro. But love will not be spurr'd to what it
loaths.

Thu. What says she to my face?
Pro. She says it is a fair one.

Tha. Nay, then the wanton lies; my face is

black.

Pro. But pearls are fair; and the old saying is,
Black men are pearls in beauteous ladies' eyes.
Jul. "Tis true; such pearls as put out ladies'
eyes;

For I had rather wink than look on them.

| Aside.

Thu. How likes she my discourse?
Pro. I, when you talk of war.
Thu. But well, when I discourse of love and
reace?

Jul. But better indeed, when you hold your
peace.

[Aside.

Thu. What says she to my valour?
Pro. O, sir, she makes no doubt of that.
Jul. She needs not, when she knows it cow-
ardice.

Thu. What says she to my birth?

Pro. That you are well deriv'd.

[Aside.

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Fear not; he bears an honourable mind,
And will not use a woman lawlessly.
Sil. O Valentine, this I endure for thee!

[Exeunt. SCENE IV. Another part of the Forest. Enter Valentine.

Val. How use doth breed a habit in a man!
This shadowy desert, unfrequented woods,
I better brook than flourishing peopled towns
Here can I sit alone, unseen of any,
And, to the nightingale's complaining notes,
Tune my distresses, and record my woes.
thou that dost inhabit in my breast,
Leave not the mansion so long tenantless;
Lest, growing ruinous, the building fall,
And leave no memory of what it was!
Repair me with thy presence, Silvia;
Thou gentle nymph, cherish thy forlorn swain!-
What halloing, and what stir, is this to-day?

Jul. True, from a gentleman to a fool. [Aside. These are my mates, that make their wills their

Thu. Considers she my possessions?

Pro. O, ay; and pities them.

Thu. Wherefore ?

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Pro. Neither.

Duke. Why, then she's fled unto that peasant
Valentine;

And Eglamour is in her company.

"Tis true, for friar Laurence met them both,
As be in penance wander'd through the forest;
Him he knew well, and guess'd that it was she:
But, being mask'd, he was not sure of it:
Besides, she did intend confession

At Patrick's cell this even: and there she was not:
These likelihoods confirm her flight from hence.
Therefore, I pray yon, stand not to discourse,
But mount you presently; and meet with me'
Upon the rising of the mountain foot
That leads towards Mantua, whither they are
fled:

Despatch, sweet gentlemen, and follow me.

[Erit.

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Sil. O miserable, unhappy that I am!
Pro. Unhappy were you, randam, ere I came;
But, by my coming, I have made you happy.
Sil. By thy approach thou mak'st me most
unhappy.

Jul. And me, when he approacheth to your
[Aside.

presence.

Sil. Had I been seized by a hungry lion,
I would have been a breakfast to the beast,
Rather than have false Proteus rescue me.
Q. heaven be judge, how I love Valentine,
Whose life's as tender to me as my soul;
And full as much (for more there cannot be)
I do detest false perjur'd Proteus:
Therefore begone, solicit me no more.
Pro. What dangerous action, stood it next to
death,

Would I not undergo for one calm look?
0, 'tis the curse in love, and still approv'd,
When women cannot love where they're belov'd
Sil. When Proteus cannot love where he's be-
lov'd.

Read over Julia's heart, thy first best love,
For whose dear sake thou didst then rend thy faith
Into a thousand oaths; and all those oaths
Descended into perjury, to love me.

Thou hast no faith left now, unless thou hadst

two,

And that's far worse than none; better have

none

Than plural faith, which is too much by one:
Thou counterfeit to thy true friend!

Pro.

In love, | Inconstancy falls off, ere it begins:
What is in Silvia's face, but I may spy
More fresh in Julia's, with a constant eye?
Val. Come, come, a hand from either;
Let me be blest to make this happy close?
Twere pity two such friends should be long
foes.

Who respects friend?
Sil.
All men but Proteus.
Pro. Nay, if the gentle spirit of moving words
Can no way change you to a milder form,
I'll woo you like a soldier, at arms' end;
And love you 'gainst the nature of love, force you.
Sil. O heaven!

Pro. I'll force thee to yield to my desire.
Val. Ruffian, let go that rude uncivil touch;
Thou friend of an ill fashion.

Pro.

Valentine! Val. Thou common friend, that's without faith or love,

(For such is a friend now,) treacherous man! hou hast beguil'd my hopes; nought but mine

eye

Co'd have persuaded me: Now I dare not say
I have one friend alive; thou would'st disprove

me.

Who should be trusted now, when one's right| hand

Is perjur'd to the bosom? Proteus,

1 am sorry I must never trust thee more,
But count the world a stranger for thy sake.
The private wound is deepest: O time most ac-I

curst!

Mongst all foes, that a friend should be the worst!
Pro. My shame and guilt confound me.-
Forgive me, Valentine: if hearty sorrow
Be a sufficient ransom for offence,

I tender it here; I do as truly suffer,
As e'er I did commit.

Val. Then I am paid;

And once again I do receive thee honest :-
Who by repentance is not satisfied,

Pro. Bear witness, heaven, I have my wish for

ever.

Jul. And I mine.

Enter Out-laws, with Duke and Thurio.
Out. A prize, a prize, a prize!

Val. Forbear, forbear, I say; it is my lord in
duke.

Your grace is welcome to a man disgrac'd,
Banished Valentine.
Duke.
Sir Valentine!
Thu. Yonder is Silvia; and Silvia's mine
Vai. Thurio, give back, or else embrace thy
death;

Come not within the measure of my wrath:
Do not name Silvia thine: if once again,
Verona shall not hold thee. Here she stands,
Take but possession of her with a touch;-
dare thee but to breathe upon my love."
Thu. Sir Valentine, I care not for her, 1;
I hold him but a fool, that will endanger
His body for a girl that loves him not:
I claim her not, and therefore she is thine.
Duke. The more degenerate and base art thon,
To make such means for her as thou hast done,
And leave her on such slight conditions.-
Now, by the honour of my ancestry,

I do applaud thy spirit, Valentine,
And think thee worthy of an empress' love.
Is nor of heaven, nor earth; for these are pleas'd; Know then, I here forget all foriner griefs,
By penitence th' Eternal's wrath's appeas'd:-Cancel all grudge, repeal thee home again.-
And, that my love may appear plain and free,
All that was mine in Silvia, I give thee.
Jul. O me, unhappy!
Pro. Look to the boy.

[Faints.

Val. Why, boy! why, wag! how now? what is the matter? Look up; speak.

Plead a new state in thy unrivall'd merit,
To which I thus subscribe,-Sir Valentine,
Thou art a gentleman, and well deriv'd:
Take thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserv'd her.
Val. I thank your grace; the gift hath made

Jul. O good sir, my master charg'd me to de-I liver a ring to Madam Silvia; which, out of my neglect, was never done.

Pro. Where is that ring, boy?
Jul. Here 'tis this is it. [Gives a ring.
Pro. How let me see why this is the ring I
gave to Julia.

Jul. O, cry you mercy, sir, I have mistook; this is the ring you sent to Silvia.

at

Pro. But, how eam'st Shows another ring.
thon by this ring?
my depart, I gave this unto Julia.
Jul. And Julia herself did give it me;
And Julia herself hath brought it hither.
Pro. How! Julia!

Jul. Behold her that gave aim to all thy oaths,
And entertain'd them deeply in her heart:
How oft hast thou with perjury cleft the root?
O Proteus, let this habit make thee blush!
Be thou asham'd, that I have took upon me
Such an immodest raiment; if shame live
In a disguise of love:

It is the lesser blot modesty finds,

Women to change their shapes, than men their minds.

Pro. Than men their minds? 'tis true! O heaven! were man

But constant, he were perfect: that one error Fills him with faults; makes him run through all the sins:

me happy.

now beseech you, for your daughter's sake, To grant one boon that I shall ask of you. Duke. I grant it for thine own, whate'er it be. Val. These banish'd men, that I have kept

withal,

Are men endued with worthy qualities;
Forgive them what they have committed here,
And let them be recalled from their exile:
They are reformed, civil, full of good,

And fit for great employment, worthy lord.
Duke. Thou hast prevail'd: 1 pardon them,
and thee;

Dispose of them, as thou know'st their deserts.
Come, let us go; we will include all jars
With triumphs, mirth, and rare solemnity.

Val. And, as we walk along, I dare be bold
With our discourse to make your grace to smile:
What think you of this page, my lord 7

Duke. I think the boy hath grace in him; he blushes.

Val. I warrant you, my lord; more grace than boy.

Duke. What mean you by that saying?

Val. Please you, I'll tell you as we pass along.
That you will wonder what hath fortuned.-
Come, Proteus, 'tis your penance but to hear
The story of your loves discovered:
That done, ou day of marriage shall be yours
One feast, one house, one mutual happiness.

[Exeunt

THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR.

SIR JOHN FALSTAFF. FENTON.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

SHALLOW, a country Justice.
SLENDER, Cousin to Shallow.

MR. FORD, two Gentlemen dwelling a
MR. PAGE.
Windsor.

WILLIAM PAGE, a Boy, Son to Mr. Page.
SIR HUGH EVANS, a Welsh Parson.
DR. CAIUS, a French Physician.
Host of the Garter Inn.

BARDOLPH, Follower of Falstaff.

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MRS. PAGE.

MRS. ANNE PAGE, her Daughter, in love
with Fenton.

MRS. QUICKLY, Servant to Dr. Caius.
Servants to Page, Ford, &c.

SCENE-Windsor, and the Parts adjacent.

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in their coat.

Shal. It is an old coat.

Fea. The dozen white louses do become an old coat well; it agrees well, passant: it is a familiar heast to man, and signifies-love.

Shal. The luce is the fresh fish; the salt fish is an old coat.

Sten. I may quarter, coz?
Shal. You may, by marrying.,

Era. It is marring, indeed, if he quarter it.
Shal. Not a whit

Eva. Yes, pe'r-lady; if he has a quarter of your coat, there is but three skirts for yourself, in my simple conjectures: but that is all one: If Sir John Falstaff have committed disparagements unto you, I am of the church, and will be glad to do my benevolence, to make atonements and compromises between you.

Shal. The Council shall hear it; it is a riot. Era. It is not meet the Council hear a riot; there is no fear of Got in a riot; the Council, look you, shall desire to hear the fear of Got, and not to hear a riot; take your vizaments in

that.

Shal. Ha! o' my life, if I were young again, the sword should end it.

Eva. It is petter that friends is the sword, and end it: and there is also another device in my prain, which, peradventure, prings goot discretion with it: There is Anne Page, which is daughter to master George Page, which is pretty virginity.

Sten. Mistress Anne Page? She has brown hair, and speaks small like a woman.

a

we leave our pribbles and prabbles, and desire marriage between master Abraham and mistress Anne Page. Shal. Did her grandsire leave her seven hundred pounds?

Eva. Ay, and her father is make her a petter ■ penny. Shal. I know the young gentlewoman; she has good gifts.

Eva. Seven hundred pounds, and possibilities, is good gifts.

Shal. Well, let us see honest master Page: Is Falstaff there?

Eva. Shall I tell yon a lie? I do despise a liar, as I do despise one that is false; or, as I despise one that is not true. The knight, Sir John, is there; and, I beseech you, be ruled by your wellwillers. will peat the door [knocks] for master Page. What, hoa! Got pless your house here! Enter Page.

Page. Who's there?

Eva. Here is Got's plessing, and your friend, and justice Shallow and here young master Slender; that, peradventure, shall tell you another tale, if matters grows to your likings. Page. I am glad to see your worships well: I thank you for my venison, master Shallow.

Shal. Master Page, I am glad to see you; much good do it your good heart! I wished your venison better; it was ill kill'd:-How doth good mistress Page 7-and I love you always with my heart, la; with my heart. Page. Sir, I thank you.

I

Shal. Sir, I thank you; by yea and no, I do.
Page. I am glad to see you.good master Slender.
Slen. How does your fallow greyhound, sir?
heard say, he was out-run on Cotsale.
Page. It could not be judg'd, sir.

Slen. You'll not confess, you'll not confess.
Shal. That he will not; 'tis your fault, 'tis
your fault-Tis a good dog.
Page. A cir, sir.

Shal. Sir, he's a good dog, and a fair dog; Can there be more said? he is good, and fair.-Is Sir John Falstaff here?

Page. Sir, he is within; and I would, I could do a good office between you. Eva. It is spoke as a Christians ought to speak. Shal. He hath wrong'd me, master Page. Page. Sir, he doth in some sort confess it. Shal. If it be confess'd, it is not redress'd is not that so, master Page? He hath wrong'd me; indeed he hath ;-at a word, he hath ;-believe me; -Robert Shallow, esquire, saith he is wrong'd. Page. Here comes Sir John.

Enter Sir John Falstaff, Bardolph, Nym, and

Ern. It is that fery person for all the 'orld, as ast as you will desire; and seven hundred pounds of moneys, and gold, and silver, is her grandsire, upon his death's bed (Got deliver to a joyful resurrections!) give, when she is able to overtake Fal. Now, master Shallow, you'll complain of seventeen years old; it were a goot motion, if me to the king?

Pistol.

Shal. Knight, yon have beaten my men, killed my deer, and broke open my lodge.

Fal. But not kiss'd your keeper's daughter?
Shal. Tut, a pin! this shall be answer'd.
Fal. I will answer it straight;-I have done.
all this-That is now answer'd.

Shal. The Council shall know this.

Fal. "Twere better for you, if it were known in counsel you'll be laugh'd at.

Eva. Pauca verba, Sir John, good worts. Fal. Good worts! good cabbage.-Slender, I broke your head: What matter have you against

me?

Slen. Marry, sir, I have matter in my head against you; and against your coney-catching rascals, Bardolph, Nym, and Pistol. They car ried me to the tavern, and made me drunk, and afterwards picked my pocket.

Bar. You banbury cheese!
Slen. Ay, it is no matter.

Pist. How now, Mephostophilus ?
Slen. Ay, it is no matter

Nym. Slice, I say! pauca, pauca; slice! that's my humour.

Slen. Where's Simple, my man 7-can you tell,

cousin?

Enter Mistress Anne Page, with wine; Mistress
Ford and Mistress Page following.
Page. Nay, daughter, carry the wine in; we'll
drink within.
[Exit Anne Page.
Slen. O heaven! this is mistress Anne Page.
Page. How now, mistress Ford?
well met: by your leave, good mistress.
Fal. Mistress Ford, by my troth, you are very

[kisses her. Page. Wife, bid these gentlemen welcome :come, gentlemen, I hope we shall drink down Come, we have a hot venison pasty to dinner; all unkindness.

[Exeunt all but Shal. Slender, and Evans. Sten. I had rather than forty shillings I had my book of Songs and Sonnets here:

Enter Simple.

How now, Simple? where have you been? I must wait on myself, must I? You have not The Book of Riddles about you, have you?

Sim. Book of Riddles why, did you not lend it to Alice Shortcake upon Allhallowmas last, a fortnight afore Michaelmas?

Shal Come, coz; come, coz; we stay for you. A word with you, coz; marry this, coz: There Eva. Peace; I pray you! Now let us under- is, as 'twere, a tender, a kind of tender, made afar stand: There is three umpires in this matter, as off by Sir Hugh here:-Do you understand me? I understand: That is-inaster Page, fidelicet, Slen. Ay, sir, you shall find me reasonable; if master Page; and there is myself, fidelicet, my-it be so, I shall do that that is reason. self: and the three party is, lastly, and finally, Shal. Nay, but understand me. mine host of the Garter. Slen. So I do, sir.

Page. We three, to ear it, and end it between them.

Eva. Fery goot: I will make a prief of it in my note-book; and we will afterwards 'ork upon the cause with as great discreetly as we can. Fal. Pistol,

Pist. He hears with ears.

Eva. The tevil and his tam; what phrase is this, He hears with ear? Why, it is affectations. Fal. Pistol, did you pick master Slender's purse?

Slen. Ay, by these gloves, did he (or I would, might never come into my own great chamber again else,) of seven groats in mill-sixpences, and two Edward shovel-boards, that cost me two shilling and twopence a-piece of Yead Miller, by these gloves.

Fal. Is this true, Pistol?

Eva. No; it is false, if it is a pick-purse.
Pist. Ha! thou mountain-foreigner!-Sir John,
and master mine,

I combat challenge of this latten bilbo:
Word of denial in thy labras here;
Word of denial; froth and scum, thou liest.
Slen. By these gloves, then,'twas he.
Nym. Be avised, sir, and pass good humours;
I will say, marry, trap, with you, if you run the
nuthook's humour on me; that is the very note

of it.

Slen. By this hat, then he in the red face had it: for though I cannot remember what I did when you made me drunk, yet I am not altogether an

ass.

Fal. What say you, Scarlet and John? Bard. Why, sir, for my part, I say, the tleman had drunk himself out of his five sen

tences.

Era. Give ear to his motions, master Slender: I will description the matter to you, if you be capacity of it.

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Slen. Nay, I will do as my cousin Shallow says: pray you, pardon me; he's a justice of peace in his country, simple though I stand here. Eva. But this is not the question; the question is concerning your marriage.

Shal. Ay, there's the point, sir.

Eva. Marry, is it; the very point of it; to mis tress Anne Page.

Slen. Why, if it be so, I will marry her upon any reasonable demands.

Eva. But can you affection the 'oman? Let us cominand to know that of your mouth, or of your lips; for divers philosophers hold that the lips is parcel of the mouth;-Therefore, precisely, can you carry your good will to the maid?

Shal. Cousin Abraham Slender, can you love her?

Slen. I hope, sir,-I will do as it shall become one that would do reason.

Een. Nay, Got's lords and his ladies, you must speak possitable, if you can carry her your desires towards her.

Shal. That you must: will you, upon good dowry, marry her?

Slen. I will do a greater thing than that, upon your request, cousin, in any reason. Shal. Nav, conceive me, conceive me, sweet coz; what I do is to pleasure you, coz: Can you love the maid?

Sten. I will marry her, sir, at your request; but if there be no great love in the beginning, yet gen-heaven may decrease it upon better acquaintance, when we are married, and have more occasion to know one another: I hope upon familiarity will grow more contempt: but if you say, marry her, I will marry her, that I am freely dissolved, and dissolutely.

Eva. It is his five senses: fie, what the ignorance is!

Bard. And being fap, sir, was, as they say, cashier'd; and so conclusions pass'd the careires. Slen. Ay, you spake in Latin then too; but 'tis no matter: I'll ne'er be drunk whilst I live again, but in honest, civil, godly company, for this trick: If I be drunk, I'll be drunk with those that have the fear of God, and not with drunken knaves.

Eva. So Got 'udge me, that is a virtuous mind. Fal. You hear all these matters denied, gentlemen; you hear it.

Epa. It is a fery discretion answer; save the faul is in the 'ort dissolutely: the 'ort is, according to our meaning, resolutely ;-bis meaning is good.

Shal. Ay, I think my cousin meant well.
Slen. Ay, or else I would I might be hanged, la.

Re-enter Anne Page.

Shal. Here comes fair mistress Anne:-Would I were young for your sake, mistress Anne I

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