his standing-bed and truckle-bed *; 'tis painted about with the ftory of the prodigal, fresh and new; go, knock and call; he'll fpeak like an Anthropophaginian unto thee: knock, I fay.

Simp. There's an old woman, a fat woman, gone. up into his chamber; I'll be fo bold as ftay, Sir, 'till the come down: I come to speak. with her, indeed.

Hoft. Ha! a fat woman? the knight may be robb'd; I'll call. Bully-knight! bully Sir John ! fpeak from thy lungs military: art thou there? it is thine hoft, thine Ephefiant calls.

Falftaff above.

Fal. How now, mine hoft?

Hoft. Here's a Bohemian-Tartar tarries the coming down of thy fat woman: let her defcend, bully, let her defcend; my chambers are honourable. Fy, privacy? fy.

Enter Falftaff.

Fal. There was, mine hoft, an old fat woman even now with me, but fhe's gone.

Simp. Pray you, Sir, was't not the wife woman of Brainford?

Fal. Ay, marry was it, muffel-fhell, what would you with her?

Simp. My mafter, Sir, my master Slender sent to her, feeing her go through the street, to know, Sir, whether one Nym, Sir, that beguil'd him of a chain, had the chain or no.

Fal. I fpake with the old woman about it..
Simp. And what says she, I pray, Sir?

Fal. Marry, he says that the very fame man

The ufual furniture of chambers in that time, was a standing bed, under which was a trochle, truckle or running bed. Johnfon.

He means to fay, thine Epheftian.

He calls poor Simple muifel-fhell, because he ftands. with his mouth open. Johnson.

that beguil'd Master Slender of his chain, cozen'd

him of it.

Simp. I would I could have spoken with the woman herself; I had other things to have spoken with her too, from him.

Fal. What are they? let us know.
Hoft. Ay, come; quick.

Simp. I may not conceal them, Sir.
Fal. Conceal them, or thou dy'st.

Simp. Why, Sir, they were nothing but about Miftrefs Anne Page; to know if it were my mafter's fortune to have her or no.

Fal. 'Tis, 'tis his fortune.

Simp. "What, Sir.

Fal. To have her, or no: go; fay the woman told me fo.

Simp. May I be so bold to say so, Sir?

Fal. Ay, Sir; like who more bold.

Simp. Thank your worship: I fhall make my nafter glad with these tidings. [Exit Simple. Hoft. Thou art clarkly, thou art clarkly, Sir John: was there a wife woman with thee?

Fal. Ay, that there was, mine hoft; one that bath taught me more wit than ever I learned before in my life; and I paid nothing for it neither, but was paid for my learning.

Bard. Out, alas, Sir, cozenage? mere cozenage! Hoft. Where be my horses? speak well of them, varletto.

Bard. Run away with the cozeners; for fo foon as I came beyond Eaton, they threw me off from behind one of them in a flough of mire, and fet fpurs, and away, like three German devils, three Doctor Fauftus's.

Hoft. They are gone but to meet the Duke, villain; do not fay they are fled; Germans are honeft men.

Enter Evans.

Eva. Where is mine host?

Hoft. What is the matter, Sir?

Eva. Have a care of your entertainments; there is a friend o' mine come to town, tells me, there is three cozen-jermans that has cozen'd all the hofts of Reading, of Maidenhead, of Colebrook, of horfes and money. I tell you for good will, look you; you are wife, and full of gibes and vloutingftocks, and 'tis not convenient you fhould be cozen'd; fare you well. [Exit.

Enter Caius.

Caius. Ver' is mine host de Jarterre ?

Hoft. Here, Mafter Doctor, in perplexity and doubtful dilemma.

Caius. I cannot tell vat is dat; but it is tell-ame dat you make a grand preparation for a duke de Jarmany; by my trot, der is no duke, dat the court is know, to come. I tell you for good will; adieu. [Exit. Hoft. Hue and cry, villain, go! affift me, knight, I am undone; fly, run, hue and cry! villain, I am undone !

[Exit.

Fal. I would all the world might be cozen'd, for I have been cozened and beaten too. If it fhould come to the ear of the court how I have been transformed, and how my transformation hath been wath'd and cudgel'd, they would melt me out of my fat, drop by drop, and liquor filhermen's boats with me. I warrant they would whip me with their fine wits, 'till I were as crest-fall'n as a dry'd pear. I never profper'd fince I forfwore myself at Primero *. Well, if my wind were but long enough to fay my prayers, I would repent.

SCENE X.

Enter Mistress Quickly.

Now, whence come you?

Quic. From the two parties, forfooth.

Fal. The devil take one party, and his dam the other, and fo they fhall be both bestow'd. I have fuffer'd more for their fakes, more than the villainous inconftancy of man's disposition is able to bear.

Quic. And have not they fuffer'd? yes, I warrant, fpeciously one of them; Mistress Ford, good heart, is beaten black and blue, that you cannot fee a white fpot 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 ftocks, 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 cross'd.

Fal. Come up into my chamber.

[Exeunt.

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

I will give over all.

Fent. Yet hear me speak; affist me in my purpose,

The text muft certainly be restored, a wood woman, a crazy, frantic woman; one too wild, and filly, and unmeaning, to have either the malice, or mischievous fubtilty of a witch in her. Theobald.

And, as Ì

am a gentleman, I'll give thee A hundred pound in gold more than your lofs. Hoft. I will hear you, Mafter Fenton; and I will, at the leaft, keep your counfel.

Fent. 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 herfelf 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 manifefted,

Without the fhew of both. Fat Sir John Falstaff Hath a great scene; the image of the jeft

[Shewing a letter.
I'll fhew you here at large. Hark, good mine hoft
To night at Herne's oak, juft 'twixt twelve and one,
Muft my sweet Nan prefent the Fairy queen;
The purpose why, is here; in which disguise,
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; fhe hath confented.-
Now, 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 tasking of their minds;
And at the deanry, where a priest attends,
Straight marry her; to this her mother's plot
She, feemingly obedient, likewise hath

Made promise to the Doctor -Now, thus it rests;
Her father means fhe 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 mask'd and vizarded)
That, quaint in green, the fhall be loose enrob'd,
With ribbands pendant flaring 'bout her head;
And when the Doctor fpies his vantage ripe,
To pinch her by the hand, and, on that token,