Dramatis Persone. SIR John Falstaff. Fenton, a young Gentleman of small Fortune, in Love with Mrs. Anne Page. Shallow, a Country Justice. Slender, Cousin to Shallow, a foolish Country Squire. Mr. Page, Mr. Ford, two Gentlemen, dwelling at Windfor Sir Hugh Evans, a Welch Parson. Dr. Caius, a French Doctor. Host of the Garter, a merry talking Fellow. Robin, Page to Falstaff. William Page, a Boy, Son to Mr. Page. Simple, Servant to Slender. Rugby, Servant to Dr. Caius. Mrs. Page, Wife to Mr. Page. Mrs. Ford, Wife to Mr. Ford. Mrs. Anne Page, Daughter to Mr. Page, in Love with Fenton. Mrs. Quickly, Servant to Dr. Caius. Servants to Page, Ford, Or. SCENE Windsor. THE +Merry Wives of Windfor. ACT I SCENE I. The SCENE before Page's House in Windfor. Enter Justice Shallow, Slender, and Sir Hugh Evans, S SHALLOW. IR Hugh, perswade me not; I will make a Star-Chamber matter of it: if he were twenty Sir John Falstaffs, he shall nor abuse Robert Shallow, Efq; Slen. In the county of Gloucester, ju stice of peace, and Coram. Shal. Ay, coufin Slender, and Custalorum. Slen This. Play was written in the Author's best and ripest vears, after: Henry the Fourth, by the command of Queen Elizabeth. There is a tradition that it was compos'd at a fortnight's warn ing. But that must be meant only of the first imperfect sketchof this Comedy, which is yet extant in an old Quarto edition, prin ed 1619. This which we here have, was alter'd and improved by the Author almost in every Speech. Slen. Ay, and Rato-lorum too; and a gentleman born, master parson, who writes himself Armigero in any bill, warrant, quittance, or obligation, Armigero. Shal. Ay that I do, and have done any time these three hundred years. Slen. All his fuccessors, gone before him, have don't; and all his ancestors that come after him may; they may give the dozen white luces in their coat. Shal. It is an old coat. Eva. The dozen white lowses do become an old coat well; it agrees well passant; it is a familiar beast to man, and signifies love. Shal. The luce is the fresh-fish, the falt-fish is an old coat, Slen. I may quarter, coz. Shal. You may, by marrying. Eva. It is marring indeed, if he quarter it. Eva. Yes per-lady; if he has a quarter of your coat, there is but three skirts for your self, in my simple conjectures; but that is all one: if Sir John Falstaff have committed disparagements upon 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. Eva. It is not meet the council hear of a riot; there is no fear of Got in a riot: the council, look you, shall defire to hear the fear of Got, and not to hear a riot; take you viza-ments in that. Shal. Ha! o' my life, if I were young again, the fword should end it. Eva. It is petter that friends is the sword that end it; and there is also another device in my prain, which peradventure prings good difcretions with it: there is Anne Page, which is daughter to master Thomas Page, which is pretty virginity. Slen. Mistress Anne Page? The has brown hair, and speaks like a woman. Eva. It is that ferry person for all the orld, as juft as |