PERSONS REPRESENTED.

}

Sir Johu Falstaff.
Fenton,
Shallow, u country justice.
Slender, cousin to Shallow.
Mr. Ford,
Mr. Page,

two gentlemen dwelling at Windsor.
Williain Page, a boy, son to Mr. Page
Sir Hugh Evans, a Welsh parson.
Dr. Caius, a French physician.
Host of the Garter Inn.
Bardolph,
Pistol, followers of Falstaff.
Nym,
Robin, page to Falstaff.
Simple, servant to Slender.
Rugby, servant to Dr. Caius.

}

Mrs. Ford.
Mrs. Page.
Mrs. Anue Page, her daughter, in love with Fenton.
Mrs. Quickly, servant to Dr. Caius.

Servants to Page, Ford, &c.

Scene, Windsor; and the parts adjacent.

MERRY WIVES

OF

WINDSOR.

ACT I.

SCENEI. Windsor. Before Page's house.

Enter Justice Shallow, Slender, and Sir# Hugh

Evans.

Shallow. Sir Hugh, persuade me not; I will make a Starchamber matter of it: if he were twenty Sir John Falstaffs, he shall not abuse Robert Shallow, esquire.

Slen. In the county of Gloster, justice of peace, and coran.

Shal. Ay, cousin Slender, and cust-alorumt.

Slen. Ay, and ratolorum too; and a gentleman born, master parson; who writes himself armigero; in any bill, warrant, quittance, or obligation, armigero.

* A title formerly appropriated to chaplains.
† Custos rotulorum.

Shal. Ay, that we do; and have done any time these three hundred years.

Slen. All his successors, gone before hin, have doue'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 louses 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 salt fish is an old coat.

Slen. I may quarter, coz?
Shal. You may, by marrying.
Eva. It is marring indeed, if he quarter it.
Shal. Not a whit.

Eoa. Yes, py’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 disparagenreuts unto you, I am of the church, and will be glad to do my

benevolence, to make atonements and compromises between you.

Shal. The councilt shall hear it; it is a riot.

Eva. 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 vizamentsf 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 discretions with it: there is Anne Page, which is daughter to master George Page, which is pretty virginity.

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

. By our.
| Advisement.

+ Court of star-chamber.
ý Soft.

Eva. It is that fery verson for all the 'orld, as just as you will desire ; and seven hundred pounds of monies, 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 seventeen years old : it were a goot motion, if we leave our pribbles and prabbles, and desire a marriage between master Abraham, and mistress Anne Page.

Shal. Did her grandsire leave her seven hundred pound?

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 you 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 well.willers. I will peat the door (knocks] for master Page. What, hoa ! Got pless your house here !

Enter Page.

Page. Who's there? Eva. Heres is Got's plessing, and your friend, and justice Shallow: and here young master Slender; that, peradventures, shall tell you another tale, if matters grow 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; mach good do it your good heart! I wished your venison better; it was ill killed :-how doth good mistress Page ?-and I love you always with my heart, la ; with my heart. Page. Sir, I thank you.

HZ