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

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

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, our day of marriage shall be yours;
One feaft, one house, one mutual happiness. [Exeunt.

1

The

MERRY WIVES

of

WINDSOR.

Sir John Falstaff.
Fenton.

Persons represented.

Shallow, a country Justice.

Slender, cousin to Shallow.

Mr. Ford,

Mr. Page,

}

two gentlemen dwelling at Windfor.

William Page, a boy, fon to Mr. Page.

Sir Hugh Evans, a Welch parfon.

Dr. Caius, a French physician.

Host of the Garter Inn.

Bardolph,

Pistol,

Nym,

}

followers of Falstaff.

Robin, page to Falstaff.

Simple, fervant to Slender.

Rugby, fervant to Dr. Caius.

Mrs. Ford.

Mrs. Page.

Mrs. Anne Page, her daughter, in love with Fenton. Mrs. Quickly, fervant to Dr. Caius.

Servants to Page, Ford, &c.

SCENE, Windfor; and the parts adjacent.

The

MERRY WIVES of WINDSOR.

ACT I.

SCENE I. Windsor. Before Page's House.
Enter Justice SHALLOW, SLENDER, and Sir HUGH

EVANS.

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

SLEN. In the county of Glofter, justice of peace, and

coram.

SHAL. Ay, coufin Slender, and Cuft-alorum.

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

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

SLEN. All his fuccessors, gone before him, have done'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 : it is a familiar beaft to man,

well; it agrees well, passant

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.

Eva. 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 fir John Falstaff have committed disparagements unto you, I am of the church, and will be glad to do my benevolence, to make atone-. ments and compromises between you.

SHAL. The Council 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 defire 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 difcretions 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 like a woman.

Eva. It is that fery verson for all the 'orld, as just as you will defire; and seven hundred pounds of monies, and gold, and filver, is her grandfire, upon his death'sbed, (Got deliver to a joyful refurrections!) give, when she is able to overtake seventeen years old: it were a goot motion, if we leave our pribbles and prabbles, and defire a marriage between master Abraham, and mistress Anne Page.

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