603praise womens modesty: and gaue such orderly and wel-

604behaued reproofe to al vncomelinesse, that I would haue

605sworne his disposition would haue gone to the truth of

606his words: but they doe no more adhere and keep place

607together, then the hundred Psalms to the tune of Green-

608sleeues: What tempest (I troa) threw this Whale, (with

609so many Tuns of oyle in his belly) a'shoare at Windsor?

610How shall I bee reuenged on him? I thinke the best way

611were, to entertaine him with hope, till the wicked fire

612of lust haue melted him in his owne greace: Did you e-

613uer heare the like?

614Mis. Page. Letter for letter; but that the name of

615Page and Ford differs: to thy great comfort in this my-

616stery of ill opinions, heere's the twyn-brother of thy Let-

617ter: but let thine inherit first, for I protest mine neuer

618shall: I warrant he hath a thousand of these Letters, writ

619with blancke-space for different names (sure more): and

620these are of the second edition: hee will print them out

621of doubt: for he cares not what hee puts into the presse,

622when he would put vs two: I had rather be a Giantesse,

623and lye vnder Mount Pelion: Well; I will find you twen-

624tie lasciuious Turtles ere one chaste man.

625Mis. Ford. Why this is the very same: the very hand:

626the very words: what doth he thinke of vs?

627Mis. Page. Nay I know not: it makes me almost rea-

628die to wrangle with mine owne honesty: Ile entertaine

629my selfe like one that I am not acquainted withall: for

630sure vnlesse hee know some straine in mee, that I know

631not my selfe, hee would neuer haue boorded me in this

632furie.

633Mi. Ford. Boording, call you it? Ile bee sure to keepe

634him aboue decke.

635Mi. Page. So will I: if hee come vnder my hatches,

636Ile neuer to Sea againe: Let's bee reueng'd on him: let's

637appoint him a meeting: giue him a show of comfort in

638his Suit, and lead him on with a fine baited delay, till hee

639hath pawn'd his horses to mine Host of the Garter.

640Mi. Ford. Nay, I wil consent to act any villany against

641him, that may not sully the charinesse of our honesty: oh

642that my husband saw this Letter: it would giue eternall

643food to his iealousie.

644Mis. Page. Why look where he comes; and my good

645man too: hee's as farre from iealousie, as I am from gi-

646uing him cause, and that (I hope) is an vnmeasurable di-

647stance.

648Mis. Ford. You are the happier woman.

649Mis. Page. Let's consult together against this greasie

650Knight: Come hither.

651Ford. Well: I hope, it be not so.

652Pist. Hope is a curtall-dog in some affaires:

653Sir Iohn affects thy wife.

654Ford. Why sir, my wife is not young.

655Pist. He wooes both high and low, both rich & poor,

656both yong and old, one with another (Ford) he loues the

657Gally-mawfry (Ford) perpend.

658Ford. Loue my wife?

659Pist. With liuer, burning hot: preuent:

660Or goe thou like Sir Acteon he, with

661Ring-wood at thy heeles: O, odious is the name.

662Ford. What name Sir?

663Pist. The horne I say: Farewell:

664Take heed, haue open eye, for theeues doe foot by night.

665Take heed, ere sommer comes, or Cuckoo-birds do sing.

666Away sir Corporall Nim:

667Beleeue it (Page) he speakes sence.

668Ford. I will be patient: I will find out this.

669Nim. And this is true: I like not the humor of lying:

670hee hath wronged mee in some humors: I should haue

671borne the humour'd Letter to her: but I haue a sword:

672and it shall bite vpon my necessitie: he loues your wife;

673There's the short and the long: My name is Corporall

674Nim: I speak, and I auouch; 'tis true: my name is Nim:

675and Falstaffe loues your wife: adieu, I loue not the hu-

676mour of bread and cheese: adieu.

677Page. The humour of it (quoth 'a?) heere's a fellow

678frights English out of his wits.

679Ford. I will seeke out Falstaffe.

680Page. I neuer heard such a drawling-affecting rogue.

681Ford. If I doe finde it: well.

682Page. I will not beleeue such a Cataian, though the

683Priest o'th'Towne commended him for a true man.

684Ford. 'Twas a good sensible fellow: well.

685Page. How now Meg?

686Mist. Page. Whether goe you (George?) harke you.

687Mis. Ford. How now (sweet Frank) why art thou me-

688lancholy?

689Ford. I melancholy? I am not melancholy:

690Get you home: goe.

691s. Ford. Faith, thou hast some crochets in thy head,

692Now: will you goe, Mistris Page?

693Mis. Page. Haue with you: you'll come to dinner

694George? Looke who comes yonder: shee shall bee our

695Messenger to this paltrie Knight.

696Mis. Ford. Trust me, I thought on her: shee'll fit it.

697Mis. Page. You are come to see my daughter Anne?

698Qui. I forsooth: and I pray how do's good Mistresse

699Anne?

700Mis Page. Go in with vs and see: we haue an houres

701talke with you.

702Page. How now Master Ford?

703For. You heard what this knaue told me, did you not?

704Page. Yes, and you heard what the other told me?

705Ford. Doe you thinke there is truth in them?

706Pag. Hang 'em slaues: I doe not thinke the Knight

707would offer it: But these that accuse him in his intent

708towards our wiues, are a yoake of his discarded men: ve-

709ry rogues, now they be out of seruice.

710Ford. Were they his men?

711Page. Marry were they.

712Ford. I like it neuer the beter for that,

713Do's he lye at the Garter?

714Page. I marry do's he: if hee should intend this voy-

715age toward my wife, I would turne her loose to him;

716and what hee gets more of her, then sharpe words, let it

717lye on my head.

718Ford. I doe not misdoubt my wife: but I would bee

719loath to turne them together: a man may be too confi-

720dent: I would haue nothing lye on my head: I cannot

721be thus satisfied.

722Page. Looke where my ranting-Host of the Garter

723comes: there is eyther liquor in his pate, or mony in his

724purse, when hee lookes so merrily: How now mine

725Host?

726Host. How now Bully-Rooke: thou'rt a Gentleman

727Caueleiro Iustice, I say.

728Shal. I follow, (mine Host) I follow: Good-euen,

729and twenty (good Master Page.) Master Page, wil you go

730with vs? we haue sport in hand.

731Host. Tell him Caueleiro-Iustice: tell him Bully-

732Rooke.

733Shall. Sir, there is a fray to be fought, betweene Sir

734Hugh the Welch Priest, and Caius the French Doctor.