860Woman, commend me to her, I will not faile her.

861Qui. Why, you say well: But I haue another messen-

862ger to your worship: Mistresse Page hath her heartie

863commendations to you to: and let mee tell you in your

864eare, shee's as fartuous a ciuill modest wife, and one (I

865tell you) that will not misse you morning nor euening

866prayer, as any is in Windsor, who ere bee the other: and

867shee bade me tell your worship, that her husband is sel-

868dome from home, but she hopes there will come a time.

869I neuer knew a woman so doate vpon a man; surely I

870thinke you haue charmes, la: yes in truth.

871Fal. Not I, I assure thee; setting the attraction of my

872good parts aside, I haue no other charmes.

873Qui. Blessing on your heart for't.

874Fal. But I pray thee tell me this: has Fords wife, and

875Pages wife acquainted each other, how they loue me?

876Qui. That were a iest indeed: they haue not so little

877grace I hope, that were a tricke indeed: But Mistris Page

878would desire you to send her your little Page of al loues:

879her husband has a maruellous infectiō to the little Page:

880and truely Master Page is an honest man: neuer a wife in

881Windsor leades a better life then she do's: doe what shee

882will, say what she will, take all, pay all, goe to bed when

883she list, rise when she list, all is as she will: and truly she

884deserues it; for if there be a kinde woman in Windsor, she

885is one: you must send her your Page, no remedie.

886Fal. Why, I will.

887Qu. Nay, but doe so then, and looke you, hee may

888come and goe betweene you both: and in any case haue

889a nay-word, that you may know one anothers minde,

890and the Boy neuer neede to vnderstand any thing; for

891'tis not good that children should know any wickednes:

892olde folkes you know, haue discretion, as they say, and

893know the world.

894Fal. Farethee-well, commend mee to them both:

895there's my purse, I am yet thy debter: Boy, goe along

896with this woman, this newes distracts me.

897Pist. This Puncke is one of Cupids Carriers,

898Clap on more sailes, pursue: vp with your sights:

899Giue fire: she is my prize, or Ocean whelme them all.

900Fal. Saist thou so (old Iacke) go thy waies: Ile make

901more of thy olde body then I haue done: will they yet

902looke after thee? wilt thou after the expence of so much

903money, be now a gainer? good Body, I thanke thee: let

904them say 'tis grossely done, so it bee fairely done, no

905matter.

906Bar. Sir Iohn, there's one Master Broome below would

907faine speake with you, and be acquainted with you; and

908hath sent your worship a mornings draught of Sacke.

909Fal. Broome is his name?

910Bar. I Sir.

911Fal. Call him in: such Broomes are welcome to mee,

912that ore'flowes such liquor: ah ha, Mistresse Ford and Mi-

913stresse Page, haue I encompass'd you? goe to, via.

914Ford. 'Blesse you sir.

915Fal. And you sir: would you speake with me?

916Ford. I make bold, to presse, with so little prepara-

917tion vpon you.

918Fal. You'r welcome, what's your will? giue vs leaue

919Drawer.

920Ford. Sir, I am a Gentleman that haue spent much,

921my name is Broome.

922Fal. Good Master Broome, I desire more acquaintance

923of you.

924Ford. Good Sir Iohn, I sue for yours: not to charge

925you, for I must let you vnderstand, I thinke my selfe in

926better plight for a Lender, then you are: the which hath

927something emboldned me to this vnseason'd intrusion:

928for they say, if money goe before, all waies doe lye

929open.

930Fal. Money is a good Souldier (Sir) and will on.

931Ford. Troth, and I haue a bag of money heere trou-

932bles me: if you will helpe to beare it (Sir Iohn) take all,

933or halfe, for easing me of the carriage.

934Fal. Sir, I know not how I may deserue to bee your

935Porter.

936Ford. I will tell you sir, if you will giue mee the hea-

937ring.

938Fal. Speake (good Master Broome) I shall be glad to

939be your Seruant.

940Ford. Sir, I heare you are a Scholler: (I will be briefe

941with you) and you haue been a man long knowne to me,

942though I had neuer so good means as desire, to make my

943selfe acquainted with you. I shall discouer a thing to

944you, wherein I must very much lay open mine owne im-

945perfection: but (good Sir Iohn) as you haue one eye vp-

946on my follies, as you heare them vnfolded, turne another

947into the Register of your owne, that I may passe with a

948reproofe the easier, sith you your selfe know how easie it

949is to be such an offender.

950Fal. Very well Sir, proceed.

951Ford. There is a Gentlewoman in this Towne, her

952husbands name is Ford.

953Fal. Well Sir.

954Ford. I haue long lou'd her, and I protest to you, be-

955stowed much on her: followed her with a doating ob-

956seruance: Ingross'd opportunities to meete her: fee'd e-

957uery slight occasion that could but nigardly giue mee

958sight of her: not only bought many presents to giue her,

959but haue giuen largely to many, to know what shee

960would haue giuen: briefly, I haue pursu'd her, as Loue

961hath pursued mee, which hath beene on the wing of all

962occasions: but whatsoeuer I haue merited, either in my

963minde, or in my meanes, meede I am sure I haue receiued

964none, vnlesse Experience be a Iewell, that I haue purcha-

965sed at an infinite rate, and that hath taught mee to say

966this,

969Fal. Haue you receiu'd no promise of satisfaction at

970her hands?

971Ford. Neuer.

972Fal. Haue you importun'd her to such a purpose?

973Ford. Neuer.

974Fal. Of what qualitie was your loue then?

975Ford. Like a fair house, built on another mans ground,

976so that I haue lost my edifice, by mistaking the place,

977where I erected it.

978Fal. To what purpose haue you vnfolded this to me?

979For. When I haue told you that, I haue told you all:

980Some say, that though she appeare honest to mee, yet in

981other places shee enlargeth her mirth so farre, that there

982is shrewd construction made of her. Now (Sir Iohn) here

983is the heart of my purpose: you are a gentleman of ex-

984cellent breeding, admirable discourse, of great admit-

985tance, authenticke in your place and person, generally

986allow'd for your many war-like, court-like, and learned

987preparations.

988Fal. O Sir.

989Ford. Beleeue it, for you know it: there is money,

990spend it, spend it, spend more; spend all I haue, onely