The Merry Wives of Windsor Part 46

_Sim._ May I be bolde to tell my maister so sir? 30

_Fal._ _I_ tike, who more bolde.

_Sim._ _I_ thanke you sir, I shall make my maister a glad man at these tydings, G.o.d be with you sir. _Exit._

_Host._ Thou art clarkly sir _Iohn_, thou art clarkly, Was there a wise woman with thee? 35

_Fal._ Marry was there mine host, one that taught Me more wit then I learned this 7. yeare, And I paid nothing for it, But was paid for my learning.

_Enter Bardolfe._

_Bar._ O lord sir cousonage, plaine cousonage. 40

_Host._ Why man, where be my horses? where be the Germanes?

_Bar._ Rid away with your horses: After I came beyond Maidenhead, They flung me in a slow of myre, & away they ran.

_Enter Doctor._

_Doc._ Where be my Host de gartyre? 45

_Host._ O here sir in perplexitie.

_Doc._ I cannot tell vad be dad, But begar I will tell you van ting, Dear be a Garmaine Duke come to de Court, Has cosened all the host of _Branford_, 50 And _Redding_: begar I tell you for good will, Ha, ha, mine Host, am I euen met you? _Exit._

_Enter _Sir_ Hugh._

_{S}ir Hu._ Where is mine host of the gartyr?

Now my Host, I would desire you looke you now, To haue a care of your entertainments, 55 For there is three sorts of cosen garmombles, _Is_ cosen all the Host of Maidenhead and Readings, Now you are an honest man, and a scuruy beggerly lowsie knaue beside: And can point wrong places, 60 _I_ tell you for good will, grate why mine Host. _Exit._

_Host._ _I_ am cosened _Hugh_, and coy _Bardolfe_, Sweet knight a.s.sist me, _I_ am cosened. _Exit._

_Fal._ Would all the worell were cosened for me, For I am cousoned and beaten too. 65 Well, _I_ neuer prospered since I forswore Myselfe at _Primero_: and my winde Were but long inough to say my prayers, Ide repent, now from whence come you?

_Enter {M}istresse Quickly._

_Quic._ From the two parties forsooth. 70

_{F}al._ The diuell take the one partie, And his dam the other, And theyle be both bestowed.

_I_ haue endured more for their sakes, Then man is able to endure. 75

_Quic._ O Lord sir, they are the sorowfulst creatures That euer liued: specially mistresse _Ford_, Her husband hath beaten her that she is all Blacke and blew poore soule.

_Fal._ What tellest me of blacke and blew, 80 I haue bene beaten all the colours in the Rainbow, And in my escape like to a bene apprehended For a witch of _Brainford_, and set in the stockes.

_Quic._ Well sir, she is a sorrowfull woman, And I hope when you heare my errant, 85 Youle be perswaded to the contrarie.

_Fal._ Come goe with me into my chamber, Ile heare thee.

_Exit omnes._

NOTES: SCENE XV

81: _bene_] om.

_Enter Host and Fenton._ [SC. XVI.]

_Host._ Speake not to me sir, my mind is heauie, I haue had a great losse.

_{F}en._ Yet heare me, and as I am a gentleman, Ile giue you a hundred pound toward your losse.

_Host._ Well sir Ile heare you, and at least keep your counsell. 5

_{F}en._ Then thus my host. Tis not vnknown to you, The feruent loue _I_ beare to young _Anne Page_, And mutally her loue againe to mee: But her father still against her choise, Doth seeke to marrie her to foolish _Slender_, 10 And in a robe of white this night disguised, Wherein fat _Falstaffe_ had a mightie scare, Must _Slender_ take her and carrie her to _Catlen_, And there vnknowne to any, marrie her.

Now her mother still against that match, 15 And firme for Doctor _Cayus_, in a robe of red By her deuice, the Doctor must steale her thence, And she hath giuen consent to goe with him.

_Host._ Now which meanes she to deceiue, father or mother?

_Fen._ Both my good Host, to go along with me. 20 Now here it rests, that you would procure a priest, And tarry readie at the appointment place, To giue our harts vnited matrimonie.

_Host._ But how will you come to steale her from among them?

_{F}en._ That hath sweet _Nan_ and I agreed vpon, 25 And by a robe of white, the which she weares, With ribones pendant flaring bout her head, _I_ shalbe sure to know her, and conuey her thence, And bring her where the priest abides our comming, And by thy furtherance there be married. 30

_Host._ Well, husband your deuice, Ile to the Vicar, Bring you the maide, you shall not lacke a Priest.

_Fen._ So shall _I_ euermore be bound vnto thee, Besides Ile always be thy faithful friend. _Exit omnes._

_Enter sir Iohn with a Bucks head upon him._ [SC. XVII.]

_Fal._ This is the third time, well {I}le venter, They say there is good luck in old numbers, {[_Ioue_ transform'd himselfe into a Bull,]} And _I_ am here a Stag, and _I_ thinke the fattest In all _Windsor_ forrest: well _I_ stand here 5 For _Horne_ the hunter, waiting my Does comming.

_Enter mistris Page and mistris Ford._

_Mis. Pa._ Sir _Iohn_, where are you?

_Fal._ Art thou come my doe? What and thou too?

Welcome Ladies.

_Mi. For._ I I sir _Iohn_, _I_ see you will not faile, 10 Therefore you deserue far better then our loues, But it grieues me for your late crosses.

_{F}al._ This makes amends for all.

Come diuide me betweene you, each a hanch, For my horns Ile bequeath them to your husbands, 15 Do _I_ speake like _Horne_ the hunter, ha?

_Mis. Pa._ G.o.d forgiue me, what noise is this?