And when the doctor fpies his vantage ripe, Hoft. Which means fhe to deceive? father or mother? Fent. Both, my good Hoft, to go along with me; And here it refts, that you'll procure the Vicar To stay for me at church, 'twixt twelve and one, And in the lawful name of marrying, To give our hearts united ceremony. Hoft. Well, hufband your device; I'll to the Vicar. Bring you the maid, you fhall not lack a priest. Fent. So fhall I evermore be bound to thee; Befides, I'll make a prefent recompence. [Exeunt. Re-enter Falstaff and Miftrefs Quickly. Fal. Pr'ythee, no more pratling. Go. I'll hold. This is the third time; I hope, good luck lyes in odd numbers. Away, go; they fay, there is divinity in odd numbers, either in nativity, chance, or death.Away. Quic. I'll provide you a chain, and I'll do what I can to get you a pair of horns. [Exit Mrs. Quickly. Fal. Away, I fay; time wears: hold up your head and mince. Enter Ford. How now, mafter Brook? mafter Brook, the matter will be known to-night, or never. Be you in the Park about midnight, at Herne's Oak, and you fhall fee wonders. Ford. Went you not to her yesterday, Sir, as you told me you had appointed? Fal. Fal. I went to her, master Brook, as you fee, like a poor old man; but I came from her, mafter Brook, like a poor old woman. That fame knave, Ford her husband, hath the finest mad devil of jealoufy in him, mafter Brook, that ever govern'd frenzy. I will tell you; he beat me grievoufly, in the fhape of a woman; for in the fhape of a man, mafter Brook, I fear not Goliah with a weaver's beam; because I know alfo, life is a fhuttle; I am in hafte; go along with me; I'll tell you all, mafter Brook. Since I pluckt geefe, play'd truant, and whipt top, I knew not what 'twas to be beaten, 'till lately. Follow me, I'll tell you ftrange things of this knave Ford, on whom to night I will be reveng'd, and I will deliver his wife into your band-- Follow; ftrange things in hand, mafter Brook! follow. [Exeunt. ACT V. SCENE I. COM Windfor Park. Enter Page, Shallow, and Slender. PAGE.. OME, come; we'll couch i'th' caftle-ditch, 'till we fee the light of our fairies. Remember, fon Slender, my daughter. Slen. Ay, forfooth, I have fpoke with her, and we have a nay-word how to know one another. I come to her in white, and cry, mum; fhe cries, budget; and by that we know one another. Shal. That's good too; but what needs either your mum, or her budget? the white will decipher her well enough. It hath ftruck ten o'clock. Page. Page. The night is dark, light and fpirits will become it well; heav'n profper our fport! No man meats evil but the devil, and we shall know him by his horns, Let's away; follow me. [Exeunt. SCENE II. Enter Miftrefs Page, Miftrefs Ford and Caius. Mrs. Page. Mr. Doctor, my daughter is in green; when you fee your time, take her by the hand, away with her to the Deanery, and dispatch it quickly; go before into the Park; we two must go together. Caius. I know vat I have to do; adieu. [Exit. Mrs. Page. Fare you well, Sir. My husband will not rejoice fo much at the abuse of Falstaff, as he will chafe at the Doctor's marrying my daughter; but 'tis no matter; better, a little chiding, than a great deal of heart-break. Mrs. Ford. Where is Nan now, and her troop of fairies, and the Welch devil Evans? Mrs. Page. They are all couch'd in a pit hard by Herne's Oak, with obfcur'd lights; which, at the very inftant of Falstaff's and our meeting, they will at once difplay to the night. Mrs. Ford. That cannot chufe but amaze hím. Mrs. Page. If he be not amaz'd, he will be mock'd; if he be amaz'd, he will every way be mock'd. Mrs. Ford. We'll betray him finely. Mrs. Page. Against such lewdsters, and their lechery, Thofe, that betray them, do no treachery. Mrs. Ford. The hour draws on; to the Oak, to the Oak. Enter Evans and Fairies. [Exeunt. Eva. Trib, trib, fairies; come, and remember your parts; be pold, I pray you; follow me into the pit; and when I give the watch-'ords, do as I pid you; come, come; trib, trib. [Exeunt. SCENE III. Enter Falstaff, with a Buck's head on. Fal. The Windfor bell hath ftruck twelve, the minute draws on; now, the hot-blooded Gods affift me! Remember, Jove, thou waft a bull for thy Europa; love fet on thy horns. Oh powerful love! that, in fome refpects, makes a beast a man; in fome other, a man a beast: You were alfo, Jupiter, a swan, for the Love of Leda: Oh, omnipotent love! how near the God drew to the complexion of a goofe? A fault done first in the form of a beaft!- -O Jove, a beastly fault in the femblance of a fowl: think on't, Jove, a foul fault. When Gods have hot backs, what shall poor men do? for me, I am here a Windfor ftag, and the fatteft, I think, i'th' foreft. Send me a cool rut-time, Jove, or who can blame me to pils my tallow? who comes here? my Doe? Enter Miftrefs Ford and Miftrefs Page. Mrs. Ford. Sir John? art thou there, my deer? my male-deer? Fal. My doe with the black fcut? let the fky rain potatoes; let it thunder to the tune of Green-Sleeves; hail kiffing-comfits, and fnow eringoes; let there come a tempeft of provocation, I will fhelter me here. Mrs. Ford. Mistress Page is come with me, sweet heart. Fal. Divide me like a bride-buck, each a haunch; I will keep my fides to myself, my fhoulders for the fellow of this walk, and my horns I bequeath your hufbands. Am I a woodman, ha? Speak I like Herne the hunter? why, now is Cupid a child of confcience, he makes restitution. As I am a true fpirit, welcome! [Noife within. Mrs. Page. Alas! what noife? Mrs. Ford. Mrs. Page. Away, away. [The women run out. Fal. I think the devil will not have me damn'd, left the oil that is in me fhould fet hell on fire; he never would elfe crofs me thus. SCENE IV. Enter Sir Hugh like a Satyr; Quickly, and others, dreft like Fairies, with Tapers. Quic, Fairies, black, gray, green, and white, Eva. |