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BESIDES the copies of the Merry Wives of Windsor appearing in the Folios and modern editions, a Quarto, Q,, has been collated in these Notes, of which the following is the title :

The Merry Wives of Windsor. | With the humours of Sir John Falstaffe, as also, The swaggering vaine of Ancient | Pistoll, and Corporall Nym. | written by William Shake-speare. | Newly corrected. | LONDON: | Printed by T. H. for R. Meighen, and are to be sold | at his Shop, next to the Middle-Temple Gate, and in | S. Dunstans Church-yard in Fleet-street, 1630.

Q, and Q, are editions of an early sketch of the same play. The variations between the text of these Quartos and the received text are so great that collation cannot be attempted. The text printed in the last volume of this edition is taken literatim from Q,, the edition of 1602, of which a copy is preserved among Capell's SHAKESPEARIANA, and this text is collated verbatim with Q,, the second Quarto printed in 1619. Q, was reprinted in 1842 for the Shakespeare Society by Mr J. O. Halliwell. This text, which differs in one or two places from Capell's Q1, has also been collated. Q, is given among TWENTY OF THE PLAYS OF SHAKESPEARE, edited by Steevens. Their titles are as follows:

(1) A | Most pleasaunt and excellent conceited Co-medie, of Syr Iohn Falstaffe, and the | merrie Wiues of Windsor. | Entermixed with sundrie | variable and pleasing humors, of Syr Hugh | the Welch Knight, Iustice Shallow, and his | wise Cousin M. Slender. | With the swaggering vaine of Auncient | Pistoll, and Corporall Nym. | By William Shakespeare. As it hath bene diuers times Acted by the right Honorable | my Lord Chamberlaines seruants. Both before her | Maiestie, and elsewhere. | LONDON | Printed by T. C. for Arthur Iohnson, and are to be sold at his shop in Powles Church-yard, at the signe of the | Flower de Leuse and the Crowne. | 1602.

[This consists of 7 Quires of 4. has been cut away by the binder. Mr Griggs.]

In Quire G one line in Capell's copy

It is supplied from the facsimile by

(2) A Most pleasant and ex-cellent conceited Comedy, | of Sir Iohn Falstaffe, and the merry Wives of Windsor. | With the swaggering vaine of Ancient Pistoll, and Corporall Nym. | Written by W. SHAKESPEARE. | Printed for Arthur Johnson, 1619.

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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, persuade me not; I will make a Starchamber matter of it: if he were twenty Sir John Falstaffs, he shall not abuse Robert Shallow, esquire.

Slen. In the county of Gloucester, justice of peace and 'Coram.'

Shal. Ay, cousin Slender, and 'Custalorum.'

5

Slen. Ay, and 'Rato-lorum' too; and a gentleman born, master parson; who writes himself 'Armigero,' in any bill, warrant, quittance, or obligation, 'Armigero.'

Windsor...] Before Page's House in

Windsor. Theobald.

Enter...] Rowe. Enter Iustice Shallow, Slender, Sir Hugh Euans, Master Page, Falstoffe, Bardolph,

Nym, Pistoll, Anne Page, Mistresse Ford, Mistresse Page, Simple. FfQ3. 6 Custalorum] Custos Farmer conj. Catalorum Anon, conj.

7 Rato-lorum] Ff. Rotulorum Q3.

Shal. Ay, that I do; and have done any time these

three hundred years.

11

Slen. All his successors gone before him hath 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.

15

Evans. The dozen white louses do become an old coat well; it agrees well, passant; it is a familiar beast to man, 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.

Evans. It is marring indeed, if he quarter it.
Shal. Not a whit.

20

24

Evans. 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 Sir John Falstaff have committed disparagements unto you, I am of the church, and will be glad to do my benevolence to make atonements and compremises between you.

Shal.

30

The council shall hear it; it is a riot. Evans. It is not meet the council hear a riot; there is no fear of Got in a riot: the council, look you, shall desire to hear the fear of Got, and not to hear a riot; take your vizaments in that.

10 I] we Steevens (Farmer conj.).
12 hath] F1Q3F2. have F3F4.
14 give] have Gould conj.

19 The luce is] The luce [to Slen.
showing him his Seal-ring] is Capell.
19, 20 the salt fish... coat.] Evans.
'Tis ott fish in an old coat. J. E.
Jackson conj. (N. and Q. 1867).

19 salt] same Keightley conj. saltant

35

Anon. conj. apud Knight (ed. 2).
21 coz.] coz? Steevens (1793).
23 marring] F1Q3. marrying F2F3F-
25 py'r lady] Capell. per-lady FfQ3
26 skirts] shirts Q3. parts Gould conj.
28 unto] upon Rowe (ed. 2).

30 compremises] compromises Pope.
32 hear] F1Q3. heare of F2F3F4-
34 take your] F1Q3. take you F2F3F4-

Shal. Ha! o' my life, if I were young again, the sword should end it.

Evans. It is petter that friends is the sword, and end it: and there is also another device in my prain, which peradventure prings goot discretions with it:-there is Anne Page, which is daughter to Master Thomas Page, which is pretty virginity.

42

Slen. Mistress Anne Page? She has brown hair, and speaks small like a woman.

Evans. It is that fery person for all the orld, as just as you will desire; and seven hundred pounds of moneys, and gold and silver, is her grandsire upon his death's-bed (Got deliver to a joyful resurrections !) give, when she is able to overtake seventeen years old: it were a goot motion if we leave our pribbles and prabbles, and desire a marriage between Master Abraham and Mistress Anne Page.

51

Slen. Did her grandsire leave her seven hundred pound? Evans. Ay, and her father is make her a petter penny. Slen. I know the young gentlewoman; she has good gifts.

55

Evans. Seven hundred pounds and possibilities is goot gifts.

Shal. Well, let us see honest Master Page. Is Falstaff there?

59

Evans. Shall I tell you a lie? I do despise a liar as I do despise one that is false, or as I despise one that is not true. The knight, Sir John, is there; and, I beseech you, be ruled

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