DRAMATIS PERSONE. SIR JOHN FALSTAFF. FENTON, a young Gentleman. FORD, } Two Gentlemen dwelling at Windsor. WILLIAM PAGE, a Boy, Son to Page. SIR HUGH EVANS, a Welsh Parson. DOCTOR CAIUS, a French Physician. Host of the Garter Inn. ANNE PAGE, her Daughter, in love with Fenton. MISTRESS QUICKLY, Servant to Doctor Caius. Servants to Page, Ford, etc. SCENE Windsor and the Parts adjacent. THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR ACT I SCENE I.- Windsor. Before PAGE's House. Shal. Sir Hugh, persuade me not; I will make a Star-chamber matter of it; if he were twenty Sir John Falstaffs he shall not abuse Robert Shallow, esquire. Slen. In the county of Gloster, justice of peace, and coram. Shal. Ay, cousin Slender, and cust-alorum. Slen. Ay, and rato-lorum too; and a gentleman born, Master parson; who writes himself armigero, in any bill, warrant, quittance, or obligation,-armigero. Shal. Ay, that I do; and have done any time these three hundred years. 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. 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. Ev ins. 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. 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. 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 George Page, which is pretty virginity. 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. Shal. Did her grandsire leave her seven hundred pound? |