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Duke. Pro.

Saw you my daughter?

Neither. Duke. Why, then she's fled unto that peasant And Eglamour is in her company. [Valentine; 'Tis true; for friar Laurence met them both, As he in penance wander'd through the forest: Him he knew well, and guess'd that it was she; But, being mask'd, he was not sure of it: Besides, she did intend confession [not: At Patrick's cell this even; and there she was These likelihoods confirm her flight from hence. Therefore, I pray you, stand not to discourse, But mount you presently; and meet with me U pon the rising of the mountain foot [fled: That leads towards Mantua, whither they are Despatch, sweet gentlemen, and follow me.

[Exit.
Thu. Why, this it is to be a peevisht girl,
That flies her fortune when it follows her:
I'll after; more to be reveng'd'on Eglamour,
Than for the love of reckless + Silvia. [Exit.
Pro. And I will follow, more for Silvia's love.
Than hate of Eglamour that goes with her.[Eait.
Jul.And I will follow more to cross that love,
Than hate for Silvia, that is gone for love. [Exit.
SCENE III.

Frontiers of Mantua. The Forest.
Enter SILVIA and Out-laws.

Out. Come, come; 32

Be patient, we must bring you to our captain. + Foolish..

*Own.

Sil.A thousand more mischances than this one Have learn'd me how to brook this patiently. 2 Out. Come, bring her away.

[her?

1 Out. Where is the gentleman that was with 3 Out. Being uimble footed, he hath out-run But Moyses, and Valerius, follow him. : [us, Go thou with her to the west end of the wood, There is our captain: we'll follow him that's The thicket is beset, he cannot 'scape. [fled;

1 Out.Come,I must bring you to our captain's Fear not; he bears au honourable mind, [cave: And will not use a woman lawlessly. Sil. O Valentine, this I endure for thee! [Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

Another part of the Forest.

Enter VALENTINE.

Val. How use doth breed a habit in a man! This shadowy desert, unfrequented woods, I better brook than flourishing peopled towns: Here can I sit alone, unseen of any, And, to the nightingale's complaining notes, Tune my distresses, and record my woes. O thou that dost inhabit in my breast, Leave not the mansion so long tenantless; Lest, growing ruinous, the building fall, And leave no memory of what it was! Repair me with thy presence, Silvia; What halloing, and what stir, is this to-day? Thou gentle nymph,cherish thy forlorn swain!These are my mates, that make their wills their Have some unhappy passenger in chace: [law, They love me well; yet I have much to do, To keep them from uncivil outrages. Withdraw thee, Valentine; 'who's this comes here? [steps aside. Enter PROTEUS, SILVIA, and JULIA. Pro. Madam,this service I have done for you, (Though you respect not aught your servant To hazard life, and rescue you from him [doth,) That would have forc'd your honour and your

love.

[look; A smaller boon than this I cannot beg, Vouchsafe me, for my meed, but one fair And less than this, I am sure, you cannot give.

Val. How like a dream is this I see and hear!

Love, lend me patience to forbear a while.

[Aside.

Sil. O miserable, unhappy that I am! Pro.Unhappy,were you, madam,ere I came; But, by my coming, I have made you happy. Sil. By thy approach thou mak'st me most

unhappy.

Jul. And me, when he approacheth to your [Aside.

presence.

I would have been a breakfast to the beast,
Sil. Had I been seized by a hungry lion,
Rather than have false Proteus rescue me.
O, heaven be judge, how I love Valentine,
Whose life's as tender to me as my soul;
And full as much (for more there cannot be,)
I do detest false perjur'd Proteus:
Therefore be gone, solicit me no more. [death,
Pro. What dangerous action, stood it next to
Would I not undergo for one calm look?
§ Sing.

‡ Careless.

Reward.

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Than plural faith, which is too much by one:
Thon counterfeit to thy true friend!
Pro.

Who respects friend?

In love, Sil. All men but Proteus. Pro.Nay,if the gentle spirit of moving words Can no way change you to a milder form, I'll woo you like a soldier, at arms' end; And love you 'gainst the nature of love, force Sil. O heaven! [you. Pro. I'll force thee yield to my desire. Val. Ruffian, let go that rude uncivil touch; Thon friend of an ill fashion! Pro. Valentine! Val. Thou common friend, that's without faith or love.

(For such is a friend now,) treacherous man! Thou hast beguil'd my hopes; nought but mine eye

Could have persuaded me: Now I dare not say I have one friend alive; thou would'st disprove me.

Who should be trusted now, when one's right ls perjur'd to the bosom? Proteus, [hand

curst!

I am sorry, I must never trust thee more,
But count the world a stranger for thy sake.
The private wound is deepest: O time, most
[worst!
'Mongst all foes, that a friend should be the
Pro. My shame and guilt confounds me.
Forgive me, Valentine: if hearty sorrow
Be a sufficient ransom for offence,
I tender it here; I do as truly suffer,
As e'er I did commit.

Val.
Then I am paid;
And once again I do receive thee honest:-
Who by repentance is not satisfied, [pleas'd;
ls nor of heaven, nor earth; for these are
By penitence the Eternal's wrath's appeas'd:-
And, that my love may appear plain and free,
All that was mine in Silvia, I give thee.
Jul. O me, unhappy!
Pro. Look to the boy.
Val. Why, boy! why, wag! how now? what
is the matter?

Look up; speak.

[Faints.

Jul. O good sir, my master charg'd me To deliver a ring to madam Silvia; Which, out of my neglect was never done. Pro. Where is that ring, boy?

Jul.

Here 'tis: this is it. [Gives a ring.

Pro. How! let me see:
Why this is the ring I gave to Julia.

Felt, experienced. + Direction.
§ Length of my sword.

Jul. O, cry you mercy, sir, I have mistook; This is the ring you sent to Silvia.

[Shews another ring, Pro, But, how cam'st thou by this ring? at I gave this unto Julia. [my depart, Jul. And Julia herself did give it me; And Julia herself hath brought it hither. Pro. How! Julia!

Jul. Behold her that gave aim to all thyoaths,
And entertain'd them deeply in her heart:
How oft hast thou with perjury cleft the root?
O Proteus, let this habit make thee blush!
Be thou asham'd, that I have took upon me
Such an immodest raiment; if shame live
In a disguise of love:

It is the lesser blot, modesty finds,
Women to change their shapes, than men
their minds. [heaven! were man
Pro. Than men their minds? 'tis true: 0
But constant, he were perfect: that one error
Fills him with faults; makes him run through
Inconstancy falls off, ere it begins: [all sins:
What is in Silvia's face, but I may spy
More fresh in Julia's with a constant eye?

Val. Come, come, a hand from either:
Let me be blest to make this happy close?
Twere pity two such friends should be long
foes.

Pro. Bear witness, heaven, I have my wish Jul. And I have mine. [for ever. Enter Out-laws, with DUKE and THURIO. Out. A prize, a prize, a prize! Val, Forbear, I say; it is my lord the duke, Your grace is welcome to a man disgrac'd, Banished Valentine.

Duke.

Sir Valentine!

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Come not within the measures of my wrath:
Do not name Silvia thine; if once again,
Milan shall not behold thee. Here she stands,
Take but possession of her with a touch ;-
I dare thee but to breathe upon my love.--
Thu. Sir Valentine, I care not for her, I;
I hold him but a fool, that will endanger
His body for a girl that loves him not:
I claim her not, and therefore she is thine.

Duke.The more degenerate and base art thou,
To make such means || for her as thou hast done,
And I ave her on such slight conditions.-
Now, by the honour of my ancestry,
I do applaud thy spirit, Valentine,
And think thee worthy of an empress' love.
Know then, I here forget all former griefs,
Cancel all grudge, repeal thee home again.-
Plead a new state in thy unrivall'd merit,
To which I thus subscribe,-sir Valentine,
Thou art a gentleman, and well deriv'd; [her.
Take thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserv'd
Val. I thank your grace; the gift hath made
me happy.

I now beseech you, for your daughter's sake,
To grant one boon that I shall ask of you.

An allusion to cleaving the pin in archery.
Interest.

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Val. And, as we walk along, I dare be bold With our discourse to make your grace to smile: What think you of this pagé, my lord?

Duke. I think the boy hath grace in him; he blushes.

Val. I warrant you, my lord; more grace
than boy.

Duke. What mean you by that saying?
Val. Please you, I'll tell you as we pass along,
That you will wonder what hath fortuned.—
Come, Proteus; 'tis your penance, but to hear
The story of your loves discovered:
That done, our day of marriage shall be yours;
One feast, one house, one mutual happiness.
[Exeunt,

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IN this play there is a strange mixture of knowledge and ignorance, of care and negligence. The versification is often excellent, the allusions are learned and just; but the author conveys his heroes by sea from one inland town to another in the same country; he places the emperor at Milan, and sends his young men to attend him, but never mentions him more ; he makes Protens, after an interview with Silvia, say he has only seen her picture; and, if we may credit the old copies, he has, by mistaking places, left his scenery inextricable. The reason of all this confusion seems to be, that he took his story from a novel, which he sometimes followed, and sometimes forsook; sometimes remembered, and sometimes forgot.

That this play is rightly attributed to Shakspeare, I have little doubt. If it be taken from him, to whom shall it be given? This question may be asked of all the disputed plays, except TITUS ANDRONICUS; and it will be found more credible, that Shakspeare might sometimes sink below his highest flights, than that any other should rise up to his lowest.

6 JOHNSON.

MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR.

SIR JOHN FALSTAFF...
FENTON.

SHALLOW, a country justice.
SLENDER, Cousin to Shallow.
MR. FORD,

Persons represented.

two gentlemen dwelling at

MR. PAGE, Windsor.
WILLIAM PAGE, a boy, son to Mr. Page.
SIR HUGH EVANS, a Welsh parson.
DR. CAIUS, a French physician.
Host of the Garter inn.

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MRS. FORD. MRS. PAGE.

MRS. ANNE PAGE, her daughter, in love with Fenton.

MRS. QUICKLY, servant to Dr. Caius.

Servants to PAGE, FORD, &c.
Scene,-Windsor, and the parts adjacent.

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 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.t Slen. Ay, and rutolorum too; and a gentleman born, master parson; who writes himself armigero; in any bill, warrant, quittance, or obligation, armigero.

Shal. Ay, that we do; and have done any time these three hundred years.

Sien. All his saccessors, gone before him, have 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.

Eva. The dozen white lonses 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.
Eva. It is marring indeed, if he quarter it.
Shal. Not a whit."

Eva. 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 compromises between you.

Shal. The Council shall hear it; it is a riot. Eva. 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.

Eva. 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.

Eva. It is that fery verson for all the 'orld, as just as you will desire; and seven hundred pounds of monies, 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?

Eva. Ay, and her father is make her a petter penny.

Shal. I know the young gentlewoman; she has good gifts,

Eva. Seven hundred pounds, and possibilities, is good gifts.

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

A title formerly appropriated to chaplains. 7 By our. Court of Star-chamber.

+ Custos Rotulorum. Advisement. ¶ Soft.

Eva. 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 by your well-willers. I will peat the door [knocks] for master Page. What, hoa! Got pless your house here!

Enter PAGE.

Page. Who's there?

you

Slen. Marry, sir, I have matter in my head against you; and against your coney-catching rascals, Bardolph, Nym, and Pistol. They carried me to the tavern, and made me drunk, and afterwards picked my pocket. Bar. You Banbury cheese! Slen. Ay, it is no matter.

Pist. How now, Mephostophilus ||?
Slen. Ay, it is no matter.

.

Eva. Here is Got's plessing, and your friend, and justice Shallow and here young master Slender; that, peradventures, shall tell another tale, if matters grow to your likings. Page. I am glad to see your worships well: I thank you for my venison, master Shallow, Shal. Master Page, I am glad to see you; Much good do it your good heart! I wished your venison better; it was ill kill'd:-How doth good mistress Page?-and I love you ally, mine host of the Garter. ways with my heart, la; with my heart. Page. Sir, I thank you.

Nym. Slice, I say! pauca, pauca¶; slice! that's my humour.

Slen. Where's Simple, my man?-can you tell, cousin?

no,

Shal. Sir, I thank you; by yea and I do. Page. I am glad to see you, good master Slender.

Slen. How does your fallow greyhound, sir? I heard say, he was outrun on Cotsale *.

Page. It could not be judg'd, sir.

Slen. You'll not confess, you'll not confess. Shal. That he will not ;-'tis your fault, 'tis your fault:-'Tis a good dog.

Puge. A cur, sir.

Shal, Sir, he's a good dog, and a fair dog; Can there be more said? he is good and fair. -Is sir John Falstaff here?

Page. Sir, he is within; and I would I could do a good office between you.

Eva. It is spoke as a christians ought to speak, Shal. He hath wrong'd me, master Page. Page. Sir, he doth in some sort confess it. Shal. If it be confess'd, it is not redress'd; is not that so, master Page? He hath wrong'd me; indeed, he hath;-at a word, he hath;believe me;-Robert Shallow, esquire, saith, he is wrong'd.

Page. Here comes sir John.

Enter Sir JOHN FALSTAFF, BARDOLPH, NYM, and PISTOL.

Fal. Now, master Shallow; you'll complain of me to the king?

Shal. Knight, you have beaten my men, killed my deer, and broke open my lodge. Fal. But not kiss'd your keeper's daughter? Shal. Tut, a pin! this shall be answer'd. Fal. I will answer it straight;-I have done alt this:That is now answer'd.

Shal. The Council shall know this. Fal. Twere better for you if it were known in counsel: you'll be laugh'd at.

Era. Pauca verba, sir John, good worts. Fal. Good worts +! good cabbage. Slender, I broke your head; What matter have you against me?

* Cotswold in Gloucestershire.

Eva. Peace, I pray you! Now let us under stand: There is three umpires in this matter as I understand: that is-master Page, fideli cet, master Page; and there is myself, fidelicet myself; and the three party is, lastly and final

Page. We three, to hear it, and end it be tween them.

Eva. Fery goot: I will make a prief of it in my note-book; and we will afterwards 'ork upon the cause, with as great discreetly as we can. Fal. Pistol!

Pist. He hears with ears.

Eva. The tevil and his tam! what phrase is this, He hears with ear? Why, it is affec

tations.

Fal. Pistol, did you pick master Slender's purse?

Slen. Ay, by these gloves, did he, (or I would I might never come in mine own great chamber again else,) of seven groats in millsixpences, and two Edward shovel-boards **, that cost me two shilling and two pence a-piece of Yead Miller, by these gloves.

Fal. Is this true, Pistol?

Eva. No; it is false, if it is a pick-purse. Pist. Ha, thou mountain-foreigner!-Si

John, and master mine,

Word of denial in thy labras here;
I combat challenge of this latten bilbott:
Word of denial; froth and scum, thou liest.
Slen. By these gloves, then, 'twas he.

Nym. Be advised, sir, and pass good hu mours: I will say, marry trap, with you, i you run the nuthook's humour on me; tha is the very note of it.

Slen. By this hat, then, he in the red face had it: for though I cannot remember what did when you made me drunk, yet I am no altogether an ass.

Ful. What say you, Scarlet and John?

Bard. Why, sir, for my part, I say, th gentleman had drunk himself out of his fiv sentences.

Eva. It is his five senses: fie, what the ig norance is!

Bard. And being fap, sir, was, as ther say, cashier'd; and so conclusions pass'd th

careires¶¶.

Worts was the ancient name of all the cabbage kind. Sharpers. Nothing but paring! The name of an ugly spirit. Few words. **King Edward's shillings used in the game of shuttle-board. ++ Blade as thin as a lath. Lips. $ If you say I am a thief. Drunk. ¶¶ The bounds of good behaviour.

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