you) that will not mifs you morning nor evening prayer, as any is in Windfor, whoe'er be the other: and the bade me tell your worship, that her husband is feldom from home; but, fhe hopes, there will come a time. I never knew a woman fo dote upon a man; furely, I think you have charms, la; yes, in truth.

Fal. Not I, I affure thee; fetting the attraction of my good parts afide, I have no other charms.

Quic. Bleffing on your heart for't!

Fal. But, I pray thee, tell me this: has Ford's wife, and Page's wife, acquainted each other how they love me?

Quic. That were a jeft, indeed!—they have not fo little grace, I hope:-that were a trick, indeed!-But mistress Page would defire you to fend her your little page, P of all loves; her husband has a marvellous infection to the little page: and, truly, mafter Page is an honeft man. Never a wife in Windfor leads a better life than fhe does; do what she will, fay what fhe will, take all, pay all, go to bed when fhe lift, rife when she lift, all is as fhe will; and, truly, she deferves it; for if there be a kind woman in Windfor, she is one. You must fend her your page; no remedy. Fal. Why, I will.

Quic. Nay, but do fo then: and, look you, he may come and go between you both; and, in any cafe, have a nayword, that you may know one another's mind, and the boy never need to understand any thing; for 'tis not good that children fhould know any wickednefs: old folks, you know, have difcretion, as they fay, and know the world.

Fal. Fare thee well: commend me to them both: there's my purfe; I am yet thy debtor.-Boy, go along with this woman. This news diftracts me! [Exeunt Quic. and Robin.

P

of all loves ;]-as a special mark of your regard.

Speak of all loves."

MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, A& II, S. 3. Her.

a nay-word, a watch-word.

0 4

Pift.

Pift. This pink is one of Cupid's carriers:Clap on more fails; purfue; up with your 'fights; Give fire; she is my prize, or ocean whelm them all!

t

Fal. Say'ft thou fo, old Jack? go thy ways; I'll make [Exit Piftol. more of thy old body than I have done. Will they yet look after thee? Wilt thou, after the expence of fo much money, be now a gainer? Good body, I thank thee: Let them fay, 'tis grofsly done, fo it be fairly done, no mat

ter.

Enter Bardolph.

Bard. Sir John, there's one mafter Brook below would fain speak with you, and be acquainted with you; and hath sent your worship a morning's draught of fack. Fal. Brook, is his name?

Bard. Ay, fir.

Fal. Call him in; [Exit Bardolph.] Such Brooks are welcome to me, that o'erflow fuch liquor. Ah! ha! miftrefs Ford and mistress Page, have I encompafs'd you? go to; "via!

Re-enter Bardolph, with Ford difguis'd.

Ford. Blefs you, fir.

Fal. And you, fir: Would you speak with me? Ford. I make bold, to prefs with fo little preparation upon you.

Fal. You're welcome; What's your will? Give us leave, drawer. [Exit Bardolph. Ford. Sir, I am a gentleman that have spent much; my name is Brook.

pink]-a veffel with a narrow ftern.

fights;]-nettings and other fcreens on the tops or decks, which afford fome shelter in an engagement.

they]-the women.

via!]-away!-a phrafe of exultation.

Fal.

Fal. Good master Brook, I defire more acquaintance of you.

Ford. Good fir John, I fue for yours: "not to charge you; for I must let you understand, I think myself in better plight for a lender than you are: the which hath fomething embolden'd me to this unfeafon'd intrufion; for they say, if money go before, all ways do lie open.

Fal. Money is a good foldier, fir, and will on.

Ford. Troth, and I have a bag of money here troubles me: if you will help me to bear it, fir John, take all, or half, for eafing me of the carriage.

Fal. Sir, I know not how I may deserve to be your porter.

Ford. I will tell you, fir, if you will give me the hearing.

Fal. Speak, good master Brook; I fhall be glad to be your fervant.

Ford. Sir, I hear you are a scholar,-I will be brief with you; and you have been a man long known to me, though I had never fo good means, as defire, to make myfelf acquainted with you. I fhall discover a thing to you, wherein I must very much lay open mine own imperfection: but, good fir John, as you have one eye upon my follies, as you hear them unfolded, turn another into the register of your own; that I may pafs with a reproof the easier, fith you yourself know, how eafy it is to be fuch an offender.

Fal. Very well, fir; proceed.

Ford. There is a gentlewoman in this town, her husband's name is Ford.

Fal. Well, fir.

Ford. I have long lov'd her, and, I protest to you, be

not to charge you ;]-to put you to any expence.

known]-by fame.

Yfith-fince.

ftow'd

ftow'd much on her; follow'd her with a doting obfervance; engrofs'd opportunities to meet her; fee'd every flight occafion, that could but niggardly give me fight of her; not only bought many prefents to give her, but have given largely to many, to know what she would have given: briefly, I have pursued her, as love hath purfued me; which hath been, on the wing of all occafions. But whatsoever I have merited, either in my mind, or in my means, *meed, I am fure, I have received none; unlefs experience be a jewel; that I have purchas'd at an infinite rate; and that hath taught me to fay this:

Love like a fhadow flies, when fubftance love pursues;
Purfuing that that flies, and flying what pursues.

Fal. Have you receiv'd no promise of fatisfaction at her hands?

Ford. Never.

Fal. Have you importun'd her to fuch a purpose?
Ford. Never.

Fal. Of what quality was your love then?

Ford. Like a fair house, built upon another man's ground; fo that I have loft my edifice, by mistaking the place where I erected it.

Fal. To what purpose have you unfolded this to me?

Ford. When I have told you that, I have told you all. Some fay, that, though fhe appear honeft to me, yet, in other places, fhe enlargeth her mirth fo far, that there is threwd conftruction made of her. Now, fir John, here is the heart of my purpose: You are gentleman of excellent breeding, admirable difcourfe, of great admittance, authentic in your place and perfon, generally allowed for

a

с

your many war-like, court-like, and learned preparations.

2 on the wing of all occafions.]—inceffantly.

a

b

meed,]-reward, return, recompenfe.

great admittance,]-admitted into all, or the best companies. authentic]-commanding refpect both from your place and perfon. allowed-approved.

с

preparations.]-accomplishments.

Fal.

Fal. O fir!

Ford. Believe it, for you know it:-There is money; spend it, spend it; fpend more; spend all I have; only give me fo much of your time in exchange of it, as to lay an famiable fiege to the honefty of this Ford's wife: use your if any man may, art of wooing, win her to consent to you;

you may as foon as any.

Fal. Would it apply well to the vehemence of your affection, that I should win what you would enjoy? methinks, you prefcribe to yourself very prepofterously.

g

Ford. O, understand my drift! fhe dwells fo fecurely on the excellency of her honour, that the folly of my foul dares not present itself; fhe is too bright to be look'd against. Now, could I come to her with any detection in my hand, my defires had inftance and argument to commend themselves; I could drive her then from the ward of her purity, her reputation, her marriage vow, and a thousand other her defences, which now are too ftrongly embattled against me: What fay you to't, fir John?

Fal. Mafter Brook, I will first make bold with your money; next, give me your hand; and last, as I am a gentleman, you shall, if you will, enjoy Ford's wife.

Ford. O good fir!

Fal. Master Brook, I fay you fhall.

Ford. Want no money, fir John, you fhall want none. Fal. Want no miftrefs Ford, mafter Brook, you shall want none. I fhall be with her (I may tell you) by her own appointment; even as you came in to me, her affistant, or go-between, parted from me: I fay, I fhall be with her between ten and eleven; for at that time the jealous rafcally knave, her husband, will be forth. Come you to me at night; you fhall know how I fpeed.

famiable fiegel-a fiege of love.
& inftance-example.

Ford.