A Dramatis Personæ. SIR John Falstaff. Fenton, a young Gentleman of Small Fortune, in Love with Mrs. Anne Page. Shallow, a Country Justice. Slender, Coufin to Shallow, a foolish Country Squire. Mr. Page, Mr. Ford, } two Gentlemen, dwelling at Windfor. Sir Hugh Evans, a Welch Parfon. Host of the Garter, a merry talking Fellow. Nym, } Sharpers attending on Falstaff. Robin, Page to Falstaff. William Page, a Boy, Son to Mr. Page. Simple, Servant to Slender. Rugby, Servant to Dr. Caius. Mrs. Page, Wife to Mr. Page. Mrs. Ford, Wife to Mr. Ford. Mrs. Anne Page, Daughter to Mr. Page, in Love with Fenton. Mrs. Quickly, Servant to Dr. Caius. Servants to Page, Ford, &c. SCENE, Windfor: and the Parts adjacent. THE THE 'MERRY WIVES of Windfor. ACT I SCENE. I. Enter Justice Shallow, Slender, and Sir Hugh Evans, SHALLOW.. IR Hugh, perfuade me not; I will make a Star-Chamber matter of it: if he were twenty Sir John Falstaffs, he fhall not abufe Robert Shallow, Efq;. Slen. In the county of Gloucester, justice of peace, and Coram. Shal. Ay, coufin Slender, and Cuftalorum. 1 This Play was written in the Author's beft and ripeft years, after Henry the Fourth, by the command of Queen Elizabeth. There is a tradition that it was compofed at a fortnight's warning: But that must be meant only of the first imperfect sketch of this Comedy, which is yet extant in an old Quarto Edition printed in 1619. This which we have here was altered and improved by the Author almost in every speech. Mr. Pope. born, 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 fucceffors, gone before him, have don'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 lowfes do become an old coat well; it agrees well, paffant; it is a familiar beastto man, and fignifies love. Shal. The luce is the fresh-fish, the falt-fish is an old Coat. Slen. I may quarter, coz. Shal. You may by marrying. Eva. It is marring, indeed, if he Shal. Not a whit. quarter it. Eva. Yes, per-lady; if he has a quarter of your coat, there is but three skirts for your felf, in my fimple conjectures; but that is all one: if Sir John Falstaff have committed difparagements upon you, I am of the Church, and would be glad to do my benevolence, to make atonements and compromises between you. Shal. The Council fhall hear it; it is a riot. Eva. It is not meet, the Council hear of a riot; there is no fear of Got in a riot: the Council, look you, fhall, defire to hear the fear of Got, and not to hear a riot; take your viza-ments in that. Shal. Ha! o' my life, if I were young again, the fword fhould end it. Eva. It is petter that friends is the fword, and end it; and there is also another device in my prain, which, peradventure, prings good discretions with it: there is Anne Page, which is daughter to master George Page, which is pretty virginity. Slen. |