Slen. Ay, forfooth; I have spoke with her, and we have a nay-word how to know one another. I come to her in white, and cry, mum: she cries, budget; and by that we know one another. Shal. That's good too: But what needs either your mum, or her budget? the white will decipher her well enough.- -It hath ftruck ten o'clock. Page. The night is dark; light and fpirits will become it well. Heaven profper our fport! No man means evil but the devil, and we shall know him by his horns. Let's away; follow me. [Exeunt. SCENE III. Enter Mrs PAGE, Mrs FORD, and Dr CAIUS. Mrs Page. Mafter doctor, my daughter is in green: when you fee your time, take her by the hand, away with her to the deanery, and dispatch it quickly: Go before into the park; we two must go together. Caius. I know vat I have to do: Adieu. [Exit. Mrs Page. Fare you well, fir. My hufband will not rejoice fo much at the abuse of Falstaff, as he will chafe at the doctor marrying my daughter: but 'tis no matter; better a little chiding, than a great deal of heart-break. Mrs Ford. Where is Nan now, and her troop of fairies? and the Welch devil Evans? Mrs Page. They are all couch'd in a pit hard by Herne's oak, with obfcur'd lights; which, at the very inftant of Falstaff's and our meeting, they will at once difplay to the night. Mrs Ford. That cannot chufe but amaze him. Mrs Page. If he be not amaz'd, he will be mock'd; if he be amaz'd, he will every way be mock'd. H Mrs Mrs Ford. We'll betray him finely. Mrs Page. Against fuch lewdsters, and their lechery Thofe that betray them do no treachery. Mrs Ford. The hour draws on: To the oak, to the Enter Sir HUGH EVANS, and Fairies. Eva, Trib, trib, fairies; come; and remember your parts: : be pold, I pray you; follow me into the pit; and when I give the watch-'ords, do as I pid you: Come, come; trib, trib. SCENE V. Enter FALSTAFF with a buck's head on. Fal. The Windfor bell hath ftruck twelve; the minute draws on: Now, the hot-blooded gods affit me!-Remember, Jove, thou waft a bull for thy Eu ropa; love fet on thy horns.. -O powerful love! that, in fome refpects, makes a beast a man; in fome other, a man a beaft.-You were alfo Jupiter, a fwan, for the love of Leda ::- Oh, omnipotent love! how near the god drew to the complexion of a goofe?-A fault done first in the form of a beaft:-O Jove, a beaftly fault!--and then another fault in the fem blance of a fowl:-think on't, Jove; a foul fault.When gods have hot backs, what shall poor men do? For me, I am here a Windfor ftag; and the fatteft, I think, i' the forest: Send me a cool rut-time, Jore, or who can blame me to pifs my tallow? Who comes here? my doe? Enter Enter Mrs FORD, and Mrs PAGE. Mrs Ford. Sir John? art thou there, my male deer? deer? my Fal. My doe with the black fcut?-Let the fky rain potatoes; let it thunder to the tune of Green Sleeves; hail kifling-comfits, and fnow eringoes: let there come a tempeft of provocation, I will fhelter me here. Mrs Ford. Miftrefs Page is come with me, fweet. heart. Fal. Divide me like a bribe-buck, each a haunch; I will keep my fides to myfelf, my fhoulders for the fellow of this walk, and my horns I bequeath your hufbands. Am I a woodman? ha! Speak I like Herne the hunter?- -Why, now is Cupid a child of conscience: he makes reftitution. As I am a true fpirit, welcome! [Noife within. Mrs Page. Alas! what noife? Mrs Ford. Mrs Page. } Away, away. [The women run out. Fal. I think the devil will not have me damn'd, left the oil that is in me fhould fet hell on fire: he never would elfe cross me thus. Enter Sir HUGH like a fatyr; QUICKLY, and others, drefs'd like fairies, with tapers. Quic. Fairies, black, gray, green, and white, You moon-fhine revellers, and fhades of night, You orphan-heirs of fixed deftiny, Attend your office, and your quality. Crier Hobgoblin, make the fairy o-yes. Eva. Elves, lift your names; filence, you airy toys. H 2 Cricket, Cricket, to Windfor chimneys fhalt thou leap! Fal. They are fairies; he that speaks to them I'll wink and couch; No man their works must eye. [Lies down upon his face. Eva. Where's Pede ?-Go you, and where you find a maid, That, ere fhe fleep, hath thrice her prayers faid, Sleep the as found as careless infancy; But thofe as fleep, and think not on their fins, Pinch them, arms, legs, backs, fhoulders, fides, and Quic. About, about; [fhins, Search Windfor castle, elves, within and out: Strew good luck, ouphes, on every facred room; That it may ftand 'till the perpetual doom, In ftate as wholefome, as in ftate 'tis fit; Worthy the owner, and the owner it. The feveral chairs of order look you fcour With juice of balm, and every precious flower; Each fair inftalment coat, and several crest, With loyal blazon, evermore be bleft! And nightly, meadow-fairies, look, you fing, Like to the Garter's compafs, in a ring: The expreffure that it bears, green let it be, More fertile-fresh than all the field to fee; And, Hony Soit Qui Mal y Penfe, write, In emerald tufts, flowers purple, blue, and white; Like fapphire, pearl, and rich embroidery, Buckled below fair knighthood's bending knee; Fairies ufe flowers for their charactery. Away; Away; difperfe: But, 'till 'tis one o'clock, Eva. Pray you, lock hand in hand: yourselves in order fet: 1 And twenty glow worms fhall our lanterns be, Fal. Heavens defend me from that Welch fairy! Left he transform me to a piece of cheese ! [birth. Eva. Vile worm, thou waft o'erlook'd even in thy Quic. With trial fire touch me his finger-end; If he be chaite, the flame will back defcend, Eva. A trial, come. [They burn him with their tapers and pinch him. Come, will this wood take fire? Fal. Oh, oh, oh. Quic. Corrupt, corrupt, and tainted in defire: About him, fairies; fing a fcornful rhyme : And, as you trip, ftill pinch him to your time. Eva. It is right; indeed, he is full of lecheries and iniquities. The SONG. Fie on finful fantafy! Fie on luft and luxury! Luft is but a bloody fire, Kindled with unchafte defire, Fed in heart; whofe flames afpire, As thoughts do blow them, higher and higher. Pinch him for his villaný s H3 Pinch |