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Who's there? Nay daughter, carry the wine in, wee'll drink within. How now Mistress Ford ? Wife, bid these gentlemen welcome: come, we have a hight Venison pasty to dinner; Come gentle men, I hope we shall drink down all unkindness. I am glad to see your Worships well: I thank you for my Venison Master Shallow. Sir, I thank you. Quickly, quickly: Is the Buck-basket — You will do it? Here comes little Robin. You little Jack-a-lent, have you been true to us Oh welladay, missed. Ford, having and honest man to your husband, to give him such cause of suspicion. What cause of suspicion? Out upon you: How am I mistook in you? Your husband's coming hither (Woman) with all the Officers in Windsor, to search for a Gentle man, that he says is here now in the house; by your consent to take and ill advantage of his absence: you are undone. Pray heaven it be not so, that you have such a man here: but it's most certain your husband's come ming, with half Windsor at his heals, to search for such a one, I come before to tell you: If you know your self clear, why I am glad of it: but if you have a friend here, convey, convey him out. Be not amazed, call all your senses to you, defend your reputation, or bid farewell to your good life for ever. For shame, never stand (you had rather, and you had rather:) your husband's here at hand, bethink you of some conveyance: in the house you cannot hide him. O, how have you deceived me? Look, here is a basket, if he be of any reasonable stature, he may creep in here, and throw fowl linen upon him, as if it were going to bucking: Or it is whiting time, send him by your two men to Datchet -Mead: What Sir John Faistasse ? Are these your Let ters, Knight? Help to cover your master (Boy:) Call your men (Missed. Ford. ) You dissembling Knight. The spirit of wantonness is sure scared out of him, if the devil have him not in fee-simple, with fine and recovery, he will never (I think) in the way of waste, attempt us again. Alas, what noise? I pray you come, hold up the jest no higher. Now (good Sir John ) how Like you Windsor wives? See you these husband? Do not these fair yokes Become the Forest better then the Town? Why? did you take her in white? Why went you not with M r Doctor, maid? I am glad to see you, good Master Slender. It could not be judged, Sir. A Cur, Sir. Sir, he is within: and I would I could do a good office between you. Sir, he does in some sort confess it. Oh you are a flattering boy, now I see you'll be a Courtier. Truly Sir, to see your wife, is she at home? Be sure of that, two other husbands. I cannot tell what (the dickens) his name is my husband had him of, what do you call your Knights name sirrah? He, he, I can never hit on's name; there is such a league between my goodman, and he: is your Wife at home indeed? By your leave sir, I am sick till I see her. Here comes Sir John. We three to hear it, & end it between them. Come, gentle M. Slender, come; we stay for you. By cock and pie, you shall not choose, Sir: come, come. Come on, Sir. The humour of it (quoth'a?) here's a fellow frights English out of his wits. I never herd such a drawling-affecting rogue. I will not believe such a Cataian, though the Priest of the Town commended him for a true man. How now Meg ? How now Master Ford? Yes, and you herd what the other told me? Marry were they. I marry do's he: if he should intend this voy age towards my wife, I would turn her lose to him; and what he gets more of her, then sharp words, let it lie on my head. Look where my ranting-Host of the Garter comes: there is either liquour in his pate, or money in his purse, when he looks so merrily: How now mine Host? I have herd the Frenchman hath good skill in his Rapier. Have with you: I had rather hear them scold, then fight. Now, good M r . Doctor. Master Shallow ; you have your self been a great fighter, though now a man of peace. It's true, M r . Shallow. Sir Hugh is there, is he? Save you, good Sir Hugh. And youthful still, in your doublet and hose, this raw-rumaticke day? We are come to you, to do a good office, M r . Parson. Yonder is a most reverend Gentleman; who (belike) having received wrong by some person, is at most odds with his own gravity and patience, that ever you saw. I think you know him: M r . Doctor Caius the renowned French Physician. Why? I warrant you, he's the man should fight with him. Nay good M r . Parson, keep in your weapon. Not by my consent I promise you. The Gentle man is of no having, he kept company with the wild Prince, and Pointz: he is of too high a Region, he knows too much: no, he shall not knit a knot in his Fortune's, with the finger of my substance: if he take her, let him take her simply: the wealth I have waits on my consent, and my consent goes not that way. Good master Ford, be contented: You wrong your self too much. Nay follow him (Gentlemen) see the issue of his search. Fie, fie, M. Ford, are you not ashamed? What spi rit, what devil suggests this imagination? I would not would your distemper in this kind, for y e wealth of Windsor castle. Let's go in Gentlemen, but (trust me) we'll mock him: I do invite you to morrow morning to my house to breakfast: after we'll a Birding together, I have a fine Hawk for the bush. Shall it be so: Now M r Slender ; Love him daughter Anne. Why how now? What does M r Fenter here? You wrong me Sir, thus still to haunt my house. I told you Sir, my daughter is disposed of. She is no match for you. No, good M. Fenton. Come M. Shallow : Come son Slender, in; Knowing my mind, you wrong me (M. Fenton. ) Why, this passes M. Ford : you are not to go lose any longer, you must be pinioned. This passes. Here's no man. No, nor no where else but in your brain. Let's obey his humour a little further: Come Gentlemen. And did he send you both these Letters at and instant? It's well, it's well, no more: Be not as extreme in submission, as in offence, But let our plot go forward: Let our wives Yet once again (to make us public sport) Appoint a meeting with this old fat-fellow, Where we may take him, and disgrace him for it. How? to send him word they'll meet him in the Park at midnight? Fie, fie, he'll never come. So think I too. Why yet there want not many that do fear In deep of night to walk by this Hernes Oak: But what of this? Well, let it not be doubted but he'll come, And in this shape, when you have brought him thither, What shall be done with him? What is your plot? That silk will I go buy, and in that time Shall M. Slender steal my Nan away, And marry her at Eaton : go, send to Falstaff straight. Come, come: wee'll couch in that Castle-ditch, till we see the light of our Fairies. Remember son Slen der, my The night is dark, Light and Spirits will be come it well: Heaven prosper our sport. No man means evil but the devil, and we shall know him by his horns. Lets away: follow me. Nay do not fly, I think we have watched you now: Will none but Herne the Hunter serve your turn? Old, cold, withered, and of intolerable en trails? And as poor as Job? Yet be cheerful Knight thou shalt eat a pos set to night at my house, where I will desire thee to laugh at my wife, that now laughs at thee: Tell her M r Slen der hath married her daughter. Son? How now? How now Son, Have you dispatched? Of what son? Upon my life then, you took the wrong. Why this is your own folly, Did not I tell you how you should know my daughter, By her garments? My heart misgives me, here comes M r Fenton. How now M r Fenton ? Now Mistress: How chance you went not with M r Slender ? Well, what remedy? Fenton, heaven give thee joy, what cannot be eschewed, must be embraced. Hang they slaves: I do not think the Knight would offer it: But these that accuse him in his intent towards our wives, are a yoke of his discarded men: we ry rogues, now they be out of service. You have M r Slender, I stand wholly for you, But my wife (M r Doctor) is for you altogether. Give your men the charge, we must be brief. He is a better scholar then I thought he was.