Quic.

Give your worship good-morrow.

Fal.

Good-morrow, good wife.

Quic.

Not so, and't please your worship.

Fal.

Good maid then.

Quic.

I'll be sworn, as my mother was the first hour I was born.

Fal.

I do believe the swearer: what with me?

Quic.

Shall I vouchsafe your worship a word or two?

Fal.

Two thousand, fair woman, and I'll vouchsafe thee the hearing.

Quic.

There is one mistress Ford, Sir: I pray come a little nearer this ways: I my self dwell with Mr. Doctor Caius.

Fal.

Well, on: mistress Ford, you say.

Quic.

Your worship says very true: I pray your worship come a little nearer this ways.

Fal.

I warrant thee no body hears: mine own people, mine own people.

Quic.

Are they so? heav'n bless them, and make them his servants.

Fal.

Well: mistress Ford, what of her?

Quic.

Why, Sir, she's a good creature. Lord, lord, your worship's a wanton; well, heav'n forgive you, and all of us, I pray—

Fal.

Mistress Ford, come, mistress Ford—

Quic.

Marry this is the short and the long of it; you have brought her into such a canaries as 'tis wonderful: the best courtier of them all, when the court lay at Windsor, could never have brought her to such a canary. Yet there has been knights, and lords, and gentlemen, with their coaches; I warrant you

coach after coach, letter after letter, gift after gift, smelling so sweetly; all musk, and so russling, I warrant you in silk and gold, and in such alligant terms, and in such wine and sugar of the best, and the fairest, that would have won any woman's heart; and I warrant you they could never get an eye-wink of her. I had my self twenty angels given me this morning; but I defie all angels, in any such sort as they say, but in the way of honesty; and I warrant you they could never get her so much as sip on a cup with the proudest of them all; and yet there has been Earls, nay, which is more, Pensioners, but I warrant you all is one with her.

Fal.

But what says she to me? be brief, my good she-Mercury.

Quic.

Marry, she hath receiv'd your letter, for the which she thanks you a thousand times; and she gives you to notifie, that her husband will be absence from his house between ten and eleven.

Fal.

Ten and eleven.

Quic.

Ay, forsooth; and then you may come and see the picture, she says, that you wot of: master Ford, her husband, will be from home. Alas! the sweet woman leads an ill life with him, he's a very jealousie-man; she leads a very frampold life with him, good heart.

Fal.

Ten and eleven: woman, commend me to her, I will not fail her.

Quic.

Why, you say well: But I have another messenger to your worship; mistress Page has her hearty commendations to you too; and let me tell you in your ear, she's as fartuous a civil modest wife, and one (I tell you) that will not miss you morning and evening prayer, as any is in Windsor, whoe'er be the other; and she bad me tell your worship that her husband is seldom from home, but she hopes there will come a time. I never knew a woman so doat upon a man; surely I think you have charms, la; yes in truth.

Fal.

Not I, I assure thee; setting the attraction of my good parts aside, I have no other charms.

Quic.

Blessing 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 jest indeed; they have not so little grace, I hope; that were a trick indeed! but mistress Page would desire you to send her your little page, of all loves: her husband has a marvellous infection to the little page; and truly master Page is an honest man. Never a wife in Windsor leads a better life than she does; do what she will, say what she will, take all, pay all, go to bed when she list, rise when she list, all is as she will; and truly she deserves it; for if there be a kind woman in Windsor, truly she is one. You must send her your page; no remedy.

Fal.

Why, I will.

Quic.

Nay, but do so then; and, look you, he may come and go between you both, and in any case have a nay-word, that you may know one anothers mind: and the boy never need to understand any thing, for 'tis not good that children should know any wickedness: old folks, you know, have discretion, as they say, and know the world.

Fal.

Fare thee well; commend me to them both: there's my purse, I am yet thy debtor. Boy, go along with this woman. This news distracts me.