_Exit omnes._
_Enter Mistresse Ford, with two of her men, and a great buck busket._ [SC. X.]
_Mis. For._ Sirrha, if your M. aske you whither You carry this basket, say to the Launderers, I hope you know how to bestow it?
_Ser._ I warrant you misteris. _Exit seruant._
_Mis. For._ Go get you in. Well sir _Iohn_, 5 I beleeue I shall serue you such a trick, You shall haue little mind to come againe.
_Enter Sir Iohn._
_Fal._ Haue I caught my heauenlie Iewel?
Why now let me die. _I_ haue liued long inough.
This is the happie houre _I_ haue desired to see, 10 Now shall I sin in my wish, I would thy husband were dead.
_Mis. For._ Why how then sir _Iohn?_
_Fal._ By the Lord, Ide make thee my Ladie.
_Mis. For._ Alas sir _Iohn_, _I_ should be a verie simple Ladie. 15
_Fal._ Goe too, I see how thy eie doth emulate the Diamond.
And how the arched bent of thy brow Would become the ship tire, the tire vellet, Or anie Venetian attire, I see it.
_Mis. For._ A plaine kercher sir _Iohn_, would fit me better. 20
_Fal._ By the Lord thou art a traitor to saie so: What made me loue thee? Let that perswade thee Ther"s somewhat extraordinarie in thee: Goe too _I_ loue thee: Mistris _Ford_, _I_ cannot cog, _I_ cannot prate, like one Of these fellowes that smels like Bucklers-berie, 25 In simple time, but _I_ loue thee, And none but thee.
_Mis. For._ Sir _Iohn_, I am afraid you loue misteris _Page_.
_Fal._ I thou mightest as well saie I loue to walke by the Counter gate, 30 Which is as hatefull to me As the reake of a lime kill.
_Enter Mistresse Page._
_Mis. Pa._ Mistresse Ford, Mis. _Ford_, where are you?
_Mis. For._ O Lord step aside good sir _Iohn_.
_Falstaffe stands behind the aras._ How now Misteris _Page_, what"s the matter? 35
_Mis. Pa._ Why your husband woman is comming, With halfe _Windsor_ at his heeles, To looke for a gentleman, that he ses Is hid in his house: his wifes sweet hart.
_Mis. For._ Speak louder. But _I_ hope tis not true Misteris _Page_. 40
_Mis. Pa._ Tis too true woman. Therefore if you Haue any here, away with him, or your vndone for euer.
_Mis. For._ Alas mistresse _Page_, what shall _I_ do?
Here is a gentleman my friend, how shall I do?
_Mis. Pa._ G.o.de body woman, do not stand what shal I do, and 45 what shall _I_ do. Better any shift, rather then you shamed. Looke heere, here"s a buck-basket, if hee be a man of any reasonable sise, heele in here.
_Mis. For._ Alas I feare he is too big.
_Fal._ Let me see, let me see, Ile in, Ile in, 50 Follow your friends counsell.
_Mis. Pa._ Fie sir _Iohn_, is this your loue? Go too. (_Aside._
_Fal._ I loue thee, and none but thee: Helpe me to conuey me hence, Ile neuer come here more. 55
_Sir Iohn goes into the basket, they put cloathes ouer him, the two men carries it away: Foord meetes it, and all the rest, Page, Doctor, Priest, Slender, Shallow._
_Ford._ Come pray along, you shall see all.
How now who goes heare? whither goes this?
Whither goes it? set it downe.
_Mis. For._ Now let it go, you had best meddle with buck-washing. 60
_Ford._ Buck, good buck, pray come along, Master _Page_ take my keyes: helpe to search. Good Sir _Hugh_ pray come along, helpe a little, a little, He shew you all.
_Sir Hu._ By Ieshu these are iealosies and distemperes. 65
_Exit omnes._
_Mis. Pa._ He is in a pittifull taking.
_Mis._ I wonder what he thought When my husband bad them set downe the basket.
_Mis. Pa._ Hang him dishonest slaue, we cannot vse Him bad inough. This is excellent for your Husbands iealousie.
_Mi. For._ Alas poore soule it grieues me at the hart, But this will be a meanes to make him cease His iealous fits, if _Falstaffes_ love increase.
_Mis. Pa._ Nay we wil send to _Falstaffe_ once again, 75 Tis great pittie we should leaue him: What wiues may be merry, and yet honest too.
_Mi. For._ Shall we be condemnd because we laugh?
Tis old, but true: still sowes eate all the draffe.
_Enter all._
_Mis. Pa._ Here comes your husband, stand aside. 80
_For._ _I_ can find no body within, it may be he lied.
_Mis. Pa._ Did you heare that?
_Mis. For._ I, I, peace.
_For._ Well, Ile not let it go so, yet Ile trie further.