Page. Of what, son?

Slen. I came yonder at Eton to marry Mistress Anne
Page, and she's a great lubberly boy. If it had
not been i' the church, I would have swinged 190
him, or he should have swinged me. If I did
not think it had been Anne Page, would I might
never stir!-and 'tis a postmaster's boy.

Page. Upon my life, then, you took the wrong.
Slen. What need you tell me that? I think so, when
I took a boy for a girl. If I had been married
to him, for all he was in woman's apparel, I
would not have had him.

Page. Why, this is your own folly. Did not I tell
you how you should know my daughter by her 200
garments?

Slen. I went to her in white, and cried 'mum,' and she cried 'budget,' as Anne and I had appointed; and yet it was not Anne, but a postmaster's boy. Mrs Page. Good George, be not angry: I knew of your purpose; turned my daughter into green; and, indeed, she is now with the doctor at the deanery, and there married.

Enter Caius.

Caius. Vere is Mistress Page? By gar, I am coz-
ened: I ha' married un garçon, a boy; un pay- 210
san, by gar, a boy; it is not Anne Page: by gar,
I am cozened.

Mrs Page. Why, did you take her in green?
Caius. Ay, by gar, and 'tis a boy: by gar, I'll raise

all Windsor.

[Exit.

Ford. This is strange. Who hath got the right

Anne?

Page. My heart misgives me:-here comes Master

Fenton.

Enter Fenton and Anne Page.

How now, Master Fenton!

Anne. Pardon, good father! good my mother, par-
don!

Page. Now, mistress, how chance you went not with
Master Slender?

Mrs Page. Why went you not with master doctor,
maid?

Fent. You do amaze her: hear the truth of it.

You would have married her most shamefully,
Where there was no proportion held in love.
The truth is, she and I, long since contracted,
Are now so sure that nothing can dissolve us.
The offence is holy that she hath committed;
And this deceit loses the name of craft,
Of disobedience, or unduteous title;
Since therein she doth evitate and shun

A thousand irreligious cursed hours,

220

230

Which forced marriage would have brought upon

her.

Ford. Stand not amazed; here is no remedy:

In love the heavens themselves do guide the state; Money buys lands, and wives are sold by fate. Fal. I am glad, though you have ta'en a special stand

240

to strike at me, that your arrow hath glanced. Page. Well, what remedy? Fenton, heaven give thee joy! What cannot be eschew'd must be embraced.

Fal. When night-dogs run, all sorts of deer are chased.
Mrs Page. Well, I will muse no further. Master Fenton,
Heaven give you many, many merry days!
Good husband, let us every one go home,

Ford.

And laugh this sport o'er by a country fire;
Sir John and all.

Let it be so. Sir John,

To Master Brook you yet shall hold your word; 250
For he to-night shall lie with Mistress Ford.

[Exeunt.

iii. 94. Affecting, full of affectation; II. i. 145.

Aggravate his style, i.e. increase his title; II. ii. 291. Aim, "to cry aim"; an expression borrowed from archery to encourage the archers by crying out "aim," hence to encourage, applaud; III.

ii. 42. All-hallowmas, November 1; i.e. about five weeks after Michaelmas; Simple blunders in putting it "a fortnight afore Michaelmas"; I. i. 203. Allicholy, Mistress Quickley's corruption of melancholy; I. iv. 158.

Alligant, Mistress Quickly's error for "elegant "; II. ii. 69. Allowed, approved; II. ii. 232.

Amaimon, name of a devil whose dominion is on the north part of the infernal gulph; II. ii. 305.

Amaze, confuse; V. v. 224. Angel, a gold coin valued at ten shillings (used quibblingly); I. iii. 57, 61. Anthropophaginian, cannibal; IV. v. 10.

Armigero; Slender's error for "armiger"; his knowledge of Latin is derived from at

66

testations, e.g. Coram me, Roberto Shallow, armigero, etc."; I. i. 9.

Authentic, of acknowledged authority; II. ii. 231.

66

Avised, advised, informed; are you a. of that"= "have you found it out?" I. iv. 103.

Baille, deliver, bring (the Folios read "ballow "); I. iv.

90.
Banbury cheese, in allusion to
Slender's thinness, B. cheese
being proverbially thin; I. i.
127.

Barbason, name of a demon;
II. ii. 305.

Bede, the name of a fairy; V.
v. 52.

From a specimen (temp. James I.) preserved at Goodrich Court.

Bloody fire, fire in the blood;