Pro.
Val. Ruffian, let go that rude uncivil touch,
Thou friend of an ill fashion!

I'll force thee yield to my desire.

Pro.

Valentine !

Val. Thou common friend, that's without faith or eve, For such is a friend now; treacherous man!

Thou hast beguiled my hopes; nought but mine eye
Could have persuaded me now I dare not say

I have one friend alive; thou wouldst disprove me.
"Who should be trusted, when one's own right hand
Is perjured to the bosom? Proteus,

I am sorry I must never trust thee more,
But count the world a stranger for thy sake.

The private wound is deepest: O time most accurst,
'Mongst all foes that a friend should be the worst!
Pro. My shame and guilt confounds me.
Forgive me, Valentine: if hearty sorrow
Be a sufficient ransom for offence,

I tender 't here; I do as truly suffer

As e'er I did commit.

Val.

Then I am paid;

And once again I do receive thee honest.
Who by repentance is not satisfied

Is nor of heaven nor earth, for these are pleased.

By penitence the Eternal's wrath's appeased:

And, that my love may appear plain and free,
All that was mine in Silvia I give thee.
Jul. O me unhappy?

Pro. Look to the boy.

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70

80

[Swoons.

Val. Why boy! why wag! how now! what's the natter? Look up; speak.

Jul. O good sir, my master charged me to deliver & ring to Madam Silvia, which, out of my neglect, was never one. Pro. Where is that ring, boy? 90 Jul.

Pro. How let me see:

Here 'tis; this is it.

Why, this is the ring I gave to Julia.

Jul. O, cry you mercy, sir, I have mistook :

This is the ring you sent to Silvia.

Pro. But how camest thou by this ring? At my depart

I gave this unto Julia.

Jul. And Julia herself did give it me;

And Julia herself hath brought it hither.

Pro. How! Julia!

Jul. Behold her that gave aim to all thy oaths,

And entertain'd 'em deeply in her heart.

How oft hast thou with perjury cleft the root!

100

O Proteus, let this habit make thee blush!
Be thou ashamed that I have took upon me
Such an immodest raiment, if shame live
In a disguise of love :

It is the lesser blot, modesty finds,

Woinen to change their shapes than men their minds.

Pro. Than men their minds ! 'tis true. O heaven! were

mian

But constant, he were perfect. That one error

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Fills him with faults; makes him run through all the sins: Inconstancy falls off ere it begins.

What is in Silvia's face, but I may spy

More fresh in Julia's with a constant eye?
Val. Come, come, a hand from either:

Let me be blest to make this happy close;

"Twere pity two such friends should be long foes.

Pro. Bear witness, Heaven, I have my wish for ever.
Jul. And I mine.

Enter Outlaws, with DUKE and THURIO.

Outlaws. A prize, a prize, a prize!

Val. Forbour, forbear, say it is my lord the duke. Your grace is welcome to a man disgraced,

Banished Valentine.

Thu. Yonder is Silvia; and Silvia's mine.

Val. Thurio, give back, or else embrace thy death;
Come not within the measure of my wrath ;
Do not name Silvia thine; if once again,

+ Milano shall not hold thee. Here she stands :
Take but possession of her with a touch:

I dare thee but to breathe upon my love.
Thu. Sir Valentine, I care not for her, I:

I hold him but a fool that will endanger
His body for a girl that loves him not:
I claim her not, and therefore she is thine.

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130

Duke. The more degenerate and base art thou,
To make such means for her as thou hast done
And leave her on such slight conditions.
Now, by the honour of my ancestry,
I do applaud thy spirit, Valentine,

And think thee worthy of an empress' love :
Know then, I here forget all former griefs,
Cancel all grudge, repeal thee home again,
Plead a new state in thy unrival'd merit,
To which I thus subscribe: Sir Valentine,
Thou art a gentleman and well derived;

140

Take thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserved her.
Val. I thank your grace; the gift hath made me happy.

I now beseech you, for your daughter's sake,

To grant one boon that I shall ask of you.

Duke. I grant it, for thine own, whate'er it be.

Val. These banish'd men that I have kept withal

Are men endued with worthy qualities:

Forgive them what they have committed here
And let them be recall'd from their exile:

They are reformed, civil, full of good

And fit for great employment, worthy lord.

Duke. Thou hast prevail'd; I pardon them and thee:
Dispose of them as thou know'st their deserts.
Come, let us go: we will include all jars
With triumphs, mirth and rare solemnity.
Val. And, as we walk along, I dare be bold

With our discourse to make your grace to smile.
What think you of this page, my lord?

Duke. I think the boy hath grace in him; he blushes
Val. I warrant you, my lord, more grace than boy.
Duke. What mean you by that saying?

Val. Please you, I'll tell you as we pass along,

That you will wonder what hath fortuned.
Come, Proteus; 'tis your penance but to hear
The story of your loves discovered :

That done, our day of marriage shall be yours;
One feast, one house, one mutual happiness.

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160

170

Exeunt.

SCENE I. Windsor. Before PAGE's house.

Enter JUSTICE SHALLOW, SLENDER, and SIR HUGH EVANS. Shal. Sir Hugh, persuade me not; I will make a Starchamber matter of it: if he were twenty Sir John Falstaffs, he shall not abuse Robert Shallow, esquire.

Slen. In the county of Gloucester. justice of peace and "Coram.

Shal. Ay, cousin Slender, and "Custalorum.”

Slen. Ay, and "Rato-lorum" too; and a gentleman born, master parson; who writes himself "Armigero," in any bill, warrant, quittance, or obligation, "Armigera" 11

Shal. Ay, that I do; and have done any time these three hundred years.

Slen. All his successors gone before him hath done't; and all his ancestors that come after him may: they may give the dozen white luces in their coat.

Shal. It is an old coat.

Evans. The dozen white louses do become an old coat well; it agrees well, passant; it is a familiar beast to man, and signifies love.

21

Shal. The luce is the fresh fish; the salt fish is an old

coat.

Slen. I may quarter, coz.

Shal. You may, by marrying

Evans. It is marrying indeed, if he quarter it.

Shal. Not a whit.

Evans. Yes, py'r lady; if he has a quarter of your coat, there is but three skirts for yourself, in my simple conjec tures but that is all one. If Sir John Falstaff have committed disparagements unto you, I am of the church, and will be glad to do my benevolence to make atonements and compremises between you.

Shal. The council shall hear it; it is a riot.

Evans. It is not meet the council hear a riot; there is no fear of Got in a riot: the council, look you, shall desire to hear the fear of Got, and not to hear a riot; take your viza. ments in that.

Shal. Ha! o' my life, if I were young again, the sword should end it.

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Evans. It is petter that friends is the sword, and end it: and there is also another device in my prain, which peradventure prings goot discretions with it: there is Anne Page, which is daughter to Master Thomas Page, which is pretty virginity.

Slen. Mistress Anne Page? She has brown hair, and speaks small like a woman.

Evans. It is that fery person for all the orld, as just as you will desire; and seven hundred pounds of moneys, and gold and silver, is her grandsire upon his death's-bed-Got deliver to a joyful resurrections !-give, when she is able to overtake seventeen years old: it were goot motion if we leave our pribbles and prabies, and desire a marriage between Master Abraham and Mistress Anne Page.

Slen. Did her grandsire leave her seven hundred pound? Evans. Ay, and her father is make her a petter penny. Slen. I know the young gentlewoman; she has good gifts. Evans. Seven hundred pounds and possibilities is goot gifts.

Shal. Well, let us see honest Master Page. Is Falstaff there?

Evans. Shall I tell you a lie? I do despise a lie as I do despise one that is false, or as I despise one that is not true. The knight, Sir John, is there; and, i beseech you, be ruled by your well-willers. I will peat the door for Master Page. [Knocks] What, hoa! Got pless your house here!

Page. [Within] Who's there?