she cry'd budget, as Anne and I had appointed; and yet it was not Anne, but a post-master's boy. 281

Eva. Jeshu! Master Slender, cannot you see but marry boys?

Page. O, I am vex'd at heart: What shall I do? Mrs. Page. Good George, be not angry: I knew of your purpose; turn'd 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 cozen'd; I ha' married un garçon, a boy; un paisan, by gar, a boy; it is not Anne Page: by gar, I am cozen'd. 291

Mrs. Page. Why, did you not take her in green ? Caius. Ay, be gar, and 'tis a boy: be gar, I'll raise all Windsor. [Exit CAIUS. 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, pardon! 300

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

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,

310

Which forced marriage would have brought upon her.

Ford. Stand not amaz'd 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 to strike at me, that your arrow hath glanc'd. Page. Well, what remedy? Fenton, heaven give thee joy!

What cannot be eschew'd, must be embrac'd.

321

Eva. I will dance and eat plums at your wedding. Fal. When night-dogs run, all sorts of deer are chac’d.

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

Ford. Let it be so :- -Sir John,

To master Brook you yet shall hold your word;
For he, to-night, shall lye with mistress Ford.

330

[Exeunt omnes.

THE END.

BY

SAM. JOHNSON & GEO. STEEVENS,

AND

THE VARIOUS COMMENTATORS,

UPON

MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR,

WRITTEN BY

WILL. SHAKSPERE.

-SIC ITUR AD ASTRA.

VIRG.

LONDON:

Printed for, and under the Direction of,

JOHN BELL, British-Library. STRAND, Bookseller to His Royal Highness the PRINCE of WALES.

M DCC LXXXVII.

ANNOTATIONS

UPON

MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR,

MERRY WIVES.] A FEW of the incidents in this comedy might have been taken from some old translation of Il Pecorone by Giovanni Fiorentino. I have lately met with the same story in a very contemptible performance, intituled, The fortunate, deceived, and the unfortunate Lovers. Of this book, as I am told, there are several impressions; but that in which I read it, was published in 1632, quarto. A something similar story occurs in Piacevoli Notti di Straparola, Nott. 4 Fav. 4

This comedy was first entered at Stationers' Hall, Jan. 18, 1601, by John Busby. STEEVENS. This play should be read between K. Henry IV. and K. Henry V. JOHNSON. A passage in the first sketch of the Merry Wives of Windsor, shews, I think, that it ought to be read between the First and the Second Part of K. Henry IV. in