SIR JOHN FALSTAFF

    FENTON,
           a young gentleman

    SHALLOW,
           a country justice

    SLENDER,
        cousin to Shallow Gentlemen
                    of Windsor

   FORD

   PAGE

    WILLIAM PAGE,
           a boy,
         son to Page

    SIR HUGH EVANS,
           a Welsh parson

    DOCTOR CAIUS,
           a French physician

    HOST of
        the Garter Inn Followers
                  of Falstaff

   BARDOLPH

   PISTOL

    ROBIN,
           page to Falstaff

    SIMPLE,
           servant to Slender

    RUGBY,
           servant to Doctor Caius

   MISTRESS FORD

   MISTRESS PAGE

    MISTRESS ANNE PAGE,
           her daughter

    MISTRESS QUICKLY,
           servant to Doctor Caius

    SERVANTS to Page,
           Ford,
         etc.

    Scene:
        Windsor,
           and the neighbourhood

    The Merry Wives of Windsor
 
  ACT I. SCENE 1.

    Windsor.

    Before PAGE'S house
          Enter JUSTICE SHALLOW,
           SLENDER,
         and SIR HUGH EVANS

    SHALLOW.

    Sir Hugh,
           persuade me not;
        I will
              make a Star Chamber
                  matter of it;
        if he
            were twenty Sir John Falstaffs,
           he shall
               not abuse Robert Shallow,
         esquire.

    SLENDER.

    In the county of Gloucester,
           Justice of Peace,
         and Coram.

    SHALLOW.

    Ay,
           cousin Slender,
         and Custalorum.

    SLENDER.

    Ay,
           and Ratolorum too;
        and a gentleman born,
           Master Parson,
         who writes himself
           'Armigero'
            in any bill,
         warrant,
         quittance,
           or obligation-'Armigero.'

    SHALLOW.

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

    SLENDER.

    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.

    SHALLOW.

    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.

    SHALLOW.

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

    SLENDER.

    I may quarter,
           coz.

    SHALLOW.

    You may,
           by marrying.

    EVANS.

    It is marring indeed,
           if he quarter it.

    SHALLOW.

    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 conjectures;
        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