The Merry Wives of Windsor
Page: 44

Mist.Ford. Go Sirs, take the basket againe on your
shoulders: your Master is hard at doore: if hee bid you
set it downe, obey him: quickly, dispatch

1 Ser. Come, come, take it vp

2 Ser. Pray heauen it be not full of Knight againe

1 Ser. I hope not, I had liefe as beare so much lead

Ford. I, but if it proue true (Mr. Page) haue you any
way then to vnfoole me againe. Set downe the basket
villaine: some body call my wife: Youth in a basket:
Oh you Panderly Rascals, there's a knot: a gin, a packe,
a conspiracie against me: Now shall the diuel be sham'd.
What wife I say: Come, come forth: behold what honest
cloathes you send forth to bleaching

Page. Why, this passes M[aster]. Ford: you are not to goe
loose any longer, you must be pinnion'd

Euans. Why, this is Lunaticks: this is madde, as a
mad dogge

Shall. Indeed M[aster]. Ford, this is not well indeed

Ford. So say I too Sir, come hither Mistris Ford, Mistris
Ford, the honest woman, the modest wife, the vertuous
creature, that hath the iealious foole to her husband:
I suspect without cause (Mistris) do I?
Mist.Ford. Heauen be my witnesse you doe, if you
suspect me in any dishonesty

Ford. Well said Brazon-face, hold it out: Come forth
sirrah

Page. This passes

Mist.Ford. Are you not asham'd, let the cloths alone

Ford. I shall finde you anon

Eua. 'Tis vnreasonable; will you take vp your wiues
cloathes? Come, away

Ford. Empty the basket I say

M.Ford. Why man, why?
Ford. Master Page, as I am a man, there was one conuay'd
out of my house yesterday in this basket: why
may not he be there againe, in my house I am sure he is:
my Intelligence is true, my iealousie is reasonable, pluck
me out all the linnen

Mist.Ford. If you find a man there, he shall dye a Fleas
death

Page. Heer's no man

Shal. By my fidelity this is not well Mr. Ford: This
wrongs you

Euans. Mr Ford, you must pray, and not follow the
imaginations of your owne heart: this is iealousies

Ford. Well, hee's not heere I seeke for

Page. No, nor no where else but in your braine