u desire better
sympathy? Let it suffice thee,
Mistress Page,--at the least, if the
love of soldier can suffice,--that
I love thee. I will not say, pity
me,--'tis not a soldier-like phrase; 10
but I say, love me. By me,

Thine own true knight,
By day or night,
Or any kind of light,
With all his might 15
For thee to fight, JOHN FALSTAFF.'

What a Herod of Jewry is this! O wicked, wicked world!
One that is well-nigh worn to pieces with age to show himself
a young gallant! What an unweighed behaviour hath
this Flemish drunkard picked--with the devil's name!--out 20
of my conversation, that he dares in this manner assay me?
Why, he hath not been thrice in my company! What
should I say to him? I was then frugal of my mirth:
Heaven forgive me! Why, I'll exhibit a bill in the
parliament for the putting down of men. How shall I be revenged 25
on him? for revenged I will be, as sure as his guts
are made of puddings.

_Enter MISTRESS FORD._

_Mrs Ford._ Mistress Page! trust me, I was going to
your house.

_Mrs Page._ And, trust me, I was coming to you. You 30
look very ill.

_Mrs Ford._ Nay, I'll ne'er believe that; I have to show
to the contrary.

_Mrs Page._ Faith, but you do, in my mind.

_Mrs Ford._ Well, I do, then; yet, I say, I could show 35
you to the contrary. O Mistress Page, give me some
counsel!

_Mrs Page._ What's the matter, woman?

_Mrs Ford._ O woman, if it were not for one trifling respect,
I could come to such honour! 40

_Mrs Page._ Hang the trifle, woman! take the honour.
What is it?--dispense with trifles;--what is it?

_Mrs Ford._ If I would but go to hell for an eternal
moment or so, I could be knighted.

_Mrs Page._ What? thou liest! Sir Alice Ford! These 45
knights will hack; and so thou shouldst not alter the article
of thy gentry.

_Mrs Ford._ We burn daylight:--here, read, read; perceive
how I might be knighted. I shall think the worse of
fat men, as long as I have an eye to make difference of 50
men's liking: and yet he would not swear; praised women's
modesty; and gave such orderly and well-behaved reproof
to all uncomeliness, that I would have sworn his disposition
would have gone to the truth of his words; but they do no
more adhere and keep place toget