her than the Hundredth 55
Psalm to the tune of 'Green Sleeves.' What tempest, I
trow, threw this whale, with so many tuns of oil in his
belly, ashore at Windsor? How shall I be revenged on
him? I think the best way were to entertain him with
hope, till the wicked fire of lust have melted him in his own 60
grease. Did you ever hear the like?

_Mrs Page._ Letter for letter, but that the name of
Page and Ford differs! To thy great comfort in this mystery
of ill opinions, here's the twin-brother of thy letter:
but let thine inherit first; for, I protest, mine never shall. 65
I warrant he hath a thousand of these letters, writ with
blank space for different names,--sure, more,--and these
are of the second edition: he will print them, out of doubt;
for he cares not what he puts into the press, when he would
put us two. I had rather be a giantess, and lie under 70
Mount Pelion. Well, I will find you twenty lascivious turtles
ere one chaste man.

_Mrs Ford._ Why, this is the very same; the very hand,
the very words. What doth he think of us?

_Mrs Page._ Nay, I know not: it makes me almost 75
ready to wrangle with mine own honesty. I'll entertain
myself like one that I am not acquainted withal; for, sure,
unless he know some strain in me, that I know not myself,
he would never have boarded me in this fury.

_Mrs Ford._ 'Boarding,' call you it? I'll be sure to keep 80
him above deck.

_Mrs Page._ So will I: if he come under my hatches,
I'll never to sea again. Let's be revenged on him: let's
appoint him a meeting; give him a show of comfort in his
suit, and lead him on with a fine-baited delay, till he hath 85
pawned his horses to mine host of the Garter.

_Mrs Ford._ Nay, I will consent to act any villany
against him, that may not sully the chariness of our honesty.
O, that my husband saw this letter! it would give
eternal food to his jealousy. 90

_Mrs Page._ Why, look where he comes; and my
good man too: he's as far from jealousy as I am from
giving him cause; and that, I hope, is an unmeasurable
distance.

_Mrs Ford._ You are the happier woman. 95

_Mrs Page._ Let's consult together against this greasy
knight. Come hither. [_They retire._

_Enter FORD, with PISTOL, and PAGE, with NYM._

_Ford._ Well, I hope it be not so.

_Pist._ Hope is a curtal dog in some af