The Merry Wives Of Windsor

1 Enter Fenton and Anne Page.
2 FENTON.
3 I see I cannot get thy father’s love;
4 Therefore no more turn me to him, sweet Nan.
5 ANNE.
6 Alas, how then?
7 FENTON.
8 Why, thou must be thyself.
9 He doth object I am too great of birth,
10 And that my state being galled with my expense,
11 I seek to heal it only by his wealth.
12 Besides these, other bars he lays before me:
13 My riots past, my wild societies—
14 And tells me ’tis a thing impossible
15 I should love thee but as a property.
16 ANNE.
17 Maybe he tells you true.
18 FENTON.
19 No, heaven so speed me in my time to come!
20 Albeit I will confess thy father’s wealth
21 Was the first motive that I wooed thee, Anne,
22 Yet, wooing thee, I found thee of more value
23 Than stamps in gold or sums in sealed bags.
24 And ’tis the very riches of thyself
25 That now I aim at.
26 ANNE.
27 Gentle Master Fenton,
28 Yet seek my father’s love, still seek it, sir.
29 If opportunity and humblest suit
30 Cannot attain it, why then—hark you hither.
31 [_They talk apart._]
32 Enter Shallow, Slender and Mistress Quickly.
33 SHALLOW.
34 Break their talk, Mistress Quickly. My kinsman shall speak for himself.
35 SLENDER.
36 I’ll make a shaft or a bolt on ’t. ’Slid, ’tis but venturing.
37 SHALLOW.
38 Be not dismayed.
39 SLENDER.
40 No, she shall not dismay me. I care not for that, but that I am afeard.
41 MISTRESS QUICKLY.
42 Hark ye, Master Slender would speak a word with you.
43 ANNE.
44 I come to him.
45 [_Aside_.] This is my father’s choice.
46 O, what a world of vile ill-favoured faults
47 Looks handsome in three hundred pounds a year!
48 MISTRESS QUICKLY.
49 And how does good Master Fenton? Pray you, a word with you.
50 [_They talk aside._]
51 SHALLOW.
52 [_To Slender_.] She’s coming; to her, coz. O boy, thou hadst a father!
53 SLENDER.
54 I had a father, Mistress Anne; my uncle can tell you good jests of
55 him.—Pray you, uncle, tell Mistress Anne the jest how my father stole
56 two geese out of a pen, good uncle.
57 SHALLOW.
58 Mistress Anne, my cousin loves you.
59 SLENDER.
60 Ay, that I do, as well as I love any woman in Gloucestershire.
61 SHALLOW.
62 He will maintain you like a gentlewoman.
63 SLENDER.
64 Ay, that I will, come cut and long-tail, under the degree of a squire.
65 SHALLOW.
66 He will make you a hundred and fifty pounds jointure.
67 ANNE.
68 Good Master Shallow, let him woo for himself.
69 SHALLOW.
70 Marry, I thank you for it, I thank you for that good comfort.—She calls
71 you, coz; I’ll leave you.
72 ANNE.
73 Now, Master Slender.
74 SLENDER.
75 Now, good Mistress Anne.
76 ANNE.
77 What is your will?
78 SLENDER.
79 My will? ’Od’s heartlings, that’s a pretty jest indeed! I ne’er made my
80 will yet, I thank heaven. I am not such a sickly creature, I give
81 heaven praise.
82 ANNE.
83 I mean, Master Slender, what would you with me?
84 SLENDER.
85 Truly, for mine own part I would little or nothing with you. Your
86 father and my uncle hath made motions. If it be my luck, so; if not,
87 happy man be his dole. They can tell you how things go better than I
88 can. You may ask your father. Here he comes.
89 Enter Page and Mistress Page.
90 PAGE
91 Now, Master Slender.—Love him, daughter Anne.—
92 Why, how now? What does Master Fenton here?
93 You wrong me, sir, thus still to haunt my house.
94 I told you, sir, my daughter is disposed of.
95 FENTON.
96 Nay, Master Page, be not impatient.
97 MISTRESS PAGE.
98 Good Master Fenton, come not to my child.
99 PAGE.
100 She is no match for you.
101 FENTON.
102 Sir, will you hear me?
103 PAGE.
104 No, good Master Fenton.—
105 Come, Master Shallow; come, son Slender, in.—
106 Knowing my mind, you wrong me, Master Fenton.
107 [_Exeunt Page, Shallow and Slender._]
108 MISTRESS QUICKLY.
109 Speak to Mistress Page.
110 FENTON.
111 Good Mistress Page, for that I love your daughter
112 In such a righteous fashion as I do,
113 Perforce, against all checks, rebukes, and manners,
114 I must advance the colours of my love
115 And not retire. Let me have your good will.
116 ANNE.
117 Good mother, do not marry me to yond fool.
118 MISTRESS PAGE.
119 I mean it not; I seek you a better husband.
120 MISTRESS QUICKLY.
121 That’s my master, Master Doctor.
122 ANNE.
123 Alas, I had rather be set quick i’ th’ earth,
124 And bowled to death with turnips.
125 MISTRESS PAGE.
126 Come, trouble not yourself, good Master Fenton,
127 I will not be your friend, nor enemy.
128 My daughter will I question how she loves you,
129 And as I find her, so am I affected.
130 Till then, farewell, sir. She must needs go in;
131 Her father will be angry.
132 FENTON.
133 Farewell, gentle mistress. Farewell, Nan.
134 [_Exeunt Mistress Page and Anne._]
135 MISTRESS QUICKLY.
136 This is my doing now. “Nay,” said I, “will you cast away your child on
137 a fool, and a physician? Look on Master Fenton.” This is my doing.
138 FENTON.
139 I thank thee; and I pray thee, once tonight
140 Give my sweet Nan this ring. There’s for thy pains.
141 MISTRESS QUICKLY.
142 Now Heaven send thee good fortune!
143 [_Exit Fenton._]
144 A kind heart he hath. A woman would run through fire and water for such
145 a kind heart. But yet I would my master had Mistress Anne, or I would
146 Master Slender had her; or, in sooth, I would Master Fenton had her. I
147 will do what I can for them all three, for so I have promised and I’ll
148 be as good as my word—but speciously for Master Fenton. Well, I must of
149 another errand to Sir John Falstaff from my two mistresses. What a
150 beast am I to slack it!
151 [_Exit._]