The Merry Wives of Windsor

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Book: Read The Merry Wives of Windsor for Free Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
Mistress Anne the jest
    how my father stole two geese out of a pen, good uncle.
    SHALLOW     Mistress Anne, my cousin loves you.
    SLENDER     Ay, that I do, as well as I love any woman in
    Gloucestershire.
    SHALLOW     He will maintain you like a gentlewoman.
    SLENDER     Ay, that I will, come cut and long-tail 45 , under the
    degree of a squire.
    SHALLOW     He will make you a hundred and fifty pounds
    jointure 48 .
    ANNE     Good Master Shallow, let him woo for himself.
    SHALLOW     Marry, I thank you for it: I thank you for that good
    comfort. She calls you, coz. I’ll leave you.
    Stands aside
    ANNE     Now, Master Slender.
    SLENDER     Now, good Mistress Anne.
    ANNE     What is your will 54 ?
    SLENDER     My will? ’Od’s heartlings 55 , that’s a pretty jest indeed!
    I ne’er made my will yet, I thank heaven. I am not such a
    sickly creature, I give heaven praise.
    ANNE     I mean, Master Slender, what would you with me?
    SLENDER     Truly, for mine own part, I would little or nothing
    with you. Your father and my uncle hath made motions 60 . If it
    be my luck, so; if not, happy man be his dole 61 . They can tell
    you how things go better than I can. You may ask your
    father, here he comes.
    [
Enter Page and Mistress Page
]
    PAGE     Now, Master Slender — love him, daughter Anne.—
    Why, how now? What does Master Fenton here?
    You wrong me, sir, thus still to haunt 66 my house:
    I told you, sir, my daughter is disposed of.
    FENTON     Nay, Master Page, be not impatient.
    MISTRESS PAGE     Good Master Fenton, come not to my child.
    PAGE     She is no match for you.
    FENTON     Sir, will you hear me?
    PAGE     No, good Master Fenton.—
    Come, Master Shallow. Come, son Slender, in.—
    Knowing my mind, you wrong me, Master Fenton.
    [
Exeunt Page, Shallow and Slender
]
    MISTRESS QUICKLY     Speak to Mistress Page.
    FENTON     Good Mistress Page, for that 76 I love your daughter
    In such a righteous fashion as I do,
    Perforce , against all checks , rebukes and manners 78 ,
    I must advance the colours 79 of my love
    And not retire. Let me have your good will.
    ANNE     Good mother, do not marry me to yond 81 fool.
    MISTRESS PAGE     I mean it not, I seek you a better husband.
    MISTRESS QUICKLY     That’s my master, Master Doctor.
    ANNE     Alas, I had rather be set quick 84 i’th’earth,
    And bowled to death with turnips!
    MISTRESS PAGE     Come, trouble not yourself. Good Master Fenton,
    I will not be your friend nor enemy:
    My daughter will I question how she loves you,
    And as I find her, so am I affected 89 .
    Till then, farewell, sir. She must needs go in,
    Her father will be angry.
    FENTON     Farewell, gentle mistress.— Farewell, Nan.
    [
Exeunt Mistress Page and Anne
]
    MISTRESS QUICKLY     This is my doing, now. ‘Nay,’ said I, ‘will you
    cast away your child on a fool, and a physician? Look on
    Master Fenton.’ This is my doing.
    FENTON     I thank thee, and I pray thee once 96
    Gives her a ring and money
    tonight, Give my sweet Nan this ring. There’s 97 for
    thy pains.
    MISTRESS QUICKLY     Now heaven send thee good fortune.
    [
Exit Fenton
]
    A kind heart he hath. A woman would run through fire and
    water for such a kind heart. But yet I would my master had
    Mistress Anne, or I would Master Slender had her: or, in
    sooth 103 , I would Master Fenton had her. I will do what I can for
    them all three, for so I have promised, and I’ll be as good as
    my word — but speciously for Master Fenton. Well, I must of 105
    another errand to Sir John Falstaff from my two mistresses.
    What a beast am I to slack it!
    Exit
Act 3 Scene 5
    running scene 12
    Enter Falstaff
    FALSTAFF     Bardolph, I say!
    [
Enter Bardolph
]
    BARDOLPH     Here, sir.
    FALSTAFF     Go fetch me a quart of sack: put a toast 3 in’t.
    [
Exit Bardolph
]
    Have I lived to be carried in a basket like a barrow

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