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