The Merry Wives of Windsor Part 43

Ile search vnpossible places: {I}le about it, 100 Least I repent too late:

_Exit omnes._

NOTES: SCENE XI

[SC. XI.] add _and Bardolfe._ 7, 11: _and_] _if_.

49: _euen_] om.

80: _I thus_] _thus I_ 88: _at at_] _at_.

_Enter M. {F}enton, {P}age, and mistresse Quickly._ [SC. XII.]

_{F}en:_ Tell me sweet Nan, how doest thou yet resolue, Shall foolish _Slender_ haue thee to his wife?

Or one as wise as he, the learned Doctor?

Shall such as they enjoy thy maiden hart?

Thou knowst that _I_ haue alwaies loued thee deare, 5 And thou hast oft times swore the like to me.

_An:_ Good M. _{F}enton_, you may a.s.sure your selfe My hart is setled vpon none but you, Tis as my father and mother please: Get their consent, you quickly shall haue mine. 10

_{F}en:_ Thy father thinks I loue thee for his wealth, Tho I must needs confesse at first that drew me, But since thy vertues wiped that trash away, _I_ loue thee _Nan_, and so deare is it set, That whilst I liue, I nere shall thee forget. 15

[_Quic:_] G.o.des pitie here comes her father.

_Enter M. Page his wife, M. Shallow, and Slender._

_Pa._ M. _Fenton_ I pray what make you here?

You know my answere sir, shees not for you: Knowing my vow, to blame to vse me thus.

_Fen._ But heare me speake sir. 20

_{P}a._ Pray sir get you gon: Come hither daughter, Sonne _Slender_ let me speak with you. (_they whisper._

_Quic._ Speake to misteris _{P}age_.

_Fen._ Pray misteris _{P}age_ let me haue your consent.

_Mis. Pa._ Ifaith M. _Fenton_ tis as my husband please.

For my part, Ile neither hinder you, nor further you.

_Quic._ How say you this was my doings?

I bid you speake to misteris _{P}age_.

_Fen._ Here nurse, theres a brace of angels to drink, Worke what thou canst for me, farwell. (_Exit Fen._ 30

_Quic._ By my troth so I will, good hart.

_Pa._ Come wife, you an _I_ will in, weele leaue M. _Slender_ And my daughter to talke together. M. _Shallow_, You may stay sir if you please.

_Exit {P}age and his wife._

_Shal._ Mary _I_ thanke you for that: 35 To her cousin, to her.

_Slen._ Ifaith _I_ know not what to say.

_An._ Now M. _{S}lender_, what's your will?

_Slen._ G.o.deso, theres a {I}est indeed: why misteris _An_, I neuer made will yet: _I_ thank G.o.d I am wise inough for that. 40

_Shal._ Fie cusse fie, thou art not right, O thou hadst a father.

_Slen._ I had a father misteris _Anne_, good vncle Tell the Iest how my father stole the goose out of The henloft. All this is nought, harke you mistresse _Anne_. 45

_Shal._ He will make you ioynter of three hundred pound a yeare, he shall make you a Gentlewoman.

_Slend._ I be G.o.d that I vill, come cut and long taile, as good as any is in _Glosters.h.i.+re_, vnder the degree of a Squire.

_An._ O G.o.d how many grosse faults are hid 50 And couered in three hundred pound a yeare?

Well M. _{S}lender_, within a day or two Ile tell you more.

_Slend._ I thanke you good misteris _Anne_, vncle I shall haue her.

_Quic._ M. _{S}hallow_, M. _Page_ would pray you to come you, and you M. Slender, and you mistris _An_. 55

_Slend._ Well Nurse, if youle speake for me, Ile giue you more than Ile talke of.

_Exit omnes but Quickly._

_Quic._ Indeed I will, Ile speake what I can for you, But specially for M. _Fenton_: But specially of all for my Maister. 60 And indeed I will do what I can for them all three. _Exit._

_Enter misteris Ford and her two men._

_Mis. For._ Do you heare? when your M. comes take vp this basket as you did before, and if your M. bid you set it downe, obey him.

_Ser._ I will forsooth. 65

_Enter Syr Iohn._

_Mis._ For. Syr _Iohn_ welcome.

_Fal._ What are you sure of your husband now?

_Mis. For._ He is gone a birding sir _Iohn_, and I hope will not come home yet.

_Enter mistresse Page._

G.o.ds body here is misteris _Page_, 70 Step behind the arras good sir _Iohn_.

_He steps behind the arras._