Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare
Act 3 - Scene 4
A room in PAGE’S house.
Fenton : I see I cannot get thy father's love;
[p]Therefore no more turn me to
him, sweet Nan.
Anne Page : Alas, how then?
Fenton : Why, thou must be thyself.
[p]He doth object I am too great of
birth--,
[p]And that, my state being gall'd with my expense,
[p]I seek
to heal it only by his wealth:
[p]Besides these, other bars he lays
before me,
[p]My riots past, my wild societies;
[p]And tells me 'tis a
thing impossible
[p]I should love thee but as a property.
Anne Page : May be he tells you true.
Fenton : No, heaven so speed me in my time to come!
[p]Albeit I will confess
thy father's wealth
[p]Was the first motive that I woo'd thee,
Anne:
[p]Yet, wooing thee, I found thee of more value
[p]Than stamps
in gold or sums in sealed bags;
[p]And 'tis the very riches of
thyself
[p]That now I aim at.
Anne Page : Gentle Master Fenton,
[p]Yet seek my father's love; still seek it,
sir:
[p]If opportunity and humblest suit
[p]Cannot attain it, why,
then,--hark you hither!
Slender : I'll make a shaft or a bolt on't: 'slid, 'tis but
[p]venturing.
Slender : No, she shall not dismay me: I care not for that,
[p]but that I am
afeard.
Anne Page : I come to him.
[p][Aside]
[p]This is my father's choice.
[p]O, what a
world of vile ill-favor'd faults
[p]Looks handsome in three hundred
pounds a-year!
Slender : I had a father, Mistress Anne; my uncle can tell you
[p]good jests of
him. Pray you, uncle, tell Mistress
[p]Anne the jest, how my father
stole two geese out of
[p]a pen, good uncle.
Slender : Ay, that I do; as well as I love any woman in
[p]Gloucestershire.
Slender : Ay, that I will, come cut and long-tail, under the
[p]degree of a
squire.
Anne Page : Good Master Shallow, let him woo for himself.
Anne Page : Now, Master Slender,--
Slender : Now, good Mistress Anne,--
Anne Page : What is your will?
Slender : My will! 'od's heartlings, that's a pretty jest
[p]indeed! I ne'er
made my will yet, I thank heaven; I
[p]am not such a sickly creature,
I give heaven praise.
Anne Page : I mean, Master Slender, what would you with me?
Slender : Truly, for mine own part, I would little or nothing
[p]with you. Your
father and my uncle hath made
[p]motions: if it be my luck, so; if
not, happy man be
[p]his dole! They can tell you how things go
better
[p]than I can: you may ask your father; here he comes.
Page : Now, Master Slender: love him, daughter Anne.
[p]Why, how now! what
does Master Fenton here?
[p]You wrong me, sir, thus still to haunt my
house:
[p]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.
[p]Come, Master Shallow; come, son Slender,
in.
[p]Knowing my mind, you wrong me, Master Fenton.
Fenton : Good Mistress Page, for that I love your daughter
[p]In such a
righteous fashion as I do,
[p]Perforce, against all cheques, rebukes
and manners,
[p]I must advance the colours of my love
[p]And not
retire: let me have your good will.
Anne Page : Good mother, do not marry me to yond fool.
Mistress Page : I mean it not; I seek you a better husband.
Anne Page : Alas, I had rather be set quick i' the earth
[p]And bowl'd to death
with turnips!
Mistress Page : Come, trouble not yourself. Good Master Fenton,
[p]I will not be your
friend nor enemy:
[p]My daughter will I question how she loves
you,
[p]And as I find her, so am I affected.
[p]Till then farewell,
sir: she must needs go in;
[p]Her father will be angry.
Fenton : Farewell, gentle mistress: farewell, Nan.
Fenton : I thank thee; and I pray thee, once to-night
[p]Give my sweet Nan this
ring: there's for thy pains.
Previous: Act 3 - Scene 3
Next: Act 3 - Scene 5
