The Merry Wives of Windsor
Act III, Scene 4
A room in Page’s house.
Byam Shaw, 1901
- Enter Fenton, Anne Page.
Fenton
1 - 2- I see I cannot get thy father’s love,
- Therefore no more turn me to him, sweet Nan.
Anne
3- Alas, how then?
Fenton
4 - 11- Why, thou must be thyself.
- He doth object I am too great of birth,
- And that my state being gall’d with my expense,
- I seek to heal it only by his wealth.
- Besides these, other bars he lays before me,
- My riots past, my wild societies,
- And tells me ’tis a thing impossible
- I should love thee but as a property.
Anne
12- May be he tells you true.
Fenton
13 - 19- No, heaven so speed me in my time to come!
- Albeit I will confess thy father’s wealth
- Was the first motive that I woo’d thee, Anne;
- Yet wooing thee, I found thee of more value
- Than stamps in gold, or sums in sealed bags;
- And ’tis the very riches of thyself
- That now I aim at.
Anne
20 - 23- Gentle Master Fenton,
- Yet seek my father’s love, still seek it, sir.
- If opportunity and humblest suit
- Cannot attain it, why then hark you hither!
- They converse apart.
- Enter Shallow, Slender, Mistress Quickly.
Shallow
24 - 25- Break their talk, Mistress Quickly, my kinsman shall speak
- for himself.
Slender
26- I’ll make a shaft or a bolt on’t. ’Slid, ’tis but venturing.
Shallow
27- Be not dismay’d.
Slender
28 - 29- No, she shall not dismay me. I care not for that, but that I
- am afeard.
Mistress Quickly
30- Hark ye, Master Slender would speak a word with you.
Anne
31 - 34- I come to him.
- Aside.
- This is my father’s choice.
- O, what a world of vild ill-favor’d faults
- Looks handsome in three hundred pounds a year!
Mistress Quickly
35- And how does good Master Fenton? Pray you a word with you.
Shallow
36- She’s coming; to her, coz. O boy, thou hadst a father!
Slender
37 - 39- I had a father, Mistress Anne, my uncle can tell you good
- jests of him. Pray you, uncle, tell Mistress Anne the jest
- how my father stole two geese out of a pen, good uncle.
Shallow
40- Mistress Anne, my cousin loves you.
Slender
41 - 42- Ay, that I do—as well as I love any woman in
- Gloucestershire.
Shallow
43- He will maintain you like a gentlewoman.
Slender
44 - 45- Ay, that I will, come cut and long-tail, under the degree of
- a squire.
Shallow
46- He will make you a hundred and fifty pounds jointure.
Anne
47- Good Master Shallow, let him woo for himself.
Shallow
48 - 49- Marry, I thank you for it; I thank you for that good
- comfort. She calls you, coz. I’ll leave you.
Anne
50- Now, Master Slender—
Slender
51- Now, good Mistress Anne—
Anne
52- What is your will?
Slender
53 - 55- My will? ’Od’s heartlings, 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
56- I mean, Master Slender, what would you with me?
I found thee of more value than stamps in gold, or sums in sealed bags
Karl August Büchel, early 20th century
Slender
57 - 61- Truly, for mine own part, I would little or nothing with
- you. Your father and my uncle hath made motions. If it be my
- luck, so; if not, happy man be his dole! They can tell you
- how things go better than I can. You may ask your father,
- here he comes.
- Enter Page, Mistress Page.
George
62 - 65- Now, Master Slender. Love him, daughter Anne.
- Why, how now? What does Master Fenton here?
- You wrong me, sir, thus still to haunt my house.
- I told you, sir, my daughter is dispos’d of.
Fenton
66- Nay, Master Page, be not impatient.
Mistress Page
67- Good Master Fenton, come not to my child.
George
68- She is no match for you.
Fenton
69- Sir, will you hear me?
George
70 - 72- 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
73- Speak to Mistress Page.
Fenton
74 - 78- Good Mistress Page, for that I love your daughter
- In such a righteous fashion as I do,
- Perforce, against all checks, rebukes, and manners,
- I must advance the colors of my love,
- And not retire. Let me have your good will.
Anne
79- Good mother, do not marry me to yond fool.
Mistress Page
80- I mean it not, I seek you a better husband.
Mistress Quickly
81- That’s my master, Master Doctor.
Anne
82 - 83- Alas, I had rather be set quick i’ th’ earth,
- And bowl’d to death with turnips!
Mistress Page
84 - 89- 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.
- Till then farewell, sir; she must needs go in,
- Her father will be angry.
Fenton
90- Farewell, gentle mistress; farewell, Nan.
- Exeunt Mrs. Page and Anne.
Mistress Quickly
91 - 93- 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
94 - 95- I thank thee; and I pray thee, once tonight
- Give my sweet Nan this ring. There’s for thy pains.
Mistress Quickly
96 - 104- 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, I would Master Fenton had her. I will do what I can
- for them all three, for so I have promis’d, and I’ll be as
- good as my word, but speciously for Master Fenton. Well, I
- must of another errand to Sir John Falstaff from my two
- mistresses. What a beast am I to slack it!
- Exit.
Anne Page
Henry Hawes Craven, circa 1900