Act III, Scene iv:
A room in PAGE'S house.

[Enter FENTON, ANNE PAGE, and MISTRESS QUICKLY.MISTRESS QUICKLY stands apart.]

FENTON:

I see I cannot get thy father's love;

Therefore no more turn me to him, sweet Nan.

ANNE:

Alas! how then?

FENTON:

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:

May be he tells you true.

FENTON:

No, heaven so speed me in my time to come!

Albeit I will confess thy father's wealth

Was the first motive that I wooed 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:

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 and SLENDER.]

SHALLOW:

Break their talk, Mistress Quickly: my kinsman

shall speak for himself.

SLENDER:

I'll make a shaft or a bolt on 't. 'Slid, 'tis but

venturing.

SHALLOW:

Be not dismayed.

SLENDER:

No, she shall not dismay me. I care not for that,

but that I am afeard.

QUICKLY:

Hark ye; Master Slender would speak a word with you.

ANNE:

I come to him.[Aside.]This is my father's choice.

O, what a world of vile ill-favour'd faults

Looks handsome in three hundred pounds a year!

QUICKLY:

And how does good Master Fenton? Pray you, a

word with you.

SHALLOW:

She's coming; to her, coz. O boy, thou hadst a father!

SLENDER:

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:

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, under the

degree of a squire.

SHALLOW:

He will make you a hundred and fifty pounds jointure.

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.

ANNE:

Now, Master Slender.

SLENDER:

Now, good Mistress Anne.—

ANNE:

What is your will?

SLENDER:

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:

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;

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 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 my house:

I told you, sir, my daughter is dispos'd of.

FENTON:

Nay, Master Page, be not impatient.

MRS:

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.]

QUICKLY:

Speak to Mistress Page.

FENTON:

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 colours of my love

And not retire: let me have your good will.

ANNE:

Good mother, do not marry me to yond fool.

MRS:

I mean it not; I seek you a better husband.

QUICKLY:

That's my master, Master doctor.

ANNE:

Alas! I had rather be set quick i' the earth.

And bowl'd to death with turnips.

MRS:

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:

Farewell, gentle mistress. Farewell, Nan.

[Exeunt MRS. PAGE and ANNE.}

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 to-night

Give my sweet Nan this ring. There's for thy pains.

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, 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 another errand to Sir John Falstaff

from my two mistresses: what a beast am I to slack it!

[Exit.]