Act III, Scene 4

A room in PAGE’S house.

[Enter FENTON and ANNE PAGE]

• Fenton. I see I cannot get thy father's love; 1630
  Therefore no more turn me to him, sweet Nan.

• Anne Page. 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, 1635
  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. 1640

• Anne Page. 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 woo'd thee, Anne:
  Yet, wooing thee, I found thee of more value 1645
  Than stamps in gold or sums in sealed bags;
  And 'tis the very riches of thyself
  That now I aim at.

• Anne Page. Gentle Master Fenton,
  Yet seek my father's love; still seek it, sir: 1650
  If opportunity and humblest suit
  Cannot attain it, why, then,—hark you hither!

[They converse apart]

[Enter SHALLOW, SLENDER, and MISTRESS QUICKLY]

• Robert Shallow. Break their talk, Mistress Quickly: my kinsman shall 1655
  speak for himself.

• Slender. I'll make a shaft or a bolt on't: 'slid, 'tis but
  venturing.

• Robert Shallow. Be not dismayed.

• Slender. No, she shall not dismay me: I care not for that, 1660
  but that I am afeard.

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

• Anne Page. I come to him.
  [Aside]
  This is my father's choice. 1665
  O, what a world of vile ill-favor'd faults
  Looks handsome in three hundred pounds a-year!

• Hostess Quickly. And how does good Master Fenton? Pray you, a word with you.

• Robert 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 1670
  good jests of him. Pray you, uncle, tell Mistress
  Anne the jest, how my father stole two geese out of
  a pen, good uncle.

• Robert Shallow. Mistress Anne, my cousin loves you.

• Slender. Ay, that I do; as well as I love any woman in 1675
  Gloucestershire.

• Robert Shallow. He will maintain you like a gentlewoman.

• Slender. Ay, that I will, come cut and long-tail, under the
  degree of a squire.

• Robert Shallow. He will make you a hundred and fifty pounds jointure. 1680

• Anne Page. Good Master Shallow, let him woo for himself.

• Robert Shallow. Marry, I thank you for it; I thank you for that good
  comfort. She calls you, coz: I'll leave you.

• Anne Page. Now, Master Slender,—

• Slender. Now, good Mistress Anne,— 1685

• Anne Page. 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 Page. I mean, Master Slender, what would you with me? 1690

• 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. 1695

[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 disposed of. 1700

• 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. 1705
  Come, Master Shallow; come, son Slender, in.
  Knowing my mind, you wrong me, Master Fenton.

[Exeunt PAGE, SHALLOW, and SLENDER]

• Hostess Quickly. Speak to Mistress Page.

• Fenton. Good Mistress Page, for that I love your daughter 1710
  In such a righteous fashion as I do,
  Perforce, against all cheques, rebukes and manners,
  I must advance the colours of my love
  And not retire: let me have your good will.

• Anne Page. Good mother, do not marry me to yond fool. 1715

• Mistress Page. I mean it not; I seek you a better husband.

• Hostess Quickly. That's my master, master doctor.

• Anne Page. Alas, I had rather be set quick i' the earth
  And bowl'd to death with turnips!

• Mistress Page. Come, trouble not yourself. Good Master Fenton, 1720
  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. 1725

• Fenton. Farewell, gentle mistress: farewell, Nan.

[Exeunt MISTRESS PAGE and ANNE PAGE]

• Hostess 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. 1730

• Fenton. I thank thee; and I pray thee, once to-night
  Give my sweet Nan this ring: there's for thy pains.

• Hostess Quickly. Now heaven send thee good fortune!
  [Exit FENTON]
  A kind heart he hath: a woman would run through 1735
  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 1740
  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]