Anne Page. I come to him.-This is my father's choice. O what a world of vile ill-favoured faults Look handsome in three hundred pounds a year. Mrs. Quickly. And how does good master Fenton? Pray you a word with you. Mrs. Quickly draws Fenton aside. Justice Shallow. She's coming; to her, coz. O boy, thou hadst a father! Abraham Slender. Mistress Anne, I had a father;-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. Justice Shallow. Mistress Anne, my cousin loves you. Abraham Slender. Ay, that I do; as well as I love any woman in Glostershire. Justice Shallow. He will maintain you like a gentlewoman. Abraham Slender. Ah, that I will, come cut and long-tail, under the degree of a 'squire. Justice Shallow. He will make you a hundred and fifty pounds jointure. Anne Page. Good master Shallow, let him woo for himself. Justice Shallow. Marry I thank you for it; thank you for that good comfort. She calls you, coz.: I'll leave you. Exit Justice Shallow. Anne Page. Now, master Slender. Abraham 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. Anne Page. I mean, master Slender, what would you with me? Abraham Slender. Truly, for mine own part, I would little or nothing with you. Your father and my uncle have made motions; if it be my good 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. 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. Fenton. Nay, master Page, be not impatient. Will you hear me? Page. No, good master Fenton Knowing my mind you wrong me, master Fenton. Come daughter and son Slender, come you in. Exeunt all but Mrs. Quickly and Fenton. you Fenton. Shall I do any good thinkst thou? shall I not lose my suit? Mrs. Quickly. Master Fenton shall speak to Mrs. Page. I'll be sworn on a book the maid loves you. Have not your worship a wart above your eye? Fenton. Yes, marry, have I: what of that? Mrs. Quickly. Well, thereby hangs a tale;good faith it is such another Nan;-but I detest, an honest maid as ever broke bread. We had an hour's talk of that wart;-ha! ha! ha! I shall never laugh but in that maid's company-but indeed she is too much given to allicholy and musing: But for you: Well, go to Fenton. Well, I shall see her again to night. If thou seest her before me, commend me, and give her this ring. There's money for thy pains. Mrs. Quickly alone. Now Heaven send thee good fortune! 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 but speciously for master Fenton. word; THE END. G. Woodfall, Printer, Angel Court, Skinner Street, London. SHAKSPEARE. |