ACT 1
Scene 1
Enter Justice Shallow, Slender, and Sir Hugh Evans.
Sir Hugh, persuade me not. I will make a
Star-Chamber matter of it. If he were twenty Sir
John Falstaffs, he shall not abuse Robert Shallow,
Esquire.
...Peace and Coram.
Ay, Cousin Slender, and Custalorum.
...or obligation— “Armigero!”
Ay, that I do, and have done any time these
three hundred years.
...in their coat.
It is an old coat.
...and signifies love.
The luce is the fresh fish. The salt fish is an
old coat.
...may quarter, coz.
You may, by marrying.
...he quarter it.
Not a whit.
...compromises between you.
The Council shall hear it; it is a riot.
...visaments in that.
Ha! O’ my life, if I were young again, the
sword should end it.
...is goot gifts.
Well, let us see honest Master Page. Is Falstaff
there?
...venison, Master Shallow.
Master Page, I am glad to see you. Much
good do it your good heart! I wished your venison
better; it was ill killed. How doth good Mistress
Page? And I thank you always with my heart, la,
with my heart.
...I thank you.
Sir, I thank you; by yea and no, I do.
...you’ll not confess.
That he will not. ’Tis your fault, ’tis your
fault. ’Tis a good dog.
...A cur, sir.
Sir, he’s a good dog and a fair dog. Can there
be more said? He is good and fair. Is Sir John Falstaff
here?
...ought to speak.
He hath wronged me, Master Page.
...sort confess it.
If it be confessed, it is not redressed. Is not
that so, Master Page? He hath wronged me, indeed
he hath; at a word, he hath. Believe me. Robert
Shallow, Esquire, saith he is wronged.
...to the King?
Knight, you have beaten my men, killed my
deer, and broke open my lodge.
...your keeper’s daughter.
Tut, a pin. This shall be answered.
...is now answered.
The Council shall know this.
...fortnight afore Michaelmas?
to Slender
Come, coz; come, coz. We stay
for you. A word with you, coz. Marry, this, coz:
there is, as ’twere, a tender, a kind of tender, made
afar off by Sir Hugh here. Do you understand me?
...that is reason.
Nay, but understand me.
...concerning your marriage.
Ay, there’s the point, sir.
...to the maid?
Cousin Abraham Slender, can you love her?
...desires towards her.
That you must. Will you, upon good dowry,
marry her?
...in any reason.
Nay, conceive me, conceive me, sweet coz.
What I do is to pleasure you, coz. Can you love the
maid?
...meaning is good.
Ay, I think my cousin meant well.
...Enter Anne Page.
Here comes fair Mistress Anne.—Would I
were young for your sake, Mistress Anne.
...your Worships’ company.
I will wait on him, fair Mistress Anne.
...at the grace.
Sir Hugh and Shallow exit.
ACT 2
Scene 1
...Justice, I say!
Enter Shallow.
I follow, mine Host, I follow.—Good even
and twenty, good Master Page. Master Page, will
you go with us? We have sport in hand.
...tell him, bullyrook.
Sir, there is a fray to be fought between
Sir Hugh the Welsh priest and Caius the French
doctor.
...Ford talk aside.
to Page
Will you go with us to behold it?
My merry Host hath had the measuring of their
weapons and, I think, hath appointed them contrary
places; for, believe me, I hear the parson is no
jester. Hark, I will tell you what our sport shall be.
Shallow and Page talk aside.
...you go, ameers?
Have with you, mine Host.
...in his rapier.
Tut, sir, I could have told you more. In these
times you stand on distance—your passes, stoccados,
and I know not what. ’Tis the heart, Master
Page; ’tis here, ’tis here. I have seen the time, with
my long sword I would have made you four tall
fellows skip like rats.
...scold than fight.
Page, Host, and Shallow exit.
Scene 3
...Forbear. Here’s company.
Enter Page, Shallow, Slender, and Host.
...thee, bully doctor!
God save you, Master Doctor Caius!
...is no come.
He is the wiser man, Master Doctor. He is a
curer of souls, and you a curer of bodies. If you
should fight, you go against the hair of your professions.—
Is it not true, Master Page?
...man of peace.
Bodykins, Master Page, though I now be old
and of the peace, if I see a sword out, my finger
itches to make one. Though we are justices and
doctors and churchmen, Master Page, we have
some salt of our youth in us. We are the sons of
women, Master Page.
...true, Master Shallow.
It will be found so, Master Page.—Master
Doctor Caius, I am come to fetch you home. I am
sworn of the peace. You have showed yourself a
wise physician, and Sir Hugh hath shown himself
a wise and patient churchman. You must go with
me, Master Doctor.
...And moreover, bully—
(He draws Shallow, Page, and Slender aside.)
...it do well?
We will do it.
Adieu, good Master
Doctor.
Page, Shallow, and Slender exit.
ACT 3
Scene 1
...in your arms.
Enter Page, Shallow, and Slender.
How now, Master Parson? Good morrow,
good Sir Hugh. Keep a gamester from the dice,
and a good student from his book, and it is
wonderful.
...all of you!
What, the sword and the word? Do you
study them both, Master Parson?
...ever you saw.
I have lived fourscore years and upward. I
never heard a man of his place, gravity, and learning
so wide of his own respect.
...sweet Anne Page!
It appears so by his weapons. Keep them
asunder. Here comes Doctor Caius.
...in your weapon.
So do you, good Master Doctor.
...hack our English.
Page and Shallow disarm Caius and Sir Hugh.
...follow, follow, follow.
Afore God, a mad Host. Follow, gentlemen,
follow.
...sweet Anne Page!
Shallow, Page, and Slender exit.
Scene 2
...I will go.
Enter Page, Shallow, Slender, Host, Sir Hugh Evans, Doctor Caius, and Rugby.
Well met, Master Ford.
...go with me.
I must excuse myself, Master Ford.
...I’ll speak of.
We have lingered about a match between
Anne Page and my cousin Slender, and this day we
shall have our answer.
...you, Sir Hugh.
Well, fare you well. We shall have the freer
wooing at Master Page’s.
Shallow and Slender exit.
Scene 4
...They talk aside.
Enter Shallow, Slender, and Mistress Quickly.
Break their talk, Mistress Quickly. My kinsman
shall speak for himself.
...’tis but venturing.
Be not dismayed.
...you.They talk aside.
to Slender
She’s coming. To her, coz! O
boy, thou hadst a father!
...pen, good uncle.
Mistress Anne, my cousin loves you.
...woman in Gloucestershire.
He will maintain you like a gentlewoman.
...of a squire.
He will make you a hundred and fifty
pounds jointure.
...woo for himself.
Marry, I thank you for it. I thank you for that
good comfort.—She calls you, coz. I’ll leave you.
He steps aside.
...me, Master Fenton.
Page, Shallow, and Slender exit.
ACT 4
Scene 2
...up the basket.
Enter Ford, Page, Doctor Caius, Sir Hugh Evans, and Shallow.
...a mad dog.
Indeed, Master Ford, this is not well, indeed.
...Here’s no man.
By my fidelity, this is not well, Master Ford.
This wrongs you.
...further. Come, gentlemen.
Ford, Page, Caius, Sir Hugh, and Shallow exit.
ACT 5
Scene 2
...Master Brook! Follow.
Enter Page, Shallow, and Slender.
...know one another.
That’s good too. But what needs either your
“mum” or her “budget”? The white will decipher
her well enough. It hath struck ten o’clock.
...away. Follow me.
They exit.