SCENE IV.
Page's house.
Enter Fenton and Mistress Anne Page.
Fent.
I see, I cannot get thy father's love;
Therefore no more turn me to him, sweet Nan.
Anne.
Alas! how then?
Fent.
Why, thou must be thyself.
He doth object, I am too great of birth;
And that, my state being gall'd with my expence,
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.
Fent.
No, heaven so speed me in my time to come!
Albeit, I will confess, thy 2 notefather's wealth
-- 317 --
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.
Gentle master Fenton,
Yet seek my father's love; still seek it, sir:
3 note
If opportunity and humblest suit
Cannot attain it, why then,—Hark you hither.
[Fenton and Mistress Anne go apart.
Enter Shallow, Slender, and Mrs. Quickly.
Shal.
Break their talk, mistress Quickly; my kinsman
shall speak for himself.
Slen.
I'll make a shaft or a bolt on't: 'slid, 'tis but
venturing.
Shal.
Be not dismay'd.
Slen.
No, she shall not dismay me: I care not for
that,—but that I am afeard.
Quic.
Hark ye; master Slender would speak a word
with you.
Anne.
I come to him.—This is my father's choice.
O, what a world of vile ill-favour'd faults
Look handsome in three hundred pounds a year!
[Aside.
Quic.
And how does good master Fenton? Pray
you, a word with you.
Shal.
She's coming; to her, coz. O boy, thou
hadst a father!
-- 318 --
Slen.
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.
Shal.
Mistress Anne, my cousin loves you.
Slen.
Ay, that I do; as well as I love any woman
in Glocestershire.
Shal.
He will maintain you like a gentlewoman.
Slen.
Ay, that I will, 4 note
come cut and long-tail,9Q0141 under
the degree of a 'squire.
Shal.
He will make you a hundred and fifty pounds
jointure.
Anne.
Good master Shallow, let him woo for himself.
Shal.
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.
Slen.
Now, good mistress Anne.
Anne.
What is your will?
Slen.
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?
Slen.
Truly, for mine own part, I would little or
nothing with you: Your father, and my uncle, have
-- 319 --
made motions: if it be my luck, so; if not, happy
man be his dole5 note! 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.
Fent.
Nay, master Page, be not impatient.
Mrs. Page.
Good master Fenton, come not to my child.
Page.
She is no match for you.
Fent.
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.
Quic.
Speak to mistress Page.
Fent.
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 yon' fool.
Mrs. Page.
I mean it not; I seek you a better husband.
Quic.
That's my master, master doctor.
6 note
Anne.
Alas, I had rather be set quick i' the earth,
And bowl'd to death with turnips.
-- 320 --
Mrs. Page.
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.
[Exe. Mrs. Page and Anne.
Fent.
Farewell, gentle mistress; farewell, Nan.
Quic.
This is my doing now;—Nay, said I, will
you cast away your child on a 7 note
fool, and a physician?
Look on master Fenton:—this is my doing.
Fent.
I thank thee; and I pray thee, once to-night8 note
give my sweet Nan this ring: There's for thy pains.
[Exit.
-- 321 --
Quic.
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 promis'd, and I'll be as good as my word;
but speciously9 note 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.
Samuel Johnson [1778], The plays of William Shakspeare. In ten volumes. With the corrections and illustrations of various commentators; to which are added notes by Samuel Johnson and George Steevens. The second edition, Revised and Augmented (Printed for C. Bathurst [and] W. Strahan [etc.], London) [word count] [S10901].
