Shakespeare Portal

Act 3, Scene 2

A street in Windsor.

  1. [Enter MISTRESS PAGE and ROBIN.]
  2. Mistress Page
  3. 1043 Nay, keep your way, little gallant: you were wont to be a follower,
  4. 1044 but now you are a leader. Whether had you rather lead mine eyes,
  5. 1045 or eye your master's heels?
  6. Robin
  7. 1046 I had rather, forsooth, go before you like a man than follow him
  8. 1047 like a dwarf.
  9. Mistress Page
  10. 1048 O! you are a flattering boy: now I see you'll be a courtier.
  11. [Enter FORD.]
  12. Ford
  13. 1049 Well met, Mistress Page. Whither go you?
  14. Mistress Page
  15. 1050 Truly, sir, to see your wife. Is she at home?
  16. Ford
  17. 1051 Ay; and as idle as she may hang together, for want of company.
  18. 1052 I think, if your husbands were dead, you two would marry.
  19. Mistress Page
  20. 1053 Be sure of that—two other husbands.
  21. Ford
  22. 1054 Where had you this pretty weathercock?
  23. Mistress Page
  24. 1055 I cannot tell what the dickens his name is my husband had him of.
  25. 1056 What do you call your knight's name, sirrah?
  26. Robin
  27. 1057 Sir John Falstaff.
  28. Ford
  29. 1058 Sir John Falstaff!
  30. Mistress Page
  31. 1059 He, he; I can never hit on's name. There is such a league between
  32. 1060 my good man and he! Is your wife at home indeed?
  33. Ford
  34. 1061 Indeed she is.
  35. Mistress Page
  36. 1062 By your leave, sir: I am sick till I see her.
  37. [Exeunt MRS. PAGE and ROBIN.]
  38. Ford
  39. 1063 Has Page any brains? Hath he any eyes? Hath he any thinking? Sure,
  40. 1064 they sleep; he hath no use of them. Why, this boy will carry a
  41. 1065 letter twenty mile as easy as a cannon will shoot point-blank
  42. 1066 twelve score. He pieces out his wife's inclination; he gives
  43. 1067 her folly motion and advantage; and now she's going to my wife,
  44. 1068 and Falstaff's boy with her. A man may hear this shower sing in
  45. 1069 the wind: and Falstaff's boy with her! Good plots! They are laid;
  46. 1070 and our revolted wives share damnation together. Well; I will take
  47. 1071 him, then torture my wife, pluck the borrowed veil of modesty from
  48. 1072 the so seeming Mistress Page, divulge Page himself for a secure
  49. 1073 and wilful Actaeon; and to these violent proceedings all my
  50. 1074 neighbours shall cry aim.
  51. [Clock strikes]
  52. Ford
  53. 1075 The clock gives me my
  54. 1076 cue, and my assurance bids me search; there I shall find Falstaff.
  55. 1077 I shall be rather praised for this than mocked; for it is as
  56. 1078 positive as the earth is firm that Falstaff is there. I will go.
  57. [Enter PAGE, SHALLOW, SLENDER, HOST, SIR HUGH EVANS, CAIUS, and RUGBY.]
  58. Ford
  59. 1079 SHALLOW, PAGE, &c.
  60. 1080 Well met, Master Ford.
  61. Ford
  62. 1081 Trust me, a good knot; I have good cheer at home, and I pray you
  63. 1082 all go with me.
  64. Justice Shallow
  65. 1083 I must excuse myself, Master Ford.
  66. Slender
  67. 1084 And so must I, sir; we have appointed to dine with Mistress Anne,
  68. 1085 and I would not break with her for more money than I'll speak of.
  69. Justice Shallow
  70. 1086 We have lingered about a match between Anne Page and my cousin
  71. 1087 Slender, and this day we shall have our answer.
  72. Slender
  73. 1088 I hope I have your good will, father Page.
  74. Page
  75. 1089 You have, Master Slender; I stand wholly for you. But my wife,
  76. 1090 Master doctor, is for you altogether.
  77. Doctor Caius
  78. 1091 Ay, be-gar; and de maid is love-a me: my nursh-a Quickly tell me
  79. 1092 so mush.
  80. Host of the Garter
  81. 1093 What say you to young Master Fenton? He capers, he dances, he has
  82. 1094 eyes of youth, he writes verses, he speaks holiday, he smells April
  83. 1095 and May; he will carry 't, he will carry 't; 'tis in his buttons;
  84. 1096 he will carry 't.
  85. Page
  86. 1097 Not by my consent, I promise you. The gentleman is of no having:
  87. 1098 he kept company with the wild Prince and Pointz; he is of too high
  88. 1099 a region, he knows too much. No, he shall not knit a knot in his
  89. 1100 fortunes with the finger of my substance; if he take her, let him
  90. 1101 take her simply; the wealth I have waits on my consent, and my
  91. 1102 consent goes not that way.
  92. Ford
  93. 1103 I beseech you, heartily, some of you go home with me to dinner:
  94. 1104 besides your cheer, you shall have sport; I will show you a monster.
  95. 1105 Master Doctor, you shall go; so shall you, Master Page; and you,
  96. 1106 Sir Hugh.
  97. Justice Shallow
  98. 1107 Well, fare you well; we shall have the freer wooing at Master Page's.
  99. [Exeunt SHALLOW and SLENDER.]
  100. Doctor Caius
  101. 1108 Go home, John Rugby; I come anon.
  102. [Exit RUGBY.]
  103. Host of the Garter
  104. 1109 Farewell, my hearts; I will to my honest knight Falstaff, and drink
  105. 1110 canary with him.
  106. [Exit HOST.]
  107. [Aside]
  108. Ford
  109. 1111 I think I shall drink in pipe-wine first with him. I'll
  110. 1112 make him dance. Will you go, gentles?
  111. All
  112. 1113 Have with you to see this monster.
  113. [Exeunt.]