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  • Title: The Merry Wives of Windsor (Quarto 1, 1602)

  • Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Not Peer Reviewed

    The Merry Wives of Windsor (Quarto 1, 1602)

    the merry wives of windsor.
    Ford. Sir do you know Ford?
    Fal. Hang him poore cuckally knaue, I know (him not,
    And yet I wrong him to call him poore. For they
    Say the cuckally knaue hath legions of angels,
    For the which his wife seemes to me well fauored,
    And Ile vse her as the key of the cuckally knaues
    Coffer, and there's my randeuowes.
    Ford. Meethinkes sir it were very good that you(knew
    1030Ford, that you might shun hiM.
    Fal. Hang him cuckally knaue, Ile stare him
    Out of his wits, Ile keepe him in awe
    With this my cudgell: It shall hang like a meator
    Ore the wittolly knaues head, M. Brooke thou shalt
    See I will predominate ore the peasant,
    1035And thou shalt lie with his wife. M. Brooke
    Thou shalt know him for knaue and cuckold,
    Come to me soone at night.
    1038.1Exit Falstaffe.
    Ford. What a damned epicurian is this?
    My wife hath sent for him, the plot is laid:
    Page is an Asse, a foole. A secure Asse,
    Ile sooner trust an Irishman with my
    Aquauita bottle, Sir Hu our parson with my cheese,
    1055A theefe to walk my ambling gelding, thẽ my wife
    With her selfe: then she plots, then she ruminates,
    And what she thinkes in her hart she may effect,
    Sheele breake her hart but she will effect it.
    God be praised, God be praised for my iealousie:
    1060Well Ile goe preuent him, the time drawes on,
    Better an houre too soone, then a minit too late,
    Gods my life cuckold, cuckold.
    Exit Ford.
    D Enter