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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    Not Peer Reviewed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)

    A pleasant Comedie, of
    1475.1Sir Iohn goes into the basket, they put cloathes ouer him,
    the two men carries it away: Foord meetes it, and all
    the rest, Page, Doctor, Priest, Slender, Shallow.
    Ford. Come pray along, you shall see all.
    How now who goes heare? whither goes this?
    Whither goes it? set it downe.
    Mis. For. Now let it go, you had best meddle with
    buck-washing.
    Ford. Buck, good buck, pray come along,
    Maister Page, take my keyes: helpe to search. Good
    Sir Hugh pray come along, helpe a little, a little,
    Ile shew you all.
    Sir Hu. By Ieshu these are iealosies & distemperes.
    1501.1Exit omnes.
    Mis. Pa. He is in a pittifull taking.
    Mis. I wonder what he thought
    1510Whẽ my husband bad them set downe the basket.
    Mis. Pa. Hang him dishonest slaue, we cannot vse
    1515Him bad inough. This is excellent for your
    1515.1Husbands iealousie.
    Mi. For. Alas poore soule it grieues me at the hart,
    But this will be a meanes to make him cease
    His iealous fits, if Falstaffes loue increase.
    1515.5Mis. Pa. Nay we wil send to Falstaffe once again,
    Tis great pittie we should leaue him:
    What wiues may be merry, and yet honest too.
    Mi. For. Shall we be cõdemnd because we laugh?
    Tis old, but true: still sowes eate all the draffe.
    1515.10Enter all.
    Mis. Pa. Here comes your husband, stand aside.
    For. I can find no body within, it may be he lied.
    1530Mis. Pa. Did you heare that?
    Mis. For.