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  • Title: The Merry Wives of Windsor (Modern, Quarto)
  • Editor: Helen Ostovich
  • Markup editor: Janelle Jenstad
  • Coordinating editor: Janelle Jenstad

    • Copyright Helen Ostovich. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Editor: Helen Ostovich
    Not Peer Reviewed

    The Merry Wives of Windsor (Modern, Quarto)

    [Scene 15]
    Enter Ford, Page, their wives, Shallow, and Sir Hugh.
    2122.1 Ford
    Well, wife, here take my hand. [He stretches out his hand; she accepts it.] Upon my soul I love thee dearer than I do my life, and joy I have so true and constant wife. My jealousy shall never more offend thee.
    2122.5 Mistress Ford
    Sir, I am glad, and that which I have done
    Was nothing else but mirth and modesty.
    Page
    Ay, Mistress Ford, Falstaff hath all the grief,
    And in this knavery my wife was the chief.
    Mistress Page
    No knavery, husband, it was honest mirth.
    2122.10 Evans
    Indeed, it was good pastimes and merriments.
    Mistress Ford
    But, sweetheart, shall we leave old
    Falstaff so?
    Mistress Page
    Oh, by no means! Send to him again.
    Page
    I do not think he'll come, being so much2122.15 deceived.
    Ford
    Let me alone, I'll to him once again like Brook, and know his mind, whether he'll come or not.
    Page
    There must be some plot laid, or he'll not come.
    Mistress Page
    Let us alone for that. Hear my device.
    2150 Oft have you heard, since Horn the hunter died,
    2150.1 That women, to affright their litle children,
    Say that he walks in shape of a great stag.
    Now for that Falstaff hath been so deceived
    As that he dares not venture to the house,
    2150.5 We'll send him word to meet us in the field,
    Disguised like Horn, with huge horns on his head.
    The hour shall be just between twelve and one,
    And at that time we will meet him both:
    Then would I have you present there at hand
    With litle boys, disguised and dressed like fairies,
    2172.1 For to affright fat Falstaff in the woods,
    And then, to make a period to the jest,
    Tell Falstaff all. I think this will do best.
    2170 Page
    'Tis excellent, and my daughter Anne,
    2170.1 Shall like a litle fairy be disguised.
    Mistress Page
    [Aside] And in that masque I'll make the doctor steal my daughter Anne, and, ere my husband knows it, to carry her to church, and marry her.
    2170.5 Mistress Ford
    But who will buy the silks to tire the boys?
    Page
    That will I do, [Aside] and in a robe of white
    2200 I'll clothe my daughter, and advertise Slender
    To know her by that sign, and steal her thence,
    2201.1 And, unknown to my wife, shall marry her.
    Evans
    So Kad 'udge me, the devices is excellent. I will also be there, and be like a jackanapes,2192.1 and pinch him most cruelly for his lecheries.
    Mistress Page
    Why, then we are revenged sufficiently.
    First, he was carried and thrown in the Thames;
    Next beaten well, [To Ford] I am sure you'll witness that.
    2192.5 Mistress Ford
    I'll lay my life this makes him nothing fat.
    Page
    Well, let's about this stratagem. I long
    To see deceit deceived, and wrong have wrong.
    Ford
    Well, send to Falstaff, and if he come thither,
    'Twill make us smile and laugh one month toge
    2192.10 ther.
    Exeunt omnes.
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