The Merry Wives of Windsor: Act 4

Mistress Ford, your sorrow hath eaten up my sufferance.

I see you are obsequious in your love, and I profess requital to a hair’s breadth, not only, Mistress Ford, in the simple office of love, but in all the accoutrement, compliment, and ceremony of it.

I see you are obsequious in your love, and I profess requital to a hair’s breadth, not only, Mistress Ford, in the simple office of love, but in all the accoutrement, compliment, and ceremony of it.

He so takes on yonder with my husband, so rails against all married mankind, so curses all Eve’s daughters of what complexion soever, and so buffets himself on the forehead, crying “Peer out, peer out!” that any madness I ever yet beheld seemed but tameness, civility, and patience to this his distemper he is in now.

He so takes on yonder with my husband, so rails against all married mankind, so curses all Eve’s daughters of what complexion soever, and so buffets himself on the forehead, crying “Peer out, peer out!” that any madness I ever yet beheld seemed but tameness, civility, and patience to this his distemper he is in now.

If you go out in your own semblance, you die, Sir John—unless you go out disguised.

He cannot abide the old woman of Brentford. He swears she’s a witch, forbade her my house, and hath threatened to beat her.

You are not to go loose any longer; you must be pinioned.

By my fidelity, this is not well, Master Ford.

FORD: “Old woman”? What old woman’s that?
MISTRESS FORD: Why, it is my maid’s aunt of Brentford.
FORD: A witch, a quean, an old cozening quean! Have I not forbid her my house?

I’ll have the cudgel hallowed and hung o’er the altar. It hath done meritorious service.

I’ll have the cudgel hallowed and hung o’er the altar. It hath done meritorious service.

Now doth thy honor stand,
In him that was of late an heretic,
As firm as faith.

That likewise have we thought upon, and thus:
Nan Page my daughter, and my little son,
And three or four more of their growth we’ll dress
Like urchins, aufs, and fairies, green and white,
With rounds of waxen tapers on their heads
And rattles in their hands.

That likewise have we thought upon, and thus:
Nan Page my daughter, and my little son,
And three or four more of their growth we’ll dress
Like urchins, aufs, and fairies, green and white,
With rounds of waxen tapers on their heads
And rattles in their hands.

Then let them all encircle him about,
And, fairy-like, to pinch the unclean knight,
And ask him why, that hour of fairy revel,
In their so sacred paths he dares to tread
In shape profane.

Then let them all encircle him about,
And, fairy-like, to pinch the unclean knight,
And ask him why, that hour of fairy revel,
In their so sacred paths he dares to tread
In shape profane.

I will teach the children their behaviors, and I will be like a jackanapes also, to burn the knight with my taber.

What wouldst thou have, boor?

’Tis painted about with the story of the Prodigal, fresh and new.

I shall make my master glad with these tidings.

For so soon as I came beyond Eton, they threw me off from behind one of them in a slough of mire, and set spurs, and away, like three German devils, three Doctor Faustuses.

For so soon as I came beyond Eton, they threw me off from behind one of them in a slough of mire, and set spurs, and away, like three German devils, three Doctor Faustuses.

I warrant they would whip me with their fine wits till I were as crestfallen as a dried pear.

I was beaten myself into all the colors of the rainbow, and I was like to be apprehended for the witch of Brentford.

But that my admirable dexterity of wit, my counterfeiting the action of an old woman, delivered me, the knave constable had set me i’ th’ stocks, i’ th’ common stocks, for a witch.

But that my admirable dexterity of wit, my counterfeiting the action of an old woman, delivered me, the knave constable had set me i’ th’ stocks, i’ th’ common stocks, for a witch.

Good hearts, what ado here is to bring you together!

I have a letter from her
Of such contents as you will wonder at,
The mirth whereof so larded with my matter
That neither singly can be manifested
Without the show of both.

I have a letter from her
Of such contents as you will wonder at,
The mirth whereof so larded with my matter
That neither singly can be manifested
Without the show of both.

Her mother hath intended
The better to denote her to the doctor—
For they must all be masked and vizarded—
That quaint in green she shall be loose enrobed,
With ribbons pendent flaring ’bout her head

And when the doctor spies his vantage ripe,
To pinch her by the hand, and on that token
The maid hath given consent to go with him.

And here it rests, that you’ll procure the vicar
To stay for me at church ’twixt twelve and one,
And, in the lawful name of marrying,
To give our hearts united ceremony.

And here it rests, that you’ll procure the vicar
To stay for me at church ’twixt twelve and one,
And, in the lawful name of marrying,
To give our hearts united ceremony.

So shall I evermore be bound to thee;
Besides, I’ll make a present recompense.