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The Merry Wives of Windsor

Act IV, Scene 6

Another room in the Garter Inn.
 
[Enter FENTON and Host]
 
HOST
Master Fenton, talk not to me, my mind is heavy: I will give over all.
 
FENTON
            ,         ,         ,     ,   2      ,
      Yet hear | me speak:| assist | me in my | purpose,
       ,     2     ,       ,     ,            ,
      And (as I | am a | gentle|man) I'll | give thee
         ,         ,          ,      ,                ,
      A hund|red pound | in gold,| more than | your loss.
 
HOST
I will hear you (Master Fenton) and I will (at the least) keep your counsel.
 
FENTON
             ,         ,        ,        ,        ,
      From time | to time,| I have | acquaint|ed you
                   ,    ,        ,     .   T    T    T
      With the / dear love | I bear | to fair Anne Page,
       ,    ,   2        ,   ,          2    ,
      Who, mu/tually,| hath ans/wered my af|fection,
        T  T    T       2     ,           ,         ,      ->
      (So far forth,| as herself | might be | her choo||ser)
        x      2     ,    ,     2     ,         ,
      even | to my wish;| I have a | letter | from her
       .   T    T   T        ,          ,       ,
      Of such contents,| as you | will wond|er at;
            ,           ,        ,       ,          x
      The mirth | whereof,| so lard|ed with | my matter,
            ,          ,       ,        ,    ,
      That neith|er (sing|ly) can | be man|ifested
           ,          ,         ,     T   T   T
      Without | the show | of both:| fat Falstaff
                 ,     ,          ,      ,         ,
      Hath a / great scene;| the im|age of | the jest
             ,          ,         ,            ,           ,
      I'll show | you here | at large |(hark^good | mine host):
          ,      .    T     T     T             ,          ,
      Tonight | at Herne's oak, just |'twixt^twelve | and one,
            ,          ,         ,         ,       ,
      Must^my | sweet^Nan | present | the Fai|ry Queen:
           ,        ,         ,         ,          ,
      The pur|pose why,| is here:| in which | disguise
             ,       ,           ,          ,         ,
      While oth|er jests | are some|thing rank | on foot,
            ,       ,         ,      ,         ,
      Her fath|er hath | command|ed her | to slip
        ,           ,        ,      ,           ,     2->
      Away | with Slend|er, and | with him,| at Et||on
         ,      ,     ,      ,            ,      ,
      immediately to marry: she hath consented: Now sir,  ????
           ,        ,       ,         ,            ,
      Her moth|er (ev|en strong | against | that match
            ,         ,       ,        ,        ,      2->
      And firm | for doc|tor Cai|us) hath | appoint||ed
            ,           ,    ,    ,              ,
      That he | shall like|wise shuf/fle her | away,
             ,        ,           ,       ,           ,
      While oth|er sports | are task|ing of | their minds,
           ,         ,   2     ,          ,         ,
      And at | the dean|ery, where | a priest | attends
         ,      ,                ,         ,          ,
      Straight mar/ry her:| to this | her moth|er's plot
            ,       ,     ,   2      ,         ,
      (She seem|ingly | obed|ient) like|wise^hath
            ,        ,         ,       ,        2     ,
      Made^prom|ise to | the doc|tor: Now,| thus^it rests,
           ,        ,           ,         ,         ,
      Her fath|er means | she shall | be all | in white;
       ,    2        ,             ,        ,          ,
      And in that | habit,| when Slend|er sees | his time
           ,         ,         ,         ,         ,
      To take | her by | the hand,| and bid | her go,
         2       ,         ,         ,        ,       ,      2->
      She shall go | with him:| her moth|er hath | inten||ded
            ,       ,       ,     ,    2       ,
      (The bet|ter to | denote | her to the | doctor;
            ,          ,          ,          ,     ,
      For they | must all | be masked,| and viz|arded)
              ,          ,           ,          ,         ,
      That quaint | in green,| she shall | be loose | enrobed,
            ,         ,         ,         ,          ,
      With rib|ands pend|ant, flar|ing 'bout | her head;
            ,          ,       ,           ,        ,
      And when | the doc|tor spies | his vant|age ripe,
           ,          ,         ,         ,          x
      To pinch | her by | the hand,| and on | that token,
            ,           x          ,        ,         ,
      The maid | hath given | consent | to go | with him.
 
HOST
              ,      ,    2     ,      ,            ,
      Which^ means | she to de|ceive? Fath/er, or | mother.
 
FENTON
        ,                ,        ,      ,          ,
      Both (my | good* host)| to go | along | with me:
            ,         ,             ,          ,         ,     2->
      And here | it rests,| that you'll | procure | the vi||car
           ,         ,         ,               ,          ,
      To stay | for me | at church,| 'twixt^twelve,| and one,
           ,        ,        ,        ,     ,
      And in | the law|ful name | of mar|rying,
           ,           ,       ,      ,    ,     ->
      To give | our hearts | unit|ed cer|emo||ny.
 
HOST
        ,     ,            2    ,      ,    2       ,
      Well,| husband | your device;| I'll to the | vicar,
        ,               ,          ,           ,         ,
      Bring you | the maid,| you shall | not lack | a priest.
 
FENTON
           ,       ,      ,         ,          ,
      So shall | I ev|ermore | be bound | to thee;
          ,            ,       ,        ,      ,
      Besides,| I'll make | a pres|ent rec|ompense.
 
[Exeunt]

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