William Shakespeare: The Merry Wives of Windsor

ACT I. SCENE 1. Windsor. Before PAGE'S house. (continued)

BARDOLPH.
And being fap, sir, was, as they say, cashier'd;
and so conclusions passed the careires.

SLENDER.
Ay, you spake in Latin then too; but 'tis no matter;
I'll ne'er be drunk whilst I live again, but in honest,
civil, godly company, for this trick; if I be drunk, I'll be
drunk with those that have the fear of God, and not with
drunken knaves.

EVANS.
So Got udge me, that is a virtuous mind.

FALSTAFF.
You hear all these matters denied, gentlemen; you
hear it.

[Enter ANNE PAGE with wine; MISTRESS FORD and MISTRESS PAGE.]

PAGE.
Nay, daughter, carry the wine in; we'll drink within.

[Exit ANNE PAGE.]

SLENDER.
O heaven! this is Mistress Anne Page.

PAGE.
How now, Mistress Ford!

FALSTAFF.
Mistress Ford, by my troth, you are very well
met; by your leave, good mistress. [Kissing her.]

PAGE.
Wife, bid these gentlemen welcome. Come, we have a
hot venison pasty to dinner; come, gentlemen, I hope we
shall drink down all unkindness.

[Exeunt all but SHALLOW, SLENDER, and EVANS.]

SLENDER.
I had rather than forty shillings I had my Book of
Songs and Sonnets here.

[Enter SIMPLE.]

How, Simple! Where have you been? I must wait on
myself, must I? You have not the Book of Riddles about you,
have you?

SIMPLE.
Book of Riddles! why, did you not lend it to Alice
Shortcake upon Allhallowmas last, a fortnight afore
Michaelmas?

SHALLOW.
Come, coz; come, coz; we stay for you. A word
with you, coz; marry, this, coz: there is, as 'twere, a
tender, a kind of tender, made afar off by Sir Hugh here: do
you understand me?