The Merry Wives of Windsor

William Shakespeare

• Publisher: Read & Co. Classics
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN:
  9781528705202
• eBook ISBN:
  9781528785624
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

Read & Co. Classics presents this new beautiful edition of William Shakespeare's play, "The Merry Wives of Windsor", featuring a specially commissioned new biography of William Shakespeare. Set in the English town of Windsor, this play revolves around the antics of fictional character Sir John Falstaff and his attempts to seduce two housewives in order to access their husbands' fortunes. However, luck doesn't go his way and he is outsmarted and subjected to public ridicule. Falstaff is considered one of the Shakespeare's most famous comic characters and he appears in four of Shakespeare's history plays. William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616) was an English playwright, poet, and actor. He is considered to be the greatest writer in the English language and is celebrated as the world's most famous dramatist.

ACT III.

SCENE I. A Field near Frogmore.

[Enter SIR HUGH EVANS and SIMPLE.]

EVANS.
I pray you now, good Master Slender's serving-man, and friend Simple by your name, which way have you looked for Master Caius, that calls himself doctor of physic?

SIMPLE.
Marry, sir, the pittie-ward, the park-ward, every way; old Windsor way, and every way but the town way.

EVANS.
I most fehemently desire you you will also look that way.

SIMPLE.
I will, Sir.

[Exit SIMPLE.]

EVANS.
Pless my soul, how full of chollors I am, and trempling of mind! I shall be glad if he have deceived me. How melancholies I am! I will knog his urinals about his knave's costard when I have goot opportunities for the 'ork: pless my soul!

[Sings]

To shallow rivers, to whose falls
Melodious birds sings madrigals;
There will we make our peds of roses,
And a thousand fragrant posies.
To shallow —

Mercy on me! I have a great dispositions to cry.

[Sings]

Melodious birds sing madrigals, —
Whenas I sat in Pabylon, —
And a thousand vagram posies.
To shallow, —

[Re-enter SIMPLE.]

SIMPLE.
Yonder he is, coming this way, Sir Hugh.

EVANS.
He's welcome.
[Sings]

To shallow rivers, to whose falls —
Heaven prosper the right! — What weapons is he?

SIMPLE.
No weapons, sir. There comes my master, Master Shallow, and another gentleman, from Frogmore, over the stile, this way.

EVANS.
Pray you give me my gown; or else keep it in your arms.

[Reads in a book.]

[Enter PAGE, SHALLOW, and SLENDER.]

SHALLOW.
How now, Master Parson! Good morrow, good Sir Hugh. Keep a gamester from the dice, and a good student from his book, and it is wonderful.

SLENDER.
[Aside] Ah, sweet Anne Page!

PAGE.
'Save you, good Sir Hugh!

EVANS.
Pless you from his mercy sake, all of you!

SHALLOW.
What, the sword and the word! Do you study them both, Master Parson?

PAGE.
And youthful still, in your doublet and hose, this raw rheumatic day!

EVANS.
There is reasons and causes for it.

PAGE.
We are come to you to do a good office, Master Parson.

EVANS.
Fery well; what is it?

PAGE.
Yonder is a most reverend gentleman, who, belike havi...

Table of contents

• William Shakespeare
• DRAMATIS PERSONÆ
• ACT I.
• ACT II.
• ACT III.
• ACT IV.
• ACT V.
• TO THE MEMORY OF MY BELOVED THE AUTHOR, MR. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE