First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
| |
Enter Page, Ford, Mistris Page, Mistris Ford, and | Enter Page, Ford, Mistress Page, Mistress Ford, and | | MW IV.iv.1.1 | |
Euans. | Evans | | MW IV.iv.1.2 | |
Eua. | EVANS | | | |
'Tis one of the best discretions of a o'man as euer | 'Tis one of the best discretions of a 'oman as ever | | MW IV.iv.1 | |
I did looke vpon. | I did look upon. | | MW IV.iv.2 | |
Page. | PAGE | | | |
And did he send you both these Letters at an instant? | And did he send you both these letters at an instant? | instant, at anat the same time, simultaneously | MW IV.iv.3 | |
Mist. Page. | MISTRESS PAGE | | | |
Within a quarter of an houre. | Within a quarter of an hour. | | MW IV.iv.4 | |
Ford. | FORD | | | |
Pardon me (wife) henceforth do what yu wilt: | Pardon me, wife. Henceforth do what thou wilt. | | MW IV.iv.5 | |
I rather will suspect the Sunne with gold, | I rather will suspect the sun with cold | | MW IV.iv.6 | |
Then thee with wantonnes: Now doth thy honor stand | Than thee with wantonness. Now doth thy honour stand, | wantonness (n.)lust, lasciviousness, promiscuity | MW IV.iv.7 | |
(In him that was of late an Heretike) | In him that was of late an heretic, | | MW IV.iv.8 | |
As firme as faith. | As firm as faith. | | MW IV.iv.9.1 | |
Page. | PAGE | | | |
'Tis well, 'tis well, no more: | 'Tis well, 'tis well. No more. | | MW IV.iv.9.2 | |
Be not as extreme in submission, | Be not as extreme in submission | submission (n.)compliance, deference, obedience | MW IV.iv.10 | |
as in offence, | As in offence. | | MW IV.iv.11 | |
But let our plot go forward: Let our wiues | But let our plot go forward. Let our wives | | MW IV.iv.12 | |
Yet once againe (to make vs publike sport) | Yet once again, to make us public sport, | sport (n.)recreation, amusement, entertainment | MW IV.iv.13 | |
| | sport (n.)subject of sport | | |
Appoint a meeting with this old fat-fellow, | Appoint a meeting with this old fat fellow, | | MW IV.iv.14 | |
Where we may take him, and disgrace him for it. | Where we may take him and disgrace him for it. | | MW IV.iv.15 | |
Ford. | FORD | | | |
There is no better way then that they spoke of. | There is no better way than that they spoke of. | | MW IV.iv.16 | |
Page. | PAGE | | | |
How? to send him word they'll meete him in the | How? To send him word they'll meet him in the | | MW IV.iv.17 | |
Parke at midnight? Fie, fie, he'll neuer come. | Park at midnight? Fie, fie, he'll never come. | | MW IV.iv.18 | |
Eu. | EVANS | | | |
You say he has bin throwne in the Riuers: and has | You say he has been thrown in the rivers, and has | | MW IV.iv.19 | |
bin greeuously peaten, as an old o'man: me-thinkes there | been grievously peaten as an old 'oman. Methinks there | grievously (adv.)seriously, greatly | MW IV.iv.20 | |
should be terrors in him, that he should not come: | should be terrors in him, that he should not come. | methinks(t), methought(s) (v.)it seems / seemed to me | MW IV.iv.21 | |
Me-thinkes his flesh is punish'd, hee shall haue no desires. | Methinks his flesh is punished; he shall have no desires. | | MW IV.iv.22 | |
Page. | PAGE | | | |
So thinke I too. | So think I too. | | MW IV.iv.23 | |
M. Ford. | MISTRESS FORD | | | |
Deuise but how you'l vse him whẽ he comes, | Devise but how you'll use him when he comes, | use (v.)treat, deal with, manage | MW IV.iv.24 | |
And let vs two deuise to bring him thether. | And let us two devise to bring him thither. | | MW IV.iv.25 | |
Mis. Page. | MISTRESS PAGE | | | |
There is an old tale goes, that Herne the Hunter | There is an old tale goes that Herne the Hunter, | | MW IV.iv.26 | |
(sometime a keeper heere in Windsor Forrest) | Sometime a keeper here in Windsor Forest, | sometime (adv.)formerly, at one time, once | MW IV.iv.27 | |
Doth all the winter time, at still midnight | Doth all the winter-time, at still midnight, | | MW IV.iv.28 | |
Walke round about an Oake, with great rag'd-hornes, | Walk round about an oak, with great ragg'd horns; | ragged (adj.)broken, jagged, fragmented | MW IV.iv.29 | |
And there he blasts the tree, and takes the cattle, | And there he blasts the tree, and takes the cattle, | take (v.)bewitch, take possession of, take into one's power | MW IV.iv.30 | |
| | blast (v.)blight, wither, destroy | | |
And make milch-kine yeeld blood, and shakes a chaine | And makes milch-kine yield blood, and shakes a chain | milch-kine (n.)dairy-milk cows | MW IV.iv.31 | |
In a most hideous and dreadfull manner. | In a most hideous and dreadful manner. | | MW IV.iv.32 | |
You haue heard of such a Spirit, and well you know | You have heard of such a spirit, and well you know | | MW IV.iv.33 | |
The superstitious idle-headed-Eld | The superstitious idle-headed eld | eld (n.)men of old, people from former times | MW IV.iv.34 | |
| | idle-headed (adj.)ignorant, foolish, superstitious | | |
Receiu'd, and did deliuer to our age | Received and did deliver to our age | | MW IV.iv.35 | |
This tale of Herne the Hunter, for a truth. | This tale of Herne the Hunter for a truth. | | MW IV.iv.36 | |
Page. | PAGE | | | |
Why yet there want not many that do feare | Why, yet there want not many that do fear | want (v.)lack, need, be without | MW IV.iv.37 | |
In deepe of night to walke by this Hernes Oake: | In deep of night to walk by this Herne's Oak. | deep (n.)depths, middle | MW IV.iv.38 | |
But what of this? | But what of this? | | MW IV.iv.39.1 | |
Mist. Ford. | MISTRESS FORD | | | |
Marry this is our deuise, | Marry, this is our device: | marry (int.)[exclamation] by Mary | MW IV.iv.39.2 | |
| | device (n.)plot, stratagem, trick | | |
That Falstaffe at that Oake shall meete with vs. | That Falstaff at that oak shall meet with us, | | MW IV.iv.40 | |
| Disguised like Herne, with huge horns on his head. | | MW IV.iv.41 | |
Page. | PAGE | | | |
Well, let it not be doubted but he'll come, | Well, let it not be doubted but he'll come. | | MW IV.iv.42 | |
And in this shape, when you haue brought him thether, | And in this shape, when you have brought him thither, | | MW IV.iv.43 | |
What shall be done with him? What is your plot? | What shall be done with him? What is your plot? | | MW IV.iv.44 | |
Mist.Pa. | MISTRESS PAGE | | | |
That likewise haue we thoght vpon: & thus: | That likewise have we thought upon, and thus: | | MW IV.iv.45 | |
Nan Page (my daughter) and my little sonne, | Nan Page my daughter, and my little son, | | MW IV.iv.46 | |
And three or foure more of their growth, wee'l dresse | And three or four more of their growth, we'll dress | | MW IV.iv.47 | |
Like Vrchins, Ouphes, and Fairies, greene and white, | Like urchins, ouphes, and fairies, green and white, | ouph, oaf (n.)elf, elfen child, changeling | MW IV.iv.48 | |
| | urchin (n.)spirit in hedgehog form, goblin | | |
With rounds of waxen Tapers on their heads, | With rounds of waxen tapers on their heads, | round (n.)circlet, ring, crown | MW IV.iv.49 | |
| | taper (n.)candle | | |
And rattles in their hands; vpon a sodaine, | And rattles in their hands. Upon a sudden, | | MW IV.iv.50 | |
As Falstaffe, she, and I, are newly met, | As Falstaff, she, and I are newly met, | | MW IV.iv.51 | |
Let them from forth a saw-pit rush at once | Let them from forth a sawpit rush at once | sawpit (n.)pit used for sawing wood | MW IV.iv.52 | |
With some diffused song: Vpon their sight | With some diffused song. Upon their sight, | diffused (adj.)disorderly, mixed-up, jumbled | MW IV.iv.53 | |
We two, in great amazednesse will flye: | We two in great amazedness will fly. | | MW IV.iv.54 | |
Then let them all encircle him about, | Then let them all encircle him about, | | MW IV.iv.55 | |
And Fairy-like to pinch the vncleane Knight; | And, fairy-like, to pinch the unclean knight, | | MW IV.iv.56 | |
And aske him why that houre of Fairy Reuell, | And ask him why, that hour of fairy revel, | | MW IV.iv.57 | |
In their so sacred pathes, he dares to tread | In their so sacred paths he dares to tread | | MW IV.iv.58 | |
In shape prophane. | In shape profane. | | MW IV.iv.59.1 | |
Ford. | MISTRESS FORD | | | |
And till he tell the truth, | And till he tell the truth, | | MW IV.iv.59.2 | |
Let the supposed Fairies pinch him, sound, | Let the supposed fairies pinch him sound | supposed (adj.)pretended, false, counterfeit | MW IV.iv.60 | |
| | sound (adv.)soundly, heartily, vigorously | | |
And burne him with their Tapers. | And burn him with their tapers. | | MW IV.iv.61.1 | |
Mist. Page. | MISTRESS PAGE | | | |
The truth being knowne, | The truth being known, | | MW IV.iv.61.2 | |
We'll all present our selues; dis-horne the spirit, | We'll all present ourselves, dis-horn the spirit, | | MW IV.iv.62 | |
And mocke him home to Windsor. | And mock him home to Windsor. | | MW IV.iv.63.1 | |
Ford. | FORD | | | |
The children must | The children must | | MW IV.iv.63.2 | |
Be practis'd well to this, or they'll neu'r doo't. | Be practised well to this, or they'll ne'er do't. | | MW IV.iv.64 | |
Eua. | EVANS | | | |
I will teach the children their behauiours: and I | I will teach the children their behaviours, and I | | MW IV.iv.65 | |
will be like a Iacke-an-Apes also, to burne the Knight with | will be like a jackanapes also, to burn the knight with | jackanapes, jackanape, jack'nape (n.)upstart, buffoon, monkey | MW IV.iv.66 | |
my Taber. | my taber. | | MW IV.iv.67 | |
Ford. | FORD | | | |
That will be excellent, / Ile go buy them vizards. | That will be excellent. I'll go buy them vizards. | vizard (n.)mask, visor | MW IV.iv.68 | |
Mist. Page. | MISTRESS PAGE | | | |
My Nan shall be the Queene of all the Fairies, | My Nan shall be the Queen of all the Fairies, | | MW IV.iv.69 | |
finely attired in a robe of white. | Finely attired in a robe of white. | | MW IV.iv.70 | |
Page. | PAGE | | | |
That silke will I go buy, and in that time | That silk will I go buy. (Aside) And in that time | | MW IV.iv.71 | |
Shall M. Slender steale my Nan away, | Shall Master Slender steal my Nan away | | MW IV.iv.72 | |
And marry her at Eaton: go, send to Falstaffe straight. | And marry her at Eton. (To them) Go, send to Falstaff straight. | straight (adv.)straightaway, immediately, at once | MW IV.iv.73 | |
Ford. | FORD | | | |
Nay, Ile to him againe in name of Broome, | Nay, I'll to him again in name of Brook. | | MW IV.iv.74 | |
Hee'l tell me all his purpose: sure hee'l come. | He'll tell me all his purpose. Sure, he'll come. | purpose (n.)intention, aim, plan | MW IV.iv.75 | |
Mist. Page. | MISTRESS PAGE | | | |
Feare not you that: Go get vs properties | Fear not you that. Go get us properties | property (n.)(plural) stage requisites, accessories, props | MW IV.iv.76 | |
And tricking for our Fayries. | And tricking for our fairies. | tricking (n.)costumes, ornamentation, decking out, costumery | MW IV.iv.77 | |
Euans. | EVANS | | | |
Let vs about it, / It is admirable pleasures, and ferry | Let us about it. It is admirable pleasures and fery | | MW IV.iv.78 | |
honest knaueries. | honest knaveries. | | MW IV.iv.79 | |
| Exeunt Page, Ford, and Evans | | MW IV.iv.79 | |
Mis. Page. | MISTRESS PAGE | | | |
Go Mist. Ford, | Go, Mistress Ford, | | MW IV.iv.80 | |
Send quickly to Sir Iohn, to know his minde: | Send Quickly to Sir John, to know his mind. | | MW IV.iv.81 | |
| Exit Mistress Ford | | MW IV.iv.81 | |
Ile to the Doctor, he hath my good will, | I'll to the doctor. He hath my good will, | | MW IV.iv.82 | |
And none but he to marry with Nan Page: | And none but he, to marry with Nan Page. | | MW IV.iv.83 | |
That Slender (though well landed) is an Ideot: | That Slender, though well landed, is an idiot; | landed (adj.)possessed of land, having property | MW IV.iv.84 | |
And he, my husband best of all affects: | And he my husband best of all affects. | | MW IV.iv.85 | |
The Doctor is well monied, and his friends | The doctor is well moneyed, and his friends | | MW IV.iv.86 | |
Potent at Court: he, none but he shall haue her, | Potent at court. He, none but he, shall have her, | | MW IV.iv.87 | |
Though twenty thousand worthier come to craue her. | Though twenty thousand worthier come to crave her. | worthy (adj.)of worth, of value, deserving | MW IV.iv.88 | |
| | crave (v.)beg, entreat, request | | |
| Exit | | MW IV.iv.88 | |