Anne. 
May be he tells you true.

Fenton. 
No, heaven so speed me in my time to come! 
Albeit I will confess thy father’s wealth
Was the first motive that I wooed thee, Anne: 
Yet, wooing thee, I found thee of more value
Than stamps in gold, or sums in sealed bags;
And ’tis the very riches of thyself
That now I aim at.

Anne. 
Gentle Master Fenton,
Yet seek my father’s love; still seek it, sir. 
If opportunity and humblest suit
Cannot attain it, why then,—­hark you hither.

[They converse apart.]

[Enter shallow, slender, and mistress quickly.]

Shallow. 
Break their talk, Mistress Quickly:  my kinsman shall speak for himself.

Slender. 
I’ll make a shaft or a bolt on ’t.  ’Slid, ’tis but venturing.

Shallow. 
Be not dismayed.

Slender. 
No, she shall not dismay me.  I care not for that, but that I am afeard.

Quickly. 
Hark ye; Master Slender would speak a word with you.

Anne. 
I come to him. [Aside.] This is my father’s choice. 
O, what a world of vile ill-favour’d faults
Looks handsome in three hundred pounds a year!

Quickly. 
And how does good Master Fenton?  Pray you, a
word with you.

Shallow. 
She’s coming; to her, coz.  O boy, thou hadst a father!

Slender.  I had a father, Mistress Anne; my uncle can tell you good jests of him.  Pray you, uncle, tell Mistress Anne the jest how my father stole two geese out of a pen, good uncle.

Shallow. 
Mistress Anne, my cousin loves you.

Slender. 
Ay, that I do; as well as I love any woman in Gloucestershire.

Shallow. 
He will maintain you like a gentlewoman.

Slender. 
Ay, that I will come cut and long-tail, under the degree of a squire.

Shallow. 
He will make you a hundred and fifty pounds jointure.

Anne. 
Good Master Shallow, let him woo for himself.

Shallow. 
Marry, I thank you for it; I thank you for that good comfort.  She
calls you, coz; I’ll leave you.

Anne. 
Now, Master Slender.

Slender. 
Now, good Mistress Anne.—­

Anne. 
What is your will?

Slender. 
My will! ’od’s heartlings, that’s a pretty jest indeed!  I ne’er
made my will yet, I thank heaven; I am not such a sickly creature,
I give heaven praise.

Anne. 
I mean, Master Slender, what would you with me?

Slender.  Truly, for mine own part I would little or nothing with you.  Your father and my uncle hath made motions; if it be my luck, so; if not, happy man be his dole!  They can tell you how things go better than I can.  You may ask your father; here he comes.