Falstaff woos Mistress Ford?! | Act III scene 3 | The Merry Wives of Windsor (2025)

'O how I love thee!'

The Merry Wives of Windsor - Mistress Ford and Mistress Page, prepare for more tricks from Sir John Falstaff. However things don't go as planned for Mistress Ford when she receives instead...a declaration of love?

Directed by Globe Associate Artistic Director Sean Holmes, don't miss the last few weeks of this 'spellbinding' ★★★★ (London Theatre) production of The Merry Wives of Windsor, playing in the Globe Theatre until 20 September 2025: https://bit.ly/MerryWivesOfWindsorGlo...

_____________________

00:00 MISTRESS FORD Go tell thy master I am alone.
Mistress Page, remember you your
cue.
MISTRESS PAGE I warrant thee. If I do not act it, hiss
me.
MISTRESS FORD Go to, then. We’ll use this unwholesome
humidity, this gross-wat’ry pumpion. We’ll
teach him to know turtles from jays.
00:33 FALSTAFF “Have I caught thee, my heavenly jewel?”
Why, now let me die, for I have lived long enough.
This is the period of my ambition. O, blessèd
hour!
MISTRESS FORD O, sweet Sir John!
FALSTAFF Mistress Ford, I cannot cog. I cannot prate,
Mistress Ford. Now shall I sin in my wish: I would
thy husband were dead. I’ll speak it before the best
lord: I would make thee my lady.
MISTRESS FORD I your lady, Sir John? Alas, I should be
a pitiful lady.
01:10 FALSTAFF Let the court of France show me such
another. Thou hast the right arched beauty of the
brow that becomes the ship-tire, the tire-valiant,
or any tire of Venetian admittance.
MISTRESS FORD A plain kerchief, Sir John. My brows
become nothing else, nor that well neither.
FALSTAFF Thou art a tyrant to say so.
I see what thou wert,
if Fortune thy foe were not, Nature thy friend.
Come, thou canst not hide it.
MISTRESS FORD Believe me, there’s no such thing in
me.
01:41 FALSTAFF What made me love thee? Let that persuade
thee. There’s something extraordinary in thee.
Come, I cannot cog and say thou art this and that
like a many of these lisping hawthorn buds that
come like women in men’s apparel and smell like
Bucklersbury in simple time. I cannot. But I love
thee, none but thee; and thou deserv’st it.
02:20 MISTRESS FORD Do not betray me, sir. I fear you love
Mistress Page.
FALSTAFF Thou mightst as well say I love to walk by
the Counter gate, which is as hateful to me as the
reek of a lime-kiln.
MISTRESS FORD Well, heaven knows how I love you

_____________________

ABOUT SHAKESPEARE'S GLOBE

Shakespeare’s Globe is a world-renowned performing arts venue, cultural attraction and education centre located on the bank of the River Thames in London, UK, and is home to the Globe Theatre and Sam Wanamaker Playhouse.

We celebrate Shakespeare’s transformative impact on the world by conducting a radical theatrical experiment. Inspired and informed by the unique historic playing conditions of two beautiful iconic theatres, our diverse programme of work harnesses the power of performance, cultivates intellectual curiosity and excites learning to make Shakespeare accessible for all.

‘And let us ... on your imaginary forces work.’
— Henry V, Prologue

Discover more: https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/

_____________________

Comment 'What you egg!' if you made it this far 🥚