Let’s Cast Away Care

[Chorus, overlapping]
Let's cast away care and merrily sing
There is a time for everything
He that plays at his work, and works in his play
Neither keeps working, nor yet holiday
Set business aside and let us merry merrily sing

[Chorus, in unison]
Let's cast away care and merrily sing
There is a time for everything
A time for everything

{Shallow, SPOKEN]
Sir Hugh, persuade me not; I will make a Star-Chamber matter of I: were he twenty Sir John Falstaffs

[Evans]
There is another device in my brain, which peradventure brings good discretions with it: there is Mistress Anne Page

[Slender]
Mistress Anne Page?

[Evans]
It is that very person for all the world:

[SUNG]
Seven hundred pounds in silver and gold
Is hers the day she turns eighteen

[Shallow]
Seven hundred?

[Evans]
Seven hundred...

[Both]
Seven hundred pounds

[Evans]
When she turns eighteen

[Chorus]
Let's cast away care and merrily sing...

[Evans]
Let us fix a match
'Twixt Slender and her
And I will act as go-between

[Shallow]
Seven hundred?

[Evans]
Seven hundred...

[Both]
Seven hundred pounds

[Evans]
I'll be go-between

[Chorus]
Let's cast away care and merrily sing...

[Evans, SPOKEN]
What ho!

[Page]
Who's there?

[Evans]
The parson Evans, Justice Shallow, and here Young Master Slender

[Page]
Come in gentlemen, I hope we shall drink down all unkindness

[Chorus, SUNG]
Let's cast away care and merrily sing
There is a time for everything
A time for everything