SCENE I
The forest.Enter TOUCHSTONE and AUDREY.
Touch.
We shall find a time, Audrey; patience,
gentle Audrey.
Aud.
Faith, the priest was good enough,
for all the old gentleman's saying.
Touch.
A most wicked Sir Oliver, Audrey,
a most vile Martext. But, Audrey, there is a
youth here in the forest lays claim to you.
Aud.
Ay, I know who 'tis; he hath no interest
in me in the world: here comes the (10)
man you mean.
Touch.
It is meat and drink to me to see a
clown: by my troth, we that have good wits
have much to answer for; we shall be flouting;
we cannot hold. Enter WILLIAM.
Will.
Good even, Audrey.
Aud.
God ye good even, William.
Will.
And good even to you, sir.
Touch.
Good even, gentle friend. Cover
thy head, cover thy head; nay, prithee, be (20)
covered. How old are you, friend?
Will.
Five and twenty, sir.
Touch.
A ripe age. Is thy name William?
Will.
William, sir.
Touch.
A fair name. Wast born i' the forest
here?
Will.
Ay, sir, I thank God.
Touch.
'Thank God;' a good answer. Art rich?
Will.
Faith, sir, so so.
Touch.
'So so' is good, very good, very
excellent good; and yet it is not; it is but so (31)
so. Art thou wise?
Will.
Ay, sir, I have a pretty wit.
Touch.
Why, thou sayest well. I do now
remember a saying, 'The fool doth think he is
wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a
fool.' The heathen philosopher, when he had a
desire to eat a grape, would open his lips when
he put it into his mouth; meaning thereby that
grapes were made to eat and lips to open. You (40)
do love this maid?
Will.
I do, sir.
Touch.
Give me your hand. Art thou learned?
Will.
No, sir.
Touch.
Then learn this of me: to have, is
to have; for it is a figure in rhetoric that
drink, being poured out of a cup into a glass,
by filling the one doth empty the other; for all
your writers do consent that ipse is he: now,
you are not ipse, for I am he. (50)
Will.
Which he, sir?
Touch.
He, sir, that must marry this
woman. Therefore, you clown, abandon,--
which is in the vulgar leave,--the society,--
which in the boorish is company,--of this female,
--which in the common is woman; which
together is, abandon the society of this female,
or, clown, thou perishest; or, to thy better
understanding, diest; or, to wit, I kill thee,
make thee away, translate thy life into death,
thy liberty into bondage: I will deal in poison
with thee, or in bastinado, or in steel; I will
bandy with thee in faction; I will o'errun
thee with policy; I will kill thee a hundred
and fifty ways: therefore tremble, and depart.
Aud.
Do, good William.
Will.
God rest you merry, sir. [Exit.
Enter CORIN.
Cor.
Our master and mistress seeks you;
come, away, away!
Touch.
Trip, Audrey! trip, Audrey! I attend,
I attend. [Exeunt.
