We shall find a time, Audrey; patience, gentle Audrey.
Faith, the priest was good enough, for all the old
gentleman's saying.
A most wicked Sir Oliver, Audrey, a most vile
Martext. But, Audrey, there is a youth here in the
forest lays claim to you.
Ay, I know who 'tis; he hath no interest in me in
the world: here comes the man you mean.
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.
Good even, Audrey.
God ye good even, William.
And good even to you, sir.
Good even, gentle friend. Cover thy head, cover thy
head; nay, prithee, be covered. How old are you, friend?
Five and twenty, sir.
A ripe age. Is thy name William?
William, sir.
A fair name. Wast born i' the forest here?
Ay, sir, I thank God.
'Thank God;' a good answer. Art rich?
Faith, sir, so so.
'So so' is good, very good, very excellent good; and
yet it is not; it is but so so. Art thou wise?
Ay, sir, I have a pretty wit.
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 do love this maid?
I do, sir.
Give me your hand. Art thou learned?
No, sir.
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.
Which he, sir?
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.
Do, good William.
God rest you merry, sir.
Our master and mistress seeks you; come, away, away!
Trip, Audrey! trip, Audrey! I attend, I attend.