Touchstone.

We shall find a time, Audrey; patience, gentle Audrey.

Audrey.

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 the world. Here comes the 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.

Will.

Good ev'n, Audrey.

Aud.

God ye good ev'n, William.

Will.

And good ev'n to you, sir.

Touch.

Good ev'n, gentle friend. Cover thy head, cover thy head; nay, pr'ythee be cover'd. 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'th' forest here?

Will.

Ay, sir, I thank Heav'n.

Touch.

Thank Heav'n. 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, so. Art thou wise?

Will.

Ay, sir, I have a pretty wit.

Touch.

Why, thou say'st 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?

Will.

I do, sir.

Touch.

Give me thy 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.

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, deist; 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'er-run thee with policy, I will kill thee a hundred and fifty ways; therefore tremble, and depart.

Aud.

Do, good William.

Will.

Heav'n rest you merry, sir.* ^note

Touch.

Trip, Audrey, trip, Audrey. I attend, I attend.

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