SCENE I.
The Forest.
Enter Clown, and Audrey.
Clo.
We shall find a time, Audrey; patience, gentle
Audrey.
Aud.
'Faith, the priest was good enough, for all the
old gentleman's saying.
-- 368 --
Clo.
A most wicked sir Oliver, Audrey, a most vile
Mar-text. 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 man you mean.
Enter William.
Clo.
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 even, Audrey.
Aud.
God ye good even, William.
Will.
And good even to you, sir.
Clo.
Good even, gentle friend: Cover thy head,
cover thy head; nay, pr'ythee, be cover'd. How
old are you, friend?
Will.
Five and twenty, sir.
Clo.
A ripe age: Is thy name, William?
Will.
William, sir.
Clo.
A fair name: Wast born i'the forest here?
Will.
Ay, sir, I thank God.
Clo.
Thank God;—a good answer: Art rich?
Will.
'Faith, sir, so, so.
Clo.
So, so; 'Tis 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.
Clo.
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. 7 note
The heathen philosopher,
-- 369 --
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.
Clo.
Give me your hand: Art thou learned?
Will.
No, sir.
Clo.
Then learn this of me; To have, is to have:
For it is a figure in rhetorick, 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.
Clo.
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: 8 note
I will deal in poison with thee,
or in bastinado, or in steel; I will bandy with thee in
faction; I will over-run 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.
-- 370 --
Enter Corin.
Cor.
Our master and mistress seek you; come, away,
away.
Clo.
Trip, Audrey, trip, Audrey; I attend, I attend.
[Exeunt.
Samuel Johnson [1778], The plays of William Shakspeare. In ten volumes. With the corrections and illustrations of various commentators; to which are added notes by Samuel Johnson and George Steevens. The second edition, Revised and Augmented (Printed for C. Bathurst [and] W. Strahan [etc.], London) [word count] [S10901].