Audrey.
Clo.
To morrow is the joyful day, Audrey: to
morrow will we be married.
&wlquo;Aud.
&wlquo;I do desire it with all my heart; and, I
hope, it is no dishonest desire, to desire to be a
woman of the world.&wrquo; Here come two of the
banish'd Duke's pages.
Enter two pages.
1 Page.
Well met, honest gentleman.
Clo.
By my troth, well met: come, sit, sit, and a Song.
2 Page.
We are for you, sit i'th' middle.
1 Page.
Shall we clap into't roundly, without
hawking, or spitting, or saying we are hoarse, which
are the only prologues to a bad voice?
2 Page.
I'faith, i'faith, and both in a tune, like
two Gypsies on a horse.
SONG.
It was a lover and his lass,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
That o'er the green corn-field did pass
In the spring time; the pretty spring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding,
Sweet lovers love the spring.
And therefore take the present time,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino;
For love is crowned with the prime,
In the spring time, &c.
-- 377 --
Between the acres of the rye,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
These pretty country-folks would lye,
In the spring time, &c.
The Carrol they began that hour,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
How that a life was but a flower,
In the spring time, &c.
Clo.
Truly, young gentleman, though there was no
great matter in the ditty, yet the note was very
(a) noteuntimeable.
1 Page.
You are deceiv'd, Sir, we kept time, we
lost not our time.
Clo.
By my troth, yes: I count it but time lost to
hear such a foolish Song. God b'w'y you, and God
mend your voices. Come, Audrey.
[Exeunt.
Alexander Pope [1747], The works of Shakespear in eight volumes. The Genuine Text (collated with all the former Editions, and then corrected and emended) is here settled: Being restored from the Blunders of the first Editors, and the Interpolations of the two Last: with A Comment and Notes, Critical and Explanatory. By Mr. Pope and Mr. Warburton (Printed for J. and P. Knapton, [and] S. Birt [etc.], London) [word count] [S11301].
