Printable version of this page

As You Like It: Act 5 Scene 1

Scene I The forest.

[Enter TOUCHSTONE and AUDREY]

TOUCHSTONE

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

AUDREY

Faith, the priest was good enough, for all the old

gentleman's saying.

TOUCHSTONE

A most wicked Sir Oliver, Audrey, a most vile

Martext. But, Audrey, there is a youth here in the

forest lays claim to you.

AUDREY

Ay, I know who 'tis; he hath no interest in me in

the world: here comes the man you mean.

TOUCHSTONE

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]

WILLIAM

Good even, Audrey.

AUDREY

God ye good even, William.

WILLIAM

And good even to you, sir.

TOUCHSTONE

Good even, gentle friend. Cover thy head, cover thy

head; nay, prithee, be covered. How old are you, friend?

WILLIAM

Five and twenty, sir.

TOUCHSTONE

A ripe age. Is thy name William?

WILLIAM

William, sir.

TOUCHSTONE

A fair name. Wast born i' the forest here?

WILLIAM

Ay, sir, I thank God.

TOUCHSTONE

'Thank God;' a good answer. Art rich?

WILLIAM

Faith, sir, so so.

TOUCHSTONE

'So so' is good, very good, very excellent good; and

yet it is not; it is but so so. Art thou wise?

WILLIAM

Ay, sir, I have a pretty wit.

TOUCHSTONE

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?

WILLIAM

I do, sir.

TOUCHSTONE

Give me your hand. Art thou learned?

WILLIAM

No, sir.

TOUCHSTONE

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.

WILLIAM

Which he, sir?

TOUCHSTONE

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.

AUDREY

Do, good William.

WILLIAM

God rest you merry, sir.

[Exit]

[Enter CORIN]

CORIN

Our master and mistress seeks you; come, away, away!

TOUCHSTONE

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

[Exeunt]