Act 5, Scene 1
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.
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.
Corin
Our master and mistress seeks you; come, away, away!
Touchstone
Trip, Audrey! trip, Audrey! I attend, I attend.