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  • Title: As You Like It (Folio 1, 1623)
  • Editor: David Bevington

    • ISBN: 978-1-55058-369-4

    Copyright David Bevington. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: David Bevington
    Peer Reviewed

    As You Like It (Folio 1, 1623)

    Actus Quintus. Scena Prima.
    2340Enter Clowne and Awdrie.
    Clow. We shall finde a time Awdrie, patience gen-
    tle Awdrie.
    Awd. Faith the Priest was good enough, for all the
    olde gentlemans saying.
    2345Clow. A most wicked Sir Oliuer, Awdrie, a most vile
    Mar-text. But Awdrie, there is a youth heere in the
    Forrest layes claime to you.
    Awd. I, I know who 'tis: he hath no interest in mee
    in the world: here comes the man you meane.
    2350Enter William.
    Clo. It is meat and drinke to me to see a Clowne, by
    my troth, we that haue good wits, haue much to answer
    for: we shall be flouting: we cannot hold.
    Will. Good eu'n Audrey.
    2355Aud. God ye good eu'n William.
    Will. And good eu'n to you Sir.
    Clo. Good eu'n gentle friend. Couer thy head, couer
    thy head: Nay prethee bee eouer'd. How olde are you
    Friend?
    2360Will. Fiue and twentie Sir.
    Clo. A ripe age: Is thy name William?
    Will. William, sir.
    Clo. A faire name. Was't borne i'th Forrest heere?
    Will. I sir, I thanke God.
    2365Clo. Thanke God: A good answer:
    Art rich?
    Will. 'Faith sir, so, so.
    Cle. So, so, is good, very good, very excellent good:
    and yet it is not, it is but so, so:
    2370Art thou wise?
    Will. I sir, I haue a prettie wit.
    Clo. Why, thou saist well. I do now remember a say-
    ing: The Foole doth thinke he is wise, but the wiseman
    knowes himselfe to be a Foole. The Heathen Philoso-
    2375pher, when he had a desire to eate a Grape, would open
    his lips when he put it into his mouth, meaning there-
    by, that Grapes were made to eate, and lippes to open.
    You do loue this maid?
    Will. I do sit.
    2380Clo. Giue me your hand: Art thou Learned?
    Will. No sir.
    Clo. Then learne this of me, To haue, is to haue. For
    it is a figure in Rhetoricke, that drink being powr'd out
    of a cup into a glasse, by filling the one, doth empty the
    2385other. For all your Writers do consent, that ipse is hee:
    now you are not ipse, for I am he.
    Will. Which he sir?
    Clo. He sir, that must marrie this woman: Therefore
    you Clowne, abandon: which is in the vulgar, leaue the
    2390societie: which in the boorish, is companie, of this fe-
    male: which in the common, is woman: which toge-
    ther, is, abandon the society of this Female, or Clowne
    thou perishest: or to thy better vnderstanding, dyest; or
    (to wit) I kill thee, make thee away, translate thy life in-
    2395to death, thy libertie into bondage: I will deale in poy-
    son with thee, or in bastinado, or in steele: I will bandy
    with thee in faction, I will ore-run thee with police: I
    will kill thee a hundred and fifty wayes, therefore trem-
    ble and depart.
    2400Aud. Do good William.
    Will. God rest you merry sir. Exit
    Enter Corin.
    Cor. Our Master and Mistresse seekes you: come a-
    way, away.
    2405Clo. Trip Audry, trip Audry, I attend,
    I attend. Exeunt
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