As you Like it

Page 19

Ros. It may wel be cal'd Ioues tree, when it droppes forth fruite

Cel. Giue me audience, good Madam

Ros. Proceed

Cel. There lay hee stretch'd along like a Wounded knight

Ros. Though it be pittie to see such a sight, it well becomes the ground

Cel. Cry holla, to the tongue, I prethee: it curuettes vnseasonably. He was furnish'd like a Hunter

Ros. O ominous, he comes to kill my Hart

Cel. I would sing my song without a burthen, thou bring'st me out of tune

Ros. Do you not know I am a woman, when I thinke, I must speake: sweet, say on. Enter Orlando & Iaques.

Cel. You bring me out. Soft, comes he not heere? Ros. 'Tis he, slinke by, and note him

Iaq. I thanke you for your company, but good faith I had as liefe haue beene my selfe alone

Orl. And so had I: but yet for fashion sake I thanke you too, for your societie

Iaq. God buy you, let's meet as little as we can

Orl. I do desire we may be better strangers

Iaq. I pray you marre no more trees with Writing Loue-songs in their barkes

Orl. I pray you marre no moe of my verses with reading them ill-fauouredly

Iaq. Rosalinde is your loues name? Orl. Yes, Iust

Iaq. I do not like her name

Orl. There was no thought of pleasing you when she was christen'd

Iaq. What stature is she of? Orl. Iust as high as my heart

Iaq. You are ful of prety answers: haue you not bin acquainted with goldsmiths wiues, & cond the[m] out of rings Orl. Not so: but I answer you right painted cloath, from whence you haue studied your questions

Iaq. You haue a nimble wit; I thinke 'twas made of Attalanta's heeles. Will you sitte downe with me, and wee two, will raile against our Mistris the world, and all our miserie

Orl. I wil chide no breather in the world but my selfe against whom I know most faults

Iaq. The worst fault you haue, is to be in loue

Orl. 'Tis a fault I will not change, for your best vertue: I am wearie of you

Iaq. By my troth, I was seeking for a Foole, when I found you

Orl. He is drown'd in the brooke, looke but in, and you shall see him

Iaq. There I shal see mine owne figure

Orl. Which I take to be either a foole, or a Cipher

Iaq. Ile tarrie no longer with you, farewell good signior Loue

Orl. I am glad of your departure: Adieu good Monsieur Melancholly

Ros. I wil speake to him like a sawcie Lacky, and vnder that habit play the knaue with him, do you hear Forrester

Orl. Verie wel, what would you? Ros. I pray you, what i'st a clocke? Orl. You should aske me what time o' day: there's no clocke in the Forrest

Ros. Then there is no true Louer in the Forrest, else sighing euerie minute, and groaning euerie houre wold detect the lazie foot of time, as wel as a clocke

Orl. And why not the swift foote of time? Had not that bin as proper? Ros. By no meanes sir; Time trauels in diuers paces, with diuers persons: Ile tel you who Time ambles withall, who Time trots withal, who Time gallops withal, and who he stands stil withall

Orl. I prethee, who doth he trot withal? Ros. Marry he trots hard with a yong maid, between the contract of her marriage, and the day it is solemnizd: if the interim be but a sennight, Times pace is so hard, that it seemes the length of seuen yeare

William Shakespeare
Classic Literature Library

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