The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (379 page)

Second Page

We are for you: sit i' the middle.

We are here for you, sit in the middle.

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Shall we clap into't roundly, without hawking or

spitting or saying we are hoarse, which are the only

prologues to a bad voice?

Shall we go right into it, without coughing or

spitting or saying we are hoarse, all

excuses to saying we have bad voices?

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I'faith, i'faith; and both in a tune, like two

gipsies on a horse.

Yes, yes, and everyone on the same tune, together, like two

riders on one 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 only pretty ring time,

When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding:

Sweet lovers love the spring.

Between the acres of the rye,

With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino

These pretty country folks would lie,

In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,

When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding:

Sweet lovers love the spring.

This carol 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, the only pretty ring 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, the only pretty ring time,

When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding:

Sweet lovers love the spring.

A lover and his woman

with a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,

walked through a green cornfield

in the spring time, the only good wedding time,

when the birds sing, hey ding a ding, ding:

sweet lovers in the spring.

Between the acres of rye

with a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,

those pretty country folk would lie

in the spring time, the only good wedding time,

when the birds sing, hey ding a ding, ding:

sweet lovers in the spring.

They sang a song that hour

with a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,

that life is as short as a flower,

in the spring time, the only good wedding time,

when the birds sing, hey ding a ding, ding:

sweet lovers in the spring.

So take the time today

with a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,

for love is crowned with as the best,

in the spring time, the only good wedding time,

when the birds sing, hey ding a ding, ding:

sweet lovers in the spring.

TOUCHSTONE

Truly, young gentlemen, though there was no great

matter in the ditty, yet the note was very

untuneable.

Truly, young men, though there wasn’t much

difficulty in that little song, still it sounded

completely out of tune.

First Page

You are deceived, sir: we kept time, we lost not our time.

You are wrong, sir: we kept the song’s pace and didn’t lose it.

TOUCHSTONE

By my troth, yes; I count it but time lost to hear

such a foolish song. God be wi' you; and God mend

your voices! Come, Audrey.

Truthfully, yes. I count it as lost time when I hear

such a foolish song. Goodbye, and God fix

your voices! Come, Audrey.

Exeunt

Enter DUKE SENIOR, AMIENS, JAQUES, ORLANDO, OLIVER, and CELIA

DUKE SENIOR

Dost thou believe, Orlando, that the boy

Can do all this that he hath promised?

Do you really believe, Orlando, that that boy

can do everything he promised?

ORLANDO

I sometimes do believe, and sometimes do not;

As those that fear they hope, and know they fear.

Sometimes I believe it, and sometimes I do not,

like those who are afraid to hope for something, but they know they are afraid.

Enter ROSALIND, SILVIUS, and PHEBE

ROSALIND

Patience once more, whiles our compact is urged:

You say, if I bring in your Rosalind,

You will bestow her on Orlando here?

Be patient, while I go over our contract.

Duke, if I bring your Rosalind,

you will give her to Orlando?

DUKE SENIOR

That would I, had I kingdoms to give with her.

Yes, and I would give kingdoms with her if I had any.

ROSALIND

And you say, you will have her, when I bring her?

And you say that you will marry her if I bring her?

ORLANDO

That would I, were I of all kingdoms king.

I would, even if I were king of every kingdom.

ROSALIND

You say, you'll marry me, if I be willing?

You say that you will marry me if I am willing?

PHEBE

That will I, should I die the hour after.

Yes, or I will die the next hour.

ROSALIND

But if you do refuse to marry me,

You'll give yourself to this most faithful shepherd?

But if you decide not to marry me,

then you will marry this faithful shepherd?

PHEBE

So is the bargain.

That’s the agreement.

ROSALIND

You say, that you'll have Phebe, if she will?

And you will have Phebe if she will marry you?

SILVIUS

Though to have her and death were both one thing.

Even if to marry her was to die.

ROSALIND

I have promised to make all this matter even.

Keep you your word, O duke, to give your daughter;

You yours, Orlando, to receive his daughter:

Keep your word, Phebe, that you'll marry me,

Or else refusing me, to wed this shepherd:

Keep your word, Silvius, that you'll marry her.

If she refuse me: and from hence I go,

To make these doubts all even.

I have promised to make this all even.

Keep your word, Duke, to give your daughter,

and you yours, Orlando, to receiver her.

Keep your word, Phebe, that you will marry me

or if you decide not to, to marry the shepherd.

Keep your word, Silvius, that you will marry her

if she refuses me. Now I go

to make all of this even.

Exeunt ROSALIND and CELIA

DUKE SENIOR

I do remember in this shepherd boy

Some lively touches of my daughter's favour.

I do see some resemblance in this shepherd boy

to parts of my daughter’s appearance.

ORLANDO

My lord, the first time that I ever saw him

Methought he was a brother to your daughter:

But, my good lord, this boy is forest-born,

And hath been tutor'd in the rudiments

Of many desperate studies by his uncle,

Whom he reports to be a great magician,

Obscured in the circle of this forest.

My lord, when I first saw him,

I thought he was a brother to your daughter:

but good lord, this boy was born in the forest

and has been tutored in nobility

through many lessons from his uncle,

whom he says is a great magician

hidden within this forest.

Enter TOUCHSTONE and AUDREY

JAQUES

There is, sure, another flood toward, and these

couples are coming to the ark. Here comes a pair of

very strange beasts, which in all tongues are called fools.

There must be another flood coming, with all of these

couples lining up to enter the ark. Here are two

strange beasts, which must be called fools.

TOUCHSTONE

Salutation and greeting to you all!

Salutations and greetings everyone!

JAQUES

Good my lord, bid him welcome: this is the

motley-minded gentleman that I have so often met in

the forest: he hath been a courtier, he swears.

Good lord, welcome this man. He is the

court’s clown whom I have often met in

the forest: he swears to have been a court member.

TOUCHSTONE

If any man doubt that, let him put me to my

purgation. I have trod a measure; I have flattered

a lady; I have been politic with my friend, smooth

with mine enemy; I have undone three tailors; I have

had four quarrels, and like to have fought one.

If anyone doubts that, let him try me.

I have danced a little, flattered

a woman, have spoken politely with my friends and smoothly

with my enemy, and I have ruined three tailors. I have

had four quarrels, and almost one fight.

JAQUES

And how was that ta'en up?

How did you fix that?

TOUCHSTONE

Faith, we met, and found the quarrel was upon the

seventh cause.

Well we met, and found the quarrel was on the

seventh cause.

JAQUES

How seventh cause? Good my lord, like this fellow.

The seventh cause? Good lord, do like this man.

DUKE SENIOR

I like him very well.

I like him very well.

TOUCHSTONE

God 'ild you, sir; I desire you of the like. I

press in here, sir, amongst the rest of the country

copulatives, to swear and to forswear: according as

marriage binds and blood breaks: a poor virgin,

sir, an ill-favoured thing, sir, but mine own; a poor

humour of mine, sir, to take that that no man else

will: rich honesty dwells like a miser, sir, in a