The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 3 of 9]Shakespeare, William
General
The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 3 of 9]
Shakespeare, William
English drama
_Sir And._ Nay, by my troth, I know not: but I know,
to be up late is to be up late. 5
_Sir To._ A false conclusion: I hate it as an unfilled can.
To be up after midnight and to go to bed then, is early: so
that to go to bed after midnight is to go to bed betimes.
Does not our life consist of the four elements?
_Sir And._ Faith, so they say; but I think it rather 10
consists of eating and drinking.
_Sir To._ Thou'rt a scholar; let us therefore eat and
drink. Marian, I say! a stoup of wine!
_Enter_ Clown.
_Sir And._ Here comes the fool, i'faith.
_Clo._ How now, my hearts! did you never see the picture 15
of 'we three'?
_Sir To._ Welcome, ass. Now let's have a catch.
_Sir And._ By my troth, the fool has an excellent breast.
I had rather than forty shillings I had such a leg, and so
sweet a breath to sing, as the fool has. In sooth, thou wast 20
in very gracious fooling last night, when thou spokest of
Pigrogromitus, of the Vapians passing the equinoctial of
Queubus: 'twas very good, i'faith. I sent thee sixpence for
thy leman: hadst it?
_Clo._ I did impeticos thy gratillity; for Malvolio's nose 25
is no whipstock: my lady has a white hand, and the
Myrmidons are no bottle-ale houses.
_Sir And._ Excellent! why, this is the best fooling, when
all is done. Now, a song.
_Sir To._ Come on; there is sixpence for you: let's have 30
a song.
_Sir And._ There's a testril of me too: if one knight
give a--
_Clo._ Would you have a love-song, or a song of good
life? 35
_Sir To._ A love-song, a love-song.
_Sir And._ Ay, ay: I care not for good life.
_Clo._ [_Sings_]
O mistress mine, where are you roaming?
O, stay and hear; your true love's coming,
That can sing both high and low: 40
Trip no further, pretty sweeting;
Journeys end in lovers meeting,
Every wise man's son doth know.
_Sir And._ Excellent good, i' faith.
_Sir To._ Good, good. 45
_Clo._ [_Sings_]
What is love? 'tis not hereafter;
Present mirth hath present laughter;
What's to come is still unsure:
In delay there lies no plenty;
Then come kiss me, sweet and twenty, 50
Youth's a stuff will not endure.
_Sir And._ A mellifluous voice, as I am true knight.
_Sir To._ A contagious breath.
_Sir And._ Very sweet and contagious, i'faith.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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