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As You Like It

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Act V, Scene 3

The forest

       
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Enter TOUCHSTONE and AUDREY

  • Touchstone. To-morrow is the joyful day, Audrey; to-morrow will we
    be married.
  • Audrey. I do desire it with all my heart; and I hope it is no
    dishonest desire to desire to be a woman of the world. Here come
    two of the banish'd Duke's pages. 2365

Enter two PAGES

  • Touchstone. By my troth, well met. Come sit, sit, and a song.
  • First Page. Shall we clap into't roundly, without hawking, or 2370
    spitting, or saying we are hoarse, which are the only prologues
    to a bad voice?
  • Second Page. I'faith, i'faith; and both in a tune, like two gipsies
    on a horse.
    SONG. 2375
    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. 2380
    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, &c. 2385
    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, &c.
    And therefore take the present time, 2390
    With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
    For love is crowned with the prime,
    In the spring time, &c.
  • Touchstone. Truly, young gentlemen, though there was no great
    matter in the ditty, yet the note was very untuneable. 2395
  • First Page. You are deceiv'd, sir; we kept time, we lost not our
    time.
  • Touchstone. By my troth, yes; I count it but time lost to hear such
    a foolish song. God buy you; and God mend your voices. Come,
    Audrey. Exeunt 2400