Now by the faith of my loue, I will; Tel me
where it is.
Go with me to it, and Ile shew it you: and by
the way, you shal tell me, where in the Forrest you liue:
Wil you go
With all my heart, good youth.
Nay, you must call mee
Rosalind: Come sister,
will you go?
Come apace good
Audrey, I wil fetch vp your
Goates,
Audrey: and how
Audrey am I the man yet?
Doth my simple feature content you
Your features, Lord warrant vs: what features?
I am heere with thee, and thy Goats, as the most
capricious Poet honest
Ouid was among the Gothes.
O knowledge ill inhabited, worse then Ioue in
a thatch'd house.
When a mans verses cannot be vnderstood, nor
a mans good wit seconded with the forward childe, un
derstanding: it strikes a man more dead then a great rec
koning in a little roome: truly, I would the Gods hadde
made thee poeticall.
I do not know what Poetical is: is it honest in
deed and word: is it a true thing?
No trulie: for the truest poetrie is the most fai
ning, and Louers are giuen to Poetrie: and what they
sweare in Poetrie, may be said as Louers, they do feigne.
Do you wish then that the Gods had made me
Poeticall?
I do truly: for thou swear'st to me thou art ho
nest: Now if thou wert a Poet, I might haue some hope
thou didst feigne.
Would you not haue me honest?
No truly, vnlesse thou wert hard fauour'd: for
honestie coupled to beautie, is to haue Honie a sawce to
Sugar.
A materiall foole.
Well, I am not faire, and therefore I pray the
Gods make me honest.
Truly, and to cast away honestie vppon a foule
slut, were to put good meate into an vncleane dish.
I am not a slut, though I thanke the Goddes I
am foule.
Well, praised be the Gods, for thy foulnesse; slut
tishnesse may come heereafter. But be it, as it may bee,
I wil marrie thee: and to that end, I haue bin with Sir
Oliuer Mar‑text, the Vicar of the next village, who hath
promis'd to meete me in this place of the Forrest, and to
couple vs.
I would faine see this meeting.
Wel, the Gods giue vs ioy.
Amen. A man may if he were of a fearful heart,
stagger in this attempt: for heere wee haue no Temple
but the wood, no assembly but horne‑beasts. But what
though? Courage. As hornes are odious, they are neces
sarie. It is said, many a man knowes no end of his goods;
right: Many a man has good Hornes, and knows no end
of them. Well, that is the dowrie of his wife, 'tis none
of his owne getting; hornes, euen so poore men alone:
