Under the greenwood tree,

Who loves to lie with me

And turn his merry note

Unto the sweet bird’s throat,

Come hither, come hither, come hither!

Here shall he see

No enemy

But winter and rough weather.

More, more, I prithee, more.

It will make you melancholy, Monsieur Jaques.

I thank it. More, I prithee, more. I can suck melancholy out of a song

as a weasel sucks eggs. More, I prithee, more.

My voice is ragged. I know I cannot please you.

I do not desire you to please me; I do desire you to sing. Come, more,

another _stanzo_. Call you ’em _stanzos?_

What you will, Monsieur Jaques.

Nay, I care not for their names. They owe me nothing. Will you sing?

More at your request than to please myself.

Well then, if ever I thank any man, I’ll thank you; but that they call

compliment is like th’ encounter of two dog-apes. And when a man thanks

me heartily, methinks I have given him a penny and he renders me the

beggarly thanks. Come, sing; and you that will not, hold your tongues.

Well, I’ll end the song.—Sirs, cover the while. The Duke will drink

under this tree; he hath been all this day to look you.

And I have been all this day to avoid him. He is too disputable for my

company. I think of as many matters as he, but I give heaven thanks and

make no boast of them. Come, warble, come.

Who doth ambition shun

And loves to live i’ th’ sun,

Seeking the food he eats

And pleased with what he gets,

Come hither, come hither, come hither.

Here shall he see

No enemy

But winter and rough weather.

I’ll give you a verse to this note that I made yesterday in despite of

my invention.

And I’ll sing it.

Thus it goes:

If it do come to pass

That any man turn ass,

Leaving his wealth and ease

A stubborn will to please,

Ducdame, ducdame, ducdame;

Here shall he see

Gross fools as he,

An if he will come to me.

What’s that “ducdame?”

’Tis a Greek invocation to call fools into a circle. I’ll go sleep if I

can; if I cannot, I’ll rail against all the first-born of Egypt.

And I’ll go seek the Duke; his banquet is prepared.