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Act III: French Scene 5

civill: civilized, sophisticated

quintessence: purest form; the 'fifth essence' was thought to be a distillation of the other four 'essences' or elements of the terrestrial world (earth, air, fire, water) which manifested in the four bodily "humours" that determined a person's physical and mental state. Despite Rosalind's quintessence (virtue, purity) Orlando probably imagines the essence (nature, semen) of his sprite (spirit/erect penis) in her quin (female genitalia).

sprite: spirit; Heave would reveal in miniature the essence of every individual

manie parts: Rosalind's manie parts (personal qualities) were devis'd (fabricated, forged) by Heavenly synode (a council of divinites) that Rosalind's elements should be distilled to the quintessence (essence of purity). Orlando also hope that Rosalind will be his deerest pris'd and if so, he will win the prize of manie touches (sexual caresses) from her faces (gentials), eyes (vagina and vulva), and hearts (pronounced "arts" and thus a pun on "arse").

Heavenly Synode: a council of divinities

homilie: moral lecture

back friends: false friends, traitors (for spying on her while she was reading)

sirrah: a dismissive, even contemptuous, form of address

bagge and baggage: all the (military) equipment; they retreat without bagge and baggage because they leave behind Celia and Rosalind, one of whom is a bagge (i.e. vagina, or cunt) and the other whom is a baggage (whore or slut).

scrip and scrippage: wallet and its contents; scrippage is a made up word to echo baggage; Though they leave bagge and baggage (see above) their retreat is still honorable because they leave each with possession of his scrip (testicles) and scrippage (i.e. his "burdoun" or penis).

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