PERSONS REPRESENTED THE BANISHED DUKE OF BURGUNDY. FREDERICK: HIS USURPING BROTHER. AMIENS JAQUES: LORDS ATTENDING ON THE BANISHED DUKE. LE BEAU: A COURTIER ATTENDING ON DUKE FREDERICK. TOUCHSTONE: DUKE FREDERICK'S CLOWN. SIR OLIVER MARTEXT: A COUNTRY VICAR. WILLIAM: A COUNTRYMAN, IN LOVE WITH AUDREY. HYMEN. ROSALIND: DAUGHTER TO THE BANISHED DUKE. CELIA: DAUGHTER TO FREDERICK. PHEBE: A SHEPHERDESS. AUDREY: A COUNTRY WENCH. LORDS, PAGES, FORESTERS, AND OTHERS. SCENE-Oliver's Orchard; Duke Frederick's Court; the Forest of Arden. T 1 Champion, Prizefighter. AS YOU LIKE IT ACT I SCENE I. OLIVER'S Orchard. Enter ORLANDO and ADAM. ORL. As I remember, Adam, it was upon this fashion : my father bequeath'd me by will but poor a thousand crowns; and, as thou say'st, charg'd my brother, on his blessing, to breed1 me well: and there begins my sadness. My brother Jaques he keeps at school, and report speaks goldenly of his profit:3 for my part, he keeps me rustically at home, or, to speak more properly, stays me here at home unkept; for call you that keeping for a gentleman of my birth, that differs not from the stalling of an ox? His horses are bred better; for, besides that they are fair with their feeding, they are taught their manage, and to that end riders dearly hir'd: but I, his brother, gain nothing under him but growth; for the which his animals on his dunghills are as much bound to him as I. Besides this nothing that he so plentifully gives me, the something that Nature gave me his countenance seems to take from me: he lets me feed with his hinds, bars me the place of a brother, and, as much as in him lies, mines my gentility with my education. This is it, Adam, that grieves me; and the spirit of my father, which I think is within me, begins to mutiny against this servitude: I will no longer endure it, though yet I know no wise remedy how to avoid it. ADAM. Yonder comes my master, your brother. 24 ORL. Go apart, Adam, and thou shalt hear how he will OLI. Now, Sir! what make1 you here? ORL. Nothing: I am not taught to make any thing. 30 ORL. Marry, Sir, I am helping you to mar that which God made, a poor unworthy brother of your's, with idleness. OLI. Marry, Sir, be better employ'd, and be naught awhile !2 ORL. Shall I keep your hogs, and eat husks with them? What Prodigal's portion have I spent that I should come to such penury? Orchard. 40 OLI. Know you where you are, Sir? 50 ORL Come, come, elder Brother, you are too young in OLI. Wilt thou lay hands on me, Villain? ADAM. Sweet Masters, be patient: for your father's OLI. Let me go, I say. 61 ORL. I will not, till I please: you shall hear me. My father charg'd you in his will to give me good education you have train'd me like a peasant, obscuring 1 do. 2 i.e. 'be hanged to you!' 3 makes you better deserve respect. The and hiding from me all gentleman-like qualities.1 spirit of my father grows strong in me, and I will no longer endure it: therefore allow me such exercises as may become a gentleman, or give me the poor allottery my father left me by testament; with that I will go buy my fortunes. OLI. And what wilt thou do? beg, when that is spent? Well, Sir, get you in: I will not long be troubled with you; you shall have some part of your will: I pray you, leave me. 71 ORL. I will no further offend you than becomes me for my good. OLI. Get you with him, you old Dog! ADAM. Is old dog my reward? Most true, I have lost my teeth in your service. God be with my old master! he would not have spoke such a word. 81 [Exeunt ORLANDO and ADAM. OLI. Is it even so? begin you to grow upon me? I will physic your rankness,2 and yet give no thousand crowns neither. Holla, Dennis! ACT I Sc. I Enter DENNIS. DEN. Calls your Worship? OLI. Was not Charles, the Duke's wrastler, here to speak with me? DEN. So please you he is here at the door, and importunes access to you. OLI. Call him in. [Exit DENNIS.] Twill be a good way; and to-morrow the wrastling is. Enter CHARLES. CHA. Good morrow to your Worship. 91 OLI. Good Monsieur Charles! what's the new news at the new Court? CHA. There's no news at the Court, Sir, but the old news: that is, the old Duke is banish'd by his younger brother the new Duke; and three or four loving Lords have put themselves into voluntary exile with him, whose lands and revenues enrich the new Duke; therefore he gives them good leave to wander. 100 |