ADAM, DENNIS, servants to Oliver. TOUCHSTONE, a clown. Sir OLIVER MAR-TEXT, a vicar. SYLVIUS, } shepherds. WILLIAM, a country fellow, in love with Audrey. ROSALIND, daughter to the banished Duke. PHEBE, a shepherdess. AUDREY, a country wench. Lords belonging to the two Dukes; Pages, Foresters, and other Attendants. The SCENE lies, first, near OLIVER's House; afterwards, partly in the Usurper's Court, and partly in the Forest of ARDEN. ACT I. SCENE I.- An Orchard, near Oliver's House. Enter ORLANDO and ADAM. Orl. As I remember, Adam, it was upon this fashion bequeathed me: By will, but a poor thousand crowns: and, as thou say'st, charged my brother, on his blessing, to breed me well: and there begins my sadness. My brother Jaques he keeps at school, and report speaks goldenly of his profit: for my part, he keeps me rustically at home, or, to speak tre 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 hired: 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 to langer endure it, though yet I know no wise remedy how to avoid it. Enter OLIVER. Adam. Yonder comes my master, your brother. Orl. Go apart, Adam, and thou shalt hear how he will shake me up. Oli. Now, sir! what make you here? Orl. Nothing: I am not taught to make any thing. Oli. What mar you then, sir? Orl. Marry, sir, I am helping you to mar that which God made, a poor unworthy brother of yours, with idleness. Oli. Marry, sir, be better employ'd, and be naught awhile. Orl. Shall I keep your hogs, and eat husks with them? What prodigal portion have I spent, that I should come to such penury? Oli. Know you where you are, sir? Orl. O, sir, very well: here in your orchard. Orl. Ay, better than he I am before knows me. I know, you are my eldest brother; and, in the gentle condition of blood, you should so know me: The courtesy of nations allows you my better, in that you are the first-born; but the same tradition takes not away my blood, were there twenty brothers betwixt us: I have as much of my father in me, as you; albeit, I confess, your coming before me is nearer to his reverence. Oli. What, boy! they say many young gentlemen flock to him every Orl. Come, come, elder brother, you are too day; and fleet the time carelessly, as they did in the young in this. Adam. Sweet masters, be patient; for your father's remembrance, be at accord. golden world. Oli. What, you wrestle to-morrow before the new duke? Cha, Marry, do Į, sir; and I came to acquaint Oli. Wilt thou lay hands on me, villain? Orl. I am no villain: I am the youngest son of sir Rowland de Bois: he was ny father; and he is thrice a villain, that says, such a father begot vil-you with a matter. I am given, sir, secretly to unlains: Wert thou not my brother, I would not take derstand, that your younger brother, Orlando, hath this hand from thy throat, till this other had pulled a disposition to come in disguis'd against me to try out thy tongue for saying so thou hast railed on a fall: To-morrow, sir, I wrestle for my credit; thyself. and he that escapes me without some broken limb, shall acquit him well. Your brother is but young and tender; and, for your love, I would be loath to foil him, as I must, for my own honour, if he come Orl. I will not, till I please: you shall hear me. in: therefore, out of my love to you, I came hither My father charged you in his will to give me good to acquaint you withal; that either you might stay education: you have trained me like a peasant, ob-him from his intendment, or brook such disgrace scuring and hiding from me all gentleman-like qualities: the 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 allotery my father left me by testament; with that I will go buy my fortunes. Oli. Let me go, I say. 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.. 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. [Exeunt ORLANDO and ADAM. Oli. Is it even so? begin you to grow upon me? I will physick your rankness, and yet give no thousand crowns neither. Holla, Dennis! Cha. There's no news at the court, sir, but the old news: that is, the old duke is banished 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. Oli. Can you tell, if Rosalind, the duke's daughter, be banished with her father? Cha. O, no; for the duke's daughter, her cousin, so loves her, being ever from their cradles bred together, that she would have followed her exile, or have died to stay behind her. She is at the court, and no less beloved of her uncle than his own daughter; and never two ladies loved as they do. Oli. Where will the old duke live? Cha. They say, he is already in the forest of Arden, and a many merry men with him; and there they live like the old Robin Hood of England: well as he shall run into; in that it is a thing of his own search, and altogether against my will. Oli. Charles, I thank thee for thy love to me, which thou shalt find I will most kindly requite. I had myself notice of my brother's purpose herein, and have by underhand means laboured to dissuade him from it; but he is resolute. I'll tell thee, Charles, -it is the stubbornest young fellow of France; full of ambition, an envious emulator of every man's good parts, a secret and villainous contriver against me his natural brother; therefore use thy discretion; I had as lief thou didst break his neck as his finger: And thou wert best look to't; for if thou dost him any slight disgrace, or if he do not mightily grace himself on thee, he will practise against thee by poison, entrap thee by some treacherous device, and never leave thee till he bath ta'en thy life by some indirect means or other; for, I assure thee, and almost with tears I speak it, there is not one so young and so villainous this day living. I speak but brotherly of him; but should I anatomise him to thee as he is, I must blush and weep, and thou must look pale and wonder. Cha. I am heartily glad I came hither to you: If he come to-morrow, I'll give him his payment: If ever he go alone again, I'll never wrestle for prize more: And so, God keep your worship! [Erit. Oli. Farewell. good Charles. Now will I stir this gamester: I hope, I shall see an end of him; for my soul, yet I know not why, hates nothing more than he. Yet he's gentle; never school'd, and yet learned; full of noble device; of all sorts enchantingly beloved; and, indeed, so much in the heart of the world, and especially of my own people, who best know him, that I am altogether misprised : but it shall not be so long; this wrestler shall clear all: nothing remains, but that I kindle the boy thither, which now I'll go about. (Brit SCENE II. A Lawn before the Duke's Palace. Enter ROSALIND and CELIA, Cel. I pray thee, Rosalind, sweet my coz, be merry. Ros. Dear Celia, I show more mirth than I am mistress of; and would you yet I were merrier? Unless you could teach me to forget a banished father, you must not learn me how to remember any extraordinary pleasure. Cel. Herein, I see, thou lovest me not with the full weight that I love thee: if my uncle, thy hanished father, had banished thy uncle, the duke my father, so thou hadst been still with me, I could have taught my love to take thy father for mine; Cel. You know, my father hath no child but I, per none is like to have: and, truly, when he dies, thou shalt be his heir: for what he hath taken away frun thy father perforce, I will render thee again in affection; by mine honour, I will; and when I break that oath, let me turn monster; therefore, my sweet Rose, my dear Rose, be merry. Ras. From henceforth, I will, coz, and devise ports: let me see; What think you of falling in love? Cel. Marry, I pr'ythee, do, to make sport withal: but love no man in good earnest; nor no further in sport neither, than with safety of a pure blush thou may'st in honour come off again. Res. What shall be our sport then? Cel. Let us sit and mock the good housewife, Fortune, from her wheel, that her gifts may henceforth be bestowed equally. B. I would, we could do so; for her benefits are mightily misplaced and the bountiful blind Woman doth most mistake in her gifts to women. C. 'Tis true: for those, that she makes fair, she starce makes honest; and those, that she makes mest, she makes very ill-favour'dly. B. Nay, now thou goest from fortune's office to nature's: fortune reigns in gifts of the world, not in the lineaments of nature. Cel. Peradventure, this is not fortune's work neither, but nature's; who, perceiving our natural wits toodall to reason of such goddesses, hath sent this natural for our whetstone: for always the dulness of the fool is the whetstone of his wits. How now, wit? whither wander you? Touch Mistress, you must come away to your Cd. Were you made the messenger? Touch. No, by mine honour; but I was bid to come for you B. Where learned you that oath, fool? Tuck. Of a certain knight, that swore by his tour they were good pancakes, and swore by his nour the mustard was naught: now, I'll stand to the pancakes were naught, and the mustard was good and yet was not the knight forsworn. Ce. How prove you that, in the great heap of your knowledge? Ha Ay, marry; now unmuzzle your wisdom. T. Stand you both forth now: stroke your ching, and swear by your beards that I am a knave. Cel. By our beards, if we had them, thou art. Touch. By my knavery, if I had it, then I were: laut if you swear by that that is not, you are not for: no more was this knight, swearing by his hour, for he never had any; or if he had, he had it away, before ever he saw those pancakes or that mustard Cel. Pr'ythee, who is't that thou mean'st? Touch. The more pity, that fools may not speak wisely, what wise men do foolishly. Cel. By my troth, thou say'st true: for since the little wit, that fools have, was silenced, the little foolery, that wise men have, makes a great show. Here comes Monsieur Le Beau. Enter LE BEAU. Ros. With his mouth full of news. Cel. Which he will put on us, as pigeons feed their young. Ros. Then shall we be news-cramm'd. Cel. All the better; we shall be the more marketable. Bon jour, Monsieur Le Beau: What's the news? Le Beau. Fair princess, you have lost much good sport. Cel. Sport? of what colour? Le Beau. What colour, madam? How shall I answer you? Ros. As wit and fortune will. Touch. Or as the destinies decree. Cel. Well said; that was laid on with a trowel. Ros. Thou losest thy old smell. Le Beau. You amaze me, ladies: I would have told you of good wrestling, which you have lost the sight of. Ros. Yet tell us the manner of the wrestling. Le Beau. I will tell you the beginning, and, if it please your ladyships, you may see the end; for the best is yet to do; and here, where you are, they are coming to perform it. Cel. Well, buried. the beginning, that is dead and Le Beau. There comes an old man, and his three sons, Cel. I could match this beginning, with an old tale. Le Beau. Three proper young men, of excellent growth and presence; Ros. With bills on their necks, -Be it known unto all men by these presents, Le Beau. The eldest of the three wrestled with Charles, the duke's wrestler; which Charles in a moment threw him, and broke three of his ribs, that there is little hope of life in him: so he served the second, and so the third: Yonder they lie; the poor old man, their father, making such pitiful dole over them, that all the beholders take his part with weeping. Ros. Alas! Touch. But what is the sport, monsieur, that the ladies have lost? Le Beau. Why, this that I speak of. Touch. Thus men may grow wiser every day! it is the first time that ever I heard, breaking of ribs was sport for ladies. Cel. Or I, I promise thee. Ros. But is there any else longs to see this broken musick in his sides? is there yet another dotes upon rib-breaking? - Shall we see this wrestling, cousin? Le Beau. You must, if you stay here: for here is the place appointed for the wrestling, and they are ready to perform it. Cel. Yonder, sure, they are coming: Let us now stay and see it. Flourish. Enter DUKE FREDERICK, Lords, ORLANDO, CHARLES, and Attendants. Duke F. Come on; since the youth will not be entreated, his own peril on his forwardness. Ros. Is yonder the man? Le Beau. Even he, madam. Cel. Alas, he is too young: yet he looks successfully. Duke F. How now, daughter, and cousin? are you crept hither to see the wrestling? Ros. Ay, my liege: so please you give us leave. Duke F. You will take little delight in it, I can tell you, there is such odds in the men: In pity of the challenger's youth, I would fain dissuade him, but he will not be entreated: Speak to him, ladies; see if you can move him Cel. Call him hither, good Monsieur Le Beau. Duke F. Do so; I'll not be by. [DUKE F. goes apart. Le Beau. Monsieur the challenger, the princesses call for you. Orl. I attend them, with all respect and duty. Ros. Young man, have you challenged Charles the wrestler? Orl. No, fair princess; he is the general challenger: I come but in, as others do, to try with him the strength of my youth. Cel. Young gentleman, your spirits are too bold for your years: You have seen cruel proof of this man's strength: if you saw yourself with your eyes, or knew yourself with your judgment, the fear of your adventure would counsel you to a more equal enterprise. We pray you, for your own sake, to embrace your own safety, and give over this attempt. Ros. Do, young sir; your reputation shall not therefore be misprised: we will make it our suit to the duke, that the wrestling might not go forward. Orl. I beseech you, punish me not with your hard thoughts: wherein I confess me much guilty, to deny so fair and excellent ladies any thing. But let your fair eyes, and gentle wishes, go with me to my trial: wherein if I be foiled, there is but one shamed that was never gracious; if killed, but one dead that is willing to be so: I shall do my friends no wrong, for I have none to lament me: the world no injury, for in it I have nothing; only in the world I fill up a place, which may be better supplied when I have made it empty. Ros. The little strength that I have, I would it were with you. Cel. And mine to eke out her's. Ros. Fare you well. Pray heaven, I be deceived in you! Cel. Your heart's desires be with you. Cha. Come, where is this young gallant, that is so desirous to lie with his mother earth? Orl. Ready, sir; but his will hath in it a moremodest working Duke F. You shall try but one fall. Cha. No, I warrant your grace; you shall not entreat him to a second, that have so mightily persuaded him from a first. Orl. You mean to mock me after; you should not have mocked me before: but come your ways. Ros. Now, Hercules be thy speed, young man! Cel. I would I were invisible, to catch the strong fellow by the leg. [CHARLES and ORLANDO wrestle. Ros. O excellent young man! Cel. If I had a thunderbolt in mine eye, I can tell who should down. [CHARLES is thrown. Shout. Duke F. No more, no more. Orl. Yes, I beseech your grace; I am not yet well breathed. Duke F. How dost thou, Charles? Le Beau. He cannot speak, my lord. Duke F. Bear him away. [CHARLES is borne out ] What is thy name, young man? Orl. Orlando, my liege; the youngest son of sir Rowland de Bois. Duke F. I would, thou hadst been son to some The world esteem'd thy father honourable, Thou shouldst have better pleas'd me with this deed, Hadst thou descended from another house. [Exeunt DUKE FRED. Train, and LE BEAU. Cel. Were I my father, coz, would I do this? Orl. I am more proud to be sir Rowland's son, His youngest son; -and would not change that calling, To be adopted heir to Frederick. Ros. My father lov'd sir Rowland as his soul, Cel. Gentle cousin, Let us go thank him, and encourage him: Ros. Gentleman, [Giving him a chain from her neck. Wear this for me; one out of suits with fortune; That could give more, but that her hand lacks Shall we go, coz ? Cel. means. Ay: Fare you well, fair gentleman. Orl. Can I not say, I thank you? My better High commendation, true applause, and love; That be misconstrues all that you have done. Orl. I thank you, sir: and, pray you, tell me this; Le Beau. Neither his daughter, if we judge by manners; But yet, indeed, the shorter is his daughter : I shall desire more love and knowledge of you. SCENE. III. - A Room in the Palace. - Enter CELIA and ROSALIND. [Exit. Thus do all traitors; If their purgation did consist in words, Duke F. Thou art thy father's daughter, there's Ros. So was I, when your highness took his So was I, when your highness banish'd him : Or, if we did derive it from our friends, Cel. Why, cousin ; why, Rosalind;-Cupid have To think my poverty is treacherous. mercy!-Not a word? Res. Not one to throw at a dog. Cel. No, thy words are too precious to be cast away upon curs, throw some of them at me; come, lame me with reasons. Ras. Then there were two cousins laid up; when the one should be lamed with reasons, and the other and without any. Cel. But is all this for your father? Ras. No, some of it for my child's father: O, how full of briars is this working-day world! Cd. They are but burs, cousin, thrown upon thee in holiday foolery; if we walk not in the trodden paths, our very petticoats will catch them, Ras. I could shake them off my coat; these burs are in my heart. Cd. Hem them away. Ras. I would try; if I could cry hem, and have him. Cd. O, a good wish upon you! you will try in time, in despite of a fall. But, turning these jests ot of service, let us talk in good earnest: Is it posable, on such a sudden, you should fall into so strong aliking with old sir Rowland's youngest son? R. The duke my father lov'd his father dearly. Cel. Doth it therefore ensue, that you should love his son, dearly? By this kind of chase, I should hate him, for my father hated his father dearly; yet I hate not Orlando, Ros. No 'faith, hate him not, for my sake. Cel. Dear sovereign, hear me speak. Cel. I did not then entreat to have her stay, Duke F. She is too subtle for thee; and her Her very silence, and her patience, When she is gone: then open not thy lips; I cannot live out of her company. Duke F. You are a fool: - You, niece, provide If you out-stay the time, upon mine honour, [Exeunt DuxE FREDERICK and Lords. Cel. Thou hast not, cousin ; Pr'ythee, be cheerful: know'st thou not, the duke Hath banish'd me his daughter? |