1
Orchard of OLIVER’S house
4
As I remember, Adam, it was upon this fashion bequeathed
5
me by will but poor a thousand crowns, and, as thou say'st,
6
charged my brother, on his blessing, to breed me well; and there
7
begins my sadness. My brother Jaques he keeps at school, and
8
report speaks goldenly of his profit. For my part, he keeps me
9
rustically at home, or, to speak more properly, stays me here at
10
home unkept; for call you that keeping for a gentleman of my
11
birth that differs not from the stalling of an ox? His horses are
12
bred better; for, besides that they are fair with their feeding,
13
they are taught their manage, and to that end riders dearly
14
hir'd; but I, his brother, gain nothing under him but growth; for
15
the which his animals on his dunghills are as much bound to him
16
as I. Besides this nothing that he so plentifully gives me, the
17
something that nature gave me his countenance seems to take from
18
me. He lets me feed with his hinds, bars me the place of a
19
brother, and as much as in him lies, mines my gentility with my
20
education. This is it, Adam, that grieves me; and the spirit of
21
my father, which I think is within me, begins to mutiny against
22
this servitude. I will no longer endure it, though yet I know no
23
wise remedy how to avoid it.
26
Yonder comes my master, your brother.
28
Go apart, Adam, and thou shalt hear how he will shake me
32
Now, sir! what make you here?
34
Nothing; I am not taught to make any thing.
36
What mar you then, sir?
38
Marry, sir, I am helping you to mar that which God made, a
39
poor unworthy brother of yours, with idleness.
41
Marry, sir, be better employed, and be nought awhile.
43
Shall I keep your hogs, and eat husks with them? What
44
prodigal portion have I spent that I should come to such penury?
46
Know you where you are, sir?
48
O, sir, very well; here in your orchard.
50
Know you before whom, sir?
52
Ay, better than him I am before knows me. I know you are
53
my eldest brother; and in the gentle condition of blood, you
54
should so know me. The courtesy of nations allows you my better
55
in that you are the first-born; but the same tradition takes not
56
away my blood, were there twenty brothers betwixt us. I have as
57
much of my father in me as you, albeit I confess your coming
58
before me is nearer to his reverence.
60
What, boy![Strikes him]
62
Come, come, elder brother, you are too young in this.
64
Wilt thou lay hands on me, villain?
66
I am no villain; I am the youngest son of Sir Rowland de
67
Boys. He was my father; and he is thrice a villain that says such
68
a father begot villains. Wert thou not my brother, I would not
69
take this hand from thy throat till this other had pull'd out thy
70
tongue for saying so. Thou has rail'd on thyself.
72
[Coming forward]Sweet masters, be patient; for your father's
73
remembrance, be at accord.
77
I will not, till I please; you shall hear me. My father
78
charg'd you in his will to give me good education: you have
79
train'd me like a peasant, obscuring and hiding from me all
80
gentleman-like qualities. The spirit of my father grows strong in
81
me, and I will no longer endure it; therefore allow me such
82
exercises as may become a gentleman, or give me the poor
83
allottery my father left me by testament; with that I will go buy
86
And what wilt thou do? Beg, when that is spent? Well, sir,
87
get you in. I will not long be troubled with you; you shall have
88
some part of your will. I pray you leave me.
90
I no further offend you than becomes me for my good.
92
Get you with him, you old dog.
94
Is 'old dog' my reward? Most true, I have lost my teeth in
95
your service. God be with my old master! He would not have spoke
97
Exeunt ORLANDO and ADAM
99
Is it even so? Begin you to grow upon me? I will physic
100
your rankness, and yet give no thousand crowns neither. Holla,
106
Was not Charles, the Duke's wrestler, here to speak with me?
108
So please you, he is here at the door and importunes access
111
Call him in.[Exit DENNIS]'Twill be a good way; and
112
to-morrow the wrestling is.
115
Good morrow to your worship.
117
Good Monsieur Charles! What's the new news at the new
120
There's no news at the court, sir, but the old news; that
121
is, the old Duke is banished by his younger brother the new Duke;
122
and three or four loving lords have put themselves into voluntary
123
exile with him, whose lands and revenues enrich the new Duke;
124
therefore he gives them good leave to wander.
126
Can you tell if Rosalind, the Duke's daughter, be banished
129
O, no; for the Duke's daughter, her cousin, so loves her,
130
being ever from their cradles bred together, that she would have
131
followed her exile, or have died to stay behind her. She is at
132
the court, and no less beloved of her uncle than his own
133
daughter; and never two ladies loved as they do.
135
Where will the old Duke live?
137
They say he is already in the Forest of Arden, and a many
138
merry men with him; and there they live like the old Robin Hood
139
of England. They say many young gentlemen flock to him every day,
140
and fleet the time carelessly, as they did in the golden world.
142
What, you wrestle to-morrow before the new Duke?
144
Marry, do I, sir; and I came to acquaint you with a
145
matter. I am given, sir, secretly to understand that your younger
146
brother, Orlando, hath a disposition to come in disguis'd against
147
me to try a fall. To-morrow, sir, I wrestle for my credit; and he
148
that escapes me without some broken limb shall acquit him well.
149
Your brother is but young and tender; and, for your love, I would
150
be loath to foil him, as I must, for my own honour, if he come
151
in; therefore, out of my love to you, I came hither to acquaint
152
you withal, that either you might stay him from his intendment,
153
or brook such disgrace well as he shall run into, in that it is
154
thing of his own search and altogether against my will.
156
Charles, I thank thee for thy love to me, which thou shalt
157
find I will most kindly requite. I had myself notice of my
158
brother's purpose herein, and have by underhand means laboured to
159
dissuade him from it; but he is resolute. I'll tell thee,
160
Charles, it is the stubbornest young fellow of France; full of
161
ambition, an envious emulator of every man's good parts, a secret
162
and villainous contriver against me his natural brother.
163
Therefore use thy discretion: I had as lief thou didst break his
164
neck as his finger. And thou wert best look to't; for if thou
165
dost him any slight disgrace, or if he do not mightily grace
166
himself on thee, he will practise against thee by poison, entrap
167
thee by some treacherous device, and never leave thee till he
168
hath ta'en thy life by some indirect means or other; for, I
169
assure thee, and almost with tears I speak it, there is not one
170
so young and so villainous this day living. I speak but brotherly
171
of him; but should I anatomize him to thee as he is, I must blush
172
and weep, and thou must look pale and wonder.
174
I am heartily glad I came hither to you. If he come
175
to-morrow I'll give him his payment. If ever he go alone again,
176
I'll never wrestle for prize more. And so, God keep your worship![Exit]
178
Farewell, good Charles. Now will I stir this gamester. I
179
hope I shall see an end of him; for my soul, yet I know not why,
180
hates nothing more than he. Yet he's gentle; never school'd and
181
yet learned; full of noble device; of all sorts enchantingly
182
beloved; and, indeed, so much in the heart of the world, and
183
especially of my own people, who best know him, that I am
184
altogether misprised. But it shall not be so long; this wrestler
185
shall clear all. Nothing remains but that I kindle the boy
186
thither, which now I'll go about.[Exit]
1
A lawn before the DUKE’S palace
2
Enter ROSALIND and CELIA
4
I pray thee, Rosalind, sweet my coz, be merry.
6
Dear Celia, I show more mirth than I am mistress of; and
7
would you yet I were merrier? Unless you could teach me to forget
8
a banished father, you must not learn me how to remember any
9
extraordinary pleasure.
11
Herein I see thou lov'st me not with the full weight that I
12
love thee. If my uncle, thy banished father, had banished thy
13
uncle, the Duke my father, so thou hadst been still with me, I
14
could have taught my love to take thy father for mine; so wouldst
15
thou, if the truth of thy love to me were so righteously temper'd
18
Well, I will forget the condition of my estate, to
21
You know my father hath no child but I, nor none is like to
22
have; and, truly, when he dies thou shalt be his heir; for what
23
he hath taken away from thy father perforce, I will render thee
24
again in affection. By mine honour, I will; and when I break that
25
oath, let me turn monster; therefore, my sweet Rose, my dear
28
From henceforth I will, coz, and devise sports.
29
Let me see; what think you of falling in love?
31
Marry, I prithee, do, to make sport withal; but love no man
32
in good earnest, nor no further in sport neither than with safety
33
of a pure blush thou mayst in honour come off again.
35
What shall be our sport, then?
37
Let us sit and mock the good housewife Fortune from her
38
wheel, that her gifts may henceforth be bestowed equally.
40
I would we could do so; for her benefits are mightily
41
misplaced; and the bountiful blind woman doth most mistake in her
44
'Tis true; for those that she makes fair she scarce makes
45
honest; and those that she makes honest she makes very
48
Nay; now thou goest from Fortune's office to Nature's:
49
Fortune reigns in gifts of the world, not in the lineaments of
53
No; when Nature hath made a fair creature, may she not by
54
Fortune fall into the fire? Though Nature hath given us wit to
55
flout at Fortune, hath not Fortune sent in this fool to cut off
58
Indeed, there is Fortune too hard for Nature, when
59
Fortune makes Nature's natural the cutter-off of Nature's wit.
61
Peradventure this is not Fortune's work neither, but
62
Nature's, who perceiveth our natural wits too dull to reason of
63
such goddesses, and hath sent this natural for our whetstone; for
64
always the dullness of the fool is the whetstone of the wits. How
65
now, wit! Whither wander you?
67
Mistress, you must come away to your father.
69
Were you made the messenger?
71
No, by mine honour; but I was bid to come for you.
73
Where learned you that oath, fool?
75
Of a certain knight that swore by his honour they were
76
good pancakes, and swore by his honour the mustard was naught.
77
Now I'll stand to it, the pancakes were naught and the mustard
78
was good, and yet was not the knight forsworn.
80
How prove you that, in the great heap of your knowledge?
82
Ay, marry, now unmuzzle your wisdom.
84
Stand you both forth now: stroke your chins, and swear
85
by your beards that I am a knave.
87
By our beards, if we had them, thou art.
89
By my knavery, if I had it, then I were. But if you
90
swear by that that is not, you are not forsworn; no more was this
91
knight, swearing by his honour, for he never had any; or if he
92
had, he had sworn it away before ever he saw those pancackes or
95
Prithee, who is't that thou mean'st?
97
One that old Frederick, your father, loves.
99
My father's love is enough to honour him. Enough, speak no
100
more of him; you'll be whipt for taxation one of these days.
102
The more pity that fools may not speak wisely what wise
105
By my troth, thou sayest true; for since the little wit that
106
fools have was silenced, the little foolery that wise men have
107
makes a great show. Here comes Monsieur Le Beau.
110
With his mouth full of news.
112
Which he will put on us as pigeons feed their young.
114
Then shall we be news-cramm'd.
116
All the better; we shall be the more marketable. Bon jour,
117
Monsieur Le Beau. What's the news?
119
Fair Princess, you have lost much good sport.
121
Sport! of what colour?
123
What colour, madam? How shall I answer you?
125
As wit and fortune will.
127
Or as the Destinies decrees.
129
Well said; that was laid on with a trowel.
131
Nay, if I keep not my rank-
133
Thou losest thy old smell.
135
You amaze me, ladies. I would have told you of good
136
wrestling, which you have lost the sight of.
138
Yet tell us the manner of the wrestling.
140
I will tell you the beginning, and, if it please your
141
ladyships, you may see the end; for the best is yet to do; and
142
here, where you are, they are coming to perform it.
144
Well, the beginning, that is dead and buried.
146
There comes an old man and his three sons-
148
I could match this beginning with an old tale.
150
Three proper young men, of excellent growth and presence.
152
With bills on their necks: 'Be it known unto all men by
155
The eldest of the three wrestled with Charles, the Duke's
156
wrestler; which Charles in a moment threw him, and broke three of
157
his ribs, that there is little hope of life in him. So he serv'd
158
the second, and so the third. Yonder they lie; the poor old man,
159
their father, making such pitiful dole over them that all the
160
beholders take his part with weeping.
164
But what is the sport, monsieur, that the ladies have
167
Why, this that I speak of.
169
Thus men may grow wiser every day. It is the first time
170
that ever I heard breaking of ribs was sport for ladies.
172
Or I, I promise thee.
174
But is there any else longs to see this broken music in
175
his sides? Is there yet another dotes upon rib-breaking? Shall we
176
see this wrestling, cousin?
178
You must, if you stay here; for here is the place
179
appointed for the wrestling, and they are ready to perform it.
181
Yonder, sure, they are coming. Let us now stay and see it.
182
Flourish. Enter DUKE FREDERICK, LORDS, ORLANDO,
183
CHARLES, and ATTENDANTS
185
Come on; since the youth will not be entreated, his own
186
peril on his forwardness.
192
Alas, he is too young; yet he looks successfully.
194
How now, daughter and cousin! Are you crept hither to
197
Ay, my liege; so please you give us leave.
199
You will take little delight in it, I can tell you,
200
there is such odds in the man. In pity of the challenger's youth
201
I would fain dissuade him, but he will not be entreated. Speak to
202
him, ladies; see if you can move him.
204
Call him hither, good Monsieur Le Beau.
206
Do so; I'll not be by.
207
[DUKE FREDERICK goes apart]
209
Monsieur the Challenger, the Princess calls for you.
211
I attend them with all respect and duty.
213
Young man, have you challeng'd Charles the wrestler?
215
No, fair Princess; he is the general challenger. I come
216
but in, as others do, to try with him the strength of my youth.
218
Young gentleman, your spirits are too bold for your years.
219
You have seen cruel proof of this man's strength; if you saw
220
yourself with your eyes, or knew yourself with your judgment, the
221
fear of your adventure would counsel you to a more equal
222
enterprise. We pray you, for your own sake, to embrace your own
223
safety and give over this attempt.
225
Do, young sir; your reputation shall not therefore be
226
misprised: we will make it our suit to the Duke that the
227
wrestling might not go forward.
229
I beseech you, punish me not with your hard thoughts,
230
wherein I confess me much guilty to deny so fair and excellent
231
ladies any thing. But let your fair eyes and gentle wishes go
232
with me to my trial; wherein if I be foil'd there is but one
233
sham'd that was never gracious; if kill'd, but one dead that is
234
willing to be so. I shall do my friends no wrong, for I have none
235
to lament me; the world no injury, for in it I have nothing; only
236
in the world I fill up a place, which may be better supplied when
237
I have made it empty.
239
The little strength that I have, I would it were with
242
And mine to eke out hers.
244
Fare you well. Pray heaven I be deceiv'd in you!
246
Your heart's desires be with you!
248
Come, where is this young gallant that is so desirous to
249
lie with his mother earth?
251
Ready, sir; but his will hath in it a more modest working.
253
You shall try but one fall.
255
No, I warrant your Grace, you shall not entreat him to a
256
second, that have so mightily persuaded him from a first.
258
You mean to mock me after; you should not have mock'd me
259
before; but come your ways.
261
Now, Hercules be thy speed, young man!
263
I would I were invisible, to catch the strong fellow by the
266
O excellent young man!
268
If I had a thunderbolt in mine eye, I can tell who should
270
[CHARLES is thrown. Shout]
274
Yes, I beseech your Grace; I am not yet well breath'd.
276
How dost thou, Charles?
278
He cannot speak, my lord.
280
Bear him away. What is thy name, young man?
282
Orlando, my liege; the youngest son of Sir Rowland de
285
I would thou hadst been son to some man else.
286
The world esteem'd thy father honourable,
287
But I did find him still mine enemy.
288
Thou shouldst have better pleas'd me with this deed,
289
Hadst thou descended from another house.
290
But fare thee well; thou art a gallant youth;
291
I would thou hadst told me of another father.
292
Exeunt DUKE, train, and LE BEAU
294
Were I my father, coz, would I do this?
296
I am more proud to be Sir Rowland's son,
297
His youngest son- and would not change that calling
298
To be adopted heir to Frederick.
300
My father lov'd Sir Rowland as his soul,
301
And all the world was of my father's mind;
302
Had I before known this young man his son,
303
I should have given him tears unto entreaties
304
Ere he should thus have ventur'd.
307
Let us go thank him, and encourage him;
308
My father's rough and envious disposition
309
Sticks me at heart. Sir, you have well deserv'd;
310
If you do keep your promises in love
311
But justly as you have exceeded all promise,
312
Your mistress shall be happy.
314
Gentleman,[Giving him a chain from her neck]
315
Wear this for me; one out of suits with fortune,
316
That could give more, but that her hand lacks means.
319
Ay. Fare you well, fair gentleman.
321
Can I not say 'I thank you'? My better parts
322
Are all thrown down; and that which here stands up
323
Is but a quintain, a mere lifeless block.
325
He calls us back. My pride fell with my fortunes;
326
I'll ask him what he would. Did you call, sir?
327
Sir, you have wrestled well, and overthrown
328
More than your enemies.
332
Have with you. Fare you well.
333
Exeunt ROSALIND and CELIA
335
What passion hangs these weights upon my tongue?
336
I cannot speak to her, yet she urg'd conference.
337
O poor Orlando, thou art overthrown!
338
Or Charles or something weaker masters thee.
341
Good sir, I do in friendship counsel you
342
To leave this place. Albeit you have deserv'd
343
High commendation, true applause, and love,
344
Yet such is now the Duke's condition
345
That he misconstrues all that you have done.
346
The Duke is humorous; what he is, indeed,
347
More suits you to conceive than I to speak of.
349
I thank you, sir; and pray you tell me this:
350
Which of the two was daughter of the Duke
351
That here was at the wrestling?
353
Neither his daughter, if we judge by manners;
354
But yet, indeed, the smaller is his daughter;
355
The other is daughter to the banish'd Duke,
356
And here detain'd by her usurping uncle,
357
To keep his daughter company; whose loves
358
Are dearer than the natural bond of sisters.
359
But I can tell you that of late this Duke
360
Hath ta'en displeasure 'gainst his gentle niece,
361
Grounded upon no other argument
362
But that the people praise her for her virtues
363
And pity her for her good father's sake;
364
And, on my life, his malice 'gainst the lady
365
Will suddenly break forth. Sir, fare you well.
366
Hereafter, in a better world than this,
367
I shall desire more love and knowledge of you.
369
I rest much bounden to you; fare you well.
371
Thus must I from the smoke into the smother;
372
From tyrant Duke unto a tyrant brother.
373
But heavenly Rosalind![Exit]
2
Enter CELIA and ROSALIND
4
Why, cousin! why, Rosalind! Cupid have mercy!
7
Not one to throw at a dog.
9
No, thy words are too precious to be cast away upon curs;
10
throw some of them at me; come, lame me with reasons.
12
Then there were two cousins laid up, when the one should
13
be lam'd with reasons and the other mad without any.
15
But is all this for your father?
17
No, some of it is for my child's father. O, how full of
18
briers is this working-day world!
20
They are but burs, cousin, thrown upon thee in holiday
21
foolery; if we walk not in the trodden paths, our very petticoats
24
I could shake them off my coat: these burs are in my
29
I would try, if I could cry 'hem' and have him.
31
Come, come, wrestle with thy affections.
33
O, they take the part of a better wrestler than myself.
35
O, a good wish upon you! You will try in time, in despite of
36
a fall. But, turning these jests out of service, let us talk in
37
good earnest. Is it possible, on such a sudden, you should fall
38
into so strong a liking with old Sir Rowland's youngest son?
40
The Duke my father lov'd his father dearly.
42
Doth it therefore ensue that you should love his son dearly?
43
By this kind of chase I should hate him, for my father hated his
44
father dearly; yet I hate not Orlando.
46
No, faith, hate him not, for my sake.
48
Why should I not? Doth he not deserve well?
49
Enter DUKE FREDERICK, with LORDS
51
Let me love him for that; and do you love him because I
52
do. Look, here comes the Duke.
54
With his eyes full of anger.
56
Mistress, dispatch you with your safest haste,
57
And get you from our court.
62
Within these ten days if that thou beest found
63
So near our public court as twenty miles,
66
I do beseech your Grace,
67
Let me the knowledge of my fault bear with me.
68
If with myself I hold intelligence,
69
Or have acquaintance with mine own desires;
70
If that I do not dream, or be not frantic-
71
As I do trust I am not- then, dear uncle,
72
Never so much as in a thought unborn
73
Did I offend your Highness.
76
If their purgation did consist in words,
77
They are as innocent as grace itself.
78
Let it suffice thee that I trust thee not.
80
Yet your mistrust cannot make me a traitor.
81
Tell me whereon the likelihood depends.
83
Thou art thy father's daughter; there's enough.
85
So was I when your Highness took his dukedom;
86
So was I when your Highness banish'd him.
87
Treason is not inherited, my lord;
88
Or, if we did derive it from our friends,
89
What's that to me? My father was no traitor.
90
Then, good my liege, mistake me not so much
91
To think my poverty is treacherous.
93
Dear sovereign, hear me speak.
95
Ay, Celia; we stay'd her for your sake,
96
Else had she with her father rang'd along.
98
I did not then entreat to have her stay;
99
It was your pleasure, and your own remorse;
100
I was too young that time to value her,
101
But now I know her. If she be a traitor,
102
Why so am I: we still have slept together,
103
Rose at an instant, learn'd, play'd, eat together;
104
And wheresoe'er we went, like Juno's swans,
105
Still we went coupled and inseparable.
107
She is too subtle for thee; and her smoothness,
108
Her very silence and her patience,
109
Speak to the people, and they pity her.
110
Thou art a fool. She robs thee of thy name;
111
And thou wilt show more bright and seem more virtuous
112
When she is gone. Then open not thy lips.
113
Firm and irrevocable is my doom
114
Which I have pass'd upon her; she is banish'd.
116
Pronounce that sentence, then, on me, my liege;
117
I cannot live out of her company.
119
You are a fool. You, niece, provide yourself.
120
If you outstay the time, upon mine honour,
121
And in the greatness of my word, you die.
122
Exeunt DUKE and LORDS
124
O my poor Rosalind! Whither wilt thou go?
125
Wilt thou change fathers? I will give thee mine.
126
I charge thee be not thou more griev'd than I am.
130
Thou hast not, cousin.
131
Prithee be cheerful. Know'st thou not the Duke
132
Hath banish'd me, his daughter?
136
No, hath not? Rosalind lacks, then, the love
137
Which teacheth thee that thou and I am one.
138
Shall we be sund'red? Shall we part, sweet girl?
139
No; let my father seek another heir.
140
Therefore devise with me how we may fly,
141
Whither to go, and what to bear with us;
142
And do not seek to take your charge upon you,
143
To bear your griefs yourself, and leave me out;
144
For, by this heaven, now at our sorrows pale,
145
Say what thou canst, I'll go along with thee.
147
Why, whither shall we go?
149
To seek my uncle in the Forest of Arden.
151
Alas, what danger will it be to us,
152
Maids as we are, to travel forth so far!
153
Beauty provoketh thieves sooner than gold.
155
I'll put myself in poor and mean attire,
156
And with a kind of umber smirch my face;
157
The like do you; so shall we pass along,
158
And never stir assailants.
161
Because that I am more than common tall,
162
That I did suit me all points like a man?
163
A gallant curtle-axe upon my thigh,
164
A boar spear in my hand; and- in my heart
165
Lie there what hidden woman's fear there will-
166
We'll have a swashing and a martial outside,
167
As many other mannish cowards have
168
That do outface it with their semblances.
170
What shall I call thee when thou art a man?
172
I'll have no worse a name than Jove's own page,
173
And therefore look you call me Ganymede.
174
But what will you be call'd?
176
Something that hath a reference to my state:
177
No longer Celia, but Aliena.
179
But, cousin, what if we assay'd to steal
180
The clownish fool out of your father's court?
181
Would he not be a comfort to our travel?
183
He'll go along o'er the wide world with me;
184
Leave me alone to woo him. Let's away,
185
And get our jewels and our wealth together;
186
Devise the fittest time and safest way
187
To hide us from pursuit that will be made
188
After my flight. Now go we in content
189
To liberty, and not to banishment.[Exeunt]
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