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  • Title: As You Like It (Folio 1, 1623)
  • Editor: David Bevington

    • ISBN: 978-1-55058-369-4

    Copyright David Bevington. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: David Bevington
    Peer Reviewed

    As You Like It (Folio 1, 1623)

    Scena Quarta.
    Enter Duke Senior, Amyens, Iaques, Orlan-
    do, Oliuer, Celia.
    2575Du.Sen. Dost thou beleeue Orlando, that the boy
    Can do all this that he hath promised?
    Orl. I sometimes do beleeue, and somtimes do not,
    As those that feare they hope, and know they feare.
    Enter Rosalinde, Siluius, & Phebe.
    2580Ros. Patience once more, whiles our cōpact is vrg'd:
    You say, if I bring in your Rosalinde,
    You wil bestow her on Orlando heere?
    Du.Se. That would I, had I kingdoms to giue with hir.
    Ros. And you say you wil haue her, when I bring hir?
    2585Orl. That would I, were I of all kingdomes King.
    Ros. You say, you'l marrie me, if I be willing.
    Phe. That will I, should I die the houre after.
    Ros. But if you do refuse to marrie me,
    You'l giue your selfe to this most faithfull Shepheard.
    2590Phe. So is the bargaine.
    Ros. You say that you'l haue Phebe if she will.
    Sil. Though to haue her and death, were both one
    thing.
    Ros. I haue promis'd to make all this matter euen :
    2595Keepe you your word, O Duke, to giue your daughter,
    You yours Orlando, to receiue his daughter :
    Keepe you your word Phebe, that you'l marrie me,
    Or else refusing me to wed this shepheard :
    Keepe your word Siluius, that you'l marrie her
    2600If she refuse me, and from hence I go
    To make these doubts all euen. Exit Ros. and Celia.
    Du.Sen. I do remember in this shepheard boy,
    Some liuely touches of my daughters fauour.
    Orl. My Lord, the first time that I euer saw him,
    2605Me thought he was a brother to your daughrer:
    But my good Lord, this Boy is Forrest borne,
    And hath bin tutor'd in the rudiments
    Of many desperate studies, by his vnckle,
    Whom he reports to be a great Magitian.
    2610Enter Clowne and Audrey.
    Obscured in the circle of this Forrest.
    Iaq. There is sure another flood toward, and these
    couples are comming to the Arke. Here comes a payre
    of verie strange beasts, which in all tongues, are call'd
    2615Fooles.
    Clo. Salutation and greeting to you all.
    Iaq. Good my Lord, bid him welcome : This is the
    Motley-minded Gentleman, that I haue so often met in
    the Forrest: he hath bin a Courtier he sweares.
    2620Clo. If any man doubt that, let him put mee to my
    purgation, I haue trod a measure, I haue flattred a Lady,
    I haue bin politicke with my friend, smooth with mine
    enemie, I haue vndone three Tailors, I haue had foure
    quarrels, and like to haue fought one.
    2625Iaq. And how was that tane vp?
    Clo. 'Faith we met, and found the quarrel was vpon
    the seuenth cause.
    Iaq. How seuenth cause? Good my Lord, like this
    fellow.
    2630Du.Se. I like him very well.
    Clo. God'ild you sir, I desire you of the like : I presse
    in heere sir, amongst the rest of the Country copulatiues
    to sweare, and to forsweare, according as mariage binds
    and blood breakes: a poore virgin sir, an il-fauor'd thing
    2635sir, but mine owne, a poore humour of mine sir, to take
    that that no man else will : rich honestie dwels like a mi-
    ser sir, in a poore house, as your Pearle in your foule oy-
    ster.
    Du.Se. By my faith, he is very swift, and sententious
    2640Clo. According to the fooles bolt sir, and such dulcet
    diseases.
    Iaq. But for the seuenth cause. How did you finde
    the quarrell on the seuenth cause?
    Clo. Vpon a lye, seuen times remoued : (beare your
    2645bodie more seeming Audry) as thus sir: I did dislike the
    cut of a certaine Courtiers beard: he sent me word, if I
    said his beard was not cut well, hee was in the minde it
    was : this is call'd the retort courteous. If I sent him
    word againe, it was not well cut, he wold send me word
    2650he cut it to please himselfe: this is call'd the quip modest.
    If againe, it was not well cut, he disabled my iudgment:
    this is called, the reply churlish. If againe it was not well
    cut, he would answer I spake not true : this is call'd the
    reproofe valiant. If againe, it was not well cut, he wold
    2655say, I lie : this is call'd the counter-checke quarrelsome :
    and so ro lye circumstantiall, and the lye direct.
    Iaq. And how oft did you say his beard was not well
    cut?
    Clo. I durst go no further then the lye circumstantial:
    2660nor he durst not giue me the lye direct: and so wee mea-
    sur'd swords, and parted.
    Iaq. Can you nominate in order now, the degrees of
    the lye.
    Clo. O sir, we quarrel in print, by the booke: as you
    2665haue bookes for good manners: I will name you the de-
    grees. The first, the Retort courteous: the second, the
    Quip-modest: the third, the reply Churlish: the fourth,
    the Reproofe valiant: the fift, the Counterchecke quar-
    relsome: the sixt, the Lye with circumstance: the sea-
    2670uenth, the Lye direct: all these you may auoyd, but the
    Lye direct : and you may auoide that too, with an If. I
    knew when seuen Iustices could not take vp a Quarrell,
    but when the parties were met themselues, one of them
    thought but of an If; as if you saide so, then I saide so:
    2675and they shooke hands, and swore brothers. Your If, is
    the onely peace-maker: much vertue in if.
    Iaq. Is not this a rare fellow my Lord? He's as good
    at any thing, and yet a foole.
    Du.Se. He vses his folly like a stalking-horse, and vn-
    2680der the presentation of that he shoots his wit.
    Enter Hymen, Rosalind, and Celia.
    Still Musicke.
    Hymen. Then is there mirth in heauen,
    When earthly things made eauen
    2685 attone together,
    Good Duke receiue thy daughter,
    Hymen from Heauen brought her,
    Yea brought her hether,
    That thou mightst ioyne his hand with his,
    2690 Whose heart within his bosome is.
    Ros. To you I giue my selfe, for I am yours.
    To you I giue my selfe, for I am yours.
    Du.Se. If there be truth in sight, you are my daughter.
    Orl. If there be truth in sight, you are my Rosalind.
    2695Phe. If sight & shape be true, why then my loue adieu
    Ros. Ile haue no Father, if you be not he:
    Ile haue no Husband, if you be not he:
    Nor ne're wed woman, if you be not shee.
    Hy. Peace hoa: I barre confusion,
    2700'Tis I must make conclusion
    Of these most strange euents:
    Here's eight that must take hands,
    To ioyne in Hymens bands,
    If truth holds true contents.
    2705You and you, no crosse shall part;
    You and you, are hart in hart:
    You, to his loue must accord,
    Or haue a Woman to your Lord.
    You and you, are sure together,
    2710As the Winter to fowle Weather:
    Whiles a Wedlocke Hymne we sing,
    Feede your selues with questioning:
    That reason, wonder may diminish
    How thus we met, and these things finish.
    2715Song.
    Wedding is great Iunos crowne,
    O blessed bond of boord and bed:
    'Tis Hymen peoples euerie towne,
    High wedlock then be honored:
    2720 Honor, high honor and renowne
    To Hymen, God of euerie Towne.
    Du.Se. O my deere Neece, welcome thou art to me,
    Euen daughter welcome, in no lesse degree.
    Phe. I wil not eate my word, now thou art mine,
    2725Thy faith, my fancie to thee doth combine.
    Enter Second Brother.
    2. Bro. Let me haue audience for a word or two:
    I am the second sonne of old Sir Rowland,
    That bring these tidings to this faire assembly.
    2730Duke Frederick hearing how that euerie day
    Men of great worth resorted to this forrest,
    Addrest a mightie power, which were on foote
    In his owne conduct, purposely to take
    His brother heere, and put him to the sword:
    2735And to the skirts of this wilde Wood he came;
    Where, meeting with an old Religious man,
    After some question with him, was conuerted
    Both from his enterprize, and from the world:
    His crowne bequeathing to his banish'd Brother,
    2740And all their Lands restor'd to him againe
    That were with him exil'd. This to be true,
    I do engage my life.
    Du.Se. Welcome yong man:
    Thou offer'st fairely to thy brothers wedding:
    2745To one his lands with-held, and to the other
    A land it selfe at large, a potent Dukedome.
    First, in this Forrest, let vs do those ends
    That heere vvete well begun, and wel begot:
    And after, euery of this happie number
    2750That haue endur'd shrew'd daies, and nights with vs,
    Shal share the good of our returned fortune,
    According to the measure of their states.
    Meane time, forget this new-falne dignitie,
    And fall into our Rusticke Reuelrie:
    2755Play Musicke, and you Brides and Bride-groomes all,
    With measure heap'd in ioy, to'th Measures fall.
    Iaq. Sir, by your patience: if I heard you rightly,
    The Duke hath put on a Religious life,
    And throwne into neglect the pompous Court.
    27602. Bro. He hath.
    Iaq. To him will I: out of these conuertites,
    There is much matter to be heard, and learn'd:
    you to your former Honor, I bequeath
    your patience, and your vertue, well deserues it.
    2765you to a loue, that your true faith doth merit:
    you to your land, and loue, and great allies:
    you to a long, and well-deserued bed:
    And you to wrangling, for thy louing voyage
    Is but for two moneths victuall'd: So to your pleasures,
    2770I am for other, then for dancing meazures.
    Du.Se. Stay, Iaques, stay.
    Iaq. To see no pastime, I: what you would haue,
    Ile stay to know, at your abandon'd caue. Exit.
    Du.Se. Proceed, proceed: wee'l begin these rights,
    2775As we do trust, they'l end in true delights. Exit
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