As You Like It (1919) Yale/Text/Act I
ACT FIRST
Scene One
[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 poor a thou-
sand crowns, and, as thou sayest, 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 more properly, stays me 8
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 16
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. 27
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? 31
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. 37
Oli. Marry, sir, be better employed, 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? 42
Oli. Know you where you are, sir?
Orl. O! sir, very well: here in your orchard.
Oli. Know you before whom, sir? 45
Orl. Ay, better than him 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 50
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! 56
Orl. Come, come, elder brother, you are too
young in this.
Oli. Wilt thou lay hands on me, villain? 59
Orl. I am no villain; I am the youngest son
of Sir Rowland de Boys; he was my father, and
he is thrice a villain that says such a father
begot villains. Wert thou not my brother, I
would not take this hand from thy throat till
this other had pulled out thy tongue for saying
so: thou hast railed on thyself. 66
Adam. [Coming forward.] Sweet masters, be
patient: for your father's remembrance, be at
accord.
Oli. Let me go, I say. 70
Orl. I will not, till I please: you shall hear
me. My father charged you in his will to give
me good education: you have trained me like
a peasant, obscuring 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 be-
come a gentleman, or give me the poor allottery
my father left me by testament; with that I will
go buy my fortunes. 80
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. 84
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 physic your rankness, and yet give
no thousand crowns neither. Holla, Dennis!
Enter Dennis.
Den. Calls your worship? 95
Oli. Was not Charles the duke's wrestler 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 wrestling is.
Enter Charles.
Cha. Good morrow to your worship. 102
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 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 re-
venues enrich the new duke; therefore he gives
them good leave to wander. 111
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. 120
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. They say many young gentlemen flock
to him every day, and fleet the time carelessly,
as they did in the golden world.
Oli. What, you wrestle to-morrow before the
new duke? 129
Cha. Marry, do I, sir; and I came to acquaint
you with a matter. I am given, sir, secretly to
understand that your younger brother Orlando
hath a disposition to come in disguised against
me to try a fall. To-morrow, sir, I wrestle for
my credit, and he that escapes me without some
broken limb shall acquit him well. Your brother 136
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 in: therefore, out of
my love to you, I came hither to acquaint you
withal, that either you might stay him from his
intendment, or brook such disgrace well as he
shall run into, in that it is a thing of his own
search and altogether against my will. 144
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 150
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 158
thee by poison, entrap thee by some treacherous
device, and never leave thee till he hath 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 anatomize him to thee as he is, I
must blush and weep, and thou must look pale
and wonder. 167
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! 171
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 schooled
and yet learned, full of noble device, of all sorts
enchantingly beloved, and, indeed so much in 177
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.
Scene Two
[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 mer-
rier? Unless you could teach me to forget a
banished father, you must not learn me how to
remember any extraordinary pleasure. 7
Cel. Herein I see thou lovest me not with the
full weight that I love thee. If my uncle, thy
banished 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: so wouldst thou, if the truth
of thy love to me were so righteously tempered
as mine is to thee. 15
Ros. Well, I will forget the condition of my
estate, to rejoice in yours.
Cel. You know my father hath no child but
I, nor none is like to have; and, truly, when he
dies, thou shalt be his heir: for what he hath 20
taken away from 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. 25
Ros. From henceforth I will, coz, and devise
sports. Let me see; what think you of falling
in love? 28
Cel. Marry, I prithee, 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 mayst in honour come off
again. 33
Ros. 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. 37
Ros. 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.
Cel. 'Tis true; for those that she makes fair
she scarce makes honest, and those that she
makes honest she makes very ill-favouredly. 43
Ros. Nay, now thou goest from Fortune's
office to Nature's: Fortune reigns in gifts of
the world, not in the lineaments of Nature.
Enter Touchstone.
Cel. No? when Nature hath made a fair crea-
ture, may she not by Fortune fall into the fire?
Though Nature hath given us wit to flout at
Fortune, hath not Fortune sent in this fool to
cut off the argument? 51
Ros. Indeed, there is Fortune too hard for
Nature, when Fortune makes Nature's natural
the cutter-off of Nature's wit.
Cel. Peradventure this is not Fortune's work
neither, but Nature's; who, perceiving our na-
tural wits too dull to reason of such goddesses,
hath sent this natural for our whetstone: for
always the dulness of the fool is the whetstone
of the wits. How now, wit! whither wander
you? 61
Touch. Mistress, you must come away to
your father.
Cel. Were you made the messenger?
Touch. No, by mine honour; but I was bid
to come for you. 66
Ros. Where learned you that oath, fool?
Touch. Of a certain knight that swore by
his honour they were good pancakes, and swore
by his honour the mustard was naught: now,
I'll stand to it, the pancakes were naught and
the mustard was good, and yet was not the
knight forsworn. 73
Cel. How prove you that, in the great heap
of your knowledge?
Ros. Ay, marry: now unmuzzle your wisdom.
Touch. Stand you both forth now: stroke
your chins, and swear by your beards that I am
a knave. 79
Cel. By our beards, if we had them, thou art.
Touch. By my knavery, if I had it, then I
were; but if you swear by that that is not, you
are not forsworn: no more was this knight,
swearing by his honour, for he never had any;
or if he had, he had sworn it away before ever
he saw those pancakes or that mustard. 86
Cel. Prithee, who is 't that thou meanest?
Touch. One that old Frederick, your father,
loves.
Cel. My father's love is enough to honour
him. Enough! speak no more of him; you'll
be whipped for taxation one of these days. 92
Touch. The more pity, that fools may not
speak wisely what wise men do foolishly.
Cel. By my troth, thou sayest 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. 98
Enter Le Beau.
Ros. With his mouth full of news.
Cel. Which he will put on us, as pigeons feed
their young.
Ros. Then we shall be news-cramm'd.
Cel. All the better; we shall be more market-
able. 104
Bon jour, Monsieur Le Beau: what's the news?
Le Beau. Fair princess, you have lost much
good sport.
Cel. Sport! Of what colour? 108
Le Beau. What colour, madam! How shall
I answer you?
Ros. As wit and fortune will.
Touch. Or as the Destinies decree. 112
Cel. Well said: that was laid on with a trowel.
Touch. Nay, if I keep not my rank,—
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. 118
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. 123
Cel. Well, the beginning, that is dead and
buried.
Le Beau. There comes an old man and his
three sons,— 127
Cel. I could match this beginning with an
old tale.
Le Beau. Three proper young men, of excel-
lent growth and presence;—
Ros. With bills on their necks, 'Be it known
unto all men by these presents.' 133
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 137
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. 141
Ros. Alas!
Touch. But what is the sport, monsieur, that
the ladies have lost? 144
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. 148
Cel. Or I, I promise thee.
Ros. But is there any else longs to see this
broken music in his sides? is there yet another
dotes upon rib-breaking? Shall we see this
wrestling, cousin? 153
Le Beau. You must, if you stay here; for
here is the place appointed for the wrestling,
and they are ready to perform it. 156
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 forward-
ness. 161
Ros. Is yonder the man?
Le Beau. Even he, madam.
Cel. Alas! he is too young: yet he looks
successfully. 165
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. 169
Duke F. You will take little delight in it,
I can tell you, there is such odds in the man:
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. 176
Le Beau. Monsieur the challenger, the princess
calls for you.
Orl. I attend them with all respect and duty.
Ros. Young man, have you challenged Charles
the wrestler? 181
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. 184
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. 192
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. 196
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; 202
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. 208
Ros. The little strength that I have, I would
it were with you.
Cel. And mine, to eke out hers.
Ros. Fare you well. Pray heaven I be deceived
in you! 213
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? 216
Orl. Ready, sir; but his will hath in it a more
modest working.
Duke F. You shall try but one fall. 219
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. 225
Ros. Now Hercules be thy speed, young man!
Cel. I would I were invisible, to catch the
strong fellow by the leg. 228
Ros. O excellent young man!
Cel. If I had a thunderbolt in mine eye, I can
tell who should down.
Duke F. No more, no more. 232
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. 236
Duke F. Bear him away. What is thy name,
young man? [Charles is borne out.]
Orl. Orlando, my liege; the youngest son of
Sir Rowland de Boys. 240
Duke F. I would thou hadst been son to some man else:
The world esteem'd thy father honourable,
But I did find him still mine enemy:
Thou shouldst have better pleas'd me with this deed, 244
Hadst thou descended from another house.
But fare thee well; thou art a gallant youth:
I would thou hadst told me of another father.
Cel. Were I my father, coz, would I do this? 248
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, 252
And all the world was of my father's mind:
Had I before known this young man his son,
I should have given him tears unto entreaties,
Ere he should thus have ventur'd.
Cel.Gentle cousin, 256
Let us go thank him and encourage him:
My father's rough and envious disposition
Sticks me at heart. Sir, you have well deserv'd:
If you do keep your promises in love 260
But justly, as you have exceeded all promise,
Your mistress shall be happy.
Ros.Gentleman,
Wear this for me, one out of suits with fortune,
That could give more, but that her hand lacks means. 264
Shall we go, coz?
Cel.Ay. Fare you well, fair gentleman.
Orl. Can I not say, I thank you? My better parts
Are all thrown down, and that which here stands up
Is but a quintain, a mere lifeless block. 268
Ros. He calls us back: my pride fell with my fortunes;
I'll ask him what he would. Did you call, sir?
Sir, you have wrestled well, and overthrown
More than your enemies.
Cel. Will you go, coz? 272
Ros. Have with you. Fare you well.
Orl. What passion hangs these weights upon my tongue?
I cannot speak to her, yet she urg'd conference.
Enter Le Beau.
O poor Orlando, thou art overthrown! 276
Or Charles or something weaker masters thee.
Le Beau. Good sir, I do in friendship counsel you
To leave this place. Albeit you have deserv'd
High commendation, true applause and love, 280
Yet such is now the duke's condition
That he misconsters all that you have done.
The duke is humorous: what he is indeed,
More suits you to conceive than I to speak of. 284
Orl. I thank you, sir; and pray you, tell me this;
Which of the two was daughter of the duke,
That here was at the wrestling?
Le Beau. Neither his daughter, if we judge by manners: 288
But yet, indeed the taller is his daughter:
The other is daughter to the banish'd duke,
And here detain'd by her usurping uncle,
To keep his daughter company; whose loves 292
Are dearer than the natural bond of sisters.
But I can tell you that of late this duke
Hath ta'en displeasure 'gainst his gentle niece,
Grounded upon no other argument 296
But that the people praise her for her virtues,
And pity her for her good father's sake;
And, on my life, his malice 'gainst the lady
Will suddenly break forth. Sir, fare you well: 300
Hereafter, in a better world than this,
I shall desire more love and knowledge of you.
Orl. I rest much bounden to you: fare you well.
Thus must I from the smoke into the smother; 304
From tyrant duke unto a tyrant brother.
But heavenly Rosalind! Exit.
Scene Three
[A Room in the Palace]
Enter Celia and Rosalind.
Cel. Why, cousin! why, Rosalind! Cupid
have mercy! Not a word?
Ros. Not one to throw at a dog. 3
Cel. No, thy words are too precious to be cast
away upon curs; throw some of them at me;
come, lame me with reasons.
Ros. Then there were two cousins laid up;
when the one should be lamed with reasons and
the other mad without any. 9
Cel. But is all this for your father?
Ros. No, some of it is for my child's father:
O, how full of briers is this working-day world!
Cel. They are but burrs, cousin, thrown upon
thee in holiday foolery: if we walk not in the
trodden paths, our very petticoats will catch
them. 16
Ros. I could shake them off my coat: these
burrs are in my heart.
Cel. Hem them away.
Ros. I would try, if I could cry 'hem,' and
have him. 21
Cel. Come, come; wrestle with thy affections.
Ros. O! they take the part of a better wrestler
than myself! 24
Cel. O, a good wish upon you! you will try in
time, in despite of a fall. But, turning these
jests out of service, let us talk in good earnest:
is it possible, on such a sudden, you should fall
into so strong a liking with old Sir Rowland's
youngest son?
Ros. The duke my father loved his father
dearly. 32
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. 36
Ros. No, faith, hate him not, for my sake.
Cel. Why should I not? doth he not deserve
well?
Enter Duke [Frederick,] with Lords.
Ros. Let me love him for that; and do you
love him, because I do. Look, here comes the
duke. 42
Cel. With his eyes full of anger.
Duke F. Mistress, dispatch you with your safest haste, 44
And get you from our court.
Ros.Me, uncle?
Duke F.You, cousin:
Within these ten days if that thou be'st found
So near our public court as twenty miles,
Thou diest for it.
Ros.I do beseech your Grace, 48
Let me the knowledge of my fault bear with me.
If with myself I hold intelligence,
Or have acquaintance with mine own desires,
If that I do not dream or be not frantic,— 52
As I do trust I am not,—then, dear uncle,
Never so much as in a thought unborn
Did I offend your highness.
Duke F.Thus do all traitors:
If their purgation did consist in words, 56
They are as innocent as grace itself:
Let it suffice thee that I trust thee not.
Ros. Yet your mistrust cannot make me a traitor:
Tell me whereon the likelihood depends. 60
Duke F. Thou art thy father's daughter; there's enough.
Ros. So was I when your highness took his dukedom;
So was I when your highness banish'd him.
Treason is not inherited, my lord; 64
Or, if we did derive it from our friends,
What's that to me? my father was no traitor:
Then, good my liege, mistake me not so much
To think my poverty is treacherous. 68
Cel. Dear sovereign, hear me speak.
Duke F. Ay, Celia; we stay'd her for your sake;
Else had she with her father rang'd along.
Cel. I did not then entreat to have her stay: 72
It was your pleasure and your own remorse.
I was too young that time to value her;
But now I know her: if she be a traitor,
Why so am I; we still have slept together, 76
Rose at an instant, learn'd, play'd, eat together;
And wheresoe'er we went, like Juno's swans,
Still we went coupled and inseparable.
Duke F. She is too subtle for thee; and her smoothness, 80
Her very silence and her patience,
Speak to the people, and they pity her.
Thou art a fool: she robs thee of thy name;
And thou wilt show more bright and seem more virtuous 84
When she is gone. Then open not thy lips:
Firm and irrevocable is my doom
Which I have pass'd upon her; she is banish'd.
Cel. Pronounce that sentence then, on me, my liege: 88
I cannot live out of her company.
Duke F. You are a fool. You, niece, provide yourself:
If you outstay the time, upon mine honour,
And in the greatness of my word, you die. 92
Cel. O my poor Rosalind! whither wilt thou go?
Wilt thou change fathers? I will give thee mine.
I charge thee, be not thou more griev'd than I am.
Ros. I have more cause.
Cel. Thou hast not, cousin; 96
Prithee, be cheerful; know'st thou not, the duke
Hath banish'd me, his daughter?
Ros. That he hath not.
Cel. No, hath not? Rosalind lacks then the love
Which teacheth thee that thou and I am one: 100
Shall we be sunder'd? shall we part, sweet girl?
No: let my father seek another heir.
Therefore devise with me how we may fly,
Whither to go, and what to bear with us: 104
And do not seek to take your change upon you,
To bear your griefs yourself and leave me out;
For, by this heaven, now at our sorrows pale,
Say what thou canst, I'll go along with thee. 108
Ros. Why, whither shall we go?
Cel. To seek my uncle in the forest of Arden.
Ros. Alas, what danger will it be to us,
Maids as we are, to travel forth so far! 112
Beauty provoketh thieves sooner than gold.
Cel. I'll put myself in poor and mean attire,
And with a kind of umber smirch my face;
The like do you: so shall we pass along 116
And never stir assailants.
Ros. Were it not better,
Because that I am more than common tall,
That I did suit me all points like a man?
A gallant curtle-axe upon my thigh, 120
A boar-spear in my hand; and, in my heart
Lie there what hidden woman's fear there will,
We'll have a swashing and a martial outside,
As many other mannish cowards have 124
That do outface it with their semblances.
Cel. What shall I call thee when thou art a man?
Ros. I'll have no worse a name than Jove's own page,
And therefore look you call me Ganymede. 128
But what will you be call'd?
Cel. Something that hath a reference to my state:
No longer Celia, but Aliena.
Ros. But, cousin, what if we assay'd to steal 132
The clownish fool out of your father's court?
Would he not be a comfort to our travel?
Cel. He'll go alpng o'er the wide world with me;
Leave me alone to woo him. Let's away, 136
And get our jewels and our wealth together,
Devise the fittest time and safest way
To hide us from pursuit that will be made
After my flight. Now go we in content 140
To liberty and not to banishment. Exeunt.
Footnotes to Act I
Scene One
2 Cf. n.
poor a: i.e., a beggarly
5 Jaques; cf. n.
6 at school: at college
7 rustically: i.e., without opportunity to see the world
8 stays: detains
13 manage: action and paces to which a horse is trained. Cf. French manège
19 countenance: favor, patronage
20 hinds: servants
22 mines: undermines
27 S. d.; cf. n.
31 make you: are you doing
35 Marry: an oath derived from the name of Saint Mary
38 be naught: efface yourself, withdraw
41 prodigal portion; cf. n.
48 gentle condition of blood: kind disposition caused by relationship
49 courtesy of nations: usage of civilised nations
55 reverence; cf. n.
58 young: inexperienced, i.e., in manly prowess
60 villain: serf, servant. (In 59 the word has its modern meaning)
78 allottery: share, portion
92 grow: encroach
93 rankness: insolence
112 duke's daughter; cf. n.
122 forest of Arden; cf. n.
126 fleet: pass
127 golden world; cf. n.
138 foil: throw in wrestling
141 withal: therewith
142 intendment: purpose
brook . . . well: endure
148 underhand: indirect
153 natural brother: blood brother
156 look to 't: take care
158 grace himself: do honor to
practise: scheme
165 anatomize: analyse, expose
170 go alone: walk without aid, i.e., of crutches
173 gamester: frolicsome person
175 gentle: well born
176 noble device: a noble cast of mind
177 enchantingly beloved: i.e., loved as if he put men under a spell of fascination
180 misprised: despised
181 clear all: settle everything
182 kindle . . . thither: incite to take up the wrestling match
Scene Two
1 coz: cousin
4 I; cf. n.
6 learn: teach
21 perforce: by violence
22 render: return
24 monster: i.e., something to point one's finger at in scorn
27 sports: amusements, diversions
32 pure blush: i.e., one without shame in it
come off: escape
36 Fortune . . . wheel; cf. n.
42 honest: chaste
43 ill-favouredly: ill-looking
45 office: function
48-50 Fortune: in 48 it means 'accident,' 'mischance'; cf. n.
53 natural: idiot, half-wit
57 reason of: debate
70 naught: worthless
71 stand to it: maintain
90 Cel.; cf. n.
92 taxation: slander, backbiting
96 fools . . . silenced; cf. n.
100 put on: force on
103 marketable: i.e., 'because we shall be like pigeons fattened for market'
108 Sport; cf. n.
112 Destinies; cf. n.
113 laid . . . trowel: i.e., 'spread thickly'
114 rank; cf. n.
116 amaze: bewilder
129 old tale: i.e., because Le Beau's words resemble the opening line of many old fairy tales
130 proper: good-looking
131 presence: demeanor, carriage
132 bills: labels
'Be . . . presents': a legal phrase; cf. n.
135 which: the which
137 that: so that
140 dole: grief, lamentation
150 any: anyone
151 broken music; cf. n.
160 entreated: i.e., not to wrestle
his . . . forwardness: i.e., 'let him blame his peril on his own rashness'
164 looks successfully: seems likely to succeed
166 cousin: often used for any collateral relative, as niece
171 odds . . . man: i.e., balance of advantage in favor of Charles
179 them; cf. n.
187 saw . . . judgment; cf. n.
195 suit: petition, entreaty
198 wherein . . . guilty; cf. n.
202 gracious: in good favor
206 only: modifies 'place'
212 deceived: i.e., mistaken in my estimate of your ability
218 working: intention
226 Hercules . . . speed; cf. n.
234 well breathed: fully exercised
243 still: constantly
245 house: family
250 calling: name
255 unto: in addition to
258 envious: spiteful
259 Sticks . . . heart: stabs me to the heart
261 But justly: as exactly
promise: i.e., in wrestling
263 suits . . . fortune; cf. n.
264 could: i.e., could find it in her heart
266 better parts: i.e., his spirit and sense
268 quintain; cf. n.
273 Have with you: I'll go along with you
275 urg'd conference: invited talk
281 condition: disposition
282 misconsters: misconstrues
283 humorous: capricious
289 taller; cf. n.
301 better world: i.e., in a better age, or state of affairs
303 bounden: obliged
304 smoke . . . smother; cf. n.
Scene Three
19 Hem: clear away with a cough
20 'hem' . . . him; cf. n.
26 in despite of: notwithstanding
turning . . . out of service: dismissing
34 chase: pursuit of an argument
36 dearly: deeply
38 Why . . . not; cf. n.
deserve well; cf. n.
44 safest haste: i.e., with haste conducive to your best safety
50 intelligence: communication
56 purgation: clearing from the accusation of guilt
57 grace: God himself
60 likelihood: ground of probable inference
70 stay'd: i.e., allowed her to stay
71 rang'd: roamed
73 remorse: compassion
74 that: at that
77 at an instant: at the same time
eat: eaten
78 Juno's swans; cf. n.
84 virtuous: gifted with good qualities
86 doom: sentence
105 change: i.e., of fortunes
115 umber: brown pigment
119 suit: clothe, dress
all points: in all respects
120 curtle-axe: broad cutting sword
123 swashing: blustering
125 outface it: brazen it out
semblances: appearance
128 Ganymede; cf. n.
131 Aliena; cf. n.