As You Like It: ACT I , SCENE II. Lawn before the Duke's palace.

As You Like It: ACT I


	Introduction

	ACT I

		SCENE I. Orchard of Oliver's house.

		SCENE II. Lawn before the Duke's palace.

		SCENE III. A room in the palace.

	ACT II

	ACT III

	ACT IV

	ACT V

	About the Play

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SCENE II. Lawn before the Duke's palace.

Enter CELIA and ROSALIND

CELIA

I pray thee, Rosalind, sweet my coz, be merry.

ROSALIND

      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
5     learn me how to remember any extraordinary pleasure.

CELIA

      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
10    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.

ROSALIND

Well, I will forget the condition of my estate, to
rejoice in yours.

CELIA

15    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 taken away from thy
      father perforce, I will render thee again in
      affection; by mine honour, I will; and when I break
20    that oath, let me turn monster: therefore, my
      sweet Rose, my dear Rose, be merry.

ROSALIND

From henceforth I will, coz, and devise sports. Let
me see; what think you of falling in love?

CELIA

      Marry, I prithee, do, to make sport withal: but
25    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.

ROSALIND

What shall be our sport, then?

CELIA

Let us sit and mock the good housewife Fortune from
30 her wheel, that her gifts may henceforth be bestowed equally.

ROSALIND

      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.

CELIA

      'Tis true; for those that she makes fair she scarce
35    makes honest, and those that she makes honest she
      makes very ill-favouredly.

ROSALIND

      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

CELIA

40    No? when Nature hath made a fair creature, 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?

ROSALIND

      Indeed, there is Fortune too hard for Nature, when
45    Fortune makes Nature's natural the cutter-off of
      Nature's wit.

CELIA

      Peradventure this is not Fortune's work neither, but
      Nature's; who perceiveth our natural wits too dull
      to reason of such goddesses and hath sent this
50    natural for our whetstone; for always the dulness of
      the fool is the whetstone of the wits. How now,
      wit! whither wander you?

TOUCHSTONE

Mistress, you must come away to your father.

CELIA

Were you made the messenger?

TOUCHSTONE

55 No, by mine honour, but I was bid to come for you.

ROSALIND

Where learned you that oath, fool?

TOUCHSTONE

      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
60    pancakes were naught and the mustard was good, and
      yet was not the knight forsworn.

CELIA

How prove you that, in the great heap of your
knowledge?

ROSALIND

Ay, marry, now unmuzzle your wisdom.

TOUCHSTONE

65 Stand you both forth now: stroke your chins, and
swear by your beards that I am a knave.

CELIA

By our beards, if we had them, thou art.

TOUCHSTONE

      By my knavery, if I had it, then I were; but if you
      swear by that that is not, you are not forsworn: no
70    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.

CELIA

Prithee, who is't that thou meanest?

TOUCHSTONE

One that old Frederick, your father, loves.

CELIA

75    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.

TOUCHSTONE

The more pity, that fools may not speak wisely what
wise men do foolishly.

CELIA

80    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.

ROSALIND

With his mouth full of news.

CELIA

85 Which he will put on us, as pigeons feed their young.

ROSALIND

Then shall we be news-crammed.

CELIA

All the better; we shall be the more marketable.

Enter LE BEAU

Bon jour, Monsieur Le Beau: what's the news?

LE BEAU

Fair princess, you have lost much good sport.

CELIA

90 Sport! of what colour?

LE BEAU

What colour, madam! how shall I answer you?

ROSALIND

As wit and fortune will.

TOUCHSTONE

Or as the Destinies decree.

CELIA

Well said: that was laid on with a trowel.

TOUCHSTONE

95 Nay, if I keep not my rank,--

ROSALIND

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.

ROSALIND

You tell us the manner of the wrestling.

LE BEAU

100   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.

CELIA

Well, the beginning, that is dead and buried.

LE BEAU

105 There comes an old man and his three sons,--

CELIA

I could match this beginning with an old tale.

LE BEAU

Three proper young men, of excellent growth and presence.

ROSALIND

With bills on their necks, 'Be it known unto all men
by these presents.'

LE BEAU

110   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,
115   their father, making such pitiful dole over them
      that all the beholders take his part with weeping.

ROSALIND

Alas!

TOUCHSTONE

But what is the sport, monsieur, that the ladies
have lost?

LE BEAU

120 Why, this that I speak of.

TOUCHSTONE

      Thus men may grow wiser every day: it is the first
      time that ever I heard breaking of ribs was sport
      for ladies.

CELIA

Or I, I promise thee.

ROSALIND

125   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?

LE BEAU

      You must, if you stay here; for here is the place
      appointed for the wrestling, and they are ready to
130   perform it.

CELIA

Yonder, sure, they are coming: let us now stay and see it.

Flourish. Enter DUKE FREDERICK, Lords, ORLANDO, CHARLES, and Attendants

DUKE FREDERICK

Come on: since the youth will not be entreated, his
own peril on his forwardness.

ROSALIND

Is yonder the man?

LE BEAU

135 Even he, madam.

CELIA

Alas, he is too young! yet he looks successfully.

DUKE FREDERICK

How now, daughter and cousin! are you crept hither
to see the wrestling?

ROSALIND

Ay, my liege, so please you give us leave.

DUKE FREDERICK

140   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.

CELIA

145 Call him hither, good Monsieur Le Beau.

DUKE FREDERICK

Do so: I'll not be by.

LE BEAU

Monsieur the challenger, the princesses call for you.

ORLANDO

I attend them with all respect and duty.

ROSALIND

Young man, have you challenged Charles the wrestler?

ORLANDO

150   No, fair princess; he is the general challenger: I
      come but in, as others do, to try with him the
      strength of my youth.

CELIA

      Young gentleman, your spirits are too bold for your
      years. You have seen cruel proof of this man's
155   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.

ROSALIND

160   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.

ORLANDO

      I beseech you, punish me not with your hard
      thoughts; wherein I confess me much guilty, to deny
165   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 was willing to be so: I shall do my
170   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.

ROSALIND

The little strength that I have, I would it were with you.

CELIA

175 And mine, to eke out hers.

ROSALIND

Fare you well: pray heaven I be deceived in you!

CELIA

Your heart's desires be with you!

CHARLES

Come, where is this young gallant that is so
desirous to lie with his mother earth?

ORLANDO

180 Ready, sir; but his will hath in it a more modest working.

DUKE FREDERICK

You shall try but one fall.

CHARLES

      No, I warrant your grace, you shall not entreat him
      to a second, that have so mightily persuaded him
      from a first.

ORLANDO

185 An you mean to mock me after, you should not have
mocked me before: but come your ways.

ROSALIND

Now Hercules be thy speed, young man!

CELIA

I would I were invisible, to catch the strong
fellow by the leg.

They wrestle

ROSALIND

190 O excellent young man!

CELIA

If I had a thunderbolt in mine eye, I can tell who
should down.

Shout. CHARLES is thrown

DUKE FREDERICK

No more, no more.

ORLANDO

Yes, I beseech your grace: I am not yet well breathed.

DUKE FREDERICK

195 How dost thou, Charles?

LE BEAU

He cannot speak, my lord.

DUKE FREDERICK

Bear him away. What is thy name, young man?

ORLANDO

Orlando, my liege; the youngest son of Sir Rowland de Boys.

DUKE FREDERICK

      I would thou hadst been son to some man else:
200   The world esteem'd thy father honourable,
      But I did find him still mine enemy:
      Thou shouldst have better pleased me with this deed,
      Hadst thou descended from another house.
      But fare thee well; thou art a gallant youth:
205   I would thou hadst told me of another father.

Exeunt DUKE FREDERICK, train, and LE BEAU

CELIA

Were I my father, coz, would I do this?

ORLANDO

      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.

ROSALIND

210   My father loved Sir Rowland as his soul,
      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 ventured.

CELIA

215   Gentle cousin,
      Let us go thank him and encourage him:
      My father's rough and envious disposition
      Sticks me at heart. Sir, you have well deserved:
      If you do keep your promises in love
220   But justly, as you have exceeded all promise,
      Your mistress shall be happy.

ROSALIND

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 means.
225   Shall we go, coz?

CELIA

Ay. Fare you well, fair gentleman.

ORLANDO

      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.

ROSALIND

230   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.

CELIA

Will you go, coz?

ROSALIND

235 Have with you. Fare you well.

Exeunt ROSALIND and CELIA

ORLANDO

      What passion hangs these weights upon my tongue?
      I cannot speak to her, yet she urged conference.
      O poor Orlando, thou art overthrown!
      Or Charles or something weaker masters thee.

Re-enter LE BEAU

LE BEAU

240   Good sir, I do in friendship counsel you
      To leave this place. Albeit you have deserved
      High commendation, true applause and love,
      Yet such is now the duke's condition
      That he misconstrues all that you have done.
245   The duke is humorous; what he is indeed,
      More suits you to conceive than I to speak of.

ORLANDO

      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

250   Neither his daughter, if we judge by manners;
      But yet indeed the lesser 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
255   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
      But that the people praise her for her virtues
260   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:
      Hereafter, in a better world than this,
      I shall desire more love and knowledge of you.

ORLANDO

265 I rest much bounden to you: fare you well.

Exit LE BEAU

      Thus must I from the smoke into the smother;
      From tyrant duke unto a tyrant brother:
      But heavenly Rosalind!

Exit

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