As You Like It

Act III

Scene I. A room in the palace.

Enter Duke Frederick, Lords, and Oliver.

Duke F. Not seen him since? Sir, sir, that cannot be;
But were I not the better part made mercy,
2the better part The greater part.
I should not seek an absent argument
3argument of Subject for.
Of my revenge, thou present. But look to it:
5Find out thy brother, wheresoe'er he is;
Seek him with candle; bring him dead or living
Within this twelvemonth, or turn thou no more
To seek a living in our territory.
Thy lands and all things that thou dost call thine
10Worth seizure do we seize into our hands,
Till thou canst quit thee by thy brother's mouth
Of what we think against thee.
Oli. O that your highness knew my heart in this
I never loved my brother in my life.
15Duke F. More villain thou. Well, push him out of
doors;
And let my officers of such a nature
16my officers of such a nature Whose particular duty it is.
Make an extent upon his house and lands:
17Make an extent upon Seize upon. A legal phrase.
Do this expediently and turn him going. [Exeunt.
18Expediently Expeditiously, without delay.

Scene II. The forest.

Enter Orlando, with a paper.

Orl. Hang there, my verse, in witness of my love:
And thou, thrice-crowned queen of night, survey
2thrice-crowned queen The moon, who rules the upper air as Cynthia (or Luna), the earth as Diana, and the underworld as Proserpine (or Hecate).
With thy chaste eye, from thy pale sphere above,
3chaste Diana was the virgin goddess, untouched by the passion of love.
Thy huntress' name that my full life doth sway.
4thy huntress' name Here, Rosalind.my full life My whole life.doth sway Controls, as the moon controls the tides.
5O Rosalind! these trees shall be my books
And in their barks my thoughts I'll character;
6character Cut, engrave.
That every eye which in this forest looks
Shall see thy virtue witness'd every where.
8witness'd Testified to.
Run, run, Orlando; carve on every tree
10The fair, the chaste and unexpressive she. [Exit.
10unexpressive Inexpressible, beyond the power of words to describe.

Enter Corin and Touchstone.

Cor. And how like you this shepherd's life, Master
Touchstone?
Touch. Truly, shepherd, in respect of itself, it is a
good life; but in respect that it is a shepherd's life, it is
15naught. In respect that it is solitary, I like it very
15naught No good.
well; but in respect that it is private, it is a very vile
life. Now, in respect it is in the fields, it pleaseth me
well; but in respect it is not in the court, it is tedious.
As it is a spare life, look you, it fits my humour well;
20but as there is no more plenty in it, it goes much
against my stomach. Hast any philosophy in thee,
shepherd?
Cor. No more but that I know the more one sickens
the worse at ease he is; and that he that wants money,
25means and content is without three good friends; that
the property of rain is to wet and fire to burn; that
good pasture makes fat sheep, and that a great cause of
the night is lack of the sun; that he that hath learned
no wit by nature nor art may complain of good breeding
29may complain of good breeding That is, of the lack of good breeding.
30or comes of a very dull kindred.
Touch. Such a one is a natural philosopher. Wast
ever in court, shepherd?
Cor. No, truly.
Touch. Then thou art damned.
35Cor. Nay, I hope.
Touch. Truly, thou art damned, like an ill-roasted
egg all on one side.
Cor. For not being at court? Your reason.
Touch. Why, if thou never wast at court, thou never
40sawest good manners; if thou never sawest good
manners, then thy manners must be wicked; and
wickedness is sin, and sin is damnation. Thou art in
a parlous state, shepherd.
43parlous Perilous.
Cor. Not a whit, Touchstone: those that are good
45manners at the court are as ridiculous in the country
as the behaviour of the country is most mockable at
the court. You told me you salute not at the court,
but you kiss your hands: that courtesy would be
48but you kiss Without kissing; except you kiss.
uncleanly, if courtiers were shepherds.
50Touch. Instance, briefly; come, instance.
50Instance Give me an illustration.
Cor. Why, we are still handling our ewes, and their
51still Always.
fells, you know, are greasy.
52fells Fleeces.
Touch. Why, do not your courtier's hands sweat?
and is not the grease of a mutton as wholesome as the
54a mutton A sheep.
55sweat of a man? Shallow, shallow. A better instance,
I say; come.
Cor. Besides, our hands are hard.
Touch. Your lips will feel them the sooner. Shallow
again. A more sounder instance, come.
60Cor. And they are often tarred over with the surgery
60surgery Handling: the literal meaning of the word.
of our sheep; and would you have us kiss tar? The
courtier's hands are perfumed with civet.
62civet Perfume procured from the civet cat.
Touch. Most shallow man! thou worms-meat, in
63–4Touchstone says that as compared with a good piece of flesh, Corin is no better than meat for worms.
respect of a good piece of flesh indeed! Learn of the
65wise, and perpend: civet is of a baser birth than tar,
65perpend Reflect, consider.birth Origin.
the very uncleanly flux of a cat. Mend the instance,
66Mend the instance Give me a better illustration.
shepherd.
Cor. You have too courtly a wit for me: I'll rest.
Touch. Wilt thou rest damned? God help thee,
70shallow man! God make incision in thee! thou art
70make incision in thee Cure thee. The old method of curing disease was to let blood.
raw.
71raw Crude, green.
Cor. Sir, I am a true labourer: I earn that I eat, get
that I wear, owe no man hate, envy no man's happiness,
glad of other men's good, content with my harm, and
74content with my harm Patient under my misfortunes.
75the greatest of my pride is to see my ewes graze and my
lambs suck. Here comes young Master Ganymede, my
new mistress's brother.

Enter Rosalind, with a paper reading.

Ros. "From the east to western Ind,
No jewel is like Rosalind.
80Her worth, being mounted on the wind,
Through all the world bears Rosalind.
All the pictures fairest lined
82lined Drawn, delineated.
Are but black to Rosalind.
Let no face be kept in mind
85But the fair of Rosalind."
85fair Beauty.
Touch. I'll rhyme you so eight years together,
dinners and suppers and sleeping-hours excepted: it is
the right butter-women's rank to market.
88right True, perfect.rank Procession; the butter-women going along one after the other at a jog trot.
Ros. Out, fool!
90Touch. For a taste:—
"If a hart do lack a hind,
Let him seek out Rosalind.
If the cat will after kind,
So be sure will Rosalind.
95Winter garments must be lined,
So must slender Rosalind.
They that reap must sheaf and bind;
Then to cart with Rosalind.
Sweetest nut hath sourest rind,
100Such a nut is Rosalind.
He that sweetest rose will find
Must find love's prick and Rosalind."
102prick Thorn.
This is the very false gallop of verses: why do you
infect yourself with them?
104infect Pollute.
105Ros. Peace, you dull fool! I found them on a tree.
Touch. Truly, the tree yields bad fruit.
Ros. I'll graff it with you, and then I shall graff
107graff Graft.
it with a medlar: then it will be the earliest fruit i'
108medlar A pun on the word meddler. The medlar is a wild fruit, found in Europe, resembling a pear. It is not pleasant to the taste until it begins to decay.
the country; for you'll be rotten ere you be half ripe,
110and that's the right virtue of the medlar.
Touch. You have said; but whether wisely or no,
let the forest judge.

Enter Celia, with a writing.

Ros. Peace!
Here comes my sister, reading: stand aside.
Cel. [Reads]
115"Why should this a desert be?
For it is unpeopled? No;
115For Because.
Tongues I'll hang on every tree,
That shall civil sayings show:
117civil sayings Sayings that will show that civilized people live here.
Some, how brief the life of man
120Runs his erring pilgrimage,
That the stretching of a span
120That So that.
Buckles in his sum of age;
121Buckles in Contains, includes.
Some, of violated vows
'Twixt the souls of friend and friend:
125But upon the fairest boughs,
Or at every sentence end,
Will I Rosalinda write,
Teaching all that read to know
128–9The best qualities of every creature, which Heaven wishes to show in miniature in one person.
The quintessence of every sprite
128quintessence Literally, the fifth essence. The body, it was believed, was composed of the four elements, and the finer qualities of soul were spoken of as a quintessence.sprite Spirit.
130Heaven would in little show.
Therefore Heaven Nature charged
That one body should be fill'd
With all graces wide-enlarged:
132wide-enlarged Fully developed.
Nature presently distill'd
133presently Immediately.distill'd Produced in its purest form.
135Helen's cheek, but not her heart,
134Helen Helen, wife of Menelaus, King of Greece, was the most beautiful woman in the world; but she proved false to her husband.
Cleopatra's majesty,
135Cleopatra Queen of Egypt.
Atalanta's better part,
136Atalanta A maiden of Arcadia who was renowned for her beauty and for her swiftness in running. Her "better part" is probably her fleetness of foot.
Sad Lucretia's modesty,
137Lucretia A Roman matron who was dishonoured by Sextus Tarquin and took her own life in consequence.
Thus Rosalind of many parts
138parts Qualities.
140By heavenly synod was devised,
139synod Assembly.
Of many faces, eyes and hearts,
To have the touches dearest prized.
141touches Traits.dearest prized Most valued.
Heaven would that she these gifts should have,
And I to live and die her slave."
145Ros. O most gentle pulpiter! what tedious homily of
144pulpiter Preacher.homily Sermon.
love have you wearied your parishioners withal, and
never cried, 'Have patience, good people'!
Cel. How now! back, friends! Shepherd, go off a
little. Go with him, sirrah.
150Touch. Come, shepherd, let us make an honourable
retreat; though not with bag and baggage, yet with
scrip and scrippage. [Exeunt Corin and Touchstone.
151scrip The shepherd's pouch.
Cel. Didst thou hear these verses?
Ros. O, yes, I heard them all, and more too; for
155some of them had in them more feet than the verses
would bear.
Cel. That's no matter: the feet might bear the
verses.
Ros. Ay, but the feet were lame and could not bear
160themselves without the verse and therefore stood lamely
in the verse.
Cel. But didst thou hear without wondering how thy
name should be hanged and carved upon these trees?
162should be Came to be.
Ros. I was seven of the nine days out of the wonder
165before you came; for look here what I found on a palm-
tree. I was never so be-rhymed since Pythagoras' time,
165Pythagoras A Greek philosopher who taught the doctrine of the transmigration of souls.
that I was an Irish rat, which I can hardly remember.
166an Irish rat An allusion to the belief that rats were rhymed to death in Ireland.
Cel. Trow you who hath done this?
167Trow you Do you know.
Ros. Is it a man?
170Cel. And a chain, that you once wore, about his neck.
Change you colour?
Ros. I prithee, who?
Cel. O Lord, Lord! it is a hard matter for friends
173–4The most improbable things may happen.
to meet; but mountains may be removed with earth-
175quakes and so encounter.
Ros. Nay, but who is it?
Cel. Is it possible?
Ros. Nay, I prithee now with most petitionary
177–8petitionary vehemence Earnest entreaty.
vehemence, tell me who it is.
180Cel. O wonderful, wonderful, and most wonderful
wonderful! and yet again wonderful, and after that,
out of all hooping!
181out of all hooping That cannot be expressed by any shouts or exclamations. "Hooping" is the older form of whooping.
Ros. Good my complexion! dost thou think, though
182Good my complexion A mild oath. Celia has accused her of changing colour (l. 170).
I am caparisoned like a man, I have a doublet and hose
183caparisoned Dressed.184–5One inch, etc. To be kept in ignorance a moment longer is to Rosalind as tedious as to explore the unknown South Seas. Or the meaning may be that Rosalind will ask so many questions that Celia's attempt to answer them will be like embarking on a voyage of discovery in the South Seas.
185in my disposition? One inch of delay more is a South-
sea of discovery; I prithee, tell me who is it quickly,
and speak apace. I would thou couldst stammer, that
thou mightst pour this concealed man out of thy mouth,
as wine comes out of a narrow-mouthed bottle, either
190too much at once, or none at all. I prithee, take the
cork out of thy mouth that I may drink thy tidings.
Is he of God's making? What manner of man? Is
his head worth a hat, or his chin worth a beard?
Cel. Nay, he hath but a little beard.
195Ros. Why, God will send more, if the man will be
thankful: let me stay the growth of his beard, if thou
delay me not the knowledge of his chin.
Cel. It is young Orlando that tripped up the
wrestler's heels and your heart both in an instant.
198in an instant In one instant.
200Ros. Nay, but the devil take mocking: speak, sad
199–200speak, sad brow and true maid Speak seriously and truly; with sad brow and like a true maid.
brow and true maid.
Cel. I' faith, coz, 'tis he.
Ros. Orlando?
Cel. Orlando.
205Ros. Alas the day! what shall I do with my doublet
and hose? What did he when thou sawest him?
What said he? How looked he? Wherein went he?
207what makes he? What is he doing?
What makes he here? Did he ask for me? Where
remains he? How parted he with thee? and when
210shalt thou see him again? Answer me in one word.
Cel. You must borrow me Gargantua's mouth first:
210Gargantua's mouth Gargantua was a giant who was the chief character in a story written in 1532, by Rabelais, a French author. According to the story Gargantua gulped down a salad with leaves as big as walnut trees, in which were hidden six pilgrims.
'tis a word too great for any mouth of this age's size.
211this age's size The size of people's mouths at the present time.
To say "Ay" and "No" to these particulars is more
than to answer in a catechism.
215Ros. But doth he know that I am in this forest and
in man's apparel? Looks he as freshly as he did the
day he wrestled?
Cel. It is as easy to count atomies as to resolve the
217atomies Motes in a sunbeam.217–8resolve the propositions Answer the questions.
propositions of a lover: but take a taste of my finding
220him, and relish it with good observance. I found him
219observance Attention.
under a tree, like a dropped acorn.
221The oak was sacred to Jove.
Ros. It may well be called Jove's tree, when it drops
forth such fruit.
Cel. Give me audience, good madam.
223Give me audience Listen to me.
225Ros. Proceed.
Cel. There lay he stretched along, like a wounded
knight.
Ros. Though it be pity to see such a sight, it well
becomes the ground.
229Cry "holla." Check, restrain, as a horseman calls "holla" (wait, stop), to check his horse.
230Cel. Cry 'holla' to thy tongue, I prithee; it curvets
curvets Prances.
unseasonably. He was furnished like a hunter.
230furnished Equipped, dressed.
Ros. O, ominous! he comes to kill my heart.
Cel. I would sing my song without a burden: thou
232burden Refrain.
bringest me out of tune.
235Ros. Do you not know I am a woman? when I
think, I must speak. Sweet, say on.
Cel. You bring me out. Soft! comes he not here?
236bring me out Put me out.

Enter Orlando and Jaques.

Ros. 'Tis he: slink by, and note him.
Jaq. I thank you for your company; but, good faith,
239had as lief have been alone Would have been as glad to be alone.
240I had as lief have been myself alone.
Orl. And so had I; but yet, for fashion sake, I
240for fashion sake For the sake of politeness.
thank you too for your society.
Jaq. God be wi' you: let's meet as little as we can.
Orl. I do desire we may be better strangers.
245Jaq. I pray you, mar no more trees with writing
love-songs in their barks.
Orl. I pray you, mar no more of my verses with
reading them ill-favouredly.
247ill-favouredly Badly.
Jaq. Rosalind is your love's name?
250Orl. Yes, just.
249just Exactly.
Jaq. I do not like her name.
Orl. There was no thought of pleasing you when
she was christened.
Jaq. What stature is she of?
255Orl. Just as high as my heart.
Jaq. You are full of pretty answers. Have you not
been acquainted with goldsmiths' wives, and conned
256–7conned them out of rings Learned by rote the mottoes which were engraved on the insides of gold rings.
them out of rings?
Orl. Not so; but I answer you right painted cloth,
258right painted cloth After the fashion of the mottoes or precepts which were commonly painted upon tapestry hangings or covers for furniture.
260from whence you have studied your questions.
Jaq. You have a nimble wit: I think 'twas made of
Atalanta's heels. Will you sit down with me? and we
261Atalanta's heels See note on l. 136.
two will rail against our mistress the world and all
our misery.
265Orl. I will chide no breather in the world but
264breather Being.
myself, against whom I know most faults.
Jaq. The worst fault you have is to be in love.
Orl. 'Tis a fault I will not change for your best
virtue. I am weary of you.
270Jaq. By my troth, I was seeking for a fool when
I found you.
Orl. He is drowned in the brook: look but in, and
you shall see him.
Jaq. There I shall see mine own figure.
275Orl. Which I take to be either a fool or a cipher.
Jaq. I'll tarry no longer with you: farewell, good
Signior Love.
Orl. I am glad of your departure: adieu, good
Monsieur Melancholy. [Exit Jaques.
280Ros. [Aside to Celia] I will speak to him like a saucy
lackey and under that habit play the knave with him.
280lackey Footman.under that habit In that guise.
Do you hear, forester?
Orl. Very well: what would you?
Ros. I pray you, what is 't o'clock?
285Orl. You should ask me what time o' day: there's
no clock in the forest.
Ros. Then there is no true lover in the forest; else
sighing every minute and groaning every hour would
detect the lazy foot of Time as well as a clock.
288detect Make note of; mark off.
290Orl. And why not the swift foot of Time? had not
that been as proper?
Ros. By no means, sir: Time travels in divers paces
with divers persons. I'll tell you who Time ambles
withal, who Time trots withal, who Time gallops withal,
293withal Here, merely a stronger form of with.
295and who he stands still withal.
Orl. I prithee, who doth he trot withal?
Ros. Marry, he trots hard with a young maid be-
296trots hard This does not mean that time goes fast, but rather that it goes with difficulty (hard), and hence seems slow in passing.
tween the contract of her marriage and the day it is
solemnized: if the interim be but a se'nnight, Time's
300pace is so hard that it seems the length of seven year.
Orl. Who ambles Time withal?
Ros. With a priest that lacks Latin and a rich man
that hath not the gout, for the one sleeps easily because
he cannot study and the other lives merrily because
305he feels no pain; the one lacking the burden of lean
304lean Making the student thin, or lean.
and wasteful learning, the other knowing no burden of
heavy tedious penury; these Time ambles withal.
Orl. Who doth he gallop withal?
Ros. With a thief to the gallows, for though he go as
310softly as foot can fall, he thinks himself too soon there.
Orl. Who stays it still withal?
310stays Stands still.
Ros. With lawyers in the vacation: for they sleep
between term and term and then they perceive not
how Time moves.
315Orl. Where dwell you, pretty youth?
Ros. With this shepherdess, my sister; here in the
skirts of the forest, like fringe upon a petticoat.
Orl. Are you native of this place?
317native Here, an adjective.
Ros. As the cony that you see dwell where she is
318cony Rabbit.
320kindled.
319kindled Born, brought forth.
Orl. Your accent is something finer than you could
purchase in so removed a dwelling.
321purchase Acquire.removed Remote.
Ros. I have been told so of many: but indeed an
322of many By many.
old religious uncle of mine taught me to speak, who was
323religious Either a hermit or a monk.
325in his youth an inland man: one that knew courtship
324courtship A pun on the two meanings of the word,—the ways of the court, and the art of wooing.
too well, for there he fell in love. I have heard him
read many lectures against it, and I thank God I am
not a woman, to be touched with so many giddy offences
as he hath generally taxed their whole sex withal.
330Orl. Can you remember any of the principal evils
that he laid to the charge of women?
Ros. There were none principal: they were all like
one another as half-pence are, every one fault seeming
monstrous till his fellow-fault came to match it.
335Orl. I prithee, recount some of them.
Ros. No, I will not cast away my physic but on
those that are sick. There is a man haunts the forest,
that abuses our young plants with carving 'Rosalind'
on their barks; hangs odes upon hawthorns and elegies
338elegies Mournful verses.
340on brambles, all, forsooth, deifying the name of Rosalind:
339forsooth Expresses scorn.
if I could meet that fancymonger, I would give him
340fancymonger One who meddles with love (fancy).
some good counsel, for he seems to have the quotidian
341quotidian A fever which returns every day.
of love upon him.
Orl. I am he that is so love-shaked: I pray you, tell
343love-shaked Like one who shivers with chills or ague accompanying the fever.
345me your remedy.
Ros. There is none of my uncle's marks upon you:
he taught me how to know a man in love; in which
cage of rushes I am sure you are not prisoner.
347cage of rushes A cage from which it would be easy to escape.
What were his marks?
350Ros. A lean cheek, which you have not; a blue eye
and sunken, which you have not; an unquestionable
350unquestionable Not inclined to engage in conversation.
spirit, which you have not; a beard neglected, which
you have not; but I pardon you for that, for simply
your having in beard is a younger brother's revenue:
353your having What you have.
355then your hose should be ungartered, your bonnet un-
354bonnet unbanded Hat without a band.
banded, your sleeve unbuttoned, your shoe untied and
every thing about you demonstrating a careless desola-
356careless desolation Despondency in which you have no interest (care) in anything.
tion; but you are no such man; you are rather point-
357point-device Exact, precise.
device in your accoutrements as loving yourself than
360seeming the lover of any other.
Orl. Fair youth, I would I could make thee believe I
love.
Ros. Me believe it! you may as soon make her that
you love believe it: which, I warrant, she is apter to do
365than to confess she does: that is one of the points in the
which women still give the lie to their consciences. But,
in good sooth, are you he that hangs the verses on the
366in good sooth Truly, really.
trees, wherein Rosalind is so admired?
Orl. I swear to thee, youth, by the white hand of
370Rosalind, I am that he, that unfortunate he.
Ros. But are you so much in love as your rhymes
speak?
Orl. Neither rhyme nor reason can express how
much.
375Ros. Love is merely a madness, and, I tell you,
375A reference to the cruel treatment of the insane in Shakespeare's day.
deserves as well a dark house and a whip as madmen
do: and the reason why they are not so punished and
cured is, that the lunacy is so ordinary that the whippers
are in love too. Yet I profess curing it by counsel.
380Orl. Did you ever cure any so?
Ros. Yes, one, and in this manner. He was to im-
agine me his love, his mistress; and I set him every day
to woo me: at which time would I, being but a moonish
382moonish Changeable.
youth, grieve, be effeminate, changeable, longing and
385liking, proud, fantastical, apish, shallow, inconstant, full
of tears, full of smiles, for every passion some thing and
for no passion truly any thing, as boys and women are
for the most part cattle of this colour; would now like
387cattle of this colour Creatures of this sort.
him, now loathe him; then entertain him; then forswear
388entertain Encourage.forswear him Give him up, have nothing to do with him.
390him; now weep for him, then spit at him; that I drave
my suitor from his mad humour of love to a living
390–1living humour Real mood.
humour of madness; which was, to forswear the full
stream of the world and to live in a nook merely
392merely Wholly, entirely.
monastic. And thus I cured him; and this way will
395I take upon me to wash your liver as clean as a
394to wash your liver The liver was supposed to be the seat of the passions, and, hence, of love.
sound sheep's heart, that there shall not be one spot
of love in 't.
Orl. I would not be cured, youth.
Ros. I would cure you, if you would but call me
400Rosalind and come every day to my cote and woo me.
Orl. Now, by the faith of my love, I will: tell me
where it is.
Ros. Go with me to it and I'll show it you: and by
the way you shall tell me where in the forest you live.
405Will you go?
Orl. With all my heart, good youth.
Ros. Nay, you must call me Rosalind. Come, sister,
will you go? [Exeunt.

Scene III. The forest.

Enter Touchstone and Audrey; Jaques behind.

Touch. Come apace, good Audrey: I will fetch up
your goats, Audrey. And how, Audrey? am I the man
yet? doth my simple feature content you?
3feature Form, appearance. In Shakespeare's time the word was not confined to the features of the face.
Aud. Your features! Lord warrant us! what
5features?
Touch. I am here with thee and thy goats, as the
most capricious poet, honest Ovid, was among the Goths.
7capricious Whimsical, fanciful. The literal meaning is "goatlike" (Lat. caper, a goat), and Touchstone is punning on the word. Notice also the pun on "goats" and "Goths."Ovid A Roman poet (43 B.C.—17 A.D.). He incurred the displeasure of Augustus, and was banished to Tomi on the shores of the Black Sea. This country was inhabited by the Getae, whom Touchstone calls "the Goths."
Jaq. [Aside] O knowledge ill-inhabited, worse than
8ill-inhabited Poorly lodged.
Jove in a thatched house!
9Jove in a thatched house According to the myth, Jupiter and Mercury on one occasion sought shelter in a peasant's cottage, in Phrygia.
10Touch. When a man's verses cannot be understood,
nor a man's good wit seconded with the forward child
11seconded with Helped by.forward Quick to learn.
Understanding, it strikes a man more dead than a great
12strikes a man more dead Takes the spirit out of a man.12–3a great reckoning in a little room A large bill for only a few people.
reckoning in a little room. Truly, I would the gods had
made thee poetical.
15Aud. I do not know what 'poetical' is: is it honest
in deed and word? is it a true thing?
Touch. No, truly; for the truest poetry is the most
feigning; and lovers are given to poetry, and what they
18feigning Imaginative.
swear in poetry may be said as lovers they do feign.
20Aud. Do you wish then that the gods had made me
poetical?
Touch. I do, truly; for thou swearest to me thou art
honest: now, if thou wert a poet, I might have some
hope thou didst feign.
25Aud. Would you not have me honest?
Touch. No, truly, unless thou wert hard-favoured:
26hard-favoured Plain-looking, ugly.
for honesty coupled to beauty is to have honey a sauce
to sugar.
Jaq. [Aside] A material fool!
29material Full of matter.
30Aud. Well, I am not fair; and therefore I pray the
gods make me honest.
Touch. Truly, and to cast away honesty upon a foul
slut were to put good meat into an unclean dish.
Aud. I am not a slut, though I thank the gods I am
34–5Because ugliness and honesty are said to go together, I am thankful that I am ugly (foul).
35foul.
Touch. Well, praised be the gods for thy foulness!
sluttishness may come hereafter. But be it as it may
be, I will marry thee, and to that end I have been with
Sir Oliver Martext, the vicar of the next village, who
39Sir The title Sir corresponded to the Latin "Dominus," and was often given to those who had taken a degree from a university.
40hath promised to meet me in this place of the forest and
to couple us.
Jaq. [Aside] I would fain see this meeting.
Aud. Well, the gods give us joy!
Touch. Amen. A man may, if he were of a fearful
45heart, stagger in this attempt; for here we have no
temple but the wood, no assembly but horn-beasts. But
what though? Courage! Here comes Sir Oliver.
47what though? What does it matter? What though this be so?

Enter Sir Oliver Martext.

Sir Oliver Martext, you are well met: will you dispatch
48you are well met I am glad to meet you.dispatch To do business in haste.
us here under this tree, or shall we go with you to your
50chapel?
Sir Oli. Is there none here to give the woman?
Touch. I will not take her on gift of any man.
Sir Oli. Truly, she must be given, or the marriage is
not lawful.
55Jaq. [Advancing] Proceed, proceed: I'll give her.
Touch. Good even, good Master What-ye-call't: how
do you, sir? You are very well met: God 'ild you for
57'ild A contraction of yield, which means "reward."
your last company: I am very glad to see you: even a
59a toy in hand Audrey is merely something for his amusement.
toy in hand here, sir: nay, pray be covered.
be covered Put on your hat.
60Jaq. Will you be married, motley?
Touch. As the ox hath his bow, sir, the horse his
61bow The arched piece of wood to which the yoke is fastened.
curb and the falcon her bells, so man hath his desires;
and as pigeons bill, so wedlock would be nibbling.
63bill Bill and coo; rub their bills together.
Jaq. And will you, being a man of your breeding, be
65married under a bush like a beggar? Get you to church,
and have a good priest that can tell you what marriage
is: this fellow will but join you together as they join
wainscot; then one of you will prove a shrunk panel
and, like green timber, warp, warp.
70Touch. [Aside] I am not in the mind but I were better
70I am not in the mind but I would be better I am in the mind that I would be better.
to be married of him than of another: for he is not like
to marry me well; and not being well married, it will
be a good excuse for me hereafter to leave my wife.
Jaq. Go thou with me, and let me counsel thee.
75Touch. Come, sweet Audrey:
Farewell, good Master Oliver: not,—
"O sweet Oliver,
O brave Oliver,
Leave me not behind thee:"
80but,—
"Wind away,
80Wind Turn; or it may be an older form of wend.
Begone, I say,
I will not to wedding with thee."

[Exeunt Jaques, Touchstone and Audrey.

Sir Oli. 'Tis no matter: ne'er a fantastical knave of
85them all shall flout me out of my calling. [Exit.
84flout me Mock me.

Scene IV. The forest.

Enter Rosalind and Celia.

Ros. Never talk to me; I will weep.
Cel. Do, I prithee; but yet have the grace to con-
sider that tears do not become a man.
Ros. But have I not cause to weep?
5Cel. As good cause as one would desire; therefore
weep.
Ros. His very hair is of the dissembling colour.
7of the dissembling colour Shows that he is not to be trusted.
Cel. Something browner than Judas's: marry, his
8Judas's In old paintings Judas was generally represented as having red hair.
kisses are Judas's own children.
10Ros. I' faith, his hair is of a good colour.
Cel. An excellent colour: your chestnut was ever the
only colour.
Ros. And his kissing is as full of sanctity as the
touch of holy bread.
14holy bread Bread used at the sacrament.
15Cel. He hath bought a pair of cast lips of Diana: a
15cast Cast off, discarded.Diana The virgin goddess, untouched by the passion of love.16a nun of winter's sisterhood A nun that belongs to an order that is as cold, or free from passion, as winter.
nun of winter's sisterhood kisses not more religiously:
the very ice of chastity is in them.
Ros. But why did he swear he would come this
morning, and comes not?
20Cel. Nay, certainly, there is no truth in him.
Ros. Do you think so?
Cel. Yes; I think he is not a pick-purse nor a horse-
stealer, but for his verity in love, I do think him as
23verity Truth, honesty.
concave as a covered goblet or a worm-eaten nut.
24concave Hollow, insincere.a covered goblet Probably a reference to the fact that goblets were covered when they were empty.
25Ros. Not true in love?
Cel. Yes, when he is in; but I think he is not in.
Ros. You have heard him swear downright he was.
Cel. 'Was' is not 'is': besides, the oath of a lover is
no stronger than the word of a tapster; they are both
29the word of a tapster Who would be ready to cheat his customers.
30the confirmer of false reckonings. He attends here in
30confirmer of false reckonings Ready to make false statements, and then swear that they are true.reckonings Accounts, bills.
the forest on the duke your father.
Ros. I met the duke yesterday and had much
question with him: he asked me of what parentage I
33question Conversation.
was; I told him, of as good as he; so he laughed and let
35me go. But what talk we of fathers, when there is
such a man as Orlando?
Cel. O, that's a brave man! he writes brave verses,
speaks brave words, swears brave oaths and breaks them
bravely, quite traverse, athwart the heart of his lover;
39traverse Across the body, instead of by a direct thrust.
40as a puisny tilter, that spurs his horse but on one side,
40puisny Unskilful; literally, younger.on one side And hence approaches his adversary sideways.
breaks his staff like a noble goose: but all's brave that
41noble Used ironically.
youth mounts and folly guides. Who comes here?

Enter Corin.

Cor. Mistress and master, you have oft enquired
After the shepherd that complain'd of love,
45Who you saw sitting by me on the turf,
Praising the proud disdainful shepherdess
That was his mistress.
Cel. Well, and what of him?
Cor. If you will see a pageant truly play'd,
48pageant A striking scene.
Between the pale complexion of true love
50And the red glow of scorn and proud disdain,
Go hence a little and I shall conduct you,
If you will mark it.
Ros. O, come, let us remove:
The sight of lovers feedeth those in love.
Bring us to this sight, and you shall say
55I'll prove a busy actor in their play. [Exeunt.

Scene V. Another part of the forest.

Enter Silvius and Phebe.

Sil. Sweet Phebe, do not scorn me; do not, Phebe;
Say that you love me not, but say not so
In bitterness. The common executioner,
Whose heart the accustom'd sight of death makes hard,
5Falls not the axe upon the humbled neck
5Falls not Does not let fall.
But first begs pardon: will you sterner be
6But first begs pardon Without first begging pardon.
Than he that dies and lives by bloody drops?
7dies and lives Gets his living until he dies.

Enter Rosalind, Celia and Corin, behind.

Phe. I would not be thy executioner:
I fly thee, for I would not injure thee.
10Thou tell'st me there is murder in mine eye:
'Tis pretty, sure, and very probable,
11'Tis pretty, sure It is surely a pretty fancy.
That eyes, that are the frail'st and softest things,
Who shut their coward gates on atomies,
13atomies Motes of dust.
Should be call'd tyrants, butchers, murderers!
15Now I do frown on thee with all my heart;
And if mine eyes can wound, now let them kill thee:
Now counterfeit to swoon; why now fall down;
Or if thou canst not, O, for shame, for shame,
Lie not, to say mine eyes are murderers!
20Now show the wound mine eye hath made in thee:
Scratch thee but with a pin, and there remains
Some scar of it; lean but upon a rush,
The cicatrice and capable impressure
23cicatrice Scar; here, simply a mark.capable impressure The mark or indentation which it is capable of receiving.
Thy palm some moment keeps; but now mine eyes,
25Which I have darted at thee, hurt thee not,
Nor, I am sure, there is no force in eyes
That can do hurt.
Sil. O dear Phebe,
If ever—as that ever may be near,—
You meet in some fresh cheek the power of fancy,
29fancy Love.
30Then shall you know the wounds invisible
That love's keen arrows make.
Phe. But till that time
Come not thou near me: and when that time comes,
Afflict me with thy mocks, pity me not;
34mocks Taunts.
As till that time I shall not pity thee.
35Ros. And why, I pray you? Who might be your
mother,
That you insult, exult, and all at once,
37all at once All in the same breath.
Over the wretched? What though you have no beauty,—
As, by my faith, I see no more in you
40Than without candle may go dark to bed—
40The meaning may be that Phebe's beauty is not such as will light up the room and take the place of a candle: or else that she will not need to look at herself in her glass, and hence will not need a candle.
Must you be therefore proud and pitiless?
Why, what means this? Why do you look on me?
I see no more in you than in the ordinary
Of nature's sale-work. 'Od's my little life,
44nature's sale-work Ordinary appearance without special beauty, just like the goods that are sold in quantities over the counter.'Od's God's; a mild oath.
45I think she means to tangle my eyes too!
No, faith, proud mistress, hope not after it:
'Tis not your inky brows, your black silk hair,
Your bugle eyeballs, nor your cheek of cream,
48bugle Black beads of glass are called "bugles."
That can entame my spirits to your worship.
50You foolish shepherd, wherefore do you follow her,
Like foggy south puffing with wind and rain?
You are a thousand times a properer man
52properer Handsomer.
Than she a woman: 'tis such fools as you
That makes the world full of ill-favour'd children:
54ill-favour'd Ugly.
55'Tis not her glass, but you, that flatters her;
And out of you she sees herself more proper
Than any of her lineaments can show her.
But, mistress, know yourself: down on your knees,
And thank heaven, fasting, for a good man's love:
60For I must tell you friendly in your ear,
Sell when you can: you are not for all markets:
Cry the man mercy; love him; take his offer:
62Cry the man mercy Beg his pardon.
Foul is most foul, being foul to be a scoffer.
63When an ugly person mocks at others it makes her uglier still.
So take her to thee, shepherd: fare you well.
65Phe. Sweet youth, I pray you, chide a year together:
I had rather hear you chide than this man woo.
Ros. He's fallen in love with your foulness and
she'll fall in love with my anger. If it be so, as fast as
she answers thee with frowning looks, I'll sauce her
70with bitter words. Why look you so upon me?
Phe. For no ill will I bear you.
Ros. I pray you, do not fall in love with me,
For I am falser than vows made in wine:
Besides, I like you not. If you will know my house,
75'Tis at the tuft of olives here hard by.
Will you go, sister? Shepherd, ply her hard.
76ply her hard Keep on wooing her.
Come, sister. Shepherdess, look on him better,
And be not proud: though all the world could see,
None could be so abused in sight as he.
79abused Deceived.
80Come, to our flock. [Exeunt Rosalind, Celia and Corin.
Phe. Dead shepherd, now I find thy saw of might,
81Dead shepherd The poet Christopher Marlowe, in whose poem "Hero and Leander" the following line occurs.I find thy saw of might I feel now how much force there is in your saying (saw).
'Who ever loved that loved not at first sight?'
Sil. Sweet Phebe,—
Phe. Ha, what say'st thou, Silvius?
Sil. Sweet Phebe, pity me.
85Phe. Why, I am sorry for thee, gentle Silvius.
Sil. Wherever sorrow is, relief would be:
86If you feel sorry for me you surely must be ready to relieve my misery.
If you do sorrow at my grief in love,
By giving love your sorrow and my grief
88–9If you returned my love, both your sorrow and my grief would disappear.
Were both extermined.
90Phe. Thou hast my love: is not that neighbourly?
Sil. I would have you.
Phe. Why, that were covetousness.
Silvius, the time was that I hated thee,
And yet it is not that I bear thee love;
But since that thou canst talk of love so well,
95Thy company, which erst was irksome to me,
95erst Formerly.
I will endure, and I'll employ thee too:
But do not look for further recompense
Than thine own gladness that thou art employ'd.
Sil. So holy and so perfect is my love,
100And I in such a poverty of grace,
100in such a poverty of grace So much out of favour.
That I shall think it a most plenteous crop
To glean the broken ears after the man
That the main harvest reaps: loose now and then
A scatter'd smile, and that I'll live upon.
105Phe. Know'st thou the youth that spoke to me
erewhile?
106erewhile A little while ago.
Sil. Not very well, but I have met him oft;
And he hath bought the cottage and the bounds
That the old carlot once was master of.
109carlot Peasant; a diminutive of churl.
110Phe. Think not I love him, though I ask for him;
'Tis but a peevish boy; yet he talks well;
But what care I for words? yet words do well
When he that speaks them pleases those that hear.
It is a pretty youth: not very pretty:
114It Used slightingly, to express contempt.
115But, sure, he's proud, and yet his pride becomes him:
He'll make a proper man: the best thing in him
Is his complexion; and faster than his tongue
Did make offence his eye did heal it up.
He is not very tall; yet for his years he's tall:
120His leg is but so so; and yet 'tis well:
There was a pretty redness in his lip,
A little riper and more lusty red
Than that mix'd in his cheek; 'twas just the difference
Betwixt the constant red and mingled damask.
124constant Uniform.mingled damask Red, as in damask roses, mingled with white.
125There be some women, Silvius, had they mark'd him
In parcels as I did, would have gone near
126In parcels Piecemeal, point by point.126–7would have gone near to fall in love Would have come near falling.
To fall in love with him: but, for my part,
I love him not nor hate him not; and yet
I have more cause to hate him than to love him:
130For what had he to do to chide at me?
130what had he to do What business had he.
He said mine eyes were black and my hair black;
And, now I am remember'd, scorn'd at me:
132I am remember'd I recall to mind.
I marvel why I answer'd not again:
But that's all one; omittance is no quittance.
134omittance is no quittance The fact that I neglected to taunt him doesn't mean that I am to let him off altogether.
135I'll write to him a very taunting letter,
And thou shalt bear it: wilt thou, Silvius?
Sil. Phebe, with all my heart.
Phe. I'll write it straight;
The matter's in my head and in my heart:
I will be bitter with him and passing short.
139passing Exceedingly.
140Go with me, Silvius. [Exeunt.