Orl. Then, in mine own person, I die.

stop that, 'twill fly with the smoke out at the Ros. No, faith, die by attorney. The poor world chimney. is almost six thousand years old, and in all this, Orl. A man that had a wife with such a wit, he time there was not any man died in his own person, might say,-Wit, whither will? videlicet, in a love-cause. Troilus had his brams Ros. Nay, you might keep that check for it, till dashed out with a Grecian club; yet he did what you met your wife's wit going to your neighbour's he could to die before; and he is one of the pat- bed.

terns of love. Leander, he would have lived many Orl. And what wit could wit have to excuse that? a far year, though Hero had turned nun, if it had Ros. Marry, to say,-she came to seek you there. not been for a hot miasummer night: for, good You shall never take her without her answer, unyouth, he went but forth to wash him in the Hel-less you take her without her tongue. O, that lespont, and, being taken with the cramp, was woman that cannot make her fault her husband's drowned; and the foolish chroniclers of that age occasion, let her never nurse her child herself, for find it was-Hero of Sestos. But these are all she will breed it like a fool.

Ros. Alas, dear love, I cannot lack thee two hours.

lies; men have died from time to time, and worms Orl. For these two hours, Rosalind, I will leave have eaten them, but not for love. thee. Orl. I would not have my right Rosalind of this! mind; for, I protest, her frown might kill me. Ros. By this hand, it will not kill a fly. But come, now I will be your Rosalind in a more coming-on disposition; and ask me what you will, I will grant it.

Orl. Then love me, Rosalind.

Orl. I must attend the duke at dinner; by two o'clock I will be with thee again.

Ros. Ay, go your ways, go your ways;-I knew what you would prove; my friends told me as much, and I thought no less :-that flattering tongue

Ros. Yes, faith will I, Fridays, and Saturdays, of yours won me :-'tis but one cast away, and and all.

Orl. And wilt thou have me?

Ros. Ay, and twenty such.

Orl. What say'st thou ?

Ros. Are you not good?

Orl. I hope so.

so, come, death.-Two o'clock is your hour? Orl. Ay, sweet Rosalind.

Ros. By my troth, and in good earnest, and so God mend me, and by all pretty oaths that are not dangerous, if you break one jot of your promise, or come one minute behind your hour, I will think Ros. Why then, can one desire too much of you the most pathetical break-promise, and the good thing?-Come, sister, you shall be the priest, most hollow lover, and the most unworthy of her and marry us.-Give me your hand, Orlando :-you call Rosalind, that may be chosen out of the What do you say, sister?

Orl. Pray thee, marry us.

Cel. I cannot say the words.

a

gross band of the unfaithful: therefore beware my censure, and keep your promise.

Orl. With no less religion, than if thou wert inRos. You must begin,--Will you, Orlando,-deed my Rosalind: So, adieu. Cel. Go to:--Will you, Orlando, have to wifej this Rosalind?

Orl. I will.

Ros. Ay, but when?

Ros. Well, time is the old justice that examines all such offenders, and let time try: Adieu!

[Exit Orlando,

Cel. You have simply misus'd our sex in your love-prate: we must have your doublet and hose Rosa-plucked over your head, and show the world what the bird hath done to her own nest.

Orl. Why now; as fast as she can marry us. Ros. Then you must say,-I take thee, lind, for wife.

Orl. I take thee, Rosalind, for wife.
Ros. I might ask you for your commission; but
-I do take thee, Orlando, for my husband: There
a girl goes before the priest; and, certainly, a
woman's thought runs before her actions.

Orl. So do all thoughts; they are winged.
Ros. Now tell me, how long you would have
her, after you have possessed her.
Orl. For ever, and a day.

Ros. O coz, coz, coz, my pretty little coz, that thou didst know how many fathom deep I am in love! But it cannot be sounded; my affection hath an unknown bottom, like the bay of Portugal,

Cel. Or rather bottomless; that as fast as you pour affection in, it runs out.

Ros. No, that same wicked bastard of Venus, that was begot of thought, conceived of spleen, and born of madness; that blind rascally boy, that Ros. Say a day, without the ever: No, no, Or-abuses every one's eyes, because his own are out, lando; men are April when they woo, December let him be judge, how deep I am in love:-I'll when they wed: maids are May when they are tell thee, Aliena, I cannot be out of the sight of maids, but the sky changes when they are wives. Orlando: I'll go find a shadow, and sigh till he I will be more jealous of thee than a Barbary cock-come. pigeon over his hen; more clamorous than a parrot against rain; more new-fangled than an ape; more giddy in my desires than a monkey; I will weep for nothing, like Diana in the fountain, and I will do that when you are disposed to be merry; I will laugh like a hyen, and that when thou art inclined to sleep.

Orl. But will my Rosalind do so?
Ros. By my life, she will do as I do.

Orl. O, but she is wise.

Cel. And I'll sleep.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.—Another part of the Forest. Enter
Jaques and Lords, in the habit of Foresters.

Jag. Which is he that killed the deer?
1 Lord. Sir, it was I.

Jaq. Let's present him to the duke, like a Roman conqueror; and it would do well to set the deer's horns upon his head, for a branch of victory:

2 Lord. Yes, sir.

Ros. Or else she could not have the wit to do-Have you no song, forester, for this purpose?" this: the wiser, the waywarder: Make the doors1 upon a woman's wit, and it will out at the case- Jaq. Sing it; 'tis no matter how it be in tune ment; shut that, and 'twill out at the key-hole; so it make noise enough.

(1) Bar the doors,

(2) Melancholy.

Alack, in me what strange effect
Would they work in mild aspéct ?
Whiles chid me,
you
I did love;
How then might your prayers move?
He, that brings this love to thee,
Little knows this love in me:
And by him seal up thy mind;
Whether that thy youth and kinds
Will the faithful offer take
Of me, and all that I can make ;
Or else by him my love deny,
And then I'll study how to die.
Sil. Call you this chiding?
Cel. Alas, poor shepherd!

Ros. Do you pity him? no, he deserves no pity. -Wilt thou love such a woman ?-What, to make thee an instrument, and play false strains upon thee! not to be endured!-Well, go your way to her, (for I see, love hath made thee a tame snake,) and say this to her :-That if she love me, I charge her to love thee: if she will not, I will never have her, unless thou entreat for her.-If you be a true lover, hence, and not a word; for here comes more [Exit Silvius.

[Giving a letter. company.

I know not the contents; but, as I guess,
By the stern brow, and waspish action
Which she did use as she was writing of it,
It bears an angry tenor: pardon me,
I am but as a guiltless messenger.

Ros. Patience herself would startle at this letter,
And play the swaggerer; bear this, bear all:
She says, I am not fair; that I lack manners;
She calls me proud; and, that she could not love me
Were man as rare as phoenix; Od's my will!
Her love is not the hare that I do hunt:
Why writes she so to me?-Well, shepherd, well,
This is a letter of your own device.

Sil. No, I protest, I know not the contents;
Phebe did write it.

Ros.
Come, come, you are a tool,
And turn'd into the extremity of love.
I saw her hand: she has a leathern hand,
A freestone-colour'd hand; I verily did think
That her old gloves were on, but 'twas her hands;
She has a huswife's hand; but that's no matter:
I say, she never did invent this letter;
This is a man's invention, and his hand.

Sil. Sure, it is hers.

Ros. Why, 'tis a boisterous and cruel style,
A style for challengers; why, she defies me,
Like Turk to Christian: woman's gentle brain
Could not drop forth such giant rude invention,
Such Ethiop words, blacker in their effect
Than in their countenance :-Will you hear the
letter?

Sil. So please you, for I never heard it yet;
Yet heard too much of Phebe's cruelty.
Ros. She Phebes me: Mark how the tyrant
writes.

Art thou god to shepherd turn'd,
That a maiden's heart hath burn'd?-

Can a woman rail thus?

Sil. Call you this railing?

Ros. Why, thy godhead laid apart,

Warr'st thou with a woman's heart? Did you ever hear such railing?

While the eye of man did woo me, That could do no vengeance' to me.— Meaning me a beast.

[Reads,

If the scorn of your bright eyne2 Have power to raise such love in mine, (1) Mischief. (2) Eyes. (3) Nature.

bottom,

The rank of osiers, by the murmuring stream,
Left on your right hand, brings you to the place:
But at this hour the house doth keep itself,
There's none within.

Oli. If that an eye may profit by a tongue,
Then I should know you by description;
Such garments, and such years: The boy is fair,
Of female favour, and bestows himself
Like a ripe sister: but the woman low,
And browner than her brother. Are not you
The owner of the house I did inquire for?

Cel. It is no boast, being ask'd, to say, we are,
Oli. Orlando doth commend him to you both;
And to that youth, he calls his Rosalind,
He sends this bloody napkin; Are you he?

Ros. I am: What must we understand by this?
Oli. Some of my shame; if you will know of me
What man I am, and how, and why, and where
This handkerchief was stain'd.

Cel.

I pray you, tell it, Oli. When last the young Orlando parted from you,

He left a promise to return again
Within an hour; and, pacing through the forest,
Chewing the food of sweet and bitter fancy,
Lo, what befel! he threw his eye aside,
And, mark, what object did present itself!
Under an oak, whose boughs were moss'd with age,
And high top bald with dry antiquity,

A wretched ragged man, o'ergrown with hair,
Lay sleeping on his back: about his neck
A green and gilded snake had wreath'd itself,
Who with her head, nimble in threats, approach'd
The opening of his mouth; but suddenly
Seeing Orlando, it unlink'd itself,
And with indented glides did slip away
Into a bush: under which bush's shade
A lioness, with udders all drawn dry,

Lay couching, head on ground, with cat-like watch,
When that the sleeping man should stir; for 'tis

(4) Environs of a forest. (5) Handkerchief.

The royal disposition of that beast,

To prey on nothing that doth seem as dead:
This seen, Orlando did approach the man,
And found it was his brother, his elder brother.
Cel. O, I have heard him speak of that same
brother;

And he did render' him the most unnatural,
That liv'd 'mongst men.

Oli.
And well he might do so,
For well I know he was unnatural.
Ros. But, to Orlando ;-Did he leave him there,
Food to the suck'd and hungry lioness?

Oli. Twice did he turn his back, and purpos'd so:
But kindness, nobler ever than revenge,
And nature, stronger than his just occasion,
Made him give battle to the lioness,
Who quickly fell before him; in which hurtling,
From miserable slumber I awak'd.

Cel. Are you his brother?
Ros.

2

Was it you he rescu'd? Cel. Was't you that did so oft contrive to kill him?

Ros. I shall devise something: But, I pray you, commend my counterfeiting to him:-Will you go? [Exeunt.

ACT V.

SCENE 1.-The same. Enter Touchstone and
Audrey.

Touch. We shall find a time, Audrey; patience, gentle Audrey.

Aud. 'Faith, the priest was good enough, for all the old gentleman's saying.

Touch. A most wicked sir Oliver, Audrey, a most vile Mar-text. But, Audrey, there is a youth here in the forest lays claim to you.

Aud. Ay, I know who 'tis, he hath no interest in me in the world: here comes the man you mean. Enter William.

Touch. It is meat and drink to me, to see a clown: By my troth, we that have good wits, have much to answer for; we shall be flouting; we cannot hold.

Will. Good even, Audrey.

Aud. God ye good even, William.
Will. And good even to you, sir.

Touch. Good even, gentle friend: Cover thy head, cover thy head; nay, pr'ythee, be covered. How old are you, friend?

Will. Five and twenty, sir.

Touch. A ripe age; Is thy name William ?
Will. William, sir.

Touch. A fair name: Wast born i'the forest here?
Will. Ay, sir, I thank God.

Oli. 'Twas I; but 'tis not I: I do not shame To tell you what I was, since my conversion So sweetly tastes, being the thing I am. Ros. But, for the bloody napkin ?— Oli. By and by. When from the first to last, betwixt us two, Tears our recountments had most kindly bath'd, As, how I came into that desert place :In brief, he led me to the gentle duke, Who gave me fresh array, and entertainment, Committing me unto my brother's love; Who led me instantly unto his cave, There stripp'd himself, and here upon his arm The lioness had torn some flesh away, Which all this while had bled; and now he fainted, And cry'd, in fainting, upon Rosalind. Brief, I recover'd him; bound up his wound; And, after some small space, being strong at heart, He sent me hither, stranger as I am, To tell this story, that you might excuse His broken promise, and to give this napkin, Touch. Why, thou say'st well. I do now rememDy'd in this blood, unto the shepherd youth ber a saying; The fool doth think he is wise, but That he in sport doth call his Rosalind. the wise man knows himself to be a fool. The Cel. Why, how now, Ganymede? sweet Gany-heathen philosopher, when he had a desire to eat a mede ? [Rosalind faints. grape, would open his lips when he put it into his Oli. Many will swoon when they do look on mouth; meaning thereby, that grapes were made blood. to eat, and lips to open. You do love this maid? Will. I do, sir.

Cel. There is more in it :-Cousin-Ganymede!
Oli. Look, he recovers.

Ros.
I would I were at home.
Cel. We'll lead you thither :-

I pray you, will you take him by the arm?

Touch. Thank God;-a good answer: Art rich?
Will. 'Faith, sir, so, so.

Touch. So, so, is good, very good, very excellent good:-and yet it is not; it is but so so. Art thou wise?

Will. Ay, sir, I have a pretty wit.

Touch. Give me your hand: Art thou learned ?
Will. No, sir.

Touch. Then learn this of me; To have, is to have: For it is a figure in rhetoric, that drink Oli. Be of good cheer, youth:-You a man?-being poured out of a cup into a glass, by filling You lack a man's heart. the one doth empty the other: For all your writers Ros. I do so, I confess it. Ah, sir, a body would do consent, that ipse is he; now you are not ipse, think this was well counterfeited: I pray you tell for I am he. your brother how well I counterfeited.-Heigh ho! Touch. He, sir, that must marry this woman: Oli. This was not counterfeit; there is too great Therefore, you clown, abandon,-which is in the testimony in your complexion, that it was a pas- vulgar, leave,-the society, which in the boorish sion of earnest.

Ros. Counterfeit, I assure you.

Will. Which he, sir?

is, company,-of this female,-which in the common is,-woman, which together is, abandon the Oli. Well then, take a good heart, and counter-society of this female; or, clown, thou perishest; feit to be a man.

or, to thy better understanding, diest; to wit, Ros. So I do: but, i'faith I should have been a kill thee, make thee away, translate thy life into woman by right.

Cel. Come, you look paler and paler; pray you,
draw homewards :-Good sir, go with us.
Oli. That will I, for I must bear answer back
How you excuse my brother, Rosalind.

death, thy liberty into bondage: I will deal in
poison with thee, or in bastinado, or in steel; I
will bandy with thee in faction; I will o'er run thee
with policy; I will kill thee a hundred and fifty
ways; therefore tremble, and depart.

Aud. Do, good William.
Will. God rest you merry,

sir.

[Exil.

Enter Corin.

years old, conversed with a magician, most profound in this art, and yet not damnable. If you

Cor. Our master and mistress seek you; come, do love Rosalind so near the heart as your gesture away, away.

Touch. Trip, Audrey, trip, Audrey;-I attend, you marry her: I know into what straits of fortune cries it out, when your brother marries Aliena, shall [Exeunt. she is driven; and it is not impossible to me, if it

I attend.

SCENE II.-The same.

Enter Orlando and appear not inconvenient to you, to set her before your eyes to-morrow, human as she is, and without any danger.

Oliver. Orl. Is't possible, that on so little acquaintance Orl. Speakest thou in sober meanings? you should like her? that, but seeing, you should love her? and, loving, woo? and, wooing, she though I say I am a magician: Therefore, put you Ros. By my life, I do; which I tender dearly, should grant? and will you perséver to enjoy her? in your best array, bid1 your friends; for if you Oli. Neither call the giddiness of it in question, will be married to-morrow, you shall; and to the poverty of her, the small acquaintance, my sud- Rosalind, if you will.

den wooing, nor her sudden consenting; but say with me, I love Aliena; say with her, that she

Enter Silvius and Phebe.

hers.

loves me; consent with both, that we may enjoy Look, here comes a lover of mine, and a lover of each other: it shall be to your good; for my father's house, and all the revenue that was old sir Rowland's, will I estate upon you, and here live and die a shepherd.

Enter Rosalind.

Orl. You have my consent. Let your wedding be to-morrow: thither will I invite the duke, and all his contented followers: Go you, and prepare Aliena; for, look you, here comes my Rosalind. Ros. God save you, brother.

Oli. And you, fair sister.

Ros. O, my dear Orlando, how it grieves me to see thee wear thy heart in a scarf!

Orl. It is my arm.

Ros. I thought thy heart had been wounded with the claws of a lion.

Orl. Wounded it is, but with the eyes of a lady. Ros. Did your brother tell you how I counterfeited to swoon, when he showed me your handkerchief?

Orl. Ay, and greater wonders than that. Ros. O, I know where you are:-Nay, 'tis true: there was never any thing so sudden, but the fight of two rams, and Cæsar's thrasonical brag of I came, saw, and overcame: For your brother and my sister no sooner met, but they looked; no sooner looked, but they loved; no sooner loved, but! they sighed; no sooner sighed, but they asked one) another the reason; no sooner knew the reason, but they sought the remedy; and in these degrees have they made a pair of stairs to marriage, which they will climb incontinent, or else be incontinent before marriage: they are in the very wrath of love, and they will together; clubs cannot part them.

Phe. Youth, you have done me much ungentle

ness,

To show the letter that I writ to you.

Ros. I care not, if I have: it is my study,
You are there follow'd by a faithful shepherd;
To seem despiteful and ungentle to you:
Look upon him, love him; he worships you.
Phe. Good shepherd, tell this youth what 'tis tc
love.

Sil. It is to be all made of sighs and tears ;-
And so am I for Phebe.

Phe. And I for Ganymede.
Orl. And I for Rosalind.

Ros. And I for no woman.

Sil. It is to be all made of faith and service ;—
And so am I for Phebe.

Phe. And I for Ganymede.
Orl. And I for Rosalind.
Ros. And I for no woman.

Sil. It is to be all made of phantasy,
All made of passion, and all made of wishes;
All adoration, duty and observance,
All humbleness, all patience, and impatience,
All purity, all trial, all observance ;-
And so am I for Phebe.

Phe. And so am I for Ganymede.
Orl. And so am I for Rosalind.
Ros. And so am I for no woman.
Phe. If this be so, why blame you me to love you?
[To Rosalind.

Sil. If this be so, why blame you me to love you? [To Phebe. Orl. If this be so, why blame you me to love you? Ros. Who do you speak to, Why blame you me to love you?

Orl. They shall be married to-morrow; and I Orl. To her, that is not here, nor doth not hear. will bid the duke to the nuptial. But, O, how bitter a thing it is to look into happiness through an- howling of Irish wolves against the moon.-I will Ros. Pray you, no more of this; 'tis like the other man's eyes! By so much the more shall I to-help you, To Silvius.] if I can:-I would love morrow be at the height of heart-heaviness, by how you, To Phebe.] if I could.-To-morrow meet me much I shall think my brother happy, in having all together.-I will marry you, [To Phebe.] if ever what he wishes for. I marry woman, and I'll be married to-morrow :Ros. Why then, to-morrow I cannot serve your I will satisfy you, [To Orlando.] if ever I satisfied turn for Rosalind ? man, and you shall be married to-morrow :-I Orl. I can live no longer by thinking. will conter.t you, [To Silvius.] if what pleases Ros. I will weary you no longer then with idle you contents you, and you shall be married totalking. Know of me then (for now I speak to morrow.-As you [To Orlando.] love Rosalind, some purpose,) that I know you are a gentleman meet ;-as you [To Silvius.] love Phebe, meet; of good conceit: I speak not this, that you should And as I love no woman, I'll meet.-So, fare you bear a good opinion of my knowledge, insomuch, well; I have left you commands.

I say, I know you are; neither do I labour for a greater esteem than may in some little measure draw a belief from you, to do yourself good, and not to grace me. Believe then, if you please, that I can do strange things: I have, since I was three!

Sil. I'll not fail, if I live.
Phe.
Orl.

Nor I.

Nor I. [Exe.

(1) Invite.

[Exeunt. this fellow.