As you Like it.

ACTI SCENE I.

A

SCENE an Orchard.

Enter Orlando and Adam.

ORLANDO.

SI remember, Adam, it was upon this Fashion bequeath'd me by Will, but a poor Thoufand Crowns, and as thou fay'ft, charged my Brother on his Bleffing to breed me well; and there begins my Sadnefs: My Brother Jaques he keeps at School, and Report fpeaks goldenly of his Profit; for my part he keeps me ruftically at home, or to speak more properly, ftays me 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 Horfes are bred better, for befides 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 to him as I. Befides this Nothing that he fo plentifully gives me, the Something that Nature gave me, his Countenance feems to take from me. He let's me feed with his Hinds, bars me the place of a Brother, and as much as in him lyes, mines my Gentility with my Edu cation. This is it, Adam, that grieves me, and the Spiric of my Father, which I think is within me, begins to mutiny

K3

again

against this fervitude. I will no longer endure it, tho' I know no wife Remedy how to avoid it.

Enter Oliver.

Adam. Yonder comes my Mafter, your Brother. Orla. Go apart, Adam, and thou fhalt hear how he will fhake me up.

Oli. Now, Sir, what make you here?

Orla. Nothing: I am not taught to make any thing.
Oli. What mar you then, Sir?

Orla. Marry, Sir, I am helping you to mar that which God made, a poor unworthy Brother of yours, with Idlenefs.

Oli. Marry, Sir, be better employ'd, and be naught a while.

Orla. Shall I keep your Hogs, and eat Husks with them? What Prodigal Portion have I spent, that I fhould come to fuch Penury?

Oli. Know you where you are, Sir?

Orla. O, Sir, very well; here in your Orchard.
Oli. Know you before whom, Sir?

Orla. Ay, better than him I am before knows me. I know you are my eldeft Brother, and in the gentle Condition of Blood you fhould fo know me: The Courtefie of Nations allows you my better, in that you are the First Born; but the fame 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 confefs your coming before me is nearer to his Reverence.

Oli. What Boy!

Orla. Come, come, elder Brother, you are too young

in this.

Oli. Wilt thou lay Hands on me, Villain?

Orla. 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 fays fuch a Father begot Villains. Wert thou not my Brother, I would not take this Hand from thy Throat, 'till this other had pull'd out thy Tongue for faying fo; thou haft rail'd on thy felf.

Adam. Sweet Mafter, be patient, for your Father's Remembrance, be at Accord.

Oli. Let me go, I fay.

Orla

Orla, I will not 'till I pleafe: You shall hear me. My Fa ther charg'd you in his Will to give me good Education: You have train'd me up like a Peafant, obfcuring and hiding from me all Gentleman-like Qualities; the Spirit of my Father grows ftrong in me, and I will no longer endure it: Therefore allow me fuch Exercises as may become a Gentleman, or give me the poor Allottery my Father left me by Teftament, with that I will go buy my Fortunes.

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 fhall have fome part of your Will, I pray you leave me.

Orla. 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? Moft true, I have loft my Teeth in your Service: God be with my old Mafter, he would not have spoke fuch a word. [Exit Orl. and Adam.

Oli. Is it even fo? Begin you to grow upon me? I will Phyfick your Rankness, and yet give no thousand Crowns neither. Holla, Dennis!

Enter Dennis.

Den. Calls your Worship?

Oli Was not Charles, the Duke's Wreftler, here to speak with me?

Den. So please you, he is here at the door, and importunes access to you.

Oli. Call him in ; 'twill be a good way; and to morrow the Wrestling is.

Enter Charles.

Char. Good Morrow to your Worship.

Oli. Good Monfieur Charles, what's the new News at the new Court?

Char. There's no News at the Court, Sir, but the old News; that is, the old Duke is banifh'd by his younger Brother the rew Duke, and three or four loving Lords have put themselves into a voluntary Exile with him, whofe Lands and Revenues enrich the new Duke, therefore he gives them good leave to wander.

Oli. Can you tell if Rofalind, the Duke's Daughter, be bani fh'd with her Father?

Cha. O no; for the Duke's Daughter her Coufin fo loves her, being ever from their Cradles bred together, that the would have followed their Exile, or have died to ftay behind her; fhe is at the Court, and no lefs beloved of her Unkle, than his own Daughter, and never two Ladies loved as they do.

Oli. Where will the old Duke live?

Cha. They fay 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 fay many young Gentlemen flock to him every day, and fleet the time carelefly as they did in the golden World.

Oli. What, you wreftle to morrow before the new Duke? Cha. Marry do I, Sir, and I come to acquaint you with a matter: I am given, Sir, fecretly to understand, that your younger Brother Orlando hath a difpofition to come in difguis'd against me to try a Fall; to morrow, Sir, I wrestle for my Credit, and he that efcapes me without fome broken Limb, fhall acquit him well; your Brother is but young and tender, and for your love I would be loath to foil him, as I must for mine own Honour if he come in; therefore out of my love to you, I came hither to acquaint you with al, that either you might ftay him from his intendment, or brook fuch Difgrace well as he fhall run into, in that it is a thing of his own fearch, and altogether against my will.

Oli. Charles, I thank thee for thy Love to me, which thou shalt find I will moft kindly requite: I had my felf notice of my Brother's purpose herein, and have by underhand means laboured to diffuade him from it; but he is refolute. I tell thee, Charles, he is the ftubborneft young Fellow of France, full of Ambition, an envious Emulator of every Man's 'good Parts, a fecret and villanous Contriver against me his natural Brother; and therefore ufe thy Dif cretion, I had as lief thou didft break his Neck as his Finger. And thou wert beft look to't; for if thou doft him any flight Difgrace, or if he do not mightily grace himself on thee, he will practice against thee by Poifon, to entrap thee by fome treacherous Device, and never leave thee 'till h hath ta'en thy Life by fome indirect means or other: For I affure thee, and almoft with Tears I fpeak it, there is not one fo young and fo villanous this day living. I fpcak but brotherly

brotherly of him; but should I Anatomize him to thee, as he is, I must blush and weep, and thou muft look pale and won der.

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 fo God keep. your Worship. [Exit.

Oli. Farewel, good Charles. Now will I flir this Gamefter: I hope I fhall fee an end of him, for my Soul, yet I know not why, hates nothing more than he; yet he's gentle, never school'd, and yet learned, full of roble Device, of all forts enchantingly beloved, and indeed fo much 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 fo long, this Wrestler fhall clear all: Nothing remains, but that I kindle the Boy thither, which now I'll go about. [Exit.

SCENE II. The Duke's Palace.

Enter Rofalind and Celia.

Cel. I pray thee, Rofalind, fweet my Coz, be merry. Rof. Dear Celia, I fhow more Mirth than I am Mistress of, and would you yet were merrier; unless you could teach me to forget a banish'd Father, you must not learn me how to remember my extraordinary Pleasure.

Cel. Herein I fee thou lov't me not with the full weight that I love thee; if my Unkle, thy banished Father, had banifhed thy Unkle, the Duke my Father, fo thou hadft been ftill with me, I could have taught my Love to take thy Father for mine; fo would'ft thou, if the truth of thy love to me were fo righteously temper'd, as mine is to thee.

Rof. Well, I will forget the Condition of my Estate, to rejoyce 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 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 Monfter: Therefore, my fweet Rofe, my dear Rofe, be merry.

Ref.