AS YOU LIKE IT.

ACT I. SCENE I.

OLIVE R's Orchard.

Enter Orlando and Adam.

ORLANDO.

AS I remember, Adam, it was upon this my Father

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 fadness. 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 proproperly) ftys me here at home, unkept: for call you that keeping for a gentleman of my birth, that differs not from the falling of an ox? his horfes are bread 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

fides this Nothine as much bound to him as I. Be

that he fo plentifully gives me, the Something, that Nature gave me,*his discountenance feems 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 grives me; and the Spirit of his countenance feems to take from me.] We should certainly read his discountenance.

my

my father, which, I think, is within me, begins to mutiny against this fervitude. I will no longer endure it, tho' yet I know no wife remedy how to avoid

it.

Adam.

Yo

ONDER comes my mafter, your brother.

Orla. Go apart, Adam, and thou shalt hear how he will shake 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 idleness.

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

Orla. Shall I keep your hogs, and eat husks with them? what Prodigal's 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 he, I am before, knows me. I know, you are my eldeft brother: and in the gentle condition of blood, you should fo know. me; the courtesy of nations allows you my better, in that you are the firft-born; but the fame tradition takes not away my blood, were there twenty brothers betwixt I have as much of my father in me, as you; albeit, I confefs your coming before me is nearer to his revenue.

us.

Oli. What, boy!

Orla. Come, come, elder brother, you are young in this.

too

Oli.

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 saying so; thou haft rail'd on thyself. Adam. Sweet mafters, be patient; for your father's remembrance, be at accord.

Oli. Let me go, I fay.

Orla. I will not, 'till I please: you shall hear me, My father 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 fpent? 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 fervice. God be with my old mafter, he would not have spoke fuch a word.

[Exeunt Orlando and Adam.

SCENE III..

Oli. Is it even fo? begin you to grow upon me? I will phyfic your rankness, and yet give no thousand crowns neither. Holla, Dennis!

Enter Dennis.

Den. Calls your Worship?

VOL. III.

B

Oli.

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.

1

Oli. Call him in;-twill be a good way; and tomorrow the wrestling is.

Oli. Good Monfieur 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 banish'd by his younger brother the new Duke, and three or four lov ing lords have put themselves into voluntary exile with him; whose 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 banish'd with her father?

Cha. O, no; *for the new Duke's daughter her coufin fo loves her, being ever from their cradle bred together, that fhe would have followed her exile, or have died to ftay behind her. She is at the Court, and no lefs beloved of her uncle 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 wrestle to-morrow before the new Duke?

with a matter.

Cha. Marry, do I, Sir; and I came to acquaint I am given, Sir, fecretly to underftand, that your younger brother Orlando hath a

you

for the Duke's daughter her coufin] read, the new Duke's.

difpofition to come in difguis' against me to try a Fall; to-morrow, Sir, I wrestle for my credit; and he, that escapes me without fome broken limb, shall acquit him well. Your brotheris but young and tender, and for your love I would be loth to foil him; as I muft for mine 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 in-, tendment, or brook fuch difgrace well as he shall 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 myself 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 stubborneft 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; therefore ufe thy difcretion; I had as lief thou didst 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 himfelf on thee, he will practife againft thee by poifon; catrap thee by fome treacherous device; and never leave thee, 'till he hath ta'en thy life by fome indirect means or other; for I affure thee, (and almoft with tears I speak it) there is not one so young and so villanous this day living. I fpeak but brotherly of him; but fhould I anatomize him to thee as he is, I must blush and weep, and thou must look pale and wonder.

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 wreftle for prize more; and fo, God keep your Worship. [Exit.

Oli. Farewel, good Charles. Now will I ftir this gamefter: I hope, I fhall fee an end of him;

B 2

for my

foul,