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As You Like It (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: David Bevington
Peer Reviewed
196
As you like it.
Helens cheeke, but not his heart,
Cleopatra's Maiestie:
1345Attalanta's better part,
sad Lucrecia's Modestie.
Thus Rosalinde of manie parts,
by Heauenly Synode was deuis'd,
Of manie faces, eyes, and hearts,
1350to haue the touches deerest pris'd.
Heauen would that shee these gifts should haue,
and I to liue and die her slaue.

Ros. O most gentle Iupiter, what tedious homilie of
Loue haue you wearied your parishioners withall, and
1355neuer cri'de, haue patience good people.
Cel. How now backe friends: Shepheard, go off a lit-
tle: go with him sirrah.
Clo. Come Shepheard, let vs make an honorable re-
treit, though not with bagge and baggage, yet with
1360scrip and scrippage.
Exit.
Cel. Didst thou heare these verses?
Ros. O yes, I heard them all, and more too, for some
of them had in them more feete then the Verses would
beare.
1365Cel. That's no matter: the feet might beare ye verses.
Ros. I, but the feet were lame, and could not beare
themselues without the verse, and therefore stood lame-
ly in the verse.
Cel. But didst thou heare without wondering, how
1370thy name should be hang'd and carued vpon these trees?
Ros. I was seuen of the nine daies out of the wonder,
before you came: for looke heere what I found on a
Palme tree; I was neuer so berimdsince Pythagoras time
that I was an Irish Rat, which I can hardly remember.
1375Cel. Tro you, who hath done this?
Ros. Is it a man?
Cel. And a chaine that you once wore about his neck:
change you colour?
Ros. I pre'thee who?
1380Cel. O Lord, Lord, it is a hard matter for friends to
meete; but Mountaines may bee remoou'd with Earth-
quakes, and so encounter.
Ros. Nay, but who is it?
Cel. Is it possible?
1385Ros. Nay, I pre'thee
now, with most petitionary ve-
hemence, tell me who it is.
Cel. O wonderfull, wonderfull, and most wonderfull
wonderfull, and yet againe wonderful, and after that out
of all hooping.
1390Ros. Good my complection, dost thou think though
I am caparison'd like a man, I haue a doublet and hose in
my disposition? One inch of delay more, is a South-sea
of discouerie. I pre'thee tell me, who is it quickely, and
speake apace: I would thou couldst stammer, that thou
1395might'st powre this conceal'd man out of thy mouth, as
Wine comes out of a narrow-mouth'd bottle: either too
much at once, or none at all. I pre'thee take the Corke
out of thy mouth, that I may drinke thy tydings.
Cel. So you may put a man in your belly.
1400Ros. Is he of Gods 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.
Ros. Why God will send more, if the man will bee
thankful: let me stay the growth of his beard, if thou
1405delay me not the knowledge of his chin.
Cel. It is yong Orlando, that tript vp the Wrastlers
heeles, and your heart, both in an instant.

Ros. Nay, but the diuell take mocking: speake sadde
brow, and true maid.
1410Cel. I'faith (Coz) tis he.
Ros. Orlando?
Cel. Orlando.
Ros. Alas the day, what shall I do with my doublet &
hose? What did he when thou saw'st him? What sayde
1415he? How look'd he? Wherein went he? What makes hee
heere? Did he aske for me? Where remaines he ? How
parted he with thee ? And when shalt thou see him a-
gaine? Answer me in one vvord.
Cel. You must borrow me Gargantuas mouth first:
1420'tis a Word too great for any mouth of this Ages size, to
say I and no, to these particulars, is more then to answer
in a Catechisme.
Ros. But doth he know that I am in this Forrest, and
in mans apparrell? Looks he as freshly, as he did the day
1425he Wrastled?
Cel. It is as easie to count Atomies as to resolue the
propositions of a Louer: but take a taste of my finding
him, and rellish it with good obseruance. I found him
vnder a tree like a drop'd Acorne.
1430Ros. It may vvel be cal'd Ioues tree, when it droppes
forth fruite.
Cel. Giue me audience, good Madam.
Ros. Proceed.
Cel. There lay hee stretch'd along like a Wounded
1435knight.
Ros. Though it be pittie to see such a sight, it vvell
becomes the ground.
Cel. Cry holla, to the tongue, I prethee: it curuettes
vnseasonably. He was furnish'd like a Hunter.
1440Ros. O ominous, he comes to kill my Hart.
Cel. I would sing my song without a burthen, thou
bring'st me out of tune.
Ros. Do you not know I am a woman, when I thinke,
I must speake: sweet, say on.

1445
Enter Orlando & Iaques.
Cel. You bring me out. Soft, comes he not heere?
Ros. 'Tis he, slinke by, and note him.
Iaq I thanke you for your company, but good faith
I had as liefe haue beene my selfe alone.
1450Orl. And so had I: but yet for fashion sake
I thanke you too, for your societie.
Iaq. God buy you, let's meet as little as we can.
Orl. I do desire we may be better strangers.
Iaq. I pray you marre no more trees vvith Writing
1455Loue-songs in their barkes.
Orl. I pray you marre no moe of my verses with rea-
ding them ill-fauouredly.
Iaq. Rosalinde is your loues name?
Orl. Yes, Iust.
Iaq. I do not like her name.
1460Orl. There was no thought of pleasing you when she
was christen'd.
Iaq. What stature is she of?
Orl. Iust as high as my heart.
Iaq. You are ful of prety answers: haue you not bin ac-
1465quainted with goldsmiths wiues, & cond thē out of rings
Orl. Not so: but I answer you right painted cloath,
from whence you haue studied your questions.
Iaq. You haue a nimble wit; I thinke 'twas made of
Attalanta's heeles. Will you sitte downe with me, and
1470wee two, will raile against our Mistris the world, and all
our miserie.
Orl. I wil chide no breather in the world but my selfe
against