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  • Title: As You Like It (Folio 1, 1623)
  • Editor: David Bevington

    • ISBN: 978-1-55058-369-4

    Copyright David Bevington. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: David Bevington
    Peer Reviewed

    As You Like It (Folio 1, 1623)

    192
    As you like it.
    Ros. Peace I say; good euen to your friend.
    Cor. And to you gentle Sir, and to you all.
    855Ros. I prethee Shepheard, if that loue or gold
    Can in this desert place buy entertainment,
    Bring vs where we may rest our selues, and feed:
    Here's a yong maid with trauaile much oppressed,
    And faints for succour.
    860Cor. Faire Sir, I pittie her,
    And wish for her sake more then for mine owne,
    My fortunes were more able to releeue her:
    But I am shepheard to another man,
    And do not sheere the Fleeces that I graze:
    865My master is of churlish disposition,
    And little wreakes to finde the way to heauen
    By doing deeds of hospitalitie.
    Besides his Coate, his Flockes, and bounds of feede
    Are now on sale, and at our sheep-coat now
    870By reason of his absence there is nothing
    That you will feed on: but what is, come see,
    And in my voice most welcome shall you be.
    Ros. What is he that shall buy his flocke and pasture?
    Cor. That yong Swaine that you saw heere but ere-
    875while,
    That little cares for buying any thing.
    Ros. I pray thee, if it stand with honestie,
    Buy thou the Cottage, pasture, and the flocke,
    And thou shalt haue to pay for it of vs.
    880Cel. And we will mend thy wages:
    I like this place, and willingly could
    Waste my time in it.
    Cor. Assuredly the thing is to be sold:
    Go with me, if you like vpon report,
    885The soile, the profit, and this kinde of life,
    I will your very faithfull Feeder be,
    And buy it with your Gold right sodainly. Exeunt.



    Scena Quinta.


    Enter, Amyens, Iaques, & others.
    890Song.

    Vnder the greene wood tree,
    who loues to lye with mee,
    And tnrne his merrie Note,
    vnto the sweet Birds throte:
    895Come hither, come hither, come hither:
    Heere shall he see no enemie,
    But Winter and rough Weather.

    Iaq. More, more, I pre'thee more.
    Amy. It will make you melancholly Monsieur Iaques
    900Iaq. I thanke it: More, I prethee more,
    I can sucke melancholly out of a song,
    As a Weazel suckes egges: More, I pre'thee more.
    Amy. My voice is ragged, I know I cannot please
    you.
    905Iaq. I do not desire you to please me,
    I do desire you to sing:
    Come, more, another stanzo: Cal you 'em stanzo's?
    Amy. What you wil Monsieur Iaques.
    Iaq. Nay, I care not for their names, they owe mee
    910nothing. Wil you sing?
    Amy. More at your request, then to please my selfe.
    Iaq. Well then, if euer I thanke any man, Ile thanke
    you: but that they cal complement is like th'encounter
    of two dog-Apes. And when a man thankes me hartily,
    915me thinkes I haue giuen him a penie, and he renders me
    the beggerly thankes. Come sing; and you that wil not
    hold your tongues.
    Amy. Wel, Ile end the song. Sirs, couer the while,
    the Duke wil drinke vnder this tree; he hath bin all this
    920day to looke you.
    Iaq. And I haue bin all this day to auoid him:
    He is too disputeable for my companie:
    I thinke of as many matters as he, but I giue
    Heauen thankes, and make no boast of them.
    925Come, warble, come.

    Song. Altogether heere.

    Who doth ambition shunne,
    and loues to liue i'th Sunne:
    Seeking the food he eates,
    930 and pleas'd with what he gets:
    Come hither, come hither, come hither,
    Heere shall he see.&c.

    Iaq. Ile giue you a verse to this note,
    That I made yesterday in despight of my Inuention.
    935Amy. And Ile sing it.
    Amy. Thus it goes.


    If it do come to passe, that any man turne Asse:
    Leauing his wealth and ease,
    A stubborne will to please,
    940Ducdame, ducdame, ducdame:
    Heere shall he see, grosse fooles as he,
    And if he will come to me.
    Amy. What's that Ducdame?
    Iaq. 'Tis a Greeke inuocation, to call fools into a cir-
    945cle. Ile go sleepe if I can: if I cannot, Ile raile against all
    the first borne of Egypt.
    Amy. And Ile go seeke the Duke,
    His banket is prepar'd. Exeunt


    Scena Sexta.


    950Enter Orlando, & Adam.

    Adam. Deere Master, I can go no further:
    O I die for food. Heere lie I downe,
    And measure out my graue. Farwel kinde master.
    Orl. Why how now Adam? No greater heart in thee:
    955Liue a little, comfort a little, cheere thy selfe a little.
    If this vncouth Forrest yeeld any thing sauage,
    I wil either be food for it, or bring it for foode to thee:
    Thy conceite is neerer death, then thy powers.
    For my sake be comfortable, hold death a while
    960At the armes end: I wil heere be with thee presently,
    And if I bring thee not something to eate,
    I wil giue thee leaue to die: but if thou diest
    Before I come, thou art a mocker of my labor.
    Wel said, thou look'st cheerely,
    965And Ile be with thee quickly: yet thou liest
    In the bleake aire. Come, I wil beare thee
    To some shelter, and thou shalt not die
    For lacke of a dinner,
    If there liue any thing in this Desert.
    970Cheerely good Adam. Exeunt
    Scena
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