Internet Shakespeare Editions

Toolbox




Jump to line
Through Line Number
Help on texts
About this text
Print this page

About this text

  • 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)

    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
    About
    Contact us
    Content quality
    Site guide
    © Internet Shakespeare Editions
    Copyright details
    Privacy policy
    This site is supported by:
    University of Victoria
    Friends of the ISE
    SSHRC