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DUKE.

FREDERICK, brother to the Duke, and ufurper of his duke.. dom.

AMIENS, 2 Lords attending upon the Duke in bis banishJAQUES, S * ment:

LE BEU, a courtier attending on Frederick.

OLIVER, eldest fon to Sir Rowland de Boys, who had formerly been a fervant to the Duke.

JAQUES, ર Younger brothers to Oliver.

ORLANDO,

ADAM, an old feruant of Sir Rowland de Boys, now following the fortunes of Orlando.

DENNIS, fervant to Oliver.

CHARLES, a wrestler, and fervant to the ufurping Duke Frederick.

TOUCHSTONE, a clown attending on Celia and Rosalind. CORIN,

SYLVIUS, Shepherds.

A clown, in love with Audrey.

WILLIAM, another clown, in love with Audrey.
Sir OLIVER MAR-TEXT, a country curate.

ROSALIND, daughter to the Duke.

CELIA, daughter to Frederick.

PHEBE, a fhepherdess.

AUDREY, a country wench.

Lords belonging to the two Dukes, with pages, forefters, and other attendants.

The SCENE lyes firft near Oliver's boufe, and afterwards partly in the Duke's court, and partly in the foreft of Arden.

As

AS YOU LIKE IT.

Orla.

ACT I.

A

SCENE I. Oliver's Orchard. Enter Orlando and Adam. SI remember, Adam, it was upon this my father bequeath'd me by will but a poor thousand crowns, and, as thou say'st, charged my brother on his bleffing to breed me well; and there begins my fadnéfs. My brother Jaques he keeps at fchool, and report Ipeaks goldenly of his profit for my part, he keeps me ruftically at home, or (to fpeak more properly) ftays me here at home unkept; for call you that keeping for a gentleman of my birth, that differs not from the ftalling 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 fomething that nature gave me his difcountenance 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 lyes, mines my gentility with my education. This is it, Adam, that grieves me and the fpirit of my father, which I think is within me, begins to mutiny against this fervitude. I will no longer en dure it, tho' yet I know no wife remedy how to avoid it. SCENE

A 3

SCENE II. Enter Oliver.

Adam. Yonder comes my mafter, your brother. Orla. Go apart, Adam, and thou fhalt 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 do aught a while.

Orla. Shall I keep your hogs, and eat husks with them? what prodigal's portion have I spent, that I should come to fuch penury?

Oli. Know you where you are, Sir?
Orla. O, Sir, very well; here in your orchard. 1
Oli. Know you before whom, Sir?

Orla. Ay, better than he I am before knows me. 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 you coming before me are nearer to his revenue.

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 fon 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 mafters, be patient; for your father's remembrance, be at accord.

Oli. Let me go, I fay..

Oria. I will not 'till I pleafe: you shall hear me. My father charg'd you in his will to give me good education:

you

you have train'd me up like a peafant, obfcuring and hiding me from all gentleman-like qualities; the fpirit of my father grows ftrong in me, and I will no longer endure it therefore allow me fuch exercifes 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 fpoke fuch a word."

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[Exeunt Orlando and Adam.

SCENE III.

Oli. Is it even fo? begin you to grow upon me? I will phyfick your ranknefs, 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 impor

tunes access to you.

Oli. Call him in;

-'twill be a good way; and to

Enter Charles.

morrow the wrestling is.

Cha. Good morrow to your worship.

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 loving lords have put themselves into 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 old 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 cradles bred together, that the would have followed her exile, or have died to stay 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 foreft of Arden, and a many merry men with him; and there they live like the old Robin Hood of England; they say, 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? Cha. Marry do 1, 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 wreftle for my credit, and he that escapes me without fome broken limb fhall acquit him well. Your brother is 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 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 fhalt 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 villainous contriver against me his natural brother; therefore use thy difcretion; 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 practise against thee by poifon, entrap thee

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