Act 1 scene 2

Act I  Scene II Lawn before the Duke's palace.
[Enter CELIA and ROSALIND]
CELIA I pray thee, Rosalind, sweet my coz, be merry.
ROSALIND Dear Celia, I show more mirth than I am
mistress of; and would you yet I were merrier?
Unless you could teach me to forget a banished
father, you must not learn me how to remember
any extraordinary pleasure.


5
CELIA Herein I see thou lovest me not with the full
weight that I love thee. If my uncle, thy banished
father, had banished thy uncle, the duke my father,
so thou hadst been still with me, I could have taught
my love to take thy father for mine: so wouldst thou,
if the truth of thy love to me were so righteously
tempered as mine is to thee.


10
ROSALIND Well, I will forget the condition of my estate,
to rejoice in yours.
15
CELIA You know my father hath no child but I, nor
none is like to have: and, truly, when he dies, thou
shalt be his heir, for what he hath taken away from
thy father perforce, I will render thee again in
affection; by mine honour, I will; and when I break
that oath, let me turn monster: therefore, my sweet
Rose, my dear Rose, be merry.



20
ROSALIND From henceforth I will, coz, and devise
sports. Let me see; what think you of falling in
love?

25
CELIA Marry, I prithee, do, to make sport withal: but
love no man in good earnest; nor no further in
sport neither than with safety of a pure blush thou
mayst in honour come off again.
ROSALIND What shall be our sport, then? 30
CELIA Let us sit and mock the good housewife Fortune
from her wheel, that her gifts may henceforth be
bestowed equally.
ROSALIND I would we could do so, for her benefits are
mightily misplaced, and the bountiful blind woman
doth most mistake in her gifts to women.
35
CELIA 'Tis true; for those that she makes fair she scarce
makes honest, and those that she makes honest she
makes very ill-favouredly.
ROSALIND Nay, now thou goest from Fortune's office to
Nature's: Fortune reigns in gifts of the world, not in
the lineaments of Nature.		 40
[Enter TOUCHSTONE]
CELIA No? when Nature hath made a fair creature,
may she not by Fortune fall into the fire?
Though Nature hath given us wit to flout at Fortune,
hath not Fortune sent in this fool to cut off the
argument?

45
ROSALIND Indeed, there is Fortune too hard for Na-
ture, when Fortune makes Nature's natural the
cutter-off of Nature's wit.

50
CELIA Peradventure this is not Fortune's work neither,
but Nature's; who perceiveth our natural wits too
dull to reason of such goddesses and hath sent
this natural for our whetstone; for always the dull-
ness of the fool is the whetstone of the wits.
How now, wit! whither wander you?



55
TOUCHSTONE Mistress, you must come away to your
father.
CELIA Were you made the messenger?
TOUCHSTONE No, by mine honour, but I was bid to come
for you.		 60
ROSALIND Where learned you that oath, fool?
TOUCHSTONE Of a certain knight that swore by his
honour they were good pancakes and swore by his
honour the mustard was naught: now I'll stand to it,
the pancakes were naught and the mustard was
good, and yet was not the knight forsworn.

65
CELIA How prove you that, in the great heap of your
knowledge?
ROSALIND Ay, marry, now unmuzzle your wisdom. 70
TOUCHSTONE Stand you both forth now: stroke your
chins, and swear by your beards that I am a knave.
CELIA By our beards, if we had them, thou art.
TOUCHSTONE By my knavery, if I had it, then I were;
but if you swear by that that is not, you are not
forsworn: no more was this knight swearing by his
honour, for he never had any; or if he had, he had
sworn it away before ever he saw those pancakes or
that mustard.
75
CELIA Prithee, who is't that thou meanest? 80
TOUCHSTONE One that old Frederick, your father, loves.
CELIA My father's love is enough to honour him:
enough! speak no more of him; you'll be whipped
for taxation one of these days.
TOUCHSTONE The more pity, that fools may not speak
wisely what wise men do foolishly.		 85
CELIA By my troth, thou sayest true; for since the little
wit that fools have was silenced, the little foolery
that wise men have makes a great show. Here
comes Monsieur Le Beau.


90
ROSALIND With his mouth full of news.
CELIA Which he will put on us, as pigeons feed their
young.
ROSALIND Then shall we be news-crammed.
CELIA All the better; we shall be the more
marketable. [Enter LE BEAU] Bon jour, Monsieur Le Beau: what's
the news?		 95
LE BEAU Fair princess, you have lost much good sport.
CELIA Sport! of what colour?
LE BEAU What colour, madam! how shall I answer you? 100
ROSALIND As wit and fortune will.
TOUCHSTONE Or as the Destinies decree.
CELIA Well said: that was laid on with a trowel.
TOUCHSTONE Nay, if I keep not my rank,--
ROSALIND Thou losest thy old smell. 105
LE BEAU You amaze me, ladies: I would have told you of
good wrestling, which you have lost the sight of.
ROSALIND You tell us the manner of the wrestling.
LE BEAU I will tell you the beginning; and, if it please
your ladyships, you may see the end; for the best is
yet to do; and here, where you are, they are coming
to perform it.
110
CELIA Well, the beginning, that is dead and buried.
LE BEAU There comes an old man and his three sons,--
CELIA I could match this beginning with an old tale. 115
LE BEAU Three proper young men, of excellent growth
and presence.
ROSALIND With bills on their necks, 'Be it known unto
all men by these presents.'
LE BEAU The eldest of the three wrestled with Charles,
the duke's wrestler; which Charles in a moment
threw him and broke three of his ribs, that there is
little hope of life in him: so he served the second,
and so the third. Yonder they lie; the poor old man,
their father, making such pitiful dole over them that
all the beholders take his part with weeping.		 120




125
ROSALIND Alas!
TOUCHSTONE But what is the sport, monsieur, that the
ladies have lost?
LE BEAU Why, this that I speak of. 130
TOUCHSTONE Thus men may grow wiser every day: it is
the first time that ever I heard breaking of ribs was
sport for ladies.
CELIA Or I, I promise thee.
ROSALIND But is there any else longs to see this broken
music in his sides? is there yet another dotes upon
rib-breaking? Shall we see this wrestling, cousin?		 135
LE BEAU You must, if you stay here; for here is the place
appointed for the wrestling, and they are ready to
perform it.

140
CELIA Yonder, sure, they are coming: let us now stay
and see it.
[Flourish. Enter DUKE FREDERICK, Lords, ORLANDO,
CHARLES, and Attendants]
DUKE FREDERICK Come on: since the youth will not be
entreated, his own peril on his forwardness.
ROSALIND Is yonder the man? 145
LE BEAU Even he, madam.
CELIA Alas, he is too young! yet he looks successfully.
DUKE FREDERICK How now, daughter and cousin! are
you crept hither to see the wrestling?
ROSALIND Ay, my liege, so please you give us leave. 150
DUKE FREDERICK You will take little delight in it, I can
tell you; there is such odds in the man. In pity of the
challenger's youth I would fain dissuade him, but
he will not be entreated. Speak to him, ladies; see if
you can move him.



155
CELIA Call him hither, good Monsieur Le Beau.
DUKE FREDERICK Do so: I'll not be by.
LE BEAU Monsieur the challenger, the princesses
call for you.
ORLANDO I attend them with all respect and duty. 160
ROSALIND Young man, have you challenged Charles the
wrestler?
ORLANDO No, fair princess; he is the general challeng-
er: I come but in, as others do, to try with him the
strength of my youth.

165
CELIA Young gentleman, your spirits are too bold for
your years. You have seen cruel proof of this man's
strength: if you saw yourself with your eyes or knew
yourself with your judgment, the fear of your adven-
ture would counsel you to a more equal enterprise.
We pray you, for your own sake, to embrace your
own safety and give over this attempt.



170
ROSALIND Do, young sir; your reputation shall not
therefore be misprised: we will make it our suit to
the duke that the wrestling might not go forward.

175
ORLANDO





I beseech you, punish me not with your hard
thoughts; wherein I confess me much guilty, to deny
so fair and excellent ladies any thing. But let your
fair eyes and gentle wishes go with me to my trial:
wherein if I be foiled, there is but one shamed that
was never gracious; if killed, but one dead that was
willing to be so: I shall do my friends no wrong, for
I have none to lament me, the world no injury, for
in it I have nothing; only in the world I fill up a
place, which may be better supplied when I have
made it empty.



180




185
ROSALIND The little strength that I have, I would it
were with you.
CELIA And mine, to eke out hers.
ROSALIND Fare you well: pray heaven I be deceived in
you!		 190
CELIA Your heart's desires be with you!
CHARLES Come, where is this young gallant that is so
desirous to lie with his mother earth?
ORLANDO Ready, sir; but his will hath in it a more
modest working.		 195
DUKE FREDERICK You shall try but
one fall.
CHARLES No, I warrant your grace, you shall not en-
treat him to a second, that have so mightily per-
suaded him from a first.
200
ORLANDO An you mean to mock me after, you should not
have mocked me before: but come your ways.
ROSALIND Now Hercules be thy speed, young man!
CELIA I would I were invisible, to catch the strong
fellow by the leg.		 205
[They wrestle]
ROSALIND O excellent young man!
CELIA If I had a thunderbolt in mine eye, I can tell who
should down.
[Shout. CHARLES is thrown]
DUKE FREDERICK No more, no more. 210
ORLANDO Yes, I beseech your grace: I am not yet well
breathed.
DUKE FREDERICK How dost thou, Charles?
LE BEAU He cannot speak, my lord.
DUKE FREDERICK Bear him away.
What is thy name, young man?		 215
ORLANDO Orlando, my liege; the youngest son of Sir
Rowland de Boys.
DUKE FREDERICK I would thou hadst been son to some man else:
The world esteem'd thy father honourable,
But I did find him still mine enemy:
Thou shouldst have better pleased me with this
deed,
Hadst thou descended from another house.
But fare thee well; thou art a gallant youth:
I would thou hadst told me of another father.
220




225
[Exeunt DUKE FREDERICK, train, and LE BEAU]
CELIA Were I my father, coz, would I do this?
ORLANDO I am more proud to be Sir Rowland's son,
His youngest son; and would not change that calling,
To be adopted heir to Frederick.

230
ROSALIND My father loved Sir Rowland as his soul,
And all the world was of my father's mind:
Had I before known this young man his son,
I should have given him tears unto entreaties,
Ere he should thus have ventured.



235
CELIA Gentle cousin,
Let us go thank him and encourage him:
My father's rough and envious disposition
Sticks me at heart. Sir, you have well deserved:
If you do keep your promises in love
But justly, as you have exceeded all promise,
Your mistress shall be happy.



240
ROSALIND Gentleman,
[Giving him a chain from her neck]
Wear this for me, one out of suits with fortune,
That could give more, but that her hand lacks
means.
Shall we go, coz?
245
CELIA Ay. Fare you well, fair gentleman.
ORLANDO Can I not say, I thank you? My better parts
Are all thrown down, and that which here stands up
Is but a quintain, a mere lifeless block.
250
ROSALIND He calls us back: my pride fell with my fortunes;
I'll ask him what he would. Did you call, sir?
Sir, you have wrestled well and overthrown
More than your enemies.


255
CELIA Will you go, coz?
ROSALIND Have with you. Fare you well.
[Exeunt ROSALIND and CELIA]
ORLANDO What passion hangs these weights upon my tongue?
I cannot speak to her, yet she urged conference.
O poor Orlando, thou art overthrown!
Or Charles or something weaker masters thee.

260
[Re-enter LE BEAU]
LE BEAU Good sir, I do in friendship counsel you
To leave this place. Albeit you have deserved
High commendation, true applause and love,
Yet such is now the duke's condition
That he misconstrues all that you have done.
The duke is humorous; what he is indeed,
More suits you to conceive than I to speak of.


265
ORLANDO I thank you, sir: and, pray you, tell me this:
Which of the two was daughter of the duke
That here was at the wrestling?
270
LE BEAU









Neither his daughter, if we judge by manners;
But yet indeed the lesser is his daughter
The other is daughter to the banish'd duke,
And here detain'd by her usurping uncle,
To keep his daughter company; whose loves
Are dearer than the natural bond of sisters.
But I can tell you that of late this duke
Hath ta'en displeasure 'gainst his gentle niece,
Grounded upon no other argument
But that the people praise her for her virtues
And pity her for her good father's sake;
And, on my life, his malice 'gainst the lady
Will suddenly break forth. Sir, fare you well:
Hereafter, in a better world than this,
I shall desire more love and knowledge of you.


275




280




285
ORLANDO I rest much bounden to you: fare you well.
[Exit LE BEAU]
Thus must I from the smoke into the smother;
From tyrant duke unto a tyrant brother:
But heavenly Rosalind!

290
[Exit]