As You Like It: III, Scene 2

Orlando

1 - 10

Hang there, my verse, in witness of my love,
And thou, thrice-crowned queen of night, survey
With thy chaste eye, from thy pale sphere above,
Thy huntress’ name that my full life doth sway.
O Rosalind, these trees shall be my books,
And in their barks my thoughts I’ll character,
That every eye which in this forest looks
Shall see thy virtue witness’d every where.
Run, run, Orlando, carve on every tree
The fair, the chaste, and unexpressive she.

Corin

11

And how like you this shepherd’s life, Master Touchstone?

Touchstone

12 - 20

Truly, shepherd, in respect of itself, it is a good life;
but in respect that it is a shepherd’s life, it is naught.
In respect that it is solitary, I like it very well; but in
respect that it is private, it is a very vild life. Now in
respect it is in the fields, it pleaseth me well; but in
respect it is not in the court, it is tedious. As it is a
spare life (look you) it fits my humor well; but as there is
no more plenty in it, it goes much against my stomach. Hast
any philosophy in thee, shepherd?

Corin

21 - 27

No more but that I know the more one sickens the worse at
ease he is; and that he that wants money, means, and content
is without three good friends; that the property of rain is
to wet and fire to burn; that good pasture makes fat sheep;
and that a great cause of the night is lack of the sun; that
he that hath learn’d no wit by nature, nor art, may complain
of good breeding, or comes of a very dull kindred.

Touchstone

28 - 29

Such a one is a natural philosopher. Wast ever in court,
shepherd?

Corin

30

No, truly.

Touchstone

31

Then thou art damn’d.

Corin

32

Nay, I hope.

Touchstone

33 - 34

Truly, thou art damn’d, like an ill-roasted egg, all on one
side.

Corin

35

For not being at court? Your reason.

Touchstone

36 - 39

Why, if thou never wast at court, thou never saw’st good
manners; if thou never saw’st good manners, then thy manners
must be wicked, and wickedness is sin, and sin is damnation.
Thou art in a parlous state, shepherd.

Corin

40 - 44

Not a whit, Touchstone. Those that are good manners at the
court are as ridiculous in the country as the behavior of
the country is most mockable at the court. You told me you
salute not at the court but you kiss your hands; that
courtesy would be uncleanly if courtiers were shepherds.

Touchstone

45

Instance, briefly; come, instance.

Corin

46 - 47

Why, we are still handling our ewes, and their fells you
know are greasy.

Touchstone

48 - 50

Why, do not your courtier’s hands sweat? And is not the
grease of a mutton as wholesome as the sweat of a man?
Shallow, shallow. A better instance, I say; come.

Corin

51

Besides, our hands are hard.

Touchstone

52 - 53

Your lips will feel them the sooner. Shallow again. A more
sounder instance, come.

Corin

54 - 56

And they are often tarr’d over with the surgery of our
sheep; and would you have us kiss tar? The courtier’s hands
are perfum’d with civet.

Touchstone

57 - 60

Most shallow man! Thou worm’s-meat, in respect of a good
piece of flesh indeed! Learn of the wise, and perpend: civet
is of a baser birth than tar, the very uncleanly flux of a
cat. Mend the instance, shepherd.

Corin

61

You have too courtly a wit for me, I’ll rest.

Touchstone

62 - 63

Wilt thou rest damn’d? God help thee, shallow man! God make
incision in thee, thou art raw.

Corin

64 - 67

Sir, I am a true laborer: I earn that I eat, get that I
wear, owe no man hate, envy no man’s happiness, glad of
other men’s good, content with my harm, and the greatest of
my pride is to see my ewes graze and my lambs suck.

Touchstone

68 - 74

That is another simple sin in you, to bring the ewes and the
rams together, and to offer to get your living by the
copulation of cattle; to be bawd to a bell-wether, and to
betray a she-lamb of a twelvemonth to a crooked-pated old
cuckoldly ram, out of all reasonable match. If thou beest
not damn’d for this, the devil himself will have no
shepherds; I cannot see else how thou shouldst scape.

Corin

75

Here comes young Master Ganymede, my new mistress’s brother.

Rosalind

76 - 83

“From the east to western Inde,
No jewel is like Rosalind.
Her worth, being mounted on the wind,
Through all the world bears Rosalind.
All the pictures fairest lin’d
Are but black to Rosalind.
Let no face be kept in mind
But the fair of Rosalind.”

Touchstone

84 - 86

I’ll rhyme you so eight years together, dinners and suppers
and sleeping-hours excepted. It is the right butter-women’s
rank to market.

Rosalind

87

Out, fool!

Touchstone

88 - 102

For a taste:
If a hart do lack a hind,
Let him seek out Rosalind.
If the cat will after kind,
So be sure will Rosalind.
Wint’red garments must be lin’d,
So must slender Rosalind.
They that reap must sheaf and bind,
Then to cart with Rosalind.
Sweetest nut hath sourest rind,
Such a nut is Rosalind.
He that sweetest rose will find,
Must find love’s prick and Rosalind.
This is the very false gallop of verses; why do you infect
yourself with them?

Rosalind

103

Peace, you dull fool, I found them on a tree.

Touchstone

104

Truly, the tree yields bad fruit.

Rosalind

105 - 108

I’ll graff it with you, and then I shall graff it with a
medlar. Then it will be the earliest fruit i’ th’ country;
for you’ll be rotten ere you be half ripe, and that’s the
right virtue of the medlar.

Touchstone

109 - 110

You have said; but whether wisely or no, let the forest
judge.

Rosalind

111 - 112

Peace,
Here comes my sister reading, stand aside.

Celia

113 - 142

Reads.
“Why should this a desert be?
For it is unpeopled? No!
Tongues I’ll hang on every tree,
That shall civil sayings show:
Some, how brief the life of man
Runs his erring pilgrimage,
That the stretching of a span
Buckles in his sum of age;
Some, of violated vows
’Twixt the souls of friend and friend;
But upon the fairest boughs,
Or at every sentence end,
Will I ‘Rosalinda’ write,
Teaching all that read to know
The quintessence of every sprite
Heaven would in little show.
Therefore heaven Nature charg’d
That one body should be fill’d
With all graces wide-enlarg’d.
Nature presently distill’d
Helen’s cheek, but not her heart,
Cleopatra’s majesty,
Atalanta’s better part,
Sad Lucretia’s modesty.
Thus Rosalind of many parts
By heavenly synod was devis’d,
Of many faces, eyes, and hearts,
To have the touches dearest priz’d.
Heaven would that she these gifts should have,
And I to live and die her slave.”

Rosalind

143 - 145

O most gentle Jupiter, what tedious homily of love have you
wearied your parishioners withal, and never cried, “Have
patience, good people!”

Celia

146 - 147

How now? Back, friends! Shepherd, go off a little. Go with
him, sirrah.

Touchstone

148 - 149

Come, shepherd, let us make an honorable retreat, though not
with bag and baggage, yet with scrip and scrippage.

Celia

150

Didst thou hear these verses?

Rosalind

151 - 152

O yes, I heard them all, and more too, for some of them had
in them more feet than the verses would bear.

Celia

153

That’s no matter; the feet might bear the verses.

Rosalind

154 - 155

Ay, but the feet were lame, and could not bear themselves
without the verse, and therefore stood lamely in the verse.

Celia

156 - 157

But didst thou hear without wondering how thy name should be
hang’d and carv’d upon these trees?

Rosalind

158 - 161

I was seven of the nine days out of the wonder before you
came; for look here what I found on a palm tree. I was never
so berhym’d since Pythagoras’ time, that I was an Irish rat,
which I can hardly remember.

Celia

162

Trow you who hath done this?

Rosalind

163

Is it a man?

Celia

164 - 165

And a chain, that you once wore, about his neck. Change you
color?

Rosalind

166

I prithee who?

Celia

167 - 168

O Lord, Lord, it is a hard matter for friends to meet; but
mountains may be remov’d with earthquakes, and so encounter.

Rosalind

169

Nay, but who is it?

Celia

170

Is it possible?

Rosalind

171 - 172

Nay, I prithee now, with most petitionary vehemence, tell me
who it is.

Celia

173 - 174

O wonderful, wonderful, and most wonderful wonderful! And
yet again wonderful, and after that, out of all hooping!

Rosalind

175 - 182

Good my complexion, dost thou think, though I am caparison’d
like a man, I have a doublet and hose in my disposition? One
inch of delay more is a South-sea of discovery. I prithee
tell me who is it quickly, and speak apace. I would thou
couldst stammer, that thou mightst pour 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 prithee
take the cork out of thy mouth that I may drink thy tidings.

Celia

183

So you may put a man in your belly.

Rosalind

184 - 185

Is he of God’s making? What manner of man? Is his head worth
a hat? Or his chin worth a beard?

Celia

186

Nay, he hath but a little beard.

Rosalind

187 - 189

Why, God will send more, if the man will be thankful. Let me
stay the growth of his beard, if thou delay me not the
knowledge of his chin.

Celia

190 - 191

It is young Orlando, that tripp’d up the wrestler’s heels,
and your heart, both in an instant.

Rosalind

192 - 193

Nay, but the devil take mocking. Speak sad brow and true
maid.

Celia

194

I’ faith, coz, ’tis he.

Rosalind

195

Orlando?

Celia

196

Orlando.

Rosalind

197 - 201

Alas the day, what shall I do with my doublet and hose? What
did he when thou saw’st him? What said he? How look’d he?
Wherein went he? What makes he here? Did he ask for me?
Where remains he? How parted he with thee? And when shalt
thou see him again? Answer me in one word.

Celia

202 - 204

You must borrow me Gargantua’s mouth first; ’tis a word too
great for any mouth of this age’s size. To say ay and no to
these particulars is more than to answer in a catechism.

Rosalind

205 - 206

But doth he know that I am in this forest and in man’s
apparel? Looks he as freshly as he did the day he wrestled?

Celia

207 - 210

It is as easy to count atomies as to resolve the
propositions of a lover. But take a taste of my finding him,
and relish it with good observance. I found him under a
tree, like a dropp’d acorn.

Rosalind

211

It may well be call’d Jove’s tree, when it drops such fruit.

Celia

212

Give me audience, good madam.

Rosalind

213

Proceed.

Celia

214

There lay he, stretch’d along, like a wounded knight.

Rosalind

215 - 216

Though it be pity to see such a sight, it well becomes the
ground.

Celia

217 - 218

Cry “holla” to thy tongue, I prithee; it curvets
unseasonably. He was furnish’d like a hunter.

Rosalind

219

O ominous! He comes to kill my heart.

Celia

220 - 221

I would sing my song without a burden; thou bring’st me out
of tune.

Rosalind

222 - 223

Do you not know I am a woman? When I think, I must speak.
Sweet, say on.

Celia

224

You bring me out. Soft, comes he not here?

Rosalind

225

’Tis he. Slink by, and note him.

Jaques

226 - 227

I thank you for your company, but, good faith, I had as lief
have been myself alone.

Orlando

228 - 229

And so had I; but yet for fashion sake I thank you too for
your society.

Jaques

230

God buy you, let’s meet as little as we can.

Orlando

231

I do desire we may be better strangers.

Jaques

232 - 233

I pray you mar no more trees with writing love-songs in
their barks.

Orlando

234 - 235

I pray you mar no more of my verses with reading them
ill-favoredly.

Jaques

236

Rosalind is your love’s name?

Orlando

237

Yes, just.

Jaques

238

I do not like her name.

Orlando

239 - 240

There was no thought of pleasing you when she was
christen’d.

Jaques

241

What stature is she of?

Orlando

242

Just as high as my heart.

Jaques

243 - 244

You are full of pretty answers; have you not been acquainted
with goldsmiths’ wives, and conn’d them out of rings?

Orlando

245 - 246

Not so; but I answer you right painted cloth, from whence
you have studied your questions.

Jaques

247 - 249

You have a nimble wit; I think ’twas made of Atalanta’s
heels. Will you sit down with me? And we two will rail
against our mistress the world, and all our misery.

Orlando

250 - 251

I will chide no breather in the world but myself, against
whom I know most faults.

Jaques

252

The worst fault you have is to be in love.

Orlando

253 - 254

’Tis a fault I will not change for your best virtue. I am
weary of you.

Jaques

255

By my troth, I was seeking for a fool when I found you.

Orlando

256 - 257

He is drown’d in the brook; look but in, and you shall see
him.

Jaques

258

There I shall see mine own figure.

Orlando

259

Which I take to be either a fool or a cipher.

Jaques

260

I’ll tarry no longer with you. Farewell, good Signior Love.

Orlando

261 - 262

I am glad of your departure. Adieu, good Monsieur
Melancholy.

Rosalind

263 - 264 1 annotation

Aside to Celia.
I will speak to him like a saucy lackey, and under that
Dec 22, 2020 Miko
insolent
habit play the knave with him.—Do you hear, forester?

Orlando

265

Very well. What would you?

Rosalind

266

I pray you, what is’t a’ clock?

Orlando

267 - 268

You should ask me what time o’ day; there’s no clock in the
forest.

Rosalind

269 - 271

Then there is no true lover in the forest, else sighing
every minute and groaning every hour would detect the lazy
foot of Time as well as a clock.

Orlando

272 - 273

And why not the swift foot of Time? Had not that been as
proper?

Rosalind

274 - 277

By no means, sir. Time travels in divers paces with divers
persons. I’ll tell you who Time ambles withal, who Time
trots withal, who Time gallops withal, and who he stands
still withal.

Orlando

278

I prithee, who doth he trot withal?

Rosalind

279 - 282

Marry, he trots hard with a young maid between the contract
of her marriage and the day it is solemniz’d. If the interim
be but a se’nnight, Time’s pace is so hard that it seems the
length of seven year.

Orlando

283

Who ambles Time withal?

Rosalind

284 - 289

With a priest that lacks Latin, and a rich man that hath not
the gout; for the one sleeps easily because he cannot study,
and the other lives merrily because he feels no pain; the
one lacking the burden of lean and wasteful learning, the
other knowing no burden of heavy tedious penury. These Time
ambles withal.

Orlando

290

Who doth he gallop withal?

Rosalind

291 - 292

With a thief to the gallows; for though he go as softly as
foot can fall, he thinks himself too soon there.

Orlando

293

Who stays it still withal?

Rosalind

294 - 295

With lawyers in the vacation; for they sleep between term
and term, and then they perceive not how Time moves.

Orlando

296

Where dwell you, pretty youth?

Rosalind

297 - 298

With this shepherdess, my sister; here in the skirts of the
forest, like fringe upon a petticoat.

Orlando

299

Are you native of this place?

Rosalind

300

As the cony that you see dwell where she is kindled.

Orlando

301 - 302

Your accent is something finer than you could purchase in so
remov’d a dwelling.

Rosalind

303 - 309

I have been told so of many; but indeed an old religious
uncle of mine taught me to speak, who was in his youth an
inland man, one that knew courtship too well, for there he
fell in love. I have heard him read many lectures against
it, and I thank God I am not a woman, to be touch’d with so
many giddy offenses as he hath generally tax’d their whole
sex withal.

Orlando

310 - 311

Can you remember any of the principal evils that he laid to
the charge of women?

Rosalind

312 - 314

There were none principal, they were all like one another as
halfpence are, every one fault seeming monstrous till his
fellow-fault came to match it.

Orlando

315

I prithee recount some of them.

Rosalind

316 - 322

No; I will not cast away my physic but on those that are
sick. There is a man haunts the forest, that abuses our
young plants with carving ’Rosalind’ on their barks; hangs
odes upon hawthorns, and elegies on brambles; all, forsooth,
deifying the name of Rosalind. If I could meet that
fancy-monger, I would give him some good counsel, for he
seems to have the quotidian of love upon him.

Orlando

323 - 324

I am he that is so love-shak’d, I pray you tell me your
remedy.

Rosalind

325 - 327

There is none of my uncle’s marks upon you. He taught me how
to know a man in love; in which cage of rushes I am sure you
are not prisoner.

Orlando

328

What were his marks?

Rosalind

329 - 338

A lean cheek, which you have not; a blue eye and sunken,
which you have not; an unquestionable spirit, which you have
not; a beard neglected, which you have not (but I pardon you
for that, for simply your having in beard is a younger
brother’s revenue); then your hose should be ungarter’d,
your bonnet unbanded, your sleeve unbutton’d, your shoe
untied, and every thing about you demonstrating a careless
desolation. But you are no such man; you are rather
point-device in your accoustrements, as loving yourself,
than seeming the lover of any other.

Orlando

339

Fair youth, I would I could make thee believe I love.

Rosalind

340 - 345

Me believe it? You may as soon make her that you love
believe it, which I warrant she is apter to do than to
confess she does. That is one of the points in the which
women still give the lie to their consciences. But in good
sooth, are you he that hangs the verses on the trees,
wherein Rosalind is so admir’d?

Orlando

346 - 347

I swear to thee, youth, by the white hand of Rosalind, I am
that he, that unfortunate he.

Rosalind

348

But are you so much in love as your rhymes speak?

Orlando

349

Neither rhyme nor reason can express how much.

Rosalind

350 - 354

Love is merely a madness, and I tell you, deserves as well a
dark house and a whip as madmen do; and the reason why they
are not so punish’d and cur’d is, that the lunacy is so
ordinary that the whippers are in love too. Yet I profess
curing it by counsel.

Orlando

355

Did you ever cure any so?

Rosalind

356 - 370

Yes, one, and in this manner. He was to imagine me his love,
his mistress; and I set him every day to woo me. At which
time would I, being but a moonish youth, grieve, be
effeminate, changeable, longing and liking, proud,
fantastical, apish, shallow, inconstant, full of tears, full
of smiles; for every passion something, and for no passion
truly any thing, as boys and women are for the most part
cattle of this color; would now like him, now loathe him;
then entertain him, then forswear him; now weep for him,
then spit at him; that I drave my suitor from his mad humor
of love to a living humor of madness, which was, to forswear
the full stream of the world, and to live in a nook merely
monastic. And thus I cur’d him, and this way will I take
upon me to wash your liver as clean as a sound sheep’s
heart, that there shall not be one spot of love in’t.

Orlando

371

I would not be cur’d, youth.

Rosalind

372 - 373

I would cure you, if you would but call me Rosalind, and
come every day to my cote and woo me.

Orlando

374

Now, by the faith of my love, I will. Tell me where it is.

Rosalind

375 - 376

Go with me to it, and I’ll show it you; and by the way, you
shall tell me where in the forest you live. Will you go?

Orlando

377

With all my heart, good youth.

Rosalind

378

Nay, you must call me Rosalind. Come, sister, will you go?

As You Like ItAct III, Scene 2

The Forest of Arden.

Orlando

Corin

Touchstone

Corin

Touchstone

Corin

Touchstone

Corin

Touchstone

Corin

Touchstone

Corin

Touchstone

Corin

Touchstone

Corin

Touchstone

Corin

Touchstone

Corin

Touchstone

Corin

Touchstone

Corin

Rosalind

Touchstone

Rosalind

Touchstone

Rosalind

Touchstone

Rosalind

Touchstone

Rosalind

Celia

Rosalind

Celia

Touchstone

Celia

Rosalind

Celia

Rosalind

Celia

Rosalind

Celia

Rosalind

Celia

Rosalind

Celia

Rosalind

Celia

Rosalind

Celia

Rosalind

Celia

Rosalind

Celia

Rosalind

Celia

Rosalind

Celia

Rosalind

Celia

Rosalind

Celia

Rosalind

Celia

Rosalind

Celia

Rosalind

Celia

Rosalind

Celia

Rosalind

Celia

Rosalind

Celia

Rosalind

Jaques

As You Like It
Act III, Scene 2