The Complete Works of William Shakespeare · William Shakespeare
SCENE IV. Another part of the Forest
Enter Duke Senior, Amiens, Jaques, Orlando, Oliver and Celia. DUKE SENIOR. Dost thou believe, Orlando, that the boy Can do all this that he hath promised? ORLANDO. I sometimes do believe and sometimes do not, As those that fear they hope, and know they fear. Enter Rosalind, Silvius and Phoebe. ROSALIND. Patience once more whiles our compact is urged. [_To the Duke._] You say, if I bring in your Rosalind, You will bestow her on Orlando here? DUKE SENIOR. That would I, had I kingdoms to give with her. ROSALIND. [_To Orlando_.] And you say you will have her when I bring her? ORLANDO. That would I, were I of all kingdoms king. ROSALIND. [_To Phoebe_.] You say you’ll marry me if I be willing? PHOEBE. That will I, should I die the hour after. ROSALIND. But if you do refuse to marry me, You’ll give yourself to this most faithful shepherd? PHOEBE. So is the bargain. ROSALIND. [_To Silvius_.] You say that you’ll have Phoebe if she will? SILVIUS. Though to have her and death were both one thing. ROSALIND. I have promised to make all this matter even. Keep you your word, O Duke, to give your daughter, You yours, Orlando, to receive his daughter. Keep your word, Phoebe, that you’ll marry me, Or else, refusing me, to wed this shepherd. Keep your word, Silvius, that you’ll marry her If she refuse me. And from hence I go To make these doubts all even.
DUKE SENIOR. I like him very well. TOUCHSTONE. God ’ild you, sir, I desire you of the like. I press in here, sir, amongst the rest of the country copulatives, to swear and to forswear according as marriage binds and blood breaks. A poor virgin, sir, an ill-favoured thing, sir, but mine own; a poor humour of mine, sir, to take that that no man else will. Rich honesty dwells like a miser, sir, in a poor house, as your pearl in your foul oyster. DUKE SENIOR. By my faith, he is very swift and sententious. TOUCHSTONE. According to the fool’s bolt, sir, and such dulcet diseases. JAQUES. But, for the seventh cause. How did you find the quarrel on the seventh cause? TOUCHSTONE. Upon a lie seven times removed—bear your body more seeming, Audrey—as thus, sir. I did dislike the cut of a certain courtier’s beard. He sent me word if I said his beard was not cut well, he was in the mind it was. This is called the “retort courteous”. If I sent him word again it was not well cut, he would send me word he cut it to please himself. This is called the “quip modest”. If again it was not well cut, he disabled my judgement. This is called the “reply churlish”. If again it was not well cut, he would answer I spake not true. This is called the “reproof valiant”. If again it was not well cut, he would say I lie. This is called the “countercheck quarrelsome”, and so, to the “lie circumstantial”, and the “lie direct”.
JAQUES. And how oft did you say his beard was not well cut? TOUCHSTONE. I durst go no further than the lie circumstantial, nor he durst not give me the lie direct; and so we measured swords and parted. JAQUES. Can you nominate in order now the degrees of the lie? TOUCHSTONE. O sir, we quarrel in print, by the book, as you have books for good manners. I will name you the degrees: the first, the retort courteous; the second, the quip modest; the third, the reply churlish; the fourth, the reproof valiant; the fifth, the countercheck quarrelsome; the sixth, the lie with circumstance; the seventh, the lie direct. All these you may avoid but the lie direct and you may avoid that too with an “if”. I knew when seven justices could not take up a quarrel, but when the parties were met themselves, one of them thought but of an “if”, as, “if you said so, then I said so;” and they shook hands, and swore brothers. Your “if” is the only peacemaker; much virtue in “if.” JAQUES. Is not this a rare fellow, my lord? He’s as good at anything, and yet a fool. DUKE SENIOR. He uses his folly like a stalking-horse, and under the presentation of that he shoots his wit. Enter Hymen, Rosalind in woman’s clothes, and Celia. Still music.
HYMEN. Then is there mirth in heaven When earthly things made even Atone together. Good Duke, receive thy daughter. Hymen from heaven brought her, Yea, brought her hither, That thou mightst join her hand with his, Whose heart within his bosom is. ROSALIND. [_To Duke Senior_.] To you I give myself, for I am yours. [_To Orlando_.] To you I give myself, for I am yours. DUKE SENIOR. If there be truth in sight, you are my daughter. ORLANDO. If there be truth in sight, you are my Rosalind. PHOEBE. If sight and shape be true, Why then, my love adieu. ROSALIND. [_To Duke Senior_.] I’ll have no father, if you be not he. [_To Orlando_.] I’ll have no husband, if you be not he. [_To Phoebe_.] Nor ne’er wed woman, if you be not she. HYMEN. Peace, ho! I bar confusion. ’Tis I must make conclusion Of these most strange events. Here’s eight that must take hands To join in Hymen’s bands, If truth holds true contents. [_To Orlando and Rosalind_.] You and you no cross shall part. [_To Celia and Oliver_.] You and you are heart in heart. [_To Phoebe_.] You to his love must accord Or have a woman to your lord. [_To Audrey and Touchstone_.] You and you are sure together As the winter to foul weather. Whiles a wedlock hymn we sing, Feed yourselves with questioning, That reason wonder may diminish How thus we met, and these things finish.
SONG Wedding is great Juno’s crown, O blessed bond of board and bed. ’Tis Hymen peoples every town, High wedlock then be honoured. Honour, high honour, and renown To Hymen, god of every town. DUKE SENIOR. O my dear niece, welcome thou art to me Even daughter, welcome in no less degree. PHOEBE. [_To Silvius_.] I will not eat my word, now thou art mine, Thy faith my fancy to thee doth combine. Enter Jaques de Boys. JAQUES DE BOYS. Let me have audience for a word or two. I am the second son of old Sir Rowland, That bring these tidings to this fair assembly. Duke Frederick, hearing how that every day Men of great worth resorted to this forest, Addressed a mighty power, which were on foot In his own conduct, purposely to take His brother here and put him to the sword; And to the skirts of this wild wood he came, Where, meeting with an old religious man, After some question with him, was converted Both from his enterprise and from the world, His crown bequeathing to his banished brother, And all their lands restored to them again That were with him exiled. This to be true I do engage my life. DUKE SENIOR. Welcome, young man. Thou offer’st fairly to thy brother’s wedding: To one his lands withheld, and to the other A land itself at large, a potent dukedom. First, in this forest let us do those ends That here were well begun and well begot; And after, every of this happy number That have endured shrewd days and nights with us Shall share the good of our returned fortune, According to the measure of their states. Meantime, forget this new-fall’n dignity, And fall into our rustic revelry. Play, music! And you brides and bridegrooms all, With measure heaped in joy to th’ measures fall.
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