In the presence of Duke Senior and his lords, “Ganymede” reminds Orlando, Silvius, and Phoebe of their promises. “He” and “Aliena” then leave while Touchstone entertains the assembly. Hymen, god of marriage, enters bringing Rosalind and Celia. Duke Senior welcomes his daughter and his niece; Orlando welcomes Rosalind. Phoebe agrees to marry Silvius. As Hymen speaks to each of the four couples, the brother of Orlando and Oliver brings news that Duke Frederick has given up the throne. Duke Senior, now once again in power, returns Oliver’s lands to him and establishes Orlando as his heir.
Enter Duke Senior, Amiens, Jaques, Orlando, Oliver, ⌜and⌝ Celia ⌜as Aliena.⌝
DUKE SENIOR 2633Dost thou believe, Orlando, that the boy 2634Can do all this that he hath promisèd? ORLANDO 2635I sometimes do believe and sometimes do not, 2636As those that fear they hope, and know they fear.
Enter Rosalind ⌜as Ganymede,⌝ Silvius, and Phoebe.
ROSALIND, ⌜as Ganymede⌝ 26375Patience once more whiles our compact is urged. 2638⌜To Duke.⌝You say, if I bring in your Rosalind, 2639You will bestow her on Orlando here? DUKE SENIOR 2640That would I, had I kingdoms to give with her. ROSALIND, ⌜as Ganymede, to Orlando⌝ 2641And you say you will have her when I bring her? ORLANDO 264210That would I, were I of all kingdoms king. ROSALIND, ⌜as Ganymede, to Phoebe⌝ 2643You say you’ll marry me if I be willing?
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PHOEBE 2644That will I, should I die the hour after. ROSALIND, ⌜as Ganymede⌝ 2645But if you do refuse to marry me, 2646You’ll give yourself to this most faithful shepherd? PHOEBE264715So is the bargain. ROSALIND, ⌜as Ganymede, to Silvius⌝ 2648You say that you’ll have Phoebe if she will? SILVIUS 2649Though to have her and death were both one thing. ROSALIND, ⌜as Ganymede⌝ 2650I have promised to make all this matter even. 2651Keep you your word, O duke, to give your 265220daughter,— 2653You yours, Orlando, to receive his daughter.— 2654Keep you your word, Phoebe, that you’ll marry me, 2655Or else, refusing me, to wed this shepherd.— 2656Keep your word, Silvius, that you’ll marry her 265725If she refuse me. And from hence I go 2658To make these doubts all even. Rosalind and Celia exit. DUKE SENIOR 2659I do remember in this shepherd boy 2660Some lively touches of my daughter’s favor. ORLANDO 2661My lord, the first time that I ever saw him 266230Methought he was a brother to your daughter. 2663But, my good lord, this boy is forest-born 2664And hath been tutored in the rudiments 2665Of many desperate studies by his uncle, 2666Whom he reports to be a great magician 266735Obscurèd in the circle of this forest.
Enter ⌜Touchstone⌝ and Audrey.
JAQUES2668
There is sure another flood toward, and these 2669couples are coming to the ark. Here comes a pair of
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2670very strange beasts, which in all tongues are called 2671fools. TOUCHSTONE267240Salutation and greeting to you all. JAQUES, ⌜to Duke⌝2673
Good my lord, bid him welcome. 2674This is the motley-minded gentleman that I have so 2675often met in the forest. He hath been a courtier, he 2676swears. TOUCHSTONE267745If any man doubt that, let him put me to 2678my purgation. I have trod a measure. I have flattered 2679a lady. I have been politic with my friend, 2680smooth with mine enemy. I have undone three 2681tailors. I have had four quarrels, and like to have 268250fought one. JAQUES2683
And how was that ta’en up? TOUCHSTONE2684
Faith, we met and found the quarrel was 2685upon the seventh cause. JAQUES2686
How “seventh cause”?—Good my lord, like 268755this fellow. DUKE SENIOR2688
I like him very well. TOUCHSTONE2689
God ’ild you, sir. I desire you of the like. I 2690press in here, sir, amongst the rest of the country 2691copulatives, to swear and to forswear, according as 269260marriage binds and blood breaks. A poor virgin, sir, 2693an ill-favored thing, sir, but mine own. A poor 2694humor of mine, sir, to take that that no man else 2695will. Rich honesty dwells like a miser, sir, in a poor 2696house, as your pearl in your foul oyster. DUKE SENIOR269765By my faith, he is very swift and 2698sententious. TOUCHSTONE2699
According to the fool’s bolt, sir, and such 2700dulcet diseases. JAQUES2701
But for the seventh cause. How did you find the 270270quarrel on the seventh cause? TOUCHSTONE2703
Upon a lie seven times removed.—Bear 2704your body more seeming, Audrey.—As thus, sir: I 2705did dislike the cut of a certain courtier’s beard. He
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2706sent me word if I said his beard was not cut well, he 270775was in the mind it was. This is called “the retort 2708courteous.” If I sent him word again it was not well 2709cut, he would send me word he cut it to please 2710himself. This is called “the quip modest.” If again it 2711was not well cut, he disabled my judgment. This is 271280called “the reply churlish.” If again it was not well 2713cut, he would answer I spake not true. This is called 2714“the reproof valiant.” If again it was not well cut, he 2715would say I lie. This is called “the countercheck 2716quarrelsome,” and so to “⌜the⌝ lie circumstantial,” 271785and “the lie direct.” JAQUES2718
And how oft did you say his beard was not well 2719cut? TOUCHSTONE2720
I durst go no further than the lie circumstantial, 2721nor he durst not give me the lie direct, and 272290so we measured swords and parted. JAQUES2723
Can you nominate in order now the degrees of 2724the lie? TOUCHSTONE2725
O sir, we quarrel in print, by the book, as 2726you have books for good manners. I will name you 272795the degrees: the first, “the retort courteous”; the 2728second, “the quip modest”; the third, “the reply 2729churlish”; the fourth, “the reproof valiant”; the 2730fifth, “the countercheck quarrelsome”; the sixth, 2731“the lie with circumstance”; the seventh, “the lie 2732100direct.” All these you may avoid but the lie direct, 2733and you may avoid that too with an “if.” I knew 2734when seven justices could not take up a quarrel, but 2735when the parties were met themselves, one of them 2736thought but of an “if,” as: “If you said so, then I said 2737105so.” And they shook hands and swore brothers. 2738Your “if” is the only peacemaker: much virtue in 2739“if.” JAQUES, ⌜to Duke⌝2740
Is not this a rare fellow, my lord? 2741He’s as good at anything and yet a fool.
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DUKE SENIOR2742110He uses his folly like a stalking-horse, 2743and under the presentation of that he shoots his wit.
Enter Hymen, Rosalind, and Celia.Still music.
HYMEN 2744Then is there mirth in heaven 2745When earthly things made even 2746Atone together. 2747115Good duke, receive thy daughter. 2748Hymen from heaven brought her, 2749Yea, brought her hither, 2750That thou mightst join ⌜her⌝ hand with his, 2751Whose heart within his bosom is. ROSALIND, ⌜to Duke⌝ 2752120To you I give myself, for I am yours. 2753⌜To Orlando.⌝To you I give myself, for I am yours. DUKE SENIOR 2754If there be truth in sight, you are my daughter. ORLANDO 2755If there be truth in sight, you are my Rosalind. PHOEBE 2756If sight and shape be true, 2757125Why then, my love adieu. ROSALIND, ⌜to Duke⌝ 2758I’ll have no father, if you be not he. 2759⌜To Orlando.⌝I’ll have no husband, if you be not he, 2760⌜To Phoebe.⌝Nor ne’er wed woman, if you be not 2761she. HYMEN 2762130Peace, ho! I bar confusion. 2763’Tis I must make conclusion 2764Of these most strange events. 2765Here’s eight that must take hands 2766To join in Hymen’s bands, 2767135If truth holds true contents.
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⌜To Rosalind and Orlando.⌝ 2768You and you no cross shall part. ⌜To Celia and Oliver.⌝ 2769You and you are heart in heart. ⌜To Phoebe.⌝ 2770You to his love must accord 2771Or have a woman to your lord. ⌜To Audrey and Touchstone.⌝ 2772140You and you are sure together 2773As the winter to foul weather. ⌜To All.⌝ 2774Whiles a wedlock hymn we sing, 2775Feed yourselves with questioning, 2776That reason wonder may diminish 2777145How thus we met, and these things finish.
Song.
2778Wedding is great Juno’s crown, 2779O blessèd bond of board and bed. 2780’Tis Hymen peoples every town. 2781High wedlock then be honorèd. 2782150Honor, high honor, and renown 2783To Hymen, god of every town.
DUKE SENIOR, ⌜to Celia⌝ 2784O my dear niece, welcome thou art to me, 2785Even daughter, welcome in no less degree. PHOEBE, ⌜to Silvius⌝ 2786I will not eat my word. Now thou art mine, 2787155Thy faith my fancy to thee doth combine.
Enter Second Brother, ⌜Jaques de Boys.⌝
SECOND BROTHER 2788Let me have audience for a word or two. 2789I am the second son of old Sir Rowland, 2790That bring these tidings to this fair assembly.
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2791Duke Frederick, hearing how that every day 2792160Men of great worth resorted to this forest, 2793Addressed a mighty power, which were on foot 2794In his own conduct, purposely to take 2795His brother here and put him to the sword; 2796And to the skirts of this wild wood he came, 2797165Where, meeting with an old religious man, 2798After some question with him, was converted 2799Both from his enterprise and from the world, 2800His crown bequeathing to his banished brother, 2801And all their lands restored to ⌜them⌝ again 2802170That were with him exiled. This to be true 2803I do engage my life. DUKE SENIOR2804Welcome, young man. 2805Thou offer’st fairly to thy brothers’ wedding: 2806To one his lands withheld, and to the other 2807175A land itself at large, a potent dukedom.— 2808First, in this forest let us do those ends 2809That here were well begun and well begot, 2810And, after, every of this happy number 2811That have endured shrewd days and nights with us 2812180Shall share the good of our returnèd fortune 2813According to the measure of their states. 2814Meantime, forget this new-fall’n dignity, 2815And fall into our rustic revelry.— 2816Play, music.—And you brides and bridegrooms all, 2817185With measure heaped in joy to th’ measures fall. JAQUES, ⌜to Second Brother⌝ 2818Sir, by your patience: if I heard you rightly, 2819The Duke hath put on a religious life 2820And thrown into neglect the pompous court. SECOND BROTHER2821
He hath. JAQUES 2822190To him will I. Out of these convertites 2823There is much matter to be heard and learned.
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2824⌜To Duke.⌝You to your former honor I bequeath; 2825Your patience and your virtue well deserves it. 2826⌜To Orlando.⌝You to a love that your true faith doth 2827195merit. 2828⌜To Oliver.⌝You to your land, and love, and great 2829allies. 2830⌜To Silvius.⌝You to a long and well-deservèd bed. 2831⌜To Touchstone.⌝And you to wrangling, for thy 2832200loving voyage 2833Is but for two months victualled.—So to your 2834pleasures. 2835I am for other than for dancing measures. DUKE SENIOR2836
Stay, Jaques, stay. JAQUES 2837205To see no pastime, I. What you would have 2838I’ll stay to know at your abandoned cave.He exits. DUKE SENIOR 2839Proceed, proceed. We’ll begin these rites, 2840As we do trust they’ll end, in true delights. ⌜Dance.All but Rosalind⌝ exit.
