As You Like It.

Act First.

Scene I.

Son of Monkeychard of Oliver's house.

Enter Orlando and Adam.

Orl. As I remember, Adam, it was upon this fashion: bequeathed me by will but poor a thousand crowns, and, as thou sayest, charged my brother, on his blessing, to breed me well: and there begins my sadness. My brother Jaques he keeps at school, and report speaks goldenly of his profit: for my part, he keeps me rustically at home, or, to speak more properly, stays me here at home unkept; for call you that keeping for a gentleman of my birth, that differs not from the stalling of an ox? His horses are bred better; for, besides 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

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his animals on his dunghills are as much bound
to him as I. Besides this nothing that he so
plentifully gives me, the something that nature
gave me his countenance seems to take from me :
he lets me feed with his hinds, bars me the place
of a brother, and, as much as in him lies, mines
my gentility with my education. This is it,

Adam, that grieves me; and the spirit of my
father, which I think is within me, begins to
mutiny against this servitude: I will no longer
endure it, though yet I know no wise remedy
how to avoid it.

Adam. Yonder comes my master, your brother.
Orl. Go apart, Adam, and thou shalt hear how he
will shake me up.

Orl. Nothing: I am not taught to make any

thing.

Oli. What mar you then, sir?

Orl. 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 employed, and be naught awhile.

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Orl. Shall I keep your hogs and eat husks with them? 40 What prodigal portion have I spent, that I should come to such penury?

Oli. Know you where you are, sir?

Orl. O, sir, very well; here in your orchard.

Oli. Know you before whom, sir?

know me.

Orl. Ay, better than him I am before knows me.
I know you are my eldest brother; and, in
the gentle condition of blood, you should so
The courtesy
of nations allows you
my better, in that you are the first-born; but the
same 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 confess, your
coming before me is nearer to his reverence.

Oli. What, boy!

Orl. Come, come, elder brother, you are too young

in this.

Oli. Wilt thou lay hands on me, villain?

Orl. I am no villain; I am the youngest son of Sir

Rowland de Boys; he was my father, and he
is thrice a villain that says such a father begot
villains. Wert thou not my brother, I would not
take this hand from thy throat till this other had
pulled out thy tongue for saying so thou hast
railed on thyself.

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Adam. Sweet masters, be patient: for

remembrance, be at accord.

Oli. Let me go, I say.

your father's

Orl. I will not, till I please: you shall hear me. My

father charged you in his will to give me good 70
education: you have trained me like a peasant,
obscuring and hiding from me all gentleman-
like qualities. The spirit of my father grows
strong in me, and I will no longer endure it:
therefore allow me such exercises as may become
a gentleman, or give me the poor allottery my
father left me by testament; with that I will go
buy my fortunes.

Oli. And what wilt thou do? beg, when that is spent?
Well, sir, get you in: I will not long be troubled
with you; you shall have some part of your
will: I pray you, leave me.

Orl. 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? lost my teeth in your service.

Most true, I have

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God be with my old master! he would not have spoke such [Exeunt Orlando and Adam.

a word. Oli. Is it even so? begin you to grow upon me? I 90

will physic your rankness, and yet give no thou

sand crowns neither.

Holla, Dennis !

Enter Dennis.

Den. Calls your worship?

Oli. Was not Charles, the Duke's wrestler, here to speak with me?

Den. So please you, he is here at the door and importunes access to you.

Oli. Call him in. [Exit Dennis.] "Twill be a good way; and to-morrow the wrestling is.

Enter Charles.

Cha. Good morrow to your worship.

Oli. Good Monsieur 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 banished by his younger brother the new Duke; and three or four loving lords have put themselves into voluntary exile with him, whose lands and revenues enrich the new Duke; therefore he gives them good leave to wander.

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Oli. Can you tell if Rosalind, the Duke's daughter, 110 be banished with her father?

Cha. O, no; for the Duke's daughter, her cousin,