I am ambitious for a motley coat.
Duke S. Thou shalt have one.

Jaq.
It is my only suit;
Provided that you weed your better judgements
Of all opinion that grows rank in them
That I am wise. I must have liberty
Withal, as large a charter as the wind,

To blow on whom I please; for so fools have;
And they that are most galled with my folly,

They most must laugh. And why, sir, must they so?
The "why" is plain as way to parish church :

He that a fool doth very wisely hit

Doth very foolishly, although he smart,

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50

Not to seem senseless of the bob: if not,

55

The wise man's folly is anatomized

Even by the squandering glances of the fool.

Invest me in my motley; give me leave

To speak my mind, and I will through and through
Cleanse the foul body of the infected world,

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If they will patiently receive my medicine.

Jaq. What, for a counter, would I do but good?
Duke S. Most mischievous foul sin, in chiding sin:

Duke S. Fie on thee! I can tell what thou wouldst do.

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For thou thyself hast been a libertine,

As sensual as the brutish sting itself;

And all the embossed sores and headed evils,
That thou with license of free foot hast caught,
Wouldst thou disgorge into the general world.
Jaq. Why, who cries out on pride,

That can therein tax any private party?
Doth it not flow as hugely as the sea,

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Till that the wearer's very means do ebb?
What woman in the city do I name,
When that I say the city-woman bears
The cost of princes on unworthy shoulders?

Who can come in and say that I mean her,
When such a one as she such is her neighbor?
Or what is he of basest function

That says his bravery is not on my cost,
Thinking that I mean him, but therein suits
His folly to the mettle of my speech?

There then; how then? what then? Let
wherein

My tongue hath wronged him: if it do him right,
Then he hath wronged himself; if he be free,
Why then my taxing like a wild-goose flies,
Unclaimed of any man. But who comes here?

Enter Orlando, with his sword drawn.

Orl. Forbear, and eat no more.

Jaq.

me

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80

see

85

Why, I have eat none yet.

Orl. Nor shalt not, till necessity be served.

Jaq. Of what kind should this cock come of?

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Duke S. Art thou thus boldened, man, by thy distress,

Or else a rude despiser of good manners,

That in civility thou seem'st so empty?

Orl. You touched my vein at first: the thorny point

Of bare distress hath ta'en from me the show

Of smooth civility: yet am I inland bred
And know some nurture. But forbear, I say:
He dies that touches any of this fruit
Till I and my affairs are answered.

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More than your force move us to gentleness.

Orl. I almost die for food; and let me have it.

Duke S. Sit down and feed, and welcome to our table.

Orl. Speak you so gently? Pardon me, I pray you:

I thought that all things had been savage here;
And therefore put I on the countenance

Of stern commandment. But whate'er you are
That in this desert inaccessible,

Under the shade of melancholy boughs,

Lose and neglect the creeping hours of time;
If ever you have looked on better days,

If ever been where bells have knolled to church,
If ever sat at any good man's feast,

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ΙΙΟ

If ever from your eyelids wiped a tear
And know what 'tis to pity and be pitied,

Let gentleness my strong enforcement be:

In the which hope I blush, and hide my sword.

Duke S. True is it that we have seen better days,
And have with holy bell been knolled to church
And sat at good men's feasts and wiped our eyes
Of drops that sacred pity hath engendered:
And therefore sit you down in gentleness
And take upon command what help we have
That to your wanting may be ministered.

Orl. Then but forbear your food a little while,
Whiles, like a doe, I go to find my fawn

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And give it food. There is an old poor man,
Who after me hath many a weary step

Limped in pure love: till he be first sufficed,
Oppressed with two weak evils, age and hunger,
I will not touch a bit.

Duke S.

Go find him out,

And we will nothing waste till you return.

130

Orl. I thank ye; and be blest for your good comfort:

[Exit.

Duke S. Thou seest we are not all alone unhappy: 135 This wide and universal theatre

Presents more woeful pageants than the scene
Wherein we play in.

All the world's a stage,

Jaq.
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.
And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad

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Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation

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Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;

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And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slippered pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

Re-enter Orlando with ADAM.

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Duke S. Welcome. Set down your venerable burthen, And let him feed.

Orl. I thank you most for him.

Adam.

So had you need:
I scarce can speak to thank you for myself.
Duke S. Welcome; fall to: I will not trouble you

As yet, to question you about your fortunes.
Give us some music; and, good cousin, sing.

Song.

Ami. Blow, blow, thou winter wind

Thou art not so unkind

As man's ingratitude;

Thy tooth is not so keen,

Because thou art not seen,

Although thy breath be rude.

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Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly:
Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly: 180
Then, heigh-ho, the holly!

This life is most jolly.