ACT II. SCENE I. The Forest of Arden. Enter Duke senior, AMIENS, and other Lords, in the dress of Foresters. Duke S. Now, my co-mates, and brothers in Hath not old custom made this life more sweet Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, And this our life, exempt from publick haunt, 2 Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, Wears yet a precious jewel in his head;] It was the current opinion in Shakspeare's time, that in the head of an old toad was to be found a stone, or pearl, to which great virtues were ascribed. Thomas Lupton, in his First Booke of Notable Things, 4to. bl. 1. bears repeated testimony to the virtues of the "Tolestone, called Crapaudina." In his Seventh Booke he instructs us how to procure it; and afterwards tells us―" You shall knowe whether the Tode-stone be the ryght and perfect stone or not. Holde the stone before a Tode, so that he may see it; and if it be a ryght and true stone, the Tode will leape towarde it, and make as though he would snatch it. He envieth so much that man should have that stone." STEEVENS. Ami. I would not change it: Happy is your grace, That can translate the stubbornness of fortune Duke S. Come, shall we go and kill us venison? 1 Lord. 3 Indeed, my lord, The melancholy Jaques grieves at that; Under an oak, whose antique root peeps out Duke S. But what said Jaques? Did he not moralize this spectacle? 1 Lord. O, yes, into a thousand similies. First, for his weeping in the needless stream; Poor deer, quoth he, thou mak'st a testament 3 4 with forked heads] i. e. with arrows, the points of which were barbed. 4 in the needless stream;] The stream that wanted not such a supply of moisture. As worldlings do, giving thy sum of more 2 Lord. We did, my lord, weeping and commenting Upon the sobbing deer. Duke S. 5 Show me the place; I love to cope him in these sullen fits, For then he's full of matter. 2 Lord. I'll bring you to him straight. [Exeunt. SCENE II. A Room in the Palace. Enter Duke FREDERICK, Lords, and Attendants. Duke F. Can it be possible, that no man saw them? It cannot be some villains of my court to cope him-] To encounter, or engage with him. Are of consent and sufferance in this. 1 Lord. I cannot hear of any that did see her. The ladies, her attendants of her chamber, Saw her a-bed; and, in the morning early, They found the bed untreasur'd of their mistress. 2 Lord. My lord, the roynish clown, at whom so oft 6 Your grace was wont to laugh, is also missing. Your daughter and her cousin much commend That youth is surely in their company. Duke F. Send to his brother; fetch that gallant hither; If he be absent, bring his brother to me, [Exeunt. SCENE III. Before Oliver's House. Enter ORLANDO and ADAM, meeting. Orl. Who's there? Adam. What! my young master?-O, my gentle master, O, my sweet master, O you memory' 8 6 the roynish clown,] Roynish, from rogneur, French. quail To quail is to faint, to sink into dejection. 7 8 O you memory -] Shakspeare often uses memory for memorial; and Beaumont and Fletcher sometimes. Of old sir Rowland! why, what make you here? O, what a world is this, when what is comely Orl. Why, what's the matter? Adam. Your brother-(no, no brother; yet the son- He will have other means to cut you off: This is no place, this house is but a butchery; 9 Orl. Why, whither, Adam, wouldst thou have me go? Adam. No matter whither, so you come not here. so fondi. e. so indiscreet, so inconsiderate. The bony priser -] The word bonny occurs more than once in the novel from which this play of As You Like It is taken. It is likewise much used by the common people in the northern counties. I believe, however, bony to be the true reading. * This is no place,] j. e. for you. MALONE. |