As You Like It by William Shakespeare (best reads .txt) 📕

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 endur'd 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 heap'd in joy, to the measures fall.

JAQUES. Sir, by your patience. If I heard you rightly, The duke hath put on a religious life, And thrown into neglect the pompous court?

JAQUES DE BOIS. He hath.

JAQUES. To him will I: out of these convertites There is much matter to be heard and learn'd.-- [To DUKE SENIOR] You to your former honour I bequeath; Your patience and your virtue well deserves it:-- [To ORLANDO] You to a love that your true faith doth merit:-- [To OLIVER] You to your land, and love, and great allies:-- [To SILVIUS] You to a long and well-deserved bed:-- [To TOUCHSTONE] And you to wrangling; for thy loving voyage Is but for two months victuall'd.--So to your pleasures; I am for other than for dancing measures.

DUKE SENIOR. Stay, Jaques, stay.

JAQUES. To see no pastime I; what you would have I'll stay to know at your abandon'd cave.

[Exit.]

DUKE SENIOR. Proceed, proceed: we will begin these rites, As we do trust they'll end, in true delights.

[A dance.]


EPILOGUE

ROSALIND. It is not the fashion to see the lady the epilogue; but it is no more unhandsome than to see the lord the prologue. If it be true that good wine needs no bush, 'tis true that a good play needs no epilogue. Yet to good wine they do use good bushes; and good plays prove the better by the help of good epilogues. What a case am I in, then, that am neither a good epilogue nor cannot insinuate with you in the behalf of a good play! I am not furnished like a beggar; therefore to beg will not become me: my way is to conjure you; and I'll begin with the women. I charge you, O women, for the love you bear to men, to like as much of this play as please you: and I charge you, O men, for the love you bear to women;--as I perceive by your simpering, none of you hates them,--that between you and the women the play may please. If I were a woman, I would kiss as many of you as had beards that pleased me, complexions that liked me, and breaths that I defied not; and, I am sure, as many as have good beards, or good faces, or sweet breaths, will, for my kind offer, when I make curtsy, bid me farewell.

[The End.]
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Publication Date: 05-22-2008

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