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As You Like It, Act 5, Scene 4

William Shakespeare
Every note, for your class

The story so far

Earlier in the play

Rosalind, banished to Arden, disguises herself as Ganymede; Celia becomes Aliena. Orlando loves Rosalind; Phoebe loves Ganymede, while Silvius loves Phoebe. Oliver and Aliena plan to marry. Claiming magical powers, Ganymede promises Orlando marriage to Rosalind and summons the lovers to meet the next day.

In the last scene: Act 5, Scene 3

Touchstone announces that he and Audrey will marry tomorrow, and Audrey says she wishes it wholeheartedly. Two of the banished Duke’s pages join them and sing at Touchstone’s request. Touchstone criticises their tuning; a page insists they have kept time. Touchstone calls hearing the song time wasted and leaves with Audrey.

SCENE IV. Another part of the Forest

Enter Duke Senior, Amiens, Jaques, Orlando, Oliver and Celia.
DUKE SENIOR
Dost thou believe, Orlando, that the boyCan do all this that he hath promised?
ORLANDO
I sometimes do believe and sometimes do not,As those that fear they hope, and know they fear.
Enter Rosalind, Silvius and Phoebe.
ROSALIND
Patience once more whiles our compact is urged.You say, if I bring in your Rosalind,You will bestow her on Orlando here?
DUKE SENIOR
That would I, had I kingdoms to give with her.
ROSALIND
[To Orlando.] And you say you will have her when I bring her?
ORLANDO
That would I, were I of all kingdoms king.
ROSALIND
[To Phoebe.] You say you’ll marry me if I be willing?
PHOEBE
That will I, should I die the hour after.
ROSALIND
But if you do refuse to marry me,You’ll give yourself to this most faithful shepherd?
PHOEBE
So is the bargain.
ROSALIND
[To Silvius.] You say that you’ll have Phoebe if she will?
SILVIUS
Though to have her and death were both one thing.
ROSALIND
I have promised to make all this matter even.Keep you your word, O Duke, to give your daughter,You yours, Orlando, to receive his daughter.Keep your word, Phoebe, that you’ll marry me,Or else, refusing me, to wed this shepherd.Keep your word, Silvius, that you’ll marry herIf she refuse me. And from hence I goTo make these doubts all even.
Exeunt Rosalind and Celia.
DUKE SENIOR
I do remember in this shepherd boySome lively touches of my daughter’s favour.
ORLANDO
My lord, the first time that I ever saw himMethought he was a brother to your daughter.But, my good lord, this boy is forest-bornAnd hath been tutored in the rudimentsOf many desperate studies by his uncle,Whom he reports to be a great magician,Obscured in the circle of this forest.
Enter Touchstone and Audrey.
JAQUES
There is sure another flood toward, and these couples are coming to the ark. Here comes a pair of very strange beasts, which in all tongues are called fools.
TOUCHSTONE
Salutation and greeting to you all.
JAQUES
Good my lord, bid him welcome. This is the motley-minded gentleman that I have so often met in the forest. He hath been a courtier, he swears.
TOUCHSTONE
If any man doubt that, let him put me to my purgation. I have trod a measure; I have flattered a lady; I have been politic with my friend, smooth with mine enemy; I have undone three tailors; I have had four quarrels, and like to have fought one.
JAQUES
And how was that ta’en up?
TOUCHSTONE
Faith, we met, and found the quarrel was upon the seventh cause.
JAQUES
How seventh cause?—Good my lord, like this fellow?
DUKE SENIOR
I like him very well.
TOUCHSTONE
God ’ild you, sir, I desire you of the like. I press in here, sir, amongst the rest of the country copulatives, to swear and to forswear according as marriage binds and blood breaks. A poor virgin, sir, an ill-favoured thing, sir, but mine own; a poor humour of mine, sir, to take that that no man else will. Rich honesty dwells like a miser, sir, in a poor house, as your pearl in your foul oyster.
DUKE SENIOR
By my faith, he is very swift and sententious.
TOUCHSTONE
According to the fool’s bolt, sir, and such dulcet diseases.
JAQUES
But, for the seventh cause. How did you find the quarrel on the seventh cause?
TOUCHSTONE
Upon a lie seven times removed—bear your body more seeming, Audrey—as thus, sir. I did dislike the cut of a certain courtier’s beard. He sent me word if I said his beard was not cut well, he was in the mind it was. This is called the “retort courteous”. If I sent him word again it was not well cut, he would send me word he cut it to please himself. This is called the “quip modest”. If again it was not well cut, he disabled my judgement. This is called the “reply churlish”. If again it was not well cut, he would answer I spake not true. This is called the “reproof valiant”. If again it was not well cut, he would say I lie. This is called the “countercheck quarrelsome”, and so, to the “lie circumstantial”, and the “lie direct”.
JAQUES
And how oft did you say his beard was not well cut?
TOUCHSTONE
I durst go no further than the lie circumstantial, nor he durst not give me the lie direct; and so we measured swords and parted.
JAQUES
Can you nominate in order now the degrees of the lie?
TOUCHSTONE
O sir, we quarrel in print, by the book, as you have books for good manners. I will name you the degrees: the first, the retort courteous; the second, the quip modest; the third, the reply churlish; the fourth, the reproof valiant; the fifth, the countercheck quarrelsome; the sixth, the lie with circumstance; the seventh, the lie direct. All these you may avoid but the lie direct and you may avoid that too with an “if”. I knew when seven justices could not take up a quarrel, but when the parties were met themselves, one of them thought but of an “if”, as, “if you said so, then I said so;” and they shook hands, and swore brothers. Your “if” is the only peacemaker; much virtue in “if.”
JAQUES
Is not this a rare fellow, my lord? He’s as good at anything, and yet a fool.
DUKE SENIOR
He uses his folly like a stalking-horse, and under the presentation of that he shoots his wit.
Enter Hymen, Rosalind in woman’s clothes, and Celia. Still music.
HYMEN
Then is there mirth in heavenWhen earthly things made evenAtone together.Good Duke, receive thy daughter.Hymen from heaven brought her,Yea, brought her hither,That thou mightst join her hand with his,Whose heart within his bosom is.
ROSALIND
[To Duke Senior.] To you I give myself, for I am yours.[To Orlando.] To you I give myself, for I am yours.
DUKE SENIOR
If there be truth in sight, you are my daughter.
ORLANDO
If there be truth in sight, you are my Rosalind.
PHOEBE
If sight and shape be true,Why then, my love adieu.
ROSALIND
[To Duke Senior.] I’ll have no father, if you be not he.[To Orlando.] I’ll have no husband, if you be not he.[To Phoebe.] Nor ne’er wed woman, if you be not she.
HYMEN
Peace, ho! I bar confusion.’Tis I must make conclusionOf these most strange events.Here’s eight that must take handsTo join in Hymen’s bands,If truth holds true contents.[To Orlando and Rosalind.] You and you no cross shall part.[To Celia and Oliver.] You and you are heart in heart.[To Phoebe.] You to his love must accordOr have a woman to your lord.[To Audrey and Touchstone.] You and you are sure togetherAs the winter to foul weather.Whiles a wedlock hymn we sing,Feed yourselves with questioning,That reason wonder may diminishHow thus we met, and these things finish.
SONG
Wedding is great Juno’s crown,O blessed bond of board and bed.’Tis Hymen peoples every town,High wedlock then be honoured.Honour, high honour, and renownTo Hymen, god of every town.
DUKE SENIOR
O my dear niece, welcome thou art to meEven daughter, welcome in no less degree.
PHOEBE
[To Silvius.] I will not eat my word, now thou art mine,Thy faith my fancy to thee doth combine.
Enter Jaques de Boys.
JAQUES DE BOYS
Let me have audience for a word or two.I am the second son of old Sir Rowland,That bring these tidings to this fair assembly.Duke Frederick, hearing how that every dayMen of great worth resorted to this forest,Addressed a mighty power, which were on footIn his own conduct, purposely to takeHis brother here and put him to the sword;And to the skirts of this wild wood he came,Where, meeting with an old religious man,After some question with him, was convertedBoth from his enterprise and from the world,His crown bequeathing to his banished brother,And all their lands restored to them againThat were with him exiled. This to be trueI do engage my life.
DUKE SENIOR
Welcome, young man.Thou offer’st fairly to thy brother’s wedding:To one his lands withheld, and to the otherA land itself at large, a potent dukedom.First, in this forest let us do those endsThat here were well begun and well begot;And after, every of this happy numberThat have endured shrewd days and nights with usShall 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 heaped in joy to th’ measures fall.
JAQUES
Sir, by your patience. If I heard you rightly,The Duke hath put on a religious lifeAnd thrown into neglect the pompous court.
JAQUES DE BOYS
He hath.
JAQUES
To him will I. Out of these convertitesThere is much matter to be heard and learned.[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 voyageIs but for two months victualled.—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 haveI’ll stay to know at your abandoned cave.
Exit.
DUKE SENIOR
Proceed, proceed! We will begin these rites,As we do trust they’ll end, in true delights.
Dance. Exeunt all but Rosalind.

Characters

Speaking

  • 11 speeches
  • 11 speeches
  • 8 speeches
  • 8 speeches
  • 4 speeches
  • Phoebe4 speeches

Mentioned

All the characters ›

Themes

All the themes ›

Questions on this scene

  • Reading

    Whom does Duke Senior agree to let Orlando marry?

Locations

  • Forest of Arden?Scene

    The principal setting, where the banished Duke Senior lives with his followers, Rosalind disguises herself as Ganymede, and the lovers are eventually united. Shakespeare's forest evokes both Warwickshire's Arden and the continental Ardennes, but its dramatic geography cannot be located precisely.

    Set here · 12 quotes in this scene

Also mentioned

  • Duke Frederick's court?1 quote in this scene · characters travel here or from here
  • The shepherd's cottage and pastures?characters travel here or from here