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Act I: French Scene 1

French Scene I: In this script we have both the standard scenes as listed in the original script and French Scenes. French Scenes are indicated by the entrance or exit of a new character. We decided to have both listed to break up the larger scenes for rehearsals and to better understand entrances and exits. The Shakespearean scenes are listed in Latin and the French Scenes are in English.

Le Beau: This opening monologue are lines combined from a conversation Oliver has with Charles during Scene 1 of the original script discussing the developments at court. In order to save time we decided to turn this into a monologue at the top of the show to give our audience the information from the beginning.

Forest of Arden: The Ardennes on the border of Belgium and Luxembourg. The region gains some romantic associations from an incident in Aristo's Orlando Furioso (see "Sir Rowland de Boys", French Scene 3) set in "Ardenna woods" and from a reference in Spenser's Astrophel. Many of his audience would identify it easily with those parts of Warwickshire still known as Arden though no forest of that name survived.

Robin Hood of England: Although at the time the story of Robin Hood originally became popular, Robin Hood was seen unfavorably as a criminal, by this time public opinion had shifted and the narratives and retellings of Robin Hood had shifted as well to portray him as a noble and good person, in the way we see Robin Hood today.

ever from their Cradles bred together: They have been raised together from the time they were in cradles; Charles may insinuate that these "cousins" (harlots) are together (mutually engaged as lovers) and that they "breed" (cherish, foster) each other's Cradles (vaginas).

"When I Was a Tiny Boy": The lyrics of this song are taken from Twelfth Night, similarly to a couple other songs in our production. This song is sung by Feste the clown at the end of the play and some believe the song may have been written by Robert Armin who played the fool character in a lot of Shakespeare's original plays. In the song, the refrain "For the rain it raineth every day" could be interpreted as a reminder of the things that rain on our parade on a daily basis and the trials we face in spite of our best efforts. In the context of Twelfth Night, this reminder of hardship would come at the end when all of the couples are engaged to be married reflecting that "our play is done", but that these pairs are not spared from the troubles of life. The song tells us that this cycle of trials and tribulations is the repetitive nature of the world. It is interesting then to place this at the top of our show, when we have yet to see how our characters will face the rain that might fall upon them.

knaves: scoundrel, rascal, rogue

toss-pots: drunkard, sot (blockhead), tippler (habitual drinker of alcohol)

Act I: French Scene 2

it was upon this fashion bequeathed to me by will: it was given to me in my father's will and testament, my inheritance (described below)

poore a thousand Crownes: At this time a crown would be valued at four English shillings. "A thousand crownes" would be about 9 months salary for a skilled laborer but would not be a grand inheritance for a gentleman.

rustically: rude, ignorant, knowing nothing, untaught, not exercised in a skill or training

staies me heere at home unkept: in Shakespeare's England, most boys went to University at age fifteen or sixteen. Orlando is implying that he should be at university receiving his education but Oliver prevents him from doing so.

Hindes: skilled farm workers

mines my gentility with my education: Oliver chips away at Orlando's gentle/noble/upperclass breeding by refusing to send him to the proper educational institutions (university) for someone of his birth.

Act I: French Scene 3

prodigall: wastefully lavish, foolishly extravagant, excessive. In the story of the Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11 -- 32, the younger of two sons asks his father to give him "the portion of the goods falleth to me" (Luke 15:12). He then journeyed "into a farre countrey, and there wasted his substance with riotous living" (Luke 15:13). Reduced to penury, the prodigal son worked feeding another man's hogs and had to live off the scraps of the pig's feed. He shamefully returned home in hopes that his father would hire him as a servant, but his father welcomed him warmly and "killed for him the fatted calf" (Luke 15:30). Orlando confronts Oliver with the parallels of this story, asking what he has done that is so prodigal that he should be denied his inheritance and still reduced to penury.

penury: extreme poverty, destitution

Boy: a male person of low birth or status, rogue, wrench, hind, villain, peasant

elder: meaning a) older b) hostile c) an "asshole" or "shitty". "Elder" plays on "aisne" (silent 's') meaning eldest or first born, and asse, allowing for a possible play on "anus". A branch of the same name, the Elder Branch, has a strong smell and was commonly placed around bathrooms. Additionally, Elderberries were also used within a household to relieve diarrhea while elder bark was used as a purgative. So this word carries quite the subtext.

yong: after insulting Oliver with the term "elder" he calls him yong, meaning inexperienced.

Sir Rowland de Boys: Le Chanson de Roland ("The Song of Roland") is one of the most celebrated of the early epic French poems known as Les Chansons de Geste and Sir Rowland's best friend and adventuring partner was named Oliver. It is unknown whether this association was intended by Shakespeare, but the name Sir Rowland would nonetheless invoke images of chivalry and honor to Shakespeare's audiences. The name de Boys may have been inspired by Ludovico Ariosto's narrative poem Orlando Furioso or "Mad Roland". In this tale, Orlando finds the name of his beloved carved into a tree alongside that of his lover, goes mad with jealousy, and rages naked through the forest, paralleling the way Orlando will go on to carve the name of Rosalind throughout the forest of Arden.

raild: rant, rave, abuse, insult; meaning you attack yourself when you attack my birth.

obscuring and hiding from me all gentlemanlike qualities: keeping me ignorant of proper instruction in the accomplishments of a gentleman.

alottery: inheritance, allotment

testament: will

you shall have some part of your will: meaning that Orlando will have some part of what he desires/is requesting. But also, perhaps Oliver means to fulfill his will (lust, libido) by giving "Orlando's part" (division of the buttocks) his own part (penis) to "fuck him over".

grow upon me: become a nuisance to me, encroach, take liberties

physicke: cure, purge

ranckenesse: excessive wild growth; cure your insolence; remedy your luxurious growth; cut you down to size

Act I: French Scene 4

disguis'd: Orlando conceals his identity at the wrestling match until directly asked by Duke Frederick.

a fall: one bout, one round of a fight

aquit him well: make a good showing for himself

foyle: (foil), defeat

withall: with everything, with it (also meaning, in addition to, nonetheless, moreover)

intendment: intent, intention, purpose

brooke such disgrace well: take with a good grace

by underhand means: indirectly, without attempting straightforward argument lest it strengthen his determination

stubborn-est: most obstinate and inclined to violence to gain his way; Shakespeare often uses the word 'stubborn' in an earlier sense which implied fierce opposition rather than mere immovable determination.

envious emulator: envious often means 'malicious'; emulator meaning an imitator or envious of another, also a competitor; Oliver accuses Orlando of pretending to be a good man but only imitating a good man to hide his malicious/envious intentions; he is jealous of virtuous people and so pretends to be one, ironically descriptive of Oliver at this point in the play.

naturall: by birth

I had as liefe: I would be just as pleased if, would rather

practise: plot

entrap thee by some treacherous device: Orlando will entrap (trick, ambush or ensnare) Charles by some treacherous device (stratagem, plot, evil plan). And/or entrap (screw) Charles and emasculate him (de- is a prefix for "carry off" and "vice" means "penis").

indirect: underhand, dishonest

goe alone: walk upright without aid; Charles intends to use his strength and skill to insure Orlando will never walk again if he is not killed

Act I: French Scene 5

gamester: provoke this fighter

noble devise: By Oliver's devise (devisings/plotting/strategy) Orlando's may not have inherited his noble father's devise (coat of arms), nevertheless he is full of noble (honorable, valiant) devise (opinion, purpose, intention).

owne people: Oliver's own servants

misprised: despised

kindle: stir up, incite, fire with enthusiasm

boy: a final insult

Act I: French Scene 6

thee: Celia, as the ruling duke's daughter, uses the familiar term of address to Rosalind, who replies with the more formal 'you'.

learn: meaning to teach

righteously tempered: properly composed, tempered of the right ingredients, proportioned so virtuously; (to temper: to mix)

perforce: by force, forcibly

Rose: pronounced "Rose" as in the flower, not "Roz" as in "Rosalind"

to make sport withall: Rosalind suggests falling in love in order to devise sports (a diversion, entertainment). Celia advises only to love a man in sport (in jest) but not in earnest (genuinely, sincerely, of an intense passion or desire). If Rosalind is too earnest she may offer an earnest (promise of sexual intercourse). If Rosalind's man is a "good man" (vigorous fornicator) she will come off (orgasm) in (during) earnest (copulation) but she will not be able to come off (retreat) in honor (virginity intact).

with safety of a pure blush: unmarked by shame, blushing only because of virgin modesty, without more damage than an innocent blush, mere, free of guilt

good houswife For-tune: The goddess Fortune was traditionally represented as blindfolded, controlling a wheel which turned from happiness to despair. She was often described and pictured as controlled human destiny by the turn of her wheel. In general the wheel signified the inconstancy and unpredictability of Fortune. However, in this instance Celia identifies Fortune's wheel with a spinning wheel. She uses the term houswife which frequently meant 'hussy', 'wanton' so Celia puns on this.

honest: chaste, virtuous

reignes in gifts of the world: commands material possessions

lineaments of Nature: natural qualities such as virtue, wit, beauty

Act I: French Scene 7

argument: discussion, conversation (not a disagreement)

Nature's naturall: a stupid person, fool

peradventure: perhaps

whetstone: stone for sharpening knives

Clowne: The role of Touchstone was a big change in the typical clown or fool roles that Shakespeare wrote. It is believed that Touchstone was played by Robert Armin, who took over playing the clown characters from William Kempe, who was a part of Shakespeare's company, the Chamberlain's Men, from 1594 to 1599. Kempe's clowns were known for comic jigs, bawdy tales and satirical songs. When Robert Armin took his place in 1599, he introduced the court clown characters which were more intellectual fools who were more philosophical and would contribute to the forward movement of the plot. Armin was known for his witty repartee and critical comment on social superiors, and he often improvised satirical lines directed at members of the audience as well. Touchstone is the first of Armin's roles in Shakespeare's plays and we can see the exciting development in the character trope.

messenger?" "No by mine honor,": because the word messenger was commonly used to mean pursuivant, which was a junior officer who would at times serve as messenger but could also make arrests, Touchstone is acting as though Celia has asked if he has come to arrest her. He will frequently do this, mock and play on the double meaning of other people's language.

Act I: French Scene 8

put on us: force upon us

the more marketable: a recently fed bird weighs heavier

Boon-jour: likely would be spoken with an overdone French accent making fun of Le Beau's put on French accent.

sport: in earlier copies than the First Folio, the word was actually "spot" indicating that Celia was making fun of Le Beau's French accent which would have made the word "sport" sound like "spot", thus making the joke "of what colour?" make sense as a joke at Le Beau's expense.

of what colour?: also meaning meaning of what kind or nature (i.e. a horse of a different color); this goes completely over the head of Le Beau

dole: lamentation

broken musicke: a pun, broken musicke usually referred to music arranged for or played by several different instruments as opposed to a matched set of instruments of one kind but here referring to rib-cracking.

Act I: French Scene 9

His owne perill on his forwardnesse: i.e. let his danger be blamed on his own presumption.

Cousin: Duke Frederick addresses Rosalind with casual familiarity, but in the next line Rosalind responds with the utmost formality: "Liege".

there is such oddes in the man: Orlando is obviously no match for Charles; the odds are strongly in Charles' favor

faine: like to

generall challenger: challenger who will take on all opponents

misprised: dishonored

suit: plea

supplied: occupied

eeke: add to, increase, supplement

I be deciev'd in you: underestimate your strength

one fall: one round

entreat him to a second: Duke Frederick could not persuade Orlando from the first fight, but Charles' might will injury Orlando so greatly that there will be no chance to entreat (persuade, convince) him to a second round.

Hercules, be thy speede: Hercules is invoked as a demi-god of incredible strength and speed.

thunderbolt in mine eye: It was popular in romantic love poetry to claim Jove's power for the eyes of a mistress; Celia is calling to the gods for divine intervention to help Orlando. This is in contrast to the previous line from Rosalind, "Oh excellent yong man" which indicates that Orlando is doing well, between that line and Celia's Orlando seems to have lost the upper hand.

well breath'd: adequately exercised, fully extended; Orlando is saying that he could go another round, he has yet to reach his full potential.

I would thou hadst beene son to some man else: Duke Frederick changes the tone and rhythm of the scene by changing to speak in verse here.

Act I: French Scene 10

calling: name

was of my Father's mind: shared my father's opinions/way of thinking

unto: in addition to, as well as

envious: malicious

But justly as you have exceeded all promise: exactly as well as your performance has exceeded your promise as a wrestler

out of suits: out of favor

quintine: target used by riders 'tilting' in tournaments

Have with you: I'm coming

Act I: French Scene 11

urg'd confrence: invited/offered conversation

Act I: French Scene 12

Or: either

misconsters: misconstrues, misinterprets

humorous: temperamental; Elizabethian medical theory taught that every part of the body was composed of four elements (earth, air, fire, and water) which gave rise to four 'humours' or temperaments

more suits you to conceive, then I to speake of: can be more fittingly imagined by you than expressed by myself

smaller: 'taller' in the Folios; Edmund Malone's correction

his malice 'gainst the Lady: Le Beau swears that soon, Duke Frederick's hatred towards Rosalind will reveal itself suddenly (foreshadowing how Duke Frederick will exile Rosalind in the next scene).

bounden: indebted

smother: slow-burning fire

Act I: French Scene 13

Not one to throw at a dog: Proverbial: not one word if her life depended on it.

curs: dog, mastiff, watch-dog

childes Father: a cheeky reference to Orlando, the future father of her child, prompting Celia's response of surprise that Rosalind should like him this much already.

kinde of chase: course of argument, line of reasoning

deserve well: merit my hatred (according to this line of reasoning).

Act I: French Scene 14

Mistris; Uncle; Cosen: As a Duke's daughter, Rosalind should properly be addressed as "My Lady". Frederick's use of Mistris is highly disrespectful, regardless of whether or not he intends Mistris to mean "whore". Rosalind responds with familial affection by addressing him as Uncle, but he rebuffs her with Cosen which may additionally imply that she is a "cozener" (a deceiver, an affronter) or a "Cosen" (a woman of the town, a harlot).

hold intelligence: have discourse; i.e. if I am on speaking terms with myself

franticke: mad

purgation: action of clearing themselves

suffice thee: be enough for you

friends: family

staid: kept

rang'd along: gone with her father

Juno's Swans: Swans traditionally drew the chariot of Venus. Here, Shakespeare assigns them, not inappropriately, because they are royal birds, to the queen of the gods. However there is no allusion in mythology to connect swans with Juno.

name: reputation

Act I: French Scene 15

Prethee: I pray you

change: change of fortune

sorrows pale: [the heavens are] in shocked sympathy, dimmed in sympathy with our grief

meane: lowly

umber smirch: umber is dirt or a brown pigment to make them look like peasants, smirch meaning literally to tan, but more to dirty/roughen/spoil/ruin as in "besmirch someone's name"

more than common tall: Rosaline is more than common tall likely because of the unfeminine height of William Hostler, the actor conjectured to have originated the role. (Shakespeare may have enoyed more than a professional relationship with Hostler who is believed by some scholars to be the enigmatic "Mr. W.H." who is credited as the "onlie begetter" of Shake-Speares Sonnets on the title page of the 1609 quarto).

curtelax: aka "cutlass", a short sword

bore-speare: a spear used for boar hunting; it is relatively short and heavy and has two "lugs" or "wings" on the spearsocket behind the blade, which act as a barrier to prevent the spear from penetrating too deeply into the quarry where it might get stuck or break, and to stop an injured and furious boar from working its way up the shaft of the spear to attack the hunter.

swashing: swaggering, swashbuckling

martial outside: warlike/brave/valiant appearance

mannish cowards: cowardly men

outface it with their semblances: carry it off with their appearances of bravery

Ganimed: a beautiful boy kidnapped by Jove/Jupiter to be his cupbearer: "the name of a Trojan boy, whom Jupiter so loved (say the poets) as hee took him up to Heaven, and made him his Cup-bearer. Hence any boy that is loved for carnal abuse, or is hired to be used contrary to nature, to commit the detestable sin of Sodomy is called a Ganymede."

Aliena: Because Celia is "alienated" from her father, she chooses the name Aliena, a feminized form of "Alieno" (an alien, a stranger) to reflect her state.

assaid: attempted

travaile: wearisome journey

Act II: French Scene 1

Oh Mistress Mine: This song is sung by the Clowne in Twelfth Night in Act II, Scene 3. He sings after being encouraged to do so by the other characters. The song is a man encouraging his lover to enjoy the present and stop searching for love elsewhere. Within it conveys feelings of carpe diem, living in the moment, and taking advantage of one's youth.

French Scene 1: This scene was originally Act II Scene 3, but we chose to place it earlier so that the scenery only has to transition from the Court into the Forest of Arden one time.

comely: becoming, praiseworthy

envenoms: poisons

where you use to lye: does not mean "where you used to sleep" (in the past) but "where you are in the habit of sleeping"

butcherie: slaughterhouse

boisterous: violent, unruly

Crownes: gold coins; four crownes = £1 (pound) or = $1.22; a thousand crowns would be about 9 month salary for a laborer, and 500 crownes half of that (4.5 months salary), so this would be a sufficient amount for them to run away and live off for a month, maybe multiple if they're smart, which is a large amount for a domestic servant like Adam to have saved, but is not a large sum to last for an extended time between the two of them.

he that doth the Ravens feed: God "giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry" (Psalm 147:9); "Consider the ravens, for they neither sow not reape, which neither have storehouse nor barnes, and God feedeth them: How much more are yee better then the foules." (Luke 12:24)

providently caters for the Sparrow: "Are not five sparrowes solde for two fartherings, and not one of them is forgotten before God" (Luke 12:6); in giving all he has to Orlando, Adam has faith that 'providence' (God's divine care) will supply his 'providence' (food, sustenance)

lustie: vigorous, healthy

antique: ancient

content: this is the same rhyme scheme Celia uses at the end of Act I French Scene 15.

thee: encouraged by Orlando's response, Adam now refers to Orlando with the familiar term.

seaventeene: In some editions, this has been listed as seventy years, but it makes more sense with this correction which other editors have made (Shakespeare is historically bad at math and numbers in his plays). From the age of seventeen, Adam has worked for this same family and lived here, almost fourscore (80) years. At seventeen, he might have left to seek his fortunes much like Orlando does now at a similar age, but now it is too late to embark on the adventure Orlando is going on.

too late a week: equivalent to 'too late a day', it is much too late for Adam to seek his own fortune

not my Masters debter: Though it isn't the smartest idea for Adam to embark on this journey at his age, he would rather die at peace, free from indebted service to Oliver.

Act II: French Scene 2

villaines: meaning either servants, peasants or wrongdoers

Are of consent and sufferance in this: are accessories who have allowed this to happen; have approved this and made it possible

a bed: in bed

untreasur'd: robbed

roynish: contemptible, mangy, scurvy

wont: accustomed

Hisperia: Was properly one of the "Hesperides", the nymphs set to guard the tree that bore golden apples which was given by Jupiter to Juno as a wedding gift. Hercules managed to steal some of the golden apples in his eleventh labor, so this Hisperia, fails in her duty.

parts and graces: qualities, physical characteristics and abilities

synowie: Charles has lots of "sinews" (muscles)

Send this to his brother: Duke Frederick asks that they send a message to Orlando's brother, Oliver, who would have the authority to "fetch that gallant", who is Orlando. If he's absent, he asks that Oliver be brought in his stead.

gallant: fine gentlemen (he speaks sarcastically of Orlando)

inquisition: questioning

quaile: falter

Act II: French Scene 3

Sceona Teritus: This scene was originally Act II Scene 1

Forresters: forest-dwellers

Coe-mates: companions

painted pompe: artificial splendor

the penaltie of Adam: the hardship suffered by all people since Adam of Genesis.

Icie phange: icy fang

churlish: rude, violent

chiding: scolding

feelingly: by means of my sense, by experience

Sweet are the uses of adversitie: proverbial, "Adversity makes men wise"

exempt from public haunt: free from interruption by other people, free of contact from the mass of mankind

venison: deer, these could only be taken with permission from the king

Burghers: citizens

forked heads: the barbed heads of arrows, which are compared to the antlered heads of the male deer themselves

melancholy: morose, world-weary; the affectation of the 'humour' was fashionable at the time

Jaques: the French name, pronounced with two syllables, was adopted by some Englishmen to show they had been abroad.

sequestered: separated from the herd

marked: observed by

moralize: give a moral interpretation to

invectively: vehemently, passionately, in an abusive way

assign'd and native dwelling place: natural habitat

commenting: meditating

cope: debate with

matter: ideas

Act II: French scene 4

Jupiter: Rosalind, assuming a false cheerfulness and entering into the role of Ganymede Jove's page, invokes the aid of Jupiter (aka Jove), who was noted for his 'jovial' disposition.

crosse: a pun on cross meaning vexation, burden and cross meaning a silver coin stamped with a cross

Act II: French Scene 5

Touchstone: A touchstone is a word for a criterion, or method of gauging something. In the Renaissance it was used as a test for the purity of gold and silver. As a function in the play, Touchstone becomes a standard of measure for the foolishness of other character. He draws humor by looking at the absurdities of the games people play, the irony being that he himself is the most ridiculous character of the play.

Silvius: Derived from the from the Latin "silva" meaning "woods", "forest" and "of the forest". Shakespeare may have first encountered this name in Virgil's Aeneid. Silvius' passion recalls that of Endimion, the shepherd in the John Lyly's eponymous play, who is consumed by "melancholy passions, carelesse behaviour, untamed thoughts, and unbridled affections" for Phebe.

Corin: This is Corin's name in the play, but is also a byword for a shepherd or shepherdess

fantasie: affections

Wearing: exhausting

in thy Mistris praise: by praising your mistress

Phebe: Phebe is "the Moone so called because she is Phebus sister" and is emblematic of both female chasity and inconstancy.

Act II: French Scene 6

searching of thy wound: Rosalind is saying that witnessing Silvius' own sadness and longing in love reminds her of her own wounded heart, and Touchstone concurs by responding "And mine" and going on to talk about his past relationship. His speech which follows humorously contrasts the high passion of Rosalind and Orlando's relationship with the coarseness of Touchstone's past misadventures.

hard adventure: bad luck

broke my sword upon a stone: In the Clowne's imagination, he casts a stone in the role of his rival and viciously attacks it with his sword. The innuendo of this could be that he may have "broken his sword", i.e. emasculated himself, by lavishing love on a stone, or a hard, unfeeling, or unintelligent person.

comming a night: having an orgasm during sexual intercourse

Jane Smile: Jane, like Joan, is the feminized form of "John". As the commonest of common names, it signifies a coarse, ordinary woman, as well as a woman of loose morals. To Smile is "to look upon one with favour" which suggests that Jane readily granted the favor, i.e. consented to sexual intercourse.

batler: a batler is a club-like wooden tool used to beat laundry, but is could possibly be a variant of a "Batner" or "boulter", a sieve which was a customary dairymaid's tool, which would make sense with the continuation of the sentence and reference to Cowes dugs.

Cowes dugs that her prettie chopt hands had milk'd: The Clowne worships the humble objects that his beloved has touched, including a Cowes dugs, or cow's udder, which also probably refers to a woman's breasts. Because his lady-love is a "cow", meaning a coarse or degraded woman and also a whore, he inverts the idea of a lady's "milk-white hand" calling Jane Smile's hands "copt" meaning chafed and cracked. Hands also can be a euphemism for "genitals" and the Clowne probably fantaizes about Jane's giving him a "milking".

wooing of a peascod: The peascod, or a peapod, is a symbol of fertility. A man would present a peascod to a woman as token of his affection and if she accepted the gift, she granted permission to woo her. They symbolically represent his cods ("testicles") and peas ("genitals").

weare these for my sake: He hopes that she will weare the peascod, with innuendo of genital friction during intercourse, for his sake with a play on "sake" and "sack" or "scrotum".

strange capers: Capers means activities or proceedings. He may also imply that "lovers runne into strange capers" meaning shrubs or flower beds in order to fornicate.

all is mortall in nature, so is all nature in love, mortall in folly: Those in love are mortall (extreme, excessive) in their folly (foolish or absurd ideas or actions), but their nature (affection, sexual desire) is mortall (destined to die). Also, all nature (the genitalia of both sexes) is mortall (long and tedious) in love (sexual intercourse) and folly (lewdness, wantonness).

ware of mine owne wit, till I breake my shins against it: Rosalind uses ware to mean "aware" and the Clowne plays on ware meaning "wary" and says that he will nere (never) be ware (be afraid of) his owne wit (awareness, intelligence) until his breakes my shins (falls against it, it proves an impediment). Neither will he be aware of his own wit meaning "penis" until it (sexual intercourse or vagina) causes him to breake his shins "suffer a sexual mishap", (contract a venereal disease; the shins are proverbially a sit where pox produces painful nodes).

yon'd: yonder

clowne: country fellow, fool

good even: this was used any time after noon

your: Your is a vulgar or dialectic way of saying "you" as in "you, friend" so this may be an attempt of Rosalind to disguise her upper-class accent, but she obviously doesn't do a very good job as Corin points out her gentle breeding soon after.

entertainment: hospitality

oppressed: exhausted

faints for succour: is becoming weak for want of aid

churlish: miserly

recks: cares, regard, heed

Coate: cottage

bounds of feed: pasture land

sheep-coat: aka sheepcote, a building where sheep shelter

in my voice: as far as I can say

if it stand with honestie: if you can do it honestly

mend: improve

Waste: spend

upon report: report meaning "investigation"; if you like the premises after your investigation/assessment of the property

Feeder: Corin offers to be their "Feeder" as the feeder of their flock, meaning he will stay on the land as a shepherd after they purchase the property, but he will also be their "Feeder" as one who gives food to another by facilitating the business transaction and thus providing them a place to stay and food to eat.

right sodainly: without delay

Act II: French Scene 7

greene wood: wood or forest in leaf

turne: tune

his merrie Note / unto the sweet Birds throte: imitate the warbling of the birds. The repetition of "Come hither" may be a verbalization of a particular bird's song.

melancholly: Music was often associated with romantic melancholy.

Weazel suckes egges: The weasel, an animal noted for ferocity, sometimes steals eggs from birds' nests.

i'the Sunne: free from care or sorrow

&c.: An instruction to repeat the lyrics of the last two lines "Come hither..." to the end of the song.

in despight of my Invention: without using my imagination

Ducdame: This is answered by Jaques in his response to the question "What's that Ducdame?", he responds that it is "Greek" meaning "gibberish".

all the first borne of Egypt: "They were all slain by the Angel of Death when Pharaoh refused to free the Israelites" (Exodus 11:5)

Act II: French Scene 8

heart: courage

uncouth: strange, uncultivated

any thing savage: any wild animal

Desert: uninhabited wilderness

Act II: French Scene 9

like: in the shape of

motley Fool: a professional jester; can mean dressed in the characteristic multicolored clothes of a court jester, but Jaques has detected this even though they have discarded his distinct costume since leaving the Court.

set termes: rhetorical eloquence, well-phrased

fortune: based on the proverbial phrase, "Fortune favors fools"

diall: pocket sun-dial, watch

poke: pouch, purse, wallet

lacke- lustre: dull, dreary

wags: goes

morall: moralize

Chanticleere: A traditional name for a cock, found in Chaucer's "Nun's Priest's Tale" and the name of the cock in the folk tale of Reynard the Fox.

sans: French for "without"

Motley's the onely weare: a fool's costume is the only one to wear

remainder bisket After a voyage: ship's bread left over after a voyage

places: subjects, topics

vents: utters, gives out

Invest: robe, clothe

receive my medicine: Jaques offers to perform the traditional function of a comic in purging a sick world of its folly.

Fie on thee: don't be silly

Counter: a small token or coin of little value; also, "to counter" as in to provide an opposing point of thought or opinion; Jaques ironically challenges the Duke to explain himself.

foule sin, in chiding sin: proverbial, "He finds fault with others and does worse himself"

Libertine: someone loose in religion; the "Libertines" were specifically a sect of heretics in Holland, "They maintained nothing is sinful but to those who think it sinful"

brutish sting: animal lust, carnal impulse

imbossed sores: swellings caused by pox, plague or other illness

headed evils: evils that have come to a head, but also alluding to the way boils or sores come to a head; can also mean Jaques' "head" (penis) has come to a head with "evils" (sores).

license of free foot: Jaques formerly had license (excessive liberty) and was free (unrestricted) of foot (action). He is also guilty of license (licentiousness, libertinism, looseness) with his free (sexually unrestrained) foot (penis, in particular "small penis" because a foot is only part of a yard)

disgorge: vomit

Why who cries out on pride: to "cry out" is to revile; who can speak out against pride that can target any particular person; this exclamation sets up the rest of Jaques philosophy: that pride is such a common sin that no one can truly blame another person without condemning their own prideful sins; he illustrates this point by saying that if Jaques were to make very general statements against sin and pride, no one could oppose him or take offense, because if they did they would out themselves as being the target of those accusations which had been made generally. However, if they aren't sinners themselves, his criticisms have no target.

taxe: accuse

private party: individual person

it: referring to "pride" or "sin"

wearie verie meanes do ebbe: the basic resources, exhausted, dry up

City woman beares The cost of Princes: a citizen's wife dresses like royalty

basest function: in the most humble employment

not on my cost: not paid for by me (and therefore none of my business)

mettle: spirit, nature

right: justice

free: innocent

taxing: criticism

Act II: French Scene 10

Of what kinde should this Cocke come of?: what sort of cocky young man is this

touch'd my veine at first: hit upon my condition/state of mind with your first comment

am I in- land bred: I was brought up in civilized society

answered: *answerèd

reason: likely making a pun on 'raisin' and cracking a joke by eating or offering a grape or raisin, as "reason" and "raisin" were pronounced identically.

gentlenesse: good breeding

force: prevail

command'ment: authority

gentlenesse: courtesy

upon command: as you wish

forbeare: abstain from

suffic'd: satisfied

waste: consume

All the world's a stage, And all the men and women, meerely Players: The Globe Theatre's sign purportedly depicted Titan Atlas carrying the world on his back and the theatre's motto was supposedly "Totus Mundus Agit Histrionem" which translates to "all the world acts the player". The phrase is apparently drawn from the Fragments of Petronius: "quod fere totus mundus exerceat histrionem" which translates to "Almost the whole world are players".

Mewling: crying feebly

bearded like the Pard: with facial hair like a leopard's whiskers

bubble Reputation: proverbial, "Honor (reputation) is a bubble"

Capon: chicken; a castrated cock bred for the table, often used to bribe a judge

sawes: sayings, proverbs

moderne instances: commonplace examples

Pantaloone: Pantalone, the ridiculous old merchant of the commedia dell'arte

pouch: purse

his youthfull hose well sav'd: The miserly Pantalone would not throw anything away and he has sav'd his youtfull hose (breeches, leggings) and wears them even though they are now a world to wide (large) because the old man's shankes (leg, calf) have shrunke. Also referring to his shankes and hose (penis) which have shrunke.

shanke: calf, leg

sans: without

Act II: French Scene 11

venerable: honorable; ancient

fall to: start eating

rude: cruel

holly: the tree was associated from Roman times with winder and good (male) friendship

fayning: pretence

nigh: deeply

benefits forgot: forgotten favors

warpe: turn to ice

effigies: likeness

limn'd: depicted

residue of your fortunes: remainder/rest of your story

right: very

Act III: French Scene 1

better part made mercie: mostly made of mercy

absent argument Of my revenge, thou present: try to get my revenge on someone who is absent when you are here

with Candle: diligently; perhaps alluding to "If she lose one piece [of silver]... light a candle... and seek diligently till she find it." (Luke 15:8)

turne: return

More villaine thou: Duke Frederick, ironically, condemns himself

of such a nature: experienced in such things

Make an extent upon his house and Lands: extent meaning a) to value and/or b) seize, confiscate Orlando's land and property

turne him going: meaning send him (Orlando) packing

Act III: French Scene 2

Food of Love: This song is actually originally a monologue which comes from Act I Scene 1 of Twelfth Night. In the opening scene, Orsino, the Duke of Illyria, is in love. The play opens with him listening to a musical ensemble. At the top of the scene, it seems the players have stopped and he tells them to play until he gets sick of it. He reasons that if music is the food of love, if he overstuffs himself with it, as with food, he may get sick and lose his appetite for love for Olivia. But he continues to indulge in his feelings of love, setting the scene for this love-centered play.

thrice crowned Queene of night: The moon goddess ruled as Cynthia in the heavens, Diana on earth, and Proserpina in the underworld. *crownèd

Thy Huntress' name: Orlando imagines Rosalind as one of the followers of Diana (who was also the goddess of chastity).

sway: control

character: inscribe

unexpressive: inexpressible, indescribable

Act III: French Scene 3

naught: worthless, useless

solitary: alone (not in anyone's company)

private: lonely

vild: a variant of "vile" which can mean a) despicable b) degrading c) filthy and/or d) depraved

spare: frugal

humor: disposition

stomacke: a) appetite; b) inclination

Philosophie: practical wisdom

wants: lacks

meanes: resources

Nature, nor Art: birth or education

good breeding, or comes of a very dull kindred: breeding: upbringing; dull kindred: stupid family; he that has no knowledge by inheritance or industry (Nature, nor Art) is likely to complain of his lack of education unless he is very dull indeed. The joke is that Corin's philosophies consist of simple statements that should be self-evident to anyone who is intelligent.

like an ill roasted Egge, all on one side: Eggs, roasted in hot ashes, were spoiled if not turned while cooking.

good: a) courtly; b) morally correct

parlous: perilous

Not a whit: not in the least

salute not: do not greet one another

but you kiss: (do not greet one another) without kissing each other's hands

Instance: give me an example/proof of that

Fels: pelts, fleeces

content with my harme: am resigned to my affliction

simple: a) foolish; b) unashamed

offer: presume

bawd: pander, pimp

Bel-weather: the leading sheep of a flock, the flock would know to follow the leader because of the bell around their neck

crooked-pated: with crooked horns (symbolic of a cuckold, or a man who's wife is cheating on him)

Cuckoldly: possessed of an unfaithful wife

the devil himselfe will have no shepherds: the only way Corin can escape hell is if the Devil himself finds shepherds so thoroughly evil that he won't admit them into hell.

Act III: French Scene 4

From the east to westerne Inde: from the East Indies (India and the islands of the Malay archipelago) to the West Indies (both associated with wealth and gems); Inde was pronounced to rhyme with "mind"

worth: merit

winde: this was also pronounced to rhyme with "mind"

Linde: meaning "lined" or sketched

to: compared to

faire: beauty

it is the right Butter-womens ranke to market: just like the jog-trot rhythm of dairy-women riding to market; Orlando's verses are ranke (unpleasant, rotten) but also ranke (sexually defiled or venereally infected) as a Butter-woman (whore; coital movements were likened to the churning of butter) who sells herself on the market.

Out: Quiet

Hart: male deer

Hinde: female deer; the implication is that Rosalind is "game" (sexually promiscuous)

kinde: mate; in gratifying its will (sexual urges) the Cat behaves after (according to) its kinde (natural disposition). The implication is Rosalind is a Cat (whore) who seeks to do "the deed of kind" (copulate).

Wintred: adapted for winter; garments that are slender (of a thin consistency) must be linde (lined with more fabric for winter). Rosalind who is slender (with allusion to her vaginal capacity) must also be linde (lined or padded on the inside, hence = fucked). If she's consequently linde (literally filled, pregnant) she will no longer be slender.

sheaf: gather grain into bundles

to cart: a) to carry away; b) to be whipped behind a cart (the punishment for a prostitute); They that reap (gather a crop) must tie it up and load it into a cart. Those that reap (copulate) must binde (marry) otherwise they will produce sheaves (bound crops or illegitimate children) from the sheaf (i.e. vagina). Should Rosalind's sheafe (vagina) produce sheaves (illegitimate children) she must be brought to cart (be whiped behind a cart, the punishment for prostitutes).

Sweetest nut, hath sowrest rinde: This is a proverbial phrase, that the toughest nut to crack (the sourest rind) has the sweetest meat. Because Rosalind is a "hard nut to crack" (i.e. doesn't open easily for sexual intercourse) her nut (vulva) will ultimately be very sweet (sexually satisfying). Touchstone may also be implying that Rosalind is a sour (crabby, surly, ill-conditioned) nut (something of trifling value) who displays rinde (impudence, effrontery).

Loves pricke: He with the sweetest rose will succeed in love with Rosalind, or more specifically Loves pricke (sexual intercourse).

false gallop: canter; proverbial description of unmetrical verse

infect your selfe: allow these verses to hold influence on her; false gallop is also a term for coital movements and these verses are so infect (imperfect, incomplete) that Rosalind will surely be infected (with venereal disease) if she allows them to infect (influence, take hold of) her.

tree yeelds bad fruit: "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit" (Matthew 7:18)

Act III: French Scene 5

civill: civilized, sophisticated

quintessence: purest form; the 'fifth essence' was thought to be a distillation of the other four 'essences' or elements of the terrestrial world (earth, air, fire, water) which manifested in the four bodily "humours" that determined a person's physical and mental state. Despite Rosalind's quintessence (virtue, purity) Orlando probably imagines the essence (nature, semen) of his sprite (spirit/erect penis) in her quin (female genitalia).

sprite: spirit; Heave would reveal in miniature the essence of every individual

manie parts: Rosalind's manie parts (personal qualities) were devis'd (fabricated, forged) by Heavenly synode (a council of divinites) that Rosalind's elements should be distilled to the quintessence (essence of purity). Orlando also hope that Rosalind will be his deerest pris'd and if so, he will win the prize of manie touches (sexual caresses) from her faces (gentials), eyes (vagina and vulva), and hearts (pronounced "arts" and thus a pun on "arse").

Heavenly Synode: a council of divinities

homilie: moral lecture

back friends: false friends, traitors (for spying on her while she was reading)

sirrah: a dismissive, even contemptuous, form of address

bagge and baggage: all the (military) equipment; they retreat without bagge and baggage because they leave behind Celia and Rosalind, one of whom is a bagge (i.e. vagina, or cunt) and the other whom is a baggage (whore or slut).

scrip and scrippage: wallet and its contents; scrippage is a made up word to echo baggage; Though they leave bagge and baggage (see above) their retreat is still honorable because they leave each with possession of his scrip (testicles) and scrippage (i.e. his "burdoun" or penis).

Act III: French Scene 6

feete: metrical feet, groups of syllables forming the basic unit of the poetic meter

feet were lame: metrically defective halting; The verses (the "staff" meaning both "a line of verse" and "a crutch" and "penis) might beare (hold/sexually sustain) if the feete (male genitalia) could beare the verses (vagina; "versus" is a "furrow", the "furrow" is "the female pudendum"). However, the feet were lame (impotent) and had no matter (semen), thus they stood lamely in the verse (i.e. "couldn't get it up" or were incompetent in the sex act)

change you colour: are you blushing?

it is a hard matter for friends to meet; but Mountains may be remoov'd with Earthquakes, and so encounter: Celia inverts the proverb, "Friends may meet, but mountains never greet"; Rosalind and Orlando have Mountains (seemingly insurmountable obstacles) dividing them so it is a hard matter for them to meet. However, Mountains may be remoov'd with earthquakes, so Rosalind can look forward to Mountains (with play on "mountings" or sexual intercourse) for she may yet encounter (make love to, with possible play on "count" and "cunt") Orlando's hard (erect) matter (penis).

petitionary vehemence: passionate pleading

out of all hooping: beyond all exclamation, "whooping"

Is he of God's making: proverbial, meaning a normal human being

head worth a hat?: is his head (penis) worth a hat (female genitalia; a hat "is a woman's privates because frequently felt")

chin worth a beard?: Rosalind hopes that his chin (jaw-line) is worth a beard (facial hair), and that his chin (penis) is worth a beard (female public hair).

little beard: Facial hair was considered a barometer of a man's virility. At age 17, Orlando might have a little beard because he's a late bloomer, but probably is because the actor who first played him had a little beard, perhaps because he had recently shaved to portray a female character.

if the man will bee thankful: A common sentiment, if one remains grateful to God, God will bless you in return; if Orlando remains grateful to God, God may bless him with more facial hair.

stay: wait for; Rosalind is willing to stay (wait for) the growth of his beard (see above) as long as she eventually has knowledge (carnal knowledge) of his chin (penis).

divell take mocking: Rosalind is so fed up with Celia's mocking of her that she uses a very unladylike curse. She is the only woman to use the curse "the devil take" in the First Folio and this puts her in the company of such uncouth characters as Therisites, Pandarus, and Falstaff.

sadde brow, and true maid: seriously and honestly

Wherein went he?: Either, "Into which place?" or "In what condition?"

remaines: dwells

Gargantuas: a giant with a phenomenal appetite, created by French writer Rabelais in Gargantua and Pantagruel, and was also know in England from tales by other writers.

freshly: healthy

Jove's tree: The oak tree was sacred to Jupiter aka Jove.

when it droppes forth fruit: referring to the previous statement from Celia that Orlando was like an acorn dropped under the tree, Rosalind is praising this tree as one from Jove, a tree of the gods, for dropping forth such godly fruit as Orlando.

becomes: adorns

holla: whoa, stop (as to a horse)

curvettes: prances along

unseasonably: in an ill-timed manner

furnish'd: dressed

Hart: a female deer; a pun on "heart"/"Hart"

burden: continuous undersong, interruption

Act III: French Scene 7

slinke by: meaning to slip past/slip aside

had as liefe: would rather

for fashion sake: for the sake of fashion (good manners) Orlando has offered to accompany Jaques, though they both would have preferred to travel alone.

societie: company

God buy you: goodbye, from "God be with you"

better strangers: more distant from each other

moe: more

ill-favouredly: badly

Attalanta's heeles: Attalanta was a Greek figure known for her speed. She preserved her chastity by insisting that her suitors should be able to outrun her.

I will chide no breather in the world but my selfe: Orlando does not wish to chide (scold, admonish) any breather (living thing) against whom he knows the most faults (moral failings) is himself.

Act III: French Scene 8

sawcie Lacky: cheeky footman, or like a saucie (wanton, lascivious) lacky (effeminate man or homosexual)

un-der that habit: in that disguise

play the knave: a) act like a boy; b) trick and defeat him

what would you?: what do you want?

lazie foot of time: Rosalind hints that Time is lazy for this lover because of his lazie (impotent, slack, long in comming) foot (penis).

swifte foot of time?: Orlando counters by asserting that the foot of time is both swift (hot, burning, vehement, quick) and proper (virile).

ambles with-all: dawdles along with

trots hard with a yong maid: a young maid is "eager to trot" (thrust her hips up and down during copulation) as a trot (common prostitute) even if the interim between the contract of her marriage is only a sennight (seven night, or one week).

solemnizd: consecrated and made legal by the church

softly: leisurely

vacation: period during which the London law-courts are not sitting

skirts: border, edge; meaning like the decorative edge of a petticoat, or like fringe (pubic hair) upon a petticoat (female genitalia)

Conie: rabbit; also a Conie (whore, wanton) dwells (fornicates) where she is kindled (inflamed with passion or lust). Here Rosalind drops a hint that she has changed gender, as it was widely believed at this time and until the end of the 18th century that rabbits, or hares, were hermaphrodites (having the genitalia of both sexes) that were able to carry children. Rabbits are also known for extreme laviciousness.

inland man: city dweller

Courtship: a) courtly life; b) wooing

Lectors: delivered many warning speeches

giddie: frivolous; or also foolish offenses (sexual transgressions)

tax'd: accused

halfpence: halfpence coined in Elizabeth's reign had identical mint markings, so Rosalind is say that all women's faults are identical to one another

physick but on those that are sick: physick = medicine; "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick." (Matthew 9:12)

haunts: frequents

Oades/Elegies: love poems; an "ode" is a lyrical poem, an elegie is a mournful song used in funerals or other passions of sorrow, including the sorrow of love.

Hauthornes: infusions of Hauthornes were thought to be "good for the trembling or passion of the heart" and have long been associate with Mayday fertility rites, and the blossoms are symbolic of the female reproductive organs and sexuality. The Hawthorn flower is also called "Lady's Meat" because its scent supposedly resembles that of the female genitalia.

brambles: blackberry bushes

defying: insulting

Fancie-monger: purveyor of fantasies; if Rosalind could meet him (have sexual intercourse with him) she would give him some good (sexually eager or proficient) counsel (play on "coun sell" / "cunt sell").

Quotidian: fever recurring every day

Love-shak'd: shaken by love-fever

markes: symptoms

cage of rushes: flimsy prison; rushes = straw, twigs

blew eye: dark circles under the eye from lack of sleep; thoughts that are blew (indecent, smutty, obscene)

unquestionable: impatient

is a yonger brothers revennew: because Orlando is so young, the amount of facial hair that he does have is his revennew (revenue: meaning profit, yield, income).

unbanded: without a hat-band (of some rich fabric)

point device in your accoutrements: meticulous in your apparel; the French words may hint a note of mockery

give the lie to their consciences: lie about their real feelings; women are reluctant to give the lie (sexual intercourse) to their consciences (sexual organs); women are reluctant to confesse (play on "con" as "cunt" and "fesse" as "buttocke")

sooth: truth

a darke house, and a whip: Dark house: mental hospital or prison; Love was considered a treatable medical condition like any other illness and the usual Elizabethan therapy for this so-called insanity would be prison and whipping, "thinking by torturing the flesh and externall parts, to extinguish their inward flames." Dark rooms were thought to soothe the minds of the "mad".

professe: am an expert in

moonish: changeable, fickle

fantastical: fanciful, capricious, ruled by a whim

apish: affected, whimsical

cattle of this colour: creatures of this kind

forswear: refuse

drave: drove

mad humour: whimsical affectation

ful stream of the world: the ful stream is the entirety of the world

living humour: real affectation

nooke meerly Monastick: Ganymede's former patient decided to leave a monastic life; Rosalind really hopes that Orlando will live meerly (lecherously; play on "merrily" meaning "lustily") and not to cure him but drive him into her nooke (vagina) like a monk (monks had a lustful reputation; to "monk it" is to "copulate").

take upon mee to wash your Liver: Just like a "rotten" sheep, Orlando has a "Spotted liver" (a symptom of lechery) so his Liver (the supposed seat of sexual passion) is unclean (morally impure) and Ganymede proposes to treat the symptoms by washing it with medicine as was the practice. Then his liver will be as clean as the heart (genitals) of a sheep who is sound (free from venereal disease) and will have not one spot (pox sore, result of venereal disease).

Coat: cottage

Act III: French Scene 9

apace: quickly

Audrey: Saint Audrey was a princess of the East Angles. Twice wed in dynastic alliances, she did not consummate either marriage due to a vow of perpetual chastity. After years of wedded un-bliss, she finally took the veil and founded the Abbey of Ely in 673. In 679, Saint Audrey died of a tumor on her neck, which she viewed as divine retribution for the extravagant necklaces she had worn as a young woman. At the festival held in Ely on Saint Audrey's feast day (June 23), lace handkerchiefs were sold in commemoration of her death. These cheaply and shoddily produced necklaces were called "Saint Audrey lace" which became corrupted over time to "t'Audrey lace". Thus the name is the origin of the word "tawdry". It is unlikely that the Audrey of this play is appareled in a "tawdry" (cheap or gaudy) manner, but she is very likely "tawdry" (untidy, slovenly, ungraceful).

the man: your chosen man

simple feature: honest face

warrant: protect

Ovid was among the Gothes: In AD 8 the Roman emperor Augustus banished the poet Ovid to Constanta in what is now Romania too live among the Gothes, an East Germanic tribe that inhabited the banks of the Black Sea. Ovid was probably banished for political reasons, but the pretext for his banishment was the licentiousness of his verses. Touchstone is like the capricious (fantastical) Ovid, banished among the goats rather than the Gothes.

made thee poeticall: endowed you with the faculties of a poet

fai-ning: imaginative, deceptive

Now if thou wert a Poet, I might have some hope thou didst feigne: Since poets often fiegne (lie/fib), if Audrey were a poet swearing that she is honest, he might have some hope that she is lying and he will be able to sleep with her without marrying her first.

hard favour'd: ugly

honestie coupled to beautie, is to have Honie a sawce to Sugar: Because the beautie (female genitalia, cunt) of a beautie (beautiful woman) is not generally honest (chaste), a woman who possesses both honesty and beauty would be too precious. There may be an additional play on sawce as "semen" and honie as both "semen" and "sexual pleasure".

cast away honestie uppon a foule slut, were to put good meate into an uncleane dish: first meaning waste chastity on a foule (ill-favored) slut (awkward person or thing) would be a complete waste. Also meaning, to marry an unchaste slut (whore, strumpet) were to put good meate (male genetalia) into an uncleane (sexually impure) dish (vagina).

foule: Audrey thanks the Gods she is unattractive because it helps preserve her chastity.
Sir Oliver Mar-text: Probably an illiterate priest unable to understand Latin, the title Sir was a courtesy given to graduate clergy but not a symbol of knighthood.

Vicar: A curate, a parson, a countrie priest, a Priest that does not understand Latin (a callback to Rosalind's joke "A Priest that lacks Latine"). Not highly esteemed.

couple us: marry us

would fain: would like to

Act III: French Scene 10

dispatch us: marry us

give the woman: the marriage ceremony demanded that someone (usually the father) give the bride away.

guift of any man: Touchstone does not want to accept second-hand goods

what ye cal't: Touchstone uses this to refer to Jaques either to avoid saying his name which sounds like "jakes" which means "a privy" and/or referring to him as a what ye cal't because Jaques resembles the name "Jack" meaning "the penis" and/or and "erection" and what ye cal't is both "a man's or woman's privates" or "a dildo"

goddild you: comes from "God yeild you", means may God reward you

last companie: fellowship when we last met

a toy in hand heere Sir: for even such a trifling matter as this; Touchstone also hopes to take Audrey's toy (maidenhead) and toy (copulate) with her toy (female pudendum).

be cover'd: put on your hat

bow: curved wood going under the ox's neck and fitting the yolk

curb: chain passing under horse's jaw and attaching to the bit

bells: these were worn to frighten the game birds and to make the falcon easier to find

desires: like other animals, man has his passions (carnal desire)

bill: to stroke beak against beak

wedlocke: marriage

nibling: nibling, meaning to inch closer quickly, the wedlocke (copulation) is inching nearer; Touchstone "nibbles" the opportunity to marry, eagerly but carefully, as a fish considers bait.

Wainscot: wainscot is a pane or panel of a wall where each panel fits into a slightly larger frame. If the wood is green, or not properly dried, it will warp (shrink, bend or twist). If the Clowne and Audrey are joined only by their joints (genitals) then they will be only be joined as Wainscot by the tongue and groove system, in which the joints have "male" and "female" ends. Both of them are greene (young, inexperienced) and lack control of their greenes (longings, desires). If Audrey over-indulges her greens (vagina) and the Clowne his timber (penis) then they will shrink (lose vitality) and warp (be sexually unfaithful) and Audrey will become a pannell (loose woman, whore) and the Clowne a pannel (weak or effeminate man).

I am not in the minde: I am not inclined to it

baudrey: unchastity, sin

O sweet Oliver: a popular song where a lovesick maiden pleads with her hardhearted lover

brave: handsome

winde away: get away quickly

flout: mock

calling: vocation, profession

Act III: French Scene 11

prethee: pray you

picke purse: pickpocket; Orlando may be inconstant but he would not picke (illicitly open) a woman's purse (female pudendum) nor would he steal a horse (whore).

verity: honesty, constancy

concave: hollow; also meaning corrosive or hollow ulcers

Worme-eaten: a worm who has eaten through/ruined a nut; also meaning worme-nut (syphilitic) nut (glans penis).

Tapster: tavern-keeper

confirmer of false reckonings: witnesses to false tavern bills; the Tapster (pimp) also confirms (encourages) false (illicit, adulterous) reckonings (sexual intercourse)

question: conversation

all's brave that youth mounts, and folly guides: everything is great when you're young and foolish; play on mount (meaning copulate) and folly (meaning lust).

Act III: French Scene 12

But first begs pardon: even in executing someone, the executioner begs pardon from condemnation before letting the ax fall.

he: the executioner

Pheobe: Pheobe's response becomes a critique of the conventions of romantic (Petrarchan) love poetry

muder in mine eye: the eyes were thought to hold real physical power; this is also a Petrarchan common place

gates: eyelids

atomyes: specks of dust

counterfeit: pretend

darted: shot like arrows

as that ever may be neere: may the time come soon

power of fancie: ability to attract

Loves keene arrows: Cupid the god of love, was traditionally pictures with bow and arrows

As till that time I shall not pitty thee: Phebe is referring to Silvius' mention of the time that she will see the hurt that Love inflicts on someone's heart as it has on him. She says that until then, not to come near her, but he can mock her when that time comes without pity, since until that time comes, she will not pity the pain he currently feels from his love for her. This is foreshadowing the next moment when she will see the hurt that her Love for Ganymede can inflict on her own heart and the time she is referring to arrives sooner than she predicted.

who might be your mother: Rosalind is implying that Phebe's unkind behavior must be inherited or bred from her mother; she's basically saying, "who raised you?" and insulting Phebe.

Then without Candle may goe darke to bed: who are not even attractive in the darkness; compare the proverb "when candles be out, all cats are grey"; No man who had to look at Phebe would want to put his Candle (penis) into her darke (female pudendum, cunt), indeed no man would go to bed with Phebe unless "by candle light."

inkie brows: a possible suggestion that Phebe's browes (pubic hair) are inkie (where "ink" is semen).

blacke silke: Phebe has dark hair and dark eyes which would not be considered the Elizabethian standard of "fairness" or "beauty"; silke was used "of whores" and blacke alludes to female genitalia. Haire plays on "hare" meaning "prostitute" or "wench".

bugle: tube-shaped bead of black glass; additionally her bugle (vagina, literally "a tube") traps a man's eye-balls (testicles).

entame my spirits: literally subdue my spirits; also entame (castrate, make impotent, effeminate) Ganymede's spirits (genitals and semen).

South: the south wind; Phebe is puffing (swelling with anger), and Silvius' judgement is made foggy by her rain and wind; Silvius is also under the raine (ruling, power) of his raine ("rein", kidneys and loins regarded as the seat of sexual desire). Thus he is puffing (has an erection, to swell/bulge) and desires to winde (copulate).

properer: more handsome

full of ill- favoured children: i.e. by marrying ugly women

glasse: looking-glass; Rosalind also hints that Phebe is a "piece of shit" who would have no trouble finding a likeness of herself in a glasse (chamber-pot, toilet).

lineaments: facial features

Mistris: innuendo being whore, wanton, prostitute

you are not for all markets: you're not everybody's choice; proverb: "As the market goes, wives must sell"; Phebe's market (vulva) would not be very desirable for market (copulation) even if available on the market (were she a prostitute).

Cry the man mercy: beg him forgiveness

Foule is more foule, being foule to be a scoffer: foulness is more foul when it consists in being scornful; implication that Phebe is a "fowl" (wench, whore)

chide: scold

in wine: intoxicated

tufft: clump; Olives are a symbol of peace so Ganymede may be indicating he has no interest in Phebe's tufft (pubic hair and vagina).

here hard by: nearby

ply her hard: persist with her; Silvius should ply (woo) her to ply (have sex with) her.

abus'd in sight: deceived by what he sees; also implying he is abus'd (screwed, used of illicit or unlawful sexual acts) of his sight (anus, a "site" is literally a "seat").

Act III: French Scene 13

Dead Shepheard: Invoking Christopher Marlowe who died in 1593. Marlowe's "Hero and Leander" contains the line "Who ever lov'd that lov'd not at first sight". He is also the author of a popular lyric "the Passionate Shepherd to his Love".

neighbourly: "Love thy neighbor as thyself" (Leviticus 19:18)

covetousnesse: would be greedy: "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbours wife, nor his man servant, nor his maid servant, nor his oxe, nor anything that is thy neighbours" (Exodus 20:17)

ere-while: a little time ago

peevish: silly, perverse

parcells: separate parts, items

what had he to doe: what cause had he

remembred: remind myself

all one: doesn't matter

omittance is no quittance: failure to rebuke him does not mean that I pardoned him (quittance = legal release from debt).

tanting: taunting (pronounced as taunting); Phebe is tanting (high and mighty, stuck-up), so she will tant (answer back in equivalent terms) Ganymede in hopes that he will find her letter tanting (sexually stimulating).

strait: immediately

passing short: exceedingly curt

Act IV: French Scene 1

in extremity: excessively

modern: ordinary

sad: serious

emulation: envy

fantastical: imaginative

politick: cunning crafty

nice: wanton, capricious

sundry contemplations of my travells: different things I have seen when traveling

most humorous sadnesse: and frequently musing over these envelops me in a very strange seriousness

Yes: yes, but

Act IV: French Scene 2

travaile: "travel" and "travail" were interchangeably spelled. Here, Rosalind outwardly means "travel" but puns on 'travail' meaning "labor"

God buy you: goodbye

blanke verse: Jaques is quick to notice Orlando's pentameter

serve me such another tricke: If Orlando serves (assults) Rosalind with another tricke (affront, a wrong, an injury), he will never serve her (render her a sexual service) with a tricke (copulation). If Orlando isn't careful he will lose the opportunity to come (achieve orgasm, body contact, or sexual connection) in Rosalind's site (the female parts).

Breake an houres promise: Because Orlando has not kept his appointment, his promise is no better than an houres (a whore's)

Cupid hath clapt him oth'shoulder: Cupid has caught his attention (as a sergeant arrests a criminal)

warrant him heart hole: guarantee not wounded in the heart; Orlando is heart hole (uninjured at heart) because Cupid's arrow hath clapt (hit, struck) his shoulder instead of making a hole (wound) in his heart. Rosalind also implies that Orlando is an insincere heart hole (asshole) therefore Cupid has clapt him (given him the clap, or venereal taint) oth'shoulder (i.e. on his ass and/or testicles; in leather the shoulder is the portion of the hide between the butt and the cheeks).

verie: true, real; Ganymede/Rosalind also "varies" (changes gender presentation)

gravel'd: nonplussed, stuck (like a ship run aground); An orator who suffers a lack of matter will be put to silence, or be stuck. An orator is also a vigorous fornicator (whore = "or" "ator", "one who does a whore"). If an orator (fornicator) might suffer a lacke of matter (semen) he could not take a woman's occasion (vagina) but he might at least take occasioon to kisse.

occasion: opportunity

entreatie: pleading; If a man's kiss is denide he must then "entreat" (beg amorously). The woman's denial gives him a) new matter (something new to talk about) and b) new matter (sexual vigor or appetite).

in her person: speaking on her behalf

by Attorney: by proxy, have a lawyer act for you; If Rosalind will not sleep with Orlando, he could easily find an Attorney ("Procurer": pimp or bawd). Thus he would die (orgasm) by Attourney ("by a tourney" or sexual intercourse).

six thousand yeeres old: Biblical scholars estimated this age for the world, which was thought to be decaying

died in his owne person: who died in real life

videlicet: namely; Latin, like any good Attorney intersperses her arguments with Latin phrases

men have died: Men have died (experienced orgasm) from time to time, and wormes (venereal diseases such as syphilis) have eaten them, but this was due to lust, not love.

right: true

of this mind: thinking like this

protest: declare

comming-on: approachable; Rosalind will be of comming-on (sexually forward) disposition, like "Coming-women" (free of their Flesh, breeding women). She will also be of a disposition (sexual inclination) more suitable for achieving comming-on (sexual orgasm).

I will grant it: Rosalind will grant Orlando anything, even if he asks her to grant him her what (pudend).

fridaies and saterdaies: Rosalind will love Orlando whether she is "Friday-faced" (melancholy, sour-featured) or indulging in "Saturday-wit" (lewd or bawdy talk). Fridays and Saturdays were the days appointed by the church for fasting, but Rosalind would agree to make love to Orlando anytime, despite an injunction to "fast" (sexually abstain).

have: a) have in marriage, b) have sexually; Rosalind plays on the latter meaning in the line following.

can one desire too much of a good thing: Proverbially "A man make take too much of a good thing"; the specific thing Rosalind desires is a good (virile, sexually potent) thing (penis).

I cannot say the words: Celia has good reason to hesistate, for Rosalind is in a way tricking Orlando into marriage: even without a Priest "The contract per verba de praesenti... by which the pair exchanged before witnesses such phrases as 'I do take thee to my wife' and 'I do take thee to my husband,' was regarded in ecclesiastical law as an irrevocable commitment which could never be broken, and which nullified a later church wedding to someone else". Moreover, "sexual intercourse was permitted to take place immediately after the formal public betrothal" so a verbal contract would allow Orlando and Rosalind to consummate their union.

Goe to: that's enough

Commission: authority

runs before her actions: She is perhaps anxious to be announced because her thought (of consummating the marriage) runs before (anticipates) her actions (sexual intercourse).

possest her: a) married her b) had intercourse with her

when they are maides: while they are virgins; Maides are May when they are maides (unmarried). However, once they are wives the sky changes as quickly as it does during May, a month traditionally associated with changeable weather. She is again asserting that women are extremely capricious.

Barbary cocke-pigeon: Barbary: North African; cocke-pigeon: male pigeon, male pigeons were said to be very possessive of their mates

against: before; a Parrat cries out in expectation of rain. The Parrat was also extremely lecherous, so Rosalind hints that she will be clamorous for Orlando's raine (seminal emission).

new-fang-led: fond of novelty; Rosalind will also be new-fangled (steady of purpose) then an ape (nymphomaniac).

giddy: changeable; Her desires (sexual appetite, lust) will make her more giddy (lustful, wanton) with her monkey (female pudendum) then a monkey (symbol of lechery)

Diana in the fountaine: A possible reference to a fountain with a statue of Diana, goddess of chastity, which was erected in London in 1595. Diana was a popular figure in fountains, probably because the ancient tale of Diana bathing in the fountain was a convenient excuse to depict a nude woman. Rosalind also hints at the changes that Diana (the Moon) will effect in her Fountaine (vagina) at the pre-menstrual syndrome that will make her weepe for nothing.

laugh like a Hyena: Even if Orlando is inclin'd (disposed to love-making) to sleepe (have sex) Rosalind will stilll laugh (make love) adulterously like a Hyena (an unfaithful wife, the hyena symbolized adultery and fornication). The hyena in particular also hints at Rosalind's disguise, first as a creature known for facility with impersonation and imitation, as Rosalind immitates, attracts, and captures a man. Similar to the beliefs about the hare, it was believed at this time that the hyena could change its sex from year to year. Shakespeare may have seen this noted in Ovid's Metamorphoses: "But if that any noveltye woorth woondring bee in theis, Much rather may we woonder at the Hyen if we please. Loo see how interchaungeably it one whyle dooth remayne a female, and another whyle becommeth male againe." In referring to herself as a hyena, Rosalind hints at her changing sexual identity.

waywarder: more wilful; A "wayward" woman will go in search of another man's "warder" (penis, literally a staff) but to her husband she will be a "warder" (one who wards off) and bar him from her "way" (vagina).

casement: window; A man cannot make (close) his wife's doores (vagina and anus) simply by "making" (mating with) her. If out at the casement (out the window, given an opportunity or occasion) a womans wit (vagina) will out (copulate). In folklore the key-hole and chimney were seen as means of entrance for witches, so Rosalind is implying a wife will prove harder to control than a supernatural fury. Any man who attempts to make the doores upon a womans wit will find that she "Shut the door" (refuse to copulate) and her wit (sexual urges, genitals) will still out (fornicate) at the key-hole (female pudendum). Any attempt to stop that will make the woman flie out (get angry) and her wit (vagina) will still flie (wanton) with the smoake (copulation) out at the chimney (vagina).

wit whether wil't?: a common phrase that would be addressed to someone who's tongue got away from them; someone who is known for being intelligent but has apparently lost it in a moment of weakness or fickleness.

Nay you might keep that checke for it: checke meaning "rebuke"; you might keep the rebuke "wit whether wil't" to yourself until you witness your wife going to your neighbor's bed with her "wit" (see below).

wit: sexual desire

take: catch

tongue: possibly play on tongue as the clitoris

what wit: what ingenious excuse

dinner: the main midday meal

troth: faith

in good earnest: seriously

so God mend mee: proverbial, may God improve me

not dangerous: attempts were being made by religious reformers to suppress the use of blasphemous oaths

jot: tiniest particle; the word derives from 'iota'

patheticall: miserable, pitiable, unworthy; also meaning patheticall (passionate, persuasive, affection-moving)

hollow: insincere

grosse band: whole company

religion: devotion

try: be the judge

Act IV: French Scene 3

simply misus'd: utterly disgraced; she has also misus'd (buggered, fucked up) the prate (backside) of her own sex.

love-prate: lover's chatter

pluckt over your head: stripped off (like a servant unworthy of their uniform)

fathome: a unit of depth (= six feet)

sounded: measured

Bay of Portugal: Here the water is about 1,400 fathoms deep; the Bay of Portugal is also, from other texts as well, a metaphor for great sexual capacity. Rosalind wants Orlando to fathome (clasp or embrace) her and fathome (penetrate) her bay (vagina), but his depth (penis size) is still unknowne to her.

bottomlesse: Rosalind thinks her affection is bottomless, or endless, but Celia thinks it bottomless, without foundation/baseless. Orlando is a bottomelesse vessel so as fast as Rosalind pours affection in, it runs out. Celia also hints that Rosalind's own bottom (vagina) is bottomlesse (insatiable). So much bottom (semen) has been pour in to Rosalind's "Bottomless Pit" (vagina) that it runs out again.

shadow: shady place; Rosalind plans to sigh until such a time as Orlando's shadow (the "cock of a diall", the part of a sundial that casts a shadow) will shadow (sexually cover) her. Then she will come (orgasm) beneath a shadow (canopy for a bed).

Act IV: French Scene 4

leather skin, and hornes to weare: The leather skin and horns of the deer were prized trophies of the hunt. When a deer is killed, the horn call termed the Mort or Death is blown at the death of the deer. An effective hunter (ladies man) brings about the mort or death of a deer (or the sexual 'dying' that is caused by orgasm). A hunter's skin (scrotum) might be skilled with leather (female pudendum) but he is nevertheless a "Leather-head" (thick-skulled, unintelligent) if he marries for a married man cannot escape the cuckold's hornes.

take thou no scorne to weare the horne: A man weares the horne (a horn-like appendage to be worn) as a crest (device originally worn by a knight on his helmet), so a man should not take scorne (be indignant) because it is no scorne (shame) to weare the horne. A man would never have been born if his father and his father's father did not have such a crest (comb of a cock) and had not worn the horne (experienced phallic erection), and would have never worn the horn (gotten married and doomed themselves to cuckoldry). Therefore a man should not allow himself to be made a scorne (impotent) because he wears the horne.

Act IV: French Scene 5

much: not much

pure love, & troubled brain: To distract himself from love, Orlando may have gone hunting and grown exhausted and fallen asleep. However a man with pure (genuine, true, real) love would have a troubled brain and thus not sleepe easily. Celia also intimates that Orlando's feelings are pure (entirely) love (nothing) and/or pure brain (complete shit).

Act IV: French Scene 6

waspish action: spiteful gesture

tenure: message, tone, Silvius assumes the message to have an angry "tenor" or tone; In reality the contents are waspish (amorous) and she hopes her letter will establish tenure (hold or manner of holding possession) over Ganymede and being about her own "content" (sexual fulfillment).

swaggerer: quarrelsome fighter

beare this, beare all: if I can endure this, I can endure anything

faire: beautiful

Phenix: a mythical Arabian bird; the only one of its kind, it cremated itself and a new bird rose from the ashes.

'od's my will: may God's will be done

device: invention; with play on invention as a) literary composition and b) excrement

boysterous: vehement, violent, raging, furious

defies: challenges

She Phebes me: addresses me with her own customary distain

godhead: divine influence or nature, in reference to the name Ganymede as a god in human form

laid a part: set aside

Meaning me a beast: calling me an animal (since she says men could not injure her); Silvius could do her no vengeance (arouse reciprocal love), however Ganymede, who is not a man but a beast (A god or man, the first behaving like a sex-driven animal, the latter behaving with the sexual appetite of an animal). In Rosalind's deliberate misinterpretation, Phebe is vengeance, or Nemesis, the God of Revenge whom Jove ardently pursued in "all shapes of every animal".

chid: rebuked

move: pursuade

by him seale up thy minde: send a letter by him with your thoughts

kinde: natural affectation

faithfull offer take: Phebe makes Ganymede an offer (proposal of marriage). If Ganymede would take (marry) her he will be entitled to all the she can make meaning do, provide, become, give birth to, and earn.

Act IV: French Scene 7

Purlews: borders

sheep-coat: shepherd's cottage

neighbor bottom: water-meadow nearby

ranke of Oziers: row of willow trees; Oziers are ranke (smelly) so they would be placed in the West. Celia might also imagine her place (vagina) down (in the supine position of sexual intercourse) under Oliver's "neighborly" (friendly) bottom (genitals and posteriors). If Celia is ranke (sexually excited) she needs Oziers (willows, whose blossoms were used as an aphrodisiac).

Left on your right hand: having 'left' the Oziers on your right hand

keepe: guard

If that an eye may profit by a tongue: If my eyes can understand what I have been told; play on eye (eyeballs or testes, penis) profit (sexual pleasure), and tongue (clitoris).

favour: feature

bestowes: behaves

ripe: mature; Gamimed has female features and behaves himself not like Aliena's brother but like a sister who is ripe, either a) knowledgeable b) prone to mischief c) fine, excellent d) mature, or e) of marriageable age. Ganimed also bestowes (grants his homo-sexual favors) himself like a ripe (shamelessly wanton) sister (whore).

commend him: send greetings

napkin: handkerchief

know of me: let me tell you

Within an houre: before very long

threw an eye: glanced

guilded: glistering like gold; the snake symbolizes both sin and redemption because the same snake that was a female symbol of renewal in earth's vegetation later became the serpent of the Garden of Eden in Hebrew mythology. The colors of the snake suggest that even though Oliver's own snake (penis) was guilded (castrated, deprived of vigor or vitality) he yet has hope of again being greene (fertile, virile).

unlink'd: uncoiled

indented: zigzag

drawne drie: sucked dry by her cubs; Shakespeare draws this from Lodge's Rosalynde but the original lion is male. Shakespeare perhaps changed the animal's sex due to a) the mother lion's reputation for ferociousness when nursing her young; b) the slang sense of Lyonnesse as "harlot" c) the belief that in the "Lion Year" (the one year in seven when the Lyonnesse supposedly gave birth) other creatures became infertile. Superstition ascribed sterility to the lioness and the women of antiquity, when they met a lioness, considered it as an omen of sterility.

occasion: cause, reason

hurtling: struggle

contrive: plot

'Twas I, but 'tis not I: I was that man then, but I am not the same man now

doe not shame: am not ashamed

for: what about

out recountments: the stories we had to tell

Desert: unpeopled

gentle: noble

aray: clothing

entertainment: nourishment

Briefe: in a few words

recover'd: revived

small space: short time

Cosen Ganimed: In her fright, Aliena/Celia forgets that Ganimed/Rosalind is supposed to be her brother. Cosen was used for a collateral relative more distant than a brother or sister and nowhere in the Folio does any character describe or address an actual sibling as Cosen.

complexion: appearence

passion of earnest: genuine feeling

draw homewards: let's go home

devise: think of

Act V: French Scene 1

olde gentlemans: i.e. Jaques; also meaning The Devil

interest: legal right to; she also reassures Touchstone that she owes no many interest (sexual intercourse).

meat and drinke: delight

Clowne: natural fool

troth: faith

good wits: keen intelligence

flouting: mocking

good ev'n: an address for any time of day after noon

ye: give you

Cover thy head: put your hat on; William has apparently doffed his hat as a sign of respect

Five and twentie: 25

ripe: good, ready for marriage

A faire name: In England, William was considered so faire (pleasing, attractive) a name that it ranked among the three most common male names in every decade between 1570 and 1700.

so, so: moderately; land-owning peasants at this time were increasingly prosperous.

Give me your hand: Touchstone perhaps tries to trick William into thinking he will perform some betrothal ceremony.

figure: figure of speech; Just as two vessels cannot contain the same drink, one woman's glasse (vagina) can be "filled" (sexually possessed or impregnated) when the cup (penis) of only one man "empties" (ejaculates).

your: those well-known

consent: agree together

ipse: he (Latin); if William thinks that hee is ipse (the very) man to marry Audrey, then hee is not ipse (in the right mind)

vulgar: vernacular

boorish: the language of a boor (Touchstone's coinage).

to wit: which is to say

translate: convert

bastinado: beating with a cudgel on the soles of the feet

in steele: with a sword

bandy with thee in faction: fight with you in a quarrel

ore-run thee with police: overwhelm you with craft

Trip: Touchtone calls for Audrey to trip (caper, move along) and bring along her trip (a heard or flock of goats) and she may also trip (stumble). The Clowne also looks forward to the time that Audrey will trip (consent to his sexual advances).

Act V: French Scene 2

persever: stressed on the second syllable; Oliver will persever (persist in a course of action) to enjoy (marry, obtain, possess) her. In order to enjoy (take sexual pleasure of) her he must persever ("stand to", have an erection).

enjoy: marry

giddinesse: a) rashness, impulsiveness; b) passion or lust

the povertie of her: her povery (being without dowry)

consent: agree

revennew: income

estate: settle

Act V: French Scene 3

You have my consent: Orlando assumes the role of the bride's father

brother: brother-in-law, as future husband to 'Aliena'

sister: perhaps Oliver is pretending that Ganimed is Orlando's Rosalind, or perhaps he has seen through the disguise...

scarfe: sling

sound: another word for fainting; how Ganimed pretended to faint

greater wonders than that: i.e. Oliver's falling in love with Aliena, based on Ganimed's/Rosalind's response (but perhaps, they were truly discussing Oliver's thoughts or discoveries of Ganimed)

where you are: what you mean

reason, but they sought the remedie: Oliver's reason (phallic erection) makes him want to "do reason" (copulate) with Celia, who like-wise seeks love's remedie (sexual intercourse).

degrees: stages, steps

paire: flight

climbe incontinent: ascend immediately

bee incontinent: be unchaste, unable to resist their sexual appetites; If they don't marry soon Oliver will "climb" (sexually mount) Celia's "downstairs" (female pudendum, cunt) before marriage.

wrath: passion; Clubbes can part (separate) those in wrath (anger, fury), but Oliver and Aliena are in such wrath (passion, love) that Clubbes cannot part them.

Clubbes: the weapons used to control rioters

bid: invite

Duke: Duke Signor

having what he wishes for: sexual implication, with what meaning female pudendum.

turne: needs; Orlando feels that Ganimed is no longer enough to "serve his turne" (satisfy his needs). Only the real Rosalind can serve (sexually serve) him a turne (act of coition).

if you please: with possible play on please meaning "gratify sexually"

strange: wonderful

converst: associated; perhaps it was this conversation (sexual intercourse) with a Magitian (hermaphrodite, bisexual, or a witch) that made Ganimed able to explore his gender presentation.

Art: knowledge of magic

not damnable: practicer of white (for the good of others), not black (for the harm of others), magic; though the practice of any form of magic was liable to judicial condemnation during the reign of Elizabeth I, many people would commonly practice forms of white magic through superstitious items which were meant to provide protection, protective spells, etc.

neere the hart: genuinely, sincerely

gesture: behavior

sober: serious

best array: put your best clothes on; most Elizabethan brides and grooms did not buy new clothing but simply wore their best clothing to the wedding ceremony.

bid your friends: invite your family and friends

act V: French Scene 4

ungentlenesse: discourtesy; Phebe perhaps also accuses Ganimed of being un- (without) gentle (with play on genital) i.e. of having "no balls"

studie: deliberate intention, endeavor, aim

despitefull: spiteful

Looke upon: regard favorably, hold in esteem

service: devotion

fantasie: imagination; also, wanton lusts of body, lechery, libido

all: Silvius says all nine times in the course of five lines. This points out the irrational mind of the love, for it is impossible to be all (entirely) made (comprised) of eleven different things.

passion: emotion; also sexual desire

wishes: The lover curses himself with wishes (lust, wantonness, libido)

observance: dutiful respect

patience: A lover's desire for patience (i.e. for his lady-love to be "patient" the technical term for the passive role in intercourse) is marked by impatience (impatient sexual desire).

triall: endurance

I will satisfie you,/I wil content you: These lines both make sense whether addressed to Orlando or Silvius; Whether address to Orlando or Silvius, Rosalind promises that she will a) content (sexually satisfy) him with what pleases (sexually gratifies).

Act V: French Scene 6

the boy: i.e. Ganimed

promised: promisèd

feare they hope and know they feare: are afraid that their hopes are unfounded, and know that they are afraid their hopes will not be fulfilled.

Act V: French Scene 7

compact: covenant, agreement

urg'd: repeated

bestow her: give her in marriage

had I the kingdoms to give with her/were I of all kingdomes King: Duke Signor thinks Orlando is so deserving that he would willingly bestow kingdoms along with his daugther. Rosalind has no dowry at all due to her father's exile, but even so Orlando thinks her so valuable that he would marry her were he of all kingdomes King.

matter even: straighten everything out

Act V: French Scene 8

lively touches: lifelike traits

favour: features

Act V: French Scene 9

dishonest: unchaste

woman of the world: married woman

nonino: Hey nonino was a refrain once used to cover indelicate allusions, thus it came to denote the female genitalia.

greene: green is the color of love and copulation, it is also euphemistic for the vagina and denotes verility

corne: commonly symbolizes fertility and has various sexual significations including semen and the male genitalia

feild: an age-old metaphor for the female genitalia

spring: with possible play on spring as a) the vagina and/or b) phallic erection

ring-time: time for exchanging rings; can also mean a ring-dance with accompaniment of song

crowned: crownèd; Love is crowned with the spring and the time of youth; also, love (sexual intercourse) is crowned (the gentials) with the prime (sexual excitement and/or orgasm)

prime: spring; the state of full perfection

Between the acres of Rie: on the grass between the strips of corn; Those prettie country folks would lie (have intercourse) in the tilled feilds

prettie Country: with possible play on pretty as the "female pudendum" and Country as "cunt"

Carroll: song, also a kind of dance; also meaning a diversion or merry-making, so possibly alludes to sexual intercourse.

life was but a Flower: A common sentiment, Psalms 103:15 - 16: "As for man, his dayes are as grasse, as a flower of the feild, so he flourisheth."; There may be additional play on Flower as a) The female pudendum; Cunt and/or b) the penis

purgation: test

measure: stately dance; with possible play on "tread" as sexual intercourse, measure as the penis, and "flat" (flattery) as copulation and/or pandering

politicke: hypocritical

smooth: deceptively courteous

undone: ruined (by not paying their bills)

like to have fought one: almost had to fight over

stalking-horse: horse trained to conceal hunters as they moved towards their prey

presentation: display

Act V: French Scene 10

Hymen: The Roman god of marriage, usually bearing a torch, and sometimes descending on a thrown from above the stage. The god Hymen is a particularly fitting catalyst to transform Ganimed to Rosalind, for while still in human form Hymen donned female clothing in order to gain access to his lover.

made eaven: reconciled (pronounced identically to 'heaven'); therefore earthly affairs were not just made eaven (equitable) but heavenly.

atone: harmonize; All earthly things harmonize/come together; Now that Rosalind is her entire, true self earthly things (genitals) may attone (become "at one" i.e. sexual intercourse) together.

brought her: was pronounced brought'er to rhyme with daughter

his hand with his: Hymen invites the Duke to join his hand with his referring to Rosalind and Orlando, thus alluding to Ganimed.

Whose: i.e. Rosalind's

To you I give myselfe: Rosalind speaks this line twice: once to her father and once to Orlando, indicating the response from each of them.

shape: appearance

barre: forbid

bands: bonds of marriage

If truth holds contents: if, now the truth is known, it brings true happiness

A Wedlock hymne: Hymen's Wedlocke Hymne imitates those found in marriage masques (masked dances/wedding dances) which themselves imitate the Hymen or "Hymenaios" sung by the ancient Greeks in their bridal processions.

questioning: While Hymen sings a wedding him, the other characters undertake questioning (conversation) to bring each other up to date on their adventures

Juno's crowne: the crown bestowed (or worn) by Juno, goddess of marriage

board and bed: i.e. the complete marital relationship

Hymen: marriage

honored: pronounced "honoréd" to rhyme with "bed"

Even daughter: as though you were my daughter

my fancie to thee doth combine: binds my love to you; pun on fancie (libido, lust)

Act V: French Scene 11

tidings: news

great worth: high rank

Addrest: prepared

were on foote in his owne conduct: had set out under his own command

skirts: edges

Religious man: hermit

question: discussion

the world: all wordly things

engage: pledge

offer'st fairely: bring fine gifts

To one his lands with-held: Orlando in fact already knows that Oliver has restored his lands

to the other: to himself

at large: entire

potent: powerful

do those ends: fulfill those intentions

new-falne dignitie: recently acquired honor

measure heap'd in joy: cup overflowing with happiness

to th' Measures fall: join in the (formal) dancing

by your patience: just a moment, please

throwne into neglect the pompous Court: abandoned ceremonious court life

will I: I will go

out of these convertites: from these religious converts; Jaques who thinks that Duke Signor has a potent Dukedome believes that Duke Frederick is full of more matter (semen)

bequeath: entrust

allies: relatives

wrangling: quarelling

victuall'd: supplied with food

pastime: frivolity; also, sexual play, because Jaques as renounced sexual play he sees no reason to stay around for the dancing measures (fucking around)

Act V: French Scene 12

insinuate: ingratiate myself

furnish'd: costumed

conjure: a) solemnly enjoy b) charm - as though Rosalind were the Magician she claimed to be

simpring: smirking, smiling

bid me farewell: applaud me