AS YOU LIKE IT Shakespeare, William CONTENTS: INTRODUCTION PAGE 0 THE READER AS YOU IT COPY FOR THE TEXT OF 1623 MOTES THE STAGE HISTORY GLOSSARY INTRODUCTION "I herde a carpyng of a clerk, Al at yone wodes ende, Of gpde Robyn and Gandeleynj Was ther non other thynge Robynn lyth in grene wode bowndyru Upon this artless balladry Lodge stitched and em broidered, in his own manner and Lylys, a story of court love. We are not concerned to seek whether he derived this from another story or simply invented itand it is a pretty story anyhow. We concern ourselves only with the fact that Shakespeare took it to convert it to his own use, and note with an antiquarian interest certain names that persistRosalind, who becomes Ganymede as in the story, Aliena Celia who in the novel changes her name from Alinda, and the faithful old retainer Adam, whose name persists down from The Tale ofGamelyn where he is Adam the Spencerand is the name of the character which tradition says Shakespeare as an actor performed in his own play. The name of the young champion and Rosalinds lover in the novel is Rosader. Shakespeare perhaps invented Orlando as opponent to his bad brother Olivera Roland for his Oliver We observe that he wears the Christian name of his father Sir Rowland de Boys with a difference, as becomes a younger son Let us here remark that all the fugitives reach this Forest of Arden legweary and almost deadbeat. Sighs Rosalind, O Jupiter how weary are my spirits invoking Jupiter as a Ga...