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Rof. Marry, he trots hard with a young maid, between the contract of her marriage, and the day it is folemniz'd : if the interim be but a fennight, time's pace is fo hard that it feems the length of feven years.

Orla. Who ambles time withal ?

Rof. With a prieft that lacks Latin, and a rich man that hath not the gout; for the one fleeps eafily, because he cannot study; and the other lives merrily, because he feels no pain: the one lacking the burden of lean and wafteful learning; the other knowing no burden of heavy tedious penury. Thefe time ambles withal.

Orla. Whom doth he gallop withal?

Rof. With a thief to the gallows: for though he go as foftly as foot can fall, he thinks himself too foon there. Orla. Whom stays it ftill withal ?

Raf. With lawyers in the vacation; for they fleep between term and term, and then they perceive not how time moves.

Oria. Where dwell you, pretty youth?

Rof. With this fhepherdefs, my fifter; here in the kirts of the foreft, like fringe upon a petticoat. Orla. Are you native of this place?

Rof. As the cony, that you fee dwell where fhe is kindled.

Orla. Your accent is fomething finer, than you could purchase in fo removed a dwelling.

Rof. I have been told fo of many; but, indeed, an old religious uncle of mine taught me to fpeak, who was in his youth an inland man, one that knew courtship too well; for there he fell in love. I have heard him read many lectures against it; I thank God, I am not a woman, to be touch'd with fo many giddy offences as he hath generally tax'd their whole fex withal.

Orla. Can you remember any of the principal evils, that he laid to the charge of women?

Rof. There were none principal, they were all like one another, as half pence are; every one fault feeming monftrous, 'till his fellow fault came to match it.

Orla I pr'ythee, recount fome of them.

Ref. No; I will not caft away my phyfick, but on

thofe

thofe that are fick. There is a man haunts the foreft, that abuses our young plants with carving Rofalind on their barks; hangs odes upon hawthorns, and elegies on brambles; all, forfooth, deifying the name of Rafalind. If I could meet that fancy-monger, I would give him fome good counfel, for he feems to have the quotidian of love upon him.

Orla. I am he, that is fo love-fhak'd; I pray you, tell me your remedy.

Rof. There is none of my uncle's marks upon you; he taught me how to know a man in love; in which cage of ri fhes, I am fure, you are not prifoner.

Orla. What were his marks?

Rof. A lean cheek, which you have not; a blue eye and funken, which you have not; an unquestionable fpirit, which you have not; a beard neglected, which you have not; but I pardon you for that, for fimply your having in beard is a younger brother's revenue;

then your hofe fhould be ungarter'd, your bonnet unbanded, your sleeve unbutton'd, your fhoe untied, and every thing about you demonftrating a careless defolation; but you are no fuch man, you are rather point-device in your accoutrements, as loving yourself, than feeming the lover of any other.

Orla. Fair youth, I would I could make thee believe I love.

Ref. Me believe it? you may as foon make her, that you love, believe it; which, I warrant, he is apter to do, than to confefs fhe does; that is one of the points, in the which women still give the lye to their confciences. But, in good footh, are you he that hangs the verfes on the trees, wherein Rojalind is fo admired?

Orla. I swear to thee, youth, by the white hand of Rofalind, I am that he, that unfortunate he.

Rof. But are you fo much in love, as your rhimes Speak?

Orla. Neither thime nor reason can exprefs how much. Rof. Love is merely a madnefs, and, I tell you, deferves as well a dark house and a whip, as mad men do: and the reason why they are not fo punish'd and cured,

is, that the lunacy is fo ordinary, that the whippers are in love too: yet I profefs curing it by counfel.

Orla. Did you ever cure any fo?

Rof. Yes, one, and in this manner. He was to imagine me his love, his mistress: and I fet him every day to wooe me. At which time would I, being but a moonish youth, grieve, be effeminate, changeable, longing, and liking; proud, fantastical, apish, shallow, inconftant, full of tears, full of fmiles; for every paffion fomething, and for no paffion truly any thing, as boys and women are for the most part cattle of this colour; would now like him, now loath him; then entertain him, then forfwear him; now weep for him, then fpit at him; that I drave my fuitor from his mad humour of love, to a living humour of madnefs; which was, to forfwear the full ftream' of the world, and to live in a nook merely monaftick; and thus I cur'd him, and this way will I take upon. me to wash your liver as clear as a found fheep's heart, that there fhall not be one spot of love in't.

Orla. I would not be cur'd, youth.

Rof. I would cure you if you would but call me Rofalind, and come every day to my cote, and wóo me. Orla. Now, by the faith of my love, I will; tell me

where it is.

Rof. Go with me to it, and I will fhew it

you; and, by the way, you fhall tell me where in the foreft you

live will you go?

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Orla. With all my heart, good youth.

Ref. Nay, nay, you must call me Rofalind: come, fifter, will you go?

Enter Clown, Audrey and Jaques.

[Exeunt.

Clo. Come apace, good Audrey, I will fetch up your goats, Audrey; and now, Audrey, am I the man yet? doth my fimple feature content you?

Aud. Your features, Lord warrant us; what features? Clo. I am here with thee and thy goats, as the most capricious poet honeft Ovid was among the Goths.

Jaq. O knowledge ill-inhabited, worfe than Jove in a thatch'd houfe!

VOL. II.

Clo.

Clo. When a man's verfes cannot be understood, nor a man's good wit feconded with the forward child, understanding; it ftrikes a man more dead than a great Jeckoning in a little room; truly, I would the gods had made thee poetical.

Aud. I do not know what poetical is; is it honest in deed and word; is it a true thing?

Clo No, truly; for the trueft poetry is the most feigning; and lovers are given to poetry; and what they fwear in poetry, may be faid, as lovers, they do feign. Aud. Do you wish then, that the gods had made me poetical?

Clo. I do, truly; for thou fwear'ft to me, thou art honcft: now if thou wert a poet, I might have some hope thou did feign.

Aud. Would you not have me honest?

Clo. No, truly, unless thou wert hard-favour'd; for honefty coupled to beauty, is to have honey a fauce to fugar.

Jaq. A material fool!

Aud. Well, I am not fair; and therefore I pray the gods make me honeft!

Clo. Truly, and to caft away honefty upon a foul flut, were to put good meat into an unclean difh.

Aud. I am not a flut, though I thank the gods I am foul.

"

Clo. Well, praised be the gods for thy foulness ; fluttishness may come hereafter: but be it as it may be, - I will marry thee; and to that end I have been with Sir Oliver Mar-text, the vicar of the next village, who hath promis'd to meet me in this place of the foreft, and to couple us.

fag. I would fain fee this meetinglea mand Hud. Well, the gods give us joy, and to busIN Clo. Amen. A man may, if he were of a fearful heart, ́ flagger in this attempt; for here we have no temple but the wood, no affembly but horn-befts. But what tho'? courage! As horns are odious, they are neceffary. It is faid, many a man knows no end of his goods: right: many a man has good horns, and knows no end of them.

Well,

Well, that is the dowry of his wife, 'tis none of his own getting; horns? even fo poor men alone?. no, no, the nobleft deer hath them as huge as the rafcal: is the fingle man therefore bleffed & no. As a wall'd town is more worthier than a village, fo is the forehead of a married man more honourable than the bare brow of a batchelor; and by how much defence is better than no skill, fo much is a horn more precious than to want.

Enter Sir Oliver Mar-text.

Here comes Sir Oliver: Sir Oliver Mar-text, you are well met. Will you difpatch us here under this tree, or fhall we go with you to your chapel ?

Sir Oli. Is there none here to give the woman?
Clo. I will not take her on gift of any man.

Sir Oli. Truly fhe muft be given, or the marriage is not lawful.

Jaq. Proceed, proceed! I'll give her.

Clo. Good even, good mafter what ye call; how do you, Sir? you are very well met God'ild you for your laft company, I am very glad to see you; even a toy in hand here, Sir: nay; pray, be covered.

Jaq. Will you be married, Motley?

Clo. As the ox hath his bow, Sr, the horse his curb, and the faulcon his bells, fo man hath his defire; and as pigeons bill, fo wedlock would be nibling.

Jaq. And will you, being a man of your breeding, be married under a bush like a beggar; get you to church, and have a good prieft that can tell you what marriage is ; this fellow will but join you together, as they join wainfcot; then one of you will prove a fhrunk pannel, and like green timber, warp, warp.

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Clo. I am not in the mind, but I were better to be married of him than of another; for he is not like to marry me well, and not being well married, it will be a good excufe for me hereafter to leave my wife, od Faq. Go thou with me, and let me counsel thee.

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Clo Come, fweet Audrey, we must be married, or we must live in bawdry: farewel, good Mr. Oliver; not Ofweet Oliver, O brave Oliver, leave me not behind

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