3

And hath been tutor'd in the rudiments
Of many desperate studies by his uncle,
Whom he reports to be a great magiciang
Obscured in the circle of this forest.

Enter Clown and Audrey.
Jaq. There is, fure, another flood toward, and these
couples are coming to the ark. Here come a pair of very
strange beasts, which in all tongues are calld fools.

Cl. Salutation, and greeting, to you all:

Jaq.. Good my Lord, bid him welcome. This is the motley-minded gentleman, that I have so often met in the forest : he hath been a courtier, he swears.

Clo. If any man doubt that, let him put me to my purgation; I have trod a meafure, I have flatter'd a Lady, i have been politick with my friend, smooth with mine enemy, I have undone three taylors, I have had four quarrels, and like to have fought one.

Jaq. And how was that ta'en up?

Clo. 'Faith, we met; and found, the quarrel was upon the seventh cause.

Jaq. How the seventh cause? good my Lord, like this fellow,

Duke Sen. I like him very well.

Clo. God'ild you, Sir, I desire you of the like: I.press in here, Sir, amongit the rest of the country copulatives, to swear, and to forswear, according as marriage binds, and blood breaks : a poor virgin, Sir, an ill-favour'd . thing, Sir, but mine own, a poor humour of mine, Sir, to take that that no one else will. Rich honesty dwells like a mifer, Sir, in a poor house, as your pearl in your foul oyster.

Duke Sen. By my faith, he is very swift and sententious.

Clo. According to the fool's bolt, Sir, and such dulcet diseases.

Jaq. But, for the seventh cause; how did you find the quarrel on the seventh caule ?

Clo. Upon a lye seven times removed ; (bear yo ir body more seeming, Audrey) as thus, Sir; I did di the cut of a certain courtier's beard; he sent me word, if

I said his beard was not cut well, he was in the mind it was. This is call'd the retort courteous. If I sent him word again, it was not well cut, he would send me word, he cut it to please himself. This is call’d the quip modeft. If again, it was not well cut, he disabled my judgment. This is calld the reply churlifh. If again, it was not well cot, he would answer, I fpake not true. This is call’d the reproof valiant. If again, it was not well cut, he would say, I lye. This is call'd the countercheck quarrelsome; and to the lye circumstantial, and the lye direct.

Jag And how oft did you fay, his beard was not wellcut?

Clo. I durft go no further than the lye circumftantials nor he durft not give me the lye direct, and fo we measur'd swords and parted.

Jaq. Can you nominate in order now the degrees of the lye!

Clo. O Sir, we quarrel in print, by the book; as you have books for good manners. (27) I will name you the degrees. The firtt, the retort courteous ; the second, the quip modeft; the third, the reply churlish; the fourth, the reproof valiant; the fifth, the countercheck quarrel. fome; the sixth, the lye with circumstance; the feventh, The lye direct. All these you may avoid, but the lye direct; and you may avoid that too, with an if. I knew, when seven jutfices could not take up a quarrel ; but when the parties were met themselves, one of them

(27) 0, Sir, we quarrel in print; by the book; 'as you have books for good manners.) The post throughout this scene has with great humour and address rallied the mode, so prevailing in his time, of formal duelling. Nor could he treat it with a happier contempt, than by making his clown so knowing in all its forms and preliminaries. It was in Queen Elizabeth's reign, that pushing with the rapier, or fmall Tword, was firft practis'd in England. And the boisterous gallants fell into the fashion with so much zeal, that they did not content themselves with practising at the sword in the schools; but they studied the theory of the art, the grounding of quarrels, and the process of giving and receiving challenges, from Lewis de Caranza's treatise of fencing, Vicentio Saviola's practice of the rapier and dagger, and Giacomo Di Grafli's Art of Defence with many other instructions upon the several branches of the science.

thought

thought but of an if; as, if you said so, then I said fo; and they look hands, and swore brothers. Your if is the only peace-maker ; much virtue in if.

Jaq. Is not this a rare fellow, my Lord i he’s good at any thing, and yet a fool.

Duke Sen. He uses his folly like a stalking horse, and
under the presentation of that he shoots his wit.
Enter Hymen, Rosalind in woman's cloths, and Celia.

Still Mufick.
Hym. Then is there mirth in heav'n,

When earthly things made even

Atone together.
Good Duke receive thy daughter,
Hymen from heaven brought her,

Yea, brought her hither.
That thou migheit juin her hand with hisy
Whose heart within his bosom is.

ES

Ros. To you I give myself; for I am yours.

To the Duke. To you I give myself; for I am yours.

[To Orlando. Duke Sen If there be truth in fight, you are my daughter.. Orla. If there be truth in fight you are my Rosalinda.

Phe. If light and shape be true,
Why, then my love adieu !

Rof. I'll have no father, if you be not he;
I'll have no husband, if you be not he;
Nor ne'er wed woman, if

you

be not the.
Hym. Peace, hoa; I bar confusion :
'Tis I must make conclusion

Of these most ftrange events :
Here's eight that must take bands,
To join in Hymen's bands,

If truth holds true contents.
You and you no cross fball part;
You and you are heart in beart;
You to his love muft accord,
Or have a woman. to your Lord.

You and you are sure together,
As the winter to foul weather:
Whiles a wedlock hymn we fing,
Feed yourselves with questioning :
That reason wonder may diminiff,
How thus we met, and these things finish.

SONG.
Wedding is great Juno's crown,

O blessed bond of board and bed !
'Tis Hymen peoples every town,

High wedlock then be honoured :
Honour, high honour and renown

To Hymen, God of every town!
Duke Sen. O my dear piece, welcome thou art to me,
Even daughter-welcome, in no less degree.

Pbe. I will not eat my word, now thou art mine ; Thy faith my fancy to thee doth combine.

Enter Jaques de Boys.
Faq. de B. Let me have audience for a word or two :
I am the second ron of old Sir Rowland;
That bring these tidings to this fair assembly.
Duke Frederick hearing, how that every day
Men of great worth resorted to this foreft.
Addrefi'd a mighty power, which were on foot
In his own conduct purposely to take
His brother here, and put him to the sword :
And to the skirts of this wild wood he came,
Where meeting with an old religious man,
After some question with him, was converted
Both from his enterprize, and from the world;
His crown bequeathing to his banilh'd brother,
And all their lands restor'd to them again,
That were with him exil'd. This to be true,
I do engage my life.

Duke Sen. Welcome, young man:
Thou offer 'st fairly to thy brother's wedding;
To one, his lands with-held; and, to the othery.

A