Of thefe events at full: Let us go in ; Gra. Let it be fo: The first inter'gatory, That my Neriffa fhall be fworn on, is, Whether till the next night he had rather stay; Or go to bed now, being two hours to day: But were the day come, I should with it dark, [Exeunt omnes. A S Lords belonging to the two Duke with pages, forefters, and other attendants. The SCENE lies, first, near Oliver's bouf; and, afterwards, partly in the Duke's court, and partly in the forefi of Aden. ACT I. SCENE I. Oliver's Orchard. Enter Orlando and Adam. Orlando. As I remember, Adam, it was upon this fathion bequeathed me:-By will, but a poor thoufand crowns; and, as thou fay ft, charg'd my brother, on his bleffing, to breed me well: and there begins my fadnefs. My brother Jaques he keeps at fchool, and report fpeaks goldenly of his profit: for my part, he keeps me ruftically at home, or, to ipeak more properly, stays me here at home, unkept: For call you that keeping for a gentleman of my birth, that differs not from the ftalling of an ox? His horfes are bred better; for, befides that they are fair with their feeding, they are taught their manage, and to that end riders dearly hired: but I, his brother, gain nothing under him but growth; for the which bis animals on his dunghills are as much bound to him as I. Befides this nothing that he fo plentifully gives me, the fomething that nature gave me, his countenance feems to take from me: he lets me feed with his hinds, bars me the place Adam. Yonder comes my mafter, your brother. Orlu. Go apart, Adam, and thou shalt hear how he will fhake me up. Oli. Now, fir! what make you here? Orla. Nothing: I am not taught to make any thing. Oli. What mar you then, fir? Orla. Marry, fir, I am helping you to mar that which God made, a poor unworthy brother of yours, with idleness. Oli. Marry, fir, be better employ'd, and be nought a while 2. Orla. Shall I keep your hogs, and eat husks with them? What prodigal portion have I spent, that I fhould come to fuch penury? Oli. Know you where you are, fir? I Dr. Warburton thinks we should read yes, i, e. keeps me like a brute. 2 Probably meaning, be content to be a cypher, or of no confequence for the prefent. Orla. Orla. O, fir, very well: here in your orchard.] Oli. Good monfieur Charles !-what's the new news at the new court? Orla. Ay, better than he, I am before, knows Cha. There's no news at the court, fir, but the me. I know you are my eldest brother; and, in old news: that is, the old duke is banifh'd by his the gentle condition of blood, you should fo know younger brother the new duke; and three or four me: The courtely of nations allows you my better, loving lords have put themfeives into voluntary in that you are the firit-born; but the fame tra- exile with him, whofe lands and revenues enrich dition takes not away my blood, were there twenty the new duke, therefore he gives them good leave brothers betwixt us; I have as much of my father to wander. in me as you; albeit, I confefs your coming before me is nearer to his reverence. Oli. What, boy! . Oli. Can you tell, if Rofalind, the old duke's daughter, be banish'd with her father? Cha. O, no; for the new duke's daughter, her Orla. Come, come, elder brother, you are too coufin, fo loves her,--being ever from their cradles young in this. Oli. Wilt thou lay hands on me, villain ? Orla. I am no villain 2: I am the youngest fon of fir Rowland de Boys; he was my father; and he is thrice a villain, that fays, fuch a father begot villains: Wert thou not my brother, I would not take this hand from thy throat, 'till this other had pulled out thy tongue for faying fo; thou haft rail'd on thyfelf. bred together, that the would have followed her exile, or have died to ftay behind her. She is at the court, and no lefs beloved of her uncle than his own daughter; and never two ladies loved as they do. Oli. Where will the old duke live? Cha. They fay, he is already in the foreft of Arden, and a many merry men with him; and there they live like the old Robin Hood of Eng Adam. Sweet mafters, be patient; for your land: they fay, many young gentlemen flock to father's remembrance, be at accord. Ol. Let me go, I fay. him every day; and fleet the time carelefly, as they did in the golden world. Oli. What, you wreftle to-morrow before the new duke? Orla. I will not, 'till I pleafe; you fhall hear me. My father charg'd you in his will to give me good education: you have train'd me up like a Cha. Marry, do I, fir, and I come to acquaint peafant, obfcuring and hiding from me all gen-you with a matter. I am given, fir, fecretly to tleman-like qualities: the ipirit of my father grow understand that your younger brother Orlando hath strong in me, and I will no longer endure ita difpofition to come in difquis'd against me to try therefore allow me fuch exercises as may become ja fall: To-morrow, fir, I wreitle for my credit; a gentleman, or give me the poor allottery my and he that cicapes me without fome broken limb, father left me by teftament; with that I will go hell acquit him well. Your brother is but young, buy my fortunes. ¦and tender; and, for your love, I would be loth Oli. And what wilt thou do? beg, when that to foil him, as I muft, for mine own honour, if is fpent? Well, fir, get you in: 1 will not long he come in: therefore, out of my love to you, I be troubled with you: you thall have foine part offcame hither to acquaint you withals that either your will: I pray you, leave me. you might itay him from his intendment, or brook Orla. I will no further offend you than becomes tuch disgrace well as he thall run into; in that me for my good. it is a thing of his own fearch, and altogether ginit my will. Oli. Get you with him, you old dog. Oli. Charles, I thank thee for thy love to me, which thou thalt find, I will most kindly requite. I had myself notice of my brother's purpose herein, and have by underhand means laboured to diffuade him from it; but he is refolute. I'll tell thee, idam. Is old dog my reward? Moft true, I have lost my teeth in your fervice.-God be with my old malter, he would not have spoke fuch word. [Exeunt Orlando and Adam, Oli. Is it even fo? begin you to grow upon me I will phyfick your rankness, and yet give no thou-Charles, it is the stubborneft young fellow of fand crowns neither. Holla, Denms! Enter Dennis. Den. Calls your worship? France; full of ambition, an envious emulator of every man's good parts, a fecret and villainous contriver againft me his natural brother; therefore ufe thy difcretion; I had as lief thou didft break his Oli. Was not Charles, the duke's wrestler, here neck, as his finger; and thou wert best look to't; to fpeak with me? for if thou doft him any flight difgrace, or if he do Den. So please, he is here at the door, and im-¦not mightily grace himself on thee, he will practise portunes access to you. againit thee by poison; entrap thee by fome trea Oli. Call him in.[Exit Denni..] 'Twill be a cherous device; and never leave thee, 'till he hath good way; and to-morrow the wrestling is. Enter Charles. Cha. Good-morrow to your worship. 1 l'illain here means, a wicked or bloody man. of low extraction. ta'en thy life by fome indirect means or other: for, 1 atfure thee, and almoft with tears I fpeck it, there is not one fo young and fo villainous this day living. I fpeak but brotherly of him; but 2 But in this place Orlando ufes it for a fellow fhould Thould I anatomize him to thee as he is, I must blash and weep, and thou must look pale and wonder. Cha. I am heartily glad I came hither to you: If he come to-morrow, I'll give him his payment: if ever he go alone again, I'll never wreftle for prize more. And fo, God keep your worship! [Exit. Oli. Farewel, good Charles.--Now will I ftir this gamefter: 1 hope, I fhall fee an end of him; for my foul, yet I know not why, hates nothing more than he. Yet he's gentle; never fchool'd, and yet learned; full of noble device; of all forts enchantingly beloved: and, indeed, fo much in the heart of the world, and especially of my own people, who best know him, that I am altogether mifprifed: but it fhall not be fo long; this wreftler fhall clear all: nothing remains, but that I kindle the boy thither, which now I'll go about. [Exit. Ref. Nay, now thou goest from fortune's office to nature's: fortune reigns in gifts of the world, not in the lineaments of nature. Enter Touchfione, a clown. Cel. No? When nature hath made a fair creature, may fhe not by fortune fall into the fireThough nature hath given us wit to flout at fortune, hath not fortune fent in this fool to cut off the argument? Ref. Indeed, there is fortune too hard for na ture; when fortune makes nature's natural the cutter off of nature's wit. Cel. Peradventure, this is not fortune's work neither, but nature's; who perceiving our natural wits too dull to reason of fuch goddeffes, hath fent this natural for our whetstone : for always the dulnefs of the fool is the whetstone of the wits.How now, wit? whither wander you? Clo. Miftrefs, you must come away to your father. Rof. Where learned you that oath, fool? Cl. How prove you that, in the great heap of your knowledge? Rof. Ay, marry; now unmuzzle your wisdom. Cel. Herein, I fee, thou lov'ft me not with the full weight that I love thee: if my uncle, thy ba-chins, and wear by your beards that I am a knave. nifhed father, had banished thy uncle, the duke my father, fo thou hadft been still with me, I could have taught my love to take thy father for mine; fo wouldst thou, if the truth of thy love to me were fo righteoufly temper'd as mine is to thee. Rof. Well, I will forget the condition of my eftate, to rejoice in yours. Cel. By our beards, if we had them, thou art. Clo. By my knavery, if I had it, then I were: but if you fwear by that that is not, you are not forfworn: no more was this knight, fwearing by his honour, for he never had any; or if he had, he had fworn it away, before ever he faw thofe pancakes or that mustard. Cel. You know, my father hath no child but I, nor none is like to have; and, truly, when he dies, thou shalt be his heir: for what he hath taken away from thy father perforce, I will render thee again in affection; by mine honour, I will; and when I break that oath, let me turn monster : therefore, my fweet Rofe, my dear Rofe, bely what wite men do foolishly. merry. Cel. Pr'ythee, who is it that thou mean'st ? Clo. One that old Frederick, your father, loves. Cel. My father's love is enough to honour him: Enough! fpeak no more of him; you'll be whipp'd for taxation, one of thefe days. Rof. From henceforth I will, coz, and devife fports: let me fee; What think you of falling in love? Gel. Marry, I pry'thee, do, to make sport withal: but love no man in good earneft; nor no farther in fport neither, than with fafety of a pure bluth thou may'ft in honour come off again. Rof. What shall be our fport then? Clo. The more pity, that fools may not speak wife Cel. By my troth, thou fay'st true; for fince the little wit, that fools have, was filenc'd, the little foolery, that wife men have, makes a great show. Here comes Monfieur Le Beau. Enter Le Beau. Ref. With his mouth full of news. Cel. Which he will put on us, as pigeons feed their young. I-. Then fhall we be news-cramm'd. Cel. Let us fit and mock the good housewife,| Cel. All the better; we fhall be the more Fortune, from her wheel, that her gifts may hence-marketable. Bon jour, Monfieur le Beau; what's forth be bestowed equally. Rf. I would we could do fo; for her benefits are mightily misplaced: and the bountiful blind woman doth most mistake in her gifts to women. Cel. 'Tis true: for those, that the makes fair, The scarce makes honeft; and thofe, that the makes koueit, she makes very ill-favour'dly. the news? Le Beau. Fair princefs, you have loft much good sport. Cel. Sport? of what colour? Le Beau. What colour, madam? How shall I anfwer you? Rof. As wit and fortune will. Clos Clo. Or as the deftinies decree. but he will not be entreated: Speak to him, ladies; Cel. Well faid; that was laid on with a trowel'. fee if you can move him. Le Beau. You amaze 2 me, ladies: I would have told you of good wrestling, which you have loft the fight of. Ref. Yet tell us the manner of the wrestling. Gel. Call him hither, good Monfieur Le Beau. Orla. I attend them with all respect and duty. Le Beau. I will tell you the beginning, and, if the wrestler? it please your ladyfhips, you may fee the end; for the beft is yet to do; and here, where you are, they are coming to perform it. Cel. Well, the beginning, that is dead and buried. Le Beau. There comes an old man and his three fons, Cel. I could match this beginning with an old tale. Le Beau. Three proper young men of excellent growth and prefence ;-- Raf. With bills on their necks,-Be it known unto all men by these presents, Le Beau. The eldest of the three wrestled with Charles, the duke's wreftler; which Charles in a moment threw him, and broke three of his ribs, that there is little hope of life in him: fo he ferv'd the fecond, and fo the third: Yonder they lie; he poor old man, their father, making fuch pitiul dole over them, that all the beholders take his part with weeping. Rof. Alas! Orla. No, fair princefs; he is the general challenger: I come but in, as others do, to try with him the ftrength of my youth. Cel. Young gentleman, your fpirits are too bold for your years: You have feen cruel proof of this man's ftrength: if you faw yourself with your eyes, or knew yourself with your judgement, the fear of your adventure would counsel you to a more equal enterprife. We pray you for your own fake, to embrace your own fafety, and give over this attempt. Ref. Do, young fir: your reputation fhall not therefore be mifprifed: we will make it our fait to the duke, that the wrestling might not go forward. Orla. I befeech you, punish me not with your hard thoughts; wherein I confefs me much guilty, to deny so fair and excellent ladies any thing. But let your fair eyes, and gentle withes, go with me to my trial: wherein if I be foil'd, there is but one tham'd that was never gracious; if kill'd, but one dead that is willing to be fo: I fhall do my friends no wrong, for I have none to lament me; Clo. But what is the fport, monfieur, that the the world no injury, for in it I have nothing; only ladies have loft? Le Beau. Why this, that I speak of. Clo. Thus men may grow wifer every day! It is the first time that ever I heard, breaking of ribs was fport for ladies. Gel. Or I, I promise thee. Rof. But is there any elfe longs to fee this broken mufick in his fides? is there yet another dotes upon rib-breaking? Shall we fee this wreftling, coufin? Le Beau. You muft, if you stay here: for here is the place appointed for the wrestling, and they are ready to perform it. Cel. Yonder, fure, they are coming: Let us now stay and see it. in the world I fill up a place, which may be better fupplied when I have made it empty. Ref. The little ftrength that I have, I would it were with you. Cel. And mine to eke out hers. Rof. Fare you well. Pray heaven I be deceiv'd in you! Cel. Your heart's defires be with you! Cha. Come, where is this young gallant, that is fo defirous to lie with his mother earth? Orla. Ready, fir; but his will hath in it a more modeft working. Duke. You shall try but one fall. Cha. No, I warrant your grace; you shall not entreat him to a fecond, that have fo mightily per Flourish. Enter Duke, Frederick, Lords, Orlando, funded him from a first. Orla. You mean to mock me after; you should Duke. Come on: fince the youth will not be not have mocked me before: but come your ways. entreated, his own peril on his forwardness. Rof. Is yonder the man? Le Beau. Even he, madam. Cel. Alas, he is too young: yet he looks fucceísfully. Duke. How now, daughter and coufin? are you crept hither to see the wrestling? Ref. Ay, my liege, fo pleate you give us leave. Duke. You will take little delight in it, I can tell you, there is fuch odds in the men: In pity of the challenger's youth, I would fain diffunde hum, Rof. Now, Hercules be thy fpeed, young man! Gal. I would I were invifible, to catch the strong fellow by the leg! [They wrefle. Ref. O excellent young man! Duke. How doft thou, Charles? 1 A proverbial expreffion implying a pluring fulfhood. to put him out of the intended narrative. 2 Amaze here fignifics to confufe, fo as Duke. |