SCENE v.

Enter Le Beu.

Rof. With his mouth full of news.

Cel. Which he will put on us, as pigeons feed their young.
Rof. Then fhall we be news-cram'd.

Cel. All the better; we shall be the more marketable. Bon jour, monfieur le Beu; what news?

Le Beu. Fair princess, you have lost much sport.
Cel. Sport? of what colour?

Le Beu. What colour, madam? how fhall I answer you?
Rof. As wit and fortune will.

Clo. Or as the deftinies decree.

Cel. Well faid; that was lay'd on with a trowel.

Clo. Nay, if I keep not my rank

Rof. Thou loseft thy old smell.

of

Le Beu. You amaze me, ladies; I would have told you good wrestling, which you have loft the sight of.

Rof. Yet tell us the manner of the wrestling.

Le Beu. I will tell you the beginning, and, if 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 Beu. There comes an old man and his three fons.
Cel. I could match this beginning with an old tale.
Le Beu. Three proper young men, of excellent growth and
prefence.

Rof. With bills on their necks: Be it known unto all men by thefe prefents.

Le Beu. The eldeft of the three wreftled with Charles, the duke's wrestler, 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 second, and fo the third: yonder they lie; the poor old man, their father, making fuch pitiful dole over them, that all the beholders take his part, with weeping.

Rof.

Rof. Alas!

Clo. But what is the sport, monfieur, that the ladies have loft?
Le Beu. Why, this that I speak of.

Clo. Thus men grow wifer every day. It is the first time that ever I heard, breaking of ribs was sport for ladies.

Cel. Or I, I promise thee.

Rof. But is there any elfe longs to fet this broken mufick in his fides? Is there yet another dotes upon rib-breaking? shall we fee this wrestling, coufin?

Le Beu. 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 ftay and fee it.

SCENE VI.

Flourish. Enter Duke Frederick, Lords, Orlando, Charles,
and Attendants.

Duke. Come on, fince the youth will not be entreated; his
own peril on his forwardnefs.

Rof. Is yonder the man?

Le Beu. Even he, madam.

Cel. Alas, he is too young; yet he looks fuccefsfully.

Duke. How now, daughter and coufin? are you crept hither to see the wrestling?

Rof. Ay, my liege; fo pleafe 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 diffuade him, but he will not be entreated. Speak to him, ladies, fee if you can move him.

Cel. Call him hither, good monfieur Le Beu.

Duke. Do fo; I'll not be by.

Le Beu. Monfieur the challenger, the princess calls for you.
Orla. I attend her with all refpect and duty.

Rof. Young man, have you challeng'd Charles the wrestler?
Orla. No, fair princefs; he is the general challenger: I come
but as others do, to try with him the ftrength of my youth.

VOL. II.

Ꮓ

Cel.

178

AS YOU LIKE IT.

Cel. Young gentleman, your fpirits are too bold for your years: you have seen cruel proof of this man's strength. If you faw yourself with our eyes, or knew yourself with our jugdment, the fear of your adventure would counfel you to a more equal enterprise. We pray you, for your own fake, to embrace your own fafety, and give over this attempt.

Rof. Do, young fir; your reputation fhall not therefore be misprised; we will make it our suit to the duke that the wrestling might not go forward.

Orla. I befeech you, punish me not with your hard thoughts, wherein I confess me much guilty to deny so fair and excellent ladies any thing. But let your fair eyes, and gentle wishes, go with me to my trial; wherein if I be foil'd, there is but one fham'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; the world no injury, for in it I have nothing; only in the world I fill up a place, which may be better fupply'd when I have made it empty.

Rof. The little ftrength that I have, I would it were with you.
Cel. And mine, to eke out hers.

Rof. Fare you well; pray heav'n, I be deceiv'd in you!
Orla. Your heart's defires be with you!

*

Cha. Come, where is this young gallant, that is so defirous to lie with his mother earth?

Orla. Ready, fir; but his will hath in it a more modest working.
Duke. You fhall try but one fall.

Cha. No, I warrant your grace, you shall not entreat him to a fecond, that have fo mightily perfuaded him from a first.

Orla. You mean to mock me after; you should not have mock'd before; but come your ways.

Rof. Now Hercules be thy fpeed, young man !

leg!

Cel. I would I were invifible, to catch the strong fellow by the [they wrefile.

Rof. O excellent young man!

Cel. If I had a thunderbolt in mine eye, I can tell who should

down.

[bout.
Duke.

Duke. No more, no more.

[Charles is thrown.

Orla. Yes, I befeech your grace; I am not yet well breathed.
Duke. How doft thou, Charles?

Le Beu. He cannot speak, my lord.

Duke. Bear him away. What is thy name, young man?
Orla. Orlando, my liege, the youngest son of fir Rowland de Boys.
Duke. I would, thou hadft been fon to fome man else;
The world esteem'd thy father honourable,

But I did find him still mine enemy:

Thou shouldst have better pleas'd me with this deed,
Hadft thou defcended from another house.
But fare thee well; thou art a gallant youth;

I would, thou hadft told me of another father.

[Exit Duke, with his train.

SCENE

VII.

Cel. Were I my father, coz, would I do this?
Orla. I am most proud to be fir Rowland's fon,
His youngest son; and would not change that calling
To be adopted heir to Frederick.

Rof. My father lov'd fir Rowland as his foul;
And all the world was of my father's mind:
Had I before known this young man his fon,
I should have giv'n him tears unto entreaties,
Ere he should thus have ventur'd.

Cel. Gentle coufin,

Let us go thank him, and encourage him;
My father's rough and envious difpofition
Sticks at my heart. Sir, you have well deferv'd:
you do keep your promises in love

If

But juftly, as you've here exceeded promise,
Your mistress fhall be happy.

Rof. Gentleman,

Wear this for me, one out of fuits with fortune,
That would give more, but that her hand lacks means.
Shall we go, coz ?

[giving him a chain from her neck.

Z 2

Cel. Ay; fare you well, fair gentleman.

Orla. Can I not fay, I thank you? my better parts
Are all thrown down; and that which here ftands up
Is but a quintain, a mere lifelefs block.

Rof. He calls us back: my pride fell with my fortunes.
I'll ask him what he would. Did you call, fir?
Sir, you have wrestled well, and overthrown
More than your enemies.

Cel. Will you go, coz?

Rof. Have with you: fare you well. [Exe. Rof. and Cel.
Orla. What paffion hangs these weights upon my tongue?
I cannot speak to her; yet the urg'd conference.

Enter Le Beu.

O poor Orlando! thou art overthrown;
Or Charles, or something weaker, masters thee.
Lee Beu. Good fir, I do in friendship counsel you
To leave this place: albeit you have deserv'd
High commendation, true applause, and love;
Yet fuch is now the duke's condition,

That he misconftrues all that you have done.
The duke is humorous; what he is, indeed,
More fuits you to conceive, than me to speak of.

Orla. I thank you, fir; and, pray you, tell me this;
Which of the two was daughter of the duke,
That here were at the wrestling?

Le Beu. Neither his daughter, if we judge by manners;
But yet, indeed, the shorter is his daughter;
The other's daughter to the banish'd duke,
And here detain'd by her ufurping uncle
To keep his daughter company; whofe loves
Are dearer than the natural bond of fifters.
But I can tell you, that of late this duke
Hath ta'en displeasure 'gainst his gentle neice,
Grounded upon no other argument,
But that the people praise her for her virtues,

And