any; or, if he had, he had fworn it away, before ever he faw thofe pancakes or that mustard.

Cel. Pr'ythee, who is 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 whipt for taxation one of thefe days.

Clo. The more pity, that fools may not speak wisely, what wife men do foolishly.

Cel. By my troth, thou fay'st true; for fince the little wit that fools have was filenced, the little foolery that wise men have makes a great show: here comes Monfieur

Le Beu.

Enter LE BEU.

R. 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 fhall be the more marketable. Bonjour, Moufieur Le Beu; what news?

Le Beu. Fair Princefs, you have loft much good fport.

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 laid on with a trowel,
Clo. Nay, if I keep not my rank,-

Rof. Thou lofeft thy old smell.

Le Beu. You amaze me, ladies; I would have told

of good wrestling, which you have loft the fight of. Rof. Yet tell us the manner of the wrestling.

you

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 came

fons,

an old man and his three

Cel. I could match this beginning with an old tale. Le Beu. Three proper young men, of excellent growth and prefence;

B

Rof.

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

Le Beu. The eldest of the three wrefled with Charles, the Duke's wreftler; which Charles in a moment threw, and broke three of his ribs; that there is little hope of life in him: fo he ferved the fecond, 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. Alas!

Clo. But what is the fport, Monfieur, that the ladies have loft?

Le Beu. Why this, that I fpeak 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.

Cel. Or I, I promise thec.

Rof. But is there any elfe longs to fet this broken mufic in his fides? Is there yet another dotes upon ribbreaking? Shall we see this wrestling, coufin?

Le Beu. You must if you stay here, for here is the place appointed for the wreftling; and they are ready to perform it.

Cel. Yonder, fure, they are coming; let us now ftay and fee it.

Flourish. Enter Duke FREDERICK, Lords, ORLANDO, CHARLES, and Attendants.

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

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, so please you give us leave.

Duke. You will take little delight in it. I can tell you, there are fuch odds in the man in pity of the challenger's youth, I would feign 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

[Duke goes apart.

Le Beu. Monfieur the Challenger, the Princeffes call

for you.

Orla. I attend them with all respect and duty.

Rof. Young man, have you challeng'd Charles, the wrestler?

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 seen cruel proof of this man's ftrength. If you faw yourfelf with your own eyes, or knew yourself with your judgment, the fear of your adventure would counsel 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 Sir; your reputation fhall not therefore be misprised; we will make it our fuit 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 fo 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 fupplied when I have made it empty.

Rof. The little ftrength that I have, I would it were with

you.

Cel. And mine to eek 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 desirous to lie with his mother earth?

Orla. Ready, Sir; but his will hath in it a more modest working.

Duke. You fhall try but one fall.

Cha. No, I warrant your Grace, you fhall not entreat

B 2

him

him to a second, that have fo mightily perfuaded him from a first.

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

Rof. Now Hercules be thy fpeed, young man!

Cel. I would I were invifible, to catch the ftrong fellow by the leg! [They wrestle.

Rof. O excellent young man!

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

Duke. No more, no more.

[Shout. [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 younger fon of Sir Rowland de Boys.

Duke. I wou'd, thou hadft been fon to fome man elfe! The world efteem'd thy father honourable,

But I did find him ftill mine enemy :

Thou fhouldft 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.

Manent CELIA, ROSALIND, ORLANDO.
Cel. Were I my father, coz, would I do this?
Orla. I am more proud to be Sir Rowland's fon,
His younger fon, and would not change that calling
To be adopted heir to Frederick.

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

Cel. Gentle coufin,

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

But

But juftly as you have exceeded all in promise,
Your miftrefs fhall be happy.

Rof. Gentleman,

Wear this for me; one out of fuits with fortune,
That could give more, but that her hand lacks means.
Shall we go, coz ? [Giving him a chain from her neck.

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 lifeless block.

Rof. He calls us back: my pride fell with my fortunes. I'll ask him what he would. Did you call, Sir?

Sir, you have wreftled well, and overthrown

More than your enemies.

Cel. Will you go, coz?

Rof. Have with you: fare you well.

[Exeunt Rofalind and Celia.

Orla. What paffion hangs these weights upon my tongue? I cannot speak to her: yet fhe urg'd conference,

Enter LE BEU.

O poor Orlando! thou art overthrown;
Or Charles, or fomething weaker, masters thee.
Le Beu. Good Sir, I do in friendship counsel you
To leave this place. Albeit you have deferv'd
High commendation, true applause, and love;
Yet fuch is now the Duke's condition,
That he mifconftrues all that you have done.
The Duke is humourous; what he is, indeed,
More fuits you to conceive, than me to speak of.
Orla. I thank you, Sir: and, pray you, tell me thi;
Which of the two was daughter of the Duke

That here was at the wrestling?

Le Beu. Neither his daughter, if we judge by manners; But yet, indeed, the fhorter 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 difpleasure 'gainst his gentle niece; Grounded upon no other argument,

But that the people praise her for her virtues,

And