Rof. Well, in her perfon, I fay-I will not have
Orla. Then, in mine own perfon, I die.

you.

Rof. No, faith, die by attorney. The poor world is almost fix thousand years old, and in all this time there was not any man died in his own perfon, videlicet, in a love caufe. Troilus had his brains dafh'd out with a Grecian club; yet he did what he could to die before; and he is one of the patterns of love. Leander, he would have liv'd many a fair year, though Hero had turn'd nun, if it had not been for a hot midfummer night: for, good youth, he went but forth to wash him in the Hellefpont, and, being taken with the cramp, was drown'd; and the foolish 'chroniclers of that age found it was,-Hero of Sestos. But these are all lyes; men have died from time to time, and worms have eaten them, but not for love.

Orla. I would not have my right Rofalind of this mind; for, I proteft, her frown might kill me.

Rof. By this hand, it will not kill a fly: But come, now I will be your Rofalind in a more coming-on difpofition; and ask me what you wil', I will grant it.

Orla. Then love me, Rofalind.

Rof. Yes, faith will I, " fridays, and faturdays, and all. Orla. And wilt thou have me?

Rof. Ay, and twenty fuch.

Orla. What fay'st thou?

Rof. Are you not good?
Orla. I hope fo.

Rof. Why then, can one defire too much of a good thing?-Come, fifter, you fhall be the prieft, and marry us.-Give me your hand, Orlando :-What do you fay, fifter?

7

Rof. You must begin,Will you Orlando,

Cel. Go to:-Will you, Orlando, have to wife this Rofalind?

Orla. I will.

Rof. Ay, but when ? .

Orla. Why now; as fast as she can marry us.

Rof. Then you must say,-I take thee Rofalind for wife. Orla. I take thee, Rofalind, for wife.

Rof. I might ask you for your commiffion; but, I do take thee, Orlando, for my husband: There's a girl goes before the priest; and, certainly, a woman's thought runs before her actions.

Orla. So do all thoughts; they are wing'd.

Rof. Now tell me, how long would you have her, after you have poffefs'd her?

Orla. For ever, and a day.

Rof. Say a day, without the ever: No, no, Orlando; men are April when they woo, December when they wed: maids are May when they are maids, but the fky changes when they are wives. I will be more jealous of thee than a Barbary cock-pigeon over his hen; more clamorous than a parrot against rain; more new-fangled than an ape; more giddy in my defires than a monkey; I will weep for nothing, like Diana in the fountain, and I will do that when you are difpos'd to be merry; I will laugh like a hyen, and that when thou art inclin'd to fleep.

W

Orla. But will my Rofalind do fo?

Rof. By my life, fhe will do as I do.

Orla. O, but she is wife.

Rof. Or else she could not have the wit to do this: the wifer, the waywarder: Make the doors upon a woman's

Diana]-the figure of.

x laugh like a byen,]-the bark of the byena is faid to refemble loud laughter. Y waywarder:]-frowarder.

wit, and it will out at the cafement; fhut that, and 'twill out at the key-hole; ftop that, it will fly with the fmoak out at the chimney.

Orla. A man that had a wife with such a wit, he might fay,-Wit, whither wilt?

Rof. Nay, you might keep that check for it, 'till you met your wife's wit going to your neighbour's bed.

Orla. And what wit could wit have to excuse that? Rof. Marry, to fay,-fhe came to feek you there. You shall never take her without her answer, unless you take her without her tongue. O that woman that cannot make her fault her husband's occafion, let her never nurse her child herself, for fhe will breed it like a fool!

Orla. For these two hours, Rofalind, I will leave thee. Rof. Alas, dear love, I cannot lack thee two hours. Orla. I must attend the duke at dinner; by two o'clock I will be with thee again.

Rof. Ay, go your ways, go your ways;-I knew what you would prove; my friends told me as much, and I thought no less-that flattering tongue of yours won me:-'tis but one caft away, and fo,-come, death.Two o'the clock is your hour?

if

Orla. Ay, fweet Rofalind.

2

Rof. By my troth, and in good earnest, and fo God mend me, and by all pretty oaths that are not dangerous, you break one jot of your promife, or come one minute behind your hour, I will think you the most pathetical break-promife, and the most hollow lover, and the most unworthy of her you call Rofalind, that may be chosen out of the grofs band of the unfaithful: therefore beware my cenfure, and keep your promise.

2 make ber fault her busband's occafion,]-reprefent it as occafioned by him. 'pathetical break-promife,]-the best counterfeit of a true passion.

R 3

Orla.

Orla. With no lefs religion, than if thou wert indeed my Rofalind: So, adieu.

Rof. Well, time is the old juftice that examines all fuch offenders, and let time try: Adieu !

[Exit Orlando.

Cel. You have fimply mifus'd our fex in your loveprate we must have your doublet and hofe pluck'd over your head, and fhew the world what the bird hath done to her own neft.

Rof. O coz, coz, coz, my pretty little coz, that thou didft know how many fathom deep I am in love! But it cannot be founded; my affection hath an unknown bottom, like the bay of Portugal.

Cel. Or rather, bottomlefs; that as fast as you pour fection in, it runs out.

af

Rof. No, that fame wicked bastard of Venus, that was begot of thought, conceiv'd of spleen, and born of madnefs; that blind rafcally boy, that abuses every one's eyes, because his own are out, let him be judge, how deep I am in love:-I'll tell thee, Aliena, I cannot be out of fight of Orlando I'll go find a fhadow, and figh 'till he come. Cel. And I'll fleep.

SCENE II.

Enter Jaques, Lords, and Forefters.

Jaq. Which is he that kill'd the deer?

Lord. Sir, it was I.

[Exeunt.

Jaq. Let's present him to the duke, like a Roman conqueror; and it would do well to fet the deer's horns upon his head, for a branch of victory ;-Have you no song, forester, for this purpose?

For. Yes, fir.

bfimply]-downright.

Jaq.

faq. Sing it 'tis no matter how it be in tune, fo it

make noise enough.

Mufick, Song.

1. What shall be have, that kill'd the deer?
2. His leather skin, and horns to wear.

1. Then fing him home:

Take thou no fcorn

To wear the born, the lufty born;
It was a creft ere thou waft born.

1. Thy father's father wore it;

с

2. And thy father bore it:

The born, the born, the lufty born,

Is not a thing to laugh to fcorn.

SCENE

The reft fhall

bear this burden.

[Exeunt.

III.

Enter Rofalind, and Celia.

Rof. How fay you now? Is it not paft two o'clock? and here's much Orlando!

Cel. I warrant you, with pure love, and troubled brain, he hath ta'en his bow and arrows, and is gone forth-to fleep Look, who comes here.

Enter Silvius.

Sil. My errand is to you,

fair youth;

My gentle Phebe bid me give you this: [Giving a letter.
I know not the contents; but, as I guess,

By the stern brow, and wafpish action
Which she did ufe as she was writing of it,

It bears an angry tenour: pardon me,

Ay, and his father bore it.

and bere's much Orlando ! ]-ironically-here's no Orlando.