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DUKE.

Dramatis Perfonæ.

Frederick, brother to the Duke, and ufurper of his dukedom. Amiens, Lords attending upon the Duke in his banishment. Jaques, S

Le Beu, a courtier attending on Frederick.

Oliver, eldeft fon to Sir Rowland de Boys, who had formerly been a fervant to the Duke.

Jaques,

Orlando, S

Younger Brothers to Oliver.

Adam, an old fervant of Sir Rowland de Boys, now following the fortunes of Orlando.

Dennis, fervant to Oliver.

Charles, a wrestler, and fervant to the ufurping Duke
Frederick.

Touchstone, a clown attending on Celia and Rofalind.
Corin,

Sylvius,

}

Shepherds.

A clown, in love with Audrey.

William, another clown in love with Audrey.

Sir Oliver Mar-text, a country curate.

Rofalind, daughter to the Duke.

Celia, daughter to Frederick.

Phebe, a fhepherdess.

Audrey, a country wench.

Lords belonging to the tavo Dakes; with pages, forefters, and other attendants.

The SCENE lies, firft, near Oliver's house; and, afterwards, partly in the Duke's Court; and partly in the Foreft of Arden.

As

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{S I remember, Adam, it was upon this fashion bequeath'd me by Will, but a poor thoufand crowns; and, as thou fay'ft, charged 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 speak more properly) fays 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 his animals on his dunghills are as much bound to him as I. Befides this Nothing that he fo plentifully gives me, the Something, that Nature gave me, his counten ance feems to take from me. He lets me feed with his hinds, VOL. II.

M

bars

bars me the place of a brother, and, as much as in him lies, mines my gentility with my education. This is it, Adam, that grieves me; and the Spirit of my father, which, I think, is within me, begins to mutiny against this fervitude. I will no longer endure it, though yet I know no wife remedy how to avoid it.

Enter Oliver.

Adam. Yonder comes my mafter, your brother. Orla. Go apart, Adam, and thou fhalt hear how he will shake me up.

Oli. Now, Sir, what make you here ?

Orla. Nothing: I am not taught to make any thing. Oli. What mar you then, Sir?

Orla. Marry, Sir, I am helping you to mar that which God made; a poor unworthy brother of yours, with idleness.

Oli. Marry, Sir, be better employ'd, and be nought a while.

Orla. Shall I keep your hogs, and eat husks with them? what Prodigal's portion have I spent, that I fhould come to fuch penury?

Oli. Know you where you are, Sir?

Orla. O, Sir, very well; here in your Orchard.
Oli. Know you before whom, Sir?

Orla. Ay, better than he, I am before, knows me. I know, you are my eldeft brother; and in the gentle condition of blood, you should fo know me; the courtefy of nations allows you my better, in that you are the first born; but the fame tradition takes not away my blood, were there twenty brothers betwixt us. have as much of my father in me, as you; albeit, I confefs your coming before me is nearer to his reverence. Oli. What, boy!

I

Orla. Come, come, elder brother, you are too young

in this.

Oli. Wilt thou lay hands on me, villain ?

Orla. I am no villain: I am the youngest son of Sir Rowland de Boys; he was my father, and he is thrice a

villain,

1

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 pull'd out thy tongue for faying fo; thou haft rail'd on thyself.

Adam. Sweet mafters, be patient; for your father's remembrance, be at accord.

Oli. Let me go, I fay.

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 peasant, obfcuring and hiding from me all gentleman-like qualities; the Spirit of my father grows ftrong in me, and I will no longer endure it: therefore allow me fuch exercises as may become a gentleman, or give me the poor allottery my father left me by teftament; with that I will my fortunes.

go buy Oli. And what wilt thou do? beg, when that is fpent? well, Sir, get you in. I will not long be troubled with you: you fhall have fome part of your will. I pray you, leave me.

Orla I will no further offend you, than becomes me for my good.

Oli. Get you with him, you old dog.

Adam. Is old dog my reward? moft true, I have loft my teeth in your fervice. God be with my old mafter, he would not have fpoke fuch a word.

[Exe. Orlando and Adam. Oli. Is it even fo? begin you to grow upon me? I will phyfick your ranknefs, and yet give no thoufand crowns neither. Holla, Dennis!

Enter Dennis.

Den. Calls your Worship?

Oli. Was not Charles, the Duke's Wrefler, here to speak with me?

Den. So pleafe you, he is here at the door, and importunes access to you.

Oli. Call him in ;-- --'twill be a good way; and tomorrow the wrestling is.

M 2

Enter

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Enter Charles.

Cha. Good-morrow to your Worship.

Oli. Good Monfieur Charles, what's the new news at the new Court?

Cha. There's no news at the Court, Sir, but the old news; that is, the old Duke is banish'd by his younger brother the new Duke, and three or four loving lords have put themselves into voluntary exile with him; whofe lands and revenues enrich the new Duke, therefore he gives them good leave to wander.

Oli. Can you tell, if Rofalind, the Duke's daughter, be banish'd with her father?

Cha. O, no; for the Duke's daughter her coufin so loves her, being ever from their cradles bred together, that she 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 forest of Arden, and a many merry men with him; and there they live like the old Robin Hood of England; they fay, many young gentlemen flock to him every day, and fleet the time carelefly, as they did in the golden world.

Oli. What, you wrestle to-morrow before the new Duke? Cha. Marry, do I, Sir; and I came to acquaint you with a matter. I am given, Sir, fecretly to understand, that your younger brother Orlando hath a difpofition to come in difguis'd against me to try a Fall; to-morrow, Sir, I wrestle for my credit; and he, that escapes me without fome broken limb, fhall acquit him well. Your brother is but young and tender, and for your love I would be loth to foil him; as I must for mine own honour, if he come in; therefore out of my love to you, I came hither to acquaint you withal; that either you might ftay him from his intendment, or brook fuch difgrace well as he fhall run into; in that it is a thing of his own fearch, and altogether against my will.

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