Page images
PDF
EPUB

Rof. Break an hour's promise in love! he that will divide a minute into a thousand parts, and break but a part of the thousandth part of a minute in the affairs of love, it may be faid of him, that Cupid hath clapt him o'th' shoulder, but I'll warrant him heart-whole.

Orla. Pardon me, dear Rofalind.

Rof. Nay, an you be so tardy, come no more in my fight: I had as lief be woo'd of a snail.

Orla. Of a snail?

Rof. Ay, of a snail; for tho' he comes flowly, he carries his house on his head: a better jointure, I think, than you make a woman; befides, he brings his destiny with him.

Orla. What's that?

Rof. Why, horns; which such as you are fain to be beholden to your wives for; but he comes armed in his fortune, and prevents the slander of his wife.

Orla. Virtue is no horn-maker; and my Rofalind is virtuous.

Rof. And I am your Rofalind.

Cel. It pleases him to call you so; but he hath a Rofalind of a better leer than you.

Rof. Come, woo me, woo me; for now I am in a holiday humour, and like enough to confent: what would you say to me now, an I were your very, very Rofalind?

Órla. I would kiss, before I spoke.

Rof. Nay, you were better speak first, and when you were gravell'd for lack of matter, you might take occasion to kiss. Very good orators, when they are out, they will spit; and for lovers lacking, God warn us, matter, the cleanliest shift is to kiss.

Orla. How if the kiss be denied?

Rof. Then she puts you to entreaty, and there begins new matter.

Orla. Who could be out, being before his beloved

mistress ?

Rof.

A

[merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small]

arr

Rof. Marry, that should you, if I were your mif

tress; or I should think my honesty ranker than my wit.

Orla. What, of my fuit?

Rof. Not out of your apparel, and yet out of your fuit. Am not I your Rofalind?

Orla. I take some joy to say, you are; because I

orel would be talking of her.

y,!

ire.

Rof. Well, in her person, I say, I will not have you.
Orla. Then in mine own person I die.

Rof. No, faith, die by attorney; the poor world is murt, almost fix thousand years old, and in all this time there was not any man died in his own person, videlicet, in a love-caufe: Troilus had his brains dafh'd out with a Grecian club, yet he did what he could to int die before, and he is one of the patterns of love. armt Leander, he would have liv'd many a fair year, tho' vife Hero had turn'd nun, if it had not been for a hot Eind midfummer night; for, good youth, he went but forth to wash in the Hellespont, and, being taken with the cramp, was drown'd; and the foolish chroniclers

ath of that age found it was,-Hero of Sestos. But these are all lies; men have died from time to time,

mi and worms have eaten them, but not for love. fent

Orla. I would not have my right Rosalind of this

very mind; for I protest, 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 difwhes position; and ask me what you will, I will grant it. Orla. Then love me, Rofalind.

igh

Rof. Yes, faith, will I, Fridays and Saturdays, and

Orla. And wilt thou have me?

Rof. Ay, and twenty fuch.

ther

Go all.

be

Orla. What say'st thou?

Oved

Orla. I hope fo.

Ref.

Rof. Are you not good?

Rof. Why then, can one defire too much of a good

D6

thing?

thing? come, fister, you shall be the priest, and marry us. Give me your hand, Orlando: what do you say, Sifter ?

Orla. Pray thee, marry us.

Cel. I cannot say the words.

Rof. You must begin, - Will you, Orlando

Cel. Go to; will you, Orlando,

Rofalind?

Orla. I will.

Rof. Ay, but when?

have to wife this

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 possest 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 sky 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 dispos'd to be merry; I will laugh like a hyen, * and that when you are inclin'd to weep. Orla. But will my Rosalind do fo? Rof. By my life, she will do as I do. Orla. O, but she is wife.

* and that when you are inclin'd to fleep. ) We should read, to weep.

Rof.

11

Rof. Or else she could not have the wit to do this;

ald the wifer, the waywarder: make the doors fast upon a woman's wit, and it will out at the cafement; shut that, and 'twill out at the key-hole; stop that, it will fly with the smoke out at the chimney.

Orla. A man that had a wife with fuch a wit, he et might say, 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 she came to seek you there: you ndt shall never take her without her answer, unless you takeher without her tongue. O that woman, that cannot make her fault her husband's occafion, let her never nurse her child herself, for she will breed it like a fool?

bu

ag

mat

[ocr errors]

moi

erb

6

Orla. For these two hours, Rosalind, I will leave thee.
Rof. Alas, dear love, I cannot lack thee two hours.
Orla. I must attend the Duke at dinner; by two

he 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'th' clock is your hour!

Orla. Ay, fweet Rofalind.

Rof. By my troth, and in good earnest, and fo Tais God mend me, and by all pretty oaths that are not dangerous, if you break one jot of your promife, or lik come one minute behind your hour, I will think yo you the most * atheistical break-promife, and the most

ayer

weep

R

hollow lover, and the most unworthy of her you call Rosalind, that may be chosen out the gross band of the unfaithful; therefore beware my censure, and keep your promife.

* I will think you the most pathetical break-promise,] We should read, atheistical break-promise. His Answer confirms it, that he would keep his Promise with no less Religion, than

Orla.

Orla. With no less religion, than if thou wert indeed my Rosalind; fo adieu.

Rof. Well, time is the old Justice that examines all fuch offenders, and let time try. Adieu! [Exit. Orla.

Cel.

Y

[blocks in formation]

OU have fimply misus'd our fex in your love-prate: we must have your doublet and hofe pluck'd over your head, and shew the world what the bird hath done to her own neft.

Rof. O coz, coz, coz, my pretty little coz, that thou didst 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. O rather, bottomless; that as fast as you pour affection in it, it runs out.

Rof. No, that same wicked bastard of Venus, that was begot of thought, conceiv'd of spleen, and born of madness, that blind rascally 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 the fight of Orlando; I'll go find a sha

dow, and figh 'till he come.

Cel. And I'll fleep.

[Exeunt.

SCENE

IV.

Enter Jaques, Lords and Foresters.

Jag. W

HICH is he that kill'd the deer?

Lord. Sir, it was I.

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, Sir.

Jaq. Sing it; 'tis no matter how it be in tune, so T

it make noise enough.

« PreviousContinue »