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Rof. Where learned you that oath, fool?

Clo. Of a certain Knight, that swore by his honour they were good pancakes, and fwore by his honour the muftard was naught: Now I'll fland to it, the pancakes were naught, and the muftard was good, and yet was not the Knight forfworn.

Cel. How prove you that in the great heap of your knowledge?

Rof. Ay, marry; now unmuzzle your wisdom. Clo. Stand you both forth now? ftroke your chins, and fwear by your beards that I am a krave.

Cel. By our beards, if we had them, thou art.

Clo. By my knavery, if I had it, then I were; but if you fwear by That that is not, you are not forfworn; no more was this Knight fwearing by his honour, for he never had any; or if he had, he had fworn it away, before ever he faw those pancakes or that mustard.

Cel. Pr'ythee, who is that thou mean'ft?

Clo. One, that old Frederick your father loves.

Rof. My father's love is enough to honour him enough; fpeak no more of him, you'll be whipt for taxation one of these days.

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

Cel. By my troth, thou fay'ft true; for fince the little wit that fools have was filenc'd, the little foolery that wife men have makes a great Show: here comes Monfieur Le Beu.

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.

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

Le Beu. Fair Princess, you have loft much good Sport.

Cel. Sport; of what colour?

Le Beu, What colour, Madam? how fhall I anfwer 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 fmell. ia

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

Rof. Yet tell us the manner of the wrestling.

Le Beu. I will tell you the beginning, and, if it please your Ladyships, you may fee the end, for the best is yet to do; and here where you are, thy 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.

Clo. Be it known unto all men by these prefents

Le Beu. The eldest of the three wrestled 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 so 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 Sport, Monfieur, that the ladies have loft?

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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 thee.

Rof. But is there any elfe longs to fet this broken mufic in his fides? is there yet another doats upon rib-breaking? fhall we fee this wrestling, Coufin?

Le Beu. You must 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.

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

Duke.

COM

OME 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, fo please 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. [Duke goes apart. Le Beu. Monfieur the Challenger, the Princeffes call for you.

Orla. I attend them with all respect and duty.

Rof.

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 spirits are too bold for your years: you have feen cruel proof of this man's ftrength. If you faw yourself with our eyes, or knew yourself with our 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 safety, 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 wreftling might not go forward.

Orla. I beseech 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 wifhes 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 place, which may be better fupplied when I have made it empty.

up a

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

Cel. And mine to eck out hers.

Rof. Fare you well; pray heav'n, I be deceiv'd in you.

Órla. Your hearts defires be with you!

*If you faw yourself with your eyes, or knew yourself with your judgment,] The Sense requires that we should read, our eyes, and our judgment. The Argument is, Your Spirits are too bold, and therefore your Judgment deceives you; but did you fee and know yourself with our more impartial Judgment you would forbear.

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

Orla. Ready, Sir; but his Will hath in it a more modeft working.

Duke. You fhall try but one Fall.

Cha. No, I warrant your Grace, you fhall 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 mockt me before; but come your ways. Rof. Now Hercules be thy fpeed, young man! Cel. I would I were invisible, to catch the ftrong fellow by the leg! [They wrefle.

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 beseech 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 youngeft fon of Sir Rowland de Boys.

Duke. I would, thou hadft been son to some man elfe!

The world efteem'd thy Father honourable,

But I did find him ftill mine enemy:

Thou should't 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

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