Orlando, Charles, and Attendants.
Duke.
Come on. Since the Youth will not be entreated,
his own peril on his forwardness.
Ros.
Is yonder the man?
-- 16 --
Le Beu.
Even he, Madam.
Cel.
Alas, he is too young; yet he looks successfully.
Duke.
How now, Daughter and Cousin; are you
crept hither to see the wrestling?
Ros.
Ay, my liege, so please you give us leave.
Duke.
You will take little delight in it, I can tell
you, there is such odds in the* note men: in pity of the
challenger's youth, I would feign dissuade him, but he
will not be entreated. Speak to him, ladies, see if you
can move him.
Cel.
Call him hither, good Monsieur Le Beu.
Duke.
Do so. I'll not be by.
[Duke goes apart.
Le Beu.
Monsieur the Challenger, the Princesses call
for you.
Orla.
I attend them with all respect and duty.
Ros.
Young man, have you challeng'd Charles the
wrestler?
Orla.
No, fair Princess; he is the general challenger:
I come but in, as others do, to try with him the
strength of my youth.
Cel.
Young Gentleman, your spirits are too bold for
your years. You have seen cruel proof of this man's
strength. If you saw yourself with your own eyes,6 note
e would counsel
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 sake, to embrace
your own safety, and give over this attempt.
-- 17 --
Ros.
Do, young Sir; your reputation shall not therefore
be misprised. We will make it our suit to the
Duke, that the wrestling might not go forward.
Orla.
7 noteI beseech you, punish me not with your hard
thoughts, wherein I confess me much guilty, to deny
so 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 sham'd that was
never gracious; if kill'd, but one dead that is willing
to be so. I shall 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 supplied when I have made it
empty.
Ros.
The little strength that I have, I would it were
with you.
Cel.
And mine to eke out hers.
Ros.
Fare you well. Pray heav'n, I be deceiv'd in
you.
Cel.
Your heart's desires 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 shall try but one Fall.
Cha.
No—I warrant your Grace; you shall not entreat
him to a second, that have so mightily persuaded
him from a first.
Orla.
You mean to mock me after; you should not
have mocked me before; but come your ways.
Ros.
Now Hercules be thy speed, young man!
Cel.
I would I were invisible, to catch the strong
fellow by the leg!
[they wrestle.
Ros.
O excellent young man!
-- 18 --
Cel.
If I had a thunderbolt in mine eye, I can tell
who should down.
[shout.
Duke.
No more, no more.
[Charles is thrown.
Orla.
Yes, I beseech your Grace. I am not yet
well breathed.
Duke.
How dost thou, Charles?
Le Beu.
He cannot speak, my Lord.
Duke.
Bear him away.—What is thy name, young
man?
Orla.
Orlando, my liege, the youngest son of Sir
Rowland de Boys.
Duke.
I would, thou hadst been son to some man else!
The world esteem'd thy Father honourable,
But I did find him still mine enemy:
Thou shouldst have better pleas'd me with this deed,
Hadst thou descended from another House.
But fare thee well, thou art a gallant youth;
—I would thou hadst told me of another father.
[Exit Duke, with his train.
Samuel Johnson [1765], The plays of William Shakespeare, in eight volumes, with the corrections and illustrations of Various Commentators; To which are added notes by Sam. Johnson (Printed for J. and R. Tonson [and] C. Corbet [etc.], London) [word count] [S11001].
