Orla.
Forbear, and eat no more.—

Jaq.
Why, I have eat none yet.

Orla.
Nor shalt thou, 'till necessity be serv'd.

Jaq.
What kind should this Cock come of?

Duke Sen.
Art thou thus bolden'd, man, by thy distress;
Or else a rude despiser of good manners,
That in civility thou seem'st so empty?

Orla.
You touch'd my vein at first. The thorny point^{6 note}


Of bare distress hath ta'en from me the shew
Of smooth civility; yet am I inland bred,
And know some nurture. But forbear, I say:
He dies, that touches any of this fruit,
'Till I and my affairs are answered.

Jaq.
If you will not
Be answered with reason, I must die.

Duke Sen.
What would you have? Your gentleness shall force,
More than your force move us to gentleness.

Orla.
I almost die for food, and let me have it.

Duke Sen.
Sit down and feed; and welcome to our table.

Orla.
Speak you so gently?—Pardon me, I pray you;
I thought, that all things had been savage here;
And therefore put I on the countenance
Of stern commandment. But whate'er you are,

That in this desert inaccessible,
Under the shade of melancholy boughs,
Lose and neglect the creeping hours of time;
If ever you have look'd on better days;
If ever been where bells have knoll'd to church;
If ever sate at any good man's feast;
If ever from your eyelids wip'd a tear,
And known what 'tis to pity, and be pitied;
Let gentleness my strong enforcement be.
In the which hope I blush, and hide my sword. [Sheathing his sword.

Duke Sen.
True is it, that we have seen better days;
And have with holy bell been knoll'd to church;
And sate at good men's feasts, and wip'd our eyes
Of drops, that sacred pity hath engender'd:
And therefore sit you down in gentleness,
And take upon command what help we have,^{7 note}
That to your wanting may be ministred.

Orla.
Then but forbear your food a little while,
Whiles, like a doe, I go to find my fawn
And give it food. There is an old poor man,
Who after me hath many a weary step
Limp'd in pure love; 'till he be first suffic'd,
Oppress'd with two weak evils, age and hunger,
I will not touch a bit.

Duke Sen.
Go find him out,
And we will nothing waste till you return.

Orla.
I thank ye; and be bless'd for your good comfort! [Exit.

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