Cel.

Why Cousin, why Rosalind; Cupid have Mercy; not a word!

Ros.

Not one to throw at a Dog.

Cel.

No, thy words are too precious to be cast away upon Curs, throw some of them at me; come, lame me with Reasons.

Ros.

Then there were two Cousins laid up, when the one should be lam'd with Reasons, and the other mad without any.

Cel.

But is all this for your Father?

Ros.

No, some of it is for my Child's Father. Oh how full of Briers is this working-Day-world.

Cel.

They are but Burs, Cousin, thrown upon thee in Holiday Foolery; if we walk not in the trodden Paths, our very Petticoats will catch them.

Ros.

I could shake them off my Coat; these Burs are in my Heart.

Cel.

Hem them away.

Ros.

I would try, if I could cry Hem, and have him.

Cel.

Come, come, wrestle with thy Affections.

Ros.

O they take the Part of a better Wrestler than my self.

Cel.

O, a good Wish upon you; you will try in time in despight of a Fall; but turning these Jests out of Service, let us talk in good earnest: Is it possible on such a sudden you should fall into so strange a liking with old Sir Rowland's youngest Son?

Ros.

The Duke my Father lov'd his Father dearly.

Cel.

Doth it therefore ensue that you should love his Son dearly? By this kind of Chase I should hate him, for my Father hated his Father dearly; yet I hate not Orlando.

Ros.
No Faith, hate him not for my Sake.

Cel.
Why should I not? Doth not he deserve well? Enter Duke with Lords.

Ros.
Let me love him for that, and do you love him,
Because I do. Look, here comes the Duke.

Cel.
With his Eyes full of Anger.

Duke.
Mistress, dispatch you with your safest haste,
And get you from our Court.

Ros.
Me, Uncle!

Duke.
You, Cousin.
Within these ten Days if that thou beest found
So near our publick Court as twenty Miles,
Thou diest for it.

Ros.
I do beseech your Grace
Let me the Knowledge of my Fault bear with me:
If with my self I hold Intelligence,
Or have Acquaintance with my own Desires,
If that I do not dream, or be not frantick,
As I do trust I am not, then dear Uncle,
Never so much as in a Thought unborn
Did I offend your Highness.

Duke.
Thus do all Traitors,
If their Purgation did consist in Words,
They are as innocent as Grace it self;
Let it suffice thee that I trust thee not.

Ros.
Yet your Mistrust can not make me a Traitor;
Tell me whereon the likelihood depends.

Duke.
Thou art thy Father's Daughter, there's enough.

Ros.
So was I when your Highness took his Dukedom,
So was I when your Highness banish'd him;

Treason is not inherited, my Lord,
Or if we did derive it from our Friends,
What's that to me, my Father was no Traitor:
Then good my Liege, mistake me not so much,
To think my Poverty is treacherous.

Cel.
Dear Soveraign hear me speak.

Duke.
Ay Celia, we staid her for your sake,
Else had she with her Father rang'd along.

Cel.
I did not then entreat to have her stay;
I was too young that time to value her,
But now I know her; if she be a Traitor,
Why so am I; we still have slept together,
Rose at an Instant, learn'd, plaid, eat together,
And wheresoe'er we went, like Juno's Swans,
Still we went coupled and inseparable.

Duke.
She is too subtile for thee, and her Smoothness,
Her very Silence, and her Patience,
Speak to the People, and they pity her:
Thou art a Fool, she robs thee of thy Name,
And thou wilt show more bright, and seem more virtuous
When she is gone; then open not thy Lips,
Firm and irrevocable is my Doom,
Which I have past upon her; she is banish'd.

Cel.
Pronounce that Sentence then on me, my Liege,
I cannot live out of her Company.

Duke.
You are a Fool; you Neice provide your self,
If you out-stay the time, upon mine Honour,
And in the Greatness of my Word, you die. [Exit Duke, &c.

Cel.
O my poor Rosalind, whither wilt thou go?
Wilt thou change Fathers? I will give thee mine:
I charge thee be not thou more griev'd than I am.

Ros.
I have more Cause.

Cel.
Thou hast not, Cousin,
Prethee be cheerful; know'st thou not the Duke
Hath banish'd me his Daughter?

Ros.
That he hath not.

Cel.
No, hath not? Rosalind lacks then the Love
Which teacheth thee that thou and I am one:
Shall we be sundred? Shall we part, sweet Girl?
No, let my Father seek another Heir.

Therefore devise with me how we may fly,
Whither to go, and what to bear with us,
And do not seek to take your Charge upon you,
To bear your Griefs your self, and leave me out:
For by this Heav'n, now at our Sorrows pale,
Say what thou canst, I'll go along with thee.

Ros.
Why, whither shall we go?

Cel.
To seek my Uncle in the Forest of Arden.

Ros.
Alas, what Danger will it be to us,
Maids as we are, to travel forth so far!
Beauty provoketh Thieves sooner than Gold.

Cel.
I'll put my self in poor and mean Attire,
And with a kind of Umber smutch my Face,
The like do you, so shall we pass along,
And never stir Assailants.

Ros.
Were it not better,
Because that I am more than common tall,
That I did suit me all Points like a Man;
A gallant Curtelax upon my Thigh,
A Bore-spear in my Hand, and in my Heart
Lie there what hidden Woman's Fear there will,
We'll have a swashing and a martial Outside,
As many other mannish Cowards have,
That do outface it with their Semblances.

Cel.
What shall I call thee when thou art a Man?

Ros.
I'll have no worse a Name than Jove's own Page,
And therefore look you call me Ganimed;
But what will you be call'd?

Cel.
Something that hath a Reference to my State:
No longer Celia, but Aliena.

Ros.
But Cousin, what if we assaid to steal
The clownish Fool out of your Father's Court:
Would he not be a Comfort to our Travel?

Cel.
He'll go along o'er the wide World with me,
Leave me alone to woo him; let's away,
And get our Jewels and our Wealth together;
Devise the fittest time, and safest way
To hide us from Pursuit that will be made
After my Flight: Now go we in Content
To Liberty, and not to Banishment. [Exeunt.

Previous section