Oli.

Is it even so? begin you to grow upon me? I will physick your rankness, and yet give no thousand crowns neither. Holla, Dennis!

Den.

Calls your Worship?

Oli.

Was not Charles, the Duke's wrestler, here to speak with me?

Den.

So please you, he is here at the door, and importunes access to you.

Oli.

Call him in;—'twill be a good way; and to morrow the wrestling is.

Cha.

Good morrow to your Worship.

Oli.

Good Monsieur Charles, what's the new news at the new Court?

Cha.

There's no news at the Court, Sir, but the old news; that is, the old Duke is banish'd by his younger brother the new Duke, and three or four loving lords have put themselves into voluntary exile with him; whose lands and revenues enrich the new Duke, therefore he gives them good leave to wander.

Oli.

Can you tell, if Rosalind, the Duke's daughter, be banish'd with her father?

Cha.

O, no; ^{6 note}for the new Duke's daughter her cousin so loves her, being ever from their cradles bred together, that she would have followed her exile, or have died to stay behind her. She is at the Court, and no less beloved of her uncle than his own daughter; and never two ladies loved, as they do.

Oli.

Where will the old Duke live?

Cha.

They say, he is already in the forest of Arden, and a many merry men with him; and there they live like the old Robin Hood of England; they say, many young gentlemen flock to him every day, and fleet the time carelesly, as they did in the golden world.

Oli.

What, you wrestle to morrow before the new Duke?

Cha.

Marry, do I, Sir; and I came to acquaint you with a matter. I am given, Sir, secretly to understand, that your younger brother Orlando hath a disposition to come in disguis'd against me to try a Fall; to morrow, Sir, I wrestle for my credit; and he, that escapes me without some broken limb, shall acquit him well. Your brother is but young and tender, and for your love I would be loth to foil him; as I must for mine own honour, if he come in; therefore out of my love to you, I came hither to acquaint you withal; that either you might stay him from his intendment, or brook such disgrace well as he shall run into; in that it is a thing of his own search, and altogether against my will.

Oli.

Charles, I thank thee for thy love to me, which thou shalt find, I will most kindly requite. I had my self notice of my brother's purpose herein, and have by underhand means laboured to dissuade him from it; but he is resolute. I tell thee, Charles, he is the stubbornest young fellow of France; full of

ambition, an envious emulator of every man's good parts, a secret and villanous contriver against me his natural brother; therefore use thy discretion; I had as lief thou dist break his neck, as his finger. And thou wert best look to't; for if thou dost him any slight disgrace, or if he do not mightily grace himself on thee, he will practise against thee by poison; entrap thee by some treacherous device; and never leave thee, 'till he hath ta'en thy life by some indirect means or other; for I assure thee, (and almost with tears I speak it) there is not one so young and so villanous this day living. I speak but brotherly of him; but should I anatomize him to thee as he is, I must blush and weep, and thou must look pale and wonder.

Cha.

I am heartily glad, I came hither to you: if he come to morrow, I'll give him his payment; if ever he go alone again, I'll never wrestle for prize more; and so, God keep your Worship.

Oli.

Farewel, good Charles. Now will I stir this gamester: I hope, I shall see an end of him; for my soul, yet I know not why, hates nothing more than he. Yet he's gentle; never school'd, and yet learned; full of noble device, of all Sorts enchantingly beloved; and, indeed, so much in the heart of the world, and especially of my own people who best know him, that I am altogether misprised. But it shall not be so, long; this wrestler shall clear all; nothing remains, but that I kindle the boy thither, which now I'll go about.