There a girl goes before the priest; and, certainly, a woman's thought runs before her actions.

Orl. So do all thoughts; they are wing'd:

Ros. Now tell me, how long you would have her, after you have possess'd her.

Orl. For ever, and a day.

no,

Ros. Say a day, without the ever: No, Orlando; men are April when they woo, Decem ber when they wed: maids are May when they are maids, but the sky changes when they are wives. I will be more jealous of thee than a Barbary cock pigeon over his hen; more clamorous than a parrot against rain; more new-fangled than an ape; more giddy in my desires than a monkey I will weep for nothing, like Diana in the fountain, and I will do that when you are dispos'd to be merry; I will laugh like a hyen, and that when thou art inclined to sleep.

Ort. But will my Rosalind do so?

Ros. By my life, she will do as I do.
Orl. O, but she is wise.

Ros. Or else she could not have the wit to do this the wiser, the waywarder: Make the doors upon a woman's wit, and it will out at the casement; shut that, and 'twill out at the key hole; stop that, 'twill fly with the smoke out at the chimney.

Orl A man that had a wife with such a wit, he might say, Wit, whither wild?

Ros. Nay, you might keep that check for it, till you met your wife's wit going to your neighbours bed.

Orl. And what wit could wit have to excuse that?

os. Marry, to say, she came to seek you there. You shall never take her without her

answer, unless you take her without her tongue. O, that woman that cannot make her fault her husband's occasion, let her never nurse her child herself, for she will breed it like a fool.

Orl. For these two hours Rosalind, I will leave thee.

Ros. Alas, dear love, I cannot lack thee two hours.

Orl. I must attend the Duke at dinner; by two e'clock I will be with thee again.

Ros. Ay, go your ways, go your ways; — I knew what you would prove; my friends told me ́ as much, and I thought no less: that flatter

ing tongue of yours won me: 'tis but one come, death.

cast away,

and so,

o'clock is your hour?

Orl. Ay, sweet Rosalind.

Two

Ros. By my troth, and in good earnest, and so God mend me, and by all pretty oaths that are not dangerous, if your break one jot of your promise, or come one minute behind your hour,' I will think you the most pathetical break-promise, and the most hollow lover, and the most unworthy of her you call Rosalind, that may be chosen out of the gross band of the unfaithful: therefore beware my censure, and keep your promise.

Orl. With no less religion, than if thou wert indeed my Rosalind: So, adieu.

Ros. Well, time is the old justice that examines all such offenders, and let time try: Adien!

[Exit ORLANDO.

Cel. You have simply misus'd our sex in your love-prate we must have your doublet and hose pluck'd over your head, and show the world what the bird hath done to her own nest.

Ros. O coz, coz, coz, my pretty little coz, that thou didst know how many fathom deep I am in love! But it cannot be sounded; my affection hath an unknown bottom, like the bay of Portugal.

Cel. Or rather, bottomless; that as fast as you pour affection in, it runs out.

Ros. No, that same wicked bastard of Venus, that was begot of thought, conceiv'd of spleen, and born of madness; that blind rascally boy, that abuses every one's eyes, because his own are out, let him be judge, how deep I am in love:I'll tell thee, Aliena, I cannot be out of the sight of Orlando: I'll go find a shadow, and sigh till he come.

Cel. And I'll sleep.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Another part of the Forest.

Enter JAQUESs and Lords, in the habit of
Foresters.

Jaq. Which is he that kill'd the deer?
1 Lord. Sir, it was 1.

Jaq. Let's present him to the Duke, like a Ro-man conqueror; and it would do well to set the deer's horns upon his head, for a branch of victory: Have you no song, forester, for this purpose ?

2 Lord. Yes, Sir.

Jaq Sing it; 'tis no matter how it be in tune, so it make noise enough.

SONG.

1. What shall he have, that kill'd the deer? 2. His leather skin, and horis to wear.

1. Then sing him home:

Take thou no scorn, to wear the horn; The rest

It was

a crest ere thou wast born 1. Thy father's father wore it;

2. And thy father bare it:

All. The horn, the horn, the lusty horn

Is not a thing to laugh to scorn. [Exeunt.

Ros. How say you now? Is it not past two o'clock and here much Orlando!

Cel. I warrant you, with pure love, and troubled brain, he hath ta'en his bow and arrows, and is gone forth to sleep: Look, who comes here.

Enter SILVIUS.

Sil. My errand is to you, fair youth; My gentle Phebe bid me give you this:

[Giving a letter.

I know not the contents; but, as I guess,
- By the stern brow, and waspish action
Which she did use as she was writing of it,
It bears an angry tenour: pardon me,

I am but as a guiltless messenger.

Ross Patience herself would startle at this letter, Aud play the swaggerer; bear this, bear all :,'

She says, I am not fair: that I lack manners;
She calls me proud; and, that she could not

love me

Were man as rare as phoenix: Od's my will!
Her love is not the hare that I do hunt:

Why writes she so to me?

well,

Well, shepherd,

This is a letter of your own device.

Sil. No, I protest, I know not the contents; Phebe did write it.

Ros. Come, come, you are a fool,

And turn'd into the extremity of love.

I saw her hand: she has a leathern hand,

A freestone-colour'd hand; I verily did think That her old gloves were on, but 'twas her hauds;

She has a huswife's hand: but that's no matter: I say, she never did invent this letter;

This is a man's invention, and his hand,

Sill Sure, it is hers.

Ros. Why, 'tis a boisterous and a cruel stile, A stile for challengers; why, she defies me, Like Turk to Christian: woman's gentle brain Could not drop forth such giant-rude invention, Such Ethiop words, blacker in their effect Than in their countenance: - Will you hear the

Sil. So please you, for I never heard it yet;

Yet heard too much of Phebe's cruelty.

Ros. She Phebes me: Mark how the tyrant

writes.

Art thou god to shepherd turn'd,

That a maiden's heart hath burn'd?

Can a woman rail thus?

[Reads.

Sil. Call you this railing?