SCENE II.

Enter Oliver,

Adam. Yonder comes my mafter, your brother.
Orla. Go apart, Adam, and thou shalt hear how he

will shake me up.

Oli. Now, Sir, what make ye here?

Orla. Nothing: I am not taught to make any thing.

Oli. What mar ye then, Sir?

Orla. Marry, Sir, I am helping you to mar That which God made; a poor unworthy brother of yours, with idleness.

Oli. Marry, Sir, be better employ'd, and be nought a while +.

4 Be 'better employ'd and be nought a while.] Mr. Theobald has here a very critical note; which, though his modesty suffered him to withdraw it from his second edition, deserves to be perpetuated, i. e. (fays he) be better employed, in my opinion, in being and doing nothing. Your idleness as you call it may be an exercise, by which you may make a figure, and endear your self to the world: and I had rather you were a contemptible Cypher. The poet Seems to me to have that trite proverbial fentiment in bis eye quoted, from Attilius, by the younger Pliny and others; fatius est otiofum effe quam nihil agere. But Oliver in the perverseness of his difpofition would reverse the doctrine of the proverb. Does the Read

Orla.

er know what all this means? But 'tis no matter. I will assure him be nought a while is only a north-country proverbial curse equivalent to, a mischief on you. So the old Poet Skelton. Correct first thy felfe, walke and

BE NOUGHT,

Deeme what thou lift, thou knowest not my thought.

Orla. Shall I keep your hogs, and eat husks with them? what Prodigal's portion have I spent, that I should come to such penury?

Oli. Know you where you are, Sir?

Orla. O, Sir, very well; here in your Orchard.
Oli. Know you before whom, Sir?

Orla. Ay, better than he, I am before, knows me. I know, you are my eldest brother; and in the gentle condition of blood, you should so know me. courtesy of nations allows you my better, in that you The are the first born; but the fame tradition takes not away my blood, were there twenty brothers betwixt us. I have as much of my father in me, as you; albeit, I confess your coming before me is nearer to his

reverence S.

Oli. What, boy!

[menacing with his hand,

Orla. Come, come, elder brother, you are too young in this.

[collaring him,

Oli. Wilt thou lay hands on me, villain? Orla. I am no villain: I am the youngest fon of Sir Rowland de Boys; he was my father, and he is

In the same sense as we say it is better to do mischief, than to do nothing.

5 Albeit, I confess your coming before me is nearer to bis REVERENCE.] This is sense indeed, and may be thus understood,The reverence due to my father is, in some degree, derived to you, as the first born-But I am perfuaded that Orlando did not here mean to compliment his brother, or condemn himself; something of both which there is

in that sense. I rather think he

villain is used by the elder bro6 I am no villain.] The word ther, in its present meaning, for lando, in its original fignification, a wicked or bloody man; by Orfor a fellow of base extraction.

thrice a villain, that says, fuch a father begot villains. Wert thou not my brother, I would not take this hand from thy throat, 'till this other had pulled out thy tongue for saying so; thou hast rail'd on thyfelf.

Adam. Sweet nasters, be patient; for your father's remembrance, be at accord.

Oli. Let me go, I say.

Orla. I will not 'till I please. You shall hear me. - My father charged you in his Will to give me good education; you have train'd me up like a peasant, obfcuring and hiding from me all gentleman-like qualities. The Spire of my father grows strong in me, and I will no longer endure it: therefore allow me such exercises as may become a gentleman, or give me the poor allottery my father left me by testament; with that I will go buy my fortunes.

Oli, And what wilt thou do? beg, when that is spent? Well, Sir, get you in - I will not long be troubled with you: you shall have fome part of your will. I pray you, leave me.

Orla. I will no further offend you, than becomes me for my good.

Oli. Get you with him, you old dog.

Adam, Is old dog my reward? most true, I have loft my teeth in your service. God be with my old master, he would not have spoke such a word.

[Exe. Orlando and Adam.

SCENE

III.

Oli. Is it even so? - Begin you to grow upon me? -I will phyfick your rankness, and yet give no thoufand crowns neither. Holla, Dennis!

Enter Dennis.

Den. Calls your Worship?

B 4

Oli.

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 - [Exit Dennis.] 'Twill be a good way; and to-morrow the wrestling is.

Enter Charles.

Cha. Good morrow to your Wonhip.

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 banisi'd by his younger brother the new Duke, and three or four lov ing 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 old Duke's daughter', be banish'd with her father?

Cha. O, no; for the new Duke's daughter her cousin so loves her, being ever from their cradles bred together, that the 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?

:

7 The old Duke's daughter.] of the dialogue, are inserted from The words old and new, which Sir T. Hanmar's Edition. feem neceffary to the perfpicuity

Cha.

:

Cha. Marry, do I, Sir; and I came to acquaint you with a matter. I am given, Sir, fecretly to understand, that your younger brother Orlando hath a difpofition to come in disguis'd againit 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 muft 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 myself notice of my brother's purpose herein, and have by under-hand means laboured to dissuade him from it; but he is refolute. 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 fecret and villainous contriver againft me his natural brother. Therefore use thy difcretion; I had as lief thou didst break his neck, as his finger. And thou wert best look to't; for if thou doft him any flight disgrace, or if he do not mightily grace himself on thee, he will practise against thee by poison; entrap thee by fome treacherous device; and never leave thee, 'till he hath ta'en thy life by some indirect means or other; for I affure 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 beartily 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 fo, God keep your Worship.

1

[Exit.

Oli. Fare