Comedy plays; Exiles -- Drama; Fathers and daughters -- Drama; Pastoral drama
CHARLES. Good morrow to your worship.
OLIVER. Good Monsieur Charles! What's the new news at the new
court?
CHARLES. There's no news at the court, sir, but the old news;
that
is, the old Duke is banished 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.
OLIVER. Can you tell if Rosalind, the Duke's daughter, be
banished
with her father?
CHARLES. O, no; for the 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.
OLIVER. Where will the old Duke live?
CHARLES. 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 carelessly, as they did in the golden
world.
OLIVER. What, you wrestle to-morrow before the new Duke?
CHARLES. 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 loath to foil him, as I must, for my 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
thing of his own search and altogether against my will.
OLIVER. 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 underhand means
laboured to
dissuade him from it; but he is resolute. I'll tell thee,
Charles, it is the stubbornest young fellow of France; full
of
ambition, an envious emulator of every man's good parts, a
secret
and villainous contriver against me his natural brother.
Therefore use thy discretion: I had as lief thou didst 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 villainous this day living. I speak but
brotherly
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