but Nature's; who perceiveth our natural wits. too dull to reason of such goddesses and hath sent this natural for our whetstone; for always the dulness of the fool is the whetstone of the wits. How now, wit! whither wander you? Touch. Mistress, you must come away to your father. Cel. Were you made the messenger?

Touch. No, by mine honour, but I was bid to come for 60

you.

Ros. Where learned you that oath, fool?

Touch. Of a certain knight that swore by his honour

they were good pancakes and swore by his honour the mustard was naught: now I'll stand to it, the pancakes were naught, and the mustard was good, and yet was not the knight forsworn. Cel. How prove you that, in the great heap of your knowledge?

Ros. Ay, marry, now unmuzzle your wisdom.
Touch. Stand you both forth now: stroke your chins,
and swear by your beards that I am a knave.
Cel. By our beards, if we had them, thou art.
Touch. By my knavery, if I had it, then I were; but
if you swear by that that is not, you are not for-
sworn: no more was this knight, swearing by his
honour, for he never had any; or if he had, he
had sworn it away before ever he saw those pan-
cakes, or that mustard.

Cel. Prithee, who is 't that thou meanest ?
Touch. One that old Frederick, your father, loves.
Cel. My father's love is enough to honour him:
enough! speak no
speak no more of him; you'll be
whipped for taxation one of these days.

70

80

Touch. The more pity, that fools may not speak wisely what wise men do foolishly.

Cel. By my troth, thou sayest true; for since the little wit that fools have was silenced, the little foolery that wise men have makes a great show. Here comes Monsieur Le Beau.

Ros. With his mouth full of news.

Cel. Which he will put on us, as pigeons feed their

young.

Ros. Then shall we be news-crammed.

Cel. All the better; we shall be the more marketable.

Enter Le Beau.

Bon jour, Monsieur Le Beau: what's the news? Le Beau. Fair princess, you have lost much good

sport.

Cel. Sport! of what colour?

90

Le Beau. What colour, madam! how shall I answer 100 you?

Ros. As wit and fortune will.

Touch. Or as the Destinies decrees.

Cel. Well said: that was laid on with a trowel.

Touch. Nay, if I keep not my rank,

Ros. Thou losest thy old smell.

Le Beau. You amaze me, ladies: I would have told
you of good wrestling, which you have lost the
sight of.

Ros. Yet tell us the manner of the wrestling.
Le Beau. I will tell you the beginning; and, if it

please your ladyships, you may see the end; for
the best is yet to do; and here, where you are,
they are coming to perform it.

110

Cel. Well, the beginning, that is dead and buried.
Le Beau. There comes an old man and his three

sons,

Cel. I could match this beginning with an old

tale.

Le Beau. Three proper young men, of excellent 120 growth and presence.

Ros. With bills on their necks, 'Be it known unto

all men by these presents.'

Le Beau. The eldest of the three wrestled with Charles, the Duke's wrestler; which Charles in a moment threw him and broke three of his ribs, that there is little hope of life in him: so he served the second and so the third. Yonder they lie; the poor old man, their father, making such pitiful dole over them that all the beholders 130 take his part with weeping.

Ros. Alas!

Touch. But what is the sport, monsieur, that the ladies have lost?

Le Beau. Why, this that I speak of.

Touch. Thus men may grow wiser every day it is the first time that ever I heard breaking of ribs was sport for ladies.

Cel. Or I, I promise thee.

Ros. But is there any else longs to see this broken 140 music in his sides? is there yet another dotes

upon rib-breaking? Shall we see this wrestling,

cousin ?

Le Beau. You must, if you stay here; for here is the place appointed for the wrestling, and they are ready to perform it.

Cel. Yonder, sure, they are coming: let us now stay

and see it.

Flourish.

Enter Duke Frederick, Lords, Orlando,
Charles, and Attendants.

Duke F. Come on: since the youth will not be entreated, his own peril on his forwardness.

Ros. Is yonder the man?

Le Beau. Even he, madam.

Cel. Alas, he is too young! yet he looks successfully. Duke F. How now, daughter and cousin! are you crept hither to see the wrestling?

In

150

Ros. Ay, my liege, so please you give us leave.
Duke F. You will take little delight in it, I can.
tell you, there is such odds in the man.
pity of the challenger's youth I would fain dis-
suade him, but he will not be entreated. Speak 160
to him, ladies; see if you can move him.

Cel. Call him hither, good Monsieur Le Beau.
Duke F. Do so: I'll not be by.

Le Beau. Monsieur the challenger, the princesses call

for you.

Orl. I attend them with all respect and duty.

Ros. Young man, have you challenged Charles the wrestler?

Orl. No, fair princess; he is the general challenger:

I come but in, as others do, to try with him the 170 strength of my youth.

Cel. Young gentleman, your spirits are too bold for

your years. You have seen cruel proof of this
man's strength: if you saw yourself with your