Page:As You Like It (1919) Yale.djvu/115

As You Like It, V. iv

Thy faith my fancy to thee doth combine.

''Jaq. de B.'' Let me have audience for a word or two:

I am the second son of old Sir Rowland,

That bring these tidings to this fair assembly.

Duke Frederick, hearing how that every day

Men of great worth resorted to this forest,

Address'd a mighty power, which were on foot

In his own conduct, purposely to take

His brother here and put him to the sword:

And to the skirts of this wild wood he came,

Where, meeting with an old religious man,

After some question with him, was converted

Both from his enterprise and from the world;

His crown bequeathing to his banish'd brother,

And all their lands restor'd to them again

That were with him exil'd. This to be true,

I do engage my life.

Duke S.Welcome, young man;

Thou offer'st fairly to thy brothers' wedding:

To one, his lands withheld; and to the other

A land itself at large, a potent dukedom.

First, in this forest, let us do those ends

That here were well begun and well begot;

And after, every of this happy number

That have endur'd shrewd days and nights with us,

Shall share the good of our returned fortune,

According to the measure of their states.

Meantime, forget this new-fall'n dignity,

 157 combine: bind

163 Address'd: prepared

power: army

164 conduct: guidance

168 question: talk

173 engage: pledge

174 offer'st fairly: makest generous offerings

177 do ends: complete those purposes

180 shrewd: grievous

182 states: i.e., positions in the world

183 new-fall'n: recently acquired 