“The Wooing Eclogue” from Rosalynde

by Thomas Lodge

[Shakespeare’s primary source for As You Like It was the pastoral romance Rosalynde by Thomas Lodge. Lodge uses the name Rosader, instead of Orlando, for his male protagonist; but like Shakespeare’s play, the female protagonist disguises herself as a male and calls herself Ganimede. And, like the play, Rosalynde attempts to test the strength of Rosader’s love.]

As soon as they had taken their repast, Rosader, giving them thanks for his good cheer, would have been gone: but Ganimede, that was loath to let him pass out of her presence, began thus:

“Nay Forester,” quoth he, “if thy business be not the greater, seeing thou sayest thou art so deeply in love, let me see how thou canst woo: I will represent Rosalynde, and thou shalt be as thou art, Rosader. See in some amorous Eglogue [eclogue: a pastoral dialogue], how if Rosalynde were present, how thou couldst court her: and while we sing of love, Aliena shall tune her pipe, and play us melody.

Content, quoth Rosader. And Aliena, she to shew her willingness, drew forth a recorder, and began to wind [play] it. Then the loving Forester began thus.