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Prin. Sweet hearts, we fhall be rich ere we depart,
If fairings come thas plentifully in:
A lady wall'd about with diamonds!-
Look you, what I have from the loving king.

Rof. Madam, came nothing elfe along with that?!
Prin. Nothing but this? yea, as much love in
As would be cramın'd up in afheet of paper, [rhime,
Writ on both fides the leaf, margent and all;
That he was fain to feal on Cupid's name.

Rof. 'Ware pencils 3! How? let me not die your
My red dominical, my golden letter: [debtor,
O, that your face were not fo full of O's 4!

Kath. Pox of that jeft! and I befhrew all shrows.
Prin. But what was fent to you from fair Dumain?
Kath. Madam, this glove.

Prin. Did he not fend you twain?

Kath. Yes, madam; and moreover,

Some thousand verfes of a faithful lover:
A huge tranflation of hypocrify,
Vilely compil'd, profound fimplicity.

[ville

Mar. This, and thefe pearls, to me fent Longa-
The letter is too long by half a mile.

Prin. I think no lefs; Doft thou not wifh in heart,
The chain were longer, and the letter short?
Mar. Ay, or I would thefe hands might never part,
Prin. We are wife girls, to mock our lovers fo.、
Rof. They are worfe fools, to purchase mocking so,
That fame Biron I'll torture ere I go.

O, that I knew he were but in by the week 5!

Ref. That was the way to make his god-head wax '; How I would make him fawn, and beg, and feek; For he hath been five thousand years a boy. Kath. Ay, and a fhrewd unhappy gallows too. Ref. You'll ne'er be friends, with him; he kill'd your fifter.

Kath. He made her melancholy, fad, and heavy;
And fo fhe died: had the been light, like you,
Of fuch a merry, nimble, ftirring fpirit,
She might have been a grandam ere the dy'd:
And fo may you; for a light heart lives long.
Ref. What's your dark meaning, moufe, of this
light word?

And wait the feafon, and obferve the times,
And fpend his prodigal wits in bootless rhimes;
And shape his fervice all to my behefts;
And make him proud to make me proud that jefts!
So portent-like would I o'ersway his state “,
That he should be my fool, and I his fate. [catch'd,
Prin. None are fo furely caught, when they are
As wit turn'd fool: folly, in wildom hatch'd,
Hath wifdom's warrant, and the help of fchool;
And wit's own grace to grace a learned fool.
Rof. The blood of youth burns not with fuch
As gravity's revolt to wantonnets. [excefs,
Mar. Folly in fools bears not fo ftrong a note,

Kath. A light condition in a beauty dark. [out.
Ref. We need more light to find your meaning
Kath. You'll mar the light, by taking it in fnuff 2 ; | As foolery in the wife, when wit doth dote;
Since all the power thereof it doth apply,
To prove, by wit, worth in fimplicity.

Therefore, I'll darkly end the argument.

Rof. Lock, what you do, you do it still i' the dark.
Kath. So do not you; for you are a light wench.
Ref. Indeed, I weigh not you; and therefore light.
Kath. You weigh me not,-O, that's, you care
not for me.

Rof. Great reafon; for, Paft cure is still paft care.
Prin. Well bandied both; a fet of wit well play'd.
But, Rofaline, you have a favour too:
Who fent it? and what is it?

Roj. I would, you knew:

An if my face were but as fair as yours,
My favour were as great; be witness this.
Nay, I have verfes too, I thank Biron:
The numbers true; and, were the numb'ring too,
I were the fairest goddefs on the ground:
I am compar'd to twenty thousand fairs.
O, he hath drawn my picture in his letter!
Prin. Any thing like?

Ref. Much, in the letters; nothing, in the praife.
Prin. Beauteous as ink; a good conclufion.
Kath. Fair as a text B in a copy-book.

Enter Bovet.

Prin. Here comes Boyet, and mirth is in his face.
Boyet. O, I am stabb'd with laughter! Where's
Prin. Thy news, Boyet?
[her grace?

Boyet. Prepare, madam, prepare!-
Arm, wenches, arm!--encounters mounted are
Against your peace; Love doth approach difguis'd,
Armed in arguments; you'll he furpris'd:
Mufter your wits; ftand in your own defence;
Or hide your heads like cowards, and fly hence.
Prin. St. Dennis to St. Cupid! What are they,
That charge their breath against us? fay, fcout, fay,
Boyet. Under the cool fhade of a fycamore,

I thought to close my eyes fome half an hour:
When, lo! to interrupt my purpos'd reft,
Toward that fhade I might behold addrest
The king and his companions: warily
I ftole into a neighbour thicket by,
And overheard what you fhall overhear;
That, by and by, difguis'd they will be here,

* To was here fignifies to grow. 2 Snuff is here ufed equivocally for anger, and the fruff of a candle. 3 Meaning," 'Ware painting." 4 Alluding, perhaps, to the pits in her face, occafioned by the fmall

pox.

5 This expreflion probably alludes to the practice of hiring fervants or artificers by the week; and the meaning of the paffage inay be, I with I was as fure of his fervice for any time limited, as if I had hired hini. 6 See note 4, page 87, in Meafure for Meafure. The meaning is, I would be his fate or destiny, and, like a portent, hang over and influence his fortunes. For porteras were not only thought to forebode, but to influence,

Their herald is a pretty knavish page,

That well by heart hath conn'd his embaffage :
Action, and accent, did they teach him there;
Tes. muji thou speak, and thus thy body bear :
And ever and anon they made a doubt,
Prefence majestical would put him out;
For, quoth the king, an angel jhalt thou jee;
Tit fear not thou, but speak audaciously:
The boy reply'd, An angel is not evil;

Boyet. The trumpet founds; be mask'd, the
markers come.
[The ladies mafk.„
Enter the King, Biron, Longavilk, and Dumain,
disguised like Muscovites; Meth with musick, &c.
Math. "All hail, the richest beauties on the

"earth!"

Boyet. Beauties no richer than rich taffata 2.
Moth. "A holy parcel of the faireft dames,
[The ladies turn their backs to him.

I should have fear'd her, bad she been a devil. [der ; " That ever turn'd their-backs-to mortal views."

With that all laugh'd, and clapp'd him on the shoul-
Miking the buld wag by their praises bolder.

One rubb'd his elbow, thus; and fleer'd, and swore,
A better fpeech was never spoke before:
Another, with his finger and his thumb,
Cry, Viae will do't, come what will come :
The third he caper'd, and cry'd, All
well:
goes
The fourth turn'd on the toe, and down he fell.
With that, they all did tumble on the ground,
With fuch a zealous laughter, fo profound,
That in this fpleen ridiculous appears,'
To check their folly, paffion's folemn tears.

1

Pris. But what, but what, come they to vifit us?
Eve. They do, they do; and are apparel'd thus,
Like Mufcovites, or Ruffians: as I guefs,
Their purpofe is, to parle, to court, and dance :
And every one his love-feat will advance
Unto his feveral mistress; which they 'll know
By favours feveral, which they did bettow.

Biron. Their eyes, villain, their eyes.

Morb. "That ever turn'd their eyes to mortal
" views!

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Biron. Once to behold, rogue.
Moth. "Once to behold with your fun-beamed
"With your fun-beamed eyes-"

Boyet. They will not answer to that epithet;
You were belt call it daughter-beamed eyes.
Moth. They do not mark me, and that brings
[rogue.
Biron. Is this your perfectness? be gone, you
Rof. What would thefe ftrangers? know their
minds, Boyet:

me out.

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If they do fpeak our language, 'tis our will
That fome plain man recount their purposes:

Prie. And will they fo the gallants fhall be Know what they would.

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Asu change your favours too; fo fhall your loves
Woo contrary, deceiv'd by thefe removes. [fight.
R. Come on then; wear the favours moft in
Kab. But, in this changing, what is your intent
Pria. The effect of my intent is, to crufs theirs :
They do it but in mocking merriment ;
And mock for mock is only my intent.
Tar feverd counfels they unbofom shall
To loves mistook; and fo be mock'd withal,
Upon the next occafion that we meet,
With vitages difplay'd, to talk, and greet.

A But fhall we dance, if they defire us to't?
Fri. No; to the death, we will not move a foot
Nor to their penn'd fpeech render we no grace;
Be, while 'tis (poke, each turn away her face.
Bayes. Why, that contempt will kill the speaker's
heart,

:

Ad quite divorce his memory from his part.
Pri. Therefore i do it; and, I make no doubt,
The raft will ne'er come in, if he be out.
There's no fuch sport, as sport by sport o'erthrown ;
To make theirs ours, and ours none but our own:
So fhall we tay, mocking intended game ;

And they, well mock'd, depart away with fhame.

Boyet. What would you with the princefs?
Biron. Nothing bat peace and gentle vifitation.
Ref. What would they, fay they?
Boyet. Nothing but peace and gentle vifitation.
Ref. Why, that they have; and bid them fo be
[gone.
Boyet. She fays, you have it, and you may be
King. Say to her, we have meatur'd many miles,
To tread a meature with her on this grafs.
Boyet. They fay, that they have meafur'd many..
a mile,

gune.

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Boyet. If, to come hither you have meafur'd
And many miles; the princefs bids you tell,
How many inches do fill up one mile.

[teps.

Biron. Tell her, we measure them by weary
Boyet. She hears herself.

Ref. How many weary steps,

Of many weary miles you have o'ergone,
Are number'd in the travel of one mile?
Biron. We number nothing that we
we ipeud for you;
Our duty is fo rich, fo infinite,

That we may do it still without accompt.
Vouchfafe to fhew the funshine of your face,
That we, like favages, may worship it.

Rof. My face is but a moon, and clouded too,
King. Bletted are clouds, to do as fuch clouds do!
Vouchiafe, bright moon, and thefe thy ftars, to
fhine

[Sound. (Thofe clouds remov'd) upon our watery eyne.

1 Spleen ridiculous is, a ridiculous fit. i. e. the taffata masks they wore to conceal themfelves.

M 4

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Ref. O vain petitioner ! beg a greater matter; Thou now request'st but moon-fhine in the water. · King. Then in our measure do but vouchfafe one change:

Thou bid't me beg; this begging is not strange. Rof. Play, mufick, then: Nay, you must do it foon.

Not yet; no dance; thus change I like the moon. King. Will you not dance? How come you thus [chang'd.

eftrang'd?

Rof. You took the moon at full; but now she's King. Yet ftill fhe is the moon, and I the man. The mufick plays; vouchsafe fome motion to it. Rof. Our ears vouchsafe it.

King. But your legs fhould do it.

Rof. Since you are strangers, and come here by chance,

We'll not be nice; take hands; we will not dance.
King. Why take you hands then?
Rof. Ouly to part friends :-

Court'fy, fweet hearts; and fo the measure ends. King. More measure of this measure; be not nice.

Ref. We can afford no more at fuch a price.
King. Prize yourfelves then; What buys your
company?

Ref. Your abfence only.
King. That can never be.

Ref. Then cannot we be bought: And fo adieu; Twice to your visor, and half once to you! King. If you deny to dance, let's hold more chat. Rof. In private then.

King. I am beft pleas'd with that. Biran. White-handed miftrefs, one fweet word with thee. [three. Prin. Honey, and milk, and fugar; there is Biron. Nay, then, two treys, (an if you grow fo nice,)

Metheglin, wort, and malmfey:-Well run, dice! There's half a dozen fweets.

Prin. Seventh fweet, adieu!

Since you can cog', I'll play no more with you.
Biron. One word in fecret.

Prin. Let it not be sweet.
Biron. Thou griev'st my gall.
Prin. Gall? bitter.
Biron. Therefore meet.

[word?

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Will you give horns, chafte lady? do not fo.
Kath. Then die a calf before your horns do grow.
Long. One word in private with you, ere I die.
Katb. Bleat foftly then, the butcher hears you cry.
Boyet. The tongues of mocking wenches are as
keen

As is the razor's edge invifible,
Cutting a fmaller hair than may be seen ;

Above the fenfe of fenfe; fo fenfible Seemeth their conference; their conceits have wings, [things. Fleeter than arrows, bullets, wind, thought, fwifter Ref. Not one word more, my maids; break off,

break off.

wits.

Biron. By heaven, all dry-beaten with pure fcoff! King. Farewel, mad wenches; you have fimple [Exeunt king, and bordi. Prin. Twenty adieus, my frozen Mufcovites.Are these the breed of wits fo wondred at? Boyet. Tapers they are, with your sweet breaths

puff'd out.

[fat, fat. Rof. Well-liking wits they have; grofs, grofs; Prin. O poverty in wit, kingly-poor flout! Will they not, think you, hang themselves to-night? Or ever, but in vizors, fhew their faces ? This pert Biron was out of countenance quite.

Ref. O! they were all in lamentable cafes! The king was weeping-ripe for a good word. Prin. Biron did fwear himfelf out of all fuit.

Mar. Dumain was at my fervice, and his fword; No, point, quoth I; my fervant strait was mute. Kath. Lord Longaville faid, I came o'er his heart, And trow you, what he call'd me ?

Prin. Qualm, perhaps.
Kath. Yes, in good faith.

Prin. Go, fickness as thou art!

Rof. Well, better wits have worn plain statute, caps 2.

But will you hear? the king is my love fworn.
Prin. And quick Biron hath plighted faith to me.
Kath. And Longaville was for my fervice born,
Mar. Dumain is mine, as fure as bark on tree.
Boyet. Madam, and pretty mistreffes, give ear :
Immediately they will again be here
In their own fhapes; for it can never be,
They will digeft this harsh indignity.
Prin. Will they return?

Boyet. They will, they will, God knows ;
And leap for joy, though they are lame with blows
Therefore, change favours; and, when they repair,
Blow like fweet roles in this fummer air.

Prin. How, blow? how blow? fpeak to be understood.

Boyet. Fair ladies, mask'd, are roses in their bud;

To cog, fignifies to fulfify the dice, and metaphorically, to lye. 2 Woollen caps were enjoined by act of parliament, in the year 1571, the 13th of queen Elizabeth.-Probably the meaning is, Better wits may be found among men of inferior or more humble rank.”

Pifmark,

1

Dimak'd, their damask (weet commixture fhewn,]
Are angels vailing clouds, or roses blown.
Priz. Avaunt perplexity! What fhall we do,
If they return in their own shapes to woo?

Raj. Good madam, if by me you'll be advis'd,
Let's mock them ftill, as well known, as difguis'd:
Let us complain to them what fools were here,
Digus'd like Mufcovites, in fhapeless 2 gear;

King. Rebuke me not for that which you provoke ;

The virtue of your eye must break my oath. Prin. You nick-name virtue; vice you should have spoke;

For virtue's office never breaks men's troth.
Now, by my maiden honour, yet as pure
As the unfully'd lily, I proteft,

And wonder, what they were; and to what end A world of torments though I should endure,
Their fhallow fhows, and prologue vilely penn'd,
And their rough carriage fo ridiculous,
Should be prefented at our tent to us.

Bot. Ladies, withdraw; the gallants are at hand. Prin. Whip to our tents, as roes run o'er the land. [Exeunt ladies.

Enter the King, Biron, Longaville, and Dumain, in

Where's the

their own babits. King. Fair fir, God fave you! princess? Boyer. Gone to her tent: Please it your majefty, Command me any fervice to her? King. That the vouchsafe me audience for one Bayer. I will; and fo will fhe, I know, my lord. [Exit. Bira. This fellow picks up wit, as pigeons peas; And utters it again, when Jove doth please ; He is wit's pedlar: and retails his wares

I would not yield to be your house's guest :.
So much I hate a breaking cause to be
Of he enly oaths, vow'd with integrity.
King. O, you have liv'd in defolation here,

Unfeen, unvifited, much to our shame.
Prin. Not fo, my lord; it is not fo, I swear;
We have had paftimes here, and pleasant game;
A mefs of Ruffians left us but of late,
King, How, madam? Ruffians?
Prin. Ay, in truth, my lord;
Trim gallants, full of courtship, and of state.
[word. Rof. Madam, fpeak true :-It is not fo, my lord;
My lady, (to the manner of these days)
In courtesy, gives undeferving praise.
We four, indeed, confronted were with four
In Ruffian habit: here they stay'd an hour,
And talk'd apace; and in that hour, my lord,
They did not blefs us with one happy word.
I dare not call them fools; but this I think,
When they are thirity, fools would fain have drink
Biron. This jeft is dry to me.-Fair, gentle,
fweet,

Your wit makes wife things foolish: when we
greet

With eyes beft feeing heaven's fiery eye,
By light we lofe light: Your capacity
Is of that nature, that to your huge store
Wife things feem foolish, and rich things but poor.
Rof. This proves you wife and rich; for in my

At wakes, and waffels 3, meetings, markets, fairs;
And we that fell by grofs, the Lord doth know,
Have not the grace to grace it with fuch fhow.
This galant pins the wenches on his fleeve;
Had he been Adam, he had tempted Eve:
He can carve too, and lifp: Why, this is he,
That kis'd away his hand in courtesy;
This is the ape of form, monfieur the nice,
Tha, when he plays at tables, chides the dice
la honourable terms; nay, he can fing
A mean 4 most meanly; and, in ushering,
Mend him who can: the ladies call him, fweet;
The stairs, as he treads on them, kifs his feet:
This is the flower 5 that fmiles on every one,
To fhew his teeth as white as whale his bone: 6-It
And confciences, that will not die in debt,
Pay him the due of honey-tongued Boyet. [heart,
Kg. A blitter on his fweet tongue, with my
That put Armado's page out of his part!
Enter the Princess, Rofaline, Maria, Katharine,
Boyet, and attendants.

Biron. See, where it comes !-Behaviour, what

wert thou,

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Rof. There, then, that vizor; that fuperfluous [now? That hid the worse, and fhew'd the better face. King. We are defcry'd: they'll mock us now

Tll this mad man fhew'd thee? and what art thou
Kg. All hail, fweet madam, and fair time of day!
Pras. Fair, in all hail, is foul, as I conceive.
Kag. Conftrue my speeches better, if you may.
Pr. Then with me better, I will give you leave.
Kies. We came to vifit you; and purpose now
To lead you to our court: vouchfafe it then.
Pris. This field fhall hold me; and fo hold your

VOW:

Nor God, nor I, delight in perjur'd men.

down right.

Dum. Let us confefs, and turn it to a jest.
Prin. Amaz'd, my lord! Why looks your high-

nefs fad ?

Rof. Help, hold his brows! he 'll fwoon! Why
look you pale?—

Sea-fick, I think, coming from Mufcovy.
Biron. Thus pour the ftars down plagues for
perjury.

That is, letting thofe clouds which obfcured their brightnefs fink from before them. 2 i. e. 3 Wafels were meetings of rural mirth and intemperance. 4 The mean, in mufic, is the

uncouth.

tenor.

5 That is, the flower or pink of courtesy. As white as whale's bone is a proverbial comparison a our ancient poets.

Can

Can any face of brafs hold longer out?-
Here ftand I, lady; dart thy fkill at me;

Bruife me with fcorn, confound me with a flout;
Thruft thy fharp wit quite through my ignorance;
Cut me to pieces with thy keen conceit;
And I will with thee never more to dance,
Nor never more in Ruffian habit wait.

O! never will I truft to fpeeches peun'd,

Nor to the motion of a school-boy's tongue;

Nor never come in vizor to my friend;

What did the Ruffian whisper in your ear?

Rof. Madam, he fwore, that he did hold me dear
As precious eye-fight; and did value me
Above this world: adding thereto, moreover,
That he would wed me, or elfe die my lover.
Prin. God give thee joy of him! the noble lord
Moft honourably doth uphold his word. [troth,
King. What mean you, madam? by my life, my
I never fwore this lady fuch an oath.

Rof. By heaven you did; and to confirm it plain,

Nor woo in rhime, like a blind harper's fong: You gave me this; but take it, fir, again.

Taffata phrafes, filken terms precife,

Three-pil'd hyperboles, fpruce affectation, Figures pedantical; thefe fummer flies

Have blown me full of maggot oftentation:
I do forfwear them: and I here protest,

By this white glove, (how white the hand,
God knows!)

Henceforth my wooing mind fhall be exprefs'd
In ruffet yeas, and honest kersey noes:
And to begin, wench,-fo God help me, la!-
My love to thee is found, fans crack or flaw.
Rof. Sans SANS 2, I pray you.
Biron. Yet I have a trick

Of the old rage:-bear with me, I am fick;
I'll leave it by degrees. Soft, let us fee;-
Write, Lord have mercy on us 3, on those three;
They are infected, in their hearts it lies;
They have the plague, and caught it of your eyes:
Thefe lords are vifited; you are not free,
For the Lord's tokens on you do I fee.

[us.

Prin. No, they are free, that gave thefe tokens to
Biran. Our states are forfeit, feek not to undo us.
Rof. It is not fo; For how can this be true,
That you ftand forfeit, being those that fue 4?

Biron. Peace; for I will not have to do with you.
Raj. Nor fhall not, if I do as I intend.

King. My faith, and this, the princefs I did give:
I knew her by this jewel on her fleeve.

Prin. Pardon me, fir, this jewel did the wear;
And lord Biron, I thank him, is my dear.-
What; will you have
me, or your pearl again?
Biron. Neither of either; I remit both twain.-
I fee the trick on't ;-Here was a confent",
(Knowing aforehand of our merriment)
To dafh it like a Christmas comedy:

Same carry-tale,fome pleafe-man, fome flight zany7,
Some mumble-news, fome trencher-knight, fome
Dick,-

That fmiles his cheek in years 8; and knows the trick
To make my lady laugh, when the's difpos'd,--
Told our intents before; which once difclos'd,
The ladies did change favours; and then we,
Following the figns, woo'd but the fign of the.
Now, to our perjury to add more terror,
We are again forfworn; in will, and error 9.
Much upon this it is:-And might not you

[To Boyet.

Foreftal our fport, to make us thus untrue?
Do not you know my lady's foot by the fquier 10,
And laugh upon the apple of her eye?

And ftand between her back, fir, and the fire,
Holding a trencher, jefting merrily?
You put our page out: Go, you are allow'd ";

Biron. Speak for yourfelves, my wit is at an end.
King. Teach us, fweet madam, for our rude tranf-Die when you will, a fmock thall be your throwd.

Some fair excufe.

Prin. The faireft is confeffion.

[greffion

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Prin. And were you well advis'd?
King. I was, fair madam.

Prin. When you then were here,

What did you whifper in your lady's ear? [her.
King. That more than all the world I did refpect
Prin. When the shall challenge this, you will
reject her.

King. Upon mine honour, no.
Prin. Peace, peace, forbear;

Your oath broke once, you force not to forfwear 5.
King. Defpife me, when I break this oath of mine.
Prin. I will; and therefore keep it ;-Rofaline,

You leer upon me, do you? there's an eye,
Wounds like a leaden fword.

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1 A metaphor taken from the pile of velvet. 2 That is, without French words. 3 The infcription put upon the doors of the houfes infected with the plague. 4 Our author here puns upon the word fue, which fignifics to profecute by law, or to offer a petition.

s That is, You make no difficulty to forfwear. 6 That is, a confpiracy. 7 That is, a buffoon, a merry Andrew. 8 In years fignifies, into wrinkles. 9 i. e. Firft in will, and afterwards in error. 10 From the French efquiere, a rule or fquare. The fenfe is nearly equivalent to the proverbial expreffion, he hath got the length of her foot; i.e. he hath humoured her so long that he can perfuade her to what he pleases, 11That is, You may fay what you will,

You

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