Prin. I think no less: Dost thou not wish in heart, The chain were longer, and the letter short? Mar. Ay, or I would these hands might never part. Prin. We are wise girls, to mock our lovers so. Ros. They are worse fools to purchase mocking so. That same Birón I'll torture ere I go. O, that I knew he were but in by the week?! Prin. None are so surely caught, when they are catch'd, As wit turn'd fool: folly, in wisdom hatch'd, excess, As gravity's revolt to wantonness. Mar. Folly in fools bears not so strong a note, As foolery in the wise, when wit doth dote; Since all the power thereof it doth apply, To prove, by wit, worth in simplicity. 7 This is an expression taken from the hiring of servants: 3 meaning 'I wish I knew that he was in love with me, or my servant,' as the phrase is. 8 The meaning of this obscure line seems to be,-I would make him proud to flatter me, who make a mock of his flattery. 9 The old copies read pertaunt-like. The modern editions read with Sir T. Hanmer, portent-like: of which Warburton has given an ingenious but unfounded explanation. The reading I have adopted may be explained tyrant-like. Potents is used for potentates in K. John, Act ii. Sc. 2. 10 Johnson remarks that these are observations worthy of a man who has surveyed human nature with the closest attention.' Enter BOYET. Prin. Here comes Boyet, and mirth is in his face. Boyet. O, I am stabb'd with laughter! Where's her grace? Prin. Thy news, Boyet? Boyet. Prepare, madam, prepare! Arm, wenches, arm! encounters mounted are Muster your wits; stand in your own defence; That well by heart hath conn'd his embassage: Another, with his finger and his thumb, Cry'd, Via11! we will do't, come what will come: Prin. But what, but what, come they to visit us? Prin. And will they so? the gallants shall be task'd: Hold, Rosaline, this favour thou shalt wear; 11 Via. See Vol. i. p. 221. 12 Spleen ridiculous is a ridiculous fit of laughter. The spleen was anciently supposed to be the cause of laughter. So the old Latin verse quoted on another occasion: Splen ridere facit, cogit amare jecur.' 13 In the first year of K. Henry VIII. at a banquet made for the foreign ambassadors in the parliament chamber at Westminster, 'came the Lorde Henry Earle of Wiltshire and the Lorde Fitzwater, in two long gownes of yellow satin traversed with white satin, and in every bend of white was a bend of crimosen sattin after the fashion of Russia or Ruslande, with furred hattes of grey on their hedes, either of them havyng an hatchet in their handes, and bootes with pykes turned up.'-Hall, Henry VIII. p. 6. This extract may serve to show that a mask of Muscovites was a court recreation, and at the same time convey an idea of the dress used on the present occasion. And change you favours too; so shall your loves Woo contrary, deceiv'd by these removes. Ros. Come on then; wear the favours most in sight. Kath. But, in this changing, what is your intent? Prin. The effect of my intent is, to cross theirs : They do it but in mocking merriment; And mock for mock is only my intent. Ros. But shall we dance, if they desire us to't? Prin. No; to the death, we will not move a foot: Nor to their penn'd speech render we no grace; But, while 'tis spoke, each turn away her face. Boyet. Why, that contempt will kill the speaker's heart, And quite divorce his memory from his part. Prin. Therefore I do it; and, I make no doubt, The rest will ne'er come in, if he be out. There's no such sport, as sport by sport o'erthrown; To make theirs ours, and ours none but our own: So shall we stay, mocking intended game; And they, well mock'd, depart away with shame. [Trumpets sound within. Boyet. The trumpet sounds; be mask'd, the maskers come. [The Ladies mask. Enter the King, BIRON, LONGAVILLE, and DuMAIN, in Russian habits, and masked; MOTH, Musicians and Attendants. Moth. All hail, the richest beauties on the earth! Boyet. Beauties no richer than rich taffata 14. Moth. A holy parcel of the fairest dames, [The ladies turn their backs to him. That ever turn'd their backs-to mortal views! 14 i. e. the taffata masks they wore. Biron. Their eyes, villain, their eyes. Moth. That ever turn'd their eyes to mortal views! Out Boyet. True; out, indeed. Moth. Out of your favours, heavenly spirits, vouchsafe Not to behold Biron. Once to behold, rogue. Moth. Once to behold with your sun-beamed eyes, -with your sun-beamed eyes Boyet. They will not answer to that epithet; If they do speak our language, 'tis our will Boyet. What would you with the princess? Boyet. Nothing but peace, and gentle visitation. Ros. Why, that they have; and bid them so be gone. Boyet. She says, you have it, and you may be gone. King. Say to her we have measur'd many miles, To tread a measure with her on this grass. Boyet. They say that they have measur❜d many a mile, To tread a measure 15 with you on this grass. Ros. It is not so: ask them, how many inches Is in one mile: if they have measur❜d many, 15 A grave solemn dance, with slow and measured steps, like the minuet. As it was of so solemn a nature, it was performed at public entertainments in the Inns of Court; and it was not unusual, nor thought inconsistent, for the first characters in the law to bear a part in treading a measure. Sir Christopher Hatton was famous for it. |