I thought to close mine eyes some half an hour:
When, lo! to interrupt my purpos'd rest,
Toward that shade I might behold addrest
The king and his companions: warily

I stole into a neighbour thicket by,
And overheard what you shall overhear,
That, by and by, disguis'd they will be here
Their herald is a pretty knavish page,

That well by heart hath con'd his embassage :
Action, and accent, did they teach him there;
Thus must thou speak, and thus thy body bear:
And ever and anon they made a doubt,
Presence majestical would put him out;
For, quoth the king, An angel shalt thou see;
Yet fear not thou, but speak audaciously.
The boy reply'd, An angel is not evil;
I should have fear'd her, had she been a devil.
With that all laugh'd, and clapp'd him on the shoulder;
Making the bold wag by their praises bolder.
One rubb'd his elbow, thus; and fleer'd, and swore,
A better speech was never spoke before:
Another with his finger and his thumb,
Cry'd. Via! we will do 't, come what will come:
The third he caper'd and cried, All goes well:
The fourth turn'd on the toe, and down he fell.
With that, they all did tumble on the ground,
With such a zealous laughter, so profound,
That in this spleen ridiculous appears,
To check their folly, passion's solemn tears.

Prin. But what, but what, come they to visit us?
Boyet. They do, they do; and are apparel'd thus,―
Like Muscovites, or Russians: as I guess,
Their purpose is, to parle, to court, and dance :
And every one his love-feat will advance
Unto his several mistress; which they'll know
By favours several, which they did bestow.

Prin. And will they so? the gallants shall be
task'd-
·-

For, ladies, we will every one be mask'd;
And not a man of them shall have the grace,
Despight of suit, to see a lady's face.-
Hold, Rosaline, this favour thou shalt wear;
And then the king will court thee for his dear;
Hold, take thou this, my sweet, and give me thine;
So shall Birón take me for Rosaline.-
And change your 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 :
l'hey do it but in mocking merriment;
And mock for mock is only my intent.
Their several counsels they unbosom shall
To loves mistook; and so be mock'd withal,
Upon the next occasion that we meet,
With visages display'd to talk and greet.

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 shail we stay, rocking intended game; And they, well mock'd, depart away with shame. [Trumpets sound within. Boyer. 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 nail the richest beauties on the earth!
Boyet. Beauties no richer than rich taffata.
Moth. A holy parcel of the fairest dames,

[The ladies turn their backs to him That ever turn'd their-backs--to mortal views! 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, vouchsaf 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,
You were best call it, daughter-beamed eyes.
Moth. They do not mark me, and that brings me out.
Biron. Is this your perfectness? be gone, you rogue.
Ros. What would these strangers? know their
minds, Boyet:

If they do speak our language, 'tis our will
That some plain man recount their purposes.
Know what they would.

Boyet. What would you with the princess?
Biron. Nothing but peace, and gentle visitation.
Ros. What would they, say they?

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 To tread a measure with you on this grass.

[mic.

Ros. It is not so: ask them, how many inches Is in one mile if they have measur'd many, The measure then of one is easily told.

:

Boyet. If, to come hither you have measur'd miles And many miles; the princess bids you tell, How many inches do fill up one mile. Biron. Tell her, we measure them by weary steps. Boyet. She hears herself.

Ros.
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 spend for yor
Our duty is so rich, so infinite,

That we inay do it still without accompt.
Vouchsafe to shew the sunshine of your face,
That we, like savages, may worship it.

Ros. My face is but a moon, and clouded too. King Blessed are clouds, to do as such clouds do! Vouchsafe, bright moon, and these thy stars, to shine (Those clouds remov'd,) upon our watery eyne.

Ros. O vain petitioner! beg a greater matter; Thou now request'st but moonshine in the water. King. Then, in our measure do but vouchsafe one

change :

Thou bid'st me beg; this begging is not strange. Ros. Play, music, then: nay, you must do it soon. [Music plays. Not yet;-no dance :-thus change I like the moon. King Will you not dance? How come you thus

estrang'd!

[chang'd. Ros. You took the moon a. ; but now she's King. Ye still she is the moon, and I the man. The music plays; vouchsafe some motion to it. Ros. Our ears vouchsafe it.

Ros. Since you are strangers, and come here by chance, We'll not be nice: take hands--we will not dance. King Why take we hands then?

Ros. Only to part friends :Court'sy, sweet hearts; and so the measure ends. King. More measure of this measure; be not nice. Ros. We can afford no more at such a price. King. Prize you yourselves; What buys your comRos. Your absence only. [pany? King. That can never be. Ros. Then cannot we be bought and so adieu; Twice to your visor, and half once to you! King. If you deny to dance, let's hold more chat. Ros. In private then. King

:

I am best pleas'd with that. [They converse apart. Biron. White-handed mistress, one sweet word with thee.

Prin. Honey, and milk, and sugar; there is three. Biron. Nay then, two treys, (an if you grow so nice.) Metheglin, wort, and malmsey;-Well run, dice?

There's half a dozen sweets.

Take that for your fair lady.

Dum.

Say you so? Fair lord,

As much in private, and I 'Il bid adieu

-

Please it you, [They converse apart. Kath. What, was your visor made without a tongue? Long. I know the reason, lady, why you ask. Kath. O, for your reason! quickly, sir; I long. Long. You have a double tongue within your mask, And would afford my speechless visor half. Kath. Veal, quoth the Dutchman ;-Is not veal a Long. A calf, fair lady? [calf? Kath

No, a fair lord calf. Long. Let's part the word. Kath. No, I'll not be your half; Take all, and wean it; it may prove an ox.

Long. Look, how you butt yourself in these sharp Will you give horns, chaste lady? do not so. [mocks! Kath. Then die a calf, before your horns do grow. Long. One word in private with you, ere I die. Kath. Bleat softly then, the butcher hears you cry. [They converse apart. Boyet. The tongues of mocking wenches are as keen As is the razor's edge invisible, Cutting a smaller hair than may be seen;

Above the sense of sense: so sensible

Seemeth their conference; their conceits have wings, Fleeter than arrows, bullets, wind, thought, swifter things. [break off. Ros Not one word more, my maids; break off, Biron. By heaven, all dry-beaten with pure scoff. King. Farewell, mad wenches; you have simple

wits

[Exeunt KING, Lords, Mora, Music, & Attendants. in. Twenty adieus, my frozen Muscovites.Are these the breed of wits so wonder'd at? Boyet. Tapers they are, with your sweat breaths uff'd out.

Prin.

Qualm, perhaps

Kath. Yes, in good faith..
Prin.
Go, sickness as thou art:
Ros Well, better wits have worn plain statute-caps.
But will you hear? the king is my love sworn.
Prin. And quick Birón hath plighted faith to me.
Kath. And Longaville was for my service born.
Mar. Dumain is mine, as sure as bark on tree.
Boyet. Madam, and pretty mistresses, give ear:
Immediately they will again be here

In their own shapes; for it can never be,
They will digest 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 sweet roses in this summer air. [stood.

Prin. How blow? how blow? speak to be underBoyet. Fair ladies, mask'd, are roses in their bud: Dismask'd, their damask sweet commixture shewn, Are angels vailing clouds, or roses blown.

Prin. Avaunt, perplexity! What shall we do, If they return in their own shapes to woo?

Ros. Good madam, if by me you'll be advis'd, Let's mock them still, as well known, as disguis'd Let us complain to them what fools were here, Disguis'd like Muscovites, in shapeless gear; And wonder what they were; and to what end Their shallow shows, and prologue vilely penn'd, And their rough carriage so ridiculous, Should be presented at our tent to us.

Boyet. Ladies, withdraw: the gallants are at hand. Prin. Whip to our tents, as roes run over land. [Exeunt PRINCESS, ROS. KATH. and MARIA. Enter the KING, BIRON, LONGAVILLE, and DUMAIN, in their proper habits.

King. Fair sir, God save you! Where is the prin

cess?

Boyet. Gone to her tent: Please it your majesty, Command me any service to her thither? King. That she vouchsafe me audience for one word. Boyet. I will; and so will she, I know, my lord.

[Exit.

Biron. This fellow pecks up wit, as pigeons peas; And utters it again when God doth please: He is wit's pedlar; and retails his wares At wakes, and wassels, meetings, markets, fairs; And we that sell by gross, the Lord doth know, Have not the grace to grace it with such show. This gallant pins the wenches on his sleeve; Had he been Adam, he had tempted Eve: He can carve too, and lisp: Why, this is he, That kiss'd away his hand in courtesy ; This is the ape of form, monsieur the nice, That, w en he plays at tables, chides the dice In honourable terms; nay, he can sing A mean most meanly; and, in ushering, Mend him who can the ladies call him, sweet; The stairs, as he treads on them, kiss his feet:

This is the flower that smiles on every one, To shew his teeth as white as whales' bone: And consciences, that will not die in debt, Pay him the due of honey-tongued Boyet.

Biron. Thus pour the stars down plagues for per Can any face of brass hold longer out? [jur Here stand I, lady; dart thy skill at me;

Bruise me with scorn, confound me with a flout

Enter the PRINCESS, ushered by BOYET; ROSALINE, MARIA, KATHARINE, and Attendants.

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

Till this man shew'd thee? and what art thou now? King. All hail, sweet madam, and fair time of day! Prin. Fair, in all hail, is foul, as I conceive. King. Construe my speeches better, if you inay. Prin. Then wish me better, I will give you leave. King. We came to visit you; and purpose now

To lead you to our court: vouchsafe it then. Prin. This field shall hold me; and so hold your Nor God, nor I, delight in perjur'd men. [vow: 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 unsullied lily, I protest,

A world of torments though I should endure,
I would not yield to be your house's guest:

So much I hate a breaking cause to be
Of heavenly oaths, vow'd with integrity.
King. O, you have liv'd in desolation here,
Unseen, unvisited, much to our shame.
Prin. Not so, my lord, it is not so, I swear;
We have had pastimes here, and pleasant game;
A mess of Russians left us but of late.
King. How, madam? Russians?
Prin.

Ay, in truth, my lord;
Trim gallants, full of courtship, and of state.
Ros. Madam, speak true:-It is not so, my lord;

My lady (to the manner of the days,)
In courtesy, gives undeserving praise.
We four, indeed, confronted here with four
In Russian habit; here they staid an hour,
And talk'd apace; and in that hour, my lord,
They did not bless us with one happy word.
I dare not call them fools; but this I think,
When they are thirsty, fools would fain have drink.

Biron. This jest is dry to me.- -Fair, gentle sweet,
Your wit makes wise things foolish; when we greet
With eyes best seeing heaven's fiery eye,
By light we lose light: Your capacity
Is of that nature, that to your huge store
Wise things seem foolish, and rich things but poor.
Ros. This proves you wise and rich, for in my eye-
Biron. I am a fool, and full of poverty.
Ros. But that you take what doth to you belong,
It were a fault to snatch words from my tongue.
Biron O, I ain yours, and all that I possess.
Ros. All the fool mine?
Biron.
I cannot give you less.
Ros. Which of the visors was it, that you wore?
Biron. Where? when? what visor? why demand
you this?

Ros. There, then, that visor; that superfluous case, That bid the worse, and shew'd the better face. King. We are descried: they'll mock us now downDum. Let us confess, and turn it to a jest. [right. Pri. Amaz'd, my lord, why looks your highness sad? Ros. Help, hold his brows! he'll swoon! Why look you pale ?Sea-sick, 1 think, coming from Muscovy.

Cut me to pieces with thy keen conceit; And I will wish thee never more to dance,

Nor never more in Russian habit wait. O! never will I trust to speeches penn'd, Nor to the motion of a school-boy's tongue; Nor never come in visor to my friend;

Nor woo in rhyme, like a blind harper's song: Taffata phrases, silken terms precise,

Three pil'd hyperboles, spruce affectation, Figures pedantical; these summer-flies

Have blown me full of maggot ostentation : I do forswear them and I here protest,

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

Henceforth my wooing mind shall be express'd

In russet yeas, and honest kersey noes: And, to begin, wench,-so God help me, la !— My love to thee is sound, sans crack or flaw. Ros. Sans SANS, I pray you.

Biron. Yet I have a trick Of the old rage:-bear with me, I am sick; I'll leave it by degrees. Soft, let us see ;Write, Lord have mercy on us, on those three, They are infected, in their hearts it lies; They have the plague, and caught it of your eyes These lords are visited; you are not free, For the Lord's tokens on you do I see.

[us Prin. No, they are free, that gave these tokens to Biron. Our states are forfeit, seek not to undo us Ros. It is not so; For how can this be true, That you stand forfeit, being those that sue? Biron. Peace; for I will not have to do with you Ros. Nor shall not, if I do as I intend. Biron. Speak for yourselves, my wit is at an end King. Teach us, sweet madam, for our rude trans Some fair excuse. [gression

Prin.

The fairest is confession.

Were you not here, but even now, disguis'd?

Prin.

When you then were here What did you whisper in your lady's ear? [her King. That more than all the world I did respec Prin. When she shall challenge this, you wil King. Upon mine honour, no. [reject her

Prin. Peace, peace, forbear Your oath once broke, you force not to forswear. King. Despise me, when I break this oath of mine Prin. I will: and therefore keep it :-Rosaline What did the Russian whisper in your ear?

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

Ros. By heaven you did; and to confirm it plain You gave me this: but take it, sir, again. King. My faith, and this, the princess I did give I knew her by this jewel on her sleeve.

Prin. Pardon me, sir, this jewel did she wear; And lord Birón, I thank him, is my dear :What will you have me, or your pearl again?

Biron. Neither of either; I remit both twain.

I see the trick on't ;-Here was a consent,
(Knowing aforehand of our merriment,)
To dash it like a Christmas comedy:
3ome carry-tale, some please man, some slight zany,
Some mumble news, some trencher-knight, some
Dick,-

That smiles his cheek in years; and knows the trick
To make my lady laugh, when she's dispos'd,-
Told our intents before: which once disclos'd,
The ladies did change favours; and then we,
Following the signs, woo'd but the sign of she.
Now, to our perjury to add more terror,
We are again forsworn: in will, and error.
Much upon this it is: And might not you, [To BOYET.
Forestal our sport, to make us thus untrue?
Do not you know my lady's foot by the squire,
And laugh upon the apple of her eye?
And stand between her back, sir, and the fire,
Holding a trencher, jesting merrily?
You put our page out: Go, you are allow'd;
Die when you will, a smock shall be your shroud.
You leer upon me, do you? there's an eye,
Wounds like a leaden sword.

Boyet.
Full merrily
Hath this brave manage, this career, been run.
Biron. Lo, he is tilting straight! Peace; I have done.
Enter COSTARD.

Welcome, pure wit! thou partest a fair fray.
Cost. O Lord, sir, they would know,

Whether the three worthies shall come in, or no.
Biron. What, are there but three ?
Cost.

No, sir; but it is vara fine, For every one pursents three.

Biron. And three times thrice is nine. [is not so: Cost. Not so, sir; under correction, sir; I hope, it You cannot beg us, sir, I can assure you, sir; we know what we know:

I hope, sir, three times thrice, sir,—

Is not nine.

Biron. Cost. Under correction, sir, we know whereuntil it doth amount.

Biron. By Jove, I always took three threes for nine. Cost. O Lord, sir, it were pity you should get your living by reckoning, sir.

Biron. How much is it?

Cost. O Lord, sir, the parties themselves, the actors, sir, will shew whereuntil it doth amount: for my own part, I am, as they say, but to parfect one man,-e'en one poor man; Pompion the great, sir.

Biron. Art thou one of the worthies?

Cost. It pleased them, to think me worthy of Pompion the great: for mine own part, I know not the degree of the worthy; but I am to stand for him. Biron. Go, bid them prepare.

some care.

Cost. We will turn it finely off, sir; we will take [Exit COSTARD. King. Birón, they will shame us, let them not approach. [some policy Biron. We are shame-proof, my lord: and 'tis To have one show worse than the king's and his King. I say, they shall not come. [company. Prin. Nay, my good lord, let me o'er rule you now? That sport best pleases, that doth least know how: Where zeal strives to content, and the contents Die in the zeal of them which it presents, Their form confounded makes most form in mirth; When great things labouring perish in their birth. Biron. A right description of our sport, my lord.

Enter ARMADO.

royal sweet breath, as will utter a brace of words.
[ARMADO converses with the KING, and delivers
him a paper.

Prin. Doth this man serve God?
Biron. Why ask you?

Prin. He speaks not like a man of God's making. Arm. That's all one, my fair, sweet, honey-monarch for, I protest, the school master is exceeding fantastical; too, too vain; too, too vain; But we will put it, as they say, to fortuna della guerra. I wish you the peace of mind, most royal couplement !

[Exit ARMADO.

King. Here is like to be a good presence of worthies: He presents Hector of Troy the swain, Pompey the Great; the parish curate, Alexander; Armado's page, Hercules; the pedant, Judas Ma chabæus.

And if these four worthies in their first show thrive, These four will change habits, and present the other five.

Biron. There is five in the first show.
King. You are deceiv'd, 'tis not so.

Biron. The pedant, the braggart, the hedge-priest the fool, and the boy :

Abate a throw at novum ; and the whole world again Cannot prick out five such, take each one in his vein, King. The ship is under sail, and here she comes amain.

[Seats brought for the KING, PRINCESS, &c.

Pageant of the Nine Worthies.

Enter COSTARD arm'd, for POMPEY.

Cost. I Pompey am,——
Boyet.

Cost. I Pompey am,-
Boyet.

You lie, you are not he

With libbard's head on knee. Biron. Well said, old mocker; I must needs be friends with thee.

Cost. I Pompey am, Pompey surnam'd the big,— Dum. The great.

Cost. It is great, sir ;-Pompey surnam'd the great ; That oft in field, with targe and shield, did make my And travelling along this coast, I here am come by foe to sweat: [chance; And lay my arms before the legs of this sweet lass of If your ladyship would say, Thanks, Pompey, I had France. [done. Prin. Great thanks, great Pompey.

perfect: I made a little fault in, great. Cost. 'Tis not so much worth; but, I hope, I was Biron. My hat to a halfpenny, Pompey proves

best worthy.

the

Enter NATHANIEL arm'd, for Alexander. Nath. When in the world I liv'd, I was the world's commander; [ing might: By east, west, north, and south, I spread my conquer. My 'scutcheon plain declares, that I am Alisander. Boyet. Your nose says, no, you are not; for it stands too right. [smelling knight. Biron. Your nose smells, no, in this, most tender Prin. The conqueror is dismay'd Proceed, good Alexander. [commander;

[sander.