We bend to that the working of the heart:
As I, for praise alone, now seek to spill
The poor deer's blood, that my heart means no ill.
Boyet. Do not curst wives hold that self-soves

reignty
Only for praise' sake, when they strive to be
Lords o'er their lords?

Prin. Only for praise : and praise we may afford To any lady that subdues a lord,

41

Enter CostARD,

** Prin. Here comes a member of the common:

wealth, Cost. God dig-you-den all! Pray you, which is the head lady?

Prin. Thou shalt know her, fellow, by the rest that have no heads.

Cost. Which is the greatest lady, the highest ?
Prin. The thickest, and the tallest.
Cos. The thickest, and the tallest ! it is so; truth
is truth.

49 An your waist' mistress, were as slender as my wit, One of these maid's girdles for your waist should be

fit. Are not you the chief woman ? you are the thickest

here,' Prin. What's your wilt, sir ? what's your will? Cost. I have a letter from monsieur Biron, to one lady Rosaline. 3

Prin.

ܪ

Break up

60

Prin. O, thy letter, thy letter; he's a good friend

of mine:
Stand aside, good bearer.-Boyet, you can carve ;

this capon.
Boyet. I am bound to serve.-
This letter is mistook, it importeth none here ;
It is writ to Jaquenetta.

Prin. We will read it, I swear :
Break the neck of the wax, and every one give ear,

Boyet reads. By heaven, that thou art fair, is most infallible; true, that thou art beauteous; truth itself, that thou art lovely: More fairer than fair, beautiful than beauteous, truer than truth itself, have commiseration on thy heroical vassal! The magnanimous and most illustrate king Cophetua. set eye upon the pernicious and indubitate beggar Zenelophon ; and he it was that might rightly say, veni, vidi, vici ; which to anatomize in the vulgar, (O base and obscure vulger!) videlicet, he came, saw, and overcame : He came, one ; saw, two; overcame, three.

Who came ? the king ; Why did he comes to see; Why did he see? to overcome : To whom came he? to the beggar ; What saw he ? the beggar; Whom overcame he ? the beggar : The conclusion is vice tory ; On whose side ? the king's : The captive is en. rich'd ; On whose side ? the beggar's: The catastrophe is a nuptial; On whose side ? the king's ?-no; on both in one, or one in both. I am the king ; for so stands the comparison : thou the beggar ; for so witnesseth thy lowliness. Shall I command thy love? I may: Shall I enforce thy love? I could : Shall I entreat thy love? I

will. What shalt thou exchange for rags ? robes; For tittles? titles : For thyself? me. Thus, expecting thy reply, I profane my lips on thy foot, my eyes on thy pic

my

heart on thy every part.
Thine, in the dearest design of industry,

DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO,

ture, and

Thus dost thou hear the Nemean lion roar

90 'Gainst thee, thou lamb, that standest as his prey; Submissive fall his princely feet before,

And he from forage will incline to play : But if thou strive, poor soul, what art thou theri? Food for his rage, repasture for his den. Prin. What plume of feathers is he, that indited

this letter? What vane? what weather-cock ? Did you ever hear

better? Boyet. I am much deceived, but I remember the

style. Prin. Else your memory' is bad, going o'er it ere

while. Boyet. This Armado is a Spaniard, that keeps here

in court ; A phantasm, a Monarcho ; and one that makes

sport To the prince, and his book-mates.

Prin. Thou, fellow, a word :
Who gave thee this letter?

Cost. I told you ; my lord.
Prin. To whom shouldst thou give it?

Costa

100

110

Cost. From my lord to my lady.
Prin. From which lord, to which lady?

Cost. From my lord Biron, a good master of mine,
To a lady of France, that he call'd Rosaline.
Prin. Thou hast mistaken his letter. Come, lords,

away, Here, sweet, put up this ; 'twill be thine another day.

[Exit Princess attended. Boyet. Who is the shooter? who is the shooter ? Ros. Shall I teach you to know? Boyet. Ay, my continent of beauty.

Ros. Why, she that bears the bow. Finely put off! Boyet. My lady goes to kill horns: but, if thou

marry, Hang me by the neck, if horns that year miscarry, Finely put on!

Ros. Well then, I am the shooter.
Boyet. And who is your deer?
Ros. If we chuse by horns, yourself; come not

120

near.

Finely put on, indeed!
Mar, You still wrangle with her, Boyet, and she

strikes at the brow, Boyet. But she herself is hit lower : Have I hit her

now? Ros. Shall I come upon thee with an old saying, that was a man when king Pepin of France was a little boy, as touching the hit it?

129 Boyet. So I may answer thee with one as old, that

was

was a woman when queen Guinever of Britain was a
little wench, as touching the hit it.
Ros. Thou can'st not hit it, hit it, hit it. [Singing

Thou can'st not hit it, my good man.
Boyet. An I cannot, cannot, cannot,
An I cannot, another can.

(Exeunt Ros. and Kat. Cost. By my troth, most pleasant ! how both did

fit it! Mar. A mark marvellous well shot; for they both

did hit it. Boyet. A mark! 0, mark but that mark; A mark,

says my lady! Let the mark have a prick in't, to mete at, if it may be.

140 Mar. Wide o' the bow hand! I'faith, your hand is

out. Cost. Indeed, 'a must shoot nearer, or he'll ne'er

hit the clout. Boyet. An if my hand be out, then, belike, your

hand is in. Cost. Then will she get the upshot by cleaving the

pin. Mar. Come, come, you talk greasily, your lips

grow foul.

Cost. She's too hard for you at pricks, Sir; chal

lenge her to bowl. Boyet. I fear too much rubbing : Good night, my good owl.

[ Exeunt all but CostaRD. Cos. By my soul, a swain! a most simple clown!

Lord,