Enter the King, Biron, LONGAVILLE, and Du

MAIN, disguised like Muscovites; Moth with musick,

&c.

320

Moth. All hail, 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, vouch-

safe Not to beholder

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.

330 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.

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.

340 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 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, 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.

350 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 you;
Our duty is so rich, so infinite,
That we may do it still without accompt.
Vouchsafe to shew the sunshine of your face,
That we, like savages, may worship it.

360 Res;

soon.

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 moon-shine 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, musick, then : Nay, you must do

369 Not yet ;-no dance :thus change I like the moon. King. Will you not dance? How come you thus

estrang'd ? Ros. You took the moon at full; but now she's

chang'a.
King. Yet still she is the moon, and I the man.
The musick plays; vouchsafe some motion to it.

Ros. Our ears vouchsafe it.
King. But your legs should do 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 you hands then? Ros. Only to part friends :

380 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, yourselves then; What buys your
company/
H

Ros.

Ros. Your absence only.
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.

390 King. I am best pleas'd with that. 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,

Prin. Seventh sweet, adieu !
Since you can cog, I'll play no more with you.

Biron. One word in secret.
Prin. Let it not be sweet.

400
Biron. Thou griev'st my gall.
Prin. Gall? bitter.
Biron. Therefore meet.
Dum. Will you vouchsafe with me to change a

words Mar. Name it. Dum. Fair lady,

Mar. Say you so ? Fair lord,
Take that for your fair lady.

Dum. Please it you,
As much in private, and I'll bid adieu.

410 3

Kath.

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

calf ?
Long. A calf, fair lady?
Kath. No, a fair lord calf.
Long. Let's part the word.
Kath. No, I'll not be your half:

420 Take all, and wean it; it may prove an ox. Long. Look, how you butt yourself in these sharp

mocks! Will you give horns, chaste lady? do not so.

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. 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

430 Seemeth their conference ; their conceits have wings, Fleeter than arrows, bullets, wind, thought, swifter things.

Rose

Hij