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,
Cried, Via! we will do't, come what will come :
The third be 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 Moscovites, 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
Despite 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 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

their's:

They 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 he 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 their's our's, and our's 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. Moth. A holy parcel of the fairest dames, [The ladies turn their backs to him. ever turn'd their-backs-to mortal views! Biron. Their eyes, villain, their eyes. Moth. That ever turned their eyes to mor

That

tal 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 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 vistation. 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 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.
Biron. Tell her, we measure them by weary
steps.

Boyet. She bears 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 show 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 sbine

(Those clouds remov'd,) upon our wat'ry 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 [Music plays. Not yet ;-no dance :-thus change I like the

soon.

moon.

King. Will you not dance? How come you thus estrang'd?

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

King. Yet still she is the moon, and I the man The music 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 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

company

There's half a dozen sweets.

Prin. Seventh sweet, adieu !

No point quoth I; and my servant straight was mute.

Kath. Lord Longaville said, I came o'er his heart;

And trow you, what he call'd me↑
Prin. Qualm, perhaps.

Kath. Yes, in good faith.

Prin. Go, sickness as thou art!

Ros. Well, better wits have worn plain statute-caps. +

Biron. One word in secret.

Prin. Let it not be sweet.

Biron. Thou griev'st my gall. Prin. Gall? bitter.

Biron. Therefore meet.

{They converse apart.

Dum. Will you vouchsafe with me to change

a word?

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.

[They converse apart. Kath. What was your visor made without a tongue ?

Long. I know the reason, lady, why you ask. Kath. Ob 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:

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 hen, the butcher bears 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.

Ros. Not one word more, my maids; break off, break off.

Biron. By heaven, all dry-beaten with pure scoff.

King. Farewell, mad wenches; you have simple wits.

[Exeunt KING, Lords, MоTH, Music and Attendants.

Prin. Twenty adieus, my frozen Muscovites. Are these the breed of wits so wonder'd at? Boyet. Tapers they are, with your sweet breaths puff'd out.

Ros. Well-liking wits they have; gross, gross, fat, fat.

Prin. O poverty in wit, kingly-poor flout!

Falsify dice, lie.

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 the summer air, Prin. How blow? how blow ? speak to be un derstood.

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

Dismask'd, their damask sweet conmixture shown,

Are angels veiling 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 ad. vis'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 penu'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 PRIN. ROS. KATH. and MARIA. Enter the KING, BIRON, LONGAVILLE, and DUMAIN, in their proper habits.

King. Fair Sir, God save you! Where is the princess?

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
pease;

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 when 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 show his teeth as white as whales' bone: +
And consciences, that will not die in debt,
Pay him the due of honey-tongued Boyet.

King. A blister on his sweet tongue, with my beart,

That put Armado's page out of his part!
Enter the PRINCESS, ushered by BOYET: ROSA-
LINE, MARIA, KATHARINE, and Attendants.
Biron. See where it comes !-Behaviour,
what wert thou,

Till this man show'd thee? and what art then now?

King. All hail, sweet madam, and fair time of day!

King. Fair, in all hail, is foul, as I conceive. King. Construe my speeches better, if you

To lead you to our court: vouchsafe it then.

Prin. This field snall hold me: and so hold your vow;

Nor God, nor I, delight in perjur❜d men. 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-canse 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 stay'd 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

Ros. But that you take what doth to you be long,

It were a fault to snatch words from my tongue. Biron. Oh! I am your's, and all that I pos

sess.

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 hid the worse, and show'd the better face. King. We are descried: they mock us now

downright.

Dum. Let us confess, and turn it to a jest. Prin. Amaz'd, my lord? why looks your highness sad?

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

Sea-sick, I think, coming from Muscovy. Biron. Thus pour the stars down plagues for perjury.

Can any face of brass hold longer out?Here stand I, lady; dart thy skill at me ;

Bruise me with scorn, confound me with a flout :

Thrust thy sharp wit quite through my igno

rance;

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

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

Not 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 bere protest,
By this white glove, (how white the hand,
God 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 plegue, and caught it of your
eyes:

These lords are visited; you are not free,
For the Lord's tokens on you do I see.

Prin. No, they are free, that gave these tokens to us.

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

King. Teach us, sweet madam, for our rude transgression

Some fair excuse.

Prin. The fairest is confession.

Were you not here, but even now disguis'd?
King. Madam, I was.

Prin. And were you well advis'd ?

King. I was, fair madam.

Prin. When you then were here,

What did you whisper in your lady's ear?

King. That more than all the world I did respect her.

• Mistress

Prin. When she shall challenge this, you will reject her.

King. Upon mine honour, no. Prin. Peace, peace, forbear ;. Your oath once broke, you force not to for

swear.

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 valne 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.

King. What mean you, madam? by my life, my troth,

I never swore this lady such an oath.

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 show 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.

Cost. We will turn it finely off, Sir; we will take some care. [Exit COSTARD. King. Birón, they will shame us, let them not approach.

Biron. We are shame-proof, my lord: and 'tis some policy

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 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 see the trick on't ;-Here was a consent, +
(Knowing aforehand of our merriment,)
To dash it like a Christmas comedy:
Some carry-tale, some please-man, some slight
zany, t

Some numble-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
shrowd.

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

company. King. I say they shall not come.

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.

Arm. Anointed, I implore so much expense of thy 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 schoolmaster is ex ceeding 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 Maccabæus.

And if these four worthies in their first show thrive,

These four will change habits, and present the

or

again,

Cost. Not so, Sir; under correction, Sir; I hope, it is not so:

You cannot beg us, Sir, I can assure you, Sir; we know what we know:

I hope, Sir, three times thrice, Sir,

Biron. Is not nine.

Cost. Under correction, Sir, we know whereuntil it doth amount.

Make no difficulty.

1 Buttoon.

Cannot prick out five such, take each one in

+ Conspiracy. Rule.