Moth. If she be made of white and red,

106

Her faults will ne'er be known,
For blushing cheeks by faults are bred
And fears by pale white shown.
Then if she fear, or be to blame,

By this you shall not know.
For still her cheeks possess the same 110
Which native she doth owe.
A dangerous rhyme, master, against the reason
of white and red.

Arm. Is there not a ballad, boy, of the King and the Beggar ?

116

Moth. The world was very guilty of such a ballad some three ages since, but I think now 't is not to be found; or, if it were, it would neither serve for the writing nor the tune.

Arm. I will have that subject newly writ o'er, that I may example my digression by [120 some mighty precedent. Boy, I do love that country girl that I took in the park with the rational hind Costard. She deserves well.

Moth. [Aside.] To be whipp'd; and yet a [125 better love than my master.

Arm. Sing, boy; my spirit grows heavy in love. Moth. And that's great marvel, loving a light wench.

Arm. I say, sing.

130

Moth. Forbear till this company be past. Enter Clown [COSTARD], Constable [DULL], and Wench [JAQUENETTA].

Dull. Sir, the Duke's pleasure is, that you keep Costard safe; and you must suffer him to take no delight nor no penance, but 'a must fast three days a week. For this damsel, I must [155 keep her at the park; she is allow'd for the daywoman. Fare you well.

Arm. I do betray myself with blushing. Maid!

Jaq. Man?

Arm. I will visit thee at the lodge. Jaq. That's hereby.

Arm. I know where it is situate.

Jaq. Lord, how wise you are!

Arm. I will tell thee wonders.

Jaq. With that face?

Arm. I love thee.

140

145

150

[Exeunt Dull and Jaquenetta]. Arm. Villain, thou shalt fast for thy offences ere thou be pardoned.

Cost. Well, sir, I hope when I do it I shall do it on a full stomach.

155

Arm. Thou shalt be heavily punished. Cost. I am more bound to you than your fellows, for they are but lightly rewarded.

Arm. Take away this villain; shut him up. Moth. Come, you transgressing slave; away! Cost. Let me not be pent up, sir! I will fast, being loose.

160

Moth. What shall some see?

Cost. Nay, nothing, Master Moth, but what they look upon. It is not for prisoners to be too silent in their words; and therefore I will say nothing. I thank God I have as little patience as another man, and therefore I can be quiet. [171 [Exeunt Moth and Costard].

Arm. I do affect the very ground, which is base, where her shoe, which is baser, guided by her foot, which is basest, doth tread. I shall be forsworn, which is a great argument of falsehood, if I love. And how can that be true [17 love which is falsely attempted? Love is a familiar; Love is a devil; there is no evil angel but Love. Yet was Samson so tempted, and he had an excellent strength; yet was Solomon so seduced, and he had a very good wit. [180 Cupid's butt-shaft is too hard for Hercules' club; and therefore too much odds for a Spaniard's rapier. The first and second cause will not serve my turn; the passado he respects not, the duello he regards not: his disgrace is to [185 be called boy; but his glory is to subdue men. Adieu, valour! rust, rapier! be still, drum ! for your manager is in love; yea, he loveth. Assist me, some extemporal god of rhyme, for I am sure I shall turn sonnet. Devise, wit! write, [190 pen! for I am for whole volumes in folio. [Exit.

ACT II

[SCENE I. The same.]

Enter the PRINCESS OF FRANCE, with three at-
tending LADIES, and three LORDS.
Boyet. Now, madam, summon up your dear-
est spirits;

Consider who the King your father sends,
To whom he sends, and what 's his embassy:
Yourself, held precious in the world's esteem,
To parley with the sole inheritor

Of all perfections that a man may owe,
Matchless Navarre; the plea of no less weight
Than Aquitaine, a dowry for a queen.
Be now as prodigal of all dear grace
As Nature was in making graces dear,
When she did starve the general world beside
And prodigally gave them all to you.

Needs not the painted flourish of your praise.
Beauty is bought by judgement of the eye,
Not utt'red by base sale of chapmen's tongues.
I am less proud to hear you tell my worth
Than you much willing to be counted wise
In spending your wit in the praise of mine.
But now to task the tasker: good Boyet,
You are not ignorant, all-telling fame
Doth noise abroad, Navarre hath made a vow,
Till painful study shall outwear three years,
No woman may approach his silent court;
Therefore to 's seemeth it a needful course,
Before we enter his forbidden gates,
To know his pleasure; and in that behalf,
Bold of your worthiness, we single you
As our best-moving fair solicitor.

26

Tell him, the daughter of the King of France, 30

[Ros.] Another of these students at that time

70

Was there with him, if I have heard a truth. es
Biron they call him; but a merrier man,
Within the limit of becoming mirth,
I never spent an hour's talk withal.
His eye begets occasion for his wit,
For every object that the one doth catch
The other turns to a mirth-moving jest,
Which his fair tongue, conceit's expositor,
Delivers in such apt and gracious words
That aged ears play truant at his tales,
And younger hearings are quite ravished;
So sweet and voluble is his discourse.

75

Prin. God bless my ladies! Are they all in love,

That every one her own hath garnished With such bedecking ornaments of praise? [1.] Lord. Here comes Boyet.

The payment of a hundred thousand crowns; Being but the one hat of an entire sum

Disbursed by my father in his wars.
But say that he or we, as neither have,
Receiv'd that sum, yet there remains unpaid
A hundred thousand more; in surety of the
which

One part of Aquitaine is bound to us,

Although not valued to the money's worth.
If then the King your father will restore
But that one half which is unsatisfied,
We will give up our right in Aquitaine,
And hold fair friendship with his majesty.
But that, it seems, he little purposeth,
For here he doth demand to have repaid

135

140

A hundred thousand crowns; and not demands,
On payment of a hundred thousand crowns, 145
To have his title live in Aquitaine ;
Which we much rather had depart withal
And have the money by our father lent
Than Aquitaine, so gelded as it is.

150

Dear Princess, were not his request so far From reason's yielding, your fair self should

Dum. A gallant lady. Monsieur, fare you well. [Exit.] Long. I beseech you a word. What is she in the white?

Boyet. A woman sometimes, an you saw her in the light.

Long. Perchance light in the light. I desire her name.

Boyet. She hath but one for herself; to desire that were a shame.

Long. Pray you, sir, whose daughter?
Boyet. Her mother's, I have heard.
Long. God's blessing on your beard!
Boyet. Good sir, be not offended.
She is an heir of Falconbridge.
Long. Nay, my choler i ended.
She is a most sweet lady.

Boyet. Not unlike, sir; that may be.

200

205

Bir. What's her name in the eap?
Boyet. [Rosaline,] by good hap
Bir. Is she wedded or no?

210

161

We arrest your word.

Boyet, you can produce acquittances
For such a sum from special officers
Of Charles his father.

King.

Satisfy me so.

Boyet. So please your grace, the packet is not

come

Where that and other specialties are bound. 185 To-morrow you shall have a sight of them.

170

King. It shall suffice me; at which interview All liberal reason I will yield unto. Meantime receive such welcome at my hand As honour without breach of honour may Make tender of to thy true worthiness. You may not come, fair Princess, in my gates; But here without you shall be so receiv'd As you shall deem yourself lodg'd in my heart, Though so deni'd fair harbour in my house. 175 Your own good thoughts excuse me, and farewell.

To-morrow shall we visit you again.

Prin. Sweet health and fair desires consort your Grace!

King. Thy own wish wish I thee in every place!

Boyet. To her will, sir, or so.
Bir. You are welcome, sir adieu.
Boyet. Farewell to me, sir, and welcome to
[Exit Biron.

you.

Mar. That last is Biron, the merry mad-cap

lord.

215

Not a word with him but a jest.
Boyet.
And every jest but a word.
Prin. It was well done of you to take him at
his word.

Boyet. I was as willing to grapple as he was

My lips are no common, though several they be.
Boyet. Belonging to whom?

Kath.
To my fortunes and me.
Prin. Good wits will be jangling; but, gen-

tles, agree.

225

This civil war of wits were much better used On Navarre and his book-men; for here 't is

abused.

Boyet. If my observation, which very seldom lies,

By the heart's still rhetoric disclosed with

eyes,

Deceive me not now, Navarre is infected.

230

nose, as if you snuff'd up love by smelling love;
with your hat penthouse-like o'er the shop of
your eyes with your arms crossed on your thin-
belly doublet like a rabbit on a spit; or your
hands in your pocket like a man after the [20
old painting; and keep not too long in one tune,
but a snip and away. These are complements,
these are humours; these betray nice wenches,
that would be betrayed without these; and
make them men of note- do you note ? -
[25
men that most are affected to these.
Arm. How hast thou purchased this experi-
ence ?

Moth. By my penny of observation.
Arm. But O, but 0,

Moth. The hobby-horse is forgot."

Arm. Callest thou my love "hobby-horse "? Moth. No, master; the hobby-horse is but a colt, and your love perhaps a hackney. But have you forgot your love?

Arm. Almost I had.

35

The fox, the ape, and the humble-bee, Were still at odds, being but three. 26 There's the moral. Now the l'envoy. Moth. I will add the l'envoy. Say the moral again. Arm. The fox, the ape, and the humble-bee, 90 Were still at odds, being but three. Moth. Until the goose came out of door,

And stay'd the odds by adding four. Now will I begin your moral, and do you follow with my l'envoy.

95

Cost. O, marry me to one Frances! I smell some l'envoy, some goose, in this.

Arm. By my sweet soul, I mean setting thee at liberty, enfreedoming thy person. Thou wert immured, restrained, captivated, [125 bound.

Cost. True, true; and now you will be my purgation and let me loose.

Arm. I give thee thy liberty, set thee from durance; and, in lieu thereof, impose on thee nothing but this: bear this significant [130 [giving a letter] to the country maid Jaquenetta. There is remuneration; for the best ward of mine honour is rewarding my dependents. Moth, follow. [Exit.] [Exit. 185

Moth. Like the sequel, I. Signior Costard,

adieu.

Cost. My sweet ounce of man's flesh! my incony Jew!

Now will I look to his remuneration. Remuneration! O, that's the Latin word for three farthings: three farthings- remuneration.

149

Cost. Marry, sir, halfpenny farthing, Bir. Why, then, three-farthing worth of silk. Cost. I thank your worship; God be wi' you! Bir. Stay, slave; I must employ thee. As thou wilt win my favour, good my knave, Do one thing for me that I shall entreat.

Cost. When would you have it done, sir? 155 Bir. This afternoon.

Cost. Well, I will do it, sir; fare you well. Bir. Thou knowest not what it is.

Cost. I shall know, şir, when I have done it. Bir. Why, villain, thou must know first. 160 Cost. I will come to your worship to-morrow morning.

Bir. It must be done this afternoon. Hark, slave, it is but this:

The Princess comes to hunt here in the park, 165
And in her train there is a gentle lady.
When tongues speak sweetly, then they name

her name,