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:

460

Some 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 disposed,
Told our intents before; which once disclosed,
The ladies did change favors; 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

470

[To Boyet. Forestall our sport, to make us thus untrue? 'Do not you know my lady's foot by the squier, 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 480

Full merrily

Wounds like a leaden sword.

Boyet.

Hath this brave manage, this career, been run. Biron. Lo, he is tilting straight! Peace! I have done.

Enter Costard.

Welcome, pure wit! thou part'st 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.

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.

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?

490

490. In the old common law was a writ de idiota inquirendo, under which, if a man was legally proved an idiot, the profits of his lands and the custody of his person might be granted by the king to any subject. Such a person, when this grant was asked, was said to be begged for a fool. One of the legal tests appears to have been, to try whether the party could answer a simple arithmetical question. -H. N. H.

Cost. O Lord, sir, the parties themselves, the 500

actors, sir, will show whereuntil it doth
amount: for mine own part, I am, as they
say, but to parfect one man in 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.

510

Cost. We will turn it finely off, sir; we will take

some care.

[Exit. King. Biron, they will shame us: let them not ap

proach.

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

To have one show worse than the king's and his company.

King. I say they shall not come.

Prin. Nay, my good lord, let me o'errule you now: That sport best pleases that doth least know how:

Where zeal strives to content, and the contents
Dies in the zeal of that which it presents: 519
Their form confounded makes most form in
mirth,

When great things laboring 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.

[Converses apart 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 is all one, my fair, sweet honey 530
monarch; for, I protest, the schoolmaster is
exceeding fantastical; too too vain, too too
vain: but we will put it, as they say, to for-
tuna de la guerra. I wish you the peace of
mind, most royal couplement!
[Exit.
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, Hercu-
les; the pedant, Judas Maccabæus:

540

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 deceived; 'tis not so.

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

Abate throw at novum, and the whole world again

546. "Throw at novum"; a game at dice, properly called novem quinque, from the principal throws being nine and five. Abate obviously means, leave out or except.-H. N. H.

Cannot pick out five such, take each one in his vein.

King. The ship is under sail, and here she comes amain.

Enter Costard, for Pompey.

Cost. I Pompey am,

Boyet.

You lie, you are not he.

With libbard's head on knee. 550

Cost. I Pompey am,

Boyet.

Biron. Well said, old mocker: I must needs be

friends with thee.

Cost. I Pompey am, Pompey surnamed the Big,— Dum. The Great.

Cost. It is, 'Great,' sir:

Pompey surnamed the Great; That oft in field, with targe and shield, did make my foe to sweat:

And traveling along this coast, I here am come by chance,

And lay my arms before the legs of this sweet
lass of France.

If your ladyship would say, 'Thanks, Pompey,'
I had done.

Prin. Great thanks, Great Pompey.

Cost. 'Tis not so much worth, but I hope I was 560 perfect: I made a little fault in 'Great.' Biron. My hat to a halfpenny, Pompey proves the best Worthy.

550. This alludes to the old heroic habits, which, on the knees and shoulders, had sometimes by way of ornament the resemblance of a leopard's or lion's head.-H. N. H.