ACT II. SCENE I.

Before the King of Navarre's palace.

Enter the Princefs of France, Rofaline, Maria, Catharine, Boyet, Lords, and other attendants.

YOW, Madam, fummon up your dearest

Boyet. N

fpirits;

Confider, whom the King your father fends;
To whom he fends, and what's his embassy.
Yourself, held precious in the world's esteem,
To parley with the fole inheritor

Of all perfections that a man may owe,
Matchlefs Navarre; the plea, of no less weight
Than Aquitain, 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 befide,
And prodigally gave them all to you.

Prin. Good Lord Boyet, my beauty, though but

mean,

Needs not the painted flourish of your praife;
Beauty is bought by judgment of the eye,
Not utter'd by bafe fale of chapmens tongues.
I am lefs proud to hear you tell my worth,
Than you much willing to be counted wife,
In fpending thus your wit in praise of mine.
But now, to task the tasker; good Boyet,
You are not ignorant, all-telling fame
Doth noife abroad, Navarre hath made a vow,
Till painful fudy fhall out-wear three years,
No woman may approach his filent court;
Therefore to us feems it a needful courfe,
Before we enter his forbidden gates,
To know his pleafure; and in that behalf,
Bold of your worthinefs, we fingle you
As our belt-moving fair folicitor.

Tell him the daughter of the King of France,
On fericus bufinefs, craving quick difpatch,
Importunes perfonal conference with his Grace.
Halte, fignify fo much, while we attend,

U 2

Like

Like humble-vifag'd fuitors, his high will.

Boyet. Proud of employment, willingly I go, [Exi Prin. All pride is willing pride, and your's is fo. Who are the votaries, my loving Lords,

That are vow-fellows with this virtuous King?
Lord. Longaville is one.

Prin. Know ye the man?

Mar. I knew him, Madam, at a marriage-feast, Between Lord Perigort and the beauteous heir Of Jaques Faulconbridge folemnized. In Normandy faw I this Longaville, A man of fovereign parts he is esteem'd ; Well fitted in the arts, glorious in arms, Nothing becomes him ill, that he would well. The only foil of his fair virtue's glofs, (If virtue's glofs will stain with any foil), Is a fharp wit, match'd with too blunt a will; Whofe edge hath power to cut, whofe will ftill wills It should spare none that come within his

power.

Prin. Some merry mocking Lord, belike; is't fo? Mar. They fay fo moft, that moft his humours know. Prin. Such fhort-liv'd wits do wither as they grow. Who are the reft?

Cath. The young Dumain, a well-accomplish'd youth, Of all that virtue love, for virtue lov'd.

Moft power to do most harm, least knowing ill;
For he hath wit to make an ill fhape good,
And shape to win grace, though he had no wit.
I faw him at the Duke Alanfon's once,

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And much too little of that good I faw,

Is my report of his great worthinefs.

Rof. Another of these students at that time

Was there with him, as I have heard a truth
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 occafion for his wit;
For every object that the one doth catch,
The other turns to a mirth-moving jeft;
Which his fair tongue (conceit's expofitor)
Delivers in fuch apt and gracious words,
That aged cars play truant at his tales;

And,

And younger hearings are quite ravifhed;

So fweet and voluble is his difcourfe.

Prin. God bless my ladies, are they all in love,
That every one her own hath garnished

With fuch bedecking ornaments of praise!
Mar. Here comes Boyet.

Enter Boyet.

Prin. Now what admittance, Lord?

Boyet. Navarre had notice of your fair approach; And he and his competitors in oath

Were all addrefs'd to meet you, gentle Lady,
Before I came. Marry, thus much I've learn'd,
He rather means to lodge you in the field,
Like one that comes here to befiege his court,
Than feek a difpenfation for his oath,

To let you enter his unpeopled house.
Here comes Navarre.

Enter the King, Longaville, Dumain, Biron, and attendants.

King. Fair Princefs, welcome to the court of Navarre. Prin. Fair I give you back again; and welcome I have not yet: the roof of this court is too high to be your's; and welcome to the wide fields, too base to

be mine.

King. You fhall be welcome, Madam, to my court. Prin. I will be welcome then; conduct me thither. King. Hear me, dear Lady, I have fworn an oath. Prin. Our Lady help my Lord! he'll be forfworn. King. Not for the world, fair Madam, by my will. Prin. Why, will fhall break its will, and nothing else. King. Your Ladyfhip is ignorant what it is.

Prin. Were my Lord fo, his ignorance were wife,
Where now his knowledge muft prove ignorance.
I hear your Grace hath fworn out houfe-keeping:
'Tis deadly fin to keep that oath, my Lord;
Not fin to break it.-

But pardon me, I am too fudden bold;
To teach a teacher ill befeemeth me.

Vouchsafe

Vouchfafe to read the purpose of my coming,
And fuddenly refolve me in my fuit.

King, Madam, I will, if fuddenly I may.

Prin. You will the fooner, that I were away; For you'll prove perjur'd, if you make me stay, Biron. Did not I dance with you in Brabant once? Rof. Did not I dance with you in Brabant once? Biron. I know you did.

Rof. How needlefs was it then to ask the question ? Biron. You must not be fo quick.

Ref. 'Tis long of you, that fpur me with fuch queftions.

Biron. Your wit's too hot, it fpeeds too fast, 'twill tire. Rof. Not till it leave the rider in the mire.

Biron. What time o' day?

Rof. The hour that fools fhould ask.
Biron. Now fair befal your mask !
Rof. Fair fall the face it covers!
Biron. And fend you many lovers!
Ros. Amen, so you be none !

Biron. Nay, then will I be gone.

King. Madam, your father here doth intimate
The payment of a hundred thousand crowns;
Being but th' one half of an entire fum,
Disbursed by my father in his wars.

But fay, that he, or we, as neither have
Receiv'd that fum; yet there remains unpaid
A hundred thoufand more; in furety of the which,
One part of Aquitain is bound to us,

Although not valu'd to the money's worth:
If then the King your father will restore
But that one half which is unfatisfy'd,
We will give up our right in Aquitain,
And hold fair friendfhip with his Majefty.
But that it feems he little purpofeth,
For here he doth demand to have repaid
An hundred thoufand crowns, and not demands,
On payment of an hundred thousand crowns,
To have his title live in Aquitain;

Which we much rather had depart withal,
And have the money by our father lent,
Than Aquitain fo gelded as it is.

Dear

Dear Princefs, were not his requests fo far
From reafon's yielding, your fair felf fhould make
A yielding 'gainst fome reafon in my breaft;

And go well fatisfied to France again.

Prin. You do the King my father too much wrong, And wrong the reputation of your name,

In fo unfeeming to confefs receipt

Of that which hath fo faithfully been paid.
King. I do proteft I never heard of it;
And if
you prove it, I'll repay it back,

Or yield up Aquitain.

Prin. We arreft your word.

Boyet, you can produce acquittances
For fuch a fum, 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: To-morrow you shall have a fight of them.

King. It fhall fuffice me; at which interview,
All liberal reafon I will yield unto :

Mean time receive fuch welcome at my hand,
As honour without breach of honour may
Make tender of, to thy true worthiness.
You may not come, fair Princefs, in my gates;
But here, without, you shall be so receiv'd,
As you fhall deem yourfelf lodg'd in my heart,
Though fo deny'd fair harbour in my house:
Your own good thoughts excufe me, and farewel;
To-morrow we fhall vifit you again. [Grace!
Prin. Sweet health and fair defires confort your
King. Thy own with with I thee in every place.

[Exit. Biron. Lady, I will commend you to my own heart. Rof. I pray you, do my commendations;

I would be glad to fee it.

Biron. I would you heard it grone 奖。