Now, by my maiden honour, yet as pure A world of torments though I should endure, 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 28), 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 drink. Biron. This jest is dry to me.-Fair, gentle sweet, Your wit makes wise things foolish; when we greet With eyes best seeing heaven's fiery eye, By light we lose light: Your capacity Is of that nature, that to your huge store Wise things seem foolish, and rich things but poor. Ros. This proves you wise and rich; for in my eye,Biron. I am a fool, and full of poverty. Ros. But that you take what doth to you belong, It were a fault to snatch words from my tongue. Biron. O, I am yours, and all that I possess. Ros. All the fool mine? Biron. I cannot give you less. 28 After the fashion of the times. 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'll mock us now downright. Dum. Let us confess, and turn it to a jest. Ros. Help, hold his brows! he'll swoon! Why 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 ignorance; Cut me to pieces with thy keen conceit; And I will wish thee never more to dance, Nor never more in Russian habit wait. O! never will I trust to speeches penn'd, Nor to the motion of a schoolboy's tongue; Nor never come in visor to my friend 29; Nor woo in rhyme like a blind harper's song; Taffata phrases, silken terms precise, Three-pil'd 30 hyperboles, spruce affectation, Figures pedantical; these summer-flies Have blown me full of maggot ostentation: I do forswear them, and I here protest, By this white glove, (how white the hand, God Henceforth my wooing mind shall be express'd 29 Mistress. 30 A metaphor from the pile of velvet. And, to begin, wench,—so God help me, la !— Biron. Yet I have a trick Of the old rage:-bear with me, I am sick; They have the plague, and caught it of your eyes: 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 33 ? Biron. Peace; for I will not have to do with you. Ros. Nor shall not, if I do as I intend. Biron. Speak for yourselves, my wit is at an end. King. Teach us, sweet madam, for our rude transgression Some fair excuse. Prin. Were you The fairest is confession. not here, but even now, disguis'd? King. Madam, I was. Prin. And were you well advis'd? When you then were here, King. I was, fair madam. Prin. What did you whisper in your lady's ear? 31 i. e. without French words, I pray you. 32 This was the inscription put upon the doors of houses infected with the plague. The tokens of the plague were the first spots or discolorations of the skin. 33 That is, how can those be liable to forfeiture that begin the process? The quibble lies in the ambiguity of the word sue, which signifies to proceed to law, and to petition. King. That more than all the world I did respect her. 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 34 not to forswear. 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 value 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. Ros. By heaven, you did; and to confirm it plain, 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 Birón, 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 35, (Knowing aforehand of our merriment), To dash it like a Christmas comedy: Some carry-tale, some please-man,some slight zany36, 34 i. e. you care not, or do not regard forswearing. 35 An agreement, a conspiracy. See As You Like It, Act ii. Sc. 2. 36 Buffoon. Some mumble-news, some trencher-knight, some Dick, - That smiles his cheek in jeers 37; and knows the trick [To BOYET. You put our page out: Go, you are allow'd 40; Wounds like a leaden sword. Boyet. Full merrily Hath this brave manage, this career, been run. Biron. Lo, he is tilting straight! Peace; I have done. Enter COSTARD. Welcome, pure wit! thou partest a fair fray. 37 The old copies read yeeres, the emendation is Theobald's. 38 i. e. first in will, and afterwards in error. 39 From esquierre, Fr. rule, or square. The sense is similar to the proverbial saying he has got the length of her foot. 40 That is, you are an allowed or a licensed fool or jester. |