L

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 here 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!- 590
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 plague, and caught it of your eyes:
These lords are visited; you are not free,

For the Lord's tokens on you do I see.

600

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 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 trans.

gression

Some 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?

610

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;

620

Your oath broke once, you force 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.

630

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 Biron, I thank him, is my dear :ï What; will you have me, or your pearl again? 639 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, 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 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. 650
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 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,
Wounds like a leaden sword.

661

Boyet. 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.

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 very fine,

For every one pursents three.

Biron. And three times thrice is nine.

670

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?

681

Cost. O Lord, sir, the parties themselves, the actors, sir, will shew whereuntil it doth amount: for my 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 ?

1

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.

691

Biron. Go, bid them prepare.

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

some care.

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

proach.

[Exit COSTARD.

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

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

pany.

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 700
Dies in the zeal of that which it presents,
There 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 expence of thy royal sweet breath as will utter a brace of words.

[Converses apart with the King.

Prin. Doth this man serve God?

Biron. Why ask you ?

Prin. He speaks not like a man of God's making.

Arm.