Action and accent did they teach him there ;
• Thus must thou speak, and thus thy body bear :'
And ever and anon they made a doubt,
Presence majestical would put him out;
• For,' quoth the king, 'an angel shalt thou see;
Yet fear not thou, but speak audaciously.'
The boy replied, ' An angel is not evil :
I should have fear'd her, had she been a devil.'
With that all laugh'd, and clapp'd him on the

shoulder,
Making the bold wag by their praises bolder.
One rubb’d his elbow, thus; and fleer'd, and swore,
A better speech was never spoke before :
Another, with his finger and his thumb,
Cried, · Via! we will do 't, come what will come :'
The third he caper'd, and cried, “ All goes well :'
The fourth turn'd on the toe, and down he fell.
With that, they all did.tumble on the ground,
With such a zealous laughter, so profound,
That in this spleen ridiculous 1 appears,
To check their folly, passion's solemn tears.

Prin. But what, but what, come they to visit us?

Boy. They do, they do; and are apparel'd thus,Like Muscovites, or Russians : as I Their purpose is, to parle, to court, and dance : And every one his love-feat will advance Unto his several mistress, which they 'll know By favors several, which they did bestow.

guess,

1 This ridiculous fit of laughter.

Prin. And will they so ? the gallants shall be

task'd :For, ladies, we will every one be mask'd ; And not a man of them shall have the grace, Despite of suit, to see a lady's face.Hold, Rosaline, this favor thou shalt wear; And then the king will court thee for his dear : Hold, take thou this, my sweet, and give me thine ; So shall Biron take me for Rosaline.And change you favors too; so shall your

loves Woo contrary, deceived by these removes. Ros. Come on then; wear the favors most in

sight.
Kath. But, in this changing, what is your

intent?
Prin. The effect of my intent is, to cross theirs :
They do it but in mocking merriment;
And mock for mock is only my intent.
Their several counsels they unbosom shall
To loves mistook; and so be mock'd withal,
Upon the next occasion that we meet,
With visages display'd, to talk and greet.

Ros. But shall we dance if they desire us to 't? Prin. No; to the death, we will not move

foot; Nor to their penn'd speech render we no grace; But, while ’tis spoke, each turn away her face. Boy. Why, that contempt will kill the speaker's

heart, And quite divorce his memory from his part.

Prin. Therefore I do it; and I make no doubt, The rest will ne'er come in, if he be out.

a

There's no such sport, as sport by sport o'erthrown;
To make theirs ours, and ours none but our own:
So shall we stay, mocking intended game;
And they, well mock'd, depart away with shame.

[trumpets sound within. Boy. The trumpet sounds: be mask'd; the maskers come.

(the ladies mask.

Enter the KING, BIRON, LONGAVILLE, and DUMAIN, in

Russian habits, and masked ; MOTA, Musicians, and Attendants.

Moth. ‘All hail, the richest beauties on the

earth!' Boy. Beauties no richer than rich taffeta. 1 Moth. ‘A holy parcel of the fairest dames,

[the ladies turn their backs to him. That ever turn’d their—backs—to mortal views!'

Bir. “Their eyes,' villain, ‘their eyes.'
Moth. “That ever turn'd their eyes to mortal

views! Out'

Boy. True; 'out,' indeed.
Moth. •Out of your favors, heavenly spirits,

vouchsafe Not to behold'

Bir. “Once to behold,' rogue.

1 The taffeta inasks which they wore to conceal them. selves.