Arm. Chirra!

Hol. Quare Chirra, not sirrah?
Arm. Men of peace, well encounter'd.
Hol. Most military, sir, salutation.

5

Moth. They have been at a great feast of languages, and stolen the scraps. [To Costard aside. Cost. O, they have liv'd long on the alms-basket of words! I marvel, thy master hath not eaten thee for a word; for thou art not so long by the head as honorificabilitudinitatibus: thou art easier swai-10 lowed than a flap-dragon'.

Moth. Peace, the peal begins.

Arm. Monsieur, are you not letter'd?

Moth. Yes, yes; he teaches boys the horn-book :| What is a, b, spelt backward, with a horn on his head?

Hol. Ba, pueritia, with a horn added.

Moth. Ba, most silly sheep, with a horn:-You hear his learning.

Hol. Quis, quis, thou consonant?

Moth. The third of the five vowels, if you repeat them; or the fifth, if I.

Hol. I will repeat them, a, e, i.——

Moth. The sheep: the other two concludes it ;[ o, u3.

Arm. Now, by the salt water of the Mediterranean, a sweet touch, a quick venew* of wit: snip, snap, quick and home; it rejoiceth my intellect:

true wit.

noon: the word is well cull'd, chose: sweet and apt, i do assure you, sir, I do assure.

Arm. Sir, the king is a noble gentleman; and my familiar, I do assure you, very good friend:-For what is inward between us, let it pass:-I do beseech thee, rememberthy courtesy;—I beseech thee, apparel thy head:-and among other importunate and most serious designs,—and of great import indeed, too;-but let that pass :-for I must tell thee, it will please his grace (by the world) sometime to lean upon my poor shoulder; and with his royal finger, thus, dally with my excrement, with my mustachio; but, sweet heart, let that pass. By the world, I recount no fable: some certain special honours it pleaseth his greatness to impart to Armado, a soldier, a man of travel, that hath seen the world: but let that pass.The very all of all is,-but, sweet heart, I do implore secresy,-that the king would have me present 20the princess, sweet chuck, with some delightful ostentation, or show, or pageant, or antick,or firework. Now understanding that the curate, and your sweet self, are good at such eruptions, and sudden breakings out of mirth, as it were, I have acquainted you withal, to the end to crave your assistance.

15

25

Moth. Offered by a child to an old man; which 30 is wit-old.

Hol. What is the figure? what is the figure?
Moth. Horns.

Hol. Thou disputest like an infant: go, whip thy gigg.

Moth. Lend me your horn to make one, and I will whip about your infamy circùm circà; Agigg of a cuckold's horn!

Hol. Sir, you shall present before her the nine worthies.--Sir Nathaniel, as concerning some entertainment of time, some show in the posterior of this day, to be render'd by our assistance,―atthe king's command; and this most gallant, illustrate, and learned gentleman,-before the princess; Isay, none so fit as to present the nine worthies,

Nath. Where will you find men worthy enough 35 to present them?

Cost. An I had but one penny in the world, thou shouldst have it to buy ginger-bread: hold, there is 40 the very remuneration I had of thy master, thou half-penny purse of wit, thou pigeon-egg of discretion. O, an the heavens were so pleased, that thou wert but my bastard! what a joy ful father wouldst thou make me? Go to; thou hast it ad dunghill, 45 at the fingers' ends, as they say.

Hol. Oh, I smell false Latin; dungill for un

quem.

Arm. Arts-man, præambula; we will be singled
from the barbarous. Do you not educate youth at 50
the charge-house on the top of the mountain?
Hol. Or, mons the hill.

Arm At your sweet pleasure, for the mountain
Hol. I do, sans question.

Arm. Sir, it is the king's most sweet pleasure and 55 affection, to congratulate the princess at her pavilion, in the posteriors of this day; which the rude multitude call the afternoon.

Hol. The posterior of the day, most generous

sir,

Hol. Joshua, yourself; myself, or this gallant gentleman, Judas Maccabæus; this swain, because of his great limb or joint, shall pass Pompey the great; the page, Hercules.

Arm. Pardon, sir, error; he is not quantity enough for that worthy's thumb: he is not so big as the end of his club.

Hol. Shall I have audience? he shall present Hercules in minority: his enter and exit shall be strangling a snake; and I will have an apology for that purpose.

Moth. An excellent device! so if any of the audience hiss, you may cry, Well done, Hercules! now thou crushest the snake! that is the way to make an offence gracious; though few have the grace to do it.

Arm. For the rest of the worthies?
Hol. I will play three myself."
Moth. Thrice-worthy gentleman!
Arm. Shall I tell you a thing?
Hol. We attend,

Arm. We will have, if this fadge' not, an antick.
I beseech you, follow.

Hol, Via, goodman Dull! thou hast spoken no is liable, congruent, and measurable for the after-160 word all this while.

3

That is, the very offal, or refuse of words. 2 A flap-dragon is a small inflammable substance, which topers swallow in a glass of wine. By o, u, Moth would mean--Oh, you-i. e. You are the sheep still, either way; no matter which of us repeats them. A renew is the technical term at the fencing-school for a bout. Mr. Steevens supposes the charge-house to mean the free-school. Meaning, his beard. That is, suit not. An Italian ex lamation, signifying Courage! come on!

5

6

Dull.

Before the Princess's Pavilion.
Enter Princess and Ladies.

[Exeunt.

[part,

Prin. Sweet hearts, we shall be rich ere we de-
If fairings come thus plentifully in:
A lady wall'd about with diamonds!-
Look you, what I have from the loving king.

Ros. Madam, came nothing else along with that?
Prin. Nothing but this? yea, as much love in
As would be cramm'dup in a sheet of paper [rhime,
Writ on both sides the leaf, margert and all;
That he was fain to seal on Cupid's name.

Ros. That was the way to make his god-head wax';
For he hath been five thousand years a boy.

Kath. Ay, and a shrewd unhappy gallows too.
Ros. You'll ne'er be friends, with him; he kill'd
your sister.

Kath. He made her melancholy, sad, and heavy;
And so she died; had she been light like you,
Of such a merry, nimble, stirring spirit,
She might have been a grandam ere she dy'd:
And so may you, for a light heart lives long.
Ros. What's your dark meaning, mouse, of this
light word?

Mar. This, and these pearls, to me sent LongaThe letter is too long by half a mile.

[so.

Prin. I think no less; Dost thou not wishin heart, 15 The chain were longer, and the letter short? [part. Mar. Ay, or I would these hands might never. Prin. We are wise girls, to mock our lovers so. Ros. They are worse fools to purchase mocking That same Biron I'll torture ere I go. 200, that I knew he were but in. by the week! How I would make him fawn, and beg, and seek; And wait the season, and observe the times, And spend his prodigal wit in bootless himes; And shape his service all to my behests: 25 And make him proud to make me proud that jests! So portent-like would I o'ersway his state", That he should be my fool, and I his fate! [catch'd, Prin. None are so surely caught, when they are As wit turn'd fool: folly, in wisdom hatch'd, 30 Hath wisdom's warrant, and the help of school; And wit's own grace to grace a learned fool.

Kath. A light condition in a beauty dark. [out. Ros. We need more light to find your meaning Kath. You'llmar the light, by taking it in snuff; 35 Therefore I'll darkly end the argument.

Ros. Look what you do, you do it stilli' the dark.
Kath. So do not you, for you are a light wench..
Ros. Indeed, I weigh not you; and therefore light.
Kath. You weigh me not,-O, that's, you care 40
not for me.

Ros. Great reason; for, Past cure is still past care.
Prin. Well bandied both; a set ofwit well play'd.
But, Rosaline, you have a favour too:
Who sent it? and what is it? •

Ros. I would, you knew:
Anif my face were but as fair as yours,
My favour were as great, be witness this.

Nay, I have verses too, I thank Biron:

The numbers true; and, were the numb'ring too,
I were the fairest goddess on the ground:

I am compar'd to twenty thousand fairs.

O, he hath drawn my picture in his letter!
Prin. Any thing like?

Ros. The blood of youth burns not with such
As gravity's revolt to wantonness. [excess,

Mar. Folly in fools bears not so strong a note,
As foolery in the wise, when wit doth dote;
Since all the power thereof it doth apply,
To prove, by wit, worth in simplicity.
Enter Boyet.

Prin. Here comes Boyet, and mirth is in his face.
Boyet. O, I am stabb'd with laughter! Where's
Prin. Thy news, Boyet?
[her grace?

Boyet. Prepare, madam, prepare!—
Arm, wenches, arm!-encounters mounted are
Against your peace: Love doth approach disguis'd,"
45 Armed in arguments; you'll be surpris'd:

50

Muster your wits; stand in your own defence;
Or hide yer heads like cowards, and fly hence.
Prin. St. Dennis to St. Cupid! What are they,
That charge their breath against us? say, scout,
Boyet. Under the cool shade of a sycamore, [say.
I thought to close my eyes some half an hour:
When, lo! to interrupt my purpos'd rest,
Towards that shade I might behold addrest
The king and his companions: warily

Ros. Much, in the letters; nothing in the praise. 55 I stole into a neighbour thicket by,

Prin. Beauteous as ink: a good conclusion.

Kath. Fair as a text B in a copy-book.

1

4

And overheard what you shall overhear;
That, by and by, disguis'd they will be here.

To war here signifies to grow. 2 Snuff is here used equivocally for anger, and the snuff of a candle. "Meaning "Ware painting." Alluding, perhaps, to the pits in her face, occasioned by the smallpox. This expression probably alludes to the practice of hiring servants or artificers by the week; and the meaning of the passage may be, I wish I was as sure of his service for any time limited, as if I had hired him. See note 4, p. 87, in Measure for Measure. The meaning is, I would be his fate or destiny, and like a portent, hang over and influence his fortunes. For portents were not only thought to forebode, but to influence.

Their

Their herald is a pretty knavish page,
That well by heart hath conn'd his embassage:
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 feur not thou, but speak audaciously:
The boy reply'd, An angel is not evil;
I should have fear'd her, had she been a devil. [der;
With that all laugh'd, and clapp'd him on the shoul-
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,
Cry'd, Via! we will do't, come what will come :
The third he caper'd, and cry'd, 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' appears,
To check their folly, passion's solemn tears.

Prin. But what, but what, come they to visit us?
Boyet. They do, they do; and are apparel'd thus,|
Like Muscovites, or Russians: as I guess,
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 favours several, which they did bestow.

5

maskers come.

Boyet. The trumpet sounds; be masked, the [The ladies mask. Enter the King, Biron, Longaville, and Dumain, disguised like Muscovites; Mothwithmusick, &c. Moth. "All hail, the richest beauties on the "earth!"

Boyet. Beauties no richer than rich taffata 2. Moth. "Aholy parcel of the fairest dames, [The ladies turn their backs to him, 10"That ever turn'd their-backs-to mortal views." Biron. Their eyes, villian, their eyes.

15

20

25

Moth. "That ever turn'd their eyes to mortal

"Out-"

" views!

Moth. "Out of your favours, heavenly spirits,
Not to behold-»

Biron. Once to behold, rogue.

[eyes, Moth. "Once to behold with your sun-beamed "With your sun-beamed eyes"

Boyet. They will not answer to that epithet; › You were best call it daughter-beamed eyes. Moth. They do not mark me, and that brings [rogue.

me out.

Biron. Is this your perfectness? begon, you
Ros. What would these strangers? know their
minds, Boyet:

If they do speak our language, 'tis our will
That some plain man recount their purposes:

Prin. And will they so the gallants shall be 30 Know what they would.

task'd:

35

For, ladies, we will every one be mask'd;
And not a man of them shall have the grace,
Despight of suit, to see a lady's face.—
Hold, Rosaline, this favour thou shalt wear;
And then the king will court thee for his dear:
Hold, take thou this, my sweet, and give me thine:
So shail Biron take me for Rosaline.-
And change your favours too; so shall your loves
Woo contrary, deceiv'd by these removes. [sight. 40
Ros. Come on then; wear the favours most in
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 a foot:
Nor to their penn'd speech render we no grace;
But, while 'tis spoke, each turn away her face.
Boyet. 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.
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.
[Sound.

Boyet. What would you with the princess?
Biron. Nothing but peace and gentle visitation.
Ros. What would they, say they?
Boyet. Nothing but peace and gentle visitation.
Ros. Why, that they have; and bid them so
be gone.
[gone.
Boyet. She says, you have it, and you may be
King. Say to her, we have measur'd many miles,
To tread a measure with her on this grass.
Boyet. They say, that they have measur'd many
a mile,

To tread a measure with you on this grass.
Ros. It is not so: Ask them, how many inches
Is in one mile: if they have measur'd many,
45 The measure then of one is easily told.

50

[miles,
Boyet. If, to come hither you have measur'd
And many miles; the princess bids you teli,
How many inches do fill up one mile. [steps.
Biron. Tell her, we measure them by weary
Boyet. She hears herself.

Ros. How many weary steps,

Of many weary miles you have o'ergone,
Are number'd in the travel of one mile?

[you;

Biron. We number nothing that we spend for

55 Our duty is so rich, so infinite,

60

That we may do it still without accompt.
Vouchsafe to shew the sunshine of your face,
That we, like savages, may worship it.

Ros. My face is but a moon, and clouded too.
King. Blessed are clouds, to do as such clouds do!
Vouchsafe, bright moon, and these thy stars, to

shine

(Those clouds remov'd) upon our watery eyne.

Long. A calf, fair lady?
Kath. No, a fair lord calf.
Long. Let's part the word.
Kath. No, I'll not be your half:

5 Take all, and wean it; it may prove an ox.
Long. Look, how you butt yourself in these
sharp mocks!

Not yet; no dance:-thus change I like the moon.
King. Will you not dance? How come you thus
estrang'd?
[chang'd. 10
Ros. You took the moon at full; but now she's
King. Yet still she is the moon, and I the man.
The music plays; vouchsafe some motion to it.
Ros. Our ears vouchsafe it.

King. But your legs should do it.

Ros. Since you are strangers, and come here by chance,

· We'll not be nice: take hands;-we will not dance.] King. Why take you hands then?

Ros. Only to part friends:

Court'sy, sweet hearts; and so this measure ends. King. More measure of this measure; be not nice.

Ros. We can afford no more at such a price,

Will you give horns, chaste lady? do not so.
Kath. Then die a calf before your horns de grow,
Long. One word in private with you, ere I die.
Kath. Bleatsoitly then, the butcher hears you cry.
Boyet. The tongues of mocking wenches are as
keen

As is the razor's edge invisible,

15 Cutting a smaller hair than may be seen;
Above the sense of sense; so sensib.e
Seemeth their conference; their conceits have
wings,
[things.
Fleeterthan arrows, bullets, wind, thought, swifter
Ros. Not one word more, my maids; break off,

20

break off.

Biron. By heaven, all dry-beaten with purescoff!
King. Farewel, mad wenches! you have simple
wits.
[Exeunt king and lords.

King. Prize yourselves, then; what buys your 25 Prin. Twenty adieus, my rozen Muscovites.— Are these the breed of wits so wondered at? Boyet. Tapers they are, with your sweet breaths

company?

Ros. Your absence only.

King. That can never be.

Ros. Then cannot we be bought: and so adieu; Twice to your visor, and half once to you!

you deny to dance, let's hold more

King. If

Ros. In private, then.

[chat.

King. I am best pleas'd with that.
Biron. White-handed mistress, one sweet word

with thee.

30

three. 35

Prin. Honey, and milk, and sugar; there is
Biron. Nay, then, two treys, (an if you grow
so nice,)

Metheglin, wort, and malmsey :-well run,
There's half a dozen sweets.

Prin. Seventh sweet, adieu!

dice!

Since you can cog', I'll play no more with you,

Biron. One word in secret.

Prin. Let it not be sweet.

Biron. Thou griev'st my gall.

Prin. Gall? bitter.

Biron. Therefore meet.

puff'd out.

[fat, fat.
Ros. Well-liking wits they have; gross, gross;
Prin. O poverty in wit, kingly-poor flout!
Will they not, think you, hang themselves to-night?
Or ever, but in visors, shew their faces?
This pert Biron was out of countenance quite.
Ros. O they were all in lamentable cases!
The king was weeping ripe for a good word.

Prin. Biron did swear himself out of all suit.
Mar. Dumain was at my service, and his sword:
No point, quoth I; my servant strait was mute.
Kath. Lord Longaville said, I came o'er his heart,
40 And trow you, what he call'd me?
Prin. Qualm, perhaps.

45

[word?

Dum. Will you vouchsafe with me to change a
Mar, Name it.

Dum. Fair lady,

Mar. Say you so?-Fair lord,

Take that for your fair lady.

Dum. Please it you,

50

As much in private, and I'll bid adieu. [tongue?
Kath. What, was your visor made without a 55
Long. I know the reason, lady, why you ask.
Kath. O, for your reason! quickly, sir; I long.
Long. You have a double tongue within your!
mask,

And would affordmy speechless visor half. [a calf?|60|
Kath. Veal, quoth the Dutchman; is not veall

1 Το

Kath. Yes, in good faith.

Prin. Go, sickness, as thou art!

Ros. Well, better wits have worn plain statute-
caps 2.

But will you hear? the king is my love sworn.
Prin. And quick Biron hathplighted faith to me.
Kath. And Longaville was for my service born.
Mar. Dumain is mine, as sure as bark on tree.
Boyet. Madam, and pretty mistresses, give ear:
Immediately they will again be here
In their own shapes; for it can never be,
They will digest this harsh indignity.
Prin. Will they return?

Boyet. They will, they will, God knows:
And leap for joy, though they are lame with blows:
Therefore, change favours: and when they repair,
Blow like sweet roses in this summer air.

Prin. How, blow? how, blow? speak to be
understood.

Boyet. Fair ladies, mask'd, are roses in their bud;

2

cog, signifies to falsify the dice, and metaphorically, to lye. Woollen caps were enjoined by act of parliament, in the year 1571, the 13th of Queen Elizabeth.-Probably the meaning is, Better wits may be found among men of inferior or more humble rank.”

Dismask'd,

Dismask'd, their damask sweet commixture shewn,
Are angels vailing clouds, or roses blown.

Prin. Avaunt perplexity! What shall we do,
If they return in their own shapes to woo?

Ros. Good madam, if by me you'll be advis'd,
Let's mock them still, as well known as disguis'd:
Let us complain to them what fools were here,
Disguis'd, like Muscovites, in shapeless gear;
And wonder, what they were; and to what end
Their shallow shows, and prologue vilely penn'd, [10]
And their rough carriage so ridiculous,
Should be presented at out tent to us.

Boyet. Ladies,withdraw; the gallants are at hand.]
Prin. Whip to our tents, as roes run o'er the land.
[Exeunt ladies. 15
Enter the King, Biron, Longaville, and Dumain,
in their own habits.

King. Fair sir, God save you! Where's the

King. Rebuke me not for that which you provoke;

The virtue of your eye must break my oath. Prin. You nick-name virtue; vice you should have spoke;

5
For virtue's office never breaks men's troth.
Now by my maiden honour, yet as pure
As the unsully'd lily, I protest,
A world of torments though I should endure,
I would not yield to be your house's guest:
So much I hate a breaking cause to be
Of heavenly oaths, vow'd with integrity.
King. O, you have liv'd in desolation here,
Unseen, unvisited, much to our shame.
Prin. Not so, my lord; it is not so, I swear;
We have had pastimes here, and pleasant game;
A mess of Russians left us but of late.
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 these days)
In courtesy, gives undeserving praise.
We four, indeed, confronted were 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.
Eiron. This jest is dry to me.-Fair, gentle,
sweet,

princess? Boyet.Gone to her tent: Please it your majesty, 20 Command me any service to her?

lord.

30

[word.
King. That she vouchsafe me audience for one
Boyet. I will: and so will she, I know, my
[Exit.
Biron. This fellow picks up wit, as pigeons peas; 25
And utters it again when Jove doth please:
He is wit's pedlar; and retails his wares
At wakes, and wassels', meetings, markets, fairs;
And we that sell by gross, the Lord doth know,
Have not the grace to grace it with such show.
This gallant pins the wenches on his sleeve;
Had he been Adam, he had tempted Eve:
He can carve, too, and lisp: Why, this is he,
That kiss'd away his hand in courtesy;
This is the ape of form, monsieur the nice,
That, when he plays at tables, chides the dice
In honourable terms; nay, he can sing
A mean most meanly; and, in ushering,
Mend him who can: the ladies call him sweet;
The stairs, as he treads on them, kiss his feet:
This is the flower' that smiles on every one,
To shew his teeth as white as whale his bone: -
And consciences, that will not die in debt,
Pay him the due of honey-tongued Boyet. [heart,
King. A blister on his sweet tongue, with my 45
That put Armado's page out of his part!
Enter the Princess, Rosaline, Maria, Katharine,
Boyet, and attendants.

6

Your wit makes wise things foolish: when we greet

With eyes best seeing heaven's fiery eye, 35 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,

40

Biron. See, where it comes!-Behaviour, what wert thou, [now? 50 "Till this mad man shew'd thee? and what art thou King. All hail, sweet madam, and fair time of day! Prin. Fair, in all hail, is foul, as I conceive. King. Construe my speeches better, if you may. Prin. Then wish me better, I will give you leave. 55 King. We came to visit you; and purpose now

To lead you to our court: vouchsafe it then. Prin. This field shall hold me; and so hold your

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, 1 am yours, and all that I possess.
Ros. All the fool mine?

Biron. I cannot give you less.

mand vou this?

Ros. Which of the visors was it, that you were? Biron. Where? when? what visor? why de[case, Ros. There, then, that visor; that superfluous That hid the worse, and shew'd the better face. King. We are descry'd: they'll mock us now downright.

Dum. Let us confess, and turn it to a jest. Prin. Amaz'd, my lord! Why looks your highness sad?

Ros. Help, hold his brows! he'll swoon! Why
look you pale?—

Sea-sick, I think, coming from Muscovy.
Biron. Thus pour the stars down plagues for
perjury.

2 i. c. The mean, in music, is

That is, letting those clouds which obscured their brightness sink from before them. uncouth. 3 Wassels were meetings of rural mirth and intemperance. the tenor. "That is, the flower or pink of courtesy, As white as whale's bone is a proverbial Comparison in our ancient poets.

Cau