Bir. O, I am yours, and all that I

possess.
Ros. All the fool mine?
Bir.
I cannot give you

less. Ros. Which of the visors was it, that you

wore? Bir. 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. Prin. Amazed, my lord ? Why looks your high

ness sad?

Ros. Help, hold his brows: he'll swoon! Why

look you pale ? Sea-sick, I think, coming from Muscovy. Bir. Thus pour the stars down plagues for per

jury. 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 school-boy's tongue ;

Nor never come in visor to my friend ; 1

Nor woo in rhyme, like a blind harper's song: Taffeta phrases, silken terms precise,

Three-piled hyperboles, spruce affection, 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,—s

--so God help me, la !My love to thee is sound, sans crack or flaw.

Ros. Suns sans, I pray you.
Bir.

Yet I have a trick
Of the old rage :—bear with me; I am sick :
I 'ü leave it by degrees. Soft, let us see ;-
Write, ‘Lord have mercy on us !'3 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.
Prin. No, they are free, that gave these tokens

to us. Bir. Our states are forfeit; seek not to undo

us.

I Mistress.

2 Affectation. 3 In allusion to the inscription set on houses infected with the plague.

Ros. It is not so; for how can this be true,
That you stand forfeit, being those that sue? 1

Bir. Peace ; for I will not have to do with you.
Ros. Nor shall not, if I do as I intend.
Bir. Speak for yourselves ; my wit is at an end.
King. Teach us, sweet madam, for our rude trans-

gression Some fair excuse. Prin.

The fairest is confession.
Were you not here but even now, disguised ?

King. Madam, I was.
Prin.

And were you well advised ?
King. I was, fair madam.
Prin.

When

you

then were here, What did you whisper in your lady's ear? King. That more than all the world I did respect

her. Prin. When she shall challenge this, you will

reject her. King. Upon mine honor, no. Prin.

Peace, peace, forbear; Your oath once broke, 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

1 How can those be liable to forfeiture that commence the process ?

? Make no difficulty.

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 honorably 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 Biron, I thank him, is my dear.– What; will you have me, or your pearl again?

Bir. Neither of either; I remit both twain.I see the trick on’t.—Here was a consent, 1 (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 jeers; and knows the trick To make my lady laugh, when she's disposed, Told our intents before; which once disclosed, The ladies did change favors; and then we, Following the signs, woo'd but the sign of she.

Now, to our perjury to add more terror,
We are again forsworn; in will and error.1
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 squire,

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 ; 3
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.
Boy.

Full merrily Hath this brave manage, this career, been run. Bir. Lo, he is tilting straight! Peace; I have

done.

Enter COSTARD.

Welcome, pure wit! thou partest a fair fray.

Cos. O Lord, sir, they would know,
Whether the three worthies shall come in, or no.

Bir. What, are there but three?
Cos.

No, sir; but it is vara fine, For every one pursents three.

Bir. And three times thrice is nine.

1 First in will, and afterwards in error.

Square, rule. * You may say what you will ; you are a licensed fool.