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Arm. I do betray myself with blushing; maid,
Jag. Man,

Arm. I will vifit theé at the lodge.

Jaq. That's here by.

Arm. I know, where it is fituate.
Jaq. Lord, how wife you are!

Arm. I will tell thee wonders.
Jaq. With that face?
Arm. I love thee.

Jaq. So I heard you say.
Arm. And fo farewel.

Jaq. Fair weather after you!,

Dull. Come, Jaquenetta, away 3.

[Exeunt Dall and Jaquenetta. Arm. Villain, thou shalt faft for thy offence, ere thou be pardoned.

Coft. Well, Sir, I hope, when I do it, I fhall do it on a full ftomach..

Arm. Thou shalt be heavily punish'd.

Coft. I am more bound to you, than your followers; for they are but lightly rewarded.

Arm. Take away this villain, fhut him up.
Moth. Come you tranfgreffing flave, away.

Coft. Let me not be pent up, Sir; I will faft, being loofe.

Moth. No, Sir, that were fast and loofe; thou shalt to prison.

3 Maid. Fair weather after you. Come, Jaquenetta, away.] Thus all the printed Copies: but the Editors have been guilty of much Inadvertence. They make Jaquenetta, and a Maid enter; whereas Jaquenetta is the only Maid intended by the Poet, and is committed to the Cuftody of Dull, to be conveyed by him to the Lodge in the Park. This being the Cafe, it is evident to Demonftration, that Fair

Weather after you muft be fpoken by Jaquenetta; and then that Dull fays to her, Come Jaquenetta, away, as I have regulated the Text. THEOBALD.

Mr. Theobald has endeavoured here to dignify his own induftry by a very flight performance. The folios all read as he reads, except that inftead of naming the perfons they give their characters, enter Clown, Conftable, and Wench.

Coft.

Coft. Well, if ever I do fee the merry days of defolation that I have feen, fome fhall fee

Moth. What fhall fome fee?

Coft, Nay, nothing, mafter Moth, but what they look upon. It is not for prifoners to be filent in their words, and therefore I will fay nothing; I thank God, I have as little patience as another man, and therefore I can be quiet. [Exeunt Moth and Costard.

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Arm. I do affect the very ground, which is base, where her fhoe, which is bafer, guided by her foot, which is bafeft, doth tread. I fhall be forfworn, which is a great argument of falfhood, if I love. And how can that be true love, which is falfly attempted? Love is a familiar, love is a devil; there is no evil angel but love, yet Sampson was fo tempted, and he had an excellent ftrength; yet was Solomon fo feduced, and he had a very good wit. Cupid's butfhaft is too hard for Hercules's club, and therefore too much odds for a Spaniard's rapier; the first and fecond caufe will not ferve my turns; the Paffado he refpects not, the Duello he regards not; his difgrace is to be call'd boy; but his glory is to fubdue men. Adieu, valour! ruft, rapier! be ftill, drum! for your manager is in love; yea, he loveth. Affift me fome extemporal God of rhime, for, I am fure, I fhall turn fonneteer. Devife, wit; write, pen; for I am for whole volumes in folio. [Exit.

4 It is not for prisoners to be. filent in their words.] I fuppofe we fhould read, it is not for prifoners to be filent in their wards, that is, in cuftody, in the bolds.

5 The first and fecond cause will not ferve my turn.] See the laft act of As you like it with the notes.

VOL. II.

K

ACT

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Before the King of Navarre's Palace.

Enter the Princess of France, Rosaline, Maria, Catharine, Boyet, Lords and other attendants, g

N

BOYET.

OW, Madam, fummon up your dearest spirits;
Confider, whom the King your father fends;
To whom he fends, and what's his embaffy."
Yourself, held precious in the world's esteem,
To parley with the fole inheritor

Of all perfections that a man may owe,
Matchlefs Navarre; the plea, of no lefs weight
Than Aquitain, a dowry for a Queen.
Be now as prodigal of all dear grace,
As nature was in making graces dear,
When she did starve the general world befide,
And prodigally gave them all to you.

Prin. Good lord Boyet, my beauty, though but mean,
Needs not the painted flourish of your praife;
Beauty is bought by judgment of the eye,
Not utter'd by bafe fale of chapmen's tongues *.
I am lefs proud to hear you tell my worth,
Than you much willing to be counted wife,
In fpending thus your wit in praise of mine.
But now, to task the tasker; good Boyet,
You are not ignorant, all-telling fame
Doth noife abroad, Navarre hath made a vow,
'Till painful study fhall out-wear three years,
No woman may approach his filent Court;
Therefore to us feems it a needful courfe,

* Chapman here feems to fignify the feller, not, as now commonly, the buyer. Cheap or cheping was anciently Market, Chapman therefore is Marketman.

The meaning is, that the eflima-
tion of beauty depends
uttering or proclamation of the
feller, but on the eye of the buyer.

Be

Before we enter his forbidden gates,
To know his pleasure; and in that behalf,
Bold of your worthinefs, we fingle you
As our beft-moving fair follicitor.

Tell him, the daughter of the King of France,
On ferious business, craving quick dispatch,
Importunes perfonal conference with his Grace.
Haste, fignify so much, while we attend,
Like humble-vifag'd fuitors, his high will.
Boyet. Proud of employment, willingly I go.
Prin. All pride is willing pride, and yours is fo;

Who are the votaries, my loving lords,
That are vow-fellows with this virtuous King?
Lord: Longueville is one.

Prin. Know you the man?

Mar, I knew him, Madam, at a marriage-feaft,
Between lord Perigort and the beauteous heir
Of Jaques Faulconbridge folemnized.
In Normandy faw I this Longueville,

[Exit.

A man of fovereigit parts he is esteem'd ;
*Well fitted in the arts, glorious in arms,
Nothing becomes him ill, that he would well.
The only foil of his fair virtue's glofs,
(If virtue's glofs will ftain with any foil,)
Is a fharp witt, match'd with two blunt a will;
Whofe edge hath power to cut, whofe will ftill wills
It should spare none, that come within his power.
Prin. Some merry-mocking lord, belike. Is't fo?
Már. They fay fo moft, that most his humours know.
Prin. Such fhort-liv'd wits do wither as they grow.
Who are the rest?

Cath. The young Dumain, a well-accomplish'd youth.

Of all that virtue love, for virtue lov'd.

Moft power to do moft harm, least knowing ill;
For he hath wit to make an ill fhape good,

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And shape to win grace, tho' he had no wit.
I faw him at the Duke Alenfon's once,

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And much too little of that good I faw
Is my report to his
great worthiness.net
Rofa. Another of thefe ftudents at that time
Was there with him, as I have heard o'truth;
Biron they call him; but a merrier man,
Within the limit of becoming mirth,
I never spent an hour's talk withal.
His eye begets occafion for his wit;
For every object, that the one doth catch,
The other turns to a mirth-moving jeft;
Which his fair tongue (conceit's expofitor)
Delivers in fuch apt and gracious words,
That aged ears play truant at his tales;
And younger hearings are quite ravifhed;
So fweet and voluble is his difcourfe.

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Prin. God bless my ladies: are they all in love,
That every one her own hath garnished
With fuch bedecking ornaments of praife!
Mar. Here comes Boyet.

Enter Boyet.

Prin. Now, what admittance, Lord?

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Boyet, Navarre had notice of your fair approach And he and his competitors in oath

Were all addrest to meet you, gentle lady,
Before I came. Marry, thus much I've learnt,
He rather means to lodge you in the field,
Like one that comes here to besiege his Court,
Than feek a difpenfation for his oath,
To let you enter his unpeopled house.
Here comes Navarre.

SCENE

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