Mar. I know him, madam; at a marriage feast,
Between lord Perigort and the beauteous heir
Of Jaques Faulconbridge, folemnized
In Normandy, faw I this Longaville :
A man of fovereign 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 gloss,
(If virtue's glofs will ftain with any foil)

Is a fharp witTM match'd with too blunt a will;
Whose edge hath power to cut, whose will still wills
It should none spare that come within his power.

Prin. Some merry mocking lord, belike; is't fo? Mar. They say so most, that most his humours know. Prin. Such fhort-liv'd wits do wither as they grow. Who are the reft?

Kath. 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,

And shape to win grace though he had no wit.
I saw him at the duke Alençon's once;
And much too little of that good I faw,
Is my report to his great worthiness.

Rofa. Another of these students at that time
Was there with him, as I have heard a 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;

fitted]-fkilled.

m match'd-joined.

Moft power]-Of moft, furnished with the most. my report]-my account of him falls far fhort of his merit, • have heard a truth ;]-been well informed.

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 ravished;
So fweet and voluble is his difcourfe.

Prin. God bless my ladies! are they all in love;
That every one her own hath garnished

With fuch bedecking ornaments of praise?

Mar. Here comes Boyet.

Re-enter Boyet.

Prin. Now, what admittance, lord?

Boyet. Navarre had notice of your fair approach;

And he and his competitors in oath

Were all addrefs'd to meet you, gentle lady,

Before I came. Marry, thus much I have learnt,
He rather means to lodge you in the field,

(Like one that comes here to besiege his court)
Than seek a dispensation for his oath,

To let you enter his unpeopled house.
Here comes Navarre.

Enter the King, Longaville, Dumain, Biron, and Attendants.

King. Fair princefs, welcome to the court of Navarre. Prin. Fair I give you back again; and, welcome I have not yet: the roof of this court is too high to be yours; and welcome to the wide fields too bafe to be mine.

King. You fhall be welcome, madam, to my court.
Prin. I will be welcome then; conduct me thither.
King. Hear me, dear lady; I have fworn an oath.

Prin. Our Lady help my lord! he'll be forfworn. King. Nor for the world, fair madam, by my will. Prin. Why, will shall break it; will, and nothing else. King. Your ladyship is ignorant what it is.

Prin. Were my lord fo, his ignorance were wise,
Where now his knowledge muft prove ignorance.
I hear, your grace hath fworn-out house-keeping:
'Tis deadly fin to keep that oath, my lord,
"Not fin to break it:

But pardon me, I am too fudden bold;
To teach a teacher ill befeemeth me.
Vouchsafe to read the purpose of

my coming,
And suddenly resolve me in my fuit.
King. Madam, I will, if fuddenly I may.
Prin. You will the fooner, that I were away;
For you'll prove perjur'd, if you make me stay.
Biron. Did not I dance with you in Brabant once?
Rof. Did not I dance with you in Brabant once?
Biron. I know, you did.

Rof. How needlefs was it then

To ask the question!

Biron. You must not be fo quick.

Rof. 'Tis long of you, that fpur me with fuch questions. Biron. Your wit's too hot, it speeds too fast, 'twill tire.

Rof. Not till it leave the rider in the mire.

Biron. What time o' day?

Rof. The hour that fools should ask.

Biron. Now fair befall your mask !

Rof. Fair fall the face it covers !
Biron. And fend you many lovers!
Rof. Amen; fo you be none.
Biron. Nay, then will I be gone.

King. Madam, your father here doth intimate

The payment

of a hundred thousand crowns ; Being but the one half of an entire fum, Disbursed by my father in his wars.

But fay, that he, or we, (as neither have)
Receiv'd that fum; yet there remains unpaid
A hundred thousand more, in furety of the which,
One part of Aquitain is bound to us,
Although not valued to the money's worth.
If then the king your father will restore
But that one half which is unfatisfy'd,
We will give up our right in Aquitain,
And hold fair friendship with his majesty.
But that, it seems, he little purposeth,
For here he doth demand to have repaid
An hundred thousand crowns; and not demands,
On payment of a hundred thousand crowns,
To have his title live in Aquitain;

W

Which we much rather had depart withal,

And have the money by our father lent,
Than Aquitain fo * gelded as it is.

Dear princess, were not his requests so far

From reason's yielding, your fair self should make
A yielding, 'gainst some reason in my breast,
And go well fatisfied to France again.

Prin. You do the king my father too much wrong,
And wrong the reputation of your name,
In fo unfeeming to confefs receipt

Of that which hath fo faithfully been paid.
King. I do proteft, I never heard of it;
And, if you prove it, I'll repay it back,
Or yield up Aquitain.

Prin. We arreft your word:

Boyet, you can produce acquittances,

For fuch a fum, from special officers

Of Charles his father.

King. Satisfy me fo.

Boyet. So please your grace, the packet is not come, Where that and other fpecialties are bound; To-morrow you fhall have a fight of them.

King. It fhall fuffice me; at which interview,
All liberal reafon I will yield unto.

Mean time, receive fuch welcome at my hand,
As honour, without breach of honour, may
Make tender of to thy true worthiness:
You may not come, fair princefs, in my gates;
But here without you fhall be fo receiv'd,
As you shall deem yourself lodg'd in my heart,
Though fo deny'd fair harbour in my house.
Your own good thoughts excufe me, and farewel:
To-morrow we fhall vifit you again.

Prin. Sweet health and fair defires confort your grace!
King. Thy own wish wish I thee in every place! [Exit.
Biron. Lady, I will commend you to my own heart.
Rof. I pray you, do my commendations;

I would be glad to fee it.

Biron. I would you heard it groan.

Rof. Is the fool fick?

Biron. Sick at the heart.

Rof. Alack, let it blood.

Biron. Would that do it good?

Rof. My phyfick fays, I.

Biron. Will you prick't with your eye

Y

Rof. Non poynt, with my knife.

Biron. Now, God fave thy life!

Rof. And yours from long living!
Biron. I cannot ftay thankfgiving.

Y Non poynt]-Not fo.

?

[Exit.

Dum.