Boyet. Your nose says, no, you are not; for it stands too right. That sport best pleases, that doth least know how: My 'scutcheon plain declares, that I am Alisander. Enter Armado. Arm. Anointed, I implore so much expense of thy royal sweet breath, as will utter a brace of words. [Armado converses with the King, and delivers him a paper. Prin. Doth this man serve God? Biron. Your nose smells, no, in this, most tender-smelling knight. Prin. The conqueror is dismay'd: Proceed, good Alexander. Nath. When in the world I liv'd, I was the world's commander ;— Boyet. Most true, 'tis right; you were so, Ali sander. Biron. Pompey the great,- Alisander. Prin. He speaks not like a man of God's making. Arm. That's all one, my fair, sweet, honey Alisander the conqueror? You will be scraped out Cost. O, sir, [To Nath.] you have overthrown monarch: for, I protest, the school-master is exceeding fantastical; too, too vain; too, too vain: of the painted cloth for this: your lion, that holds But we will put it, as they say, to fortuna della his poll-ax sitting on a close-stool, will be given to guerra. I wish you the peace of mind, most royal A-jax, he will be the ninth worthy. A conqueror, couplement ! [Exit Armado. and afeard to speak! run away for shame, AlisanKing. Here is like to be a good presence of wor- der. [Nath. retires.] There, an't shall please you thies: He presents Hector of Troy; the swain, a foolish mild man; an honest man, look you, and Pompey the great; the parish curate, Alexander; soon dash'd! He is a marvellous good neighbour, Armado's page, Hercules; the pedant, Judas in sooth; and a very good bowler: but, for Alisander, alas, you see, how 'tis ;-a little o'erparted:But there are worthies a coming will speak their mind in some other sort. Machabæus. And if these four worthies in their first show thrive, other five. Cost. I Pompey am,- Enter Costard You lie, you are not he. Cost. I Pompey am,- Cost. I Pompey am, Pompey surnam'd the big,— Cost. It is great, sir;-Pompey surnam'd the| That oft in field, with targe and shield, did make my foe to sweat: And, travelling along this coast, I here am come by chance; And lay my arms before the legs of this sweet lass of France. If your ladyship would say, Thanks, Pompey, I had done. Prin. Great thanks, great Pompey. Cost. 'Tis not so much worth; but, I hope, I was perfect: I made a little fault in, great. Biron. My hat to a halfpenny, Pompey proves the best worthy. Enter Nathaniel arm'd, for Alexander. Nath. When in the world I liv'd, I was the world's commander; By east, west, north, and south, I spread my conquering might: Prin. Stand aside, good Pompey. Hol. Not Iscariot, sir.- Dum. Judas Machabæus clipt, is plain Judas. Hol. Judas I am, Dum. The more shame for you, Judas. Boyet. To make Judas hang himself. Biron. Well follow'd: Judas was hang'd on an elder. Hol. I will not be put out of countenance. Boyet. A cittern head. Dum. The head of a bodkin. Long. The face of an old Roman coin, scarce seen. Boyet. The pummel of Cæsar's faulchion. Biron. Ay, and worn in the cap of a tooth-drawer And now, forward; for we have put thee in countenance. Hol. You have put me out of countenance. (4) An ornamental buckle for fastening batbands, &c. Hol. But you have out-fac'd them all. biron. For the ass to the Jude; give it him : Jud-as, away, Hol. This is not generous, not gentle, not humble. Boyet. A light for Monsieur Judas: it grows dark, he may stumble. Prin. Alas, poor Machabæus, how hath he been baited! Enter Armado arm'd, for Hector. Biron. Hide thy head, Achilles: here comes Hector in arms. Dum. Though my mocks come home by me, will now be merry. King. Hector was but a Trojan in respect of this. Dum. I think, Hector was not so clean-timber'd. Boyet. No; he is best indued in the small. I Dum. He's a god or a painter; for he makes faces. Arm. The armipotent Mars, of lances the almighty, Gave Hector a gift Dum. A gilt nutmeg Long. Stuck with cloves. Dum. No, cloven. Arm. Peace. The armipotent Mars, of lances the almighty, Gave Hector a gift, the heir of Ilion; A man so breath'd, that certain he would fight, yea I am that flower,— Dum. Long. That mint. Pompey! Pompey the huge! Biron. Pompey is mov'd:-More Ates, more Ates; stir them on! stir them on! Dum. Hector will challenge him. Biron. Ay, if he have no more man's blood in's belly than will sup a flea. Arm. By the north pole, I do challenge thee. Cost. I will not fight with a pole, like a northern man; I'll slash; I'll do it by the sword :-I pray you, let me borrow my arms again. Dum. Room for the incensed worthies. Dum. Most resolute Pompey! Moth. Master, let me take you a button-hole lower. Do you not see, Pompey is uncasing for the combat? What mean you? you will lose your reputation. Arm. Gentlemen, and soldiers, pardon me: I will not combat in my shirt. Dum. You may not deny it: Pompey hath made the challenge. That columbine.cloud. Arm. Sweet lord Longaville, rein thy tongue. Arm. For mine own part, I breathe free breath: Long. I must rather give it the rein; for it runs I have seen the day of wrong through the little against Hector. Dum. Ay, and Hector's a greyhound. Arm. The sweet war-man is dead and rotten; Arm. I do adore thy sweet grace's slipper. Dum. He may not by the yard. Arm. This Hector far surmounted Hannibal,Cost. The party is gone, fellow Hector, she is gone; she is two months on her way. Arm. What meanest thou? Cost. Faith, unless you play the honest Trojan, the poor wench is cast away: she's quick; the child brags in her belly already; 'tis yours. Arm. Dost thou infamonize me among potentates? thou shalt die. hole of discretion, and I will right myself like a King. The extreme parts of time extremely form Cost. Then shall Hector be whipp'd, for Jacque- pey that is dead by him. Dum. Most rare Pompey! Boyet. Renowned Pompey! Yet, since love's argument was first on foot, From what it purposed; since, to wail friends lost, Biron. Greater than great, great, great, great, Is not by much so wholesome, profitable, (1) Lance-men. (2) Até was the goddess of discord. (3) A clown. (4) Clothed in wool, without linen. (5) Free to excess. As to rejoice at friends but newly found. Biron. Honest plain words best pierce the ear And by these badges understand the king. To those that make us both :-fair ladies, you: Biron. And what to me, my love? and what Ros. You must be purged too, your sins are rank; Dum. But what to me, my love? but what to me? nesty ; With three-fold love I wish you all these three. I'll mark no words that smooth-fac'd wooers say: Mar. Mar. The liker you; few taller are so young. Prin. We have receiv'd your letters full of love; Impose some service on me for thy love. Your favours the embassadors of love; Long. So did our looks. Prin. Change not your offer made in heat of blood; King. If this, or more than this, I would deny, Ros. Oft have I heard of you, my lord Birón, Biron. To move wild laughter in the throat of It cannot be; it is impossible: Mirth cannot move a soul in agony. Ros. Why, that's the way to choke a gibing spirit, Of him that hears it, never in the tongue groans, Will hear your idle scorns, continue then, Biron. A twelvemonth? well, befall what will I'll jest a twelvemonth in an hospital. way. Biron. Our wooing doth not end like an old play; (5) Immediate. Arm. Sweet majesty, vouchsafe me,- Dum. The worthy knight of Troy. King. Call them forth quickly, we will do so. Enter Holofernes, Nathaniel, Moth, Costard, and This side is Hiems, winter; this Ver, the spring;| the one maintain'd by the owl, the other by the cuckoo. Ver, begin. SONG. Spring. When daisies pied, and violets blue, Do paint the meadows with delight, Cuckoo, cuckoo,-O word of fear, II. Cuckoo, cuckoo,-O word of fear, III. In this play, which all the editors have concurWhen shepherds pipe on oaten straws, red to censure, and some have rejected as unworAnd merry larks are ploughmen's thy of our poet, it must be confessed that there are clocks, many passages mean, childish, and vulgar: and When turtles tread, and rooks, and daws, some which ought not to have been exhibited, as And maidens bleach their summer we are told they were, to a maiden queen. But there are scattered through the whole many sparks of genius; nor is there any play that has more levident marks of the hand of Shakspeare. JOHNSON. smocks, The cuckoo then, on every tree, ACT I. Salerio, a messenger from Venice. Leonardo, servant to Bassanio. Balthazar, servants to Portia. Stephano, Portia, a rich heiress. Nerissa, her waiting-maid. Jessica, daughter to Shylock.- Arce En. Magnificoes of Venice, officers of the court of Jus tice, jailer, servants, and other attendants. Scene, partly at Venice, and partly at Belmont, the seat of Portia, on the continent. That such a thing, bechanc'd, would make me sad? SCENE I.-Venice. A street. Enter Antonio, Is sad to think upon his merchandise. Salarino, and Salanio. Antonio. IN sooth, I know not why I am so sad; And such a want-wit sadness makes of me, Salar. Your mind is tossing on the ocean; Salar. And not bethink me straight of dangerous rocks? (1) Ships of large burthen. Ant. Believe me, no: I thank my fortune for it, My ventures are not in one bottom trusted, Nor to one place; nor is my whole estate Upon the fortune of this present year: Therefore, my merchandise makes me not sad. Salan. Why then you are in love. Ant. Fie, fie! Salan. Not in love neither? Then let's say, you Nature hath fram'd strange fellows in her time: Enter Bassanio, Lorenzo, and Gratiano. Salan. Here comes Bassanio, your most noble kinsman, Gratiano, and Lorenzo: Fare you well; merry, If worthier friend, had not prevented me. You grow exceeding strange: Must it be so? We two will leave you: but, at dinner-time, pray you, have in mind where me must meet. Bass. I will not fail you |