Moth. And I, tough signior, as an appertinent "DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO." 5 title to your old time, which we may name Biron. This is not so well as I look'd for, but the best that I ever heard.

King. This maid will not serve your turn, sir. 25 Arm. I have promised to study three years Cost. This maid will serve my turn, sir.

Moth. How many is one thrice told? 30 Arm. I am ill at reckoning, it fitteth the spirit of a tapster.

Moth. You are a gentleman, and a gamester, sir. Arm. I confess both; they are both the varnish of a complete man.

[Exeunt. 35 Moth. Then, I am sure, you know how much

Cost. I suffer for the truth, sir: for true it is, 1 was taken with Jaquenetta, and Jaquenetta is a 40 Moth. Why, sir, is this such a piece of study?

Arm. Most sweet Hercules!-More authority, dear boy, name more; and, sweet my child, let 60lthem be men of good repute and carriage.

Imp means his infant or little page. * i. e. my tender youth. 3 Crosses here mean money. *This alludes to a horse belonging to one Banks, which played many remarkable pranks, and is frequently ment oned by many writers contemporary with Shakspeare,

Moth. Samson, master: he was a man of good carriage, great carriage; for he carried the town gates on his back, like a porter: and he was in love.

Costard safe: and you must let him take no de-
light, nor no penance; but a' must fast three days
a-week: For this damsel, I must keep her at the
park; she is allowed for the day-woman. Fare

Arm. I do betray myself with blushing.-Maid.
Jaq. Man.

Arm. O well-knit Samson! strong-jointed 5 you well. Samson! I do excel thee in my rapier, as much as thou didst me in carrying gates. I am in love too.-Who was Samson's love, my dear Moth?

Moth. A woman, master.
Arm. Of what complexion?

Moth. Of all the four, or the three, or the two:

or one of the four.

Arm. I will visit thee at the lodge,
Jaq. That's hereby.

10 Arm. I know where it is situate.
Jag. Lord, how wise you are!
Arm. I will tell thee wonders.
Juq. With that face?
Arm. I love thee.

15

Arm. Green, indeed, is the colour of lovers: but to have a love of that colour, methinks, Samson had small reason for it. He, surely, affected 20 her for her wit.

Moth. It was so, sir; for she had a green wit.

Arm. My love is most immaculate white and

red.

Moth. Most maculate thoughts, master, are 25 masked under such colours.

Arm. Define, define, well-educated infant.

Moth. My father's wit, and my mother's tongue, assist me.

Jaq. So I heard you say.
Arm. And so farewell.

Jaq. Fair weather after you!
Dull. Come, Jaquenetta, away.

[Exeunt Dull and Jaquenetta.

Arm. Villain, thou shalt fast for thy offences, ere thou be pardoned.

Cost. Well, sir, I hope when I do it, I shall do it on a full stomach.

Arm. Thou shalt be heavily punished.

Cost. I am more bound to you, than your fellows, for they are but lightly rewarded.

Arm. Take away this villain; shut him up.
Moth. Come, you transgressing slave; away.
Cost. Let me not be pent up, sır; I will tast,

Arm. Sweet invocation of a child; most pretty, 30 being loose. and pathetical !

Moth. If she be made of white and red,

Her faults will ne'er be known;
For blushing cheeks by faults are bred,
And fears by pale-white shown:
Then, if she fear, or be to blame,
By this you shall not know;

For still her cheeks possess the same,
Which native she doth owe.

Moth. No, sir; that were fast and loose: thou shalt to prison.

Cost. Well, if ever I do see the merry days of desolation that I have seen, some shall see

35 Moth. What shall some see?

Cost. Nay, nothing, master Moth, but what they look upon. It is not for prisoners to be silent m their words; and, therefore, I will say nothing; I thank God, I have as little patience as another

A dangerous rhime, master, against the reason of 40 man; and therefore I can be quiet. white and red.

Arm. Is there not a ballad, boy, of the King and the Beggar?

Moth. The world was very guilty of such a ballad some three ages since: but, I think, now, 'tis 45 sworn, (which is a great argument of falshood) if

[Exeunt Moth and Costard. Arm. I do affect the very ground, which is base, where her shoe, which is baser, guided by her foot, which is basest, doth tread. I shall be for

not to be found; or, if it were, it would neither

serve for the writing, nor the tune.

Arm. I will have that subject newly writ o'er, that I may example my digression1 by some nighty

I love: And how can that be true love, which is falsely attempted? Love is a familiar; love is a devil: there is no evil angel but love. Yet Samson was so tempted; and he had an excellent

precedent. Boy, I do love that country girl, that 50 strength: yet was Solomon so seduced; and he

I took in the park with the rational hind Costard;

she deserves well.

Moth. To be whipp'd; and yet a better love than my master.

had a very good wit. Cupid's butt-shaft is too hard for Hercules' club, and therefore too much odds for a Spaniard's rapier. The first and second cause will not serve my turn; the passado he respects

[Aside. Arm. Sing, boy; my spirit grows heavy in love. 55 not, the duello he regards not; his disgrace is to be

SCENE I.

Before the King of Navarre's Palace.
Enter the Princess of France, Rosaline, Maria,
Katharine, Boyet, Lords, and other Attendants.
Boget. NOW, madam, summon up your dearest
spirits;
Consider who the king your father sends;
To whom he sends; and what's his embassy:
Yourself, held precious in the world's esteem;
To par'ey with the sole inheritor
Of all perfections that a man may owe,
Matchless Navarre; the plea of no less 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 beside,
And prodigally gave them all to you.

[mean,

Prin. Good lord Boyet, my beauty, though but
Ne ds not the painted flourish of your praise;
Beauty is bought by judgment of the eye,
Not utter'd by base sale of chapmen's' tongues:
I am less.proud to hear you tell my worth,
Than you much willing to be counted wise
In spending thus your wit in praise of mine.
But now to task the tasker, -Good Boyet,
You are not ignorant, all-telling fame
Doth noise abroad, Navarre hath made a vow,
Till painful study shall out-wear three years,
No woman may approach his silent court:
Therefore to us seemeth it a needful course,
Before we enter his forbidden gates,
To know his pleasure; and, in that behalf,
Bold of your worthiness, we single you
As our be t-moving fair solicitor:
Tell him, the daughter of the king of France,
On serious business, craving quick dispatch,
Iimportunes personal conference with his grace.
Haste, signify so much; while we attend,
Like humble-visag'd suitors, his high will.

Boyet. Proud of employment, willingly I go.
[Exit.
Prin. All pride is willing pride, and yours is so.-
Who are the votaries, my loving lords,
That are vow-fellows with this virtuous duke?

Lord. Longaville is one.

Prin. Know you the man?

Mar. I knew him, madam; at a marriage feast,
Between lord Perigort and the beauteous heir
Of Jaques Faulconbridge solenmized,
In Normandy saw I this Longaville:
A man of sovereign parts he is esteem'd;
Well fitted in the arts, glorious in arms:
Nothing becomes him ill, that he would we'l.
The only soil of his fair virtue's gloss,

(If virtue's gloss will stain with any soil)

1

5

Is a sharp wit 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 so?
Mar. They say so most, that most his humours
know.
[grow.
Prin. Such short-liv'd wits do wither as they
Who are the rest?
[youth,

Kath. The young Dumain, a well-accomplish'd
10 Of all that virtue love for virtue lov'd:
Most power to do most harm, least knowing ill;
For he hath wit to make an ill shape good,
And shape to win grace though he had no wit.
I saw him at the duke Alençon's once;
15 And much too little, of that good I saw,
Is my report to his great worthiness.

Ros. 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,

20 Within the limit of becoming mirth,
I never spent an hour's talk withal:
His eye begets occasion for his wit;
For every object that the one doth catch,
The other turns to a mirth-moving jest;
25 Which his fair tongue (conceit's expositor)
Delivers in such apt and gracious words,
That aged ears play truant at his tales,
And younger hearings are quite ravished;
So sweet and voluble is his discourse.

30 Prin. God bless my ladies! are they all in love;
That every one her own hath garnished
With such bedecking ornaments of praise?
Mar. Here comes Boyet.

Re-enter Boyet.

35 Prin. Now, what admittance, lord?
Boyet. Navarre had notice of your fair approach;
And he and his competitors in oath
Were all address'd to meet you, gentle lady,
Before I came. Marry, thus much I have learnt,

40 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.

45 Enter the King, Longaville, Dumain, Biron, and

Aitendants.

King, Fair princess, welcome to the court of
Navarre.

Prin. Fair, I give you back again; and, wel50 come I have not yet the roof of this court is too high to be yours; and welcome to the wide fields, too base to be mine.

King. You shall be welcome, madam, to my

court.

55 Prin. I will be welcome then; conduct me thither.

Cheap or cheping was anciently the market; chapman therefore is marketman. 2 i. e. well qua

lified.

3

i. e. joined.

i. e. were prepared.

Prin. Our Lady help my lord! he'll be forsworn.
King. Not for the world, fair madam, by my will.

Prin. Why, will shall break it; will, and no- 5 And, it you prove it, I'll repay it back,

Prin. Were my lord so, his ignorance were wise,

Where now his knowledge must prove ignorance.

I hear, your grace hath sworn-out house-keeping: 10 Of Charles his father.

Biron. Did not I dance with you in Brabant once? 20 You may not come, fair princess, in my gates;

Ros. Did not I dance with you in Brabant once?
Biron. I know, you did.

[board.

Boyet. And wherefore not ships?

Biron. What's her name in the cap?

Boyet. Katharine, by good hap.
Biron. Is she wedded, or no?

Boyet. To her wili, sir, or so.

Biron. You are welcome, sir; adieu!

Boyet. Farewell to ime, sir, and welcome to you. [Exit Biron

Mar. That last is Biron, the merry mad-caplord; Not a word with him but a jest.

His heart, like an agat, with your print impressed,
Proud with his form, in his eye pride expressed:
His tongue, all impatient to speak and not see,
Did stumble with haste in his eye-sight to be;
5 All senses to that sense did make their repair,
To feel only looking on fairest of fair:
Methought, all his senses were lock'd in his eye,
As jewels in crystal for some prince to buy;
Who, tendering their own worth, from whence

Boyet. And every jest but a word. [word. 10
Prin. It was well done of you to take him at his
Boyet. I was as willing to grapple, as he was to
Mar. Two hot sheeps, marry!

No sheep, sweet lamb, unless we feed on your lips. 15 An you give him for my sake but one loving kiss.

they were glass'd,

Did point out to buy them, along as you pass'd.
His face's own margent did quote such amazes,
That all eyes saw his eyes inchanted with gazes :
I'll give you Aquitain, and all that is his,

Mar. You sheep, and I pasture; shall that finish

Prin. Come, to our pavilion: Boyet is dispos'd

Boyet. So you grant pasture for me. [the jest?

Boyet. But to speak that in words, which his

Mar. Not so, gentle beast;

eye hath disclos'd:

My lips are no common, though several they be.

I only have made a mouth of his eye,

Boyet. Belonging to whom?

20 By adding a tongue which I know will not lye.

Mar. To my fortunes and me.

[agree:

Prin. Good wits will be jangling: but, gentles,

Ros. Thou art an old love-monger, and speak'st skilfully.

The civil war of wits were much better used

Mar. He is Cupid's grandfather, and learns news of him.

Boyet. Ifmy observation,(which very seldomlyes) 25 Ros. Then was Venus like her mother; for her

By the heart's still rhetorick, disclosed with eyes,

Boyet. With that which we lovers intitle af-
Prin. Your reason?

Boyet. Do you hear, my mad wenches?
Mar. No.

Boyet. What then, do you see?

[retire 30 Ros. Ay, our way to be gone.

Boyet. Why, all his behaviours did make their To the court of his eye, peeping thorough desire:

Boyet, You are too hard for me.

[Excunt.

father is but grim.

Arm. Sweet air!-Go, tenderness of years; take this key, give enlargement to the swain, bring 50 like a man after the old painting; and keep not

him festinately hither; I must employ him in a

letter to my love.

Arm. How mean'st thou? brawling in French? 55 note men?)that are most affected to these
Moth. No, my compleat master; but to jig off

a tune at the tongue's end, canary to it with your

Arm. How hast thou purchas'd this experience?
Moth. By my penny of observation.

This word, which is provincial, and ought to be spelt severell, means those fields which are alternately sown with corn, and during that time are kept severell, or severed, from the field which lies fallow, and is is appropriated to the grazing of cattle, not by a fence, but by the care of the cowherd or shepherd, in which the town-bull only is allowed to range unmolested. 2 That is, hastily. kind of dance. * Canary was the name of a sprightly nimble dance. i. e. accomplishments. • The meaning is, that they not only inveigle the young girls, but make the men taken notice of too, who affect them,

5

A

Arm.