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already; the clown bore it, the fool sent it, and the lady hath it: sweet clown, sweeter fool, sweetest lady! By the world, I would not care a pin if the other three were in: Here comes one with a paper; God give him grace to groan! [Gets up into a tree. Enter the King, with a paper.

King. Ah me!

Biron. [Aside.] Shot, by heaven!-Proceed, sweet Cupid; thou hast thump'd him with thy birdbolt under the left pap:-I'faith secrets.

King. [Reads.] So sweet a kiss the golden sun gives not

To those fresh morning drops upon the rose, As thy eye-beams, when their fresh rays have smote The night of dew that on my cheeks down flows: Nor shines the silver moon one half so bright Through the transparent bosom of the deep, As doth thy face through tears of mine give light; Thou shin'st in every tear that I do weep: No drop but as a coach doth carry thee,

So ridest thou triumphing in my woe; Do but behold the tears that swell in me,

And they thy glory through thy grief will show: But do not love thyself; then thou wilt keep My tears for glasses, and still make me weep. O queen of queens, how far dost thou excel! No thought can think, nor tongue of mortal tell.— How shall she know my griefs? I'll drop the paper; Sweet leaves, shade folly. Who is he comes here? [Steps aside.

Enter LONGAVILLE, with a paper.

What, Longaville! and reading! listen, ear.
Biron. Now, in thy likeness, one more fool, ap-

pear!

[Aside.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][graphic][subsumed][merged small][merged small]

Published by F. & C. Rivington London May 24.1803.

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS

Long. Ah me! I am forsworn.

Biron. Why, he comes in like a perjure, wearing

King. In love, I hope; Sweet fellowship in shame!

papers.

[Aside.

[Aside.

Biron. One drunkard loves another of the name.

[Aside.

Long. Am I the first that have been perjur'd so? Biron. [Aside.] I could put thee in comfort; not by two, that I know:

Thou mak'st the triumviry, the corner-cap of so

ciety,

The shape of love's Tyburn that hangs up simplicity.

Long. I fear, these stubborn lines lack power to

move:

O sweet Maria, empress of my love!

These numbers will I tear, and write in prose.
Biron. [Aside.] O, rhymes are guards on wanton
Cupid's hose:

Disfigure not his slop.'

Long.

This same shall go.

[He reads the sonnet.

Did not the heavenly rhetorick of thine eye ('Gainst whom the world cannot hold argument,)

Persuade my heart to this false perjury?

Vows, for thee broke, deserve not punishment. A woman I forswore; but, I will prove, Thou being a goddess, I forswore not thee: My vow was earthly, thou a heavenly love; Thy grace being gain'd, cures all disgrace in

me.

he comes in like a perjure,] The punishment of perjury is to wear on the breast a paper expressing the crime.

Disfigure not his slop.] This alludes to the usual tawdry dress of Cupid, when he appeared on the stage.

Vows are but breath, and breath a vapour is:

Then thou, fair sun, which on my earth dost shine,

Exhal'st this vapour vow; in thee it is:

If broken then, it is no fault of mine; If by me broke, What fool is not so wise, To lose an oath to win a paradise?

Biron. [Aside.] This is the liver vein, which makes flesh a deity;

A green goose, a goddess: pure, pure idolatry. God amend us, God amend! we are much out o'the way.

Enter DUMAIN, with a paper.

Long. By whom shall I send this?-Company!

stay.

[Stepping aside. Biron. [Aside.] All hid, all hid, an old infant

play:

Like a demi-god here sit I in the sky,

And wretched fools' secrets heedfully o'er-eye. More sacks to the mill! O heavens, I have my wish; Dumain transform'd: four woodcocks in a dish! Dum. O most divine Kate!

2

Biron.

O most prophane coxcomb! [Aside.

Dum. By heaven, the wonder of a mortal eye! Biron. By earth she is but corporal; there you

lie.

[Aside.

Dum. Her amber hairs for foul have "amber

coted.1

Biron. An amber-colour'd raven was well noted.

[Aside.

the liver vein,] The liver was anciently supposed to be the seat of love.

3 All hid, all hid,] The children's cry at hide and seek.

amber coted.] The word here intended, though mispelled, is quoted, which signifies observed or regarded, both here and in

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