Moth. What shall some see? Cost. Nay, nothing, master Moth, but what they look upon. It is not for prisoners to be too silent in their words; and, therefore, I will say nothing; I have as little patience as another man; and therefore I can be quiet.

I

[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. shall be forsworn (which is a great argument of falsehood), if I love: And how can that be true love, which is falsely attempted? Cupid's butt-shaft 2 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 not, the duello he regards not: his disgrace is to be called boy; but his glory is to subdue men. Adieu, valour! rust, rapier! be still drum! for your manager is in love; yea, he loveth. Assist me, some extemporal god of rhyme, for, I am sure, I shall turn sonneteer. Devise, wit; write, pen; for I am for whole volumes in folio.

Act Second. SCENE I.

[Exit.

A PAVILION, AND TENTS AT A DISTANCE. Enter the Princess of France, Rosaline, Maria, Katherine, Boyet, Lords, and other Attendants. Boyet. 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 parley 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.

Prin. Good lord Boyet, my beauty, though

but mean,

Needs 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 your wit in the 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 best-moving fair solicitor:

Tell him, the daughter of the king of France, 1 Love. 2 Arrow to shoot at butts with.

8 Thrust.

On serious business, craving quick despatch,
Importunes personal conference with his grace.
Haste, signify so much; while we attend,
Like humbly-visaged suitors, his high will
Boyet. Proud of employment, willingly I go.
[Exit.

P. All pride is willing pride, and yours is so.-
Who are the votaries, my loving lords,
That are vow-fellows with this virtuous duke?
1 Lord. Longaville is one.
Prin.
Know you the man?
Mar. I know him, madam; at a marriage feast,
Between lord Perigort and the beauteous heir
Of Jaques Falconbridge solémnized,
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 well.
The only soil of his fair virtue's gloss,
(If virtue's gloss will stain with any soil,)
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. P. Some merry mocking lord, belike; is't so? Mar. They say so most, that most his humours know.

Prin. Such short-liv'd wits do wither as they Who are the rest?

[grow. Kath. The young Dumain, a well-accomplish'd

youth,

Of all that virtue love for virtue lov'd:
For he hath wit to make an ill shape good,
Most power to do most harm, least knowing ill;
And shape to win grace though he hath no wit.
I saw him at the duke Alençon's once;
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: If 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 occasion for his wit;
For every object that the one doth catch,
The other turns to a mirth-moving jest ;
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.

P. Heaven 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.

Long. Nay, my choler is ended.

She is a most sweet lady.

Boyet. Not unlike, sir; that may be.

[Exit Long.

Biron. What's her name in the cap? Boyet. Katharine, by good hap. Biron. Is she wedded or no? Boyet. To her will, sir, or so. Biron. You are welcome, sir; adieu! Boyet. Farewell to me, sir, and welcome to you. [Exit Biron.-Ladies unmask. Mar. That last is Biron, the merry mad-cap Not a word with him but a jest. [lord;

Boyet. And every jest but a word. If my observation, (which very seldom lies,) By the heart's still rhetorick, disclosed with eyes, Deceive me not now, Navarre is infected.

Prin. With what?

Boyet. With that which we lovers entitle, Prin. Your reason? [affected.

Boyet. Why all his behaviours did make their retire

To the court of his eye, peeping thorough desire: His heart, like an agate, 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; 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, tend'ring their own worth, from where

they were glass'd,

Did point you to buy them, along as you pass'd.
His face's own margent did quote such amazes,
That all eyes saw his eyes enchanted with gazes:
I'll give you Aquitain, and all that is his,
An you give him for my sake but one loving kiss.
Prin. Come, to our pavilion: Boyet is dis-
pos'd-

Boy. But to speak that in words, which his eye hath disclos'd:

I only have made a mouth of his eye,
By adding a tongue which I know will not lie.
Ros. Thou art an old love-monger, and
speak'st skilfully.
[of him.
M. He is Cupid's grandfather, and learns news
Ros. Then was Venus like her mother; for
her father is but grim.

Boyet. Do you hear, my mad girls?
No.

Mar.

bring him festinately! hither; I must employ him in a letter to my love.

Moth. Master, will you win your love with a French brawl?2

Arm. How mean'st thou? brawling in French? Moth. No, my complete master: but to jig off a tune at the tongue's end, canary3 to it withi your feet, humour it with turning up your eyelids; sigh a note, and sing a note; sometiine through the throat, as if you swallowed love with singing love; sometime through the nose, as if you snuffed up love by smelling love; with your hat penthouse-like, o'er the shop of your eyes; with your arms crossed on your thin doublet, like a rabbit on a spit; or your hands in your pocket, like a man after the old painting; and keep not too long in one tune, but a snip and away.

4. How hast thou purchased this experience? Moth. By my penny of observation. Arm. But 0,-but 0,

Moth. -the hobby-horse is forgot.

Arm. Callest thou my love, hobby-horse? Moth. No, master; the hobby-horse is but a colt, and your love, perhaps, a hackney. But have you forgot your love?

Arm. Almost I had.

Moth. Negligent student! learn her by heart. Arm. By heart, and in heart, boy. Moth. And out of heart, master: all those three I will prove.

Arm. What will that prove?

Moth. A man, if I live; and this, by, in, and without, upon the instant: By heart you love her, because your heart cannot come by her: in heart you love her, because your heart is in love with her: and out of heart you love her, being out of heart that you cannot have her. Arm. I am all these three.

Moth. And three times as much more, and yet nothing at all.

Arm. Fetch hither the swain; he must carry me a letter.

Moth. A message well sympathised; a horse to be ambassador for an ass!

Arm. Ha, ha! what sayest thou?

Moth. Marry, sir, you must send the ass upon the horse, for he is very slow-gaited: But I go. Arm. The way is but short; away.

Moth. As swift as lead, sir.

Arm. Thy meaning, pretty ingenious? Is not lead a metal, heavy, dull, and slow? Moth. Minime, honest master; or, rather

master no.

By thy favour, sweet welkin, I must sigh in thy

face:

Most rude melancholy, valour gives thee place. My herald is returned.

1 Hastily. 2 A dance. 3 A sprightly dance,

Re-enter Moth and Costard. Moth. A wonder, master; here's a costard1 broken in a shin.

Arm. Some enigma, some riddle: come,-thy l'envoy; 2 begin.

Cost. No enigma, no riddle, no l'envoy; no salve in the mail, sir: O, sir, plantain, a plain plaintain; no l'envoy, no l'envoy, no salve, sir, but a plantain !!

Arm. I give thee thy liberty, set thee from durance; and, in lieu thereof, impose on thee nothing but this: Bear this significant to the country maid Jaquenetta: there is remuneration; [Giving him money.] for the best ward of mine honour, is rewarding my dependents. Moth, follow. [Exit. Moth. Like the sequel, I.-Signior Costard, adieu. [Exit Moth

[again.

The fox, the ape, and the humble-bee, Were still at odds, being but three. There's the moral: Now the l'envoy. Moth. I will add the l'envoy: Say the moral Arm. The fox, the ape, and the humble-bee, Were still at odds, being but three:

Moth. Until the goose came out of door,

And stay'd the odds by adding four. Now will I begin your moral, and do you follow with my l'envoy.

The fox, the ape, and the humble-bee; Were still at odds, being but three: Arm. Until the goose came out of door,

Staying the odds by adding four. Moth. A good l'envoy, ending in the goose: Would you desire more?

Cost. The boy hath sold him a bargain, a goose, that's flat:

Sir, your pennyworth is good, an your goose be fat.[loose: To sell a bargain well is as cunning as fast and Let me see a fat l'envoy; ay, that's a fat goose. Arm. Come hither, come hither: How did this argument begin?

Mo. By saying that a Costard was broken in Then call'd you for the l'envoy. [a shin. Cost. True, and I for a plantain: Thus came your argument in;

Then the boy's fat l'envoy, the goose that you And he ended the market. [bought; Arm. But tell me; how was there a Costard broken in a shin?

Moth. I will tell you sensibly.

Cost. Thou hast no feeling of it, Moth; I will speak that l'envoy:

I, Costard, running out, that was safely within, Fell over the threshold, and broke my shin. Arm. We will talk no more of this matter. Cost. Till there be more matter in the shin. Arm. Sirrah Costard, I will enfranchise thee. Cost. O, marry me to one Frances:-I smell some l'envoy, some goose, in this.

Arm. I mean, setting thee at liberty, enfreedoming thy person; thou wert immured, restrained, captivated, bound.

C. True, true; and now you will let me loose. 2 A French term for concluding verses. 4 Said.

1 A head. 8 Before.

Enter Biron.

Biron. O, my good knave Costard! exceedingly well met.

Cost. Pray you, sir, how much carnation ribbon may a man buy for a remuneration? Biron. What is a remuneration? Cost. Marry, sir, half-penny farthing. Biron. O, why then, three-farthings-worth of

silk.

Cost. I thank your worship: Heaven be with you!

Biron. O, stay, slave; I must employ thee: As thou wilt win my favour, good my knave, Do one thing for me that I shall entreat.

Cost. When would you have it done, sir?
Biron. O, this afternoon.

Cost. Well, I will do it, sir: Fare you well.
Biron. O, thou knowest not what it is.
Cost. I shall know, sir, when I have done it.
Biron. Why, villain, thou must know first.
Cost. I will come to your worship to-morrow
morning.

Biron. It must be done this afternoon. Hark, slave, it is but this ;

The princess comes to hunt here in the park,
And in her train there is a gentle lady;
When tongues speak sweetly, then they name
her name,

And Rosaline they call her: ask for her;
And to her white hand see thou do commend
This seal'd up counsel. There's thy guerdon2;
go.
[Gives him money.
Cost. Guerdon,-Osweet guerdon! better than
remuneration; eleven-pence farthing better:
Most sweet guerdon!-I will do it, sir, in print.3
-Guerdon-remuneration.
[Exit.

Biron. O! And I, forsooth, in love! I, that have been love's whip;

A very beadle to a humorous sigh;
A critick; nay, a night-watch constable;
A domineering pedant o'er the boy,
Than whom no mortal so magnificent!
This whimpled, whining, purblind, wayward
boy;

This senior-junior, giant-dwarf, Dan Cupid ;
Regent of love rhymes, lord of folded arms,
The anointed sovereign of sighs and groans,
Liege of all loiterers and malcontents,
And I to be a corporal of his field,
And wear his colours like a tumbler's hoop!
What? I! I love! I sue! I seek a wife!
1 Tape.

2 Reward. 8 Exactly. 4 Veiled.