Jaq. Fair weather after you !

[Exeunt Dull and Jaquenetta.

Dull. Come, Jaquenetta, away.

Arm. Villain, thou shalt fast for thy offence, ere thou

be pardoned.

Coft. Well, Sir, I hope, when I do it, I shall do it on a full ftomach.

Arm. Thou shalt be heavily punish'd.

Coft. I am more bound to you, than your followers;

for they are but lightly rewarded.

Arm. Take away this villain, shut him up.

Moth. Come, you tranfgressing slave, away.

Coft. Let me not be pent up, Sir; I will fast, being loofe.

Moth. No, Sir, that were faft and loofe; thou shalt to prifon.

Goft. Well, if ever I do fee the merry days of desolation that I have seen, some shall fee Moth. What shall fome fee?

Goft. Nay, nothing, Master Moth, but what they look upon. It is not for prifoners to be filent in their words, and therefore I will say nothing; I thank God, I have as little patience as another man, and therefore I can be quiet. [Exeunt Moth and Coftard.

Arm. I do affect the very ground (which is bafe) where her shoe (which is baser) guided by her foot (which is basest) doth tread. I shall be forsworn, which is a great argument of falsehood, if 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 Samfon was so tempted, and he had an excellent ftrength; yet was Solomon so seduced, and he had a very good wit. Cupid's but-shaft is too hard for Hercules's club, and therefore too much odds for a Spaniard's rapier; the first and second cause will not serve my turn; the Paffado he respects not, the Duello he regards not; his disgrace is to be call'd boy; but his glory is to fubdue men. Adieu, valour! rust, rapier! be still, drum! for your manager is in love; yea, he loveth. Assist me, some extemporal god of rhime, for I am fure I shall turn fonneteer. Devise wit, write pen, for I am for whole volumes in folio. [Exit

ACT

II.

SCENE I.

Before the King of Navarre's palace.

Enter the Princess of France, Rofaline, Maria, Catharine, Boyet, Lords, and other attendants.

Boyet.N OW, Madam, fummon up your dearest

spirits;

Consider, whom 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 chapmens tongues,
I am less proud to hear you tell my worth,
Than you much willing to be counted wife,
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 filent court;
Therefore to us seems 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 folicitor.
Tell him, the daughter of the King of France,
On serious business, craving quick difpatch,
Importunes personal conference with his Grace.
Haste, fignify so much, while we attend,

Like humble-visag'd fuitors, his high will.

Boyet. Proud of employment, willingly I go. [Exit.

Prin. All pride is willing pride, and your's is so.

Who are the votaries, my loving Lords,
That are vow-fellows with this virtuous King?

Lord. Longaville is one.

Prin. Know ye the man?

Mar. I knew 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 glofs, (If virtue's glofs will stain with any foil), Is a sharp wit, match'd with too blunt a will; Whose edge hath power to cut, whose will still wills It should fpare none that come within his power.

Prin. Some merry-mocking Lord, belike; is't so? Mar. They fay so most, that most his humours know. Prin. Such short-liv'd wits do wither as they grow. Who are the rest?

Cath. The young Dumain, a well-accomplish'd youth,
Of all that virtue love, for virtue lov'd.
Moft 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 faw him at the Duke Alanfon's once,
And much too little of that good I faw,
Is my report to his great worthiness.

Rof. 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;
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 difcourse.

Prin. God bless my ladies, are they all in love,

That every one her own hath garnished
With fuch bedecking ornaments of praife!

Mar. Here comes Boyet.

Enter Boyet.

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've learn'd,
He rather means to lodge you in the field,
Like one that comes here to befiege his court,
Than feek a difpenfation for his oath,
To let you enter his unpeopled house.
Here comes Navarre.

!

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

tendants.

King. Fair Princess, 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 your's; and welcome to the wide fields, too base to be mine.

King. You shall 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. Not for the world, fair Madam, by my will.
Prin. Why, will shall break its will, and nothing else.
King. Your Ladyship is ignorant what it is.

Prin. Were my Lord so, his ignorance were wife,

Where now his knowledge must 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.

VOL. II.

Vouchsafe to read the purpose of my coming,
And fuddenly refolve 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 needless was it then to ask the question? Biron. You must not be so quick.

Rof. 'Tis long of you, that spur me with such que

stions.

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 befal your mask !
Rof. Fair fall the face it covers !
Biron. And fend you many lovers !
Rof. Amen, so 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 th' one half of an entire sum,
Disbursed by my father in his wars.
But say, that he, or we, as neither have
Receiv'd that sum; yet there remains unpaid
A hundred thousand more; in surety of the which,
One part of Aquitain is bound to us,
Although not valu'd to the money's worth:
If then the King your father will reftore
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 feems he little purposeth,
For here he doth demand to have repaid
An hundred thousand crowns, and not demands,
On payment of an hundred thousand crowns,
To have his title live in Aquitain;

Which we much rather had depart withal,
And have the money by our father lent,
Than Aquitain so gelded as it is.

!