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look upon. (4) It is not for prifoners to be filent in their words, and therefore I will fay nothing; I thank God, I have as little patience as another man, and therefore I can be quiet. [Exeunt Moth and Costard.

Arm. I do affect the very ground, which is base, where her fhoe, which is bafer, guided by her foot, which is baseft, doth tread. I fhall be forfworn, which is a great argument of falfhood, if I love. And how can that be true love, which is falfly attempted? Love is a familiar, love is a devil; there is no evil angel but love, yet Sampson was fo tempted, and he had an excellent strength, yet was Solomon fo feduced, and he had a very good wit. Cupid s but-fhaft is too hard for Hercules's club, and therefore too much odds for a Spaniard's rapier; the firft and fecond caufe will not ferve my turn (5); the Paffado he refpects not, the Duello he regards not; his difgrace is to be call'd boy; but his glory is to fubdue men. Adieu, valour ! ruft, rapier! be ftill, drum! for your manager is in love; yea, he loveth. Affift me fome extemporal God of rhime, for, I am fure, I fhall turn fonneteer. Devise, wit; write, pen; for I am for whole volumes in folio.

[Exit.

(4) It is not for prifoners to be filent in their words, ] I fuppofe we should read, it is not for prifoners to be fi.ent in their wards, that is, in cuftody, in the bolds.

(5) The first and fecond cause will not ferve my turn ;] See the laft act of As you like it with the notes.

ACT

ACT II. SCENE

Before the King of Navarre's Palace.

I.

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

BOYET.

YOW, Madam, fummon up your deareft fpirits ;
Confider, whom the King your father fends ;

To whom he fends, and what's his embaffy.
Yourself, held precious in the world's esteem,
To parley with the fole inheritor

Of all perfections that a man may owe,
Matchlefs 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 ftarve the general world befide,
And prodigally gave them all to you.

Prin. Good lord Boyet, my beauty, though but mean,
Needs not the painted flourish of your praife;
Beauty is bought by judgment of the eye,
Not utter'd by bafe fale of chapmen's tongues *.
I am lefs proud to hear you tell my worth,
Than you much willing to be counted wife,
In fpending thus your wit in praife 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 fhall out-wear three years,
No woman may approach his filent Court;

*Chapman here feems to fignify the feller, not, as now commonly, the buyer. Cheap or cheping was anciently Market, Chapman therefore is Marketman. The meaning is, that the estimation of beauty depends not on the uttering or proclamation of the feller, but on the eye of the buyer.

P 4

There

Therefore to us feems it a needful course,
Before we enter his forbidden gates,

To know his pleasure; and in that behalf,
Bold of your worthinefs, we fingle you
As our best-moving fair follicitor.

Tell him, the daughter of the King of France,
On ferious bufinefs, craving quick dispatch,
Importunes perfonal conference with his Grace.
Hafte, fignify fo much, while we attend,
Like humble-vifag'd fuitors, his high will.

Boyet. Proud of employment, willingly I go. [Exit. Prin. All pride is willing pride, and yours is fo; Who are the votaries, my loving lords,

That are vow-fellows with this virtuous King?
Lord. Longue ville 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 folemnized.

In Normandy faw I this Longueville,

;

A man of fovereign parts he is efteem'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 ftain with any foil,)
Is a fharp wit †, match'd with too blunt a will;
Whofe 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 fo?
Mar. They fay fo moft, that moft his humours know.
Prin. Such fhort-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 fhape good,
And shape to win grace, tho' he had no wit.
I faw him at the Duke Alen/on's once,

* Well fitted, is well qualified.

Match'd with, is con bined erjoined with.

And

And much too little of that good I faw
Is my report to his great worthinefs.

Rofa. Another of these students at that time
Was there with him, as I have heard o'truth;
Biron they call him; but a merrier man,
Within the limit of becoming mirth,

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never ipent 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 luch apt and gracious words,
That aged ears play truant at his tales
And younger hearings are quite ravished ;
So fweet and voluble is his difcourfe.

Prin. God bless my ladies: are they all in love,
That every one her own hath garnished
With fuch bedecking ornaments of praise !
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 addreft to meet you, gentle lady,

Before I came. Marry, thus much I've learnt,
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.

SCENE II

Enter the King, Longueville, Dumain, Biron, and Attendants.

King. Fair Princefs, welcome to the Court of Na

varre.

Prin. Fair, I give you back again; and welcome I have not yet the roof of this Court is too high to

P. 5.

be

be yours; and welcome to the wide fields, too base be mine.

King. You fhall 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 fhall break its will, and nothing
elfe.

King. Your ladyfhip is ignorant what it is.

Prin. Were my lord fo, his ignorance were wife, Where now his knowledge must prove ignorance. I hear, your Grace hath fworn out houfe-keeping: 'Tis deadly fin to keep that oath, my Lord; * And fin to break it.

But pardon me, I am too fudden bold:

To teach a teacher ill befeemeth me.
Vouchsafe to read the purpofe 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 needlefs was it then to afk the question?
Biron. You must not be fo quick.

Ref. 'Tis long of you, that fpur me with fuch questions.

Biron. Your wit's too hot, it fpeeds too fast, 'twill.

tire

Rof. Not 'till it leave the rider in the mire.

Biron. What time o'day?

Ref. The hour, that fools fhould ask..

Biron. Now fair befall your mask!
Rof. Fair fall the face it covers !
Biron. And fend you many lovers!

* Sir T. Hanner reads not fin to break it. I believe erroneously. The Princefs fhews an inconvenience very frequently attending rafh Qaths, which, whether kept or broken, produce guilt.

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