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Cost.

No, sir; but it is vara fine,

For every one pursents three.

Biron.

And three times thrice is nine.

Cost. Not so, sir; under correction, sir; I hope,

it is not so:

You cannot beg us 41, sir, I can assure you, sir; we know what we know:

I hope, sir, three times thrice, sir,

Biron.

Is not nine. Cost. Under correction, sir, we know whereuntil it doth amount.

Biron. By Jove, I always took three threes for nine.

Cost. O Lord, sir, it were pity you should get your living by reckoning, sir.

Biron. How much is it?

Cost. O Lord, sir, the parties themselves, the actors, sir, will show whereuntil it doth amount: for my own part, I am, as they say, but to parfect one man,-e'en one poor man; Pompion the great, sir. Biron. Art thou one of the worthies?

Cost. It pleased them, to think me worthy of Pompion the great: for mine own part, I know not the degree of the worthy; but I am to stand for him. Biron. Go, bid them prepare.

some care.

Cost. We will turn it finely off, sir; we will take [Exit COSTARD. King. Birón, they will shame us, let them not approach.

41 In the old common law was a writ de idiota inquirendo, under which if a man was legally proved an idiot, the profits of his lands, and the custody of his person might be granted by the king to any subject. Such a person, when this grant was asked, was said to be begged for a fool. See Blackstone, b. 1. c. 8. § 18. One of the legal tests appears to have been to try whether the party could answer a simple arithmetical question.

VOL. II.

M M

Biron. We are shame-proof, my lord: and 'tis

some policy

To have one show worse than the king's and his company.

King. I say, they shall not come.

Prin. Nay, my good lord, let me o'errule you now; That sport best pleases, that doth least know how: Where zeal strives to content, and the contents Die in the zeal of them which it presents 42,

Their form confounded makes most form in mirth; When great things labouring 43 perish in their birth. Biron. A right description of our sport, my lord.

Enter ARMADO.

Arm. Anointed, I implore so much expense of thy royal sweet breath, as will utter a brace of words. [ARMADO converses with the King, and delivers him a paper.]

Prin. Doth this man serve God?

Biron. Why ask you?

Prin. He speaks not like a man of God's making. Arm. That's all one, my fair, sweet, honey mo

42 The old copies read

Dies in the zeal of that which it presents.'

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The emendation in the text is Malone's, and he thus endeavours to give this obscure passage a meaning. The word it, I believe, refers to sport. That sport, says the princess, pleases best, where the actors are least skilful; where zeal strives to please, and the contents, or great things attempted, perish in the very act of being produced, from the ardent zeal of those who present the sportive entertainment. It, however, may refer to contents, and that word may mean the most material part of the exhibition.' Mason proposed to read:

'Where zeal strives to content, and the content
Lies in the zeal of those which it present.'

43 Labouring here means in the act of parturition. So Ros

common:

"The mountains labour'd, and a mouse was born.'

narch: for, I protest, the schoolmaster is exceeding fantastical; too, too vain; too, too vain: But we will put it, as they say, to fortuna della guerra. I wish you the peace of mind, most royal couplement 44. [Exit ARMADO.

King. Here is like to be a good presence of worthies: He presents Hector of Troy; the swain, Pompey the great; the parish curate, Alexander; Armado's page, Hercules; the pedant, Judas Machabæus.

And if these four worthies in their first show thrive, These four will change habits, and present the other five.

Biron. There is five in the first show.
King. You are deceiv'd, 'tis not so.

Biron. The pedant, the braggart, the hedge-priest, the fool, and the boy :

A bare throw at novum 45; and the whole world again, Cannot prick 46 out five such, take each one in his vein. King. The ship is under sail, and here she comes amain.

[Seats brought for the King, Princess, &c.

Pageant of the Nine Worthies.

Enter COSTARD arm'd, for Pompey.

Cost. I Pompey am,

Boyet.

You lie, you are not he,

44 This word is used again by Shakspeare in his 21st Sonnet : Making a couplement of proud compare.'

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45 A game at dice, properly called novem quinque, from the principal throws being nine and five. The first folio reads 'Abate throw,' &c. The second folio, which reads A bare throw,' is evidently right. The meaning is obvious, though Mr. Malone found the passage unintelligible; and proposed reading 'Abate a throw; the meaning of which is by no means clear.

46 Pick out.

Cost. I Pompey am,

Boyet.

With libbard's head on knee 47. Biron. Well said, old mocker; I must needs be

friends with thee.

Cost. I Pompey am, Pompey, surnam'd the big,— Dum. The great.

Cost. It is great, sir;-Pompey surnam❜d the great; That oft in field, with targe and shield, did make my foe to sweat:

And travelling along this coast, I here am come by chance;

And lay my arms before the legs of this sweet lass of France.

If your ladyship would say, Thanks, Pompey, I had

done.

Prin. Great thanks, great Pompey.

Cost. "Tis not so much worth; but, I hope, I was perfect: I made a little fault in, great.

Biron. My hat to a halfpenny, Pompey proves the best worthy.

Enter NATHANIEL arm'd, for Alexander.

Nath. When in the world I liv'd, I was the world's commander;

By east, west, north, and south, I spread my conquering might:

My 'scutcheon plain declares that I am Alisander. Boyet. Your nose says, no, you are not; for it stands too right 48.

47 This alludes to the old heroic habits, which, on the knees and shoulders, had sometimes by way of ornament the resemblance of a leopard's or lion's head. See Cotgrave's Dictionary. in v. Masquine.

48 It should be remembered, to relish this joke, that the head of Alexander was obliquely placed on his shoulders.

Biron. Your nose smells, no, in this, most tender

smelling knight 49.

Prin. The conqueror is dismay'd: Proceed, good
Alexander.

Nath. When in the world I liv'd, I was the world's
commander ;-

Boyet. Most true, 'tis right; you were so, Ali

sander.

Biron. Pompey the great,

Cost.

Your servant, and Costárd. Biron. Take away the conqueror, take away Alisander.

Cost. O, sir, [To NATH.] you have overthrown Alisander the conqueror! You will be scraped out of the painted cloth for this: your lion, that holds his poll-ax sitting on a close-stool 50, will be given to A-jax: he will be the ninth worthy. A conqueror, and afeard to speak! run away for shame, Alisander. [NATH. retires.] There, an't shall please you; a foolish mild man; an honest man, look you, and soon dash'd! He is a marvellous good neighbour, in sooth; and a very good bowler: but, for Alisander, alas, you see how 'tis ;-a little o'erparted:-But there are worthies a coming will speak their mind in some other sort.

Prin. Stand aside, good Pompey.

49 His (Alexander's) body had so sweet a smell of itselfe that all the apparell he wore next unto his body, tooke thereof a passing delightful savour, as if it had been perfumed.' North's Plutarch.

50 This alludes to the arms given, in the old history of the Nine Worthies, to Alexander,' the which did bear geules a lion or, seiante in a chayer, holding a battle-axe argent.' There is a conceit of Ajax and a jakes, by no means uncommon at the time; when Sir John Harington published his witty performance, 'A new Discourse of a Stale Subject, called The Metamorphosis of Ajax,' 1596, giving a humorous account of his invention of a water-closet.

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