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entertainment of time, some show in the posterior of this day, to be rendered by our assistance, -the king's command, and this most gallant, illustrate, and learned gentleman, before the princess; I say, none so fit as to present the nine worthies.

Nath. Where will you find men worthy enough to present them?

Hol. Joshua, yourself; myself, or this gallant gentleman, Judas Maccabeus; this swain, because of his great limb or joint, shall pass Pompey the great; the page, Hercules.

Arm. Pardon, sir, error: he is not quantity enough for that worthy's thumb: he is not so big as the end of his club.

Hol. Shall I have audience? He shall present Hercules in minority; his enter and exit shall be strangling a snake; and I will have an apology for that purpose.

Moth. An excellent device! so, if any of the audience hiss, you may cry: well done, Hercules! now thou crushest the snake! that is the way to make an offence gracious; though few have the grace to do it.

Arm. For the rest of the worthies?
Hol. I will play three myself.
Moth. Thrice worthy gentleman!
Arm. Shall I tell you a thing?

Hol. We attend.

Arm. We will have, if this fadge & not, an antick.

I beseech you, follow.

Hol. Via 9, goodman Dull! thou hast spoken no

word all this while.

Dull. Nor understood none neither, sir.
Hol. Allons! we will employ thee.

8 Suit.

9 Courage.

Dull. I'll make one in a dance, or so; or I will play on the tabor to the worthies, and let

them dance the hay.

Hol. Most dull, honest Dull, to our sport, away. [Exeunt.

[blocks in formation]

Prin. Sweet hearts, we shall be rich ere we de

part,

If fairings thus come plentifully in :
A lady wall'd about with diamonds! -
Look you, what I have from the loving king.

Ros. Madam, came nothing else along with that?
Prin. Nothing but this? yes, as much love in

rhyme,

As would be cramm'd up in a sheet of paper,
Writ on both sides the leaf, margent and all;
That he was fain to seal on Cupid's name.

Ros. That was the way to make his god-head

wax: 1

For he hath been five thousand years a boy.

Kath. Ay, and a shrewd unhappy gallows too. Ros. You'll ne'er be friends with him; he kill'd

your sister.

1

Kath. He made her melancholy, sad, and heavy; And so she died: had she been light, like you, Of such a merry, nimble, stirring spirit,

1 Grow.

She might have been a grandam ere she died:
And so may you; for a light heart lives long.

Ros. What's your dark meaning, mouse, of this

light word?

Kath. A light condition in a beauty dark.

Ros. We need more light to find your meaning

out.

Kath. You'll mar the light, by taking it in snuff; s

Therefore, I'll darkly end the argument.

Ros. Look, what you do, you do it still i' the dark.

Kath. So do not you; for you are a light wench. Ros. Indeed, I weigh not you; and therefore

light.

Kath. You weigh me not-O, that's you care not for me.

Ros. Great reason; for, Past cure is still past

care.

Prin. Well bandied both; a set of wit well

play'd.

But Rosaline, you have a favour too :

Who sent it? and what is it?

Ros.

I would, you knew :

An if my face were but as fair as yours,

My favour were as great; be witness this.

Nay, I have verses too, I thank Birón:

The numbers true; and, were the numb'ring too,
I were the fairest goddess on the ground:

I am compar'd to twenty thousand fairs.
O, he hath drawn my picture in his letter!

Prin. Any thing like?

Ros. Much, in the letters; nothing in the praise.

2 Formerly a term of endearment.

3 In anger.

Prin. Beauteous as ink; a good conclusion.

Kath. Fair as a text B in a copy-book.

Ros. 'Ware pencils! How? let me not die your

debtor,

My red dominical, my golden letter:

O, that your face were not so full of O's!

Kath. A pox of that jest! and beshrew all

shrows!

Prin. But what was sent to you from fair Du

main?

Kath. Madam, this glove.

Prin.

Did he not send you twain?

Kath. Yes, madam; and moreover,

Some thousand verses of a faithful lover:

A huge translation of hypocrisy,

Vilely compil'd, profound simplicity.

Mar. This, and these pearls, to me sent Lon

gaville;

The letter is too long by half a mile.

Prin. I think no less: Dost thou not wish in

heart,

The chain were longer, and the letter short?

Mar. Ay, or I would these hands might never

part.

Prin. We are wise girls, to mock our lovers so. Ros. They are worse fools to purchase mocking

SO.

That same Birón I'll torture ere I go.
O, that I knew he were but in by the week!
How I would make him fawn, and beg, and seek;
And wait the season, and observe the times,
And spend his prodigal wits in bootless rhymes;
And shape his service wholly to my behests;
And make him proud to make me proud that jests!
So portent-like would I o'ersway his state,
That he should be my fool, and I his fate.

Prin. None are so surely caught, when they are

catch'd,

As wit turn'd fool: folly, in wisdom hatch'd,
Hath wisdom's warrant, and the help of school;
And wit's own grace to grace a learned fool.

Ros. The blood of youth burns not with such

excess,

As gravity's revolt to wantonness.

Mar. Folly in fools bears not so strong a note, As foolery in the wise, when wit doth dote; Since all the power thereof it doth apply, To prove, by wit, worth in simplicity.

Enter BOYET.

Prin. Here comes Boyet, and mirth is in his face. Boyet. O, I am stabb'd with laughter! Where's

her grace? Prin. Thy news, Boyet? Boyet. Prepare, madam, prepare! Arm, wenches, arm! encounters mounted are Against your peace: Love doth approach disguis'd, Armed in arguments: you'll be surpris'd: Muster your wits; stand in your own defence; Or hide your heads like cowards, and fly hence.

Prin. Saint Dennis to saint Cupid! What are

they,

That charge their breath against us? say, scout, say.
Boyet. Under the cool shade of a sycamore,
I thought to close mine eyes some half an hour:
When lo! to interrupt my purpos'd rest,
Toward that shade I might behold addrest
The king and his companions: warily
I stole into a neighbour thicket by,
And overheard what you shall overhear;
That, by and by, disguis'd they will be here.

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