Boy.
Now, madam, summon up your dearest spirits:
Consider who the ^note king your father sends;
To whom he sends; and what's his embassy:
Yourself, held precious in the world's esteem;
To parly 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.

Pri.
Good lord Boyet, my beauty, though but ^note mean,
Needs not the painted flourish of your praise;
Beauty is bought by judgment of the eye,
Not utter'd by base sale ^note of chapmen's tongues:
I am less proud to hear you tell my worth,
Than you much willing to be counted wise
In spending thus ^note your wit in praise of mine.
But now to task the tasker,—Good Boyet,
You ^note 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 ^note 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 sollicitor:
Tell him, the daughter of the king of France,
On serious business, craving quick dispatch,
Impórtunes ^note personal conference with his grace.
Haste, signify so much; while we attend,
Like humble-visag'd ^note suitors, his high will.

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

Pri.
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 L.
Lord Longaville is one.

Pri.
Know you the man?

Mar.
I know ^note him,14Q0192 madam; at a marriage feast,

Between lord Perigort and the beauteous heir
Of Jaques Faulconbridge solémnized,
In Normandy saw I this Longaville:
A man of sovereign parts he ^note is esteem'd;
Well fitted in the ^note 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.

Pri.
Some merry mocking lord, belike; is't so?

Mar.
They say so most, that most his humours know.

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

Cat.
The young Dumain, ^note a well-accomplish'd youth,
Of all that virtue love for virtue lov'd:
Most 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 ^note no wit:
I saw him at the duke Alenson's once;
And much too little, of that good I saw,
Is my report to his great worthiness.

Ros.
Another of these students ^note at that time
Was there with him, if I ^note 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; ^note
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.

Pri.
God bless my ladies! are they all in love;
That every one her own hath garnished
With such bedecking ornaments of praise?

1 L.
Here ^note comes Boyet. Re-enter Boyet.

Pri.
Now, what admittance, lord?

Boy.
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 ^note I have learnt,—
He rather means to lodge you in the field,
(Like one that comes here to besiege his court)
Than seek a dispensation for his oath,
To let you enter his unpeopl'd ^note house.
Here ^note comes Navarre. [Ladies mask. Enter King, attended; Dumain, Biron, Longaville, and Others.

Kin.
Fair princess, welcome to the court of Navarre.

Pri.

Fair, I give you back again; and, welcome, I have not yet: the roof of this court is too high to be yours; and welcome to the wide fields too base to be mine.

Kin.
You shall be welcome, madam, to my court.

Pri.
I will be welcome then; conduct me thither.

Kin.
Hear me, dear lady,—I have sworn an oath.

Pri.
Our lady help my lord! he'll be forsworn.

Kin.
Not for the world, fair madam, by my will.

Pri.
Why, will shall break it; will, and nothing else.

Kin.
Your ladyship is ignorant what it is.

Pri.
Were my lord so, his ignorance were wise;
Where now his knowledge must prove ignorance.
I hear your grace hath sworn-out house-keeping:
'Tis deadly sin to keep that oath, my lord;
Not sin ^note to break it:
But pardon me, I am too sudden bold;
To teach a teacher ill beseemeth me.
Vouchsafe to read the &dagger2; purpose of my coming,
And suddenly resolve me in my suit.

Kin.
Madam, I will, if suddenly I may.

Pri.
You will the sooner, that I were away;
For you'll prove perjur'd, if you make me stay.

Bir.
Did not I dance with you in Brabant once?14Q0193

Cat.
Did ^note not I dance with you in Brabant once?

Bir.
I know, you did.

Cat.
How needless was it then
To ask the question!

Bir.
You must not be so quick.

Cat.
'Tis long of you, that spur me with such questions.

Bir.
Your wit's too hot, it speeds too fast, 'twill tire.

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

Bir.
What time o' day?

Cat.
The hour that fools should ask.

Bir.
Now fair befall your mask!

Cat.
Fair fall the face it covers!

Bir.
And send you many lovers!

Cat.
Amen; so you be none.

Bir.
Nay, then will I be gone.

Kin.
Madam, your father here † doth intimate
The payment of a hundred thousand crowns;
Being but the 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 unpay'd
A hundred thousand more; in surety of which ^note,
One part of Aquitain is bound to us,
Although not valu'd to the money's worth.
If then the king your father will restore
But that one half which is unsatisfy'd, ^note
We will give up our right in Aquitain,
And hold fair friendship with his majesty.
But that, it seems, he little purposeth:
For here † he doth demand ^note, to have repay'd ^note
An hundred ^note thousand crowns; and not demands,
On payment ^note of a hundred ^note thousand crowns,
To have his title live in Aquitain;
Which we much rather had depart withal,
And have the money by our father ^note lent,
Than Aquitain so gelded as it is.
Dear princess, were not his requests so far
From reason's yielding, your fair self should make
A yielding, 'gainst some reason, in my breast,
And go well satisfy'd to France again.

Pri.
You do the king my father too much wrong,
And wrong the reputation of your name,
In so unseeming to confess receipt
Of that which hath so faithfully been pay'd.

Kin.
I do protest, I never heard of it;
And, if you prove it, I'll repay it back,
Or yield up Aquitain.

Pri.
We arrest your word:—
Boyet, you can produce acquittances,
For such a sum, from special officers

Of Charles his father.

Kin.
Satisfy me so.

Boy.
So please your grace, the packet is not come,
Where that and other specialties are bound;
To-morrow you shall have a sight of them.

Kin.
It shall suffice me; at which interview,
All liberal reason I will ^note yield unto.
Mean time, receive such welcome at my hand,
As honour, without breach of honour, may ^note,
Make tender of to thy true worthiness:
You may not come, fair princess, in my ^note gates;
But here without you shall be so receiv'd,
As you shall deem yourself lodg'd in my heart,
Though so deny'd fair harbour ^note in my house.
Your own good thoughts excuse me, and farewel.
To-morrow shall we ^note visit you again.

Pri.
Sweet health and fair desires consort your grace!

Kin.
Thy own wish wish I thee in every place! [Exeunt King, and his Train.

Bir.
Lady, I will commend you to my heart ^note.14Q0194

Ros.
Now, pray you, do my commendations;
I would be glad to see it.

Bir.
I would, you heard it groan.

Ros.
Is the fool ^note sick?

Bir.
Sick at the heart.

Ros.
Alack, let it blood.

Bir.
Would that do it good?

Ros.
My physick says, I.

Bir.
Will you prick 't with your eye?

Ros.
No, poynt, with my knife.

Bir.
Now, God save thy life!

Ros.
And yours from long living!

Bir.
I cannot stay, thanks- ^notegiving. [retiring.

Dum.
Sir, I pray you, a word; What lady is that same?

Boy.
The heir of Alenson, Rosaline her name.

Dum.
A gallant lady!—Monsieur, fare you well. [Exit Dumain.

Lon.
I beseech you, a word; What is she in the white?

Boy.
A woman sometimes ^note, an you ^note saw her in the light.

Lon.
Perchance, light in the light: I desire her name.

Boy.
She hath but one for herself; to desire that, were a shame.

Lon.
Pray you, sir, whose daughter?

Boy.
Her mother's, I have heard.

Lon.
God's blessing on your ^note beard.

Boy.
Good sir, be not offended:
She is ^note an heir of Faulconbridge.

Lon.
Nay, my choler is ended.
She is ^note a most sweet lady.

Boy.
Not unlike, sir; that may be. [Exit Longaville.

Bir.
What's her name in the cap?

Boy.
Catherine, by good hap.

Bir.
Is she wedded, or no?

Boy.
To her will, sir, or so.

Bir.
You ^note are welcome, sir; adieu.

Boy.
Farewel to me, sir, and welcome to you. [Exit Biron. Ladies unmask.

Mar.
That last is Biron, the merry mad-cap lord;
Not a word with him but a jest.

Boy.
And every jest but a word.

Pri.
It was well done of you, to take him at his word.

Boy.
I was as willing to grapple, as he was to board.

Cat.
Two ^note hot sheeps, marry!

Boy.
And wherefore not ships?
No sheep, sweet lamb, unless we feed on your lips.

Cat.
You sheep, and I pasture; Shall that finish the jest?

Boy.
So you grant pasture for me. [offering to kiss her.

Cat.
Not so, gentle beast;
My lips are no common, though several ^note they be.

Boy.
Belonging to whom?

Cat.
To my fortunes and me.

Pri.
Good wits will be jangling: but, gentles, agree:
This civil war of wits were much better used
On Navarre and his bookmen; for here 'tis abused.

Boy.
If my observation, (which very seldom lyes)
By the heart's still rhetorick, disclosed with eyes,
Deceive me not now, Navarre is infected.

Pri.
With what?

Boy.
With that which we lovers intitle, affected.

Pri.
Your reason?

Boy.
Why, all his behaviours did make ^note their retire ^note
To the court of his eye, peeping thorough ^note desire:
His heart, like an agat, 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 ^note in his eye,
Like jewels in chrystal for some prince to buy;
Who, tendring their own worth from where they ^note were glass'd,
Did point you to ^note buy them along as you pass'd.
His face's own margent did quote ^note such amazes,
That all eyes saw his eyes enchanted with gazes:
I'll give you Aquitain, and ^note all that is his,

An you give him for my sake but one loving kiss.

Pri.
Come, to our pavilion: Boyet is dispos'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 lye.

Mar.
Thou'rt an old love-monger, and speak'st skilfully.

Cat.
He is Cupid's grandfather, and learns news of him.

Ros.
Then was Venus like her mother; for her father is but grim.

Boy.
Do you hear, my mad wenches?

Lad.
No.

Boy.
What then, do you see?

Lad.
Ay, our way to be gone.

Boy.
You are too hard for me. [Exeunt. SCENE II. Another Part of the same. Enter Armado, and Moth.

Arm.

Warble, child; make passionate my sense of hearing.

Mot.
Concolinel— [singing.

Arm.

Sweet air!—Go, tenderness of years; take &dagger2; this key, give enlargement to the swain, bring him festinately hither; I must employ him in a letter to my love.

Mot.

Master, ^note will you win your love with a French brawl?

Arm.

How meanest thou? brawling in French?

Mot.

No, my compleat master: but to jig off a tune at the tongue's end, canary to it with your feet ^note, humour it with turning up your eye-lids; ^note sigh a note, and sing a note; sometime through the throat, as if you swallow'd love with singing love; sometime through the nose ^note, as if you snuft up love by smelling love; with your hat penthouse-like o'er the shop of your eyes; with your arms

cross'd on your thin-belly ^note doublet, like a rabbet 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: These are complements, ^note14Q0195 these are humours: these betray nice wenches,—that would be betray'd without these; and make them men of note, (do you note me?) that ^note are most affected to these.

Arm.

How hast thou purchas'd this experience?

Mot.

By my penny ^note of observation.

Arm.

But, o, but, o,—

Mot.

—the hobby-horse is forgot.

Arm.

Call'st thou my love, hobby-horse?

Mot.

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.

Mot.

Negligent student! learn her by heart.

Arm.

By heart, and in heart, boy.

Mot.

And out of heart, master: all those three I will prove.

Arm.

What wilt thou prove?

Mot.

A man, if I live; and this, by, in, and without ^note, 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 enjoy her.

Arm.

I am all these three.

Mot.

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

Arm.

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

Mot.

A message well sympathis'd; a horse to be embassador for an ass!

Arm.

Ha, ha; what sayest thou?

Mot.

Marry, sir, you must send the ass upon the

horse, for he is very slow-gated: ^note But I go.

Arm.
The way is but short; away.

Mot.
As swift as lead, sir.

Arm.
The meaning ^note, pretty ingenious ^note?
Is not lead a metal, heavy, dull, and slow?

Mot.
Minimè, honest master; or rather, master, no.

Arm.
I say, lead is slow.

Mot.
You are ^note too swift, sir, to say so:
Is that lead slow, which is fir'd from a gun?

Arm.
Sweet smoke of rhetorick!
He reputes me a cannon; and the bullet, that's he:—
I shoot thee at the swain.

Mot.
Thump then, and I flee. [Exit.

Arm.
A most acute juvenal; voluble ^note, and free of grace!
By thy favour, sweet welkin, I must sigh in thy face:
Most rude melancholy, valour gives thee place.
My herald is return'd. Re-enter Moth, with Costard limping.

Mot.

A wonder, master; here's a Costard broken in a shin.

Arm.

Some enigma, some riddle: come, thy l'envoy ^note; begin.

Cos.

No egma,14Q0196 no riddle, no l'envoy, no salve in the matter ^note, sir: ^note O, sir ^note, plantan, a plain plantan; no l'envoy, no l'envoy, no salve ^note, sir, but a plantan!

Arm.

By virtue, thou enforcest laughter; thy silly thought, my spleen; the heaving of my lungs provokes me to ridiculous smiling: O, pardon me, my stars! doth the inconsiderate take salve for l'envoy, and the word ^note, l'envoy, for a salve?

Mot.

Do the wise think them other? is not l'envoy a salve?

Arm.
No, page; it is an epilogue, or discourse, to make plain
Some obscure precedence that hath tofore been sain. ^note
I will ^note example it:14Q0197

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

Mot.
I will add the l'envoy; Say the moral again.

Arm.
The fox, the ape, and the humble-bee,
Were still at odds, being but three: Mot.
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 ^note the goose came out of door,
Staying the odds by adding four.

Mot. ^note
A good l'envoy, ending in the goose; Would you desire more?

Cos.
The boy hath sold him a bargain, a goose, that's flat:—
Sir, your penny-worth is good, an your goose be fat.—
To sell a bargain well, is as cunning as fast and loose:
Let me see a fat l'envoy; ay, that's a fat goose.

Arm.
Come hither, come hither; How did this argument begin?

Mot.
By saying that a Costard was broken in a shin.
Then call'd you for the l'envoy.

Cos.
True, and I for plantan; thus came your argument in:
Then the boy's fat l'envoy, the goose that you bought;
And he ended the market.

Arm.

But, tell me; how was there a Costard broken in a shin?

Mot.

I will tell you sensibly.

Cos.

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

Arm.
We will talk no more of this matter.

Cos.
'Till there be more matter in the shin.

Arm.
Sirrah Costard, I will enfranchise thee.

Cos.

O, marry me to one Frances;—I smell some l'envoy, some goose, in this.

Arm.

By my sweet soul, I mean, setting thee at liberty, enfreedoming thy person; thou wert immured ^note, restrained, captivated, bound.

Cos.

True, true; and now you will be my purgation, and let me loose.

Arm.

I give thee thy liberty, set thee from durance; and, in lieu thereof, impose on thee nothing but this: Bear this &dagger2; significant to the country maid Jaquenetta: there is &dagger2; remuneration; for the best ward of mine honour ^note, is, rewarding my dependants.—Moth, follow.

Mot.

Like the sequel, I.—Signior Costard, adieu.

Cos.

My sweet ounce of man's flesh! my incony Jew!— [Exeunt Moth, and Armado. Now will I look to his remuneration. Remuneration! o, that's the latin ^note word for three farthings: Three farthings —remuneration. What's the price of this incle?—A penny.—No; I'll give you a remuneration:—Why, it carries it. Remuneration! why, it is a fairer name than French-crown ^note. I will never buy and sell out of this word.

Bir.

O, my good knave Costard! exceedingly well met.

Cos.

Pray you, sir, how much carnation ribbon

may a man buy for a remuneration?

Bir.

What ^note is a remuneration?

Cos.

Marry, sir, half-penny farthing.

Bir.

O, why then, three-farthing ^note-worth of silk.

Cos.
I thank your worship; God be wi' you!

Bir.
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.

Cos.

When would you have it done, sir?

Bir.

O, this afternoon.

Cos.

Well, I will do it, sir: fare you well.

Bir.

O, thou knowest not what it is.

Cos.

I shall know, sir, when I have done it.

Bir.

Why, villain, thou must know first.

Cos.

I will come to your worship to-morrow morning.

Bir.

It must be done this afternoon: Hark, slave, it is but this;—

Cos.

Guerdon ^note,—O sweet guerdon! better than remuneration; eleven-pence farthing better: Most sweet guerdon!—I will do it, sir, in print.—Guerdon ^note—Remuneration.

Bir.
O!—And I, forsooth,14Q0198 in love! I, that have been love's whip,
A very bedel to a humorous ^note sigh;
A critick; nay, a night-watch constable;
A domineering pedant o'er the boy,
Than whom no mortal so magnificent!

This whimp'ring, ^note whining, purblind, wayward boy;
This signior Junio's giant-dwarf, ^note dan Cupid; ^note
Regent of love-rimes, lord of folded arms,
The anointed sovereign of sighs and groans,
Liege of all loiterers and malecontents,
Dread prince of plackets, ^note king of cod-pieces,
Sole imperator and great general
Of trotting parators,—O my little heart!—
And I to be a corporal of his file, ^note
And wear his colours like a tumbler's hoop!
What, what! I love? I sue? I seek a wife?
A woman, that is like a German ^note clock;
Still a repairing; ever out of frame;
And never going right, being a ^note watch,
But being watch'd that it may still go right?
Nay, to be perjur'd, which is worst of all:
And, among three, to love the worst of all;
A whitely wanton, with a velvet brow,
With two pitch balls stuck in her face for eyes;
Ay, and, by heaven, one that will do the deed,
Though Argus were her eunuch and her guard:
And I to sigh for her! to watch for her!
To pray for her! Go to; it is a plague
Which Cupid will impose for my neglect
Of his almighty dreadful little might.
Well, I will love, write, sigh, pray, sue, and ^note groan;
Some men must love my lady, and some Joan. [Exit.

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