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 thimes,
And shape his service all to my behefts,
And make him proud to make me proud with jests :
So Pedant-like would I o'ersway his state, (42)
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.
Rofa. The blood of youth burns '

not in such'excess, As gravities revolt to wantonness.

Mar. Folly in fools bears not so strong a nore,
As fool'ry in the wite, when wit doth dote:
Since all the power thereof it doth apply,
To prove, by wit, worth in fimplicity.

Enter Boyet.
Prin. Here comes Boyet, and mirth is in his face.
Boyet. O, I am ftabd with laughter; where's her

Grace?
Prin. Thy news, Boyet?

Bojet. Prepare, madam, prepare.
Arm, wenches, arm; Encounters mounted are
Against your peace ; love doth approach disguis'd,
Armed in arguments ; you'll be surpriz'd.
Muster your wits, stand in your own defence,
Or hide your heads like cowards, and fly hence.

Prin. Saint Dennis, to faint Cupid ! what are they, That charge their breath against us ? fay, scout, say.

(42) So pertaunt like would I o'erfway his State,] If the Editors are acquainted with this Word, and can account for the Meaning of it, their Industry has been more successful than mine, for I can no where trace it. So pedant like, as I have ventur’d to replace in the Text, makes very good Sense, i.e. in such lordly, controlling, manner would I bear Myself over him, &c. What Biron says of a Pedant, towards the Conclusion of the ad Act, countenances this Conjecture.

A domineering Pedant o'er the boy,
Than whom no Mortal more magnificent,

Boyet.

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 Reft,
Toward that shade, I might behold, addrest
The King and his companions; warily
I stole into a neighbour thicket by;
And over-heard, what you shall over-hear:
That, by and by, disguis'd they will be here.
Their Herald is a pretty knavish Page,
That well by heart hath conn'd his embassage.
Action and accent did they teach him there;
Thus muft thou speak, and thus thy body bear;
And ever and anon they made a doubt,
Prefence majeftical would put him out :
For, quoth the King, an Angel fhalt thou fee;
Yet fear not thou, but speak audaciously.
The boy reply'd, an Angel is not evil;
I should have fear'd her, had she been a Devil.
With that all laugh'd, and clap'd him on the shoulder,
Making the bold wag by their praises bolder.
One rubb’d his elbow thus, and fleer'd, and swore,
A better speech was never spoke before.
Another with his finger and his thumb,
Cry’d, via! we will do't, come what will come.
The third he caper'd and cry'd, all goes well:
The fourth turn'd on the toe, and down he fell.
With that they all did tumble on the ground,
With such a zealous laughter, fo profound, (43)
That in this fpleen ridiculous appears,
To check their folly, passion's folemn tears.

1

(43) With such a zealous Laughter, fo profound,

That in this Spleen ridiculous appears,

To check their Folly, pafions, folemn tears.]
As Mr. Rowe and Mr. Pope have writ and stop'd this Passage, 'tis plain,
they gave themfelves no Pains to understand the Author's Meaning. Tho'
for the Rhyme-fake, we have a Verb fingular following a Substantive
plural, yet This is what Shakespeare would say, " They cry'd as heartily
* with laughing, as if the deepest Grief had been the Motive". So bé.
fore, in Midsummer Night's Dream.

Made mine Eyes water, but more merry tears
The Pallion of loud Laughter never foed.

Prin. But what, but what, come they to visit us?

Boyet. They do, they do; and are apparel'd thus, Like Moscovites, or Rusians, as I guess. Their purpose is to parley, court and dance ; And every one his love-feat will advance Unto his several mistress; which they'll know By Favours sev'ral, which they did bestow.

Prin. And will they fo? the gallants shall be taskt; For, ladies, we will every one be maskt: And not a man of them shall have the grace, Despight of suite, to see a lady's face. Hold, Rosaline ; this Favour thou shalt wear, And then the King will court thee for his Dear : Hold, take thou this, my sweet, and give me thine ; So shall Biron take me for Rosaline. And change your Favours too; fo fhall your Loves Woo contrary, deceiv'd by these removes.

Rosa. Come on then, wear the Favours most in sight.
Cath. But in this changing, what is your intent?

Prin. Th' effect of my intent is to cross theirs ;
They do it but in mocking merriment,
And mock for mock is only my intent.
Their several councils they unbosom shall
To loves mistook, and fo be mockt withal,
Upon the next occasion that we meet
With visages display'd to talk and greet.

Rofa. But shall we dance, if they desire us to't ?

Prin. No; to the death, we will not move a foot ; Nor to their pen'd speech render we no grace: But while 'tis spoke, each turn away her

face. Boyet. Why,that contempt will kill the Speaker's heart, And quite divorce his memory from his Part.

Prin. Therefore I do it; and I make no doubt, The rest will ne'er come in, if he be out. There's no such Sport, as Sport by Sport o'erthrown; To make theirs ours, and ours none but our own; So shall we stay, mocking intended game; And they, well mockt, depart away with shame. [Sound. Boyet. The trumpet sounds; be maskt, the maskers come.

Enter

Enter the King, Biron, Longaville, Dumain, and attendants, disguis'd like Moscovites ; Moth with

Musick, as for a masquerade. Moth. All bail, the richest beauties on the earth! Boyet. Beauties, no richer than rich taffata. (44)

Moth. A boly parcel of the faireft dames, That ever turn'd their backs to mortal views.

[The ladies turn their backs to him. Biron. Their eyes, villain, their eyes.

Moth. That ever turn'd their eyes to mortal views. Out

Biron. True; out, indeed.

Motb. Out of your favours, beav'nly Spirits, vouchsafe Not to bebold.

Biron. Once to behold, rogue.

Moth. Once to behold with your sun-beamed eyes — With your sun-beamed eyes

Boyet. They will not answer to that epithete; You were best call it daughter-beamed eyes.

Moth. They do not mark me, and that brings me
Biron. Is this your perfectness? be gone, you rogue.
Rosa. What would these strangers ? know their minds,

Boyet.
If they do speak our language, 'tis our Will
That some plain man recount their purposes.
Know, what they would.

Boyet. What would you with the Princess ?
Biron. Nothing, but peace and gentle visitation.
Rofa. What would they, say they?
Boyet. Nothing, but peace and gentle visitation.
Rosa. Why, That they have; and bid them so be

gone. (44) Biron. Beauties, ne richer than rich Taffata.] All the Editors concur to give this Line to Biron ; but, surely, very absurdly: for he's One of the zealous Admirers, and hardly would make such an Inference, Boyet is sneering at the Parade of their Address, is in the secret of the Ladies Stratagem, and makes himself Sport at the Absurdity of their Proëm, in complimenting their Beauty, when they were mask'd. It therefore comes from him with the utmost Propriety.

Boyet.

out.

Boyet. She says, you have it; and you may be gone.

King. Say to her, we have measur'd many miles, To tread a measure with her on the grass. Boyet. They say, that they have measur'd many a

mile,
To tread a measure with you on this grass.

Rosa. It is not so. Ask them, how many inches
Is in one mile: if they have measur'd many,
The measure then of one is easily told.

Boyet. If to come hither you have measur'd miles,
And many miles ; the Princess bids you tell,
How many inches doth fill up one mile ?

Biron. Tell her, we measure them by weary steps,
Boyet. She hears her self.

Rosa. How many weary steps
Of many weary miles, you have o'ergone,
Are number'd in the travel of one milc?

Biron. We number nothing that we spend for you ;
Our duty is so rich, so infinite,
That we may do it still without accompt.
Vouchsafe tó fhew the sunshine of your face,
That we (like savages) may worship it.

Rosa. My face is but a moon and clouded King. Blessed are clouds, to do as such clouds

do. Vouchsafe, bright moon, and these thy stars, to shine (Those clouds remov’d) upon our watery eyne.,

Rofa. O vain petitioner, beg a greater matter; Thou now request ft but moon-shine in the water. King. Then in our measure vouchsafe but one

change; Thou bid'st me beg, this begging is not strange. Rofa. Play, musick, then; nay, you must do it

foon. Not yet? no dance? thus change I, like the moon. King. Will you not dance? how come you thus e

strang’d? Rofa. You took the moon at full, but now she's chang'a.

tod