And consciences, that will not not die in debt, King. A blitter on his fweet tongue with my heart, That put Armado's Fage out of his Part! Enter the Princess, Rofaline, Maria, Catharine, Boyet, and attendants. Biron. See, where it comes; behaviour, what wert thou, 'Till this man fhew'd thee? and what art thou now? Prin. Then with me better, I will give you leave. "ftrate this Rule by the Example before us. A very complaifant, "finical, over-gracious Perfon was in our Author's time fo commonly "call'd a Flower, (or as he elsewhere ftyles it, the Pink of Courtefie,) "that in common Talk, or in the loweft Style, it might be well used, "without continuing the Difcourfe in the Terms of that Metaphor, but "turning them on the Perfon fo denominated. And now I will give "the Reason of my Rule. In the lefs-used Metaphors, our Mind is "fo turn'd upon the Image which the Metaphor conveys, that it expects that that Image should be for a little time continued, by "Terms proper to keep it up. But if, for want of thefe Terms, the Image be no fooner prefented, but dropt; the Mind suffers a "kind of Violence by being call'd off unexpectedly and fuddenly "from its Contemplation: and from hence the broken, disjointed, and "mixt Metaphor fhocks us. But when the Metaphor is worn and 66 66 66 hackney'd by common Ufe, even the firft Mention of it does not "raife in the Mind the Image of it felf, but immediately prefents the "Idea of the Subftance: And then to endeavour to continue the Image, and keep it up in the Mind by proper adapted Terms, "would, on the other hand, have as ill an Effect; because the Mind "is already gone off from the metaphorical Image to the Subftance. "Grammatical Criticks would do well to confider what has been here "faid, when they fet upon amending Greek and Roman Writings. "For the much-ufed, hackney'd Metaphors in thofe Languages muft "now be very imperfectly known and confequently, without great "Caution, they will be fubject to act temerariously. Prin. You nick-name virtue; vice you fhould have spoke : For virtue's office never breaks mens troth. A world of torments though I should endure, Prin. Ay, in truth, my lord; Trim gallants, full of courtship, and of state. Is of that nature, as to your huge store Rofa. But that you take what doth to you belong, Biron. I cannot give you lefs. Rofa. Which of the vizors was it, that you wore? M 3 Biron. Biron. Where? when? what vizor? why demand you this? Rofa. There, then, that vizor, that fuperfluous Cafe, That hid the worse, and fhew'd the better face. King. We are defcried; they'll mock us now downright. Dum. Let us confefs, and turn it to a jeft, Prin. Amaz'd, my lord? why looks your Highness fad? Rofa. Help, hold his brows, he'll fwoon: why look you pale? Sea-fick, I think, coming from Muscovy. Biron. Thus pour the ftars down plagues for Perjury. Can any face of brafs hold longer out? Here ftand I, lady, dart thy skill at me; Bruife me with fcorn, confound me with a flout, Thrust thy fharp wit quite through my ignorance; Cut me to pieces with thy keen conceit; And I will wish thee never more to dance, Nor never more in Ruffian habit wait. O! never will I trust to fpeeches pen'd, Nor to the motion of a school-boy's tongue; Nor never come in vizor to my friend, Nor woo in rhime like a blind harper's fong; Taffata-phrafes, filken terms precife, Three-pil'd hyperboles, fpruce affectation. Figures pedantical, thefe fummer-flies, Have blown me full of maggot oftentation, I do forfwear them; and I here proteft, By this white glove, (how white the hand, God knows!) Henceforth my wooing mind fhall be exprest In ruffet yeas, and honeft kerfie noes: Biron. Yet I have a trick Of the old rage: bear with me, I am fick. Write, Lord have mercy on us, on those three; For the lord's tokens on you both I fee. Prin. No, they are free, that gave these tokens to us. you. Biron. Our ftates are forfeit, feek not to undo us. Rofa. It is not fo; for how can this be true, That you ftand forfeit, being those that fue? Biron. Peace, for I will not have to do with Rofa. Nor fhall not, if I do as I intend. Biron. Speak for your felves, my wit is at an end. King. Teach us, fweet Madam, for our rude tranfgreffion Some fair excufe. Prin. The fairest is confeffion. Were you not here, but even now, difguis'd? King. Madam, I was. Prin. And were you well advis'd? King. I was, fair Madam. Prin. When you then were here, What did you whisper in your lady's ear? King. That more than all the world I did refpect her. Prin. When she shall challenge this, you will reject her. King. Upon mine honour, no. Prin. Peace, peace, forbear: Your oath once broke, you force not to forfwear. Rofa. Madam, he fwore, that he did hold me dear King. What mean you, Madam? by my life,my troth, I never swore this lady fuch an oath. Rofa. By heav'n, you did; and to confirm it plain, You gave me this: but take it, Sir, again. King. My faith, and this, to th' Princess I did give; I knew her by this jewel on her fleeve. Prin. Pardon me, Sir, this jewel did fhe wear: Some carry-tale, fome please-man, fome flight zany, Do not you know my lady's foot by th' fquier, And ftand between her back, Sir, and the fire, You put our Page out: go, you are allow'd; Boyet. Full merrily Hath this brave Manage, this Career, been run. Biron. Lo, he is tilting ftrait. Peace, I have done. (48) That fmiles his Cheek in years,] Thus the whole Set of Impreffious but I cannot for my Heart comprehend the Sense of this Phrase. I am perfwaded, I have reftor'd the Poet's Word and Meaning. Boyet's Character was That of a Fleerer, jeerer, mocker, carping Blade. Enter |