Boyet. Gone to her tent: Please it your majesty, Command me any service to her thither? King. That she vouchsafe me audience for one word. Boyet. I will; and so will she, I know, my lord. [Exit. Biron. This fellow pecks up wit, as pigeons peas; And utters it again when God doth please: He is wit's pedler; and retails his wares At wakes, and wassels*, meetings, markets, fairs; And we that sell by gross, the Lord doth know, Have not the grace to grace it with such show. This gallant pins the wenches on his sleeve; Had he been Adam, he had tempted Eve: He can carve too, and lisp: Why, this is he, That kiss'd away his hand in courtesy; This is the ape of form, monsieur the nice, That when he plays at tables, chides the dice, In honourable terms! nay, he can sing A meant most meanly; aud, in ushering, Mend him who can: the ladies call him, sweet: The stairs, as he treads on them, kiss his feet: This is the flower that smiles on every one, To show his teeth as white as whales bone‡: And consciences, that will not die in debt, Pay him the due of honey-tongued Boyet. King. A blister on his sweet tongue, with my heart, That put Armado's page out of his part! Enter the Princess, usher'd by Boyet; Rosaline, Maria, Katharine, and uttendants. Biron. See where it comes !-Behaviour, what wert thou, Till this man show'd thee? and what art thou now? Rustic merry-meetings. + The tenor in musick. The tooth of the horse-whale. King. All hail, sweet madam, and fair time of day! Prin. This field shall hold me; and so hold your VOW: Nor God, nor I, delight in perjur'd men, King. Rebuke me not for that which you provoke; For virtue's office never breaks men's troth. A world of torments though I should endure, I would not yield to be your house's guest; Prin. Not so, my lord; it is not so, I swear. King. How, madam? Russians? Prin. Ay, in truth, my lord; Trim gallants, full of courtship, and of state, Ros. Madam, speak true :-It is not so, my lord; My lady (to the manner of the days*), After the fashion of the times. Biron. This jest is dry to me-Fair, gentle sweet, Is of that nature, that to your huge store Biron. possess. I cannot give you less. Ros. Which of the visors was it, that you wore? Biron. Where? when? what visor? why demand you this? Ros. There, then, thatvisor; that superfluous case, That hid the worse, and show'd the better face. King. We are descried: they'll mock us now downright. Dum. Let us confess, and turn it to a jest. - Prin. Amaz'd, my lord? Why looks your highness sad? Ros. Help, hold his brows! he'll swoon! Why look you pale?— Sea-sick, I think, coming from Muscovy. Biron. Thus pour the stars down plagues for perjury. Can any face of brass hold longer out?— Here stand I, lady; dart thy skill at me; Bruise me with scorn, confound me with a flout? Thrust thy sharp wit quite through my ignorance; Cut me to pieces with thy keen conceit; And I will wish thec never more to dance, Nor never come in visor to my friend*; * Mistress. Nor woo in rhyme, like a blind harper's song: Taffata phrases, silken terms precise, Three-pil'd hyperboles, spruce affectation, Figures pedantical; these summer-flies Have blown me full of maggot ostentation: I do forswear them: and I here protest, By this white glove (how white the hand, God Henceforth my wooing mind shall be express'd Biron. They have the plague, and caught it of your eyes: These lords are visited; you are not free, For the Lord's tokens on you do I see. Prin. No, they are free, that gave these tokens to us. Biron. Our states are forfeit, seek not to undo us. Ros. It is not so; For how can this be true, That you stand forfeit, being those that sue? Biron. Peace; for I will not have to do with you. Ros. Nor shall not, if I do as I intend. Biron. Speak for yourselves, my wit is at an end. King, Teach us, sweet madam, for our rude transgression Some fair excuse. Prin. The fairest is confession. Were you not here, but even, now, disguis'd? What did you whisper in your lady's ear? King. That more than all the world I did respect her. Prin. When she shall challenge this, you will re ject her. King. Upon mine bonour, no. Prin. Peace, peace, forbear; Your oath once broke, you force* not to forswear. King. Despise me, when I break this oath of mine. Prin. I will; and therefore keep it:-Rosaline, What did the Russian whisper in your ear? Ros, Madam, he swore, that he did hold me dear As precious eye-sight; and did value me Above this world: adding thereto, moreover, That he would wed me, or else die my lover. Prin. God give thee joy of him! the noble lord Most honourably doth uphold his word. King. What mean you, madam? by my life, my troth, I never swore this lady such an oath. Ros. By heaven, you did; aud to confirm it plain, You gave me this: but take it, sir, again, King. My faith, and this, the princess I did give; I knew her by this jewel on her sleeve. Prin. Pardon me, sir, this jewel did she wear; And lord Birón, I thank him, is my dear:What; will you have me, or your pearl again? Biron, Neither of either; I remit both twain. I see the trick on't;-Here was a consent t (Knowing aforehand of our merriment), To dash it like a Christmas comedy: Some carry-tale, some please-man, some slight zany‡, Some mumble-news, some trencher-knight, some Dick, That smiles his cheek in years; and knows the trick • Make no difficulty. Conspiracy. + Buffoon. |