126 and the whole world

Cannot prick out five such, take each one in his vein.

King. The ship is under sail, and here she comes amain.

Enter COSTARD armed for Pompey

Gost. I Pompey am,-
Boyet.

You lie, you are not he.127

Cost. I Pompey am,

Boyet.

With libbard's head on knee.128

Well said, old mocker: I must needs be friends with thee.

Biron

Cost.

[Converses with the King and delivers to him a paper.

Prin. Doth this man serve God? Biron. Why ask you?

Prin. He speaks not like a man of God's making.

Arm. That's all one, my fair, sweet, honey monarch; for, I protest, the schoolmaster is exceeding fantastical; too too vain; too too vain: but we will put it, as they say, to fortuna della guerra ̧12 I wish you the peace of mind, most royal couplement ! 125 [Exit.

King. Here is like to be a good presence of Worthies. He presents Hector of Troy; the swain, Pompey the Great; the parish curate, Alexander; Armado's page, Hercules; the pedant, Judas Maccabæus;

And if these four Worthies in their first show thrive,

These four will change habits, and present the other five.

Biron. There are five in the first show

King. You are deceiv'd; 'tis not so.
Biron.

The pedant, the braggart, the hedgepriest, the fool, and the boy :

:

123. Where zeal strives, &c. This sentence is so hopelessly obscured by misprint in the Folio (the two lines standing there thus

'Where Zeale strives to content, and the contents
Dies in the Zeale of that which it presents'),

that it is difficult to descry correct text and meaning. Various alterations have been proposed; and we adopt Monk Mason's reading, taking it to mean-'Where zeal strives to give content, and the content is derived from the zeal of those who present it.' 124. Fortuna della guerra. The fortune of war. 125. Couplement. This rarely-used word occurs only once again in Shakespeare's works (in his 21st Sonnet); but Spenser has it in his " Faerie Queen," Book vi., Canto 5, Stanza 24. It means a coupling together; a couple, a pair. Here, Armado applies it to the king and princess. It is also to be noted that, in this speech, the Spaniard repays Holofernes in his own coin; by disparaging him behind his back, though flattering him to his face.

126. Abate throw at novum. "Novum," or 'novem,' was a game at dice; wherein the paramount numbers were five and

I Pompey am, Pompey surnamed the Big,-
"The Great."

Dum.
Cost. It is "Great," sir:-

Pompey surnam'd the Great ;
That oft in field, with targe129 and shield, did make my

to sweat :

foe

"Abate" seems here to be used in the sense of ' suppressing,' 'leaving out,' or 'excepting;' and the sentence to mean, Excepting in a throw at novum, the whole world could not furnish five such.' Probably, were all the details of the game of "novum" better known, the point of Biron's allusion to the five oddities undertaking to represent the nine Worthies could be more readily perceived and pointed out.

127. You lie, you are not he. Boyet means to say, not Pompey; you only personate him,-and that badly."

'You are

128. With libbard's head on knee. This alludes to the attire of ancient heroes, which bore on the shoulders and knees a leopard's or lion's head, by way of ornament. "Libbard" is an old form of 'leopard.'

129 Targe. A target, or buckler.

130. It stands too right. This allusion to the want of correct position in Alexander the Great's nose, and (in the next speech) to the native fine odour that distinguished him, is derived from Plutarch; who mentions 'Alexander's manner of holding his neck, somewhat hanging down towards the left side;' 'that his skin had a marvellous good savour; and that his breath was very sweet.'

Prin. The conqueror is dismay'd.— Proceed, good Alexander.

Nath. When in the world I liv'd, I was the world's com

mander :

Boyet. Most true, 'tis right; you were so, Ali

sander.

Biron. Pompey the Great,—

Cost. Your servant, and Costard.

Biron. Take away the conqueror, take away Alisander.

131

Cost. [To SIR NATH.] Oh, sir, you have overthrown Alisander the conqueror! You will be scraped out of the painted cloth for this; your lion, that holds his poll-axe sitting on a stool, 132 will be given to Ajax; he will be the ninth Worthy. A conqueror, and afeard to speak! run away for shame, Alisander. [SIR NATH. retires.] There, an't shall please you; a foolish mild man; an honest man, look you, and soon dashed. He is a marvellous good neighbour, faith, and a very good bowler: 133 but, for Alisander,-alas! you see how 'tis, a little o'erparted.13-But there are Worthies a-coming will speak their mind in some other sort. Prin. Stand aside, good Pompey.

131. You will be scraped out of the painted cloth for this. In allusion to the custom of introducing into antique cloth hangings, mottoes, and moral sentences proceeding from the mouths of the figures painted thereon.

132. Your lion, that holds his poll-axe sitting on a stool. The arms given in the old history of "The Nine Worthies" to Alexander, represent him (in heraldic language) "with a lion or, seiante in a chayer, holding a battle-ax argent.'

133. And a very good bowler. This climax to honest Costard's simple laudation of the worthy parish parson, brings to mind a similar pleasant trait recorded of Dr. Young, the author of the Night Thoughts;" who was in the habit of playing a game of bowls on a Sunday evening with his parishioners, after having performed the service for them in the morning and afternoon. 134. A little o'erparted. Has had a part given him to enact that is a little too much for him.'

135. Canus. Instead of canis, dog; for the sake of the rhyme.

The pedant keeps up his character, by introducing scraps of Latin even into his address. Manus, hand; quoniam, since that, inasmuch as; ergo, therefore.

136. Ycliped. Properly spelt "ycleped" (see Note 34, Act i.); but it is given thus in the Folio here, to mark the pronunciation which affords Dumain his punning rejoinder of "clipt."

137. Hanged on an elder. The tradition is that Judas Iscariot, in his remorse, hung himself on an elder-tree.

138. A cittern head. It was the custom to decorate the head of a cittern, gittern, or guitar, with a grotesque face. 139. A flask. A powder-horn; which it was the fashion to ornament with a carved head. "Half cheek" and "half face." were for140. Half cheek. merly used to express what is now called a 'side face,' or 'profile.' "The face of an old Roman coin, scarce seen," a few lines before, alludes to the same thing.

141. A brooch of lead. A "brooch" was used as an orna

King. Hector was but a Trojan 142 in respect of

this.

Boyet. But is this Hector?

King. I think Hector was not so clean-timbered.

Long. His leg is too big for Hector.
Dum. More calf, certain.

Boyet. No; he is best indued in the small.
Biron. This cannot be Hector.

Dum. He's a god or a painter; for he makes faces.

Arm. The armipotent Mars, of lances143 the almighty, Gave Hector a gift,

Dum. A gilt nutmeg.14

Biron. A lemon.

Long. Stuck with cloves.

Dum. No, cloven.

Arm. Sweet Lord Longaville, reign thy tongue. Long. I must rather give it the rein; for it runs against Hector.

Dum. Ay, and Hector's a greyhound.

Arm. The sweet war-man is dead and rotten; sweet chucks, beat not the bones of the buried: when he breathed, he was a man.— -But I will forward with my device.-[To the PRINCESS] Sweet royalty, bestow on me the sense of hearing.

[BIRON whispers CoSTARD,

Prin. Speak, brave Hector: we are much de

Boyet. Renowned Pompey! Biron. Greater than Great, great, great, great Pompey! Pompey the Huge!

Dum. Hector trembles.

Biron. Pompey is moved.-More Ates, more Ates! 145 stir them on, stir them on!

Dum. Hector will challenge him. Biron. Ay, if he have no more man's blood in's body than will sup a flea.

Arm. By the north pole, I do challenge thee. Cost. I will not fight with a pole, like a northern man;146 I'll slash; I'll do it by the sword.-I pray you, let me borrow my arms 147 again.

Dum. Room for the incensed Worthies!
Cost. I'll do it in my shirt.

Dum. Most resolute Pompey!

Moth. Master, let me take you a button-hole lower. Do you not see Pompey is unceasing for the combat? What mean you? you will lose your reputation.

Arm. Gentlemen and soldiers, pardon me; I will not combat in my shirt.

Dum. You may not deny it: Pompey hath made the challenge.

mental fastening for hat-bands, girdles, mantles, &c.; and a "brooch of lead" was probably the common sort, fit for "the cap of a tooth-drawer," as well as suited to afford a fleer at Holofernes' cadaverous complexion, which we find was like "a Death's face in a ring." The latter expression, by the way, refers to the practice of wearing a ring with a Death's head in it, as a 'memento mori,' or reminder of mortality.

142. Trojan. A cant name for a thief. Perhaps originating in a reference to Paris, who stole Helen, the wife of Menelaus. 143. Lances. Used for lance-men.

148. Go woolward. An expression for wearing no underlinen, so as to let the woollen outer garment touch the skin. This was done penitentially by pilgrims and other ascetic personages; and sometimes was practised perforce by those who possessed no second shirt to wear in change while their only

of discretion,149 and I will right myself like a
soldier.
[Exeunt Worthies.
King. How fares your majesty ?
Prin. Boyet, prepare; I will away to-night.
King. Madam, not so; I do beseech you, stay.
Prin. Prepare, I say.-I thank you, gracious
lords,

For all your fair endeavours; and entreat,
Out of a new-sad soul, that you vouchsafe
In your rich wisdom to excuse, or hide,
The liberal opposition of our spirits:
If over-boldly we have borne ourselves

one was being washed. This is another allusion to the poverty of proud Spaniards. See Note 44, Act i.

149. I have seen the day of wrong through, &c. Armado's fantastically pompous way of saying, I have seen myself wronged, though discreetly forbearing from righting myself until I can find an opportunity of doing so with dignity.'

150. But a humble tongue. The Folio gives 'not a humble tongue;' and Theobald proposed to read 'nimble' for "humble," which at one time we thought the probable correction. Now,

Act V. Scene II.

In the converse of breath, your gentleness
Was guilty of it.-Farewell, worthy lord!
A heavy heart bears but a humble tongue : 150
Excuse me so, coming so short of thanks
For my great suit so easily obtain'd.

King. The extrême part of time extremely forms 151

All causes to the purpose of his speed;

And often, at his very loose, decides
That which long process could not arbitrate:
And though the mourning brow of progeny
Forbid the smiling courtesy of love

however, on farther consideration of the entire speech, we think the substitution of "but " for 'not' (it being a frequent error in the old copy to misprint the one word for the other) gives the more likely alteration; at the same time that it makes the sentence agree with its context, if we take the word "humble" to include the sense of 'poor,' 'lowly,' 'inadequate,' 'insufficient,' as well as 'meek,' and 'submissive.'

151. The extreme part of time, &c. "Part" in the Folio is printed 'parts;' for which various alterations have been pro

The holy suit which fain it would convince; 152
Yet, since love's argument was first on foot,
Let not the cloud of sorrow justle it

From what it purpos'd; since, to wail friends lost,

Is not by much so wholesome-profitable,
As to rejoice at friends but newly found,

Prin. I understand you not: my griefs are dull.153

Biron. Honest plain words best pierce the ear of grief;

And by these badges understand the king.
For your fair sakes have we neglected time,
Play'd foul play with our oaths: your beauty,
ladies,

Hath much deform'd us, fashioning our humours
Even to the opposed end of our intents:
And what in us hath seem'd ridiculous,—
As love is full of unbefitting strains; 154
All wanton as a child, skipping, and vain;
Form'd by the eye, and therefore, like the eye,
Full of strange shapes, 155 of habits, and of forms,
Varying in subjects as the eye doth roll
To every varied object in his glance :
Which parti-coated presence of loose love
Put on by us, if, in your heavenly eyes,
Have misbecom'd our oaths and gravities,
Those heavenly eyes that look into these faults,
Suggested 156 us to make. Therefore, ladies,
Our love being yours, the error that love makes
Is likewise yours: we to ourselves prove false,
By being once false for ever to be true

To those that make us both,-fair ladies, you:
And even that falsehood, in itself a sin,
Thus purifies itself, and turns to grace.

Ros.
We did not quote 159 them so.
King. Now, at the latest minute of the hour,
Grant us your loves.

Prin.
A time, methinks, too short
To make a world-without-end bargain in.
No, no, my lord, your grace is perjur'd much,
Full of dear 160 guiltiness; and therefore this
If for my love-as there is no such cause-
You will do aught, this shall you do for me:
Your oath I will not trust; but go with speed
To some forlorn and naked hermitage,
Remote from all the pleasures of the world;
There stay until the twelve celestial signs
Have brought about their annual reckoning.
If this austere insociable life

Change not your offer made in heat of blood;
If frosts, and fasts, hard lodging, and

weeds, 161

162

-

thin

Nip not the gaudy blossoms of your love,
But that it bear this trial, and last love;
Then, at the expiration of the year,
Come challenge me, challenge me by these
deserts,

And, by this virgin palm now kissing thine,

I will be thine; and, till that instant, shut

My woeful self up in a mourning house,
Raining the tears of lamentation

love;

Your favours, the embassadors of love;

And, in our maiden council, rated them

At courtship, pleasant jest, and courtesy,

posed. Mr. Staunton plausibly suggests 'dart;' but supposing 'part' to be the right word, we take it to mean 'parting,'' departure' (with an admixture of abruptness in the sense involved), as the arrow leaves the bow. The archery technicality of "loose" renders the figurative reference manifest; and "the extreme part of time" seems to include allusion to the sudden event or occurrence of which they have just heard-the death of the Princess's father--as well as to the impending separation between the lovers and their chosen ladies. That the diction of this speech is purposely obscured by metaphor, is made evident by the Princess's reply-"I understand you not," &c., and Biron's rejoinder-"Honest plain words best pierce the ear of grief." Nevertheless, beneath the metaphorical obscurity lies a lustrous jewel of truth; namely, that 'an unexpected incident often settles in a moment what long deliberation cannot decide.'.

152. Convince. Conquer; obtain by conquest.

153. My griefs are dull. The Folio misprints 'double' for "dull;" the emendation of Mr. Collier's MS. corrector 154 Strains. Propensities, wilfulnesses, vagaries. 155. Full of strange shapes. For "strange" the Folio has 'straying.'