Jaq. Fair weather after you!
Dull. Come, Jaquenetta, away.

[Exeunt Dull and Jaquenetta. Arm. Villain, thou shalt faft for thy offence, ere thou be pardoned.

Coft. Well, Sir, I hope, when I do it, I shall do it on a full ftomach.

Arm. Thou shalt be heavily punish'd.

Coft. I am more bound to you, than your followers; for they are but lightly rewarded.

Arm. Take away this villain, shut him up.

Moth. Come, you tranfgreffing flave, away.

Coft. Let me not be pent up, Sir; I will fast, being loofe.

Moth. No, Sir, that were faft and loose; thou shalt to prifon.

Coft. Well, if ever I do fee the merry days of defolation that I have seen, fome fhall fee

Moth. What fhall fome fee?

Coft. Nay, nothing, Mafter Moth, but what they look upon. It is not for prifoners to be filent in their words, and therefore I will fay nothing; I thank God, I have as little patience as another man, and therefore I can be quiet. [Exeunt Moth and Coftard. Arm. I do affect the very ground (which is base) where her fhoe (which is bafer) guided by her foot (which is baseft) doth tread. I fhall be forfworn, which is a great argument of falfehood, if I love. And how can that be true love, which is falfely attempted ? Love is a familiar, love is a devil: there is no evil angel but love; yet Samfon was fo tempted, and he had an excellent ftrength; yet was Solomon fo feduced, and he had a very good wit. Cupid's but-shaft is too hard for Hercules's club, and therefore too much odds for a Spaniard's rapier; the firft and fecond caufe will not ferve my turn; the Paffado he refpects not, the Duello he regards not; his difgrace is to be call'd boy; but his glory is to fubdue men. Adieu, valour! ruft, rapier! be ftill, drum! for your manager is in love; yea, he loveth. Affift me, fome extemporal god of rhime, for I am fure I fhall turn fonneteer. Devife wit, write pen, for I am for whole volumes in folio. [Exit.

ACT

II.

SCENE I.

Before the King of Navarre's palace.

Enter the Princess of France, Rofaline, Maria, Catharine, Boyet, Lords, and other attendants.

Boyet. NOW, Madam, fummon up your deareft

Confider, whom the King your father fends;
To whom he fends, and what's his embaffy.
Yourself, held precious in the world's esteem,
To parley with the fole inheritor

Of all perfections that a man may owe,
Matchlefs 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 ftarve the general world befide,
And prodigally gave them all to you.

Prin. Good Lord Boyet, my beauty, though but

mean,

Needs not the painted flourish of your praise;
Beauty is bought by judgment of the eye,
Not utter'd by bafe fale of chapmens tongues,
I am lefs proud to hear you tell my worth,
Than you much willing to be counted wife,
In fpending thus your wit in praise of mine,
But now, to task the tasker; good Boyet,
You are not ignorant, all-telling fame
Doth noife abroad, Navarre hath made a vow,
Till painful study shall out-wear three years,
No woman may approach his filent court;
Therefore to us feems it a needful courfe,
Before we enter his forbidden gates,
To know his pleasure; and in that behalf,
Bold of your worthiness, we fingle you
As our beft-moving fair folicitor.

Tell him, the daughter of the King of France,
On ferious bufinefs, craving quick difpatch,
Importunes perfonal conference with his Grace.
Hafte, fignify fo much, while we attend,

Like humble-vifag'd fuitors, his high will.

Boyet. Proud of employment, willingly I go. [Exit. Prin. All pride is willing pride, and your's is fo. Who are the votaries, my loving Lords,

That are vow-fellows with this virtuous King?
Lord. Longaville is one.

Prin. Know ye the man?

Mar. I knew him, Madam, at a marriage-feaft, Between Lord Perigort and the beauteous heir Of Jaques Faulconbridge folemnized. In Normandy faw I this Longaville, A man of fovereign parts he is esteem'd ; Well fitted in the arts, glorious in arms, Nothing becomes him ill, that he would well. The only foil of his fair virtue's glofs, (If virtue's glofs will ftain with any soil), Is a fharp wit, match'd with too blunt a will; Whofe edge hath power to cut, whofe will ftill wills It fhould fpare none that come within his power.

Prin. Some merry-mocking Lord, belike; is't fo? Mar. They fay fo moft, that moft his humours know. Prin. Such fhort-liv'd wits do wither as they grow. Who are the reft?

Cath. The young Dumain, a well-accomplish'd youth, Of all that virtue love, for virtue lov'd.

Moft power to do most harm, least knowing ill ;
For he hath wit to make an ill fhape good,
And shape to win grace, though he had no wit.
I faw him at the Duke Alanfon's once,
And much too little of that good I faw,
Is my report to his great worthinefs.

Rof. Another of thefe ftudents at that time
Was there with him, as I 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 occafion for his wit;
For every object that the one doth catch,
The other turns to a mirth-moving jeft;
Which his fair tongue (conceit's expofitor)
Delivers in fuch apt and gracious words,
That aged ears play truant at his tales;

And younger hearings are quite ravished;

So fweet and voluble is his difcourfe.

Prin. God bless my ladies, are they all in love,
That every one her own hath garnished

With fuch bedecking ornaments of praise !
Mar. Here comes Boyet.

Enter Boyet.

Prin. Now, what admittance, Lord?

Boyet. Navarre had notice of your fair approach;
And he and his competitors in oath

Were all addrefs'd to meet you, gentle Lady,
Before I came. Marry, thus much I've learn'd,
He rather means to lodge you in the field,
Like one that comes here to befiege his court,
Than feek a difpenfation for his oath,

To let you enter his unpeopled house.
Here comes Navarre.

Enter the King, Longaville, Dumain, Biron, and attendants.

King. Fair Princefs, welcome to the court of Navarre. Prin. Fair I give you back again; and welcome I have not yet the roof of this court is too high to be your's; and welcome to the wide fields, too base to be mine.

King. You fall be welcome, Madam, to my court, Prin. I will be welcome then; conduct me thither. King. Hear me, dear Lady, I have fworn an oath. Prin. Our Lady help my Lord! he'll be forfworn. King. Not for the world, fair Madam, by my will. Prin. Why, will fhall break its will, and nothing elfe. King. Your Ladyship is ignorant what it is.

Prin. Were my Lord fo, his ignorance were wife,
Where now his knowledge muft prove ignorance.
I hear your Grace hath fworn out house-keeping:
"Tis deadly fin to keep that oath, my Lord;
Not fin to break it.-

But pardon me, I am too fudden bold:
To teach a teacher ill befeemeth me.

VOL. II.

1

Vouchfafe to read the purpose of my coming,
And fuddenly refolve me in my fuit.

King. Madam, I will, if fuddenly I may.'
Prin. You will the fooner, that I were away;
For you'll prove perjur'd, if you make me ftay.
Biron. Did not I dance with you in Brabant once?
Rof. Did not I dance with you in Brabant once?
Biron. I know you did.

Rof. How needlefs was it then to afk the question?
Biron. You must not be so quick.

Rof. 'Tis long of you, that fpur me with fuch que-
ftions.

Biron. Your wit's too hot, it speeds too fast, 'twill tire.
Rof. Not till it leave the rider in the mire.

Biron. What time o' day?

Rof. The hour that fools fhould ask.
Biron. Now fair befal your ́ mask !
Rof. Fair fall the face it covers !
Biron. And fend you many lovers!
Rof. Amen, fo you be none !

Biron. Nay, then will I be gone.

King. Madam, your father here doth intimate

The payment of a hundred thousand crowns;
Being but th' one half of an entire fum,
Disbursed by my father in his wars.
But fay, that he, or we, as neither have
Receiv'd that fum; yet there remains unpaid
A hundred thousand more; in furety of the which,
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 unfatisfy'd,
We will give up our right in Aquitain,
And hold fair friendship with his Majefty.
But that it seems he little purpofeth,
For here he doth demand to have repaid
An hundred thousand crowns, and not demands,
On payment of an hundred thousand crowns,

To have his title live in Aquitain;

Which we much rather had depart withal,
And have the money by our father lent,

Than Aquitain fo gelded as it is.