468 Told our intents before; which once disclos'd, Do not you know my lady's foot by the squire, You put our page out: go, you are allow'd; 472 476 Die when you will, a smock shall be your shroud. 480 You leer upon me, do you? there's an eye Wounds like a leaden sword. Boyet. Ber. Lo! he is tilting straight. done. been run. Peace! I have 484 Enter Clown [i.e. Costard]. Welcome, pure wit! thou partest a fair fray. Cost. O Lord, sir, they would know Whether the three Worthies shall come in or no. Cost. No, sir; but it is vara fine, 488 And three times thrice is nine. For every one pursents three. Ber. Cost. Not so, sir; under correction, sir, I hope, it is not so. You cannot beg us, sir, I can assure you, sir; we know what we kn 473 upon this: in this fashion 476 apple: pupil 483 manage: horsemanship 491 beg us: prove us fools; cf. n. 475 squire: square, rule 479 allow'd: privileged to jest career: swift encounter of knights I hope, sir, three times thrice, sir,— Ber. Is not nine? 492 Cost. Under correction, sir, we know where until it doth amount. Ber. By Jove, I always took three threes for nine. Cost. O Lord, sir! it were pity you should get 496 your living by reckoning, sir. Ber. How much is it? Cost. O Lord, sir! the parties themselves, the actors, sir, will show whereuntil it doth amount: 500 for mine own part, I am, as they say, but to parfect one man in one poor man, Pompion the Great, sir. Ber. Art thou one of the Worthies? 504 Cost. It pleased them to think me worthy of Pompey the Great: for mine own part, I know not the degree of the Worthy, but I am to stand for him. Ber. Go, bid them prepare. 508 Cost. We will turn it finely off, sir; we will take some care. Exit. King. Berowne, they will shame us; let them not approach. Ber. We are shame-proof, my lord; and 'tis some policy 512 To have one show worse than the king's and his com pany. King. I say they shall not come. Prin. Nay, my good lord, let me o'errule you now. That sport best pleases that doth least know how; 516 Where zeal strives to content, and the contents Dies in the zeal of that which it presents; Their form confounded makes most form in mirth, 502 Pompion: pumpkin 517, 518 Cf.. When great things labouring perish in their birth. 520 Ber. A right description of our sport, my lord. Enter Braggart [i.e. Armado]. Arm. Anointed, I implore so much expense of thy royal sweet breath as will utter a brace of words. 524 [Armado converses with the King, and delivers a paper to him.] Prin. Doth this man serve God? Ber. Why ask you? Prin. A' speaks not like a man of God his making. Arm. That is all one, my fair, sweet, honey 528 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 de la guerra. I wish you the peace of mind, 532 most royal couplement ! 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, 536 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. Ber. There is five in the first show. King. You are deceived, 'tis not so. Ber. The pedant, the braggart, the hedge priest, the fool, and the boy: Abate throw at novum, and the whole world again 521 our sport: te. the disguise as Muscovites 531 fortuna guerra: the fortune of war 533 couplement: couple, pair 543 hedge-priest: poor, illiterate priest 545 Abate. ... 540 544 527 God his: God's novum: except for a rare throw of the dice; cf. n. Cannot pick 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. Cost. 'I Pompey am,- Cost. 'I Pompey am,-' Boyet. You lie, you are not he. 548 With libbard's head on knee. Ber. Well said, old mocker: I must needs be friends with thee. Cost. 'I Pompey am, Pompey surnam'd the Big,Dum. "The Great.' 552 Cost. It is 'Great,' sir; 'Pompey surnam'd the Great; That oft in field, with targe and shield, did make my foe to sweat: And travelling along this coast, I here am come by chance, And lay my arms before the legs of this sweet lass of France.' 556 If your ladyship would say, "Thanks, Pompey,' I had done. Prin. Great thanks, great Pompey. Cost. 'Tis not so much worth; but I hope I was perfect. I made a little fault in 'Great.' 560 Ber. My hat to a halfpenny, Pompey proves the best Worthy. Enter Curate [Nathaniel] for Alexander. Nath. 'When in the world I liv'd, I was the world's commander; By east, west, north, and south, I spread my conquering might: My scutcheon plain declares that I am Alisander,— 549 libbard's: leopard's; cf. n. 564 Boyet. Your nose says, no, you are not; for it stands too right. Ber. Your nose smells 'no,' in this, most tendersmelling knight. Prin. The conqueror is dismay'd. Proceed, good Alexander. 568 Nath. 'When in the world I liv'd, I was the world's commander ;-' Boyet. Most true; 'tis right: you were so, Alisander. Ber. Pompey the Great, 572 Cost. Your servant, and Costard. Ber. Take away the conqueror, take away Alisander. Cost. [To Nathaniel.] O! sir, you have overthrown Alisander the conqueror ! You will be scraped out of the painted cloth for this: your 576 lion, that holds his poll-axe sitting on a closestool, will be given to Ajax: he will be the ninth Worthy. A conqueror, and afeard to speak! run away for shame, Alisander! [Nathaniel 580 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; but, for Alisan- 584 der, alas, you see how 'tis, a little o'erparted. But there are Worthies a-coming will speak their mind in some other sort. Prin. Stand aside, good Pompey. Enter Pedant [Holofernes] for Judas, and the 588 Hol. 'Great Hercules is presented by this imp, Whose club kill'd Cerberus, that three-headed canus; 566 right: straight; cf. n. 577 lion... poll-axe; cf. n. 576 painted cloth; cf. n. 585 o'erparted: i.e. given a part too difficult for him 590 canus: canis, dog |