gling a fnake; and I will have an apology for that purpofe. Meth. An excellent device for if any of the audience hiis, you may cry; "Well done, Hercules, now "thou crufheft the fnake;" that is the way to make an offence gracious, tho' few have the grace to do it. Arm. For the rest of the worthies,Hol. I will play three myself. Moth. Thrice-worthy gentleman! Arm. Shall I tell you a thing? Hol. We attend. Arm. We will have, if this fadge not, an antic. I befeech you, follow. Hol. Via! good-man Dull thou hast spoken no word all this while. Dull. Nor understood none neither, Sir. Hol. Allons; we will employ thee. Dull. I'll make one in a dance, or fo: or I will play on the tabor to the worthies, and let them dance the hay. Hol. Moft dull, honeft Dull, to our sport away. [Exeunt. SCENE III. Before the Princess's pavilion. Enter Princess and Ladies. Prin. Sweet hearts, we fhall be rich ere we depart, If fairings come thus plentifully in. A lady wall'd about with diamonds! Look you what I have from the loving King. Ref. Madam, came nothing elfe along with that? Prin. Nothing but this? yes, as much love in rhime As would be cramm'd up in a fheet of paper, Writ on both fides the leaf, margent and all; That he was fain to feal on Cupid's name. Rof. That was the way to make his godhead wax, For he hath been five thousand years a boy. Cath. Ay, and a fhrewd unhappy gallows too. Ref. You'll ne'er be friends with him; he kill'd your fifter. Gath. He made her melancholy, fad, and heavy, And fo the died; had he been light, like you, Of Of fuch a merry, nimble, stirring spirit, She might have been a grandam ere the dy'd. Rof. What's your dark meaning, mouse, of this light word? Cath. A light condition, in a beauty dark. Rof. We need more light to find your meaning out. Cath. You'll mar the light by taking it in fnuff: Therefore I'll darkly end the argument. Ref. Look, what you do; and do it still i' th' dark. Cath. So do not you, for you are a light wench. Rof. Indeed, I weigh not you: and therefore light. Cath. You weigh me not; O, that's you care not for me. Rof. Great reafon; for paft cure is ftill past care. Prin. Well bandied both; a fet of wit well play'd. But, Rofaline, you have a favour too. Who fent it? and what is it? Ref. I would you knew. And if my face were but as fair as your's, The numbers true, and were the numb'ring too, Rof. Much in the letters, nothing in the praife. Rof. Ware pencils *. How debtor, let me not die your My red dominical, my golden letter. O, that your face were not fo full of Oes! Cath. Pox of that jest, and I befhrew all fhrews Prin. But what was fent to you from fair Dumain? Cath. Madam, this glove. Prin. Did he not fend you twain ? Cath. Yes, Madam; and moreover, Some thoufand verfes of a faithful lover. *Meaning to check Catharine for her painting, pencil being a painting brush. A A huge tranflation of hypocrify, Vildly compil'd, profound fimplicity. Mar. This, and thefe pearls, to me fent Longaville; The letter is too long by half a mile. Prin. I think no lefs; doft thou not wish in heart, The chain were longer, and the letter fhort? Mar. Ay, or I would thefe hands might never part. Prin. We are wife girls to mock our lovers for't. Rof. They are worfe fools to purchase mocking so. That fame Biron I'll torture ere I go. O, that I knew he were but in by the week! And make him proud to make me proud with jefts: Prin. None are fo furely caught, when they are catch'd. As wit turn'd fool; folly, in wisdom hatch'd, Ref. The blood of youth burns not in fuch excess, Mar. Folly in fools bears not so strong a note, SCENE IV. Enter Boyet. Prin. Here comes Boyet, and mirth is in his face. Boyet. O, I am stabb'd with laughter; where's her Grace? Prin. Thy news, Boyet? Boyet. Prepare, Madam, prepare. Arm, wenches, arm; encounters mounted are Potents have been always look'd upen not only as the tokens and Fignals, but the inftruments also of destiny: See vol. s. p. 287. note 2. Mufter your wits, ftand in your own defence, Or hide your heads like cowards, and fly hence. Prin. Saint Dennis, to Saint Cupid! what are they That well by heart hath conn'd his embaffage. I fhould have fear'd her, had the been a devil.- One rubb'd his elbow thus, and fleer'd, and swore, Prin. But what, but what, come they to vifit us? R Prin. Prin. And will they fo? the gallants fhall be tafk'd; Hold, Rofaline; this favour thou fhalt wear, And change your favours too; fo fhall your loves Ref. Come on then, wear the favours moft in fight. Ref. But fhall we dance, if they defire us to't? Prin. No; to the death we will not move a foot; Nor to their penn'd fpecch render we no grace: But while 'tis fpoke, each turn away her face. Boyet. Why, that contempt will kill the fpeaker's heart, And quite divorce his memory from his part. Prin. Therefore I do it; and I make no doubt, The reft will ne'er come in, if he be out. There's no fuch fport, as sport by sport o'erthrown, To make theirs ours, and ours none but our own; So fhall we ftay, mocking intended game; And they, we'll mock'd, depart away with fhame. [Sound. Boyet. The trumpet founds; be mafk'd, the maskers Enter the King, Biron, Longaville, Dumain, and attendents, difguis'd like Mufcovites; Moth with mu fic, as for a masquerade. Math. All hail, the richest beauties on the earth! Boyet. |