So shall we stay, mocking intended game;
And they, well mock'd, depart away with

shame.

[Trumpets sound within.

Boyet. The trumpet sounds; be mask'd, the maskers come.

[The ladies mask.

Enter the King, BIRON, LONGAVILLE, and DUMAIN, in Russian habits, and masked: MOTH, Musicians, and Attendants.

Moth. All hail, the richest beauties on the

earth!

Boyet. Beauties no richer than rich taffata. Moth. A holy parcel of the fairest dames, [The ladies turn their backs to him.

That ever turn'd their backs

views!

--

to mortal

Biron. Their eyes, villain, their eyes.
Moth. That ever turn'd their eyes to mortal

Out

views!

Boyet True; out, indeed.

Moth. Out of your favours, heavenly spirits, vouchsafe

Not to behold

Biron. Once to behold, rogue.

Moth. Once to behold with your sun- beamed

eyes,

with your sunbeamed eyes

Boyet. They will not answer to that epithet; You were best call it, daughter beamed eyes.

Moth. They do not mark me, and that brings

me out.

Biron. Is this your perfectness? be gone, you

rogue.

Ros. What would these strangers? know their minds, Boyet:

If they do speak our language, 'tis our will
That some plain man recount their purposes:
Know what they would.

Boyet. What would you with the Princess?
Biron. Nothing but peace, and gentle visitation.
Ros. What would they, say they?"

Boyet. Nothing but peace, and gentle visitation. Ros. Why, that they have; and bid them so be gone.

Boyet. She says, you have it, and you may be gone.

King. Say to her, we have measur'd many miles.

To tread a measure with her on this grass. Boyet. They say, that they have measur'd many a mile,

To tread a measure with you on this grass.

Ros. It is not so: ask them, how many inches Is in one mile: if they have measur'd many, The measure then of one is easily told.

A

Boyet. If, to come hither, you have measur'd miles, ntar

And many miles; the Princess bids you tell,

How many inches do fill up one mile

Biron. Tell her, we measure them by weary - steps.

Boyet. She hears herself..

Ros. How many weary steps,

Of many weary miles you have olergone,

Are number'd in the travel of one mile?

Biron. We number nothing that we spend for you;

Our duty is so rich, so infinite, st

That we may do it still without accompt.
Vouchsafe to show the sunshine of your face,
That we like savages, may worship it.

Ros. My face is but a moon, and clouded too. King. Blessed are clouds, to do as such clouds, do!

Vouchsafe, bright moon, and these thy stars, to shine

(Those clouds remov'd) upon our watry eyne.. Ros. O vain petitioner! beg a greater matter; Thou now request'st but moon shine in the

Water.

King. Then, in our measure do but vouchsafe

one! change:

Thou bid'st me beg; this begging is not strange. Ros. Play, musick, then, nay, you must do it [Musick plays.

soon.

Not yet: no dance, → thus change I like the

moon.

King. Will you not dance? How come you thus estrang'd?

Ros. You took the moon at full; but now she's chang'd.

King. Yet still she is the moon, and I the

man..

The musick plays; vouchsafe some motion to itand
Ros. Our ears.
Vouchsafe it..

King. But your legs should do it.

1

Ros. Since you are strangers, and come here by

King. Why take we hands then?
Ros. Only to part friends: — 1

Court'sy, sweet hearts; and so the measure ends.

King. More measure of this measure; be not,

nice.

Ros. We can afford no more at such a price. King. Prize you yourselves; What buys your company?

Ros. Your absence only.

King. That can never be.

Ros. Then cannot we be bought! and so adieu; Twice to your visor, and half once to you! King. If you deny to dance, let's hold more chat.

Ros. In private then.

King. I am best pleas'd with that.

[They converse apart. Biron. White-handed Mistress, one sweet word with thee.

Prin. Honey, and milk, and sugar; there is

three.

Biron. Nay then, two treys, (and if you grow

so nice,)

Metheglin, wort, and malmsey;

dice!

There's half a dozen sweets.

Prin. Seventh sweet, adieu!

Well run,

Since you can cog, I'll play no more with you. Biron. One word in secret.

Prin. Let it not be sweet.

Biron. Thou griev'st my gall.

Prin. Gall? bitter.

Biron. Therefore meet. [They conversé apart. Dum. Will you vouchsafe with me to change a word?

Mar. Name it.
Dum. Fair Lady,

Mar. Say you so? Fair Lord,
Take that for your fair Lady.

Dum. Please it you,

As much in private, and I'll bid adieu.

[They converse apart. Kath. What, was your visor made without a

tongue?

Long. I know the reason, Lady, why you ask. Kath. O, for your reason! quickly, Sir; I long. Long. You have a double tongue within your mask,

And would afford my speechless visor half.
Kath. Veal, quoth the Dutchman; — Is not

veal a calf?

Long. A calf fair. Lady?

Kath. No, a fair Lord calf.
Long. Let's part the word.

Kath. No, I'll not be your half.

Take all, and wean it; it may prove an ox. Long. Look how you butt yourself in these sharp mocks!

Will you give horns, chaste Lady? do not so. Kath. Then die a calf, before your horns do

grow.

Long. One word in private with you, ere I

Kath. Bleat softly. then, the butcher hears you

cry.

[They converse apart. Boyet. The tongues of mocking wenches are as

keen

As is the razor's edge invisible,

Cutting a smaller 'hair than may be seen;

Above the sense of sense: so sensible

Seemeth their conference; their conceits have

wings,

Fleeter than arrows, bullets, wind, thought, swifter

things.