and therefore too much odds for a Spaniard's rapier. The first 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 still, 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, ROSALINE, MARIA, CATHARINE, BOYET, Lords, and other Attendants.

Boyet.

Now, madam, fummon up your dearest spirits:
Confider who 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 starve 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 praife;

Beauty

Beauty is bought by judgment of the eye,
Not utter'd by base fale of chapmen's tongues :
I am lefs proud to hear you tell my worth,
Than you much willing to be counted wife
In fpending your wit in the 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 fhall out-wear three years,
No woman may approach his filent court:
Therefore to us feemeth it a needful course,
Before we enter his forbidden gates,

To know his pleasure; and in that behalf,
Bold of your worthinefs we fingle you
As our beft-moving fair folicitor :

Tell him, the daughter of the king of France,
On ferious bufinefs, craving quick dispatch,
Importunes perfonal conference with his grace.
Hafte, fignify fo much; while we attend,
Like humble-vifag'd fuitors, his high will.
Boy. Proud of employment, willingly I go. [Exit.
Prin. All pride is willing pride, and yours is fo.-
Who are the votaries, my loving lords,

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

Prin. Know you the man?

Mar. I know 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 stain with any foil),
Is a fharp wit match'd with too blunt a vill;
Whofe edge hath power to cut, whofe will fill wills
It should none fpare that come within his power.

Prin. Some merry mocking lord, belike; is't fo? Mar. They lay fo moit, that molt his humours know.

Prin. Such fhort-liv'd wits do wither as they grow. Who are the rest?

Cath. The young Dumain, a well-accomplish'd
Of all that virtue love for virtue lov'd: [youth,
Moft power to do most harm, least knowing ill;
For he hath wit to make an ill fhape good,
And fhape to win grace though he had no wit.
I faw him at the duke Alençon's once;
And much too little of that good I saw,
Is my report, to his great worthinefs.

Rof. Another of thefe ftudents at that time
Was there with him, if 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 blefs my ladies! are they all in love; That every one her own hath garnished

With fuch bedecking ornaments of praise ? 1 Lord. Here comes Boyet.

Re-enter

Re-enter BOYET.

Prin. Now, what admittance, lord?
Boy. Navarre had notice of your

And he and his competitors in oath

fair approach;

Were all addrefs'd to meet you, gentle lady,
Before I came. Marry, thus much I have learnt,
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 houfe.
Here comes Navarre.

Enter 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 and welcome to the wide fields too bafe to

be
be mine.

yours;

King. You fhall 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! I'll be forfworn. King. Not for the world, fair madam, by my will. Prin. Why, will fhall break it; 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 must prove ignorance.
I hear, your grace hath fworn-out house-keeping:
'Tis deadly fin to keep that oath, my lord,
And fin to break it:

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

Vouchsafe

Vouchfafe to read the purpofe 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 stay. Bir. Did not I dance with you in Brabant once? Rof. Did not I dance with you in Brabant once? Bir. I know, you did.

"Rof. How needlefs was it then To afk the queftion!

Bir. You muft not be fo quick.

Rof. 'Tis long of you that fpur me with fuch queftions.

Bir. Your wit's too hot, it fpeeds too fast, 'twill
Rof. Not 'till it leave the rider in the mire. [tire.
Bir. What time o'day?

Rof. The hour that fools fhould ask.
Bir. Now fair befal your mafk!
Rof. Fair fall the face it covers!
Bir. And fend you many lovers!
Rof. Amen, fo.

you be none.

Bir. Nay, then will I be gone.

King. Madam, your father here doth intimate
The payment of a hundred thousand crowns;
Being but the one half of an entire fum,
Difburfed 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 valued 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