King. Upon mine honour, no.

Prin. Peace, peace, forbear;

Your oath once broke, you force not to forfwear. King. Defpife me, when I break this oath of mine. Prin. I will; and therefore keep it :-Rofaline, What did the Ruffian whifper in thine ear?

Rof. Madam, he fwore, that he did hold me dear As precious eye-fight; and did value me Above this world; adding thereto, moreover, That he would wed me, or elfe die my lover. Prin. God give thee joy of him! the noble lord Most honourably doth uphold his word.

King. What mean you, madam? by my life, my I never fwore this lady fuch an oath. [troth, Rof. By heaven, you did; and to confirm it plain, You gave me this: but take it, fir, again.

King. My faith, and this, the princess I did give; I knew her by this jewel on her fleeve.

Prin. Pardon me, fir, this jewel did she wear;
And lord Biron, I thank him, is my dear :-
What; will you have me, or your pearl again?
Bir. Neither of either; I remit both twain.-
I fee the trick on't; Here was a confent
(Knowing aforehand of our merriment),
To dash it like a Christmas comedy:

Some carry-tale, fome pleafe-man, fome flight zany,
Some numble-news, fome trencher-night, fome Dick,-
That fmiles his cheek in jeers; and knows the trick
To make my lady laugh, when fhe's difpos'd,-
Told our intents before: which once difclos'd,
The ladies did change favours; and then we,
Following the figns, woo'd but the fign of the.
Now, to our perjury to add more terror,
We are again forfworn; in will, and error.

Much

Much upon this it is:-And might not you [To BOYET.
Foreftal our sport, to make us thus untrue?
Do not you know my lady's foot by the fquire?
And laugh upon the apple of her eye?
And ftand between her back, fir, and the fire,
Holding a trencher, jefting merrily?
You put our page out: Go, you are allow'd;
Die when you will, a fmock fhall be
your fhrowd.
You leer upon me, do you? there's an eye,
Wounds like a leaden sword.

Boy. Full merrily

Hath this brave manage, this career been run.

Bir. Lo! he is tilting ftraight! Peace; I have done.

Enter COSTARD.

Welcome, pure wit! thou partest a fair fray.
Coft. O Lord, fir, they would know,
Whether the three worthies fhall come in, or no.
Bir. What, are there but three?
Coft. No, fir; but it is vara fine,
For every one pursents three.

Bir. And three times thrice is nine.

Coft. Not fo, fir; under correction, fir; I hope, it is not fo:

You cannot beg us, fir, I can affure you, fir; we know what we know:

I hope, fir, three times thrice, fir,

Bir. Is not nine.

Coft. Under correction, fir, we know whereuntil it doth amount.

Bir. By Jove, I always took three threes for nine. Coft. O Lord, fir, it were pity you should get your living by reckoning, fir.

Bir. How much is it?

Cof.

Coft. O Lord, fir, the parties themselves, the actors, fir, will fhew whereuntil it doth amount: for mine own part, I am, as they fay, but to parfect one man,—e’en one poor man; Pompion the great, fir.

Bir. Art thou one of the worthies?

Coft. It pleafed 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 ftand for him. Bir. Go, bid them prepare.

Coft. We will turn it finely off, fir; we will take fome care.

[Exit. King. Biron, they will fhame us, let them not ap

proach.

Bir. We are fhame-proof, my lord: and 'tis fome policy

To have one fhow worse than the king's and his comKing. I fay, they fhall not come.

[pany. Prin. Nay, my good lord, let me o'er-rule you now; That sport beft pleases, that doth least know how: Where zeal ftrives to content, and the contents Dies in the zeal of that which it prefents,

There form confounded makes moft form in mirth; When great things labouring perifh in their birth. Bir. A right defcription of our fport, my lord.

Enter ARMADO.

Arm. Anointed, I implore fo much expence of thy royal sweet breath as will utter a brace of words. [Converfes apart with the King. Prin. Doth this man ferve God?

Bir. Why afk you?

Prin. He fpeaks not like a man of God's making. Arm. That's all one, my fair, fweet, honey monarch: for, I proteft, the fchool-mafter is exceeding fantaf

tical; too, too vain; too, too vain; But we will put it, as they fay, to fortuna della guerra. I wish you the peace of mind, most royal complement ! [Exit. King. Here is like to be a good prefence of worthies: He prefents Hector of Troy; the fwain, Pompey the great; the parish curate, Alexander; Armado's page, Hercules; the pedant, Judas Machabæus.

And if thefe four worthies in their firft fhow thrive,
Thefe four will change habits, and prefent the other
Bir. There is five in the first show.
King. You are deceiv'd, 'tis not fo.

[five.

Bir. The pedant, the braggart, the hedge-prieft, the fool, and the boy

Abate a throw at novum, and the whole world again Cannot prick out five such, take each one in his vein. King. The fhip is under fail, and here he comes amain.

[Seats brought for the King, Princefs, &c. Pageant of the Nine Worthies.

Enter COSTARD arm'd, for Pompey.

Coft. I Pompey am,~~

Bir. You lie, you are not he.

Colt. I Pompey am,-

Boy. With libbard's head on knee.

Bir. Well faid, old mocker; I muft needs be

friends with thee.

Coft. I Pompey am, Pompey furnam'd the big.—
Dum. The great.

Coft. It is great, fir ;-Pompey furnam'd the great; That oft in field, with targe and field, did make my for to fweat :

And, travelling along this coaft, I here am come by chance; And lay my arms before the legs of this feet lafs of France.

If your ladyship would fay, Thanks, Pompey, I had Prin. Great thanks, great Pompey.

[done. Coft. 'Tis not fo much worth; but, I hope, I was perfect: I made a little fault in, great.

Bir. My hat to a halfpenny, Pompey proves the best worthy.

Enter NATHANIEL arm'd, for Alexander.

Nath. When in the world I liv'd, I was the world's commander;

By caft, weft, north, and fouth, I spread my conquering might:

My 'fcutcheon plain declares, that I am Alifander. Boy. Your nofe fays, no, you are not; for it stands too right.

Bir. Your nofe fmells, no, in his, moft tenderfmelling knight.

Prin. The conqueror is difmay'd: Proceed, good Alexander.

Nath. When in the world I liv'd, I was the world's commander;

Boy. Moft true, 'tis right; you were fo, Alifander. Bir. Pompey the great,

Coft. Your fervant, and Costard.

Bir. Take away the conqueror, take away

Alifander. Coft. O, fir, [To NATH.] you have overthrown Alifander the conqueror! You will be scraped out of the painted cloth for this: your lion, that holds his poll-ax fitting on a close-stool, will be given to A-jax: he will be the ninth worthy. A conqueror, and afeard to fpeak! run away for fhame, Alifander. [NATH. retires.] There, an't fhall please you; a foolish mild man; an honeft man, look you, and foon dafh'd! He is a marvellous good neighbour, infooth; and a