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Rof. Great reason; for past Cure is ftill paft 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?

Rof. I would, you knew.

And if my face were but as fair as yours,
My favour were as great; be witness this.
Nay, I have Verses too, I thank Biron.
The numbers true, and were the numbring too,
I were the fairest Goddess on the ground.
I am compar'd to twenty thoufand fairs.
O, he hath drawn my picture in his letter.
Prin. Any thing like?

Rof. Much in the letters, nothing in the praise.
Prin. Beauteous as ink; a good conclusion.
Cath. Fair as a text B in a copy-book.

Rof. Ware pencils. How? let me not die your
debtor,

My red dominical, my golden letter.

O, that your face were not fo full of Oes!

Cath. Pox of that jeft, and I befhrew all shrews:
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.

A huge tranflation of hypocrify,

Vilely compil'd, profound fimplicity.

Mar. This, and these 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 th' week!
How I would make him fawn, and beg, and feek,

P 6

And

And wait the season, and observe the times,
And spend his prodigal wits in bootlefs rhimes,
And fhape his fervice all to my behefts,

And make him proud to make me proud with jests:
So portent-like would I o'er-fway his ftate,
That he should be my fool, and I his fate.

Prin. None are fo furely caught, when they are catch'd,

As wit turn'd fool; folly, in wisdom hatch'd,
Hath wifdom's warrant, and the help of school;
And wit's own grace to grace a learned fool.

Rof. The blood of youth burns not in such excess, As gravity's revolt to wantonnefs.

Mar. Folly in fools bears not fo ftrong a note,
As fool'ry in the wife, when wit doth dote :
Since all the power thereof it doth apply,
To prove, by wit, worth in fimplicity.

Prin.

H'

ERE comes Boyet, and mirth is in his face. Boyet. O, I am ftab'd with laughter; where's her Grace?

Prin. Thy news, Boyet?

Boyet. Prepare, Madam, prepare.

Arm, wenches, arm; Encounters mounted are
Against your peace; love doth approach disguis'd,
Armed in arguments; you'll be furpriz'd.
Mufter your wits, ftand in your own defence,
Or hide your heads like cowards, and fly hence.
Prin. Saint Dennis, to faint Cupid! what are they,
That charge their breath against us ? fay, scout, fay.
Boyet. Under the cool fhade of a fycamore,
I thought to close mine eyes fome half an hour;
When, lo! to interrupt my purpos'd Reft,
Toward that fhade, I might behold, addreft
The King and his companions; warily

I ftole

I ftole into a neighbour thicket by;
And over-heard, what you fhall over-hear:
That, by and by, disguis'd they will be here.
Their Herald is a pretty knavish Page,

That well by heart hath conn'd his embaffage.
Action and accent did they teach him there;
Thus must thou speak, and thus thy body bear;
And ever and anon they made a doubt,
Prefence majeftical would put him out:
For, quoth the King, an Angel fhalt thou fee;
Yet fear not thou, but speak audaciously.
The boy reply'd, an Angel is not evil;

I fhould have fear'd her, had fhe been a Devil.-
With that all laugh'd, and clap'd him on the shoulder,
Making the bold wag by their praises bolder.
One rubb'd his elbow thus, and fleer'd, and swore,
A better speech was never spoke before.
Another with his finger and his thumb,

Cry'd, via! we will do't, come what will come.
The third he caper'd and cry'd, all goes well:
The fourth turn'd on the toe, and down he fell.
With that they all did tumble on the ground,
With fuch a zealous laughter, fo profound,
That in this fpleen ridiculous appears,
To check their folly, paffion's folemn tears.
Prin. But what, but what, come they to visit us?
Boyet. They do, they do; and are apparell'd thus,

Like Mufcovites, or Ruffians, as I guess.

Their purpose is to parley, court and dance;
And every one his love-feat will advance
Unto his fev'ral mistress; which they'll know,
By Favours fevral, which they did beftow.

Prin. And will they fo? the gallants fhall be tafkt;
For, ladies, we will every one be mafkt:
And not a man of them fhall have the grace,
Defpight of fuit, to see a lady's face.

Hold, Rofaline; this Favour thou fhall wear,
And then the King will court thee for his Dear:

Hold,

Hold, take you this, my fweet, and give me thine; So fhall Biron take me for Rofaline,

And change your Favours too; fo fhall your Loves Woo contrary, deceiv'd by these removes.

Rof. Come on then, wear the Favours most in fight. Cath. But in this changing, what is your intent? Prin. Th' effect of my intent is to cross theirs; They do it but in mocking merriment, And mock for mock is only my intent. Their feveral councils they unbofom fhall To loves miftook, and fo be mockt withal, Upon the next occafion that we meet, With vifages display'd, to talk and greet.

Rof. But fhall we dance, if they defire us to t? Prin. No; to the death, we will not move a foot; Nor to their pen'd speech render we no grace : But while 'tis fpoke, each turn away her face. Boyet. Why, that contempt will kill the Speaker'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 Sport, 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, well mockt, depart away with fhame. [Sound. Boyet. The trumpet founds; be mafkt, the mafkers

Enter the King, Biron, Longaville, Dumain, and Attendants, difguis'd like Mufcovites; Moth with Mufic, as for a mafquerade.

Moth. ALL hail, the richest beauties on the earth!

Boyet. Beauties, no richer than rich taffata.

Moth. A holy parcel of the fairest dames, That ever turn'd their backs to mortal views.

[The ladies turn their backs to him.

Biron. Their eyes, villain, their eyes.

Moth. That ever turn'd their eyes to mortal views. Out

Biron. True; out, indeed.

Moth. Out of your favours, heav'nly Spirits, vouchfafe

Not to behold.

Biron. Once to behold, rogue.

Moth. Once to behold with your fun-beamed eyes—With your fun-beamed eyes—

Boyet. They will not answer to that epithet; You were beft 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. Ref. What would thefe ftrangers? know their minds, Boyet.

If they do fpeak our language, 'tis our Will
That fome plain man recount their purposes.
Know, what they would.

Boyet. What would you with the Princefs?
Biron. Nothing, but peace and gentle vifitation.
Rof. What would they, fay they?

Boyet. Nothing. but peace and gentle vifitation. Rof. Why, That they have; and bid them fo be gone. Boyet. She fays, you have it; and you may be gone. King. Say to her, we have meafur'd many miles, To tread a measure with her on the grafs.

Boyet. They fay, that they have measur'd many a mile,

To tread a measure with you on this grass.

Rof. It is not fo. Afk them, how many inches Is in one mile: if they have meafur'd many, The measure then of one is easily told.

Boyet. If to come hither you have meafur'd miles,
And many miles; the Princess bids you tell,
How many inches doth fill up one mile?

Biron. Tell her, we measure them by weary fteps.
Boyet. She hears herself.

Rof.