King. Teach us, sweet madam, for our rude trans.

gression Some fair excuse.

Prin. The fairest is confession.
Were you not here, but even now, disguised ?

King. Madam, I was.
Prin. And were you well advised ?
King. I was, fair madam.
Prin. When you then were here,
What did you whisper in your lady's ear?.
King. That more than all the world I did respect

her. Prin. When she shall challenge this, you will

reject her. King. Upon mine honour, no. Prin. Peace, peace, forbear; Your oath once broke, you force* not to forswear.

King. Despise me, when I break this oath of mine.

Prin. I will ; and therefore keep it :-Rosaline, What did the Russian whisper in your ear?

Ros. Madam, he swore, that he did hold me dear As precious eye-sight; and did value me Above this world : adding thereto, moreover, That he would wed me, or else 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

troth, I never swore this lady such an oath.

Ros. By heaven, you did ; and to confirm it plain, You gave me this : but take it, Sir, again.

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

Prin. Pardon me, Sir, this jewel did she wear ;
And lord Birón, I thank him, is my dear :-
What; will you have me, or your pearl again?

Biron. Neither of either ; I remit both twain.-
I see the trick on't ;-Here was a consent t,
(Knowing aforehand of our merriment,)
To dash it like a Christinas comedy ;
Some carry-tale, some please-man, some slight zany,
Some mumble-news, some trencher-knight, some

Dick,That smiles his cheek in years; and knows the

trick To make my lady laugh, when she's disposedTold om intents before : which once disclosed,

• Make no difficulty. + Conspiracy

The ladies did change favours ; and then we,
Following the signs, woo'd but the sign of she.
Now, to our perjury to add more terror,
We are again forsworn; in will and error.
Much upon this it is :- And might not you,

(To Boyet. Forestal our sport, to make us thus untrue ? Do not you know my lady's foot by the squire,

And laugh upon the apple of her eye?
And stand between her back, Sir, and the fire,

Holding a trencher, jesting merrily?
You put our page out : go, you are allow'd ;
Die when you will, a smock shall be your shrowd.
You leer upon me, do you? There's an eye,
Wounds like a leaden sword.

Boyet. Full merrily
Hath this brave manage, this career, been run.
Biron. Lo, he is tilting straight ! Peace; I have
done.

Enter COSTARD.
Welcome, pure wit! thou partest a fair fray.

Cost. O lord, Sir, they would know,
Whether the three worthies shall come in, or no.

Biron. What, are there but three?

Cost. No, Sir; but it is vara fine,
For every one pursents three.

Biron. And three times thrice is nine.
Cost. Not so, Sir; under correction, Sir; I hope, it

is not so: You cannot beg us, Sir, I can assure you, Sir; we

know what we know: I hope, Sir, three times thrice, Sir,Biron. Is not nine.

Cost. Under correction, Sir, we know whereuntil it doth amount. Biron. By Jove, I always took three threes for

nine. Cost. O lord, Sir, it were pity you should get your living by reckoning, Sir.

Biron. How much is it?

Cost. O Lord, Sir, the parties themselves, the actors, Sir, will shew whereuntil it doth amount: for my own part, I am, as they say, but to parfect one man,-e'en one poor man; Pompion the great, Sir.

Biron. Art thou one of the worthies?

some care.

Cost. It pleased them, to think me worthy of Pompion the great: for mine own part, I know not the degree of the worthy; but I am to stand for him. Biron. Go, bid them prepare. Cost. We will turn it finely off, Sir; we will take

[Exit Costard. King. Birón, they will shame us, let them not

approach. Biron. We are shame-proof, my lord : and 'tis some policy to have one show worse than the king's and his company.

King. I say, they shall not come.
Prin. Nay, my good lord, let me o'er rule you

now:
That sport best pleases, that doth least know how :
Where zeal strives to content, and the contents
Die in the zeal of them which it presents,
Their form confounded makes most form in mirth ;
When great things labouring perish in their birth.
Biron, A right description of our sport, my lord.

Enter ARMADO. Arm. Anointed, I implore so much expence of thy royal sweet breath, as will utter a brace of words. [Armado converses with the King, and

delivers him a Paper. Prin. Doth this man serve God? Biron. Why ask you? Prin, He speaks not like a man of God's making.

Arm. That's all one, my fair, sweet, honey monarch: for, I protest, the school-master is exceeding fantastical; too, too vain ; too, too vain. But we will put it, as they say, to fortuna della guerra. I wish peace of mind, most royal couplement!

[Erit Armado. King. Here is like to be a good presence of worthies :

-He presents Hector of Troy ; the swain, Pompey the great ; the parish curate, Alexander; Armado's page, Hercules; the pedant, Judas Ma. chabæus. And if these four worthies in their first show thrive, These four will change habits, and present the other

five. Biron. There is five in the first show. King. You are de ived, 'tis not so.

Biron. The pedant, the braggart, the hedge-priest, the fool, and the boy :

you the

Abate a throw at novum *; and the whole world

again, Cannot prick + out tive such, take each one in his

vein. King. The ship is under sail, and here she comes amain.

[Seats brought for the King,

Princess, &c.
Pageant of the Nine Worthies.
Enter CostARD arm'd, for POMPEY.
Cost. I Pompey am,
Boyet. You lie, you are not he.
Cost. I Pompey am, -
Boyet. With libbard's head on knee.

Biron. Well said, old mocker; I must needs be friends with thee.

Cost. I Pompey am, Pompey surnamed the big ,Dum. The great. Cost. It is great, Sir ;-Pompey surnamed the great ; That oft in field, with targe and shield, did make my

foe to sweat : And, travelling along this coast, I here am come by

chance; And lay my arms before the legs of this sweet lass of

France. If your ladyship would say Thanks, Pompey, I had

done. Prin. Great thanks, great Pompey.

Cost. Tis not so much worth; but, I hope, I was perfect: I made a little fault in, great.

Biron. My hat to a half-penny, Pompey proves the best worthy.

Enter NATHANIEL arm’d, for ALEXANDER. Nath. When in the world I lived, I was the world's

commander ; By east, west, north, and south, I spread my con

quering might : My 'scutcheon plain declares, that I am Alisander. Boyet. Your nose says, no, you are not ; for it

stands too right. Biron. Your nose smells, no, in this, most tender

smelling knight. Prin. The conqueror is dismay'd : proceed, good

Alexander. Nath. When in the world I lived, I was the world's

Commander ;

• A game with dice.

+ Pick.

Boyet. Most true, 'tis right; you were so, Alisander.
Biron. Pompey the great,
Cost. Your servant, and Costárd.
Biron. Take away the conqueror, take away Ali.

sander. Cost. 0, Sir, [To Nath,] you have overthrown Alisander the conqueror! You will be scraped out of the painted cloth for this : your lion, that holds his poll-ax sitting on a close-stool, will be given to Ajax : he will be the ninth worthy. A conqueror, and afеard to speak! Run away for shame, Alisander. (Nath retires.] There, an't shall please you; a foolish mild man; an honest man, look you, and soon dash'd! He is a marvellous good neighbour, insooth; and a very good bowler ; but, for Alisander, alas, you see, how 'tis;-a little o’erparted :—But there are worthies a coming will speak their mind in some other sort.

Prin. Stand aside, good Pompey. Enter HolOFERNES arm’d, for JUDAS, and MOTA

arm’d, for HERCULES. Hol. Great Hercules is presented by this imp, Whose club kill'd Cerberus, that three-headed

canus; And when he was a babe, a child, a shrimp,

Thus did he strangle serpents in his manus :
Quoniam, he seemeth in minority;
Ergo, I come with this apology.-
Keep some state in thy exit, and vanish. [Exit Moth.

Hol. Judas I am,-
Dum. A Judas!

Hol. Not Iscariot, Sir.-
Judas, I am, ycleped Machabæus.

Dum. Judas Machabæus clipt, is plain Judas.
Biron. A kissing traitor :-How art thou proved
Hol. Judas I am, -

(Judas? Dum. The more shame for you, Judas. Hol. What mean you, Sir ? Boyet. To make Judas hang himself. Hol. Begin, Sir; you are my elder. Biron. Well follow'd : Judas was hang'd on an

elder.

Hol. I will not be put out of countenance.
Biron. Because thou hast no face.
Hol. What is this?!
Boyet. A cittern head.
Dum. The head of a bodkin.
Biron. A death's face in a ring.