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Arm. Sir, the King is a noble gentleman, and my familiar; I do affure ye, my very good friend; for what is inward between us, let it pafs I do beseech thee, remember thy curtesy I beseech thee, apparel thy

head,

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and among other importunate and most serious defigns, and of great import indeed too but let that pafs: for I must tell thee, it will please his Grace (by the world) fometime to lean upon my poor shoulder, and with his royal finger thus dally with my excrement, with my muftachio; but fweet heart, let that pafs. By the world, I recount no fable; fome certain fpecial homours it pleafeth his Greatness to impart to Armado, a foldier, a man of travel, that hath feen the world; but let that pafs the very all of all is but sweet heart, I do implore fecrecy that the King would have me prefent the Princefs (fweet chuck) with fome delightful oftentation, or show, or pageant, or antick, or fire-work. Now, understanding that the Curate and, your sweet self are good at fuch eruptions, and fudden breaking out of mirth, (as it were) I have acquainted you withal, to the end to crave your affiftance.

Hol. Sir, you fhall prefent before her the nine Worthies. Sir, as concerning fome entertainment of time, some show in the pofterior of this day, to be rendred by our affiftants at the King's command, and this moft gallant, illuftrate and learned gentleman, before the Princefs I fay, none fo fit as to prefent the nine

Worthies.

Nath. Where will you find men worthy enough to present them?

Hol. Fobua, yourfelf; this gallant man, Judas Maccabeus; this fwain (becaufe of his great limb or joint). fhall pafs Pompey the great; and the page, Hercules.

Arm. Pardon, Sir, error: he is not quantity enough for that Worthy's thumb; he is not fo big as the end of his club.

Hol. Shall I have audience? he fhall prefent Hercules in minority; his Enter and Exit fhall be strangling a fnake; and I will have an apology for that purpose.

Moth.

Moth. An excellent device: for if any of the audience hifs, you may cry ; "well done, Hercules, now thou "crufheft the fnake;" that is the way to make an of fence gracious, tho' few have the grace to do it. Arm. For the reft of the Worthies, Hol. I will play three myself. Moth. Thrice-worthy gentleman! Arm. Shall I tell you a thing? Hol. We attend.

Arm. We will have, if this fadge not, an Antick. 1 befeech you, follow.

Hol. Via! good-man Dull, thou haft spoken no word

all this while.

Dull. Nor understood none neither, Sir.

Hol. Allons: we will employ thee.

Dull. F'll make one in a dance, or fo: or I will play on the tabor to the Worthies, and let them dance the hay.

Hel. Moft dull, honeft, Dull, to our sport away.

[Exeunt.

SCENE before the Princess's Pavilion.

Enter Princess, and Ladies.

Prin. If fairings come thus plentifully in.

Weet hearts, we shall be rich ere we depart,

A lady wall'd about with diamonds !

Look you, what I have from the loving King.
Rof. Madam, came nothing elfe along with that?
Prin. Nothing but this? yes, as much love in rhime,
As would be crain'd up in a fheet of paper,

Writ on both fides the leaf, margent and all;
That he was fain to feal on Cupid's name.

Rof. That was the way to make his God-head wax, For he hath been five thousand years a boy.

Cath. Ay, and a fhrewd unhappy gallows too.

Rof. You'll ne'er be friends with him; he kill'd your fifter.

Cath.

you,

Cath. He made her melancholy, fad and heavy, And fo fhe died; had the been light, like Of fuch a merry, nimble, ftirring fpirit, She might have been a grandam ere the dy'd. And fo may you; for a light heart lives long. Rof. What's your dark meaning, moufe, of this light word? Cath. A light condition, in a beauty dark. Rof. We need more light to find your meaning out. Cath. You'll marr the light, by taking it in fnuff: Therefore I'll darkly end the argument.

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Rof. Look, what you do; and do it still i'th' dark. Cath. So do not you, for you are a light wench. Rof. Indeed, I weigh not you; and therefore light. Cath. You weigh me not; O, that's, you care not for me.

Rof. Great reafon; for paft cure is ftill paft care. (33) 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 verfes too, I thank Biron.
The numbers true; and were the numbring too,
I were the faireft Goddefs on the ground.
I am compar'd to twenty thousand 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 conclufion.
Cath. Fair as a text B in a copy-book.

Rof. Were pencils. How? let me not die your debter, My red dominical, my golden letter.

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

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(33) for paft Care is ftill paft Cure.] The Tranfpofition which I have made in the two Words, Care and Cure, is by the Direction of the ingenious Dr. Thirlby, The Reafon fpeaks for itfelf.

Cath.

Cath. Pox of that jeft, and I befhrew all fhrews (34) 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 thousand verfes of a faithful lover. A huge translation of hypocrify,

Vilely compil'd, profound fimplicity.

Mar. This, and thefe pearls, to me fent Longaville; The letter is too long by half a mile.

Prin. I think no lefs; doft thou not wifh 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 purchafe mocking fo. 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,
And wait the feafon, and obferve the times,
And fpend his prodigal wits in bootlefs rhimes,
And fhape his fervice all to my behefts,

And make him proud to make me proud with jefts:
So Pedant-like would I o'erfway his ftate, (35)
That he should be my fool, and I his fate.

Prin

(34) Prin. Pox of that jeft, and I befbrew all Shrews. As the Princess has behav'd with great Decency all along hitherto, there is no Reafon to be affign'd why the fhould ftart all at once into this course Dialect. But I am perfuaded, the Editors only have made her go out of Character. In short, Rofaline and Catharine are rallying one another without Referve; and to Catharine this firft Line certainly belong'd, and therefore I have ventur'd once more to put her in Poffeffion of it.

(35) So pertaunt like would I o'erfavay bis State,] If the Editors are acquainted with this Word, and can account for the Meaning of it, their Industry has been more fuccefsful than mine, for I can no where trace it. So pedant like, as I have ventur'd to replace in the Text, makes very good Senfe, i. e. in fuch lordly, con-` trolling, manner would I bear myself over him, &c. What Biron

Lays

Prin. None are fo furely caught, when they are catch'd, As wit turn'd fool; folly, in wifdom hatch'd, Hath wisdom'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 fuch excess,
As gravity's revolt to wantonness.

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.

Enter Boyet.

Prin. Here comes Bayet, 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 difguis'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, fcout, 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, addrest
The King and his companions; warily
I ftole into a neighbour thicket by ;
And over-heard, what you fhall over-hear:
That, by and by, difguis'd they will be here.
Their Herald is a pretty knavifh Page,

That well by heart hath conn'd his embaffage."

fays of a Pedant, towards the Conclufion of the fecond Act, counteDances this Conjecture.

A domineering Pedant o'er the boy,
Than whom no Mortal more magnificent.

Αρ

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