I, that am honeft; I, that hold it fin King. Soft, whither away fo faft? A true man or a thief, that gallops so? Biron. I poft from love; good lover, let me go. Jaq. God blefs the King! King. What Prefent haft thou there? King. What makes treafon here? The treafon and you go in peace away together. Jaq. I befeech your Grace, let this letter be read, Our Parfon mifdoubts it: it was treason, he said. King. Biron, read it over. [He reads the letter. Where hadft thou it? Jaq. Of Coftard. King. Where hadft thou it? Coft. Of Dun Adramadio, Dun Adramadio. King. How now, what is in you? why doft thou tear it? Biron. A toy, my Liege, a toy: your Grace needs not fear it. Long. It did move him to paffion, and therefore let's hear it. Dum. It is Biron's writing and here is his name. Biron. Ah, you whorefon loggerhead, you were born to do me shame. [To Coftard. Guilty, Guilty, my lord, guilty: I confefs, I confefs. King. What? Biron. That you three fools lack'd me fool to make up the mefs. He, he, and you; and you, my liege, and I Are pick-purfes in love, and we deserve to die. Biron. True, true; we are four: King. Hence, Sirs, away. ftay. Coft. Walk afide the true folk, and let the traitors [Exeunt Coft. and Jaquen. Biron, Sweet lords, fweet lovers, O, let us embrace: As true as we are, as flefh and blood can be. The fea will ebb and flow; heav'n will shew his face: Young blood doth not obey an old decree. We cannot crofs the cause why we were born, Therefore of all hands muft we be forfworn. King. What did these rent lines fhew fome love of thine ? Biron. Did they, quoth you? Who fees the heavenly Rofaline, That (like a rude and favage man of Inde, At the firft opening of the gorgeous east) Bows not his vaffal head, and, ftrucken blind, Kiffes the bafe ground with obedient breaft? What peremptory eagle-fighted eye Dares look upon the heaven of her brow, That is not blinded by her Majefty? King. What zeal, what fury, hath inspir'd thee now? My love (her miftrefs) is a gracious moon ;. She (an attending ftar) fcarce feen a light. Biron. My eyes are then no eyes, nor I Biron. O, but for my love, day would turn to night. Of all complexions the cull'd Sovereignty ༡ Do meet, as at a Fair, in her fair cheek; Where Where feveral worthies make one dignity; Fie, painted rhetoric! O, fhe needs it not: She paffes praife; the praife, too short, doth blot. And gives the crutch the cradle's infancy; No face is fair, that is not full fo black? The hue of dungeons, and the scowl of night; And beauty's crete becomes the heavens well. Biron. Devils fooneft tempt, refembling fpirits of light: O, if in black my lady's brow be deckt, It mourns, that Painting and ufurping Hair Should ravish doters with a false afpect: And therefore is fhe born to make black fair. Her favour turns the fashion of the days, For native blood is counted painting now; And therefore red, that would avoid dispraise, Paints itself black to imitate her brow. Dum. To look like her, are chimney-fweepers black. Long. And fince her time, are colliers counted bright. King. And Ethiops of their fweet complexion crack. Dum. Dark needs no candles now, for dark is light. VOL. II. P Biron. Biron. Your mistresses dare never come in rain, For fear their colours should be wash'd away. King. 'Twere good, yours did: for, Sir, to tell you plain, I'll find a fairer face not wash'd to day. Biron. I'll prove her fair, or talk 'till dooms-day here. King. No devil will fright thee then so much as fhe. Dum. I never knew man hold vile ftuff fo dear. Long. Look, here's thy love; my foot and her face fee. Biron. O, if the streets were paved with thine eyes, Her feet were much too dainty for fuch tread. Dum. O vile! then as fhe goes, what upward lies The freet fhould fee as fhe walkt over head. King. But what of this, are we not all in love? Biron. Nothing so sure, and thereby all forfworn. King. Then leave this chat; and, good Biron, now prove Our loving lawful, and our faith not torn. Dum. Ay, márry, there;fome flattery for this evil. Long. O, fome Authority how to proceed; Some tricks, fome quillets, how to cheat the devil. Dum. Some falve for perjury. Biron. O, 'tis more than need. Have at you then, Affection's Men at arms; And abftinence ingenders maladies. And where that you have vow'd to ftudy, (Lords) Why, Why, univerfal plodding prifons up Now, for not looking on a woman's face, P 2 Love's *Teaches fuch beauty as a woman's eye?] This Line is abfolute Nonsense. We should read duty, i. e. Ethics, or the Offices and Devoirs that belong to Man. A Woman's Eye, fays he, teaches Obfervance above all other Things. + the fufpicious head of theft is stopt.] i. e. a Lover in pursuit of his Mistress has his Sense of hearing quicker than a Thief (who fuf fpe&s |