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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 Princess: I fay, none fo fit as to présent the nine Worthies.

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

Hol. Joshua, yourself; this gallant man, Judas Maccabeus; this swain (because 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 present Hercules in minority: his Enter and Exit shall be strangling a snake; and I will have an apology for that purpose.

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 offence 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 Antic. I beseech you, follow.

Hol. Via! good-man Dull, thou haft fpoken no word all this while.

Dull. Nor understood none neither, Sir.

Hol. Allons; we will employ thee.

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

Hol. Most dull, honest, Dull, to our Sport away.

[Exeunt.

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SCENE

III.

Before the PRINCESS's Pavilion.

Prin. S
SWE

Enter Princefs, and Ladies.

WEET hearts, we fhall be rich ere we depart,

If Fairings come thus plentifully in.

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 cram'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. WO Cath. Ay; and a fhrewd unhappy gallows too. i. Rof. You'll ne'er be friends with him; he kill'd your fifter.

Cath. He made her melancholy, fad and heavy, And fo fhe died; had fhe been light, like you, Of such a merry, nimble, stirring spirit,

She might have been a grandam ere fhe dy'd.
And fo may you; for a light heart lives long.
Rof. What's your dark meaning, moufe, of this
light word?

I

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 snuff: Therefore I'll darkly end the argument.

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.

Rof. Great reafon; for paft 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 thousand fairs.
O, he hath drawn my picture in his letter.
Prin. Any thing like?

f

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. Ware pencils. How? let me not die your

debtor.

My red dominical, my golden letter. ;

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that your face were not fo full of Oes!

Cath. Pox of that jeft, and I befhrew all fhrews: 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 tranflation 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 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 worse 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 feafon, and obferve the times,
And spend his prodigal wits in bootless 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.

1

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

As wit turn'd fool; folly, in wisdom 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 excefs, 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.

SCENE IV.

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Prin. HERE 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 difguis'd,
Armed in arguments; you'll be surpriz'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, say.
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 shade, I might behold, addrest
The King and his companions; warily'

I ftole

I ftole into a neighbour thicket by;
And over-heard, what you shall over-hear:
That, by and by, difguis'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 muft thou fpeak, and thus thy body bear;
And ever and anon they made a doubt,
Prefence majestical 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 fhoulder,
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 fev'ral, which they did beftow.

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

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

Hold,

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