Prin. Some merry-mocking lord belike; is't fo? Mar. They fay fo moft, that moft his humours know. Prin. Such fhort-liv'd wits do wither as they grow. Who are the reft?
Cath. The young Dumain, a well-accomplish'd youth,
Of all, that virtue love, for virtue lov'd.
Moft powerful to do harm, leaft knowing ill;
For he hath wit to make an ill shape good,
And fhape to win grace, tho' he had no wit.
I faw him at the Duke Alanzon's once,
And much too little of that good I faw
Is my report to his great worthiness.
Rof. Another of these students at that time
Was there with him, as I have heard a truth;
Biron they call him: but a merrier man,
Within the limit of becoming mirth,
I never spent an hour's talk withal.
His eye begets occafion for his wit;
For every object that the one doth catch
The other turns to a mirth-moving jest,
Which his fair tongue (conceit's expofitor)
Delivers in fuch apt and gracious words,
That aged ears play truant at his tales,
And younger hearings are quite ravished ;.
So fweet and voluble is his difcourfe.
Prin. God blefs my ladies, are they all in love,
That every one her own hath garnished
With fuch bedecking ornaments of praise?
Mar. Here comes Boyet.
Prin. Now, what admittance, lord?
Boyet. Navarre had notice of your fair approach;
And he and his competitors in oath
Were all addreft to meet you, gentle lady,
Before I came: marry, thus much I've learnt,
He rather means to lodge you in the field,
Like one that comes here to befiege his court,
Than seek a difpenfation for his oath,
To let you enter his unpeopled house,
Here comes Navarre,
Enter the King, Longaville, Dumain, Biron, and Attendants. King. Fair Princefs, welcome to th' court of Navarre. Prin. Fair I give you back again, and welcome I have not yet: the roof of this court is too high to be yours, and welcome to the wide fields too bafe to be mine.
King. You fhall be welcome, Madam, to my court.
Prin. I will be welcome then; conduct me thither.
King. Hear me, dear lady, I have fworn an oath.
Prin. Our Lady help my lord, he'll be forfworn.
King. Not for the world, fair Madam, by my will.
Prin. Why, will shall break its will, and nothing else.
King. Your ladyfhip is ignorant what it is.
Prin. Were my Lord fo, his ignorance were wise,
Where now his knowledge muft prove ignorance.
I hear your Grace hath fworn out house-keeping:
"Tis deadly fin to keep that oath, my Lord;
Not fin to break it.
But pardon me, I am too fudden bold:
To teach a teacher ill befeemeth me.
Vouchfafe to read the purpose of my coming,
And fuddenly refolve me in my fuit.
King. Madam, I will, if fuddenly I may.
Prin. You will the fooner that I were away,
For you'll prove perjur'd if you make me stay.
Biron. Did not I dance with you in Brabant once?
Rof. Did not I dance with you in Brabant once?
Biron. I know you did.
Rof. How needlefs was it then to afk the question?
Biron. You must not be fo quick.
Rof. 'Tis long of you that fpur me with fuch questions.
Biron. Your wit's too hot, it speeds too fast, 'twill tire.
Rof. Not 'till it leave the rider in the mire.
Biron. What time a day?
Rof. The hour that fools should ask.
Biron. Now fair befall your mask !
Rof. Fair fall the face it covers!
Biron. And fend you many lovers!
Rof. Amen, fo you be none !
Biren. Nay, then will I be gone.
King. Madam, your father here doth intimate
The payment of a hundred thousand crowns;
Being but th' one half of an intire fum,
Disbursed by my father in his wars.
But fay that he, or we, as neither have,
Receiv'd that fum; yet there remains unpaid
A hundred thousand more; in furety of which,
One part of Aquitain is bound to us,
Although not valu'd to the mony's worth:
If then the king your father will restore
But that one half which is unfatisfy'd,
We will give up our right in Aquitain,
And hold fair friendship with his majesty :
But that it seems he little purpofeth,
For here he doth demand to have repaid
An hundred thousand crowns, and not demands,
On payment of an hundred thousand crowns,
To have his title live in Aquitain;
Which we much rather had depart withal,
And have the money by our father lent,
Than Aquitain fo gelded as it is.
Dear Princess, were not his requests fo far
From reafon's yielding, your fair self should make
A yielding 'gainst fome reafon in my breast,
And go well fatisfied to France again.
Prin. You do the King my father too much wrong, And wrong the reputation of your name,
In fo unfeeming to confefs receipt
Of that which hath fo faithfully been paid.
King. I do proteft I never heard of it;
And if you prove it, I'll repay it back,
Or yield up Aquitain.
Prin. We arreft your word:
Boyet, you can produce acquittances
For fuch a fum, from fpecial officers
Of Charles his father.
King. Satisfie me fo.
Boyet. So please your Grace, the packet is not come, Where that and other specialties are bound:
To-morrow you fhall have a fight of them.
King. It fhall fuffice me; at which interview,
All liberal reafon I will yield unto:
Mean time receive fuch welcome at my hand,
As honour without breach of honour may
Make tender of, to thy true worthiness.
You may not come, fair Princefs, in my gates,
But here without you fhall be fo receiv'd,
As you fhall deem your felf lodg'd in my heart,
Tho' fo deny'd fair harbour in my houfe:
Your own good thoughts excuse me, and farewel;
To-morrow we shall vifit you again.
Prin. Sweet health and fair defires comfort your
Grace!
King. Thy own wifh wish I thee in every place. [Exit.
Biron, Lady, I will commend you to my own heart.
Rof. I pray you, do my commendations;
I would be glad to fee it.
Biron. I would you heard it groan.*
[Exit. Dum. Sir, I pray you, a word: what lady is that fame? Boyet. The heir of Alanfon, Rofaline her name.
Dum. A gallant lady; Mounfieur, fare you well. [Exit. Long. I befeech you, a word: what is the in white?†
Bojet. A woman fometimes, if you faw her in the light.
Long. Perchance light in the light: 1 defire her name.
Boyet. She hath but one for herself; to defire that were a fhame.
Long. Pray you, Sir, whofe daughter?
Boyet. Her mother's, I have heard.
Long. God's bleffing on your beard!
Boyet. Good Sir, be not offended.
Boyet. She is an heir of Faulconbridge.*
Long. She is a most sweet lady.
Boyet. Not unlike, Sir, that may be, t
If my observation (which very feldom lies)
Of the heart's ftill rhetoric, disclosed with eyes,
Deceive me not now, Navarre is infected.**
Biron. What's her name in the cap?
Boyet. Catharine by good hap.
Biron. Is fhe wedded or no?
Boyet. To her wil', Sir, or fo
`Biron. You are welcome, Sir: adieu.
Bovet. Farewell to me, Sir, and welcome to you.
Mar. That last is Biron, the merry mad cap lord;
Not a word with him bat a jeft.
Boyet. And every jeft but a word.
Prin. It was well done of you to take him at his word.
Boyet. I was as willing to grapple as he was to board.
Mar. Two hot fheeps, marry.
Boyet. And wherefore not fhips?
No theep (fweet lamb) unless we feed on your lips.
Mar. You fheep, and I pafture; fhall that finish the jeft
Boyet. So you grant pafture for me..
Mar. Not fo, gentle beast;
My lips are no common, though feveral they be.
Boyet. Belonging to whom?
Mar. To my fortunes and me.
Prin. Good wits will be jangling; but gentles agree.
This civil war of wits were much better us'd
On Navarre and his book-men; for here 'tis abus'd.
Boyet. If my, &c.
** is infected.
Prin. With what?
Boyet. With that which we lovers intitle affected.
Prin. Your reason?
Boyet. Why all his behaviours did make their retire
To the court of his eye, peeping thorough defire:
His heart like an agat with your print impreffed;
Proud with his forn, in his eye pride expreffed:
His tongue all impatient to fpeak and not fee,
Did ftumble with hafte in his eye-fight to be:
All fenfes to that fenfe did make their repair,
To feel only looking on fairest of fair;
Methought all his fenfes were lock'd in his eye,
As jewels in chystal for fome Prince to buy
Who tendring their own worth from whence they were glaft,
Did point out to buy them, along as you paft.
His face's own margent did quote fuch amazes,
That all eyes faw his eyes inchanted with gazes:
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