are infected; in their hearts it lies;
They have the plague, and caught it of your eyes;
These lords are visited; you are not free,
For the Lord’s tokens on you do I see. Princess

No, they are free that gave these tokens to us.

Biron

Our states are forfeit: seek not to undo us.

Rosaline

It is not so; for how can this be true,
That you stand forfeit, being those that sue?

Biron

Peace! for I will not have to do with you.

Rosaline

Nor shall not, if I do as I intend.

Biron

Speak for yourselves; my wit is at an end.

King

Teach us, sweet madam, for our rude transgression
Some fair excuse.

Princess

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

King

Madam, I was.

Princess

And were you well advised?

King

I was, fair madam.

Princess

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.

Princess

When she shall challenge this, you will reject her.

King

Upon mine honour, no.

Princess

Peace, peace! forbear:
Your oath once broke, you force not to forswear.

King

Despise me, when I break this oath of mine.

Princess

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

Rosaline

Madam, he swore that he did hold me dear
As precious eyesight, and did value me
Above this world; adding thereto moreover
That he would wed me, or else die my lover.

Princess

God give thee joy of him! the noble lord
Most honourably doth unhold his word.

King

What mean you, madam? by my life, my troth,
I never swore this lady such an oath.

Rosaline

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.

Princess

Pardon me, sir, this jewel did she wear;
And Lord Biron, 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,
Knowing aforehand of our merriment,
To dash it like a Christmas 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 disposed,
Told our intents before; which once disclosed,
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.
Forestall our sport, to make us thus untrue?
Do not you know my lady’s foot by the squier,
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 shroud.
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.

Costard

O Lord, sir, they would know
Whether the three Worthies shall come in or no.

Biron

What, are there but three?

Costard

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

Biron

And three times thrice is nine.

Costard

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. Costard Under correction, sir, we know whereuntil it doth amount. Biron By Jove, I always took three threes for nine. Costard O Lord, sir, it were pity you should get your living by reckoning, sir. Biron How much is it? Costard O Lord, sir, the parties themselves, the actors, sir, will show whereuntil it doth amount: for mine own part, I am, as they say, but to parfect one man in one poor man, Pompion the Great, sir. Biron Art thou one of the Worthies? Costard 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. Costard

We will turn it finely off, sir; we will take some care. Exit.

King

Biron, 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. Princess

Nay, my good lord, let me o’errule you now:
That sport best pleases that doth least know how:
Where zeal strives to content, and the contents
Dies in the zeal of that 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. Armado Anointed, I implore so much expense of thy royal sweet breath as will utter a brace of words. Converses apart with the King, and delivers him a paper. Princess Doth this man serve God? Biron Why ask you? Princess He speaks not like a man of God’s making. Armado That is all one, my fair, sweet, honey monarch; for, I protest, the schoolmaster is exceeding fantastical; too too vain, too too vain: but we will put it, as they say, to fortuna de la guerra. I wish you the peace of mind, most royal couplement! Exit. 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 Maccabaeus:

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 deceived; ’tis not so.

Biron

The pedant, the braggart,

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