And consciences that will not die in debt, King. A blister on his sweet tongue, with my heart, That put Armado's page out of his part! Enter the Princess, ushered by BOYET; ROSALINe, MARIA, KATHARINE, and Attendants. Biron. See where it comes !-Behavior, what wert thou, Till this man showed thee? and what art thou now? Vow. Nor God, nor I, delight in perjured men. King. Rebuke me not for that which you provoke ; For virtue's office never breaks men's troth. A world of torments though I should endure, I would not yield to be your house's guest; So much I hate a breaking-cause to be Of heavenly oaths, vowed with integrity. King. Ó, you have lived in desolation here, Unseen, unvisited, much to our shame. Prin. Not so, my lord; it is not so, I swear; We have had pastimes here, and pleasant game. A mess of Russians left us but of late. King. How, madam? Russians? Prin. Ay, in truth, my lord; Trim gallants, full of courtship, and of state. My lady, (to the manner of the days,') By light we lose light. Your capacity Wise things seem foolish, and rich things but poor. eye, Biron. I am a fool, and full of poverty. Ros. But that you take what doth to you belong, It were a fault to snatch words from my tongue. Biron. O, I am yours, and all that I possess. Ros. All the fool mine? Biron. I cannot give you less. Ros. Which of the visors was it that you wore? Biron. Where? when? what visor? why demand you this? Ros. There, then, that visor; that superfluous case, That hid the worse, and showed the better face. King. We are descried; they'll mock us now down right. Dum. Let us confess, and turn it to a jest. Prin. Amazed, my lord? Why looks your high ness sad? Ros. Help, hold his brows! he'll swoon! Why look you pale ? Sea-sick, I think, coming from Muscovy. Biron. Thus pour the stars down plagues for perjury. Can any face of brass hold longer out? 1 After the fashion of the times. Here stand I, lady; dart thy skill at me; Bruise me with scorn, confound me with a flout; Nor woo in rhyme, like a blind harper's song. Three-piled hyperboles, spruce affectation, Figures pedantical; these summer-flies Have blown me full of maggot ostentation. I do forswear them, and I here protest, By this white glove, (how white the hand, God Henceforth my wooing mind shall be expressed Biron. Yet I have a trick Of the old rage.-Bear with me; I am sick Prin. No, they are free, that gave these tokens to us. Biron. Our states are forfeit; seek not to undo us. Ros. It is not so; for how can this be true, That you stand forfeit, being those that sue? 5 1 Mistress. 2 A metaphor from the pile of velvet. 3 i. e. without French words, I pray you. 4 This was the inscription put upon the doors of houses infected with the plague. The tokens of the plague were the first spots or discolorations of the skin. 5 That is, how can those be liable to forfeiture that begin the process? The quibble lies in the ambiguity of the word sue, which signifies to proceed to law, and to petition. Biron. Peace; for I will not have to do with you. Ros. 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. Prin. The fairest is confession. Were you not here, but even now, disguised? Prin. And were you well advised? King. I was, fair madam. 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. Prin. When she shall challenge this, you will reject her. King. Upon mine honor, no. Prin. Peace, peace, forbear; Your oath once broke, you force1 not to forswear. King. Despise me when I break this oath of mine. Prin. I will; and therefore keep it.-Rosaline, What did the Russian whisper in your ear? Ros. Madam, he swore that he did hold me dear As precious eyesight; and did value me Above this world; adding thereto, moreover, King. What mean you, madam? By my life, my troth, I never swore this lady such an oath. Ros. 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. Prin. Pardon me, sir, this jewel did she wear; 1 i. e. you care not, or do not regard forswearing. I see the trick on't.-Here was a consent1 Some carry-tale, some please-man, some slight zany, Some mumble-news, some trencher-knight, some Dick, That smiles his cheek in jeers, and knows the trick Boyet. Full merrily Hath this brave manege, this career, been run. Biron. Lo, he is tilting straight! Peace; I have done. Enter COSTARD. Welcome, pure wit! Thou partest a fair fray. Whether the three worthies shall come in, or no. Cost. No, sir; but it is vara fine, And three times thrice is nine. For every one pursents three. Biron. 1 An agreement, a conspiracy. See As You Like It, Act ii. Sc. 2. 2 The old copies read yeares: the emendation is Theobald's. 3 i. e. first in will, and afterwards in error. 4 From esquierre (Fr.), rule, or square. The sense is similar to the proverbial saying-He has got the length of her foot. 5 That is, you are an allowed or a licensed fool or jester. |