PRIN. Good lord Boyet, my beauty, though but mean, To know his pleasure; and in that behalf, Tell him, the daughter of the king of France, A man of sovereign parts he is esteem'd; Is a sharp wit match'd with too blunt a will; Whose edge hath power to cut, whose will still wills It should none spare that come within his power. • To utter is to put forth-as we say, "to utter base coin." (Exit. b Chapman was formerly a seller-a cheapman, from cheap, a market; and it is still used in this sense legally, as when we say, "dealer and chapman." But it was also used indifferently for seller and buyer: the bargainer on either side was a cheapman, chapman, or copeman. The arts. So the second folio. The earlier copies want the article. PRIN. Some merry mocking lord, belike: is 't so? Who are the rest? KATH. The young Dumain, a well-accomplish'd youth, Most power to do most harm, least knowing ill; Was there with him: As I have heard a truth, Biron they call him; but a merrier man, I never spent an hour's talk withal: PRIN. God bless my ladies! are they all in love; With such bedecking ornaments of praise? PRIN. Re-enter BOYET. Now, what admittance, lord? BOYET. Navarre had notice of your fair approach; And he and his competitors in oath Were all address'd to meet you, gentle lady, Before I came. Marry, thus much I have learnt, (Like one that comes here to besiege his court,) Than seek a dispensation for his oath, To let you enter his unpeopled house. Here comes Navarre. a Compared to his great worthiness. [The Ladies mask. b As, in the folio; the quarto, if. As appears more natural-as, in truth, I have heard. Enter KING, LONGAVILLE, DUMAIN, BIRON, and Attendants. KING. Fair princess, welcome to the 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 base to be mine. KING. You shall be welcome, madam, to my court. But pardon me, I am too sudden bold; To teach a teacher ill beseemeth me. For you 'll prove perjur'd, if you make me stay. Ros. How needless was it then to ask the question! BIRON. You must not be so quick. Ros. "T is longa of you that spur me with such questions. BIRON. Your wit 's too hot, it speeds too fast, 't will tire. [Gives a paper The ladies were masked, and, perhaps, were dressed alike. Biron, subsequently, after an exchange of wit with Rosaline, inquires who Katharine is; and Dumain, in the same manner, asks Boyet as to Rosaline. Being but the one half of an entire sum, But say, that he, or we, (as neither have,) A hundred thousand more; in surety of the which, Although not valued to the money's worth. An hundred thousand crowns; and not demands, Which we much rather had depart withal, And have the money by our father lent, Than Aquitain so gelded as it is. Dear princess, were not his requests so far From reason's yielding, your fair self should make PRIN. You do the king my father too much wrong, In so unseeming to confess receipt Of that which hath so faithfully been paid. PRIN. We arrest your word :- BOYET. So please your grace, the packet is not come, • He requires the repayment of a hundred thousand crowns-but does not propose to pay us the other hundred thousand crowns, by which payment he would redeem the mortgage. The original copies read one instead of on; but the words were frequently confounded. Depart and part were used as synonymes. • I will. The folio, would I. Meantime, receive such welcome at my hand As you shall deem yourself lodg'd in my heart, PRIN. Sweet health and fair desires consort your grace! KING. Thy own wish wish I thee in every place! [Exeunt KING and his train. BIRON. Lady, I will commend you to my own heart. Ros. 'Pray you, do my commendations; I would be glad to see it. BIRON. I Would you heard it groan. Ros. Is the fool sick? BIRON. Sick at the heart. Ros. Alack, let it blood. BIRON. Would that do it good? Ros. My physic says, ay. BIRON. Will you prick 't with your eye? Ros. No poynt, with my knife. BIRON. NOW, God save thy life! Ros. And yours from long living! BIRON. I cannot stay thanksgiving. DUM. Sir, I pray you a word: What lady is that same? BOYET. The heir of Alençon, Rosaline her name. LONG. I beseech you a word: What is she in the white? BOYET. A woman sometimes, if you saw her in the light. LONG. Perchance, light in the light: I desire her name. [Retiring. [Exit. BOYET. She hath but one for herself; to desire that were a shame. LONG. Pray you, sir, whose daughter? BOYET. Her mother's, I have heard. LONG. God's blessing on your beard! She is an heir of Falconbridge. She is a most sweet lady. BOYET. Not unlike, sir; that may be. BIRON. What 's her name, in the cap? BOYET. Katharine, by good hap. a [Exit LONG. Farther, in the folio. The ordinary reading is fair—a weak epithet. The Princess is to be lodged, according to her rank, without the gates,-although denied a farther advance, lodgment, in the king's house. No poynt-the double negative of the French-non point. |