C. It pleafed them, to think me worthy of Pompion the great for mine own part, I know ax the degree of the worthy; but I am to ftand" for him. F. Go, bid them prepare. [fome care. Caf. We will turn it finely off, fir, we will take Ag. Biron, they will fhame us, let them not ap-" proach. [Exit Coftard. Biros. We are shame-proof, my lord; and 'tis fome policy To have one how worfe than the king's and his company. Kg. I fay, they fhall not come. [now; Pris. Nay, my good lord, let me o'er-rule you [Big," Caft. I Pompey am, Pompey furnamed the Dum. The great. Caft. It is great, fir:-" Pompey furnam'd the great; That oft in field, with targe and shield, did make my foe to fweat; And, travelling along this coaft, I here am come by chance; And lay my arms before the legs of this sweet lafs of France." [done If your ladyship would fay, Thanks, Pompey, "I had Prin. Great thanks, great Pompey. Goff. 'Tis not fo much worth; but, I hope, I was perfect: I made a little fault in, great. Biron. My hat to a half-penny, Pompey proves the best worthy. Enter Nathaniel for Alexander. Nath. "When in the world I liv'd, I was the world's commander; conquering might: There form confounded makes molt form in mirth;" By caft, weft, north, and fouth, I spread my He fpeaks not like a man of God's making. Arm. That's all one, my fair, fweet, honey moEarth: for, I proteft, the fchool-matter is exceedng fantaftical; too, too vain; too, too vain: Butt we will put it, as they say, to fortuna della guerra. I with you the peace of mind, moft royal couple ment ! "My 'icutcheon plain declares, that I am Alifander." Bayet. Your nofe fays, no, you are not; for it itands too right 5. Biron. Your note fmells, no, in this most tender- Prin. The conqueror is difmay'd: Proceed, good Nath. "When in the world I liv'd, I was the Boyet. Moft true, 'tis right; you were so, Alifander. Biron. Pompey the great,Coft. Your fervant, and Coftard. ffander. Biron. Take away the conqueror, take away AliCoft. O, fir, you have overthrown Alifander the Ang. Here is like to be a good prefence of wor- conqueror! [To Nath.] You will be scraped out : He prefents Hector of Troy; the fwain, of the painted cloth for this: your lion, that holds Pompey the great; the parish curate, Alexander; his poll-ax fitting on a clofe-tool, will be given Amalo's page, Hercules; the pedant, Judas Mac- to A-jax 7; he will then be the ninth worthy. A conqueror, and afeard to fpeak! run away for And if these four worthies in their first show thrive, shame, Alifander. [Fxit Nath.] There, an 't thall These four will change habits, and prefent the other pleafe you! a foolish mild man, an honeft man, B. There is five in the first show. [five. look you, and foon dafli'd! He is a marvellous King. You are deceiv'd, 'tis not fo. good neighbour in footh; and a very good bowler: * Meaning, we are not fools; our next relations cannot beg the wardship of our persons and forLanes. One of the legal tefts of a natural is to try whether he can number. 2 Novum was an old game at dice. 3 A phrafe ftill in ufe among gardeners. 4 This alludes to the old heroic habits, which on the knees and fhoulders had ufually, by way of ornament, the refemblance of a leopard's eron's head. To relish this joke, the reader fhould recollect, that the head of Alexander was briquely placed on his shoulders. Alluding to the arms given to the nine worthies in the old hif tury7 A paltry pun upon Ajax and a jakes, but, but, for Alifander, alas, you fee, how 'tis ;-a little) o'erparted:-But there are worthies a-coming will fpeak their mind in fome other fort. Biran. Stand afide, good Pompey. And, when he was a babe, a child, a fhrimp, "Erg, 1 come with this apology.—' Arm. Peace! "The armipotent Mars, of lances "Gave Hector a gift, the heir of Ilion! [yea, [To Moth.] Keep fome state in thy exit, and vanish." A man fo breath'd, that, certain, he would fight, Hol. "Judas I am,—” Dum, A Judas! Hol. Not Ifcariot, fir. Judas I am, ycleped Macchabæus.” [Exit Moth. "From morn till night, out of his pavilion. "I am that flower,-" Dun. That mint. Long. That columbine. Arm. Sweet lord Longaville, rein thy tongue. Long. I muft rather give it the rein; for it runs against Hector. Dum. Ay, and Hector's a greyhound. Arm. The fweet war-man is dead and rotten; fweet chucks, beat not the bones of the buried: when he breath'd, he was a man-But I will forward with my device; [To the princess] fweet royalty, bestow on me the sense of hearing. Prin. Speak, brave Hector; we are much delighted. Arm. I do adore thy fweet grace's flipper. Arm. "This Hector far furmounted Hannibal,—” Coft. The party is gone, fellow Hector, the is gone, fhe is two months on her way. Arm. What mean'it thou? Goft. Faith, unlets you play the honest Trojan, Biron. Ay, and worn in the cap of a tooth-the poor wench is caft away: fhe's quick; the [tenance. drawer: And now, forward; for we have put thee in coun Hol. You have put me out of countenance. Biron. Falfe; we have given thee faces. Hol. But you have out-fac'd them all. Biron. An thou wert a lion, we would do fo. Boyet. Therefore, as he is, an ass, let him go. And fo adieu, fweet Jude! nay, why doft thou stay? Dum. For the latter end of his name. Biron. For the afs to the Jude; give it him :-Jud as, away. [ble. Hol. This is not generous, not gentle, not humBoyet. A light for monfieur Judas; it grows dark, he may ftumble. child brags in her belly already; 'tis yours. Arm. Doft thou infamonize me among potentates? thou shalt die. Coff. Then shall Hector be whipp'd, for Jaquenetta that is quick by him; and hang'd, for Pompey that is dead by him. Dum. Moft rare Pompey.! Boyet. Renowned Pompey! Biron. Greater than great, great, great, great Pompey! Pompey the huge! Dum. Hector trembles. Biron. Pompey is mov'd:-More Ates, more Ates 5; ftir them on, ftir them on! Dum. Hector will challenge him. Biren. Ay, if he have no more man's blood in's belly than will fup a flea. Arm. By the north pole, I do challenge thee. Coft. I will not fight with a pole, like a northern man: I'll flash; I'll do't by the fword :-1 pray you, let me borrow my arms again. Dum. Room for the incenfed worthies, Ceft. I'll do it in my shirt. Dum. Moft refolute Pompey ! 6 Moth. Mafter, let me take you a button-hole lawer Do you not fee, Pompey is uncafing for the combat 2 That is, a foldier's powder-horn A cittern was a mufical inftrument of the harp kind. 3 A Trojan, in the time of Shakspeare, was a cant term for a thief. 4 An orange fuck with clave appears to have been a common new-year's gift. 5 Ate was the heathen goddefs who incited blood fled. 6 Meaning the weapons and armour which he wore in the character of Pompey, Wh What mean you? you will lofe your reputation. Arm. Gentlemen, and foldiers, pardon me; I ali not "combat in my shirt. Das. You may not denyit; Pompey hath made the challenge. Arm. Sweet bloods, I both may and wil. All wanton as a child, skipping, and vain ; Am. The naked truth of it is, I have no fhirt; Have mifbecom'd our oaths and gravities, I go woolward for penance. Boyet. True, and it was enjoin'd him in Rome for want of linen: fince when, I'll be fworn, he wore none, but a difh-clout of Jaquenetta's; and that a wears next his heart for a favour. Enter Mercade. Mer. God fave you, madam! Priz. Welcome, Mercade; Bx that thou interrupt'ft our merriment. Mer. I am forry, madam; for the news I bring, k heavy in my tongue. The king your father Pris Dead, for my life. Mer. Even fo: my tale is told. King. How fares your majesty? E Thofe heavenly eyes, that look into thefe faults, Prin. We have receiv'd your letters, full of love; Ref. We did not quote them fo. King. Now, at the latest minute of the hour, Grant us your loves. Prin. A time, methinks, too fhort To make a world-without-end bargain in : K. Theextreme parts of time extremely forms If this auftere infociable life T which long process could not arbitrate: Te body fuit which fain it would convince; Let out the cloud of forrow juftle it Change not your offer made in heat of blood; From what it purpos'd; fince, to wail friends loft, My woeful felf up in a mourning-house; Laut by much fo wholesome, profitable, Fri. I understand you not, my griefs are double. Raining the tears of lamentation, King. If this, or more than this, I would deny; 1 To go woolward was a phrase appropriated to pilgrims and penitentiaries, and means, that he was floathed in wool, and not in linen. 2 Liberal here fignifies, as has been remarked in other places, Je to excess. 3 That is, tempted us. 4 Bombuft was a stuff of loofe texture used formerly to wch the garment, and thence ufed to fignify bulk, or fhew without folidity. 5 That is, to fouth. Therefore, Therefore, if you my favour mean to get, Dum. But what to me, my love? but what to Mar. At the twelve-month's end, I'll change my black gown for a faithful friend. Ref. Oft have I heard of you, my lord Biron, To weed this wormwood from your fruitful brain; Mirth cannot move a foul in agony." Rof. Why, that's the way to choak a gibing spirit, Of him that hears it, never in the tongue Biron. A twelve-month? well, befal what will befal, Til jeft a twelve-month in an hospital. Prin. Ay, fweet my lord; and fo I take my leave. [To the King. King. No, madam; we will bring you on your way. [play; Biron. Our wooing doth not end like an old Jack hath not Jill: thefe ladies' courtesy Might well have made our fport a comedy. Birm. That's too long for a play. Arm. Sweet majefty, vouchfafe me,→→ Dum. That worthy knight of Troy. Arm. I will kifs thy royal finger, and take leave I am a votary; I have vow'd to Jaquenetta to hold the plough for her fweet love three year. But, most efteemed greatnefs, will you hear the d alogue that the two learned men have compiled, in praife of the owl and the cuckow? it fhould have follow'd in the end of our show. King. Call them forth quickly, we will do fo. Enter all, for the fong. This fide is Hiems; winter. SO N G. When daizies pied, and violets blue, Do paint the meadows with delight, Cuckow, cuckow,―0 word of fear, Cuckor, cuckow,—0 word of fear, WIN Τ E R. And Dick the jhepherd blows bis nail, And milk comes frozen home in pail, Tu-whit, to-who, a menny note, And Marian's nofe looks red and rate, Tu-shit, to-who, a merry note, Arm. The words of Mercury are harsh after th King. Come, fir, it wants a twelve-month and a fongs of Apollo. You, that way; we, this way. And then 'twill end. [day,! [Exeunt orc 1 Fierce here means vehement, rapid. 2 Dr. Johnfan thinks, that dear fhould here, as in many othe places, be dere, fad, odious. 3 i. e. Scum the pot. The word is yet ufed in Ireland. 41. e. his difcof MIDSUMME Other Fairies attending their King and Queen: Attendants on Thefeus and Hippolita. ACT I. The Palace of Thefeus in Athens. Ence Toeas, Hippolita, Pbilofirate, with Attendants. NOW Another moon: but, oh, methinks, how flow Four nights will quickly dream away the time; The Go, Philoftrate, Hippolita, I woo'd thee with my fword, Ege. Full of vexation come I, with complaint. Ser up the Athenian youth to merriments; The pale companion is not for our pomp. |