Their purpose is, to parle, to court, and dance: Unto his several mistress; which they'll know Prin. And will they so? the gallants shall be task'd: For, ladies, we will every one be mask'd; And not a man of them shall have the grace, Hold, Rosaline, this favour thou shalt wear; Hold, take thou this, my sweet, and give me thine; And change you favours too; so shall your loves Ros. Come on then; wear the favours most in sight. Kath. But, in this changing, what is your intent? Prin. The effect of my intent is, to cross theirs: They do it but in mocking merriment; And mock for mock is only my intent. Their several counsels they unbosom shall Ros. But shall we dance, if they desire us to't? foot: Nor to their penn'd speech render we no grace; And quite divorce his memory from his part. Prin. Therefore I do it; and, I make no doubt, The rest will ne'er come in, if he be out. There's no such sport, as sport by sport o'erthrown; To make theirs ours, and ours none but our own: So shall we stay, mocking intended game; And they, well mock'd, depart away with shame. [Trumpets sound within. Boyet. The trumpet sounds; be mask'd, the [The ladies mask. maskers come. Enter the King, BIRON, LONGAVILLE, and DuMAIN, in Russian habits, and masked; MOTн, Musicians, and Attendants. Moth. All hail, the richest beauties on the earth! Boyet. Beauties no richer than rich taffata. Moth. A holy parcel of the fairest dames, The ladies turn their backs to him. That ever turn'd their-backs-to mortal views! Biron. Their eyes, villain, their eyes. Moth. That ever turn'd their eyes to mortal views! Out Boyet. True; out, indeed. Moth. Out of your favours, heavenly spirits, vouchsafe Not to behold Biron. Once to behold, rogue. Moth. Once to behold with your sun-beamed eyes, eyes -with Boyet. They will not answer to that epithet; You were best call it, daughter-beamed eyes. Moth. They do not mark me, and that brings me out. Biron. Is this your perfectness? be gone, you rogue. Ros. What would these strangers? know their If they do speak our language, 'tis our will 8 Beauties no richer than rich taffata.] i, e. the taffata masks they wore to conceal themselves. Boyet. What would you with the princess? Boyet. Nothing but peace, and gentle visitation. gone. Boyet. She says, you have it, and you may be gone. King. Say to her, we have measur❜d many miles, To tread a measure with her on this grass. Boyet. They say, that they have measur'd many a mile, To tread a measure with you on this grass. Ros. It is not so: ask them, how many inches Is in one mile: if they have measur'd many, The measure then of one is easily told. Boyet. If, to come hither you have measur'd miles, And many miles; the princess bids you tell, How many inches do fill up one mile. Biron. Tell her, we measure them by weary How many weary steps, Of many weary miles you have o'ergone, Are number'd in the travel of one mile? Biron. We number nothing that we spend for you; Our duty is so rich, so infinite, That we may do it still without accompt. Ros. My face is but a moon, and clouded too. King. Blessed are clouds, to do as such clouds do! 9 To tread a measure - The measures were dances solemn and slow. Vouchsafe, bright moon, and these thy stars, to shine (Those clouds remov'd,) upon our wat'ry eyne. Ros. O vain petitioner! beg a greater matter; Thou now request'st but moonshine in the water. King. Then, in our measure do but vouchsafe one change: Thou bid'st me beg; this begging is not strange. Ros. Play, musick, then: nay, you must do it [Musick plays. Not yet; no dance :—thus change I like the moon. King. Will you not dance? How come you soon. estrang'd? thus Ros. You took the moon at full; but now she's chang'd. King. Yet still she is the moon, and I the man. The musick plays; vouchsafe some motion to it. Ros. Our ears vouchsafe it. King. But your legs should do it. Ros. Since you are strangers, and come here by chance, We'll not be nice: take hands ;-we will not dance. King. Why take we hands then? Ros. Only to part friends :Court'sy, sweet hearts; and so the measure ends. King. More measure of this measure; be not nice. Ros. We can afford no more at such a price. King. Prize you yourselves; What buys your company? Ros. King. Your absence only. That can never be. Ros. Then cannot we be bought and so adieu; Twice to your visor, and half once to you! King. If you deny to dance, let's hold more chat. Ros. In private then. King. I am best pleas'd with that. [They converse apart. : Biron. White-handed mistress, one sweet word with thee. Prin. Honey, and milk, and sugar; there is three. Biron. Nay then, two treys, (an if you grow so nice,) Metheglin, wort, and malmsey;-Well run, dice! There's half a dozen sweets. Prin. Seventh sweet, adieu! Since you can cog,' I'll play no more with you. Biron. One word in secret. [They converse apart. Dum. Will you vouchsafe with me to change a Please it you, [They converse apart. Take that for your fair lady. As much in private, and I'll bid adieu. Kath. What, was your visor made without a tongue? Long. I know the reason, lady, why you ask. Kath. O, for your reason! quickly, sir; I long. Long. You have a double tongue within your mask, And would afford my speechless visor half. King. Veal, quoth the Dutchman;-Is not veal a calf? 1 Since you can cog,] To cog, signifies to falsify the dice, and to falsify a narrative, or to lye. JOHNSON. |