It should none fpare that come within his power.
PRIN. Some merry mocking lord, belike; is't fo?
MAR. They say so most, that most his humours know.
PRIN. Such short-liv'd wits do wither as they grow.
Who are the reft?

KATH. The young Dumain, a well-accomplish'd youth, Of all that virtue love for virtue lov'd:

Most power to do most harm, least knowing ill;
For he hath wit to make an ill shape good,
And shape to win grace though he had no wit.
I faw him at the duke Alençon's once;
And much too little of that good I faw,

Is my report, to his great worthiness.

ROSA. Another of these students at that time
Was there with him: if I have heard a truth,
Biron they call him; but a merrier man,
Within the limit of becoming mirth,
I never spent an hour's talk withal :
His eye begets occafion for his wit;
For every object that the one doth catch,
The other turns to a mirth-moving jeft;
Which his fair tongue (conceit's expofitor,)
Delivers in fuch apt and gracious words,
That aged ears play truant at his tales,
And younger hearings are quite ravished;
So fweet and voluble is his difcourse.

PRIN. God bless my ladies! are they all in love ;

That every one her own hath garnished

With fuch bedecking ornaments of praise ?

MAR. Here comes Boyet.

Re-enter BorET.

PRIN. Now, what admittance, lord?

BOYET. Navarre had notice of your fair approach;

And he, and his competitors in oath,

Were all addrefs'd to meet you, gentle lady,
Before I came. Marry, thus much I have learnt,
He rather means to lodge you in the field,
(Like one that comes here to besiege his court,)
Than feek a difpenfation for his oath,
To let you enter his unpeopled house.
Here comes Navarre.

[The ladies mafk. 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 fhall be welcome, madam, to my court. PRIN. I will be welcome then; conduct me thither. KING. Hear me, dear lady; I have fworn an oath. PRIN. Our lady help my lord! he'll be forfworn. KING. Not for the world, fair madam, by my will. PRIN. Why, will fhall break it; will, and nothing else. KING. Your ladyship is ignorant what it is. PRIN. Were my lord fo, his ignorance were wife, Where now his knowledge must prove ignorance. I hear, your grace hath fworn-out houfe-keeping: 'Tis deadly fin to keep that oath, my lord,

And fin to break it:

But pardon me, I am too fudden-bold;
To teach a teacher ill befeemeth me.
Vouchsafe to read the purpose of
my coming,
And suddenly resolve me in my fuit.

[Gives a paper.

KING. Madam, I will, if fuddenly I may.

PRIN. You will the fooner, that I were away;
For you'll prove perjur'd, if you make me stay.

BIRON. Did not I dance with you in Brabant once?
Ros. Did not I dance with you in Brabant once?
BIRON. I know, you did.

Ros. How needlefs was it then

To afk the question!

BIRON. You must not be fo quick.

Ros. 'Tis 'long of you that spur me with fuch questions,
BIRON. Your wit's too hot, it speeds too fast, 'twill tire.
Ros. Not till it leave the rider in the mire.

BIRON. What time o' day?

Ros. The hour that fools should ask.
BIRON. Now fair befal your mask!
Ros. Fair fall the face it covers!
-BIRON. And fend you many lovers!
Ros. Amen, fo you be none.
BIRON. Nay, then will I be gone.

KING. Madam, your father here doth intimate
The payment of a hundred thousand crowns;
Being but the one half of an entire fum,
Disbursed by my father in his wars.

But fay, that he, or we, (as neither have,)
Receiv'd that fum; yet there remains unpaid
A hundred thousand more; in furety of the which,
One part of Aquitain is bound to us,

Although not valued to the money's worth,
If then the king your father will restore
But that one half which is unfatisfied;
We will give up our right in Aquitain,
And hold fair friendship with his majesty,
But that, it seems, he little purposeth,
For here he doth demand to have repaid

An hundred thousand crowns; and not demands,
On payment of a hundred thousand crowns,
To have his title live in Aquitain;

Which we much rather had depart withal,
And have the money by our father lent,
Than Aquitain fo gelded as it is.

Dear princefs, were not his requests so far
From reason's yielding, your fair self should make
A yielding, 'gainst some reason, in my breast,
And go well fatisfied to France again.

PRIN. You do the king my father too much wrong,
And wrong the reputation of your name,
In fo unseeming to confefs receipt

Of that which hath fo faithfully been paid.
KING. I do proteft, I never heard of it;
And, if

you prove it, I'll repay it back,

Or yield up Aquitain.

PRIN. We arreft your word:Boyet, you can produce acquittances, For fuch a fum, from special officers

Of Charles his father.

KING. Satisfy me fo.

BOYET. So please your grace, the packet is not come, Where that and other fpecialties are bound; To-morrow you fhall have a fight of them,

KING. It fhall fuffice me: at which interview,

All liberal reafon I will yield unto.

Mean time, receive fuch welcome at my hand,
As honour, without breach of honour, may
Make tender of to thy true worthiness :
You may not come, fair princess, in my gates;
But here without you fhall be fo receiv'd,
As you shall deem yourself lodg'd in my heart,

Though fo denied fair harbour in my house.

Your own good thoughts excufe me, and farewell:
To-morrow shall we visit

you again.

PRIN. Sweet health and fair defires confort 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 fee it.

BIRON. I would, you heard it groan.

Ros. Is the fool fick ?

BIRON. Sick at the heart.

Ros. Alack, let it blood.

BIRON. Would that do it good?

Ros. My phyfick fays, I.

BIRON. Will you prick't with your eye?

Ros. No poynt, with my knife.

BIRON. Now, God fave thy life!

Ros. And yours from long living!
BIRON. I cannot stay thanksgiving.

[Retiring.

DUM. Sir, I pray you, a word: What lady is that fame?
BOYET. The heir of Alençon, Rofaline her name.
DUM. A gallant lady! Monfieur, fare you well. [Exit.
LONG. I beseech you, a word; What is the in the white?
BOYET. Awoman fometimes, an you faw her in the light.
LONG. Perchance, light in the light: I defire her name.
BOYET. She hath but one for herfelf; to defire that,
LONG. Pray you, fir, whose daughter? [were a fhame.
BOYET. Her mother's, I have heard.

LONG. God's bleffing on your beard!

BOYET. Good fir, be not offended:

She is an heir of Falconbridge.

LONG. Nay, my choler is ended.