Shakespeare's First Folio Part 128

Kin. O you haue liu'd in desolation heere, Vnseene, vnuisited, much to our shame

Qu. Not so my Lord, it is not so I sweare, We haue had pastimes heere, and pleasant game, A messe of Russians left vs but of late

Kin. How Madam? Russians?

Qu. I in truth, my Lord.

Trim gallants, full of Courts.h.i.+p and of state

Rosa. Madam speake true. It is not so my Lord: My Ladie (to the manner of the daies) In curtesie giues vndeseruing praise.

We foure indeed confronted were with foure In Russia habit: Heere they stayed an houre, And talk'd apace: and in that houre (my Lord) They did not blesse vs with one happy word.

I dare not call them fooles; but this I thinke, When they are thirstie, fooles would faine haue drinke

Ber. This iest is drie to me. Gentle sweete, Your wits makes wise things foolish when we greete With eies best seeing, heauens fierie eie: By light we loose light; your capacitie Is of that nature, that to your huge stoore, Wise things seeme foolish, and rich things but poore

Ros. This proues you wise and rich: for in my eie Ber. I am a foole, and full of pouertie

Ros. But that you take what doth to you belong, It were a fault to s.n.a.t.c.h words from my tongue

Ber. O, I am yours, and all that I possesse

Ros. All the foole mine

Ber. I cannot giue you lesse

Ros. Which of the Vizards what it that you wore?

Ber. Where? when? What Vizard?

Why demand you this?

Ros. There, then, that vizard, that superfluous case, That hid the worse, and shew'd the better face

Kin. We are discried, They'l mocke vs now downeright

Du. Let vs confesse, and turne it to a iest

Que. Amaz'd my Lord? Why lookes your Highnes sadde?

Rosa. Helpe hold his browes, hee'l sound: why looke you pale?

Sea-sicke I thinke comming from Muscouie

Ber. Thus poure the stars down plagues for periury.

Can any face of bra.s.se hold longer out?

Heere stand I, Ladie dart thy skill at me, Bruise me with scorne, confound me with a flout.

Thrust thy sharpe wit quite through my ignorance.

Cut me to peeces with thy keene conceit: And I will wish thee neuer more to dance, Nor neuer more in Russian habit waite.

O! neuer will I trust to speeches pen'd, Nor to the motion of a Schoole-boies tongue.

Nor neuer come in vizard to my friend, Nor woo in rime like a blind-harpers songue, Taffata phrases, silken tearmes precise, Three-pil'd Hyperboles, spruce affection; Figures pedanticall, these summer flies, Haue blowne me full of maggot ostentation.

I do forsweare them, and I heere protest, By this white Gloue (how white the hand G.o.d knows) Henceforth my woing minde shall be exprest In russet yeas, and honest kersie noes.

And to begin Wench, so G.o.d helpe me law, My loue to thee is sound, sans cracke or flaw, Rosa. Sans, sans, I pray you

Ber. Yet I haue a tricke Of the old rage: beare with me, I am sicke.

Ile leaue it by degrees: soft, let vs see, Write Lord haue mercie on vs, on those three, They are infected, in their hearts it lies: They haue the plague, and caught it of your eyes: These Lords are visited, you are not free: For the Lords tokens on you do I see

Qu. No, they are free that gaue these tokens to vs

Ber. Our states are forfeit, seeke not to vndo vs

Ros. It is not so; for how can this be true, That you stand forfeit, being those that sue

Ber. Peace, for I will not haue to do with you

Ros. Nor shall not, if I do as I intend

Ber. Speake for your selues, my wit is at an end

King. Teach vs sweete Madame, for our rude transgression, some faire excuse

Qu. The fairest is confession.

Were you not heere but euen now, disguis'd?

Kin. Madam, I was

Qu. And were you well aduis'd?

Kin. I was faire Madam

Qu. When you then were heere, What did you whisper in your Ladies eare?

King. That more then all the world I did respect her Qu. When shee shall challenge this, you will reiect her

King. Vpon mine Honor no

Qu. Peace, peace, forbeare: Your oath once broke, you force not to forsweare

King. Despise me when I breake this oath of mine

Qu. I will, and therefore keepe it. Rosaline, What did the Russian whisper in your eare?

Ros. Madam, he swore that he did hold me deare As precious eye-sight, and did value me Aboue this World: adding thereto moreouer, That he would Wed me, or else die my Louer

Qu. G.o.d giue thee ioy of him: the n.o.ble Lord Most honorably doth vphold his word

King. What meane you Madame?

By my life, my troth I neuer swore this Ladie such an oth

Ros. By heauen you did; and to confirme it plaine, You gaue me this: But take it sir againe

King. My faith and this, the Princesse I did giue, I knew her by this Iewell on her sleeue

Qu. Pardon me sir, this Iewell did she weare.

And Lord Berowne (I thanke him) is my deare.

What? Will you haue me, or your Pearle againe?

Ber. Neither of either, I remit both twaine.

I see the tricke on't: Heere was a consent, Knowing aforehand of our merriment, To dash it like a Christmas Comedie.

Some carry-tale, some please-man, some slight Zanie, Some mumble-newes, some trencher-knight, som d.i.c.k That smiles his cheeke in yeares, and knowes the trick To make my Lady laugh, when she's dispos'd; Told our intents before: which once disclos'd, The Ladies did change Fauours; and then we Following the signes, woo'd but the signe of she.

Now to our periurie, to adde more terror, We are againe forsworne in will and error.