Madam, came nothing else along with that?

Ay, and a shrewd unhappy gallows too.

You’ll ne’er be friends with him. He killed your sister.

What’s your dark meaning, mouse, of this light word?

A light condition in a beauty dark.

We need more light to find your meaning out.

Look what you do, you do it still i’ th’ dark.

So do not you, for you are a light wench.

Indeed, I weigh not you, and therefore light.

You weigh me not? O, that’s you care not for me.

Great reason, for past cure is still past care.

Anything like?

Much in the letters, nothing in the praise.

Beauteous as ink: a good conclusion.

Fair as a text B in a copy-book.

Madam, this glove.

Did he not send you twain?

Ay, or I would these hands might never part.

We are wise girls to mock our lovers so.

Here comes Boyet, and mirth is in his face.

O, I am stabbed with laughter! Where’s her Grace?

Thy news, Boyet?

But what, but what, come they to visit us?

Come on, then, wear the favours most in sight.

But in this changing, what is your intent?

But shall we dance, if they desire us to’t?

The trumpet sounds. Be masked; the maskers come.

All hail, the richest beauties on the earth!

Beauties no richer than rich taffeta.

A holy parcel of the fairest dames

Their eyes, villain, their eyes.

True; out indeed.

Once to behold, rogue!

They do not mark me, and that brings me out.

Is this your perfectness? Be gone, you rogue!

What would you with the Princess?

Nothing but peace and gentle visitation.

What would they, say they?

Nothing but peace and gentle visitation.

Why, that they have, and bid them so be gone.

She says you have it, and you may be gone.

Tell her we measure them by weary steps.

She hears herself.

My face is but a moon, and clouded too.

Play, music, then! Nay, you must do it soon.

Will you not dance? How come you thus estranged?

You took the moon at full, but now she’s changed.

Our ears vouchsafe it.

But your legs should do it.

Why take we hands then?

More measure of this measure! Be not nice.

We can afford no more at such a price.

Price you yourselves? What buys your company?

Your absence only.

That can never be.

If you deny to dance, let’s hold more chat.

In private then.

I am best pleased with that.

White-handed mistress, one sweet word with thee.

Honey, and milk, and sugar: there is three.

One word in secret.

Let it not be sweet.

Thou griev’st my gall.

Gall! Bitter.

Therefore meet.

Will you vouchsafe with me to change a word?

Name it.

Fair lady—

What, was your visor made without a tongue?

I know the reason, lady, why you ask.

O, for your reason! Quickly, sir, I long.

“Veal”, quoth the Dutchman. Is not veal a calf?

A calf, fair lady?

No, a fair lord calf.

Let’s part the word.

Then die a calf before your horns do grow.

One word in private with you ere I die.

Bleat softly, then; the butcher hears you cry.

Not one word more, my maids; break off, break off.

By heaven, all dry-beaten with pure scoff!

Farewell, mad wenches. You have simple wits.

Tapers they are, with your sweet breaths puffed out.

Well-liking wits they have; gross, gross; fat, fat.

Berowne did swear himself out of all suit.

Qualm, perhaps.

Yes, in good faith.

Go, sickness as thou art!

And quick Berowne hath plighted faith to me.

And Longaville was for my service born.

Dumaine is mine as sure as bark on tree.

Will they return?

How “blow”? How “blow”? Speak to be understood.

Ladies, withdraw. The gallants are at hand.

Whip to our tents, as roes run o’er the land.

Fair sir, God save you. Where’s the Princess?

That she vouchsafe me audience for one word.

I will; and so will she, I know, my lord.

All hail, sweet madam, and fair time of day.

“Fair” in “all hail” is foul, as I conceive.

Construe my speeches better, if you may.

Then wish me better. I will give you leave.

How, madam? Russians?

This proves you wise and rich, for in my eye—

I am a fool, and full of poverty.

O, I am yours, and all that I possess.

All the fool mine?

I cannot give you less.

Which of the visors was it that you wore?

Where, when, what visor? Why demand you this?

We are descried. They’ll mock us now downright.

Let us confess and turn it to a jest.

Amazed, my lord? Why looks your Highness sad?

Sans “sans,” I pray you.

No, they are free that gave these tokens to us.

Our states are forfeit. Seek not to undo us.

Peace! for I will not have to do with you.

Nor shall not, if I do as I intend.

Speak for yourselves. My wit is at an end.

Madam, I was.

And were you well advised?

I was, fair madam.

That more than all the world I did respect her.

When she shall challenge this, you will reject her.

Upon mine honour, no.

Despise me when I break this oath of mine.

Lo, he is tilting straight! Peace! I have done.

What, are there but three?

And three times thrice is nine.

Is not nine?

Under correction, sir, we know whereuntil it doth amount.

By Jove, I always took three threes for nine.

O Lord, sir, it were pity you should get your living by reckoning, sir.

How much is it?

O Lord, sir, the parties themselves, the actors, sir, will show whereuntil it doth amount. For mine own part, I am, as they say, but to parfect one man in one poor man—Pompion the Great, sir.

Art thou one of the Worthies?

It pleased them to think me worthy of Pompey the Great. For mine own part, I know not the degree of the Worthy, but I am to stand for him.

Go bid them prepare.

We will turn it finely off, sir; we will take some care.

Berowne, they will shame us. Let them not approach.

I say they shall not come.

A right description of our sport, my lord.

Anointed, I implore so much expense of thy royal sweet breath as will utter a brace of words.

Doth this man serve God?

Why ask you?

He speaks not like a man of God his making.

That is all one, my fair, sweet, honey monarch; for, I protest, the schoolmaster is exceeding fantastical; too, too vain, too, too vain. But we will put it, as they say, to fortuna de la guerra. I wish you the peace of mind, most royal couplement!

There is five in the first show.

You are deceived. ’Tis not so.

The ship is under sail, and here she comes amain.

I Pompey am—

You lie, you are not he.

I Pompey am—

With leopard’s head on knee.

Well said, old mocker. I must needs be friends with thee.

I Pompey am, Pompey surnamed the Big.

The “Great”.

Great thanks, great Pompey.

’Tis not so much worth; but I hope I was perfect. I made a little fault in “Great”.

My hat to a halfpenny, Pompey proves the best Worthy.

Your nose says, no, you are not; for it stands to right.

Your nose smells “no” in this, most tender-smelling knight.

The conqueror is dismayed. Proceed, good Alexander.

When in the world I lived, I was the world’s commander—

Most true; ’tis right. You were so, Alisander.

Pompey the Great—

Your servant, and Costard.

Take away the conqueror, take away Alisander.

[To Sir Nathaniel.] O sir, you have overthrown Alisander the Conqueror. You will be scraped out of the painted cloth for this. Your lion, that holds his pole-axe sitting on a close-stool, will be given to Ajax. He will be the ninth Worthy. A conqueror, and afeard to speak? Run away for shame, Alisander. [Nathaniel retires.] There, an’t shall please you, a foolish mild man; an honest man, look you, and soon dashed. He is a marvellous good neighbour, faith, and a very good bowler; but for Alisander, alas you see how ’tis—a little o’erparted. But there are Worthies a-coming will speak their mind in some other sort.

Stand aside, good Pompey.

A Judas!

Judas Maccabaeus clipped is plain Judas.

A kissing traitor. How art thou proved Judas?

Judas I am—

The more shame for you, Judas.

What mean you, sir?

To make Judas hang himself.

Begin, sir; you are my elder.

Well followed. Judas was hanged on an elder.

I will not be put out of countenance.

Because thou hast no face.

What is this?

A cittern-head.

The head of a bodkin.

A death’s face in a ring.

The face of an old Roman coin, scarce seen.

The pommel of Caesar’s falchion.

The carved-bone face on a flask.

Saint George’s half-cheek in a brooch.

Ay, and in a brooch of lead.

You have put me out of countenance.

False. We have given thee faces.

But you have outfaced them all.

An thou wert a lion, we would do so.

For the latter end of his name.

For the ass to the Jude? Give it him. Jud-as, away!

This is not generous, not gentle, not humble.

A light for Monsieur Judas! It grows dark; he may stumble.

Alas, poor Maccabaeus, how hath he been baited!

Hide thy head, Achilles. Here comes Hector in arms.

Though my mocks come home by me, I will now be merry.

Hector was but a Trojan in respect of this.

But is this Hector?

I think Hector was not so clean-timbered.

His leg is too big for Hector’s.

More calf, certain.

No, he is best endued in the small.

This cannot be Hector.

He’s a god or a painter, for he makes faces.

A gilt nutmeg.

A lemon.

Stuck with cloves.

No, cloven.

That mint.

That columbine.

Sweet Lord Longaville, rein thy tongue.

I must rather give it the rein, for it runs against Hector.

Ay, and Hector’s a greyhound.

The sweet war-man is dead and rotten. Sweet chucks, beat not the bones of the buried. When he breathed, he was a man. But I will forward with my device. [To the Princess.] Sweet royalty, bestow on me the sense of hearing.

Speak, brave Hector; we are much delighted.

I do adore thy sweet Grace’s slipper.

Loves her by the foot.

He may not by the yard.

Fellow Hector, she is gone; she is two months on her way.

What meanest thou?

Faith, unless you play the honest Trojan, the poor wench is cast away. She’s quick; the child brags in her belly already. ’Tis yours.

Dost thou infamonize me among potentates? Thou shalt die.

Then shall Hector be whipped for Jaquenetta that is quick by him, and hanged for Pompey that is dead by him.

Most rare Pompey!

Renowned Pompey!

Greater than “Great”! Great, great, great Pompey! Pompey the Huge!

Hector trembles.

Pompey is moved. More Ates, more Ates! Stir them on, stir them on!

Hector will challenge him.

Ay, if he have no more man’s blood in his belly than will sup a flea.

By the north pole, I do challenge thee.

I will not fight with a pole, like a northern man. I’ll slash, I’ll do it by the sword. I bepray you, let me borrow my arms again.

Room for the incensed Worthies!

I’ll do it in my shirt.

Most resolute Pompey!

Master, let me take you a buttonhole lower. Do you not see Pompey is uncasing for the combat? What mean you? You will lose your reputation.

Gentlemen and soldiers, pardon me. I will not combat in my shirt.

You may not deny it. Pompey hath made the challenge.

Sweet bloods, I both may and will.

What reason have you for ’t?

The naked truth of it is, I have no shirt. I go woolward for penance.

True, and it was enjoined him in Rome for want of linen; since when, I’ll be sworn, he wore none but a dishclout of Jaquenetta’s, and that he wears next his heart for a favour.

God save you, madam.

Dead, for my life!

Even so. My tale is told.

Worthies away! The scene begins to cloud.

For mine own part, I breathe free breath. I have seen the day of wrong through the little hole of discretion, and I will right myself like a soldier.

How fares your Majesty?

Boyet, prepare. I will away tonight.

Madam, not so. I do beseech you stay.

I understand you not. My griefs are double.

Our letters, madam, showed much more than jest.

So did our looks.

We did not quote them so.

O, shall I say, “I thank you, gentle wife”?

I’ll serve thee true and faithfully till then.

Yet swear not, lest ye be forsworn again.

What says Maria?

I’ll stay with patience, but the time is long.

The liker you; few taller are so young.

[To the King.] Ay, sweet my lord, and so I take my leave.

No, madam, we will bring you on your way.

That’s too long for a play.

Sweet Majesty, vouchsafe me—

Was not that Hector?

The worthy knight of Troy.

I will kiss thy royal finger, and take leave. I am a votary; I have vowed to Jaquenetta to hold the plough for her sweet love three year. But, most esteemed Greatness, will you hear the dialogue that the two learned men have compiled in praise of the owl and the cuckoo? It should have followed in the end of our show.

Call them forth quickly; we will do so.

Holla! Approach.