With visages displayed to talk and greet.
ROSALINE
But shall we dance if they desire us to’t?
PRINCESS
No, to the death we will not move a foot,
Nor to their penned speech render we no grace,
But while ’tis spoke each turn away her face.
BOYET
Why, that contempt will kill the speaker’s heart,
And quite divorce his memory from his part.
PRINCESS
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 mocked depart away with shame.
A trumpet sounds
BOYET
The trumpet sounds, be masked, the masquers come.
The ladies mask.
Enter blackamoors with music; the boy Mote with
a speech ; the King and his lords, disguised as Russians
MOTE
All hail, the richest beauties on the earth!
BIRON (aside)
Beauties no richer than rich taffeta.
MOTE
A holy parcel of the fairest dames—
The ladies turn their backs to him
That ever turned their—backs to mortal views.
BIRON ‘Their eyes’, villain, ‘their eyes’!
MOTE
That ever turned their eyes to mortal views.
Out ...
BOYET True, out indeed!
MOTE
Out of your favours, heavenly spirits, vouchsafe
Not to behold—
BIRON ‘Once to behold’, rogue!
MOTE
Once to behold with your sun-beamèd eyes—
With your sun-beamèd eyes—
BOYET
They will not answer to that epithet.
You were best call it ‘daughter-beamèd’ eyes.
MOTE
They do not mark me, and that brings me out.
BIRON
Is this your perfectness? Be gone, you rogue!
Exit Mote
ROSALINE (as the Princess)
What would these strangers ? Know their minds, Boyet.
If they do speak our language, ‘tis our will
That some plain man recount their purposes.
Know what they would.
BOYET What would you with the Princess?
BIRON
Nothing but peace and gentle visitation.
ROSALINE What would they, say they?
BOYET
Nothing but peace and gentle visitation.
ROSALINE
Why, that they have, and bid them so be gone.
BOYET
She says you have it, and you may be gone.
KING
Say to her we have measured many miles
To tread a measure with her on this grass.
BOYET
They say that they have measured many a mile
To tread a measure with you on this grass.
ROSALINE
It is not so. Ask them how many inches
Is in one mile. If they have measured many,
The measure then of one is easily told.
BOYET
If to come hither you have measured miles,
And many miles, the Princess bids you tell
How many inches doth fill up one mile.
BIRON
Tell her we measure them by weary steps.
BOYET
She hears herself.
ROSALINE
How many weary steps
Of many weary miles you have o’ergone
Are numbered 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 account.
Vouchsafe to show the sunshine of your face
That we, like savages, may worship it.
ROSALINE
My face is but a moon, and clouded, too.
KING
Blessed are clouds to do as such clouds do.
Vouchsafe, bright moon, and these thy stars, to shine,
Those clouds removed, upon our watery eyne.
ROSALINE
O vain petitioner, beg a greater matter.
Thou now requests 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.
ROSALINE
Play, music, then.
⌈ Music plays⌉
Nay, you must do it soon.
Not yet?—no dance! Thus change I like the moon.
KING
Will you not dance? How come you thus estranged?
ROSALINE
You took the moon at full, but now she’s changed.
KING
Yet still she is the moon, and I the man.
⌈ ⌉ 215
The music plays, vouchsafe some motion to it.
ROSALINE
Our ears vouchsafe it.
KING
But your legs should do it.
ROSALINE
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?
ROSALINE
Only to part friends.
Curtsy, sweethearts, and so the measure ends.
KING
More measure of this measure, be not nice.
ROSALINE
We can afford no more at such a price.
KING
Price you yourselves. What buys your company?
ROSALINE
Your absence only.
KING
That can never be.
ROSALINE
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.
ROSALINE
In private, then.
KING
I am best pleased with that.
The King and Rosaline talk apart
BIRON (to the Princess, taking her for Rosaline)
White-handed mistress, one sweet word with thee.
PRINCESS
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.
PRINCESS
Seventh sweet, adieu.
Since you can cog, I’ll play no more with you.
BIRON
One word in secret.
PRINCESS
Let it not be sweet.
BIRON
Thou griev’st my gall.
PRINCESS Gall—bitter!
BIRON Therefore meet.
Biron and the Princess talk apart
DUMAINE (to Maria, taking her for Catherine)
Will you vouchsafe with me to change a word?
MARIA
Name it.
DUMAINE Fair lady—
MARIA Say you so? Fair lord-
Take that for your ‘fair lady’.
DUMAINE
Please it you,
As much in private, and I’ll bid adieu.
Dumaine and Maria talk apart
CATHERINE
What, was your visor made without a tongue?
LONGUEVILLE (taking Catherine for Maria)
I know the reason, lady, why you ask.
CATHERINE
O, for your reason ! Quickly, sir, I long.
LONGUEVILLE
You have a double tongue within your mask,
And would afford my speechless visor half.
CATHERINE
‘Veal’, quoth the Dutchman. Is not veal a calf?