Sir Nathaniel, this Biron is one of the votaries with ACT IV the King; and here he hath fram'd a letter to Sc. II a sequent1 of the stranger Queen's, which accidentally, or by the way of progression, hath miscarried. [to JAQUENETTA.] Trip and go, my Sweet; deliver this paper into the royal hand of the King: it may concern much. Stay not thy compliment; I forgive thy duty: adieu. 138 JAQ. Good Costard, go with me. Sir, God save your life! HOL. Sir, tell not me of the father; I do fear colourable NATH. Marvellous well for the pen. HOL. I do dine to-day at the father's of a certain pupil of mine; where, if before repast it shall please you to gratify the table with a grace, I will, on my privilege I have with the parents of the foresaid child or pupil, undertake your ben venuto; where I will prove those verses to be very unlearned, neither savouring of poetry, wit, nor invention: I beseech your society. 153 NATH. And thank you too; for society, saith the text, HOL. And, certes, the text most infallibly concludes it. SCENE III. The Same. Enter BIRON, with a paper in his hand, alone. 3 BIRON. The King he is hunting the deer; I am coursing myself: they have pitch'd a toil; I am toiling in a pitch: pitch that defiles: defile! a foul word. Well, Sit thee down, Sorrow! for so they say the fool said, and so say I, and I the fool: well prov'd, Wit! By the Lord, this love is as mad as Ajax: it kills sheep; 1 follower. 2 specious appearances. 4 Rosaline's two pitch-balls for eyes. 3 hunting-net. 113 ACT IV it kills me, I a sheep: well prov'd again o' my side! I will not love: if I do, hang me; i'faith, I will not. O, but her eye!-by this Light, but for her eye, I would not love her; yes, for her two eyes. Well, I do nothing in the world but lie, and lie in my throat. By Heaven, I do love and it hath taught me to rhyme, and to be melancholy; and here is part of my rhyme, and here my melancholy. Well, she hath one o' my sonnets already: the Clown bore it, the Fool sent it, and the Lady hath it: sweet Clown, sweeter Fool, sweetest Lady! By the World, I would not care a pin, if the other three were in. Here comes one with a paper: God give him grace to groan! Enter the KING, with a paper. KING. Ay me! BIRON [aside.] Shot, by Heaven! Proceed, sweet Cupid : thou hast thump'd him with thy bird-bolt' under the In faith, secrets! left pap. Through the transparent bosom of the deep No drop but as a coach doth carry thee; So ridest thou triumphing in my woe. Do but behold the tears that swell in me, And they thy glory through my grief will shew: My tears for glasses, and still make me weep. O Queen of Queens! how far dost thou excel, 30 No thought can think, nor tongue of mortal tell. appear! 1 a short blunt arrow used in birding. Enter LONGAVILLE, with a paper. LONG. Ay me, I am forsworn! BIRON [aside.] Why, he comes in like a perjure,1 wearing KING [aside.] In love, I hope: sweet fellowship in shame! Thou mak❜st the triumviry, the corner-cap3 of society, These numbers will I tear, and write in prose. 50 BIRON [aside.] O, rhymes are guards* on wanton Cupid's hose: Disfigure not his slop.5 LONG. This same shall go. [He reads the sonnet. Vows for thee broke deserve not punishment. Thou being a Goddess, I forswore not thee: My vow was earthly, thou a heavenly love; Thy grace, being gain'd, cures all disgrace in me. Vows are but breath, and breath a vapour is: Then thou, fair Sun, which on my Earth dost shine, Exhal'st this vapour-vow; in thee it is: If broken then, it is no fault of mine: If by me broke, what fool is not so wise To lose an oath to win a Paradise? 60 70 BIRON [aside.] This is the liver-vein, which makes flesh A a deity, green goose a Goddess: pure, pure idolatry! God amend us, God amend! we are much out o' the way. LONG. By whom shall I send this? Company! stay. [steps aside. 1 perjurer. 2 the convicted perjurer wore his confession on his breast. * the biretta, the three-cornered clerical cap: whence the reference to the triple beam of Tyburn. 4 trimmings. 5 trunk-breeches. 115 ACT IV Sc. III ACT IV BIRON [aside.] All hid, all hid, an old infant play. Sc. III Like a Demigod here sit I in the sky, And wretched fools' secrets heedfully o'er-eye. More sacks to the mill! O Heavens, I have my wish! Enter DUMAIN, with a paper. Dumain transform'd! four woodcocks1 in a dish! 80 DUм. O most divine Kate! BIRON [aside.] O most profane coxcomb! DUM. By Heaven, the wonder of a mortal eye! BIRON [aside.] By Earth, she is but corporal: there you lie. DUM. Her amber hairs for foul hath amber quoted. BIRON [aside.] An amber-colour'd raven was well noted. Her shoulder is with child. DUM. BIRON [aside.] Ay, as must shine. 2 Stoop, I say; As fair as day. some days; but then no Sun DUM. O, that I had my wish! LONG. [aside.] And I had mine! 90 KING [aside.] And I mine too, good Lord! BIRON [aside.] Amen, so I had mine: is not that a good word? DUM. I would forget her; but a fever she Reigns in my blood, and will remember'd be. BIRON [aside.] A fever in your blood! why, then incision DUM. Once more I'll read the ode that I have writ. DUM. [reads his sonnet.] On a day-alack the day! Air, quoth he, thy cheeks may blow; Ne'er to pluck thee from thy thorn : Do not call it sin in me, Thou for whom Jove would swear And deny himself for Jove, Turning mortal for thy love. This will I send, and something else more plain, Would from my forehead wipe a perjur'd note; ΙΙΟ 120 LONG. [advancing.] Dumain, thy love is far from charity, You may look pale, but I should blush, I know, To be o'erheard and taken napping so. KING [advancing.] Come, Sir, you blush: as his your case is such; You chide at him, offending twice as much : Did never sonnet for her sake compile, 130 140 [to LONG.] You would for Paradise break faith and troth; [to DUM.] And Jove for your love would infringe an oath. What will Biron say, when that he shall hear ACT IV Sc. III II: Q 117 |