510

1 conspiracy

2 clown

And Lord Berowne (I thanke him) is my deare.
What? Will you have me, or your Pearle againe?
Ber. Neither of either, I remit both twaine.
I see the tricke on't: Heere was a consent,1
Knowing aforehand of our merriment,
To dash it like a Christmas Comedie.
Some carry-tale, some please-man, some slight Zanie,2
Some mumble-newes, some trencher-knight, som Dick
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 Favours; and then we
Following the signes, woo'd but the signe of she.
Now to our perjurie, to adde more terror,
We are againe forsworne in will and error.

520

Much upon this tis: and might not you [To Boyet] Forestall our sport, to make us thus untrue?

Do not you

know my Ladies foot by'th squier? 3 3rule And laugh upon the apple of her eie?

And stand betweene her backe sir, and the fire,
Holding a trencher, jesting merrilie?

You put our Page out: go, you are alowd.

Die when you will, a smocke shall be your shrowd. You leere upon me, do you?

Wounds like a Leaden sword.

There's an eie

530

Boy. Full merrily hath this brave manager, this carreere bene run.

Ber. Loe, he is tilting straight. Peace, I have don.

Enter Clowne.

Welcome pure wit, thou part'st a faire fray.

Clo. O Lord sir, they would kno,

525. tis: it is-2-4F.

540

533-7. 4 rhymed 11.-2RowE.

535. manager: manage-THEоbald.

Whether the three worthies shall come in, or no.

Ber. What, are there but three?

Clo. No sir, but it is vara fine,

For everie one pursents three.

Ber. And three times thrice is nine.

Clo. Not so sir, under correction sir, I hope it is not so. You cannot beg us sir, I can assure you sir, we know what we know: I hope sir three times thrice sir.

Ber. Is not nine.

Clo. Under correction sir, wee know where-untill it doth amount.

551 Ber. By Jove, I alwaies tooke three threes for nine. Clow. O Lord sir, it were pittie you should get your living by reckning sir.

Ber. How much is it?

Clo. O Lord sir, the parties themselves, the actors sir will shew where-untill it doth amount: for mine owne part, I am (as they say, but to perfect one man in one poore man) Pompion the great sir.

Ber. Art thou one of the Worthies?

560

Clo. It pleased them to thinke me worthie of Pompey the great: for mine owne part, I know not the degree of the Worthie, but I am to stand for him.

Ber. Go, bid them prepare.

Exit.

Clo. We will turne it finely off sir, we wil take some

care.

King. Berowne, they will shame us:

Let them not approach.

Ber. We are shame-proofe my Lord: and 'tis some policie, to have one shew worse then the Kings and his companie.

546-8. 2 rhymed 11. ending we know-CAPELL.

561. Pompey: Pompion-2RowE.

569-71. 2 11. ending policy, company-1Q.

571

567-8. 1 1.-12.

Kin. I say they shall not come.

Qu. Nay my good Lord, let me ore-rule you now; That sport best pleases, that doth least know how. Where Zeale strives to content, and the contents Dies in the Zeale of that which it presents: Their forme confounded, makes most forme in mirth, When great things labouring perish in their birth. Ber. A right description of our sport my Lord.

Enter Braggart.

580

[Con

Brag. Annointed, I implore so much expence of thy royall sweet breath, as will utter a brace of words. verses apart with the King, and delivers him a paper.] Qu. Doth this man serve God?

Ber. Why aske you?

Qu. He speak's not like a man of God's making. Brag. That's all one my faire sweet honie Monarch: For I protest, the Schoolmaster is exceeding fantasticall: Too too vaine, too too vaine. But we wil put it (as they say) to Fortuna delaguar, I wish you the peace of minde most royall cupplement. [Exit.] 590 King. Here is like to be a good presence of Worthies; He presents Hector of Troy, the Swaine Pompey the great, the Parish Curate Alexander, Armadoes Page Hercules, the Pedant Judas Machabeus: And if these foure Worthies in their first shew thrive, these foure will change habites, and present the other five.

Ber. There is five in the first shew.

Kin. You are deceived, tis not so.

Ber. The Pedant, the Braggart, the Hedge-Priest, the Foole, and the Boy,

589. delaguar: de la guerra-THEOBALD.

594-6. And if, etc.: 2 rhymed 11.-2RowE.

600

Abate1 throw at Novum,2 and the whole world againe, Cannot pricke out five such, take each one in's vaine. Kin. The ship is under saile, and here she coms amain. 1except 2a rare throw

Enter Pompey.

Clo. I Pompey am.

Ber. [Boyet] You lie, you are not he.

Clo. I Pompey am.

Boy. With Libbards 3 head on knee.
Ber. Well said old mocker,

I must needs be friends with thee.

3 Leopard's

610

Clo. I Pompey am, Pompey surnam'd the big.
Du. The great.

Clo. It is great sir: Pompey surnam'd the great:
That oft in field, with Targe and Shield,

did make my foe to sweat:

And travailing along this coast, I heere am come by chance, And lay my Armes before the legs of this sweet Lasse of

France.

620

If your Ladiship would say thankes Pompey, I had done.
La. Great thankes great Pompey.
Clo. Tis not so much worth: but I hope I was per-
fect. I made a little fault in great.

Ber. My hat to a halfe-penie, Pompey prooves the best Worthie.

Enter Curate for Alexander.

Curat. When in the world I liv'd, I was the worldes
Com-mander:

By East, West, North, & South, Ispred my conqnering might |

602. pricke in's: pick in his-IQ.

628. conqnering: conquering-1Q.

630

My Scutcheon plaine declares that I am Alisander.

Boiet. Your nose saies no, you are not:

For it stands too right.

Ber. Your nose smels no, in this most tender smel

ling Knight.

Qu. The Conqueror is dismaid:

Proceede good Alexander.

Cur. When in the world I lived, I was the worldes Com-mander.

Boiet. Most true, 'tis right: you were so Alisander. Ber. Pompey the great.

Clo. your servant and Costard.

640

Ber. Take away the Conqueror, take away Alisander Clo. O sir, you have overthrowne Alisander the conqueror: you will be scrap'd out of the painted cloth for this: your Lion that holds his Pollax sitting on a close stoole, will be given to Ajax. He will be the ninth worthie. A Conqueror, and affraid to speake? Runne away for shame Alisander. There an't shall please you: a foolish milde man, an honest man, looke you, & soon dasht. He is a marvellous good neighbour insooth, and a verie good Bowler: but for Alisander, alas you see, how 'tis a little ore-parted. But there are Worthies a comming, will speake their minde in some other sort. Exit Cu. 652 Qu. Stand aside good Pompey.

Enter Pedant for Judas, and the Boy for Hercules. Ped. Great Hercules is presented by this Impe, Whose Club kil'd Cerberus that three-headed Canus, And when he was a babe, a childe, a shrimpe, Thus did he strangle Serpents in his Manus:

I

630-1. 1 1.-12.

649. insooth: faith-12.

634-5. 1 1.-1Q.

656. Canus: canis-Rowe.