Comedy plays; Courts and courtiers -- Drama; Navarre (Kingdom) -- Drama; Princesses -- Drama
LONGAVILLE.
I beseech you a word. What is she in the white?
BOYET.
A woman sometimes, an you saw her in the light.
LONGAVILLE.
Perchance light in the light. I desire her name.
BOYET.
She hath but one for herself; to desire that were a shame.
LONGAVILLE.
Pray you, sir, whose daughter?
BOYET.
Her mother’s, I have heard.
LONGAVILLE.
God’s blessing on your beard!
BOYET.
Good sir, be not offended.
She is an heir of Falconbridge.
LONGAVILLE.
Nay, my choler is ended.
She is a most sweet lady.
BOYET.
Not unlike, sir; that may be.
[_Exit Longaville._]
Enter Berowne.
BEROWNE.
What’s her name in the cap?
BOYET.
Rosaline, by good hap.
BEROWNE.
Is she wedded or no?
BOYET.
To her will, sir, or so.
BEROWNE.
You are welcome, sir. Adieu.
BOYET.
Farewell to me, sir, and welcome to you.
[_Exit Berowne._]
MARIA.
That last is Berowne, the merry madcap lord.
Not a word with him but a jest.
BOYET.
And every jest but a word.
PRINCESS.
It was well done of you to take him at his word.
BOYET.
I was as willing to grapple as he was to board.
KATHARINE.
Two hot sheeps, marry!
BOYET.
And wherefore not ships?
No sheep, sweet lamb, unless we feed on your lips.
KATHARINE.
You sheep and I pasture. Shall that finish the jest?
BOYET.
So you grant pasture for me.
[_He tries to kiss her._]
KATHARINE.
Not so, gentle beast.
My lips are no common, though several they be.
BOYET.
Belonging to whom?
KATHARINE.
To my fortunes and me.
PRINCESS.
Good wits will be jangling; but, gentles, agree.
This civil war of wits were much better used
On Navarre and his bookmen, for here ’tis abused.
BOYET.
If my observation, which very seldom lies,
By the heart’s still rhetoric disclosed with eyes,
Deceive me not now, Navarre is infected.
PRINCESS.
With what?
BOYET.
With that which we lovers entitle “affected”.
PRINCESS.
Your reason.
BOYET.
Why, all his behaviours did make their retire
To the court of his eye, peeping thorough desire.
His heart, like an agate, with your print impressed,
Proud with his form, in his eye pride expressed.
His tongue, all impatient to speak and not see,
Did stumble with haste in his eyesight to be;
All senses to that sense did make their repair,
To feel only looking on fairest of fair.
Methought all his senses were locked in his eye,
As jewels in crystal for some prince to buy;
Who, tend’ring their own worth from where they were glassed,
Did point you to buy them, along as you passed.
His face’s own margent did quote such amazes
That all eyes saw his eyes enchanted with gazes.
I’ll give you Aquitaine, and all that is his,
An you give him for my sake but one loving kiss.
PRINCESS.
Come, to our pavilion. Boyet is disposed.
BOYET.
But to speak that in words which his eye hath disclosed.
I only have made a mouth of his eye
By adding a tongue which I know will not lie.
ROSALINE.
Thou art an old love-monger, and speakest skilfully.
MARIA.
He is Cupid’s grandfather, and learns news of him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account