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pass; for I must tell thee it will please his Grace, by the

world, sometime to lean upon my poor shoulder, and with his royal

finger thus dally with my excrement, with my mustachio; but,

sweet heart, let that pass. By the world, I recount no fable:

some certain special honours it pleaseth his greatness to impart

to Armado, a soldier, a man of travel, that hath seen the world;

but let that pass. The very all of all is- but, sweet heart,

I do

implore secrecy- that the King would have me present the

Princess, sweet chuck, with some delightful ostentation, or show,

or pageant, or antic, or firework. Now, understanding that the

curate and your sweet self are good at such eruptions and sudden

breaking-out of mirth, as it were, I have acquainted you withal,

to the end to crave your assistance.

HOLOFERNES.

Sir, you shall present before her the Nine Worthies.

Sir Nathaniel, as concerning some entertainment of time, some

show in the posterior of this day, to be rend'red by our

assistance, the King's command, and this most gallant,

illustrate, and learned gentleman, before the Princess- I say

none so fit as to present the Nine Worthies.

NATHANIEL.

Where will you find men worthy enough to present them?

HOLOFERNES.

Joshua, yourself; myself, Alexander; this gallant

gentleman, Judas Maccabaeus; this swain, because of his great

limb or joint, shall pass Pompey the Great; the page,

Hercules.

ARMADO.

Pardon, sir; error: he is not quantity enough for that

Worthy's thumb; he is not so big as the end of his club.

HOLOFERNES.

Shall I have audience? He shall present Hercules in

minority: his enter and exit shall be strangling a snake; and

I

will have an apology for that purpose.

MOTH.

An excellent device! So, if any of the audience hiss, you may

cry 'Well done, Hercules; now thou crushest the snake!' That is

the way to make an offence gracious, though few have the grace to do it.

ARMADO.

For the rest of the Worthies?

HOLOFERNES.

I will play three myself.

MOTH.

Thrice-worthy gentleman!

ARMADO.

Shall I tell you a thing?

HOLOFERNES.

We attend.

ARMADO.

We will have, if this fadge not, an antic. I beseech you, follow.

HOLOFERNES.

Via, goodman Dull! Thou has spoken no word all this while.

DULL.

Nor understood none neither, sir.

HOLOFERNES.

Allons! we will employ thee.

DULL.

I'll make one in a dance, or so, or I will play

On the tabor to the Worthies, and let them dance the hay.

HOLOFERNES.

Most dull, honest Dull! To our sport, away.

Exeunt

SCENE II. The park

Enter the PRINCESS, MARIA, KATHARINE, and ROSALINE

PRINCESS OF FRANCE. Sweet hearts, we shall be rich ere we depart,

If fairings come thus plentifully in.

A lady wall'd about with diamonds!

Look you what I have from the loving King.

ROSALINE.

Madam, came nothing else along with that?

PRINCESS OF FRANCE.

Nothing but this! Yes, as much love in rhyme

As would be cramm'd up in a sheet of paper

Writ o' both sides the leaf, margent and all,

That he was fain to seal on Cupid's name.

ROSALINE.

That was the way to make his godhead wax;

For he hath been five thousand year a boy.

KATHARINE.

Ay, and a shrewd unhappy gallows too.

ROSALINE.

You'll ne'er be friends with him: 'a kill'd your sister.

KATHARINE.

He made her melancholy, sad, and heavy;

And so she died. Had she been light, like you,

Of such a merry, nimble, stirring spirit,

She might 'a been a grandam ere she died.

And so may you; for a light heart lives long.

ROSALINE.

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

KATHARINE.

A light condition in a beauty dark.

ROSALINE.

We need more light to find your meaning out.

KATHARINE.

You'll mar the light by taking it in snuff;

Therefore I'll darkly end the argument.

ROSALINE.

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

KATHARINE.

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

ROSALINE.

Indeed, I weigh not you; and therefore light.

KATHARINE.

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

ROSALINE.

Great reason;