Scene 5.2, The girls are hanging out.
ROSALINE I would you knew.
An if my face were but as fair as yours,
My favor were as great. Be witness this.
[She shows a gift.]
Nay, I have verses too, I thank Berowne;
The numbers true; and were the numb’ring too,
I were the fairest goddess on the ground.
I am compared to twenty thousand fairs.
O, he hath drawn my picture in his letter.
PRINCESS Anything like?
ROSALINE
Much in the letters, nothing in the praise.
PRINCESS
Beauteous as ink: a good conclusion.
KATHERINE
Fair as a text B in a copybook.
PRINCESS
But, Katherine, what was sent to you
From fair Dumaine?
KATHERINE
Madam, this glove. [She shows the glove.]
PRINCESS Did he not send you twain?
KATHERINE Yes, madam, and moreover,
Some thousand verses of a faithful lover,
A huge translation of hypocrisy,
Vilely compiled, profound simplicity.
PRINCESS
We are wise girls to mock our lovers so.
ROSALINE
They are worse fools to purchase mocking so.
That same Berowne I’ll torture ere I go.
O, that I knew he were but in by th’ week,
How I would make him fawn, and beg, and seek,
And wait the season, and observe the times,
And spend his prodigal wits in bootless rhymes,
And shape his service wholly to my hests,
And make him proud to make me proud that jests!
So pair-taunt-like would I o’ersway his state,
That he should be my fool, and I his fate.
PRINCESS
None are so surely caught, when they are catched,
As wit turned fool. Folly in wisdom hatched
Hath wisdom’s warrant and the help of school,
And wit’s own grace to grace a learnèd fool.
…
ENTER BOYET
O, I am stabbed with laughter. Where’s her Grace?
PRINCESS
Thy news, Boyet?
BOYET Prepare, madam, prepare.
Or hide your heads like cowards, and fly hence.
PRINCESS What are they
That charge their breath against us?
The King and his companions. Warily
I stole into a neighbor thicket by,
And overheard what you shall overhear:
That, by and by, disguised, they will be here.
…
PRINCESS
But what, but what? Come they to visit us?
BOYET
They do, they do; and are appareled thus,
Like Muscovites, or Russians, as I guess.
Their purpose is to parley, to court, and dance,
And every one his love-feat will advance
Unto his several mistress—which they’ll know
By favors several which they did bestow.
PRINCESS
And will they so? The gallants shall be tasked,
For, ladies, we will every one be masked,
And not a man of them shall have the grace,
Despite of suit, to see a lady’s face.
Hold, Rosaline, this favor thou shalt wear,
And then the King will court thee for his dear.
Hold, take thou this, my sweet, and give me thine.
So shall Berowne take me for Rosaline.
Princess and Rosaline exchange favors.
And change you favors too. So shall your loves
Woo contrary, deceived by these removes.
Katherine and Maria exchange favors.
ROSALINE
Come on, then, wear the favors most in sight.
KATHERINE, to Princess
But in this changing, what is your intent?
PRINCESS
The effect of my intent is to cross theirs.
They do it but in mockery merriment,
And mock for mock is only my intent.
Upon the next occasion that we meet,
With visages displayed, to talk and greet.
Redding Reading Rhetoric 