good presence of Worthies. He
presents Hector of Troy; the swain, Pompey the
Great; the parish curate, Alexander; Armado's page,
Hercules; the pedant, Judas Maccabaeus: And if
these four Worthies in their first show thrive,
These four will change habits, and present the other five.
There is five in the first show.
You are deceived; 'tis not so.
The pedant, the braggart, the hedge-priest, the fool
and the boy:--
Abate throw at novum, and the whole world again
Cannot pick out five such, take each one in his vein.
The ship is under sail, and here she comes amain.
I Pompey am,--
You lie, you are not he.
I Pompey am,--
With libbard's head on knee.
Well said, old mocker: I must needs be friends
with thee.
I Pompey am, Pompey surnamed the Big--
The Great.
It is, 'Great,' sir:--
Pompey surnamed the Great;
That oft in field, with targe and shield, did make
my foe to sweat:
And travelling along this coast, I here am come by chance,
And lay my arms before the legs of this sweet lass of France,
If your ladyship would say, 'Thanks, Pompey,' I had done.
Great thanks, great Pompey.
'Tis not so much worth; but I hope I was perfect: I
made a little fault in 'Great.'
My hat to a halfpenny, Pompey proves the best Worthy.
When in the world I lived, I was the world's
commander;
By east, west, north, and south, I spread my
conquering might:
My scutcheon plain declares that I am Alisander,--
Your nose says, no, you are not for it stands too right.
Your nose smells 'no' in this, most tender-smelling knight.
The conqueror is dismay'd. Proceed, good Alexander.
When in the world I lived, I was the world's
commander,--
Most true, 'tis right; you were so, Alisander.
Pompey the Great,--
Your servant, and Costard.
Take away the conqueror, take away Alisander.
O, sir, you have overthrown
Alisander the conqueror! You will be scraped out of
the painted cloth for this: your lion, that holds
his poll-axe sitting on a close-stool, will be given
to Ajax: he will be the ninth Worthy. A conqueror,
and afeard to speak! run away for shame, Alisander.
There, an't shall please you; a foolish mild man; an
honest man, look you, and soon dashed. He is a
marvellous good neighbour, faith, and a very good
bowler: but, for Alisander,--alas, you see how
'tis,--a little o'erparted.