DULL.
What is Dictynna?
NATHANIEL.
A title to Phoebe, to Luna, to the moon.
HOLOFERNES.
The moon was a month old when Adam was no more,
And raught not to five weeks when he came to five-score.
Th’ allusion holds in the exchange.
DULL.
’Tis true, indeed. The collusion holds in the exchange.
HOLOFERNES.
God comfort thy capacity! I say, th’ allusion holds in the exchange.
DULL.
And I say the pollution holds in the exchange, for the moon is never but a month old; and I say beside that ’twas a pricket that the Princess killed.
HOLOFERNES.
Sir Nathaniel, will you hear an extemporal epitaph on the death of the deer? And, to humour the ignorant, call I the deer the Princess killed a pricket.
NATHANIEL.
Perge, good Master Holofernes, perge, so it shall please you to abrogate scurrility.
HOLOFERNES.
I will something affect the letter; for it argues facility.
The preyful Princess pierced and pricked a pretty pleasing pricket;
Some say a sore; but not a sore till now made sore with shooting.
The dogs did yell, put “l” to sore, then sorel jumps from thicket;
Or pricket sore, or else sorel, the people fall a-hooting.
If sore be sore, then “L” to “sore” makes fifty sores o’ sorel.
Of one sore I an hundred make, by adding but one more “L”.
NATHANIEL.
A rare talent!