[068] Arm. Arts-man, preambulate, we will be singuled from the barbarous. Do you not educate youth at the [070] charge-house on the top of the mountain?
Hol. Or mons, the hill.
Arm. At your sweet pleasure, for the mountain.
Hol. I do, sans question.
[074] Arm. Sir, it is the king’s most sweet pleasure and affection 075 to congratulate the princess at her pavilion in the posteriors of this day, which the rude multitude call the afternoon.
Hol. The posterior of the day, most generous sir, is liable, congruent and measurable for the afternoon: the [080] word is well culled, chose, sweet and apt, I do assure you, sir, I do assure.
Arm. Sir, the king is a noble gentleman, and my familiar, [083] I do assure ye, very good friend: for what is inward [084] between us, let it pass. I do beseech thee, remember thy 085 courtesy; I beseech thee, apparel thy head: and among [086] other important and most serious designs, and of great import indeed, too, but let that 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 090 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, [095] I do implore secrecy,—that the king would have me present the princess, sweet chuck, with some delightful ostentation, or show, or pageant, or antique, or firework. Now, understanding that the curate and your sweet self are good at [099] such eruptions and sudden breaking out of mirth, as it 100 were, I have acquainted you withal, to the end to crave your assistance.
Hol. Sir, you shall present before her the Nine Worthies. [103] Sir, as concerning some entertainment of time, some show [104] in the posterior of this day, to be rendered by our assistants, [105] at the king’s command, and this most gallant, illustrate, [106] and learned gentleman, before the princess; I say none so fit as to present the Nine Worthies.
Nath. Where will you find men worthy enough to present them?
[110] Hol. Joshua, yourself; myself and this gallant gentleman, Judas Maccabæus; this swain, because of his great limb [112] or joint, shall pass Pompey the Great; the page, Hercules,—