Boyet. If to come hither you have measur'd miles, 192
And many miles, the princess bids you tell
How many inches do fill up one mile.
Ber. Tell her we measure them by weary steps.
Boyet. She hears herself.
Ros. How many weary steps, 196
Of many weary miles you have o'ergone,
Are number'd in the travel of one mile?
Ber. We number nothing that we spend for you:
Our duty is so rich, so infinite, 200
That we may do it still without accompt.
Vouchsafe to show the sunshine of your face,
That we, like savages, may worship it.
Ros. My face is but a moon, and clouded too. 204
King. Blessed are clouds, to do as such clouds do!
Vouchsafe, bright moon, and these thy stars, to shine,
Those clouds remov'd, upon our wat'ry eyne.
Ros. O vain petitioner! beg a greater matter; 208
Thou now requests but moonshine in the water.
King. Then, in our measure vouchsafe but one change.
Thou bid'st me beg; this begging is not strange.
Ros. Play, music, then! Nay, you must do it soon. 212
[Music plays.]
Not yet! no dance! thus change I like the moon.
King. Will you not dance? How come you thus estrang'd?
Ros. You took the moon at full, but now she's chang'd.
King. Yet still she is the moon, and I the man. 216
The music plays; vouchsafe some motion to it.
201 accompt: reckoning
207 eyne: eyes
209 requests: requestest
210 change: round or 'figure' in dancing
216 man: i.e. man in the moon
