(When I was wont to think no harm all night, King. Your oath is pass'd to pass away from these. Biron. Let me say no, my liege, an if you please; I only swore, to study with your grace, rest Biron. By yea and nay, Sir, then I swore in jest. What is the end of study ? let me know. King. Why, that to know, which else we should not know. Biron. Things hid and barr'd, you mean, from common sense? King. Ay, that is study's god-like recom pense. Biron. Come on then, I will swear to study so To know the thing I am forbid to know: As thus-To study where I well may dine, When I to feast expressly am forbid ; Or, study where to meet some mistress fine, When mistresses from common sense are hid : Or, having sworn too hard-a-keeping oath, Study to break it, and uot break my troth. If study's gain be thus, and this be so, Study knows that, which yet it doth not know: Swear me to this, and I will ne'er say, no. King. These be the stops that binder study quite, And train our intellects to vain delight. Biron. Why, all delights are vain; but that most vain, Which, with pain purchas'd, doth inberit paiu : As, painfully to pore upon a book, To seek the light of truth; while truth the while Doth falsely blind the eyesight of his look: Light, seeking light, doth light of light be. guile : So, ere you find where light in darkness lies, By fixing it upon a fairer eye; That will not be deep-search'd with saucy looks ; Small have continual plodders ever won, fame; And every godfather can give a name. King. How well he's read, to reason against reading! Why should I joy in an abortive birth? Than wish a snow in May's new fangied? shows; But like of each thing, that in season grows. Biron. No, my good lord; I have sworn to And, though I have for barbarism spoke more, And bide the penance of each three years' day. name. King. How well this yielding rescues thee Biron. [Reads.] Item, That no woman shall Long. Four days ago. Biron. Let's see the penalty. [Reads.]-On pain of losing her tongue.- Long. Marry, that did I. Biron. Sweet lord, and why? Long. To fright them hence with that dread penalty. Biron. A dangerous law against gentility. [Reads.] Item, If any man be seen to talk with a woman within the term of three years, he shall endure such public shame as the rest of the court can possibly devise.This article, my liege, yourself must break; For well you know, bere comes in embassy The French king's daughter, with yourself to speak, A maid of grace, and complete majesty.-- To her decrepit, sick, and bed-rid father; Or vainly comes the admired princess bither. quite forgot. Biron. So study evermore is overshot; While it doth study to have what it would, It doth forget to do the thing it should: And when it hath the thing it hunteth most, 'Tis won, as towns with fire; so won, so lost. King. We must of force, dispense with this decree; She must lie here on mere necessity. For every man with his affects is born; Not by might master'd, but by special If I break faith, this word shall speak for me, [Subscribes. And he, that breaks them in the least degree, Dum. Proceeded well, to stop all good pro-Stands in attainder of eternal shame : Suggestions are to others, as to me; But, I believe, although I seem so loath, I am the last that will last keep his oath. But is there no quick recreation granted? King. Ay, that there is: our court, you know, is baunted With a refined traveller of Spain; A man in all the world's new fashion planted, A man of compliments, whom right and wrong In high-born words, the worth of many a knight | curious-knotted garden: There did I see From tawny Spain, lost in the world's de- that low spirited swain, that base minnow of bate. thy mirth. How you delight, my lords, I know not, I; Biron. Armado is a most illustrious wight, Biron. This is be. Dull. Signior Arme-Arme-commends you. There's villany abroad; this letter will tell you more. Cost. Me. King.-that unletter'd small knowing soul, Cost. Me. King. -that shallow vassal. Cost. Still me. King. tard. which, as I remember, hight, Cos Cost. O me! King-sorted and consorted, contrary to thy established proclaimed edict and conti nent canon, with-with,-0 with-but with this I passion to say wherewith. Cost. With a wench. King. with a child of our grandmother Eve, a female; or, for thy more sweet underHim I (as my everstanding, a woman. steemed duty pricks me on) have sent to thee, to receive the meed of punishment, by thy Cost. Sir, the contempts thereof are as touch-sweet grace's officer, Antony Dull; a man of ing me. good repute, carriage, bearing, and estimation. Dull. Me, an't shall please you; I am Antony Dull. King. A letter from the magnificent Armado. Biron. How low soever the matter, I hope in God for high words. Long. A high hope for a low having: God grant us patience! Biron. To hear or forbear hearing? Long. To hear meekly, Sir, and to laugh moderately; or to forbear both.'" Biron. Well, Sir, be it as the style shall give us cause to climb to the merriness. Cost. The matter is to ine, Sir, as concerning Jaquenetta. The manner of it is, I was taken with the manner.+ Biron. In what manner? Cost. In manner and form following, Sir; all those three: I was seen with her in the manor house, sitting with her upon the form, and taken following her into the paik; which, put together, is, in manner and form following. Now, Sir, for the manner,-it is the manner of a man to speak to a woman; for the form,-in some form. Biron. For the following, Sir: Cost. As it shall follow in my correction; And God defend the right! King. Will you hear this letter with attention ? Biron. As we would hear an oracle. Cost. Such is the simplicity of man to hearken after the flesh. King. [Reads.] Great deputy, the welkin's vicegerent, and sole dominator of Navarre, my soul's earth's God, and body's fostering patron, Cost. Not a word of Costard yet. King. So it is, Cost. It may be so: but if he say it is so, is, in telling true, but so, so. King. Peace. he Cost. -be to me, and every man that dares not fight! King. No words. King. For Jaquenetta, (so is the weaker vessel called, which I apprehend with the aforesaid swain.) I keep her as a vessel of thy law's fury: and shall at the least of thy sweet notice bring her to trial. Thine, in all compliments of devoted and heart-burning heat of duty. DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO. Biron. This is not so well as I looked for, but the best that ever I heard. King. Ay, the best for the worst. But, sirrab, what say you to this? Cost. Sir, I confess the wench. King. Did you hear the proclamation? Cost. I do confess much of the hearing it, but little of the marking of it. King. It was proclaimed a year's imprisonment, to be taken with a wench. Cost. I was taken with none, Sir, I was taken with a damosel. King. Well it was proclaimed damosel. Cost. This was no damosel neither, Sir; she was a virgin. King. It is so varied too; for it was proclaimed, virgin. Cost. If it were, I deny her virginity; 1 was taken with a maid. Sir. King. This maid will not serve your turn, Cost. This maid will serve my turn, Sir. King. Sir, I will pronounce your sentence; You shall fast a week with bran and water. Cost. I had rather pray a month with mutton and porridge. King. And Don Armado shall be your keeper. -My lord Biron see him deliver'd o'er.And go we, lords, to put in practice that Which each to other hath so strongly sworn. [Exeunt KING, LONCAVILLE, and DUMAIN. Biron. I'll lay my head to any good man's bat, [scorn. These oaths and laws will prove an idle Sirrah, come on. Cost.-of other men's secrets, I beseech you. King. So it is, besieged with sable-coloured melancholy, I did commend the black-oppressing humour to the most wholesome physic of Cost. I suffer for the truth, Sir: for true it is, thy health-giving air; and, as I am a gentleman, betook myself to walk. The time when? I was taken with Jaquenetta, and Jaquenetta About the sixth hour; when beasts most is a true girl; and therefore, Welcome the sour graze, birds best peck, and men sit down to cup of prosperity! Affliction may one day smile that nourishment which is called supper. again, and till then, Sit thee down, sorrow! So much for the time when: Now for the ground which; which, I mean, I walked upon: [Exeunt. it is ycleped thy park. Then SCENE II.-Another part of the same.-AR for the place where; where, I mean, I did encounter that obscene and most preposterous event, that draweth from my snow white pen the ebon-coloured ink, which here thou viewest, beholdest, surveyest, or seest: But, to the place where,-It standeth north-north-east and by east from the west corner of thy 1. c. Third-Borough, a peace-officer. 4 In the fact MADO'S House. Enter ARMADO and MOTH. Arm. Boy what sign is it, when a man of great spirit grows melancholy? Moth. A great sign, Sir, that he will look sad. Arm. Why, sadness is one and the self-same thing, dear imp. Meth. No, no; O lord, Sir, no. 4 Y Moth. How mean you, Sir? I pretty, and my saying apt? or I apt, and my saying pretty? Arm. Thou pretty, because little. Moth. Little pretty, because little: Wherefore apt? Arm. And therefore apt, because quick, Moth. Speak you this in my praise, master? Arm. In thy condign praise. Moth. I will praise an eel with the same praise. Arm. What? that an eel is ingenious? Arm. I do say, thou art quick in answers Thou heatest my blood. Moth. I am answer'd, Sir, Moth. He speaks the mere contrary, crosses love not him. [Aside. Arm. I have promised to study three years with the duke. Moth. You may do it in an hour, Sir. Moth. How many is one thrice told? Arm, I am ill at reckoning, it fitteth the spirit of a tapster. Moth. You are a gentleman, and a gamester, Sir. Arm. I confess both; they are both the varnish of a complete man. Moth. Then, I am sure, you know how much the gross sum of deuce-ace amounts to. Arm. It doth amount to one more than two. Moth. Which the base vulgar do call, three. Arm. True. [Aside, Moth. Why, Sir, is this such a piece of study? Now here is three studied, ere you'll thrice wink and how easy it is to put years to the word three, and study three years in two words, the dancing horse will tell you. Arm. A most fine figure! Moth. To prove you a cipher. Arm. I will hereupon confess, I am in love: and, as it is base for a soldier to love, so am I in love with a base wench. If drawing my sword against the humour of affection would deliver me from the reprobate thought of it, I would take desire prisoner, and ransom him to any French courtier for a new devised courtesy. I think scorn to sigh; methinks, I should out-swear Cupid. Comfort me, boy: What great men have been in love? Moth. Hercules, master. Arm. Most sweet Hercules !-More authority, dear boy, name more; and, sweet my child, let them be men of good repute and carriage. Moth. Samson, master: he was a man of good carriage, great carriage; for he carried the town-gates on his back, like a porter: and he was in love. Arm. O well-knit Samson! strong-jointed Samson! I do excel thee in my rapier, as much as thou didst me in carrying gates. I am in love too, Who was Samson's love, my dear Moth ?— Moth. A woman, master. Arm. Of what complexion? Moth. Of all the four, or the three, or the two; or one of the four. Arm. Tell me precisely of what complexion? Moth. Of the sea-water green, Sir. Arm. Is that one of the four complexions? Moth. As I have read, Sir; and the best of them too. Arm. Green, indeed, is the colour of lovers: but to have a love of that colour, methinks, Samson had small reason for it. He, surely, affected her for her wit. Moth. It was so, Sir; for she had a green wit. Arm. My love is most immaculate white and red. Moth. Most maculate thoughts, master, are masked under such colours. Arm. Define, deflue, well-educated infant. Moth. My father's wit, and my mother's tongue, assist me! Arm. Sweet invocation of a child; most pretty and pathetical! Moth. If she be made of white and red, For blushing cheeks by faults are bred, By this you shall not know; A dangerous rhyme, master, against the reason of white and red, Arm. Is there not a ballad, boy, of the King and the Beggar ? Moth. The world was very guilty of such a ballad some three ages since but, I think, now 'tis not to be found; or, if it were, it would neither serve for the writing, nor the tune. Arm, I will have the subject newly writ o'er, that I may example my digression + by some mighty precedent. Boy, I do love that country girl, that I took in the park with the rational bind Costard; she deserves well. Moth. To be whipped; and yet a better love than my master. [Aside. Arm. Sing, boy, my spirit grows heavy in Moth. And that's great marvel, loving a light wench. love. Maid. Jaq. Man. Arm. I will visit thee at the lodge. Arm. I know where it is situate. Jaq. Fair weather after yon! [Exeunt DULL and JAQUENETTA, Arm. Villain, thou shalt fast for thy offences, ere thou be pardoned. Cost. Well, Sir, I hope, when I do it, I shall do it on a full stomach. Arm. Thou shalt be heavily punished. Cost, I am more bound to you, than your fellows, for they are but lightly rewarded. Arm. Take away this villain; shut him up. Moth. Come, you transgressing slave; away. Cost. Let me not be pent up, Sir; I will fast being loose. Moth. No, Sir; that were fast and loose: thou shalt to prison. Cost. Well, if ever I do see the merry days of desolation that I have seen, some shall seeMoth. What shall some see ? Cost. Nay, nothing, master Moth, but what they look upon. It is not for prisoners to be too silent in their words: and therefore, I wi say nothing: I thank God, I have as little patience as another man; and, therefore, I can be quiet. [Exeunt MOTH and COSTARD. Arm. I do affect the very ground, which is base, where her shoe, which is baser, guided by her foot, which is basest, doth tread. I shall be forsworn, (which is a great argument of falsehood,) if I love: And how can that be true love, which is falsely attempted? Love is a familiar: love is a devil: there is no evil angel but love. Yet Samson was so tempted and he had an excellent strength: yet was Solomon so seduced : and he had a very good wit. Cupid's buttshaft is too hard for Hercules' club, and therefore too much odds for a Spaniard's rapier. The first and second cause will not serve my turn; the passado he respects not, the duello he regards not his disgrace is to be called boy; but his glory is, to subdue men. Adieu, valour ! rust, rapier! be still, drum! for your manager is in love; yea, he loveth. Assist me some extemporal god of rhyme, for, I am sure, I shall turn sonneteer. Devise wit; write pen; for I am for whole volumes in folio. [Exit. ACT II. SCENE I.--Another párt of the same.-A Pavilion and Tents at a distance. Enter the PRINCESS OF FRANCE, ROSALINE, MARIA, KATHARINE, BOYET, Lords and other Attendants. Boyet. Now, madam, summon up your dear. est spirits: Consider who the king your father sends; Of all perfections that a man may owe, Prin. Good lord Boyet, my beauty, though but mean, Needs not the painted flourish of your praise; Who are the votaries, my loving lords, Mar. I know him, madam; at a marriage feast, Between lord Perigort and the beauteous heir should none spare that come within his Prin. Some merry mocking lord, belike; is't so? Mar. They say so most, that most his humours know. Prin. Such short-liv'd wits do wither as they grow. Who are the rest? Kath. The young Dumain, a well-accom plish'd youth, Of all that virtue love for virtue ov'd: For he hath wit to make an ill shape good, Ros. Another of these students at that time, That every one her own hath garnished Re-enter BOYET. Prin. Now, what admittance, lord? And he, and his competitors in oath, I came. Marry, thus much I have He rather means to lodge you in the field, (Like one that comes here to besiege his court,) Than seek a dispensation for his oath, To let you enter his unpeopled honse. Here comes Navarre. [The Ladies mask. Enter KING, LONGAVILLE, DUMAIN, BIRON, and Attendants. King. Fair princess, welcome to the court of Navarre. Prin. Fair, I give you back again; and, welcome I have not yet: the roof of this court is too high to be your's; and welcome to the wild fields too base to be mine. King. You shall be welcome, madam, to my court. Love. † Arrow to shoot at butts with. 1 Best. • Confederates ↑ Preparad. Prin. I will be welcome then; conduct me | And, if you prove it, I'll repay it back, Ros. Not till it leave the rider in the mire. Ros. The hour that fools should ask. Ros. Fair fall the face it covers ! Biron. Nay, then will I be gone. King. Madam, your father here doth intimate The payment of a hundred thousand crowns; Being but the one half of an entire sum, Disbursed by my father in bis wars. But say, that he, or we, (as neither have,) One part of Aquitain is bound to us, de On payment of a hundred thousand crowns, A yielding, 'gainst some reason, in my breast, Prin. You do the king my father too much wrong, And wrong the reputation of your name, In so unseeming to confess receipt of that which hath so faithfully been paid. King. I do protest, I never heard of it; • Whereas. Or yield up Aquitain. Prin. We arrest your word: Boyet, you can produce aquittances, For such a sum, from special officers Of Charles his father. King. Satisfy me so. Boyet. So please your grace, the packet is not come, Where that and other specialties are bound: King. It shall suffice me; at which interview, All liberal reason I will yield unto. To-morrow shall we visit you again. King. Thy own wish wish I thee in every place! [Exeunt KING and his Train. Biron. Lady, I will commend you to my own heart. Ros. 'Pray you, do my commendations; I would be glad to see it. Biron. I would, you heard it groan. Ros. Is the fool sick? Biron. Sick at heart. Ros. Alack, let it blood. Biron. Would that do it good? Ros. My physic says, I. Biron. Will you prick't with your eye? Boyet. She hath but one for herself; to de sire that were a shame. Long. Pray you, Sir, whose daughter? Boyet. Her mother's I have heard. Long. God's blessing on your beard ! Boyet. Good Sir, be not offended: She is an heir of Falconbridge. Long. Nay, my choler is ended. Boyet. Not unlike, Sir; that may be. Jord; Not a word with him but a jest. Prin. It was well done of you to take him at his word. Boyet. I was as willing to grapple, as he was to board. |