Officers, and others, Attendants upon the King and Princess. ACT 1. I. SCENE Navarre. The Palace. Enter the King, Biron, Longaville, and Dumain. King L And then grace us in the difgrace of death; Your oaths are paft, and now subscribe your names; Fat paunches have lean pates; and dainty bits Dum. My loving lord, Dumain is mortify'd; Biron. I can but say their protestation over, King. Your oath is pass'd to pass away from these, Biron. Things hid and barr'd (you mean) from King. Ay, that is study's god-like recompence. Ar, study where to meet fome mistress fine, Or, having fworn too hard-a-keeping oath, } } LA Christmas I no more defire a rose, And, though I have for barbarifm fpoke more, from shame! } Biron. "Item, That no woman fhall come withKing. Thefe be the ftops that hinder study quite, " in a mile of my court."-[Reading.] Hath this And train our intellects to vain delight. [vain, been proclaimed? Biron. Why, all delights are vain; but that most To feek the light of truth; while truth the while, Light, feeking light, doth light of light beguile : So, ere you find where light in darkness lies, Your light grows dark by lofing of your eyes. Study me how to please the eye indced, By fixing it upon a fairer eye: Who dazzling fo, that eye shall be his heed 2, That will not be deep-fearch'd with faucy looks; Save bafe authority from others' books. These earthly godfathers of heaven's lights, That give a name to every fixed star, Have no more profit of their shining nights, Than those that walk and wot not what they are. Too much to know, is, to know nought but fame; And every godfather can give a name. fing King. How well he's read, to reafon against readDam. Proceeded 3 well, to ftop all good proceeding! Long. He weeds the corn, and fill lets grow the weeding. Biron. The fpring is near, when green geefe are! a-breeding. Dron. How follows that? Diron. Fit in his place and time. Biron. Something then in thime. Long. Biron is like an envions freaping & froft, That bites the first-born infants of the ypring, Biwon. Well, tay I am? why thould proud tufimer boaft, Before the birds have any caufe to fang? Why fhould I joy in an abortive bath Long. Four days ago. Biron. Let's fee the penalty." On pain of "lofing her tongue." - [Reading.] Who devis'd this penalty? Long. Marry, that did I. Biron. Sweet lord, and why? [penalty. Long. To fright them hence with that dread Biron. A dangerous law againft gentility 5! "Item, [Reading.] If any man be feen to talk "with a woman within the term of three years, "he shall endure fuch public shame as the rest of "the court can poffibly devife."This article, my liege, yourself muft break; For, well you know, here comes in embaffy To her decrepit, fick, and bed-rid father: Bion. So study evermore is overfhot; Kg. We must, of force, difpenfe with this decree; Biron. Necetlity will make as all forfworn Not by might mafter'd, but by special grace: And he, that breaks them in the least degree, That is, treacherously. 2 leed here rieans his direction or lode-pur. 3. Proceeded must here be understood in the academical fente ot tak ng a degrees the meaning of the paffage then will be, fle has taken his degree on the art of itopping the degrees of others." 4 1. c. Checking. mt, aindl follteness and urbanity. 1. c. Temptations. 5 Mean But, 1 But, I believe, although I seem fo loth, King. Ay, that there is our court, you know, With a refined traveller of Spain; A man in all the world's new fafhion planted, For interim to our ftudies, fshall relate, } Kong. A letter from the magnificent Armado, Biron. How low foever the matter, I hope in God for high words. Long. A high hope for a low having 4: God grant us patience. Biron. To hear? or forbear hearing ? Lang. To hear meekly, fir, and to laugh moderately; or to forbear botn. Biron. Well, fir, be it as the stile fhall give us cause to climb in the merriness. Coft. The matter is to me, fir, as concerning Jaquenetta. The manner of it is, I was taken with the manner 5. Biron. In what manner? Coft. In manner and form following, fir; all thote three: I was feen with her in the manerhouse, fitting with her upon the form, and taken following her into the park; which, put together, is, in manner and form following. Now, fir, for the manner, it is the manner of a man to fpeak to a woman: for the form, in fome form. Biron. For the following, fir? But to the price, where, It ftandeth north"north-eaft and by eatt from the weft corner of "thy curious-knotted garden: There did I fee "that low-fpirited fwain, that bafe minnow of thy "mirth," (Cofl. Me.) " that unletter'd fmallknowing foul," (Cofl. Me.) "that fhallow vaffal," Caf. Still me.) " which, as I remember,. hight Coftard," (Caft. O me !) "forted and conforted, contrary to thy established proclaimed edict and continent canon, with, with,-O with, but with this I paffion to say where. "with-" Coft. With a wench, Kirg. " with a child of our grandmother Eve, a "female; or, for thy more sweet understanding, a woman. Him, I (as my ever esteemed duty pricks me on) have fent to thee, to receive the "meed of punishment, by thy fweet grace's officer, Anthony Dull; a man of good repute, "carriage, bearing, and estimation." Dull. Me, an't shall please you; I am Anthony Dull. King. "For Jaquenetta, (so is the weaker vef" fel called which I apprehended with the aforc i. e. lively sport, or fprightly diverfion. 2 Complement. in Shakspeare's time, not only fignified, verbal civility, but the external accomplishments or ornamental appendages of a character. 31. e. Thirdborough, a peace-officer equal in authority to a headborough or a conftable. 4 i. e, a low poffeffion, or a quiption. 5 A phrafe then used to fignify, taken in the fact. Meaning, that contemptibly. Jutle object of thy mirth, " faid swain) I keep her as a vessel of thy law's "fury; and shall, at the leaft of thy fweet notice, " bring her to trial. Thine, in all compliments "of devoted and heart-burning heat of duty, Arm. I spoke it, tender juvenal, as a congruent epitheton, appertaining to thy young days, which we may nominate, tender. Moth. And I, tough signior, as an appertinent "DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO." title to your old time, which we may name, Biron. This is not so well as I look'd for, but the best that ever I heard. King. Ay, the best for the worst. But, firrah, what fay you to this? Coft. Sir, I confefs the wench.* King. Did you hear the proclamation? Cofl. I do confefs much of the hearing it, but little of the marking of it. King. It was proclaim'd a year's imprifonment to be taken with a wench. Coft. I was taken with none, fir; I was taken with a damosel. King. Well, it was proclaimed damosel. a virgin. King. It is fo varied too; for it was proclaim'd, virgin. Coft. If it were, I deny her virginity; I was taken with a maid. King. This maid will not ferve your turn, fir. King. Sir, I will pronounce fentence; You shall fast a week with bran and water. Coft. I had rather pray a month with mutton and porridge. tough. Arm. Pretty, and apt. Moth. How mean you, fir? I pretty, and my faying apt? or I apt, and my faying pretty? Arm. Thou pretty, because little. Arm. I have promised to study three years with the duke. Moth. You may do it in an hour, fir. Moth. How many is one thrice told? Arm. I am ill at reckoning, it fitteth the fpirit of King. And Don Armado shall be your keeper.- a tapfter. Which each to other hath so strongly fworn. Coft. I fuffer for the truth, fir: for true it is, I was taken with Jaquenetta, and Jaquenetta is a true girl; and therefore, Welcome the four cup of profperity! Affliction may one day smile again, and till then, Sit thee down, forrow! [Exsunt SCENE II. Enter Armada and Moth. Arm. Boy, what sign is it, when a man of great Spirit grows melancholy? Moth. You are a gentleman, and a gamester, fir. Arm. I confefs both; they are both the varnith of a complete man. Morb. Then, I am fure, you know how much the grofs fum of deuce-ace amounts to. Arm. It doth amount to one more than two. Moth. Why, fir, is this fuch 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 moft fine figure! Moth. To prove you a cypher. Arm. I will hereupon confeis, I am in love; and as it is base for a foldier to love, so I am in love with a base wench. If drawing my fword Moth. A great fign, fir, that he will look fad. against the humour of affection would deliver me Arm. Why, fadness is one and the self-fame thing, dear imp 1. Moth. No, no: O lord, fir, no. Arm. How can'st thou part fadness and melancholy, my tender juvenal 2 ? from the reprobate thought of it, I would take defire prifoner; and ranfom him to any French courtier for a new devis'd court'sy. I think fcorn to fen; methinks, I should out-fwear Cupid. Comfort me, boy; What great men have been in Moth. By a familiar demonftration of the work-love? ing, my tough fignior. Arm. Why tough fignior? why tough fignior? nal? Moth. Hercules, master. Arm. Moft sweet Hercules! - More authority, dear boy, name more; and, fweet my child, ler them be men of good repute and carriage. Imp was formerly a term of dignity. i. e. my tender youth. 3 Croffes here mean money. 4 This alludes to a horse belonging to one Banks, which played many remarkable pranks, and is frequently mentioned by many writers contemporary with Shakfpeare. Musk. Math. Sampfon, master: he was a man of good Coftard fafe: and you must let him take no delight, carriage, great carriage; for he carried the town nor no penance; but a' muit fait three days agates on his back, like a porter: and he was in week: For this damfel, I must keep her at the love. Am. O well-knit Sampson! strong-jointed Sampfon! I do excel thee in my rapier, as much as thou didst me in carrying gates. I am in love too. Who was Sampfon's love, my dear Moth? Math. A woman, mafter. 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? 4. Is that one of the four complexions? Moth. As I have read, fir; and the best of them too. Arm. Green, indeed, is the colour of lovers: but to have a love of that colour, methinks, Sampfon had fmall reafon for it. He, furely, affected her for her wit. Moab. It was fo, fir; for the had a green wit. Arm. My love is most immaculate white and red. Moth. Moft maculate thoughts, mafter, are mafk'd under fuch colours. Arm. Define, define, well-educated infant. Moth. My father's wit, and my mother's tongue, affift me ! Arm. Sweet invocation of a child; most pretty, and pathetical! Moth. If the be made of white and red, Her faults will ne'er be known; By this you shall not know; A dangerous rhime, master, against the reason of Am. Is there not a ballad, boy, of the King and the Beggar? Moth, The world was very guilty of fuch a ballad fome three ages fince: but, I think, now 'tis not to be found; or, if it were, it would neither ferve for the writing, nor the tunc. Arm. I will have that fubject newly writ o'er, that I may example my digression by fome mighty precedent. Boy, I do love that country girl, that I took in the park with the rational hind Coftard; The deferves well. Moth. To be whipp'd; and yet a better love than my master. [Afide. Arm. Sing, boy, my fpirit grows heavy in love. Moth. And that's great marvel, loving a light wench. Arm. I fay, fing. Meth. Forbear, till this company be paft. Enter Dull, Coftard, and faquenetta. park; fhe is allow'd for the day-woman. Fare Arm. I do betray myself with blufhing.-Maid. Arm. I will vifit thee at the lodge. Jaq. That's hereby. Arm. I know where it is fituate. Jaq. Lord, how wife you are! Jaq. With that face? Arm. I love thee. Jaq. So I heard you fay. Jaq. Fair weather after you! [Exeunt Dull and Jaquenett... Arm. Villain, thou shalt fast for thy offences, ere thou be pardoned. Coft. Well, fir, I hope, when I do it, I do it on a full ftomach. Arm. Thou shalt be heavily punished. Coft. I am more bound to you, than your fellows, for they are but lightly rewarded. Arm. Take away this villain; shut him up. being loofe. Moth. No, fir; that were faft and loofe: thou shalt to prifon. Coft. Well, if ever I do fee the merry days of defolation that I have feen, fome shall fee Moth. What shall fome fee? Coft. Nay, nothing, mafter Moth, but what they look upon. It is not for prifoners to be filent in their words; and, therefore, I will fay nothingr I thank God, I have as little patience as another man; and therefore I can be quiet. [Exeunt Moth and Coftard. 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 forfworn, (which is a great argument of falfhood) if I love: And how can that be true love, which is falfly attempted? Love is a familiar; love is a devil: there is no evil angel but love. Yet Sampfon was so tempted; and he had an excellent strength; yet was Solomon fo feduced; and he had a very good wit. Cupid's butt-shaft is too hard for Hercules' club, and therefore too much odds for a Spaniard's rapier. The first and fecond caufe will not serve my turn; the passado he refpects not, the duello he regards not: his disgrace is to be call'd boy; but his glory is, to fubdue men. Adicu, valour! ruft, rapier! be still, drum! for your manager is in love; yea, he loveth. Affift me fome extemporal god of rhime, for, I am fur, I fhall turn fonneteer. Devife wit; write pon; [Exit Dull, Sir, the duke's pleasure is, that you keep for I am for whole volumes in folio. * Digreffion here fignifies the act of going out of the right way. 2 That is, love, |