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Bine. They fwore, that you were almost fick for me. [for me.. Beat. They fwore, that you were well-nigh dead Bene. 'Tis no fuch matter :-Then, you do not love me?

Beat. No, truly, but in friendly recompence. Leon. Come, coufin, I am fure you love the gentleman.

Claud. And I'll be fworn upon't, that he loves her; For here's a paper, written in his hand, A halting fonnet of his own pure brain, Fashion'd to Beatrice.

Hero. And here's another,

Writ in my coufin's hand, stolen from her pocket Containing her affection unto Benedick.

Bene. Bull Jove, fir, had an amiable low; Bene. A miracle! here's our own hands againft And fome such strange bull leapt your father's cow, our hearts! - Come, I will have thee; but, by this

And got a calf in that fame noble feat,
Much like to you, for you have just his bleat.
Re-enter Antonio, with Hero, Beatrice, Margaret,
and Ursula, mask d.

Claud. For this I owe you here come other reck'nings. Which is the lady I must seize upon ?

Ant. This fame is the, and I do give you her. Claud. Why, then she's mine: Sweet, let me fee your face. [hand

Lem. No, that you fhall not, till you take her Before this friar, and fwear to marry her.

Claud. Give me your hand before this holy friar; I am your husband, if you like of me.

Hero. And when I liv'd, i was your other wife: [Unmasking,

And when you lov'd, you were my other husband. Claud. Another Hero?

Hero. Nothing certainer :

One Hero dy'd defil'd; but I do live,
And, furely as I live, I am a maid.

Pedro. The former Hero Hero, that is dead!
Leon. She dy'd, my lord, but whiles her slander

liv'd.

Friar. All this amazement can I qualify;
When, after that the holy rites are ended,
I'll tell you largely of fair Hero's death:
Mean time let wonder feem familiar,
And to the chapel let us presently.

Bene. Soft and fair, friar. Which is Beatrice?
Beat. Ianfwer to that name; What is your will?
Bene. Do not you love me?

Beat. Why, no, no more than reason.

light, I take thee for pity.

Beat. I would not deny you;-but, by this good day, I yield upon great perfuafion; and, partly, to fave your life, for I was told, you were in a confumption.

Bene. Peace, I will stop your mouth.

[Killing ber. Pedro. How doft thou, Benedick the married man? Bene. I'll tell thee what, prince; a college of wit-crackers cannot flout me out of my humour: Doft thou think I care for a fatire, or an epigram? No: if a man will be beaten with brains, he shall wear nothing handfome about him: In brief, fince I do purpose to marry, I will think nothing to any purpose that the world can fay against it; and therefore never flout at me for what I have faid againtt it; for man is a giddy thing, and this my conclufion. For thy part, Claudio, I did think to have beaten thee; but in that thou art like to be my kinfman, live unbruis'd, and love my cou

fin.

15

Claud. I had well hoped, thou wouldst have denied Beatrice, that I might have cudgell'd thee out of thy fingle life, to make thee a double dealer ;. which, out of question, thou wilt be, if my coufin do not look exceedingly narrowly to thee.

Bene. Come, come, we are friends: -let's have a dance ere we are marry'd, that we may lighten our own hearts, and our wives' heels.

Leon. We'll have dancing afterwards.

Bene. First, o' my word; therefore, play, mufick.-Prince, thou art fad; get thee a wife, get thee

a wife: there is no staff more reverend than one

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Beat. Why, then, my coufin, Margaret, and devife thee brave punithments for him.-Strike up

Urfula,

pipers.

[Dance

Are much deceiv'd; for they did fwear you did.

[Excunt omne

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DM ADRIANO DE ARMADO, {

NATHANIEL, a Curate.
DELL, a Corfiable.

HOLOFERNES, a Schoolmaster.

COSTARD, a Clown.

Моти, Page to Don Adriano de Armade.
A Forester.

Princess of France.

}

Ladies, attending on the Princess.

a fantastical Spa- ROSALINE,
niard.
MARIA,
KATHERINE,
JAQUENETTA, a Country Wench.

Officers, and others, Attendants upon the King and Princess.
SCENE, the King of Navarre's Palace, and the Country near it.

ACT

I.

I.

SCENE

Navarve. The Palace.

Enter King, Biron, Longaville, and Dumain.
ET fame, that all hunt after in their lives,
Live regutred upon our brazen tombs,

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And then grace us in the disgrace of death;
Wien, tpight of cormorant devouring Time,
The cadea.our of this pretent breath may buy
That bonoar, which shall bate his icythe's keen edge,
And make us heirs of all eternity.
Therefore, brave conquerors!--for fo you are,
Thx war against your own affections,
And the huge army of the world's defires,
Os late edict shall strongly stand in force:
Navarre thall be the wonder of the world;
Our court fhall be a little Academe,
Sic and contemplative in living art.

Ya three, Biron, Dumain, and Longaville,
Hire fworn for three years' term to live with me,
M fellow-fcholars, and to keep those ftatutes,
Tha are recorded in this schedule here:

Tour caths are paft, and now fubfcribe your names;
The he own hand may ftrike his honour down,
Tha vipiares the smallest branch herein:

are arm'd to do, as fworn to do,
Subiribe to your deep oath, and keep it too.
Lar. I am refolv'd: 'tis but a three years faft;
The ad fhall banquet, though the body pine:

Fat paunches have lean pates; and dainty bits
Make rich the ribs, but bankerout the wits.

Dum. My loving lord, Dumain is mortify'd;
The groffer manner of these world's delights
He throws upon the gross world's baser flaves:
To love, to wealth, to pomp, I pine and die;
With all these living in philofophy.

Biron. I can but fay their protestation over,
So much, dear liege, I have already fworn,
That is, To live and study here three years.
But there are other ftrict observances:
As, not to fee a woman in that term;
Which, I hope well, is not enrolled there.
And, one day in a week to touch no food;
And but one meal on every day befide;
The which, I hope, is not enrolled there.
And then, to flcep but three hours in the night,
And not be feen to wink of all the day;
(When I was wont to think no harm all night,
And make a dark night too of half the day)
Which, I hope well, is not enrolled there.
O, these are barren tafks, too hard to keep;
Not to fee ladies, study, faft, nor fleep.

King. Your oath is pass'd to pass away from these.
Biron. Let me fay, no, my liege, an if you pleafc;
I only swore, to study with your grace,
And stay here in your court for three years' space.
Long. You swore to that, Biron, and to the reft.
Biron. By yea and nay, fir, then I fwore in jeft.-
What

L2

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 fenfe?

King. Ay, that is study's god-like recompence. Biron. Come on then, I will swear to study fo, 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 miftrefies from common fenfe are hid: Or, having fworn too hard-a-keeping oath, Study to break it, and not break my troth. If study's gain be thus, and this be fo, Study knows that, which yet it doth not know: Swear me to this, and I will ne'er fay, no.

King. These be the stops that hinder study quite, And train our intellects to vain delight. [vain, Biron. Why, all delights are vain; but that moft Which with pain purchas'd doth inherit pain: As, painfully to pore upon a book,

To feek the light of truth; while truth the while, Doth falfely blind the eyefight of his look:

Light, seeking 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 indeed,

By fixing it upon a fairer eye:

Who dazzling so, that eye thall be his heed 2,
And give him light that was it blinded by.
Study is like the heaven's glorious fun,

That will not be deep-fearch'd with faucy looks; Small have continual plodders ever won,

Save base authority from others' books. These earthly godfathers of heaven's lights, That give a name to every fixed ftar, Have no more profit of their fhining 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. [ing!

King. How well he's read, to reason against readDum. Proceeded 3 well, to stop all good proceeding!

Long. He weeds the corn, and fill lets grow the weeding.

Biron. The spring is near, when green geefe are

a-breeding.

Dum. How follows that?

Biron. Fit in his place and time.

Dum. In reafon nothing.

Biron. Something then in rhime.

Long. Biron is like an envious freaping 4 froft,

That bites the firft-born infants of the fpring. Bion. Well, fay I am? why should proud fum

mer boaft,

Before the birds have any cause to fing?

Why thould I joy in an abortive birth?

}

| At Christmas I no more defire a rofe,
Than with a snow in May's new-fangled shows;
But like of each thing, that in feafon grows.
So you, to study now it is too late,
[gate.
That were to climb o'er the house t'unlock the
King. Well, fit you out: go home, Biron; adieu!
Biron. No, my good lord; I have fworn to itay
with you:

And, though I have for barbarifm spoke more,
Than for that angel knowledge you can fay,
Yet confident I'll keep what I have fwore,
And bide the penance of each three years' day.
Give me the paper, let me read the fame;
And to the strict'it decrees I'll write my name.

King. How well this yielding refcues thee

from fhame!

Biron. "Item, That no woman shall come with" in a mile of my court." - [Reading.] Hath this been proclaimed?

Long. Four days ago.

Biron. Let's fee the penalty." On pain of "lofing her tongue." - [Reading.] Who devis'd this penalty?

Long. Marty, that did I. Biron. Sweet lord, and why? [penalty. Long. To fright them hence with that dread Biron. A dangerous law against gentility 5! "Item, [Readirg.] If any man be feen to talk "with a woman within the term of three years, "he shall endure such 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 The French king's daughter, with yourself to speak,-A maid of grace, and complete majefty,About furrender-up of Aquitain

To her decrepit, fick, and bed-rid father: Therefore this article is made in vain, Or vainly comes the admired princess hither. King. What fay you, lords? why, this was quite

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3 Proceeled must here be the paflage then will be,

That is, treacheroufly. 2 Head here means his are hon or lode-ftar. underitood in the academical fenfe of taking a degree: the meaning of He has taken his degree on the art of stopping the degrees of others." i. e. Checking. ing against politeness and urbanity. 61. e. Temptations.

Mean

But,

But, I believe, although I feem so loth,
I am the laft that will last keep his oath.
Bat is there no quick recreation granted?

Ang. Ay, that there is our court, you know,

is haunted

With a refined traveller of Spain;

A man in all the world's new fashion planted,
That hath a mint of phrafes in his brain:
Oce, whom the mufick of his own vain tongue
Doth ravish, like inchanting harmony;
A man of complements2, whom right and wrong
Have chose as umpire of their mutiny:
This child of fancy, that Armado hight,
For interim to our studies, shall relate,
La high-born words, the worth of many a knight
From tawny Spain, loft in the world's debate.
How you delight, my lords, I know not, I;
But, 1 proteft, I love to hear him lie,
And I will ufe him for my ministrelsy.

}

Biran. Armado is a mort illuttrious wight,
A man of fire-new words, fashion's own knight.
Long. Coftard the swain and he shall be our
fport;

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King. No words.

Coft. of other men's fecrets, I beseech you. King. "So it is, befieged with fable-colour'd melancholy, I did commend the black oppreffing "humour to the most wholesome phyfick of thy health-giving air; and, as I am a gentleman, betook myfelf to walk. The time, when? "About the fixth hour; when beafts most graze, "birds beft peck, and men fit down to that nou"rifhment which is called fupper. So much for D. I myself reprehend his own perfon, for I the time when: Now for the ground which; am his grace's tharborough 3: but I would fee his " which, I mean, I walk'd upon it is ycleped, own perion in flesh and blood.

And, fo to study, three years is but short,
Enter Dull, and Coftard, with a letter.
Dal. Which is the duke's own perfon?
Riyon. This, fellow; What would'it?

Birsa. This is he.

Dail. Signier Arme-, Arme, commends you. There's villainy abroad; this letter will tell you

n.ore.

mе.

Sir, the contempts thereof are as touching

King. A letter from the magnificent Armado. Bira. How low foever the matter, I hope in God for high words.

Lang. A high hope for a low having 4:-God grant us patience.

Biron. To hear? or forbear hearing ?

Ling. To hear meekly, fir, and to laugh moderately; or to forbear both.

Biram. Well, fir, be it as the stile shall give us save to climb in the merriness.

Let. The matter is to me, fir, as concerning Ja-
enetta The manner of it is, I was taken with
De manner 5.
Bi

In what manner?

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thy park. Then for the place where: where, I mean, I did encounter that obscene and moft prepofterous event, that draweth from my fnowwhite pen the ebon-colour'd ink, which here "thou vieweft, beholdest, surveyeft, or feeft:But to the place, where, It standeth northnortin-eaft and by eaft froin the weft corner of

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thy curious-knotted garden: There did I fee "that low-fpirited fwain, that bafe minnow of thy "mirth," (Gufl. Me.) " that unletter'd small"knowing foul," (Coft. Me.) " that shallow vaf"fal," (Coff. Still me.) " which, as I remember, "hight Coftard," (Coft. O me!) "forted and " conforted, contrary to thy established proclaimed "edict and continent canon, with, with,-O "with, but with this I paffion to fay where"with-"

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C:P. In manner and form following, fir; all fae three; I was feen with her in the manor-" meed of punishment, by thy sweet grace's offi

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ie. lively sport, or sprightly diversion. 2 Complement, in Shakspeare's time, not only fignified civility, but the external accomplishments or ornamental appendages of a character. 3 i, e. ThirdMagh, a peace-officer equal in authority to a headborough or a conftable. s A phrafe then ufed to fig

object of thy mirth,

4 i. e.

a low poffefpon, to fignify, taken in the tact. • Meaning, that contempubly L3

faid " faid swain) I keep her as a vessel of thy law's Arm. I spoke it, tender juvenal, as a congruent "fury; and shall, at the leaft of thy sweet notice, epitheton, appertaining to thy young days, which " bring her to trial. Thine, in all compliments we may nominate, tender.

" of devoted and heart-burning heat of duty,

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 fo well as I look'd for, but the best that ever I heard.

King. Ay, the best for the worst. But, firrah, what say you to this?

Coft. Sir, I confefs the wench.

King. Did you hear the proclamation?

Coft. I do confefs much of the hearing it, but little of the marking of it.

King. It was proclaim'd a year's imprisonment to be taken with a wench.

Coft. I was taken with none, fir; I was taken with a damofel.

King. Well, it was proclaimed damosel. Cof. This was no damofel neither, fir; the was a virgin.

King. It is so varied too; for it was proclaim'd, virgin.

Coft. If it were, I deny her virginity; I was taken with a maid.

King. This mad will not ferve your turn, fir. Coft. This maid will ferve my turn, fir.

King. Sir, I will pronounce sentence; You shall faft 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?

Am. Thou pretty, because little.

Mo16. Little pretty, because little: Wherefore apt ?

Arm. And therefore apt, because quick.

Moth. Speak you this in my praise, mafter?
Arm. In thy condign praife.

Moth. I will praise an eel with the fame praise,
Arm. What? that an eel is ingenious?

Moth. That an eel is quick.

Arm. I do fay, thou art quick in anfwers;

Thou heat it my blood.

Moth. I am anfwer'd, fir.

Arm. I love not to be crofs'd.

Moth. He fpeaks the mere contrary, croffes 3 love not him.

Arm. I have promised to study three years with

the duke.

Moth. You may do it in an hour, fir.
Arm. Impoffible.

Moth. How many is one thrice told?

Arm. I am ill at reckoning, it fitteth the spitit of

King. And Don Armado shall be your keeper.- a tapfter.
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 fworn.
[Exeunt.

Biron. I'll lay my head to any good man's hat, Thefe oaths and laws will prove an idle scorn. Sirrah, come on.

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 prosperity! Affliction may one day fmile again, and till then, Sit thee down, forrow ! [Funt

SCENE

II.

Armado's Houfe.
Enter Armado and Morh.

Arm. Boy, what fign is it, when a man of great Spirit grows melancholy?

Moth. You are a gentleman, and a gamefter, fir. Arm. I confefs both; they are both the varnish of a complete man.

Morb. Then, I am fure, you know how much the grofs tum of deuce-ace amounts to.

Arm. It doth amount to one more than two.
Math. Which the base vulgar do call, three,

Am. True.

Mob. Why, fir, is this fuch a piece of study? Now here is three studied, ere you'll thrice wink: and how eafy it is to put years to the word three, and study three years in two words, the dancing horfe will tell you.

Arm. A most fine figure!

Moth. To prove you a cypher.

Arm. I will hereupon confets, I am in love: and as it is bafe for a foldier to love, fo I am in love with a base wench. If drawing my fword from the reprobate thought of it, I would take defire prifoner; and rantom him to any French courtier for a new devis'd court'fy. I think fcorn

Moth. A great fign, fir, that he will look fad. againft the humour of affection would deliver me Arm. Why, fadnefs is one and the telf-fame thing, dear imp4.

Moth. No, no: O lord, fir, no.
Arm. How can'ft thou part fadness and melan- to figh; methinks, I should out-fwear Cupid.

choly, my tender juvenal 2 ?

Comfort me, boy; What great men have been in

Mb. By a familiar demonftration of the work-love? ing, my tough fignior.

Moth. Hercules, mafter.

Arm. Why tough fignior? why tough fignior?
Arm. Moft fweet Hercules!- More authority,
Math. Why tender juvenal? why tender juve- dear boy, name more; and, fweet my child, let
them be men of good repute and carriage.

nal?

I Imp was formerly a term of dignity. 2 i. e. my tender youth. 3 Croffes here mean money. 4 This alludes to a horft belonging to one Banks, which played many remarkable pranks, and is frequently mentioned by many writers contemporary with Shakfpeare.

Moth

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