Or, study where to meet some mistress fine, King. These be the stops that hinder study quite, And train our intellects to vain delight. Biron. Why, all delights are vain; but that most vain, Which, with pain purchased, doth inherit pain. 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 beguile; Who dazzling so, that eye shall be his heed, That will not be deep-searched with saucy looks. 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.3 King. How well he's read, to reason against reading! Dum. Proceeded well, to stop all good proceeding! 1 Dishonestly, treacherously. 2 The sense of this declamation is only this, that a man by too close study may read himself blind. 3 That is, too much knowledge gives no real solution of doubts, but merely fame, or a name, a thing which every godfather can give. Long. He weeds the corn, and still lets grow the weeding. Biron. The spring is near, when green geese are a-breeding. Dum. How follows that? Biron. Dum. In reason nothing. Biron. Fit in his place and time. Something then in rhyme. Long. Birón is like an envious sneaping1 frost, That bites the first-born infants of the spring. Biron. Well, say I am; why should proud summer boast, Before the birds have any cause to sing? Why should I joy in an abortive birth? At Christmas I no more desire a rose, Than wish a snow in May's new-fangled shows; " So you to study now it is too late Climb o'er the house to unlock the little gate. King. Well, sit you out. Go home, Birón, adieu! Biron. No, my good lord; I have sworn to stay with you: And, though I have for barbarism spoke more, And bide the penance of each three years' day. Biron. [Reads.] Item, That no woman shall come within a mile of my court.-Hath this been proclaimed? Long. Four days ago. Biron. Let's see the penalty. [Reads.] On pain of losing her tongue.-Who devised this penalty? Long. Marry, that did I. Biron. Sweet lord, and why? 1 i. e. nipping. 2 By these shows the poet means May-games, at which a snow would be very unwelcome and unexpected. It is only a periphrasis for May. 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, here comes in embassy The French king's daughter, with yourself to speak,— A maid of grace, and cómplete majesty,About surrender-up of Aquitain To her decrepit, sick, and bed-rid father. Therefore this article is made in vain, Or vainly comes the admired princess hither. Biron. So study evermore is overshot : King. We must, of force, dispense with this decree; She must lie 2 here on mere necessity. Biron. Necessity will make us all forsworn Three thousand times within this three years' space. For every man with his affects is born; Not by might mastered, but by special grace. So to the laws at large I write my name. [Subscribes. Stands in attainder of eternal shame. 3 Suggestions are to others as to me; But, I believe, although I seem so loath, 1 The word gentility here does not signify that rank of people called gentry; but what the French express by gentilesse, i. e. elegantia, urbanitas 2 That is, reside here. 3 Temptations. I am the last that will last keep his oath. King. 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, For interim to our studies, shall relate, Biron. Armado is a most illustrious wight, A man of fire-new words, fashion's own knight. Long. Costard the swain, and he, shall be our sport; And, so to study, three years is but short. Enter DULL, with a Letter, and COSTARD. Dull. Which is the duke's own person? Dull. I myself reprehend his own person, for I am his grace's tharborough; but I would see his own person in flesh and blood. Biron. This is he. Dull. Seignior Arme Armecommends you. There's villany abroad; this letter will tell you more. Cost. Sir, the contempts thereof are as touching me. 1 Lively, sprightly. 2 Complements is here used in its ancient sense of accomplishments. Vide Note on K. Henry V. Act ii. Sc. 2. 3 I will make use of him instead of a minstrel, whose occupation was to relate fabulous stories. 4 i. e. third-borough, a peace-officer. 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?1 Long. To hear meekly, sir, and to laugh moderately; or to forbear both. 2 Biron. Well, sir, be it as the style shall give us cause to climb in the merriness. Cost. The matter is to me, sir, as concerning Jaquenetta. The manner of it is, I was taken with the manner.3 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 park; 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? 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, he is, in telling true, but so, so. 1 «To hear, or forbear laughing?" is possibly the true reading. 2 A quibble is here intended between a stile and style. 3 That is, in the fact. A thief is said to be taken with the manner mainour) when he is taken with the thing stolen about him. The thing stolen was called mainour, manour, or meinour, from the French manier— manu tractare. |