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

ACT

1.

I.

SCENE

Navarre. The Palace.

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

King L

And then grace us in the difgrace of death;
When, spight of cormorant devouring Time,
The endeavour of this present breath may buy
That honour, which shall bate his icythe's keen edge,
And make us heirs of all eternity.
Therefore, brave conquerors!-for so you are,
That war against your own affections,
And the huge army of the world's defires,-
Our late edict shall strongly stand in force:
Navarre shall be the wonder of the world;
Our court shall be a little Academe,
Still and contemplative in living art.
You three, Biron, Dumain, and Longaville,
Have fworn for three years' term to live with me,
My fellow-fcholars, and to keep those statutes,
That are recorded in this schedule here:

Your oaths are paft, and now subscribe your names;
That his own hand may strike his honour down,.
That violates the smallest branch herein:
If you are arm'd to do, as fworn to do,
Subfcribe to your deep oath, and keep it too.
Long. I am refolv'd: 'tis but a three years faft;
The mind shall 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 slaves:
To love, to wealth, to pomp, I pine and die;
With all these living in philofophy.

Biron. I can but say their protestation over,
So much, dear liege, I have already fworn,
That is, To live and study here three years.
But there are other strict 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 fleep but three hours in the night,
And not be seen 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 tasks, 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 say, no, my liege, an if you please;
I only swore, to study with your grace,
And stay here in your court for three years' space.
Long. You fwore to that, Biron, and to the rest.
Biron. By yea and nay, fir, then I wore in jest.

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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 to,
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;

Ar, study where to meet fome mistress fine,
When miftreffes 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:
Sweer me to this, and I will ne'er fay, no.

}

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LA Christmas I no more defire a rose,
Than with a fnow in May's new-fangled shows;
But bike 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 ftay
with you:

And, though I have for barbarifm fpoke 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'st decrees I'll write my name.
King. How well this yielding refcues thee

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
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 eyesight of his look:

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,
And give him light that was it blinded by.
Study is like the heaven's glorious fuu,

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

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.
Dum. In reafon nothing.

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
The French king's daughter, with yourself to fpeak,--
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 princefs hither.
King. What fay you, lords? why, this was quite
forgot.

Bion. So study evermore is overfhot;
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 worn, as towns with fire; fo won, fo loft.

Kg. We must, of force, difpenfe with this decree;
She must lye here on mere necetlity.

Biron. Necetlity will make as all forfworn
Three thousand times within this three years
For every man with his affects is born;
[fpace,

Not by might mafter'd, but by special grace:
It 1 break faith, this word shall speak for me,
kam forfworn on mere neceffity.-
So to the kiws at large I write my name:

And he, that breaks them in the least degree,
Stands In attainder of eternal shame:

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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,
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 haunted

With a refined traveller of Spain;

A man in all the world's new fafhion planted,
That hath a mint of phrafes in his brain:
One, whom the mufick of his own vain tongue
Doth ravish, like inchanting harmony;
A man of complements, whom right and wrong
Have chose as umpire of their mutiny:
This child of fancy, that Armado hight,

For interim to our ftudies, fshall relate,
In 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, I proteft, I love to hear him lie,
And I will ufe him for my miniftrelfy.

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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?

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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.

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"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.
Coft. This was no damosel neither, fir; she was

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.
Coft. This maid will ferve my 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.

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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 fpirit 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,
These 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 profperity! Affliction may one day smile again, and till then, Sit thee down, forrow! [Exsunt

SCENE II.
Armado's House.

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. Which the base vulgar do call, three.
Arm. True.

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?
Moth. Why tender juvenal? why tender juve-

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?
Moth. Of the fea-water green, fir.

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;
For blufhing cheeks by faults are bred,
And fears by pale-white shown:
Then, if the fear, or be to blame,

By this you shall not know;
For ftill her cheeks poffefs the fame,
Which native she doth owe.

A dangerous rhime, master, against the reason of
white and red.

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
you well.

Arm. I do betray myself with blufhing.-Maid.
Jaq. Man.

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!
Arm. I will tell thee wonders.

Jaq. With that face?

Arm. I love thee.

Jaq. So I heard you fay.
Arm. And fo farewell.

Jaq. Fair weather after you!
Dull. Come, Jaquenetta, away.

[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.
Moth. Come, you tranfgreffing flave; away.
Coft. Let me not be pent up, fir; I will faft,

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,

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