Bene. Question!--Why, an hour in clamour, and a quarter in rheum: Therefore it is most expedient for the wife, (if Don Worm, his conscience, find no impediment to the contrary) to be 15 the trumpet of his own virtues, as I am to myself: So much for praising myself, (who, I myself wil bear witness, is praise-worthy) and now tell me, How doth your cousin? Beat. Very ill.

Urs. Madam, you must come to your uncle: yonder's old coil at home: it is proved, my lady Hero hath been falsely accus'd, the prince and Claudio mightily abus'd; and Don John is the author of all, who is fled and gone: Will you 30 come presently?

Beat. Will you go hear this news, signior? Bene. I will live in thy heart, die in thy lap. and be bury'd in thy eyes; and moreover, I will go with thee to thy uncle. [Exeunt. 35

Enter Don Pedro, Claudio, and Attendants, 40 And give her to young Claudio. [Exeunt Ladies.

That is, when men were not envious, but every one gave another his due. question's there, or what a foolish question do you ask.

Leon. Good morrow, prince; good morrow,
Claudio;

We here attend you; are you yet determin'd
To-day to marry with my brother's daughter?
Claud. I'll hold my mind, were she an Ethiope. 5
Leon. Call her forth, brother, here's the friar
ready.
[Exit Antonio.

Pedro. Good morrow, Benedick: Why, what's
That you have such a February face, [the matter,
So full of frost, of storm, and cloudiness?

Claud. I think he thinks upon the savage bull:-
Tush, fear not, man, we'll tip thy horns with gold,
And all Europa shall rejoice at thee;
As once Europa did at lusty Jove,
When he would play the noble beast in love.

Bene. They swore, that you were almost siek
for me.
[for me.
Beat. They swore, that you were well-nigh dead
Bene. 'Tis no such matter:-Then, you do not
love me?

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

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

Hero. And here's another,

Writ in my cousin's hand, stolen from her pocket, 15 Containing her affection unto Benedick.

Bene. Bull Jove, sir, had an amiable low;
And some such strange bull leapt your father's cow,
And got a calf in that same noble feat,
Much like to you, for you have just his bleat.
Re-enter Antonio, with Hero, Beatrice, Marga-20
ret, and Ursula, mask'd.

Claud. For this I owe you: here come other
reck'nings.

[hand

25

Which is the lady I must seize upon?
Ant. This same is she, and I do give you her.
Claud. Why, then she's mine: Sweet, let me
see your face.
Leon. No, that you shall not, till you take her
Before this triar, and swear to marry her.
Claud. Give me your hand before this holy friar; 30
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, surely as I live, I am a maid.

Bene. A miracle! here's our own hands against our hearts!-Come, I will have thee; but, by this light, I take thee for pity.

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

Bene. Peace, I will stop your mouth.-[Kissing her. Pedro.How dost thou, Benedick the married man? Bene. I'll tell thee what, prince; a college of witcrackers cannot flout me out of my humour: Dost thou think I care for a satire, or an epigram? No: if a man will be beaten with brains, he shall wear nothing handsome about him: In brief, since I do purpose to marry, I will think nothing to any purpose that the world can say against it; and therefore never flout at me for what I have said against it; for man is a giddy thing, and this is 35 my conclusion.-For thy part, Claudio, I did think to have beaten thee; but in that thou art like to be my kinsman, live unbruis'd, and love my cousin.

Pedro. The former Hero! Hero, that is dead!
Leon. She dy'd, my lord, but whiles her slander 40
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 seem familiar,
And to the chapel let us presently.

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

Beat. Why, no, no more than reason.
Bene. Why, then, your uncle, and the prince,
and Claudio,

Have been deceived; they swore you did.
Beat. Do not you love me?

Bene. Troth, no, no more than reason.

Beat. Why, then, my cousin, Margaret, and

Ursula,

Are much dece.v'd; for they did swear you did.

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

Bene. Come, come, we are friends:―let's have 45 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, musick.-Prince, thou art sad; get thee a wife, get 50thee a wife: there is no staff more reverend than one tipt with horn.

155

Enter Messenger.

Mess. My lord, your brother John is ta'en in flight, And brought with armed men back to Messina. Bene. Think not on him till to-morrow: I'll devise thee brave punishments for him.-Strike up, pipers.

[Dance. [Exeunt omnes.

LOVE'S

BOYET, Lords, attending upon the Princess
MERCADE, S of France.

Don ADRIANO DE ARMADO, {

NATHANIEL, a Curate.
DULL, a Constable.

a fantastical
Spaniard.

HOLOFERNES, a Schoolmaster.
COSTARD, a Clown.

MOTH, Page to Don Adriano de Armado.
A Forester.

Princess of France.

ROSALINE,

MARIA,

KATHARINE,

Ladies, attending on the

-Princess.

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.

SCENE I.

Navarre. The Palace.

A C T I.

Enter the King, Biron, Longaville, and Dumain.
King. ET fame, that all hunt after in their lives,
Live registered upon our brazen tombs,
And then grace us in the disgrace of death;
When, spight of cormorant devouring Time,
The endeavour of this present breath
may buy
That honour, which shall bate his scythe'skeenedge,
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 desires,-
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 sworn for three years' term to live with me,
My fellow-scholars, and to keep those statutes,
That are recorded in this schedule here: [names;
Your oaths are past, and now subscribe your
That his own hand may strike his honour down,
That violates the smallest branch herein:
If you are arm'd to do, as sworn to do,
Subscribe to your deep oath, and keep it too.
Long. I am resolv'd: 'tis but a three years fast:
The mind shall banquet, though the body pine:

5

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 grosser 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 philosophy.

Biron. I can but say their protestation over,
So much, dear liege, I have already sworn,
10 That is, to live and study here three years.
But there are other strict observances:
As, not to see a woman in that term;
Which, I hope well, is not enrolled there.
And, one day in a week to touch no food;
15 And but one meal on every day beside;
The which, I hope, is not enrolled there.
And then, to sleep 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,
20 And make a dark night too of half the day)
Which, I hope well, is not enrolied there.
O, these are barren tasks, too hard to keep ;
Nor to see ladies study, fast, nor sleep. [these.
King. Your oath is pass'd to pass away from
Biron. Letmesay, no, my liege, anif you please;
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 rest.
Biron, By yea and nay, sir, then I swore in jest.
L2
What

25

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 recompence.
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 not 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 hinder study quite,
And train our intellects to vain delight. [vain.
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 seek the light of truth; while truth the while,
Doth falsely bind the eyesight 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 losing of your eyes.
Study me how to please the eye indeed,

By fixing it upon a fairer eye:
Who dazzling so, that eye shall be his heed',
And give him light that was it blinded by.
Study is like the heaven's glorious sun,

That will not be deep-search'd with saucy looks:
Small have continual plodders ever won,
Save base authoriry 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.

[ing

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

5

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

And, though I have for barbarism spoke more,
Than for that angel knowledge you can say,
Yet confident I'll keep what I have swore,

And bide the penance of each three years' day.
Give me the paper, let me read the same;
And to the strict'st decrees I'll write my name.
15 King. How well this yielding rescues thee
from shame!

20

25

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 see the penalty." On pain of "losing 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 against gentility"! "Item, [Reading.] If any man be seen to talk "with a woman within the term of three years, 30" he shall endure such public shame as the rest of the court can possibly devise."

35

40

Long. He weeds the corn, and still lets grow the 45 weeding.

Biron. The spring is near, when green geese are a-breeding.

Dum. How follows that?

Biron. Fit in his place and time.
Dum. In reason nothing.

Biron. Something then in rhime.

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 complete 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.
King. What say you, lords? why, this was 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,
I is won, as towns with fire; so won, so lost.
King. Wemust,offorce, dispense with this decree;
She must lye here on mere necessity.

Eiron. Necessity will make us all forsworn
50 Three thousand times within this three years
For every man with his affects is born; [space,
Not by might master'd, but by special grace:
If I break faith, this word shall speak for me,
I am forsworn on mere necessity-
So to the laws at large I write my name:

Long. Biron is like an envious sneaping frost,
That bites the first-born infants of the spring.
Birou. Well, say I am? why should proud sum-55
mer boast,

Before the birds have any cause to sing?
Why should I joy in an abortive birth?

And he, that breaks them in the least degree, Stands in attainder of eternal shame: Suggestions are to others, as to me:

6

That is, treacherously. 2 Heed here means his direction or lode-star. 3 Proceeded must here be understood in the academical sense of taking a degree; the meaning of the passage then will be, "He "has taken his degree on the art of stopping the degrees of others." i. e. Checking. Meaning,

5

against politeness and urbanity; for men without women become brutal and savage. 'i. e. Tempta

tions.

But,

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

Cost. Sir, the contents thereof are as touching

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.

Cost. As it shall follow in my correction; And
God defend the right!

King. Will you hear the 'tter 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 "vice-gerent, and sole dominator of Navarre, my soul's earth's God, and body's fost ring pa 10" tron,-"

15

20

Biron. Weil, sir, be it as the stile shall give us 45" 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.

Biron. In what manner?

Cost. In manner and form following, sir; all those three: I was seen with her in the manorhouse, 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 55 the manner,—it is the manner of a man to speak to a woman: for some form.

Biron. For the following, sir?

2

1i. e. Lively sport, or sprightly diversion. Complement, in Shakspeare's time, not only signified verbal civility, but the external accomplishments or ornamental appendages of a character. i. e. Thirdborough, a peace-officer, assistant to the constable, who acts also in his absence. possession, or acquisition. A phrase then used to signify, taken in the fact. Meaning, that as the minnow is one of the least esteemed of fish, so the object of his mirth is one of the most contemptible *said of men.