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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.

ACTI.

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King L

Live regiftred upon our brazen tombs, And then grace us in the difgrace of death; When, fpight of cormorant devouring Time, The endeavour of this present breath may buy That honour, which shall bate his scythe'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 past, 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 fast; 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 grofs world's bafer flaves:
To love, to wealth, to pomp, I pine and die;
With all thefe living in philofophy.

Biron. I can but say their proteftation over, So much, dear liege, I have already fworn, That is, To live and ftudy here three years. But there are other strict obfervances: 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 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, thefe are barren tasks, too hard to keep; Not to see ladies, study, fast, nor sleep.

King. Your oath is pafs'd to pafs away from these, Biron. Let me fay, no, my liege, an if you please; I only fwore, to study with your grace, And itay 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 fwore in jest.→ What

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What is the end of ftudy? let me know. Arg. Why, that to know, which elfe we should not know.

Biron. Things hid and barr'd (you mean) from common fenfe?

King. Ay, that is ftudy's god-like recompence. Biron. Come on then, I will fwear to study fo, To know the thing I am forbid to know: As thus,-To ftudy where I well may dine,

When I to feaft exprefsly am forbid;

r, itudy where to meet fome miftrefs 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: Swear me to this, and I will ne'er fay, no.

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At Christmas I no more defire a rofe,
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,
That were to climb o'er the houfe 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 say,
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 ftri&t'ft decrees I'll write my name.
King. How well this yielding refcues thee

from fhame!

Biron. "Item, That no woman fhall come with

King. These be the ftops that hinder ftudy 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 moit 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:

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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 indeed,

By fixing it upon a fairer eye:
Who dazzling fo, that eye fhall be his beed 2,

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

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

Save bafe authority from others' books. Thefe earthly godfathers of heaven's lights, That give a name to every fixed star, Have no more profit of their fhining nights,

Than thofe that walk and wot not what they are. Too much to know, is, to know nought but farne; And every godfather can give a name.

Ag. How well he's read, to reafon again readDam. Proceeded 3 well, to top all goed proceeding!

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Long. Marry, that did I.

Bion. Sweet lord, and why? [penalty. Long. To fright them hence with that dread Biron. A dangerous law against gentility 5! Item, [Reading.] If any man be feen to talk with a woman within the term of three years, "he fhall endure fuch public fhame as the rett of "the court can poffibly devife."

This article, my liege, yourself must break;

For, well you know, here comes in embaffy The French king's daughter, with yourself to speak,-A maid of grace, and complete majesty,— 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 forgot.

Bicos. So ftudy evermore is overfhot; While it doth study to have what it would, It doth forget to do the thing it should;

Leng. He weeds the com, and fill lets grow the' And when it hath the thing it hunteth most,

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That is, treacheronfly. 2 Heed have means his direction or lode-flar. 3 Proceeded must here be underfood in the academical fentc of taking a digree: the meaning of the pallage then will be, le has taken his degree on the art of itopping the degrees of others." 41. c. Checking, 5 Meanang, zaidi földekafs and urbanity. 761. c. Temptations.

But,

But, I believe, although I feem 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 fashion planted,
That hath a miut of phrafes in bis brain:
One, whom the muck of his own vain tongue

Doth ravih, like inchanting harmony;
A man of complements?, whom right and wrong
Have chofe as umpire of their mutiny:
This child of fancy, that Armado hight,

For interim to our ftudies, fhall relate,
In high-born words, the worth of many a knight
From tawny Spain, loft in the worid'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 miniftreliy.

Biron. Armado is a moft illuftrious wight,

A man of fire-new words, fafhion's own knight.

Coft. As it fhall follow in my correction; And ̧
God defend the right!

King. Will you hear the letter with attention
Biron. As we would hear an oracle.

Caft. Such is the fimplicity of man to hearken after the flesh.

King. [Read] "Creat deputy, the welkin's.
"vice-gerent, and fole dominator of Navarre, my
"foul's earth's God, and body's foft'ring pa
"tron,-"

Coft. Not a word of Coftard yet :
King. "So it is,"-

Cof. It may be fo; but if he fay it is fo, he is,
in telling true, but fo, fo.
King, Peace.

Coft.be to me, and every man that dares not fight!

King. No words.

Cof. --of other men's fecrets, I beseech you. King. "So it is, befieged with fable-colour'd "melancholy, I did commend the black oppreffing

Long. Coftard the fwain and he fhall be our" humour to the most wholesome phyfick of thy

Sport;

And, fo to study, three years is but short.

Enter Dull, and Cgfard, with a letter. Dall. Which is the duke's own perfon? Biron. This, fellow; What would'it ?

health-giving air; and, as I am a gentleman, "hetook myfelf to walk. The time, when?,

About the fixth hour; when beats moft graze, "birds beft peck, and men fit down to that nou"rifhment which is called fupper. So much for the time when : Now for the ground which ;which, I mean, I walk'd upon it is ycleped, thy park. Then for the place where: where, "I mean, I did encounter that obfcene and moft "prepofterous event, that draweth from my fnow

Dull. I myself reprehend his own perfon, for I" am his grace's tharborough 3; but I would fee his own perfon in flesh and blood.

Biron. This is he.

Dull. Signior Arme-, Arme,commends you. There's villainy abroad; this letter will tell you! "white pen the ebon-colour'd ink, which here

лиже.

Caft. Sir, the contempts thereof are as touching

nie.

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

"thou vieweft, beholdest, surveyest, or feeft :--"But to the pl..ce, where,-It ftandeth north"north-caft and by eat from the weft corner of thy curious-knotted garden: There did I fee that low-fpirited fwain, that base minnow of thy “mith," (Cf. Me.) " that unletter'd fmall

Long. A high hope for a low having 4 :-God" knowing foul," (Coff. Me.) "that fhallow vaf-. grant us patience.

Biron. To hear? or forbear hearing?

Lang. To hear meekly, fir, and to laugh moderately; or to forbear botn.

Biran. Well, fir, be it as the ftile fhall give us caufe to climb in the merriness.

Cof. 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?

"fal," (Caf. Still me.) which, as I remember, "hight Coftard," (Cf. O me !) "forted and conforted, contrary to thy established proclaimed edict and continent canon, with,-with,-O with, but with this I pailion to fay where " with--"

Caft. With a wench.

King "with a child of our grandmother Eve, a "female; or, for thy more fweet understanding, a woman. Him, I (as my ever efteemed duty Cof. In manner and form following, fir; all" pricks me on) have fent to thee, to receive the thofe three: I was feen with her in the maner-" meed of punishment, by thy fweet grace's offihouse, fitting with her upon the form, and taken“ cer, Anthony Dull; a man of good repute, 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 speak to a woman: for the form,-in fome form. Biron. For the following, fir?

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i. e. lively fport, 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 conitable. 4 i. e. a low poffeffion, or & quifition. $ A phrafe then used to signify, taken in the fact, Meaning, that contemptibly. Intle object of thy mirth, afad

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"faid fwain) I keep her as a veffel of thy law's| Arm. I spoke it, tender juvenal, as a congruent fury; and fhall, at the leaft of thy fweet 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,

"DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO." Biron. This is not fo well as I look'd for, but the beft 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 ?

Math. And I, tough fignior, as an appertinent title to your old time, which we may name, tough.

Arm. Pretty, and apt.

Moth. How mean you, fir I pretty, and my
faying apt or I apt, and my saying pretty?
Arm. Thou pretty, because little.
Moth. Little pretty, becaufe little : Wherefore

Cofl. I do confefs much of the hearing it, but apt? 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 damofel.

Coft. This was no damofel neither, fir; fhe 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.
Caft. This maid will ferve my turn, fir.
King. Sir, I will pronounce fentence; You fhall
fast a week with bran and water.

Coft. I had rather pray a month with mutton and porridge.

Arm. And therefore apt, because quick.
Moth. Speak you this in my praife, master?
Arm. In thy condign praise.

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

Arm. I do fay, thou art quick in anfwers-
Thou heat'ft my blood.

Moth. I am anfwer'd, fir.

Arm. I love not to be croís'd.

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

Arm. I have promised to study three years with the duke.

King. And Don Armado fhall be your keeper.a
My lord Biron, fee him deliver'd o'er.-
And go we, lords, to put in practice that

Which each to other hath fo ftrongly fworn.

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

Coft. I fuffer for the truth, fir: for true 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! [Exeunt

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Enter Armado and Moth.

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

Meth. How many is one thrice told?
Arm. I am ill at reckoning, it fitteth the spirit of
tapfter.

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

Math. Then, I am fure, you know how much the grofs fum of deuce-ace amounts te.

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

Arm. True.

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

Arm. A moft fine figure!

Moth. To prove you a cypher.

Arm. I will hereupon confefs, I am in love; Arm. Boy, what fign is it, when a man of great and as it is bafe for a foldier to love, fo I am in fpirit grows melancholy?

love with a bafe 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, fadnefs is one and the felf-fame thing, dear imp1.

Moth. No, no: O lord, fir, no.

from the reprobate thought of it, I would take defire prifoner; and ranfom him to any French courtier for a new devis'd court'fy. Ithink scorn

Arm. How can'ft thou part fadnefs and melan-to f; methinks, I should out-fwear Cupid. choly, my tender juvenal ??

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. Hercules, mafter.

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

nal?

Imp was formerly a term of dignity. i. e. my tender youth.

3 Croffes here mean money.

4 This alludes to a horfe belonging to one Banks, which played many remarkable pranks, and is fiequently mentioned by many writers contemporary with Shakspeare.

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Moth. Sampfon, master: he was a man of good | Costard safe: and you must let him take no delight, carriage, great carriage; for he carried the town nor no penance; but a' muit faft three days a gates on his back, like a porter: and he was in week: For this damfel, I must keep her at the dove. park; fhe is allow'd for the day-woman. you well.

Arm. O well-knit Sampfon! ftrong-jointed
Sampion! 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?
Moth. A woman, master.
Arm. Of what complexion?

Math. Of all the four, or the three, or the two;
or one of the four.

Arm. Tell me precifely of what complexion?
Moth. Of the fea-water green, fir.

m. Is that one of the four complexions?
Moth. As I have read, fir; and the best of
them too.

Ain. Green, indeed, is the colour of lovers: but to have a love of that colour, methinks, Sampfon had small reafon for it. He, furely, affected her for her wit.

Math. It was fo, fir; for fhe had a green wit. Arm. My love is moft immaculate white and red.

Math. 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!

irm. 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 blushing 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 fhe doth owe.

Fare

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

Arm. I will vifit thee at the lodge.

faq. 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 fhalt faft for thy offences ere thou be pardoned.

Coft. Well, fir, I hope, when I do it, I do it on a full stomach.

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; fhut him up. Moth. Come, you tranfgreffing flave; away. Caft. Let me not be pent up, fir; I will faft, being loose.

Moth. No, fir; that were faft and loofe: thou fhalt to prifon.

Coft. Well, if ever I do fee the merry days of defolation that I have feen, some shall feeMoth. What fhall fome fee?

Coft. Nay, nothing, master Moth, but what they
look upon.
It is not for prifoners to be filent in
their words; and, therefore, I will fay nothing:
I thank God, I have as little patience as another

A dangerous rhime, mafter, against the reafon of man; and therefore I can be quiet.
white and red.

A. Is there not a ballad, boy, of the King and
the Beggar?

[Exeunt Moth and Coftard.

Arm. I do affect the very ground, which is base, where her fhoe, which is bafer, guided by her Math, The world was very guilty of fuch a bal-foot, which is baseft, doth tread. I fhall be forLad fome three ages fince: but, I think, now 'tis fworn, (which is a great argument of falfhood) if 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 digreffion by fome mighty precedent. Boy, I do love that country girl, that 1 took in the park with the rational hind Coftard; the deferves well.

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 fo 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 Moth. To be whipp'd; and yet a better love for a Spaniard's rapier. The first and fecond caufe than my mafter. [Afide. will not ferve my turn; the paffado he refpects Arm. Sing, boy, my fpirit grows heavy in love. not, the duello he regards not his difgrace is to be Moth. And that's great marvel, loving a light call'd boy; but his glory is, to fubdue men. Adieu, valour! ruft, rapier! be ftill, 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 pen; for I am for whole volumes in folio.

wench.

Arm. I fay, fing.

Meth. Forbear, till this company be past.
Enter Dull, Coftard, and Jaquenetta.
Dall, Sir, the duke's pleasure is, that you keep

Digreffion here fignifies the act of going out of the right way. 2 That is, love,

[Exit.

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