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King. No words!

Cost.

KING reads.

"For Jaquenetta (so is the weaker vessel called,

of other men's secrets, I beseech you. which I apprehended with the aforesaid swain), I keep

KING reads.

"So it is, besieged with sable-colored melancholy, I did commend the black-oppressing humor to the most wholesome physic of thy health-giving air; and, as I am a gentleman, betook myself to walk. The time when? About the sixth hour; when beasts most graze, birds best peck, and men sit down to that nourishment which is called supper. So much for the time when. Now for the ground which; which, I mean, I walked upon it is ycleped thy park. Then for the place where; where, I mean, I did encounter that obscene and most preposterous event, that draweth from my snow-white pen the ebon-colored ink, which here thou viewest, beholdest, surveyest, or seest. But to the place where, — it standeth north-north-east and by east from the west corner of thy curious-knotted garden: there did I see that low-spirited swain, that base minnow of thy mirth,”.

Cost. Me.

KING reads.

"that unlettered small-knowing soul,”.

Cost. Me.

KING reads.

"that shallow vassal,”

Cost. Still me.

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her as a vessel of thy law's fury; and shall, at the least of thy sweet notice, bring her to trial. Thine, in all compliments of devoted and heart-burning heat of duty,

"DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO."

Biron. This is not so well as I looked for, but the best that ever I heard.

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

Cost. Sir, I confess the wench. King. Did you hear the proclamation? Cost. I do confess much of the hearing it, but little of the marking of it.

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

Cost. I was taken with none, sir; I was taken with a damosel.

King. Well, it was proclaimed damosel.

Cost. This was no damosel neither, sir; she was a virgin.

King. It is so varied too; for it was proclaimed virgin.

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

King. This maid will not serve your turn, sir. Cost. This maid will serve my turn, sir.

King. Sir, I will pronounce your sentence: you shall fast a week with bran and water.

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

King. And Don Armado shall be your keeper. My lord Birón, see him delivered o'er :And go we, lords, to put in practice that Which each to other hath so strongly sworn.

[Exeunt KING, LONGAVILLE, and DUMAIN. Biron. I'll lay my head to any good man's hat, These oaths and laws will prove an idle scorn. Sirrah, come on.

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

Moth. You may do it in an hour, sir.
Arm. Impossible.

Moth. How many is one thrice told?

Arm. I am ill at reckoning; it fits the spirit of a tapster.

Moth. You are a gentleman and a gamester, sir. Arm. I confess both; they are both the varnish of a complete man.

Moth. Then I am sure you know how much the gross sum of deuch-ace amounts to.

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

Moth. Why, sir, is this such a piece of study? Now here is three studied ere you'll thrice wink :

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Arm. How canst thou part sadness and melan-three, and study three years in two words, the choly, my tender juvenal?

Moth. By a familiar demonstration of the working, my tough senior?

Arm. Why tough senior? why tough senior? Moth. Why tender juvenal? why tender juvenal ?

Arm. I spoke it, tender juvenal, as a congruent epitheton appertaining to thy young days, which we may nominate tender.

Moth. And I, tough senior, as an appertinent title to your old time, which we may name tough. Arm. Pretty and apt.

Moth. How mean you, sir? I pretty, and my saying apt? or, I apt, and my saying pretty?

Arm. Thou pretty, because little. Moth. Little pretty, because little. apt?

dancing horse will tell you.

Arm. A most fine figure!
Moth. To prove you a cipher.

[Aside.

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Arm. Most sweet Hercules!· More authority, dear boy, name more; and, sweet my child, let Wherefore them be men of good repute and carriage.

Arm. And therefore apt, because quick.

Moth. Sampson, master: he was a man of good carriage, great carriage; for he carried the

town-gates on his back, like a porter: and he was precedent. Boy, I love that country girl that I in love. took in the park with the rational hind Costard; she deserves well.

Arm. O well-knit Sampson! strong-jointed Sampson! I do excel thee in my rapier, as much as thou didst me in carrying gates. I am in love too. Who was Sampson's love, my dear Moth?

Moth. A woman, master.

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 sea-water green, sir. Arm. Is that one of the four complexions? Moth. As I have read, sir; and the best of them too.

Arm. Green, indeed, is the color of lovers: but to have a love of that color, methinks Sampson had small reason for it. He surely affected her for

her wit.

Moth. It was so sir; for she had a green wit. Arm. My love is most immaculate white and red. Moth. Most maculate thoughts, master, are masked under such colors.

Arm. Define, define, well-educated infant.

Moth. My father's wit and my mother's tongue assist me!

Arm. Sweet invocation of a child; most pretty and pathetical!

Moth. If she 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 shewn :
Then, if she fear, or be to blame,

By this you shall not know;
For still her cheeks possess
the same
Which native she doth owe.

Moth. To be whipped; and yet a better love than my master. [Aside.

Arm. Sing, boy; my spirit grows heavy in love.

Moth. And that's great marvel, loving a light wench.

Arm. I say, sing.

Moth. Forbear till this company be past.

Enter DULL, COSTARD, and JAQUENETTA.

Dull. Sir, the duke's pleasure is that you keep Costard safe and you must let him take no delight nor no penance; but he must fast three days a-week. For this damsel, I must keep her at the park; she is allowed for the day-woman. Fare you well.

Arm. I do betray myself with blushing.— Maid!

Jaq. Man!

Arm. I will visit thee at the lodge.
Jaq. That's hereby.

Arm. I know where it is situate.
Jaq. Lord, how wise you are!
Arm. I will tell thee wonders.
Jaq. With that face?

Arm. I love thee.

Jaq. So I heard you say.

Arm. And so farewell.

Jaq. Fair weather after you!

Dull. Come Jaquenetta, away.

[Exeunt DULL and JAQUENETTA. Arm. Villain, thou shalt fast for thy offenses, ere thou be pardoned.

Cost. Well, sir, I hope when I do it, I shall do

A dangerous rhyme, master, against the reason of it on a full stomach. white and red.

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

Moth. The world was very guilty of such a ballad some three ages since, but I think now 't is not to be found; or if it were, it would neither serve for the writing nor the tune.

Arm. I will have the subject newly writ o'er, that I may example my digression by some mighty

Arm. Thou shalt be heavily punished. Cost. I am more bound to you than your fellows, for they were but lightly rewarded.

Arm. Take away this villain; shut him up. Moth. Come, you transgressing slave; away. Cost. Let me not be pent up, sir; I will fast be ing loose.

Moth No, sir; that were fast and loose; thou shalt to prison.

Cost. Well, if ever I do sce the merry days of there is no evil angel but love. Yet Sampson was desolation that I have seen, some shall see

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so tempted, and he had an excellent strength; yet was Solomon so seduced, 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 second cause will not serve my turn; the passado he respects not, the duello he regards not his disgrace is to be called boy, but his glory is to subdue men. Adieu, valor! rust, rapier! be still, drum! for your manager is in love; yea, he loveth. Assist me, some extemporal god of rhyme; for I am sure I shall turn sonnet. Devise, wit; write, pen; for I am for whole volumes in folio. [Exit.

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A Pavil- But now to task the tasker :-good Boyet,
You are not ignorant, all-telling fame
Doth noise abroad, Navarre hath made a vow,

Enter the PRINCESS OF FRANCE, ROSALINE, MARIA, Katharine, BOYET, Lords, and other Attendants.

Till painful study shall outwear three years,
No woman may approach his silent court:
Therefore to us seemeth it a needful course,

Boyet. Now, madam, summon up your dearest Before we enter his forbidden gates,

spirits:

Consider who the king your father sends;

To whom he sends; and what's his embassy:
Yourself, held precious in the world's esteem,
To parley with the sole inheritor

Of all perfections that a man may owe,
Matchless Navarre: the plea of no less weight
Than Aquitain; a dowry for a queen.
Be now as prodigal of all dear grace,
As nature was in making graces dear,

When she did starve the general world beside,
And prodigally gave them all to you.

To know his pleasure; and in that behalf,
Bold of your worthiness, we single you
As our best-moving fair solicitor:
Tell him the daughter of the King of France,
On serious business, craving quick despatch,
Impórtunes personal conference with his grace.
Haste, signify so much; while we attend,
Like humbly-visaged suitors, his high will.
Boyet. Proud of employment, willingly I go.

[Exit. Prin. All pride is willing pride, and yours is

So.

Prin. Good Lord Boyet, my beauty, though but Who are the votaries, my loving lord,

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A man of sovereign parts he is esteemed;
Well fitted in the arts, glorious in arms:
Nothing becomes him ill that he would well.
The only soil of his fair virtue's gloss
(If virtue's gloss will stain with any soil),
Is a sharp wit matched with too blunt a will;

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Whose edge hath power to cut, whose will still wills Enter KING, LONGAVILLE, DUMAIN, BIRON, and

It should none spare that come within his power. Prin. Some merry mocking lord, belike; is 't

so?

Mar. They say so most, that most his humors know.

Attendants.

King. Fair princess, welcome to the court of Navarre.

Prin. Fair, I give you back again; and welcome I have not yet: the roof of this court is too high

Prin. Such short-lived wits do wither as they to be yours; and welcome to the wild fields too base to be mine.

grow.

Who are the rest?

Kath. The young Dumain, a well-accomplished youth,

Of all that virtue love for virtue loved:
Most power to do most harm, least knowing ill;
For he hath wit to make an ill shape good,
And shape to win grace though he had no wit.
I saw him at the Duke Alençon's once;
And much too little of that good I saw,
Is my report, to his great worthiness.

Ros. Another of these students at that time
Was there with him; if I have heard a truth,
Birón they call him; but a merrier man,
Within the limit of becoming mirth,
I never spent an hour's talk withal:
His eye begets occasion for his wit;
For every object that the one doth catch,
The other turns to a mirth-moving jest ;
Which his fair tongue (conceit's expositor)
Delivers in such apt and gracious words,
That agéd ears play truant at his tales,
And younger hearings are quite ravishéd;
So sweet and voluble is his discourse.

Prin. God bless my ladies! are they all in love;
That every one her own hath garnishéd
With such bedecking ornaments of praise?
Mar. Here comes Boyet.

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King. You shall be welcome, madam, to my

court.

Prin. I will be welcome, then; conduct me thither.

King. Hear me, dear lady; I have sworn an oath.

Prin. Our lady help my lord; he 'll be forsworn. King. Not for the world, fair madam, by my

will.

Prin. Why, will shall break it; will, and nothing else.

King. Your ladyship is ignorant what it is.

Prin. Were my lord so, his ignorance were wise,
Where now his knowledge must prove ignorance.
I hear your grace hath sworn out housekeeping:
'Tis deadly sin to keep that oath, my lord,
And sin to break it:

But pardon me, I am too sudden bold;
To teach a teacher ill beseemeth me.
Vouchsafe to read the purpose of my coming,
And suddenly resolve me in my suit.

[Gives a paper.
King. Madam, I will, if suddenly I may.
Prin. You will the sooner, that I were away;
For you'll prove perjured if you make me stay.
Biron. Did not I dance with you in Brabant

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