DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. FERDINAND, King of Navarre. BIRON, LONGAVILLE, Lords, attending on the King. BOYET, MERCADE, Lords, attending on the Princess of France. Don ADRIANO DE ARMADO, a fantastical Spaniard. HOLOFERNES, a Schoolmaster. COSTARD, a Clown. MOTH, page to ARMADO. Lords and others, attendants on the King and Princess. SCENE,-NAVARRE. LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST. ACT I. SCENE I.—A Park, with a Palace in it. Enter the King, BIRON, LONGAVILLE, and DUMAIN. King. Let fame, that all hunt after in their lives, Live register'd upon our brazen tombs, And then grace us in the disgrace of death; Th' endeavour of this present breath may buy That honour which shall bate his scythe's keen edge, Therefore, brave conquerors,-for so you are, And the huge army of the world's desires,- You three, Biron, Dumain, and Longaville, Your oaths are past; and now subscribe your names, If you are arm'd to do, as sworn to do, Subscribe to your deep oaths, and keep it too. Long. I am resolv'd; 'tis but a three years' fast: The mind shall banquet, though the body pine: Fat paunches have lean pates; and dainty bits Dum. My loving lord, Dumain is mortified: Biron. I can but say their protestation over ; King. Your oath is pass'd to pass away from these, And stay here in your court for three years' space. Long. You swore to that, Biron, and to the rest. 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 recompense. Biron. Come on, then; I will swear to study so, To know the thing I am forbid to know: When mistresses from common sense are hid; 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, Biron. Why, all delights are vain; but that most vain, To seek the light of truth; while truth the while Light, seeking light, doth light of light beguile : By fixing it upon a fairer eye; Who dazzling so, that eye shall be his heed, And give him light that it was 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 authority from others' books. These earthly godfathers of heaven's lights, That give a name to every fixèd 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 naught but fame; And every godfather can give a name. King. How well he's read, to reason against reading! Biron. Dum. In reason nothing. Biron. Fit in his place and time. Something, then, in rhyme. King. Biron is like an envious sneaping 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, Biron: adieu ! Biron. No, my good lord; I have sworn to stay with you: Than for that angel knowledge you can say, And bide the penance of each three years' day. And to the strict'st decrees I'll write my name. King. How well this yielding rescues thee from shame! Biron. [Reads.] "Item, That no woman shall come within a mile of my court," Hath this been proclaim'd? 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? 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,- About surrender up of Aquitain To her decrepit, sick, and bed-rid father: Or vainly comes th' admired princess hither. While it doth study to have what it would, Biron. Necessity will make us all forsworn Three thousand times within this three years' 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.- [Subscribes. |