beth. A lady was selected, and was presented to the ambassador in a pavilion in the gardens of York House with a ceremony which may have given a hint for the masque of the Muscovites in v. ii. 158 ff., especially as the episode was long remembered as a joke. In the characters of Armado and Holofernes traces have been found of the stock types of the braggart soldier and the pedant of Latin and Italian comedy. In the stage directions of the early copies, Armado is often called "Braggart,” and Holofernes" Pedant." Some of the former's characteristics may have been suggested by an eccentric Italian who haunted the court of Elizabeth, and was known as the "fantastical monarcho." Boyet calls Armado “a phantasime, a Monarcho" (Iv. i. 101), and Holofernes refers to him as a "fanatical phantasime " (v. i. 19). The name of Holofernes may be due to its occurrence in Rabelais as that of the tutor of Garagantua. The rustic pedant had been recently exploited by Sir Philip Sidney in the character of Rombus in The Lady of the May. The scraps of Latin put into the mouth of Holofernes and of Nathaniel are taken from sixteenth-century school-books, a fact which may partly account for the attempts to find in the Pedant a portrait of Shakespeare's own schoolmaster. Endeavors to identify him with John Florio, and to point out in other characters in the play allusions to men concerned in current controversies, are not convincing. The main point of Love's Labour's Lost for Shakespeare's contemporaries must have been in its pervading burlesque of current fads and affectations. The wit-combats of the lords and ladies, the affected diction of the sonneteering courtiers, the preposterous bombast of Armado, the latinized English and pedantic alliteration of Holofernes, and the quips of Moth, are all parodies of the absurdities into which the prevailing interest in linguistic feats had led almost all classes of Elizabethan society. Euphuism is to-day the most familiar of these fashions, but Euphuism itself, in the strict sense, is not specifically attacked. There are, however, other indications of the influence of Lyly, at this date by far the greatest master of English comedy. The farcical scenes with Moth, Armado, and the clowns, the repartee between the ladies and the courtiers, the scene in which the lovers betray their broken vows, and the general method of representing courtly intercourse, are all foreshadowed in the work of Lyly. Nor need it be supposed that all the verbal affectation and quaintnesses in the play are due to a burlesque intention. Shakespeare himself, as all his early work goes to show, was fascinated by the word-play in which his contemporaries indulged, and the eloquence of the finer speeches of Biron is probably the outcome of a genuine delight in the discovery of his own power to manipulate words as skilfully as his fellows. The general drift of the play is evident alike in the plot and in the verbal parodies, namely, the exposure of the absurdity of departing from common sense, and the ability of Nature to assert herself to the discomfiture of those who foolishly attempt to organize society on artificial lines that run counter to the fundamental laws of our constitution. "mote;" "Biron," or "Berowne" as it appears in the early copies, is accented on the second syllable, and rimes with "moon;" 66 Boyet" rimes with "debt;" Moth was pronounced and "Rosaline " rimes with "thine." ACT I [SCENE I. The king of Navarre's park.] Enter FERDINAND, king of Navarre, BIRON, LONGAVILLE, and DUMAIN. King. Let fame, that all hunt after in their lives, Live regist'red upon our brazen tombs And make us heirs of all eternity. Therefore, brave conquerors, for so you are, And the huge army of the world's desires, -10 15 35 Bir. I can but say their protestation over. So much, dear liege, I have already sworn, 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, 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 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 see ladies, study, fast, not sleep! King. Your oath is pass'd to pass away from these. 46 What is the end of study? Let me know. King. Why, that to know which else we should not know. Bir. Things hid and barr'd, you mean, from common sense? King. Ay, that is study's god-like recom To know the thing I am forbid to know; Long. To fright them hence with that dread penalty. [Bir.] A dangerous law against gentility! [Reads.] Item, If any man be seen to talk [180 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 186 The French king's daughter with yourself to speak A maid of grace and complete majesty About surrender up of Aquitaine To her decrepit, sick, and bedrid father; Therefore this article is made in vain, 140 Or vainly comes the admired princess hither. King. What say you, lords? Why, this was quite forgot. [Subscribes.] 160 And he that breaks them in the least degree Stands in attainder of eternal shame. Suggestions are to other as to me; But I believe, although I seem so loath, 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 mint of phrases in his brain; 166 One who the music of his own vain tongue Doth ravish like enchanting harmony; 170 A man of complements, whom right and wrong 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. [210 Now, sir, for the manner, it is the manner of a man to speak to a woman; for the form, in some form. Bir. For the following, sir? Cost. As it shall follow in my correction; and God defend the right! 215 King. Will you hear this letter with attention? Bir. As we would hear an oracle. Cost. Such is the simplicity of man to hearken after the flesh. 220 King. [Reads.] "Great deputy, the welkin's vicegerent, and sole dominator of Navarre, my soul's earth's god, and body's fostering patron." Cost. Not a word of Costard yet. King. [Reads.] "So it is." 225 Cost. It may be so; but if he say it is so, he is, in telling true, but so. King. Peace! Cost. Be to me, and every man that dares not fight! King. No words! 230 Cost. Of other men's secrets, I beseech you. King. [Reads.] "So it is, besieged with sable-coloured melancholy, I did commend the black oppressing humour to the most wholesome physic of thy health-giving air; and, as I am [235 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 [240 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 obscene and most preposterous event, that draweth from my snow-white pen the ebon- [245 coloured 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 gardeL There did I see that low-spirited swain, [250 that base minnow of thy mirth,' King. [Reads.] "Sorted and consorted, contrary to thy established proclaimed edict and continent canon, which with-O, with-but with this I passion to say wherewith," Cost. With a wench. 265 King. [Reads.] "With a child of our grandmother Eve, a female; or, for thy more sweet understanding, a woman. Him I, as my everesteemed duty pricks me on, have sent to thee, to receive the meed of punishment, by thy sweet Grace's officer, Anthony Dull; a man of [270 good repute, carriage, bearing, and estimation." Dull. Me, an 't shall please you; I am Anthony Dull. King. [Reads.] "For Jaquenetta, — so is the weaker vessel called which I apprehend- [275 ed with the aforesaid swain, I keep 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 heartburning heat of duty, 280 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. 285 Moth. You may do it in an hour, sir. Arm. Impossible. King. This maid will not serve your turn, sir. 300 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. 306 King. And Don Armado shall be your keeper. 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 sworn. [Exeunt King, Longaville, and Dumain.] Bir. I'll lay my head to any good man's hat, 310 These oaths and laws will prove an idle scorn. Sirrah, come on. Cost. I suffer for the truth, sir; for true it is, I was taken with Jaquenetta, and Jaquenetta is a true girl; and therefore welcome the sour cup of prosperity! Affliction may one day [315 smile again; and till then, sit thee down, sorrow! [Exeunt. Moth. How many is one thrice told? Arm. I am ill at reckoning; it fitteth the spirit of a tapster. Moth. You are a gentleman and a gamester, sir? Arm. I confess both; they are both the var nish of a complete man. Moth. Then, I am sure, you know how much the gross sum of deuce-ace amounts to. Arm. It doth amount to one more than two. se 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 ye'll thrice wink; and how easy it is to put "years" to the word "three," and study three years in two [45 words, the dancing horse will tell you. Arm. A most fine figure! Moth. To prove you a cipher. Arm. I will hereupon confess I am in love; [* and as it is base for a soldier to love, so am I in love with a base wench. If drawing my sword against the humour of affection would deliver me from the reprobate thought of it, I would take Desire prisoner, and ransom him to any French courtier for a new-devis'd courtesy. I [as think scorn to sigh; methinks I should outswear Cupid. Comfort me, boy: what great men have been in love? Moth. Hercules, master. Arm. Most sweet Hercules! More authority, dear boy, name more; and, sweet my [TO child, let them be men of good repute and carriage. Moth. Samson, 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 [75 in love. Arm. O well-knit Samson! strong-jointed Samson! I do excel thee in my rapier as much as thou didst me in carrying gates. I am in love too. Who was Samson's love, my dear Moth? [80 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. [ss 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 colour of lovers; [s0 but to have a love of that colour, methinks Samson 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. 95 Moth. Most maculate thoughts, master, are mask'd under such colours. Arm. Define, define, well-educated infant. Moth. My father's wit and my mother's [10 tongue, assist me ! Arm. Sweet invocation of a child; most pretty and pathetical |