The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

Claud. And Hymen now with luckier issue To-day to marry with my brother's daughter? 37 speed's, Claud. I'll hold my mind, were she an Ethiop. Leon. Call her forth, brother: here's the friar ready. [Exit ANTONIO.

Than this for whom we render'd up this woe!

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.-A Room in LEONATO'S House.
Enter LEONATO, ANTONIO, BENEDICK, BEA-
TRICE, MARGARET, URSULA, FRIAR FRANCIS,
and HERO.

Friar. Did I not tell you she was innocent?
Leon. So are the prince and Claudio, who
accus'd her

Upon the error that you heard debated:
But Margaret was in some fault for this,
Although against her will, as it appears
In the true course of all the question.

D. Pedro. Good morrow, Benedick. Why,
what's the matter,

That you have such a February face,
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. Bull Jove, sir, had an amiable low: 48
4 And some such strange bull leap'd your father's
Cow,

Ant. Which I will do with confirm'd coun-
tenance.

Bene. Friar, I must entreat your pains, I think.
Friar. To do what, signior?

Bene. To bind me, or undo me; one of them.
Signior Leonato, truth it is, good signior,
Your niece regards me with an eye of favour.
Leon. That eye my daughter lent her: 'tis
most true.

Bene. And I do with an eye of love requite her. Leon. The sight whereof I think, you had from me, 25 From Claudio, and the prince. But what's your will?

Bene. Your answer, sir, is enigmatical:
But, for my will, my will is your good will 28
May stand with ours, this day to be conjoin'd
In the state of honourable marriage:
In which, good friar, I shall desire your help.
Leon. My heart is with your liking.
Friar.
And my help. 32
Here come the prince and Claudio.

Enter DON PEDRO and CLAUDIO, with
Attendants.

D. Pedro. Good morrow to this fair assembly.
Leon. Good morrow, prince; good morrow,
Claudio:

We here attend you. Are you yet determin'd

Bene. Troth, no; no more than reason.
Beat. Why, then, my cousin, Margaret, and
Ursula,

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, Are much deceiv'd; for they did swear you did. a' shall wear nothing handsome about him. In Bene. They swore that you were almost sick brief, since I do purpose to marry, I will think for me. 80 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 my conclusion. For thy part, Claudio, I did think to have beaten thee; but, in that thou art like to be my kinsman, live unbruised, and love my cousin.

Beat. They swore that you were well-nigh dead for me.

Bene. 'Tis no such matter. Then, you do not love me?

Beat. No, truly, but in friendly recompense. Leon. Come, cousin, I am sure you love the gentleman. 84

Claud. And I'll be sworn upon 't that he loves
her;

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,

Containing her affection unto Benedick.

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. 93 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.

[Kisses her. D. Pedro. How dost thou, Benedick, the married man? 100 Bene. I'll tell thee what, prince; a college of

113

ACT I.

SCENE I.-The KING OF NAVARRE'S Park. Enter the KING, BEROWNE, LONGAVILLE,

and DUMAINE.

Make rich the ribs, but bankrupt quite the wits.
Dum. My loving lord, Dumaine is mortified:
The grosser manner of these world's delights 29
He throws upon the gross world's baser slaves:
To love, to wealth, to pomp, I pine and die;

King. Let fame, that all hunt after in their With all these living in philosophy.
lives,

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, Berowne, Dumaine, 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:
Your oaths are pass'd; and now subscribe your
names,

Ber. 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 44 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.

King. Ay, that is study's god-like recompense. Ber. 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, 65 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.

Sweet lord, and why? Long. To fright them hence with that dread penalty.

Ber. A dangerous law against gentility! Item. If any man be seen to talk with a woman within the term of three years, he shall 88 endure such public shame as the rest of the court can possibly devise.

Save base authority 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.

This article, my liege, yourself must break; 132 For well you know here comes in embassy The French king's daughter with yourself to speak

A maid of grace and complete majestyAbout surrender up of Aquitaine

136

To her decrepit, sick, and bed-rid father: Therefore this article is made in vain, Or vainly comes th' admired princess hither. King. What say you, lords? why, this was quite forgot.

140

Ber. 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, 'Tis won as towns with fire; so won, so lost. 145 King. We must of force dispense with this decree;

A man in all the world's new fashion planted,
That hath a mint of phrases in his brain; 164
One whom the music of his own vain tongue
Doth ravish like enchanting harmony;

A man of complements, whom right and wrong
Have chose as umpire of their mutiny:
This child of fancy, that Armado hight,

168

For interim to our studies shall relate
In high-born words the worth of many a knight
From tawny Spain lost in the world's debate.
How you delight, my lords, I know not, I; 173
But, I protest, I love to hear him lie,
And I will use him for my minstrelsy.

Ber. Armado is a most illustrious wight, 176 A man of fire-new words, fashion's own knight.

Long. Costard the swain and he shall be our sport;

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

Enter DULL, with a letter, and COSTARD. Dull. Which is the duke's own person? 180 Ber. This, fellow. What wouldst?

Cost. Be to me and every man that dares not fight.

King. No words!

228

Cost. Of other men's secrets, I beseech you. King. 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 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 most obscene and preposterous event, that draweth from my snowwhite pen the ebon-coloured ink, which here thou viewest, beholdest, surveyest, or seest. But to the Cost. Sir, the contempts thereof are as touch-place where, it standeth north-north-east and ing me.

Dull. I myself reprehend his own person, for I am his Grace's tharborough: but I would see his own person in flesh and blood. 184

Ber. This is he.

Dull. Signior Arm-Arm-commends you. There's villany abroad: this letter will tell you

more.

188

King. A letter from the magnificent Armado. Ber. How long soever the matter, I hope in God for high words.

193

Long. A high hope for a low heaven: God grant us patience!

196

Ber. To hear, or forbear laughing? Long. To hear meekly, sir, and to laugh moderately; or to forbear both.

Ber. Well, sir, be it as the style shall give us cause to climb in the merriness.

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.

249

200

Cost. O me.

256

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