marry, I will think 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. Claud. I had well hoped, thou would'st have denied Beatrice, that I might have cudgelled thee out of thy single life, to make thee a double dealer: which, out of question, thou wilt be, if my cousin do not look exceeding narrowly to thee. Bene. Come, come, we are friends :-let's have a dance ere we are married, that we may lighten our own hearts, and our wives' heels. Leon. We'll have dancing afterwards. Bene. First o' my word; therefore, play, music.Prince, thou art sad; get thee a wife, get thee a wife: there is no staff more reverend than one tipped with horn. Enter Messenger. Mess. My lord, your brother John is ta'en in flight, And brought with armed men back to Messina. Bene. Think not on him till to-morrow; I'll devise thee brave punishments for him.-Strike up, pipers. [Dance. Exeunt. ACT I. SCENE 1.-Navarre. 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, 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, Your oaths are past, and now subseribe your names; If you are arm'd to do, as sworn to do, Biron. I can but say their protestation over, The which, I hope, is not enrolled there: King. Your oath is pass'd to pass away from these. I only swore, to study with your grace, King. Why, that to know, which else we should not mon sense? King. Ay, that is study's god-like recompense. King. These be the stops that hinder study quite, And train our intellects to vain delight. Biron. Why, all delights are vain; but that most vain, Which, with pain purchas'd, doth inherit pain: To seek the light of truth; while truth the while Doth falsely blind the eye-sight of his look: Light, seeking light, doth light of light beguile: And give him light that was it blinded by. 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 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. King. How well he's read, to reason against reading! Dum. Proceeded well, to stop all good proceeding! Lon. He weeds the corn, and still lets grow the weeding. Biron. The spring is near, when green geese are a breeding. Dum. In reason nothing. Before the birds have any cause to sing? Than wish a snow in May's new-fangled shows; Climb o'er the house t' unlock the little gate. King. Well, set you out: go home, Biron; adieu! Biron. No, my good lord; I have sworn to stay with you: And, though I bave for barbarism spoke more, And 'bide the penance of each three years' day. Biron. [Reads.] Item, That no woman shall come within a mile of my court.-And hath this been proclaim'd? Lon. Four days ago. Biron. Let's see the penalty.-[Reads.] On pain of losing her tongue.-Who devis'd this? Lon. Marry, that did I. Biron. Sweet lord, and why? Lon, 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,A maid of grace, and complete majesty, About surrender-up of Aquitain To her decrepit, siek, and bed-rid father: Therefore this article is made in vain, Or vainly comes the admired princess hither. Biron. So study evermore is overshot; 'Tis won, as towns with fire; so won, so lost. King. We must, of force, dispense with this decree; She must lie here on mere necessity. Biron. Necessity will make us all forsworn Not by might master'd, but by special grace: So to the laws at large I write my name: [Subscribes. Suggestions are to others, as to me; With a refined traveller of Spain; That hath a mint of phrases in his brain: A man of complements, whom right and wrong For interim to our studies, shall relaté, In high-born words, the worth of many a knight Biron. Armado is a most illustrious wight, A man of fire-new words, fashion's own knight. Enter Dull, with a letter, and Costard. Dull. Which is the Duke's own person? Biron. This, fellow; What would'st? Dull. I myself reprehend his own person, for I am his grace's tharborough: but I would see his own per son in flesh and blood. Biron. This is he. Dull. Signior Arme-Arme-commends you. Theres villany abroad this letter will tell you more. Cost. Sir, the contempts thereof are as touching me. King. A letter from the magnificent Armado. Biron. How low soever the matter, I hope in God for high words. Lon. A high hope for a low having: God grant us patience! Biron. To hear? or forbear hearing? Lon. To hear meekly, sir, and to laugh moderately; or to forbear both. Biron. Well, sir, be it as the style shall give us cause to climb in the merriness. Cost. The matter is to me, sir, as concerning Jaquenetta. The manner of it is, I was taken with the manner. Biron. In what manner? Cost. In manner and form following, sir; all those three: I was seen with her in the manor house, sitting with her upon the form, and taken following her into the park; which, put together, is, in manner and form following. Now, sir, for the manner, it is the manner of a man to speak to a woman: for the form,-in some form. Biron. For the following, sir? Cost. As it shall follow in my correction; And God defend the right! Cost. If it were, I deny her virginity; I was taken with a maid. King. This maid will not serve your turn, sir. Cost. I had rather pray a month with mutton and porridge. King. And Don Armado shall be your keeper.- Which each to other hath so strongly sworn. [Exe, 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.Sirrab, come on. Cost. I suffer for the truth. sir: for true it is, I was SCENE 11-Another part of the same. Armado's Arm. Boy, what sign is it, when a man of great 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 men 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 Jer the place where; where, I mean, I did encounter that obscene and most preposterous event, that draw-spirit grows melancholy? eth from my snow-white pen the ebon-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 garden: There did I see that low-spirited swain. that bare minnow of thy mirth. [Cost. Me] that unletter'd small-knowing soul, [Cost. Me.] that shallow arral, [Cost. Still me.] which, as I remember, hight Covard, [Cost. O me!] sorted and consorted, contrary to thy ratablished proclaimed edict and continent canen, with-with,-0 with-but with this I passion to vay wherewith, Moth. A great sign, sir, that he will look sad. Cost. With a wench. King, with a child of our grandmother Eve, a fe male; or, for thy more sweet understanding, a woman. Him I (as my ever-esteemed duty pricks me en) have sent to thee, to receive the meed of punishent, by thy sweet grace's officer, Antony Dull; aman good rebute, carriage, bearing, and estimation. Dull. Me, an't shall please you; I am Antony Dull. King. For Jaquenetta, (so is the weaker vessel callel, which I apprehended with the aforesaid swain,) I kes her as a vessel of thy law's fury; and shall, at the least of thy sweet notice, bring her to trial. Thine, all compliments of devoted and heart-burning heat of duty. Don Adriano de Armado. Biren. 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 my you to this? Cost. Sir, I confess the wench. King. Did you hear the proclamation? Cent. I do confess much of the hearing it, but little of the marking of it. King. It was proclaimed a year's imprisonment, to Je taken with a wench. Cast. 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 tirgin. King. It is so varied too; for it was proclaimed, virgis. Arm. Why, sadness is one and the self-same thing, dear imp. Moth. No, no; O lord, sir, no. Arm. How canst thou part sadness and melancholy, 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 any saying apt? or I apt, and my saying pretty? Arm. Thou pretty, because little. Moth. Little pretty, because little: Wherefore apt? Moth. I will praise an eel with the same praise. Moth. That an eel is quick. Arm. I do say, thou art quick in answers: Thou heatest my blood. Moth. I am answered, sir. Arm. I love not to be crossed. Moth. He speaks the mere contrary, crosses love Moth. You may do it in an hour, sir. 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 varnish 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. Moth. Why, sir, is this such a piece of study? Now here is three studied, ere you'll thrice wink : and how easy it is to put years to the word three, and study three years in two words, the dancing-horse will tell you. Arm. A most fine figure! Moth. To prove you a cypher. [Aside. 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 devised courtesy. I think scorn to sigh; methinks, I should out-swear Cupid.-Comfort me, boy: What great men have been in love? Math. Hercules, master. Arm. Most sweet Hercules!--More authority, dear boy, name more; and, sweet my 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 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? 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? 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: 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. Moth. Most maculate thoughts, master, are masked under such colours. 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, By this you shall not know; A dangerous rhyme, master, against the reason of white 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 'tis 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 prece dent. Boy, I do love that country girl, that I took ini the park with the rational hind Costard; she deserves well, Moth. To be whipped; and yet a better love than [Aside. my master. Arm. Sing, boy; my spirit grows heavy in love. Moth. Forbear till this company be past. Enter Dull, Costard, and Jaquenetta. Dull. Sir, the duke's pleasure is, that you keep Cas tard safe and you must let him take no delight, nor no penance; but a' 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.. Arm. I will visit thee at the lodge. Jaq. That's hereby. Arm. I know where it is situate. Arm. I love thee. Dull. Come, Jaquenetta, away. [Ex. Dull and JaqArm. Villain, thou shalt fast for thy offences, ere thou be pardoned. Cost. Well, sir, I hope, when I do it, I shall do it on a full stomach. Arm. Thou shalt be heavily punished. Cost. I am more bound to you, than your fellows, for they are but lightly rewarded. Arm. Take away this villain; shut him up. Moth. No, sir; that were fast and loose: thou shalt to prison. Cost. Well, if ever I do see the merry days of desolation that I have seen, some shall see Moth. What shall some sce? Cost. Nay, nothing, master Moth, but what they look upon. It is not for prisoners to be too silent in their words; and, therefore, I will say nothing: 1 thank God, I have as little patience as another man ; and, therefore I can be quiet. [Exeunt Moth and Costard. Arm. I do affect the very ground, which is base, where her shoe, which is baser, guided by her foot, which is basest, doth tread. I shall be forsworn, (which is a great argument of falsehood,) if I love: And how can that be true love, which is falsely attempted? Love is a familiar; love is a devil; there is no evil angel but love. Yet Samson was so tempted; and he had an excellent strength: yet was Solomon so seduced; and he had a very good wit. Cupid's buttshaft 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. dieu, valour! rust, rapier! be still, drum! for your manager is in love; yea, he loveth. Assist me, soine extemporal god of rhyme, for, I am sure, I shall turn sonneteer. Devise, wit; write, pen; for I am for whole volumes in folio. [Exit. A |