網頁圖片
PDF
ePub 版

Biron. Armado is a most illustrious wight,

A man of fire-new words, fashions own knight.
Long. Costard the swain, and he, shall be our sport;
And, so to study, three years is but short.

Enter DULL, and COSTARD, with a Letter.

Dull. Which is the duke's own person?

Biron. This, fellow; What would'st?

181

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.

Biron. This is he.

Dull. Signior Arme-, Arme,commends you. There's villainy abroad; this letter will tell you 190

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.

[ocr errors]

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

Biron. To hear? or forbear hearing?

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

200

Biron. Well, sir, be it as the stile 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!

King. Will you hear the letter with attention?
Biron. 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 fost ring patron,—

Cost. Not a word of Costard yet:

King. So it is,-

Cost. It may be so: but if he say it is so, he is, in telling true, but so, so.

King. Peace.

Cost.-be to me, and every man that dares not fight!

King. No words.

Cost.-of other men's secrets, I beseech you,

230

King. So it is, besieged with sable-coloured melancholy, I did commend the black oppressing humour to the most wholesome physick of thy health-giving air; and, as I am a gentleman, betook myself to walk. The time, when? B About

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 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 eboncolour'd ink, which here thou viewest, beholdest, surveyest, or seest: But to the place, where,—lt standeth northnorth-east and by east from the west corner of thy curiousknotted garden: There did I see that low-spirited swain; that base minnot of thy mirth, (Cost. Me.) that unletter'd small-knowing soul, (Cost. Me.) that shallow vassal, (Cost. Still me.) which, as I remember, hight Costard, (Cost. O me!) sorted and consorted, contrary to thy established proclaimed edict and continent canon, with, -with- with, but with this I passion to say wherewith

Cost. With a wench.

253

King. With a child of our grandmother Eve, a female; or, for thy more sweet understanding, a woman. Him, I (as my ever-esteemed 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 good repute, carriage, bearing, and estimation. 260

Dull. Me, an't shall please you; I am Anthony Dull.

King. For Jaquenetta (so is the weaker vessel called which I apprehended with the aforesaid swain), I keep her as a vessel of thy law's fury`; and shall, at the least of thy

sweet

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 look'd 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?

271

Cost. I do confess much of the hearing it, but little of the marking of it.

King. It was proclaim'd 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.

280

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

King. It is so varied too; for it was proclaim'd, 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 sentence; You shall fast a week with bran and water.

290

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

King. And Don Armado shall be your keeper.My lord Biron, see him deliver'd o'er.

[blocks in formation]

And go we, lords, to put in practice that
Which each to other hath so strongly sworn.

[ocr errors]

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

299

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 smile again, and 'till then, Sit thee down, sorrow! [Exeunt.

SCENE II.

ARMADO's House. Enter ARMADO, and MOTH.

Arm. Boy, what sign is it, when a man of great spirit grows melancholy?

Moth. A great sign, sir, that he will look sad.

Arm, Why, sadness is one and the self-same thing, dear imp.

Moth. No, no; O lord, sir, no.

310

Arm. How canst thou part sadness and melancholy,

my tender juvenal ?

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

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

Arm. I spoke it, tender juvenal, as a congruent epitheton,

« 上一頁繼續 »