LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST. 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 register'd upon our brazen tombs And then grace us in the disgrace of death; The endeavour of this present breath may buy That honour which shall bate* his scythe's keen edge. *Blunt. And make us heirs of all eternity. ΙΟ 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, 2.I That his own hand may strike his honour down The mind shall banquet, though the body pine: The grosser manner of these world's delights Biron. I can but say their protestation over; 31 40 King. Your oath is pass'd to pass away from these. Biron. Let me say no, my liege, an if you please: I only swore to study with your grace 50 And stay here in your court for three years' space. Long. You swore to that, Biron, and to the rest. Biron. By yea and nay, sir, then I swore in jest. 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? 60 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: 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, |