Officers, and others, Attendants upon the King and Princess.
SCENE, the King of Navarre's Palace, and the Country near it.

Enter the King, Biron, Longaville, and Dumain.
King. ET fame, that all hunt after in their lives, 5 He throws upon the gross world's baser slaves:

Live registered upon our brazen tombs,

And then grace us in the disgrace of death;
When, spight of cormorant devouring Time,
The endeavour of this present breath may buy
That honour, which shall batehisscythe'skeenedge, 10 That is, to live and study here three years.

¡Fat paunches have lean pates; and dainty bits
Make rich the ribs, but bankerout the wits.
Dum. My loving lord, Dumain is mortify'd;
The grosser manner of these world's delights

To love, to wealth, to pomp, I pine and die;
With all these living in philosophy.

Biron. I can but say their protestation over, So much, dear liege, I have already sworn,

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, Biron, Dumain, and Longaville,

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;
15 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,

Have sworn for three years' term to live with me, 20 And make a dark night too of half the day)

My fellow-scholars, and to keep those statutes,

That are recorded in this schedule here: [names;
Your oaths are past, and now subscribe your
That his own hand may strike his honour down,
That violates the smallest branch herein :

Which, I hope well, is not enrolled there.
O, these are barren tasks, too hard to keep;
Nor to see ladies study, fast, nor sleep. [these.
King. Your oath is pass'd to pass away froin
25. Biron. Letmesay, no, my liege, an if you please;
I only swore, to study with your grace,
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 Iswore in jest.
L2

What

Or, having sworn too hard a keeping oath,
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.

15

Give me the paper, let me read the same;
And to the strict'st decrees I'll write my name.
King. How well this yielding rescues thee

from shame!

}

[vain,

Biron. "Item, That no woman shall come with"in a mile of my court."-[Reading.] Hath this been proclaimed?

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 20 Long. Four days ago.

Which with pain purchas'd doth inherit pain:

As, painfully, to pore upon a book,

To seek the light of truth; while truth the while,

Doth falsely bind the eyesight of his look :

"

Biron. Let's see the penalty." On pain of losing her tongue." [Reading.] Who devis'd

this penalty?

Long. Marry, that did I.

[penalty.

Light, seeking light, doth light of light beguile: 25 Biron. Sweet lord, and why?

So, ere you find where light in darkness lies,

Your light grows dark by losing of your eyes.

Study me how to please the eye indeed,

By fixing it upon a fairer eye:

Who dazzling so, that eye shall be his heed 2,
And give him light that was it blinded by.
tudy is like the heaven's glorious sun,
That will not be deep-search'd with saucy looks;

Small have continual plodders ever won,

Save base authoriry 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,

Long. To fright them hence with that dread Biron. A dangerous law against gentility ! "Item, [Reading.] If any man be seen to talk "with a woman within the term of three years, 30" he shall endure such public shame as the rest of "the court can possibly devise."This article, my liege, yourself must break;

For, well your know, here comes in embassy
TheFrenchking's daughter, with yourself to speak:

35 A maid of grace, and complete majesty,
About surrender-up of Aquitain

Than those that walk and wot not what they are. Too much to know, is, to know nought but fame; 40 And every godfather can give a name.

[ing! King. How well he's read, to reason against readDum. Proceeded well, to stop all good pro

To her decrepit, sick, and bed-rid father: Therefore this article is made in vain,

Or vainly comes the admired princess hither.
King. What say you, lords? why, this was quite
forgot.

Biron. So study evermore is overshot;
While it doth study to have what it would,
It doth forget to do the thing it should;

Long. He weeds the corn, and still lets grow the 45 And when it hath the thing it hunteth most,

ceeding!

weeding.

Biron. The spring is near, when green geese are

a-breeding.

Dum. How follows that?

Biron. Fit in his place and time.

Dum. In reason nothing.

Biron. Something then in rhime.

Long. Biron is like an envious sneaping + frost,
That bites the first-born infants of the spring.

'Tis won, as towns with fire; so won, so lost.
King. Wemust, offorce, dispense with this decree;
She must lye here on mere necessity.

Biron. Necessity will make us all forsworn
50 Three thousand times within this three years
For every man with his affects is born; Espace,
Not by might master'd, but by special grace:
break faith, this word shall speak for me,

Biron. Well, say I am? why should proud sum-55

mer boast,

Before the birds have any cause to sing? Why should I joy in an abortive birth?

TE I
I am forsworn on mere necessity-
So to the laws at large I write my name:

And he, that breaks them in the least degree,
Stands in attainder of eternal shame:
Suggestions are to others, as to me:

That is, treacherously. Heed here means his direction or lode-star. 3 Proceeded must here be understood in the academical sense of taking a degree: the meaning of the passage then will be, "He " has taken his degree on the art of stopping the degrees of others." i. e. Checking. * Meaning, against politeness and urbanity; for men without women become brutal and savage. i. e. Tempta

tions.

But,

But, I believe, although I seem so loth,

1

aim 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;
One, whom the musick of his own vain tongue
Doth ravish, like inchanting harmony;
A man of complements, whom right and wrong
Have chose as umpire of their mutiny:

This child of fancy, that Armado hight,

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;
But, I protest, I love to hear him lie,
And I will use him for my minstrelsy.

Biron. Armado is a most illustrious wight,
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, and Costard, with a letter.
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 person in flesh and blood.

Biron. This is he.

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

more.

Cost. Sir, the contents 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.

20

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. King. "So it is, besieged with sable-colour'd "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,-25" About the sixth hour; when beasts most graze, "birds best peck, and men sit down to that nou"rishment which is called supper. So much for "the time when: Now for the ground which; "which, I mean, I walked upon: It is ycleped, 30" 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-colour'd ink, which here "thou viewest, beholdest, surveyest, or seest:35" 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 lowspirited swain, that base minnow of thy "mirth," (Cost. Me.) "that unletter'd, small

Long. A high hope for a low having:-God 40 " knowing soul," (Cost. Me.) "that shallow vas

Biron. Well, sir, be it as the stile shall give us 45" with, but with this I passion to say wherecause to climb in the merriness.

1i. e. Lively sport, or sprightly diversion. * Complement, in Shakspeare's time, not only signified verbal civility, but the external accomplishments or ornamental appendages of a character. i. e. Thirdborough, a peace-officer, assistant to the constable, who acts also in his absence. i. e, a low possession, or acquisition. A phrase then used to signify, taken in the fact. Meaning, that as the minnow is one of the least esteemed of fish, so the object of his mirth is one of the most contemptible of men. "said Moth. And I, tough signior, as an appertinent "DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO." 5 title to your old time, which we may name Biron. This is not so well as I look'd for, but

King. This maid will not serve your turn, sir. 25 Arm. I have promised to study three years Cost. This maid will serve my turn, sir.

Moth. How many is one thrice told?

30 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.

[Exeunt. 35 Moth. Then, I am sure, you know how much

Cost. I suffer for the truth, sir: for true it is, I was taken with Jaquenetta, and Jaquenetta is a 40 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.

45 Arm. A most fine figure!

Moth. To prove you a cypher. Arm. I will hereupon confess, I am in love: and as it is base for a soldier to love, so I am in love with a base wench. If drawing my sword

Moth. A great sign, sir, that he will look sad. 50 against the humour of affection would deliver me Arm. Why, sadness is one and the self-same

from the reprobate thought of it, I would take desire prisoner; ; and ransom him to any French courtier for a new-devised court'sy. I think scorn to sigh; methinks, I should out-swear Cupid. 55 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 child, let

60lthem be men of good repute and carriage.

Imp means his infant or little page. 2 i. e. my tender youth. This alludes to a horse belonging to one Banks, which played many quently mentioned by many writers contemporary with Shakspeare.

Jag. So I heard you say.
Arm. And so farewell.

Jaq. Fair weather after you!

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 20 Arm. Villain, thou shalt fast for thy offences,

her for her wit.

Moth. It was so, sir; for she had a green wit.

Dull. Come, Jaquenetta, away.

[Ereunt Dull and Jaquenetta.

ere thou be pardoned.

Cost. Well, sir, I hope when I do it, I shall do

Arm. My love is most immaculate white and

red.

it on a full stomach.

Arm. Thou shalt be heavily punished.

Moth. Most maculate thoughts, master, are 25 Cost. I am more bound to you, than your felmasked under such colours.

lows, for they are but lightly rewarded.

Arm. Take away this villain; shut him up.
Moth. Come, you transgressing slave; away,
Cost. Let me not be pent up, sir; 1 wul tast,

Arm. Sweet invocation of a child; most pretty, 30 being loose. 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,
And fears by pale-white shown:
Then, if she fear, or be to blame,
By this you shall not know;

For still her cheeks possess the same,
Which native she doth owe.

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

35 Moth. What shall some see?

Cost. Nay, nothing, master Moth, but what they look upon. It is not for prisoners to be silent in their words; and, therefore, I will say nothing: I thank God, I have as little patience as another

A dangerous rhime, master, against the reason of 40 man; and therefore I can be quiet. white and red.

Moth. The world was very guilty of such a bal

[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 for

lad some three ages since: but, I think, now, 'tis 45 sworn, (which is a great argument of falshood) if

Arm. I will have that subject newly writ o'er, that I may example my digression1 by some mighty

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

precedent. Boy, I do love that country girl, that 50 strength: yet was Solomon so seduced; and he

Arm. Sing, boy; my spirit grows heavy in love. 55 not, the duello he regards not; his disgr
Moth. And that's great marvel, loving a light

had a very good wit. Cupid's butt-shaft 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 his disgrace is to be call'd boy; but his glory is, to subduemen. Adieu, valour! rust, rapier! be still, drum! for your manager is in love; yea, he loveth. Assist ine some extemporal god of rhime, for I am sure, I 60 shall turn sonneteer. Devise, wit; write, pen; for [Exit,

Dull. Sir, the duke's pleasure is, that you keep I am for whole volumes in folio.

Digression here signifies the act of going out of the right way.

That is, love.

ACT