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So shall all the coup'es three

Puck. If we shadows have offended, Erer true in loving be;

Think but this, (und all is mended)
And the blots of nature's band

That
you

have but slumber'd here, Sball not in their issue stand ;

While these visi ns did appear. Never mole, hare-lip, nor scar,

And this weak ana ia ie theme, or mark prodigious, such as are

No more yielding but a dream, Despised in nativity,

Genttés do not reprehend; Shall upon their children be.

If you pardon, we will mend. With this field-dew consecrate,

And, as I'm an honest Puck, Fvery fairy take his gait;

If we have unearned luck And each several chamber bless,

Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue, Through this palace with sweet peace :

We will make amends, ete wing: E’er shall it in safety rest,

Else the Puck a liar call.
And the owner of it blest.

So, good night unto you all.
Trip away;

Give me your hands, if we be friends,
Make no stay :

And Robin shall restore amends.
Meet me all by break of day.

[Exit. [Exeunt OBERON, TITANIA, and train.

LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST.

}

3

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

And then grace us in the disgrace of death , FERDINAND, king of Nararre.

When, spite of cormorant devouring time,

The endeavour of this present breath may buy BIRON, LONGAVILLE, Lords, attending on the King.

That honour, which shall bait his scythe's keen edge,

And make us heirs of all eternity.
DUMAIN,
BOYET, Lords, attending on the Princess of Therefore, brave conquerors !—for 80 you are,
MERCADE,
France.

That war against your own affections,
Don Adriano DE ARMADO, a fantastical Spaniard. And the huge army of the world's desires,-
Sir NATHANIEL, a curate.

Our late edict shall strongly stand in force :

Navarre shall be the wonder of the world;
HOLOFERNEE, a schoolmaster.

Our court shall be a little Academe,
DULL, a constable.
COSTARD, a clown.

Still and contemplative in living art.

You three, Biron, Dumain, and Longaville,
Moty, page to Armado.
A Forester.

Have sworn for three years' term to live with me,

My fellow.scholars, and to keep those statutes, PRINCESS OF FRANCE.

That are recorded in this schedule here : ROSALINE,

Your oaths are past, and now subscribe your names MARIA, Ladies, attending on the Princess.

That his own hand may strike his honour down, KATHARINE,

That violates the smallest branch berein :
JAQUENETTA, a country wench.

If you are arm'd to do, as sworn to do,
Officers and others, Attendants on the King and Subscribe to your deep oath, and keep it too.
Princess.

Long. I am resolved : 'tis but a three years' fast,

The mind shall bauquet, though the body pine :
SCENE,-Navarre.

Fat paunches have lean pales; and dainty bits
Make rich the ribs, but bank'rout quite the wits.

Dum. My loving lord, Dumain is mortified;
The grosser manner of these world's delights

He throws upon the gross world's baser slaves : ACT I.

To love, to wealth, to pomp, I pine and die ;

With all these living in philosopby. SCENE I.-Navarre. A Park, with a Palace in it. Biron. I can but say their protestation over,

So much, dear liege, i bave already sworn, Enter the Kixo, BIRON, LONCAVILLE, anit Tbat is, To live and study here three years. Dumain.

But there are other strict observances : King. Let fame, that all bunt after in their lives, As, not to see a woman in that term; Live register'd upon our brazen tombs,

Which, I hope well, is not enrolled there

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}

And, one day in a week to touch 10 oou ;

Long. Birón is like an envious sneaping frost, And but one meal on every day beside ;

That bites the first-born infants of the sprirg. The which, I hope, is not enrolled there :

Biron. Well, say I am ; why should proud sumAnd then, to sleep but three hours in ihe night,

mer boast, And not be seen to wink of all the day ;

Before the birds have any cause to sing? (When I was wont to think no harm all night, Why should I joy in an abortive birth ? And make a dark nigbt too of half the day ;) At Christmas I no more desire a rose, Which, I hope well, is not enrolled there : Than wish a snow in May's new-fangled shows; 0, these are barren tasks, too bard to keep; But like of each thing, that in season grows. Not to see ladies, study, fast, not sleep.

So you, to study now it is too late, King. Your oath is pass'd to pass away from Climb o'er the house to unlock the little gate. these.

King. Well, sit you out: go home, Birón; adieu ! Biron. Let me say no, my liege, an if you please; Biron. No, my good lord : I have sworn to stay I only srore, to study with your grace,

with you : And stay here in your court for three years' space. And, though I have for barbarism spoke more, Long. You swore to that, Biron, and to the Than for that angel knowledge you can say, rest.

Yet confident I'll keep what I have swore, Biron. By yea and nay, sir, then I swore in jest.- And bide the penance of each three years' day. What is the end of study ? let me know.

Give me the paper, let me read the same; King. Why, that to know, which else we should And to the strict'st decrees I'll write my name. not know.

King. How well this yielding rescues thee from Biron. Things hid and barr'd, you mean, from

shame! common sense ?

Biron. [Reads.] Item, Thut no woman shall come King. Ay, that is study's god-like recompense. within a mile of my court: Biron. Come on then, I will swear to study so,

And hath this been proclaim'd ? To know the thing I am forbid to know :

Long

Four days ago As thus,—To study where I well may dine,

Biron. Let's see the penalty. Wben I to feast expressly am forbid;

[Reads.]-On pain of losing her tongue.01 study where to meet some mistress fine,

Who devis'd this? When mistresses from common sense are hid : Long. Marry, that did I. Or, baving sworn too hard-a-keeping oath,

Biron. Sweet lord, and who? Study to break it, and not break my trotb.

Long. To fright them hence with that dread If study's gain be tbus, and this be so,

penalty. Study knows that, which yet it doth not know : Biron. A dangerous law against gentility. Smear me to this, and I will ne'er say, no.

[Reads.) Item, If any man be seen to talk with a King. These be the stops that hinder study quite, woman within the term of three years, he shall endure And train our intellects to vain delight.

such public shame as the rest of the court can possibly Biron. Why, all delights are vain; but that most devise.vain,

This article, my liege, yourself must break; Which, with pain purchas’d, doth iu borit pain : For well you know, here comes in embassy As, painfully to pore upon a book,

The French king's daughter, with yourself to To seek the light of truth; while truth the while

speak,-
Doth falsely blind the eyesight of his look : A maid of grace, and complete majesty,-

Light, seeking light, doth light of light beguile : About surrender-up of Aquitain
So, ere you find where light in darkness lies, To her decrepit, sick, and bed-rid father :
Your light grows dark by losing of your eyes.

Therefore this article is made in vain,
Study me how to please the eye indeed,

Or vainly comes the admired princess hither. By fixing it upon a fairer eye ;

King. What say you, lords? why, this was quito Wbó dazzling so, that eye shall be his heed,

forgot. And gire bim light that was it blinded by.

Biron. So tudy evermore is over-shot; Study is like the lieaven's glorious sun,

While it doth study to bave what it would, That will not be deep-search'd with saucy looks ; It doth forget to do the thing it should : Small have continual plodders ever won,

And when it bath the thing it bunteth most, Sare base authority from others' books.

'Tis won, as towns with fire ; so won, so lost. These earthly godfathers of beaven's lights,

King. We must, of force, dispense with this de. That give a name to every fixed star,

cree; llave no more profit of their shining nights, She must lie here on mere necessity.

Than those that walk, and wot not what they are. Biron. Necessity will make us all forsworn Too much to know, is, to know nought but fame; Three thousand times within these three years And every godfather can give a name.

space : King. How well he's read, to reason against For every man with his affects is born; reading!

Not by might master'd, but by special grace : Dum. Proceeded well, 10 stop all good pro- If I break faith, this word shall speak for me, ceeding!

I am forsworn on mere necessity.-Long. He weeds the corn and still lets grow the So to the laws at large I write my name : weeding.

[Subscribes Biron. The spring is near, when green geese are

And he, that breaks tb. m in the least deyree, a breeding

Stands in attainder of eternal shame : Dum. How follows that?

Suggestions are to others, as to me; Biron.

Fit in bis place and time. But, I believe, although I seem so loth; Dum. Ir reason nothing.

I am the last that will last keep his oatb. Biron.

Something then in rhyme. But is there no quick 1 ycreation granted ?

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more.

me.

King. Ay, that there is : our court, you know, is King. No words. haunted

Cost. -of other men's secrets, I beseech you. With a refined traveller of Spain;

King. So it is, besieged with suble-coloured melanA man in all the world's new fashion planted, choly, I did commend the black-oppressing humour to

That hath a mint of phrases in his brain : the most wholesome physick of thy health-giving air ; One, whom the music of his own vain tongue and, as I am a gentleman, betook myself to walk. Doth ravish, like enchanting harmony;

The time when? About the sixth hour; when beasts A man of complements, whom right and wrong most graze, birds best peck, and men sit down to that

Have close as umpire of their mutiny: nourishment which is called supper. So much for the This child of fancy, that Armado bight,

time when : Now for the ground which ; which, I For interim to our studies, shall relate, mean, I walked upon: it is yeleped thy park. Then In high-born words, the worth of many a knight for the place where ; where, I mean, I did encounter

From tawny Spain, lost in the world's debate. that obscene and most preposterous event, that drawath How you delight, my lords, I know not, I ; from my snow-white pen the ebon-coloured ink, which But, I protest, I love to hear him lie,

here thou viewest, beholdest, surveyest, or seest : But And I will use bim for my minstrelsg.

to the place, where,- It standeth north-north-east and Biron. Armado is a most illustrious wight, by east from the west corner of thy curious-knotted A man of fire-new words, fashion's own knigl.t. garden. There did I see that low-spirited swain, that Long. Coslard the swain, and be shall be our base minnow of thy mirth, sport;

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

King. —that unletter'd small-knowing soul,

Cost. Me.
Enter Dull, with a letter, and COSTARD.

King. —that shallow vassal,
Dull. Which is the duke's own person?

Cost. Still me. Biron. This, fellow; Whut would'st ?

King. —which as I remember, hight Costard, Dull. I myself reprehend his own person, for 1

Cost. O me! am bis grace's tharborough: but I would see his King. — sorted and consorted, contrary to thy esta. own person in flesh and blood.

blished proclaimed edict and continent canon, with Biron. This is he.

with,-0 withbut with this I passion to say whereDull. Signior Arme-Arme- commends

you.

with, There's villany abrvad; this letter will tell you

Cost. With a wench.

King. --with a child of our grandmother Eve, u Cost. Sir, the contempts thereof are as touching female; or, for thy more sweet understanding, a wo.

man. Him I (as my ever esteemed duty pricks me King. A letter from the magnificent Armado. on) have sent to thee, to receive the meed of punish

Bircn. How low soever the matter, I hope in God ment, by thy sweet grace's officer, Antony Duli; a for high words.

man of good repute, carriage, bearing, and estimation. Long. A high hope for a low baving: God grant

Dall. Me, an't sball please you ; I am Antony us patience!

Dull. Biron. To hear ? or forbear hearing ?

King. For Jaquenetla (so is the woaker vessel called, Long. To bear meekly, sir, and to laugh mode- which, I apprehended with the aforesaid swain), í rately; or to forbear both.

keep her as a vessel of thy law's fury: and shall, at Biron. Well, sir, be it as the style shall give us the least of thy sweet notice, bring her to trial. Thine, cause to climb in the merriness.

in all compliments of devoted and heart-burning heat Cost. The matter is to me, sir, as concerning of duty,

Don ADRIANO DE ARMADO. Jaqueuetta. The manner of it is, I was taken wità the manner.

Biron. This is not so well as I looked for, but Biron. In what manner ?

the best that ever I heard. Cost. In manner and form following, sir; all King. Ay, the best for the worst. But, sirrah, those three : I was seen with her in the manor-bouse, what say you to this? sitting with her upon the form, and taken following Cost. Sir, I confess the wench. her into the park ; which, put together, is in manner Kig. Did you hear the proclamation ? and form following. Now, sir, for the manuer,

Cost. I do confess inuch of the bearing it, but it is the muz ner of a man to speak to a woman : for little of the marking of it. the form,-in some form.

King. It was proclaimed a year's imprisonment, Biron. For the following, sir ?

to be taken with a wench. Cost. As it shall follow in my correction ; And

Cost. I was taken with none, sir ; I was taken God defend the right!

with a damosel. King. Will you hear this letter with attention ? King. Well, it was proclaimed damosel. Biron. As we would hear an oracle.

Cost. Tbis was no damosel neither, sir; she was Cost. Such is the simplicity of man to hearken a virgin. after the flesh.

l'ing. It is so varied too; for it was proclaimed King. [Reads.] Great deputy, the welkin's vice-virgin. gerent, and sole dominator of Navarre, my soul's Čost. If it were, I deny ber virginity; I was earth's God, and body's fostering patron,

taken with a maid. Cost. Not a word of Costard yet.

King. This maid will not serve your turn, sir. King. So it is,

Cost. This maid will serve my turn, sir. Cost. It may be so : but if he say it is so, he is, King. Sir, I will pronounce your sentence ; You in telling true, but so, so.

shall fast a week with bron ond water. King. Peace.

Cost. I bad rather pray a month with mutton and Coste ---be to me, and every man that dares not porridge. figbt,-

hing. And Don Armado shall be your keeper.

My Lord Biron, see him deliver'd o'er.

Arm. A most fine figure ! And go we, lords, to put in practice, that

Moth. To prove you a cipher

[ Aside Wbioh each to other hatb so strongly sworn.

Arm. I will bercupon confess, I am in love : and, [Erennt Kino, LONGAVILLE, and Dumain. as it is base for a soldier to love, so am I in love Birun. I'li lay my bead to any good man's hat, with a base wench. If drawing my sword against

These oaths and laws will prove an idle scorn.- the bumour of affection would dnliver me from the Sirrah, come on.

reprobate thought of it, I woule lake desire pri. Cost. I suffer for the truth, sir : for true it is, I soner, and ransom him to any French courtier for a was taken with Jaquenetta, and Jaquenetta is a true new devised courtesy. I think scorn to siyla ; me. girl; and therefore, Welcome the sour cup of prcs. thinks, I should out-swear Cupid. Comfort me, perity! Affliction may one day smile again, and till boy: What great men have been in love ? then, Sit thee down, sorrow!

(Exeunt. Moth. Hercules, master.

Arm. Most sweet Hercules !-More authority, SCENE II.--Another part of the same. Armado's dear boy, name more ; and, sweet my child, let House.

them be men of good repute and carriage.

Moth. Sampson, master ; he was a ma.. of good Enter ARMADO and Moth.

carriage, great carriage ; for he carried ibe town. Arm. Boy, what sign is it, when a man of great gates on bis back, like a porter : and he was in sp rit grows melancholy ?

love. Mork. A great sign, sir, that he will look sad. Arm. 0 well-knit Sampson! strong-jornted

Arm. Wky, sadness is one and the self-same Sampson ! I do excel thee in my rapier, as much thing, dear imp.

as thou didst me in carrying gates. I am in love Moth. No, no; O lord, sir, no.

too,- Who was Sampson's love, my dear Moth ? Arm. How canst thou part sadoess and melan- Moth. A woman, master. choly, my tender juvenal ?

Arm. Of what complexion ? Moth. By a familiar demonstration of the work- Moth. Of all the four, or the three, or the two; ing, my touzb senior.

or one of the four. 4ra. Why touglı senior? why tough senior ? Arm. Tell me precisely of what complexion ? Bioth. Wby tender juvenal ? why tender juvenal ?

Moth. Of the sea-water green, sir. Arm. I spoke it, tender juvenal, as a congrurat Arm. Is that one of the four complexions ? epithetoo, appertaining to thy young days, wbich Moth. As I have read, sir : and the best of them we may nominate tender.

too. Moth. And ), tough senior, as an appertinent Arm. Green, indeed, is the colour of lovers; but title to your old time, which we may name tough. to have a love of that colour, methinks, Sampson Arm. Pretty, and apt.

had sinall reason for it. He, surely, affected her for Moth. How mean you, sir; I pretty, and my ber wit. saying apt? or I apt, and my sayirg pretty ? Moth. It was so, sir; for she had a green wit. Arm. Thou pretiy, because litile.

Arm. My love is most immaculate white and red. Moth. Litt e pretty, because little : Wherefore Moth. Most maculate thoughts, master, are

masked under such colours. Arm. And therefore apt, because quick.

Arm. Define, define, well-educated infant. Noth. Speak you this in my praise, master ? Moth. My father's wit, and my mother's tongue Arm. In thy condign praise.

assist me. Moth. I will praise an eel with tbe same praise. Arm. Sweet invocation of a child; most pretty, Arm. What ! that an eel is ingenious ?

and patbetical! Moth. That an eel is quick.

Moth. If she be made of white and red, Arm. I do say, thou art quick in answers : Thju

Her faults will ne'er be known; heatest my blood.

For blushing cheeks by faults are bred, Moth. I am answered, sir,

And fears by pale-white sbown: Arn. I love not to be crossed.

Then, if she fear, or be to blame, Moth. lle speaks the mere cootrary, crosses love

By this you shall not know ; not bim.

[ Aside.

For 'still her cheeks possess the samne,
Arm. I have promised to study three years with Which native she doth owe.
the duke.
Moth. You may do it in an hour, sir.

A dangercus rhymne, master, against the reason of Arm. Impossible.

white and red. Moth. How many is one thrice told !

Arm. Is there not a ballad, boy, of the King. 1 Arm. I am ill at reckoning, it fitteth the spirit the Beggar. of a tapster.

Moth. The world was very guilty of sucb a ballad Moth. You are a gentleman, and a gamester, sir. some three ages since : but, i think, now 'tis not Arm. I confess both; they are both the varnish to be found ; or, if it were, it would neither serve of a complete man.

for the writing nor the tune. Moth. Then, I am sure, you know how much Arm. I will have the subject newly writ o ei, the gross suro of deuce-ace amounts to.

that I may example my digression by some mighty Arm. It doth amount to one more than two. precedent. Boy, I do love that country girl, that Moth. Which the base vulgar doth call tbree. I took in the park with the rational bind Costard : Arm. True.

she deserves well. Moth. Why, sir, is this such a piece of study ? Moth. To be whipped ; and yet a better love thau Now here is ti:ree studied, ere you'll thrice wink: my master.

[ Aside. and bow easy it is to put years to the word three, Arm. Sing, boy; my spirit grows beavy in love. and study three years in two words, the dancing Moth. And that's great marvel, loving a light borse will tell you.

wencb.

apt?

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