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 this letter with attention? Cost. Such is the simplicity of man to hearken after the flesh. King. [Reads.] "Great deputy, the welkin's vicegerent, and sole dominator of Navarre, my soul's earth's God, and body's fostering 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, King. Peace! King. Did you hear the proclamation? Cost. I do confess much of the hearing it, but little of the marking of it. King. It was proclaimed a year's imprisonment to be taken with a wench. Cost. I was taken with none, sir: I was taken with a damsel. King. Well, it was proclaimed damsel. Cost. This was no damsel neither, sir: she was a virgin. 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. Cost.-be to me, and every man that dares not fight. My lord Biron, see him deliver'd o'er: Cost. of other men's secrets, I beseech you. Cost. Me. 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, Antony Dull, a man of good repute, carriage, bearing, and estimation." Dull. Me, an't shall please you: I am Antony 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 notice, bring her to trial. Thine, in all complements of devoted and heart burning heat of duty, "DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO." Biron. This is not so well as I looked for, but the best that ever I heard. And go we, lords, to put in practice that [Exeunt KING, LONGAVILLE, and DUMAINE. Cost. I suffer for the truth, sir: for true it is, I was SCENE II.-ARMADO'S House in the Park. Moth. A great sign, sir, that he will look sad. 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 my say- Moth. Little pretty, because little. Wherefore apt? Moth. I will praise an eel with the same praise. 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. [Aside.] He speaks the mere contrary: King. Ay, the best for the worst.-But, sirrah, what crosses love not him? say you to this? Cost. Sir, I confess the wench. Arm. I have promised to study three years with the duke. Moth. You may do it in an hour, sir. Moth. How many is one thrice told? 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. [Aside.] 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 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? Moth. 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! Moth. A woman, master. Arm. Of what complexion? Who was 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 that subject newly writ o'er, that I may example my digression by some mighty precedent. Boy, I do love that country girl, that I took in the park with the rational hind Costard: she deserves well. Moth. [Aside.] To be whipped; and yet a better Arm. Sing, boy: my spirit grows heavy in love. Moth. Forbear, till this company be past. Enter DULL, COSTARD, and JAQUENETTA. Arm. I do betray myself with blushing.-Maid. Arm. I will visit thee at the lodge. Arm. I know where it is situate. Arm. I love thee. Jaq. Fair weather after you. [Exeunt DULL and JAQUENETTA. 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, Moth. Of all the four, or the three, or the two, or for they are but lightly rewarded. one of the four. Arm. Tell me precisely of what complexion. Moth. Of the sea-water green, sir. 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 poetical! Moth. If she be made of white and red, Her faults will ne'er be known; For still her cheeks possess the same, Arm. Take away this villain: shut him up. Moth. No, sir; that were fast and loose: thou shalt Cost. Well, if ever I do see the merry days of deso- Cost. Nay nothing, master Moth, but what they look A dangerous rhyme, master, against the reason of serve my turn; the passado he respects not, the duello white and red. he regards not: his disgrace is to be called boy, but his glory is, to subdue men. Adieu, valour! rust, rapier! be still, drum! for your armiger is in love; yea, he loveth. Assist me some extemporal god of rhyme, for, I am sure, I shall turn sonnet-maker. Devise wit, write pen, for I am for whole volumes in folio. [Exit. ACT II. SCENE I.-Another part of the Park. A Pavilion and Tents at a distance. Enter the PRINCESS of France, ROSALINE, MARIA, Consider whom the king your father sends, Of all perfections that a man may owe, Prin. Good lord Boyet, my beauty, though but mean, Doth noise abroad, Navarre hath made a vow, Tell him, the daughter of the king of France, Boyet. Proud of employment, willingly I go. [Exit. Prin. All pride is willing pride, and yours is so.— Who are the votaries, my loving lords, That are vow-fellows with this virtuous duke? 1 Lord. Longaville is one. Prin. Know you the man? Mar. I know him, madam: at a marriage feast, Between lord Perigort and the beauteous heir Of Jaques Falconbridge, solemnized In Normandy, saw I this Longaville. A man of sovereign parts he is esteem'd; Who are the rest? Kath. The young Dumaine, a well-accomplished youth, Of all that virtue love for virtue lov'd: Ros. Another of these students at that time Prin. God bless my ladies! are they all in love, Prin. Re-enter BOYET. Now, what admittance, lord? Boyet. Navarre had notice of your fair approach; And he, and his competitors in oath, Were all address'd to meet you, gentle lady, King. Fair princess, welcome to the court of Na varre. Prin. Fair, I give you back again; and welcome I have not yet: the roof of this court is too high to be yours, and welcome to the wide fields too base to be mine. King. You shall be welcome, madam, to my court. Prin. Were my lord so, his ignorance were wise, But pardon me, I am too sudden-bold: questions. Biron. Your wit's too hot, it speeds too fast, 'twill tire. Ros. Not till it leave the rider in the mire. Biron. What time o' day? Ros. The hour that fools should ask. Biron. Now fair befal your mask! Ros. Fair fall the face it covers! King. Madam, your father here doth intimate But say, that he, or we, (as neither have) A hundred thousand more; in surety of the which, An hundred thousand crowns; and not demands, On payment of a hundred thousand crowns, To have his title live in Aquitain; Which we much rather had depart withal, Than Aquitain, so gelded as it is. Dear princess, were not his requests so far From reason's yielding, your fair self should make A yielding, 'gainst some reason in my breast, well satisfied to France again. And go Prin. You do the king my father too much wrong, And wrong the reputation of your name, In so unseeming to confess receipt Of that which hath so faithfully been paid. Prin. King. Satisfy me so. Boyet. So please your grace, the packet is not come, Where that and other specialties are bound: To-morrow you shall have a sight of them. King. It shall suffice me: at which interview, All liberal reason I will yield unto. Mean time, receive such welcome at my hand, As honour, without breach of honour, may Make tender of to thy true worthiness. You may not come, fair princess, within my gates; But here without you shall be so receiv'd, As you shall deem yourself lodg'd in my heart, Though so denied free harbour in my house. Your own good thoughts excuse me, and farewell: To-morrow shall we visit you again. Prin. Sweet health and fair desires consort your grace! King. Thy own wish wish I thee in every place! [Exeunt KING and his train. Biron. Lady, I will commend you to mine own heart. Ros. Pray you, do my commendations; I would be glad to see it. Biron. I would, you heard it groan. Ros. Is the fool sick? Ros. Alack! let it blood. Biron. Would that do it good? Biron. Will you prick't with your eye? same? [Stands back. What lady is that [Coming forward. Boyet. The heir of Alençon, Rosaline her name. Dum. A gallant lady. Monsieur, fare you well. Long. I beseech you a word. the white? Boyet. A woman sometimes, an light. [Exit. What is she in [Coming forward. you saw her in the Boyet. Katharine, by good hap. Biron. Is she wedded, or no? Boyet. To her will, sir, or so. [Coming forward. Biron. O! you are welcome, sir. Adieu. Boyet. Boyet. And wherefore not ships? No sheep, sweet lamb, unless we feed on your lips. Mar. You sheep, and I pasture: shall that finish the jest? Boyet. So you grant pasture for me. Mar. [Offering to kiss her. Not so, gentle beast. My lips are no common, though several they be. Boyet. Belonging to whom? Mar. To my fortunes and me. Prin. Good wits will be jangling; but, gentles, Prin. With what? Boyet. With that which we lovers entitle, affected. Boyet. Why, all his behaviours did make their retire eye, Did point you to buy them, along as you pass'd. SCENE I.-Another part of the Same. Enter ARMADO and MOTH. SONG. See, my love. ACT III. Arm. Warble, child: make passionate my sense of hearing. [Singing. Moth. Concolinel (Amato bene.) Arm. Sweet air!-Go, tenderness of years: take this key, give enlargement to the swain, bring him festinately hither; I must employ him in a letter to my love. Moth. Master, will you win your love with a French brawl? Arm. How meanest thou? brawling in French? Moth. No, my complete master; but to jig off a tune at the tongue's end, canary to it with your feet, humour it with turning up your eye-lids; sigh a note, and sing a note; sometime through the throat, as if you swallowed love with singing love; sometime through the nose, as if you snuffed up love by smelling love; with your hat penthouse-like, o'er the shop of your eyes; with your arms crossed on your thin belly's doublet, like a rabbit on a spit; or your hands in your pocket, like a man after the old painting; and keep not too long in one tune, but a snip and away. These are complements, these are humours; these betray nice wenches, that would be betrayed without these, and make them men of note, (do you note, men?) that most are affected to these. Arm. How hast thou purchased this experience? Arm. But O, but 0, Moth. The hobby-horse is forgot. Arm. Callest thou my love hobby-horse? Moth. No, master; the hobby-horse is but a colt, and your love, perhaps, a hackney. But have you forgot your love? Arm. Almost I had. Moth. Negligent student! learn her by heart. Arm. By heart, and in heart, boy. Moth. A messenger well sympathised: a horse to be ambassador for an ass. Arm. Ha, ha! what sayest thou? Moth. You are too swift sir, to say so: Moth. By thy favour, sweet welkin, I must sigh in thy face: Re-enter MOTH with COSTARD. Moth. A wonder, master! here's a Costard broken in a shin. Arm. Some enigma, some riddle: come,-thy l'envoy; -begin. Cost. No egma, no riddle, no l'envoy! no salve in them all, sir: O, sir, plantain, a plain plantain ! no l'envoy, no l'envoy: no salve, sir, but a plantain. Arm. By virtue, thou enforcest laughter; thy silly thought, my spleen; the heaving of my lungs provokes Moth. And out of heart, master: all those three I me to ridiculous smiling. O, pardon me, my stars! will prove. Arm. What wilt thou prove? Moth. A man, if I live: and this, by, in, and without, upon the instant: by heart you love her, because your heart cannot come by her; in heart you love her, because your heart is in love with her; and out of heart Doth the inconsiderate take salve for l'envoy, and the word l'envoy for a salve? a Moth. Do the wise think them other? is not l'envoy salve? Arm. No, page: it is an epilogue, or discourse, to make plain |