PERSONS REPRESENTED. Ferdinand, king of Navarre. Biron, Longaville, lords, attending on the king. Boyet, lords, attending on the princess of Don Adriano de Armado, a fantastical Spaniard. Holofernes, a schoolmaster. Costard, a clown. Moth, page to Armado. Princess of France. Rosaline, Maria, Katharine, ladies, attending on the princess. Jaquenetta, a country wench. Officers and others, attendants on the king and princess. Scene, Navarre. LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST. ACT I. SCENE I-Navarre. A park, with a palace in it. Enter the King, Biron, Longaville, and Dumain. King LET fame, that all hunt after in their lives, And make us heirs of all eternity. Therefore, brave conquerors !-for so you are, And the huge army of the world's desires,- Long. I am resolv'd: 'tis but a three years' fast; Biron. I can but say their protestation over, 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, 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; 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, 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 vain, Which, with pain purchas'd, doth inherit pain : To seek the like of truth; while truth the while Doth falsely blind the eyesight of his look: Light, seeking light, doth light of light beguile : 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, That will not be deep-search'd with saucy looks; Than those that walk, and wot not what they are. Too much to know, is, to know nought but fame; And every godfather can give a name. King. How well he's read, to reason against reading! Dum. Proceeded well, to stop all good proceeding! (1) Dishonestly, treacherously. Long. He weeds the corn, and still lets grow the 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. Before the birds have any cause to sing? Than wish a snow in May's new-fangled shows;2 So Climb o'er the house to unlock the little gate. And, though I have for barbarism spoke more, And 'bide the penance of each three years' day. Biron. [Reads.] Item, That no woman shall come within a mile of my court.And hath this been proclaim'd? Long. Biron. Let's see the penalty. [Reads.]-On pain of losing her tongue.— Four days ago. Who devis'd this? (2) Games, sports. Long. Marry, that did I. (1) Nipping. |