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| author | pgww <pgww@lists.pglaf.org> | 2025-10-16 09:36:11 -0700 |
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| committer | pgww <pgww@lists.pglaf.org> | 2025-10-16 09:36:11 -0700 |
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diff --git a/2241-0.txt b/2241-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f8eea29 --- /dev/null +++ b/2241-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3928 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 2241 *** + + +Executive Director's Notes: + +In addition to the notes below, and so you will *NOT* think all +the spelling errors introduced by the printers of the time have +been corrected, here are the first few lines of Hamlet, as they +are presented herein: + + Barnardo. Who's there? + Fran. Nay answer me: Stand & vnfold +your selfe + + Bar. Long liue the King + + * * * * * + +As I understand it, the printers often ran out of certain words +or letters they had often packed into a "cliche". . .this is the +original meaning of the term cliche. . .and thus, being unwilling +to unpack the cliches, and thus you will see some substitutions +that look very odd. . .such as the exchanges of u for v, v for u, +above. . .and you may wonder why they did it this way, presuming +Shakespeare did not actually write the play in this manner. . . . + +The answer is that they MAY have packed "liue" into a cliche at a +time when they were out of "v"'s. . .possibly having used "vv" in +place of some "w"'s, etc. This was a common practice of the day, +as print was still quite expensive, and they didn't want to spend +more on a wider selection of characters than they had to. + +You will find a lot of these kinds of "errors" in this text, as I +have mentioned in other times and places, many "scholars" have an +extreme attachment to these errors, and many have accorded them a +very high place in the "canon" of Shakespeare. My father read an +assortment of these made available to him by Cambridge University +in England for several months in a glass room constructed for the +purpose. To the best of my knowledge he read ALL those available +. . .in great detail. . .and determined from the various changes, +that Shakespeare most likely did not write in nearly as many of a +variety of errors we credit him for, even though he was in/famous +for signing his name with several different spellings. + +So, please take this into account when reading the comments below +made by our volunteer who prepared this file: you may see errors +that are "not" errors. . . . + +So. . .with this caveat. . .we have NOT changed the canon errors, +here is the Project Gutenberg Etext of Shakespeare's The first +Part of Henry the Sixt. + +Michael S. Hart +Project Gutenberg +Executive Director + + * * * * * + +Scanner's Notes: + +What this is and isn't. This was taken from a copy of +Shakespeare's first folio and it is as close as I can come in +ASCII to the printed text. + +The elongated S's have been changed to small s's and the +conjoined ae have been changed to ae. I have left the spelling, +punctuation, capitalization as close as possible to the printed +text. I have corrected some spelling mistakes (I have put +together a spelling dictionary devised from the spellings of +the Geneva Bible and Shakespeare's First Folio and have unified +spellings according to this template), typo's and expanded +abbreviations as I have come across them. Everything within +brackets [] is what I have added. So if you don't like that you +can delete everything within the brackets if you want a purer +Shakespeare. + +Another thing that you should be aware of is that there are +textual differences between various copies of the first folio. So +there may be differences (other than what I have mentioned above) +between this and other first folio editions. This is due to the +printer's habit of setting the type and running off a number of +copies and then proofing the printed copy and correcting the type +and then continuing the printing run. The proof run wasn't thrown +away but incorporated into the printed copies. This is just the +way it is. The text I have used was a composite of more than 30 +different First Folio editions' best pages. + +David Reed + +===================================================================== + + + + +Loues Labour's lost + +Actus primus. + +Enter Ferdinand King of Nauarre, Berowne, Longauill, and +Dumane. + + Ferdinand. Let Fame, that all hunt after in their liues, +Liue registred vpon our brazen Tombes, +And then grace vs in the disgrace of death: +when spight of cormorant deuouring Time, +Th' endeuour of this present breath may buy: +That honour which shall bate his sythes keene edge, +And make vs heyres of all eternitie. +Therefore braue Conquerours, for so you are, +That warre against your owne affections, +And the huge Armie of the worlds desires. +Our late edict shall strongly stand in force, +Nauar shall be the wonder of the world. +Our Court shall be a little Achademe, +Still and contemplatiue in liuing Art. +You three, Berowne, Dumaine, and Longauill, +Haue sworne for three yeeres terme, to liue with me: +My fellow Schollers, and to keepe those statutes +That are recorded in this scedule heere. +Your oathes are past, and now subscribe your names: +That his owne hand may strike his honour downe, +That violates the smallest branch heerein: +If you are arm'd to doe, as sworne to do, +Subscribe to your deepe oathes, and keepe it to + + Longauill. I am resolu'd, 'tis but a three yeeres fast: +The minde shall banquet, though the body pine, +Fat paunches haue leane pates: and dainty bits, +Make rich the ribs, but bankerout the wits + + Dumane. My louing Lord, Dumane is mortified, +The grosser manner of these worlds delights, +He throwes vpon the grosse worlds baser slaues: +To loue, to wealth, to pompe, I pine and die, +With all these liuing in Philosophie + + Berowne. I can but say their protestation ouer, +So much, deare Liege, I haue already sworne, +That is, to liue and study heere three yeeres. +But there are other strict obseruances: +As not to see a woman in that terme, +Which I hope well is not enrolled there. +And one day in a weeke to touch no foode: +And but one meale on euery day beside: +The which I hope is not enrolled there. +And then to sleepe but three houres in the night, +And not be seene to winke of all the day. +When I was wont to thinke no harme all night, +And make a darke night too of halfe the day: +Which I hope well is not enrolled there. +O, these are barren taskes, too hard to keepe, +Not to see Ladies, study, fast, not sleepe + + Ferd. Your oath is past, to passe away from these + + Berow. Let me say no my Liedge, and if you please, +I onely swore to study with your grace, +And stay heere in your Court for three yeeres space + + Longa. You swore to that Berowne, and to the rest + + Berow. By yea and nay sir, than I swore in iest. +What is the end of study, let me know? + Fer. Why that to know which else wee should not +know + + Ber. Things hid & bard (you meane) fro[m] co[m]mon sense + + Ferd. I, that is studies god-like recompence + + Bero. Come on then, I will sweare to studie so, +To know the thing I am forbid to know: +As thus, to study where I well may dine, +When I to fast expressely am forbid. +Or studie where to meete some Mistresse fine, +When Mistresses from common sense are hid. +Or hauing sworne too hard a keeping oath, +Studie to breake it, and not breake my troth. +If studies gaine be thus, and this be so, +Studie knowes that which yet it doth not know, +Sweare me to this, and I will nere say no + + Ferd. These be the stops that hinder studie quite, +And traine our intellects to vaine delight + + Ber. Why? all delights are vaine, and that most vaine +Which with paine purchas'd, doth inherit paine, +As painefully to poare vpon a Booke, +To seeke the light of truth, while truth the while +Doth falsely blinde the eye-sight of his looke: +Light seeking light, doth light of light beguile: +So ere you finde where light in darkenesse lies, +Your light growes darke by losing of your eyes. +Studie me how to please the eye indeede, +By fixing it vpon a fairer eye, +Who dazling so, that eye shall be his heed, +And giue him light that it was blinded by. +Studie is like the heauens glorious Sunne, +That will not be deepe search'd with sawcy lookes: +Small haue continuall plodders euer wonne, +Saue base authoritie from others Bookes. +These earthly Godfathers of heauens lights, +That giue a name to euery fixed Starre, +Haue no more profit of their shining nights, +Then those that walke and wot not what they are. +Too much to know, is to know nought but fame: +And euery Godfather can giue a name + + Fer. How well hee's read, to reason against reading + + Dum. Proceeded well, to stop all good proceeding + + Lon. Hee weedes the corne, and still lets grow the +weeding + + Ber. The Spring is neare when greene geesse are a +breeding + + Dum. How followes that? + Ber. Fit in his place and time + + Dum. In reason nothing + + Ber. Something then in rime + + Ferd. Berowne is like an enuious sneaping Frost, +That bites the first borne infants of the Spring + + Ber. Wel, say I am, why should proud Summer boast, +Before the Birds haue any cause to sing? +Why should I ioy in any abortiue birth? +At Christmas I no more desire a Rose, +Then wish a Snow in Mayes new fangled showes: +But like of each thing that in season growes. +So you to studie now it is too late, +That were to clymbe ore the house to vnlocke the gate + + Fer. Well, sit you out: go home Berowne: adue + + Ber. No my good Lord, I haue sworn to stay with you. +And though I haue for barbarisme spoke more, +Then for that Angell knowledge you can say, +Yet confident Ile keepe what I haue sworne, +And bide the pennance of each three yeares day. +Giue me the paper, let me reade the same, +And to the strictest decrees Ile write my name + + Fer. How well this yeelding rescues thee from shame + + Ber. Item. That no woman shall come within a mile +of my Court. +Hath this bin proclaimed? + Lon. Foure dayes agoe + + Ber. Let's see the penaltie. +On paine of loosing her tongue. +Who deuis'd this penaltie? + Lon. Marry that did I + + Ber. Sweete Lord, and why? + Lon. To fright them hence with that dread penaltie, +A dangerous law against gentilitie. +Item, If any man be seene to talke with a woman within +the tearme of three yeares, hee shall indure such +publique shame as the rest of the Court shall possibly +deuise + + Ber. This Article my Liedge your selfe must breake, +For well you know here comes in Embassie +The French Kings daughter, with your selfe to speake: +A Maide of grace and compleate maiestie, +About surrender vp of Aquitaine: +To her decrepit, sicke, and bed-rid Father. +Therefore this Article is made in vaine, +Or vainly comes th' admired Princesse hither + + Fer. What say you Lords? +Why, this was quite forgot + + Ber. So Studie euermore is ouershot, +While it doth study to haue what it would, +It doth forget to doe the thing it should: +And when it hath the thing it hunteth most, +'Tis won as townes with fire, so won, so lost + + Fer. We must of force dispence with this Decree, +She must lye here on meere necessitie + + Ber. Necessity will make vs all forsworne +Three thousand times within this three yeeres space: +For euery man with his affects is borne, +Not by might mastred, but by speciall grace. +If I breake faith, this word shall breake for me, +I am forsworne on meere necessitie. +So to the Lawes at large I write my name, +And he that breakes them in the least degree, +Stands in attainder of eternall shame. +Suggestions are to others as to me: +But I beleeue although I seeme so loth, +I am the last that will last keepe his oth. +But is there no quicke recreation granted? + Fer. I that there is, our Court you know is hanted +With a refined trauailer of Spaine, +A man in all the worlds new fashion planted, +That hath a mint of phrases in his braine: +One, who the musicke of his owne vaine tongue, +Doth rauish like inchanting harmonie: +A man of complements whom right and wrong +Haue chose as vmpire of their mutinie. +This childe of fancie that Armado hight, +For interim to our studies shall relate, +In high-borne words the worth of many a Knight: +From tawnie Spaine lost in the worlds debate. +How you delight my Lords, I know not I, +But I protest I loue to heare him lie, +And I will vse him for my Minstrelsie + + Bero. Armado is a most illustrious wight, +A man of fire, new words, fashions owne Knight + + Lon. Costard the swaine and he, shall be our sport, +And so to studie, three yeeres is but short. +Enter a Constable with Costard with a Letter. + + Const. Which is the Dukes owne person + + Ber. This fellow, What would'st? + Con. I my selfe reprehend his owne person, for I am +his graces Tharborough: But I would see his own person +in flesh and blood + + Ber. This is he + + Con. Signeor Arme, Arme commends you: +Ther's villanie abroad, this letter will tell you more + + Clow. Sir the Contempts thereof are as touching +mee + + Fer. A letter from the magnificent Armado + + Ber. How low soeuer the matter, I hope in God for +high words + + Lon. A high hope for a low heauen, God grant vs patience + + Ber. To heare, or forbeare hearing + + Lon. To heare meekely sir, and to laugh moderately, +or to forbeare both + + Ber. Well sir, be it as the stile shall giue vs cause to +clime in the merrinesse + + Clo. The matter is to me sir, as concerning Iaquenetta. +The manner of it is, I was taken with the manner + + Ber. In what manner? + Clo. In manner and forme following sir all those three. +I was seene with her in the Mannor house, sitting with +her vpon the Forme, and taken following her into the +Parke: which put to gether, is in manner and forme +following. Now sir for the manner; It is the manner +of a man to speake to a woman, for the forme in some +forme + + Ber. For the following sir + + Clo. As it shall follow in my correction, and God defend +the right + + Fer. Will you heare this Letter with attention? + Ber. As we would heare an Oracle + + Clo. Such is the simplicitie of man to harken after the +flesh + + Ferdinand. Great Deputie, the Welkins Vicegerent, and sole +dominator +of Nauar, my soules earths God, and bodies fostring +patrone: + Cost. Not a word of Costard yet + + Ferd. So it is + + Cost. It may be so: but if he say it is so, he is in telling +true: but so + + Ferd. Peace, + Clow. Be to me, and euery man that dares not fight + + Ferd. No words, + Clow. Of other mens secrets I beseech you + + Ferd. So it is besieged with sable coloured melancholie, I +did commend the blacke oppressing humour to the most +wholesome +Physicke of thy health-giuing ayre: And as I am a Gentleman, +betooke my selfe to walke: the time When? about the +sixt houre, When beasts most grase, birds best pecke, and men +sit downe to that nourishment which is called supper: So much +for the time When. Now for the ground Which? which I +meane I walkt vpon, it is ycliped, Thy Parke. Then for the +place Where? where I meane I did encounter that obscene and +most preposterous euent that draweth from my snow-white pen +the ebon coloured Inke, which heere thou viewest, beholdest: +suruayest, or seest. 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 low spirited +Swaine, that base Minow of thy myrth, + Clown. Mee? + Ferd. that vnletered small knowing soule, + Clow Me? + Ferd. that shallow +vassall + Clow. Still mee?) + Ferd. which as I remember, hight Costard, + Clow. O me) + Ferd. sorted and consorted contrary to thy established +proclaymed Edict and Continent, Cannon: Which +with, o with, but with this I passion to say wherewith: + Clo. With a Wench + + Ferd. With a childe of our Grandmother Eue, a female; +or for thy more sweet understanding a woman: him, I (as my +euer esteemed dutie prickes me on) haue sent to thee, to receiue +the meed of punishment by the sweet Graces Officer Anthony +Dull, a man of good repute, carriage, bearing, & estimation + + Anth. Me, an't shall please you? I am Anthony Dull + + Ferd. For Iaquenetta (so is the weaker vessell called) +which I apprehended with the aforesaid Swaine, I keepe her +as a vessell of thy Lawes furie, and shall at the least of thy +sweet notice, bring her to triall. Thine in all complements of +deuoted and heart-burning heat of dutie. +Don Adriana de Armado + + Ber. This is not so well as I looked for, but the best +that euer I heard + + Fer. I the best, for the worst. But sirra, What say you +to this? + Clo. Sir I confesse the Wench + + Fer. Did you heare the Proclamation? + Clo. I doe confesse much of the hearing it, but little +of the marking of it + + Fer. It was proclaimed a yeeres imprisonment to bee +taken with a Wench + + Clow. I was taken with none sir, I was taken with a +Damosell + + Fer. Well, it was proclaimed Damosell + + Clo. This was no Damosell neyther sir, shee was a +Virgin + + Fer. It is so varried to, for it was proclaimed Virgin + + Clo. If it were, I denie her Virginitie: I was taken +with a Maide + + Fer. This Maid will not serue your turne sir + + Clo. This Maide will serue my turne sir + + Kin. Sir I will pronounce your sentence: You shall +fast a Weeke with Branne and water + + Clo. I had rather pray a Moneth with Mutton and +Porridge + + Kin. And Don Armado shall be your keeper. +My Lord Berowne, see him deliuer'd ore, +And goe we Lords to put in practice that, +Which each to other hath so strongly sworne + + Bero. Ile lay my head to any good mans hat, +These oathes and lawes will proue an idle scorne. +Sirra, come on + + Clo. I suffer for the truth sir: for true it is, I was taken +with Iaquenetta, and Iaquenetta is a true girle, and +therefore welcome the sowre cup of prosperitie, affliction +may one day smile againe, and vntill then sit downe +sorrow. +Enter. + +Enter Armado and Moth his Page. + + Arma. Boy, What signe is it when a man of great +spirit growes melancholy? + Boy. A great signe sir, that he will looke sad + + Brag. Why? sadnesse is one and the selfe-same thing +deare impe + + Boy. No no, O Lord sir no + + Brag. How canst thou part sadnesse and melancholy +my tender Iuuenall? + Boy. By a familiar demonstration of the working, my +tough signeur + + Brag. Why tough signeur? Why tough signeur? + Boy. Why tender Iuuenall? Why tender Iuuenall? + Brag. I spoke it tender Iuuenall, as a congruent apathaton, +appertaining to thy young daies, which we may +nominate tender + + Boy. And I tough signeur, as an appertinent title to +your olde time, which we may name tough + + Brag. Pretty and apt + + Boy. How meane you sir, I pretty, and my saying apt? +or I apt, and my saying prettie? + Brag. Thou pretty because little + + Boy. Little pretty, because little: wherefore apt? + Brag. And therefore apt, because quicke + + Boy. Speake you this in my praise Master? + Brag. In thy condigne praise + + Boy. I will praise an Eele with the same praise + + Brag. What? that an Eele is ingenuous + + Boy. That an Eele is quicke + + Brag. I doe say thou art quicke in answeres. Thou +heat'st my bloud + + Boy. I am answer'd sir + + Brag. I loue not to be crost + + Boy. He speakes the meere contrary, crosses loue not him + + Br. I haue promis'd to study iij. yeres with the Duke + + Boy. You may doe it in an houre sir + + Brag. Impossible + + Boy. How many is one thrice told? + Bra. I am ill at reckning, it fits the spirit of a Tapster + + Boy. You are a gentleman and a gamester sir + + Brag. I confesse both, they are both the varnish of a +compleat man + + Boy. Then I am sure you know how much the grosse +summe of deus-ace amounts to + + Brag. It doth amount to one more then two + + Boy. Which the base vulgar call three + + Br. True + + Boy. Why sir is this such a peece of study? +Now here's three studied, ere you'll thrice wink, & how +easie it is to put yeres to the word three, and study three +yeeres in two words, the dancing horse will tell you + + Brag. A most fine Figure + + Boy. To proue you a Cypher + + Brag. I will heereupon confesse I am in loue: and as +it is base for a Souldier to loue; so am I in loue with a +base wench. If drawing my sword against the humour +of affection, would deliuer mee from the reprobate +thought of it, I would take Desire prisoner, and ransome +him to any French Courtier for a new deuis'd curtsie. I +thinke scorne to sigh, me thinkes I should out-sweare +Cupid. Comfort me Boy, What great men haue beene +in loue? + Boy. Hercules Master + + Brag. Most sweete Hercules: more authority deare +Boy, name more; and sweet my childe let them be men +of good repute and carriage + + Boy. Sampson Master, he was a man of good carriage, +great carriage: for hee carried the Towne-gates on his +backe like a Porter: and he was in loue + + Brag. O well-knit Sampson, strong ioynted Sampson; +I doe excell thee in my rapier, as much as thou didst mee +in carrying gates. I am in loue too. Who was Sampsons +loue my deare Moth? + Boy. A Woman, Master + + Brag. Of what complexion? + Boy. Of all the foure, or the three, or the two, or one +of the foure + + Brag. Tell me precisely of what complexion? + Boy. Of the sea-water Greene sir + + Brag. Is that one of the foure complexions? + Boy. As I haue read sir, and the best of them too + + Brag. Greene indeed is the colour of Louers: but to +haue a Loue of that colour, methinkes Sampson had small +reason for it. He surely affected her for her wit + + Boy. It was so sir, for she had a greene wit + + Brag. My Loue is most immaculate white and red + + Boy. Most immaculate thoughts Master, are mask'd +vnder such colours + + Brag. Define, define, well educated infant + + Boy. My fathers witte, and my mothers tongue assist +mee + + Brag. Sweet inuocation of a childe, most pretty and +patheticall + + Boy. If shee be made of white and red, +Her faults will nere be knowne: +For blushin cheekes by faults are bred, +And feares by pale white showne: +Then if she feare, or be to blame, +By this you shall not know, +For still her cheekes possesse the same, +Which natiue she doth owe: +A dangerous rime master against the reason of white +and redde + + Brag. Is there not a ballet Boy, of the King and the +Begger? + Boy. The world was very guilty of such a Ballet some +three ages since, but I thinke now 'tis not to be found: or +if it were, it would neither serue for the writing, nor the +tune + + Brag. I will haue that subiect newly writ ore, that I +may example my digression by some mighty president. +Boy, I doe loue that Countrey girle that I tooke in +the Parke with the rationall hinde Costard: she deserues +well + + Boy. To bee whip'd: and yet a better loue then my +Master + + Brag. Sing Boy, my spirit grows heauy in loue + + Boy. And that's great maruell, louing a light wench + + Brag. I say sing + + Boy. Forbeare till this company be past. +Enter Clowne, Constable, and Wench. + + Const. Sir, the Dukes pleasure, is that you keepe Costard +safe, and you must let him take no delight, nor no +penance, but hee must fast three daies a weeke: for this +Damsell, I must keepe her at the Parke, shee is alowd for +the Day-woman. Fare you well. +Enter. + + Brag. I do betray my selfe with blushing: Maide + + Maid. Man + + Brag. I wil visit thee at the Lodge + + Maid. That's here by + + Brag. I know where it is situate + + Mai. Lord how wise you are! + Brag. I will tell thee wonders + + Ma. With what face? + Brag. I loue thee + + Mai. So I heard you say + + Brag. And so farewell + + Mai. Faire weather after you + + Clo. Come Iaquenetta, away. + +Exeunt. + + Brag. Villaine, thou shalt fast for thy offences ere +thou be pardoned + + Clo. Well sir, I hope when I doe it, I shall doe it on a +full stomacke + + Brag. Thou shalt be heauily punished + + Clo. I am more bound to you then your fellowes, for +they are but lightly rewarded + + Clo. Take away this villaine, shut him vp + + Boy. Come you transgressing slaue, away + + Clow. Let mee not bee pent vp sir, I will fast being +loose + + Boy. No sir, that were fast and loose: thou shalt to +prison + + Clow. Well, if euer I do see the merry dayes of desolation +that I haue seene, some shall see + + Boy. What shall some see? + Clow. Nay nothing, Master Moth, but what they +looke vpon. It is not for prisoners to be silent in their +words, and therefore I will say nothing: I thanke God, I +haue as little patience as another man, and therefore I +can be quiet. +Enter. + + Brag. I doe affect the very ground (which is base) +where her shooe (which is baser) guided by her foote +(which is basest) doth tread. I shall be forsworn (which +is a great argument of falshood) if I loue. And how can +that be true loue, which is falsly attempted? Loue is a familiar, +Loue is a Diuell. There is no euill Angell but +Loue, yet Sampson was so tempted, and he had an excellent +strength: Yet was Salomon so seduced, and hee had +a very good witte. Cupids Butshaft is too hard for Hercules +Clubbe, and therefore too much ods for a Spaniards +Rapier: The first and second cause will not serue +my turne: the Passado hee respects not, the Duello he +regards not; his disgrace is to be called Boy, but his +glorie is to subdue men. Adue Valour, rust Rapier, bee +still Drum, for your manager is in loue; yea hee loueth. +Assist me some extemporall god of Rime, for I am sure I +shall turne Sonnet. Deuise Wit, write Pen, for I am for +whole volumes in folio. + +Enter. + + +Finis Actus Primus. + + +Actus Secunda. + +Enter the Princesse of France, with three attending Ladies, and +three +Lords + + Boyet. Now Madam summon vp your dearest spirits, +Consider who the King your father sends: +To whom he sends, and what's his Embassie. +Your selfe, held precious in the worlds esteeme, +To parlee with the sole inheritour +Of all perfections that a man may owe, +Matchlesse Nauarre, the plea of no lesse weight +Then Aquitaine, a Dowrie for a Queene, +Be now as prodigall of all deare grace, +As Nature was in making Graces deare, +When she did starue the generall world beside, +And prodigally gaue them all to you + + Queen. Good L[ord]. Boyet, my beauty though but mean, +Needs not the painted flourish of your praise: +Beauty is bought by iudgement of the eye, +Not vttred by base sale of chapmens tongues: +I am lesse proud to heare you tell my worth, +Then you much willing to be counted wise, +In spending your wit in the praise of mine. +But now to taske the tasker, good Boyet + + Prin. You are not ignorant all-telling fame +Doth noyse abroad Nauar hath made a vow, +Till painefull studie shall out-weare three yeares, +No woman may approach his silent Court: +Therefore to's seemeth it a needfull course, +Before we enter his forbidden gates, +To know his pleasure, and in that behalfe +Bold of your worthinesse, we single you, +As our best mouing faire soliciter: +Tell him, the daughter of the King of France, +On serious businesse crauing quicke dispatch, +Importunes personall conference with his grace. +Haste, signifie so much while we attend, +Like humble visag'd suters his high will + + Boy. Proud of imployment, willingly I goe. +Enter. + + Prin. All pride is willing pride, and yours is so: +Who are the Votaries my Louing Lords, that are vow-fellowes +with this vertuous Duke? + Lor. Longauill is one + + Princ. Know you the man? + 1 Lady. I know him Madame at a marriage feast, +Betweene L[ord]. Perigort and the beautious heire +Of Iaques Fauconbridge solemnized. +In Normandie saw I this Longauill, +A man of soueraigne parts he is esteem'd: +Well fitted in Arts, glorious in Armes: +Nothing becomes him ill that he would well. +The onely soyle of his faire vertues glosse, +If vertues glosse will staine with any soile, +Is a sharp wit match'd with too blunt a Will: +Whose edge hath power to cut whose will still wills, +It should none spare that come within his power + + Prin. Some merry mocking Lord belike, ist so? + Lad.1. They say so most, that most his humors know + + Prin. such short liu'd wits do wither as they grow. +Who are the rest? + 2.Lad. The yong Dumaine, a well accomplisht youth, +Of all that Vertue loue, for Vertue loued. +Most power to doe most harme, least knowing ill: +For he hath wit to make an ill shape good, +And shape to win grace though she had no wit. +I saw him at the Duke Alansoes once, +And much too little of that good I saw, +Is my report to his great worthinesse + + Rossa. Another of these Students at that time, +Was there with him, as I haue heard a truth. +Berowne they call him, but a merrier man, +Within the limit of becomming mirth, +I neuer spent an houres talke withall. +His eye begets occasion for his wit, +For euery obiect that the one doth catch, +The other turnes to a mirth-mouing iest. +Which his faire tongue (conceits expositor) +Deliuers in such apt and gracious words, +That aged eares play treuant at his tales, +And yonger hearings are quite rauished. +So sweet and voluble is his discourse + + Prin. God blesse my Ladies, are they all in loue? +That euery one her owne hath garnished, +With such bedecking ornaments of praise + + Ma. Heere comes Boyet. +Enter Boyet. + + Prin. Now, what admittance Lord? + Boyet. Nauar had notice of your faire approach; +And he and his competitors in oath, +Were all addrest to meete you gentle Lady +Before I came: Marrie thus much I haue learnt, +He rather meanes to lodge you in the field, +Like one that comes heere to besiege his Court, +Then seeke a dispensation for his oath: +To let you enter his vnpeopled house. +Enter Nauar, Longauill, Dumaine, and Berowne. + +Heere comes Nauar + + Nau. Faire Princesse, welcom to the Court of Nauar + + Prin. Faire I giue you backe againe, and welcome I +haue not yet: the roofe of this Court is too high to bee +yours, and welcome to the wide fields, too base to be +mine + + Nau. You shall be welcome Madam to my Court + + Prin. I wil be welcome then, Conduct me thither + + Nau. Heare me deare Lady, I haue sworne an oath + + Prin. Our Lady helpe my Lord, he'll be forsworne + + Nau. Not for the world faire Madam, by my will + + Prin. Why, will shall breake it will, and nothing els + + Nau. Your Ladiship is ignorant what it is + + Prin. Were my Lord so, his ignorance were wise, +Where now his knowledge must proue ignorance. +I heare your grace hath sworne out House-keeping: +'Tis deadly sinne to keepe that oath my Lord, +And sinne to breake it: +But pardon me, I am too sodaine bold, +To teach a Teacher ill beseemeth me. +Vouchsafe to read the purpose of my comming, +And sodainly resolue me in my suite + + Nau. Madam, I will, if sodainly I may + + Prin. You will the sooner that I were away, +For you'll proue periur'd if you make me stay + + Berow. Did not I dance with you in Brabant once? + Rosa. Did not I dance with you in Brabant once? + Ber. I know you did + + Rosa. How needlesse was it then to ask the question? + Ber. You must not be so quicke + + Rosa. 'Tis long of you y spur me with such questions + + Ber. Your wit's too hot, it speeds too fast, 'twill tire + + Rosa. Not till it leaue the Rider in the mire + + Ber. What time a day? + Rosa. The howre that fooles should aske + + Ber. Now faire befall your maske + + Rosa. Faire fall the face it couers + + Ber. And send you many louers + + Rosa. Amen, so you be none + + Ber. Nay then will I be gone + + Kin. Madame, your father heere doth intimate, +The paiment of a hundred thousand Crownes, +Being but th' one halfe, of an intire summe, +Disbursed by my father in his warres. +But say that he, or we, as neither haue +Receiu'd that summe; yet there remaines vnpaid +A hundred thousand more: in surety of the which, +One part of Aquitaine is bound to vs, +Although not valued to the moneys worth. +If then the King your father will restore +But that one halfe which is vnsatisfied, +We will giue vp our right in Aquitaine, +And hold faire friendship with his Maiestie: +But that it seemes he little purposeth, +For here he doth demand to haue repaie, +An hundred thousand Crownes, and not demands +One paiment of a hundred thousand Crownes, +To haue his title liue in Aquitaine. +Which we much rather had depart withall, +And haue the money by our father lent, +Then Aquitane, so guelded as it is. +Deare Princesse, were not his requests so farre +From reasons yeelding, your faire selfe should make +A yeelding 'gainst some reason in my brest, +And goe well satisfied to France againe + + Prin. You doe the King my Father too much wrong, +And wrong the reputation of your name, +In so vnseeming to confesse receyt +Of that which hath so faithfully beene paid + + Kin. I doe protest I neuer heard of it, +And if you proue it, Ile repay it backe, +Or yeeld vp Aquitaine + + Prin. We arrest your word: +Boyet, you can produce acquittances +For such a summe, from speciall Officers, +Of Charles his Father + + Kin. Satisfie me so + + Boyet. So please your Grace, the packet is not come +Where that and other specialties are bound, +To morrow you shall haue a sight of them + + Kin. It shall suffice me; at which enterview, +All liberall reason would I yeeld vnto: +Meane time, receiue such welcome at my hand, +As honour, without breach of Honour may +Make tender of, to thy true worthinesse. +You may not come faire Princesse in my gates, +But heere without you shall be so receiu'd, +As you shall deeme your selfe lodg'd in my heart, +Though so deni'd farther harbour in my house: +Your owne good thoughts excuse me, and farewell, +To morrow we shall visit you againe + + Prin. Sweet health & faire desires consort your grace + + Kin. Thy own wish wish I thee, in euery place. +Enter. + + Boy. Lady, I will commend you to my owne heart + + La.Ro. Pray you doe my commendations, +I would be glad to see it + + Boy. I would you heard it grone + + La.Ro. Is the soule sicke? + Boy. Sicke at the heart + + La.Ro. Alacke, let it bloud + + Boy. Would that doe it good? + La.Ro. My Phisicke saies I + + Boy. Will you prick't with your eye + + La.Ro. No poynt, with my knife + + Boy. Now God saue thy life + + La.Ro. And yours from long liuing + + Ber. I cannot stay thanks-giuing. +Enter. + +Enter Dumane. + + Dum. Sir, I pray you a word: What Lady is that same? + Boy. The heire of Alanson, Rosalin her name + + Dum. A gallant Lady, Mounsier fare you well + + Long. I beseech you a word: what is she in the white? + Boy. A woman somtimes, if you saw her in the light + + Long. Perchance light in the light: I desire her name + + Boy. Shee hath but one for her selfe, +To desire that were a shame + + Long. Pray you sir, whose daughter? + Boy. Her Mothers, I haue heard + + Long. Gods blessing a your beard + + Boy. Good sir be not offended, +Shee is an heyre of Faulconbridge + + Long. Nay, my choller is ended: +Shee is a most sweet Lady. + +Exit. Long. + + Boy. Not vnlike sir, that may be. +Enter Beroune. + + Ber. What's her name in the cap + + Boy. Katherine by good hap + + Ber. Is she wedded, or no + + Boy. To her will sir, or so, + Ber. You are welcome sir, adiew + + Boy. Fare well to me sir, and welcome to you. +Enter. + + La.Ma. That last is Beroune, the mery mad-cap Lord. +Not a word with him, but a iest + + Boy. And euery iest but a word + + Pri. It was well done of you to take him at his word + + Boy. I was as willing to grapple, as he was to boord + + La.Ma. Two hot Sheepes marie: +And wherefore not Ships? + Boy. No Sheepe (sweet Lamb) vnlesse we feed on your lips + + La. You Sheepe & I pasture: shall that finish the iest? + Boy. So you grant pasture for me + + La. Not so gentle beast. +My lips are no Common, though seuerall they be + + Bo. Belonging to whom? + La. To my fortunes and me + + Prin. Good wits wil be iangling, but gentles agree. +This ciuill warre of wits were much better vsed +On Nauar and his bookemen, for heere 'tis abus'd + + Bo. If my obseruation (which very seldome lies +By the hearts still rhetoricke, disclosed with eyes) +Deceiue me not now, Nauar is infected + + Prin. With what? + Bo. With that which we Louers intitle affected + + Prin. Your reason + + Bo. Why all his behauiours doe make their retire, +To the court of his eye, peeping thorough desire. +His hart like an Agot with your print impressed, +Proud with his forme, in his eie pride expressed. +His tongue all impatient to speake and not see, +Did stumble with haste in his eie-sight to be, +All sences to that sence did make their repaire, +To feele onely looking on fairest of faire: +Me thought all his sences were lockt in his eye, +As Iewels in Christall for some Prince to Buy. +Who tendring their own worth from whence they were glast, +Did point out to buy them along as you past. +His faces owne margent did coate such amazes, +That all eyes saw his eies inchanted with gazes. +Ile giue you Aquitaine, and all that is his, +And you giue him for my sake, but one louing Kisse + + Prin. Come to our Pauillion, Boyet is disposde + + Bro. But to speak that in words, which his eie hath disclos'd. +I onelie haue made a mouth of his eie, +By adding a tongue, which I know will not lie + + Lad.Ro. Thou art an old Loue-monger, and speakest +skilfully + + Lad.Ma. He is Cupids Grandfather, and learnes news +of him + + Lad.2. Then was Venus like her mother, for her father +is but grim + + Boy. Do you heare my mad wenches? + La.1. No + + Boy. What then, do you see? + Lad.2. I, our way to be gone + + Boy. You are too hard for me. + +Exeunt. omnes. + + +Actus Tertius. + +Enter Braggart and Boy. + +Song. + + Bra. Warble childe, make passionate my sense of hearing + + Boy. Concolinel + + Brag. Sweete Ayer, go tendernesse of yeares: take +this Key, giue enlargement to the swaine, bring him festinatly +hither: I must imploy him in a letter to my +Loue + + Boy. Will you win your loue with a French braule? + Bra. How meanest thou, brauling in French? + Boy. No my compleat master, but to Iigge off a tune +at the tongues end, canarie to it with the feete, humour +it with turning vp your eie: sigh a note and sing a note, +sometime through the throate: if you swallowed loue +with singing, loue sometime through: nose as if you +snuft vp loue by smelling loue with your hat penthouselike +ore the shop of your eies, with your armes crost on +your thinbellie doublet, like a Rabbet on a spit, or your +hands in your pocket, like a man after the old painting, +and keepe not too long in one tune, but a snip and away: +these are complements, these are humours, these betraie +nice wenches that would be betraied without these, and +make them men of note: do you note men that most are +affected to these? + Brag. How hast thou purchased this experience? + Boy. By my penne of obseruation + + Brag. But O, but O + + Boy. The Hobbie-horse is forgot + + Bra. Cal'st thou my loue Hobbi-horse + + Boy. No Master, the Hobbie-horse is but a Colt, and +and your Loue perhaps, a Hacknie: +but haue you forgot your Loue? + Brag. Almost I had + + Boy. Negligent student, learne her by heart + + Brag. By heart, and in heart Boy + + Boy. And out of heart Master: all those three I will +proue + + Brag. What wilt thou proue? + Boy. A man, if I liue (and this) by, in, and without, vpon +the instant: by heart you loue her, because your heart +cannot come by her: in heart you loue her, because your +heart is in loue with her: and out of heart you loue her, +being out of heart that you cannot enioy her + + Brag. I am all these three + + Boy. And three times as much more, and yet nothing +at all + + Brag. Fetch hither the Swaine, he must carrie mee a +letter + + Boy. A message well simpathis'd, a Horse to be embassadour +for an Asse + + Brag. Ha, ha, What saiest thou? + Boy. Marrie sir, you must send the Asse vpon the Horse +for he is verie slow gated: but I goe + + Brag. The way is but short, away + + Boy. As swift as Lead sir + + Brag. Thy meaning prettie ingenious, is not Lead a +mettall heauie, dull, and slow? + Boy. Minnime honest Master, or rather Master no + + Brag. I say Lead is slow + + Boy. You are too swift sir to say so. +Is that Lead slow which is fir'd from a Gunne? + Brag. Sweete smoke of Rhetorike, +He reputes me a Cannon, and the Bullet that's he: +I shoote thee at the Swaine + + Boy. Thump then, and I flee + + Bra. A most acute Iuuenall, voluble and free of grace, +By thy fauour sweet Welkin, I must sigh in thy face. +Most rude melancholie, Valour giues thee place. +My Herald is return'd. +Enter Page and Clowne. + + Pag. A wonder Master, here's a Costard broken in a +shin + + Ar. Some enigma, some riddle, come, thy Lenuoy +begin + + Clo. No egma, no riddle, no lenuoy, no salue, in thee +male sir. Or sir, Plantan, a plaine Plantan: no lenuoy, no +lenuoy, no Salue sir, but a Plantan + + Ar. By vertue, thou inforcest laughter, thy sillie +thought, my spleene, the heauing of my lunges prouokes +me to rediculous smyling: O pardon me my stars, doth +the inconsiderate take salue for lenuoy, and the word lenuoy +for a salue? + Pag. Doe the wise thinke them other, is not lenuoy a +salue? + Ar. No Page, it is an epilogue or discourse to make plaine, +Some obscure precedence that hath tofore bin faine. +Now will I begin your morrall, and do you follow with +my lenuoy. +The Foxe, the Ape, and the Humble-Bee, +Were still at oddes, being but three + + Arm. Vntill the Goose came out of doore, +Staying the oddes by adding foure + + Pag. A good Lenuoy, ending in the Goose: would you +desire more? + Clo. The Boy hath sold him a bargaine, a Goose, that's flat. +Sir, your penny-worth is good, and your Goose be fat. +To sell a bargaine well is as cunning as fast and loose: +Let me see a fat Lenuoy, I that's a fat Goose + + Ar. Come hither, come hither: +How did this argument begin? + Boy. By saying that a Costard was broken in a shin. +Then cal'd you for the Lenuoy + + Clow. True, and I for a Plantan: +Thus came your argument in: +Then the Boyes fat Lenuoy, the Goose that you bought, +And he ended the market + + Ar. But tell me: How was there a Costard broken in +a shin? + Pag. I will tell you sencibly + + Clow. Thou hast no feeling of it Moth, +I will speake that Lenuoy. +I Costard running out, that was safely within, +Fell ouer the threshold, and broke my shin + + Arm. We will talke no more of this matter + + Clow. Till there be more matter in the shin + + Arm. Sirra Costard, I will infranchise thee + + Clow. O, marrie me to one Francis, I smell some Lenuoy, +some Goose in this + + Arm. By my sweete soule, I meane, setting thee at libertie. +Enfreedoming thy person: thou wert emured, +restrained, captiuated, bound + + Clow. True, true, and now you will be my purgation, +and let me loose + + Arm. I giue thee thy libertie, set thee from durance, +and in lieu thereof, impose on thee nothing but this: +Beare this significant to the countrey Maide Iaquenetta: +there is remuneration, for the best ward of mine honours +is rewarding my dependants. Moth, follow + + Pag. Like the sequell I. +Signeur Costard adew. +Enter. + + Clow. My sweete ounce of mans flesh, my inconie +Iew: Now will I looke to his remuneration. +Remuneration, O, that's the Latine word for three-farthings: +Three-farthings remuneration, What's the price +of this yncle? i.d. no, Ile giue you a remuneration: Why? +It carries it remuneration: Why? It is a fairer name then +a French-Crowne. I will neuer buy and sell out of this +word. +Enter Berowne. + + Ber. O my good knaue Costard, exceedingly well met + + Clow. Pray you sir, How much Carnation Ribbon +may a man buy for a remuneration? + Ber. What is a remuneration? + Cost. Marrie sir, halfe pennie farthing + + Ber. O, Why then threefarthings worth of Silke + + Cost. I thanke your worship, God be wy you + + Ber. O stay slaue, I must employ thee: +As thou wilt win my fauour, good my knaue, +Doe one thing for me that I shall intreate + + Clow. When would you haue it done sir? + Ber. O this after-noone + + Clo. Well, I will doe it sir: Fare you well + + Ber. O thou knowest not what it is + + Clo. I shall know sir, when I haue done it + + Ber. Why villaine thou must know first + + Clo. I wil come to your worship to morrow morning + + Ber. It must be done this after-noone, +Harke slaue, it is but this: +The Princesse comes to hunt here in the Parke, +And in her traine there is a gentle Ladie: +When tongues speak sweetly, then they name her name, +And Rosaline they call her, aske for her: +And to her white hand see thou do commend +This seal'd-vp counsaile. Ther's thy guerdon: goe + + Clo. Gardon, O sweete gardon, better then remuneration, +a leuenpence-farthing better: most sweete gardon. +I will doe it sir in print: gardon, remuneration. +Enter. + + Ber. O, and I forsooth in loue, +I that haue beene loues whip? +A verie Beadle to a humerous sigh: A Criticke, +Nay, a night-watch Constable. +A domineering pedant ore the Boy, +Then whom no mortall so magnificent, +This wimpled, whyning, purblinde waiward Boy, +This signior Iunios gyant dwarfe, don Cupid, +Regent of Loue-rimes, Lord of folded armes, +Th' annointed soueraigne of sighes and groanes: +Liedge of all loyterers and malecontents: +Dread Prince of Placcats, King of Codpeeces. +Sole Emperator and great generall +Of trotting Parrators (O my little heart.) +And I to be a Corporall of his field, +And weare his colours like a Tumblers hoope. +What? I loue, I sue, I seeke a wife, +A woman that is like a Germane Cloake, +Still a repairing: euer out of frame, +And neuer going a right, being a Watch: +But being watcht, that it may still goe right. +Nay, to be periurde, which is worst of all: +And among three, to loue the worst of all, +A whitly wanton, with a veluet brow. +With two pitch bals stucke in her face for eyes. +I, and by heauen, one that will doe the deede, +Though Argus were her Eunuch and her garde. +And I to sigh for her, to watch for her, +To pray for her, go to: it is a plague +That Cupid will impose for my neglect, +Of his almighty dreadfull little might. +Well, I will loue, write, sigh, pray, shue, grone, +Some men must loue my Lady, and some Ione. + +Actus Quartus. + +Enter the Princesse, a Forrester, her Ladies, and her Lords. + + Qu. Was that the King that spurd his horse so hard, +Against the steepe vprising of the hill? + Boy. I know not, but I thinke it was not he + + Qu. Who ere a was, a shew'd a mounting minde: +Well Lords, to day we shall haue our dispatch, +On Saterday we will returne to France. +Then Forrester my friend, Where is the Bush +That we must stand and play the murtherer in? + For. Hereby vpon the edge of yonder Coppice, +A stand where you may make the fairest shoote + + Qu. I thanke my beautie, I am faire that shoote, +And thereupon thou speak'st the fairest shoote + + For. Pardon me Madam, for I meant not so + + Qu. What, what? First praise me, & then again say no. +O short liu'd pride. Not faire? alacke for woe + + For. Yes Madam faire + + Qu. Nay, neuer paint me now, +Where faire is not, praise cannot mend the brow. +Here (good my glasse) take this for telling true: +Faire paiment for foule words, is more then due + + For. Nothing but faire is that which you inherit + + Qu. See, see, my beautie will be sau'd by merit. +O heresie in faire, fit for these dayes, +A giuing hand, though foule, shall haue faire praise. +But come, the Bow: Now Mercie goes to kill, +And shooting well, is then accounted ill: +Thus will I saue my credit in the shoote, +Not wounding, pittie would not let me do't: +If wounding, then it was to shew my skill, +That more for praise, then purpose meant to kill. +And out of question, so it is sometimes: +Glory growes guiltie of detested crimes, +When for Fames sake, for praise an outward part, +We bend to that, the working of the hart. +As I for praise alone now seeke to spill +The poore Deeres blood, that my heart meanes no ill + + Boy. Do not curst wiues hold that selfe-soueraigntie +Onely for praise sake, when they striue to be +Lords ore their Lords? + Qu. Onely for praise, and praise we may afford, +To any Lady that subdewes a Lord. +Enter Clowne. + + Boy. Here comes a member of the common-wealth + + Clo. God dig-you-den all, pray you which is the head +Lady? + Qu. Thou shalt know her fellow, by the rest that haue +no heads + + Clo. Which is the greatest Lady, the highest? + Qu. The thickest, and the tallest + + Clo. The thickest, & the tallest: it is so, truth is truth. +And your waste Mistris, were as slender as my wit, +One a these Maides girdles for your waste should be fit. +Are not you the chiefe woma[n]? You are the thickest here? + Qu. What's your will sir? What's your will? + Clo. I haue a Letter from Monsier Berowne, +To one Lady Rosaline + + Qu. O thy letter, thy letter: He's a good friend of mine. +Stand a side good bearer. +Boyet, you can carue, +Breake vp this Capon + + Boyet. I am bound to serue. +This Letter is mistooke: it importeth none here: +It is writ to Iaquenetta + + Qu. We will read it, I sweare. +Breake the necke of the Waxe, and euery one giue eare + + Boyet reades. By heauen, that thou art faire, is most infallible: +true +that thou art beauteous, truth it selfe that thou art +louely: more fairer then faire, beautifull then beautious, +truer then truth it selfe: haue comiseration on thy heroicall +Vassall. The magnanimous and most illustrate King +Cophetua set eie vpon the pernicious and indubitate Begger +Zenelophon: and he it was that might rightly say, Veni, +vidi, vici: Which to annothanize in the vulgar, O +base and obscure vulgar; videliset, He came, See, and ouercame: +hee came one; see, two; ouercame three: +Who came? the King. Why did he come? to see. Why +did he see? to ouercome. To whom came he? to the +Begger. What saw he? the Begger. Who ouercame +he? the Begger. The conclusion is victorie: On whose +side? the King: the captiue is inricht: On whose side? +the Beggers. The catastrophe is a Nuptiall: on whose +side? the Kings: no, on both in one, or one in both. I am +the King (for so stands the comparison) thou the Begger, +for so witnesseth thy lowlinesse. Shall I command +thy loue? I may. Shall I enforce thy loue? I could. +Shall I entreate thy loue? I will. What, shalt thou exchange +for ragges, roabes: for tittles titles, for thy selfe +mee. Thus expecting thy reply, I prophane my lips on +thy foote, my eyes on thy picture, and my heart on thy +euerie part. +Thine in the dearest designe of industrie, +Don Adriana de Armatho. +Thus dost thou heare the Nemean Lion roare, +Gainst thee thou Lambe, that standest as his pray: +Submissiue fall his princely feete before, +And he from forrage will incline to play. +But if thou striue (poore soule) what art thou then? +Foode for his rage, repasture for his den + + Qu. What plume of feathers is hee that indited this +Letter? What veine? What Wethercocke? Did you +euer heare better? + Boy. I am much deceiued, but I remember the stile + + Qu. Else your memorie is bad, going ore it erewhile + + Boy. This Armado is a Spaniard that keeps here in court +A Phantasime, a Monarcho, and one that makes sport +To the Prince and his Booke-mates + + Qu. Thou fellow, a word. +Who gaue thee this Letter? + Clow. I told you, my Lord + + Qu. To whom should'st thou giue it? + Clo. From my Lord to my Lady + + Qu. From which Lord, to which Lady? + Clo. From my Lord Berowne, a good master of mine, +To a Lady of France, that he call'd Rosaline + + Qu. Thou hast mistaken his letter. Come Lords away. +Here sweete, put vp this, 'twill be thine another day. + +Exeunt. + + Boy. Who is the shooter? Who is the shooter? + Rosa. Shall I teach you to know + + Boy. I my continent of beautie + + Rosa. Why she that beares the Bow. Finely put off + + Boy. My Lady goes to kill hornes, but if thou marrie, +Hang me by the necke, if hornes that yeare miscarrie. +Finely put on + + Rosa. Well then, I am the shooter + + Boy. And who is your Deare? + Rosa. If we choose by the hornes, your selfe come not +neare. Finely put on indeede + + Maria. You still wrangle with her Boyet, and shee +strikes at the brow + + Boyet. But she her selfe is hit lower: +Haue I hit her now + + Rosa. Shall I come vpon thee with an old saying, that +was a man when King Pippin of France was a little boy, as +touching the hit it + + Boyet. So I may answere thee with one as old that +was a woman when Queene Guinouer of Brittaine was a +little wench, as touching the hit it + + Rosa. Thou canst not hit it, hit it, hit it, +Thou canst not hit it my good man + + Boy. I cannot, cannot, cannot: +And I cannot, another can. +Enter. + + Clo. By my troth most pleasant, how both did fit it + + Mar. A marke marueilous well shot, for they both +did hit + + Boy. A mark, O marke but that marke: a marke saies +my Lady. +Let the mark haue a pricke in't, to meat at, if it may be + + Mar. Wide a'th bow hand, yfaith your hand is out + + Clo. Indeede a' must shoote nearer, or heele ne're hit +the clout + + Boy. And if my hand be out, then belike your hand +is in + + Clo. Then will shee get the vpshoot by cleauing the +is in + + Ma. Come, come, you talke greasely, your lips grow +foule + + Clo. She's too hard for you at pricks, sir challenge her +to boule + + Boy. I feare too much rubbing: good night my good +Oule + + Clo. By my soule a Swaine, a most simple Clowne. +Lord, Lord, how the Ladies and I haue put him downe. +O my troth most sweete iests, most inconie vulgar wit, +When it comes so smoothly off, so obscenely, as it were, +so fit. +Armathor ath to the side, O a most dainty man. +To see him walke before a Lady, and to beare her Fan. +To see him kisse his hand, and how most sweetly a will +sweare: +And his Page atother side, that handfull of wit, +Ah heauens, it is most patheticall nit. +Sowla, sowla. + +Exeunt. Shoote within. + +Enter Dull, Holofernes, the Pedant and Nathaniel. + + Nat. Very reuerent sport truely, and done in the testimony +of a good conscience + + Ped. The Deare was (as you know) sanguis in blood, +ripe as a Pomwater who now hangeth like a Iewell in +the eare of Celo the skie; the welken the heauen, and anon +falleth like a Crab on the face of Terra, the soyle, the +land, the earth + + Curat.Nath. Truely M[aster]. Holofernes, the epythithes are +sweetly varied like a scholler at the least: but sir I assure +ye, it was a Bucke of the first head + + Hol. Sir Nathaniel, haud credo + + Dul. 'Twas not a haud credo, 'twas a Pricket + + Hol. Most barbarous intimation: yet a kinde of insinuation, +as it were in via, in way of explication facere: as +it were replication, or rather ostentare, to show as it were +his inclination after his vndressed, vnpolished, vneducated, +vnpruned, vntrained, or rather vnlettered, or ratherest +vnconfirmed fashion, to insert againe my haud credo +for a Deare + + Dul. I said the Deare was not a haud credo, 'twas a +Pricket + + Hol. Twice sod simplicitie, bis coctus, O thou monster +Ignorance, how deformed doost thou looke + + Nath. Sir hee hath neuer fed of the dainties that are +bred in a booke. +He hath not eate paper as it were: +He hath not drunke inke. +His intellect is not replenished, hee is onely an animall, +onely sensible in the duller parts: and such barren plants +are set before vs, that we thankfull should be: which we +taste and feeling, are for those parts that doe fructifie in +vs more then he. +For as it would ill become me to be vaine, indiscreet, or +a foole; +So were there a patch set on Learning, to see him in a +Schoole. +But omne bene say I, being of an old Fathers minde, +Many can brooke the weather, that loue not the winde + + Dul. You two are book-men: Can you tell by your +wit, What was a month old at Cains birth, that's not fiue +weekes old as yet? + Hol. Dictisima goodman Dull, dictisima goodman +Dull + + Dul. What is dictima? + Nath. A title to Phebe, to Luna, to the Moone + + Hol. The Moone was a month old when Adam was +no more. +And wrought not to fiue-weekes when he came to fiuescore. +Th' allusion holds in the Exchange + + Dul. 'Tis true indeede, the Collusion holds in the +Exchange + + Hol. God comfort thy capacity, I say th' allusion holds +in the Exchange + + Dul. And I say the polusion holds in the Exchange: +for the Moone is neuer but a month old: and I say beside +that, 'twas a Pricket that the Princesse kill'd + + Hol. Sir Nathaniel, will you heare an extemporall +Epytaph on the death of the Deare, and to humour +the ignorant call'd the Deare, the Princesse kill'd a +Pricket + + Nath. Perge, good M[aster]. Holofernes, perge, so it shall +please you to abrogate scurilitie + + Hol. I will something affect a letter, for it argues +facilitie. +The prayfull Princesse pearst and prickt +a prettie pleasing Pricket, +Some say a Sore, but not a sore, +till now made sore with shooting. +The Dogges did yell, put ell to Sore, +then Sorrell iumps from thicket: +Or Pricket-sore, or else Sorell, +the people fall a hooting. +If Sore be sore, than ell to Sore, +makes fiftie sores O sorell: +Of one sore I an hundred make +by adding but one more L + + Nath. A rare talent + + Dul. If a talent be a claw, looke how he clawes him +with a talent + + Nath. This is a gift that I haue simple: simple, a foolish +extrauagant spirit, full of formes, figures, shapes, obiects, +Ideas, apprehensions, motions, reuolutions. These +are begot in the ventricle of memorie, nourisht in the +wombe of primater, and deliuered vpon the mellowing +of occasion: but the gift is good in those in whom it is +acute, and I am thankfull for it + + Hol. Sir, I praise the Lord for you, and so may my +parishioners, for their Sonnes are well tutor'd by you, +and their Daughters profit very greatly vnder you: you +are a good member of the common-wealth + + Nath. Me hercle, If their Sonnes be ingenuous, they +shall want no instruction: If their Daughters be capable, +I will put it to them. But Vir sapis qui pauca loquitur, a +soule Feminine saluteth vs. +Enter Iaquenetta and the Clowne. + + Iaqu. God giue you good morrow M[aster]. Person + + Nath. Master Person, quasi Person? And if one should +be perst, Which is the one? + Clo. Marry M[aster]. Schoolemaster, hee that is likest to a +hogshead + + Nath. Of persing a Hogshead, a good luster of conceit +in a turph of Earth, Fire enough for a Flint, Pearle +enough for a Swine: 'tis prettie, it is well + + Iaqu. Good Master Parson be so good as reade mee +this Letter, it was giuen mee by Costard, and sent mee +from Don Armatho: I beseech you read it + + Nath. Facile precor gellida, quando pecas omnia sub vmbra +ruminat, and so forth. Ah good old Mantuan, I +may speake of thee as the traueiler doth of Venice, vemchie, +vencha, que non te vnde, que non te perreche. Old Mantuan, +old Mantuan. Who vnderstandeth thee not, vt re +sol la mi fa: Vnder pardon sir, What are the contents? or +rather as Horrace sayes in his, What my soule verses + + Hol. I sir, and very learned + + Nath. Let me heare a staffe, a stanze, a verse, Lege domine. +If Loue make me forsworne, how shall I sweare to loue? +Ah neuer faith could hold, if not to beautie vowed. +Though to my selfe forsworn, to thee Ile faithfull proue. +Those thoughts to mee were Okes, to thee like Osiers +bowed. +Studie his byas leaues, and makes his booke thine eyes. +Where all those pleasures liue, that Art would comprehend. +If knowledge be the marke, to know thee shall suffice. +Well learned is that tongue, that well can thee co[m]mend. +All ignorant that soule, that sees thee without wonder. +Which is to me some praise, that I thy parts admire; +Thy eye Ioues lightning beares, thy voyce his dreadfull +thunder. +Which not to anger bent, is musique, and sweete fire. +Celestiall as thou art, Oh pardon loue this wrong, +That sings heauens praise, with such an earthly tongue + + Ped. You finde not the apostraphas, and so misse the +accent. Let me superuise the cangenet + + Nath. Here are onely numbers ratified, but for the +elegancy, facility, & golden cadence of poesie caret: Ouiddius +Naso was the man. And why in deed Naso, but +for smelling out the odoriferous flowers of fancy? the +ierkes of inuention imitarie is nothing: So doth the +Hound his master, the Ape his keeper, the tyred Horse +his rider: But Damosella virgin, Was this directed to +you? + Iaq. I sir from one mounsier Berowne, one of the +strange Queenes Lords + + Nath. I will ouerglance the superscript. +To the snow-white hand of the most beautious Lady Rosaline. +I will looke againe on the intellect of the Letter, for +the nomination of the partie written to the person written +vnto. +Your Ladiships in all desired imployment, Berowne + + Ped. Sir Holofernes, this Berowne is one of the Votaries +with the King, and here he hath framed a Letter to a sequent +of the stranger Queens: which accidentally, or +by the way of progression, hath miscarried. Trip and +goe my sweete, deliuer this Paper into the hand of the +King, it may concerne much: stay not thy complement, I +forgiue thy duetie, adue + + Maid. Good Costard go with me: +Sir God saue your life + + Cost. Haue with thee my girle. +Enter. + + Hol. Sir you haue done this in the feare of God very +religiously: and as a certaine Father saith + Ped. Sir tell not me of the Father, I do feare colourable +colours. But to returne to the Verses, Did they please +you sir Nathaniel? + Nath. Marueilous well for the pen + + Peda. I do dine to day at the fathers of a certaine Pupill +of mine, where if (being repast) it shall please you to +gratifie the table with a Grace, I will on my priuiledge I +haue with the parents of the foresaid Childe or Pupill, +vndertake your bien venuto, where I will proue those +Verses to be very vnlearned, neither sauouring of +Poetrie, Wit, nor Inuention. I beseech your Societie + + Nat. And thanke you to: for societie (saith the text) +is the happinesse of life + + Peda. And certes the text most infallibly concludes it. +Sir I do inuite you too, you shall not say me nay: pauca +verba. +Away, the gentles are at their game, and we will to our +recreation. + +Exeunt. + +Enter Berowne with a Paper in his hand, alone. + + Bero. The King he is hunting the Deare, +I am coursing my selfe. +They haue pitcht a Toyle, I am toyling in a pytch, +pitch that defiles; defile, a foule word: Well, set thee +downe sorrow; for so they say the foole said, and so say +I, and I the foole: Well proued wit. By the Lord this +Loue is as mad as Aiax, it kils sheepe, it kils mee, I a +sheepe: Well proued againe a my side. I will not loue; +if I do hang me: yfaith I will not. O but her eye: by +this light, but for her eye, I would not loue her; yes, for +her two eyes. Well, I doe nothing in the world but lye, +and lye in my throate. By heauen I doe loue, and it hath +taught mee to Rime, and to be mallicholie: and here is +part of my Rime, and heere my mallicholie. Well, she +hath one a'my Sonnets already, the Clowne bore it, the +Foole sent it, and the Lady hath it: sweet Clowne, sweeter +Foole, sweetest Lady. By the world, I would not care +a pin, if the other three were in. Here comes one with a +paper, God giue him grace to grone. + +He stands aside. The King entreth. + + Kin. Ay mee! + Ber. Shot by heauen: proceede sweet Cupid, thou hast +thumpt him with thy Birdbolt vnder the left pap: in faith +secrets + + King. So sweete a kisse the golden Sunne giues not, +To those fresh morning drops vpon the Rose, +As thy eye beames, when their fresh rayse haue smot. +The night of dew that on my cheekes downe flowes. +Nor shines the siluer Moone one halfe so bright, +Through the transparent bosome of the deepe, +As doth thy face through teares of mine giue light: +Thou shin'st in euery teare that I doe weepe, +No drop, but as a Coach doth carry thee: +So ridest thou triumphing in my woe. +Do but behold the teares that swell in me, +And they thy glory through my griefe will show: +But doe not loue thy selfe, then thou wilt keepe +My teares for glasses, and still make me weepe. +O Queene of Queenes, how farre dost thou excell, +No thought can thinke, nor tongue of mortall tell. +How shall she know my griefes? Ile drop the paper. +Sweete leaues shade folly. Who is he comes heere? +Enter Longauile. The King steps aside. + +What Longauill, and reading: listen eare + + Ber. Now in thy likenesse, one more foole appeare + + Long. Ay me, I am forsworne + + Ber. Why he comes in like a periure, wearing papers + + Long. In loue I hope, sweet fellowship in shame + + Ber. One drunkard loues another of the name + + Lon. Am I the first y haue been periur'd so? + Ber. I could put thee in comfort, not by two that I know, +Thou makest the triumphery, the corner cap of societie, +The shape of Loues Tiburne, that hangs vp simplicitie + + Lon. I feare these stubborn lines lack power to moue. +O sweet Maria, Empresse of my Loue, +These numbers will I teare, and write in prose + + Ber. O Rimes are gards on wanton Cupids hose, +Disfigure not his Shop + + Lon. This same shall goe. + +He reades the Sonnet. + +Did not the heauenly Rhetoricke of thine eye, +'Gainst whom the world cannot hold argument, +Perswade my heart to this false periurie? +Vowes for thee broke deserue not punishment. +A Woman I forswore, but I will proue, +Thou being a Goddesse, I forswore not thee. +My Vow was earthly, thou a heauenly Loue. +Thy grace being gain'd, cures all disgrace in me. +Vowes are but breath, and breath a vapour is. +Then thou faire Sun, which on my earth doest shine, +Exhalest this vapor-vow, in thee it is: +If broken then, it is no fault of mine: +If by me broke, What foole is not so wise, +To loose an oath, to win a Paradise? + Ber. This is the liuer veine, which makes flesh a deity. +A greene Goose, a Goddesse, pure pure Idolatry. +God amend vs, God amend, we are much out o'th' way. +Enter Dumaine. + + Lon. By whom shall I send this (company?) Stay + + Bero. All hid, all hid, an old infant play, +Like a demie God, here sit I in the skie, +And wretched fooles secrets heedfully ore-eye. +More Sacks to the myll. O heauens I haue my wish, +Dumaine transform'd, foure Woodcocks in a dish + + Dum. O most diuine Kate + + Bero. O most prophane coxcombe + + Dum. By heauen the wonder of a mortall eye + + Bero. By earth she is not, corporall, there you lye + + Dum. Her Amber haires for foule hath amber coted + + Ber. An Amber coloured Rauen was well noted + + Dum. As vpright as the Cedar + + Ber. Stoope I say, her shoulder is with-child + + Dum. As faire as day + + Ber. I as some daies, but then no sunne must shine + + Dum. O that I had my wish? + Lon. And I had mine + + Kin. And mine too good Lord + + Ber. Amen, so I had mine: Is not that a good word? + Dum. I would forget her, but a Feuer she +Raignes in my bloud, and will remembred be + + Ber. A Feuer in your bloud, why then incision +Would let her out in Sawcers, sweet misprision + + Dum. Once more Ile read the Ode that I haue writ + + Ber. Once more Ile marke how Loue can varry Wit. + +Dumane reades his Sonnet. + +On a day, alack the day: +Loue, whose Month is euery May, +Spied a blossome passing faire, +Playing in the wanton ayre: +Through the Veluet, leaues the winde, +All vnseene, can passage finde. +That the Louer sicke to death, +Wish himselfe the heauens breath. +Ayre (quoth he) thy cheekes may blowe, +Ayre, would I might triumph so. +But alacke my hand is sworne, +Nere to plucke thee from thy throne: +Vow alacke for youth vnmeete, +youth so apt to plucke a sweet. +Doe not call it sinne in me, +That I am forsworne for thee. +Thou for whom Ioue would sweare, +Iuno but an aethiop were, +And denie himselfe for Ioue. +Turning mortall for thy Loue. +This will I send, and something else more plaine. +That shall expresse my true-loues fasting paine. +O would the King, Berowne and Longauill, +Were Louers too, ill to example ill, +Would from my forehead wipe a periur'd note: +For none offend, where all alike doe dote + + Lon. Dumaine, thy Loue is farre from charitie, +That in Loues griefe desir'st societie: +You may looke pale, but I should blush I know, +To be ore-heard, and taken napping so + + Kin. Come sir, you blush: as his, your case is such, +You chide at him, offending twice as much. +You doe not loue Maria? Longauile, +Did neuer Sonnet for her sake compile; +Nor neuer lay his wreathed armes athwart +His louing bosome, to keepe downe his heart. +I haue beene closely shrowded in this bush, +And markt you both, and for you both did blush. +I heard your guilty Rimes, obseru'd your fashion: +Saw sighes reeke from you, noted well your passion. +Aye me, sayes one! O Ioue, the other cries! +On her haires were Gold, Christall the others eyes. +You would for Paradise breake Faith and troth, +And Ioue for your Loue would infringe an oath. +What will Berowne say when that he shall heare +Faith infringed, which such zeale did sweare. +How will he scorne? how will he spend his wit? +How will he triumph, leape, and laugh at it? +For all the wealth that euer I did see, +I would not haue him know so much by me + + Bero. Now step I forth to whip hypocrisie. +Ah good my Liedge, I pray thee pardon me. +Good heart, What grace hast thou thus to reproue +These wormes for louing, that art most in loue? +Your eyes doe make no couches in your teares. +There is no certaine Princesse that appeares. +You'll not be periur'd, 'tis a hatefull thing: +Tush, none but Minstrels like of Sonnetting. +But are you not asham'd? nay, are you not +All three of you, to be thus much ore'shot? +You found his Moth, the King your Moth did see: +But I a Beame doe finde in each of three. +O what a Scene of fool'ry haue I seene. +Of sighes, of grones, of sorrow, and of teene: +O me, with what strict patience haue I sat, +To see a King transformed to a Gnat? +To see great Hercules whipping a Gigge, +And profound Salomon tuning a Iygge? +And Nestor play at push-pin with the boyes, +And Critticke Tymon laugh at idle toyes. +Where lies thy griefe? O tell me good Dumaine; +And gentle Longauill, where lies thy paine? +And where my Liedges? all about the brest: +A Candle hoa! + Kin. Too bitter is thy iest. +Are wee betrayed thus to thy ouer-view? + Ber. Not you by me, but I betrayed to you. +I that am honest, I that hold it sinne +To breake the vow I am ingaged in. +I am betrayed by keeping company +With men, like men of inconstancie. +When shall you see me write a thing in rime? +Or grone for Ioane? or spend a minutes time, +In pruning mee, when shall you heare that I will praise a +hand, a foot, a face, an eye: a gate, a state, a brow, a brest, +a waste, a legge, a limme + + Kin. Soft, Whither away so fast? +A true man, or a theefe, that gallops so + + Ber. I post from Loue, good Louer let me go. +Enter Iaquenetta and Clowne. + + Iaqu. God blesse the King + + Kin. What Present hast thou there? + Clo. Some certaine treason + + Kin. What makes treason heere? + Clo. Nay it makes nothing sir + + Kin. If it marre nothing neither, +The treason and you goe in peace away together + + Iaqu. I beseech your Grace let this Letter be read, +Our person mis-doubts it: it was treason he said + + Kin. Berowne, read it ouer. + +He reades the Letter. + + Kin. Where hadst thou it? + Iaqu. Of Costard + + King. Where hadst thou it? + Cost. Of Dun Adramadio, Dun Adramadio + + Kin. How now, what is in you? why dost thou tear it? + Ber. A toy my Liedge, a toy: your grace needes not +feare it + + Long. It did moue him to passion, and therefore let's +heare it + + Dum. It is Berowns writing, and heere is his name + + Ber. Ah you whoreson loggerhead, you were borne +to doe me shame. +Guilty my Lord, guilty: I confesse, I confesse + + Kin. What? + Ber. That you three fooles, lackt mee foole, to make +vp the messe. +He, he, and you: and you my Liedge, and I, +Are picke-purses in Loue, and we deserue to die. +O dismisse this audience, and I shall tell you more + + Dum. Now the number is euen + + Berow. True true, we are fowre: will these Turtles +be gone? + Kin. Hence sirs, away + + Clo. Walk aside the true folke, & let the traytors stay + + Ber. Sweet Lords, sweet Louers, O let vs imbrace, +As true we are as flesh and bloud can be, +The Sea will ebbe and flow, heauen will shew his face: +Young bloud doth not obey an old decree. +We cannot crosse the cause why we are borne: +Therefore of all hands must we be forsworne + + King. What, did these rent lines shew some loue of +thine? + Ber. Did they, quoth you? Who sees the heauenly Rosaline, +That (like a rude and sauage man of Inde.) +At the first opening of the gorgeous East, +Bowes not his vassall head, and strooken blinde, +Kisses the base ground with obedient breast? +What peremptory Eagle-sighted eye +Dares looke vpon the heauen of her brow, +That is not blinded by her maiestie? + Kin. What zeale, what furie, hath inspir'd thee now? +My Loue (her Mistres) is a gracious Moone, +Shee (an attending Starre) scarce seene a light + + Ber. My eyes are then no eyes, nor I Berowne. +O, but for my Loue, day would turne to night, +Of all complexions the cul'd soueraignty, +Doe meet as at a faire in her faire cheeke, +Where seuerall Worthies make one dignity, +Where nothing wants, that want it selfe doth seeke. +Lend me the flourish of all gentle tongues, +Fie painted Rethoricke, O she needs it not, +To things of sale, a sellers praise belongs: +She passes prayse, then prayse too short doth blot. +A withered Hermite, fiuescore winters worne, +Might shake off fiftie, looking in her eye: +Beauty doth varnish Age, as if new borne, +And giues the Crutch the Cradles infancie. +O 'tis the Sunne that maketh all things shine + + King. By heauen, thy Loue is blacke as Ebonie + + Berow. Is Ebonie like her? O word diuine? +A wife of such wood were felicite. +O who can giue an oth? Where is a booke? +That I may sweare Beauty doth beauty lacke, +If that she learne not of her eye to looke: +No face is faire that is not full so blacke + + Kin. O paradoxe, Blacke is the badge of hell, +The hue of dungeons, and the Schoole of night: +And beauties crest becomes the heauens well + + Ber. Diuels soonest tempt resembling spirits of light. +O if in blacke my Ladies browes be deckt, +It mournes, that painting vsurping haire +Should rauish doters with a false aspect: +And therfore is she borne to make blacke, faire. +Her fauour turnes the fashion of the dayes, +For natiue bloud is counted painting now: +And therefore red that would auoyd dispraise, +Paints it selfe blacke, to imitate her brow + + Dum. To look like her are Chimny-sweepers blacke + + + Lon. And since her time, are Colliers counted bright + + King. And Aethiops of their sweet complexion crake + + Dum. Dark needs no Candles now, for dark is light + + Ber. Your mistresses dare neuer come in raine, +For feare their colours should be washt away + + Kin. 'Twere good yours did: for sir to tell you plaine, +Ile finde a fairer face not washt to day + + Ber. Ile proue her faire, or talke till dooms-day here + + Kin. No Diuell will fright thee then so much as shee + + Duma. I neuer knew man hold vile stuffe so deere + + Lon. Looke, heer's thy loue, my foot and her face see + + Ber. O if the streets were paued with thine eyes, +Her feet were much too dainty for such tread + + Duma. O vile, then as she goes what vpward lyes? +The street should see as she walk'd ouer head + + Kin. But what of this, are we not all in loue? + Ber. O nothing so sure, and thereby all forsworne + + Kin. Then leaue this chat, & good Berown now proue +Our louing lawfull, and our fayth not torne + + Dum. I marie there, some flattery for this euill + + Long. O some authority how to proceed, +Some tricks, some quillets, how to cheat the diuell + + Dum. Some salue for periurie, + Ber. O 'tis more then neede. +Haue at you then affections men at armes, +Consider what you first did sweare vnto: +To fast, to study, and to see no woman: +Flat treason against the Kingly state of youth. +Say, Can you fast? your stomacks are too young: +And abstinence ingenders maladies. +And where that you haue vow'd to studie (Lords) +In that each of you haue forsworne his Booke. +Can you still dreame and pore, and thereon looke. +For when would you my Lord, or you, or you, +Haue found the ground of studies excellence, +Without the beauty of a womans face; +From womens eyes this doctrine I deriue, +They are the Ground, the Bookes, the Achadems, +From whence doth spring the true Promethean fire. +Why, vniuersall plodding poysons vp +The nimble spirits in the arteries, +As motion and long during action tyres +The sinnowy vigour of the trauailer. +Now for not looking on a womans face, +You haue in that forsworne the vse of eyes: +And studie too, the causer of your vow. +For where is any Author in the world, +Teaches such beauty as a womans eye: +Learning is but an adiunct to our selfe, +And where we are, our Learning likewise is. +Then when our selues we see in Ladies eyes, +With our selues. +Doe we not likewise see our learning there? +O we haue made a Vow to studie, Lords, +And in that vow we haue forsworne our Bookes: +For when would you (my Leege) or you, or you? +In leaden contemplation haue found out +Such fiery Numbers as the prompting eyes, +Of beauties tutors haue inrich'd you with: +Other slow Arts intirely keepe the braine: +And therefore finding barraine practizers, +Scarce shew a haruest of their heauy toyle. +But Loue first learned in a Ladies eyes, +Liues not alone emured in the braine: +But with the motion of all elements, +Courses as swift as thought in euery power, +And giues to euery power a double power, +Aboue their functions and their offices. +It addes a precious seeing to the eye: +A Louers eyes will gaze an Eagle blinde. +A Louers eare will heare the lowest sound. +When the suspicious head of theft is stopt. +Loues feeling is more soft and sensible, +Then are the tender hornes of Cockle Snayles. +Loues tongue proues dainty, Bachus grosse in taste, +For Valour, is not Loue a Hercules? +Still climing trees in the Hesperides. +Subtill as Sphinx, as sweet and musicall, +As bright Apollo's Lute, strung with his haire. +And when Loue speakes, the voyce of all the Gods, +Make heauen drowsie with the harmonie. +Neuer durst Poet touch a pen to write, +Vntill his Inke were tempred with Loues sighes: +O then his lines would rauish sauage eares, +And plant in Tyrants milde humilitie. +From womens eyes this doctrine I deriue. +They sparcle still the right promethean fire, +They are the Bookes, the Arts, the Achademes, +That shew, containe, and nourish all the world. +Else none at all in ought proues excellent. +Then fooles you were these women to forsweare: +Or keeping what is sworne, you will proue fooles, +For Wisedomes sake, a word that all men loue: +Or for Loues sake, a word that loues all men. +Or for Mens sake, the author of these Women: +Or Womens sake, by whom we men are Men. +Let's once loose our oathes to finde our selues, +Or else we loose our selues, to keepe our oathes: +It is religion to be thus forsworne. +For Charity it selfe fulfills the Law: +And who can seuer loue from Charity + + Kin. Saint Cupid then, and Souldiers to the field + + Ber. Aduance your standards, & vpon them Lords, +Pell, mell, downe with them: but be first aduis'd, +In conflict that you get the Sunne of them + + Long. Now to plaine dealing, Lay these glozes by, +Shall we resolue to woe these girles of France? + Kin. And winne them too, therefore let vs deuise, +Some entertainment for them in their Tents + + Ber. First from the Park let vs conduct them thither, +Then homeward euery man attach the hand +Of his faire Mistresse, in the afternoone +We will with some strange pastime solace them: +Such as the shortnesse of the time can shape, +For Reuels, Dances, Maskes, and merry houres, +Fore-runne faire Loue, strewing her way with flowres + + Kin. Away, away, no time shall be omitted, +That will be time, and may by vs be fitted + + Ber. Alone, alone sowed Cockell, reap'd no Corne, +And Iustice alwaies whirles in equall measure: +Light Wenches may proue plagues to men forsworne, +If so, our Copper buyes no better treasure. + +Exeunt. + + +Actus Quartus. + +Enter the Pedant, Curate and Dull. + + Pedant. Satis quid sufficit + + Curat. I praise God for you sir, your reasons at dinner +haue beene sharpe & sententious: pleasant without scurrillity, +witty without affection, audacious without impudency, +learned without opinion, and strange without +heresie: I did conuerse this quondam day with a companion +of the Kings, who is intituled, nominated, or called, +Don Adriano de Armatho + + Ped. Noui hominum tanquam te, His humour is lofty, +his discourse peremptorie: his tongue filed, his eye +ambitious, his gate maiesticall, and his generall behauiour +vaine, ridiculous, and thrasonicall. He is too picked, +too spruce, too affected, too odde, as it were, too peregrinat, +as I may call it + + Curat. A most singular and choise Epithat, + +Draw out his Table-booke. + + Peda. He draweth out the thred of his verbositie, finer +then the staple of his argument. I abhor such phanaticall +phantasims, such insociable and poynt deuise +companions, such rackers of ortagriphie, as to speake +dout fine, when he should say doubt; det, when he shold +pronounce debt; debt, not det: he clepeth a Calf, Caufe: +halfe, haufe: neighbour vocatur nebour; neigh abreuiated +ne: this is abhominable, which he would call abhominable +it insinuateth me of infamie: ne inteligis domine, to +make franticke, lunaticke? + Cura. Laus deo, bene intelligo + + Peda. Bome boon for boon prescian, a little scratcht, 'twil +serue. +Enter Bragart, Boy. + + Curat. Vides ne quis venit? + Peda. Video, & gaudio + + Brag. Chirra + + Peda. Quari Chirra, not Sirra? + Brag. Men of peace well incountred + + Ped. Most millitarie sir salutation + + Boy. They haue beene at a great feast of Languages, +and stolne the scraps + + Clow. O they haue liu'd long on the almes-basket of +words. I maruell thy M[aster]. hath not eaten thee for a word, +for thou art not so long by the head as +honorificabilitu%dinitatibus: +Thou art easier swallowed then a flapdragon + + Page. Peace, the peale begins + + Brag. Mounsier, are you not lettred? + Page. Yes, yes, he teaches boyes the Horne-booke: +What is Ab speld backward with the horn on his head? + Peda. Ba, puericia with a horne added + + Pag. Ba most seely Sheepe, with a horne: you heare +his learning + + Peda. Quis quis, thou Consonant? + Pag. The last of the fiue Vowels if You repeat them, +or the fift if I + + Peda. I will repeat them: a e I + + Pag. The Sheepe, the other two concludes it o u + + Brag. Now by the salt waue of the mediteranium, a +sweet tutch, a quicke venewe of wit, snip snap, quick & +home, it reioyceth my intellect, true wit + + Page. Offered by a childe to an olde man: which is +wit-old + + Peda. What is the figure? What is the figure? + Page. Hornes + + Peda. Thou disputes like an Infant: goe whip thy +Gigge + + Pag. Lend me your Horne to make one, and I will +whip about your Infamie vnum cita a gigge of a Cuckolds +horne + + Clow. And I had but one penny in the world, thou +shouldst haue it to buy Ginger bread: Hold, there is the +very Remuneration I had of thy Maister, thou halfpenny +purse of wit, thou Pidgeon-egge of discretion. O & the +heauens were so pleased, that thou wert but my Bastard; +What a ioyfull father wouldst thou make mee? Goe to, +thou hast it ad dungil, at the fingers ends, as they say + + Peda. Oh I smell false Latine, dunghel for vnguem + + Brag. Arts-man preambulat, we will bee singled from +the barbarous. Do you not educate youth at the Charghouse +on the top of the Mountaine? + Peda. Or Mons the hill + + Brag. At your sweet pleasure, for the Mountaine + + Peda. I doe sans question + + Bra. Sir, it is the Kings most sweet pleasure and affection, +to congratulate the Princesse at her Pauilion, in +the posteriors of this day, which the rude multitude call +the after-noone + + Ped. The posterior of the day, most generous sir, is liable, +congruent, and measurable for the after-noone: the +word is well culd, chose, sweet, and apt I doe assure you +sir, I doe assure + + Brag. Sir, the King is a noble Gentleman, and my familiar, +I doe assure ye very good friend: for what is inward +betweene vs, let it passe. I doe beseech thee remember +thy curtesie. I beseech thee apparell thy head: +and among other importunate & most serious designes, +and of great import indeed too: but let that passe, for I +must tell thee it will please his Grace (by the world) +sometime to leane vpon my poore shoulder, and with +his royall finger thus dallie with my excrement, with my +mustachio: but sweet heart let that passe. By the world +I recount no fable, some certaine speciall honours it +pleaseth his greatnesse to impart to Armado a Souldier, +a man of trauell, that hath seene the world: but let that +passe; the very all of all is: but sweet heart I do implore +secrecie, that the King would haue mee present the +Princesse (sweet chucke) with some delightfull ostentation, +or show, or pageant, or anticke, or fire-worke: +Now, vnderstanding that the Curate and your sweet self +are good at such eruptions, and sodaine breaking out of +myrth (as it were) I haue acquainted you withall, to +the end to craue your assistance + + Peda. Sir, you shall present before her the Nine Worthies. +Sir Holofernes, as concerning some entertainment +of time, some show in the posterior of this day, to bee +rendred by our assistants the Kings command: and this +most gallant, illustrate and learned Gentleman, before +the Princesse: I say none so fit as to present the Nine +Worthies + + Curat. Where will you finde men worthy enough to +present them? + Peda. Iosua, your selfe: my selfe, and this gallant gentleman +Iudas Machabeus; this Swaine (because of his +great limme or ioynt) shall passe Pompey the great, the +Page Hercules + + Brag. Pardon sir, error: He is not quantitie enough +for that Worthies thumb, hee is not so big as the end of +his Club + + Peda. Shall I haue audience: he shall present Hercules +in minoritie: his enter and exit shall bee strangling a +Snake; and I will haue an Apologie for that purpose + + Pag. An excellent deuice: so if any of the audience +hisse, you may cry, Well done Hercules, now thou crushest +the Snake; that is the way to make an offence gracious, +though few haue the grace to doe it + + Brag. For the rest of the Worthies? + Peda. I will play three my selfe + + Pag. Thrice worthy Gentleman + + Brag. Shall I tell you a thing? + Peda. We attend + + Brag. We will haue, if this fadge not, an Antique. I +beseech you follow + + Ped. Via good-man Dull, thou hast spoken no word +all this while + + Dull. Nor vnderstood none neither sir + + Ped. Alone, we will employ thee + + Dull. Ile make one in a dance, or so: or I will play +on the taber to the Worthies, & let them dance the hey + + Ped. Most Dull, honest Dull, to our sport away. +Enter. + +Enter Ladies. + + Qu. Sweet hearts we shall be rich ere we depart, +If fairings come thus plentifully in. +A Lady wal'd about with Diamonds: Look you, what I +haue from the louing King + + Rosa. Madam, came nothing else along with that? + Qu. Nothing but this: yes as much loue in Rime, +As would be cram'd vp in a sheet of paper +Writ on both sides the leafe, margent and all, +That he was faine to seale on Cupids name + + Rosa. That was the way to make his god-head wax: +For he hath beene fiue thousand yeeres a Boy + + Kath. I, and a shrewd vnhappy gallowes too + + Ros. You'll nere be friends with him, a kild your sister + + Kath. He made her melancholy, sad, and heauy, and +so she died: had she beene Light like you, of such a merrie +nimble stirring spirit, she might a bin a Grandam ere +she died. And so may you: For a light heart liues long + + Ros. What's your darke meaning mouse, of this light +word? + Kat. A light condition in a beauty darke + + Ros. We need more light to finde your meaning out + + Kat. You'll marre the light by taking it in snuffe: +Therefore Ile darkely end the argument + + Ros. Look what you doe, you doe it stil i'th darke + + Kat. So do not you, for you are a light Wench + + Ros. Indeed I waigh not you, and therefore light + + Ka. You waigh me not, O that's you care not for me + + Ros. Great reason: for past care, is still past cure + + Qu. Well bandied both, a set of Wit well played. +But Rosaline, you haue a Fauour too? +Who sent it? and what is it? + Ros. I would you knew. +And if my face were but as faire as yours, +My Fauour were as great, be witnesse this. +Nay, I haue Verses too, I thanke Berowne, +The numbers true, and were the numbring too. +I were the fairest goddesse on the ground. +I am compar'd to twenty thousand fairs. +O he hath drawne my picture in his letter + + Qu. Any thing like? + Ros. Much in the letters, nothing in the praise + + Qu. Beauteous as Incke: a good conclusion + + Kat. Faire as a text B. in a Coppie booke + + Ros. Ware pensals. How? Let me not die your debtor, +My red Dominicall, my golden letter. +O that your face were full of Oes + + Qu. A Pox of that iest, and I beshrew all Shrowes: +But Katherine, what was sent to you +From faire Dumaine? + Kat. Madame, this Gloue + + Qu. Did he not send you twaine? + Kat. Yes Madame: and moreouer, +Some thousand Verses of a faithfull Louer. +A huge translation of hypocrisie, +Vildly compiled, profound simplicitie + + Mar. This, and these Pearls, to me sent Longauile. +The Letter is too long by halfe a mile + + Qu. I thinke no lesse: Dost thou wish in heart +The Chaine were longer, and the Letter short + + Mar. I, or I would these hands might neuer part + + Quee. We are wise girles to mocke our Louers so + + Ros. They are worse fooles to purchase mocking so. +That same Berowne ile torture ere I goe. +O that I knew he were but in by th' weeke, +How I would make him fawne, and begge, and seeke, +And wait the season, and obserue the times, +And spend his prodigall wits in booteles rimes, +And shape his seruice wholly to my deuice, +And make him proud to make me proud that iests. +So pertaunt like would I o'resway his state, +That he shold be my foole, and I his fate + + Qu. None are so surely caught, when they are catcht, +As Wit turn'd foole, follie in Wisedome hatch'd: +Hath wisedoms warrant, and the helpe of Schoole, +And Wits owne grace to grace a learned Foole? + Ros. The bloud of youth burns not with such excesse, +As grauities reuolt to wantons be + + Mar. Follie in Fooles beares not so strong a note, +As fool'ry in the Wise, when Wit doth dote: +Since all the power thereof it doth apply, +To proue by Wit, worth in simplicitie. +Enter Boyet. + + Qu. Heere comes Boyet, and mirth in his face + + Boy. O I am stab'd with laughter, Wher's her Grace? + Qu. Thy newes Boyet? + Boy. Prepare Madame, prepare. +Arme Wenches arme, incounters mounted are, +Against your Peace, Loue doth approach, disguis'd: +Armed in arguments, you'll be surpriz'd. +Muster your Wits, stand in your owne defence, +Or hide your heads like Cowards, and flie hence + + Qu. Saint Dennis to S[aint]. Cupid: What are they, +That charge their breath against vs? Say scout say + + Boy. Vnder the coole shade of a Siccamore, +I thought to close mine eyes some halfe an houre: +When lo to interrupt my purpos'd rest, +Toward that shade I might behold addrest, +The King and his companions: warely +I stole into a neighbour thicket by, +And ouer-heard, what you shall ouer-heare: +That by and by disguis'd they will be heere. +Their Herald is a pretty knauish Page: +That well by heart hath con'd his embassage, +Action and accent did they teach him there. +Thus must thou speake, and thus thy body beare. +And euer and anon they made a doubt, +Presence maiesticall would put him out: +For quoth the King, an Angell shalt thou see: +Yet feare not thou, but speake audaciously. +The Boy reply'd, An Angell is not euill: +I should haue fear'd her, had she beene a deuill. +With that all laugh'd, and clap'd him on the shoulder, +Making the bold wagg by their praises bolder. +One rub'd his elboe thus, and fleer'd, and swore, +A better speech was neuer spoke before. +Another with his finger and his thumb, +Cry'd via, we will doo't, come what will come. +The third he caper'd and cried, All goes well. +The fourth turn'd on the toe, and downe he fell: +With that they all did tumble on the ground, +With such a zelous laughter so profound, +That in this spleene ridiculous appeares, +To checke their folly passions solemne teares + + Que. But what, but what, come they to visit vs? + Boy. They do, they do; and are apparel'd thus, +Like Muscouites; or Russians, as I gesse. +Their purpose is to parlee, to court, and dance, +And euery one his Loue-feat will aduance, +Vnto his seuerall mistresse: which they'll know +By fauours seuerall, which they did bestow + + Queen. And will they so? the Gallants shall be taskt: +For Ladies; we will euery one be maskt, +And not a man of them shall haue the grace +Despight of sute, to see a Ladies face. +Hold Rosaline, this Fauour thou shalt weare, +And then the King will court thee for his Deare: +Hold, take thou this my sweet, and giue me thine, +So shall Berowne take me for Rosaline. +And change your Fauours too, so shall your Loues +Woo contrary, deceiu'd by these remoues + + Rosa. Come on then, weare the fauours most in sight + + Kath. But in this changing, What is your intent? + Queen. The effect of my intent is to crosse theirs: +They doe it but in mocking merriment, +And mocke for mocke is onely my intent. +Their seuerall counsels they vnbosome shall, +To Loues mistooke, and so be mockt withall. +Vpon the next occasion that we meete, +With Visages displayd to talke and greete + + Ros. But shall we dance, if they desire vs too't? + Quee. No, to the death we will not moue a foot, +Nor to their pen'd speech render we no grace: +But while 'tis spoke, each turne away his face + + Boy. Why that contempt will kill the keepers heart, +And quite diuorce his memory from his part + + Quee. Therefore I doe it, and I make no doubt, +The rest will ere come in, if he be out. +Theres no such sport, as sport by sport orethrowne: +To make theirs ours, and ours none but our owne. +So shall we stay mocking entended game, +And they well mockt, depart away with shame. + +Sound. + + Boy. The Trompet sounds, be maskt, the maskers +come. +Enter Black moores with musicke, the Boy with a speech, and the +rest of +the Lords disguised. + + Page. All haile, the richest Beauties on the earth + + Ber. Beauties no richer then rich Taffata + + Pag. A holy parcell of the fairest dames that euer turn'd +their backes to mortall viewes. + +The Ladies turne their backes to him. + + Ber. Their eyes villaine, their eyes + + Pag. That euer turn'd their eyes to mortall viewes. +Out + Boy. True, out indeed + + Pag. Out of your fauours heauenly spirits vouchsafe +Not to beholde + + Ber. Once to behold, rogue + + Pag. Once to behold with your Sunne beamed eyes, +With your Sunne beamed eyes + + Boy. They will not answer to that Epythite, +you were best call it Daughter beamed eyes + + Pag. They do not marke me, and that brings me out + + Bero. Is this your perfectnesse? be gon you rogue + + Rosa. What would these strangers? +Know their mindes Boyet. +If they doe speake our language, 'tis our will +That some plaine man recount their purposes. +Know what they would? + Boyet. What would you with the Princes? + Ber. Nothing but peace, and gentle visitation + + Ros. What would they, say they? + Boy. Nothing but peace, and gentle visitation + + Rosa. Why that they haue, and bid them so be gon + + Boy. She saies you haue it, and you may be gon + + Kin. Say to her we haue measur'd many miles, +To tread a Measure with you on the grasse + + Boy. They say that they haue measur'd many a mile, +To tread a Measure with you on this grasse + + Rosa. It is not so. Aske them how many inches +Is in one mile? If they haue measur'd manie, +The measure then of one is easlie told + + Boy. If to come hither, you haue measur'd miles, +And many miles: the Princesse bids you tell, +How many inches doth fill vp one mile? + Ber. Tell her we measure them by weary steps + + Boy. She heares her selfe + + Rosa. How manie wearie steps, +Of many wearie miles you haue ore-gone, +Are numbred in the trauell of one mile? + Bero. We number nothing that we spend for you, +Our dutie is so rich, so infinite, +That we may doe it still without accompt. +Vouchsafe to shew the sunshine of your face, +That we (like sauages) may worship it + + Rosa. My face is but a Moone and clouded too + + Kin. Blessed are clouds, to doe as such clouds do. +Vouchsafe bright Moone, and these thy stars to shine, +(Those clouds remooued) vpon our waterie eyne + + Rosa. O vaine peticioner, beg a greater matter, +Thou now requests but Mooneshine in the water + + Kin. Then in our measure, vouchsafe but one change. +Thou bidst me begge, this begging is not strange + + Rosa. Play musicke then: nay you must doe it soone. +Not yet no dance: thus change I like the Moone + + Kin. Will you not dance? How come you thus estranged? + Rosa. You tooke the Moone at full, but now shee's +changed? + Kin. Yet still she is the Moone, and I the Man + + Rosa. The musick playes, vouchsafe some motion to +it: Our eares vouchsafe it + + Kin. But your legges should doe it + + Ros. Since you are strangers, & come here by chance, +Wee'll not be nice, take hands, we will not dance + + Kin. Why take you hands then? + Rosa. Onelie to part friends. +Curtsie sweet hearts, and so the Measure ends + + Kin. More measure of this measure, be not nice + + Rosa. We can afford no more at such a price + + Kin. Prise your selues: What buyes your companie? + Rosa. Your absence onelie + + Kin. That can neuer be + + Rosa. Then cannot we be bought: and so adue, +Twice to your Visore, and halfe once to you + + Kin. If you denie to dance, let's hold more chat + + Ros. In priuate then + + Kin. I am best pleas'd with that + + Be. White handed Mistris, one sweet word with thee + + Qu. Hony, and Milke, and Suger: there is three + + Ber. Nay then two treyes, an if you grow so nice +Methegline, Wort, and Malmsey; well runne dice: +There's halfe a dozen sweets + + Qu. Seuenth sweet adue, since you can cogg, +Ile play no more with you + + Ber. One word in secret + + Qu. Let it not be sweet + + Ber. Thou greeu'st my gall + + Qu. Gall, bitter + + Ber. Therefore meete + + Du. Will you vouchsafe with me to change a word? + Mar. Name it + + Dum. Faire Ladie: + Mar. Say you so? Faire Lord: +Take you that for your faire Lady + + Du. Please it you, +As much in priuate, and Ile bid adieu + + Mar. What, was your vizard made without a tong? + Long. I know the reason Ladie why you aske + + Mar. O for your reason, quickly sir, I long + + Long. You haue a double tongue within your mask, +And would affoord my speechlesse vizard halfe + + Mar. Veale quoth the Dutch-man: is not Veale a +Calfe? + Long. A Calfe faire Ladie? + Mar. No, a faire Lord Calfe + + Long. Let's part the word + + Mar. No, Ile not be your halfe: +Take all and weane it, it may proue an Oxe + + Long. Looke how you but your selfe in these sharpe +mockes. +Will you giue hornes chast Ladie? Do not so + + Mar. Then die a Calfe before your horns do grow + + Lon. One word in priuate with you ere I die + + Mar. Bleat softly then, the Butcher heares you cry + + Boyet. The tongues of mocking wenches are as keen +As is the Razors edge, inuisible: +Cutting a smaller haire then may be seene, +Aboue the sense of sence so sensible: +Seemeth their conference, their conceits haue wings, +Fleeter then arrows, bullets wind, thoght, swifter things + Rosa. Not one word more my maides, breake off, +breake off + + Ber. By heauen, all drie beaten with pure scoffe + + King. Farewell madde Wenches, you haue simple +wits. + +Exeunt. + + Qu. Twentie adieus my frozen Muscouits. +Are these the breed of wits so wondred at? + Boyet. Tapers they are, with your sweete breathes +puft out + + Rosa. Wel-liking wits they haue, grosse, grosse, fat, fat + + Qu. O pouertie in wit, Kingly poore flout. +Will they not (thinke you) hang themselues to night? +Or euer but in vizards shew their faces: +This pert Berowne was out of count'nance quite + + Rosa. They were all in lamentable cases. +The King was weeping ripe for a good word + + Qu. Berowne did sweare himselfe out of all suite + + Mar. Dumaine was at my seruice, and his sword: +No point (quoth I:) my seruant straight was mute + + Ka. Lord Longauill said I came ore his hart: +And trow you what he call'd me? + Qu. Qualme perhaps + + Kat. Yes in good faith + + Qu. Go sicknesse as thou art + + Ros. Well, better wits haue worne plain statute caps, +But will you heare; the King is my loue sworne + + Qu. And quicke Berowne hath plighted faith to me + + Kat. And Longauill was for my seruice borne + + Mar. Dumaine is mine as sure as barke on tree + + Boyet. Madam, and prettie mistresses giue eare, +Immediately they will againe be heere +In their owne shapes: for it can neuer be, +They will digest this harsh indignitie + + Qu. Will they returne? + Boy. They will they will, God knowes, +And leape for ioy, though they are lame with blowes: +Therefore change Fauours, and when they repaire, +Blow like sweet Roses, in this summer aire + + Qu. How blow? how blow? Speake to bee vnderstood + + Boy. Faire Ladies maskt, are Roses in their bud: +Dismaskt, their damaske sweet commixture showne, +Are Angels vailing clouds, or Roses blowne + + Qu. Auant perplexitie: What shall we do, +If they returne in their owne shapes to wo? + Rosa. Good Madam, if by me you'l be aduis'd. +Let's mocke them still as well knowne as disguis'd: +Let vs complaine to them what fooles were heare, +Disguis'd like Muscouites in shapelesse geare: +And wonder what they were, and to what end +Their shallow showes, and Prologue vildely pen'd: +And their rough carriage so ridiculous, +Should be presented at our Tent to vs + + Boyet. Ladies, withdraw: the gallants are at hand + + Quee. Whip to our Tents, as Roes runnes ore Land. + +Exeunt. + +Enter the King and the rest. + + King. Faire sir, God saue you. Wher's the Princesse? + Boy. Gone to her Tent. +Please it your Maiestie command me any seruice to her? + King. That she vouchsafe me audience for one word + + Boy. I will, and so will she, I know my Lord. +Enter. + + Ber. This fellow pickes vp wit as Pigeons pease, +And vtters it againe, when Ioue doth please. +He is Wits Pedler, and retailes his Wares, +At Wakes, and Wassels, Meetings, Markets, Faires. +And we that sell by grosse, the Lord doth know, +Haue not the grace to grace it with such show. +This Gallant pins the Wenches on his sleeue. +Had he bin Adam, he had tempted Eue. +He can carue too, and lispe: Why this is he, +That kist away his hand in courtesie. +This is the Ape of Forme, Monsieur the nice, +That when he plaies at Tables, chides the Dice +In honorable tearmes: Nay he can sing +A meane most meanly, and in Vshering +Mend him who can: the Ladies call him sweete. +The staires as he treads on them kisse his feete. +This is the flower that smiles on euerie one, +To shew his teeth as white as Whales bone. +And consciences that wil not die in debt, +Pay him the dutie of honie-tongued Boyet + + King. A blister on his sweet tongue with my hart, +That put Armathoes Page out of his part. +Enter the Ladies. + + Ber. See where it comes. Behauiour what wer't thou, +Till this madman shew'd thee? And what art thou now? + King. All haile sweet Madame, and faire time of day + + Qu. Faire in all Haile is foule, as I conceiue + + King. Construe my speeches better, if you may + + Qu. Then wish me better, I wil giue you leaue + + King. We came to visit you, and purpose now +To leade you to our Court, vouchsafe it then + + Qu. This field shal hold me, and so hold your vow: +Nor God, nor I, delights in periur'd men + + King. Rebuke me not for that which you prouoke: +The vertue of your eie must breake my oth + + Q. You nickname vertue: vice you should haue spoke: +For vertues office neuer breakes men troth. +Now by my maiden honor, yet as pure +As the vnsallied Lilly, I protest, +A world of torments though I should endure, +I would not yeeld to be your houses guest: +So much I hate a breaking cause to be +Of heauenly oaths, vow'd with integritie + + Kin. O you haue liu'd in desolation heere, +Vnseene, vnuisited, much to our shame + + Qu. Not so my Lord, it is not so I sweare, +We haue had pastimes heere, and pleasant game, +A messe of Russians left vs but of late + + Kin. How Madam? Russians? + Qu. I in truth, my Lord. +Trim gallants, full of Courtship and of state + + Rosa. Madam speake true. It is not so my Lord: +My Ladie (to the manner of the daies) +In curtesie giues vndeseruing praise. +We foure indeed confronted were with foure +In Russia habit: Heere they stayed an houre, +And talk'd apace: and in that houre (my Lord) +They did not blesse vs with one happy word. +I dare not call them fooles; but this I thinke, +When they are thirstie, fooles would faine haue drinke + + Ber. This iest is drie to me. Gentle sweete, +Your wits makes wise things foolish when we greete +With eies best seeing, heauens fierie eie: +By light we loose light; your capacitie +Is of that nature, that to your huge stoore, +Wise things seeme foolish, and rich things but poore + + Ros. This proues you wise and rich: for in my eie + Ber. I am a foole, and full of pouertie + + Ros. But that you take what doth to you belong, +It were a fault to snatch words from my tongue + + Ber. O, I am yours, and all that I possesse + + Ros. All the foole mine + + Ber. I cannot giue you lesse + + Ros. Which of the Vizards what it that you wore? + Ber. Where? when? What Vizard? +Why demand you this? + Ros. There, then, that vizard, that superfluous case, +That hid the worse, and shew'd the better face + + Kin. We are discried, +They'l mocke vs now downeright + + Du. Let vs confesse, and turne it to a iest + + Que. Amaz'd my Lord? Why lookes your Highnes +sadde? + Rosa. Helpe hold his browes, hee'l sound: why looke +you pale? +Sea-sicke I thinke comming from Muscouie + + Ber. Thus poure the stars down plagues for periury. +Can any face of brasse hold longer out? +Heere stand I, Ladie dart thy skill at me, +Bruise me with scorne, confound me with a flout. +Thrust thy sharpe wit quite through my ignorance. +Cut me to peeces with thy keene conceit: +And I will wish thee neuer more to dance, +Nor neuer more in Russian habit waite. +O! neuer will I trust to speeches pen'd, +Nor to the motion of a Schoole-boies tongue. +Nor neuer come in vizard to my friend, +Nor woo in rime like a blind-harpers songue, +Taffata phrases, silken tearmes precise, +Three-pil'd Hyperboles, spruce affection; +Figures pedanticall, these summer flies, +Haue blowne me full of maggot ostentation. +I do forsweare them, and I heere protest, +By this white Gloue (how white the hand God knows) +Henceforth my woing minde shall be exprest +In russet yeas, and honest kersie noes. +And to begin Wench, so God helpe me law, +My loue to thee is sound, sans cracke or flaw, + Rosa. Sans, sans, I pray you + + Ber. Yet I haue a tricke +Of the old rage: beare with me, I am sicke. +Ile leaue it by degrees: soft, let vs see, +Write Lord haue mercie on vs, on those three, +They are infected, in their hearts it lies: +They haue the plague, and caught it of your eyes: +These Lords are visited, you are not free: +For the Lords tokens on you do I see + + Qu. No, they are free that gaue these tokens to vs + + Ber. Our states are forfeit, seeke not to vndo vs + + Ros. It is not so; for how can this be true, +That you stand forfeit, being those that sue + + Ber. Peace, for I will not haue to do with you + + Ros. Nor shall not, if I do as I intend + + Ber. Speake for your selues, my wit is at an end + + King. Teach vs sweete Madame, for our rude transgression, +some faire excuse + + Qu. The fairest is confession. +Were you not heere but euen now, disguis'd? + Kin. Madam, I was + + Qu. And were you well aduis'd? + Kin. I was faire Madam + + Qu. When you then were heere, +What did you whisper in your Ladies eare? + King. That more then all the world I did respect her + Qu. When shee shall challenge this, you will reiect +her + + King. Vpon mine Honor no + + Qu. Peace, peace, forbeare: +Your oath once broke, you force not to forsweare + + King. Despise me when I breake this oath of mine + + Qu. I will, and therefore keepe it. Rosaline, +What did the Russian whisper in your eare? + Ros. Madam, he swore that he did hold me deare +As precious eye-sight, and did value me +Aboue this World: adding thereto moreouer, +That he would Wed me, or else die my Louer + + Qu. God giue thee ioy of him: the Noble Lord +Most honorably doth vphold his word + + King. What meane you Madame? +By my life, my troth +I neuer swore this Ladie such an oth + + Ros. By heauen you did; and to confirme it plaine, +You gaue me this: But take it sir againe + + King. My faith and this, the Princesse I did giue, +I knew her by this Iewell on her sleeue + + Qu. Pardon me sir, this Iewell did she weare. +And Lord Berowne (I thanke him) is my deare. +What? Will you haue me, or your Pearle againe? + Ber. Neither of either, I remit both twaine. +I see the tricke on't: Heere was a consent, +Knowing aforehand of our merriment, +To dash it like a Christmas Comedie. +Some carry-tale, some please-man, some slight Zanie, +Some mumble-newes, some trencher-knight, som Dick +That smiles his cheeke in yeares, and knowes the trick +To make my Lady laugh, when she's dispos'd; +Told our intents before: which once disclos'd, +The Ladies did change Fauours; and then we +Following the signes, woo'd but the signe of she. +Now to our periurie, to adde more terror, +We are againe forsworne in will and error. +Much vpon this tis: and might not you +Forestall our sport, to make vs thus vntrue? +Do not you know my Ladies foot by'th squier? +And laugh vpon the apple of her eie? +And stand betweene her backe sir, and the fire, +Holding a trencher, iesting merrilie? +You put our Page out: go, you are alowd. +Die when you will, a smocke shall be your shrowd. +You leere vpon me, do you? There's an eie +Wounds like a Leaden sword + + Boy. Full merrily hath this braue manager, this carreere +bene run + + Ber. Loe, he is tilting straight. Peace, I haue don. +Enter Clowne. + +Welcome pure wit, thou part'st a faire fray + + Clo. O Lord sir, they would kno, +Whether the three worthies shall come in, or no + + Ber. What, are there but three? + Clo. No sir, but it is vara fine, +For euerie one pursents three + + Ber. And three times thrice is nine + + Clo. Not so sir, vnder correction sir, I hope it is not so. +You cannot beg vs sir, I can assure you sir, we know what +we know: I hope sir three times thrice sir + + Ber. Is not nine + + Clo. Vnder correction sir, wee know where-vntill it +doth amount + + Ber. By Ioue, I alwaies tooke three threes for nine + + Clow. O Lord sir, it were pittie you should get your +liuing by reckning sir + + Ber. How much is it? + Clo. O Lord sir, the parties themselues, the actors sir +will shew where-vntill it doth amount: for mine owne +part, I am (as they say, but to perfect one man in one +poore man) Pompion the great sir + + Ber. Art thou one of the Worthies? + Clo. It pleased them to thinke me worthie of Pompey +the great: for mine owne part, I know not the degree of +the Worthie, but I am to stand for him + + Ber. Go, bid them prepare. +Enter. + + Clo. We will turne it finely off sir, we wil take some +care + + King. Berowne, they will shame vs: +Let them not approach + + Ber. We are shame-proofe my Lord: and 'tis some +policie, to haue one shew worse then the Kings and his +companie + + Kin. I say they shall not come + + Qu. Nay my good Lord, let me ore-rule you now; +That sport best pleases, that doth least know how. +Where Zeale striues to content, and the contents +Dies in the Zeale of that which it presents: +Their forme confounded, makes most forme in mirth, +When great things labouring perish in their birth + + Ber. A right description of our sport my Lord. +Enter Braggart. + + Brag. Annointed, I implore so much expence of thy +royall sweet breath, as will vtter a brace of words + + Qu. Doth this man serue God? + Ber. Why aske you? + Qu. He speak's not like a man of God's making + + Brag. That's all one my faire sweet honie Monarch: +For I protest, the Schoolmaster is exceeding fantasticall: +Too too vaine, too too vaine. But we wil put it (as they +say) to Fortuna delaguar, I wish you the peace of minde +most royall cupplement + + King. Here is like to be a good presence of Worthies; +He presents Hector of Troy, the Swaine Pompey y great, +the Parish Curate Alexander, Armadoes Page Hercules, +the Pedant Iudas Machabeus: and if these foure Worthies +in their first shew thriue, these foure will change +habites, and present the other fiue + + Ber. There is fiue in the first shew + + Kin. You are deceiued, tis not so + + Ber. The Pedant, the Braggart, the Hedge-Priest, the +Foole, and the Boy, +Abate throw at Novum, and the whole world againe, +Cannot pricke out fiue such, take each one in's vaine + + Kin. The ship is vnder saile, and here she coms amain. +Enter Pompey. + + Clo. I Pompey am + + Ber. You lie, you are not he + + Clo. I Pompey am + + Boy. With Libbards head on knee + + Ber. Well said old mocker, +I must needs be friends with thee + + Clo. I Pompey am, Pompey surnam'd the big + + Du. The great + + Clo. It is great sir: Pompey surnam'd the great: +That oft in field, with Targe and Shield, +did make my foe to sweat: +And trauailing along this coast, I heere am come by chance, +And lay my Armes before the legs of this sweet Lasse of +France. +If your Ladiship would say thankes Pompey, I had done + + La. Great thankes great Pompey + + Clo. Tis not so much worth: but I hope I was perfect. +I made a little fault in great + + Ber. My hat to a halfe-penie, Pompey prooues the +best Worthie. +Enter Curate for Alexander. + + Curat. When in the world I liu'd, I was the worldes Commander: +By East, West, North, & South, I spred my conquering might +My Scutcheon plaine declares that I am Alisander + + Boiet. Your nose saies no, you are not: +For it stands too right + + Ber. Your nose smells no, in this most tender smelling +Knight + + Qu. The Conqueror is dismaid: +Proceede good Alexander + + Cur. When in the world I liued, I was the worldes Commander + + Boiet. Most true, 'tis right; you were so Alisander + + Ber. Pompey the great + + Clo. your seruant and Costard + + Ber. Take away the Conqueror, take away Alisander + Clo. O sir, you haue ouerthrowne Alisander the conqueror: +you will be scrap'd out of the painted cloth for +this: your Lion that holds his Pollax sitting on a close +stoole, will be giuen to Aiax. He will be the ninth worthie. +A Conqueror, and affraid to speake? Runne away +for shame Alisander. There an't shall please you: a foolish +milde man, an honest man, looke you, & soon dasht. +He is a maruellous good neighbour insooth, and a verie +good Bowler: but for Alisander, alas you see, how 'tis a +little ore-parted. But there are Worthies a comming, +will speake their minde in some other sort. + +Exit Cu. + + Qu. Stand aside good Pompey. +Enter Pedant for Iudas, and the Boy for Hercules. + + Ped. Great Hercules is presented by this Impe, +Whose Club kil'd Cerberus that three-headed Canus, +And when he was a babe, a childe, a shrimpe, +Thus did he strangle Serpents in his Manus: +Quoniam, he seemeth in minoritie, +Ergo, I come with this Apologie. +Keepe some state in thy exit, and vanish. + +Exit Boy + + Ped. Iudas I am + + Dum. A Iudas? + Ped. Not Iscariot sir. +Iudas I am, ycliped Machabeus + + Dum. Iudas Machabeus clipt, is plaine Iudas + + Ber. A kissing traitor. How art thou prou'd Iudas? + Ped. Iudas I am + + Dum. The more shame for you Iudas + + Ped. What meane you sir? + Boi. To make Iudas hang himselfe + + Ped. Begin sir, you are my elder + + Ber. Well follow'd, Iudas was hang'd on an Elder + + Ped. I will not be put out of countenance + + Ber. Because thou hast no face + + Ped. What is this? + Boi. A Citterne head + + Dum. The head of a bodkin + + Ber. A deaths face in a ring + + Lon. The face of an old Roman coine, scarce seene + + Boi. The pummell of Cæsars Faulchion + + Dum. The caru'd-bone face on a Flaske + + Ber. S[aint]. Georges halfe cheeke in a brooch + + Dum. I, and in a brooch of Lead + + Ber. I, and worne in the cap of a Tooth-drawer. +And now forward, for we haue put thee in countenance + Ped. You haue put me out of countenance + + Ber. False, we haue giuen thee faces + + Ped. But you haue out-fac'd them all + + Ber. And thou wer't a Lion, we would do so + + Boy. Therefore as he is, an Asse, let him go: +And so adieu sweet Iude. Nay, why dost thou stay? + Dum. For the latter end of his name + + Ber. For the Asse to the Iude: giue it him. Iudas away + + Ped. This is not generous, not gentle, not humble + + Boy. A light for monsieur Iudas, it growes darke, he +may stumble + + Que. Alas poore Machabeus, how hath hee beene +baited. +Enter Braggart. + + Ber. Hide thy head Achilles, heere comes Hector in +Armes + + Dum. Though my mockes come home by me, I will +now be merrie + + King. Hector was but a Troyan in respect of this + + Boi. But is this Hector? + Kin. I thinke Hector was not so cleane timber'd + + Lon. His legge is too big for Hector + + Dum. More Calfe certaine + + Boi. No, he is best indued in the small + + Ber. This cannot be Hector + + Dum. He's a God or a Painter, for he makes faces + + Brag. The Armipotent Mars, of Launces the almighty, +gaue Hector a gift + + Dum. A gilt Nutmegge + + Ber. A Lemmon + + Lon. Stucke with Cloues + + Dum. No clouen + + Brag. The Armipotent Mars of Launces the almighty, +Gaue Hector a gift, the heire of Illion; +A man so breathed, that certaine he would fight: yea +From morne till night, out of his Pauillion. +I am that Flower + + Dum. That Mint + + Long. That Cullambine + + Brag. Sweet Lord Longauill reine thy tongue + + Lon. I must rather giue it the reine: for it runnes against +Hector + + Dum. I, and Hector's a Grey-hound + + Brag. The sweet War-man is dead and rotten, +Sweet chuckes, beat not the bones of the buried: +But I will forward with my deuice; +Sweete Royaltie bestow on me the sence of hearing. + +Berowne steppes forth. + + Qu. Speake braue Hector, we are much delighted + + Brag. i do adore thy sweet Graces slipper + + Boy. Loues her by the foot + + Dum. He may not by the yard + + Brag. This Hector farre surmounted Hanniball. +The partie is gone + + Clo. Fellow Hector, she is gone; she is two moneths +on her way + + Brag. What meanest thou? + Clo. Faith vnlesse you play the honest Troyan, the +poore Wench is cast away: she's quick, the child brags +in her belly alreadie: tis yours + + Brag. Dost thou infamonize me among Potentates? +Thou shalt die + + Clo. Then shall Hector be whipt for Iaquenetta that +is quicke by him, and hang'd for Pompey, that is dead by +him + + Dum. Most rare Pompey + + Boi. Renowned Pompey + + Ber. Greater then great, great, great, great Pompey: +Pompey the huge + + Dum. Hector trembles + + Ber. Pompey is moued, more Atees more Atees stirre +them, or stirre them on + + Dum. Hector will challenge him + + Ber. I, if a'haue no more mans blood in's belly, then +will sup a Flea + + Brag. By the North-pole I do challenge thee + + Clo. I wil not fight with a pole like a Northern man; +Ile slash, Ile do it by the sword: I pray you let mee borrow +my Armes againe + + Dum. Roome for the incensed Worthies + + Clo. Ile do it in my shirt + + Dum. Most resolute Pompey + + Page. Master, let me take you a button hole lower: +Do you not see Pompey is vncasing for the combat: what +meane you? you will lose your reputation + + Brag. Gentlemen and Souldiers pardon me, I will +not combat in my shirt + + Du. You may not denie it, Pompey hath made the +challenge + + Brag. Sweet bloods, I both may, and will + + Ber. What reason haue you for't? + Brag. The naked truth of it is, I haue no shirt, +I go woolward for penance + + Boy. True, and it was inioyned him in Rome for want +of Linnen: since when, Ile be sworne he wore none, but +a dishclout of Iaquenettas, and that hee weares next his +heart for a fauour. +Enter a Messenger, Monsieur Marcade. + + Mar. God saue you Madame + + Qu. Welcome Marcade, but that thou interruptest +our merriment + + Marc. I am sorrie Madam, for the newes I bring is +heauie in my tongue. The King your father + Qu. Dead for my life + + Mar. Euen so: My tale is told + + Ber. Worthies away, the Scene begins to cloud + + Brag. For mine owne part, I breath free breath: I +haue seene the day of wrong, through the little hole of +discretion, and I will right my selfe like a Souldier. + +Exeunt. Worthies + + Kin. How fare's your Maiestie? + Qu. Boyet prepare, I will away to night + + Kin. Madame not so, I do beseech you stay + + Qu. Prepare I say. I thanke you gracious Lords +For all your faire endeuours and entreats: +Out of a new sad-soule, that you vouchsafe, +In your rich wisedome to excuse, or hide, +The liberall opposition of our spirits, +If ouer-boldly we haue borne our selues, +In the conuerse of breath (your gentlenesse +Was guiltie of it.) Farewell worthie Lord: +A heauie heart beares not a humble tongue. +Excuse me so, comming so short of thankes, +For my great suite, so easily obtain'd + + Kin. The extreme parts of time, extremelie formes +All causes to the purpose of his speed: +And often at his verie loose decides +That, which long processe could not arbitrate. +And though the mourning brow of progenie +Forbid the smiling curtesie of Loue: +The holy suite which faine it would conuince, +Yet since loues argument was first on foote, +Let not the cloud of sorrow iustle it +From what it purpos'd: since to waile friends lost, +Is not by much so wholsome profitable, +As to reioyce at friends but newly found + + Qu. I vnderstand you not, my greefes are double + + Ber. Honest plain words, best pierce the ears of griefe +And by these badges vnderstand the King, +For your faire sakes haue we neglected time, +Plaid foule play with our oaths: your beautie Ladies +Hath much deformed vs, fashioning our humors +Euen to the opposed end of our intents. +And what in vs hath seem'd ridiculous: +As Loue is full of vnbefitting straines, +All wanton as a childe, skipping and vaine. +Form'd by the eie, and therefore like the eie. +Full of straying shapes, of habits, and of formes +Varying in subiects as the eie doth roule, +To euerie varied obiect in his glance: +Which partie-coated presence of loose loue +Put on by vs, if in your heauenly eies, +Haue misbecom'd our oathes and grauities. +Those heauenlie eies that looke into these faults, +Suggested vs to make: therefore Ladies +Our loue being yours, the error that Loue makes +Is likewise yours. We to our selues proue false, +By being once false, for euer to be true +To those that make vs both, faire Ladies you. +And euen that falshood in it selfe a sinne, +Thus purifies it selfe, and turnes to grace + + Qu. We haue receiu'd your Letters, full of Loue: +Your Fauours, the Ambassadors of Loue. +And in our maiden counsaile rated them, +At courtship, pleasant iest, and curtesie, +As bumbast and as lining to the time: +But more deuout then these are our respects +Haue we not bene, and therefore met your loues +In their owne fashion, like a merriment + + Du. Our letters Madam, shew'd much more then iest + + Lon. So did our lookes + + Rosa. We did not coat them so + + Kin. Now at the latest minute of the houre, +Grant vs your loues + + Qu. A time me thinkes too short, +To make a world-without-end bargaine in: +No, no my Lord, your Grace is periur'd much, +Full of deare guiltinesse, and therefore this: +If for my Loue (as there is no such cause) +You will do ought, this shall you do for me. +Your oth I will not trust: but go with speed +To some forlorne and naked Hermitage, +Remote from all the pleasures of the world: +There stay, vntill the twelue Celestiall Signes +Haue brought about their annuall reckoning. +If this austere insociable life, +Change not your offer made in heate of blood: +If frosts, and fasts, hard lodging, and thin weeds +Nip not the gaudie blossomes of your Loue, +But that it beare this triall, and last loue: +Then at the expiration of the yeare, +Come challenge me, challenge me by these deserts, +And by this Virgin palme, now kissing thine, +I will be thine: and till that instant shut +My wofull selfe vp in a mourning house, +Raining the teares of lamentation, +For the remembrance of my Fathers death. +If this thou do denie, let our hands part, +Neither intitled in the others hart + + Kin. If this, or more then this, I would denie, +To flatter vp these powers of mine with rest, +The sodaine hand of death close vp mine eie. +Hence euer then, my heart is in thy brest + + Ber. And what to me my Loue? and what to me? + Ros. You must be purged too, your sins are rack'd. +You are attaint with faults and periurie: +Therefore if you my fauor meane to get, +A tweluemonth shall you spend, and neuer rest, +But seeke the wearie beds of people sicke + + Du. But what to me my loue? but what to me? + Kat. A wife? a beard, faire health, and honestie, +With three-fold loue, I wish you all these three + + Du. O shall I say, I thanke you gentle wife? + Kat. Not so my Lord, a tweluemonth and a day, +Ile marke no words that smoothfac'd wooers say. +Come when the King doth to my Ladie come: +Then if I haue much loue, Ile giue you some + + Dum. Ile serue thee true and faithfully till then + + Kath. Yet sweare not, least ye be forsworne agen + + Lon. What saies Maria? + Mari. At the tweluemonths end, +Ile change my blacke Gowne, for a faithfull friend + + Lon. Ile stay with patience: but the time is long + + Mari. The liker you, few taller are so yong + + Ber. Studies my Ladie? Mistresse, looke on me, +Behold the window of my heart, mine eie: +What humble suite attends thy answer there, +Impose some seruice on me for my loue + + Ros. Oft haue I heard of you my Lord Berowne, +Before I saw you: and the worlds large tongue +Proclaimes you for a man repleate with mockes, +Full of comparisons, and wounding floutes: +Which you on all estates will execute, +That lie within the mercie of your wit. +To weed this Wormewood from your fruitfull braine, +And therewithall to win me, if you please, +Without the which I am not to be won: +You shall this tweluemonth terme from day to day, +Visit the speechlesse sicke, and still conuerse +With groaning wretches: and your taske shall be, +With all the fierce endeuour of your wit, +To enforce the pained impotent to smile + + Ber. To moue wilde laughter in the throate of death? +It cannot be, it is impossible. +Mirth cannot moue a soule in agonie + + Ros. Why that's the way to choke a gibing spirit, +Whose influence is begot of that loose grace, +Which shallow laughing hearers giue to fooles: +A iests prosperitie, lies in the eare +Of him that heares it, neuer in the tongue +Of him that makes it: then, if sickly eares, +Deaft with the clamors of their owne deare grones, +Will heare your idle scornes; continue then, +And I will haue you, and that fault withall. +But if they will not, throw away that spirit, +And I shal finde you emptie of that fault, +Right ioyfull of your reformation + + Ber. A tweluemonth? Well: befall what will befall, +Ile iest a tweluemonth in an Hospitall + + Qu. I sweet my Lord, and so I take my leaue + + King. No Madam, we will bring you on your way + + Ber. Our woing doth not end like an old Play: +Iacke hath not Gill: these Ladies courtesie +Might wel haue made our sport a Comedie + + Kin. Come sir, it wants a tweluemonth and a day, +And then 'twil end + + Ber. That's too long for a play. +Enter Braggart. + + Brag. Sweet Maiesty vouchsafe me + + Qu. Was not that Hector? + Dum. The worthie Knight of Troy + + Brag. I wil kisse thy royal finger, and take leaue. +I am a Votarie, I haue vow'd to Iaquenetta to holde the +Plough for her sweet loue three yeares. But most esteemed +greatnesse, wil you heare the Dialogue that the two +Learned men haue compiled, in praise of the Owle and +the Cuckow? It should haue followed in the end of our +shew + + Kin. Call them forth quickely, we will do so + + Brag. Holla, Approach. +Enter all. + +This side is Hiems, Winter. +This Ver, the Spring: the one maintained by the Owle, +Th' other by the Cuckow. +Ver, begin. + +The Song. + +When Dasies pied, and Violets blew, +And Cuckow-buds of yellow hew: +And Ladie-smockes all siluer white, +Do paint the Medowes with delight. +The Cuckow then on euerie tree, +Mockes married men, for thus sings he, +Cuckow. +Cuckow, Cuckow: O word of feare, +Vnpleasing to a married eare. +When Shepheards pipe on Oaten strawes, +And merrie Larkes are Ploughmens clockes: +When Turtles tread, and Rookes and Dawes, +And Maidens bleach their summer smockes: +The Cuckow then on euerie tree +Mockes married men; for thus sings he, +Cuckow. +Cuckow, Cuckow: O word of feare, +Vnpleasing to a married eare + + Winter. When Isicles hang by the wall, +And Dicke the Shepheard blowes his naile; +And Tom beares Logges into the hall, +And Milke comes frozen home in paile: +When blood is nipt, and waies be fowle, +Then nightly sings the staring Owle +Tuwhit towho. +A merrie note, +While greasie Ione doth keele the pot. +When all aloud the winde doth blow, +And coffing drownes the Parsons saw: +And birds sit brooding in the snow, +And Marrians nose lookes red and raw: +When roasted Crabs hisse in the bowle, +Then nightly sings the staring Owle, +Tuwhit towho: +A merrie note, +While greasie Ione doth keele the pot + + Brag. The Words of Mercurie, +Are harsh after the songs of Apollo: +You that way; we this way. + +Exeunt. omnes. + +FINIS. + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 2241 *** |