If I break faith, this word shall speak for me,
I am forsworn on mere neceffity.-
So to the laws at large I write my name: [Subscribes.
And he, that breaks them in the least degree,
Stands in attainder of eternal shame:

Suggestions are to others, as to me;
But, I believe, although I seem so loth,
I am the last that will last keep his oath.
But is there no quick recreation granted?

King. Ay, that there is: our court, you know, is
With a refined traveller of Spain;
[haunted
A man in all the world's new fashion planted,
That hath a mint of phrases in his brain :
One, whom the music of his own vain tongue
Doth ravish, like enchanting harmony;
A man of complements, whom right and wrong
Have chose as umpire of their mutiny:
This child of fancy, that Armado hight,

For interim to our studies, shall relate,
In high-born words, the worth of many a knight
From tawny Spain, loft in the world's debate.
How you delight, my lords, I know not, I;
But, I proteft, I love to hear him lie,
And I will use him for my minstrelsy.

Bir. Armado is a most illustrious wight,
A man of fire-new words, fashion's own knight.
Long. Costard the swain, and he, shall be our sport;
And, so to study, three years is but short.

Enter DULL, with a letter, and COSTARD.

Dull. Which is the duke's own perfon?
Bir. This, fellow; What would'st?
Dull. I myself reprehend his own person, for I am

his

A

ونا

ree,

now,

haunta

his grace's tharborough: but I would fee his own perfon in flesh and blood.

Bir. This is he.

Dull. Signior Arme-Armecommends you.
There's villany abroad; this letter will tell you more.
Coft. Sir, the contempts thereof are as touching me.
King. A letter from the magnificent Armado.
Bir. How low foever the matter, I hope in God
for high words.

Long. A high hope for a low having: God grant us patience!

Bir. To hear? or forbear hearing?

Long. To hear meekly, fir, and to laugh moderately; or to forbear both.

Bir. Well, fir, be it as the stile shall give us caufe to climb in the merriness.

Coff. The matter is to me, fir, as concerning Jaquenetta. The manner of it is, I was taken with the

manner.

Bir. In what manner?

Coft. In manner and form following, fir; all those three: I was feen with her in the manor house, fitting with her upon the form, and taken following her into the park; which put together, is, in manner and form following. Now, fir, for the manner, it is the manner of a man to speak to a woman: for the form,in some form.

Bir. For the following, fir?

Coft. As it shall follow in my correction; And

God defend the right!

King. Will you hear this letter with attention?

Bir. As he would hear an oracle.

Coft. Such is the fimplicity of man to hearken after

the flesh.

10

LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST.

King. [Reads.] Great deputy, the welkin's vice-gerent, and fole dominator of Navarre, my foul's earth's God, and body's fostering patron,

Coft. Not a word of Costard yet.

King. So it is,

Coft. It may be so: but if he say it is so, he is, in

telling true, but so, fo.

King. Peace.

Coft.-be to me, and every man that dares not fight!
King. No words.

Coft. of other men's secrets, I beseech you. King. So it is, besieged with fable-colour'd melancholy, I did commend the black oppreffing humour to the most wholesome phyfic of thy health-giving air; and, as I am a gentleman, betook myself to walk. The time, when? About the fixth hour; when beasts most graze, birds bel peck, and men fit down to that nourishment which is called fupper. So much for the time when: Now for the ground which; which, I mean, I walk'd upon: it is ycleped, thy park. Then for the place where; where, I mean, I did encounter that obscene and most preposterous event, that draweth from my snow-white pen the ebon-colour'd ink, which here thou viewest, beholdest, furveyeft, or feeft: But to the place, where, It ftandeth north-north-east and by east from the west corner of thy curious-knotted garden: There did I fee that low-fpirited fwain, that base minnow of thy mirth,

Coft. Me.

King-that unletter'd small-knowing foul,

Coft. Me.

King. that shallow vassal,

Coft. Still me.

King. which, as I remember, hight Coftard,

Coft. O me!

King

King-forted and conforted, contrary to thy established cand proclaimed edict and continent canon, with-with-0 with-but with this I paffion to say wherewith. Coft. With a wench.

10.1

L

King-with a child of our grandmother Eve, a female; or, for thy more sweet understanding, a woman. Him I (as my ever-esteemed duty pricks me on) have fent to thee, to receive the meed of punishment, by thy sweet Grace's officer, Anthony Dull; a man of good repute, carriage, bearing, and estimation. Dull. Me, an't shall please you; I am Anthony Dull. King. Jaquenetta (Jo is the weaker veffel called, which I apprehended with with the the aforesaid swain), I keep ber as a veffel of thy law's fury; and shall, at the least of thy sweet notice, bring her to trial. Thine, in all compliments of devoted and heart-burning beat of duty,

For

Don Adriano de Armado.

Bir. This is not so well as I look'd for, but the best that ever I heard.

King. Ay, the best for the worst. But, firrah, what fay you to this?

Coft. Sir, I confefs the wench.

King. Did you hear the proclamation ?

Coft. I do confefs much of the hearing it, but little

of the marking of it.

King. It was proclaim'd a year's imprisonment to be taken with

a

wench.

Coft. I was taken with none, fir; I was taken with a damofel.

King. Well, it was proclaim'd damosel.

Coft. This was no damosel neither, fir; she was a

virgin.

King. It is so varied too; for it was proclaim'd, virgin.

Coft.

Coft. If it were, I deny her virginity; I was taken with a maid.

King. This maid will not ferve your turn, fir. Coft. This maid will ferve my turn, fir. King. Sir, I will pronounce your sentence; You shall fast a week with bran and water.

Coft. I had rather pray a month with mutton and porridge.

King. And Don Armado shall be your keeper.My lord Biron, see him deliver'd o'er.And go we, lords, to put in practice that

Which each to other hath so strongly sworn. [Exeunt King, LONG. and DUMAIN

Bir. I'll lay my head to any good man's hat, These oaths and laws will prove an idle scorn.Sirrah, come on.

Coft. I fuffer for the truth, fir: for true it is, I was taken with Jaquenetta, and Jaquenetta is a true girl; and therefore, Welcome the four cup of profperity! Affliction may one day fmile again, and 'till then, Sit thee down, forrow! [Exeunt.

SCENE II. ARMADO's House.
Enter ARMADO, and MOTH.

Arm. Boy, what sign is it, when a man of great spirit grows melancholy?

Moth. A great sign, fir, that he will look fad.

Arm. Why, fadness is one and the self-fame thing,

dear imp.

Moth. No, no; O lord, fir, no.

Arm. How canst thou part sadness and melancholy

my tender juvenal?

Moth