of Maria,
Katharine,

Don Adriano de Armado, a fantastical Spaniard. Jaquenetta, a country wench.

And, one day in a week to touch no food;
And but one meal on every day beside;
The which, I hope, is not enrolled there:
And then to sleep but three hours in the night,
and And not to be seen to wink of all the day;

Therefore this article is made in vain,

Study me how to please the eye indeed,
By fixing it upon a fairer eye;
Who dazzling so, that eye shall be his heed,
And give him light that was it blinded by.
Study is like the heaven's glorious sun,

That will not be deep-search'd with saucy looks;
Small have continual plodders ever won,
Save base authority from others' books.
These earthly godfathers of heaven's lights,
That gave a name to every fixed star,
Have no more profit of their shining nights,

Than those that walk, and wot not what they are.
Too much to know, is, to know nought but fame;
And every godfather can give a name.

King. How well he's read, to reason against reading!

Dum. Proceeded well, to stop all good pro-
ceeding!

Long. He weeds the corn, and still lets grow the
weeding.
Biron. The spring is near, when green geese
are a breeding.
Dum. How follows that?
Biron.

Fit in his place and time.

Dum. In reason nothing.
Biron.
Something then in rhyme.
Long. Biron is like an envious sneaping' frost,
That bites the first-born infants of the spring.
Biron. Well, say I am; why should proud sum-
mer boast,

Before the birds have any cause to sing?
Why should I joy in an abortive birth?
At Christmas, I no more desire a rose

Than wish a snow in May's new-fangled shows;2
But like of each thing, that in season grows.
So you, to study now it is too late,

Climb o'er the house to unlock the little gate.
King. Well, sit you out: go home, Birón; adieu!
Biron. No, my good lord; I have sworn to stay
with you:

And, though I have for barbarism spoke more,
Than for that angel knowledge you can say,
Yet confident I'll keep what I have swore,

And 'bide the penance of each three years' day.
Give me the paper, let me read the same;
And to the strict'st decrees, I'll write my name.
King. How well this yielding rescues thee from
shame!

Biron. [Reads.] Item, That no woman shall
come within a mile of my court.
And hath this been proclaim'd?"
Long.

Four days ago.

Or vainly comes the admired princess hither. King. What say you, lords? why, this was quite forgot.

Biron. So study evermore is overshot; While it doth study to have what it would, It doth forget to do the thing it should: And when it hath the thing it hunteth most, 'Tis won, as towns with fire; so won, so lost. King. We must, of force, dispense with this decree;

She must lie3 here on mere necessity.

Biron. Necessity will make us all forsworn Three thousand times within this three years' space:

For every man with his affects is born;

I

Not by might master'd, but by special grace:
If I break faith, this word shall speak for me,
am forsworn on mere necessity.-
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 :

I

Suggestions are to others, as to me;
But, I believe, although I seem so loth,
am the last that will last keep his oath.
But is there no quick3 recreation granted:
King. Ay, that there is: our court, you know,
is haunted

With a refined traveller of Spain;
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, lost in the world's debate.
How you delight, my lords, I know not, I;
But I protest, I love to hear him lie,
And I will use him for my minstrelsy.

A man of fire-new words, fashion's own knight.
Biron. Armado is a most illustrious wight,
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 person?
Biron. This, fellow; What would'st?
Dull. I myself reprehend his own person, for I
am his grace's tharborough: but I would see his
Who devis'd this? own person in flesh and blood.
Biron. This is he.

Biron. Let's see the penalty.
[Reads.]-On pain of losing her tongue.-

Long. Marry, that did I.
Biron. Sweet lord, and why?
Long. To fright them hence with that dread
penalty.

Biron. A dangerous law against gentility.
[Reads.] Item, If any man be seen to talk with
a woman within the term of three years, he shall
endure such public shame as the rest of the court
can possibly devise-

This article, my liege, yourself must break;

For, well you know, here comes in embassy The French king's daughter, with yourself to

speak,

A maid of grace, and complete majesty,About surrender-up of Aquitain

To her decrepit, sick, and bed-rid father: (1) Nipping.

1

Dull. Signior Arme-Arme-commends you.There's villany abroad; this letter will tell you

(2) Games, sports.
Temptations.

Cost. The matter is to me, sir, as concerning swain,) I keep her as a vessel of thy law's fury; Jaquenetta. The manner of it is, I was taken and shall, at the least of thy sweet notice, bring her with the manner.1 to trial. Thine, in all compliments of devoted and heart-burning heat of duty, DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO.

Biron. In what manner?

Cost. In manner and, form following, sir; all those three: I was seen with her in the manor

Biron. This is not so well as I looked for, but

King. Ay, the best for the worst. But, sirrah,

house, sitting with her upon the form, and taken the best that ever I heard.
following her into the park; which, put together,
is, in manner and form following. Now, sir, for what say you to this?
the manner,-it is the manner of a man to speak
to a woman: for the form,-in some form.

Biron. For the following, sir?

Cost. As it shall follow in my correction; and

God defend the right!

King. Will you hear this letter with attention?
Biron. As we would hear an oracle.
Cost. Such is the simplicity of man to hearken
after the flesh.

King. [Reads.] Great deputy, the welkin's vicegerent, and sole dominator of Navarre, my soul's earth's God, and body's fostering patron

Cost. Not a word of Costard yet.

King. So it is,

Cost. Sir, I confess the wench.

King. Did you hear the proclamation? little of the marking of it. Cost. I do confess much of the hearing it, but

King. It was proclaimed a year's imprisonment, to be taken with a wench.

with a damosel.
Cost. I was taken with none, sir, I was taken

King. Well, it was proclaimed damosel.
Cost. This was no damosel neither, sir;

a virgin.

she was

King. It is so varied too; for it was proclaimed, virgin.

1

Cost. If it were, I deny her virginity; I was

Cost. It may be so: but if he say it is so, he is, taken with a maid. in telling true, but so, so..

King. Peace.

Cost. be to me, and every man that dares not fight!

King. No words.

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

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

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

Cost. of other men's secrets, I beseech you.
King, So it is, besieged with sable-coloured
melancholy, I did commend the black-oppressing
humour to the most wholesome physic of thy health-My
giving air; and, as I am a gentleman, betook my-
self to walk. The time when? About the sixth
'hour; when beasts most graze, birds best peck, and
men sit down to that nourishment which is called

supper. So much for the time when. Now for the
ground which; which, I mean, I walked'
it is yeleped 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 ebm-coloured ink, which here
thou viewest, beholdest, surveyest, 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 swain,
that base minnow of thy mirih,

Cost. Me.

King. that unletter'd small-knowing soul,
Cost. Me.

King. that shallow vassal,

Cost. Still me.

King. with a child of our grandmother Eve, a female; or, for thy more sweet understanding, a woman. Him I (as my ever-esteemed duty pricks me on) have sent to thee, to receive the meed of punishment, by thy sweet grace's officer, Antony Dull; a man of good repule, carriage, bearing, and estimation.

Dull. Me, an't shall please you; I am Antony Dull.

King. For Jaquenetta (so is the weaker vessel called, which I apprehended with the aforesaid (1) In the fact. (2) A young man.

Which each to other hath so strongly sworn.

[Exeunt King, Longaville, and Dumain.
Biron. I'll lay my head to any good man's hat,
Sirrah, come on.
These oaths and laws will prove an idle scorn.

Cost. I suffer for the truth, sir: for true it is, I was taken with Jaquenetta, and Jaquenetta is a true girl; and therefore, Welcome the sour cup of prosperity! Affliction may one day smile again, and till then, Sit thee down, sorrow! [Exeunt.

SCENE II-Another part of the same. Arma

do's house. Enter Armado and Moth. Arm. Boy, what sign is it, when a man of great spirit grows melancholy?

Moth. A great sign, sir, that he will look sad. Arm. Why, sadness is one and the self-same thing, dear imp.

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

Arm. How canst thou part sadness and melancholy, my tender juvenal ?2

Moth. By a familiar demonstration of the working, my tough senior.

Arm. Why tough senior? why tough senior? Moth. Why tender juvenal? why tender juvenal? Arm. I spoke it, tender juvenal, as a congruent epitheton, appertaining to thy young days, which we may nominate tender.

Moth. And I, tough senior, as an appertinent title to your old time, which we may name tough, Arm. Pretty, and apt.

Moth. How mean you, sir? I pretty, and my
saying apt? or I apt, and my saying pretty?
Arm. Thou pretty, because little.

Moth. Little pretty, because little: Wherefore apt?
Arm. And therefore apt, because quick.
Moth. Speak you this in my praise, master?
Arm. In thy condign praise.

Moth. That an eel is quick.

Arm. I do say, thou art quick in answers: Thou heatest my blood.

Moth. I am answered, sir.

Arm. I love not to be crossed,

Moth. He speaks the mere contrary, crosses1
love not him.
[Aside.
Arm. I have promised to study three years with
the duke.

Moth. You may do it in an hour, sir.
Arm. Impossible.

Moth. How many is one thrice told?

Arm. I am ill at reckoning, it fitteth the spirit of a tapster.

Moth. You are a gentleman, and a gamester, sir. Arm. I confess both; they are both the varnish of a complete man.

Moth. Then, I am sure you know how much the gross sum of deuce-ace amounts to.

Arm. It doth amount to one more than two.
Moth. Which the base vulgar do call, three.
Arm. True.

Moth. Why, sir, is this such a piece of study? Now here is three studied, ere you'll thrice wink and how easy it is to put years to the word three, and study three years in two words, the dancinghorse will tell you.

Arm. A most fine figure!
Moth. To prove you a cypher.

[Aside.

Arm. I will hereupon confess, I am in love: and, as it is base for a soldier to love, so am I in love with a base wench. If drawing my sword against the humour of affection would deliver me from the reprobate thought of it, I would take desire prisoner, and ransom him to any French courtier for a new devised courtesy. I think scorn to sigh; methinks, I should out-swear Cupid. Comfort me, boy: What great men have been in love?

Moth. Hercules, master.

Arm. Most sweet Hercules!-More authority, dear boy, name more; and, sweet my child, let them be men of good repute and carriage.

:|

Moth. Samson, master: he was a man of good carriage, great carriage; for he carried the towngates on his back, like a porter: and he was in love.

Arm. O well-knit Samson! strong-jointed Samson! I do excel thee in my rapier, as much as thou didst me in carrying gates. I am in love too,-Who was Samson's love, my dear Moth?

Moth. A woman, master.

Arm. Of what complexion?

Moth. Of all the four, or the three, or the two; or one of the four.

Arm. Tell me precisely of what complexion.
Moth. Of the sea water green, sir.
Arm. Is that one of the four complexions?
Moth. As I have read, sir; and the best of them

too.

Arm. Green, indeed, is the colour of lovers: but to have a love of that colour, methinks, Samson had small reason for it. He, surely, affected her for her wit.

Moth. It was so, sir; for she had a green wit. Arm. My love is most immaculate white and red. Moth. Most maculate thoughts, master, are masked under such colours.

Arm. Define, define, well-educated infant. Moth. My father's wit, and my mother's tongue, assist me!

Arm. Sweet invocation of a child; most pretty, and pathetical!

(1) The name of a coin once current.

Of which she is naturally possessed.

Moth. If she be made of white and red,
Her faults will ne'er be known;
For blushing cheeks by faults are bred,
And fears by pale-white shown:
Then, if she fear, or be to blame,
By this you shall not know;
For still her cheeks possess the same,
Which native she doth owe.2

A dangerous rhyme, master, against the reason of white and red.

Arm. Is there not a ballad, boy, of the King and the Beggar?

Moth. The world was very guilty of such a ballad some three ages since: but, I think, now 'tis not to be found; or, if it were, it would neither serve for the writing, nor the tune.

Arm. I will have the subject newly writ o'er, that I may example my digression by some mighty precedent. Boy, I do love that country girl, that I took in the park with the rational hind Costard; she deserves well.

Moth. To be whipped; and yet a better love than my master. [Aside. Arm. Sing, boy; my spirits grow heavy in love. Moth. And that's great marvel, loving a light wench. Arm. I say, sing.

Moth. Forbear till this company be past.

Enter Dull, Costard, and Jaquenetta.
Dull. Sir, the duke's pleasure is, that you keep
Costard safe; and you must let him take no delight,
nor no penance; but a' must fast three days a-week:
For this damsel, I must keep her at the park; she
is allowed for the day-woman. Fare you well.
Arm. I do betray myself with blushing.-Maid.
Jaq. Man.

Arm. I will visit thee at the lodge.
Jaq. That's hereby.

Arm. I know where it is situate.
Jaq. Lord, how wise you are!
Arm. I will tell thee wonders.
Jaq. With that face?
Arm. I love thee.
Jaq. So I heard you say.
Arm. And so farewell."
Jaq. Fair weather after you!
Dull. Come, Jaquenetta, away.

[Exeunt Dull and Jaquenetta. Arm. Villain, thou shalt fast for thy offences, jere thou be pardoned.

Cost. Well, sir, I hope, when I do it, I shall do it on a full stomach.

Arm. Thou shalt be heavily punished.

Cost. I am more bound to you, than your fellows, for they are but lightly rewarded.

Arm. Take away this villain; shut him up. Moth. Come, you transgressing slave; away. Cost. Let me not be pent up, sir; I will fast, being loose.

Moth. No, sir; that were fast and loose: thou shalt to prison.

Cost. Well, if ever I do see the merry days of desolation that I have seen, some shall see Moth. What shall some see?

Cost. Nay, nothing, master Moth, but what they look upon. It is not for prisoners to be too silent in their words; and, therefore, I will say nothing: I thank God, I have as little patience as another man; and, therefore, I can be quiet.

[Exeunt Moth and Castard. Arm. I do affect the very ground, which is base, |(3) Transgression. (4) Dairy-woman, (5) Love,