That his own Hand may ftrike his Honour down, If you are arm'd to do as fworn to do, Subscribe to your deep Oaths, and keep them too. Dum. My loving Lord, Dumain is mortify'd; Biron. I can but fay their Proteftation over, King. Your Oath is past to pass away from these. And ftay here in your Court for three Years Space. King. Why that to know which elfe we fhould not know.. (Senfe. Biron. Things hid and barr'd (you mean) from common King. Ay, that is Study's God-like Recompence. Biron. Come on then, I will fwear to ftudy fo, Το To know the Thing I am forbid to know; Or study where to meet fome Mistress fine, King. Thefe be the Stops that hinder Study quite, Biron. Why? all Delights are vain, and that most vain Which with Pain purchas'd, doth inherit Pain; As painfully to pore upon a Book, To feek the Light of Truth, while Truth the while Who dazling fo, that Eye fhall be his heed, That will not be deep fearch'd with fawcy Looks; King. How well he's read, to reafon against reading. Dum. In Reafon nothing. Biron. Something then in Rime. Long. Biron is like an envious fneaping Froft, That bites the firft-born Infants of the Spring. Biron. Well, fay I am; why fhould proud Summer boast, Before the Birds have any caufe to fing? Why should I joy in any abortive Birth? At Christmas I no more defire a Rose, Than wifh a Snow in May's new fangled fhows: So you to study now it is too late, That were to climb o'er the Houfe t'unlock the Gate. Biron. No, my good Lord, I have fworn to stay with you. King. How well this yielding refcues thee from Shame. Biron. Item, That no Woman fhall come within a Mile of my Court. Hath this been proclaimed ? Biron. Let's fee the Penalty. Biron. Sweet Lord, and why? Long. To fright them hence with that dread Penalty: A dangerous Law against Gentility. Item, If any Man be feen to talk with a Woman within the term of three Years, he fhall endure fuch publick Shame as the rest of the Court fhall poffibly devise. Biron. This Article my Liege your felf must break, The French King's Daughter, with your felf to fpeak, To her decrepit, fick, and bed-rid Father: Therefore Therefore this Article is made in vain, Biron. So Study evermore is overshot, Biron. Neceffity will make us all forfworn So to the Laws at large I write my Name, But I believe although I feem fo loth, But is there no quick Recreation granted? King. Ay that there is; our Court you know is haunted With a conceited Traveller of Spain, A Man in all the World's new Fashions planted, That hath a Mint of Phrases in his Brain: One whom the Mufick of his own vain Tongue, Doth ravish like inchanting Harmony: A Man of Complements, whom Right and Wrong This Child of Fancy, that Armado hight, For interim to our Studies fhall relate, In high-born Words the Worth of many a Knight: A Man of Fire, new Words, Fashion's own Knight. Long. Long. Coftard the Swain, and he fhall be our Sport, And fo to ftudy, three Years is but short. Enter Dull and Coftard with a Letter. Dull. Which is the Duke's own Perfon ? Dull. I my felf reprehend his own Perfon, for I am his Grace's Tharborough: But I would fee his own Person in Flesh and Blood. Biron. This is he.. Dull. Signior Arme, Arme commends you. There's Villany abroad; this Letter will tell you more. Biron. How low foever the Matter, I hope in God for high Words, Long. A high Hope for a low Heav'n; God grant us Patience. Biron. To hear, or forbear hearing. Long. To hear meekly Sir, and to laugh moderately, or to forbear both. . Biron. Well Sir, be it as the Stile fhall give us cause to climb in the Merrinefs. Coft. The matter is to me Sir, as concerning Jaquenetta. The manner of it is, I was taken with the manner. Biron. In what manner? Coft. In manner and form, following, Sir, all thofe 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 Sir, for the manner Is the manner of a Man to speak to a Woman; for the form in fome form.' Biron. For the following, Sir. Coft. As it fhall follow in my Correction, and God defend the right. King, Will you hear this Letter with Attention? Coft. Such is the Simplicity of Man to hearken after the Flesh. |