SCENE I. The King of Navarre's Park. Enter FERDINAND, King of NAVARRE, BIRON, LONGAVILLE, and DUMAIN. King. Let fame, that all hunt after in their lives, Live register'd upon our brazen tombs, And then grace us in the disgrace of death; When, spite of cormorant devouring Time, The endeavour of this present breath may buy That honour which shall bate his scythe's keen edge And make us heirs of all eternity. Therefore, brave conquerors,-for so you are, That war against your own affections And the huge army of the world's desires,— Have sworn for three years' term to live with me That are recorded in this schedule here. Your oaths are pass'd; and now subscribe your names, If you are arm'd to do as sworn to do, Subscribe to your deep oaths, and keep it too. Longaville. I am resolv'd; 't is but a three years' fast: Biron. I can but say their protestation over; And then, to sleep but three hours in the night, And not be seen to wink of all the day— And make a dark night too of half the day— King. Your oath is pass'd to pass away from these. you please; I only swore to study with your grace, Longaville. You swore to that, Biron, and to the rest. 50 King. Why, that to know which else we should not know. Biron. Things hid and barr'd, you mean, from common sense? King. Ay, that is study's godlike recompense. Biron. Come on, then; I will swear to study so. To know the thing I am forbid to know: When mistresses from common sense are hid; 60 Study knows that which yet it doth not know. Swear me to this, and I will ne'er say no. King. These be the stops that hinder study quite, 70 And train our intellects to vain delight. 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 seek the light of truth, while truth the while Doth falsely blind the eyesight of his look. Light seeking light doth light of light beguile; |