Study to break it and not break my troth. King. These be the stops that hinder study quite And train our intellects to vain delight. 70 Biron. Why, all delights are vain; but that most vain, Which with pain purchased doth inherit pain: 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: Who dazzling so, that eye shall be his heed 80 That will not be deep-search'd with saucy looks: Have no more profit of their shining nights they are. 90 not what 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 proceeding! Long. He weeds the corn and still lets grow the weeding. Biron. The spring is near when green geese are a-breeding. Dum. Biron. How follows that? Fit in his place and time. Dum. In reason nothing. Biron. Biron. Something then in rhyme. Biron is like an envious sneaping* frost That bites the first-born infants of the spring. *Nipping. IOI Well, say I am; why should proud summer boast Before the birds have any cause to Why should I joy in any abortive birth? Than wish a snow in May's new-fangled mirth; Climb o'er the house to unlock the little gate. King. Well, sit you out: go home, Biron: adieu. Biron. No, my good lord; I have sworn to stay with you: And though I have for barbarism spoke more And bide the penance of each three years' day. Biron [reads]. 'Item, That no woman shall come within a mile of my court:' Hath this been proclaimed? Long. Four days ago. 121 Biron. Let's see the penalty. [Reads] 'On pain of losing her tongue.' penalty? A Long. Marry, that did I. Who Biron. Sweet lord, and why? devised this 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; The French king's daughter with yourself to speak A maid of grace and complete majesty About surrender up of Aquitaine To her decrepit, sick and bedrid father: Therefore this article is made in vain, 140 Or vainly comes the admired princess hither. King. What say you, lords? why, this was quite forgot. Biron. So study evermore is overshot: King. We must of force dispense with this decree; *Reside. She must lie* here on mere necessity. space; For every man with his affects is born, Not by might master'd but by special grace: If I break faith, this word shall speak for me; I am forsworn on 'mere necessity.' So to the laws at large I write my name: 151 [Subscribes. And he that breaks them in the least degree Stands in attainder of eternal shame: Suggestions* are to_other as to me; *Temptations. But I believe, although I seem so loath, I am the last that will last keep his oath. 160 But is there no quick† recreation granted? Lively. 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, A man of complements,* whom right and wrong This child of fancy that Armado hight 170 For interim to our studies shall relate In high-born words the worth of many a knight And I will use him for my minstrelsy. 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 wouldst? 180 Dull. I myself reprehend his own person, for I am his grace's tharborough;* but I would see his own person in flesh and blood. Biron. This is he. *Constable. Dull. Signior Arme-Arme-commends you. There's villany abroad: this letter will tell you more. 190 Cost. Sir, the contempts thereof are as touching me. King. A letter from the magnificent Armado. Biron. How low soever the matter, God for high words. hope in Long. A high hope for a low heaven: God grant us patience! Biron. To hear? or forbear laughing? Long. To hear meekly, sir, and to laugh moderately; or to forbear both. 200 Biron. Well, sir, be it as the style shall give us cause to climb in the merriness. Cost. The matter is to me, sir, as concerning Jaquenetta. The manner of it is, I was taken with the manner. Biron. In what manner? Cost. In manner and form following, sir; all those three: I was seen with her in the manor-house, sitting 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, 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. 220 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 [reads]. 'So it is,' Cost. It may be so: but if he say it is so, he is, in telling true, but so. King. Peace! Cost. Be to me and every man that dares not fight! 230 King. No words! Cost. Of other men's secrets, I beseech you. King [reads]. 'So it is, besieged with sablecoloured melancholy, I did commend the blackoppressing humour to the most wholesome physic of thy health-giving air; and, as I am a gentleman, betook myself 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 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-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 mirth,' *Called. 251 Cost. Me? soul,' |