" said swain) I keep her as a vessel of thy law's "DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO." 5 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 proclaimed damosel. Coft. This was no damofel neither, fir; fhe was a virgin. King. It is fo varied too; for it was proclaim'd, virgin. Coft. If it were, I deny her virginity; I was taken with a maid. King. This maid will not serve your turn, fir. Cof. I had rather pray a month with mutton and porridge. King. And Don Armado shall be your keeper.- Which each to other hath so strongly sworn. ΙΟ 15 [Act 1. Scene z. Arm. I spoke it, tender juvenal, as a congruent epitheton, appertaining to thy young days, which we may nominate, tender. title to your old time, which we may name, Moth. And I, tough fignior, as an appertinent tough. Arm. Pretty, and apt. Math. How mean you, fir? I pretty, and my faying apt? or I apt, and my faying pretty? Arm. Thou pretty, because little. Arm. And therefore apt, because quick. Moth. I will praise an eel with the fame praise. Moth. That an eel is quick. Arm. I do fay, thou art quick in answers: 20 Thou heat'ft my blood. 251 1301 [Exeunt. 35 Biron. I'll lay my head to any good man's hat, These oaths and laws will prove an idle fcorn. Sirrah, come on. Ceft. I fuffer for the truth, fir: for true it is, I was taken with Jaquenetta, and Jaquenetta is a 40 true girl; and therefore, Welcome the four cup of profperity! Affliction may one day smile again, and 'till then, Sit thee down, forrow! SCENE Armado's Houfe. II. Enter Armado and M. th. [Exeunt. Arm. Boy, what fign is it, when a man of great fpirit grows melancholy? Math. A great fign, fir, that he will look fad. Arm. Why, fadness is one and the felf-fame thing, dear imp'. Moth. No, no: O lord, fir, no. Arm. How canst thou part sadness and melancholy, my tender juvenal ?? Motb. By a familiar demonstration of the working, my tough fignior. Arm. Why tough fignior? why tough fignior? nal? 1 Imp means his infant or little page. 45 Moth. I am answer'd, fir. Arm. I love not to be crofs'd. Moth. He speaks the mere contrary, croffes 3 love nct him. Arm. I have promised to study three years with the duke. Moth. You may do it in an hour, fir. Arm. Impoffible. Moth. How many is one thrice told? Arm. I am ill at reckoning, it fitteth the spirit of Ja tapfter. Meth. You are a gentleman, and a gamefter, fir. Arm. I confefs both; they are both the varnish of a complete man. Moth. Then, I am fure, you know how much the grofs fum of deuce-ace amounts to. Arm. It doth amount to one more than two. Moth. Why, fir, is this fuch a piece of study? Now here is three ftudied, 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 dancing horfe 4 will tell you. Arm. A most fine figure! Meth. To prove you a cypher. Arm. I will hereupon confefs, I am in love: and as it is bafe for a foldier to love, fo I am in love with a bafe wench. If drawing my fword 50 against the humour of affection would deliver me from the reprobate thought of it, I would take defire prifoner; and ranfom him to any French courtier for a new devis'd court'fy. I think scorn to figh; methinks, I fhould out-fwear Cupid. 55 Comfort me, boy; What great men have been in love? Moth. Hercules, mafter. Arm. Moft fweet Hercules !-More authority, dear boy, name more; and, fweet my child, let 60 them be men of good repute and carriage. 2. e. my tender youth. 3 4 This alludes to a borse belonging to one Banks, which played many remarkable pranks, and is frequently mentioned by many writers contemporary with Shakspeare. Groffes here mean money. Motb. Sampfon, master: he was a man of good carriage, great carriage; for he carried the town gates on his back, like a porter: and he was in love. Arm. O well-knit Sampfon! ftrong-jointed 5 Sampfon! I do excel thee in my rapier, as much as thou didst me in carrying gates. I am in love too. Who was Sampfon's love, my dear Moth? Math. A woman, master. Arm. Of what complexion? Mab. Of all the four, or the three, or the two; or one of the four. Arm. Tell me precisely of what complexion? Arm. Is that one of the four complexions? 15 Arm. Green, indeed, is the colour of lovers: Moth. It was fo, fir; for fhe had a green wit. red. [Coftard fafe: and you must let him take no delight, Arm. I do betray myself with blushing.--Maid. Arm. I will vifit thee at the lodge. Jaq. That's hereby. Arm. I know where it is fituate. Jay. Lord, how wife you are! Arm. I will tell thee wonders. Arm. i love thee. Jag. So I heard you say. Arm. And fo farewell. Jaq. Fair weather after you! Dull. Come, Jaquenetta, away. [Exeunt Dull and Jaquenetta. Arm. Villain, thou shalt faft for thy offences, ere thou be pardoned. Coft. Well, fir, I hope, when I do it, I fhall do it on a full stomach. Arm. Thou shalt be heavily punished. Meth. Most maculate thoughts, mafter, are 25 Coft. I am more bound to you, than your fellows, mafk'd under fuch colours. Arm. Define, define, well-educated infant. Moth. My father's wit, and my mother's tongue, affift me! Arm. Sweet invocation of a child; moft pretty, 30 and pathetical! Mob. If fhe be made of white and red, Her faults will ne'er be known; For blushing cheeks by faults are bred, Then, if the fear, or be to blame, By this you shall not know; For ftill her cheeks poffefs the fame, Which native the doth owe. 35 for they are but lightly rewarded. Arm. Take away this villain; fhut him up. Morb. No, fir; that were faft and loofe: thou fhalt to prifon. Ceft. Well, if ever I do fee the merry days of defolation that I have feen, feme fhall feeMoth. What fhall fome fee? Ceft. Nay, nothing, master Moth, but what they look upon. It is not for prifoners to be filent in their words; and, therefore, I will fay nothing: I thank God, I have as little patience as another A dangerous rhime, master, against the reafon of 40 man; and therefore I can be quiet. white and red. Arm. Is there not a ballad, boy, of the King and the Beggar? Moth. The world was very guilty of fuch a ballad some three ages fince: but, I think, now 'tis 45 not to be found; or, if it were, it would neither ferve for the writing, nor the tune. Arm. I will have that fubject newly writ o'er, that I may example my digreffion by fome mighty precedent. Boy, I do love that country girl, that I took in the park with the rational hind Coftard; the deferves well. [Exeunt Moth and Coftard. Arm. I do affect the very ground, which is base, where her fhoe, which is bafer, guided by her foot, which is bafeft, doth tread. I fhall be forfworn, (which is a great argument of falfhood) if I love: And how can that be true love, which is falfly attempted? Love is a familiar; love is a devil: there is no evil angel but love. Yet Sampfon was fo tempted; and he had an excellent 5cftrength: yet was Solomon fo feduced; and he had a very good wit. Cupid's butt-fhaft is too hard for Hercules' club, and therefore too much odds for a Spaniard's rapier. The first and fecond caufe will not ferve my turn; the paffado he respects not, the duello he regards not; his difgrace is to be call'd boy; but his glory is, to fubdue men. Adieu, valour! ruft, rapier! be ftill, drum! for your manager is in love; yea, he loveth. Affift me fome extemporal god of rhime, for, I am fure, 601 fhall turn fonneteer. Devife wit; write pen; for I am for whole volumes in folio. Math. To be whipp'd; and yet a better love than my mafter. [Afide. Arm. Sing, boy; my spirit grows heavy in love.55 Murb. And that's great marvel, loving a light wench. Arm. I fay, fing. Moth. Forbear, till this company be past. Pall. Sir, the duke's pleasure is, that you keep • Digreffion here fignifies the act of going out of the right way. 2 That is, love. [Exit. ACT SCENE ACT II. I. Before the King of Navarre's Palace. Beyet. NOW, madam, fummon up your deareft fpirits: Confider who the king your father fends; Of all perfections that a man may owe, [mean, Prin. Good lord Boyet, my beauty, though but Needs not the painted flourish of your praife; Beauty is bought by judgment of the eye, Not utter'd by bafe fale of chapmen's 'tongues: I am lefs proud to hear you tell my worth, Than you much willing to be counted wife In fpending thus your wit in praise of mine. But now to task the tasker,-Good Boyet, You are not ignorant, all-telling fame Doth noife abroad, Navarre hath made a vow, Till painful study shall out-wear three years, No woman may approach his filent court: Therefore to us feemeth it a needful courfe, Before we enter his forbidden gates, To know his pleasure; and, in that behalf, Bold of your worthiness, we fingle you As our best-moving fair folicitor: Tell him, the daughter of the king of France, On ferious business, craving quick dispatch, Importunes perfonal conference with his grace. Hafte, fignify fo much; while we attend, Like humble-visag'd fuitors, his high will. Bayet. Proud of employment, willingly I go. [Exit. Prin. All pride is willing pride, and yours is fo.Who are the votaries, my loving lords, That are vow-fellows with this virtuous duke? Lerd. Longaville is one. Prin. Know you the man? Mar. I knew him, madam; at a marriage feaft, A man of sovereign parts he is esteem'd; Is a fharp wit match'd 3 with too blunt a will; Kath. The young Dumain, a well-accomplish'd [youth, 10 Of all that virtue love for virtue lov'd: Moft power to do most harm, least knowing ill; For he hath wit to make an ill shape good, And shape to win grace though he had no wit. I faw him at the duke Alençon's once; 15 And much too little, of that good I faw, Is my report to his great worthiness. 20 Rofa. Another of these students at that time I never spent an hour's talk withal: 35 Prin. God bless my ladies! are they all in love; That every one her own hath garnish'd With fuch bedecking ornaments of praise? Re-enter Boyet. Prin. Now, what admittance, lord? Beyer. Navarre had notice of your fair approach; And he and his competitors in oath were all addrefs'd 4 to meet you, gentle lady, Before I came. Marry, thus much I have learnt, 40 He rather means to lodge you in the field, (Like one that comes here to befiege his court) Than feek a dispensation for his oath, To let you enter his unpeopled house. Here comes Navarre. 1451 Enter the King, Longaville, Dumain, Biron, and King. Fair princefs, welcome to the court of Navarre. Prin. Fair, I give you back again; and, 'wel50 come I have not yet: the roof of this court is too high to be yours; and welcome to the wide fields too bafe to be mine. 55 King. You fhall be welcome, madam, to my court. Prin. I will be welcome then; conduct me thither. 1 Cheap or cheping was anciently the market; chapman therefore is marketman. Bi. e. joined. 4 i. e. were prepared. 2 i. e. well qualified, Kings Hear me, dear lady; I have fworn an oath. Prin. Our Lady help my lord! he'll be forfworn. King. Not for the world, fair madam, by my will. Prin. Why, will fhall break it; will, and nothing else. King. Your ladyship is ignorant what it is. Prin. Were my lord fo, his ignorance were wife, But pardon me, I am too sudden bold; 5 And wrong the reputation of your name, Prin. We arreft your word : Boyet, you can produce acquittances, For fuch a fum, from special officers 10 Of Charles his father. 15 King. Madam, I will, if fuddenly I may. Rof. How needlefs was it then To ask the question! Biron. You must not be so quick. Ref. 'Tis long of you, that spur me with fuch 1251 King. Satisfy me fo. [come. Boyet. So please your grace, the packet is not Where that and other specialties are bound; To-morrow you fhall have a fight of them. King. It fhall fuffice me; at which interview, All liberal reafon I will yield unto. Mean time, receive fuch welcome at my hand, [Exit. Biron. Lady, I will commend you to my own Rof. I pray you, do my commendations; [heart. would be glad to see it. questions. [tire. I Biron. I would, you heard it groan, Rof. Is the fool fick? Biron. Sick at the heart. 35 Rof. Alack, let it blood. Biron. Nay, then will I be gone. King. Madam, your father here doth intimate Rof. My phyfick says, I. The payment of a hundred thousand crowns; Biron. Would that do it good? Biron. Will you prick 't with your eye? Being but the one half of an entire sum Rof. Non poynt, with my knife. Difburfed by my father in his wars. 40 Biron. Now, God fave thy life! But fay, that he, or we, (as neither have) Ref. And yours from long living! Receiv'd that fum; yet there remains unpaid A hundred thousand more, in furety of the which One part of Aquitain is bound to us, Although not valu'd to the money's worth. Which we much rather had depart withal, Prin. You do the king my father too much wrong, Biron. I cannot stay thanksgiving. Dum. Sir, I pray you, a word; What lady is 45 Boyet. The heir of Alençon, Rosaline her name. Long. I beseech you, a word; What is the in Biros. What's her name in the cap? Boyet. Katharine, by good hap. Boyet. To her will, fir, or fo. Biron. You are welcome, fir; adieu! Boyet. Farewell to me, fir, and welcome to you. 5 [word. 10 [board. Mar. That laft is Biron, the merry mad-cap lord; Mar. To my fortunes and me. your lips. [the jest? they be. [agree: Prin. Good wits will be jangling: but, genties, 15 [Act 3. Scene 1. His heart, like an agat, with your print impressed, Did point out to buy them, along as you país'd. I only have made a mouth of his eye, Beyer. If my obfervation,(which very feldom lyes) 25 By the heart's ftill rhetorick, difclofed with eyes, Deceive me not now, Navarre is infected. Prin. With what? Boyet. With that which we lovers intitle affected.] Mar. He is Cupid's grandfather, and learns news of him. Rof. Then was Venus like her mother; for her father is but grim. Boyet. Do you hear, my mad wenches? Mar. No. feet, humour it with turning up your eye-lides figh a note, and fing a note; fometime through the throat, as if you swallow'd love with finging 45 love; fometime through the nose, as if you snuff'd up love by fmelling love; with your hat penthoufe-like, o'er the fhop of your eyes; with your arms crofs'd on your thin belly-doublet, like a rabbit on a fpit; or your hands in your pocket, take this key, give enlargement to the fwain, bring 50 like a man after the old painting; and keep not hum feftinately 2 hither; I must employ him in a letter to my love. Moth. Mafter, will you win your love with a French brawl 3? Arm. How mean'ft thou? brawling in French? Moth. No, my compleat master: but to jig off a tune at the tongue's end, canary 4 to it with your too long in one tune, but a snip and away: Thefe Arm. How haft thou purchas'd this experience ? This word, which is provincial, and ought to be spelt feverell, means thofe fields which are alternately fown with corn, and during that time are kept severell, or fevered, from the field which lies fallow, and is appropriated to the grazing of cattle, not by a fence, but by the care of the cowherd or thepherd, in which the town-bull only is allowed to range unmolested. dance. Canary was the name of a sprightly nimble dance. 2 That is, haftily. meaning is, that they not only inveigle the young girls, but make the men taken notice of too, who 3 A kind of 5 i. e. accomplishments. affe&t them. 6 The Arm |