rather giue it the raine for it runnes against Hector Dum. I and Hector's a Greyhound Brag. The sweete War-man is dead and rotten Sweete chucks beat not the bones of the buried When he breathed he was a man But I will forward with my deuice sweete royaltie bestow on me the sence of hearing Berowne steps foorth Quee. Speake braue Hector we are much delighted Brag. I do adore thy sweete Graces Slipper Boyet Loues her by the foote Dum. He may not by the yarde Brag. This Hector far surmounted Hanniball The partie is gone Clow. Fellow Hector she is gone she is two months on her way Brag. What meanest thou Clow. Faith vnlesse you play the honest Troyan the poore wench is cast away shee 's quicke the childe bragges in her bellie already t is yours Brag. Dost thou infamonize me among potentates Thou shalt die Clow. Then shall Hector be whipt for Iaquenetta that is quicke by him and hangd for Pompey that is dead by him Duma Most rare Pompey Boyet Renowned Pompey Bero. Greater then great great great great Pompey Pompey the hudge Dum. Hector trembles Bero. Pompey is mooued more Ates more Atees stir them or stir them on Duma Hector will challenge him Bero. I if a'haue no more mans blood in his belly then w suppe a Flea Brag. By the North Pole I do challenge thee Clow. I will not fight with a Pole like a Northren man I le slash I le do it by the Sword I bepray you let me borrow my Armes againe Duma Roome for the incensed Worthies Clow. I le do it in my shyrt Duma Most resolute Pompey Page Maister let me take you a button hole lower Do you not see Pompey is vncasing for the Combat What meane you you will loose your reputation Brag. Gentlemen and Souldiers pardon me I will not combat in my shyrt Duma You may not deny it Pompey hath made the challenge Brag. Sweete bloodes I both may and will Bero. What reason haue you for t Brag. The naked trueth of it is I haue no Shirt I goe Woolward for pennance Boy True and it was inioyned him in Rome for want of Linnen since when I le be sworne he wore none but a dish-cloute of Jaquenettaâ—s and that a weares next his hart for a Fauour Entèr a Messenger Mounsier Marcade Marcad God saue you Madame Quee. Welcome Marcade but that thou interrupptest our merriment Marcad I am sorrie Madame for the newes I bring is heauie in my tongue The King your father Quee. Dead for my life Marcad Euen so my tale is tolde Ber. Worthies away the Scaene begins to cloude Brag. For mine owne part I breath free breath I haue seene the day of wrong through the litle hole of discretion and I will right my selfe like a Souldier Exeunt Worthys King How fares your Maiestie Quee. Boyet prepare I will away to nyght King Madame Not so I do beseech you stay Quee. Prepare I say I thanke you gracious Lords For all your faire endeuours and intreat Out of a new sad-soule that you vouchsafe In your rich wisedome to excuse or hide The liberall opposition of our spirites If ouerboldly we haue borne our selues In the conuerse of breath your gentlenes Was guyltie of it Farewell worthy Lord A heauie hart beares not a humble tongue Excuse me so comming too short of thankes For my great sute so easely obtainde King The extreame partes of time extreamly formes All causes to the purpose of his speede And often at his very loose decides That which long processe could not arbitrate And though the mourning brow of progenie Forbid the smyling courtecie of Loue The holy suite which faine it would conuince Yet since Loues argument was first on foote Let not the cloude of Sorrow iustle it From what it purposd since to wayle friendes lost Is not by much so holdsome profitable As to reioyce at friendes but newly found Quee. I vnderstand you not my griefes are double Bero. Honest plaine words best pearce the eare of griefe And by these badges vnderstand the King For your faire sakes haue we neglected time Plaide fouleplay with our othes your beautie Ladies Hath much deformed vs fashioning our humours Euen to the opposed ende of our ententes And what in vs hath seemed rediculous As Loue is full of vnbefitting straines All wanton as a childe skipping and vaine Formd by the eye and therefore like the eye Full of straying shapes of habites and of formes Varying in subiectes as the eye doth roule To euery varied obiect in his glaunce Which partie coted presence of loose loue Put on by vs if in your heauenly eyes Haue misbecombd our othes and grauities Those heauenly eyes that looke into these faultes Suggested vs to make therefore Ladies Our loue being yours the errour that Loue makes Is likewise yours we to our selues proue false By being once falce for euer to be true To those that make vs both faire Ladies you And euen that falshood in it selfe a sinne Thus purifies it selfe and turns to grace Quee. We haue receiud your Letters full of Loue Your Fauours embassadours of Loue. And in our mayden counsaile rated them At courtshyp pleasantiest and courtecie As bombast and as lyning to the time But more deuout then this our respectes Haue we not been and therefore met your Loues In their owne fashyon like a merriment Dum. Our letters madame shewed much more then iest Long. So did our lookes Rosa We did not cote them so King Now at the latest minute of the houre Graunt vs your loues Quee. A time me thinkes too short To make a world-without-end bargaine in No no my Lord your Grace is periurde much Full of deare guiltines and therefore this If for my Loue as there is no such cause You will do ought this shall you do for me Your oth I will not trust but goe with speede To some forlorne and naked Hermytage Remote from all the pleasurs of the world There stay vntill the twelue Celestiall Signes Haue brought about the annuall reckoning If â—his Austere insociable life Change not your offer made in heate of blood If â—roâ—â—es and fastes hard lodging and thin weedes Nip not the gaudie blossomes of your Loue But that it beare this tryall and last Loue Then at the expiration of the yeere Come challenge me challenge me by these desertes And by â—his Virgin palme now kissing thine I wiâ—be thine and till that instance shutt My wofull selfe vp in a mourning house Rayning the teares of lamentation For the remembraunce of my Fathers death If this thou do deny let our handâ—s part Neither intiled in the others hart King If this or more then this I would denie To flatter vp these powers of mine with rest The sâ—dâ—ine hand of death close vp mine eye Hence herrite then my hart is in thy brest Berow And what to me my Loue and what to me Rosal You must be purged to your sinnes are rackt You are attaint with faultes and periurie
A PLEASANT Conceited Comedie CALLED Loues labors lost As it vvas presented before her Highnes this last Christmas Newly corrected and augmented By W. Shakespere Imprinted at London by W.W. for Cutbert Burby 1598. Enter Ferdinand K. of Nauar Berovvne Longauill and Dumaine Ferdinand LET Fame that all hunt after in their lyues Liue registred vpon our brazen Tombes And then grace vs in the disgrace of death When spight of cormorant deuouring Time Then deuour of this present breath may buy That honour which shall bate his sythes keene edge And make vs heires of all eternitie Therefore braue Conquerours for so you are That warre agaynst your owne affections And the hudge armie of the worldes desires Our late edict shall strongly stand in force Nauar shall be the wonder of the worlde Our Court shal be a lytlle Achademe Still and contemplatyue in lyuing art You three Berowne Dumaine and Longauill Haue sworne for three yeeres tearme to liue with me My fellow Schollers and to keepe those statutes That are recorded in this sedule here Your othes are past and now subscribe your names That his owne hand may strike his honour downe That violates the smallest branch herein If you are armd to do as sworne to do Subscribe to your deepe othes and keepe it to Longauill I am resolued t is but a thee yeeres fast The minde shall banquet though the body pine Fat paunches haue leane pates and daynty bits Make rich the ribbes but bancrout quite the wits Dumaine My louing Lord Dumaine is mortefied The grosser manner of these worldes delyghts He throwes vppon the grosse worlds baler slaues To loue to wealth to pome I pine and die With all these lyuing in Philosophie Berowne I can but say their protestation ouer So much deare Liedge I haue already sworne That is to lyue and study heere three yeeres But there are other strickt obseruances As not to see a woman in that terme Which I hope well is not enrolled there And one day in a weeke to touch no foode And but one meale on euery day beside The which I hope is not enrolled there And then to sleepe but three houres in the nyght And not be seene to wincke of all the day When I was wont to thinke no harme all nyght And make a darke nyght too of halfe the day Which I hope well is not enrolled there O these are barraine taskes too hard to keepe Not to see Ladyes study fast not sleepe Ferd. Your othe is past to passe away from these Berow Let me say no my liedge and yf you please I onely swore to study with your grace And stay heere in your Court for three yeeres space Longa. You swore to that Berowne and to the rest Bero. By yea and nay sir than I swore in iest What is the ende of study let me know Ferd. Why that to know which else we should not know Ber. Things hid â—ard you meane from cammon sense Ferd. I that is studies god-like recompence Bero. Com'on then I will sweare to study so To know the thing I am forbid to know As thus to study where I well may dine When I to fast expressely am forbid Or studie where to meete some Mistris fine When Mistresses from common sense are hid Or hauing sworne too hard a keeping oth Studie to breake it and not breake my troth If studies gaine be thus and this be so Studie knowes that which yet it doth not know Sweare me to this and I will nere say no. Ferd. These be the stopps that hinder studie quit And traine our intelects to vaine delight Bero. Why all delightes are vaine but that most vaine Which with payne purchas'd doth inherite payne As paynefully to poare vpon a Booke To seeke the lyght of trueth while trueth the whyle Doth falsely blinde the eye-sight of his looke Light seeking light doth light of light beguyle So ere you finde where light in darknes lyes Your light growes darke by loosing of your eyes Studie me how to please the eye in deede By fixing it vppon a fayrer eye Who dazling so that eye shal be his heed And giue him light that it was blinded by Studie is lyke the heauens glorious Sunne That will not be deepe searcht with sawcie lookes Small haue continuall plodders euer wonne Saue base aucthoritie from others Bookes These earthly Godfathers of heauens lights That giue a name to euery fixed Starre Haue no more profite of their shyning nights Then those that walke and wot not what they are Too much to know is to know nought but fame And euery Godfather can giue a name Ferd. How well hee s read to reason against reading Dum. Proceeded well to stop all good proceeding Lon. He weedes the corne still le ts grow the weeding Ber. The Spring is neare when greene geese are a breeding Duma How followes that Ber. Fit in his place and tyme. Duma In reason nothing Bero. Something then in rime Ferd. Berowne is like an enuious sneaping Frost That bites the first borne infants of the Spring Bero. Well say I am why should proude Sommer boast Before the Birdes haue any cause to sing Why should I ioy in any abhortiue byrth At Christmas I no more desire a Rose Then wish a Snow in Mayes new fangled showes But like of each thing that in season growes So you to studie now it is too late Clymbe ore the house to vnlocke the little gate Ferd. Well sit you out go home Berowne adue Bero. No my good Lord I haue sworne to stay with you And though I haue for barbarisme spoke more Then for that Angell knowledge you can say Yet confident I le keepe what I haue sworne And bide the pennance of each three yeeres day Giue me the paper let me reade the same And to the strictest decrees I le write my name Fer. How well this yeelding rescewes thee from shame Ber. Item That no woman shall come within a myle of my Court. Hath this bin proclaymed Long. Foure dayes ago Ber. Le ts see the penaltie On payne of loosing her tung Who deuis'd this penaltie Long. Marrie that did I. Bero. Sweete Lord and why Long. To fright them hence with that dread penaltie A dangerous law against gentletie Item Yf any man be seene to talke with a woman within the tearme of three yeeres he shall indure such publibue shame as the rest of the Court can possible deuise Ber. This Article my liedge your selfe must breake For well you know here comes in Embassaie The French kinges daughter with your selfe to speake A Maide of grace and complet maiestie About surrender vp of Aquitaine To her decrepit sicke and bedred Father Therefore this Article is made in vaine Or vainely comes th' admired Princesse hither Ferd. What say you Lordes why this was quite forgot Ber. So Studie euermore is ouershot While it doth studie to haue what it would It doth forget to do the thing it should And when it hath the thing it hunteth
patience haue I sat To see a King transformed to a Gnat. To see great Hercules whipping a Gigge And profound Sallomon to tune a Iigge And Nestor play at push-pin with the boyes And Crittick Tymon laugh at idle toyes Where lies thy griefe o tell me good Dumaine And gentle Longauill where lies thy paine And where my Liedges all about the brest A Caudle hou King Too bitter is thy iest Are we betrayed thus to thy ouer-view Ber. Not you by mee but I betrayed to you I that am honest I that holde it sinne To breake the vow I am ingaged in I am betrayed by keeping companie With men like men of inconstancie When shall you see mee write a thing in rime Or grone for Loue or spend◠〈◊〉 minutes time In pruning mee when shall you heare that I will prayse a hand a foote a face an eye a gate a stace a brow a brest a wast a legge a limme King Soft Whither away so fast A true man or a theâ—fe that gallâ—ps so Ber. I post from Loue good Louer let me go Iaqu God blesse the King Enter Iaquenetta and Clownâ— King What present hast thou there Clow. Some certaine treason King What makes treason heere Clow. Nay it makes nothing sir King Yf it mart nothing neither The treason and you goe in peace away togeather Iaquâ— I beseech your Grace let this Letter be read Our person misdoubts it t was treason he said King Berowne reade it ouer He reades the letter King Where hadst thou it Iaqu Of Costard King Where hadst thou it Cost Of Dun Adramadio Dun Adramadio Kin. How now What is in yoâ— Why dost thou teare it Ber. A toy my Leedge a toy your grace needs not feare it Long. It did moue him to passion therfore le ts heare it Dum. It is Berownes writing and heere is his name Berow Ah you whoreson loggerhead you were borne to do me sâ—â—me Guâ—ltie my Lord guiltie I confesse I confesse King What Ber. That you three fooles lackt me foole to make vp the messe Hee hee and you and you my Leege and I Are pick-purseâ— iâ— Loue and we deserue to die O dismisse this audience and I shall tell you more Duma Now the number is euen Bero. True true we are fower will these turtles be gon King Hence sirs away Clow. Walke aside the true folke and let the traytors stay Ber. Sweete Lords sweete Louers O let vs imbrace As true we are as flesh and blood can be The Sea will ebb and flow heauen shew his face Young blood doth not obay an olde decree We can not crosse the cause why we were borne Therefore of all handes must we be forsworne King What did these rent lines shew some loue of thine Ber. Did they quoth you Who sees the heauenly Rosaline That like a rude and sauadge man of Inde At the first opning of the gorgious East Bowes not his vassall head and strooken blind Kisses the base ground with obedient breast What peromptorie Eagle-sighted eye Dares looke vpon the heauen of her brow That is not blinded by her maiestie King What zeale what furie hath inspirde thee now My Loue her Mistres is a gracious Moone Shee an attending Starre scarce seene a light Ber My eyes are then no eyes nor I Berowne O but for my Loue day would turne to night Of all complexions the culd soueraigntie Do meete as at a faire in her faire cheeke Where seuerall worthies make one dignitie Where nothing wantes that want it selfe doth seeke Lend me the florish of all gentle tongues Fâ—e paynted Rethoricke O shee needes it not To thinges of sale a sellers prayse belonges She passes prayse then prayse too short doth blot A witherd Hermight fiuescore winters worne Might shake off fiftie looking in her eye Beautie doth varnish Age as if new borne And giues the Crutch the Cradles infancie O t is the Sunne that maketh all thinges shine King By heauen thy Loue is blacke as Ebonie Berow Is Ebonie like her O word deuine A wife of such wood were felicitie O who can giue an oth Where is a booke That I may sweare Beautie doth beautie lacke If that she learne not of her eye to looke No face is fayre that is not full so blacke King O paradox Blacke is the badge of Hell The hue of dungions and the Schoole of night And beauties crest becomes the heauens well Ber. Diuels soonest tempt resembling spirites of light O if in blacke my Ladyes browes be deckt It mournes that painting vsurping haire Should rauish dooters with a false aspect And therefore is she borne to make blacke fayre Her fauour turnes the fashion of the dayes For natiue blood is counted paynting now And therefore redd that would auoyde disprayse Paintes it selfe blacke to imitate her brow Duma To looke like her are Chimnie-sweepers blake Long. And since her time are Colliers counted bright King And Aethiops of their sweete complexion crake Duma Darke needes no Candles now for darke is light Ber. Your Mistresses dare neuer come in raine For feare their colours should be washt away King T were good yours did for sir to tell you plaine I le finde a fayrer face not washt to day Ber. I le proue her faire or talke till doomse-day heere King No Diuel will fright thee then so much as shee Duma I neuer knew man holde vile stuffe so deare Long. Looke heer 's thy loue my foote and her face see Ber O if the streetes were paued with thine eyes Her feete were much too daintie for such tread Duma O vile then as she goes what vpward lyes The streete should see as she walkt ouer head King But what of this are we not all in loue Ber. O nothing so sure and thereby all forsworne King Then leaue this chat and good Berowne now proue Our louing lawfull and our fayth not torne Duma I marie there some flatterie for this euyll Long. O some authoritie how to proceede Some tricks some quillets how to cheate the diuell Duma Some salue for periurie Ber. O t is more then neede Haue at you then affections men at armes For Charitie it selfe fulfilles the Law And who can seuer Loue from Charitie King Saint Cupid then and Souldiers to the fielde Berow Aduaunce your standars and vpon them Lords Pell mell downe with them but be first aduisd In conflict that you get the Sunne of them Long. Now to plaine dealing Lay these glozes by Shall we resolue to woe these gyrles of Fraunce King And winn them too therefore let vs deuise Some enterteinment for them in their Tentes Ber. First from the Parke let vs conduct them thither Then homeward euery man attach the hand Of his faire Mistres in the after noone We will with some strange pastime solace them Such as the shortnesse of the time can shape For Reuels Daunces Maskes and merrie houres Forerunne faire Loue strewing her way with flowerâ— King Away away no time shal be omitted That will be time and may
Berowne hath plighted Fayth to me Kath. And Longauill was for my seruice borne Mar. Dumaine is mine as sure as barke on tree Boyet Madame and prettie mistresses giue eare Immediatly they will againe be heere In their owne shapes for it can neuer be They will digest this harsh indignitie Quee. Will they returne Boy They will they will God knowes And leape for ioy though they are lame with blowes Therefore change Fauours and when they repaire Blow like sweete Roses in this sommer aire Quee. How blow how blow Speake to be vnderstood Boy Faire Ladies maskt are Roses in their bud Dismaskt their dammaske sweete commixture showne Are Angels varling cloudes or Roses blowne Quee. Auaunt perplexitie What shall we do If they returne in their owne shapes to woe Rosa Good Madame if by me you le be aduisde Le ts mocke them still as well knowne as disguysde Let vs complaine to them what fooles were heare Disguysd like Muscouites in shapeles geare And wonder what they were and to what ende Their shallow showes and Prologue vildly pende And their rough carriage so rediculous Should be presented at our Tent to vs. Boyet Ladies withdraw the gallants are at hand Quee. Whip to our Tents as Roes runs ore land Exeunt Enter the King and the rest King Faire sir God saue you Wher 's the Princesse Boyet Gone to her Tent. Please it your Maiestie commaunde me any seruice to her thither King That she vouchsafe me audience for one word Boy I will and so will she I know my Lord. Exit Berow This fellow peckes vp Wit as Pidgions Pease And 〈◊〉 againe when God dooth please He is Witts Pedler and retales his wares At Wakes and Wassels meetings markets Faires And we that sell by grosse the Lord doth know Haue not the grace to grace it with such show This Gallant pins the Wenches on his sleeue Had he bin Adam he had tempted Eue. A can carue to and lispe Why this is hee That kist his hand a way in courtisie This is the Ape of Forme Mounsier the nice That when he playes at Tables chides the Dice In honorable tearmes nay he can sing A meane most meanely and in hushering Mende him who can the Ladies call him sweete The staires as he treades on them kisse his feete This is the floure that smyles on euery one To shew his teeth as white as Whales bone And consciences that will not die in debt Pay him the due of honie-tonged Boyet King A blister on his sweete tongue with my hart That put Armathoes Page out of his part Enter the Ladies Bero. See where it comes Behauiour what wert thou Till this mad man shewed thee and what art thou now King All haile sweete Madame and faire time of day Quee. Faire in all Haile is foule as I conceaue King Consture my spaches better if you may Quee. Then wish me better I will giue you leaue King We came to visite you and purpose now To leade you to our Court vouchsafe it then Quee. This Feelde shall holde me and so hold your vow Nor God nor I delights in periurd men King Rebuke me not for that which you prouoke The vertue of your eie must breake my oth Que. You nickname vertue vice you should haue spoke For vertues office neuer breakes mens troth Now by my maiden honour yet as pure As the vnsallied Lilly I protest A worlde of tormentes though I should endure I would not yeelde to be your houses guest So much I hate a breaking cause to be Of heauenly Othes vowed with integritie King O you haue liu'd in desolation heere Vnseene vnuisited much to our shame Quee. Not so my Lord it is not so I sweare We haue had pastimes here and pleasant game A messe of Russians left vs but of late King How Madame Russians Quee. I in trueth My Lord. Trim gallants full of Courtship and of state Rosa Madame speake true It is not so my Lord My Ladie to the maner of the dayes In curtesie giues vndeseruing praise We foure in deede confronted were with foure In Russian habite heere they stayed an houre And talkt apace and in that houre my Lord They did not blesse vs with one happie word I dare not call them fooles but this I thinke When they are thirstie fooles would faine haue drinke Bero. This iest is drie to me gentle sweete Your wits makes wise thinges foolish when we greete Wtih eies best seeing heauens fierie eie By light we loose light your capacitie Is of that nature that to your hudge stoore Wise thinges seeme foolish and rich thinges but poore Rosa This proues you wise and rich for in my eie Bero. I am a foole and full of pouertie Rosa. But that you take what doth to you belong It were a fault to snatch wordes from my tongue Ber. O I am yours and all that I possesse Rosa All the foole mine Ber. I cannot giue you lesse Ros. Which of the Vizards was it that you wore Ber. Where when what Vizard why demaund you this Rosa There then that Vizard that superfluous case That hid the worse and shewed the better face King We were descried they le mock vs now dounright Duman Let vs confesse and turne it to a iest Quee. Amazde my Lord Why lookes your highnes sad Rosa Helpe holde his browes hee le sound why looke you pale Sea sicke I thinke comming from Muscouie Bero. Thus pooure the Starres downe plagues for periurie Can anie face of brasse hold longer out Heere stand I Ladie dart thy skill at me Bruse me with scorne confound me with a flout Thrust thy sharpe wit quite through my ignorance Cut me to peeces with thy keene conceit And I will wish thee neuer more to daunce Nor neuer more in Russian habite waite O neuer will I trust to speaches pend Nor to the motion of a Schoole-boyes tongue Nor neuer come in vizard to my friend Nor woo in rime like a blind harpers songue Taffata phrases silken tearmes precise Three pilde Hiberboles spruce affection Figures pedanticall these sommer flies Haue blowne me full of maggot ostentation I do forsweare them and I here protest By this white Gloue how white the hand God knowes Hencefoorth my wooing minde shal be exprest In russet yeas and honest kersie noes And to begin Wench so God helpe me law My loue to thee is sound sance cracke or flaw Rosa Sans sans I pray you Bero. Yet I haue a tricke Of the olde rage beare with me I am sicke I le leaue it by degrees soft let vs see Write Lord haue mercie on vs on those three They are infected in their hartes it lyes They haue the Plague and caught it of your eyes These Lordes are visited you are not free For the Lords tokens on you do I see Quee. No they are free that gaue these tokens to vs. Berow Our states are forfait seeke not to vndoo vs. Rosa It is not so for how can this be true That you