Dramatis Perfonæ.

FERDINAND, King of Navarre.

Biron, Longaville, Dumain,

three Lords, attending upon the King in his

retirement.

Boyet,
Macard,

Don Adriano de Armado, a fantastical Spaniard.
Nathaniel, a Curate.
Dull, a Conftable.

Holofernes, a Schoolmaster.

Lords, attending upon the Princess of France.

Coftard, a Clown.

Moth, Page to Don Adriano de Armado.'

A Forefter.

Princess of France.
Rofaline,
Maria,
Catharine,
Jaquenetta, a Country Wench.

}

Ladies, attending on the Princefs.

Officers, and others, Attendants upon the King and Princess.

SCENE, the King of Navarre's Palace, and the Country near it.

CMBCN

LIMET.

LOVE'S

A C T I.

SCENE, The Palace.

Enter the King, Biron, Longaville and Dumain.

KING.

ET Fame, that all hunt after in their lives,
Live registred upon our brazen tombs ;
And then grace us in the difgrace of death:
When, fpight of cormorant devouring

time,

Th' endeavour of this present breath may
buy

That honour which fhall 'bate his fcythe'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 defires ;
Our late edict fhall strongly stand in force.
Navarre fhall be the wonder of the world;
Our Court shall be a little academy,
Still and contemplative in living arts.
You three, Biron, Dumain, and Longaville,
Have fworn for three years' term to live with me,
My fellow Scholars; and to keep thofe Statutes,

H 2

That

That are recorded in this schedule here.
Your oaths are past, and now fubfcribe your names:
That his own hand may ftrike his honour down,
That violates the fmalleft branch herein:
If you are arm'd to do, as fworn to do,
Subfcribe to your deep oaths, and keep them too.

Long. I am refolv'd; 'tis but a three years fast:
'The mind fhall banquet tho' the body pine;
Fat paunches have lean pates; and dainty bits
Make rich the ribs, but bankerout the wits.

Dum. My loving lord, Dumain is mortify'd:
The groffer manner of these world's delights
He throws upon the grofs world's bafer flaves:
To love, to wealth, to pomp, I pine and die;
With all these living in philofophy..

Biron. I can but fay their proteftation over,
So much (dear liege) I have already fworn,
That is, to live and ftudy here three years:
But there are other strict obfervances;
As, not to fee a woman in that term,
Which, I hope well, is not enrolled there.
And one day in a week to touch no food,
And but one meal on every day befide;
The which, I hope, is not enrolled there.
And then to fleep but three hours in the night,
And not be seen to wink of all the day;
(When I was wont to think no harm all night,
And make a dark night too of half the day ;)
Which, I hope well, is not enrolled there.
O, these are barren tasks, too hard to keep;
Not to fee ladies, ftudy, faft, not fleep.

King. Your Oath is pafs'd to pass away from these.
Biron. Let me fay, no, my liege, an' if you please ;
I only fwore to study with your Grace,
And stay here in your Court for three years' space.

Long. You fwore to that, Biron, and to the rest.
Biron. By yea and nay, Sir, then I swore in jeft.
What is the end of ftudy? let me know?

King. Why, that to know, which elfe we should not know.