"I thank thee, moon, for shining now so "For, by thy gracious, golden, glittering streams, "I trust to taste of truest Thisby's sight. "But stay;-0 spite!

"But mark;-Poor knight, "What dreadful dole is here? "Eyes, do you see? "How can it be? "O dainty duck! O dear! "Thy mantle good,

The. Moonshine and lion are left to bury the
Dem. Ay, and wall too.

[dead.

Bot. No, I assure you; the wall is down that parted their fathers. Will it please you to see the epilogue, or to hear a Bergomask dance, between two of our company?

The. No epilogue, I pray you: for your play needs no excuse. Never excuse; for when the players are all dead, there need none to be blamed. Marry, if he that writ it, had play'd Pyramus, and hang'd himself in Thisbe's garter, it would have been a fine tragedy: and so it is, truly; and very notably discharged. But come, your Bergomask: let your epilogue alone. Here a dance of Clowns.

"What, stain'd with blood? 'Approach, ye furies fell! "O fates! come, come; "Cut thread and thrum; "Quail, crush, conclude, and quell!" The. This passion, and the death of a dear friend, would go near to make a man look sad. Hip. Beshrew my heart, but I pity the man.! Pyr. "O, wherefore, nature, didst thou lions | The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve:frame? Lovers, to bed; 'tis almost fairy time. I fear we shall outsleep the coming morn, As much as we this night have overwatch'd. This palpable-gross play hath well beguil'd The heavygait of night.-Sweet friends, to bed.A fortnight hold we this solemnity In nightly revels, and new jollity.

"Since lion vile hath here deflour'd my dear: "Which is-no, no-which was the fairest dame, "That liv'd, that lov'd, that lik'd, that look'd with cheer.

"Come, tears, confound:
"Out, sword, and wound
The pap of Pyramus:
"Ay, that left pap,
"Where heart doth hop:

"Thus die I, thus, thus, thus.
"Now am I dead,

"Now am I fled;

"My soul is in the sky:
"Tongue, lose thy light!
"Moon take thy flight!

"Now die, die, die, die, die."

[Dies-Exit Moonshine.

Dem. No die, but an ace, for him; for he is but one. [he is nothing.

Lys. Less than an ace, man; for he is dead; The. With the help of a surgeon, he might yet recover, and prove an ass.

Hip. How chance moonshine is gone, before Thisbe comes back and finds her lover?

The. She will find him by starlight.-Here she comes; and her passion ends the play. Enter THISBE.

Hip. Methinks, she should not use a long one, for such a Pyramus: I hope, she will be brief. Dem. A mote will turn the balance, which Pyramus, which Thisbe, is the better.

Lys. She hath spied him already with those sweet eyes.

Dem. And thus she moans, videlicet.

This. "Asleep, my love?

"What, dead, my dove?

"O Pyramus, arise,

'Speak, speak. Quite dumb?
"Dead, dead? A tomb

"Must cover thy sweet eyes.
"These lily brows,
"This cherry nose,
'These yellow cowslip cheeks,
"Are gone, are gone:
"Lovers, make moan!
"His eyes were green as leeks.
"O sisters three,
"Come, come, to me,
"With hands as pale as milk;
"Lay them in gore,
"Since you have shore

"With shears his thread of silk.

SCENE II.
Enter PUCK.

[Exeunt.

Puck. Now the hungry lion roars,
And the wolf behowls the moon;
Whilst the heavy ploughman snores,
All with weary task fordone.
Now the wasted brands do glow,

Whilst the scritch-owl, scritching loud,
Puts the wretch that lies in woe,

In remembrance of a shroud.

Now it is the time of night,

That the graves all gaping wide,
Every one lets forth his sprite,
In the church-way paths to glide:
And we fairies, that do run,

By the triple Hecat's team,
From the presence of the sun,
Following darkness like a dream,
Now are frolic; not a mouse
Shall disturb this hallow'd house:
I am sent, with broom, before,
To sweep the dust behind the door.

Enter OBERON and TITANIA, with their Train.
Obe. Through this house give glimmering
By the dead and drowsy fire:
Every elf, and fairy sprite,

Hop as light as bird from brier;
And this ditty after me,

Sing and dance it trippingly.

[light,

Tita. First, rehearse this song by rote: To each word a warbling note,

Hand in hand, with fairy grace,

Will we sing, and bless this place.

SONG AND DANCE.

Obe. Now, until the break of day,
Through this house each fairy stray.
To the best bride-bed will we,
Which by us shall blessed be;
And the issue, there create,
Ever shall be fortunate.
So shall all the couples three
Ever true in loving be:
And the blots of nature's hand
Shall not in their issue stand;

SCENE-Navarre.

Or. having sworn too hard-a-keeping oath,
Study to break it, and not break my troth.
If study's gain be thus, and this be so,
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
And train our intellects to vain delight. [quite,
Biron. Why, all delights are vain; but that
most vain,

Which, with pain purchas'd, doth inherit pain:
As, painfully to pore upon a book, (while
To seek the light of truth: while truth the
Doth falsely blind the eyesight of his look:
Light, seeking light, doth light of light be-
guile :

So, ere you find where light in darkness lies,
Your light grows dark by losing of your eyes.
Study me how to please the eye indeed,

By fixing it upon a fairer eye;
Who dazzling so, that eye shall be his heed,
And give him light that was it blinded by.
Study is like the heaven's glorious sun,

That will not be deep-search'd with saucy
Small have continual plodders ever won, [looks;
Save base authority from others' books.
These earthly godfathers of heaven's lights,
That give a name to every fixed star,
Have no more profit of their shining nights,
Than those that walk, and wot not what they

are.

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!
[ceeding!
Dum. Proceeded well, to stop all good pro-
Long. He weeds the corn, and still let's grow
the weeding.

such a public shame as the rest of the court can pos-
sibly devise.

This article, my liege, yourself must break;
For, well you know, here comes in embassy
The French King's daughter, with yourself to
speak,-

A maid of grace, and complete majesty,-
About surrender-up of Aquitain

To her decrepit, sick, and bed-rid father;
Therefore this article is made in vain,
Or vainly comes the admired princess hither.
King. What say you, lords? why, this was
quite forgot.

Biron. So study evermore is overshot;
While it doth study to have what it would,
It doth forget to do the thing it should:
And when it hath the thing it hunteth most,
'Tis won, as towns with fire; so won, so lost.

King. We must, of force, dispense with this
She must lie here on mere necessity. [decree;
Biron. Necessity will make us all forsworn

Three thousand times within these three years' 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:

[Subscribes. And he, that breaks them in the least degree, Stands in attainder of eternal shame :

Suggestions are to others, as to me;
But I believe, although I seem so loath,
I am the last that will last keep his oath.
But, is there no quick recreation granted?
King. Ay, that there is; our court, you know,
is haunted

Biron. The spring is near, when green geese With a refined traveller of Spain;
Dum. How follows that? [are a breeding. A man in all the world's new fashion planted,
Biron.
Fit in his place and time. That hath a mint of phrases in his brain:
Dum. In reason nothing.
One, whom the musick of his own vain tongue
Biron.
Doth ravish, like enchanting harmony;
A man of compliments, whom right and wrong
Have chose as umpire of their mutiny:
This child of fancy, that Armado hight,

Something then in rhyme.
Long. Biron is like an envious sneaping frost,
That bites the first-born infants of the spring.
Biron. Well, say I am; why should proud
summer boast,

Before the birds have any cause to sing?
Why should I joy in an abortive birth?
At Christmas I no more desire a rose
Than wish a snow in May's new-fangled shows;
But like of each thing that in season grows.
So you, to study now it is too late,
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
Than for that angel knowledge you can say,
Yet confident I'll keep what I have swore,

And bide the penance of each three years' day.
Give me the paper, let me read the same:
And to the strict'st decrees I'll write my name.
King. How well this yielding rescues thee
from shame!

For interim to our studies, shall relate,
In high-born words, the worth of many a knight
From tawny Spain, lost in the world's de-
bate.

How you delight, my lords, I know not, I;
But, I protest, I love to hear him lie,
And I will use him for my minstrelsy.

Biron. Armado is a most illustrious wight,
A man of fire-new words, fashion's own knight.
Long. Costard the swain, and he, shall be our
sport;

And, so to study, three years is but short.

I

Enter DULL, with a Letter, and COSTARD. Dull. Which is the duke's own person? Biron. This, fellow; What would'st?

Dull. I myself reprehend his own person, for am his grace's tharborough: but I would see his own person in flesh and blood. Biron. This is he

Biron. [Reads.] Item, That no woman shall come Dull. Signior Arme-Arme-commends you. within a mile of my court.-Hath this been pro- There's villany abroad; this letter will tell you Long. Four days ago. [claim'd? more. Biron. Let's see the penalty. [Reads.] On pain of losing her tongue.-Who devis'd this penalty? ing me. Long. Marry, that did I.

Biron. Sweet lord, and why? [penalty. Long. To fright them hence with that dread 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

Cost. Sir, the contempts thereof are as touch

King. A letter from the magnificent Armado. Biron. How low soever the matter I hope in God for high words.

Long. A high hope for a low having: God grant us patience!

Biron. To hear? or forbear hearing?

Long. To hear meekly, sir, and to laugh mo-| derately; or to forbear both.

Biron. Well, sir, be it as the style shall give ns 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.

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. So it is,

Cost. It may be so: but if he say it is so, he is, in telling true, but so, so.

King. Peace.

Biron. This is not so well as I looked for, but the best that ever I heard.

King. Ay, the best for the worst. But, sirrah, what say you to this?

Cost. Sir, I confess the wench.

King. Did you hear the proclamation? Cost. I do confess much of the hearing it, but little of the marking of it.

King. It has been proclaimed a year's imprisonment, to be taken with a wench.

Cost. I was taken with none, sir; I was taken with a damosel.

King. Well, it was proclaimed damosel.
Cost. This was no damosel neither, sir; she
was a virgin.
[virgin.
King. It is so varied too; for it was proclaimed,
Cost. If it were, I deny her virginity; I was
taken with a maid.

King. This maid will not serve your turn. sir.
Cost. This maid will serve my turn, sir.
King. Sir, I will pronounce your sentence;
You shall fast a week with bran and water.
Cost. I had rather pray a month with mutton
and porridge.

King. And Don Armado shall be your keeper.
-My lord Biron, see him deliver'd o'er.—
And go we, lords, to put in practice that
Which each to other hath so strongly sworn.-

[Exeunt King, LONGAVILLE, and DUMAIN. Biron. I'll lay my head to any good man's hat. These oaths and laws will prove an idio

scorn.

Sirrah, come on.

[Exeunt.

Cost.-be to me, and every man that dares King. No words. (not fight! Cost. of other men's secrets, I beseech you. King. So it is, besieged with sable-coloured melan-. Cost. I suffer for the truth, sir; for true it is. choly, I did commend the black-oppressing humour I was taken with Jaquenetta, and Jaquenetta to the most wholesome physick of thy health-giving is a true girl; and therefore, Welcome the sour air; and, as I am a gentleman, betook myself to walk. cup of prosperity! Affliction may one day smile The time when? About the sixth hour; when beasts again, and till then, Sit thee down, sorrow! 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.

Cost. Me.

King-which, as I remember, hight Costard,

Cost. O me!

SCENE II. Another part of the same.
Armado's House.

Enter ARMADO and MOTH.
Arm. Boy, what sign is it, when a man of
great spirit grows melancholy?

Moth. A great sign, sir, that he will look sad. Arm. Why, sadness is one and the self-same thing, dear imp.

Moth. No, no; O lord, sir, no.

Arm. How canst thou part sadness and melancholy, my tender juvenal.

Moth. By a familiar demonstration of the working, my tough senior.

Arm. Why tough senior? why tough senior? Moth. Why tender juvenal? why tender juvenal ?

Arm. I spoke it, tender juvenal, as a congruKing-sorted and consorted, contrary to thy esta-ent epitheton, appertaining to thy young days blished proclaimed edict and continent canon, with which we may nominate tender. with-O with-but with this I passion to say whereCost. With a wench. [with, King-with a child of our grandmother Eve, a female, or, for thy more sweet understanding, a wo

man.

Him I (as my ever-esteemed duty pricks me on) have sent to thee, to receive the meed of punishment, by thy sweet grace's officer, Antony Dull; a manof good repute, carriage, bearing, and estimation. Dull. Me, an't shall please you; I am Antony Dull.

King. For Jaquenetta, (so is the weaker vessel called, which I apprehended with the aforesaid swain) I keep her as a vessel of thy law's fury; and shall, at the least of thy sweet notice, bring her to trial. Thine, in all compliments of devoted and heart-burning heat of duty, DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO.

Moth. And I, tough senior, as an appertinent title to your old time, which we may name tough. Arm. Pretty, and apt.

Moth. How mean you, sir? I pretty, and my
saying apt? or I apt, and my saying pretty?
Arm. Thou pretty, because little. [apt?
Moth. Little pretty, because little: Wherefore
Arm. And therefore apt, because quick.
Moth. Speak you this in my praise, master?
Arm. In thy condign praise.

Moth. I will praise aneel with the same praise.
Arm. What? that an cel is ingenious?
Moth. That an eel is quick.

Arm. I do say, thou art quick in answers;
Thou heatest my blood.

Moth. I am answered, sir.

Then, if she fear, or be to blame,

Arm. I love not to be crossed. Moth. He speaks the mere contrary, crosses love not him.

[Aside. Arm. I have promised to study three years with the duke.

Moth. You may do it in an hour, sir.
Arm. Impossible.

Moth. How many is one thrice told?

Arm. I am ill at reckoning, it fitteth the spirit of a tapster.

Moth. You are a gentleman, and a gamester, sir.

Arm. I confess both; they are both the varnish of a complete man.

Moth. Then, I am sure, you know how much the gross sum of deuce-ace amounts to.

Arm. It doth amount to one more than two.
Moth. Which the base vulgar do call three.
Arm. True.

Moth. Why, sir, is there such a piece of study? | Now here is three studied, 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 horse will tell you.

Arm. A most fine figure! Moth. To prove yon a cipher. [Aside. Arm. I will hereupon confess, I am in love: and, as it is base for a soldier to love, so am I in love with a base wench. If drawing my sword against the humour of affection would deliver me from the reprobate thonght of it, I would take desire prisoner, and ransom him to any French courtier for a new devised courtesy. I think scorn to sigh; methinks, I should outswear Cupid. Comfort me, boy: What great men have been in love?

Moth. Hercules, master.

Arm. Most sweet Hercules!-More authority, dear boy, name more; and, sweet my child, let them be men of good repute and carriage.

Moth. Samson, 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 Samson! strong jointed Samson! I do excel thee in my rapier, as much as thou didst me in carrying gates. I am in love too. Who was Samson's love, my dear Moth? Moth. A woman, master.

Arm. Of what complexion?

Moth. Of all the four, or the three, or the two; or one of the four.

Arm. Tell me precisely of what complexion?
Moth. Of the sea-water green, sir.

Arm. Is that one of the four complexions? Moth. As I have read, sir; and the best of them too.

Arm. Green, indeed, is the colour of lovers: but to have a love of that colour, methinks,| Samson had small reason for it. He, surely, affected her for her wit.

Moth. It was so, sir; for she had a green wit. Arm. My love is most immaculate white and red.

Moth. Most maculate thoughts, master, are masked under such colours.

Arm. Define, define, well-educated infant. Moth. My father's wit, and my mother's tongue, assist me!

Arm. Sweet invocation of a child; most pretty, and pathetical!

Moth. If she be made of white and red,

Her faults will ne'er be known;
For blushing cheeks by faults are bred,
And fears by pale-white shewn;

By this you shall not know;
For still her cheeks possess the same,
Which native she doth owe.

A dangerous rhyme, master, against the reason
of white and red.

Arm. Is there not a ballad, boy, of the King and the Beggar?

Moth. The world was very guilty of such a ballad some three ages since; but, I think, now 'tis not to be found; or, if it were, it would neither serve for the writing, nor the tune.

Arm. I will have the subject newly writ o'er. that I may example my digression by some mighty precedent. Boy, I do love that country girl, that I took in the park with the rational hind Costard; she deserves well.

Moth. To be whipped; and yet a better love
than my master.
[Aside.
Arm. Sing, boy: my spirit grows heavy in love.
Moth. And that's great marvel, loving a light
Arm. I say, sing.
[wench.
Moth. Forbear, till this company be past.
Enter DULL, COSTARD, and JAQUENETTA.
Dull. Sir, the duke's pleasure is, that you keep
Costard safe: and you must let him take no de-
light, nor no penance; but a' must fast three
days a-week: For this damsel, I must keep her
at the park: she is allowed for the day-woman.
Fare you well.

Arm. I do betray myself with blushing.-Maid
Jaq. Man.

Arm. I will visit thee at the lodge.
Jaq. That's hereby.

Arm. I know where it is situate.
Jaq. Lord, how wise you are!
Arm. I will tell thee wonders.
Jaq. With that face?
Arm. I love thee.

Jaq. So I heard you say!
Arm. And so farewell.

Jaq. Fair weather after you!
Dull. Come, Jaquenetta, away.

[Exeunt DULL and JAQUENETTA. Arm. Villain, thou shalt fast for thy offences, ere thou be pardoned.

Cost. Well, sir, I hope, when I do it, I shall do it on a full stomach.

Arm. Thou shalt be heavily punished. Cost. I am more bound to you, than your fellows, for they are but lightly rewarded.

Arm. Take away this villain; shut him up. Moth. Come, you transgressing slave; away. Cost. Let me not be pent up, sir; I will fast, being loose. [shalt to prison. Moth. No, sir; that were fast and loose: thou Cost. Well, if ever I do see the merry days of desolation that I have seen, some shall seeMoth. What shall some see?

Cost. Nay, nothing, master Moth, but what they look upon. It is not for prisoner to be too silent in their words; and, therefore, I will say nothing: I thank God, I have as little patience as another man; and, therefore, I can be quiet. [Exeunt MOTH and COSTARD. Arm. I do affect the very ground, which is base, where her shoe, which is baser, guided by her foot, which is basest, doth tread. I shall be forsworn (which is a great argument of falsehood), if I love: And how can that be true love. which is falsely attempted? Love is a familiar: love is a devil: there is no evil angel but love. Yet Samson was so tempted: and he had an excellent strength: yet was Solomon so seduced: and he had a very good wit. Cupid's butt-shaft