Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. Love's Labour Lost (1623 First Folio Edition)
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Act II
489: Actus Secunda.
490: [ Enter the Princesse of France, with three attending Ladies,
and three Lords]
492:
Boyet.
Now Madam summon vp your dearest spirits,
493: Consider who the King your father sends:
494: To whom he sends, and what's his Embassie.
495: Your selfe, held precious in the worlds esteeme,
496: To parlee with the sole inheritour
497: Of all perfections that a man may owe,
498: Matchlesse Nauarre, the plea of no lesse weight
499: Then Aquitaine, a Dowrie for a Queene,
500: Be now as prodigall of all deare grace,
501: As Nature was in making Graces deare,
502: When she did starue the generall world beside,
503: And prodigally gaue them all to you.
504:
Queen.
Good L[ord]. Boyet, my beauty though but mean,
505: Needs not the painted flourish of your praise:
506: Beauty is bought by iudgement of the eye,
507: Not vttred by base sale of chapmens tongues:
508: I am lesse proud to heare you tell my worth,
509: Then you much willing to be counted wise,
510: In spending your wit in the praise of mine.
511: But now to taske the tasker, good Boyet.
512:
Prin.
You are not ignorant all-telling fame
513: Doth noyse abroad Nauar hath made a vow,
514: Till painefull studie shall out-weare three yeares,
515: No woman may approach his silent Court:
516: Therefore to's seemeth it a needfull course,
517: Before we enter his forbidden gates,
518: To know his pleasure, and in that behalfe
519: Bold of your worthinesse, we single you,
520: As our best mouing faire soliciter:
521: Tell him, the daughter of the King of France,
522: On serious businesse crauing quicke dispatch,
523: Importunes personall conference with his grace.
524: Haste, signifie so much while we attend,
525: Like humble visag'd suters his high will.
526:
Boy
Proud of imployment, willingly I goe. [ Exit.]
527:
Prin.
All pride is willing pride, and yours is so:
528: Who are the Votaries my Louing Lords, that are vow-fellowes
529: with this vertuous Duke?
530:
Lor.
Longauill is one.
531:
Princ.
Know you the man?
532:
1 Lady.
I know him Madame at a marriage feast,
533: Betweene L[ord]. Perigort and the beautious heire
534: Of Iaques Fauconbridge solemnized.
535: In Normandie saw I this Longauill,
536: A man of soueraigne parts he is esteem'd:
537: Well fitted in Arts, glorious in Armes:
538: Nothing becomes him ill that he would well.
539: The onely soyle of his faire vertues glosse,
540: If vertues glosse will staine with any soile,
541: Is a sharp wit match'd with too blunt a Will:
542: Whose edge hath power to cut whose will still wills,
543: It should none spare that come within his power.
544:
Prin.
Some merry mocking Lord belike, ist so?
545:
Lad.1.
They say so most, that most his humors know.
546:
Prin.
such short liu'd wits do wither as they grow.
547: Who are the rest?
548:
2.Lad.
The yong Dumaine, a well accomplisht youth,
549: Of all that Vertue loue, for Vertue loued.
550: Most power to doe most harme, least knowing ill:
551: For he hath wit to make an ill shape good,
552: And shape to win grace though she had no wit.
553: I saw him at the Duke Alansoes once,
554: And much too little of that good I saw,
555: Is my report to his great worthinesse.
556:
Rossa.
Another of these Students at that time,
557: Was there with him, as I haue heard a truth.
558: Berowne they call him, but a merrier man,
559: Within the limit of becomming mirth,
560: I neuer spent an houres talke withall.
561: His eye begets occasion for his wit,
562: For euery obiect that the one doth catch,
563: The other turnes to a mirth-mouing iest.
564: Which his faire tongue (conceits expositor)
565: Deliuers in such apt and gracious words,
566: That aged eares play treuant at his tales,
567: And yonger hearings are quite rauished.
568: So sweet and voluble is his discourse.
569:
Prin.
God blesse my Ladies, are they all in loue?
570: That euery one her owne hath garnished,
571: With such bedecking ornaments of praise.
572:
Ma.
Heere comes Boyet.
573: [ Enter Boyet.]
574:
Prin.
Now, what admittance Lord?
575:
Boyet.
Nauar had notice of your faire approach;
576: And he and his competitors in oath,
577: Were all addrest to meete you gentle Lady
578: Before I came: Marrie thus much I haue learnt,
579: He rather meanes to lodge you in the field,
580: Like one that comes heere to besiege his Court,
581: Then seeke a dispensation for his oath:
582: To let you enter his vnpeopled house.
583: [ Enter Nauar, Longauill, Dumaine, and Berowne.]
584: Heere comes Nauar.
585:
Nau.
Faire Princesse, welcom to the Court of Nauar.
586:
Prin.
Faire I giue you backe againe, and welcome I
587: haue not yet: the roofe of this Court is too high to bee
588: yours, and welcome to the wide fields, too base to be
589: mine.
590:
Nau.
You shall be welcome Madam to my Court.
591:
Prin.
I wil be welcome then, Conduct me thither.
592:
Nau.
Heare me deare Lady, I haue sworne an oath.
593:
Prin.
Our Lady helpe my Lord, he'll be forsworne.
594:
Nau.
Not for the world faire Madam, by my will.
595:
Prin.
Why, will shall breake it will, and nothing els.
596:
Nau.
Your Ladiship is ignorant what it is.
597:
Prin.
Were my Lord so, his ignorance were wise,
598: Where now his knowledge must proue ignorance.
599: I heare your grace hath sworne out House-keeping:
600: 'Tis deadly sinne to keepe that oath my Lord,
601: And sinne to breake it:
602: But pardon me, I am too sodaine bold,
603: To teach a Teacher ill beseemeth me.
604: Vouchsafe to read the purpose of my comming,
605: And sodainly resolue me in my suite.
606:
Nau.
Madam, I will, if sodainly I may.
607:
Prin.
You will the sooner that I were away,
608: For you'll proue periur'd if you make me stay.
609:
Berow.
Did not I dance with you in Brabant once?
610:
Rosa.
Did not I dance with you in Brabant once?
611:
Ber.
I know you did.
612:
Rosa.
How needlesse was it then to ask the question?
613:
Ber.
You must not be so quicke.
614:
Rosa.
'Tis long of you y spur me with such questions.
615:
Ber.
Your wit's too hot, it speeds too fast, 'twill tire.
616:
Rosa.
Not till it leaue the Rider in the mire.
617:
Ber.
What time a day?
618:
Rosa.
The howre that fooles should aske.
619:
Ber.
Now faire befall your maske.
620:
Rosa.
Faire fall the face it couers.
621:
Ber.
And send you many louers.
622:
Rosa.
Amen, so you be none.
623:
Ber.
Nay then will I be gone.
624:
Kin.
Madame, your father heere doth intimate,
625: The paiment of a hundred thousand Crownes,
626: Being but th' one halfe, of an intire summe,
627: Disbursed by my father in his warres.
628: But say that he, or we, as neither haue
629: Receiu'd that summe; yet there remaines vnpaid
630: A hundred thousand more: in surety of the which,
631: One part of Aquitaine is bound to vs,
632: Although not valued to the moneys worth.
633: If then the King your father will restore
634: But that one halfe which is vnsatisfied,
635: We will giue vp our right in Aquitaine,
636: And hold faire friendship with his Maiestie:
637: But that it seemes he little purposeth,
638: For here he doth demand to haue repaie,
639: An hundred thousand Crownes, and not demands
640: One paiment of a hundred thousand Crownes,
641: To haue his title liue in Aquitaine.
642: Which we much rather had depart withall,
643: And haue the money by our father lent,
644: Then Aquitane, so guelded as it is.
645: Deare Princesse, were not his requests so farre
646: From reasons yeelding, your faire selfe should make
647: A yeelding 'gainst some reason in my brest,
648: And goe well satisfied to France againe.
649:
Prin.
You doe the King my Father too much wrong,
650: And wrong the reputation of your name,
651: In so vnseeming to confesse receyt
652: Of that which hath so faithfully beene paid.
653:
Kin.
I doe protest I neuer heard of it,
654: And if you proue it, Ile repay it backe,
655: Or yeeld vp Aquitaine.
656:
Prin.
We arrest your word:
657: Boyet, you can produce acquittances
658: For such a summe, from speciall Officers,
659: Of Charles his Father.
660:
Kin.
Satisfie me so.
661:
Boyet.
So please your Grace, the packet is not come
662: Where that and other specialties are bound,
663: To morrow you shall haue a sight of them.
664:
Kin.
It shall suffice me; at which enterview,
665: All liberall reason would I yeeld vnto:
666: Meane time, receiue such welcome at my hand,
667: As honour, without breach of Honour may
668: Make tender of, to thy true worthinesse.
669: You may not come faire Princesse in my gates,
670: But heere without you shall be so receiu'd,
671: As you shall deeme your selfe lodg'd in my heart,
672: Though so deni'd farther harbour in my house:
673: Your owne good thoughts excuse me, and farewell,
674: To morrow we shall visit you againe.
675:
Prin.
Sweet health & faire desires consort your grace.
676:
Kin
Thy own wish wish I thee, in euery place. [ Exit.]
677:
Boy.
Lady, I will commend you to my owne heart.
678:
La.Ro.
Pray you doe my commendations,
679: I would be glad to see it.
680:
Boy.
I would you heard it grone.
681:
La.Ro.
Is the soule sicke?
682:
Boy.
Sicke at the heart.
683:
La.Ro.
Alacke, let it bloud.
684:
Boy.
Would that doe it good?
685:
La.Ro.
My Phisicke saies I.
686:
Boy.
Will you prick't with your eye.
687:
La.Ro.
No poynt, with my knife.
688:
Boy.
Now God saue thy life.
689:
La.Ro.
And yours from long liuing.
690:
Ber
I cannot stay thanks-giuing. [ Exit.]
691: [ Enter Dumane.]
692:
Dum.
Sir, I pray you a word: What Lady is that same?
693:
Boy.
The heire of Alanson, Rosalin her name.
694:
Dum.
A gallant Lady, Mounsier fare you well.
695:
Long.
I beseech you a word: what is she in the white?
696:
Boy.
A woman somtimes, if you saw her in the light.
697:
Long.
Perchance light in the light: I desire her name.
698:
Boy.
Shee hath but one for her selfe,
699: To desire that were a shame.
700:
Long.
Pray you sir, whose daughter?
701:
Boy.
Her Mothers, I haue heard.
702:
Long.
Gods blessing a your beard.
703:
Boy.
Good sir be not offended,
704: Shee is an heyre of Faulconbridge.
705:
Long.
Nay, my choller is ended:
706: Shee is a most sweet Lady. [ Exit. Long.]
707:
Boy.
Not vnlike sir, that may be.
708: [ Enter Beroune.]
709:
Ber.
What's her name in the cap.
710:
Boy.
Katherine by good hap.
711:
Ber.
Is she wedded, or no.
712:
Boy.
To her will sir, or so,
713:
Ber.
You are welcome sir, adiew.
714:
Boy
Fare well to me sir, and welcome to you. [ Exit.]
715:
La.Ma.
That last is Beroune, the mery mad-cap Lord.
716: Not a word with him, but a iest.
717:
Boy.
And euery iest but a word.
718:
Pri.
It was well done of you to take him at his word.
719:
Boy.
I was as willing to grapple, as he was to boord.
720:
La.Ma.
Two hot Sheepes marie:
721: And wherefore not Ships?
722:
Boy.
No Sheepe (sweet Lamb) vnlesse we feed on your lips.
723:
La.
You Sheepe & I pasture: shall that finish the iest?
724:
Boy.
So you grant pasture for me.
725:
La.
Not so gentle beast.
726: My lips are no Common, though seuerall they be.
727:
Bo.
Belonging to whom?
728:
La.
To my fortunes and me.
729:
Prin.
Good wits wil be iangling, but gentles agree.
730: This ciuill warre of wits were much better vsed
731: On Nauar and his bookemen, for heere 'tis abus'd.
732:
Bo.
If my obseruation (which very seldome lies
733: By the hearts still rhetoricke, disclosed with eyes)
734: Deceiue me not now, Nauar is infected.
735:
Prin.
With what?
736:
Bo.
With that which we Louers intitle affected.
737:
Prin.
Your reason.
738:
Bo.
Why all his behauiours doe make their retire,
739: To the court of his eye, peeping thorough desire.
740: His hart like an Agot with your print impressed,
741: Proud with his forme, in his eie pride expressed.
742: His tongue all impatient to speake and not see,
743: Did stumble with haste in his eie-sight to be,
744: All sences to that sence did make their repaire,
745: To feele onely looking on fairest of faire:
746: Me thought all his sences were lockt in his eye,
747: As Iewels in Christall for some Prince to Buy.
748: Who tendring their own worth from whence they were glast,
749: Did point out to buy them along as you past.
750: His faces owne margent did coate such amazes,
751: That all eyes saw his eies inchanted with gazes.
752: Ile giue you Aquitaine, and all that is his,
753: And you giue him for my sake, but one louing Kisse.
754:
Prin.
Come to our Pauillion, Boyet is disposde.
755:
Bro.
But to speak that in words, which his eie hath disclos'd.
756: I onelie haue made a mouth of his eie,
757: By adding a tongue, which I know will not lie.
758:
Lad.Ro.
Thou art an old Loue-monger, and speakest
759: skilfully.
760:
Lad.Ma.
He is Cupids Grandfather, and learnes news
761: of him.
762:
Lad.2.
Then was Venus like her mother, for her fa-ther
763: is but grim.
764:
Boy.
Do you heare my mad wenches?
765:
La.1.
No.
766:
Boy.
What then, do you see?
767:
Lad.2.
I, our way to be gone.
768:
Boy
You are too hard for me. [ Exeunt omnes.]