Biron. To hear, or forbear hearing? Long. To hear meekly, Sir, to laugh moderately, or to forbear both. Biron. Well, Sir, be it as the ftile fhall give us cause to climb in the merrinefs. Coft. The matter is to me, Sir, as concerning Jaquenetta. The manner of it is, I was taken with the manner. Biron. In what manner? Coft. In manner and form, following, Sir; all thofe three. I was feen with her in the manor-house, fitting 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 fome form. Biron, For the following, Sir? Coft. As it fhall follow in my correction; and God defend the right! King. Will you hear the letter with attention? Coft. Such is the fimplicity of man to hearken after the flesh. King G Reat deputy, the welkin's vice-gerent, and fole reads. dominator of Navarre, my foul's earth's God, and body's foftring patron K. Henry VIII. Is our beft having. And again afterwards; Our content But par'd my prefent havings, to bestow Timon of Athens. The greatest of your having lacks a half And in many other places. So. amongst the older Romans, they made Coft Coft. Not a word of Coffard yet. King. So it is Coff. It may be fo; but if he fay it is fo, he is, in telling true, but fo. King. Peace Coft. Be to me, and every man that dares not fight! King. No words. Coff. Of other men's fecrets, I befeech you. King. So it is, befieged with fable-coloured melancholy, I did commend the black oppreffing humour to the most wholefome phyfick of thy health giving air; and as I am a gentleman, betook myself to walk: The time, when? about the fixth hour, when beasts most graze, birds beft peck, and men fit down to that nourishment which is call'd fupper: fo much for the time, when. Now for the ground, which: which, I mean, I walk'd upon; it is ycleped, thy park. Then for the place, where; where, I mean, I did encounter that obscene and most prepofterous event, that draweth from my fnow-white pen the ebon coloured ink, which here. thou vieweft, beholdeft. furveyeft, or feeft. But to the place, where; it ftandeth north-north-eaft and by eaft from the weft corner of thy curious-knotted garden. There did I fee that low-fpirited wain, that bafe minow of thy mirth, (Coft. Me) that un ctter'd fmall-knowing foul, (Coft. Me?) that shallow vaffal, (Coft. Still me?) which, as I remember, hight Coftard; (Coft. O me !) forted and conforted, contrary to thy established proclaimed edit and continent canon, with, with,- O with, - but with this Ipaffion to fay wherewith: Coft. With a wench. -- King. With a child of our grandmother Eve, a female; or for thy more understanding, a woman; him, I (as my ever-esteem'd duty pricks me on) have fent to thee, to receive the meed of punishment, by thy fweet Grace's officer, Anthony Dull, a man of god repute, carriage, bearing and eftimation. Dull. Me, an't fhall pleafe you: I am Anthony Dull. King. For Jaquenetta, fo is the weaker vefjel call'd) which I apprehended with the aforefaid fwain, I keep her as a vafal of thy law's fury, and shall at the least of thy Sweet faveet notice bring her to trial. Thine in all compliments of devoted and heart-burning heat of duty, Don Adriano de Armado. Biron. This is not fo well as I look'd for, but the best that ever I heard. King. Ay; the beft for the worft. But, firrah, what fay you to this? Coft. Sir, I confefs the wench. King. Did you hear the proclamation?" Cof. 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, Sir, I was taken with a damofel. King. Well, it was proclaimed damofel. Cof. This was no damofel neither, Sir, she was a virgin. King. It is fo varied too, for it was proclaim'd virgin. Coff. If it were, I deny her virginity: I was taken with a maid. King. This maid will not ferve your turn, Sir. King. Sir, I will pronounce fentence; you fhall fat a week with bran and water. Coft. I had rather pray a month with mutton and porridge. King. And Don Armado fhall be your keeper. My Lord Biron, fee him deliver'd o'er, And go we, Lords, to put in practice that, Which each to other hath fo ftrongly fworn. [Ex. Biron. I'll lay my head to any good man's hat, Thefe oaths and laws will prove an idle fcorn. Sirrah, come on. Coft. I fuffer for the truth, Sir: for true it is, I was taken with Jaquenetta, and Jaquenetta is a true girl; and therefore welcome the four cup of profperity: af fiction may one day fmile again, and until then, fit thee down, forrow. [Exeunt. SCENE SCENE changes to Armada's houfe. Enter Armado, and Moth. Arm. BOY, what is it, when a man of great spirit grows melancholy? Moth. A great fign, Sir, that he will look fad. Arm. Why, fadnefs is one and the self-fame thing, dear imp. Moth. No, no; O lord, Sir, no. Arm. How can't thou part fadness and melancholy, my tender Juvenile? Moth. By a familiar demonstration of the working, my tough Signior. Arm. Why, tough Signior? why, tough Signior? Moth. Why, tender Juvenile? why, tender Juvenile ? Arm. I fpoke it tender Juvenile, as a congruent epitheton, appertaining to thy young days, which we may nominate tender. Moth. And I tough Signior, 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 faying apt? or I apt, and my saying pretty? Arm. Thou pretty, becaufe little. Moth. Little! pretty, becaufe little; wherefore apt? Arm. And therefore apt, becaufe quick. Moth. Speak you this in my praise, master? Arm. In thy condign praise. Moth. I will praife an eel with the fame praife. Arm. What? that an eel is ingenious. Moth. That an eel is quick. Arm. I do fay, thou art quick in answers. Thou heat'ft my blood.. Moth. I am anfwer'd, Sir. Arm. I love not to be croft. Moth. Hefpeaks the clean contrary, croffes love not him. Arm. I have promis'd to ftudy three years with the King. Moth. You may do it in an hour, Sir. Arm. Impoffible. Moth. Moth. How many is one thrice told? Arm. I am ill at reckoning, it fits the fpirit of a tapfter. Moth. You are a gentleman, and a gamefter. Arm. I confefs both; they are both the varnish of a compleat 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. Which the base vulgar call, three. Arm. True. Moth. Why, Sir, is this fuch a piece of study? now here's three ftudied ere you'll thrice wink; and how easy it is to put years to the word three, and ftudy three years in two words, the dancing-horfe will tell you. Arm. A moft fine figure. Moth. 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 am I in love with a bafe wench. If drawing my fword 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 curt'fy. I think it fcorn to figh; methinks, I fhould out-fwear Cupid. Comfort me, boy, what great men have been in love? Moth. Hercules, mafter. Arm. Molt fweet Hercules! more authority, dear boy, name more; and, fweet my child, let them be men of good repute and carriage. Moth. Sampson, mafter; 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 Sampson, ftrong-jointed Sampson! I do excel thee in my rapier, as much as thou didft me in carrying gates. I am in love too. Sampfon's love, my dear Moth ? Moth. A woman, mafter. Arm. Of what complection? Who was Moth. Of all the four, or the three, or the two, or one of the four. Arm. Tell me precifely of what complection ? Moth |