King Gminator of Navarre, my Soul's Earth's God, and Bo Reat Deputy, the Welkin's Vicegerent, and fole Do reads. dy's foftring Patron Coft. Not a word of Coftard yet. Coff. It may be fo; but if he say it is fo, he is in telling true: but fo. King. Peace, Coft. Be to me, and every Man that dares not fight. Coft. Of other Mens Secrets I beseech you. King. So it is, befieged with fable-coloured Melancholly, I did commend the black oppreffing Humour to the most wholeJome Phyfick of thy health-giving Air; and as I am a Gentleman, betook my felf 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 Supper: So much for the Time when. Now for the Ground which: which I mean I walkt upon, it is ycleped, thy Park. Then for the Place where, where I mean I did incounter that obscene and most prepofterous Event that draweth from my fnow-white Pen the Eboncolour'd Ink, which here thou vieweft, beholdeft, furveyeft, or feeft. But to the Place where: It ftandeth North North East and by Eaft from the Weft-corner of thy curious knotted Garden. There did I fee that low-fpirited Swain, that bafe Minow of thy Mirth, (Coft. Me?) that unlettered small-knowing Soul, (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 Edict and continent Cannon: Which with, O with, but with this I paffion to Say wherewith: Coft. With a Wench. King. With a Child of our Grandmother Eve, a Female; or, for thy more understanding, a Woman; bim, I (as my ever efteem'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 good repute, carriage, bearing and estimation. Dul. Me, an't fhall please you? I am Anthony Dull. King. For Jaquenetta (fo is the weaker Veffel called) which I apprehended with the aforefaid Swain, I keep her as a veffel of thy Laws fury, and shall at the leaft of thy sweet notice, bring her to a Trial. Thine in all complements of devoted and heart-burning heat of Duty, Don Adriana 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 worst. But Sirrah, What say you to this? Coft. Sir, I confefs the Wench. King. Did you hear the Proclamation? Coft. 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. Coft. This was no Damofel neither, Sir, fhe 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 your Sentence; you fhall fast a Week with Bran and Water. Coft. I had rather pray a Month with Mutton and Porridge. King. And Don Armado fhall be [Exeunt. 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: Affliction may one Day smile again, and until then fit down Sorrow. [Exeunt. Enter 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 fad. Arm. Why? Sadness is one and the self-same thing, dear Imp. Moth. No, no, O Lord Sir, no. Arm. How canft thou part Sadnefs and Melancholy, my tender Juvenal? Moth. By a familiar Demonftration of the working, my tough Signior. Arm. Why tough Signior? Why tough Signior? Moth. Why tender Juvenal? Why tender Juvenal? Arm. I fpoke it tender Juvenal, 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 Saying apt? or. I apt, and my Saying pretty? Arm. Thou pretty, because little. Moth. Little pretty, because little; wherefore apt? Arm. And therefore apt, because quick. Moth. Speak you this in my Praife, Master? Arm. In thy condign Praife. Moth. I will praise 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 Anfwers. Thou heat'st my Blood. Moth. I am anfwer'd, Sir. Arm. I love not to be croft. Moth. He fpeaks the clean contrary, croffes Love not him. Arm. I have promis'd to ftudy three Years with the Duke. Moth. You may do it in an hour, Sir. Arm. Impoffible. 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, Sir. Arm. I confefs both, they are both the varnish of a compleat Man. Moth. Erdinand, King of Navarre. FBiron, three Lords attending upon the King Longavile, in his Retirement. Dumain, Boyet, } Lords attending upon the Princess of Don Adriana de Armado, a fantastical Spaniard. Jaquenetta, a Country Wench. Officers and other Attendants upon the King SCENE the King of Navarre's Love's Labour's loft. ACT I. SCENE I. Enter the King, Biron, Longavile and Dumain, KING. ET Fame, that all hunt after in their Lives That Honour which fhall bate his Syth's keen Edge, Therefore brave Conquerors, for fo you are, You three, Biron, Dumain and Longavile, Have fworn for three Years Term to live with me, Your Oaths are paft, and now subscribe your Names : Cc4 That |