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Hol. He draweth out the thread of his verbosity finer than the staple of his argument. I abhor fuch phanatical phantafms, fuch infociable and point-devife companions; fuch rackers of orthography, as do fpeak dout fine, when he should fay doubt; det, when he should pronounce debt; d, e, b, t; not d, e, t: he clepeth a calf, cauf: half, hauf: neighbour vocatur nebour; neigh abbreviated ne: this is abominable, which we would call abhominable: (30) it infinuateth me of Infanie: Ne intelligis, Domine, to make frantick, lunatick ?

Nath. Laus deo, bone, intelligo.

Hol. Bone?

bone, for benè; Prifcian a little

fcratch'd; 'twill ferve.

Enter Armado, Moth and Coftard.

Nath. Videfne quis venit?

Hol Video, & gaudeo.

Arm. Chirra.

Hol. Quare Chirra, not Sirrah ?

(30) It infinuateth me of infamy: Nè intelligis, Domine, to make frantick, lunatick?

Nath. Laus Deo, bene intelligo.

Hol. Bome boon for boon Prescian; a little Scratch, 'twill ferve. J This Play is certainly none of the best in it self, but the Editors have been fo very happy in making it worse by their Indolence, that they have left me Augeas's Stable to cleanfe: and a Man had need have the Strength of a Hercules to heave out all their Rubbish. But to Bufinefs; Why should Infamy be explain'd by making frantick, lunatick? It is plain and obvious that the Poet intended, the Pedant fhould coin an uncouth affected Word here, infanie, from infania of the Latines. Then, what a Piece of unintelligible Jargon have these learned Criticks given us for Latine? I think, I may venture to affirm, I have reftor'd the Paffage to its true Purity.

Nath. Laus Deo, bone, intelligo.

The Curate, addreffing with Complaifance his brother Pedant, fays, bone, to him, as we frequently in Terence find bone Vir but the Pedant thinking, he had mistaken the Adverb, thus defcants on it..

Bone? bone for bene. Prifcian a little fcratch'd: 'twill ferve. Alluding to the common Phrafe, Diminuis Prifciani caput, apply'd to such as speak false Latine.

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LovE's Labour's loft.

Arm. Men of Peace, well encountred.

Hol. Moft military Sir, falutation.

229

Moth. They have been at a great feaft of languages, nd ftole the fcraps.

Coft. O, they have liv'd long on the Alms-basket of words. I marvel, thy mafter hath not eaten thee for a ord; for thou art not fo long by the head as honoricabilitudinitatibus: thou art eafier fwallow'd than a ap-dragon.

Moth. Peace, the peal begins.

Arm. Monfieur, are you not letter'd ?

Moth. Yes, yes, he teaches boys the horn-book! What is A B fpelt backward with a horn on his head? Hol. Ba, pueritia, with a horn added.

Moth. Ba, moft filly fheep, with a horn. You hear is learning.

Hol. Quis, quis, thou confonant?

Moth. The third of the five vowels, if you repeat hem; or the fifth, if I. (31)

Hol. I will repeat them, a, e, I.

Moth. The fheep; the other two concludes it, o, u. Arm. Now by the falt wave of the Mediterraneum, fweet touch, a quick venew of wit; fnip, fnap, quick nd home; it rejoiceth my intellect; true wit.

Moth. Offer'd by a child to an old man: which is it-old.

Hol. What is the figure? what is the figure?
Moth. Horns.

Hol. Thou difputest like an infant; go, whip thy gigg.

Moth. Lend me your horn to make one, and I will whip

(31) The last of the five Vowels, if you repeat them; or the fth if 1:

Col. I will repeat them, a, e, I. Hoth. The Sheep: the other two concludes it out.] Wonderal Sagacity again! All the Editions agree in this Readings. ut is not the laft, and the fifth, the fame Vowel? Tho' my orrection reftores but a poor Conundrum, yet if it reftores the et's Meaning, it is the Duty of an Editor to trace him in

his

whip about your infamy (32) circùm circà; a gigg of cuckold's horn.

Coft. An' I had but one penny in the world, tho fhouldft have it to buy ginger-bread; hold, there the very remuneration I had of thy mafter, thou hal penny purfe of wit, thou pidgeon-egg of difcretion O, that the heav'ns were fo pleased, that thou wert bu my baftard! what a joyful father wouldst thou mak me? go to, thou haft it ad dunghill; at the fingers ends, as they fay.

Hol. Oh, I fmell falfe latine, dunghill for unguem.

Arm. Arts-man, præambula ; we will be fingled from the barbarous. Do you not educate youth at the charge house on the top of the mountain?

Hol. Or, Mons the hill.

Arm. At your fweet pleasure, for the mountain.
Hol. I do, fans queftion.

Arm. Sir, it is the King's moft fweet pleasure and affection, to congratulate the Princefs at her Pavilion, in the pofteriors of this day, which the rude multitude call the afternoon.

Hol. The pofterior of the day, most generous Sir, is liable, congruent, and measurable for the afternoon: the word is well cull'd, choice, fweet, and apt, I do affure you, Sir, I do affure.

Arm. Sir, the King is a noble gentleman, and my fa miliar; I do affure ye, my very good friend; for what is inward between us, let it pafs I do befeech thee, remember thy curtefie I beseech thee, apparel thy head, and among other importunate and moft ferious defigns, and of great import indeed too- but let that pass: for I must tell thee, it will please his Grace

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his loweft Conceits. By, O, U, Moth would mean --- Oh, You. --- i. e. You are the Sheep ftill, either way; no Matter, which of Us repeats them.

(32) I will whip about your Infamy unum cita; ] Here again all the Editions give us Jargon instead of Latine. But Moth

LOVE's Labour's loft.

231 y the world) fometime to lean upon my poor fhoulder, d with his royal finger thus dally with my excrement, ith my muftachio; but fweet heart, let that pafs. By e world, I recount no fable; fome certain fpecial hoours it pleaseth his Greatness to impart to Armado, a ldier, a man of travel, that hath feen the world; but Et that pafs the very all of all is but sweet eart, I do implore fecrecy. that the King would ave me present the Princess (fweet chuck) with some deghtful oftentation, or fhow, or pageant, or antick, or re-work. Now, understanding that the Curate and our sweet self are good at fuch eruptions, and fudden reaking out of mirth, (as it were) I have acquainted you withal, to the end to crave your affiftance.

Hol. Sir, you fhall present before her the nine Worhies. Sir, as concerning fome entertainment of time, Tome fhow in the pofterior of this day, to be rendred by our affiftants at the King's command, and this most gallant, illuftrate and learned gentleman, before the Princefs: I fay, none fo fit as to prefent the nine Worthies.

Nath. Where will you find men worthy enough to present them?

Hol. Fofbua, your felf; this gallant man, Judas Macabeus; this fwain (because of his great limb or joint) fhall pass Pompey the great; and the page, Hercules.

Arm. Pardon, Sir, error: he is not quantity enough for that Worthy's thumb; he is not fo big as the end of his club.

Hol. Shall I have audience? he fhall present Hercules in minority his Enter and Exit fhall be ftrangling a fnake; and I will have an apology for that purpose. Moth. An excellent device: for if any of the audience hifs, you may cry ; "well done, Hercules, now "thou crushest the fnake;" that is the way to make an offence gracious, tho" few have the grace to do it. Arm. For the rest of the Worthies, Hol. I will play three my felf.

Moth. Thrice-worthy gentleman!
Arm. Shall I tell you a thing?

Hol

Hol. We attend.

Arm. We will have, if this fadge not, an Antic I beseech you, follow.

Hol. Via! good-man Dull, thou haft spoken no wo all this while.

Dull. Nor understood none neither, Sir.

Hol. Allons; we will employ thee.

Dull. I'll make one in a dance, or fo: or I w play on the taber to the Worthies, and let them dan the hay.

Hol. Moft dull, honeft, Dull, to our Sport away.

[Exeun

SCENE, before the Princess's Pavilion.

Prin.

Enter Princefs, and Ladies.

Weet hearts, we fhall be rich ere we depart,

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If Fairings come thus plentifully in..

A lady wall'd about with diamonds!

Look you, what I have from the loving King.

Rof. Madam, came nothing else along with That? Prin. Nothing but this? yes, as much love is rhyme,

As would be cram'd up

in a fheet of paper,

Writ on both fides the leaf, margent and all;

That he was fain to feal on Cupid's name.

Raf. That was the way to make his God-head wax, For he hath been five thousand years a boy.

Cath. Ay, and a fhrewd unhappy gallows too.
Rof. You'll ne'er be friends with him; he kill'a
your fifter.

Cath. He made her melancholy, fad and heavy,
And fo fhe died; had the been light, like you,
Of fuch a merry, nimble, ftirring fpirit,
She might have been a grandam ere the dy'd.
And fo may you • for a light heart lives long

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