Dum. My loving lord, Dumain is mortified; Biron. I can but say their protestation over, King. Your oath is passed to pass away from these. Biron. Let me say no, my liege, an if you please; I only swore, to study with your grace, And stay here in your court for three years' space. Long. You swore to that, Birón, and to the rest. Biron. By yea and nay, sir, then I swore in jest. What is the end of study? let me know. King. Why, that to know, which else we should not know. Biron. Things hid and barr'd, you mean, from common sense. King. Ay, that is study's god-like recompense. Biron. Come on then, I will swear to study so, To know the thing I am forbid to know : As thus-To study where I well may dine, When I to feast expressly am forbid; Or, study where to meet some mistress fine, When mistresses from common sense are hid: Or, having sworn too hard-a-keeping oath, Study knows that, which yet it doth not know: King. These be the stops that hinder study quite, And train our intellects to vain delight. Biron. Why, all delights are vain; but that most vain, Which, with pain purchas'd, doth inherit pain : To seek the light of truth; while truth the while Doth falsely blind the eyesight of his look: * Light, seeking light, doth light of light beguile : Who dazzling so, that eye shall be his heed, That will not be deep search'd with saucy looks; Small have continual plodders ever won, Save base authority from others' books. 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! Dum. Proceeded well, to stop all good proceed ing! Long. He weeds the corn, and still lets grow the weeding. Biron. The spring is near, when green geese are a breeding. Dum. How follows that? * Dishonestly, treacherously. Biron. Fit in his place and time Dum. In reason nothing. Before the birds have any cause to sing? Than wish a snow in May's new fangled shows†; Climb o'er the house to unlock the little gate. King. Well, sit you out: go home, Birón; adieu! Biron. No, my good lord; I have sworn to stay with you : And, though I have for barbarism spoke more, And bide the penance of each three years' day. Biron. [Reads.] Item, That no woman shall come within a mile of my court. And hath this been proclaimed ? Four days ago. Who devised this? [Reads.]-On pain of losing her tongue. Long. Marry, that did I. Biron. Sweet lord, and why? Long. To fright them hence with that dread penalty. 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 + Games, sports. * Nipping. such public shame as the rest of the court can possibly 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 cómplete 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 de cree; She must lie* here of mere necessity. Biron. Necessity will make us all forsworn Three thousand times within this three year's 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; King. Ay, that there is our court, you know, is haunted : With a refined traveller of Spain; * Reside. †Temptations. Lively, spritely. A man in all the world's new fashion planted, For interim to our studies, shall relate, 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. 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 I am his grace's tharborough +: but I would see his own person in flesh and blood. Biron. This is he. Dull. Signior Arme-Arme-commends you.There's villainy abroad; this letter will tell you more. me. Cost. Sir, the contempts thereof are as touching 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 moderately; or to forbear both. * Called. ti. e. third-borough, a peace-officer. |