Study me how to please the eye indeed, By fixing it upon a fairer eye, 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. These earthly godfathers of heaven's lights, That give a name to every fixed star, 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. 80 84 88 92 King. How well he's read, to reason against reading! Dum. Proceeded well, to stop all good proceeding! Long. He weeds the corn, and still lets grow the weeding. 96 Ber. The spring is near, when green geese are abreeding. Dum. How follows that? Ber. Dum. In reason nothing. Ber. Fit in his place and time. Something, then, in rime. King. Berowne is like an envious sneaping frost 100 That bites the first-born infants of the spring. Ber. Well, say I am: why should proud summer boast Before the birds have any cause to sing? Why should I joy in any abortive birth? 80-83 Study me... blinded by; cf. n. 86 Small: little 91 wot: know 104 85 saucy: bold 88-93 Cf. n. 95 Proceeded; cf. n. 99 Cf. n. 101 infants: buds or flowers 97 green geese: grass-fed goslings, i.e. simpletons 100 sneaping: nipping At Christmas I no more desire a rose So Than wish a snow in May's new-fangled shows; you, to study now it is too late, Climb o'er the house to unlock the little gate. 108 King. Well, sit you out: go home, Berowne: adieu! Ber. No, my good lord; I have sworn to stay with you: And though I have for barbarism spoke more Than for that angel knowledge you can say, Yet confident I'll keep what I have sworn, 112 116 And bide the penance of each three years' day. Give me the paper; let me read the same; And to the strictest decrees I'll write my name. King. How well this yielding rescues thee from shame! Ber. 'Item. That no woman shall come within a mile of my court.' Hath this been pro- 120 claimed? Long. Four days ago. Ber. Let's see the penalty. 'On pain of losing her tongue.' Who devised this penalty? Long. Marry, that did I. Ber. Sweet lord, and why? 124 Long. To fright them hence with that dread penalty. [Ber.] A dangerous law against gentility! 'Item. If any man be seen to talk with a wo- 128 man within the term of three years, he shall endure such public shame as the rest of the court can possibly devise.' 106 new-fangled shows; cf. n. 110 sit you out: withdraw 109 Cf. n. 114 confident: I am confident; cf. n. 115 each three years' day: each day for three years 119 Item: Mkewise 127 gentility: courtesy 132 This article, my liege, yourself must break; To her decrepit, sick, and bed-rid father. 136 Or vainly comes th' admired princess hither. forgot. Ber. 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. 140 144 King. We must of force dispense with this decree; She must lie here on mere necessity. Ber. Necessity will make us all forsworn 148 Three thousand times within this three years' 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.' 152 [Signs.] So to the laws at large I write my name: Suggestions are to others as to me; But I believe, although I seem so loath, 156 160 King. Ay, that there is. Our court, you know, is haunted 147 lie: lodge mere: absolute 151 special grace: divine help 157 Suggestions: temptations 150 affects: affections, passions 156 in attainder: convicted 160 quick: lively With a refined traveller of Spain, A man in all the world's new fashion planted, And I will use him for my minstrelsy. Ber. Armado is a most illustrious wight, A man of fire-new words, fashion's own knight. 164 168 172 176 Long. Costard the swain and he shall be our sport; And, so to study, three years is but short. Enter a Constable [Dull] with Costard Const. Which is the duke's own person? Const. I myself reprehend his own person, for I am his Grace's tharborough: but I would see his own person in flesh and blood. Ber. This is he. Const. Signior Arm-Arm-commends you. There's villainy abroad: this letter will tell you more. 165 who: whom 169 hight: is called 172 debate: warfare 177 fire-new: brand-new 180 184 183 tharborough: third borough (constable) 182 reprehend: i.e. represent Cost. Sir, the contempts thereof are as touching me. King. A letter from the magnificent Armado. Ber. How low soever the matter, I hope in 192 God for high words. Long. A high hope for a low heaven: God 'grant us patience! Ber. To hear, or forbear laughing? Long. To hear meekly, sir, and to laugh moderately, or to forbear both. Ber. Well, sir, be it as the style shall give us cause to climb in the merriness. Cost. The matter is to me, sir, as concerning Jaquenetta. The manner of it is, I was taken with the manner. Ber. In what manner? 196 200 204 Cost. In manner and form following, sir; all those three: I was seen with her in the manorhouse, sitting with her upon the form, and taken following her into the park; which, put together, 208 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 some form. Ber. For the following, sir? Cost. As it shall follow in my correction; and God defend the right! King. Will you hear this letter with attention? Cost. Such is the simplicity of man to hearken after the flesh. 189 contempts: i.e. contents 191 magnificent: showy, vainglorious 194 low heaven: i.e. moderate pleasure 203 with the manner (mainour): in the act 207 form: bench 212 216 213 correction: punishment |
