If I break faith, this word shall speak for me,

I am forfworn on mere neceffity.

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 fhame :

Suggestions are to others, as to me;
But, I believe, although I feem fo loth,
I am the last that will last keep his oath.
But is there no quick recreation granted?

King. Ay, that there is: our court, you know, is
With a refined traveller of Spain;

[haunted

A man in all the world's new fashion planted,
That hath a mint of phrases in his brain :
One, whom the mufic of his own vain tongue
Doth ravish, like enchanting harmony;
A man of complements, whom right and wrong
Have chofe as umpire of their mutiny:
This child of fancy, that Armado hight,
For interim to our studies, shall relate,
In high-born words, the worth of many a knight
From tawny Spain, loft in the world's debate.
How you delight, my lords, I know not, I;
But, I proteft, I love to hear him lie,
And I will ufe him for my minftrelfy.

Bir. Armado is a moft illustrious wight,
A man of fire-new words, fafhion's own knight.
Long. Coftard the fwain, and he, fhall 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 perfon?
Bir. This, fellow; What would'st?

Dull. I myself reprehend his own perfon, for I am

hist

his grace's tharborough: but I would fee his own perfon in flesh and blood.

Bir. This is he.

Dull. Signior Arme--Arme-commends you. There's villany abroad; this letter will tell you more. Coft. Sir, the contempts thereof are as touching me. King. A letter from the magnificent Armado.

Bir. How low foever the matter, I hope in God for high words.

Long. A high hope for a low having: God grant us patience!

Bir. To hear? or forbear hearing?

Long. To hear meekly, fir, and to laugh moderately;

or to forbear both.

Bir. Well, fir, be it as the ftile fhall give us caufe to climb in the merrinefs.

Coft. The matter is to me, fir, as concerning Jaque-
The manner of it is, I was taken with the

netta.

manner.

Bir. In what manner?

Coft. In manner and form following, fir; 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, fir, for the manner,—it is the manner of a man to speak to a woman: for the form,in fome form.

Bir. For the following, fir?

Coft. As it fhall follow in my correction; And God defend the right!

King. Will
you hear this letter with attention?
Bir. As he would hear an oracle.

Cof. Such is the fimplicity of man to hearken after the flesh,

King. [Reads.] Great deputy, the welkin's vice-gerent, and fole dominator of Navarre, my foul's earth's God, and body's foftering patron,

Coft. Not a word of Costard yet.

King. So it is,

Coft. It may be fo: but if he fay it is fo, he is, in telling true, but fo, fo.

King Peace.

Cof-be to me, and every man that dares not fight! King. No words.

Coft-of other men's fecrets, I beseech you.

King. So it is, befieged with fable-colour'd melancholy, I did commend the black oppreffing humour to the most wholefome phyfic of thy health-giving air; and, as I am a gentleman, betook myself to walk. The time, when? About the fixth hour; when beafts moft graze, birds best peck, and men fit down to that nourishment which is called Supper. So much for the time when: Now for the ground which; which, I mean, I walk'd upon: it is yeleped, thy park. Then for the place where; where, I mean, I did encounter that obfcene and moft prepofterous event, that draweth from my fnow-white pen the ebon-colour'd ink, which here thou vieweft, beholdeft, furveyeft, or feeft: But to the place, where,-It flandeth north-north-eaft and by east from the west corner of thy curious-knotted garden: There did I fee that low-fpirited fwain, that bafe minnow of thy mirth,

Coft. Me.

King-that unletter'd fmall-knowing foul,
Coft. Me.

King-that fhallow vaffal,

Coft. Still me.

King-which, as I remember, hight Coflard,
Coft. O me!

King-forted and conforted, contrary to thy eftablished proclaimed edit and continent canon, with-with-0 with-but with this I paffion to fay wherewith. Coft. With a wench.

-

King with a child of our grandmother Eve, a female; or, for thy more fweet understanding, a woman. Him 1 (as my ever-efteemed 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 eftimation.

Dull. 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 fwain), I keep her as a veffel of thy law's fury; and fball, at the leaft of thy fweet notice, bring her to trial. Thine, in all compliments of devoted and heart-burning heat of duty, Don Adriano de Armado. Bir. This is not fo well as I look'd for, but the beft that ever I heard.

King. Ay, the beft for the worst. But, firrah, what fay 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, fir; I was taken with a damofel.

King. Well, it was proclaim'd damofel.

Coft. This was no damofel neither, fir; fhe was a virgin.

King. It is fo varied too; for it was proclaim'd, virgin.

Coft.

Coft. If it were, I deny her virginity; I was taken with a maid.

King. This maid will not ferve your turn, fir.
Coft. This maid will ferve my turn, fir.

King. Sir, I will pronounce your sentence; You fhall faft 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, see him deliver'd o'er.— And go we, lords, to put in practice that

Which each to other hath fo ftrongly fworn. [Exeunt King, LONG. and DUMAIN. Bir. I'll lay my head to any good man's hat, These oaths and laws will prove an idle scorn.— Sirrah, come on.

Coft. I fuffer for the truth, fir: 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 'till then, Sit thee down, forrow! [Exeunt.

SCENE II. ARMADO's Houfe.

Enter ARMADO, and MOTH.

Arm. Boy, what fign is it, when a man of great fpirit grows melancholy?

Moth. A great fign, fir, that he will look fad. Arm. Why, fadness is one and the self-same thing, dear imp.

Moth. No, no; O lord, fir, no.

Arm. How can't thou part sadness and melancholy my tender juvenal?

Moth