Shakespeare's First Folio
Chapter 113 : Brag. Villaine, thou shalt fast for thy offences ere thou be pardoned Clo. Well sir, I

Brag. Villaine, thou shalt fast for thy offences ere thou be pardoned

Clo. Well sir, I hope when I doe it, I shall doe it on a full stomacke

Brag. Thou shalt be heauily punished

Clo. I am more bound to you then your fellowes, for they are but lightly rewarded

Clo. Take away this villaine, shut him vp

Boy. Come you transgressing slaue, away

Clow. Let mee not bee pent vp sir, I will fast being loose

Boy. No sir, that were fast and loose: thou shalt to prison

Clow. Well, if euer I do see the merry dayes of desolation that I haue seene, some shall see

Boy. What shall some see?

Clow. Nay nothing, Master Moth, but what they looke vpon. It is not for prisoners to be silent in their words, and therefore I will say nothing: I thanke G.o.d, I haue as little patience as another man, and therefore I can be quiet.

Enter.

Brag. I doe affect the very ground (which is base) where her shooe (which is baser) guided by her foote (which is basest) doth tread. I shall be forsworn (which is a great argument of falshood) if I loue. And how can that be true loue, which is falsly attempted? Loue is a familiar, Loue is a Diuell. There is no euill Angell but Loue, yet Sampson was so tempted, and he had an excellent strength: Yet was Salomon so seduced, and hee had a very good witte. Cupids Butshaft is too hard for Hercules Clubbe, and therefore too much ods for a Spaniards Rapier: The first and second cause will not serue my turne: the Pa.s.sado hee respects not, the Duello he regards not; his disgrace is to be called Boy, but his glorie is to subdue men. Adue Valour, rust Rapier, bee still Drum, for your manager is in loue; yea hee loueth.

a.s.sist me some extemporall G.o.d of Rime, for I am sure I shall turne Sonnet. Deuise Wit, write Pen, for I am for whole volumes in folio.

Enter.

Finis Actus Primus.

Actus Secunda.

Enter the Princesse of France, with three attending Ladies, and three Lords

Boyet. Now Madam summon vp your dearest spirits, Consider who the King your father sends: To whom he sends, and what's his Emba.s.sie.

Your selfe, held precious in the worlds esteeme, To parlee with the sole inheritour Of all perfections that a man may owe, Matchlesse Nauarre, the plea of no lesse weight Then Aquitaine, a Dowrie for a Queene, Be now as prodigall of all deare grace, As Nature was in making Graces deare, When she did starue the generall world beside, And prodigally gaue them all to you

Queen. Good L[ord]. Boyet, my beauty though but mean, Needs not the painted flourish of your praise: Beauty is bought by iudgement of the eye, Not vttred by base sale of chapmens tongues: I am lesse proud to heare you tell my worth, Then you much willing to be counted wise, In spending your wit in the praise of mine.

But now to taske the tasker, good Boyet

Prin. You are not ignorant all-telling fame Doth noyse abroad Nauar hath made a vow, Till painefull studie shall out-weare three yeares, No woman may approach his silent Court: Therefore to's seemeth it a needfull course, Before we enter his forbidden gates, To know his pleasure, and in that behalfe Bold of your worthinesse, we single you, As our best mouing faire soliciter: Tell him, the daughter of the King of France, On serious businesse crauing quicke dispatch, Importunes personall conference with his grace.

Haste, signifie so much while we attend, Like humble visag'd suters his high will

Boy. Proud of imployment, willingly I goe.

Enter.

Prin. All pride is willing pride, and yours is so: Who are the Votaries my Louing Lords, that are vow-fellowes with this vertuous Duke?

Lor. Longauill is one

Princ. Know you the man?

1 Lady. I know him Madame at a marriage feast, Betweene L[ord]. Perigort and the beautious heire Of Iaques Fauconbridge solemnized.

In Normandie saw I this Longauill, A man of soueraigne parts he is esteem'd: Well fitted in Arts, glorious in Armes: Nothing becomes him ill that he would well.

The onely soyle of his faire vertues glosse, If vertues glosse will staine with any soile, Is a sharp wit match'd with too blunt a Will: Whose edge hath power to cut whose will still wills, It should none spare that come within his power

Prin. Some merry mocking Lord belike, ist so?

Lad.1. They say so most, that most his humors know

Prin. such short liu'd wits do wither as they grow.

Who are the rest?

2.Lad. The yong Dumaine, a well accomplisht youth, Of all that Vertue loue, for Vertue loued.

Most power to doe most harme, least knowing ill: For he hath wit to make an ill shape good, And shape to win grace though she had no wit.

I saw him at the Duke Alansoes once, And much too little of that good I saw, Is my report to his great worthinesse

Rossa. Another of these Students at that time, Was there with him, as I haue heard a truth.

Berowne they call him, but a merrier man, Within the limit of becomming mirth, I neuer spent an houres talke withall.

His eye begets occasion for his wit, For euery obiect that the one doth catch, The other turnes to a mirth-mouing iest.

Which his faire tongue (conceits expositor) Deliuers in such apt and gracious words, That aged eares play treuant at his tales, And yonger hearings are quite rauished.

So sweet and voluble is his discourse

Prin. G.o.d blesse my Ladies, are they all in loue?

That euery one her owne hath garnished, With such bedecking ornaments of praise

Ma. Heere comes Boyet.

Enter Boyet.

Prin. Now, what admittance Lord?

Boyet. Nauar had notice of your faire approach; And he and his compet.i.tors in oath, Were all addrest to meete you gentle Lady Before I came: Marrie thus much I haue learnt, He rather meanes to lodge you in the field, Like one that comes heere to besiege his Court, Then seeke a dispensation for his oath: To let you enter his vnpeopled house.

Enter Nauar, Longauill, Dumaine, and Berowne.

Heere comes Nauar

Nau. Faire Princesse, welcom to the Court of Nauar

Prin. Faire I giue you backe againe, and welcome I haue not yet: the roofe of this Court is too high to bee yours, and welcome to the wide fields, too base to be mine

Nau. You shall be welcome Madam to my Court

Prin. I wil be welcome then, Conduct me thither

Nau. Heare me deare Lady, I haue sworne an oath

Prin. Our Lady helpe my Lord, he'll be forsworne

Nau. Not for the world faire Madam, by my will

Prin. Why, will shall breake it will, and nothing els

Nau. Your Ladis.h.i.+p is ignorant what it is