The. The best in this kind are but shadows; and the worst are no worse, if imagination amend them. Hip. It must be your imagination then, and not theirs. The. If we imagine no worse of them, than they of themselves, they may pass for excellent men. Here come two noble beasts in, a moon and a lion. Enter Lion and Moonshine. Lion. "You, ladies, you, whose gentle hearts do fear "The smallest monstrous mouse that creeps on floor, "May now, perchance, both quake and tremble here, "When lion rough in wildest rage doth roar. "Then know, that I, one Snug, the joiner, am "A lion fell, nor else no lion's dam: For if I should as lion c me in strife "Into this place, 'twere pity on my life." The. A very gentle beast, and of a good conscience. Dein. The very best at a beast, my lord, that e'er I saw. Lys. This lion is a very fox for his valour. The. True; and a goose for his discretion. Dem. Not so, my lord; for his valour cannot. carry his discretion; and the fox carries the goose, The. His discretion, I am sure, cannot carry his valour; for the goose carries not the fox. It is well leave it to his discretion, and let us listen to the moon. Moon. This lantern doth the horned moon present;" Dem. He should have worn the horns on his head. The. He is no crescent, and his horns are invisible within the circumference. Moon. "This lantern doth the horned moon present; "Myself the man i'th'moon do seem to be." The. This is the greatest error of all the rest: the man should be put into the lantern: How is it else the man i'the moon. Dem. He dares not come there for the candle: for, you see, it is already in snuff. Hip. I am aweary of this moon: Would, he would change! The. It appears, by his small light of discretion, that he is in the wane: but yet, in courtesy, in all reason, we must stay the time. Lys. Proceed, moon. Moon. "All that I have to say, is, to tell you, that the lantern is the moon; I, the man in the moon ; this thorn-bush, my thorn-bush; and this dog, my dog." Dem. Why, all these should be in the lantern; for they are in the moon. But, silence; here] comes Thisbe. "Eyes, do you see? "How can it be? "O dainty duck! O dear! "Thy mantle good, "What, stain'd with blood ? "Approach, ye furies fell! O fates! come, come; "Cut thread and thrum; "Quail, crush, conclude, and quell !" The. This passion, and the death of a dear friend, would go near to make a man look sad. Hip. Beshrew my heart, but I pity the man. Pyr. "O, wherefore, nature, didst thou lions frame? "Since lion vile hath here deflour'd my dear: Which is-no, no-which was the fairest dame, "That liv'd, that lov'd, that lik'd, that look'd with cheer. "Come, tears, confound; "Out, sword, and wound. "The pap of Pyramus: "Ay, that left pap, "Where heart doth hop:- "Tongue, lose thy light! "Now die, die, die, die, die." [Dies.-Exit Moonshine. Dem. No die, but an ace, for him; for he is but Hip. Methinks, she should not use a long one, for such a Pyramus: 1 hope, she will be brief. Dem. A mote will turn the balance, which Py. ramus, which Thisbe, is the better. Lys. She hath spied him already with those sweet eyes. Dem. And thus she moans, videlicet. "What, dead, my dove ? "O Pyramus, arise, "Speak, speak. Quite dumb? "Must cover thy sweet eyes. "These yellow cowslip cheeks, "Are gone, are gone: "With hands as pale as milk; "Lay them in gore, "With shears his thread of silk. "Come, blade, my breast imbrue : "Thus Thisbe ends: "Adieu, adieu, adieu." [Dies needs no excuse. Never excuse; for when the players are all dead, there need none to be blamed. Marry, if he that writ it, had play'd Pyramus, and hanged himself in Thisbe's garter, it would have been a fine tragedy: and so it is, truly; and very notably discharged. But come, your Bergomask: let your epilogue alone. [Here a dance of Clowns. The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve:Lovers, to bed; 'tis almost fairy time. I fear we shall out-sleep the coming morn, The heavy gait of night.-Sweet friends, to bed.- In nightly revels, and new jollity. SCENE II. Enter Puck. Puck. Now the hungry lion roars, [Exeunt. Whilst the scritch-owl, scritching loud, That the graves, all gaping wide, In the church-way paths to glide: By the triple Hecat's team, Shall disturb this hallow'd house : Το sweep the dust behind the door. Enter Oberon and Titania, with their train. Obe. Through this house give glimmering light, By the dead and drowsy fire: Every elf, and fairy sprite, Hop as light as bird from brier; And this ditty, after me, Sing, and dance it trippingly. Obe. Now, until the break of day, So shall all the couples three And the blots of nature's hand Shall upon their children be.-- Every fairy take his gait; And each several chamber bless, And the owner of it blest. Make no stay: Meet me all by break of day. [Exeunt Oberon, Titania, and train. Puck. If we shadows have offended, Think but this, (and all is mended,) That you have but slumber'd here, While these visions did appear. And this weak and idle theme, No more yielding but a dream, Gentles, do not reprehend; If you pardon, we will mend. And, as I'm an honest Puck, If we have unearned luck Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue, We will make amends, ere long: Else the Puck a liar call. So, good night unto you all. Give me your hands, if we be friends, LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST. PERSONS REPRESENTED. Lords, attending on the King. Lords, attending on the Princess of France. [Exit. Ladies, attending on the Princess. Jaquenetta, a country wench. Officers and others, Attendants on the King and Princess. SCENE,-Navarre. SCENE I. Navarre. A Park, with a Palace in it. And the huge army of the world's desires,- Long. I am resolv'd: 'tis but a three years' fast; The mind shall banquet, though the body pine: Fat paunches have lean pates; and dainty bits Make rich the ribs, but bank'rout quite the wits. Dum. My loving lord, Dumain is mortified; The grosser manner of these world's delights He throws upon the gross world's baser slaves: To love, to wealth, to pomp, I pine and die; With all these living in philosophy. Biron. I can but say their protestation over, So much, dear liege, I have already sworn, That is, To live and study here three years. But there are other strict observances: As, not to see a woman in that term; Which, I hope well, is not enrolled there: And, one day in a week to touch no food; And but one meal on every day beside; The which, I hope, is not enrolled there: And then, to sleep but three hours in the night, And not be seen to wink of all the day; (When I was wont to think no harm all night, And make a dark night too of half the day ;) Which, I hope well, is not enrolled there: O, these are barren tasks, too hard to keep; Not to see ladies, study, fast, not sleep. King. Your oath is pass'd 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, Biron, 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 to break it, and not break my troth. If study's gain be thus, and this be so, Study knows that, which yet it doth not know: Swear me to this, and I will ne'er say, no. 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: As, painfully to pore upon a book, 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 So, ere you find where light in darkness lies, Your light grows dark by losing of your eyes. Study me how to please the eye indeed, By fixing it upon a fairer eye; That will not be deep-search'd with saucy looks; : Dum. In reason nothing. Biron. Something then in rhyme. Long. Biron is like an envious sneaping frost, al That bites the first-born infants of the spring. Biron. Well, say I am; why should proud summer boast, Before the birds have any cause to sing? i Climb o'er the house to unlock the little gate. 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 proclaim'd? Long. Four days ago. Biron. Let's see the penalty. [Reads.]—On pain of losing her tongue. Who devis'd this? Long. Marry, that did I. 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 such publick shame as the rest of the court can possibly devise. This article, my liege, yourself must break; speak, A maid of grace, and complete majesty, About surrender-up of Aquitain To her decrepit, sick, and bed-rid father: Therefore this article is made in vain, For every man with his affects is born; '[cree; 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; But, I believe, although I seem so 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 haunted King. How well he's read, to reason against Fit in his place and time. With a refined traveller of Spain; |