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  • Title: Love's Labor's Lost (Quarto 1, 1598)
  • Editor: Timothy Billings

  • Copyright Timothy Billings. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Timothy Billings
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Love's Labor's Lost (Quarto 1, 1598)

    A pleasant conceited Comedie:

    395Arm. My loue is most immaculate white and red.
    Boy. Most maculate thoughts Maister, are maskt vnder
    such colours.
    Ar. Define, define, well educated infant.
    Boy. My fathers wit, and my mothers tongue assist me.
    Ar. Sweet inuocation of a child, most pretty & pathetical.
    Boy. Yf she be made of white and red,
    Her faultes will nere be knowne:
    405For blush-in cheekes by faultes are bred,
    And feares by pale white showne:
    Then if she feare or be to blame,
    By this you shall not know,
    For still her cheekes possesse the same,
    410Which natiue she doth owe
    A dangerous rime maister against the reason of white & red.
    Ar. Is there not a Ballet Boy, of the King & the Begger?
    415Boy. The worlde was very guiltie of such a Ballet some
    three ages since, but I thinke now tis not to be found: or if it
    were, it would neither serue for the writing, nor the tune.
    Ar. I will haue that subiect newly writ ore, that I may
    420example my digression by some mightie presedent. Boy,
    I do loue, that Countrey girle that I tooke in the Parke
    with the rational hinde Costard: she deserues well.
    Boy. To be whipt: and yet a better loue then my maister.
    Ar. Sing Boy, My spirit growes heauie in loue.
    Boy. And thats great maruaile, louing a light Wench.
    Ar. I say sing.
    Boy. Forbeare till this companie be past.

    430Enter Clowne, Constable, and Wench.
    Constab. Sir, the Dukes pleasure is that you keepe C stard
    safe, and you must suffer him to take no delight, nor no pe-
    nance, but a'must fast three dayes a weeke: for this Damsell
    I must keepe her at the Parke, she is alowde for the Day
    435womand. Fare you well.
    Ar. I do betray my selfe with blushing: Maide.
    Maide. Man.
    Ar. I will visit thee at the Lodge.
    Maid.
    B3