Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Timothy Billings
Not Peer Reviewed

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

called Loues Labor's lost.

Maid. Thats hereby.
440Ar. I know where it is situate.
Ma. Lord how wise you are.
Ar. I will tell thee wonders.
Ma. With that face.
Ar. I loue thee.
445Ma. So I heard you say.
Ar. And so farewell.
Ma. Faire weather after you.
Clo. Come Iaquenetta, away. Exeunt.
Ar. Villaine, thou shalt fast for thy offences ere thou be
450pardoned.
Clo. Well sir I hope when I do it, I shall do it on a full
stomacke.
Ar. Thou shalt be heauely punished.
Clo. I am more bound to you then your fellowes, for they
455are but lightly rewarded.
Ar. Take away this villaine, shut him vp.
Boy. Come you transgressing slaue, away.
Clo. Let me not be pent vp sir, I will fast being loose.
460Boy. No sir, that were fast and loose: thou shalt to prison.
Clo. Well, if euer I do see the merry dayes of desolation
that I haue seene, some shall see.
Boy. What shall some see?
465Clo. Nay nothing M. Moth, but what they looke vppon.
It is not for prisoners to be too silent in their wordes, and
therfore I will say nothing: I thanke God I haue as litle pa-
tience as an other man, & therfore I can be quiet. Exit.
470Arm. I do affect the verie ground (which is base) where her
shoo (which is baser) guided by her foote (which is basest)
doth tread. I shall be forsworne (which is a great argument
of falsehood) if I loue. And how can that be true loue, which
is falsely attempted? Loue is a familiar; Loue is a Diuell.
475There is no euill angel but Loue, yet was Sampson so temp-
ted, and he had an excellent strength: Yet was Salomon so
seduced, and he had a very good wit. Cupids Butshaft is too
hard for Hercules Clubb, and therefore too much oddes for a
Spaniards Rapier: The first and second cause will not serue
my