100Dum. Proceeded well, to stop all good proceeding.

101Lon. Hee weedes the corne, and still lets grow the

102weeding.

103Ber. The Spring is neare when greene geesse are a

104breeding.

105Dum. How followes that?

106Ber. Fit in his place and time.

107Dum. In reason nothing.

108Ber. Something then in rime.

109Ferd. Berowne is like an enuious sneaping Frost,

110That bites the first borne infants of the Spring.

111Ber. Wel, say I am, why should proud Summer boast,

112Before the Birds haue any cause to sing?

113Why should I ioy in any abortiue birth?

114At Christmas I no more desire a Rose,

115Then wish a Snow in Mayes new fangled showes:

116But like of each thing that in season growes.

117So you to studie now it is too late,

118That were to clymbe ore the house to vnlocke the gate.

119Fer. Well, sit you out: go home Berowne: adue.

120Ber. No my good Lord, I haue sworn to stay with you.

121And though I haue for barbarisme spoke more,

122Then for that Angell knowledge you can say,

123Yet confident Ile keepe what I haue sworne,

124And bide the pennance of each three yeares day.

125Giue me the paper, let me reade the same,

126And to the strictest decrees Ile write my name.

127Fer. How well this yeelding rescues thee from shame.

130Hath this bin proclaimed?

131Lon. Foure dayes agoe.

132Ber. Let's see the penaltie.

134Who deuis'd this penaltie?

135Lon. Marry that did I.

136Ber. Sweete Lord, and why?

137Lon. To fright them hence with that dread penaltie,

138A dangerous law against gentilitie.

143Ber. This Article my Liedge your selfe must breake,

144For well you know here comes in Embassie

145The French Kings daughter, with your selfe to speake:

146A Maide of grace and compleate maiestie,

147About surrender vp of Aquitaine:

148To her decrepit, sicke, and bed-rid Father.

149Therefore this Article is made in vaine,

150Or vainly comes th'admired Princesse hither.

151Fer. What say you Lords?

152Why, this was quite forgot.

153Ber. So Studie euermore is ouershot,

154While it doth study to haue what it would,

155It doth forget to doe the thing it should:

156And when it hath the thing it hunteth most,

157'Tis won as townes with fire, so won, so lost.

158Fer. We must of force dispence with this Decree,

159She must lye here on meere necessitie.

160Ber. Necessity will make vs all forsworne

161Three thousand times within this three yeeres space:

162For euery man with his affects is borne,

163Not by might mastred, but by speciall grace.

164If I breake faith, this word shall breake for me,

165I am forsworne on meere necessitie.

166So to the Lawes at large I write my name,

167And he that breakes them in the least degree,

168Stands in attainder of eternall shame.

169Suggestions are to others as to me:

170But I beleeue although I seeme so loth,

171I am the last that will last keepe his oth.

172But is there no quicke recreation granted?

173Fer. I that there is, our Court you know is hanted

174With a refined trauailer of Spaine,

175A man in all the worlds new fashion planted,

176That hath a mint of phrases in his braine:

177One, who the musicke of his owne vaine tongue,

178Doth rauish like inchanting harmonie:

179A man of complements whom right and wrong

180Haue chose as vmpire of their mutinie.

181This childe of fancie that Armado hight,

182For interim to our studies shall relate,

183In high-borne words the worth of many a Knight:

184From tawnie Spaine lost in the worlds debate.

185How you delight my Lords, I know not I,

186But I protest I loue to heare him lie,

187And I will vse him for my Minstrelsie.

188Bero. Armado is a most illustrious wight,

189A man of fire, new words, fashions owne Knight.

190Lon. Costard the swaine and he, shall be our sport,

191And so to studie, three yeeres is but short.

193Const. Which is the Dukes owne person.

194Ber. This fellow, What would'st?

195Con. I my selfe reprehend his owne person, for I am

196his graces Tharborough: But I would see his own person

197in flesh and blood.

198Ber. This is he.

199Con. Signeor Arme, Arme commends you:

200Ther's villanie abroad, this letter will tell you more.

201Clow. Sir the Contempts thereof are as touching

202mee.

203Fer. A letter from the magnificent Armado.

204Ber. How low soeuer the matter, I hope in God for

205high words.

206Lon. A high hope for a low heauen, God grant vs pa-

207tience.

208Ber. To heare, or forbeare hearing.

209Lon. To heare meekely sir, and to laugh moderately,

210or to forbeare both.

211Ber. Well sir, be it as the stile shall giue vs cause to

212clime in the merrinesse.

213Clo. The matter is to me sir, as concerning Iaquenetta.

214The manner of it is, I was taken with the manner.

215Ber. In what manner?

216Clo. In manner and forme following sir all those three.

217I was seene with her in the Mannor house, sitting with

218her vpon the Forme, and taken following her into the

219Parke: which put to gether, is in manner and forme

220following. Now sir for the manner; It is the manner

221of a man to speake to a woman, for the forme in some

222forme.

223Ber. For the following sir.

224Clo. As it shall follow in my correction, and God de-

225fend the right.

226Fer. Will you heare this Letter with attention?

227Ber. As we would heare an Oracle.

228Clo. Such is the simplicitie of man to harken after the

229flesh.

L2 Fer. Great