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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    Not Peer Reviewed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:

    my turne: the Passado he respects not, the Duella he regards
    not; his disgrace is to be called Boy, but his glorie is to sub-
    due men. Adue Valoure, rust Rapier, be still Drum, for your
    manager is in loue; yea he loueth. Assist me some extempo-
    485rall God of Rime, for I am sure I shall turne Sonnet. Deuise
    Wit, write Pen, for I am for whole volumes in folio. Exit.

    490Enter the Princesse of Fraunce, with three
    attending Ladies and three Lordes.

    Boyet. Now Maddame summon vp your dearest spirrits,
    Cosider who the King your father sendes:
    To whom he sendes, and whats his Embassie.
    495Your selfe, helde precious in the worldes esteeme,
    To parlee with the sole inheritoure
    Of all perfections that a man may owe,
    Matchles Nauar, the plea of no lesse weight,
    Then Aquitaine a Dowrie for a Queene.
    500Be 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.
    Queene. Good L. Boyet, my beautie though but meane,
    505Needes not the painted florish of your prayse:
    Beautie is bought by iudgement of the eye,
    Not vttred by base sale of chapmens tongues:
    I am lesse proude to heare you tell my worth,
    Then you much willing to be counted wise,
    510In spending your Wit in the prayse of mine.
    But now to taske the tasker, good Boyet,
    You are not ignorant all telling fame
    Doth noyse abroad Nauar hath made a Vow,
    Till painefull studie shall outweare three yeeres.
    515No Woman may approch 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 worthines, we single you,
    As
    B4