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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    Not Peer Reviewed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)



    Enter Ferdinand K. of Nauar, Berowne,
    Longauill, and Dumaine.
    Ferdinand.
    5LET Fame, that all hunt after in their lyues,
    Liue registred vpon our brazen Tombes,
    And then grace vs, in the disgrace of death:
    When spight of cormorant deuouring Time,
    Thendeuour of this present breath may buy:
    10That honour which shall bate his sythes keene edge,
    And make vs heires of all eternitie.
    Therefore braue Conquerours, for so you are,
    That warre agaynst your owne affections,
    And the hudge armie of the worldes desires.
    15Our late edict shall strongly stand in force,
    Nauar shall be the wonder of the worlde.
    Our Court shalbe a lytlle Achademe,
    Still and contemplatyue in lyuing art.
    You three, Berowne, Dumaine, and Longauill,
    20Haue sworne for three yeeres tearme, to liue with me:
    My fellow Schollers, and to keepe those statutes
    That are recorded in this sedule here.
    Your othes are past, and now subscribe your names:
    That his owne hand may strike his honour downe,
    25That violates the smallest branch herein.
    If you are armd to do, as sworne to do,
    Subscribe to your deepe othes, and keepe it to.
    Longauill. I am resolued, tis but a thee yeeres fast:
    The minde shall banquet, though the body pine,
    30Fat paunches haue leane pates: and daynty bits
    Make rich the ribbes, but bancrout quite the wits.
    Dumaine My louing Lord, Dumaine is mortefied,
    The grosser manner of these worldes delyghts:
    He throwes vppon the grosse worlds baser slaues
    A pleasant conceited Comedie:
    To
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