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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    Not Peer Reviewed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:

    sweete breath, as will vtter a brace of wordes.
    Quee. Doth this man serue God?
    2470Bero. Why aske you?
    Quee. A speakes not like a man of God his making.
    Brag. That is al one my faire sweete honie monarch,
    For I protest, the Schoolemaister is exceeding fantasticall,
    Too too vaine, too too vaine: but we will put it (as they say)
    2475to Fortuna delaguar, I wish you the peace of mind most royall
    cupplement. Exit.
    King. Heere is like to be a good presence of Worthies:
    He presents Hector of Troy, the Swaine Pompey the great, the
    parish Curate Alexander, Armadoes Page Hercules, the Pe-
    2480dant Iudas Machabeus: And if these foure Worthies in their
    first shew thriue, these foure will change habites, and present
    the other fiue.
    Bero. There is fiue in the first shew.
    King. You are deceiued, tis not so.
    2485Bero. The Pedant, the Bragart, the Hedge-Priest, the
    Foole, and the Boy,
    Abate throw at Nouum, and the whole world againe,
    Cannot picke out fiue such, take each one in his vaine.
    Kin. The Ship is vnder sayle, and heere she coms amaine.
    2490Enter Pompey.
    Clowne.
    I Pompey am.
    Bero. You lie, you are not he.
    Clow.
    I Pompey am,
    Boyet. With Libbards head on knee.
    2495Ber. Well said old mocker, I must needes be friendes with (thee.
    Clow.
    I Pompey am, Pompey surnamde the bigge.
    Duma. The great.
    Clow. It is great sir,
    Pompey surnamd the great.
    2500That oft in fielde with Targ and Shield did make my foe to sweat,
    And trauailing along this coast I heere am come by chaunce,
    And lay my Armes before the Leggs of this sweete Lasse of France.
    2505If your Ladishyp would say thankes Pompey, I had done.
    Lady. Great thankes great Pompey.
    Clo. Tis not so much worth: but I hope I was perfect. I
    made a litle fault in great.
    Bero.
    I1