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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    Not Peer Reviewed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)

    called Loues Labor's lost.


    Enter a Constable with Costard with a letter.

    Constab. Which is the Dukes owne person?
    Ber. This fellow, What would'st?
    195Const. I my selfe reprehend his owne person, for I am his
    graces Farborough: But I would see his owne person
    in flesh and blood.
    Ber. This is he.
    Const. Signeour Arme Arme commendes you:
    200Ther's villanie abrod, this letter will tell you more.
    Clowne. Sir the Contempls thereof are as touching me.
    Fer. A letter from the magnifisent Armado.
    Bero. How low so euer the matter, I hope in God for high(words.
    Lon. A high hope for a low heauen. God grant vs patience
    Ber. To heare, or forbeare hearing.
    Lon. To heare meekely sir, and to laugh moderatly, or
    210to forbeare both.
    Bero. Well sir, be it as the stile shall giue vs cause to clime
    in the merrines.
    Clow.The matter is to me sir, as concerning Iaquenetta:
    The manner of it is, I was taken with the manner.
    215Bero. In what manner?
    Clow. In manner and forme folowing sir all those three.
    I was seene with her in the Manner house, sitting with her
    vppon the Forme, and taken following her into the Parke:
    which put togeather, is in manner and forme following.
    220Now sir for the manner, It is the manner of a man to speake
    to a woman, for the forme in some forme.
    Ber. For the following sir.
    Clow. As it shall follow in my correction, and God defend
    225the right.
    Ferd. Will you heare this Letter with attention?
    Bero.As we would heare an Oracle.
    Clow.Such is the sinplicitie of man to harken after the flesh
    230Ferd.
    GReat Deputie the welkis Vizgerent, and sole dominatur of
    Nauar, my soules earthes God, and bodies fostring patrone:
    Cost. Not a worde of Costart yet.
    235Ferd. So it is
    Cost.