Love's Labour's Lost: Act 1

Let fame, that all hunt after in their lives,
Live registered upon our brazen tombs,
And then grace us in the disgrace of death,
When, spite of cormorant devouring time,
Th’ endeavor of this present breath may buy
That honor which shall bate his scythe’s keen edge
And make us heirs of all eternity.

Let fame, that all hunt after in their lives,
Live registered upon our brazen tombs,
And then grace us in the disgrace of death,
When, spite of cormorant devouring time,
Th’ endeavor of this present breath may buy
That honor which shall bate his scythe’s keen edge
And make us heirs of all eternity.

To love, to wealth, to pomp I pine and die,
With all these living in philosophy.

So much, dear liege, I have already sworn,
That is, to live and study here three years.

But there are other strict observances:
As not to see a woman in that term,
Which I hope well is not enrollèd there

BEROWNE: What is the end of study, let me know?
KING: Why, that to know which else we should not know.
BEROWNE: Things hid and barred, you mean, from common sense.
KING: Ay, that is study’s godlike recompense.

As thus—to study where I well may dine,
When I to feast expressly am forbid;
Or study where to meet some mistress fine
When mistresses from common sense are hid;
Or having sworn too hard-a-keeping oath,
Study to break it, and not break my troth.

Light seeking light doth light of light beguile.

Study is like the heaven’s glorious sun,
That will not be deep-searched with saucy looks.

A dangerous law against gentility.

This article, my liege, yourself must break,
For well you know here comes in embassy
The French king’s daughter with yourself to speak—
A maid of grace and complete majesty—
About surrender up of Aquitaine
To her decrepit, sick, and bedrid father.

Suggestions are to other as to me,
But I believe, although I seem so loath,
I am the last that will last keep his oath.

This child of fancy, that Armado hight,
For interim to our studies shall relate
In high-born words the worth of many a knight
From tawny Spain lost in the world’s debate.

Armado is a most illustrious wight,
A man of fire-new words, fashion’s own knight.

LONGAVILLE: A high hope for a low heaven. God grant us patience!
BEROWNE: To hear, or forbear hearing?
LONGAVILLE: To hear meekly, sir, and to laugh moderately, or to forbear both.

KING: Peace.
COSTARD: Be to me, and every man that dares not fight.
KING: No words.
COSTARD: Of other men’s secrets, I beseech you.

So it is, besieged with sable-colored melancholy, I did commend the black oppressing humor to the most wholesome physic of thy health-giving air; and, as I am a gentleman, betook myself to walk.

There did I see that low-spirited swain, that base minnow of thy mirth,—

KING: [reads] sorted and consorted, contrary to thy established proclaimed edict and continent canon, which with—O with—but with this I passion to say wherewith—

KING: [reads] sorted and consorted, contrary to thy established proclaimed edict and continent canon, which with—O with—but with this I passion to say wherewith—

KING: [reads] with a child of our grandmother Eve, a female; or, for thy more sweet understanding, a woman: him, I, as my ever-esteemed duty pricks me on, have sent to thee, to receive the meed of punishment by thy sweet Grace’s officer, Anthony Dull, a man of good repute, carriage, bearing, and estimation.

KING: [reads] with a child of our grandmother Eve, a female; or, for thy more sweet understanding, a woman: him, I, as my ever-esteemed duty pricks me on, have sent to thee, to receive the meed of punishment by thy sweet Grace’s officer, Anthony Dull, a man of good repute, carriage, bearing, and estimation.

For Jaquenetta—so is the weaker vessel called which I apprehended with the aforesaid swain—I keep her as a vessel of thy law’s fury, and shall, at the least of thy sweet notice, bring her to trial.

ARMADO: Why “tough signior”? Why “tough signior”?
BOY: Why “tender juvenal”? Why “tender juvenal”?
ARMADO: I spoke it “tender juvenal” as a congruent epitheton appertaining to thy young days, which we may nominate “tender.”

ARMADO: Why “tough signior”? Why “tough signior”?
BOY: Why “tender juvenal”? Why “tender juvenal”?
ARMADO: I spoke it “tender juvenal” as a congruent epitheton appertaining to thy young days, which we may nominate “tender.”

And I “tough signior” as an appurtenant title to your old time, which we may name “tough.”

BOY: Speak you this in my praise, master?
ARMADO: In thy condign praise.

BOY: How many is one thrice told?
ARMADO: I am ill at reckoning.

BOY: [aside] To prove you a cipher.

If drawing my sword against the humor of affection would deliver me from the reprobate thought of it, I would take desire prisoner and ransom him to any French courtier for a new-devised curtsy.

If drawing my sword against the humor of affection would deliver me from the reprobate thought of it, I would take desire prisoner and ransom him to any French courtier for a new-devised curtsy.

Most maculate thoughts, master, are masked under such colors.

BOY: My father’s wit and my mother’s tongue, assist me.
ARMADO: Sweet invocation of a child, most pretty and pathetical.

Come, you transgressing slave, away.

Devise wit, write pen, for I am for whole volumes in folio.