PERSONS REPRESENTED. FERDINAND, King of Navarre BIRON, LONGAVILLE, DUMAIN, BOYET, MERCADE, Lords, attending on the King. Lords, attending on the Princess of Don ADRIANO DE ARMADO, a fantastical Spaniard. Sir NATHANIEL, a Curate. HOLOFERNES, a Schoolmaster. DULL, a Constable. COSTARD, a Clown, MOTH, Page to ARMADO. JAQUENETTA, a country Wench. Officers and others, attendants on the King and Princess. SCENE, Navarre. ACT I. SCENE I. Navarre. A Park, with a Palace in it. Enter the King, BIRON, LONGAVILLE, and DUMAIN. King. LET fame, that all hunt after in their lives, Live register'd upon our brazen tombs, And then grace us in the difgrace of death; When, fpite of cormorant devouring time, The endeavour of this prefent breath may buy That honour, which fhall bate his fcythe's keen edge, And make us heirs of all eternity. Therefore, brave conquerors!-for so you are, Your oaths are paft, and now fubfcribe your names; Fat paunches have lean pates; and dainty bits Biron. I can but fay their proteftation over, King. Your oath is pafs'd to pafs away from thefe. Biron. Let me fay, no, my liege, an if you pleafe; I only fwore, to ftudy with your grace, And stay here in your court for three years' space. Long. You fwore to that, Biron, and to the rest. Biron. By yea and nay, fir, then I fwore in jeft. What is the end of ftudy? let me know. King. Why, that to know, which else we should not know. Biron. Things hid and barr'd, you mean, from common fenfe? King. Ay, that is ftudy's god-like recompenfe. |