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This etext was prepared by the PG Shakespeare Team, a team of about twenty Project Gutenberg volunteers.
LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST
by William Shakespeare
Dramatis Personae.
FERDINAND, King of Navarre BEROWNE, Lord attending on the King LONGAVILLE, Lord attending on the King DUMAINE, Lord attending on the King BOYET, Lord attending on the Princess of France MARCADE, Lord attending on the Princess of France DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO, a fantastical Spaniard SIR NATHANIEL, a Curate HOLOFERNES, a Schoolmaster DULL, a Constable COSTARD, a Clown MOTH, Page to Armado A FORESTER
THE PRINCESS OF FRANCE ROSALINE, Lady attending on the Princess MARIA, Lady attending on the Princess KATHARINE, Lady attending on the Princess JAQUENETTA, a country wench
Officers and Others, Attendants on the King and Princess.
SCENE: Navarre
ACT I.
SCENE I. The King of Navarre's park
[Enter the King, BEROWNE, LONGAVILLE, and DUMAIN.]
KING. Let fame, that all hunt after in their lives, Live regist'red upon our brazen tombs, And then grace us in the disgrace of death; When, spite of cormorant devouring Time, The endeavour of this present breath may buy That honour which shall bate his scythe's keen edge, And make us heirs of all eternity. Therefore, brave conquerors--for so you are That war against your own affections And the huge army of the world's desires-- Our late edict shall strongly stand in force: Navarre shall be the wonder of the world; Our court shall be a little academe, Still and contemplative in living art. You three, Berowne, Dumain, and Longaville, Have sworn for three years' term to live with me, My fellow-scholars, and to keep those statutes That are recorded in this schedule here: Your oaths are pass'd; and now subscribe your names, That his own hand may strike his honour down That violates the smallest branch herein. If you are arm'd to do as sworn to do, Subscribe to your deep oaths, and keep it too.
LONGAVILLE. I am resolv'd; 'tis but a three years' fast: The mind shall banquet, though the body pine: Fat paunches have lean pates; and dainty bits Make rich the ribs, but bankrupt quite the wits.
DUMAINE. My loving lord, Dumain is mortified: The grosser manner of these world's delights He throws upon the gross world's baser slaves; To love, to wealth, to pomp, I pine and die, With all these living in philosophy.
BEROWNE. I can but say their protestation over; 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 enrolled there: And one day in a week to touch no food, And but one meal on every day beside; The which I hope is not enrolled there: And then to sleep but three hours in the night And not be seen to wink of all the day,-- When I was wont to think no harm all night, And make a dark night too of half the day,-- Which I hope well is not enrolled there. O! these are barren tasks, too hard to keep, Not to see ladies, study, fast, not sleep.
KING. Your oath is pass'd to pass away from these.
BEROWNE. Let me say no, my liege, an if you please: I only swore to study with your
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