# Love's Labour's Lost (1925) Yale/Text/Act I

Notes originally placed at the bottom of each page appear below, following Act I. Where these notes gloss a word in the text, the gloss can also be found by hovering over the text.
Where these notes refer to an end note (cf. n. = confer notam; "consult note"), a link to the accompanying end note is provided from the Footnotes section. The end notes accompanying Act I begin on page 108 of the original volume.
Layout 2
ACT FIRST
Scene One
[The King of Navarre's Park]
Enter Ferdinand King of Navarre, Berowne, Longaville, and Dumaine.
King. Let fame, that all hunt after in their lives, Live register'd upon our brazen tombs, And then grace us in the disgrace of death; When, spite of cormorant devouring Time, 4 Th' 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, 8 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; 12 Our court shall be a little academe, Still and contemplative in living art. You three, Berowne, Dumaine, and Longaville, Have sworn for three years' term to live with me, 16 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 20 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.
Long. I am resolv'd; 'tis but a three years' fast: 24 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.
Dum. My loving lord, Dumaine is mortified: 28 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. 32
Ber. 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; 36 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; 40 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 44 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. 48
King. Your oath is pass'd to pass away from these.
Ber. Let me say no, my liege, an if you please. I only swore to study with your Grace, ​And stay here in your court for three years' space. 52
Long. You swore to that, Berowne, and to the rest.
Ber. By yea and nay, sir, then I swore in jest. What is the end of study? let me know.
King. Why, that to know which else we should not know. 56
Ber. Things hid and barr'd, you mean, from common sense?
King. Ay, that is study's godlike recompense.
Ber. Come on then; I will swear to study so, To know the thing I am forbid to know; 60 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; 64 Or, having sworn too hard-a-keeping oath, Study to break it, and not break my troth. If study's gain be thus, and this be so, Study knows that which yet it doth not know. 68 Swear me to this, and I will ne'er say no.
King. These be the stops that hinder study quite, And train our intellects to vain delight.
Ber. Why, all delights are vain; but that most vain 72 Which, with pain purchas'd, doth inherit pain: As, painfully to pore upon a book, To seek the light of truth; while truth the while Doth falsely blind the eyesight of his look: 76 Light seeking light doth light of light beguile: So, ere you find where light in darkness lies, Your light grows dark by losing of your eyes. ​Study me how to please the eye indeed, 80 By fixing it upon a fairer eye, Who dazzling so, that eye shall be his heed, And give him light that it was blinded by. Study is like the heaven's glorious sun, 84 That will not be deep-search'd with saucy looks: Small have continual plodders ever won, Save base authority from others' books. These earthly godfathers of heaven's lights, 88 That give a name to every fixed star, Have no more profit of their shining nights Than those that walk and wot not what they are. Too much to know is to know nought but fame; 92 And every godfather can give a name.
King. How well he's read, to reason against reading!
Dum. Proceeded well, to stop all good proceeding!
Long. He weeds the corn, and still lets grow the weeding. 96
Ber. The spring is near, when green geese are a-breeding.
Dum. How follows that?
Ber. Fit in his place and time.
Dum. In reason nothing.
Ber. Something, then, in rime.
King. Berowne is like an envious sneaping frost 100 That bites the first-born infants of the spring.
Ber. Well, say I am: why should proud summer boast Before the birds have any cause to sing? Why should I joy in any abortive birth? 104 ​At Christmas I no more desire a rose Than wish a snow in May's new-fangled shows; But like of each thing that in season grows. So you, to study now it is too late, 108 Climb o'er the house to unlock the little gate.
King. Well, sit you out: go home, Berowne: adieu!
Ber. No, my good lord; I have sworn to stay with you: And though I have for barbarism spoke more 112 Than for that angel knowledge you can say, Yet confident I'll keep what I have sworn, And bide the penance of each three years' day. Give me the paper; let me read the same; 116 And to the strictest decrees I'll write my name.
King. How well this yielding rescues thee from shame!
Ber. 'Item. That no woman shall come with- in a mile of my court.' Hath this been pro- 120 claimed?
Long. Four days ago.
Ber. Let's see the penalty. 'On pain of losing her tongue.' Who devised this penalty? 124
Long. Marry, that did I.
Ber. Sweet lord, and why?
Long. To fright them hence with that dread penalty.
[Ber.] A dangerous law against gentility! 'Item. If any man be seen to talk with a wo- 128 man within the term of three years, he shall endure such public shame as the rest of the court can possibly devise.' ​This article, my liege, yourself must break; 132 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 136 To her decrepit, sick, and bed-rid father. Therefore this article is made in vain, Or vainly comes th' admired princess hither.
King. What say you, lords? why, this was quite forgot. 140
Ber. So study evermore is overshot: While it doth study to have what it would, It doth forget to do the thing it should; And when it hath the thing it hunteth most, 144 'Tis won as towns with fire; so won, so lost.
King. We must of force dispense with this decree; She must lie here on mere necessity.
Ber. Necessity will make us all forsworn 148 Three thousand times within this three years' space: For every man with his affects is born, Not by might master'd, but by special grace. If I break faith, this word shall speak for me: 152 I am forsworn 'on mere necessity.' So to the laws at large I write my name: [Signs.] And he that breaks them in the least degree Stands in attainder of eternal shame. 156 Suggestions are to others as to me; But I believe, although I seem so loath, I am the last that will last keep his oath. But is there no quick recreation granted? 160
King. Ay, that there is. Our court, you know, is haunted ​With a refined traveller of Spain, A man in all the world's new fashion planted, That hath a mint of phrases in his brain; 164 One who the music of his own vain tongue Doth ravish like enchanting harmony; A man of complements, whom right and wrong Have chose as umpire of their mutiny. 168 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. 172 How you delight, my lords, I know not, I; But, I protest, I love to hear him lie, And I will use him for my minstrelsy.
Ber. Armado is a most illustrious wight, 176 A man of fire-new words, fashion's own knight.
Long. Costard the swain and he shall be our sport; And, so to study, three years is but short.
Enter a Constable [Dull] with Costard with a Letter.
Const. Which is the duke's own person? 180
Ber. This, fellow. What wouldst?
Const. I myself reprehend his own person, for I am his Grace's tharborough: but I would see his own person in flesh and blood. 184
Ber. This is he.
Const. Signior Arm—Arm—commends you. There's villainy abroad: this letter will tell you more. 188
​Cost. Sir, the contempts thereof are as touch- ing me.
King. A letter from the magnificent Armado.
Ber. How low soever the matter, I hope in 192 God for high words.
Long. A high hope for a low heaven: God grant us patience!
Ber. To hear, or forbear laughing? 196
Long. To hear meekly, sir, and to laugh moderately, or to forbear both.
Ber. Well, sir, be it as the style shall give us cause to climb in the merriness. 200
Cost. The matter is to me, sir, as concerning Jaquenetta. The manner of it is, I was taken with the manner.
Ber. In what manner? 204
Cost. In manner and form following, sir; all those three: I was seen with her in the manor- house, sitting with her upon the form, and taken following her into the park; which, put together, 208 is, in manner and form following. Now, sir, for the manner,—it is the manner of a man to speak to a woman, for the form,—in some form.
Ber. For the following, sir? 212
Cost. As it shall follow in my correction; and God defend the right!
King. Will you hear this letter with attention?
Ber. As we would hear an oracle. 216
Cost. Such is the simplicity of man to hearken after the flesh.
​King. [Reads.] 'Great deputy, the welkin's vice- gerent, and sole dominator of Navarre, my soul's 220 earth's God, and body's fostering patron,—'
Cost. Not a word of Costard yet.
King. [Reads.] 'So it is—'
Cost. It may be so; but if he say it is so, he 224 is, in telling true, but so.—
King. Peace!
Cost. Be to me and every man that dares not fight. 228
King. No words!
Cost. Of other men's secrets, I beseech you.
King. [Reads.] 'So it is, besieged with sable-col- oured melancholy, I did commend the black-op- 232 pressing humour to the most wholesome physic of thy health-giving air; and, as I am a gentle- man, betook myself to walk. The time when? About the sixth hour; when beasts most graze, 236 birds best peck, and men sit down to that nourishment which is called supper: so much for the time when. Now for the ground which; which, I mean, I walked upon: it is ycleped 240 thy park. Then for the place where; where, I mean, I did encounter that most obscene and preposterous event, that draweth from my snow- white pen the ebon-coloured ink, which here thou 244 viewest, beholdest, surveyest, or seest. But to the place where, it standeth north-north-east and by east from the west corner of thy curious- knotted garden. There did I see that low-spirited 248 swain, that base minnow of thy mirth,—'
Cost. Me?
​King. [Reads.] 'that unlettered small-knowing soul,—'
Cost. Me? 252
King. [Reads.] 'that shallow vessel,—'
Cost. Still me?
King. [Reads.] 'which, as I remember, hight Costard,—' 256
Cost. O me!
King. [Reads.] 'sorted and consorted, contrary to thy established proclaimed edict and continent canon, with—with,—O! with—but with this I 260 passion to say wherewith,—'
Cost. With a wench.
King. [Reads.] 'with a child of our grandmother Eve, a female; or, for thy more sweet under- 264 standing, 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 268 repute, carriage, bearing, and estimation.'
Dull. Me, an 't shall please you; I am Anthony Dull.
King. [Reads.] 'For Jaquenetta,—so is the weaker vessel called which I apprehended with the 272 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. Thine, in all compliments of devoted and heart-burning heat of duty, 276 Don Adriano de Armado.'
Ber. This is not so well as I looked for, but the best that ever I heard.
​King. Ay, the best for the worst. But, sirrah, what say you to this? 280
Cost. Sir, I confess the wench.
King. Did you hear the proclamation?
Cost. I do confess much of the hearing it, but little of the marking of it. 284
King. It was proclaimed a year's imprison- ment to be taken with a wench.
Cost. I was taken with none, sir: I was taken with a damsel. 288
King. Well, it was proclaimed 'damsel.'
Cost. This was no damsel neither, sir: she was a virgin.
King. It is so varied too; for it was pro- claimed 'virgin.' 293
Cost. If it were, I deny her virginity: I was taken with a maid.
King. This maid will not serve your turn, sir. 296
Cost. This maid will serve my turn, sir.
King. Sir, I will pronounce your sentence: you shall fast a week with bran and water.
Cost. I had rather pray a month with mutton 300 and porridge.
King. And Don Armado shall be your keeper. My Lord Berowne, see him deliver'd o'er: And go we, lords, to put in practice that 304 Which each to other hath so strongly sworn.
[Exeunt King, Longaville, and Dumaine.]
Ber. I'll lay my head to any good man's hat, These oaths and laws will prove an idle scorn. Sirrah, come on. 308
Cost. I suffer for the truth, sir: for true it is ​I was taken with Jaquenctta, and Jaquenetta is a true girl; and therefore welcome the sour cup of prosperity! Affliction may one day smile again; 312 and till then, sit thee down, sorrow! Exeunt.
Scene Two
[The Same]
Enter Armado and Moth his Page.
Arm. Boy, what sign is it when a man of great spirit grows melancholy?
Boy. A great sign, sir, that he will look sad.
Arm. Why, sadness is one and the self-same 4 thing, dear imp.
Boy. No, no; O Lord, sir, no.
Arm. How canst thou part sadness and me- lancholy, my tender juvenal? 8
Boy. By a familiar demonstration of the working, my tough senior.
Arm. Why tough senior? why tough senior?
Boy. Why tender juvenal? why tender juve- 12 nal?
Arm. I spoke it, tender juvenal, as a con- gruent epitheton appertaining to thy young days, which we may nominate tender. 16
Boy. And I, tough senior, as an appertinent title to your old time, which we may name tough.
Arm. Pretty, and apt.
Boy. How mean you, sir? I pretty, and my 20 saying apt? or I apt, and my saying pretty?
Arm. Thou pretty, because little.
​Boy. Little pretty, because little. Wherefore apt? 24
Arm. And therefore apt, because quick.
Boy. Speak you this in my praise, master?
Arm. In thy condign praise.
Boy. I will praise an eel with the same 28 praise.
Arm. What! that an eel is ingenious?
Boy. That an eel is quick.
Arm. I do say thou art quick in answers: 32 thou heat'st my blood.
Boy. I am answered, sir.
Arm. I love not to be crossed.
Boy. [Aside.] He speaks the mere contrary: 36 crosses love not him.
Arm. I have promised to study three years with the duke.
Boy. You may do it in an hour, sir. 40
Arm. Impossible.
Boy. How many is one thrice told?
Arm. I am ill at reckoning; it fitteth the spirit of a tapster. 44
Boy. You are a gentleman and a gamester, sir.
Arm. I confess both: they are both the var- nish of a complete man. 48
Boy. Then, I am sure you know how much the gross sum of deuce-ace amounts to.
Arm. It doth amount to one more than two.
Boy. Which the base vulgar do call three. 52
Arm. True.
Boy. Why, sir, is this such a piece of study? Now, here is three studied, ere ye'll thrice wink; ​and how easy it is to put 'years' to the word 56 'three,' and study three years in two words, the dancing horse will tell you.
Arm. A most fine figure!
Boy. To prove you a cipher. 60
Arm. I will hereupon confess I am in love; and as it is base for a soldier to love, so am I in love with a base wench. If drawing my sword against the humour of affection would deliver 64 me from the reprobate thought of it, I would take Desire prisoner, and ransom him to any French courtier for a new devised curtsy. I think scorn to sigh: methinks I should out- 68 swear Cupid. Comfort me, boy: what great men have been in love?
Boy. Hercules, master.
Arm. Most sweet Hercules! More authority, 72 dear boy, name more; and, sweet my child, let them be men of good repute and carriage.
Boy. Samson, master: he was a man of good carriage, great carriage, for he carried the town- 76 gates on his back like a porter; and he was in love.
Arm. O well-knit Samson! strong-jointed Samson! I do excel thee in my rapier as much as thou didst me in carrying gates. I am in love 80 too. Who was Samson's love, my dear Moth?
Boy. A woman, master.
Arm. Of what complexion?
Boy. Of all the four, or the three, or the 84 two, or one of the four.
Arm. Tell me precisely of what complexion.
Boy. Of the sea-water green, sir.
​Arm. Is that one of the four complexions? 88
Boy. As I have read, sir; and the best of them too.
Arm. Green indeed is the colour of lovers; but to have a love of that colour, methinks 92 Samson had small reason for it. He surely affected her for her wit.
Boy. It was so, sir, for she had a green wit.
Arm. My love is most immaculate white and 96 red.
Boy. Most maculate thoughts, master, are masked under such colours.
Arm. Define, define, well-educated infant. 100
Boy. My father's wit, and my mother's tongue, assist me!
Arm. Sweet invocation of a child; most pretty and pathetical! 104
Boy. If she be made of white and red, Her faults will ne'er be known, For blushing cheeks by faults are bred, And fears by pale white shown: 108 Then if she fear, or be to blame, By this you shall not know, For still her cheeks possess the same Which native she doth owe. 112 A dangerous rime, master, against the reason of white and red.
Arm. Is there not a ballet, boy, of the King and the Beggar? 116
Boy. The world was very guilty of such a ballet some three ages since; but I think now ​'tis not to be found; or, if it were, it would neither serve for the writing nor the tune. 120
Arm. I will have that subject newly writ o'er, that I may example my digression by some mighty precedent. Boy, I do love that country girl that I took in the park with the rational 124 hind Costard: she deserves well.
Boy. [Aside.] To be whipped; and yet a better love than my master.
Arm. Sing, boy: my spirit grows heavy in 128 love.
Boy. And that's great marvel, loving a light wench.
Arm. I say, sing. 132
Boy. Forbear till this company be past.
Enter Clown [Costard], Constable [Dull], and Wench [Jaquenetta].
Const. Sir, the duke's pleasure is, that you keep Costard safe: and you must suffer him to take no delight nor no penance, but a' must fast three 136 days a week. For this damsel, I must keep her at the park; she is allowed for the day-woman. Fare you well.
Arm. I do betray myself with blushing. Maid! 140
Maid. [Jaq.] Man?
Arm. I will visit thee at the lodge.
Maid. That's hereby.
Arm. I know where it is situate. 144
Maid. Lord, how wise you are!
Arm. I will tell thee wonders.
Maid. With that face?
​Arm. I love thee. 148
Maid. So I heard you say.
Arm. And so farewell.
Maid. Fair weather after you!
Const. Come, Jaquenetta, away! 152
Exeunt [Dull and Jaquenetta].
Arm. Villain, thou shalt fast for thy offences ere thou be pardoned.
Clow. Well, sir, I hope, when I do it, I shall do it on a full stomach. 156
Arm. Thou shalt be heavily punished.
Clow. I am more bound to you than your fellows, for they are but lightly rewarded.
Arm. Take away this villain: shut him up. 160
Boy. Come, you transgressing slave: away!
Clow. Let me not be pent up, sir: I will fast, being loose.
Boy. No, sir; that were fast and loose: thou 164 shalt to prison.
Clow. Well, if ever I do see the merry days of desolation that I have seen, some shall see—
Boy. What shall some see? 168
Clow. Nay, nothing, Master Moth, but what they look upon. It is not for prisoners to be too silent in their words; and therefore I will say nothing: I thank God I have as little pa- 172 tience as another man, and therefore I can be quiet. Exit [Costard; also Moth].
Arm. I do affect the very ground, which is base, where her shoe, which is baser, guided by 176 her foot, which is basest, doth tread. I shall be forsworn,—which is a great argument of false- ​hood,—if I love. And how can that be true love which is falsely attempted? Love is a familiar; 180 Love is a devil: there is no evil angel but Love. Yet was Samson so tempted, and he had an excellent strength; yet was Solomon so seduced, and he had a very good wit. Cupid's butt-shaft 184 is too hard for Hercules' club, and therefore too much odds for a Spaniard's rapier. The first and second cause will not serve my turn; the passado he respects not, the duello he regards 188 not: his disgrace is to be called boy, but his glory is to subdue men. Adieu, valour! rust, rapier! be still, drum! for your manager is in love; yea, he loveth. Assist me some extemporal 192 god of rime, for I am sure I shall turn sonnet. Devise, wit; write, pen; for I am for whole volumes in folio. Exit.
Footnotes to Act I
Scene One
​4 cormorant: ravenous 6 bate: blunt 12 Navarre; cf. n. 13 academe: academy 14 living art: the art of living; cf. n. 19 subscribe: sign ​22 arm'd: ready 26 pates: heads 27 wits: faculties of the mind 28 mortified: dead so far as pleasures and passions are concerned 32 all these: i.e. love, wealth, pomp 38 there: i.e. in the schedule 43 wink of: close the eyes during 47 barren: fruitless, futile 50 an if: if ​54 By yea and nay: i.e. by the most positive oath of affirmation and denial 57 common sense: ordinary sight or perception 62 feast; cf. n. 67, 68 Cf. n. 73 Cf. n. 76 his: its 77 beguile: deprive 79 light: i.e. sight ​80–83 Study me . . . blinded by; cf. n. 85 saucy: bold 86 Small: little 88–93 Cf. n. 91 wot: know 95 Proceeded; cf. n. 97 green geese: grass-fed goslings, i.e. simpletons 99 Cf. n. 100 sneaping: nipping 101 infants: buds or flowers ​106 new-fangled shows; cf. n. 109 Cf. n. 110 sit you out: withdraw 114 confident: I am confident; cf. n. 115 each three years' day: each day for three years 119 Item: likewise 127 gentility: courtesy ​147 lie: lodge mere: absolute 150 affects: affections, passions 151 special grace: divine help 156 in attainder: convicted 157 Suggestions: temptations 160 quick: lively ​165 who: whom 167 complements: accomplishments
169 hight: is called 171 high-born: lofty 172 debate: warfare 175 for my minstrelsy: as my minstrel 177 fire-new: brand-new 180 duke's: i.e. king's 182 reprehend: i.e. represent 183 tharborough: third borough (constable) ​189 contempts: i.e. contents 191 magnificent: showy, vainglorious 194 low heaven: i.e. moderate pleasure 203 with the manner (mainour): in the act 207 form: bench 213 correction: punishment ​240 ycleped: called 247 curious-knotted: fancifully laid out in intricate beds ​258 sorted: associated 259 continent: i.e. containing a summary of offenses 261 passion: grieve ​284 marking of: paying attention to 288 damsel: a young unmarried woman of good birth 300 mutton: slang for 'loose woman' 306 lay: wager
Scene Two
​5 imp: child 14 congruent epitheton: suitable epithet 16 nominate: call 17 appertinent: appropriate ​37 crosses: coins (which had crosses on them) ​58 dancing horse; cf. n. 59 figure: illustration 64 humour of affection: caprice of being in love 68 think: think it 83 complexion: disposition; cf. n. ​94 affected: liked wit: understanding 95 green wit; cf. n. 104 pathetical: touching 112 native: naturally owe: own, possess 115, 116 Cf. n. 115 ballet: ballad 118 ages: generations ​122 digression: deviation from my nature, i.e. debasement 124 rational: reasoning, i.e. not stupid 127 love: lover 136 a': he 138 allowed: approved of day-woman: dairy-woman ​164 fast and loose: cheating game of a sharper 167 desolation; cf. n. 175 affect: love 178 argument: proof ​180 familiar: familiar spirit, i.e. demon 184 butt-shaft: arrow, without barb, for shooting at butts (targets) 187 cause: cause of quarrel 188 passado: pass, or thrust, in fencing duello: duel 191 manager: wielder of weapons 193 turn sonnet: grow into a sonnet (?), turn sonneteer (?)