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A man of complements1 whom right and wrong

Have chose as umpire of their mutinie. 1 accomplishments
This childe of fancie that Armado hight,2 2 called 181
For interim to our studies shall relate,

In high-borne words the worth of many a Knight:
From tawnie Spaine lost in the worlds debate.
How you delight my Lords, I know not I,

But I protest I love to heare him lie,

And I will use him for

my

Minstrelsie.

Bero. Armado is a most illustrious wight, A man of fire, new words, fashions owne Knight. Lon. Costard the swaine and he, shall be our sport, And so to studie, three yeeres is but short.

191

Enter a Constable [Dull] with Costard with a Letter. Const. [Dull] Which is the Dukes owne person. Ber. This fellow, What would'st?

Con. I my selfe reprehend his owne person, for I am his graces Tharborough:3 But I would see his own person in flesh and blood.

Ber. This is he.

3 constable

199

Con. Signeor Arme, Arme commends you: Ther's villanie abroad, this letter will tell you more. Clow. [Cost.] Sir the Contempts thereof are as touching mee.

Fer. A letter from the magnificent Armado.

Ber. How low soever the matter, I hope in God for high words.

Lon. A high hope for a low heaven, God grant us patience.

Ber. To heare, or forbeare hearing.

189. fire, new: fire-new-POPE.

194. This fellow: This, fellow-Rowe.

208. bearing: laughing-CAPELL.

Lon. To heare meekely sir, and to laugh moderately, or to forbeare both.

210

Ber. Well sir, be it as the stile shall give us cause to clime in the merrinesse.

Clo. The matter is to me sir, as concerning Jaquenetta. The manner of it is, I was taken with the manner. Ber. In what manner?

Clo. In manner and forme following sir all those three. I was seene with her in the Mannor house, sitting with her upon the Forme, and taken following her into the Parke: which put to gether, is in manner and forme following. Now 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.

222

Clo. As it shall follow in my correction, and God defend the right.

Fer. Will you heare this Letter with attention?
Ber. As we would heare an Oracle.

Clo. Such is the simplicitie of man to harken after the

flesh.

Ferdinand. [Reads]

230

Great Deputie, the Welkins Vicegerent, and soie dominator of Navar, my soules earths God, and bodies fostring patrone:

Cost. Not a word of Costard yet.

Ferd. [Reads] So it is.

Cost. It may be so: but if he say it is so, he is in telling true: but so.

Ferd. Peace,

Clow. Be to me, and every man that dares not fight. Ferd. No words,

Clow. Of other mens secrets I beseech you.

240

Ferd. [Reads] So it is besieged with sable coloured melancholie, I did commend the blacke oppressing humour to the most whole- | some Physicke of thy healthgiving ayre: And as I am a Gen- | tleman, betooke myselfe to walke: the time When? about the | sixt houre, When beasts most grase, birds best pecke, and men | sit downe to that nonrishment which is called supper: So much | for the time When. Now for the ground Which? which I | meane I walkt upon, it is ycliped,1 Thy Parke. Then for the place Where? where I meane I did encounter that obscene and most preposterous event that draweth from my snow-white pen | the ebon coloured Inke, which beere thou viewest, beboldest, | survayest, 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 spiri- | ted Swaine, that base Minow of thy myrth, (Clown. Mee?) | that unletered small knowing soule, (Clow Me?) that shallow | vassall (Clow. Still mee?) which as I remember, hight1 Co- | stard, (Clow. O me) sorted and consorted contrary to thy e- | stablished proclaymed Edict and Continet, Cannon: Which with, 6 with, but with this I passion to say wherewith: | 1 called 261

Clo. With a Wench.

Ferd. With a childe of our Grandmother Eve, a female; or for thy more sweet understanding a woman: him, I (as my | ever esteemed dutie prickes me on) have sent to thee, to receive | the meed of punishment by thy sweet Graces Officer Anthony | Ďull, a man of good repute, carriage, bearing, & estimation.

Anth. Me, an't shall please you? I am Anthony Dull.

247. nonrishment: nourishment-1Q.

256-9. separate 11. for Clow. and Ferd.-HANMER.

260. Continet: continent-1Q.

Ferd. For Jaquenetta (so is the weaker vessell called) which I apprehended with the aforesaid Swaine, I keeper her as a vessell of thy Lawes furie, and shall at the least of thy sweet notice, bring her to triall. Thine in all complements of devoted and heart-burning heat of dutie. Don Adriana de Armado. 274

Ber. This is not so well as I looked for, but the best that ever I heard.

Fer. I the best, for the worst. But sirra, What say you to this?

Clo. Sir I confesse the Wench.

Fer. Did you heare the Proclamation?

280

Clo. I doe confesse much of the hearing it, but little of the marking of it.

Fer. It was proclaimed a yeeres imprisoment to bee taken with a Wench.

Clow. I was taken with none sir, I was taken with a Damosell.

Fer. Well, it was proclaimed Damosell.

Clo. This was no Damosell neyther sir, shee was a Virgin. 289 Fer. It is so varried to, for it was proclaimed Virgin. Clo. If it were, I denie her Virginitie: I was taken with a Maide.

Fer. This Maid will not serve your turne sir.
Clo. This Maide will serve my turne sir.

Kin. Sir I will pronounce your sentence: You shall fast a Weeke with Branne and water.

Clo. I had rather pray a Moneth with Mutton and Porridge.

270. keeper ber: keep her-1Q.2-4F. 274. Adriana: Adriano-IQ.

286-8. Damosell: damsell-1Q

Kin. And Don Armado shall be your keeper.
My Lord Berowne, see him deliver'd ore,
And goe we Lords to put in practice that,
Which each to other hath so strongly sworne.

300

[Exeunt King, Longaville, and Dumain.] Bero. Ile lay my head to any good mans hat, These oathes and lawes will prove an idle scorne. Sirra, come on.

Clo. I suffer for the truth sir: for true it is, I was taken with Jaquenetta, and Jaquenetta is a true girle, and therefore welcome the sowre cup of prosperitie, affliction may one day smile againe, and untill then sit downe Exit. 310

sorrow.

[Scene ii. The same.]

Enter Armado and Moth his Page.

Arma. Boy, What signe is it when a man of great spirit growes melancholy?

Boy. [Moth] A great signe sir, that he will looke sad. Brag. [Arm.] Why? sadnesse is one and the selfesame thing deare impe.

Boy. No no, O Lord sir no.

Brag. How canst thou part sadnesse and melancholy my tender Juvenall?

9

Boy. By a familiar demonstration of the working, my tough signeur.

Brag. Why tough signeur? Why tough signeur? Boy. Why tender Juvenall? Why tender Juvenall? Brag. I spoke it tender Juvenall, as a congruent apathaton, appertaining to thy young daies, which we may nominate tender.

309. untill: till. sit downe: sit thee down-IQ. 14. apatbaton: epitheton-2-4F.

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