Arm. And so farewell.

Jaq. Fair weather after you!

Dull. Come, Jaquenetta, away. 27 [Exeunt DULL and JAQUENETTA. Arm. Villain, thou shalt fast for thy offences, ere thou be pardoned. Cost. Well, Sir, I hope, when I do it, I shall do it on a full stomach. Arm. Thou shalt be heavily punished.

Cost. I am more bound to you than your fellows, for they are but lightly rewarded.

seen,

Arm. Take away this villain: shut him up.

Moth. Come, you transgressing slave: away!

Cost. Let me not be pent up, Sir: I will fast, being loose.

Moth. No, Sir; that were fast and loose: 28 thou shalt to prison.

Cost. Well, if ever I do see the merry days of desolation 29 that I have some shall see

Moth. What shall some see?

Cost. Nay nothing, master Moth, but what they look upon. It is not for prisoners to be too silent 30 in their words; and therefore I will say nothing: I thank God I have as little patience as another man, and therefore I can be quiet. [Exeunt MoTH and COSTARD.

Arm. I do affect 31 the very ground, which is base, where her shoe, which is baser, guided by her foot, which is basest, doth tread. I shall be forsworn, (which is a great argument of falsehood,) if I love. And how can that be true love, which is falsely attempted? Love is a familiar; 32 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 is too hard for Hercules' club, and therefore too much odds for a Spaniard's rapier. 33 The first and second cause 34 will not serve my turn; the passado he respects not, the duello he regards not: his disgrace is to be called boy, but his glory is, to subdue men. Adieu, valour!

27) Diese Rede theilen die alten Ausgaben irrig dem Clown zu; Theobald machte die Aenderung.

veränderlich, unzuverlässig. Zugleich ein Wortspiel zwischen to fast fest, eingesperrt.

fasten, und fast

=

29) Für desolation meint er ein Wort wie exultation oder jubilation. 30) too fehlt in der Fol.

Auch statt silent meint Costard das Gegentheil: zu laut, zu

· Für das folgende patience will er impatience sagen.

Etwas in Affection nehmen, lieben.

Hausgeist, ein Spiritus familiaris.

33) Wenn selbst die Keule des Herkules nichts gegen Cupido's Pfeil vermag, so ist der Kampf noch viel ungleicher für die spanische Klinge des Armado.

34) Die erste und zweite Ursache, derentwegen ein Duell stattfinden kann, nach den Regeln, welche für solche Ehrenhändel in Büchern der Zeit aufgestellt waren. Diese Modethorheit mit Citation derselben ausländischen Kunstausdrücke persifflirt Sh. auch in Romeo and Juliet (A. 2, Sc. 4) a duellist, a gentleman of the very first house, of the first and second cause. Ah, the immortal passado! So ist auch duello hier die schriftlich dargelegte Lehre vom Duell, wie in Twelfth Night (A. 3, Sc. 4) he cannot, by the duello, avoid it.

rust, rapier! be still, drum! for your manager 35 is in love; yea, he loveth. Assist me some extemporal 36 god of rhyme, for, I am sure, I shall turn sonneter. 37 Devise, wit; write, pen; for I am for whole volumes in folio. [Exit.

ACT II.

SCENE I.

Another part of the Park. A Pavilion and Tents at a distance. Enter the PRINCESS of France, ROSALINE, MARIA, KATHARINE, Boyet, Lords, and other Attendants.

Boyet. Now, madam, summon up your dearest 1 spirits.
Consider whom the king your father sends,

To whom he sends, and what's his embassy:
Yourself, held precious in the world's esteem,
To parley with the sole inheritor

Of all perfections that a man may owe,
Matchless Navarre; 2 the plea of no less weight
Than Aquitain, a dowry for a queen.

Be now as prodigal of all dear grace,

When she did starve the general world beside,

And prodigally gave them all to you.

Prin. Good lord Boyet, my beauty, though but mean,

Needs not the painted flourish of your praise:

Beauty is bought by judgment of the eye,

Not utter'd by base sale of chapmen's tongues.
I am less proud to hear you tell my worth,

Than you much willing to be counted wise

35) your manager bezieht sich auf rapier und drum derjenige, der Euch sonst zu handhaben pflegte.

36) extemporal = aus dem Stegreif dichtend, improvisirend.

Mit solchen Liebes

37) sonneter = Sonettendichter, verbessert Capell das sonnet der alten Ausgg., wofür die meisten Hgg. mit Hanmer das moderne sonneteer setzen. gedichten will Armado ganze Foliobände anfüllen.

1) dearest spirits

2) Navarre

=

=

sind die innigsten, kostbarsten Lebensgeister. der König von Navarra.

3) scil. as nature was prodigal in making graces dear: die Natur vertheuerte allen Liebreiz, indem sie ihn Euch allein verlieh und der übrigen Welt vorenthielt.

*) Die Schönheit wird gekauft oder taxirt nach dem Urtheil des Auges desjenigen, der sie erwerben will, wird aber nicht losgeschlagen, zum Verkauf ausgeboten nach der gemeinen Ausbietung der Zunge der Händler. Johnson fasst hier chapman seller; es ist aber Käufer und Verkäufer, in der ältern Sprache.

In spending your wit in the praise of mine. 5
But now to task the tasker. Good Boyet,
You are not ignorant, all-telling fame
Doth noise abroad, Navarre hath made a vow,
Till painful study shall out-wear three years,
No woman may approach his silent court:
Therefore to us seemeth it a needful course,
Before we enter his forbidden gates,

To know his pleasure; and in that behalf,
Bold of your worthiness, 7 we single you
As our best-moving fair solicitor.

8

Tell him, the daughter of the king of France,
On serious business, craving quick despatch,
Importunes personal conference with his grace.
Haste, signify so much; while we attend,
Like humble-visag'd suitors, his high will.

Boyet. Proud of employment, willingly I go.

Prin. All pride is willing pride, and yours is so.

Who are the votaries, my loving 10 lords,

That are vow-fellows with this virtuous duke?

1. Lord. Longaville is one.

Mar. I know him, madam: at a marriage feast,
Between lord Perigort and the beauteous heir 11
Of Jaques Falconbridge, solemnized 12

In Normandy, saw I this Longaville.
A man of sovereign parts 13 he is esteem'd;
Well fitted in the arts, 14 glorious in arms:
Nothing becomes him ill, that he would well.
The only soil of his fair virtue's gloss,

5) scil. in the praise of my wit.

6) Viele Hgg. lesen mit unstatthafter Verkürzung seem'th einsylbig; Q. und Fol. haben to 's, anstatt to us, das allerdings sich eher zu einer Sylbe verschmelzen lässt.

7) indem wir auf Eure Tüchtigkeit vertrauen, indem Euer Werth uns zuversichtlich macht. 8) craving gehört zu business.

9) So die Fol.; die Q. humble visage.

10) loving

Malone änderte ohne Noth humbly-visag'd.

freundlich gesinnt, anhänglich, eine Anrede, die an Untergebene gerichtet

wird. So in K. John (A. 2, Sc. 1) my loving subjects.

11) heir gebraucht Sh. öfter für heiress.

12) solemnized ist hier ausnahmsweise auf der zweiten Sylbe betont. So auch in Gas

coigne's Jocasta: and sithence did solemnize eke the same.

13) ein Mann von hervorragenden Gaben, von ausgezeichneten Eigenschaften.

der Fol. hat die Q. peerelse, vielleicht aus peerless verdruckt.

Für parts

14) the vor arts fügte erst die zweite Folioausg. ein: wohlausgestattet in den freien Künsten und Wissenschaften.

the arts sind die artes liberales, wie in Twelfth-Night

(A. 1, Sc. 3) Oh, had I but followed the arts.

If virtue's gloss will stain with any soil,

15

Is a sharp wit match'd with too blunt a will;
Whose edge hath power to cut, whose will still wills
It should none spare that come within his power.

Prin. Some merry mocking lord, belike; is 't so?
Mar. They say so most that most his humours know.
Prin. Such short-liv'd wits do wither as they grow.
Who are the rest?

Kath. The young Dumaine, a well-accomplish'd youth, Of all that virtue love for virtue lov'd:

Most power to do most harm, least knowing ill,

For he hath wit to make an ill shape good,
And shape to win grace though he 16 had no wit.

I saw him at the duke Alençon's once;

And much too little of that good I saw,
Is my report, to his great worthiness. 17

Ros. Another of these students at that time
Was there with him: If 18 I have heard a truth,
Biron they call him; but a merrier man,

Within the limit of becoming mirth,

I never spent an hour's talk withal.

His eye begets occasion for his wit;
For every object that the one doth catch,
The other turns to a mirth-moving jest,
Which his fair tongue (conceit's expositor)
Delivers in such apt and gracious words,
That aged ears play truant at his tales,
And younger hearings are quite ravished;
So sweet and voluble is his discourse.

19

Prin. God bless my ladies! are they all in love,

That every one her own 20 hath garnished

With such bedecking ornaments of praise?
Lord. Here comes Boyet.

15) sharp wit = scharfer Witz, steht im Gegensatz zu blunt will = grober, rücksichtsloser Wille oder Trieb, zugleich steht sharp

to match with mit Etwas paaren.

16) So die Q.; die Fol. she.

spitz, dem blunt = stumpf gegenüber.

17) Mein Bericht von dem Guten, was ich an ihm sah, ist viel zu gering im Verhältniss

zu seinem grossen Werth.

18) So die Q.; die Fol. hat as für if.

19) Selbst alte Leute, die sonst nur erhabene und ernste Dinge hören mögen, werden zu jugendlichem Muthwillen gestimmt und lauschen den Erzählungen Birons.

20) scil. her own love.

Prin.

Re-enter BOYET.

Now, what admittance, lord?

Boyet. Navarre had notice of your fair approach;

And he and his competitors in oath 21

Were all address'd 22 to meet you, gentle lady,
Before I came. Marry, thus much I have learnt,
He rather means to lodge you in the field,
Like one that comes here to besiege his court,
Than seek a dispensation for his oath;

To let you enter his unpeopled 23 house.

Here comes Navarre.

[The Ladies mask.

Enter KING, LONGAVILLE, DUMAINE, BIRON, and Attendants.
King. Fair princess, welcome to the court of Navarre.

Prin. Fair, I give you back again; and welcome I have not yet: the roof of this court 24 is too high to be yours, and welcome to the wide fields 25 too base to be mine.

King. You shall be welcome, madam, to my court.
Prin. I will be welcome then. Conduct me thither.
King. Hear me, dear lady: I have sworn an oath.
Prin. Our Lady 26 help my lord! he 'll be forsworn.
King. Not for the world, fair madam, by my will.
Prin. Why, will shall break it; will, and nothing else.
King. Your ladyship is ignorant what it is. 27

Prin. Were my lord so, his ignorance were wise,
Where 28 now his knowledge must prove ignorance.
I hear, your grace hath sworn-out house-keeping:
'Tis deadly sin to keep that oath, my lord,
And sin to break it. 29

But pardon me, I am too sudden-bold:

To teach a teacher 30 ill beseemeth me.

21) competitor : Genosse, Verbündeter.

competitors in oath ist als ein Wort zu fassen

und synonym mit dem vorhergehenden vow-fellows Eidgenossen. 22) addressed gerüstet, bereit.

=

23) So die Fol.; die Q. unpeeled.

24) Sie versteht darunter den Himmel, der sich über ihnen wölbt.

25) So Q. und Fol. Manche Hgg. lesen willkührlich wild fields.

26) Mit Our Lady Unsere liebe Frau, erwiedert die Prinzessin scherzhaft die Anrede dear lady und fügt ebenso scherzhaft antithetisch my lord hinzu.

27) what it is bezieht sich auf I have sworn an oath.

28) where für whereas.

29) Wenn Ihr verschworen habt, Haus zu halten, den gastfreien Wirth zu spielen, so ist es nach meiner Ansicht eine ebenso schlimme Sünde, diesen Eid zu halten, wie es, nach Eurer Ansicht, eine ist, ihn zu brechen.

30) to teach a teacher Jemanden zu belehren, der eher mich belehren könnte. So sagte die Prinzessin vorher zu Boyet to task a tasker.