Cost. Nay, it makes nothing, sir. King. If it mar nothing neither, The treason, and you, go in peace away together. Jaq. I beseech your grace, let this letter be read; Our parson misdoubts it; 'twas treason, he said. King. Biron, read it over. Where hadst thou it? Jaq. Of Costard. King. Where hadst thou it? [Giving him the letter. Cost. Of dun Adramadio, dun Adramadio. King. How now! what is in you? why dost thou tear it? Biron. A toy, my liege, a toy; your grace needs. not fear it. Long. It did move him to passion, and therefore let's hear it. Dum. It is Biron's writing, and here is his name. [Picks up the pieces. Biron. Ah, you whoreson loggerhead. [To CosTARD.] You were born to do me shame. Guilty, my lord, guilty; I confess, I confess. King. What? Biron. That you three fools lacked me fool to make up the mess. He, he, and you, my liege, and I, Are pick purses in love, and we deserve to die. O, dismiss this audience, and I shall tell you more. Biron. Will these turtles be gone? King. True, true; we are four. Hence, sirs; away. [Exeunt COST. and JAQ. Cost. Walk aside the true folk, and let the traitors ay. B weet lords, sweet lovers, O let us embrace! are as flesh and blood can be. ebb and flow, heaven show his face; d will e why we were born; e, at all events. King. What, did these rent lines show some love of thine? Biron. Did they, quoth you? Who sees the heavenly Rosaline, That, like a rude and savage man of Inde, At the first opening of the gorgeous east, Bows not his vassal head; and, strucken blind, Kisses the base ground with obedient breast? What peremptory eagle-sighted eye Dares look upon the heaven of her brow, That is not blinded by her majesty? King. What zeal, what fury hath inspired thee now? My love, her mistress, is a gracious moon; She, an attending star, scarce seen a light. Biron. My eyes are then no eyes, nor I Birón. O, but for my love, day would turn to night! Of all complexions the culled sovereignty Do meet, as at a fair, in her fair cheek; Where several worthies make one dignity; Where nothing wants; that want itself doth seek. Lend me the flourish of all gentle tongues, Fie, painted rhetoric! O, she needs it not. To things of sale a seller's praise belongs; She passes praise; then praise too short doth blot. A withered hermit, five-score winters worn, Might shake off fifty, looking in her eye. And gives the crutch the cradle's infancy. O, who can give an oath? Where is a book? No face is fair, that is not full so black. And beauty's crest becomes the heavens well. light. O, if in black my lady's brows be decked, And therefore is she born to make black fair. For native blood is counted painting now; And therefore red, that would avoid dispraise, Paints itself black, to imitate her brow. Dum. To look like her, are chimney-sweepers black. Long. And since her time, are colliers counted bright. King. And Ethiops of their sweet complexion crack. Dum. Dark needs no candles now, for dark is light. Biron. Your mistresses dare never come in rain, For fear their colors should be washed away. King. 'Twere good yours did; for, sir, to tell you plain, I'll find a fairer face not washed to-day. Biron. I'll prove her fair, or talk till doomsday here. King. No devil will fright thee then so much as she. Dum. I never knew man hold vile stuff so dear. Long. Look, here's thy love; my foot and her face [Showing his shoe. Biron. O, if the streets were paved with thine eyes, Her feet were much too dainty for such tread! Dum. O vile! Then as she goes, what upward lies see. The street should see as she walked overhead. King. But what of this? Are we not all in love? Biron. O, nothing so sure; and thereby all forsworn. King. Then leave this chat; and, good Birón, now prove Our loving lawful, and our faith not torn. Some tricks, some quillets, how to cheat the devil. Biron. O, 'tis more than need! 1 A quillet is a sly trick or turn in argument, or excuse. -- Have at you, then, affection's men at arms! And where that you have vowed to study, lords, The nimble spirits in the arteries; As motion, and long-during action, tires Do we not likewise see our learning there? 1 This hemistich is omitted in all the modern editions except that by Mr. Boswell. It is found in the first quarto and first folio. 2 i. e. our true books, from which we derive most information; the eyes of woman. And therefore finding barren practisers, Still climbing trees in the Hesperides?1 Subtle as sphinx; as sweet, and musical, From women's eyes this doctrine I derive: 1 Shakspeare had read of "the gardens of the Hesperides," and thought the latter word was the name of the garden. Some of his contemporaries have made the same mistake. 2 Few passages have been more discussed than this. The most plausible interpretation of it is, "Whenever love speaks, all the gods join their voices in harmonious concert." |