[Enter DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO and MOTH]
- Moth. A great sign, sir, that he will look sad.
- Moth. No, no; O Lord, sir, no.
- Moth. By a familiar demonstration of the working, my tough senior.
- Moth. Why tender juvenal? why tender juvenal?
- Don Adriano de Armado. I spoke it, tender juvenal, as a congruent epitheton
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appertaining to thy young days, which we may
nominate tender.
- Moth. And I, tough senior, as an appertinent title to your
old time, which we may name tough.
- Moth. How mean you, sir? I pretty, and my saying apt? or
I apt, and my saying pretty?
- Moth. Little pretty, because little. Wherefore apt?
- Moth. Speak you this in my praise, master?
- Moth. I will praise an eel with the same praise.
- Moth. That an eel is quick.
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- Moth. I am answered, sir.
- Moth. [Aside] He speaks the mere contrary; crosses love not him.
- Moth. You may do it in an hour, sir.
- Moth. How many is one thrice told?
- Moth. You are a gentleman and a gamester, sir.
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- Moth. Then, I am sure, you know how much the gross sum of
deuce-ace amounts to.
- Moth. Which the base vulgar do call three.
- Moth. 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 'three,' and
355 study three years in two words, the dancing horse
will tell you.
- Moth. To prove you a cipher.
- Don Adriano de Armado. I will hereupon confess I am in love: and as it is
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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 me from the reprobate
thought of it, I would take Desire prisoner, and
ransom him to any French courtier for a new-devised
365 courtesy. I think scorn to sigh: methinks I should
outswear Cupid. Comfort, me, boy: what great men
have been in love?
- Don Adriano de Armado. Most sweet Hercules! More authority, dear boy, name
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more; and, sweet my child, let them be men of good
repute and carriage.
- Moth. Samson, master: he was a man of good carriage, great
carriage, for he carried the town-gates on his back
like a porter: and he was in love.
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- Don Adriano de Armado. 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 too. Who was Samson's
love, my dear Moth?
- Moth. A woman, master.
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- Moth. Of all the four, or the three, or the two, or one of the four.
- Moth. Of the sea-water green, sir.
- Moth. As I have read, sir; and the best of them too.
- Don Adriano de Armado. Green indeed is the colour of lovers; but to have a
love of that colour, methinks Samson had small reason
for it. He surely affected her for her wit.
- Moth. It was so, sir; for she had a green wit.
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- Moth. Most maculate thoughts, master, are masked under
such colours.
- Moth. My father's wit and my mother's tongue, assist me!
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- Moth. If she be made of white and red,
Her faults will ne'er be known,
For blushing cheeks by faults are bred
400 And fears by pale white shown:
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.
405 A dangerous rhyme, master, against the reason of
white and red.
- Moth. The world was very guilty of such a ballad some
three ages since: but I think now 'tis not to be
410 found; or, if it were, it would neither serve for
the writing nor the tune.
- Don Adriano de Armado. 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
415 park with the rational hind Costard: she deserves well.
- Moth. [Aside] To be whipped; and yet a better love than
my master.
- Moth. And that's great marvel, loving a light wench.
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- Moth. Forbear till this company be past.
[Enter DULL, COSTARD, and JAQUENETTA]
- Dull. Sir, the duke's pleasure is, that you keep Costard
safe: and you must suffer him to take no delight
425 nor no penance; but a' must fast three days a week.
For this damsel, I must keep her at the park: she
is allowed for the day-woman. Fare you well.
- Dull. Come, Jaquenetta, away!
[Exeunt DULL and JAQUENETTA]
- Costard. Well, sir, I hope, when I do it, I shall do it on a
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full stomach.
- Costard. I am more bound to you than your fellows, for they
are but lightly rewarded.
- Moth. Come, you transgressing slave; away!
- Costard. Let me not be pent up, sir: I will fast, being loose.
- Moth. No, sir; that were fast and loose: thou shalt to prison.
- Costard. Well, if ever I do see the merry days of desolation
that I have seen, some shall see.
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- Moth. What shall some see?
- Costard. 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 patience as another man; and
460 therefore I can be quiet.
[Exeunt MOTH and COSTARD]
- Don Adriano de Armado. I do affect 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
465 is a great argument of falsehood, if I love. And
how can that be true love which is falsely
attempted? Love is a familiar; Love is a devil:
there is no evil angel but Love. Yet was Samson so
tempted, and he had an excellent strength; yet was
470 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.
The first and second cause will not serve my turn;
the passado he respects not, the duello he regards
475 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 god of rhyme,
for I am sure I shall turn sonnet. Devise, wit;
480 write, pen; for I am for whole volumes in folio.
[Exit]
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