Speeches (Lines) for Longaville
in "Love's Labour's Lost"
Total: 40

1

I,1,26

Ferdinand. 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,
The endeavor 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,
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;
Our court shall be a little Academe,
Still and contemplative in living art.
You three, Biron, Dumain, and Longaville,
Have sworn for three years' term to live with me
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
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.

Longaville. I am resolved; 'tis but a three years' fast:
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.

2

I,1,55

Biron. 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.

Longaville. You swore to that, Biron, and to the rest.

3

I,1,98

Dumain. Proceeded well, to stop all good proceeding!

Longaville. He weeds the corn and still lets grow the weeding.

4

I,1,125

Biron. [Reads] 'Item, That no woman shall come within a
mile of my court:' Hath this been proclaimed?

Longaville. Four days ago.

5

I,1,129

Biron. Let's see the penalty.
[Reads]
'On pain of losing her tongue.' Who devised this penalty?

Longaville. Marry, that did I.

6

I,1,131

Biron. Sweet lord, and why?

Longaville. To fright them hence with that dread penalty.

7

I,1,184

Biron. Armado is a most illustrious wight,
A man of fire-new words, fashion's own knight.

Longaville. Costard the swain and he shall be our sport;
And so to study, three years is but short.

8

I,1,198

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

Longaville. A high hope for a low heaven: God grant us patience!

9

I,1,200

Biron. To hear? or forbear laughing?

Longaville. To hear meekly, sir, and to laugh moderately; or to
forbear both.

10

II,1,690

(stage directions). [Exit]

Longaville. I beseech you a word: what is she in the white?

11

II,1,692

Boyet. A woman sometimes, an you saw her in the light.

Longaville. Perchance light in the light. I desire her name.

12

II,1,694

Boyet. She hath but one for herself; to desire that were a shame.

Longaville. Pray you, sir, whose daughter?

13

II,1,696

Boyet. Her mother's, I have heard.

Longaville. God's blessing on your beard!

14

II,1,699

Boyet. Good sir, be not offended.
She is an heir of Falconbridge.

Longaville. Nay, my choler is ended.
She is a most sweet lady.

15

IV,3,1368

(stage directions). [Enter LONGAVILLE, with a paper]

Longaville. Ay me, I am forsworn!

16

IV,3,1372

Biron. One drunkard loves another of the name.

Longaville. Am I the first that have been perjured so?

17

IV,3,1376

Biron. I could put thee in comfort. Not by two that I know:
Thou makest the triumviry, the corner-cap of society,
The shape of Love's Tyburn that hangs up simplicity.

Longaville. I fear these stubborn lines lack power to move:
O sweet Maria, empress of my love!
These numbers will I tear, and write in prose.

18

IV,3,1381

Biron. O, rhymes are guards on wanton Cupid's hose:
Disfigure not his slop.

Longaville. This same shall go.
[Reads]
Did not the heavenly rhetoric of thine eye,
'Gainst whom the world cannot hold argument,
Persuade my heart to this false perjury?
Vows for thee broke deserve not punishment.
A woman I forswore; but I will prove,
Thou being a goddess, I forswore not thee:
My vow was earthly, thou a heavenly love;
Thy grace being gain'd cures all disgrace in me.
Vows are but breath, and breath a vapour is:
Then thou, fair sun, which on my earth dost shine,
Exhalest this vapour-vow; in thee it is:
If broken then, it is no fault of mine:
If by me broke, what fool is not so wise
To lose an oath to win a paradise?

19

IV,3,1400

Biron. This is the liver-vein, which makes flesh a deity,
A green goose a goddess: pure, pure idolatry.
God amend us, God amend! we are much out o' the way.

Longaville. By whom shall I send this?—Company! stay.

20

IV,3,1420

Dumain. O that I had my wish!

Longaville. And I had mine!

21

IV,3,1456

Dumain. [Reads]
On a day—alack the day!—
Love, whose month is ever May,
Spied a blossom passing fair
Playing in the wanton air:
Through the velvet leaves the wind,
All unseen, can passage find;
That the lover, sick to death,
Wish himself the heaven's breath.
Air, quoth he, thy cheeks may blow;
Air, would I might triumph so!
But, alack, my hand is sworn
Ne'er to pluck thee from thy thorn;
Vow, alack, for youth unmeet,
Youth so apt to pluck a sweet!
Do not call it sin in me,
That I am forsworn for thee;
Thou for whom Jove would swear
Juno but an Ethiope were;
And deny himself for Jove,
Turning mortal for thy love.
This will I send, and something else more plain,
That shall express my true love's fasting pain.
O, would the king, Biron, and Longaville,
Were lovers too! Ill, to example ill,
Would from my forehead wipe a perjured note;
For none offend where all alike do dote.

Longaville. [Advancing] Dumain, thy love is far from charity.
You may look pale, but I should blush, I know,
To be o'erheard and taken napping so.

22

IV,3,1541

Biron. A toy, my liege, a toy: your grace needs not fear it.

Longaville. It did move him to passion, and therefore let's hear it.

23

IV,3,1611

Dumain. To look like her are chimney-sweepers black.

Longaville. And since her time are colliers counted bright.

24

IV,3,1621

Dumain. I never knew man hold vile stuff so dear.

Longaville. Look, here's thy love: my foot and her face see.

25

IV,3,1631

Dumain. Ay, marry, there; some flattery for this evil.

Longaville. O, some authority how to proceed;
Some tricks, some quillets, how to cheat the devil.

26

IV,3,1715

Biron. Advance your standards, and upon them, lords;
Pell-mell, down with them! but be first advised,
In conflict that you get the sun of them.

Longaville. Now to plain-dealing; lay these glozes by:
Shall we resolve to woo these girls of France?

27

V,2,2150

Katharine. What, was your vizard made without a tongue?

Longaville. I know the reason, lady, why you ask.

28

V,2,2152

Katharine. O for your reason! quickly, sir; I long.

Longaville. You have a double tongue within your mask,
And would afford my speechless vizard half.

29

V,2,2155

Katharine. Veal, quoth the Dutchman. Is not 'veal' a calf?

Longaville. A calf, fair lady!

30

V,2,2157

Katharine. No, a fair lord calf.

Longaville. Let's part the word.

31

V,2,2160

Katharine. No, I'll not be your half
Take all, and wean it; it may prove an ox.

Longaville. Look, how you butt yourself in these sharp mocks!
Will you give horns, chaste lady? do not so.

32

V,2,2163

Katharine. Then die a calf, before your horns do grow.

Longaville. One word in private with you, ere I die.

33

V,2,2555

Biron. A Death's face in a ring.

Longaville. The face of an old Roman coin, scarce seen.

34

V,2,2580

Ferdinand. I think Hector was not so clean-timbered.

Longaville. His leg is too big for Hector's.

35

V,2,2589

Biron. A lemon.

Longaville. Stuck with cloves.

36

V,2,2598

Dumain. That mint.

Longaville. That columbine.

37

V,2,2600

Don Adriano de Armado. Sweet Lord Longaville, rein thy tongue.

Longaville. I must rather give it the rein, for it runs against Hector.

38

V,2,2726

Dumain. Our letters, madam, show'd much more than jest.

Longaville. So did our looks.

39

V,2,2775

Katharine. Yet swear not, lest ye be forsworn again.

Longaville. What says Maria?

40

V,2,2778

Maria. At the twelvemonth's end
I'll change my black gown for a faithful friend.

Longaville. I'll stay with patience; but the time is long.