BIRON

I can but say their protestation over, So much deer Liege, I have already sworn, That is, to live and study here three years. But there are other strict observances: As not to see a woman in that term, Which I hope well is not enrolled there. And one day in a week to touch no food: And but one meal on every day beside: The which I hope is not enrolled there. And then to sleep but three hours in the night, And not be seen to wink of all the day. When I was wont to think no harm all night, And make a dark night too of half the day: Which I hope well is not enrolled there, Oh these are barren tasks, too hard to keep, Not to see Ladies, study, fast, not sleep. Did not I dance with you in Brabant once? Let me say no my liege, and if you please, I only swore to study with your grace, And stay here in your Court for three years space. The King he is hunting the Dear, I am coursing my self. They have pitched a Toil, I am toiling in a pitch, pitch that defiles; defile, a foul word: Well, set thee down sorrow; for so they say the fool said, and so say I, and I the fool: Well proved wit. By the Lord this Love is as mad as Ajax, it kills Sheep, it kills me, I a Sheep well proved again a my side. I will not love; if I do hang me: I'fayth I will not. Oh but her eye: by this light, but for her eye, I would not love her; yes for her two eyes. Well, I do nothing in the world but lie, and lie in my throat. By heaven I do love, and it hath taught me to rhyme, and to be mallicholie: and here is partly of my Rhyme, and hear my mallicholie. Well, she hath one a'my Sonnets already, the Clown boar it, the Fool sent it, and the Lady hath it: sweet Clown, sweeter Fool, sweetest Lady. By the world, I would not care a pin, if the other three were in. Here comes one with a paper, God give him grace to groan. Now in thy likeness, one more fool appear. Why he comes in Like a perjure, wearing papers. All hid, all hid, and old infant play, Like a demi God, here fit I in the sky, And wretched fools secrets heedfully over ey. More Sacks to the mill. Oh heavens I have my wish, Dumaine transformed, four Woodcocks in a dish. Oh most profane coxcomb. Ah you whoreson loggerhead, you were born to do me S me. Gum ltie my Lord, guilty: I confess, I confess. Is Ebony Like her? Oh word divine! A wife of such wood were felicity. Oh who can give and oath? Where is a book? That I may swear Beauty does beauty lack, If that she learn not of her eye to look: No face is fair that is not full so black. Advance your standars, and upon them Lords. Pell, mell, down with them: but be first advised, In conflict that you get the Sun of them. Beauty's no richer then rich Taffeta. Once to behold, rogue. Nothing but peace, and gentle visitation. Tell her we measure them by weary steps This fellow pecks up Wit as Pigeons Peas, And again when God doth please. He is Wits Pedlar, and retales his wares: At Wakes and Wassels, meetings, markets, Fairs And we that fell by gross, the Lord does know, Have not the grace to grace it with such show. This Gallant pins the Wenches on his sleeve Had he been Adam he had tempted Eve. A can carve to, and lisp: Why this is he That kissed his hand, a way in courtisie. This is the Ape of Form, Mounsier the nice, That when he plays at Tables chides the Dice In honourable terms; nay he can sing A mean most meanly, and in hushering. Mend him who can, the Ladies call him sweet. The stairs as he treads on them kiss his feet. This is the flower that smiles on every one. To show his teeth as white as Whale's bone. And consciences that will not die in debt, Pay him the endue of honie-tonged Boyet. Our states are forfeit, seek not to undo us. Neither of either: I remit both twain. I see the trick ant: here was a consent, Knowing aforehand of our merriment, To dash it Like a Christmas Comedy: Some carry tale, some please-man, some sleight sane: Some mumble news, some trencher Knight, some Dick That smiles, his cheek in years, and knows the trick To make my Lady laugh, when she's disposed: Told our intentes before: which once disclosed, The Ladies did change Favours; and then we Following the signs, wood but the sign of she Now to our perjury, to add more terror, We are again forsworn in will and error. Much upon this 'tis: and might not you Forestall our sport, to make us thus untrue? Do not you know my Ladies foot by'th squire? And laugh upon the apple of her eye? And stand between her back sir and the fire, Holding a trencher, jesting merrily? You put our Page out: go, you are aloud. Die when you will, a Smock shall be your shroud. You leere upon me, do you: ther's and eye Wounds Like a leaden sword. And what to me my Love? and what to me? Studies my Lady? Mistress look on me, Behold the window of my heart, mine eye: What humble suit attends thy answer there, Impose some service on me for thy Love. To move wild laughter in the throat of death? It cannot be, it is impossible. Mirth cannot move a soul in agony. A twelvemonth? well; befall what will befall, I'll jest a twelvemonth in and Hospital. Our wooing does not end Like and old Play: Jack hath not Gill: these Ladies courtesy Might well have made our sport a Comedy. That's too long for a Play. By yea and nay sir, than I swore in jest. What is the end of study, let me know? Com'on then, I will swear to study so, To know the thing I am forbid to know: As thus, to study where I well may dine, When I to fast expressly am forbid. Or study where to meet some Mistress fine. When Mistress's from common sense are hid. Or having sworn too hard a keeping oath, Study to break it, and not break my troth. If studies gain be thus, and this be so, Study knows that which yet it does not know, Swear me to this, and I will never say no. Why? all delights are vain, but that most vain Which with pain purchased, does inherit pain, As Painfully to poare upon a Book, To seek the light of truth, while truth the while Does falsely blind the eyesight of his look: Light seeking light, does light of light beguile: So ere you find where light in darkness lies, Your light grows dark by losing of your eyes. Study me how to please the eye in deed, By fixing it upon a fairer eye, Who dazzling so, that eye shall be his heed, And give him light that it was blinded by. Study is like the heavens glorious Sun, That will not be deep searched with saucy looks: Small have continual plodders ever won, Save base authority from others Books. These earthly Godfathers of heavens lights, That give a name to every fixed Star, Have no more profit of their shining nights, Then those that walk and wot not what they are. Too much to know, is to know nought but fame: And every Godfather can give a name. Something then in rhyme. Well, say I am, why should proud Summer boast, Before the Birds have any cause to sing? Why should I joy in any abhortiue birth? At Christmas I no more desire a Rose, Then wish a Snow in Mayes new fangled shows: But Like of each thing that in season grows. So you to study now it is too late, Climb over the house to unlock the little gate. No my good Lord, I have sworn to stay with you. And though I have for barbarism spoke more Then for that Angel knowledge you can say, Yet confident I'll keep what I have sworn, And bide the penance of each three years day. Give me the paper, let me read the same, And to the strictest decrees I'll write my name. Sweet Lord and why? Armado is a most illustrious wight, A man of fire new words, Fashions own knight. How low so ever the matter, I hope in God for high word Well sir, be it as the style shall give us cause to climb in the merriness. In what manner? As we would hear and Oracle. Whats her name in the Cap? This is the liver vein, which makes flesh a deity. A green Goose, a Goddess, pure pure ydotarie. God amend us, God amend, we are much out a the way. Now step I forth to whip hypocrisy. Ah good my Leidge, I pray thee pardon me. Good heart, What grace hast thou thus to reprove These Worms for loving, that art most in love? Your eyes do make no couches in your tears. There is no certain Princess that appears. Yowl not be periurde, 'tis a hateful thing: Tush, none but Minstrels Like of Sonneting. But are you not a shamed? nay, are you not All three of you, to be thus much ore' shot? You found his Moth, the King your Moth did see: But I a Beam do find in each of three. Oh what a Scene of foolrie have I seen, Of sighs, of groans, of sorrow, and of teen: Oh me, with what strict patience have I sat, To see a King transformed to a Gnat. To see great Hercules whipping a Gig, And profound Sallomon to tune a Jig. And Nestor play at pushpin with the boys, And Critic Tymon laugh at idle toys. Where lies thy grief, oh tell me good Dumaine? And gentle Longauill, where lies thy pain? And where my Lieges? all about the breast. A Caudle How! True true, we are four: will these turtles be gone We number nothing that we spend for you, Our duty is so rich, so infinite, That we may do it still without account. Vouchsafe to show the sunshine of your face, That we (Like savages) may worship it. See where it comes. Behaviour what Wertenberg thou? Till this mad man showed thee, and what art thou now? This jest is dry to me, gentle sweet, Your wits makes wise things foolish when we greet With eyes best seeing, heavens fiery eye: By light we lose light, your capacity Is of that nature, that to your hudge stoore, Wise things seem foolish, and rich things but poor. I am a fool, and full of poverty. Thus pooure the Stars down plagues for perjury. Can any face of brass hold longer out? Here stand I, Lady dart thy skill at me, Bruise me with scorn, confound me with a flout. Thrust thy sharp wit quite through my ignorance Cut me to pieces with thy keen conceit. And I will wish thee never more to dance, Nor never more in Russian habit wait. Oh never will I trust to speeches pend, Nor to the motion of a School-boys tongue Nor never come in vizard to my friend, Nor woo in rhyme Like a blind harpers songue. Taffeta phrases, silken terms precise, Three pilde Hiberboles, spruce affection: Figures pedantical, these summer flies, Have blown me full of maggot ostentation. I do forswear them, and I here protest, By this white Glove (how white the hand God knows) Henceforth my wooing mind shall be expressed In russet yea, and honest kersie Noah's. And to begin Wench, so God help me law, My love to thee is found, sance crack or flaw Yet I have a trick, Of the old rage: bear with me, I am sick. I'll leave it by degrees; soft, let us see, Write Lord have mercy on us, on those three, They are infected, in their hearts it lies: They have the Plague, and caught it of your eyes, These Lords are visited, you are not free, For the Lords tokens on you do I see. Peace, for I will not have to do with you. Speak for your selves, my wit is at and end. Lo, he is tilting straight. Peace, I have done. My hat to a halfpenny, Pompey proves the best Worthy. Pompey the great. Take away the Conqueror, take away Alexander. A kissing traitor. How art thou proud Judas? Well followed, Judas was hanged on and Flder Because thou hast no face. A death's face in a Ring. Saint Georges half cheek in a Brooch. I and worn in the cap of a Toothdrawer: And now forward, for we have put thee in countenance. False, we have given thee faces. And thou weart a Lion, we would do so. For the Ass to the Jude: give it him. Judas away This cannot be Hector. A Lemon. Greater then great, great, great, great Pompey: Pom pey the hudge. Pompey is moved more Ates more Atees stir them or stir them on. I, if a'haue no more men blood in his belly then w sup a Flay. What reason have you fort. Honest plain words, best pierce the ear of grief, And by these badges understand the King, For your fair sakes, have we neglected time. Played fouleplay with our oaths: your beauty Ladies Hath much deformed us, fashioning our humours Even to the opposed end of our intents. And what in us hath seemed ridiculous: As Love is full of unbefitting strains, All wanton as a child, skipping and vain. Formed by the eye, and therefore Like the eye. Full of straying shapes, of habits and of forms Varying in subjects as the eye does roll. To every varied object in his glance: Which party coted presence of lose love Put on by us, if in your heavenly eyes, Have misbecombd our oaths and gravities. Those heavenly eyes that look into these faults, Suggested us to make, therefore Ladies Our love being yours, the error that Love makes Is likewise yours: we to our selves prove false, By being once falce, for ever to be true To those that make us both fair Ladies you. And even that falsehood in it self a sin, Thus purifies it self and turns to grace. Things hid & ard (you mean) from cammon sense. The Spring is near when green geese are a bree ding. Fit in his place and time. Item, That no woman shall come within a mile of my Court. Hath this been proclaimed? Lets see the penalty On pain of losing her tongue. Who devised this penalty? This Article my liege your self must break, For well you know here comes in Embassaie, The French kings daughter with your self to speak: A Maid of grace and complete majesty, About surrender up of Aquitaine, To her decrepit, sick, and bedrid Father. Therefore this Article is made in vain, Or vainly comes the admired Princess hither. So Study evermore is overshot, While it does study to have what it would, It does forget to do the thing it should: And when it hath the thing it hunts most 'Tis wone as towns with fire, so wone so lost. Necessity will make us all forsworn Three thousand times within this three years space: For every man with his affects is born, Not by might mastered, but by special grace. If I break faith, this word shall speak for me, I am forsworn on mere necessity. So to the Laws at large I write my name, And he that breaks them in the least degree, Stands in attainder of eternal shame. Suggestions are to other as to me But I believe although I seem so loath, I am the last that will last keep his oath. But is there no quick recreation granted? This fellow, What wouldst? This is he. To hear, or forbear hearing For the following sir. I know you did. You must not be so quick. Your wit's too hight, it speeds too fast, 'twill tire. What time a day? Now fair befall your mask. And send you many lovers. Nay then will I be gone. Lady I will commend you to my none heart. I would you herd it groan. Sick at the heart. Will you pricked with your eye. Now God save thy life. I cannot stay thanksgiving. Oh you are welcome sir, adieu. Oh my good Oh what is a remuneration? Oh, why then three farthing worth of Silk. Oh stay slave, I must employ thee. As thou wilt win my favour, good my knave, Do one thing for me that I shall in reate. Oh this afternoon. Oh thou knowest not what it is. Why villain, thou must know first. It must be done this after noon, Hark slave, it is but this: The Princess comes to hunt here in the Park, And in her train there is a gentle Lady: When tongues speak sweetly, then they name her name, And Rosalin they call her, ask for her: And to her white hand see thou do commend This seald-vp counsel. Ther's thy guerdon: go. Oh and I forsooth in love, I that have been loves whip? A very Bedell to a humorous sighs, a Crietick, nay a nightwatch Constable. A domineering pedant over the Boy, then whom no mor tall so magnificent. This wimpled whining purblind wayward Boy, This signior Iunios giant dwa ffe, dan Cupid, Regent of Love-rimes, Lord of folded arms, the anointed sovereign of sighs and groones: Liege of all loiterers and malecontents: Dread Prince of Placcat , King of Codpiece Sole Emperator and great general Of trotting Parrators (Oh my little heart.) And I to be a Corporal of his field, And wear his colours Like a Tumblers hoop. What I love, I sue, I seek a wife, A woman that is Like a Iermane Cloak, Still a repairing: ever out of frame, And never going a right, being a Watch: But being watched, that it may still go right. Nay to be periurde, which is worst of all: And among three to love the worst of all, A whitly wanton, with a velvet brow, With two pitch balls stuck in her face for eyes. I and by heaven, one that will do the deed, Though Argus were her eunuch and her guard. And I to sighs for her, to watch for her, To pray for her, go to: it is a plague That Cupid will impose for my neglect, Of his almighty dreadful little might. Well, I will love, write, sighs, pray, shue, groan, Some men must love my Lady, and some Joan. One drunkard loves and other of the name. I could put thee in comfort, not by two that I know, Thou makest the triumvirate, the corner cap of society, The shape of Loves Tiburne, that hangs up Simplicity. Oh Rhymes are guards on wanton Cupid's hose, Disfigure not his Shop. By earth she is not, croporall, there you lie. And amber coloured Raven was well noted. Stoop I say, her shoulder is with child. I as some days, but then no Sun must shine. Amen, so I had mine: Is not that a good word? A Fever in your blood, why then incision Would let her out in Saucers, sweet misprision. Once more I'll mark how Love can varry Wit. 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 heavens breath. Air (quoth he) thy cheeks may blow, Air would I might triumph so, But alack my hand is sworn, Near to pluck thee from thy throne: 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 and Ethiop 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 loves fasting pain. Oh would the King, Berowne, and Longauill, Were Lovers too, ill to example ill, Would from my forehead wipe a periurde note: For none offend, where all alike do dote. Not you by me, but I betrayed to you. I that am honest, I that hold it sin To break the vow I am engaged in. I am betrayed by keeping company With men Like men of inconstancy. When shall you see me write a thing in rhyme? Or groan for Love? or spend minutes time, In pruning me when shall you hear that I will praise a hand, a foot, a face, and eye: a gate, a stance, a brow, a breast, a wast, a leg, a limb. I post from Love, good Lover let me go. A toy my Leedge, a toy: your grace needs not fear it. That you three fools, lacked me fool, to make up the mess He, he, and you and you my Liege, and I, Are pickpurse I Love, and we deserve to die. Oh dismiss this audience, and I shall tell you more. Sweet Lords, sweet Lovers Oh let us embrace, As true we are as flesh and blood can be, The Sea will ebb and flow, heaven show his face: Young blood does not obey and old decree. We can not cross the cause why we were born: Therefore of all hands must we be forsworn. Did they quoth you? Who sees the heavenly Rosaline, That (Like a rude and savage man of Ind. ) At the first opning of the gorgeous East, Bows not his vassal head, and strooken blind. Kisses the base ground with obedient breast. What peromptorie Eagle-sighted eye Dares look upon the heaven of her brow, That is not blinded by her majesty? Devils soonest tempt resembling spirits of light. Oh if in black my Ladies brows be decked, It mourns, that painting usurping hair Should ravish dooters with a false aspect: And therefore is she born to make black fair. Her favour turns the fashion of the days, For native blood is counted painting now: And therefore red that would avoid dispraise, Paints it self black, to imitate her brow. Your Mistress's dare never come in rain, For fear their colours should be washed away. I'll prove her fair, or talk till doomse-day here. Oh nothing so sure, and thereby all forsworn. Oh 'tis more then need. Have at you then affections men at arms, For Charity it self fulfils the Law: And who can sever Love from Charity. First from the Park let us conduct them thither, Then homeward every man attach the hand Of his fair Mistress, in the after noon We will with some strange pastime solace them: Such as the shortness of the time can shape, For Revels, Dances, Masks, and merry hours, Forerun fair Love, strewing her way with flower . Alone alone sowed Cockell, reaped no Corn, And Justice always whirls in equal measure: Light Wenches may prove plagues to men forsome, If so our Copper bies no better treasure. Is this your perfectness? begun you rogue. Oh, I am yours and all that I possess. I cannot give you less. Where, when, what Vizard? why demand you this? Welcome pure wit, thou partest a fair fray. Hide thy head Achilles, here comes Hector in Arms. Worthies away, the Scene begins to cloud. Is she wedded or no? My eyes are then no eyes, nor I Berowne, Oh, but for my Love, day would turn to night, Of all complexions the could sovereignty, Do meet as at a fair in her fair cheek, Where several worthies make one dignity, Where nothing wants, that want it self does seek. Lend me the flourish of all gentle tongues, F e painted Rhetoric, Oh she needs it not, To things of sale, a sellers praise belongs: She passes praise, then praise too short does blot. A withered Hermight fivescore winter's worn, Might shake off fifty, looking in her eye: Beauty does varnish Age, as if new born, And gives the Crutch the Cradles infancy. Oh 'tis the Sun that makes all things shine. Oh if the streets were paved with thine eyes, Her feet were much too dainty for such tread. Their eyes villain, their eyes. Shot by heaven, proceed sweet Cupid, thou hast thumpt him with thy Birdbolt under the left pap: in faith secrets. Your nose smells no in his most tender smelling knight. Would that do it good?