If I break faith, this word shall speak for me:'
I am forfworn on meer neceffity.--
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 others, as to me;
But, I believe, although I seem so loth,
I am the last that will last keep his oath.
But is there no quick recreation granted?

King. Ay, that there is; our Court, you know, is haunted

With a refined traveller of Spain,
A man in all the world's new fashion planted,
That hath a mint of phrases in his brain:
One, whom the mufick of his own vain tongue,
Doth ravish, like inchanting harmony:
3 A man of complements, whom right and wrong
Have chose as umpire of their mutiny.

This

wrong friends: and to perfuade the one to recede from the accustomed stubbornness of her nature, and wink at the liberties of her opposite, rather than he would incur the imputation of ill-breeding in keeping up the quarrel. And as our author, and Johnson his contemporary, are, confefsedly, the two greatest wri ters in the Drama that our nation could ever boast of, this may be no improper occasion to take notice of one material difference between Shakespear's worst plays, and the other's. owed all to his prodigious natural genius; and Johnson most to his acquired parts and learning. This, if attended to, will explain the difference we fpeak of. Which is this, that, in Johnson's bad pieces, we do not difcover the

Our author

1

This child of fancy, that Armado hight,

For interim to our Studies, shall relate
In high-born words the worth of many a Knight

}

+ From tawny Spain, lost in the world's debate 5. How you delight, my lords, I know not, I; But, I protest, I love to hear him lie; And I will use him for my minstrelfie. Biron. Armado is a most illustrious wight,

Long. Coftard the swain, and he, shall be our sport; And, fo to study, three years are but short.

SCENE II.

Enter Dull and Costard with a letter.

Dull. Which is the King's own person'?

Biron. This, fellow; what would'st?

Dull. I myself reprehend his own person, for I am his Grace's Tharborough: but I would fee his own

perfon in flesh and blood.

Biron. This is he.

:

Lull. Signior Arme, - Arme - commends you. There's villainy abroad; this letter will tell you more. Coft. Sir, the Contempts thereof are as touching me. King. A letter from the magnificent Armado. Biron. How low foever the matter, I hope in God for high words. Long. A high hope for a low having'; God grant us patience! Biron. To hear, or forbear hearing?

Long. To hear meekly, Sir, to laugh moderately, or to forbear both.

Biron. Well, Sir, be it as the Stile shall give us cause to climb in the merriness.

Coft. The matter is to me, Sir, as concerning Ja

quenetta.

The manner of it is, I was taken in the manners.
Biron. In what manner?

Cost. In manner and form, following, Sir; all those three. I was seen with her in the Manor-house, fitting with her upon the Form, and taken following her into the Park, which, put together, is, in manner and form following. Now, Sir, for the manner: it is the manner of a man to speak to a woman; for the form, in fome form.

Biron. For the following, Sir!

Coft. As it shall follow in my correction; and God defend the right!

King. Will you hear the letter with attention?

Biron. As we would hear an oracle.

Coft. Such is the fimplicity of man to hearken after

the flesh.

King reads.

:

REAT deputy, the welkin's vice-gerent, "

GREAT

and fole dominator of Navarre, my foul's

earth's God, and body's foftring patron

Coft. Not a word of Coftard yet.

King. So it is

Coft. It may be so; but if he say it is so, he is, in

telling true, but fo, fo.

King. Peace

Coft. Be to me, and every man that dares not fight!
King. No words-

Coft.. Of other men's fecrets, I beseech you.

King. So it is, Besieged with fable-coloured melancholy, I did commend the black oppreffing humour to the most wholesome physick of thy health-giving air; and as I am

1

a gentleman, betook myself to walk: The time, when? about the fixth hour, when beasts most graze, birds beft peck, and men fit down to that nourishment which is call'd fupper: so much for the time, when. Now for the ground, which: which, I mean, I walkt upon; it is ycleped, thy park. Then for the place, wheres where, I mean, I did encounter that obscene and most preposterous event, that draweth from my Snow-white pen the ebon-colour'd ink, which here thou vieweft, beholdest, furveyest, or feest. But to the place, where ; It ftandeth north-north-east and by east from the west corner of thy curious-knotted garden. There did I fee that low-spirited fwain, that base minow of thy mirth, (Coft. Me?) that unletter'd small-knowing foul, (Coft. Me?) that shallow vassal, (Cost. Still me?) which, as I remember, hight Costard; (Cost. O me!) forted and conforted, contrary to thy established proclaimed edict and continent canon, with, with O with, but with this, I passion to say wherewith :

Coft. With a wench.

King. With a child of our grandmother Eve, a female; or for thy more understanding, a woman; bim, I (as my ever-esteemed duty pricks me on) have sent to thee, to receive the meed of punishment, by thy sweet Grace's Officer, Anthony Dull, a man of good repute, carriage, bearing an estimation.

Dull. Me, an't shall please you: I am Anthony Dull. King. For Jaquenetta, (fo is the weaker veffel call'd) which I apprehended with the aforesaid fwain, I keep her as a vaffal of thy law's fury, and shall at the least of thy sweet notice bring her to trial. Thine in all compliments of devoted and heart-burning heat of duty.

:

Don Adriano de Armado.

Biron. This is not so well as I look'd for, but the... best that ever I heard.

not be intended here. We may read, the base minion of thy mirth.