LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST
by William Shakespeare
Contents
Dramatis Personæ
KING of Navarre, also known as Ferdinand
BEROWNE, Lord attending on the King
LONGAVILLE, Lord attending on the King
DUMAINE, Lord attending on the King
The PRINCESS of France
ROSALINE, Lady attending on the Princess
MARIA, Lady attending on the Princess
KATHARINE, Lady attending on the Princess
BOYET, Lord attending on the Princess
Don Adriano de ARMADO, a fantastical Spaniard
MOTH, Page to Armado
JAQUENETTA, a country wench
COSTARD, a Clown
DULL, a Constable
HOLOFERNES, a Schoolmaster
Sir NATHANIEL, a Curate
A FORESTER
MARCADÉ, a messenger from France
Lords, Blackamoors, Officers and Others, Attendants on the King and Princess.
SCENE: Navarre
ACT I
SCENE I. The King of Navarre’s park
Enter Ferdinand, King of Navarre, Berowne,Longaville and Dumaine.
KING.
Let fame, that all hunt after in their lives,
Live registered upon our brazen tombs,
And then grace us in the disgrace of death;
When, spite of cormorant devouring time,
Th’ endeavour 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, Berowne, Dumaine 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 passed, and now subscribe your names,
That his own hand may strike his honour down
That violates the smallest branch herein.
If you are armed 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 banq