Page:Love's Labour's Lost (1925) Yale.djvu/100

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King. Upon mine honour, no.

Prin. Peace! peace! forbear;

Your oath once broke, you force not to forswear.

King. Despise me, when I break this oath of mine.

Prin. I will; and therefore keep it. Rosaline,

What did the Russian whisper in your ear?

Ros. Madam, he swore that he did hold me dear

As precious eyesight, and did value me

Above this world; adding thereto, moreover,

That he would wed me, or else die my lover.

Prin. God give thee joy of him! the noble lord

Most honourably doth uphold his word.

King. What mean you, madam? by my life, my troth,

I never swore this lady such an oath.

Ros. By heaven you did; and to confirm it plain,

You gave me this: but take it, sir, again.

King. My faith and this the princess I did give:

I knew her by this jewel on her sleeve.

Prin. Pardon me, sir, this jewel did she wear;

And Lord Berowne, I thank him, is my dear.

What, will you have me, or your pearl again?

Ber. Neither of either; I remit both twain.

I see the trick on 't: here was a consent,

Knowing aforehand of our merriment,

To dash it like a Christmas comedy.

Some carry-tale, some please-man, some slight zany,

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 dispos'd,

 441 force not: i.e. find it easy

461 consent: conspiracy

463 Christmas comedy: absurd burlesque

464 please-man: flatterer

zany: clown

465 trencher-knight: serving-man, parasite

466 years: i.e. wrinkles, such as belong to years

