Page:Love's Labour's Lost (1925) Yale.djvu/17

Love's Labour's Lost, I. i

At Christmas I no more desire a rose

Than wish a snow in May's new-fangled shows;

But like of each thing that in season grows.

So you, to study now it is too late,

Climb o'er the house to unlock the little gate.

King. Well, sit you out: go home, Berowne: adieu!

Ber. No, my good lord; I have sworn to stay with you:

And though I have for barbarism spoke more

Than 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.

King. How well this yielding rescues thee from shame!

Ber. 'Item. That no woman shall come with-

in a mile of my court.' Hath this been pro-

claimed?

Long. Four days ago.

Ber. Let's see the penalty. 'On pain of losing

her tongue.' Who devised this penalty?

Long. Marry, that did I.

Ber. Sweet lord, and why?

Long. To fright them hence with that dread penalty.

[Ber.] A dangerous law against gentility!

'Item. If any man be seen to talk with a wo-

man within the term of three years, he shall

endure such public shame as the rest of the

court can possibly devise.'

 106 new-fangled shows; cf. n.

109 Cf. n.

110 sit you out: withdraw

114 confident: I am confident; cf. n.

115 each three years' day: each day for three years

119 Item: likewise

127 gentility: courtesy

