FERDINAND,
           King of Navarre

    BEROWNE,
            lord attending on the King

    LONGAVILLE,
           lord attending on the King

    DUMAIN,
            lord attending on the King

    BOYET,
            lord attending
               on the Princess of France

    MARCADE,
            lord attending
               on the Princess of France

    DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO,
           fantastical Spaniard

    SIR NATHANIEL,
           a curate

    HOLOFERNES,
           a schoolmaster

    DULL,
           a constable

    COSTARD,
           a clown

    MOTH,
           page to Armado

   A FORESTER

   THE PRINCESS OF FRANCE

    ROSALINE,
           lady attending on the Princess

    MARIA,
            lady attending on the Princess

    KATHARINE,
           lady attending on the Princess

    JAQUENETTA,
           a country wench

    Lords,
           Attendants,
         etc.

   SCENE:

    Navarre
 
  ACT I. SCENE I. Navarre. The
       King's park

    Enter he King,
           BEROWNE,
         LONGAVILLE,
           and DUMAIN

    KING.

    Let fame,
           that all hunt
              after in their lives,
         Live regist'red
               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,
         Dumain,
           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 pass'd;
        and now subscribe your names,
           That his own hand
            may strike his honour down
             That violates
                   the smallest branch herein.

    If you are arm'd
          to do as
              sworn to do,
           Subscribe to your deep oaths,
         and keep it too.

    LONGAVILLE.

    I am resolv'd;
         'tis but a three years'
            fast.

    The mind shall banquet,
           though the body pine.

    Fat paunches have lean pates;
        and dainty bits Make rich
               the ribs,
           but bankrupt quite the wits.

    DUMAIN.

    My loving lord,
           Dumain is mortified.

    The grosser manner
           of these world's delights
         He throws
            upon the gross world's
                   baser slaves;
        To love,
           to wealth,
         to pomp,
           I pine and die,
         With all
               these living in philosophy.

    BEROWNE.

    I can
         but say their protestation over;
        So much,
           dear 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