Love’s Labor’s Lost; Act III, Scene i: First Folio

 

Love’s Labor’s Lost.         Act 3, Scene 1.      Berowne

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939  O, and I forsooth in loue,
940  I that haue beene loues whip?
941  A verie Beadle to a humerous sigh: A Criticke,
942  Nay, a night-watch Constable.
943  A domineering pedant ore the Boy,
944  Then whom no mortall so magnificent,
945  This wimpled, whyning, purblinde waiward Boy,
946  This signior Iunios gyant drawfe, don Cupid,
947  Regent of Loue-rimes, Lord of folded armes,
948  Th’annointed soueraigne of sighes and groanes:
949  Liedge of all loyterers and malecontents:
950  Dread Prince of Placcats, King of Codpeeces.
951  Sole Emperator and great generall
952  Of trotting Parrators (O my little heart.)
953  And I to be a Corporall of his field,
954  And weare his colours like a Tumblers hoope.
955  What? I loue, I sue, I seeke a wife,
956  A woman that is like a Germane Cloake,
957  Still a repairing: euer out of frame,
958  And neuer going a right, being a Watch:
959  But being watcht, that it may still goe right.
960  Nay, to be periurde, which is worst of all:
961  And among three, to loue the worst of all,
962  A whitly wanton, with a veluet brow.
963  With two pitch bals stucke in her face for eyes.
964  I, and by heauen, one that will doe the deede,
965  Though Argus were her Eunuch and her garde.
966  And I to sigh for her, to watch for her,
967  To pray for her, go to: it is a plague
968  That Cupid will impose for my neglect,
969  Of his almighty dreadfull little might.
970  Well, I will loue, write, sigh, pray, shue, grone,
971  Some men must loue my Lady, and some Ione.

  One Response to “Love’s Labor’s Lost; Act III, Scene i: First Folio”

  1. […] Click here for a First Folio version of the text. […]

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