KING
Will you hear this letter with attention?
BEROWNE
As we would hear an oracle.
COSTARD
Such is the sinplicity of man to hearken after the flesh.
KING
Great deputy, the welkin's vicegerent and sole dominator of Navarre, my soul's earth's god, and body's fost'ring patron——
COSTARD
Not a word of Costard yet.
KING
So it is——
COSTARD
It may be so, but if he say it is so, he is, in telling true, but so.
KING
Peace.
COSTARD
Be to me, and every man that dares not fight.
KING
No words.
COSTARD
Of other men's secrets, I beseech you.
KING
So it is, besieged with sable-colored melancholy, I did commend the black oppressing humor to the most wholesome physic of thy health-giving air; and, as I am a gentleman, betook myself to walk. The time when? About the sixth hour, when beasts most graze, birds best peck, and men sit down to that nourishment which is called supper. So much for the time when. Now for the ground which — which, I mean, I walked upon. It is yclept thy park. Then for the place where — where, I mean, I did encounter that obscene and most prepost'rous event that draweth from my snow-white pen the ebon-colored ink, which here thou viewest, beholdest, surveyest, or seest. But to the place where. It standeth north-north-east and by east from the west corner of thy curious-knotted garden. There did I see that low-spirited swain, that base minnow of thy mirth,——
COSTARD
Me?
KING
that unlettered, small-knowing soul,——
COSTARD
Me?
KING
that shallow vassal,——
COSTARD
Still me?
KING
which, as I remember, hight Costard,——
COSTARD
O, me!
KING
sorted and consorted, contrary to thy established proclaimed edict and continent canon, which with — O with — but with this I passion to say wherewith——
COSTARD
With a wench.
KING
with a child of our grandmother Eve, a female; or, for thy more sweet understanding, a woman: him, I, as my ever-esteemed duty pricks me on, have sent to thee, to receive the meed of punishment by thy sweet Grace's officer, Anthony Dull, a man of good repute, carriage, bearing, and estimation.
DULL
Me, an 't please you. I am Anthony Dull.
KING
For Jaquenetta — so is the weaker vessel called which I apprehended with the aforesaid swain — I keep her as a vessel of thy law's fury, and shall, at the least of thy sweet notice, bring her to trial. Thine, in all compliments of devoted and heartburning heat of duty, Don Adriano de Armado.
