_Cost._ It may be so: but if he say it is so, he is, in telling true, but so. 220 _King._ Peace! _Cost._ Be to me, and every man that dares not fight! _King._ No words! _Cost._ Of other men’s secrets, I beseech you. _King_ [_reads_]. ‘So it is, besieged with sable-coloured 225 melancholy, I did commend the black-oppressing humour 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 229 nourishment which is called supper: so much for the time when. Now for the ground which; which, I mean, I walked upon: it is ycleped thy park. Then for the place where; where, I mean, I did encounter that obscene and most preposterous event, that draweth from my snow-white pen the ebon-coloured ink, which here thou viewest, beholdest, 234 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,’— _Cost._ Me? _King_ [_reads_]. ‘that unlettered small-knowing soul,’— 240 _Cost._ Me? _King_ [_reads_]. ‘that shallow vassal,’— _Cost._ Still me? _King_ [_reads_]. ‘which, as I remember, hight Costard,’ _Cost._ O, me! 245 _King_ [_reads_]. ‘sorted and consorted, contrary to thy established proclaimed edict and continent canon, which with,—O, with— but with this I passion to say wherewith,’— _Cost._ With a wench. _King_ [_reads_] ‘with a child of our grandmother Eve, a female; 250 or, for thy more sweet understanding, a woman. Him I, as my everesteemed 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 shall please you; I am Anthony Dull. 255 _King_ [_reads_]. ‘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 heart-burning heat of duty. DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO.’ 260 _Biron._ This is not so well as I looked for, but the best that ever I heard. _King._ Ay, the best for the worst. But, sirrah, what say you to this? _Cost._ Sir, I confess the wench. 265 _King._ Did you hear the proclamation? _Cost._ I do confess much of the hearing it, but little of the marking of it. _King._ It was proclaimed a year’s imprisonment, to be taken with a wench. 270 _Cost._ I was taken with none, sir: I was taken with a damsel. _King._ Well, it was proclaimed damsel.