Lear's Labour's Lost
                                                         copyright © 2007 Jeff Goode

            ACT II

            SCENE 4 - The French camp.
                  Enter PRINCESS, CORDELIA, BOYET and Attendants
            BOYET
               Here comes a member of the commonwealth.
                  Enter COSTARD
            COSTARD
               God dig-you-den all! Pray you, which is the head lady?
            PRINCESS
               What's your will, sir? what's your will?
            COSTARD
               I have a letter from Monsieur Lord Kent to one Lady Cordelia.
            CORDELIA 
               O, thy letter, thy letter! he's a good friend of mine: 
            PRINCESS
               Stand aside, good bearer. Boyet, you can carve; 
               Break up this capon. 
            BOYET
                                  I am bound to serve. 
               This letter is mistook, it importeth none here;
               It is writ to Jaquenetta.
            PRINCESS
                                 We will read it, I swear.
               Break the neck of the wax, and every one give ear.
            BOYET 
               [Reads] 'Thus dost thou hear the Nemean lion roar
               'Gainst thee, thou lamb, that standest as his prey.
               Submissive fall his princely feet before,
               And he from forage will incline to play:
               But if thou strive, poor soul, what art thou then?
               Food for his rage, repasture for his den.'
            PRINCESS
               What plume of feathers is he that indited this letter?
            BOYET
               This Lord Gloucester is an old lecher, that keeps here in court;
            PRINCESS
               Thou fellow, a word:
               Who gave thee this letter?
            COSTARD
               I told you; my lord.
            PRINCESS
               From which lord to which lady?
            COSTARD
               From my lord of Kent, my good master's familiar,
               To a lady of France that he called fair Cordelia.
            PRINCESS
               Thou hast mistaken his letter. Come, lords, away.
                                                               To CORDELIA
               Here, sweet, put up this: 'twill be thine another day.
                                                      Exeunt PRINCESS and train
            COSTARD 
               Their several counsels have unbosom'd all 
               To loves mistook, I will be mock'd withal 
               Upon the next occasion that we meet, 
               With Gloucester and Lord Kent, to talk and greet. 
                                                                      Exit

Forth!