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 shall please you; I am Anthony Dull.
FERDINAND [Reads] 'For Jaquenetta,--so is the weaker vessel
called which I apprehended with the aforesaid
swain,--I keep her as a vessel of the 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.'
BIRON This is not so well as I looked for, but the best
that ever I heard.
FERDINAND Ay, the best for the worst. But, sirrah, what say
you to this?
COSTARD Sir, I confess the wench.
FERDINAND Did you hear the proclamation?
COSTARD I do confess much of the hearing it but little of
the marking of it.
FERDINAND It was proclaimed a year's imprisonment, to be taken
with a wench.
COSTARD I was taken with none, sir: I was taken with a damsel.
FERDINAND Well, it was proclaimed 'damsel.'
COSTARD This was no damsel, neither, sir; she was a virgin.
FERDINAND It is so varied, too; for it was proclaimed 'virgin.
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