III. Love’s Labour’s Lost, 1598, 1604.
(A) From Robert Tofte, The Month’s Mind of a Melancholy Lover, 1598.
Ycleped so, so called to my pain,
Which I to hear to my small joy did stay,
Giving attendance on my froward dame.
My misgiving mind presaging to me ill,
Yet was I drawn to see it ’gainst my will.
But chiefly those entrapt in Cupid’s snare . . .
(B) Letter of Sir Walter Cope to Lord Cranborne (Sir Robert Cecil), 1604/5.
Sir,
I have sent and been all this morning hunting for players, jugglers, and such kind of creatures, but find them hard to find; wherefore leaving notes for them to seek me, Burbage is come and says there is no new play that the Queen hath not seen, but they have revived an old one, called Love’s Labour Lost, which for wit and mirth he says will please her exceedingly. And this is appointed to be played to-morrow night at my Lord of Southampton’s, unless you send a writ to remove the corpus cum causa to your house in Strand.[1] Burbage is my messenger, ready attending your pleasure.
Yours most humbly,
WALTER COPE.
- ↑ I.e. unless you prefer to invite us to use your house in the Strand for the performance.
