Content Warning: The source text references period-typical stereotyping around ethnicity, cultural origins, and misogynistic attitudes. In 4.3, in particular, the characters discuss the physical features of women in a way that reflects racist notions of beauty.

The King of Navarre enters with three Lords in his court: Longaville, Dumaine, and Berowne. He holds a written oath they have drawn up, swearing to dedicate three years to studying. He envisages his court becoming a school for contemplative thought. He believes this will make them famous, enabling them to vanquish death by living on in their reputation.

Longaville and Dumaine sign the oath without hesitation, extolling the merits of giving up worldly pleasures to enhance the mind. However, Berowne is reluctant: He says he only swore to study for three years but did not agree to the other conditions, including fasting, completely avoiding women, and barely sleeping. The others argue that he already agreed to these, to which he says he was only joking and asks what the point of studying is. The King says that the point is to gain knowledge otherwise unknown. Berowne argues that according to the oath, food, sleep, and women will be unknown, so if he signs it they will become the things he needs to seek knowledge of.