King. All is whole; Not one word more of the consumed time. Let's take the instant by the forward top; For we are old, and on our quick'st decrees The inaudible and noiseless foot of time Steals ere we can effect them: You remember The daughter of this lord?

Ber. Admiringly, my liege: at first I stuck my choice upon her, ere my heart Durst make too bold a herald of my tongue: Where the impression of mine eye infixing, Contempt his scornful perspective did lend me, Which warp'd the line of every other favour; Scorn'd a fair colour, or express'd it stol'n; Extended or contracted all proportions,

To a most hideous object: Thence it came, [self, That she, whom all men prais'd, and whom mySince I have lost, have lov'd, was in mine eye The dust that did offend it.

King.

Well excus'd:

That thou didst love her, strikes some scores away

From the great compt: But love, that comes too Like a remorseful pardon slowly carried, [late, To the great sender turns a sour offence, Crying, That's good that's gone: our rash faults Make trivial price of serious things we have, Not knowing them, until we know their grave: Oft our displeasures, to ourselves unjust, Destroy our friends, and after weep their dust: Our own love waking cries to see what's done, While shameful hate sleeps out the afternoon. Be this sweet Helen's knell, and now forget her. Send forth your amorous token for fair Maudlin: The main consents are had; and here we'll stay To see our widower's second marriage-day.

Count. Which better than the first, O dear heaven, bless!

Or, ere they meet, in me, O nature, cease!

Laf. Come on, my son, in whom my house's

King. Thou speak'st it falsely, as I love mine honour;

And mak'st conjectural fears to come into me,
Which I would fain shut out: If it should prove
That thou art so inhuman,-'twill not proveso ;-
And yet I know not:-thou didst hate her deadly,
And she is dead; which nothing, but to close
Her eyes myself, could win me to believe,
More than to see this ring. -Take him away. -
[Guards seize Bertram.

My fore-past proofs, howe'er the matter fall,
Shall tax my fears of little vanity,
Having vainly fear'd too little.-Away with
We'll sift this matter further.
[him ;-
If you shall prove
This ring was ever hers, you shall as easy
Prove that I husbanded her bed in Florence,
Where yet she never was.

Ber.

Gent.

[Exit Bertram, guarded,

Enter a Gentleman.

King. I am wrapp'd in dismal thinkings. Gracious sovereign, Whether I have been to blame or no, I know not; Here's a petition from a Florentine,

Who hath for four or five removes, come short
To tender it herself. I undertook it,
Vanquish'd thereto by the fair grace and speech
Of the poor suppliant, who by this, I know,
Is here attending: her business looks in her
With an important visage; and she told me,
In a sweet verbal brief, it did concern
Your highness with herself.

King. [Reads.] Upon his many protestations to marry me, when his wife was dead, I blush to say it, he won me. Now is the Count Rousillon a widower; his vows are forfeited to me, and my honour's paid to him. He stole from Florence, taking no leave, and I follow him to his country for justice: Grant it me, O king; in you it best lies; otherwise a seducer flourishes, and a poor maid is undone. DIANA CAPULET.

Laf. I will buy me a son-in-law in a fair, and toll him: for this, I'll none of him.

King. The heavens have thought well on thee, Lafeu,

To bring forth this discovery.-Seek these suitors:Go, speedily, and bring again the count.

[Exeunt Gentleman, and some Attendants. I am afeard, the life of Helen, lady, Was foully snatch'd.

Count.

He gave it to a commoner o' the camp, If I be one.

Enter Bertram, guarded.

King. I wonder, sir, since wives are monsters to you,

And that you fly them as you swear them lordship,

Yet you desire to marry.-What woman's that?
Re-enter Gentleman, with Widow, and Diana.
Dia. I am, my lord, a wretched Florentine,
Derived from the ancient Capulet;
My suit, as I do understand, you know,
And therefore know how far I may be pitied.
Wid. I am her mother, sir, whose age and
honour

Both suffer under this complaint we bring,
And both shall cease, 1 without your remedy.
King. Come hither, count: Do you know
these women?

Ber. My lord, I neither can, nor will deny But that I know them: Do they charge me

further?

You give away myself which is known mine; For I by vow am so embodied yours,

That she, which marries you, must marry me, Either both, or none.

Laf. [To Bertram.) Your reputation comes too short for my daughter; you are no husband for her.

Ber. My lord, this is a fond and desperate creature,

Whom sometime I have laugh'd with: let your highness

Lay a more noble thought upon mine honour, Than for to think that I would sink it here.

Dia. I did, my lord, but loath am to produce So bad an instrument; his name's Parolles. Laf. I saw the man to-day, if man he be. King. Find him, and bring him hither. Ber.

What of him? He's quoted for a most perfidious slave, With all the spots o' the world tax'd and de

bosh'd1;

Whose nature sickens, but to speak a truth:
Am I or that, or this, for what he'll utter,
That will speak any thing?
King.

She hath that ring of yours,
Ber. I think, she has: certain it is, I lik'd her.
She knew her distance, and did angle for me,
Madding my eagerness with her restraint,
As all impediments in fancy's course
Are motives of more fancy; and, in fine,
Her insuit coming with her modern grace;
Subdued me to her rate: she got the ring;
And I had that, which any inferior might
At market-price have bought.

Dia.

I must be patient; You, that turn'd off a first so noble wife, May justly diet me. I pray you yet, (Since you lack virtue, I will lose a husband,) Send for your ring, I will return it home, And give me mine again.

Ber.

I have it not.

ill to friend,

Till your deeds gain them: Fairer prove your honour,

Than in my thought it lies!

Dia.

Good my lord,
Ask him upon his oath, if he does think
He had my honour.

King. What say'st thou to her?
Ber.

She's impudent, my lord;

And was a common gamester to the camp.

Dia. He does me wrong, my lord; if I were so, He might have bought me at a common price: Do not believe him: O, behold this ring, Whose high respect, and rich validity, Did lack a parallel; yet, for all that,

Dia.

Ay, my lord.

K. Tell me, sirrah, but tell me true, I charge you,

Not fearing the displeasure of your master, (Which, on your just proceeding, I'll keep off,) By him, and by this woman here, what know

you?

Par. So please your majesty, my master hath been an honourable gentleman; tricks he hath had in him, which gentlemen have.

King. Come, come, to the purpose: Did he love this woman?

Par. 'Faith, sir, he did love her; But how? King. How, I pray you?

Dia. Do you know he promised me marriage? Par. 'Faith, I know more than I'll speak. K. But wilt thou not speak all thou know'st? Par. Yes, so please your majesty; I did go between them, as I said; but more than that, he loved her, -for indeed he was mad for her, and talked of Satan, and of limbo, and of furies, and I know not what: yet I was in that credit with them at that time, that I knew of their going to bed; and of other motions, as promising her marriage, and things that would derive me ill will to speak of, therefore I will not speak what I know.

King. Thou hast spoken all already, unless thou canst say they are married: But thou art too fine in thy evidence: therefore stand aside. -This ring, you say, was yours?

Dia.

Ay, my good lord.

King. Where did you buy it? or who gave it

It was not lent me neither.
King. Where did you find it then?
Dia.

I found it not.
K. If it were yours by none of all these ways,
How could you give it him?
I never gave it him.

Dia.

Laf. This woman's an easy glove, my lord; she goes off and on at pleasure. King. This ring was mine, I gave it his first wife.

Dia. It might be yours or hers for aught I know.

King. Take her away, I do not like her now; To prison with her, and away with him.Unless thou tell'st me where thou hadst this ring,

Thou diest within this hour.
Dia.
I'll never tell you.
King. Take her away.
Dia.

I'll put in bail, my liege.
K. I think thee now some common customer,
Wherefore hast thou accus'd him all this while?
Dia. Because he's guilty, and he is not guilty;
He knows I am no maid, and he'll swear to't.
I'll swear I am a maid, and he knows not.
Great king, I am no strumpet, by my life;
I am either maid, or else this old man's wife.
[Pointing to Lajeu.

K. She does abuse our ears; to prison with her. Dia. Good mother, fetch my bail. Stay, royal sir; [Exit Widow. The jeweller, that owes1 the ring, is sent for, And he shall surety me. But for this lord, Who hath abus'd me, as he knows himself, Though yet he never harm'd me, here I quit him:

He thinks himself, my bed he hath defil'd; But 'twas his wife who then became with child: And now behold the meaning.

King.

Re-enter Widow, with Helena.

Is there no exorcist
Beguiles the true office of mine eyes?
Is't real, that I see?
Hel.

No, my good lord;
"Tis but the shadow of a wife you see,
The name, and not the thing.
Ber.

Both, both; 0, pardon! Hel. O, my good lord, when I was like this maid,

I found you wondrous kind. There is your ring, And, look you, here's your letter; This it says, When from my finger you can get this ring, And are by me with child, &c. This is done: Will you be mine, now you are doubly won?

Ber. If she, my liege, can make me know this clearly,

I'll love her dearly, ever, ever dearly.

Hel. If it appear not plain, and prove untrue, Deadly divorce step between me and you!O, my dear mother, do I see you living?

Laf. Mine eyes smell onions, I shall weep anon:-[To Parolles.] Good Tom Drum, lend me a handkerchief: So, I thank thee: wait on me home, I'll make sport with thee: Let thy courtesies alone, they are scurvy ones.

King. Let us from point to point this story know,

To make the even truth in pleasure flow:[To Diana.] If thou be'st yet a fresh uncropped flower,

Choose thou thy husband, and I'll pay thy dower;

For I can guess, that, by thy honest aid,
Thou keep'st a wife, herself, thyself a maid. -
Of that, and all the progress, more and less,
Resolvedly more leisure shall express:
All yet seems well; and if it end so meet,
The bitter past, more welcome is the sweet.
[Flourish.

Advancing.

The king's a beggar, now the play is done: All is well ended, if this suit be won, That you express content; which we will pay, With strife to please you, day exceeding day: Ours be your patience then, and yours our parts: Your gentle hands lend us, and take our hearts. [Exeunt.

As he shall think, by our true diligence,
He is no less than what we say he is.

L. Take him up gently, and to bed with him; And each one to his office when he wakes.

[Some bear out Sly. A trumpet sounds. Sirrah, go see what trumpet 'tis that sounds:[Exit Servant. Belike, some noble gentleman; that means, Travelling some journey, to repose him here.--Re-enter a Servant.

How now? who is it?
Serv.

An it please your honour, Players that offer service to your lordship.

Lord. Bid them come near:

Enter Players.

Now, fellows, you are welcome. 1 Play. We thank your honour. Lord. Do you intend to stay with me to-night? 2 Play. So please your lordship to accept our [member,

duty.

Lord. With all my heart. This fellow I reSince once he play'd a farmer's eldest son ;"Twas where you woo'd the gentlewoman so well: I have forgot your name; but sure that part Was aptly fitted, and naturally perform'd.

1 P. I think, 'twas Soto that your honour means. Lord. "Tis very true;-thou didst it excellent.

Well, you are come to me in happy time;
The rather, for I have some sport in hand,
Wherein your cunning can assist me much.
There is a lord will hear you play to-night:
But I am doubtful of your modesties1;
Lest, over-eying of his odd behaviour,
(For yet his honour never heard a play),
You break into some merry passion,
And so offend him; for I tell you, sirs,
If you should smile, he grows impatient.

1 Play. Fear not, my lord; we can contain ourWere he the veriest antick in the world. [selves, Lord. Go, sirrah, take them to the buttery, And give them friendly welcome every one: Let them want nothing that my house affords. [Exeunt Servant and Players.

[To a Servant.) Sirrah, go you to Bartholomew my page,

And see him dress'd in all suits like a lady:
That done, conduct him to the drunkard's cham-
And call him-madam, do him obeisance, [ber,
Tell him from me (as he will win my love),
He bear himself with honourable action,
Such as he hath observ'd in noble ladies
Unto their lords, by them accomplished:
Such duty to the drunkard let him do,
With soft low tongue, and lowly courtesy:
And say-What is't your honour will command,
Wherein your lady, and your humble wife,

May show her duty, and make known her love? And then-with kind embracements, tempting kisses,

And with declining head into his bosom, -
Bid him shed tears, as being overjoy'd
To see her noble lord restor'd to health,
Who, for twice seven years, hath esteemed him
No better than a poor and loathsome beggar:
And if the boy have not a woman's gift,
To rain a shower of commanded tears,

cup of sack?

2 Serv. Will't please your honour, taste of these conserves? [day? 3 S. What raiment will your honour wear toSly. I am Christopher Sly; call not me-honour, nor lordship; I never drank sack in my life; and if you give me any conserves, give me conserves of beef: Ne'er ask me what raiment I'll wear; for I have no more doublets than backs, no more stockings than legs, nor no more shoes than feet; nay, sometimes, more feet than shoes, or such shoes as my toes look through the over-leather.

Lord. Heaven cease this idle humour in your O, that a mighty man of such descent, [honour, Of such possessions, and so high esteem, Should be infused with so foul a spirit!

Sly. What, would you makeme mad? Am not I Christopher Sly, old Sly's son of Burton-heath; by birth a pedlar, by education a card-maker, by transmutation a bear-herd, and now by present profession a tinker? Ask Marian Hacket, the fat ale-wife of Wincot, if she know me not: if she say I am not fourteen pence on the score for sheer ale, score me up for the lyingest knave in Christendom. What, I am not bestraught: 2 Here's

1 S. O, this it is that makes your lady mourn. 2 Serv. O, this it is that makes your servants [your house,

droop.

Lord. Hence comes it that your kindred shun
As beaten hence by your strange lunacy.
O, noble lord, bethink thee of thy birth;
Call home thyancient thoughts from banishment,
And banish hence these abject lowly dreams:
Look how thy servants do attend on thee,
Each in his office ready at thy beck.
Wilt thou have musick? hark! Apollo plays,
[Musick.

And twenty caged nightingales do sing:
Or wilt thou sleep? we'll have thee to a couch,
Softer and sweeter than the lustful bed
On purpose trimm'd up for Semiramis.