Your lady

Is one the fairest that I have look'd upon.

Post. And, therewithal, the best; or let her beauty Look through a casement to allure false hearts,

And be false with them.

Iach.

Here are letters for you.

'Tis very like.

Post. Their tenour good, I trust.

Iach.

Phi. Was Caius Lucius in the Britain court,

When you were there?

Iach.

But not approach'd.

He was expected then,

All ; well yet.

Post.

Sparkles this stone as it was wont? or is 't not
Too dull for your good wearing?

Iach.

If I have lost it,

I should have lost the worth of it in gold.
I'll make a journey twice as far, to enjoy
A second night of such sweet shortness, which
Was mine in Britain; for the ring is won.
Post. The stone 's too hard to come by.
Iach.

Your lady being so easy.

Post.

Not a whit,

Make not, sir,

Your loss your sport: I hope, you know that we
Must not continue friends.

Iach.

Good sir, we must,

If you keep covenant: Had I not brought

The knowledge of your mistress home, I grant
We were to question further: but I now
Profess myself the winner of her honour,
Together with your ring; and not the wronger
Of her, or you, having proceeded but

By both your wills.

Post.

If you can make 't apparent
That you have tasted her in bed, my hand,
And ring, is yours: If not, the foul opinion
You had of her pure honour, gains, or loses,
Your sword, or mine; or masterless leaves both

To who shall find them.

Iach.
Sir, my circumstances,
Being so near the truth, as I will make them,
Must first induce you to believe: whose strength
I will confirm with oath; which, I doubt not,
You'll give me leave to spare, when you shall find
You need it not.

Post.

Iach.

Proceed.

First, her bed-chamber, (Where, I confess, I slept not; but, profess, Had that was well worth watching,) It was hang'd With tapestry of silk and silver; the story Proud Cleopatra, when she met her Roman, And Cydnus swell'd above the banks, or for The press of boats, or pride: A piece of work So bravely done, so rich, that it did strive In workmanship, and value; which, I wonder❜d, Could be so rarely and exactly wrought,

Since the true life on 't was

Post.

This is true;

And this you might have heard of here, by me,

Or by some other.

Iach.

Must justify my knowledge.

Post.

More particulars

So they must,

The chimney

Or do your honour injury.

Iach.
Is south the chamber; and the chimney-piece,
Chaste Dian, bathing: never saw I figures
So likely to report themselves: the cutter
Was as another nature, dumb; outwent her,
Motion and breath left out.

Post.

This is a thing, Which you might from relation likewise reap; Being, as it is, much spoke of.

Iach.
With golden cherubins is fretted: Her andirons
(I had forgot them) were two winking cupids
Of silver, each on one foot standing, nicely
Depending on their brands. ›

The roof o' the chamber

Post.

This is her honour!

Let it be granted, you have seen all this, (and praise
Be given to your remembrance) the description
Of what is in her chamber, nothing saves

The wager you have laid.

Iach.

Then, if you can,

[Pulling out the Bracelet. Be pale; I beg but leave to air this jewel: See!And now 'tis up again: It must be married To that your diamond; I'll keep them.

Post.

Once more let me behold it: Is it that

Which I left with her?

Jove!

Iach.
Sir, (I thank her) that:
She stripp'd it from her arm; I see her yet;
Her pretty action did outsell her gift,

And yet enrich'd it too: She gave it me, and said,

She priz❜d it once.

Post.

To send it me.

Iach.

May be, she pluck'd it off,

She writes so to you? doth she?

Post. O, no, no, no; 'tis true. Here, take this too; [Gives the Ring.

It is a basilisk unto mine eye,

Kills me to look on 't:-Let there be no honour,
Where there is beauty; truth, where semblance; love,
Where there's another man: The vows of women
Of no more bondage be, to where they are made,
Than they are to their virtues; which is nothing:-
O, above measure false!

Phi.

Have patience, sir,

And take your ring again; 'tis not yet won:

It may be probable, she lost it; or,

Who knows if one of her women, being corrupted,
Hath stolen it from her.

And so, I hope, he came by 't:-Back my ring;-
Render to me some corporal sign about her,
More evident than this; for this was stolen.
Lach. By Jupiter, I had it from her arm.

-

Post. Hark you, he swears; by Jupiter he swears. 'Tis true;-nay, keep the ring-'tis true: I am sure, She would not lose it: her attendants are

All sworn, and honourable :-They induc'd to steal it!
And by a stranger?—No; he hath enjoy'd her:
The cognizance of her incontinency

Is this, she hath bought the name of whore thus: dearly.—

There, take thy hire; and all the fiends of hell
Divide themselves between you!

Phi.

This is not strong enough to be believ'd

Of one persuaded well of

Post.

She hath been colted by him.

Iach.

Sir, be patient:

Never talk on 't:

If you seek
For further satisfying, under her breast
(Worthy the pressing) lies a mole, right proud
Of that most delicate lodging: By my life,

I kiss'd it; and it gave me present hunger
To feed again, though full. You do remember
This stain upon her?

Post.
Another stain, as big as hell can hold,

Ay, and it doth confirm

Were there no more but it.

No swearing.

If you will swear, you have not done 't, you lie ;
And I will kill thee, if thou dost deny

Thou hast made me cuckold.

I will deny nothing.

Iach.. Post. O, that I had her here, to tear her limb-meal! I will go there, and do 't; i' the court; before Her father:-I'll do something.

Phi.

[Exit.

Quite besides
The government of patience! You have won:
Let's follow him, and pervert the present wrath

Post. Is there no way for men to be, but women
Must be half-workers? We are bastards all;
And that most venerable man, which I
Did call my father, was I know not where
When I was stamp'd; some coiner with his tools
Made me a counterfeit: Yet my mother seem'd
The Dian of that time: so doth my wife
The nonpareil of this.-O vengeance, vengeance!
Me of my lawful pleasure she restrain'd,
And pray'd me, oft, forbearance: did it with
A pudency so rosy, the sweet view on 't

Might well have warm'd old Saturn; that I thought her
As chaste as unsunn'd snow:-O, all the devils!-
This yellow Iachimo, in an hour,-was 't not?-
Or less, at first: Perchance he spoke not; but,
Like a full-acorn'd boar, a German one,
Cry'd, oh! and mounted: found no opposition
But what he look'd for should oppose, and she
Should from encounter guard. Could I find out
The woman's part in me! For there's no motion
That tends to vice in man, but I affirm

It is the woman's part: Be it lying, note it,
The woman's; flattering, hers; deceiving, hers;
Lust and rank thoughts, hers, hers; revenges, hers;
Ambitions, covetings, change of prides, disdain,
Nice longings, slanders, mutability,

All faults that may be nam'd, nay, that hell knows,
Why, hers, in part, or all; but, rather, all:
For ev'n to vice

They are not constant, but are changing still
One vice, but of a minute old, for one

Not half so old as that. I'll write against them,
Detest them, curse them:-Yet 'tis greater skill