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More than to see this ring. — Take him away.

[Guards freze Bertram.

My fore-past proofs, howe'er the matter fall,
Shall tax my fears of little vanity,
Having vainly fear'd too little.
We'll fift this matter further.

BER. If you shall prove

Away with him;

This ring was ever hers, you shall as easy
Prove that I husbanded her bed in Florence,
Where yet she never was.

Enter a Gentleman.

Kin. I am wrapt in dismal thinkings.

Gen. Gracious fovereign,

[Exit, guarded.

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 fuppliant, who by this, I know,
Is here attending: her business looks in her
With an importing visage; and fhe told me,
In a sweet verbal brief, it did concern
Your highness with herself.

me.

Kin. [reads.] Upon his many proteftations to marry me, when his wife was dead, I blush to say it, he won Now is the count Rofillion a widower; his vows are forfeited to me, and my honours pay'd to him. He ftole from Florence, taking no leave, and I follow him to his country for juftice: Grant it me, o king, in you it beft lies; otherwise, a feducer flourishes, and a poor maid is undone.

VOL. IV.

Diana Capulet.

G

LAF. I'll buy me a fon-in-law in a fair, and toll for this. I'll none of him.

Kin. The heavens have thought well on thee, Lafeu, To bring forth this difcovery. Seek these fuitors: Go, fpeedily, and bring again the count.

[Exeunt fome Attendants.

I am afeard, the life of Helen, lady,
Was foully fnatch'd.

Cou. Now, juftice on the doers!

Re-enter BERTRAM, guarded.

Kin. I wonder, fir, wives are fuch monsters to you; And that you fly them, as you fwear to them;

Yet you desire to marry.

What woman's that?

Enter Widow, and DIANA.

and honour

DIA. I am, my lord, a wretched Florentine, Derived from the ancient Capulet; My fuit, as I do understand, you know, And therefore know how far I may be pity'd. Wid. I am her mother, fir, whose age Both fuffer under this complaint we bring, And both fhall ceafe, without your remedy. [women? Kin. Come hither, count; Say, do you know these BER. My lord, I neither can, nor will, deny

But that I know them: Do they charge me further? DIA. Why do you look fo ftrange upon your wife? BER. She's none of mine, my lord.

DIA. If you fhall marry,

You give away this hand, and that is mine;

You give away heaven's vows, and those are mine;
You give away myfelf, which is known mine;
For I by vow am fo embody'd yours,

That fhe, which marries you, must marry me,

Either both, or none.

LAF. Your reputation [to Ber.] comes too fhort for my daughter, you are no husband for her.

BER. My lord, this is a fond and desperate creature, Whom fometime I have laugh'd with: let your highness Lay a more noble thought upon mine honour,

Than for to think that I would fink it here.

Kin. Sir, for my thoughts, you have them ill to friend, 'Till your deeds gain them; Fairer prove your honour, Than in my thought it lies!

DIA. Row, good my lord,

Afk him upon his oath, if he does think
He had not my virginity.

Kin. What fay'st thou to her?

BER. She's impudent, my lord;

And was a common gamefter to the camp.

DIA. He does me wrong, my lord; if I were fo,

He might have bought me at a common price:
Do not believe him: O, behold this † ring,
Whose high refpect, and rich validity,

Did lack a parallel; yet, for all that,

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it to a commoner o'the camp,

If I be one.

Cou. He blushes, and 'tis it:

Of fix preceding ancestors, that jem,

Confer'd by teftament to the fequent iffue,

Hath it been ow'd, and worn. This is his wife;

That ring's a thousand proofs.

Kin. Methought, you faid,

You faw one here in court could witness it.

DIA. I did, my lord, but loth am to produce So bad an instrument; his name's Parolles.

24 'tis hit:

LAF. I faw the man to-day, if man he be
Kin. Find him, and bring him hither.
BER. What of him?

He's quoted for a moft perfidious flave,

With all the fpots o'the world tax'd and debosh'd;
Whose nature fickens but to speak a truth:
Am I or that, or this, for what he'll utter,
That will speak any thing?

Kin. She hath that ring of yours.

BER. I think, fhe has: certain it is, I lik'd her,
And boarded her i'the wanton way of youth:
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 infuit coming with her modern grace,
Subdu'd me to her rate: fhe 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 firft fo noble wife,
May juftly 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.

Kin. What ring was yours, I pray you ?
DIA. Sir, much like

The fame upon your finger.

Kin. Know you this ring? this ring was his of late.
DIA. And this was it I gave him, being a-bed.
Kin. The story then goes falfe, you threw it him

21 that have turn'd

Out of a casement.

DIA. I have spoke the truth.

Enter PAROLLES.

BER. My lord, I do confefs, the ring was hers. Kin. You boggle fhrewdly, every feather starts you. Is this the man you speak of?

Dia. Ay, my lord.

[you,

Kin. o tell me, firrah, but tell me true, I charge Not fearing the difpleasure of your master, (Which, on your juft proceeding, I'll keep off) By him, and by this woman here, what know you? PAR. So please your majefty, my mafter hath been an honourable gentleman; tricks he hath had in him, which gentlemen have : [woman? Kin. Come, come, to the purpose; Did he love this PAR. 'Faith, fir, he did love her; But how?

Kin. How, I pray you?

[man. PAR. He did love her, fir, as a gentleman loves a woKin. How is that?

PAR. He lov'd her, fir, and lov'd her not.

Kin. As thou art a knave, and no knave:_What an equivocal companion is this?

[mand. PAR. I am a poor man, and at your majefty's comLAF. He's a good drum, my lord, but a naughty orator. DIA. Do you know, he promis'd me marriage? PAR. 'Faith, I know more than I'll speak. Kin. But wilt thou not speak all thou know'st? PAR. Yes, fo please your majefty: I did go between them, as I faid; but more, than that he lov'd her,for, indeed, he was mad for her; and talk'd 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

29 v. Note.

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