Enter BERTRAM. Laf. He looks well on't. King. I am not a day of season,* For thou mayst see a sunshine and a hail Ber. My high-repented blames,† Not one word more of the consumed time. Ber. Admiringly, my liege: at first I stuck my choice upon her, ere my heart King. Well excused: That thou didst love her, strikes some scores away To the great sender turns a sour offence, Crying, That's good that's gone: our rash faults Count. Which better than the first, O dear heaven, bless! Or, ere they meet, in me, O nature, cesse !‡ Laf. Come on, my son, in whom my house's name Must be digested, give a favour from you, To sparkle in the spirits of my daughter, That she may quickly come.-By my old beard, * I, e. of uninterrupted rain. † Faults. + Cease. And every hair that's on't, Helen, that's dead, Ber. Hers it was not. King. Now, pray you, let me see it; for mine eye, Necessitied to help, that by this token I would relieve her: Had you that craft, to reave her Ber. My gracious sovereign, Count. Son, on my life, I have seen her wear it, and she reckon'd it Laf. I am sure, I saw her wear it. Ber. You are deceived, my lord, she never saw it: King. Plutus himself, That knows the tinct and multiplying medicinef Than I have in this ring: 'twas mine, 'twas Helen's, That you are well acquainted with yourself, Confess 'twas hers, and by what rough enforcement, You got it from her: she call'd the saints to surety, Unless she gave it to yourself in bed (Where you have never come), or sent it us Upon her great disaster. Ber. She never saw it. King. Thou speak'st it falsely, as I love mine honour; In the sense of unengaged. [Guards seize BERTRAM. †The philosopher's stone. My fore-past proofs, howe'er the matter fall, Having vainly fear'd too little.-Away with him ;— Ber. 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. [Exit BERTRAM, guarded. Enter a GENTLEMAN. King. I am wrapp'd in dismal thinkings. Gent. Gracious sovereign, Whether I have been to blame, or no, I know not;- Who hath, for four or five removes,* come short Vanquish'd thereto by the fair grace and speech 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. Now, justice on the doers! Enter BERTRAM, guarded. King. I wonder, Sir, since wives are monsters to you, Re-enter GENTLEMAN, with WIDOW and DIANA. My suit, as I do understand, you know, Wid. I am her mother, Sir, whose age and honour * Post-stages. † Pay toll for him. Both suffer under this complaint we bring, King. Come hither, count; Do you know these women? But that I know them: Do they charge me further? Dia. Why do you look so strange upon your wife? Dia. If you shall marry, You give away this hand, and that is mine; You give away heaven's vows, and those are mine; You give away myself, which is known mine; That she, which marries you, must marry me, Laf. Your reputation [To BERTRAM] 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 Than for to think that I would sink it here. King. 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. Good my lord, Ask him upon his oath, if he does think He had not my virginity. King. What say'st thou to her? Ber. She's impudent, my lord; And was a common gamestert 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, Count. He blushes, and 'tis it: Of six preceding ancestors, that gem Conferr'd by testament to the sequent issue, King. Methought, you said, You saw one here in court could witness it. He's quoted § for a most perfidious slave, With all the spots o' the world tax'd and debosh'd; || *Decease. † A common woman. + Value. § Noted. Debauched. Whose nature sickens, but to speak a truth: King. She hath that ring of yours. Ber. I think, she has: certain it is, I liked her, Dia. I must be patient; You, that turn'd off a first so noble wife, (Since you lack virtue, I will lose a husband), Ber. I have it not. King. What ring was yours, I pray you? The same upon your finger. King. Know you this ring? this ring was his of late. King. The story then goes false, you threw it him Out of a casement. Dia. I have spoke the truth. Enter PAROLLES. Ber. My lord, I do confess, the ring was hers. King. You boggle shrewdly, every feather starts you. Is this the man you speak of? Dia. Ay, my lord. King. 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? Par. He did love her, Sir, as a gentleman loves a woman. Par. He loved her, Sir, and loved her not. King. As thou art a knave, and no knave : What an equivocal companion || is this? Attractions, though these were not extraordinary. Fellow. |