antony and cleopatra dramatis personae mark antony octavius caesar triumvirs m aemilius lepidus lepidus sextus pompeius pompey domitius enobarbus ventidius eros scarus friends to antony dercetas demetrius philo mecaenas agrippa dolabella proculeius friends to caesar thyreus gallus menas menecrates friends to pompey varrius taurus lieutenantgeneral to caesar canidius lieutenantgeneral to antony silius an officer in ventidius's army euphronius an ambassador from antony to caesar alexas mardian a eunuch attendants on cleopatra seleucus diomedes a soothsayer soothsayer a clown clown cleopatra queen of egypt octavia sister to caesar and wife to antony charmian attendants on cleopatra iras officers soldiers messengers and other attendants first officer second officer third officer messenger second messenger first servant second servant egyptian guard first guard second guard attendant first attendant second attendant scene in several parts of the roman empire antony and cleopatra act i scene i alexandria a room in cleopatra's palace enter demetrius and philo philo nay but this dotage of our general's o'erflows the measure those his goodly eyes that o'er the files and musters of the war have glow'd like plated mars now bend now turn the office and devotion of their view upon a tawny front his captain's heart which in the scuffles of great fights hath burst the buckles on his breast reneges all temper and is become the bellows and the fan to cool a gipsy's lust flourish enter antony cleopatra her ladies the train with eunuchs fanning her look where they come take but good note and you shall see in him the triple pillar of the world transform'd into a strumpet's fool behold and see cleopatra if it be love indeed tell me how much mark antony there's beggary in the love that can be reckon'd cleopatra i'll set a bourn how far to be beloved mark antony then must thou needs find out new heaven new earth enter an attendant attendant news my good lord from rome mark antony grates me the sum cleopatra nay hear them antony fulvia perchance is angry or who knows if the scarcebearded caesar have not sent his powerful mandate to you do this or this take in that kingdom and enfranchise that perform t or else we damn thee' mark antony how my love cleopatra perchance nay and most like you must not stay here longer your dismission is come from caesar therefore hear it antony where's fulvia's process caesar's i would say both call in the messengers as i am egypt's queen thou blushest antony and that blood of thine is caesar's homager else so thy cheek pays shame when shrilltongued fulvia scolds the messengers mark antony let rome in tiber melt and the wide arch of the ranged empire fall here is my space kingdoms are clay our dungy earth alike feeds beast as man the nobleness of life is to do thus when such a mutual pair embracing and such a twain can do't in which i bind on pain of punishment the world to weet we stand up peerless cleopatra excellent falsehood why did he marry fulvia and not love her i'll seem the fool i am not antony will be himself mark antony but stirr'd by cleopatra now for the love of love and her soft hours let's not confound the time with conference harsh there's not a minute of our lives should stretch without some pleasure now what sport tonight cleopatra hear the ambassadors mark antony fie wrangling queen whom every thing becomes to chide to laugh to weep whose every passion fully strives to make itself in thee fair and admired no messenger but thine and all alone tonight we'll wander through the streets and note the qualities of people come my queen last night you did desire it speak not to us exeunt mark antony and cleopatra with their train demetrius is caesar with antonius prized so slight philo sir sometimes when he is not antony he comes too short of that great property which still should go with antony demetrius i am full sorry that he approves the common liar who thus speaks of him at rome but i will hope of better deeds tomorrow rest you happy exeunt antony and cleopatra act i scene ii the same another room enter charmian iras alexas and a soothsayer charmian lord alexas sweet alexas most any thing alexas almost most absolute alexas where's the soothsayer that you praised so to the queen o that i knew this husband which you say must charge his horns with garlands alexas soothsayer soothsayer your will charmian is this the man is't you sir that know things soothsayer in nature's infinite book of secrecy a little i can read alexas show him your hand enter domitius enobarbus domitius enobarbus bring in the banquet quickly wine enough cleopatra's health to drink charmian good sir give me good fortune soothsayer i make not but foresee charmian pray then foresee me one soothsayer you shall be yet far fairer than you are charmian he means in flesh iras no you shall paint when you are old charmian wrinkles forbid alexas vex not his prescience be attentive charmian hush soothsayer you shall be more beloving than beloved charmian i had rather heat my liver with drinking alexas nay hear him charmian good now some excellent fortune let me be married to three kings in a forenoon and widow them all let me have a child at fifty to whom herod of jewry may do homage find me to marry me with octavius caesar and companion me with my mistress soothsayer you shall outlive the lady whom you serve charmian o excellent i love long life better than figs soothsayer you have seen and proved a fairer former fortune than that which is to approach charmian then belike my children shall have no names prithee how many boys and wenches must i have soothsayer if every of your wishes had a womb and fertile every wish a million charmian out fool i forgive thee for a witch alexas you think none but your sheets are privy to your wishes charmian nay come tell iras hers alexas we'll know all our fortunes domitius enobarbus mine and most of our fortunes tonight shall bedrunk to bed iras there's a palm presages chastity if nothing else charmian e'en as the o'erflowing nilus presageth famine iras go you wild bedfellow you cannot soothsay charmian nay if an oily palm be not a fruitful prognostication i cannot scratch mine ear prithee tell her but a workyday fortune soothsayer your fortunes are alike iras but how but how give me particulars soothsayer i have said iras am i not an inch of fortune better than she charmian well if you were but an inch of fortune better than i where would you choose it iras not in my husband's nose charmian our worser thoughts heavens mend alexascome his fortune his fortune o let him marry a woman that cannot go sweet isis i beseech thee and let her die too and give him a worse and let worst follow worse till the worst of all follow him laughing to his grave fiftyfold a cuckold good isis hear me this prayer though thou deny me a matter of more weight good isis i beseech thee iras amen dear goddess hear that prayer of the people for as it is a heartbreaking to see a handsome man loosewived so it is a deadly sorrow to behold a foul knave uncuckolded therefore dear isis keep decorum and fortune him accordingly charmian amen alexas lo now if it lay in their hands to make me a cuckold they would make themselves whores but they'ld do't domitius enobarbus hush here comes antony charmian not he the queen enter cleopatra cleopatra saw you my lord domitius enobarbus no lady cleopatra was he not here charmian no madam cleopatra he was disposed to mirth but on the sudden a roman thought hath struck him enobarbus domitius enobarbus madam cleopatra seek him and bring him hither where's alexas alexas here at your service my lord approaches cleopatra we will not look upon him go with us exeunt enter mark antony with a messenger and attendants messenger fulvia thy wife first came into the field mark antony against my brother lucius messenger ay but soon that war had end and the time's state made friends of them joining their force gainst caesar whose better issue in the war from italy upon the first encounter drave them mark antony well what worst messenger the nature of bad news infects the teller mark antony when it concerns the fool or coward on things that are past are done with me tis thus who tells me true though in his tale lie death i hear him as he flatter'd messenger labienus this is stiff newshath with his parthian force extended asia from euphrates his conquering banner shook from syria to lydia and to ionia whilst mark antony antony thou wouldst say messenger o my lord mark antony speak to me home mince not the general tongue name cleopatra as she is call'd in rome rail thou in fulvia's phrase and taunt my faults with such full licence as both truth and malice have power to utter o then we bring forth weeds when our quick minds lie still and our ills told us is as our earing fare thee well awhile messenger at your noble pleasure exit mark antony from sicyon ho the news speak there first attendant the man from sicyonis there such an one second attendant he stays upon your will mark antony let him appear these strong egyptian fetters i must break or lose myself in dotage enter another messenger what are you second messenger fulvia thy wife is dead mark antony where died she second messenger in sicyon her length of sickness with what else more serious importeth thee to know this bears gives a letter mark antony forbear me exit second messenger there's a great spirit gone thus did i desire it what our contempt doth often hurl from us we wish it ours again the present pleasure by revolution lowering does become the opposite of itself she's good being gone the hand could pluck her back that shoved her on i must from this enchanting queen break off ten thousand harms more than the ills i know my idleness doth hatch how now enobarbus reenter domitius enobarbus domitius enobarbus what's your pleasure sir mark antony i must with haste from hence domitius enobarbus why then we kill all our women we see how mortal an unkindness is to them if they suffer our departure death's the word mark antony i must be gone domitius enobarbus under a compelling occasion let women die it were pity to cast them away for nothing though between them and a great cause they should be esteemed nothing cleopatra catching but the least noise of this dies instantly i have seen her die twenty times upon far poorer moment i do think there is mettle in death which commits some loving act upon her she hath such a celerity in dying mark antony she is cunning past man's thought exit alexas domitius enobarbus alack sir no her passions are made of nothing but the finest part of pure love we cannot call her winds and waters sighs and tears they are greater storms and tempests than almanacs can report this cannot be cunning in her if it be she makes a shower of rain as well as jove mark antony would i had never seen her domitius enobarbus o sir you had then left unseen a wonderful piece of work which not to have been blest withal would have discredited your travel mark antony fulvia is dead domitius enobarbus sir mark antony fulvia is dead domitius enobarbus fulvia mark antony dead domitius enobarbus why sir give the gods a thankful sacrifice when it pleaseth their deities to take the wife of a man from him it shows to man the tailors of the earth comforting therein that when old robes are worn out there are members to make new if there were no more women but fulvia then had you indeed a cut and the case to be lamented this grief is crowned with consolation your old smock brings forth a new petticoat and indeed the tears live in an onion that should water this sorrow mark antony the business she hath broached in the state cannot endure my absence domitius enobarbus and the business you have broached here cannot be without you especially that of cleopatra's which wholly depends on your abode mark antony no more light answers let our officers have notice what we purpose i shall break the cause of our expedience to the queen and get her leave to part for not alone the death of fulvia with more urgent touches do strongly speak to us but the letters too of many our contriving friends in rome petition us at home sextus pompeius hath given the dare to caesar and commands the empire of the sea our slippery people whose love is never link'd to the deserver till his deserts are past begin to throw pompey the great and all his dignities upon his son who high in name and power higher than both in blood and life stands up for the main soldier whose quality going on the sides o the world may danger much is breeding which like the courser's hair hath yet but life and not a serpent's poison say our pleasure to such whose place is under us requires our quick remove from hence domitius enobarbus i shall do't exeunt antony and cleopatra act i scene iii the same another room enter cleopatra charmian iras and alexas cleopatra where is he charmian i did not see him since cleopatra see where he is who's with him what he does i did not send you if you find him sad say i am dancing if in mirth report that i am sudden sick quick and return exit alexas charmian madam methinks if you did love him dearly you do not hold the method to enforce the like from him cleopatra what should i do i do not charmian in each thing give him way cross him nothing cleopatra thou teachest like a fool the way to lose him charmian tempt him not so too far i wish forbear in time we hate that which we often fear but here comes antony enter mark antony cleopatra i am sick and sullen mark antony i am sorry to give breathing to my purpose cleopatra help me away dear charmian i shall fall it cannot be thus long the sides of nature will not sustain it mark antony now my dearest queen cleopatra pray you stand further from me mark antony what's the matter cleopatra i know by that same eye there's some good news what says the married woman you may go would she had never given you leave to come let her not say tis i that keep you here i have no power upon you hers you are mark antony the gods best know cleopatra o never was there queen so mightily betray'd yet at the first i saw the treasons planted mark antony cleopatra cleopatra why should i think you can be mine and true though you in swearing shake the throned gods who have been false to fulvia riotous madness to be entangled with those mouthmade vows which break themselves in swearing mark antony most sweet queen cleopatra nay pray you seek no colour for your going but bid farewell and go when you sued staying then was the time for words no going then eternity was in our lips and eyes bliss in our brows bent none our parts so poor but was a race of heaven they are so still or thou the greatest soldier of the world art turn'd the greatest liar mark antony how now lady cleopatra i would i had thy inches thou shouldst know there were a heart in egypt mark antony hear me queen the strong necessity of time commands our services awhile but my full heart remains in use with you our italy shines o'er with civil swords sextus pompeius makes his approaches to the port of rome equality of two domestic powers breed scrupulous faction the hated grown to strength are newly grown to love the condemn'd pompey rich in his father's honour creeps apace into the hearts of such as have not thrived upon the present state whose numbers threaten and quietness grown sick of rest would purge by any desperate change my more particular and that which most with you should safe my going is fulvia's death cleopatra though age from folly could not give me freedom it does from childishness can fulvia die mark antony she's dead my queen look here and at thy sovereign leisure read the garboils she awaked at the last best see when and where she died cleopatra o most false love where be the sacred vials thou shouldst fill with sorrowful water now i see i see in fulvia's death how mine received shall be mark antony quarrel no more but be prepared to know the purposes i bear which are or cease as you shall give the advice by the fire that quickens nilus slime i go from hence thy soldier servant making peace or war as thou affect'st cleopatra cut my lace charmian come but let it be i am quickly ill and well so antony loves mark antony my precious queen forbear and give true evidence to his love which stands an honourable trial cleopatra so fulvia told me i prithee turn aside and weep for her then bid adieu to me and say the tears belong to egypt good now play one scene of excellent dissembling and let it look life perfect honour mark antony you'll heat my blood no more cleopatra you can do better yet but this is meetly mark antony now by my sword cleopatra and target still he mends but this is not the best look prithee charmian how this herculean roman does become the carriage of his chafe mark antony i'll leave you lady cleopatra courteous lord one word sir you and i must part but that's not it sir you and i have loved but there's not it that you know well something it is i would o my oblivion is a very antony and i am all forgotten mark antony but that your royalty holds idleness your subject i should take you for idleness itself cleopatra tis sweating labour to bear such idleness so near the heart as cleopatra this but sir forgive me since my becomings kill me when they do not eye well to you your honour calls you hence therefore be deaf to my unpitied folly and all the gods go with you upon your sword sit laurel victory and smooth success be strew'd before your feet mark antony let us go come our separation so abides and flies that thou residing here go'st yet with me and i hence fleeting here remain with thee away exeunt antony and cleopatra act i scene iv rome octavius caesar's house enter octavius caesar reading a letter lepidus and their train octavius caesar you may see lepidus and henceforth know it is not caesar's natural vice to hate our great competitor from alexandria this is the news he fishes drinks and wastes the lamps of night in revel is not more manlike than cleopatra nor the queen of ptolemy more womanly than he hardly gave audience or vouchsafed to think he had partners you shall find there a man who is the abstract of all faults that all men follow lepidus i must not think there are evils enow to darken all his goodness his faults in him seem as the spots of heaven more fiery by night's blackness hereditary rather than purchased what he cannot change than what he chooses octavius caesar you are too indulgent let us grant it is not amiss to tumble on the bed of ptolemy to give a kingdom for a mirth to sit and keep the turn of tippling with a slave to reel the streets at noon and stand the buffet with knaves that smell of sweat say this becomes him as his composure must be rare indeed whom these things cannot blemishyet must antony no way excuse his soils when we do bear so great weight in his lightness if he fill'd his vacancy with his voluptuousness full surfeits and the dryness of his bones call on him for't but to confound such time that drums him from his sport and speaks as loud as his own state and ours'tis to be chid as we rate boys who being mature in knowledge pawn their experience to their present pleasure and so rebel to judgment enter a messenger lepidus here's more news messenger thy biddings have been done and every hour most noble caesar shalt thou have report how tis abroad pompey is strong at sea and it appears he is beloved of those that only have fear'd caesar to the ports the discontents repair and men's reports give him much wrong'd octavius caesar i should have known no less it hath been taught us from the primal state that he which is was wish'd until he were and the ebb'd man ne'er loved till ne'er worth love comes dear'd by being lack'd this common body like to a vagabond flag upon the stream goes to and back lackeying the varying tide to rot itself with motion messenger caesar i bring thee word menecrates and menas famous pirates make the sea serve them which they ear and wound with keels of every kind many hot inroads they make in italy the borders maritime lack blood to think on't and flush youth revolt no vessel can peep forth but tis as soon taken as seen for pompey's name strikes more than could his war resisted octavius caesar antony leave thy lascivious wassails when thou once wast beaten from modena where thou slew'st hirtius and pansa consuls at thy heel did famine follow whom thou fought'st against though daintily brought up with patience more than savages could suffer thou didst drink the stale of horses and the gilded puddle which beasts would cough at thy palate then did deign the roughest berry on the rudest hedge yea like the stag when snow the pasture sheets the barks of trees thou browsed'st on the alps it is reported thou didst eat strange flesh which some did die to look on and all this it wounds thine honour that i speak it now was borne so like a soldier that thy cheek so much as lank'd not lepidus tis pity of him octavius caesar let his shames quickly drive him to rome tis time we twain did show ourselves i the field and to that end assemble we immediate council pompey thrives in our idleness lepidus tomorrow caesar i shall be furnish'd to inform you rightly both what by sea and land i can be able to front this present time octavius caesar till which encounter it is my business too farewell lepidus farewell my lord what you shall know meantime of stirs abroad i shall beseech you sir to let me be partaker octavius caesar doubt not sir i knew it for my bond exeunt antony and cleopatra act i scene v alexandria cleopatra's palace enter cleopatra charmian iras and mardian cleopatra charmian charmian madam cleopatra ha ha give me to drink mandragora charmian why madam cleopatra that i might sleep out this great gap of time my antony is away charmian you think of him too much cleopatra o tis treason charmian madam i trust not so cleopatra thou eunuch mardian mardian what's your highness pleasure cleopatra not now to hear thee sing i take no pleasure in aught an eunuch has tis well for thee that being unseminar'd thy freer thoughts may not fly forth of egypt hast thou affections mardian yes gracious madam cleopatra indeed mardian not in deed madam for i can do nothing but what indeed is honest to be done yet have i fierce affections and think what venus did with mars cleopatra o charmian where think'st thou he is now stands he or sits he or does he walk or is he on his horse o happy horse to bear the weight of antony do bravely horse for wot'st thou whom thou movest the demiatlas of this earth the arm and burgonet of men he's speaking now or murmuring where's my serpent of old nile' for so he calls me now i feed myself with most delicious poison think on me that am with phoebus amorous pinches black and wrinkled deep in time broadfronted caesar when thou wast here above the ground i was a morsel for a monarch and great pompey would stand and make his eyes grow in my brow there would he anchor his aspect and die with looking on his life enter alexas from octavius caesar alexas sovereign of egypt hail cleopatra how much unlike art thou mark antony yet coming from him that great medicine hath with his tinct gilded thee how goes it with my brave mark antony alexas last thing he did dear queen he kiss'dthe last of many doubled kisses this orient pearl his speech sticks in my heart cleopatra mine ear must pluck it thence alexas good friend quoth he say the firm roman to great egypt sends this treasure of an oyster at whose foot to mend the petty present i will piece her opulent throne with kingdoms all the east say thou shall call her mistress so he nodded and soberly did mount an armgaunt steed who neigh'd so high that what i would have spoke was beastly dumb'd by him cleopatra what was he sad or merry alexas like to the time o the year between the extremes of hot and cold he was nor sad nor merry cleopatra o welldivided disposition note him note him good charmian tis the man but note him he was not sad for he would shine on those that make their looks by his he was not merry which seem'd to tell them his remembrance lay in egypt with his joy but between both o heavenly mingle be'st thou sad or merry the violence of either thee becomes so does it no man else met'st thou my posts alexas ay madam twenty several messengers why do you send so thick cleopatra who's born that day when i forget to send to antony shall die a beggar ink and paper charmian welcome my good alexas did i charmian ever love caesar so charmian o that brave caesar cleopatra be choked with such another emphasis say the brave antony charmian the valiant caesar cleopatra by isis i will give thee bloody teeth if thou with caesar paragon again my man of men charmian by your most gracious pardon i sing but after you cleopatra my salad days when i was green in judgment cold in blood to say as i said then but come away get me ink and paper he shall have every day a several greeting or i'll unpeople egypt exeunt antony and cleopatra act ii scene i messina pompey's house enter pompey menecrates and menas in warlike manner pompey if the great gods be just they shall assist the deeds of justest men menecrates know worthy pompey that what they do delay they not deny pompey whiles we are suitors to their throne decays the thing we sue for menecrates we ignorant of ourselves beg often our own harms which the wise powers deny us for our good so find we profit by losing of our prayers pompey i shall do well the people love me and the sea is mine my powers are crescent and my auguring hope says it will come to the full mark antony in egypt sits at dinner and will make no wars without doors caesar gets money where he loses hearts lepidus flatters both of both is flatter'd but he neither loves nor either cares for him menas caesar and lepidus are in the field a mighty strength they carry pompey where have you this tis false menas from silvius sir pompey he dreams i know they are in rome together looking for antony but all the charms of love salt cleopatra soften thy waned lip let witchcraft join with beauty lust with both tie up the libertine in a field of feasts keep his brain fuming epicurean cooks sharpen with cloyless sauce his appetite that sleep and feeding may prorogue his honour even till a lethe'd dulness enter varrius how now varrius varrius this is most certain that i shall deliver mark antony is every hour in rome expected since he went from egypt tis a space for further travel pompey i could have given less matter a better ear menas i did not think this amorous surfeiter would have donn'd his helm for such a petty war his soldiership is twice the other twain but let us rear the higher our opinion that our stirring can from the lap of egypt's widow pluck the ne'erlustwearied antony menas i cannot hope caesar and antony shall well greet together his wife that's dead did trespasses to caesar his brother warr'd upon him although i think not moved by antony pompey i know not menas how lesser enmities may give way to greater were't not that we stand up against them all twere pregnant they should square between themselves for they have entertained cause enough to draw their swords but how the fear of us may cement their divisions and bind up the petty difference we yet not know be't as our gods will have't it only stands our lives upon to use our strongest hands come menas exeunt antony and cleopatra act ii scene ii rome the house of lepidus enter domitius enobarbus and lepidus lepidus good enobarbus tis a worthy deed and shall become you well to entreat your captain to soft and gentle speech domitius enobarbus i shall entreat him to answer like himself if caesar move him let antony look over caesar's head and speak as loud as mars by jupiter were i the wearer of antonius beard i would not shave't today lepidus tis not a time for private stomaching domitius enobarbus every time serves for the matter that is then born in't lepidus but small to greater matters must give way domitius enobarbus not if the small come first lepidus your speech is passion but pray you stir no embers up here comes the noble antony enter mark antony and ventidius domitius enobarbus and yonder caesar enter octavius caesar mecaenas and agrippa mark antony if we compose well here to parthia hark ventidius octavius caesar i do not know mecaenas ask agrippa lepidus noble friends that which combined us was most great and let not a leaner action rend us what's amiss may it be gently heard when we debate our trivial difference loud we do commit murder in healing wounds then noble partners the rather for i earnestly beseech touch you the sourest points with sweetest terms nor curstness grow to the matter mark antony tis spoken well were we before our armies and to fight i should do thus flourish octavius caesar welcome to rome mark antony thank you octavius caesar sit mark antony sit sir octavius caesar nay then mark antony i learn you take things ill which are not so or being concern you not octavius caesar i must be laugh'd at if or for nothing or a little i should say myself offended and with you chiefly i the world more laugh'd at that i should once name you derogately when to sound your name it not concern'd me mark antony my being in egypt caesar what was't to you octavius caesar no more than my residing here at rome might be to you in egypt yet if you there did practise on my state your being in egypt might be my question mark antony how intend you practised octavius caesar you may be pleased to catch at mine intent by what did here befal me your wife and brother made wars upon me and their contestation was theme for you you were the word of war mark antony you do mistake your business my brother never did urge me in his act i did inquire it and have my learning from some true reports that drew their swords with you did he not rather discredit my authority with yours and make the wars alike against my stomach having alike your cause of this my letters before did satisfy you if you'll patch a quarrel as matter whole you have not to make it with it must not be with this octavius caesar you praise yourself by laying defects of judgment to me but you patch'd up your excuses mark antony not so not so i know you could not lack i am certain on't very necessity of this thought that i your partner in the cause gainst which he fought could not with graceful eyes attend those wars which fronted mine own peace as for my wife i would you had her spirit in such another the third o the world is yours which with a snaffle you may pace easy but not such a wife domitius enobarbus would we had all such wives that the men might go to wars with the women mark antony so much uncurbable her garboils caesar made out of her impatience which not wanted shrewdness of policy too i grieving grant did you too much disquiet for that you must but say i could not help it octavius caesar i wrote to you when rioting in alexandria you did pocket up my letters and with taunts did gibe my missive out of audience mark antony sir he fell upon me ere admitted then three kings i had newly feasted and did want of what i was i the morning but next day i told him of myself which was as much as to have ask'd him pardon let this fellow be nothing of our strife if we contend out of our question wipe him octavius caesar you have broken the article of your oath which you shall never have tongue to charge me with lepidus soft caesar mark antony no lepidus let him speak the honour is sacred which he talks on now supposing that i lack'd it but on caesar the article of my oath octavius caesar to lend me arms and aid when i required them the which you both denied mark antony neglected rather and then when poison'd hours had bound me up from mine own knowledge as nearly as i may i'll play the penitent to you but mine honesty shall not make poor my greatness nor my power work without it truth is that fulvia to have me out of egypt made wars here for which myself the ignorant motive do so far ask pardon as befits mine honour to stoop in such a case lepidus tis noble spoken mecaenas if it might please you to enforce no further the griefs between ye to forget them quite were to remember that the present need speaks to atone you lepidus worthily spoken mecaenas domitius enobarbus or if you borrow one another's love for the instant you may when you hear no more words of pompey return it again you shall have time to wrangle in when you have nothing else to do mark antony thou art a soldier only speak no more domitius enobarbus that truth should be silent i had almost forgot mark antony you wrong this presence therefore speak no more domitius enobarbus go to then your considerate stone octavius caesar i do not much dislike the matter but the manner of his speech for't cannot be we shall remain in friendship our conditions so differing in their acts yet if i knew what hoop should hold us stanch from edge to edge o the world i would pursue it agrippa give me leave caesar octavius caesar speak agrippa agrippa thou hast a sister by the mother's side admired octavia great mark antony is now a widower octavius caesar say not so agrippa if cleopatra heard you your reproof were well deserved of rashness mark antony i am not married caesar let me hear agrippa further speak agrippa to hold you in perpetual amity to make you brothers and to knit your hearts with an unslipping knot take antony octavia to his wife whose beauty claims no worse a husband than the best of men whose virtue and whose general graces speak that which none else can utter by this marriage all little jealousies which now seem great and all great fears which now import their dangers would then be nothing truths would be tales where now half tales be truths her love to both would each to other and all loves to both draw after her pardon what i have spoke for tis a studied not a present thought by duty ruminated mark antony will caesar speak octavius caesar not till he hears how antony is touch'd with what is spoke already mark antony what power is in agrippa if i would say agrippa be it so' to make this good octavius caesar the power of caesar and his power unto octavia mark antony may i never to this good purpose that so fairly shows dream of impediment let me have thy hand further this act of grace and from this hour the heart of brothers govern in our loves and sway our great designs octavius caesar there is my hand a sister i bequeath you whom no brother did ever love so dearly let her live to join our kingdoms and our hearts and never fly off our loves again lepidus happily amen mark antony i did not think to draw my sword gainst pompey for he hath laid strange courtesies and great of late upon me i must thank him only lest my remembrance suffer ill report at heel of that defy him lepidus time calls upon's of us must pompey presently be sought or else he seeks out us mark antony where lies he octavius caesar about the mount misenum mark antony what is his strength by land octavius caesar great and increasing but by sea he is an absolute master mark antony so is the fame would we had spoke together haste we for it yet ere we put ourselves in arms dispatch we the business we have talk'd of octavius caesar with most gladness and do invite you to my sister's view whither straight i'll lead you mark antony let us lepidus not lack your company lepidus noble antony not sickness should detain me flourish exeunt octavius caesar mark antony and lepidus mecaenas welcome from egypt sir domitius enobarbus half the heart of caesar worthy mecaenas my honourable friend agrippa agrippa good enobarbus mecaenas we have cause to be glad that matters are so well digested you stayed well by t in egypt domitius enobarbus ay sir we did sleep day out of countenance and made the night light with drinking mecaenas eight wildboars roasted whole at a breakfast and but twelve persons there is this true domitius enobarbus this was but as a fly by an eagle we had much more monstrous matter of feast which worthily deserved noting mecaenas she's a most triumphant lady if report be square to her domitius enobarbus when she first met mark antony she pursed up his heart upon the river of cydnus agrippa there she appeared indeed or my reporter devised well for her domitius enobarbus i will tell you the barge she sat in like a burnish'd throne burn'd on the water the poop was beaten gold purple the sails and so perfumed that the winds were lovesick with them the oars were silver which to the tune of flutes kept stroke and made the water which they beat to follow faster as amorous of their strokes for her own person it beggar'd all description she did lie in her pavilionclothofgold of tissue o'erpicturing that venus where we see the fancy outwork nature on each side her stood pretty dimpled boys like smiling cupids with diverscolour'd fans whose wind did seem to glow the delicate cheeks which they did cool and what they undid did agrippa o rare for antony domitius enobarbus her gentlewomen like the nereides so many mermaids tended her i the eyes and made their bends adornings at the helm a seeming mermaid steers the silken tackle swell with the touches of those flowersoft hands that yarely frame the office from the barge a strange invisible perfume hits the sense of the adjacent wharfs the city cast her people out upon her and antony enthroned i the marketplace did sit alone whistling to the air which but for vacancy had gone to gaze on cleopatra too and made a gap in nature agrippa rare egyptian domitius enobarbus upon her landing antony sent to her invited her to supper she replied it should be better he became her guest which she entreated our courteous antony whom ne'er the word of no woman heard speak being barber'd ten times o'er goes to the feast and for his ordinary pays his heart for what his eyes eat only agrippa royal wench she made great caesar lay his sword to bed he plough'd her and she cropp'd domitius enobarbus i saw her once hop forty paces through the public street and having lost her breath she spoke and panted that she did make defect perfection and breathless power breathe forth mecaenas now antony must leave her utterly domitius enobarbus never he will not age cannot wither her nor custom stale her infinite variety other women cloy the appetites they feed but she makes hungry where most she satisfies for vilest things become themselves in her that the holy priests bless her when she is riggish mecaenas if beauty wisdom modesty can settle the heart of antony octavia is a blessed lottery to him agrippa let us go good enobarbus make yourself my guest whilst you abide here domitius enobarbus humbly sir i thank you exeunt antony and cleopatra act ii scene iii the same octavius caesar's house enter mark antony octavius caesar octavia between them and attendants mark antony the world and my great office will sometimes divide me from your bosom octavia all which time before the gods my knee shall bow my prayers to them for you mark antony good night sir my octavia read not my blemishes in the world's report i have not kept my square but that to come shall all be done by the rule good night dear lady good night sir octavius caesar good night exeunt octavius caesar and octavia enter soothsayer mark antony now sirrah you do wish yourself in egypt soothsayer would i had never come from thence nor you thither mark antony if you can your reason soothsayer i see it in my motion have it not in my tongue but yet hie you to egypt again mark antony say to me whose fortunes shall rise higher caesar's or mine soothsayer caesar's therefore o antony stay not by his side thy demon that's thy spirit which keeps thee is noble courageous high unmatchable where caesar's is not but near him thy angel becomes a fear as being o'erpower'd therefore make space enough between you mark antony speak this no more soothsayer to none but thee no more but when to thee if thou dost play with him at any game thou art sure to lose and of that natural luck he beats thee gainst the odds thy lustre thickens when he shines by i say again thy spirit is all afraid to govern thee near him but he away tis noble mark antony get thee gone say to ventidius i would speak with him exit soothsayer he shall to parthia be it art or hap he hath spoken true the very dice obey him and in our sports my better cunning faints under his chance if we draw lots he speeds his cocks do win the battle still of mine when it is all to nought and his quails ever beat mine inhoop'd at odds i will to egypt and though i make this marriage for my peace i the east my pleasure lies enter ventidius o come ventidius you must to parthia your commission's ready follow me and receive't exeunt antony and cleopatra act ii scene iv the same a street enter lepidus mecaenas and agrippa lepidus trouble yourselves no further pray you hasten your generals after agrippa sir mark antony will e'en but kiss octavia and we'll follow lepidus till i shall see you in your soldier's dress which will become you both farewell mecaenas we shall as i conceive the journey be at the mount before you lepidus lepidus your way is shorter my purposes do draw me much about you'll win two days upon me mecaenas sir good success agrippa lepidus farewell exeunt antony and cleopatra act ii scene v alexandria cleopatra's palace enter cleopatra charmian iras and alexas cleopatra give me some music music moody food of us that trade in love attendants the music ho enter mardian cleopatra let it alone let's to billiards come charmian charmian my arm is sore best play with mardian cleopatra as well a woman with an eunuch play'd as with a woman come you'll play with me sir mardian as well as i can madam cleopatra and when good will is show'd though't come too short the actor may plead pardon i'll none now give me mine angle we'll to the river there my music playing far off i will betray tawnyfinn'd fishes my bended hook shall pierce their slimy jaws and as i draw them up i'll think them every one an antony and say ah ha you're caught' charmian twas merry when you wager'd on your angling when your diver did hang a saltfish on his hook which he with fervency drew up cleopatra that timeo times i laugh'd him out of patience and that night i laugh'd him into patience and next morn ere the ninth hour i drunk him to his bed then put my tires and mantles on him whilst i wore his sword philippan enter a messenger o from italy ram thou thy fruitful tidings in mine ears that long time have been barren messenger madam madam cleopatra antonius deadif thou say so villain thou kill'st thy mistress but well and free if thou so yield him there is gold and here my bluest veins to kiss a hand that kings have lipp'd and trembled kissing messenger first madam he is well cleopatra why there's more gold but sirrah mark we use to say the dead are well bring it to that the gold i give thee will i melt and pour down thy illuttering throat messenger good madam hear me cleopatra well go to i will but there's no goodness in thy face if antony be free and healthfulso tart a favour to trumpet such good tidings if not well thou shouldst come like a fury crown'd with snakes not like a formal man messenger will't please you hear me cleopatra i have a mind to strike thee ere thou speak'st yet if thou say antony lives is well or friends with caesar or not captive to him i'll set thee in a shower of gold and hail rich pearls upon thee messenger madam he's well cleopatra well said messenger and friends with caesar cleopatra thou'rt an honest man messenger caesar and he are greater friends than ever cleopatra make thee a fortune from me messenger but yet madam cleopatra i do not like but yet it does allay the good precedence fie upon but yet' but yet is as a gaoler to bring forth some monstrous malefactor prithee friend pour out the pack of matter to mine ear the good and bad together he's friends with caesar in state of health thou say'st and thou say'st free messenger free madam no i made no such report he's bound unto octavia cleopatra for what good turn messenger for the best turn i the bed cleopatra i am pale charmian messenger madam he's married to octavia cleopatra the most infectious pestilence upon thee strikes him down messenger good madam patience cleopatra what say you hence strikes him again horrible villain or i'll spurn thine eyes like balls before me i'll unhair thy head she hales him up and down thou shalt be whipp'd with wire and stew'd in brine smarting in lingering pickle messenger gracious madam i that do bring the news made not the match cleopatra say tis not so a province i will give thee and make thy fortunes proud the blow thou hadst shall make thy peace for moving me to rage and i will boot thee with what gift beside thy modesty can beg messenger he's married madam cleopatra rogue thou hast lived too long draws a knife messenger nay then i'll run what mean you madam i have made no fault exit charmian good madam keep yourself within yourself the man is innocent cleopatra some innocents scape not the thunderbolt melt egypt into nile and kindly creatures turn all to serpents call the slave again though i am mad i will not bite him call charmian he is afeard to come cleopatra i will not hurt him exit charmian these hands do lack nobility that they strike a meaner than myself since i myself have given myself the cause reenter charmian and messenger come hither sir though it be honest it is never good to bring bad news give to a gracious message an host of tongues but let ill tidings tell themselves when they be felt messenger i have done my duty cleopatra is he married i cannot hate thee worser than i do if thou again say yes' messenger he's married madam cleopatra the gods confound thee dost thou hold there still messenger should i lie madam cleopatra o i would thou didst so half my egypt were submerged and made a cistern for scaled snakes go get thee hence hadst thou narcissus in thy face to me thou wouldst appear most ugly he is married messenger i crave your highness pardon cleopatra he is married messenger take no offence that i would not offend you to punish me for what you make me do seems much unequal he's married to octavia cleopatra o that his fault should make a knave of thee that art not what thou'rt sure of get thee hence the merchandise which thou hast brought from rome are all too dear for me lie they upon thy hand and be undone by em exit messenger charmian good your highness patience cleopatra in praising antony i have dispraised caesar charmian many times madam cleopatra i am paid for't now lead me from hence i faint o iras charmian tis no matter go to the fellow good alexas bid him report the feature of octavia her years her inclination let him not leave out the colour of her hair bring me word quickly exit alexas let him for ever golet him notcharmian though he be painted one way like a gorgon the other way's a mars bid you alexas to mardian bring me word how tall she is pity me charmian but do not speak to me lead me to my chamber exeunt antony and cleopatra act ii scene vi near misenum flourish enter pompey and menas at one door with drum and trumpet at another octavius caesar mark antony lepidus domitius enobarbus mecaenas with soldiers marching pompey your hostages i have so have you mine and we shall talk before we fight octavius caesar most meet that first we come to words and therefore have we our written purposes before us sent which if thou hast consider'd let us know if twill tie up thy discontented sword and carry back to sicily much tall youth that else must perish here pompey to you all three the senators alone of this great world chief factors for the gods i do not know wherefore my father should revengers want having a son and friends since julius caesar who at philippi the good brutus ghosted there saw you labouring for him what was't that moved pale cassius to conspire and what made the allhonour'd honest roman brutus with the arm'd rest courtiers and beauteous freedom to drench the capitol but that they would have one man but a man and that is it hath made me rig my navy at whose burthen the anger'd ocean foams with which i meant to scourge the ingratitude that despiteful rome cast on my noble father octavius caesar take your time mark antony thou canst not fear us pompey with thy sails we'll speak with thee at sea at land thou know'st how much we do o'ercount thee pompey at land indeed thou dost o'ercount me of my father's house but since the cuckoo builds not for himself remain in't as thou mayst lepidus be pleased to tell us for this is from the presenthow you take the offers we have sent you octavius caesar there's the point mark antony which do not be entreated to but weigh what it is worth embraced octavius caesar and what may follow to try a larger fortune pompey you have made me offer of sicily sardinia and i must rid all the sea of pirates then to send measures of wheat to rome this greed upon to part with unhack'd edges and bear back our targes undinted octavius caesar mark antony that's our offer lepidus pompey know then i came before you here a man prepared to take this offer but mark antony put me to some impatience though i lose the praise of it by telling you must know when caesar and your brother were at blows your mother came to sicily and did find her welcome friendly mark antony i have heard it pompey and am well studied for a liberal thanks which i do owe you pompey let me have your hand i did not think sir to have met you here mark antony the beds i the east are soft and thanks to you that call'd me timelier than my purpose hither for i have gain'd by t octavius caesar since i saw you last there is a change upon you pompey well i know not what counts harsh fortune casts upon my face but in my bosom shall she never come to make my heart her vassal lepidus well met here pompey i hope so lepidus thus we are agreed i crave our composition may be written and seal'd between us octavius caesar that's the next to do pompey we'll feast each other ere we part and let's draw lots who shall begin mark antony that will i pompey pompey no antony take the lot but first or last your fine egyptian cookery shall have the fame i have heard that julius caesar grew fat with feasting there mark antony you have heard much pompey i have fair meanings sir mark antony and fair words to them pompey then so much have i heard and i have heard apollodorus carried domitius enobarbus no more of that he did so pompey what i pray you domitius enobarbus a certain queen to caesar in a mattress pompey i know thee now how farest thou soldier domitius enobarbus well and well am like to do for i perceive four feasts are toward pompey let me shake thy hand i never hated thee i have seen thee fight when i have envied thy behavior domitius enobarbus sir i never loved you much but i ha praised ye when you have well deserved ten times as much as i have said you did pompey enjoy thy plainness it nothing ill becomes thee aboard my galley i invite you all will you lead lords octavius caesar mark antony show us the way sir lepidus pompey come exeunt all but menas and enobarbus menas aside thy father pompey would ne'er have made this treatyyou and i have known sir domitius enobarbus at sea i think menas we have sir domitius enobarbus you have done well by water menas and you by land domitius enobarbus i will praise any man that will praise me though it cannot be denied what i have done by land menas nor what i have done by water domitius enobarbus yes something you can deny for your own safety you have been a great thief by sea menas and you by land domitius enobarbus there i deny my land service but give me your hand menas if our eyes had authority here they might take two thieves kissing menas all men's faces are true whatsome'er their hands are domitius enobarbus but there is never a fair woman has a true face menas no slander they steal hearts domitius enobarbus we came hither to fight with you menas for my part i am sorry it is turned to a drinking pompey doth this day laugh away his fortune domitius enobarbus if he do sure he cannot weep't back again menas you've said sir we looked not for mark antony here pray you is he married to cleopatra domitius enobarbus caesar's sister is called octavia menas true sir she was the wife of caius marcellus domitius enobarbus but she is now the wife of marcus antonius menas pray ye sir domitius enobarbus tis true menas then is caesar and he for ever knit together domitius enobarbus if i were bound to divine of this unity i would not prophesy so menas i think the policy of that purpose made more in the marriage than the love of the parties domitius enobarbus i think so too but you shall find the band that seems to tie their friendship together will be the very strangler of their amity octavia is of a holy cold and still conversation menas who would not have his wife so domitius enobarbus not he that himself is not so which is mark antony he will to his egyptian dish again then shall the sighs of octavia blow the fire up in caesar and as i said before that which is the strength of their amity shall prove the immediate author of their variance antony will use his affection where it is he married but his occasion here menas and thus it may be come sir will you aboard i have a health for you domitius enobarbus i shall take it sir we have used our throats in egypt menas come let's away exeunt antony and cleopatra act ii scene vii on board pompey's galley off misenum music plays enter two or three servants with a banquet first servant here they'll be man some o their plants are illrooted already the least wind i the world will blow them down second servant lepidus is highcoloured first servant they have made him drink almsdrink second servant as they pinch one another by the disposition he cries out no more reconciles them to his entreaty and himself to the drink first servant but it raises the greater war between him and his discretion second servant why this is to have a name in great men's fellowship i had as lief have a reed that will do me no service as a partisan i could not heave first servant to be called into a huge sphere and not to be seen to move in't are the holes where eyes should be which pitifully disaster the cheeks a sennet sounded enter octavius caesar mark antony lepidus pompey agrippa mecaenas domitius enobarbus menas with other captains mark antony to octavius caesar thus do they sir they take the flow o the nile by certain scales i the pyramid they know by the height the lowness or the mean if dearth or foison follow the higher nilus swells the more it promises as it ebbs the seedsman upon the slime and ooze scatters his grain and shortly comes to harvest lepidus you've strange serpents there mark antony ay lepidus lepidus your serpent of egypt is bred now of your mud by the operation of your sun so is your crocodile mark antony they are so pompey sitand some wine a health to lepidus lepidus i am not so well as i should be but i'll ne'er out domitius enobarbus not till you have slept i fear me you'll be in till then lepidus nay certainly i have heard the ptolemies' pyramises are very goodly things without contradiction i have heard that menas aside to pompey pompey a word pompey aside to menas say in mine ear what is't menas aside to pompey forsake thy seat i do beseech thee captain and hear me speak a word pompey aside to menas forbear me till anon this wine for lepidus lepidus what manner o thing is your crocodile mark antony it is shaped sir like itself and it is as broad as it hath breadth it is just so high as it is and moves with its own organs it lives by that which nourisheth it and the elements once out of it it transmigrates lepidus what colour is it of mark antony of it own colour too lepidus tis a strange serpent mark antony tis so and the tears of it are wet octavius caesar will this description satisfy him mark antony with the health that pompey gives him else he is a very epicure pompey aside to menas go hang sir hang tell me of that away do as i bid you where's this cup i call'd for menas aside to pompey if for the sake of merit thou wilt hear me rise from thy stool pompey aside to menas i think thou'rt mad the matter rises and walks aside menas i have ever held my cap off to thy fortunes pompey thou hast served me with much faith what's else to say be jolly lords mark antony these quicksands lepidus keep off them for you sink menas wilt thou be lord of all the world pompey what say'st thou menas wilt thou be lord of the whole world that's twice pompey how should that be menas but entertain it and though thou think me poor i am the man will give thee all the world pompey hast thou drunk well menas now pompey i have kept me from the cup thou art if thou darest be the earthly jove whate'er the ocean pales or sky inclips is thine if thou wilt ha't pompey show me which way menas these three worldsharers these competitors are in thy vessel let me cut the cable and when we are put off fall to their throats all there is thine pompey ah this thou shouldst have done and not have spoke on't in me tis villany in thee't had been good service thou must know tis not my profit that does lead mine honour mine honour it repent that e'er thy tongue hath so betray'd thine act being done unknown i should have found it afterwards well done but must condemn it now desist and drink menas aside for this i'll never follow thy pall'd fortunes more who seeks and will not take when once tis offer'd shall never find it more pompey this health to lepidus mark antony bear him ashore i'll pledge it for him pompey domitius enobarbus here's to thee menas menas enobarbus welcome pompey fill till the cup be hid domitius enobarbus there's a strong fellow menas pointing to the attendant who carries off lepidus menas why domitius enobarbus a bears the third part of the world man see'st not menas the third part then is drunk would it were all that it might go on wheels domitius enobarbus drink thou increase the reels menas come pompey this is not yet an alexandrian feast mark antony it ripens towards it strike the vessels ho here is to caesar octavius caesar i could well forbear't it's monstrous labour when i wash my brain and it grows fouler mark antony be a child o the time octavius caesar possess it i'll make answer but i had rather fast from all four days than drink so much in one domitius enobarbus ha my brave emperor to mark antony shall we dance now the egyptian bacchanals and celebrate our drink pompey let's ha't good soldier mark antony come let's all take hands till that the conquering wine hath steep'd our sense in soft and delicate lethe domitius enobarbus all take hands make battery to our ears with the loud music the while i'll place you then the boy shall sing the holding every man shall bear as loud as his strong sides can volley music plays domitius enobarbus places them hand in hand the song come thou monarch of the vine plumpy bacchus with pink eyne in thy fats our cares be drown'd with thy grapes our hairs be crown'd cup us till the world go round cup us till the world go round octavius caesar what would you more pompey good night good brother let me request you off our graver business frowns at this levity gentle lords let's part you see we have burnt our cheeks strong enobarb is weaker than the wine and mine own tongue splits what it speaks the wild disguise hath almost antick'd us all what needs more words good night good antony your hand pompey i'll try you on the shore mark antony and shall sir give's your hand pompey o antony you have my father's housebut what we are friends come down into the boat domitius enobarbus take heed you fall not exeunt all but domitius enobarbus and menas menas i'll not on shore menas no to my cabin these drums these trumpets flutes what let neptune hear we bid a loud farewell to these great fellows sound and be hang'd sound out sound a flourish with drums domitius enobarbus ho says a there's my cap menas ho noble captain come exeunt antony and cleopatra act iii scene i a plain in syria enter ventidius as it were in triumph with silius and other romans officers and soldiers the dead body of pacorus borne before him ventidius now darting parthia art thou struck and now pleased fortune does of marcus crassus death make me revenger bear the king's son's body before our army thy pacorus orodes pays this for marcus crassus silius noble ventidius whilst yet with parthian blood thy sword is warm the fugitive parthians follow spur through media mesopotamia and the shelters whither the routed fly so thy grand captain antony shall set thee on triumphant chariots and put garlands on thy head ventidius o silius silius i have done enough a lower place note well may make too great an act for learn this silius better to leave undone than by our deed acquire too high a fame when him we serve's away caesar and antony have ever won more in their officer than person sossius one of my place in syria his lieutenant for quick accumulation of renown which he achieved by the minute lost his favour who does i the wars more than his captain can becomes his captain's captain and ambition the soldier's virtue rather makes choice of loss than gain which darkens him i could do more to do antonius good but twould offend him and in his offence should my performance perish silius thou hast ventidius that without the which a soldier and his sword grants scarce distinction thou wilt write to antony ventidius i'll humbly signify what in his name that magical word of war we have effected how with his banners and his wellpaid ranks the ne'eryetbeaten horse of parthia we have jaded out o the field silius where is he now ventidius he purposeth to athens whither with what haste the weight we must convey with's will permit we shall appear before him on there pass along exeunt antony and cleopatra act iii scene ii rome an antechamber in octavius caesar's house enter agrippa at one door domitius enobarbus at another agrippa what are the brothers parted domitius enobarbus they have dispatch'd with pompey he is gone the other three are sealing octavia weeps to part from rome caesar is sad and lepidus since pompey's feast as menas says is troubled with the green sickness agrippa tis a noble lepidus domitius enobarbus a very fine one o how he loves caesar agrippa nay but how dearly he adores mark antony domitius enobarbus caesar why he's the jupiter of men agrippa what's antony the god of jupiter domitius enobarbus spake you of caesar how the nonpareil agrippa o antony o thou arabian bird domitius enobarbus would you praise caesar say caesar go no further agrippa indeed he plied them both with excellent praises domitius enobarbus but he loves caesar best yet he loves antony ho hearts tongues figures scribes bards poets cannot think speak cast write sing number ho his love to antony but as for caesar kneel down kneel down and wonder agrippa both he loves domitius enobarbus they are his shards and he their beetle trumpets within so this is to horse adieu noble agrippa agrippa good fortune worthy soldier and farewell enter octavius caesar mark antony lepidus and octavia mark antony no further sir octavius caesar you take from me a great part of myself use me well in t sister prove such a wife as my thoughts make thee and as my farthest band shall pass on thy approof most noble antony let not the piece of virtue which is set betwixt us as the cement of our love to keep it builded be the ram to batter the fortress of it for better might we have loved without this mean if on both parts this be not cherish'd mark antony make me not offended in your distrust octavius caesar i have said mark antony you shall not find though you be therein curious the least cause for what you seem to fear so the gods keep you and make the hearts of romans serve your ends we will here part octavius caesar farewell my dearest sister fare thee well the elements be kind to thee and make thy spirits all of comfort fare thee well octavia my noble brother mark antony the april s in her eyes it is love's spring and these the showers to bring it on be cheerful octavia sir look well to my husband's house and octavius caesar what octavia octavia i'll tell you in your ear mark antony her tongue will not obey her heart nor can her heart inform her tonguethe swan's downfeather that stands upon the swell at full of tide and neither way inclines domitius enobarbus aside to agrippa will caesar weep agrippa aside to domitius enobarbus he has a cloud in s face domitius enobarbus aside to agrippa he were the worse for that were he a horse so is he being a man agrippa aside to domitius enobarbus why enobarbus when antony found julius caesar dead he cried almost to roaring and he wept when at philippi he found brutus slain domitius enobarbus aside to agrippa that year indeed he was troubled with a rheum what willingly he did confound he wail'd believe't till i wept too octavius caesar no sweet octavia you shall hear from me still the time shall not outgo my thinking on you mark antony come sir come i'll wrestle with you in my strength of love look here i have you thus i let you go and give you to the gods octavius caesar adieu be happy lepidus let all the number of the stars give light to thy fair way octavius caesar farewell farewell kisses octavia mark antony farewell trumpets sound exeunt antony and cleopatra act iii scene iii alexandria cleopatra's palace enter cleopatra charmian iras and alexas cleopatra where is the fellow alexas half afeard to come cleopatra go to go to enter the messenger as before come hither sir alexas good majesty herod of jewry dare not look upon you but when you are well pleased cleopatra that herod's head i'll have but how when antony is gone through whom i might command it come thou near messenger most gracious majesty cleopatra didst thou behold octavia messenger ay dread queen cleopatra where messenger madam in rome i look'd her in the face and saw her led between her brother and mark antony cleopatra is she as tall as me messenger she is not madam cleopatra didst hear her speak is she shrilltongued or low messenger madam i heard her speak she is lowvoiced cleopatra that's not so good he cannot like her long charmian like her o isis tis impossible cleopatra i think so charmian dull of tongue and dwarfish what majesty is in her gait remember if e'er thou look'dst on majesty messenger she creeps her motion and her station are as one she shows a body rather than a life a statue than a breather cleopatra is this certain messenger or i have no observance charmian three in egypt cannot make better note cleopatra he's very knowing i do perceive't there's nothing in her yet the fellow has good judgment charmian excellent cleopatra guess at her years i prithee messenger madam she was a widow cleopatra widow charmian hark messenger and i do think she's thirty cleopatra bear'st thou her face in mind is't long or round messenger round even to faultiness cleopatra for the most part too they are foolish that are so her hair what colour messenger brown madam and her forehead as low as she would wish it cleopatra there's gold for thee thou must not take my former sharpness ill i will employ thee back again i find thee most fit for business go make thee ready our letters are prepared exit messenger charmian a proper man cleopatra indeed he is so i repent me much that so i harried him why methinks by him this creature's no such thing charmian nothing madam cleopatra the man hath seen some majesty and should know charmian hath he seen majesty isis else defend and serving you so long cleopatra i have one thing more to ask him yet good charmian but tis no matter thou shalt bring him to me where i will write all may be well enough charmian i warrant you madam exeunt antony and cleopatra act iii scene iv athens a room in mark antony's house enter mark antony and octavia mark antony nay nay octavia not only that that were excusable that and thousands more of semblable importbut he hath waged new wars gainst pompey made his will and read it to public ear spoke scantly of me when perforce he could not but pay me terms of honour cold and sickly he vented them most narrow measure lent me when the best hint was given him he not took't or did it from his teeth octavia o my good lord believe not all or if you must believe stomach not all a more unhappy lady if this division chance ne'er stood between praying for both parts the good gods me presently when i shall pray o bless my lord and husband' undo that prayer by crying out as loud o bless my brother husband win win brother prays and destroys the prayer no midway twixt these extremes at all mark antony gentle octavia let your best love draw to that point which seeks best to preserve it if i lose mine honour i lose myself better i were not yours than yours so branchless but as you requested yourself shall go between s the mean time lady i'll raise the preparation of a war shall stain your brother make your soonest haste so your desires are yours octavia thanks to my lord the jove of power make me most weak most weak your reconciler wars twixt you twain would be as if the world should cleave and that slain men should solder up the rift mark antony when it appears to you where this begins turn your displeasure that way for our faults can never be so equal that your love can equally move with them provide your going choose your own company and command what cost your heart has mind to exeunt antony and cleopatra act iii scene v the same another room enter domitius enobarbus and eros meeting domitius enobarbus how now friend eros eros there's strange news come sir domitius enobarbus what man eros caesar and lepidus have made wars upon pompey domitius enobarbus this is old what is the success eros caesar having made use of him in the wars gainst pompey presently denied him rivality would not let him partake in the glory of the action and not resting here accuses him of letters he had formerly wrote to pompey upon his own appeal seizes him so the poor third is up till death enlarge his confine domitius enobarbus then world thou hast a pair of chaps no more and throw between them all the food thou hast they'll grind the one the other where's antony eros he's walking in the gardenthus and spurns the rush that lies before him cries fool lepidus' and threats the throat of that his officer that murder'd pompey domitius enobarbus our great navy's rigg'd eros for italy and caesar more domitius my lord desires you presently my news i might have told hereafter domitius enobarbus twill be naught but let it be bring me to antony eros come sir exeunt antony and cleopatra act iii scene vi rome octavius caesar's house enter octavius caesar agrippa and mecaenas octavius caesar contemning rome he has done all this and more in alexandria here's the manner of t i the marketplace on a tribunal silver'd cleopatra and himself in chairs of gold were publicly enthroned at the feet sat caesarion whom they call my father's son and all the unlawful issue that their lust since then hath made between them unto her he gave the stablishment of egypt made her of lower syria cyprus lydia absolute queen mecaenas this in the public eye octavius caesar i the common showplace where they exercise his sons he there proclaim'd the kings of kings great media parthia and armenia he gave to alexander to ptolemy he assign'd syria cilicia and phoenicia she in the habiliments of the goddess isis that day appear'd and oft before gave audience as tis reported so mecaenas let rome be thus inform'd agrippa who queasy with his insolence already will their good thoughts call from him octavius caesar the people know it and have now received his accusations agrippa who does he accuse octavius caesar caesar and that having in sicily sextus pompeius spoil'd we had not rated him his part o the isle then does he say he lent me some shipping unrestored lastly he frets that lepidus of the triumvirate should be deposed and being that we detain all his revenue agrippa sir this should be answer'd octavius caesar tis done already and the messenger gone i have told him lepidus was grown too cruel that he his high authority abused and did deserve his change for what i have conquer'd i grant him part but then in his armenia and other of his conquer'd kingdoms i demand the like mecaenas he'll never yield to that octavius caesar nor must not then be yielded to in this enter octavia with her train octavia hail caesar and my lord hail most dear caesar octavius caesar that ever i should call thee castaway octavia you have not call'd me so nor have you cause octavius caesar why have you stol'n upon us thus you come not like caesar's sister the wife of antony should have an army for an usher and the neighs of horse to tell of her approach long ere she did appear the trees by the way should have borne men and expectation fainted longing for what it had not nay the dust should have ascended to the roof of heaven raised by your populous troops but you are come a marketmaid to rome and have prevented the ostentation of our love which left unshown is often left unloved we should have met you by sea and land supplying every stage with an augmented greeting octavia good my lord to come thus was i not constrain'd but did on my free will my lord mark antony hearing that you prepared for war acquainted my grieved ear withal whereon i begg'd his pardon for return octavius caesar which soon he granted being an obstruct tween his lust and him octavia do not say so my lord octavius caesar i have eyes upon him and his affairs come to me on the wind where is he now octavia my lord in athens octavius caesar no my most wronged sister cleopatra hath nodded him to her he hath given his empire up to a whore who now are levying the kings o the earth for war he hath assembled bocchus the king of libya archelaus of cappadocia philadelphos king of paphlagonia the thracian king adallas king malchus of arabia king of pont herod of jewry mithridates king of comagene polemon and amyntas the kings of mede and lycaonia with a more larger list of sceptres octavia ay me most wretched that have my heart parted betwixt two friends that do afflict each other octavius caesar welcome hither your letters did withhold our breaking forth till we perceived both how you were wrong led and we in negligent danger cheer your heart be you not troubled with the time which drives o'er your content these strong necessities but let determined things to destiny hold unbewail'd their way welcome to rome nothing more dear to me you are abused beyond the mark of thought and the high gods to do you justice make them ministers of us and those that love you best of comfort and ever welcome to us agrippa welcome lady mecaenas welcome dear madam each heart in rome does love and pity you only the adulterous antony most large in his abominations turns you off and gives his potent regiment to a trull that noises it against us octavia is it so sir octavius caesar most certain sister welcome pray you be ever known to patience my dear'st sister exeunt antony and cleopatra act iii scene vii near actium mark antony's camp enter cleopatra and domitius enobarbus cleopatra i will be even with thee doubt it not domitius enobarbus but why why why cleopatra thou hast forspoke my being in these wars and say'st it is not fit domitius enobarbus well is it is it cleopatra if not denounced against us why should not we be there in person domitius enobarbus aside well i could reply if we should serve with horse and mares together the horse were merely lost the mares would bear a soldier and his horse cleopatra what is't you say domitius enobarbus your presence needs must puzzle antony take from his heart take from his brain from's time what should not then be spared he is already traduced for levity and tis said in rome that photinus an eunuch and your maids manage this war cleopatra sink rome and their tongues rot that speak against us a charge we bear i the war and as the president of my kingdom will appear there for a man speak not against it i will not stay behind domitius enobarbus nay i have done here comes the emperor enter mark antony and canidius mark antony is it not strange canidius that from tarentum and brundusium he could so quickly cut the ionian sea and take in toryne you have heard on't sweet cleopatra celerity is never more admired than by the negligent mark antony a good rebuke which might have well becomed the best of men to taunt at slackness canidius we will fight with him by sea cleopatra by sea what else canidius why will my lord do so mark antony for that he dares us to't domitius enobarbus so hath my lord dared him to single fight canidius ay and to wage this battle at pharsalia where caesar fought with pompey but these offers which serve not for his vantage be shakes off and so should you domitius enobarbus your ships are not well mann'd your mariners are muleters reapers people ingross'd by swift impress in caesar's fleet are those that often have gainst pompey fought their ships are yare yours heavy no disgrace shall fall you for refusing him at sea being prepared for land mark antony by sea by sea domitius enobarbus most worthy sir you therein throw away the absolute soldiership you have by land distract your army which doth most consist of warmark'd footmen leave unexecuted your own renowned knowledge quite forego the way which promises assurance and give up yourself merely to chance and hazard from firm security mark antony i'll fight at sea cleopatra i have sixty sails caesar none better mark antony our overplus of shipping will we burn and with the rest fullmann'd from the head of actium beat the approaching caesar but if we fail we then can do't at land enter a messenger thy business messenger the news is true my lord he is descried caesar has taken toryne mark antony can he be there in person tis impossible strange that power should be canidius our nineteen legions thou shalt hold by land and our twelve thousand horse we'll to our ship away my thetis enter a soldier how now worthy soldier soldier o noble emperor do not fight by sea trust not to rotten planks do you misdoubt this sword and these my wounds let the egyptians and the phoenicians go aducking we have used to conquer standing on the earth and fighting foot to foot mark antony well well away exeunt mark antony queen cleopatra and domitius enobarbus soldier by hercules i think i am i the right canidius soldier thou art but his whole action grows not in the power on't so our leader's led and we are women's men soldier you keep by land the legions and the horse whole do you not canidius marcus octavius marcus justeius publicola and caelius are for sea but we keep whole by land this speed of caesar's carries beyond belief soldier while he was yet in rome his power went out in such distractions as beguiled all spies canidius who's his lieutenant hear you soldier they say one taurus canidius well i know the man enter a messenger messenger the emperor calls canidius canidius with news the time's with labour and throes forth each minute some exeunt antony and cleopatra act iii scene viii a plain near actium enter octavius caesar and taurus with his army marching octavius caesar taurus taurus my lord octavius caesar strike not by land keep whole provoke not battle till we have done at sea do not exceed the prescript of this scroll our fortune lies upon this jump exeunt antony and cleopatra act iii scene ix another part of the plain enter mark antony and domitius enobarbus mark antony set we our squadrons on yond side o the hill in eye of caesar's battle from which place we may the number of the ships behold and so proceed accordingly exeunt antony and cleopatra act iii scene x another part of the plain canidius marcheth with his land army one way over the stage and taurus the lieutenant of octavius caesar the other way after their going in is heard the noise of a seafight alarum enter domitius enobarbus domitius enobarbus naught naught all naught i can behold no longer the antoniad the egyptian admiral with all their sixty fly and turn the rudder to see't mine eyes are blasted enter scarus scarus gods and goddesses all the whole synod of them domitius enobarbus what's thy passion scarus the greater cantle of the world is lost with very ignorance we have kiss'd away kingdoms and provinces domitius enobarbus how appears the fight scarus on our side like the token'd pestilence where death is sure yon ribaudred nag of egypt whom leprosy o'ertakei the midst o the fight when vantage like a pair of twins appear'd both as the same or rather ours the elder the breese upon her like a cow in june hoists sails and flies domitius enobarbus that i beheld mine eyes did sicken at the sight and could not endure a further view scarus she once being loof'd the noble ruin of her magic antony claps on his seawing and like a doting mallard leaving the fight in height flies after her i never saw an action of such shame experience manhood honour ne'er before did violate so itself domitius enobarbus alack alack enter canidius canidius our fortune on the sea is out of breath and sinks most lamentably had our general been what he knew himself it had gone well o he has given example for our flight most grossly by his own domitius enobarbus ay are you thereabouts why then good night indeed canidius toward peloponnesus are they fled scarus tis easy to't and there i will attend what further comes canidius to caesar will i render my legions and my horse six kings already show me the way of yielding domitius enobarbus i'll yet follow the wounded chance of antony though my reason sits in the wind against me exeunt antony and cleopatra act iii scene xi alexandria cleopatra's palace enter mark antony with attendants mark antony hark the land bids me tread no more upon't it is ashamed to bear me friends come hither i am so lated in the world that i have lost my way for ever i have a ship laden with gold take that divide it fly and make your peace with caesar all fly not we mark antony i have fled myself and have instructed cowards to run and show their shoulders friends be gone i have myself resolved upon a course which has no need of you be gone my treasure's in the harbour take it o i follow'd that i blush to look upon my very hairs do mutiny for the white reprove the brown for rashness and they them for fear and doting friends be gone you shall have letters from me to some friends that will sweep your way for you pray you look not sad nor make replies of loathness take the hint which my despair proclaims let that be left which leaves itself to the seaside straightway i will possess you of that ship and treasure leave me i pray a little pray you now nay do so for indeed i have lost command therefore i pray you i'll see you by and by sits down enter cleopatra led by charmian and iras eros following eros nay gentle madam to him comfort him iras do most dear queen charmian do why what else cleopatra let me sit down o juno mark antony no no no no no eros see you here sir mark antony o fie fie fie charmian madam iras madam o good empress eros sir sir mark antony yes my lord yes he at philippi kept his sword e'en like a dancer while i struck the lean and wrinkled cassius and twas i that the mad brutus ended he alone dealt on lieutenantry and no practise had in the brave squares of war yet nowno matter cleopatra ah stand by eros the queen my lord the queen iras go to him madam speak to him he is unqualitied with very shame cleopatra well then sustain him o eros most noble sir arise the queen approaches her head's declined and death will seize her but your comfort makes the rescue mark antony i have offended reputation a most unnoble swerving eros sir the queen mark antony o whither hast thou led me egypt see how i convey my shame out of thine eyes by looking back what i have left behind stroy'd in dishonour cleopatra o my lord my lord forgive my fearful sails i little thought you would have follow'd mark antony egypt thou knew'st too well my heart was to thy rudder tied by the strings and thou shouldst tow me after o'er my spirit thy full supremacy thou knew'st and that thy beck might from the bidding of the gods command me cleopatra o my pardon mark antony now i must to the young man send humble treaties dodge and palter in the shifts of lowness who with half the bulk o the world play'd as i pleased making and marring fortunes you did know how much you were my conqueror and that my sword made weak by my affection would obey it on all cause cleopatra pardon pardon mark antony fall not a tear i say one of them rates all that is won and lost give me a kiss even this repays me we sent our schoolmaster is he come back love i am full of lead some wine within there and our viands fortune knows we scorn her most when most she offers blows exeunt antony and cleopatra act iii scene xii egypt octavius caesar's camp enter octavius caesar dolabella thyreus with others octavius caesar let him appear that's come from antony know you him dolabella caesar tis his schoolmaster an argument that he is pluck'd when hither he sends so poor a pinion off his wing which had superfluous kings for messengers not many moons gone by enter euphronius ambassador from mark antony octavius caesar approach and speak euphronius such as i am i come from antony i was of late as petty to his ends as is the morndew on the myrtleleaf to his grand sea octavius caesar be't so declare thine office euphronius lord of his fortunes he salutes thee and requires to live in egypt which not granted he lessens his requests and to thee sues to let him breathe between the heavens and earth a private man in athens this for him next cleopatra does confess thy greatness submits her to thy might and of thee craves the circle of the ptolemies for her heirs now hazarded to thy grace octavius caesar for antony i have no ears to his request the queen of audience nor desire shall fail so she from egypt drive her alldisgraced friend or take his life there this if she perform she shall not sue unheard so to them both euphronius fortune pursue thee octavius caesar bring him through the bands exit euphronius to thyreus to try eloquence now tis time dispatch from antony win cleopatra promise and in our name what she requires add more from thine invention offers women are not in their best fortunes strong but want will perjure the ne'er touch'd vestal try thy cunning thyreus make thine own edict for thy pains which we will answer as a law thyreus caesar i go octavius caesar observe how antony becomes his flaw and what thou think'st his very action speaks in every power that moves thyreus caesar i shall exeunt antony and cleopatra act iii scene xiii alexandria cleopatra's palace enter cleopatra domitius enobarbus charmian and iras cleopatra what shall we do enobarbus domitius enobarbus think and die cleopatra is antony or we in fault for this domitius enobarbus antony only that would make his will lord of his reason what though you fled from that great face of war whose several ranges frighted each other why should he follow the itch of his affection should not then have nick'd his captainship at such a point when half to half the world opposed he being the meered question twas a shame no less than was his loss to course your flying flags and leave his navy gazing cleopatra prithee peace enter mark antony with euphronius the ambassador mark antony is that his answer euphronius ay my lord mark antony the queen shall then have courtesy so she will yield us up euphronius he says so mark antony let her know't to the boy caesar send this grizzled head and he will fill thy wishes to the brim with principalities cleopatra that head my lord mark antony to him again tell him he wears the rose of youth upon him from which the world should note something particular his coin ships legions may be a coward's whose ministers would prevail under the service of a child as soon as i the command of caesar i dare him therefore to lay his gay comparisons apart and answer me declined sword against sword ourselves alone i'll write it follow me exeunt mark antony and euphronius domitius enobarbus aside yes like enough highbattled caesar will unstate his happiness and be staged to the show against a sworder i see men's judgments are a parcel of their fortunes and things outward do draw the inward quality after them to suffer all alike that he should dream knowing all measures the full caesar will answer his emptiness caesar thou hast subdued his judgment too enter an attendant attendant a messenger from caesar cleopatra what no more ceremony see my women against the blown rose may they stop their nose that kneel'd unto the buds admit him sir exit attendant domitius enobarbus aside mine honesty and i begin to square the loyalty well held to fools does make our faith mere folly yet he that can endure to follow with allegiance a fall'n lord does conquer him that did his master conquer and earns a place i the story enter thyreus cleopatra caesar's will thyreus hear it apart cleopatra none but friends say boldly thyreus so haply are they friends to antony domitius enobarbus he needs as many sir as caesar has or needs not us if caesar please our master will leap to be his friend for us you know whose he is we are and that is caesar's thyreus so thus then thou most renown'd caesar entreats not to consider in what case thou stand'st further than he is caesar cleopatra go on right royal thyreus he knows that you embrace not antony as you did love but as you fear'd him cleopatra o thyreus the scars upon your honour therefore he does pity as constrained blemishes not as deserved cleopatra he is a god and knows what is most right mine honour was not yielded but conquer'd merely domitius enobarbus aside to be sure of that i will ask antony sir sir thou art so leaky that we must leave thee to thy sinking for thy dearest quit thee exit thyreus shall i say to caesar what you require of him for he partly begs to be desired to give it much would please him that of his fortunes you should make a staff to lean upon but it would warm his spirits to hear from me you had left antony and put yourself under his shrowd the universal landlord cleopatra what's your name thyreus my name is thyreus cleopatra most kind messenger say to great caesar this in deputation i kiss his conquering hand tell him i am prompt to lay my crown at s feet and there to kneel tell him from his allobeying breath i hear the doom of egypt thyreus tis your noblest course wisdom and fortune combating together if that the former dare but what it can no chance may shake it give me grace to lay my duty on your hand cleopatra your caesar's father oft when he hath mused of taking kingdoms in bestow'd his lips on that unworthy place as it rain'd kisses reenter mark antony and domitius enobarbus mark antony favours by jove that thunders what art thou fellow thyreus one that but performs the bidding of the fullest man and worthiest to have command obey'd domitius enobarbus aside you will be whipp'd mark antony approach there ah you kite now gods and devils authority melts from me of late when i cried ho' like boys unto a muss kings would start forth and cry your will have you no ears i am antony yet enter attendants take hence this jack and whip him domitius enobarbus aside tis better playing with a lion's whelp than with an old one dying mark antony moon and stars whip him were't twenty of the greatest tributaries that do acknowledge caesar should i find them so saucy with the hand of she herewhat's her name since she was cleopatra whip him fellows till like a boy you see him cringe his face and whine aloud for mercy take him hence thyreus mark antony mark antony tug him away being whipp'd bring him again this jack of caesar's shall bear us an errand to him exeunt attendants with thyreus you were half blasted ere i knew you ha have i my pillow left unpress'd in rome forborne the getting of a lawful race and by a gem of women to be abused by one that looks on feeders cleopatra good my lord mark antony you have been a boggler ever but when we in our viciousness grow hard o misery on'tthe wise gods seel our eyes in our own filth drop our clear judgments make us adore our errors laugh at's while we strut to our confusion cleopatra o is't come to this mark antony i found you as a morsel cold upon dead caesar's trencher nay you were a fragment of cneius pompey's besides what hotter hours unregister'd in vulgar fame you have luxuriously pick'd out for i am sure though you can guess what temperance should be you know not what it is cleopatra wherefore is this mark antony to let a fellow that will take rewards and say god quit you be familiar with my playfellow your hand this kingly seal and plighter of high hearts o that i were upon the hill of basan to outroar the horned herd for i have savage cause and to proclaim it civilly were like a halter'd neck which does the hangman thank for being yare about him reenter attendants with thyreus is he whipp'd first attendant soundly my lord mark antony cried he and begg'd a pardon first attendant he did ask favour mark antony if that thy father live let him repent thou wast not made his daughter and be thou sorry to follow caesar in his triumph since thou hast been whipp'd for following him henceforth the white hand of a lady fever thee shake thou to look on t get thee back to caesar tell him thy entertainment look thou say he makes me angry with him for he seems proud and disdainful harping on what i am not what he knew i was he makes me angry and at this time most easy tis to do't when my good stars that were my former guides have empty left their orbs and shot their fires into the abysm of hell if he mislike my speech and what is done tell him he has hipparchus my enfranched bondman whom he may at pleasure whip or hang or torture as he shall like to quit me urge it thou hence with thy stripes begone exit thyreus cleopatra have you done yet mark antony alack our terrene moon is now eclipsed and it portends alone the fall of antony cleopatra i must stay his time mark antony to flatter caesar would you mingle eyes with one that ties his points cleopatra not know me yet mark antony coldhearted toward me cleopatra ah dear if i be so from my cold heart let heaven engender hail and poison it in the source and the first stone drop in my neck as it determines so dissolve my life the next caesarion smite till by degrees the memory of my womb together with my brave egyptians all by the discandying of this pelleted storm lie graveless till the flies and gnats of nile have buried them for prey mark antony i am satisfied caesar sits down in alexandria where i will oppose his fate our force by land hath nobly held our sever'd navy too have knit again and fleet threatening most sealike where hast thou been my heart dost thou hear lady if from the field i shall return once more to kiss these lips i will appear in blood i and my sword will earn our chronicle there's hope in't yet cleopatra that's my brave lord mark antony i will be treblesinew'd hearted breathed and fight maliciously for when mine hours were nice and lucky men did ransom lives of me for jests but now i'll set my teeth and send to darkness all that stop me come let's have one other gaudy night call to me all my sad captains fill our bowls once more let's mock the midnight bell cleopatra it is my birthday i had thought to have held it poor but since my lord is antony again i will be cleopatra mark antony we will yet do well cleopatra call all his noble captains to my lord mark antony do so we'll speak to them and tonight i'll force the wine peep through their scars come on my queen there's sap in't yet the next time i do fight i'll make death love me for i will contend even with his pestilent scythe exeunt all but domitius enobarbus domitius enobarbus now he'll outstare the lightning to be furious is to be frighted out of fear and in that mood the dove will peck the estridge and i see still a diminution in our captain's brain restores his heart when valour preys on reason it eats the sword it fights with i will seek some way to leave him exit antony and cleopatra act iv scene i before alexandria octavius caesar's camp enter octavius caesar agrippa and mecaenas with his army octavius caesar reading a letter octavius caesar he calls me boy and chides as he had power to beat me out of egypt my messenger he hath whipp'd with rods dares me to personal combat caesar to antony let the old ruffian know i have many other ways to die meantime laugh at his challenge mecaenas caesar must think when one so great begins to rage he's hunted even to falling give him no breath but now make boot of his distraction never anger made good guard for itself octavius caesar let our best heads know that tomorrow the last of many battles we mean to fight within our files there are of those that served mark antony but late enough to fetch him in see it done and feast the army we have store to do't and they have earn'd the waste poor antony exeunt antony and cleopatra act iv scene ii alexandria cleopatra's palace enter mark antony cleopatra domitius enobarbus charmian iras alexas with others mark antony he will not fight with me domitius domitius enobarbus no mark antony why should he not domitius enobarbus he thinks being twenty times of better fortune he is twenty men to one mark antony tomorrow soldier by sea and land i'll fight or i will live or bathe my dying honour in the blood shall make it live again woo't thou fight well domitius enobarbus i'll strike and cry take all' mark antony well said come on call forth my household servants let's tonight be bounteous at our meal enter three or four servitors give me thy hand thou hast been rightly honestso hast thou thouand thouand thouyou have served me well and kings have been your fellows cleopatra aside to domitius enobarbus what means this domitius enobarbus aside to cleopatra tis one of those odd tricks which sorrow shoots out of the mind mark antony and thou art honest too i wish i could be made so many men and all of you clapp'd up together in an antony that i might do you service so good as you have done all the gods forbid mark antony well my good fellows wait on me tonight scant not my cups and make as much of me as when mine empire was your fellow too and suffer'd my command cleopatra aside to domitius enobarbus what does he mean domitius enobarbus aside to cleopatra to make his followers weep mark antony tend me tonight may be it is the period of your duty haply you shall not see me more or if a mangled shadow perchance tomorrow you'll serve another master i look on you as one that takes his leave mine honest friends i turn you not away but like a master married to your good service stay till death tend me tonight two hours i ask no more and the gods yield you for't domitius enobarbus what mean you sir to give them this discomfort look they weep and i an ass am onioneyed for shame transform us not to women mark antony ho ho ho now the witch take me if i meant it thus grace grow where those drops fall my hearty friends you take me in too dolorous a sense for i spake to you for your comfort did desire you to burn this night with torches know my hearts i hope well of tomorrow and will lead you where rather i'll expect victorious life than death and honour let's to supper come and drown consideration exeunt antony and cleopatra act iv scene iii the same before the palace enter two soldiers to their guard first soldier brother good night tomorrow is the day second soldier it will determine one way fare you well heard you of nothing strange about the streets first soldier nothing what news second soldier belike tis but a rumour good night to you first soldier well sir good night enter two other soldiers second soldier soldiers have careful watch third soldier and you good night good night they place themselves in every corner of the stage fourth soldier here we and if tomorrow our navy thrive i have an absolute hope our landmen will stand up third soldier tis a brave army and full of purpose music of the hautboys as under the stage fourth soldier peace what noise first soldier list list second soldier hark first soldier music i the air third soldier under the earth fourth soldier it signs well does it not third soldier no first soldier peace i say what should this mean second soldier tis the god hercules whom antony loved now leaves him first soldier walk let's see if other watchmen do hear what we do they advance to another post second soldier how now masters all speaking together how now how now do you hear this first soldier ay is't not strange third soldier do you hear masters do you hear first soldier follow the noise so far as we have quarter let's see how it will give off all content tis strange exeunt antony and cleopatra act iv scene iv the same a room in the palace enter mark antony and cleopatra charmian and others attending mark antony eros mine armour eros cleopatra sleep a little mark antony no my chuck eros come mine armour eros enter eros with armour come good fellow put mine iron on if fortune be not ours today it is because we brave her come cleopatra nay i'll help too what's this for mark antony ah let be let be thou art the armourer of my heart false false this this cleopatra sooth la i'll help thus it must be mark antony well well we shall thrive now seest thou my good fellow go put on thy defences eros briefly sir cleopatra is not this buckled well mark antony rarely rarely he that unbuckles this till we do please to daff't for our repose shall hear a storm thou fumblest eros and my queen's a squire more tight at this than thou dispatch o love that thou couldst see my wars today and knew'st the royal occupation thou shouldst see a workman in't enter an armed soldier good morrow to thee welcome thou look'st like him that knows a warlike charge to business that we love we rise betime and go to't with delight soldier a thousand sir early though't be have on their riveted trim and at the port expect you shout trumpets flourish enter captains and soldiers captain the morn is fair good morrow general all good morrow general mark antony tis well blown lads this morning like the spirit of a youth that means to be of note begins betimes so so come give me that this way well said fare thee well dame whate'er becomes of me this is a soldier's kiss rebukeable kisses her and worthy shameful cheque it were to stand on more mechanic compliment i'll leave thee now like a man of steel you that will fight follow me close i'll bring you to't adieu exeunt mark antony eros captains and soldiers charmian please you retire to your chamber cleopatra lead me he goes forth gallantly that he and caesar might determine this great war in single fight then antonybut nowwell on exeunt antony and cleopatra act iv scene v alexandria mark antony's camp trumpets sound enter mark antony and eros a soldier meeting them soldier the gods make this a happy day to antony mark antony would thou and those thy scars had once prevail'd to make me fight at land soldier hadst thou done so the kings that have revolted and the soldier that has this morning left thee would have still follow'd thy heels mark antony who's gone this morning soldier who one ever near thee call for enobarbus he shall not hear thee or from caesar's camp say i am none of thine' mark antony what say'st thou soldier sir he is with caesar eros sir his chests and treasure he has not with him mark antony is he gone soldier most certain mark antony go eros send his treasure after do it detain no jot i charge thee write to him i will subscribegentle adieus and greetings say that i wish he never find more cause to change a master o my fortunes have corrupted honest men dispatchenobarbus exeunt antony and cleopatra act iv scene vi alexandria octavius caesar's camp flourish enter octavius caesar agrippa with domitius enobarbus and others octavius caesar go forth agrippa and begin the fight our will is antony be took alive make it so known agrippa caesar i shall exit octavius caesar the time of universal peace is near prove this a prosperous day the threenook'd world shall bear the olive freely enter a messenger messenger antony is come into the field octavius caesar go charge agrippa plant those that have revolted in the van that antony may seem to spend his fury upon himself exeunt all but domitius enobarbus domitius enobarbus alexas did revolt and went to jewry on affairs of antony there did persuade great herod to incline himself to caesar and leave his master antony for this pains caesar hath hang'd him canidius and the rest that fell away have entertainment but no honourable trust i have done ill of which i do accuse myself so sorely that i will joy no more enter a soldier of caesar's soldier enobarbus antony hath after thee sent all thy treasure with his bounty overplus the messenger came on my guard and at thy tent is now unloading of his mules domitius enobarbus i give it you soldier mock not enobarbus i tell you true best you safed the bringer out of the host i must attend mine office or would have done't myself your emperor continues still a jove exit domitius enobarbus i am alone the villain of the earth and feel i am so most o antony thou mine of bounty how wouldst thou have paid my better service when my turpitude thou dost so crown with gold this blows my heart if swift thought break it not a swifter mean shall outstrike thought but thought will do't i feel i fight against thee no i will go seek some ditch wherein to die the foul'st best fits my latter part of life exit antony and cleopatra act iv scene vii field of battle between the camps alarum drums and trumpets enter agrippa and others agrippa retire we have engaged ourselves too far caesar himself has work and our oppression exceeds what we expected exeunt alarums enter mark antony and scarus wounded scarus o my brave emperor this is fought indeed had we done so at first we had droven them home with clouts about their heads mark antony thou bleed'st apace scarus i had a wound here that was like a t but now tis made an h mark antony they do retire scarus we'll beat em into benchholes i have yet room for six scotches more enter eros eros they are beaten sir and our advantage serves for a fair victory scarus let us score their backs and snatch em up as we take hares behind tis sport to maul a runner mark antony i will reward thee once for thy spritely comfort and tenfold for thy good valour come thee on scarus i'll halt after exeunt antony and cleopatra act iv scene viii under the walls of alexandria alarum enter mark antony in a march scarus with others mark antony we have beat him to his camp run one before and let the queen know of our gests tomorrow before the sun shall see s we'll spill the blood that has today escaped i thank you all for doughtyhanded are you and have fought not as you served the cause but as t had been each man's like mine you have shown all hectors enter the city clip your wives your friends tell them your feats whilst they with joyful tears wash the congealment from your wounds and kiss the honour'd gashes whole to scarus give me thy hand enter cleopatra attended to this great fairy i'll commend thy acts make her thanks bless thee to cleopatra o thou day o the world chain mine arm'd neck leap thou attire and all through proof of harness to my heart and there ride on the pants triumphing cleopatra lord of lords o infinite virtue comest thou smiling from the world's great snare uncaught mark antony my nightingale we have beat them to their beds what girl though grey do something mingle with our younger brown yet ha we a brain that nourishes our nerves and can get goal for goal of youth behold this man commend unto his lips thy favouring hand kiss it my warrior he hath fought today as if a god in hate of mankind had destroy'd in such a shape cleopatra i'll give thee friend an armour all of gold it was a king's mark antony he has deserved it were it carbuncled like holy phoebus car give me thy hand through alexandria make a jolly march bear our hack'd targets like the men that owe them had our great palace the capacity to camp this host we all would sup together and drink carouses to the next day's fate which promises royal peril trumpeters with brazen din blast you the city's ear make mingle with rattling tabourines that heaven and earth may strike their sounds together applauding our approach exeunt antony and cleopatra act iv scene ix octavius caesar's camp sentinels at their post first soldier if we be not relieved within this hour we must return to the court of guard the night is shiny and they say we shall embattle by the second hour i the morn second soldier this last day was a shrewd one to's enter domitius enobarbus domitius enobarbus o bear me witness night third soldier what man is this second soldier stand close and list him domitius enobarbus be witness to me o thou blessed moon when men revolted shall upon record bear hateful memory poor enobarbus did before thy face repent first soldier enobarbus third soldier peace hark further domitius enobarbus o sovereign mistress of true melancholy the poisonous damp of night disponge upon me that life a very rebel to my will may hang no longer on me throw my heart against the flint and hardness of my fault which being dried with grief will break to powder and finish all foul thoughts o antony nobler than my revolt is infamous forgive me in thine own particular but let the world rank me in register a masterleaver and a fugitive o antony o antony dies second soldier let's speak to him first soldier let's hear him for the things he speaks may concern caesar third soldier let's do so but he sleeps first soldier swoons rather for so bad a prayer as his was never yet for sleep second soldier go we to him third soldier awake sir awake speak to us second soldier hear you sir first soldier the hand of death hath raught him drums afar off hark the drums demurely wake the sleepers let us bear him to the court of guard he is of note our hour is fully out third soldier come on then he may recover yet exeunt with the body antony and cleopatra act iv scene x between the two camps enter mark antony and scarus with their army mark antony their preparation is today by sea we please them not by land scarus for both my lord mark antony i would they'ld fight i the fire or i the air we'ld fight there too but this it is our foot upon the hills adjoining to the city shall stay with us order for sea is given they have put forth the haven where their appointment we may best discover and look on their endeavour exeunt antony and cleopatra act iv scene xi another part of the same enter octavius caesar and his army octavius caesar but being charged we will be still by land which as i take't we shall for his best force is forth to man his galleys to the vales and hold our best advantage exeunt antony and cleopatra act iv scene xii another part of the same enter mark antony and scarus mark antony yet they are not join'd where yond pine does stand i shall discover all i'll bring thee word straight how tis like to go exit scarus swallows have built in cleopatra's sails their nests the augurers say they know not they cannot tell look grimly and dare not speak their knowledge antony is valiant and dejected and by starts his fretted fortunes give him hope and fear of what he has and has not alarum afar off as at a seafight reenter mark antony mark antony all is lost this foul egyptian hath betrayed me my fleet hath yielded to the foe and yonder they cast their caps up and carouse together like friends long lost tripleturn'd whore tis thou hast sold me to this novice and my heart makes only wars on thee bid them all fly for when i am revenged upon my charm i have done all bid them all fly begone exit scarus o sun thy uprise shall i see no more fortune and antony part here even here do we shake hands all come to this the hearts that spaniel'd me at heels to whom i gave their wishes do discandy melt their sweets on blossoming caesar and this pine is bark'd that overtopp'd them all betray'd i am o this false soul of egypt this grave charm whose eye beck'd forth my wars and call'd them home whose bosom was my crownet my chief end like a right gipsy hath at fast and loose beguiled me to the very heart of loss what eros eros enter cleopatra ah thou spell avaunt cleopatra why is my lord enraged against his love mark antony vanish or i shall give thee thy deserving and blemish caesar's triumph let him take thee and hoist thee up to the shouting plebeians follow his chariot like the greatest spot of all thy sex most monsterlike be shown for poor'st diminutives for doits and let patient octavia plough thy visage up with her prepared nails exit cleopatra tis well thou'rt gone if it be well to live but better twere thou fell'st into my fury for one death might have prevented many eros ho the shirt of nessus is upon me teach me alcides thou mine ancestor thy rage let me lodge lichas on the horns o the moon and with those hands that grasp'd the heaviest club subdue my worthiest self the witch shall die to the young roman boy she hath sold me and i fall under this plot she dies for't eros ho exit antony and cleopatra act iv scene xiii alexandria cleopatra's palace enter cleopatra charmian iras and mardian cleopatra help me my women o he is more mad than telamon for his shield the boar of thessaly was never so emboss'd charmian to the monument there lock yourself and send him word you are dead the soul and body rive not more in parting than greatness going off cleopatra to the monument mardian go tell him i have slain myself say that the last i spoke was antony' and word it prithee piteously hence mardian and bring me how he takes my death to the monument exeunt antony and cleopatra act iv scene xiv the same another room enter mark antony and eros mark antony eros thou yet behold'st me eros ay noble lord mark antony sometimes we see a cloud that's dragonish a vapour sometime like a bear or lion a tower'd citadel a pendent rock a forked mountain or blue promontory with trees upon't that nod unto the world and mock our eyes with air thou hast seen these signs they are black vesper's pageants eros ay my lord mark antony that which is now a horse even with a thought the rack dislimns and makes it indistinct as water is in water eros it does my lord mark antony my good knave eros now thy captain is even such a body here i am antony yet cannot hold this visible shape my knave i made these wars for egypt and the queen whose heart i thought i had for she had mine which whilst it was mine had annex'd unto't a million more now lostshe eros has pack'd cards with caesar and falseplay'd my glory unto an enemy's triumph nay weep not gentle eros there is left us ourselves to end ourselves enter mardian o thy vile lady she has robb'd me of my sword mardian no antony my mistress loved thee and her fortunes mingled with thine entirely mark antony hence saucy eunuch peace she hath betray'd me and shall die the death mardian death of one person can be paid but once and that she has discharged what thou wouldst do is done unto thy hand the last she spake was antony most noble antony' then in the midst a tearing groan did break the name of antony it was divided between her heart and lips she render'd life thy name so buried in her mark antony dead then mardian dead mark antony unarm eros the long day's task is done and we must sleep to mardian that thou depart'st hence safe does pay thy labour richly go exit mardian off pluck off the sevenfold shield of ajax cannot keep the battery from my heart o cleave my sides heart once be stronger than thy continent crack thy frail case apace eros apace no more a soldier bruised pieces go you have been nobly borne from me awhile exit eros i will o'ertake thee cleopatra and weep for my pardon so it must be for now all length is torture since the torch is out lie down and stray no farther now all labour mars what it does yea very force entangles itself with strength seal then and all is done erosi come my queenerosstay for me where souls do couch on flowers we'll hand in hand and with our sprightly port make the ghosts gaze dido and her aeneas shall want troops and all the haunt be ours come eros eros reenter eros eros what would my lord mark antony since cleopatra died i have lived in such dishonour that the gods detest my baseness i that with my sword quarter'd the world and o'er green neptune's back with ships made cities condemn myself to lack the courage of a woman less noble mind than she which by her death our caesar tells i am conqueror of myself thou art sworn eros that when the exigent should come which now is come indeed when i should see behind me the inevitable prosecution of disgrace and horror that on my command thou then wouldst kill me do't the time is come thou strikest not me tis caesar thou defeat'st put colour in thy cheek eros the gods withhold me shall i do that which all the parthian darts though enemy lost aim and could not mark antony eros wouldst thou be window'd in great rome and see thy master thus with pleach'd arms bending down his corrigible neck his face subdued to penetrative shame whilst the wheel'd seat of fortunate caesar drawn before him branded his baseness that ensued eros i would not see't mark antony come then for with a wound i must be cured draw that thy honest sword which thou hast worn most useful for thy country eros o sir pardon me mark antony when i did make thee free sworest thou not then to do this when i bade thee do it at once or thy precedent services are all but accidents unpurposed draw and come eros turn from me then that noble countenance wherein the worship of the whole world lies mark antony lo thee turning from him eros my sword is drawn mark antony then let it do at once the thing why thou hast drawn it eros my dear master my captain and my emperor let me say before i strike this bloody stroke farewell mark antony tis said man and farewell eros farewell great chief shall i strike now mark antony now eros eros why there then thus i do escape the sorrow of antony's death kills himself mark antony thricenobler than myself thou teachest me o valiant eros what i should and thou couldst not my queen and eros have by their brave instruction got upon me a nobleness in record but i will be a bridegroom in my death and run into't as to a lover's bed come then and eros thy master dies thy scholar to do thus falling on his sword i learn'd of thee how not dead not dead the guard ho o dispatch me enter dercetas and guard first guard what's the noise mark antony i have done my work in friends o make an end of what i have begun second guard the star is fall'n first guard and time is at his period all alas and woe mark antony let him that loves me strike me dead first guard not i second guard nor i third guard nor any one exeunt guard dercetas thy death and fortunes bid thy followers fly this sword but shown to caesar with this tidings shall enter me with him enter diomedes diomedes where's antony dercetas there diomed there diomedes lives he wilt thou not answer man exit dercetas mark antony art thou there diomed draw thy sword and give me sufficing strokes for death diomedes most absolute lord my mistress cleopatra sent me to thee mark antony when did she send thee diomedes now my lord mark antony where is she diomedes lock'd in her monument she had a prophesying fear of what hath come to pass for when she saw which never shall be foundyou did suspect she had disposed with caesar and that your rage would not be purged she sent you word she was dead but fearing since how it might work hath sent me to proclaim the truth and i am come i dread too late mark antony too late good diomed call my guard i prithee diomedes what ho the emperor's guard the guard what ho come your lord calls enter four or five of the guard of mark antony mark antony bear me good friends where cleopatra bides tis the last service that i shall command you first guard woe woe are we sir you may not live to wear all your true followers out all most heavy day mark antony nay good my fellows do not please sharp fate to grace it with your sorrows bid that welcome which comes to punish us and we punish it seeming to bear it lightly take me up i have led you oft carry me now good friends and have my thanks for all exeunt bearing mark antony antony and cleopatra act iv scene xv the same a monument enter cleopatra and her maids aloft with charmian and iras cleopatra o charmian i will never go from hence charmian be comforted dear madam cleopatra no i will not all strange and terrible events are welcome but comforts we despise our size of sorrow proportion'd to our cause must be as great as that which makes it enter below diomedes how now is he dead diomedes his death's upon him but not dead look out o the other side your monument his guard have brought him thither enter below mark antony borne by the guard cleopatra o sun burn the great sphere thou movest in darkling stand the varying shore o the world o antony antony antony help charmian help iras help help friends below let's draw him hither mark antony peace not caesar's valour hath o'erthrown antony but antony's hath triumph'd on itself cleopatra so it should be that none but antony should conquer antony but woe tis so mark antony i am dying egypt dying only i here importune death awhile until of many thousand kisses the poor last i lay up thy lips cleopatra i dare not dear dear my lord pardoni dare not lest i be taken not the imperious show of the fullfortuned caesar ever shall be brooch'd with me if knife drugs serpents have edge sting or operation i am safe your wife octavia with her modest eyes and still conclusion shall acquire no honour demuring upon me but come come antony help me my womenwe must draw thee up assist good friends mark antony o quick or i am gone cleopatra here's sport indeed how heavy weighs my lord our strength is all gone into heaviness that makes the weight had i great juno's power the strongwing'd mercury should fetch thee up and set thee by jove's side yet come a little wishes were ever foolso come come come they heave mark antony aloft to cleopatra and welcome welcome die where thou hast lived quicken with kissing had my lips that power thus would i wear them out all a heavy sight mark antony i am dying egypt dying give me some wine and let me speak a little cleopatra no let me speak and let me rail so high that the false housewife fortune break her wheel provoked by my offence mark antony one word sweet queen of caesar seek your honour with your safety o cleopatra they do not go together mark antony gentle hear me none about caesar trust but proculeius cleopatra my resolution and my hands i'll trust none about caesar mark antony the miserable change now at my end lament nor sorrow at but please your thoughts in feeding them with those my former fortunes wherein i lived the greatest prince o the world the noblest and do now not basely die not cowardly put off my helmet to my countrymana roman by a roman valiantly vanquish'd now my spirit is going i can no more cleopatra noblest of men woo't die hast thou no care of me shall i abide in this dull world which in thy absence is no better than a sty o see my women mark antony dies the crown o the earth doth melt my lord o wither'd is the garland of the war the soldier's pole is fall'n young boys and girls are level now with men the odds is gone and there is nothing left remarkable beneath the visiting moon faints charmian o quietness lady iras she is dead too our sovereign charmian lady iras madam charmian o madam madam madam iras royal egypt empress charmian peace peace iras cleopatra no more but e'en a woman and commanded by such poor passion as the maid that milks and does the meanest chares it were for me to throw my sceptre at the injurious gods to tell them that this world did equal theirs till they had stol'n our jewel all's but naught patience is scottish and impatience does become a dog that's mad then is it sin to rush into the secret house of death ere death dare come to us how do you women what what good cheer why how now charmian my noble girls ah women women look our lamp is spent it's out good sirs take heart we'll bury him and then what's brave what's noble let's do it after the high roman fashion and make death proud to take us come away this case of that huge spirit now is cold ah women women come we have no friend but resolution and the briefest end exeunt those above bearing off mark antony's body antony and cleopatra act v scene i alexandria octavius caesar's camp enter octavius caesar agrippa dolabella mecaenas gallus proculeius and others his council of war octavius caesar go to him dolabella bid him yield being so frustrate tell him he mocks the pauses that he makes dolabella caesar i shall exit enter dercetas with the sword of mark antony octavius caesar wherefore is that and what art thou that darest appear thus to us dercetas i am call'd dercetas mark antony i served who best was worthy best to be served whilst he stood up and spoke he was my master and i wore my life to spend upon his haters if thou please to take me to thee as i was to him i'll be to caesar if thou pleasest not i yield thee up my life octavius caesar what is't thou say'st dercetas i say o caesar antony is dead octavius caesar the breaking of so great a thing should make a greater crack the round world should have shook lions into civil streets and citizens to their dens the death of antony is not a single doom in the name lay a moiety of the world dercetas he is dead caesar not by a public minister of justice nor by a hired knife but that self hand which writ his honour in the acts it did hath with the courage which the heart did lend it splitted the heart this is his sword i robb'd his wound of it behold it stain'd with his most noble blood octavius caesar look you sad friends the gods rebuke me but it is tidings to wash the eyes of kings agrippa and strange it is that nature must compel us to lament our most persisted deeds mecaenas his taints and honours waged equal with him agrippa a rarer spirit never did steer humanity but you gods will give us some faults to make us men caesar is touch'd mecaenas when such a spacious mirror's set before him he needs must see himself octavius caesar o antony i have follow'd thee to this but we do lance diseases in our bodies i must perforce have shown to thee such a declining day or look on thine we could not stall together in the whole world but yet let me lament with tears as sovereign as the blood of hearts that thou my brother my competitor in top of all design my mate in empire friend and companion in the front of war the arm of mine own body and the heart where mine his thoughts did kindlethat our stars unreconciliable should divide our equalness to this hear me good friends but i will tell you at some meeter season enter an egyptian the business of this man looks out of him we'll hear him what he says whence are you egyptian a poor egyptian yet the queen my mistress confined in all she has her monument of thy intents desires instruction that she preparedly may frame herself to the way she's forced to octavius caesar bid her have good heart she soon shall know of us by some of ours how honourable and how kindly we determine for her for caesar cannot live to be ungentle egyptian so the gods preserve thee exit octavius caesar come hither proculeius go and say we purpose her no shame give her what comforts the quality of her passion shall require lest in her greatness by some mortal stroke she do defeat us for her life in rome would be eternal in our triumph go and with your speediest bring us what she says and how you find of her proculeius caesar i shall exit octavius caesar gallus go you along exit gallus where's dolabella to second proculeius all dolabella octavius caesar let him alone for i remember now how he's employ'd he shall in time be ready go with me to my tent where you shall see how hardly i was drawn into this war how calm and gentle i proceeded still in all my writings go with me and see what i can show in this exeunt antony and cleopatra act v scene ii alexandria a room in the monument enter cleopatra charmian and iras cleopatra my desolation does begin to make a better life tis paltry to be caesar not being fortune he's but fortune's knave a minister of her will and it is great to do that thing that ends all other deeds which shackles accidents and bolts up change which sleeps and never palates more the dug the beggar's nurse and caesar's enter to the gates of the monument proculeius gallus and soldiers proculeius caesar sends greeting to the queen of egypt and bids thee study on what fair demands thou mean'st to have him grant thee cleopatra what's thy name proculeius my name is proculeius cleopatra antony did tell me of you bade me trust you but i do not greatly care to be deceived that have no use for trusting if your master would have a queen his beggar you must tell him that majesty to keep decorum must no less beg than a kingdom if he please to give me conquer'd egypt for my son he gives me so much of mine own as i will kneel to him with thanks proculeius be of good cheer you're fall'n into a princely hand fear nothing make your full reference freely to my lord who is so full of grace that it flows over on all that need let me report to him your sweet dependency and you shall find a conqueror that will pray in aid for kindness where he for grace is kneel'd to cleopatra pray you tell him i am his fortune's vassal and i send him the greatness he has got i hourly learn a doctrine of obedience and would gladly look him i the face proculeius this i'll report dear lady have comfort for i know your plight is pitied of him that caused it gallus you see how easily she may be surprised here proculeius and two of the guard ascend the monument by a ladder placed against a window and having descended come behind cleopatra some of the guard unbar and open the gates to proculeius and the guard guard her till caesar come exit iras royal queen charmian o cleopatra thou art taken queen cleopatra quick quick good hands drawing a dagger proculeius hold worthy lady hold seizes and disarms her do not yourself such wrong who are in this relieved but not betray'd cleopatra what of death too that rids our dogs of languish proculeius cleopatra do not abuse my master's bounty by the undoing of yourself let the world see his nobleness well acted which your death will never let come forth cleopatra where art thou death come hither come come come and take a queen worthy many babes and beggars proculeius o temperance lady cleopatra sir i will eat no meat i'll not drink sir if idle talk will once be necessary i'll not sleep neither this mortal house i'll ruin do caesar what he can know sir that i will not wait pinion'd at your master's court nor once be chastised with the sober eye of dull octavia shall they hoist me up and show me to the shouting varletry of censuring rome rather a ditch in egypt be gentle grave unto me rather on nilus mud lay me stark naked and let the waterflies blow me into abhorring rather make my country's high pyramides my gibbet and hang me up in chains proculeius you do extend these thoughts of horror further than you shall find cause in caesar enter dolabella dolabella proculeius what thou hast done thy master caesar knows and he hath sent for thee for the queen i'll take her to my guard proculeius so dolabella it shall content me best be gentle to her to cleopatra to caesar i will speak what you shall please if you'll employ me to him cleopatra say i would die exeunt proculeius and soldiers dolabella most noble empress you have heard of me cleopatra i cannot tell dolabella assuredly you know me cleopatra no matter sir what i have heard or known you laugh when boys or women tell their dreams is't not your trick dolabella i understand not madam cleopatra i dream'd there was an emperor antony o such another sleep that i might see but such another man dolabella if it might please ye cleopatra his face was as the heavens and therein stuck a sun and moon which kept their course and lighted the little o the earth dolabella most sovereign creature cleopatra his legs bestrid the ocean his rear'd arm crested the world his voice was propertied as all the tuned spheres and that to friends but when he meant to quail and shake the orb he was as rattling thunder for his bounty there was no winter in't an autumn twas that grew the more by reaping his delights were dolphinlike they show'd his back above the element they lived in in his livery walk'd crowns and crownets realms and islands were as plates dropp'd from his pocket dolabella cleopatra cleopatra think you there was or might be such a man as this i dream'd of dolabella gentle madam no cleopatra you lie up to the hearing of the gods but if there be or ever were one such it's past the size of dreaming nature wants stuff to vie strange forms with fancy yet to imagine and antony were nature's piece gainst fancy condemning shadows quite dolabella hear me good madam your loss is as yourself great and you bear it as answering to the weight would i might never o'ertake pursued success but i do feel by the rebound of yours a grief that smites my very heart at root cleopatra i thank you sir know you what caesar means to do with me dolabella i am loath to tell you what i would you knew cleopatra nay pray you sir dolabella though he be honourable cleopatra he'll lead me then in triumph dolabella madam he will i know't flourish and shout within make way there octavius caesar' enter octavius caesar gallus proculeius mecaenas seleucus and others of his train octavius caesar which is the queen of egypt dolabella it is the emperor madam cleopatra kneels octavius caesar arise you shall not kneel i pray you rise rise egypt cleopatra sir the gods will have it thus my master and my lord i must obey octavius caesar take to you no hard thoughts the record of what injuries you did us though written in our flesh we shall remember as things but done by chance cleopatra sole sir o the world i cannot project mine own cause so well to make it clear but do confess i have been laden with like frailties which before have often shamed our sex octavius caesar cleopatra know we will extenuate rather than enforce if you apply yourself to our intents which towards you are most gentle you shall find a benefit in this change but if you seek to lay on me a cruelty by taking antony's course you shall bereave yourself of my good purposes and put your children to that destruction which i'll guard them from if thereon you rely i'll take my leave cleopatra and may through all the world tis yours and we your scutcheons and your signs of conquest shall hang in what place you please here my good lord octavius caesar you shall advise me in all for cleopatra cleopatra this is the brief of money plate and jewels i am possess'd of tis exactly valued not petty things admitted where's seleucus seleucus here madam cleopatra this is my treasurer let him speak my lord upon his peril that i have reserved to myself nothing speak the truth seleucus seleucus madam i had rather seal my lips than to my peril speak that which is not cleopatra what have i kept back seleucus enough to purchase what you have made known octavius caesar nay blush not cleopatra i approve your wisdom in the deed cleopatra see caesar o behold how pomp is follow'd mine will now be yours and should we shift estates yours would be mine the ingratitude of this seleucus does even make me wild o slave of no more trust than love that's hired what goest thou back thou shalt go back i warrant thee but i'll catch thine eyes though they had wings slave soulless villain dog o rarely base octavius caesar good queen let us entreat you cleopatra o caesar what a wounding shame is this that thou vouchsafing here to visit me doing the honour of thy lordliness to one so meek that mine own servant should parcel the sum of my disgraces by addition of his envy say good caesar that i some lady trifles have reserved immoment toys things of such dignity as we greet modern friends withal and say some nobler token i have kept apart for livia and octavia to induce their mediation must i be unfolded with one that i have bred the gods it smites me beneath the fall i have to seleucus prithee go hence or i shall show the cinders of my spirits through the ashes of my chance wert thou a man thou wouldst have mercy on me octavius caesar forbear seleucus exit seleucus cleopatra be it known that we the greatest are misthought for things that others do and when we fall we answer others merits in our name are therefore to be pitied octavius caesar cleopatra not what you have reserved nor what acknowledged put we i the roll of conquest still be't yours bestow it at your pleasure and believe caesar's no merchant to make prize with you of things that merchants sold therefore be cheer'd make not your thoughts your prisons no dear queen for we intend so to dispose you as yourself shall give us counsel feed and sleep our care and pity is so much upon you that we remain your friend and so adieu cleopatra my master and my lord octavius caesar not so adieu flourish exeunt octavius caesar and his train cleopatra he words me girls he words me that i should not be noble to myself but hark thee charmian whispers charmian iras finish good lady the bright day is done and we are for the dark cleopatra hie thee again i have spoke already and it is provided go put it to the haste charmian madam i will reenter dolabella dolabella where is the queen charmian behold sir exit cleopatra dolabella dolabella madam as thereto sworn by your command which my love makes religion to obey i tell you this caesar through syria intends his journey and within three days you with your children will he send before make your best use of this i have perform'd your pleasure and my promise cleopatra dolabella i shall remain your debtor dolabella i your servant adieu good queen i must attend on caesar cleopatra farewell and thanks exit dolabella now iras what think'st thou thou an egyptian puppet shalt be shown in rome as well as i mechanic slaves with greasy aprons rules and hammers shall uplift us to the view in their thick breaths rank of gross diet shall be enclouded and forced to drink their vapour iras the gods forbid cleopatra nay tis most certain iras saucy lictors will catch at us like strumpets and scald rhymers ballad us out o tune the quick comedians extemporally will stage us and present our alexandrian revels antony shall be brought drunken forth and i shall see some squeaking cleopatra boy my greatness i the posture of a whore iras o the good gods cleopatra nay that's certain iras i'll never see t for i am sure my nails are stronger than mine eyes cleopatra why that's the way to fool their preparation and to conquer their most absurd intents reenter charmian now charmian show me my women like a queen go fetch my best attires i am again for cydnus to meet mark antony sirrah iras go now noble charmian we'll dispatch indeed and when thou hast done this chare i'll give thee leave to play till doomsday bring our crown and all wherefore's this noise exit iras a noise within enter a guardsman guard here is a rural fellow that will not be denied your highness presence he brings you figs cleopatra let him come in exit guardsman what poor an instrument may do a noble deed he brings me liberty my resolution's placed and i have nothing of woman in me now from head to foot i am marbleconstant now the fleeting moon no planet is of mine reenter guardsman with clown bringing in a basket guard this is the man cleopatra avoid and leave him exit guardsman hast thou the pretty worm of nilus there that kills and pains not clown truly i have him but i would not be the party that should desire you to touch him for his biting is immortal those that do die of it do seldom or never recover cleopatra rememberest thou any that have died on't clown very many men and women too i heard of one of them no longer than yesterday a very honest woman but something given to lie as a woman should not do but in the way of honesty how she died of the biting of it what pain she felt truly she makes a very good report o the worm but he that will believe all that they say shall never be saved by half that they do but this is most fallible the worm's an odd worm cleopatra get thee hence farewell clown i wish you all joy of the worm setting down his basket cleopatra farewell clown you must think this look you that the worm will do his kind cleopatra ay ay farewell clown look you the worm is not to be trusted but in the keeping of wise people for indeed there is no goodness in worm cleopatra take thou no care it shall be heeded clown very good give it nothing i pray you for it is not worth the feeding cleopatra will it eat me clown you must not think i am so simple but i know the devil himself will not eat a woman i know that a woman is a dish for the gods if the devil dress her not but truly these same whoreson devils do the gods great harm in their women for in every ten that they make the devils mar five cleopatra well get thee gone farewell clown yes forsooth i wish you joy o the worm exit reenter iras with a robe crown &c cleopatra give me my robe put on my crown i have immortal longings in me now no more the juice of egypt's grape shall moist this lip yare yare good iras quick methinks i hear antony call i see him rouse himself to praise my noble act i hear him mock the luck of caesar which the gods give men to excuse their after wrath husband i come now to that name my courage prove my title i am fire and air my other elements i give to baser life so have you done come then and take the last warmth of my lips farewell kind charmian iras long farewell kisses them iras falls and dies have i the aspic in my lips dost fall if thou and nature can so gently part the stroke of death is as a lover's pinch which hurts and is desired dost thou lie still if thus thou vanishest thou tell'st the world it is not worth leavetaking charmian dissolve thick cloud and rain that i may say the gods themselves do weep cleopatra this proves me base if she first meet the curled antony he'll make demand of her and spend that kiss which is my heaven to have come thou mortal wretch to an asp which she applies to her breast with thy sharp teeth this knot intrinsicate of life at once untie poor venomous fool be angry and dispatch o couldst thou speak that i might hear thee call great caesar ass unpolicied charmian o eastern star cleopatra peace peace dost thou not see my baby at my breast that sucks the nurse asleep charmian o break o break cleopatra as sweet as balm as soft as air as gentle o antonynay i will take thee too applying another asp to her arm what should i stay dies charmian in this vile world so fare thee well now boast thee death in thy possession lies a lass unparallel'd downy windows close and golden phoebus never be beheld of eyes again so royal your crown's awry i'll mend it and then play enter the guard rushing in first guard where is the queen charmian speak softly wake her not first guard caesar hath sent charmian too slow a messenger applies an asp o come apace dispatch i partly feel thee first guard approach ho all's not well caesar's beguiled second guard there's dolabella sent from caesar call him first guard what work is here charmian is this well done charmian it is well done and fitting for a princess descended of so many royal kings ah soldier dies reenter dolabella dolabella how goes it here second guard all dead dolabella caesar thy thoughts touch their effects in this thyself art coming to see perform'd the dreaded act which thou so sought'st to hinder within a way there a way for caesar' reenter octavius caesar and all his train marching dolabella o sir you are too sure an augurer that you did fear is done octavius caesar bravest at the last she levell'd at our purposes and being royal took her own way the manner of their deaths i do not see them bleed dolabella who was last with them first guard a simple countryman that brought her figs this was his basket octavius caesar poison'd then first guard o caesar this charmian lived but now she stood and spake i found her trimming up the diadem on her dead mistress tremblingly she stood and on the sudden dropp'd octavius caesar o noble weakness if they had swallow'd poison twould appear by external swelling but she looks like sleep as she would catch another antony in her strong toil of grace dolabella here on her breast there is a vent of blood and something blown the like is on her arm first guard this is an aspic's trail and these figleaves have slime upon them such as the aspic leaves upon the caves of nile octavius caesar most probable that so she died for her physician tells me she hath pursued conclusions infinite of easy ways to die take up her bed and bear her women from the monument she shall be buried by her antony no grave upon the earth shall clip in it a pair so famous high events as these strike those that make them and their story is no less in pity than his glory which brought them to be lamented our army shall in solemn show attend this funeral and then to rome come dolabella see high order in this great solemnity exeunt coriolanus dramatis personae caius marcius marcus afterwards caius marcius coriolanus coriolanus titus lartius lartius generals against the volscians cominius menenius agrippa friend to coriolanus menenius sicinius velutus sicinius tribunes of the people junius brutus brutus young marcus son to coriolanus a roman herald herald tullus aufidius general of the volscians aufidius lieutenant to aufidius lieutenant conspirators with aufidius first conspirator second conspirator third conspirator a citizen of antium two volscian guards volumnia mother to coriolanus virgilia wife to coriolanus valeria friend to virgilia gentlewoman attending on virgilia gentlewoman roman and volscian senators patricians aediles lictors soldiers citizens messengers servants to aufidius and other attendants first senator second senator a patrician second patrician aedile first soldier second soldier first citizen second citizen third citizen fourth citizen fifth citizen sixth citizen seventh citizen messenger second messenger first serviceman second serviceman third serviceman officer first officer second officer roman first roman second roman third roman volsce first lord second lord third lord scene rome and the neighbourhood corioli and the neighbourhood antium coriolanus act i scene i rome a street enter a company of mutinous citizens with staves clubs and other weapons first citizen before we proceed any further hear me speak all speak speak first citizen you are all resolved rather to die than to famish all resolved resolved first citizen first you know caius marcius is chief enemy to the people all we know't we know't first citizen let us kill him and we'll have corn at our own price is't a verdict all no more talking on't let it be done away away second citizen one word good citizens first citizen we are accounted poor citizens the patricians good what authority surfeits on would relieve us if they would yield us but the superfluity while it were wholesome we might guess they relieved us humanely but they think we are too dear the leanness that afflicts us the object of our misery is as an inventory to particularise their abundance our sufferance is a gain to them let us revenge this with our pikes ere we become rakes for the gods know i speak this in hunger for bread not in thirst for revenge second citizen would you proceed especially against caius marcius all against him first he's a very dog to the commonalty second citizen consider you what services he has done for his country first citizen very well and could be content to give him good report fort but that he pays himself with being proud second citizen nay but speak not maliciously first citizen i say unto you what he hath done famously he did it to that end though softconscienced men can be content to say it was for his country he did it to please his mother and to be partly proud which he is even till the altitude of his virtue second citizen what he cannot help in his nature you account a vice in him you must in no way say he is covetous first citizen if i must not i need not be barren of accusations he hath faults with surplus to tire in repetition shouts within what shouts are these the other side o the city is risen why stay we prating here to the capitol all come come first citizen soft who comes here enter menenius agrippa second citizen worthy menenius agrippa one that hath always loved the people first citizen he's one honest enough would all the rest were so menenius what work's my countrymen in hand where go you with bats and clubs the matter speak i pray you first citizen our business is not unknown to the senate they have had inkling this fortnight what we intend to do which now we'll show em in deeds they say poor suitors have strong breaths they shall know we have strong arms too menenius why masters my good friends mine honest neighbours will you undo yourselves first citizen we cannot sir we are undone already menenius i tell you friends most charitable care have the patricians of you for your wants your suffering in this dearth you may as well strike at the heaven with your staves as lift them against the roman state whose course will on the way it takes cracking ten thousand curbs of more strong link asunder than can ever appear in your impediment for the dearth the gods not the patricians make it and your knees to them not arms must help alack you are transported by calamity thither where more attends you and you slander the helms o the state who care for you like fathers when you curse them as enemies first citizen care for us true indeed they ne'er cared for us yet suffer us to famish and their storehouses crammed with grain make edicts for usury to support usurers repeal daily any wholesome act established against the rich and provide more piercing statutes daily to chain up and restrain the poor if the wars eat us not up they will and there's all the love they bear us menenius either you must confess yourselves wondrous malicious or be accused of folly i shall tell you a pretty tale it may be you have heard it but since it serves my purpose i will venture to stale t a little more first citizen well i'll hear it sir yet you must not think to fob off our disgrace with a tale but an t please you deliver menenius there was a time when all the body's members rebell'd against the belly thus accused it that only like a gulf it did remain i the midst o the body idle and unactive still cupboarding the viand never bearing like labour with the rest where the other instruments did see and hear devise instruct walk feel and mutually participate did minister unto the appetite and affection common of the whole body the belly answer'd first citizen well sir what answer made the belly menenius sir i shall tell you with a kind of smile which ne'er came from the lungs but even thus for look you i may make the belly smile as well as speakit tauntingly replied to the discontented members the mutinous parts that envied his receipt even so most fitly as you malign our senators for that they are not such as you first citizen your belly's answer what the kinglycrowned head the vigilant eye the counsellor heart the arm our soldier our steed the leg the tongue our trumpeter with other muniments and petty helps in this our fabric if that they menenius what then fore me this fellow speaks what then what then first citizen should by the cormorant belly be restrain'd who is the sink o the body menenius well what then first citizen the former agents if they did complain what could the belly answer menenius i will tell you if you'll bestow a smallof what you have little patience awhile you'll hear the belly's answer first citizen ye're long about it menenius note me this good friend your most grave belly was deliberate not rash like his accusers and thus answer'd true is it my incorporate friends quoth he that i receive the general food at first which you do live upon and fit it is because i am the storehouse and the shop of the whole body but if you do remember i send it through the rivers of your blood even to the court the heart to the seat o the brain and through the cranks and offices of man the strongest nerves and small inferior veins from me receive that natural competency whereby they live and though that all at once you my good friends'this says the belly mark me first citizen ay sir well well menenius though all at once cannot see what i do deliver out to each yet i can make my audit up that all from me do back receive the flour of all and leave me but the bran what say you to't first citizen it was an answer how apply you this menenius the senators of rome are this good belly and you the mutinous members for examine their counsels and their cares digest things rightly touching the weal o the common you shall find no public benefit which you receive but it proceeds or comes from them to you and no way from yourselves what do you think you the great toe of this assembly first citizen i the great toe why the great toe menenius for that being one o the lowest basest poorest of this most wise rebellion thou go'st foremost thou rascal that art worst in blood to run lead'st first to win some vantage but make you ready your stiff bats and clubs rome and her rats are at the point of battle the one side must have bale enter caius marcius hail noble marcius marcius thanks what's the matter you dissentious rogues that rubbing the poor itch of your opinion make yourselves scabs first citizen we have ever your good word marcius he that will give good words to thee will flatter beneath abhorring what would you have you curs that like nor peace nor war the one affrights you the other makes you proud he that trusts to you where he should find you lions finds you hares where foxes geese you are no surer no than is the coal of fire upon the ice or hailstone in the sun your virtue is to make him worthy whose offence subdues him and curse that justice did it who deserves greatness deserves your hate and your affections are a sick man's appetite who desires most that which would increase his evil he that depends upon your favours swims with fins of lead and hews down oaks with rushes hang ye trust ye with every minute you do change a mind and call him noble that was now your hate him vile that was your garland what's the matter that in these several places of the city you cry against the noble senate who under the gods keep you in awe which else would feed on one another what's their seeking menenius for corn at their own rates whereof they say the city is well stored marcius hang em they say they'll sit by the fire and presume to know what's done i the capitol who's like to rise who thrives and who declines side factions and give out conjectural marriages making parties strong and feebling such as stand not in their liking below their cobbled shoes they say there's grain enough would the nobility lay aside their ruth and let me use my sword i'll make a quarry with thousands of these quarter'd slaves as high as i could pick my lance menenius nay these are almost thoroughly persuaded for though abundantly they lack discretion yet are they passing cowardly but i beseech you what says the other troop marcius they are dissolved hang em they said they were anhungry sigh'd forth proverbs that hunger broke stone walls that dogs must eat that meat was made for mouths that the gods sent not corn for the rich men only with these shreds they vented their complainings which being answer'd and a petition granted them a strange one to break the heart of generosity and make bold power look palethey threw their caps as they would hang them on the horns o the moon shouting their emulation menenius what is granted them marcius five tribunes to defend their vulgar wisdoms of their own choice one's junius brutus sicinius velutus and i know not'sdeath the rabble should have first unroof'd the city ere so prevail'd with me it will in time win upon power and throw forth greater themes for insurrection's arguing menenius this is strange marcius go get you home you fragments enter a messenger hastily messenger where's caius marcius marcius here what's the matter messenger the news is sir the volsces are in arms marcius i am glad on t then we shall ha means to vent our musty superfluity see our best elders enter cominius titus lartius and other senators junius brutus and sicinius velutus first senator marcius tis true that you have lately told us the volsces are in arms marcius they have a leader tullus aufidius that will put you to t i sin in envying his nobility and were i any thing but what i am i would wish me only he cominius you have fought together marcius were half to half the world by the ears and he upon my party i'ld revolt to make only my wars with him he is a lion that i am proud to hunt first senator then worthy marcius attend upon cominius to these wars cominius it is your former promise marcius sir it is and i am constant titus lartius thou shalt see me once more strike at tullus face what art thou stiff stand'st out titus no caius marcius i'll lean upon one crutch and fight with t'other ere stay behind this business menenius o truebred first senator your company to the capitol where i know our greatest friends attend us titus to cominius lead you on to marcius follow cominius we must follow you right worthy you priority cominius noble marcius first senator to the citizens hence to your homes be gone marcius nay let them follow the volsces have much corn take these rats thither to gnaw their garners worshipful mutiners your valour puts well forth pray follow citizens steal away exeunt all but sicinius and brutus sicinius was ever man so proud as is this marcius brutus he has no equal sicinius when we were chosen tribunes for the people brutus mark'd you his lip and eyes sicinius nay but his taunts brutus being moved he will not spare to gird the gods sicinius bemock the modest moon brutus the present wars devour him he is grown too proud to be so valiant sicinius such a nature tickled with good success disdains the shadow which he treads on at noon but i do wonder his insolence can brook to be commanded under cominius brutus fame at the which he aims in whom already he's well graced can not better be held nor more attain'd than by a place below the first for what miscarries shall be the general's fault though he perform to the utmost of a man and giddy censure will then cry out of marcius o if he had borne the business' sicinius besides if things go well opinion that so sticks on marcius shall of his demerits rob cominius brutus come half all cominius honours are to marcius though marcius earned them not and all his faults to marcius shall be honours though indeed in aught he merit not sicinius let's hence and hear how the dispatch is made and in what fashion more than his singularity he goes upon this present action brutus lets along exeunt coriolanus act i scene ii corioli the senatehouse enter tullus aufidius and certain senators first senator so your opinion is aufidius that they of rome are entered in our counsels and know how we proceed aufidius is it not yours what ever have been thought on in this state that could be brought to bodily act ere rome had circumvention tis not four days gone since i heard thence these are the words i think i have the letter here yes here it is reads they have press'd a power but it is not known whether for east or west the dearth is great the people mutinous and it is rumour'd cominius marcius your old enemy who is of rome worse hated than of you and titus lartius a most valiant roman these three lead on this preparation whither tis bent most likely tis for you consider of it' first senator our army's in the field we never yet made doubt but rome was ready to answer us aufidius nor did you think it folly to keep your great pretences veil'd till when they needs must show themselves which in the hatching it seem'd appear'd to rome by the discovery we shall be shorten'd in our aim which was to take in many towns ere almost rome should know we were afoot second senator noble aufidius take your commission hie you to your bands let us alone to guard corioli if they set down before s for the remove bring your army but i think you'll find they've not prepared for us aufidius o doubt not that i speak from certainties nay more some parcels of their power are forth already and only hitherward i leave your honours if we and caius marcius chance to meet tis sworn between us we shall ever strike till one can do no more all the gods assist you aufidius and keep your honours safe first senator farewell second senator farewell all farewell exeunt coriolanus act i scene iii rome a room in marcius house enter volumnia and virgilia they set them down on two low stools and sew volumnia i pray you daughter sing or express yourself in a more comfortable sort if my son were my husband i should freelier rejoice in that absence wherein he won honour than in the embracements of his bed where he would show most love when yet he was but tenderbodied and the only son of my womb when youth with comeliness plucked all gaze his way when for a day of kings entreaties a mother should not sell him an hour from her beholding i considering how honour would become such a person that it was no better than picturelike to hang by the wall if renown made it not stir was pleased to let him seek danger where he was like to find fame to a cruel war i sent him from whence he returned his brows bound with oak i tell thee daughter i sprang not more in joy at first hearing he was a manchild than now in first seeing he had proved himself a man virgilia but had he died in the business madam how then volumnia then his good report should have been my son i therein would have found issue hear me profess sincerely had i a dozen sons each in my love alike and none less dear than thine and my good marcius i had rather had eleven die nobly for their country than one voluptuously surfeit out of action enter a gentlewoman gentlewoman madam the lady valeria is come to visit you virgilia beseech you give me leave to retire myself volumnia indeed you shall not methinks i hear hither your husband's drum see him pluck aufidius down by the hair as children from a bear the volsces shunning him methinks i see him stamp thus and call thus come on you cowards you were got in fear though you were born in rome his bloody brow with his mail'd hand then wiping forth he goes like to a harvestman that's task'd to mow or all or lose his hire virgilia his bloody brow o jupiter no blood volumnia away you fool it more becomes a man than gilt his trophy the breasts of hecuba when she did suckle hector look'd not lovelier than hector's forehead when it spit forth blood at grecian sword contemning tell valeria we are fit to bid her welcome exit gentlewoman virgilia heavens bless my lord from fell aufidius volumnia he'll beat aufidius head below his knee and tread upon his neck enter valeria with an usher and gentlewoman valeria my ladies both good day to you volumnia sweet madam virgilia i am glad to see your ladyship valeria how do you both you are manifest housekeepers what are you sewing here a fine spot in good faith how does your little son virgilia i thank your ladyship well good madam volumnia he had rather see the swords and hear a drum than look upon his schoolmaster valeria o my word the father's son i'll swear'tis a very pretty boy o my troth i looked upon him o' wednesday half an hour together has such a confirmed countenance i saw him run after a gilded butterfly and when he caught it he let it go again and after it again and over and over he comes and again catched it again or whether his fall enraged him or how twas he did so set his teeth and tear it o i warrant it how he mammocked it volumnia one on s father's moods valeria indeed la tis a noble child virgilia a crack madam valeria come lay aside your stitchery i must have you play the idle husewife with me this afternoon virgilia no good madam i will not out of doors valeria not out of doors volumnia she shall she shall virgilia indeed no by your patience i'll not over the threshold till my lord return from the wars valeria fie you confine yourself most unreasonably come you must go visit the good lady that lies in virgilia i will wish her speedy strength and visit her with my prayers but i cannot go thither volumnia why i pray you virgilia tis not to save labour nor that i want love valeria you would be another penelope yet they say all the yarn she spun in ulysses absence did but fill ithaca full of moths come i would your cambric were sensible as your finger that you might leave pricking it for pity come you shall go with us virgilia no good madam pardon me indeed i will not forth valeria in truth la go with me and i'll tell you excellent news of your husband virgilia o good madam there can be none yet valeria verily i do not jest with you there came news from him last night virgilia indeed madam valeria in earnest it's true i heard a senator speak it thus it is the volsces have an army forth against whom cominius the general is gone with one part of our roman power your lord and titus lartius are set down before their city corioli they nothing doubt prevailing and to make it brief wars this is true on mine honour and so i pray go with us virgilia give me excuse good madam i will obey you in every thing hereafter volumnia let her alone lady as she is now she will but disease our better mirth valeria in troth i think she would fare you well then come good sweet lady prithee virgilia turn thy solemness out o door and go along with us virgilia no at a word madam indeed i must not i wish you much mirth valeria well then farewell exeunt coriolanus act i scene iv before corioli enter with drum and colours marcius titus lartius captains and soldiers to them a messenger marcius yonder comes news a wager they have met lartius my horse to yours no marcius tis done lartius agreed marcius say has our general met the enemy messenger they lie in view but have not spoke as yet lartius so the good horse is mine marcius i'll buy him of you lartius no i'll nor sell nor give him lend you him i will for half a hundred years summon the town marcius how far off lie these armies messenger within this mile and half marcius then shall we hear their larum and they ours now mars i prithee make us quick in work that we with smoking swords may march from hence to help our fielded friends come blow thy blast they sound a parley enter two senators with others on the walls tutus aufidius is he within your walls first senator no nor a man that fears you less than he that's lesser than a little drums afar off hark our drums are bringing forth our youth we'll break our walls rather than they shall pound us up our gates which yet seem shut we have but pinn'd with rushes they'll open of themselves alarum afar off hark you far off there is aufidius list what work he makes amongst your cloven army marcius o they are at it lartius their noise be our instruction ladders ho enter the army of the volsces marcius they fear us not but issue forth their city now put your shields before your hearts and fight with hearts more proof than shields advance brave titus they do disdain us much beyond our thoughts which makes me sweat with wrath come on my fellows he that retires i'll take him for a volsce and he shall feel mine edge alarum the romans are beat back to their trenches reenter marcius cursing marcius all the contagion of the south light on you you shames of rome you herd ofboils and plagues plaster you o'er that you may be abhorr'd further than seen and one infect another against the wind a mile you souls of geese that bear the shapes of men how have you run from slaves that apes would beat pluto and hell all hurt behind backs red and faces pale with flight and agued fear mend and charge home or by the fires of heaven i'll leave the foe and make my wars on you look to't come on if you'll stand fast we'll beat them to their wives as they us to our trenches followed another alarum the volsces fly and marcius follows them to the gates so now the gates are ope now prove good seconds tis for the followers fortune widens them not for the fliers mark me and do the like enters the gates first soldier foolhardiness not i second soldier nor i marcius is shut in first soldier see they have shut him in all to the pot i warrant him alarum continues reenter titus lartius lartius what is become of marcius all slain sir doubtless first soldier following the fliers at the very heels with them he enters who upon the sudden clapp'd to their gates he is himself alone to answer all the city lartius o noble fellow who sensibly outdares his senseless sword and when it bows stands up thou art left marcius a carbuncle entire as big as thou art were not so rich a jewel thou wast a soldier even to cato's wish not fierce and terrible only in strokes but with thy grim looks and the thunderlike percussion of thy sounds thou madst thine enemies shake as if the world were feverous and did tremble reenter marcius bleeding assaulted by the enemy first soldier look sir lartius o'tis marcius let's fetch him off or make remain alike they fight and all enter the city coriolanus act i scene v corioli a street enter certain romans with spoils first roman this will i carry to rome second roman and i this third roman a murrain on't i took this for silver alarum continues still afar off enter marcius and titus lartius with a trumpet marcius see here these movers that do prize their hours at a crack'd drachm cushions leaden spoons irons of a doit doublets that hangmen would bury with those that wore them these base slaves ere yet the fight be done pack up down with them and hark what noise the general makes to him there is the man of my soul's hate aufidius piercing our romans then valiant titus take convenient numbers to make good the city whilst i with those that have the spirit will haste to help cominius lartius worthy sir thou bleed'st thy exercise hath been too violent for a second course of fight marcius sir praise me not my work hath yet not warm'd me fare you well the blood i drop is rather physical than dangerous to me to aufidius thus i will appear and fight lartius now the fair goddess fortune fall deep in love with thee and her great charms misguide thy opposers swords bold gentleman prosperity be thy page marcius thy friend no less than those she placeth highest so farewell lartius thou worthiest marcius exit marcius go sound thy trumpet in the marketplace call thither all the officers o the town where they shall know our mind away exeunt coriolanus act i scene vi near the camp of cominius enter cominius as it were in retire with soldiers cominius breathe you my friends well fought we are come off like romans neither foolish in our stands nor cowardly in retire believe me sirs we shall be charged again whiles we have struck by interims and conveying gusts we have heard the charges of our friends ye roman gods lead their successes as we wish our own that both our powers with smiling fronts encountering may give you thankful sacrifice enter a messenger thy news messenger the citizens of corioli have issued and given to lartius and to marcius battle i saw our party to their trenches driven and then i came away cominius though thou speak'st truth methinks thou speak'st not well how long is't since messenger above an hour my lord cominius tis not a mile briefly we heard their drums how couldst thou in a mile confound an hour and bring thy news so late messenger spies of the volsces held me in chase that i was forced to wheel three or four miles about else had i sir half an hour since brought my report cominius who's yonder that does appear as he were flay'd o gods he has the stamp of marcius and i have beforetime seen him thus marcius within come i too late cominius the shepherd knows not thunder from a tabour more than i know the sound of marcius tongue from every meaner man enter marcius marcius come i too late cominius ay if you come not in the blood of others but mantled in your own marcius o let me clip ye in arms as sound as when i woo'd in heart as merry as when our nuptial day was done and tapers burn'd to bedward cominius flower of warriors how is it with titus lartius marcius as with a man busied about decrees condemning some to death and some to exile ransoming him or pitying threatening the other holding corioli in the name of rome even like a fawning greyhound in the leash to let him slip at will cominius where is that slave which told me they had beat you to your trenches where is he call him hither marcius let him alone he did inform the truth but for our gentlemen the common filea plague tribunes for them the mouse ne'er shunn'd the cat as they did budge from rascals worse than they cominius but how prevail'd you marcius will the time serve to tell i do not think where is the enemy are you lords o the field if not why cease you till you are so cominius marcius we have at disadvantage fought and did retire to win our purpose marcius how lies their battle know you on which side they have placed their men of trust cominius as i guess marcius their bands i the vaward are the antiates of their best trust o'er them aufidius their very heart of hope marcius i do beseech you by all the battles wherein we have fought by the blood we have shed together by the vows we have made to endure friends that you directly set me against aufidius and his antiates and that you not delay the present but filling the air with swords advanced and darts we prove this very hour cominius though i could wish you were conducted to a gentle bath and balms applied to you yet dare i never deny your asking take your choice of those that best can aid your action marcius those are they that most are willing if any such be here as it were sin to doubtthat love this painting wherein you see me smear'd if any fear lesser his person than an ill report if any think brave death outweighs bad life and that his country's dearer than himself let him alone or so many so minded wave thus to express his disposition and follow marcius they all shout and wave their swords take him up in their arms and cast up their caps o me alone make you a sword of me if these shows be not outward which of you but is four volsces none of you but is able to bear against the great aufidius a shield as hard as his a certain number though thanks to all must i select from all the rest shall bear the business in some other fight as cause will be obey'd please you to march and four shall quickly draw out my command which men are best inclined cominius march on my fellows make good this ostentation and you shall divide in all with us exeunt coriolanus act i scene vii the gates of corioli titus lartius having set a guard upon corioli going with drum and trumpet toward cominius and caius marcius enters with lieutenant other soldiers and a scout lartius so let the ports be guarded keep your duties as i have set them down if i do send dispatch those centuries to our aid the rest will serve for a short holding if we lose the field we cannot keep the town lieutenant fear not our care sir lartius hence and shut your gates upon's our guider come to the roman camp conduct us exeunt coriolanus act i scene viii a field of battle alarum as in battle enter from opposite sides marcius and aufidius marcius i'll fight with none but thee for i do hate thee worse than a promisebreaker aufidius we hate alike not afric owns a serpent i abhor more than thy fame and envy fix thy foot marcius let the first budger die the other's slave and the gods doom him after aufidius if i fly marcius holloa me like a hare marcius within these three hours tullus alone i fought in your corioli walls and made what work i pleased tis not my blood wherein thou seest me mask'd for thy revenge wrench up thy power to the highest aufidius wert thou the hector that was the whip of your bragg'd progeny thou shouldst not scape me here they fight and certain volsces come to the aid of aufidius marcius fights till they be driven in breathless officious and not valiant you have shamed me in your condemned seconds exeunt coriolanus act i scene ix the roman camp flourish alarum a retreat is sounded flourish enter from one side cominius with the romans from the other side marcius with his arm in a scarf cominius if i should tell thee o'er this thy day's work thou'ldst not believe thy deeds but i'll report it where senators shall mingle tears with smiles where great patricians shall attend and shrug i the end admire where ladies shall be frighted and gladly quaked hear more where the dull tribunes that with the fusty plebeians hate thine honours shall say against their hearts we thank the gods our rome hath such a soldier' yet camest thou to a morsel of this feast having fully dined before enter titus lartius with his power from the pursuit lartius o general here is the steed we the caparison hadst thou beheld marcius pray now no more my mother who has a charter to extol her blood when she does praise me grieves me i have done as you have done that's what i can induced as you have been that's for my country he that has but effected his good will hath overta'en mine act cominius you shall not be the grave of your deserving rome must know the value of her own twere a concealment worse than a theft no less than a traducement to hide your doings and to silence that which to the spire and top of praises vouch'd would seem but modest therefore i beseech you in sign of what you are not to reward what you have donebefore our army hear me marcius i have some wounds upon me and they smart to hear themselves remember'd cominius should they not well might they fester gainst ingratitude and tent themselves with death of all the horses whereof we have ta'en good and good store of all the treasure in this field achieved and city we render you the tenth to be ta'en forth before the common distribution at your only choice marcius i thank you general but cannot make my heart consent to take a bribe to pay my sword i do refuse it and stand upon my common part with those that have beheld the doing a long flourish they all cry marcius marcius' cast up their caps and lances cominius and lartius stand bare marcius may these same instruments which you profane never sound more when drums and trumpets shall i the field prove flatterers let courts and cities be made all of falsefaced soothing when steel grows soft as the parasite's silk let him be made a coverture for the wars no more i say for that i have not wash'd my nose that bled or foil'd some debile wretch which without note here's many else have done you shout me forth in acclamations hyperbolical as if i loved my little should be dieted in praises sauced with lies cominius too modest are you more cruel to your good report than grateful to us that give you truly by your patience if gainst yourself you be incensed we'll put you like one that means his proper harm in manacles then reason safely with you therefore be it known as to us to all the world that caius marcius wears this war's garland in token of the which my noble steed known to the camp i give him with all his trim belonging and from this time for what he did before corioli call him with all the applause and clamour of the host caius marcius coriolanus bear the addition nobly ever flourish trumpets sound and drums all caius marcius coriolanus coriolanus i will go wash and when my face is fair you shall perceive whether i blush or no howbeit i thank you i mean to stride your steed and at all times to undercrest your good addition to the fairness of my power cominius so to our tent where ere we do repose us we will write to rome of our success you titus lartius must to corioli back send us to rome the best with whom we may articulate for their own good and ours lartius i shall my lord coriolanus the gods begin to mock me i that now refused most princely gifts am bound to beg of my lord general cominius take't tis yours what is't coriolanus i sometime lay here in corioli at a poor man's house he used me kindly he cried to me i saw him prisoner but then aufidius was within my view and wrath o'erwhelm'd my pity i request you to give my poor host freedom cominius o well begg'd were he the butcher of my son he should be free as is the wind deliver him titus lartius marcius his name coriolanus by jupiter forgot i am weary yea my memory is tired have we no wine here cominius go we to our tent the blood upon your visage dries tis time it should be look'd to come exeunt coriolanus act i scene x the camp of the volsces a flourish cornets enter tullus aufidius bloody with two or three soldiers aufidius the town is ta'en first soldier twill be deliver'd back on good condition aufidius condition i would i were a roman for i cannot being a volsce be that i am condition what good condition can a treaty find i the part that is at mercy five times marcius i have fought with thee so often hast thou beat me and wouldst do so i think should we encounter as often as we eat by the elements if e'er again i meet him beard to beard he's mine or i am his mine emulation hath not that honour in't it had for where i thought to crush him in an equal force true sword to sword i'll potch at him some way or wrath or craft may get him first soldier he's the devil aufidius bolder though not so subtle my valour's poison'd with only suffering stain by him for him shall fly out of itself nor sleep nor sanctuary being naked sick nor fane nor capitol the prayers of priests nor times of sacrifice embarquements all of fury shall lift up their rotten privilege and custom gainst my hate to marcius where i find him were it at home upon my brother's guard even there against the hospitable canon would i wash my fierce hand in's heart go you to the city learn how tis held and what they are that must be hostages for rome first soldier will not you go aufidius i am attended at the cypress grove i pray you tis south the city millsbring me word thither how the world goes that to the pace of it i may spur on my journey first soldier i shall sir exeunt coriolanus act ii scene i rome a public place enter menenius with the two tribunes of the people sicinius and brutus menenius the augurer tells me we shall have news tonight brutus good or bad menenius not according to the prayer of the people for they love not marcius sicinius nature teaches beasts to know their friends menenius pray you who does the wolf love sicinius the lamb menenius ay to devour him as the hungry plebeians would the noble marcius brutus he's a lamb indeed that baes like a bear menenius he's a bear indeed that lives like a lamb you two are old men tell me one thing that i shall ask you both well sir menenius in what enormity is marcius poor in that you two have not in abundance brutus he's poor in no one fault but stored with all sicinius especially in pride brutus and topping all others in boasting menenius this is strange now do you two know how you are censured here in the city i mean of us o the righthand file do you both why how are we censured menenius because you talk of pride nowwill you not be angry both well well sir well menenius why tis no great matter for a very little thief of occasion will rob you of a great deal of patience give your dispositions the reins and be angry at your pleasures at the least if you take it as a pleasure to you in being so you blame marcius for being proud brutus we do it not alone sir menenius i know you can do very little alone for your helps are many or else your actions would grow wondrous single your abilities are too infantlike for doing much alone you talk of pride o that you could turn your eyes toward the napes of your necks and make but an interior survey of your good selves o that you could brutus what then sir menenius why then you should discover a brace of unmeriting proud violent testy magistrates alias fools as any in rome sicinius menenius you are known well enough too menenius i am known to be a humorous patrician and one that loves a cup of hot wine with not a drop of allaying tiber in't said to be something imperfect in favouring the first complaint hasty and tinderlike upon too trivial motion one that converses more with the buttock of the night than with the forehead of the morning what i think i utter and spend my malice in my breath meeting two such wealsmen as you arei cannot call you lycurgusesif the drink you give me touch my palate adversely i make a crooked face at it i can't say your worships have delivered the matter well when i find the ass in compound with the major part of your syllables and though i must be content to bear with those that say you are reverend grave men yet they lie deadly that tell you you have good faces if you see this in the map of my microcosm follows it that i am known well enough too what barm can your bisson conspectuities glean out of this character if i be known well enough too brutus come sir come we know you well enough menenius you know neither me yourselves nor any thing you are ambitious for poor knaves caps and legs you wear out a good wholesome forenoon in hearing a cause between an orange wife and a fossetseller and then rejourn the controversy of three pence to a second day of audience when you are hearing a matter between party and party if you chance to be pinched with the colic you make faces like mummers set up the bloody flag against all patience and in roaring for a chamberpot dismiss the controversy bleeding the more entangled by your hearing all the peace you make in their cause is calling both the parties knaves you are a pair of strange ones brutus come come you are well understood to be a perfecter giber for the table than a necessary bencher in the capitol menenius our very priests must become mockers if they shall encounter such ridiculous subjects as you are when you speak best unto the purpose it is not worth the wagging of your beards and your beards deserve not so honourable a grave as to stuff a botcher's cushion or to be entombed in an ass's pack saddle yet you must be saying marcius is proud who in a cheap estimation is worth predecessors since deucalion though peradventure some of the best of em were hereditary hangmen godden to your worships more of your conversation would infect my brain being the herdsmen of the beastly plebeians i will be bold to take my leave of you brutus and sicinius go aside enter volumnia virgilia and valeria how now my as fair as noble ladiesand the moon were she earthly no noblerwhither do you follow your eyes so fast volumnia honourable menenius my boy marcius approaches for the love of juno let's go menenius ha marcius coming home volumnia ay worthy menenius and with most prosperous approbation menenius take my cap jupiter and i thank thee hoo marcius coming home volumnia nay'tis true virgilia volumnia look here's a letter from him the state hath another his wife another and i think there's one at home for you menenius i will make my very house reel tonight a letter for me virgilia yes certain there's a letter for you i saw't menenius a letter for me it gives me an estate of seven years health in which time i will make a lip at the physician the most sovereign prescription in galen is but empiricutic and to this preservative of no better report than a horsedrench is he not wounded he was wont to come home wounded virgilia o no no no volumnia o he is wounded i thank the gods for't menenius so do i too if it be not too much brings a' victory in his pocket the wounds become him volumnia on's brows menenius he comes the third time home with the oaken garland menenius has he disciplined aufidius soundly volumnia titus lartius writes they fought together but aufidius got off menenius and twas time for him too i'll warrant him that an he had stayed by him i would not have been so fidiused for all the chests in corioli and the gold that's in them is the senate possessed of this volumnia good ladies let's go yes yes yes the senate has letters from the general wherein he gives my son the whole name of the war he hath in this action outdone his former deeds doubly valeria in troth there's wondrous things spoke of him menenius wondrous ay i warrant you and not without his true purchasing virgilia the gods grant them true volumnia true pow wow menenius true i'll be sworn they are true where is he wounded to the tribunes god save your good worships marcius is coming home he has more cause to be proud where is he wounded volumnia i the shoulder and i the left arm there will be large cicatrices to show the people when he shall stand for his place he received in the repulse of tarquin seven hurts i the body menenius one i the neck and two i the thighthere's nine that i know volumnia he had before this last expedition twentyfive wounds upon him menenius now it's twentyseven every gash was an enemy's grave a shout and flourish hark the trumpets volumnia these are the ushers of marcius before him he carries noise and behind him he leaves tears death that dark spirit in s nervy arm doth lie which being advanced declines and then men die a sennet trumpets sound enter cominius the general and titus lartius between them coriolanus crowned with an oaken garland with captains and soldiers and a herald herald know rome that all alone marcius did fight within corioli gates where he hath won with fame a name to caius marcius these in honour follows coriolanus welcome to rome renowned coriolanus flourish all welcome to rome renowned coriolanus coriolanus no more of this it does offend my heart pray now no more cominius look sir your mother coriolanus o you have i know petition'd all the gods for my prosperity kneels volumnia nay my good soldier up my gentle marcius worthy caius and by deedachieving honour newly named what is itcoriolanus must i call thee but o thy wife coriolanus my gracious silence hail wouldst thou have laugh'd had i come coffin'd home that weep'st to see me triumph ay my dear such eyes the widows in corioli wear and mothers that lack sons menenius now the gods crown thee coriolanus and live you yet to valeria o my sweet lady pardon volumnia i know not where to turn o welcome home and welcome general and ye're welcome all menenius a hundred thousand welcomes i could weep and i could laugh i am light and heavy welcome a curse begin at very root on's heart that is not glad to see thee you are three that rome should dote on yet by the faith of men we have some old crabtrees here at home that will not be grafted to your relish yet welcome warriors we call a nettle but a nettle and the faults of fools but folly cominius ever right coriolanus menenius ever ever herald give way there and go on coriolanus to volumnia and virgilia your hand and yours ere in our own house i do shade my head the good patricians must be visited from whom i have received not only greetings but with them change of honours volumnia i have lived to see inherited my very wishes and the buildings of my fancy only there's one thing wanting which i doubt not but our rome will cast upon thee coriolanus know good mother i had rather be their servant in my way than sway with them in theirs cominius on to the capitol flourish cornets exeunt in state as before brutus and sicinius come forward brutus all tongues speak of him and the bleared sights are spectacled to see him your prattling nurse into a rapture lets her baby cry while she chats him the kitchen malkin pins her richest lockram bout her reechy neck clambering the walls to eye him stalls bulks windows are smother'd up leads fill'd and ridges horsed with variable complexions all agreeing in earnestness to see him seldshown flamens do press among the popular throngs and puff to win a vulgar station or veil'd dames commit the war of white and damask in their nicelygawded cheeks to the wanton spoil of phoebus burning kisses such a pother as if that whatsoever god who leads him were slily crept into his human powers and gave him graceful posture sicinius on the sudden i warrant him consul brutus then our office may during his power go sleep sicinius he cannot temperately transport his honours from where he should begin and end but will lose those he hath won brutus in that there's comfort sicinius doubt not the commoners for whom we stand but they upon their ancient malice will forget with the least cause these his new honours which that he will give them make i as little question as he is proud to do't brutus i heard him swear were he to stand for consul never would he appear i the marketplace nor on him put the napless vesture of humility nor showing as the manner is his wounds to the people beg their stinking breaths sicinius tis right brutus it was his word o he would miss it rather than carry it but by the suit of the gentry to him and the desire of the nobles sicinius i wish no better than have him hold that purpose and to put it in execution brutus tis most like he will sicinius it shall be to him then as our good wills a sure destruction brutus so it must fall out to him or our authorities for an end we must suggest the people in what hatred he still hath held them that to's power he would have made them mules silenced their pleaders and dispropertied their freedoms holding them in human action and capacity of no more soul nor fitness for the world than camels in the war who have their provand only for bearing burdens and sore blows for sinking under them sicinius this as you say suggested at some time when his soaring insolence shall touch the peoplewhich time shall not want if he be put upon t and that's as easy as to set dogs on sheepwill be his fire to kindle their dry stubble and their blaze shall darken him for ever enter a messenger brutus what's the matter messenger you are sent for to the capitol tis thought that marcius shall be consul i have seen the dumb men throng to see him and the blind to bear him speak matrons flung gloves ladies and maids their scarfs and handkerchers upon him as he pass'd the nobles bended as to jove's statue and the commons made a shower and thunder with their caps and shouts i never saw the like brutus let's to the capitol and carry with us ears and eyes for the time but hearts for the event sicinius have with you exeunt coriolanus act ii scene ii the same the capitol enter two officers to lay cushions first officer come come they are almost here how many stand for consulships second officer three they say but tis thought of every one coriolanus will carry it first officer that's a brave fellow but he's vengeance proud and loves not the common people second officer faith there had been many great men that have flattered the people who ne'er loved them and there be many that they have loved they know not wherefore so that if they love they know not why they hate upon no better a ground therefore for coriolanus neither to care whether they love or hate him manifests the true knowledge he has in their disposition and out of his noble carelessness lets them plainly see't first officer if he did not care whether he had their love or no he waved indifferently twixt doing them neither good nor harm but he seeks their hate with greater devotion than can render it him and leaves nothing undone that may fully discover him their opposite now to seem to affect the malice and displeasure of the people is as bad as that which he dislikes to flatter them for their love second officer he hath deserved worthily of his country and his ascent is not by such easy degrees as those who having been supple and courteous to the people bonneted without any further deed to have them at an into their estimation and report but he hath so planted his honours in their eyes and his actions in their hearts that for their tongues to be silent and not confess so much were a kind of ingrateful injury to report otherwise were a malice that giving itself the lie would pluck reproof and rebuke from every ear that heard it first officer no more of him he is a worthy man make way they are coming a sennet enter with actors before them cominius the consul menenius coriolanus senators sicinius and brutus the senators take their places the tribunes take their places by themselves coriolanus stands menenius having determined of the volsces and to send for titus lartius it remains as the main point of this our aftermeeting to gratify his noble service that hath thus stood for his country therefore please you most reverend and grave elders to desire the present consul and last general in our wellfound successes to report a little of that worthy work perform'd by caius marcius coriolanus whom we met here both to thank and to remember with honours like himself first senator speak good cominius leave nothing out for length and make us think rather our state's defective for requital than we to stretch it out to the tribunes masters o the people we do request your kindest ears and after your loving motion toward the common body to yield what passes here sicinius we are convented upon a pleasing treaty and have hearts inclinable to honour and advance the theme of our assembly brutus which the rather we shall be blest to do if he remember a kinder value of the people than he hath hereto prized them at menenius that's off that's off i would you rather had been silent please you to hear cominius speak brutus most willingly but yet my caution was more pertinent than the rebuke you give it menenius he loves your people but tie him not to be their bedfellow worthy cominius speak coriolanus offers to go away nay keep your place first senator sit coriolanus never shame to hear what you have nobly done coriolanus your horror's pardon i had rather have my wounds to heal again than hear say how i got them brutus sir i hope my words disbench'd you not coriolanus no sir yet oft when blows have made me stay i fled from words you soothed not therefore hurt not but your people i love them as they weigh menenius pray now sit down coriolanus i had rather have one scratch my head i the sun when the alarum were struck than idly sit to hear my nothings monster'd exit menenius masters of the people your multiplying spawn how can he flatter that's thousand to one good onewhen you now see he had rather venture all his limbs for honour than one on's ears to hear it proceed cominius cominius i shall lack voice the deeds of coriolanus should not be utter'd feebly it is held that valour is the chiefest virtue and most dignifies the haver if it be the man i speak of cannot in the world be singly counterpoised at sixteen years when tarquin made a head for rome he fought beyond the mark of others our then dictator whom with all praise i point at saw him fight when with his amazonian chin he drove the bristled lips before him be bestrid an o'erpress'd roman and i the consul's view slew three opposers tarquin's self he met and struck him on his knee in that day's feats when he might act the woman in the scene he proved best man i the field and for his meed was browbound with the oak his pupil age manenter'd thus he waxed like a sea and in the brunt of seventeen battles since he lurch'd all swords of the garland for this last before and in corioli let me say i cannot speak him home he stopp'd the fliers and by his rare example made the coward turn terror into sport as weeds before a vessel under sail so men obey'd and fell below his stem his sword death's stamp where it did mark it took from face to foot he was a thing of blood whose every motion was timed with dying cries alone he enter'd the mortal gate of the city which he painted with shunless destiny aidless came off and with a sudden reinforcement struck corioli like a planet now all's his when by and by the din of war gan pierce his ready sense then straight his doubled spirit requicken'd what in flesh was fatigate and to the battle came he where he did run reeking o'er the lives of men as if twere a perpetual spoil and till we call'd both field and city ours he never stood to ease his breast with panting menenius worthy man first senator he cannot but with measure fit the honours which we devise him cominius our spoils he kick'd at and look'd upon things precious as they were the common muck of the world he covets less than misery itself would give rewards his deeds with doing them and is content to spend the time to end it menenius he's right noble let him be call'd for first senator call coriolanus officer he doth appear reenter coriolanus menenius the senate coriolanus are well pleased to make thee consul coriolanus i do owe them still my life and services menenius it then remains that you do speak to the people coriolanus i do beseech you let me o'erleap that custom for i cannot put on the gown stand naked and entreat them for my wounds sake to give their suffrage please you that i may pass this doing sicinius sir the people must have their voices neither will they bate one jot of ceremony menenius put them not to't pray you go fit you to the custom and take to you as your predecessors have your honour with your form coriolanus it is apart that i shall blush in acting and might well be taken from the people brutus mark you that coriolanus to brag unto them thus i did and thus show them the unaching scars which i should hide as if i had received them for the hire of their breath only menenius do not stand upon't we recommend to you tribunes of the people our purpose to them and to our noble consul wish we all joy and honour senators to coriolanus come all joy and honour flourish of cornets exeunt all but sicinius and brutus brutus you see how he intends to use the people sicinius may they perceive's intent he will require them as if he did contemn what he requested should be in them to give brutus come we'll inform them of our proceedings here on the marketplace i know they do attend us exeunt coriolanus act ii scene iii the same the forum enter seven or eight citizens first citizen once if he do require our voices we ought not to deny him second citizen we may sir if we will third citizen we have power in ourselves to do it but it is a power that we have no power to do for if he show us his wounds and tell us his deeds we are to put our tongues into those wounds and speak for them so if he tell us his noble deeds we must also tell him our noble acceptance of them ingratitude is monstrous and for the multitude to be ingrateful were to make a monster of the multitude of the which we being members should bring ourselves to be monstrous members first citizen and to make us no better thought of a little help will serve for once we stood up about the corn he himself stuck not to call us the manyheaded multitude third citizen we have been called so of many not that our heads are some brown some black some auburn some bald but that our wits are so diversely coloured and truly i think if all our wits were to issue out of one skull they would fly east west north south and their consent of one direct way should be at once to all the points o the compass second citizen think you so which way do you judge my wit would fly third citizen nay your wit will not so soon out as another man's will'tis strongly wedged up in a blockhead but if it were at liberty twould sure southward second citizen why that way third citizen to lose itself in a fog where being three parts melted away with rotten dews the fourth would return for conscience sake to help to get thee a wife second citizen you are never without your tricks you may you may third citizen are you all resolved to give your voices but that's no matter the greater part carries it i say if he would incline to the people there was never a worthier man enter coriolanus in a gown of humility with menenius here he comes and in the gown of humility mark his behavior we are not to stay all together but to come by him where he stands by ones by twos and by threes he's to make his requests by particulars wherein every one of us has a single honour in giving him our own voices with our own tongues therefore follow me and i direct you how you shall go by him all content content exeunt citizens menenius o sir you are not right have you not known the worthiest men have done't coriolanus what must i say i pray sir'plague upon't i cannot bring my tongue to such a pace'look sir my wounds i got them in my country's service when some certain of your brethren roar'd and ran from the noise of our own drums' menenius o me the gods you must not speak of that you must desire them to think upon you coriolanus think upon me hang em i would they would forget me like the virtues which our divines lose by em menenius you'll mar all i'll leave you pray you speak to em i pray you in wholesome manner exit coriolanus bid them wash their faces and keep their teeth clean reenter two of the citizens so here comes a brace reenter a third citizen you know the cause air of my standing here third citizen we do sir tell us what hath brought you to't coriolanus mine own desert second citizen your own desert coriolanus ay but not mine own desire third citizen how not your own desire coriolanus no sir'twas never my desire yet to trouble the poor with begging third citizen you must think if we give you any thing we hope to gain by you coriolanus well then i pray your price o the consulship first citizen the price is to ask it kindly coriolanus kindly sir i pray let me ha't i have wounds to show you which shall be yours in private your good voice sir what say you second citizen you shall ha it worthy sir coriolanus a match sir there's in all two worthy voices begged i have your alms adieu third citizen but this is something odd second citizen an twere to give againbut tis no matter exeunt the three citizens reenter two other citizens coriolanus pray you now if it may stand with the tune of your voices that i may be consul i have here the customary gown fourth citizen you have deserved nobly of your country and you have not deserved nobly coriolanus your enigma fourth citizen you have been a scourge to her enemies you have been a rod to her friends you have not indeed loved the common people coriolanus you should account me the more virtuous that i have not been common in my love i will sir flatter my sworn brother the people to earn a dearer estimation of them tis a condition they account gentle and since the wisdom of their choice is rather to have my hat than my heart i will practise the insinuating nod and be off to them most counterfeitly that is sir i will counterfeit the bewitchment of some popular man and give it bountiful to the desirers therefore beseech you i may be consul fifth citizen we hope to find you our friend and therefore give you our voices heartily fourth citizen you have received many wounds for your country coriolanus i will not seal your knowledge with showing them i will make much of your voices and so trouble you no further both citizens the gods give you joy sir heartily exeunt coriolanus most sweet voices better it is to die better to starve than crave the hire which first we do deserve why in this woolvish toge should i stand here to beg of hob and dick that do appear their needless vouches custom calls me to't what custom wills in all things should we do't the dust on antique time would lie unswept and mountainous error be too highly heapt for truth to o'erpeer rather than fool it so let the high office and the honour go to one that would do thus i am half through the one part suffer'd the other will i do reenter three citizens more here come more voices your voices for your voices i have fought watch'd for your voices for your voices bear of wounds two dozen odd battles thrice six i have seen and heard of for your voices have done many things some less some more your voices indeed i would be consul sixth citizen he has done nobly and cannot go without any honest man's voice seventh citizen therefore let him be consul the gods give him joy and make him good friend to the people all citizens amen amen god save thee noble consul exeunt coriolanus worthy voices reenter menenius with brutus and sicinius menenius you have stood your limitation and the tribunes endue you with the people's voice remains that in the official marks invested you anon do meet the senate coriolanus is this done sicinius the custom of request you have discharged the people do admit you and are summon'd to meet anon upon your approbation coriolanus where at the senatehouse sicinius there coriolanus coriolanus may i change these garments sicinius you may sir coriolanus that i'll straight do and knowing myself again repair to the senatehouse menenius i'll keep you company will you along brutus we stay here for the people sicinius fare you well exeunt coriolanus and menenius he has it now and by his looks methink tis warm at s heart brutus with a proud heart he wore his humble weeds will you dismiss the people reenter citizens sicinius how now my masters have you chose this man first citizen he has our voices sir brutus we pray the gods he may deserve your loves second citizen amen sir to my poor unworthy notice he mock'd us when he begg'd our voices third citizen certainly he flouted us downright first citizen no'tis his kind of speech he did not mock us second citizen not one amongst us save yourself but says he used us scornfully he should have show'd us his marks of merit wounds received for's country sicinius why so he did i am sure citizens no no no man saw em third citizen he said he had wounds which he could show in private and with his hat thus waving it in scorn i would be consul says he aged custom but by your voices will not so permit me your voices therefore when we granted that here was i thank you for your voices thank you your most sweet voices now you have left your voices i have no further with you was not this mockery sicinius why either were you ignorant to see't or seeing it of such childish friendliness to yield your voices brutus could you not have told him as you were lesson'd when he had no power but was a petty servant to the state he was your enemy ever spake against your liberties and the charters that you bear i the body of the weal and now arriving a place of potency and sway o the state if he should still malignantly remain fast foe to the plebeii your voices might be curses to yourselves you should have said that as his worthy deeds did claim no less than what he stood for so his gracious nature would think upon you for your voices and translate his malice towards you into love standing your friendly lord sicinius thus to have said as you were foreadvised had touch'd his spirit and tried his inclination from him pluck'd either his gracious promise which you might as cause had call'd you up have held him to or else it would have gall'd his surly nature which easily endures not article tying him to aught so putting him to rage you should have ta'en the advantage of his choler and pass'd him unelected brutus did you perceive he did solicit you in free contempt when he did need your loves and do you think that his contempt shall not be bruising to you when he hath power to crush why had your bodies no heart among you or had you tongues to cry against the rectorship of judgment sicinius have you ere now denied the asker and now again of him that did not ask but mock bestow your suedfor tongues third citizen he's not confirm'd we may deny him yet second citizen and will deny him i'll have five hundred voices of that sound first citizen i twice five hundred and their friends to piece em brutus get you hence instantly and tell those friends they have chose a consul that will from them take their liberties make them of no more voice than dogs that are as often beat for barking as therefore kept to do so sicinius let them assemble and on a safer judgment all revoke your ignorant election enforce his pride and his old hate unto you besides forget not with what contempt he wore the humble weed how in his suit he scorn'd you but your loves thinking upon his services took from you the apprehension of his present portance which most gibingly ungravely he did fashion after the inveterate hate he bears you brutus lay a fault on us your tribunes that we laboured no impediment between but that you must cast your election on him sicinius say you chose him more after our commandment than as guided by your own true affections and that your minds preoccupied with what you rather must do than what you should made you against the grain to voice him consul lay the fault on us brutus ay spare us not say we read lectures to you how youngly he began to serve his country how long continued and what stock he springs of the noble house o the marcians from whence came that ancus marcius numa's daughter's son who after great hostilius here was king of the same house publius and quintus were that our beat water brought by conduits hither and censorinus nobly named so twice being by the people chosen censor was his great ancestor sicinius one thus descended that hath beside well in his person wrought to be set high in place we did commend to your remembrances but you have found scaling his present bearing with his past that he's your fixed enemy and revoke your sudden approbation brutus say you ne'er had done't harp on that stillbut by our putting on and presently when you have drawn your number repair to the capitol all we will so almost all repent in their election exeunt citizens brutus let them go on this mutiny were better put in hazard than stay past doubt for greater if as his nature is he fall in rage with their refusal both observe and answer the vantage of his anger sicinius to the capitol come we will be there before the stream o the people and this shall seem as partly tis their own which we have goaded onward exeunt coriolanus act iii scene i rome a street cornets enter coriolanus menenius all the gentry cominius titus lartius and other senators coriolanus tullus aufidius then had made new head lartius he had my lord and that it was which caused our swifter composition coriolanus so then the volsces stand but as at first ready when time shall prompt them to make road upon's again cominius they are worn lord consul so that we shall hardly in our ages see their banners wave again coriolanus saw you aufidius lartius on safeguard he came to me and did curse against the volsces for they had so vilely yielded the town he is retired to antium coriolanus spoke he of me lartius he did my lord coriolanus how what lartius how often he had met you sword to sword that of all things upon the earth he hated your person most that he would pawn his fortunes to hopeless restitution so he might be call'd your vanquisher coriolanus at antium lives he lartius at antium coriolanus i wish i had a cause to seek him there to oppose his hatred fully welcome home enter sicinius and brutus behold these are the tribunes of the people the tongues o the common mouth i do despise them for they do prank them in authority against all noble sufferance sicinius pass no further coriolanus ha what is that brutus it will be dangerous to go on no further coriolanus what makes this change menenius the matter cominius hath he not pass'd the noble and the common brutus cominius no coriolanus have i had children's voices first senator tribunes give way he shall to the marketplace brutus the people are incensed against him sicinius stop or all will fall in broil coriolanus are these your herd must these have voices that can yield them now and straight disclaim their tongues what are your offices you being their mouths why rule you not their teeth have you not set them on menenius be calm be calm coriolanus it is a purposed thing and grows by plot to curb the will of the nobility suffer't and live with such as cannot rule nor ever will be ruled brutus call't not a plot the people cry you mock'd them and of late when corn was given them gratis you repined scandal'd the suppliants for the people call'd them timepleasers flatterers foes to nobleness coriolanus why this was known before brutus not to them all coriolanus have you inform'd them sithence brutus how i inform them coriolanus you are like to do such business brutus not unlike each way to better yours coriolanus why then should i be consul by yond clouds let me deserve so ill as you and make me your fellow tribune sicinius you show too much of that for which the people stir if you will pass to where you are bound you must inquire your way which you are out of with a gentler spirit or never be so noble as a consul nor yoke with him for tribune menenius let's be calm cominius the people are abused set on this paltering becomes not rome nor has coriolanus deserved this so dishonour'd rub laid falsely i the plain way of his merit coriolanus tell me of corn this was my speech and i will speak't again menenius not now not now first senator not in this heat sir now coriolanus now as i live i will my nobler friends i crave their pardons for the mutable rankscented many let them regard me as i do not flatter and therein behold themselves i say again in soothing them we nourish gainst our senate the cockle of rebellion insolence sedition which we ourselves have plough'd for sow'd and scatter'd by mingling them with us the honour'd number who lack not virtue no nor power but that which they have given to beggars menenius well no more first senator no more words we beseech you coriolanus how no more as for my country i have shed my blood not fearing outward force so shall my lungs coin words till their decay against those measles which we disdain should tatter us yet sought the very way to catch them brutus you speak o the people as if you were a god to punish not a man of their infirmity sicinius twere well we let the people know't menenius what what his choler coriolanus choler were i as patient as the midnight sleep by jove twould be my mind sicinius it is a mind that shall remain a poison where it is not poison any further coriolanus shall remain hear you this triton of the minnows mark you his absolute shall' cominius twas from the canon coriolanus shall' o good but most unwise patricians why you grave but reckless senators have you thus given hydra here to choose an officer that with his peremptory shall being but the horn and noise o the monster's wants not spirit to say he'll turn your current in a ditch and make your channel his if he have power then vail your ignorance if none awake your dangerous lenity if you are learn'd be not as common fools if you are not let them have cushions by you you are plebeians if they be senators and they are no less when both your voices blended the great'st taste most palates theirs they choose their magistrate and such a one as he who puts his shall' his popular shall against a graver bench than ever frown in greece by jove himself it makes the consuls base and my soul aches to know when two authorities are up neither supreme how soon confusion may enter twixt the gap of both and take the one by the other cominius well on to the marketplace coriolanus whoever gave that counsel to give forth the corn o the storehouse gratis as twas used sometime in greece menenius well well no more of that coriolanus though there the people had more absolute power i say they nourish'd disobedience fed the ruin of the state brutus why shall the people give one that speaks thus their voice coriolanus i'll give my reasons more worthier than their voices they know the corn was not our recompense resting well assured that ne'er did service for't being press'd to the war even when the navel of the state was touch'd they would not thread the gates this kind of service did not deserve corn gratis being i the war their mutinies and revolts wherein they show'd most valour spoke not for them the accusation which they have often made against the senate all cause unborn could never be the motive of our so frank donation well what then how shall this bisson multitude digest the senate's courtesy let deeds express what's like to be their words we did request it we are the greater poll and in true fear they gave us our demands thus we debase the nature of our seats and make the rabble call our cares fears which will in time break ope the locks o the senate and bring in the crows to peck the eagles menenius come enough brutus enough with overmeasure coriolanus no take more what may be sworn by both divine and human seal what i end withal this double worship where one part does disdain with cause the other insult without all reason where gentry title wisdom cannot conclude but by the yea and no of general ignoranceit must omit real necessities and give way the while to unstable slightness purpose so barr'd it follows nothing is done to purpose therefore beseech you you that will be less fearful than discreet that love the fundamental part of state more than you doubt the change on't that prefer a noble life before a long and wish to jump a body with a dangerous physic that's sure of death without it at once pluck out the multitudinous tongue let them not lick the sweet which is their poison your dishonour mangles true judgment and bereaves the state of that integrity which should become't not having the power to do the good it would for the in which doth control't brutus has said enough sicinius has spoken like a traitor and shall answer as traitors do coriolanus thou wretch despite o'erwhelm thee what should the people do with these bald tribunes on whom depending their obedience fails to the greater bench in a rebellion when what's not meet but what must be was law then were they chosen in a better hour let what is meet be said it must be meet and throw their power i the dust brutus manifest treason sicinius this a consul no brutus the aediles ho enter an aedile let him be apprehended sicinius go call the people exit aedile in whose name myself attach thee as a traitorous innovator a foe to the public weal obey i charge thee and follow to thine answer coriolanus hence old goat senators &c we'll surety him cominius aged sir hands off coriolanus hence rotten thing or i shall shake thy bones out of thy garments sicinius help ye citizens enter a rabble of citizens plebeians with the aediles menenius on both sides more respect sicinius here's he that would take from you all your power brutus seize him aediles citizens down with him down with him senators &c weapons weapons weapons they all bustle about coriolanus crying tribunes patricians citizens what ho' sicinius brutus coriolanus citizens' peace peace peace stay hold peace' menenius what is about to be i am out of breath confusion's near i cannot speak you tribunes to the people coriolanus patience speak good sicinius sicinius hear me people peace citizens let's hear our tribune peace speak speak speak sicinius you are at point to lose your liberties marcius would have all from you marcius whom late you have named for consul menenius fie fie fie this is the way to kindle not to quench first senator to unbuild the city and to lay all flat sicinius what is the city but the people citizens true the people are the city brutus by the consent of all we were establish'd the people's magistrates citizens you so remain menenius and so are like to do cominius that is the way to lay the city flat to bring the roof to the foundation and bury all which yet distinctly ranges in heaps and piles of ruin sicinius this deserves death brutus or let us stand to our authority or let us lose it we do here pronounce upon the part o the people in whose power we were elected theirs marcius is worthy of present death sicinius therefore lay hold of him bear him to the rock tarpeian and from thence into destruction cast him brutus aediles seize him citizens yield marcius yield menenius hear me one word beseech you tribunes hear me but a word aedile peace peace menenius to brutus be that you seem truly your country's friend and temperately proceed to what you would thus violently redress brutus sir those cold ways that seem like prudent helps are very poisonous where the disease is violent lay hands upon him and bear him to the rock coriolanus no i'll die here drawing his sword there's some among you have beheld me fighting come try upon yourselves what you have seen me menenius down with that sword tribunes withdraw awhile brutus lay hands upon him cominius help marcius help you that be noble help him young and old citizens down with him down with him in this mutiny the tribunes the aediles and the people are beat in menenius go get you to your house be gone away all will be naught else second senator get you gone cominius stand fast we have as many friends as enemies menenius sham it be put to that first senator the gods forbid i prithee noble friend home to thy house leave us to cure this cause menenius for tis a sore upon us you cannot tent yourself be gone beseech you cominius come sir along with us coriolanus i would they were barbariansas they are though in rome litter'dnot romansas they are not though calved i the porch o the capitol menenius be gone put not your worthy rage into your tongue one time will owe another coriolanus on fair ground i could beat forty of them cominius i could myself take up a brace o the best of them yea the two tribunes but now tis odds beyond arithmetic and manhood is call'd foolery when it stands against a falling fabric will you hence before the tag return whose rage doth rend like interrupted waters and o'erbear what they are used to bear menenius pray you be gone i'll try whether my old wit be in request with those that have but little this must be patch'd with cloth of any colour cominius nay come away exeunt coriolanus cominius and others a patrician this man has marr'd his fortune menenius his nature is too noble for the world he would not flatter neptune for his trident or jove for's power to thunder his heart's his mouth what his breast forges that his tongue must vent and being angry does forget that ever he heard the name of death a noise within here's goodly work second patrician i would they were abed menenius i would they were in tiber what the vengeance could he not speak em fair reenter brutus and sicinius with the rabble sicinius where is this viper that would depopulate the city and be every man himself menenius you worthy tribunes sicinius he shall be thrown down the tarpeian rock with rigorous hands he hath resisted law and therefore law shall scorn him further trial than the severity of the public power which he so sets at nought first citizen he shall well know the noble tribunes are the people's mouths and we their hands citizens he shall sure on't menenius sir sir sicinius peace menenius do not cry havoc where you should but hunt with modest warrant sicinius sir how comes't that you have holp to make this rescue menenius hear me speak as i do know the consul's worthiness so can i name his faults sicinius consul what consul menenius the consul coriolanus brutus he consul citizens no no no no no menenius if by the tribunes leave and yours good people i may be heard i would crave a word or two the which shall turn you to no further harm than so much loss of time sicinius speak briefly then for we are peremptory to dispatch this viperous traitor to eject him hence were but one danger and to keep him here our certain death therefore it is decreed he dies tonight menenius now the good gods forbid that our renowned rome whose gratitude towards her deserved children is enroll'd in jove's own book like an unnatural dam should now eat up her own sicinius he's a disease that must be cut away menenius o he's a limb that has but a disease mortal to cut it off to cure it easy what has he done to rome that's worthy death killing our enemies the blood he hath lost which i dare vouch is more than that he hath by many an ouncehe dropp'd it for his country and what is left to lose it by his country were to us all that do't and suffer it a brand to the end o the world sicinius this is clean kam brutus merely awry when he did love his country it honour'd him menenius the service of the foot being once gangrened is not then respected for what before it was brutus we'll hear no more pursue him to his house and pluck him thence lest his infection being of catching nature spread further menenius one word more one word this tigerfooted rage when it shall find the harm of unscann'd swiftness will too late tie leaden pounds to's heels proceed by process lest parties as he is beloved break out and sack great rome with romans brutus if it were so sicinius what do ye talk have we not had a taste of his obedience our aediles smote ourselves resisted come menenius consider this he has been bred i the wars since he could draw a sword and is ill school'd in bolted language meal and bran together he throws without distinction give me leave i'll go to him and undertake to bring him where he shall answer by a lawful form in peace to his utmost peril first senator noble tribunes it is the humane way the other course will prove too bloody and the end of it unknown to the beginning sicinius noble menenius be you then as the people's officer masters lay down your weapons brutus go not home sicinius meet on the marketplace we'll attend you there where if you bring not marcius we'll proceed in our first way menenius i'll bring him to you to the senators let me desire your company he must come or what is worst will follow first senator pray you let's to him exeunt coriolanus act iii scene ii a room in coriolanus's house enter coriolanus with patricians coriolanus let them puff all about mine ears present me death on the wheel or at wild horses heels or pile ten hills on the tarpeian rock that the precipitation might down stretch below the beam of sight yet will i still be thus to them a patrician you do the nobler coriolanus i muse my mother does not approve me further who was wont to call them woollen vassals things created to buy and sell with groats to show bare heads in congregations to yawn be still and wonder when one but of my ordinance stood up to speak of peace or war enter volumnia i talk of you why did you wish me milder would you have me false to my nature rather say i play the man i am volumnia o sir sir sir i would have had you put your power well on before you had worn it out coriolanus let go volumnia you might have been enough the man you are with striving less to be so lesser had been the thwartings of your dispositions if you had not show'd them how ye were disposed ere they lack'd power to cross you coriolanus let them hang a patrician ay and burn too enter menenius and senators menenius come come you have been too rough something too rough you must return and mend it first senator there's no remedy unless by not so doing our good city cleave in the midst and perish volumnia pray be counsell'd i have a heart as little apt as yours but yet a brain that leads my use of anger to better vantage menenius well said noble woman before he should thus stoop to the herd but that the violent fit o the time craves it as physic for the whole state i would put mine armour on which i can scarcely bear coriolanus what must i do menenius return to the tribunes coriolanus well what then what then menenius repent what you have spoke coriolanus for them i cannot do it to the gods must i then do't to them volumnia you are too absolute though therein you can never be too noble but when extremities speak i have heard you say honour and policy like unsever'd friends i the war do grow together grant that and tell me in peace what each of them by the other lose that they combine not there coriolanus tush tush menenius a good demand volumnia if it be honour in your wars to seem the same you are not which for your best ends you adopt your policy how is it less or worse that it shall hold companionship in peace with honour as in war since that to both it stands in like request coriolanus why force you this volumnia because that now it lies you on to speak to the people not by your own instruction nor by the matter which your heart prompts you but with such words that are but rooted in your tongue though but bastards and syllables of no allowance to your bosom's truth now this no more dishonours you at all than to take in a town with gentle words which else would put you to your fortune and the hazard of much blood i would dissemble with my nature where my fortunes and my friends at stake required i should do so in honour i am in this your wife your son these senators the nobles and you will rather show our general louts how you can frown than spend a fawn upon em for the inheritance of their loves and safeguard of what that want might ruin menenius noble lady come go with us speak fair you may salve so not what is dangerous present but the loss of what is past volumnia i prithee now my son go to them with this bonnet in thy hand and thus far having stretch'd ithere be with them thy knee bussing the stonesfor in such business action is eloquence and the eyes of the ignorant more learned than the earswaving thy head which often thus correcting thy stout heart now humble as the ripest mulberry that will not hold the handling or say to them thou art their soldier and being bred in broils hast not the soft way which thou dost confess were fit for thee to use as they to claim in asking their good loves but thou wilt frame thyself forsooth hereafter theirs so far as thou hast power and person menenius this but done even as she speaks why their hearts were yours for they have pardons being ask'd as free as words to little purpose volumnia prithee now go and be ruled although i know thou hadst rather follow thine enemy in a fiery gulf than flatter him in a bower here is cominius enter cominius cominius i have been i the marketplace and sir'tis fit you make strong party or defend yourself by calmness or by absence all's in anger menenius only fair speech cominius i think twill serve if he can thereto frame his spirit volumnia he must and will prithee now say you will and go about it coriolanus must i go show them my unbarbed sconce must i with base tongue give my noble heart a lie that it must bear well i will do't yet were there but this single plot to lose this mould of marcius they to dust should grind it and throw't against the wind to the marketplace you have put me now to such a part which never i shall discharge to the life cominius come come we'll prompt you volumnia i prithee now sweet son as thou hast said my praises made thee first a soldier so to have my praise for this perform a part thou hast not done before coriolanus well i must do't away my disposition and possess me some harlot's spirit my throat of war be turn'd which quired with my drum into a pipe small as an eunuch or the virgin voice that babies lulls asleep the smiles of knaves tent in my cheeks and schoolboys tears take up the glasses of my sight a beggar's tongue make motion through my lips and my arm'd knees who bow'd but in my stirrup bend like his that hath received an alms i will not do't lest i surcease to honour mine own truth and by my body's action teach my mind a most inherent baseness volumnia at thy choice then to beg of thee it is my more dishonour than thou of them come all to ruin let thy mother rather feel thy pride than fear thy dangerous stoutness for i mock at death with as big heart as thou do as thou list thy valiantness was mine thou suck'dst it from me but owe thy pride thyself coriolanus pray be content mother i am going to the marketplace chide me no more i'll mountebank their loves cog their hearts from them and come home beloved of all the trades in rome look i am going commend me to my wife i'll return consul or never trust to what my tongue can do i the way of flattery further volumnia do your will exit cominius away the tribunes do attend you arm yourself to answer mildly for they are prepared with accusations as i hear more strong than are upon you yet coriolanus the word is mildly pray you let us go let them accuse me by invention i will answer in mine honour menenius ay but mildly coriolanus well mildly be it then mildly exeunt coriolanus act iii scene iii the same the forum enter sicinius and brutus brutus in this point charge him home that he affects tyrannical power if he evade us there enforce him with his envy to the people and that the spoil got on the antiates was ne'er distributed enter an aedile what will he come aedile he's coming brutus how accompanied aedile with old menenius and those senators that always favour'd him sicinius have you a catalogue of all the voices that we have procured set down by the poll aedile i have tis ready sicinius have you collected them by tribes aedile i have sicinius assemble presently the people hither and when they bear me say it shall be so i the right and strength o the commons be it either for death for fine or banishment then let them if i say fine cry fine if death cry death' insisting on the old prerogative and power i the truth o the cause aedile i shall inform them brutus and when such time they have begun to cry let them not cease but with a din confused enforce the present execution of what we chance to sentence aedile very well sicinius make them be strong and ready for this hint when we shall hap to give t them brutus go about it exit aedile put him to choler straight he hath been used ever to conquer and to have his worth of contradiction being once chafed he cannot be rein'd again to temperance then he speaks what's in his heart and that is there which looks with us to break his neck sicinius well here he comes enter coriolanus menenius and cominius with senators and patricians menenius calmly i do beseech you coriolanus ay as an ostler that for the poorest piece will bear the knave by the volume the honour'd gods keep rome in safety and the chairs of justice supplied with worthy men plant love among s throng our large temples with the shows of peace and not our streets with war first senator amen amen menenius a noble wish reenter aedile with citizens sicinius draw near ye people aedile list to your tribunes audience peace i say coriolanus first hear me speak both tribunes well say peace ho coriolanus shall i be charged no further than this present must all determine here sicinius i do demand if you submit you to the people's voices allow their officers and are content to suffer lawful censure for such faults as shall be proved upon you coriolanus i am content menenius lo citizens he says he is content the warlike service he has done consider think upon the wounds his body bears which show like graves i the holy churchyard coriolanus scratches with briers scars to move laughter only menenius consider further that when he speaks not like a citizen you find him like a soldier do not take his rougher accents for malicious sounds but as i say such as become a soldier rather than envy you cominius well well no more coriolanus what is the matter that being pass'd for consul with full voice i am so dishonour'd that the very hour you take it off again sicinius answer to us coriolanus say then tis true i ought so sicinius we charge you that you have contrived to take from rome all season'd office and to wind yourself into a power tyrannical for which you are a traitor to the people coriolanus how traitor menenius nay temperately your promise coriolanus the fires i the lowest hell foldin the people call me their traitor thou injurious tribune within thine eyes sat twenty thousand deaths in thy hand clutch'd as many millions in thy lying tongue both numbers i would say thou liest unto thee with a voice as free as i do pray the gods sicinius mark you this people citizens to the rock to the rock with him sicinius peace we need not put new matter to his charge what you have seen him do and heard him speak beating your officers cursing yourselves opposing laws with strokes and here defying those whose great power must try him even this so criminal and in such capital kind deserves the extremest death brutus but since he hath served well for rome coriolanus what do you prate of service brutus i talk of that that know it coriolanus you menenius is this the promise that you made your mother cominius know i pray you coriolanus i know no further let them pronounce the steep tarpeian death vagabond exile raying pent to linger but with a grain a day i would not buy their mercy at the price of one fair word nor cheque my courage for what they can give to have't with saying good morrow' sicinius for that he has as much as in him lies from time to time envied against the people seeking means to pluck away their power as now at last given hostile strokes and that not in the presence of dreaded justice but on the ministers that do distribute it in the name o the people and in the power of us the tribunes we even from this instant banish him our city in peril of precipitation from off the rock tarpeian never more to enter our rome gates i the people's name i say it shall be so citizens it shall be so it shall be so let him away he's banish'd and it shall be so cominius hear me my masters and my common friends sicinius he's sentenced no more hearing cominius let me speak i have been consul and can show for rome her enemies marks upon me i do love my country's good with a respect more tender more holy and profound than mine own life my dear wife's estimate her womb's increase and treasure of my loins then if i would speak that sicinius we know your drift speak what brutus there's no more to be said but he is banish'd as enemy to the people and his country it shall be so citizens it shall be so it shall be so coriolanus you common cry of curs whose breath i hate as reek o the rotten fens whose loves i prize as the dead carcasses of unburied men that do corrupt my air i banish you and here remain with your uncertainty let every feeble rumour shake your hearts your enemies with nodding of their plumes fan you into despair have the power still to banish your defenders till at length your ignorance which finds not till it feels making not reservation of yourselves still your own foes deliver you as most abated captives to some nation that won you without blows despising for you the city thus i turn my back there is a world elsewhere exeunt coriolanus cominius menenius senators and patricians aedile the people's enemy is gone is gone citizens our enemy is banish'd he is gone hoo hoo shouting and throwing up their caps sicinius go see him out at gates and follow him as he hath followed you with all despite give him deserved vexation let a guard attend us through the city citizens come come let's see him out at gates come the gods preserve our noble tribunes come exeunt coriolanus act iv scene i rome before a gate of the city enter coriolanus volumnia virgilia menenius cominius with the young nobility of rome coriolanus come leave your tears a brief farewell the beast with many heads butts me away nay mother where is your ancient courage you were used to say extremity was the trier of spirits that common chances common men could bear that when the sea was calm all boats alike show'd mastership in floating fortune's blows when most struck home being gentle wounded craves a noble cunning you were used to load me with precepts that would make invincible the heart that conn'd them virgilia o heavens o heavens coriolanus nay prithee woman volumnia now the red pestilence strike all trades in rome and occupations perish coriolanus what what what i shall be loved when i am lack'd nay mother resume that spirit when you were wont to say if you had been the wife of hercules six of his labours you'ld have done and saved your husband so much sweat cominius droop not adieu farewell my wife my mother i'll do well yet thou old and true menenius thy tears are salter than a younger man's and venomous to thine eyes my sometime general i have seen thee stem and thou hast oft beheld hearthardening spectacles tell these sad women tis fond to wail inevitable strokes as tis to laugh at em my mother you wot well my hazards still have been your solace and believe't not lightlythough i go alone like to a lonely dragon that his fen makes fear'd and talk'd of more than seenyour son will or exceed the common or be caught with cautelous baits and practise volumnia my first son whither wilt thou go take good cominius with thee awhile determine on some course more than a wild exposture to each chance that starts i the way before thee coriolanus o the gods cominius i'll follow thee a month devise with thee where thou shalt rest that thou mayst hear of us and we of thee so if the time thrust forth a cause for thy repeal we shall not send o'er the vast world to seek a single man and lose advantage which doth ever cool i the absence of the needer coriolanus fare ye well thou hast years upon thee and thou art too full of the wars surfeits to go rove with one that's yet unbruised bring me but out at gate come my sweet wife my dearest mother and my friends of noble touch when i am forth bid me farewell and smile i pray you come while i remain above the ground you shall hear from me still and never of me aught but what is like me formerly menenius that's worthily as any ear can hear come let's not weep if i could shake off but one seven years from these old arms and legs by the good gods i'ld with thee every foot coriolanus give me thy hand come exeunt coriolanus act iv scene ii the same a street near the gate enter sicinius brutus and an aedile sicinius bid them all home he's gone and we'll no further the nobility are vex'd whom we see have sided in his behalf brutus now we have shown our power let us seem humbler after it is done than when it was adoing sicinius bid them home say their great enemy is gone and they stand in their ancient strength brutus dismiss them home exit aedile here comes his mother sicinius let's not meet her brutus why sicinius they say she's mad brutus they have ta'en note of us keep on your way enter volumnia virgilia and menenius volumnia o ye're well met the hoarded plague o the gods requite your love menenius peace peace be not so loud volumnia if that i could for weeping you should hear nay and you shall hear some to brutus will you be gone virgilia to sicinius you shall stay too i would i had the power to say so to my husband sicinius are you mankind volumnia ay fool is that a shame note but this fool was not a man my father hadst thou foxship to banish him that struck more blows for rome than thou hast spoken words sicinius o blessed heavens volumnia more noble blows than ever thou wise words and for rome's good i'll tell thee what yet go nay but thou shalt stay too i would my son were in arabia and thy tribe before him his good sword in his hand sicinius what then virgilia what then he'ld make an end of thy posterity volumnia bastards and all good man the wounds that he does bear for rome menenius come come peace sicinius i would he had continued to his country as he began and not unknit himself the noble knot he made brutus i would he had volumnia i would he had twas you incensed the rabble cats that can judge as fitly of his worth as i can of those mysteries which heaven will not have earth to know brutus pray let us go volumnia now pray sir get you gone you have done a brave deed ere you go hear this as far as doth the capitol exceed the meanest house in rome so far my son this lady's husband here this do you see whom you have banish'd does exceed you all brutus well well we'll leave you sicinius why stay we to be baited with one that wants her wits volumnia take my prayers with you exeunt tribunes i would the gods had nothing else to do but to confirm my curses could i meet em but once aday it would unclog my heart of what lies heavy to't menenius you have told them home and by my troth you have cause you'll sup with me volumnia anger's my meat i sup upon myself and so shall starve with feeding come let's go leave this faint puling and lament as i do in anger junolike come come come menenius fie fie fie exeunt coriolanus act iv scene iii a highway between rome and antium enter a roman and a volsce meeting roman i know you well sir and you know me your name i think is adrian volsce it is so sir truly i have forgot you roman i am a roman and my services are as you are against em know you me yet volsce nicanor no roman the same sir volsce you had more beard when i last saw you but your favour is well approved by your tongue what's the news in rome i have a note from the volscian state to find you out there you have well saved me a day's journey roman there hath been in rome strange insurrections the people against the senators patricians and nobles volsce hath been is it ended then our state thinks not so they are in a most warlike preparation and hope to come upon them in the heat of their division roman the main blaze of it is past but a small thing would make it flame again for the nobles receive so to heart the banishment of that worthy coriolanus that they are in a ripe aptness to take all power from the people and to pluck from them their tribunes for ever this lies glowing i can tell you and is almost mature for the violent breaking out volsce coriolanus banished roman banished sir volsce you will be welcome with this intelligence nicanor roman the day serves well for them now i have heard it said the fittest time to corrupt a man's wife is when she's fallen out with her husband your noble tullus aufidius will appear well in these wars his great opposer coriolanus being now in no request of his country volsce he cannot choose i am most fortunate thus accidentally to encounter you you have ended my business and i will merrily accompany you home roman i shall between this and supper tell you most strange things from rome all tending to the good of their adversaries have you an army ready say you volsce a most royal one the centurions and their charges distinctly billeted already in the entertainment and to be on foot at an hour's warning roman i am joyful to hear of their readiness and am the man i think that shall set them in present action so sir heartily well met and most glad of your company volsce you take my part from me sir i have the most cause to be glad of yours roman well let us go together exeunt coriolanus act iv scene iv antium before aufidius's house enter coriolanus in mean apparel disguised and muffled coriolanus a goodly city is this antium city tis i that made thy widows many an heir of these fair edifices fore my wars have i heard groan and drop then know me not lest that thy wives with spits and boys with stones in puny battle slay me enter a citizen save you sir citizen and you coriolanus direct me if it be your will where great aufidius lies is he in antium citizen he is and feasts the nobles of the state at his house this night coriolanus which is his house beseech you citizen this here before you coriolanus thank you sir farewell exit citizen o world thy slippery turns friends now fast sworn whose double bosoms seem to wear one heart whose house whose bed whose meal and exercise are still together who twin as twere in love unseparable shall within this hour on a dissension of a doit break out to bitterest enmity so fellest foes whose passions and whose plots have broke their sleep to take the one the other by some chance some trick not worth an egg shall grow dear friends and interjoin their issues so with me my birthplace hate i and my love's upon this enemy town i'll enter if he slay me he does fair justice if he give me way i'll do his country service exit coriolanus act iv scene v the same a hall in aufidius's house music within enter a servingman first servingman wine wine wine what service is here i think our fellows are asleep exit enter a second servingman second servingman where's cotus my master calls for him cotus exit enter coriolanus coriolanus a goodly house the feast smells well but i appear not like a guest reenter the first servingman first servingman what would you have friend whence are you here's no place for you pray go to the door exit coriolanus i have deserved no better entertainment in being coriolanus reenter second servingman second servingman whence are you sir has the porter his eyes in his head that he gives entrance to such companions pray get you out coriolanus away second servingman away get you away coriolanus now thou'rt troublesome second servingman are you so brave i'll have you talked with anon enter a third servingman the first meets him third servingman what fellow's this first servingman a strange one as ever i looked on i cannot get him out of the house prithee call my master to him retires third servingman what have you to do here fellow pray you avoid the house coriolanus let me but stand i will not hurt your hearth third servingman what are you coriolanus a gentleman third servingman a marvellous poor one coriolanus true so i am third servingman pray you poor gentleman take up some other station here's no place for you pray you avoid come coriolanus follow your function go and batten on cold bits pushes him away third servingman what you will not prithee tell my master what a strange guest he has here second servingman and i shall exit third servingman where dwellest thou coriolanus under the canopy third servingman under the canopy coriolanus ay third servingman where's that coriolanus i the city of kites and crows third servingman i the city of kites and crows what an ass it is then thou dwellest with daws too coriolanus no i serve not thy master third servingman how sir do you meddle with my master coriolanus ay tis an honester service than to meddle with thy mistress thou pratest and pratest serve with thy trencher hence beats him away exit third servingman enter aufidius with the second servingman aufidius where is this fellow second servingman here sir i'ld have beaten him like a dog but for disturbing the lords within retires aufidius whence comest thou what wouldst thou thy name why speak'st not speak man what's thy name coriolanus if tullus unmuffling not yet thou knowest me and seeing me dost not think me for the man i am necessity commands me name myself aufidius what is thy name coriolanus a name unmusical to the volscians ears and harsh in sound to thine aufidius say what's thy name thou hast a grim appearance and thy face bears a command in't though thy tackle's torn thou show'st a noble vessel what's thy name coriolanus prepare thy brow to frown know'st thou me yet aufidius i know thee not thy name coriolanus my name is caius marcius who hath done to thee particularly and to all the volsces great hurt and mischief thereto witness may my surname coriolanus the painful service the extreme dangers and the drops of blood shed for my thankless country are requited but with that surname a good memory and witness of the malice and displeasure which thou shouldst bear me only that name remains the cruelty and envy of the people permitted by our dastard nobles who have all forsook me hath devour'd the rest and suffer'd me by the voice of slaves to be whoop'd out of rome now this extremity hath brought me to thy hearth not out of hope mistake me notto save my life for if i had fear'd death of all the men i the world i would have voided thee but in mere spite to be full quit of those my banishers stand i before thee here then if thou hast a heart of wreak in thee that wilt revenge thine own particular wrongs and stop those maims of shame seen through thy country speed thee straight and make my misery serve thy turn so use it that my revengeful services may prove as benefits to thee for i will fight against my canker'd country with the spleen of all the under fiends but if so be thou darest not this and that to prove more fortunes thou'rt tired then in a word i also am longer to live most weary and present my throat to thee and to thy ancient malice which not to cut would show thee but a fool since i have ever follow'd thee with hate drawn tuns of blood out of thy country's breast and cannot live but to thy shame unless it be to do thee service aufidius o marcius marcius each word thou hast spoke hath weeded from my heart a root of ancient envy if jupiter should from yond cloud speak divine things and say tis true i'ld not believe them more than thee all noble marcius let me twine mine arms about that body where against my grained ash an hundred times hath broke and scarr'd the moon with splinters here i clip the anvil of my sword and do contest as hotly and as nobly with thy love as ever in ambitious strength i did contend against thy valour know thou first i loved the maid i married never man sigh'd truer breath but that i see thee here thou noble thing more dances my rapt heart than when i first my wedded mistress saw bestride my threshold why thou mars i tell thee we have a power on foot and i had purpose once more to hew thy target from thy brawn or lose mine arm fort thou hast beat me out twelve several times and i have nightly since dreamt of encounters twixt thyself and me we have been down together in my sleep unbuckling helms fisting each other's throat and waked half dead with nothing worthy marcius had we no quarrel else to rome but that thou art thence banish'd we would muster all from twelve to seventy and pouring war into the bowels of ungrateful rome like a bold flood o'erbear o come go in and take our friendly senators by the hands who now are here taking their leaves of me who am prepared against your territories though not for rome itself coriolanus you bless me gods aufidius therefore most absolute sir if thou wilt have the leading of thine own revenges take the one half of my commission and set down as best thou art experienced since thou know'st thy country's strength and weaknessthine own ways whether to knock against the gates of rome or rudely visit them in parts remote to fright them ere destroy but come in let me commend thee first to those that shall say yea to thy desires a thousand welcomes and more a friend than e'er an enemy yet marcius that was much your hand most welcome exeunt coriolanus and aufidius the two servingmen come forward first servingman here's a strange alteration second servingman by my hand i had thought to have strucken him with a cudgel and yet my mind gave me his clothes made a false report of him first servingman what an arm he has he turned me about with his finger and his thumb as one would set up a top second servingman nay i knew by his face that there was something in him he had sir a kind of face methoughti cannot tell how to term it first servingman he had so looking as it werewould i were hanged but i thought there was more in him than i could think second servingman so did i i'll be sworn he is simply the rarest man i the world first servingman i think he is but a greater soldier than he you wot on second servingman who my master first servingman nay it's no matter for that second servingman worth six on him first servingman nay not so neither but i take him to be the greater soldier second servingman faith look you one cannot tell how to say that for the defence of a town our general is excellent first servingman ay and for an assault too reenter third servingman third servingman o slaves i can tell you news news you rascals first servingman what what what let's partake second servingman third servingman i would not be a roman of all nations i had as lieve be a condemned man first servingman wherefore wherefore second servingman third servingman why here's he that was wont to thwack our general caius marcius first servingman why do you say thwack our general third servingman i do not say thwack our general but he was always good enough for him second servingman come we are fellows and friends he was ever too hard for him i have heard him say so himself first servingman he was too hard for him directly to say the troth on't before corioli he scotched him and notched him like a carbon ado second servingman an he had been cannibally given he might have broiled and eaten him too first servingman but more of thy news third servingman why he is so made on here within as if he were son and heir to mars set at upper end o the table no question asked him by any of the senators but they stand bald before him our general himself makes a mistress of him sanctifies himself with's hand and turns up the white o the eye to his discourse but the bottom of the news is that our general is cut i' the middle and but one half of what he was yesterday for the other has half by the entreaty and grant of the whole table he'll go he says and sowl the porter of rome gates by the ears he will mow all down before him and leave his passage polled second servingman and he's as like to do't as any man i can imagine third servingman do't he will do't for look you sir he has as many friends as enemies which friends sir as it were durst not look you sir show themselves as we term it his friends whilst he's in directitude first servingman directitude what's that third servingman but when they shall see sir his crest up again and the man in blood they will out of their burrows like conies after rain and revel all with him first servingman but when goes this forward third servingman tomorrow today presently you shall have the drum struck up this afternoon tis as it were a parcel of their feast and to be executed ere they wipe their lips second servingman why then we shall have a stirring world again this peace is nothing but to rust iron increase tailors and breed balladmakers first servingman let me have war say i it exceeds peace as far as day does night it's spritely waking audible and full of vent peace is a very apoplexy lethargy mulled deaf sleepy insensible a getter of more bastard children than war's a destroyer of men second servingman tis so and as war in some sort may be said to be a ravisher so it cannot be denied but peace is a great maker of cuckolds first servingman ay and it makes men hate one another third servingman reason because they then less need one another the wars for my money i hope to see romans as cheap as volscians they are rising they are rising all in in in in exeunt coriolanus act iv scene vi rome a public place enter sicinius and brutus sicinius we hear not of him neither need we fear him his remedies are tame i the present peace and quietness of the people which before were in wild hurry here do we make his friends blush that the world goes well who rather had though they themselves did suffer by't behold dissentious numbers pestering streets than see our tradesmen with in their shops and going about their functions friendly brutus we stood to't in good time enter menenius is this menenius sicinius tis he'tis he o he is grown most kind of late both tribunes hail sir menenius hail to you both sicinius your coriolanus is not much miss'd but with his friends the commonwealth doth stand and so would do were he more angry at it menenius all's well and might have been much better if he could have temporized sicinius where is he hear you menenius nay i hear nothing his mother and his wife hear nothing from him enter three or four citizens citizens the gods preserve you both sicinius godden our neighbours brutus godden to you all godden to you all first citizen ourselves our wives and children on our knees are bound to pray for you both sicinius live and thrive brutus farewell kind neighbours we wish'd coriolanus had loved you as we did citizens now the gods keep you both tribunes farewell farewell exeunt citizens sicinius this is a happier and more comely time than when these fellows ran about the streets crying confusion brutus caius marcius was a worthy officer i the war but insolent o'ercome with pride ambitious past all thinking selfloving sicinius and affecting one sole throne without assistance menenius i think not so sicinius we should by this to all our lamentation if he had gone forth consul found it so brutus the gods have well prevented it and rome sits safe and still without him enter an aedile aedile worthy tribunes there is a slave whom we have put in prison reports the volsces with two several powers are enter'd in the roman territories and with the deepest malice of the war destroy what lies before em menenius tis aufidius who hearing of our marcius banishment thrusts forth his horns again into the world which were inshell'd when marcius stood for rome and durst not once peep out sicinius come what talk you of marcius brutus go see this rumourer whipp'd it cannot be the volsces dare break with us menenius cannot be we have record that very well it can and three examples of the like have been within my age but reason with the fellow before you punish him where he heard this lest you shall chance to whip your information and beat the messenger who bids beware of what is to be dreaded sicinius tell not me i know this cannot be brutus not possible enter a messenger messenger the nobles in great earnestness are going all to the senatehouse some news is come that turns their countenances sicinius tis this slave go whip him fore the people's eyeshis raising nothing but his report messenger yes worthy sir the slave's report is seconded and more more fearful is deliver'd sicinius what more fearful messenger it is spoke freely out of many mouths how probable i do not knowthat marcius join'd with aufidius leads a power gainst rome and vows revenge as spacious as between the young'st and oldest thing sicinius this is most likely brutus raised only that the weaker sort may wish good marcius home again sicinius the very trick on't menenius this is unlikely he and aufidius can no more atone than violentest contrariety enter a second messenger second messenger you are sent for to the senate a fearful army led by caius marcius associated with aufidius rages upon our territories and have already o'erborne their way consumed with fire and took what lay before them enter cominius cominius o you have made good work menenius what news what news cominius you have holp to ravish your own daughters and to melt the city leads upon your pates to see your wives dishonour'd to your noses menenius what's the news what's the news cominius your temples burned in their cement and your franchises whereon you stood confined into an auger's bore menenius pray now your news you have made fair work i fear mepray your news if marcius should be join'd with volscians cominius if he is their god he leads them like a thing made by some other deity than nature that shapes man better and they follow him against us brats with no less confidence than boys pursuing summer butterflies or butchers killing flies menenius you have made good work you and your apronmen you that stood so up much on the voice of occupation and the breath of garliceaters cominius he will shake your rome about your ears menenius as hercules did shake down mellow fruit you have made fair work brutus but is this true sir cominius ay and you'll look pale before you find it other all the regions do smilingly revolt and who resist are mock'd for valiant ignorance and perish constant fools who is't can blame him your enemies and his find something in him menenius we are all undone unless the noble man have mercy cominius who shall ask it the tribunes cannot do't for shame the people deserve such pity of him as the wolf does of the shepherds for his best friends if they should say be good to rome they charged him even as those should do that had deserved his hate and therein show'd like enemies menenius tis true if he were putting to my house the brand that should consume it i have not the face to say beseech you cease you have made fair hands you and your crafts you have crafted fair cominius you have brought a trembling upon rome such as was never so incapable of help both tribunes say not we brought it menenius how was it we we loved him but like beasts and cowardly nobles gave way unto your clusters who did hoot him out o the city cominius but i fear they'll roar him in again tullus aufidius the second name of men obeys his points as if he were his officer desperation is all the policy strength and defence that rome can make against them enter a troop of citizens menenius here come the clusters and is aufidius with him you are they that made the air unwholesome when you cast your stinking greasy caps in hooting at coriolanus exile now he's coming and not a hair upon a soldier's head which will not prove a whip as many coxcombs as you threw caps up will he tumble down and pay you for your voices tis no matter if he could burn us all into one coal we have deserved it citizens faith we hear fearful news first citizen for mine own part when i said banish him i said twas pity second citizen and so did i third citizen and so did i and to say the truth so did very many of us that we did we did for the best and though we willingly consented to his banishment yet it was against our will cominius ye re goodly things you voices menenius you have made good work you and your cry shall's to the capitol cominius o ay what else exeunt cominius and menenius sicinius go masters get you home be not dismay'd these are a side that would be glad to have this true which they so seem to fear go home and show no sign of fear first citizen the gods be good to us come masters let's home i ever said we were i the wrong when we banished him second citizen so did we all but come let's home exeunt citizens brutus i do not like this news sicinius nor i brutus let's to the capitol would half my wealth would buy this for a lie sicinius pray let us go exeunt coriolanus act iv scene vii a camp at a small distance from rome enter aufidius and his lieutenant aufidius do they still fly to the roman lieutenant i do not know what witchcraft's in him but your soldiers use him as the grace fore meat their talk at table and their thanks at end and you are darken'd in this action sir even by your own aufidius i cannot help it now unless by using means i lame the foot of our design he bears himself more proudlier even to my person than i thought he would when first i did embrace him yet his nature in that's no changeling and i must excuse what cannot be amended lieutenant yet i wish sir i mean for your particularyou had not join'd in commission with him but either had borne the action of yourself or else to him had left it solely aufidius i understand thee well and be thou sure when he shall come to his account he knows not what i can urge against him although it seems and so he thinks and is no less apparent to the vulgar eye that he bears all things fairly and shows good husbandry for the volscian state fights dragonlike and does achieve as soon as draw his sword yet he hath left undone that which shall break his neck or hazard mine whene'er we come to our account lieutenant sir i beseech you think you he'll carry rome aufidius all places yield to him ere he sits down and the nobility of rome are his the senators and patricians love him too the tribunes are no soldiers and their people will be as rash in the repeal as hasty to expel him thence i think he'll be to rome as is the osprey to the fish who takes it by sovereignty of nature first he was a noble servant to them but he could not carry his honours even whether twas pride which out of daily fortune ever taints the happy man whether defect of judgment to fail in the disposing of those chances which he was lord of or whether nature not to be other than one thing not moving from the casque to the cushion but commanding peace even with the same austerity and garb as he controll'd the war but one of these as he hath spices of them all not all for i dare so far free himmade him fear'd so hated and so banish'd but he has a merit to choke it in the utterance so our virtues lie in the interpretation of the time and power unto itself most commendable hath not a tomb so evident as a chair to extol what it hath done one fire drives out one fire one nail one nail rights by rights falter strengths by strengths do fail come let's away when caius rome is thine thou art poor'st of all then shortly art thou mine exeunt coriolanus act v scene i rome a public place enter menenius cominius sicinius brutus and others menenius no i'll not go you hear what he hath said which was sometime his general who loved him in a most dear particular he call'd me father but what o that go you that banish'd him a mile before his tent fall down and knee the way into his mercy nay if he coy'd to hear cominius speak i'll keep at home cominius he would not seem to know me menenius do you hear cominius yet one time he did call me by my name i urged our old acquaintance and the drops that we have bled together coriolanus he would not answer to forbad all names he was a kind of nothing titleless till he had forged himself a name o the fire of burning rome menenius why so you have made good work a pair of tribunes that have rack'd for rome to make coals cheapa noble memory cominius i minded him how royal twas to pardon when it was less expected he replied it was a bare petition of a state to one whom they had punish'd menenius very well could he say less cominius i offer'd to awaken his regard for's private friends his answer to me was he could not stay to pick them in a pile of noisome musty chaff he said twas folly for one poor grain or two to leave unburnt and still to nose the offence menenius for one poor grain or two i am one of those his mother wife his child and this brave fellow too we are the grains you are the musty chaff and you are smelt above the moon we must be burnt for you sicinius nay pray be patient if you refuse your aid in this so neverneeded help yet do not upbraid's with our distress but sure if you would be your country's pleader your good tongue more than the instant army we can make might stop our countryman menenius no i'll not meddle sicinius pray you go to him menenius what should i do brutus only make trial what your love can do for rome towards marcius menenius well and say that marcius return me as cominius is return'd unheard what then but as a discontented friend griefshot with his unkindness say't be so sicinius yet your good will must have that thanks from rome after the measure as you intended well menenius i'll undertake t i think he'll hear me yet to bite his lip and hum at good cominius much unhearts me he was not taken well he had not dined the veins unfill'd our blood is cold and then we pout upon the morning are unapt to give or to forgive but when we have stuff'd these and these conveyances of our blood with wine and feeding we have suppler souls than in our priestlike fasts therefore i'll watch him till he be dieted to my request and then i'll set upon him brutus you know the very road into his kindness and cannot lose your way menenius good faith i'll prove him speed how it will i shall ere long have knowledge of my success exit cominius he'll never hear him sicinius not cominius i tell you he does sit in gold his eye red as twould burn rome and his injury the gaoler to his pity i kneel'd before him twas very faintly he said rise dismiss'd me thus with his speechless hand what he would do he sent in writing after me what he would not bound with an oath to yield to his conditions so that all hope is vain unless his noble mother and his wife who as i hear mean to solicit him for mercy to his country therefore let's hence and with our fair entreaties haste them on exeunt coriolanus act v scene ii entrance of the volscian camp before rome two sentinels on guard enter to them menenius first senator stay whence are you second senator stand and go back menenius you guard like men tis well but by your leave i am an officer of state and come to speak with coriolanus first senator from whence menenius from rome first senator you may not pass you must return our general will no more hear from thence second senator you'll see your rome embraced with fire before you'll speak with coriolanus menenius good my friends if you have heard your general talk of rome and of his friends there it is lots to blanks my name hath touch'd your ears it is menenius first senator be it so go back the virtue of your name is not here passable menenius i tell thee fellow the general is my lover i have been the book of his good acts whence men have read his name unparallel'd haply amplified for i have ever verified my friends of whom he's chief with all the size that verity would without lapsing suffer nay sometimes like to a bowl upon a subtle ground i have tumbled past the throw and in his praise have almost stamp'd the leasing therefore fellow i must have leave to pass first senator faith sir if you had told as many lies in his behalf as you have uttered words in your own you should not pass here no though it were as virtuous to lie as to live chastely therefore go back menenius prithee fellow remember my name is menenius always factionary on the party of your general second senator howsoever you have been his liar as you say you have i am one that telling true under him must say you cannot pass therefore go back menenius has he dined canst thou tell for i would not speak with him till after dinner first senator you are a roman are you menenius i am as thy general is first senator then you should hate rome as he does can you when you have pushed out your gates the very defender of them and in a violent popular ignorance given your enemy your shield think to front his revenges with the easy groans of old women the virginal palms of your daughters or with the palsied intercession of such a decayed dotant as you seem to be can you think to blow out the intended fire your city is ready to flame in with such weak breath as this no you are deceived therefore back to rome and prepare for your execution you are condemned our general has sworn you out of reprieve and pardon menenius sirrah if thy captain knew i were here he would use me with estimation second senator come my captain knows you not menenius i mean thy general first senator my general cares not for you back i say go lest i let forth your halfpint of blood backthat's the utmost of your having back menenius nay but fellow fellow enter coriolanus and aufidius coriolanus what's the matter menenius now you companion i'll say an errand for you you shall know now that i am in estimation you shall perceive that a jack guardant cannot office me from my son coriolanus guess but by my entertainment with him if thou standest not i the state of hanging or of some death more long in spectatorship and crueller in suffering behold now presently and swoon for what's to come upon thee to coriolanus the glorious gods sit in hourly synod about thy particular prosperity and love thee no worse than thy old father menenius does o my son my son thou art preparing fire for us look thee here's water to quench it i was hardly moved to come to thee but being assured none but myself could move thee i have been blown out of your gates with sighs and conjure thee to pardon rome and thy petitionary countrymen the good gods assuage thy wrath and turn the dregs of it upon this varlet herethis who like a block hath denied my access to thee coriolanus away menenius how away coriolanus wife mother child i know not my affairs are servanted to others though i owe my revenge properly my remission lies in volscian breasts that we have been familiar ingrate forgetfulness shall poison rather than pity note how much therefore be gone mine ears against your suits are stronger than your gates against my force yet for i loved thee take this along i writ it for thy sake gives a letter and would have rent it another word menenius i will not hear thee speak this man aufidius was my beloved in rome yet thou behold'st aufidius you keep a constant temper exeunt coriolanus and aufidius first senator now sir is your name menenius second senator tis a spell you see of much power you know the way home again first senator do you hear how we are shent for keeping your greatness back second senator what cause do you think i have to swoon menenius i neither care for the world nor your general for such things as you i can scarce think there's any ye're so slight he that hath a will to die by himself fears it not from another let your general do his worst for you be that you are long and your misery increase with your age i say to you as i was said to away exit first senator a noble fellow i warrant him second senator the worthy fellow is our general he's the rock the oak not to be windshaken exeunt coriolanus act v scene iii the tent of coriolanus enter coriolanus aufidius and others coriolanus we will before the walls of rome tomorrow set down our host my partner in this action you must report to the volscian lords how plainly i have borne this business aufidius only their ends you have respected stopp'd your ears against the general suit of rome never admitted a private whisper no not with such friends that thought them sure of you coriolanus this last old man whom with a crack'd heart i have sent to rome loved me above the measure of a father nay godded me indeed their latest refuge was to send him for whose old love i have though i show'd sourly to him once more offer'd the first conditions which they did refuse and cannot now accept to grace him only that thought he could do more a very little i have yielded to fresh embassies and suits nor from the state nor private friends hereafter will i lend ear to ha what shout is this shout within shall i be tempted to infringe my vow in the same time tis made i will not enter in mourning habits virgilia volumnia leading young marcius valeria and attendants my wife comes foremost then the honour'd mould wherein this trunk was framed and in her hand the grandchild to her blood but out affection all bond and privilege of nature break let it be virtuous to be obstinate what is that curt'sy worth or those doves eyes which can make gods forsworn i melt and am not of stronger earth than others my mother bows as if olympus to a molehill should in supplication nod and my young boy hath an aspect of intercession which great nature cries deny not let the volsces plough rome and harrow italy i'll never be such a gosling to obey instinct but stand as if a man were author of himself and knew no other kin virgilia my lord and husband coriolanus these eyes are not the same i wore in rome virgilia the sorrow that delivers us thus changed makes you think so coriolanus like a dull actor now i have forgot my part and i am out even to a full disgrace best of my flesh forgive my tyranny but do not say for that forgive our romans o a kiss long as my exile sweet as my revenge now by the jealous queen of heaven that kiss i carried from thee dear and my true lip hath virgin'd it e'er since you gods i prate and the most noble mother of the world leave unsaluted sink my knee i the earth kneels of thy deep duty more impression show than that of common sons volumnia o stand up blest whilst with no softer cushion than the flint i kneel before thee and unproperly show duty as mistaken all this while between the child and parent kneels coriolanus what is this your knees to me to your corrected son then let the pebbles on the hungry beach fillip the stars then let the mutinous winds strike the proud cedars gainst the fiery sun murdering impossibility to make what cannot be slight work volumnia thou art my warrior i holp to frame thee do you know this lady coriolanus the noble sister of publicola the moon of rome chaste as the icicle that's curdied by the frost from purest snow and hangs on dian's temple dear valeria volumnia this is a poor epitome of yours which by the interpretation of full time may show like all yourself coriolanus the god of soldiers with the consent of supreme jove inform thy thoughts with nobleness that thou mayst prove to shame unvulnerable and stick i the wars like a great seamark standing every flaw and saving those that eye thee volumnia your knee sirrah coriolanus that's my brave boy volumnia even he your wife this lady and myself are suitors to you coriolanus i beseech you peace or if you'ld ask remember this before the thing i have forsworn to grant may never be held by you denials do not bid me dismiss my soldiers or capitulate again with rome's mechanics tell me not wherein i seem unnatural desire not to ally my rages and revenges with your colder reasons volumnia o no more no more you have said you will not grant us any thing for we have nothing else to ask but that which you deny already yet we will ask that if you fail in our request the blame may hang upon your hardness therefore hear us coriolanus aufidius and you volsces mark for we'll hear nought from rome in private your request volumnia should we be silent and not speak our raiment and state of bodies would bewray what life we have led since thy exile think with thyself how more unfortunate than all living women are we come hither since that thy sight which should make our eyes flow with joy hearts dance with comforts constrains them weep and shake with fear and sorrow making the mother wife and child to see the son the husband and the father tearing his country's bowels out and to poor we thine enmity's most capital thou barr'st us our prayers to the gods which is a comfort that all but we enjoy for how can we alas how can we for our country pray whereto we are bound together with thy victory whereto we are bound alack or we must lose the country our dear nurse or else thy person our comfort in the country we must find an evident calamity though we had our wish which side should win for either thou must as a foreign recreant be led with manacles thorough our streets or else triumphantly tread on thy country's ruin and bear the palm for having bravely shed thy wife and children's blood for myself son i purpose not to wait on fortune till these wars determine if i cannot persuade thee rather to show a noble grace to both parts than seek the end of one thou shalt no sooner march to assault thy country than to tread trust to't thou shalt noton thy mother's womb that brought thee to this world virgilia ay and mine that brought you forth this boy to keep your name living to time young marcius a shall not tread on me i'll run away till i am bigger but then i'll fight coriolanus not of a woman's tenderness to be requires nor child nor woman's face to see i have sat too long rising volumnia nay go not from us thus if it were so that our request did tend to save the romans thereby to destroy the volsces whom you serve you might condemn us as poisonous of your honour no our suit is that you reconcile them while the volsces may say this mercy we have show'd the romans this we received and each in either side give the allhail to thee and cry be blest for making up this peace thou know'st great son the end of war's uncertain but this certain that if thou conquer rome the benefit which thou shalt thereby reap is such a name whose repetition will be dogg'd with curses whose chronicle thus writ the man was noble but with his last attempt he wiped it out destroy'd his country and his name remains to the ensuing age abhorr'd speak to me son thou hast affected the fine strains of honour to imitate the graces of the gods to tear with thunder the wide cheeks o the air and yet to charge thy sulphur with a bolt that should but rive an oak why dost not speak think'st thou it honourable for a noble man still to remember wrongs daughter speak you he cares not for your weeping speak thou boy perhaps thy childishness will move him more than can our reasons there's no man in the world more bound to s mother yet here he lets me prate like one i the stocks thou hast never in thy life show'd thy dear mother any courtesy when she poor hen fond of no second brood has cluck'd thee to the wars and safely home loaden with honour say my request's unjust and spurn me back but if it be not so thou art not honest and the gods will plague thee that thou restrain'st from me the duty which to a mother's part belongs he turns away down ladies let us shame him with our knees to his surname coriolanus longs more pride than pity to our prayers down an end this is the last so we will home to rome and die among our neighbours nay behold s this boy that cannot tell what he would have but kneels and holds up bands for fellowship does reason our petition with more strength than thou hast to deny t come let us go this fellow had a volscian to his mother his wife is in corioli and his child like him by chance yet give us our dispatch i am hush'd until our city be afire and then i'll speak a little he holds her by the hand silent coriolanus o mother mother what have you done behold the heavens do ope the gods look down and this unnatural scene they laugh at o my mother mother o you have won a happy victory to rome but for your sonbelieve it o believe it most dangerously you have with him prevail'd if not most mortal to him but let it come aufidius though i cannot make true wars i'll frame convenient peace now good aufidius were you in my stead would you have heard a mother less or granted less aufidius aufidius i was moved withal coriolanus i dare be sworn you were and sir it is no little thing to make mine eyes to sweat compassion but good sir what peace you'll make advise me for my part i'll not to rome i'll back with you and pray you stand to me in this cause o mother wife aufidius aside i am glad thou hast set thy mercy and thy honour at difference in thee out of that i'll work myself a former fortune the ladies make signs to coriolanus coriolanus ay by and by to volumnia virgilia &c but we will drink together and you shall bear a better witness back than words which we on like conditions will have counterseal'd come enter with us ladies you deserve to have a temple built you all the swords in italy and her confederate arms could not have made this peace exeunt coriolanus act v scene iv rome a public place enter menenius and sicinius menenius see you yond coign o the capitol yond cornerstone sicinius why what of that menenius if it be possible for you to displace it with your little finger there is some hope the ladies of rome especially his mother may prevail with him but i say there is no hope in't our throats are sentenced and stay upon execution sicinius is't possible that so short a time can alter the condition of a man menenius there is differency between a grub and a butterfly yet your butterfly was a grub this marcius is grown from man to dragon he has wings he's more than a creeping thing sicinius he loved his mother dearly menenius so did he me and he no more remembers his mother now than an eightyearold horse the tartness of his face sours ripe grapes when he walks he moves like an engine and the ground shrinks before his treading he is able to pierce a corslet with his eye talks like a knell and his hum is a battery he sits in his state as a thing made for alexander what he bids be done is finished with his bidding he wants nothing of a god but eternity and a heaven to throne in sicinius yes mercy if you report him truly menenius i paint him in the character mark what mercy his mother shall bring from him there is no more mercy in him than there is milk in a male tiger that shall our poor city find and all this is long of you sicinius the gods be good unto us menenius no in such a case the gods will not be good unto us when we banished him we respected not them and he returning to break our necks they respect not us enter a messenger messenger sir if you'ld save your life fly to your house the plebeians have got your fellowtribune and hale him up and down all swearing if the roman ladies bring not comfort home they'll give him death by inches enter a second messenger sicinius what's the news second messenger good news good news the ladies have prevail'd the volscians are dislodged and marcius gone a merrier day did never yet greet rome no not the expulsion of the tarquins sicinius friend art thou certain this is true is it most certain second messenger as certain as i know the sun is fire where have you lurk'd that you make doubt of it ne'er through an arch so hurried the blown tide as the recomforted through the gates why hark you trumpets hautboys drums beat all together the trumpets sackbuts psalteries and fifes tabours and cymbals and the shouting romans make the sun dance hark you a shout within menenius this is good news i will go meet the ladies this volumnia is worth of consuls senators patricians a city full of tribunes such as you a sea and land full you have pray'd well today this morning for ten thousand of your throats i'd not have given a doit hark how they joy music still with shouts sicinius first the gods bless you for your tidings next accept my thankfulness second messenger sir we have all great cause to give great thanks sicinius they are near the city second messenger almost at point to enter sicinius we will meet them and help the joy exeunt coriolanus act v scene v the same a street near the gate enter two senators with volumnia virgilia valeria &c passing over the stage followed by patricians and others first senator behold our patroness the life of rome call all your tribes together praise the gods and make triumphant fires strew flowers before them unshout the noise that banish'd marcius repeal him with the welcome of his mother cry welcome ladies welcome' all welcome ladies welcome a flourish with drums and trumpets exeunt coriolanus act v scene vi antium a public place enter tullus aufidius with attendants aufidius go tell the lords o the city i am here deliver them this paper having read it bid them repair to the market place where i even in theirs and in the commons ears will vouch the truth of it him i accuse the city ports by this hath enter'd and intends to appear before the people hoping to purge herself with words dispatch exeunt attendants enter three or four conspirators of aufidius faction most welcome first conspirator how is it with our general aufidius even so as with a man by his own alms empoison'd and with his charity slain second conspirator most noble sir if you do hold the same intent wherein you wish'd us parties we'll deliver you of your great danger aufidius sir i cannot tell we must proceed as we do find the people third conspirator the people will remain uncertain whilst twixt you there's difference but the fall of either makes the survivor heir of all aufidius i know it and my pretext to strike at him admits a good construction i raised him and i pawn'd mine honour for his truth who being so heighten'd he water'd his new plants with dews of flattery seducing so my friends and to this end he bow'd his nature never known before but to be rough unswayable and free third conspirator sir his stoutness when he did stand for consul which he lost by lack of stooping aufidius that i would have spoke of being banish'd for't he came unto my hearth presented to my knife his throat i took him made him jointservant with me gave him way in all his own desires nay let him choose out of my files his projects to accomplish my best and freshest men served his designments in mine own person holp to reap the fame which he did end all his and took some pride to do myself this wrong till at the last i seem'd his follower not partner and he waged me with his countenance as if i had been mercenary first conspirator so he did my lord the army marvell'd at it and in the last when he had carried rome and that we look'd for no less spoil than glory aufidius there was it for which my sinews shall be stretch'd upon him at a few drops of women's rheum which are as cheap as lies he sold the blood and labour of our great action therefore shall he die and i'll renew me in his fall but hark drums and trumpets sound with great shouts of the people first conspirator your native town you enter'd like a post and had no welcomes home but he returns splitting the air with noise second conspirator and patient fools whose children he hath slain their base throats tear with giving him glory third conspirator therefore at your vantage ere he express himself or move the people with what he would say let him feel your sword which we will second when he lies along after your way his tale pronounced shall bury his reasons with his body aufidius say no more here come the lords enter the lords of the city all the lords you are most welcome home aufidius i have not deserved it but worthy lords have you with heed perused what i have written to you lords we have first lord and grieve to hear't what faults he made before the last i think might have found easy fines but there to end where he was to begin and give away the benefit of our levies answering us with our own charge making a treaty where there was a yieldingthis admits no excuse aufidius he approaches you shall hear him enter coriolanus marching with drum and colours commoners being with him coriolanus hail lords i am return'd your soldier no more infected with my country's love than when i parted hence but still subsisting under your great command you are to know that prosperously i have attempted and with bloody passage led your wars even to the gates of rome our spoils we have brought home do more than counterpoise a full third part the charges of the action we have made peace with no less honour to the antiates than shame to the romans and we here deliver subscribed by the consuls and patricians together with the seal o the senate what we have compounded on aufidius read it not noble lords but tell the traitor in the high'st degree he hath abused your powers coriolanus traitor how now aufidius ay traitor marcius coriolanus marcius aufidius ay marcius caius marcius dost thou think i'll grace thee with that robbery thy stol'n name coriolanus in corioli you lords and heads o the state perfidiously he has betray'd your business and given up for certain drops of salt your city rome i say your city to his wife and mother breaking his oath and resolution like a twist of rotten silk never admitting counsel o the war but at his nurse's tears he whined and roar'd away your victory that pages blush'd at him and men of heart look'd wondering each at other coriolanus hear'st thou mars aufidius name not the god thou boy of tears coriolanus ha aufidius no more coriolanus measureless liar thou hast made my heart too great for what contains it boy o slave pardon me lords tis the first time that ever i was forced to scold your judgments my grave lords must give this cur the lie and his own notion who wears my stripes impress'd upon him that must bear my beating to his graveshall join to thrust the lie unto him first lord peace both and hear me speak coriolanus cut me to pieces volsces men and lads stain all your edges on me boy false hound if you have writ your annals true tis there that like an eagle in a dovecote i flutter'd your volscians in corioli alone i did it boy aufidius why noble lords will you be put in mind of his blind fortune which was your shame by this unholy braggart fore your own eyes and ears all conspirators let him die for't all the people tear him to pieces do it presently he kill'd my son my daughter he killed my cousin marcus he killed my father' second lord peace ho no outrage peace the man is noble and his fame foldsin this orb o the earth his last offences to us shall have judicious hearing stand aufidius and trouble not the peace coriolanus o that i had him with six aufidiuses or more his tribe to use my lawful sword aufidius insolent villain all conspirators kill kill kill kill kill him the conspirators draw and kill coriolanus aufidius stands on his body lords hold hold hold hold aufidius my noble masters hear me speak first lord o tullus second lord thou hast done a deed whereat valour will weep third lord tread not upon him masters all be quiet put up your swords aufidius my lords when you shall knowas in this rage provoked by him you cannotthe great danger which this man's life did owe you you'll rejoice that he is thus cut off please it your honours to call me to your senate i'll deliver myself your loyal servant or endure your heaviest censure first lord bear from hence his body and mourn you for him let him be regarded as the most noble corse that ever herald did follow to his urn second lord his own impatience takes from aufidius a great part of blame let's make the best of it aufidius my rage is gone and i am struck with sorrow take him up help three o the chiefest soldiers i'll be one beat thou the drum that it speak mournfully trail your steel pikes though in this city he hath widow'd and unchilded many a one which to this hour bewail the injury yet he shall have a noble memory assist exeunt bearing the body of coriolanus a dead march sounded hamlet dramatis personae claudius king of denmark king claudius hamlet son to the late and nephew to the present king polonius lord chamberlain lord polonius horatio friend to hamlet laertes son to polonius lucianus nephew to the king voltimand cornelius rosencrantz courtiers guildenstern osric a gentleman gentlemen a priest first priest marcellus officers bernardo francisco a soldier reynaldo servant to polonius players first player player king player queen two clowns gravediggers first clown second clown fortinbras prince of norway prince fortinbras a captain english ambassadors first ambassador gertrude queen of denmark and mother to hamlet queen gertrude ophelia daughter to polonius lords ladies officers soldiers sailors messengers and other attendants lord first sailor messenger ghost of hamlet's father ghost scene denmark hamlet act i scene i elsinore a platform before the castle francisco at his post enter to him bernardo bernardo who's there francisco nay answer me stand and unfold yourself bernardo long live the king francisco bernardo bernardo he francisco you come most carefully upon your hour bernardo tis now struck twelve get thee to bed francisco francisco for this relief much thanks tis bitter cold and i am sick at heart bernardo have you had quiet guard francisco not a mouse stirring bernardo well good night if you do meet horatio and marcellus the rivals of my watch bid them make haste francisco i think i hear them stand ho who's there enter horatio and marcellus horatio friends to this ground marcellus and liegemen to the dane francisco give you good night marcellus o farewell honest soldier who hath relieved you francisco bernardo has my place give you good night exit marcellus holla bernardo bernardo say what is horatio there horatio a piece of him bernardo welcome horatio welcome good marcellus marcellus what has this thing appear'd again tonight bernardo i have seen nothing marcellus horatio says tis but our fantasy and will not let belief take hold of him touching this dreaded sight twice seen of us therefore i have entreated him along with us to watch the minutes of this night that if again this apparition come he may approve our eyes and speak to it horatio tush tush twill not appear bernardo sit down awhile and let us once again assail your ears that are so fortified against our story what we have two nights seen horatio well sit we down and let us hear bernardo speak of this bernardo last night of all when yond same star that's westward from the pole had made his course to illume that part of heaven where now it burns marcellus and myself the bell then beating one enter ghost marcellus peace break thee off look where it comes again bernardo in the same figure like the king that's dead marcellus thou art a scholar speak to it horatio bernardo looks it not like the king mark it horatio horatio most like it harrows me with fear and wonder bernardo it would be spoke to marcellus question it horatio horatio what art thou that usurp'st this time of night together with that fair and warlike form in which the majesty of buried denmark did sometimes march by heaven i charge thee speak marcellus it is offended bernardo see it stalks away horatio stay speak speak i charge thee speak exit ghost marcellus tis gone and will not answer bernardo how now horatio you tremble and look pale is not this something more than fantasy what think you on't horatio before my god i might not this believe without the sensible and true avouch of mine own eyes marcellus is it not like the king horatio as thou art to thyself such was the very armour he had on when he the ambitious norway combated so frown'd he once when in an angry parle he smote the sledded polacks on the ice tis strange marcellus thus twice before and jump at this dead hour with martial stalk hath he gone by our watch horatio in what particular thought to work i know not but in the gross and scope of my opinion this bodes some strange eruption to our state marcellus good now sit down and tell me he that knows why this same strict and most observant watch so nightly toils the subject of the land and why such daily cast of brazen cannon and foreign mart for implements of war why such impress of shipwrights whose sore task does not divide the sunday from the week what might be toward that this sweaty haste doth make the night jointlabourer with the day who is't that can inform me horatio that can i at least the whisper goes so our last king whose image even but now appear'd to us was as you know by fortinbras of norway thereto prick'd on by a most emulate pride dared to the combat in which our valiant hamlet for so this side of our known world esteem'd him did slay this fortinbras who by a seal'd compact well ratified by law and heraldry did forfeit with his life all those his lands which he stood seized of to the conqueror against the which a moiety competent was gaged by our king which had return'd to the inheritance of fortinbras had he been vanquisher as by the same covenant and carriage of the article design'd his fell to hamlet now sir young fortinbras of unimproved mettle hot and full hath in the skirts of norway here and there shark'd up a list of lawless resolutes for food and diet to some enterprise that hath a stomach in't which is no other as it doth well appear unto our state but to recover of us by strong hand and terms compulsatory those foresaid lands so by his father lost and this i take it is the main motive of our preparations the source of this our watch and the chief head of this posthaste and romage in the land bernardo i think it be no other but e'en so well may it sort that this portentous figure comes armed through our watch so like the king that was and is the question of these wars horatio a mote it is to trouble the mind's eye in the most high and palmy state of rome a little ere the mightiest julius fell the graves stood tenantless and the sheeted dead did squeak and gibber in the roman streets as stars with trains of fire and dews of blood disasters in the sun and the moist star upon whose influence neptune's empire stands was sick almost to doomsday with eclipse and even the like precurse of fierce events as harbingers preceding still the fates and prologue to the omen coming on have heaven and earth together demonstrated unto our climatures and countrymen but soft behold lo where it comes again reenter ghost i'll cross it though it blast me stay illusion if thou hast any sound or use of voice speak to me if there be any good thing to be done that may to thee do ease and grace to me speak to me cock crows if thou art privy to thy country's fate which happily foreknowing may avoid o speak or if thou hast uphoarded in thy life extorted treasure in the womb of earth for which they say you spirits oft walk in death speak of it stay and speak stop it marcellus marcellus shall i strike at it with my partisan horatio do if it will not stand bernardo tis here horatio tis here marcellus tis gone exit ghost we do it wrong being so majestical to offer it the show of violence for it is as the air invulnerable and our vain blows malicious mockery bernardo it was about to speak when the cock crew horatio and then it started like a guilty thing upon a fearful summons i have heard the cock that is the trumpet to the morn doth with his lofty and shrillsounding throat awake the god of day and at his warning whether in sea or fire in earth or air the extravagant and erring spirit hies to his confine and of the truth herein this present object made probation marcellus it faded on the crowing of the cock some say that ever gainst that season comes wherein our saviour's birth is celebrated the bird of dawning singeth all night long and then they say no spirit dares stir abroad the nights are wholesome then no planets strike no fairy takes nor witch hath power to charm so hallow'd and so gracious is the time horatio so have i heard and do in part believe it but look the morn in russet mantle clad walks o'er the dew of yon high eastward hill break we our watch up and by my advice let us impart what we have seen tonight unto young hamlet for upon my life this spirit dumb to us will speak to him do you consent we shall acquaint him with it as needful in our loves fitting our duty marcellus let's do't i pray and i this morning know where we shall find him most conveniently exeunt hamlet act i scene ii a room of state in the castle enter king claudius queen gertrude hamlet polonius laertes voltimand cornelius lords and attendants king claudius though yet of hamlet our dear brother's death the memory be green and that it us befitted to bear our hearts in grief and our whole kingdom to be contracted in one brow of woe yet so far hath discretion fought with nature that we with wisest sorrow think on him together with remembrance of ourselves therefore our sometime sister now our queen the imperial jointress to this warlike state have we as twere with a defeated joy with an auspicious and a dropping eye with mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage in equal scale weighing delight and dole taken to wife nor have we herein barr'd your better wisdoms which have freely gone with this affair along for all our thanks now follows that you know young fortinbras holding a weak supposal of our worth or thinking by our late dear brother's death our state to be disjoint and out of frame colleagued with the dream of his advantage he hath not fail'd to pester us with message importing the surrender of those lands lost by his father with all bonds of law to our most valiant brother so much for him now for ourself and for this time of meeting thus much the business is we have here writ to norway uncle of young fortinbras who impotent and bedrid scarcely hears of this his nephew's purposeto suppress his further gait herein in that the levies the lists and full proportions are all made out of his subject and we here dispatch you good cornelius and you voltimand for bearers of this greeting to old norway giving to you no further personal power to business with the king more than the scope of these delated articles allow farewell and let your haste commend your duty cornelius in that and all things will we show our duty voltimand king claudius we doubt it nothing heartily farewell exeunt voltimand and cornelius and now laertes what's the news with you you told us of some suit what is't laertes you cannot speak of reason to the dane and loose your voice what wouldst thou beg laertes that shall not be my offer not thy asking the head is not more native to the heart the hand more instrumental to the mouth than is the throne of denmark to thy father what wouldst thou have laertes laertes my dread lord your leave and favour to return to france from whence though willingly i came to denmark to show my duty in your coronation yet now i must confess that duty done my thoughts and wishes bend again toward france and bow them to your gracious leave and pardon king claudius have you your father's leave what says polonius lord polonius he hath my lord wrung from me my slow leave by laboursome petition and at last upon his will i seal'd my hard consent i do beseech you give him leave to go king claudius take thy fair hour laertes time be thine and thy best graces spend it at thy will but now my cousin hamlet and my son hamlet aside a little more than kin and less than kind king claudius how is it that the clouds still hang on you hamlet not so my lord i am too much i the sun queen gertrude good hamlet cast thy nighted colour off and let thine eye look like a friend on denmark do not for ever with thy vailed lids seek for thy noble father in the dust thou know'st tis common all that lives must die passing through nature to eternity hamlet ay madam it is common queen gertrude if it be why seems it so particular with thee hamlet seems madam nay it is i know not seems' tis not alone my inky cloak good mother nor customary suits of solemn black nor windy suspiration of forced breath no nor the fruitful river in the eye nor the dejected havior of the visage together with all forms moods shapes of grief that can denote me truly these indeed seem for they are actions that a man might play but i have that within which passeth show these but the trappings and the suits of woe king claudius tis sweet and commendable in your nature hamlet to give these mourning duties to your father but you must know your father lost a father that father lost lost his and the survivor bound in filial obligation for some term to do obsequious sorrow but to persever in obstinate condolement is a course of impious stubbornness tis unmanly grief it shows a will most incorrect to heaven a heart unfortified a mind impatient an understanding simple and unschool'd for what we know must be and is as common as any the most vulgar thing to sense why should we in our peevish opposition take it to heart fie tis a fault to heaven a fault against the dead a fault to nature to reason most absurd whose common theme is death of fathers and who still hath cried from the first corse till he that died today this must be so we pray you throw to earth this unprevailing woe and think of us as of a father for let the world take note you are the most immediate to our throne and with no less nobility of love than that which dearest father bears his son do i impart toward you for your intent in going back to school in wittenberg it is most retrograde to our desire and we beseech you bend you to remain here in the cheer and comfort of our eye our chiefest courtier cousin and our son queen gertrude let not thy mother lose her prayers hamlet i pray thee stay with us go not to wittenberg hamlet i shall in all my best obey you madam king claudius why tis a loving and a fair reply be as ourself in denmark madam come this gentle and unforced accord of hamlet sits smiling to my heart in grace whereof no jocund health that denmark drinks today but the great cannon to the clouds shall tell and the king's rouse the heavens all bruit again respeaking earthly thunder come away exeunt all but hamlet hamlet o that this too too solid flesh would melt thaw and resolve itself into a dew or that the everlasting had not fix'd his canon gainst selfslaughter o god god how weary stale flat and unprofitable seem to me all the uses of this world fie on't ah fie tis an unweeded garden that grows to seed things rank and gross in nature possess it merely that it should come to this but two months dead nay not so much not two so excellent a king that was to this hyperion to a satyr so loving to my mother that he might not beteem the winds of heaven visit her face too roughly heaven and earth must i remember why she would hang on him as if increase of appetite had grown by what it fed on and yet within a month let me not think on'tfrailty thy name is woman a little month or ere those shoes were old with which she follow'd my poor father's body like niobe all tearswhy she even she o god a beast that wants discourse of reason would have mourn'd longermarried with my uncle my father's brother but no more like my father than i to hercules within a month ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears had left the flushing in her galled eyes she married o most wicked speed to post with such dexterity to incestuous sheets it is not nor it cannot come to good but break my heart for i must hold my tongue enter horatio marcellus and bernardo horatio hail to your lordship hamlet i am glad to see you well horatioor i do forget myself horatio the same my lord and your poor servant ever hamlet sir my good friend i'll change that name with you and what make you from wittenberg horatio marcellus marcellus my good lord hamlet i am very glad to see you good even sir but what in faith make you from wittenberg horatio a truant disposition good my lord hamlet i would not hear your enemy say so nor shall you do mine ear that violence to make it truster of your own report against yourself i know you are no truant but what is your affair in elsinore we'll teach you to drink deep ere you depart horatio my lord i came to see your father's funeral hamlet i pray thee do not mock me fellowstudent i think it was to see my mother's wedding horatio indeed my lord it follow'd hard upon hamlet thrift thrift horatio the funeral baked meats did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables would i had met my dearest foe in heaven or ever i had seen that day horatio my fathermethinks i see my father horatio where my lord hamlet in my mind's eye horatio horatio i saw him once he was a goodly king hamlet he was a man take him for all in all i shall not look upon his like again horatio my lord i think i saw him yesternight hamlet saw who horatio my lord the king your father hamlet the king my father horatio season your admiration for awhile with an attent ear till i may deliver upon the witness of these gentlemen this marvel to you hamlet for god's love let me hear horatio two nights together had these gentlemen marcellus and bernardo on their watch in the dead vast and middle of the night been thus encounter'd a figure like your father armed at point exactly capape appears before them and with solemn march goes slow and stately by them thrice he walk'd by their oppress'd and fearsurprised eyes within his truncheon's length whilst they distilled almost to jelly with the act of fear stand dumb and speak not to him this to me in dreadful secrecy impart they did and i with them the third night kept the watch where as they had deliver'd both in time form of the thing each word made true and good the apparition comes i knew your father these hands are not more like hamlet but where was this marcellus my lord upon the platform where we watch'd hamlet did you not speak to it horatio my lord i did but answer made it none yet once methought it lifted up its head and did address itself to motion like as it would speak but even then the morning cock crew loud and at the sound it shrunk in haste away and vanish'd from our sight hamlet tis very strange horatio as i do live my honour'd lord tis true and we did think it writ down in our duty to let you know of it hamlet indeed indeed sirs but this troubles me hold you the watch tonight marcellus we do my lord bernardo hamlet arm'd say you marcellus arm'd my lord bernardo hamlet from top to toe marcellus my lord from head to foot bernardo hamlet then saw you not his face horatio o yes my lord he wore his beaver up hamlet what look'd he frowningly horatio a countenance more in sorrow than in anger hamlet pale or red horatio nay very pale hamlet and fix'd his eyes upon you horatio most constantly hamlet i would i had been there horatio it would have much amazed you hamlet very like very like stay'd it long horatio while one with moderate haste might tell a hundred marcellus longer longer bernardo horatio not when i saw't hamlet his beard was grizzledno horatio it was as i have seen it in his life a sable silver'd hamlet i will watch tonight perchance twill walk again horatio i warrant it will hamlet if it assume my noble father's person i'll speak to it though hell itself should gape and bid me hold my peace i pray you all if you have hitherto conceal'd this sight let it be tenable in your silence still and whatsoever else shall hap tonight give it an understanding but no tongue i will requite your loves so fare you well upon the platform twixt eleven and twelve i'll visit you all our duty to your honour hamlet your loves as mine to you farewell exeunt all but hamlet my father's spirit in arms all is not well i doubt some foul play would the night were come till then sit still my soul foul deeds will rise though all the earth o'erwhelm them to men's eyes exit hamlet act i scene iii a room in polonius house enter laertes and ophelia laertes my necessaries are embark'd farewell and sister as the winds give benefit and convoy is assistant do not sleep but let me hear from you ophelia do you doubt that laertes for hamlet and the trifling of his favour hold it a fashion and a toy in blood a violet in the youth of primy nature forward not permanent sweet not lasting the perfume and suppliance of a minute no more ophelia no more but so laertes think it no more for nature crescent does not grow alone in thews and bulk but as this temple waxes the inward service of the mind and soul grows wide withal perhaps he loves you now and now no soil nor cautel doth besmirch the virtue of his will but you must fear his greatness weigh'd his will is not his own for he himself is subject to his birth he may not as unvalued persons do carve for himself for on his choice depends the safety and health of this whole state and therefore must his choice be circumscribed unto the voice and yielding of that body whereof he is the head then if he says he loves you it fits your wisdom so far to believe it as he in his particular act and place may give his saying deed which is no further than the main voice of denmark goes withal then weigh what loss your honour may sustain if with too credent ear you list his songs or lose your heart or your chaste treasure open to his unmaster'd importunity fear it ophelia fear it my dear sister and keep you in the rear of your affection out of the shot and danger of desire the chariest maid is prodigal enough if she unmask her beauty to the moon virtue itself scapes not calumnious strokes the canker galls the infants of the spring too oft before their buttons be disclosed and in the morn and liquid dew of youth contagious blastments are most imminent be wary then best safety lies in fear youth to itself rebels though none else near ophelia i shall the effect of this good lesson keep as watchman to my heart but good my brother do not as some ungracious pastors do show me the steep and thorny way to heaven whiles like a puff'd and reckless libertine himself the primrose path of dalliance treads and recks not his own rede laertes o fear me not i stay too long but here my father comes enter polonius a double blessing is a double grace occasion smiles upon a second leave lord polonius yet here laertes aboard aboard for shame the wind sits in the shoulder of your sail and you are stay'd for there my blessing with thee and these few precepts in thy memory see thou character give thy thoughts no tongue nor any unproportioned thought his act be thou familiar but by no means vulgar those friends thou hast and their adoption tried grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel but do not dull thy palm with entertainment of each newhatch'd unfledged comrade beware of entrance to a quarrel but being in bear't that the opposed may beware of thee give every man thy ear but few thy voice take each man's censure but reserve thy judgment costly thy habit as thy purse can buy but not express'd in fancy rich not gaudy for the apparel oft proclaims the man and they in france of the best rank and station are of a most select and generous chief in that neither a borrower nor a lender be for loan oft loses both itself and friend and borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry this above all to thine ownself be true and it must follow as the night the day thou canst not then be false to any man farewell my blessing season this in thee laertes most humbly do i take my leave my lord lord polonius the time invites you go your servants tend laertes farewell ophelia and remember well what i have said to you ophelia tis in my memory lock'd and you yourself shall keep the key of it laertes farewell exit lord polonius what is't ophelia be hath said to you ophelia so please you something touching the lord hamlet lord polonius marry well bethought tis told me he hath very oft of late given private time to you and you yourself have of your audience been most free and bounteous if it be so as so tis put on me and that in way of caution i must tell you you do not understand yourself so clearly as it behoves my daughter and your honour what is between you give me up the truth ophelia he hath my lord of late made many tenders of his affection to me lord polonius affection pooh you speak like a green girl unsifted in such perilous circumstance do you believe his tenders as you call them ophelia i do not know my lord what i should think lord polonius marry i'll teach you think yourself a baby that you have ta'en these tenders for true pay which are not sterling tender yourself more dearly ornot to crack the wind of the poor phrase running it thusyou'll tender me a fool ophelia my lord he hath importuned me with love in honourable fashion lord polonius ay fashion you may call it go to go to ophelia and hath given countenance to his speech my lord with almost all the holy vows of heaven lord polonius ay springes to catch woodcocks i do know when the blood burns how prodigal the soul lends the tongue vows these blazes daughter giving more light than heat extinct in both even in their promise as it is amaking you must not take for fire from this time be somewhat scanter of your maiden presence set your entreatments at a higher rate than a command to parley for lord hamlet believe so much in him that he is young and with a larger tether may he walk than may be given you in few ophelia do not believe his vows for they are brokers not of that dye which their investments show but mere implorators of unholy suits breathing like sanctified and pious bawds the better to beguile this is for all i would not in plain terms from this time forth have you so slander any moment leisure as to give words or talk with the lord hamlet look to't i charge you come your ways ophelia i shall obey my lord exeunt hamlet act i scene iv the platform enter hamlet horatio and marcellus hamlet the air bites shrewdly it is very cold horatio it is a nipping and an eager air hamlet what hour now horatio i think it lacks of twelve hamlet no it is struck horatio indeed i heard it not then it draws near the season wherein the spirit held his wont to walk a flourish of trumpets and ordnance shot off within what does this mean my lord hamlet the king doth wake tonight and takes his rouse keeps wassail and the swaggering upspring reels and as he drains his draughts of rhenish down the kettledrum and trumpet thus bray out the triumph of his pledge horatio is it a custom hamlet ay marry is't but to my mind though i am native here and to the manner born it is a custom more honour'd in the breach than the observance this heavyheaded revel east and west makes us traduced and tax'd of other nations they clepe us drunkards and with swinish phrase soil our addition and indeed it takes from our achievements though perform'd at height the pith and marrow of our attribute so oft it chances in particular men that for some vicious mole of nature in them as in their birthwherein they are not guilty since nature cannot choose his origin by the o'ergrowth of some complexion oft breaking down the pales and forts of reason or by some habit that too much o'erleavens the form of plausive manners that these men carrying i say the stamp of one defect being nature's livery or fortune's star their virtues elsebe they as pure as grace as infinite as man may undergo shall in the general censure take corruption from that particular fault the dram of eale doth all the noble substance of a doubt to his own scandal horatio look my lord it comes enter ghost hamlet angels and ministers of grace defend us be thou a spirit of health or goblin damn'd bring with thee airs from heaven or blasts from hell be thy intents wicked or charitable thou comest in such a questionable shape that i will speak to thee i'll call thee hamlet king father royal dane o answer me let me not burst in ignorance but tell why thy canonized bones hearsed in death have burst their cerements why the sepulchre wherein we saw thee quietly inurn'd hath oped his ponderous and marble jaws to cast thee up again what may this mean that thou dead corse again in complete steel revisit'st thus the glimpses of the moon making night hideous and we fools of nature so horridly to shake our disposition with thoughts beyond the reaches of our souls say why is this wherefore what should we do ghost beckons hamlet horatio it beckons you to go away with it as if it some impartment did desire to you alone marcellus look with what courteous action it waves you to a more removed ground but do not go with it horatio no by no means hamlet it will not speak then i will follow it horatio do not my lord hamlet why what should be the fear i do not set my life in a pin's fee and for my soul what can it do to that being a thing immortal as itself it waves me forth again i'll follow it horatio what if it tempt you toward the flood my lord or to the dreadful summit of the cliff that beetles o'er his base into the sea and there assume some other horrible form which might deprive your sovereignty of reason and draw you into madness think of it the very place puts toys of desperation without more motive into every brain that looks so many fathoms to the sea and hears it roar beneath hamlet it waves me still go on i'll follow thee marcellus you shall not go my lord hamlet hold off your hands horatio be ruled you shall not go hamlet my fate cries out and makes each petty artery in this body as hardy as the nemean lion's nerve still am i call'd unhand me gentlemen by heaven i'll make a ghost of him that lets me i say away go on i'll follow thee exeunt ghost and hamlet horatio he waxes desperate with imagination marcellus let's follow tis not fit thus to obey him horatio have after to what issue will this come marcellus something is rotten in the state of denmark horatio heaven will direct it marcellus nay let's follow him exeunt hamlet act i scene v another part of the platform enter ghost and hamlet hamlet where wilt thou lead me speak i'll go no further ghost mark me hamlet i will ghost my hour is almost come when i to sulphurous and tormenting flames must render up myself hamlet alas poor ghost ghost pity me not but lend thy serious hearing to what i shall unfold hamlet speak i am bound to hear ghost so art thou to revenge when thou shalt hear hamlet what ghost i am thy father's spirit doom'd for a certain term to walk the night and for the day confined to fast in fires till the foul crimes done in my days of nature are burnt and purged away but that i am forbid to tell the secrets of my prisonhouse i could a tale unfold whose lightest word would harrow up thy soul freeze thy young blood make thy two eyes like stars start from their spheres thy knotted and combined locks to part and each particular hair to stand on end like quills upon the fretful porpentine but this eternal blazon must not be to ears of flesh and blood list list o list if thou didst ever thy dear father love hamlet o god ghost revenge his foul and most unnatural murder hamlet murder ghost murder most foul as in the best it is but this most foul strange and unnatural hamlet haste me to know't that i with wings as swift as meditation or the thoughts of love may sweep to my revenge ghost i find thee apt and duller shouldst thou be than the fat weed that roots itself in ease on lethe wharf wouldst thou not stir in this now hamlet hear tis given out that sleeping in my orchard a serpent stung me so the whole ear of denmark is by a forged process of my death rankly abused but know thou noble youth the serpent that did sting thy father's life now wears his crown hamlet o my prophetic soul my uncle ghost ay that incestuous that adulterate beast with witchcraft of his wit with traitorous gifts o wicked wit and gifts that have the power so to seducewon to his shameful lust the will of my most seemingvirtuous queen o hamlet what a fallingoff was there from me whose love was of that dignity that it went hand in hand even with the vow i made to her in marriage and to decline upon a wretch whose natural gifts were poor to those of mine but virtue as it never will be moved though lewdness court it in a shape of heaven so lust though to a radiant angel link'd will sate itself in a celestial bed and prey on garbage but soft methinks i scent the morning air brief let me be sleeping within my orchard my custom always of the afternoon upon my secure hour thy uncle stole with juice of cursed hebenon in a vial and in the porches of my ears did pour the leperous distilment whose effect holds such an enmity with blood of man that swift as quicksilver it courses through the natural gates and alleys of the body and with a sudden vigour doth posset and curd like eager droppings into milk the thin and wholesome blood so did it mine and a most instant tetter bark'd about most lazarlike with vile and loathsome crust all my smooth body thus was i sleeping by a brother's hand of life of crown of queen at once dispatch'd cut off even in the blossoms of my sin unhousel'd disappointed unanel'd no reckoning made but sent to my account with all my imperfections on my head o horrible o horrible most horrible if thou hast nature in thee bear it not let not the royal bed of denmark be a couch for luxury and damned incest but howsoever thou pursuest this act taint not thy mind nor let thy soul contrive against thy mother aught leave her to heaven and to those thorns that in her bosom lodge to prick and sting her fare thee well at once the glowworm shows the matin to be near and gins to pale his uneffectual fire adieu adieu hamlet remember me exit hamlet o all you host of heaven o earth what else and shall i couple hell o fie hold hold my heart and you my sinews grow not instant old but bear me stiffly up remember thee ay thou poor ghost while memory holds a seat in this distracted globe remember thee yea from the table of my memory i'll wipe away all trivial fond records all saws of books all forms all pressures past that youth and observation copied there and thy commandment all alone shall live within the book and volume of my brain unmix'd with baser matter yes by heaven o most pernicious woman o villain villain smiling damned villain my tablesmeet it is i set it down that one may smile and smile and be a villain at least i'm sure it may be so in denmark writing so uncle there you are now to my word it is adieu adieu remember me' i have sworn t marcellus within my lord my lord horatio marcellus within lord hamlet horatio within heaven secure him hamlet so be it horatio within hillo ho ho my lord hamlet hillo ho ho boy come bird come enter horatio and marcellus marcellus how is't my noble lord horatio what news my lord hamlet o wonderful horatio good my lord tell it hamlet no you'll reveal it horatio not i my lord by heaven marcellus nor i my lord hamlet how say you then would heart of man once think it but you'll be secret horatio ay by heaven my lord marcellus hamlet there's ne'er a villain dwelling in all denmark but he's an arrant knave horatio there needs no ghost my lord come from the grave to tell us this hamlet why right you are i the right and so without more circumstance at all i hold it fit that we shake hands and part you as your business and desire shall point you for every man has business and desire such as it is and for mine own poor part look you i'll go pray horatio these are but wild and whirling words my lord hamlet i'm sorry they offend you heartily yes faith heartily horatio there's no offence my lord hamlet yes by saint patrick but there is horatio and much offence too touching this vision here it is an honest ghost that let me tell you for your desire to know what is between us o'ermaster t as you may and now good friends as you are friends scholars and soldiers give me one poor request horatio what is't my lord we will hamlet never make known what you have seen tonight horatio my lord we will not marcellus hamlet nay but swear't horatio in faith my lord not i marcellus nor i my lord in faith hamlet upon my sword marcellus we have sworn my lord already hamlet indeed upon my sword indeed ghost beneath swear hamlet ah ha boy say'st thou so art thou there truepenny come onyou hear this fellow in the cellarage consent to swear horatio propose the oath my lord hamlet never to speak of this that you have seen swear by my sword ghost beneath swear hamlet hic et ubique then we'll shift our ground come hither gentlemen and lay your hands again upon my sword never to speak of this that you have heard swear by my sword ghost beneath swear hamlet well said old mole canst work i the earth so fast a worthy pioner once more remove good friends horatio o day and night but this is wondrous strange hamlet and therefore as a stranger give it welcome there are more things in heaven and earth horatio than are dreamt of in your philosophy but come here as before never so help you mercy how strange or odd soe'er i bear myself as i perchance hereafter shall think meet to put an antic disposition on that you at such times seeing me never shall with arms encumber'd thus or this headshake or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase as well well we know or we could an if we would' or if we list to speak or there be an if they might' or such ambiguous giving out to note that you know aught of me this not to do so grace and mercy at your most need help you swear ghost beneath swear hamlet rest rest perturbed spirit they swear so gentlemen with all my love i do commend me to you and what so poor a man as hamlet is may do to express his love and friending to you god willing shall not lack let us go in together and still your fingers on your lips i pray the time is out of joint o cursed spite that ever i was born to set it right nay come let's go together exeunt hamlet act ii scene i a room in polonius house enter polonius and reynaldo lord polonius give him this money and these notes reynaldo reynaldo i will my lord lord polonius you shall do marvellous wisely good reynaldo before you visit him to make inquire of his behavior reynaldo my lord i did intend it lord polonius marry well said very well said look you sir inquire me first what danskers are in paris and how and who what means and where they keep what company at what expense and finding by this encompassment and drift of question that they do know my son come you more nearer than your particular demands will touch it take you as twere some distant knowledge of him as thus i know his father and his friends and in part him do you mark this reynaldo reynaldo ay very well my lord lord polonius and in part him but you may say not well but if't be he i mean he's very wild addicted so and so and there put on him what forgeries you please marry none so rank as may dishonour him take heed of that but sir such wanton wild and usual slips as are companions noted and most known to youth and liberty reynaldo as gaming my lord lord polonius ay or drinking fencing swearing quarrelling drabbing you may go so far reynaldo my lord that would dishonour him lord polonius faith no as you may season it in the charge you must not put another scandal on him that he is open to incontinency that's not my meaning but breathe his faults so quaintly that they may seem the taints of liberty the flash and outbreak of a fiery mind a savageness in unreclaimed blood of general assault reynaldo but my good lord lord polonius wherefore should you do this reynaldo ay my lord i would know that lord polonius marry sir here's my drift and i believe it is a fetch of wit you laying these slight sullies on my son as twere a thing a little soil'd i the working mark you your party in converse him you would sound having ever seen in the prenominate crimes the youth you breathe of guilty be assured he closes with you in this consequence good sir or so or friend or gentleman' according to the phrase or the addition of man and country reynaldo very good my lord lord polonius and then sir does he thishe doeswhat was i about to say by the mass i was about to say something where did i leave reynaldo at closes in the consequence at friend or so' and gentleman' lord polonius at closes in the consequence ay marry he closes thus i know the gentleman i saw him yesterday or t other day or then or then with such or such and as you say there was a gaming there o'ertook in's rouse there falling out at tennis or perchance i saw him enter such a house of sale' videlicet a brothel or so forth see you now your bait of falsehood takes this carp of truth and thus do we of wisdom and of reach with windlasses and with assays of bias by indirections find directions out so by my former lecture and advice shall you my son you have me have you not reynaldo my lord i have lord polonius god be wi you fare you well reynaldo good my lord lord polonius observe his inclination in yourself reynaldo i shall my lord lord polonius and let him ply his music reynaldo well my lord lord polonius farewell exit reynaldo enter ophelia how now ophelia what's the matter ophelia o my lord my lord i have been so affrighted lord polonius with what i the name of god ophelia my lord as i was sewing in my closet lord hamlet with his doublet all unbraced no hat upon his head his stockings foul'd ungarter'd and downgyved to his ancle pale as his shirt his knees knocking each other and with a look so piteous in purport as if he had been loosed out of hell to speak of horrorshe comes before me lord polonius mad for thy love ophelia my lord i do not know but truly i do fear it lord polonius what said he ophelia he took me by the wrist and held me hard then goes he to the length of all his arm and with his other hand thus o'er his brow he falls to such perusal of my face as he would draw it long stay'd he so at last a little shaking of mine arm and thrice his head thus waving up and down he raised a sigh so piteous and profound as it did seem to shatter all his bulk and end his being that done he lets me go and with his head over his shoulder turn'd he seem'd to find his way without his eyes for out o doors he went without their helps and to the last bended their light on me lord polonius come go with me i will go seek the king this is the very ecstasy of love whose violent property fordoes itself and leads the will to desperate undertakings as oft as any passion under heaven that does afflict our natures i am sorry what have you given him any hard words of late ophelia no my good lord but as you did command i did repel his fetters and denied his access to me lord polonius that hath made him mad i am sorry that with better heed and judgment i had not quoted him i fear'd he did but trifle and meant to wreck thee but beshrew my jealousy by heaven it is as proper to our age to cast beyond ourselves in our opinions as it is common for the younger sort to lack discretion come go we to the king this must be known which being kept close might move more grief to hide than hate to utter love exeunt hamlet act ii scene ii a room in the castle enter king claudius queen gertrude rosencrantz guildenstern and attendants king claudius welcome dear rosencrantz and guildenstern moreover that we much did long to see you the need we have to use you did provoke our hasty sending something have you heard of hamlet's transformation so call it sith nor the exterior nor the inward man resembles that it was what it should be more than his father's death that thus hath put him so much from the understanding of himself i cannot dream of i entreat you both that being of so young days brought up with him and sith so neighbour'd to his youth and havior that you vouchsafe your rest here in our court some little time so by your companies to draw him on to pleasures and to gather so much as from occasion you may glean whether aught to us unknown afflicts him thus that open'd lies within our remedy queen gertrude good gentlemen he hath much talk'd of you and sure i am two men there are not living to whom he more adheres if it will please you to show us so much gentry and good will as to expend your time with us awhile for the supply and profit of our hope your visitation shall receive such thanks as fits a king's remembrance rosencrantz both your majesties might by the sovereign power you have of us put your dread pleasures more into command than to entreaty guildenstern but we both obey and here give up ourselves in the full bent to lay our service freely at your feet to be commanded king claudius thanks rosencrantz and gentle guildenstern queen gertrude thanks guildenstern and gentle rosencrantz and i beseech you instantly to visit my too much changed son go some of you and bring these gentlemen where hamlet is guildenstern heavens make our presence and our practises pleasant and helpful to him queen gertrude ay amen exeunt rosencrantz guildenstern and some attendants enter polonius lord polonius the ambassadors from norway my good lord are joyfully return'd king claudius thou still hast been the father of good news lord polonius have i my lord i assure my good liege i hold my duty as i hold my soul both to my god and to my gracious king and i do think or else this brain of mine hunts not the trail of policy so sure as it hath used to do that i have found the very cause of hamlet's lunacy king claudius o speak of that that do i long to hear lord polonius give first admittance to the ambassadors my news shall be the fruit to that great feast king claudius thyself do grace to them and bring them in exit polonius he tells me my dear gertrude he hath found the head and source of all your son's distemper queen gertrude i doubt it is no other but the main his father's death and our o'erhasty marriage king claudius well we shall sift him reenter polonius with voltimand and cornelius welcome my good friends say voltimand what from our brother norway voltimand most fair return of greetings and desires upon our first he sent out to suppress his nephew's levies which to him appear'd to be a preparation gainst the polack but better look'd into he truly found it was against your highness whereat grieved that so his sickness age and impotence was falsely borne in hand sends out arrests on fortinbras which he in brief obeys receives rebuke from norway and in fine makes vow before his uncle never more to give the assay of arms against your majesty whereon old norway overcome with joy gives him three thousand crowns in annual fee and his commission to employ those soldiers so levied as before against the polack with an entreaty herein further shown giving a paper that it might please you to give quiet pass through your dominions for this enterprise on such regards of safety and allowance as therein are set down king claudius it likes us well and at our more consider'd time well read answer and think upon this business meantime we thank you for your welltook labour go to your rest at night we'll feast together most welcome home exeunt voltimand and cornelius lord polonius this business is well ended my liege and madam to expostulate what majesty should be what duty is why day is day night night and time is time were nothing but to waste night day and time therefore since brevity is the soul of wit and tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes i will be brief your noble son is mad mad call i it for to define true madness what is't but to be nothing else but mad but let that go queen gertrude more matter with less art lord polonius madam i swear i use no art at all that he is mad tis true tis true tis pity and pity tis tis true a foolish figure but farewell it for i will use no art mad let us grant him then and now remains that we find out the cause of this effect or rather say the cause of this defect for this effect defective comes by cause thus it remains and the remainder thus perpend i have a daughterhave while she is mine who in her duty and obedience mark hath given me this now gather and surmise reads to the celestial and my soul's idol the most beautified ophelia' that's an ill phrase a vile phrase beautified is a vile phrase but you shall hear thus reads in her excellent white bosom these &c' queen gertrude came this from hamlet to her lord polonius good madam stay awhile i will be faithful reads doubt thou the stars are fire doubt that the sun doth move doubt truth to be a liar but never doubt i love o dear ophelia i am ill at these numbers i have not art to reckon my groans but that i love thee best o most best believe it adieu thine evermore most dear lady whilst this machine is to him hamlet' this in obedience hath my daughter shown me and more above hath his solicitings as they fell out by time by means and place all given to mine ear king claudius but how hath she received his love lord polonius what do you think of me king claudius as of a man faithful and honourable lord polonius i would fain prove so but what might you think when i had seen this hot love on the wing as i perceived it i must tell you that before my daughter told mewhat might you or my dear majesty your queen here think if i had play'd the desk or tablebook or given my heart a winking mute and dumb or look'd upon this love with idle sight what might you think no i went round to work and my young mistress thus i did bespeak lord hamlet is a prince out of thy star this must not be and then i precepts gave her that she should lock herself from his resort admit no messengers receive no tokens which done she took the fruits of my advice and he repulseda short tale to make fell into a sadness then into a fast thence to a watch thence into a weakness thence to a lightness and by this declension into the madness wherein now he raves and all we mourn for king claudius do you think tis this queen gertrude it may be very likely lord polonius hath there been such a timei'd fain know that that i have positively said tis so' when it proved otherwise king claudius not that i know lord polonius pointing to his head and shoulder take this from this if this be otherwise if circumstances lead me i will find where truth is hid though it were hid indeed within the centre king claudius how may we try it further lord polonius you know sometimes he walks four hours together here in the lobby queen gertrude so he does indeed lord polonius at such a time i'll loose my daughter to him be you and i behind an arras then mark the encounter if he love her not and be not from his reason fall'n thereon let me be no assistant for a state but keep a farm and carters king claudius we will try it queen gertrude but look where sadly the poor wretch comes reading lord polonius away i do beseech you both away i'll board him presently exeunt king claudius queen gertrude and attendants enter hamlet reading o give me leave how does my good lord hamlet hamlet well godamercy lord polonius do you know me my lord hamlet excellent well you are a fishmonger lord polonius not i my lord hamlet then i would you were so honest a man lord polonius honest my lord hamlet ay sir to be honest as this world goes is to be one man picked out of ten thousand lord polonius that's very true my lord hamlet for if the sun breed maggots in a dead dog being a god kissing carrionhave you a daughter lord polonius i have my lord hamlet let her not walk i the sun conception is a blessing but not as your daughter may conceive friend look to t lord polonius aside how say you by that still harping on my daughter yet he knew me not at first he said i was a fishmonger he is far gone far gone and truly in my youth i suffered much extremity for love very near this i'll speak to him again what do you read my lord hamlet words words words lord polonius what is the matter my lord hamlet between who lord polonius i mean the matter that you read my lord hamlet slanders sir for the satirical rogue says here that old men have grey beards that their faces are wrinkled their eyes purging thick amber and plumtree gum and that they have a plentiful lack of wit together with most weak hams all which sir though i most powerfully and potently believe yet i hold it not honesty to have it thus set down for yourself sir should be old as i am if like a crab you could go backward lord polonius aside though this be madness yet there is method in t will you walk out of the air my lord hamlet into my grave lord polonius indeed that is out o the air aside how pregnant sometimes his replies are a happiness that often madness hits on which reason and sanity could not so prosperously be delivered of i will leave him and suddenly contrive the means of meeting between him and my daughtermy honourable lord i will most humbly take my leave of you hamlet you cannot sir take from me any thing that i will more willingly part withal except my life except my life except my life lord polonius fare you well my lord hamlet these tedious old fools enter rosencrantz and guildenstern lord polonius you go to seek the lord hamlet there he is rosencrantz to polonius god save you sir exit polonius guildenstern my honoured lord rosencrantz my most dear lord hamlet my excellent good friends how dost thou guildenstern ah rosencrantz good lads how do ye both rosencrantz as the indifferent children of the earth guildenstern happy in that we are not overhappy on fortune's cap we are not the very button hamlet nor the soles of her shoe rosencrantz neither my lord hamlet then you live about her waist or in the middle of her favours guildenstern faith her privates we hamlet in the secret parts of fortune o most true she is a strumpet what's the news rosencrantz none my lord but that the world's grown honest hamlet then is doomsday near but your news is not true let me question more in particular what have you my good friends deserved at the hands of fortune that she sends you to prison hither guildenstern prison my lord hamlet denmark's a prison rosencrantz then is the world one hamlet a goodly one in which there are many confines wards and dungeons denmark being one o the worst rosencrantz we think not so my lord hamlet why then tis none to you for there is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so to me it is a prison rosencrantz why then your ambition makes it one tis too narrow for your mind hamlet o god i could be bounded in a nut shell and count myself a king of infinite space were it not that i have bad dreams guildenstern which dreams indeed are ambition for the very substance of the ambitious is merely the shadow of a dream hamlet a dream itself is but a shadow rosencrantz truly and i hold ambition of so airy and light a quality that it is but a shadow's shadow hamlet then are our beggars bodies and our monarchs and outstretched heroes the beggars shadows shall we to the court for by my fay i cannot reason rosencrantz we'll wait upon you guildenstern hamlet no such matter i will not sort you with the rest of my servants for to speak to you like an honest man i am most dreadfully attended but in the beaten way of friendship what make you at elsinore rosencrantz to visit you my lord no other occasion hamlet beggar that i am i am even poor in thanks but i thank you and sure dear friends my thanks are too dear a halfpenny were you not sent for is it your own inclining is it a free visitation come deal justly with me come come nay speak guildenstern what should we say my lord hamlet why any thing but to the purpose you were sent for and there is a kind of confession in your looks which your modesties have not craft enough to colour i know the good king and queen have sent for you rosencrantz to what end my lord hamlet that you must teach me but let me conjure you by the rights of our fellowship by the consonancy of our youth by the obligation of our everpreserved love and by what more dear a better proposer could charge you withal be even and direct with me whether you were sent for or no rosencrantz aside to guildenstern what say you hamlet aside nay then i have an eye of youif you love me hold not off guildenstern my lord we were sent for hamlet i will tell you why so shall my anticipation prevent your discovery and your secrecy to the king and queen moult no feather i have of latebut wherefore i know notlost all my mirth forgone all custom of exercises and indeed it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame the earth seems to me a sterile promontory this most excellent canopy the air look you this brave o'erhanging firmament this majestical roof fretted with golden fire why it appears no other thing to me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours what a piece of work is a man how noble in reason how infinite in faculty in form and moving how express and admirable in action how like an angel in apprehension how like a god the beauty of the world the paragon of animals and yet to me what is this quintessence of dust man delights not me no nor woman neither though by your smiling you seem to say so rosencrantz my lord there was no such stuff in my thoughts hamlet why did you laugh then when i said man delights not me' rosencrantz to think my lord if you delight not in man what lenten entertainment the players shall receive from you we coted them on the way and hither are they coming to offer you service hamlet he that plays the king shall be welcome his majesty shall have tribute of me the adventurous knight shall use his foil and target the lover shall not sigh gratis the humourous man shall end his part in peace the clown shall make those laugh whose lungs are tickled o the sere and the lady shall say her mind freely or the blank verse shall halt for't what players are they rosencrantz even those you were wont to take delight in the tragedians of the city hamlet how chances it they travel their residence both in reputation and profit was better both ways rosencrantz i think their inhibition comes by the means of the late innovation hamlet do they hold the same estimation they did when i was in the city are they so followed rosencrantz no indeed are they not hamlet how comes it do they grow rusty rosencrantz nay their endeavour keeps in the wonted pace but there is sir an aery of children little eyases that cry out on the top of question and are most tyrannically clapped for't these are now the fashion and so berattle the common stagesso they call themthat many wearing rapiers are afraid of goosequills and dare scarce come thither hamlet what are they children who maintains em how are they escoted will they pursue the quality no longer than they can sing will they not say afterwards if they should grow themselves to common playersas it is most like if their means are no bettertheir writers do them wrong to make them exclaim against their own succession rosencrantz faith there has been much to do on both sides and the nation holds it no sin to tarre them to controversy there was for a while no money bid for argument unless the poet and the player went to cuffs in the question hamlet is't possible guildenstern o there has been much throwing about of brains hamlet do the boys carry it away rosencrantz ay that they do my lord hercules and his load too hamlet it is not very strange for mine uncle is king of denmark and those that would make mows at him while my father lived give twenty forty fifty an hundred ducats apiece for his picture in little sblood there is something in this more than natural if philosophy could find it out flourish of trumpets within guildenstern there are the players hamlet gentlemen you are welcome to elsinore your hands come then the appurtenance of welcome is fashion and ceremony let me comply with you in this garb lest my extent to the players which i tell you must show fairly outward should more appear like entertainment than yours you are welcome but my unclefather and auntmother are deceived guildenstern in what my dear lord hamlet i am but mad northnorthwest when the wind is southerly i know a hawk from a handsaw enter polonius lord polonius well be with you gentlemen hamlet hark you guildenstern and you too at each ear a hearer that great baby you see there is not yet out of his swaddlingclouts rosencrantz happily he's the second time come to them for they say an old man is twice a child hamlet i will prophesy he comes to tell me of the players mark it you say right sir o monday morning twas so indeed lord polonius my lord i have news to tell you hamlet my lord i have news to tell you when roscius was an actor in rome lord polonius the actors are come hither my lord hamlet buz buz lord polonius upon mine honour hamlet then came each actor on his ass lord polonius the best actors in the world either for tragedy comedy history pastoral pastoralcomical historicalpastoral tragicalhistorical tragical comicalhistoricalpastoral scene individable or poem unlimited seneca cannot be too heavy nor plautus too light for the law of writ and the liberty these are the only men hamlet o jephthah judge of israel what a treasure hadst thou lord polonius what a treasure had he my lord hamlet why one fair daughter and no more the which he loved passing well' lord polonius aside still on my daughter hamlet am i not i the right old jephthah lord polonius if you call me jephthah my lord i have a daughter that i love passing well hamlet nay that follows not lord polonius what follows then my lord hamlet why as by lot god wot' and then you know it came to pass as most like it was' the first row of the pious chanson will show you more for look where my abridgement comes enter four or five players you are welcome masters welcome all i am glad to see thee well welcome good friends o my old friend thy face is valenced since i saw thee last comest thou to beard me in denmark what my young lady and mistress by'r lady your ladyship is nearer to heaven than when i saw you last by the altitude of a chopine pray god your voice like apiece of uncurrent gold be not cracked within the ring masters you are all welcome we'll e'en to't like french falconers fly at any thing we see we'll have a speech straight come give us a taste of your quality come a passionate speech first player what speech my lord hamlet i heard thee speak me a speech once but it was never acted or if it was not above once for the play i remember pleased not the million twas caviare to the general but it wasas i received it and others whose judgments in such matters cried in the top of minean excellent play well digested in the scenes set down with as much modesty as cunning i remember one said there were no sallets in the lines to make the matter savoury nor no matter in the phrase that might indict the author of affectation but called it an honest method as wholesome as sweet and by very much more handsome than fine one speech in it i chiefly loved twas aeneas tale to dido and thereabout of it especially where he speaks of priam's slaughter if it live in your memory begin at this line let me see let me see the rugged pyrrhus like the hyrcanian beast' it is not soit begins with pyrrhus the rugged pyrrhus he whose sable arms black as his purpose did the night resemble when he lay couched in the ominous horse hath now this dread and black complexion smear'd with heraldry more dismal head to foot now is he total gules horridly trick'd with blood of fathers mothers daughters sons baked and impasted with the parching streets that lend a tyrannous and damned light to their lord's murder roasted in wrath and fire and thus o'ersized with coagulate gore with eyes like carbuncles the hellish pyrrhus old grandsire priam seeks' so proceed you lord polonius fore god my lord well spoken with good accent and good discretion first player anon he finds him striking too short at greeks his antique sword rebellious to his arm lies where it falls repugnant to command unequal match'd pyrrhus at priam drives in rage strikes wide but with the whiff and wind of his fell sword the unnerved father falls then senseless ilium seeming to feel this blow with flaming top stoops to his base and with a hideous crash takes prisoner pyrrhus ear for lo his sword which was declining on the milky head of reverend priam seem'd i the air to stick so as a painted tyrant pyrrhus stood and like a neutral to his will and matter did nothing but as we often see against some storm a silence in the heavens the rack stand still the bold winds speechless and the orb below as hush as death anon the dreadful thunder doth rend the region so after pyrrhus pause aroused vengeance sets him new awork and never did the cyclops hammers fall on mars's armour forged for proof eterne with less remorse than pyrrhus bleeding sword now falls on priam out out thou strumpet fortune all you gods in general synod take away her power break all the spokes and fellies from her wheel and bowl the round nave down the hill of heaven as low as to the fiends' lord polonius this is too long hamlet it shall to the barber's with your beard prithee say on he's for a jig or a tale of bawdry or he sleeps say on come to hecuba first player but who o who had seen the mobled queen' hamlet the mobled queen' lord polonius that's good mobled queen is good first player run barefoot up and down threatening the flames with bisson rheum a clout upon that head where late the diadem stood and for a robe about her lank and all o'erteemed loins a blanket in the alarm of fear caught up who this had seen with tongue in venom steep'd gainst fortune's state would treason have pronounced but if the gods themselves did see her then when she saw pyrrhus make malicious sport in mincing with his sword her husband's limbs the instant burst of clamour that she made unless things mortal move them not at all would have made milch the burning eyes of heaven and passion in the gods' lord polonius look whether he has not turned his colour and has tears in's eyes pray you no more hamlet tis well i'll have thee speak out the rest soon good my lord will you see the players well bestowed do you hear let them be well used for they are the abstract and brief chronicles of the time after your death you were better have a bad epitaph than their ill report while you live lord polonius my lord i will use them according to their desert hamlet god's bodykins man much better use every man after his desert and who should scape whipping use them after your own honour and dignity the less they deserve the more merit is in your bounty take them in lord polonius come sirs hamlet follow him friends we'll hear a play tomorrow exit polonius with all the players but the first dost thou hear me old friend can you play the murder of gonzago first player ay my lord hamlet we'll ha't tomorrow night you could for a need study a speech of some dozen or sixteen lines which i would set down and insert in't could you not first player ay my lord hamlet very well follow that lord and look you mock him not exit first player my good friends i'll leave you till night you are welcome to elsinore rosencrantz good my lord hamlet ay so god be wi ye exeunt rosencrantz and guildenstern now i am alone o what a rogue and peasant slave am i is it not monstrous that this player here but in a fiction in a dream of passion could force his soul so to his own conceit that from her working all his visage wann'd tears in his eyes distraction in's aspect a broken voice and his whole function suiting with forms to his conceit and all for nothing for hecuba what's hecuba to him or he to hecuba that he should weep for her what would he do had he the motive and the cue for passion that i have he would drown the stage with tears and cleave the general ear with horrid speech make mad the guilty and appal the free confound the ignorant and amaze indeed the very faculties of eyes and ears yet i a dull and muddymettled rascal peak like johnadreams unpregnant of my cause and can say nothing no not for a king upon whose property and most dear life a damn'd defeat was made am i a coward who calls me villain breaks my pate across plucks off my beard and blows it in my face tweaks me by the nose gives me the lie i the throat as deep as to the lungs who does me this ha swounds i should take it for it cannot be but i am pigeonliver'd and lack gall to make oppression bitter or ere this i should have fatted all the region kites with this slave's offal bloody bawdy villain remorseless treacherous lecherous kindless villain o vengeance why what an ass am i this is most brave that i the son of a dear father murder'd prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell must like a whore unpack my heart with words and fall acursing like a very drab a scullion fie upon't foh about my brain i have heard that guilty creatures sitting at a play have by the very cunning of the scene been struck so to the soul that presently they have proclaim'd their malefactions for murder though it have no tongue will speak with most miraculous organ i'll have these players play something like the murder of my father before mine uncle i'll observe his looks i'll tent him to the quick if he but blench i know my course the spirit that i have seen may be the devil and the devil hath power to assume a pleasing shape yea and perhaps out of my weakness and my melancholy as he is very potent with such spirits abuses me to damn me i'll have grounds more relative than this the play s the thing wherein i'll catch the conscience of the king exit hamlet act iii scene i a room in the castle enter king claudius queen gertrude polonius ophelia rosencrantz and guildenstern king claudius and can you by no drift of circumstance get from him why he puts on this confusion grating so harshly all his days of quiet with turbulent and dangerous lunacy rosencrantz he does confess he feels himself distracted but from what cause he will by no means speak guildenstern nor do we find him forward to be sounded but with a crafty madness keeps aloof when we would bring him on to some confession of his true state queen gertrude did he receive you well rosencrantz most like a gentleman guildenstern but with much forcing of his disposition rosencrantz niggard of question but of our demands most free in his reply queen gertrude did you assay him to any pastime rosencrantz madam it so fell out that certain players we o'erraught on the way of these we told him and there did seem in him a kind of joy to hear of it they are about the court and as i think they have already order this night to play before him lord polonius tis most true and he beseech'd me to entreat your majesties to hear and see the matter king claudius with all my heart and it doth much content me to hear him so inclined good gentlemen give him a further edge and drive his purpose on to these delights rosencrantz we shall my lord exeunt rosencrantz and guildenstern king claudius sweet gertrude leave us too for we have closely sent for hamlet hither that he as twere by accident may here affront ophelia her father and myself lawful espials will so bestow ourselves that seeing unseen we may of their encounter frankly judge and gather by him as he is behaved if t be the affliction of his love or no that thus he suffers for queen gertrude i shall obey you and for your part ophelia i do wish that your good beauties be the happy cause of hamlet's wildness so shall i hope your virtues will bring him to his wonted way again to both your honours ophelia madam i wish it may exit queen gertrude lord polonius ophelia walk you here gracious so please you we will bestow ourselves to ophelia read on this book that show of such an exercise may colour your loneliness we are oft to blame in this tis too much provedthat with devotion's visage and pious action we do sugar o'er the devil himself king claudius aside o tis too true how smart a lash that speech doth give my conscience the harlot's cheek beautied with plastering art is not more ugly to the thing that helps it than is my deed to my most painted word o heavy burthen lord polonius i hear him coming let's withdraw my lord exeunt king claudius and polonius enter hamlet hamlet to be or not to be that is the question whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them to die to sleep no more and by a sleep to say we end the heartache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to tis a consummation devoutly to be wish'd to die to sleep to sleep perchance to dream ay there's the rub for in that sleep of death what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil must give us pause there's the respect that makes calamity of so long life for who would bear the whips and scorns of time the oppressor's wrong the proud man's contumely the pangs of despised love the law's delay the insolence of office and the spurns that patient merit of the unworthy takes when he himself might his quietus make with a bare bodkin who would fardels bear to grunt and sweat under a weary life but that the dread of something after death the undiscover'd country from whose bourn no traveller returns puzzles the will and makes us rather bear those ills we have than fly to others that we know not of thus conscience does make cowards of us all and thus the native hue of resolution is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought and enterprises of great pith and moment with this regard their currents turn awry and lose the name of actionsoft you now the fair ophelia nymph in thy orisons be all my sins remember'd ophelia good my lord how does your honour for this many a day hamlet i humbly thank you well well well ophelia my lord i have remembrances of yours that i have longed long to redeliver i pray you now receive them hamlet no not i i never gave you aught ophelia my honour'd lord you know right well you did and with them words of so sweet breath composed as made the things more rich their perfume lost take these again for to the noble mind rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind there my lord hamlet ha ha are you honest ophelia my lord hamlet are you fair ophelia what means your lordship hamlet that if you be honest and fair your honesty should admit no discourse to your beauty ophelia could beauty my lord have better commerce than with honesty hamlet ay truly for the power of beauty will sooner transform honesty from what it is to a bawd than the force of honesty can translate beauty into his likeness this was sometime a paradox but now the time gives it proof i did love you once ophelia indeed my lord you made me believe so hamlet you should not have believed me for virtue cannot so inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of it i loved you not ophelia i was the more deceived hamlet get thee to a nunnery why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners i am myself indifferent honest but yet i could accuse me of such things that it were better my mother had not borne me i am very proud revengeful ambitious with more offences at my beck than i have thoughts to put them in imagination to give them shape or time to act them in what should such fellows as i do crawling between earth and heaven we are arrant knaves all believe none of us go thy ways to a nunnery where's your father ophelia at home my lord hamlet let the doors be shut upon him that he may play the fool no where but in's own house farewell ophelia o help him you sweet heavens hamlet if thou dost marry i'll give thee this plague for thy dowry be thou as chaste as ice as pure as snow thou shalt not escape calumny get thee to a nunnery go farewell or if thou wilt needs marry marry a fool for wise men know well enough what monsters you make of them to a nunnery go and quickly too farewell ophelia o heavenly powers restore him hamlet i have heard of your paintings too well enough god has given you one face and you make yourselves another you jig you amble and you lisp and nickname god's creatures and make your wantonness your ignorance go to i'll no more on't it hath made me mad i say we will have no more marriages those that are married already all but one shall live the rest shall keep as they are to a nunnery go exit ophelia o what a noble mind is here o'erthrown the courtier's soldier's scholar's eye tongue sword the expectancy and rose of the fair state the glass of fashion and the mould of form the observed of all observers quite quite down and i of ladies most deject and wretched that suck'd the honey of his music vows now see that noble and most sovereign reason like sweet bells jangled out of tune and harsh that unmatch'd form and feature of blown youth blasted with ecstasy o woe is me to have seen what i have seen see what i see reenter king claudius and polonius king claudius love his affections do not that way tend nor what he spake though it lack'd form a little was not like madness there's something in his soul o'er which his melancholy sits on brood and i do doubt the hatch and the disclose will be some danger which for to prevent i have in quick determination thus set it down he shall with speed to england for the demand of our neglected tribute haply the seas and countries different with variable objects shall expel this somethingsettled matter in his heart whereon his brains still beating puts him thus from fashion of himself what think you on't lord polonius it shall do well but yet do i believe the origin and commencement of his grief sprung from neglected love how now ophelia you need not tell us what lord hamlet said we heard it all my lord do as you please but if you hold it fit after the play let his queen mother all alone entreat him to show his grief let her be round with him and i'll be placed so please you in the ear of all their conference if she find him not to england send him or confine him where your wisdom best shall think king claudius it shall be so madness in great ones must not unwatch'd go exeunt hamlet act iii scene ii a hall in the castle enter hamlet and players hamlet speak the speech i pray you as i pronounced it to you trippingly on the tongue but if you mouth it as many of your players do i had as lief the towncrier spoke my lines nor do not saw the air too much with your hand thus but use all gently for in the very torrent tempest and as i may say the whirlwind of passion you must acquire and beget a temperance that may give it smoothness o it offends me to the soul to hear a robustious periwigpated fellow tear a passion to tatters to very rags to split the ears of the groundlings who for the most part are capable of nothing but inexplicable dumbshows and noise i would have such a fellow whipped for o'erdoing termagant it outherods herod pray you avoid it first player i warrant your honour hamlet be not too tame neither but let your own discretion be your tutor suit the action to the word the word to the action with this special o'erstep not the modesty of nature for any thing so overdone is from the purpose of playing whose end both at the first and now was and is to hold as twere the mirror up to nature to show virtue her own feature scorn her own image and the very age and body of the time his form and pressure now this overdone or come tardy off though it make the unskilful laugh cannot but make the judicious grieve the censure of the which one must in your allowance o'erweigh a whole theatre of others o there be players that i have seen play and heard others praise and that highly not to speak it profanely that neither having the accent of christians nor the gait of christian pagan nor man have so strutted and bellowed that i have thought some of nature's journeymen had made men and not made them well they imitated humanity so abominably first player i hope we have reformed that indifferently with us sir hamlet o reform it altogether and let those that play your clowns speak no more than is set down for them for there be of them that will themselves laugh to set on some quantity of barren spectators to laugh too though in the mean time some necessary question of the play be then to be considered that's villanous and shows a most pitiful ambition in the fool that uses it go make you ready exeunt players enter polonius rosencrantz and guildenstern how now my lord i will the king hear this piece of work lord polonius and the queen too and that presently hamlet bid the players make haste exit polonius will you two help to hasten them rosencrantz we will my lord guildenstern exeunt rosencrantz and guildenstern hamlet what ho horatio enter horatio horatio here sweet lord at your service hamlet horatio thou art e'en as just a man as e'er my conversation coped withal horatio o my dear lord hamlet nay do not think i flatter for what advancement may i hope from thee that no revenue hast but thy good spirits to feed and clothe thee why should the poor be flatter'd no let the candied tongue lick absurd pomp and crook the pregnant hinges of the knee where thrift may follow fawning dost thou hear since my dear soul was mistress of her choice and could of men distinguish her election hath seal'd thee for herself for thou hast been as one in suffering all that suffers nothing a man that fortune's buffets and rewards hast ta'en with equal thanks and blest are those whose blood and judgment are so well commingled that they are not a pipe for fortune's finger to sound what stop she please give me that man that is not passion's slave and i will wear him in my heart's core ay in my heart of heart as i do theesomething too much of this there is a play tonight before the king one scene of it comes near the circumstance which i have told thee of my father's death i prithee when thou seest that act afoot even with the very comment of thy soul observe mine uncle if his occulted guilt do not itself unkennel in one speech it is a damned ghost that we have seen and my imaginations are as foul as vulcan's stithy give him heedful note for i mine eyes will rivet to his face and after we will both our judgments join in censure of his seeming horatio well my lord if he steal aught the whilst this play is playing and scape detecting i will pay the theft hamlet they are coming to the play i must be idle get you a place danish march a flourish enter king claudius queen gertrude polonius ophelia rosencrantz guildenstern and others king claudius how fares our cousin hamlet hamlet excellent i faith of the chameleon's dish i eat the air promisecrammed you cannot feed capons so king claudius i have nothing with this answer hamlet these words are not mine hamlet no nor mine now to polonius my lord you played once i the university you say lord polonius that did i my lord and was accounted a good actor hamlet what did you enact lord polonius i did enact julius caesar i was killed i the capitol brutus killed me hamlet it was a brute part of him to kill so capital a calf there be the players ready rosencrantz ay my lord they stay upon your patience queen gertrude come hither my dear hamlet sit by me hamlet no good mother here's metal more attractive lord polonius to king claudius o ho do you mark that hamlet lady shall i lie in your lap lying down at ophelia's feet ophelia no my lord hamlet i mean my head upon your lap ophelia ay my lord hamlet do you think i meant country matters ophelia i think nothing my lord hamlet that's a fair thought to lie between maids legs ophelia what is my lord hamlet nothing ophelia you are merry my lord hamlet who i ophelia ay my lord hamlet o god your only jigmaker what should a man do but be merry for look you how cheerfully my mother looks and my father died within these two hours ophelia nay tis twice two months my lord hamlet so long nay then let the devil wear black for i'll have a suit of sables o heavens die two months ago and not forgotten yet then there's hope a great man's memory may outlive his life half a year but by'r lady he must build churches then or else shall he suffer not thinking on with the hobbyhorse whose epitaph is for o for o the hobbyhorse is forgot' hautboys play the dumbshow enters enter a king and a queen very lovingly the queen embracing him and he her she kneels and makes show of protestation unto him he takes her up and declines his head upon her neck lays him down upon a bank of flowers she seeing him asleep leaves him anon comes in a fellow takes off his crown kisses it and pours poison in the king's ears and exit the queen returns finds the king dead and makes passionate action the poisoner with some two or three mutes comes in again seeming to lament with her the dead body is carried away the poisoner wooes the queen with gifts she seems loath and unwilling awhile but in the end accepts his love exeunt ophelia what means this my lord hamlet marry this is miching mallecho it means mischief ophelia belike this show imports the argument of the play enter prologue hamlet we shall know by this fellow the players cannot keep counsel they'll tell all ophelia will he tell us what this show meant hamlet ay or any show that you'll show him be not you ashamed to show he'll not shame to tell you what it means ophelia you are naught you are naught i'll mark the play prologue for us and for our tragedy here stooping to your clemency we beg your hearing patiently exit hamlet is this a prologue or the posy of a ring ophelia tis brief my lord hamlet as woman's love enter two players king and queen player king full thirty times hath phoebus cart gone round neptune's salt wash and tellus orbed ground and thirty dozen moons with borrow'd sheen about the world have times twelve thirties been since love our hearts and hymen did our hands unite commutual in most sacred bands player queen so many journeys may the sun and moon make us again count o'er ere love be done but woe is me you are so sick of late so far from cheer and from your former state that i distrust you yet though i distrust discomfort you my lord it nothing must for women's fear and love holds quantity in neither aught or in extremity now what my love is proof hath made you know and as my love is sized my fear is so where love is great the littlest doubts are fear where little fears grow great great love grows there player king faith i must leave thee love and shortly too my operant powers their functions leave to do and thou shalt live in this fair world behind honour'd beloved and haply one as kind for husband shalt thou player queen o confound the rest such love must needs be treason in my breast in second husband let me be accurst none wed the second but who kill'd the first hamlet aside wormwood wormwood player queen the instances that second marriage move are base respects of thrift but none of love a second time i kill my husband dead when second husband kisses me in bed player king i do believe you think what now you speak but what we do determine oft we break purpose is but the slave to memory of violent birth but poor validity which now like fruit unripe sticks on the tree but fall unshaken when they mellow be most necessary tis that we forget to pay ourselves what to ourselves is debt what to ourselves in passion we propose the passion ending doth the purpose lose the violence of either grief or joy their own enactures with themselves destroy where joy most revels grief doth most lament grief joys joy grieves on slender accident this world is not for aye nor tis not strange that even our loves should with our fortunes change for tis a question left us yet to prove whether love lead fortune or else fortune love the great man down you mark his favourite flies the poor advanced makes friends of enemies and hitherto doth love on fortune tend for who not needs shall never lack a friend and who in want a hollow friend doth try directly seasons him his enemy but orderly to end where i begun our wills and fates do so contrary run that our devices still are overthrown our thoughts are ours their ends none of our own so think thou wilt no second husband wed but die thy thoughts when thy first lord is dead player queen nor earth to me give food nor heaven light sport and repose lock from me day and night to desperation turn my trust and hope an anchor's cheer in prison be my scope each opposite that blanks the face of joy meet what i would have well and it destroy both here and hence pursue me lasting strife if once a widow ever i be wife hamlet if she should break it now player king tis deeply sworn sweet leave me here awhile my spirits grow dull and fain i would beguile the tedious day with sleep sleeps player queen sleep rock thy brain and never come mischance between us twain exit hamlet madam how like you this play queen gertrude the lady protests too much methinks hamlet o but she'll keep her word king claudius have you heard the argument is there no offence in t hamlet no no they do but jest poison in jest no offence i the world king claudius what do you call the play hamlet the mousetrap marry how tropically this play is the image of a murder done in vienna gonzago is the duke's name his wife baptista you shall see anon tis a knavish piece of work but what o' that your majesty and we that have free souls it touches us not let the galled jade wince our withers are unwrung enter lucianus this is one lucianus nephew to the king ophelia you are as good as a chorus my lord hamlet i could interpret between you and your love if i could see the puppets dallying ophelia you are keen my lord you are keen hamlet it would cost you a groaning to take off my edge ophelia still better and worse hamlet so you must take your husbands begin murderer pox leave thy damnable faces and begin come the croaking raven doth bellow for revenge' lucianus thoughts black hands apt drugs fit and time agreeing confederate season else no creature seeing thou mixture rank of midnight weeds collected with hecate's ban thrice blasted thrice infected thy natural magic and dire property on wholesome life usurp immediately pours the poison into the sleeper's ears hamlet he poisons him i the garden for's estate his name's gonzago the story is extant and writ in choice italian you shall see anon how the murderer gets the love of gonzago's wife ophelia the king rises hamlet what frighted with false fire queen gertrude how fares my lord lord polonius give o'er the play king claudius give me some light away all lights lights lights exeunt all but hamlet and horatio hamlet why let the stricken deer go weep the hart ungalled play for some must watch while some must sleep so runs the world away would not this sir and a forest of feathers if the rest of my fortunes turn turk with mewith two provincial roses on my razed shoes get me a fellowship in a cry of players sir horatio half a share hamlet a whole one i for thou dost know o damon dear this realm dismantled was of jove himself and now reigns here a very verypajock horatio you might have rhymed hamlet o good horatio i'll take the ghost's word for a thousand pound didst perceive horatio very well my lord hamlet upon the talk of the poisoning horatio i did very well note him hamlet ah ha come some music come the recorders for if the king like not the comedy why then belike he likes it not perdy come some music reenter rosencrantz and guildenstern guildenstern good my lord vouchsafe me a word with you hamlet sir a whole history guildenstern the king sir hamlet ay sir what of him guildenstern is in his retirement marvellous distempered hamlet with drink sir guildenstern no my lord rather with choler hamlet your wisdom should show itself more richer to signify this to his doctor for for me to put him to his purgation would perhaps plunge him into far more choler guildenstern good my lord put your discourse into some frame and start not so wildly from my affair hamlet i am tame sir pronounce guildenstern the queen your mother in most great affliction of spirit hath sent me to you hamlet you are welcome guildenstern nay good my lord this courtesy is not of the right breed if it shall please you to make me a wholesome answer i will do your mother's commandment if not your pardon and my return shall be the end of my business hamlet sir i cannot guildenstern what my lord hamlet make you a wholesome answer my wit's diseased but sir such answer as i can make you shall command or rather as you say my mother therefore no more but to the matter my mother you say rosencrantz then thus she says your behavior hath struck her into amazement and admiration hamlet o wonderful son that can so astonish a mother but is there no sequel at the heels of this mother's admiration impart rosencrantz she desires to speak with you in her closet ere you go to bed hamlet we shall obey were she ten times our mother have you any further trade with us rosencrantz my lord you once did love me hamlet so i do still by these pickers and stealers rosencrantz good my lord what is your cause of distemper you do surely bar the door upon your own liberty if you deny your griefs to your friend hamlet sir i lack advancement rosencrantz how can that be when you have the voice of the king himself for your succession in denmark hamlet ay but sir while the grass grows'the proverb is something musty reenter players with recorders o the recorders let me see one to withdraw with youwhy do you go about to recover the wind of me as if you would drive me into a toil guildenstern o my lord if my duty be too bold my love is too unmannerly hamlet i do not well understand that will you play upon this pipe guildenstern my lord i cannot hamlet i pray you guildenstern believe me i cannot hamlet i do beseech you guildenstern i know no touch of it my lord hamlet tis as easy as lying govern these ventages with your lingers and thumb give it breath with your mouth and it will discourse most eloquent music look you these are the stops guildenstern but these cannot i command to any utterance of harmony i have not the skill hamlet why look you now how unworthy a thing you make of me you would play upon me you would seem to know my stops you would pluck out the heart of my mystery you would sound me from my lowest note to the top of my compass and there is much music excellent voice in this little organ yet cannot you make it speak sblood do you think i am easier to be played on than a pipe call me what instrument you will though you can fret me yet you cannot play upon me enter polonius god bless you sir lord polonius my lord the queen would speak with you and presently hamlet do you see yonder cloud that's almost in shape of a camel lord polonius by the mass and tis like a camel indeed hamlet methinks it is like a weasel lord polonius it is backed like a weasel hamlet or like a whale lord polonius very like a whale hamlet then i will come to my mother by and by they fool me to the top of my bent i will come by and by lord polonius i will say so hamlet by and by is easily said exit polonius leave me friends exeunt all but hamlet tis now the very witching time of night when churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out contagion to this world now could i drink hot blood and do such bitter business as the day would quake to look on soft now to my mother o heart lose not thy nature let not ever the soul of nero enter this firm bosom let me be cruel not unnatural i will speak daggers to her but use none my tongue and soul in this be hypocrites how in my words soever she be shent to give them seals never my soul consent exit hamlet act iii scene iii a room in the castle enter king claudius rosencrantz and guildenstern king claudius i like him not nor stands it safe with us to let his madness range therefore prepare you i your commission will forthwith dispatch and he to england shall along with you the terms of our estate may not endure hazard so dangerous as doth hourly grow out of his lunacies guildenstern we will ourselves provide most holy and religious fear it is to keep those many many bodies safe that live and feed upon your majesty rosencrantz the single and peculiar life is bound with all the strength and armour of the mind to keep itself from noyance but much more that spirit upon whose weal depend and rest the lives of many the cease of majesty dies not alone but like a gulf doth draw what's near it with it it is a massy wheel fix'd on the summit of the highest mount to whose huge spokes ten thousand lesser things are mortised and adjoin'd which when it falls each small annexment petty consequence attends the boisterous ruin never alone did the king sigh but with a general groan king claudius arm you i pray you to this speedy voyage for we will fetters put upon this fear which now goes too freefooted rosencrantz we will haste us guildenstern exeunt rosencrantz and guildenstern enter polonius lord polonius my lord he's going to his mother's closet behind the arras i'll convey myself to hear the process and warrant she'll tax him home and as you said and wisely was it said tis meet that some more audience than a mother since nature makes them partial should o'erhear the speech of vantage fare you well my liege i'll call upon you ere you go to bed and tell you what i know king claudius thanks dear my lord exit polonius o my offence is rank it smells to heaven it hath the primal eldest curse upon't a brother's murder pray can i not though inclination be as sharp as will my stronger guilt defeats my strong intent and like a man to double business bound i stand in pause where i shall first begin and both neglect what if this cursed hand were thicker than itself with brother's blood is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens to wash it white as snow whereto serves mercy but to confront the visage of offence and what's in prayer but this twofold force to be forestalled ere we come to fall or pardon'd being down then i'll look up my fault is past but o what form of prayer can serve my turn forgive me my foul murder' that cannot be since i am still possess'd of those effects for which i did the murder my crown mine own ambition and my queen may one be pardon'd and retain the offence in the corrupted currents of this world offence's gilded hand may shove by justice and oft tis seen the wicked prize itself buys out the law but tis not so above there is no shuffling there the action lies in his true nature and we ourselves compell'd even to the teeth and forehead of our faults to give in evidence what then what rests try what repentance can what can it not yet what can it when one can not repent o wretched state o bosom black as death o limed soul that struggling to be free art more engaged help angels make assay bow stubborn knees and heart with strings of steel be soft as sinews of the newborn babe all may be well retires and kneels enter hamlet hamlet now might i do it pat now he is praying and now i'll do't and so he goes to heaven and so am i revenged that would be scann'd a villain kills my father and for that i his sole son do this same villain send to heaven o this is hire and salary not revenge he took my father grossly full of bread with all his crimes broad blown as flush as may and how his audit stands who knows save heaven but in our circumstance and course of thought tis heavy with him and am i then revenged to take him in the purging of his soul when he is fit and season'd for his passage no up sword and know thou a more horrid hent when he is drunk asleep or in his rage or in the incestuous pleasure of his bed at gaming swearing or about some act that has no relish of salvation in't then trip him that his heels may kick at heaven and that his soul may be as damn'd and black as hell whereto it goes my mother stays this physic but prolongs thy sickly days exit king claudius rising my words fly up my thoughts remain below words without thoughts never to heaven go exit hamlet act iii scene iv the queen's closet enter queen margaret and polonius lord polonius he will come straight look you lay home to him tell him his pranks have been too broad to bear with and that your grace hath screen'd and stood between much heat and him i'll sconce me even here pray you be round with him hamlet within mother mother mother queen gertrude i'll warrant you fear me not withdraw i hear him coming polonius hides behind the arras enter hamlet hamlet now mother what's the matter queen gertrude hamlet thou hast thy father much offended hamlet mother you have my father much offended queen gertrude come come you answer with an idle tongue hamlet go go you question with a wicked tongue queen gertrude why how now hamlet hamlet what's the matter now queen gertrude have you forgot me hamlet no by the rood not so you are the queen your husband's brother's wife andwould it were not soyou are my mother queen gertrude nay then i'll set those to you that can speak hamlet come come and sit you down you shall not budge you go not till i set you up a glass where you may see the inmost part of you queen gertrude what wilt thou do thou wilt not murder me help help ho lord polonius behind what ho help help help hamlet drawing how now a rat dead for a ducat dead makes a pass through the arras lord polonius behind o i am slain falls and dies queen gertrude o me what hast thou done hamlet nay i know not is it the king queen gertrude o what a rash and bloody deed is this hamlet a bloody deed almost as bad good mother as kill a king and marry with his brother queen gertrude as kill a king hamlet ay lady twas my word lifts up the array and discovers polonius thou wretched rash intruding fool farewell i took thee for thy better take thy fortune thou find'st to be too busy is some danger leave wringing of your hands peace sit you down and let me wring your heart for so i shall if it be made of penetrable stuff if damned custom have not brass'd it so that it is proof and bulwark against sense queen gertrude what have i done that thou darest wag thy tongue in noise so rude against me hamlet such an act that blurs the grace and blush of modesty calls virtue hypocrite takes off the rose from the fair forehead of an innocent love and sets a blister there makes marriagevows as false as dicers oaths o such a deed as from the body of contraction plucks the very soul and sweet religion makes a rhapsody of words heaven's face doth glow yea this solidity and compound mass with tristful visage as against the doom is thoughtsick at the act queen gertrude ay me what act that roars so loud and thunders in the index hamlet look here upon this picture and on this the counterfeit presentment of two brothers see what a grace was seated on this brow hyperion's curls the front of jove himself an eye like mars to threaten and command a station like the herald mercury newlighted on a heavenkissing hill a combination and a form indeed where every god did seem to set his seal to give the world assurance of a man this was your husband look you now what follows here is your husband like a mildew'd ear blasting his wholesome brother have you eyes could you on this fair mountain leave to feed and batten on this moor ha have you eyes you cannot call it love for at your age the heyday in the blood is tame it's humble and waits upon the judgment and what judgment would step from this to this sense sure you have else could you not have motion but sure that sense is apoplex'd for madness would not err nor sense to ecstasy was ne'er so thrall'd but it reserved some quantity of choice to serve in such a difference what devil was't that thus hath cozen'd you at hoodmanblind eyes without feeling feeling without sight ears without hands or eyes smelling sans all or but a sickly part of one true sense could not so mope o shame where is thy blush rebellious hell if thou canst mutine in a matron's bones to flaming youth let virtue be as wax and melt in her own fire proclaim no shame when the compulsive ardour gives the charge since frost itself as actively doth burn and reason panders will queen gertrude o hamlet speak no more thou turn'st mine eyes into my very soul and there i see such black and grained spots as will not leave their tinct hamlet nay but to live in the rank sweat of an enseamed bed stew'd in corruption honeying and making love over the nasty sty queen gertrude o speak to me no more these words like daggers enter in mine ears no more sweet hamlet hamlet a murderer and a villain a slave that is not twentieth part the tithe of your precedent lord a vice of kings a cutpurse of the empire and the rule that from a shelf the precious diadem stole and put it in his pocket queen gertrude no more hamlet a king of shreds and patches enter ghost save me and hover o'er me with your wings you heavenly guards what would your gracious figure queen gertrude alas he's mad hamlet do you not come your tardy son to chide that lapsed in time and passion lets go by the important acting of your dread command o say ghost do not forget this visitation is but to whet thy almost blunted purpose but look amazement on thy mother sits o step between her and her fighting soul conceit in weakest bodies strongest works speak to her hamlet hamlet how is it with you lady queen gertrude alas how is't with you that you do bend your eye on vacancy and with the incorporal air do hold discourse forth at your eyes your spirits wildly peep and as the sleeping soldiers in the alarm your bedded hair like life in excrements starts up and stands on end o gentle son upon the heat and flame of thy distemper sprinkle cool patience whereon do you look hamlet on him on him look you how pale he glares his form and cause conjoin'd preaching to stones would make them capable do not look upon me lest with this piteous action you convert my stern effects then what i have to do will want true colour tears perchance for blood queen gertrude to whom do you speak this hamlet do you see nothing there queen gertrude nothing at all yet all that is i see hamlet nor did you nothing hear queen gertrude no nothing but ourselves hamlet why look you there look how it steals away my father in his habit as he lived look where he goes even now out at the portal exit ghost queen gertrude this the very coinage of your brain this bodiless creation ecstasy is very cunning in hamlet ecstasy my pulse as yours doth temperately keep time and makes as healthful music it is not madness that i have utter'd bring me to the test and i the matter will reword which madness would gambol from mother for love of grace lay not that mattering unction to your soul that not your trespass but my madness speaks it will but skin and film the ulcerous place whilst rank corruption mining all within infects unseen confess yourself to heaven repent what's past avoid what is to come and do not spread the compost on the weeds to make them ranker forgive me this my virtue for in the fatness of these pursy times virtue itself of vice must pardon beg yea curb and woo for leave to do him good queen gertrude o hamlet thou hast cleft my heart in twain hamlet o throw away the worser part of it and live the purer with the other half good night but go not to mine uncle's bed assume a virtue if you have it not that monster custom who all sense doth eat of habits devil is angel yet in this that to the use of actions fair and good he likewise gives a frock or livery that aptly is put on refrain tonight and that shall lend a kind of easiness to the next abstinence the next more easy for use almost can change the stamp of nature and either the devil or throw him out with wondrous potency once more good night and when you are desirous to be bless'd i'll blessing beg of you for this same lord pointing to polonius i do repent but heaven hath pleased it so to punish me with this and this with me that i must be their scourge and minister i will bestow him and will answer well the death i gave him so again good night i must be cruel only to be kind thus bad begins and worse remains behind one word more good lady queen gertrude what shall i do hamlet not this by no means that i bid you do let the bloat king tempt you again to bed pinch wanton on your cheek call you his mouse and let him for a pair of reechy kisses or paddling in your neck with his damn'd fingers make you to ravel all this matter out that i essentially am not in madness but mad in craft twere good you let him know for who that's but a queen fair sober wise would from a paddock from a bat a gib such dear concernings hide who would do so no in despite of sense and secrecy unpeg the basket on the house's top let the birds fly and like the famous ape to try conclusions in the basket creep and break your own neck down queen gertrude be thou assured if words be made of breath and breath of life i have no life to breathe what thou hast said to me hamlet i must to england you know that queen gertrude alack i had forgot tis so concluded on hamlet there's letters seal'd and my two schoolfellows whom i will trust as i will adders fang'd they bear the mandate they must sweep my way and marshal me to knavery let it work for tis the sport to have the engineer hoist with his own petard and t shall go hard but i will delve one yard below their mines and blow them at the moon o tis most sweet when in one line two crafts directly meet this man shall set me packing i'll lug the guts into the neighbour room mother good night indeed this counsellor is now most still most secret and most grave who was in life a foolish prating knave come sir to draw toward an end with you good night mother exeunt severally hamlet dragging in polonius hamlet act iv scene i a room in the castle enter king claudius queen gertrude rosencrantz and guildenstern king claudius there's matter in these sighs these profound heaves you must translate tis fit we understand them where is your son queen gertrude bestow this place on us a little while exeunt rosencrantz and guildenstern ah my good lord what have i seen tonight king claudius what gertrude how does hamlet queen gertrude mad as the sea and wind when both contend which is the mightier in his lawless fit behind the arras hearing something stir whips out his rapier cries a rat a rat' and in this brainish apprehension kills the unseen good old man king claudius o heavy deed it had been so with us had we been there his liberty is full of threats to all to you yourself to us to every one alas how shall this bloody deed be answer'd it will be laid to us whose providence should have kept short restrain'd and out of haunt this mad young man but so much was our love we would not understand what was most fit but like the owner of a foul disease to keep it from divulging let it feed even on the pith of life where is he gone queen gertrude to draw apart the body he hath kill'd o'er whom his very madness like some ore among a mineral of metals base shows itself pure he weeps for what is done king claudius o gertrude come away the sun no sooner shall the mountains touch but we will ship him hence and this vile deed we must with all our majesty and skill both countenance and excuse ho guildenstern reenter rosencrantz and guildenstern friends both go join you with some further aid hamlet in madness hath polonius slain and from his mother's closet hath he dragg'd him go seek him out speak fair and bring the body into the chapel i pray you haste in this exeunt rosencrantz and guildenstern come gertrude we'll call up our wisest friends and let them know both what we mean to do and what's untimely done whose whisper o'er the world's diameter as level as the cannon to his blank transports his poison'd shot may miss our name and hit the woundless air o come away my soul is full of discord and dismay exeunt hamlet act iv scene ii another room in the castle enter hamlet hamlet safely stowed rosencrantz within hamlet lord hamlet guildenstern hamlet what noise who calls on hamlet o here they come enter rosencrantz and guildenstern rosencrantz what have you done my lord with the dead body hamlet compounded it with dust whereto tis kin rosencrantz tell us where tis that we may take it thence and bear it to the chapel hamlet do not believe it rosencrantz believe what hamlet that i can keep your counsel and not mine own besides to be demanded of a sponge what replication should be made by the son of a king rosencrantz take you me for a sponge my lord hamlet ay sir that soaks up the king's countenance his rewards his authorities but such officers do the king best service in the end he keeps them like an ape in the corner of his jaw first mouthed to be last swallowed when he needs what you have gleaned it is but squeezing you and sponge you shall be dry again rosencrantz i understand you not my lord hamlet i am glad of it a knavish speech sleeps in a foolish ear rosencrantz my lord you must tell us where the body is and go with us to the king hamlet the body is with the king but the king is not with the body the king is a thing guildenstern a thing my lord hamlet of nothing bring me to him hide fox and all after exeunt hamlet act iv scene iii another room in the castle enter king claudius attended king claudius i have sent to seek him and to find the body how dangerous is it that this man goes loose yet must not we put the strong law on him he's loved of the distracted multitude who like not in their judgment but their eyes and where tis so the offender's scourge is weigh'd but never the offence to bear all smooth and even this sudden sending him away must seem deliberate pause diseases desperate grown by desperate appliance are relieved or not at all enter rosencrantz how now what hath befall'n rosencrantz where the dead body is bestow'd my lord we cannot get from him king claudius but where is he rosencrantz without my lord guarded to know your pleasure king claudius bring him before us rosencrantz ho guildenstern bring in my lord enter hamlet and guildenstern king claudius now hamlet where's polonius hamlet at supper king claudius at supper where hamlet not where he eats but where he is eaten a certain convocation of politic worms are e'en at him your worm is your only emperor for diet we fat all creatures else to fat us and we fat ourselves for maggots your fat king and your lean beggar is but variable service two dishes but to one table that's the end king claudius alas alas hamlet a man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king and cat of the fish that hath fed of that worm king claudius what dost you mean by this hamlet nothing but to show you how a king may go a progress through the guts of a beggar king claudius where is polonius hamlet in heaven send hither to see if your messenger find him not there seek him i the other place yourself but indeed if you find him not within this month you shall nose him as you go up the stairs into the lobby king claudius go seek him there to some attendants hamlet he will stay till ye come exeunt attendants king claudius hamlet this deed for thine especial safety which we do tender as we dearly grieve for that which thou hast donemust send thee hence with fiery quickness therefore prepare thyself the bark is ready and the wind at help the associates tend and every thing is bent for england hamlet for england king claudius ay hamlet hamlet good king claudius so is it if thou knew'st our purposes hamlet i see a cherub that sees them but come for england farewell dear mother king claudius thy loving father hamlet hamlet my mother father and mother is man and wife man and wife is one flesh and so my mother come for england exit king claudius follow him at foot tempt him with speed aboard delay it not i'll have him hence tonight away for every thing is seal'd and done that else leans on the affair pray you make haste exeunt rosencrantz and guildenstern and england if my love thou hold'st at aught as my great power thereof may give thee sense since yet thy cicatrice looks raw and red after the danish sword and thy free awe pays homage to usthou mayst not coldly set our sovereign process which imports at full by letters congruing to that effect the present death of hamlet do it england for like the hectic in my blood he rages and thou must cure me till i know tis done howe'er my haps my joys were ne'er begun exit hamlet act iv scene iv a plain in denmark enter fortinbras a captain and soldiers marching prince fortinbras go captain from me greet the danish king tell him that by his licence fortinbras craves the conveyance of a promised march over his kingdom you know the rendezvous if that his majesty would aught with us we shall express our duty in his eye and let him know so captain i will do't my lord prince fortinbras go softly on exeunt fortinbras and soldiers enter hamlet rosencrantz guildenstern and others hamlet good sir whose powers are these captain they are of norway sir hamlet how purposed sir i pray you captain against some part of poland hamlet who commands them sir captain the nephews to old norway fortinbras hamlet goes it against the main of poland sir or for some frontier captain truly to speak and with no addition we go to gain a little patch of ground that hath in it no profit but the name to pay five ducats five i would not farm it nor will it yield to norway or the pole a ranker rate should it be sold in fee hamlet why then the polack never will defend it captain yes it is already garrison'd hamlet two thousand souls and twenty thousand ducats will not debate the question of this straw this is the imposthume of much wealth and peace that inward breaks and shows no cause without why the man dies i humbly thank you sir captain god be wi you sir exit rosencrantz wilt please you go my lord hamlet i'll be with you straight go a little before exeunt all except hamlet how all occasions do inform against me and spur my dull revenge what is a man if his chief good and market of his time be but to sleep and feed a beast no more sure he that made us with such large discourse looking before and after gave us not that capability and godlike reason to fust in us unused now whether it be bestial oblivion or some craven scruple of thinking too precisely on the event a thought which quarter'd hath but one part wisdom and ever three parts coward i do not know why yet i live to say this thing's to do' sith i have cause and will and strength and means to do't examples gross as earth exhort me witness this army of such mass and charge led by a delicate and tender prince whose spirit with divine ambition puff'd makes mouths at the invisible event exposing what is mortal and unsure to all that fortune death and danger dare even for an eggshell rightly to be great is not to stir without great argument but greatly to find quarrel in a straw when honour's at the stake how stand i then that have a father kill'd a mother stain'd excitements of my reason and my blood and let all sleep while to my shame i see the imminent death of twenty thousand men that for a fantasy and trick of fame go to their graves like beds fight for a plot whereon the numbers cannot try the cause which is not tomb enough and continent to hide the slain o from this time forth my thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth exit hamlet act iv scene v elsinore a room in the castle enter queen gertrude horatio and a gentleman queen gertrude i will not speak with her gentleman she is importunate indeed distract her mood will needs be pitied queen gertrude what would she have gentleman she speaks much of her father says she hears there's tricks i the world and hems and beats her heart spurns enviously at straws speaks things in doubt that carry but half sense her speech is nothing yet the unshaped use of it doth move the hearers to collection they aim at it and botch the words up fit to their own thoughts which as her winks and nods and gestures yield them indeed would make one think there might be thought though nothing sure yet much unhappily horatio twere good she were spoken with for she may strew dangerous conjectures in illbreeding minds queen gertrude let her come in exit horatio to my sick soul as sin's true nature is each toy seems prologue to some great amiss so full of artless jealousy is guilt it spills itself in fearing to be spilt reenter horatio with ophelia ophelia where is the beauteous majesty of denmark queen gertrude how now ophelia ophelia sings how should i your true love know from another one by his cockle hat and staff and his sandal shoon queen gertrude alas sweet lady what imports this song ophelia say you nay pray you mark sings he is dead and gone lady he is dead and gone at his head a grassgreen turf at his heels a stone queen gertrude nay but ophelia ophelia pray you mark sings white his shroud as the mountain snow enter king claudius queen gertrude alas look here my lord ophelia sings larded with sweet flowers which bewept to the grave did go with truelove showers king claudius how do you pretty lady ophelia well god ild you they say the owl was a baker's daughter lord we know what we are but know not what we may be god be at your table king claudius conceit upon her father ophelia pray you let's have no words of this but when they ask you what it means say you this sings tomorrow is saint valentine's day all in the morning betime and i a maid at your window to be your valentine then up he rose and donn'd his clothes and dupp'd the chamberdoor let in the maid that out a maid never departed more king claudius pretty ophelia ophelia indeed la without an oath i'll make an end on't sings by gis and by saint charity alack and fie for shame young men will do't if they come to't by cock they are to blame quoth she before you tumbled me you promised me to wed so would i ha done by yonder sun an thou hadst not come to my bed king claudius how long hath she been thus ophelia i hope all will be well we must be patient but i cannot choose but weep to think they should lay him i the cold ground my brother shall know of it and so i thank you for your good counsel come my coach good night ladies good night sweet ladies good night good night exit king claudius follow her close give her good watch i pray you exit horatio o this is the poison of deep grief it springs all from her father's death o gertrude gertrude when sorrows come they come not single spies but in battalions first her father slain next your son gone and he most violent author of his own just remove the people muddied thick and unwholesome in their thoughts and whispers for good polonius death and we have done but greenly in huggermugger to inter him poor ophelia divided from herself and her fair judgment without the which we are pictures or mere beasts last and as much containing as all these her brother is in secret come from france feeds on his wonder keeps himself in clouds and wants not buzzers to infect his ear with pestilent speeches of his father's death wherein necessity of matter beggar'd will nothing stick our person to arraign in ear and ear o my dear gertrude this like to a murderingpiece in many places gives me superfluous death a noise within queen gertrude alack what noise is this king claudius where are my switzers let them guard the door enter another gentleman what is the matter gentleman save yourself my lord the ocean overpeering of his list eats not the flats with more impetuous haste than young laertes in a riotous head o'erbears your officers the rabble call him lord and as the world were now but to begin antiquity forgot custom not known the ratifiers and props of every word they cry choose we laertes shall be king' caps hands and tongues applaud it to the clouds laertes shall be king laertes king' queen gertrude how cheerfully on the false trail they cry o this is counter you false danish dogs king claudius the doors are broke noise within enter laertes armed danes following laertes where is this king sirs stand you all without danes no let's come in laertes i pray you give me leave danes we will we will they retire without the door laertes i thank you keep the door o thou vile king give me my father queen gertrude calmly good laertes laertes that drop of blood that's calm proclaims me bastard cries cuckold to my father brands the harlot even here between the chaste unsmirched brow of my true mother king claudius what is the cause laertes that thy rebellion looks so giantlike let him go gertrude do not fear our person there's such divinity doth hedge a king that treason can but peep to what it would acts little of his will tell me laertes why thou art thus incensed let him go gertrude speak man laertes where is my father king claudius dead queen gertrude but not by him king claudius let him demand his fill laertes how came he dead i'll not be juggled with to hell allegiance vows to the blackest devil conscience and grace to the profoundest pit i dare damnation to this point i stand that both the worlds i give to negligence let come what comes only i'll be revenged most thoroughly for my father king claudius who shall stay you laertes my will not all the world and for my means i'll husband them so well they shall go far with little king claudius good laertes if you desire to know the certainty of your dear father's death is't writ in your revenge that swoopstake you will draw both friend and foe winner and loser laertes none but his enemies king claudius will you know them then laertes to his good friends thus wide i'll ope my arms and like the kind liferendering pelican repast them with my blood king claudius why now you speak like a good child and a true gentleman that i am guiltless of your father's death and am most sensible in grief for it it shall as level to your judgment pierce as day does to your eye danes within let her come in laertes how now what noise is that reenter ophelia o heat dry up my brains tears seven times salt burn out the sense and virtue of mine eye by heaven thy madness shall be paid by weight till our scale turn the beam o rose of may dear maid kind sister sweet ophelia o heavens is't possible a young maid's wits should be as moral as an old man's life nature is fine in love and where tis fine it sends some precious instance of itself after the thing it loves ophelia sings they bore him barefaced on the bier hey non nonny nonny hey nonny and in his grave rain'd many a tear fare you well my dove laertes hadst thou thy wits and didst persuade revenge it could not move thus ophelia sings you must sing adown adown an you call him adowna o how the wheel becomes it it is the false steward that stole his master's daughter laertes this nothing's more than matter ophelia there's rosemary that's for remembrance pray love remember and there is pansies that's for thoughts laertes a document in madness thoughts and remembrance fitted ophelia there's fennel for you and columbines there's rue for you and here's some for me we may call it herbgrace o sundays o you must wear your rue with a difference there's a daisy i would give you some violets but they withered all when my father died they say he made a good end sings for bonny sweet robin is all my joy laertes thought and affliction passion hell itself she turns to favour and to prettiness ophelia sings and will he not come again and will he not come again no no he is dead go to thy deathbed he never will come again his beard was as white as snow all flaxen was his poll he is gone he is gone and we cast away moan god ha mercy on his soul and of all christian souls i pray god god be wi ye exit laertes do you see this o god king claudius laertes i must commune with your grief or you deny me right go but apart make choice of whom your wisest friends you will and they shall hear and judge twixt you and me if by direct or by collateral hand they find us touch'd we will our kingdom give our crown our life and all that we can ours to you in satisfaction but if not be you content to lend your patience to us and we shall jointly labour with your soul to give it due content laertes let this be so his means of death his obscure funeral no trophy sword nor hatchment o'er his bones no noble rite nor formal ostentation cry to be heard as twere from heaven to earth that i must call't in question king claudius so you shall and where the offence is let the great axe fall i pray you go with me exeunt hamlet act iv scene vi another room in the castle enter horatio and a servant horatio what are they that would speak with me servant sailors sir they say they have letters for you horatio let them come in exit servant i do not know from what part of the world i should be greeted if not from lord hamlet enter sailors first sailor god bless you sir horatio let him bless thee too first sailor he shall sir an't please him there's a letter for you sir it comes from the ambassador that was bound for england if your name be horatio as i am let to know it is horatio reads horatio when thou shalt have overlooked this give these fellows some means to the king they have letters for him ere we were two days old at sea a pirate of very warlike appointment gave us chase finding ourselves too slow of sail we put on a compelled valour and in the grapple i boarded them on the instant they got clear of our ship so i alone became their prisoner they have dealt with me like thieves of mercy but they knew what they did i am to do a good turn for them let the king have the letters i have sent and repair thou to me with as much speed as thou wouldst fly death i have words to speak in thine ear will make thee dumb yet are they much too light for the bore of the matter these good fellows will bring thee where i am rosencrantz and guildenstern hold their course for england of them i have much to tell thee farewell he that thou knowest thine hamlet' come i will make you way for these your letters and do't the speedier that you may direct me to him from whom you brought them exeunt hamlet act iv scene vii another room in the castle enter king claudius and laertes king claudius now must your conscience my acquaintance seal and you must put me in your heart for friend sith you have heard and with a knowing ear that he which hath your noble father slain pursued my life laertes it well appears but tell me why you proceeded not against these feats so crimeful and so capital in nature as by your safety wisdom all things else you mainly were stirr'd up king claudius o for two special reasons which may to you perhaps seem much unsinew'd but yet to me they are strong the queen his mother lives almost by his looks and for myself my virtue or my plague be it either which she's so conjunctive to my life and soul that as the star moves not but in his sphere i could not but by her the other motive why to a public count i might not go is the great love the general gender bear him who dipping all his faults in their affection would like the spring that turneth wood to stone convert his gyves to graces so that my arrows too slightly timber'd for so loud a wind would have reverted to my bow again and not where i had aim'd them laertes and so have i a noble father lost a sister driven into desperate terms whose worth if praises may go back again stood challenger on mount of all the age for her perfections but my revenge will come king claudius break not your sleeps for that you must not think that we are made of stuff so flat and dull that we can let our beard be shook with danger and think it pastime you shortly shall hear more i loved your father and we love ourself and that i hope will teach you to imagine enter a messenger how now what news messenger letters my lord from hamlet this to your majesty this to the queen king claudius from hamlet who brought them messenger sailors my lord they say i saw them not they were given me by claudio he received them of him that brought them king claudius laertes you shall hear them leave us exit messenger reads high and mighty you shall know i am set naked on your kingdom tomorrow shall i beg leave to see your kingly eyes when i shall first asking your pardon thereunto recount the occasion of my sudden and more strange return hamlet' what should this mean are all the rest come back or is it some abuse and no such thing laertes know you the hand king claudius tis hamlets character naked and in a postscript here he says alone' can you advise me laertes i'm lost in it my lord but let him come it warms the very sickness in my heart that i shall live and tell him to his teeth thus didest thou' king claudius if it be so laertes as how should it be so how otherwise will you be ruled by me laertes ay my lord so you will not o'errule me to a peace king claudius to thine own peace if he be now return'd as checking at his voyage and that he means no more to undertake it i will work him to an exploit now ripe in my device under the which he shall not choose but fall and for his death no wind of blame shall breathe but even his mother shall uncharge the practise and call it accident laertes my lord i will be ruled the rather if you could devise it so that i might be the organ king claudius it falls right you have been talk'd of since your travel much and that in hamlet's hearing for a quality wherein they say you shine your sum of parts did not together pluck such envy from him as did that one and that in my regard of the unworthiest siege laertes what part is that my lord king claudius a very riband in the cap of youth yet needful too for youth no less becomes the light and careless livery that it wears than settled age his sables and his weeds importing health and graveness two months since here was a gentleman of normandy i've seen myself and served against the french and they can well on horseback but this gallant had witchcraft in't he grew unto his seat and to such wondrous doing brought his horse as he had been incorpsed and deminatured with the brave beast so far he topp'd my thought that i in forgery of shapes and tricks come short of what he did laertes a norman was't king claudius a norman laertes upon my life lamond king claudius the very same laertes i know him well he is the brooch indeed and gem of all the nation king claudius he made confession of you and gave you such a masterly report for art and exercise in your defence and for your rapier most especially that he cried out twould be a sight indeed if one could match you the scrimers of their nation he swore had had neither motion guard nor eye if you opposed them sir this report of his did hamlet so envenom with his envy that he could nothing do but wish and beg your sudden coming o'er to play with him now out of this laertes what out of this my lord king claudius laertes was your father dear to you or are you like the painting of a sorrow a face without a heart laertes why ask you this king claudius not that i think you did not love your father but that i know love is begun by time and that i see in passages of proof time qualifies the spark and fire of it there lives within the very flame of love a kind of wick or snuff that will abate it and nothing is at a like goodness still for goodness growing to a plurisy dies in his own too much that we would do we should do when we would for this would changes and hath abatements and delays as many as there are tongues are hands are accidents and then this should is like a spendthrift sigh that hurts by easing but to the quick o the ulcer hamlet comes back what would you undertake to show yourself your father's son in deed more than in words laertes to cut his throat i the church king claudius no place indeed should murder sanctuarize revenge should have no bounds but good laertes will you do this keep close within your chamber hamlet return'd shall know you are come home we'll put on those shall praise your excellence and set a double varnish on the fame the frenchman gave you bring you in fine together and wager on your heads he being remiss most generous and free from all contriving will not peruse the foils so that with ease or with a little shuffling you may choose a sword unbated and in a pass of practise requite him for your father laertes i will do't and for that purpose i'll anoint my sword i bought an unction of a mountebank so mortal that but dip a knife in it where it draws blood no cataplasm so rare collected from all simples that have virtue under the moon can save the thing from death that is but scratch'd withal i'll touch my point with this contagion that if i gall him slightly it may be death king claudius let's further think of this weigh what convenience both of time and means may fit us to our shape if this should fail and that our drift look through our bad performance twere better not assay'd therefore this project should have a back or second that might hold if this should blast in proof soft let me see we'll make a solemn wager on your cunnings i ha't when in your motion you are hot and dry as make your bouts more violent to that end and that he calls for drink i'll have prepared him a chalice for the nonce whereon but sipping if he by chance escape your venom'd stuck our purpose may hold there enter queen gertrude how now sweet queen queen gertrude one woe doth tread upon another's heel so fast they follow your sister's drown'd laertes laertes drown'd o where queen gertrude there is a willow grows aslant a brook that shows his hoar leaves in the glassy stream there with fantastic garlands did she come of crowflowers nettles daisies and long purples that liberal shepherds give a grosser name but our cold maids do dead men's fingers call them there on the pendent boughs her coronet weeds clambering to hang an envious sliver broke when down her weedy trophies and herself fell in the weeping brook her clothes spread wide and mermaidlike awhile they bore her up which time she chanted snatches of old tunes as one incapable of her own distress or like a creature native and indued unto that element but long it could not be till that her garments heavy with their drink pull'd the poor wretch from her melodious lay to muddy death laertes alas then she is drown'd queen gertrude drown'd drown'd laertes too much of water hast thou poor ophelia and therefore i forbid my tears but yet it is our trick nature her custom holds let shame say what it will when these are gone the woman will be out adieu my lord i have a speech of fire that fain would blaze but that this folly douts it exit king claudius let's follow gertrude how much i had to do to calm his rage now fear i this will give it start again therefore let's follow exeunt hamlet act v scene i a churchyard enter two clowns with spades &c first clown is she to be buried in christian burial that wilfully seeks her own salvation second clown i tell thee she is and therefore make her grave straight the crowner hath sat on her and finds it christian burial first clown how can that be unless she drowned herself in her own defence second clown why tis found so first clown it must be se offendendo it cannot be else for here lies the point if i drown myself wittingly it argues an act and an act hath three branches it is to act to do to perform argal she drowned herself wittingly second clown nay but hear you goodman delver first clown give me leave here lies the water good here stands the man good if the man go to this water and drown himself it is will he nill he he goesmark you that but if the water come to him and drown him he drowns not himself argal he that is not guilty of his own death shortens not his own life second clown but is this law first clown ay marry is't crowner's quest law second clown will you ha the truth on't if this had not been a gentlewoman she should have been buried out o' christian burial first clown why there thou say'st and the more pity that great folk should have countenance in this world to drown or hang themselves more than their even christian come my spade there is no ancient gentleman but gardeners ditchers and gravemakers they hold up adam's profession second clown was he a gentleman first clown he was the first that ever bore arms second clown why he had none first clown what art a heathen how dost thou understand the scripture the scripture says adam digged' could he dig without arms i'll put another question to thee if thou answerest me not to the purpose confess thyself second clown go to first clown what is he that builds stronger than either the mason the shipwright or the carpenter second clown the gallowsmaker for that frame outlives a thousand tenants first clown i like thy wit well in good faith the gallows does well but how does it well it does well to those that do in now thou dost ill to say the gallows is built stronger than the church argal the gallows may do well to thee to't again come second clown who builds stronger than a mason a shipwright or a carpenter' first clown ay tell me that and unyoke second clown marry now i can tell first clown to't second clown mass i cannot tell enter hamlet and horatio at a distance first clown cudgel thy brains no more about it for your dull ass will not mend his pace with beating and when you are asked this question next say a gravemaker the houses that he makes last till doomsday go get thee to yaughan fetch me a stoup of liquor exit second clown he digs and sings in youth when i did love did love methought it was very sweet to contract o the time for ah my behove o methought there was nothing meet hamlet has this fellow no feeling of his business that he sings at gravemaking horatio custom hath made it in him a property of easiness hamlet tis e'en so the hand of little employment hath the daintier sense first clown sings but age with his stealing steps hath claw'd me in his clutch and hath shipped me intil the land as if i had never been such throws up a skull hamlet that skull had a tongue in it and could sing once how the knave jowls it to the ground as if it were cain's jawbone that did the first murder it might be the pate of a politician which this ass now o'erreaches one that would circumvent god might it not horatio it might my lord hamlet or of a courtier which could say good morrow sweet lord how dost thou good lord this might be my lord suchaone that praised my lord suchaone's horse when he meant to beg it might it not horatio ay my lord hamlet why e'en so and now my lady worm's chapless and knocked about the mazzard with a sexton's spade here's fine revolution an we had the trick to see't did these bones cost no more the breeding but to play at loggats with em mine ache to think on't first clown sings a pickaxe and a spade a spade for and a shrouding sheet o a pit of clay for to be made for such a guest is meet throws up another skull hamlet there's another why may not that be the skull of a lawyer where be his quiddities now his quillets his cases his tenures and his tricks why does he suffer this rude knave now to knock him about the sconce with a dirty shovel and will not tell him of his action of battery hum this fellow might be in's time a great buyer of land with his statutes his recognizances his fines his double vouchers his recoveries is this the fine of his fines and the recovery of his recoveries to have his fine pate full of fine dirt will his vouchers vouch him no more of his purchases and double ones too than the length and breadth of a pair of indentures the very conveyances of his lands will hardly lie in this box and must the inheritor himself have no more ha horatio not a jot more my lord hamlet is not parchment made of sheepskins horatio ay my lord and of calfskins too hamlet they are sheep and calves which seek out assurance in that i will speak to this fellow whose grave's this sirrah first clown mine sir sings o a pit of clay for to be made for such a guest is meet hamlet i think it be thine indeed for thou liest in't first clown you lie out on't sir and therefore it is not yours for my part i do not lie in't and yet it is mine hamlet thou dost lie in't to be in't and say it is thine tis for the dead not for the quick therefore thou liest first clown tis a quick lie sir twill away gain from me to you hamlet what man dost thou dig it for first clown for no man sir hamlet what woman then first clown for none neither hamlet who is to be buried in't first clown one that was a woman sir but rest her soul she's dead hamlet how absolute the knave is we must speak by the card or equivocation will undo us by the lord horatio these three years i have taken a note of it the age is grown so picked that the toe of the peasant comes so near the heel of the courtier he gaffs his kibe how long hast thou been a gravemaker first clown of all the days i the year i came to't that day that our last king hamlet overcame fortinbras hamlet how long is that since first clown cannot you tell that every fool can tell that it was the very day that young hamlet was born he that is mad and sent into england hamlet ay marry why was he sent into england first clown why because he was mad he shall recover his wits there or if he do not it's no great matter there hamlet why first clown twill a not be seen in him there there the men are as mad as he hamlet how came he mad first clown very strangely they say hamlet how strangely first clown faith e'en with losing his wits hamlet upon what ground first clown why here in denmark i have been sexton here man and boy thirty years hamlet how long will a man lie i the earth ere he rot first clown i faith if he be not rotten before he dieas we have many pocky corses nowadays that will scarce hold the laying inhe will last you some eight year or nine year a tanner will last you nine year hamlet why he more than another first clown why sir his hide is so tanned with his trade that he will keep out water a great while and your water is a sore decayer of your whoreson dead body here's a skull now this skull has lain in the earth three and twenty years hamlet whose was it first clown a whoreson mad fellow's it was whose do you think it was hamlet nay i know not first clown a pestilence on him for a mad rogue a poured a flagon of rhenish on my head once this same skull sir was yorick's skull the king's jester hamlet this first clown e'en that hamlet let me see takes the skull alas poor yorick i knew him horatio a fellow of infinite jest of most excellent fancy he hath borne me on his back a thousand times and now how abhorred in my imagination it is my gorge rims at it here hung those lips that i have kissed i know not how oft where be your gibes now your gambols your songs your flashes of merriment that were wont to set the table on a roar not one now to mock your own grinning quite chapfallen now get you to my lady's chamber and tell her let her paint an inch thick to this favour she must come make her laugh at that prithee horatio tell me one thing horatio what's that my lord hamlet dost thou think alexander looked o this fashion i' the earth horatio e'en so hamlet and smelt so pah puts down the skull horatio e'en so my lord hamlet to what base uses we may return horatio why may not imagination trace the noble dust of alexander till he find it stopping a bunghole horatio twere to consider too curiously to consider so hamlet no faith not a jot but to follow him thither with modesty enough and likelihood to lead it as thus alexander died alexander was buried alexander returneth into dust the dust is earth of earth we make loam and why of that loam whereto he was converted might they not stop a beerbarrel imperious caesar dead and turn'd to clay might stop a hole to keep the wind away o that that earth which kept the world in awe should patch a wall to expel the winter flaw but soft but soft aside here comes the king enter priest &c in procession the corpse of ophelia laertes and mourners following king claudius queen gertrude their trains &c the queen the courtiers who is this they follow and with such maimed rites this doth betoken the corse they follow did with desperate hand fordo its own life twas of some estate couch we awhile and mark retiring with horatio laertes what ceremony else hamlet that is laertes a very noble youth mark laertes what ceremony else first priest her obsequies have been as far enlarged as we have warrantise her death was doubtful and but that great command o'ersways the order she should in ground unsanctified have lodged till the last trumpet for charitable prayers shards flints and pebbles should be thrown on her yet here she is allow'd her virgin crants her maiden strewments and the bringing home of bell and burial laertes must there no more be done first priest no more be done we should profane the service of the dead to sing a requiem and such rest to her as to peaceparted souls laertes lay her i the earth and from her fair and unpolluted flesh may violets spring i tell thee churlish priest a ministering angel shall my sister be when thou liest howling hamlet what the fair ophelia queen gertrude sweets to the sweet farewell scattering flowers i hoped thou shouldst have been my hamlet's wife i thought thy bridebed to have deck'd sweet maid and not have strew'd thy grave laertes o treble woe fall ten times treble on that cursed head whose wicked deed thy most ingenious sense deprived thee of hold off the earth awhile till i have caught her once more in mine arms leaps into the grave now pile your dust upon the quick and dead till of this flat a mountain you have made to o'ertop old pelion or the skyish head of blue olympus hamlet advancing what is he whose grief bears such an emphasis whose phrase of sorrow conjures the wandering stars and makes them stand like wonderwounded hearers this is i hamlet the dane leaps into the grave laertes the devil take thy soul grappling with him hamlet thou pray'st not well i prithee take thy fingers from my throat for though i am not splenitive and rash yet have i something in me dangerous which let thy wiseness fear hold off thy hand king claudius pluck them asunder queen gertrude hamlet hamlet all gentlemen horatio good my lord be quiet the attendants part them and they come out of the grave hamlet why i will fight with him upon this theme until my eyelids will no longer wag queen gertrude o my son what theme hamlet i loved ophelia forty thousand brothers could not with all their quantity of love make up my sum what wilt thou do for her king claudius o he is mad laertes queen gertrude for love of god forbear him hamlet swounds show me what thou'lt do woo't weep woo't fight woo't fast woo't tear thyself woo't drink up eisel eat a crocodile i'll do't dost thou come here to whine to outface me with leaping in her grave be buried quick with her and so will i and if thou prate of mountains let them throw millions of acres on us till our ground singeing his pate against the burning zone make ossa like a wart nay an thou'lt mouth i'll rant as well as thou queen gertrude this is mere madness and thus awhile the fit will work on him anon as patient as the female dove when that her golden couplets are disclosed his silence will sit drooping hamlet hear you sir what is the reason that you use me thus i loved you ever but it is no matter let hercules himself do what he may the cat will mew and dog will have his day exit king claudius i pray you good horatio wait upon him exit horatio to laertes strengthen your patience in our last night's speech we'll put the matter to the present push good gertrude set some watch over your son this grave shall have a living monument an hour of quiet shortly shall we see till then in patience our proceeding be exeunt hamlet act v scene ii a hall in the castle enter hamlet and horatio hamlet so much for this sir now shall you see the other you do remember all the circumstance horatio remember it my lord hamlet sir in my heart there was a kind of fighting that would not let me sleep methought i lay worse than the mutines in the bilboes rashly and praised be rashness for it let us know our indiscretion sometimes serves us well when our deep plots do pall and that should teach us there's a divinity that shapes our ends roughhew them how we will horatio that is most certain hamlet up from my cabin my seagown scarf'd about me in the dark groped i to find out them had my desire finger'd their packet and in fine withdrew to mine own room again making so bold my fears forgetting manners to unseal their grand commission where i found horatio o royal knaveryan exact command larded with many several sorts of reasons importing denmark's health and england's too with ho such bugs and goblins in my life that on the supervise no leisure bated no not to stay the grinding of the axe my head should be struck off horatio is't possible hamlet here's the commission read it at more leisure but wilt thou hear me how i did proceed horatio i beseech you hamlet being thus benetted round with villanies ere i could make a prologue to my brains they had begun the playi sat me down devised a new commission wrote it fair i once did hold it as our statists do a baseness to write fair and labour'd much how to forget that learning but sir now it did me yeoman's service wilt thou know the effect of what i wrote horatio ay good my lord hamlet an earnest conjuration from the king as england was his faithful tributary as love between them like the palm might flourish as peace should stiff her wheaten garland wear and stand a comma tween their amities and many suchlike as'es of great charge that on the view and knowing of these contents without debatement further more or less he should the bearers put to sudden death not shrivingtime allow'd horatio how was this seal'd hamlet why even in that was heaven ordinant i had my father's signet in my purse which was the model of that danish seal folded the writ up in form of the other subscribed it gave't the impression placed it safely the changeling never known now the next day was our seafight and what to this was sequent thou know'st already horatio so guildenstern and rosencrantz go to't hamlet why man they did make love to this employment they are not near my conscience their defeat does by their own insinuation grow tis dangerous when the baser nature comes between the pass and fell incensed points of mighty opposites horatio why what a king is this hamlet does it not think'st thee stand me now upon he that hath kill'd my king and whored my mother popp'd in between the election and my hopes thrown out his angle for my proper life and with such cozenageis't not perfect conscience to quit him with this arm and is't not to be damn'd to let this canker of our nature come in further evil horatio it must be shortly known to him from england what is the issue of the business there hamlet it will be short the interim is mine and a man's life's no more than to say one' but i am very sorry good horatio that to laertes i forgot myself for by the image of my cause i see the portraiture of his i'll court his favours but sure the bravery of his grief did put me into a towering passion horatio peace who comes here enter osric osric your lordship is right welcome back to denmark hamlet i humbly thank you sir dost know this waterfly horatio no my good lord hamlet thy state is the more gracious for tis a vice to know him he hath much land and fertile let a beast be lord of beasts and his crib shall stand at the king's mess tis a chough but as i say spacious in the possession of dirt osric sweet lord if your lordship were at leisure i should impart a thing to you from his majesty hamlet i will receive it sir with all diligence of spirit put your bonnet to his right use tis for the head osric i thank your lordship it is very hot hamlet no believe me tis very cold the wind is northerly osric it is indifferent cold my lord indeed hamlet but yet methinks it is very sultry and hot for my complexion osric exceedingly my lord it is very sultryas twerei cannot tell how but my lord his majesty bade me signify to you that he has laid a great wager on your head sir this is the matter hamlet i beseech you remember hamlet moves him to put on his hat osric nay good my lord for mine ease in good faith sir here is newly come to court laertes believe me an absolute gentleman full of most excellent differences of very soft society and great showing indeed to speak feelingly of him he is the card or calendar of gentry for you shall find in him the continent of what part a gentleman would see hamlet sir his definement suffers no perdition in you though i know to divide him inventorially would dizzy the arithmetic of memory and yet but yaw neither in respect of his quick sail but in the verity of extolment i take him to be a soul of great article and his infusion of such dearth and rareness as to make true diction of him his semblable is his mirror and who else would trace him his umbrage nothing more osric your lordship speaks most infallibly of him hamlet the concernancy sir why do we wrap the gentleman in our more rawer breath osric sir horatio is't not possible to understand in another tongue you will do't sir really hamlet what imports the nomination of this gentleman osric of laertes horatio his purse is empty already all's golden words are spent hamlet of him sir osric i know you are not ignorant hamlet i would you did sir yet in faith if you did it would not much approve me well sir osric you are not ignorant of what excellence laertes is hamlet i dare not confess that lest i should compare with him in excellence but to know a man well were to know himself osric i mean sir for his weapon but in the imputation laid on him by them in his meed he's unfellowed hamlet what's his weapon osric rapier and dagger hamlet that's two of his weapons but well osric the king sir hath wagered with him six barbary horses against the which he has imponed as i take it six french rapiers and poniards with their assigns as girdle hangers and so three of the carriages in faith are very dear to fancy very responsive to the hilts most delicate carriages and of very liberal conceit hamlet what call you the carriages horatio i knew you must be edified by the margent ere you had done osric the carriages sir are the hangers hamlet the phrase would be more german to the matter if we could carry cannon by our sides i would it might be hangers till then but on six barbary horses against six french swords their assigns and three liberalconceited carriages that's the french bet against the danish why is this imponed as you call it osric the king sir hath laid that in a dozen passes between yourself and him he shall not exceed you three hits he hath laid on twelve for nine and it would come to immediate trial if your lordship would vouchsafe the answer hamlet how if i answer no' osric i mean my lord the opposition of your person in trial hamlet sir i will walk here in the hall if it please his majesty tis the breathing time of day with me let the foils be brought the gentleman willing and the king hold his purpose i will win for him an i can if not i will gain nothing but my shame and the odd hits osric shall i redeliver you e'en so hamlet to this effect sir after what flourish your nature will osric i commend my duty to your lordship hamlet yours yours exit osric he does well to commend it himself there are no tongues else for's turn horatio this lapwing runs away with the shell on his head hamlet he did comply with his dug before he sucked it thus has heand many more of the same bevy that i know the dressy age dotes ononly got the tune of the time and outward habit of encounter a kind of yesty collection which carries them through and through the most fond and winnowed opinions and do but blow them to their trial the bubbles are out enter a lord lord my lord his majesty commended him to you by young osric who brings back to him that you attend him in the hall he sends to know if your pleasure hold to play with laertes or that you will take longer time hamlet i am constant to my purpose they follow the king's pleasure if his fitness speaks mine is ready now or whensoever provided i be so able as now lord the king and queen and all are coming down hamlet in happy time lord the queen desires you to use some gentle entertainment to laertes before you fall to play hamlet she well instructs me exit lord horatio you will lose this wager my lord hamlet i do not think so since he went into france i have been in continual practise i shall win at the odds but thou wouldst not think how ill all's here about my heart but it is no matter horatio nay good my lord hamlet it is but foolery but it is such a kind of gaingiving as would perhaps trouble a woman horatio if your mind dislike any thing obey it i will forestall their repair hither and say you are not fit hamlet not a whit we defy augury there's a special providence in the fall of a sparrow if it be now tis not to come if it be not to come it will be now if it be not now yet it will come the readiness is all since no man has aught of what he leaves what is't to leave betimes enter king claudius queen gertrude laertes lords osric and attendants with foils &c king claudius come hamlet come and take this hand from me king claudius puts laertes hand into hamlet's hamlet give me your pardon sir i've done you wrong but pardon't as you are a gentleman this presence knows and you must needs have heard how i am punish'd with sore distraction what i have done that might your nature honour and exception roughly awake i here proclaim was madness was't hamlet wrong'd laertes never hamlet if hamlet from himself be ta'en away and when he's not himself does wrong laertes then hamlet does it not hamlet denies it who does it then his madness if't be so hamlet is of the faction that is wrong'd his madness is poor hamlet's enemy sir in this audience let my disclaiming from a purposed evil free me so far in your most generous thoughts that i have shot mine arrow o'er the house and hurt my brother laertes i am satisfied in nature whose motive in this case should stir me most to my revenge but in my terms of honour i stand aloof and will no reconcilement till by some elder masters of known honour i have a voice and precedent of peace to keep my name ungored but till that time i do receive your offer'd love like love and will not wrong it hamlet i embrace it freely and will this brother's wager frankly play give us the foils come on laertes come one for me hamlet i'll be your foil laertes in mine ignorance your skill shall like a star i the darkest night stick fiery off indeed laertes you mock me sir hamlet no by this hand king claudius give them the foils young osric cousin hamlet you know the wager hamlet very well my lord your grace hath laid the odds o the weaker side king claudius i do not fear it i have seen you both but since he is better'd we have therefore odds laertes this is too heavy let me see another hamlet this likes me well these foils have all a length they prepare to play osric ay my good lord king claudius set me the stoops of wine upon that table if hamlet give the first or second hit or quit in answer of the third exchange let all the battlements their ordnance fire the king shall drink to hamlet's better breath and in the cup an union shall he throw richer than that which four successive kings in denmark's crown have worn give me the cups and let the kettle to the trumpet speak the trumpet to the cannoneer without the cannons to the heavens the heavens to earth now the king dunks to hamlet come begin and you the judges bear a wary eye hamlet come on sir laertes come my lord they play hamlet one laertes no hamlet judgment osric a hit a very palpable hit laertes well again king claudius stay give me drink hamlet this pearl is thine here's to thy health trumpets sound and cannon shot off within give him the cup hamlet i'll play this bout first set it by awhile come they play another hit what say you laertes a touch a touch i do confess king claudius our son shall win queen gertrude he's fat and scant of breath here hamlet take my napkin rub thy brows the queen carouses to thy fortune hamlet hamlet good madam king claudius gertrude do not drink queen gertrude i will my lord i pray you pardon me king claudius aside it is the poison'd cup it is too late hamlet i dare not drink yet madam by and by queen gertrude come let me wipe thy face laertes my lord i'll hit him now king claudius i do not think't laertes aside and yet tis almost gainst my conscience hamlet come for the third laertes you but dally i pray you pass with your best violence i am afeard you make a wanton of me laertes say you so come on they play osric nothing neither way laertes have at you now laertes wounds hamlet then in scuffling they change rapiers and hamlet wounds laertes king claudius part them they are incensed hamlet nay come again queen gertrude falls osric look to the queen there ho horatio they bleed on both sides how is it my lord osric how is't laertes laertes why as a woodcock to mine own springe osric i am justly kill'd with mine own treachery hamlet how does the queen king claudius she swounds to see them bleed queen gertrude no no the drink the drinko my dear hamlet the drink the drink i am poison'd dies hamlet o villany ho let the door be lock'd treachery seek it out laertes it is here hamlet hamlet thou art slain no medicine in the world can do thee good in thee there is not half an hour of life the treacherous instrument is in thy hand unbated and envenom'd the foul practise hath turn'd itself on me lo here i lie never to rise again thy mother's poison'd i can no more the king the king's to blame hamlet the pointenvenom'd too then venom to thy work stabs king claudius all treason treason king claudius o yet defend me friends i am but hurt hamlet here thou incestuous murderous damned dane drink off this potion is thy union here follow my mother king claudius dies laertes he is justly served it is a poison temper'd by himself exchange forgiveness with me noble hamlet mine and my father's death come not upon thee nor thine on me dies hamlet heaven make thee free of it i follow thee i am dead horatio wretched queen adieu you that look pale and tremble at this chance that are but mutes or audience to this act had i but timeas this fell sergeant death is strict in his arresto i could tell you but let it be horatio i am dead thou livest report me and my cause aright to the unsatisfied horatio never believe it i am more an antique roman than a dane here's yet some liquor left hamlet as thou'rt a man give me the cup let go by heaven i'll have't o good horatio what a wounded name things standing thus unknown shall live behind me if thou didst ever hold me in thy heart absent thee from felicity awhile and in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain to tell my story march afar off and shot within what warlike noise is this osric young fortinbras with conquest come from poland to the ambassadors of england gives this warlike volley hamlet o i die horatio the potent poison quite o'ercrows my spirit i cannot live to hear the news from england but i do prophesy the election lights on fortinbras he has my dying voice so tell him with the occurrents more and less which have solicited the rest is silence dies horatio now cracks a noble heart good night sweet prince and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest why does the drum come hither march within enter fortinbras the english ambassadors and others prince fortinbras where is this sight horatio what is it ye would see if aught of woe or wonder cease your search prince fortinbras this quarry cries on havoc o proud death what feast is toward in thine eternal cell that thou so many princes at a shot so bloodily hast struck first ambassador the sight is dismal and our affairs from england come too late the ears are senseless that should give us hearing to tell him his commandment is fulfill'd that rosencrantz and guildenstern are dead where should we have our thanks horatio not from his mouth had it the ability of life to thank you he never gave commandment for their death but since so jump upon this bloody question you from the polack wars and you from england are here arrived give order that these bodies high on a stage be placed to the view and let me speak to the yet unknowing world how these things came about so shall you hear of carnal bloody and unnatural acts of accidental judgments casual slaughters of deaths put on by cunning and forced cause and in this upshot purposes mistook fall'n on the inventors reads all this can i truly deliver prince fortinbras let us haste to hear it and call the noblest to the audience for me with sorrow i embrace my fortune i have some rights of memory in this kingdom which now to claim my vantage doth invite me horatio of that i shall have also cause to speak and from his mouth whose voice will draw on more but let this same be presently perform'd even while men's minds are wild lest more mischance on plots and errors happen prince fortinbras let four captains bear hamlet like a soldier to the stage for he was likely had he been put on to have proved most royally and for his passage the soldiers music and the rites of war speak loudly for him take up the bodies such a sight as this becomes the field but here shows much amiss go bid the soldiers shoot a dead march exeunt bearing off the dead bodies after which a peal of ordnance is shot off julius caesar dramatis personae julius caesar caesar octavius caesar octavius marcus antonius antony triumvirs after death of julius caesar m aemilius lepidus lepidus cicero publius senators popilius lena popilius marcus brutus brutus cassius casca trebonius conspirators against julius caesar ligarius decius brutus metellus cimber cinna flavius tribunes marullus artemidorus of cnidos a teacher of rhetoric artemidorus a soothsayer soothsayer cinna a poet cinna the poet another poet poet lucilius titinius messala friends to brutus and cassius young cato cato volumnius varro clitus claudius servants to brutus strato lucius dardanius pindarus servant to cassius calpurnia wife to caesar portia wife to brutus senators citizens guards attendants &c first citizen second citizen third citizen fourth citizen first commoner second commoner servant first soldier second soldier third soldier messenger scene rome the neighbourhood of sardis the neighbourhood of philippi julius caesar act i scene i rome a street enter flavius marullus and certain commoners flavius hence home you idle creatures get you home is this a holiday what know you not being mechanical you ought not walk upon a labouring day without the sign of your profession speak what trade art thou first commoner why sir a carpenter marullus where is thy leather apron and thy rule what dost thou with thy best apparel on you sir what trade are you second commoner truly sir in respect of a fine workman i am but as you would say a cobbler marullus but what trade art thou answer me directly second commoner a trade sir that i hope i may use with a safe conscience which is indeed sir a mender of bad soles marullus what trade thou knave thou naughty knave what trade second commoner nay i beseech you sir be not out with me yet if you be out sir i can mend you marullus what meanest thou by that mend me thou saucy fellow second commoner why sir cobble you flavius thou art a cobbler art thou second commoner truly sir all that i live by is with the awl i meddle with no tradesman's matters nor women's matters but with awl i am indeed sir a surgeon to old shoes when they are in great danger i recover them as proper men as ever trod upon neat's leather have gone upon my handiwork flavius but wherefore art not in thy shop today why dost thou lead these men about the streets second commoner truly sir to wear out their shoes to get myself into more work but indeed sir we make holiday to see caesar and to rejoice in his triumph marullus wherefore rejoice what conquest brings he home what tributaries follow him to rome to grace in captive bonds his chariotwheels you blocks you stones you worse than senseless things o you hard hearts you cruel men of rome knew you not pompey many a time and oft have you climb'd up to walls and battlements to towers and windows yea to chimneytops your infants in your arms and there have sat the livelong day with patient expectation to see great pompey pass the streets of rome and when you saw his chariot but appear have you not made an universal shout that tiber trembled underneath her banks to hear the replication of your sounds made in her concave shores and do you now put on your best attire and do you now cull out a holiday and do you now strew flowers in his way that comes in triumph over pompey's blood be gone run to your houses fall upon your knees pray to the gods to intermit the plague that needs must light on this ingratitude flavius go go good countrymen and for this fault assemble all the poor men of your sort draw them to tiber banks and weep your tears into the channel till the lowest stream do kiss the most exalted shores of all exeunt all the commoners see whether their basest metal be not moved they vanish tonguetied in their guiltiness go you down that way towards the capitol this way will i disrobe the images if you do find them deck'd with ceremonies marullus may we do so you know it is the feast of lupercal flavius it is no matter let no images be hung with caesar's trophies i'll about and drive away the vulgar from the streets so do you too where you perceive them thick these growing feathers pluck'd from caesar's wing will make him fly an ordinary pitch who else would soar above the view of men and keep us all in servile fearfulness exeunt julius caesar act i scene ii a public place flourish enter caesar antony for the course calpurnia portia decius brutus cicero brutus cassius and casca a great crowd following among them a soothsayer caesar calpurnia casca peace ho caesar speaks caesar calpurnia calpurnia here my lord caesar stand you directly in antonius way when he doth run his course antonius antony caesar my lord caesar forget not in your speed antonius to touch calpurnia for our elders say the barren touched in this holy chase shake off their sterile curse antony i shall remember when caesar says do this it is perform'd caesar set on and leave no ceremony out flourish soothsayer caesar caesar ha who calls casca bid every noise be still peace yet again caesar who is it in the press that calls on me i hear a tongue shriller than all the music cry caesar speak caesar is turn'd to hear soothsayer beware the ides of march caesar what man is that brutus a soothsayer bids you beware the ides of march caesar set him before me let me see his face cassius fellow come from the throng look upon caesar caesar what say'st thou to me now speak once again soothsayer beware the ides of march caesar he is a dreamer let us leave him pass sennet exeunt all except brutus and cassius cassius will you go see the order of the course brutus not i cassius i pray you do brutus i am not gamesome i do lack some part of that quick spirit that is in antony let me not hinder cassius your desires i'll leave you cassius brutus i do observe you now of late i have not from your eyes that gentleness and show of love as i was wont to have you bear too stubborn and too strange a hand over your friend that loves you brutus cassius be not deceived if i have veil'd my look i turn the trouble of my countenance merely upon myself vexed i am of late with passions of some difference conceptions only proper to myself which give some soil perhaps to my behaviors but let not therefore my good friends be grieved among which number cassius be you one nor construe any further my neglect than that poor brutus with himself at war forgets the shows of love to other men cassius then brutus i have much mistook your passion by means whereof this breast of mine hath buried thoughts of great value worthy cogitations tell me good brutus can you see your face brutus no cassius for the eye sees not itself but by reflection by some other things cassius tis just and it is very much lamented brutus that you have no such mirrors as will turn your hidden worthiness into your eye that you might see your shadow i have heard where many of the best respect in rome except immortal caesar speaking of brutus and groaning underneath this age's yoke have wish'd that noble brutus had his eyes brutus into what dangers would you lead me cassius that you would have me seek into myself for that which is not in me cassius therefore good brutus be prepared to hear and since you know you cannot see yourself so well as by reflection i your glass will modestly discover to yourself that of yourself which you yet know not of and be not jealous on me gentle brutus were i a common laugher or did use to stale with ordinary oaths my love to every new protester if you know that i do fawn on men and hug them hard and after scandal them or if you know that i profess myself in banqueting to all the rout then hold me dangerous flourish and shout brutus what means this shouting i do fear the people choose caesar for their king cassius ay do you fear it then must i think you would not have it so brutus i would not cassius yet i love him well but wherefore do you hold me here so long what is it that you would impart to me if it be aught toward the general good set honour in one eye and death i the other and i will look on both indifferently for let the gods so speed me as i love the name of honour more than i fear death cassius i know that virtue to be in you brutus as well as i do know your outward favour well honour is the subject of my story i cannot tell what you and other men think of this life but for my single self i had as lief not be as live to be in awe of such a thing as i myself i was born free as caesar so were you we both have fed as well and we can both endure the winter's cold as well as he for once upon a raw and gusty day the troubled tiber chafing with her shores caesar said to me darest thou cassius now leap in with me into this angry flood and swim to yonder point upon the word accoutred as i was i plunged in and bade him follow so indeed he did the torrent roar'd and we did buffet it with lusty sinews throwing it aside and stemming it with hearts of controversy but ere we could arrive the point proposed caesar cried help me cassius or i sink' i as aeneas our great ancestor did from the flames of troy upon his shoulder the old anchises bear so from the waves of tiber did i the tired caesar and this man is now become a god and cassius is a wretched creature and must bend his body if caesar carelessly but nod on him he had a fever when he was in spain and when the fit was on him i did mark how he did shake tis true this god did shake his coward lips did from their colour fly and that same eye whose bend doth awe the world did lose his lustre i did hear him groan ay and that tongue of his that bade the romans mark him and write his speeches in their books alas it cried give me some drink titinius' as a sick girl ye gods it doth amaze me a man of such a feeble temper should so get the start of the majestic world and bear the palm alone shout flourish brutus another general shout i do believe that these applauses are for some new honours that are heap'd on caesar cassius why man he doth bestride the narrow world like a colossus and we petty men walk under his huge legs and peep about to find ourselves dishonourable graves men at some time are masters of their fates the fault dear brutus is not in our stars but in ourselves that we are underlings brutus and caesar what should be in that caesar' why should that name be sounded more than yours write them together yours is as fair a name sound them it doth become the mouth as well weigh them it is as heavy conjure with em brutus will start a spirit as soon as caesar now in the names of all the gods at once upon what meat doth this our caesar feed that he is grown so great age thou art shamed rome thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods when went there by an age since the great flood but it was famed with more than with one man when could they say till now that talk'd of rome that her wide walls encompass'd but one man now is it rome indeed and room enough when there is in it but one only man o you and i have heard our fathers say there was a brutus once that would have brook'd the eternal devil to keep his state in rome as easily as a king brutus that you do love me i am nothing jealous what you would work me to i have some aim how i have thought of this and of these times i shall recount hereafter for this present i would not so with love i might entreat you be any further moved what you have said i will consider what you have to say i will with patience hear and find a time both meet to hear and answer such high things till then my noble friend chew upon this brutus had rather be a villager than to repute himself a son of rome under these hard conditions as this time is like to lay upon us cassius i am glad that my weak words have struck but thus much show of fire from brutus brutus the games are done and caesar is returning cassius as they pass by pluck casca by the sleeve and he will after his sour fashion tell you what hath proceeded worthy note today reenter caesar and his train brutus i will do so but look you cassius the angry spot doth glow on caesar's brow and all the rest look like a chidden train calpurnia's cheek is pale and cicero looks with such ferret and such fiery eyes as we have seen him in the capitol being cross'd in conference by some senators cassius casca will tell us what the matter is caesar antonius antony caesar caesar let me have men about me that are fat sleekheaded men and such as sleep o nights yond cassius has a lean and hungry look he thinks too much such men are dangerous antony fear him not caesar he's not dangerous he is a noble roman and well given caesar would he were fatter but i fear him not yet if my name were liable to fear i do not know the man i should avoid so soon as that spare cassius he reads much he is a great observer and he looks quite through the deeds of men he loves no plays as thou dost antony he hears no music seldom he smiles and smiles in such a sort as if he mock'd himself and scorn'd his spirit that could be moved to smile at any thing such men as he be never at heart's ease whiles they behold a greater than themselves and therefore are they very dangerous i rather tell thee what is to be fear'd than what i fear for always i am caesar come on my right hand for this ear is deaf and tell me truly what thou think'st of him sennet exeunt caesar and all his train but casca casca you pull'd me by the cloak would you speak with me brutus ay casca tell us what hath chanced today that caesar looks so sad casca why you were with him were you not brutus i should not then ask casca what had chanced casca why there was a crown offered him and being offered him he put it by with the back of his hand thus and then the people fell ashouting brutus what was the second noise for casca why for that too cassius they shouted thrice what was the last cry for casca why for that too brutus was the crown offered him thrice casca ay marry was't and he put it by thrice every time gentler than other and at every puttingby mine honest neighbours shouted cassius who offered him the crown casca why antony brutus tell us the manner of it gentle casca casca i can as well be hanged as tell the manner of it it was mere foolery i did not mark it i saw mark antony offer him a crownyet twas not a crown neither twas one of these coronetsand as i told you he put it by once but for all that to my thinking he would fain have had it then he offered it to him again then he put it by again but to my thinking he was very loath to lay his fingers off it and then he offered it the third time he put it the third time by and still as he refused it the rabblement hooted and clapped their chapped hands and threw up their sweaty nightcaps and uttered such a deal of stinking breath because caesar refused the crown that it had almost choked caesar for he swounded and fell down at it and for mine own part i durst not laugh for fear of opening my lips and receiving the bad air cassius but soft i pray you what did caesar swound casca he fell down in the marketplace and foamed at mouth and was speechless brutus tis very like he hath the failing sickness cassius no caesar hath it not but you and i and honest casca we have the falling sickness casca i know not what you mean by that but i am sure caesar fell down if the tagrag people did not clap him and hiss him according as he pleased and displeased them as they use to do the players in the theatre i am no true man brutus what said he when he came unto himself casca marry before he fell down when he perceived the common herd was glad he refused the crown he plucked me ope his doublet and offered them his throat to cut an i had been a man of any occupation if i would not have taken him at a word i would i might go to hell among the rogues and so he fell when he came to himself again he said if he had done or said any thing amiss he desired their worships to think it was his infirmity three or four wenches where i stood cried alas good soul and forgave him with all their hearts but there's no heed to be taken of them if caesar had stabbed their mothers they would have done no less brutus and after that he came thus sad away casca ay cassius did cicero say any thing casca ay he spoke greek cassius to what effect casca nay an i tell you that ill ne'er look you i the face again but those that understood him smiled at one another and shook their heads but for mine own part it was greek to me i could tell you more news too marullus and flavius for pulling scarfs off caesar's images are put to silence fare you well there was more foolery yet if i could remember it cassius will you sup with me tonight casca casca no i am promised forth cassius will you dine with me tomorrow casca ay if i be alive and your mind hold and your dinner worth the eating cassius good i will expect you casca do so farewell both exit brutus what a blunt fellow is this grown to be he was quick mettle when he went to school cassius so is he now in execution of any bold or noble enterprise however he puts on this tardy form this rudeness is a sauce to his good wit which gives men stomach to digest his words with better appetite brutus and so it is for this time i will leave you tomorrow if you please to speak with me i will come home to you or if you will come home to me and i will wait for you cassius i will do so till then think of the world exit brutus well brutus thou art noble yet i see thy honourable metal may be wrought from that it is disposed therefore it is meet that noble minds keep ever with their likes for who so firm that cannot be seduced caesar doth bear me hard but he loves brutus if i were brutus now and he were cassius he should not humour me i will this night in several hands in at his windows throw as if they came from several citizens writings all tending to the great opinion that rome holds of his name wherein obscurely caesar's ambition shall be glanced at and after this let caesar seat him sure for we will shake him or worse days endure exit julius caesar act i scene iii the same a street thunder and lightning enter from opposite sides casca with his sword drawn and cicero cicero good even casca brought you caesar home why are you breathless and why stare you so casca are not you moved when all the sway of earth shakes like a thing unfirm o cicero i have seen tempests when the scolding winds have rived the knotty oaks and i have seen the ambitious ocean swell and rage and foam to be exalted with the threatening clouds but never till tonight never till now did i go through a tempest dropping fire either there is a civil strife in heaven or else the world too saucy with the gods incenses them to send destruction cicero why saw you any thing more wonderful casca a common slaveyou know him well by sight held up his left hand which did flame and burn like twenty torches join'd and yet his hand not sensible of fire remain'd unscorch'd besidesi ha not since put up my sword against the capitol i met a lion who glared upon me and went surly by without annoying me and there were drawn upon a heap a hundred ghastly women transformed with their fear who swore they saw men all in fire walk up and down the streets and yesterday the bird of night did sit even at noonday upon the marketplace hooting and shrieking when these prodigies do so conjointly meet let not men say these are their reasons they are natural' for i believe they are portentous things unto the climate that they point upon cicero indeed it is a strangedisposed time but men may construe things after their fashion clean from the purpose of the things themselves come caesar to the capitol tomorrow casca he doth for he did bid antonius send word to you he would be there tomorrow cicero good night then casca this disturbed sky is not to walk in casca farewell cicero exit cicero enter cassius cassius who's there casca a roman cassius casca by your voice casca your ear is good cassius what night is this cassius a very pleasing night to honest men casca who ever knew the heavens menace so cassius those that have known the earth so full of faults for my part i have walk'd about the streets submitting me unto the perilous night and thus unbraced casca as you see have bared my bosom to the thunderstone and when the cross blue lightning seem'd to open the breast of heaven i did present myself even in the aim and very flash of it casca but wherefore did you so much tempt the heavens it is the part of men to fear and tremble when the most mighty gods by tokens send such dreadful heralds to astonish us cassius you are dull casca and those sparks of life that should be in a roman you do want or else you use not you look pale and gaze and put on fear and cast yourself in wonder to see the strange impatience of the heavens but if you would consider the true cause why all these fires why all these gliding ghosts why birds and beasts from quality and kind why old men fool and children calculate why all these things change from their ordinance their natures and preformed faculties to monstrous qualitywhy you shall find that heaven hath infused them with these spirits to make them instruments of fear and warning unto some monstrous state now could i casca name to thee a man most like this dreadful night that thunders lightens opens graves and roars as doth the lion in the capitol a man no mightier than thyself or me in personal action yet prodigious grown and fearful as these strange eruptions are casca tis caesar that you mean is it not cassius cassius let it be who it is for romans now have thews and limbs like to their ancestors but woe the while our fathers minds are dead and we are govern'd with our mothers spirits our yoke and sufferance show us womanish casca indeed they say the senators tomorrow mean to establish caesar as a king and he shall wear his crown by sea and land in every place save here in italy cassius i know where i will wear this dagger then cassius from bondage will deliver cassius therein ye gods you make the weak most strong therein ye gods you tyrants do defeat nor stony tower nor walls of beaten brass nor airless dungeon nor strong links of iron can be retentive to the strength of spirit but life being weary of these worldly bars never lacks power to dismiss itself if i know this know all the world besides that part of tyranny that i do bear i can shake off at pleasure thunder still casca so can i so every bondman in his own hand bears the power to cancel his captivity cassius and why should caesar be a tyrant then poor man i know he would not be a wolf but that he sees the romans are but sheep he were no lion were not romans hinds those that with haste will make a mighty fire begin it with weak straws what trash is rome what rubbish and what offal when it serves for the base matter to illuminate so vile a thing as caesar but o grief where hast thou led me i perhaps speak this before a willing bondman then i know my answer must be made but i am arm'd and dangers are to me indifferent casca you speak to casca and to such a man that is no fleering telltale hold my hand be factious for redress of all these griefs and i will set this foot of mine as far as who goes farthest cassius there's a bargain made now know you casca i have moved already some certain of the noblestminded romans to undergo with me an enterprise of honourabledangerous consequence and i do know by this they stay for me in pompey's porch for now this fearful night there is no stir or walking in the streets and the complexion of the element in favour's like the work we have in hand most bloody fiery and most terrible casca stand close awhile for here comes one in haste cassius tis cinna i do know him by his gait he is a friend enter cinna cinna where haste you so cinna to find out you who's that metellus cimber cassius no it is casca one incorporate to our attempts am i not stay'd for cinna cinna i am glad on t what a fearful night is this there's two or three of us have seen strange sights cassius am i not stay'd for tell me cinna yes you are o cassius if you could but win the noble brutus to our party cassius be you content good cinna take this paper and look you lay it in the praetor's chair where brutus may but find it and throw this in at his window set this up with wax upon old brutus statue all this done repair to pompey's porch where you shall find us is decius brutus and trebonius there cinna all but metellus cimber and he's gone to seek you at your house well i will hie and so bestow these papers as you bade me cassius that done repair to pompey's theatre exit cinna come casca you and i will yet ere day see brutus at his house three parts of him is ours already and the man entire upon the next encounter yields him ours casca o he sits high in all the people's hearts and that which would appear offence in us his countenance like richest alchemy will change to virtue and to worthiness cassius him and his worth and our great need of him you have right well conceited let us go for it is after midnight and ere day we will awake him and be sure of him exeunt julius caesar act ii scene i rome brutus's orchard enter brutus brutus what lucius ho i cannot by the progress of the stars give guess how near to day lucius i say i would it were my fault to sleep so soundly when lucius when awake i say what lucius enter lucius lucius call'd you my lord brutus get me a taper in my study lucius when it is lighted come and call me here lucius i will my lord exit brutus it must be by his death and for my part i know no personal cause to spurn at him but for the general he would be crown'd how that might change his nature there's the question it is the bright day that brings forth the adder and that craves wary walking crown himthat and then i grant we put a sting in him that at his will he may do danger with the abuse of greatness is when it disjoins remorse from power and to speak truth of caesar i have not known when his affections sway'd more than his reason but tis a common proof that lowliness is young ambition's ladder whereto the climberupward turns his face but when he once attains the upmost round he then unto the ladder turns his back looks in the clouds scorning the base degrees by which he did ascend so caesar may then lest he may prevent and since the quarrel will bear no colour for the thing he is fashion it thus that what he is augmented would run to these and these extremities and therefore think him as a serpent's egg which hatch'd would as his kind grow mischievous and kill him in the shell reenter lucius lucius the taper burneth in your closet sir searching the window for a flint i found this paper thus seal'd up and i am sure it did not lie there when i went to bed gives him the letter brutus get you to bed again it is not day is not tomorrow boy the ides of march lucius i know not sir brutus look in the calendar and bring me word lucius i will sir exit brutus the exhalations whizzing in the air give so much light that i may read by them opens the letter and reads brutus thou sleep'st awake and see thyself shall rome &c speak strike redress brutus thou sleep'st awake' such instigations have been often dropp'd where i have took them up shall rome &c thus must i piece it out shall rome stand under one man's awe what rome my ancestors did from the streets of rome the tarquin drive when he was call'd a king speak strike redress am i entreated to speak and strike o rome i make thee promise if the redress will follow thou receivest thy full petition at the hand of brutus reenter lucius lucius sir march is wasted fourteen days knocking within brutus tis good go to the gate somebody knocks exit lucius since cassius first did whet me against caesar i have not slept between the acting of a dreadful thing and the first motion all the interim is like a phantasma or a hideous dream the genius and the mortal instruments are then in council and the state of man like to a little kingdom suffers then the nature of an insurrection reenter lucius lucius sir tis your brother cassius at the door who doth desire to see you brutus is he alone lucius no sir there are moe with him brutus do you know them lucius no sir their hats are pluck'd about their ears and half their faces buried in their cloaks that by no means i may discover them by any mark of favour brutus let em enter exit lucius they are the faction o conspiracy shamest thou to show thy dangerous brow by night when evils are most free o then by day where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough to mask thy monstrous visage seek none conspiracy hide it in smiles and affability for if thou path thy native semblance on not erebus itself were dim enough to hide thee from prevention enter the conspirators cassius casca decius brutus cinna metellus cimber and trebonius cassius i think we are too bold upon your rest good morrow brutus do we trouble you brutus i have been up this hour awake all night know i these men that come along with you cassius yes every man of them and no man here but honours you and every one doth wish you had but that opinion of yourself which every noble roman bears of you this is trebonius brutus he is welcome hither cassius this decius brutus brutus he is welcome too cassius this casca this cinna and this metellus cimber brutus they are all welcome what watchful cares do interpose themselves betwixt your eyes and night cassius shall i entreat a word brutus and cassius whisper decius brutus here lies the east doth not the day break here casca no cinna o pardon sir it doth and yon gray lines that fret the clouds are messengers of day casca you shall confess that you are both deceived here as i point my sword the sun arises which is a great way growing on the south weighing the youthful season of the year some two months hence up higher toward the north he first presents his fire and the high east stands as the capitol directly here brutus give me your hands all over one by one cassius and let us swear our resolution brutus no not an oath if not the face of men the sufferance of our souls the time's abuse if these be motives weak break off betimes and every man hence to his idle bed so let highsighted tyranny range on till each man drop by lottery but if these as i am sure they do bear fire enough to kindle cowards and to steel with valour the melting spirits of women then countrymen what need we any spur but our own cause to prick us to redress what other bond than secret romans that have spoke the word and will not palter and what other oath than honesty to honesty engaged that this shall be or we will fall for it swear priests and cowards and men cautelous old feeble carrions and such suffering souls that welcome wrongs unto bad causes swear such creatures as men doubt but do not stain the even virtue of our enterprise nor the insuppressive mettle of our spirits to think that or our cause or our performance did need an oath when every drop of blood that every roman bears and nobly bears is guilty of a several bastardy if he do break the smallest particle of any promise that hath pass'd from him cassius but what of cicero shall we sound him i think he will stand very strong with us casca let us not leave him out cinna no by no means metellus cimber o let us have him for his silver hairs will purchase us a good opinion and buy men's voices to commend our deeds it shall be said his judgment ruled our hands our youths and wildness shall no whit appear but all be buried in his gravity brutus o name him not let us not break with him for he will never follow any thing that other men begin cassius then leave him out casca indeed he is not fit decius brutus shall no man else be touch'd but only caesar cassius decius well urged i think it is not meet mark antony so well beloved of caesar should outlive caesar we shall find of him a shrewd contriver and you know his means if he improve them may well stretch so far as to annoy us all which to prevent let antony and caesar fall together brutus our course will seem too bloody caius cassius to cut the head off and then hack the limbs like wrath in death and envy afterwards for antony is but a limb of caesar let us be sacrificers but not butchers caius we all stand up against the spirit of caesar and in the spirit of men there is no blood o that we then could come by caesar's spirit and not dismember caesar but alas caesar must bleed for it and gentle friends let's kill him boldly but not wrathfully let's carve him as a dish fit for the gods not hew him as a carcass fit for hounds and let our hearts as subtle masters do stir up their servants to an act of rage and after seem to chide em this shall make our purpose necessary and not envious which so appearing to the common eyes we shall be call'd purgers not murderers and for mark antony think not of him for he can do no more than caesar's arm when caesar's head is off cassius yet i fear him for in the ingrafted love he bears to caesar brutus alas good cassius do not think of him if he love caesar all that he can do is to himself take thought and die for caesar and that were much he should for he is given to sports to wildness and much company trebonius there is no fear in him let him not die for he will live and laugh at this hereafter clock strikes brutus peace count the clock cassius the clock hath stricken three trebonius tis time to part cassius but it is doubtful yet whether caesar will come forth today or no for he is superstitious grown of late quite from the main opinion he held once of fantasy of dreams and ceremonies it may be these apparent prodigies the unaccustom'd terror of this night and the persuasion of his augurers may hold him from the capitol today decius brutus never fear that if he be so resolved i can o'ersway him for he loves to hear that unicorns may be betray'd with trees and bears with glasses elephants with holes lions with toils and men with flatterers but when i tell him he hates flatterers he says he does being then most flattered let me work for i can give his humour the true bent and i will bring him to the capitol cassius nay we will all of us be there to fetch him brutus by the eighth hour is that the uttermost cinna be that the uttermost and fail not then metellus cimber caius ligarius doth bear caesar hard who rated him for speaking well of pompey i wonder none of you have thought of him brutus now good metellus go along by him he loves me well and i have given him reasons send him but hither and i'll fashion him cassius the morning comes upon s we'll leave you brutus and friends disperse yourselves but all remember what you have said and show yourselves true romans brutus good gentlemen look fresh and merrily let not our looks put on our purposes but bear it as our roman actors do with untired spirits and formal constancy and so good morrow to you every one exeunt all but brutus boy lucius fast asleep it is no matter enjoy the honeyheavy dew of slumber thou hast no figures nor no fantasies which busy care draws in the brains of men therefore thou sleep'st so sound enter portia portia brutus my lord brutus portia what mean you wherefore rise you now it is not for your health thus to commit your weak condition to the raw cold morning portia nor for yours neither you've ungently brutus stole from my bed and yesternight at supper you suddenly arose and walk'd about musing and sighing with your arms across and when i ask'd you what the matter was you stared upon me with ungentle looks i urged you further then you scratch'd your head and too impatiently stamp'd with your foot yet i insisted yet you answer'd not but with an angry wafture of your hand gave sign for me to leave you so i did fearing to strengthen that impatience which seem'd too much enkindled and withal hoping it was but an effect of humour which sometime hath his hour with every man it will not let you eat nor talk nor sleep and could it work so much upon your shape as it hath much prevail'd on your condition i should not know you brutus dear my lord make me acquainted with your cause of grief brutus i am not well in health and that is all portia brutus is wise and were he not in health he would embrace the means to come by it brutus why so i do good portia go to bed portia is brutus sick and is it physical to walk unbraced and suck up the humours of the dank morning what is brutus sick and will he steal out of his wholesome bed to dare the vile contagion of the night and tempt the rheumy and unpurged air to add unto his sickness no my brutus you have some sick offence within your mind which by the right and virtue of my place i ought to know of and upon my knees i charm you by my oncecommended beauty by all your vows of love and that great vow which did incorporate and make us one that you unfold to me yourself your half why you are heavy and what men tonight have had to resort to you for here have been some six or seven who did hide their faces even from darkness brutus kneel not gentle portia portia i should not need if you were gentle brutus within the bond of marriage tell me brutus is it excepted i should know no secrets that appertain to you am i yourself but as it were in sort or limitation to keep with you at meals comfort your bed and talk to you sometimes dwell i but in the suburbs of your good pleasure if it be no more portia is brutus harlot not his wife brutus you are my true and honourable wife as dear to me as are the ruddy drops that visit my sad heart portia if this were true then should i know this secret i grant i am a woman but withal a woman that lord brutus took to wife i grant i am a woman but withal a woman wellreputed cato's daughter think you i am no stronger than my sex being so father'd and so husbanded tell me your counsels i will not disclose em i have made strong proof of my constancy giving myself a voluntary wound here in the thigh can i bear that with patience and not my husband's secrets brutus o ye gods render me worthy of this noble wife knocking within hark hark one knocks portia go in awhile and by and by thy bosom shall partake the secrets of my heart all my engagements i will construe to thee all the charactery of my sad brows leave me with haste exit portia lucius who's that knocks reenter lucius with ligarius lucius he is a sick man that would speak with you brutus caius ligarius that metellus spake of boy stand aside caius ligarius how ligarius vouchsafe good morrow from a feeble tongue brutus o what a time have you chose out brave caius to wear a kerchief would you were not sick ligarius i am not sick if brutus have in hand any exploit worthy the name of honour brutus such an exploit have i in hand ligarius had you a healthful ear to hear of it ligarius by all the gods that romans bow before i here discard my sickness soul of rome brave son derived from honourable loins thou like an exorcist hast conjured up my mortified spirit now bid me run and i will strive with things impossible yea get the better of them what's to do brutus a piece of work that will make sick men whole ligarius but are not some whole that we must make sick brutus that must we also what it is my caius i shall unfold to thee as we are going to whom it must be done ligarius set on your foot and with a heart newfired i follow you to do i know not what but it sufficeth that brutus leads me on brutus follow me then exeunt julius caesar act ii scene ii caesar's house thunder and lightning enter caesar in his nightgown caesar nor heaven nor earth have been at peace tonight thrice hath calpurnia in her sleep cried out help ho they murder caesar who's within enter a servant servant my lord caesar go bid the priests do present sacrifice and bring me their opinions of success servant i will my lord exit enter calpurnia calpurnia what mean you caesar think you to walk forth you shall not stir out of your house today caesar caesar shall forth the things that threaten'd me ne'er look'd but on my back when they shall see the face of caesar they are vanished calpurnia caesar i never stood on ceremonies yet now they fright me there is one within besides the things that we have heard and seen recounts most horrid sights seen by the watch a lioness hath whelped in the streets and graves have yawn'd and yielded up their dead fierce fiery warriors fought upon the clouds in ranks and squadrons and right form of war which drizzled blood upon the capitol the noise of battle hurtled in the air horses did neigh and dying men did groan and ghosts did shriek and squeal about the streets o caesar these things are beyond all use and i do fear them caesar what can be avoided whose end is purposed by the mighty gods yet caesar shall go forth for these predictions are to the world in general as to caesar calpurnia when beggars die there are no comets seen the heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes caesar cowards die many times before their deaths the valiant never taste of death but once of all the wonders that i yet have heard it seems to me most strange that men should fear seeing that death a necessary end will come when it will come reenter servant what say the augurers servant they would not have you to stir forth today plucking the entrails of an offering forth they could not find a heart within the beast caesar the gods do this in shame of cowardice caesar should be a beast without a heart if he should stay at home today for fear no caesar shall not danger knows full well that caesar is more dangerous than he we are two lions litter'd in one day and i the elder and more terrible and caesar shall go forth calpurnia alas my lord your wisdom is consumed in confidence do not go forth today call it my fear that keeps you in the house and not your own we'll send mark antony to the senatehouse and he shall say you are not well today let me upon my knee prevail in this caesar mark antony shall say i am not well and for thy humour i will stay at home enter decius brutus here's decius brutus he shall tell them so decius brutus caesar all hail good morrow worthy caesar i come to fetch you to the senatehouse caesar and you are come in very happy time to bear my greeting to the senators and tell them that i will not come today cannot is false and that i dare not falser i will not come today tell them so decius calpurnia say he is sick caesar shall caesar send a lie have i in conquest stretch'd mine arm so far to be afraid to tell graybeards the truth decius go tell them caesar will not come decius brutus most mighty caesar let me know some cause lest i be laugh'd at when i tell them so caesar the cause is in my will i will not come that is enough to satisfy the senate but for your private satisfaction because i love you i will let you know calpurnia here my wife stays me at home she dreamt tonight she saw my statua which like a fountain with an hundred spouts did run pure blood and many lusty romans came smiling and did bathe their hands in it and these does she apply for warnings and portents and evils imminent and on her knee hath begg'd that i will stay at home today decius brutus this dream is all amiss interpreted it was a vision fair and fortunate your statue spouting blood in many pipes in which so many smiling romans bathed signifies that from you great rome shall suck reviving blood and that great men shall press for tinctures stains relics and cognizance this by calpurnia's dream is signified caesar and this way have you well expounded it decius brutus i have when you have heard what i can say and know it now the senate have concluded to give this day a crown to mighty caesar if you shall send them word you will not come their minds may change besides it were a mock apt to be render'd for some one to say break up the senate till another time when caesar's wife shall meet with better dreams' if caesar hide himself shall they not whisper lo caesar is afraid' pardon me caesar for my dear dear love to our proceeding bids me tell you this and reason to my love is liable caesar how foolish do your fears seem now calpurnia i am ashamed i did yield to them give me my robe for i will go enter publius brutus ligarius metellus casca trebonius and cinna and look where publius is come to fetch me publius good morrow caesar caesar welcome publius what brutus are you stirr'd so early too good morrow casca caius ligarius caesar was ne'er so much your enemy as that same ague which hath made you lean what is t o'clock brutus caesar tis strucken eight caesar i thank you for your pains and courtesy enter antony see antony that revels long o nights is notwithstanding up good morrow antony antony so to most noble caesar caesar bid them prepare within i am to blame to be thus waited for now cinna now metellus what trebonius i have an hour's talk in store for you remember that you call on me today be near me that i may remember you trebonius caesar i will aside and so near will i be that your best friends shall wish i had been further caesar good friends go in and taste some wine with me and we like friends will straightway go together brutus aside that every like is not the same o caesar the heart of brutus yearns to think upon exeunt julius caesar act ii scene iii a street near the capitol enter artemidorus reading a paper artemidorus caesar beware of brutus take heed of cassius come not near casca have an eye to cinna trust not trebonius mark well metellus cimber decius brutus loves thee not thou hast wronged caius ligarius there is but one mind in all these men and it is bent against caesar if thou beest not immortal look about you security gives way to conspiracy the mighty gods defend thee thy lover artemidorus' here will i stand till caesar pass along and as a suitor will i give him this my heart laments that virtue cannot live out of the teeth of emulation if thou read this o caesar thou mayst live if not the fates with traitors do contrive exit julius caesar act ii scene iv another part of the same street before the house of brutus enter portia and lucius portia i prithee boy run to the senatehouse stay not to answer me but get thee gone why dost thou stay lucius to know my errand madam portia i would have had thee there and here again ere i can tell thee what thou shouldst do there o constancy be strong upon my side set a huge mountain tween my heart and tongue i have a man's mind but a woman's might how hard it is for women to keep counsel art thou here yet lucius madam what should i do run to the capitol and nothing else and so return to you and nothing else portia yes bring me word boy if thy lord look well for he went sickly forth and take good note what caesar doth what suitors press to him hark boy what noise is that lucius i hear none madam portia prithee listen well i heard a bustling rumour like a fray and the wind brings it from the capitol lucius sooth madam i hear nothing enter the soothsayer portia come hither fellow which way hast thou been soothsayer at mine own house good lady portia what is't o'clock soothsayer about the ninth hour lady portia is caesar yet gone to the capitol soothsayer madam not yet i go to take my stand to see him pass on to the capitol portia thou hast some suit to caesar hast thou not soothsayer that i have lady if it will please caesar to be so good to caesar as to hear me i shall beseech him to befriend himself portia why know'st thou any harm's intended towards him soothsayer none that i know will be much that i fear may chance good morrow to you here the street is narrow the throng that follows caesar at the heels of senators of praetors common suitors will crowd a feeble man almost to death i'll get me to a place more void and there speak to great caesar as he comes along exit portia i must go in ay me how weak a thing the heart of woman is o brutus the heavens speed thee in thine enterprise sure the boy heard me brutus hath a suit that caesar will not grant o i grow faint run lucius and commend me to my lord say i am merry come to me again and bring me word what he doth say to thee exeunt severally julius caesar act iii scene i rome before the capitol the senate sitting above a crowd of people among them artemidorus and the soothsayer flourish enter caesar brutus cassius casca decius brutus metellus cimber trebonius cinna antony lepidus popilius publius and others caesar to the soothsayer the ides of march are come soothsayer ay caesar but not gone artemidorus hail caesar read this schedule decius brutus trebonius doth desire you to o'erread at your best leisure this his humble suit artemidorus o caesar read mine first for mine's a suit that touches caesar nearer read it great caesar caesar what touches us ourself shall be last served artemidorus delay not caesar read it instantly caesar what is the fellow mad publius sirrah give place cassius what urge you your petitions in the street come to the capitol caesar goes up to the senatehouse the rest following popilius i wish your enterprise today may thrive cassius what enterprise popilius popilius fare you well advances to caesar brutus what said popilius lena cassius he wish'd today our enterprise might thrive i fear our purpose is discovered brutus look how he makes to caesar mark him cassius casca be sudden for we fear prevention brutus what shall be done if this be known cassius or caesar never shall turn back for i will slay myself brutus cassius be constant popilius lena speaks not of our purposes for look he smiles and caesar doth not change cassius trebonius knows his time for look you brutus he draws mark antony out of the way exeunt antony and trebonius decius brutus where is metellus cimber let him go and presently prefer his suit to caesar brutus he is address'd press near and second him cinna casca you are the first that rears your hand caesar are we all ready what is now amiss that caesar and his senate must redress metellus cimber most high most mighty and most puissant caesar metellus cimber throws before thy seat an humble heart kneeling caesar i must prevent thee cimber these couchings and these lowly courtesies might fire the blood of ordinary men and turn preordinance and first decree into the law of children be not fond to think that caesar bears such rebel blood that will be thaw'd from the true quality with that which melteth fools i mean sweet words lowcrooked court'sies and base spanielfawning thy brother by decree is banished if thou dost bend and pray and fawn for him i spurn thee like a cur out of my way know caesar doth not wrong nor without cause will he be satisfied metellus cimber is there no voice more worthy than my own to sound more sweetly in great caesar's ear for the repealing of my banish'd brother brutus i kiss thy hand but not in flattery caesar desiring thee that publius cimber may have an immediate freedom of repeal caesar what brutus cassius pardon caesar caesar pardon as low as to thy foot doth cassius fall to beg enfranchisement for publius cimber cassius i could be well moved if i were as you if i could pray to move prayers would move me but i am constant as the northern star of whose truefix'd and resting quality there is no fellow in the firmament the skies are painted with unnumber'd sparks they are all fire and every one doth shine but there's but one in all doth hold his place so in the world tis furnish'd well with men and men are flesh and blood and apprehensive yet in the number i do know but one that unassailable holds on his rank unshaked of motion and that i am he let me a little show it even in this that i was constant cimber should be banish'd and constant do remain to keep him so cinna o caesar caesar hence wilt thou lift up olympus decius brutus great caesar caesar doth not brutus bootless kneel casca speak hands for me casca first then the other conspirators and brutus stab caesar caesar et tu brute then fall caesar dies cinna liberty freedom tyranny is dead run hence proclaim cry it about the streets cassius some to the common pulpits and cry out liberty freedom and enfranchisement' brutus people and senators be not affrighted fly not stand stiff ambition's debt is paid casca go to the pulpit brutus decius brutus and cassius too brutus where's publius cinna here quite confounded with this mutiny metellus cimber stand fast together lest some friend of caesar's should chance brutus talk not of standing publius good cheer there is no harm intended to your person nor to no roman else so tell them publius cassius and leave us publius lest that the people rushing on us should do your age some mischief brutus do so and let no man abide this deed but we the doers reenter trebonius cassius where is antony trebonius fled to his house amazed men wives and children stare cry out and run as it were doomsday brutus fates we will know your pleasures that we shall die we know tis but the time and drawing days out that men stand upon cassius why he that cuts off twenty years of life cuts off so many years of fearing death brutus grant that and then is death a benefit so are we caesar's friends that have abridged his time of fearing death stoop romans stoop and let us bathe our hands in caesar's blood up to the elbows and besmear our swords then walk we forth even to the marketplace and waving our red weapons o'er our heads let's all cry peace freedom and liberty' cassius stoop then and wash how many ages hence shall this our lofty scene be acted over in states unborn and accents yet unknown brutus how many times shall caesar bleed in sport that now on pompey's basis lies along no worthier than the dust cassius so oft as that shall be so often shall the knot of us be call'd the men that gave their country liberty decius brutus what shall we forth cassius ay every man away brutus shall lead and we will grace his heels with the most boldest and best hearts of rome enter a servant brutus soft who comes here a friend of antony's servant thus brutus did my master bid me kneel thus did mark antony bid me fall down and being prostrate thus he bade me say brutus is noble wise valiant and honest caesar was mighty bold royal and loving say i love brutus and i honour him say i fear'd caesar honour'd him and loved him if brutus will vouchsafe that antony may safely come to him and be resolved how caesar hath deserved to lie in death mark antony shall not love caesar dead so well as brutus living but will follow the fortunes and affairs of noble brutus thorough the hazards of this untrod state with all true faith so says my master antony brutus thy master is a wise and valiant roman i never thought him worse tell him so please him come unto this place he shall be satisfied and by my honour depart untouch'd servant i'll fetch him presently exit brutus i know that we shall have him well to friend cassius i wish we may but yet have i a mind that fears him much and my misgiving still falls shrewdly to the purpose brutus but here comes antony reenter antony welcome mark antony antony o mighty caesar dost thou lie so low are all thy conquests glories triumphs spoils shrunk to this little measure fare thee well i know not gentlemen what you intend who else must be let blood who else is rank if i myself there is no hour so fit as caesar's death hour nor no instrument of half that worth as those your swords made rich with the most noble blood of all this world i do beseech ye if you bear me hard now whilst your purpled hands do reek and smoke fulfil your pleasure live a thousand years i shall not find myself so apt to die no place will please me so no mean of death as here by caesar and by you cut off the choice and master spirits of this age brutus o antony beg not your death of us though now we must appear bloody and cruel as by our hands and this our present act you see we do yet see you but our hands and this the bleeding business they have done our hearts you see not they are pitiful and pity to the general wrong of rome as fire drives out fire so pity pity hath done this deed on caesar for your part to you our swords have leaden points mark antony our arms in strength of malice and our hearts of brothers temper do receive you in with all kind love good thoughts and reverence cassius your voice shall be as strong as any man's in the disposing of new dignities brutus only be patient till we have appeased the multitude beside themselves with fear and then we will deliver you the cause why i that did love caesar when i struck him have thus proceeded antony i doubt not of your wisdom let each man render me his bloody hand first marcus brutus will i shake with you next caius cassius do i take your hand now decius brutus yours now yours metellus yours cinna and my valiant casca yours though last not last in love yours good trebonius gentlemen allalas what shall i say my credit now stands on such slippery ground that one of two bad ways you must conceit me either a coward or a flatterer that i did love thee caesar o tis true if then thy spirit look upon us now shall it not grieve thee dearer than thy death to see thy thy anthony making his peace shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes most noble in the presence of thy corse had i as many eyes as thou hast wounds weeping as fast as they stream forth thy blood it would become me better than to close in terms of friendship with thine enemies pardon me julius here wast thou bay'd brave hart here didst thou fall and here thy hunters stand sign'd in thy spoil and crimson'd in thy lethe o world thou wast the forest to this hart and this indeed o world the heart of thee how like a deer strucken by many princes dost thou here lie cassius mark antony antony pardon me caius cassius the enemies of caesar shall say this then in a friend it is cold modesty cassius i blame you not for praising caesar so but what compact mean you to have with us will you be prick'd in number of our friends or shall we on and not depend on you antony therefore i took your hands but was indeed sway'd from the point by looking down on caesar friends am i with you all and love you all upon this hope that you shall give me reasons why and wherein caesar was dangerous brutus or else were this a savage spectacle our reasons are so full of good regard that were you antony the son of caesar you should be satisfied antony that's all i seek and am moreover suitor that i may produce his body to the marketplace and in the pulpit as becomes a friend speak in the order of his funeral brutus you shall mark antony cassius brutus a word with you aside to brutus you know not what you do do not consent that antony speak in his funeral know you how much the people may be moved by that which he will utter brutus by your pardon i will myself into the pulpit first and show the reason of our caesar's death what antony shall speak i will protest he speaks by leave and by permission and that we are contented caesar shall have all true rites and lawful ceremonies it shall advantage more than do us wrong cassius i know not what may fall i like it not brutus mark antony here take you caesar's body you shall not in your funeral speech blame us but speak all good you can devise of caesar and say you do't by our permission else shall you not have any hand at all about his funeral and you shall speak in the same pulpit whereto i am going after my speech is ended antony be it so i do desire no more brutus prepare the body then and follow us exeunt all but antony antony o pardon me thou bleeding piece of earth that i am meek and gentle with these butchers thou art the ruins of the noblest man that ever lived in the tide of times woe to the hand that shed this costly blood over thy wounds now do i prophesy which like dumb mouths do ope their ruby lips to beg the voice and utterance of my tongue a curse shall light upon the limbs of men domestic fury and fierce civil strife shall cumber all the parts of italy blood and destruction shall be so in use and dreadful objects so familiar that mothers shall but smile when they behold their infants quarter'd with the hands of war all pity choked with custom of fell deeds and caesar's spirit ranging for revenge with ate by his side come hot from hell shall in these confines with a monarch's voice cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war that this foul deed shall smell above the earth with carrion men groaning for burial enter a servant you serve octavius caesar do you not servant i do mark antony antony caesar did write for him to come to rome servant he did receive his letters and is coming and bid me say to you by word of mouth o caesar seeing the body antony thy heart is big get thee apart and weep passion i see is catching for mine eyes seeing those beads of sorrow stand in thine began to water is thy master coming servant he lies tonight within seven leagues of rome antony post back with speed and tell him what hath chanced here is a mourning rome a dangerous rome no rome of safety for octavius yet hie hence and tell him so yet stay awhile thou shalt not back till i have borne this corse into the marketplace there shall i try in my oration how the people take the cruel issue of these bloody men according to the which thou shalt discourse to young octavius of the state of things lend me your hand exeunt with caesar's body julius caesar act iii scene ii the forum enter brutus and cassius and a throng of citizens citizens we will be satisfied let us be satisfied brutus then follow me and give me audience friends cassius go you into the other street and part the numbers those that will hear me speak let em stay here those that will follow cassius go with him and public reasons shall be rendered of caesar's death first citizen i will hear brutus speak second citizen i will hear cassius and compare their reasons when severally we hear them rendered exit cassius with some of the citizens brutus goes into the pulpit third citizen the noble brutus is ascended silence brutus be patient till the last romans countrymen and lovers hear me for my cause and be silent that you may hear believe me for mine honour and have respect to mine honour that you may believe censure me in your wisdom and awake your senses that you may the better judge if there be any in this assembly any dear friend of caesar's to him i say that brutus love to caesar was no less than his if then that friend demand why brutus rose against caesar this is my answer not that i loved caesar less but that i loved rome more had you rather caesar were living and die all slaves than that caesar were dead to live all free men as caesar loved me i weep for him as he was fortunate i rejoice at it as he was valiant i honour him but as he was ambitious i slew him there is tears for his love joy for his fortune honour for his valour and death for his ambition who is here so base that would be a bondman if any speak for him have i offended who is here so rude that would not be a roman if any speak for him have i offended who is here so vile that will not love his country if any speak for him have i offended i pause for a reply all none brutus none brutus then none have i offended i have done no more to caesar than you shall do to brutus the question of his death is enrolled in the capitol his glory not extenuated wherein he was worthy nor his offences enforced for which he suffered death enter antony and others with caesar's body here comes his body mourned by mark antony who though he had no hand in his death shall receive the benefit of his dying a place in the commonwealth as which of you shall not with this i departthat as i slew my best lover for the good of rome i have the same dagger for myself when it shall please my country to need my death all live brutus live live first citizen bring him with triumph home unto his house second citizen give him a statue with his ancestors third citizen let him be caesar fourth citizen caesar's better parts shall be crown'd in brutus first citizen we'll bring him to his house with shouts and clamours brutus my countrymen second citizen peace silence brutus speaks first citizen peace ho brutus good countrymen let me depart alone and for my sake stay here with antony do grace to caesar's corpse and grace his speech tending to caesar's glories which mark antony by our permission is allow'd to make i do entreat you not a man depart save i alone till antony have spoke exit first citizen stay ho and let us hear mark antony third citizen let him go up into the public chair we'll hear him noble antony go up antony for brutus sake i am beholding to you goes into the pulpit fourth citizen what does he say of brutus third citizen he says for brutus sake he finds himself beholding to us all fourth citizen twere best he speak no harm of brutus here first citizen this caesar was a tyrant third citizen nay that's certain we are blest that rome is rid of him second citizen peace let us hear what antony can say antony you gentle romans citizens peace ho let us hear him antony friends romans countrymen lend me your ears i come to bury caesar not to praise him the evil that men do lives after them the good is oft interred with their bones so let it be with caesar the noble brutus hath told you caesar was ambitious if it were so it was a grievous fault and grievously hath caesar answer'd it here under leave of brutus and the rest for brutus is an honourable man so are they all all honourable men come i to speak in caesar's funeral he was my friend faithful and just to me but brutus says he was ambitious and brutus is an honourable man he hath brought many captives home to rome whose ransoms did the general coffers fill did this in caesar seem ambitious when that the poor have cried caesar hath wept ambition should be made of sterner stuff yet brutus says he was ambitious and brutus is an honourable man you all did see that on the lupercal i thrice presented him a kingly crown which he did thrice refuse was this ambition yet brutus says he was ambitious and sure he is an honourable man i speak not to disprove what brutus spoke but here i am to speak what i do know you all did love him once not without cause what cause withholds you then to mourn for him o judgment thou art fled to brutish beasts and men have lost their reason bear with me my heart is in the coffin there with caesar and i must pause till it come back to me first citizen methinks there is much reason in his sayings second citizen if thou consider rightly of the matter caesar has had great wrong third citizen has he masters i fear there will a worse come in his place fourth citizen mark'd ye his words he would not take the crown therefore tis certain he was not ambitious first citizen if it be found so some will dear abide it second citizen poor soul his eyes are red as fire with weeping third citizen there's not a nobler man in rome than antony fourth citizen now mark him he begins again to speak antony but yesterday the word of caesar might have stood against the world now lies he there and none so poor to do him reverence o masters if i were disposed to stir your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage i should do brutus wrong and cassius wrong who you all know are honourable men i will not do them wrong i rather choose to wrong the dead to wrong myself and you than i will wrong such honourable men but here's a parchment with the seal of caesar i found it in his closet tis his will let but the commons hear this testament which pardon me i do not mean to read and they would go and kiss dead caesar's wounds and dip their napkins in his sacred blood yea beg a hair of him for memory and dying mention it within their wills bequeathing it as a rich legacy unto their issue fourth citizen we'll hear the will read it mark antony all the will the will we will hear caesar's will antony have patience gentle friends i must not read it it is not meet you know how caesar loved you you are not wood you are not stones but men and being men bearing the will of caesar it will inflame you it will make you mad tis good you know not that you are his heirs for if you should o what would come of it fourth citizen read the will we'll hear it antony you shall read us the will caesar's will antony will you be patient will you stay awhile i have o'ershot myself to tell you of it i fear i wrong the honourable men whose daggers have stabb'd caesar i do fear it fourth citizen they were traitors honourable men all the will the testament second citizen they were villains murderers the will read the will antony you will compel me then to read the will then make a ring about the corpse of caesar and let me show you him that made the will shall i descend and will you give me leave several citizens come down second citizen descend third citizen you shall have leave antony comes down fourth citizen a ring stand round first citizen stand from the hearse stand from the body second citizen room for antony most noble antony antony nay press not so upon me stand far off several citizens stand back room bear back antony if you have tears prepare to shed them now you all do know this mantle i remember the first time ever caesar put it on twas on a summer's evening in his tent that day he overcame the nervii look in this place ran cassius dagger through see what a rent the envious casca made through this the wellbeloved brutus stabb'd and as he pluck'd his cursed steel away mark how the blood of caesar follow'd it as rushing out of doors to be resolved if brutus so unkindly knock'd or no for brutus as you know was caesar's angel judge o you gods how dearly caesar loved him this was the most unkindest cut of all for when the noble caesar saw him stab ingratitude more strong than traitors arms quite vanquish'd him then burst his mighty heart and in his mantle muffling up his face even at the base of pompey's statua which all the while ran blood great caesar fell o what a fall was there my countrymen then i and you and all of us fell down whilst bloody treason flourish'd over us o now you weep and i perceive you feel the dint of pity these are gracious drops kind souls what weep you when you but behold our caesar's vesture wounded look you here here is himself marr'd as you see with traitors first citizen o piteous spectacle second citizen o noble caesar third citizen o woful day fourth citizen o traitors villains first citizen o most bloody sight second citizen we will be revenged all revenge about seek burn fire kill slay let not a traitor live antony stay countrymen first citizen peace there hear the noble antony second citizen we'll hear him we'll follow him we'll die with him antony good friends sweet friends let me not stir you up to such a sudden flood of mutiny they that have done this deed are honourable what private griefs they have alas i know not that made them do it they are wise and honourable and will no doubt with reasons answer you i come not friends to steal away your hearts i am no orator as brutus is but as you know me all a plain blunt man that love my friend and that they know full well that gave me public leave to speak of him for i have neither wit nor words nor worth action nor utterance nor the power of speech to stir men's blood i only speak right on i tell you that which you yourselves do know show you sweet caesar's wounds poor poor dumb mouths and bid them speak for me but were i brutus and brutus antony there were an antony would ruffle up your spirits and put a tongue in every wound of caesar that should move the stones of rome to rise and mutiny all we'll mutiny first citizen we'll burn the house of brutus third citizen away then come seek the conspirators antony yet hear me countrymen yet hear me speak all peace ho hear antony most noble antony antony why friends you go to do you know not what wherein hath caesar thus deserved your loves alas you know not i must tell you then you have forgot the will i told you of all most true the will let's stay and hear the will antony here is the will and under caesar's seal to every roman citizen he gives to every several man seventyfive drachmas second citizen most noble caesar we'll revenge his death third citizen o royal caesar antony hear me with patience all peace ho antony moreover he hath left you all his walks his private arbours and newplanted orchards on this side tiber he hath left them you and to your heirs for ever common pleasures to walk abroad and recreate yourselves here was a caesar when comes such another first citizen never never come away away we'll burn his body in the holy place and with the brands fire the traitors houses take up the body second citizen go fetch fire third citizen pluck down benches fourth citizen pluck down forms windows any thing exeunt citizens with the body antony now let it work mischief thou art afoot take thou what course thou wilt enter a servant how now fellow servant sir octavius is already come to rome antony where is he servant he and lepidus are at caesar's house antony and thither will i straight to visit him he comes upon a wish fortune is merry and in this mood will give us any thing servant i heard him say brutus and cassius are rid like madmen through the gates of rome antony belike they had some notice of the people how i had moved them bring me to octavius exeunt julius caesar act iii scene iii a street enter cinna the poet cinna the poet i dreamt tonight that i did feast with caesar and things unlucky charge my fantasy i have no will to wander forth of doors yet something leads me forth enter citizens first citizen what is your name second citizen whither are you going third citizen where do you dwell fourth citizen are you a married man or a bachelor second citizen answer every man directly first citizen ay and briefly fourth citizen ay and wisely third citizen ay and truly you were best cinna the poet what is my name whither am i going where do i dwell am i a married man or a bachelor then to answer every man directly and briefly wisely and truly wisely i say i am a bachelor second citizen that's as much as to say they are fools that marry you'll bear me a bang for that i fear proceed directly cinna the poet directly i am going to caesar's funeral first citizen as a friend or an enemy cinna the poet as a friend second citizen that matter is answered directly fourth citizen for your dwellingbriefly cinna the poet briefly i dwell by the capitol third citizen your name sir truly cinna the poet truly my name is cinna first citizen tear him to pieces he's a conspirator cinna the poet i am cinna the poet i am cinna the poet fourth citizen tear him for his bad verses tear him for his bad verses cinna the poet i am not cinna the conspirator fourth citizen it is no matter his name's cinna pluck but his name out of his heart and turn him going third citizen tear him tear him come brands ho firebrands to brutus to cassius burn all some to decius' house and some to casca's some to ligarius away go exeunt julius caesar act iv scene i a house in rome antony octavius and lepidus seated at a table antony these many then shall die their names are prick'd octavius your brother too must die consent you lepidus lepidus i do consent octavius prick him down antony lepidus upon condition publius shall not live who is your sister's son mark antony antony he shall not live look with a spot i damn him but lepidus go you to caesar's house fetch the will hither and we shall determine how to cut off some charge in legacies lepidus what shall i find you here octavius or here or at the capitol exit lepidus antony this is a slight unmeritable man meet to be sent on errands is it fit the threefold world divided he should stand one of the three to share it octavius so you thought him and took his voice who should be prick'd to die in our black sentence and proscription antony octavius i have seen more days than you and though we lay these honours on this man to ease ourselves of divers slanderous loads he shall but bear them as the ass bears gold to groan and sweat under the business either led or driven as we point the way and having brought our treasure where we will then take we down his load and turn him off like to the empty ass to shake his ears and graze in commons octavius you may do your will but he's a tried and valiant soldier antony so is my horse octavius and for that i do appoint him store of provender it is a creature that i teach to fight to wind to stop to run directly on his corporal motion govern'd by my spirit and in some taste is lepidus but so he must be taught and train'd and bid go forth a barrenspirited fellow one that feeds on abjects orts and imitations which out of use and staled by other men begin his fashion do not talk of him but as a property and now octavius listen great thingsbrutus and cassius are levying powers we must straight make head therefore let our alliance be combined our best friends made our means stretch'd and let us presently go sit in council how covert matters may be best disclosed and open perils surest answered octavius let us do so for we are at the stake and bay'd about with many enemies and some that smile have in their hearts i fear millions of mischiefs exeunt julius caesar act iv scene ii camp near sardis before brutus's tent drum enter brutus lucilius lucius and soldiers titinius and pindarus meeting them brutus stand ho lucilius give the word ho and stand brutus what now lucilius is cassius near lucilius he is at hand and pindarus is come to do you salutation from his master brutus he greets me well your master pindarus in his own change or by ill officers hath given me some worthy cause to wish things done undone but if he be at hand i shall be satisfied pindarus i do not doubt but that my noble master will appear such as he is full of regard and honour brutus he is not doubted a word lucilius how he received you let me be resolved lucilius with courtesy and with respect enough but not with such familiar instances nor with such free and friendly conference as he hath used of old brutus thou hast described a hot friend cooling ever note lucilius when love begins to sicken and decay it useth an enforced ceremony there are no tricks in plain and simple faith but hollow men like horses hot at hand make gallant show and promise of their mettle but when they should endure the bloody spur they fall their crests and like deceitful jades sink in the trial comes his army on lucilius they mean this night in sardis to be quarter'd the greater part the horse in general are come with cassius brutus hark he is arrived low march within march gently on to meet him enter cassius and his powers cassius stand ho brutus stand ho speak the word along first soldier stand second soldier stand third soldier stand cassius most noble brother you have done me wrong brutus judge me you gods wrong i mine enemies and if not so how should i wrong a brother cassius brutus this sober form of yours hides wrongs and when you do them brutus cassius be content speak your griefs softly i do know you well before the eyes of both our armies here which should perceive nothing but love from us let us not wrangle bid them move away then in my tent cassius enlarge your griefs and i will give you audience cassius pindarus bid our commanders lead their charges off a little from this ground brutus lucilius do you the like and let no man come to our tent till we have done our conference let lucius and titinius guard our door exeunt julius caesar act iv scene iii brutus's tent enter brutus and cassius cassius that you have wrong'd me doth appear in this you have condemn'd and noted lucius pella for taking bribes here of the sardians wherein my letters praying on his side because i knew the man were slighted off brutus you wronged yourself to write in such a case cassius in such a time as this it is not meet that every nice offence should bear his comment brutus let me tell you cassius you yourself are much condemn'd to have an itching palm to sell and mart your offices for gold to undeservers cassius i an itching palm you know that you are brutus that speak this or by the gods this speech were else your last brutus the name of cassius honours this corruption and chastisement doth therefore hide his head cassius chastisement brutus remember march the ides of march remember did not great julius bleed for justice sake what villain touch'd his body that did stab and not for justice what shall one of us that struck the foremost man of all this world but for supporting robbers shall we now contaminate our fingers with base bribes and sell the mighty space of our large honours for so much trash as may be grasped thus i had rather be a dog and bay the moon than such a roman cassius brutus bay not me i'll not endure it you forget yourself to hedge me in i am a soldier i older in practise abler than yourself to make conditions brutus go to you are not cassius cassius i am brutus i say you are not cassius urge me no more i shall forget myself have mind upon your health tempt me no further brutus away slight man cassius is't possible brutus hear me for i will speak must i give way and room to your rash choler shall i be frighted when a madman stares cassius o ye gods ye gods must i endure all this brutus all this ay more fret till your proud heart break go show your slaves how choleric you are and make your bondmen tremble must i budge must i observe you must i stand and crouch under your testy humour by the gods you shall digest the venom of your spleen though it do split you for from this day forth i'll use you for my mirth yea for my laughter when you are waspish cassius is it come to this brutus you say you are a better soldier let it appear so make your vaunting true and it shall please me well for mine own part i shall be glad to learn of noble men cassius you wrong me every way you wrong me brutus i said an elder soldier not a better did i say better' brutus if you did i care not cassius when caesar lived he durst not thus have moved me brutus peace peace you durst not so have tempted him cassius i durst not brutus no cassius what durst not tempt him brutus for your life you durst not cassius do not presume too much upon my love i may do that i shall be sorry for brutus you have done that you should be sorry for there is no terror cassius in your threats for i am arm'd so strong in honesty that they pass by me as the idle wind which i respect not i did send to you for certain sums of gold which you denied me for i can raise no money by vile means by heaven i had rather coin my heart and drop my blood for drachmas than to wring from the hard hands of peasants their vile trash by any indirection i did send to you for gold to pay my legions which you denied me was that done like cassius should i have answer'd caius cassius so when marcus brutus grows so covetous to lock such rascal counters from his friends be ready gods with all your thunderbolts dash him to pieces cassius i denied you not brutus you did cassius i did not he was but a fool that brought my answer back brutus hath rived my heart a friend should bear his friend's infirmities but brutus makes mine greater than they are brutus i do not till you practise them on me cassius you love me not brutus i do not like your faults cassius a friendly eye could never see such faults brutus a flatterer's would not though they do appear as huge as high olympus cassius come antony and young octavius come revenge yourselves alone on cassius for cassius is aweary of the world hated by one he loves braved by his brother cheque'd like a bondman all his faults observed set in a notebook learn'd and conn'd by rote to cast into my teeth o i could weep my spirit from mine eyes there is my dagger and here my naked breast within a heart dearer than plutus mine richer than gold if that thou be'st a roman take it forth i that denied thee gold will give my heart strike as thou didst at caesar for i know when thou didst hate him worst thou lovedst him better than ever thou lovedst cassius brutus sheathe your dagger be angry when you will it shall have scope do what you will dishonour shall be humour o cassius you are yoked with a lamb that carries anger as the flint bears fire who much enforced shows a hasty spark and straight is cold again cassius hath cassius lived to be but mirth and laughter to his brutus when grief and blood illtemper'd vexeth him brutus when i spoke that i was illtemper'd too cassius do you confess so much give me your hand brutus and my heart too cassius o brutus brutus what's the matter cassius have not you love enough to bear with me when that rash humour which my mother gave me makes me forgetful brutus yes cassius and from henceforth when you are overearnest with your brutus he'll think your mother chides and leave you so poet within let me go in to see the generals there is some grudge between em tis not meet they be alone lucilius within you shall not come to them poet within nothing but death shall stay me enter poet followed by lucilius titinius and lucius cassius how now what's the matter poet for shame you generals what do you mean love and be friends as two such men should be for i have seen more years i'm sure than ye cassius ha ha how vilely doth this cynic rhyme brutus get you hence sirrah saucy fellow hence cassius bear with him brutus tis his fashion brutus i'll know his humour when he knows his time what should the wars do with these jigging fools companion hence cassius away away be gone exit poet brutus lucilius and titinius bid the commanders prepare to lodge their companies tonight cassius and come yourselves and bring messala with you immediately to us exeunt lucilius and titinius brutus lucius a bowl of wine exit lucius cassius i did not think you could have been so angry brutus o cassius i am sick of many griefs cassius of your philosophy you make no use if you give place to accidental evils brutus no man bears sorrow better portia is dead cassius ha portia brutus she is dead cassius how scaped i killing when i cross'd you so o insupportable and touching loss upon what sickness brutus impatient of my absence and grief that young octavius with mark antony have made themselves so strongfor with her death that tidings camewith this she fell distract and her attendants absent swallow'd fire cassius and died so brutus even so cassius o ye immortal gods reenter lucius with wine and taper brutus speak no more of her give me a bowl of wine in this i bury all unkindness cassius cassius my heart is thirsty for that noble pledge fill lucius till the wine o'erswell the cup i cannot drink too much of brutus love brutus come in titinius exit lucius reenter titinius with messala welcome good messala now sit we close about this taper here and call in question our necessities cassius portia art thou gone brutus no more i pray you messala i have here received letters that young octavius and mark antony come down upon us with a mighty power bending their expedition toward philippi messala myself have letters of the selfsame tenor brutus with what addition messala that by proscription and bills of outlawry octavius antony and lepidus have put to death an hundred senators brutus therein our letters do not well agree mine speak of seventy senators that died by their proscriptions cicero being one cassius cicero one messala cicero is dead and by that order of proscription had you your letters from your wife my lord brutus no messala messala nor nothing in your letters writ of her brutus nothing messala messala that methinks is strange brutus why ask you hear you aught of her in yours messala no my lord brutus now as you are a roman tell me true messala then like a roman bear the truth i tell for certain she is dead and by strange manner brutus why farewell portia we must die messala with meditating that she must die once i have the patience to endure it now messala even so great men great losses should endure cassius i have as much of this in art as you but yet my nature could not bear it so brutus well to our work alive what do you think of marching to philippi presently cassius i do not think it good brutus your reason cassius this it is tis better that the enemy seek us so shall he waste his means weary his soldiers doing himself offence whilst we lying still are full of rest defense and nimbleness brutus good reasons must of force give place to better the people twixt philippi and this ground do stand but in a forced affection for they have grudged us contribution the enemy marching along by them by them shall make a fuller number up come on refresh'd newadded and encouraged from which advantage shall we cut him off if at philippi we do face him there these people at our back cassius hear me good brother brutus under your pardon you must note beside that we have tried the utmost of our friends our legions are brimfull our cause is ripe the enemy increaseth every day we at the height are ready to decline there is a tide in the affairs of men which taken at the flood leads on to fortune omitted all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries on such a full sea are we now afloat and we must take the current when it serves or lose our ventures cassius then with your will go on we'll along ourselves and meet them at philippi brutus the deep of night is crept upon our talk and nature must obey necessity which we will niggard with a little rest there is no more to say cassius no more good night early tomorrow will we rise and hence brutus lucius enter lucius my gown exit lucius farewell good messala good night titinius noble noble cassius good night and good repose cassius o my dear brother this was an ill beginning of the night never come such division tween our souls let it not brutus brutus every thing is well cassius good night my lord brutus good night good brother titinius good night lord brutus messala brutus farewell every one exeunt all but brutus reenter lucius with the gown give me the gown where is thy instrument lucius here in the tent brutus what thou speak'st drowsily poor knave i blame thee not thou art o'erwatch'd call claudius and some other of my men i'll have them sleep on cushions in my tent lucius varro and claudius enter varro and claudius varro calls my lord brutus i pray you sirs lie in my tent and sleep it may be i shall raise you by and by on business to my brother cassius varro so please you we will stand and watch your pleasure brutus i will not have it so lie down good sirs it may be i shall otherwise bethink me look lucius here's the book i sought for so i put it in the pocket of my gown varro and claudius lie down lucius i was sure your lordship did not give it me brutus bear with me good boy i am much forgetful canst thou hold up thy heavy eyes awhile and touch thy instrument a strain or two lucius ay my lord an't please you brutus it does my boy i trouble thee too much but thou art willing lucius it is my duty sir brutus i should not urge thy duty past thy might i know young bloods look for a time of rest lucius i have slept my lord already brutus it was well done and thou shalt sleep again i will not hold thee long if i do live i will be good to thee music and a song this is a sleepy tune o murderous slumber lay'st thou thy leaden mace upon my boy that plays thee music gentle knave good night i will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee if thou dost nod thou break'st thy instrument i'll take it from thee and good boy good night let me see let me see is not the leaf turn'd down where i left reading here it is i think enter the ghost of caesar how ill this taper burns ha who comes here i think it is the weakness of mine eyes that shapes this monstrous apparition it comes upon me art thou any thing art thou some god some angel or some devil that makest my blood cold and my hair to stare speak to me what thou art ghost thy evil spirit brutus brutus why comest thou ghost to tell thee thou shalt see me at philippi brutus well then i shall see thee again ghost ay at philippi brutus why i will see thee at philippi then exit ghost now i have taken heart thou vanishest ill spirit i would hold more talk with thee boy lucius varro claudius sirs awake claudius lucius the strings my lord are false brutus he thinks he still is at his instrument lucius awake lucius my lord brutus didst thou dream lucius that thou so criedst out lucius my lord i do not know that i did cry brutus yes that thou didst didst thou see any thing lucius nothing my lord brutus sleep again lucius sirrah claudius to varro fellow thou awake varro my lord claudius my lord brutus why did you so cry out sirs in your sleep varro did we my lord claudius brutus ay saw you any thing varro no my lord i saw nothing claudius nor i my lord brutus go and commend me to my brother cassius bid him set on his powers betimes before and we will follow varro it shall be done my lord claudius exeunt julius caesar act v scene i the plains of philippi enter octavius antony and their army octavius now antony our hopes are answered you said the enemy would not come down but keep the hills and upper regions it proves not so their battles are at hand they mean to warn us at philippi here answering before we do demand of them antony tut i am in their bosoms and i know wherefore they do it they could be content to visit other places and come down with fearful bravery thinking by this face to fasten in our thoughts that they have courage but tis not so enter a messenger messenger prepare you generals the enemy comes on in gallant show their bloody sign of battle is hung out and something to be done immediately antony octavius lead your battle softly on upon the left hand of the even field octavius upon the right hand i keep thou the left antony why do you cross me in this exigent octavius i do not cross you but i will do so march drum enter brutus cassius and their army lucilius titinius messala and others brutus they stand and would have parley cassius stand fast titinius we must out and talk octavius mark antony shall we give sign of battle antony no caesar we will answer on their charge make forth the generals would have some words octavius stir not until the signal brutus words before blows is it so countrymen octavius not that we love words better as you do brutus good words are better than bad strokes octavius antony in your bad strokes brutus you give good words witness the hole you made in caesar's heart crying long live hail caesar' cassius antony the posture of your blows are yet unknown but for your words they rob the hybla bees and leave them honeyless antony not stingless too brutus o yes and soundless too for you have stol'n their buzzing antony and very wisely threat before you sting antony villains you did not so when your vile daggers hack'd one another in the sides of caesar you show'd your teeth like apes and fawn'd like hounds and bow'd like bondmen kissing caesar's feet whilst damned casca like a cur behind struck caesar on the neck o you flatterers cassius flatterers now brutus thank yourself this tongue had not offended so today if cassius might have ruled octavius come come the cause if arguing make us sweat the proof of it will turn to redder drops look i draw a sword against conspirators when think you that the sword goes up again never till caesar's three and thirty wounds be well avenged or till another caesar have added slaughter to the sword of traitors brutus caesar thou canst not die by traitors hands unless thou bring'st them with thee octavius so i hope i was not born to die on brutus sword brutus o if thou wert the noblest of thy strain young man thou couldst not die more honourable cassius a peevish schoolboy worthless of such honour join'd with a masker and a reveller antony old cassius still octavius come antony away defiance traitors hurl we in your teeth if you dare fight today come to the field if not when you have stomachs exeunt octavius antony and their army cassius why now blow wind swell billow and swim bark the storm is up and all is on the hazard brutus ho lucilius hark a word with you lucilius standing forth my lord brutus and lucilius converse apart cassius messala messala standing forth what says my general cassius messala this is my birthday as this very day was cassius born give me thy hand messala be thou my witness that against my will as pompey was am i compell'd to set upon one battle all our liberties you know that i held epicurus strong and his opinion now i change my mind and partly credit things that do presage coming from sardis on our former ensign two mighty eagles fell and there they perch'd gorging and feeding from our soldiers hands who to philippi here consorted us this morning are they fled away and gone and in their steads do ravens crows and kites fly o'er our heads and downward look on us as we were sickly prey their shadows seem a canopy most fatal under which our army lies ready to give up the ghost messala believe not so cassius i but believe it partly for i am fresh of spirit and resolved to meet all perils very constantly brutus even so lucilius cassius now most noble brutus the gods today stand friendly that we may lovers in peace lead on our days to age but since the affairs of men rest still incertain let's reason with the worst that may befall if we do lose this battle then is this the very last time we shall speak together what are you then determined to do brutus even by the rule of that philosophy by which i did blame cato for the death which he did give himself i know not how but i do find it cowardly and vile for fear of what might fall so to prevent the time of life arming myself with patience to stay the providence of some high powers that govern us below cassius then if we lose this battle you are contented to be led in triumph thorough the streets of rome brutus no cassius no think not thou noble roman that ever brutus will go bound to rome he bears too great a mind but this same day must end that work the ides of march begun and whether we shall meet again i know not therefore our everlasting farewell take for ever and for ever farewell cassius if we do meet again why we shall smile if not why then this parting was well made cassius for ever and for ever farewell brutus if we do meet again we'll smile indeed if not tis true this parting was well made brutus why then lead on o that a man might know the end of this day's business ere it come but it sufficeth that the day will end and then the end is known come ho away exeunt julius caesar act v scene ii the same the field of battle alarum enter brutus and messala brutus ride ride messala ride and give these bills unto the legions on the other side loud alarum let them set on at once for i perceive but cold demeanor in octavius wing and sudden push gives them the overthrow ride ride messala let them all come down exeunt julius caesar act v scene iii another part of the field alarums enter cassius and titinius cassius o look titinius look the villains fly myself have to mine own turn'd enemy this ensign here of mine was turning back i slew the coward and did take it from him titinius o cassius brutus gave the word too early who having some advantage on octavius took it too eagerly his soldiers fell to spoil whilst we by antony are all enclosed enter pindarus pindarus fly further off my lord fly further off mark antony is in your tents my lord fly therefore noble cassius fly far off cassius this hill is far enough look look titinius are those my tents where i perceive the fire titinius they are my lord cassius titinius if thou lovest me mount thou my horse and hide thy spurs in him till he have brought thee up to yonder troops and here again that i may rest assured whether yond troops are friend or enemy titinius i will be here again even with a thought exit cassius go pindarus get higher on that hill my sight was ever thick regard titinius and tell me what thou notest about the field pindarus ascends the hill this day i breathed first time is come round and where i did begin there shall i end my life is run his compass sirrah what news pindarus above o my lord cassius what news pindarus above titinius is enclosed round about with horsemen that make to him on the spur yet he spurs on now they are almost on him now titinius now some light o he lights too he's ta'en shout and hark they shout for joy cassius come down behold no more o coward that i am to live so long to see my best friend ta'en before my face pindarus descends come hither sirrah in parthia did i take thee prisoner and then i swore thee saving of thy life that whatsoever i did bid thee do thou shouldst attempt it come now keep thine oath now be a freeman and with this good sword that ran through caesar's bowels search this bosom stand not to answer here take thou the hilts and when my face is cover'd as tis now guide thou the sword pindarus stabs him caesar thou art revenged even with the sword that kill'd thee dies pindarus so i am free yet would not so have been durst i have done my will o cassius far from this country pindarus shall run where never roman shall take note of him exit reenter titinius with messala messala it is but change titinius for octavius is overthrown by noble brutus power as cassius legions are by antony titinius these tidings will well comfort cassius messala where did you leave him titinius all disconsolate with pindarus his bondman on this hill messala is not that he that lies upon the ground titinius he lies not like the living o my heart messala is not that he titinius no this was he messala but cassius is no more o setting sun as in thy red rays thou dost sink tonight so in his red blood cassius day is set the sun of rome is set our day is gone clouds dews and dangers come our deeds are done mistrust of my success hath done this deed messala mistrust of good success hath done this deed o hateful error melancholy's child why dost thou show to the apt thoughts of men the things that are not o error soon conceived thou never comest unto a happy birth but kill'st the mother that engender'd thee titinius what pindarus where art thou pindarus messala seek him titinius whilst i go to meet the noble brutus thrusting this report into his ears i may say thrusting it for piercing steel and darts envenomed shall be as welcome to the ears of brutus as tidings of this sight titinius hie you messala and i will seek for pindarus the while exit messala why didst thou send me forth brave cassius did i not meet thy friends and did not they put on my brows this wreath of victory and bid me give it thee didst thou not hear their shouts alas thou hast misconstrued every thing but hold thee take this garland on thy brow thy brutus bid me give it thee and i will do his bidding brutus come apace and see how i regarded caius cassius by your leave godsthis is a roman's part come cassius sword and find titinius heart kills himself alarum reenter messala with brutus cato strato volumnius and lucilius brutus where where messala doth his body lie messala lo yonder and titinius mourning it brutus titinius face is upward cato he is slain brutus o julius caesar thou art mighty yet thy spirit walks abroad and turns our swords in our own proper entrails low alarums cato brave titinius look whether he have not crown'd dead cassius brutus are yet two romans living such as these the last of all the romans fare thee well it is impossible that ever rome should breed thy fellow friends i owe more tears to this dead man than you shall see me pay i shall find time cassius i shall find time come therefore and to thasos send his body his funerals shall not be in our camp lest it discomfort us lucilius come and come young cato let us to the field labeo and flavius set our battles on tis three o'clock and romans yet ere night we shall try fortune in a second fight exeunt julius caesar act v scene iv another part of the field alarum enter fighting soldiers of both armies then brutus cato lucilius and others brutus yet countrymen o yet hold up your heads cato what bastard doth not who will go with me i will proclaim my name about the field i am the son of marcus cato ho a foe to tyrants and my country's friend i am the son of marcus cato ho brutus and i am brutus marcus brutus i brutus my country's friend know me for brutus exit lucilius o young and noble cato art thou down why now thou diest as bravely as titinius and mayst be honour'd being cato's son first soldier yield or thou diest lucilius only i yield to die there is so much that thou wilt kill me straight offering money kill brutus and be honour'd in his death first soldier we must not a noble prisoner second soldier room ho tell antony brutus is ta'en first soldier i'll tell the news here comes the general enter antony brutus is ta'en brutus is ta'en my lord antony where is he lucilius safe antony brutus is safe enough i dare assure thee that no enemy shall ever take alive the noble brutus the gods defend him from so great a shame when you do find him or alive or dead he will be found like brutus like himself antony this is not brutus friend but i assure you a prize no less in worth keep this man safe give him all kindness i had rather have such men my friends than enemies go on and see whether brutus be alive or dead and bring us word unto octavius tent how every thing is chanced exeunt julius caesar act v scene v another part of the field enter brutus dardanius clitus strato and volumnius brutus come poor remains of friends rest on this rock clitus statilius show'd the torchlight but my lord he came not back he is or ta'en or slain brutus sit thee down clitus slaying is the word it is a deed in fashion hark thee clitus whispers clitus what i my lord no not for all the world brutus peace then no words clitus i'll rather kill myself brutus hark thee dardanius whispers dardanius shall i do such a deed clitus o dardanius dardanius o clitus clitus what ill request did brutus make to thee dardanius to kill him clitus look he meditates clitus now is that noble vessel full of grief that it runs over even at his eyes brutus come hither good volumnius list a word volumnius what says my lord brutus why this volumnius the ghost of caesar hath appear'd to me two several times by night at sardis once and this last night here in philippi fields i know my hour is come volumnius not so my lord brutus nay i am sure it is volumnius thou seest the world volumnius how it goes our enemies have beat us to the pit low alarums it is more worthy to leap in ourselves than tarry till they push us good volumnius thou know'st that we two went to school together even for that our love of old i prithee hold thou my swordhilts whilst i run on it volumnius that's not an office for a friend my lord alarum still clitus fly fly my lord there is no tarrying here brutus farewell to you and you and you volumnius strato thou hast been all this while asleep farewell to thee too strato countrymen my heart doth joy that yet in all my life i found no man but he was true to me i shall have glory by this losing day more than octavius and mark antony by this vile conquest shall attain unto so fare you well at once for brutus tongue hath almost ended his life's history night hangs upon mine eyes my bones would rest that have but labour'd to attain this hour alarum cry within fly fly fly' clitus fly my lord fly brutus hence i will follow exeunt clitus dardanius and volumnius i prithee strato stay thou by thy lord thou art a fellow of a good respect thy life hath had some smatch of honour in it hold then my sword and turn away thy face while i do run upon it wilt thou strato strato give me your hand first fare you well my lord brutus farewell good strato runs on his sword caesar now be still i kill'd not thee with half so good a will dies alarum retreat enter octavius antony messala lucilius and the army octavius what man is that messala my master's man strato where is thy master strato free from the bondage you are in messala the conquerors can but make a fire of him for brutus only overcame himself and no man else hath honour by his death lucilius so brutus should be found i thank thee brutus that thou hast proved lucilius saying true octavius all that served brutus i will entertain them fellow wilt thou bestow thy time with me strato ay if messala will prefer me to you octavius do so good messala messala how died my master strato strato i held the sword and he did run on it messala octavius then take him to follow thee that did the latest service to my master antony this was the noblest roman of them all all the conspirators save only he did that they did in envy of great caesar he only in a general honest thought and common good to all made one of them his life was gentle and the elements so mix'd in him that nature might stand up and say to all the world this was a man' octavius according to his virtue let us use him with all respect and rites of burial within my tent his bones tonight shall lie most like a soldier order'd honourably so call the field to rest and let's away to part the glories of this happy day exeunt king lear dramatis personae lear king of britain king lear king of france duke of burgundy burgundy duke of cornwall cornwall duke of albany albany earl of kent kent earl of gloucester gloucester edgar son to gloucester edmund bastard son to gloucester curan a courtier old man tenant to gloucester doctor fool oswald steward to goneril a captain employed by edmund captain gentleman attendant on cordelia gentleman a herald servants to cornwall first servant second servant third servant goneril regan daughters to lear cordelia knights of lear's train captains messengers soldiers and attendants knight captain messenger scene britain king lear act i scene i king lear's palace enter kent gloucester and edmund kent i thought the king had more affected the duke of albany than cornwall gloucester it did always seem so to us but now in the division of the kingdom it appears not which of the dukes he values most for equalities are so weighed that curiosity in neither can make choice of either's moiety kent is not this your son my lord gloucester his breeding sir hath been at my charge i have so often blushed to acknowledge him that now i am brazed to it kent i cannot conceive you gloucester sir this young fellow's mother could whereupon she grew roundwombed and had indeed sir a son for her cradle ere she had a husband for her bed do you smell a fault kent i cannot wish the fault undone the issue of it being so proper gloucester but i have sir a son by order of law some year elder than this who yet is no dearer in my account though this knave came something saucily into the world before he was sent for yet was his mother fair there was good sport at his making and the whoreson must be acknowledged do you know this noble gentleman edmund edmund no my lord gloucester my lord of kent remember him hereafter as my honourable friend edmund my services to your lordship kent i must love you and sue to know you better edmund sir i shall study deserving gloucester he hath been out nine years and away he shall again the king is coming sennet enter king lear cornwall albany goneril regan cordelia and attendants king lear attend the lords of france and burgundy gloucester gloucester i shall my liege exeunt gloucester and edmund king lear meantime we shall express our darker purpose give me the map there know that we have divided in three our kingdom and tis our fast intent to shake all cares and business from our age conferring them on younger strengths while we unburthen'd crawl toward death our son of cornwall and you our no less loving son of albany we have this hour a constant will to publish our daughters several dowers that future strife may be prevented now the princes france and burgundy great rivals in our youngest daughter's love long in our court have made their amorous sojourn and here are to be answer'd tell me my daughters since now we will divest us both of rule interest of territory cares of state which of you shall we say doth love us most that we our largest bounty may extend where nature doth with merit challenge goneril our eldestborn speak first goneril sir i love you more than words can wield the matter dearer than eyesight space and liberty beyond what can be valued rich or rare no less than life with grace health beauty honour as much as child e'er loved or father found a love that makes breath poor and speech unable beyond all manner of so much i love you cordelia aside what shall cordelia do love and be silent lear of all these bounds even from this line to this with shadowy forests and with champains rich'd with plenteous rivers and wideskirted meads we make thee lady to thine and albany's issue be this perpetual what says our second daughter our dearest regan wife to cornwall speak regan sir i am made of the selfsame metal that my sister is and prize me at her worth in my true heart i find she names my very deed of love only she comes too short that i profess myself an enemy to all other joys which the most precious square of sense possesses and find i am alone felicitate in your dear highness love cordelia aside then poor cordelia and yet not so since i am sure my love's more richer than my tongue king lear to thee and thine hereditary ever remain this ample third of our fair kingdom no less in space validity and pleasure than that conferr'd on goneril now our joy although the last not least to whose young love the vines of france and milk of burgundy strive to be interess'd what can you say to draw a third more opulent than your sisters speak cordelia nothing my lord king lear nothing cordelia nothing king lear nothing will come of nothing speak again cordelia unhappy that i am i cannot heave my heart into my mouth i love your majesty according to my bond nor more nor less king lear how how cordelia mend your speech a little lest it may mar your fortunes cordelia good my lord you have begot me bred me loved me i return those duties back as are right fit obey you love you and most honour you why have my sisters husbands if they say they love you all haply when i shall wed that lord whose hand must take my plight shall carry half my love with him half my care and duty sure i shall never marry like my sisters to love my father all king lear but goes thy heart with this cordelia ay good my lord king lear so young and so untender cordelia so young my lord and true king lear let it be so thy truth then be thy dower for by the sacred radiance of the sun the mysteries of hecate and the night by all the operation of the orbs from whom we do exist and cease to be here i disclaim all my paternal care propinquity and property of blood and as a stranger to my heart and me hold thee from this for ever the barbarous scythian or he that makes his generation messes to gorge his appetite shall to my bosom be as well neighbour'd pitied and relieved as thou my sometime daughter kent good my liege king lear peace kent come not between the dragon and his wrath i loved her most and thought to set my rest on her kind nursery hence and avoid my sight so be my grave my peace as here i give her father's heart from her call france who stirs call burgundy cornwall and albany with my two daughters dowers digest this third let pride which she calls plainness marry her i do invest you jointly with my power preeminence and all the large effects that troop with majesty ourself by monthly course with reservation of an hundred knights by you to be sustain'd shall our abode make with you by due turns only we still retain the name and all the additions to a king the sway revenue execution of the rest beloved sons be yours which to confirm this coronet part betwixt you giving the crown kent royal lear whom i have ever honour'd as my king loved as my father as my master follow'd as my great patron thought on in my prayers king lear the bow is bent and drawn make from the shaft kent let it fall rather though the fork invade the region of my heart be kent unmannerly when lear is mad what wilt thou do old man think'st thou that duty shall have dread to speak when power to flattery bows to plainness honour's bound when majesty stoops to folly reverse thy doom and in thy best consideration cheque this hideous rashness answer my life my judgment thy youngest daughter does not love thee least nor are those emptyhearted whose low sound reverbs no hollowness king lear kent on thy life no more kent my life i never held but as a pawn to wage against thy enemies nor fear to lose it thy safety being the motive king lear out of my sight kent see better lear and let me still remain the true blank of thine eye king lear now by apollo kent now by apollo king thou swear'st thy gods in vain king lear o vassal miscreant laying his hand on his sword albany dear sir forbear cornwall kent do kill thy physician and the fee bestow upon thy foul disease revoke thy doom or whilst i can vent clamour from my throat i'll tell thee thou dost evil king lear hear me recreant on thine allegiance hear me since thou hast sought to make us break our vow which we durst never yet and with strain'd pride to come between our sentence and our power which nor our nature nor our place can bear our potency made good take thy reward five days we do allot thee for provision to shield thee from diseases of the world and on the sixth to turn thy hated back upon our kingdom if on the tenth day following thy banish'd trunk be found in our dominions the moment is thy death away by jupiter this shall not be revoked kent fare thee well king sith thus thou wilt appear freedom lives hence and banishment is here to cordelia the gods to their dear shelter take thee maid that justly think'st and hast most rightly said to regan and goneril and your large speeches may your deeds approve that good effects may spring from words of love thus kent o princes bids you all adieu he'll shape his old course in a country new exit flourish reenter gloucester with king of france burgundy and attendants gloucester here's france and burgundy my noble lord king lear my lord of burgundy we first address towards you who with this king hath rivall'd for our daughter what in the least will you require in present dower with her or cease your quest of love burgundy most royal majesty i crave no more than what your highness offer'd nor will you tender less king lear right noble burgundy when she was dear to us we did hold her so but now her price is fall'n sir there she stands if aught within that little seeming substance or all of it with our displeasure pieced and nothing more may fitly like your grace she's there and she is yours burgundy i know no answer king lear will you with those infirmities she owes unfriended newadopted to our hate dower'd with our curse and stranger'd with our oath take her or leave her burgundy pardon me royal sir election makes not up on such conditions king lear then leave her sir for by the power that made me i tell you all her wealth to king of france for you great king i would not from your love make such a stray to match you where i hate therefore beseech you to avert your liking a more worthier way than on a wretch whom nature is ashamed almost to acknowledge hers king of france this is most strange that she that even but now was your best object the argument of your praise balm of your age most best most dearest should in this trice of time commit a thing so monstrous to dismantle so many folds of favour sure her offence must be of such unnatural degree that monsters it or your forevouch'd affection fall'n into taint which to believe of her must be a faith that reason without miracle could never plant in me cordelia i yet beseech your majesty if for i want that glib and oily art to speak and purpose not since what i well intend i'll do't before i speakthat you make known it is no vicious blot murder or foulness no unchaste action or dishonour'd step that hath deprived me of your grace and favour but even for want of that for which i am richer a stillsoliciting eye and such a tongue as i am glad i have not though not to have it hath lost me in your liking king lear better thou hadst not been born than not to have pleased me better king of france is it but thisa tardiness in nature which often leaves the history unspoke that it intends to do my lord of burgundy what say you to the lady love's not love when it is mingled with regards that stand aloof from the entire point will you have her she is herself a dowry burgundy royal lear give but that portion which yourself proposed and here i take cordelia by the hand duchess of burgundy king lear nothing i have sworn i am firm burgundy i am sorry then you have so lost a father that you must lose a husband cordelia peace be with burgundy since that respects of fortune are his love i shall not be his wife king of france fairest cordelia that art most rich being poor most choice forsaken and most loved despised thee and thy virtues here i seize upon be it lawful i take up what's cast away gods gods tis strange that from their cold'st neglect my love should kindle to inflamed respect thy dowerless daughter king thrown to my chance is queen of us of ours and our fair france not all the dukes of waterish burgundy can buy this unprized precious maid of me bid them farewell cordelia though unkind thou losest here a better where to find king lear thou hast her france let her be thine for we have no such daughter nor shall ever see that face of hers again therefore be gone without our grace our love our benison come noble burgundy flourish exeunt all but king of france goneril regan and cordelia king of france bid farewell to your sisters cordelia the jewels of our father with wash'd eyes cordelia leaves you i know you what you are and like a sister am most loath to call your faults as they are named use well our father to your professed bosoms i commit him but yet alas stood i within his grace i would prefer him to a better place so farewell to you both regan prescribe not us our duties goneril let your study be to content your lord who hath received you at fortune's alms you have obedience scanted and well are worth the want that you have wanted cordelia time shall unfold what plaited cunning hides who cover faults at last shame them derides well may you prosper king of france come my fair cordelia exeunt king of france and cordelia goneril sister it is not a little i have to say of what most nearly appertains to us both i think our father will hence tonight regan that's most certain and with you next month with us goneril you see how full of changes his age is the observation we have made of it hath not been little he always loved our sister most and with what poor judgment he hath now cast her off appears too grossly regan tis the infirmity of his age yet he hath ever but slenderly known himself goneril the best and soundest of his time hath been but rash then must we look to receive from his age not alone the imperfections of longengraffed condition but therewithal the unruly waywardness that infirm and choleric years bring with them regan such unconstant starts are we like to have from him as this of kent's banishment goneril there is further compliment of leavetaking between france and him pray you let's hit together if our father carry authority with such dispositions as he bears this last surrender of his will but offend us regan we shall further think on't goneril we must do something and i the heat exeunt king lear act i scene ii the earl of gloucester's castle enter edmund with a letter edmund thou nature art my goddess to thy law my services are bound wherefore should i stand in the plague of custom and permit the curiosity of nations to deprive me for that i am some twelve or fourteen moonshines lag of a brother why bastard wherefore base when my dimensions are as well compact my mind as generous and my shape as true as honest madam's issue why brand they us with base with baseness bastardy base base who in the lusty stealth of nature take more composition and fierce quality than doth within a dull stale tired bed go to the creating a whole tribe of fops got tween asleep and wake well then legitimate edgar i must have your land our father's love is to the bastard edmund as to the legitimate fine wordlegitimate well my legitimate if this letter speed and my invention thrive edmund the base shall top the legitimate i grow i prosper now gods stand up for bastards enter gloucester gloucester kent banish'd thus and france in choler parted and the king gone tonight subscribed his power confined to exhibition all this done upon the gad edmund how now what news edmund so please your lordship none putting up the letter gloucester why so earnestly seek you to put up that letter edmund i know no news my lord gloucester what paper were you reading edmund nothing my lord gloucester no what needed then that terrible dispatch of it into your pocket the quality of nothing hath not such need to hide itself let's see come if it be nothing i shall not need spectacles edmund i beseech you sir pardon me it is a letter from my brother that i have not all o'erread and for so much as i have perused i find it not fit for your o'erlooking gloucester give me the letter sir edmund i shall offend either to detain or give it the contents as in part i understand them are to blame gloucester let's see let's see edmund i hope for my brother's justification he wrote this but as an essay or taste of my virtue gloucester reads this policy and reverence of age makes the world bitter to the best of our times keeps our fortunes from us till our oldness cannot relish them i begin to find an idle and fond bondage in the oppression of aged tyranny who sways not as it hath power but as it is suffered come to me that of this i may speak more if our father would sleep till i waked him you should half his revenue for ever and live the beloved of your brother edgar' humconspiracy'sleep till i waked himyou should enjoy half his revenue'my son edgar had he a hand to write this a heart and brain to breed it inwhen came this to you who brought it edmund it was not brought me my lord there's the cunning of it i found it thrown in at the casement of my closet gloucester you know the character to be your brother's edmund if the matter were good my lord i durst swear it were his but in respect of that i would fain think it were not gloucester it is his edmund it is his hand my lord but i hope his heart is not in the contents gloucester hath he never heretofore sounded you in this business edmund never my lord but i have heard him oft maintain it to be fit that sons at perfect age and fathers declining the father should be as ward to the son and the son manage his revenue gloucester o villain villain his very opinion in the letter abhorred villain unnatural detested brutish villain worse than brutish go sirrah seek him i'll apprehend him abominable villain where is he edmund i do not well know my lord if it shall please you to suspend your indignation against my brother till you can derive from him better testimony of his intent you shall run a certain course where if you violently proceed against him mistaking his purpose it would make a great gap in your own honour and shake in pieces the heart of his obedience i dare pawn down my life for him that he hath wrote this to feel my affection to your honour and to no further pretence of danger gloucester think you so edmund if your honour judge it meet i will place you where you shall hear us confer of this and by an auricular assurance have your satisfaction and that without any further delay than this very evening gloucester he cannot be such a monster edmund nor is not sure gloucester to his father that so tenderly and entirely loves him heaven and earth edmund seek him out wind me into him i pray you frame the business after your own wisdom i would unstate myself to be in a due resolution edmund i will seek him sir presently convey the business as i shall find means and acquaint you withal gloucester these late eclipses in the sun and moon portend no good to us though the wisdom of nature can reason it thus and thus yet nature finds itself scourged by the sequent effects love cools friendship falls off brothers divide in cities mutinies in countries discord in palaces treason and the bond cracked twixt son and father this villain of mine comes under the prediction there's son against father the king falls from bias of nature there's father against child we have seen the best of our time machinations hollowness treachery and all ruinous disorders follow us disquietly to our graves find out this villain edmund it shall lose thee nothing do it carefully and the noble and truehearted kent banished his offence honesty tis strange exit edmund this is the excellent foppery of the world that when we are sick in fortuneoften the surfeit of our own behaviorwe make guilty of our disasters the sun the moon and the stars as if we were villains by necessity fools by heavenly compulsion knaves thieves and treachers by spherical predominance drunkards liars and adulterers by an enforced obedience of planetary influence and all that we are evil in by a divine thrusting on an admirable evasion of whoremaster man to lay his goatish disposition to the charge of a star my father compounded with my mother under the dragon's tail and my nativity was under ursa major so that it follows i am rough and lecherous tut i should have been that i am had the maidenliest star in the firmament twinkled on my bastardizing edgar enter edgar and pat he comes like the catastrophe of the old comedy my cue is villanous melancholy with a sigh like tom o bedlam o these eclipses do portend these divisions fa sol la mi edgar how now brother edmund what serious contemplation are you in edmund i am thinking brother of a prediction i read this other day what should follow these eclipses edgar do you busy yourself about that edmund i promise you the effects he writes of succeed unhappily as of unnaturalness between the child and the parent death dearth dissolutions of ancient amities divisions in state menaces and maledictions against king and nobles needless diffidences banishment of friends dissipation of cohorts nuptial breaches and i know not what edgar how long have you been a sectary astronomical edmund come come when saw you my father last edgar why the night gone by edmund spake you with him edgar ay two hours together edmund parted you in good terms found you no displeasure in him by word or countenance edgar none at all edmund bethink yourself wherein you may have offended him and at my entreaty forbear his presence till some little time hath qualified the heat of his displeasure which at this instant so rageth in him that with the mischief of your person it would scarcely allay edgar some villain hath done me wrong edmund that's my fear i pray you have a continent forbearance till the spied of his rage goes slower and as i say retire with me to my lodging from whence i will fitly bring you to hear my lord speak pray ye go there's my key if you do stir abroad go armed edgar armed brother edmund brother i advise you to the best go armed i am no honest man if there be any good meaning towards you i have told you what i have seen and heard but faintly nothing like the image and horror of it pray you away edgar shall i hear from you anon edmund i do serve you in this business exit edgar a credulous father and a brother noble whose nature is so far from doing harms that he suspects none on whose foolish honesty my practises ride easy i see the business let me if not by birth have lands by wit all with me's meet that i can fashion fit exit king lear act i scene iii the duke of albany's palace enter goneril and oswald her steward goneril did my father strike my gentleman for chiding of his fool oswald yes madam goneril by day and night he wrongs me every hour he flashes into one gross crime or other that sets us all at odds i'll not endure it his knights grow riotous and himself upbraids us on every trifle when he returns from hunting i will not speak with him say i am sick if you come slack of former services you shall do well the fault of it i'll answer oswald he's coming madam i hear him horns within goneril put on what weary negligence you please you and your fellows i'll have it come to question if he dislike it let him to our sister whose mind and mine i know in that are one not to be overruled idle old man that still would manage those authorities that he hath given away now by my life old fools are babes again and must be used with cheques as flatterieswhen they are seen abused remember what i tell you oswald well madam goneril and let his knights have colder looks among you what grows of it no matter advise your fellows so i would breed from hence occasions and i shall that i may speak i'll write straight to my sister to hold my very course prepare for dinner exeunt king lear act i scene iv a hall in the same enter kent disguised kent if but as well i other accents borrow that can my speech defuse my good intent may carry through itself to that full issue for which i razed my likeness now banish'd kent if thou canst serve where thou dost stand condemn'd so may it come thy master whom thou lovest shall find thee full of labours horns within enter king lear knights and attendants king lear let me not stay a jot for dinner go get it ready exit an attendant how now what art thou kent a man sir king lear what dost thou profess what wouldst thou with us kent i do profess to be no less than i seem to serve him truly that will put me in trust to love him that is honest to converse with him that is wise and says little to fear judgment to fight when i cannot choose and to eat no fish king lear what art thou kent a very honesthearted fellow and as poor as the king king lear if thou be as poor for a subject as he is for a king thou art poor enough what wouldst thou kent service king lear who wouldst thou serve kent you king lear dost thou know me fellow kent no sir but you have that in your countenance which i would fain call master king lear what's that kent authority king lear what services canst thou do kent i can keep honest counsel ride run mar a curious tale in telling it and deliver a plain message bluntly that which ordinary men are fit for i am qualified in and the best of me is diligence king lear how old art thou kent not so young sir to love a woman for singing nor so old to dote on her for any thing i have years on my back forty eight king lear follow me thou shalt serve me if i like thee no worse after dinner i will not part from thee yet dinner ho dinner where's my knave my fool go you and call my fool hither exit an attendant enter oswald you you sirrah where's my daughter oswald so please you exit king lear what says the fellow there call the clotpoll back exit a knight where's my fool ho i think the world's asleep reenter knight how now where's that mongrel knight he says my lord your daughter is not well king lear why came not the slave back to me when i called him knight sir he answered me in the roundest manner he would not king lear he would not knight my lord i know not what the matter is but to my judgment your highness is not entertained with that ceremonious affection as you were wont there's a great abatement of kindness appears as well in the general dependants as in the duke himself also and your daughter king lear ha sayest thou so knight i beseech you pardon me my lord if i be mistaken for my duty cannot be silent when i think your highness wronged king lear thou but rememberest me of mine own conception i have perceived a most faint neglect of late which i have rather blamed as mine own jealous curiosity than as a very pretence and purpose of unkindness i will look further into't but where's my fool i have not seen him this two days knight since my young lady's going into france sir the fool hath much pined away king lear no more of that i have noted it well go you and tell my daughter i would speak with her exit an attendant go you call hither my fool exit an attendant reenter oswald o you sir you come you hither sir who am i sir oswald my lady's father king lear my lady's father my lord's knave your whoreson dog you slave you cur oswald i am none of these my lord i beseech your pardon king lear do you bandy looks with me you rascal striking him oswald i'll not be struck my lord kent nor tripped neither you base football player tripping up his heels king lear i thank thee fellow thou servest me and i'll love thee kent come sir arise away i'll teach you differences away away if you will measure your lubber's length again tarry but away go to have you wisdom so pushes oswald out king lear now my friendly knave i thank thee there's earnest of thy service giving kent money enter fool fool let me hire him too here's my coxcomb offering kent his cap king lear how now my pretty knave how dost thou fool sirrah you were best take my coxcomb kent why fool fool why for taking one's part that's out of favour nay an thou canst not smile as the wind sits thou'lt catch cold shortly there take my coxcomb why this fellow has banished two on's daughters and did the third a blessing against his will if thou follow him thou must needs wear my coxcomb how now nuncle would i had two coxcombs and two daughters king lear why my boy fool if i gave them all my living i'ld keep my coxcombs myself there's mine beg another of thy daughters king lear take heed sirrah the whip fool truth's a dog must to kennel he must be whipped out when lady the brach may stand by the fire and stink king lear a pestilent gall to me fool sirrah i'll teach thee a speech king lear do fool mark it nuncle have more than thou showest speak less than thou knowest lend less than thou owest ride more than thou goest learn more than thou trowest set less than thou throwest leave thy drink and thy whore and keep inadoor and thou shalt have more than two tens to a score kent this is nothing fool fool then tis like the breath of an unfee'd lawyer you gave me nothing for't can you make no use of nothing nuncle king lear why no boy nothing can be made out of nothing fool to kent prithee tell him so much the rent of his land comes to he will not believe a fool king lear a bitter fool fool dost thou know the difference my boy between a bitter fool and a sweet fool king lear no lad teach me fool that lord that counsell'd thee to give away thy land come place him here by me do thou for him stand the sweet and bitter fool will presently appear the one in motley here the other found out there king lear dost thou call me fool boy fool all thy other titles thou hast given away that thou wast born with kent this is not altogether fool my lord fool no faith lords and great men will not let me if i had a monopoly out they would have part on't and ladies too they will not let me have all fool to myself they'll be snatching give me an egg nuncle and i'll give thee two crowns king lear what two crowns shall they be fool why after i have cut the egg i the middle and eat up the meat the two crowns of the egg when thou clovest thy crown i the middle and gavest away both parts thou borest thy ass on thy back o'er the dirt thou hadst little wit in thy bald crown when thou gavest thy golden one away if i speak like myself in this let him be whipped that first finds it so singing fools had ne'er less wit in a year for wise men are grown foppish they know not how their wits to wear their manners are so apish king lear when were you wont to be so full of songs sirrah fool i have used it nuncle ever since thou madest thy daughters thy mothers for when thou gavest them the rod and put'st down thine own breeches singing then they for sudden joy did weep and i for sorrow sung that such a king should play bopeep and go the fools among prithee nuncle keep a schoolmaster that can teach thy fool to lie i would fain learn to lie king lear an you lie sirrah we'll have you whipped fool i marvel what kin thou and thy daughters are they'll have me whipped for speaking true thou'lt have me whipped for lying and sometimes i am whipped for holding my peace i had rather be any kind o thing than a fool and yet i would not be thee nuncle thou hast pared thy wit o both sides and left nothing i the middle here comes one o' the parings enter goneril king lear how now daughter what makes that frontlet on methinks you are too much of late i the frown fool thou wast a pretty fellow when thou hadst no need to care for her frowning now thou art an o without a figure i am better than thou art now i am a fool thou art nothing to goneril yes forsooth i will hold my tongue so your face bids me though you say nothing mum mum he that keeps nor crust nor crum weary of all shall want some pointing to king lear that's a shealed peascod goneril not only sir this your alllicensed fool but other of your insolent retinue do hourly carp and quarrel breaking forth in rank and nottobe endured riots sir i had thought by making this well known unto you to have found a safe redress but now grow fearful by what yourself too late have spoke and done that you protect this course and put it on by your allowance which if you should the fault would not scape censure nor the redresses sleep which in the tender of a wholesome weal might in their working do you that offence which else were shame that then necessity will call discreet proceeding fool for you trow nuncle the hedgesparrow fed the cuckoo so long that it's had it head bit off by it young so out went the candle and we were left darkling king lear are you our daughter goneril come sir i would you would make use of that good wisdom whereof i know you are fraught and put away these dispositions that of late transform you from what you rightly are fool may not an ass know when the cart draws the horse whoop jug i love thee king lear doth any here know me this is not lear doth lear walk thus speak thus where are his eyes either his notion weakens his discernings are lethargiedha waking tis not so who is it that can tell me who i am fool lear's shadow king lear i would learn that for by the marks of sovereignty knowledge and reason i should be false persuaded i had daughters fool which they will make an obedient father king lear your name fair gentlewoman goneril this admiration sir is much o the savour of other your new pranks i do beseech you to understand my purposes aright as you are old and reverend you should be wise here do you keep a hundred knights and squires men so disorder'd so debosh'd and bold that this our court infected with their manners shows like a riotous inn epicurism and lust make it more like a tavern or a brothel than a graced palace the shame itself doth speak for instant remedy be then desired by her that else will take the thing she begs a little to disquantity your train and the remainder that shall still depend to be such men as may besort your age and know themselves and you king lear darkness and devils saddle my horses call my train together degenerate bastard i'll not trouble thee yet have i left a daughter goneril you strike my people and your disorder'd rabble make servants of their betters enter albany king lear woe that too late repents to albany o sir are you come is it your will speak sir prepare my horses ingratitude thou marblehearted fiend more hideous when thou show'st thee in a child than the seamonster albany pray sir be patient king lear to goneril detested kite thou liest my train are men of choice and rarest parts that all particulars of duty know and in the most exact regard support the worships of their name o most small fault how ugly didst thou in cordelia show that like an engine wrench'd my frame of nature from the fix'd place drew from heart all love and added to the gall o lear lear lear beat at this gate that let thy folly in striking his head and thy dear judgment out go go my people albany my lord i am guiltless as i am ignorant of what hath moved you king lear it may be so my lord hear nature hear dear goddess hear suspend thy purpose if thou didst intend to make this creature fruitful into her womb convey sterility dry up in her the organs of increase and from her derogate body never spring a babe to honour her if she must teem create her child of spleen that it may live and be a thwart disnatured torment to her let it stamp wrinkles in her brow of youth with cadent tears fret channels in her cheeks turn all her mother's pains and benefits to laughter and contempt that she may feel how sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child away away exit albany now gods that we adore whereof comes this goneril never afflict yourself to know the cause but let his disposition have that scope that dotage gives it reenter king lear king lear what fifty of my followers at a clap within a fortnight albany what's the matter sir king lear i'll tell thee to goneril life and death i am ashamed that thou hast power to shake my manhood thus that these hot tears which break from me perforce should make thee worth them blasts and fogs upon thee the untented woundings of a father's curse pierce every sense about thee old fond eyes beweep this cause again i'll pluck ye out and cast you with the waters that you lose to temper clay yea it is come to this let is be so yet have i left a daughter who i am sure is kind and comfortable when she shall hear this of thee with her nails she'll flay thy wolvish visage thou shalt find that i'll resume the shape which thou dost think i have cast off for ever thou shalt i warrant thee exeunt king lear kent and attendants goneril do you mark that my lord albany i cannot be so partial goneril to the great love i bear you goneril pray you content what oswald ho to the fool you sir more knave than fool after your master fool nuncle lear nuncle lear tarry and take the fool with thee a fox when one has caught her and such a daughter should sure to the slaughter if my cap would buy a halter so the fool follows after exit goneril this man hath had good counsela hundred knights tis politic and safe to let him keep at point a hundred knights yes that on every dream each buzz each fancy each complaint dislike he may enguard his dotage with their powers and hold our lives in mercy oswald i say albany well you may fear too far goneril safer than trust too far let me still take away the harms i fear not fear still to be taken i know his heart what he hath utter'd i have writ my sister if she sustain him and his hundred knights when i have show'd the unfitness reenter oswald how now oswald what have you writ that letter to my sister oswald yes madam goneril take you some company and away to horse inform her full of my particular fear and thereto add such reasons of your own as may compact it more get you gone and hasten your return exit oswald no no my lord this milky gentleness and course of yours though i condemn not yet under pardon you are much more attask'd for want of wisdom than praised for harmful mildness albany how far your eyes may pierce i can not tell striving to better oft we mar what's well goneril nay then albany well well the event exeunt king lear act i scene v court before the same enter king lear kent and fool king lear go you before to gloucester with these letters acquaint my daughter no further with any thing you know than comes from her demand out of the letter if your diligence be not speedy i shall be there afore you kent i will not sleep my lord till i have delivered your letter exit fool if a man's brains were in's heels were't not in danger of kibes king lear ay boy fool then i prithee be merry thy wit shall ne'er go slipshod king lear ha ha ha fool shalt see thy other daughter will use thee kindly for though she's as like this as a crab's like an apple yet i can tell what i can tell king lear why what canst thou tell my boy fool she will taste as like this as a crab does to a crab thou canst tell why one's nose stands i' the middle on's face king lear no fool why to keep one's eyes of either side's nose that what a man cannot smell out he may spy into king lear i did her wrong fool canst tell how an oyster makes his shell king lear no fool nor i neither but i can tell why a snail has a house king lear why fool why to put his head in not to give it away to his daughters and leave his horns without a case king lear i will forget my nature so kind a father be my horses ready fool thy asses are gone about em the reason why the seven stars are no more than seven is a pretty reason king lear because they are not eight fool yes indeed thou wouldst make a good fool king lear to take t again perforce monster ingratitude fool if thou wert my fool nuncle i'ld have thee beaten for being old before thy time king lear how's that fool thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst been wise king lear o let me not be mad not mad sweet heaven keep me in temper i would not be mad enter gentleman how now are the horses ready gentleman ready my lord king lear come boy fool she that's a maid now and laughs at my departure shall not be a maid long unless things be cut shorter exeunt king lear act ii scene i gloucester's castle enter edmund and curan meets him edmund save thee curan curan and you sir i have been with your father and given him notice that the duke of cornwall and regan his duchess will be here with him this night edmund how comes that curan nay i know not you have heard of the news abroad i mean the whispered ones for they are yet but earkissing arguments edmund not i pray you what are they curan have you heard of no likely wars toward twixt the dukes of cornwall and albany edmund not a word curan you may do then in time fare you well sir exit edmund the duke be here tonight the better best this weaves itself perforce into my business my father hath set guard to take my brother and i have one thing of a queasy question which i must act briefness and fortune work brother a word descend brother i say enter edgar my father watches o sir fly this place intelligence is given where you are hid you have now the good advantage of the night have you not spoken gainst the duke of cornwall he's coming hither now i the night i the haste and regan with him have you nothing said upon his party gainst the duke of albany advise yourself edgar i am sure on't not a word edmund i hear my father coming pardon me in cunning i must draw my sword upon you draw seem to defend yourself now quit you well yield come before my father light ho here fly brother torches torches so farewell exit edgar some blood drawn on me would beget opinion wounds his arm of my more fierce endeavour i have seen drunkards do more than this in sport father father stop stop no help enter gloucester and servants with torches gloucester now edmund where's the villain edmund here stood he in the dark his sharp sword out mumbling of wicked charms conjuring the moon to stand auspicious mistress gloucester but where is he edmund look sir i bleed gloucester where is the villain edmund edmund fled this way sir when by no means he could gloucester pursue him ho go after exeunt some servants by no means what edmund persuade me to the murder of your lordship but that i told him the revenging gods gainst parricides did all their thunders bend spoke with how manifold and strong a bond the child was bound to the father sir in fine seeing how loathly opposite i stood to his unnatural purpose in fell motion with his prepared sword he charges home my unprovided body lanced mine arm but when he saw my best alarum'd spirits bold in the quarrel's right roused to the encounter or whether gasted by the noise i made full suddenly he fled gloucester let him fly far not in this land shall he remain uncaught and founddispatch the noble duke my master my worthy arch and patron comes tonight by his authority i will proclaim it that he which finds him shall deserve our thanks bringing the murderous coward to the stake he that conceals him death edmund when i dissuaded him from his intent and found him pight to do it with curst speech i threaten'd to discover him he replied thou unpossessing bastard dost thou think if i would stand against thee would the reposal of any trust virtue or worth in thee make thy words faith'd no what i should deny as this i would ay though thou didst produce my very characteri'ld turn it all to thy suggestion plot and damned practise and thou must make a dullard of the world if they not thought the profits of my death were very pregnant and potential spurs to make thee seek it' gloucester strong and fasten'd villain would he deny his letter i never got him tucket within hark the duke's trumpets i know not why he comes all ports i'll bar the villain shall not scape the duke must grant me that besides his picture i will send far and near that all the kingdom may have the due note of him and of my land loyal and natural boy i'll work the means to make thee capable enter cornwall regan and attendants cornwall how now my noble friend since i came hither which i can call but now i have heard strange news regan if it be true all vengeance comes too short which can pursue the offender how dost my lord gloucester o madam my old heart is crack'd it's crack'd regan what did my father's godson seek your life he whom my father named your edgar gloucester o lady lady shame would have it hid regan was he not companion with the riotous knights that tend upon my father gloucester i know not madam tis too bad too bad edmund yes madam he was of that consort regan no marvel then though he were ill affected tis they have put him on the old man's death to have the expense and waste of his revenues i have this present evening from my sister been well inform'd of them and with such cautions that if they come to sojourn at my house i'll not be there cornwall nor i assure thee regan edmund i hear that you have shown your father a childlike office edmund twas my duty sir gloucester he did bewray his practise and received this hurt you see striving to apprehend him cornwall is he pursued gloucester ay my good lord cornwall if he be taken he shall never more be fear'd of doing harm make your own purpose how in my strength you please for you edmund whose virtue and obedience doth this instant so much commend itself you shall be ours natures of such deep trust we shall much need you we first seize on edmund i shall serve you sir truly however else gloucester for him i thank your grace cornwall you know not why we came to visit you regan thus out of season threading darkeyed night occasions noble gloucester of some poise wherein we must have use of your advice our father he hath writ so hath our sister of differences which i least thought it fit to answer from our home the several messengers from hence attend dispatch our good old friend lay comforts to your bosom and bestow your needful counsel to our business which craves the instant use gloucester i serve you madam your graces are right welcome exeunt king lear act ii scene ii before gloucester's castle enter kent and oswald severally oswald good dawning to thee friend art of this house kent ay oswald where may we set our horses kent i the mire oswald prithee if thou lovest me tell me kent i love thee not oswald why then i care not for thee kent if i had thee in lipsbury pinfold i would make thee care for me oswald why dost thou use me thus i know thee not kent fellow i know thee oswald what dost thou know me for kent a knave a rascal an eater of broken meats a base proud shallow beggarly threesuited hundredpound filthy worstedstocking knave a lilylivered actiontaking knave a whoreson glassgazing superserviceable finical rogue onetrunkinheriting slave one that wouldst be a bawd in way of good service and art nothing but the composition of a knave beggar coward pandar and the son and heir of a mongrel bitch one whom i will beat into clamorous whining if thou deniest the least syllable of thy addition oswald why what a monstrous fellow art thou thus to rail on one that is neither known of thee nor knows thee kent what a brazenfaced varlet art thou to deny thou knowest me is it two days ago since i tripped up thy heels and beat thee before the king draw you rogue for though it be night yet the moon shines i'll make a sop o the moonshine of you draw you whoreson cullionly barbermonger draw drawing his sword oswald away i have nothing to do with thee kent draw you rascal you come with letters against the king and take vanity the puppet's part against the royalty of her father draw you rogue or i'll so carbonado your shanks draw you rascal come your ways oswald help ho murder help kent strike you slave stand rogue stand you neat slave strike beating him oswald help ho murder murder enter edmund with his rapier drawn cornwall regan gloucester and servants edmund how now what's the matter kent with you goodman boy an you please come i'll flesh ye come on young master gloucester weapons arms what s the matter here cornwall keep peace upon your lives he dies that strikes again what is the matter regan the messengers from our sister and the king cornwall what is your difference speak oswald i am scarce in breath my lord kent no marvel you have so bestirred your valour you cowardly rascal nature disclaims in thee a tailor made thee cornwall thou art a strange fellow a tailor make a man kent ay a tailor sir a stonecutter or painter could not have made him so ill though he had been but two hours at the trade cornwall speak yet how grew your quarrel oswald this ancient ruffian sir whose life i have spared at suit of his gray beard kent thou whoreson zed thou unnecessary letter my lord if you will give me leave i will tread this unbolted villain into mortar and daub the wall of a jakes with him spare my gray beard you wagtail cornwall peace sirrah you beastly knave know you no reverence kent yes sir but anger hath a privilege cornwall why art thou angry kent that such a slave as this should wear a sword who wears no honesty such smiling rogues as these like rats oft bite the holy cords atwain which are too intrinse t unloose smooth every passion that in the natures of their lords rebel bring oil to fire snow to their colder moods renege affirm and turn their halcyon beaks with every gale and vary of their masters knowing nought like dogs but following a plague upon your epileptic visage smile you my speeches as i were a fool goose if i had you upon sarum plain i'ld drive ye cackling home to camelot cornwall why art thou mad old fellow gloucester how fell you out say that kent no contraries hold more antipathy than i and such a knave cornwall why dost thou call him a knave what's his offence kent his countenance likes me not cornwall no more perchance does mine nor his nor hers kent sir tis my occupation to be plain i have seen better faces in my time than stands on any shoulder that i see before me at this instant cornwall this is some fellow who having been praised for bluntness doth affect a saucy roughness and constrains the garb quite from his nature he cannot flatter he an honest mind and plain he must speak truth an they will take it so if not he's plain these kind of knaves i know which in this plainness harbour more craft and more corrupter ends than twenty silly ducking observants that stretch their duties nicely kent sir in good sooth in sincere verity under the allowance of your great aspect whose influence like the wreath of radiant fire on flickering phoebus front cornwall what mean'st by this kent to go out of my dialect which you discommend so much i know sir i am no flatterer he that beguiled you in a plain accent was a plain knave which for my part i will not be though i should win your displeasure to entreat me to t cornwall what was the offence you gave him oswald i never gave him any it pleased the king his master very late to strike at me upon his misconstruction when he conjunct and flattering his displeasure tripp'd me behind being down insulted rail'd and put upon him such a deal of man that worthied him got praises of the king for him attempting who was selfsubdued and in the fleshment of this dread exploit drew on me here again kent none of these rogues and cowards but ajax is their fool cornwall fetch forth the stocks you stubborn ancient knave you reverend braggart we'll teach you kent sir i am too old to learn call not your stocks for me i serve the king on whose employment i was sent to you you shall do small respect show too bold malice against the grace and person of my master stocking his messenger cornwall fetch forth the stocks as i have life and honour there shall he sit till noon regan till noon till night my lord and all night too kent why madam if i were your father's dog you should not use me so regan sir being his knave i will cornwall this is a fellow of the selfsame colour our sister speaks of come bring away the stocks stocks brought out gloucester let me beseech your grace not to do so his fault is much and the good king his master will cheque him for t your purposed low correction is such as basest and contemned'st wretches for pilferings and most common trespasses are punish'd with the king must take it ill that he's so slightly valued in his messenger should have him thus restrain'd cornwall i'll answer that regan my sister may receive it much more worse to have her gentleman abused assaulted for following her affairs put in his legs kent is put in the stocks come my good lord away exeunt all but gloucester and kent gloucester i am sorry for thee friend tis the duke's pleasure whose disposition all the world well knows will not be rubb'd nor stopp'd i'll entreat for thee kent pray do not sir i have watched and travell'd hard some time i shall sleep out the rest i'll whistle a good man's fortune may grow out at heels give you good morrow gloucester the duke's to blame in this twill be ill taken exit kent good king that must approve the common saw thou out of heaven's benediction comest to the warm sun approach thou beacon to this under globe that by thy comfortable beams i may peruse this letter nothing almost sees miracles but misery i know tis from cordelia who hath most fortunately been inform'd of my obscured course and shall find time from this enormous state seeking to give losses their remedies all weary and o'erwatch'd take vantage heavy eyes not to behold this shameful lodging fortune good night smile once more turn thy wheel sleeps king lear act ii scene iii a wood enter edgar edgar i heard myself proclaim'd and by the happy hollow of a tree escaped the hunt no port is free no place that guard and most unusual vigilance does not attend my taking whiles i may scape i will preserve myself and am bethought to take the basest and most poorest shape that ever penury in contempt of man brought near to beast my face i'll grime with filth blanket my loins elf all my hair in knots and with presented nakedness outface the winds and persecutions of the sky the country gives me proof and precedent of bedlam beggars who with roaring voices strike in their numb'd and mortified bare arms pins wooden pricks nails sprigs of rosemary and with this horrible object from low farms poor pelting villages sheepcotes and mills sometime with lunatic bans sometime with prayers enforce their charity poor turlygod poor tom that's something yet edgar i nothing am exit king lear act ii scene iv before gloucester's castle kent in the stocks enter king lear fool and gentleman king lear tis strange that they should so depart from home and not send back my messenger gentleman as i learn'd the night before there was no purpose in them of this remove kent hail to thee noble master king lear ha makest thou this shame thy pastime kent no my lord fool ha ha he wears cruel garters horses are tied by the heads dogs and bears by the neck monkeys by the loins and men by the legs when a man's overlusty at legs then he wears wooden netherstocks king lear what's he that hath so much thy place mistook to set thee here kent it is both he and she your son and daughter king lear no kent yes king lear no i say kent i say yea king lear no no they would not kent yes they have king lear by jupiter i swear no kent by juno i swear ay king lear they durst not do t they could not would not do t tis worse than murder to do upon respect such violent outrage resolve me with all modest haste which way thou mightst deserve or they impose this usage coming from us kent my lord when at their home i did commend your highness letters to them ere i was risen from the place that show'd my duty kneeling came there a reeking post stew'd in his haste half breathless panting forth from goneril his mistress salutations deliver'd letters spite of intermission which presently they read on whose contents they summon'd up their meiny straight took horse commanded me to follow and attend the leisure of their answer gave me cold looks and meeting here the other messenger whose welcome i perceived had poison'd mine being the very fellow that of late display'd so saucily against your highness having more man than wit about me drew he raised the house with loud and coward cries your son and daughter found this trespass worth the shame which here it suffers fool winter's not gone yet if the wildgeese fly that way fathers that wear rags do make their children blind but fathers that bear bags shall see their children kind fortune that arrant whore ne'er turns the key to the poor but for all this thou shalt have as many dolours for thy daughters as thou canst tell in a year king lear o how this mother swells up toward my heart hysterica passio down thou climbing sorrow thy element's below where is this daughter kent with the earl sir here within king lear follow me not stay here exit gentleman made you no more offence but what you speak of kent none how chance the king comes with so small a train fool and thou hadst been set i the stocks for that question thou hadst well deserved it kent why fool fool we'll set thee to school to an ant to teach thee there's no labouring i the winter all that follow their noses are led by their eyes but blind men and there's not a nose among twenty but can smell him that's stinking let go thy hold when a great wheel runs down a hill lest it break thy neck with following it but the great one that goes up the hill let him draw thee after when a wise man gives thee better counsel give me mine again i would have none but knaves follow it since a fool gives it that sir which serves and seeks for gain and follows but for form will pack when it begins to rain and leave thee in the storm but i will tarry the fool will stay and let the wise man fly the knave turns fool that runs away the fool no knave perdy kent where learned you this fool fool not i the stocks fool reenter king lear with gloucester king lear deny to speak with me they are sick they are weary they have travell'd all the night mere fetches the images of revolt and flying off fetch me a better answer gloucester my dear lord you know the fiery quality of the duke how unremoveable and fix'd he is in his own course king lear vengeance plague death confusion fiery what quality why gloucester gloucester i'ld speak with the duke of cornwall and his wife gloucester well my good lord i have inform'd them so king lear inform'd them dost thou understand me man gloucester ay my good lord king lear the king would speak with cornwall the dear father would with his daughter speak commands her service are they inform'd of this my breath and blood fiery the fiery duke tell the hot duke that no but not yet may be he is not well infirmity doth still neglect all office whereto our health is bound we are not ourselves when nature being oppress'd commands the mind to suffer with the body i'll forbear and am fall'n out with my more headier will to take the indisposed and sickly fit for the sound man death on my state wherefore looking on kent should he sit here this act persuades me that this remotion of the duke and her is practise only give me my servant forth go tell the duke and s wife i'ld speak with them now presently bid them come forth and hear me or at their chamberdoor i'll beat the drum till it cry sleep to death gloucester i would have all well betwixt you exit king lear o me my heart my rising heart but down fool cry to it nuncle as the cockney did to the eels when she put em i the paste alive she knapped em o the coxcombs with a stick and cried down wantons down twas her brother that in pure kindness to his horse buttered his hay enter cornwall regan gloucester and servants king lear good morrow to you both cornwall hail to your grace kent is set at liberty regan i am glad to see your highness king lear regan i think you are i know what reason i have to think so if thou shouldst not be glad i would divorce me from thy mother's tomb sepulchring an adultress to kent o are you free some other time for that beloved regan thy sister's naught o regan she hath tied sharptooth'd unkindness like a vulture here points to his heart i can scarce speak to thee thou'lt not believe with how depraved a qualityo regan regan i pray you sir take patience i have hope you less know how to value her desert than she to scant her duty king lear say how is that regan i cannot think my sister in the least would fail her obligation if sir perchance she have restrain'd the riots of your followers tis on such ground and to such wholesome end as clears her from all blame king lear my curses on her regan o sir you are old nature in you stands on the very verge of her confine you should be ruled and led by some discretion that discerns your state better than you yourself therefore i pray you that to our sister you do make return say you have wrong'd her sir king lear ask her forgiveness do you but mark how this becomes the house dear daughter i confess that i am old kneeling age is unnecessary on my knees i beg that you'll vouchsafe me raiment bed and food' regan good sir no more these are unsightly tricks return you to my sister king lear rising never regan she hath abated me of half my train look'd black upon me struck me with her tongue most serpentlike upon the very heart all the stored vengeances of heaven fall on her ingrateful top strike her young bones you taking airs with lameness cornwall fie sir fie king lear you nimble lightnings dart your blinding flames into her scornful eyes infect her beauty you fensuck'd fogs drawn by the powerful sun to fall and blast her pride regan o the blest gods so will you wish on me when the rash mood is on king lear no regan thou shalt never have my curse thy tenderhefted nature shall not give thee o'er to harshness her eyes are fierce but thine do comfort and not burn tis not in thee to grudge my pleasures to cut off my train to bandy hasty words to scant my sizes and in conclusion to oppose the bolt against my coming in thou better know'st the offices of nature bond of childhood effects of courtesy dues of gratitude thy half o the kingdom hast thou not forgot wherein i thee endow'd regan good sir to the purpose king lear who put my man i the stocks tucket within cornwall what trumpet's that regan i know't my sister's this approves her letter that she would soon be here enter oswald is your lady come king lear this is a slave whose easyborrow'd pride dwells in the fickle grace of her he follows out varlet from my sight cornwall what means your grace king lear who stock'd my servant regan i have good hope thou didst not know on't who comes here o heavens enter goneril if you do love old men if your sweet sway allow obedience if yourselves are old make it your cause send down and take my part to goneril art not ashamed to look upon this beard o regan wilt thou take her by the hand goneril why not by the hand sir how have i offended all's not offence that indiscretion finds and dotage terms so king lear o sides you are too tough will you yet hold how came my man i the stocks cornwall i set him there sir but his own disorders deserved much less advancement king lear you did you regan i pray you father being weak seem so if till the expiration of your month you will return and sojourn with my sister dismissing half your train come then to me i am now from home and out of that provision which shall be needful for your entertainment king lear return to her and fifty men dismiss'd no rather i abjure all roofs and choose to wage against the enmity o the air to be a comrade with the wolf and owl necessity's sharp pinch return with her why the hotblooded france that dowerless took our youngest born i could as well be brought to knee his throne and squirelike pension beg to keep base life afoot return with her persuade me rather to be slave and sumpter to this detested groom pointing at oswald goneril at your choice sir king lear i prithee daughter do not make me mad i will not trouble thee my child farewell we'll no more meet no more see one another but yet thou art my flesh my blood my daughter or rather a disease that's in my flesh which i must needs call mine thou art a boil a plaguesore an embossed carbuncle in my corrupted blood but i'll not chide thee let shame come when it will i do not call it i do not bid the thunderbearer shoot nor tell tales of thee to highjudging jove mend when thou canst be better at thy leisure i can be patient i can stay with regan i and my hundred knights regan not altogether so i look'd not for you yet nor am provided for your fit welcome give ear sir to my sister for those that mingle reason with your passion must be content to think you old and so but she knows what she does king lear is this well spoken regan i dare avouch it sir what fifty followers is it not well what should you need of more yea or so many sith that both charge and danger speak gainst so great a number how in one house should many people under two commands hold amity tis hard almost impossible goneril why might not you my lord receive attendance from those that she calls servants or from mine regan why not my lord if then they chanced to slack you we could control them if you will come to me for now i spy a dangeri entreat you to bring but five and twenty to no more will i give place or notice king lear i gave you all regan and in good time you gave it king lear made you my guardians my depositaries but kept a reservation to be follow'd with such a number what must i come to you with five and twenty regan said you so regan and speak't again my lord no more with me king lear those wicked creatures yet do look wellfavour'd when others are more wicked not being the worst stands in some rank of praise to goneril i'll go with thee thy fifty yet doth double five and twenty and thou art twice her love goneril hear me my lord what need you five and twenty ten or five to follow in a house where twice so many have a command to tend you regan what need one king lear o reason not the need our basest beggars are in the poorest thing superfluous allow not nature more than nature needs man's life's as cheap as beast's thou art a lady if only to go warm were gorgeous why nature needs not what thou gorgeous wear'st which scarcely keeps thee warm but for true need you heavens give me that patience patience i need you see me here you gods a poor old man as full of grief as age wretched in both if it be you that stir these daughters hearts against their father fool me not so much to bear it tamely touch me with noble anger and let not women's weapons waterdrops stain my man's cheeks no you unnatural hags i will have such revenges on you both that all the world shalli will do such things what they are yet i know not but they shall be the terrors of the earth you think i'll weep no i'll not weep i have full cause of weeping but this heart shall break into a hundred thousand flaws or ere i'll weep o fool i shall go mad exeunt king lear gloucester kent and fool storm and tempest cornwall let us withdraw twill be a storm regan this house is little the old man and his people cannot be well bestow'd goneril tis his own blame hath put himself from rest and must needs taste his folly regan for his particular i'll receive him gladly but not one follower goneril so am i purposed where is my lord of gloucester cornwall follow'd the old man forth he is return'd reenter gloucester gloucester the king is in high rage cornwall whither is he going gloucester he calls to horse but will i know not whither cornwall tis best to give him way he leads himself goneril my lord entreat him by no means to stay gloucester alack the night comes on and the bleak winds do sorely ruffle for many miles about there's scarce a bush regan o sir to wilful men the injuries that they themselves procure must be their schoolmasters shut up your doors he is attended with a desperate train and what they may incense him to being apt to have his ear abused wisdom bids fear cornwall shut up your doors my lord tis a wild night my regan counsels well come out o the storm exeunt king lear act iii scene i a heath storm still enter kent and a gentleman meeting kent who's there besides foul weather gentleman one minded like the weather most unquietly kent i know you where's the king gentleman contending with the fretful element bids the winds blow the earth into the sea or swell the curled water bove the main that things might change or cease tears his white hair which the impetuous blasts with eyeless rage catch in their fury and make nothing of strives in his little world of man to outscorn the toandfroconflicting wind and rain this night wherein the cubdrawn bear would couch the lion and the bellypinched wolf keep their fur dry unbonneted he runs and bids what will take all kent but who is with him gentleman none but the fool who labours to outjest his heartstruck injuries kent sir i do know you and dare upon the warrant of my note commend a dear thing to you there is division although as yet the face of it be cover'd with mutual cunning twixt albany and cornwall who haveas who have not that their great stars throned and set highservants who seem no less which are to france the spies and speculations intelligent of our state what hath been seen either in snuffs and packings of the dukes or the hard rein which both of them have borne against the old kind king or something deeper whereof perchance these are but furnishings but true it is from france there comes a power into this scatter'd kingdom who already wise in our negligence have secret feet in some of our best ports and are at point to show their open banner now to you if on my credit you dare build so far to make your speed to dover you shall find some that will thank you making just report of how unnatural and bemadding sorrow the king hath cause to plain i am a gentleman of blood and breeding and from some knowledge and assurance offer this office to you gentleman i will talk further with you kent no do not for confirmation that i am much more than my outwall open this purse and take what it contains if you shall see cordelia as fear not but you shallshow her this ring and she will tell you who your fellow is that yet you do not know fie on this storm i will go seek the king gentleman give me your hand have you no more to say kent few words but to effect more than all yet that when we have found the kingin which your pain that way i'll thishe that first lights on him holla the other exeunt severally king lear act iii scene ii another part of the heath storm still enter king lear and fool king lear blow winds and crack your cheeks rage blow you cataracts and hurricanoes spout till you have drench'd our steeples drown'd the cocks you sulphurous and thoughtexecuting fires vauntcouriers to oakcleaving thunderbolts singe my white head and thou allshaking thunder smite flat the thick rotundity o the world crack nature's moulds an germens spill at once that make ingrateful man fool o nuncle court holywater in a dry house is better than this rainwater out o door good nuncle in and ask thy daughters blessing here's a night pities neither wise man nor fool king lear rumble thy bellyful spit fire spout rain nor rain wind thunder fire are my daughters i tax not you you elements with unkindness i never gave you kingdom call'd you children you owe me no subscription then let fall your horrible pleasure here i stand your slave a poor infirm weak and despised old man but yet i call you servile ministers that have with two pernicious daughters join'd your high engender'd battles gainst a head so old and white as this o o tis foul fool he that has a house to put's head in has a good headpiece the codpiece that will house before the head has any the head and he shall louse so beggars marry many the man that makes his toe what he his heart should make shall of a corn cry woe and turn his sleep to wake for there was never yet fair woman but she made mouths in a glass king lear no i will be the pattern of all patience i will say nothing enter kent kent who's there fool marry here's grace and a codpiece that's a wise man and a fool kent alas sir are you here things that love night love not such nights as these the wrathful skies gallow the very wanderers of the dark and make them keep their caves since i was man such sheets of fire such bursts of horrid thunder such groans of roaring wind and rain i never remember to have heard man's nature cannot carry the affliction nor the fear king lear let the great gods that keep this dreadful pother o'er our heads find out their enemies now tremble thou wretch that hast within thee undivulged crimes unwhipp'd of justice hide thee thou bloody hand thou perjured and thou simular man of virtue that art incestuous caitiff to pieces shake that under covert and convenient seeming hast practised on man's life close pentup guilts rive your concealing continents and cry these dreadful summoners grace i am a man more sinn'd against than sinning kent alack bareheaded gracious my lord hard by here is a hovel some friendship will it lend you gainst the tempest repose you there while i to this hard house more harder than the stones whereof tis raised which even but now demanding after you denied me to come inreturn and force their scanted courtesy king lear my wits begin to turn come on my boy how dost my boy art cold i am cold myself where is this straw my fellow the art of our necessities is strange that can make vile things precious come your hovel poor fool and knave i have one part in my heart that's sorry yet for thee fool singing he that has and a little tiny wit with hey ho the wind and the rain must make content with his fortunes fit for the rain it raineth every day king lear true my good boy come bring us to this hovel exeunt king lear and kent fool this is a brave night to cool a courtezan i'll speak a prophecy ere i go when priests are more in word than matter when brewers mar their malt with water when nobles are their tailors tutors no heretics burn'd but wenches suitors when every case in law is right no squire in debt nor no poor knight when slanders do not live in tongues nor cutpurses come not to throngs when usurers tell their gold i the field and bawds and whores do churches build then shall the realm of albion come to great confusion then comes the time who lives to see't that going shall be used with feet this prophecy merlin shall make for i live before his time exit king lear act iii scene iii gloucester's castle enter gloucester and edmund gloucester alack alack edmund i like not this unnatural dealing when i desire their leave that i might pity him they took from me the use of mine own house charged me on pain of their perpetual displeasure neither to speak of him entreat for him nor any way sustain him edmund most savage and unnatural gloucester go to say you nothing there's a division betwixt the dukes and a worse matter than that i have received a letter this night tis dangerous to be spoken i have locked the letter in my closet these injuries the king now bears will be revenged home there's part of a power already footed we must incline to the king i will seek him and privily relieve him go you and maintain talk with the duke that my charity be not of him perceived if he ask for me i am ill and gone to bed though i die for it as no less is threatened me the king my old master must be relieved there is some strange thing toward edmund pray you be careful exit edmund this courtesy forbid thee shall the duke instantly know and of that letter too this seems a fair deserving and must draw me that which my father loses no less than all the younger rises when the old doth fall exit king lear act iii scene iv the heath before a hovel enter king lear kent and fool kent here is the place my lord good my lord enter the tyranny of the open night's too rough for nature to endure storm still king lear let me alone kent good my lord enter here king lear wilt break my heart kent i had rather break mine own good my lord enter king lear thou think'st tis much that this contentious storm invades us to the skin so tis to thee but where the greater malady is fix'd the lesser is scarce felt thou'ldst shun a bear but if thy flight lay toward the raging sea thou'ldst meet the bear i the mouth when the mind's free the body's delicate the tempest in my mind doth from my senses take all feeling else save what beats there filial ingratitude is it not as this mouth should tear this hand for lifting food to't but i will punish home no i will weep no more in such a night to shut me out pour on i will endure in such a night as this o regan goneril your old kind father whose frank heart gave all o that way madness lies let me shun that no more of that kent good my lord enter here king lear prithee go in thyself seek thine own ease this tempest will not give me leave to ponder on things would hurt me more but i'll go in to the fool in boy go first you houseless poverty nay get thee in i'll pray and then i'll sleep fool goes in poor naked wretches whereso'er you are that bide the pelting of this pitiless storm how shall your houseless heads and unfed sides your loop'd and window'd raggedness defend you from seasons such as these o i have ta'en too little care of this take physic pomp expose thyself to feel what wretches feel that thou mayst shake the superflux to them and show the heavens more just edgar within fathom and half fathom and half poor tom the fool runs out from the hovel fool come not in here nuncle here's a spirit help me help me kent give me thy hand who's there fool a spirit a spirit he says his name's poor tom kent what art thou that dost grumble there i the straw come forth enter edgar disguised as a mad man edgar away the foul fiend follows me through the sharp hawthorn blows the cold wind hum go to thy cold bed and warm thee king lear hast thou given all to thy two daughters and art thou come to this edgar who gives any thing to poor tom whom the foul fiend hath led through fire and through flame and through ford and whirlipool e'er bog and quagmire that hath laid knives under his pillow and halters in his pew set ratsbane by his porridge made film proud of heart to ride on a bay trottinghorse over fourinched bridges to course his own shadow for a traitor bless thy five wits tom's acoldo do de do de do de bless thee from whirlwinds starblasting and taking do poor tom some charity whom the foul fiend vexes there could i have him nowand thereand there again and there storm still king lear what have his daughters brought him to this pass couldst thou save nothing didst thou give them all fool nay he reserved a blanket else we had been all shamed king lear now all the plagues that in the pendulous air hang fated o'er men's faults light on thy daughters kent he hath no daughters sir king lear death traitor nothing could have subdued nature to such a lowness but his unkind daughters is it the fashion that discarded fathers should have thus little mercy on their flesh judicious punishment twas this flesh begot those pelican daughters edgar pillicock sat on pillicockhill halloo halloo loo loo fool this cold night will turn us all to fools and madmen edgar take heed o the foul fiend obey thy parents keep thy word justly swear not commit not with man's sworn spouse set not thy sweet heart on proud array tom's acold king lear what hast thou been edgar a servingman proud in heart and mind that curled my hair wore gloves in my cap served the lust of my mistress heart and did the act of darkness with her swore as many oaths as i spake words and broke them in the sweet face of heaven one that slept in the contriving of lust and waked to do it wine loved i deeply dice dearly and in woman outparamoured the turk false of heart light of ear bloody of hand hog in sloth fox in stealth wolf in greediness dog in madness lion in prey let not the creaking of shoes nor the rustling of silks betray thy poor heart to woman keep thy foot out of brothels thy hand out of plackets thy pen from lenders books and defy the foul fiend still through the hawthorn blows the cold wind says suum mun ha no nonny dolphin my boy my boy sessa let him trot by storm still king lear why thou wert better in thy grave than to answer with thy uncovered body this extremity of the skies is man no more than this consider him well thou owest the worm no silk the beast no hide the sheep no wool the cat no perfume ha here's three on s are sophisticated thou art the thing itself unaccommodated man is no more but such a poor bare forked animal as thou art off off you lendings come unbutton here tearing off his clothes fool prithee nuncle be contented tis a naughty night to swim in now a little fire in a wild field were like an old lecher's heart a small spark all the rest on's body cold look here comes a walking fire enter gloucester with a torch edgar this is the foul fiend flibbertigibbet he begins at curfew and walks till the first cock he gives the web and the pin squints the eye and makes the harelip mildews the white wheat and hurts the poor creature of earth s withold footed thrice the old he met the nightmare and her ninefold bid her alight and her troth plight and aroint thee witch aroint thee kent how fares your grace king lear what's he kent who's there what is't you seek gloucester what are you there your names edgar poor tom that eats the swimming frog the toad the tadpole the wallnewt and the water that in the fury of his heart when the foul fiend rages eats cowdung for sallets swallows the old rat and the ditchdog drinks the green mantle of the standing pool who is whipped from tithing to tithing and stock punished and imprisoned who hath had three suits to his back six shirts to his body horse to ride and weapon to wear but mice and rats and such small deer have been tom's food for seven long year beware my follower peace smulkin peace thou fiend gloucester what hath your grace no better company edgar the prince of darkness is a gentleman modo he's call'd and mahu gloucester our flesh and blood is grown so vile my lord that it doth hate what gets it edgar poor tom's acold gloucester go in with me my duty cannot suffer to obey in all your daughters hard commands though their injunction be to bar my doors and let this tyrannous night take hold upon you yet have i ventured to come seek you out and bring you where both fire and food is ready king lear first let me talk with this philosopher what is the cause of thunder kent good my lord take his offer go into the house king lear i'll talk a word with this same learned theban what is your study edgar how to prevent the fiend and to kill vermin king lear let me ask you one word in private kent importune him once more to go my lord his wits begin to unsettle gloucester canst thou blame him storm still his daughters seek his death ah that good kent he said it would be thus poor banish'd man thou say'st the king grows mad i'll tell thee friend i am almost mad myself i had a son now outlaw'd from my blood he sought my life but lately very late i loved him friend no father his son dearer truth to tell thee the grief hath crazed my wits what a night's this i do beseech your grace king lear o cry your mercy sir noble philosopher your company edgar tom's acold gloucester in fellow there into the hovel keep thee warm king lear come let's in all kent this way my lord king lear with him i will keep still with my philosopher kent good my lord soothe him let him take the fellow gloucester take him you on kent sirrah come on go along with us king lear come good athenian gloucester no words no words hush edgar child rowland to the dark tower came his word was stillfie foh and fum i smell the blood of a british man exeunt king lear act iii scene v gloucester's castle enter cornwall and edmund cornwall i will have my revenge ere i depart his house edmund how my lord i may be censured that nature thus gives way to loyalty something fears me to think of cornwall i now perceive it was not altogether your brother's evil disposition made him seek his death but a provoking merit set awork by a reprovable badness in himself edmund how malicious is my fortune that i must repent to be just this is the letter he spoke of which approves him an intelligent party to the advantages of france o heavens that this treason were not or not i the detector cornwall o with me to the duchess edmund if the matter of this paper be certain you have mighty business in hand cornwall true or false it hath made thee earl of gloucester seek out where thy father is that he may be ready for our apprehension edmund aside if i find him comforting the king it will stuff his suspicion more fullyi will persevere in my course of loyalty though the conflict be sore between that and my blood cornwall i will lay trust upon thee and thou shalt find a dearer father in my love exeunt king lear act iii scene vi a chamber in a farmhouse adjoining the castle enter gloucester king lear kent fool and edgar gloucester here is better than the open air take it thankfully i will piece out the comfort with what addition i can i will not be long from you kent all the power of his wits have given way to his impatience the gods reward your kindness exit gloucester edgar frateretto calls me and tells me nero is an angler in the lake of darkness pray innocent and beware the foul fiend fool prithee nuncle tell me whether a madman be a gentleman or a yeoman king lear a king a king fool no he's a yeoman that has a gentleman to his son for he's a mad yeoman that sees his son a gentleman before him king lear to have a thousand with red burning spits come hissing in upon em edgar the foul fiend bites my back fool he's mad that trusts in the tameness of a wolf a horse's health a boy's love or a whore's oath king lear it shall be done i will arraign them straight to edgar come sit thou here most learned justicer to the fool thou sapient sir sit here now you she foxes edgar look where he stands and glares wantest thou eyes at trial madam come o'er the bourn bessy to me fool her boat hath a leak and she must not speak why she dares not come over to thee edgar the foul fiend haunts poor tom in the voice of a nightingale hopdance cries in tom's belly for two white herring croak not black angel i have no food for thee kent how do you sir stand you not so amazed will you lie down and rest upon the cushions king lear i'll see their trial first bring in the evidence to edgar thou robed man of justice take thy place to the fool and thou his yokefellow of equity bench by his side to kent you are o the commission sit you too edgar let us deal justly sleepest or wakest thou jolly shepherd thy sheep be in the corn and for one blast of thy minikin mouth thy sheep shall take no harm pur the cat is gray king lear arraign her first tis goneril i here take my oath before this honourable assembly she kicked the poor king her father fool come hither mistress is your name goneril king lear she cannot deny it fool cry you mercy i took you for a jointstool king lear and here's another whose warp'd looks proclaim what store her heart is made on stop her there arms arms sword fire corruption in the place false justicer why hast thou let her scape edgar bless thy five wits kent o pity sir where is the patience now that thou so oft have boasted to retain edgar aside my tears begin to take his part so much they'll mar my counterfeiting king lear the little dogs and all tray blanch and sweetheart see they bark at me edgar tom will throw his head at them avaunt you curs be thy mouth or black or white tooth that poisons if it bite mastiff greyhound mongrel grim hound or spaniel brach or lym or bobtail tike or trundletail tom will make them weep and wail for with throwing thus my head dogs leap the hatch and all are fled do de de de sessa come march to wakes and fairs and markettowns poor tom thy horn is dry king lear then let them anatomize regan see what breeds about her heart is there any cause in nature that makes these hard hearts to edgar you sir i entertain for one of my hundred only i do not like the fashion of your garments you will say they are persian attire but let them be changed kent now good my lord lie here and rest awhile king lear make no noise make no noise draw the curtains so so so we'll go to supper i he morning so so so fool and i'll go to bed at noon reenter gloucester gloucester come hither friend where is the king my master kent here sir but trouble him not his wits are gone gloucester good friend i prithee take him in thy arms i have o'erheard a plot of death upon him there is a litter ready lay him in t and drive towards dover friend where thou shalt meet both welcome and protection take up thy master if thou shouldst dally half an hour his life with thine and all that offer to defend him stand in assured loss take up take up and follow me that will to some provision give thee quick conduct kent oppressed nature sleeps this rest might yet have balm'd thy broken senses which if convenience will not allow stand in hard cure to the fool come help to bear thy master thou must not stay behind gloucester come come away exeunt all but edgar edgar when we our betters see bearing our woes we scarcely think our miseries our foes who alone suffers suffers most i the mind leaving free things and happy shows behind but then the mind much sufferance doth o'er skip when grief hath mates and bearing fellowship how light and portable my pain seems now when that which makes me bend makes the king bow he childed as i father'd tom away mark the high noises and thyself bewray when false opinion whose wrong thought defiles thee in thy just proof repeals and reconciles thee what will hap more tonight safe scape the king lurk lurk exit king lear act iii scene vii gloucester's castle enter cornwall regan goneril edmund and servants cornwall post speedily to my lord your husband show him this letter the army of france is landed seek out the villain gloucester exeunt some of the servants regan hang him instantly goneril pluck out his eyes cornwall leave him to my displeasure edmund keep you our sister company the revenges we are bound to take upon your traitorous father are not fit for your beholding advise the duke where you are going to a most festinate preparation we are bound to the like our posts shall be swift and intelligent betwixt us farewell dear sister farewell my lord of gloucester enter oswald how now where's the king oswald my lord of gloucester hath convey'd him hence some five or six and thirty of his knights hot questrists after him met him at gate who with some other of the lords dependants are gone with him towards dover where they boast to have wellarmed friends cornwall get horses for your mistress goneril farewell sweet lord and sister cornwall edmund farewell exeunt goneril edmund and oswald go seek the traitor gloucester pinion him like a thief bring him before us exeunt other servants though well we may not pass upon his life without the form of justice yet our power shall do a courtesy to our wrath which men may blame but not control who's there the traitor enter gloucester brought in by two or three regan ingrateful fox tis he cornwall bind fast his corky arms gloucester what mean your graces good my friends consider you are my guests do me no foul play friends cornwall bind him i say servants bind him regan hard hard o filthy traitor gloucester unmerciful lady as you are i'm none cornwall to this chair bind him villain thou shalt find regan plucks his beard gloucester by the kind gods tis most ignobly done to pluck me by the beard regan so white and such a traitor gloucester naughty lady these hairs which thou dost ravish from my chin will quicken and accuse thee i am your host with robbers hands my hospitable favours you should not ruffle thus what will you do cornwall come sir what letters had you late from france regan be simple answerer for we know the truth cornwall and what confederacy have you with the traitors late footed in the kingdom regan to whose hands have you sent the lunatic king speak gloucester i have a letter guessingly set down which came from one that's of a neutral heart and not from one opposed cornwall cunning regan and false cornwall where hast thou sent the king gloucester to dover regan wherefore to dover wast thou not charged at peril cornwall wherefore to dover let him first answer that gloucester i am tied to the stake and i must stand the course regan wherefore to dover sir gloucester because i would not see thy cruel nails pluck out his poor old eyes nor thy fierce sister in his anointed flesh stick boarish fangs the sea with such a storm as his bare head in hellblack night endured would have buoy'd up and quench'd the stelled fires yet poor old heart he holp the heavens to rain if wolves had at thy gate howl'd that stern time thou shouldst have said good porter turn the key' all cruels else subscribed but i shall see the winged vengeance overtake such children cornwall see't shalt thou never fellows hold the chair upon these eyes of thine i'll set my foot gloucester he that will think to live till he be old give me some help o cruel o you gods regan one side will mock another the other too cornwall if you see vengeance first servant hold your hand my lord i have served you ever since i was a child but better service have i never done you than now to bid you hold regan how now you dog first servant if you did wear a beard upon your chin i'd shake it on this quarrel what do you mean cornwall my villain they draw and fight first servant nay then come on and take the chance of anger regan give me thy sword a peasant stand up thus takes a sword and runs at him behind first servant o i am slain my lord you have one eye left to see some mischief on him o dies cornwall lest it see more prevent it out vile jelly where is thy lustre now gloucester all dark and comfortless where's my son edmund edmund enkindle all the sparks of nature to quit this horrid act regan out treacherous villain thou call'st on him that hates thee it was he that made the overture of thy treasons to us who is too good to pity thee gloucester o my follies then edgar was abused kind gods forgive me that and prosper him regan go thrust him out at gates and let him smell his way to dover exit one with gloucester how is't my lord how look you cornwall i have received a hurt follow me lady turn out that eyeless villain throw this slave upon the dunghill regan i bleed apace untimely comes this hurt give me your arm exit cornwall led by regan second servant i'll never care what wickedness i do if this man come to good third servant if she live long and in the end meet the old course of death women will all turn monsters second servant let's follow the old earl and get the bedlam to lead him where he would his roguish madness allows itself to any thing third servant go thou i'll fetch some flax and whites of eggs to apply to his bleeding face now heaven help him exeunt severally king lear act iv scene i the heath enter edgar edgar yet better thus and known to be contemn'd than still contemn'd and flatter'd to be worst the lowest and most dejected thing of fortune stands still in esperance lives not in fear the lamentable change is from the best the worst returns to laughter welcome then thou unsubstantial air that i embrace the wretch that thou hast blown unto the worst owes nothing to thy blasts but who comes here enter gloucester led by an old man my father poorly led world world o world but that thy strange mutations make us hate thee lie would not yield to age old man o my good lord i have been your tenant and your father's tenant these fourscore years gloucester away get thee away good friend be gone thy comforts can do me no good at all thee they may hurt old man alack sir you cannot see your way gloucester i have no way and therefore want no eyes i stumbled when i saw full oft tis seen our means secure us and our mere defects prove our commodities o dear son edgar the food of thy abused father's wrath might i but live to see thee in my touch i'ld say i had eyes again old man how now who's there edgar aside o gods who is't can say i am at the worst' i am worse than e'er i was old man tis poor mad tom edgar aside and worse i may be yet the worst is not so long as we can say this is the worst' old man fellow where goest gloucester is it a beggarman old man madman and beggar too gloucester he has some reason else he could not beg i the last night's storm i such a fellow saw which made me think a man a worm my son came then into my mind and yet my mind was then scarce friends with him i have heard more since as flies to wanton boys are we to the gods they kill us for their sport edgar aside how should this be bad is the trade that must play fool to sorrow angering itself and othersbless thee master gloucester is that the naked fellow old man ay my lord gloucester then prithee get thee gone if for my sake thou wilt o'ertake us hence a mile or twain i the way toward dover do it for ancient love and bring some covering for this naked soul who i'll entreat to lead me old man alack sir he is mad gloucester tis the times plague when madmen lead the blind do as i bid thee or rather do thy pleasure above the rest be gone old man i'll bring him the best parel that i have come on't what will exit gloucester sirrah naked fellow edgar poor tom's acold aside i cannot daub it further gloucester come hither fellow edgar aside and yet i mustbless thy sweet eyes they bleed gloucester know'st thou the way to dover edgar both stile and gate horseway and footpath poor tom hath been scared out of his good wits bless thee good man's son from the foul fiend five fiends have been in poor tom at once of lust as obidicut hobbididence prince of dumbness mahu of stealing modo of murder flibbertigibbet of mopping and mowing who since possesses chambermaids and waitingwomen so bless thee master gloucester here take this purse thou whom the heavens plagues have humbled to all strokes that i am wretched makes thee the happier heavens deal so still let the superfluous and lustdieted man that slaves your ordinance that will not see because he doth not feel feel your power quickly so distribution should undo excess and each man have enough dost thou know dover edgar ay master gloucester there is a cliff whose high and bending head looks fearfully in the confined deep bring me but to the very brim of it and i'll repair the misery thou dost bear with something rich about me from that place i shall no leading need edgar give me thy arm poor tom shall lead thee exeunt king lear act iv scene ii before albany's palace enter goneril and edmund goneril welcome my lord i marvel our mild husband not met us on the way enter oswald now where's your master' oswald madam within but never man so changed i told him of the army that was landed he smiled at it i told him you were coming his answer was the worse of gloucester's treachery and of the loyal service of his son when i inform'd him then he call'd me sot and told me i had turn'd the wrong side out what most he should dislike seems pleasant to him what like offensive goneril to edmund then shall you go no further it is the cowish terror of his spirit that dares not undertake he'll not feel wrongs which tie him to an answer our wishes on the way may prove effects back edmund to my brother hasten his musters and conduct his powers i must change arms at home and give the distaff into my husband's hands this trusty servant shall pass between us ere long you are like to hear if you dare venture in your own behalf a mistress's command wear this spare speech giving a favour decline your head this kiss if it durst speak would stretch thy spirits up into the air conceive and fare thee well edmund yours in the ranks of death goneril my most dear gloucester exit edmund o the difference of man and man to thee a woman's services are due my fool usurps my body oswald madam here comes my lord exit enter albany goneril i have been worth the whistle albany o goneril you are not worth the dust which the rude wind blows in your face i fear your disposition that nature which contemns its origin cannot be border'd certain in itself she that herself will sliver and disbranch from her material sap perforce must wither and come to deadly use goneril no more the text is foolish albany wisdom and goodness to the vile seem vile filths savour but themselves what have you done tigers not daughters what have you perform'd a father and a gracious aged man whose reverence even the headlugg'd bear would lick most barbarous most degenerate have you madded could my good brother suffer you to do it a man a prince by him so benefited if that the heavens do not their visible spirits send quickly down to tame these vile offences it will come humanity must perforce prey on itself like monsters of the deep goneril milkliver'd man that bear'st a cheek for blows a head for wrongs who hast not in thy brows an eye discerning thine honour from thy suffering that not know'st fools do those villains pity who are punish'd ere they have done their mischief where's thy drum france spreads his banners in our noiseless land with plumed helm thy slayer begins threats whiles thou a moral fool sit'st still and criest alack why does he so' albany see thyself devil proper deformity seems not in the fiend so horrid as in woman goneril o vain fool albany thou changed and selfcover'd thing for shame bemonster not thy feature were't my fitness to let these hands obey my blood they are apt enough to dislocate and tear thy flesh and bones howe'er thou art a fiend a woman's shape doth shield thee goneril marry your manhood now enter a messenger albany what news messenger o my good lord the duke of cornwall's dead slain by his servant going to put out the other eye of gloucester albany gloucester's eye messenger a servant that he bred thrill'd with remorse opposed against the act bending his sword to his great master who thereat enraged flew on him and amongst them fell'd him dead but not without that harmful stroke which since hath pluck'd him after albany this shows you are above you justicers that these our nether crimes so speedily can venge but o poor gloucester lost he his other eye messenger both both my lord this letter madam craves a speedy answer tis from your sister goneril aside one way i like this well but being widow and my gloucester with her may all the building in my fancy pluck upon my hateful life another way the news is not so tarti'll read and answer exit albany where was his son when they did take his eyes messenger come with my lady hither albany he is not here messenger no my good lord i met him back again albany knows he the wickedness messenger ay my good lord twas he inform'd against him and quit the house on purpose that their punishment might have the freer course albany gloucester i live to thank thee for the love thou show'dst the king and to revenge thine eyes come hither friend tell me what more thou know'st exeunt king lear act iv scene iii the french camp near dover enter kent and a gentleman kent why the king of france is so suddenly gone back know you the reason gentleman something he left imperfect in the state which since his coming forth is thought of which imports to the kingdom so much fear and danger that his personal return was most required and necessary kent who hath he left behind him general gentleman the marshal of france monsieur la far kent did your letters pierce the queen to any demonstration of grief gentleman ay sir she took them read them in my presence and now and then an ample tear trill'd down her delicate cheek it seem'd she was a queen over her passion who most rebellike sought to be king o'er her kent o then it moved her gentleman not to a rage patience and sorrow strove who should express her goodliest you have seen sunshine and rain at once her smiles and tears were like a better way those happy smilets that play'd on her ripe lip seem'd not to know what guests were in her eyes which parted thence as pearls from diamonds dropp'd in brief sorrow would be a rarity most beloved if all could so become it kent made she no verbal question gentleman faith once or twice she heaved the name of father' pantingly forth as if it press'd her heart cried sisters sisters shame of ladies sisters kent father sisters what i the storm i the night let pity not be believed there she shook the holy water from her heavenly eyes and clamour moisten'd then away she started to deal with grief alone kent it is the stars the stars above us govern our conditions else one self mate and mate could not beget such different issues you spoke not with her since gentleman no kent was this before the king return'd gentleman no since kent well sir the poor distressed lear's i the town who sometime in his better tune remembers what we are come about and by no means will yield to see his daughter gentleman why good sir kent a sovereign shame so elbows him his own unkindness that stripp'd her from his benediction turn'd her to foreign casualties gave her dear rights to his doghearted daughters these things sting his mind so venomously that burning shame detains him from cordelia gentleman alack poor gentleman kent of albany's and cornwall's powers you heard not gentleman tis so they are afoot kent well sir i'll bring you to our master lear and leave you to attend him some dear cause will in concealment wrap me up awhile when i am known aright you shall not grieve lending me this acquaintance i pray you go along with me exeunt king lear act iv scene iv the same a tent enter with drum and colours cordelia doctor and soldiers cordelia alack tis he why he was met even now as mad as the vex'd sea singing aloud crown'd with rank fumiter and furrowweeds with burdocks hemlock nettles cuckooflowers darnel and all the idle weeds that grow in our sustaining corn a century send forth search every acre in the highgrown field and bring him to our eye exit an officer what can man's wisdom in the restoring his bereaved sense he that helps him take all my outward worth doctor there is means madam our fosternurse of nature is repose the which he lacks that to provoke in him are many simples operative whose power will close the eye of anguish cordelia all blest secrets all you unpublish'd virtues of the earth spring with my tears be aidant and remediate in the good man's distress seek seek for him lest his ungovern'd rage dissolve the life that wants the means to lead it enter a messenger messenger news madam the british powers are marching hitherward cordelia tis known before our preparation stands in expectation of them o dear father it is thy business that i go about therefore great france my mourning and important tears hath pitied no blown ambition doth our arms incite but love dear love and our aged father's right soon may i hear and see him exeunt king lear act iv scene v gloucester's castle enter regan and oswald regan but are my brother's powers set forth oswald ay madam regan himself in person there oswald madam with much ado your sister is the better soldier regan lord edmund spake not with your lord at home oswald no madam regan what might import my sister's letter to him oswald i know not lady regan faith he is posted hence on serious matter it was great ignorance gloucester's eyes being out to let him live where he arrives he moves all hearts against us edmund i think is gone in pity of his misery to dispatch his nighted life moreover to descry the strength o the enemy oswald i must needs after him madam with my letter regan our troops set forth tomorrow stay with us the ways are dangerous oswald i may not madam my lady charged my duty in this business regan why should she write to edmund might not you transport her purposes by word belike somethingi know not what i'll love thee much let me unseal the letter oswald madam i had rather regan i know your lady does not love her husband i am sure of that and at her late being here she gave strange oeillades and most speaking looks to noble edmund i know you are of her bosom oswald i madam regan i speak in understanding you are i know't therefore i do advise you take this note my lord is dead edmund and i have talk'd and more convenient is he for my hand than for your lady's you may gather more if you do find him pray you give him this and when your mistress hears thus much from you i pray desire her call her wisdom to her so fare you well if you do chance to hear of that blind traitor preferment falls on him that cuts him off oswald would i could meet him madam i should show what party i do follow regan fare thee well exeunt king lear act iv scene vi fields near dover enter gloucester and edgar dressed like a peasant gloucester when shall we come to the top of that same hill edgar you do climb up it now look how we labour gloucester methinks the ground is even edgar horrible steep hark do you hear the sea gloucester no truly edgar why then your other senses grow imperfect by your eyes anguish gloucester so may it be indeed methinks thy voice is alter'd and thou speak'st in better phrase and matter than thou didst edgar you're much deceived in nothing am i changed but in my garments gloucester methinks you're better spoken edgar come on sir here's the place stand still how fearful and dizzy tis to cast one's eyes so low the crows and choughs that wing the midway air show scarce so gross as beetles half way down hangs one that gathers samphire dreadful trade methinks he seems no bigger than his head the fishermen that walk upon the beach appear like mice and yond tall anchoring bark diminish'd to her cock her cock a buoy almost too small for sight the murmuring surge that on the unnumber'd idle pebbles chafes cannot be heard so high i'll look no more lest my brain turn and the deficient sight topple down headlong gloucester set me where you stand edgar give me your hand you are now within a foot of the extreme verge for all beneath the moon would i not leap upright gloucester let go my hand here friend s another purse in it a jewel well worth a poor man's taking fairies and gods prosper it with thee go thou farther off bid me farewell and let me hear thee going edgar now fare you well good sir gloucester with all my heart edgar why i do trifle thus with his despair is done to cure it gloucester kneeling o you mighty gods this world i do renounce and in your sights shake patiently my great affliction off if i could bear it longer and not fall to quarrel with your great opposeless wills my snuff and loathed part of nature should burn itself out if edgar live o bless him now fellow fare thee well he falls forward edgar gone sir farewell and yet i know not how conceit may rob the treasury of life when life itself yields to the theft had he been where he thought by this had thought been past alive or dead ho you sir friend hear you sir speak thus might he pass indeed yet he revives what are you sir gloucester away and let me die edgar hadst thou been aught but gossamer feathers air so many fathom down precipitating thou'dst shiver'd like an egg but thou dost breathe hast heavy substance bleed'st not speak'st art sound ten masts at each make not the altitude which thou hast perpendicularly fell thy life's a miracle speak yet again gloucester but have i fall'n or no edgar from the dread summit of this chalky bourn look up aheight the shrillgorged lark so far cannot be seen or heard do but look up gloucester alack i have no eyes is wretchedness deprived that benefit to end itself by death twas yet some comfort when misery could beguile the tyrant's rage and frustrate his proud will edgar give me your arm up so how is t feel you your legs you stand gloucester too well too well edgar this is above all strangeness upon the crown o the cliff what thing was that which parted from you gloucester a poor unfortunate beggar edgar as i stood here below methought his eyes were two full moons he had a thousand noses horns whelk'd and waved like the enridged sea it was some fiend therefore thou happy father think that the clearest gods who make them honours of men's impossibilities have preserved thee gloucester i do remember now henceforth i'll bear affliction till it do cry out itself enough enough and die that thing you speak of i took it for a man often twould say the fiend the fiend he led me to that place edgar bear free and patient thoughts but who comes here enter king lear fantastically dressed with wild flowers the safer sense will ne'er accommodate his master thus king lear no they cannot touch me for coining i am the king himself edgar o thou sidepiercing sight king lear nature's above art in that respect there's your pressmoney that fellow handles his bow like a crowkeeper draw me a clothier's yard look look a mouse peace peace this piece of toasted cheese will do t there's my gauntlet i'll prove it on a giant bring up the brown bills o well flown bird i the clout i the clout hewgh give the word edgar sweet marjoram king lear pass gloucester i know that voice king lear ha goneril with a white beard they flattered me like a dog and told me i had white hairs in my beard ere the black ones were there to say ay' and no to every thing that i said'ay and no' too was no good divinity when the rain came to wet me once and the wind to make me chatter when the thunder would not peace at my bidding there i found em there i smelt em out go to they are not men o their words they told me i was every thing tis a lie i am not agueproof gloucester the trick of that voice i do well remember is t not the king king lear ay every inch a king when i do stare see how the subject quakes i pardon that man's life what was thy cause adultery thou shalt not die die for adultery no the wren goes to t and the small gilded fly does lecher in my sight let copulation thrive for gloucester's bastard son was kinder to his father than my daughters got tween the lawful sheets to t luxury pellmell for i lack soldiers behold yond simpering dame whose face between her forks presages snow that minces virtue and does shake the head to hear of pleasure's name the fitchew nor the soiled horse goes to t with a more riotous appetite down from the waist they are centaurs though women all above but to the girdle do the gods inherit beneath is all the fiends' there's hell there's darkness there's the sulphurous pit burning scalding stench consumption fie fie fie pah pah give me an ounce of civet good apothecary to sweeten my imagination there's money for thee gloucester o let me kiss that hand king lear let me wipe it first it smells of mortality gloucester o ruin'd piece of nature this great world shall so wear out to nought dost thou know me king lear i remember thine eyes well enough dost thou squiny at me no do thy worst blind cupid i'll not love read thou this challenge mark but the penning of it gloucester were all the letters suns i could not see one edgar i would not take this from report it is and my heart breaks at it king lear read gloucester what with the case of eyes king lear o ho are you there with me no eyes in your head nor no money in your purse your eyes are in a heavy case your purse in a light yet you see how this world goes gloucester i see it feelingly king lear what art mad a man may see how this world goes with no eyes look with thine ears see how yond justice rails upon yond simple thief hark in thine ear change places and handydandy which is the justice which is the thief thou hast seen a farmer's dog bark at a beggar gloucester ay sir king lear and the creature run from the cur there thou mightst behold the great image of authority a dog's obeyed in office thou rascal beadle hold thy bloody hand why dost thou lash that whore strip thine own back thou hotly lust'st to use her in that kind for which thou whipp'st her the usurer hangs the cozener through tatter'd clothes small vices do appear robes and furr'd gowns hide all plate sin with gold and the strong lance of justice hurtless breaks arm it in rags a pigmy's straw does pierce it none does offend none i say none i'll able em take that of me my friend who have the power to seal the accuser's lips get thee glass eyes and like a scurvy politician seem to see the things thou dost not now now now now pull off my boots harder harder so edgar o matter and impertinency mix'd reason in madness king lear if thou wilt weep my fortunes take my eyes i know thee well enough thy name is gloucester thou must be patient we came crying hither thou know'st the first time that we smell the air we wawl and cry i will preach to thee mark gloucester alack alack the day king lear when we are born we cry that we are come to this great stage of fools this a good block it were a delicate stratagem to shoe a troop of horse with felt i'll put t in proof and when i have stol'n upon these sonsinlaw then kill kill kill kill kill kill enter a gentleman with attendants gentleman o here he is lay hand upon him sir your most dear daughter king lear no rescue what a prisoner i am even the natural fool of fortune use me well you shall have ransom let me have surgeons i am cut to the brains gentleman you shall have any thing king lear no seconds all myself why this would make a man a man of salt to use his eyes for garden waterpots ay and laying autumn's dust gentleman good sir king lear i will die bravely like a bridegroom what i will be jovial come come i am a king my masters know you that gentleman you are a royal one and we obey you king lear then there's life in't nay if you get it you shall get it with running sa sa sa sa exit running attendants follow gentleman a sight most pitiful in the meanest wretch past speaking of in a king thou hast one daughter who redeems nature from the general curse which twain have brought her to edgar hail gentle sir gentleman sir speed you what's your will edgar do you hear aught sir of a battle toward gentleman most sure and vulgar every one hears that which can distinguish sound edgar but by your favour how near's the other army gentleman near and on speedy foot the main descry stands on the hourly thought edgar i thank you sir that's all gentleman though that the queen on special cause is here her army is moved on edgar i thank you sir exit gentleman gloucester you evergentle gods take my breath from me let not my worser spirit tempt me again to die before you please edgar well pray you father gloucester now good sir what are you edgar a most poor man made tame to fortune's blows who by the art of known and feeling sorrows am pregnant to good pity give me your hand i'll lead you to some biding gloucester hearty thanks the bounty and the benison of heaven to boot and boot enter oswald oswald a proclaim'd prize most happy that eyeless head of thine was first framed flesh to raise my fortunes thou old unhappy traitor briefly thyself remember the sword is out that must destroy thee gloucester now let thy friendly hand put strength enough to't edgar interposes oswald wherefore bold peasant darest thou support a publish'd traitor hence lest that the infection of his fortune take like hold on thee let go his arm edgar ch'ill not let go zir without vurther casion oswald let go slave or thou diest edgar good gentleman go your gait and let poor volk pass an chud ha bin zwaggered out of my life twould not ha bin zo long as tis by a vortnight nay come not near th old man keep out che vor ye or ise try whether your costard or my ballow be the harder ch'ill be plain with you oswald out dunghill edgar ch'ill pick your teeth zir come no matter vor your foins they fight and edgar knocks him down oswald slave thou hast slain me villain take my purse if ever thou wilt thrive bury my body and give the letters which thou find'st about me to edmund earl of gloucester seek him out upon the british party o untimely death dies edgar i know thee well a serviceable villain as duteous to the vices of thy mistress as badness would desire gloucester what is he dead edgar sit you down father rest you let's see these pockets the letters that he speaks of may be my friends he's dead i am only sorry he had no other death'sman let us see leave gentle wax and manners blame us not to know our enemies minds we'ld rip their hearts their papers is more lawful reads let our reciprocal vows be remembered you have many opportunities to cut him off if your will want not time and place will be fruitfully offered there is nothing done if he return the conqueror then am i the prisoner and his bed my goal from the loathed warmth whereof deliver me and supply the place for your labour yourwife so i would say affectionate servant goneril' o undistinguish'd space of woman's will a plot upon her virtuous husband's life and the exchange my brother here in the sands thee i'll rake up the post unsanctified of murderous lechers and in the mature time with this ungracious paper strike the sight of the death practised duke for him tis well that of thy death and business i can tell gloucester the king is mad how stiff is my vile sense that i stand up and have ingenious feeling of my huge sorrows better i were distract so should my thoughts be sever'd from my griefs and woes by wrong imaginations lose the knowledge of themselves edgar give me your hand drum afar off far off methinks i hear the beaten drum come father i'll bestow you with a friend exeunt king lear act iv scene vii a tent in the french camp lear on a bed asleep soft music playing gentleman and others attending enter cordelia kent and doctor cordelia o thou good kent how shall i live and work to match thy goodness my life will be too short and every measure fail me kent to be acknowledged madam is o'erpaid all my reports go with the modest truth nor more nor clipp'd but so cordelia be better suited these weeds are memories of those worser hours i prithee put them off kent pardon me dear madam yet to be known shortens my made intent my boon i make it that you know me not till time and i think meet cordelia then be't so my good lord to the doctor how does the king doctor madam sleeps still cordelia o you kind gods cure this great breach in his abused nature the untuned and jarring senses o wind up of this childchanged father doctor so please your majesty that we may wake the king he hath slept long cordelia be govern'd by your knowledge and proceed i the sway of your own will is he array'd gentleman ay madam in the heaviness of his sleep we put fresh garments on him doctor be by good madam when we do awake him i doubt not of his temperance cordelia very well doctor please you draw near louder the music there cordelia o my dear father restoration hang thy medicine on my lips and let this kiss repair those violent harms that my two sisters have in thy reverence made kent kind and dear princess cordelia had you not been their father these white flakes had challenged pity of them was this a face to be opposed against the warring winds to stand against the deep dreadbolted thunder in the most terrible and nimble stroke of quick cross lightning to watchpoor perdu with this thin helm mine enemy's dog though he had bit me should have stood that night against my fire and wast thou fain poor father to hovel thee with swine and rogues forlorn in short and musty straw alack alack tis wonder that thy life and wits at once had not concluded all he wakes speak to him doctor madam do you tis fittest cordelia how does my royal lord how fares your majesty king lear you do me wrong to take me out o the grave thou art a soul in bliss but i am bound upon a wheel of fire that mine own tears do scald like moulten lead cordelia sir do you know me king lear you are a spirit i know when did you die cordelia still still far wide doctor he's scarce awake let him alone awhile king lear where have i been where am i fair daylight i am mightily abused i should e'en die with pity to see another thus i know not what to say i will not swear these are my hands let's see i feel this pin prick would i were assured of my condition cordelia o look upon me sir and hold your hands in benediction o'er me no sir you must not kneel king lear pray do not mock me i am a very foolish fond old man fourscore and upward not an hour more nor less and to deal plainly i fear i am not in my perfect mind methinks i should know you and know this man yet i am doubtful for i am mainly ignorant what place this is and all the skill i have remembers not these garments nor i know not where i did lodge last night do not laugh at me for as i am a man i think this lady to be my child cordelia cordelia and so i am i am king lear be your tears wet yes faith i pray weep not if you have poison for me i will drink it i know you do not love me for your sisters have as i do remember done me wrong you have some cause they have not cordelia no cause no cause king lear am i in france kent in your own kingdom sir king lear do not abuse me doctor be comforted good madam the great rage you see is kill'd in him and yet it is danger to make him even o'er the time he has lost desire him to go in trouble him no more till further settling cordelia will't please your highness walk king lear you must bear with me pray you now forget and forgive i am old and foolish exeunt all but kent and gentleman gentleman holds it true sir that the duke of cornwall was so slain kent most certain sir gentleman who is conductor of his people kent as tis said the bastard son of gloucester gentleman they say edgar his banished son is with the earl of kent in germany kent report is changeable tis time to look about the powers of the kingdom approach apace gentleman the arbitrement is like to be bloody fare you well sir exit kent my point and period will be throughly wrought or well or ill as this day's battle's fought exit king lear act v scene i the british camp near dover enter with drum and colours edmund regan gentlemen and soldiers edmund know of the duke if his last purpose hold or whether since he is advised by aught to change the course he's full of alteration and selfreproving bring his constant pleasure to a gentleman who goes out regan our sister's man is certainly miscarried edmund tis to be doubted madam regan now sweet lord you know the goodness i intend upon you tell mebut trulybut then speak the truth do you not love my sister edmund in honour'd love regan but have you never found my brother's way to the forfended place edmund that thought abuses you regan i am doubtful that you have been conjunct and bosom'd with her as far as we call hers edmund no by mine honour madam regan i never shall endure her dear my lord be not familiar with her edmund fear me not she and the duke her husband enter with drum and colours albany goneril and soldiers goneril aside i had rather lose the battle than that sister should loosen him and me albany our very loving sister well bemet sir this i hear the king is come to his daughter with others whom the rigor of our state forced to cry out where i could not be honest i never yet was valiant for this business it toucheth us as france invades our land not bolds the king with others whom i fear most just and heavy causes make oppose edmund sir you speak nobly regan why is this reason'd goneril combine together gainst the enemy for these domestic and particular broils are not the question here albany let's then determine with the ancient of war on our proceedings edmund i shall attend you presently at your tent regan sister you'll go with us goneril no regan tis most convenient pray you go with us goneril aside o ho i know the riddlei will go as they are going out enter edgar disguised edgar if e'er your grace had speech with man so poor hear me one word albany i'll overtake you speak exeunt all but albany and edgar edgar before you fight the battle ope this letter if you have victory let the trumpet sound for him that brought it wretched though i seem i can produce a champion that will prove what is avouched there if you miscarry your business of the world hath so an end and machination ceases fortune love you albany stay till i have read the letter edgar i was forbid it when time shall serve let but the herald cry and i'll appear again albany why fare thee well i will o'erlook thy paper exit edgar reenter edmund edmund the enemy's in view draw up your powers here is the guess of their true strength and forces by diligent discovery but your haste is now urged on you albany we will greet the time exit edmund to both these sisters have i sworn my love each jealous of the other as the stung are of the adder which of them shall i take both one or neither neither can be enjoy'd if both remain alive to take the widow exasperates makes mad her sister goneril and hardly shall i carry out my side her husband being alive now then we'll use his countenance for the battle which being done let her who would be rid of him devise his speedy taking off as for the mercy which he intends to lear and to cordelia the battle done and they within our power shall never see his pardon for my state stands on me to defend not to debate exit king lear act v scene ii a field between the two camps alarum within enter with drum and colours king lear cordelia and soldiers over the stage and exeunt enter edgar and gloucester edgar here father take the shadow of this tree for your good host pray that the right may thrive if ever i return to you again i'll bring you comfort gloucester grace go with you sir exit edgar alarum and retreat within reenter edgar edgar away old man give me thy hand away king lear hath lost he and his daughter ta'en give me thy hand come on gloucester no farther sir a man may rot even here edgar what in ill thoughts again men must endure their going hence even as their coming hither ripeness is all come on gloucester and that's true too exeunt king lear act v scene iii the british camp near dover enter in conquest with drum and colours edmund king lear and cordelia prisoners captain soldiers &c edmund some officers take them away good guard until their greater pleasures first be known that are to censure them cordelia we are not the first who with best meaning have incurr'd the worst for thee oppressed king am i cast down myself could else outfrown false fortune's frown shall we not see these daughters and these sisters king lear no no no no come let's away to prison we two alone will sing like birds i the cage when thou dost ask me blessing i'll kneel down and ask of thee forgiveness so we'll live and pray and sing and tell old tales and laugh at gilded butterflies and hear poor rogues talk of court news and we'll talk with them too who loses and who wins who's in who's out and take upon's the mystery of things as if we were god's spies and we'll wear out in a wall'd prison packs and sects of great ones that ebb and flow by the moon edmund take them away king lear upon such sacrifices my cordelia the gods themselves throw incense have i caught thee he that parts us shall bring a brand from heaven and fire us hence like foxes wipe thine eyes the goodyears shall devour them flesh and fell ere they shall make us weep we'll see em starve first come exeunt king lear and cordelia guarded edmund come hither captain hark take thou this note giving a paper go follow them to prison one step i have advanced thee if thou dost as this instructs thee thou dost make thy way to noble fortunes know thou this that men are as the time is to be tenderminded does not become a sword thy great employment will not bear question either say thou'lt do t or thrive by other means captain i'll do t my lord edmund about it and write happy when thou hast done mark i say instantly and carry it so as i have set it down captain i cannot draw a cart nor eat dried oats if it be man's work i'll do t exit flourish enter albany goneril regan another captain and soldiers albany sir you have shown today your valiant strain and fortune led you well you have the captives that were the opposites of this day's strife we do require them of you so to use them as we shall find their merits and our safety may equally determine edmund sir i thought it fit to send the old and miserable king to some retention and appointed guard whose age has charms in it whose title more to pluck the common bosom on his side an turn our impress'd lances in our eyes which do command them with him i sent the queen my reason all the same and they are ready tomorrow or at further space to appear where you shall hold your session at this time we sweat and bleed the friend hath lost his friend and the best quarrels in the heat are cursed by those that feel their sharpness the question of cordelia and her father requires a fitter place albany sir by your patience i hold you but a subject of this war not as a brother regan that's as we list to grace him methinks our pleasure might have been demanded ere you had spoke so far he led our powers bore the commission of my place and person the which immediacy may well stand up and call itself your brother goneril not so hot in his own grace he doth exalt himself more than in your addition regan in my rights by me invested he compeers the best goneril that were the most if he should husband you regan jesters do oft prove prophets goneril holla holla that eye that told you so look'd but asquint regan lady i am not well else i should answer from a fullflowing stomach general take thou my soldiers prisoners patrimony dispose of them of me the walls are thine witness the world that i create thee here my lord and master goneril mean you to enjoy him albany the letalone lies not in your good will edmund nor in thine lord albany halfblooded fellow yes regan to edmund let the drum strike and prove my title thine albany stay yet hear reason edmund i arrest thee on capital treason and in thine attaint this gilded serpent pointing to goneril for your claim fair sister i bar it in the interest of my wife tis she is subcontracted to this lord and i her husband contradict your bans if you will marry make your loves to me my lady is bespoke goneril an interlude albany thou art arm'd gloucester let the trumpet sound if none appear to prove upon thy head thy heinous manifest and many treasons there is my pledge throwing down a glove i'll prove it on thy heart ere i taste bread thou art in nothing less than i have here proclaim'd thee regan sick o sick goneril aside if not i'll ne'er trust medicine edmund there's my exchange throwing down a glove what in the world he is that names me traitor villainlike he lies call by thy trumpet he that dares approach on him on you who not i will maintain my truth and honour firmly albany a herald ho edmund a herald ho a herald albany trust to thy single virtue for thy soldiers all levied in my name have in my name took their discharge regan my sickness grows upon me albany she is not well convey her to my tent exit regan led enter a herald come hither heraldlet the trumpet sound and read out this captain sound trumpet a trumpet sounds herald reads if any man of quality or degree within the lists of the army will maintain upon edmund supposed earl of gloucester that he is a manifold traitor let him appear by the third sound of the trumpet he is bold in his defence' edmund sound first trumpet herald again second trumpet herald again third trumpet trumpet answers within enter edgar at the third sound armed with a trumpet before him albany ask him his purposes why he appears upon this call o the trumpet herald what are you your name your quality and why you answer this present summons edgar know my name is lost by treason's tooth baregnawn and cankerbit yet am i noble as the adversary i come to cope albany which is that adversary edgar what's he that speaks for edmund earl of gloucester edmund himself what say'st thou to him edgar draw thy sword that if my speech offend a noble heart thy arm may do thee justice here is mine behold it is the privilege of mine honours my oath and my profession i protest maugre thy strength youth place and eminence despite thy victor sword and firenew fortune thy valour and thy heart thou art a traitor false to thy gods thy brother and thy father conspirant gainst this highillustrious prince and from the extremest upward of thy head to the descent and dust below thy foot a most toadspotted traitor say thou no' this sword this arm and my best spirits are bent to prove upon thy heart whereto i speak thou liest edmund in wisdom i should ask thy name but since thy outside looks so fair and warlike and that thy tongue some say of breeding breathes what safe and nicely i might well delay by rule of knighthood i disdain and spurn back do i toss these treasons to thy head with the hellhated lie o'erwhelm thy heart which for they yet glance by and scarcely bruise this sword of mine shall give them instant way where they shall rest for ever trumpets speak alarums they fight edmund falls albany save him save him goneril this is practise gloucester by the law of arms thou wast not bound to answer an unknown opposite thou art not vanquish'd but cozen'd and beguiled albany shut your mouth dame or with this paper shall i stop it hold sir thou worse than any name read thine own evil no tearing lady i perceive you know it gives the letter to edmund goneril say if i do the laws are mine not thine who can arraign me for't albany most monstrous oh know'st thou this paper goneril ask me not what i know exit albany go after her she's desperate govern her edmund what you have charged me with that have i done and more much more the time will bring it out tis past and so am i but what art thou that hast this fortune on me if thou'rt noble i do forgive thee edgar let's exchange charity i am no less in blood than thou art edmund if more the more thou hast wrong'd me my name is edgar and thy father's son the gods are just and of our pleasant vices make instruments to plague us the dark and vicious place where thee he got cost him his eyes edmund thou hast spoken right tis true the wheel is come full circle i am here albany methought thy very gait did prophesy a royal nobleness i must embrace thee let sorrow split my heart if ever i did hate thee or thy father edgar worthy prince i know't albany where have you hid yourself how have you known the miseries of your father edgar by nursing them my lord list a brief tale and when tis told o that my heart would burst the bloody proclamation to escape that follow'd me so nearo our lives sweetness that we the pain of death would hourly die rather than die at oncetaught me to shift into a madman's rags to assume a semblance that very dogs disdain'd and in this habit met i my father with his bleeding rings their precious stones new lost became his guide led him begg'd for him saved him from despair nevero faultreveal'd myself unto him until some halfhour past when i was arm'd not sure though hoping of this good success i ask'd his blessing and from first to last told him my pilgrimage but his flaw'd heart alack too weak the conflict to support twixt two extremes of passion joy and grief burst smilingly edmund this speech of yours hath moved me and shall perchance do good but speak you on you look as you had something more to say albany if there be more more woeful hold it in for i am almost ready to dissolve hearing of this edgar this would have seem'd a period to such as love not sorrow but another to amplify too much would make much more and top extremity whilst i was big in clamour came there in a man who having seen me in my worst estate shunn'd my abhorr'd society but then finding who twas that so endured with his strong arms he fastened on my neck and bellow'd out as he'ld burst heaven threw him on my father told the most piteous tale of lear and him that ever ear received which in recounting his grief grew puissant and the strings of life began to crack twice then the trumpets sounded and there i left him tranced albany but who was this edgar kent sir the banish'd kent who in disguise follow'd his enemy king and did him service improper for a slave enter a gentleman with a bloody knife gentleman help help o help edgar what kind of help albany speak man edgar what means that bloody knife gentleman tis hot it smokes it came even from the heart ofo she's dead albany who dead speak man gentleman your lady sir your lady and her sister by her is poisoned she hath confess'd it edmund i was contracted to them both all three now marry in an instant edgar here comes kent albany produce their bodies be they alive or dead this judgment of the heavens that makes us tremble touches us not with pity exit gentleman enter kent o is this he the time will not allow the compliment which very manners urges kent i am come to bid my king and master aye good night is he not here albany great thing of us forgot speak edmund where's the king and where's cordelia see'st thou this object kent the bodies of goneril and regan are brought in kent alack why thus edmund yet edmund was beloved the one the other poison'd for my sake and after slew herself albany even so cover their faces edmund i pant for life some good i mean to do despite of mine own nature quickly send be brief in it to the castle for my writ is on the life of lear and on cordelia nay send in time albany run run o run edgar to who my lord who hath the office send thy token of reprieve edmund well thought on take my sword give it the captain albany haste thee for thy life exit edgar edmund he hath commission from thy wife and me to hang cordelia in the prison and to lay the blame upon her own despair that she fordid herself albany the gods defend her bear him hence awhile edmund is borne off reenter king lear with cordelia dead in his arms edgar captain and others following king lear howl howl howl howl o you are men of stones had i your tongues and eyes i'ld use them so that heaven's vault should crack she's gone for ever i know when one is dead and when one lives she's dead as earth lend me a lookingglass if that her breath will mist or stain the stone why then she lives kent is this the promised end edgar or image of that horror albany fall and cease king lear this feather stirs she lives if it be so it is a chance which does redeem all sorrows that ever i have felt kent kneeling o my good master king lear prithee away edgar tis noble kent your friend king lear a plague upon you murderers traitors all i might have saved her now she's gone for ever cordelia cordelia stay a little ha what is't thou say'st her voice was ever soft gentle and low an excellent thing in woman i kill'd the slave that was ahanging thee captain tis true my lords he did king lear did i not fellow i have seen the day with my good biting falchion i would have made them skip i am old now and these same crosses spoil me who are you mine eyes are not o the best i'll tell you straight kent if fortune brag of two she loved and hated one of them we behold king lear this is a dull sight are you not kent kent the same your servant kent where is your servant caius king lear he's a good fellow i can tell you that he'll strike and quickly too he's dead and rotten kent no my good lord i am the very man king lear i'll see that straight kent that from your first of difference and decay have follow'd your sad steps king lear you are welcome hither kent nor no man else all's cheerless dark and deadly your eldest daughters have fordone them selves and desperately are dead king lear ay so i think albany he knows not what he says and vain it is that we present us to him edgar very bootless enter a captain captain edmund is dead my lord albany that's but a trifle here you lords and noble friends know our intent what comfort to this great decay may come shall be applied for us we will resign during the life of this old majesty to him our absolute power to edgar and kent you to your rights with boot and such addition as your honours have more than merited all friends shall taste the wages of their virtue and all foes the cup of their deservings o see see king lear and my poor fool is hang'd no no no life why should a dog a horse a rat have life and thou no breath at all thou'lt come no more never never never never never pray you undo this button thank you sir do you see this look on her look her lips look there look there dies edgar he faints my lord my lord kent break heart i prithee break edgar look up my lord kent vex not his ghost o let him pass he hates him much that would upon the rack of this tough world stretch him out longer edgar he is gone indeed kent the wonder is he hath endured so long he but usurp'd his life albany bear them from hence our present business is general woe to kent and edgar friends of my soul you twain rule in this realm and the gored state sustain kent i have a journey sir shortly to go my master calls me i must not say no albany the weight of this sad time we must obey speak what we feel not what we ought to say the oldest hath borne most we that are young shall never see so much nor live so long exeunt with a dead march macbeth dramatis personae duncan king of scotland malcolm his sons donalbain macbeth generals of the king's army banquo macduff lennox ross noblemen of scotland menteith angus caithness fleance son to banquo siward earl of northumberland general of the english forces young siward his son seyton an officer attending on macbeth boy son to macduff son an english doctor doctor a scotch doctor doctor a soldier a porter an old man lady macbeth lady macduff gentlewoman attending on lady macbeth gentlewoman hecate three witches first witch second witch third witch apparitions first apparition second apparition third apparition lords gentlemen officers soldiers murderers attendants and messengers lord sergeant servant first murderer second murderer third murderer messenger scene scotland england macbeth act i scene i a desert place thunder and lightning enter three witches first witch when shall we three meet again in thunder lightning or in rain second witch when the hurlyburly's done when the battle's lost and won third witch that will be ere the set of sun first witch where the place second witch upon the heath third witch there to meet with macbeth first witch i come graymalkin second witch paddock calls third witch anon all fair is foul and foul is fair hover through the fog and filthy air exeunt macbeth act i scene ii a camp near forres alarum within enter duncan malcolm donalbain lennox with attendants meeting a bleeding sergeant duncan what bloody man is that he can report as seemeth by his plight of the revolt the newest state malcolm this is the sergeant who like a good and hardy soldier fought gainst my captivity hail brave friend say to the king the knowledge of the broil as thou didst leave it sergeant doubtful it stood as two spent swimmers that do cling together and choke their art the merciless macdonwald worthy to be a rebel for to that the multiplying villanies of nature do swarm upon himfrom the western isles of kerns and gallowglasses is supplied and fortune on his damned quarrel smiling show'd like a rebel's whore but all's too weak for brave macbethwell he deserves that name disdaining fortune with his brandish'd steel which smoked with bloody execution like valour's minion carved out his passage till he faced the slave which ne'er shook hands nor bade farewell to him till he unseam'd him from the nave to the chaps and fix'd his head upon our battlements duncan o valiant cousin worthy gentleman sergeant as whence the sun gins his reflection shipwrecking storms and direful thunders break so from that spring whence comfort seem'd to come discomfort swells mark king of scotland mark no sooner justice had with valour arm'd compell'd these skipping kerns to trust their heels but the norweyan lord surveying vantage with furbish'd arms and new supplies of men began a fresh assault duncan dismay'd not this our captains macbeth and banquo sergeant yes as sparrows eagles or the hare the lion if i say sooth i must report they were as cannons overcharged with double cracks so they doubly redoubled strokes upon the foe except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds or memorise another golgotha i cannot tell but i am faint my gashes cry for help duncan so well thy words become thee as thy wounds they smack of honour both go get him surgeons exit sergeant attended who comes here enter ross malcolm the worthy thane of ross lennox what a haste looks through his eyes so should he look that seems to speak things strange ross god save the king duncan whence camest thou worthy thane ross from fife great king where the norweyan banners flout the sky and fan our people cold norway himself with terrible numbers assisted by that most disloyal traitor the thane of cawdor began a dismal conflict till that bellona's bridegroom lapp'd in proof confronted him with selfcomparisons point against point rebellious arm gainst arm curbing his lavish spirit and to conclude the victory fell on us duncan great happiness ross that now sweno the norways king craves composition nor would we deign him burial of his men till he disbursed at saint colme's inch ten thousand dollars to our general use duncan no more that thane of cawdor shall deceive our bosom interest go pronounce his present death and with his former title greet macbeth ross i'll see it done duncan what he hath lost noble macbeth hath won exeunt macbeth act i scene iii a heath near forres thunder enter the three witches first witch where hast thou been sister second witch killing swine third witch sister where thou first witch a sailor's wife had chestnuts in her lap and munch'd and munch'd and munch'd give me quoth i aroint thee witch the rumpfed ronyon cries her husband's to aleppo gone master o the tiger but in a sieve i'll thither sail and like a rat without a tail i'll do i'll do and i'll do second witch i'll give thee a wind first witch thou'rt kind third witch and i another first witch i myself have all the other and the very ports they blow all the quarters that they know i the shipman's card i will drain him dry as hay sleep shall neither night nor day hang upon his penthouse lid he shall live a man forbid weary se'nnights nine times nine shall he dwindle peak and pine though his bark cannot be lost yet it shall be tempesttost look what i have second witch show me show me first witch here i have a pilot's thumb wreck'd as homeward he did come drum within third witch a drum a drum macbeth doth come all the weird sisters hand in hand posters of the sea and land thus do go about about thrice to thine and thrice to mine and thrice again to make up nine peace the charm's wound up enter macbeth and banquo macbeth so foul and fair a day i have not seen banquo how far is't call'd to forres what are these so wither'd and so wild in their attire that look not like the inhabitants o the earth and yet are on't live you or are you aught that man may question you seem to understand me by each at once her chappy finger laying upon her skinny lips you should be women and yet your beards forbid me to interpret that you are so macbeth speak if you can what are you first witch all hail macbeth hail to thee thane of glamis second witch all hail macbeth hail to thee thane of cawdor third witch all hail macbeth thou shalt be king hereafter banquo good sir why do you start and seem to fear things that do sound so fair i the name of truth are ye fantastical or that indeed which outwardly ye show my noble partner you greet with present grace and great prediction of noble having and of royal hope that he seems rapt withal to me you speak not if you can look into the seeds of time and say which grain will grow and which will not speak then to me who neither beg nor fear your favours nor your hate first witch hail second witch hail third witch hail first witch lesser than macbeth and greater second witch not so happy yet much happier third witch thou shalt get kings though thou be none so all hail macbeth and banquo first witch banquo and macbeth all hail macbeth stay you imperfect speakers tell me more by sinel's death i know i am thane of glamis but how of cawdor the thane of cawdor lives a prosperous gentleman and to be king stands not within the prospect of belief no more than to be cawdor say from whence you owe this strange intelligence or why upon this blasted heath you stop our way with such prophetic greeting speak i charge you witches vanish banquo the earth hath bubbles as the water has and these are of them whither are they vanish'd macbeth into the air and what seem'd corporal melted as breath into the wind would they had stay'd banquo were such things here as we do speak about or have we eaten on the insane root that takes the reason prisoner macbeth your children shall be kings banquo you shall be king macbeth and thane of cawdor too went it not so banquo to the selfsame tune and words who's here enter ross and angus ross the king hath happily received macbeth the news of thy success and when he reads thy personal venture in the rebels fight his wonders and his praises do contend which should be thine or his silenced with that in viewing o'er the rest o the selfsame day he finds thee in the stout norweyan ranks nothing afeard of what thyself didst make strange images of death as thick as hail came post with post and every one did bear thy praises in his kingdom's great defence and pour'd them down before him angus we are sent to give thee from our royal master thanks only to herald thee into his sight not pay thee ross and for an earnest of a greater honour he bade me from him call thee thane of cawdor in which addition hail most worthy thane for it is thine banquo what can the devil speak true macbeth the thane of cawdor lives why do you dress me in borrow'd robes angus who was the thane lives yet but under heavy judgment bears that life which he deserves to lose whether he was combined with those of norway or did line the rebel with hidden help and vantage or that with both he labour'd in his country's wreck i know not but treasons capital confess'd and proved have overthrown him macbeth aside glamis and thane of cawdor the greatest is behind to ross and angus thanks for your pains to banquo do you not hope your children shall be kings when those that gave the thane of cawdor to me promised no less to them banquo that trusted home might yet enkindle you unto the crown besides the thane of cawdor but tis strange and oftentimes to win us to our harm the instruments of darkness tell us truths win us with honest trifles to betray's in deepest consequence cousins a word i pray you macbeth aside two truths are told as happy prologues to the swelling act of the imperial themei thank you gentlemen aside this supernatural soliciting cannot be ill cannot be good if ill why hath it given me earnest of success commencing in a truth i am thane of cawdor if good why do i yield to that suggestion whose horrid image doth unfix my hair and make my seated heart knock at my ribs against the use of nature present fears are less than horrible imaginings my thought whose murder yet is but fantastical shakes so my single state of man that function is smother'd in surmise and nothing is but what is not banquo look how our partner's rapt macbeth aside if chance will have me king why chance may crown me without my stir banquo new horrors come upon him like our strange garments cleave not to their mould but with the aid of use macbeth aside come what come may time and the hour runs through the roughest day banquo worthy macbeth we stay upon your leisure macbeth give me your favour my dull brain was wrought with things forgotten kind gentlemen your pains are register'd where every day i turn the leaf to read them let us toward the king think upon what hath chanced and at more time the interim having weigh'd it let us speak our free hearts each to other banquo very gladly macbeth till then enough come friends exeunt macbeth act i scene iv forres the palace flourish enter duncan malcolm donalbain lennox and attendants duncan is execution done on cawdor are not those in commission yet return'd malcolm my liege they are not yet come back but i have spoke with one that saw him die who did report that very frankly he confess'd his treasons implored your highness pardon and set forth a deep repentance nothing in his life became him like the leaving it he died as one that had been studied in his death to throw away the dearest thing he owed as twere a careless trifle duncan there's no art to find the mind's construction in the face he was a gentleman on whom i built an absolute trust enter macbeth banquo ross and angus o worthiest cousin the sin of my ingratitude even now was heavy on me thou art so far before that swiftest wing of recompense is slow to overtake thee would thou hadst less deserved that the proportion both of thanks and payment might have been mine only i have left to say more is thy due than more than all can pay macbeth the service and the loyalty i owe in doing it pays itself your highness part is to receive our duties and our duties are to your throne and state children and servants which do but what they should by doing every thing safe toward your love and honour duncan welcome hither i have begun to plant thee and will labour to make thee full of growing noble banquo that hast no less deserved nor must be known no less to have done so let me enfold thee and hold thee to my heart banquo there if i grow the harvest is your own duncan my plenteous joys wanton in fulness seek to hide themselves in drops of sorrow sons kinsmen thanes and you whose places are the nearest know we will establish our estate upon our eldest malcolm whom we name hereafter the prince of cumberland which honour must not unaccompanied invest him only but signs of nobleness like stars shall shine on all deservers from hence to inverness and bind us further to you macbeth the rest is labour which is not used for you i'll be myself the harbinger and make joyful the hearing of my wife with your approach so humbly take my leave duncan my worthy cawdor macbeth aside the prince of cumberland that is a step on which i must fall down or else o'erleap for in my way it lies stars hide your fires let not light see my black and deep desires the eye wink at the hand yet let that be which the eye fears when it is done to see exit duncan true worthy banquo he is full so valiant and in his commendations i am fed it is a banquet to me let's after him whose care is gone before to bid us welcome it is a peerless kinsman flourish exeunt macbeth act i scene v inverness macbeth's castle enter lady macbeth reading a letter lady macbeth they met me in the day of success and i have learned by the perfectest report they have more in them than mortal knowledge when i burned in desire to question them further they made themselves air into which they vanished whiles i stood rapt in the wonder of it came missives from the king who allhailed me thane of cawdor by which title before these weird sisters saluted me and referred me to the coming on of time with hail king that shalt be this have i thought good to deliver thee my dearest partner of greatness that thou mightst not lose the dues of rejoicing by being ignorant of what greatness is promised thee lay it to thy heart and farewell' glamis thou art and cawdor and shalt be what thou art promised yet do i fear thy nature it is too full o the milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way thou wouldst be great art not without ambition but without the illness should attend it what thou wouldst highly that wouldst thou holily wouldst not play false and yet wouldst wrongly win thou'ldst have great glamis that which cries thus thou must do if thou have it and that which rather thou dost fear to do than wishest should be undone hie thee hither that i may pour my spirits in thine ear and chastise with the valour of my tongue all that impedes thee from the golden round which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem to have thee crown'd withal enter a messenger what is your tidings messenger the king comes here tonight lady macbeth thou'rt mad to say it is not thy master with him who were't so would have inform'd for preparation messenger so please you it is true our thane is coming one of my fellows had the speed of him who almost dead for breath had scarcely more than would make up his message lady macbeth give him tending he brings great news exit messenger the raven himself is hoarse that croaks the fatal entrance of duncan under my battlements come you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts unsex me here and fill me from the crown to the toe topfull of direst cruelty make thick my blood stop up the access and passage to remorse that no compunctious visitings of nature shake my fell purpose nor keep peace between the effect and it come to my woman's breasts and take my milk for gall you murdering ministers wherever in your sightless substances you wait on nature's mischief come thick night and pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell that my keen knife see not the wound it makes nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark to cry hold hold' enter macbeth great glamis worthy cawdor greater than both by the allhail hereafter thy letters have transported me beyond this ignorant present and i feel now the future in the instant macbeth my dearest love duncan comes here tonight lady macbeth and when goes hence macbeth tomorrow as he purposes lady macbeth o never shall sun that morrow see your face my thane is as a book where men may read strange matters to beguile the time look like the time bear welcome in your eye your hand your tongue look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under't he that's coming must be provided for and you shall put this night's great business into my dispatch which shall to all our nights and days to come give solely sovereign sway and masterdom macbeth we will speak further lady macbeth only look up clear to alter favour ever is to fear leave all the rest to me exeunt macbeth act i scene vi before macbeth's castle hautboys and torches enter duncan malcolm donalbain banquo lennox macduff ross angus and attendants duncan this castle hath a pleasant seat the air nimbly and sweetly recommends itself unto our gentle senses banquo this guest of summer the templehaunting martlet does approve by his loved mansionry that the heaven's breath smells wooingly here no jutty frieze buttress nor coign of vantage but this bird hath made his pendent bed and procreant cradle where they most breed and haunt i have observed the air is delicate enter lady macbeth duncan see see our honour'd hostess the love that follows us sometime is our trouble which still we thank as love herein i teach you how you shall bid god ild us for your pains and thank us for your trouble lady macbeth all our service in every point twice done and then done double were poor and single business to contend against those honours deep and broad wherewith your majesty loads our house for those of old and the late dignities heap'd up to them we rest your hermits duncan where's the thane of cawdor we coursed him at the heels and had a purpose to be his purveyor but he rides well and his great love sharp as his spur hath holp him to his home before us fair and noble hostess we are your guest tonight lady macbeth your servants ever have theirs themselves and what is theirs in compt to make their audit at your highness pleasure still to return your own duncan give me your hand conduct me to mine host we love him highly and shall continue our graces towards him by your leave hostess exeunt macbeth act i scene vii macbeth's castle hautboys and torches enter a sewer and divers servants with dishes and service and pass over the stage then enter macbeth macbeth if it were done when tis done then twere well it were done quickly if the assassination could trammel up the consequence and catch with his surcease success that but this blow might be the beall and the endall here but here upon this bank and shoal of time we'ld jump the life to come but in these cases we still have judgment here that we but teach bloody instructions which being taught return to plague the inventor this evenhanded justice commends the ingredients of our poison'd chalice to our own lips he's here in double trust first as i am his kinsman and his subject strong both against the deed then as his host who should against his murderer shut the door not bear the knife myself besides this duncan hath borne his faculties so meek hath been so clear in his great office that his virtues will plead like angels trumpettongued against the deep damnation of his takingoff and pity like a naked newborn babe striding the blast or heaven's cherubim horsed upon the sightless couriers of the air shall blow the horrid deed in every eye that tears shall drown the wind i have no spur to prick the sides of my intent but only vaulting ambition which o'erleaps itself and falls on the other enter lady macbeth how now what news lady macbeth he has almost supp'd why have you left the chamber macbeth hath he ask'd for me lady macbeth know you not he has macbeth we will proceed no further in this business he hath honour'd me of late and i have bought golden opinions from all sorts of people which would be worn now in their newest gloss not cast aside so soon lady macbeth was the hope drunk wherein you dress'd yourself hath it slept since and wakes it now to look so green and pale at what it did so freely from this time such i account thy love art thou afeard to be the same in thine own act and valour as thou art in desire wouldst thou have that which thou esteem'st the ornament of life and live a coward in thine own esteem letting i dare not wait upon i would' like the poor cat i the adage macbeth prithee peace i dare do all that may become a man who dares do more is none lady macbeth what beast was't then that made you break this enterprise to me when you durst do it then you were a man and to be more than what you were you would be so much more the man nor time nor place did then adhere and yet you would make both they have made themselves and that their fitness now does unmake you i have given suck and know how tender tis to love the babe that milks me i would while it was smiling in my face have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums and dash'd the brains out had i so sworn as you have done to this macbeth if we should fail lady macbeth we fail but screw your courage to the stickingplace and we'll not fail when duncan is asleep whereto the rather shall his day's hard journey soundly invite himhis two chamberlains will i with wine and wassail so convince that memory the warder of the brain shall be a fume and the receipt of reason a limbeck only when in swinish sleep their drenched natures lie as in a death what cannot you and i perform upon the unguarded duncan what not put upon his spongy officers who shall bear the guilt of our great quell macbeth bring forth menchildren only for thy undaunted mettle should compose nothing but males will it not be received when we have mark'd with blood those sleepy two of his own chamber and used their very daggers that they have done't lady macbeth who dares receive it other as we shall make our griefs and clamour roar upon his death macbeth i am settled and bend up each corporal agent to this terrible feat away and mock the time with fairest show false face must hide what the false heart doth know exeunt macbeth act ii scene i court of macbeth's castle enter banquo and fleance bearing a torch before him banquo how goes the night boy fleance the moon is down i have not heard the clock banquo and she goes down at twelve fleance i take't tis later sir banquo hold take my sword there's husbandry in heaven their candles are all out take thee that too a heavy summons lies like lead upon me and yet i would not sleep merciful powers restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature gives way to in repose enter macbeth and a servant with a torch give me my sword who's there macbeth a friend banquo what sir not yet at rest the king's abed he hath been in unusual pleasure and sent forth great largess to your offices this diamond he greets your wife withal by the name of most kind hostess and shut up in measureless content macbeth being unprepared our will became the servant to defect which else should free have wrought banquo all's well i dreamt last night of the three weird sisters to you they have show'd some truth macbeth i think not of them yet when we can entreat an hour to serve we would spend it in some words upon that business if you would grant the time banquo at your kind'st leisure macbeth if you shall cleave to my consent when tis it shall make honour for you banquo so i lose none in seeking to augment it but still keep my bosom franchised and allegiance clear i shall be counsell'd macbeth good repose the while banquo thanks sir the like to you exeunt banquo and fleance macbeth go bid thy mistress when my drink is ready she strike upon the bell get thee to bed exit servant is this a dagger which i see before me the handle toward my hand come let me clutch thee i have thee not and yet i see thee still art thou not fatal vision sensible to feeling as to sight or art thou but a dagger of the mind a false creation proceeding from the heatoppressed brain i see thee yet in form as palpable as this which now i draw thou marshall'st me the way that i was going and such an instrument i was to use mine eyes are made the fools o the other senses or else worth all the rest i see thee still and on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood which was not so before there's no such thing it is the bloody business which informs thus to mine eyes now o'er the one halfworld nature seems dead and wicked dreams abuse the curtain'd sleep witchcraft celebrates pale hecate's offerings and wither'd murder alarum'd by his sentinel the wolf whose howl's his watch thus with his stealthy pace with tarquin's ravishing strides towards his design moves like a ghost thou sure and firmset earth hear not my steps which way they walk for fear thy very stones prate of my whereabout and take the present horror from the time which now suits with it whiles i threat he lives words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives a bell rings i go and it is done the bell invites me hear it not duncan for it is a knell that summons thee to heaven or to hell exit macbeth act ii scene ii the same enter lady macbeth lady macbeth that which hath made them drunk hath made me bold what hath quench'd them hath given me fire hark peace it was the owl that shriek'd the fatal bellman which gives the stern'st goodnight he is about it the doors are open and the surfeited grooms do mock their charge with snores i have drugg'd their possets that death and nature do contend about them whether they live or die macbeth within who's there what ho lady macbeth alack i am afraid they have awaked and tis not done the attempt and not the deed confounds us hark i laid their daggers ready he could not miss em had he not resembled my father as he slept i had done't enter macbeth my husband macbeth i have done the deed didst thou not hear a noise lady macbeth i heard the owl scream and the crickets cry did not you speak macbeth when lady macbeth now macbeth as i descended lady macbeth ay macbeth hark who lies i the second chamber lady macbeth donalbain macbeth this is a sorry sight looking on his hands lady macbeth a foolish thought to say a sorry sight macbeth there's one did laugh in's sleep and one cried murder' that they did wake each other i stood and heard them but they did say their prayers and address'd them again to sleep lady macbeth there are two lodged together macbeth one cried god bless us and amen the other as they had seen me with these hangman's hands listening their fear i could not say amen' when they did say god bless us' lady macbeth consider it not so deeply macbeth but wherefore could not i pronounce amen' i had most need of blessing and amen' stuck in my throat lady macbeth these deeds must not be thought after these ways so it will make us mad macbeth methought i heard a voice cry sleep no more macbeth does murder sleep the innocent sleep sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleeve of care the death of each day's life sore labour's bath balm of hurt minds great nature's second course chief nourisher in life's feast lady macbeth what do you mean macbeth still it cried sleep no more to all the house glamis hath murder'd sleep and therefore cawdor shall sleep no more macbeth shall sleep no more' lady macbeth who was it that thus cried why worthy thane you do unbend your noble strength to think so brainsickly of things go get some water and wash this filthy witness from your hand why did you bring these daggers from the place they must lie there go carry them and smear the sleepy grooms with blood macbeth i'll go no more i am afraid to think what i have done look on't again i dare not lady macbeth infirm of purpose give me the daggers the sleeping and the dead are but as pictures tis the eye of childhood that fears a painted devil if he do bleed i'll gild the faces of the grooms withal for it must seem their guilt exit knocking within macbeth whence is that knocking how is't with me when every noise appals me what hands are here ha they pluck out mine eyes will all great neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand no this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas in incarnadine making the green one red reenter lady macbeth lady macbeth my hands are of your colour but i shame to wear a heart so white knocking within i hear a knocking at the south entry retire we to our chamber a little water clears us of this deed how easy is it then your constancy hath left you unattended knocking within hark more knocking get on your nightgown lest occasion call us and show us to be watchers be not lost so poorly in your thoughts macbeth to know my deed twere best not know myself knocking within wake duncan with thy knocking i would thou couldst exeunt macbeth act ii scene iii the same knocking within enter a porter porter here's a knocking indeed if a man were porter of hellgate he should have old turning the key knocking within knock knock knock who's there i the name of beelzebub here's a farmer that hanged himself on the expectation of plenty come in time have napkins enow about you here you'll sweat for't knocking within knock knock who's there in the other devil's name faith here's an equivocator that could swear in both the scales against either scale who committed treason enough for god's sake yet could not equivocate to heaven o come in equivocator knocking within knock knock knock who's there faith here's an english tailor come hither for stealing out of a french hose come in tailor here you may roast your goose knocking within knock knock never at quiet what are you but this place is too cold for hell i'll devilporter it no further i had thought to have let in some of all professions that go the primrose way to the everlasting bonfire knocking within anon anon i pray you remember the porter opens the gate enter macduff and lennox macduff was it so late friend ere you went to bed that you do lie so late porter faith sir we were carousing till the second cock and drink sir is a great provoker of three things macduff what three things does drink especially provoke porter marry sir nosepainting sleep and urine lechery sir it provokes and unprovokes it provokes the desire but it takes away the performance therefore much drink may be said to be an equivocator with lechery it makes him and it mars him it sets him on and it takes him off it persuades him and disheartens him makes him stand to and not stand to in conclusion equivocates him in a sleep and giving him the lie leaves him macduff i believe drink gave thee the lie last night porter that it did sir i the very throat on me but i requited him for his lie and i think being too strong for him though he took up my legs sometime yet i made a shift to cast him macduff is thy master stirring enter macbeth our knocking has awaked him here he comes lennox good morrow noble sir macbeth good morrow both macduff is the king stirring worthy thane macbeth not yet macduff he did command me to call timely on him i have almost slipp'd the hour macbeth i'll bring you to him macduff i know this is a joyful trouble to you but yet tis one macbeth the labour we delight in physics pain this is the door macduff i'll make so bold to call for tis my limited service exit lennox goes the king hence today macbeth he does he did appoint so lennox the night has been unruly where we lay our chimneys were blown down and as they say lamentings heard i the air strange screams of death and prophesying with accents terrible of dire combustion and confused events new hatch'd to the woeful time the obscure bird clamour'd the livelong night some say the earth was feverous and did shake macbeth twas a rough night lennox my young remembrance cannot parallel a fellow to it reenter macduff macduff o horror horror horror tongue nor heart cannot conceive nor name thee macbeth what's the matter lennox macduff confusion now hath made his masterpiece most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope the lord's anointed temple and stole thence the life o the building macbeth what is t you say the life lennox mean you his majesty macduff approach the chamber and destroy your sight with a new gorgon do not bid me speak see and then speak yourselves exeunt macbeth and lennox awake awake ring the alarumbell murder and treason banquo and donalbain malcolm awake shake off this downy sleep death's counterfeit and look on death itself up up and see the great doom's image malcolm banquo as from your graves rise up and walk like sprites to countenance this horror ring the bell bell rings enter lady macbeth lady macbeth what's the business that such a hideous trumpet calls to parley the sleepers of the house speak speak macduff o gentle lady tis not for you to hear what i can speak the repetition in a woman's ear would murder as it fell enter banquo o banquo banquo our royal master s murder'd lady macbeth woe alas what in our house banquo too cruel any where dear duff i prithee contradict thyself and say it is not so reenter macbeth and lennox with ross macbeth had i but died an hour before this chance i had lived a blessed time for from this instant there s nothing serious in mortality all is but toys renown and grace is dead the wine of life is drawn and the mere lees is left this vault to brag of enter malcolm and donalbain donalbain what is amiss macbeth you are and do not know't the spring the head the fountain of your blood is stopp'd the very source of it is stopp'd macduff your royal father s murder'd malcolm o by whom lennox those of his chamber as it seem'd had done t their hands and faces were an badged with blood so were their daggers which unwiped we found upon their pillows they stared and were distracted no man's life was to be trusted with them macbeth o yet i do repent me of my fury that i did kill them macduff wherefore did you so macbeth who can be wise amazed temperate and furious loyal and neutral in a moment no man the expedition my violent love outrun the pauser reason here lay duncan his silver skin laced with his golden blood and his gash'd stabs look'd like a breach in nature for ruin's wasteful entrance there the murderers steep'd in the colours of their trade their daggers unmannerly breech'd with gore who could refrain that had a heart to love and in that heart courage to make s love known lady macbeth help me hence ho macduff look to the lady malcolm aside to donalbain why do we hold our tongues that most may claim this argument for ours donalbain aside to malcolm what should be spoken here where our fate hid in an augerhole may rush and seize us let s away our tears are not yet brew'd malcolm aside to donalbain nor our strong sorrow upon the foot of motion banquo look to the lady lady macbeth is carried out and when we have our naked frailties hid that suffer in exposure let us meet and question this most bloody piece of work to know it further fears and scruples shake us in the great hand of god i stand and thence against the undivulged pretence i fight of treasonous malice macduff and so do i all so all macbeth let's briefly put on manly readiness and meet i the hall together all well contented exeunt all but malcolm and donalbain malcolm what will you do let's not consort with them to show an unfelt sorrow is an office which the false man does easy i'll to england donalbain to ireland i our separated fortune shall keep us both the safer where we are there's daggers in men's smiles the near in blood the nearer bloody malcolm this murderous shaft that's shot hath not yet lighted and our safest way is to avoid the aim therefore to horse and let us not be dainty of leavetaking but shift away there's warrant in that theft which steals itself when there's no mercy left exeunt macbeth act ii scene iv outside macbeth's castle enter ross and an old man old man threescore and ten i can remember well within the volume of which time i have seen hours dreadful and things strange but this sore night hath trifled former knowings ross ah good father thou seest the heavens as troubled with man's act threaten his bloody stage by the clock tis day and yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp is't night's predominance or the day's shame that darkness does the face of earth entomb when living light should kiss it old man tis unnatural even like the deed that's done on tuesday last a falcon towering in her pride of place was by a mousing owl hawk'd at and kill'd ross and duncan's horsesa thing most strange and certain beauteous and swift the minions of their race turn'd wild in nature broke their stalls flung out contending gainst obedience as they would make war with mankind old man tis said they eat each other ross they did so to the amazement of mine eyes that look'd upon't here comes the good macduff enter macduff how goes the world sir now macduff why see you not ross is't known who did this more than bloody deed macduff those that macbeth hath slain ross alas the day what good could they pretend macduff they were suborn'd malcolm and donalbain the king's two sons are stol'n away and fled which puts upon them suspicion of the deed ross gainst nature still thriftless ambition that wilt ravin up thine own life's means then tis most like the sovereignty will fall upon macbeth macduff he is already named and gone to scone to be invested ross where is duncan's body macduff carried to colmekill the sacred storehouse of his predecessors and guardian of their bones ross will you to scone macduff no cousin i'll to fife ross well i will thither macduff well may you see things well done there adieu lest our old robes sit easier than our new ross farewell father old man god's benison go with you and with those that would make good of bad and friends of foes exeunt macbeth act iii scene i forres the palace enter banquo banquo thou hast it now king cawdor glamis all as the weird women promised and i fear thou play'dst most foully for't yet it was said it should not stand in thy posterity but that myself should be the root and father of many kings if there come truth from them as upon thee macbeth their speeches shine why by the verities on thee made good may they not be my oracles as well and set me up in hope but hush no more sennet sounded enter macbeth as king lady macbeth as queen lennox ross lords ladies and attendants macbeth here's our chief guest lady macbeth if he had been forgotten it had been as a gap in our great feast and allthing unbecoming macbeth tonight we hold a solemn supper sir and i'll request your presence banquo let your highness command upon me to the which my duties are with a most indissoluble tie for ever knit macbeth ride you this afternoon banquo ay my good lord macbeth we should have else desired your good advice which still hath been both grave and prosperous in this day's council but we'll take tomorrow is't far you ride banquo as far my lord as will fill up the time twixt this and supper go not my horse the better i must become a borrower of the night for a dark hour or twain macbeth fail not our feast banquo my lord i will not macbeth we hear our bloody cousins are bestow'd in england and in ireland not confessing their cruel parricide filling their hearers with strange invention but of that tomorrow when therewithal we shall have cause of state craving us jointly hie you to horse adieu till you return at night goes fleance with you banquo ay my good lord our time does call upon s macbeth i wish your horses swift and sure of foot and so i do commend you to their backs farewell exit banquo let every man be master of his time till seven at night to make society the sweeter welcome we will keep ourself till suppertime alone while then god be with you exeunt all but macbeth and an attendant sirrah a word with you attend those men our pleasure attendant they are my lord without the palace gate macbeth bring them before us exit attendant to be thus is nothing but to be safely thusour fears in banquo stick deep and in his royalty of nature reigns that which would be fear'd tis much he dares and to that dauntless temper of his mind he hath a wisdom that doth guide his valour to act in safety there is none but he whose being i do fear and under him my genius is rebuked as it is said mark antony's was by caesar he chid the sisters when first they put the name of king upon me and bade them speak to him then prophetlike they hail'd him father to a line of kings upon my head they placed a fruitless crown and put a barren sceptre in my gripe thence to be wrench'd with an unlineal hand no son of mine succeeding if t be so for banquo's issue have i filed my mind for them the gracious duncan have i murder'd put rancours in the vessel of my peace only for them and mine eternal jewel given to the common enemy of man to make them kings the seed of banquo kings rather than so come fate into the list and champion me to the utterance who's there reenter attendant with two murderers now go to the door and stay there till we call exit attendant was it not yesterday we spoke together first murderer it was so please your highness macbeth well then now have you consider'd of my speeches know that it was he in the times past which held you so under fortune which you thought had been our innocent self this i made good to you in our last conference pass'd in probation with you how you were borne in hand how cross'd the instruments who wrought with them and all things else that might to half a soul and to a notion crazed say thus did banquo' first murderer you made it known to us macbeth i did so and went further which is now our point of second meeting do you find your patience so predominant in your nature that you can let this go are you so gospell'd to pray for this good man and for his issue whose heavy hand hath bow'd you to the grave and beggar'd yours for ever first murderer we are men my liege macbeth ay in the catalogue ye go for men as hounds and greyhounds mongrels spaniels curs shoughs waterrugs and demiwolves are clept all by the name of dogs the valued file distinguishes the swift the slow the subtle the housekeeper the hunter every one according to the gift which bounteous nature hath in him closed whereby he does receive particular addition from the bill that writes them all alike and so of men now if you have a station in the file not i the worst rank of manhood say t and i will put that business in your bosoms whose execution takes your enemy off grapples you to the heart and love of us who wear our health but sickly in his life which in his death were perfect second murderer i am one my liege whom the vile blows and buffets of the world have so incensed that i am reckless what i do to spite the world first murderer and i another so weary with disasters tugg'd with fortune that i would set my lie on any chance to mend it or be rid on't macbeth both of you know banquo was your enemy both murderers true my lord macbeth so is he mine and in such bloody distance that every minute of his being thrusts against my near'st of life and though i could with barefaced power sweep him from my sight and bid my will avouch it yet i must not for certain friends that are both his and mine whose loves i may not drop but wail his fall who i myself struck down and thence it is that i to your assistance do make love masking the business from the common eye for sundry weighty reasons second murderer we shall my lord perform what you command us first murderer though our lives macbeth your spirits shine through you within this hour at most i will advise you where to plant yourselves acquaint you with the perfect spy o the time the moment on't for't must be done tonight and something from the palace always thought that i require a clearness and with him to leave no rubs nor botches in the work fleance his son that keeps him company whose absence is no less material to me than is his father's must embrace the fate of that dark hour resolve yourselves apart i'll come to you anon both murderers we are resolved my lord macbeth i'll call upon you straight abide within exeunt murderers it is concluded banquo thy soul's flight if it find heaven must find it out tonight exit macbeth act iii scene ii the palace enter lady macbeth and a servant lady macbeth is banquo gone from court servant ay madam but returns again tonight lady macbeth say to the king i would attend his leisure for a few words servant madam i will exit lady macbeth nought's had all's spent where our desire is got without content tis safer to be that which we destroy than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy enter macbeth how now my lord why do you keep alone of sorriest fancies your companions making using those thoughts which should indeed have died with them they think on things without all remedy should be without regard what's done is done macbeth we have scotch'd the snake not kill'd it she'll close and be herself whilst our poor malice remains in danger of her former tooth but let the frame of things disjoint both the worlds suffer ere we will eat our meal in fear and sleep in the affliction of these terrible dreams that shake us nightly better be with the dead whom we to gain our peace have sent to peace than on the torture of the mind to lie in restless ecstasy duncan is in his grave after life's fitful fever he sleeps well treason has done his worst nor steel nor poison malice domestic foreign levy nothing can touch him further lady macbeth come on gentle my lord sleek o'er your rugged looks be bright and jovial among your guests tonight macbeth so shall i love and so i pray be you let your remembrance apply to banquo present him eminence both with eye and tongue unsafe the while that we must lave our honours in these flattering streams and make our faces vizards to our hearts disguising what they are lady macbeth you must leave this macbeth o full of scorpions is my mind dear wife thou know'st that banquo and his fleance lives lady macbeth but in them nature's copy's not eterne macbeth there's comfort yet they are assailable then be thou jocund ere the bat hath flown his cloister'd flight ere to black hecate's summons the shardborne beetle with his drowsy hums hath rung night's yawning peal there shall be done a deed of dreadful note lady macbeth what's to be done macbeth be innocent of the knowledge dearest chuck till thou applaud the deed come seeling night scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day and with thy bloody and invisible hand cancel and tear to pieces that great bond which keeps me pale light thickens and the crow makes wing to the rooky wood good things of day begin to droop and drowse while night's black agents to their preys do rouse thou marvell'st at my words but hold thee still things bad begun make strong themselves by ill so prithee go with me exeunt macbeth act iii scene iii a park near the palace enter three murderers first murderer but who did bid thee join with us third murderer macbeth second murderer he needs not our mistrust since he delivers our offices and what we have to do to the direction just first murderer then stand with us the west yet glimmers with some streaks of day now spurs the lated traveller apace to gain the timely inn and near approaches the subject of our watch third murderer hark i hear horses banquo within give us a light there ho second murderer then tis he the rest that are within the note of expectation already are i the court first murderer his horses go about third murderer almost a mile but he does usually so all men do from hence to the palace gate make it their walk second murderer a light a light enter banquo and fleance with a torch third murderer tis he first murderer stand to't banquo it will be rain tonight first murderer let it come down they set upon banquo banquo o treachery fly good fleance fly fly fly thou mayst revenge o slave dies fleance escapes third murderer who did strike out the light first murderer wast not the way third murderer there's but one down the son is fled second murderer we have lost best half of our affair first murderer well let's away and say how much is done exeunt macbeth act iii scene iv the same hall in the palace a banquet prepared enter macbeth lady macbeth ross lennox lords and attendants macbeth you know your own degrees sit down at first and last the hearty welcome lords thanks to your majesty macbeth ourself will mingle with society and play the humble host our hostess keeps her state but in best time we will require her welcome lady macbeth pronounce it for me sir to all our friends for my heart speaks they are welcome first murderer appears at the door macbeth see they encounter thee with their hearts thanks both sides are even here i'll sit i the midst be large in mirth anon we'll drink a measure the table round approaching the door there's blood on thy face first murderer tis banquo's then macbeth tis better thee without than he within is he dispatch'd first murderer my lord his throat is cut that i did for him macbeth thou art the best o the cutthroats yet he's good that did the like for fleance if thou didst it thou art the nonpareil first murderer most royal sir fleance is scaped macbeth then comes my fit again i had else been perfect whole as the marble founded as the rock as broad and general as the casing air but now i am cabin'd cribb'd confined bound in to saucy doubts and fears but banquo's safe first murderer ay my good lord safe in a ditch he bides with twenty trenched gashes on his head the least a death to nature macbeth thanks for that there the grown serpent lies the worm that's fled hath nature that in time will venom breed no teeth for the present get thee gone tomorrow we'll hear ourselves again exit murderer lady macbeth my royal lord you do not give the cheer the feast is sold that is not often vouch'd while tis amaking tis given with welcome to feed were best at home from thence the sauce to meat is ceremony meeting were bare without it macbeth sweet remembrancer now good digestion wait on appetite and health on both lennox may't please your highness sit the ghost of banquo enters and sits in macbeth's place macbeth here had we now our country's honour roof'd were the graced person of our banquo present who may i rather challenge for unkindness than pity for mischance ross his absence sir lays blame upon his promise please't your highness to grace us with your royal company macbeth the table's full lennox here is a place reserved sir macbeth where lennox here my good lord what is't that moves your highness macbeth which of you have done this lords what my good lord macbeth thou canst not say i did it never shake thy gory locks at me ross gentlemen rise his highness is not well lady macbeth sit worthy friends my lord is often thus and hath been from his youth pray you keep seat the fit is momentary upon a thought he will again be well if much you note him you shall offend him and extend his passion feed and regard him not are you a man macbeth ay and a bold one that dare look on that which might appal the devil lady macbeth o proper stuff this is the very painting of your fear this is the airdrawn dagger which you said led you to duncan o these flaws and starts impostors to true fear would well become a woman's story at a winter's fire authorized by her grandam shame itself why do you make such faces when all's done you look but on a stool macbeth prithee see there behold look lo how say you why what care i if thou canst nod speak too if charnelhouses and our graves must send those that we bury back our monuments shall be the maws of kites ghost of banquo vanishes lady macbeth what quite unmann'd in folly macbeth if i stand here i saw him lady macbeth fie for shame macbeth blood hath been shed ere now i the olden time ere human statute purged the gentle weal ay and since too murders have been perform'd too terrible for the ear the times have been that when the brains were out the man would die and there an end but now they rise again with twenty mortal murders on their crowns and push us from our stools this is more strange than such a murder is lady macbeth my worthy lord your noble friends do lack you macbeth i do forget do not muse at me my most worthy friends i have a strange infirmity which is nothing to those that know me come love and health to all then i'll sit down give me some wine fill full i drink to the general joy o the whole table and to our dear friend banquo whom we miss would he were here to all and him we thirst and all to all lords our duties and the pledge reenter ghost of banquo macbeth avaunt and quit my sight let the earth hide thee thy bones are marrowless thy blood is cold thou hast no speculation in those eyes which thou dost glare with lady macbeth think of this good peers but as a thing of custom tis no other only it spoils the pleasure of the time macbeth what man dare i dare approach thou like the rugged russian bear the arm'd rhinoceros or the hyrcan tiger take any shape but that and my firm nerves shall never tremble or be alive again and dare me to the desert with thy sword if trembling i inhabit then protest me the baby of a girl hence horrible shadow unreal mockery hence ghost of banquo vanishes why so being gone i am a man again pray you sit still lady macbeth you have displaced the mirth broke the good meeting with most admired disorder macbeth can such things be and overcome us like a summer's cloud without our special wonder you make me strange even to the disposition that i owe when now i think you can behold such sights and keep the natural ruby of your cheeks when mine is blanched with fear ross what sights my lord lady macbeth i pray you speak not he grows worse and worse question enrages him at once good night stand not upon the order of your going but go at once lennox good night and better health attend his majesty lady macbeth a kind good night to all exeunt all but macbeth and lady macbeth macbeth it will have blood they say blood will have blood stones have been known to move and trees to speak augurs and understood relations have by magotpies and choughs and rooks brought forth the secret'st man of blood what is the night lady macbeth almost at odds with morning which is which macbeth how say'st thou that macduff denies his person at our great bidding lady macbeth did you send to him sir macbeth i hear it by the way but i will send there's not a one of them but in his house i keep a servant fee'd i will tomorrow and betimes i will to the weird sisters more shall they speak for now i am bent to know by the worst means the worst for mine own good all causes shall give way i am in blood stepp'd in so far that should i wade no more returning were as tedious as go o'er strange things i have in head that will to hand which must be acted ere they may be scann'd lady macbeth you lack the season of all natures sleep macbeth come we'll to sleep my strange and selfabuse is the initiate fear that wants hard use we are yet but young in deed exeunt macbeth act iii scene v a heath thunder enter the three witches meeting hecate first witch why how now hecate you look angerly hecate have i not reason beldams as you are saucy and overbold how did you dare to trade and traffic with macbeth in riddles and affairs of death and i the mistress of your charms the close contriver of all harms was never call'd to bear my part or show the glory of our art and which is worse all you have done hath been but for a wayward son spiteful and wrathful who as others do loves for his own ends not for you but make amends now get you gone and at the pit of acheron meet me i the morning thither he will come to know his destiny your vessels and your spells provide your charms and every thing beside i am for the air this night i'll spend unto a dismal and a fatal end great business must be wrought ere noon upon the corner of the moon there hangs a vaporous drop profound i'll catch it ere it come to ground and that distill'd by magic sleights shall raise such artificial sprites as by the strength of their illusion shall draw him on to his confusion he shall spurn fate scorn death and bear he hopes bove wisdom grace and fear and you all know security is mortals chiefest enemy music and a song within come away come away &c hark i am call'd my little spirit see sits in a foggy cloud and stays for me exit first witch come let's make haste she'll soon be back again exeunt macbeth act iii scene vi forres the palace enter lennox and another lord lennox my former speeches have but hit your thoughts which can interpret further only i say things have been strangely borne the gracious duncan was pitied of macbeth marry he was dead and the rightvaliant banquo walk'd too late whom you may say if't please you fleance kill'd for fleance fled men must not walk too late who cannot want the thought how monstrous it was for malcolm and for donalbain to kill their gracious father damned fact how it did grieve macbeth did he not straight in pious rage the two delinquents tear that were the slaves of drink and thralls of sleep was not that nobly done ay and wisely too for twould have anger'd any heart alive to hear the men deny't so that i say he has borne all things well and i do think that had he duncan's sons under his key as an't please heaven he shall notthey should find what twere to kill a father so should fleance but peace for from broad words and cause he fail'd his presence at the tyrant's feast i hear macduff lives in disgrace sir can you tell where he bestows himself lord the son of duncan from whom this tyrant holds the due of birth lives in the english court and is received of the most pious edward with such grace that the malevolence of fortune nothing takes from his high respect thither macduff is gone to pray the holy king upon his aid to wake northumberland and warlike siward that by the help of thesewith him above to ratify the workwe may again give to our tables meat sleep to our nights free from our feasts and banquets bloody knives do faithful homage and receive free honours all which we pine for now and this report hath so exasperate the king that he prepares for some attempt of war lennox sent he to macduff lord he did and with an absolute sir not i' the cloudy messenger turns me his back and hums as who should say you'll rue the time that clogs me with this answer' lennox and that well might advise him to a caution to hold what distance his wisdom can provide some holy angel fly to the court of england and unfold his message ere he come that a swift blessing may soon return to this our suffering country under a hand accursed lord i'll send my prayers with him exeunt macbeth act iv scene i a cavern in the middle a boiling cauldron thunder enter the three witches first witch thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd second witch thrice and once the hedgepig whined third witch harpier cries tis time tis time first witch round about the cauldron go in the poison'd entrails throw toad that under cold stone days and nights has thirtyone swelter'd venom sleeping got boil thou first i the charmed pot all double double toil and trouble fire burn and cauldron bubble second witch fillet of a fenny snake in the cauldron boil and bake eye of newt and toe of frog wool of bat and tongue of dog adder's fork and blindworm's sting lizard's leg and owlet's wing for a charm of powerful trouble like a hellbroth boil and bubble all double double toil and trouble fire burn and cauldron bubble third witch scale of dragon tooth of wolf witches mummy maw and gulf of the ravin'd saltsea shark root of hemlock digg'd i the dark liver of blaspheming jew gall of goat and slips of yew silver'd in the moon's eclipse nose of turk and tartar's lips finger of birthstrangled babe ditchdeliver'd by a drab make the gruel thick and slab add thereto a tiger's chaudron for the ingredients of our cauldron all double double toil and trouble fire burn and cauldron bubble second witch cool it with a baboon's blood then the charm is firm and good enter hecate to the other three witches hecate o well done i commend your pains and every one shall share i the gains and now about the cauldron sing live elves and fairies in a ring enchanting all that you put in music and a song black spirits &c hecate retires second witch by the pricking of my thumbs something wicked this way comes open locks whoever knocks enter macbeth macbeth how now you secret black and midnight hags what is't you do all a deed without a name macbeth i conjure you by that which you profess howe'er you come to know it answer me though you untie the winds and let them fight against the churches though the yesty waves confound and swallow navigation up though bladed corn be lodged and trees blown down though castles topple on their warders heads though palaces and pyramids do slope their heads to their foundations though the treasure of nature's germens tumble all together even till destruction sicken answer me to what i ask you first witch speak second witch demand third witch we'll answer first witch say if thou'dst rather hear it from our mouths or from our masters macbeth call em let me see em first witch pour in sow's blood that hath eaten her nine farrow grease that's sweaten from the murderer's gibbet throw into the flame all come high or low thyself and office deftly show thunder first apparition an armed head macbeth tell me thou unknown power first witch he knows thy thought hear his speech but say thou nought first apparition macbeth macbeth macbeth beware macduff beware the thane of fife dismiss me enough descends macbeth whate'er thou art for thy good caution thanks thou hast harp'd my fear aright but one word more first witch he will not be commanded here's another more potent than the first thunder second apparition a bloody child second apparition macbeth macbeth macbeth macbeth had i three ears i'ld hear thee second apparition be bloody bold and resolute laugh to scorn the power of man for none of woman born shall harm macbeth descends macbeth then live macduff what need i fear of thee but yet i'll make assurance double sure and take a bond of fate thou shalt not live that i may tell palehearted fear it lies and sleep in spite of thunder thunder third apparition a child crowned with a tree in his hand what is this that rises like the issue of a king and wears upon his babybrow the round and top of sovereignty all listen but speak not to't third apparition be lionmettled proud and take no care who chafes who frets or where conspirers are macbeth shall never vanquish'd be until great birnam wood to high dunsinane hill shall come against him descends macbeth that will never be who can impress the forest bid the tree unfix his earthbound root sweet bodements good rebellion's head rise never till the wood of birnam rise and our highplaced macbeth shall live the lease of nature pay his breath to time and mortal custom yet my heart throbs to know one thing tell me if your art can tell so much shall banquo's issue ever reign in this kingdom all seek to know no more macbeth i will be satisfied deny me this and an eternal curse fall on you let me know why sinks that cauldron and what noise is this hautboys first witch show second witch show third witch show all show his eyes and grieve his heart come like shadows so depart a show of eight kings the last with a glass in his hand ghost of banquo following macbeth thou art too like the spirit of banquo down thy crown does sear mine eyeballs and thy hair thou other goldbound brow is like the first a third is like the former filthy hags why do you show me this a fourth start eyes what will the line stretch out to the crack of doom another yet a seventh i'll see no more and yet the eighth appears who bears a glass which shows me many more and some i see that twofold balls and treble scepters carry horrible sight now i see tis true for the bloodbolter'd banquo smiles upon me and points at them for his apparitions vanish what is this so first witch ay sir all this is so but why stands macbeth thus amazedly come sisters cheer we up his sprites and show the best of our delights i'll charm the air to give a sound while you perform your antic round that this great king may kindly say our duties did his welcome pay music the witches dance and then vanish with hecate macbeth where are they gone let this pernicious hour stand aye accursed in the calendar come in without there enter lennox lennox what's your grace's will macbeth saw you the weird sisters lennox no my lord macbeth came they not by you lennox no indeed my lord macbeth infected be the air whereon they ride and damn'd all those that trust them i did hear the galloping of horse who was't came by lennox tis two or three my lord that bring you word macduff is fled to england macbeth fled to england lennox ay my good lord macbeth time thou anticipatest my dread exploits the flighty purpose never is o'ertook unless the deed go with it from this moment the very firstlings of my heart shall be the firstlings of my hand and even now to crown my thoughts with acts be it thought and done the castle of macduff i will surprise seize upon fife give to the edge o the sword his wife his babes and all unfortunate souls that trace him in his line no boasting like a fool this deed i'll do before this purpose cool but no more sightswhere are these gentlemen come bring me where they are exeunt macbeth act iv scene ii fife macduff's castle enter lady macduff her son and ross lady macduff what had he done to make him fly the land ross you must have patience madam lady macduff he had none his flight was madness when our actions do not our fears do make us traitors ross you know not whether it was his wisdom or his fear lady macduff wisdom to leave his wife to leave his babes his mansion and his titles in a place from whence himself does fly he loves us not he wants the natural touch for the poor wren the most diminutive of birds will fight her young ones in her nest against the owl all is the fear and nothing is the love as little is the wisdom where the flight so runs against all reason ross my dearest coz i pray you school yourself but for your husband he is noble wise judicious and best knows the fits o the season i dare not speak much further but cruel are the times when we are traitors and do not know ourselves when we hold rumour from what we fear yet know not what we fear but float upon a wild and violent sea each way and move i take my leave of you shall not be long but i'll be here again things at the worst will cease or else climb upward to what they were before my pretty cousin blessing upon you lady macduff father'd he is and yet he's fatherless ross i am so much a fool should i stay longer it would be my disgrace and your discomfort i take my leave at once exit lady macduff sirrah your father's dead and what will you do now how will you live son as birds do mother lady macduff what with worms and flies son with what i get i mean and so do they lady macduff poor bird thou'ldst never fear the net nor lime the pitfall nor the gin son why should i mother poor birds they are not set for my father is not dead for all your saying lady macduff yes he is dead how wilt thou do for a father son nay how will you do for a husband lady macduff why i can buy me twenty at any market son then you'll buy em to sell again lady macduff thou speak'st with all thy wit and yet i faith with wit enough for thee son was my father a traitor mother lady macduff ay that he was son what is a traitor lady macduff why one that swears and lies son and be all traitors that do so lady macduff every one that does so is a traitor and must be hanged son and must they all be hanged that swear and lie lady macduff every one son who must hang them lady macduff why the honest men son then the liars and swearers are fools for there are liars and swearers enow to beat the honest men and hang up them lady macduff now god help thee poor monkey but how wilt thou do for a father son if he were dead you'ld weep for him if you would not it were a good sign that i should quickly have a new father lady macduff poor prattler how thou talk'st enter a messenger messenger bless you fair dame i am not to you known though in your state of honour i am perfect i doubt some danger does approach you nearly if you will take a homely man's advice be not found here hence with your little ones to fright you thus methinks i am too savage to do worse to you were fell cruelty which is too nigh your person heaven preserve you i dare abide no longer exit lady macduff whither should i fly i have done no harm but i remember now i am in this earthly world where to do harm is often laudable to do good sometime accounted dangerous folly why then alas do i put up that womanly defence to say i have done no harm enter murderers what are these faces first murderer where is your husband lady macduff i hope in no place so unsanctified where such as thou mayst find him first murderer he's a traitor son thou liest thou shaghair'd villain first murderer what you egg stabbing him young fry of treachery son he has kill'd me mother run away i pray you dies exit lady macduff crying murder exeunt murderers following her macbeth act iv scene iii england before the king's palace enter malcolm and macduff malcolm let us seek out some desolate shade and there weep our sad bosoms empty macduff let us rather hold fast the mortal sword and like good men bestride our downfall'n birthdom each new morn new widows howl new orphans cry new sorrows strike heaven on the face that it resounds as if it felt with scotland and yell'd out like syllable of dolour malcolm what i believe i'll wail what know believe and what i can redress as i shall find the time to friend i will what you have spoke it may be so perchance this tyrant whose sole name blisters our tongues was once thought honest you have loved him well he hath not touch'd you yet i am young but something you may deserve of him through me and wisdom to offer up a weak poor innocent lamb to appease an angry god macduff i am not treacherous malcolm but macbeth is a good and virtuous nature may recoil in an imperial charge but i shall crave your pardon that which you are my thoughts cannot transpose angels are bright still though the brightest fell though all things foul would wear the brows of grace yet grace must still look so macduff i have lost my hopes malcolm perchance even there where i did find my doubts why in that rawness left you wife and child those precious motives those strong knots of love without leavetaking i pray you let not my jealousies be your dishonours but mine own safeties you may be rightly just whatever i shall think macduff bleed bleed poor country great tyranny lay thou thy basis sure for goodness dare not cheque thee wear thou thy wrongs the title is affeer'd fare thee well lord i would not be the villain that thou think'st for the whole space that's in the tyrant's grasp and the rich east to boot malcolm be not offended i speak not as in absolute fear of you i think our country sinks beneath the yoke it weeps it bleeds and each new day a gash is added to her wounds i think withal there would be hands uplifted in my right and here from gracious england have i offer of goodly thousands but for all this when i shall tread upon the tyrant's head or wear it on my sword yet my poor country shall have more vices than it had before more suffer and more sundry ways than ever by him that shall succeed macduff what should he be malcolm it is myself i mean in whom i know all the particulars of vice so grafted that when they shall be open'd black macbeth will seem as pure as snow and the poor state esteem him as a lamb being compared with my confineless harms macduff not in the legions of horrid hell can come a devil more damn'd in evils to top macbeth malcolm i grant him bloody luxurious avaricious false deceitful sudden malicious smacking of every sin that has a name but there's no bottom none in my voluptuousness your wives your daughters your matrons and your maids could not fill up the cistern of my lust and my desire all continent impediments would o'erbear that did oppose my will better macbeth than such an one to reign macduff boundless intemperance in nature is a tyranny it hath been the untimely emptying of the happy throne and fall of many kings but fear not yet to take upon you what is yours you may convey your pleasures in a spacious plenty and yet seem cold the time you may so hoodwink we have willing dames enough there cannot be that vulture in you to devour so many as will to greatness dedicate themselves finding it so inclined malcolm with this there grows in my most illcomposed affection such a stanchless avarice that were i king i should cut off the nobles for their lands desire his jewels and this other's house and my morehaving would be as a sauce to make me hunger more that i should forge quarrels unjust against the good and loyal destroying them for wealth macduff this avarice sticks deeper grows with more pernicious root than summerseeming lust and it hath been the sword of our slain kings yet do not fear scotland hath foisons to fill up your will of your mere own all these are portable with other graces weigh'd malcolm but i have none the kingbecoming graces as justice verity temperance stableness bounty perseverance mercy lowliness devotion patience courage fortitude i have no relish of them but abound in the division of each several crime acting it many ways nay had i power i should pour the sweet milk of concord into hell uproar the universal peace confound all unity on earth macduff o scotland scotland malcolm if such a one be fit to govern speak i am as i have spoken macduff fit to govern no not to live o nation miserable with an untitled tyrant bloodyscepter'd when shalt thou see thy wholesome days again since that the truest issue of thy throne by his own interdiction stands accursed and does blaspheme his breed thy royal father was a most sainted king the queen that bore thee oftener upon her knees than on her feet died every day she lived fare thee well these evils thou repeat'st upon thyself have banish'd me from scotland o my breast thy hope ends here malcolm macduff this noble passion child of integrity hath from my soul wiped the black scruples reconciled my thoughts to thy good truth and honour devilish macbeth by many of these trains hath sought to win me into his power and modest wisdom plucks me from overcredulous haste but god above deal between thee and me for even now i put myself to thy direction and unspeak mine own detraction here abjure the taints and blames i laid upon myself for strangers to my nature i am yet unknown to woman never was forsworn scarcely have coveted what was mine own at no time broke my faith would not betray the devil to his fellow and delight no less in truth than life my first false speaking was this upon myself what i am truly is thine and my poor country's to command whither indeed before thy hereapproach old siward with ten thousand warlike men already at a point was setting forth now we'll together and the chance of goodness be like our warranted quarrel why are you silent macduff such welcome and unwelcome things at once tis hard to reconcile enter a doctor malcolm well more anoncomes the king forth i pray you doctor ay sir there are a crew of wretched souls that stay his cure their malady convinces the great assay of art but at his touch such sanctity hath heaven given his hand they presently amend malcolm i thank you doctor exit doctor macduff what's the disease he means malcolm tis call'd the evil a most miraculous work in this good king which often since my hereremain in england i have seen him do how he solicits heaven himself best knows but strangelyvisited people all swoln and ulcerous pitiful to the eye the mere despair of surgery he cures hanging a golden stamp about their necks put on with holy prayers and tis spoken to the succeeding royalty he leaves the healing benediction with this strange virtue he hath a heavenly gift of prophecy and sundry blessings hang about his throne that speak him full of grace enter ross macduff see who comes here malcolm my countryman but yet i know him not macduff my evergentle cousin welcome hither malcolm i know him now good god betimes remove the means that makes us strangers ross sir amen macduff stands scotland where it did ross alas poor country almost afraid to know itself it cannot be call'd our mother but our grave where nothing but who knows nothing is once seen to smile where sighs and groans and shrieks that rend the air are made not mark'd where violent sorrow seems a modern ecstasy the dead man's knell is there scarce ask'd for who and good men's lives expire before the flowers in their caps dying or ere they sicken macduff o relation too nice and yet too true malcolm what's the newest grief ross that of an hour's age doth hiss the speaker each minute teems a new one macduff how does my wife ross why well macduff and all my children ross well too macduff the tyrant has not batter'd at their peace ross no they were well at peace when i did leave em macduff but not a niggard of your speech how goes't ross when i came hither to transport the tidings which i have heavily borne there ran a rumour of many worthy fellows that were out which was to my belief witness'd the rather for that i saw the tyrant's power afoot now is the time of help your eye in scotland would create soldiers make our women fight to doff their dire distresses malcolm be't their comfort we are coming thither gracious england hath lent us good siward and ten thousand men an older and a better soldier none that christendom gives out ross would i could answer this comfort with the like but i have words that would be howl'd out in the desert air where hearing should not latch them macduff what concern they the general cause or is it a feegrief due to some single breast ross no mind that's honest but in it shares some woe though the main part pertains to you alone macduff if it be mine keep it not from me quickly let me have it ross let not your ears despise my tongue for ever which shall possess them with the heaviest sound that ever yet they heard macduff hum i guess at it ross your castle is surprised your wife and babes savagely slaughter'd to relate the manner were on the quarry of these murder'd deer to add the death of you malcolm merciful heaven what man ne'er pull your hat upon your brows give sorrow words the grief that does not speak whispers the o'erfraught heart and bids it break macduff my children too ross wife children servants all that could be found macduff and i must be from thence my wife kill'd too ross i have said malcolm be comforted let's make us medicines of our great revenge to cure this deadly grief macduff he has no children all my pretty ones did you say all o hellkite all what all my pretty chickens and their dam at one fell swoop malcolm dispute it like a man macduff i shall do so but i must also feel it as a man i cannot but remember such things were that were most precious to me did heaven look on and would not take their part sinful macduff they were all struck for thee naught that i am not for their own demerits but for mine fell slaughter on their souls heaven rest them now malcolm be this the whetstone of your sword let grief convert to anger blunt not the heart enrage it macduff o i could play the woman with mine eyes and braggart with my tongue but gentle heavens cut short all intermission front to front bring thou this fiend of scotland and myself within my sword's length set him if he scape heaven forgive him too malcolm this tune goes manly come go we to the king our power is ready our lack is nothing but our leave macbeth is ripe for shaking and the powers above put on their instruments receive what cheer you may the night is long that never finds the day exeunt macbeth act v scene i dunsinane anteroom in the castle enter a doctor of physic and a waitinggentlewoman doctor i have two nights watched with you but can perceive no truth in your report when was it she last walked gentlewoman since his majesty went into the field i have seen her rise from her bed throw her nightgown upon her unlock her closet take forth paper fold it write upon't read it afterwards seal it and again return to bed yet all this while in a most fast sleep doctor a great perturbation in nature to receive at once the benefit of sleep and do the effects of watching in this slumbery agitation besides her walking and other actual performances what at any time have you heard her say gentlewoman that sir which i will not report after her doctor you may to me and tis most meet you should gentlewoman neither to you nor any one having no witness to confirm my speech enter lady macbeth with a taper lo you here she comes this is her very guise and upon my life fast asleep observe her stand close doctor how came she by that light gentlewoman why it stood by her she has light by her continually tis her command doctor you see her eyes are open gentlewoman ay but their sense is shut doctor what is it she does now look how she rubs her hands gentlewoman it is an accustomed action with her to seem thus washing her hands i have known her continue in this a quarter of an hour lady macbeth yet here's a spot doctor hark she speaks i will set down what comes from her to satisfy my remembrance the more strongly lady macbeth out damned spot out i sayone two why then tis time to do'thell is murkyfie my lord fie a soldier and afeard what need we fear who knows it when none can call our power to accountyet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him doctor do you mark that lady macbeth the thane of fife had a wife where is she now what will these hands ne'er be cleanno more o' that my lord no more o that you mar all with this starting doctor go to go to you have known what you should not gentlewoman she has spoke what she should not i am sure of that heaven knows what she has known lady macbeth here's the smell of the blood still all the perfumes of arabia will not sweeten this little hand oh oh oh doctor what a sigh is there the heart is sorely charged gentlewoman i would not have such a heart in my bosom for the dignity of the whole body doctor well well well gentlewoman pray god it be sir doctor this disease is beyond my practise yet i have known those which have walked in their sleep who have died holily in their beds lady macbeth wash your hands put on your nightgown look not so palei tell you yet again banquo's buried he cannot come out on's grave doctor even so lady macbeth to bed to bed there's knocking at the gate come come come come give me your hand what's done cannot be undoneto bed to bed to bed exit doctor will she go now to bed gentlewoman directly doctor foul whisperings are abroad unnatural deeds do breed unnatural troubles infected minds to their deaf pillows will discharge their secrets more needs she the divine than the physician god god forgive us all look after her remove from her the means of all annoyance and still keep eyes upon her so good night my mind she has mated and amazed my sight i think but dare not speak gentlewoman good night good doctor exeunt macbeth act v scene ii the country near dunsinane drum and colours enter menteith caithness angus lennox and soldiers menteith the english power is near led on by malcolm his uncle siward and the good macduff revenges burn in them for their dear causes would to the bleeding and the grim alarm excite the mortified man angus near birnam wood shall we well meet them that way are they coming caithness who knows if donalbain be with his brother lennox for certain sir he is not i have a file of all the gentry there is siward's son and many unrough youths that even now protest their first of manhood menteith what does the tyrant caithness great dunsinane he strongly fortifies some say he's mad others that lesser hate him do call it valiant fury but for certain he cannot buckle his distemper'd cause within the belt of rule angus now does he feel his secret murders sticking on his hands now minutely revolts upbraid his faithbreach those he commands move only in command nothing in love now does he feel his title hang loose about him like a giant's robe upon a dwarfish thief menteith who then shall blame his pester'd senses to recoil and start when all that is within him does condemn itself for being there caithness well march we on to give obedience where tis truly owed meet we the medicine of the sickly weal and with him pour we in our country's purge each drop of us lennox or so much as it needs to dew the sovereign flower and drown the weeds make we our march towards birnam exeunt marching macbeth act v scene iii dunsinane a room in the castle enter macbeth doctor and attendants macbeth bring me no more reports let them fly all till birnam wood remove to dunsinane i cannot taint with fear what's the boy malcolm was he not born of woman the spirits that know all mortal consequences have pronounced me thus fear not macbeth no man that's born of woman shall e'er have power upon thee then fly false thanes and mingle with the english epicures the mind i sway by and the heart i bear shall never sag with doubt nor shake with fear enter a servant the devil damn thee black thou creamfaced loon where got'st thou that goose look servant there is ten thousand macbeth geese villain servant soldiers sir macbeth go prick thy face and overred thy fear thou lilyliver'd boy what soldiers patch death of thy soul those linen cheeks of thine are counsellors to fear what soldiers wheyface servant the english force so please you macbeth take thy face hence exit servant seytoni am sick at heart when i beholdseyton i saythis push will cheer me ever or disseat me now i have lived long enough my way of life is fall'n into the sear the yellow leaf and that which should accompany old age as honour love obedience troops of friends i must not look to have but in their stead curses not loud but deep mouthhonour breath which the poor heart would fain deny and dare not seyton enter seyton seyton what is your gracious pleasure macbeth what news more seyton all is confirm'd my lord which was reported macbeth i'll fight till from my bones my flesh be hack'd give me my armour seyton tis not needed yet macbeth i'll put it on send out more horses skirr the country round hang those that talk of fear give me mine armour how does your patient doctor doctor not so sick my lord as she is troubled with thick coming fancies that keep her from her rest macbeth cure her of that canst thou not minister to a mind diseased pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow raze out the written troubles of the brain and with some sweet oblivious antidote cleanse the stuff'd bosom of that perilous stuff which weighs upon the heart doctor therein the patient must minister to himself macbeth throw physic to the dogs i'll none of it come put mine armour on give me my staff seyton send out doctor the thanes fly from me come sir dispatch if thou couldst doctor cast the water of my land find her disease and purge it to a sound and pristine health i would applaud thee to the very echo that should applaud againpull't off i say what rhubarb cyme or what purgative drug would scour these english hence hear'st thou of them doctor ay my good lord your royal preparation makes us hear something macbeth bring it after me i will not be afraid of death and bane till birnam forest come to dunsinane doctor aside were i from dunsinane away and clear profit again should hardly draw me here exeunt macbeth act v scene iv country near birnam wood drum and colours enter malcolm siward and young siward macduff menteith caithness angus lennox ross and soldiers marching malcolm cousins i hope the days are near at hand that chambers will be safe menteith we doubt it nothing siward what wood is this before us menteith the wood of birnam malcolm let every soldier hew him down a bough and bear't before him thereby shall we shadow the numbers of our host and make discovery err in report of us soldiers it shall be done siward we learn no other but the confident tyrant keeps still in dunsinane and will endure our setting down before t malcolm tis his main hope for where there is advantage to be given both more and less have given him the revolt and none serve with him but constrained things whose hearts are absent too macduff let our just censures attend the true event and put we on industrious soldiership siward the time approaches that will with due decision make us know what we shall say we have and what we owe thoughts speculative their unsure hopes relate but certain issue strokes must arbitrate towards which advance the war exeunt marching macbeth act v scene v dunsinane within the castle enter macbeth seyton and soldiers with drum and colours macbeth hang out our banners on the outward walls the cry is still they come our castle's strength will laugh a siege to scorn here let them lie till famine and the ague eat them up were they not forced with those that should be ours we might have met them dareful beard to beard and beat them backward home a cry of women within what is that noise seyton it is the cry of women my good lord exit macbeth i have almost forgot the taste of fears the time has been my senses would have cool'd to hear a nightshriek and my fell of hair would at a dismal treatise rouse and stir as life were in't i have supp'd full with horrors direness familiar to my slaughterous thoughts cannot once start me reenter seyton wherefore was that cry seyton the queen my lord is dead macbeth she should have died hereafter there would have been a time for such a word tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow creeps in this petty pace from day to day to the last syllable of recorded time and all our yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death out out brief candle life's but a walking shadow a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more it is a tale told by an idiot full of sound and fury signifying nothing enter a messenger thou comest to use thy tongue thy story quickly messenger gracious my lord i should report that which i say i saw but know not how to do it macbeth well say sir messenger as i did stand my watch upon the hill i look'd toward birnam and anon methought the wood began to move macbeth liar and slave messenger let me endure your wrath if't be not so within this three mile may you see it coming i say a moving grove macbeth if thou speak'st false upon the next tree shalt thou hang alive till famine cling thee if thy speech be sooth i care not if thou dost for me as much i pull in resolution and begin to doubt the equivocation of the fiend that lies like truth fear not till birnam wood do come to dunsinane and now a wood comes toward dunsinane arm arm and out if this which he avouches does appear there is nor flying hence nor tarrying here i gin to be aweary of the sun and wish the estate o the world were now undone ring the alarumbell blow wind come wrack at least we'll die with harness on our back exeunt macbeth act v scene vi dunsinane before the castle drum and colours enter malcolm siward macduff and their army with boughs malcolm now near enough your leafy screens throw down and show like those you are you worthy uncle shall with my cousin your rightnoble son lead our first battle worthy macduff and we shall take upon s what else remains to do according to our order siward fare you well do we but find the tyrant's power tonight let us be beaten if we cannot fight macduff make all our trumpets speak give them all breath those clamorous harbingers of blood and death exeunt macbeth act v scene vii another part of the field alarums enter macbeth macbeth they have tied me to a stake i cannot fly but bearlike i must fight the course what's he that was not born of woman such a one am i to fear or none enter young siward young siward what is thy name macbeth thou'lt be afraid to hear it young siward no though thou call'st thyself a hotter name than any is in hell macbeth my name's macbeth young siward the devil himself could not pronounce a title more hateful to mine ear macbeth no nor more fearful young siward thou liest abhorred tyrant with my sword i'll prove the lie thou speak'st they fight and young siward is slain macbeth thou wast born of woman but swords i smile at weapons laugh to scorn brandish'd by man that's of a woman born exit alarums enter macduff macduff that way the noise is tyrant show thy face if thou be'st slain and with no stroke of mine my wife and children's ghosts will haunt me still i cannot strike at wretched kerns whose arms are hired to bear their staves either thou macbeth or else my sword with an unbatter'd edge i sheathe again undeeded there thou shouldst be by this great clatter one of greatest note seems bruited let me find him fortune and more i beg not exit alarums enter malcolm and siward siward this way my lord the castle's gently render'd the tyrant's people on both sides do fight the noble thanes do bravely in the war the day almost itself professes yours and little is to do malcolm we have met with foes that strike beside us siward enter sir the castle exeunt alarums macbeth act v scene viii another part of the field enter macbeth macbeth why should i play the roman fool and die on mine own sword whiles i see lives the gashes do better upon them enter macduff macduff turn hellhound turn macbeth of all men else i have avoided thee but get thee back my soul is too much charged with blood of thine already macduff i have no words my voice is in my sword thou bloodier villain than terms can give thee out they fight macbeth thou losest labour as easy mayst thou the intrenchant air with thy keen sword impress as make me bleed let fall thy blade on vulnerable crests i bear a charmed life which must not yield to one of woman born macduff despair thy charm and let the angel whom thou still hast served tell thee macduff was from his mother's womb untimely ripp'd macbeth accursed be that tongue that tells me so for it hath cow'd my better part of man and be these juggling fiends no more believed that palter with us in a double sense that keep the word of promise to our ear and break it to our hope i'll not fight with thee macduff then yield thee coward and live to be the show and gaze o the time we'll have thee as our rarer monsters are painted on a pole and underwrit here may you see the tyrant' macbeth i will not yield to kiss the ground before young malcolm's feet and to be baited with the rabble's curse though birnam wood be come to dunsinane and thou opposed being of no woman born yet i will try the last before my body i throw my warlike shield lay on macduff and damn'd be him that first cries hold enough' exeunt fighting alarums retreat flourish enter with drum and colours malcolm siward ross the other thanes and soldiers malcolm i would the friends we miss were safe arrived siward some must go off and yet by these i see so great a day as this is cheaply bought malcolm macduff is missing and your noble son ross your son my lord has paid a soldier's debt he only lived but till he was a man the which no sooner had his prowess confirm'd in the unshrinking station where he fought but like a man he died siward then he is dead ross ay and brought off the field your cause of sorrow must not be measured by his worth for then it hath no end siward had he his hurts before ross ay on the front siward why then god's soldier be he had i as many sons as i have hairs i would not wish them to a fairer death and so his knell is knoll'd malcolm he's worth more sorrow and that i'll spend for him siward he's worth no more they say he parted well and paid his score and so god be with him here comes newer comfort reenter macduff with macbeth's head macduff hail king for so thou art behold where stands the usurper's cursed head the time is free i see thee compass'd with thy kingdom's pearl that speak my salutation in their minds whose voices i desire aloud with mine hail king of scotland all hail king of scotland flourish malcolm we shall not spend a large expense of time before we reckon with your several loves and make us even with you my thanes and kinsmen henceforth be earls the first that ever scotland in such an honour named what's more to do which would be planted newly with the time as calling home our exiled friends abroad that fled the snares of watchful tyranny producing forth the cruel ministers of this dead butcher and his fiendlike queen who as tis thought by self and violent hands took off her life this and what needful else that calls upon us by the grace of grace we will perform in measure time and place so thanks to all at once and to each one whom we invite to see us crown'd at scone flourish exeunt othello dramatis personae duke of venice brabantio a senator other senators senator first senator second senator gratiano brother to brabantio lodovico kinsman to brabantio othello a noble moor in the service of the venetian state cassio his lieutenant iago his ancient roderigo a venetian gentleman montano othello's predecessor in the government of cyprus clown servant to othello clown desdemona daughter to brabantio and wife to othello emilia wife to iago bianca mistress to cassio sailor messenger herald officers gentlemen musicians and attendants sailor first officer messenger gentleman first gentleman second gentleman third gentleman first musician scene venice a seaport in cyprus othello act i scene i venice a street enter roderigo and iago roderigo tush never tell me i take it much unkindly that thou iago who hast had my purse as if the strings were thine shouldst know of this iago sblood but you will not hear me if ever i did dream of such a matter abhor me roderigo thou told'st me thou didst hold him in thy hate iago despise me if i do not three great ones of the city in personal suit to make me his lieutenant offcapp'd to him and by the faith of man i know my price i am worth no worse a place but he as loving his own pride and purposes evades them with a bombast circumstance horribly stuff'd with epithets of war and in conclusion nonsuits my mediators for certes says he i have already chose my officer' and what was he forsooth a great arithmetician one michael cassio a florentine a fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife that never set a squadron in the field nor the division of a battle knows more than a spinster unless the bookish theoric wherein the toged consuls can propose as masterly as he mere prattle without practise is all his soldiership but he sir had the election and i of whom his eyes had seen the proof at rhodes at cyprus and on other grounds christian and heathen must be belee'd and calm'd by debitor and creditor this countercaster he in good time must his lieutenant be and igod bless the markhis moorship's ancient roderigo by heaven i rather would have been his hangman iago why there's no remedy tis the curse of service preferment goes by letter and affection and not by old gradation where each second stood heir to the first now sir be judge yourself whether i in any just term am affined to love the moor roderigo i would not follow him then iago o sir content you i follow him to serve my turn upon him we cannot all be masters nor all masters cannot be truly follow'd you shall mark many a duteous and kneecrooking knave that doting on his own obsequious bondage wears out his time much like his master's ass for nought but provender and when he's old cashier'd whip me such honest knaves others there are who trimm'd in forms and visages of duty keep yet their hearts attending on themselves and throwing but shows of service on their lords do well thrive by them and when they have lined their coats do themselves homage these fellows have some soul and such a one do i profess myself for sir it is as sure as you are roderigo were i the moor i would not be iago in following him i follow but myself heaven is my judge not i for love and duty but seeming so for my peculiar end for when my outward action doth demonstrate the native act and figure of my heart in compliment extern tis not long after but i will wear my heart upon my sleeve for daws to peck at i am not what i am roderigo what a full fortune does the thicklips owe if he can carry't thus iago call up her father rouse him make after him poison his delight proclaim him in the streets incense her kinsmen and though he in a fertile climate dwell plague him with flies though that his joy be joy yet throw such changes of vexation on't as it may lose some colour roderigo here is her father's house i'll call aloud iago do with like timorous accent and dire yell as when by night and negligence the fire is spied in populous cities roderigo what ho brabantio signior brabantio ho iago awake what ho brabantio thieves thieves thieves look to your house your daughter and your bags thieves thieves brabantio appears above at a window brabantio what is the reason of this terrible summons what is the matter there roderigo signior is all your family within iago are your doors lock'd brabantio why wherefore ask you this iago zounds sir you're robb'd for shame put on your gown your heart is burst you have lost half your soul even now now very now an old black ram is topping your white ewe arise arise awake the snorting citizens with the bell or else the devil will make a grandsire of you arise i say brabantio what have you lost your wits roderigo most reverend signior do you know my voice brabantio not i what are you roderigo my name is roderigo brabantio the worser welcome i have charged thee not to haunt about my doors in honest plainness thou hast heard me say my daughter is not for thee and now in madness being full of supper and distempering draughts upon malicious bravery dost thou come to start my quiet roderigo sir sir sir brabantio but thou must needs be sure my spirit and my place have in them power to make this bitter to thee roderigo patience good sir brabantio what tell'st thou me of robbing this is venice my house is not a grange roderigo most grave brabantio in simple and pure soul i come to you iago zounds sir you are one of those that will not serve god if the devil bid you because we come to do you service and you think we are ruffians you'll have your daughter covered with a barbary horse you'll have your nephews neigh to you you'll have coursers for cousins and gennets for germans brabantio what profane wretch art thou iago i am one sir that comes to tell you your daughter and the moor are now making the beast with two backs brabantio thou art a villain iago you area senator brabantio this thou shalt answer i know thee roderigo roderigo sir i will answer any thing but i beseech you if't be your pleasure and most wise consent as partly i find it is that your fair daughter at this oddeven and dull watch o the night transported with no worse nor better guard but with a knave of common hire a gondolier to the gross clasps of a lascivious moor if this be known to you and your allowance we then have done you bold and saucy wrongs but if you know not this my manners tell me we have your wrong rebuke do not believe that from the sense of all civility i thus would play and trifle with your reverence your daughter if you have not given her leave i say again hath made a gross revolt tying her duty beauty wit and fortunes in an extravagant and wheeling stranger of here and every where straight satisfy yourself if she be in her chamber or your house let loose on me the justice of the state for thus deluding you brabantio strike on the tinder ho give me a taper call up all my people this accident is not unlike my dream belief of it oppresses me already light i say light exit above iago farewell for i must leave you it seems not meet nor wholesome to my place to be producedas if i stay i shall against the moor for i do know the state however this may gall him with some cheque cannot with safety cast him for he's embark'd with such loud reason to the cyprus wars which even now stand in act that for their souls another of his fathom they have none to lead their business in which regard though i do hate him as i do hellpains yet for necessity of present life i must show out a flag and sign of love which is indeed but sign that you shall surely find him lead to the sagittary the raised search and there will i be with him so farewell exit enter below brabantio and servants with torches brabantio it is too true an evil gone she is and what's to come of my despised time is nought but bitterness now roderigo where didst thou see her o unhappy girl with the moor say'st thou who would be a father how didst thou know twas she o she deceives me past thought what said she to you get more tapers raise all my kindred are they married think you roderigo truly i think they are brabantio o heaven how got she out o treason of the blood fathers from hence trust not your daughters minds by what you see them act is there not charms by which the property of youth and maidhood may be abused have you not read roderigo of some such thing roderigo yes sir i have indeed brabantio call up my brother o would you had had her some one way some another do you know where we may apprehend her and the moor roderigo i think i can discover him if you please to get good guard and go along with me brabantio pray you lead on at every house i'll call i may command at most get weapons ho and raise some special officers of night on good roderigo i'll deserve your pains exeunt othello act i scene ii another street enter othello iago and attendants with torches iago though in the trade of war i have slain men yet do i hold it very stuff o the conscience to do no contrived murder i lack iniquity sometimes to do me service nine or ten times i had thought to have yerk'd him here under the ribs othello tis better as it is iago nay but he prated and spoke such scurvy and provoking terms against your honour that with the little godliness i have i did full hard forbear him but i pray you sir are you fast married be assured of this that the magnifico is much beloved and hath in his effect a voice potential as double as the duke's he will divorce you or put upon you what restraint and grievance the law with all his might to enforce it on will give him cable othello let him do his spite my services which i have done the signiory shall outtongue his complaints tis yet to know which when i know that boasting is an honour i shall promulgatei fetch my life and being from men of royal siege and my demerits may speak unbonneted to as proud a fortune as this that i have reach'd for know iago but that i love the gentle desdemona i would not my unhoused free condition put into circumscription and confine for the sea's worth but look what lights come yond iago those are the raised father and his friends you were best go in othello not i i must be found my parts my title and my perfect soul shall manifest me rightly is it they iago by janus i think no enter cassio and certain officers with torches othello the servants of the duke and my lieutenant the goodness of the night upon you friends what is the news cassio the duke does greet you general and he requires your hasteposthaste appearance even on the instant othello what is the matter think you cassio something from cyprus as i may divine it is a business of some heat the galleys have sent a dozen sequent messengers this very night at one another's heels and many of the consuls raised and met are at the duke's already you have been hotly call'd for when being not at your lodging to be found the senate hath sent about three several guests to search you out othello tis well i am found by you i will but spend a word here in the house and go with you exit cassio ancient what makes he here iago faith he tonight hath boarded a land carack if it prove lawful prize he's made for ever cassio i do not understand iago he's married cassio to who reenter othello iago marry tocome captain will you go othello have with you cassio here comes another troop to seek for you iago it is brabantio general be advised he comes to bad intent enter brabantio roderigo and officers with torches and weapons othello holla stand there roderigo signior it is the moor brabantio down with him thief they draw on both sides iago you roderigo come sir i am for you othello keep up your bright swords for the dew will rust them good signior you shall more command with years than with your weapons brabantio o thou foul thief where hast thou stow'd my daughter damn'd as thou art thou hast enchanted her for i'll refer me to all things of sense if she in chains of magic were not bound whether a maid so tender fair and happy so opposite to marriage that she shunned the wealthy curled darlings of our nation would ever have to incur a general mock run from her guardage to the sooty bosom of such a thing as thou to fear not to delight judge me the world if tis not gross in sense that thou hast practised on her with foul charms abused her delicate youth with drugs or minerals that weaken motion i'll have't disputed on tis probable and palpable to thinking i therefore apprehend and do attach thee for an abuser of the world a practiser of arts inhibited and out of warrant lay hold upon him if he do resist subdue him at his peril othello hold your hands both you of my inclining and the rest were it my cue to fight i should have known it without a prompter where will you that i go to answer this your charge brabantio to prison till fit time of law and course of direct session call thee to answer othello what if i do obey how may the duke be therewith satisfied whose messengers are here about my side upon some present business of the state to bring me to him first officer tis true most worthy signior the duke's in council and your noble self i am sure is sent for brabantio how the duke in council in this time of the night bring him away mine's not an idle cause the duke himself or any of my brothers of the state cannot but feel this wrong as twere their own for if such actions may have passage free bondslaves and pagans shall our statesmen be exeunt othello act i scene iii a councilchamber the duke and senators sitting at a table officers attending duke of venice there is no composition in these news that gives them credit first senator indeed they are disproportion'd my letters say a hundred and seven galleys duke of venice and mine a hundred and forty second senator and mine two hundred but though they jump not on a just account as in these cases where the aim reports tis oft with differenceyet do they all confirm a turkish fleet and bearing up to cyprus duke of venice nay it is possible enough to judgment i do not so secure me in the error but the main article i do approve in fearful sense sailor within what ho what ho what ho first officer a messenger from the galleys enter a sailor duke of venice now what's the business sailor the turkish preparation makes for rhodes so was i bid report here to the state by signior angelo duke of venice how say you by this change first senator this cannot be by no assay of reason tis a pageant to keep us in false gaze when we consider the importancy of cyprus to the turk and let ourselves again but understand that as it more concerns the turk than rhodes so may he with more facile question bear it for that it stands not in such warlike brace but altogether lacks the abilities that rhodes is dress'd in if we make thought of this we must not think the turk is so unskilful to leave that latest which concerns him first neglecting an attempt of ease and gain to wake and wage a danger profitless duke of venice nay in all confidence he's not for rhodes first officer here is more news enter a messenger messenger the ottomites reverend and gracious steering with due course towards the isle of rhodes have there injointed them with an after fleet first senator ay so i thought how many as you guess messenger of thirty sail and now they do restem their backward course bearing with frank appearance their purposes toward cyprus signior montano your trusty and most valiant servitor with his free duty recommends you thus and prays you to believe him duke of venice tis certain then for cyprus marcus luccicos is not he in town first senator he's now in florence duke of venice write from us to him postposthaste dispatch first senator here comes brabantio and the valiant moor enter brabantio othello iago roderigo and officers duke of venice valiant othello we must straight employ you against the general enemy ottoman to brabantio i did not see you welcome gentle signior we lack'd your counsel and your help tonight brabantio so did i yours good your grace pardon me neither my place nor aught i heard of business hath raised me from my bed nor doth the general care take hold on me for my particular grief is of so floodgate and o'erbearing nature that it engluts and swallows other sorrows and it is still itself duke of venice why what's the matter brabantio my daughter o my daughter duke of venice dead senator brabantio ay to me she is abused stol'n from me and corrupted by spells and medicines bought of mountebanks for nature so preposterously to err being not deficient blind or lame of sense sans witchcraft could not duke of venice whoe'er he be that in this foul proceeding hath thus beguiled your daughter of herself and you of her the bloody book of law you shall yourself read in the bitter letter after your own sense yea though our proper son stood in your action brabantio humbly i thank your grace here is the man this moor whom now it seems your special mandate for the stateaffairs hath hither brought duke of venice we are very sorry for't senator duke of venice to othello what in your own part can you say to this brabantio nothing but this is so othello most potent grave and reverend signiors my very noble and approved good masters that i have ta'en away this old man's daughter it is most true true i have married her the very head and front of my offending hath this extent no more rude am i in my speech and little bless'd with the soft phrase of peace for since these arms of mine had seven years pith till now some nine moons wasted they have used their dearest action in the tented field and little of this great world can i speak more than pertains to feats of broil and battle and therefore little shall i grace my cause in speaking for myself yet by your gracious patience i will a round unvarnish'd tale deliver of my whole course of love what drugs what charms what conjuration and what mighty magic for such proceeding i am charged withal i won his daughter brabantio a maiden never bold of spirit so still and quiet that her motion blush'd at herself and she in spite of nature of years of country credit every thing to fall in love with what she fear'd to look on it is a judgment maim'd and most imperfect that will confess perfection so could err against all rules of nature and must be driven to find out practises of cunning hell why this should be i therefore vouch again that with some mixtures powerful o'er the blood or with some dram conjured to this effect he wrought upon her duke of venice to vouch this is no proof without more wider and more overt test than these thin habits and poor likelihoods of modern seeming do prefer against him first senator but othello speak did you by indirect and forced courses subdue and poison this young maid's affections or came it by request and such fair question as soul to soul affordeth othello i do beseech you send for the lady to the sagittary and let her speak of me before her father if you do find me foul in her report the trust the office i do hold of you not only take away but let your sentence even fall upon my life duke of venice fetch desdemona hither othello ancient conduct them you best know the place exeunt iago and attendants and till she come as truly as to heaven i do confess the vices of my blood so justly to your grave ears i'll present how i did thrive in this fair lady's love and she in mine duke of venice say it othello othello her father loved me oft invited me still question'd me the story of my life from year to year the battles sieges fortunes that i have passed i ran it through even from my boyish days to the very moment that he bade me tell it wherein i spake of most disastrous chances of moving accidents by flood and field of hairbreadth scapes i the imminent deadly breach of being taken by the insolent foe and sold to slavery of my redemption thence and portance in my travels history wherein of antres vast and deserts idle rough quarries rocks and hills whose heads touch heaven it was my hint to speaksuch was the process and of the cannibals that each other eat the anthropophagi and men whose heads do grow beneath their shoulders this to hear would desdemona seriously incline but still the houseaffairs would draw her thence which ever as she could with haste dispatch she'ld come again and with a greedy ear devour up my discourse which i observing took once a pliant hour and found good means to draw from her a prayer of earnest heart that i would all my pilgrimage dilate whereof by parcels she had something heard but not intentively i did consent and often did beguile her of her tears when i did speak of some distressful stroke that my youth suffer'd my story being done she gave me for my pains a world of sighs she swore in faith twas strange twas passing strange twas pitiful twas wondrous pitiful she wish'd she had not heard it yet she wish'd that heaven had made her such a man she thank'd me and bade me if i had a friend that loved her i should but teach him how to tell my story and that would woo her upon this hint i spake she loved me for the dangers i had pass'd and i loved her that she did pity them this only is the witchcraft i have used here comes the lady let her witness it enter desdemona iago and attendants duke of venice i think this tale would win my daughter too good brabantio take up this mangled matter at the best men do their broken weapons rather use than their bare hands brabantio i pray you hear her speak if she confess that she was half the wooer destruction on my head if my bad blame light on the man come hither gentle mistress do you perceive in all this noble company where most you owe obedience desdemona my noble father i do perceive here a divided duty to you i am bound for life and education my life and education both do learn me how to respect you you are the lord of duty i am hitherto your daughter but here's my husband and so much duty as my mother show'd to you preferring you before her father so much i challenge that i may profess due to the moor my lord brabantio god be wi you i have done please it your grace on to the stateaffairs i had rather to adopt a child than get it come hither moor i here do give thee that with all my heart which but thou hast already with all my heart i would keep from thee for your sake jewel i am glad at soul i have no other child for thy escape would teach me tyranny to hang clogs on them i have done my lord duke of venice let me speak like yourself and lay a sentence which as a grise or step may help these lovers into your favour when remedies are past the griefs are ended by seeing the worst which late on hopes depended to mourn a mischief that is past and gone is the next way to draw new mischief on what cannot be preserved when fortune takes patience her injury a mockery makes the robb'd that smiles steals something from the thief he robs himself that spends a bootless grief brabantio so let the turk of cyprus us beguile we lose it not so long as we can smile he bears the sentence well that nothing bears but the free comfort which from thence he hears but he bears both the sentence and the sorrow that to pay grief must of poor patience borrow these sentences to sugar or to gall being strong on both sides are equivocal but words are words i never yet did hear that the bruised heart was pierced through the ear i humbly beseech you proceed to the affairs of state duke of venice the turk with a most mighty preparation makes for cyprus othello the fortitude of the place is best known to you and though we have there a substitute of most allowed sufficiency yet opinion a sovereign mistress of effects throws a more safer voice on you you must therefore be content to slubber the gloss of your new fortunes with this more stubborn and boisterous expedition othello the tyrant custom most grave senators hath made the flinty and steel couch of war my thricedriven bed of down i do agnise a natural and prompt alacrity i find in hardness and do undertake these present wars against the ottomites most humbly therefore bending to your state i crave fit disposition for my wife due reference of place and exhibition with such accommodation and besort as levels with her breeding duke of venice if you please be't at her father's brabantio i'll not have it so othello nor i desdemona nor i i would not there reside to put my father in impatient thoughts by being in his eye most gracious duke to my unfolding lend your prosperous ear and let me find a charter in your voice to assist my simpleness duke of venice what would you desdemona desdemona that i did love the moor to live with him my downright violence and storm of fortunes may trumpet to the world my heart's subdued even to the very quality of my lord i saw othello's visage in his mind and to his honour and his valiant parts did i my soul and fortunes consecrate so that dear lords if i be left behind a moth of peace and he go to the war the rites for which i love him are bereft me and i a heavy interim shall support by his dear absence let me go with him othello let her have your voices vouch with me heaven i therefore beg it not to please the palate of my appetite nor to comply with heatthe young affects in me defunctand proper satisfaction but to be free and bounteous to her mind and heaven defend your good souls that you think i will your serious and great business scant for she is with me no when lightwing'd toys of feather'd cupid seal with wanton dullness my speculative and officed instruments that my disports corrupt and taint my business let housewives make a skillet of my helm and all indign and base adversities make head against my estimation duke of venice be it as you shall privately determine either for her stay or going the affair cries haste and speed must answer it first senator you must away tonight othello with all my heart duke of venice at nine i the morning here we'll meet again othello leave some officer behind and he shall our commission bring to you with such things else of quality and respect as doth import you othello so please your grace my ancient a man he is of honest and trust to his conveyance i assign my wife with what else needful your good grace shall think to be sent after me duke of venice let it be so good night to every one to brabantio and noble signior if virtue no delighted beauty lack your soninlaw is far more fair than black first senator adieu brave moor use desdemona well brabantio look to her moor if thou hast eyes to see she has deceived her father and may thee exeunt duke of venice senators officers &c othello my life upon her faith honest iago my desdemona must i leave to thee i prithee let thy wife attend on her and bring them after in the best advantage come desdemona i have but an hour of love of worldly matters and direction to spend with thee we must obey the time exeunt othello and desdemona roderigo iago iago what say'st thou noble heart roderigo what will i do thinkest thou iago why go to bed and sleep roderigo i will incontinently drown myself iago if thou dost i shall never love thee after why thou silly gentleman roderigo it is silliness to live when to live is torment and then have we a prescription to die when death is our physician iago o villainous i have looked upon the world for four times seven years and since i could distinguish betwixt a benefit and an injury i never found man that knew how to love himself ere i would say i would drown myself for the love of a guineahen i would change my humanity with a baboon roderigo what should i do i confess it is my shame to be so fond but it is not in my virtue to amend it iago virtue a fig tis in ourselves that we are thus or thus our bodies are our gardens to the which our wills are gardeners so that if we will plant nettles or sow lettuce set hyssop and weed up thyme supply it with one gender of herbs or distract it with many either to have it sterile with idleness or manured with industry why the power and corrigible authority of this lies in our wills if the balance of our lives had not one scale of reason to poise another of sensuality the blood and baseness of our natures would conduct us to most preposterous conclusions but we have reason to cool our raging motions our carnal stings our unbitted lusts whereof i take this that you call love to be a sect or scion roderigo it cannot be iago it is merely a lust of the blood and a permission of the will come be a man drown thyself drown cats and blind puppies i have professed me thy friend and i confess me knit to thy deserving with cables of perdurable toughness i could never better stead thee than now put money in thy purse follow thou the wars defeat thy favour with an usurped beard i say put money in thy purse it cannot be that desdemona should long continue her love to the moor put money in thy pursenor he his to her it was a violent commencement and thou shalt see an answerable sequestrationput but money in thy purse these moors are changeable in their wills fill thy purse with moneythe food that to him now is as luscious as locusts shall be to him shortly as bitter as coloquintida she must change for youth when she is sated with his body she will find the error of her choice she must have change she must therefore put money in thy purse if thou wilt needs damn thyself do it a more delicate way than drowning make all the money thou canst if sanctimony and a frail vow betwixt an erring barbarian and a supersubtle venetian not too hard for my wits and all the tribe of hell thou shalt enjoy her therefore make money a pox of drowning thyself it is clean out of the way seek thou rather to be hanged in compassing thy joy than to be drowned and go without her roderigo wilt thou be fast to my hopes if i depend on the issue iago thou art sure of mego make moneyi have told thee often and i retell thee again and again i hate the moor my cause is hearted thine hath no less reason let us be conjunctive in our revenge against him if thou canst cuckold him thou dost thyself a pleasure me a sport there are many events in the womb of time which will be delivered traverse go provide thy money we will have more of this tomorrow adieu roderigo where shall we meet i the morning iago at my lodging roderigo i'll be with thee betimes iago go to farewell do you hear roderigo roderigo what say you iago no more of drowning do you hear roderigo i am changed i'll go sell all my land exit iago thus do i ever make my fool my purse for i mine own gain'd knowledge should profane if i would time expend with such a snipe but for my sport and profit i hate the moor and it is thought abroad that twixt my sheets he has done my office i know not if't be true but i for mere suspicion in that kind will do as if for surety he holds me well the better shall my purpose work on him cassio's a proper man let me see now to get his place and to plume up my will in double knaveryhow how let's see after some time to abuse othello's ear that he is too familiar with his wife he hath a person and a smooth dispose to be suspected framed to make women false the moor is of a free and open nature that thinks men honest that but seem to be so and will as tenderly be led by the nose as asses are i have't it is engender'd hell and night must bring this monstrous birth to the world's light exit othello act ii scene i a seaport in cyprus an open place near the quay enter montano and two gentlemen montano what from the cape can you discern at sea first gentleman nothing at all it is a highwrought flood i cannot twixt the heaven and the main descry a sail montano methinks the wind hath spoke aloud at land a fuller blast ne'er shook our battlements if it hath ruffian'd so upon the sea what ribs of oak when mountains melt on them can hold the mortise what shall we hear of this second gentleman a segregation of the turkish fleet for do but stand upon the foaming shore the chidden billow seems to pelt the clouds the windshaked surge with high and monstrous mane seems to cast water on the burning bear and quench the guards of the everfixed pole i never did like molestation view on the enchafed flood montano if that the turkish fleet be not enshelter'd and embay'd they are drown'd it is impossible they bear it out enter a third gentleman third gentleman news lads our wars are done the desperate tempest hath so bang'd the turks that their designment halts a noble ship of venice hath seen a grievous wreck and sufferance on most part of their fleet montano how is this true third gentleman the ship is here put in a veronesa michael cassio lieutenant to the warlike moor othello is come on shore the moor himself at sea and is in full commission here for cyprus montano i am glad on't tis a worthy governor third gentleman but this same cassio though he speak of comfort touching the turkish loss yet he looks sadly and prays the moor be safe for they were parted with foul and violent tempest montano pray heavens he be for i have served him and the man commands like a full soldier let's to the seaside ho as well to see the vessel that's come in as to throw out our eyes for brave othello even till we make the main and the aerial blue an indistinct regard third gentleman come let's do so for every minute is expectancy of more arrivance enter cassio cassio thanks you the valiant of this warlike isle that so approve the moor o let the heavens give him defence against the elements for i have lost us him on a dangerous sea montano is he well shipp'd cassio his bark is stoutly timber'd his pilot of very expert and approved allowance therefore my hopes not surfeited to death stand in bold cure a cry within a sail a sail a sail' enter a fourth gentleman cassio what noise fourth gentleman the town is empty on the brow o the sea stand ranks of people and they cry a sail' cassio my hopes do shape him for the governor guns heard second gentlemen they do discharge their shot of courtesy our friends at least cassio i pray you sir go forth and give us truth who tis that is arrived second gentleman i shall exit montano but good lieutenant is your general wived cassio most fortunately he hath achieved a maid that paragons description and wild fame one that excels the quirks of blazoning pens and in the essential vesture of creation does tire the ingener reenter second gentleman how now who has put in second gentleman tis one iago ancient to the general cassio has had most favourable and happy speed tempests themselves high seas and howling winds the gutter'd rocks and congregated sands traitors ensteep'd to clog the guiltless keel as having sense of beauty do omit their mortal natures letting go safely by the divine desdemona montano what is she cassio she that i spake of our great captain's captain left in the conduct of the bold iago whose footing here anticipates our thoughts a se'nnight's speed great jove othello guard and swell his sail with thine own powerful breath that he may bless this bay with his tall ship make love's quick pants in desdemona's arms give renew'd fire to our extincted spirits and bring all cyprus comfort enter desdemona emilia iago roderigo and attendants o behold the riches of the ship is come on shore ye men of cyprus let her have your knees hail to thee lady and the grace of heaven before behind thee and on every hand enwheel thee round desdemona i thank you valiant cassio what tidings can you tell me of my lord cassio he is not yet arrived nor know i aught but that he's well and will be shortly here desdemona o but i fearhow lost you company cassio the great contention of the sea and skies parted our fellowshipbut hark a sail within a sail a sail guns heard second gentleman they give their greeting to the citadel this likewise is a friend cassio see for the news exit gentleman good ancient you are welcome to emilia welcome mistress let it not gall your patience good iago that i extend my manners tis my breeding that gives me this bold show of courtesy kissing her iago sir would she give you so much of her lips as of her tongue she oft bestows on me you'll have enough desdemona alas she has no speech iago in faith too much i find it still when i have list to sleep marry before your ladyship i grant she puts her tongue a little in her heart and chides with thinking emilia you have little cause to say so iago come on come on you are pictures out of doors bells in your parlors wildcats in your kitchens saints m your injuries devils being offended players in your housewifery and housewives in your beds desdemona o fie upon thee slanderer iago nay it is true or else i am a turk you rise to play and go to bed to work emilia you shall not write my praise iago no let me not desdemona what wouldst thou write of me if thou shouldst praise me iago o gentle lady do not put me to't for i am nothing if not critical desdemona come on assay there's one gone to the harbour iago ay madam desdemona i am not merry but i do beguile the thing i am by seeming otherwise come how wouldst thou praise me iago i am about it but indeed my invention comes from my pate as birdlime does from frize it plucks out brains and all but my muse labours and thus she is deliver'd if she be fair and wise fairness and wit the one's for use the other useth it desdemona well praised how if she be black and witty iago if she be black and thereto have a wit she'll find a white that shall her blackness fit desdemona worse and worse emilia how if fair and foolish iago she never yet was foolish that was fair for even her folly help'd her to an heir desdemona these are old fond paradoxes to make fools laugh i' the alehouse what miserable praise hast thou for her that's foul and foolish iago there's none so foul and foolish thereunto but does foul pranks which fair and wise ones do desdemona o heavy ignorance thou praisest the worst best but what praise couldst thou bestow on a deserving woman indeed one that in the authority of her merit did justly put on the vouch of very malice itself iago she that was ever fair and never proud had tongue at will and yet was never loud never lack'd gold and yet went never gay fled from her wish and yet said now i may' she that being anger'd her revenge being nigh bade her wrong stay and her displeasure fly she that in wisdom never was so frail to change the cod's head for the salmon's tail she that could think and ne'er disclose her mind see suitors following and not look behind she was a wight if ever such wight were desdemona to do what iago to suckle fools and chronicle small beer desdemona o most lame and impotent conclusion do not learn of him emilia though he be thy husband how say you cassio is he not a most profane and liberal counsellor cassio he speaks home madam you may relish him more in the soldier than in the scholar iago aside he takes her by the palm ay well said whisper with as little a web as this will i ensnare as great a fly as cassio ay smile upon her do i will gyve thee in thine own courtship you say true tis so indeed if such tricks as these strip you out of your lieutenantry it had been better you had not kissed your three fingers so oft which now again you are most apt to play the sir in very good well kissed an excellent courtesy tis so indeed yet again your fingers to your lips would they were clysterpipes for your sake trumpet within the moor i know his trumpet cassio tis truly so desdemona let's meet him and receive him cassio lo where he comes enter othello and attendants othello o my fair warrior desdemona my dear othello othello it gives me wonder great as my content to see you here before me o my soul's joy if after every tempest come such calms may the winds blow till they have waken'd death and let the labouring bark climb hills of seas olympushigh and duck again as low as hell's from heaven if it were now to die twere now to be most happy for i fear my soul hath her content so absolute that not another comfort like to this succeeds in unknown fate desdemona the heavens forbid but that our loves and comforts should increase even as our days do grow othello amen to that sweet powers i cannot speak enough of this content it stops me here it is too much of joy and this and this the greatest discords be kissing her that e'er our hearts shall make iago aside o you are well tuned now but i'll set down the pegs that make this music as honest as i am othello come let us to the castle news friends our wars are done the turks are drown'd how does my old acquaintance of this isle honey you shall be well desired in cyprus i have found great love amongst them o my sweet i prattle out of fashion and i dote in mine own comforts i prithee good iago go to the bay and disembark my coffers bring thou the master to the citadel he is a good one and his worthiness does challenge much respect come desdemona once more well met at cyprus exeunt othello desdemona and attendants iago do thou meet me presently at the harbour come hither if thou be'st valiant as they say base men being in love have then a nobility in their natures more than is native to themlist me the lieutenant tonight watches on the court of guardfirst i must tell thee thisdesdemona is directly in love with him roderigo with him why tis not possible iago lay thy finger thus and let thy soul be instructed mark me with what violence she first loved the moor but for bragging and telling her fantastical lies and will she love him still for prating let not thy discreet heart think it her eye must be fed and what delight shall she have to look on the devil when the blood is made dull with the act of sport there should be again to inflame it and to give satiety a fresh appetite loveliness in favour sympathy in years manners and beauties all which the moor is defective in now for want of these required conveniences her delicate tenderness will find itself abused begin to heave the gorge disrelish and abhor the moor very nature will instruct her in it and compel her to some second choice now sir this grantedas it is a most pregnant and unforced positionwho stands so eminent in the degree of this fortune as cassio does a knave very voluble no further conscionable than in putting on the mere form of civil and humane seeming for the better compassing of his salt and most hidden loose affection why none why none a slipper and subtle knave a finder of occasions that has an eye can stamp and counterfeit advantages though true advantage never present itself a devilish knave besides the knave is handsome young and hath all those requisites in him that folly and green minds look after a pestilent complete knave and the woman hath found him already roderigo i cannot believe that in her she's full of most blessed condition iago blessed fig'send the wine she drinks is made of grapes if she had been blessed she would never have loved the moor blessed pudding didst thou not see her paddle with the palm of his hand didst not mark that roderigo yes that i did but that was but courtesy iago lechery by this hand an index and obscure prologue to the history of lust and foul thoughts they met so near with their lips that their breaths embraced together villanous thoughts roderigo when these mutualities so marshal the way hard at hand comes the master and main exercise the incorporate conclusion pish but sir be you ruled by me i have brought you from venice watch you tonight for the command i'll lay't upon you cassio knows you not i'll not be far from you do you find some occasion to anger cassio either by speaking too loud or tainting his discipline or from what other course you please which the time shall more favourably minister roderigo well iago sir he is rash and very sudden in choler and haply may strike at you provoke him that he may for even out of that will i cause these of cyprus to mutiny whose qualification shall come into no true taste again but by the displanting of cassio so shall you have a shorter journey to your desires by the means i shall then have to prefer them and the impediment most profitably removed without the which there were no expectation of our prosperity roderigo i will do this if i can bring it to any opportunity iago i warrant thee meet me by and by at the citadel i must fetch his necessaries ashore farewell roderigo adieu exit iago that cassio loves her i do well believe it that she loves him tis apt and of great credit the moor howbeit that i endure him not is of a constant loving noble nature and i dare think he'll prove to desdemona a most dear husband now i do love her too not out of absolute lust though peradventure i stand accountant for as great a sin but partly led to diet my revenge for that i do suspect the lusty moor hath leap'd into my seat the thought whereof doth like a poisonous mineral gnaw my inwards and nothing can or shall content my soul till i am even'd with him wife for wife or failing so yet that i put the moor at least into a jealousy so strong that judgment cannot cure which thing to do if this poor trash of venice whom i trash for his quick hunting stand the putting on i'll have our michael cassio on the hip abuse him to the moor in the rank garb for i fear cassio with my nightcap too make the moor thank me love me and reward me for making him egregiously an ass and practising upon his peace and quiet even to madness tis here but yet confused knavery's plain face is never seen tin used exit othello act ii scene ii a street enter a herald with a proclamation people following herald it is othello's pleasure our noble and valiant general that upon certain tidings now arrived importing the mere perdition of the turkish fleet every man put himself into triumph some to dance some to make bonfires each man to what sport and revels his addiction leads him for besides these beneficial news it is the celebration of his nuptial so much was his pleasure should be proclaimed all offices are open and there is full liberty of feasting from this present hour of five till the bell have told eleven heaven bless the isle of cyprus and our noble general othello exeunt othello act ii scene iii a hall in the castle enter othello desdemona cassio and attendants othello good michael look you to the guard tonight let's teach ourselves that honourable stop not to outsport discretion cassio iago hath direction what to do but notwithstanding with my personal eye will i look to't othello iago is most honest michael good night tomorrow with your earliest let me have speech with you to desdemona come my dear love the purchase made the fruits are to ensue that profit's yet to come tween me and you good night exeunt othello desdemona and attendants enter iago cassio welcome iago we must to the watch iago not this hour lieutenant tis not yet ten o the clock our general cast us thus early for the love of his desdemona who let us not therefore blame he hath not yet made wanton the night with her and she is sport for jove cassio she's a most exquisite lady iago and i'll warrant her fun of game cassio indeed she's a most fresh and delicate creature iago what an eye she has methinks it sounds a parley of provocation cassio an inviting eye and yet methinks right modest iago and when she speaks is it not an alarum to love cassio she is indeed perfection iago well happiness to their sheets come lieutenant i have a stoup of wine and here without are a brace of cyprus gallants that would fain have a measure to the health of black othello cassio not tonight good iago i have very poor and unhappy brains for drinking i could well wish courtesy would invent some other custom of entertainment iago o they are our friends but one cup i'll drink for you cassio i have drunk but one cup tonight and that was craftily qualified too and behold what innovation it makes here i am unfortunate in the infirmity and dare not task my weakness with any more iago what man tis a night of revels the gallants desire it cassio where are they iago here at the door i pray you call them in cassio i'll do't but it dislikes me exit iago if i can fasten but one cup upon him with that which he hath drunk tonight already he'll be as full of quarrel and offence as my young mistress dog now my sick fool roderigo whom love hath turn'd almost the wrong side out to desdemona hath tonight caroused potations pottledeep and he's to watch three lads of cyprus noble swelling spirits that hold their honours in a wary distance the very elements of this warlike isle have i tonight fluster'd with flowing cups and they watch too now mongst this flock of drunkards am i to put our cassio in some action that may offend the islebut here they come if consequence do but approve my dream my boat sails freely both with wind and stream reenter cassio with him montano and gentlemen servants following with wine cassio fore god they have given me a rouse already montano good faith a little one not past a pint as i am a soldier iago some wine ho sings and let me the canakin clink clink and let me the canakin clink a soldier's a man a life's but a span why then let a soldier drink some wine boys cassio fore god an excellent song iago i learned it in england where indeed they are most potent in potting your dane your german and your swagbellied hollanderdrink hoare nothing to your english cassio is your englishman so expert in his drinking iago why he drinks you with facility your dane dead drunk he sweats not to overthrow your almain he gives your hollander a vomit ere the next pottle can be filled cassio to the health of our general montano i am for it lieutenant and i'll do you justice iago o sweet england king stephen was a worthy peer his breeches cost him but a crown he held them sixpence all too dear with that he call'd the tailor lown he was a wight of high renown and thou art but of low degree tis pride that pulls the country down then take thine auld cloak about thee some wine ho cassio why this is a more exquisite song than the other iago will you hear't again cassio no for i hold him to be unworthy of his place that does those things well god's above all and there be souls must be saved and there be souls must not be saved iago it's true good lieutenant cassio for mine own partno offence to the general nor any man of qualityi hope to be saved iago and so do i too lieutenant cassio ay but by your leave not before me the lieutenant is to be saved before the ancient let's have no more of this let's to our affairsforgive us our sinsgentlemen let's look to our business do not think gentlemen i am drunk this is my ancient this is my right hand and this is my left i am not drunk now i can stand well enough and speak well enough all excellent well cassio why very well then you must not think then that i am drunk exit montano to the platform masters come let's set the watch iago you see this fellow that is gone before he is a soldier fit to stand by caesar and give direction and do but see his vice tis to his virtue a just equinox the one as long as the other tis pity of him i fear the trust othello puts him in on some odd time of his infirmity will shake this island montano but is he often thus iago tis evermore the prologue to his sleep he'll watch the horologe a double set if drink rock not his cradle montano it were well the general were put in mind of it perhaps he sees it not or his good nature prizes the virtue that appears in cassio and looks not on his evils is not this true enter roderigo iago aside to him how now roderigo i pray you after the lieutenant go exit roderigo montano and tis great pity that the noble moor should hazard such a place as his own second with one of an ingraft infirmity it were an honest action to say so to the moor iago not i for this fair island i do love cassio well and would do much to cure him of this evilbut hark what noise cry within help help' reenter cassio driving in roderigo cassio you rogue you rascal montano what's the matter lieutenant cassio a knave teach me my duty i'll beat the knave into a twiggen bottle roderigo beat me cassio dost thou prate rogue striking roderigo montano nay good lieutenant staying him i pray you sir hold your hand cassio let me go sir or i'll knock you o'er the mazzard montano come come you're drunk cassio drunk they fight iago aside to roderigo away i say go out and cry a mutiny exit roderigo nay good lieutenantalas gentlemen help holieutenantsirmontanosir help mastershere's a goodly watch indeed bell rings who's that which rings the belldiablo ho the town will rise god's will lieutenant hold you will be shamed for ever reenter othello and attendants othello what is the matter here montano zounds i bleed still i am hurt to the death faints othello hold for your lives iago hold ho lieutenantsirmontanogentlemen have you forgot all sense of place and duty hold the general speaks to you hold hold for shame othello why how now ho from whence ariseth this are we turn'd turks and to ourselves do that which heaven hath forbid the ottomites for christian shame put by this barbarous brawl he that stirs next to carve for his own rage holds his soul light he dies upon his motion silence that dreadful bell it frights the isle from her propriety what is the matter masters honest iago that look'st dead with grieving speak who began this on thy love i charge thee iago i do not know friends all but now even now in quarter and in terms like bride and groom devesting them for bed and then but now as if some planet had unwitted men swords out and tilting one at other's breast in opposition bloody i cannot speak any beginning to this peevish odds and would in action glorious i had lost those legs that brought me to a part of it othello how comes it michael you are thus forgot cassio i pray you pardon me i cannot speak othello worthy montano you were wont be civil the gravity and stillness of your youth the world hath noted and your name is great in mouths of wisest censure what's the matter that you unlace your reputation thus and spend your rich opinion for the name of a nightbrawler give me answer to it montano worthy othello i am hurt to danger your officer iago can inform you while i spare speech which something now offends me of all that i do know nor know i aught by me that's said or done amiss this night unless selfcharity be sometimes a vice and to defend ourselves it be a sin when violence assails us othello now by heaven my blood begins my safer guides to rule and passion having my best judgment collied assays to lead the way if i once stir or do but lift this arm the best of you shall sink in my rebuke give me to know how this foul rout began who set it on and he that is approved in this offence though he had twinn'd with me both at a birth shall lose me what in a town of war yet wild the people's hearts brimful of fear to manage private and domestic quarrel in night and on the court and guard of safety tis monstrous iago who began't montano if partially affined or leagued in office thou dost deliver more or less than truth thou art no soldier iago touch me not so near i had rather have this tongue cut from my mouth than it should do offence to michael cassio yet i persuade myself to speak the truth shall nothing wrong him thus it is general montano and myself being in speech there comes a fellow crying out for help and cassio following him with determined sword to execute upon him sir this gentleman steps in to cassio and entreats his pause myself the crying fellow did pursue lest by his clamouras it so fell out the town might fall in fright he swift of foot outran my purpose and i return'd the rather for that i heard the clink and fall of swords and cassio high in oath which till tonight i ne'er might say before when i came back for this was briefi found them close together at blow and thrust even as again they were when you yourself did part them more of this matter cannot i report but men are men the best sometimes forget though cassio did some little wrong to him as men in rage strike those that wish them best yet surely cassio i believe received from him that fled some strange indignity which patience could not pass othello i know iago thy honesty and love doth mince this matter making it light to cassio cassio i love thee but never more be officer of mine reenter desdemona attended look if my gentle love be not raised up i'll make thee an example desdemona what's the matter othello all's well now sweeting come away to bed sir for your hurts myself will be your surgeon lead him off to montano who is led off iago look with care about the town and silence those whom this vile brawl distracted come desdemona tis the soldiers life to have their balmy slumbers waked with strife exeunt all but iago and cassio iago what are you hurt lieutenant cassio ay past all surgery iago marry heaven forbid cassio reputation reputation reputation o i have lost my reputation i have lost the immortal part of myself and what remains is bestial my reputation iago my reputation iago as i am an honest man i thought you had received some bodily wound there is more sense in that than in reputation reputation is an idle and most false imposition oft got without merit and lost without deserving you have lost no reputation at all unless you repute yourself such a loser what man there are ways to recover the general again you are but now cast in his mood a punishment more in policy than in malice even so as one would beat his offenceless dog to affright an imperious lion sue to him again and he's yours cassio i will rather sue to be despised than to deceive so good a commander with so slight so drunken and so indiscreet an officer drunk and speak parrot and squabble swagger swear and discourse fustian with one's own shadow o thou invisible spirit of wine if thou hast no name to be known by let us call thee devil iago what was he that you followed with your sword what had he done to you cassio i know not iago is't possible cassio i remember a mass of things but nothing distinctly a quarrel but nothing wherefore o god that men should put an enemy in their mouths to steal away their brains that we should with joy pleasance revel and applause transform ourselves into beasts iago why but you are now well enough how came you thus recovered cassio it hath pleased the devil drunkenness to give place to the devil wrath one unperfectness shows me another to make me frankly despise myself iago come you are too severe a moraler as the time the place and the condition of this country stands i could heartily wish this had not befallen but since it is as it is mend it for your own good cassio i will ask him for my place again he shall tell me i am a drunkard had i as many mouths as hydra such an answer would stop them all to be now a sensible man by and by a fool and presently a beast o strange every inordinate cup is unblessed and the ingredient is a devil iago come come good wine is a good familiar creature if it be well used exclaim no more against it and good lieutenant i think you think i love you cassio i have well approved it sir i drunk iago you or any man living may be drunk at a time man i'll tell you what you shall do our general's wife is now the general may say so in this respect for that he hath devoted and given up himself to the contemplation mark and denotement of her parts and graces confess yourself freely to her importune her help to put you in your place again she is of so free so kind so apt so blessed a disposition she holds it a vice in her goodness not to do more than she is requested this broken joint between you and her husband entreat her to splinter and my fortunes against any lay worth naming this crack of your love shall grow stronger than it was before cassio you advise me well iago i protest in the sincerity of love and honest kindness cassio i think it freely and betimes in the morning i will beseech the virtuous desdemona to undertake for me i am desperate of my fortunes if they cheque me here iago you are in the right good night lieutenant i must to the watch cassio good night honest iago exit iago and what's he then that says i play the villain when this advice is free i give and honest probal to thinking and indeed the course to win the moor again for tis most easy the inclining desdemona to subdue in any honest suit she's framed as fruitful as the free elements and then for her to win the moorwere't to renounce his baptism all seals and symbols of redeemed sin his soul is so enfetter'd to her love that she may make unmake do what she list even as her appetite shall play the god with his weak function how am i then a villain to counsel cassio to this parallel course directly to his good divinity of hell when devils will the blackest sins put on they do suggest at first with heavenly shows as i do now for whiles this honest fool plies desdemona to repair his fortunes and she for him pleads strongly to the moor i'll pour this pestilence into his ear that she repeals him for her body's lust and by how much she strives to do him good she shall undo her credit with the moor so will i turn her virtue into pitch and out of her own goodness make the net that shall enmesh them all reenter roderigo how now roderigo roderigo i do follow here in the chase not like a hound that hunts but one that fills up the cry my money is almost spent i have been tonight exceedingly well cudgelled and i think the issue will be i shall have so much experience for my pains and so with no money at all and a little more wit return again to venice iago how poor are they that have not patience what wound did ever heal but by degrees thou know'st we work by wit and not by witchcraft and wit depends on dilatory time does't not go well cassio hath beaten thee and thou by that small hurt hast cashier'd cassio though other things grow fair against the sun yet fruits that blossom first will first be ripe content thyself awhile by the mass tis morning pleasure and action make the hours seem short retire thee go where thou art billeted away i say thou shalt know more hereafter nay get thee gone exit roderigo two things are to be done my wife must move for cassio to her mistress i'll set her on myself the while to draw the moor apart and bring him jump when he may cassio find soliciting his wife ay that's the way dull not device by coldness and delay exit othello act iii scene i before the castle enter cassio and some musicians cassio masters play here i will content your pains something that's brief and bid good morrow general' music enter clown clown why masters have your instruments been in naples that they speak i the nose thus first musician how sir how clown are these i pray you windinstruments first musician ay marry are they sir clown o thereby hangs a tail first musician whereby hangs a tale sir clown marry sir by many a windinstrument that i know but masters here's money for you and the general so likes your music that he desires you for love's sake to make no more noise with it first musician well sir we will not clown if you have any music that may not be heard to't again but as they say to hear music the general does not greatly care first musician we have none such sir clown then put up your pipes in your bag for i'll away go vanish into air away exeunt musicians cassio dost thou hear my honest friend clown no i hear not your honest friend i hear you cassio prithee keep up thy quillets there's a poor piece of gold for thee if the gentlewoman that attends the general's wife be stirring tell her there's one cassio entreats her a little favour of speech wilt thou do this clown she is stirring sir if she will stir hither i shall seem to notify unto her cassio do good my friend exit clown enter iago in happy time iago iago you have not been abed then cassio why no the day had broke before we parted i have made bold iago to send in to your wife my suit to her is that she will to virtuous desdemona procure me some access iago i'll send her to you presently and i'll devise a mean to draw the moor out of the way that your converse and business may be more free cassio i humbly thank you for't exit iago i never knew a florentine more kind and honest enter emilia emilia good morrow good lieutenant i am sorry for your displeasure but all will sure be well the general and his wife are talking of it and she speaks for you stoutly the moor replies that he you hurt is of great fame in cyprus and great affinity and that in wholesome wisdom he might not but refuse you but he protests he loves you and needs no other suitor but his likings to take the safest occasion by the front to bring you in again cassio yet i beseech you if you think fit or that it may be done give me advantage of some brief discourse with desdemona alone emilia pray you come in i will bestow you where you shall have time to speak your bosom freely cassio i am much bound to you exeunt othello act iii scene ii a room in the castle enter othello iago and gentlemen othello these letters give iago to the pilot and by him do my duties to the senate that done i will be walking on the works repair there to me iago well my good lord i'll do't othello this fortification gentlemen shall we see't gentleman we'll wait upon your lordship exeunt othello act iii scene iii the garden of the castle enter desdemona cassio and emilia desdemona be thou assured good cassio i will do all my abilities in thy behalf emilia good madam do i warrant it grieves my husband as if the case were his desdemona o that's an honest fellow do not doubt cassio but i will have my lord and you again as friendly as you were cassio bounteous madam whatever shall become of michael cassio he's never any thing but your true servant desdemona i know't i thank you you do love my lord you have known him long and be you well assured he shall in strangeness stand no further off than in a polite distance cassio ay but lady that policy may either last so long or feed upon such nice and waterish diet or breed itself so out of circumstance that i being absent and my place supplied my general will forget my love and service desdemona do not doubt that before emilia here i give thee warrant of thy place assure thee if i do vow a friendship i'll perform it to the last article my lord shall never rest i'll watch him tame and talk him out of patience his bed shall seem a school his board a shrift i'll intermingle every thing he does with cassio's suit therefore be merry cassio for thy solicitor shall rather die than give thy cause away emilia madam here comes my lord cassio madam i'll take my leave desdemona why stay and hear me speak cassio madam not now i am very ill at ease unfit for mine own purposes desdemona well do your discretion exit cassio enter othello and iago iago ha i like not that othello what dost thou say iago nothing my lord or ifi know not what othello was not that cassio parted from my wife iago cassio my lord no sure i cannot think it that he would steal away so guiltylike seeing you coming othello i do believe twas he desdemona how now my lord i have been talking with a suitor here a man that languishes in your displeasure othello who is't you mean desdemona why your lieutenant cassio good my lord if i have any grace or power to move you his present reconciliation take for if he be not one that truly loves you that errs in ignorance and not in cunning i have no judgment in an honest face i prithee call him back othello went he hence now desdemona ay sooth so humbled that he hath left part of his grief with me to suffer with him good love call him back othello not now sweet desdemona some other time desdemona but shall't be shortly othello the sooner sweet for you desdemona shall't be tonight at supper othello no not tonight desdemona tomorrow dinner then othello i shall not dine at home i meet the captains at the citadel desdemona why then tomorrow night or tuesday morn on tuesday noon or night on wednesday morn i prithee name the time but let it not exceed three days in faith he's penitent and yet his trespass in our common reason save that they say the wars must make examples out of their bestis not almost a fault to incur a private cheque when shall he come tell me othello i wonder in my soul what you would ask me that i should deny or stand so mammering on what michael cassio that came awooing with you and so many a time when i have spoke of you dispraisingly hath ta'en your part to have so much to do to bring him in trust me i could do much othello prithee no more let him come when he will i will deny thee nothing desdemona why this is not a boon tis as i should entreat you wear your gloves or feed on nourishing dishes or keep you warm or sue to you to do a peculiar profit to your own person nay when i have a suit wherein i mean to touch your love indeed it shall be full of poise and difficult weight and fearful to be granted othello i will deny thee nothing whereon i do beseech thee grant me this to leave me but a little to myself desdemona shall i deny you no farewell my lord othello farewell my desdemona i'll come to thee straight desdemona emilia come be as your fancies teach you whate'er you be i am obedient exeunt desdemona and emilia othello excellent wretch perdition catch my soul but i do love thee and when i love thee not chaos is come again iago my noble lord othello what dost thou say iago iago did michael cassio when you woo'd my lady know of your love othello he did from first to last why dost thou ask iago but for a satisfaction of my thought no further harm othello why of thy thought iago iago i did not think he had been acquainted with her othello o yes and went between us very oft iago indeed othello indeed ay indeed discern'st thou aught in that is he not honest iago honest my lord othello honest ay honest iago my lord for aught i know othello what dost thou think iago think my lord othello think my lord by heaven he echoes me as if there were some monster in his thought too hideous to be shown thou dost mean something i heard thee say even now thou likedst not that when cassio left my wife what didst not like and when i told thee he was of my counsel in my whole course of wooing thou criedst indeed' and didst contract and purse thy brow together as if thou then hadst shut up in thy brain some horrible conceit if thou dost love me show me thy thought iago my lord you know i love you othello i think thou dost and for i know thou'rt full of love and honesty and weigh'st thy words before thou givest them breath therefore these stops of thine fright me the more for such things in a false disloyal knave are tricks of custom but in a man that's just they are close delations working from the heart that passion cannot rule iago for michael cassio i dare be sworn i think that he is honest othello i think so too iago men should be what they seem or those that be not would they might seem none othello certain men should be what they seem iago why then i think cassio's an honest man othello nay yet there's more in this i prithee speak to me as to thy thinkings as thou dost ruminate and give thy worst of thoughts the worst of words iago good my lord pardon me though i am bound to every act of duty i am not bound to that all slaves are free to utter my thoughts why say they are vile and false as where's that palace whereinto foul things sometimes intrude not who has a breast so pure but some uncleanly apprehensions keep leets and lawdays and in session sit with meditations lawful othello thou dost conspire against thy friend iago if thou but think'st him wrong'd and makest his ear a stranger to thy thoughts iago i do beseech you though i perchance am vicious in my guess as i confess it is my nature's plague to spy into abuses and oft my jealousy shapes faults that are notthat your wisdom yet from one that so imperfectly conceits would take no notice nor build yourself a trouble out of his scattering and unsure observance it were not for your quiet nor your good nor for my manhood honesty or wisdom to let you know my thoughts othello what dost thou mean iago good name in man and woman dear my lord is the immediate jewel of their souls who steals my purse steals trash tis something nothing twas mine tis his and has been slave to thousands but he that filches from me my good name robs me of that which not enriches him and makes me poor indeed othello by heaven i'll know thy thoughts iago you cannot if my heart were in your hand nor shall not whilst tis in my custody othello ha iago o beware my lord of jealousy it is the greeneyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on that cuckold lives in bliss who certain of his fate loves not his wronger but o what damned minutes tells he o'er who dotes yet doubts suspects yet strongly loves othello o misery iago poor and content is rich and rich enough but riches fineless is as poor as winter to him that ever fears he shall be poor good heaven the souls of all my tribe defend from jealousy othello why why is this think'st thou i'ld make a lie of jealousy to follow still the changes of the moon with fresh suspicions no to be once in doubt is once to be resolved exchange me for a goat when i shall turn the business of my soul to such exsufflicate and blown surmises matching thy inference tis not to make me jealous to say my wife is fair feeds well loves company is free of speech sings plays and dances well where virtue is these are more virtuous nor from mine own weak merits will i draw the smallest fear or doubt of her revolt for she had eyes and chose me no iago i'll see before i doubt when i doubt prove and on the proof there is no more but this away at once with love or jealousy iago i am glad of it for now i shall have reason to show the love and duty that i bear you with franker spirit therefore as i am bound receive it from me i speak not yet of proof look to your wife observe her well with cassio wear your eye thus not jealous nor secure i would not have your free and noble nature out of selfbounty be abused look to't i know our country disposition well in venice they do let heaven see the pranks they dare not show their husbands their best conscience is not to leave't undone but keep't unknown othello dost thou say so iago she did deceive her father marrying you and when she seem'd to shake and fear your looks she loved them most othello and so she did iago why go to then she that so young could give out such a seeming to seal her father's eyes up close as oak he thought twas witchcraftbut i am much to blame i humbly do beseech you of your pardon for too much loving you othello i am bound to thee for ever iago i see this hath a little dash'd your spirits othello not a jot not a jot iago i faith i fear it has i hope you will consider what is spoke comes from my love but i do see you're moved i am to pray you not to strain my speech to grosser issues nor to larger reach than to suspicion othello i will not iago should you do so my lord my speech should fall into such vile success as my thoughts aim not at cassio's my worthy friend my lord i see you're moved othello no not much moved i do not think but desdemona's honest iago long live she so and long live you to think so othello and yet how nature erring from itself iago ay there's the point asto be bold with you not to affect many proposed matches of her own clime complexion and degree whereto we see in all things nature tends foh one may smell in such a will most rank foul disproportion thoughts unnatural but pardon me i do not in position distinctly speak of her though i may fear her will recoiling to her better judgment may fall to match you with her country forms and happily repent othello farewell farewell if more thou dost perceive let me know more set on thy wife to observe leave me iago iago going my lord i take my leave othello why did i marry this honest creature doubtless sees and knows more much more than he unfolds iago returning my lord i would i might entreat your honour to scan this thing no further leave it to time though it be fit that cassio have his place for sure he fills it up with great ability yet if you please to hold him off awhile you shall by that perceive him and his means note if your lady strain his entertainment with any strong or vehement importunity much will be seen in that in the mean time let me be thought too busy in my fears as worthy cause i have to fear i am and hold her free i do beseech your honour othello fear not my government iago i once more take my leave exit othello this fellow's of exceeding honesty and knows all qualities with a learned spirit of human dealings if i do prove her haggard though that her jesses were my dear heartstrings i'ld whistle her off and let her down the wind to pray at fortune haply for i am black and have not those soft parts of conversation that chamberers have or for i am declined into the vale of yearsyet that's not much she's gone i am abused and my relief must be to loathe her o curse of marriage that we can call these delicate creatures ours and not their appetites i had rather be a toad and live upon the vapour of a dungeon than keep a corner in the thing i love for others uses yet tis the plague of great ones prerogatived are they less than the base tis destiny unshunnable like death even then this forked plague is fated to us when we do quicken desdemona comes reenter desdemona and emilia if she be false o then heaven mocks itself i'll not believe't desdemona how now my dear othello your dinner and the generous islanders by you invited do attend your presence othello i am to blame desdemona why do you speak so faintly are you not well othello i have a pain upon my forehead here desdemona faith that's with watching twill away again let me but bind it hard within this hour it will be well othello your napkin is too little he puts the handkerchief from him and it drops let it alone come i'll go in with you desdemona i am very sorry that you are not well exeunt othello and desdemona emilia i am glad i have found this napkin this was her first remembrance from the moor my wayward husband hath a hundred times woo'd me to steal it but she so loves the token for he conjured her she should ever keep it that she reserves it evermore about her to kiss and talk to i'll have the work ta'en out and give't iago what he will do with it heaven knows not i i nothing but to please his fantasy reenter iago iago how now what do you here alone emilia do not you chide i have a thing for you iago a thing for me it is a common thing emilia ha iago to have a foolish wife emilia o is that all what will you give me now for the same handkerchief iago what handkerchief emilia what handkerchief why that the moor first gave to desdemona that which so often you did bid me steal iago hast stol'n it from her emilia no faith she let it drop by negligence and to the advantage i being here took't up look here it is iago a good wench give it me emilia what will you do with t that you have been so earnest to have me filch it iago snatching it why what's that to you emilia if it be not for some purpose of import give't me again poor lady she'll run mad when she shall lack it iago be not acknown on t i have use for it go leave me exit emilia i will in cassio's lodging lose this napkin and let him find it trifles light as air are to the jealous confirmations strong as proofs of holy writ this may do something the moor already changes with my poison dangerous conceits are in their natures poisons which at the first are scarce found to distaste but with a little act upon the blood burn like the mines of sulphur i did say so look where he comes reenter othello not poppy nor mandragora nor all the drowsy syrups of the world shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep which thou owedst yesterday othello ha ha false to me iago why how now general no more of that othello avaunt be gone thou hast set me on the rack i swear tis better to be much abused than but to know't a little iago how now my lord othello what sense had i of her stol'n hours of lust i saw't not thought it not it harm'd not me i slept the next night well was free and merry i found not cassio's kisses on her lips he that is robb'd not wanting what is stol'n let him not know't and he's not robb'd at all iago i am sorry to hear this othello i had been happy if the general camp pioners and all had tasted her sweet body so i had nothing known o now for ever farewell the tranquil mind farewell content farewell the plumed troop and the big wars that make ambition virtue o farewell farewell the neighing steed and the shrill trump the spiritstirring drum the earpiercing fife the royal banner and all quality pride pomp and circumstance of glorious war and o you mortal engines whose rude throats the immortal jove's dead clamours counterfeit farewell othello's occupation's gone iago is't possible my lord othello villain be sure thou prove my love a whore be sure of it give me the ocular proof or by the worth of man's eternal soul thou hadst been better have been born a dog than answer my waked wrath iago is't come to this othello make me to see't or at the least so prove it that the probation bear no hinge nor loop to hang a doubt on or woe upon thy life iago my noble lord othello if thou dost slander her and torture me never pray more abandon all remorse on horror's head horrors accumulate do deeds to make heaven weep all earth amazed for nothing canst thou to damnation add greater than that iago o grace o heaven forgive me are you a man have you a soul or sense god be wi you take mine office o wretched fool that livest to make thine honesty a vice o monstrous world take note take note o world to be direct and honest is not safe i thank you for this profit and from hence i'll love no friend sith love breeds such offence othello nay stay thou shouldst be honest iago i should be wise for honesty's a fool and loses that it works for othello by the world i think my wife be honest and think she is not i think that thou art just and think thou art not i'll have some proof her name that was as fresh as dian's visage is now begrimed and black as mine own face if there be cords or knives poison or fire or suffocating streams i'll not endure it would i were satisfied iago i see sir you are eaten up with passion i do repent me that i put it to you you would be satisfied othello would nay i will iago and may but how how satisfied my lord would you the supervisor grossly gape on behold her topp'd othello death and damnation o iago it were a tedious difficulty i think to bring them to that prospect damn them then if ever mortal eyes do see them bolster more than their own what then how then what shall i say where's satisfaction it is impossible you should see this were they as prime as goats as hot as monkeys as salt as wolves in pride and fools as gross as ignorance made drunk but yet i say if imputation and strong circumstances which lead directly to the door of truth will give you satisfaction you may have't othello give me a living reason she's disloyal iago i do not like the office but sith i am enter'd in this cause so far prick'd to't by foolish honesty and love i will go on i lay with cassio lately and being troubled with a raging tooth i could not sleep there are a kind of men so loose of soul that in their sleeps will mutter their affairs one of this kind is cassio in sleep i heard him say sweet desdemona let us be wary let us hide our loves' and then sir would he gripe and wring my hand cry o sweet creature and then kiss me hard as if he pluck'd up kisses by the roots that grew upon my lips then laid his leg over my thigh and sigh'd and kiss'd and then cried cursed fate that gave thee to the moor' othello o monstrous monstrous iago nay this was but his dream othello but this denoted a foregone conclusion tis a shrewd doubt though it be but a dream iago and this may help to thicken other proofs that do demonstrate thinly othello i'll tear her all to pieces iago nay but be wise yet we see nothing done she may be honest yet tell me but this have you not sometimes seen a handkerchief spotted with strawberries in your wife's hand othello i gave her such a one twas my first gift iago i know not that but such a handkerchief i am sure it was your wife'sdid i today see cassio wipe his beard with othello if it be that iago if it be that or any that was hers it speaks against her with the other proofs othello o that the slave had forty thousand lives one is too poor too weak for my revenge now do i see tis true look here iago all my fond love thus do i blow to heaven tis gone arise black vengeance from thy hollow cell yield up o love thy crown and hearted throne to tyrannous hate swell bosom with thy fraught for tis of aspics tongues iago yet be content othello o blood blood blood iago patience i say your mind perhaps may change othello never iago like to the pontic sea whose icy current and compulsive course ne'er feels retiring ebb but keeps due on to the propontic and the hellespont even so my bloody thoughts with violent pace shall ne'er look back ne'er ebb to humble love till that a capable and wide revenge swallow them up now by yond marble heaven kneels in the due reverence of a sacred vow i here engage my words iago do not rise yet kneels witness you everburning lights above you elements that clip us round about witness that here iago doth give up the execution of his wit hands heart to wrong'd othello's service let him command and to obey shall be in me remorse what bloody business ever they rise othello i greet thy love not with vain thanks but with acceptance bounteous and will upon the instant put thee to't within these three days let me hear thee say that cassio's not alive iago my friend is dead tis done at your request but let her live othello damn her lewd minx o damn her come go with me apart i will withdraw to furnish me with some swift means of death for the fair devil now art thou my lieutenant iago i am your own for ever exeunt othello act iii scene iv before the castle enter desdemona emilia and clown desdemona do you know sirrah where lieutenant cassio lies clown i dare not say he lies any where desdemona why man clown he's a soldier and for one to say a soldier lies is stabbing desdemona go to where lodges he clown to tell you where he lodges is to tell you where i lie desdemona can any thing be made of this clown i know not where he lodges and for me to devise a lodging and say he lies here or he lies there were to lie in mine own throat desdemona can you inquire him out and be edified by report clown i will catechise the world for him that is make questions and by them answer desdemona seek him bid him come hither tell him i have moved my lord on his behalf and hope all will be well clown to do this is within the compass of man's wit and therefore i will attempt the doing it exit desdemona where should i lose that handkerchief emilia emilia i know not madam desdemona believe me i had rather have lost my purse full of crusadoes and but my noble moor is true of mind and made of no such baseness as jealous creatures are it were enough to put him to ill thinking emilia is he not jealous desdemona who he i think the sun where he was born drew all such humours from him emilia look where he comes desdemona i will not leave him now till cassio be call'd to him enter othello how is't with you my lord othello well my good lady aside o hardness to dissemble how do you desdemona desdemona well my good lord othello give me your hand this hand is moist my lady desdemona it yet hath felt no age nor known no sorrow othello this argues fruitfulness and liberal heart hot hot and moist this hand of yours requires a sequester from liberty fasting and prayer much castigation exercise devout for here's a young and sweating devil here that commonly rebels tis a good hand a frank one desdemona you may indeed say so for twas that hand that gave away my heart othello a liberal hand the hearts of old gave hands but our new heraldry is hands not hearts desdemona i cannot speak of this come now your promise othello what promise chuck desdemona i have sent to bid cassio come speak with you othello i have a salt and sorry rheum offends me lend me thy handkerchief desdemona here my lord othello that which i gave you desdemona i have it not about me othello not desdemona no indeed my lord othello that is a fault that handkerchief did an egyptian to my mother give she was a charmer and could almost read the thoughts of people she told her while she kept it twould make her amiable and subdue my father entirely to her love but if she lost it or made gift of it my father's eye should hold her loathed and his spirits should hunt after new fancies she dying gave it me and bid me when my fate would have me wive to give it her i did so and take heed on't make it a darling like your precious eye to lose't or give't away were such perdition as nothing else could match desdemona is't possible othello tis true there's magic in the web of it a sibyl that had number'd in the world the sun to course two hundred compasses in her prophetic fury sew'd the work the worms were hallow'd that did breed the silk and it was dyed in mummy which the skilful conserved of maidens hearts desdemona indeed is't true othello most veritable therefore look to't well desdemona then would to god that i had never seen't othello ha wherefore desdemona why do you speak so startingly and rash othello is't lost is't gone speak is it out o the way desdemona heaven bless us othello say you desdemona it is not lost but what an if it were othello how desdemona i say it is not lost othello fetch't let me see't desdemona why so i can sir but i will not now this is a trick to put me from my suit pray you let cassio be received again othello fetch me the handkerchief my mind misgives desdemona come come you'll never meet a more sufficient man othello the handkerchief desdemona i pray talk me of cassio othello the handkerchief desdemona a man that all his time hath founded his good fortunes on your love shared dangers with you othello the handkerchief desdemona in sooth you are to blame othello away exit emilia is not this man jealous desdemona i ne'er saw this before sure there's some wonder in this handkerchief i am most unhappy in the loss of it emilia tis not a year or two shows us a man they are all but stomachs and we all but food to eat us hungerly and when they are full they belch us look you cassio and my husband enter cassio and iago iago there is no other way tis she must do't and lo the happiness go and importune her desdemona how now good cassio what's the news with you cassio madam my former suit i do beseech you that by your virtuous means i may again exist and be a member of his love whom i with all the office of my heart entirely honour i would not be delay'd if my offence be of such mortal kind that nor my service past nor present sorrows nor purposed merit in futurity can ransom me into his love again but to know so must be my benefit so shall i clothe me in a forced content and shut myself up in some other course to fortune's alms desdemona alas thricegentle cassio my advocation is not now in tune my lord is not my lord nor should i know him were he in favour as in humour alter'd so help me every spirit sanctified as i have spoken for you all my best and stood within the blank of his displeasure for my free speech you must awhile be patient what i can do i will and more i will than for myself i dare let that suffice you iago is my lord angry emilia he went hence but now and certainly in strange unquietness iago can he be angry i have seen the cannon when it hath blown his ranks into the air and like the devil from his very arm puff'd his own brotherand can he be angry something of moment then i will go meet him there's matter in't indeed if he be angry desdemona i prithee do so exit iago something sure of state either from venice or some unhatch'd practise made demonstrable here in cyprus to him hath puddled his clear spirit and in such cases men's natures wrangle with inferior things though great ones are their object tis even so for let our finger ache and it indues our other healthful members even to that sense of pain nay we must think men are not gods nor of them look for such observances as fit the bridal beshrew me much emilia i was unhandsome warrior as i am arraigning his unkindness with my soul but now i find i had suborn'd the witness and he's indicted falsely emilia pray heaven it be statematters as you think and no conception nor no jealous toy concerning you desdemona alas the day i never gave him cause emilia but jealous souls will not be answer'd so they are not ever jealous for the cause but jealous for they are jealous tis a monster begot upon itself born on itself desdemona heaven keep that monster from othello's mind emilia lady amen desdemona i will go seek him cassio walk hereabout if i do find him fit i'll move your suit and seek to effect it to my uttermost cassio i humbly thank your ladyship exeunt desdemona and emilia enter bianca bianca save you friend cassio cassio what make you from home how is it with you my most fair bianca i faith sweet love i was coming to your house bianca and i was going to your lodging cassio what keep a week away seven days and nights eight score eight hours and lovers absent hours more tedious than the dial eight score times o weary reckoning cassio pardon me bianca i have this while with leaden thoughts been press'd but i shall in a more continuate time strike off this score of absence sweet bianca giving her desdemona's handkerchief take me this work out bianca o cassio whence came this this is some token from a newer friend to the felt absence now i feel a cause is't come to this well well cassio go to woman throw your vile guesses in the devil's teeth from whence you have them you are jealous now that this is from some mistress some remembrance no in good troth bianca bianca why whose is it cassio i know not sweet i found it in my chamber i like the work well ere it be demanded as like enough it willi'ld have it copied take it and do't and leave me for this time bianca leave you wherefore cassio i do attend here on the general and think it no addition nor my wish to have him see me woman'd bianca why i pray you cassio not that i love you not bianca but that you do not love me i pray you bring me on the way a little and say if i shall see you soon at night cassio tis but a little way that i can bring you for i attend here but i'll see you soon bianca tis very good i must be circumstanced exeunt othello act iv scene i cyprus before the castle enter othello and iago iago will you think so othello think so iago iago what to kiss in private othello an unauthorized kiss iago or to be naked with her friend in bed an hour or more not meaning any harm othello naked in bed iago and not mean harm it is hypocrisy against the devil they that mean virtuously and yet do so the devil their virtue tempts and they tempt heaven iago so they do nothing tis a venial slip but if i give my wife a handkerchief othello what then iago why then tis hers my lord and being hers she may i think bestow't on any man othello she is protectress of her honour too may she give that iago her honour is an essence that's not seen they have it very oft that have it not but for the handkerchief othello by heaven i would most gladly have forgot it thou said'st it comes o'er my memory as doth the raven o'er the infected house boding to allhe had my handkerchief iago ay what of that othello that's not so good now iago what if i had said i had seen him do you wrong or heard him sayas knaves be such abroad who having by their own importunate suit or voluntary dotage of some mistress convinced or supplied them cannot choose but they must blab othello hath he said any thing iago he hath my lord but be you well assured no more than he'll unswear othello what hath he said iago faith that he didi know not what he did othello what what iago lie othello with her iago with her on her what you will othello lie with her lie on her we say lie on her when they belie her lie with her that's fulsome handkerchiefconfessionshandkerchiefto confess and be hanged for his labourfirst to be hanged and then to confessi tremble at it nature would not invest herself in such shadowing passion without some instruction it is not words that shake me thus pish noses ears and lips is't possibleconfesshandkerchiefo devil falls in a trance iago work on my medicine work thus credulous fools are caught and many worthy and chaste dames even thus all guiltless meet reproach what ho my lord my lord i say othello enter cassio how now cassio cassio what's the matter iago my lord is fall'n into an epilepsy this is his second fit he had one yesterday cassio rub him about the temples iago no forbear the lethargy must have his quiet course if not he foams at mouth and by and by breaks out to savage madness look he stirs do you withdraw yourself a little while he will recover straight when he is gone i would on great occasion speak with you exit cassio how is it general have you not hurt your head othello dost thou mock me iago i mock you no by heaven would you would bear your fortune like a man othello a horned man's a monster and a beast iago there's many a beast then in a populous city and many a civil monster othello did he confess it iago good sir be a man think every bearded fellow that's but yoked may draw with you there's millions now alive that nightly lie in those unproper beds which they dare swear peculiar your case is better o tis the spite of hell the fiend's archmock to lip a wanton in a secure couch and to suppose her chaste no let me know and knowing what i am i know what she shall be othello o thou art wise tis certain iago stand you awhile apart confine yourself but in a patient list whilst you were here o'erwhelmed with your grief a passion most unsuiting such a man cassio came hither i shifted him away and laid good scuse upon your ecstasy bade him anon return and here speak with me the which he promised do but encave yourself and mark the fleers the gibes and notable scorns that dwell in every region of his face for i will make him tell the tale anew where how how oft how long ago and when he hath and is again to cope your wife i say but mark his gesture marry patience or i shall say you are all in all in spleen and nothing of a man othello dost thou hear iago i will be found most cunning in my patience butdost thou hearmost bloody iago that's not amiss but yet keep time in all will you withdraw othello retires now will i question cassio of bianca a housewife that by selling her desires buys herself bread and clothes it is a creature that dotes on cassio as tis the strumpet's plague to beguile many and be beguiled by one he when he hears of her cannot refrain from the excess of laughter here he comes reenter cassio as he shall smile othello shall go mad and his unbookish jealousy must construe poor cassio's smiles gestures and light behavior quite in the wrong how do you now lieutenant cassio the worser that you give me the addition whose want even kills me iago ply desdemona well and you are sure on't speaking lower now if this suit lay in bianco's power how quickly should you speed cassio alas poor caitiff othello look how he laughs already iago i never knew woman love man so cassio alas poor rogue i think i faith she loves me othello now he denies it faintly and laughs it out iago do you hear cassio othello now he importunes him to tell it o'er go to well said well said iago she gives it out that you shall marry hey do you intend it cassio ha ha ha othello do you triumph roman do you triumph cassio i marry her what a customer prithee bear some charity to my wit do not think it so unwholesome ha ha ha othello so so so so they laugh that win iago faith the cry goes that you shall marry her cassio prithee say true iago i am a very villain else othello have you scored me well cassio this is the monkey's own giving out she is persuaded i will marry her out of her own love and flattery not out of my promise othello iago beckons me now he begins the story cassio she was here even now she haunts me in every place i was the other day talking on the seabank with certain venetians and thither comes the bauble and by this hand she falls me thus about my neck othello crying o dear cassio as it were his gesture imports it cassio so hangs and lolls and weeps upon me so hales and pulls me ha ha ha othello now he tells how she plucked him to my chamber o i see that nose of yours but not that dog i shall throw it to cassio well i must leave her company iago before me look where she comes cassio tis such another fitchew marry a perfumed one enter bianca what do you mean by this haunting of me bianca let the devil and his dam haunt you what did you mean by that same handkerchief you gave me even now i was a fine fool to take it i must take out the worka likely piece of work that you should find it in your chamber and not know who left it there this is some minx's token and i must take out the work there give it your hobbyhorse wheresoever you had it i'll take out no work on't cassio how now my sweet bianca how now how now othello by heaven that should be my handkerchief bianca an you'll come to supper tonight you may an you will not come when you are next prepared for exit iago after her after her cassio faith i must she'll rail in the street else iago will you sup there cassio faith i intend so iago well i may chance to see you for i would very fain speak with you cassio prithee come will you iago go to say no more exit cassio othello advancing how shall i murder him iago iago did you perceive how he laughed at his vice othello o iago iago and did you see the handkerchief othello was that mine iago yours by this hand and to see how he prizes the foolish woman your wife she gave it him and he hath given it his whore othello i would have him nine years akilling a fine woman a fair woman a sweet woman iago nay you must forget that othello ay let her rot and perish and be damned tonight for she shall not live no my heart is turned to stone i strike it and it hurts my hand o the world hath not a sweeter creature she might lie by an emperor's side and command him tasks iago nay that's not your way othello hang her i do but say what she is so delicate with her needle an admirable musician o she will sing the savageness out of a bear of so high and plenteous wit and invention iago she's the worse for all this othello o a thousand thousand times and then of so gentle a condition iago ay too gentle othello nay that's certain but yet the pity of it iago o iago the pity of it iago iago if you are so fond over her iniquity give her patent to offend for if it touch not you it comes near nobody othello i will chop her into messes cuckold me iago o tis foul in her othello with mine officer iago that's fouler othello get me some poison iago this night i'll not expostulate with her lest her body and beauty unprovide my mind again this night iago iago do it not with poison strangle her in her bed even the bed she hath contaminated othello good good the justice of it pleases very good iago and for cassio let me be his undertaker you shall hear more by midnight othello excellent good a trumpet within what trumpet is that same iago something from venice sure tis lodovico come from the duke and see your wife is with him enter lodovico desdemona and attendants lodovico save you worthy general othello with all my heart sir lodovico the duke and senators of venice greet you gives him a letter othello i kiss the instrument of their pleasures opens the letter and reads desdemona and what's the news good cousin lodovico iago i am very glad to see you signior welcome to cyprus lodovico i thank you how does lieutenant cassio iago lives sir desdemona cousin there's fall'n between him and my lord an unkind breach but you shall make all well othello are you sure of that desdemona my lord othello reads this fail you not to do as you will' lodovico he did not call he's busy in the paper is there division twixt my lord and cassio desdemona a most unhappy one i would do much to atone them for the love i bear to cassio othello fire and brimstone desdemona my lord othello are you wise desdemona what is he angry lodovico may be the letter moved him for as i think they do command him home deputing cassio in his government desdemona trust me i am glad on't othello indeed desdemona my lord othello i am glad to see you mad desdemona why sweet othello othello striking her devil desdemona i have not deserved this lodovico my lord this would not be believed in venice though i should swear i saw't tis very much make her amends she weeps othello o devil devil if that the earth could teem with woman's tears each drop she falls would prove a crocodile out of my sight desdemona i will not stay to offend you going lodovico truly an obedient lady i do beseech your lordship call her back othello mistress desdemona my lord othello what would you with her sir lodovico who i my lord othello ay you did wish that i would make her turn sir she can turn and turn and yet go on and turn again and she can weep sir weep and she's obedient as you say obedient very obedient proceed you in your tears concerning this siro wellpainted passion i am commanded home get you away i'll send for you anon sir i obey the mandate and will return to venice hence avaunt exit desdemona cassio shall have my place and sir tonight i do entreat that we may sup together you are welcome sir to cyprusgoats and monkeys exit lodovico is this the noble moor whom our full senate call all in all sufficient is this the nature whom passion could not shake whose solid virtue the shot of accident nor dart of chance could neither graze nor pierce iago he is much changed lodovico are his wits safe is he not light of brain iago he's that he is i may not breathe my censure what he might be if what he might he is not i would to heaven he were lodovico what strike his wife iago faith that was not so well yet would i knew that stroke would prove the worst lodovico is it his use or did the letters work upon his blood and newcreate this fault iago alas alas it is not honesty in me to speak what i have seen and known you shall observe him and his own courses will denote him so that i may save my speech do but go after and mark how he continues lodovico i am sorry that i am deceived in him exeunt othello act iv scene ii a room in the castle enter othello and emilia othello you have seen nothing then emilia nor ever heard nor ever did suspect othello yes you have seen cassio and she together emilia but then i saw no harm and then i heard each syllable that breath made up between them othello what did they never whisper emilia never my lord othello nor send you out o the way emilia never othello to fetch her fan her gloves her mask nor nothing emilia never my lord othello that's strange emilia i durst my lord to wager she is honest lay down my soul at stake if you think other remove your thought it doth abuse your bosom if any wretch have put this in your head let heaven requite it with the serpent's curse for if she be not honest chaste and true there's no man happy the purest of their wives is foul as slander othello bid her come hither go exit emilia she says enough yet she's a simple bawd that cannot say as much this is a subtle whore a closet lock and key of villanous secrets and yet she'll kneel and pray i have seen her do't enter desdemona with emilia desdemona my lord what is your will othello pray chuck come hither desdemona what is your pleasure othello let me see your eyes look in my face desdemona what horrible fancy's this othello to emilia some of your function mistress leave procreants alone and shut the door cough or cry hem if any body come your mystery your mystery nay dispatch exit emilia desdemona upon my knees what doth your speech import i understand a fury in your words but not the words othello why what art thou desdemona your wife my lord your true and loyal wife othello come swear it damn thyself lest being like one of heaven the devils themselves should fear to seize thee therefore be double damn'd swear thou art honest desdemona heaven doth truly know it othello heaven truly knows that thou art false as hell desdemona to whom my lord with whom how am i false othello o desdemona away away away desdemona alas the heavy day why do you weep am i the motive of these tears my lord if haply you my father do suspect an instrument of this your calling back lay not your blame on me if you have lost him why i have lost him too othello had it pleased heaven to try me with affliction had they rain'd all kinds of sores and shames on my bare head steep'd me in poverty to the very lips given to captivity me and my utmost hopes i should have found in some place of my soul a drop of patience but alas to make me a fixed figure for the time of scorn to point his slow unmoving finger at yet could i bear that too well very well but there where i have garner'd up my heart where either i must live or bear no life the fountain from the which my current runs or else dries up to be discarded thence or keep it as a cistern for foul toads to knot and gender in turn thy complexion there patience thou young and roselipp'd cherubin ay there look grim as hell desdemona i hope my noble lord esteems me honest othello o ay as summer flies are in the shambles that quicken even with blowing o thou weed who art so lovely fair and smell'st so sweet that the sense aches at thee would thou hadst ne'er been born desdemona alas what ignorant sin have i committed othello was this fair paper this most goodly book made to write whore upon what committed committed o thou public commoner i should make very forges of my cheeks that would to cinders burn up modesty did i but speak thy deeds what committed heaven stops the nose at it and the moon winks the bawdy wind that kisses all it meets is hush'd within the hollow mine of earth and will not hear it what committed impudent strumpet desdemona by heaven you do me wrong othello are you not a strumpet desdemona no as i am a christian if to preserve this vessel for my lord from any other foul unlawful touch be not to be a strumpet i am none othello what not a whore desdemona no as i shall be saved othello is't possible desdemona o heaven forgive us othello i cry you mercy then i took you for that cunning whore of venice that married with othello raising his voice you mistress that have the office opposite to saint peter and keep the gate of hell reenter emilia you you ay you we have done our course there's money for your pains i pray you turn the key and keep our counsel exit emilia alas what does this gentleman conceive how do you madam how do you my good lady desdemona faith half asleep emilia good madam what's the matter with my lord desdemona with who emilia why with my lord madam desdemona who is thy lord emilia he that is yours sweet lady desdemona i have none do not talk to me emilia i cannot weep nor answer have i none but what should go by water prithee tonight lay on my bed my wedding sheets remember and call thy husband hither emilia here's a change indeed exit desdemona tis meet i should be used so very meet how have i been behaved that he might stick the small'st opinion on my least misuse reenter emilia with iago iago what is your pleasure madam how is't with you desdemona i cannot tell those that do teach young babes do it with gentle means and easy tasks he might have chid me so for in good faith i am a child to chiding iago what's the matter lady emilia alas iago my lord hath so bewhored her thrown such despite and heavy terms upon her as true hearts cannot bear desdemona am i that name iago iago what name fair lady desdemona such as she says my lord did say i was emilia he call'd her whore a beggar in his drink could not have laid such terms upon his callat iago why did he so desdemona i do not know i am sure i am none such iago do not weep do not weep alas the day emilia hath she forsook so many noble matches her father and her country and her friends to be call'd whore would it not make one weep desdemona it is my wretched fortune iago beshrew him for't how comes this trick upon him desdemona nay heaven doth know emilia i will be hang'd if some eternal villain some busy and insinuating rogue some cogging cozening slave to get some office have not devised this slander i'll be hang'd else iago fie there is no such man it is impossible desdemona if any such there be heaven pardon him emilia a halter pardon him and hell gnaw his bones why should he call her whore who keeps her company what place what time what form what likelihood the moor's abused by some most villanous knave some base notorious knave some scurvy fellow o heaven that such companions thou'ldst unfold and put in every honest hand a whip to lash the rascals naked through the world even from the east to the west iago speak within door emilia o fie upon them some such squire he was that turn'd your wit the seamy side without and made you to suspect me with the moor iago you are a fool go to desdemona o good iago what shall i do to win my lord again good friend go to him for by this light of heaven i know not how i lost him here i kneel if e'er my will did trespass gainst his love either in discourse of thought or actual deed or that mine eyes mine ears or any sense delighted them in any other form or that i do not yet and ever did and ever willthough he do shake me off to beggarly divorcementlove him dearly comfort forswear me unkindness may do much and his unkindness may defeat my life but never taint my love i cannot say whore' it does abhor me now i speak the word to do the act that might the addition earn not the world's mass of vanity could make me iago i pray you be content tis but his humour the business of the state does him offence and he does chide with you desdemona if twere no other iago tis but so i warrant trumpets within hark how these instruments summon to supper the messengers of venice stay the meat go in and weep not all things shall be well exeunt desdemona and emilia enter roderigo how now roderigo roderigo i do not find that thou dealest justly with me iago what in the contrary roderigo every day thou daffest me with some device iago and rather as it seems to me now keepest from me all conveniency than suppliest me with the least advantage of hope i will indeed no longer endure it nor am i yet persuaded to put up in peace what already i have foolishly suffered iago will you hear me roderigo roderigo faith i have heard too much for your words and performances are no kin together iago you charge me most unjustly roderigo with nought but truth i have wasted myself out of my means the jewels you have had from me to deliver to desdemona would half have corrupted a votarist you have told me she hath received them and returned me expectations and comforts of sudden respect and acquaintance but i find none iago well go to very well roderigo very well go to i cannot go to man nor tis not very well nay i think it is scurvy and begin to find myself fobbed in it iago very well roderigo i tell you tis not very well i will make myself known to desdemona if she will return me my jewels i will give over my suit and repent my unlawful solicitation if not assure yourself i will seek satisfaction of you iago you have said now roderigo ay and said nothing but what i protest intendment of doing iago why now i see there's mettle in thee and even from this instant to build on thee a better opinion than ever before give me thy hand roderigo thou hast taken against me a most just exception but yet i protest i have dealt most directly in thy affair roderigo it hath not appeared iago i grant indeed it hath not appeared and your suspicion is not without wit and judgment but roderigo if thou hast that in thee indeed which i have greater reason to believe now than ever i mean purpose courage and valour this night show it if thou the next night following enjoy not desdemona take me from this world with treachery and devise engines for my life roderigo well what is it is it within reason and compass iago sir there is especial commission come from venice to depute cassio in othello's place roderigo is that true why then othello and desdemona return again to venice iago o no he goes into mauritania and takes away with him the fair desdemona unless his abode be lingered here by some accident wherein none can be so determinate as the removing of cassio roderigo how do you mean removing of him iago why by making him uncapable of othello's place knocking out his brains roderigo and that you would have me to do iago ay if you dare do yourself a profit and a right he sups tonight with a harlotry and thither will i go to him he knows not yet of his horrorable fortune if you will watch his going thence which i will fashion to fall out between twelve and one you may take him at your pleasure i will be near to second your attempt and he shall fall between us come stand not amazed at it but go along with me i will show you such a necessity in his death that you shall think yourself bound to put it on him it is now high suppertime and the night grows to waste about it roderigo i will hear further reason for this iago and you shall be satisfied exeunt othello act iv scene iii another room in the castle enter othello lodovico desdemona emilia and attendants lodovico i do beseech you sir trouble yourself no further othello o pardon me twill do me good to walk lodovico madam good night i humbly thank your ladyship desdemona your honour is most welcome othello will you walk sir odesdemona desdemona my lord othello get you to bed on the instant i will be returned forthwith dismiss your attendant there look it be done desdemona i will my lord exeunt othello lodovico and attendants emilia how goes it now he looks gentler than he did desdemona he says he will return incontinent he hath commanded me to go to bed and bade me to dismiss you emilia dismiss me desdemona it was his bidding therefore good emilia give me my nightly wearing and adieu we must not now displease him emilia i would you had never seen him desdemona so would not i my love doth so approve him that even his stubbornness his cheques his frowns prithee unpin mehave grace and favour in them emilia i have laid those sheets you bade me on the bed desdemona all's one good faith how foolish are our minds if i do die before thee prithee shroud me in one of those same sheets emilia come come you talk desdemona my mother had a maid call'd barbara she was in love and he she loved proved mad and did forsake her she had a song of willow' an old thing twas but it express'd her fortune and she died singing it that song tonight will not go from my mind i have much to do but to go hang my head all at one side and sing it like poor barbara prithee dispatch emilia shall i go fetch your nightgown desdemona no unpin me here this lodovico is a proper man emilia a very handsome man desdemona he speaks well emilia i know a lady in venice would have walked barefoot to palestine for a touch of his nether lip desdemona singing the poor soul sat sighing by a sycamore tree sing all a green willow her hand on her bosom her head on her knee sing willow willow willow the fresh streams ran by her and murmur'd her moans sing willow willow willow her salt tears fell from her and soften'd the stones lay by these singing sing willow willow willow prithee hie thee he'll come anon singing sing all a green willow must be my garland let nobody blame him his scorn i approve nay that's not nexthark who is't that knocks emilia it's the wind desdemona singing i call'd my love false love but what said he then sing willow willow willow if i court moe women you'll couch with moe men so get thee gone good night ate eyes do itch doth that bode weeping emilia tis neither here nor there desdemona i have heard it said so o these men these men dost thou in conscience thinktell me emilia that there be women do abuse their husbands in such gross kind emilia there be some such no question desdemona wouldst thou do such a deed for all the world emilia why would not you desdemona no by this heavenly light emilia nor i neither by this heavenly light i might do't as well i the dark desdemona wouldst thou do such a deed for all the world emilia the world's a huge thing it is a great price for a small vice desdemona in troth i think thou wouldst not emilia in troth i think i should and undo't when i had done marry i would not do such a thing for a jointring nor for measures of lawn nor for gowns petticoats nor caps nor any petty exhibition but for the whole worldwhy who would not make her husband a cuckold to make him a monarch i should venture purgatory for't desdemona beshrew me if i would do such a wrong for the whole world emilia why the wrong is but a wrong i the world and having the world for your labour tis a wrong in your own world and you might quickly make it right desdemona i do not think there is any such woman emilia yes a dozen and as many to the vantage as would store the world they played for but i do think it is their husbands faults if wives do fall say that they slack their duties and pour our treasures into foreign laps or else break out in peevish jealousies throwing restraint upon us or say they strike us or scant our former having in despite why we have galls and though we have some grace yet have we some revenge let husbands know their wives have sense like them they see and smell and have their palates both for sweet and sour as husbands have what is it that they do when they change us for others is it sport i think it is and doth affection breed it i think it doth is't frailty that thus errs it is so too and have not we affections desires for sport and frailty as men have then let them use us well else let them know the ills we do their ills instruct us so desdemona good night good night heaven me such uses send not to pick bad from bad but by bad mend exeunt othello act v scene i cyprus a street enter iago and roderigo iago here stand behind this bulk straight will he come wear thy good rapier bare and put it home quick quick fear nothing i'll be at thy elbow it makes us or it mars us think on that and fix most firm thy resolution roderigo be near at hand i may miscarry in't iago here at thy hand be bold and take thy stand retires roderigo i have no great devotion to the deed and yet he hath given me satisfying reasons tis but a man gone forth my sword he dies iago i have rubb'd this young quat almost to the sense and he grows angry now whether he kill cassio or cassio him or each do kill the other every way makes my gain live roderigo he calls me to a restitution large of gold and jewels that i bobb'd from him as gifts to desdemona it must not be if cassio do remain he hath a daily beauty in his life that makes me ugly and besides the moor may unfold me to him there stand i in much peril no he must die but so i hear him coming enter cassio roderigo i know his gait tis hevillain thou diest makes a pass at cassio cassio that thrust had been mine enemy indeed but that my coat is better than thou know'st i will make proof of thine draws and wounds roderigo roderigo o i am slain iago from behind wounds cassio in the leg and exit cassio i am maim'd for ever help ho murder murder falls enter othello othello the voice of cassio iago keeps his word roderigo o villain that i am othello it is even so cassio o help ho light a surgeon othello tis heo brave iago honest and just that hast such noble sense of thy friend's wrong thou teachest me minion your dear lies dead and your unblest fate hies strumpet i come forth of my heart those charms thine eyes are blotted thy bed luststain'd shall with lust's blood be spotted exit enter lodovico and gratiano cassio what ho no watch no passage murder murder gratiano tis some mischance the cry is very direful cassio o help lodovico hark roderigo o wretched villain lodovico two or three groan it is a heavy night these may be counterfeits let's think't unsafe to come in to the cry without more help roderigo nobody come then shall i bleed to death lodovico hark reenter iago with a light gratiano here's one comes in his shirt with light and weapons iago who's there whose noise is this that ones on murder lodovico we do not know iago did not you hear a cry cassio here here for heaven's sake help me iago what's the matter gratiano this is othello's ancient as i take it lodovico the same indeed a very valiant fellow iago what are you here that cry so grievously cassio iago o i am spoil'd undone by villains give me some help iago o me lieutenant what villains have done this cassio i think that one of them is hereabout and cannot make away iago o treacherous villains what are you there come in and give some help to lodovico and gratiano roderigo o help me here cassio that's one of them iago o murderous slave o villain stabs roderigo roderigo o damn'd iago o inhuman dog iago kill men i the darkwhere be these bloody thieves how silent is this townho murder murder what may you be are you of good or evil lodovico as you shall prove us praise us iago signior lodovico lodovico he sir iago i cry you mercy here's cassio hurt by villains gratiano cassio iago how is't brother cassio my leg is cut in two iago marry heaven forbid light gentlemen i'll bind it with my shirt enter bianca bianca what is the matter ho who is't that cried iago who is't that cried bianca o my dear cassio my sweet cassio o cassio cassio cassio iago o notable strumpet cassio may you suspect who they should be that have thus many led you cassio no gratiano i am to find you thus i have been to seek you iago lend me a garter so o for a chair to bear him easily hence bianca alas he faints o cassio cassio cassio iago gentlemen all i do suspect this trash to be a party in this injury patience awhile good cassio come come lend me a light know we this face or no alas my friend and my dear countryman roderigo noyes sure o heaven roderigo gratiano what of venice iago even he sir did you know him gratiano know him ay iago signior gratiano i cry you gentle pardon these bloody accidents must excuse my manners that so neglected you gratiano i am glad to see you iago how do you cassio o a chair a chair gratiano roderigo iago he he tis he a chair brought in o that's well said the chair gratiano some good man bear him carefully from hence i'll fetch the general's surgeon to bianca for you mistress save you your labour he that lies slain here cassio was my dear friend what malice was between you cassio none in the world nor do i know the man iago to bianca what look you pale o bear him out o the air cassio and roderigo are borne off stay you good gentlemen look you pale mistress do you perceive the gastness of her eye nay if you stare we shall hear more anon behold her well i pray you look upon her do you see gentlemen nay guiltiness will speak though tongues were out of use enter emilia emilia las what's the matter what's the matter husband iago cassio hath here been set on in the dark by roderigo and fellows that are scaped he's almost slain and roderigo dead emilia alas good gentleman alas good cassio iago this is the fruit of whoring prithee emilia go know of cassio where he supp'd tonight to bianca what do you shake at that bianca he supp'd at my house but i therefore shake not iago o did he so i charge you go with me emilia fie fie upon thee strumpet bianca i am no strumpet but of life as honest as you that thus abuse me emilia as i foh fie upon thee iago kind gentlemen let's go see poor cassio dress'd come mistress you must tell's another tale emilia run you to the citadel and tell my lord and lady what hath happ'd will you go on i pray aside this is the night that either makes me or fordoes me quite exeunt othello act v scene ii a bedchamber in the castle desdemona in bed asleep a light burning enter othello othello it is the cause it is the cause my soul let me not name it to you you chaste stars it is the cause yet i'll not shed her blood nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow and smooth as monumental alabaster yet she must die else she'll betray more men put out the light and then put out the light if i quench thee thou flaming minister i can again thy former light restore should i repent me but once put out thy light thou cunning'st pattern of excelling nature i know not where is that promethean heat that can thy light relume when i have pluck'd the rose i cannot give it vital growth again it must needs wither i'll smell it on the tree kissing her ah balmy breath that dost almost persuade justice to break her sword one more one more be thus when thou art dead and i will kill thee and love thee after one more and this the last so sweet was ne'er so fatal i must weep but they are cruel tears this sorrow's heavenly it strikes where it doth love she wakes desdemona who's there othello othello ay desdemona desdemona will you come to bed my lord othello have you pray'd tonight desdemona desdemona ay my lord othello if you bethink yourself of any crime unreconciled as yet to heaven and grace solicit for it straight desdemona alas my lord what do you mean by that othello well do it and be brief i will walk by i would not kill thy unprepared spirit no heaven forfend i would not kill thy soul desdemona talk you of killing othello ay i do desdemona then heaven have mercy on me othello amen with all my heart desdemona if you say so i hope you will not kill me othello hum desdemona and yet i fear you for you are fatal then when your eyes roll so why i should fear i know not since guiltiness i know not but yet i feel i fear othello think on thy sins desdemona they are loves i bear to you othello ay and for that thou diest desdemona that death's unnatural that kills for loving alas why gnaw you so your nether lip some bloody passion shakes your very frame these are portents but yet i hope i hope they do not point on me othello peace and be still desdemona i will so what's the matter othello that handkerchief which i so loved and gave thee thou gavest to cassio desdemona no by my life and soul send for the man and ask him othello sweet soul take heed take heed of perjury thou art on thy deathbed desdemona ay but not yet to die othello yes presently therefore confess thee freely of thy sin for to deny each article with oath cannot remove nor choke the strong conception that i do groan withal thou art to die desdemona then lord have mercy on me othello i say amen desdemona and have you mercy too i never did offend you in my life never loved cassio but with such general warranty of heaven as i might love i never gave him token othello by heaven i saw my handkerchief in's hand o perjured woman thou dost stone my heart and makest me call what i intend to do a murder which i thought a sacrifice i saw the handkerchief desdemona he found it then i never gave it him send for him hither let him confess a truth othello he hath confess'd desdemona what my lord othello that he hath used thee desdemona how unlawfully othello ay desdemona he will not say so othello no his mouth is stopp'd honest iago hath ta'en order for't desdemona o my fear interprets what is he dead othello had all his hairs been lives my great revenge had stomach for them all desdemona alas he is betray'd and i undone othello out strumpet weep'st thou for him to my face desdemona o banish me my lord but kill me not othello down strumpet desdemona kill me tomorrow let me live tonight othello nay if you strive desdemona but half an hour othello being done there is no pause desdemona but while i say one prayer othello it is too late he stifles her emilia within my lord my lord what ho my lord my lord othello what noise is this not dead not yet quite dead i that am cruel am yet merciful i would not have thee linger in thy pain so so emilia within what ho my lord my lord othello who's there emilia within o good my lord i would speak a word with you othello yes tis emilia by and by she's dead tis like she comes to speak of cassio's death the noise was here ha no more moving still as the grave shall she come in were't good i think she stirs againno what's best to do if she come in she'll sure speak to my wife my wife my wife what wife i have no wife o insupportable o heavy hour methinks it should be now a huge eclipse of sun and moon and that the affrighted globe should yawn at alteration emilia within i do beseech you that i may speak with you o good my lord othello i had forgot thee o come in emilia soft by and by let me the curtains draw where art thou unlocks the door enter emilia what's the matter with thee now emilia o my good lord yonder's foul murders done othello what now emilia but now my lord othello it is the very error of the moon she comes more nearer earth than she was wont and makes men mad emilia cassio my lord hath kill'd a young venetian call'd roderigo othello roderigo kill'd and cassio kill'd emilia no cassio is not kill'd othello not cassio kill'd then murder's out of tune and sweet revenge grows harsh desdemona o falsely falsely murder'd emilia alas what cry is that othello that what emilia out and alas that was my lady's voice help help ho help o lady speak again sweet desdemona o sweet mistress speak desdemona a guiltless death i die emilia o who hath done this deed desdemona nobody i myself farewell commend me to my kind lord o farewell dies othello why how should she be murder'd emilia alas who knows othello you heard her say herself it was not i emilia she said so i must needs report the truth othello she's like a liar gone to burning hell twas i that kill'd her emilia o the more angel she and you the blacker devil othello she turn'd to folly and she was a whore emilia thou dost belie her and thou art a devil othello she was false as water emilia thou art rash as fire to say that she was false o she was heavenly true othello cassio did top her ask thy husband else o i were damn'd beneath all depth in hell but that i did proceed upon just grounds to this extremity thy husband knew it all emilia my husband othello thy husband emilia that she was false to wedlock othello ay with cassio nay had she been true if heaven would make me such another world of one entire and perfect chrysolite i'ld not have sold her for it emilia my husband othello ay twas he that told me first an honest man he is and hates the slime that sticks on filthy deeds emilia my husband othello what needs this iteration woman i say thy husband emilia o mistress villany hath made mocks with love my husband say that she was false othello he woman i say thy husband dost understand the word my friend thy husband honest honest iago emilia if he say so may his pernicious soul rot half a grain a day he lies to the heart she was too fond of her most filthy bargain othello ha emilia do thy worst this deed of thine is no more worthy heaven than thou wast worthy her othello peace you were best emilia thou hast not half that power to do me harm as i have to be hurt o gull o dolt as ignorant as dirt thou hast done a deed i care not for thy sword i'll make thee known though i lost twenty liveshelp help ho help the moor hath kill'd my mistress murder murder enter montano gratiano iago and others montano what is the matter how now general emilia o are you come iago you have done well that men must lay their murders on your neck gratiano what is the matter emilia disprove this villain if thou be'st a man he says thou told'st him that his wife was false i know thou didst not thou'rt not such a villain speak for my heart is full iago i told him what i thought and told no more than what he found himself was apt and true emilia but did you ever tell him she was false iago i did emilia you told a lie an odious damned lie upon my soul a lie a wicked lie she false with cassiodid you say with cassio iago with cassio mistress go to charm your tongue emilia i will not charm my tongue i am bound to speak my mistress here lies murder'd in her bed all o heavens forfend emilia and your reports have set the murder on othello nay stare not masters it is true indeed gratiano tis a strange truth montano o monstrous act emilia villany villany villany i think upon't i think i smell't o villany i thought so theni'll kill myself for grief o villany villany iago what are you mad i charge you get you home emilia good gentlemen let me have leave to speak tis proper i obey him but not now perchance iago i will ne'er go home othello o o o he falls on the bed emilia nay lay thee down and roar for thou hast kill'd the sweetest innocent that e'er did lift up eye othello rising o she was foul i scarce did know you uncle there lies your niece whose breath indeed these hands have newly stopp'd i know this act shows horrible and grim gratiano poor desdemona i am glad thy father's dead thy match was mortal to him and pure grief shore his old thread in twain did he live now this sight would make him do a desperate turn yea curse his better angel from his side and fall to reprobation othello tis pitiful but yet iago knows that she with cassio hath the act of shame a thousand times committed cassio confess'd it and she did gratify his amorous works with that recognizance and pledge of love which i first gave her i saw it in his hand it was a handkerchief an antique token my father gave my mother emilia o heaven o heavenly powers iago come hold your peace emilia twill out twill out i peace no i will speak as liberal as the north let heaven and men and devils let them all all all cry shame against me yet i'll speak iago be wise and get you home emilia i will not iago offers to stab emilia gratiano fie your sword upon a woman emilia o thou dull moor that handkerchief thou speak'st of i found by fortune and did give my husband for often with a solemn earnestness more than indeed belong'd to such a trifle he begg'd of me to steal it iago villanous whore emilia she give it cassio no alas i found it and i did give't my husband iago filth thou liest emilia by heaven i do not i do not gentlemen o murderous coxcomb what should such a fool do with so good a woman othello are there no stones in heaven but what serve for the thunderprecious villain he runs at iago iago from behind stabs emilia and exit gratiano the woman falls sure he hath kill'd his wife emilia ay ay o lay me by my mistress side gratiano he's gone but his wife's kill'd montano tis a notorious villain take you this weapon which i have here recover'd from the moor come guard the door without let him not pass but kill him rather i'll after that same villain for tis a damned slave exeunt montano and gratiano othello i am not valiant neither but ever puny whipster gets my sword but why should honour outlive honesty let it go all emilia what did thy song bode lady hark canst thou hear me i will play the swan and die in music singing willow willow willow moor she was chaste she loved thee cruel moor so come my soul to bliss as i speak true so speaking as i think i die i die dies othello i have another weapon in this chamber it is a sword of spain the icebrook's temper o here it is uncle i must come forth gratiano within if thou attempt it it will cost thee dear thou hast no weapon and perforce must suffer othello look in upon me then and speak with me or naked as i am i will assault thee reenter gratiano gratiano what is the matter othello behold i have a weapon a better never did itself sustain upon a soldier's thigh i have seen the day that with this little arm and this good sword i have made my way through more impediments than twenty times your stop but o vain boast who can control his fate tis not so now be not afraid though you do see me weapon'd here is my journey's end here is my butt and very seamark of my utmost sail do you go back dismay'd tis a lost fear man but a rush against othello's breast and he retires where should othello go now how dost thou look now o illstarr'd wench pale as thy smock when we shall meet at compt this look of thine will hurl my soul from heaven and fiends will snatch at it cold cold my girl even like thy chastity o cursed slave whip me ye devils from the possession of this heavenly sight blow me about in winds roast me in sulphur wash me in steepdown gulfs of liquid fire o desdemona desdemona dead oh oh oh enter lodovico montano cassio carried in a chair and officers with iago prisoner lodovico where is this rash and most unfortunate man othello that's he that was othello here i am lodovico where is that viper bring the villain forth othello i look down towards his feet but that's a fable if that thou best a devil i cannot kill thee wounds iago lodovico wrench his sword from him iago i bleed sir but not kill'd othello i am not sorry neither i'ld have thee live for in my sense tis happiness to die lodovico o thou othello thou wert once so good fall'n in the practise of a damned slave what shall be said to thee othello why any thing an honourable murderer if you will for nought i did in hate but all in honour lodovico this wretch hath part confess'd his villany did you and he consent in cassio's death othello ay cassio dear general i never gave you cause othello i do believe it and i ask your pardon will you i pray demand that demidevil why he hath thus ensnared my soul and body iago demand me nothing what you know you know from this time forth i never will speak word lodovico what not to pray gratiano torments will ope your lips othello well thou dost best lodovico sir you shall understand what hath befall'n which as i think you know not here is a letter found in the pocket of the slain roderigo and here another the one of them imports the death of cassio to be undertook by roderigo othello o villain cassio most heathenish and most gross lodovico now here's another discontented paper found in his pocket too and this it seems roderigo meant to have sent this damned villain but that belike iago in the interim came in and satisfied him othello o the pernicious caitiff how came you cassio by that handkerchief that was my wife's cassio i found it in my chamber and he himself confess'd but even now that there he dropp'd it for a special purpose which wrought to his desire othello o fool fool fool cassio there is besides in roderigo's letter how he upbraids iago that he made him brave me upon the watch whereon it came that i was cast and even but now he spake after long seeming dead iago hurt him iago set him on lodovico you must forsake this room and go with us your power and your command is taken off and cassio rules in cyprus for this slave if there be any cunning cruelty that can torment him much and hold him long it shall be his you shall close prisoner rest till that the nature of your fault be known to the venetian state come bring him away othello soft you a word or two before you go i have done the state some service and they know't no more of that i pray you in your letters when you shall these unlucky deeds relate speak of me as i am nothing extenuate nor set down aught in malice then must you speak of one that loved not wisely but too well of one not easily jealous but being wrought perplex'd in the extreme of one whose hand like the base indian threw a pearl away richer than all his tribe of one whose subdued eyes albeit unused to the melting mood drop tears as fast as the arabian trees their medicinal gum set you down this and say besides that in aleppo once where a malignant and a turban'd turk beat a venetian and traduced the state i took by the throat the circumcised dog and smote him thus stabs himself lodovico o bloody period gratiano all that's spoke is marr'd othello i kiss'd thee ere i kill'd thee no way but this killing myself to die upon a kiss falls on the bed and dies cassio this did i fear but thought he had no weapon for he was great of heart lodovico to iago o spartan dog more fell than anguish hunger or the sea look on the tragic loading of this bed this is thy work the object poisons sight let it be hid gratiano keep the house and seize upon the fortunes of the moor for they succeed on you to you lord governor remains the censure of this hellish villain the time the place the torture o enforce it myself will straight aboard and to the state this heavy act with heavy heart relate exeunt romeo and juliet dramatis personae escalus prince of verona prince paris a young nobleman kinsman to the prince montague heads of two houses at variance with each other capulet an old man cousin to capulet second capulet romeo son to montague mercutio kinsman to the prince and friend to romeo benvolio nephew to montague and friend to romeo tybalt nephew to lady capulet friar laurence franciscans friar john balthasar servant to romeo sampson servants to capulet gregory peter servant to juliet's nurse abraham servant to montague an apothecary apothecary three musicians first musician second musician third musician page to paris page another page an officer lady montague wife to montague lady capulet wife to capulet juliet daughter to capulet nurse to juliet nurse citizens of verona several men and women relations to both houses maskers guards watchmen and attendants first citizen servant first servant second servant first watchman second watchman third watchman chorus scene verona mantua romeo and juliet prologue two households both alike in dignity in fair verona where we lay our scene from ancient grudge break to new mutiny where civil blood makes civil hands unclean from forth the fatal loins of these two foes a pair of starcross'd lovers take their life whole misadventured piteous overthrows do with their death bury their parents strife the fearful passage of their deathmark'd love and the continuance of their parents rage which but their children's end nought could remove is now the two hours traffic of our stage the which if you with patient ears attend what here shall miss our toil shall strive to mend romeo and juliet act i scene i verona a public place enter sampson and gregory of the house of capulet armed with swords and bucklers sampson gregory o my word we'll not carry coals gregory no for then we should be colliers sampson i mean an we be in choler we'll draw gregory ay while you live draw your neck out o the collar sampson i strike quickly being moved gregory but thou art not quickly moved to strike sampson a dog of the house of montague moves me gregory to move is to stir and to be valiant is to stand therefore if thou art moved thou runn'st away sampson a dog of that house shall move me to stand i will take the wall of any man or maid of montague's gregory that shows thee a weak slave for the weakest goes to the wall sampson true and therefore women being the weaker vessels are ever thrust to the wall therefore i will push montague's men from the wall and thrust his maids to the wall gregory the quarrel is between our masters and us their men sampson tis all one i will show myself a tyrant when i have fought with the men i will be cruel with the maids and cut off their heads gregory the heads of the maids sampson ay the heads of the maids or their maidenheads take it in what sense thou wilt gregory they must take it in sense that feel it sampson me they shall feel while i am able to stand and tis known i am a pretty piece of flesh gregory tis well thou art not fish if thou hadst thou hadst been poor john draw thy tool here comes two of the house of the montagues sampson my naked weapon is out quarrel i will back thee gregory how turn thy back and run sampson fear me not gregory no marry i fear thee sampson let us take the law of our sides let them begin gregory i will frown as i pass by and let them take it as they list sampson nay as they dare i will bite my thumb at them which is a disgrace to them if they bear it enter abraham and balthasar abraham do you bite your thumb at us sir sampson i do bite my thumb sir abraham do you bite your thumb at us sir sampson aside to gregory is the law of our side if i say ay gregory no sampson no sir i do not bite my thumb at you sir but i bite my thumb sir gregory do you quarrel sir abraham quarrel sir no sir sampson if you do sir i am for you i serve as good a man as you abraham no better sampson well sir gregory say better here comes one of my master's kinsmen sampson yes better sir abraham you lie sampson draw if you be men gregory remember thy swashing blow they fight enter benvolio benvolio part fools put up your swords you know not what you do beats down their swords enter tybalt tybalt what art thou drawn among these heartless hinds turn thee benvolio look upon thy death benvolio i do but keep the peace put up thy sword or manage it to part these men with me tybalt what drawn and talk of peace i hate the word as i hate hell all montagues and thee have at thee coward they fight enter several of both houses who join the fray then enter citizens with clubs first citizen clubs bills and partisans strike beat them down down with the capulets down with the montagues enter capulet in his gown and lady capulet capulet what noise is this give me my long sword ho lady capulet a crutch a crutch why call you for a sword capulet my sword i say old montague is come and flourishes his blade in spite of me enter montague and lady montague montague thou villain capulethold me not let me go lady montague thou shalt not stir a foot to seek a foe enter prince with attendants prince rebellious subjects enemies to peace profaners of this neighbourstained steel will they not hear what ho you men you beasts that quench the fire of your pernicious rage with purple fountains issuing from your veins on pain of torture from those bloody hands throw your mistemper'd weapons to the ground and hear the sentence of your moved prince three civil brawls bred of an airy word by thee old capulet and montague have thrice disturb'd the quiet of our streets and made verona's ancient citizens cast by their grave beseeming ornaments to wield old partisans in hands as old canker'd with peace to part your canker'd hate if ever you disturb our streets again your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace for this time all the rest depart away you capulet shall go along with me and montague come you this afternoon to know our further pleasure in this case to old freetown our common judgmentplace once more on pain of death all men depart exeunt all but montague lady montague and benvolio montague who set this ancient quarrel new abroach speak nephew were you by when it began benvolio here were the servants of your adversary and yours close fighting ere i did approach i drew to part them in the instant came the fiery tybalt with his sword prepared which as he breathed defiance to my ears he swung about his head and cut the winds who nothing hurt withal hiss'd him in scorn while we were interchanging thrusts and blows came more and more and fought on part and part till the prince came who parted either part lady montague o where is romeo saw you him today right glad i am he was not at this fray benvolio madam an hour before the worshipp'd sun peer'd forth the golden window of the east a troubled mind drave me to walk abroad where underneath the grove of sycamore that westward rooteth from the city's side so early walking did i see your son towards him i made but he was ware of me and stole into the covert of the wood i measuring his affections by my own that most are busied when they're most alone pursued my humour not pursuing his and gladly shunn'd who gladly fled from me montague many a morning hath he there been seen with tears augmenting the fresh morning dew adding to clouds more clouds with his deep sighs but all so soon as the allcheering sun should in the furthest east begin to draw the shady curtains from aurora's bed away from the light steals home my heavy son and private in his chamber pens himself shuts up his windows locks far daylight out and makes himself an artificial night black and portentous must this humour prove unless good counsel may the cause remove benvolio my noble uncle do you know the cause montague i neither know it nor can learn of him benvolio have you importuned him by any means montague both by myself and many other friends but he his own affections counsellor is to himselfi will not say how true but to himself so secret and so close so far from sounding and discovery as is the bud bit with an envious worm ere he can spread his sweet leaves to the air or dedicate his beauty to the sun could we but learn from whence his sorrows grow we would as willingly give cure as know enter romeo benvolio see where he comes so please you step aside i'll know his grievance or be much denied montague i would thou wert so happy by thy stay to hear true shrift come madam let's away exeunt montague and lady montague benvolio goodmorrow cousin romeo is the day so young benvolio but new struck nine romeo ay me sad hours seem long was that my father that went hence so fast benvolio it was what sadness lengthens romeo's hours romeo not having that which having makes them short benvolio in love romeo out benvolio of love romeo out of her favour where i am in love benvolio alas that love so gentle in his view should be so tyrannous and rough in proof romeo alas that love whose view is muffled still should without eyes see pathways to his will where shall we dine o me what fray was here yet tell me not for i have heard it all here's much to do with hate but more with love why then o brawling love o loving hate o any thing of nothing first create o heavy lightness serious vanity misshapen chaos of wellseeming forms feather of lead bright smoke cold fire sick health stillwaking sleep that is not what it is this love feel i that feel no love in this dost thou not laugh benvolio no coz i rather weep romeo good heart at what benvolio at thy good heart's oppression romeo why such is love's transgression griefs of mine own lie heavy in my breast which thou wilt propagate to have it prest with more of thine this love that thou hast shown doth add more grief to too much of mine own love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs being purged a fire sparkling in lovers eyes being vex'd a sea nourish'd with lovers tears what is it else a madness most discreet a choking gall and a preserving sweet farewell my coz benvolio soft i will go along an if you leave me so you do me wrong romeo tut i have lost myself i am not here this is not romeo he's some other where benvolio tell me in sadness who is that you love romeo what shall i groan and tell thee benvolio groan why no but sadly tell me who romeo bid a sick man in sadness make his will ah word ill urged to one that is so ill in sadness cousin i do love a woman benvolio i aim'd so near when i supposed you loved romeo a right good markman and she's fair i love benvolio a right fair mark fair coz is soonest hit romeo well in that hit you miss she'll not be hit with cupid's arrow she hath dian's wit and in strong proof of chastity well arm'd from love's weak childish bow she lives unharm'd she will not stay the siege of loving terms nor bide the encounter of assailing eyes nor ope her lap to saintseducing gold o she is rich in beauty only poor that when she dies with beauty dies her store benvolio then she hath sworn that she will still live chaste romeo she hath and in that sparing makes huge waste for beauty starved with her severity cuts beauty off from all posterity she is too fair too wise wisely too fair to merit bliss by making me despair she hath forsworn to love and in that vow do i live dead that live to tell it now benvolio be ruled by me forget to think of her romeo o teach me how i should forget to think benvolio by giving liberty unto thine eyes examine other beauties romeo tis the way to call hers exquisite in question more these happy masks that kiss fair ladies brows being black put us in mind they hide the fair he that is strucken blind cannot forget the precious treasure of his eyesight lost show me a mistress that is passing fair what doth her beauty serve but as a note where i may read who pass'd that passing fair farewell thou canst not teach me to forget benvolio i'll pay that doctrine or else die in debt exeunt romeo and juliet act i scene ii a street enter capulet paris and servant capulet but montague is bound as well as i in penalty alike and tis not hard i think for men so old as we to keep the peace paris of honourable reckoning are you both and pity tis you lived at odds so long but now my lord what say you to my suit capulet but saying o'er what i have said before my child is yet a stranger in the world she hath not seen the change of fourteen years let two more summers wither in their pride ere we may think her ripe to be a bride paris younger than she are happy mothers made capulet and too soon marr'd are those so early made the earth hath swallow'd all my hopes but she she is the hopeful lady of my earth but woo her gentle paris get her heart my will to her consent is but a part an she agree within her scope of choice lies my consent and fair according voice this night i hold an old accustom'd feast whereto i have invited many a guest such as i love and you among the store one more most welcome makes my number more at my poor house look to behold this night earthtreading stars that make dark heaven light such comfort as do lusty young men feel when wellapparell'd april on the heel of limping winter treads even such delight among fresh female buds shall you this night inherit at my house hear all all see and like her most whose merit most shall be which on more view of many mine being one may stand in number though in reckoning none come go with me to servant giving a paper go sirrah trudge about through fair verona find those persons out whose names are written there and to them say my house and welcome on their pleasure stay exeunt capulet and paris servant find them out whose names are written here it is written that the shoemaker should meddle with his yard and the tailor with his last the fisher with his pencil and the painter with his nets but i am sent to find those persons whose names are here writ and can never find what names the writing person hath here writ i must to the learnedin good time enter benvolio and romeo benvolio tut man one fire burns out another's burning one pain is lessen'd by another's anguish turn giddy and be holp by backward turning one desperate grief cures with another's languish take thou some new infection to thy eye and the rank poison of the old will die romeo your plaintainleaf is excellent for that benvolio for what i pray thee romeo for your broken shin benvolio why romeo art thou mad romeo not mad but bound more than a madman is shut up in prison kept without my food whipp'd and tormented andgodden good fellow servant god gi godden i pray sir can you read romeo ay mine own fortune in my misery servant perhaps you have learned it without book but i pray can you read any thing you see romeo ay if i know the letters and the language servant ye say honestly rest you merry romeo stay fellow i can read reads signior martino and his wife and daughters county anselme and his beauteous sisters the lady widow of vitravio signior placentio and his lovely nieces mercutio and his brother valentine mine uncle capulet his wife and daughters my fair niece rosaline livia signior valentio and his cousin tybalt lucio and the lively helena a fair assembly whither should they come servant up romeo whither servant to supper to our house romeo whose house servant my master's romeo indeed i should have ask'd you that before servant now i'll tell you without asking my master is the great rich capulet and if you be not of the house of montagues i pray come and crush a cup of wine rest you merry exit benvolio at this same ancient feast of capulet's sups the fair rosaline whom thou so lovest with all the admired beauties of verona go thither and with unattainted eye compare her face with some that i shall show and i will make thee think thy swan a crow romeo when the devout religion of mine eye maintains such falsehood then turn tears to fires and these who often drown'd could never die transparent heretics be burnt for liars one fairer than my love the allseeing sun ne'er saw her match since first the world begun benvolio tut you saw her fair none else being by herself poised with herself in either eye but in that crystal scales let there be weigh'd your lady's love against some other maid that i will show you shining at this feast and she shall scant show well that now shows best romeo i'll go along no such sight to be shown but to rejoice in splendor of mine own exeunt romeo and juliet act i scene iii a room in capulet's house enter lady capulet and nurse lady capulet nurse where's my daughter call her forth to me nurse now by my maidenhead at twelve year old i bade her come what lamb what ladybird god forbid where's this girl what juliet enter juliet juliet how now who calls nurse your mother juliet madam i am here what is your will lady capulet this is the matternurse give leave awhile we must talk in secretnurse come back again i have remember'd me thou's hear our counsel thou know'st my daughter's of a pretty age nurse faith i can tell her age unto an hour lady capulet she's not fourteen nurse i'll lay fourteen of my teeth and yet to my teeth be it spoken i have but four she is not fourteen how long is it now to lammastide lady capulet a fortnight and odd days nurse even or odd of all days in the year come lammaseve at night shall she be fourteen susan and shegod rest all christian souls were of an age well susan is with god she was too good for me but as i said on lammaseve at night shall she be fourteen that shall she marry i remember it well tis since the earthquake now eleven years and she was wean'di never shall forget it of all the days of the year upon that day for i had then laid wormwood to my dug sitting in the sun under the dovehouse wall my lord and you were then at mantua nay i do bear a brainbut as i said when it did taste the wormwood on the nipple of my dug and felt it bitter pretty fool to see it tetchy and fall out with the dug shake quoth the dovehouse twas no need i trow to bid me trudge and since that time it is eleven years for then she could stand alone nay by the rood she could have run and waddled all about for even the day before she broke her brow and then my husbandgod be with his soul a was a merry mantook up the child yea quoth he dost thou fall upon thy face thou wilt fall backward when thou hast more wit wilt thou not jule and by my holidame the pretty wretch left crying and said ay' to see now how a jest shall come about i warrant an i should live a thousand years i never should forget it wilt thou not jule quoth he and pretty fool it stinted and said ay' lady capulet enough of this i pray thee hold thy peace nurse yes madam yet i cannot choose but laugh to think it should leave crying and say ay' and yet i warrant it had upon its brow a bump as big as a young cockerel's stone a parlous knock and it cried bitterly yea quoth my husband'fall'st upon thy face thou wilt fall backward when thou comest to age wilt thou not jule it stinted and said ay' juliet and stint thou too i pray thee nurse say i nurse peace i have done god mark thee to his grace thou wast the prettiest babe that e'er i nursed an i might live to see thee married once i have my wish lady capulet marry that marry is the very theme i came to talk of tell me daughter juliet how stands your disposition to be married juliet it is an honour that i dream not of nurse an honour were not i thine only nurse i would say thou hadst suck'd wisdom from thy teat lady capulet well think of marriage now younger than you here in verona ladies of esteem are made already mothers by my count i was your mother much upon these years that you are now a maid thus then in brief the valiant paris seeks you for his love nurse a man young lady lady such a man as all the worldwhy he's a man of wax lady capulet verona's summer hath not such a flower nurse nay he's a flower in faith a very flower lady capulet what say you can you love the gentleman this night you shall behold him at our feast read o'er the volume of young paris face and find delight writ there with beauty's pen examine every married lineament and see how one another lends content and what obscured in this fair volume lies find written in the margent of his eyes this precious book of love this unbound lover to beautify him only lacks a cover the fish lives in the sea and tis much pride for fair without the fair within to hide that book in many's eyes doth share the glory that in gold clasps locks in the golden story so shall you share all that he doth possess by having him making yourself no less nurse no less nay bigger women grow by men lady capulet speak briefly can you like of paris love juliet i'll look to like if looking liking move but no more deep will i endart mine eye than your consent gives strength to make it fly enter a servant servant madam the guests are come supper served up you called my young lady asked for the nurse cursed in the pantry and every thing in extremity i must hence to wait i beseech you follow straight lady capulet we follow thee exit servant juliet the county stays nurse go girl seek happy nights to happy days exeunt romeo and juliet act i scene iv a street enter romeo mercutio benvolio with five or six maskers torchbearers and others romeo what shall this speech be spoke for our excuse or shall we on without a apology benvolio the date is out of such prolixity we'll have no cupid hoodwink'd with a scarf bearing a tartar's painted bow of lath scaring the ladies like a crowkeeper nor no withoutbook prologue faintly spoke after the prompter for our entrance but let them measure us by what they will we'll measure them a measure and be gone romeo give me a torch i am not for this ambling being but heavy i will bear the light mercutio nay gentle romeo we must have you dance romeo not i believe me you have dancing shoes with nimble soles i have a soul of lead so stakes me to the ground i cannot move mercutio you are a lover borrow cupid's wings and soar with them above a common bound romeo i am too sore enpierced with his shaft to soar with his light feathers and so bound i cannot bound a pitch above dull woe under love's heavy burden do i sink mercutio and to sink in it should you burden love too great oppression for a tender thing romeo is love a tender thing it is too rough too rude too boisterous and it pricks like thorn mercutio if love be rough with you be rough with love prick love for pricking and you beat love down give me a case to put my visage in a visor for a visor what care i what curious eye doth quote deformities here are the beetle brows shall blush for me benvolio come knock and enter and no sooner in but every man betake him to his legs romeo a torch for me let wantons light of heart tickle the senseless rushes with their heels for i am proverb'd with a grandsire phrase i'll be a candleholder and look on the game was ne'er so fair and i am done mercutio tut dun's the mouse the constable's own word if thou art dun we'll draw thee from the mire of this sirreverence love wherein thou stick'st up to the ears come we burn daylight ho romeo nay that's not so mercutio i mean sir in delay we waste our lights in vain like lamps by day take our good meaning for our judgment sits five times in that ere once in our five wits romeo and we mean well in going to this mask but tis no wit to go mercutio why may one ask romeo i dream'd a dream tonight mercutio and so did i romeo well what was yours mercutio that dreamers often lie romeo in bed asleep while they do dream things true mercutio o then i see queen mab hath been with you she is the fairies midwife and she comes in shape no bigger than an agatestone on the forefinger of an alderman drawn with a team of little atomies athwart men's noses as they lie asleep her wagonspokes made of long spiders legs the cover of the wings of grasshoppers the traces of the smallest spider's web the collars of the moonshine's watery beams her whip of cricket's bone the lash of film her wagoner a small greycoated gnat not so big as a round little worm prick'd from the lazy finger of a maid her chariot is an empty hazelnut made by the joiner squirrel or old grub time out o mind the fairies coachmakers and in this state she gallops night by night through lovers brains and then they dream of love o'er courtiers knees that dream on court'sies straight o'er lawyers fingers who straight dream on fees o'er ladies lips who straight on kisses dream which oft the angry mab with blisters plagues because their breaths with sweetmeats tainted are sometime she gallops o'er a courtier's nose and then dreams he of smelling out a suit and sometime comes she with a tithepig's tail tickling a parson's nose as a lies asleep then dreams he of another benefice sometime she driveth o'er a soldier's neck and then dreams he of cutting foreign throats of breaches ambuscadoes spanish blades of healths fivefathom deep and then anon drums in his ear at which he starts and wakes and being thus frighted swears a prayer or two and sleeps again this is that very mab that plats the manes of horses in the night and bakes the elflocks in foul sluttish hairs which once untangled much misfortune bodes this is the hag when maids lie on their backs that presses them and learns them first to bear making them women of good carriage this is she romeo peace peace mercutio peace thou talk'st of nothing mercutio true i talk of dreams which are the children of an idle brain begot of nothing but vain fantasy which is as thin of substance as the air and more inconstant than the wind who wooes even now the frozen bosom of the north and being anger'd puffs away from thence turning his face to the dewdropping south benvolio this wind you talk of blows us from ourselves supper is done and we shall come too late romeo i fear too early for my mind misgives some consequence yet hanging in the stars shall bitterly begin his fearful date with this night's revels and expire the term of a despised life closed in my breast by some vile forfeit of untimely death but he that hath the steerage of my course direct my sail on lusty gentlemen benvolio strike drum exeunt romeo and juliet act i scene v a hall in capulet's house musicians waiting enter servingmen with napkins first servant where's potpan that he helps not to take away he shift a trencher he scrape a trencher second servant when good manners shall lie all in one or two men's hands and they unwashed too tis a foul thing first servant away with the jointstools remove the courtcupboard look to the plate good thou save me a piece of marchpane and as thou lovest me let the porter let in susan grindstone and nell antony and potpan second servant ay boy ready first servant you are looked for and called for asked for and sought for in the great chamber second servant we cannot be here and there too cheerly boys be brisk awhile and the longer liver take all enter capulet with juliet and others of his house meeting the guests and maskers capulet welcome gentlemen ladies that have their toes unplagued with corns will have a bout with you ah ha my mistresses which of you all will now deny to dance she that makes dainty she i'll swear hath corns am i come near ye now welcome gentlemen i have seen the day that i have worn a visor and could tell a whispering tale in a fair lady's ear such as would please tis gone tis gone tis gone you are welcome gentlemen come musicians play a hall a hall give room and foot it girls music plays and they dance more light you knaves and turn the tables up and quench the fire the room is grown too hot ah sirrah this unlook'dfor sport comes well nay sit nay sit good cousin capulet for you and i are past our dancing days how long is't now since last yourself and i were in a mask second capulet by'r lady thirty years capulet what man tis not so much tis not so much tis since the nuptials of lucentio come pentecost as quickly as it will some five and twenty years and then we mask'd second capulet tis more tis more his son is elder sir his son is thirty capulet will you tell me that his son was but a ward two years ago romeo to a servingman what lady is that which doth enrich the hand of yonder knight servant i know not sir romeo o she doth teach the torches to burn bright it seems she hangs upon the cheek of night like a rich jewel in an ethiope's ear beauty too rich for use for earth too dear so shows a snowy dove trooping with crows as yonder lady o'er her fellows shows the measure done i'll watch her place of stand and touching hers make blessed my rude hand did my heart love till now forswear it sight for i ne'er saw true beauty till this night tybalt this by his voice should be a montague fetch me my rapier boy what dares the slave come hither cover'd with an antic face to fleer and scorn at our solemnity now by the stock and honour of my kin to strike him dead i hold it not a sin capulet why how now kinsman wherefore storm you so tybalt uncle this is a montague our foe a villain that is hither come in spite to scorn at our solemnity this night capulet young romeo is it tybalt tis he that villain romeo capulet content thee gentle coz let him alone he bears him like a portly gentleman and to say truth verona brags of him to be a virtuous and wellgovern'd youth i would not for the wealth of all the town here in my house do him disparagement therefore be patient take no note of him it is my will the which if thou respect show a fair presence and put off these frowns and illbeseeming semblance for a feast tybalt it fits when such a villain is a guest i'll not endure him capulet he shall be endured what goodman boy i say he shall go to am i the master here or you go to you'll not endure him god shall mend my soul you'll make a mutiny among my guests you will set cockahoop you'll be the man tybalt why uncle tis a shame capulet go to go to you are a saucy boy is't so indeed this trick may chance to scathe you i know what you must contrary me marry tis time well said my hearts you are a princox go be quiet ormore light more light for shame i'll make you quiet what cheerly my hearts tybalt patience perforce with wilful choler meeting makes my flesh tremble in their different greeting i will withdraw but this intrusion shall now seeming sweet convert to bitter gall exit romeo to juliet if i profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine the gentle fine is this my lips two blushing pilgrims ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss juliet good pilgrim you do wrong your hand too much which mannerly devotion shows in this for saints have hands that pilgrims hands do touch and palm to palm is holy palmers kiss romeo have not saints lips and holy palmers too juliet ay pilgrim lips that they must use in prayer romeo o then dear saint let lips do what hands do they pray grant thou lest faith turn to despair juliet saints do not move though grant for prayers sake romeo then move not while my prayer's effect i take thus from my lips by yours my sin is purged juliet then have my lips the sin that they have took romeo sin from thy lips o trespass sweetly urged give me my sin again juliet you kiss by the book nurse madam your mother craves a word with you romeo what is her mother nurse marry bachelor her mother is the lady of the house and a good lady and a wise and virtuous i nursed her daughter that you talk'd withal i tell you he that can lay hold of her shall have the chinks romeo is she a capulet o dear account my life is my foe's debt benvolio away begone the sport is at the best romeo ay so i fear the more is my unrest capulet nay gentlemen prepare not to be gone we have a trifling foolish banquet towards is it e'en so why then i thank you all i thank you honest gentlemen good night more torches here come on then let's to bed ah sirrah by my fay it waxes late i'll to my rest exeunt all but juliet and nurse juliet come hither nurse what is yond gentleman nurse the son and heir of old tiberio juliet what's he that now is going out of door nurse marry that i think be young petrucio juliet what's he that follows there that would not dance nurse i know not juliet go ask his name if he be married my grave is like to be my wedding bed nurse his name is romeo and a montague the only son of your great enemy juliet my only love sprung from my only hate too early seen unknown and known too late prodigious birth of love it is to me that i must love a loathed enemy nurse what's this what's this juliet a rhyme i learn'd even now of one i danced withal one calls within juliet' nurse anon anon come let's away the strangers all are gone exeunt romeo and juliet act ii prologue enter chorus chorus now old desire doth in his deathbed lie and young affection gapes to be his heir that fair for which love groan'd for and would die with tender juliet match'd is now not fair now romeo is beloved and loves again alike betwitched by the charm of looks but to his foe supposed he must complain and she steal love's sweet bait from fearful hooks being held a foe he may not have access to breathe such vows as lovers use to swear and she as much in love her means much less to meet her newbeloved any where but passion lends them power time means to meet tempering extremities with extreme sweet exit romeo and juliet act ii scene i a lane by the wall of capulet's orchard enter romeo romeo can i go forward when my heart is here turn back dull earth and find thy centre out he climbs the wall and leaps down within it enter benvolio and mercutio benvolio romeo my cousin romeo mercutio he is wise and on my lie hath stol'n him home to bed benvolio he ran this way and leap'd this orchard wall call good mercutio mercutio nay i'll conjure too romeo humours madman passion lover appear thou in the likeness of a sigh speak but one rhyme and i am satisfied cry but ay me pronounce but love and dove' speak to my gossip venus one fair word one nickname for her purblind son and heir young adam cupid he that shot so trim when king cophetua loved the beggarmaid he heareth not he stirreth not he moveth not the ape is dead and i must conjure him i conjure thee by rosaline's bright eyes by her high forehead and her scarlet lip by her fine foot straight leg and quivering thigh and the demesnes that there adjacent lie that in thy likeness thou appear to us benvolio and if he hear thee thou wilt anger him mercutio this cannot anger him twould anger him to raise a spirit in his mistress circle of some strange nature letting it there stand till she had laid it and conjured it down that were some spite my invocation is fair and honest and in his mistress name i conjure only but to raise up him benvolio come he hath hid himself among these trees to be consorted with the humorous night blind is his love and best befits the dark mercutio if love be blind love cannot hit the mark now will he sit under a medlar tree and wish his mistress were that kind of fruit as maids call medlars when they laugh alone romeo that she were o that she were an open et caetera thou a poperin pear romeo good night i'll to my trucklebed this fieldbed is too cold for me to sleep come shall we go benvolio go then for tis in vain to seek him here that means not to be found exeunt romeo and juliet act ii scene ii capulet's orchard enter romeo romeo he jests at scars that never felt a wound juliet appears above at a window but soft what light through yonder window breaks it is the east and juliet is the sun arise fair sun and kill the envious moon who is already sick and pale with grief that thou her maid art far more fair than she be not her maid since she is envious her vestal livery is but sick and green and none but fools do wear it cast it off it is my lady o it is my love o that she knew she were she speaks yet she says nothing what of that her eye discourses i will answer it i am too bold tis not to me she speaks two of the fairest stars in all the heaven having some business do entreat her eyes to twinkle in their spheres till they return what if her eyes were there they in her head the brightness of her cheek would shame those stars as daylight doth a lamp her eyes in heaven would through the airy region stream so bright that birds would sing and think it were not night see how she leans her cheek upon her hand o that i were a glove upon that hand that i might touch that cheek juliet ay me romeo she speaks o speak again bright angel for thou art as glorious to this night being o'er my head as is a winged messenger of heaven unto the whiteupturned wondering eyes of mortals that fall back to gaze on him when he bestrides the lazypacing clouds and sails upon the bosom of the air juliet o romeo romeo wherefore art thou romeo deny thy father and refuse thy name or if thou wilt not be but sworn my love and i'll no longer be a capulet romeo aside shall i hear more or shall i speak at this juliet tis but thy name that is my enemy thou art thyself though not a montague what's montague it is nor hand nor foot nor arm nor face nor any other part belonging to a man o be some other name what's in a name that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet so romeo would were he not romeo call'd retain that dear perfection which he owes without that title romeo doff thy name and for that name which is no part of thee take all myself romeo i take thee at thy word call me but love and i'll be new baptized henceforth i never will be romeo juliet what man art thou that thus bescreen'd in night so stumblest on my counsel romeo by a name i know not how to tell thee who i am my name dear saint is hateful to myself because it is an enemy to thee had i it written i would tear the word juliet my ears have not yet drunk a hundred words of that tongue's utterance yet i know the sound art thou not romeo and a montague romeo neither fair saint if either thee dislike juliet how camest thou hither tell me and wherefore the orchard walls are high and hard to climb and the place death considering who thou art if any of my kinsmen find thee here romeo with love's light wings did i o'erperch these walls for stony limits cannot hold love out and what love can do that dares love attempt therefore thy kinsmen are no let to me juliet if they do see thee they will murder thee romeo alack there lies more peril in thine eye than twenty of their swords look thou but sweet and i am proof against their enmity juliet i would not for the world they saw thee here romeo i have night's cloak to hide me from their sight and but thou love me let them find me here my life were better ended by their hate than death prorogued wanting of thy love juliet by whose direction found'st thou out this place romeo by love who first did prompt me to inquire he lent me counsel and i lent him eyes i am no pilot yet wert thou as far as that vast shore wash'd with the farthest sea i would adventure for such merchandise juliet thou know'st the mask of night is on my face else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek for that which thou hast heard me speak tonight fain would i dwell on form fain fain deny what i have spoke but farewell compliment dost thou love me i know thou wilt say ay' and i will take thy word yet if thou swear'st thou mayst prove false at lovers perjuries then say jove laughs o gentle romeo if thou dost love pronounce it faithfully or if thou think'st i am too quickly won i'll frown and be perverse an say thee nay so thou wilt woo but else not for the world in truth fair montague i am too fond and therefore thou mayst think my havior light but trust me gentleman i'll prove more true than those that have more cunning to be strange i should have been more strange i must confess but that thou overheard'st ere i was ware my true love's passion therefore pardon me and not impute this yielding to light love which the dark night hath so discovered romeo lady by yonder blessed moon i swear that tips with silver all these fruittree tops juliet o swear not by the moon the inconstant moon that monthly changes in her circled orb lest that thy love prove likewise variable romeo what shall i swear by juliet do not swear at all or if thou wilt swear by thy gracious self which is the god of my idolatry and i'll believe thee romeo if my heart's dear love juliet well do not swear although i joy in thee i have no joy of this contract tonight it is too rash too unadvised too sudden too like the lightning which doth cease to be ere one can say it lightens sweet good night this bud of love by summer's ripening breath may prove a beauteous flower when next we meet good night good night as sweet repose and rest come to thy heart as that within my breast romeo o wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied juliet what satisfaction canst thou have tonight romeo the exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine juliet i gave thee mine before thou didst request it and yet i would it were to give again romeo wouldst thou withdraw it for what purpose love juliet but to be frank and give it thee again and yet i wish but for the thing i have my bounty is as boundless as the sea my love as deep the more i give to thee the more i have for both are infinite nurse calls within i hear some noise within dear love adieu anon good nurse sweet montague be true stay but a little i will come again exit above romeo o blessed blessed night i am afeard being in night all this is but a dream too flatteringsweet to be substantial reenter juliet above juliet three words dear romeo and good night indeed if that thy bent of love be honourable thy purpose marriage send me word tomorrow by one that i'll procure to come to thee where and what time thou wilt perform the rite and all my fortunes at thy foot i'll lay and follow thee my lord throughout the world nurse within madam juliet i come anonbut if thou mean'st not well i do beseech thee nurse within madam juliet by and by i come to cease thy suit and leave me to my grief tomorrow will i send romeo so thrive my soul juliet a thousand times good night exit above romeo a thousand times the worse to want thy light love goes toward love as schoolboys from their books but love from love toward school with heavy looks retiring reenter juliet above juliet hist romeo hist o for a falconer's voice to lure this tasselgentle back again bondage is hoarse and may not speak aloud else would i tear the cave where echo lies and make her airy tongue more hoarse than mine with repetition of my romeo's name romeo it is my soul that calls upon my name how silversweet sound lovers tongues by night like softest music to attending ears juliet romeo romeo my dear juliet at what o'clock tomorrow shall i send to thee romeo at the hour of nine juliet i will not fail tis twenty years till then i have forgot why i did call thee back romeo let me stand here till thou remember it juliet i shall forget to have thee still stand there remembering how i love thy company romeo and i'll still stay to have thee still forget forgetting any other home but this juliet tis almost morning i would have thee gone and yet no further than a wanton's bird who lets it hop a little from her hand like a poor prisoner in his twisted gyves and with a silk thread plucks it back again so lovingjealous of his liberty romeo i would i were thy bird juliet sweet so would i yet i should kill thee with much cherishing good night good night parting is such sweet sorrow that i shall say good night till it be morrow exit above romeo sleep dwell upon thine eyes peace in thy breast would i were sleep and peace so sweet to rest hence will i to my ghostly father's cell his help to crave and my dear hap to tell exit romeo and juliet act ii scene iii friar laurence's cell enter friar laurence with a basket friar laurence the greyeyed morn smiles on the frowning night chequering the eastern clouds with streaks of light and flecked darkness like a drunkard reels from forth day's path and titan's fiery wheels now ere the sun advance his burning eye the day to cheer and night's dank dew to dry i must upfill this osier cage of ours with baleful weeds and preciousjuiced flowers the earth that's nature's mother is her tomb what is her burying grave that is her womb and from her womb children of divers kind we sucking on her natural bosom find many for many virtues excellent none but for some and yet all different o mickle is the powerful grace that lies in herbs plants stones and their true qualities for nought so vile that on the earth doth live but to the earth some special good doth give nor aught so good but strain'd from that fair use revolts from true birth stumbling on abuse virtue itself turns vice being misapplied and vice sometimes by action dignified within the infant rind of this small flower poison hath residence and medicine power for this being smelt with that part cheers each part being tasted slays all senses with the heart two such opposed kings encamp them still in man as well as herbs grace and rude will and where the worser is predominant full soon the canker death eats up that plant enter romeo romeo good morrow father friar laurence benedicite what early tongue so sweet saluteth me young son it argues a distemper'd head so soon to bid good morrow to thy bed care keeps his watch in every old man's eye and where care lodges sleep will never lie but where unbruised youth with unstuff'd brain doth couch his limbs there golden sleep doth reign therefore thy earliness doth me assure thou art uproused by some distemperature or if not so then here i hit it right our romeo hath not been in bed tonight romeo that last is true the sweeter rest was mine friar laurence god pardon sin wast thou with rosaline romeo with rosaline my ghostly father no i have forgot that name and that name's woe friar laurence that's my good son but where hast thou been then romeo i'll tell thee ere thou ask it me again i have been feasting with mine enemy where on a sudden one hath wounded me that's by me wounded both our remedies within thy help and holy physic lies i bear no hatred blessed man for lo my intercession likewise steads my foe friar laurence be plain good son and homely in thy drift riddling confession finds but riddling shrift romeo then plainly know my heart's dear love is set on the fair daughter of rich capulet as mine on hers so hers is set on mine and all combined save what thou must combine by holy marriage when and where and how we met we woo'd and made exchange of vow i'll tell thee as we pass but this i pray that thou consent to marry us today friar laurence holy saint francis what a change is here is rosaline whom thou didst love so dear so soon forsaken young men's love then lies not truly in their hearts but in their eyes jesu maria what a deal of brine hath wash'd thy sallow cheeks for rosaline how much salt water thrown away in waste to season love that of it doth not taste the sun not yet thy sighs from heaven clears thy old groans ring yet in my ancient ears lo here upon thy cheek the stain doth sit of an old tear that is not wash'd off yet if e'er thou wast thyself and these woes thine thou and these woes were all for rosaline and art thou changed pronounce this sentence then women may fall when there's no strength in men romeo thou chid'st me oft for loving rosaline friar laurence for doting not for loving pupil mine romeo and bad'st me bury love friar laurence not in a grave to lay one in another out to have romeo i pray thee chide not she whom i love now doth grace for grace and love for love allow the other did not so friar laurence o she knew well thy love did read by rote and could not spell but come young waverer come go with me in one respect i'll thy assistant be for this alliance may so happy prove to turn your households rancour to pure love romeo o let us hence i stand on sudden haste friar laurence wisely and slow they stumble that run fast exeunt romeo and juliet act ii scene iv a street enter benvolio and mercutio mercutio where the devil should this romeo be came he not home tonight benvolio not to his father's i spoke with his man mercutio ah that same pale hardhearted wench that rosaline torments him so that he will sure run mad benvolio tybalt the kinsman of old capulet hath sent a letter to his father's house mercutio a challenge on my life benvolio romeo will answer it mercutio any man that can write may answer a letter benvolio nay he will answer the letter's master how he dares being dared mercutio alas poor romeo he is already dead stabbed with a white wench's black eye shot through the ear with a lovesong the very pin of his heart cleft with the blind bowboy's buttshaft and is he a man to encounter tybalt benvolio why what is tybalt mercutio more than prince of cats i can tell you o he is the courageous captain of compliments he fights as you sing pricksong keeps time distance and proportion rests me his minim rest one two and the third in your bosom the very butcher of a silk button a duellist a duellist a gentleman of the very first house of the first and second cause ah the immortal passado the punto reverso the hai benvolio the what mercutio the pox of such antic lisping affecting fantasticoes these new tuners of accents by jesu a very good blade a very tall man a very good whore why is not this a lamentable thing grandsire that we should be thus afflicted with these strange flies these fashionmongers these perdonami's who stand so much on the new form that they cannot at ease on the old bench o their bones their bones enter romeo benvolio here comes romeo here comes romeo mercutio without his roe like a dried herring flesh flesh how art thou fishified now is he for the numbers that petrarch flowed in laura to his lady was but a kitchenwench marry she had a better love to berhyme her dido a dowdy cleopatra a gipsy helen and hero hildings and harlots thisbe a grey eye or so but not to the purpose signior romeo bon jour there's a french salutation to your french slop you gave us the counterfeit fairly last night romeo good morrow to you both what counterfeit did i give you mercutio the ship sir the slip can you not conceive romeo pardon good mercutio my business was great and in such a case as mine a man may strain courtesy mercutio that's as much as to say such a case as yours constrains a man to bow in the hams romeo meaning to court'sy mercutio thou hast most kindly hit it romeo a most courteous exposition mercutio nay i am the very pink of courtesy romeo pink for flower mercutio right romeo why then is my pump well flowered mercutio well said follow me this jest now till thou hast worn out thy pump that when the single sole of it is worn the jest may remain after the wearing sole singular romeo o singlesoled jest solely singular for the singleness mercutio come between us good benvolio my wits faint romeo switch and spurs switch and spurs or i'll cry a match mercutio nay if thy wits run the wildgoose chase i have done for thou hast more of the wildgoose in one of thy wits than i am sure i have in my whole five was i with you there for the goose romeo thou wast never with me for any thing when thou wast not there for the goose mercutio i will bite thee by the ear for that jest romeo nay good goose bite not mercutio thy wit is a very bitter sweeting it is a most sharp sauce romeo and is it not well served in to a sweet goose mercutio o here's a wit of cheveril that stretches from an inch narrow to an ell broad romeo i stretch it out for that word broad which added to the goose proves thee far and wide a broad goose mercutio why is not this better now than groaning for love now art thou sociable now art thou romeo now art thou what thou art by art as well as by nature for this drivelling love is like a great natural that runs lolling up and down to hide his bauble in a hole benvolio stop there stop there mercutio thou desirest me to stop in my tale against the hair benvolio thou wouldst else have made thy tale large mercutio o thou art deceived i would have made it short for i was come to the whole depth of my tale and meant indeed to occupy the argument no longer romeo here's goodly gear enter nurse and peter mercutio a sail a sail benvolio two two a shirt and a smock nurse peter peter anon nurse my fan peter mercutio good peter to hide her face for her fan's the fairer face nurse god ye good morrow gentlemen mercutio god ye good den fair gentlewoman nurse is it good den mercutio tis no less i tell you for the bawdy hand of the dial is now upon the prick of noon nurse out upon you what a man are you romeo one gentlewoman that god hath made for himself to mar nurse by my troth it is well said for himself to mar' quoth a gentlemen can any of you tell me where i may find the young romeo romeo i can tell you but young romeo will be older when you have found him than he was when you sought him i am the youngest of that name for fault of a worse nurse you say well mercutio yea is the worst well very well took i faith wisely wisely nurse if you be he sir i desire some confidence with you benvolio she will indite him to some supper mercutio a bawd a bawd a bawd so ho romeo what hast thou found mercutio no hare sir unless a hare sir in a lenten pie that is something stale and hoar ere it be spent sings an old hare hoar and an old hare hoar is very good meat in lent but a hare that is hoar is too much for a score when it hoars ere it be spent romeo will you come to your father's we'll to dinner thither romeo i will follow you mercutio farewell ancient lady farewell singing lady lady lady' exeunt mercutio and benvolio nurse marry farewell i pray you sir what saucy merchant was this that was so full of his ropery romeo a gentleman nurse that loves to hear himself talk and will speak more in a minute than he will stand to in a month nurse an a speak any thing against me i'll take him down an a were lustier than he is and twenty such jacks and if i cannot i'll find those that shall scurvy knave i am none of his flirtgills i am none of his skainsmates and thou must stand by too and suffer every knave to use me at his pleasure peter i saw no man use you a pleasure if i had my weapon should quickly have been out i warrant you i dare draw as soon as another man if i see occasion in a good quarrel and the law on my side nurse now afore god i am so vexed that every part about me quivers scurvy knave pray you sir a word and as i told you my young lady bade me inquire you out what she bade me say i will keep to myself but first let me tell ye if ye should lead her into a fool's paradise as they say it were a very gross kind of behavior as they say for the gentlewoman is young and therefore if you should deal double with her truly it were an ill thing to be offered to any gentlewoman and very weak dealing romeo nurse commend me to thy lady and mistress i protest unto thee nurse good heart and i faith i will tell her as much lord lord she will be a joyful woman romeo what wilt thou tell her nurse thou dost not mark me nurse i will tell her sir that you do protest which as i take it is a gentlemanlike offer romeo bid her devise some means to come to shrift this afternoon and there she shall at friar laurence cell be shrived and married here is for thy pains nurse no truly sir not a penny romeo go to i say you shall nurse this afternoon sir well she shall be there romeo and stay good nurse behind the abbey wall within this hour my man shall be with thee and bring thee cords made like a tackled stair which to the high topgallant of my joy must be my convoy in the secret night farewell be trusty and i'll quit thy pains farewell commend me to thy mistress nurse now god in heaven bless thee hark you sir romeo what say'st thou my dear nurse nurse is your man secret did you ne'er hear say two may keep counsel putting one away romeo i warrant thee my man's as true as steel nurse well sir my mistress is the sweetest ladylord lord when twas a little prating thingo there is a nobleman in town one paris that would fain lay knife aboard but she good soul had as lief see a toad a very toad as see him i anger her sometimes and tell her that paris is the properer man but i'll warrant you when i say so she looks as pale as any clout in the versal world doth not rosemary and romeo begin both with a letter romeo ay nurse what of that both with an r nurse ah mocker that's the dog's name r is for theno i know it begins with some other letterand she hath the prettiest sententious of it of you and rosemary that it would do you good to hear it romeo commend me to thy lady nurse ay a thousand times exit romeo peter peter anon nurse peter take my fan and go before and apace exeunt romeo and juliet act ii scene v capulet's orchard enter juliet juliet the clock struck nine when i did send the nurse in half an hour she promised to return perchance she cannot meet him that's not so o she is lame love's heralds should be thoughts which ten times faster glide than the sun's beams driving back shadows over louring hills therefore do nimblepinion'd doves draw love and therefore hath the windswift cupid wings now is the sun upon the highmost hill of this day's journey and from nine till twelve is three long hours yet she is not come had she affections and warm youthful blood she would be as swift in motion as a ball my words would bandy her to my sweet love and his to me but old folks many feign as they were dead unwieldy slow heavy and pale as lead o god she comes enter nurse and peter o honey nurse what news hast thou met with him send thy man away nurse peter stay at the gate exit peter juliet now good sweet nurseo lord why look'st thou sad though news be sad yet tell them merrily if good thou shamest the music of sweet news by playing it to me with so sour a face nurse i am aweary give me leave awhile fie how my bones ache what a jaunt have i had juliet i would thou hadst my bones and i thy news nay come i pray thee speak good good nurse speak nurse jesu what haste can you not stay awhile do you not see that i am out of breath juliet how art thou out of breath when thou hast breath to say to me that thou art out of breath the excuse that thou dost make in this delay is longer than the tale thou dost excuse is thy news good or bad answer to that say either and i'll stay the circumstance let me be satisfied is't good or bad nurse well you have made a simple choice you know not how to choose a man romeo no not he though his face be better than any man's yet his leg excels all men's and for a hand and a foot and a body though they be not to be talked on yet they are past compare he is not the flower of courtesy but i'll warrant him as gentle as a lamb go thy ways wench serve god what have you dined at home juliet no no but all this did i know before what says he of our marriage what of that nurse lord how my head aches what a head have i it beats as it would fall in twenty pieces my back o t other sideo my back my back beshrew your heart for sending me about to catch my death with jaunting up and down juliet i faith i am sorry that thou art not well sweet sweet sweet nurse tell me what says my love nurse your love says like an honest gentleman and a courteous and a kind and a handsome and i warrant a virtuouswhere is your mother juliet where is my mother why she is within where should she be how oddly thou repliest your love says like an honest gentleman where is your mother' nurse o god's lady dear are you so hot marry come up i trow is this the poultice for my aching bones henceforward do your messages yourself juliet here's such a coil come what says romeo nurse have you got leave to go to shrift today juliet i have nurse then hie you hence to friar laurence cell there stays a husband to make you a wife now comes the wanton blood up in your cheeks they'll be in scarlet straight at any news hie you to church i must another way to fetch a ladder by the which your love must climb a bird's nest soon when it is dark i am the drudge and toil in your delight but you shall bear the burden soon at night go i'll to dinner hie you to the cell juliet hie to high fortune honest nurse farewell exeunt romeo and juliet act ii scene vi friar laurence's cell enter friar laurence and romeo friar laurence so smile the heavens upon this holy act that after hours with sorrow chide us not romeo amen amen but come what sorrow can it cannot countervail the exchange of joy that one short minute gives me in her sight do thou but close our hands with holy words then lovedevouring death do what he dare it is enough i may but call her mine friar laurence these violent delights have violent ends and in their triumph die like fire and powder which as they kiss consume the sweetest honey is loathsome in his own deliciousness and in the taste confounds the appetite therefore love moderately long love doth so too swift arrives as tardy as too slow enter juliet here comes the lady o so light a foot will ne'er wear out the everlasting flint a lover may bestride the gossamer that idles in the wanton summer air and yet not fall so light is vanity juliet good even to my ghostly confessor friar laurence romeo shall thank thee daughter for us both juliet as much to him else is his thanks too much romeo ah juliet if the measure of thy joy be heap'd like mine and that thy skill be more to blazon it then sweeten with thy breath this neighbour air and let rich music's tongue unfold the imagined happiness that both receive in either by this dear encounter juliet conceit more rich in matter than in words brags of his substance not of ornament they are but beggars that can count their worth but my true love is grown to such excess i cannot sum up sum of half my wealth friar laurence come come with me and we will make short work for by your leaves you shall not stay alone till holy church incorporate two in one exeunt romeo and juliet act iii scene i a public place enter mercutio benvolio page and servants benvolio i pray thee good mercutio let's retire the day is hot the capulets abroad and if we meet we shall not scape a brawl for now these hot days is the mad blood stirring mercutio thou art like one of those fellows that when he enters the confines of a tavern claps me his sword upon the table and says god send me no need of thee and by the operation of the second cup draws it on the drawer when indeed there is no need benvolio am i like such a fellow mercutio come come thou art as hot a jack in thy mood as any in italy and as soon moved to be moody and as soon moody to be moved benvolio and what to mercutio nay an there were two such we should have none shortly for one would kill the other thou why thou wilt quarrel with a man that hath a hair more or a hair less in his beard than thou hast thou wilt quarrel with a man for cracking nuts having no other reason but because thou hast hazel eyes what eye but such an eye would spy out such a quarrel thy head is as fun of quarrels as an egg is full of meat and yet thy head hath been beaten as addle as an egg for quarrelling thou hast quarrelled with a man for coughing in the street because he hath wakened thy dog that hath lain asleep in the sun didst thou not fall out with a tailor for wearing his new doublet before easter with another for tying his new shoes with old riband and yet thou wilt tutor me from quarrelling benvolio an i were so apt to quarrel as thou art any man should buy the feesimple of my life for an hour and a quarter mercutio the feesimple o simple benvolio by my head here come the capulets mercutio by my heel i care not enter tybalt and others tybalt follow me close for i will speak to them gentlemen good den a word with one of you mercutio and but one word with one of us couple it with something make it a word and a blow tybalt you shall find me apt enough to that sir an you will give me occasion mercutio could you not take some occasion without giving tybalt mercutio thou consort'st with romeo mercutio consort what dost thou make us minstrels an thou make minstrels of us look to hear nothing but discords here's my fiddlestick here's that shall make you dance zounds consort benvolio we talk here in the public haunt of men either withdraw unto some private place and reason coldly of your grievances or else depart here all eyes gaze on us mercutio men's eyes were made to look and let them gaze i will not budge for no man's pleasure i enter romeo tybalt well peace be with you sir here comes my man mercutio but i'll be hanged sir if he wear your livery marry go before to field he'll be your follower your worship in that sense may call him man' tybalt romeo the hate i bear thee can afford no better term than thisthou art a villain romeo tybalt the reason that i have to love thee doth much excuse the appertaining rage to such a greeting villain am i none therefore farewell i see thou know'st me not tybalt boy this shall not excuse the injuries that thou hast done me therefore turn and draw romeo i do protest i never injured thee but love thee better than thou canst devise till thou shalt know the reason of my love and so good capuletwhich name i tender as dearly as my ownbe satisfied mercutio o calm dishonourable vile submission alla stoccata carries it away draws tybalt you ratcatcher will you walk tybalt what wouldst thou have with me mercutio good king of cats nothing but one of your nine lives that i mean to make bold withal and as you shall use me hereafter drybeat the rest of the eight will you pluck your sword out of his pitcher by the ears make haste lest mine be about your ears ere it be out tybalt i am for you drawing romeo gentle mercutio put thy rapier up mercutio come sir your passado they fight romeo draw benvolio beat down their weapons gentlemen for shame forbear this outrage tybalt mercutio the prince expressly hath forbidden bandying in verona streets hold tybalt good mercutio tybalt under romeo's arm stabs mercutio and flies with his followers mercutio i am hurt a plague o both your houses i am sped is he gone and hath nothing benvolio what art thou hurt mercutio ay ay a scratch a scratch marry tis enough where is my page go villain fetch a surgeon exit page romeo courage man the hurt cannot be much mercutio no tis not so deep as a well nor so wide as a churchdoor but tis enough'twill serve ask for me tomorrow and you shall find me a grave man i am peppered i warrant for this world a plague o' both your houses zounds a dog a rat a mouse a cat to scratch a man to death a braggart a rogue a villain that fights by the book of arithmetic why the devil came you between us i was hurt under your arm romeo i thought all for the best mercutio help me into some house benvolio or i shall faint a plague o both your houses they have made worms meat of me i have it and soundly too your houses exeunt mercutio and benvolio romeo this gentleman the prince's near ally my very friend hath got his mortal hurt in my behalf my reputation stain'd with tybalt's slandertybalt that an hour hath been my kinsman o sweet juliet thy beauty hath made me effeminate and in my temper soften'd valour's steel reenter benvolio benvolio o romeo romeo brave mercutio's dead that gallant spirit hath aspired the clouds which too untimely here did scorn the earth romeo this day's black fate on more days doth depend this but begins the woe others must end benvolio here comes the furious tybalt back again romeo alive in triumph and mercutio slain away to heaven respective lenity and fireeyed fury be my conduct now reenter tybalt now tybalt take the villain back again that late thou gavest me for mercutio's soul is but a little way above our heads staying for thine to keep him company either thou or i or both must go with him tybalt thou wretched boy that didst consort him here shalt with him hence romeo this shall determine that they fight tybalt falls benvolio romeo away be gone the citizens are up and tybalt slain stand not amazed the prince will doom thee death if thou art taken hence be gone away romeo o i am fortune's fool benvolio why dost thou stay exit romeo enter citizens &c first citizen which way ran he that kill'd mercutio tybalt that murderer which way ran he benvolio there lies that tybalt first citizen up sir go with me i charge thee in the princes name obey enter prince attended montague capulet their wives and others prince where are the vile beginners of this fray benvolio o noble prince i can discover all the unlucky manage of this fatal brawl there lies the man slain by young romeo that slew thy kinsman brave mercutio lady capulet tybalt my cousin o my brother's child o prince o cousin husband o the blood is spilt o my dear kinsman prince as thou art true for blood of ours shed blood of montague o cousin cousin prince benvolio who began this bloody fray benvolio tybalt here slain whom romeo's hand did slay romeo that spoke him fair bade him bethink how nice the quarrel was and urged withal your high displeasure all this uttered with gentle breath calm look knees humbly bow'd could not take truce with the unruly spleen of tybalt deaf to peace but that he tilts with piercing steel at bold mercutio's breast who all as hot turns deadly point to point and with a martial scorn with one hand beats cold death aside and with the other sends it back to tybalt whose dexterity retorts it romeo he cries aloud hold friends friends part and swifter than his tongue his agile arm beats down their fatal points and twixt them rushes underneath whose arm an envious thrust from tybalt hit the life of stout mercutio and then tybalt fled but by and by comes back to romeo who had but newly entertain'd revenge and to t they go like lightning for ere i could draw to part them was stout tybalt slain and as he fell did romeo turn and fly this is the truth or let benvolio die lady capulet he is a kinsman to the montague affection makes him false he speaks not true some twenty of them fought in this black strife and all those twenty could but kill one life i beg for justice which thou prince must give romeo slew tybalt romeo must not live prince romeo slew him he slew mercutio who now the price of his dear blood doth owe montague not romeo prince he was mercutio's friend his fault concludes but what the law should end the life of tybalt prince and for that offence immediately we do exile him hence i have an interest in your hate's proceeding my blood for your rude brawls doth lie ableeding but i'll amerce you with so strong a fine that you shall all repent the loss of mine i will be deaf to pleading and excuses nor tears nor prayers shall purchase out abuses therefore use none let romeo hence in haste else when he's found that hour is his last bear hence this body and attend our will mercy but murders pardoning those that kill exeunt romeo and juliet act iii scene ii capulet's orchard enter juliet juliet gallop apace you fieryfooted steeds towards phoebus lodging such a wagoner as phaethon would whip you to the west and bring in cloudy night immediately spread thy close curtain loveperforming night that runaway's eyes may wink and romeo leap to these arms untalk'd of and unseen lovers can see to do their amorous rites by their own beauties or if love be blind it best agrees with night come civil night thou sobersuited matron all in black and learn me how to lose a winning match play'd for a pair of stainless maidenhoods hood my unmann'd blood bating in my cheeks with thy black mantle till strange love grown bold think true love acted simple modesty come night come romeo come thou day in night for thou wilt lie upon the wings of night whiter than new snow on a raven's back come gentle night come loving blackbrow'd night give me my romeo and when he shall die take him and cut him out in little stars and he will make the face of heaven so fine that all the world will be in love with night and pay no worship to the garish sun o i have bought the mansion of a love but not possess'd it and though i am sold not yet enjoy'd so tedious is this day as is the night before some festival to an impatient child that hath new robes and may not wear them o here comes my nurse and she brings news and every tongue that speaks but romeo's name speaks heavenly eloquence enter nurse with cords now nurse what news what hast thou there the cords that romeo bid thee fetch nurse ay ay the cords throws them down juliet ay me what news why dost thou wring thy hands nurse ah welladay he's dead he's dead he's dead we are undone lady we are undone alack the day he's gone he's kill'd he's dead juliet can heaven be so envious nurse romeo can though heaven cannot o romeo romeo who ever would have thought it romeo juliet what devil art thou that dost torment me thus this torture should be roar'd in dismal hell hath romeo slain himself say thou but i' and that bare vowel i shall poison more than the deathdarting eye of cockatrice i am not i if there be such an i or those eyes shut that make thee answer i' if he be slain say i or if not no brief sounds determine of my weal or woe nurse i saw the wound i saw it with mine eyes god save the markhere on his manly breast a piteous corse a bloody piteous corse pale pale as ashes all bedaub'd in blood all in goreblood i swounded at the sight juliet o break my heart poor bankrupt break at once to prison eyes ne'er look on liberty vile earth to earth resign end motion here and thou and romeo press one heavy bier nurse o tybalt tybalt the best friend i had o courteous tybalt honest gentleman that ever i should live to see thee dead juliet what storm is this that blows so contrary is romeo slaughter'd and is tybalt dead my dearloved cousin and my dearer lord then dreadful trumpet sound the general doom for who is living if those two are gone nurse tybalt is gone and romeo banished romeo that kill'd him he is banished juliet o god did romeo's hand shed tybalt's blood nurse it did it did alas the day it did juliet o serpent heart hid with a flowering face did ever dragon keep so fair a cave beautiful tyrant fiend angelical dovefeather'd raven wolvishravening lamb despised substance of divinest show just opposite to what thou justly seem'st a damned saint an honourable villain o nature what hadst thou to do in hell when thou didst bower the spirit of a fiend in moral paradise of such sweet flesh was ever book containing such vile matter so fairly bound o that deceit should dwell in such a gorgeous palace nurse there's no trust no faith no honesty in men all perjured all forsworn all naught all dissemblers ah where's my man give me some aqua vitae these griefs these woes these sorrows make me old shame come to romeo juliet blister'd be thy tongue for such a wish he was not born to shame upon his brow shame is ashamed to sit for tis a throne where honour may be crown'd sole monarch of the universal earth o what a beast was i to chide at him nurse will you speak well of him that kill'd your cousin juliet shall i speak ill of him that is my husband ah poor my lord what tongue shall smooth thy name when i thy threehours wife have mangled it but wherefore villain didst thou kill my cousin that villain cousin would have kill'd my husband back foolish tears back to your native spring your tributary drops belong to woe which you mistaking offer up to joy my husband lives that tybalt would have slain and tybalt's dead that would have slain my husband all this is comfort wherefore weep i then some word there was worser than tybalt's death that murder'd me i would forget it fain but o it presses to my memory like damned guilty deeds to sinners minds tybalt is dead and romeobanished' that banished that one word banished' hath slain ten thousand tybalts tybalt's death was woe enough if it had ended there or if sour woe delights in fellowship and needly will be rank'd with other griefs why follow'd not when she said tybalt's dead' thy father or thy mother nay or both which modern lamentations might have moved but with a rearward following tybalt's death romeo is banished to speak that word is father mother tybalt romeo juliet all slain all dead romeo is banished' there is no end no limit measure bound in that word's death no words can that woe sound where is my father and my mother nurse nurse weeping and wailing over tybalt's corse will you go to them i will bring you thither juliet wash they his wounds with tears mine shall be spent when theirs are dry for romeo's banishment take up those cords poor ropes you are beguiled both you and i for romeo is exiled he made you for a highway to my bed but i a maid die maidenwidowed come cords come nurse i'll to my weddingbed and death not romeo take my maidenhead nurse hie to your chamber i'll find romeo to comfort you i wot well where he is hark ye your romeo will be here at night i'll to him he is hid at laurence cell juliet o find him give this ring to my true knight and bid him come to take his last farewell exeunt romeo and juliet act iii scene iii friar laurence's cell enter friar laurence friar laurence romeo come forth come forth thou fearful man affliction is enamour'd of thy parts and thou art wedded to calamity enter romeo romeo father what news what is the prince's doom what sorrow craves acquaintance at my hand that i yet know not friar laurence too familiar is my dear son with such sour company i bring thee tidings of the prince's doom romeo what less than doomsday is the prince's doom friar laurence a gentler judgment vanish'd from his lips not body's death but body's banishment romeo ha banishment be merciful say death' for exile hath more terror in his look much more than death do not say banishment' friar laurence hence from verona art thou banished be patient for the world is broad and wide romeo there is no world without verona walls but purgatory torture hell itself hencebanished is banish'd from the world and world's exile is death then banished is death misterm'd calling death banishment thou cutt'st my head off with a golden axe and smilest upon the stroke that murders me friar laurence o deadly sin o rude unthankfulness thy fault our law calls death but the kind prince taking thy part hath rush'd aside the law and turn'd that black word death to banishment this is dear mercy and thou seest it not romeo tis torture and not mercy heaven is here where juliet lives and every cat and dog and little mouse every unworthy thing live here in heaven and may look on her but romeo may not more validity more honourable state more courtship lives in carrionflies than romeo they my seize on the white wonder of dear juliet's hand and steal immortal blessing from her lips who even in pure and vestal modesty still blush as thinking their own kisses sin but romeo may not he is banished flies may do this but i from this must fly they are free men but i am banished and say'st thou yet that exile is not death hadst thou no poison mix'd no sharpground knife no sudden mean of death though ne'er so mean but banished to kill me'banished' o friar the damned use that word in hell howlings attend it how hast thou the heart being a divine a ghostly confessor a sinabsolver and my friend profess'd to mangle me with that word banished' friar laurence thou fond mad man hear me but speak a word romeo o thou wilt speak again of banishment friar laurence i'll give thee armour to keep off that word adversity's sweet milk philosophy to comfort thee though thou art banished romeo yet banished hang up philosophy unless philosophy can make a juliet displant a town reverse a prince's doom it helps not it prevails not talk no more friar laurence o then i see that madmen have no ears romeo how should they when that wise men have no eyes friar laurence let me dispute with thee of thy estate romeo thou canst not speak of that thou dost not feel wert thou as young as i juliet thy love an hour but married tybalt murdered doting like me and like me banished then mightst thou speak then mightst thou tear thy hair and fall upon the ground as i do now taking the measure of an unmade grave knocking within friar laurence arise one knocks good romeo hide thyself romeo not i unless the breath of heartsick groans mistlike infold me from the search of eyes knocking friar laurence hark how they knock who's there romeo arise thou wilt be taken stay awhile stand up knocking run to my study by and by god's will what simpleness is this i come i come knocking who knocks so hard whence come you what's your will nurse within let me come in and you shall know my errand i come from lady juliet friar laurence welcome then enter nurse nurse o holy friar o tell me holy friar where is my lady's lord where's romeo friar laurence there on the ground with his own tears made drunk nurse o he is even in my mistress case just in her case o woful sympathy piteous predicament even so lies she blubbering and weeping weeping and blubbering stand up stand up stand and you be a man for juliet's sake for her sake rise and stand why should you fall into so deep an o romeo nurse nurse ah sir ah sir well death's the end of all romeo spakest thou of juliet how is it with her doth she not think me an old murderer now i have stain'd the childhood of our joy with blood removed but little from her own where is she and how doth she and what says my conceal'd lady to our cancell'd love nurse o she says nothing sir but weeps and weeps and now falls on her bed and then starts up and tybalt calls and then on romeo cries and then down falls again romeo as if that name shot from the deadly level of a gun did murder her as that name's cursed hand murder'd her kinsman o tell me friar tell me in what vile part of this anatomy doth my name lodge tell me that i may sack the hateful mansion drawing his sword friar laurence hold thy desperate hand art thou a man thy form cries out thou art thy tears are womanish thy wild acts denote the unreasonable fury of a beast unseemly woman in a seeming man or illbeseeming beast in seeming both thou hast amazed me by my holy order i thought thy disposition better temper'd hast thou slain tybalt wilt thou slay thyself and stay thy lady too that lives in thee by doing damned hate upon thyself why rail'st thou on thy birth the heaven and earth since birth and heaven and earth all three do meet in thee at once which thou at once wouldst lose fie fie thou shamest thy shape thy love thy wit which like a usurer abound'st in all and usest none in that true use indeed which should bedeck thy shape thy love thy wit thy noble shape is but a form of wax digressing from the valour of a man thy dear love sworn but hollow perjury killing that love which thou hast vow'd to cherish thy wit that ornament to shape and love misshapen in the conduct of them both like powder in a skitless soldier's flask is set afire by thine own ignorance and thou dismember'd with thine own defence what rouse thee man thy juliet is alive for whose dear sake thou wast but lately dead there art thou happy tybalt would kill thee but thou slew'st tybalt there are thou happy too the law that threaten'd death becomes thy friend and turns it to exile there art thou happy a pack of blessings lights up upon thy back happiness courts thee in her best array but like a misbehaved and sullen wench thou pout'st upon thy fortune and thy love take heed take heed for such die miserable go get thee to thy love as was decreed ascend her chamber hence and comfort her but look thou stay not till the watch be set for then thou canst not pass to mantua where thou shalt live till we can find a time to blaze your marriage reconcile your friends beg pardon of the prince and call thee back with twenty hundred thousand times more joy than thou went'st forth in lamentation go before nurse commend me to thy lady and bid her hasten all the house to bed which heavy sorrow makes them apt unto romeo is coming nurse o lord i could have stay'd here all the night to hear good counsel o what learning is my lord i'll tell my lady you will come romeo do so and bid my sweet prepare to chide nurse here sir a ring she bid me give you sir hie you make haste for it grows very late exit romeo how well my comfort is revived by this friar laurence go hence good night and here stands all your state either be gone before the watch be set or by the break of day disguised from hence sojourn in mantua i'll find out your man and he shall signify from time to time every good hap to you that chances here give me thy hand tis late farewell good night romeo but that a joy past joy calls out on me it were a grief so brief to part with thee farewell exeunt romeo and juliet act iii scene iv a room in capulet's house enter capulet lady capulet and paris capulet things have fall'n out sir so unluckily that we have had no time to move our daughter look you she loved her kinsman tybalt dearly and so did iwell we were born to die tis very late she'll not come down tonight i promise you but for your company i would have been abed an hour ago paris these times of woe afford no time to woo madam good night commend me to your daughter lady capulet i will and know her mind early tomorrow tonight she is mew'd up to her heaviness capulet sir paris i will make a desperate tender of my child's love i think she will be ruled in all respects by me nay more i doubt it not wife go you to her ere you go to bed acquaint her here of my son paris love and bid her mark you me on wednesday next but soft what day is this paris monday my lord capulet monday ha ha well wednesday is too soon o thursday let it be o thursday tell her she shall be married to this noble earl will you be ready do you like this haste we'll keep no great adoa friend or two for hark you tybalt being slain so late it may be thought we held him carelessly being our kinsman if we revel much therefore we'll have some half a dozen friends and there an end but what say you to thursday paris my lord i would that thursday were tomorrow capulet well get you gone o thursday be it then go you to juliet ere you go to bed prepare her wife against this weddingday farewell my lord light to my chamber ho afore me it is so very very late that we may call it early by and by good night exeunt romeo and juliet act iii scene v capulet's orchard enter romeo and juliet above at the window juliet wilt thou be gone it is not yet near day it was the nightingale and not the lark that pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear nightly she sings on yon pomegranatetree believe me love it was the nightingale romeo it was the lark the herald of the morn no nightingale look love what envious streaks do lace the severing clouds in yonder east night's candles are burnt out and jocund day stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops i must be gone and live or stay and die juliet yon light is not daylight i know it i it is some meteor that the sun exhales to be to thee this night a torchbearer and light thee on thy way to mantua therefore stay yet thou need'st not to be gone romeo let me be ta'en let me be put to death i am content so thou wilt have it so i'll say yon grey is not the morning's eye tis but the pale reflex of cynthia's brow nor that is not the lark whose notes do beat the vaulty heaven so high above our heads i have more care to stay than will to go come death and welcome juliet wills it so how is't my soul let's talk it is not day juliet it is it is hie hence be gone away it is the lark that sings so out of tune straining harsh discords and unpleasing sharps some say the lark makes sweet division this doth not so for she divideth us some say the lark and loathed toad change eyes o now i would they had changed voices too since arm from arm that voice doth us affray hunting thee hence with hunt'sup to the day o now be gone more light and light it grows romeo more light and light more dark and dark our woes enter nurse to the chamber nurse madam juliet nurse nurse your lady mother is coming to your chamber the day is broke be wary look about exit juliet then window let day in and let life out romeo farewell farewell one kiss and i'll descend he goeth down juliet art thou gone so love lord ay husband friend i must hear from thee every day in the hour for in a minute there are many days o by this count i shall be much in years ere i again behold my romeo romeo farewell i will omit no opportunity that may convey my greetings love to thee juliet o think'st thou we shall ever meet again romeo i doubt it not and all these woes shall serve for sweet discourses in our time to come juliet o god i have an illdivining soul methinks i see thee now thou art below as one dead in the bottom of a tomb either my eyesight fails or thou look'st pale romeo and trust me love in my eye so do you dry sorrow drinks our blood adieu adieu exit juliet o fortune fortune all men call thee fickle if thou art fickle what dost thou with him that is renown'd for faith be fickle fortune for then i hope thou wilt not keep him long but send him back lady capulet within ho daughter are you up juliet who is't that calls is it my lady mother is she not down so late or up so early what unaccustom'd cause procures her hither enter lady capulet lady capulet why how now juliet juliet madam i am not well lady capulet evermore weeping for your cousin's death what wilt thou wash him from his grave with tears an if thou couldst thou couldst not make him live therefore have done some grief shows much of love but much of grief shows still some want of wit juliet yet let me weep for such a feeling loss lady capulet so shall you feel the loss but not the friend which you weep for juliet feeling so the loss cannot choose but ever weep the friend lady capulet well girl thou weep'st not so much for his death as that the villain lives which slaughter'd him juliet what villain madam lady capulet that same villain romeo juliet aside villain and he be many miles asunder god pardon him i do with all my heart and yet no man like he doth grieve my heart lady capulet that is because the traitor murderer lives juliet ay madam from the reach of these my hands would none but i might venge my cousin's death lady capulet we will have vengeance for it fear thou not then weep no more i'll send to one in mantua where that same banish'd runagate doth live shall give him such an unaccustom'd dram that he shall soon keep tybalt company and then i hope thou wilt be satisfied juliet indeed i never shall be satisfied with romeo till i behold himdead is my poor heart for a kinsman vex'd madam if you could find out but a man to bear a poison i would temper it that romeo should upon receipt thereof soon sleep in quiet o how my heart abhors to hear him named and cannot come to him to wreak the love i bore my cousin upon his body that slaughter'd him lady capulet find thou the means and i'll find such a man but now i'll tell thee joyful tidings girl juliet and joy comes well in such a needy time what are they i beseech your ladyship lady capulet well well thou hast a careful father child one who to put thee from thy heaviness hath sorted out a sudden day of joy that thou expect'st not nor i look'd not for juliet madam in happy time what day is that lady capulet marry my child early next thursday morn the gallant young and noble gentleman the county paris at saint peter's church shall happily make thee there a joyful bride juliet now by saint peter's church and peter too he shall not make me there a joyful bride i wonder at this haste that i must wed ere he that should be husband comes to woo i pray you tell my lord and father madam i will not marry yet and when i do i swear it shall be romeo whom you know i hate rather than paris these are news indeed lady capulet here comes your father tell him so yourself and see how he will take it at your hands enter capulet and nurse capulet when the sun sets the air doth drizzle dew but for the sunset of my brother's son it rains downright how now a conduit girl what still in tears evermore showering in one little body thou counterfeit'st a bark a sea a wind for still thy eyes which i may call the sea do ebb and flow with tears the bark thy body is sailing in this salt flood the winds thy sighs who raging with thy tears and they with them without a sudden calm will overset thy tempesttossed body how now wife have you deliver'd to her our decree lady capulet ay sir but she will none she gives you thanks i would the fool were married to her grave capulet soft take me with you take me with you wife how will she none doth she not give us thanks is she not proud doth she not count her blest unworthy as she is that we have wrought so worthy a gentleman to be her bridegroom juliet not proud you have but thankful that you have proud can i never be of what i hate but thankful even for hate that is meant love capulet how now how now choplogic what is this proud and i thank you and i thank you not' and yet not proud mistress minion you thank me no thankings nor proud me no prouds but fettle your fine joints gainst thursday next to go with paris to saint peter's church or i will drag thee on a hurdle thither out you greensickness carrion out you baggage you tallowface lady capulet fie fie what are you mad juliet good father i beseech you on my knees hear me with patience but to speak a word capulet hang thee young baggage disobedient wretch i tell thee what get thee to church o thursday or never after look me in the face speak not reply not do not answer me my fingers itch wife we scarce thought us blest that god had lent us but this only child but now i see this one is one too much and that we have a curse in having her out on her hilding nurse god in heaven bless her you are to blame my lord to rate her so capulet and why my lady wisdom hold your tongue good prudence smatter with your gossips go nurse i speak no treason capulet o god ye godden nurse may not one speak capulet peace you mumbling fool utter your gravity o'er a gossip's bowl for here we need it not lady capulet you are too hot capulet god's bread it makes me mad day night hour tide time work play alone in company still my care hath been to have her match'd and having now provided a gentleman of noble parentage of fair demesnes youthful and nobly train'd stuff'd as they say with honourable parts proportion'd as one's thought would wish a man and then to have a wretched puling fool a whining mammet in her fortune's tender to answer i'll not wed i cannot love i am too young i pray you pardon me' but as you will not wed i'll pardon you graze where you will you shall not house with me look to't think on't i do not use to jest thursday is near lay hand on heart advise an you be mine i'll give you to my friend and you be not hang beg starve die in the streets for by my soul i'll ne'er acknowledge thee nor what is mine shall never do thee good trust to't bethink you i'll not be forsworn exit juliet is there no pity sitting in the clouds that sees into the bottom of my grief o sweet my mother cast me not away delay this marriage for a month a week or if you do not make the bridal bed in that dim monument where tybalt lies lady capulet talk not to me for i'll not speak a word do as thou wilt for i have done with thee exit juliet o godo nurse how shall this be prevented my husband is on earth my faith in heaven how shall that faith return again to earth unless that husband send it me from heaven by leaving earth comfort me counsel me alack alack that heaven should practise stratagems upon so soft a subject as myself what say'st thou hast thou not a word of joy some comfort nurse nurse faith here it is romeo is banish'd and all the world to nothing that he dares ne'er come back to challenge you or if he do it needs must be by stealth then since the case so stands as now it doth i think it best you married with the county o he's a lovely gentleman romeo's a dishclout to him an eagle madam hath not so green so quick so fair an eye as paris hath beshrew my very heart i think you are happy in this second match for it excels your first or if it did not your first is dead or twere as good he were as living here and you no use of him juliet speakest thou from thy heart nurse and from my soul too or else beshrew them both juliet amen nurse what juliet well thou hast comforted me marvellous much go in and tell my lady i am gone having displeased my father to laurence cell to make confession and to be absolved nurse marry i will and this is wisely done exit juliet ancient damnation o most wicked fiend is it more sin to wish me thus forsworn or to dispraise my lord with that same tongue which she hath praised him with above compare so many thousand times go counsellor thou and my bosom henceforth shall be twain i'll to the friar to know his remedy if all else fail myself have power to die exit romeo and juliet act iv scene i friar laurence's cell enter friar laurence and paris friar laurence on thursday sir the time is very short paris my father capulet will have it so and i am nothing slow to slack his haste friar laurence you say you do not know the lady's mind uneven is the course i like it not paris immoderately she weeps for tybalt's death and therefore have i little talk'd of love for venus smiles not in a house of tears now sir her father counts it dangerous that she doth give her sorrow so much sway and in his wisdom hastes our marriage to stop the inundation of her tears which too much minded by herself alone may be put from her by society now do you know the reason of this haste friar laurence aside i would i knew not why it should be slow'd look sir here comes the lady towards my cell enter juliet paris happily met my lady and my wife juliet that may be sir when i may be a wife paris that may be must be love on thursday next juliet what must be shall be friar laurence that's a certain text paris come you to make confession to this father juliet to answer that i should confess to you paris do not deny to him that you love me juliet i will confess to you that i love him paris so will ye i am sure that you love me juliet if i do so it will be of more price being spoke behind your back than to your face paris poor soul thy face is much abused with tears juliet the tears have got small victory by that for it was bad enough before their spite paris thou wrong'st it more than tears with that report juliet that is no slander sir which is a truth and what i spake i spake it to my face paris thy face is mine and thou hast slander'd it juliet it may be so for it is not mine own are you at leisure holy father now or shall i come to you at evening mass friar laurence my leisure serves me pensive daughter now my lord we must entreat the time alone paris god shield i should disturb devotion juliet on thursday early will i rouse ye till then adieu and keep this holy kiss exit juliet o shut the door and when thou hast done so come weep with me past hope past cure past help friar laurence ah juliet i already know thy grief it strains me past the compass of my wits i hear thou must and nothing may prorogue it on thursday next be married to this county juliet tell me not friar that thou hear'st of this unless thou tell me how i may prevent it if in thy wisdom thou canst give no help do thou but call my resolution wise and with this knife i'll help it presently god join'd my heart and romeo's thou our hands and ere this hand by thee to romeo seal'd shall be the label to another deed or my true heart with treacherous revolt turn to another this shall slay them both therefore out of thy longexperienced time give me some present counsel or behold twixt my extremes and me this bloody knife shall play the umpire arbitrating that which the commission of thy years and art could to no issue of true honour bring be not so long to speak i long to die if what thou speak'st speak not of remedy friar laurence hold daughter i do spy a kind of hope which craves as desperate an execution as that is desperate which we would prevent if rather than to marry county paris thou hast the strength of will to slay thyself then is it likely thou wilt undertake a thing like death to chide away this shame that copest with death himself to scape from it and if thou darest i'll give thee remedy juliet o bid me leap rather than marry paris from off the battlements of yonder tower or walk in thievish ways or bid me lurk where serpents are chain me with roaring bears or shut me nightly in a charnelhouse o'ercover'd quite with dead men's rattling bones with reeky shanks and yellow chapless skulls or bid me go into a newmade grave and hide me with a dead man in his shroud things that to hear them told have made me tremble and i will do it without fear or doubt to live an unstain'd wife to my sweet love friar laurence hold then go home be merry give consent to marry paris wednesday is tomorrow tomorrow night look that thou lie alone let not thy nurse lie with thee in thy chamber take thou this vial being then in bed and this distilled liquor drink thou off when presently through all thy veins shall run a cold and drowsy humour for no pulse shall keep his native progress but surcease no warmth no breath shall testify thou livest the roses in thy lips and cheeks shall fade to paly ashes thy eyes windows fall like death when he shuts up the day of life each part deprived of supple government shall stiff and stark and cold appear like death and in this borrow'd likeness of shrunk death thou shalt continue two and forty hours and then awake as from a pleasant sleep now when the bridegroom in the morning comes to rouse thee from thy bed there art thou dead then as the manner of our country is in thy best robes uncover'd on the bier thou shalt be borne to that same ancient vault where all the kindred of the capulets lie in the mean time against thou shalt awake shall romeo by my letters know our drift and hither shall he come and he and i will watch thy waking and that very night shall romeo bear thee hence to mantua and this shall free thee from this present shame if no inconstant toy nor womanish fear abate thy valour in the acting it juliet give me give me o tell not me of fear friar laurence hold get you gone be strong and prosperous in this resolve i'll send a friar with speed to mantua with my letters to thy lord juliet love give me strength and strength shall help afford farewell dear father exeunt romeo and juliet act iv scene ii hall in capulet's house enter capulet lady capulet nurse and two servingmen capulet so many guests invite as here are writ exit first servant sirrah go hire me twenty cunning cooks second servant you shall have none ill sir for i'll try if they can lick their fingers capulet how canst thou try them so second servant marry sir tis an ill cook that cannot lick his own fingers therefore he that cannot lick his fingers goes not with me capulet go be gone exit second servant we shall be much unfurnished for this time what is my daughter gone to friar laurence nurse ay forsooth capulet well he may chance to do some good on her a peevish selfwill'd harlotry it is nurse see where she comes from shrift with merry look enter juliet capulet how now my headstrong where have you been gadding juliet where i have learn'd me to repent the sin of disobedient opposition to you and your behests and am enjoin'd by holy laurence to fall prostrate here and beg your pardon pardon i beseech you henceforward i am ever ruled by you capulet send for the county go tell him of this i'll have this knot knit up tomorrow morning juliet i met the youthful lord at laurence cell and gave him what becomed love i might not step o'er the bounds of modesty capulet why i am glad on't this is well stand up this is as't should be let me see the county ay marry go i say and fetch him hither now afore god this reverend holy friar our whole city is much bound to him juliet nurse will you go with me into my closet to help me sort such needful ornaments as you think fit to furnish me tomorrow lady capulet no not till thursday there is time enough capulet go nurse go with her we'll to church tomorrow exeunt juliet and nurse lady capulet we shall be short in our provision tis now near night capulet tush i will stir about and all things shall be well i warrant thee wife go thou to juliet help to deck up her i'll not to bed tonight let me alone i'll play the housewife for this once what ho they are all forth well i will walk myself to county paris to prepare him up against tomorrow my heart is wondrous light since this same wayward girl is so reclaim'd exeunt romeo and juliet act iv scene iii juliet's chamber enter juliet and nurse juliet ay those attires are best but gentle nurse i pray thee leave me to myself tonight for i have need of many orisons to move the heavens to smile upon my state which well thou know'st is cross and full of sin enter lady capulet lady capulet what are you busy ho need you my help juliet no madam we have cull'd such necessaries as are behoveful for our state tomorrow so please you let me now be left alone and let the nurse this night sit up with you for i am sure you have your hands full all in this so sudden business lady capulet good night get thee to bed and rest for thou hast need exeunt lady capulet and nurse juliet farewell god knows when we shall meet again i have a faint cold fear thrills through my veins that almost freezes up the heat of life i'll call them back again to comfort me nurse what should she do here my dismal scene i needs must act alone come vial what if this mixture do not work at all shall i be married then tomorrow morning no no this shall forbid it lie thou there laying down her dagger what if it be a poison which the friar subtly hath minister'd to have me dead lest in this marriage he should be dishonour'd because he married me before to romeo i fear it is and yet methinks it should not for he hath still been tried a holy man how if when i am laid into the tomb i wake before the time that romeo come to redeem me there's a fearful point shall i not then be stifled in the vault to whose foul mouth no healthsome air breathes in and there die strangled ere my romeo comes or if i live is it not very like the horrible conceit of death and night together with the terror of the place as in a vault an ancient receptacle where for these many hundred years the bones of all my buried ancestors are packed where bloody tybalt yet but green in earth lies festering in his shroud where as they say at some hours in the night spirits resort alack alack is it not like that i so early waking what with loathsome smells and shrieks like mandrakes torn out of the earth that living mortals hearing them run mad o if i wake shall i not be distraught environed with all these hideous fears and madly play with my forefather's joints and pluck the mangled tybalt from his shroud and in this rage with some great kinsman's bone as with a club dash out my desperate brains o look methinks i see my cousin's ghost seeking out romeo that did spit his body upon a rapier's point stay tybalt stay romeo i come this do i drink to thee she falls upon her bed within the curtains romeo and juliet act iv scene iv hall in capulet's house enter lady capulet and nurse lady capulet hold take these keys and fetch more spices nurse nurse they call for dates and quinces in the pastry enter capulet capulet come stir stir stir the second cock hath crow'd the curfewbell hath rung tis three o'clock look to the baked meats good angelica spare not for the cost nurse go you cotquean go get you to bed faith you'll be sick tomorrow for this night's watching capulet no not a whit what i have watch'd ere now all night for lesser cause and ne'er been sick lady capulet ay you have been a mousehunt in your time but i will watch you from such watching now exeunt lady capulet and nurse capulet a jealous hood a jealous hood enter three or four servingmen with spits logs and baskets now fellow what's there first servant things for the cook sir but i know not what capulet make haste make haste exit first servant sirrah fetch drier logs call peter he will show thee where they are second servant i have a head sir that will find out logs and never trouble peter for the matter exit capulet mass and well said a merry whoreson ha thou shalt be loggerhead good faith tis day the county will be here with music straight for so he said he would i hear him near music within nurse wife what ho what nurse i say reenter nurse go waken juliet go and trim her up i'll go and chat with paris hie make haste make haste the bridegroom he is come already make haste i say exeunt romeo and juliet act iv scene v juliet's chamber enter nurse nurse mistress what mistress juliet fast i warrant her she why lamb why lady fie you slugabed why love i say madam sweetheart why bride what not a word you take your pennyworths now sleep for a week for the next night i warrant the county paris hath set up his rest that you shall rest but little god forgive me marry and amen how sound is she asleep i must needs wake her madam madam madam ay let the county take you in your bed he'll fright you up i faith will it not be undraws the curtains what dress'd and in your clothes and down again i must needs wake you lady lady lady alas alas help help my lady's dead o welladay that ever i was born some aqua vitae ho my lord my lady enter lady capulet lady capulet what noise is here nurse o lamentable day lady capulet what is the matter nurse look look o heavy day lady capulet o me o me my child my only life revive look up or i will die with thee help help call help enter capulet capulet for shame bring juliet forth her lord is come nurse she's dead deceased she's dead alack the day lady capulet alack the day she's dead she's dead she's dead capulet ha let me see her out alas she's cold her blood is settled and her joints are stiff life and these lips have long been separated death lies on her like an untimely frost upon the sweetest flower of all the field nurse o lamentable day lady capulet o woful time capulet death that hath ta'en her hence to make me wail ties up my tongue and will not let me speak enter friar laurence and paris with musicians friar laurence come is the bride ready to go to church capulet ready to go but never to return o son the night before thy weddingday hath death lain with thy wife there she lies flower as she was deflowered by him death is my soninlaw death is my heir my daughter he hath wedded i will die and leave him all life living all is death's paris have i thought long to see this morning's face and doth it give me such a sight as this lady capulet accursed unhappy wretched hateful day most miserable hour that e'er time saw in lasting labour of his pilgrimage but one poor one one poor and loving child but one thing to rejoice and solace in and cruel death hath catch'd it from my sight nurse o woe o woful woful woful day most lamentable day most woful day that ever ever i did yet behold o day o day o day o hateful day never was seen so black a day as this o woful day o woful day paris beguiled divorced wronged spited slain most detestable death by thee beguil'd by cruel cruel thee quite overthrown o love o life not life but love in death capulet despised distressed hated martyr'd kill'd uncomfortable time why camest thou now to murder murder our solemnity o child o child my soul and not my child dead art thou alack my child is dead and with my child my joys are buried friar laurence peace ho for shame confusion's cure lives not in these confusions heaven and yourself had part in this fair maid now heaven hath all and all the better is it for the maid your part in her you could not keep from death but heaven keeps his part in eternal life the most you sought was her promotion for twas your heaven she should be advanced and weep ye now seeing she is advanced above the clouds as high as heaven itself o in this love you love your child so ill that you run mad seeing that she is well she's not well married that lives married long but she's best married that dies married young dry up your tears and stick your rosemary on this fair corse and as the custom is in all her best array bear her to church for though fond nature bids us an lament yet nature's tears are reason's merriment capulet all things that we ordained festival turn from their office to black funeral our instruments to melancholy bells our wedding cheer to a sad burial feast our solemn hymns to sullen dirges change our bridal flowers serve for a buried corse and all things change them to the contrary friar laurence sir go you in and madam go with him and go sir paris every one prepare to follow this fair corse unto her grave the heavens do lour upon you for some ill move them no more by crossing their high will exeunt capulet lady capulet paris and friar laurence first musician faith we may put up our pipes and be gone nurse honest goodfellows ah put up put up for well you know this is a pitiful case exit first musician ay by my troth the case may be amended enter peter peter musicians o musicians heart's ease heart's ease o an you will have me live play heart's ease' first musician why heart's ease' peter o musicians because my heart itself plays my heart is full of woe o play me some merry dump to comfort me first musician not a dump we tis no time to play now peter you will not then first musician no peter i will then give it you soundly first musician what will you give us peter no money on my faith but the gleek i will give you the minstrel first musician then i will give you the servingcreature peter then will i lay the servingcreature's dagger on your pate i will carry no crotchets i'll re you i'll fa you do you note me first musician an you re us and fa us you note us second musician pray you put up your dagger and put out your wit peter then have at you with my wit i will drybeat you with an iron wit and put up my iron dagger answer me like men when griping grief the heart doth wound and doleful dumps the mind oppress then music with her silver sound' why silver sound why music with her silver sound what say you simon catling musician marry sir because silver hath a sweet sound peter pretty what say you hugh rebeck second musician i say silver sound because musicians sound for silver peter pretty too what say you james soundpost third musician faith i know not what to say peter o i cry you mercy you are the singer i will say for you it is music with her silver sound' because musicians have no gold for sounding then music with her silver sound with speedy help doth lend redress' exit first musician what a pestilent knave is this same second musician hang him jack come we'll in here tarry for the mourners and stay dinner exeunt romeo and juliet act v scene i mantua a street enter romeo romeo if i may trust the flattering truth of sleep my dreams presage some joyful news at hand my bosom's lord sits lightly in his throne and all this day an unaccustom'd spirit lifts me above the ground with cheerful thoughts i dreamt my lady came and found me dead strange dream that gives a dead man leave to think and breathed such life with kisses in my lips that i revived and was an emperor ah me how sweet is love itself possess'd when but love's shadows are so rich in joy enter balthasar booted news from veronahow now balthasar dost thou not bring me letters from the friar how doth my lady is my father well how fares my juliet that i ask again for nothing can be ill if she be well balthasar then she is well and nothing can be ill her body sleeps in capel's monument and her immortal part with angels lives i saw her laid low in her kindred's vault and presently took post to tell it you o pardon me for bringing these ill news since you did leave it for my office sir romeo is it even so then i defy you stars thou know'st my lodging get me ink and paper and hire posthorses i will hence tonight balthasar i do beseech you sir have patience your looks are pale and wild and do import some misadventure romeo tush thou art deceived leave me and do the thing i bid thee do hast thou no letters to me from the friar balthasar no my good lord romeo no matter get thee gone and hire those horses i'll be with thee straight exit balthasar well juliet i will lie with thee tonight let's see for means o mischief thou art swift to enter in the thoughts of desperate men i do remember an apothecary and hereabouts he dwellswhich late i noted in tatter'd weeds with overwhelming brows culling of simples meagre were his looks sharp misery had worn him to the bones and in his needy shop a tortoise hung an alligator stuff'd and other skins of illshaped fishes and about his shelves a beggarly account of empty boxes green earthen pots bladders and musty seeds remnants of packthread and old cakes of roses were thinly scatter'd to make up a show noting this penury to myself i said an if a man did need a poison now whose sale is present death in mantua here lives a caitiff wretch would sell it him' o this same thought did but forerun my need and this same needy man must sell it me as i remember this should be the house being holiday the beggar's shop is shut what ho apothecary enter apothecary apothecary who calls so loud romeo come hither man i see that thou art poor hold there is forty ducats let me have a dram of poison such soonspeeding gear as will disperse itself through all the veins that the lifeweary taker may fall dead and that the trunk may be discharged of breath as violently as hasty powder fired doth hurry from the fatal cannon's womb apothecary such mortal drugs i have but mantua's law is death to any he that utters them romeo art thou so bare and full of wretchedness and fear'st to die famine is in thy cheeks need and oppression starveth in thine eyes contempt and beggary hangs upon thy back the world is not thy friend nor the world's law the world affords no law to make thee rich then be not poor but break it and take this apothecary my poverty but not my will consents romeo i pay thy poverty and not thy will apothecary put this in any liquid thing you will and drink it off and if you had the strength of twenty men it would dispatch you straight romeo there is thy gold worse poison to men's souls doing more murders in this loathsome world than these poor compounds that thou mayst not sell i sell thee poison thou hast sold me none farewell buy food and get thyself in flesh come cordial and not poison go with me to juliet's grave for there must i use thee exeunt romeo and juliet act v scene ii friar laurence's cell enter friar john friar john holy franciscan friar brother ho enter friar laurence friar laurence this same should be the voice of friar john welcome from mantua what says romeo or if his mind be writ give me his letter friar john going to find a barefoot brother out one of our order to associate me here in this city visiting the sick and finding him the searchers of the town suspecting that we both were in a house where the infectious pestilence did reign seal'd up the doors and would not let us forth so that my speed to mantua there was stay'd friar laurence who bare my letter then to romeo friar john i could not send ithere it is again nor get a messenger to bring it thee so fearful were they of infection friar laurence unhappy fortune by my brotherhood the letter was not nice but full of charge of dear import and the neglecting it may do much danger friar john go hence get me an iron crow and bring it straight unto my cell friar john brother i'll go and bring it thee exit friar laurence now must i to the monument alone within three hours will fair juliet wake she will beshrew me much that romeo hath had no notice of these accidents but i will write again to mantua and keep her at my cell till romeo come poor living corse closed in a dead man's tomb exit romeo and juliet act v scene iii a churchyard in it a tomb belonging to the capulets enter paris and his page bearing flowers and a torch paris give me thy torch boy hence and stand aloof yet put it out for i would not be seen under yond yewtrees lay thee all along holding thine ear close to the hollow ground so shall no foot upon the churchyard tread being loose unfirm with digging up of graves but thou shalt hear it whistle then to me as signal that thou hear'st something approach give me those flowers do as i bid thee go page aside i am almost afraid to stand alone here in the churchyard yet i will adventure retires paris sweet flower with flowers thy bridal bed i strew o woe thy canopy is dust and stones which with sweet water nightly i will dew or wanting that with tears distill'd by moans the obsequies that i for thee will keep nightly shall be to strew thy grave and weep the page whistles the boy gives warning something doth approach what cursed foot wanders this way tonight to cross my obsequies and true love's rite what with a torch muffle me night awhile retires enter romeo and balthasar with a torch mattock &c romeo give me that mattock and the wrenching iron hold take this letter early in the morning see thou deliver it to my lord and father give me the light upon thy life i charge thee whate'er thou hear'st or seest stand all aloof and do not interrupt me in my course why i descend into this bed of death is partly to behold my lady's face but chiefly to take thence from her dead finger a precious ring a ring that i must use in dear employment therefore hence be gone but if thou jealous dost return to pry in what i further shall intend to do by heaven i will tear thee joint by joint and strew this hungry churchyard with thy limbs the time and my intents are savagewild more fierce and more inexorable far than empty tigers or the roaring sea balthasar i will be gone sir and not trouble you romeo so shalt thou show me friendship take thou that live and be prosperous and farewell good fellow balthasar aside for all this same i'll hide me hereabout his looks i fear and his intents i doubt retires romeo thou detestable maw thou womb of death gorged with the dearest morsel of the earth thus i enforce thy rotten jaws to open and in despite i'll cram thee with more food opens the tomb paris this is that banish'd haughty montague that murder'd my love's cousin with which grief it is supposed the fair creature died and here is come to do some villanous shame to the dead bodies i will apprehend him comes forward stop thy unhallow'd toil vile montague can vengeance be pursued further than death condemned villain i do apprehend thee obey and go with me for thou must die romeo i must indeed and therefore came i hither good gentle youth tempt not a desperate man fly hence and leave me think upon these gone let them affright thee i beseech thee youth put not another sin upon my head by urging me to fury o be gone by heaven i love thee better than myself for i come hither arm'd against myself stay not be gone live and hereafter say a madman's mercy bade thee run away paris i do defy thy conjurations and apprehend thee for a felon here romeo wilt thou provoke me then have at thee boy they fight page o lord they fight i will go call the watch exit paris o i am slain falls if thou be merciful open the tomb lay me with juliet dies romeo in faith i will let me peruse this face mercutio's kinsman noble county paris what said my man when my betossed soul did not attend him as we rode i think he told me paris should have married juliet said he not so or did i dream it so or am i mad hearing him talk of juliet to think it was so o give me thy hand one writ with me in sour misfortune's book i'll bury thee in a triumphant grave a grave o no a lantern slaughter'd youth for here lies juliet and her beauty makes this vault a feasting presence full of light death lie thou there by a dead man interr'd laying paris in the tomb how oft when men are at the point of death have they been merry which their keepers call a lightning before death o how may i call this a lightning o my love my wife death that hath suck'd the honey of thy breath hath had no power yet upon thy beauty thou art not conquer'd beauty's ensign yet is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks and death's pale flag is not advanced there tybalt liest thou there in thy bloody sheet o what more favour can i do to thee than with that hand that cut thy youth in twain to sunder his that was thine enemy forgive me cousin ah dear juliet why art thou yet so fair shall i believe that unsubstantial death is amorous and that the lean abhorred monster keeps thee here in dark to be his paramour for fear of that i still will stay with thee and never from this palace of dim night depart again here here will i remain with worms that are thy chambermaids o here will i set up my everlasting rest and shake the yoke of inauspicious stars from this worldwearied flesh eyes look your last arms take your last embrace and lips o you the doors of breath seal with a righteous kiss a dateless bargain to engrossing death come bitter conduct come unsavoury guide thou desperate pilot now at once run on the dashing rocks thy seasick weary bark here's to my love drinks o true apothecary thy drugs are quick thus with a kiss i die dies enter at the other end of the churchyard friar laurence with a lantern crow and spade friar laurence saint francis be my speed how oft tonight have my old feet stumbled at graves who's there balthasar here's one a friend and one that knows you well friar laurence bliss be upon you tell me good my friend what torch is yond that vainly lends his light to grubs and eyeless skulls as i discern it burneth in the capel's monument balthasar it doth so holy sir and there's my master one that you love friar laurence who is it balthasar romeo friar laurence how long hath he been there balthasar full half an hour friar laurence go with me to the vault balthasar i dare not sir my master knows not but i am gone hence and fearfully did menace me with death if i did stay to look on his intents friar laurence stay then i'll go alone fear comes upon me o much i fear some ill unlucky thing balthasar as i did sleep under this yewtree here i dreamt my master and another fought and that my master slew him friar laurence romeo advances alack alack what blood is this which stains the stony entrance of this sepulchre what mean these masterless and gory swords to lie discolour'd by this place of peace enters the tomb romeo o pale who else what paris too and steep'd in blood ah what an unkind hour is guilty of this lamentable chance the lady stirs juliet wakes juliet o comfortable friar where is my lord i do remember well where i should be and there i am where is my romeo noise within friar laurence i hear some noise lady come from that nest of death contagion and unnatural sleep a greater power than we can contradict hath thwarted our intents come come away thy husband in thy bosom there lies dead and paris too come i'll dispose of thee among a sisterhood of holy nuns stay not to question for the watch is coming come go good juliet noise again i dare no longer stay juliet go get thee hence for i will not away exit friar laurence what's here a cup closed in my true love's hand poison i see hath been his timeless end o churl drunk all and left no friendly drop to help me after i will kiss thy lips haply some poison yet doth hang on them to make die with a restorative kisses him thy lips are warm first watchman within lead boy which way juliet yea noise then i'll be brief o happy dagger snatching romeo's dagger this is thy sheath stabs herself there rust and let me die falls on romeo's body and dies enter watch with the page of paris page this is the place there where the torch doth burn first watchman the ground is bloody search about the churchyard go some of you whoe'er you find attach pitiful sight here lies the county slain and juliet bleeding warm and newly dead who here hath lain these two days buried go tell the prince run to the capulets raise up the montagues some others search we see the ground whereon these woes do lie but the true ground of all these piteous woes we cannot without circumstance descry reenter some of the watch with balthasar second watchman here's romeo's man we found him in the churchyard first watchman hold him in safety till the prince come hither reenter others of the watch with friar laurence third watchman here is a friar that trembles sighs and weeps we took this mattock and this spade from him as he was coming from this churchyard side first watchman a great suspicion stay the friar too enter the prince and attendants prince what misadventure is so early up that calls our person from our morning's rest enter capulet lady capulet and others capulet what should it be that they so shriek abroad lady capulet the people in the street cry romeo some juliet and some paris and all run with open outcry toward our monument prince what fear is this which startles in our ears first watchman sovereign here lies the county paris slain and romeo dead and juliet dead before warm and new kill'd prince search seek and know how this foul murder comes first watchman here is a friar and slaughter'd romeo's man with instruments upon them fit to open these dead men's tombs capulet o heavens o wife look how our daughter bleeds this dagger hath mista'enfor lo his house is empty on the back of montague and it missheathed in my daughter's bosom lady capulet o me this sight of death is as a bell that warns my old age to a sepulchre enter montague and others prince come montague for thou art early up to see thy son and heir more early down montague alas my liege my wife is dead tonight grief of my son's exile hath stopp'd her breath what further woe conspires against mine age prince look and thou shalt see montague o thou untaught what manners is in this to press before thy father to a grave prince seal up the mouth of outrage for a while till we can clear these ambiguities and know their spring their head their true descent and then will i be general of your woes and lead you even to death meantime forbear and let mischance be slave to patience bring forth the parties of suspicion friar laurence i am the greatest able to do least yet most suspected as the time and place doth make against me of this direful murder and here i stand both to impeach and purge myself condemned and myself excused prince then say at once what thou dost know in this friar laurence i will be brief for my short date of breath is not so long as is a tedious tale romeo there dead was husband to that juliet and she there dead that romeo's faithful wife i married them and their stol'n marriageday was tybalt's doomsday whose untimely death banish'd the newmade bridegroom from the city for whom and not for tybalt juliet pined you to remove that siege of grief from her betroth'd and would have married her perforce to county paris then comes she to me and with wild looks bid me devise some mean to rid her from this second marriage or in my cell there would she kill herself then gave i her so tutor'd by my art a sleeping potion which so took effect as i intended for it wrought on her the form of death meantime i writ to romeo that he should hither come as this dire night to help to take her from her borrow'd grave being the time the potion's force should cease but he which bore my letter friar john was stay'd by accident and yesternight return'd my letter back then all alone at the prefixed hour of her waking came i to take her from her kindred's vault meaning to keep her closely at my cell till i conveniently could send to romeo but when i came some minute ere the time of her awaking here untimely lay the noble paris and true romeo dead she wakes and i entreated her come forth and bear this work of heaven with patience but then a noise did scare me from the tomb and she too desperate would not go with me but as it seems did violence on herself all this i know and to the marriage her nurse is privy and if aught in this miscarried by my fault let my old life be sacrificed some hour before his time unto the rigour of severest law prince we still have known thee for a holy man where's romeo's man what can he say in this balthasar i brought my master news of juliet's death and then in post he came from mantua to this same place to this same monument this letter he early bid me give his father and threatened me with death going in the vault i departed not and left him there prince give me the letter i will look on it where is the county's page that raised the watch sirrah what made your master in this place page he came with flowers to strew his lady's grave and bid me stand aloof and so i did anon comes one with light to ope the tomb and by and by my master drew on him and then i ran away to call the watch prince this letter doth make good the friar's words their course of love the tidings of her death and here he writes that he did buy a poison of a poor pothecary and therewithal came to this vault to die and lie with juliet where be these enemies capulet montague see what a scourge is laid upon your hate that heaven finds means to kill your joys with love and i for winking at your discords too have lost a brace of kinsmen all are punish'd capulet o brother montague give me thy hand this is my daughter's jointure for no more can i demand montague but i can give thee more for i will raise her statue in pure gold that while verona by that name is known there shall no figure at such rate be set as that of true and faithful juliet capulet as rich shall romeo's by his lady's lie poor sacrifices of our enmity prince a glooming peace this morning with it brings the sun for sorrow will not show his head go hence to have more talk of these sad things some shall be pardon'd and some punished for never was a story of more woe than this of juliet and her romeo exeunt timon of athens dramatis personae timon of athens lucius lucullus flattering lords sempronius ventidius one of timon's false friends alcibiades an athenian captain apemantus a churlish philosopher flavius steward to timon poet painter jeweller and merchant poet painter jeweller merchant an old athenian old athenian flaminius lucilius servants to timon servilius caphis philotus titus servants to timon's creditors lucius hortensius and others a page page a fool fool three strangers first stranger second stranger third stranger phrynia mistresses to alcibiades timandra cupid and amazons in the mask cupid other lords senators officers soldiers banditti and attendants first lord second lord third lord fourth lord senator first senator second senator third senator soldier first bandit second bandit third bandit messenger servant first servant second servant third servant varro's first servant varro's second servant lucilius servant scene athens and the neighbouring woods timon of athens act i scene i athens a hall in timon's house enter poet painter jeweller merchant and others at several doors poet good day sir painter i am glad you're well poet i have not seen you long how goes the world painter it wears sir as it grows poet ay that's well known but what particular rarity what strange which manifold record not matches see magic of bounty all these spirits thy power hath conjured to attend i know the merchant painter i know them both th other's a jeweller merchant o tis a worthy lord jeweller nay that's most fix'd merchant a most incomparable man breathed as it were to an untirable and continuate goodness he passes jeweller i have a jewel here merchant o pray let's see't for the lord timon sir jeweller if he will touch the estimate but for that poet reciting to himself when we for recompense have praised the vile it stains the glory in that happy verse which aptly sings the good' merchant tis a good form looking at the jewel jeweller and rich here is a water look ye painter you are rapt sir in some work some dedication to the great lord poet a thing slipp'd idly from me our poesy is as a gum which oozes from whence tis nourish'd the fire i the flint shows not till it be struck our gentle flame provokes itself and like the current flies each bound it chafes what have you there painter a picture sir when comes your book forth poet upon the heels of my presentment sir let's see your piece painter tis a good piece poet so tis this comes off well and excellent painter indifferent poet admirable how this grace speaks his own standing what a mental power this eye shoots forth how big imagination moves in this lip to the dumbness of the gesture one might interpret painter it is a pretty mocking of the life here is a touch is't good poet i will say of it it tutors nature artificial strife lives in these touches livelier than life enter certain senators and pass over painter how this lord is follow'd poet the senators of athens happy man painter look more poet you see this confluence this great flood of visitors i have in this rough work shaped out a man whom this beneath world doth embrace and hug with amplest entertainment my free drift halts not particularly but moves itself in a wide sea of wax no levell'd malice infects one comma in the course i hold but flies an eagle flight bold and forth on leaving no tract behind painter how shall i understand you poet i will unbolt to you you see how all conditions how all minds as well of glib and slippery creatures as of grave and austere quality tender down their services to lord timon his large fortune upon his good and gracious nature hanging subdues and properties to his love and tendance all sorts of hearts yea from the glassfaced flatterer to apemantus that few things loves better than to abhor himself even he drops down the knee before him and returns in peace most rich in timon's nod painter i saw them speak together poet sir i have upon a high and pleasant hill feign'd fortune to be throned the base o the mount is rank'd with all deserts all kind of natures that labour on the bosom of this sphere to propagate their states amongst them all whose eyes are on this sovereign lady fix'd one do i personate of lord timon's frame whom fortune with her ivory hand wafts to her whose present grace to present slaves and servants translates his rivals painter tis conceived to scope this throne this fortune and this hill methinks with one man beckon'd from the rest below bowing his head against the sleepy mount to climb his happiness would be well express'd in our condition poet nay sir but hear me on all those which were his fellows but of late some better than his value on the moment follow his strides his lobbies fill with tendance rain sacrificial whisperings in his ear make sacred even his stirrup and through him drink the free air painter ay marry what of these poet when fortune in her shift and change of mood spurns down her late beloved all his dependants which labour'd after him to the mountain's top even on their knees and hands let him slip down not one accompanying his declining foot painter tis common a thousand moral paintings i can show that shall demonstrate these quick blows of fortune's more pregnantly than words yet you do well to show lord timon that mean eyes have seen the foot above the head trumpets sound enter timon addressing himself courteously to every suitor a messenger from ventidius talking with him lucilius and other servants following timon imprison'd is he say you messenger ay my good lord five talents is his debt his means most short his creditors most strait your honourable letter he desires to those have shut him up which failing periods his comfort timon noble ventidius well i am not of that feather to shake off my friend when he must need me i do know him a gentleman that well deserves a help which he shall have i'll pay the debt and free him messenger your lordship ever binds him timon commend me to him i will send his ransom and being enfranchised bid him come to me tis not enough to help the feeble up but to support him after fare you well messenger all happiness to your honour exit enter an old athenian old athenian lord timon hear me speak timon freely good father old athenian thou hast a servant named lucilius timon i have so what of him old athenian most noble timon call the man before thee timon attends he here or no lucilius lucilius here at your lordship's service old athenian this fellow here lord timon this thy creature by night frequents my house i am a man that from my first have been inclined to thrift and my estate deserves an heir more raised than one which holds a trencher timon well what further old athenian one only daughter have i no kin else on whom i may confer what i have got the maid is fair o the youngest for a bride and i have bred her at my dearest cost in qualities of the best this man of thine attempts her love i prithee noble lord join with me to forbid him her resort myself have spoke in vain timon the man is honest old athenian therefore he will be timon his honesty rewards him in itself it must not bear my daughter timon does she love him old athenian she is young and apt our own precedent passions do instruct us what levity's in youth timon to lucilius love you the maid lucilius ay my good lord and she accepts of it old athenian if in her marriage my consent be missing i call the gods to witness i will choose mine heir from forth the beggars of the world and dispossess her all timon how shall she be endow'd if she be mated with an equal husband old athenian three talents on the present in future all timon this gentleman of mine hath served me long to build his fortune i will strain a little for tis a bond in men give him thy daughter what you bestow in him i'll counterpoise and make him weigh with her old athenian most noble lord pawn me to this your honour she is his timon my hand to thee mine honour on my promise lucilius humbly i thank your lordship never may the state or fortune fall into my keeping which is not owed to you exeunt lucilius and old athenian poet vouchsafe my labour and long live your lordship timon i thank you you shall hear from me anon go not away what have you there my friend painter a piece of painting which i do beseech your lordship to accept timon painting is welcome the painting is almost the natural man or since dishonour traffics with man's nature he is but outside these pencill'd figures are even such as they give out i like your work and you shall find i like it wait attendance till you hear further from me painter the gods preserve ye timon well fare you gentleman give me your hand we must needs dine together sir your jewel hath suffer'd under praise jeweller what my lord dispraise timon a more satiety of commendations if i should pay you for't as tis extoll'd it would unclew me quite jeweller my lord tis rated as those which sell would give but you well know things of like value differing in the owners are prized by their masters believe't dear lord you mend the jewel by the wearing it timon well mock'd merchant no my good lord he speaks the common tongue which all men speak with him timon look who comes here will you be chid enter apemantus jeweller we'll bear with your lordship merchant he'll spare none timon good morrow to thee gentle apemantus apemantus till i be gentle stay thou for thy good morrow when thou art timon's dog and these knaves honest timon why dost thou call them knaves thou know'st them not apemantus are they not athenians timon yes apemantus then i repent not jeweller you know me apemantus apemantus thou know'st i do i call'd thee by thy name timon thou art proud apemantus apemantus of nothing so much as that i am not like timon timon whither art going apemantus to knock out an honest athenian's brains timon that's a deed thou'lt die for apemantus right if doing nothing be death by the law timon how likest thou this picture apemantus apemantus the best for the innocence timon wrought he not well that painted it apemantus he wrought better that made the painter and yet he's but a filthy piece of work painter you're a dog apemantus thy mother's of my generation what's she if i be a dog timon wilt dine with me apemantus apemantus no i eat not lords timon an thou shouldst thou ldst anger ladies apemantus o they eat lords so they come by great bellies timon that's a lascivious apprehension apemantus so thou apprehendest it take it for thy labour timon how dost thou like this jewel apemantus apemantus not so well as plaindealing which will not cost a man a doit timon what dost thou think tis worth apemantus not worth my thinking how now poet poet how now philosopher apemantus thou liest poet art not one apemantus yes poet then i lie not apemantus art not a poet poet yes apemantus then thou liest look in thy last work where thou hast feigned him a worthy fellow poet that's not feigned he is so apemantus yes he is worthy of thee and to pay thee for thy labour he that loves to be flattered is worthy o' the flatterer heavens that i were a lord timon what wouldst do then apemantus apemantus e'en as apemantus does now hate a lord with my heart timon what thyself apemantus ay timon wherefore apemantus that i had no angry wit to be a lord art not thou a merchant merchant ay apemantus apemantus traffic confound thee if the gods will not merchant if traffic do it the gods do it apemantus traffic's thy god and thy god confound thee trumpet sounds enter a messenger timon what trumpet's that messenger tis alcibiades and some twenty horse all of companionship timon pray entertain them give them guide to us exeunt some attendants you must needs dine with me go not you hence till i have thank'd you when dinner's done show me this piece i am joyful of your sights enter alcibiades with the rest most welcome sir apemantus so so there aches contract and starve your supple joints that there should be small love mongst these sweet knaves and all this courtesy the strain of man's bred out into baboon and monkey alcibiades sir you have saved my longing and i feed most hungerly on your sight timon right welcome sir ere we depart we'll share a bounteous time in different pleasures pray you let us in exeunt all except apemantus enter two lords first lord what time o day is't apemantus apemantus time to be honest first lord that time serves still apemantus the more accursed thou that still omitt'st it second lord thou art going to lord timon's feast apemantus ay to see meat fill knaves and wine heat fools second lord fare thee well fare thee well apemantus thou art a fool to bid me farewell twice second lord why apemantus apemantus shouldst have kept one to thyself for i mean to give thee none first lord hang thyself apemantus no i will do nothing at thy bidding make thy requests to thy friend second lord away unpeaceable dog or i'll spurn thee hence apemantus i will fly like a dog the heels o the ass exit first lord he's opposite to humanity come shall we in and taste lord timon's bounty he outgoes the very heart of kindness second lord he pours it out plutus the god of gold is but his steward no meed but he repays sevenfold above itself no gift to him but breeds the giver a return exceeding all use of quittance first lord the noblest mind he carries that ever govern'd man second lord long may he live in fortunes shall we in first lord i'll keep you company exeunt timon of athens act i scene ii a banquetingroom in timon's house hautboys playing loud music a great banquet served in flavius and others attending then enter timon alcibiades lords senators and ventidius then comes dropping after all apemantus discontentedly like himself ventidius most honour'd timon it hath pleased the gods to remember my father's age and call him to long peace he is gone happy and has left me rich then as in grateful virtue i am bound to your free heart i do return those talents doubled with thanks and service from whose help i derived liberty timon o by no means honest ventidius you mistake my love i gave it freely ever and there's none can truly say he gives if he receives if our betters play at that game we must not dare to imitate them faults that are rich are fair ventidius a noble spirit timon nay my lords they all stand ceremoniously looking on timon ceremony was but devised at first to set a gloss on faint deeds hollow welcomes recanting goodness sorry ere tis shown but where there is true friendship there needs none pray sit more welcome are ye to my fortunes than my fortunes to me they sit first lord my lord we always have confess'd it apemantus ho ho confess'd it hang'd it have you not timon o apemantus you are welcome apemantus no you shall not make me welcome i come to have thee thrust me out of doors timon fie thou'rt a churl ye've got a humour there does not become a man tis much to blame they say my lords ira furor brevis est but yond man is ever angry go let him have a table by himself for he does neither affect company nor is he fit for't indeed apemantus let me stay at thine apperil timon i come to observe i give thee warning on't timon i take no heed of thee thou'rt an athenian therefore welcome i myself would have no power prithee let my meat make thee silent apemantus i scorn thy meat twould choke me for i should ne'er flatter thee o you gods what a number of men eat timon and he sees em not it grieves me to see so many dip their meat in one man's blood and all the madness is he cheers them up too i wonder men dare trust themselves with men methinks they should invite them without knives good for their meat and safer for their lives there's much example for't the fellow that sits next him now parts bread with him pledges the breath of him in a divided draught is the readiest man to kill him t has been proved if i were a huge man i should fear to drink at meals lest they should spy my windpipe's dangerous notes great men should drink with harness on their throats timon my lord in heart and let the health go round second lord let it flow this way my good lord apemantus flow this way a brave fellow he keeps his tides well those healths will make thee and thy state look ill timon here's that which is too weak to be a sinner honest water which ne'er left man i the mire this and my food are equals there's no odds feasts are too proud to give thanks to the gods apemantus grace immortal gods i crave no pelf i pray for no man but myself grant i may never prove so fond to trust man on his oath or bond or a harlot for her weeping or a dog that seems asleeping or a keeper with my freedom or my friends if i should need em amen so fall to't rich men sin and i eat root eats and drinks much good dich thy good heart apemantus timon captain alcibiades your heart's in the field now alcibiades my heart is ever at your service my lord timon you had rather be at a breakfast of enemies than a dinner of friends alcibiades so the were bleedingnew my lord there's no meat like em i could wish my best friend at such a feast apemantus would all those fatterers were thine enemies then that then thou mightst kill em and bid me to em first lord might we but have that happiness my lord that you would once use our hearts whereby we might express some part of our zeals we should think ourselves for ever perfect timon o no doubt my good friends but the gods themselves have provided that i shall have much help from you how had you been my friends else why have you that charitable title from thousands did not you chiefly belong to my heart i have told more of you to myself than you can with modesty speak in your own behalf and thus far i confirm you o you gods think i what need we have any friends if we should ne'er have need of em they were the most needless creatures living should we ne'er have use for em and would most resemble sweet instruments hung up in cases that keep their sounds to themselves why i have often wished myself poorer that i might come nearer to you we are born to do benefits and what better or properer can we can our own than the riches of our friends o what a precious comfort tis to have so many like brothers commanding one another's fortunes o joy e'en made away ere t can be born mine eyes cannot hold out water methinks to forget their faults i drink to you apemantus thou weepest to make them drink timon second lord joy had the like conception in our eyes and at that instant like a babe sprung up apemantus ho ho i laugh to think that babe a bastard third lord i promise you my lord you moved me much apemantus much tucket within timon what means that trump enter a servant how now servant please you my lord there are certain ladies most desirous of admittance timon ladies what are their wills servant there comes with them a forerunner my lord which bears that office to signify their pleasures timon i pray let them be admitted enter cupid cupid hail to thee worthy timon and to all that of his bounties taste the five best senses acknowledge thee their patron and come freely to gratulate thy plenteous bosom th ear taste touch and smell pleased from thy tale rise they only now come but to feast thine eyes timon they're welcome all let em have kind admittance music make their welcome exit cupid first lord you see my lord how ample you're beloved music reenter cupid with a mask of ladies as amazons with lutes in their hands dancing and playing apemantus hoyday what a sweep of vanity comes this way they dance they are mad women like madness is the glory of this life as this pomp shows to a little oil and root we make ourselves fools to disport ourselves and spend our flatteries to drink those men upon whose age we void it up again with poisonous spite and envy who lives that's not depraved or depraves who dies that bears not one spurn to their graves of their friends gift i should fear those that dance before me now would one day stamp upon me t has been done men shut their doors against a setting sun the lords rise from table with much adoring of timon and to show their loves each singles out an amazon and all dance men with women a lofty strain or two to the hautboys and cease timon you have done our pleasures much grace fair ladies set a fair fashion on our entertainment which was not half so beautiful and kind you have added worth unto t and lustre and entertain'd me with mine own device i am to thank you for t first lady my lord you take us even at the best apemantus faith for the worst is filthy and would not hold taking i doubt me timon ladies there is an idle banquet attends you please you to dispose yourselves all ladies most thankfully my lord exeunt cupid and ladies timon flavius flavius my lord timon the little casket bring me hither flavius yes my lord more jewels yet there is no crossing him in s humour aside else i should tell himwell i faith i should when all's spent he ld be cross'd then an he could tis pity bounty had not eyes behind that man might ne'er be wretched for his mind exit first lord where be our men servant here my lord in readiness second lord our horses reenter flavius with the casket timon o my friends i have one word to say to you look you my good lord i must entreat you honour me so much as to advance this jewel accept it and wear it kind my lord first lord i am so far already in your gifts all so are we all enter a servant servant my lord there are certain nobles of the senate newly alighted and come to visit you timon they are fairly welcome flavius i beseech your honour vouchsafe me a word it does concern you near timon near why then another time i'll hear thee i prithee let's be provided to show them entertainment flavius aside i scarce know how enter a second servant second servant may it please your honour lord lucius out of his free love hath presented to you four milkwhite horses trapp'd in silver timon i shall accept them fairly let the presents be worthily entertain'd enter a third servant how now what news third servant please you my lord that honourable gentleman lord lucullus entreats your company tomorrow to hunt with him and has sent your honour two brace of greyhounds timon i'll hunt with him and let them be received not without fair reward flavius aside what will this come to he commands us to provide and give great gifts and all out of an empty coffer nor will he know his purse or yield me this to show him what a beggar his heart is being of no power to make his wishes good his promises fly so beyond his state that what he speaks is all in debt he owes for every word he is so kind that he now pays interest for t his land's put to their books well would i were gently put out of office before i were forced out happier is he that has no friend to feed than such that do e'en enemies exceed i bleed inwardly for my lord exit timon you do yourselves much wrong you bate too much of your own merits here my lord a trifle of our love second lord with more than common thanks i will receive it third lord o he's the very soul of bounty timon and now i remember my lord you gave good words the other day of a bay courser i rode on it is yours because you liked it second lord o i beseech you pardon me my lord in that timon you may take my word my lord i know no man can justly praise but what he does affect i weigh my friend's affection with mine own i'll tell you true i'll call to you all lords o none so welcome timon i take all and your several visitations so kind to heart tis not enough to give methinks i could deal kingdoms to my friends and ne'er be weary alcibiades thou art a soldier therefore seldom rich it comes in charity to thee for all thy living is mongst the dead and all the lands thou hast lie in a pitch'd field alcibiades ay defiled land my lord first lord we are so virtuously bound timon and so am i to you second lord so infinitely endear'd timon all to you lights more lights first lord the best of happiness honour and fortunes keep with you lord timon timon ready for his friends exeunt all but apemantus and timon apemantus what a coil's here serving of becks and juttingout of bums i doubt whether their legs be worth the sums that are given for em friendship's full of dregs methinks false hearts should never have sound legs thus honest fools lay out their wealth on court'sies timon now apemantus if thou wert not sullen i would be good to thee apemantus no i'll nothing for if i should be bribed too there would be none left to rail upon thee and then thou wouldst sin the faster thou givest so long timon i fear me thou wilt give away thyself in paper shortly what need these feasts pomps and vainglories timon nay an you begin to rail on society once i am sworn not to give regard to you farewell and come with better music exit apemantus so thou wilt not hear me now thou shalt not then i'll lock thy heaven from thee o that men's ears should be to counsel deaf but not to flattery exit timon of athens act ii scene i a senator's house enter senator with papers in his hand senator and late five thousand to varro and to isidore he owes nine thousand besides my former sum which makes it five and twenty still in motion of raging waste it cannot hold it will not if i want gold steal but a beggar's dog and give it timon why the dog coins gold if i would sell my horse and buy twenty more better than he why give my horse to timon ask nothing give it him it foals me straight and able horses no porter at his gate but rather one that smiles and still invites all that pass by it cannot hold no reason can found his state in safety caphis ho caphis i say enter caphis caphis here sir what is your pleasure senator get on your cloak and haste you to lord timon importune him for my moneys be not ceased with slight denial nor then silenced when commend me to your master'and the cap plays in the right hand thus but tell him my uses cry to me i must serve my turn out of mine own his days and times are past and my reliances on his fracted dates have smit my credit i love and honour him but must not break my back to heal his finger immediate are my needs and my relief must not be toss'd and turn'd to me in words but find supply immediate get you gone put on a most importunate aspect a visage of demand for i do fear when every feather sticks in his own wing lord timon will be left a naked gull which flashes now a phoenix get you gone caphis i go sir senator i go sir'take the bonds along with you and have the dates in contempt caphis i will sir senator go exeunt timon of athens act ii scene ii the same a hall in timon's house enter flavius with many bills in his hand flavius no care no stop so senseless of expense that he will neither know how to maintain it nor cease his flow of riot takes no account how things go from him nor resumes no care of what is to continue never mind was to be so unwise to be so kind what shall be done he will not hear till feel i must be round with him now he comes from hunting fie fie fie fie enter caphis and the servants of isidore and varro caphis good even varro what you come for money varro's servant is't not your business too caphis it is and yours too isidore isidore's servant it is so caphis would we were all discharged varro's servant i fear it caphis here comes the lord enter timon alcibiades and lords &c timon so soon as dinner's done we'll forth again my alcibiades with me what is your will caphis my lord here is a note of certain dues timon dues whence are you caphis of athens here my lord timon go to my steward caphis please it your lordship he hath put me off to the succession of new days this month my master is awaked by great occasion to call upon his own and humbly prays you that with your other noble parts you'll suit in giving him his right timon mine honest friend i prithee but repair to me next morning caphis nay good my lord timon contain thyself good friend varro's servant one varro's servant my good lord isidore's servant from isidore he humbly prays your speedy payment caphis if you did know my lord my master's wants varro's servant twas due on forfeiture my lord six weeks and past isidore's servant your steward puts me off my lord and i am sent expressly to your lordship timon give me breath i do beseech you good my lords keep on i'll wait upon you instantly exeunt alcibiades and lords to flavius come hither pray you how goes the world that i am thus encounter'd with clamourous demands of datebroke bonds and the detention of longsincedue debts against my honour flavius please you gentlemen the time is unagreeable to this business your importunacy cease till after dinner that i may make his lordship understand wherefore you are not paid timon do so my friends see them well entertain'd exit flavius pray draw near exit enter apemantus and fool caphis stay stay here comes the fool with apemantus let's ha some sport with em varro's servant hang him he'll abuse us isidore's servant a plague upon him dog varro's servant how dost fool apemantus dost dialogue with thy shadow varro's servant i speak not to thee apemantus no'tis to thyself to the fool come away isidore's servant there's the fool hangs on your back already apemantus no thou stand'st single thou'rt not on him yet caphis where's the fool now apemantus he last asked the question poor rogues and usurers men bawds between gold and want all servants what are we apemantus apemantus asses all servants why apemantus that you ask me what you are and do not know yourselves speak to em fool fool how do you gentlemen all servants gramercies good fool how does your mistress fool she's e'en setting on water to scald such chickens as you are would we could see you at corinth apemantus good gramercy enter page fool look you here comes my mistress page page to the fool why how now captain what do you in this wise company how dost thou apemantus apemantus would i had a rod in my mouth that i might answer thee profitably page prithee apemantus read me the superscription of these letters i know not which is which apemantus canst not read page no apemantus there will little learning die then that day thou art hanged this is to lord timon this to alcibiades go thou wast born a bastard and thou't die a bawd page thou wast whelped a dog and thou shalt famish a dog's death answer not i am gone exit apemantus e'en so thou outrunnest grace fool i will go with you to lord timon's fool will you leave me there apemantus if timon stay at home you three serve three usurers all servants ay would they served us apemantus so would ias good a trick as ever hangman served thief fool are you three usurers men all servants ay fool fool i think no usurer but has a fool to his servant my mistress is one and i am her fool when men come to borrow of your masters they approach sadly and go away merry but they enter my mistress house merrily and go away sadly the reason of this varro's servant i could render one apemantus do it then that we may account thee a whoremaster and a knave which notwithstanding thou shalt be no less esteemed varro's servant what is a whoremaster fool fool a fool in good clothes and something like thee tis a spirit sometime't appears like a lord sometime like a lawyer sometime like a philosopher with two stones moe than's artificial one he is very often like a knight and generally in all shapes that man goes up and down in from fourscore to thirteen this spirit walks in varro's servant thou art not altogether a fool fool nor thou altogether a wise man as much foolery as i have so much wit thou lackest apemantus that answer might have become apemantus all servants aside aside here comes lord timon reenter timon and flavius apemantus come with me fool come fool i do not always follow lover elder brother and woman sometime the philosopher exeunt apemantus and fool flavius pray you walk near i'll speak with you anon exeunt servants timon you make me marvel wherefore ere this time had you not fully laid my state before me that i might so have rated my expense as i had leave of means flavius you would not hear me at many leisures i proposed timon go to perchance some single vantages you took when my indisposition put you back and that unaptness made your minister thus to excuse yourself flavius o my good lord at many times i brought in my accounts laid them before you you would throw them off and say you found them in mine honesty when for some trifling present you have bid me return so much i have shook my head and wept yea gainst the authority of manners pray'd you to hold your hand more close i did endure not seldom nor no slight cheques when i have prompted you in the ebb of your estate and your great flow of debts my loved lord though you hear now too lateyet now's a time the greatest of your having lacks a half to pay your present debts timon let all my land be sold flavius tis all engaged some forfeited and gone and what remains will hardly stop the mouth of present dues the future comes apace what shall defend the interim and at length how goes our reckoning timon to lacedaemon did my land extend flavius o my good lord the world is but a word were it all yours to give it in a breath how quickly were it gone timon you tell me true flavius if you suspect my husbandry or falsehood call me before the exactest auditors and set me on the proof so the gods bless me when all our offices have been oppress'd with riotous feeders when our vaults have wept with drunken spilth of wine when every room hath blazed with lights and bray'd with minstrelsy i have retired me to a wasteful cock and set mine eyes at flow timon prithee no more flavius heavens have i said the bounty of this lord how many prodigal bits have slaves and peasants this night englutted who is not timon's what heart head sword force means but is lord timon's great timon noble worthy royal timon ah when the means are gone that buy this praise the breath is gone whereof this praise is made feastwon fastlost one cloud of winter showers these flies are couch'd timon come sermon me no further no villanous bounty yet hath pass'd my heart unwisely not ignobly have i given why dost thou weep canst thou the conscience lack to think i shall lack friends secure thy heart if i would broach the vessels of my love and try the argument of hearts by borrowing men and men's fortunes could i frankly use as i can bid thee speak flavius assurance bless your thoughts timon and in some sort these wants of mine are crown'd that i account them blessings for by these shall i try friends you shall perceive how you mistake my fortunes i am wealthy in my friends within there flaminius servilius enter flaminius servilius and other servants servants my lord my lord timon i will dispatch you severally you to lord lucius to lord lucullus you i hunted with his honour today you to sempronius commend me to their loves and i am proud say that my occasions have found time to use em toward a supply of money let the request be fifty talents flaminius as you have said my lord flavius aside lord lucius and lucullus hum timon go you sir to the senators of whom even to the state's best health i have deserved this hearingbid em send o the instant a thousand talents to me flavius i have been bold for that i knew it the most general way to them to use your signet and your name but they do shake their heads and i am here no richer in return timon is't true can't be flavius they answer in a joint and corporate voice that now they are at fall want treasure cannot do what they would are sorryyou are honourable but yet they could have wish'dthey know not something hath been amissa noble nature may catch a wrenchwould all were well'tis pity and so intending other serious matters after distasteful looks and these hard fractions with certain halfcaps and coldmoving nods they froze me into silence timon you gods reward them prithee man look cheerly these old fellows have their ingratitude in them hereditary their blood is caked tis cold it seldom flows tis lack of kindly warmth they are not kind and nature as it grows again toward earth is fashion'd for the journey dull and heavy to a servant go to ventidius to flavius prithee be not sad thou art true and honest ingeniously i speak no blame belongs to thee to servant ventidius lately buried his father by whose death he's stepp'd into a great estate when he was poor imprison'd and in scarcity of friends i clear'd him with five talents greet him from me bid him suppose some good necessity touches his friend which craves to be remember'd with those five talents exit servant to flavius that had give't these fellows to whom tis instant due ne'er speak or think that timon's fortunes mong his friends can sink flavius i would i could not think it that thought is bounty's foe being free itself it thinks all others so exeunt timon of athens act iii scene i a room in lucullus house flaminius waiting enter a servant to him servant i have told my lord of you he is coming down to you flaminius i thank you sir enter lucullus servant here's my lord lucullus aside one of lord timon's men a gift i warrant why this hits right i dreamt of a silver basin and ewer tonight flaminius honest flaminius you are very respectively welcome sir fill me some wine exit servants and how does that honourable complete freehearted gentleman of athens thy very bountiful good lord and master flaminius his health is well sir lucullus i am right glad that his health is well sir and what hast thou there under thy cloak pretty flaminius flaminius faith nothing but an empty box sir which in my lord's behalf i come to entreat your honour to supply who having great and instant occasion to use fifty talents hath sent to your lordship to furnish him nothing doubting your present assistance therein lucullus la la la la nothing doubting says he alas good lord a noble gentleman tis if he would not keep so good a house many a time and often i ha' dined with him and told him on't and come again to supper to him of purpose to have him spend less and yet he would embrace no counsel take no warning by my coming every man has his fault and honesty is his i ha told him on't but i could ne'er get him from't reenter servant with wine servant please your lordship here is the wine lucullus flaminius i have noted thee always wise here's to thee flaminius your lordship speaks your pleasure lucullus i have observed thee always for a towardly prompt spiritgive thee thy dueand one that knows what belongs to reason and canst use the time well if the time use thee well good parts in thee to servant get you gone sirrah exit servant draw nearer honest flaminius thy lord's a bountiful gentleman but thou art wise and thou knowest well enough although thou comest to me that this is no time to lend money especially upon bare friendship without security here's three solidares for thee good boy wink at me and say thou sawest me not fare thee well flaminius is't possible the world should so much differ and we alive that lived fly damned baseness to him that worships thee throwing the money back lucullus ha now i see thou art a fool and fit for thy master exit flaminius may these add to the number that may scald thee let moulten coin be thy damnation thou disease of a friend and not himself has friendship such a faint and milky heart it turns in less than two nights o you gods i feel master's passion this slave unto his honour has my lord's meat in him why should it thrive and turn to nutriment when he is turn'd to poison o may diseases only work upon't and when he's sick to death let not that part of nature which my lord paid for be of any power to expel sickness but prolong his hour exit timon of athens act iii scene ii a public place enter lucilius with three strangers lucilius who the lord timon he is my very good friend and an honourable gentleman first stranger we know him for no less though we are but strangers to him but i can tell you one thing my lord and which i hear from common rumours now lord timon's happy hours are done and past and his estate shrinks from him lucilius fie no do not believe it he cannot want for money second stranger but believe you this my lord that not long ago one of his men was with the lord lucullus to borrow so many talents nay urged extremely for't and showed what necessity belonged to't and yet was denied lucilius how second stranger i tell you denied my lord lucilius what a strange case was that now before the gods i am ashamed on't denied that honourable man there was very little honour showed in't for my own part i must needs confess i have received some small kindnesses from him as money plate jewels and suchlike trifles nothing comparing to his yet had he mistook him and sent to me i should ne'er have denied his occasion so many talents enter servilius servilius see by good hap yonder's my lord i have sweat to see his honour my honoured lord to lucius lucilius servilius you are kindly met sir fare thee well commend me to thy honourable virtuous lord my very exquisite friend servilius may it please your honour my lord hath sent lucilius ha what has he sent i am so much endeared to that lord he's ever sending how shall i thank him thinkest thou and what has he sent now servilius has only sent his present occasion now my lord requesting your lordship to supply his instant use with so many talents lucilius i know his lordship is but merry with me he cannot want fifty five hundred talents servilius but in the mean time he wants less my lord if his occasion were not virtuous i should not urge it half so faithfully lucilius dost thou speak seriously servilius servilius upon my soul'tis true sir lucilius what a wicked beast was i to disfurnish myself against such a good time when i might ha shown myself honourable how unluckily it happened that i should purchase the day before for a little part and undo a great deal of honoured servilius now before the gods i am not able to dothe more beast i sayi was sending to use lord timon myself these gentlemen can witness but i would not for the wealth of athens i had done't now commend me bountifully to his good lordship and i hope his honour will conceive the fairest of me because i have no power to be kind and tell him this from me i count it one of my greatest afflictions say that i cannot pleasure such an honourable gentleman good servilius will you befriend me so far as to use mine own words to him servilius yes sir i shall lucilius i'll look you out a good turn servilius exit servilius true as you said timon is shrunk indeed and he that's once denied will hardly speed exit first stranger do you observe this hostilius second stranger ay too well first stranger why this is the world's soul and just of the same piece is every flatterer's spirit who can call him his friend that dips in the same dish for in my knowing timon has been this lord's father and kept his credit with his purse supported his estate nay timon's money has paid his men their wages he ne'er drinks but timon's silver treads upon his lip and yeto see the monstrousness of man when he looks out in an ungrateful shape he does deny him in respect of his what charitable men afford to beggars third stranger religion groans at it first stranger for mine own part i never tasted timon in my life nor came any of his bounties over me to mark me for his friend yet i protest for his right noble mind illustrious virtue and honourable carriage had his necessity made use of me i would have put my wealth into donation and the best half should have return'd to him so much i love his heart but i perceive men must learn now with pity to dispense for policy sits above conscience exeunt timon of athens act iii scene iii a room in sempronius house enter sempronius and a servant of timon's sempronius must he needs trouble me in thum'bove all others he might have tried lord lucius or lucullus and now ventidius is wealthy too whom he redeem'd from prison all these owe their estates unto him servant my lord they have all been touch'd and found base metal for they have au denied him sempronius how have they denied him has ventidius and lucullus denied him and does he send to me three hum it shows but little love or judgment in him must i be his last refuge his friends like physicians thrive give him over must i take the cure upon me has much disgraced me in't i'm angry at him that might have known my place i see no sense for't but his occasion might have woo'd me first for in my conscience i was the first man that e'er received gift from him and does he think so backwardly of me now that i'll requite its last no so it may prove an argument of laughter to the rest and mongst lords i be thought a fool i'ld rather than the worth of thrice the sum had sent to me first but for my mind's sake i'd such a courage to do him good but now return and with their faint reply this answer join who bates mine honour shall not know my coin exit servant excellent your lordship's a goodly villain the devil knew not what he did when he made man politic he crossed himself by t and i cannot think but in the end the villainies of man will set him clear how fairly this lord strives to appear foul takes virtuous copies to be wicked like those that under hot ardent zeal would set whole realms on fire of such a nature is his politic love this was my lord's best hope now all are fled save only the gods now his friends are dead doors that were ne'er acquainted with their wards many a bounteous year must be employ'd now to guard sure their master and this is all a liberal course allows who cannot keep his wealth must keep his house exit timon of athens act iii scene iv the same a hall in timon's house enter two servants of varro and the servant of lucius meeting titus hortensius and other servants of timon's creditors waiting his coming out varro's first servant well met good morrow titus and hortensius titus the like to you kind varro hortensius lucius what do we meet together lucilius servant ay and i think one business does command us all for mine is money titus so is theirs and ours enter philotus lucilius servant and sir philotus too philotus good day at once lucilius servant welcome good brother what do you think the hour philotus labouring for nine lucilius servant so much philotus is not my lord seen yet lucilius servant not yet philotus i wonder on't he was wont to shine at seven lucilius servant ay but the days are wax'd shorter with him you must consider that a prodigal course is like the sun's but not like his recoverable i fear tis deepest winter in lord timon's purse that is one may reach deep enough and yet find little philotus i am of your fear for that titus i'll show you how to observe a strange event your lord sends now for money hortensius most true he does titus and he wears jewels now of timon's gift for which i wait for money hortensius it is against my heart lucilius servant mark how strange it shows timon in this should pay more than he owes and e'en as if your lord should wear rich jewels and send for money for em hortensius i'm weary of this charge the gods can witness i know my lord hath spent of timon's wealth and now ingratitude makes it worse than stealth varro's first servant yes mine's three thousand crowns what's yours lucilius servant five thousand mine varro's first servant tis much deep and it should seem by the sun your master's confidence was above mine else surely his had equall'd enter flaminius titus one of lord timon's men lucilius servant flaminius sir a word pray is my lord ready to come forth flaminius no indeed he is not titus we attend his lordship pray signify so much flaminius i need not tell him that he knows you are too diligent exit enter flavius in a cloak muffled lucilius servant ha is not that his steward muffled so he goes away in a cloud call him call him titus do you hear sir varro's second servant by your leave sir flavius what do ye ask of me my friend titus we wait for certain money here sir flavius ay if money were as certain as your waiting twere sure enough why then preferr'd you not your sums and bills when your false masters eat of my lord's meat then they could smile and fawn upon his debts and take down the interest into their gluttonous maws you do yourselves but wrong to stir me up let me pass quietly believe t my lord and i have made an end i have no more to reckon he to spend lucilius servant ay but this answer will not serve flavius if twill not serve'tis not so base as you for you serve knaves exit varro's first servant how what does his cashiered worship mutter varro's second servant no matter what he's poor and that's revenge enough who can speak broader than he that has no house to put his head in such may rail against great buildings enter servilius titus o here's servilius now we shall know some answer servilius if i might beseech you gentlemen to repair some other hour i should derive much from't for take't of my soul my lord leans wondrously to discontent his comfortable temper has forsook him he's much out of health and keeps his chamber lucilius servant many do keep their chambers are not sick and if it be so far beyond his health methinks he should the sooner pay his debts and make a clear way to the gods servilius good gods titus we cannot take this for answer sir flaminius within servilius help my lord my lord enter timon in a rage flaminius following timon what are my doors opposed against my passage have i been ever free and must my house be my retentive enemy my gaol the place which i have feasted does it now like all mankind show me an iron heart lucilius servant put in now titus titus my lord here is my bill lucilius servant here's mine hortensius and mine my lord both varro's servants and ours my lord philotus all our bills timon knock me down with em cleave me to the girdle lucilius servant alas my lord timon cut my heart in sums titus mine fifty talents timon tell out my blood lucilius servant five thousand crowns my lord timon five thousand drops pays that what yoursand yours varro's first servant my lord varro's second servant my lord timon tear me take me and the gods fall upon you exit hortensius faith i perceive our masters may throw their caps at their money these debts may well be called desperate ones for a madman owes em exeunt reenter timon and flavius timon they have e'en put my breath from me the slaves creditors devils flavius my dear lord timon what if it should be so flavius my lord timon i'll have it so my steward flavius here my lord timon so fitly go bid all my friends again lucius lucullus and sempronius all sirrah all i'll once more feast the rascals flavius o my lord you only speak from your distracted soul there is not so much left to furnish out a moderate table timon be't not in thy care go i charge thee invite them all let in the tide of knaves once more my cook and i'll provide exeunt timon of athens act iii scene v the same the senatehouse the senate sitting first senator my lord you have my voice to it the fault's bloody tis necessary he should die nothing emboldens sin so much as mercy second senator most true the law shall bruise him enter alcibiades with attendants alcibiades honour health and compassion to the senate first senator now captain alcibiades i am an humble suitor to your virtues for pity is the virtue of the law and none but tyrants use it cruelly it pleases time and fortune to lie heavy upon a friend of mine who in hot blood hath stepp'd into the law which is past depth to those that without heed do plunge into t he is a man setting his fate aside of comely virtues nor did he soil the fact with cowardice an honour in him which buys out his fault but with a noble fury and fair spirit seeing his reputation touch'd to death he did oppose his foe and with such sober and unnoted passion he did behave his anger ere twas spent as if he had but proved an argument first senator you undergo too strict a paradox striving to make an ugly deed look fair your words have took such pains as if they labour'd to bring manslaughter into form and set quarrelling upon the head of valour which indeed is valour misbegot and came into the world when sects and factions were newly born he's truly valiant that can wisely suffer the worst that man can breathe and make his wrongs his outsides to wear them like his raiment carelessly and ne'er prefer his injuries to his heart to bring it into danger if wrongs be evils and enforce us kill what folly tis to hazard life for ill alcibiades my lord first senator you cannot make gross sins look clear to revenge is no valour but to bear alcibiades my lords then under favour pardon me if i speak like a captain why do fond men expose themselves to battle and not endure all threats sleep upon't and let the foes quietly cut their throats without repugnancy if there be such valour in the bearing what make we abroad why then women are more valiant that stay at home if bearing carry it and the ass more captain than the lion the felon loaden with irons wiser than the judge if wisdom be in suffering o my lords as you are great be pitifully good who cannot condemn rashness in cold blood to kill i grant is sin's extremest gust but in defence by mercy tis most just to be in anger is impiety but who is man that is not angry weigh but the crime with this second senator you breathe in vain alcibiades in vain his service done at lacedaemon and byzantium were a sufficient briber for his life first senator what's that alcibiades i say my lords he has done fair service and slain in fight many of your enemies how full of valour did he bear himself in the last conflict and made plenteous wounds second senator he has made too much plenty with em he's a sworn rioter he has a sin that often drowns him and takes his valour prisoner if there were no foes that were enough to overcome him in that beastly fury he has been known to commit outrages and cherish factions tis inferr'd to us his days are foul and his drink dangerous first senator he dies alcibiades hard fate he might have died in war my lords if not for any parts in him though his right arm might purchase his own time and be in debt to noneyet more to move you take my deserts to his and join em both and for i know your reverend ages love security i'll pawn my victories all my honours to you upon his good returns if by this crime he owes the law his life why let the war receive t in valiant gore for law is strict and war is nothing more first senator we are for law he dies urge it no more on height of our displeasure friend or brother he forfeits his own blood that spills another alcibiades must it be so it must not be my lords i do beseech you know me second senator how alcibiades call me to your remembrances third senator what alcibiades i cannot think but your age has forgot me it could not else be i should prove so base to sue and be denied such common grace my wounds ache at you first senator do you dare our anger tis in few words but spacious in effect we banish thee for ever alcibiades banish me banish your dotage banish usury that makes the senate ugly first senator if after two days shine athens contain thee attend our weightier judgment and not to swell our spirit he shall be executed presently exeunt senators alcibiades now the gods keep you old enough that you may live only in bone that none may look on you i'm worse than mad i have kept back their foes while they have told their money and let out their coin upon large interest i myself rich only in large hurts all those for this is this the balsam that the usuring senate pours into captains wounds banishment it comes not ill i hate not to be banish'd it is a cause worthy my spleen and fury that i may strike at athens i'll cheer up my discontented troops and lay for hearts tis honour with most lands to be at odds soldiers should brook as little wrongs as gods exit timon of athens act iii scene vi the same a banquetingroom in timon's house music tables set out servants attending enter divers lords senators and others at several doors first lord the good time of day to you sir second lord i also wish it to you i think this honourable lord did but try us this other day first lord upon that were my thoughts tiring when we encountered i hope it is not so low with him as he made it seem in the trial of his several friends second lord it should not be by the persuasion of his new feasting first lord i should think so he hath sent me an earnest inviting which many my near occasions did urge me to put off but he hath conjured me beyond them and i must needs appear second lord in like manner was i in debt to my importunate business but he would not hear my excuse i am sorry when he sent to borrow of me that my provision was out first lord i am sick of that grief too as i understand how all things go second lord every man here's so what would he have borrowed of you first lord a thousand pieces second lord a thousand pieces first lord what of you second lord he sent to me sirhere he comes enter timon and attendants timon with all my heart gentlemen both and how fare you first lord ever at the best hearing well of your lordship second lord the swallow follows not summer more willing than we your lordship timon aside nor more willingly leaves winter such summerbirds are men gentlemen our dinner will not recompense this long stay feast your ears with the music awhile if they will fare so harshly o the trumpet's sound we shall to t presently first lord i hope it remains not unkindly with your lordship that i returned you an empty messenger timon o sir let it not trouble you second lord my noble lord timon ah my good friend what cheer second lord my most honourable lord i am e'en sick of shame that when your lordship this other day sent to me i was so unfortunate a beggar timon think not on t sir second lord if you had sent but two hours before timon let it not cumber your better remembrance the banquet brought in come bring in all together second lord all covered dishes first lord royal cheer i warrant you third lord doubt not that if money and the season can yield it first lord how do you what's the news third lord alcibiades is banished hear you of it first lord alcibiades banished second lord third lord tis so be sure of it first lord how how second lord i pray you upon what timon my worthy friends will you draw near third lord i'll tell you more anon here's a noble feast toward second lord this is the old man still third lord will t hold will t hold second lord it does but time willand so third lord i do conceive timon each man to his stool with that spur as he would to the lip of his mistress your diet shall be in all places alike make not a city feast of it to let the meat cool ere we can agree upon the first place sit sit the gods require our thanks you great benefactors sprinkle our society with thankfulness for your own gifts make yourselves praised but reserve still to give lest your deities be despised lend to each man enough that one need not lend to another for were your godheads to borrow of men men would forsake the gods make the meat be beloved more than the man that gives it let no assembly of twenty be without a score of villains if there sit twelve women at the table let a dozen of them beas they are the rest of your fees o godsthe senators of athens together with the common lag of peoplewhat is amiss in them you gods make suitable for destruction for these my present friends as they are to me nothing so in nothing bless them and to nothing are they welcome uncover dogs and lap the dishes are uncovered and seen to be full of warm water some speak what does his lordship mean some others i know not timon may you a better feast never behold you knot of mouthfriends i smoke and lukewarm water is your perfection this is timon's last who stuck and spangled with your flatteries washes it off and sprinkles in your faces your reeking villany throwing the water in their faces live loathed and long most smiling smooth detested parasites courteous destroyers affable wolves meek bears you fools of fortune trencherfriends time's flies cap and knee slaves vapours and minutejacks of man and beast the infinite malady crust you quite o'er what dost thou go soft take thy physic firstthou tooand thou stay i will lend thee money borrow none throws the dishes at them and drives them out what all in motion henceforth be no feast whereat a villain's not a welcome guest burn house sink athens henceforth hated be of timon man and all humanity exit reenter the lords senators &c first lord how now my lords second lord know you the quality of lord timon's fury third lord push did you see my cap fourth lord i have lost my gown first lord he's but a mad lord and nought but humour sways him he gave me a jewel th other day and now he has beat it out of my hat did you see my jewel third lord did you see my cap second lord here tis fourth lord here lies my gown first lord let's make no stay second lord lord timon's mad third lord i feel t upon my bones fourth lord one day he gives us diamonds next day stones exeunt timon of athens act iv scene i without the walls of athens enter timon timon let me look back upon thee o thou wall that girdlest in those wolves dive in the earth and fence not athens matrons turn incontinent obedience fail in children slaves and fools pluck the grave wrinkled senate from the bench and minister in their steads to general filths convert o the instant green virginity do t in your parents eyes bankrupts hold fast rather than render back out with your knives and cut your trusters throats bound servants steal largehanded robbers your grave masters are and pill by law maid to thy master's bed thy mistress is o the brothel son of sixteen pluck the lined crutch from thy old limping sire with it beat out his brains piety and fear religion to the gods peace justice truth domestic awe nightrest and neighbourhood instruction manners mysteries and trades degrees observances customs and laws decline to your confounding contraries and let confusion live plagues incident to men your potent and infectious fevers heap on athens ripe for stroke thou cold sciatica cripple our senators that their limbs may halt as lamely as their manners lust and liberty creep in the minds and marrows of our youth that gainst the stream of virtue they may strive and drown themselves in riot itches blains sow all the athenian bosoms and their crop be general leprosy breath infect breath at their society as their friendship may merely poison nothing i'll bear from thee but nakedness thou detestable town take thou that too with multiplying bans timon will to the woods where he shall find the unkindest beast more kinder than mankind the gods confoundhear me you good gods all the athenians both within and out that wall and grant as timon grows his hate may grow to the whole race of mankind high and low amen exit timon of athens act iv scene ii athens a room in timon's house enter flavius with two or three servants first servant hear you master steward where's our master are we undone cast off nothing remaining flavius alack my fellows what should i say to you let me be recorded by the righteous gods i am as poor as you first servant such a house broke so noble a master fall'n all gone and not one friend to take his fortune by the arm and go along with him second servant as we do turn our backs from our companion thrown into his grave so his familiars to his buried fortunes slink all away leave their false vows with him like empty purses pick'd and his poor self a dedicated beggar to the air with his disease of allshunn'd poverty walks like contempt alone more of our fellows enter other servants flavius all broken implements of a ruin'd house third servant yet do our hearts wear timon's livery that see i by our faces we are fellows still serving alike in sorrow leak'd is our bark and we poor mates stand on the dying deck hearing the surges threat we must all part into this sea of air flavius good fellows all the latest of my wealth i'll share amongst you wherever we shall meet for timon's sake let's yet be fellows let's shake our heads and say as twere a knell unto our master's fortunes we have seen better days let each take some nay put out all your hands not one word more thus part we rich in sorrow parting poor servants embrace and part several ways o the fierce wretchedness that glory brings us who would not wish to be from wealth exempt since riches point to misery and contempt who would be so mock'd with glory or to live but in a dream of friendship to have his pomp and all what state compounds but only painted like his varnish'd friends poor honest lord brought low by his own heart undone by goodness strange unusual blood when man's worst sin is he does too much good who then dares to be half so kind again for bounty that makes gods does still mar men my dearest lord bless'd to be most accursed rich only to be wretched thy great fortunes are made thy chief afflictions alas kind lord he's flung in rage from this ingrateful seat of monstrous friends nor has he with him to supply his life or that which can command it i'll follow and inquire him out i'll ever serve his mind with my best will whilst i have gold i'll be his steward still exit timon of athens act iv scene iii woods and cave near the seashore enter timon from the cave o blessed breeding sun draw from the earth rotten humidity below thy sister's orb infect the air twinn'd brothers of one womb whose procreation residence and birth scarce is dividant touch them with several fortunes the greater scorns the lesser not nature to whom all sores lay siege can bear great fortune but by contempt of nature raise me this beggar and deny t that lord the senator shall bear contempt hereditary the beggar native honour it is the pasture lards the rother's sides the want that makes him lean who dares who dares in purity of manhood stand upright and say this man's a flatterer if one be so are they all for every grise of fortune is smooth'd by that below the learned pate ducks to the golden fool all is oblique there's nothing level in our cursed natures but direct villany therefore be abhorr'd all feasts societies and throngs of men his semblable yea himself timon disdains destruction fang mankind earth yield me roots digging who seeks for better of thee sauce his palate with thy most operant poison what is here gold yellow glittering precious gold no gods i am no idle votarist roots you clear heavens thus much of this will make black white foul fair wrong right base noble old young coward valiant ha you gods why this what this you gods why this will lug your priests and servants from your sides pluck stout men's pillows from below their heads this yellow slave will knit and break religions bless the accursed make the hoar leprosy adored place thieves and give them title knee and approbation with senators on the bench this is it that makes the wappen'd widow wed again she whom the spitalhouse and ulcerous sores would cast the gorge at this embalms and spices to the april day again come damned earth thou common whore of mankind that put'st odds among the route of nations i will make thee do thy right nature march afar off ha a drum thou'rt quick but yet i'll bury thee thou'lt go strong thief when gouty keepers of thee cannot stand nay stay thou out for earnest keeping some gold enter alcibiades with drum and fife in warlike manner phrynia and timandra alcibiades what art thou there speak timon a beast as thou art the canker gnaw thy heart for showing me again the eyes of man alcibiades what is thy name is man so hateful to thee that art thyself a man timon i am misanthropos and hate mankind for thy part i do wish thou wert a dog that i might love thee something alcibiades i know thee well but in thy fortunes am unlearn'd and strange timon i know thee too and more than that i know thee i not desire to know follow thy drum with man's blood paint the ground gules gules religious canons civil laws are cruel then what should war be this fell whore of thine hath in her more destruction than thy sword for all her cherubim look phrynia thy lips rot off timon i will not kiss thee then the rot returns to thine own lips again alcibiades how came the noble timon to this change timon as the moon does by wanting light to give but then renew i could not like the moon there were no suns to borrow of alcibiades noble timon what friendship may i do thee timon none but to maintain my opinion alcibiades what is it timon timon promise me friendship but perform none if thou wilt not promise the gods plague thee for thou art a man if thou dost perform confound thee for thou art a man alcibiades i have heard in some sort of thy miseries timon thou saw'st them when i had prosperity alcibiades i see them now then was a blessed time timon as thine is now held with a brace of harlots timandra is this the athenian minion whom the world voiced so regardfully timon art thou timandra timandra yes timon be a whore still they love thee not that use thee give them diseases leaving with thee their lust make use of thy salt hours season the slaves for tubs and baths bring down rosecheeked youth to the tubfast and the diet timandra hang thee monster alcibiades pardon him sweet timandra for his wits are drown'd and lost in his calamities i have but little gold of late brave timon the want whereof doth daily make revolt in my penurious band i have heard and grieved how cursed athens mindless of thy worth forgetting thy great deeds when neighbour states but for thy sword and fortune trod upon them timon i prithee beat thy drum and get thee gone alcibiades i am thy friend and pity thee dear timon timon how dost thou pity him whom thou dost trouble i had rather be alone alcibiades why fare thee well here is some gold for thee timon keep it i cannot eat it alcibiades when i have laid proud athens on a heap timon warr'st thou gainst athens alcibiades ay timon and have cause timon the gods confound them all in thy conquest and thee after when thou hast conquer'd alcibiades why me timon timon that by killing of villains thou wast born to conquer my country put up thy gold go onhere's goldgo on be as a planetary plague when jove will o'er some highviced city hang his poison in the sick air let not thy sword skip one pity not honour'd age for his white beard he is an usurer strike me the counterfeit matron it is her habit only that is honest herself's a bawd let not the virgin's cheek make soft thy trenchant sword for those milkpaps that through the windowbars bore at men's eyes are not within the leaf of pity writ but set them down horrible traitors spare not the babe whose dimpled smiles from fools exhaust their mercy think it a bastard whom the oracle hath doubtfully pronounced thy throat shall cut and mince it sans remorse swear against objects put armour on thine ears and on thine eyes whose proof nor yells of mothers maids nor babes nor sight of priests in holy vestments bleeding shall pierce a jot there's gold to pay soldiers make large confusion and thy fury spent confounded be thyself speak not be gone alcibiades hast thou gold yet i'll take the gold thou givest me not all thy counsel timon dost thou or dost thou not heaven's curse upon thee phrynia give us some gold good timon hast thou more timandra timon enough to make a whore forswear her trade and to make whores a bawd hold up you sluts your aprons mountant you are not oathable although i know you ll swear terribly swear into strong shudders and to heavenly agues the immortal gods that hear youspare your oaths i'll trust to your conditions be whores still and he whose pious breath seeks to convert you be strong in whore allure him burn him up let your close fire predominate his smoke and be no turncoats yet may your pains six months be quite contrary and thatch your poor thin roofs with burthens of the deadsome that were hang'd no matterwear them betray with them whore still paint till a horse may mire upon your face a pox of wrinkles phrynia well more gold what then timandra believe't that we'll do any thing for gold timon consumptions sow in hollow bones of man strike their sharp shins and mar men's spurring crack the lawyer's voice that he may never more false title plead nor sound his quillets shrilly hoar the flamen that scolds against the quality of flesh and not believes himself down with the nose down with it flat take the bridge quite away of him that his particular to foresee smells from the general weal make curl'dpate ruffians bald and let the unscarr'd braggarts of the war derive some pain from you plague all that your activity may defeat and quell the source of all erection there's more gold do you damn others and let this damn you and ditches grave you all phrynia more counsel with more money bounteous timon timandra timon more whore more mischief first i have given you earnest alcibiades strike up the drum towards athens farewell timon if i thrive well i'll visit thee again timon if i hope well i'll never see thee more alcibiades i never did thee harm timon yes thou spokest well of me alcibiades call'st thou that harm timon men daily find it get thee away and take thy beagles with thee alcibiades we but offend him strike drum beats exeunt alcibiades phrynia and timandra timon that nature being sick of man's unkindness should yet be hungry common mother thou digging whose womb unmeasurable and infinite breast teems and feeds all whose selfsame mettle whereof thy proud child arrogant man is puff'd engenders the black toad and adder blue the gilded newt and eyeless venom'd worm with all the abhorred births below crisp heaven whereon hyperion's quickening fire doth shine yield him who all thy human sons doth hate from forth thy plenteous bosom one poor root ensear thy fertile and conceptious womb let it no more bring out ingrateful man go great with tigers dragons wolves and bears teem with new monsters whom thy upward face hath to the marbled mansion all above never presentedo a rootdear thanks dry up thy marrows vines and ploughtorn leas whereof ungrateful man with liquorish draughts and morsels unctuous greases his pure mind that from it all consideration slips enter apemantus more man plague plague apemantus i was directed hither men report thou dost affect my manners and dost use them timon tis then because thou dost not keep a dog whom i would imitate consumption catch thee apemantus this is in thee a nature but infected a poor unmanly melancholy sprung from change of fortune why this spade this place this slavelike habit and these looks of care thy flatterers yet wear silk drink wine lie soft hug their diseased perfumes and have forgot that ever timon was shame not these woods by putting on the cunning of a carper be thou a flatterer now and seek to thrive by that which has undone thee hinge thy knee and let his very breath whom thou'lt observe blow off thy cap praise his most vicious strain and call it excellent thou wast told thus thou gavest thine ears like tapsters that bid welcome to knaves and all approachers tis most just that thou turn rascal hadst thou wealth again rascals should have t do not assume my likeness timon were i like thee i'ld throw away myself apemantus thou hast cast away thyself being like thyself a madman so long now a fool what think'st that the bleak air thy boisterous chamberlain will put thy shirt on warm will these moss'd trees that have outlived the eagle page thy heels and skip where thou point'st out will the cold brook candied with ice caudle thy morning taste to cure thy o'ernight's surfeit call the creatures whose naked natures live in an the spite of wreakful heaven whose bare unhoused trunks to the conflicting elements exposed answer mere nature bid them flatter thee o thou shalt find timon a fool of thee depart apemantus i love thee better now than e'er i did timon i hate thee worse apemantus why timon thou flatter'st misery apemantus i flatter not but say thou art a caitiff timon why dost thou seek me out apemantus to vex thee timon always a villain's office or a fool's dost please thyself in't apemantus ay timon what a knave too apemantus if thou didst put this sourcold habit on to castigate thy pride twere well but thou dost it enforcedly thou'ldst courtier be again wert thou not beggar willing misery outlives encertain pomp is crown'd before the one is filling still never complete the other at high wish best state contentless hath a distracted and most wretched being worse than the worst content thou shouldst desire to die being miserable timon not by his breath that is more miserable thou art a slave whom fortune's tender arm with favour never clasp'd but bred a dog hadst thou like us from our first swath proceeded the sweet degrees that this brief world affords to such as may the passive drugs of it freely command thou wouldst have plunged thyself in general riot melted down thy youth in different beds of lust and never learn'd the icy precepts of respect but follow'd the sugar'd game before thee but myself who had the world as my confectionary the mouths the tongues the eyes and hearts of men at duty more than i could frame employment that numberless upon me stuck as leaves do on the oak hive with one winter's brush fell from their boughs and left me open bare for every storm that blows i to bear this that never knew but better is some burden thy nature did commence in sufferance time hath made thee hard in't why shouldst thou hate men they never flatter'd thee what hast thou given if thou wilt curse thy father that poor rag must be thy subject who in spite put stuff to some she beggar and compounded thee poor rogue hereditary hence be gone if thou hadst not been born the worst of men thou hadst been a knave and flatterer apemantus art thou proud yet timon ay that i am not thee apemantus i that i was no prodigal timon i that i am one now were all the wealth i have shut up in thee i'ld give thee leave to hang it get thee gone that the whole life of athens were in this thus would i eat it eating a root apemantus here i will mend thy feast offering him a root timon first mend my company take away thyself apemantus so i shall mend mine own by the lack of thine timon tis not well mended so it is but botch'd if not i would it were apemantus what wouldst thou have to athens timon thee thither in a whirlwind if thou wilt tell them there i have gold look so i have apemantus here is no use for gold timon the best and truest for here it sleeps and does no hired harm apemantus where liest o nights timon timon under that's above me where feed'st thou o days apemantus apemantus where my stomach finds meat or rather where i eat it timon would poison were obedient and knew my mind apemantus where wouldst thou send it timon to sauce thy dishes apemantus the middle of humanity thou never knewest but the extremity of both ends when thou wast in thy gilt and thy perfume they mocked thee for too much curiosity in thy rags thou knowest none but art despised for the contrary there's a medlar for thee eat it timon on what i hate i feed not apemantus dost hate a medlar timon ay though it look like thee apemantus an thou hadst hated meddlers sooner thou shouldst have loved thyself better now what man didst thou ever know unthrift that was beloved after his means timon who without those means thou talkest of didst thou ever know beloved apemantus myself timon i understand thee thou hadst some means to keep a dog apemantus what things in the world canst thou nearest compare to thy flatterers timon women nearest but men men are the things themselves what wouldst thou do with the world apemantus if it lay in thy power apemantus give it the beasts to be rid of the men timon wouldst thou have thyself fall in the confusion of men and remain a beast with the beasts apemantus ay timon timon a beastly ambition which the gods grant thee t' attain to if thou wert the lion the fox would beguile thee if thou wert the lamb the fox would eat three if thou wert the fox the lion would suspect thee when peradventure thou wert accused by the ass if thou wert the ass thy dulness would torment thee and still thou livedst but as a breakfast to the wolf if thou wert the wolf thy greediness would afflict thee and oft thou shouldst hazard thy life for thy dinner wert thou the unicorn pride and wrath would confound thee and make thine own self the conquest of thy fury wert thou a bear thou wouldst be killed by the horse wert thou a horse thou wouldst be seized by the leopard wert thou a leopard thou wert german to the lion and the spots of thy kindred were jurors on thy life all thy safety were remotion and thy defence absence what beast couldst thou be that were not subject to a beast and what a beast art thou already that seest not thy loss in transformation apemantus if thou couldst please me with speaking to me thou mightst have hit upon it here the commonwealth of athens is become a forest of beasts timon how has the ass broke the wall that thou art out of the city apemantus yonder comes a poet and a painter the plague of company light upon thee i will fear to catch it and give way when i know not what else to do i'll see thee again timon when there is nothing living but thee thou shalt be welcome i had rather be a beggar's dog than apemantus apemantus thou art the cap of all the fools alive timon would thou wert clean enough to spit upon apemantus a plague on thee thou art too bad to curse timon all villains that do stand by thee are pure apemantus there is no leprosy but what thou speak'st timon if i name thee i'll beat thee but i should infect my hands apemantus i would my tongue could rot them off timon away thou issue of a mangy dog choler does kill me that thou art alive i swound to see thee apemantus would thou wouldst burst timon away thou tedious rogue i am sorry i shall lose a stone by thee throws a stone at him apemantus beast timon slave apemantus toad timon rogue rogue rogue i am sick of this false world and will love nought but even the mere necessities upon t then timon presently prepare thy grave lie where the light foam the sea may beat thy gravestone daily make thine epitaph that death in me at others lives may laugh to the gold o thou sweet kingkiller and dear divorce twixt natural son and sire thou bright defiler of hymen's purest bed thou valiant mars thou ever young fresh loved and delicate wooer whose blush doth thaw the consecrated snow that lies on dian's lap thou visible god that solder'st close impossibilities and makest them kiss that speak'st with every tongue to every purpose o thou touch of hearts think thy slave man rebels and by thy virtue set them into confounding odds that beasts may have the world in empire apemantus would twere so but not till i am dead i'll say thou'st gold thou wilt be throng'd to shortly timon throng'd to apemantus ay timon thy back i prithee apemantus live and love thy misery timon long live so and so die exit apemantus i am quit moe things like men eat timon and abhor them enter banditti first bandit where should he have this gold it is some poor fragment some slender sort of his remainder the mere want of gold and the fallingfrom of his friends drove him into this melancholy second bandit it is noised he hath a mass of treasure third bandit let us make the assay upon him if he care not for't he will supply us easily if he covetously reserve it how shall's get it second bandit true for he bears it not about him tis hid first bandit is not this he banditti where second bandit tis his description third bandit he i know him banditti save thee timon timon now thieves banditti soldiers not thieves timon both too and women's sons banditti we are not thieves but men that much do want timon your greatest want is you want much of meat why should you want behold the earth hath roots within this mile break forth a hundred springs the oaks bear mast the briers scarlet hips the bounteous housewife nature on each bush lays her full mess before you want why want first bandit we cannot live on grass on berries water as beasts and birds and fishes timon nor on the beasts themselves the birds and fishes you must eat men yet thanks i must you con that you are thieves profess'd that you work not in holier shapes for there is boundless theft in limited professions rascal thieves here's gold go suck the subtle blood o the grape till the high fever seethe your blood to froth and so scape hanging trust not the physician his antidotes are poison and he slays moe than you rob take wealth and lives together do villany do since you protest to do't like workmen i'll example you with thievery the sun's a thief and with his great attraction robs the vast sea the moon's an arrant thief and her pale fire she snatches from the sun the sea's a thief whose liquid surge resolves the moon into salt tears the earth's a thief that feeds and breeds by a composture stolen from general excrement each thing's a thief the laws your curb and whip in their rough power have uncheque'd theft love not yourselves away rob one another there's more gold cut throats all that you meet are thieves to athens go break open shops nothing can you steal but thieves do lose it steal no less for this i give you and gold confound you howsoe'er amen third bandit has almost charmed me from my profession by persuading me to it first bandit tis in the malice of mankind that he thus advises us not to have us thrive in our mystery second bandit i'll believe him as an enemy and give over my trade first bandit let us first see peace in athens there is no time so miserable but a man may be true exeunt banditti enter flavius flavius o you gods is yond despised and ruinous man my lord full of decay and failing o monument and wonder of good deeds evilly bestow'd what an alteration of honour has desperate want made what viler thing upon the earth than friends who can bring noblest minds to basest ends how rarely does it meet with this time's guise when man was wish'd to love his enemies grant i may ever love and rather woo those that would mischief me than those that do has caught me in his eye i will present my honest grief unto him and as my lord still serve him with my life my dearest master timon away what art thou flavius have you forgot me sir timon why dost ask that i have forgot all men then if thou grant'st thou'rt a man i have forgot thee flavius an honest poor servant of yours timon then i know thee not i never had honest man about me i all i kept were knaves to serve in meat to villains flavius the gods are witness ne'er did poor steward wear a truer grief for his undone lord than mine eyes for you timon what dost thou weep come nearer then i love thee because thou art a woman and disclaim'st flinty mankind whose eyes do never give but thorough lust and laughter pity's sleeping strange times that weep with laughing not with weeping flavius i beg of you to know me good my lord to accept my grief and whilst this poor wealth lasts to entertain me as your steward still timon had i a steward so true so just and now so comfortable it almost turns my dangerous nature mild let me behold thy face surely this man was born of woman forgive my general and exceptless rashness you perpetualsober gods i do proclaim one honest manmistake me notbut one no more i prayand he's a steward how fain would i have hated all mankind and thou redeem'st thyself but all save thee i fell with curses methinks thou art more honest now than wise for by oppressing and betraying me thou mightst have sooner got another service for many so arrive at second masters upon their first lord's neck but tell me true for i must ever doubt though ne'er so sure is not thy kindness subtle covetous if not a usuring kindness and as rich men deal gifts expecting in return twenty for one flavius no my most worthy master in whose breast doubt and suspect alas are placed too late you should have fear'd false times when you did feast suspect still comes where an estate is least that which i show heaven knows is merely love duty and zeal to your unmatched mind care of your food and living and believe it my most honour'd lord for any benefit that points to me either in hope or present i'ld exchange for this one wish that you had power and wealth to requite me by making rich yourself timon look thee tis so thou singly honest man here take the gods out of my misery have sent thee treasure go live rich and happy but thus condition'd thou shalt build from men hate all curse all show charity to none but let the famish'd flesh slide from the bone ere thou relieve the beggar give to dogs what thou deny'st to men let prisons swallow em debts wither em to nothing be men like blasted woods and may diseases lick up their false bloods and so farewell and thrive flavius o let me stay and comfort you my master timon if thou hatest curses stay not fly whilst thou art blest and free ne'er see thou man and let me ne'er see thee exit flavius timon retires to his cave timon of athens act v scene i the woods before timon's cave enter poet and painter timon watching them from his cave painter as i took note of the place it cannot be far where he abides poet what's to be thought of him does the rumour hold for true that he's so full of gold painter certain alcibiades reports it phrynia and timandra had gold of him he likewise enriched poor straggling soldiers with great quantity tis said he gave unto his steward a mighty sum poet then this breaking of his has been but a try for his friends painter nothing else you shall see him a palm in athens again and flourish with the highest therefore tis not amiss we tender our loves to him in this supposed distress of his it will show honestly in us and is very likely to load our purposes with what they travail for if it be a just true report that goes of his having poet what have you now to present unto him painter nothing at this time but my visitation only i will promise him an excellent piece poet i must serve him so too tell him of an intent that's coming toward him painter good as the best promising is the very air o the time it opens the eyes of expectation performance is ever the duller for his act and but in the plainer and simpler kind of people the deed of saying is quite out of use to promise is most courtly and fashionable performance is a kind of will or testament which argues a great sickness in his judgment that makes it timon comes from his cave behind timon aside excellent workman thou canst not paint a man so bad as is thyself poet i am thinking what i shall say i have provided for him it must be a personating of himself a satire against the softness of prosperity with a discovery of the infinite flatteries that follow youth and opulency timon aside must thou needs stand for a villain in thine own work wilt thou whip thine own faults in other men do so i have gold for thee poet nay let's seek him then do we sin against our own estate when we may profit meet and come too late painter true when the day serves before blackcorner'd night find what thou want'st by free and offer'd light come timon aside i'll meet you at the turn what a god's gold that he is worshipp'd in a baser temple than where swine feed tis thou that rigg'st the bark and plough'st the foam settlest admired reverence in a slave to thee be worship and thy saints for aye be crown'd with plagues that thee alone obey fit i meet them coming forward poet hail worthy timon painter our late noble master timon have i once lived to see two honest men poet sir having often of your open bounty tasted hearing you were retired your friends fall'n off whose thankless natureso abhorred spirits not all the whips of heaven are large enough what to you whose starlike nobleness gave life and influence to their whole being i am rapt and cannot cover the monstrous bulk of this ingratitude with any size of words timon let it go naked men may see't the better you that are honest by being what you are make them best seen and known painter he and myself have travail'd in the great shower of your gifts and sweetly felt it timon ay you are honest men painter we are hither come to offer you our service timon most honest men why how shall i requite you can you eat roots and drink cold water no both what we can do we'll do to do you service timon ye're honest men ye've heard that i have gold i am sure you have speak truth ye're honest men painter so it is said my noble lord but therefore came not my friend nor i timon good honest men thou draw'st a counterfeit best in all athens thou'rt indeed the best thou counterfeit'st most lively painter so so my lord timon e'en so sir as i say and for thy fiction why thy verse swells with stuff so fine and smooth that thou art even natural in thine art but for all this my honestnatured friends i must needs say you have a little fault marry tis not monstrous in you neither wish i you take much pains to mend both beseech your honour to make it known to us timon you'll take it ill both most thankfully my lord timon will you indeed both doubt it not worthy lord timon there's never a one of you but trusts a knave that mightily deceives you both do we my lord timon ay and you hear him cog see him dissemble know his gross patchery love him feed him keep in your bosom yet remain assured that he's a madeup villain painter i know none such my lord poet nor i timon look you i love you well i'll give you gold rid me these villains from your companies hang them or stab them drown them in a draught confound them by some course and come to me i'll give you gold enough both name them my lord let's know them timon you that way and you this but two in company each man apart all single and alone yet an archvillain keeps him company if where thou art two villains shall not be come not near him if thou wouldst not reside but where one villain is then him abandon hence pack there's gold you came for gold ye slaves to painter you have work'd for me there's payment for you hence to poet you are an alchemist make gold of that out rascal dogs beats them out and then retires to his cave enter flavius and two senators flavius it is in vain that you would speak with timon for he is set so only to himself that nothing but himself which looks like man is friendly with him first senator bring us to his cave it is our part and promise to the athenians to speak with timon second senator at all times alike men are not still the same twas time and griefs that framed him thus time with his fairer hand offering the fortunes of his former days the former man may make him bring us to him and chance it as it may flavius here is his cave peace and content be here lord timon timon look out and speak to friends the athenians by two of their most reverend senate greet thee speak to them noble timon timon comes from his cave timon thou sun that comfort'st burn speak and be hang'd for each true word a blister and each false be as cauterizing to the root o the tongue consuming it with speaking first senator worthy timon timon of none but such as you and you of timon first senator the senators of athens greet thee timon timon i thank them and would send them back the plague could i but catch it for them first senator o forget what we are sorry for ourselves in thee the senators with one consent of love entreat thee back to athens who have thought on special dignities which vacant lie for thy best use and wearing second senator they confess toward thee forgetfulness too general gross which now the public body which doth seldom play the recanter feeling in itself a lack of timon's aid hath sense withal of its own fail restraining aid to timon and send forth us to make their sorrow'd render together with a recompense more fruitful than their offence can weigh down by the dram ay even such heaps and sums of love and wealth as shall to thee blot out what wrongs were theirs and write in thee the figures of their love ever to read them thine timon you witch me in it surprise me to the very brink of tears lend me a fool's heart and a woman's eyes and i'll beweep these comforts worthy senators first senator therefore so please thee to return with us and of our athens thine and ours to take the captainship thou shalt be met with thanks allow'd with absolute power and thy good name live with authority so soon we shall drive back of alcibiades the approaches wild who like a boar too savage doth root up his country's peace second senator and shakes his threatening sword against the walls of athens first senator therefore timon timon well sir i will therefore i will sir thus if alcibiades kill my countrymen let alcibiades know this of timon that timon cares not but if be sack fair athens and take our goodly aged men by the beards giving our holy virgins to the stain of contumelious beastly madbrain'd war then let him know and tell him timon speaks it in pity of our aged and our youth i cannot choose but tell him that i care not and let him take't at worst for their knives care not while you have throats to answer for myself there's not a whittle in the unruly camp but i do prize it at my love before the reverend'st throat in athens so i leave you to the protection of the prosperous gods as thieves to keepers flavius stay not all's in vain timon why i was writing of my epitaph it will be seen tomorrow my long sickness of health and living now begins to mend and nothing brings me all things go live still be alcibiades your plague you his and last so long enough first senator we speak in vain timon but yet i love my country and am not one that rejoices in the common wreck as common bruit doth put it first senator that's well spoke timon commend me to my loving countrymen first senator these words become your lips as they pass thorough them second senator and enter in our ears like great triumphers in their applauding gates timon commend me to them and tell them that to ease them of their griefs their fears of hostile strokes their aches losses their pangs of love with other incident throes that nature's fragile vessel doth sustain in life's uncertain voyage i will some kindness do them i'll teach them to prevent wild alcibiades wrath first senator i like this well he will return again timon i have a tree which grows here in my close that mine own use invites me to cut down and shortly must i fell it tell my friends tell athens in the sequence of degree from high to low throughout that whoso please to stop affliction let him take his haste come hither ere my tree hath felt the axe and hang himself i pray you do my greeting flavius trouble him no further thus you still shall find him timon come not to me again but say to athens timon hath made his everlasting mansion upon the beached verge of the salt flood who once a day with his embossed froth the turbulent surge shall cover thither come and let my gravestone be your oracle lips let sour words go by and language end what is amiss plague and infection mend graves only be men's works and death their gain sun hide thy beams timon hath done his reign retires to his cave first senator his discontents are unremoveably coupled to nature second senator our hope in him is dead let us return and strain what other means is left unto us in our dear peril first senator it requires swift foot exeunt timon of athens act v scene ii before the walls of athens enter two senators and a messenger first senator thou hast painfully discover'd are his files as full as thy report messenger have spoke the least besides his expedition promises present approach second senator we stand much hazard if they bring not timon messenger i met a courier one mine ancient friend whom though in general part we were opposed yet our old love made a particular force and made us speak like friends this man was riding from alcibiades to timon's cave with letters of entreaty which imported his fellowship i the cause against your city in part for his sake moved first senator here come our brothers enter the senators from timon third senator no talk of timon nothing of him expect the enemies drum is heard and fearful scouring doth choke the air with dust in and prepare ours is the fall i fear our foes the snare exeunt timon of athens act v scene iii the woods timon's cave and a rude tomb seen enter a soldier seeking timon soldier by all description this should be the place who's here speak ho no answer what is this timon is dead who hath outstretch'd his span some beast rear'd this there does not live a man dead sure and this his grave what's on this tomb i cannot read the character i'll take with wax our captain hath in every figure skill an aged interpreter though young in days before proud athens he's set down by this whose fall the mark of his ambition is exit timon of athens act v scene iv before the walls of athens trumpets sound enter alcibiades with his powers alcibiades sound to this coward and lascivious town our terrible approach a parley sounded enter senators on the walls till now you have gone on and fill'd the time with all licentious measure making your wills the scope of justice till now myself and such as slept within the shadow of your power have wander'd with our traversed arms and breathed our sufferance vainly now the time is flush when crouching marrow in the bearer strong cries of itself no more now breathless wrong shall sit and pant in your great chairs of ease and pursy insolence shall break his wind with fear and horrid flight first senator noble and young when thy first griefs were but a mere conceit ere thou hadst power or we had cause of fear we sent to thee to give thy rages balm to wipe out our ingratitude with loves above their quantity second senator so did we woo transformed timon to our city's love by humble message and by promised means we were not all unkind nor all deserve the common stroke of war first senator these walls of ours were not erected by their hands from whom you have received your griefs nor are they such that these great towers trophies and schools should fall for private faults in them second senator nor are they living who were the motives that you first went out shame that they wanted cunning in excess hath broke their hearts march noble lord into our city with thy banners spread by decimation and a tithed death if thy revenges hunger for that food which nature loathestake thou the destined tenth and by the hazard of the spotted die let die the spotted first senator all have not offended for those that were it is not square to take on those that are revenges crimes like lands are not inherited then dear countryman bring in thy ranks but leave without thy rage spare thy athenian cradle and those kin which in the bluster of thy wrath must fall with those that have offended like a shepherd approach the fold and cull the infected forth but kill not all together second senator what thou wilt thou rather shalt enforce it with thy smile than hew to't with thy sword first senator set but thy foot against our rampired gates and they shall ope so thou wilt send thy gentle heart before to say thou'lt enter friendly second senator throw thy glove or any token of thine honour else that thou wilt use the wars as thy redress and not as our confusion all thy powers shall make their harbour in our town till we have seal'd thy full desire alcibiades then there's my glove descend and open your uncharged ports those enemies of timon's and mine own whom you yourselves shall set out for reproof fall and no more and to atone your fears with my more noble meaning not a man shall pass his quarter or offend the stream of regular justice in your city's bounds but shall be render'd to your public laws at heaviest answer both tis most nobly spoken alcibiades descend and keep your words the senators descend and open the gates enter soldier soldier my noble general timon is dead entomb'd upon the very hem o the sea and on his gravestone this insculpture which with wax i brought away whose soft impression interprets for my poor ignorance alcibiades reads the epitaph here lies a wretched corse of wretched soul bereft seek not my name a plague consume you wicked caitiffs left here lie i timon who alive all living men did hate pass by and curse thy fill but pass and stay not here thy gait' these well express in thee thy latter spirits though thou abhorr'dst in us our human griefs scorn'dst our brain's flow and those our droplets which from niggard nature fall yet rich conceit taught thee to make vast neptune weep for aye on thy low grave on faults forgiven dead is noble timon of whose memory hereafter more bring me into your city and i will use the olive with my sword make war breed peace make peace stint war make each prescribe to other as each other's leech let our drums strike exeunt titus andronicus dramatis personae saturninus son to the late emperor of rome and afterwards declared emperor bassianus brother to saturninus in love with lavinia titus andronicus a noble roman general against the goths marcus andronicus tribune of the people and brother to titus lucius quintus sons to titus andronicus martius mutius young lucius a boy son to lucius publius son to marcus the tribune sempronius caius kinsmen to titus valentine aemilius a noble roman alarbus demetrius sons to tamora chiron aaron a moor beloved by tamora a captain tribune messenger and clown romans captain messenger clown goths and romans first goth second goth third goth tamora queen of the goths lavinia daughter of titus andronicus a nurse nurse senators tribunes officers soldiers and attendants scene rome and the country near it titus andronicus act i scene i rome before the capitol the tomb of the andronici appearing the tribunes and senators aloft enter below from one side saturninus and his followers and from the other side bassianus and his followers with drum and colours saturninus noble patricians patrons of my right defend the justice of my cause with arms and countrymen my loving followers plead my successive title with your swords i am his firstborn son that was the last that wore the imperial diadem of rome then let my father's honours live in me nor wrong mine age with this indignity bassianus romans friends followers favorers of my right if ever bassianus caesar's son were gracious in the eyes of royal rome keep then this passage to the capitol and suffer not dishonour to approach the imperial seat to virtue consecrate to justice continence and nobility but let desert in pure election shine and romans fight for freedom in your choice enter marcus andronicus aloft with the crown marcus andronicus princes that strive by factions and by friends ambitiously for rule and empery know that the people of rome for whom we stand a special party have by common voice in election for the roman empery chosen andronicus surnamed pius for many good and great deserts to rome a nobler man a braver warrior lives not this day within the city walls he by the senate is accit'd home from weary wars against the barbarous goths that with his sons a terror to our foes hath yoked a nation strong train'd up in arms ten years are spent since first he undertook this cause of rome and chastised with arms our enemies pride five times he hath return'd bleeding to rome bearing his valiant sons in coffins from the field and now at last laden with horror's spoils returns the good andronicus to rome renowned titus flourishing in arms let us entreat by honour of his name whom worthily you would have now succeed and in the capitol and senate's right whom you pretend to honour and adore that you withdraw you and abate your strength dismiss your followers and as suitors should plead your deserts in peace and humbleness saturninus how fair the tribune speaks to calm my thoughts bassianus marcus andronicus so i do ally in thy uprightness and integrity and so i love and honour thee and thine thy noble brother titus and his sons and her to whom my thoughts are humbled all gracious lavinia rome's rich ornament that i will here dismiss my loving friends and to my fortunes and the people's favor commit my cause in balance to be weigh'd exeunt the followers of bassianus saturninus friends that have been thus forward in my right i thank you all and here dismiss you all and to the love and favor of my country commit myself my person and the cause exeunt the followers of saturninus rome be as just and gracious unto me as i am confident and kind to thee open the gates and let me in bassianus tribunes and me a poor competitor flourish saturninus and bassianus go up into the capitol enter a captain captain romans make way the good andronicus patron of virtue rome's best champion successful in the battles that he fights with honour and with fortune is return'd from where he circumscribed with his sword and brought to yoke the enemies of rome drums and trumpets sounded enter martius and mutius after them two men bearing a coffin covered with black then lucius and quintus after them titus andronicus and then tamora with alarbus demetrius chiron aaron and other goths prisoners soldiers and people following the bearers set down the coffin and titus speaks titus andronicus hail rome victorious in thy mourning weeds lo as the bark that hath discharged her fraught returns with precious jading to the bay from whence at first she weigh'd her anchorage cometh andronicus bound with laurel boughs to resalute his country with his tears tears of true joy for his return to rome thou great defender of this capitol stand gracious to the rites that we intend romans of five and twenty valiant sons half of the number that king priam had behold the poor remains alive and dead these that survive let rome reward with love these that i bring unto their latest home with burial amongst their ancestors here goths have given me leave to sheathe my sword titus unkind and careless of thine own why suffer'st thou thy sons unburied yet to hover on the dreadful shore of styx make way to lay them by their brethren the tomb is opened there greet in silence as the dead are wont and sleep in peace slain in your country's wars o sacred receptacle of my joys sweet cell of virtue and nobility how many sons of mine hast thou in store that thou wilt never render to me more lucius give us the proudest prisoner of the goths that we may hew his limbs and on a pile ad manes fratrum sacrifice his flesh before this earthy prison of their bones that so the shadows be not unappeased nor we disturb'd with prodigies on earth titus andronicus i give him you the noblest that survives the eldest son of this distressed queen tamora stay roman brethren gracious conqueror victorious titus rue the tears i shed a mother's tears in passion for her son and if thy sons were ever dear to thee o think my son to be as dear to me sufficeth not that we are brought to rome to beautify thy triumphs and return captive to thee and to thy roman yoke but must my sons be slaughter'd in the streets for valiant doings in their country's cause o if to fight for king and commonweal were piety in thine it is in these andronicus stain not thy tomb with blood wilt thou draw near the nature of the gods draw near them then in being merciful sweet mercy is nobility's true badge thrice noble titus spare my firstborn son titus andronicus patient yourself madam and pardon me these are their brethren whom you goths beheld alive and dead and for their brethren slain religiously they ask a sacrifice to this your son is mark'd and die he must to appease their groaning shadows that are gone lucius away with him and make a fire straight and with our swords upon a pile of wood let's hew his limbs till they be clean consumed exeunt lucius quintus martius and mutius with alarbus tamora o cruel irreligious piety chiron was ever scythia half so barbarous demetrius oppose not scythia to ambitious rome alarbus goes to rest and we survive to tremble under titus threatening looks then madam stand resolved but hope withal the selfsame gods that arm'd the queen of troy with opportunity of sharp revenge upon the thracian tyrant in his tent may favor tamora the queen of goths when goths were goths and tamora was queen to quit the bloody wrongs upon her foes reenter lucius quintus martius and mutius with their swords bloody lucius see lord and father how we have perform'd our roman rites alarbus limbs are lopp'd and entrails feed the sacrificing fire whose smoke like incense doth perfume the sky remaineth nought but to inter our brethren and with loud larums welcome them to rome titus andronicus let it be so and let andronicus make this his latest farewell to their souls trumpets sounded and the coffin laid in the tomb in peace and honour rest you here my sons rome's readiest champions repose you here in rest secure from worldly chances and mishaps here lurks no treason here no envy swells here grow no damned grudges here are no storms no noise but silence and eternal sleep in peace and honour rest you here my sons enter lavinia lavinia in peace and honour live lord titus long my noble lord and father live in fame lo at this tomb my tributary tears i render for my brethren's obsequies and at thy feet i kneel with tears of joy shed on the earth for thy return to rome o bless me here with thy victorious hand whose fortunes rome's best citizens applaud titus andronicus kind rome that hast thus lovingly reserved the cordial of mine age to glad my heart lavinia live outlive thy father's days and fame's eternal date for virtue's praise enter below marcus andronicus and tribunes reenter saturninus and bassianus attended marcus andronicus long live lord titus my beloved brother gracious triumpher in the eyes of rome titus andronicus thanks gentle tribune noble brother marcus marcus andronicus and welcome nephews from successful wars you that survive and you that sleep in fame fair lords your fortunes are alike in all that in your country's service drew your swords but safer triumph is this funeral pomp that hath aspired to solon's happiness and triumphs over chance in honour's bed titus andronicus the people of rome whose friend in justice thou hast ever been send thee by me their tribune and their trust this palliament of white and spotless hue and name thee in election for the empire with these our latedeceased emperor's sons be candidatus then and put it on and help to set a head on headless rome titus andronicus a better head her glorious body fits than his that shakes for age and feebleness what should i don this robe and trouble you be chosen with proclamations today tomorrow yield up rule resign my life and set abroad new business for you all rome i have been thy soldier forty years and led my country's strength successfully and buried one and twenty valiant sons knighted in field slain manfully in arms in right and service of their noble country give me a staff of honour for mine age but not a sceptre to control the world upright he held it lords that held it last marcus andronicus titus thou shalt obtain and ask the empery saturninus proud and ambitious tribune canst thou tell titus andronicus patience prince saturninus saturninus romans do me right patricians draw your swords and sheathe them not till saturninus be rome's emperor andronicus would thou wert shipp'd to hell rather than rob me of the people's hearts lucius proud saturnine interrupter of the good that nobleminded titus means to thee titus andronicus content thee prince i will restore to thee the people's hearts and wean them from themselves bassianus andronicus i do not flatter thee but honour thee and will do till i die my faction if thou strengthen with thy friends i will most thankful be and thanks to men of noble minds is honourable meed titus andronicus people of rome and people's tribunes here i ask your voices and your suffrages will you bestow them friendly on andronicus tribunes to gratify the good andronicus and gratulate his safe return to rome the people will accept whom he admits titus andronicus tribunes i thank you and this suit i make that you create your emperor's eldest son lord saturnine whose virtues will i hope reflect on rome as titan's rays on earth and ripen justice in this commonweal then if you will elect by my advice crown him and say long live our emperor' marcus andronicus with voices and applause of every sort patricians and plebeians we create lord saturninus rome's great emperor and say long live our emperor saturnine' a long flourish till they come down saturninus titus andronicus for thy favors done to us in our election this day i give thee thanks in part of thy deserts and will with deeds requite thy gentleness and for an onset titus to advance thy name and honourable family lavinia will i make my empress rome's royal mistress mistress of my heart and in the sacred pantheon her espouse tell me andronicus doth this motion please thee titus andronicus it doth my worthy lord and in this match i hold me highly honour'd of your grace and here in sight of rome to saturnine king and commander of our commonweal the wide world's emperor do i consecrate my sword my chariot and my prisoners presents well worthy rome's imperial lord receive them then the tribute that i owe mine honour's ensigns humbled at thy feet saturninus thanks noble titus father of my life how proud i am of thee and of thy gifts rome shall record and when i do forget the least of these unspeakable deserts romans forget your fealty to me titus andronicus to tamora now madam are you prisoner to an emperor to him that for your honour and your state will use you nobly and your followers saturninus a goodly lady trust me of the hue that i would choose were i to choose anew clear up fair queen that cloudy countenance though chance of war hath wrought this change of cheer thou comest not to be made a scorn in rome princely shall be thy usage every way rest on my word and let not discontent daunt all your hopes madam he comforts you can make you greater than the queen of goths lavinia you are not displeased with this lavinia not i my lord sith true nobility warrants these words in princely courtesy saturninus thanks sweet lavinia romans let us go ransomless here we set our prisoners free proclaim our honours lords with trump and drum flourish saturninus courts tamora in dumb show bassianus lord titus by your leave this maid is mine seizing lavinia titus andronicus how sir are you in earnest then my lord bassianus ay noble titus and resolved withal to do myself this reason and this right marcus andronicus suum cuique is our roman justice this prince in justice seizeth but his own lucius and that he will and shall if lucius live titus andronicus traitors avaunt where is the emperor's guard treason my lord lavinia is surprised saturninus surprised by whom bassianus by him that justly may bear his betroth'd from all the world away exeunt bassianus and marcus with lavinia mutius brothers help to convey her hence away and with my sword i'll keep this door safe exeunt lucius quintus and martius titus andronicus follow my lord and i'll soon bring her back mutius my lord you pass not here titus andronicus what villain boy barr'st me my way in rome stabbing mutius mutius help lucius help dies during the fray saturninus tamora demetrius chiron and aaron go out and reenter above reenter lucius lucius my lord you are unjust and more than so in wrongful quarrel you have slain your son titus andronicus nor thou nor he are any sons of mine my sons would never so dishonour me traitor restore lavinia to the emperor lucius dead if you will but not to be his wife that is another's lawful promised love exit saturninus no titus no the emperor needs her not nor her nor thee nor any of thy stock i'll trust by leisure him that mocks me once thee never nor thy traitorous haughty sons confederates all thus to dishonour me was there none else in rome to make a stale but saturnine full well andronicus agree these deeds with that proud brag of thine that said'st i begg'd the empire at thy hands titus andronicus o monstrous what reproachful words are these saturninus but go thy ways go give that changing piece to him that flourish'd for her with his sword a valiant soninlaw thou shalt enjoy one fit to bandy with thy lawless sons to ruffle in the commonwealth of rome titus andronicus these words are razors to my wounded heart saturninus and therefore lovely tamora queen of goths that like the stately phoebe mongst her nymphs dost overshine the gallant'st dames of rome if thou be pleased with this my sudden choice behold i choose thee tamora for my bride and will create thee empress of rome speak queen of goths dost thou applaud my choice and here i swear by all the roman gods sith priest and holy water are so near and tapers burn so bright and every thing in readiness for hymenaeus stand i will not resalute the streets of rome or climb my palace till from forth this place i lead espoused my bride along with me tamora and here in sight of heaven to rome i swear if saturnine advance the queen of goths she will a handmaid be to his desires a loving nurse a mother to his youth saturninus ascend fair queen pantheon lords accompany your noble emperor and his lovely bride sent by the heavens for prince saturnine whose wisdom hath her fortune conquered there shall we consummate our spousal rites exeunt all but titus titus andronicus i am not bid to wait upon this bride titus when wert thou wont to walk alone dishonour'd thus and challenged of wrongs reenter marcus lucius quintus and martius marcus andronicus o titus see o see what thou hast done in a bad quarrel slain a virtuous son titus andronicus no foolish tribune no no son of mine nor thou nor these confederates in the deed that hath dishonour'd all our family unworthy brother and unworthy sons lucius but let us give him burial as becomes give mutius burial with our brethren titus andronicus traitors away he rests not in this tomb this monument five hundred years hath stood which i have sumptuously reedified here none but soldiers and rome's servitors repose in fame none basely slain in brawls bury him where you can he comes not here marcus andronicus my lord this is impiety in you my nephew mutius deeds do plead for him he must be buried with his brethren quintus and shall or him we will accompany martius titus andronicus and shall what villain was it that spake that word quintus he that would vouch it in any place but here titus andronicus what would you bury him in my despite marcus andronicus no noble titus but entreat of thee to pardon mutius and to bury him titus andronicus marcus even thou hast struck upon my crest and with these boys mine honour thou hast wounded my foes i do repute you every one so trouble me no more but get you gone martius he is not with himself let us withdraw quintus not i till mutius bones be buried marcus and the sons of titus kneel marcus andronicus brother for in that name doth nature plead quintus father and in that name doth nature speak titus andronicus speak thou no more if all the rest will speed marcus andronicus renowned titus more than half my soul lucius dear father soul and substance of us all marcus andronicus suffer thy brother marcus to inter his noble nephew here in virtue's nest that died in honour and lavinia's cause thou art a roman be not barbarous the greeks upon advice did bury ajax that slew himself and wise laertes son did graciously plead for his funerals let not young mutius then that was thy joy be barr'd his entrance here titus andronicus rise marcus rise the dismall'st day is this that e'er i saw to be dishonour'd by my sons in rome well bury him and bury me the next mutius is put into the tomb lucius there lie thy bones sweet mutius with thy friends till we with trophies do adorn thy tomb all kneeling no man shed tears for noble mutius he lives in fame that died in virtue's cause marcus andronicus my lord to step out of these dreary dumps how comes it that the subtle queen of goths is of a sudden thus advanced in rome titus andronicus i know not marcus but i know it is whether by device or no the heavens can tell is she not then beholding to the man that brought her for this high good turn so far yes and will nobly him remunerate flourish reenter from one side saturninus attended tamora demetrius chiron and aaron from the other bassianus lavinia and others saturninus so bassianus you have play'd your prize god give you joy sir of your gallant bride bassianus and you of yours my lord i say no more nor wish no less and so i take my leave saturninus traitor if rome have law or we have power thou and thy faction shall repent this rape bassianus rape call you it my lord to seize my own my truthbetrothed love and now my wife but let the laws of rome determine all meanwhile i am possess'd of that is mine saturninus tis good sir you are very short with us but if we live we'll be as sharp with you bassianus my lord what i have done as best i may answer i must and shall do with my life only thus much i give your grace to know by all the duties that i owe to rome this noble gentleman lord titus here is in opinion and in honour wrong'd that in the rescue of lavinia with his own hand did slay his youngest son in zeal to you and highly moved to wrath to be controll'd in that he frankly gave receive him then to favor saturnine that hath express'd himself in all his deeds a father and a friend to thee and rome titus andronicus prince bassianus leave to plead my deeds tis thou and those that have dishonour'd me rome and the righteous heavens be my judge how i have loved and honour'd saturnine tamora my worthy lord if ever tamora were gracious in those princely eyes of thine then hear me speak in indifferently for all and at my suit sweet pardon what is past saturninus what madam be dishonour'd openly and basely put it up without revenge tamora not so my lord the gods of rome forfend i should be author to dishonour you but on mine honour dare i undertake for good lord titus innocence in all whose fury not dissembled speaks his griefs then at my suit look graciously on him lose not so noble a friend on vain suppose nor with sour looks afflict his gentle heart aside to saturninus my lord be ruled by me be won at last dissemble all your griefs and discontents you are but newly planted in your throne lest then the people and patricians too upon a just survey take titus part and so supplant you for ingratitude which rome reputes to be a heinous sin yield at entreats and then let me alone i'll find a day to massacre them all and raze their faction and their family the cruel father and his traitorous sons to whom i sued for my dear son's life and make them know what tis to let a queen kneel in the streets and beg for grace in vain aloud come come sweet emperor come andronicus take up this good old man and cheer the heart that dies in tempest of thy angry frown saturninus rise titus rise my empress hath prevail'd titus andronicus i thank your majesty and her my lord these words these looks infuse new life in me tamora titus i am incorporate in rome a roman now adopted happily and must advise the emperor for his good this day all quarrels die andronicus and let it be mine honour good my lord that i have reconciled your friends and you for you prince bassianus i have pass'd my word and promise to the emperor that you will be more mild and tractable and fear not lords and you lavinia by my advice all humbled on your knees you shall ask pardon of his majesty lucius we do and vow to heaven and to his highness that what we did was mildly as we might tendering our sister's honour and our own marcus andronicus that on mine honour here i do protest saturninus away and talk not trouble us no more tamora nay nay sweet emperor we must all be friends the tribune and his nephews kneel for grace i will not be denied sweet heart look back saturninus marcus for thy sake and thy brother's here and at my lovely tamora's entreats i do remit these young men's heinous faults stand up lavinia though you left me like a churl i found a friend and sure as death i swore i would not part a bachelor from the priest come if the emperor's court can feast two brides you are my guest lavinia and your friends this day shall be a loveday tamora titus andronicus tomorrow an it please your majesty to hunt the panther and the hart with me with horn and hound we'll give your grace bonjour saturninus be it so titus and gramercy too flourish exeunt titus andronicus act ii scene i rome before the palace enter aaron aaron now climbeth tamora olympus top safe out of fortune's shot and sits aloft secure of thunder's crack or lightning flash advanced above pale envy's threatening reach as when the golden sun salutes the morn and having gilt the ocean with his beams gallops the zodiac in his glistering coach and overlooks the highestpeering hills so tamora upon her wit doth earthly honour wait and virtue stoops and trembles at her frown then aaron arm thy heart and fit thy thoughts to mount aloft with thy imperial mistress and mount her pitch whom thou in triumph long hast prisoner held fetter'd in amorous chains and faster bound to aaron's charming eyes than is prometheus tied to caucasus away with slavish weeds and servile thoughts i will be bright and shine in pearl and gold to wait upon this newmade empress to wait said i to wanton with this queen this goddess this semiramis this nymph this siren that will charm rome's saturnine and see his shipwreck and his commonweal's holloa what storm is this enter demetrius and chiron braving demetrius chiron thy years want wit thy wit wants edge and manners to intrude where i am graced and may for aught thou know'st affected be chiron demetrius thou dost overween in all and so in this to bear me down with braves tis not the difference of a year or two makes me less gracious or thee more fortunate i am as able and as fit as thou to serve and to deserve my mistress grace and that my sword upon thee shall approve and plead my passions for lavinia's love aaron aside clubs clubs these lovers will not keep the peace demetrius why boy although our mother unadvised gave you a dancingrapier by your side are you so desperate grown to threat your friends go to have your lath glued within your sheath till you know better how to handle it chiron meanwhile sir with the little skill i have full well shalt thou perceive how much i dare demetrius ay boy grow ye so brave they draw aaron coming forward why how now lords so near the emperor's palace dare you draw and maintain such a quarrel openly full well i wot the ground of all this grudge i would not for a million of gold the cause were known to them it most concerns nor would your noble mother for much more be so dishonour'd in the court of rome for shame put up demetrius not i till i have sheathed my rapier in his bosom and withal thrust these reproachful speeches down his throat that he hath breathed in my dishonour here chiron for that i am prepared and full resolved foulspoken coward that thunder'st with thy tongue and with thy weapon nothing darest perform aaron away i say now by the gods that warlike goths adore this petty brabble will undo us all why lords and think you not how dangerous it is to jet upon a prince's right what is lavinia then become so loose or bassianus so degenerate that for her love such quarrels may be broach'd without controlment justice or revenge young lords beware and should the empress know this discord's ground the music would not please chiron i care not i knew she and all the world i love lavinia more than all the world demetrius youngling learn thou to make some meaner choice lavinia is thine elder brother's hope aaron why are ye mad or know ye not in rome how furious and impatient they be and cannot brook competitors in love i tell you lords you do but plot your deaths by this device chiron aaron a thousand deaths would i propose to achieve her whom i love aaron to achieve her how demetrius why makest thou it so strange she is a woman therefore may be woo'd she is a woman therefore may be won she is lavinia therefore must be loved what man more water glideth by the mill than wots the miller of and easy it is of a cut loaf to steal a shive we know though bassianus be the emperor's brother better than he have worn vulcan's badge aaron aside ay and as good as saturninus may demetrius then why should he despair that knows to court it with words fair looks and liberality what hast not thou full often struck a doe and borne her cleanly by the keeper's nose aaron why then it seems some certain snatch or so would serve your turns chiron ay so the turn were served demetrius aaron thou hast hit it aaron would you had hit it too then should not we be tired with this ado why hark ye hark ye and are you such fools to square for this would it offend you then that both should speed chiron faith not me demetrius nor me so i were one aaron for shame be friends and join for that you jar tis policy and stratagem must do that you affect and so must you resolve that what you cannot as you would achieve you must perforce accomplish as you may take this of me lucrece was not more chaste than this lavinia bassianus love a speedier course than lingering languishment must we pursue and i have found the path my lords a solemn hunting is in hand there will the lovely roman ladies troop the forest walks are wide and spacious and many unfrequented plots there are fitted by kind for rape and villany single you thither then this dainty doe and strike her home by force if not by words this way or not at all stand you in hope come come our empress with her sacred wit to villany and vengeance consecrate will we acquaint with all that we intend and she shall file our engines with advice that will not suffer you to square yourselves but to your wishes height advance you both the emperor's court is like the house of fame the palace full of tongues of eyes and ears the woods are ruthless dreadful deaf and dull there speak and strike brave boys and take your turns there serve your lusts shadow'd from heaven's eye and revel in lavinia's treasury chiron thy counsel lad smells of no cowardice demetrius sit fas aut nefas till i find the stream to cool this heat a charm to calm these fits per styga per manes vehor exeunt titus andronicus act ii scene ii a forest near rome horns and cry of hounds heard enter titus andronicus with hunters &c marcus lucius quintus and martius titus andronicus the hunt is up the morn is bright and grey the fields are fragrant and the woods are green uncouple here and let us make a bay and wake the emperor and his lovely bride and rouse the prince and ring a hunter's peal that all the court may echo with the noise sons let it be your charge as it is ours to attend the emperor's person carefully i have been troubled in my sleep this night but dawning day new comfort hath inspired a cry of hounds and horns winded in a peal enter saturninus tamora bassianus lavinia demetrius chiron and attendants many good morrows to your majesty madam to you as many and as good i promised your grace a hunter's peal saturninus and you have rung it lustily my lord somewhat too early for newmarried ladies bassianus lavinia how say you lavinia i say no i have been broad awake two hours and more saturninus come on then horse and chariots let us have and to our sport to tamora madam now shall ye see our roman hunting marcus andronicus i have dogs my lord will rouse the proudest panther in the chase and climb the highest promontory top titus andronicus and i have horse will follow where the game makes way and run like swallows o'er the plain demetrius chiron we hunt not we with horse nor hound but hope to pluck a dainty doe to ground exeunt titus andronicus act ii scene iii a lonely part of the forest enter aaron with a bag of gold aaron he that had wit would think that i had none to bury so much gold under a tree and never after to inherit it let him that thinks of me so abjectly know that this gold must coin a stratagem which cunningly effected will beget a very excellent piece of villany and so repose sweet gold for their unrest hides the gold that have their alms out of the empress chest enter tamora tamora my lovely aaron wherefore look'st thou sad when every thing doth make a gleeful boast the birds chant melody on every bush the snake lies rolled in the cheerful sun the green leaves quiver with the cooling wind and make a chequer'd shadow on the ground under their sweet shade aaron let us sit and whilst the babbling echo mocks the hounds replying shrilly to the welltuned horns as if a double hunt were heard at once let us sit down and mark their yelping noise and after conflict such as was supposed the wandering prince and dido once enjoy'd when with a happy storm they were surprised and curtain'd with a counselkeeping cave we may each wreathed in the other's arms our pastimes done possess a golden slumber whiles hounds and horns and sweet melodious birds be unto us as is a nurse's song of lullaby to bring her babe asleep aaron madam though venus govern your desires saturn is dominator over mine what signifies my deadlystanding eye my silence and my cloudy melancholy my fleece of woolly hair that now uncurls even as an adder when she doth unroll to do some fatal execution no madam these are no venereal signs vengeance is in my heart death in my hand blood and revenge are hammering in my head hark tamora the empress of my soul which never hopes more heaven than rests in thee this is the day of doom for bassianus his philomel must lose her tongue today thy sons make pillage of her chastity and wash their hands in bassianus blood seest thou this letter take it up i pray thee and give the king this fatal plotted scroll now question me no more we are espied here comes a parcel of our hopeful booty which dreads not yet their lives destruction tamora ah my sweet moor sweeter to me than life aaron no more great empress bassianus comes be cross with him and i'll go fetch thy sons to back thy quarrels whatsoe'er they be exit enter bassianus and lavinia bassianus who have we here rome's royal empress unfurnish'd of her wellbeseeming troop or is it dian habited like her who hath abandoned her holy groves to see the general hunting in this forest tamora saucy controller of our private steps had i the power that some say dian had thy temples should be planted presently with horns as was actaeon's and the hounds should drive upon thy newtransformed limbs unmannerly intruder as thou art lavinia under your patience gentle empress tis thought you have a goodly gift in horning and to be doubted that your moor and you are singled forth to try experiments jove shield your husband from his hounds today tis pity they should take him for a stag bassianus believe me queen your swarth cimmerian doth make your honour of his body's hue spotted detested and abominable why are you sequester'd from all your train dismounted from your snowwhite goodly steed and wander'd hither to an obscure plot accompanied but with a barbarous moor if foul desire had not conducted you lavinia and being intercepted in your sport great reason that my noble lord be rated for sauciness i pray you let us hence and let her joy her ravencolour'd love this valley fits the purpose passing well bassianus the king my brother shall have note of this lavinia ay for these slips have made him noted long good king to be so mightily abused tamora why have i patience to endure all this enter demetrius and chiron demetrius how now dear sovereign and our gracious mother why doth your highness look so pale and wan tamora have i not reason think you to look pale these two have ticed me hither to this place a barren detested vale you see it is the trees though summer yet forlorn and lean o'ercome with moss and baleful mistletoe here never shines the sun here nothing breeds unless the nightly owl or fatal raven and when they show'd me this abhorred pit they told me here at dead time of the night a thousand fiends a thousand hissing snakes ten thousand swelling toads as many urchins would make such fearful and confused cries as any mortal body hearing it should straight fall mad or else die suddenly no sooner had they told this hellish tale but straight they told me they would bind me here unto the body of a dismal yew and leave me to this miserable death and then they call'd me foul adulteress lascivious goth and all the bitterest terms that ever ear did hear to such effect and had you not by wondrous fortune come this vengeance on me had they executed revenge it as you love your mother's life or be ye not henceforth call'd my children demetrius this is a witness that i am thy son stabs bassianus chiron and this for me struck home to show my strength also stabs bassianus who dies lavinia ay come semiramis nay barbarous tamora for no name fits thy nature but thy own tamora give me thy poniard you shall know my boys your mother's hand shall right your mother's wrong demetrius stay madam here is more belongs to her first thrash the corn then after burn the straw this minion stood upon her chastity upon her nuptial vow her loyalty and with that painted hope braves your mightiness and shall she carry this unto her grave chiron an if she do i would i were an eunuch drag hence her husband to some secret hole and make his dead trunk pillow to our lust tamora but when ye have the honey ye desire let not this wasp outlive us both to sting chiron i warrant you madam we will make that sure come mistress now perforce we will enjoy that nicepreserved honesty of yours lavinia o tamora thou bear'st a woman's face tamora i will not hear her speak away with her lavinia sweet lords entreat her hear me but a word demetrius listen fair madam let it be your glory to see her tears but be your heart to them as unrelenting flint to drops of rain lavinia when did the tiger's young ones teach the dam o do not learn her wrath she taught it thee the milk thou suck'dst from her did turn to marble even at thy teat thou hadst thy tyranny yet every mother breeds not sons alike to chiron do thou entreat her show a woman pity chiron what wouldst thou have me prove myself a bastard lavinia tis true the raven doth not hatch a lark yet have i heardo could i find it now the lion moved with pity did endure to have his princely paws pared all away some say that ravens foster forlorn children the whilst their own birds famish in their nests o be to me though thy hard heart say no nothing so kind but something pitiful tamora i know not what it means away with her lavinia o let me teach thee for my father's sake that gave thee life when well he might have slain thee be not obdurate open thy deaf ears tamora hadst thou in person ne'er offended me even for his sake am i pitiless remember boys i pour'd forth tears in vain to save your brother from the sacrifice but fierce andronicus would not relent therefore away with her and use her as you will the worse to her the better loved of me lavinia o tamora be call'd a gentle queen and with thine own hands kill me in this place for tis not life that i have begg'd so long poor i was slain when bassianus died tamora what begg'st thou then fond woman let me go lavinia tis present death i beg and one thing more that womanhood denies my tongue to tell o keep me from their worse than killing lust and tumble me into some loathsome pit where never man's eye may behold my body do this and be a charitable murderer tamora so should i rob my sweet sons of their fee no let them satisfy their lust on thee demetrius away for thou hast stay'd us here too long lavinia no grace no womanhood ah beastly creature the blot and enemy to our general name confusion fall chiron nay then i'll stop your mouth bring thou her husband this is the hole where aaron bid us hide him demetrius throws the body of bassianus into the pit then exeunt demetrius and chiron dragging off lavinia tamora farewell my sons see that you make her sure ne'er let my heart know merry cheer indeed till all the andronici be made away now will i hence to seek my lovely moor and let my spleenful sons this trull deflow'r exit reenter aaron with quintus and martius aaron come on my lords the better foot before straight will i bring you to the loathsome pit where i espied the panther fast asleep quintus my sight is very dull whate'er it bodes martius and mine i promise you were't not for shame well could i leave our sport to sleep awhile falls into the pit quintus what art thou fall'n what subtle hole is this whose mouth is cover'd with rudegrowing briers upon whose leaves are drops of newshed blood as fresh as morning dew distill'd on flowers a very fatal place it seems to me speak brother hast thou hurt thee with the fall martius o brother with the dismall'st object hurt that ever eye with sight made heart lament aaron aside now will i fetch the king to find them here that he thereby may give a likely guess how these were they that made away his brother exit martius why dost not comfort me and help me out from this unhallowed and bloodstained hole quintus i am surprised with an uncouth fear a chilling sweat o'erruns my trembling joints my heart suspects more than mine eye can see martius to prove thou hast a truedivining heart aaron and thou look down into this den and see a fearful sight of blood and death quintus aaron is gone and my compassionate heart will not permit mine eyes once to behold the thing whereat it trembles by surmise o tell me how it is for ne'er till now was i a child to fear i know not what martius lord bassianus lies embrewed here all on a heap like to a slaughter'd lamb in this detested dark blooddrinking pit quintus if it be dark how dost thou know tis he martius upon his bloody finger he doth wear a precious ring that lightens all the hole which like a taper in some monument doth shine upon the dead man's earthy cheeks and shows the ragged entrails of the pit so pale did shine the moon on pyramus when he by night lay bathed in maiden blood o brother help me with thy fainting hand if fear hath made thee faint as me it hath out of this fell devouring receptacle as hateful as cocytus misty mouth quintus reach me thy hand that i may help thee out or wanting strength to do thee so much good i may be pluck'd into the swallowing womb of this deep pit poor bassianus grave i have no strength to pluck thee to the brink martius nor i no strength to climb without thy help quintus thy hand once more i will not loose again till thou art here aloft or i below thou canst not come to me i come to thee falls in enter saturninus with aaron saturninus along with me i'll see what hole is here and what he is that now is leap'd into it say who art thou that lately didst descend into this gaping hollow of the earth martius the unhappy son of old andronicus brought hither in a most unlucky hour to find thy brother bassianus dead saturninus my brother dead i know thou dost but jest he and his lady both are at the lodge upon the north side of this pleasant chase tis not an hour since i left him there martius we know not where you left him all alive but out alas here have we found him dead reenter tamora with attendants titus andronicus and lucius tamora where is my lord the king saturninus here tamora though grieved with killing grief tamora where is thy brother bassianus saturninus now to the bottom dost thou search my wound poor bassianus here lies murdered tamora then all too late i bring this fatal writ the complot of this timeless tragedy and wonder greatly that man's face can fold in pleasing smiles such murderous tyranny she giveth saturninus a letter saturninus reads an if we miss to meet him handsomely sweet huntsman bassianus tis we mean do thou so much as dig the grave for him thou know'st our meaning look for thy reward among the nettles at the eldertree which overshades the mouth of that same pit where we decreed to bury bassianus do this and purchase us thy lasting friends' o tamora was ever heard the like this is the pit and this the eldertree look sirs if you can find the huntsman out that should have murdered bassianus here aaron my gracious lord here is the bag of gold saturninus to titus two of thy whelps fell curs of bloody kind have here bereft my brother of his life sirs drag them from the pit unto the prison there let them bide until we have devised some neverheardof torturing pain for them tamora what are they in this pit o wondrous thing how easily murder is discovered titus andronicus high emperor upon my feeble knee i beg this boon with tears not lightly shed that this fell fault of my accursed sons accursed if the fault be proved in them saturninus if it be proved you see it is apparent who found this letter tamora was it you tamora andronicus himself did take it up titus andronicus i did my lord yet let me be their bail for by my father's reverend tomb i vow they shall be ready at your highness will to answer their suspicion with their lives saturninus thou shalt not bail them see thou follow me some bring the murder'd body some the murderers let them not speak a word the guilt is plain for by my soul were there worse end than death that end upon them should be executed tamora andronicus i will entreat the king fear not thy sons they shall do well enough titus andronicus come lucius come stay not to talk with them exeunt titus andronicus act ii scene iv another part of the forest enter demetrius and chiron with lavinia ravished her hands cut off and her tongue cut out demetrius so now go tell an if thy tongue can speak who twas that cut thy tongue and ravish'd thee chiron write down thy mind bewray thy meaning so an if thy stumps will let thee play the scribe demetrius see how with signs and tokens she can scrowl chiron go home call for sweet water wash thy hands demetrius she hath no tongue to call nor hands to wash and so let's leave her to her silent walks chiron an twere my case i should go hang myself demetrius if thou hadst hands to help thee knit the cord exeunt demetrius and chiron enter marcus marcus who is this my niece that flies away so fast cousin a word where is your husband if i do dream would all my wealth would wake me if i do wake some planet strike me down that i may slumber in eternal sleep speak gentle niece what stern ungentle hands have lopp'd and hew'd and made thy body bare of her two branches those sweet ornaments whose circling shadows kings have sought to sleep in and might not gain so great a happiness as have thy love why dost not speak to me alas a crimson river of warm blood like to a bubbling fountain stirr'd with wind doth rise and fall between thy rosed lips coming and going with thy honey breath but sure some tereus hath deflowered thee and lest thou shouldst detect him cut thy tongue ah now thou turn'st away thy face for shame and notwithstanding all this loss of blood as from a conduit with three issuing spouts yet do thy cheeks look red as titan's face blushing to be encountered with a cloud shall i speak for thee shall i say tis so o that i knew thy heart and knew the beast that i might rail at him to ease my mind sorrow concealed like an oven stopp'd doth burn the heart to cinders where it is fair philomela she but lost her tongue and in a tedious sampler sew'd her mind but lovely niece that mean is cut from thee a craftier tereus cousin hast thou met and he hath cut those pretty fingers off that could have better sew'd than philomel o had the monster seen those lily hands tremble like aspenleaves upon a lute and make the silken strings delight to kiss them he would not then have touch'd them for his life or had he heard the heavenly harmony which that sweet tongue hath made he would have dropp'd his knife and fell asleep as cerberus at the thracian poet's feet come let us go and make thy father blind for such a sight will blind a father's eye one hour's storm will drown the fragrant meads what will whole months of tears thy father's eyes do not draw back for we will mourn with thee o could our mourning ease thy misery exeunt titus andronicus act iii scene i rome a street enter judges senators and tribunes with martius and quintus bound passing on to the place of execution titus going before pleading titus andronicus hear me grave fathers noble tribunes stay for pity of mine age whose youth was spent in dangerous wars whilst you securely slept for all my blood in rome's great quarrel shed for all the frosty nights that i have watch'd and for these bitter tears which now you see filling the aged wrinkles in my cheeks be pitiful to my condemned sons whose souls are not corrupted as tis thought for two and twenty sons i never wept because they died in honour's lofty bed lieth down the judges &c pass by him and exeunt for these these tribunes in the dust i write my heart's deep languor and my soul's sad tears let my tears stanch the earth's dry appetite my sons sweet blood will make it shame and blush o earth i will befriend thee more with rain that shall distil from these two ancient urns than youthful april shall with all his showers in summer's drought i'll drop upon thee still in winter with warm tears i'll melt the snow and keep eternal springtime on thy face so thou refuse to drink my dear sons blood enter lucius with his sword drawn o reverend tribunes o gentle aged men unbind my sons reverse the doom of death and let me say that never wept before my tears are now prevailing orators lucius o noble father you lament in vain the tribunes hear you not no man is by and you recount your sorrows to a stone titus andronicus ah lucius for thy brothers let me plead grave tribunes once more i entreat of you lucius my gracious lord no tribune hears you speak titus andronicus why tis no matter man if they did hear they would not mark me or if they did mark they would not pity me yet plead i must and bootless unto them therefore i tell my sorrows to the stones who though they cannot answer my distress yet in some sort they are better than the tribunes for that they will not intercept my tale when i do weep they humbly at my feet receive my tears and seem to weep with me and were they but attired in grave weeds rome could afford no tribune like to these a stone is soft as waxtribunes more hard than stones a stone is silent and offendeth not and tribunes with their tongues doom men to death rises but wherefore stand'st thou with thy weapon drawn lucius to rescue my two brothers from their death for which attempt the judges have pronounced my everlasting doom of banishment titus andronicus o happy man they have befriended thee why foolish lucius dost thou not perceive that rome is but a wilderness of tigers tigers must prey and rome affords no prey but me and mine how happy art thou then from these devourers to be banished but who comes with our brother marcus here enter marcus and lavinia marcus andronicus titus prepare thy aged eyes to weep or if not so thy noble heart to break i bring consuming sorrow to thine age titus andronicus will it consume me let me see it then marcus andronicus this was thy daughter titus andronicus why marcus so she is lucius ay me this object kills me titus andronicus fainthearted boy arise and look upon her speak lavinia what accursed hand hath made thee handless in thy father's sight what fool hath added water to the sea or brought a faggot to brightburning troy my grief was at the height before thou camest and now like nilus it disdaineth bounds give me a sword i'll chop off my hands too for they have fought for rome and all in vain and they have nursed this woe in feeding life in bootless prayer have they been held up and they have served me to effectless use now all the service i require of them is that the one will help to cut the other tis well lavinia that thou hast no hands for hands to do rome service are but vain lucius speak gentle sister who hath martyr'd thee marcus andronicus o that delightful engine of her thoughts that blabb'd them with such pleasing eloquence is torn from forth that pretty hollow cage where like a sweet melodious bird it sung sweet varied notes enchanting every ear lucius o say thou for her who hath done this deed marcus andronicus o thus i found her straying in the park seeking to hide herself as doth the deer that hath received some unrecuring wound titus andronicus it was my deer and he that wounded her hath hurt me more than had he killed me dead for now i stand as one upon a rock environed with a wilderness of sea who marks the waxing tide grow wave by wave expecting ever when some envious surge will in his brinish bowels swallow him this way to death my wretched sons are gone here stands my other son a banished man and here my brother weeping at my woes but that which gives my soul the greatest spurn is dear lavinia dearer than my soul had i but seen thy picture in this plight it would have madded me what shall i do now i behold thy lively body so thou hast no hands to wipe away thy tears nor tongue to tell me who hath martyr'd thee thy husband he is dead and for his death thy brothers are condemn'd and dead by this look marcus ah son lucius look on her when i did name her brothers then fresh tears stood on her cheeks as doth the honeydew upon a gather'd lily almost wither'd marcus andronicus perchance she weeps because they kill'd her husband perchance because she knows them innocent titus andronicus if they did kill thy husband then be joyful because the law hath ta'en revenge on them no no they would not do so foul a deed witness the sorrow that their sister makes gentle lavinia let me kiss thy lips or make some sign how i may do thee ease shall thy good uncle and thy brother lucius and thou and i sit round about some fountain looking all downwards to behold our cheeks how they are stain'd as meadows yet not dry with miry slime left on them by a flood and in the fountain shall we gaze so long till the fresh taste be taken from that clearness and made a brinepit with our bitter tears or shall we cut away our hands like thine or shall we bite our tongues and in dumb shows pass the remainder of our hateful days what shall we do let us that have our tongues plot some deuce of further misery to make us wonder'd at in time to come lucius sweet father cease your tears for at your grief see how my wretched sister sobs and weeps marcus andronicus patience dear niece good titus dry thine eyes titus andronicus ah marcus marcus brother well i wot thy napkin cannot drink a tear of mine for thou poor man hast drown'd it with thine own lucius ah my lavinia i will wipe thy cheeks titus andronicus mark marcus mark i understand her signs had she a tongue to speak now would she say that to her brother which i said to thee his napkin with his true tears all bewet can do no service on her sorrowful cheeks o what a sympathy of woe is this as far from help as limbo is from bliss enter aaron aaron titus andronicus my lord the emperor sends thee this wordthat if thou love thy sons let marcus lucius or thyself old titus or any one of you chop off your hand and send it to the king he for the same will send thee hither both thy sons alive and that shall be the ransom for their fault titus andronicus o gracious emperor o gentle aaron did ever raven sing so like a lark that gives sweet tidings of the sun's uprise with all my heart i'll send the emperor my hand good aaron wilt thou help to chop it off lucius stay father for that noble hand of thine that hath thrown down so many enemies shall not be sent my hand will serve the turn my youth can better spare my blood than you and therefore mine shall save my brothers lives marcus andronicus which of your hands hath not defended rome and rear'd aloft the bloody battleaxe writing destruction on the enemy's castle o none of both but are of high desert my hand hath been but idle let it serve to ransom my two nephews from their death then have i kept it to a worthy end aaron nay come agree whose hand shall go along for fear they die before their pardon come marcus andronicus my hand shall go lucius by heaven it shall not go titus andronicus sirs strive no more such wither'd herbs as these are meet for plucking up and therefore mine lucius sweet father if i shall be thought thy son let me redeem my brothers both from death marcus andronicus and for our father's sake and mother's care now let me show a brother's love to thee titus andronicus agree between you i will spare my hand lucius then i'll go fetch an axe marcus andronicus but i will use the axe exeunt lucius and marcus titus andronicus come hither aaron i'll deceive them both lend me thy hand and i will give thee mine aaron aside if that be call'd deceit i will be honest and never whilst i live deceive men so but i'll deceive you in another sort and that you'll say ere half an hour pass cuts off titus's hand reenter lucius and marcus titus andronicus now stay your strife what shall be is dispatch'd good aaron give his majesty my hand tell him it was a hand that warded him from thousand dangers bid him bury it more hath it merited that let it have as for my sons say i account of them as jewels purchased at an easy price and yet dear too because i bought mine own aaron i go andronicus and for thy hand look by and by to have thy sons with thee aside their heads i mean o how this villany doth fat me with the very thoughts of it let fools do good and fair men call for grace aaron will have his soul black like his face exit titus andronicus o here i lift this one hand up to heaven and bow this feeble ruin to the earth if any power pities wretched tears to that i call to lavinia what wilt thou kneel with me do then dear heart for heaven shall hear our prayers or with our sighs we'll breathe the welkin dim and stain the sun with fog as sometime clouds when they do hug him in their melting bosoms marcus andronicus o brother speak with possibilities and do not break into these deep extremes titus andronicus is not my sorrow deep having no bottom then be my passions bottomless with them marcus andronicus but yet let reason govern thy lament titus andronicus if there were reason for these miseries then into limits could i bind my woes when heaven doth weep doth not the earth o'erflow if the winds rage doth not the sea wax mad threatening the welkin with his bigswoln face and wilt thou have a reason for this coil i am the sea hark how her sighs do blow she is the weeping welkin i the earth then must my sea be moved with her sighs then must my earth with her continual tears become a deluge overflow'd and drown'd for why my bowels cannot hide her woes but like a drunkard must i vomit them then give me leave for losers will have leave to ease their stomachs with their bitter tongues enter a messenger with two heads and a hand messenger worthy andronicus ill art thou repaid for that good hand thou sent'st the emperor here are the heads of thy two noble sons and here's thy hand in scorn to thee sent back thy griefs their sports thy resolution mock'd that woe is me to think upon thy woes more than remembrance of my father's death exit marcus andronicus now let hot aetna cool in sicily and be my heart an everburning hell these miseries are more than may be borne to weep with them that weep doth ease some deal but sorrow flouted at is double death lucius ah that this sight should make so deep a wound and yet detested life not shrink thereat that ever death should let life bear his name where life hath no more interest but to breathe lavinia kisses titus marcus andronicus alas poor heart that kiss is comfortless as frozen water to a starved snake titus andronicus when will this fearful slumber have an end marcus andronicus now farewell flattery die andronicus thou dost not slumber see thy two sons heads thy warlike hand thy mangled daughter here thy other banish'd son with this dear sight struck pale and bloodless and thy brother i even like a stony image cold and numb ah now no more will i control thy griefs rend off thy silver hair thy other hand gnawing with thy teeth and be this dismal sight the closing up of our most wretched eyes now is a time to storm why art thou still titus andronicus ha ha ha marcus andronicus why dost thou laugh it fits not with this hour titus andronicus why i have not another tear to shed besides this sorrow is an enemy and would usurp upon my watery eyes and make them blind with tributary tears then which way shall i find revenge's cave for these two heads do seem to speak to me and threat me i shall never come to bliss till all these mischiefs be return'd again even in their throats that have committed them come let me see what task i have to do you heavy people circle me about that i may turn me to each one of you and swear unto my soul to right your wrongs the vow is made come brother take a head and in this hand the other i will bear lavinia thou shalt be employ'd these arms bear thou my hand sweet wench between thy teeth as for thee boy go get thee from my sight thou art an exile and thou must not stay hie to the goths and raise an army there and if you love me as i think you do let's kiss and part for we have much to do exeunt titus marcus and lavinia lucius farewell andronicus my noble father the wofull'st man that ever lived in rome farewell proud rome till lucius come again he leaves his pledges dearer than his life farewell lavinia my noble sister o would thou wert as thou tofore hast been but now nor lucius nor lavinia lives but in oblivion and hateful griefs if lucius live he will requite your wrongs and make proud saturnine and his empress beg at the gates like tarquin and his queen now will i to the goths and raise a power to be revenged on rome and saturnine exit titus andronicus act iii scene ii a room in titus's house a banquet set out enter titus marcus lavinia and young lucius a boy titus andronicus so so now sit and look you eat no more than will preserve just so much strength in us as will revenge these bitter woes of ours marcus unknit that sorrowwreathen knot thy niece and i poor creatures want our hands and cannot passionate our tenfold grief with folded arms this poor right hand of mine is left to tyrannize upon my breast who when my heart all mad with misery beats in this hollow prison of my flesh then thus i thump it down to lavinia thou map of woe that thus dost talk in signs when thy poor heart beats with outrageous beating thou canst not strike it thus to make it still wound it with sighing girl kill it with groans or get some little knife between thy teeth and just against thy heart make thou a hole that all the tears that thy poor eyes let fall may run into that sink and soaking in drown the lamenting fool in seasalt tears marcus andronicus fie brother fie teach her not thus to lay such violent hands upon her tender life titus andronicus how now has sorrow made thee dote already why marcus no man should be mad but i what violent hands can she lay on her life ah wherefore dost thou urge the name of hands to bid aeneas tell the tale twice o'er how troy was burnt and he made miserable o handle not the theme to talk of hands lest we remember still that we have none fie fie how franticly i square my talk as if we should forget we had no hands if marcus did not name the word of hands come let's fall to and gentle girl eat this here is no drink hark marcus what she says i can interpret all her martyr'd signs she says she drinks no other drink but tears brew'd with her sorrow mesh'd upon her cheeks speechless complainer i will learn thy thought in thy dumb action will i be as perfect as begging hermits in their holy prayers thou shalt not sigh nor hold thy stumps to heaven nor wink nor nod nor kneel nor make a sign but i of these will wrest an alphabet and by still practise learn to know thy meaning young lucius good grandsire leave these bitter deep laments make my aunt merry with some pleasing tale marcus andronicus alas the tender boy in passion moved doth weep to see his grandsire's heaviness titus andronicus peace tender sapling thou art made of tears and tears will quickly melt thy life away marcus strikes the dish with a knife what dost thou strike at marcus with thy knife marcus andronicus at that that i have kill'd my lord a fly titus andronicus out on thee murderer thou kill'st my heart mine eyes are cloy'd with view of tyranny a deed of death done on the innocent becomes not titus brother get thee gone i see thou art not for my company marcus andronicus alas my lord i have but kill'd a fly titus andronicus but how if that fly had a father and mother how would he hang his slender gilded wings and buzz lamenting doings in the air poor harmless fly that with his pretty buzzing melody came here to make us merry and thou hast kill'd him marcus andronicus pardon me sir it was a black illfavor'd fly like to the empress moor therefore i kill'd him titus andronicus o o o then pardon me for reprehending thee for thou hast done a charitable deed give me thy knife i will insult on him flattering myself as if it were the moor come hither purposely to poison me there's for thyself and that's for tamora ah sirrah yet i think we are not brought so low but that between us we can kill a fly that comes in likeness of a coalblack moor marcus andronicus alas poor man grief has so wrought on him he takes false shadows for true substances titus andronicus come take away lavinia go with me i'll to thy closet and go read with thee sad stories chanced in the times of old come boy and go with me thy sight is young and thou shalt read when mine begin to dazzle exeunt titus andronicus act iv scene i rome titus's garden enter young lucius and lavinia running after him and the boy flies from her with books under his arm then enter titus and marcus young lucius help grandsire help my aunt lavinia follows me every where i know not why good uncle marcus see how swift she comes alas sweet aunt i know not what you mean marcus andronicus stand by me lucius do not fear thine aunt titus andronicus she loves thee boy too well to do thee harm young lucius ay when my father was in rome she did marcus andronicus what means my niece lavinia by these signs titus andronicus fear her not lucius somewhat doth she mean see lucius see how much she makes of thee somewhither would she have thee go with her ah boy cornelia never with more care read to her sons than she hath read to thee sweet poetry and tully's orator marcus andronicus canst thou not guess wherefore she plies thee thus young lucius my lord i know not i nor can i guess unless some fit or frenzy do possess her for i have heard my grandsire say full oft extremity of griefs would make men mad and i have read that hecuba of troy ran mad through sorrow that made me to fear although my lord i know my noble aunt loves me as dear as e'er my mother did and would not but in fury fright my youth which made me down to throw my books and fly causeless perhaps but pardon me sweet aunt and madam if my uncle marcus go i will most willingly attend your ladyship marcus andronicus lucius i will lavinia turns over with her stumps the books which lucius has let fall titus andronicus how now lavinia marcus what means this some book there is that she desires to see which is it girl of these open them boy but thou art deeper read and better skill'd come and take choice of all my library and so beguile thy sorrow till the heavens reveal the damn'd contriver of this deed why lifts she up her arms in sequence thus marcus andronicus i think she means that there was more than one confederate in the fact ay more there was or else to heaven she heaves them for revenge titus andronicus lucius what book is that she tosseth so young lucius grandsire tis ovid's metamorphoses my mother gave it me marcus andronicus for love of her that's gone perhaps she cull'd it from among the rest titus andronicus soft see how busily she turns the leaves helping her what would she find lavinia shall i read this is the tragic tale of philomel and treats of tereus treason and his rape and rape i fear was root of thine annoy marcus andronicus see brother see note how she quotes the leaves titus andronicus lavinia wert thou thus surprised sweet girl ravish'd and wrong'd as philomela was forced in the ruthless vast and gloomy woods see see ay such a place there is where we did hunt o had we never never hunted there pattern'd by that the poet here describes by nature made for murders and for rapes marcus andronicus o why should nature build so foul a den unless the gods delight in tragedies titus andronicus give signs sweet girl for here are none but friends what roman lord it was durst do the deed or slunk not saturnine as tarquin erst that left the camp to sin in lucrece bed marcus andronicus sit down sweet niece brother sit down by me apollo pallas jove or mercury inspire me that i may this treason find my lord look here look here lavinia this sandy plot is plain guide if thou canst this after me when i have writ my name without the help of any hand at all he writes his name with his staff and guides it with feet and mouth cursed be that heart that forced us to this shift write thou good niece and here display at last what god will have discover'd for revenge heaven guide thy pen to print thy sorrows plain that we may know the traitors and the truth she takes the staff in her mouth and guides it with her stumps and writes titus andronicus o do ye read my lord what she hath writ stuprum chiron demetrius' marcus andronicus what what the lustful sons of tamora performers of this heinous bloody deed titus andronicus magni dominator poli tam lentus audis scelera tam lentus vides marcus andronicus o calm thee gentle lord although i know there is enough written upon this earth to stir a mutiny in the mildest thoughts and arm the minds of infants to exclaims my lord kneel down with me lavinia kneel and kneel sweet boy the roman hector's hope and swear with me as with the woful fere and father of that chaste dishonour'd dame lord junius brutus sware for lucrece rape that we will prosecute by good advice mortal revenge upon these traitorous goths and see their blood or die with this reproach titus andronicus tis sure enough an you knew how but if you hunt these bearwhelps then beware the dam will wake and if she wind you once she's with the lion deeply still in league and lulls him whilst she playeth on her back and when he sleeps will she do what she list you are a young huntsman marcus let it alone and come i will go get a leaf of brass and with a gad of steel will write these words and lay it by the angry northern wind will blow these sands like sibyl's leaves abroad and where's your lesson then boy what say you young lucius i say my lord that if i were a man their mother's bedchamber should not be safe for these bad bondmen to the yoke of rome marcus andronicus ay that's my boy thy father hath full oft for his ungrateful country done the like young lucius and uncle so will i an if i live titus andronicus come go with me into mine armoury lucius i'll fit thee and withal my boy shalt carry from me to the empress sons presents that i intend to send them both come come thou'lt do thy message wilt thou not young lucius ay with my dagger in their bosoms grandsire titus andronicus no boy not so i'll teach thee another course lavinia come marcus look to my house lucius and i'll go brave it at the court ay marry will we sir and we'll be waited on exeunt titus lavinia and young lucius marcus andronicus o heavens can you hear a good man groan and not relent or not compassion him marcus attend him in his ecstasy that hath more scars of sorrow in his heart than foemen's marks upon his batter'd shield but yet so just that he will not revenge revenge ye heavens for old andronicus exit titus andronicus act iv scene ii the same a room in the palace enter from one side aaron demetrius and chiron from the other side young lucius and an attendant with a bundle of weapons and verses writ upon them chiron demetrius here's the son of lucius he hath some message to deliver us aaron ay some mad message from his mad grandfather young lucius my lords with all the humbleness i may i greet your honours from andronicus aside and pray the roman gods confound you both demetrius gramercy lovely lucius what's the news young lucius aside that you are both decipher'd that's the news for villains mark'd with rapemay it please you my grandsire well advised hath sent by me the goodliest weapons of his armoury to gratify your honourable youth the hope of rome for so he bade me say and so i do and with his gifts present your lordships that whenever you have need you may be armed and appointed well and so i leave you both aside like bloody villains exeunt young lucius and attendant demetrius what's here a scroll and written round about let's see reads integer vitae scelerisque purus non eget mauri jaculis nec arcu' chiron o tis a verse in horace i know it well i read it in the grammar long ago aaron ay just a verse in horace right you have it aside now what a thing it is to be an ass here's no sound jest the old man hath found their guilt and sends them weapons wrapped about with lines that wound beyond their feeling to the quick but were our witty empress well afoot she would applaud andronicus conceit but let her rest in her unrest awhile and now young lords was't not a happy star led us to rome strangers and more than so captives to be advanced to this height it did me good before the palace gate to brave the tribune in his brother's hearing demetrius but me more good to see so great a lord basely insinuate and send us gifts aaron had he not reason lord demetrius did you not use his daughter very friendly demetrius i would we had a thousand roman dames at such a bay by turn to serve our lust chiron a charitable wish and full of love aaron here lacks but your mother for to say amen chiron and that would she for twenty thousand more demetrius come let us go and pray to all the gods for our beloved mother in her pains aaron aside pray to the devils the gods have given us over trumpets sound within demetrius why do the emperor's trumpets flourish thus chiron belike for joy the emperor hath a son demetrius soft who comes here enter a nurse with a blackamoor child in her arms nurse good morrow lords o tell me did you see aaron the moor aaron well more or less or ne'er a whit at all here aaron is and what with aaron now nurse o gentle aaron we are all undone now help or woe betide thee evermore aaron why what a caterwauling dost thou keep what dost thou wrap and fumble in thine arms nurse o that which i would hide from heaven's eye our empress shame and stately rome's disgrace she is deliver'd lords she is deliver'd aaron to whom nurse i mean she is brought abed aaron well god give her good rest what hath he sent her nurse a devil aaron why then she is the devil's dam a joyful issue nurse a joyless dismal black and sorrowful issue here is the babe as loathsome as a toad amongst the fairest breeders of our clime the empress sends it thee thy stamp thy seal and bids thee christen it with thy dagger's point aaron zounds ye whore is black so base a hue sweet blowse you are a beauteous blossom sure demetrius villain what hast thou done aaron that which thou canst not undo chiron thou hast undone our mother aaron villain i have done thy mother demetrius and therein hellish dog thou hast undone woe to her chance and damn'd her loathed choice accursed the offspring of so foul a fiend chiron it shall not live aaron it shall not die nurse aaron it must the mother wills it so aaron what must it nurse then let no man but i do execution on my flesh and blood demetrius i'll broach the tadpole on my rapier's point nurse give it me my sword shall soon dispatch it aaron sooner this sword shall plough thy bowels up takes the child from the nurse and draws stay murderous villains will you kill your brother now by the burning tapers of the sky that shone so brightly when this boy was got he dies upon my scimitar's sharp point that touches this my firstborn son and heir i tell you younglings not enceladus with all his threatening band of typhon's brood nor great alcides nor the god of war shall seize this prey out of his father's hands what what ye sanguine shallowhearted boys ye whitelimed walls ye alehouse painted signs coalblack is better than another hue in that it scorns to bear another hue for all the water in the ocean can never turn the swan's black legs to white although she lave them hourly in the flood tell the empress from me i am of age to keep mine own excuse it how she can demetrius wilt thou betray thy noble mistress thus aaron my mistress is my mistress this myself the vigour and the picture of my youth this before all the world do i prefer this maugre all the world will i keep safe or some of you shall smoke for it in rome demetrius by this our mother is forever shamed chiron rome will despise her for this foul escape nurse the emperor in his rage will doom her death chiron i blush to think upon this ignomy aaron why there's the privilege your beauty bears fie treacherous hue that will betray with blushing the close enacts and counsels of the heart here's a young lad framed of another leer look how the black slave smiles upon the father as who should say old lad i am thine own' he is your brother lords sensibly fed of that selfblood that first gave life to you and from that womb where you imprison'd were he is enfranchised and come to light nay he is your brother by the surer side although my seal be stamped in his face nurse aaron what shall i say unto the empress demetrius advise thee aaron what is to be done and we will all subscribe to thy advice save thou the child so we may all be safe aaron then sit we down and let us all consult my son and i will have the wind of you keep there now talk at pleasure of your safety they sit demetrius how many women saw this child of his aaron why so brave lords when we join in league i am a lamb but if you brave the moor the chafed boar the mountain lioness the ocean swells not so as aaron storms but say again how many saw the child nurse cornelia the midwife and myself and no one else but the deliver'd empress aaron the empress the midwife and yourself two may keep counsel when the third's away go to the empress tell her this i said he kills the nurse weke weke so cries a pig prepared to the spit demetrius what mean'st thou aaron wherefore didst thou this aaron o lord sir tis a deed of policy shall she live to betray this guilt of ours a longtongued babbling gossip no lords no and now be it known to you my full intent not far one muli lives my countryman his wife but yesternight was brought to bed his child is like to her fair as you are go pack with him and give the mother gold and tell them both the circumstance of all and how by this their child shall be advanced and be received for the emperor's heir and substituted in the place of mine to calm this tempest whirling in the court and let the emperor dandle him for his own hark ye lords ye see i have given her physic pointing to the nurse and you must needs bestow her funeral the fields are near and you are gallant grooms this done see that you take no longer days but send the midwife presently to me the midwife and the nurse well made away then let the ladies tattle what they please chiron aaron i see thou wilt not trust the air with secrets demetrius for this care of tamora herself and hers are highly bound to thee exeunt demetrius and chiron bearing off the nurse's body aaron now to the goths as swift as swallow flies there to dispose this treasure in mine arms and secretly to greet the empress friends come on you thick lipp'd slave i'll bear you hence for it is you that puts us to our shifts i'll make you feed on berries and on roots and feed on curds and whey and suck the goat and cabin in a cave and bring you up to be a warrior and command a camp exit titus andronicus act iv scene iii the same a public place enter titus bearing arrows with letters at the ends of them with him marcus young lucius publius sempronius caius and other gentlemen with bows titus andronicus come marcus come kinsmen this is the way sir boy now let me see your archery look ye draw home enough and tis there straight terras astraea reliquit be you remember'd marcus she's gone she's fled sirs take you to your tools you cousins shall go sound the ocean and cast your nets happily you may catch her in the sea yet there's as little justice as at land no publius and sempronius you must do it tis you must dig with mattock and with spade and pierce the inmost centre of the earth then when you come to pluto's region i pray you deliver him this petition tell him it is for justice and for aid and that it comes from old andronicus shaken with sorrows in ungrateful rome ah rome well well i made thee miserable what time i threw the people's suffrages on him that thus doth tyrannize o'er me go get you gone and pray be careful all and leave you not a manofwar unsearch'd this wicked emperor may have shipp'd her hence and kinsmen then we may go pipe for justice marcus andronicus o publius is not this a heavy case to see thy noble uncle thus distract publius therefore my lord it highly us concerns by day and night to attend him carefully and feed his humour kindly as we may till time beget some careful remedy marcus andronicus kinsmen his sorrows are past remedy join with the goths and with revengeful war take wreak on rome for this ingratitude and vengeance on the traitor saturnine titus andronicus publius how now how now my masters what have you met with her publius no my good lord but pluto sends you word if you will have revenge from hell you shall marry for justice she is so employ'd he thinks with jove in heaven or somewhere else so that perforce you must needs stay a time titus andronicus he doth me wrong to feed me with delays i'll dive into the burning lake below and pull her out of acheron by the heels marcus we are but shrubs no cedars we no bigboned men framed of the cyclops size but metal marcus steel to the very back yet wrung with wrongs more than our backs can bear and sith there's no justice in earth nor hell we will solicit heaven and move the gods to send down justice for to wreak our wrongs come to this gear you are a good archer marcus he gives them the arrows ad jovem that's for you here ad apollinem' ad martem that's for myself here boy to pallas here to mercury to saturn caius not to saturnine you were as good to shoot against the wind to it boy marcus loose when i bid of my word i have written to effect there's not a god left unsolicited marcus andronicus kinsmen shoot all your shafts into the court we will afflict the emperor in his pride titus andronicus now masters draw they shoot o well said lucius good boy in virgo's lap give it pallas marcus andronicus my lord i aim a mile beyond the moon your letter is with jupiter by this titus andronicus ha ha publius publius what hast thou done see see thou hast shot off one of taurus horns marcus andronicus this was the sport my lord when publius shot the bull being gall'd gave aries such a knock that down fell both the ram's horns in the court and who should find them but the empress villain she laugh'd and told the moor he should not choose but give them to his master for a present titus andronicus why there it goes god give his lordship joy enter a clown with a basket and two pigeons in it news news from heaven marcus the post is come sirrah what tidings have you any letters shall i have justice what says jupiter clown o the gibbetmaker he says that he hath taken them down again for the man must not be hanged till the next week titus andronicus but what says jupiter i ask thee clown alas sir i know not jupiter i never drank with him in all my life titus andronicus why villain art not thou the carrier clown ay of my pigeons sir nothing else titus andronicus why didst thou not come from heaven clown from heaven alas sir i never came there god forbid i should be so bold to press to heaven in my young days why i am going with my pigeons to the tribunal plebs to take up a matter of brawl betwixt my uncle and one of the emperial's men marcus andronicus why sir that is as fit as can be to serve for your oration and let him deliver the pigeons to the emperor from you titus andronicus tell me can you deliver an oration to the emperor with a grace clown nay truly sir i could never say grace in all my life titus andronicus sirrah come hither make no more ado but give your pigeons to the emperor by me thou shalt have justice at his hands hold hold meanwhile here's money for thy charges give me pen and ink sirrah can you with a grace deliver a supplication clown ay sir titus andronicus then here is a supplication for you and when you come to him at the first approach you must kneel then kiss his foot then deliver up your pigeons and then look for your reward i'll be at hand sir see you do it bravely clown i warrant you sir let me alone titus andronicus sirrah hast thou a knife come let me see it here marcus fold it in the oration for thou hast made it like an humble suppliant and when thou hast given it the emperor knock at my door and tell me what he says clown god be with you sir i will titus andronicus come marcus let us go publius follow me exeunt titus andronicus act iv scene iv the same before the palace enter saturninus tamora demetrius chiron lords and others saturninus with the arrows in his hand that titus shot saturninus why lords what wrongs are these was ever seen an emperor in rome thus overborne troubled confronted thus and for the extent of egal justice used in such contempt my lords you know as know the mightful gods however these disturbers of our peace buz in the people's ears there nought hath pass'd but even with law against the willful sons of old andronicus and what an if his sorrows have so overwhelm'd his wits shall we be thus afflicted in his wreaks his fits his frenzy and his bitterness and now he writes to heaven for his redress see here's to jove and this to mercury this to apollo this to the god of war sweet scrolls to fly about the streets of rome what's this but libelling against the senate and blazoning our injustice every where a goodly humour is it not my lords as who would say in rome no justice were but if i live his feigned ecstasies shall be no shelter to these outrages but he and his shall know that justice lives in saturninus health whom if she sleep he'll so awake as she in fury shall cut off the proud'st conspirator that lives tamora my gracious lord my lovely saturnine lord of my life commander of my thoughts calm thee and bear the faults of titus age the effects of sorrow for his valiant sons whose loss hath pierced him deep and scarr'd his heart and rather comfort his distressed plight than prosecute the meanest or the best for these contempts aside why thus it shall become highwitted tamora to gloze with all but titus i have touched thee to the quick thy lifeblood out if aaron now be wise then is all safe the anchor's in the port enter clown how now good fellow wouldst thou speak with us clown yea forsooth an your mistership be emperial tamora empress i am but yonder sits the emperor clown tis he god and saint stephen give you good den i have brought you a letter and a couple of pigeons here saturninus reads the letter saturninus go take him away and hang him presently clown how much money must i have tamora come sirrah you must be hanged clown hanged by'r lady then i have brought up a neck to a fair end exit guarded saturninus despiteful and intolerable wrongs shall i endure this monstrous villany i know from whence this same device proceeds may this be borneas if his traitorous sons that died by law for murder of our brother have by my means been butcher'd wrongfully go drag the villain hither by the hair nor age nor honour shall shape privilege for this proud mock i'll be thy slaughterman sly frantic wretch that holp'st to make me great in hope thyself should govern rome and me enter aemilius what news with thee aemilius aemilius arm arm my lordrome never had more cause the goths have gather'd head and with a power highresolved men bent to the spoil they hither march amain under conduct of lucius son to old andronicus who threats in course of this revenge to do as much as ever coriolanus did saturninus is warlike lucius general of the goths these tidings nip me and i hang the head as flowers with frost or grass beat down with storms ay now begin our sorrows to approach tis he the common people love so much myself hath often overheard them say when i have walked like a private man that lucius banishment was wrongfully and they have wish'd that lucius were their emperor tamora why should you fear is not your city strong saturninus ay but the citizens favor lucius and will revolt from me to succor him tamora king be thy thoughts imperious like thy name is the sun dimm'd that gnats do fly in it the eagle suffers little birds to sing and is not careful what they mean thereby knowing that with the shadow of his wings he can at pleasure stint their melody even so mayst thou the giddy men of rome then cheer thy spirit for know thou emperor i will enchant the old andronicus with words more sweet and yet more dangerous than baits to fish or honeystalks to sheep when as the one is wounded with the bait the other rotted with delicious feed saturninus but he will not entreat his son for us tamora if tamora entreat him then he will for i can smooth and fill his aged ear with golden promises that were his heart almost impregnable his old ears deaf yet should both ear and heart obey my tongue to aemilius go thou before be our ambassador say that the emperor requests a parley of warlike lucius and appoint the meeting even at his father's house the old andronicus saturninus aemilius do this message honourably and if he stand on hostage for his safety bid him demand what pledge will please him best aemilius your bidding shall i do effectually exit tamora now will i to that old andronicus and temper him with all the art i have to pluck proud lucius from the warlike goths and now sweet emperor be blithe again and bury all thy fear in my devices saturninus then go successantly and plead to him exeunt titus andronicus act v scene i plains near rome enter lucius with an army of goths with drum and colours lucius approved warriors and my faithful friends i have received letters from great rome which signify what hate they bear their emperor and how desirous of our sight they are therefore great lords be as your titles witness imperious and impatient of your wrongs and wherein rome hath done you any scath let him make treble satisfaction first goth brave slip sprung from the great andronicus whose name was once our terror now our comfort whose high exploits and honourable deeds ingrateful rome requites with foul contempt be bold in us we'll follow where thou lead'st like stinging bees in hottest summer's day led by their master to the flowered fields and be avenged on cursed tamora all the goths and as he saith so say we all with him lucius i humbly thank him and i thank you all but who comes here led by a lusty goth enter a goth leading aaron with his child in his arms second goth renowned lucius from our troops i stray'd to gaze upon a ruinous monastery and as i earnestly did fix mine eye upon the wasted building suddenly i heard a child cry underneath a wall i made unto the noise when soon i heard the crying babe controll'd with this discourse peace tawny slave half me and half thy dam did not thy hue bewray whose brat thou art had nature lent thee but thy mother's look villain thou mightst have been an emperor but where the bull and cow are both milkwhite they never do beget a coalblack calf peace villain peace'even thus he rates the babe for i must bear thee to a trusty goth who when he knows thou art the empress babe will hold thee dearly for thy mother's sake' with this my weapon drawn i rush'd upon him surprised him suddenly and brought him hither to use as you think needful of the man lucius o worthy goth this is the incarnate devil that robb'd andronicus of his good hand this is the pearl that pleased your empress eye and here's the base fruit of his burning lust say walleyed slave whither wouldst thou convey this growing image of thy fiendlike face why dost not speak what deaf not a word a halter soldiers hang him on this tree and by his side his fruit of bastardy aaron touch not the boy he is of royal blood lucius too like the sire for ever being good first hang the child that he may see it sprawl a sight to vex the father's soul withal get me a ladder a ladder brought which aaron is made to ascend aaron lucius save the child and bear it from me to the empress if thou do this i'll show thee wondrous things that highly may advantage thee to hear if thou wilt not befall what may befall i'll speak no more but vengeance rot you all' lucius say on an if it please me which thou speak'st thy child shall live and i will see it nourish'd aaron an if it please thee why assure thee lucius twill vex thy soul to hear what i shall speak for i must talk of murders rapes and massacres acts of black night abominable deeds complots of mischief treason villanies ruthful to hear yet piteously perform'd and this shall all be buried by my death unless thou swear to me my child shall live lucius tell on thy mind i say thy child shall live aaron swear that he shall and then i will begin lucius who should i swear by thou believest no god that granted how canst thou believe an oath aaron what if i do not as indeed i do not yet for i know thou art religious and hast a thing within thee called conscience with twenty popish tricks and ceremonies which i have seen thee careful to observe therefore i urge thy oath for that i know an idiot holds his bauble for a god and keeps the oath which by that god he swears to that i'll urge him therefore thou shalt vow by that same god what god soe'er it be that thou adorest and hast in reverence to save my boy to nourish and bring him up or else i will discover nought to thee lucius even by my god i swear to thee i will aaron first know thou i begot him on the empress lucius o most insatiate and luxurious woman aaron tut lucius this was but a deed of charity to that which thou shalt hear of me anon twas her two sons that murder'd bassianus they cut thy sister's tongue and ravish'd her and cut her hands and trimm'd her as thou saw'st lucius o detestable villain call'st thou that trimming aaron why she was wash'd and cut and trimm'd and twas trim sport for them that had the doing of it lucius o barbarous beastly villains like thyself aaron indeed i was their tutor to instruct them that codding spirit had they from their mother as sure a card as ever won the set that bloody mind i think they learn'd of me as true a dog as ever fought at head well let my deeds be witness of my worth i train'd thy brethren to that guileful hole where the dead corpse of bassianus lay i wrote the letter that thy father found and hid the gold within the letter mention'd confederate with the queen and her two sons and what not done that thou hast cause to rue wherein i had no stroke of mischief in it i play'd the cheater for thy father's hand and when i had it drew myself apart and almost broke my heart with extreme laughter i pry'd me through the crevice of a wall when for his hand he had his two sons heads beheld his tears and laugh'd so heartily that both mine eyes were rainy like to his and when i told the empress of this sport she swooned almost at my pleasing tale and for my tidings gave me twenty kisses first goth what canst thou say all this and never blush aaron ay like a black dog as the saying is lucius art thou not sorry for these heinous deeds aaron ay that i had not done a thousand more even now i curse the dayand yet i think few come within the compass of my curse wherein i did not some notorious ill as kill a man or else devise his death ravish a maid or plot the way to do it accuse some innocent and forswear myself set deadly enmity between two friends make poor men's cattle break their necks set fire on barns and haystacks in the night and bid the owners quench them with their tears oft have i digg'd up dead men from their graves and set them upright at their dear friends doors even when their sorrows almost were forgot and on their skins as on the bark of trees have with my knife carved in roman letters let not your sorrow die though i am dead' tut i have done a thousand dreadful things as willingly as one would kill a fly and nothing grieves me heartily indeed but that i cannot do ten thousand more lucius bring down the devil for he must not die so sweet a death as hanging presently aaron if there be devils would i were a devil to live and burn in everlasting fire so i might have your company in hell but to torment you with my bitter tongue lucius sirs stop his mouth and let him speak no more enter a goth third goth my lord there is a messenger from rome desires to be admitted to your presence lucius let him come near enter aemilius welcome aemilius what's the news from rome aemilius lord lucius and you princes of the goths the roman emperor greets you all by me and for he understands you are in arms he craves a parley at your father's house willing you to demand your hostages and they shall be immediately deliver'd first goth what says our general lucius aemilius let the emperor give his pledges unto my father and my uncle marcus and we will come march away exeunt titus andronicus act v scene ii rome before titus's house enter tamora demetrius and chiron disguised tamora thus in this strange and sad habiliment i will encounter with andronicus and say i am revenge sent from below to join with him and right his heinous wrongs knock at his study where they say he keeps to ruminate strange plots of dire revenge tell him revenge is come to join with him and work confusion on his enemies they knock enter titus above titus andronicus who doth molest my contemplation is it your trick to make me ope the door that so my sad decrees may fly away and all my study be to no effect you are deceived for what i mean to do see here in bloody lines i have set down and what is written shall be executed tamora titus i am come to talk with thee titus andronicus no not a word how can i grace my talk wanting a hand to give it action thou hast the odds of me therefore no more tamora if thou didst know me thou wouldest talk with me titus andronicus i am not mad i know thee well enough witness this wretched stump witness these crimson lines witness these trenches made by grief and care witness the tiring day and heavy night witness all sorrow that i know thee well for our proud empress mighty tamora is not thy coming for my other hand tamora know thou sad man i am not tamora she is thy enemy and i thy friend i am revenge sent from the infernal kingdom to ease the gnawing vulture of thy mind by working wreakful vengeance on thy foes come down and welcome me to this world's light confer with me of murder and of death there's not a hollow cave or lurkingplace no vast obscurity or misty vale where bloody murder or detested rape can couch for fear but i will find them out and in their ears tell them my dreadful name revenge which makes the foul offender quake titus andronicus art thou revenge and art thou sent to me to be a torment to mine enemies tamora i am therefore come down and welcome me titus andronicus do me some service ere i come to thee lo by thy side where rape and murder stands now give me some surance that thou art revenge stab them or tear them on thy chariotwheels and then i'll come and be thy waggoner and whirl along with thee about the globe provide thee two proper palfreys black as jet to hale thy vengeful waggon swift away and find out murderers in their guilty caves and when thy car is loaden with their heads i will dismount and by the waggonwheel trot like a servile footman all day long even from hyperion's rising in the east until his very downfall in the sea and day by day i'll do this heavy task so thou destroy rapine and murder there tamora these are my ministers and come with me titus andronicus are these thy ministers what are they call'd tamora rapine and murder therefore called so cause they take vengeance of such kind of men titus andronicus good lord how like the empress sons they are and you the empress but we worldly men have miserable mad mistaking eyes o sweet revenge now do i come to thee and if one arm's embracement will content thee i will embrace thee in it by and by exit above tamora this closing with him fits his lunacy whate'er i forge to feed his brainsick fits do you uphold and maintain in your speeches for now he firmly takes me for revenge and being credulous in this mad thought i'll make him send for lucius his son and whilst i at a banquet hold him sure i'll find some cunning practise out of hand to scatter and disperse the giddy goths or at the least make them his enemies see here he comes and i must ply my theme enter titus below titus andronicus long have i been forlorn and all for thee welcome dread fury to my woful house rapine and murder you are welcome too how like the empress and her sons you are well are you fitted had you but a moor could not all hell afford you such a devil for well i wot the empress never wags but in her company there is a moor and would you represent our queen aright it were convenient you had such a devil but welcome as you are what shall we do tamora what wouldst thou have us do andronicus demetrius show me a murderer i'll deal with him chiron show me a villain that hath done a rape and i am sent to be revenged on him tamora show me a thousand that have done thee wrong and i will be revenged on them all titus andronicus look round about the wicked streets of rome and when thou find'st a man that's like thyself good murder stab him he's a murderer go thou with him and when it is thy hap to find another that is like to thee good rapine stab him he's a ravisher go thou with them and in the emperor's court there is a queen attended by a moor well mayst thou know her by thy own proportion for up and down she doth resemble thee i pray thee do on them some violent death they have been violent to me and mine tamora well hast thou lesson'd us this shall we do but would it please thee good andronicus to send for lucius thy thricevaliant son who leads towards rome a band of warlike goths and bid him come and banquet at thy house when he is here even at thy solemn feast i will bring in the empress and her sons the emperor himself and all thy foes and at thy mercy shalt they stoop and kneel and on them shalt thou ease thy angry heart what says andronicus to this device titus andronicus marcus my brother tis sad titus calls enter marcus go gentle marcus to thy nephew lucius thou shalt inquire him out among the goths bid him repair to me and bring with him some of the chiefest princes of the goths bid him encamp his soldiers where they are tell him the emperor and the empress too feast at my house and he shall feast with them this do thou for my love and so let him as he regards his aged father's life marcus andronicus this will i do and soon return again exit tamora now will i hence about thy business and take my ministers along with me titus andronicus nay nay let rape and murder stay with me or else i'll call my brother back again and cleave to no revenge but lucius tamora aside to her sons what say you boys will you bide with him whiles i go tell my lord the emperor how i have govern'd our determined jest yield to his humour smooth and speak him fair and tarry with him till i turn again titus andronicus aside i know them all though they suppose me mad and will o'erreach them in their own devices a pair of cursed hellhounds and their dam demetrius madam depart at pleasure leave us here tamora farewell andronicus revenge now goes to lay a complot to betray thy foes titus andronicus i know thou dost and sweet revenge farewell exit tamora chiron tell us old man how shall we be employ'd titus andronicus tut i have work enough for you to do publius come hither caius and valentine enter publius and others publius what is your will titus andronicus know you these two publius the empress sons i take them chiron and demetrius titus andronicus fie publius fie thou art too much deceived the one is murder rape is the other's name and therefore bind them gentle publius caius and valentine lay hands on them oft have you heard me wish for such an hour and now i find it therefore bind them sure and stop their mouths if they begin to cry exit publius &c lay hold on chiron and demetrius chiron villains forbear we are the empress sons publius and therefore do we what we are commanded stop close their mouths let them not speak a word is he sure bound look that you bind them fast reenter titus with lavinia he bearing a knife and she a basin titus andronicus come come lavinia look thy foes are bound sirs stop their mouths let them not speak to me but let them hear what fearful words i utter o villains chiron and demetrius here stands the spring whom you have stain'd with mud this goodly summer with your winter mix'd you kill'd her husband and for that vile fault two of her brothers were condemn'd to death my hand cut off and made a merry jest both her sweet hands her tongue and that more dear than hands or tongue her spotless chastity inhuman traitors you constrain'd and forced what would you say if i should let you speak villains for shame you could not beg for grace hark wretches how i mean to martyr you this one hand yet is left to cut your throats whilst that lavinia tween her stumps doth hold the basin that receives your guilty blood you know your mother means to feast with me and calls herself revenge and thinks me mad hark villains i will grind your bones to dust and with your blood and it i'll make a paste and of the paste a coffin i will rear and make two pasties of your shameful heads and bid that strumpet your unhallow'd dam like to the earth swallow her own increase this is the feast that i have bid her to and this the banquet she shall surfeit on for worse than philomel you used my daughter and worse than progne i will be revenged and now prepare your throats lavinia come he cuts their throats receive the blood and when that they are dead let me go grind their bones to powder small and with this hateful liquor temper it and in that paste let their vile heads be baked come come be every one officious to make this banquet which i wish may prove more stern and bloody than the centaurs feast so now bring them in for i'll play the cook and see them ready gainst their mother comes exeunt bearing the dead bodies titus andronicus act v scene iii court of titus's house a banquet set out enter lucius marcus and goths with aaron prisoner lucius uncle marcus since it is my father's mind that i repair to rome i am content first goth and ours with thine befall what fortune will lucius good uncle take you in this barbarous moor this ravenous tiger this accursed devil let him receive no sustenance fetter him till he be brought unto the empress face for testimony of her foul proceedings and see the ambush of our friends be strong i fear the emperor means no good to us aaron some devil whisper curses in mine ear and prompt me that my tongue may utter forth the venomous malice of my swelling heart lucius away inhuman dog unhallow'd slave sirs help our uncle to convey him in exeunt goths with aaron flourish within the trumpets show the emperor is at hand enter saturninus and tamora with aemilius tribunes senators and others saturninus what hath the firmament more suns than one lucius what boots it thee to call thyself a sun marcus andronicus rome's emperor and nephew break the parle these quarrels must be quietly debated the feast is ready which the careful titus hath ordain'd to an honourable end for peace for love for league and good to rome please you therefore draw nigh and take your places saturninus marcus we will hautboys sound the company sit down at table enter titus dressed like a cook lavinia veiled young lucius and others titus places the dishes on the table titus andronicus welcome my gracious lord welcome dread queen welcome ye warlike goths welcome lucius and welcome all although the cheer be poor twill fill your stomachs please you eat of it saturninus why art thou thus attired andronicus titus andronicus because i would be sure to have all well to entertain your highness and your empress tamora we are beholding to you good andronicus titus andronicus an if your highness knew my heart you were my lord the emperor resolve me this was it well done of rash virginius to slay his daughter with his own right hand because she was enforced stain'd and deflower'd saturninus it was andronicus titus andronicus your reason mighty lord saturninus because the girl should not survive her shame and by her presence still renew his sorrows titus andronicus a reason mighty strong and effectual a pattern precedent and lively warrant for me most wretched to perform the like die die lavinia and thy shame with thee kills lavinia and with thy shame thy father's sorrow die saturninus what hast thou done unnatural and unkind titus andronicus kill'd her for whom my tears have made me blind i am as woful as virginius was and have a thousand times more cause than he to do this outrage and it now is done saturninus what was she ravish'd tell who did the deed titus andronicus will't please you eat will't please your highness feed tamora why hast thou slain thine only daughter thus titus andronicus not i twas chiron and demetrius they ravish'd her and cut away her tongue and they twas they that did her all this wrong saturninus go fetch them hither to us presently titus andronicus why there they are both baked in that pie whereof their mother daintily hath fed eating the flesh that she herself hath bred tis true tis true witness my knife's sharp point kills tamora saturninus die frantic wretch for this accursed deed kills titus lucius can the son's eye behold his father bleed there's meed for meed death for a deadly deed kills saturninus a great tumult lucius marcus and others go up into the balcony marcus andronicus you sadfaced men people and sons of rome by uproar sever'd like a flight of fowl scatter'd by winds and high tempestuous gusts o let me teach you how to knit again this scatter'd corn into one mutual sheaf these broken limbs again into one body lest rome herself be bane unto herself and she whom mighty kingdoms court'sy to like a forlorn and desperate castaway do shameful execution on herself but if my frosty signs and chaps of age grave witnesses of true experience cannot induce you to attend my words to lucius speak rome's dear friend as erst our ancestor when with his solemn tongue he did discourse to lovesick dido's sad attending ear the story of that baleful burning night when subtle greeks surprised king priam's troy tell us what sinon hath bewitch'd our ears or who hath brought the fatal engine in that gives our troy our rome the civil wound my heart is not compact of flint nor steel nor can i utter all our bitter grief but floods of tears will drown my oratory and break my utterance even in the time when it should move you to attend me most lending your kind commiseration here is a captain let him tell the tale your hearts will throb and weep to hear him speak lucius then noble auditory be it known to you that cursed chiron and demetrius were they that murdered our emperor's brother and they it were that ravished our sister for their fell faults our brothers were beheaded our father's tears despised and basely cozen'd of that true hand that fought rome's quarrel out and sent her enemies unto the grave lastly myself unkindly banished the gates shut on me and turn'd weeping out to beg relief among rome's enemies who drown'd their enmity in my true tears and oped their arms to embrace me as a friend i am the turned forth be it known to you that have preserved her welfare in my blood and from her bosom took the enemy's point sheathing the steel in my adventurous body alas you know i am no vaunter i my scars can witness dumb although they are that my report is just and full of truth but soft methinks i do digress too much citing my worthless praise o pardon me for when no friends are by men praise themselves marcus andronicus now is my turn to speak behold this child pointing to the child in the arms of an attendant of this was tamora delivered the issue of an irreligious moor chief architect and plotter of these woes the villain is alive in titus house and as he is to witness this is true now judge what cause had titus to revenge these wrongs unspeakable past patience or more than any living man could bear now you have heard the truth what say you romans have we done aught amissshow us wherein and from the place where you behold us now the poor remainder of andronici will hand in hand all headlong cast us down and on the ragged stones beat forth our brains and make a mutual closure of our house speak romans speak and if you say we shall lo hand in hand lucius and i will fall aemilius come come thou reverend man of rome and bring our emperor gently in thy hand lucius our emperor for well i know the common voice do cry it shall be so all lucius all hail rome's royal emperor marcus andronicus go go into old titus sorrowful house to attendants and hither hale that misbelieving moor to be adjudged some direful slaughtering death as punishment for his most wicked life exeunt attendants lucius marcus and the others descend all lucius all hail rome's gracious governor lucius thanks gentle romans may i govern so to heal rome's harms and wipe away her woe but gentle people give me aim awhile for nature puts me to a heavy task stand all aloof but uncle draw you near to shed obsequious tears upon this trunk o take this warm kiss on thy pale cold lips kissing titus these sorrowful drops upon thy bloodstain'd face the last true duties of thy noble son marcus andronicus tear for tear and loving kiss for kiss thy brother marcus tenders on thy lips o were the sum of these that i should pay countless and infinite yet would i pay them lucius come hither boy come come and learn of us to melt in showers thy grandsire loved thee well many a time he danced thee on his knee sung thee asleep his loving breast thy pillow many a matter hath he told to thee meet and agreeing with thine infancy in that respect then like a loving child shed yet some small drops from thy tender spring because kind nature doth require it so friends should associate friends in grief and woe bid him farewell commit him to the grave do him that kindness and take leave of him young lucius o grandsire grandsire even with all my heart would i were dead so you did live again o lord i cannot speak to him for weeping my tears will choke me if i ope my mouth reenter attendants with aaron aemilius you sad andronici have done with woes give sentence on this execrable wretch that hath been breeder of these dire events lucius set him breastdeep in earth and famish him there let him stand and rave and cry for food if any one relieves or pities him for the offence he dies this is our doom some stay to see him fasten'd in the earth aaron o why should wrath be mute and fury dumb i am no baby i that with base prayers i should repent the evils i have done ten thousand worse than ever yet i did would i perform if i might have my will if one good deed in all my life i did i do repent it from my very soul lucius some loving friends convey the emperor hence and give him burial in his father's grave my father and lavinia shall forthwith be closed in our household's monument as for that heinous tiger tamora no funeral rite nor man m mourning weeds no mournful bell shall ring her burial but throw her forth to beasts and birds of prey her life was beastlike and devoid of pity and being so shall have like want of pity see justice done on aaron that damn'd moor by whom our heavy haps had their beginning then afterwards to order well the state that like events may ne'er it ruinate exeunt a lover's complaint from off a hill whose concave womb reworded a plaintful story from a sistering vale my spirits to attend this double voice accorded and down i laid to list the sadtuned tale ere long espied a fickle maid full pale tearing of papers breaking rings atwain storming her world with sorrow's wind and rain upon her head a platted hive of straw which fortified her visage from the sun whereon the thought might think sometime it saw the carcass of beauty spent and done time had not scythed all that youth begun nor youth all quit but spite of heaven's fell rage some beauty peep'd through lattice of sear'd age oft did she heave her napkin to her eyne which on it had conceited characters laundering the silken figures in the brine that season'd woe had pelleted in tears and often reading what contents it bears as often shrieking undistinguish'd woe in clamours of all size both high and low sometimes her levell'd eyes their carriage ride as they did battery to the spheres intend sometime diverted their poor balls are tied to the orbed earth sometimes they do extend their view right on anon their gazes lend to every place at once and nowhere fix'd the mind and sight distractedly commix'd her hair nor loose nor tied in formal plat proclaim'd in her a careless hand of pride for some untuck'd descended her sheaved hat hanging her pale and pined cheek beside some in her threaden fillet still did bide and true to bondage would not break from thence though slackly braided in loose negligence a thousand favours from a maund she drew of amber crystal and of beaded jet which one by one she in a river threw upon whose weeping margent she was set like usury applying wet to wet or monarch's hands that let not bounty fall where want cries some but where excess begs all of folded schedules had she many a one which she perused sigh'd tore and gave the flood crack'd many a ring of posied gold and bone bidding them find their sepulchres in mud found yet moe letters sadly penn'd in blood with sleided silk feat and affectedly enswathed and seal'd to curious secrecy these often bathed she in her fluxive eyes and often kiss'd and often gan to tear cried o false blood thou register of lies what unapproved witness dost thou bear ink would have seem'd more black and damned here' this said in top of rage the lines she rents big discontent so breaking their contents a reverend man that grazed his cattle nigh sometime a blusterer that the ruffle knew of court of city and had let go by the swiftest hours observed as they flew towards this afflicted fancy fastly drew and privileged by age desires to know in brief the grounds and motives of her woe so slides he down upon his grained bat and comelydistant sits he by her side when he again desires her being sat her grievance with his hearing to divide if that from him there may be aught applied which may her suffering ecstasy assuage 'tis promised in the charity of age 'father she says though in me you behold the injury of many a blasting hour let it not tell your judgment i am old not age but sorrow over me hath power i might as yet have been a spreading flower fresh to myself if i had selfapplied love to myself and to no love beside 'but woe is me too early i attended a youthful suitit was to gain my grace of one by nature's outwards so commended that maidens eyes stuck over all his face love lack'd a dwelling and made him her place and when in his fair parts she did abide she was new lodged and newly deified 'his browny locks did hang in crooked curls and every light occasion of the wind upon his lips their silken parcels hurls what's sweet to do to do will aptly find each eye that saw him did enchant the mind for on his visage was in little drawn what largeness thinks in paradise was sawn 'small show of man was yet upon his chin his phoenix down began but to appear like unshorn velvet on that termless skin whose bare outbragg'd the web it seem'd to wear yet show'd his visage by that cost more dear and nice affections wavering stood in doubt if best were as it was or best without 'his qualities were beauteous as his form for maidentongued he was and thereof free yet if men moved him was he such a storm as oft twixt may and april is to see when winds breathe sweet untidy though they be his rudeness so with his authorized youth did livery falseness in a pride of truth 'well could he ride and often men would say 'that horse his mettle from his rider takes proud of subjection noble by the sway what rounds what bounds what course what stop he makes' and controversy hence a question takes whether the horse by him became his deed or he his manage by the welldoing steed 'but quickly on this side the verdict went his real habitude gave life and grace to appertainings and to ornament accomplish'd in himself not in his case all aids themselves made fairer by their place came for additions yet their purposed trim pieced not his grace but were all graced by him 'so on the tip of his subduing tongue all kinds of arguments and question deep all replication prompt and reason strong for his advantage still did wake and sleep to make the weeper laugh the laugher weep he had the dialect and different skill catching all passions in his craft of will 'that he did in the general bosom reign of young of old and sexes both enchanted to dwell with him in thoughts or to remain in personal duty following where he haunted consents bewitch'd ere he desire have granted and dialogued for him what he would say ask'd their own wills and made their wills obey 'many there were that did his picture get to serve their eyes and in it put their mind like fools that in th imagination set the goodly objects which abroad they find of lands and mansions theirs in thought assign'd and labouring in moe pleasures to bestow them than the true gouty landlord which doth owe them 'so many have that never touch'd his hand sweetly supposed them mistress of his heart my woeful self that did in freedom stand and was my own feesimple not in part what with his art in youth and youth in art threw my affections in his charmed power reserved the stalk and gave him all my flower 'yet did i not as some my equals did demand of him nor being desired yielded finding myself in honour so forbid with safest distance i mine honour shielded experience for me many bulwarks builded of proofs newbleeding which remain'd the foil of this false jewel and his amorous spoil 'but ah who ever shunn'd by precedent the destined ill she must herself assay or forced examples gainst her own content to put the bypast perils in her way counsel may stop awhile what will not stay for when we rage advice is often seen by blunting us to make our wits more keen 'nor gives it satisfaction to our blood that we must curb it upon others proof to be forbod the sweets that seem so good for fear of harms that preach in our behoof o appetite from judgment stand aloof the one a palate hath that needs will taste though reason weep and cry it is thy last' 'for further i could say this man's untrue' and knew the patterns of his foul beguiling heard where his plants in others orchards grew saw how deceits were gilded in his smiling knew vows were ever brokers to defiling thought characters and words merely but art and bastards of his foul adulterate heart 'and long upon these terms i held my city till thus he gan besiege me gentle maid have of my suffering youth some feeling pity and be not of my holy vows afraid that's to ye sworn to none was ever said for feasts of love i have been call'd unto till now did ne'er invite nor never woo ''all my offences that abroad you see are errors of the blood none of the mind love made them not with acture they may be where neither party is nor true nor kind they sought their shame that so their shame did find and so much less of shame in me remains by how much of me their reproach contains ''among the many that mine eyes have seen not one whose flame my heart so much as warm'd or my affection put to the smallest teen or any of my leisures ever charm'd harm have i done to them but ne'er was harm'd kept hearts in liveries but mine own was free and reign'd commanding in his monarchy ''look here what tributes wounded fancies sent me of paled pearls and rubies red as blood figuring that they their passions likewise lent me of grief and blushes aptly understood in bloodless white and the encrimson'd mood effects of terror and dear modesty encamp'd in hearts but fighting outwardly ''and lo behold these talents of their hair with twisted metal amorously impleach'd i have received from many a several fair their kind acceptance weepingly beseech'd with the annexions of fair gems enrich'd and deepbrain'd sonnets that did amplify each stone's dear nature worth and quality ''the diamondwhy twas beautiful and hard whereto his invised properties did tend the deepgreen emerald in whose fresh regard weak sights their sickly radiance do amend the heavenhued sapphire and the opal blend with objects manifold each several stone with wit well blazon'd smiled or made some moan ''lo all these trophies of affections hot of pensived and subdued desires the tender nature hath charged me that i hoard them not but yield them up where i myself must render that is to you my origin and ender for these of force must your oblations be since i their altar you enpatron me ''o then advance of yours that phraseless hand whose white weighs down the airy scale of praise take all these similes to your own command hallow'd with sighs that burning lungs did raise what me your minister for you obeys works under you and to your audit comes their distract parcels in combined sums ''lo this device was sent me from a nun or sister sanctified of holiest note which late her noble suit in court did shun whose rarest havings made the blossoms dote for she was sought by spirits of richest coat but kept cold distance and did thence remove to spend her living in eternal love ''but o my sweet what labour is't to leave the thing we have not mastering what not strives playing the place which did no form receive playing patient sports in unconstrained gyves she that her fame so to herself contrives the scars of battle scapeth by the flight and makes her absence valiant not her might ''o pardon me in that my boast is true the accident which brought me to her eye upon the moment did her force subdue and now she would the caged cloister fly religious love put out religion's eye not to be tempted would she be immured and now to tempt all liberty procured ''how mighty then you are o hear me tell the broken bosoms that to me belong have emptied all their fountains in my well and mine i pour your ocean all among i strong o'er them and you o'er me being strong must for your victory us all congest as compound love to physic your cold breast ''my parts had power to charm a sacred nun who disciplined ay dieted in grace believed her eyes when they to assail begun all vows and consecrations giving place o most potential love vow bond nor space in thee hath neither sting knot nor confine for thou art all and all things else are thine ''when thou impressest what are precepts worth of stale example when thou wilt inflame how coldly those impediments stand forth of wealth of filial fear law kindred fame love's arms are peace gainst rule gainst sense 'gainst shame and sweetens in the suffering pangs it bears the aloes of all forces shocks and fears ''now all these hearts that do on mine depend feeling it break with bleeding groans they pine and supplicant their sighs to you extend to leave the battery that you make gainst mine lending soft audience to my sweet design and credent soul to that strongbonded oath that shall prefer and undertake my troth' 'this said his watery eyes he did dismount whose sights till then were levell'd on my face each cheek a river running from a fount with brinish current downward flow'd apace o how the channel to the stream gave grace who glazed with crystal gate the glowing roses that flame through water which their hue encloses 'o father what a hell of witchcraft lies in the small orb of one particular tear but with the inundation of the eyes what rocky heart to water will not wear what breast so cold that is not warmed here o cleft effect cold modesty hot wrath both fire from hence and chill extincture hath 'for lo his passion but an art of craft even there resolved my reason into tears there my white stole of chastity i daff'd shook off my sober guards and civil fears appear to him as he to me appears all melting though our drops this difference bore his poison'd me and mine did him restore 'in him a plenitude of subtle matter applied to cautels all strange forms receives of burning blushes or of weeping water or swooning paleness and he takes and leaves in either's aptness as it best deceives to blush at speeches rank to weep at woes or to turn white and swoon at tragic shows 'that not a heart which in his level came could scape the hail of his allhurting aim showing fair nature is both kind and tame and veil'd in them did win whom he would maim against the thing he sought he would exclaim when he most burn'd in heartwish'd luxury he preach'd pure maid and praised cold chastity 'thus merely with the garment of a grace the naked and concealed fiend he cover'd that th unexperient gave the tempter place which like a cherubin above them hover'd who young and simple would not be so lover'd ay me i fell and yet do question make what i should do again for such a sake 'o that infected moisture of his eye o that false fire which in his cheek so glow'd o that forced thunder from his heart did fly o that sad breath his spongy lungs bestow'd o all that borrow'd motion seeming owed would yet again betray the forebetray'd and new pervert a reconciled maid' the rape of lucrece to the right honorable henry wriothesly earl of southampton and baron of tichfield the love i dedicate to your lordship is without end whereof this pamphlet without beginning is but a superfluous moiety the warrant i have of your honourable disposition not the worth of my untutored lines makes it assured of acceptance what i have done is yours what i have to do is yours being part in all i have devoted yours were my worth greater my duty would show greater meantime as it is it is bound to your lordship to whom i wish long life still lengthened with all happiness your lordship's in all duty william shakespeare the rape of lucrece the argument lucius tarquinius for his excessive pride surnamed superbus after he had caused his own fatherinlaw servius tullius to be cruelly murdered and contrary to the roman laws and customs not requiring or staying for the people's suffrages had possessed himself of the kingdom went accompanied with his sons and other noblemen of rome to besiege ardea during which siege the principal men of the army meeting one evening at the tent of sextus tarquinius the king's son in their discourses after supper every one commended the virtues of his own wife among whom collatinus extolled the incomparable chastity of his wife lucretia in that pleasant humour they posted to rome and intending by their secret and sudden arrival to make trial of that which every one had before avouched only collatinus finds his wife though it were late in the night spinning amongst her maids the other ladies were all found dancing and revelling or in several disports whereupon the noblemen yielded collatinus the victory and his wife the fame at that time sextus tarquinius being inflamed with lucrece beauty yet smothering his passions for the present departed with the rest back to the camp from whence he shortly after privily withdrew himself and was according to his estate royally entertained and lodged by lucrece at collatium the same night he treacherously stealeth into her chamber violently ravished her and early in the morning speedeth away lucrece in this lamentable plight hastily dispatcheth messengers one to rome for her father another to the camp for collatine they came the one accompanied with junius brutus the other with publius valerius and finding lucrece attired in mourning habit demanded the cause of her sorrow she first taking an oath of them for her revenge revealed the actor and whole manner of his dealing and withal suddenly stabbed herself which done with one consent they all vowed to root out the whole hated family of the tarquins and bearing the dead body to rome brutus acquainted the people with the doer and manner of the vile deed with a bitter invective against the tyranny of the king wherewith the people were so moved that with one consent and a general acclamation the tarquins were all exiled and the state government changed from kings to consuls the rape of lucrece from the besieged ardea all in post borne by the trustless wings of false desire lustbreathed tarquin leaves the roman host and to collatium bears the lightless fire which in pale embers hid lurks to aspire and girdle with embracing flames the waist of collatine's fair love lucrece the chaste haply that name of chaste unhappily set this bateless edge on his keen appetite when collatine unwisely did not let to praise the clear unmatched red and white which triumph'd in that sky of his delight where mortal stars as bright as heaven's beauties with pure aspects did him peculiar duties for he the night before in tarquin's tent unlock'd the treasure of his happy state what priceless wealth the heavens had him lent in the possession of his beauteous mate reckoning his fortune at such highproud rate that kings might be espoused to more fame but king nor peer to such a peerless dame o happiness enjoy'd but of a few and if possess'd as soon decay'd and done as is the morning's silvermelting dew against the golden splendor of the sun an expired date cancell'd ere well begun honour and beauty in the owner's arms are weakly fortress'd from a world of harms beauty itself doth of itself persuade the eyes of men without an orator what needeth then apologies be made to set forth that which is so singular or why is collatine the publisher of that rich jewel he should keep unknown from thievish ears because it is his own perchance his boast of lucrece sovereignty suggested this proud issue of a king for by our ears our hearts oft tainted be perchance that envy of so rich a thing braving compare disdainfully did sting his highpitch'd thoughts that meaner men should vaunt that golden hap which their superiors want but some untimely thought did instigate his alltootimeless speed if none of those his honour his affairs his friends his state neglected all with swift intent he goes to quench the coal which in his liver glows o rash false heat wrapp'd in repentant cold thy hasty spring still blasts and ne'er grows old when at collatium this false lord arrived well was he welcomed by the roman dame within whose face beauty and virtue strived which of them both should underprop her fame when virtue bragg'd beauty would blush for shame when beauty boasted blushes in despite virtue would stain that o'er with silver white but beauty in that white intituled from venus doves doth challenge that fair field then virtue claims from beauty beauty's red which virtue gave the golden age to gild their silver cheeks and call'd it then their shield teaching them thus to use it in the fight when shame assail'd the red should fence the white this heraldry in lucrece face was seen argued by beauty's red and virtue's white of either's colour was the other queen proving from world's minority their right yet their ambition makes them still to fight the sovereignty of either being so great that oft they interchange each other's seat their silent war of lilies and of roses which tarquin view'd in her fair face's field in their pure ranks his traitor eye encloses where lest between them both it should be kill'd the coward captive vanquished doth yield to those two armies that would let him go rather than triumph in so false a foe now thinks he that her husband's shallow tongue the niggard prodigal that praised her so in that high task hath done her beauty wrong which far exceeds his barren skill to show therefore that praise which collatine doth owe enchanted tarquin answers with surmise in silent wonder of stillgazing eyes this earthly saint adored by this devil little suspecteth the false worshipper for unstain'd thoughts do seldom dream on evil birds never limed no secret bushes fear so guiltless she securely gives good cheer and reverend welcome to her princely guest whose inward ill no outward harm express'd for that he colour'd with his high estate hiding base sin in plaits of majesty that nothing in him seem'd inordinate save something too much wonder of his eye which having all all could not satisfy but poorly rich so wanteth in his store that cloy'd with much he pineth still for more but she that never coped with stranger eyes could pick no meaning from their parling looks nor read the subtleshining secrecies writ in the glassy margents of such books she touch'd no unknown baits nor fear'd no hooks nor could she moralize his wanton sight more than his eyes were open'd to the light he stories to her ears her husband's fame won in the fields of fruitful italy and decks with praises collatine's high name made glorious by his manly chivalry with bruised arms and wreaths of victory her joy with heavedup hand she doth express and wordless so greets heaven for his success far from the purpose of his coming hither he makes excuses for his being there no cloudy show of stormy blustering weather doth yet in his fair welkin once appear till sable night mother of dread and fear upon the world dim darkness doth display and in her vaulty prison stows the day for then is tarquin brought unto his bed intending weariness with heavy spright for after supper long he questioned with modest lucrece and wore out the night now leaden slumber with life's strength doth fight and every one to rest themselves betake save thieves and cares and troubled minds that wake as one of which doth tarquin lie revolving the sundry dangers of his will's obtaining yet ever to obtain his will resolving though weakbuilt hopes persuade him to abstaining despair to gain doth traffic oft for gaining and when great treasure is the meed proposed though death be adjunct there's no death supposed those that much covet are with gain so fond for what they have not that which they possess they scatter and unloose it from their bond and so by hoping more they have but less or gaining more the profit of excess is but to surfeit and such griefs sustain that they prove bankrupt in this poorrich gain the aim of all is but to nurse the life with honour wealth and ease in waning age and in this aim there is such thwarting strife that one for all or all for one we gage as life for honour in fell battle's rage honour for wealth and oft that wealth doth cost the death of all and all together lost so that in venturing ill we leave to be the things we are for that which we expect and this ambitious foul infirmity in having much torments us with defect of that we have so then we do neglect the thing we have and all for want of wit make something nothing by augmenting it such hazard now must doting tarquin make pawning his honour to obtain his lust and for himself himself be must forsake then where is truth if there be no selftrust when shall he think to find a stranger just when he himself himself confounds betrays to slanderous tongues and wretched hateful days now stole upon the time the dead of night when heavy sleep had closed up mortal eyes no comfortable star did lend his light no noise but owls and wolves deathboding cries now serves the season that they may surprise the silly lambs pure thoughts are dead and still while lust and murder wake to stain and kill and now this lustful lord leap'd from his bed throwing his mantle rudely o'er his arm is madly toss'd between desire and dread th one sweetly flatters th other feareth harm but honest fear bewitch'd with lust's foul charm doth too too oft betake him to retire beaten away by brainsick rude desire his falchion on a flint he softly smiteth that from the cold stone sparks of fire do fly whereat a waxen torch forthwith he lighteth which must be lodestar to his lustful eye and to the flame thus speaks advisedly 'as from this cold flint i enforced this fire so lucrece must i force to my desire' here pale with fear he doth premeditate the dangers of his loathsome enterprise and in his inward mind he doth debate what following sorrow may on this arise then looking scornfully he doth despise his naked armour of stillslaughter'd lust and justly thus controls his thoughts unjust 'fair torch burn out thy light and lend it not to darken her whose light excelleth thine and die unhallow'd thoughts before you blot with your uncleanness that which is divine offer pure incense to so pure a shrine let fair humanity abhor the deed that spots and stains love's modest snowwhite weed 'o shame to knighthood and to shining arms o foul dishonour to my household's grave o impious act including all foul harms a martial man to be soft fancy's slave true valour still a true respect should have then my digression is so vile so base that it will live engraven in my face 'yea though i die the scandal will survive and be an eyesore in my golden coat some loathsome dash the herald will contrive to cipher me how fondly i did dote that my posterity shamed with the note shall curse my bones and hold it for no sin to wish that i their father had not bin 'what win i if i gain the thing i seek a dream a breath a froth of fleeting joy who buys a minute's mirth to wail a week or sells eternity to get a toy for one sweet grape who will the vine destroy or what fond beggar but to touch the crown would with the sceptre straight be strucken down 'if collatinus dream of my intent will he not wake and in a desperate rage post hither this vile purpose to prevent this siege that hath engirt his marriage this blur to youth this sorrow to the sage this dying virtue this surviving shame whose crime will bear an everduring blame 'o what excuse can my invention make when thou shalt charge me with so black a deed will not my tongue be mute my frail joints shake mine eyes forego their light my false heart bleed the guilt being great the fear doth still exceed and extreme fear can neither fight nor fly but cowardlike with trembling terror die 'had collatinus kill'd my son or sire or lain in ambush to betray my life or were he not my dear friend this desire might have excuse to work upon his wife as in revenge or quittal of such strife but as he is my kinsman my dear friend the shame and fault finds no excuse nor end 'shameful it is ay if the fact be known hateful it is there is no hate in loving i'll beg her love but she is own the worst is but denial and reproving my will is strong past reason's weak removing who fears a sentence or an old man's saw shall by a painted cloth be kept in awe' thus graceless holds he disputation 'tween frozen conscience and hotburning will and with good thoughts make dispensation urging the worser sense for vantage still which in a moment doth confound and kill all pure effects and doth so far proceed that what is vile shows like a virtuous deed quoth he she took me kindly by the hand and gazed for tidings in my eager eyes fearing some hard news from the warlike band where her beloved collatinus lies o how her fear did make her colour rise first red as roses that on lawn we lay then white as lawn the roses took away 'and how her hand in my hand being lock'd forced it to tremble with her loyal fear which struck her sad and then it faster rock'd until her husband's welfare she did hear whereat she smiled with so sweet a cheer that had narcissus seen her as she stood selflove had never drown'd him in the flood 'why hunt i then for colour or excuses all orators are dumb when beauty pleadeth poor wretches have remorse in poor abuses love thrives not in the heart that shadows dreadeth affection is my captain and he leadeth and when his gaudy banner is display'd the coward fights and will not be dismay'd 'then childish fear avaunt debating die respect and reason wait on wrinkled age my heart shall never countermand mine eye sad pause and deep regard beseem the sage my part is youth and beats these from the stage desire my pilot is beauty my prize then who fears sinking where such treasure lies' as corn o'ergrown by weeds so heedful fear is almost choked by unresisted lust away he steals with open listening ear full of foul hope and full of fond mistrust both which as servitors to the unjust so cross him with their opposite persuasion that now he vows a league and now invasion within his thought her heavenly image sits and in the selfsame seat sits collatine that eye which looks on her confounds his wits that eye which him beholds as more divine unto a view so false will not incline but with a pure appeal seeks to the heart which once corrupted takes the worser part and therein heartens up his servile powers who flatter'd by their leader's jocund show stuff up his lust as minutes fill up hours and as their captain so their pride doth grow paying more slavish tribute than they owe by reprobate desire thus madly led the roman lord marcheth to lucrece bed the locks between her chamber and his will each one by him enforced retires his ward but as they open they all rate his ill which drives the creeping thief to some regard the threshold grates the door to have him heard nightwandering weasels shriek to see him there they fright him yet he still pursues his fear as each unwilling portal yields him way through little vents and crannies of the place the wind wars with his torch to make him stay and blows the smoke of it into his face extinguishing his conduct in this case but his hot heart which fond desire doth scorch puffs forth another wind that fires the torch and being lighted by the light he spies lucretia's glove wherein her needle sticks he takes it from the rushes where it lies and griping it the needle his finger pricks as who should say this glove to wanton tricks is not inured return again in haste thou see'st our mistress ornaments are chaste' but all these poor forbiddings could not stay him he in the worst sense construes their denial the doors the wind the glove that did delay him he takes for accidental things of trial or as those bars which stop the hourly dial who with a lingering slay his course doth let till every minute pays the hour his debt 'so so quoth he these lets attend the time like little frosts that sometime threat the spring to add a more rejoicing to the prime and give the sneaped birds more cause to sing pain pays the income of each precious thing huge rocks high winds strong pirates shelves and sands the merchant fears ere rich at home he lands' now is he come unto the chamberdoor that shuts him from the heaven of his thought which with a yielding latch and with no more hath barr'd him from the blessed thing be sought so from himself impiety hath wrought that for his prey to pray he doth begin as if the heavens should countenance his sin but in the midst of his unfruitful prayer having solicited th eternal power that his foul thoughts might compass his fair fair and they would stand auspicious to the hour even there he starts quoth he i must deflower the powers to whom i pray abhor this fact how can they then assist me in the act 'then love and fortune be my gods my guide my will is back'd with resolution thoughts are but dreams till their effects be tried the blackest sin is clear'd with absolution against love's fire fear's frost hath dissolution the eye of heaven is out and misty night covers the shame that follows sweet delight' this said his guilty hand pluck'd up the latch and with his knee the door he opens wide the dove sleeps fast that this nightowl will catch thus treason works ere traitors be espied who sees the lurking serpent steps aside but she sound sleeping fearing no such thing lies at the mercy of his mortal sting into the chamber wickedly he stalks and gazeth on her yet unstained bed the curtains being close about he walks rolling his greedy eyeballs in his head by their high treason is his heart misled which gives the watchword to his hand full soon to draw the cloud that hides the silver moon look as the fair and fierypointed sun rushing from forth a cloud bereaves our sight even so the curtain drawn his eyes begun to wink being blinded with a greater light whether it is that she reflects so bright that dazzleth them or else some shame supposed but blind they are and keep themselves enclosed o had they in that darksome prison died then had they seen the period of their ill then collatine again by lucrece side in his clear bed might have reposed still but they must ope this blessed league to kill and holythoughted lucrece to their sight must sell her joy her life her world's delight her lily hand her rosy cheek lies under cozening the pillow of a lawful kiss who therefore angry seems to part in sunder swelling on either side to want his bliss between whose hills her head entombed is where like a virtuous monument she lies to be admired of lewd unhallow'd eyes without the bed her other fair hand was on the green coverlet whose perfect white show'd like an april daisy on the grass with pearly sweat resembling dew of night her eyes like marigolds had sheathed their light and canopied in darkness sweetly lay till they might open to adorn the day her hair like golden threads play'd with her breath o modest wantons wanton modesty showing life's triumph in the map of death and death's dim look in life's mortality each in her sleep themselves so beautify as if between them twain there were no strife but that life lived in death and death in life her breasts like ivory globes circled with blue a pair of maiden worlds unconquered save of their lord no bearing yoke they knew and him by oath they truly honoured these worlds in tarquin new ambition bred who like a foul ursurper went about from this fair throne to heave the owner out what could he see but mightily he noted what did he note but strongly he desired what he beheld on that he firmly doted and in his will his wilful eye he tired with more than admiration he admired her azure veins her alabaster skin her coral lips her snowwhite dimpled chin as the grim lion fawneth o'er his prey sharp hunger by the conquest satisfied so o'er this sleeping soul doth tarquin stay his rage of lust by gazing qualified slack'd not suppress'd for standing by her side his eye which late this mutiny restrains unto a greater uproar tempts his veins and they like straggling slaves for pillage fighting obdurate vassals fell exploits effecting in bloody death and ravishment delighting nor children's tears nor mothers groans respecting swell in their pride the onset still expecting anon his beating heart alarum striking gives the hot charge and bids them do their liking his drumming heart cheers up his burning eye his eye commends the leading to his hand his hand as proud of such a dignity smoking with pride march'd on to make his stand on her bare breast the heart of all her land whose ranks of blue veins as his hand did scale left there round turrets destitute and pale they mustering to the quiet cabinet where their dear governess and lady lies do tell her she is dreadfully beset and fright her with confusion of their cries she much amazed breaks ope her lock'dup eyes who peeping forth this tumult to behold are by his flaming torch dimm'd and controll'd imagine her as one in dead of night from forth dull sleep by dreadful fancy waking that thinks she hath beheld some ghastly sprite whose grim aspect sets every joint ashaking what terror or tis but she in worser taking from sleep disturbed heedfully doth view the sight which makes supposed terror true wrapp'd and confounded in a thousand fears like to a newkill'd bird she trembling lies she dares not look yet winking there appears quickshifting antics ugly in her eyes such shadows are the weak brain's forgeries who angry that the eyes fly from their lights in darkness daunts them with more dreadful sights his hand that yet remains upon her breast rude ram to batter such an ivory wall may feel her heartpoor citizendistress'd wounding itself to death rise up and fall beating her bulk that his hand shakes withal this moves in him more rage and lesser pity to make the breach and enter this sweet city first like a trumpet doth his tongue begin to sound a parley to his heartless foe who o'er the white sheet peers her whiter chin the reason of this rash alarm to know which he by dumb demeanor seeks to show but she with vehement prayers urgeth still under what colour he commits this ill thus he replies the colour in thy face that even for anger makes the lily pale and the red rose blush at her own disgrace shall plead for me and tell my loving tale under that colour am i come to scale thy neverconquer'd fort the fault is thine for those thine eyes betray thee unto mine 'thus i forestall thee if thou mean to chide thy beauty hath ensnared thee to this night where thou with patience must my will abide my will that marks thee for my earth's delight which i to conquer sought with all my might but as reproof and reason beat it dead by thy bright beauty was it newly bred 'i see what crosses my attempt will bring i know what thorns the growing rose defends i think the honey guarded with a sting all this beforehand counsel comprehends but will is deaf and hears no heedful friends only he hath an eye to gaze on beauty and dotes on what he looks gainst law or duty 'i have debated even in my soul what wrong what shame what sorrow i shall breed but nothing can affection's course control or stop the headlong fury of his speed i know repentant tears ensue the deed reproach disdain and deadly enmity yet strive i to embrace mine infamy' this said he shakes aloft his roman blade which like a falcon towering in the skies coucheth the fowl below with his wings shade whose crooked beak threats if he mount he dies so under his insulting falchion lies harmless lucretia marking what he tells with trembling fear as fowl hear falcon's bells 'lucrece quoth he'this night i must enjoy thee if thou deny then force must work my way for in thy bed i purpose to destroy thee that done some worthless slave of thine i'll slay to kill thine honour with thy life's decay and in thy dead arms do i mean to place him swearing i slew him seeing thee embrace him 'so thy surviving husband shall remain the scornful mark of every open eye thy kinsmen hang their heads at this disdain thy issue blurr'd with nameless bastardy and thou the author of their obloquy shalt have thy trespass cited up in rhymes and sung by children in succeeding times 'but if thou yield i rest thy secret friend the fault unknown is as a thought unacted a little harm done to a great good end for lawful policy remains enacted the poisonous simple sometimes is compacted in a pure compound being so applied his venom in effect is purified 'then for thy husband and thy children's sake tender my suit bequeath not to their lot the shame that from them no device can take the blemish that will never be forgot worse than a slavish wipe or birthhour's blot for marks descried in men's nativity are nature's faults not their own infamy' here with a cockatrice deadkilling eye he rouseth up himself and makes a pause while she the picture of pure piety like a white hind under the gripe's sharp claws pleads in a wilderness where are no laws to the rough beast that knows no gentle right nor aught obeys but his foul appetite but when a blackfaced cloud the world doth threat in his dim mist the aspiring mountains hiding from earth's dark womb some gentle gust doth get which blows these pitchy vapours from their bidding hindering their present fall by this dividing so his unhallow'd haste her words delays and moody pluto winks while orpheus plays yet foul nightwaking cat he doth but dally while in his holdfast foot the weak mouse panteth her sad behavior feeds his vulture folly a swallowing gulf that even in plenty wanteth his ear her prayers admits but his heart granteth no penetrable entrance to her plaining tears harden lust though marble wear with raining her pitypleading eyes are sadly fix'd in the remorseless wrinkles of his face her modest eloquence with sighs is mix'd which to her oratory adds more grace she puts the period often from his place and midst the sentence so her accent breaks that twice she doth begin ere once she speaks she conjures him by high almighty jove by knighthood gentry and sweet friendship's oath by her untimely tears her husband's love by holy human law and common troth by heaven and earth and all the power of both that to his borrow'd bed he make retire and stoop to honour not to foul desire quoth she reward not hospitality with such black payment as thou hast pretended mud not the fountain that gave drink to thee mar not the thing that cannot be amended end thy ill aim before thy shoot be ended he is no woodman that doth bend his bow to strike a poor unseasonable doe 'my husband is thy friend for his sake spare me thyself art mighty for thine own sake leave me myself a weakling do not then ensnare me thou look'st not like deceit do not deceive me my sighs like whirlwinds labour hence to heave thee if ever man were moved with woman moans be moved with my tears my sighs my groans 'all which together like a troubled ocean beat at thy rocky and wreckthreatening heart to soften it with their continual motion for stones dissolved to water do convert o if no harder than a stone thou art melt at my tears and be compassionate soft pity enters at an iron gate 'in tarquin's likeness i did entertain thee hast thou put on his shape to do him shame to all the host of heaven i complain me thou wrong'st his honour wound'st his princely name thou art not what thou seem'st and if the same thou seem'st not what thou art a god a king for kings like gods should govern everything 'how will thy shame be seeded in thine age when thus thy vices bud before thy spring if in thy hope thou darest do such outrage what darest thou not when once thou art a king o be remember'd no outrageous thing from vassal actors can be wiped away then kings misdeeds cannot be hid in clay 'this deed will make thee only loved for fear but happy monarchs still are fear'd for love with foul offenders thou perforce must bear when they in thee the like offences prove if but for fear of this thy will remove for princes are the glass the school the book where subjects eyes do learn do read do look 'and wilt thou be the school where lust shall learn must he in thee read lectures of such shame wilt thou be glass wherein it shall discern authority for sin warrant for blame to privilege dishonour in thy name thou black'st reproach against longliving laud and makest fair reputation but a bawd 'hast thou command by him that gave it thee from a pure heart command thy rebel will draw not thy sword to guard iniquity for it was lent thee all that brood to kill thy princely office how canst thou fulfil when pattern'd by thy fault foul sin may say he learn'd to sin and thou didst teach the way 'think but how vile a spectacle it were to view thy present trespass in another men's faults do seldom to themselves appear their own transgressions partially they smother this guilt would seem deathworthy in thy brother o how are they wrapp'd in with infamies that from their own misdeeds askance their eyes 'to thee to thee my heavedup hands appeal not to seducing lust thy rash relier i sue for exiled majesty's repeal let him return and flattering thoughts retire his true respect will prison false desire and wipe the dim mist from thy doting eyne that thou shalt see thy state and pity mine' 'have done quoth he my uncontrolled tide turns not but swells the higher by this let small lights are soon blown out huge fires abide and with the wind in greater fury fret the petty streams that pay a daily debt to their salt sovereign with their fresh falls haste add to his flow but alter not his taste' 'thou art quoth she a sea a sovereign king and lo there falls into thy boundless flood black lust dishonour shame misgoverning who seek to stain the ocean of thy blood if all these pretty ills shall change thy good thy sea within a puddle's womb is hearsed and not the puddle in thy sea dispersed 'so shall these slaves be king and thou their slave thou nobly base they basely dignified thou their fair life and they thy fouler grave thou loathed in their shame they in thy pride the lesser thing should not the greater hide the cedar stoops not to the base shrub's foot but low shrubs wither at the cedar's root 'so let thy thoughts low vassals to thy state' no more quoth he by heaven i will not hear thee yield to my love if not enforced hate instead of love's coy touch shall rudely tear thee that done despitefully i mean to bear thee unto the base bed of some rascal groom to be thy partner in this shameful doom' this said he sets his foot upon the light for light and lust are deadly enemies shame folded up in blind concealing night when most unseen then most doth tyrannize the wolf hath seized his prey the poor lamb cries till with her own white fleece her voice controll'd entombs her outcry in her lips sweet fold for with the nightly linen that she wears he pens her piteous clamours in her head cooling his hot face in the chastest tears that ever modest eyes with sorrow shed o that prone lust should stain so pure a bed the spots whereof could weeping purify her tears should drop on them perpetually but she hath lost a dearer thing than life and he hath won what he would lose again this forced league doth force a further strife this momentary joy breeds months of pain this hot desire converts to cold disdain pure chastity is rifled of her store and lust the thief far poorer than before look as the fullfed hound or gorged hawk unapt for tender smell or speedy flight make slow pursuit or altogether balk the prey wherein by nature they delight so surfeittaking tarquin fares this night his taste delicious in digestion souring devours his will that lived by foul devouring o deeper sin than bottomless conceit can comprehend in still imagination drunken desire must vomit his receipt ere he can see his own abomination while lust is in his pride no exclamation can curb his heat or rein his rash desire till like a jade selfwill himself doth tire and then with lank and lean discolour'd cheek with heavy eye knit brow and strengthless pace feeble desire all recreant poor and meek like to a bankrupt beggar wails his case the flesh being proud desire doth fight with grace for there it revels and when that decays the guilty rebel for remission prays so fares it with this faultful lord of rome who this accomplishment so hotly chased for now against himself he sounds this doom that through the length of times he stands disgraced besides his soul's fair temple is defaced to whose weak ruins muster troops of cares to ask the spotted princess how she fares she says her subjects with foul insurrection have batter'd down her consecrated wall and by their mortal fault brought in subjection her immortality and made her thrall to living death and pain perpetual which in her prescience she controlled still but her foresight could not forestall their will even in this thought through the dark night he stealeth a captive victor that hath lost in gain bearing away the wound that nothing healeth the scar that will despite of cure remain leaving his spoil perplex'd in greater pain she bears the load of lust he left behind and he the burden of a guilty mind he like a thievish dog creeps sadly thence she like a wearied lamb lies panting there he scowls and hates himself for his offence she desperate with her nails her flesh doth tear he faintly flies sneaking with guilty fear she stays exclaiming on the direful night he runs and chides his vanish'd loathed delight he thence departs a heavy convertite she there remains a hopeless castaway he in his speed looks for the morning light she prays she never may behold the day 'for day quoth she nights scapes doth open lay and my true eyes have never practised how to cloak offences with a cunning brow 'they think not but that every eye can see the same disgrace which they themselves behold and therefore would they still in darkness be to have their unseen sin remain untold for they their guilt with weeping will unfold and grave like water that doth eat in steel upon my cheeks what helpless shame i feel' here she exclaims against repose and rest and bids her eyes hereafter still be blind she wakes her heart by beating on her breast and bids it leap from thence where it may find some purer chest to close so pure a mind frantic with grief thus breathes she forth her spite against the unseen secrecy of night 'o comfortkilling night image of hell dim register and notary of shame black stage for tragedies and murders fell vast sinconcealing chaos nurse of blame blind muffled bawd dark harbour for defame grim cave of death whispering conspirator with closetongued treason and the ravisher 'o hateful vaporous and foggy night since thou art guilty of my cureless crime muster thy mists to meet the eastern light make war against proportion'd course of time or if thou wilt permit the sun to climb his wonted height yet ere he go to bed knit poisonous clouds about his golden head 'with rotten damps ravish the morning air let their exhaled unwholesome breaths make sick the life of purity the supreme fair ere he arrive his weary noontide prick and let thy misty vapours march so thick that in their smoky ranks his smother'd light may set at noon and make perpetual night 'were tarquin night as he is but night's child the silvershining queen he would distain her twinkling handmaids too by him defiled through night's black bosom should not peep again so should i have copartners in my pain and fellowship in woe doth woe assuage as palmers chat makes short their pilgrimage 'where now i have no one to blush with me to cross their arms and hang their heads with mine to mask their brows and hide their infamy but i alone alone must sit and pine seasoning the earth with showers of silver brine mingling my talk with tears my grief with groans poor wasting monuments of lasting moans 'o night thou furnace of foulreeking smoke let not the jealous day behold that face which underneath thy black allhiding cloak immodestly lies martyr'd with disgrace keep still possession of thy gloomy place that all the faults which in thy reign are made may likewise be sepulchred in thy shade 'make me not object to the telltale day the light will show character'd in my brow the story of sweet chastity's decay the impious breach of holy wedlock vow yea the illiterate that know not how to cipher what is writ in learned books will quote my loathsome trespass in my looks 'the nurse to still her child will tell my story and fright her crying babe with tarquin's name the orator to deck his oratory will couple my reproach to tarquin's shame feastfinding minstrels tuning my defame will tie the hearers to attend each line how tarquin wronged me i collatine 'let my good name that senseless reputation for collatine's dear love be kept unspotted if that be made a theme for disputation the branches of another root are rotted and undeserved reproach to him allotted that is as clear from this attaint of mine as i ere this was pure to collatine 'o unseen shame invisible disgrace o unfelt sore crestwounding private scar reproach is stamp'd in collatinus face and tarquin's eye may read the mot afar how he in peace is wounded not in war alas how many bear such shameful blows which not themselves but he that gives them knows 'if collatine thine honour lay in me from me by strong assault it is bereft my honour lost and i a dronelike bee have no perfection of my summer left but robb'd and ransack'd by injurious theft in thy weak hive a wandering wasp hath crept and suck'd the honey which thy chaste bee kept 'yet am i guilty of thy honour's wrack yet for thy honour did i entertain him coming from thee i could not put him back for it had been dishonour to disdain him besides of weariness he did complain him and talk'd of virtue o unlook'dfor evil when virtue is profaned in such a devil 'why should the worm intrude the maiden bud or hateful cuckoos hatch in sparrows nests or toads infect fair founts with venom mud or tyrant folly lurk in gentle breasts or kings be breakers of their own behests but no perfection is so absolute that some impurity doth not pollute 'the aged man that coffersup his gold is plagued with cramps and gouts and painful fits and scarce hath eyes his treasure to behold but like stillpining tantalus he sits and useless barns the harvest of his wits having no other pleasure of his gain but torment that it cannot cure his pain 'so then he hath it when he cannot use it and leaves it to be master'd by his young who in their pride do presently abuse it their father was too weak and they too strong to hold their cursedblessed fortune long the sweets we wish for turn to loathed sours even in the moment that we call them ours 'unruly blasts wait on the tender spring unwholesome weeds take root with precious flowers the adder hisses where the sweet birds sing what virtue breeds iniquity devours we have no good that we can say is ours but illannexed opportunity or kills his life or else his quality 'o opportunity thy guilt is great 'tis thou that executest the traitor's treason thou set'st the wolf where he the lamb may get whoever plots the sin thou point'st the season 'tis thou that spurn'st at right at law at reason and in thy shady cell where none may spy him sits sin to seize the souls that wander by him 'thou makest the vestal violate her oath thou blow'st the fire when temperance is thaw'd thou smother'st honesty thou murder'st troth thou foul abettor thou notorious bawd thou plantest scandal and displacest laud thou ravisher thou traitor thou false thief thy honey turns to gall thy joy to grief 'thy secret pleasure turns to open shame thy private feasting to a public fast thy smoothing titles to a ragged name thy sugar'd tongue to bitter wormwood taste thy violent vanities can never last how comes it then vile opportunity being so bad such numbers seek for thee 'when wilt thou be the humble suppliant's friend and bring him where his suit may be obtain'd when wilt thou sort an hour great strifes to end or free that soul which wretchedness hath chain'd give physic to the sick ease to the pain'd the poor lame blind halt creep cry out for thee but they ne'er meet with opportunity 'the patient dies while the physician sleeps the orphan pines while the oppressor feeds justice is feasting while the widow weeps advice is sporting while infection breeds thou grant'st no time for charitable deeds wrath envy treason rape and murder's rages thy heinous hours wait on them as their pages 'when truth and virtue have to do with thee a thousand crosses keep them from thy aid they buy thy help but sin ne'er gives a fee he gratis comes and thou art well appaid as well to hear as grant what he hath said my collatine would else have come to me when tarquin did but he was stay'd by thee guilty thou art of murder and of theft guilty of perjury and subornation guilty of treason forgery and shift guilty of incest that abomination an accessary by thine inclination to all sins past and all that are to come from the creation to the general doom 'misshapen time copesmate of ugly night swift subtle post carrier of grisly care eater of youth false slave to false delight base watch of woes sin's packhorse virtue's snare thou nursest all and murder'st all that are o hear me then injurious shifting time be guilty of my death since of my crime 'why hath thy servant opportunity betray'd the hours thou gavest me to repose cancell'd my fortunes and enchained me to endless date of neverending woes time's office is to fine the hate of foes to eat up errors by opinion bred not spend the dowry of a lawful bed 'time's glory is to calm contending kings to unmask falsehood and bring truth to light to stamp the seal of time in aged things to wake the morn and sentinel the night to wrong the wronger till he render right to ruinate proud buildings with thy hours and smear with dust their glittering golden towers 'to fill with wormholes stately monuments to feed oblivion with decay of things to blot old books and alter their contents to pluck the quills from ancient ravens wings to dry the old oak's sap and cherish springs to spoil antiquities of hammer'd steel and turn the giddy round of fortune's wheel 'to show the beldam daughters of her daughter to make the child a man the man a child to slay the tiger that doth live by slaughter to tame the unicorn and lion wild to mock the subtle in themselves beguiled to cheer the ploughman with increaseful crops and waste huge stones with little water drops 'why work'st thou mischief in thy pilgrimage unless thou couldst return to make amends one poor retiring minute in an age would purchase thee a thousand thousand friends lending him wit that to bad debtors lends o this dread night wouldst thou one hour come back i could prevent this storm and shun thy wrack 'thou ceaseless lackey to eternity with some mischance cross tarquin in his flight devise extremes beyond extremity to make him curse this cursed crimeful night let ghastly shadows his lewd eyes affright and the dire thought of his committed evil shape every bush a hideous shapeless devil 'disturb his hours of rest with restless trances afflict him in his bed with bedrid groans let there bechance him pitiful mischances to make him moan but pity not his moans stone him with harden'd hearts harder than stones and let mild women to him lose their mildness wilder to him than tigers in their wildness 'let him have time to tear his curled hair let him have time against himself to rave let him have time of time's help to despair let him have time to live a loathed slave let him have time a beggar's orts to crave and time to see one that by alms doth live disdain to him disdained scraps to give 'let him have time to see his friends his foes and merry fools to mock at him resort let him have time to mark how slow time goes in time of sorrow and how swift and short his time of folly and his time of sport and ever let his unrecalling crime have time to wail th abusing of his time 'o time thou tutor both to good and bad teach me to curse him that thou taught'st this ill at his own shadow let the thief run mad himself himself seek every hour to kill such wretched hands such wretched blood should spill for who so base would such an office have as slanderous death'sman to so base a slave 'the baser is he coming from a king to shame his hope with deeds degenerate the mightier man the mightier is the thing that makes him honour'd or begets him hate for greatest scandal waits on greatest state the moon being clouded presently is miss'd but little stars may hide them when they list 'the crow may bathe his coalblack wings in mire and unperceived fly with the filth away but if the like the snowwhite swan desire the stain upon his silver down will stay poor grooms are sightless night kings glorious day gnats are unnoted wheresoe'er they fly but eagles gazed upon with every eye 'out idle words servants to shallow fools unprofitable sounds weak arbitrators busy yourselves in skillcontending schools debate where leisure serves with dull debaters to trembling clients be you mediators for me i force not argument a straw since that my case is past the help of law 'in vain i rail at opportunity at time at tarquin and uncheerful night in vain i cavil with mine infamy in vain i spurn at my confirm'd despite this helpless smoke of words doth me no right the remedy indeed to do me good is to let forth my fouldefiled blood 'poor hand why quiver'st thou at this decree honour thyself to rid me of this shame for if i die my honour lives in thee but if i live thou livest in my defame since thou couldst not defend thy loyal dame and wast afeard to scratch her wicked foe kill both thyself and her for yielding so' this said from her betumbled couch she starteth to find some desperate instrument of death but this no slaughterhouse no tool imparteth to make more vent for passage of her breath which thronging through her lips so vanisheth as smoke from aetna that in air consumes or that which from discharged cannon fumes 'in vain quoth she i live and seek in vain some happy mean to end a hapless life i fear'd by tarquin's falchion to be slain yet for the selfsame purpose seek a knife but when i fear'd i was a loyal wife so am i now o no that cannot be of that true type hath tarquin rifled me 'o that is gone for which i sought to live and therefore now i need not fear to die to clear this spot by death at least i give a badge of fame to slander's livery a dying life to living infamy poor helpless help the treasure stol'n away to burn the guiltless casket where it lay 'well well dear collatine thou shalt not know the stained taste of violated troth i will not wrong thy true affection so to flatter thee with an infringed oath this bastard graff shall never come to growth he shall not boast who did thy stock pollute that thou art doting father of his fruit 'nor shall he smile at thee in secret thought nor laugh with his companions at thy state but thou shalt know thy interest was not bought basely with gold but stol'n from forth thy gate for me i am the mistress of my fate and with my trespass never will dispense till life to death acquit my forced offence 'i will not poison thee with my attaint nor fold my fault in cleanlycoin'd excuses my sable ground of sin i will not paint to hide the truth of this false night's abuses my tongue shall utter all mine eyes like sluices as from a mountainspring that feeds a dale shall gush pure streams to purge my impure tale' by this lamenting philomel had ended the welltuned warble of her nightly sorrow and solemn night with slow sad gait descended to ugly hell when lo the blushing morrow lends light to all fair eyes that light will borrow but cloudy lucrece shames herself to see and therefore still in night would cloister'd be revealing day through every cranny spies and seems to point her out where she sits weeping to whom she sobbing speaks o eye of eyes why pry'st thou through my window leave thy peeping mock with thy tickling beams eyes that are sleeping brand not my forehead with thy piercing light for day hath nought to do what's done by night' thus cavils she with every thing she sees true grief is fond and testy as a child who wayward once his mood with nought agrees old woes not infant sorrows bear them mild continuance tames the one the other wild like an unpractised swimmer plunging still with too much labour drowns for want of skill so she deepdrenched in a sea of care holds disputation with each thing she views and to herself all sorrow doth compare no object but her passion's strength renews and as one shifts another straight ensues sometime her grief is dumb and hath no words sometime tis mad and too much talk affords the little birds that tune their morning's joy make her moans mad with their sweet melody for mirth doth search the bottom of annoy sad souls are slain in merry company grief best is pleased with grief's society true sorrow then is feelingly sufficed when with like semblance it is sympathized 'tis double death to drown in ken of shore he ten times pines that pines beholding food to see the salve doth make the wound ache more great grief grieves most at that would do it good deep woes roll forward like a gentle flood who being stopp'd the bounding banks o'erflows grief dallied with nor law nor limit knows 'you mockingbirds quoth she your tunes entomb within your hollowswelling feather'd breasts and in my hearing be you mute and dumb my restless discord loves no stops nor rests a woeful hostess brooks not merry guests relish your nimble notes to pleasing ears distress likes dumps when time is kept with tears 'come philomel that sing'st of ravishment make thy sad grove in my dishevell'd hair as the dank earth weeps at thy languishment so i at each sad strain will strain a tear and with deep groans the diapason bear for burdenwise i'll hum on tarquin still while thou on tereus descant'st better skill 'and whiles against a thorn thou bear'st thy part to keep thy sharp woes waking wretched i to imitate thee well against my heart will fix a sharp knife to affright mine eye who if it wink shall thereon fall and die these means as frets upon an instrument shall tune our heartstrings to true languishment 'and for poor bird thou sing'st not in the day as shaming any eye should thee behold some dark deep desert seated from the way that knows not parching heat nor freezing cold will we find out and there we will unfold to creatures stern sad tunes to change their kinds since men prove beasts let beasts bear gentle minds' as the poor frighted deer that stands at gaze wildly determining which way to fly or one encompass'd with a winding maze that cannot tread the way out readily so with herself is she in mutiny to live or die which of the twain were better when life is shamed and death reproach's debtor 'to kill myself quoth she alack what were it but with my body my poor soul's pollution they that lose half with greater patience bear it than they whose whole is swallow'd in confusion that mother tries a merciless conclusion who having two sweet babes when death takes one will slay the other and be nurse to none 'my body or my soul which was the dearer when the one pure the other made divine whose love of either to myself was nearer when both were kept for heaven and collatine ay me the bark peel'd from the lofty pine his leaves will wither and his sap decay so must my soul her bark being peel'd away 'her house is sack'd her quiet interrupted her mansion batter'd by the enemy her sacred temple spotted spoil'd corrupted grossly engirt with daring infamy then let it not be call'd impiety if in this blemish'd fort i make some hole through which i may convey this troubled soul 'yet die i will not till my collatine have heard the cause of my untimely death that he may vow in that sad hour of mine revenge on him that made me stop my breath my stained blood to tarquin i'll bequeath which by him tainted shall for him be spent and as his due writ in my testament 'my honour i'll bequeath unto the knife that wounds my body so dishonoured 'tis honour to deprive dishonour'd life the one will live the other being dead so of shame's ashes shall my fame be bred for in my death i murder shameful scorn my shame so dead mine honour is newborn 'dear lord of that dear jewel i have lost what legacy shall i bequeath to thee my resolution love shall be thy boast by whose example thou revenged mayest be how tarquin must be used read it in me myself thy friend will kill myself thy foe and for my sake serve thou false tarquin so 'this brief abridgement of my will i make my soul and body to the skies and ground my resolution husband do thou take mine honour be the knife's that makes my wound my shame be his that did my fame confound and all my fame that lives disbursed be to those that live and think no shame of me 'thou collatine shalt oversee this will how was i overseen that thou shalt see it my blood shall wash the slander of mine ill my life's foul deed my life's fair end shall free it faint not faint heart but stoutly say so be it' yield to my hand my hand shall conquer thee thou dead both die and both shall victors be' this plot of death when sadly she had laid and wiped the brinish pearl from her bright eyes with untuned tongue she hoarsely calls her maid whose swift obedience to her mistress hies for fleetwing'd duty with thought's feathers flies poor lucrece cheeks unto her maid seem so as winter meads when sun doth melt their snow her mistress she doth give demure goodmorrow with softslow tongue true mark of modesty and sorts a sad look to her lady's sorrow for why her face wore sorrow's livery but durst not ask of her audaciously why her two suns were cloudeclipsed so nor why her fair cheeks overwash'd with woe but as the earth doth weep the sun being set each flower moisten'd like a melting eye even so the maid with swelling drops gan wet her circled eyne enforced by sympathy of those fair suns set in her mistress sky who in a saltwaved ocean quench their light which makes the maid weep like the dewy night a pretty while these pretty creatures stand like ivory conduits coral cisterns filling one justly weeps the other takes in hand no cause but company of her drops spilling their gentle sex to weep are often willing grieving themselves to guess at others smarts and then they drown their eyes or break their hearts for men have marble women waxen minds and therefore are they form'd as marble will the weak oppress'd the impression of strange kinds is form'd in them by force by fraud or skill then call them not the authors of their ill no more than wax shall be accounted evil wherein is stamp'd the semblance of a devil their smoothness like a goodly champaign plain lays open all the little worms that creep in men as in a roughgrown grove remain cavekeeping evils that obscurely sleep through crystal walls each little mote will peep though men can cover crimes with bold stern looks poor women's faces are their own fault's books no man inveigh against the wither'd flower but chide rough winter that the flower hath kill'd not that devour'd but that which doth devour is worthy blame o let it not be hild poor women's faults that they are so fulfill'd with men's abuses those proud lords to blame make weakmade women tenants to their shame the precedent whereof in lucrece view assail'd by night with circumstances strong of present death and shame that might ensue by that her death to do her husband wrong such danger to resistance did belong that dying fear through all her body spread and who cannot abuse a body dead by this mild patience bid fair lucrece speak to the poor counterfeit of her complaining 'my girl quoth she on what occasion break those tears from thee that down thy cheeks are raining if thou dost weep for grief of my sustaining know gentle wench it small avails my mood if tears could help mine own would do me good 'but tell me girl when went'and there she stay'd till after a deep groan'tarquin from hence' 'madam ere i was up replied the maid 'the more to blame my sluggard negligence yet with the fault i thus far can dispense myself was stirring ere the break of day and ere i rose was tarquin gone away 'but lady if your maid may be so bold she would request to know your heaviness' 'o peace quoth lucrece if it should be told the repetition cannot make it less for more it is than i can well express and that deep torture may be call'd a hell when more is felt than one hath power to tell 'go get me hither paper ink and pen yet save that labour for i have them here what should i say one of my husband's men bid thou be ready by and by to bear a letter to my lord my love my dear bid him with speed prepare to carry it the cause craves haste and it will soon be writ' her maid is gone and she prepares to write first hovering o'er the paper with her quill conceit and grief an eager combat fight what wit sets down is blotted straight with will this is too curiousgood this blunt and ill much like a press of people at a door throng her inventions which shall go before at last she thus begins thou worthy lord of that unworthy wife that greeteth thee health to thy person next vouchsafe t afford if ever love thy lucrece thou wilt see some present speed to come and visit me so i commend me from our house in grief my woes are tedious though my words are brief' here folds she up the tenor of her woe her certain sorrow writ uncertainly by this short schedule collatine may know her grief but not her grief's true quality she dares not thereof make discovery lest he should hold it her own gross abuse ere she with blood had stain'd her stain'd excuse besides the life and feeling of her passion she hoards to spend when he is by to hear her when sighs and groans and tears may grace the fashion of her disgrace the better so to clear her from that suspicion which the world might bear her to shun this blot she would not blot the letter with words till action might become them better to see sad sights moves more than hear them told for then eye interprets to the ear the heavy motion that it doth behold when every part a part of woe doth bear 'tis but a part of sorrow that we hear deep sounds make lesser noise than shallow fords and sorrow ebbs being blown with wind of words her letter now is seal'd and on it writ 'at ardea to my lord with more than haste' the post attends and she delivers it charging the sourfaced groom to hie as fast as lagging fowls before the northern blast speed more than speed but dull and slow she deems extremity still urgeth such extremes the homely villain court'sies to her low and blushing on her with a steadfast eye receives the scroll without or yea or no and forth with bashful innocence doth hie but they whose guilt within their bosoms lie imagine every eye beholds their blame for lucrece thought he blush'd to her see shame when silly groom god wot it was defect of spirit life and bold audacity such harmless creatures have a true respect to talk in deeds while others saucily promise more speed but do it leisurely even so this pattern of the wornout age pawn'd honest looks but laid no words to gage his kindled duty kindled her mistrust that two red fires in both their faces blazed she thought he blush'd as knowing tarquin's lust and blushing with him wistly on him gazed her earnest eye did make him more amazed the more she saw the blood his cheeks replenish the more she thought he spied in her some blemish but long she thinks till he return again and yet the duteous vassal scarce is gone the weary time she cannot entertain for now tis stale to sigh to weep and groan so woe hath wearied woe moan tired moan that she her plaints a little while doth stay pausing for means to mourn some newer way at last she calls to mind where hangs a piece of skilful painting made for priam's troy before the which is drawn the power of greece for helen's rape the city to destroy threatening cloudkissing ilion with annoy which the conceited painter drew so proud as heaven it seem'd to kiss the turrets bow'd a thousand lamentable objects there in scorn of nature art gave lifeless life many a dry drop seem'd a weeping tear shed for the slaughter'd husband by the wife the red blood reek'd to show the painter's strife and dying eyes gleam'd forth their ashy lights like dying coals burnt out in tedious nights there might you see the labouring pioner begrimed with sweat and smeared all with dust and from the towers of troy there would appear the very eyes of men through loopholes thrust gazing upon the greeks with little lust such sweet observance in this work was had that one might see those faroff eyes look sad in great commanders grace and majesty you might behold triumphing in their faces in youth quick bearing and dexterity pale cowards marching on with trembling paces which heartless peasants did so well resemble that one would swear he saw them quake and tremble in ajax and ulysses o what art of physiognomy might one behold the face of either cipher'd either's heart their face their manners most expressly told in ajax eyes blunt rage and rigor roll'd but the mild glance that sly ulysses lent show'd deep regard and smiling government there pleading might you see grave nestor stand as twere encouraging the greeks to fight making such sober action with his hand that it beguiled attention charm'd the sight in speech it seem'd his beard all silver white wagg'd up and down and from his lips did fly thin winding breath which purl'd up to the sky about him were a press of gaping faces which seem'd to swallow up his sound advice all jointly listening but with several graces as if some mermaid did their ears entice some high some low the painter was so nice the scalps of many almost hid behind to jump up higher seem'd to mock the mind here one man's hand lean'd on another's head his nose being shadow'd by his neighbour's ear here one being throng'd bears back all boll'n and red another smother'd seems to pelt and swear and in their rage such signs of rage they bear as but for loss of nestor's golden words it seem'd they would debate with angry swords for much imaginary work was there conceit deceitful so compact so kind that for achilles image stood his spear griped in an armed hand himself behind was left unseen save to the eye of mind a hand a foot a face a leg a head stood for the whole to be imagined and from the walls of strongbesieged troy when their brave hope bold hector march'd to field stood many trojan mothers sharing joy to see their youthful sons bright weapons wield and to their hope they such odd action yield that through their light joy seemed to appear like bright things stain'd a kind of heavy fear and from the strand of dardan where they fought to simois reedy banks the red blood ran whose waves to imitate the battle sought with swelling ridges and their ranks began to break upon the galled shore and than retire again till meeting greater ranks they join and shoot their foam at simois banks to this wellpainted piece is lucrece come to find a face where all distress is stell'd many she sees where cares have carved some but none where all distress and dolour dwell'd till she despairing hecuba beheld staring on priam's wounds with her old eyes which bleeding under pyrrhus proud foot lies in her the painter had anatomized time's ruin beauty's wreck and grim care's reign her cheeks with chaps and wrinkles were disguised of what she was no semblance did remain her blue blood changed to black in every vein wanting the spring that those shrunk pipes had fed show'd life imprison'd in a body dead on this sad shadow lucrece spends her eyes and shapes her sorrow to the beldam's woes who nothing wants to answer her but cries and bitter words to ban her cruel foes the painter was no god to lend her those and therefore lucrece swears he did her wrong to give her so much grief and not a tongue 'poor instrument quoth she'without a sound i'll tune thy woes with my lamenting tongue and drop sweet balm in priam's painted wound and rail on pyrrhus that hath done him wrong and with my tears quench troy that burns so long and with my knife scratch out the angry eyes of all the greeks that are thine enemies 'show me the strumpet that began this stir that with my nails her beauty i may tear thy heat of lust fond paris did incur this load of wrath that burning troy doth bear thy eye kindled the fire that burneth here and here in troy for trespass of thine eye the sire the son the dame and daughter die 'why should the private pleasure of some one become the public plague of many moe let sin alone committed light alone upon his head that hath transgressed so let guiltless souls be freed from guilty woe for one's offence why should so many fall to plague a private sin in general 'lo here weeps hecuba here priam dies here manly hector faints here troilus swounds here friend by friend in bloody channel lies and friend to friend gives unadvised wounds and one man's lust these many lives confounds had doting priam cheque'd his son's desire troy had been bright with fame and not with fire' here feelingly she weeps troy's painted woes for sorrow like a heavyhanging bell once set on ringing with his own weight goes then little strength rings out the doleful knell so lucrece set awork sad tales doth tell to pencill'd pensiveness and colour'd sorrow she lends them words and she their looks doth borrow she throws her eyes about the painting round and whom she finds forlorn she doth lament at last she sees a wretched image bound that piteous looks to phrygian shepherds lent his face though full of cares yet show'd content onward to troy with the blunt swains he goes so mild that patience seem'd to scorn his woes in him the painter labour'd with his skill to hide deceit and give the harmless show an humble gait calm looks eyes wailing still a brow unbent that seem'd to welcome woe cheeks neither red nor pale but mingled so that blushing red no guilty instance gave nor ashy pale the fear that false hearts have but like a constant and confirmed devil he entertain'd a show so seeming just and therein so ensconced his secret evil that jealousy itself could not mistrust falsecreeping craft and perjury should thrust into so bright a day such blackfaced storms or blot with hellborn sin such saintlike forms the wellskill'd workman this mild image drew for perjured sinon whose enchanting story the credulous old priam after slew whose words like wildfire burnt the shining glory of richbuilt ilion that the skies were sorry and little stars shot from their fixed places when their glass fell wherein they view'd their faces this picture she advisedly perused and chid the painter for his wondrous skill saying some shape in sinon's was abused so fair a form lodged not a mind so ill and still on him she gazed and gazing still such signs of truth in his plain face she spied that she concludes the picture was belied 'it cannot be quoth she'that so much guile' she would have said can lurk in such a look' but tarquin's shape came in her mind the while and from her tongue can lurk from cannot took 'it cannot be she in that sense forsook and turn'd it thus it cannot be i find but such a face should bear a wicked mind 'for even as subtle sinon here is painted so sobersad so weary and so mild as if with grief or travail he had fainted to me came tarquin armed so beguiled with outward honesty but yet defiled with inward vice as priam him did cherish so did i tarquin so my troy did perish 'look look how listening priam wets his eyes to see those borrow'd tears that sinon sheds priam why art thou old and yet not wise for every tear he falls a trojan bleeds his eye drops fire no water thence proceeds those round clear pearls of his that move thy pity are balls of quenchless fire to burn thy city 'such devils steal effects from lightless hell for sinon in his fire doth quake with cold and in that cold hotburning fire doth dwell these contraries such unity do hold only to flatter fools and make them bold so priam's trust false sinon's tears doth flatter that he finds means to burn his troy with water' here all enraged such passion her assails that patience is quite beaten from her breast she tears the senseless sinon with her nails comparing him to that unhappy guest whose deed hath made herself herself detest at last she smilingly with this gives o'er 'fool fool quoth she his wounds will not be sore' thus ebbs and flows the current of her sorrow and time doth weary time with her complaining she looks for night and then she longs for morrow and both she thinks too long with her remaining short time seems long in sorrow's sharp sustaining though woe be heavy yet it seldom sleeps and they that watch see time how slow it creeps which all this time hath overslipp'd her thought that she with painted images hath spent being from the feeling of her own grief brought by deep surmise of others detriment losing her woes in shows of discontent it easeth some though none it ever cured to think their dolour others have endured but now the mindful messenger come back brings home his lord and other company who finds his lucrece clad in mourning black and round about her tearstained eye blue circles stream'd like rainbows in the sky these watergalls in her dim element foretell new storms to those already spent which when her sadbeholding husband saw amazedly in her sad face he stares her eyes though sod in tears look'd red and raw her lively colour kill'd with deadly cares he hath no power to ask her how she fares both stood like old acquaintance in a trance met far from home wondering each other's chance at last he takes her by the bloodless hand and thus begins what uncouth ill event hath thee befall'n that thou dost trembling stand sweet love what spite hath thy fair colour spent why art thou thus attired in discontent unmask dear dear this moody heaviness and tell thy grief that we may give redress' three times with sighs she gives her sorrow fire ere once she can discharge one word of woe at length address'd to answer his desire she modestly prepares to let them know her honour is ta'en prisoner by the foe while collatine and his consorted lords with sad attention long to hear her words and now this pale swan in her watery nest begins the sad dirge of her certain ending 'few words quoth she shall fit the trespass best where no excuse can give the fault amending in me moe woes than words are now depending and my laments would be drawn out too long to tell them all with one poor tired tongue 'then be this all the task it hath to say dear husband in the interest of thy bed a stranger came and on that pillow lay where thou was wont to rest thy weary head and what wrong else may be imagined by foul enforcement might be done to me from that alas thy lucrece is not free 'for in the dreadful dead of dark midnight with shining falchion in my chamber came a creeping creature with a flaming light and softly cried awake thou roman dame and entertain my love else lasting shame on thee and thine this night i will inflict if thou my love's desire do contradict for some hardfavour'd groom of thine quoth he 'unless thou yoke thy liking to my will i'll murder straight and then i'll slaughter thee and swear i found you where you did fulfil the loathsome act of lust and so did kill the lechers in their deed this act will be my fame and thy perpetual infamy' 'with this i did begin to start and cry and then against my heart he sets his sword swearing unless i took all patiently i should not live to speak another word so should my shame still rest upon record and never be forgot in mighty rome th adulterate death of lucrece and her groom 'mine enemy was strong my poor self weak and far the weaker with so strong a fear my bloody judge forbade my tongue to speak no rightful plea might plead for justice there his scarlet lust came evidence to swear that my poor beauty had purloin'd his eyes and when the judge is robb'd the prisoner dies 'o teach me how to make mine own excuse or at the least this refuge let me find though my gross blood be stain'd with this abuse immaculate and spotless is my mind that was not forced that never was inclined to accessary yieldings but still pure doth in her poison'd closet yet endure' lo here the hopeless merchant of this loss with head declined and voice damm'd up with woe with sad set eyes and wretched arms across from lips newwaxen pale begins to blow the grief away that stops his answer so but wretched as he is he strives in vain what he breathes out his breath drinks up again as through an arch the violent roaring tide outruns the eye that doth behold his haste yet in the eddy boundeth in his pride back to the strait that forced him on so fast in rage sent out recall'd in rage being past even so his sighs his sorrows make a saw to push grief on and back the same grief draw which speechless woe of his poor she attendeth and his untimely frenzy thus awaketh 'dear lord thy sorrow to my sorrow lendeth another power no flood by raining slaketh my woe too sensible thy passion maketh more feelingpainful let it then suffice to drown one woe one pair of weeping eyes 'and for my sake when i might charm thee so for she that was thy lucrece now attend me be suddenly revenged on my foe thine mine his own suppose thou dost defend me from what is past the help that thou shalt lend me comes all too late yet let the traitor die for sparing justice feeds iniquity 'but ere i name him you fair lords quoth she speaking to those that came with collatine 'shall plight your honourable faiths to me with swift pursuit to venge this wrong of mine for tis a meritorious fair design to chase injustice with revengeful arms knights by their oaths should right poor ladies harms' at this request with noble disposition each present lord began to promise aid as bound in knighthood to her imposition longing to hear the hateful foe bewray'd but she that yet her sad task hath not said the protestation stops o speak quoth she 'how may this forced stain be wiped from me 'what is the quality of mine offence being constrain'd with dreadful circumstance may my pure mind with the foul act dispense my lowdeclined honour to advance may any terms acquit me from this chance the poison'd fountain clears itself again and why not i from this compelled stain' with this they all at once began to say her body's stain her mind untainted clears while with a joyless smile she turns away the face that map which deep impression bears of hard misfortune carved in it with tears 'no no quoth she no dame hereafter living by my excuse shall claim excuse's giving' here with a sigh as if her heart would break she throws forth tarquin's name he he she says but more than he her poor tongue could not speak till after many accents and delays untimely breathings sick and short assays she utters this he he fair lords tis he that guides this hand to give this wound to me' even here she sheathed in her harmless breast a harmful knife that thence her soul unsheathed that blow did that it from the deep unrest of that polluted prison where it breathed her contrite sighs unto the clouds bequeath'd her winged sprite and through her wounds doth fly life's lasting date from cancell'd destiny stonestill astonish'd with this deadly deed stood collatine and all his lordly crew till lucrece father that beholds her bleed himself on her selfslaughter'd body threw and from the purple fountain brutus drew the murderous knife and as it left the place her blood in poor revenge held it in chase and bubbling from her breast it doth divide in two slow rivers that the crimson blood circles her body in on every side who like a latesack'd island vastly stood bare and unpeopled in this fearful flood some of her blood still pure and red remain'd and some look'd black and that false tarquin stain'd about the mourning and congealed face of that black blood a watery rigol goes which seems to weep upon the tainted place and ever since as pitying lucrece woes corrupted blood some watery token shows and blood untainted still doth red abide blushing at that which is so putrified 'daughter dear daughter old lucretius cries 'that life was mine which thou hast here deprived if in the child the father's image lies where shall i live now lucrece is unlived thou wast not to this end from me derived if children predecease progenitors we are their offspring and they none of ours 'poor broken glass i often did behold in thy sweet semblance my old age new born but now that fresh fair mirror dim and old shows me a bareboned death by time outworn o from thy cheeks my image thou hast torn and shivered all the beauty of my glass that i no more can see what once i was 'o time cease thou thy course and last no longer if they surcease to be that should survive shall rotten death make conquest of the stronger and leave the faltering feeble souls alive the old bees die the young possess their hive then live sweet lucrece live again and see thy father die and not thy father thee by this starts collatine as from a dream and bids lucretius give his sorrow place and then in keycold lucrece bleeding stream he falls and bathes the pale fear in his face and counterfeits to die with her a space till manly shame bids him possess his breath and live to be revenged on her death the deep vexation of his inward soul hath served a dumb arrest upon his tongue who mad that sorrow should his use control or keep him from hearteasing words so long begins to talk but through his lips do throng weak words so thick come in his poor heart's aid that no man could distinguish what he said yet sometime tarquin was pronounced plain but through his teeth as if the name he tore this windy tempest till it blow up rain held back his sorrow's tide to make it more at last it rains and busy winds give o'er then son and father weep with equal strife who should weep most for daughter or for wife the one doth call her his the other his yet neither may possess the claim they lay the father says she's mine o mine she is' replies her husband do not take away my sorrow's interest let no mourner say he weeps for her for she was only mine and only must be wail'd by collatine' 'o quoth lucretius i did give that life which she too early and too late hath spill'd' 'woe woe quoth collatine she was my wife i owed her and tis mine that she hath kill'd' 'my daughter and my wife with clamours fill'd the dispersed air who holding lucrece life answer'd their cries my daughter and my wife' brutus who pluck'd the knife from lucrece side seeing such emulation in their woe began to clothe his wit in state and pride burying in lucrece wound his folly's show he with the romans was esteemed so as sillyjeering idiots are with kings for sportive words and uttering foolish things but now he throws that shallow habit by wherein deep policy did him disguise and arm'd his longhid wits advisedly to cheque the tears in collatinus eyes 'thou wronged lord of rome quoth be arise let my unsounded self supposed a fool now set thy longexperienced wit to school 'why collatine is woe the cure for woe do wounds help wounds or grief help grievous deeds is it revenge to give thyself a blow for his foul act by whom thy fair wife bleeds such childish humour from weak minds proceeds thy wretched wife mistook the matter so to slay herself that should have slain her foe 'courageous roman do not steep thy heart in such relenting dew of lamentations but kneel with me and help to bear thy part to rouse our roman gods with invocations that they will suffer these abominations since rome herself in them doth stand disgraced by our strong arms from forth her fair streets chased 'now by the capitol that we adore and by this chaste blood so unjustly stain'd by heaven's fair sun that breeds the fat earth's store by all our country rights in rome maintain'd and by chaste lucrece soul that late complain'd her wrongs to us and by this bloody knife we will revenge the death of this true wife' this said he struck his hand upon his breast and kiss'd the fatal knife to end his vow and to his protestation urged the rest who wondering at him did his words allow then jointly to the ground their knees they bow and that deep vow which brutus made before he doth again repeat and that they swore when they had sworn to this advised doom they did conclude to bear dead lucrece thence to show her bleeding body thorough rome and so to publish tarquin's foul offence which being done with speedy diligence the romans plausibly did give consent to tarquin's everlasting banishment sonnets to the only begetter of these insuing sonnets mr w h all happiness and that eternity promised by our everliving poet wisheth the wellwishing adventurer in setting forth t t i from fairest creatures we desire increase that thereby beauty's rose might never die but as the riper should by time decease his tender heir might bear his memory but thou contracted to thine own bright eyes feed'st thy light'st flame with selfsubstantial fuel making a famine where abundance lies thyself thy foe to thy sweet self too cruel thou that art now the world's fresh ornament and only herald to the gaudy spring within thine own bud buriest thy content and tender churl makest waste in niggarding pity the world or else this glutton be to eat the world's due by the grave and thee ii when forty winters shall beseige thy brow and dig deep trenches in thy beauty's field thy youth's proud livery so gazed on now will be a tatter'd weed of small worth held then being ask'd where all thy beauty lies where all the treasure of thy lusty days to say within thine own deepsunken eyes were an alleating shame and thriftless praise how much more praise deserved thy beauty's use if thou couldst answer this fair child of mine shall sum my count and make my old excuse' proving his beauty by succession thine this were to be new made when thou art old and see thy blood warm when thou feel'st it cold iii look in thy glass and tell the face thou viewest now is the time that face should form another whose fresh repair if now thou not renewest thou dost beguile the world unbless some mother for where is she so fair whose unear'd womb disdains the tillage of thy husbandry or who is he so fond will be the tomb of his selflove to stop posterity thou art thy mother's glass and she in thee calls back the lovely april of her prime so thou through windows of thine age shall see despite of wrinkles this thy golden time but if thou live remember'd not to be die single and thine image dies with thee iv unthrifty loveliness why dost thou spend upon thyself thy beauty's legacy nature's bequest gives nothing but doth lend and being frank she lends to those are free then beauteous niggard why dost thou abuse the bounteous largess given thee to give profitless usurer why dost thou use so great a sum of sums yet canst not live for having traffic with thyself alone thou of thyself thy sweet self dost deceive then how when nature calls thee to be gone what acceptable audit canst thou leave thy unused beauty must be tomb'd with thee which used lives th executor to be v those hours that with gentle work did frame the lovely gaze where every eye doth dwell will play the tyrants to the very same and that unfair which fairly doth excel for neverresting time leads summer on to hideous winter and confounds him there sap cheque'd with frost and lusty leaves quite gone beauty o'ersnow'd and bareness every where then were not summer's distillation left a liquid prisoner pent in walls of glass beauty's effect with beauty were bereft nor it nor no remembrance what it was but flowers distill'd though they with winter meet leese but their show their substance still lives sweet vi then let not winter's ragged hand deface in thee thy summer ere thou be distill'd make sweet some vial treasure thou some place with beauty's treasure ere it be selfkill'd that use is not forbidden usury which happies those that pay the willing loan that's for thyself to breed another thee or ten times happier be it ten for one ten times thyself were happier than thou art if ten of thine ten times refigured thee then what could death do if thou shouldst depart leaving thee living in posterity be not selfwill'd for thou art much too fair to be death's conquest and make worms thine heir vii lo in the orient when the gracious light lifts up his burning head each under eye doth homage to his newappearing sight serving with looks his sacred majesty and having climb'd the steepup heavenly hill resembling strong youth in his middle age yet mortal looks adore his beauty still attending on his golden pilgrimage but when from highmost pitch with weary car like feeble age he reeleth from the day the eyes fore duteous now converted are from his low tract and look another way so thou thyself outgoing in thy noon unlook'd on diest unless thou get a son viii music to hear why hear'st thou music sadly sweets with sweets war not joy delights in joy why lovest thou that which thou receivest not gladly or else receivest with pleasure thine annoy if the true concord of welltuned sounds by unions married do offend thine ear they do but sweetly chide thee who confounds in singleness the parts that thou shouldst bear mark how one string sweet husband to another strikes each in each by mutual ordering resembling sire and child and happy mother who all in one one pleasing note do sing whose speechless song being many seeming one sings this to thee thou single wilt prove none' ix is it for fear to wet a widow's eye that thou consumest thyself in single life ah if thou issueless shalt hap to die the world will wail thee like a makeless wife the world will be thy widow and still weep that thou no form of thee hast left behind when every private widow well may keep by children's eyes her husband's shape in mind look what an unthrift in the world doth spend shifts but his place for still the world enjoys it but beauty's waste hath in the world an end and kept unused the user so destroys it no love toward others in that bosom sits that on himself such murderous shame commits x for shame deny that thou bear'st love to any who for thyself art so unprovident grant if thou wilt thou art beloved of many but that thou none lovest is most evident for thou art so possess'd with murderous hate that gainst thyself thou stick'st not to conspire seeking that beauteous roof to ruinate which to repair should be thy chief desire o change thy thought that i may change my mind shall hate be fairer lodged than gentle love be as thy presence is gracious and kind or to thyself at least kindhearted prove make thee another self for love of me that beauty still may live in thine or thee xi as fast as thou shalt wane so fast thou growest in one of thine from that which thou departest and that fresh blood which youngly thou bestowest thou mayst call thine when thou from youth convertest herein lives wisdom beauty and increase without this folly age and cold decay if all were minded so the times should cease and threescore year would make the world away let those whom nature hath not made for store harsh featureless and rude barrenly perish look whom she best endow'd she gave the more which bounteous gift thou shouldst in bounty cherish she carved thee for her seal and meant thereby thou shouldst print more not let that copy die xii when i do count the clock that tells the time and see the brave day sunk in hideous night when i behold the violet past prime and sable curls all silver'd o'er with white when lofty trees i see barren of leaves which erst from heat did canopy the herd and summer's green all girded up in sheaves borne on the bier with white and bristly beard then of thy beauty do i question make that thou among the wastes of time must go since sweets and beauties do themselves forsake and die as fast as they see others grow and nothing gainst time's scythe can make defence save breed to brave him when he takes thee hence xiii o that you were yourself but love you are no longer yours than you yourself here live against this coming end you should prepare and your sweet semblance to some other give so should that beauty which you hold in lease find no determination then you were yourself again after yourself's decease when your sweet issue your sweet form should bear who lets so fair a house fall to decay which husbandry in honour might uphold against the stormy gusts of winter's day and barren rage of death's eternal cold o none but unthrifts dear my love you know you had a father let your son say so xiv not from the stars do i my judgment pluck and yet methinks i have astronomy but not to tell of good or evil luck of plagues of dearths or seasons quality nor can i fortune to brief minutes tell pointing to each his thunder rain and wind or say with princes if it shall go well by oft predict that i in heaven find but from thine eyes my knowledge i derive and constant stars in them i read such art as truth and beauty shall together thrive if from thyself to store thou wouldst convert or else of thee this i prognosticate thy end is truth's and beauty's doom and date xv when i consider every thing that grows holds in perfection but a little moment that this huge stage presenteth nought but shows whereon the stars in secret influence comment when i perceive that men as plants increase cheered and cheque'd even by the selfsame sky vaunt in their youthful sap at height decrease and wear their brave state out of memory then the conceit of this inconstant stay sets you most rich in youth before my sight where wasteful time debateth with decay to change your day of youth to sullied night and all in war with time for love of you as he takes from you i engraft you new xvi but wherefore do not you a mightier way make war upon this bloody tyrant time and fortify yourself in your decay with means more blessed than my barren rhyme now stand you on the top of happy hours and many maiden gardens yet unset with virtuous wish would bear your living flowers much liker than your painted counterfeit so should the lines of life that life repair which this time's pencil or my pupil pen neither in inward worth nor outward fair can make you live yourself in eyes of men to give away yourself keeps yourself still and you must live drawn by your own sweet skill xvii who will believe my verse in time to come if it were fill'd with your most high deserts though yet heaven knows it is but as a tomb which hides your life and shows not half your parts if i could write the beauty of your eyes and in fresh numbers number all your graces the age to come would say this poet lies such heavenly touches ne'er touch'd earthly faces' so should my papers yellow'd with their age be scorn'd like old men of less truth than tongue and your true rights be term'd a poet's rage and stretched metre of an antique song but were some child of yours alive that time you should live twice in it and in my rhyme xviii shall i compare thee to a summer's day thou art more lovely and more temperate rough winds do shake the darling buds of may and summer's lease hath all too short a date sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines and often is his gold complexion dimm'd and every fair from fair sometime declines by chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd but thy eternal summer shall not fade nor lose possession of that fair thou owest nor shall death brag thou wander'st in his shade when in eternal lines to time thou growest so long as men can breathe or eyes can see so long lives this and this gives life to thee xix devouring time blunt thou the lion's paws and make the earth devour her own sweet brood pluck the keen teeth from the fierce tiger's jaws and burn the longlived phoenix in her blood make glad and sorry seasons as thou fleets and do whate'er thou wilt swiftfooted time to the wide world and all her fading sweets but i forbid thee one most heinous crime o carve not with thy hours my love's fair brow nor draw no lines there with thine antique pen him in thy course untainted do allow for beauty's pattern to succeeding men yet do thy worst old time despite thy wrong my love shall in my verse ever live young xx a woman's face with nature's own hand painted hast thou the mastermistress of my passion a woman's gentle heart but not acquainted with shifting change as is false women's fashion an eye more bright than theirs less false in rolling gilding the object whereupon it gazeth a man in hue all hues in his controlling much steals men's eyes and women's souls amazeth and for a woman wert thou first created till nature as she wrought thee fell adoting and by addition me of thee defeated by adding one thing to my purpose nothing but since she prick'd thee out for women's pleasure mine be thy love and thy love's use their treasure xxi so is it not with me as with that muse stirr'd by a painted beauty to his verse who heaven itself for ornament doth use and every fair with his fair doth rehearse making a couplement of proud compare with sun and moon with earth and sea's rich gems with april's firstborn flowers and all things rare that heaven's air in this huge rondure hems o let me true in love but truly write and then believe me my love is as fair as any mother's child though not so bright as those gold candles fix'd in heaven's air let them say more than like of hearsay well i will not praise that purpose not to sell xxii my glass shall not persuade me i am old so long as youth and thou are of one date but when in thee time's furrows i behold then look i death my days should expiate for all that beauty that doth cover thee is but the seemly raiment of my heart which in thy breast doth live as thine in me how can i then be elder than thou art o therefore love be of thyself so wary as i not for myself but for thee will bearing thy heart which i will keep so chary as tender nurse her babe from faring ill presume not on thy heart when mine is slain thou gavest me thine not to give back again xxiii as an unperfect actor on the stage who with his fear is put besides his part or some fierce thing replete with too much rage whose strength's abundance weakens his own heart so i for fear of trust forget to say the perfect ceremony of love's rite and in mine own love's strength seem to decay o'ercharged with burden of mine own love's might o let my books be then the eloquence and dumb presagers of my speaking breast who plead for love and look for recompense more than that tongue that more hath more express'd o learn to read what silent love hath writ to hear with eyes belongs to love's fine wit xxiv mine eye hath play'd the painter and hath stell'd thy beauty's form in table of my heart my body is the frame wherein tis held and perspective it is the painter's art for through the painter must you see his skill to find where your true image pictured lies which in my bosom's shop is hanging still that hath his windows glazed with thine eyes now see what good turns eyes for eyes have done mine eyes have drawn thy shape and thine for me are windows to my breast wherethrough the sun delights to peep to gaze therein on thee yet eyes this cunning want to grace their art they draw but what they see know not the heart xxv let those who are in favour with their stars of public honour and proud titles boast whilst i whom fortune of such triumph bars unlook'd for joy in that i honour most great princes favourites their fair leaves spread but as the marigold at the sun's eye and in themselves their pride lies buried for at a frown they in their glory die the painful warrior famoused for fight after a thousand victories once foil'd is from the book of honour razed quite and all the rest forgot for which he toil'd then happy i that love and am beloved where i may not remove nor be removed xxvi lord of my love to whom in vassalage thy merit hath my duty strongly knit to thee i send this written embassage to witness duty not to show my wit duty so great which wit so poor as mine may make seem bare in wanting words to show it but that i hope some good conceit of thine in thy soul's thought all naked will bestow it till whatsoever star that guides my moving points on me graciously with fair aspect and puts apparel on my tatter'd loving to show me worthy of thy sweet respect then may i dare to boast how i do love thee till then not show my head where thou mayst prove me xxvii weary with toil i haste me to my bed the dear repose for limbs with travel tired but then begins a journey in my head to work my mind when body's work's expired for then my thoughts from far where i abide intend a zealous pilgrimage to thee and keep my drooping eyelids open wide looking on darkness which the blind do see save that my soul's imaginary sight presents thy shadow to my sightless view which like a jewel hung in ghastly night makes black night beauteous and her old face new lo thus by day my limbs by night my mind for thee and for myself no quiet find xxviii how can i then return in happy plight that am debarr'd the benefit of rest when day's oppression is not eased by night but day by night and night by day oppress'd and each though enemies to either's reign do in consent shake hands to torture me the one by toil the other to complain how far i toil still farther off from thee i tell the day to please them thou art bright and dost him grace when clouds do blot the heaven so flatter i the swartcomplexion'd night when sparkling stars twire not thou gild'st the even but day doth daily draw my sorrows longer and night doth nightly make grief's strength seem stronger xxix when in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes i all alone beweep my outcast state and trouble deal heaven with my bootless cries and look upon myself and curse my fate wishing me like to one more rich in hope featured like him like him with friends possess'd desiring this man's art and that man's scope with what i most enjoy contented least yet in these thoughts myself almost despising haply i think on thee and then my state like to the lark at break of day arising from sullen earth sings hymns at heaven's gate for thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings that then i scorn to change my state with kings xxx when to the sessions of sweet silent thought i summon up remembrance of things past i sigh the lack of many a thing i sought and with old woes new wail my dear time's waste then can i drown an eye unused to flow for precious friends hid in death's dateless night and weep afresh love's long since cancell'd woe and moan the expense of many a vanish'd sight then can i grieve at grievances foregone and heavily from woe to woe tell o'er the sad account of forebemoaned moan which i new pay as if not paid before but if the while i think on thee dear friend all losses are restored and sorrows end xxxi thy bosom is endeared with all hearts which i by lacking have supposed dead and there reigns love and all love's loving parts and all those friends which i thought buried how many a holy and obsequious tear hath dear religious love stol'n from mine eye as interest of the dead which now appear but things removed that hidden in thee lie thou art the grave where buried love doth live hung with the trophies of my lovers gone who all their parts of me to thee did give that due of many now is thine alone their images i loved i view in thee and thou all they hast all the all of me xxxii if thou survive my wellcontented day when that churl death my bones with dust shall cover and shalt by fortune once more resurvey these poor rude lines of thy deceased lover compare them with the bettering of the time and though they be outstripp'd by every pen reserve them for my love not for their rhyme exceeded by the height of happier men o then vouchsafe me but this loving thought 'had my friend's muse grown with this growing age a dearer birth than this his love had brought to march in ranks of better equipage but since he died and poets better prove theirs for their style i'll read his for his love' xxxiii full many a glorious morning have i seen flatter the mountaintops with sovereign eye kissing with golden face the meadows green gilding pale streams with heavenly alchemy anon permit the basest clouds to ride with ugly rack on his celestial face and from the forlorn world his visage hide stealing unseen to west with this disgrace even so my sun one early morn did shine with all triumphant splendor on my brow but out alack he was but one hour mine the region cloud hath mask'd him from me now yet him for this my love no whit disdaineth suns of the world may stain when heaven's sun staineth xxxiv why didst thou promise such a beauteous day and make me travel forth without my cloak to let base clouds o'ertake me in my way hiding thy bravery in their rotten smoke 'tis not enough that through the cloud thou break to dry the rain on my stormbeaten face for no man well of such a salve can speak that heals the wound and cures not the disgrace nor can thy shame give physic to my grief though thou repent yet i have still the loss the offender's sorrow lends but weak relief to him that bears the strong offence's cross ah but those tears are pearl which thy love sheds and they are rich and ransom all ill deeds xxxv no more be grieved at that which thou hast done roses have thorns and silver fountains mud clouds and eclipses stain both moon and sun and loathsome canker lives in sweetest bud all men make faults and even i in this authorizing thy trespass with compare myself corrupting salving thy amiss excusing thy sins more than thy sins are for to thy sensual fault i bring in sense thy adverse party is thy advocate and gainst myself a lawful plea commence such civil war is in my love and hate that i an accessary needs must be to that sweet thief which sourly robs from me xxxvi let me confess that we two must be twain although our undivided loves are one so shall those blots that do with me remain without thy help by me be borne alone in our two loves there is but one respect though in our lives a separable spite which though it alter not love's sole effect yet doth it steal sweet hours from love's delight i may not evermore acknowledge thee lest my bewailed guilt should do thee shame nor thou with public kindness honour me unless thou take that honour from thy name but do not so i love thee in such sort as thou being mine mine is thy good report xxxvii as a decrepit father takes delight to see his active child do deeds of youth so i made lame by fortune's dearest spite take all my comfort of thy worth and truth for whether beauty birth or wealth or wit or any of these all or all or more entitled in thy parts do crowned sit i make my love engrafted to this store so then i am not lame poor nor despised whilst that this shadow doth such substance give that i in thy abundance am sufficed and by a part of all thy glory live look what is best that best i wish in thee this wish i have then ten times happy me xxxviii how can my muse want subject to invent while thou dost breathe that pour'st into my verse thine own sweet argument too excellent for every vulgar paper to rehearse o give thyself the thanks if aught in me worthy perusal stand against thy sight for who's so dumb that cannot write to thee when thou thyself dost give invention light be thou the tenth muse ten times more in worth than those old nine which rhymers invocate and he that calls on thee let him bring forth eternal numbers to outlive long date if my slight muse do please these curious days the pain be mine but thine shall be the praise xxxix o how thy worth with manners may i sing when thou art all the better part of me what can mine own praise to mine own self bring and what is t but mine own when i praise thee even for this let us divided live and our dear love lose name of single one that by this separation i may give that due to thee which thou deservest alone o absence what a torment wouldst thou prove were it not thy sour leisure gave sweet leave to entertain the time with thoughts of love which time and thoughts so sweetly doth deceive and that thou teachest how to make one twain by praising him here who doth hence remain xl take all my loves my love yea take them all what hast thou then more than thou hadst before no love my love that thou mayst true love call all mine was thine before thou hadst this more then if for my love thou my love receivest i cannot blame thee for my love thou usest but yet be blamed if thou thyself deceivest by wilful taste of what thyself refusest i do forgive thy robbery gentle thief although thou steal thee all my poverty and yet love knows it is a greater grief to bear love's wrong than hate's known injury lascivious grace in whom all ill well shows kill me with spites yet we must not be foes xli those petty wrongs that liberty commits when i am sometime absent from thy heart thy beauty and thy years full well befits for still temptation follows where thou art gentle thou art and therefore to be won beauteous thou art therefore to be assailed and when a woman woos what woman's son will sourly leave her till she have prevailed ay me but yet thou mightest my seat forbear and chide try beauty and thy straying youth who lead thee in their riot even there where thou art forced to break a twofold truth hers by thy beauty tempting her to thee thine by thy beauty being false to me xlii that thou hast her it is not all my grief and yet it may be said i loved her dearly that she hath thee is of my wailing chief a loss in love that touches me more nearly loving offenders thus i will excuse ye thou dost love her because thou knowst i love her and for my sake even so doth she abuse me suffering my friend for my sake to approve her if i lose thee my loss is my love's gain and losing her my friend hath found that loss both find each other and i lose both twain and both for my sake lay on me this cross but here's the joy my friend and i are one sweet flattery then she loves but me alone xliii when most i wink then do mine eyes best see for all the day they view things unrespected but when i sleep in dreams they look on thee and darkly bright are bright in dark directed then thou whose shadow shadows doth make bright how would thy shadow's form form happy show to the clear day with thy much clearer light when to unseeing eyes thy shade shines so how would i say mine eyes be blessed made by looking on thee in the living day when in dead night thy fair imperfect shade through heavy sleep on sightless eyes doth stay all days are nights to see till i see thee and nights bright days when dreams do show thee me xliv if the dull substance of my flesh were thought injurious distance should not stop my way for then despite of space i would be brought from limits far remote where thou dost stay no matter then although my foot did stand upon the farthest earth removed from thee for nimble thought can jump both sea and land as soon as think the place where he would be but ah thought kills me that i am not thought to leap large lengths of miles when thou art gone but that so much of earth and water wrought i must attend time's leisure with my moan receiving nought by elements so slow but heavy tears badges of either's woe xlv the other two slight air and purging fire are both with thee wherever i abide the first my thought the other my desire these presentabsent with swift motion slide for when these quicker elements are gone in tender embassy of love to thee my life being made of four with two alone sinks down to death oppress'd with melancholy until life's composition be recured by those swift messengers return'd from thee who even but now come back again assured of thy fair health recounting it to me this told i joy but then no longer glad i send them back again and straight grow sad xlvi mine eye and heart are at a mortal war how to divide the conquest of thy sight mine eye my heart thy picture's sight would bar my heart mine eye the freedom of that right my heart doth plead that thou in him dost lie a closet never pierced with crystal eyes but the defendant doth that plea deny and says in him thy fair appearance lies to cide this title is impanneled a quest of thoughts all tenants to the heart and by their verdict is determined the clear eye's moiety and the dear heart's part as thus mine eye's due is thy outward part and my heart's right thy inward love of heart xlvii betwixt mine eye and heart a league is took and each doth good turns now unto the other when that mine eye is famish'd for a look or heart in love with sighs himself doth smother with my love's picture then my eye doth feast and to the painted banquet bids my heart another time mine eye is my heart's guest and in his thoughts of love doth share a part so either by thy picture or my love thyself away art resent still with me for thou not farther than my thoughts canst move and i am still with them and they with thee or if they sleep thy picture in my sight awakes my heart to heart's and eye's delight xlviii how careful was i when i took my way each trifle under truest bars to thrust that to my use it might unused stay from hands of falsehood in sure wards of trust but thou to whom my jewels trifles are most worthy of comfort now my greatest grief thou best of dearest and mine only care art left the prey of every vulgar thief thee have i not lock'd up in any chest save where thou art not though i feel thou art within the gentle closure of my breast from whence at pleasure thou mayst come and part and even thence thou wilt be stol'n i fear for truth proves thievish for a prize so dear xlix against that time if ever that time come when i shall see thee frown on my defects when as thy love hath cast his utmost sum call'd to that audit by advised respects against that time when thou shalt strangely pass and scarcely greet me with that sun thine eye when love converted from the thing it was shall reasons find of settled gravity against that time do i ensconce me here within the knowledge of mine own desert and this my hand against myself uprear to guard the lawful reasons on thy part to leave poor me thou hast the strength of laws since why to love i can allege no cause l how heavy do i journey on the way when what i seek my weary travel's end doth teach that ease and that repose to say 'thus far the miles are measured from thy friend' the beast that bears me tired with my woe plods dully on to bear that weight in me as if by some instinct the wretch did know his rider loved not speed being made from thee the bloody spur cannot provoke him on that sometimes anger thrusts into his hide which heavily he answers with a groan more sharp to me than spurring to his side for that same groan doth put this in my mind my grief lies onward and my joy behind li thus can my love excuse the slow offence of my dull bearer when from thee i speed from where thou art why should i haste me thence till i return of posting is no need o what excuse will my poor beast then find when swift extremity can seem but slow then should i spur though mounted on the wind in winged speed no motion shall i know then can no horse with my desire keep pace therefore desire of perfect'st love being made shall neighno dull fleshin his fiery race but love for love thus shall excuse my jade since from thee going he went wilfulslow towards thee i'll run and give him leave to go lii so am i as the rich whose blessed key can bring him to his sweet uplocked treasure the which he will not every hour survey for blunting the fine point of seldom pleasure therefore are feasts so solemn and so rare since seldom coming in the long year set like stones of worth they thinly placed are or captain jewels in the carcanet so is the time that keeps you as my chest or as the wardrobe which the robe doth hide to make some special instant special blest by new unfolding his imprison'd pride blessed are you whose worthiness gives scope being had to triumph being lack'd to hope liii what is your substance whereof are you made that millions of strange shadows on you tend since every one hath every one one shade and you but one can every shadow lend describe adonis and the counterfeit is poorly imitated after you on helen's cheek all art of beauty set and you in grecian tires are painted new speak of the spring and foison of the year the one doth shadow of your beauty show the other as your bounty doth appear and you in every blessed shape we know in all external grace you have some part but you like none none you for constant heart liv o how much more doth beauty beauteous seem by that sweet ornament which truth doth give the rose looks fair but fairer we it deem for that sweet odour which doth in it live the cankerblooms have full as deep a dye as the perfumed tincture of the roses hang on such thorns and play as wantonly when summer's breath their masked buds discloses but for their virtue only is their show they live unwoo'd and unrespected fade die to themselves sweet roses do not so of their sweet deaths are sweetest odours made and so of you beauteous and lovely youth when that shall fade my verse distills your truth lv not marble nor the gilded monuments of princes shall outlive this powerful rhyme but you shall shine more bright in these contents than unswept stone besmear'd with sluttish time when wasteful war shall statues overturn and broils root out the work of masonry nor mars his sword nor war's quick fire shall burn the living record of your memory 'gainst death and alloblivious enmity shall you pace forth your praise shall still find room even in the eyes of all posterity that wear this world out to the ending doom so till the judgment that yourself arise you live in this and dwell in lover's eyes lvi sweet love renew thy force be it not said thy edge should blunter be than appetite which but today by feeding is allay'd tomorrow sharpen'd in his former might so love be thou although today thou fill thy hungry eyes even till they wink with fullness tomorrow see again and do not kill the spirit of love with a perpetual dullness let this sad interim like the ocean be which parts the shore where two contracted new come daily to the banks that when they see return of love more blest may be the view else call it winter which being full of care makes summer's welcome thrice more wish'd more rare lvii being your slave what should i do but tend upon the hours and times of your desire i have no precious time at all to spend nor services to do till you require nor dare i chide the worldwithoutend hour whilst i my sovereign watch the clock for you nor think the bitterness of absence sour when you have bid your servant once adieu nor dare i question with my jealous thought where you may be or your affairs suppose but like a sad slave stay and think of nought save where you are how happy you make those so true a fool is love that in your will though you do any thing he thinks no ill lviii that god forbid that made me first your slave i should in thought control your times of pleasure or at your hand the account of hours to crave being your vassal bound to stay your leisure o let me suffer being at your beck the imprison'd absence of your liberty and patience tame to sufferance bide each cheque without accusing you of injury be where you list your charter is so strong that you yourself may privilege your time to what you will to you it doth belong yourself to pardon of selfdoing crime i am to wait though waiting so be hell not blame your pleasure be it ill or well lix if there be nothing new but that which is hath been before how are our brains beguiled which labouring for invention bear amiss the second burden of a former child o that record could with a backward look even of five hundred courses of the sun show me your image in some antique book since mind at first in character was done that i might see what the old world could say to this composed wonder of your frame whether we are mended or whether better they or whether revolution be the same o sure i am the wits of former days to subjects worse have given admiring praise lx like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore so do our minutes hasten to their end each changing place with that which goes before in sequent toil all forwards do contend nativity once in the main of light crawls to maturity wherewith being crown'd crooked elipses gainst his glory fight and time that gave doth now his gift confound time doth transfix the flourish set on youth and delves the parallels in beauty's brow feeds on the rarities of nature's truth and nothing stands but for his scythe to mow and yet to times in hope my verse shall stand praising thy worth despite his cruel hand lxi is it thy will thy image should keep open my heavy eyelids to the weary night dost thou desire my slumbers should be broken while shadows like to thee do mock my sight is it thy spirit that thou send'st from thee so far from home into my deeds to pry to find out shames and idle hours in me the scope and tenor of thy jealousy o no thy love though much is not so great it is my love that keeps mine eye awake mine own true love that doth my rest defeat to play the watchman ever for thy sake for thee watch i whilst thou dost wake elsewhere from me far off with others all too near lxii sin of selflove possesseth all mine eye and all my soul and all my every part and for this sin there is no remedy it is so grounded inward in my heart methinks no face so gracious is as mine no shape so true no truth of such account and for myself mine own worth do define as i all other in all worths surmount but when my glass shows me myself indeed beated and chopp'd with tann'd antiquity mine own selflove quite contrary i read self so selfloving were iniquity tis thee myself that for myself i praise painting my age with beauty of thy days lxiii against my love shall be as i am now with time's injurious hand crush'd and o'erworn when hours have drain'd his blood and fill'd his brow with lines and wrinkles when his youthful morn hath travell'd on to age's steepy night and all those beauties whereof now he's king are vanishing or vanish'd out of sight stealing away the treasure of his spring for such a time do i now fortify against confounding age's cruel knife that he shall never cut from memory my sweet love's beauty though my lover's life his beauty shall in these black lines be seen and they shall live and he in them still green lxiv when i have seen by time's fell hand defaced the rich proud cost of outworn buried age when sometime lofty towers i see downrazed and brass eternal slave to mortal rage when i have seen the hungry ocean gain advantage on the kingdom of the shore and the firm soil win of the watery main increasing store with loss and loss with store when i have seen such interchange of state or state itself confounded to decay ruin hath taught me thus to ruminate that time will come and take my love away this thought is as a death which cannot choose but weep to have that which it fears to lose lxv since brass nor stone nor earth nor boundless sea but sad mortality o'ersways their power how with this rage shall beauty hold a plea whose action is no stronger than a flower o how shall summer's honey breath hold out against the wreckful siege of battering days when rocks impregnable are not so stout nor gates of steel so strong but time decays o fearful meditation where alack shall time's best jewel from time's chest lie hid or what strong hand can hold his swift foot back or who his spoil of beauty can forbid o none unless this miracle have might that in black ink my love may still shine bright lxvi tired with all these for restful death i cry as to behold desert a beggar born and needy nothing trimm'd in jollity and purest faith unhappily forsworn and guilded honour shamefully misplaced and maiden virtue rudely strumpeted and right perfection wrongfully disgraced and strength by limping sway disabled and art made tonguetied by authority and folly doctorlike controlling skill and simple truth miscall'd simplicity and captive good attending captain ill tired with all these from these would i be gone save that to die i leave my love alone lxvii ah wherefore with infection should he live and with his presence grace impiety that sin by him advantage should achieve and lace itself with his society why should false painting imitate his cheek and steal dead seeing of his living hue why should poor beauty indirectly seek roses of shadow since his rose is true why should he live now nature bankrupt is beggar'd of blood to blush through lively veins for she hath no exchequer now but his and proud of many lives upon his gains o him she stores to show what wealth she had in days long since before these last so bad lxviii thus is his cheek the map of days outworn when beauty lived and died as flowers do now before the bastard signs of fair were born or durst inhabit on a living brow before the golden tresses of the dead the right of sepulchres were shorn away to live a second life on second head ere beauty's dead fleece made another gay in him those holy antique hours are seen without all ornament itself and true making no summer of another's green robbing no old to dress his beauty new and him as for a map doth nature store to show false art what beauty was of yore lxix those parts of thee that the world's eye doth view want nothing that the thought of hearts can mend all tongues the voice of souls give thee that due uttering bare truth even so as foes commend thy outward thus with outward praise is crown'd but those same tongues that give thee so thine own in other accents do this praise confound by seeing farther than the eye hath shown they look into the beauty of thy mind and that in guess they measure by thy deeds then churls their thoughts although their eyes were kind to thy fair flower add the rank smell of weeds but why thy odour matcheth not thy show the solve is this that thou dost common grow lxx that thou art blamed shall not be thy defect for slander's mark was ever yet the fair the ornament of beauty is suspect a crow that flies in heaven's sweetest air so thou be good slander doth but approve thy worth the greater being woo'd of time for canker vice the sweetest buds doth love and thou present'st a pure unstained prime thou hast pass'd by the ambush of young days either not assail'd or victor being charged yet this thy praise cannot be so thy praise to tie up envy evermore enlarged if some suspect of ill mask'd not thy show then thou alone kingdoms of hearts shouldst owe lxxi no longer mourn for me when i am dead then you shall hear the surly sullen bell give warning to the world that i am fled from this vile world with vilest worms to dwell nay if you read this line remember not the hand that writ it for i love you so that i in your sweet thoughts would be forgot if thinking on me then should make you woe o if i say you look upon this verse when i perhaps compounded am with clay do not so much as my poor name rehearse but let your love even with my life decay lest the wise world should look into your moan and mock you with me after i am gone lxxii o lest the world should task you to recite what merit lived in me that you should love after my death dear love forget me quite for you in me can nothing worthy prove unless you would devise some virtuous lie to do more for me than mine own desert and hang more praise upon deceased i than niggard truth would willingly impart o lest your true love may seem false in this that you for love speak well of me untrue my name be buried where my body is and live no more to shame nor me nor you for i am shamed by that which i bring forth and so should you to love things nothing worth lxxiii that time of year thou mayst in me behold when yellow leaves or none or few do hang upon those boughs which shake against the cold bare ruin'd choirs where late the sweet birds sang in me thou seest the twilight of such day as after sunset fadeth in the west which by and by black night doth take away death's second self that seals up all in rest in me thou see'st the glowing of such fire that on the ashes of his youth doth lie as the deathbed whereon it must expire consumed with that which it was nourish'd by this thou perceivest which makes thy love more strong to love that well which thou must leave ere long lxxiv but be contented when that fell arrest without all bail shall carry me away my life hath in this line some interest which for memorial still with thee shall stay when thou reviewest this thou dost review the very part was consecrate to thee the earth can have but earth which is his due my spirit is thine the better part of me so then thou hast but lost the dregs of life the prey of worms my body being dead the coward conquest of a wretch's knife too base of thee to be remembered the worth of that is that which it contains and that is this and this with thee remains lxxv so are you to my thoughts as food to life or as sweetseason'd showers are to the ground and for the peace of you i hold such strife as twixt a miser and his wealth is found now proud as an enjoyer and anon doubting the filching age will steal his treasure now counting best to be with you alone then better'd that the world may see my pleasure sometime all full with feasting on your sight and by and by clean starved for a look possessing or pursuing no delight save what is had or must from you be took thus do i pine and surfeit day by day or gluttoning on all or all away lxxvi why is my verse so barren of new pride so far from variation or quick change why with the time do i not glance aside to newfound methods and to compounds strange why write i still all one ever the same and keep invention in a noted weed that every word doth almost tell my name showing their birth and where they did proceed o know sweet love i always write of you and you and love are still my argument so all my best is dressing old words new spending again what is already spent for as the sun is daily new and old so is my love still telling what is told lxxvii thy glass will show thee how thy beauties wear thy dial how thy precious minutes waste the vacant leaves thy mind's imprint will bear and of this book this learning mayst thou taste the wrinkles which thy glass will truly show of mouthed graves will give thee memory thou by thy dial's shady stealth mayst know time's thievish progress to eternity look what thy memory can not contain commit to these waste blanks and thou shalt find those children nursed deliver'd from thy brain to take a new acquaintance of thy mind these offices so oft as thou wilt look shall profit thee and much enrich thy book lxxviii so oft have i invoked thee for my muse and found such fair assistance in my verse as every alien pen hath got my use and under thee their poesy disperse thine eyes that taught the dumb on high to sing and heavy ignorance aloft to fly have added feathers to the learned's wing and given grace a double majesty yet be most proud of that which i compile whose influence is thine and born of thee in others works thou dost but mend the style and arts with thy sweet graces graced be but thou art all my art and dost advance as high as learning my rude ignorance lxxix whilst i alone did call upon thy aid my verse alone had all thy gentle grace but now my gracious numbers are decay'd and my sick muse doth give another place i grant sweet love thy lovely argument deserves the travail of a worthier pen yet what of thee thy poet doth invent he robs thee of and pays it thee again he lends thee virtue and he stole that word from thy behavior beauty doth he give and found it in thy cheek he can afford no praise to thee but what in thee doth live then thank him not for that which he doth say since what he owes thee thou thyself dost pay lxxx o how i faint when i of you do write knowing a better spirit doth use your name and in the praise thereof spends all his might to make me tonguetied speaking of your fame but since your worth wide as the ocean is the humble as the proudest sail doth bear my saucy bark inferior far to his on your broad main doth wilfully appear your shallowest help will hold me up afloat whilst he upon your soundless deep doth ride or being wreck'd i am a worthless boat he of tall building and of goodly pride then if he thrive and i be cast away the worst was this my love was my decay lxxxi or i shall live your epitaph to make or you survive when i in earth am rotten from hence your memory death cannot take although in me each part will be forgotten your name from hence immortal life shall have though i once gone to all the world must die the earth can yield me but a common grave when you entombed in men's eyes shall lie your monument shall be my gentle verse which eyes not yet created shall o'erread and tongues to be your being shall rehearse when all the breathers of this world are dead you still shall livesuch virtue hath my pen where breath most breathes even in the mouths of men lxxxii i grant thou wert not married to my muse and therefore mayst without attaint o'erlook the dedicated words which writers use of their fair subject blessing every book thou art as fair in knowledge as in hue finding thy worth a limit past my praise and therefore art enforced to seek anew some fresher stamp of the timebettering days and do so love yet when they have devised what strained touches rhetoric can lend thou truly fair wert truly sympathized in true plain words by thy truetelling friend and their gross painting might be better used where cheeks need blood in thee it is abused lxxxiii i never saw that you did painting need and therefore to your fair no painting set i found or thought i found you did exceed the barren tender of a poet's debt and therefore have i slept in your report that you yourself being extant well might show how far a modern quill doth come too short speaking of worth what worth in you doth grow this silence for my sin you did impute which shall be most my glory being dumb for i impair not beauty being mute when others would give life and bring a tomb there lives more life in one of your fair eyes than both your poets can in praise devise lxxxiv who is it that says most which can say more than this rich praise that you alone are you in whose confine immured is the store which should example where your equal grew lean penury within that pen doth dwell that to his subject lends not some small glory but he that writes of you if he can tell that you are you so dignifies his story let him but copy what in you is writ not making worse what nature made so clear and such a counterpart shall fame his wit making his style admired every where you to your beauteous blessings add a curse being fond on praise which makes your praises worse lxxxv my tonguetied muse in manners holds her still while comments of your praise richly compiled reserve their character with golden quill and precious phrase by all the muses filed i think good thoughts whilst other write good words and like unletter'd clerk still cry amen' to every hymn that able spirit affords in polish'd form of wellrefined pen hearing you praised i say 'tis so tis true' and to the most of praise add something more but that is in my thought whose love to you though words come hindmost holds his rank before then others for the breath of words respect me for my dumb thoughts speaking in effect lxxxvi was it the proud full sail of his great verse bound for the prize of all too precious you that did my ripe thoughts in my brain inhearse making their tomb the womb wherein they grew was it his spirit by spirits taught to write above a mortal pitch that struck me dead no neither he nor his compeers by night giving him aid my verse astonished he nor that affable familiar ghost which nightly gulls him with intelligence as victors of my silence cannot boast i was not sick of any fear from thence but when your countenance fill'd up his line then lack'd i matter that enfeebled mine lxxxvii farewell thou art too dear for my possessing and like enough thou know'st thy estimate the charter of thy worth gives thee releasing my bonds in thee are all determinate for how do i hold thee but by thy granting and for that riches where is my deserving the cause of this fair gift in me is wanting and so my patent back again is swerving thyself thou gavest thy own worth then not knowing or me to whom thou gavest it else mistaking so thy great gift upon misprision growing comes home again on better judgment making thus have i had thee as a dream doth flatter in sleep a king but waking no such matter lxxxviii when thou shalt be disposed to set me light and place my merit in the eye of scorn upon thy side against myself i'll fight and prove thee virtuous though thou art forsworn with mine own weakness being best acquainted upon thy part i can set down a story of faults conceal'd wherein i am attainted that thou in losing me shalt win much glory and i by this will be a gainer too for bending all my loving thoughts on thee the injuries that to myself i do doing thee vantage doublevantage me such is my love to thee i so belong that for thy right myself will bear all wrong lxxxix say that thou didst forsake me for some fault and i will comment upon that offence speak of my lameness and i straight will halt against thy reasons making no defence thou canst not love disgrace me half so ill to set a form upon desired change as i'll myself disgrace knowing thy will i will acquaintance strangle and look strange be absent from thy walks and in my tongue thy sweet beloved name no more shall dwell lest i too much profane should do it wrong and haply of our old acquaintance tell for thee against myself i'll vow debate for i must ne'er love him whom thou dost hate xc then hate me when thou wilt if ever now now while the world is bent my deeds to cross join with the spite of fortune make me bow and do not drop in for an afterloss ah do not when my heart hath scoped this sorrow come in the rearward of a conquer'd woe give not a windy night a rainy morrow to linger out a purposed overthrow if thou wilt leave me do not leave me last when other petty griefs have done their spite but in the onset come so shall i taste at first the very worst of fortune's might and other strains of woe which now seem woe compared with loss of thee will not seem so xci some glory in their birth some in their skill some in their wealth some in their bodies force some in their garments though newfangled ill some in their hawks and hounds some in their horse and every humour hath his adjunct pleasure wherein it finds a joy above the rest but these particulars are not my measure all these i better in one general best thy love is better than high birth to me richer than wealth prouder than garments cost of more delight than hawks or horses be and having thee of all men's pride i boast wretched in this alone that thou mayst take all this away and me most wretched make xcii but do thy worst to steal thyself away for term of life thou art assured mine and life no longer than thy love will stay for it depends upon that love of thine then need i not to fear the worst of wrongs when in the least of them my life hath end i see a better state to me belongs than that which on thy humour doth depend thou canst not vex me with inconstant mind since that my life on thy revolt doth lie o what a happy title do i find happy to have thy love happy to die but what's so blessedfair that fears no blot thou mayst be false and yet i know it not xciii so shall i live supposing thou art true like a deceived husband so love's face may still seem love to me though alter'd new thy looks with me thy heart in other place for there can live no hatred in thine eye therefore in that i cannot know thy change in many's looks the false heart's history is writ in moods and frowns and wrinkles strange but heaven in thy creation did decree that in thy face sweet love should ever dwell whate'er thy thoughts or thy heart's workings be thy looks should nothing thence but sweetness tell how like eve's apple doth thy beauty grow if thy sweet virtue answer not thy show xciv they that have power to hurt and will do none that do not do the thing they most do show who moving others are themselves as stone unmoved cold and to temptation slow they rightly do inherit heaven's graces and husband nature's riches from expense they are the lords and owners of their faces others but stewards of their excellence the summer's flower is to the summer sweet though to itself it only live and die but if that flower with base infection meet the basest weed outbraves his dignity for sweetest things turn sourest by their deeds lilies that fester smell far worse than weeds xcv how sweet and lovely dost thou make the shame which like a canker in the fragrant rose doth spot the beauty of thy budding name o in what sweets dost thou thy sins enclose that tongue that tells the story of thy days making lascivious comments on thy sport cannot dispraise but in a kind of praise naming thy name blesses an ill report o what a mansion have those vices got which for their habitation chose out thee where beauty's veil doth cover every blot and all things turn to fair that eyes can see take heed dear heart of this large privilege the hardest knife illused doth lose his edge xcvi some say thy fault is youth some wantonness some say thy grace is youth and gentle sport both grace and faults are loved of more and less thou makest faults graces that to thee resort as on the finger of a throned queen the basest jewel will be well esteem'd so are those errors that in thee are seen to truths translated and for true things deem'd how many lambs might the stem wolf betray if like a lamb he could his looks translate how many gazers mightst thou lead away if thou wouldst use the strength of all thy state but do not so i love thee in such sort as thou being mine mine is thy good report xcvii how like a winter hath my absence been from thee the pleasure of the fleeting year what freezings have i felt what dark days seen what old december's bareness every where and yet this time removed was summer's time the teeming autumn big with rich increase bearing the wanton burden of the prime like widow'd wombs after their lords decease yet this abundant issue seem'd to me but hope of orphans and unfather'd fruit for summer and his pleasures wait on thee and thou away the very birds are mute or if they sing tis with so dull a cheer that leaves look pale dreading the winter's near xcviii from you have i been absent in the spring when proudpied april dress'd in all his trim hath put a spirit of youth in every thing that heavy saturn laugh'd and leap'd with him yet nor the lays of birds nor the sweet smell of different flowers in odour and in hue could make me any summer's story tell or from their proud lap pluck them where they grew nor did i wonder at the lily's white nor praise the deep vermilion in the rose they were but sweet but figures of delight drawn after you you pattern of all those yet seem'd it winter still and you away as with your shadow i with these did play xcix the forward violet thus did i chide sweet thief whence didst thou steal thy sweet that smells if not from my love's breath the purple pride which on thy soft cheek for complexion dwells in my love's veins thou hast too grossly dyed the lily i condemned for thy hand and buds of marjoram had stol'n thy hair the roses fearfully on thorns did stand one blushing shame another white despair a third nor red nor white had stol'n of both and to his robbery had annex'd thy breath but for his theft in pride of all his growth a vengeful canker eat him up to death more flowers i noted yet i none could see but sweet or colour it had stol'n from thee c where art thou muse that thou forget'st so long to speak of that which gives thee all thy might spend'st thou thy fury on some worthless song darkening thy power to lend base subjects light return forgetful muse and straight redeem in gentle numbers time so idly spent sing to the ear that doth thy lays esteem and gives thy pen both skill and argument rise resty muse my love's sweet face survey if time have any wrinkle graven there if any be a satire to decay and make time's spoils despised every where give my love fame faster than time wastes life so thou prevent'st his scythe and crooked knife ci o truant muse what shall be thy amends for thy neglect of truth in beauty dyed both truth and beauty on my love depends so dost thou too and therein dignified make answer muse wilt thou not haply say 'truth needs no colour with his colour fix'd beauty no pencil beauty's truth to lay but best is best if never intermix'd' because he needs no praise wilt thou be dumb excuse not silence so for't lies in thee to make him much outlive a gilded tomb and to be praised of ages yet to be then do thy office muse i teach thee how to make him seem long hence as he shows now cii my love is strengthen'd though more weak in seeming i love not less though less the show appear that love is merchandized whose rich esteeming the owner's tongue doth publish every where our love was new and then but in the spring when i was wont to greet it with my lays as philomel in summer's front doth sing and stops her pipe in growth of riper days not that the summer is less pleasant now than when her mournful hymns did hush the night but that wild music burthens every bough and sweets grown common lose their dear delight therefore like her i sometime hold my tongue because i would not dull you with my song ciii alack what poverty my muse brings forth that having such a scope to show her pride the argument all bare is of more worth than when it hath my added praise beside o blame me not if i no more can write look in your glass and there appears a face that overgoes my blunt invention quite dulling my lines and doing me disgrace were it not sinful then striving to mend to mar the subject that before was well for to no other pass my verses tend than of your graces and your gifts to tell and more much more than in my verse can sit your own glass shows you when you look in it civ to me fair friend you never can be old for as you were when first your eye i eyed such seems your beauty still three winters cold have from the forests shook three summers pride three beauteous springs to yellow autumn turn'd in process of the seasons have i seen three april perfumes in three hot junes burn'd since first i saw you fresh which yet are green ah yet doth beauty like a dialhand steal from his figure and no pace perceived so your sweet hue which methinks still doth stand hath motion and mine eye may be deceived for fear of which hear this thou age unbred ere you were born was beauty's summer dead cv let not my love be call'd idolatry nor my beloved as an idol show since all alike my songs and praises be to one of one still such and ever so kind is my love today tomorrow kind still constant in a wondrous excellence therefore my verse to constancy confined one thing expressing leaves out difference 'fair kind and true is all my argument 'fair kind and true varying to other words and in this change is my invention spent three themes in one which wondrous scope affords fair kind and true have often lived alone which three till now never kept seat in one cvi when in the chronicle of wasted time i see descriptions of the fairest wights and beauty making beautiful old rhyme in praise of ladies dead and lovely knights then in the blazon of sweet beauty's best of hand of foot of lip of eye of brow i see their antique pen would have express'd even such a beauty as you master now so all their praises are but prophecies of this our time all you prefiguring and for they look'd but with divining eyes they had not skill enough your worth to sing for we which now behold these present days had eyes to wonder but lack tongues to praise cvii not mine own fears nor the prophetic soul of the wide world dreaming on things to come can yet the lease of my true love control supposed as forfeit to a confined doom the mortal moon hath her eclipse endured and the sad augurs mock their own presage incertainties now crown themselves assured and peace proclaims olives of endless age now with the drops of this most balmy time my love looks fresh and death to me subscribes since spite of him i'll live in this poor rhyme while he insults o'er dull and speechless tribes and thou in this shalt find thy monument when tyrants crests and tombs of brass are spent cviii what's in the brain that ink may character which hath not figured to thee my true spirit what's new to speak what new to register that may express my love or thy dear merit nothing sweet boy but yet like prayers divine i must each day say o'er the very same counting no old thing old thou mine i thine even as when first i hallow'd thy fair name so that eternal love in love's fresh case weighs not the dust and injury of age nor gives to necessary wrinkles place but makes antiquity for aye his page finding the first conceit of love there bred where time and outward form would show it dead cix o never say that i was false of heart though absence seem'd my flame to qualify as easy might i from myself depart as from my soul which in thy breast doth lie that is my home of love if i have ranged like him that travels i return again just to the time not with the time exchanged so that myself bring water for my stain never believe though in my nature reign'd all frailties that besiege all kinds of blood that it could so preposterously be stain'd to leave for nothing all thy sum of good for nothing this wide universe i call save thou my rose in it thou art my all cx alas tis true i have gone here and there and made myself a motley to the view gored mine own thoughts sold cheap what is most dear made old offences of affections new most true it is that i have look'd on truth askance and strangely but by all above these blenches gave my heart another youth and worse essays proved thee my best of love now all is done have what shall have no end mine appetite i never more will grind on newer proof to try an older friend a god in love to whom i am confined then give me welcome next my heaven the best even to thy pure and most most loving breast cxi o for my sake do you with fortune chide the guilty goddess of my harmful deeds that did not better for my life provide than public means which public manners breeds thence comes it that my name receives a brand and almost thence my nature is subdued to what it works in like the dyer's hand pity me then and wish i were renew'd whilst like a willing patient i will drink potions of eisel gainst my strong infection no bitterness that i will bitter think nor double penance to correct correction pity me then dear friend and i assure ye even that your pity is enough to cure me cxii your love and pity doth the impression fill which vulgar scandal stamp'd upon my brow for what care i who calls me well or ill so you o'ergreen my bad my good allow you are my all the world and i must strive to know my shames and praises from your tongue none else to me nor i to none alive that my steel'd sense or changes right or wrong in so profound abysm i throw all care of others voices that my adder's sense to critic and to flatterer stopped are mark how with my neglect i do dispense you are so strongly in my purpose bred that all the world besides methinks are dead cxiii since i left you mine eye is in my mind and that which governs me to go about doth part his function and is partly blind seems seeing but effectually is out for it no form delivers to the heart of bird of flower or shape which it doth latch of his quick objects hath the mind no part nor his own vision holds what it doth catch for if it see the rudest or gentlest sight the most sweet favour or deformed'st creature the mountain or the sea the day or night the crow or dove it shapes them to your feature incapable of more replete with you my most true mind thus makes mine eye untrue cxiv or whether doth my mind being crown'd with you drink up the monarch's plague this flattery or whether shall i say mine eye saith true and that your love taught it this alchemy to make of monsters and things indigest such cherubins as your sweet self resemble creating every bad a perfect best as fast as objects to his beams assemble o'tis the first tis flattery in my seeing and my great mind most kingly drinks it up mine eye well knows what with his gust is greeing and to his palate doth prepare the cup if it be poison'd tis the lesser sin that mine eye loves it and doth first begin cxv those lines that i before have writ do lie even those that said i could not love you dearer yet then my judgment knew no reason why my most full flame should afterwards burn clearer but reckoning time whose million'd accidents creep in twixt vows and change decrees of kings tan sacred beauty blunt the sharp'st intents divert strong minds to the course of altering things alas why fearing of time's tyranny might i not then say now i love you best' when i was certain o'er incertainty crowning the present doubting of the rest love is a babe then might i not say so to give full growth to that which still doth grow cxvi let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments love is not love which alters when it alteration finds or bends with the remover to remove o no it is an everfixed mark that looks on tempests and is never shaken it is the star to every wandering bark whose worth's unknown although his height be taken love's not time's fool though rosy lips and cheeks within his bending sickle's compass come love alters not with his brief hours and weeks but bears it out even to the edge of doom if this be error and upon me proved i never writ nor no man ever loved cxvii accuse me thus that i have scanted all wherein i should your great deserts repay forgot upon your dearest love to call whereto all bonds do tie me day by day that i have frequent been with unknown minds and given to time your own dearpurchased right that i have hoisted sail to all the winds which should transport me farthest from your sight book both my wilfulness and errors down and on just proof surmise accumulate bring me within the level of your frown but shoot not at me in your waken'd hate since my appeal says i did strive to prove the constancy and virtue of your love cxviii like as to make our appetites more keen with eager compounds we our palate urge as to prevent our maladies unseen we sicken to shun sickness when we purge even so being tuff of your ne'ercloying sweetness to bitter sauces did i frame my feeding and sick of welfare found a kind of meetness to be diseased ere that there was true needing thus policy in love to anticipate the ills that were not grew to faults assured and brought to medicine a healthful state which rank of goodness would by ill be cured but thence i learn and find the lesson true drugs poison him that so fell sick of you cxix what potions have i drunk of siren tears distill'd from limbecks foul as hell within applying fears to hopes and hopes to fears still losing when i saw myself to win what wretched errors hath my heart committed whilst it hath thought itself so blessed never how have mine eyes out of their spheres been fitted in the distraction of this madding fever o benefit of ill now i find true that better is by evil still made better and ruin'd love when it is built anew grows fairer than at first more strong far greater so i return rebuked to my content and gain by ill thrice more than i have spent cxx that you were once unkind befriends me now and for that sorrow which i then did feel needs must i under my transgression bow unless my nerves were brass or hammer'd steel for if you were by my unkindness shaken as i by yours you've pass'd a hell of time and i a tyrant have no leisure taken to weigh how once i suffered in your crime o that our night of woe might have remember'd my deepest sense how hard true sorrow hits and soon to you as you to me then tender'd the humble slave which wounded bosoms fits but that your trespass now becomes a fee mine ransoms yours and yours must ransom me cxxi 'tis better to be vile than vile esteem'd when not to be receives reproach of being and the just pleasure lost which is so deem'd not by our feeling but by others seeing for why should others false adulterate eyes give salutation to my sportive blood or on my frailties why are frailer spies which in their wills count bad what i think good no i am that i am and they that level at my abuses reckon up their own i may be straight though they themselves be bevel by their rank thoughts my deeds must not be shown unless this general evil they maintain all men are bad and in their badness reign cxxii thy gift thy tables are within my brain full character'd with lasting memory which shall above that idle rank remain beyond all date even to eternity or at the least so long as brain and heart have faculty by nature to subsist till each to razed oblivion yield his part of thee thy record never can be miss'd that poor retention could not so much hold nor need i tallies thy dear love to score therefore to give them from me was i bold to trust those tables that receive thee more to keep an adjunct to remember thee were to import forgetfulness in me cxxiii no time thou shalt not boast that i do change thy pyramids built up with newer might to me are nothing novel nothing strange they are but dressings of a former sight our dates are brief and therefore we admire what thou dost foist upon us that is old and rather make them born to our desire than think that we before have heard them told thy registers and thee i both defy not wondering at the present nor the past for thy records and what we see doth lie made more or less by thy continual haste this i do vow and this shall ever be i will be true despite thy scythe and thee cxxiv if my dear love were but the child of state it might for fortune's bastard be unfather'd' as subject to time's love or to time's hate weeds among weeds or flowers with flowers gather'd no it was builded far from accident it suffers not in smiling pomp nor falls under the blow of thralled discontent whereto the inviting time our fashion calls it fears not policy that heretic which works on leases of shortnumber'd hours but all alone stands hugely politic that it nor grows with heat nor drowns with showers to this i witness call the fools of time which die for goodness who have lived for crime cxxv were t aught to me i bore the canopy with my extern the outward honouring or laid great bases for eternity which prove more short than waste or ruining have i not seen dwellers on form and favour lose all and more by paying too much rent for compound sweet forgoing simple savour pitiful thrivers in their gazing spent no let me be obsequious in thy heart and take thou my oblation poor but free which is not mix'd with seconds knows no art but mutual render only me for thee hence thou suborn'd informer a true soul when most impeach'd stands least in thy control cxxvi o thou my lovely boy who in thy power dost hold time's fickle glass his sickle hour who hast by waning grown and therein show'st thy lovers withering as thy sweet self grow'st if nature sovereign mistress over wrack as thou goest onwards still will pluck thee back she keeps thee to this purpose that her skill may time disgrace and wretched minutes kill yet fear her o thou minion of her pleasure she may detain but not still keep her treasure her audit though delay'd answer'd must be and her quietus is to render thee cxxvii in the old age black was not counted fair or if it were it bore not beauty's name but now is black beauty's successive heir and beauty slander'd with a bastard shame for since each hand hath put on nature's power fairing the foul with art's false borrow'd face sweet beauty hath no name no holy bower but is profaned if not lives in disgrace therefore my mistress brows are raven black her eyes so suited and they mourners seem at such who not born fair no beauty lack slandering creation with a false esteem yet so they mourn becoming of their woe that every tongue says beauty should look so cxxviii how oft when thou my music music play'st upon that blessed wood whose motion sounds with thy sweet fingers when thou gently sway'st the wiry concord that mine ear confounds do i envy those jacks that nimble leap to kiss the tender inward of thy hand whilst my poor lips which should that harvest reap at the wood's boldness by thee blushing stand to be so tickled they would change their state and situation with those dancing chips o'er whom thy fingers walk with gentle gait making dead wood more blest than living lips since saucy jacks so happy are in this give them thy fingers me thy lips to kiss cxxix the expense of spirit in a waste of shame is lust in action and till action lust is perjured murderous bloody full of blame savage extreme rude cruel not to trust enjoy'd no sooner but despised straight past reason hunted and no sooner had past reason hated as a swallow'd bait on purpose laid to make the taker mad mad in pursuit and in possession so had having and in quest to have extreme a bliss in proof and proved a very woe before a joy proposed behind a dream all this the world well knows yet none knows well to shun the heaven that leads men to this hell cxxx my mistress eyes are nothing like the sun coral is far more red than her lips red if snow be white why then her breasts are dun if hairs be wires black wires grow on her head i have seen roses damask'd red and white but no such roses see i in her cheeks and in some perfumes is there more delight than in the breath that from my mistress reeks i love to hear her speak yet well i know that music hath a far more pleasing sound i grant i never saw a goddess go my mistress when she walks treads on the ground and yet by heaven i think my love as rare as any she belied with false compare cxxxi thou art as tyrannous so as thou art as those whose beauties proudly make them cruel for well thou know'st to my dear doting heart thou art the fairest and most precious jewel yet in good faith some say that thee behold thy face hath not the power to make love groan to say they err i dare not be so bold although i swear it to myself alone and to be sure that is not false i swear a thousand groans but thinking on thy face one on another's neck do witness bear thy black is fairest in my judgment's place in nothing art thou black save in thy deeds and thence this slander as i think proceeds cxxxii thine eyes i love and they as pitying me knowing thy heart torments me with disdain have put on black and loving mourners be looking with pretty ruth upon my pain and truly not the morning sun of heaven better becomes the grey cheeks of the east nor that full star that ushers in the even doth half that glory to the sober west as those two mourning eyes become thy face o let it then as well beseem thy heart to mourn for me since mourning doth thee grace and suit thy pity like in every part then will i swear beauty herself is black and all they foul that thy complexion lack cxxxiii beshrew that heart that makes my heart to groan for that deep wound it gives my friend and me is't not enough to torture me alone but slave to slavery my sweet'st friend must be me from myself thy cruel eye hath taken and my next self thou harder hast engross'd of him myself and thee i am forsaken a torment thrice threefold thus to be cross'd prison my heart in thy steel bosom's ward but then my friend's heart let my poor heart bail whoe'er keeps me let my heart be his guard thou canst not then use rigor in my gaol and yet thou wilt for i being pent in thee perforce am thine and all that is in me cxxxiv so now i have confess'd that he is thine and i myself am mortgaged to thy will myself i'll forfeit so that other mine thou wilt restore to be my comfort still but thou wilt not nor he will not be free for thou art covetous and he is kind he learn'd but suretylike to write for me under that bond that him as fast doth bind the statute of thy beauty thou wilt take thou usurer that put'st forth all to use and sue a friend came debtor for my sake so him i lose through my unkind abuse him have i lost thou hast both him and me he pays the whole and yet am i not free cxxxv whoever hath her wish thou hast thy will' and will to boot and will in overplus more than enough am i that vex thee still to thy sweet will making addition thus wilt thou whose will is large and spacious not once vouchsafe to hide my will in thine shall will in others seem right gracious and in my will no fair acceptance shine the sea all water yet receives rain still and in abundance addeth to his store so thou being rich in will add to thy will' one will of mine to make thy large will more let no unkind no fair beseechers kill think all but one and me in that one will' cxxxvi if thy soul cheque thee that i come so near swear to thy blind soul that i was thy will' and will thy soul knows is admitted there thus far for love my lovesuit sweet fulfil 'will will fulfil the treasure of thy love ay fill it full with wills and my will one in things of great receipt with ease we prove among a number one is reckon'd none then in the number let me pass untold though in thy stores account i one must be for nothing hold me so it please thee hold that nothing me a something sweet to thee make but my name thy love and love that still and then thou lovest me for my name is will' cxxxvii thou blind fool love what dost thou to mine eyes that they behold and see not what they see they know what beauty is see where it lies yet what the best is take the worst to be if eyes corrupt by overpartial looks be anchor'd in the bay where all men ride why of eyes falsehood hast thou forged hooks whereto the judgment of my heart is tied why should my heart think that a several plot which my heart knows the wide world's common place or mine eyes seeing this say this is not to put fair truth upon so foul a face in things right true my heart and eyes have erred and to this false plague are they now transferr'd cxxxviii when my love swears that she is made of truth i do believe her though i know she lies that she might think me some untutor'd youth unlearned in the world's false subtleties thus vainly thinking that she thinks me young although she knows my days are past the best simply i credit her false speaking tongue on both sides thus is simple truth suppress'd but wherefore says she not she is unjust and wherefore say not i that i am old o love's best habit is in seeming trust and age in love loves not to have years told therefore i lie with her and she with me and in our faults by lies we flatter'd be cxxxix o call not me to justify the wrong that thy unkindness lays upon my heart wound me not with thine eye but with thy tongue use power with power and slay me not by art tell me thou lovest elsewhere but in my sight dear heart forbear to glance thine eye aside what need'st thou wound with cunning when thy might is more than my o'erpress'd defense can bide let me excuse thee ah my love well knows her pretty looks have been mine enemies and therefore from my face she turns my foes that they elsewhere might dart their injuries yet do not so but since i am near slain kill me outright with looks and rid my pain cxl be wise as thou art cruel do not press my tonguetied patience with too much disdain lest sorrow lend me words and words express the manner of my pitywanting pain if i might teach thee wit better it were though not to love yet love to tell me so as testy sick men when their deaths be near no news but health from their physicians know for if i should despair i should grow mad and in my madness might speak ill of thee now this illwresting world is grown so bad mad slanderers by mad ears believed be that i may not be so nor thou belied bear thine eyes straight though thy proud heart go wide cxli in faith i do not love thee with mine eyes for they in thee a thousand errors note but tis my heart that loves what they despise who in despite of view is pleased to dote nor are mine ears with thy tongue's tune delighted nor tender feeling to base touches prone nor taste nor smell desire to be invited to any sensual feast with thee alone but my five wits nor my five senses can dissuade one foolish heart from serving thee who leaves unsway'd the likeness of a man thy proud hearts slave and vassal wretch to be only my plague thus far i count my gain that she that makes me sin awards me pain cxlii love is my sin and thy dear virtue hate hate of my sin grounded on sinful loving o but with mine compare thou thine own state and thou shalt find it merits not reproving or if it do not from those lips of thine that have profaned their scarlet ornaments and seal'd false bonds of love as oft as mine robb'd others beds revenues of their rents be it lawful i love thee as thou lovest those whom thine eyes woo as mine importune thee root pity in thy heart that when it grows thy pity may deserve to pitied be if thou dost seek to have what thou dost hide by selfexample mayst thou be denied cxliii lo as a careful housewife runs to catch one of her feather'd creatures broke away sets down her babe and makes an swift dispatch in pursuit of the thing she would have stay whilst her neglected child holds her in chase cries to catch her whose busy care is bent to follow that which flies before her face not prizing her poor infant's discontent so runn'st thou after that which flies from thee whilst i thy babe chase thee afar behind but if thou catch thy hope turn back to me and play the mother's part kiss me be kind so will i pray that thou mayst have thy will' if thou turn back and my loud crying still cxliv two loves i have of comfort and despair which like two spirits do suggest me still the better angel is a man right fair the worser spirit a woman colour'd ill to win me soon to hell my female evil tempteth my better angel from my side and would corrupt my saint to be a devil wooing his purity with her foul pride and whether that my angel be turn'd fiend suspect i may but not directly tell but being both from me both to each friend i guess one angel in another's hell yet this shall i ne'er know but live in doubt till my bad angel fire my good one out cxlv those lips that love's own hand did make breathed forth the sound that said i hate' to me that languish'd for her sake but when she saw my woeful state straight in her heart did mercy come chiding that tongue that ever sweet was used in giving gentle doom and taught it thus anew to greet 'i hate she alter'd with an end that follow'd it as gentle day doth follow night who like a fiend from heaven to hell is flown away i hate from hate away she threw and saved my life saying not you' cxlvi poor soul the centre of my sinful earth these rebel powers that thee array why dost thou pine within and suffer dearth painting thy outward walls so costly gay why so large cost having so short a lease dost thou upon thy fading mansion spend shall worms inheritors of this excess eat up thy charge is this thy body's end then soul live thou upon thy servant's loss and let that pine to aggravate thy store buy terms divine in selling hours of dross within be fed without be rich no more so shalt thou feed on death that feeds on men and death once dead there's no more dying then cxlvii my love is as a fever longing still for that which longer nurseth the disease feeding on that which doth preserve the ill the uncertain sickly appetite to please my reason the physician to my love angry that his prescriptions are not kept hath left me and i desperate now approve desire is death which physic did except past cure i am now reason is past care and franticmad with evermore unrest my thoughts and my discourse as madmen's are at random from the truth vainly express'd for i have sworn thee fair and thought thee bright who art as black as hell as dark as night cxlviii o me what eyes hath love put in my head which have no correspondence with true sight or if they have where is my judgment fled that censures falsely what they see aright if that be fair whereon my false eyes dote what means the world to say it is not so if it be not then love doth well denote love's eye is not so true as all men's no' how can it o how can love's eye be true that is so vex'd with watching and with tears no marvel then though i mistake my view the sun itself sees not till heaven clears o cunning love with tears thou keep'st me blind lest eyes wellseeing thy foul faults should find cxlix canst thou o cruel say i love thee not when i against myself with thee partake do i not think on thee when i forgot am of myself all tyrant for thy sake who hateth thee that i do call my friend on whom frown'st thou that i do fawn upon nay if thou lour'st on me do i not spend revenge upon myself with present moan what merit do i in myself respect that is so proud thy service to despise when all my best doth worship thy defect commanded by the motion of thine eyes but love hate on for now i know thy mind those that can see thou lovest and i am blind cl o from what power hast thou this powerful might with insufficiency my heart to sway to make me give the lie to my true sight and swear that brightness doth not grace the day whence hast thou this becoming of things ill that in the very refuse of thy deeds there is such strength and warrantize of skill that in my mind thy worst all best exceeds who taught thee how to make me love thee more the more i hear and see just cause of hate o though i love what others do abhor with others thou shouldst not abhor my state if thy unworthiness raised love in me more worthy i to be beloved of thee cli love is too young to know what conscience is yet who knows not conscience is born of love then gentle cheater urge not my amiss lest guilty of my faults thy sweet self prove for thou betraying me i do betray my nobler part to my gross body's treason my soul doth tell my body that he may triumph in love flesh stays no father reason but rising at thy name doth point out thee as his triumphant prize proud of this pride he is contented thy poor drudge to be to stand in thy affairs fall by thy side no want of conscience hold it that i call her love for whose dear love i rise and fall clii in loving thee thou know'st i am forsworn but thou art twice forsworn to me love swearing in act thy bedvow broke and new faith torn in vowing new hate after new love bearing but why of two oaths breach do i accuse thee when i break twenty i am perjured most for all my vows are oaths but to misuse thee and all my honest faith in thee is lost for i have sworn deep oaths of thy deep kindness oaths of thy love thy truth thy constancy and to enlighten thee gave eyes to blindness or made them swear against the thing they see for i have sworn thee fair more perjured i to swear against the truth so foul a lie cliii cupid laid by his brand and fell asleep a maid of dian's this advantage found and his lovekindling fire did quickly steep in a cold valleyfountain of that ground which borrow'd from this holy fire of love a dateless lively heat still to endure and grew a seething bath which yet men prove against strange maladies a sovereign cure but at my mistress eye love's brand newfired the boy for trial needs would touch my breast i sick withal the help of bath desired and thither hied a sad distemper'd guest but found no cure the bath for my help lies where cupid got new firemy mistress eyes cliv the little lovegod lying once asleep laid by his side his heartinflaming brand whilst many nymphs that vow'd chaste life to keep came tripping by but in her maiden hand the fairest votary took up that fire which many legions of true hearts had warm'd and so the general of hot desire was sleeping by a virgin hand disarm'd this brand she quenched in a cool well by which from love's fire took heat perpetual growing a bath and healthful remedy for men diseased but i my mistress thrall came there for cure and this by that i prove love's fire heats water water cools not love the passionate pilgrim i when my love swears that she is made of truth i do believe her though i know she lies that she might think me some untutor'd youth unskilful in the world's false forgeries thus vainly thinking that she thinks me young although i know my years be past the best i smiling credit her falsespeaking tongue outfacing faults in love with love's ill rest but wherefore says my love that she is young and wherefore say not i that i am old o love's best habit is a soothing tongue and age in love loves not to have years told therefore i'll lie with love and love with me since that our faults in love thus smother'd be ii two loves i have of comfort and despair that like two spirits do suggest me still my better angel is a man right fair my worser spirit a woman colour'd ill to win me soon to hell my female evil tempteth my better angel from my side and would corrupt my saint to be a devil wooing his purity with her fair pride and whether that my angel be turn'd fiend suspect i may yet not directly tell for being both to me both to each friend i guess one angel in another's hell the truth i shall not know but live in doubt till my bad angel fire my good one out iii did not the heavenly rhetoric of thine eye 'gainst whom the world could not hold argument persuade my heart to this false perjury vows for thee broke deserve not punishment a woman i forswore but i will prove thou being a goddess i forswore not thee my vow was earthly thou a heavenly love thy grace being gain'd cures all disgrace in me my vow was breath and breath a vapour is then thou fair sun that on this earth doth shine exhale this vapour vow in thee it is if broken then it is no fault of mine if by me broke what fool is not so wise to break an oath to win a paradise iv sweet cytherea sitting by a brook with young adonis lovely fresh and green did court the lad with many a lovely look such looks as none could look but beauty's queen she told him stories to delight his ear she showed him favors to allure his eye to win his heart she touch'd him here and there touches so soft still conquer chastity but whether unripe years did want conceit or he refused to take her figured proffer the tender nibbler would not touch the bait but smile and jest at every gentle offer then fell she on her back fair queen and toward he rose and ran away ah fool too froward v if love make me forsworn how shall i swear to love o never faith could hold if not to beauty vow'd though to myself forsworn to thee i'll constant prove those thoughts to me like oaks to thee like osiers bow'd study his bias leaves and makes his book thine eyes where all those pleasures live that art can comprehend if knowledge be the mark to know thee shall suffice well learned is that tongue that well can thee commend all ignorant that soul that sees thee without wonder which is to me some praise that i thy parts admire thine eye jove's lightning seems thy voice his dreadful thunder which not to anger bent is music and sweet fire celestial as thou art o do not love that wrong to sing heaven's praise with such an earthly tongue vi scarce had the sun dried up the dewy morn and scarce the herd gone to the hedge for shade when cytherea all in love forlorn a longing tarriance for adonis made under an osier growing by a brook a brook where adon used to cool his spleen hot was the day she hotter that did look for his approach that often there had been anon he comes and throws his mantle by and stood stark naked on the brook's green brim the sun look'd on the world with glorious eye yet not so wistly as this queen on him he spying her bounced in whereas he stood 'o jove quoth she why was not i a flood' vii fair is my love but not so fair as fickle mild as a dove but neither true nor trusty brighter than glass and yet as glass is brittle softer than wax and yet as iron rusty a lily pale with damask dye to grace her none fairer nor none falser to deface her her lips to mine how often hath she joined between each kiss her oaths of true love swearing how many tales to please me hath she coined dreading my love the loss thereof still fearing yet in the midst of all her pure protestings her faith her oaths her tears and all were jestings she burn'd with love as straw with fire flameth she burn'd out love as soon as straw outburneth she framed the love and yet she foil'd the framing she bade love last and yet she fell aturning was this a lover or a lecher whether bad in the best though excellent in neither viii if music and sweet poetry agree as they must needs the sister and the brother then must the love be great twixt thee and me because thou lovest the one and i the other dowland to thee is dear whose heavenly touch upon the lute doth ravish human sense spenser to me whose deep conceit is such as passing all conceit needs no defence thou lovest to hear the sweet melodious sound that phoebus lute the queen of music makes and i in deep delight am chiefly drown'd when as himself to singing he betakes one god is god of both as poets feign one knight loves both and both in thee remain ix fair was the morn when the fair queen of love paler for sorrow than her milkwhite dove for adon's sake a youngster proud and wild her stand she takes upon a steepup hill anon adonis comes with horn and hounds she silly queen with more than love's good will forbade the boy he should not pass those grounds 'once quoth she did i see a fair sweet youth here in these brakes deepwounded with a boar deep in the thigh a spectacle of ruth see in my thigh quoth she here was the sore' she showed hers he saw more wounds than one and blushing fled and left her all alone x sweet rose fair flower untimely pluck'd soon vaded pluck'd in the bud and vaded in the spring bright orient pearl alack too timely shaded fair creature kill'd too soon by death's sharp sting like a green plum that hangs upon a tree and falls through wind before the fall should be i weep for thee and yet no cause i have for why thou left'st me nothing in thy will and yet thou left'st me more than i did crave for why i craved nothing of thee still o yes dear friend i pardon crave of thee thy discontent thou didst bequeath to me xi venus with young adonis sitting by her under a myrtle shade began to woo him she told the youngling how god mars did try her and as he fell to her so fell she to him 'even thus quoth she the warlike god embraced me' and then she clipp'd adonis in her arms 'even thus quoth she the warlike god unlaced me' as if the boy should use like loving charms 'even thus quoth she he seized on my lips' and with her lips on his did act the seizure and as she fetched breath away he skips and would not take her meaning nor her pleasure ah that i had my lady at this bay to kiss and clip me till i run away xii crabbed age and youth cannot live together youth is full of pleasance age is full of care youth like summer morn age like winter weather youth like summer brave age like winter bare youth is full of sport age's breath is short youth is nimble age is lame youth is hot and bold age is weak and cold youth is wild and age is tame age i do abhor thee youth i do adore thee o my love my love is young age i do defy thee o sweet shepherd hie thee for methinks thou stay'st too long xiii beauty is but a vain and doubtful good a shining gloss that vadeth suddenly a flower that dies when first it gins to bud a brittle glass that's broken presently a doubtful good a gloss a glass a flower lost vaded broken dead within an hour and as goods lost are seld or never found as vaded gloss no rubbing will refresh as flowers dead lie wither'd on the ground as broken glass no cement can redress so beauty blemish'd once's for ever lost in spite of physic painting pain and cost xiv good night good rest ah neither be my share she bade good night that kept my rest away and daff'd me to a cabin hang'd with care to descant on the doubts of my decay 'farewell quoth she and come again tomorrow' fare well i could not for i supp'd with sorrow yet at my parting sweetly did she smile in scorn or friendship nill i construe whether 't may be she joy'd to jest at my exile 't may be again to make me wander thither 'wander a word for shadows like myself as take the pain but cannot pluck the pelf xv lord how mine eyes throw gazes to the east my heart doth charge the watch the morning rise doth cite each moving sense from idle rest not daring trust the office of mine eyes while philomela sits and sings i sit and mark and wish her lays were tuned like the lark for she doth welcome daylight with her ditty and drives away dark dismaldreaming night the night so pack'd i post unto my pretty heart hath his hope and eyes their wished sight sorrow changed to solace solace mix'd with sorrow for why she sigh'd and bade me come tomorrow were i with her the night would post too soon but now are minutes added to the hours to spite me now each minute seems a moon yet not for me shine sun to succor flowers pack night peep day good day of night now borrow short night tonight and length thyself tomorrow sonnets to sundry notes of music xvi it was a lording's daughter the fairest one of three that liked of her master as well as well might be till looking on an englishman the fair'st that eye could see her fancy fell aturning long was the combat doubtful that love with love did fight to leave the master loveless or kill the gallant knight to put in practise either alas it was a spite unto the silly damsel but one must be refused more mickle was the pain that nothing could be used to turn them both to gain for of the two the trusty knight was wounded with disdain alas she could not help it thus art with arms contending was victor of the day which by a gift of learning did bear the maid away then lullaby the learned man hath got the lady gay for now my song is ended xvii on a day alack the day love whose month was ever may spied a blossom passing fair playing in the wanton air through the velvet leaves the wind all unseen gan passage find that the lover sick to death wish'd himself the heaven's breath 'air quoth he thy cheeks may blow air would i might triumph so but alas my hand hath sworn ne'er to pluck thee from thy thorn vow alack for youth unmeet youth so apt to pluck a sweet thou for whom jove would swear juno but an ethiope were and deny himself for jove turning mortal for thy love' xviii my flocks feed not my ewes breed not my rams speed not all is amiss love's denying faith's defying heart's renying causer of this all my merry jigs are quite forgot all my lady's love is lost god wot where her faith was firmly fix'd in love there a nay is placed without remove one silly cross wrought all my loss o frowning fortune cursed fickle dame for now i see inconstancy more in women than in men remain in black mourn i all fears scorn i love hath forlorn me living in thrall heart is bleeding all help needing o cruel speeding fraughted with gall my shepherd's pipe can sound no deal my wether's bell rings doleful knell my curtail dog that wont to have play'd plays not at all but seems afraid my sighs so deep procure to weep in howling wise to see my doleful plight how sighs resound through heartless ground like a thousand vanquish'd men in bloody fight clear wells spring not sweet birds sing not green plants bring not forth their dye herds stand weeping flocks all sleeping nymphs back peeping fearfully all our pleasure known to us poor swains all our merry meetings on the plains all our evening sport from us is fled all our love is lost for love is dead farewell sweet lass thy like ne'er was for a sweet content the cause of all my moan poor corydon must live alone other help for him i see that there is none xix when as thine eye hath chose the dame and stall'd the deer that thou shouldst strike let reason rule things worthy blame as well as fancy partial might take counsel of some wiser head neither too young nor yet unwed and when thou comest thy tale to tell smooth not thy tongue with filed talk lest she some subtle practise smell a cripple soon can find a halt but plainly say thou lovest her well and set thy person forth to sell what though her frowning brows be bent her cloudy looks will calm ere night and then too late she will repent that thus dissembled her delight and twice desire ere it be day that which with scorn she put away what though she strive to try her strength and ban and brawl and say thee nay her feeble force will yield at length when craft hath taught her thus to say 'had women been so strong as men in faith you had not had it then' and to her will frame all thy ways spare not to spend and chiefly there where thy desert may merit praise by ringing in thy lady's ear the strongest castle tower and town the golden bullet beats it down serve always with assured trust and in thy suit be humble true unless thy lady prove unjust press never thou to choose anew when time shall serve be thou not slack to proffer though she put thee back the wiles and guiles that women work dissembled with an outward show the tricks and toys that in them lurk the cock that treads them shall not know have you not heard it said full oft a woman's nay doth stand for nought think women still to strive with men to sin and never for to saint there is no heaven by holy then when time with age doth them attaint were kisses all the joys in bed one woman would another wed but soft enough too much i fear lest that my mistress hear my song she will not stick to round me i the ear to teach my tongue to be so long yet will she blush here be it said to hear her secrets so bewray'd xx live with me and be my love and we will all the pleasures prove that hills and valleys dales and fields and all the craggy mountains yields there will we sit upon the rocks and see the shepherds feed their flocks by shallow rivers by whose falls melodious birds sing madrigals there will i make thee a bed of roses with a thousand fragrant posies a cap of flowers and a kirtle embroider'd all with leaves of myrtle a belt of straw and ivy buds with coral clasps and amber studs and if these pleasures may thee move then live with me and be my love love's answer if that the world and love were young and truth in every shepherd's tongue these pretty pleasures might me move to live with thee and be thy love xxi as it fell upon a day in the merry month of may sitting in a pleasant shade which a grove of myrtles made beasts did leap and birds did sing trees did grow and plants did spring every thing did banish moan save the nightingale alone she poor bird as all forlorn lean'd her breast uptill a thorn and there sung the dolefull'st ditty that to hear it was great pity 'fie fie fie now would she cry 'tereu tereu by and by that to hear her so complain scarce i could from tears refrain for her griefs so lively shown made me think upon mine own ah thought i thou mourn'st in vain none takes pity on thy pain senseless trees they cannot hear thee ruthless beasts they will not cheer thee king pandion he is dead all thy friends are lapp'd in lead all thy fellow birds do sing careless of thy sorrowing even so poor bird like thee none alive will pity me whilst as fickle fortune smiled thou and i were both beguiled every one that flatters thee is no friend in misery words are easy like the wind faithful friends are hard to find every man will be thy friend whilst thou hast wherewith to spend but if store of crowns be scant no man will supply thy want if that one be prodigal bountiful they will him call and with suchlike flattering 'pity but he were a king' if he be addict to vice quickly him they will entice if to women he be bent they have at commandement but if fortune once do frown then farewell his great renown they that fawn'd on him before use his company no more he that is thy friend indeed he will help thee in thy need if thou sorrow he will weep if thou wake he cannot sleep thus of every grief in heart he with thee doth bear a part these are certain signs to know faithful friend from flattering foe the phoenix and the turtle let the bird of loudest lay on the sole arabian tree herald sad and trumpet be to whose sound chaste wings obey but thou shrieking harbinger foul precurrer of the fiend augur of the fever's end to this troop come thou not near from this session interdict every fowl of tyrant wing save the eagle feather'd king keep the obsequy so strict let the priest in surplice white that defunctive music can be the deathdivining swan lest the requiem lack his right and thou trebledated crow that thy sable gender makest with the breath thou givest and takest mongst our mourners shalt thou go here the anthem doth commence love and constancy is dead phoenix and the turtle fled in a mutual flame from hence so they loved as love in twain had the essence but in one two distincts division none number there in love was slain hearts remote yet not asunder distance and no space was seen twixt the turtle and his queen but in them it were a wonder so between them love did shine that the turtle saw his right flaming in the phoenix sight either was the other's mine property was thus appalled that the self was not the same single nature's double name neither two nor one was called reason in itself confounded saw division grow together to themselves yet either neither simple were so well compounded that it cried how true a twain seemeth this concordant one love hath reason reason none if what parts can so remain whereupon it made this threne to the phoenix and the dove cosupremes and stars of love as chorus to their tragic scene threnos beauty truth and rarity grace in all simplicity here enclosed in cinders lie death is now the phoenix nest and the turtle's loyal breast to eternity doth rest leaving no posterity twas not their infirmity it was married chastity truth may seem but cannot be beauty brag but tis not she truth and beauty buried be to this urn let those repair that are either true or fair for these dead birds sigh a prayer venus and adonis 'vilia miretur vulgus mihi flavus apollo pocula castalia plena ministret aqua' to the right honorable henry wriothesly earl of southampton and baron of tichfield right honorable i know not how i shall offend in dedicating my unpolished lines to your lordship nor how the world will censure me for choosing so strong a prop to support so weak a burden only if your honour seem but pleased i account myself highly praised and vow to take advantage of all idle hours till i have honoured you with some graver labour but if the first heir of my invention prove deformed i shall be sorry it had so noble a godfather and never after ear so barren a land for fear it yield me still so bad a harvest i leave it to your honourable survey and your honour to your heart's content which i wish may always answer your own wish and the world's hopeful expectation your honour's in all duty william shakespeare even as the sun with purplecolour'd face had ta'en his last leave of the weeping morn rosecheek'd adonis hied him to the chase hunting he loved but love he laugh'd to scorn sickthoughted venus makes amain unto him and like a boldfaced suitor gins to woo him 'thricefairer than myself thus she began 'the field's chief flower sweet above compare stain to all nymphs more lovely than a man more white and red than doves or roses are nature that made thee with herself at strife saith that the world hath ending with thy life 'vouchsafe thou wonder to alight thy steed and rein his proud head to the saddlebow if thou wilt deign this favour for thy meed a thousand honey secrets shalt thou know here come and sit where never serpent hisses and being set i'll smother thee with kisses 'and yet not cloy thy lips with loathed satiety but rather famish them amid their plenty making them red and pale with fresh variety ten kisses short as one one long as twenty a summer's day will seem an hour but short being wasted in such timebeguiling sport' with this she seizeth on his sweating palm the precedent of pith and livelihood and trembling in her passion calls it balm earth's sovereign salve to do a goddess good being so enraged desire doth lend her force courageously to pluck him from his horse over one arm the lusty courser's rein under her other was the tender boy who blush'd and pouted in a dull disdain with leaden appetite unapt to toy she red and hot as coals of glowing fire he red for shame but frosty in desire the studded bridle on a ragged bough nimbly she fastenso how quick is love the steed is stalled up and even now to tie the rider she begins to prove backward she push'd him as she would be thrust and govern'd him in strength though not in lust so soon was she along as he was down each leaning on their elbows and their hips now doth she stroke his cheek now doth he frown and gins to chide but soon she stops his lips and kissing speaks with lustful language broken 'if thou wilt chide thy lips shall never open' he burns with bashful shame she with her tears doth quench the maiden burning of his cheeks then with her windy sighs and golden hairs to fan and blow them dry again she seeks he saith she is immodest blames her miss what follows more she murders with a kiss even as an empty eagle sharp by fast tires with her beak on feathers flesh and bone shaking her wings devouring all in haste till either gorge be stuff'd or prey be gone even so she kissed his brow his cheek his chin and where she ends she doth anew begin forced to content but never to obey panting he lies and breatheth in her face she feedeth on the steam as on a prey and calls it heavenly moisture air of grace wishing her cheeks were gardens full of flowers so they were dew'd with such distilling showers look how a bird lies tangled in a net so fasten'd in her arms adonis lies pure shame and awed resistance made him fret which bred more beauty in his angry eyes rain added to a river that is rank perforce will force it overflow the bank still she entreats and prettily entreats for to a pretty ear she tunes her tale still is he sullen still he lours and frets 'twixt crimson shame and anger ashypale being red she loves him best and being white her best is better'd with a more delight look how he can she cannot choose but love and by her fair immortal hand she swears from his soft bosom never to remove till he take truce with her contending tears which long have rain'd making her cheeks all wet and one sweet kiss shall pay this countless debt upon this promise did he raise his chin like a divedapper peering through a wave who being look'd on ducks as quickly in so offers he to give what she did crave but when her lips were ready for his pay he winks and turns his lips another way never did passenger in summer's heat more thirst for drink than she for this good turn her help she sees but help she cannot get she bathes in water yet her fire must burn 'o pity gan she cry flinthearted boy 'tis but a kiss i beg why art thou coy 'i have been woo'd as i entreat thee now even by the stern and direful god of war whose sinewy neck in battle ne'er did bow who conquers where he comes in every jar yet hath he been my captive and my slave and begg'd for that which thou unask'd shalt have 'over my altars hath he hung his lance his batter'd shield his uncontrolled crest and for my sake hath learn'd to sport and dance to toy to wanton dally smile and jest scorning his churlish drum and ensign red making my arms his field his tent my bed 'thus he that overruled i oversway'd leading him prisoner in a redrose chain strongtempered steel his stronger strength obey'd yet was he servile to my coy disdain o be not proud nor brag not of thy might for mastering her that foil'd the god of fight 'touch but my lips with those fair lips of thine though mine be not so fair yet are they red the kiss shall be thine own as well as mine what seest thou in the ground hold up thy head look in mine eyeballs there thy beauty lies then why not lips on lips since eyes in eyes 'art thou ashamed to kiss then wink again and i will wink so shall the day seem night love keeps his revels where they are but twain be bold to play our sport is not in sight these bluevein'd violets whereon we lean never can blab nor know not what we mean 'the tender spring upon thy tempting lip shows thee unripe yet mayst thou well be tasted make use of time let not advantage slip beauty within itself should not be wasted fair flowers that are not gather'd in their prime rot and consume themselves in little time 'were i hardfavour'd foul or wrinkledold illnurtured crooked churlish harsh in voice o'erworn despised rheumatic and cold thicksighted barren lean and lacking juice then mightst thou pause for then i were not for thee but having no defects why dost abhor me 'thou canst not see one wrinkle in my brow mine eyes are gray and bright and quick in turning my beauty as the spring doth yearly grow my flesh is soft and plump my marrow burning my smooth moist hand were it with thy hand felt would in thy palm dissolve or seem to melt 'bid me discourse i will enchant thine ear or like a fairy trip upon the green or like a nymph with long dishevell'd hair dance on the sands and yet no footing seen love is a spirit all compact of fire not gross to sink but light and will aspire 'witness this primrose bank whereon i lie these forceless flowers like sturdy trees support me two strengthless doves will draw me through the sky from morn till night even where i list to sport me is love so light sweet boy and may it be that thou shouldst think it heavy unto thee 'is thine own heart to thine own face affected can thy right hand seize love upon thy left then woo thyself be of thyself rejected steal thine own freedom and complain on theft narcissus so himself himself forsook and died to kiss his shadow in the brook 'torches are made to light jewels to wear dainties to taste fresh beauty for the use herbs for their smell and sappy plants to bear things growing to themselves are growth's abuse seeds spring from seeds and beauty breedeth beauty thou wast begot to get it is thy duty 'upon the earth's increase why shouldst thou feed unless the earth with thy increase be fed by law of nature thou art bound to breed that thine may live when thou thyself art dead and so in spite of death thou dost survive in that thy likeness still is left alive' by this the lovesick queen began to sweat for where they lay the shadow had forsook them and titan tired in the midday heat with burning eye did hotly overlook them wishing adonis had his team to guide so he were like him and by venus side and now adonis with a lazy spright and with a heavy dark disliking eye his louring brows o'erwhelming his fair sight like misty vapours when they blot the sky souring his cheeks cries fie no more of love the sun doth burn my face i must remove' 'ay me quoth venus young and so unkind what bare excuses makest thou to be gone i'll sigh celestial breath whose gentle wind shall cool the heat of this descending sun i'll make a shadow for thee of my hairs if they burn too i'll quench them with my tears 'the sun that shines from heaven shines but warm and lo i lie between that sun and thee the heat i have from thence doth little harm thine eye darts forth the fire that burneth me and were i not immortal life were done between this heavenly and earthly sun 'art thou obdurate flinty hard as steel nay more than flint for stone at rain relenteth art thou a woman's son and canst not feel what tis to love how want of love tormenteth o had thy mother borne so hard a mind she had not brought forth thee but died unkind 'what am i that thou shouldst contemn me this or what great danger dwells upon my suit what were thy lips the worse for one poor kiss speak fair but speak fair words or else be mute give me one kiss i'll give it thee again and one for interest if thou wilt have twain 'fie lifeless picture cold and senseless stone wellpainted idol image dun and dead statue contenting but the eye alone thing like a man but of no woman bred thou art no man though of a man's complexion for men will kiss even by their own direction' this said impatience chokes her pleading tongue and swelling passion doth provoke a pause red cheeks and fiery eyes blaze forth he wrong being judge in love she cannot right her cause and now she weeps and now she fain would speak and now her sobs do her intendments break sometimes she shakes her head and then his hand now gazeth she on him now on the ground sometimes her arms infold him like a band she would he will not in her arms be bound and when from thence he struggles to be gone she locks her lily fingers one in one 'fondling she saith since i have hemm'd thee here within the circuit of this ivory pale i'll be a park and thou shalt be my deer feed where thou wilt on mountain or in dale graze on my lips and if those hills be dry stray lower where the pleasant fountains lie within this limit is relief enough sweet bottomgrass and high delightful plain round rising hillocks brakes obscure and rough to shelter thee from tempest and from rain then be my deer since i am such a park no dog shall rouse thee though a thousand bark' at this adonis smiles as in disdain that in each cheek appears a pretty dimple love made those hollows if himself were slain he might be buried in a tomb so simple foreknowing well if there he came to lie why there love lived and there he could not die these lovely caves these round enchanting pits open'd their mouths to swallow venus liking being mad before how doth she now for wits struck dead at first what needs a second striking poor queen of love in thine own law forlorn to love a cheek that smiles at thee in scorn now which way shall she turn what shall she say her words are done her woes are more increasing the time is spent her object will away and from her twining arms doth urge releasing 'pity she cries some favour some remorse' away he springs and hasteth to his horse but lo from forth a copse that neighbors by a breeding jennet lusty young and proud adonis trampling courser doth espy and forth she rushes snorts and neighs aloud the strongneck'd steed being tied unto a tree breaketh his rein and to her straight goes he imperiously he leaps he neighs he bounds and now his woven girths he breaks asunder the bearing earth with his hard hoof he wounds whose hollow womb resounds like heaven's thunder the iron bit he crusheth tween his teeth controlling what he was controlled with his ears upprick'd his braided hanging mane upon his compass'd crest now stand on end his nostrils drink the air and forth again as from a furnace vapours doth he send his eye which scornfully glisters like fire shows his hot courage and his high desire sometime he trots as if he told the steps with gentle majesty and modest pride anon he rears upright curvets and leaps as who should say lo thus my strength is tried and this i do to captivate the eye of the fair breeder that is standing by' what recketh he his rider's angry stir his flattering holla or his stand i say' what cares he now for curb or pricking spur for rich caparisons or trapping gay he sees his love and nothing else he sees for nothing else with his proud sight agrees look when a painter would surpass the life in limning out a wellproportion'd steed his art with nature's workmanship at strife as if the dead the living should exceed so did this horse excel a common one in shape in courage colour pace and bone roundhoof'd shortjointed fetlocks shag and long broad breast full eye small head and nostril wide high crest short ears straight legs and passing strong thin mane thick tail broad buttock tender hide look what a horse should have he did not lack save a proud rider on so proud a back sometime he scuds far off and there he stares anon he starts at stirring of a feather to bid the wind a base he now prepares and whether he run or fly they know not whether for through his mane and tail the high wind sings fanning the hairs who wave like feather'd wings he looks upon his love and neighs unto her she answers him as if she knew his mind being proud as females are to see him woo her she puts on outward strangeness seems unkind spurns at his love and scorns the heat he feels beating his kind embracements with her heels then like a melancholy malcontent he veils his tail that like a falling plume cool shadow to his melting buttock lent he stamps and bites the poor flies in his fume his love perceiving how he is enraged grew kinder and his fury was assuaged his testy master goeth about to take him when lo the unback'd breeder full of fear jealous of catching swiftly doth forsake him with her the horse and left adonis there as they were mad unto the wood they hie them outstripping crows that strive to overfly them all swoln with chafing down adonis sits banning his boisterous and unruly beast and now the happy season once more fits that lovesick love by pleading may be blest for lovers say the heart hath treble wrong when it is barr'd the aidance of the tongue an oven that is stopp'd or river stay'd burneth more hotly swelleth with more rage so of concealed sorrow may be said free vent of words love's fire doth assuage but when the heart's attorney once is mute the client breaks as desperate in his suit he sees her coming and begins to glow even as a dying coal revives with wind and with his bonnet hides his angry brow looks on the dull earth with disturbed mind taking no notice that she is so nigh for all askance he holds her in his eye o what a sight it was wistly to view how she came stealing to the wayward boy to note the fighting conflict of her hue how white and red each other did destroy but now her cheek was pale and by and by it flash'd forth fire as lightning from the sky now was she just before him as he sat and like a lowly lover down she kneels with one fair hand she heaveth up his hat her other tender hand his fair cheek feels his tenderer cheek receives her soft hand's print as apt as newfall'n snow takes any dint o what a war of looks was then between them her eyes petitioners to his eyes suing his eyes saw her eyes as they had not seen them her eyes woo'd still his eyes disdain'd the wooing and all this dumb play had his acts made plain with tears which choruslike her eyes did rain full gently now she takes him by the hand a lily prison'd in a gaol of snow or ivory in an alabaster band so white a friend engirts so white a foe this beauteous combat wilful and unwilling show'd like two silver doves that sit abilling once more the engine of her thoughts began 'o fairest mover on this mortal round would thou wert as i am and i a man my heart all whole as thine thy heart my wound for one sweet look thy help i would assure thee though nothing but my body's bane would cure thee 'give me my hand saith he why dost thou feel it' 'give me my heart saith she and thou shalt have it o give it me lest thy hard heart do steel it and being steel'd soft sighs can never grave it then love's deep groans i never shall regard because adonis heart hath made mine hard' 'for shame he cries let go and let me go my day's delight is past my horse is gone and tis your fault i am bereft him so i pray you hence and leave me here alone for all my mind my thought my busy care is how to get my palfrey from the mare' thus she replies thy palfrey as he should welcomes the warm approach of sweet desire affection is a coal that must be cool'd else suffer'd it will set the heart on fire the sea hath bounds but deep desire hath none therefore no marvel though thy horse be gone 'how like a jade he stood tied to the tree servilely master'd with a leathern rein but when he saw his love his youth's fair fee he held such petty bondage in disdain throwing the base thong from his bending crest enfranchising his mouth his back his breast 'who sees his truelove in her naked bed teaching the sheets a whiter hue than white but when his glutton eye so full hath fed his other agents aim at like delight who is so faint that dare not be so bold to touch the fire the weather being cold 'let me excuse thy courser gentle boy and learn of him i heartily beseech thee to take advantage on presented joy though i were dumb yet his proceedings teach thee o learn to love the lesson is but plain and once made perfect never lost again' i know not love quoth he nor will not know it unless it be a boar and then i chase it 'tis much to borrow and i will not owe it my love to love is love but to disgrace it for i have heard it is a life in death that laughs and weeps and all but with a breath 'who wears a garment shapeless and unfinish'd who plucks the bud before one leaf put forth if springing things be any jot diminish'd they wither in their prime prove nothing worth the colt that's back'd and burden'd being young loseth his pride and never waxeth strong 'you hurt my hand with wringing let us part and leave this idle theme this bootless chat remove your siege from my unyielding heart to love's alarms it will not ope the gate dismiss your vows your feigned tears your flattery for where a heart is hard they make no battery' 'what canst thou talk quoth she hast thou a tongue o would thou hadst not or i had no hearing thy mermaid's voice hath done me double wrong i had my load before now press'd with bearing melodious discord heavenly tune harshsounding ear's deepsweet music and heart's deepsore wounding 'had i no eyes but ears my ears would love that inward beauty and invisible or were i deaf thy outward parts would move each part in me that were but sensible though neither eyes nor ears to hear nor see yet should i be in love by touching thee 'say that the sense of feeling were bereft me and that i could not see nor hear nor touch and nothing but the very smell were left me yet would my love to thee be still as much for from the stillitory of thy face excelling comes breath perfumed that breedeth love by smelling 'but o what banquet wert thou to the taste being nurse and feeder of the other four would they not wish the feast might ever last and bid suspicion doublelock the door lest jealousy that sour unwelcome guest should by his stealing in disturb the feast' once more the rubycolour'd portal open'd which to his speech did honey passage yield like a red morn that ever yet betoken'd wreck to the seaman tempest to the field sorrow to shepherds woe unto the birds gusts and foul flaws to herdmen and to herds this ill presage advisedly she marketh even as the wind is hush'd before it raineth or as the wolf doth grin before he barketh or as the berry breaks before it staineth or like the deadly bullet of a gun his meaning struck her ere his words begun and at his look she flatly falleth down for looks kill love and love by looks reviveth a smile recures the wounding of a frown but blessed bankrupt that by love so thriveth the silly boy believing she is dead claps her pale cheek till clapping makes it red and all amazed brake off his late intent for sharply he did think to reprehend her which cunning love did wittily prevent fair fall the wit that can so well defend her for on the grass she lies as she were slain till his breath breatheth life in her again he wrings her nose he strikes her on the cheeks he bends her fingers holds her pulses hard he chafes her lips a thousand ways he seeks to mend the hurt that his unkindness marr'd he kisses her and she by her good will will never rise so he will kiss her still the night of sorrow now is turn'd to day her two blue windows faintly she upheaveth like the fair sun when in his fresh array he cheers the morn and all the earth relieveth and as the bright sun glorifies the sky so is her face illumined with her eye whose beams upon his hairless face are fix'd as if from thence they borrow'd all their shine were never four such lamps together mix'd had not his clouded with his brow's repine but hers which through the crystal tears gave light shone like the moon in water seen by night 'o where am i quoth she in earth or heaven or in the ocean drench'd or in the fire what hour is this or morn or weary even do i delight to die or life desire but now i lived and life was death's annoy but now i died and death was lively joy 'o thou didst kill me kill me once again thy eyes shrewd tutor that hard heart of thine hath taught them scornful tricks and such disdain that they have murder'd this poor heart of mine and these mine eyes true leaders to their queen but for thy piteous lips no more had seen 'long may they kiss each other for this cure o never let their crimson liveries wear and as they last their verdure still endure to drive infection from the dangerous year that the stargazers having writ on death may say the plague is banish'd by thy breath 'pure lips sweet seals in my soft lips imprinted what bargains may i make still to be sealing to sell myself i can be well contented so thou wilt buy and pay and use good dealing which purchase if thou make for fear of slips set thy sealmanual on my waxred lips 'a thousand kisses buys my heart from me and pay them at thy leisure one by one what is ten hundred touches unto thee are they not quickly told and quickly gone say for nonpayment that the debt should double is twenty hundred kisses such a trouble 'fair queen quoth he if any love you owe me measure my strangeness with my unripe years before i know myself seek not to know me no fisher but the ungrown fry forbears the mellow plum doth fall the green sticks fast or being early pluck'd is sour to taste 'look the world's comforter with weary gait his day's hot task hath ended in the west the owl night's herald shrieks 'tis very late' the sheep are gone to fold birds to their nest and coalblack clouds that shadow heaven's light do summon us to part and bid good night 'now let me say good night and so say you if you will say so you shall have a kiss' 'good night quoth she and ere he says adieu' the honey fee of parting tender'd is her arms do lend his neck a sweet embrace incorporate then they seem face grows to face till breathless he disjoin'd and backward drew the heavenly moisture that sweet coral mouth whose precious taste her thirsty lips well knew whereon they surfeit yet complain on drouth he with her plenty press'd she faint with dearth their lips together glued fall to the earth now quick desire hath caught the yielding prey and gluttonlike she feeds yet never filleth her lips are conquerors his lips obey paying what ransom the insulter willeth whose vulture thought doth pitch the price so high that she will draw his lips rich treasure dry and having felt the sweetness of the spoil with blindfold fury she begins to forage her face doth reek and smoke her blood doth boil and careless lust stirs up a desperate courage planting oblivion beating reason back forgetting shame's pure blush and honour's wrack hot faint and weary with her hard embracing like a wild bird being tamed with too much handling or as the fleetfoot roe that's tired with chasing or like the froward infant still'd with dandling he now obeys and now no more resisteth while she takes all she can not all she listeth what wax so frozen but dissolves with tempering and yields at last to every light impression things out of hope are compass'd oft with venturing chiefly in love whose leave exceeds commission affection faints not like a palefaced coward but then woos best when most his choice is froward when he did frown o had she then gave over such nectar from his lips she had not suck'd foul words and frowns must not repel a lover what though the rose have prickles yet tis pluck'd were beauty under twenty locks kept fast yet love breaks through and picks them all at last for pity now she can no more detain him the poor fool prays her that he may depart she is resolved no longer to restrain him bids him farewell and look well to her heart the which by cupid's bow she doth protest he carries thence incaged in his breast 'sweet boy she says this night i'll waste in sorrow for my sick heart commands mine eyes to watch tell me love's master shall we meet tomorrow say shall we shall we wilt thou make the match' he tells her no tomorrow he intends to hunt the boar with certain of his friends 'the boar quoth she whereat a sudden pale like lawn being spread upon the blushing rose usurps her cheek she trembles at his tale and on his neck her yoking arms she throws she sinketh down still hanging by his neck he on her belly falls she on her back now is she in the very lists of love her champion mounted for the hot encounter all is imaginary she doth prove he will not manage her although he mount her that worse than tantalus is her annoy to clip elysium and to lack her joy even as poor birds deceived with painted grapes do surfeit by the eye and pine the maw even so she languisheth in her mishaps as those poor birds that helpless berries saw the warm effects which she in him finds missing she seeks to kindle with continual kissing but all in vain good queen it will not be she hath assay'd as much as may be proved her pleading hath deserved a greater fee she's love she loves and yet she is not loved 'fie fie he says you crush me let me go you have no reason to withhold me so' 'thou hadst been gone quoth she sweet boy ere this but that thou told'st me thou wouldst hunt the boar o be advised thou know'st not what it is with javelin's point a churlish swine to gore whose tushes never sheathed he whetteth still like to a mortal butcher bent to kill 'on his bowback he hath a battle set of bristly pikes that ever threat his foes his eyes like glowworms shine when he doth fret his snout digs sepulchres where'er he goes being moved he strikes whate'er is in his way and whom he strikes his cruel tushes slay 'his brawny sides with hairy bristles arm'd are better proof than thy spear's point can enter his short thick neck cannot be easily harm'd being ireful on the lion he will venture the thorny brambles and embracing bushes as fearful of him part through whom he rushes 'alas he nought esteems that face of thine to which love's eyes pay tributary gazes nor thy soft hands sweet lips and crystal eyne whose full perfection all the world amazes but having thee at vantagewondrous dread would root these beauties as he roots the mead 'o let him keep his loathsome cabin still beauty hath nought to do with such foul fiends come not within his danger by thy will they that thrive well take counsel of their friends when thou didst name the boar not to dissemble i fear'd thy fortune and my joints did tremble 'didst thou not mark my face was it not white saw'st thou not signs of fear lurk in mine eye grew i not faint and fell i not downright within my bosom whereon thou dost lie my boding heart pants beats and takes no rest but like an earthquake shakes thee on my breast 'for where love reigns disturbing jealousy doth call himself affection's sentinel gives false alarms suggesteth mutiny and in a peaceful hour doth cry kill kill' distempering gentle love in his desire as air and water do abate the fire 'this sour informer this batebreeding spy this canker that eats up love's tender spring this carrytale dissentious jealousy that sometime true news sometime false doth bring knocks at my heat and whispers in mine ear that if i love thee i thy death should fear 'and more than so presenteth to mine eye the picture of an angrychafing boar under whose sharp fangs on his back doth lie an image like thyself all stain'd with gore whose blood upon the fresh flowers being shed doth make them droop with grief and hang the head 'what should i do seeing thee so indeed that tremble at the imagination the thought of it doth make my faint heart bleed and fear doth teach it divination i prophesy thy death my living sorrow if thou encounter with the boar tomorrow 'but if thou needs wilt hunt be ruled by me uncouple at the timorous flying hare or at the fox which lives by subtlety or at the roe which no encounter dare pursue these fearful creatures o'er the downs and on thy wellbreath'd horse keep with thy hounds 'and when thou hast on foot the purblind hare mark the poor wretch to overshoot his troubles how he outruns the wind and with what care he cranks and crosses with a thousand doubles the many musets through the which he goes are like a labyrinth to amaze his foes 'sometime he runs among a flock of sheep to make the cunning hounds mistake their smell and sometime where earthdelving conies keep to stop the loud pursuers in their yell and sometime sorteth with a herd of deer danger deviseth shifts wit waits on fear 'for there his smell with others being mingled the hot scentsnuffing hounds are driven to doubt ceasing their clamorous cry till they have singled with much ado the cold fault cleanly out then do they spend their mouths echo replies as if another chase were in the skies 'by this poor wat far off upon a hill stands on his hinder legs with listening ear to harken if his foes pursue him still anon their loud alarums he doth hear and now his grief may be compared well to one sore sick that hears the passingbell 'then shalt thou see the dewbedabbled wretch turn and return indenting with the way each envious brier his weary legs doth scratch each shadow makes him stop each murmur stay for misery is trodden on by many and being low never relieved by any 'lie quietly and hear a little more nay do not struggle for thou shalt not rise to make thee hate the hunting of the boar unlike myself thou hear'st me moralize applying this to that and so to so for love can comment upon every woe 'where did i leave no matter where quoth he 'leave me and then the story aptly ends the night is spent why what of that quoth she 'i am quoth he expected of my friends and now tis dark and going i shall fall' 'in night quoth she desire sees best of all 'but if thou fall o then imagine this the earth in love with thee thy footing trips and all is but to rob thee of a kiss rich preys make true men thieves so do thy lips make modest dian cloudy and forlorn lest she should steal a kiss and die forsworn 'now of this dark night i perceive the reason cynthia for shame obscures her silver shine till forging nature be condemn'd of treason for stealing moulds from heaven that were divine wherein she framed thee in high heaven's despite to shame the sun by day and her by night 'and therefore hath she bribed the destinies to cross the curious workmanship of nature to mingle beauty with infirmities and pure perfection with impure defeature making it subject to the tyranny of mad mischances and much misery 'as burning fevers agues pale and faint lifepoisoning pestilence and frenzies wood the marroweating sickness whose attaint disorder breeds by heating of the blood surfeits imposthumes grief and damn'd despair swear nature's death for framing thee so fair 'and not the least of all these maladies but in one minute's fight brings beauty under both favour savour hue and qualities whereat the impartial gazer late did wonder are on the sudden wasted thaw'd and done as mountainsnow melts with the midday sun 'therefore despite of fruitless chastity lovelacking vestals and selfloving nuns that on the earth would breed a scarcity and barren dearth of daughters and of sons be prodigal the lamp that burns by night dries up his oil to lend the world his light 'what is thy body but a swallowing grave seeming to bury that posterity which by the rights of time thou needs must have if thou destroy them not in dark obscurity if so the world will hold thee in disdain sith in thy pride so fair a hope is slain 'so in thyself thyself art made away a mischief worse than civil homebred strife or theirs whose desperate hands themselves do slay or butchersire that reaves his son of life foulcankering rust the hidden treasure frets but gold that's put to use more gold begets' 'nay then quoth adon you will fall again into your idle overhandled theme the kiss i gave you is bestow'd in vain and all in vain you strive against the stream for by this blackfaced night desire's foul nurse your treatise makes me like you worse and worse 'if love have lent you twenty thousand tongues and every tongue more moving than your own bewitching like the wanton mermaid's songs yet from mine ear the tempting tune is blown for know my heart stands armed in mine ear and will not let a false sound enter there 'lest the deceiving harmony should run into the quiet closure of my breast and then my little heart were quite undone in his bedchamber to be barr'd of rest no lady no my heart longs not to groan but soundly sleeps while now it sleeps alone 'what have you urged that i cannot reprove the path is smooth that leadeth on to danger i hate not love but your device in love that lends embracements unto every stranger you do it for increase o strange excuse when reason is the bawd to lust's abuse 'call it not love for love to heaven is fled since sweating lust on earth usurp'd his name under whose simple semblance he hath fed upon fresh beauty blotting it with blame which the hot tyrant stains and soon bereaves as caterpillars do the tender leaves 'love comforteth like sunshine after rain but lust's effect is tempest after sun love's gentle spring doth always fresh remain lust's winter comes ere summer half be done love surfeits not lust like a glutton dies love is all truth lust full of forged lies 'more i could tell but more i dare not say the text is old the orator too green therefore in sadness now i will away my face is full of shame my heart of teen mine ears that to your wanton talk attended do burn themselves for having so offended' with this he breaketh from the sweet embrace of those fair arms which bound him to her breast and homeward through the dark laund runs apace leaves love upon her back deeply distress'd look how a bright star shooteth from the sky so glides he in the night from venus eye which after him she darts as one on shore gazing upon a lateembarked friend till the wild waves will have him seen no more whose ridges with the meeting clouds contend so did the merciless and pitchy night fold in the object that did feed her sight whereat amazed as one that unaware hath dropp'd a precious jewel in the flood or stonish'd as nightwanderers often are their light blown out in some mistrustful wood even so confounded in the dark she lay having lost the fair discovery of her way and now she beats her heart whereat it groans that all the neighbour caves as seeming troubled make verbal repetition of her moans passion on passion deeply is redoubled 'ay me she cries and twenty times woe woe' and twenty echoes twenty times cry so she marking them begins a wailing note and sings extemporally a woeful ditty how love makes young men thrall and old men dote how love is wise in folly foolishwitty her heavy anthem still concludes in woe and still the choir of echoes answer so her song was tedious and outwore the night for lovers hours are long though seeming short if pleased themselves others they think delight in suchlike circumstance with suchlike sport their copious stories oftentimes begun end without audience and are never done for who hath she to spend the night withal but idle sounds resembling parasites like shrilltongued tapsters answering every call soothing the humour of fantastic wits she says 'tis so they answer all 'tis so' and would say after her if she said no' lo here the gentle lark weary of rest from his moist cabinet mounts up on high and wakes the morning from whose silver breast the sun ariseth in his majesty who doth the world so gloriously behold that cedartops and hills seem burnish'd gold venus salutes him with this fair goodmorrow 'o thou clear god and patron of all light from whom each lamp and shining star doth borrow the beauteous influence that makes him bright there lives a son that suck'd an earthly mother may lend thee light as thou dost lend to other' this said she hasteth to a myrtle grove musing the morning is so much o'erworn and yet she hears no tidings of her love she hearkens for his hounds and for his horn anon she hears them chant it lustily and all in haste she coasteth to the cry and as she runs the bushes in the way some catch her by the neck some kiss her face some twine about her thigh to make her stay she wildly breaketh from their strict embrace like a milch doe whose swelling dugs do ache hasting to feed her fawn hid in some brake by this she hears the hounds are at a bay whereat she starts like one that spies an adder wreathed up in fatal folds just in his way the fear whereof doth make him shake and shudder even so the timorous yelping of the hounds appals her senses and her spirit confounds for now she knows it is no gentle chase but the blunt boar rough bear or lion proud because the cry remaineth in one place where fearfully the dogs exclaim aloud finding their enemy to be so curst they all strain courtesy who shall cope him first this dismal cry rings sadly in her ear through which it enters to surprise her heart who overcome by doubt and bloodless fear with coldpale weakness numbs each feeling part like soldiers when their captain once doth yield they basely fly and dare not stay the field thus stands she in a trembling ecstasy till cheering up her senses all dismay'd she tells them tis a causeless fantasy and childish error that they are afraid bids them leave quaking bids them fear no more and with that word she spied the hunted boar whose frothy mouth bepainted all with red like milk and blood being mingled both together a second fear through all her sinews spread which madly hurries her she knows not whither this way runs and now she will no further but back retires to rate the boar for murther a thousand spleens bear her a thousand ways she treads the path that she untreads again her more than haste is mated with delays like the proceedings of a drunken brain full of respects yet nought at all respecting in hand with all things nought at all effecting here kennell'd in a brake she finds a hound and asks the weary caitiff for his master and there another licking of his wound 'gainst venom'd sores the only sovereign plaster and here she meets another sadly scowling to whom she speaks and he replies with howling when he hath ceased his illresounding noise another flapmouth'd mourner black and grim against the welkin volleys out his voice another and another answer him clapping their proud tails to the ground below shaking their scratch'd ears bleeding as they go look how the world's poor people are amazed at apparitions signs and prodigies whereon with fearful eyes they long have gazed infusing them with dreadful prophecies so she at these sad signs draws up her breath and sighing it again exclaims on death 'hardfavour'd tyrant ugly meagre lean hateful divorce of love'thus chides she death 'grimgrinning ghost earth's worm what dost thou mean to stifle beauty and to steal his breath who when he lived his breath and beauty set gloss on the rose smell to the violet 'if he be deado no it cannot be seeing his beauty thou shouldst strike at it o yes it may thou hast no eyes to see but hatefully at random dost thou hit thy mark is feeble age but thy false dart mistakes that aim and cleaves an infant's heart 'hadst thou but bid beware then he had spoke and hearing him thy power had lost his power the destinies will curse thee for this stroke they bid thee crop a weed thou pluck'st a flower love's golden arrow at him should have fled and not death's ebon dart to strike dead 'dost thou drink tears that thou provokest such weeping what may a heavy groan advantage thee why hast thou cast into eternal sleeping those eyes that taught all other eyes to see now nature cares not for thy mortal vigour since her best work is ruin'd with thy rigour' here overcome as one full of despair she vail'd her eyelids who like sluices stopt the crystal tide that from her two cheeks fair in the sweet channel of her bosom dropt but through the floodgates breaks the silver rain and with his strong course opens them again o how her eyes and tears did lend and borrow her eyes seen in the tears tears in her eye both crystals where they view'd each other's sorrow sorrow that friendly sighs sought still to dry but like a stormy day now wind now rain sighs dry her cheeks tears make them wet again variable passions throng her constant woe as striving who should best become her grief all entertain'd each passion labours so that every present sorrow seemeth chief but none is best then join they all together like many clouds consulting for foul weather by this far off she hears some huntsman hollo a nurse's song ne'er pleased her babe so well the dire imagination she did follow this sound of hope doth labour to expel for now reviving joy bids her rejoice and flatters her it is adonis voice whereat her tears began to turn their tide being prison'd in her eye like pearls in glass yet sometimes falls an orient drop beside which her cheek melts as scorning it should pass to wash the foul face of the sluttish ground who is but drunken when she seemeth drown'd o hardbelieving love how strange it seems not to believe and yet too credulous thy weal and woe are both of them extremes despair and hope makes thee ridiculous the one doth flatter thee in thoughts unlikely in likely thoughts the other kills thee quickly now she unweaves the web that she hath wrought adonis lives and death is not to blame it was not she that call'd him allto naught now she adds honours to his hateful name she clepes him king of graves and grave for kings imperious supreme of all mortal things 'no no quoth she sweet death i did but jest yet pardon me i felt a kind of fear when as i met the boar that bloody beast which knows no pity but is still severe then gentle shadowtruth i must confess i rail'd on thee fearing my love's decease ''tis not my fault the boar provoked my tongue be wreak'd on him invisible commander 'tis he foul creature that hath done thee wrong i did but act he's author of thy slander grief hath two tongues and never woman yet could rule them both without ten women's wit' thus hoping that adonis is alive her rash suspect she doth extenuate and that his beauty may the better thrive with death she humbly doth insinuate tells him of trophies statues tombs and stories his victories his triumphs and his glories 'o jove quoth she how much a fool was i to be of such a weak and silly mind to wail his death who lives and must not die till mutual overthrow of mortal kind for he being dead with him is beauty slain and beauty dead black chaos comes again 'fie fie fond love thou art so full of fear as one with treasure laden hemm'd thieves trifles unwitnessed with eye or ear thy coward heart with false bethinking grieves' even at this word she hears a merry horn whereat she leaps that was but late forlorn as falcon to the lure away she flies the grass stoops not she treads on it so light and in her haste unfortunately spies the foul boar's conquest on her fair delight which seen her eyes as murder'd with the view like stars ashamed of day themselves withdrew or as the snail whose tender horns being hit shrinks backward in his shelly cave with pain and there all smother'd up in shade doth sit long after fearing to creep forth again so at his bloody view her eyes are fled into the deep dark cabins of her head where they resign their office and their light to the disposing of her troubled brain who bids them still consort with ugly night and never wound the heart with looks again who like a king perplexed in his throne by their suggestion gives a deadly groan whereat each tributary subject quakes as when the wind imprison'd in the ground struggling for passage earth's foundation shakes which with cold terror doth men's minds confound this mutiny each part doth so surprise that from their dark beds once more leap her eyes and being open'd threw unwilling light upon the wide wound that the boar had trench'd in his soft flank whose wonted lily white with purple tears that his wound wept was drench'd no flower was nigh no grass herb leaf or weed but stole his blood and seem'd with him to bleed this solemn sympathy poor venus noteth over one shoulder doth she hang her head dumbly she passions franticly she doteth she thinks he could not die he is not dead her voice is stopt her joints forget to bow her eyes are mad that they have wept til now upon his hurt she looks so steadfastly that her sight dazzling makes the wound seem three and then she reprehends her mangling eye that makes more gashes where no breach should be his face seems twain each several limb is doubled for oft the eye mistakes the brain being troubled 'my tongue cannot express my grief for one and yet quoth she behold two adons dead my sighs are blown away my salt tears gone mine eyes are turn'd to fire my heart to lead heavy heart's lead melt at mine eyes red fire so shall i die by drops of hot desire 'alas poor world what treasure hast thou lost what face remains alive that's worth the viewing whose tongue is music now what canst thou boast of things long since or any thing ensuing the flowers are sweet their colours fresh and trim but truesweet beauty lived and died with him 'bonnet nor veil henceforth no creature wear nor sun nor wind will ever strive to kiss you having no fair to lose you need not fear the sun doth scorn you and the wind doth hiss you but when adonis lived sun and sharp air lurk'd like two thieves to rob him of his fair 'and therefore would he put his bonnet on under whose brim the gaudy sun would peep the wind would blow it off and being gone play with his locks then would adonis weep and straight in pity of his tender years they both would strive who first should dry his tears 'to see his face the lion walk'd along behind some hedge because he would not fear him to recreate himself when he hath sung the tiger would be tame and gently hear him if he had spoke the wolf would leave his prey and never fright the silly lamb that day 'when he beheld his shadow in the brook the fishes spread on it their golden gills when he was by the birds such pleasure took that some would sing some other in their bills would bring him mulberries and ripered cherries he fed them with his sight they him with berries 'but this foul grim and urchinsnouted boar whose downward eye still looketh for a grave ne'er saw the beauteous livery that he wore witness the entertainment that he gave if he did see his face why then i know he thought to kiss him and hath kill'd him so ''tis true tis true thus was adonis slain he ran upon the boar with his sharp spear who did not whet his teeth at him again but by a kiss thought to persuade him there and nuzzling in his flank the loving swine sheathed unaware the tusk in his soft groin 'had i been tooth'd like him i must confess with kissing him i should have kill'd him first but he is dead and never did he bless my youth with his the more am i accurst' with this she falleth in the place she stood and stains her face with his congealed blood she looks upon his lips and they are pale she takes him by the hand and that is cold she whispers in his ears a heavy tale as if they heard the woeful words she told she lifts the cofferlids that close his eyes where lo two lamps burnt out in darkness lies two glasses where herself herself beheld a thousand times and now no more reflect their virtue lost wherein they late excell'd and every beauty robb'd of his effect 'wonder of time quoth she this is my spite that thou being dead the day should yet be light 'since thou art dead lo here i prophesy sorrow on love hereafter shall attend it shall be waited on with jealousy find sweet beginning but unsavoury end ne'er settled equally but high or low that all love's pleasure shall not match his woe 'it shall be fickle false and full of fraud bud and be blasted in a breathingwhile the bottom poison and the top o'erstraw'd with sweets that shall the truest sight beguile the strongest body shall it make most weak strike the wise dumb and teach the fool to speak 'it shall be sparing and too full of riot teaching decrepit age to tread the measures the staring ruffian shall it keep in quiet pluck down the rich enrich the poor with treasures it shall be ragingmad and sillymild make the young old the old become a child 'it shall suspect where is no cause of fear it shall not fear where it should most mistrust it shall be merciful and too severe and most deceiving when it seems most just perverse it shall be where it shows most toward put fear to valour courage to the coward 'it shall be cause of war and dire events and set dissension twixt the son and sire subject and servile to all discontents as dry combustious matter is to fire sith in his prime death doth my love destroy they that love best their loves shall not enjoy' by this the boy that by her side lay kill'd was melted like a vapour from her sight and in his blood that on the ground lay spill'd a purple flower sprung up chequer'd with white resembling well his pale cheeks and the blood which in round drops upon their whiteness stood she bows her head the newsprung flower to smell comparing it to her adonis breath and says within her bosom it shall dwell since he himself is reft from her by death she crops the stalk and in the breach appears green dropping sap which she compares to tears 'poor flower quoth she this was thy fathers guise sweet issue of a more sweetsmelling sire for every little grief to wet his eyes to grow unto himself was his desire and so tis thine but know it is as good to wither in my breast as in his blood 'here was thy father's bed here in my breast thou art the next of blood and tis thy right lo in this hollow cradle take thy rest my throbbing heart shall rock thee day and night there shall not be one minute in an hour wherein i will not kiss my sweet love's flower' thus weary of the world away she hies and yokes her silver doves by whose swift aid their mistress mounted through the empty skies in her light chariot quickly is convey'd holding their course to paphos where their queen means to immure herself and not be seen all's well that ends well dramatis personae king of france king duke of florence duke bertram count of rousillon lafeu an old lord parolles a follower of bertram steward servants to the countess of rousillon clown a page page countess of rousillon mother to bertram countess helena a gentlewoman protected by the countess an old widow of florence widow diana daughter to the widow violenta neighbours and friends to the widow mariana lords officers soldiers &c french and florentine first lord second lord fourth lord first gentleman second gentleman first soldier gentleman scene rousillon paris florence marseilles all's well that ends well act i scene i rousillon the count's palace enter bertram the countess of rousillon helena and lafeu all in black countess in delivering my son from me i bury a second husband bertram and i in going madam weep o'er my father's death anew but i must attend his majesty's command to whom i am now in ward evermore in subjection lafeu you shall find of the king a husband madam you sir a father he that so generally is at all times good must of necessity hold his virtue to you whose worthiness would stir it up where it wanted rather than lack it where there is such abundance countess what hope is there of his majesty's amendment lafeu he hath abandoned his physicians madam under whose practises he hath persecuted time with hope and finds no other advantage in the process but only the losing of hope by time countess this young gentlewoman had a fathero that had how sad a passage tiswhose skill was almost as great as his honesty had it stretched so far would have made nature immortal and death should have play for lack of work would for the king's sake he were living i think it would be the death of the king's disease lafeu how called you the man you speak of madam countess he was famous sir in his profession and it was his great right to be so gerard de narbon lafeu he was excellent indeed madam the king very lately spoke of him admiringly and mourningly he was skilful enough to have lived still if knowledge could be set up against mortality bertram what is it my good lord the king languishes of lafeu a fistula my lord bertram i heard not of it before lafeu i would it were not notorious was this gentlewoman the daughter of gerard de narbon countess his sole child my lord and bequeathed to my overlooking i have those hopes of her good that her education promises her dispositions she inherits which makes fair gifts fairer for where an unclean mind carries virtuous qualities there commendations go with pity they are virtues and traitors too in her they are the better for their simpleness she derives her honesty and achieves her goodness lafeu your commendations madam get from her tears countess tis the best brine a maiden can season her praise in the remembrance of her father never approaches her heart but the tyranny of her sorrows takes all livelihood from her cheek no more of this helena go to no more lest it be rather thought you affect a sorrow than have it helena i do affect a sorrow indeed but i have it too lafeu moderate lamentation is the right of the dead excessive grief the enemy to the living countess if the living be enemy to the grief the excess makes it soon mortal bertram madam i desire your holy wishes lafeu how understand we that countess be thou blest bertram and succeed thy father in manners as in shape thy blood and virtue contend for empire in thee and thy goodness share with thy birthright love all trust a few do wrong to none be able for thine enemy rather in power than use and keep thy friend under thy own life's key be cheque'd for silence but never tax'd for speech what heaven more will that thee may furnish and my prayers pluck down fall on thy head farewell my lord tis an unseason'd courtier good my lord advise him lafeu he cannot want the best that shall attend his love countess heaven bless him farewell bertram exit bertram to helena the best wishes that can be forged in your thoughts be servants to you be comfortable to my mother your mistress and make much of her lafeu farewell pretty lady you must hold the credit of your father exeunt bertram and lafeu helena o were that all i think not on my father and these great tears grace his remembrance more than those i shed for him what was he like i have forgot him my imagination carries no favour in't but bertram's i am undone there is no living none if bertram be away twere all one that i should love a bright particular star and think to wed it he is so above me in his bright radiance and collateral light must i be comforted not in his sphere the ambition in my love thus plagues itself the hind that would be mated by the lion must die for love twas pretty though plague to see him every hour to sit and draw his arched brows his hawking eye his curls in our heart's table heart too capable of every line and trick of his sweet favour but now he's gone and my idolatrous fancy must sanctify his reliques who comes here enter parolles aside one that goes with him i love him for his sake and yet i know him a notorious liar think him a great way fool solely a coward yet these fixed evils sit so fit in him that they take place when virtue's steely bones look bleak i the cold wind withal full oft we see cold wisdom waiting on superfluous folly parolles save you fair queen helena and you monarch parolles no helena and no parolles are you meditating on virginity helena ay you have some stain of soldier in you let me ask you a question man is enemy to virginity how may we barricado it against him parolles keep him out helena but he assails and our virginity though valiant in the defence yet is weak unfold to us some warlike resistance parolles there is none man sitting down before you will undermine you and blow you up helena bless our poor virginity from underminers and blowers up is there no military policy how virgins might blow up men parolles virginity being blown down man will quicklier be blown up marry in blowing him down again with the breach yourselves made you lose your city it is not politic in the commonwealth of nature to preserve virginity loss of virginity is rational increase and there was never virgin got till virginity was first lost that you were made of is metal to make virgins virginity by being once lost may be ten times found by being ever kept it is ever lost tis too cold a companion away with t helena i will stand for t a little though therefore i die a virgin parolles there's little can be said in t tis against the rule of nature to speak on the part of virginity is to accuse your mothers which is most infallible disobedience he that hangs himself is a virgin virginity murders itself and should be buried in highways out of all sanctified limit as a desperate offendress against nature virginity breeds mites much like a cheese consumes itself to the very paring and so dies with feeding his own stomach besides virginity is peevish proud idle made of selflove which is the most inhibited sin in the canon keep it not you cannot choose but loose by't out with t within ten year it will make itself ten which is a goodly increase and the principal itself not much the worse away with t helena how might one do sir to lose it to her own liking parolles let me see marry ill to like him that ne'er it likes tis a commodity will lose the gloss with lying the longer kept the less worth off with t while tis vendible answer the time of request virginity like an old courtier wears her cap out of fashion richly suited but unsuitable just like the brooch and the toothpick which wear not now your date is better in your pie and your porridge than in your cheek and your virginity your old virginity is like one of our french withered pears it looks ill it eats drily marry tis a withered pear it was formerly better marry yet tis a withered pear will you anything with it helena not my virginity yet there shall your master have a thousand loves a mother and a mistress and a friend a phoenix captain and an enemy a guide a goddess and a sovereign a counsellor a traitress and a dear his humble ambition proud humility his jarring concord and his discord dulcet his faith his sweet disaster with a world of pretty fond adoptious christendoms that blinking cupid gossips now shall he i know not what he shall god send him well the court's a learning place and he is one parolles what one i faith helena that i wish well tis pity parolles what's pity helena that wishing well had not a body in't which might be felt that we the poorer born whose baser stars do shut us up in wishes might with effects of them follow our friends and show what we alone must think which never return us thanks enter page page monsieur parolles my lord calls for you exit parolles little helen farewell if i can remember thee i will think of thee at court helena monsieur parolles you were born under a charitable star parolles under mars i helena i especially think under mars parolles why under mars helena the wars have so kept you under that you must needs be born under mars parolles when he was predominant helena when he was retrograde i think rather parolles why think you so helena you go so much backward when you fight parolles that's for advantage helena so is running away when fear proposes the safety but the composition that your valour and fear makes in you is a virtue of a good wing and i like the wear well parolles i am so full of businesses i cannot answer thee acutely i will return perfect courtier in the which my instruction shall serve to naturalize thee so thou wilt be capable of a courtier's counsel and understand what advice shall thrust upon thee else thou diest in thine unthankfulness and thine ignorance makes thee away farewell when thou hast leisure say thy prayers when thou hast none remember thy friends get thee a good husband and use him as he uses thee so farewell exit helena our remedies oft in ourselves do lie which we ascribe to heaven the fated sky gives us free scope only doth backward pull our slow designs when we ourselves are dull what power is it which mounts my love so high that makes me see and cannot feed mine eye the mightiest space in fortune nature brings to join like likes and kiss like native things impossible be strange attempts to those that weigh their pains in sense and do suppose what hath been cannot be who ever strove so show her merit that did miss her love the king's diseasemy project may deceive me but my intents are fix'd and will not leave me exit all's well that ends well act i scene ii paris the king's palace flourish of cornets enter the king of france with letters and divers attendants king the florentines and senoys are by the ears have fought with equal fortune and continue a braving war first lord so tis reported sir king nay tis most credible we here received it a certainty vouch'd from our cousin austria with caution that the florentine will move us for speedy aid wherein our dearest friend prejudicates the business and would seem to have us make denial first lord his love and wisdom approved so to your majesty may plead for amplest credence king he hath arm'd our answer and florence is denied before he comes yet for our gentlemen that mean to see the tuscan service freely have they leave to stand on either part second lord it well may serve a nursery to our gentry who are sick for breathing and exploit king what's he comes here enter bertram lafeu and parolles first lord it is the count rousillon my good lord young bertram king youth thou bear'st thy father's face frank nature rather curious than in haste hath well composed thee thy father's moral parts mayst thou inherit too welcome to paris bertram my thanks and duty are your majesty's king i would i had that corporal soundness now as when thy father and myself in friendship first tried our soldiership he did look far into the service of the time and was discipled of the bravest he lasted long but on us both did haggish age steal on and wore us out of act it much repairs me to talk of your good father in his youth he had the wit which i can well observe today in our young lords but they may jest till their own scorn return to them unnoted ere they can hide their levity in honour so like a courtier contempt nor bitterness were in his pride or sharpness if they were his equal had awaked them and his honour clock to itself knew the true minute when exception bid him speak and at this time his tongue obey'd his hand who were below him he used as creatures of another place and bow'd his eminent top to their low ranks making them proud of his humility in their poor praise he humbled such a man might be a copy to these younger times which follow'd well would demonstrate them now but goers backward bertram his good remembrance sir lies richer in your thoughts than on his tomb so in approof lives not his epitaph as in your royal speech king would i were with him he would always say methinks i hear him now his plausive words he scatter'd not in ears but grafted them to grow there and to bear'let me not live' this his good melancholy oft began on the catastrophe and heel of pastime when it was out'let me not live quoth he after my flame lacks oil to be the snuff of younger spirits whose apprehensive senses all but new things disdain whose judgments are mere fathers of their garments whose constancies expire before their fashions this he wish'd i after him do after him wish too since i nor wax nor honey can bring home i quickly were dissolved from my hive to give some labourers room second lord you are loved sir they that least lend it you shall lack you first king i fill a place i know't how long is't count since the physician at your father's died he was much famed bertram some six months since my lord king if he were living i would try him yet lend me an arm the rest have worn me out with several applications nature and sickness debate it at their leisure welcome count my son's no dearer bertram thank your majesty exeunt flourish all's well that ends well act i scene iii rousillon the count's palace enter countess steward and clown countess i will now hear what say you of this gentlewoman steward madam the care i have had to even your content i wish might be found in the calendar of my past endeavours for then we wound our modesty and make foul the clearness of our deservings when of ourselves we publish them countess what does this knave here get you gone sirrah the complaints i have heard of you i do not all believe tis my slowness that i do not for i know you lack not folly to commit them and have ability enough to make such knaveries yours clown tis not unknown to you madam i am a poor fellow countess well sir clown no madam tis not so well that i am poor though many of the rich are damned but if i may have your ladyship's good will to go to the world isbel the woman and i will do as we may countess wilt thou needs be a beggar clown i do beg your good will in this case countess in what case clown in isbel's case and mine own service is no heritage and i think i shall never have the blessing of god till i have issue o my body for they say barnes are blessings countess tell me thy reason why thou wilt marry clown my poor body madam requires it i am driven on by the flesh and he must needs go that the devil drives countess is this all your worship's reason clown faith madam i have other holy reasons such as they are countess may the world know them clown i have been madam a wicked creature as you and all flesh and blood are and indeed i do marry that i may repent countess thy marriage sooner than thy wickedness clown i am out o friends madam and i hope to have friends for my wife's sake countess such friends are thine enemies knave clown you're shallow madam in great friends for the knaves come to do that for me which i am aweary of he that ears my land spares my team and gives me leave to in the crop if i be his cuckold he's my drudge he that comforts my wife is the cherisher of my flesh and blood he that cherishes my flesh and blood loves my flesh and blood he that loves my flesh and blood is my friend ergo he that kisses my wife is my friend if men could be contented to be what they are there were no fear in marriage for young charbon the puritan and old poysam the papist howsome'er their hearts are severed in religion their heads are both one they may jowl horns together like any deer i the herd countess wilt thou ever be a foulmouthed and calumnious knave clown a prophet i madam and i speak the truth the next way for i the ballad will repeat which men full true shall find your marriage comes by destiny your cuckoo sings by kind countess get you gone sir i'll talk with you more anon steward may it please you madam that he bid helen come to you of her i am to speak countess sirrah tell my gentlewoman i would speak with her helen i mean clown was this fair face the cause quoth she why the grecians sacked troy fond done done fond was this king priam's joy with that she sighed as she stood with that she sighed as she stood and gave this sentence then among nine bad if one be good among nine bad if one be good there's yet one good in ten countess what one good in ten you corrupt the song sirrah clown one good woman in ten madam which is a purifying o the song would god would serve the world so all the year we'ld find no fault with the tithewoman if i were the parson one in ten quoth a an we might have a good woman born but one every blazing star or at an earthquake twould mend the lottery well a man may draw his heart out ere a pluck one countess you'll be gone sir knave and do as i command you clown that man should be at woman's command and yet no hurt done though honesty be no puritan yet it will do no hurt it will wear the surplice of humility over the black gown of a big heart i am going forsooth the business is for helen to come hither exit countess well now steward i know madam you love your gentlewoman entirely countess faith i do her father bequeathed her to me and she herself without other advantage may lawfully make title to as much love as she finds there is more owing her than is paid and more shall be paid her than she'll demand steward madam i was very late more near her than i think she wished me alone she was and did communicate to herself her own words to her own ears she thought i dare vow for her they touched not any stranger sense her matter was she loved your son fortune she said was no goddess that had put such difference betwixt their two estates love no god that would not extend his might only where qualities were level dian no queen of virgins that would suffer her poor knight surprised without rescue in the first assault or ransom afterward this she delivered in the most bitter touch of sorrow that e'er i heard virgin exclaim in which i held my duty speedily to acquaint you withal sithence in the loss that may happen it concerns you something to know it countess you have discharged this honestly keep it to yourself many likelihoods informed me of this before which hung so tottering in the balance that i could neither believe nor misdoubt pray you leave me stall this in your bosom and i thank you for your honest care i will speak with you further anon exit steward enter helena even so it was with me when i was young if ever we are nature's these are ours this thorn doth to our rose of youth rightly belong our blood to us this to our blood is born it is the show and seal of nature's truth where love's strong passion is impress'd in youth by our remembrances of days foregone such were our faults or then we thought them none her eye is sick on't i observe her now helena what is your pleasure madam countess you know helen i am a mother to you helena mine honourable mistress countess nay a mother why not a mother when i said a mother' methought you saw a serpent what's in mother' that you start at it i say i am your mother and put you in the catalogue of those that were enwombed mine tis often seen adoption strives with nature and choice breeds a native slip to us from foreign seeds you ne'er oppress'd me with a mother's groan yet i express to you a mother's care god's mercy maiden does it curd thy blood to say i am thy mother what's the matter that this distemper'd messenger of wet the manycolour'd iris rounds thine eye why that you are my daughter helena that i am not countess i say i am your mother helena pardon madam the count rousillon cannot be my brother i am from humble he from honour'd name no note upon my parents his all noble my master my dear lord he is and i his servant live and will his vassal die he must not be my brother countess nor i your mother helena you are my mother madam would you were so that my lord your son were not my brother indeed my mother or were you both our mothers i care no more for than i do for heaven so i were not his sister can't no other but i your daughter he must be my brother countess yes helen you might be my daughterinlaw god shield you mean it not daughter and mother so strive upon your pulse what pale again my fear hath catch'd your fondness now i see the mystery of your loneliness and find your salt tears head now to all sense tis gross you love my son invention is ashamed against the proclamation of thy passion to say thou dost not therefore tell me true but tell me then tis so for look thy cheeks confess it th one to th other and thine eyes see it so grossly shown in thy behaviors that in their kind they speak it only sin and hellish obstinacy tie thy tongue that truth should be suspected speak is't so if it be so you have wound a goodly clew if it be not forswear't howe'er i charge thee as heaven shall work in me for thine avail tell me truly helena good madam pardon me countess do you love my son helena your pardon noble mistress countess love you my son helena do not you love him madam countess go not about my love hath in't a bond whereof the world takes note come come disclose the state of your affection for your passions have to the full appeach'd helena then i confess here on my knee before high heaven and you that before you and next unto high heaven i love your son my friends were poor but honest so's my love be not offended for it hurts not him that he is loved of me i follow him not by any token of presumptuous suit nor would i have him till i do deserve him yet never know how that desert should be i know i love in vain strive against hope yet in this captious and intenible sieve i still pour in the waters of my love and lack not to lose still thus indianlike religious in mine error i adore the sun that looks upon his worshipper but knows of him no more my dearest madam let not your hate encounter with my love for loving where you do but if yourself whose aged honour cites a virtuous youth did ever in so true a flame of liking wish chastely and love dearly that your dian was both herself and love o then give pity to her whose state is such that cannot choose but lend and give where she is sure to lose that seeks not to find that her search implies but riddlelike lives sweetly where she dies countess had you not lately an intentspeak truly to go to paris helena madam i had countess wherefore tell true helena i will tell truth by grace itself i swear you know my father left me some prescriptions of rare and proved effects such as his reading and manifest experience had collected for general sovereignty and that he will'd me in heedfull'st reservation to bestow them as notes whose faculties inclusive were more than they were in note amongst the rest there is a remedy approved set down to cure the desperate languishings whereof the king is render'd lost countess this was your motive for paris was it speak helena my lord your son made me to think of this else paris and the medicine and the king had from the conversation of my thoughts haply been absent then countess but think you helen if you should tender your supposed aid he would receive it he and his physicians are of a mind he that they cannot help him they that they cannot help how shall they credit a poor unlearned virgin when the schools embowell'd of their doctrine have left off the danger to itself helena there's something in't more than my father's skill which was the greatest of his profession that his good receipt shall for my legacy be sanctified by the luckiest stars in heaven and would your honour but give me leave to try success i'ld venture the welllost life of mine on his grace's cure by such a day and hour countess dost thou believe't helena ay madam knowingly countess why helen thou shalt have my leave and love means and attendants and my loving greetings to those of mine in court i'll stay at home and pray god's blessing into thy attempt be gone tomorrow and be sure of this what i can help thee to thou shalt not miss exeunt all's well that ends well act ii scene i paris the king's palace flourish of cornets enter the king attended with divers young lords taking leave for the florentine war bertram and parolles king farewell young lords these warlike principles do not throw from you and you my lords farewell share the advice betwixt you if both gain all the gift doth stretch itself as tis received and is enough for both first lord tis our hope sir after well enter'd soldiers to return and find your grace in health king no no it cannot be and yet my heart will not confess he owes the malady that doth my life besiege farewell young lords whether i live or die be you the sons of worthy frenchmen let higher italy those bated that inherit but the fall of the last monarchysee that you come not to woo honour but to wed it when the bravest questant shrinks find what you seek that fame may cry you loud i say farewell second lord health at your bidding serve your majesty king those girls of italy take heed of them they say our french lack language to deny if they demand beware of being captives before you serve both our hearts receive your warnings king farewell come hither to me exit attended first lord o my sweet lord that you will stay behind us parolles tis not his fault the spark second lord o tis brave wars parolles most admirable i have seen those wars bertram i am commanded here and kept a coil with too young and the next year and 'tis too early' parolles an thy mind stand to't boy steal away bravely bertram i shall stay here the forehorse to a smock creaking my shoes on the plain masonry till honour be bought up and no sword worn but one to dance with by heaven i'll steal away first lord there's honour in the theft parolles commit it count second lord i am your accessary and so farewell bertram i grow to you and our parting is a tortured body first lord farewell captain second lord sweet monsieur parolles parolles noble heroes my sword and yours are kin good sparks and lustrous a word good metals you shall find in the regiment of the spinii one captain spurio with his cicatrice an emblem of war here on his sinister cheek it was this very sword entrenched it say to him i live and observe his reports for me first lord we shall noble captain exeunt lords parolles mars dote on you for his novices what will ye do bertram stay the king reenter king bertram and parolles retire parolles to bertram use a more spacious ceremony to the noble lords you have restrained yourself within the list of too cold an adieu be more expressive to them for they wear themselves in the cap of the time there do muster true gait eat speak and move under the influence of the most received star and though the devil lead the measure such are to be followed after them and take a more dilated farewell bertram and i will do so parolles worthy fellows and like to prove most sinewy swordmen exeunt bertram and parolles enter lafeu lafeu kneeling pardon my lord for me and for my tidings king i'll fee thee to stand up lafeu then here's a man stands that has brought his pardon i would you had kneel'd my lord to ask me mercy and that at my bidding you could so stand up king i would i had so i had broke thy pate and ask'd thee mercy for't lafeu good faith across but my good lord tis thus will you be cured of your infirmity king no lafeu o will you eat no grapes my royal fox yes but you will my noble grapes an if my royal fox could reach them i have seen a medicine that's able to breathe life into a stone quicken a rock and make you dance canary with spritely fire and motion whose simple touch is powerful to araise king pepin nay to give great charlemain a pen in's hand and write to her a loveline king what her is this lafeu why doctor she my lord there's one arrived if you will see her now by my faith and honour if seriously i may convey my thoughts in this my light deliverance i have spoke with one that in her sex her years profession wisdom and constancy hath amazed me more than i dare blame my weakness will you see her for that is her demand and know her business that done laugh well at me king now good lafeu bring in the admiration that we with thee may spend our wonder too or take off thine by wondering how thou took'st it lafeu nay i'll fit you and not be all day neither exit king thus he his special nothing ever prologues reenter lafeu with helena lafeu nay come your ways king this haste hath wings indeed lafeu nay come your ways this is his majesty say your mind to him a traitor you do look like but such traitors his majesty seldom fears i am cressid's uncle that dare leave two together fare you well exit king now fair one does your business follow us helena ay my good lord gerard de narbon was my father in what he did profess well found king i knew him helena the rather will i spare my praises towards him knowing him is enough on's bed of death many receipts he gave me chiefly one which as the dearest issue of his practise and of his old experience the oily darling he bade me store up as a triple eye safer than mine own two more dear i have so and hearing your high majesty is touch'd with that malignant cause wherein the honour of my dear father's gift stands chief in power i come to tender it and my appliance with all bound humbleness king we thank you maiden but may not be so credulous of cure when our most learned doctors leave us and the congregated college have concluded that labouring art can never ransom nature from her inaidible estate i say we must not so stain our judgment or corrupt our hope to prostitute our pastcure malady to empirics or to dissever so our great self and our credit to esteem a senseless help when help past sense we deem helena my duty then shall pay me for my pains i will no more enforce mine office on you humbly entreating from your royal thoughts a modest one to bear me back a again king i cannot give thee less to be call'd grateful thou thought'st to help me and such thanks i give as one near death to those that wish him live but what at full i know thou know'st no part i knowing all my peril thou no art helena what i can do can do no hurt to try since you set up your rest gainst remedy he that of greatest works is finisher oft does them by the weakest minister so holy writ in babes hath judgment shown when judges have been babes great floods have flown from simple sources and great seas have dried when miracles have by the greatest been denied oft expectation fails and most oft there where most it promises and oft it hits where hope is coldest and despair most fits king i must not hear thee fare thee well kind maid thy pains not used must by thyself be paid proffers not took reap thanks for their reward helena inspired merit so by breath is barr'd it is not so with him that all things knows as tis with us that square our guess by shows but most it is presumption in us when the help of heaven we count the act of men dear sir to my endeavours give consent of heaven not me make an experiment i am not an impostor that proclaim myself against the level of mine aim but know i think and think i know most sure my art is not past power nor you past cure king are thou so confident within what space hopest thou my cure helena the great'st grace lending grace ere twice the horses of the sun shall bring their fiery torcher his diurnal ring ere twice in murk and occidental damp moist hesperus hath quench'd his sleepy lamp or four and twenty times the pilot's glass hath told the thievish minutes how they pass what is infirm from your sound parts shall fly health shall live free and sickness freely die king upon thy certainty and confidence what darest thou venture helena tax of impudence a strumpet's boldness a divulged shame traduced by odious ballads my maiden's name sear'd otherwise nay worseif worseextended with vilest torture let my life be ended king methinks in thee some blessed spirit doth speak his powerful sound within an organ weak and what impossibility would slay in common sense sense saves another way thy life is dear for all that life can rate worth name of life in thee hath estimate youth beauty wisdom courage all that happiness and prime can happy call thou this to hazard needs must intimate skill infinite or monstrous desperate sweet practiser thy physic i will try that ministers thine own death if i die helena if i break time or flinch in property of what i spoke unpitied let me die and well deserved not helping death's my fee but if i help what do you promise me king make thy demand helena but will you make it even king ay by my sceptre and my hopes of heaven helena then shalt thou give me with thy kingly hand what husband in thy power i will command exempted be from me the arrogance to choose from forth the royal blood of france my low and humble name to propagate with any branch or image of thy state but such a one thy vassal whom i know is free for me to ask thee to bestow king here is my hand the premises observed thy will by my performance shall be served so make the choice of thy own time for i thy resolved patient on thee still rely more should i question thee and more i must though more to know could not be more to trust from whence thou camest how tended on but rest unquestion'd welcome and undoubted blest give me some help here ho if thou proceed as high as word my deed shall match thy meed flourish exeunt all's well that ends well act ii scene ii rousillon the count's palace enter countess and clown countess come on sir i shall now put you to the height of your breeding clown i will show myself highly fed and lowly taught i know my business is but to the court countess to the court why what place make you special when you put off that with such contempt but to the court clown truly madam if god have lent a man any manners he may easily put it off at court he that cannot make a leg put off's cap kiss his hand and say nothing has neither leg hands lip nor cap and indeed such a fellow to say precisely were not for the court but for me i have an answer will serve all men countess marry that's a bountiful answer that fits all questions clown it is like a barber's chair that fits all buttocks the pinbuttock the quatchbuttock the brawn buttock or any buttock countess will your answer serve fit to all questions clown as fit as ten groats is for the hand of an attorney as your french crown for your taffeta punk as tib's rush for tom's forefinger as a pancake for shrove tuesday a morris for mayday as the nail to his hole the cuckold to his horn as a scolding queen to a wrangling knave as the nun's lip to the friar's mouth nay as the pudding to his skin countess have you i say an answer of such fitness for all questions clown from below your duke to beneath your constable it will fit any question countess it must be an answer of most monstrous size that must fit all demands clown but a trifle neither in good faith if the learned should speak truth of it here it is and all that belongs to't ask me if i am a courtier it shall do you no harm to learn countess to be young again if we could i will be a fool in question hoping to be the wiser by your answer i pray you sir are you a courtier clown o lord sir there's a simple putting off more more a hundred of them countess sir i am a poor friend of yours that loves you clown o lord sir thick thick spare not me countess i think sir you can eat none of this homely meat clown o lord sir nay put me to't i warrant you countess you were lately whipped sir as i think clown o lord sir spare not me countess do you cry o lord sir at your whipping and spare not me indeed your o lord sir is very sequent to your whipping you would answer very well to a whipping if you were but bound to't clown i ne'er had worse luck in my life in my o lord sir i see things may serve long but not serve ever countess i play the noble housewife with the time to entertain't so merrily with a fool clown o lord sir why there't serves well again countess an end sir to your business give helen this and urge her to a present answer back commend me to my kinsmen and my son this is not much clown not much commendation to them countess not much employment for you you understand me clown most fruitfully i am there before my legs countess haste you again exeunt severally all's well that ends well act ii scene iii paris the king's palace enter bertram lafeu and parolles lafeu they say miracles are past and we have our philosophical persons to make modern and familiar things supernatural and causeless hence is it that we make trifles of terrors ensconcing ourselves into seeming knowledge when we should submit ourselves to an unknown fear parolles why tis the rarest argument of wonder that hath shot out in our latter times bertram and so tis lafeu to be relinquish'd of the artists parolles so i say lafeu both of galen and paracelsus parolles so i say lafeu of all the learned and authentic fellows parolles right so i say lafeu that gave him out incurable parolles why there tis so say i too lafeu not to be helped parolles right as twere a man assured of a lafeu uncertain life and sure death parolles just you say well so would i have said lafeu i may truly say it is a novelty to the world parolles it is indeed if you will have it in showing you shall read it inwhat do you call there lafeu a showing of a heavenly effect in an earthly actor parolles that's it i would have said the very same lafeu why your dolphin is not lustier fore me i speak in respect parolles nay tis strange tis very strange that is the brief and the tedious of it and he's of a most facinerious spirit that will not acknowledge it to be the lafeu very hand of heaven parolles ay so i say lafeu in a most weak pausing and debile minister great power great transcendence which should indeed give us a further use to be made than alone the recovery of the king as to be pausing generally thankful parolles i would have said it you say well here comes the king enter king helena and attendants lafeu and parolles retire lafeu lustig as the dutchman says i'll like a maid the better whilst i have a tooth in my head why he's able to lead her a coranto parolles mort du vinaigre is not this helen lafeu fore god i think so king go call before me all the lords in court sit my preserver by thy patient's side and with this healthful hand whose banish'd sense thou hast repeal'd a second time receive the confirmation of my promised gift which but attends thy naming enter three or four lords fair maid send forth thine eye this youthful parcel of noble bachelors stand at my bestowing o'er whom both sovereign power and father's voice i have to use thy frank election make thou hast power to choose and they none to forsake helena to each of you one fair and virtuous mistress fall when love please marry to each but one lafeu i'ld give bay curtal and his furniture my mouth no more were broken than these boys' and writ as little beard king peruse them well not one of those but had a noble father helena gentlemen heaven hath through me restored the king to health all we understand it and thank heaven for you helena i am a simple maid and therein wealthiest that i protest i simply am a maid please it your majesty i have done already the blushes in my cheeks thus whisper me we blush that thou shouldst choose but be refused let the white death sit on thy cheek for ever we'll ne'er come there again' king make choice and see who shuns thy love shuns all his love in me helena now dian from thy altar do i fly and to imperial love that god most high do my sighs stream sir will you hear my suit first lord and grant it helena thanks sir all the rest is mute lafeu i had rather be in this choice than throw amesace for my life helena the honour sir that flames in your fair eyes before i speak too threateningly replies love make your fortunes twenty times above her that so wishes and her humble love second lord no better if you please helena my wish receive which great love grant and so i take my leave lafeu do all they deny her an they were sons of mine i'd have them whipped or i would send them to the turk to make eunuchs of helena be not afraid that i your hand should take i'll never do you wrong for your own sake blessing upon your vows and in your bed find fairer fortune if you ever wed lafeu these boys are boys of ice they'll none have her sure they are bastards to the english the french ne'er got em helena you are too young too happy and too good to make yourself a son out of my blood fourth lord fair one i think not so lafeu there's one grape yet i am sure thy father drunk wine but if thou be'st not an ass i am a youth of fourteen i have known thee already helena to bertram i dare not say i take you but i give me and my service ever whilst i live into your guiding power this is the man king why then young bertram take her she's thy wife bertram my wife my liege i shall beseech your highness in such a business give me leave to use the help of mine own eyes king know'st thou not bertram what she has done for me bertram yes my good lord but never hope to know why i should marry her king thou know'st she has raised me from my sickly bed bertram but follows it my lord to bring me down must answer for your raising i know her well she had her breeding at my father's charge a poor physician's daughter my wife disdain rather corrupt me ever king tis only title thou disdain'st in her the which i can build up strange is it that our bloods of colour weight and heat pour'd all together would quite confound distinction yet stand off in differences so mighty if she be all that is virtuous save what thou dislikest a poor physician's daughter thou dislikest of virtue for the name but do not so from lowest place when virtuous things proceed the place is dignified by the doer's deed where great additions swell's and virtue none it is a dropsied honour good alone is good without a name vileness is so the property by what it is should go not by the title she is young wise fair in these to nature she's immediate heir and these breed honour that is honour's scorn which challenges itself as honour's born and is not like the sire honours thrive when rather from our acts we them derive than our foregoers the mere word's a slave debosh'd on every tomb on every grave a lying trophy and as oft is dumb where dust and damn'd oblivion is the tomb of honour'd bones indeed what should be said if thou canst like this creature as a maid i can create the rest virtue and she is her own dower honour and wealth from me bertram i cannot love her nor will strive to do't king thou wrong'st thyself if thou shouldst strive to choose helena that you are well restored my lord i'm glad let the rest go king my honour's at the stake which to defeat i must produce my power here take her hand proud scornful boy unworthy this good gift that dost in vile misprision shackle up my love and her desert that canst not dream we poising us in her defective scale shall weigh thee to the beam that wilt not know it is in us to plant thine honour where we please to have it grow cheque thy contempt obey our will which travails in thy good believe not thy disdain but presently do thine own fortunes that obedient right which both thy duty owes and our power claims or i will throw thee from my care for ever into the staggers and the careless lapse of youth and ignorance both my revenge and hate loosing upon thee in the name of justice without all terms of pity speak thine answer bertram pardon my gracious lord for i submit my fancy to your eyes when i consider what great creation and what dole of honour flies where you bid it i find that she which late was in my nobler thoughts most base is now the praised of the king who so ennobled is as twere born so king take her by the hand and tell her she is thine to whom i promise a counterpoise if not to thy estate a balance more replete bertram i take her hand king good fortune and the favour of the king smile upon this contract whose ceremony shall seem expedient on the nowborn brief and be perform'd tonight the solemn feast shall more attend upon the coming space expecting absent friends as thou lovest her thy love's to me religious else does err exeunt all but lafeu and parolles lafeu advancing do you hear monsieur a word with you parolles your pleasure sir lafeu your lord and master did well to make his recantation parolles recantation my lord my master lafeu ay is it not a language i speak parolles a most harsh one and not to be understood without bloody succeeding my master lafeu are you companion to the count rousillon parolles to any count to all counts to what is man lafeu to what is count's man count's master is of another style parolles you are too old sir let it satisfy you you are too old lafeu i must tell thee sirrah i write man to which title age cannot bring thee parolles what i dare too well do i dare not do lafeu i did think thee for two ordinaries to be a pretty wise fellow thou didst make tolerable vent of thy travel it might pass yet the scarfs and the bannerets about thee did manifoldly dissuade me from believing thee a vessel of too great a burthen i have now found thee when i lose thee again i care not yet art thou good for nothing but taking up and that thou't scarce worth parolles hadst thou not the privilege of antiquity upon thee lafeu do not plunge thyself too far in anger lest thou hasten thy trial which iflord have mercy on thee for a hen so my good window of lattice fare thee well thy casement i need not open for i look through thee give me thy hand parolles my lord you give me most egregious indignity lafeu ay with all my heart and thou art worthy of it parolles i have not my lord deserved it lafeu yes good faith every dram of it and i will not bate thee a scruple parolles well i shall be wiser lafeu even as soon as thou canst for thou hast to pull at a smack o the contrary if ever thou be'st bound in thy scarf and beaten thou shalt find what it is to be proud of thy bondage i have a desire to hold my acquaintance with thee or rather my knowledge that i may say in the default he is a man i know parolles my lord you do me most insupportable vexation lafeu i would it were hellpains for thy sake and my poor doing eternal for doing i am past as i will by thee in what motion age will give me leave exit parolles well thou hast a son shall take this disgrace off me scurvy old filthy scurvy lord well i must be patient there is no fettering of authority i'll beat him by my life if i can meet him with any convenience an he were double and double a lord i'll have no more pity of his age than i would ofi'll beat him an if i could but meet him again reenter lafeu lafeu sirrah your lord and master's married there's news for you you have a new mistress parolles i most unfeignedly beseech your lordship to make some reservation of your wrongs he is my good lord whom i serve above is my master lafeu who god parolles ay sir lafeu the devil it is that's thy master why dost thou garter up thy arms o this fashion dost make hose of sleeves do other servants so thou wert best set thy lower part where thy nose stands by mine honour if i were but two hours younger i'ld beat thee methinks thou art a general offence and every man should beat thee i think thou wast created for men to breathe themselves upon thee parolles this is hard and undeserved measure my lord lafeu go to sir you were beaten in italy for picking a kernel out of a pomegranate you are a vagabond and no true traveller you are more saucy with lords and honourable personages than the commission of your birth and virtue gives you heraldry you are not worth another word else i'ld call you knave i leave you exit parolles good very good it is so then good very good let it be concealed awhile reenter bertram bertram undone and forfeited to cares for ever parolles what's the matter sweetheart bertram although before the solemn priest i have sworn i will not bed her parolles what what sweetheart bertram o my parolles they have married me i'll to the tuscan wars and never bed her parolles france is a doghole and it no more merits the tread of a man's foot to the wars bertram there's letters from my mother what the import is i know not yet parolles ay that would be known to the wars my boy to the wars he wears his honour in a box unseen that hugs his kickywicky here at home spending his manly marrow in her arms which should sustain the bound and high curvet of mars's fiery steed to other regions france is a stable we that dwell in't jades therefore to the war bertram it shall be so i'll send her to my house acquaint my mother with my hate to her and wherefore i am fled write to the king that which i durst not speak his present gift shall furnish me to those italian fields where noble fellows strike war is no strife to the dark house and the detested wife parolles will this capriccio hold in thee art sure bertram go with me to my chamber and advise me i'll send her straight away tomorrow i'll to the wars she to her single sorrow parolles why these balls bound there's noise in it tis hard a young man married is a man that's marr'd therefore away and leave her bravely go the king has done you wrong but hush tis so exeunt all's well that ends well act ii scene iv paris the king's palace enter helena and clown helena my mother greets me kindly is she well clown she is not well but yet she has her health she's very merry but yet she is not well but thanks be given she's very well and wants nothing i the world but yet she is not well helena if she be very well what does she ail that she's not very well clown truly she's very well indeed but for two things helena what two things clown one that she's not in heaven whither god send her quickly the other that she's in earth from whence god send her quickly enter parolles parolles bless you my fortunate lady helena i hope sir i have your good will to have mine own good fortunes parolles you had my prayers to lead them on and to keep them on have them still o my knave how does my old lady clown so that you had her wrinkles and i her money i would she did as you say parolles why i say nothing clown marry you are the wiser man for many a man's tongue shakes out his master's undoing to say nothing to do nothing to know nothing and to have nothing is to be a great part of your title which is within a very little of nothing parolles away thou'rt a knave clown you should have said sir before a knave thou'rt a knave that's before me thou'rt a knave this had been truth sir parolles go to thou art a witty fool i have found thee clown did you find me in yourself sir or were you taught to find me the search sir was profitable and much fool may you find in you even to the world's pleasure and the increase of laughter parolles a good knave i faith and well fed madam my lord will go away tonight a very serious business calls on him the great prerogative and rite of love which as your due time claims he does acknowledge but puts it off to a compell'd restraint whose want and whose delay is strew'd with sweets which they distil now in the curbed time to make the coming hour o'erflow with joy and pleasure drown the brim helena what's his will else parolles that you will take your instant leave o the king and make this haste as your own good proceeding strengthen'd with what apology you think may make it probable need helena what more commands he parolles that having this obtain'd you presently attend his further pleasure helena in every thing i wait upon his will parolles i shall report it so helena i pray you exit parolles come sirrah exeunt all's well that ends well act ii scene v paris the king's palace enter lafeu and bertram lafeu but i hope your lordship thinks not him a soldier bertram yes my lord and of very valiant approof lafeu you have it from his own deliverance bertram and by other warranted testimony lafeu then my dial goes not true i took this lark for a bunting bertram i do assure you my lord he is very great in knowledge and accordingly valiant lafeu i have then sinned against his experience and transgressed against his valour and my state that way is dangerous since i cannot yet find in my heart to repent here he comes i pray you make us friends i will pursue the amity enter parolles parolles to bertram these things shall be done sir lafeu pray you sir who's his tailor parolles sir lafeu o i know him well i sir he sir s a good workman a very good tailor bertram aside to parolles is she gone to the king parolles she is bertram will she away tonight parolles as you'll have her bertram i have writ my letters casketed my treasure given order for our horses and tonight when i should take possession of the bride end ere i do begin lafeu a good traveller is something at the latter end of a dinner but one that lies three thirds and uses a known truth to pass a thousand nothings with should be once heard and thrice beaten god save you captain bertram is there any unkindness between my lord and you monsieur parolles i know not how i have deserved to run into my lord's displeasure lafeu you have made shift to run into t boots and spurs and all like him that leaped into the custard and out of it you'll run again rather than suffer question for your residence bertram it may be you have mistaken him my lord lafeu and shall do so ever though i took him at s prayers fare you well my lord and believe this of me there can be no kernel in this light nut the soul of this man is his clothes trust him not in matter of heavy consequence i have kept of them tame and know their natures farewell monsieur i have spoken better of you than you have or will to deserve at my hand but we must do good against evil exit parolles an idle lord i swear bertram i think so parolles why do you not know him bertram yes i do know him well and common speech gives him a worthy pass here comes my clog enter helena helena i have sir as i was commanded from you spoke with the king and have procured his leave for present parting only he desires some private speech with you bertram i shall obey his will you must not marvel helen at my course which holds not colour with the time nor does the ministration and required office on my particular prepared i was not for such a business therefore am i found so much unsettled this drives me to entreat you that presently you take our way for home and rather muse than ask why i entreat you for my respects are better than they seem and my appointments have in them a need greater than shows itself at the first view to you that know them not this to my mother giving a letter twill be two days ere i shall see you so i leave you to your wisdom helena sir i can nothing say but that i am your most obedient servant bertram come come no more of that helena and ever shall with true observance seek to eke out that wherein toward me my homely stars have fail'd to equal my great fortune bertram let that go my haste is very great farewell hie home helena pray sir your pardon bertram well what would you say helena i am not worthy of the wealth i owe nor dare i say tis mine and yet it is but like a timorous thief most fain would steal what law does vouch mine own bertram what would you have helena something and scarce so much nothing indeed i would not tell you what i would my lord faith yes strangers and foes do sunder and not kiss bertram i pray you stay not but in haste to horse helena i shall not break your bidding good my lord bertram where are my other men monsieur farewell exit helena go thou toward home where i will never come whilst i can shake my sword or hear the drum away and for our flight parolles bravely coragio exeunt all's well that ends well act iii scene i florence the duke's palace flourish enter the duke of florence attended the two frenchmen with a troop of soldiers duke so that from point to point now have you heard the fundamental reasons of this war whose great decision hath much blood let forth and more thirsts after first lord holy seems the quarrel upon your grace's part black and fearful on the opposer duke therefore we marvel much our cousin france would in so just a business shut his bosom against our borrowing prayers second lord good my lord the reasons of our state i cannot yield but like a common and an outward man that the great figure of a council frames by selfunable motion therefore dare not say what i think of it since i have found myself in my incertain grounds to fail as often as i guess'd duke be it his pleasure first lord but i am sure the younger of our nature that surfeit on their ease will day by day come here for physic duke welcome shall they be and all the honours that can fly from us shall on them settle you know your places well when better fall for your avails they fell tomorrow to the field flourish exeunt all's well that ends well act iii scene ii rousillon the count's palace enter countess and clown countess it hath happened all as i would have had it save that he comes not along with her clown by my troth i take my young lord to be a very melancholy man countess by what observance i pray you clown why he will look upon his boot and sing mend the ruff and sing ask questions and sing pick his teeth and sing i know a man that had this trick of melancholy sold a goodly manor for a song countess let me see what he writes and when he means to come opening a letter clown i have no mind to isbel since i was at court our old ling and our isbels o the country are nothing like your old ling and your isbels o the court the brains of my cupid's knocked out and i begin to love as an old man loves money with no stomach countess what have we here clown e'en that you have there exit countess reads i have sent you a daughterinlaw she hath recovered the king and undone me i have wedded her not bedded her and sworn to make the not' eternal you shall hear i am run away know it before the report come if there be breadth enough in the world i will hold a long distance my duty to you your unfortunate son bertram this is not well rash and unbridled boy to fly the favours of so good a king to pluck his indignation on thy head by the misprising of a maid too virtuous for the contempt of empire reenter clown clown o madam yonder is heavy news within between two soldiers and my young lady countess what is the matter clown nay there is some comfort in the news some comfort your son will not be killed so soon as i thought he would countess why should he be killed clown so say i madam if he run away as i hear he does the danger is in standing to't that's the loss of men though it be the getting of children here they come will tell you more for my part i only hear your son was run away exit enter helena and two gentlemen first gentleman save you good madam helena madam my lord is gone for ever gone second gentleman do not say so countess think upon patience pray you gentlemen i have felt so many quirks of joy and grief that the first face of neither on the start can woman me unto't where is my son i pray you second gentleman madam he's gone to serve the duke of florence we met him thitherward for thence we came and after some dispatch in hand at court thither we bend again helena look on his letter madam here's my passport reads when thou canst get the ring upon my finger which never shall come off and show me a child begotten of thy body that i am father to then call me husband but in such a then i write a never' this is a dreadful sentence countess brought you this letter gentlemen first gentleman ay madam and for the contents sake are sorry for our pain countess i prithee lady have a better cheer if thou engrossest all the griefs are thine thou robb'st me of a moiety he was my son but i do wash his name out of my blood and thou art all my child towards florence is he second gentleman ay madam countess and to be a soldier second gentleman such is his noble purpose and believe t the duke will lay upon him all the honour that good convenience claims countess return you thither first gentleman ay madam with the swiftest wing of speed helena reads till i have no wife i have nothing in france tis bitter countess find you that there helena ay madam first gentleman tis but the boldness of his hand haply which his heart was not consenting to countess nothing in france until he have no wife there's nothing here that is too good for him but only she and she deserves a lord that twenty such rude boys might tend upon and call her hourly mistress who was with him first gentleman a servant only and a gentleman which i have sometime known countess parolles was it not first gentleman ay my good lady he countess a very tainted fellow and full of wickedness my son corrupts a wellderived nature with his inducement first gentleman indeed good lady the fellow has a deal of that too much which holds him much to have countess you're welcome gentlemen i will entreat you when you see my son to tell him that his sword can never win the honour that he loses more i'll entreat you written to bear along second gentleman we serve you madam in that and all your worthiest affairs countess not so but as we change our courtesies will you draw near exeunt countess and gentlemen helena till i have no wife i have nothing in france' nothing in france until he has no wife thou shalt have none rousillon none in france then hast thou all again poor lord is't i that chase thee from thy country and expose those tender limbs of thine to the event of the nonesparing war and is it i that drive thee from the sportive court where thou wast shot at with fair eyes to be the mark of smoky muskets o you leaden messengers that ride upon the violent speed of fire fly with false aim move the stillpeering air that sings with piercing do not touch my lord whoever shoots at him i set him there whoever charges on his forward breast i am the caitiff that do hold him to't and though i kill him not i am the cause his death was so effected better twere i met the ravin lion when he roar'd with sharp constraint of hunger better twere that all the miseries which nature owes were mine at once no come thou home rousillon whence honour but of danger wins a scar as oft it loses all i will be gone my being here it is that holds thee hence shall i stay here to do't no no although the air of paradise did fan the house and angels officed all i will be gone that pitiful rumour may report my flight to consolate thine ear come night end day for with the dark poor thief i'll steal away exit all's well that ends well act iii scene iii florence before the duke's palace flourish enter the duke of florence bertram parolles soldiers drum and trumpets duke the general of our horse thou art and we great in our hope lay our best love and credence upon thy promising fortune bertram sir it is a charge too heavy for my strength but yet we'll strive to bear it for your worthy sake to the extreme edge of hazard duke then go thou forth and fortune play upon thy prosperous helm as thy auspicious mistress bertram this very day great mars i put myself into thy file make me but like my thoughts and i shall prove a lover of thy drum hater of love exeunt all's well that ends well act iii scene iv rousillon the count's palace enter countess and steward countess alas and would you take the letter of her might you not know she would do as she has done by sending me a letter read it again steward reads i am saint jaques pilgrim thither gone ambitious love hath so in me offended that barefoot plod i the cold ground upon with sainted vow my faults to have amended write write that from the bloody course of war my dearest master your dear son may hie bless him at home in peace whilst i from far his name with zealous fervor sanctify his taken labours bid him me forgive i his despiteful juno sent him forth from courtly friends with camping foes to live where death and danger dogs the heels of worth he is too good and fair for death and me whom i myself embrace to set him free countess ah what sharp stings are in her mildest words rinaldo you did never lack advice so much as letting her pass so had i spoke with her i could have well diverted her intents which thus she hath prevented steward pardon me madam if i had given you this at overnight she might have been o'erta'en and yet she writes pursuit would be but vain countess what angel shall bless this unworthy husband he cannot thrive unless her prayers whom heaven delights to hear and loves to grant reprieve him from the wrath of greatest justice write write rinaldo to this unworthy husband of his wife let every word weigh heavy of her worth that he does weigh too light my greatest grief though little he do feel it set down sharply dispatch the most convenient messenger when haply he shall hear that she is gone he will return and hope i may that she hearing so much will speed her foot again led hither by pure love which of them both is dearest to me i have no skill in sense to make distinction provide this messenger my heart is heavy and mine age is weak grief would have tears and sorrow bids me speak exeunt all's well that ends well act iii scene v florence without the walls a tucket afar off enter an old widow of florence diana violenta and mariana with other citizens widow nay come for if they do approach the city we shall lose all the sight diana they say the french count has done most honourable service widow it is reported that he has taken their greatest commander and that with his own hand he slew the duke's brother tucket we have lost our labour they are gone a contrary way hark you may know by their trumpets mariana come let's return again and suffice ourselves with the report of it well diana take heed of this french earl the honour of a maid is her name and no legacy is so rich as honesty widow i have told my neighbour how you have been solicited by a gentleman his companion mariana i know that knave hang him one parolles a filthy officer he is in those suggestions for the young earl beware of them diana their promises enticements oaths tokens and all these engines of lust are not the things they go under many a maid hath been seduced by them and the misery is example that so terrible shows in the wreck of maidenhood cannot for all that dissuade succession but that they are limed with the twigs that threaten them i hope i need not to advise you further but i hope your own grace will keep you where you are though there were no further danger known but the modesty which is so lost diana you shall not need to fear me widow i hope so enter helena disguised like a pilgrim look here comes a pilgrim i know she will lie at my house thither they send one another i'll question her god save you pilgrim whither are you bound helena to saint jaques le grand where do the palmers lodge i do beseech you widow at the saint francis here beside the port helena is this the way widow ay marry is't a march afar hark you they come this way if you will tarry holy pilgrim but till the troops come by i will conduct you where you shall be lodged the rather for i think i know your hostess as ample as myself helena is it yourself widow if you shall please so pilgrim helena i thank you and will stay upon your leisure widow you came i think from france helena i did so widow here you shall see a countryman of yours that has done worthy service helena his name i pray you diana the count rousillon know you such a one helena but by the ear that hears most nobly of him his face i know not diana whatsome'er he is he's bravely taken here he stole from france as tis reported for the king had married him against his liking think you it is so helena ay surely mere the truth i know his lady diana there is a gentleman that serves the count reports but coarsely of her helena what's his name diana monsieur parolles helena o i believe with him in argument of praise or to the worth of the great count himself she is too mean to have her name repeated all her deserving is a reserved honesty and that i have not heard examined diana alas poor lady tis a hard bondage to become the wife of a detesting lord widow i warrant good creature wheresoe'er she is her heart weighs sadly this young maid might do her a shrewd turn if she pleased helena how do you mean may be the amorous count solicits her in the unlawful purpose widow he does indeed and brokes with all that can in such a suit corrupt the tender honour of a maid but she is arm'd for him and keeps her guard in honestest defence mariana the gods forbid else widow so now they come drum and colours enter bertram parolles and the whole army that is antonio the duke's eldest son that escalus helena which is the frenchman diana he that with the plume tis a most gallant fellow i would he loved his wife if he were honester he were much goodlier is't not a handsome gentleman helena i like him well diana tis pity he is not honest yond's that same knave that leads him to these places were i his lady i would poison that vile rascal helena which is he diana that jackanapes with scarfs why is he melancholy helena perchance he's hurt i the battle parolles lose our drum well mariana he's shrewdly vexed at something look he has spied us widow marry hang you mariana and your courtesy for a ringcarrier exeunt bertram parolles and army widow the troop is past come pilgrim i will bring you where you shall host of enjoin'd penitents there's four or five to great saint jaques bound already at my house helena i humbly thank you please it this matron and this gentle maid to eat with us tonight the charge and thanking shall be for me and to requite you further i will bestow some precepts of this virgin worthy the note both we'll take your offer kindly exeunt all's well that ends well act iii scene vi camp before florence enter bertram and the two french lords second lord nay good my lord put him to't let him have his way first lord if your lordship find him not a hilding hold me no more in your respect second lord on my life my lord a bubble bertram do you think i am so far deceived in him second lord believe it my lord in mine own direct knowledge without any malice but to speak of him as my kinsman he's a most notable coward an infinite and endless liar an hourly promisebreaker the owner of no one good quality worthy your lordship's entertainment first lord it were fit you knew him lest reposing too far in his virtue which he hath not he might at some great and trusty business in a main danger fail you bertram i would i knew in what particular action to try him first lord none better than to let him fetch off his drum which you hear him so confidently undertake to do second lord i with a troop of florentines will suddenly surprise him such i will have whom i am sure he knows not from the enemy we will bind and hoodwink him so that he shall suppose no other but that he is carried into the leaguer of the adversaries when we bring him to our own tents be but your lordship present at his examination if he do not for the promise of his life and in the highest compulsion of base fear offer to betray you and deliver all the intelligence in his power against you and that with the divine forfeit of his soul upon oath never trust my judgment in any thing first lord o for the love of laughter let him fetch his drum he says he has a stratagem for't when your lordship sees the bottom of his success in't and to what metal this counterfeit lump of ore will be melted if you give him not john drum's entertainment your inclining cannot be removed here he comes enter parolles second lord aside to bertram o for the love of laughter hinder not the honour of his design let him fetch off his drum in any hand bertram how now monsieur this drum sticks sorely in your disposition first lord a pox on't let it go tis but a drum parolles but a drum is't but a drum a drum so lost there was excellent commandto charge in with our horse upon our own wings and to rend our own soldiers first lord that was not to be blamed in the command of the service it was a disaster of war that caesar himself could not have prevented if he had been there to command bertram well we cannot greatly condemn our success some dishonour we had in the loss of that drum but it is not to be recovered parolles it might have been recovered bertram it might but it is not now parolles it is to be recovered but that the merit of service is seldom attributed to the true and exact performer i would have that drum or another or hic jacet' bertram why if you have a stomach to't monsieur if you think your mystery in stratagem can bring this instrument of honour again into his native quarter be magnanimous in the enterprise and go on i will grace the attempt for a worthy exploit if you speed well in it the duke shall both speak of it and extend to you what further becomes his greatness even to the utmost syllable of your worthiness parolles by the hand of a soldier i will undertake it bertram but you must not now slumber in it parolles i'll about it this evening and i will presently pen down my dilemmas encourage myself in my certainty put myself into my mortal preparation and by midnight look to hear further from me bertram may i be bold to acquaint his grace you are gone about it parolles i know not what the success will be my lord but the attempt i vow bertram i know thou'rt valiant and to the possibility of thy soldiership will subscribe for thee farewell parolles i love not many words exit second lord no more than a fish loves water is not this a strange fellow my lord that so confidently seems to undertake this business which he knows is not to be done damns himself to do and dares better be damned than to do't first lord you do not know him my lord as we do certain it is that he will steal himself into a man's favour and for a week escape a great deal of discoveries but when you find him out you have him ever after bertram why do you think he will make no deed at all of this that so seriously he does address himself unto second lord none in the world but return with an invention and clap upon you two or three probable lies but we have almost embossed him you shall see his fall tonight for indeed he is not for your lordship's respect first lord we'll make you some sport with the fox ere we case him he was first smoked by the old lord lafeu when his disguise and he is parted tell me what a sprat you shall find him which you shall see this very night second lord i must go look my twigs he shall be caught bertram your brother he shall go along with me second lord as't please your lordship i'll leave you exit bertram now will i lead you to the house and show you the lass i spoke of first lord but you say she's honest bertram that's all the fault i spoke with her but once and found her wondrous cold but i sent to her by this same coxcomb that we have i the wind tokens and letters which she did resend and this is all i have done she's a fair creature will you go see her first lord with all my heart my lord exeunt all's well that ends well act iii scene vii florence the widow's house enter helena and widow helena if you misdoubt me that i am not she i know not how i shall assure you further but i shall lose the grounds i work upon widow though my estate be fallen i was well born nothing acquainted with these businesses and would not put my reputation now in any staining act helena nor would i wish you first give me trust the count he is my husband and what to your sworn counsel i have spoken is so from word to word and then you cannot by the good aid that i of you shall borrow err in bestowing it widow i should believe you for you have show'd me that which well approves you're great in fortune helena take this purse of gold and let me buy your friendly help thus far which i will overpay and pay again when i have found it the count he wooes your daughter lays down his wanton siege before her beauty resolved to carry her let her in fine consent as we'll direct her how tis best to bear it now his important blood will nought deny that she'll demand a ring the county wears that downward hath succeeded in his house from son to son some four or five descents since the first father wore it this ring he holds in most rich choice yet in his idle fire to buy his will it would not seem too dear howe'er repented after widow now i see the bottom of your purpose helena you see it lawful then it is no more but that your daughter ere she seems as won desires this ring appoints him an encounter in fine delivers me to fill the time herself most chastely absent after this to marry her i'll add three thousand crowns to what is passed already widow i have yielded instruct my daughter how she shall persever that time and place with this deceit so lawful may prove coherent every night he comes with musics of all sorts and songs composed to her unworthiness it nothing steads us to chide him from our eaves for he persists as if his life lay on't helena why then tonight let us assay our plot which if it speed is wicked meaning in a lawful deed and lawful meaning in a lawful act where both not sin and yet a sinful fact but let's about it exeunt all's well that ends well act iv scene i without the florentine camp enter second french lord with five or six other soldiers in ambush second lord he can come no other way but by this hedgecorner when you sally upon him speak what terrible language you will though you understand it not yourselves no matter for we must not seem to understand him unless some one among us whom we must produce for an interpreter first soldier good captain let me be the interpreter second lord art not acquainted with him knows he not thy voice first soldier no sir i warrant you second lord but what linseywoolsey hast thou to speak to us again first soldier e'en such as you speak to me second lord he must think us some band of strangers i the adversary's entertainment now he hath a smack of all neighbouring languages therefore we must every one be a man of his own fancy not to know what we speak one to another so we seem to know is to know straight our purpose choughs language gabble enough and good enough as for you interpreter you must seem very politic but couch ho here he comes to beguile two hours in a sleep and then to return and swear the lies he forges enter parolles parolles ten o'clock within these three hours twill be time enough to go home what shall i say i have done it must be a very plausive invention that carries it they begin to smoke me and disgraces have of late knocked too often at my door i find my tongue is too foolhardy but my heart hath the fear of mars before it and of his creatures not daring the reports of my tongue second lord this is the first truth that e'er thine own tongue was guilty of parolles what the devil should move me to undertake the recovery of this drum being not ignorant of the impossibility and knowing i had no such purpose i must give myself some hurts and say i got them in exploit yet slight ones will not carry it they will say came you off with so little and great ones i dare not give wherefore what's the instance tongue i must put you into a butterwoman's mouth and buy myself another of bajazet's mule if you prattle me into these perils second lord is it possible he should know what he is and be that he is parolles i would the cutting of my garments would serve the turn or the breaking of my spanish sword second lord we cannot afford you so parolles or the baring of my beard and to say it was in stratagem second lord twould not do parolles or to drown my clothes and say i was stripped second lord hardly serve parolles though i swore i leaped from the window of the citadel second lord how deep parolles thirty fathom second lord three great oaths would scarce make that be believed parolles i would i had any drum of the enemy's i would swear i recovered it second lord you shall hear one anon parolles a drum now of the enemy's alarum within second lord throca movousus cargo cargo cargo all cargo cargo cargo villiando par corbo cargo parolles o ransom ransom do not hide mine eyes they seize and blindfold him first soldier boskos thromuldo boskos parolles i know you are the muskos regiment and i shall lose my life for want of language if there be here german or dane low dutch italian or french let him speak to me i'll discover that which shall undo the florentine first soldier boskos vauvado i understand thee and can speak thy tongue kerely bonto sir betake thee to thy faith for seventeen poniards are at thy bosom parolles o first soldier o pray pray pray manka revania dulche second lord oscorbidulchos volivorco first soldier the general is content to spare thee yet and hoodwink'd as thou art will lead thee on to gather from thee haply thou mayst inform something to save thy life parolles o let me live and all the secrets of our camp i'll show their force their purposes nay i'll speak that which you will wonder at first soldier but wilt thou faithfully parolles if i do not damn me first soldier acordo linta come on thou art granted space exit with parolles guarded a short alarum within second lord go tell the count rousillon and my brother we have caught the woodcock and will keep him muffled till we do hear from them second soldier captain i will second lord a will betray us all unto ourselves inform on that second soldier so i will sir second lord till then i'll keep him dark and safely lock'd exeunt all's well that ends well act iv scene ii florence the widow's house enter bertram and diana bertram they told me that your name was fontibell diana no my good lord diana bertram titled goddess and worth it with addition but fair soul in your fine frame hath love no quality if quick fire of youth light not your mind you are no maiden but a monument when you are dead you should be such a one as you are now for you are cold and stem and now you should be as your mother was when your sweet self was got diana she then was honest bertram so should you be diana no my mother did but duty such my lord as you owe to your wife bertram no more o that i prithee do not strive against my vows i was compell'd to her but i love thee by love's own sweet constraint and will for ever do thee all rights of service diana ay so you serve us till we serve you but when you have our roses you barely leave our thorns to prick ourselves and mock us with our bareness bertram how have i sworn diana tis not the many oaths that makes the truth but the plain single vow that is vow'd true what is not holy that we swear not by but take the high'st to witness then pray you tell me if i should swear by god's great attributes i loved you dearly would you believe my oaths when i did love you ill this has no holding to swear by him whom i protest to love that i will work against him therefore your oaths are words and poor conditions but unseal'd at least in my opinion bertram change it change it be not so holycruel love is holy and my integrity ne'er knew the crafts that you do charge men with stand no more off but give thyself unto my sick desires who then recover say thou art mine and ever my love as it begins shall so persever diana i see that men make ropes in such a scarre that we'll forsake ourselves give me that ring bertram i'll lend it thee my dear but have no power to give it from me diana will you not my lord bertram it is an honour longing to our house bequeathed down from many ancestors which were the greatest obloquy i the world in me to lose diana mine honour's such a ring my chastity's the jewel of our house bequeathed down from many ancestors which were the greatest obloquy i the world in me to lose thus your own proper wisdom brings in the champion honour on my part against your vain assault bertram here take my ring my house mine honour yea my life be thine and i'll be bid by thee diana when midnight comes knock at my chamberwindow i'll order take my mother shall not hear now will i charge you in the band of truth when you have conquer'd my yet maiden bed remain there but an hour nor speak to me my reasons are most strong and you shall know them when back again this ring shall be deliver'd and on your finger in the night i'll put another ring that what in time proceeds may token to the future our past deeds adieu till then then fail not you have won a wife of me though there my hope be done bertram a heaven on earth i have won by wooing thee exit diana for which live long to thank both heaven and me you may so in the end my mother told me just how he would woo as if she sat in s heart she says all men have the like oaths he had sworn to marry me when his wife's dead therefore i'll lie with him when i am buried since frenchmen are so braid marry that will i live and die a maid only in this disguise i think't no sin to cozen him that would unjustly win exit all's well that ends well act iv scene iii the florentine camp enter the two french lords and some two or three soldiers first lord you have not given him his mother's letter second lord i have delivered it an hour since there is something in't that stings his nature for on the reading it he changed almost into another man first lord he has much worthy blame laid upon him for shaking off so good a wife and so sweet a lady second lord especially he hath incurred the everlasting displeasure of the king who had even tuned his bounty to sing happiness to him i will tell you a thing but you shall let it dwell darkly with you first lord when you have spoken it tis dead and i am the grave of it second lord he hath perverted a young gentlewoman here in florence of a most chaste renown and this night he fleshes his will in the spoil of her honour he hath given her his monumental ring and thinks himself made in the unchaste composition first lord now god delay our rebellion as we are ourselves what things are we second lord merely our own traitors and as in the common course of all treasons we still see them reveal themselves till they attain to their abhorred ends so he that in this action contrives against his own nobility in his proper stream o'erflows himself first lord is it not meant damnable in us to be trumpeters of our unlawful intents we shall not then have his company tonight second lord not till after midnight for he is dieted to his hour first lord that approaches apace i would gladly have him see his company anatomized that he might take a measure of his own judgments wherein so curiously he had set this counterfeit second lord we will not meddle with him till he come for his presence must be the whip of the other first lord in the mean time what hear you of these wars second lord i hear there is an overture of peace first lord nay i assure you a peace concluded second lord what will count rousillon do then will he travel higher or return again into france first lord i perceive by this demand you are not altogether of his council second lord let it be forbid sir so should i be a great deal of his act first lord sir his wife some two months since fled from his house her pretence is a pilgrimage to saint jaques le grand which holy undertaking with most austere sanctimony she accomplished and there residing the tenderness of her nature became as a prey to her grief in fine made a groan of her last breath and now she sings in heaven second lord how is this justified first lord the stronger part of it by her own letters which makes her story true even to the point of her death her death itself which could not be her office to say is come was faithfully confirmed by the rector of the place second lord hath the count all this intelligence first lord ay and the particular confirmations point from point so to the full arming of the verity second lord i am heartily sorry that he'll be glad of this first lord how mightily sometimes we make us comforts of our losses second lord and how mightily some other times we drown our gain in tears the great dignity that his valour hath here acquired for him shall at home be encountered with a shame as ample first lord the web of our life is of a mingled yarn good and ill together our virtues would be proud if our faults whipped them not and our crimes would despair if they were not cherished by our virtues enter a messenger how now where's your master servant he met the duke in the street sir of whom he hath taken a solemn leave his lordship will next morning for france the duke hath offered him letters of commendations to the king second lord they shall be no more than needful there if they were more than they can commend first lord they cannot be too sweet for the king's tartness here's his lordship now enter bertram how now my lord is't not after midnight bertram i have tonight dispatched sixteen businesses a month's length apiece by an abstract of success i have congied with the duke done my adieu with his nearest buried a wife mourned for her writ to my lady mother i am returning entertained my convoy and between these main parcels of dispatch effected many nicer needs the last was the greatest but that i have not ended yet second lord if the business be of any difficulty and this morning your departure hence it requires haste of your lordship bertram i mean the business is not ended as fearing to hear of it hereafter but shall we have this dialogue between the fool and the soldier come bring forth this counterfeit module he has deceived me like a doublemeaning prophesier second lord bring him forth has sat i the stocks all night poor gallant knave bertram no matter his heels have deserved it in usurping his spurs so long how does he carry himself second lord i have told your lordship already the stocks carry him but to answer you as you would be understood he weeps like a wench that had shed her milk he hath confessed himself to morgan whom he supposes to be a friar from the time of his remembrance to this very instant disaster of his setting i the stocks and what think you he hath confessed bertram nothing of me has a' second lord his confession is taken and it shall be read to his face if your lordship be in't as i believe you are you must have the patience to hear it enter parolles guarded and first soldier bertram a plague upon him muffled he can say nothing of me hush hush first lord hoodman comes portotartarosa first soldier he calls for the tortures what will you say without em parolles i will confess what i know without constraint if ye pinch me like a pasty i can say no more first soldier bosko chimurcho first lord boblibindo chicurmurco first soldier you are a merciful general our general bids you answer to what i shall ask you out of a note parolles and truly as i hope to live first soldier reads first demand of him how many horse the duke is strong what say you to that parolles five or six thousand but very weak and unserviceable the troops are all scattered and the commanders very poor rogues upon my reputation and credit and as i hope to live first soldier shall i set down your answer so parolles do i'll take the sacrament on't how and which way you will bertram all's one to him what a pastsaving slave is this first lord you're deceived my lord this is monsieur parolles the gallant militaristthat was his own phrasethat had the whole theoric of war in the knot of his scarf and the practise in the chape of his dagger second lord i will never trust a man again for keeping his sword clean nor believe he can have every thing in him by wearing his apparel neatly first soldier well that's set down parolles five or six thousand horse i said i will say trueor thereabouts set down for i'll speak truth first lord he's very near the truth in this bertram but i con him no thanks for't in the nature he delivers it parolles poor rogues i pray you say first soldier well that's set down parolles i humbly thank you sir a truth's a truth the rogues are marvellous poor first soldier reads demand of him of what strength they are afoot what say you to that parolles by my troth sir if i were to live this present hour i will tell true let me see spurio a hundred and fifty sebastian so many corambus so many jaques so many guiltian cosmo lodowick and gratii two hundred and fifty each mine own company chitopher vaumond bentii two hundred and fifty each so that the musterfile rotten and sound upon my life amounts not to fifteen thousand poll half of the which dare not shake snow from off their cassocks lest they shake themselves to pieces bertram what shall be done to him first lord nothing but let him have thanks demand of him my condition and what credit i have with the duke first soldier well that's set down reads you shall demand of him whether one captain dumain be i the camp a frenchman what his reputation is with the duke what his valour honesty and expertness in wars or whether he thinks it were not possible with wellweighing sums of gold to corrupt him to revolt what say you to this what do you know of it parolles i beseech you let me answer to the particular of the inter'gatories demand them singly first soldier do you know this captain dumain parolles i know him a was a botcher's prentice in paris from whence he was whipped for getting the shrieve's fool with childa dumb innocent that could not say him nay bertram nay by your leave hold your hands though i know his brains are forfeit to the next tile that falls first soldier well is this captain in the duke of florence's camp parolles upon my knowledge he is and lousy first lord nay look not so upon me we shall hear of your lordship anon first soldier what is his reputation with the duke parolles the duke knows him for no other but a poor officer of mine and writ to me this other day to turn him out o the band i think i have his letter in my pocket first soldier marry we'll search parolles in good sadness i do not know either it is there or it is upon a file with the duke's other letters in my tent first soldier here tis here's a paper shall i read it to you parolles i do not know if it be it or no bertram our interpreter does it well first lord excellently first soldier reads dian the count's a fool and full of gold' parolles that is not the duke's letter sir that is an advertisement to a proper maid in florence one diana to take heed of the allurement of one count rousillon a foolish idle boy but for all that very ruttish i pray you sir put it up again first soldier nay i'll read it first by your favour parolles my meaning in't i protest was very honest in the behalf of the maid for i knew the young count to be a dangerous and lascivious boy who is a whale to virginity and devours up all the fry it finds bertram damnable bothsides rogue first soldier reads when he swears oaths bid him drop gold and take it after he scores he never pays the score half won is match well made match and well make it he ne'er pays afterdebts take it before and say a soldier dian told thee this men are to mell with boys are not to kiss for count of this the count's a fool i know it who pays before but not when he does owe it thine as he vowed to thee in thine ear parolles' bertram he shall be whipped through the army with this rhyme in's forehead second lord this is your devoted friend sir the manifold linguist and the armipotent soldier bertram i could endure any thing before but a cat and now he's a cat to me first soldier i perceive sir by the general's looks we shall be fain to hang you parolles my life sir in any case not that i am afraid to die but that my offences being many i would repent out the remainder of nature let me live sir in a dungeon i the stocks or any where so i may live first soldier we'll see what may be done so you confess freely therefore once more to this captain dumain you have answered to his reputation with the duke and to his valour what is his honesty parolles he will steal sir an egg out of a cloister for rapes and ravishments he parallels nessus he professes not keeping of oaths in breaking em he is stronger than hercules he will lie sir with such volubility that you would think truth were a fool drunkenness is his best virtue for he will be swinedrunk and in his sleep he does little harm save to his bedclothes about him but they know his conditions and lay him in straw i have but little more to say sir of his honesty he has every thing that an honest man should not have what an honest man should have he has nothing first lord i begin to love him for this bertram for this description of thine honesty a pox upon him for me he's more and more a cat first soldier what say you to his expertness in war parolles faith sir he has led the drum before the english tragedians to belie him i will not and more of his soldiership i know not except in that country he had the honour to be the officer at a place there called mileend to instruct for the doubling of files i would do the man what honour i can but of this i am not certain first lord he hath outvillained villany so far that the rarity redeems him bertram a pox on him he's a cat still first soldier his qualities being at this poor price i need not to ask you if gold will corrupt him to revolt parolles sir for a quart d'ecu he will sell the feesimple of his salvation the inheritance of it and cut the entail from all remainders and a perpetual succession for it perpetually first soldier what's his brother the other captain dumain second lord why does be ask him of me first soldier what's he parolles e'en a crow o the same nest not altogether so great as the first in goodness but greater a great deal in evil he excels his brother for a coward yet his brother is reputed one of the best that is in a retreat he outruns any lackey marry in coming on he has the cramp first soldier if your life be saved will you undertake to betray the florentine parolles ay and the captain of his horse count rousillon first soldier i'll whisper with the general and know his pleasure parolles aside i'll no more drumming a plague of all drums only to seem to deserve well and to beguile the supposition of that lascivious young boy the count have i run into this danger yet who would have suspected an ambush where i was taken first soldier there is no remedy sir but you must die the general says you that have so traitorously discovered the secrets of your army and made such pestiferous reports of men very nobly held can serve the world for no honest use therefore you must die come headsman off with his head parolles o lord sir let me live or let me see my death first lord that shall you and take your leave of all your friends unblinding him so look about you know you any here bertram good morrow noble captain second lord god bless you captain parolles first lord god save you noble captain second lord captain what greeting will you to my lord lafeu i am for france first lord good captain will you give me a copy of the sonnet you writ to diana in behalf of the count rousillon an i were not a very coward i'ld compel it of you but fare you well exeunt bertram and lords first soldier you are undone captain all but your scarf that has a knot on't yet parolles who cannot be crushed with a plot first soldier if you could find out a country where but women were that had received so much shame you might begin an impudent nation fare ye well sir i am for france too we shall speak of you there exit with soldiers parolles yet am i thankful if my heart were great twould burst at this captain i'll be no more but i will eat and drink and sleep as soft as captain shall simply the thing i am shall make me live who knows himself a braggart let him fear this for it will come to pass that every braggart shall be found an ass rust sword cool blushes and parolles live safest in shame being fool'd by foolery thrive there's place and means for every man alive i'll after them exit all's well that ends well act iv scene iv florence the widow's house enter helena widow and diana helena that you may well perceive i have not wrong'd you one of the greatest in the christian world shall be my surety fore whose throne tis needful ere i can perfect mine intents to kneel time was i did him a desired office dear almost as his life which gratitude through flinty tartar's bosom would peep forth and answer thanks i duly am inform'd his grace is at marseilles to which place we have convenient convoy you must know i am supposed dead the army breaking my husband hies him home where heaven aiding and by the leave of my good lord the king we'll be before our welcome widow gentle madam you never had a servant to whose trust your business was more welcome helena nor you mistress ever a friend whose thoughts more truly labour to recompense your love doubt not but heaven hath brought me up to be your daughter's dower as it hath fated her to be my motive and helper to a husband but o strange men that can such sweet use make of what they hate when saucy trusting of the cozen'd thoughts defiles the pitchy night so lust doth play with what it loathes for that which is away but more of this hereafter you diana under my poor instructions yet must suffer something in my behalf diana let death and honesty go with your impositions i am yours upon your will to suffer helena yet i pray you but with the word the time will bring on summer when briers shall have leaves as well as thorns and be as sweet as sharp we must away our wagon is prepared and time revives us all's well that ends well still the fine's the crown whate'er the course the end is the renown exeunt all's well that ends well act iv scene v rousillon the count's palace enter countess lafeu and clown lafeu no no no your son was misled with a snipttaffeta fellow there whose villanous saffron would have made all the unbaked and doughy youth of a nation in his colour your daughterinlaw had been alive at this hour and your son here at home more advanced by the king than by that redtailed humblebee i speak of countess i would i had not known him it was the death of the most virtuous gentlewoman that ever nature had praise for creating if she had partaken of my flesh and cost me the dearest groans of a mother i could not have owed her a more rooted love lafeu twas a good lady twas a good lady we may pick a thousand salads ere we light on such another herb clown indeed sir she was the sweet marjoram of the salad or rather the herb of grace lafeu they are not herbs you knave they are noseherbs clown i am no great nebuchadnezzar sir i have not much skill in grass lafeu whether dost thou profess thyself a knave or a fool clown a fool sir at a woman's service and a knave at a man's lafeu your distinction clown i would cozen the man of his wife and do his service lafeu so you were a knave at his service indeed clown and i would give his wife my bauble sir to do her service lafeu i will subscribe for thee thou art both knave and fool clown at your service lafeu no no no clown why sir if i cannot serve you i can serve as great a prince as you are lafeu who's that a frenchman clown faith sir a has an english name but his fisnomy is more hotter in france than there lafeu what prince is that clown the black prince sir alias the prince of darkness alias the devil lafeu hold thee there's my purse i give thee not this to suggest thee from thy master thou talkest of serve him still clown i am a woodland fellow sir that always loved a great fire and the master i speak of ever keeps a good fire but sure he is the prince of the world let his nobility remain in's court i am for the house with the narrow gate which i take to be too little for pomp to enter some that humble themselves may but the many will be too chill and tender and they'll be for the flowery way that leads to the broad gate and the great fire lafeu go thy ways i begin to be aweary of thee and i tell thee so before because i would not fall out with thee go thy ways let my horses be well looked to without any tricks clown if i put any tricks upon em sir they shall be jades tricks which are their own right by the law of nature exit lafeu a shrewd knave and an unhappy countess so he is my lord that's gone made himself much sport out of him by his authority he remains here which he thinks is a patent for his sauciness and indeed he has no pace but runs where he will lafeu i like him well tis not amiss and i was about to tell you since i heard of the good lady's death and that my lord your son was upon his return home i moved the king my master to speak in the behalf of my daughter which in the minority of them both his majesty out of a selfgracious remembrance did first propose his highness hath promised me to do it and to stop up the displeasure he hath conceived against your son there is no fitter matter how does your ladyship like it countess with very much content my lord and i wish it happily effected lafeu his highness comes post from marseilles of as able body as when he numbered thirty he will be here tomorrow or i am deceived by him that in such intelligence hath seldom failed countess it rejoices me that i hope i shall see him ere i die i have letters that my son will be here tonight i shall beseech your lordship to remain with me till they meet together lafeu madam i was thinking with what manners i might safely be admitted countess you need but plead your honourable privilege lafeu lady of that i have made a bold charter but i thank my god it holds yet reenter clown clown o madam yonder's my lord your son with a patch of velvet on's face whether there be a scar under't or no the velvet knows but tis a goodly patch of velvet his left cheek is a cheek of two pile and a half but his right cheek is worn bare lafeu a scar nobly got or a noble scar is a good livery of honour so belike is that clown but it is your carbonadoed face lafeu let us go see your son i pray you i long to talk with the young noble soldier clown faith there's a dozen of em with delicate fine hats and most courteous feathers which bow the head and nod at every man exeunt all's well that ends well act v scene i marseilles a street enter helena widow and diana with two attendants helena but this exceeding posting day and night must wear your spirits low we cannot help it but since you have made the days and nights as one to wear your gentle limbs in my affairs be bold you do so grow in my requital as nothing can unroot you in happy time enter a gentleman this man may help me to his majesty's ear if he would spend his power god save you sir gentleman and you helena sir i have seen you in the court of france gentleman i have been sometimes there helena i do presume sir that you are not fallen from the report that goes upon your goodness an therefore goaded with most sharp occasions which lay nice manners by i put you to the use of your own virtues for the which i shall continue thankful gentleman what's your will helena that it will please you to give this poor petition to the king and aid me with that store of power you have to come into his presence gentleman the king's not here helena not here sir gentleman not indeed he hence removed last night and with more haste than is his use widow lord how we lose our pains helena all's well that ends well yet though time seem so adverse and means unfit i do beseech you whither is he gone gentleman marry as i take it to rousillon whither i am going helena i do beseech you sir since you are like to see the king before me commend the paper to his gracious hand which i presume shall render you no blame but rather make you thank your pains for it i will come after you with what good speed our means will make us means gentleman this i'll do for you helena and you shall find yourself to be well thank'd whate'er falls more we must to horse again go go provide exeunt all's well that ends well act v scene ii rousillon before the count's palace enter clown and parolles following parolles good monsieur lavache give my lord lafeu this letter i have ere now sir been better known to you when i have held familiarity with fresher clothes but i am now sir muddied in fortune's mood and smell somewhat strong of her strong displeasure clown truly fortune's displeasure is but sluttish if it smell so strongly as thou speakest of i will henceforth eat no fish of fortune's buttering prithee allow the wind parolles nay you need not to stop your nose sir i spake but by a metaphor clown indeed sir if your metaphor stink i will stop my nose or against any man's metaphor prithee get thee further parolles pray you sir deliver me this paper clown foh prithee stand away a paper from fortune's closestool to give to a nobleman look here he comes himself enter lafeu here is a purr of fortune's sir or of fortune's catbut not a muskcatthat has fallen into the unclean fishpond of her displeasure and as he says is muddied withal pray you sir use the carp as you may for he looks like a poor decayed ingenious foolish rascally knave i do pity his distress in my similes of comfort and leave him to your lordship exit parolles my lord i am a man whom fortune hath cruelly scratched lafeu and what would you have me to do tis too late to pare her nails now wherein have you played the knave with fortune that she should scratch you who of herself is a good lady and would not have knaves thrive long under her there's a quart d'ecu for you let the justices make you and fortune friends i am for other business parolles i beseech your honour to hear me one single word lafeu you beg a single penny more come you shall ha't save your word parolles my name my good lord is parolles lafeu you beg more than word then cox my passion give me your hand how does your drum parolles o my good lord you were the first that found me lafeu was i in sooth and i was the first that lost thee parolles it lies in you my lord to bring me in some grace for you did bring me out lafeu out upon thee knave dost thou put upon me at once both the office of god and the devil one brings thee in grace and the other brings thee out trumpets sound the king's coming i know by his trumpets sirrah inquire further after me i had talk of you last night though you are a fool and a knave you shall eat go to follow parolles i praise god for you exeunt all's well that ends well act v scene iii rousillon the count's palace flourish enter king countess lafeu the two french lords with attendants king we lost a jewel of her and our esteem was made much poorer by it but your son as mad in folly lack'd the sense to know her estimation home countess tis past my liege and i beseech your majesty to make it natural rebellion done i the blaze of youth when oil and fire too strong for reason's force o'erbears it and burns on king my honour'd lady i have forgiven and forgotten all though my revenges were high bent upon him and watch'd the time to shoot lafeu this i must say but first i beg my pardon the young lord did to his majesty his mother and his lady offence of mighty note but to himself the greatest wrong of all he lost a wife whose beauty did astonish the survey of richest eyes whose words all ears took captive whose dear perfection hearts that scorn'd to serve humbly call'd mistress king praising what is lost makes the remembrance dear well call him hither we are reconciled and the first view shall kill all repetition let him not ask our pardon the nature of his great offence is dead and deeper than oblivion we do bury the incensing relics of it let him approach a stranger no offender and inform him so tis our will he should gentleman i shall my liege exit king what says he to your daughter have you spoke lafeu all that he is hath reference to your highness king then shall we have a match i have letters sent me that set him high in fame enter bertram lafeu he looks well on't king i am not a day of season for thou mayst see a sunshine and a hail in me at once but to the brightest beams distracted clouds give way so stand thou forth the time is fair again bertram my highrepented blames dear sovereign pardon to me 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 bertram 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 stolen extended or contracted all proportions to a most hideous object thence it came that she whom all men praised and whom myself since i have lost have loved was in mine eye the dust that did offend it king well excused that thou didst love her strikes some scores away from the great compt but love that comes too late like a remorseful pardon slowly carried 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 shame full late 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 marriageday countess which better than the first o dear heaven bless or ere they meet in me o nature cesse lafeu 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 bertram gives a ring by my old beard and every hair that's on't helen that's dead was a sweet creature such a ring as this the last that e'er i took her at court i saw upon her finger bertram hers it was not king now pray you let me see it for mine eye while i was speaking oft was fasten'd to't this ring was mine and when i gave it helen i bade her if her fortunes ever stood necessitied to help that by this token i would relieve her had you that craft to reave her of what should stead her most bertram my gracious sovereign howe'er it pleases you to take it so the ring was never hers countess son on my life i have seen her wear it and she reckon'd it at her life's rate lafeu i am sure i saw her wear it bertram you are deceived my lord she never saw it in florence was it from a casement thrown me wrapp'd in a paper which contain'd the name of her that threw it noble she was and thought i stood engaged but when i had subscribed to mine own fortune and inform'd her fully i could not answer in that course of honour as she had made the overture she ceased in heavy satisfaction and would never receive the ring again king plutus himself that knows the tinct and multiplying medicine hath not in nature's mystery more science than i have in this ring twas mine twas helen's whoever gave it you then if you know 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 that she would never put it from her finger unless she gave it to yourself in bed where you have never come or sent it us upon her great disaster bertram she never saw it king thou speak'st it falsely as i love mine honour and makest conjectural fears to come into me which i would fain shut out if it should prove that thou art so inhuman'twill not prove so 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 forepast proofs howe'er the matter fall shall tax my fears of little vanity having vainly fear'd too little away with him we'll sift this matter further bertram 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 guarded king i am wrapp'd in dismal thinkings enter a gentleman gentleman 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 importing 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 capilet lafeu i will buy me a soninlaw in a fair and toll 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 i am afeard the life of helen lady was foully snatch'd countess now justice on the doers reenter bertram guarded king i wonder sir sith wives are monsters to you and that you fly them as you swear them lordship yet you desire to marry enter widow and diana what woman's that diana i am my lord a wretched florentine derived from the ancient capilet my suit as i do understand you know and therefore know how far i may be pitied widow i am her mother sir whose age and honour both suffer under this complaint we bring and both shall cease without your remedy king come hither count do you know these women bertram my lord i neither can nor will deny but that i know them do they charge me further diana why do you look so strange upon your wife bertram she's none of mine my lord diana 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 for i by vow am so embodied yours that she which marries you must marry me either both or none lafeu your reputation comes too short for my daughter you are no husband for her bertram 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 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 diana good my lord ask him upon his oath if he does think he had not my virginity king what say'st thou to her bertram she's impudent my lord and was a common gamester to the camp diana 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 he gave it to a commoner o the camp if i be one countess he blushes and tis it of six preceding ancestors that gem conferr'd by testament to the sequent issue hath it been owed and worn this is his wife that ring's a thousand proofs king methought you said you saw one here in court could witness it diana i did my lord but loath am to produce so bad an instrument his name's parolles lafeu i saw the man today if man he be king find him and bring him hither exit an attendant bertram what of him he's quoted for a most perfidious slave with all the spots o the world tax'd and debosh'd 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 bertram i think she has certain it is i liked 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 infinite cunning with her modern grace subdued me to her rate she got the ring and i had that which any inferior might at marketprice have bought diana i must be patient you that have 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 bertram i have it not king what ring was yours i pray you diana sir much like the same upon your finger king know you this ring this ring was his of late diana and this was it i gave him being abed king the story then goes false you threw it him out of a casement diana i have spoke the truth enter parolles bertram my lord i do confess the ring was hers king you boggle shrewdly every feather stars you is this the man you speak of diana 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 parolles 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 parolles faith sir he did love her but how king how i pray you parolles he did love her sir as a gentleman loves a woman king how is that parolles he loved her sir and loved her not king as thou art a knave and no knave what an equivocal companion is this parolles i am a poor man and at your majesty's command lafeu he's a good drum my lord but a naughty orator diana do you know he promised me marriage parolles faith i know more than i'll speak king but wilt thou not speak all thou knowest parolles 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 which 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 diana ay my good lord king where did you buy it or who gave it you diana it was not given me nor i did not buy it king who lent it you diana it was not lent me neither king where did you find it then diana i found it not king if it were yours by none of all these ways how could you give it him diana i never gave it him lafeu 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 diana 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 diana i'll never tell you king take her away diana i'll put in bail my liege king i think thee now some common customer diana by jove if ever i knew man twas you king wherefore hast thou accused him all this while diana 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 king she does abuse our ears to prison with her diana good mother fetch my bail stay royal sir exit widow the jeweller that owes the ring is sent for and he shall surety me but for this lord who hath abused me as he knows himself though yet he never harm'd me here i quit him he knows himself my bed he hath defiled and at that time he got his wife with child dead though she be she feels her young one kick so there's my riddle one that's dead is quick and now behold the meaning reenter widow with helena king is there no exorcist beguiles the truer office of mine eyes is't real that i see helena no my good lord tis but the shadow of a wife you see the name and not the thing bertram both both o pardon helena 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 bertram if she my liege can make me know this clearly i'll love her dearly ever ever dearly helena if it appear not plain and prove untrue deadly divorce step between me and you o my dear mother do i see you living lafeu mine eyes smell onions i shall weep anon to parolles good tom drum lend me a handkercher 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 or 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 all's well that ends well epilogue king 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 you like it dramatis personae duke senior living in banishment duke frederick his brother an usurper of his dominions amiens lords attending on the banished duke jaques le beau a courtier attending upon frederick charles wrestler to frederick oliver jaques jaques de boys sons of sir rowland de boys orlando adam servants to oliver dennis touchstone a clown sir oliver martext a vicar corin shepherds silvius william a country fellow in love with audrey a person representing hymen hymen rosalind daughter to the banished duke celia daughter to frederick phebe a shepherdess audrey a country wench lords pages and attendants &c forester a lord first lord second lord first page second page scene oliver's house duke frederick's court and the forest of arden as you like it act i scene i orchard of oliver's house enter orlando and adam orlando as i remember adam it was upon this fashion bequeathed me by will but poor a thousand crowns and as thou sayest charged my brother on his blessing to breed me well and there begins my sadness my brother jaques he keeps at school and report speaks goldenly of his profit for my part he keeps me rustically at home or to speak more properly stays me here at home unkept for call you that keeping for a gentleman of my birth that differs not from the stalling of an ox his horses are bred better for besides that they are fair with their feeding they are taught their manage and to that end riders dearly hired but i his brother gain nothing under him but growth for the which his animals on his dunghills are as much bound to him as i besides this nothing that he so plentifully gives me the something that nature gave me his countenance seems to take from me he lets me feed with his hinds bars me the place of a brother and as much as in him lies mines my gentility with my education this is it adam that grieves me and the spirit of my father which i think is within me begins to mutiny against this servitude i will no longer endure it though yet i know no wise remedy how to avoid it adam yonder comes my master your brother orlando go apart adam and thou shalt hear how he will shake me up enter oliver oliver now sir what make you here orlando nothing i am not taught to make any thing oliver what mar you then sir orlando marry sir i am helping you to mar that which god made a poor unworthy brother of yours with idleness oliver marry sir be better employed and be naught awhile orlando shall i keep your hogs and eat husks with them what prodigal portion have i spent that i should come to such penury oliver know you where your are sir orlando o sir very well here in your orchard oliver know you before whom sir orlando ay better than him i am before knows me i know you are my eldest brother and in the gentle condition of blood you should so know me the courtesy of nations allows you my better in that you are the firstborn but the same tradition takes not away my blood were there twenty brothers betwixt us i have as much of my father in me as you albeit i confess your coming before me is nearer to his reverence oliver what boy orlando come come elder brother you are too young in this oliver wilt thou lay hands on me villain orlando i am no villain i am the youngest son of sir rowland de boys he was my father and he is thrice a villain that says such a father begot villains wert thou not my brother i would not take this hand from thy throat till this other had pulled out thy tongue for saying so thou hast railed on thyself adam sweet masters be patient for your father's remembrance be at accord oliver let me go i say orlando i will not till i please you shall hear me my father charged you in his will to give me good education you have trained me like a peasant obscuring and hiding from me all gentlemanlike qualities the spirit of my father grows strong in me and i will no longer endure it therefore allow me such exercises as may become a gentleman or give me the poor allottery my father left me by testament with that i will go buy my fortunes oliver and what wilt thou do beg when that is spent well sir get you in i will not long be troubled with you you shall have some part of your will i pray you leave me orlando i will no further offend you than becomes me for my good oliver get you with him you old dog adam is old dog my reward most true i have lost my teeth in your service god be with my old master he would not have spoke such a word exeunt orlando and adam oliver is it even so begin you to grow upon me i will physic your rankness and yet give no thousand crowns neither holla dennis enter dennis dennis calls your worship oliver was not charles the duke's wrestler here to speak with me dennis so please you he is here at the door and importunes access to you oliver call him in exit dennis twill be a good way and tomorrow the wrestling is enter charles charles good morrow to your worship oliver good monsieur charles what's the new news at the new court charles there's no news at the court sir but the old news that is the old duke is banished by his younger brother the new duke and three or four loving lords have put themselves into voluntary exile with him whose lands and revenues enrich the new duke therefore he gives them good leave to wander oliver can you tell if rosalind the duke's daughter be banished with her father charles o no for the duke's daughter her cousin so loves her being ever from their cradles bred together that she would have followed her exile or have died to stay behind her she is at the court and no less beloved of her uncle than his own daughter and never two ladies loved as they do oliver where will the old duke live charles they say he is already in the forest of arden and a many merry men with him and there they live like the old robin hood of england they say many young gentlemen flock to him every day and fleet the time carelessly as they did in the golden world oliver what you wrestle tomorrow before the new duke charles marry do i sir and i came to acquaint you with a matter i am given sir secretly to understand that your younger brother orlando hath a disposition to come in disguised against me to try a fall tomorrow sir i wrestle for my credit and he that escapes me without some broken limb shall acquit him well your brother is but young and tender and for your love i would be loath to foil him as i must for my own honour if he come in therefore out of my love to you i came hither to acquaint you withal that either you might stay him from his intendment or brook such disgrace well as he shall run into in that it is a thing of his own search and altogether against my will oliver charles i thank thee for thy love to me which thou shalt find i will most kindly requite i had myself notice of my brother's purpose herein and have by underhand means laboured to dissuade him from it but he is resolute i'll tell thee charles it is the stubbornest young fellow of france full of ambition an envious emulator of every man's good parts a secret and villanous contriver against me his natural brother therefore use thy discretion i had as lief thou didst break his neck as his finger and thou wert best look to't for if thou dost him any slight disgrace or if he do not mightily grace himself on thee he will practise against thee by poison entrap thee by some treacherous device and never leave thee till he hath ta'en thy life by some indirect means or other for i assure thee and almost with tears i speak it there is not one so young and so villanous this day living i speak but brotherly of him but should i anatomize him to thee as he is i must blush and weep and thou must look pale and wonder charles i am heartily glad i came hither to you if he come tomorrow i'll give him his payment if ever he go alone again i'll never wrestle for prize more and so god keep your worship oliver farewell good charles exit charles now will i stir this gamester i hope i shall see an end of him for my soul yet i know not why hates nothing more than he yet he's gentle never schooled and yet learned full of noble device of all sorts enchantingly beloved and indeed so much in the heart of the world and especially of my own people who best know him that i am altogether misprised but it shall not be so long this wrestler shall clear all nothing remains but that i kindle the boy thither which now i'll go about exit as you like it act i scene ii lawn before the duke's palace enter celia and rosalind celia i pray thee rosalind sweet my coz be merry rosalind dear celia i show more mirth than i am mistress of and would you yet i were merrier unless you could teach me to forget a banished father you must not learn me how to remember any extraordinary pleasure celia herein i see thou lovest me not with the full weight that i love thee if my uncle thy banished father had banished thy uncle the duke my father so thou hadst been still with me i could have taught my love to take thy father for mine so wouldst thou if the truth of thy love to me were so righteously tempered as mine is to thee rosalind well i will forget the condition of my estate to rejoice in yours celia you know my father hath no child but i nor none is like to have and truly when he dies thou shalt be his heir for what he hath taken away from thy father perforce i will render thee again in affection by mine honour i will and when i break that oath let me turn monster therefore my sweet rose my dear rose be merry rosalind from henceforth i will coz and devise sports let me see what think you of falling in love celia marry i prithee do to make sport withal but love no man in good earnest nor no further in sport neither than with safety of a pure blush thou mayst in honour come off again rosalind what shall be our sport then celia let us sit and mock the good housewife fortune from her wheel that her gifts may henceforth be bestowed equally rosalind i would we could do so for her benefits are mightily misplaced and the bountiful blind woman doth most mistake in her gifts to women celia tis true for those that she makes fair she scarce makes honest and those that she makes honest she makes very illfavouredly rosalind nay now thou goest from fortune's office to nature's fortune reigns in gifts of the world not in the lineaments of nature enter touchstone celia no when nature hath made a fair creature may she not by fortune fall into the fire though nature hath given us wit to flout at fortune hath not fortune sent in this fool to cut off the argument rosalind indeed there is fortune too hard for nature when fortune makes nature's natural the cutteroff of nature's wit celia peradventure this is not fortune's work neither but nature's who perceiveth our natural wits too dull to reason of such goddesses and hath sent this natural for our whetstone for always the dulness of the fool is the whetstone of the wits how now wit whither wander you touchstone mistress you must come away to your father celia were you made the messenger touchstone no by mine honour but i was bid to come for you rosalind where learned you that oath fool touchstone of a certain knight that swore by his honour they were good pancakes and swore by his honour the mustard was naught now i'll stand to it the pancakes were naught and the mustard was good and yet was not the knight forsworn celia how prove you that in the great heap of your knowledge rosalind ay marry now unmuzzle your wisdom touchstone stand you both forth now stroke your chins and swear by your beards that i am a knave celia by our beards if we had them thou art touchstone by my knavery if i had it then i were but if you swear by that that is not you are not forsworn no more was this knight swearing by his honour for he never had any or if he had he had sworn it away before ever he saw those pancakes or that mustard celia prithee who is't that thou meanest touchstone one that old frederick your father loves celia my father's love is enough to honour him enough speak no more of him you'll be whipped for taxation one of these days touchstone the more pity that fools may not speak wisely what wise men do foolishly celia by my troth thou sayest true for since the little wit that fools have was silenced the little foolery that wise men have makes a great show here comes monsieur le beau rosalind with his mouth full of news celia which he will put on us as pigeons feed their young rosalind then shall we be newscrammed celia all the better we shall be the more marketable enter le beau bon jour monsieur le beau what's the news le beau fair princess you have lost much good sport celia sport of what colour le beau what colour madam how shall i answer you rosalind as wit and fortune will touchstone or as the destinies decree celia well said that was laid on with a trowel touchstone nay if i keep not my rank rosalind thou losest thy old smell le beau you amaze me ladies i would have told you of good wrestling which you have lost the sight of rosalind you tell us the manner of the wrestling le beau i will tell you the beginning and if it please your ladyships you may see the end for the best is yet to do and here where you are they are coming to perform it celia well the beginning that is dead and buried le beau there comes an old man and his three sons celia i could match this beginning with an old tale le beau three proper young men of excellent growth and presence rosalind with bills on their necks be it known unto all men by these presents' le beau the eldest of the three wrestled with charles the duke's wrestler which charles in a moment threw him and broke three of his ribs that there is little hope of life in him so he served the second and so the third yonder they lie the poor old man their father making such pitiful dole over them that all the beholders take his part with weeping rosalind alas touchstone but what is the sport monsieur that the ladies have lost le beau why this that i speak of touchstone thus men may grow wiser every day it is the first time that ever i heard breaking of ribs was sport for ladies celia or i i promise thee rosalind but is there any else longs to see this broken music in his sides is there yet another dotes upon ribbreaking shall we see this wrestling cousin le beau you must if you stay here for here is the place appointed for the wrestling and they are ready to perform it celia yonder sure they are coming let us now stay and see it flourish enter duke frederick lords orlando charles and attendants duke frederick come on since the youth will not be entreated his own peril on his forwardness rosalind is yonder the man le beau even he madam celia alas he is too young yet he looks successfully duke frederick how now daughter and cousin are you crept hither to see the wrestling rosalind ay my liege so please you give us leave duke frederick you will take little delight in it i can tell you there is such odds in the man in pity of the challenger's youth i would fain dissuade him but he will not be entreated speak to him ladies see if you can move him celia call him hither good monsieur le beau duke frederick do so i'll not be by le beau monsieur the challenger the princesses call for you orlando i attend them with all respect and duty rosalind young man have you challenged charles the wrestler orlando no fair princess he is the general challenger i come but in as others do to try with him the strength of my youth celia young gentleman your spirits are too bold for your years you have seen cruel proof of this man's strength if you saw yourself with your eyes or knew yourself with your judgment the fear of your adventure would counsel you to a more equal enterprise we pray you for your own sake to embrace your own safety and give over this attempt rosalind do young sir your reputation shall not therefore be misprised we will make it our suit to the duke that the wrestling might not go forward orlando i beseech you punish me not with your hard thoughts wherein i confess me much guilty to deny so fair and excellent ladies any thing but let your fair eyes and gentle wishes go with me to my trial wherein if i be foiled there is but one shamed that was never gracious if killed but one dead that was willing to be so i shall do my friends no wrong for i have none to lament me the world no injury for in it i have nothing only in the world i fill up a place which may be better supplied when i have made it empty rosalind the little strength that i have i would it were with you celia and mine to eke out hers rosalind fare you well pray heaven i be deceived in you celia your heart's desires be with you charles come where is this young gallant that is so desirous to lie with his mother earth orlando ready sir but his will hath in it a more modest working duke frederick you shall try but one fall charles no i warrant your grace you shall not entreat him to a second that have so mightily persuaded him from a first orlando an you mean to mock me after you should not have mocked me before but come your ways rosalind now hercules be thy speed young man celia i would i were invisible to catch the strong fellow by the leg they wrestle rosalind o excellent young man celia if i had a thunderbolt in mine eye i can tell who should down shout charles is thrown duke frederick no more no more orlando yes i beseech your grace i am not yet well breathed duke frederick how dost thou charles le beau he cannot speak my lord duke frederick bear him away what is thy name young man orlando orlando my liege the youngest son of sir rowland de boys duke frederick i would thou hadst been son to some man else the world esteem'd thy father honourable but i did find him still mine enemy thou shouldst have better pleased me with this deed hadst thou descended from another house but fare thee well thou art a gallant youth i would thou hadst told me of another father exeunt duke frederick train and le beau celia were i my father coz would i do this orlando i am more proud to be sir rowland's son his youngest son and would not change that calling to be adopted heir to frederick rosalind my father loved sir rowland as his soul and all the world was of my father's mind had i before known this young man his son i should have given him tears unto entreaties ere he should thus have ventured celia gentle cousin let us go thank him and encourage him my father's rough and envious disposition sticks me at heart sir you have well deserved if you do keep your promises in love but justly as you have exceeded all promise your mistress shall be happy rosalind gentleman giving him a chain from her neck wear this for me one out of suits with fortune that could give more but that her hand lacks means shall we go coz celia ay fare you well fair gentleman orlando can i not say i thank you my better parts are all thrown down and that which here stands up is but a quintain a mere lifeless block rosalind he calls us back my pride fell with my fortunes i'll ask him what he would did you call sir sir you have wrestled well and overthrown more than your enemies celia will you go coz rosalind have with you fare you well exeunt rosalind and celia orlando what passion hangs these weights upon my tongue i cannot speak to her yet she urged conference o poor orlando thou art overthrown or charles or something weaker masters thee reenter le beau le beau good sir i do in friendship counsel you to leave this place albeit you have deserved high commendation true applause and love yet such is now the duke's condition that he misconstrues all that you have done the duke is humorous what he is indeed more suits you to conceive than i to speak of orlando i thank you sir and pray you tell me this which of the two was daughter of the duke that here was at the wrestling le beau neither his daughter if we judge by manners but yet indeed the lesser is his daughter the other is daughter to the banish'd duke and here detain'd by her usurping uncle to keep his daughter company whose loves are dearer than the natural bond of sisters but i can tell you that of late this duke hath ta'en displeasure gainst his gentle niece grounded upon no other argument but that the people praise her for her virtues and pity her for her good father's sake and on my life his malice gainst the lady will suddenly break forth sir fare you well hereafter in a better world than this i shall desire more love and knowledge of you orlando i rest much bounden to you fare you well exit le beau thus must i from the smoke into the smother from tyrant duke unto a tyrant brother but heavenly rosalind exit as you like it act i scene iii a room in the palace enter celia and rosalind celia why cousin why rosalind cupid have mercy not a word rosalind not one to throw at a dog celia no thy words are too precious to be cast away upon curs throw some of them at me come lame me with reasons rosalind then there were two cousins laid up when the one should be lamed with reasons and the other mad without any celia but is all this for your father rosalind no some of it is for my child's father o how full of briers is this workingday world celia they are but burs cousin thrown upon thee in holiday foolery if we walk not in the trodden paths our very petticoats will catch them rosalind i could shake them off my coat these burs are in my heart celia hem them away rosalind i would try if i could cry hem and have him celia come come wrestle with thy affections rosalind o they take the part of a better wrestler than myself celia o a good wish upon you you will try in time in despite of a fall but turning these jests out of service let us talk in good earnest is it possible on such a sudden you should fall into so strong a liking with old sir rowland's youngest son rosalind the duke my father loved his father dearly celia doth it therefore ensue that you should love his son dearly by this kind of chase i should hate him for my father hated his father dearly yet i hate not orlando rosalind no faith hate him not for my sake celia why should i not doth he not deserve well rosalind let me love him for that and do you love him because i do look here comes the duke celia with his eyes full of anger enter duke frederick with lords duke frederick mistress dispatch you with your safest haste and get you from our court rosalind me uncle duke frederick you cousin within these ten days if that thou be'st found so near our public court as twenty miles thou diest for it rosalind i do beseech your grace let me the knowledge of my fault bear with me if with myself i hold intelligence or have acquaintance with mine own desires if that i do not dream or be not frantic as i do trust i am notthen dear uncle never so much as in a thought unborn did i offend your highness duke frederick thus do all traitors if their purgation did consist in words they are as innocent as grace itself let it suffice thee that i trust thee not rosalind yet your mistrust cannot make me a traitor tell me whereon the likelihood depends duke frederick thou art thy father's daughter there's enough rosalind so was i when your highness took his dukedom so was i when your highness banish'd him treason is not inherited my lord or if we did derive it from our friends what's that to me my father was no traitor then good my liege mistake me not so much to think my poverty is treacherous celia dear sovereign hear me speak duke frederick ay celia we stay'd her for your sake else had she with her father ranged along celia i did not then entreat to have her stay it was your pleasure and your own remorse i was too young that time to value her but now i know her if she be a traitor why so am i we still have slept together rose at an instant learn'd play'd eat together and wheresoever we went like juno's swans still we went coupled and inseparable duke frederick she is too subtle for thee and her smoothness her very silence and her patience speak to the people and they pity her thou art a fool she robs thee of thy name and thou wilt show more bright and seem more virtuous when she is gone then open not thy lips firm and irrevocable is my doom which i have pass'd upon her she is banish'd celia pronounce that sentence then on me my liege i cannot live out of her company duke frederick you are a fool you niece provide yourself if you outstay the time upon mine honour and in the greatness of my word you die exeunt duke frederick and lords celia o my poor rosalind whither wilt thou go wilt thou change fathers i will give thee mine i charge thee be not thou more grieved than i am rosalind i have more cause celia thou hast not cousin prithee be cheerful know'st thou not the duke hath banish'd me his daughter rosalind that he hath not celia no hath not rosalind lacks then the love which teacheth thee that thou and i am one shall we be sunder'd shall we part sweet girl no let my father seek another heir therefore devise with me how we may fly whither to go and what to bear with us and do not seek to take your change upon you to bear your griefs yourself and leave me out for by this heaven now at our sorrows pale say what thou canst i'll go along with thee rosalind why whither shall we go celia to seek my uncle in the forest of arden rosalind alas what danger will it be to us maids as we are to travel forth so far beauty provoketh thieves sooner than gold celia i'll put myself in poor and mean attire and with a kind of umber smirch my face the like do you so shall we pass along and never stir assailants rosalind were it not better because that i am more than common tall that i did suit me all points like a man a gallant curtleaxe upon my thigh a boarspear in my hand andin my heart lie there what hidden woman's fear there will we'll have a swashing and a martial outside as many other mannish cowards have that do outface it with their semblances celia what shall i call thee when thou art a man rosalind i'll have no worse a name than jove's own page and therefore look you call me ganymede but what will you be call'd celia something that hath a reference to my state no longer celia but aliena rosalind but cousin what if we assay'd to steal the clownish fool out of your father's court would he not be a comfort to our travel celia he'll go along o'er the wide world with me leave me alone to woo him let's away and get our jewels and our wealth together devise the fittest time and safest way to hide us from pursuit that will be made after my flight now go we in content to liberty and not to banishment exeunt as you like it act ii scene i the forest of arden enter duke senior amiens and two or three lords like foresters duke senior now my comates and brothers in exile hath not old custom made this life more sweet than that of painted pomp are not these woods more free from peril than the envious court here feel we but the penalty of adam the seasons difference as the icy fang and churlish chiding of the winter's wind which when it bites and blows upon my body even till i shrink with cold i smile and say this is no flattery these are counsellors that feelingly persuade me what i am' sweet are the uses of adversity which like the toad ugly and venomous wears yet a precious jewel in his head and this our life exempt from public haunt finds tongues in trees books in the running brooks sermons in stones and good in every thing i would not change it amiens happy is your grace that can translate the stubbornness of fortune into so quiet and so sweet a style duke senior come shall we go and kill us venison and yet it irks me the poor dappled fools being native burghers of this desert city should in their own confines with forked heads have their round haunches gored first lord indeed my lord the melancholy jaques grieves at that and in that kind swears you do more usurp than doth your brother that hath banish'd you today my lord of amiens and myself did steal behind him as he lay along under an oak whose antique root peeps out upon the brook that brawls along this wood to the which place a poor sequester'd stag that from the hunter's aim had ta'en a hurt did come to languish and indeed my lord the wretched animal heaved forth such groans that their discharge did stretch his leathern coat almost to bursting and the big round tears coursed one another down his innocent nose in piteous chase and thus the hairy fool much marked of the melancholy jaques stood on the extremest verge of the swift brook augmenting it with tears duke senior but what said jaques did he not moralize this spectacle first lord o yes into a thousand similes first for his weeping into the needless stream poor deer quoth he thou makest a testament as worldlings do giving thy sum of more to that which had too much then being there alone left and abandon'd of his velvet friends 'tis right quoth he thus misery doth part the flux of company anon a careless herd full of the pasture jumps along by him and never stays to greet him ay quoth jaques sweep on you fat and greasy citizens tis just the fashion wherefore do you look upon that poor and broken bankrupt there' thus most invectively he pierceth through the body of the country city court yea and of this our life swearing that we are mere usurpers tyrants and what's worse to fright the animals and to kill them up in their assign'd and native dwellingplace duke senior and did you leave him in this contemplation second lord we did my lord weeping and commenting upon the sobbing deer duke senior show me the place i love to cope him in these sullen fits for then he's full of matter first lord i'll bring you to him straight exeunt as you like it act ii scene ii a room in the palace enter duke frederick with lords duke frederick can it be possible that no man saw them it cannot be some villains of my court are of consent and sufferance in this first lord i cannot hear of any that did see her the ladies her attendants of her chamber saw her abed and in the morning early they found the bed untreasured of their mistress second lord my lord the roynish clown at whom so oft your grace was wont to laugh is also missing hisperia the princess gentlewoman confesses that she secretly o'erheard your daughter and her cousin much commend the parts and graces of the wrestler that did but lately foil the sinewy charles and she believes wherever they are gone that youth is surely in their company duke frederick send to his brother fetch that gallant hither if he be absent bring his brother to me i'll make him find him do this suddenly and let not search and inquisition quail to bring again these foolish runaways exeunt as you like it act ii scene iii before oliver's house enter orlando and adam meeting orlando who's there adam what my young master o my gentle master o my sweet master o you memory of old sir rowland why what make you here why are you virtuous why do people love you and wherefore are you gentle strong and valiant why would you be so fond to overcome the bonny priser of the humorous duke your praise is come too swiftly home before you know you not master to some kind of men their graces serve them but as enemies no more do yours your virtues gentle master are sanctified and holy traitors to you o what a world is this when what is comely envenoms him that bears it orlando why what's the matter adam o unhappy youth come not within these doors within this roof the enemy of all your graces lives your brotherno no brother yet the son yet not the son i will not call him son of him i was about to call his father hath heard your praises and this night he means to burn the lodging where you use to lie and you within it if he fail of that he will have other means to cut you off i overheard him and his practises this is no place this house is but a butchery abhor it fear it do not enter it orlando why whither adam wouldst thou have me go adam no matter whither so you come not here orlando what wouldst thou have me go and beg my food or with a base and boisterous sword enforce a thievish living on the common road this i must do or know not what to do yet this i will not do do how i can i rather will subject me to the malice of a diverted blood and bloody brother adam but do not so i have five hundred crowns the thrifty hire i saved under your father which i did store to be my fosternurse when service should in my old limbs lie lame and unregarded age in corners thrown take that and he that doth the ravens feed yea providently caters for the sparrow be comfort to my age here is the gold and all this i give you let me be your servant though i look old yet i am strong and lusty for in my youth i never did apply hot and rebellious liquors in my blood nor did not with unbashful forehead woo the means of weakness and debility therefore my age is as a lusty winter frosty but kindly let me go with you i'll do the service of a younger man in all your business and necessities orlando o good old man how well in thee appears the constant service of the antique world when service sweat for duty not for meed thou art not for the fashion of these times where none will sweat but for promotion and having that do choke their service up even with the having it is not so with thee but poor old man thou prunest a rotten tree that cannot so much as a blossom yield in lieu of all thy pains and husbandry but come thy ways well go along together and ere we have thy youthful wages spent we'll light upon some settled low content adam master go on and i will follow thee to the last gasp with truth and loyalty from seventeen years till now almost fourscore here lived i but now live here no more at seventeen years many their fortunes seek but at fourscore it is too late a week yet fortune cannot recompense me better than to die well and not my master's debtor exeunt as you like it act ii scene iv the forest of arden enter rosalind for ganymede celia for aliena and touchstone rosalind o jupiter how weary are my spirits touchstone i care not for my spirits if my legs were not weary rosalind i could find in my heart to disgrace my man's apparel and to cry like a woman but i must comfort the weaker vessel as doublet and hose ought to show itself courageous to petticoat therefore courage good aliena celia i pray you bear with me i cannot go no further touchstone for my part i had rather bear with you than bear you yet i should bear no cross if i did bear you for i think you have no money in your purse rosalind well this is the forest of arden touchstone ay now am i in arden the more fool i when i was at home i was in a better place but travellers must be content rosalind ay be so good touchstone enter corin and silvius look you who comes here a young man and an old in solemn talk corin that is the way to make her scorn you still silvius o corin that thou knew'st how i do love her corin i partly guess for i have loved ere now silvius no corin being old thou canst not guess though in thy youth thou wast as true a lover as ever sigh'd upon a midnight pillow but if thy love were ever like to mine as sure i think did never man love so how many actions most ridiculous hast thou been drawn to by thy fantasy corin into a thousand that i have forgotten silvius o thou didst then ne'er love so heartily if thou remember'st not the slightest folly that ever love did make thee run into thou hast not loved or if thou hast not sat as i do now wearying thy hearer in thy mistress praise thou hast not loved or if thou hast not broke from company abruptly as my passion now makes me thou hast not loved o phebe phebe phebe exit rosalind alas poor shepherd searching of thy wound i have by hard adventure found mine own touchstone and i mine i remember when i was in love i broke my sword upon a stone and bid him take that for coming anight to jane smile and i remember the kissing of her batlet and the cow's dugs that her pretty chopt hands had milked and i remember the wooing of a peascod instead of her from whom i took two cods and giving her them again said with weeping tears wear these for my sake we that are true lovers run into strange capers but as all is mortal in nature so is all nature in love mortal in folly rosalind thou speakest wiser than thou art ware of touchstone nay i shall ne'er be ware of mine own wit till i break my shins against it rosalind jove jove this shepherd's passion is much upon my fashion touchstone and mine but it grows something stale with me celia i pray you one of you question yond man if he for gold will give us any food i faint almost to death touchstone holla you clown rosalind peace fool he's not thy kinsman corin who calls touchstone your betters sir corin else are they very wretched rosalind peace i say good even to you friend corin and to you gentle sir and to you all rosalind i prithee shepherd if that love or gold can in this desert place buy entertainment bring us where we may rest ourselves and feed here's a young maid with travel much oppress'd and faints for succor corin fair sir i pity her and wish for her sake more than for mine own my fortunes were more able to relieve her but i am shepherd to another man and do not shear the fleeces that i graze my master is of churlish disposition and little recks to find the way to heaven by doing deeds of hospitality besides his cote his flocks and bounds of feed are now on sale and at our sheepcote now by reason of his absence there is nothing that you will feed on but what is come see and in my voice most welcome shall you be rosalind what is he that shall buy his flock and pasture corin that young swain that you saw here but erewhile that little cares for buying any thing rosalind i pray thee if it stand with honesty buy thou the cottage pasture and the flock and thou shalt have to pay for it of us celia and we will mend thy wages i like this place and willingly could waste my time in it corin assuredly the thing is to be sold go with me if you like upon report the soil the profit and this kind of life i will your very faithful feeder be and buy it with your gold right suddenly exeunt as you like it act ii scene v the forest enter amiens jaques and others song amiens under the greenwood tree who loves to lie with me and turn his merry note unto the sweet bird's throat come hither come hither come hither here shall he see no enemy but winter and rough weather jaques more more i prithee more amiens it will make you melancholy monsieur jaques jaques i thank it more i prithee more i can suck melancholy out of a song as a weasel sucks eggs more i prithee more amiens my voice is ragged i know i cannot please you jaques i do not desire you to please me i do desire you to sing come more another stanzo call you em stanzos amiens what you will monsieur jaques jaques nay i care not for their names they owe me nothing will you sing amiens more at your request than to please myself jaques well then if ever i thank any man i'll thank you but that they call compliment is like the encounter of two dogapes and when a man thanks me heartily methinks i have given him a penny and he renders me the beggarly thanks come sing and you that will not hold your tongues amiens well i'll end the song sirs cover the while the duke will drink under this tree he hath been all this day to look you jaques and i have been all this day to avoid him he is too disputable for my company i think of as many matters as he but i give heaven thanks and make no boast of them come warble come song who doth ambition shun all together here and loves to live i the sun seeking the food he eats and pleased with what he gets come hither come hither come hither here shall he see no enemy but winter and rough weather jaques i'll give you a verse to this note that i made yesterday in despite of my invention amiens and i'll sing it jaques thus it goes if it do come to pass that any man turn ass leaving his wealth and ease a stubborn will to please ducdame ducdame ducdame here shall he see gross fools as he an if he will come to me amiens what's that ducdame' jaques tis a greek invocation to call fools into a circle i'll go sleep if i can if i cannot i'll rail against all the firstborn of egypt amiens and i'll go seek the duke his banquet is prepared exeunt severally as you like it act ii scene vi the forest enter orlando and adam adam dear master i can go no further o i die for food here lie i down and measure out my grave farewell kind master orlando why how now adam no greater heart in thee live a little comfort a little cheer thyself a little if this uncouth forest yield any thing savage i will either be food for it or bring it for food to thee thy conceit is nearer death than thy powers for my sake be comfortable hold death awhile at the arm's end i will here be with thee presently and if i bring thee not something to eat i will give thee leave to die but if thou diest before i come thou art a mocker of my labour well said thou lookest cheerly and i'll be with thee quickly yet thou liest in the bleak air come i will bear thee to some shelter and thou shalt not die for lack of a dinner if there live any thing in this desert cheerly good adam exeunt as you like it act ii scene vii the forest a table set out enter duke senior amiens and lords like outlaws duke senior i think he be transform'd into a beast for i can no where find him like a man first lord my lord he is but even now gone hence here was he merry hearing of a song duke senior if he compact of jars grow musical we shall have shortly discord in the spheres go seek him tell him i would speak with him enter jaques first lord he saves my labour by his own approach duke senior why how now monsieur what a life is this that your poor friends must woo your company what you look merrily jaques a fool a fool i met a fool i the forest a motley fool a miserable world as i do live by food i met a fool who laid him down and bask'd him in the sun and rail'd on lady fortune in good terms in good set terms and yet a motley fool good morrow fool quoth i no sir quoth he call me not fool till heaven hath sent me fortune' and then he drew a dial from his poke and looking on it with lacklustre eye says very wisely it is ten o'clock thus we may see quoth he how the world wags tis but an hour ago since it was nine and after one hour more twill be eleven and so from hour to hour we ripe and ripe and then from hour to hour we rot and rot and thereby hangs a tale when i did hear the motley fool thus moral on the time my lungs began to crow like chanticleer that fools should be so deepcontemplative and i did laugh sans intermission an hour by his dial o noble fool a worthy fool motley's the only wear duke senior what fool is this jaques o worthy fool one that hath been a courtier and says if ladies be but young and fair they have the gift to know it and in his brain which is as dry as the remainder biscuit after a voyage he hath strange places cramm'd with observation the which he vents in mangled forms o that i were a fool i am ambitious for a motley coat duke senior thou shalt have one jaques it is my only suit provided that you weed your better judgments of all opinion that grows rank in them that i am wise i must have liberty withal as large a charter as the wind to blow on whom i please for so fools have and they that are most galled with my folly they most must laugh and why sir must they so the why is plain as way to parish church he that a fool doth very wisely hit doth very foolishly although he smart not to seem senseless of the bob if not the wise man's folly is anatomized even by the squandering glances of the fool invest me in my motley give me leave to speak my mind and i will through and through cleanse the foul body of the infected world if they will patiently receive my medicine duke senior fie on thee i can tell what thou wouldst do jaques what for a counter would i do but good duke senior most mischievous foul sin in chiding sin for thou thyself hast been a libertine as sensual as the brutish sting itself and all the embossed sores and headed evils that thou with licence of free foot hast caught wouldst thou disgorge into the general world jaques why who cries out on pride that can therein tax any private party doth it not flow as hugely as the sea till that the weary very means do ebb what woman in the city do i name when that i say the citywoman bears the cost of princes on unworthy shoulders who can come in and say that i mean her when such a one as she such is her neighbour or what is he of basest function that says his bravery is not of my cost thinking that i mean him but therein suits his folly to the mettle of my speech there then how then what then let me see wherein my tongue hath wrong'd him if it do him right then he hath wrong'd himself if he be free why then my taxing like a wildgoose flies unclaim'd of any man but who comes here enter orlando with his sword drawn orlando forbear and eat no more jaques why i have eat none yet orlando nor shalt not till necessity be served jaques of what kind should this cock come of duke senior art thou thus bolden'd man by thy distress or else a rude despiser of good manners that in civility thou seem'st so empty orlando you touch'd my vein at first the thorny point of bare distress hath ta'en from me the show of smooth civility yet am i inland bred and know some nurture but forbear i say he dies that touches any of this fruit till i and my affairs are answered jaques an you will not be answered with reason i must die duke senior what would you have your gentleness shall force more than your force move us to gentleness orlando i almost die for food and let me have it duke senior sit down and feed and welcome to our table orlando speak you so gently pardon me i pray you i thought that all things had been savage here and therefore put i on the countenance of stern commandment but whate'er you are that in this desert inaccessible under the shade of melancholy boughs lose and neglect the creeping hours of time if ever you have look'd on better days if ever been where bells have knoll'd to church if ever sat at any good man's feast if ever from your eyelids wiped a tear and know what tis to pity and be pitied let gentleness my strong enforcement be in the which hope i blush and hide my sword duke senior true is it that we have seen better days and have with holy bell been knoll'd to church and sat at good men's feasts and wiped our eyes of drops that sacred pity hath engender'd and therefore sit you down in gentleness and take upon command what help we have that to your wanting may be minister'd orlando then but forbear your food a little while whiles like a doe i go to find my fawn and give it food there is an old poor man who after me hath many a weary step limp'd in pure love till he be first sufficed oppress'd with two weak evils age and hunger i will not touch a bit duke senior go find him out and we will nothing waste till you return orlando i thank ye and be blest for your good comfort exit duke senior thou seest we are not all alone unhappy this wide and universal theatre presents more woeful pageants than the scene wherein we play in jaques all the world's a stage and all the men and women merely players they have their exits and their entrances and one man in his time plays many parts his acts being seven ages at first the infant mewling and puking in the nurse's arms and then the whining schoolboy with his satchel and shining morning face creeping like snail unwillingly to school and then the lover sighing like furnace with a woeful ballad made to his mistress eyebrow then a soldier full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard jealous in honour sudden and quick in quarrel seeking the bubble reputation even in the cannon's mouth and then the justice in fair round belly with good capon lined with eyes severe and beard of formal cut full of wise saws and modern instances and so he plays his part the sixth age shifts into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon with spectacles on nose and pouch on side his youthful hose well saved a world too wide for his shrunk shank and his big manly voice turning again toward childish treble pipes and whistles in his sound last scene of all that ends this strange eventful history is second childishness and mere oblivion sans teeth sans eyes sans taste sans everything reenter orlando with adam duke senior welcome set down your venerable burthen and let him feed orlando i thank you most for him adam so had you need i scarce can speak to thank you for myself duke senior welcome fall to i will not trouble you as yet to question you about your fortunes give us some music and good cousin sing song amiens blow blow thou winter wind thou art not so unkind as man's ingratitude thy tooth is not so keen because thou art not seen although thy breath be rude heighho sing heighho unto the green holly most friendship is feigning most loving mere folly then heighho the holly this life is most jolly freeze freeze thou bitter sky that dost not bite so nigh as benefits forgot though thou the waters warp thy sting is not so sharp as friend remember'd not heighho sing &c duke senior if that you were the good sir rowland's son as you have whisper'd faithfully you were and as mine eye doth his effigies witness most truly limn'd and living in your face be truly welcome hither i am the duke that loved your father the residue of your fortune go to my cave and tell me good old man thou art right welcome as thy master is support him by the arm give me your hand and let me all your fortunes understand exeunt as you like it act iii scene i a room in the palace enter duke frederick lords and oliver duke frederick not see him since sir sir that cannot be but were i not the better part made mercy i should not seek an absent argument of my revenge thou present but look to it find out thy brother wheresoe'er he is seek him with candle bring him dead or living within this twelvemonth or turn thou no more to seek a living in our territory thy lands and all things that thou dost call thine worth seizure do we seize into our hands till thou canst quit thee by thy brothers mouth of what we think against thee oliver o that your highness knew my heart in this i never loved my brother in my life duke frederick more villain thou well push him out of doors and let my officers of such a nature make an extent upon his house and lands do this expediently and turn him going exeunt as you like it act iii scene ii the forest enter orlando with a paper orlando hang there my verse in witness of my love and thou thricecrowned queen of night survey with thy chaste eye from thy pale sphere above thy huntress name that my full life doth sway o rosalind these trees shall be my books and in their barks my thoughts i'll character that every eye which in this forest looks shall see thy virtue witness'd every where run run orlando carve on every tree the fair the chaste and unexpressive she exit enter corin and touchstone corin and how like you this shepherd's life master touchstone touchstone truly shepherd in respect of itself it is a good life but in respect that it is a shepherd's life it is naught in respect that it is solitary i like it very well but in respect that it is private it is a very vile life now in respect it is in the fields it pleaseth me well but in respect it is not in the court it is tedious as is it a spare life look you it fits my humour well but as there is no more plenty in it it goes much against my stomach hast any philosophy in thee shepherd corin no more but that i know the more one sickens the worse at ease he is and that he that wants money means and content is without three good friends that the property of rain is to wet and fire to burn that good pasture makes fat sheep and that a great cause of the night is lack of the sun that he that hath learned no wit by nature nor art may complain of good breeding or comes of a very dull kindred touchstone such a one is a natural philosopher wast ever in court shepherd corin no truly touchstone then thou art damned corin nay i hope touchstone truly thou art damned like an illroasted egg all on one side corin for not being at court your reason touchstone why if thou never wast at court thou never sawest good manners if thou never sawest good manners then thy manners must be wicked and wickedness is sin and sin is damnation thou art in a parlous state shepherd corin not a whit touchstone those that are good manners at the court are as ridiculous in the country as the behavior of the country is most mockable at the court you told me you salute not at the court but you kiss your hands that courtesy would be uncleanly if courtiers were shepherds touchstone instance briefly come instance corin why we are still handling our ewes and their fells you know are greasy touchstone why do not your courtier's hands sweat and is not the grease of a mutton as wholesome as the sweat of a man shallow shallow a better instance i say come corin besides our hands are hard touchstone your lips will feel them the sooner shallow again a more sounder instance come corin and they are often tarred over with the surgery of our sheep and would you have us kiss tar the courtier's hands are perfumed with civet touchstone most shallow man thou wormsmeat in respect of a good piece of flesh indeed learn of the wise and perpend civet is of a baser birth than tar the very uncleanly flux of a cat mend the instance shepherd corin you have too courtly a wit for me i'll rest touchstone wilt thou rest damned god help thee shallow man god make incision in thee thou art raw corin sir i am a true labourer i earn that i eat get that i wear owe no man hate envy no man's happiness glad of other men's good content with my harm and the greatest of my pride is to see my ewes graze and my lambs suck touchstone that is another simple sin in you to bring the ewes and the rams together and to offer to get your living by the copulation of cattle to be bawd to a bellwether and to betray a shelamb of a twelvemonth to a crookedpated old cuckoldly ram out of all reasonable match if thou beest not damned for this the devil himself will have no shepherds i cannot see else how thou shouldst scape corin here comes young master ganymede my new mistress's brother enter rosalind with a paper reading rosalind from the east to western ind no jewel is like rosalind her worth being mounted on the wind through all the world bears rosalind all the pictures fairest lined are but black to rosalind let no fair be kept in mind but the fair of rosalind touchstone i'll rhyme you so eight years together dinners and suppers and sleepinghours excepted it is the right butterwomen's rank to market rosalind out fool touchstone for a taste if a hart do lack a hind let him seek out rosalind if the cat will after kind so be sure will rosalind winter garments must be lined so must slender rosalind they that reap must sheaf and bind then to cart with rosalind sweetest nut hath sourest rind such a nut is rosalind he that sweetest rose will find must find love's prick and rosalind this is the very false gallop of verses why do you infect yourself with them rosalind peace you dull fool i found them on a tree touchstone truly the tree yields bad fruit rosalind i'll graff it with you and then i shall graff it with a medlar then it will be the earliest fruit i the country for you'll be rotten ere you be half ripe and that's the right virtue of the medlar touchstone you have said but whether wisely or no let the forest judge enter celia with a writing rosalind peace here comes my sister reading stand aside celia reads why should this a desert be for it is unpeopled no tongues i'll hang on every tree that shall civil sayings show some how brief the life of man runs his erring pilgrimage that the stretching of a span buckles in his sum of age some of violated vows twixt the souls of friend and friend but upon the fairest boughs or at every sentence end will i rosalinda write teaching all that read to know the quintessence of every sprite heaven would in little show therefore heaven nature charged that one body should be fill'd with all graces wideenlarged nature presently distill'd helen's cheek but not her heart cleopatra's majesty atalanta's better part sad lucretia's modesty thus rosalind of many parts by heavenly synod was devised of many faces eyes and hearts to have the touches dearest prized heaven would that she these gifts should have and i to live and die her slave rosalind o most gentle pulpiter what tedious homily of love have you wearied your parishioners withal and never cried have patience good people' celia how now back friends shepherd go off a little go with him sirrah touchstone come shepherd let us make an honourable retreat though not with bag and baggage yet with scrip and scrippage exeunt corin and touchstone celia didst thou hear these verses rosalind o yes i heard them all and more too for some of them had in them more feet than the verses would bear celia that's no matter the feet might bear the verses rosalind ay but the feet were lame and could not bear themselves without the verse and therefore stood lamely in the verse celia but didst thou hear without wondering how thy name should be hanged and carved upon these trees rosalind i was seven of the nine days out of the wonder before you came for look here what i found on a palmtree i was never so berhymed since pythagoras time that i was an irish rat which i can hardly remember celia trow you who hath done this rosalind is it a man celia and a chain that you once wore about his neck change you colour rosalind i prithee who celia o lord lord it is a hard matter for friends to meet but mountains may be removed with earthquakes and so encounter rosalind nay but who is it celia is it possible rosalind nay i prithee now with most petitionary vehemence tell me who it is celia o wonderful wonderful and most wonderful wonderful and yet again wonderful and after that out of all hooping rosalind good my complexion dost thou think though i am caparisoned like a man i have a doublet and hose in my disposition one inch of delay more is a southsea of discovery i prithee tell me who is it quickly and speak apace i would thou couldst stammer that thou mightst pour this concealed man out of thy mouth as wine comes out of a narrow mouthed bottle either too much at once or none at all i prithee take the cork out of thy mouth that may drink thy tidings celia so you may put a man in your belly rosalind is he of god's making what manner of man is his head worth a hat or his chin worth a beard celia nay he hath but a little beard rosalind why god will send more if the man will be thankful let me stay the growth of his beard if thou delay me not the knowledge of his chin celia it is young orlando that tripped up the wrestler's heels and your heart both in an instant rosalind nay but the devil take mocking speak sad brow and true maid celia i faith coz tis he rosalind orlando celia orlando rosalind alas the day what shall i do with my doublet and hose what did he when thou sawest him what said he how looked he wherein went he what makes him here did he ask for me where remains he how parted he with thee and when shalt thou see him again answer me in one word celia you must borrow me gargantua's mouth first tis a word too great for any mouth of this age's size to say ay and no to these particulars is more than to answer in a catechism rosalind but doth he know that i am in this forest and in man's apparel looks he as freshly as he did the day he wrestled celia it is as easy to count atomies as to resolve the propositions of a lover but take a taste of my finding him and relish it with good observance i found him under a tree like a dropped acorn rosalind it may well be called jove's tree when it drops forth such fruit celia give me audience good madam rosalind proceed celia there lay he stretched along like a wounded knight rosalind though it be pity to see such a sight it well becomes the ground celia cry holla to thy tongue i prithee it curvets unseasonably he was furnished like a hunter rosalind o ominous he comes to kill my heart celia i would sing my song without a burden thou bringest me out of tune rosalind do you not know i am a woman when i think i must speak sweet say on celia you bring me out soft comes he not here enter orlando and jaques rosalind tis he slink by and note him jaques i thank you for your company but good faith i had as lief have been myself alone orlando and so had i but yet for fashion sake i thank you too for your society jaques god be wi you let's meet as little as we can orlando i do desire we may be better strangers jaques i pray you mar no more trees with writing lovesongs in their barks orlando i pray you mar no more of my verses with reading them illfavouredly jaques rosalind is your love's name orlando yes just jaques i do not like her name orlando there was no thought of pleasing you when she was christened jaques what stature is she of orlando just as high as my heart jaques you are full of pretty answers have you not been acquainted with goldsmiths wives and conned them out of rings orlando not so but i answer you right painted cloth from whence you have studied your questions jaques you have a nimble wit i think twas made of atalanta's heels will you sit down with me and we two will rail against our mistress the world and all our misery orlando i will chide no breather in the world but myself against whom i know most faults jaques the worst fault you have is to be in love orlando tis a fault i will not change for your best virtue i am weary of you jaques by my troth i was seeking for a fool when i found you orlando he is drowned in the brook look but in and you shall see him jaques there i shall see mine own figure orlando which i take to be either a fool or a cipher jaques i'll tarry no longer with you farewell good signior love orlando i am glad of your departure adieu good monsieur melancholy exit jaques rosalind aside to celia i will speak to him like a saucy lackey and under that habit play the knave with him do you hear forester orlando very well what would you rosalind i pray you what is't o'clock orlando you should ask me what time o day there's no clock in the forest rosalind then there is no true lover in the forest else sighing every minute and groaning every hour would detect the lazy foot of time as well as a clock orlando and why not the swift foot of time had not that been as proper rosalind by no means sir time travels in divers paces with divers persons i'll tell you who time ambles withal who time trots withal who time gallops withal and who he stands still withal orlando i prithee who doth he trot withal rosalind marry he trots hard with a young maid between the contract of her marriage and the day it is solemnized if the interim be but a se'nnight time's pace is so hard that it seems the length of seven year orlando who ambles time withal rosalind with a priest that lacks latin and a rich man that hath not the gout for the one sleeps easily because he cannot study and the other lives merrily because he feels no pain the one lacking the burden of lean and wasteful learning the other knowing no burden of heavy tedious penury these time ambles withal orlando who doth he gallop withal rosalind with a thief to the gallows for though he go as softly as foot can fall he thinks himself too soon there orlando who stays it still withal rosalind with lawyers in the vacation for they sleep between term and term and then they perceive not how time moves orlando where dwell you pretty youth rosalind with this shepherdess my sister here in the skirts of the forest like fringe upon a petticoat orlando are you native of this place rosalind as the cony that you see dwell where she is kindled orlando your accent is something finer than you could purchase in so removed a dwelling rosalind i have been told so of many but indeed an old religious uncle of mine taught me to speak who was in his youth an inland man one that knew courtship too well for there he fell in love i have heard him read many lectures against it and i thank god i am not a woman to be touched with so many giddy offences as he hath generally taxed their whole sex withal orlando can you remember any of the principal evils that he laid to the charge of women rosalind there were none principal they were all like one another as halfpence are every one fault seeming monstrous till his fellow fault came to match it orlando i prithee recount some of them rosalind no i will not cast away my physic but on those that are sick there is a man haunts the forest that abuses our young plants with carving rosalind on their barks hangs odes upon hawthorns and elegies on brambles all forsooth deifying the name of rosalind if i could meet that fancymonger i would give him some good counsel for he seems to have the quotidian of love upon him orlando i am he that is so loveshaked i pray you tell me your remedy rosalind there is none of my uncle's marks upon you he taught me how to know a man in love in which cage of rushes i am sure you are not prisoner orlando what were his marks rosalind a lean cheek which you have not a blue eye and sunken which you have not an unquestionable spirit which you have not a beard neglected which you have not but i pardon you for that for simply your having in beard is a younger brother's revenue then your hose should be ungartered your bonnet unbanded your sleeve unbuttoned your shoe untied and every thing about you demonstrating a careless desolation but you are no such man you are rather pointdevice in your accoutrements as loving yourself than seeming the lover of any other orlando fair youth i would i could make thee believe i love rosalind me believe it you may as soon make her that you love believe it which i warrant she is apter to do than to confess she does that is one of the points in the which women still give the lie to their consciences but in good sooth are you he that hangs the verses on the trees wherein rosalind is so admired orlando i swear to thee youth by the white hand of rosalind i am that he that unfortunate he rosalind but are you so much in love as your rhymes speak orlando neither rhyme nor reason can express how much rosalind love is merely a madness and i tell you deserves as well a dark house and a whip as madmen do and the reason why they are not so punished and cured is that the lunacy is so ordinary that the whippers are in love too yet i profess curing it by counsel orlando did you ever cure any so rosalind yes one and in this manner he was to imagine me his love his mistress and i set him every day to woo me at which time would i being but a moonish youth grieve be effeminate changeable longing and liking proud fantastical apish shallow inconstant full of tears full of smiles for every passion something and for no passion truly any thing as boys and women are for the most part cattle of this colour would now like him now loathe him then entertain him then forswear him now weep for him then spit at him that i drave my suitor from his mad humour of love to a living humour of madness which was to forswear the full stream of the world and to live in a nook merely monastic and thus i cured him and this way will i take upon me to wash your liver as clean as a sound sheep's heart that there shall not be one spot of love in't orlando i would not be cured youth rosalind i would cure you if you would but call me rosalind and come every day to my cote and woo me orlando now by the faith of my love i will tell me where it is rosalind go with me to it and i'll show it you and by the way you shall tell me where in the forest you live will you go orlando with all my heart good youth rosalind nay you must call me rosalind come sister will you go exeunt as you like it act iii scene iii the forest enter touchstone and audrey jaques behind touchstone come apace good audrey i will fetch up your goats audrey and how audrey am i the man yet doth my simple feature content you audrey your features lord warrant us what features touchstone i am here with thee and thy goats as the most capricious poet honest ovid was among the goths jaques aside o knowledge illinhabited worse than jove in a thatched house touchstone when a man's verses cannot be understood nor a man's good wit seconded with the forward child understanding it strikes a man more dead than a great reckoning in a little room truly i would the gods had made thee poetical audrey i do not know what poetical is is it honest in deed and word is it a true thing touchstone no truly for the truest poetry is the most feigning and lovers are given to poetry and what they swear in poetry may be said as lovers they do feign audrey do you wish then that the gods had made me poetical touchstone i do truly for thou swearest to me thou art honest now if thou wert a poet i might have some hope thou didst feign audrey would you not have me honest touchstone no truly unless thou wert hardfavoured for honesty coupled to beauty is to have honey a sauce to sugar jaques aside a material fool audrey well i am not fair and therefore i pray the gods make me honest touchstone truly and to cast away honesty upon a foul slut were to put good meat into an unclean dish audrey i am not a slut though i thank the gods i am foul touchstone well praised be the gods for thy foulness sluttishness may come hereafter but be it as it may be i will marry thee and to that end i have been with sir oliver martext the vicar of the next village who hath promised to meet me in this place of the forest and to couple us jaques aside i would fain see this meeting audrey well the gods give us joy touchstone amen a man may if he were of a fearful heart stagger in this attempt for here we have no temple but the wood no assembly but hornbeasts but what though courage as horns are odious they are necessary it is said many a man knows no end of his goods right many a man has good horns and knows no end of them well that is the dowry of his wife tis none of his own getting horns even so poor men alone no no the noblest deer hath them as huge as the rascal is the single man therefore blessed no as a walled town is more worthier than a village so is the forehead of a married man more honourable than the bare brow of a bachelor and by how much defence is better than no skill by so much is a horn more precious than to want here comes sir oliver enter sir oliver martext sir oliver martext you are well met will you dispatch us here under this tree or shall we go with you to your chapel sir oliver martext is there none here to give the woman touchstone i will not take her on gift of any man sir oliver martext truly she must be given or the marriage is not lawful jaques advancing proceed proceed i'll give her touchstone good even good master whatyecall't how do you sir you are very well met god ild you for your last company i am very glad to see you even a toy in hand here sir nay pray be covered jaques will you be married motley touchstone as the ox hath his bow sir the horse his curb and the falcon her bells so man hath his desires and as pigeons bill so wedlock would be nibbling jaques and will you being a man of your breeding be married under a bush like a beggar get you to church and have a good priest that can tell you what marriage is this fellow will but join you together as they join wainscot then one of you will prove a shrunk panel and like green timber warp warp touchstone aside i am not in the mind but i were better to be married of him than of another for he is not like to marry me well and not being well married it will be a good excuse for me hereafter to leave my wife jaques go thou with me and let me counsel thee touchstone come sweet audrey we must be married or we must live in bawdry farewell good master oliver not o sweet oliver o brave oliver leave me not behind thee but wind away begone i say i will not to wedding with thee exeunt jaques touchstone and audrey sir oliver martext tis no matter ne'er a fantastical knave of them all shall flout me out of my calling exit as you like it act iii scene iv the forest enter rosalind and celia rosalind never talk to me i will weep celia do i prithee but yet have the grace to consider that tears do not become a man rosalind but have i not cause to weep celia as good cause as one would desire therefore weep rosalind his very hair is of the dissembling colour celia something browner than judas's marry his kisses are judas's own children rosalind i faith his hair is of a good colour celia an excellent colour your chestnut was ever the only colour rosalind and his kissing is as full of sanctity as the touch of holy bread celia he hath bought a pair of cast lips of diana a nun of winter's sisterhood kisses not more religiously the very ice of chastity is in them rosalind but why did he swear he would come this morning and comes not celia nay certainly there is no truth in him rosalind do you think so celia yes i think he is not a pickpurse nor a horsestealer but for his verity in love i do think him as concave as a covered goblet or a wormeaten nut rosalind not true in love celia yes when he is in but i think he is not in rosalind you have heard him swear downright he was celia was is not is besides the oath of a lover is no stronger than the word of a tapster they are both the confirmer of false reckonings he attends here in the forest on the duke your father rosalind i met the duke yesterday and had much question with him he asked me of what parentage i was i told him of as good as he so he laughed and let me go but what talk we of fathers when there is such a man as orlando celia o that's a brave man he writes brave verses speaks brave words swears brave oaths and breaks them bravely quite traverse athwart the heart of his lover as a puisny tilter that spurs his horse but on one side breaks his staff like a noble goose but all's brave that youth mounts and folly guides who comes here enter corin corin mistress and master you have oft inquired after the shepherd that complain'd of love who you saw sitting by me on the turf praising the proud disdainful shepherdess that was his mistress celia well and what of him corin if you will see a pageant truly play'd between the pale complexion of true love and the red glow of scorn and proud disdain go hence a little and i shall conduct you if you will mark it rosalind o come let us remove the sight of lovers feedeth those in love bring us to this sight and you shall say i'll prove a busy actor in their play exeunt as you like it act iii scene v another part of the forest enter silvius and phebe silvius sweet phebe do not scorn me do not phebe say that you love me not but say not so in bitterness the common executioner whose heart the accustom'd sight of death makes hard falls not the axe upon the humbled neck but first begs pardon will you sterner be than he that dies and lives by bloody drops enter rosalind celia and corin behind phebe i would not be thy executioner i fly thee for i would not injure thee thou tell'st me there is murder in mine eye tis pretty sure and very probable that eyes that are the frail'st and softest things who shut their coward gates on atomies should be call'd tyrants butchers murderers now i do frown on thee with all my heart and if mine eyes can wound now let them kill thee now counterfeit to swoon why now fall down or if thou canst not o for shame for shame lie not to say mine eyes are murderers now show the wound mine eye hath made in thee scratch thee but with a pin and there remains some scar of it lean but upon a rush the cicatrice and capable impressure thy palm some moment keeps but now mine eyes which i have darted at thee hurt thee not nor i am sure there is no force in eyes that can do hurt silvius o dear phebe if everas that ever may be near you meet in some fresh cheek the power of fancy then shall you know the wounds invisible that love's keen arrows make phebe but till that time come not thou near me and when that time comes afflict me with thy mocks pity me not as till that time i shall not pity thee rosalind and why i pray you who might be your mother that you insult exult and all at once over the wretched what though you have no beauty as by my faith i see no more in you than without candle may go dark to bed must you be therefore proud and pitiless why what means this why do you look on me i see no more in you than in the ordinary of nature's salework od's my little life i think she means to tangle my eyes too no faith proud mistress hope not after it tis not your inky brows your black silk hair your bugle eyeballs nor your cheek of cream that can entame my spirits to your worship you foolish shepherd wherefore do you follow her like foggy south puffing with wind and rain you are a thousand times a properer man than she a woman tis such fools as you that makes the world full of illfavour'd children tis not her glass but you that flatters her and out of you she sees herself more proper than any of her lineaments can show her but mistress know yourself down on your knees and thank heaven fasting for a good man's love for i must tell you friendly in your ear sell when you can you are not for all markets cry the man mercy love him take his offer foul is most foul being foul to be a scoffer so take her to thee shepherd fare you well phebe sweet youth i pray you chide a year together i had rather hear you chide than this man woo rosalind he's fallen in love with your foulness and she'll fall in love with my anger if it be so as fast as she answers thee with frowning looks i'll sauce her with bitter words why look you so upon me phebe for no ill will i bear you rosalind i pray you do not fall in love with me for i am falser than vows made in wine besides i like you not if you will know my house tis at the tuft of olives here hard by will you go sister shepherd ply her hard come sister shepherdess look on him better and be not proud though all the world could see none could be so abused in sight as he come to our flock exeunt rosalind celia and corin phebe dead shepherd now i find thy saw of might who ever loved that loved not at first sight' silvius sweet phebe phebe ha what say'st thou silvius silvius sweet phebe pity me phebe why i am sorry for thee gentle silvius silvius wherever sorrow is relief would be if you do sorrow at my grief in love by giving love your sorrow and my grief were both extermined phebe thou hast my love is not that neighbourly silvius i would have you phebe why that were covetousness silvius the time was that i hated thee and yet it is not that i bear thee love but since that thou canst talk of love so well thy company which erst was irksome to me i will endure and i'll employ thee too but do not look for further recompense than thine own gladness that thou art employ'd silvius so holy and so perfect is my love and i in such a poverty of grace that i shall think it a most plenteous crop to glean the broken ears after the man that the main harvest reaps loose now and then a scatter'd smile and that i'll live upon phebe know'st now the youth that spoke to me erewhile silvius not very well but i have met him oft and he hath bought the cottage and the bounds that the old carlot once was master of phebe think not i love him though i ask for him tis but a peevish boy yet he talks well but what care i for words yet words do well when he that speaks them pleases those that hear it is a pretty youth not very pretty but sure he's proud and yet his pride becomes him he'll make a proper man the best thing in him is his complexion and faster than his tongue did make offence his eye did heal it up he is not very tall yet for his years he's tall his leg is but so so and yet tis well there was a pretty redness in his lip a little riper and more lusty red than that mix'd in his cheek twas just the difference between the constant red and mingled damask there be some women silvius had they mark'd him in parcels as i did would have gone near to fall in love with him but for my part i love him not nor hate him not and yet i have more cause to hate him than to love him for what had he to do to chide at me he said mine eyes were black and my hair black and now i am remember'd scorn'd at me i marvel why i answer'd not again but that's all one omittance is no quittance i'll write to him a very taunting letter and thou shalt bear it wilt thou silvius silvius phebe with all my heart phebe i'll write it straight the matter's in my head and in my heart i will be bitter with him and passing short go with me silvius exeunt as you like it act iv scene i the forest enter rosalind celia and jaques jaques i prithee pretty youth let me be better acquainted with thee rosalind they say you are a melancholy fellow jaques i am so i do love it better than laughing rosalind those that are in extremity of either are abominable fellows and betray themselves to every modern censure worse than drunkards jaques why tis good to be sad and say nothing rosalind why then tis good to be a post jaques i have neither the scholar's melancholy which is emulation nor the musician's which is fantastical nor the courtier's which is proud nor the soldier's which is ambitious nor the lawyer's which is politic nor the lady's which is nice nor the lover's which is all these but it is a melancholy of mine own compounded of many simples extracted from many objects and indeed the sundry's contemplation of my travels in which my often rumination wraps me m a most humorous sadness rosalind a traveller by my faith you have great reason to be sad i fear you have sold your own lands to see other men's then to have seen much and to have nothing is to have rich eyes and poor hands jaques yes i have gained my experience rosalind and your experience makes you sad i had rather have a fool to make me merry than experience to make me sad and to travel for it too enter orlando orlando good day and happiness dear rosalind jaques nay then god be wi you an you talk in blank verse exit rosalind farewell monsieur traveller look you lisp and wear strange suits disable all the benefits of your own country be out of love with your nativity and almost chide god for making you that countenance you are or i will scarce think you have swam in a gondola why how now orlando where have you been all this while you a lover an you serve me such another trick never come in my sight more orlando my fair rosalind i come within an hour of my promise rosalind break an hour's promise in love he that will divide a minute into a thousand parts and break but a part of the thousandth part of a minute in the affairs of love it may be said of him that cupid hath clapped him o the shoulder but i'll warrant him heartwhole orlando pardon me dear rosalind rosalind nay an you be so tardy come no more in my sight i had as lief be wooed of a snail orlando of a snail rosalind ay of a snail for though he comes slowly he carries his house on his head a better jointure i think than you make a woman besides he brings his destiny with him orlando what's that rosalind why horns which such as you are fain to be beholding to your wives for but he comes armed in his fortune and prevents the slander of his wife orlando virtue is no hornmaker and my rosalind is virtuous rosalind and i am your rosalind celia it pleases him to call you so but he hath a rosalind of a better leer than you rosalind come woo me woo me for now i am in a holiday humour and like enough to consent what would you say to me now an i were your very very rosalind orlando i would kiss before i spoke rosalind nay you were better speak first and when you were gravelled for lack of matter you might take occasion to kiss very good orators when they are out they will spit and for lovers lackinggod warn usmatter the cleanliest shift is to kiss orlando how if the kiss be denied rosalind then she puts you to entreaty and there begins new matter orlando who could be out being before his beloved mistress rosalind marry that should you if i were your mistress or i should think my honesty ranker than my wit orlando what of my suit rosalind not out of your apparel and yet out of your suit am not i your rosalind orlando i take some joy to say you are because i would be talking of her rosalind well in her person i say i will not have you orlando then in mine own person i die rosalind no faith die by attorney the poor world is almost six thousand years old and in all this time there was not any man died in his own person videlicit in a lovecause troilus had his brains dashed out with a grecian club yet he did what he could to die before and he is one of the patterns of love leander he would have lived many a fair year though hero had turned nun if it had not been for a hot midsummer night for good youth he went but forth to wash him in the hellespont and being taken with the cramp was drowned and the foolish coroners of that age found it was hero of sestos' but these are all lies men have died from time to time and worms have eaten them but not for love orlando i would not have my right rosalind of this mind for i protest her frown might kill me rosalind by this hand it will not kill a fly but come now i will be your rosalind in a more comingon disposition and ask me what you will i will grant it orlando then love me rosalind rosalind yes faith will i fridays and saturdays and all orlando and wilt thou have me rosalind ay and twenty such orlando what sayest thou rosalind are you not good orlando i hope so rosalind why then can one desire too much of a good thing come sister you shall be the priest and marry us give me your hand orlando what do you say sister orlando pray thee marry us celia i cannot say the words rosalind you must begin will you orlando' celia go to will you orlando have to wife this rosalind orlando i will rosalind ay but when orlando why now as fast as she can marry us rosalind then you must say i take thee rosalind for wife' orlando i take thee rosalind for wife rosalind i might ask you for your commission but i do take thee orlando for my husband there's a girl goes before the priest and certainly a woman's thought runs before her actions orlando so do all thoughts they are winged rosalind now tell me how long you would have her after you have possessed her orlando for ever and a day rosalind say a day without the ever no no orlando men are april when they woo december when they wed maids are may when they are maids but the sky changes when they are wives i will be more jealous of thee than a barbary cockpigeon over his hen more clamorous than a parrot against rain more newfangled than an ape more giddy in my desires than a monkey i will weep for nothing like diana in the fountain and i will do that when you are disposed to be merry i will laugh like a hyen and that when thou art inclined to sleep orlando but will my rosalind do so rosalind by my life she will do as i do orlando o but she is wise rosalind or else she could not have the wit to do this the wiser the waywarder make the doors upon a woman's wit and it will out at the casement shut that and twill out at the keyhole stop that twill fly with the smoke out at the chimney orlando a man that had a wife with such a wit he might say wit whither wilt' rosalind nay you might keep that cheque for it till you met your wife's wit going to your neighbour's bed orlando and what wit could wit have to excuse that rosalind marry to say she came to seek you there you shall never take her without her answer unless you take her without her tongue o that woman that cannot make her fault her husband's occasion let her never nurse her child herself for she will breed it like a fool orlando for these two hours rosalind i will leave thee rosalind alas dear love i cannot lack thee two hours orlando i must attend the duke at dinner by two o'clock i will be with thee again rosalind ay go your ways go your ways i knew what you would prove my friends told me as much and i thought no less that flattering tongue of yours won me tis but one cast away and so come death two o'clock is your hour orlando ay sweet rosalind rosalind by my troth and in good earnest and so god mend me and by all pretty oaths that are not dangerous if you break one jot of your promise or come one minute behind your hour i will think you the most pathetical breakpromise and the most hollow lover and the most unworthy of her you call rosalind that may be chosen out of the gross band of the unfaithful therefore beware my censure and keep your promise orlando with no less religion than if thou wert indeed my rosalind so adieu rosalind well time is the old justice that examines all such offenders and let time try adieu exit orlando celia you have simply misused our sex in your loveprate we must have your doublet and hose plucked over your head and show the world what the bird hath done to her own nest rosalind o coz coz coz my pretty little coz that thou didst know how many fathom deep i am in love but it cannot be sounded my affection hath an unknown bottom like the bay of portugal celia or rather bottomless that as fast as you pour affection in it runs out rosalind no that same wicked bastard of venus that was begot of thought conceived of spleen and born of madness that blind rascally boy that abuses every one's eyes because his own are out let him be judge how deep i am in love i'll tell thee aliena i cannot be out of the sight of orlando i'll go find a shadow and sigh till he come celia and i'll sleep exeunt as you like it act iv scene ii the forest enter jaques lords and foresters jaques which is he that killed the deer a lord sir it was i jaques let's present him to the duke like a roman conqueror and it would do well to set the deer's horns upon his head for a branch of victory have you no song forester for this purpose forester yes sir jaques sing it tis no matter how it be in tune so it make noise enough song forester what shall he have that kill'd the deer his leather skin and horns to wear then sing him home the rest shall bear this burden take thou no scorn to wear the horn it was a crest ere thou wast born thy father's father wore it and thy father bore it the horn the horn the lusty horn is not a thing to laugh to scorn exeunt as you like it act iv scene iii the forest enter rosalind and celia rosalind how say you now is it not past two o'clock and here much orlando celia i warrant you with pure love and troubled brain he hath ta'en his bow and arrows and is gone forth to sleep look who comes here enter silvius silvius my errand is to you fair youth my gentle phebe bid me give you this i know not the contents but as i guess by the stern brow and waspish action which she did use as she was writing of it it bears an angry tenor pardon me i am but as a guiltless messenger rosalind patience herself would startle at this letter and play the swaggerer bear this bear all she says i am not fair that i lack manners she calls me proud and that she could not love me were man as rare as phoenix od's my will her love is not the hare that i do hunt why writes she so to me well shepherd well this is a letter of your own device silvius no i protest i know not the contents phebe did write it rosalind come come you are a fool and turn'd into the extremity of love i saw her hand she has a leathern hand a freestonecolour'd hand i verily did think that her old gloves were on but twas her hands she has a huswife's hand but that's no matter i say she never did invent this letter this is a man's invention and his hand silvius sure it is hers rosalind why tis a boisterous and a cruel style a style forchallengers why she defies me like turk to christian women's gentle brain could not drop forth such giantrude invention such ethiope words blacker in their effect than in their countenance will you hear the letter silvius so please you for i never heard it yet yet heard too much of phebe's cruelty rosalind she phebes me mark how the tyrant writes reads art thou god to shepherd turn'd that a maiden's heart hath burn'd can a woman rail thus silvius call you this railing rosalind reads why thy godhead laid apart warr'st thou with a woman's heart did you ever hear such railing whiles the eye of man did woo me that could do no vengeance to me meaning me a beast if the scorn of your bright eyne have power to raise such love in mine alack in me what strange effect would they work in mild aspect whiles you chid me i did love how then might your prayers move he that brings this love to thee little knows this love in me and by him seal up thy mind whether that thy youth and kind will the faithful offer take of me and all that i can make or else by him my love deny and then i'll study how to die silvius call you this chiding celia alas poor shepherd rosalind do you pity him no he deserves no pity wilt thou love such a woman what to make thee an instrument and play false strains upon thee not to be endured well go your way to her for i see love hath made thee a tame snake and say this to her that if she love me i charge her to love thee if she will not i will never have her unless thou entreat for her if you be a true lover hence and not a word for here comes more company exit silvius enter oliver oliver good morrow fair ones pray you if you know where in the purlieus of this forest stands a sheepcote fenced about with olive trees celia west of this place down in the neighbour bottom the rank of osiers by the murmuring stream left on your right hand brings you to the place but at this hour the house doth keep itself there's none within oliver if that an eye may profit by a tongue then should i know you by description such garments and such years the boy is fair of female favour and bestows himself like a ripe sister the woman low and browner than her brother are not you the owner of the house i did inquire for celia it is no boast being ask'd to say we are oliver orlando doth commend him to you both and to that youth he calls his rosalind he sends this bloody napkin are you he rosalind i am what must we understand by this oliver some of my shame if you will know of me what man i am and how and why and where this handkercher was stain'd celia i pray you tell it oliver when last the young orlando parted from you he left a promise to return again within an hour and pacing through the forest chewing the food of sweet and bitter fancy lo what befell he threw his eye aside and mark what object did present itself under an oak whose boughs were moss'd with age and high top bald with dry antiquity a wretched ragged man o'ergrown with hair lay sleeping on his back about his neck a green and gilded snake had wreathed itself who with her head nimble in threats approach'd the opening of his mouth but suddenly seeing orlando it unlink'd itself and with indented glides did slip away into a bush under which bush's shade a lioness with udders all drawn dry lay couching head on ground with catlike watch when that the sleeping man should stir for tis the royal disposition of that beast to prey on nothing that doth seem as dead this seen orlando did approach the man and found it was his brother his elder brother celia o i have heard him speak of that same brother and he did render him the most unnatural that lived amongst men oliver and well he might so do for well i know he was unnatural rosalind but to orlando did he leave him there food to the suck'd and hungry lioness oliver twice did he turn his back and purposed so but kindness nobler ever than revenge and nature stronger than his just occasion made him give battle to the lioness who quickly fell before him in which hurtling from miserable slumber i awaked celia are you his brother rosalind wast you he rescued celia was't you that did so oft contrive to kill him oliver twas i but tis not i i do not shame to tell you what i was since my conversion so sweetly tastes being the thing i am rosalind but for the bloody napkin oliver by and by when from the first to last betwixt us two tears our recountments had most kindly bathed as how i came into that desert place in brief he led me to the gentle duke who gave me fresh array and entertainment committing me unto my brother's love who led me instantly unto his cave there stripp'd himself and here upon his arm the lioness had torn some flesh away which all this while had bled and now he fainted and cried in fainting upon rosalind brief i recover'd him bound up his wound and after some small space being strong at heart he sent me hither stranger as i am to tell this story that you might excuse his broken promise and to give this napkin dyed in his blood unto the shepherd youth that he in sport doth call his rosalind rosalind swoons celia why how now ganymede sweet ganymede oliver many will swoon when they do look on blood celia there is more in it cousin ganymede oliver look he recovers rosalind i would i were at home celia we'll lead you thither i pray you will you take him by the arm oliver be of good cheer youth you a man you lack a man's heart rosalind i do so i confess it ah sirrah a body would think this was well counterfeited i pray you tell your brother how well i counterfeited heighho oliver this was not counterfeit there is too great testimony in your complexion that it was a passion of earnest rosalind counterfeit i assure you oliver well then take a good heart and counterfeit to be a man rosalind so i do but i faith i should have been a woman by right celia come you look paler and paler pray you draw homewards good sir go with us oliver that will i for i must bear answer back how you excuse my brother rosalind rosalind i shall devise something but i pray you commend my counterfeiting to him will you go exeunt as you like it act v scene i the forest enter touchstone and audrey touchstone we shall find a time audrey patience gentle audrey audrey faith the priest was good enough for all the old gentleman's saying touchstone a most wicked sir oliver audrey a most vile martext but audrey there is a youth here in the forest lays claim to you audrey ay i know who tis he hath no interest in me in the world here comes the man you mean touchstone it is meat and drink to me to see a clown by my troth we that have good wits have much to answer for we shall be flouting we cannot hold enter william william good even audrey audrey god ye good even william william and good even to you sir touchstone good even gentle friend cover thy head cover thy head nay prithee be covered how old are you friend william five and twenty sir touchstone a ripe age is thy name william william william sir touchstone a fair name wast born i the forest here william ay sir i thank god touchstone thank god a good answer art rich william faith sir so so touchstone so so is good very good very excellent good and yet it is not it is but so so art thou wise william ay sir i have a pretty wit touchstone why thou sayest well i do now remember a saying the fool doth think he is wise but the wise man knows himself to be a fool the heathen philosopher when he had a desire to eat a grape would open his lips when he put it into his mouth meaning thereby that grapes were made to eat and lips to open you do love this maid william i do sir touchstone give me your hand art thou learned william no sir touchstone then learn this of me to have is to have for it is a figure in rhetoric that drink being poured out of a cup into a glass by filling the one doth empty the other for all your writers do consent that ipse is he now you are not ipse for i am he william which he sir touchstone he sir that must marry this woman therefore you clown abandonwhich is in the vulgar leavethe societywhich in the boorish is companyof this femalewhich in the common is woman which together is abandon the society of this female or clown thou perishest or to thy better understanding diest or to wit i kill thee make thee away translate thy life into death thy liberty into bondage i will deal in poison with thee or in bastinado or in steel i will bandy with thee in faction i will o'errun thee with policy i will kill thee a hundred and fifty ways therefore tremble and depart audrey do good william william god rest you merry sir exit enter corin corin our master and mistress seeks you come away away touchstone trip audrey trip audrey i attend i attend exeunt as you like it act v scene ii the forest enter orlando and oliver orlando is't possible that on so little acquaintance you should like her that but seeing you should love her and loving woo and wooing she should grant and will you persever to enjoy her oliver neither call the giddiness of it in question the poverty of her the small acquaintance my sudden wooing nor her sudden consenting but say with me i love aliena say with her that she loves me consent with both that we may enjoy each other it shall be to your good for my father's house and all the revenue that was old sir rowland's will i estate upon you and here live and die a shepherd orlando you have my consent let your wedding be tomorrow thither will i invite the duke and all's contented followers go you and prepare aliena for look you here comes my rosalind enter rosalind rosalind god save you brother oliver and you fair sister exit rosalind o my dear orlando how it grieves me to see thee wear thy heart in a scarf orlando it is my arm rosalind i thought thy heart had been wounded with the claws of a lion orlando wounded it is but with the eyes of a lady rosalind did your brother tell you how i counterfeited to swoon when he showed me your handkerchief orlando ay and greater wonders than that rosalind o i know where you are nay tis true there was never any thing so sudden but the fight of two rams and caesar's thrasonical brag of i came saw and overcame for your brother and my sister no sooner met but they looked no sooner looked but they loved no sooner loved but they sighed no sooner sighed but they asked one another the reason no sooner knew the reason but they sought the remedy and in these degrees have they made a pair of stairs to marriage which they will climb incontinent or else be incontinent before marriage they are in the very wrath of love and they will together clubs cannot part them orlando they shall be married tomorrow and i will bid the duke to the nuptial but o how bitter a thing it is to look into happiness through another man's eyes by so much the more shall i tomorrow be at the height of heartheaviness by how much i shall think my brother happy in having what he wishes for rosalind why then tomorrow i cannot serve your turn for rosalind orlando i can live no longer by thinking rosalind i will weary you then no longer with idle talking know of me then for now i speak to some purpose that i know you are a gentleman of good conceit i speak not this that you should bear a good opinion of my knowledge insomuch i say i know you are neither do i labour for a greater esteem than may in some little measure draw a belief from you to do yourself good and not to grace me believe then if you please that i can do strange things i have since i was three year old conversed with a magician most profound in his art and yet not damnable if you do love rosalind so near the heart as your gesture cries it out when your brother marries aliena shall you marry her i know into what straits of fortune she is driven and it is not impossible to me if it appear not inconvenient to you to set her before your eyes tomorrow human as she is and without any danger orlando speakest thou in sober meanings rosalind by my life i do which i tender dearly though i say i am a magician therefore put you in your best array bid your friends for if you will be married tomorrow you shall and to rosalind if you will enter silvius and phebe look here comes a lover of mine and a lover of hers phebe youth you have done me much ungentleness to show the letter that i writ to you rosalind i care not if i have it is my study to seem despiteful and ungentle to you you are there followed by a faithful shepherd look upon him love him he worships you phebe good shepherd tell this youth what tis to love silvius it is to be all made of sighs and tears and so am i for phebe phebe and i for ganymede orlando and i for rosalind rosalind and i for no woman silvius it is to be all made of faith and service and so am i for phebe phebe and i for ganymede orlando and i for rosalind rosalind and i for no woman silvius it is to be all made of fantasy all made of passion and all made of wishes all adoration duty and observance all humbleness all patience and impatience all purity all trial all observance and so am i for phebe phebe and so am i for ganymede orlando and so am i for rosalind rosalind and so am i for no woman phebe if this be so why blame you me to love you silvius if this be so why blame you me to love you orlando if this be so why blame you me to love you rosalind who do you speak to why blame you me to love you' orlando to her that is not here nor doth not hear rosalind pray you no more of this tis like the howling of irish wolves against the moon to silvius i will help you if i can to phebe i would love you if i could tomorrow meet me all together to phebe i will marry you if ever i marry woman and i'll be married tomorrow to orlando i will satisfy you if ever i satisfied man and you shall be married tomorrow to silvius i will content you if what pleases you contents you and you shall be married tomorrow to orlando as you love rosalind meet to silvius as you love phebe meet and as i love no woman i'll meet so fare you well i have left you commands silvius i'll not fail if i live phebe nor i orlando nor i exeunt as you like it act v scene iii the forest enter touchstone and audrey touchstone tomorrow is the joyful day audrey tomorrow will we be married audrey i do desire it with all my heart and i hope it is no dishonest desire to desire to be a woman of the world here comes two of the banished duke's pages enter two pages first page well met honest gentleman touchstone by my troth well met come sit sit and a song second page we are for you sit i the middle first page shall we clap into't roundly without hawking or spitting or saying we are hoarse which are the only prologues to a bad voice second page i'faith i'faith and both in a tune like two gipsies on a horse song it was a lover and his lass with a hey and a ho and a hey nonino that o'er the green cornfield did pass in the spring time the only pretty ring time when birds do sing hey ding a ding ding sweet lovers love the spring between the acres of the rye with a hey and a ho and a hey nonino these pretty country folks would lie in spring time &c this carol they began that hour with a hey and a ho and a hey nonino how that a life was but a flower in spring time &c and therefore take the present time with a hey and a ho and a hey nonino for love is crowned with the prime in spring time &c touchstone truly young gentlemen though there was no great matter in the ditty yet the note was very untuneable first page you are deceived sir we kept time we lost not our time touchstone by my troth yes i count it but time lost to hear such a foolish song god be wi you and god mend your voices come audrey exeunt as you like it act v scene iv the forest enter duke senior amiens jaques orlando oliver and celia duke senior dost thou believe orlando that the boy can do all this that he hath promised orlando i sometimes do believe and sometimes do not as those that fear they hope and know they fear enter rosalind silvius and phebe rosalind patience once more whiles our compact is urged you say if i bring in your rosalind you will bestow her on orlando here duke senior that would i had i kingdoms to give with her rosalind and you say you will have her when i bring her orlando that would i were i of all kingdoms king rosalind you say you'll marry me if i be willing phebe that will i should i die the hour after rosalind but if you do refuse to marry me you'll give yourself to this most faithful shepherd phebe so is the bargain rosalind you say that you'll have phebe if she will silvius though to have her and death were both one thing rosalind i have promised to make all this matter even keep you your word o duke to give your daughter you yours orlando to receive his daughter keep your word phebe that you'll marry me or else refusing me to wed this shepherd keep your word silvius that you'll marry her if she refuse me and from hence i go to make these doubts all even exeunt rosalind and celia duke senior i do remember in this shepherd boy some lively touches of my daughter's favour orlando my lord the first time that i ever saw him methought he was a brother to your daughter but my good lord this boy is forestborn and hath been tutor'd in the rudiments of many desperate studies by his uncle whom he reports to be a great magician obscured in the circle of this forest enter touchstone and audrey jaques there is sure another flood toward and these couples are coming to the ark here comes a pair of very strange beasts which in all tongues are called fools touchstone salutation and greeting to you all jaques good my lord bid him welcome this is the motleyminded gentleman that i have so often met in the forest he hath been a courtier he swears touchstone if any man doubt that let him put me to my purgation i have trod a measure i have flattered a lady i have been politic with my friend smooth with mine enemy i have undone three tailors i have had four quarrels and like to have fought one jaques and how was that ta'en up touchstone faith we met and found the quarrel was upon the seventh cause jaques how seventh cause good my lord like this fellow duke senior i like him very well touchstone god ild you sir i desire you of the like i press in here sir amongst the rest of the country copulatives to swear and to forswear according as marriage binds and blood breaks a poor virgin sir an illfavoured thing sir but mine own a poor humour of mine sir to take that that no man else will rich honesty dwells like a miser sir in a poor house as your pearl in your foul oyster duke senior by my faith he is very swift and sententious touchstone according to the fool's bolt sir and such dulcet diseases jaques but for the seventh cause how did you find the quarrel on the seventh cause touchstone upon a lie seven times removedbear your body more seeming audreyas thus sir i did dislike the cut of a certain courtier's beard he sent me word if i said his beard was not cut well he was in the mind it was this is called the retort courteous if i sent him word again it was not well cut he would send me word he cut it to please himself this is called the quip modest if again it was not well cut he disabled my judgment this is called the reply churlish if again it was not well cut he would answer i spake not true this is called the reproof valiant if again it was not well cut he would say i lied this is called the countercheque quarrelsome and so to the lie circumstantial and the lie direct jaques and how oft did you say his beard was not well cut touchstone i durst go no further than the lie circumstantial nor he durst not give me the lie direct and so we measured swords and parted jaques can you nominate in order now the degrees of the lie touchstone o sir we quarrel in print by the book as you have books for good manners i will name you the degrees the first the retort courteous the second the quip modest the third the reply churlish the fourth the reproof valiant the fifth the countercheque quarrelsome the sixth the lie with circumstance the seventh the lie direct all these you may avoid but the lie direct and you may avoid that too with an if i knew when seven justices could not take up a quarrel but when the parties were met themselves one of them thought but of an if as if you said so then i said so and they shook hands and swore brothers your if is the only peacemaker much virtue in if jaques is not this a rare fellow my lord he's as good at any thing and yet a fool duke senior he uses his folly like a stalkinghorse and under the presentation of that he shoots his wit enter hymen rosalind and celia still music hymen then is there mirth in heaven when earthly things made even atone together good duke receive thy daughter hymen from heaven brought her yea brought her hither that thou mightst join her hand with his whose heart within his bosom is rosalind to duke senior to you i give myself for i am yours to orlando to you i give myself for i am yours duke senior if there be truth in sight you are my daughter orlando if there be truth in sight you are my rosalind phebe if sight and shape be true why then my love adieu rosalind i'll have no father if you be not he i'll have no husband if you be not he nor ne'er wed woman if you be not she hymen peace ho i bar confusion tis i must make conclusion of these most strange events here's eight that must take hands to join in hymen's bands if truth holds true contents you and you no cross shall part you and you are heart in heart you to his love must accord or have a woman to your lord you and you are sure together as the winter to foul weather whiles a wedlockhymn we sing feed yourselves with questioning that reason wonder may diminish how thus we met and these things finish song wedding is great juno's crown o blessed bond of board and bed tis hymen peoples every town high wedlock then be honoured honour high honour and renown to hymen god of every town duke senior o my dear niece welcome thou art to me even daughter welcome in no less degree phebe i will not eat my word now thou art mine thy faith my fancy to thee doth combine enter jaques de boys jaques de boys let me have audience for a word or two i am the second son of old sir rowland that bring these tidings to this fair assembly duke frederick hearing how that every day men of great worth resorted to this forest address'd a mighty power which were on foot in his own conduct purposely to take his brother here and put him to the sword and to the skirts of this wild wood he came where meeting with an old religious man after some question with him was converted both from his enterprise and from the world his crown bequeathing to his banish'd brother and all their lands restored to them again that were with him exiled this to be true i do engage my life duke senior welcome young man thou offer'st fairly to thy brothers wedding to one his lands withheld and to the other a land itself at large a potent dukedom first in this forest let us do those ends that here were well begun and well begot and after every of this happy number that have endured shrewd days and nights with us shall share the good of our returned fortune according to the measure of their states meantime forget this newfall'n dignity and fall into our rustic revelry play music and you brides and bridegrooms all with measure heap'd in joy to the measures fall jaques sir by your patience if i heard you rightly the duke hath put on a religious life and thrown into neglect the pompous court jaques de boys he hath jaques to him will i out of these convertites there is much matter to be heard and learn'd to duke senior you to your former honour i bequeath your patience and your virtue well deserves it to orlando you to a love that your true faith doth merit to oliver you to your land and love and great allies to silvius you to a long and welldeserved bed to touchstone and you to wrangling for thy loving voyage is but for two months victuall'd so to your pleasures i am for other than for dancing measures duke senior stay jaques stay jaques to see no pastime i what you would have i'll stay to know at your abandon'd cave exit duke senior proceed proceed we will begin these rites as we do trust they'll end in true delights a dance as you like it epilogue rosalind it is not the fashion to see the lady the epilogue but it is no more unhandsome than to see the lord the prologue if it be true that good wine needs no bush tis true that a good play needs no epilogue yet to good wine they do use good bushes and good plays prove the better by the help of good epilogues what a case am i in then that am neither a good epilogue nor cannot insinuate with you in the behalf of a good play i am not furnished like a beggar therefore to beg will not become me my way is to conjure you and i'll begin with the women i charge you o women for the love you bear to men to like as much of this play as please you and i charge you o men for the love you bear to womenas i perceive by your simpering none of you hates themthat between you and the women the play may please if i were a woman i would kiss as many of you as had beards that pleased me complexions that liked me and breaths that i defied not and i am sure as many as have good beards or good faces or sweet breaths will for my kind offer when i make curtsy bid me farewell exeunt the comedy of errors dramatis personae solinus duke of ephesus duke solinus aegeon a merchant of syracuse antipholus of ephesus twin brothers and sons to aegeon and aemilia antipholus of syracuse dromio of ephesus twin brothers and attendants on the two antipholuses dromio of syracuse balthazar a merchant angelo a goldsmith first merchant friend to antipholus of syracuse second merchant to whom angelo is a debtor pinch a schoolmaster aemilia wife to aegeon an abbess at ephesus adriana wife to antipholus of ephesus luciana her sister luce servant to adriana a courtezan gaoler officers and other attendants gaoler officer servant scene ephesus the comedy of errors act i scene i a hall in duke solinus's palace enter duke solinus aegeon gaoler officers and other attendants aegeon proceed solinus to procure my fall and by the doom of death end woes and all duke solinus merchant of syracuse plead no more i am not partial to infringe our laws the enmity and discord which of late sprung from the rancorous outrage of your duke to merchants our welldealing countrymen who wanting guilders to redeem their lives have seal'd his rigorous statutes with their bloods excludes all pity from our threatening looks for since the mortal and intestine jars twixt thy seditious countrymen and us it hath in solemn synods been decreed both by the syracusians and ourselves to admit no traffic to our adverse towns nay more if any born at ephesus be seen at any syracusian marts and fairs again if any syracusian born come to the bay of ephesus he dies his goods confiscate to the duke's dispose unless a thousand marks be levied to quit the penalty and to ransom him thy substance valued at the highest rate cannot amount unto a hundred marks therefore by law thou art condemned to die aegeon yet this my comfort when your words are done my woes end likewise with the evening sun duke solinus well syracusian say in brief the cause why thou departed'st from thy native home and for what cause thou camest to ephesus aegeon a heavier task could not have been imposed than i to speak my griefs unspeakable yet that the world may witness that my end was wrought by nature not by vile offence i'll utter what my sorrows give me leave in syracusa was i born and wed unto a woman happy but for me and by me had not our hap been bad with her i lived in joy our wealth increased by prosperous voyages i often made to epidamnum till my factor's death and the great care of goods at random left drew me from kind embracements of my spouse from whom my absence was not six months old before herself almost at fainting under the pleasing punishment that women bear had made provision for her following me and soon and safe arrived where i was there had she not been long but she became a joyful mother of two goodly sons and which was strange the one so like the other as could not be distinguish'd but by names that very hour and in the selfsame inn a meaner woman was delivered of such a burden male twins both alike thosefor their parents were exceeding poor i bought and brought up to attend my sons my wife not meanly proud of two such boys made daily motions for our home return unwilling i agreed alas too soon we came aboard a league from epidamnum had we sail'd before the always windobeying deep gave any tragic instance of our harm but longer did we not retain much hope for what obscured light the heavens did grant did but convey unto our fearful minds a doubtful warrant of immediate death which though myself would gladly have embraced yet the incessant weepings of my wife weeping before for what she saw must come and piteous plainings of the pretty babes that mourn'd for fashion ignorant what to fear forced me to seek delays for them and me and this it was for other means was none the sailors sought for safety by our boat and left the ship then sinkingripe to us my wife more careful for the latterborn had fasten'd him unto a small spare mast such as seafaring men provide for storms to him one of the other twins was bound whilst i had been like heedful of the other the children thus disposed my wife and i fixing our eyes on whom our care was fix'd fasten'd ourselves at either end the mast and floating straight obedient to the stream was carried towards corinth as we thought at length the sun gazing upon the earth dispersed those vapours that offended us and by the benefit of his wished light the seas wax'd calm and we discovered two ships from far making amain to us of corinth that of epidaurus this but ere they cameo let me say no more gather the sequel by that went before duke solinus nay forward old man do not break off so for we may pity though not pardon thee aegeon o had the gods done so i had not now worthily term'd them merciless to us for ere the ships could meet by twice five leagues we were encounterd by a mighty rock which being violently borne upon our helpful ship was splitted in the midst so that in this unjust divorce of us fortune had left to both of us alike what to delight in what to sorrow for her part poor soul seeming as burdened with lesser weight but not with lesser woe was carried with more speed before the wind and in our sight they three were taken up by fishermen of corinth as we thought at length another ship had seized on us and knowing whom it was their hap to save gave healthful welcome to their shipwreck'd guests and would have reft the fishers of their prey had not their bark been very slow of sail and therefore homeward did they bend their course thus have you heard me sever'd from my bliss that by misfortunes was my life prolong'd to tell sad stories of my own mishaps duke solinus and for the sake of them thou sorrowest for do me the favour to dilate at full what hath befall'n of them and thee till now aegeon my youngest boy and yet my eldest care at eighteen years became inquisitive after his brother and importuned me that his attendantso his case was like reft of his brother but retain'd his name might bear him company in the quest of him whom whilst i labour'd of a love to see i hazarded the loss of whom i loved five summers have i spent in furthest greece roaming clean through the bounds of asia and coasting homeward came to ephesus hopeless to find yet loath to leave unsought or that or any place that harbours men but here must end the story of my life and happy were i in my timely death could all my travels warrant me they live duke solinus hapless aegeon whom the fates have mark'd to bear the extremity of dire mishap now trust me were it not against our laws against my crown my oath my dignity which princes would they may not disannul my soul would sue as advocate for thee but though thou art adjudged to the death and passed sentence may not be recall'd but to our honour's great disparagement yet i will favour thee in what i can therefore merchant i'll limit thee this day to seek thy life by beneficial help try all the friends thou hast in ephesus beg thou or borrow to make up the sum and live if no then thou art doom'd to die gaoler take him to thy custody gaoler i will my lord aegeon hopeless and helpless doth aegeon wend but to procrastinate his lifeless end exeunt the comedy of errors act i scene ii the mart enter antipholus of syracuse dromio of syracuse and first merchant first merchant therefore give out you are of epidamnum lest that your goods too soon be confiscate this very day a syracusian merchant is apprehended for arrival here and not being able to buy out his life according to the statute of the town dies ere the weary sun set in the west there is your money that i had to keep antipholus of syracuse go bear it to the centaur where we host and stay there dromio till i come to thee within this hour it will be dinnertime till that i'll view the manners of the town peruse the traders gaze upon the buildings and then return and sleep within mine inn for with long travel i am stiff and weary get thee away dromio of syracuse many a man would take you at your word and go indeed having so good a mean exit antipholus of syracuse a trusty villain sir that very oft when i am dull with care and melancholy lightens my humour with his merry jests what will you walk with me about the town and then go to my inn and dine with me first merchant i am invited sir to certain merchants of whom i hope to make much benefit i crave your pardon soon at five o'clock please you i'll meet with you upon the mart and afterward consort you till bedtime my present business calls me from you now antipholus of syracuse farewell till then i will go lose myself and wander up and down to view the city first merchant sir i commend you to your own content exit antipholus of syracuse he that commends me to mine own content commends me to the thing i cannot get i to the world am like a drop of water that in the ocean seeks another drop who falling there to find his fellow forth unseen inquisitive confounds himself so i to find a mother and a brother in quest of them unhappy lose myself enter dromio of ephesus here comes the almanac of my true date what now how chance thou art return'd so soon dromio of ephesus return'd so soon rather approach'd too late the capon burns the pig falls from the spit the clock hath strucken twelve upon the bell my mistress made it one upon my cheek she is so hot because the meat is cold the meat is cold because you come not home you come not home because you have no stomach you have no stomach having broke your fast but we that know what tis to fast and pray are penitent for your default today antipholus of syracuse stop in your wind sir tell me this i pray where have you left the money that i gave you dromio of ephesus osixpence that i had o wednesday last to pay the saddler for my mistress crupper the saddler had it sir i kept it not antipholus of syracuse i am not in a sportive humour now tell me and dally not where is the money we being strangers here how darest thou trust so great a charge from thine own custody dromio of ephesus i pray you air as you sit at dinner i from my mistress come to you in post if i return i shall be post indeed for she will score your fault upon my pate methinks your maw like mine should be your clock and strike you home without a messenger antipholus of syracuse come dromio come these jests are out of season reserve them till a merrier hour than this where is the gold i gave in charge to thee dromio of ephesus to me sir why you gave no gold to me antipholus of syracuse come on sir knave have done your foolishness and tell me how thou hast disposed thy charge dromio of ephesus my charge was but to fetch you from the mart home to your house the phoenix sir to dinner my mistress and her sister stays for you antipholus of syracuse in what safe place you have bestow'd my money or i shall break that merry sconce of yours that stands on tricks when i am undisposed where is the thousand marks thou hadst of me dromio of ephesus i have some marks of yours upon my pate some of my mistress marks upon my shoulders but not a thousand marks between you both if i should pay your worship those again perchance you will not bear them patiently antipholus of syracuse thy mistress marks what mistress slave hast thou dromio of ephesus your worship's wife my mistress at the phoenix she that doth fast till you come home to dinner and prays that you will hie you home to dinner antipholus of syracuse what wilt thou flout me thus unto my face being forbid there take you that sir knave dromio of ephesus what mean you sir for god's sake hold your hands nay and you will not sir i'll take my heels exit antipholus of syracuse upon my life by some device or other the villain is o'erraught of all my money they say this town is full of cozenage as nimble jugglers that deceive the eye darkworking sorcerers that change the mind soulkilling witches that deform the body disguised cheaters prating mountebanks and many suchlike liberties of sin if it prove so i will be gone the sooner i'll to the centaur to go seek this slave i greatly fear my money is not safe exit the comedy of errors act ii scene i the house of antipholus of ephesus enter adriana and luciana adriana neither my husband nor the slave return'd that in such haste i sent to seek his master sure luciana it is two o'clock luciana perhaps some merchant hath invited him and from the mart he's somewhere gone to dinner good sister let us dine and never fret a man is master of his liberty time is their master and when they see time they'll go or come if so be patient sister adriana why should their liberty than ours be more luciana because their business still lies out o door adriana look when i serve him so he takes it ill luciana o know he is the bridle of your will adriana there's none but asses will be bridled so luciana why headstrong liberty is lash'd with woe there's nothing situate under heaven's eye but hath his bound in earth in sea in sky the beasts the fishes and the winged fowls are their males subjects and at their controls men more divine the masters of all these lords of the wide world and wild watery seas indued with intellectual sense and souls of more preeminence than fish and fowls are masters to their females and their lords then let your will attend on their accords adriana this servitude makes you to keep unwed luciana not this but troubles of the marriagebed adriana but were you wedded you would bear some sway luciana ere i learn love i'll practise to obey adriana how if your husband start some other where luciana till he come home again i would forbear adriana patience unmoved no marvel though she pause they can be meek that have no other cause a wretched soul bruised with adversity we bid be quiet when we hear it cry but were we burdened with like weight of pain as much or more would we ourselves complain so thou that hast no unkind mate to grieve thee with urging helpless patience wouldst relieve me but if thou live to see like right bereft this foolbegg'd patience in thee will be left luciana well i will marry one day but to try here comes your man now is your husband nigh enter dromio of ephesus adriana say is your tardy master now at hand dromio of ephesus nay he's at two hands with me and that my two ears can witness adriana say didst thou speak with him know'st thou his mind dromio of ephesus ay ay he told his mind upon mine ear beshrew his hand i scarce could understand it luciana spake he so doubtfully thou couldst not feel his meaning dromio of ephesus nay he struck so plainly i could too well feel his blows and withal so doubtfully that i could scarce understand them adriana but say i prithee is he coming home it seems he hath great care to please his wife dromio of ephesus why mistress sure my master is hornmad adriana hornmad thou villain dromio of ephesus i mean not cuckoldmad but sure he is stark mad when i desired him to come home to dinner he ask'd me for a thousand marks in gold 'tis dinnertime quoth i my gold quoth he your meat doth burn quoth i my gold quoth he will you come home quoth i my gold quoth he where is the thousand marks i gave thee villain' the pig quoth i is burn'd my gold quoth he my mistress sir quoth i hang up thy mistress i know not thy mistress out on thy mistress' luciana quoth who dromio of ephesus quoth my master i know quoth he no house no wife no mistress' so that my errand due unto my tongue i thank him i bare home upon my shoulders for in conclusion he did beat me there adriana go back again thou slave and fetch him home dromio of ephesus go back again and be new beaten home for god's sake send some other messenger adriana back slave or i will break thy pate across dromio of ephesus and he will bless that cross with other beating between you i shall have a holy head adriana hence prating peasant fetch thy master home dromio of ephesus am i so round with you as you with me that like a football you do spurn me thus you spurn me hence and he will spurn me hither if i last in this service you must case me in leather exit luciana fie how impatience loureth in your face adriana his company must do his minions grace whilst i at home starve for a merry look hath homely age the alluring beauty took from my poor cheek then he hath wasted it are my discourses dull barren my wit if voluble and sharp discourse be marr'd unkindness blunts it more than marble hard do their gay vestments his affections bait that's not my fault he's master of my state what ruins are in me that can be found by him not ruin'd then is he the ground of my defeatures my decayed fair a sunny look of his would soon repair but too unruly deer he breaks the pale and feeds from home poor i am but his stale luciana selfharming jealousy fie beat it hence adriana unfeeling fools can with such wrongs dispense i know his eye doth homage otherwhere or else what lets it but he would be here sister you know he promised me a chain would that alone alone he would detain so he would keep fair quarter with his bed i see the jewel best enamelled will lose his beauty yet the gold bides still that others touch and often touching will wear gold and no man that hath a name by falsehood and corruption doth it shame since that my beauty cannot please his eye i'll weep what's left away and weeping die luciana how many fond fools serve mad jealousy exeunt the comedy of errors act ii scene ii a public place enter antipholus of syracuse antipholus of syracuse the gold i gave to dromio is laid up safe at the centaur and the heedful slave is wander'd forth in care to seek me out by computation and mine host's report i could not speak with dromio since at first i sent him from the mart see here he comes enter dromio of syracuse how now sir is your merry humour alter'd as you love strokes so jest with me again you know no centaur you received no gold your mistress sent to have me home to dinner my house was at the phoenix wast thou mad that thus so madly thou didst answer me dromio of syracuse what answer sir when spake i such a word antipholus of syracuse even now even here not half an hour since dromio of syracuse i did not see you since you sent me hence home to the centaur with the gold you gave me antipholus of syracuse villain thou didst deny the gold's receipt and told'st me of a mistress and a dinner for which i hope thou felt'st i was displeased dromio of syracuse i am glad to see you in this merry vein what means this jest i pray you master tell me antipholus of syracuse yea dost thou jeer and flout me in the teeth think'st thou i jest hold take thou that and that beating him dromio of syracuse hold sir for god's sake now your jest is earnest upon what bargain do you give it me antipholus of syracuse because that i familiarly sometimes do use you for my fool and chat with you your sauciness will jest upon my love and make a common of my serious hours when the sun shines let foolish gnats make sport but creep in crannies when he hides his beams if you will jest with me know my aspect and fashion your demeanor to my looks or i will beat this method in your sconce dromio of syracuse sconce call you it so you would leave battering i had rather have it a head an you use these blows long i must get a sconce for my head and ensconce it too or else i shall seek my wit in my shoulders but i pray sir why am i beaten antipholus of syracuse dost thou not know dromio of syracuse nothing sir but that i am beaten antipholus of syracuse shall i tell you why dromio of syracuse ay sir and wherefore for they say every why hath a wherefore antipholus of syracuse why firstfor flouting me and then wherefore for urging it the second time to me dromio of syracuse was there ever any man thus beaten out of season when in the why and the wherefore is neither rhyme nor reason well sir i thank you antipholus of syracuse thank me sir for what dromio of syracuse marry sir for this something that you gave me for nothing antipholus of syracuse i'll make you amends next to give you nothing for something but say sir is it dinnertime dromio of syracuse no sir i think the meat wants that i have antipholus of syracuse in good time sir what's that dromio of syracuse basting antipholus of syracuse well sir then twill be dry dromio of syracuse if it be sir i pray you eat none of it antipholus of syracuse your reason dromio of syracuse lest it make you choleric and purchase me another dry basting antipholus of syracuse well sir learn to jest in good time there's a time for all things dromio of syracuse i durst have denied that before you were so choleric antipholus of syracuse by what rule sir dromio of syracuse marry sir by a rule as plain as the plain bald pate of father time himself antipholus of syracuse let's hear it dromio of syracuse there's no time for a man to recover his hair that grows bald by nature antipholus of syracuse may he not do it by fine and recovery dromio of syracuse yes to pay a fine for a periwig and recover the lost hair of another man antipholus of syracuse why is time such a niggard of hair being as it is so plentiful an excrement dromio of syracuse because it is a blessing that he bestows on beasts and what he hath scanted men in hair he hath given them in wit antipholus of syracuse why but there's many a man hath more hair than wit dromio of syracuse not a man of those but he hath the wit to lose his hair antipholus of syracuse why thou didst conclude hairy men plain dealers without wit dromio of syracuse the plainer dealer the sooner lost yet he loseth it in a kind of jollity antipholus of syracuse for what reason dromio of syracuse for two and sound ones too antipholus of syracuse nay not sound i pray you dromio of syracuse sure ones then antipholus of syracuse nay not sure in a thing falsing dromio of syracuse certain ones then antipholus of syracuse name them dromio of syracuse the one to save the money that he spends in trimming the other that at dinner they should not drop in his porridge antipholus of syracuse you would all this time have proved there is no time for all things dromio of syracuse marry and did sir namely no time to recover hair lost by nature antipholus of syracuse but your reason was not substantial why there is no time to recover dromio of syracuse thus i mend it time himself is bald and therefore to the world's end will have bald followers antipholus of syracuse i knew twould be a bald conclusion but soft who wafts us yonder enter adriana and luciana adriana ay ay antipholus look strange and frown some other mistress hath thy sweet aspects i am not adriana nor thy wife the time was once when thou unurged wouldst vow that never words were music to thine ear that never object pleasing in thine eye that never touch well welcome to thy hand that never meat sweetsavor'd in thy taste unless i spake or look'd or touch'd or carved to thee how comes it now my husband o how comes it that thou art thus estranged from thyself thyself i call it being strange to me that undividable incorporate am better than thy dear self's better part ah do not tear away thyself from me for know my love as easy mayest thou fall a drop of water in the breaking gulf and take unmingled that same drop again without addition or diminishing as take from me thyself and not me too how dearly would it touch me to the quick shouldst thou but hear i were licentious and that this body consecrate to thee by ruffian lust should be contaminate wouldst thou not spit at me and spurn at me and hurl the name of husband in my face and tear the stain'd skin off my harlotbrow and from my false hand cut the weddingring and break it with a deepdivorcing vow i know thou canst and therefore see thou do it i am possess'd with an adulterate blot my blood is mingled with the crime of lust for if we too be one and thou play false i do digest the poison of thy flesh being strumpeted by thy contagion keep then far league and truce with thy true bed i live unstain'd thou undishonoured antipholus of syracuse plead you to me fair dame i know you not in ephesus i am but two hours old as strange unto your town as to your talk who every word by all my wit being scann'd want wit in all one word to understand luciana fie brother how the world is changed with you when were you wont to use my sister thus she sent for you by dromio home to dinner antipholus of syracuse by dromio dromio of syracuse by me adriana by thee and this thou didst return from him that he did buffet thee and in his blows denied my house for his me for his wife antipholus of syracuse did you converse sir with this gentlewoman what is the course and drift of your compact dromio of syracuse i sir i never saw her till this time antipholus of syracuse villain thou liest for even her very words didst thou deliver to me on the mart dromio of syracuse i never spake with her in all my life antipholus of syracuse how can she thus then call us by our names unless it be by inspiration adriana how ill agrees it with your gravity to counterfeit thus grossly with your slave abetting him to thwart me in my mood be it my wrong you are from me exempt but wrong not that wrong with a more contempt come i will fasten on this sleeve of thine thou art an elm my husband i a vine whose weakness married to thy stronger state makes me with thy strength to communicate if aught possess thee from me it is dross usurping ivy brier or idle moss who all for want of pruning with intrusion infect thy sap and live on thy confusion antipholus of syracuse to me she speaks she moves me for her theme what was i married to her in my dream or sleep i now and think i hear all this what error drives our eyes and ears amiss until i know this sure uncertainty i'll entertain the offer'd fallacy luciana dromio go bid the servants spread for dinner dromio of syracuse o for my beads i cross me for a sinner this is the fairy land o spite of spites we talk with goblins owls and sprites if we obey them not this will ensue they'll suck our breath or pinch us black and blue luciana why pratest thou to thyself and answer'st not dromio thou drone thou snail thou slug thou sot dromio of syracuse i am transformed master am i not antipholus of syracuse i think thou art in mind and so am i dromio of syracuse nay master both in mind and in my shape antipholus of syracuse thou hast thine own form dromio of syracuse no i am an ape luciana if thou art changed to aught tis to an ass dromio of syracuse tis true she rides me and i long for grass tis so i am an ass else it could never be but i should know her as well as she knows me adriana come come no longer will i be a fool to put the finger in the eye and weep whilst man and master laugh my woes to scorn come sir to dinner dromio keep the gate husband i'll dine above with you today and shrive you of a thousand idle pranks sirrah if any ask you for your master say he dines forth and let no creature enter come sister dromio play the porter well antipholus of syracuse am i in earth in heaven or in hell sleeping or waking mad or welladvised known unto these and to myself disguised i'll say as they say and persever so and in this mist at all adventures go dromio of syracuse master shall i be porter at the gate adriana ay and let none enter lest i break your pate luciana come come antipholus we dine too late exeunt the comedy of errors act iii scene i before the house of antipholus of ephesus enter antipholus of ephesus dromio of ephesus angelo and balthazar antipholus of ephesus good signior angelo you must excuse us all my wife is shrewish when i keep not hours say that i linger'd with you at your shop to see the making of her carcanet and that tomorrow you will bring it home but here's a villain that would face me down he met me on the mart and that i beat him and charged him with a thousand marks in gold and that i did deny my wife and house thou drunkard thou what didst thou mean by this dromio of ephesus say what you will sir but i know what i know that you beat me at the mart i have your hand to show if the skin were parchment and the blows you gave were ink your own handwriting would tell you what i think antipholus of ephesus i think thou art an ass dromio of ephesus marry so it doth appear by the wrongs i suffer and the blows i bear i should kick being kick'd and being at that pass you would keep from my heels and beware of an ass antipholus of ephesus you're sad signior balthazar pray god our cheer may answer my good will and your good welcome here balthazar i hold your dainties cheap sir and your welcome dear antipholus of ephesus o signior balthazar either at flesh or fish a table full of welcome make scarce one dainty dish balthazar good meat sir is common that every churl affords antipholus of ephesus and welcome more common for that's nothing but words balthazar small cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast antipholus of ephesus ay to a niggardly host and more sparing guest but though my cates be mean take them in good part better cheer may you have but not with better heart but soft my door is lock'd go bid them let us in dromio of ephesus maud bridget marian cicel gillian ginn dromio of syracuse within mome malthorse capon coxcomb idiot patch either get thee from the door or sit down at the hatch dost thou conjure for wenches that thou call'st for such store when one is one too many go get thee from the door dromio of ephesus what patch is made our porter my master stays in the street dromio of syracuse within let him walk from whence he came lest he catch cold on's feet antipholus of ephesus who talks within there ho open the door dromio of syracuse within right sir i'll tell you when an you tell me wherefore antipholus of ephesus wherefore for my dinner i have not dined today dromio of syracuse within nor today here you must not come again when you may antipholus of ephesus what art thou that keepest me out from the house i owe dromio of syracuse within the porter for this time sir and my name is dromio dromio of ephesus o villain thou hast stolen both mine office and my name the one ne'er got me credit the other mickle blame if thou hadst been dromio today in my place thou wouldst have changed thy face for a name or thy name for an ass luce within what a coil is there dromio who are those at the gate dromio of ephesus let my master in luce luce within faith no he comes too late and so tell your master dromio of ephesus o lord i must laugh have at you with a proverbshall i set in my staff luce within have at you with another that'swhen can you tell dromio of syracuse within if thy name be call'd luceluce thou hast answered him well antipholus do you hear you minion you'll let us in i hope of ephesus luce within i thought to have asked you dromio of syracuse within and you said no dromio of ephesus so come help well struck there was blow for blow antipholus of ephesus thou baggage let me in luce within can you tell for whose sake dromio of ephesus master knock the door hard luce within let him knock till it ache antipholus of ephesus you'll cry for this minion if i beat the door down luce within what needs all that and a pair of stocks in the town adriana within who is that at the door that keeps all this noise dromio of syracuse within by my troth your town is troubled with unruly boys antipholus of ephesus are you there wife you might have come before adriana within your wife sir knave go get you from the door dromio of ephesus if you went in pain master this knave would go sore angelo here is neither cheer sir nor welcome we would fain have either balthazar in debating which was best we shall part with neither dromio of ephesus they stand at the door master bid them welcome hither antipholus of ephesus there is something in the wind that we cannot get in dromio of ephesus you would say so master if your garments were thin your cake there is warm within you stand here in the cold it would make a man mad as a buck to be so bought and sold antipholus of ephesus go fetch me something i'll break ope the gate dromio of syracuse within break any breaking here and i'll break your knave's pate dromio of ephesus a man may break a word with you sir and words are but wind ay and break it in your face so he break it not behind dromio of syracuse within it seems thou want'st breaking out upon thee hind dromio of ephesus here's too much out upon thee i pray thee let me in dromio of syracuse within ay when fowls have no feathers and fish have no fin antipholus of ephesus well i'll break in go borrow me a crow dromio of ephesus a crow without feather master mean you so for a fish without a fin there's a fowl without a feather if a crow help us in sirrah we'll pluck a crow together antipholus of ephesus go get thee gone fetch me an iron crow balthazar have patience sir o let it not be so herein you war against your reputation and draw within the compass of suspect the unviolated honour of your wife once thisyour long experience of her wisdom her sober virtue years and modesty plead on her part some cause to you unknown and doubt not sir but she will well excuse why at this time the doors are made against you be ruled by me depart in patience and let us to the tiger all to dinner and about evening come yourself alone to know the reason of this strange restraint if by strong hand you offer to break in now in the stirring passage of the day a vulgar comment will be made of it and that supposed by the common rout against your yet ungalled estimation that may with foul intrusion enter in and dwell upon your grave when you are dead for slander lives upon succession for ever housed where it gets possession antipholus of ephesus you have prevailed i will depart in quiet and in despite of mirth mean to be merry i know a wench of excellent discourse pretty and witty wild and yet too gentle there will we dine this woman that i mean my wifebut i protest without desert hath oftentimes upbraided me withal to her will we to dinner to angelo get you home and fetch the chain by this i know tis made bring it i pray you to the porpentine for there's the house that chain will i bestow be it for nothing but to spite my wife upon mine hostess there good sir make haste since mine own doors refuse to entertain me i'll knock elsewhere to see if they'll disdain me angelo i'll meet you at that place some hour hence antipholus of ephesus do so this jest shall cost me some expense exeunt the comedy of errors act iii scene ii the same enter luciana and antipholus of syracuse luciana and may it be that you have quite forgot a husband's office shall antipholus even in the spring of love thy lovesprings rot shall love in building grow so ruinous if you did wed my sister for her wealth then for her wealth's sake use her with more kindness or if you like elsewhere do it by stealth muffle your false love with some show of blindness let not my sister read it in your eye be not thy tongue thy own shame's orator look sweet be fair become disloyalty apparel vice like virtue's harbinger bear a fair presence though your heart be tainted teach sin the carriage of a holy saint be secretfalse what need she be acquainted what simple thief brags of his own attaint tis double wrong to truant with your bed and let her read it in thy looks at board shame hath a bastard fame well managed ill deeds are doubled with an evil word alas poor women make us but believe being compact of credit that you love us though others have the arm show us the sleeve we in your motion turn and you may move us then gentle brother get you in again comfort my sister cheer her call her wife tis holy sport to be a little vain when the sweet breath of flattery conquers strife antipholus of syracuse sweet mistresswhat your name is else i know not nor by what wonder you do hit of mine less in your knowledge and your grace you show not than our earth's wonder more than earth divine teach me dear creature how to think and speak lay open to my earthygross conceit smother'd in errors feeble shallow weak the folded meaning of your words deceit against my soul's pure truth why labour you to make it wander in an unknown field are you a god would you create me new transform me then and to your power i'll yield but if that i am i then well i know your weeping sister is no wife of mine nor to her bed no homage do i owe far more far more to you do i decline o train me not sweet mermaid with thy note to drown me in thy sister's flood of tears sing siren for thyself and i will dote spread o'er the silver waves thy golden hairs and as a bed i'll take them and there lie and in that glorious supposition think he gains by death that hath such means to die let love being light be drowned if she sink luciana what are you mad that you do reason so antipholus of syracuse not mad but mated how i do not know luciana it is a fault that springeth from your eye antipholus of syracuse for gazing on your beams fair sun being by luciana gaze where you should and that will clear your sight antipholus of syracuse as good to wink sweet love as look on night luciana why call you me love call my sister so antipholus of syracuse thy sister's sister luciana that's my sister antipholus of syracuse no it is thyself mine own self's better part mine eye's clear eye my dear heart's dearer heart my food my fortune and my sweet hope's aim my sole earth's heaven and my heaven's claim luciana all this my sister is or else should be antipholus of syracuse call thyself sister sweet for i am thee thee will i love and with thee lead my life thou hast no husband yet nor i no wife give me thy hand luciana o soft air hold you still i'll fetch my sister to get her good will exit enter dromio of syracuse antipholus of syracuse why how now dromio where runn'st thou so fast dromio of syracuse do you know me sir am i dromio am i your man am i myself antipholus of syracuse thou art dromio thou art my man thou art thyself dromio of syracuse i am an ass i am a woman's man and besides myself antipholus what woman's man and how besides thyself besides thyself dromio of syracuse marry sir besides myself i am due to a woman one that claims me one that haunts me one that will have me antipholus of syracuse what claim lays she to thee dromio of syracuse marry sir such claim as you would lay to your horse and she would have me as a beast not that i being a beast she would have me but that she being a very beastly creature lays claim to me antipholus of syracuse what is she dromio of syracuse a very reverent body ay such a one as a man may not speak of without he say sirreverence i have but lean luck in the match and yet is she a wondrous fat marriage antipholus of syracuse how dost thou mean a fat marriage dromio of syracuse marry sir she's the kitchen wench and all grease and i know not what use to put her to but to make a lamp of her and run from her by her own light i warrant her rags and the tallow in them will burn a poland winter if she lives till doomsday she'll burn a week longer than the whole world antipholus of syracuse what complexion is she of dromio of syracuse swart like my shoe but her face nothing half so clean kept for why she sweats a man may go over shoes in the grime of it antipholus of syracuse that's a fault that water will mend dromio of syracuse no sir tis in grain noah's flood could not do it antipholus of syracuse what's her name dromio of syracuse nell sir but her name and three quarters that's an ell and three quarters will not measure her from hip to hip antipholus of syracuse then she bears some breadth dromio of syracuse no longer from head to foot than from hip to hip she is spherical like a globe i could find out countries in her antipholus of syracuse in what part of her body stands ireland dromio of syracuse marry in her buttocks i found it out by the bogs antipholus of syracuse where scotland dromio of syracuse i found it by the barrenness hard in the palm of the hand antipholus of syracuse where france dromio of syracuse in her forehead armed and reverted making war against her heir antipholus of syracuse where england dromio of syracuse i looked for the chalky cliffs but i could find no whiteness in them but i guess it stood in her chin by the salt rheum that ran between france and it antipholus of syracuse where spain dromio of syracuse faith i saw it not but i felt it hot in her breath antipholus of syracuse where america the indies dromio of syracuse oh sir upon her nose all o'er embellished with rubies carbuncles sapphires declining their rich aspect to the hot breath of spain who sent whole armadoes of caracks to be ballast at her nose antipholus of syracuse where stood belgia the netherlands dromio of syracuse oh sir i did not look so low to conclude this drudge or diviner laid claim to me call'd me dromio swore i was assured to her told me what privy marks i had about me as the mark of my shoulder the mole in my neck the great wart on my left arm that i amazed ran from her as a witch and i think if my breast had not been made of faith and my heart of steel she had transform'd me to a curtal dog and made me turn i the wheel antipholus of syracuse go hie thee presently post to the road an if the wind blow any way from shore i will not harbour in this town tonight if any bark put forth come to the mart where i will walk till thou return to me if every one knows us and we know none tis time i think to trudge pack and be gone dromio of syracuse as from a bear a man would run for life so fly i from her that would be my wife exit antipholus of syracuse there's none but witches do inhabit here and therefore tis high time that i were hence she that doth call me husband even my soul doth for a wife abhor but her fair sister possess'd with such a gentle sovereign grace of such enchanting presence and discourse hath almost made me traitor to myself but lest myself be guilty to selfwrong i'll stop mine ears against the mermaid's song enter angelo with the chain angelo master antipholus antipholus of syracuse ay that's my name angelo i know it well sir lo here is the chain i thought to have ta'en you at the porpentine the chain unfinish'd made me stay thus long antipholus of syracuse what is your will that i shall do with this angelo what please yourself sir i have made it for you antipholus of syracuse made it for me sir i bespoke it not angelo not once nor twice but twenty times you have go home with it and please your wife withal and soon at suppertime i'll visit you and then receive my money for the chain antipholus of syracuse i pray you sir receive the money now for fear you ne'er see chain nor money more angelo you are a merry man sir fare you well exit antipholus of syracuse what i should think of this i cannot tell but this i think there's no man is so vain that would refuse so fair an offer'd chain i see a man here needs not live by shifts when in the streets he meets such golden gifts i'll to the mart and there for dromio stay if any ship put out then straight away exit the comedy of errors act iv scene i a public place enter second merchant angelo and an officer second merchant you know since pentecost the sum is due and since i have not much importuned you nor now i had not but that i am bound to persia and want guilders for my voyage therefore make present satisfaction or i'll attach you by this officer angelo even just the sum that i do owe to you is growing to me by antipholus and in the instant that i met with you he had of me a chain at five o'clock i shall receive the money for the same pleaseth you walk with me down to his house i will discharge my bond and thank you too enter antipholus of ephesus and dromio of ephesus from the courtezan's officer that labour may you save see where he comes antipholus of ephesus while i go to the goldsmith's house go thou and buy a rope's end that will i bestow among my wife and her confederates for locking me out of my doors by day but soft i see the goldsmith get thee gone buy thou a rope and bring it home to me dromio of ephesus i buy a thousand pound a year i buy a rope exit antipholus of ephesus a man is well holp up that trusts to you i promised your presence and the chain but neither chain nor goldsmith came to me belike you thought our love would last too long if it were chain'd together and therefore came not angelo saving your merry humour here's the note how much your chain weighs to the utmost carat the fineness of the gold and chargeful fashion which doth amount to three odd ducats more than i stand debted to this gentleman i pray you see him presently discharged for he is bound to sea and stays but for it antipholus of ephesus i am not furnish'd with the present money besides i have some business in the town good signior take the stranger to my house and with you take the chain and bid my wife disburse the sum on the receipt thereof perchance i will be there as soon as you angelo then you will bring the chain to her yourself antipholus of ephesus no bear it with you lest i come not time enough angelo well sir i will have you the chain about you antipholus of ephesus an if i have not sir i hope you have or else you may return without your money angelo nay come i pray you sir give me the chain both wind and tide stays for this gentleman and i to blame have held him here too long antipholus of ephesus good lord you use this dalliance to excuse your breach of promise to the porpentine i should have chid you for not bringing it but like a shrew you first begin to brawl second merchant the hour steals on i pray you sir dispatch angelo you hear how he importunes methe chain antipholus of ephesus why give it to my wife and fetch your money angelo come come you know i gave it you even now either send the chain or send me by some token antipholus of ephesus fie now you run this humour out of breath where's the chain i pray you let me see it second merchant my business cannot brook this dalliance good sir say whether you'll answer me or no if not i'll leave him to the officer antipholus of ephesus i answer you what should i answer you angelo the money that you owe me for the chain antipholus of ephesus i owe you none till i receive the chain angelo you know i gave it you half an hour since antipholus of ephesus you gave me none you wrong me much to say so angelo you wrong me more sir in denying it consider how it stands upon my credit second merchant well officer arrest him at my suit officer i do and charge you in the duke's name to obey me angelo this touches me in reputation either consent to pay this sum for me or i attach you by this officer antipholus of ephesus consent to pay thee that i never had arrest me foolish fellow if thou darest angelo here is thy fee arrest him officer i would not spare my brother in this case if he should scorn me so apparently officer i do arrest you sir you hear the suit antipholus of ephesus i do obey thee till i give thee bail but sirrah you shall buy this sport as dear as all the metal in your shop will answer angelo sir sir i will have law in ephesus to your notorious shame i doubt it not enter dromio of syracuse from the bay dromio of syracuse master there is a bark of epidamnum that stays but till her owner comes aboard and then sir she bears away our fraughtage sir i have convey'd aboard and i have bought the oil the balsamum and aquavitae the ship is in her trim the merry wind blows fair from land they stay for nought at all but for their owner master and yourself antipholus of ephesus how now a madman why thou peevish sheep what ship of epidamnum stays for me dromio of syracuse a ship you sent me to to hire waftage antipholus of ephesus thou drunken slave i sent thee for a rope and told thee to what purpose and what end dromio of syracuse you sent me for a rope's end as soon you sent me to the bay sir for a bark antipholus of ephesus i will debate this matter at more leisure and teach your ears to list me with more heed to adriana villain hie thee straight give her this key and tell her in the desk that's cover'd o'er with turkish tapestry there is a purse of ducats let her send it tell her i am arrested in the street and that shall bail me hie thee slave be gone on officer to prison till it come exeunt second merchant angelo officer and antipholus of ephesus dromio of syracuse to adriana that is where we dined where dowsabel did claim me for her husband she is too big i hope for me to compass thither i must although against my will for servants must their masters minds fulfil exit the comedy of errors act iv scene ii the house of antipholus of ephesus enter adriana and luciana adriana ah luciana did he tempt thee so mightst thou perceive austerely in his eye that he did plead in earnest yea or no look'd he or red or pale or sad or merrily what observation madest thou in this case of his heart's meteors tilting in his face luciana first he denied you had in him no right adriana he meant he did me none the more my spite luciana then swore he that he was a stranger here adriana and true he swore though yet forsworn he were luciana then pleaded i for you adriana and what said he luciana that love i begg'd for you he begg'd of me adriana with what persuasion did he tempt thy love luciana with words that in an honest suit might move first he did praise my beauty then my speech adriana didst speak him fair luciana have patience i beseech adriana i cannot nor i will not hold me still my tongue though not my heart shall have his will he is deformed crooked old and sere illfaced worse bodied shapeless everywhere vicious ungentle foolish blunt unkind stigmatical in making worse in mind luciana who would be jealous then of such a one no evil lost is wail'd when it is gone adriana ah but i think him better than i say and yet would herein others eyes were worse far from her nest the lapwing cries away my heart prays for him though my tongue do curse enter dromio of syracuse dromio of syracuse here go the desk the purse sweet now make haste luciana how hast thou lost thy breath dromio of syracuse by running fast adriana where is thy master dromio is he well dromio of syracuse no he's in tartar limbo worse than hell a devil in an everlasting garment hath him one whose hard heart is button'd up with steel a fiend a fury pitiless and rough a wolf nay worse a fellow all in buff a backfriend a shoulderclapper one that countermands the passages of alleys creeks and narrow lands a hound that runs counter and yet draws dryfoot well one that before the judgement carries poor souls to hell adriana why man what is the matter dromio of syracuse i do not know the matter he is rested on the case adriana what is he arrested tell me at whose suit dromio of syracuse i know not at whose suit he is arrested well but he's in a suit of buff which rested him that can i tell will you send him mistress redemption the money in his desk adriana go fetch it sister exit luciana this i wonder at that he unknown to me should be in debt tell me was he arrested on a band dromio of syracuse not on a band but on a stronger thing a chain a chain do you not hear it ring adriana what the chain dromio of syracuse no no the bell tis time that i were gone it was two ere i left him and now the clock strikes one adriana the hours come back that did i never hear dromio of syracuse o yes if any hour meet a sergeant a turns back for very fear adriana as if time were in debt how fondly dost thou reason dromio of syracuse time is a very bankrupt and owes more than he's worth to season nay he's a thief too have you not heard men say that time comes stealing on by night and day if time be in debt and theft and a sergeant in the way hath he not reason to turn back an hour in a day reenter luciana with a purse adriana go dromio there's the money bear it straight and bring thy master home immediately come sister i am press'd down with conceit conceit my comfort and my injury exeunt the comedy of errors act iv scene iii a public place enter antipholus of syracuse antipholus of syracuse there's not a man i meet but doth salute me as if i were their wellacquainted friend and every one doth call me by my name some tender money to me some invite me some other give me thanks for kindnesses some offer me commodities to buy even now a tailor call'd me in his shop and show'd me silks that he had bought for me and therewithal took measure of my body sure these are but imaginary wiles and lapland sorcerers inhabit here enter dromio of syracuse dromio of syracuse master here's the gold you sent me for what have you got the picture of old adam newapparelled antipholus of syracuse what gold is this what adam dost thou mean dromio of syracuse not that adam that kept the paradise but that adam that keeps the prison he that goes in the calf's skin that was killed for the prodigal he that came behind you sir like an evil angel and bid you forsake your liberty antipholus of syracuse i understand thee not dromio of syracuse no why tis a plain case he that went like a bassviol in a case of leather the man sir that when gentlemen are tired gives them a sob and rests them he sir that takes pity on decayed men and gives them suits of durance he that sets up his rest to do more exploits with his mace than a morrispike antipholus of syracuse what thou meanest an officer dromio of syracuse ay sir the sergeant of the band he that brings any man to answer it that breaks his band one that thinks a man always going to bed and says god give you good rest' antipholus of syracuse well sir there rest in your foolery is there any dromio of syracuse why sir i brought you word an hour since that the bark expedition put forth tonight and then were you hindered by the sergeant to tarry for the hoy delay here are the angels that you sent for to deliver you antipholus of syracuse the fellow is distract and so am i and here we wander in illusions some blessed power deliver us from hence enter a courtezan courtezan well met well met master antipholus i see sir you have found the goldsmith now is that the chain you promised me today antipholus of syracuse satan avoid i charge thee tempt me not dromio of syracuse master is this mistress satan antipholus of syracuse it is the devil dromio of syracuse nay she is worse she is the devil's dam and here she comes in the habit of a light wench and thereof comes that the wenches say god damn me that's as much to say god make me a light wench it is written they appear to men like angels of light light is an effect of fire and fire will burn ergo light wenches will burn come not near her courtezan your man and you are marvellous merry sir will you go with me we'll mend our dinner here dromio of syracuse master if you do expect spoonmeat or bespeak a long spoon antipholus of syracuse why dromio dromio of syracuse marry he must have a long spoon that must eat with the devil antipholus of syracuse avoid then fiend what tell'st thou me of supping thou art as you are all a sorceress i conjure thee to leave me and be gone courtezan give me the ring of mine you had at dinner or for my diamond the chain you promised and i'll be gone sir and not trouble you dromio of syracuse some devils ask but the parings of one's nail a rush a hair a drop of blood a pin a nut a cherrystone but she more covetous would have a chain master be wise an if you give it her the devil will shake her chain and fright us with it courtezan i pray you sir my ring or else the chain i hope you do not mean to cheat me so antipholus of syracuse avaunt thou witch come dromio let us go dromio of syracuse fly pride says the peacock mistress that you know exeunt antipholus of syracuse and dromio of syracuse courtezan now out of doubt antipholus is mad else would he never so demean himself a ring he hath of mine worth forty ducats and for the same he promised me a chain both one and other he denies me now the reason that i gather he is mad besides this present instance of his rage is a mad tale he told today at dinner of his own doors being shut against his entrance belike his wife acquainted with his fits on purpose shut the doors against his way my way is now to hie home to his house and tell his wife that being lunatic he rush'd into my house and took perforce my ring away this course i fittest choose for forty ducats is too much to lose exit the comedy of errors act iv scene iv a street enter antipholus of ephesus and the officer antipholus of ephesus fear me not man i will not break away i'll give thee ere i leave thee so much money to warrant thee as i am rested for my wife is in a wayward mood today and will not lightly trust the messenger that i should be attach'd in ephesus i tell you twill sound harshly in her ears enter dromio of ephesus with a rope'send here comes my man i think he brings the money how now sir have you that i sent you for dromio of ephesus here's that i warrant you will pay them all antipholus of ephesus but where's the money dromio of ephesus why sir i gave the money for the rope antipholus of ephesus five hundred ducats villain for a rope dromio of ephesus i'll serve you sir five hundred at the rate antipholus of ephesus to what end did i bid thee hie thee home dromio of ephesus to a rope'send sir and to that end am i returned antipholus of ephesus and to that end sir i will welcome you beating him officer good sir be patient dromio of ephesus nay tis for me to be patient i am in adversity officer good now hold thy tongue dromio of ephesus nay rather persuade him to hold his hands antipholus of ephesus thou whoreson senseless villain dromio of ephesus i would i were senseless sir that i might not feel your blows antipholus thou art sensible in nothing but blows and so is an ass dromio of ephesus i am an ass indeed you may prove it by my long ears i have served him from the hour of my nativity to this instant and have nothing at his hands for my service but blows when i am cold he heats me with beating when i am warm he cools me with beating i am waked with it when i sleep raised with it when i sit driven out of doors with it when i go from home welcomed home with it when i return nay i bear it on my shoulders as a beggar wont her brat and i think when he hath lamed me i shall beg with it from door to door antipholus of ephesus come go along my wife is coming yonder enter adriana luciana the courtezan and pinch dromio of ephesus mistress respice finem respect your end or rather the prophecy like the parrot beware the rope'send' antipholus of ephesus wilt thou still talk beating him courtezan how say you now is not your husband mad adriana his incivility confirms no less good doctor pinch you are a conjurer establish him in his true sense again and i will please you what you will demand luciana alas how fiery and how sharp he looks courtezan mark how he trembles in his ecstasy pinch give me your hand and let me feel your pulse antipholus of ephesus there is my hand and let it feel your ear striking him pinch i charge thee satan housed within this man to yield possession to my holy prayers and to thy state of darkness hie thee straight i conjure thee by all the saints in heaven antipholus of ephesus peace doting wizard peace i am not mad adriana o that thou wert not poor distressed soul antipholus of ephesus you minion you are these your customers did this companion with the saffron face revel and feast it at my house today whilst upon me the guilty doors were shut and i denied to enter in my house adriana o husband god doth know you dined at home where would you had remain'd until this time free from these slanders and this open shame antipholus of ephesus dined at home thou villain what sayest thou dromio of ephesus sir sooth to say you did not dine at home antipholus of ephesus were not my doors lock'd up and i shut out dromio of ephesus perdie your doors were lock'd and you shut out antipholus of ephesus and did not she herself revile me there dromio of ephesus sans fable she herself reviled you there antipholus of ephesus did not her kitchenmaid rail taunt and scorn me dromio of ephesus certes she did the kitchenvestal scorn'd you antipholus of ephesus and did not i in rage depart from thence dromio of ephesus in verity you did my bones bear witness that since have felt the vigour of his rage adriana is't good to soothe him in these contraries pinch it is no shame the fellow finds his vein and yielding to him humours well his frenzy antipholus of ephesus thou hast suborn'd the goldsmith to arrest me adriana alas i sent you money to redeem you by dromio here who came in haste for it dromio of ephesus money by me heart and goodwill you might but surely master not a rag of money antipholus of ephesus went'st not thou to her for a purse of ducats adriana he came to me and i deliver'd it luciana and i am witness with her that she did dromio of ephesus god and the ropemaker bear me witness that i was sent for nothing but a rope pinch mistress both man and master is possess'd i know it by their pale and deadly looks they must be bound and laid in some dark room antipholus of ephesus say wherefore didst thou lock me forth today and why dost thou deny the bag of gold adriana i did not gentle husband lock thee forth dromio of ephesus and gentle master i received no gold but i confess sir that we were lock'd out adriana dissembling villain thou speak'st false in both antipholus of ephesus dissembling harlot thou art false in all and art confederate with a damned pack to make a loathsome abject scorn of me but with these nails i'll pluck out these false eyes that would behold in me this shameful sport enter three or four and offer to bind him he strives adriana o bind him bind him let him not come near me pinch more company the fiend is strong within him luciana ay me poor man how pale and wan he looks antipholus of ephesus what will you murder me thou gaoler thou i am thy prisoner wilt thou suffer them to make a rescue officer masters let him go he is my prisoner and you shall not have him pinch go bind this man for he is frantic too they offer to bind dromio of ephesus adriana what wilt thou do thou peevish officer hast thou delight to see a wretched man do outrage and displeasure to himself officer he is my prisoner if i let him go the debt he owes will be required of me adriana i will discharge thee ere i go from thee bear me forthwith unto his creditor and knowing how the debt grows i will pay it good master doctor see him safe convey'd home to my house o most unhappy day antipholus of ephesus o most unhappy strumpet dromio of ephesus master i am here entered in bond for you antipholus of ephesus out on thee villain wherefore dost thou mad me dromio of ephesus will you be bound for nothing be mad good master cry the devil' luciana god help poor souls how idly do they talk adriana go bear him hence sister go you with me exeunt all but adriana luciana officer and courtezan say now whose suit is he arrested at officer one angelo a goldsmith do you know him adriana i know the man what is the sum he owes officer two hundred ducats adriana say how grows it due officer due for a chain your husband had of him adriana he did bespeak a chain for me but had it not courtezan when as your husband all in rage today came to my house and took away my ring the ring i saw upon his finger now straight after did i meet him with a chain adriana it may be so but i did never see it come gaoler bring me where the goldsmith is i long to know the truth hereof at large enter antipholus of syracuse with his rapier drawn and dromio of syracuse luciana god for thy mercy they are loose again adriana and come with naked swords let's call more help to have them bound again officer away they'll kill us exeunt all but antipholus of syracuse and dromio of syracuse antipholus of syracuse i see these witches are afraid of swords dromio of syracuse she that would be your wife now ran from you antipholus of syracuse come to the centaur fetch our stuff from thence i long that we were safe and sound aboard dromio of syracuse faith stay here this night they will surely do us no harm you saw they speak us fair give us gold methinks they are such a gentle nation that but for the mountain of mad flesh that claims marriage of me i could find in my heart to stay here still and turn witch antipholus of syracuse i will not stay tonight for all the town therefore away to get our stuff aboard exeunt the comedy of errors act v scene i a street before a priory enter second merchant and angelo angelo i am sorry sir that i have hinder'd you but i protest he had the chain of me though most dishonestly he doth deny it second merchant how is the man esteemed here in the city angelo of very reverend reputation sir of credit infinite highly beloved second to none that lives here in the city his word might bear my wealth at any time second merchant speak softly yonder as i think he walks enter antipholus of syracuse and dromio of syracuse angelo tis so and that self chain about his neck which he forswore most monstrously to have good sir draw near to me i'll speak to him signior antipholus i wonder much that you would put me to this shame and trouble and not without some scandal to yourself with circumstance and oaths so to deny this chain which now you wear so openly beside the charge the shame imprisonment you have done wrong to this my honest friend who but for staying on our controversy had hoisted sail and put to sea today this chain you had of me can you deny it antipholus of syracuse i think i had i never did deny it second merchant yes that you did sir and forswore it too antipholus of syracuse who heard me to deny it or forswear it second merchant these ears of mine thou know'st did hear thee fie on thee wretch tis pity that thou livest to walk where any honest man resort antipholus of syracuse thou art a villain to impeach me thus i'll prove mine honour and mine honesty against thee presently if thou darest stand second merchant i dare and do defy thee for a villain they draw enter adriana luciana the courtezan and others adriana hold hurt him not for god's sake he is mad some get within him take his sword away bind dromio too and bear them to my house dromio of syracuse run master run for god's sake take a house this is some priory in or we are spoil'd exeunt antipholus of syracuse and dromio of syracuse to the priory enter the lady abbess aemilia aemelia be quiet people wherefore throng you hither adriana to fetch my poor distracted husband hence let us come in that we may bind him fast and bear him home for his recovery angelo i knew he was not in his perfect wits second merchant i am sorry now that i did draw on him aemelia how long hath this possession held the man adriana this week he hath been heavy sour sad and much different from the man he was but till this afternoon his passion ne'er brake into extremity of rage aemelia hath he not lost much wealth by wreck of sea buried some dear friend hath not else his eye stray'd his affection in unlawful love a sin prevailing much in youthful men who give their eyes the liberty of gazing which of these sorrows is he subject to adriana to none of these except it be the last namely some love that drew him oft from home aemelia you should for that have reprehended him adriana why so i did aemelia ay but not rough enough adriana as roughly as my modesty would let me aemelia haply in private adriana and in assemblies too aemelia ay but not enough adriana it was the copy of our conference in bed he slept not for my urging it at board he fed not for my urging it alone it was the subject of my theme in company i often glanced it still did i tell him it was vile and bad aemelia and thereof came it that the man was mad the venom clamours of a jealous woman poisons more deadly than a mad dog's tooth it seems his sleeps were hinder'd by thy railing and therefore comes it that his head is light thou say'st his meat was sauced with thy upbraidings unquiet meals make ill digestions thereof the raging fire of fever bred and what's a fever but a fit of madness thou say'st his sports were hinderd by thy brawls sweet recreation barr'd what doth ensue but moody and dull melancholy kinsman to grim and comfortless despair and at her heels a huge infectious troop of pale distemperatures and foes to life in food in sport and lifepreserving rest to be disturb'd would mad or man or beast the consequence is then thy jealous fits have scared thy husband from the use of wits luciana she never reprehended him but mildly when he demean'd himself rough rude and wildly why bear you these rebukes and answer not adriana she did betray me to my own reproof good people enter and lay hold on him aemelia no not a creature enters in my house adriana then let your servants bring my husband forth aemelia neither he took this place for sanctuary and it shall privilege him from your hands till i have brought him to his wits again or lose my labour in assaying it adriana i will attend my husband be his nurse diet his sickness for it is my office and will have no attorney but myself and therefore let me have him home with me aemelia be patient for i will not let him stir till i have used the approved means i have with wholesome syrups drugs and holy prayers to make of him a formal man again it is a branch and parcel of mine oath a charitable duty of my order therefore depart and leave him here with me adriana i will not hence and leave my husband here and ill it doth beseem your holiness to separate the husband and the wife aemelia be quiet and depart thou shalt not have him exit luciana complain unto the duke of this indignity adriana come go i will fall prostrate at his feet and never rise until my tears and prayers have won his grace to come in person hither and take perforce my husband from the abbess second merchant by this i think the dial points at five anon i'm sure the duke himself in person comes this way to the melancholy vale the place of death and sorry execution behind the ditches of the abbey here angelo upon what cause second merchant to see a reverend syracusian merchant who put unluckily into this bay against the laws and statutes of this town beheaded publicly for his offence angelo see where they come we will behold his death luciana kneel to the duke before he pass the abbey enter duke solinus attended aegeon bareheaded with the headsman and other officers duke solinus yet once again proclaim it publicly if any friend will pay the sum for him he shall not die so much we tender him adriana justice most sacred duke against the abbess duke solinus she is a virtuous and a reverend lady it cannot be that she hath done thee wrong adriana may it please your grace antipholus my husband whom i made lord of me and all i had at your important lettersthis ill day a most outrageous fit of madness took him that desperately he hurried through the street with him his bondman all as mad as he doing displeasure to the citizens by rushing in their houses bearing thence rings jewels any thing his rage did like once did i get him bound and sent him home whilst to take order for the wrongs i went that here and there his fury had committed anon i wot not by what strong escape he broke from those that had the guard of him and with his mad attendant and himself each one with ireful passion with drawn swords met us again and madly bent on us chased us away till raising of more aid we came again to bind them then they fled into this abbey whither we pursued them and here the abbess shuts the gates on us and will not suffer us to fetch him out nor send him forth that we may bear him hence therefore most gracious duke with thy command let him be brought forth and borne hence for help duke solinus long since thy husband served me in my wars and i to thee engaged a prince's word when thou didst make him master of thy bed to do him all the grace and good i could go some of you knock at the abbeygate and bid the lady abbess come to me i will determine this before i stir enter a servant servant o mistress mistress shift and save yourself my master and his man are both broke loose beaten the maids arow and bound the doctor whose beard they have singed off with brands of fire and ever as it blazed they threw on him great pails of puddled mire to quench the hair my master preaches patience to him and the while his man with scissors nicks him like a fool and sure unless you send some present help between them they will kill the conjurer adriana peace fool thy master and his man are here and that is false thou dost report to us servant mistress upon my life i tell you true i have not breathed almost since i did see it he cries for you and vows if he can take you to scorch your face and to disfigure you cry within hark hark i hear him mistress fly be gone duke solinus come stand by me fear nothing guard with halberds adriana ay me it is my husband witness you that he is borne about invisible even now we housed him in the abbey here and now he's there past thought of human reason enter antipholus of ephesus and dromio of ephesus antipholus of ephesus justice most gracious duke o grant me justice even for the service that long since i did thee when i bestrid thee in the wars and took deep scars to save thy life even for the blood that then i lost for thee now grant me justice aegeon unless the fear of death doth make me dote i see my son antipholus and dromio antipholus of ephesus justice sweet prince against that woman there she whom thou gavest to me to be my wife that hath abused and dishonour'd me even in the strength and height of injury beyond imagination is the wrong that she this day hath shameless thrown on me duke solinus discover how and thou shalt find me just antipholus of ephesus this day great duke she shut the doors upon me while she with harlots feasted in my house duke solinus a grievous fault say woman didst thou so adriana no my good lord myself he and my sister today did dine together so befall my soul as this is false he burdens me withal luciana ne'er may i look on day nor sleep on night but she tells to your highness simple truth angelo o perjured woman they are both forsworn in this the madman justly chargeth them antipholus of ephesus my liege i am advised what i say neither disturbed with the effect of wine nor headyrash provoked with raging ire albeit my wrongs might make one wiser mad this woman lock'd me out this day from dinner that goldsmith there were he not pack'd with her could witness it for he was with me then who parted with me to go fetch a chain promising to bring it to the porpentine where balthazar and i did dine together our dinner done and he not coming thither i went to seek him in the street i met him and in his company that gentleman there did this perjured goldsmith swear me down that i this day of him received the chain which god he knows i saw not for the which he did arrest me with an officer i did obey and sent my peasant home for certain ducats he with none return'd then fairly i bespoke the officer to go in person with me to my house by the way we met my wife her sister and a rabble more of vile confederates along with them they brought one pinch a hungry leanfaced villain a mere anatomy a mountebank a threadbare juggler and a fortuneteller a needy holloweyed sharplooking wretch a deadlooking man this pernicious slave forsooth took on him as a conjurer and gazing in mine eyes feeling my pulse and with no face as twere outfacing me cries out i was possess'd then all together they fell upon me bound me bore me thence and in a dark and dankish vault at home there left me and my man both bound together till gnawing with my teeth my bonds in sunder i gain'd my freedom and immediately ran hither to your grace whom i beseech to give me ample satisfaction for these deep shames and great indignities angelo my lord in truth thus far i witness with him that he dined not at home but was lock'd out duke solinus but had he such a chain of thee or no angelo he had my lord and when he ran in here these people saw the chain about his neck second merchant besides i will be sworn these ears of mine heard you confess you had the chain of him after you first forswore it on the mart and thereupon i drew my sword on you and then you fled into this abbey here from whence i think you are come by miracle antipholus of ephesus i never came within these abbeywalls nor ever didst thou draw thy sword on me i never saw the chain so help me heaven and this is false you burden me withal duke solinus why what an intricate impeach is this i think you all have drunk of circe's cup if here you housed him here he would have been if he were mad he would not plead so coldly you say he dined at home the goldsmith here denies that saying sirrah what say you dromio of ephesus sir he dined with her there at the porpentine courtezan he did and from my finger snatch'd that ring antipholus of ephesus tis true my liege this ring i had of her duke solinus saw'st thou him enter at the abbey here courtezan as sure my liege as i do see your grace duke solinus why this is strange go call the abbess hither i think you are all mated or stark mad exit one to abbess aegeon most mighty duke vouchsafe me speak a word haply i see a friend will save my life and pay the sum that may deliver me duke solinus speak freely syracusian what thou wilt aegeon is not your name sir call'd antipholus and is not that your bondman dromio dromio of ephesus within this hour i was his bondman sir but he i thank him gnaw'd in two my cords now am i dromio and his man unbound aegeon i am sure you both of you remember me dromio of ephesus ourselves we do remember sir by you for lately we were bound as you are now you are not pinch's patient are you sir aegeon why look you strange on me you know me well antipholus i never saw you in my life till now aegeon o grief hath changed me since you saw me last and careful hours with time's deformed hand have written strange defeatures in my face but tell me yet dost thou not know my voice antipholus of ephesus neither aegeon dromio nor thou dromio of ephesus no trust me sir nor i aegeon i am sure thou dost dromio of ephesus ay sir but i am sure i do not and whatsoever a man denies you are now bound to believe him aegeon not know my voice o time's extremity hast thou so crack'd and splitted my poor tongue in seven short years that here my only son knows not my feeble key of untuned cares though now this grained face of mine be hid in sapconsuming winter's drizzled snow and all the conduits of my blood froze up yet hath my night of life some memory my wasting lamps some fading glimmer left my dull deaf ears a little use to hear all these old witnessesi cannot err tell me thou art my son antipholus antipholus of ephesus i never saw my father in my life aegeon but seven years since in syracusa boy thou know'st we parted but perhaps my son thou shamest to acknowledge me in misery antipholus of ephesus the duke and all that know me in the city can witness with me that it is not so i ne'er saw syracusa in my life duke solinus i tell thee syracusian twenty years have i been patron to antipholus during which time he ne'er saw syracusa i see thy age and dangers make thee dote reenter aemilia with antipholus of syracuse and dromio of syracuse aemelia most mighty duke behold a man much wrong'd all gather to see them adriana i see two husbands or mine eyes deceive me duke solinus one of these men is genius to the other and so of these which is the natural man and which the spirit who deciphers them dromio of syracuse i sir am dromio command him away dromio of ephesus i sir am dromio pray let me stay antipholus of syracuse aegeon art thou not or else his ghost dromio of syracuse o my old master who hath bound him here aemelia whoever bound him i will loose his bonds and gain a husband by his liberty speak old aegeon if thou be'st the man that hadst a wife once call'd aemilia that bore thee at a burden two fair sons o if thou be'st the same aegeon speak and speak unto the same aemilia aegeon if i dream not thou art aemilia if thou art she tell me where is that son that floated with thee on the fatal raft aemelia by men of epidamnum he and i and the twin dromio all were taken up but by and by rude fishermen of corinth by force took dromio and my son from them and me they left with those of epidamnum what then became of them i cannot tell i to this fortune that you see me in duke solinus why here begins his morning story right these two antipholuses these two so like and these two dromios one in semblance besides her urging of her wreck at sea these are the parents to these children which accidentally are met together antipholus thou camest from corinth first antipholus of syracuse no sir not i i came from syracuse duke solinus stay stand apart i know not which is which antipholus of ephesus i came from corinth my most gracious lord dromio of ephesus and i with him antipholus of ephesus brought to this town by that most famous warrior duke menaphon your most renowned uncle adriana which of you two did dine with me today antipholus of syracuse i gentle mistress adriana and are not you my husband antipholus of ephesus no i say nay to that antipholus of syracuse and so do i yet did she call me so and this fair gentlewoman her sister here did call me brother to luciana what i told you then i hope i shall have leisure to make good if this be not a dream i see and hear angelo that is the chain sir which you had of me antipholus of syracuse i think it be sir i deny it not antipholus of ephesus and you sir for this chain arrested me angelo i think i did sir i deny it not adriana i sent you money sir to be your bail by dromio but i think he brought it not dromio of ephesus no none by me antipholus of syracuse this purse of ducats i received from you and dromio my man did bring them me i see we still did meet each other's man and i was ta'en for him and he for me and thereupon these errors are arose antipholus of ephesus these ducats pawn i for my father here duke solinus it shall not need thy father hath his life courtezan sir i must have that diamond from you antipholus of ephesus there take it and much thanks for my good cheer aemelia renowned duke vouchsafe to take the pains to go with us into the abbey here and hear at large discoursed all our fortunes and all that are assembled in this place that by this sympathized one day's error have suffer'd wrong go keep us company and we shall make full satisfaction thirtythree years have i but gone in travail of you my sons and till this present hour my heavy burden ne'er delivered the duke my husband and my children both and you the calendars of their nativity go to a gossips feast and go with me after so long grief such festivity duke solinus with all my heart i'll gossip at this feast exeunt all but antipholus of syracuse antipholus of ephesus dromio of syracuse and dromio of ephesus dromio of syracuse master shall i fetch your stuff from shipboard antipholus of ephesus dromio what stuff of mine hast thou embark'd dromio of syracuse your goods that lay at host sir in the centaur antipholus of syracuse he speaks to me i am your master dromio come go with us we'll look to that anon embrace thy brother there rejoice with him exeunt antipholus of syracuse and antipholus of ephesus dromio of syracuse there is a fat friend at your master's house that kitchen'd me for you today at dinner she now shall be my sister not my wife dromio of ephesus methinks you are my glass and not my brother i see by you i am a sweetfaced youth will you walk in to see their gossiping dromio of syracuse not i sir you are my elder dromio of ephesus that's a question how shall we try it dromio of syracuse we'll draw cuts for the senior till then lead thou first dromio of ephesus nay then thus we came into the world like brother and brother and now let's go hand in hand not one before another exeunt cymbeline dramatis personae cymbeline king of britain cloten son to the queen by a former husband posthumus leonatus a gentleman husband to imogen belarius a banished lord disguised under the name of morgan guiderius sons to cymbeline disguised under the names of polydote and cadwal supposed sons to arviragus morgan philario friend to posthumus italians iachimo friend to philario caius lucius general of the roman forces pisanio servant to posthumus cornelius a physician a roman captain captain two british captains first captain second captain a frenchman friend to philario frenchman two lords of cymbeline's court first lord second lord two gentlemen of the same first gentleman second gentleman two gaolers first gaoler second gaoler queen wife to cymbeline imogen daughter to cymbeline by a former queen helen a lady attending on imogen lords ladies roman senators tribunes a soothsayer a dutchman a spaniard musicians officers captains soldiers messengers and other attendants lord lady first lady first senator second senator first tribune soothsayer messenger apparitions sicilius leonatus mother first brother second brother jupiter scene britain rome cymbeline act i scene i britain the garden of cymbeline's palace enter two gentlemen first gentleman you do not meet a man but frowns our bloods no more obey the heavens than our courtiers still seem as does the king second gentleman but what's the matter first gentleman his daughter and the heir of's kingdom whom he purposed to his wife's sole sona widow that late he marriedhath referr'd herself unto a poor but worthy gentleman she's wedded her husband banish'd she imprison'd all is outward sorrow though i think the king be touch'd at very heart second gentleman none but the king first gentleman he that hath lost her too so is the queen that most desired the match but not a courtier although they wear their faces to the bent of the king's look's hath a heart that is not glad at the thing they scowl at second gentleman and why so first gentleman he that hath miss'd the princess is a thing too bad for bad report and he that hath her i mean that married her alack good man and therefore banish'dis a creature such as to seek through the regions of the earth for one his like there would be something failing in him that should compare i do not think so fair an outward and such stuff within endows a man but he second gentleman you speak him far first gentleman i do extend him sir within himself crush him together rather than unfold his measure duly second gentleman what's his name and birth first gentleman i cannot delve him to the root his father was call'd sicilius who did join his honour against the romans with cassibelan but had his titles by tenantius whom he served with glory and admired success so gain'd the suraddition leonatus and had besides this gentleman in question two other sons who in the wars o the time died with their swords in hand for which their father then old and fond of issue took such sorrow that he quit being and his gentle lady big of this gentleman our theme deceased as he was born the king he takes the babe to his protection calls him posthumus leonatus breeds him and makes him of his bedchamber puts to him all the learnings that his time could make him the receiver of which he took as we do air fast as twas minister'd and in's spring became a harvest lived in court which rare it is to domost praised most loved a sample to the youngest to the more mature a glass that feated them and to the graver a child that guided dotards to his mistress for whom he now is banish'd her own price proclaims how she esteem'd him and his virtue by her election may be truly read what kind of man he is second gentleman i honour him even out of your report but pray you tell me is she sole child to the king first gentleman his only child he had two sons if this be worth your hearing mark it the eldest of them at three years old i the swathingclothes the other from their nursery were stol'n and to this hour no guess in knowledge which way they went second gentleman how long is this ago first gentleman some twenty years second gentleman that a king's children should be so convey'd so slackly guarded and the search so slow that could not trace them first gentleman howsoe'er tis strange or that the negligence may well be laugh'd at yet is it true sir second gentleman i do well believe you first gentleman we must forbear here comes the gentleman the queen and princess exeunt enter the queen posthumus leonatus and imogen queen no be assured you shall not find me daughter after the slander of most stepmothers evileyed unto you you're my prisoner but your gaoler shall deliver you the keys that lock up your restraint for you posthumus so soon as i can win the offended king i will be known your advocate marry yet the fire of rage is in him and twere good you lean'd unto his sentence with what patience your wisdom may inform you posthumus leonatus please your highness i will from hence today queen you know the peril i'll fetch a turn about the garden pitying the pangs of barr'd affections though the king hath charged you should not speak together exit imogen o dissembling courtesy how fine this tyrant can tickle where she wounds my dearest husband i something fear my father's wrath but nothing always reserved my holy dutywhat his rage can do on me you must be gone and i shall here abide the hourly shot of angry eyes not comforted to live but that there is this jewel in the world that i may see again posthumus leonatus my queen my mistress o lady weep no more lest i give cause to be suspected of more tenderness than doth become a man i will remain the loyal'st husband that did e'er plight troth my residence in rome at one philario's who to my father was a friend to me known but by letter thither write my queen and with mine eyes i'll drink the words you send though ink be made of gall reenter queen queen be brief i pray you if the king come i shall incur i know not how much of his displeasure aside yet i'll move him to walk this way i never do him wrong but he does buy my injuries to be friends pays dear for my offences exit posthumus leonatus should we be taking leave as long a term as yet we have to live the loathness to depart would grow adieu imogen nay stay a little were you but riding forth to air yourself such parting were too petty look here love this diamond was my mother's take it heart but keep it till you woo another wife when imogen is dead posthumus leonatus how how another you gentle gods give me but this i have and sear up my embracements from a next with bonds of death putting on the ring remain remain thou here while sense can keep it on and sweetest fairest as i my poor self did exchange for you to your so infinite loss so in our trifles i still win of you for my sake wear this it is a manacle of love i'll place it upon this fairest prisoner putting a bracelet upon her arm imogen o the gods when shall we see again enter cymbeline and lords posthumus leonatus alack the king cymbeline thou basest thing avoid hence from my sight if after this command thou fraught the court with thy unworthiness thou diest away thou'rt poison to my blood posthumus leonatus the gods protect you and bless the good remainders of the court i am gone exit imogen there cannot be a pinch in death more sharp than this is cymbeline o disloyal thing that shouldst repair my youth thou heap'st a year's age on me imogen i beseech you sir harm not yourself with your vexation i am senseless of your wrath a touch more rare subdues all pangs all fears cymbeline past grace obedience imogen past hope and in despair that way past grace cymbeline that mightst have had the sole son of my queen imogen o blest that i might not i chose an eagle and did avoid a puttock cymbeline thou took'st a beggar wouldst have made my throne a seat for baseness imogen no i rather added a lustre to it cymbeline o thou vile one imogen sir it is your fault that i have loved posthumus you bred him as my playfellow and he is a man worth any woman overbuys me almost the sum he pays cymbeline what art thou mad imogen almost sir heaven restore me would i were a neatherd's daughter and my leonatus our neighbour shepherd's son cymbeline thou foolish thing reenter queen they were again together you have done not after our command away with her and pen her up queen beseech your patience peace dear lady daughter peace sweet sovereign leave us to ourselves and make yourself some comfort out of your best advice cymbeline nay let her languish a drop of blood a day and being aged die of this folly exeunt cymbeline and lords queen fie you must give way enter pisanio here is your servant how now sir what news pisanio my lord your son drew on my master queen ha no harm i trust is done pisanio there might have been but that my master rather play'd than fought and had no help of anger they were parted by gentlemen at hand queen i am very glad on't imogen your son's my father's friend he takes his part to draw upon an exile o brave sir i would they were in afric both together myself by with a needle that i might prick the goerback why came you from your master pisanio on his command he would not suffer me to bring him to the haven left these notes of what commands i should be subject to when t pleased you to employ me queen this hath been your faithful servant i dare lay mine honour he will remain so pisanio i humbly thank your highness queen pray walk awhile imogen about some halfhour hence i pray you speak with me you shall at least go see my lord aboard for this time leave me exeunt cymbeline act i scene ii the same a public place enter cloten and two lords first lord sir i would advise you to shift a shirt the violence of action hath made you reek as a sacrifice where air comes out air comes in there's none abroad so wholesome as that you vent cloten if my shirt were bloody then to shift it have i hurt him second lord aside no faith not so much as his patience first lord hurt him his body's a passable carcass if he be not hurt it is a thoroughfare for steel if it be not hurt second lord aside his steel was in debt it went o the backside the town cloten the villain would not stand me second lord aside no but he fled forward still toward your face first lord stand you you have land enough of your own but he added to your having gave you some ground second lord aside as many inches as you have oceans puppies cloten i would they had not come between us second lord aside so would i till you had measured how long a fool you were upon the ground cloten and that she should love this fellow and refuse me second lord aside if it be a sin to make a true election she is damned first lord sir as i told you always her beauty and her brain go not together she's a good sign but i have seen small reflection of her wit second lord aside she shines not upon fools lest the reflection should hurt her cloten come i'll to my chamber would there had been some hurt done second lord aside i wish not so unless it had been the fall of an ass which is no great hurt cloten you'll go with us first lord i'll attend your lordship cloten nay come let's go together second lord well my lord exeunt cymbeline act i scene iii a room in cymbeline's palace enter imogen and pisanio imogen i would thou grew'st unto the shores o the haven and question'dst every sail if he should write and not have it twere a paper lost as offer'd mercy is what was the last that he spake to thee pisanio it was his queen his queen imogen then waved his handkerchief pisanio and kiss'd it madam imogen senseless linen happier therein than i and that was all pisanio no madam for so long as he could make me with this eye or ear distinguish him from others he did keep the deck with glove or hat or handkerchief still waving as the fits and stirs of s mind could best express how slow his soul sail'd on how swift his ship imogen thou shouldst have made him as little as a crow or less ere left to aftereye him pisanio madam so i did imogen i would have broke mine eyestrings crack'd them but to look upon him till the diminution of space had pointed him sharp as my needle nay follow'd him till he had melted from the smallness of a gnat to air and then have turn'd mine eye and wept but good pisanio when shall we hear from him pisanio be assured madam with his next vantage imogen i did not take my leave of him but had most pretty things to say ere i could tell him how i would think on him at certain hours such thoughts and such or i could make him swear the shes of italy should not betray mine interest and his honour or have charged him at the sixth hour of morn at noon at midnight to encounter me with orisons for then i am in heaven for him or ere i could give him that parting kiss which i had set betwixt two charming words comes in my father and like the tyrannous breathing of the north shakes all our buds from growing enter a lady lady the queen madam desires your highness company imogen those things i bid you do get them dispatch'd i will attend the queen pisanio madam i shall exeunt cymbeline act i scene iv rome philario's house enter philario iachimo a frenchman a dutchman and a spaniard iachimo believe it sir i have seen him in britain he was then of a crescent note expected to prove so worthy as since he hath been allowed the name of but i could then have looked on him without the help of admiration though the catalogue of his endowments had been tabled by his side and i to peruse him by items philario you speak of him when he was less furnished than now he is with that which makes him both without and within frenchman i have seen him in france we had very many there could behold the sun with as firm eyes as he iachimo this matter of marrying his king's daughter wherein he must be weighed rather by her value than his own words him i doubt not a great deal from the matter frenchman and then his banishment iachimo ay and the approbation of those that weep this lamentable divorce under her colours are wonderfully to extend him be it but to fortify her judgment which else an easy battery might lay flat for taking a beggar without less quality but how comes it he is to sojourn with you how creeps acquaintance philario his father and i were soldiers together to whom i have been often bound for no less than my life here comes the briton let him be so entertained amongst you as suits with gentlemen of your knowing to a stranger of his quality enter posthumus leonatus i beseech you all be better known to this gentleman whom i commend to you as a noble friend of mine how worthy he is i will leave to appear hereafter rather than story him in his own hearing frenchman sir we have known together in orleans posthumus leonatus since when i have been debtor to you for courtesies which i will be ever to pay and yet pay still frenchman sir you o'errate my poor kindness i was glad i did atone my countryman and you it had been pity you should have been put together with so mortal a purpose as then each bore upon importance of so slight and trivial a nature posthumus leonatus by your pardon sir i was then a young traveller rather shunned to go even with what i heard than in my every action to be guided by others experiences but upon my mended judgmentif i offend not to say it is mendedmy quarrel was not altogether slight frenchman faith yes to be put to the arbitrement of swords and by such two that would by all likelihood have confounded one the other or have fallen both iachimo can we with manners ask what was the difference frenchman safely i think twas a contention in public which may without contradiction suffer the report it was much like an argument that fell out last night where each of us fell in praise of our country mistresses this gentleman at that time vouchingand upon warrant of bloody affirmationhis to be more fair virtuous wise chaste constantqualified and less attemptable than any the rarest of our ladies in france iachimo that lady is not now living or this gentleman's opinion by this worn out posthumus leonatus she holds her virtue still and i my mind iachimo you must not so far prefer her fore ours of italy posthumus leonatus being so far provoked as i was in france i would abate her nothing though i profess myself her adorer not her friend iachimo as fair and as gooda kind of handinhand comparisonhad been something too fair and too good for any lady in britain if she went before others i have seen as that diamond of yours outlustres many i have beheld i could not but believe she excelled many but i have not seen the most precious diamond that is nor you the lady posthumus leonatus i praised her as i rated her so do i my stone iachimo what do you esteem it at posthumus leonatus more than the world enjoys iachimo either your unparagoned mistress is dead or she's outprized by a trifle posthumus leonatus you are mistaken the one may be sold or given if there were wealth enough for the purchase or merit for the gift the other is not a thing for sale and only the gift of the gods iachimo which the gods have given you posthumus leonatus which by their graces i will keep iachimo you may wear her in title yours but you know strange fowl light upon neighbouring ponds your ring may be stolen too so your brace of unprizable estimations the one is but frail and the other casual a cunning thief or a that way accomplished courtier would hazard the winning both of first and last posthumus leonatus your italy contains none so accomplished a courtier to convince the honour of my mistress if in the holding or loss of that you term her frail i do nothing doubt you have store of thieves notwithstanding i fear not my ring philario let us leave here gentlemen posthumus leonatus sir with all my heart this worthy signior i thank him makes no stranger of me we are familiar at first iachimo with five times so much conversation i should get ground of your fair mistress make her go back even to the yielding had i admittance and opportunity to friend posthumus leonatus no no iachimo i dare thereupon pawn the moiety of my estate to your ring which in my opinion o'ervalues it something but i make my wager rather against your confidence than her reputation and to bar your offence herein too i durst attempt it against any lady in the world posthumus leonatus you are a great deal abused in too bold a persuasion and i doubt not you sustain what you're worthy of by your attempt iachimo what's that posthumus leonatus a repulse though your attempt as you call it deserve more a punishment too philario gentlemen enough of this it came in too suddenly let it die as it was born and i pray you be better acquainted iachimo would i had put my estate and my neighbour's on the approbation of what i have spoke posthumus leonatus what lady would you choose to assail iachimo yours whom in constancy you think stands so safe i will lay you ten thousand ducats to your ring that commend me to the court where your lady is with no more advantage than the opportunity of a second conference and i will bring from thence that honour of hers which you imagine so reserved posthumus leonatus i will wage against your gold gold to it my ring i hold dear as my finger tis part of it iachimo you are afraid and therein the wiser if you buy ladies flesh at a million a dram you cannot preserve it from tainting but i see you have some religion in you that you fear posthumus leonatus this is but a custom in your tongue you bear a graver purpose i hope iachimo i am the master of my speeches and would undergo what's spoken i swear posthumus leonatus will you i shall but lend my diamond till your return let there be covenants drawn between's my mistress exceeds in goodness the hugeness of your unworthy thinking i dare you to this match here's my ring philario i will have it no lay iachimo by the gods it is one if i bring you no sufficient testimony that i have enjoyed the dearest bodily part of your mistress my ten thousand ducats are yours so is your diamond too if i come off and leave her in such honour as you have trust in she your jewel this your jewel and my gold are yours provided i have your commendation for my more free entertainment posthumus leonatus i embrace these conditions let us have articles betwixt us only thus far you shall answer if you make your voyage upon her and give me directly to understand you have prevailed i am no further your enemy she is not worth our debate if she remain unseduced you not making it appear otherwise for your ill opinion and the assault you have made to her chastity you shall answer me with your sword iachimo your hand a covenant we will have these things set down by lawful counsel and straight away for britain lest the bargain should catch cold and starve i will fetch my gold and have our two wagers recorded posthumus leonatus agreed exeunt posthumus leonatus and iachimo frenchman will this hold think you philario signior iachimo will not from it pray let us follow em exeunt cymbeline act i scene v britain a room in cymbeline's palace enter queen ladies and cornelius queen whiles yet the dew's on ground gather those flowers make haste who has the note of them first lady i madam queen dispatch exeunt ladies now master doctor have you brought those drugs cornelius pleaseth your highness ay here they are madam presenting a small box but i beseech your grace without offence my conscience bids me askwherefore you have commanded of me those most poisonous compounds which are the movers of a languishing death but though slow deadly queen i wonder doctor thou ask'st me such a question have i not been thy pupil long hast thou not learn'd me how to make perfumes distil preserve yea so that our great king himself doth woo me oft for my confections having thus far proceeded unless thou think'st me devilishis't not meet that i did amplify my judgment in other conclusions i will try the forces of these thy compounds on such creatures as we count not worth the hanging but none human to try the vigour of them and apply allayments to their act and by them gather their several virtues and effects cornelius your highness shall from this practise but make hard your heart besides the seeing these effects will be both noisome and infectious queen o content thee enter pisanio aside here comes a flattering rascal upon him will i first work he's for his master an enemy to my son how now pisanio doctor your service for this time is ended take your own way cornelius aside i do suspect you madam but you shall do no harm queen to pisanio hark thee a word cornelius aside i do not like her she doth think she has strange lingering poisons i do know her spirit and will not trust one of her malice with a drug of such damn'd nature those she has will stupefy and dull the sense awhile which first perchance she'll prove on cats and dogs then afterward up higher but there is no danger in what show of death it makes more than the lockingup the spirits a time to be more fresh reviving she is fool'd with a most false effect and i the truer so to be false with her queen no further service doctor until i send for thee cornelius i humbly take my leave exit queen weeps she still say'st thou dost thou think in time she will not quench and let instructions enter where folly now possesses do thou work when thou shalt bring me word she loves my son i'll tell thee on the instant thou art then as great as is thy master greater for his fortunes all lie speechless and his name is at last gasp return he cannot nor continue where he is to shift his being is to exchange one misery with another and every day that comes comes to decay a day's work in him what shalt thou expect to be depender on a thing that leans who cannot be new built nor has no friends so much as but to prop him the queen drops the box pisanio takes it up thou takest up thou know'st not what but take it for thy labour it is a thing i made which hath the king five times redeem'd from death i do not know what is more cordial nay i prethee take it it is an earnest of a further good that i mean to thee tell thy mistress how the case stands with her do't as from thyself think what a chance thou changest on but think thou hast thy mistress still to boot my son who shall take notice of thee i'll move the king to any shape of thy preferment such as thou'lt desire and then myself i chiefly that set thee on to this desert am bound to load thy merit richly call my women think on my words exit pisanio a sly and constant knave not to be shaked the agent for his master and the remembrancer of her to hold the handfast to her lord i have given him that which if he take shall quite unpeople her of liegers for her sweet and which she after except she bend her humour shall be assured to taste of too reenter pisanio and ladies so so well done well done the violets cowslips and the primroses bear to my closet fare thee well pisanio think on my words exeunt queen and ladies pisanio and shall do but when to my good lord i prove untrue i'll choke myself there's all i'll do for you exit cymbeline act i scene vi the same another room in the palace enter imogen imogen a father cruel and a stepdame false a foolish suitor to a wedded lady that hath her husband banish'do that husband my supreme crown of grief and those repeated vexations of it had i been thiefstol'n as my two brothers happy but most miserable is the desire that's glorious blest be those how mean soe'er that have their honest wills which seasons comfort who may this be fie enter pisanio and iachimo pisanio madam a noble gentleman of rome comes from my lord with letters iachimo change you madam the worthy leonatus is in safety and greets your highness dearly presents a letter imogen thanks good sir you're kindly welcome iachimo aside all of her that is out of door most rich if she be furnish'd with a mind so rare she is alone the arabian bird and i have lost the wager boldness be my friend arm me audacity from head to foot or like the parthian i shall flying fight rather directly fly imogen reads he is one of the noblest note to whose kindnesses i am most infinitely tied reflect upon him accordingly as you value your trust leonatus' so far i read aloud but even the very middle of my heart is warm'd by the rest and takes it thankfully you are as welcome worthy sir as i have words to bid you and shall find it so in all that i can do iachimo thanks fairest lady what are men mad hath nature given them eyes to see this vaulted arch and the rich crop of sea and land which can distinguish twixt the fiery orbs above and the twinn'd stones upon the number'd beach and can we not partition make with spectacles so precious twixt fair and foul imogen what makes your admiration iachimo it cannot be i the eye for apes and monkeys twixt two such shes would chatter this way and contemn with mows the other nor i the judgment for idiots in this case of favour would be wisely definite nor i the appetite sluttery to such neat excellence opposed should make desire vomit emptiness not so allured to feed imogen what is the matter trow iachimo the cloyed will that satiate yet unsatisfied desire that tub both fill'd and running ravening first the lamb longs after for the garbage imogen what dear sir thus raps you are you well iachimo thanks madam well to pisanio beseech you sir desire my man's abode where i did leave him he is strange and peevish pisanio i was going sir to give him welcome exit imogen continues well my lord his health beseech you iachimo well madam imogen is he disposed to mirth i hope he is iachimo exceeding pleasant none a stranger there so merry and so gamesome he is call'd the briton reveller imogen when he was here he did incline to sadness and ofttimes not knowing why iachimo i never saw him sad there is a frenchman his companion one an eminent monsieur that it seems much loves a gallian girl at home he furnaces the thick sighs from him whiles the jolly briton your lord i meanlaughs from's free lungs cries o can my sides hold to think that man who knows by history report or his own proof what woman is yea what she cannot choose but must be will his free hours languish for assured bondage' imogen will my lord say so iachimo ay madam with his eyes in flood with laughter it is a recreation to be by and hear him mock the frenchman but heavens know some men are much to blame imogen not he i hope iachimo not he but yet heaven's bounty towards him might be used more thankfully in himself tis much in you which i account his beyond all talents whilst i am bound to wonder i am bound to pity too imogen what do you pity sir iachimo two creatures heartily imogen am i one sir you look on me what wreck discern you in me deserves your pity iachimo lamentable what to hide me from the radiant sun and solace i the dungeon by a snuff imogen i pray you sir deliver with more openness your answers to my demands why do you pity me iachimo that others do i was about to sayenjoy yourbut it is an office of the gods to venge it not mine to speak on t imogen you do seem to know something of me or what concerns me pray you since doubling things go ill often hurts more than to be sure they do for certainties either are past remedies or timely knowing the remedy then borndiscover to me what both you spur and stop iachimo had i this cheek to bathe my lips upon this hand whose touch whose every touch would force the feeler's soul to the oath of loyalty this object which takes prisoner the wild motion of mine eye fixing it only here should i damn'd then slaver with lips as common as the stairs that mount the capitol join gripes with hands made hard with hourly falsehoodfalsehood as with labour then bypeeping in an eye base and unlustrous as the smoky light that's fed with stinking tallow it were fit that all the plagues of hell should at one time encounter such revolt imogen my lord i fear has forgot britain iachimo and himself not i inclined to this intelligence pronounce the beggary of his change but tis your graces that from pay mutest conscience to my tongue charms this report out imogen let me hear no more iachimo o dearest soul your cause doth strike my heart with pity that doth make me sick a lady so fair and fasten'd to an empery would make the great'st king doubleto be partner'd with tomboys hired with that selfexhibition which your own coffers yield with diseased ventures that play with all infirmities for gold which rottenness can lend nature such boil'd stuff as well might poison poison be revenged or she that bore you was no queen and you recoil from your great stock imogen revenged how should i be revenged if this be true as i have such a heart that both mine ears must not in haste abuseif it be true how should i be revenged iachimo should he make me live like diana's priest betwixt cold sheets whiles he is vaulting variable ramps in your despite upon your purse revenge it i dedicate myself to your sweet pleasure more noble than that runagate to your bed and will continue fast to your affection still close as sure imogen what ho pisanio iachimo let me my service tender on your lips imogen away i do condemn mine ears that have so long attended thee if thou wert honourable thou wouldst have told this tale for virtue not for such an end thou seek'stas base as strange thou wrong'st a gentleman who is as far from thy report as thou from honour and solicit'st here a lady that disdains thee and the devil alike what ho pisanio the king my father shall be made acquainted of thy assault if he shall think it fit a saucy stranger in his court to mart as in a romish stew and to expound his beastly mind to us he hath a court he little cares for and a daughter who he not respects at all what ho pisanio iachimo o happy leonatus i may say the credit that thy lady hath of thee deserves thy trust and thy most perfect goodness her assured credit blessed live you long a lady to the worthiest sir that ever country call'd his and you his mistress only for the most worthiest fit give me your pardon i have spoke this to know if your affiance were deeply rooted and shall make your lord that which he is new o'er and he is one the truest manner'd such a holy witch that he enchants societies into him half all men's hearts are his imogen you make amends iachimo he sits mongst men like a descended god he hath a kind of honour sets him off more than a mortal seeming be not angry most mighty princess that i have adventured to try your taking a false report which hath honour'd with confirmation your great judgment in the election of a sir so rare which you know cannot err the love i bear him made me to fan you thus but the gods made you unlike all others chaffless pray your pardon imogen all's well sir take my power i the court for yours iachimo my humble thanks i had almost forgot to entreat your grace but in a small request and yet of moment to for it concerns your lord myself and other noble friends are partners in the business imogen pray what is't iachimo some dozen romans of us and your lord the best feather of our winghave mingled sums to buy a present for the emperor which i the factor for the rest have done in france tis plate of rare device and jewels of rich and exquisite form their values great and i am something curious being strange to have them in safe stowage may it please you to take them in protection imogen willingly and pawn mine honour for their safety since my lord hath interest in them i will keep them in my bedchamber iachimo they are in a trunk attended by my men i will make bold to send them to you only for this night i must aboard tomorrow imogen o no no iachimo yes i beseech or i shall short my word by lengthening my return from gallia i cross'd the seas on purpose and on promise to see your grace imogen i thank you for your pains but not away tomorrow iachimo o i must madam therefore i shall beseech you if you please to greet your lord with writing do't tonight i have outstood my time which is material to the tender of our present imogen i will write send your trunk to me it shall safe be kept and truly yielded you you're very welcome exeunt cymbeline act ii scene i britain before cymbeline's palace enter cloten and two lords cloten was there ever man had such luck when i kissed the jack upon an upcast to be hit away i had a hundred pound on't and then a whoreson jackanapes must take me up for swearing as if i borrowed mine oaths of him and might not spend them at my pleasure first lord what got he by that you have broke his pate with your bowl second lord aside if his wit had been like him that broke it it would have run all out cloten when a gentleman is disposed to swear it is not for any standersby to curtail his oaths ha second lord no my lord aside nor crop the ears of them cloten whoreson dog i give him satisfaction would he had been one of my rank second lord aside to have smelt like a fool cloten i am not vexed more at any thing in the earth a pox on't i had rather not be so noble as i am they dare not fight with me because of the queen my mother every jackslave hath his bellyful of fighting and i must go up and down like a cock that nobody can match second lord aside you are cock and capon too and you crow cock with your comb on cloten sayest thou second lord it is not fit your lordship should undertake every companion that you give offence to cloten no i know that but it is fit i should commit offence to my inferiors second lord ay it is fit for your lordship only cloten why so i say first lord did you hear of a stranger that's come to court tonight cloten a stranger and i not know on't second lord aside he's a strange fellow himself and knows it not first lord there's an italian come and tis thought one of leonatus friends cloten leonatus a banished rascal and he's another whatsoever he be who told you of this stranger first lord one of your lordship's pages cloten is it fit i went to look upon him is there no derogation in't second lord you cannot derogate my lord cloten not easily i think second lord aside you are a fool granted therefore your issues being foolish do not derogate cloten come i'll go see this italian what i have lost today at bowls i'll win tonight of him come go second lord i'll attend your lordship exeunt cloten and first lord that such a crafty devil as is his mother should yield the world this ass a woman that bears all down with her brain and this her son cannot take two from twenty for his heart and leave eighteen alas poor princess thou divine imogen what thou endurest betwixt a father by thy stepdame govern'd a mother hourly coining plots a wooer more hateful than the foul expulsion is of thy dear husband than that horrid act of the divorce he'ld make the heavens hold firm the walls of thy dear honour keep unshaked that temple thy fair mind that thou mayst stand to enjoy thy banish'd lord and this great land exit cymbeline act ii scene ii imogen's bedchamber in cymbeline's palace a trunk in one corner of it imogen in bed reading a lady attending imogen who's there my woman helen lady please you madam imogen what hour is it lady almost midnight madam imogen i have read three hours then mine eyes are weak fold down the leaf where i have left to bed take not away the taper leave it burning and if thou canst awake by four o the clock i prithee call me sleep hath seized me wholly exit lady to your protection i commend me gods from fairies and the tempters of the night guard me beseech ye sleeps iachimo comes from the trunk iachimo the crickets sing and man's o'erlabour'd sense repairs itself by rest our tarquin thus did softly press the rushes ere he waken'd the chastity he wounded cytherea how bravely thou becomest thy bed fresh lily and whiter than the sheets that i might touch but kiss one kiss rubies unparagon'd how dearly they do't tis her breathing that perfumes the chamber thus the flame o the taper bows toward her and would underpeep her lids to see the enclosed lights now canopied under these windows white and azure laced with blue of heaven's own tinct but my design to note the chamber i will write all down such and such pictures there the window such the adornment of her bed the arras figures why such and such and the contents o the story ah but some natural notes about her body above ten thousand meaner moveables would testify to enrich mine inventory o sleep thou ape of death lie dull upon her and be her sense but as a monument thus in a chapel lying come off come off taking off her bracelet as slippery as the gordian knot was hard tis mine and this will witness outwardly as strongly as the conscience does within to the madding of her lord on her left breast a mole cinquespotted like the crimson drops i the bottom of a cowslip here's a voucher stronger than ever law could make this secret will force him think i have pick'd the lock and ta'en the treasure of her honour no more to what end why should i write this down that's riveted screw'd to my memory she hath been reading late the tale of tereus here the leaf's turn'd down where philomel gave up i have enough to the trunk again and shut the spring of it swift swift you dragons of the night that dawning may bare the raven's eye i lodge in fear though this a heavenly angel hell is here clock strikes one two three time time goes into the trunk the scene closes cymbeline act ii scene iii an antechamber adjoining imogen's apartments enter cloten and lords first lord your lordship is the most patient man in loss the most coldest that ever turned up ace cloten it would make any man cold to lose first lord but not every man patient after the noble temper of your lordship you are most hot and furious when you win cloten winning will put any man into courage if i could get this foolish imogen i should have gold enough it's almost morning is't not first lord day my lord cloten i would this music would come i am advised to give her music o mornings they say it will penetrate enter musicians come on tune if you can penetrate her with your fingering so we'll try with tongue too if none will do let her remain but i'll never give o'er first a very excellent goodconceited thing after a wonderful sweet air with admirable rich words to it and then let her consider song hark hark the lark at heaven's gate sings and phoebus gins arise his steeds to water at those springs on chaliced flowers that lies and winking marybuds begin to ope their golden eyes with every thing that pretty is my lady sweet arise arise arise cloten so get you gone if this penetrate i will consider your music the better if it do not it is a vice in her ears which horsehairs and calves'guts nor the voice of unpaved eunuch to boot can never amend exeunt musicians second lord here comes the king cloten i am glad i was up so late for that's the reason i was up so early he cannot choose but take this service i have done fatherly enter cymbeline and queen good morrow to your majesty and to my gracious mother cymbeline attend you here the door of our stern daughter will she not forth cloten i have assailed her with music but she vouchsafes no notice cymbeline the exile of her minion is too new she hath not yet forgot him some more time must wear the print of his remembrance out and then she's yours queen you are most bound to the king who lets go by no vantages that may prefer you to his daughter frame yourself to orderly soliciting and be friended with aptness of the season make denials increase your services so seem as if you were inspired to do those duties which you tender to her that you in all obey her save when command to your dismission tends and therein you are senseless cloten senseless not so enter a messenger messenger so like you sir ambassadors from rome the one is caius lucius cymbeline a worthy fellow albeit he comes on angry purpose now but that's no fault of his we must receive him according to the honour of his sender and towards himself his goodness forespent on us we must extend our notice our dear son when you have given good morning to your mistress attend the queen and us we shall have need to employ you towards this roman come our queen exeunt all but cloten cloten if she be up i'll speak with her if not let her lie still and dream knocks by your leave ho i know her women are about her what if i do line one of their hands tis gold which buys admittance oft it doth yea and makes diana's rangers false themselves yield up their deer to the stand o the stealer and tis gold which makes the true man kill'd and saves the thief nay sometime hangs both thief and true man what can it not do and undo i will make one of her women lawyer to me for i yet not understand the case myself knocks by your leave enter a lady lady who's there that knocks cloten a gentleman lady no more cloten yes and a gentlewoman's son lady that's more than some whose tailors are as dear as yours can justly boast of what's your lordship's pleasure cloten your lady's person is she ready lady ay to keep her chamber cloten there is gold for you sell me your good report lady how my good name or to report of you what i shall think is goodthe princess enter imogen cloten good morrow fairest sister your sweet hand exit lady imogen good morrow sir you lay out too much pains for purchasing but trouble the thanks i give is telling you that i am poor of thanks and scarce can spare them cloten still i swear i love you imogen if you but said so twere as deep with me if you swear still your recompense is still that i regard it not cloten this is no answer imogen but that you shall not say i yield being silent i would not speak i pray you spare me faith i shall unfold equal discourtesy to your best kindness one of your great knowing should learn being taught forbearance cloten to leave you in your madness twere my sin i will not imogen fools are not mad folks cloten do you call me fool imogen as i am mad i do if you'll be patient i'll no more be mad that cures us both i am much sorry sir you put me to forget a lady's manners by being so verbal and learn now for all that i which know my heart do here pronounce by the very truth of it i care not for you and am so near the lack of charity to accuse myselfi hate you which i had rather you felt than make't my boast cloten you sin against obedience which you owe your father for the contract you pretend with that base wretch one bred of alms and foster'd with cold dishes with scraps o the court it is no contract none and though it be allow'd in meaner parties yet who than he more meanto knit their souls on whom there is no more dependency but brats and beggary in selffigured knot yet you are curb'd from that enlargement by the consequence o the crown and must not soil the precious note of it with a base slave a hilding for a livery a squire's cloth a pantler not so eminent imogen profane fellow wert thou the son of jupiter and no more but what thou art besides thou wert too base to be his groom thou wert dignified enough even to the point of envy if twere made comparative for your virtues to be styled the underhangman of his kingdom and hated for being preferred so well cloten the southfog rot him imogen he never can meet more mischance than come to be but named of thee his meanest garment that ever hath but clipp'd his body is dearer in my respect than all the hairs above thee were they all made such men how now pisanio enter pisanio cloten his garment now the devil imogen to dorothy my woman hie thee presently cloten his garment' imogen i am sprited with a fool frighted and anger'd worse go bid my woman search for a jewel that too casually hath left mine arm it was thy master's shrew me if i would lose it for a revenue of any king's in europe i do think i saw't this morning confident i am last night twas on mine arm i kiss'd it i hope it be not gone to tell my lord that i kiss aught but he pisanio twill not be lost imogen i hope so go and search exit pisanio cloten you have abused me his meanest garment' imogen ay i said so sir if you will make't an action call witness to't cloten i will inform your father imogen your mother too she's my good lady and will conceive i hope but the worst of me so i leave you sir to the worst of discontent exit cloten i'll be revenged his meanest garment well exit cymbeline act ii scene iv rome philario's house enter posthumus and philario posthumus leonatus fear it not sir i would i were so sure to win the king as i am bold her honour will remain hers philario what means do you make to him posthumus leonatus not any but abide the change of time quake in the present winter's state and wish that warmer days would come in these sear'd hopes i barely gratify your love they failing i must die much your debtor philario your very goodness and your company o'erpays all i can do by this your king hath heard of great augustus caius lucius will do's commission throughly and i think he'll grant the tribute send the arrearages or look upon our romans whose remembrance is yet fresh in their grief posthumus leonatus i do believe statist though i am none nor like to be that this will prove a war and you shall hear the legions now in gallia sooner landed in our notfearing britain than have tidings of any penny tribute paid our countrymen are men more order'd than when julius caesar smiled at their lack of skill but found their courage worthy his frowning at their discipline now mingled with their courages will make known to their approvers they are people such that mend upon the world enter iachimo philario see iachimo posthumus leonatus the swiftest harts have posted you by land and winds of all the comers kiss'd your sails to make your vessel nimble philario welcome sir posthumus leonatus i hope the briefness of your answer made the speediness of your return iachimo your lady is one of the fairest that i have look'd upon posthumus leonatus and therewithal the best or let her beauty look through a casement to allure false hearts and be false with them iachimo here are letters for you posthumus leonatus their tenor good i trust iachimo tis very like philario was caius lucius in the britain court when you were there iachimo he was expected then but not approach'd posthumus leonatus all is well yet sparkles this stone as it was wont or is't not too dull for your good wearing iachimo if i had 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 posthumus leonatus the stone's too hard to come by iachimo not a whit your lady being so easy posthumus leonatus make not sir your loss your sport i hope you know that we must not continue friends iachimo 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 posthumus leonatus 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 iachimo 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 posthumus leonatus proceed iachimo first her bedchamber where i confess i slept not but profess had that was well worth watchingit was hang'd with tapesty 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 posthumus leonatus this is true and this you might have heard of here by me or by some other iachimo more particulars must justify my knowledge posthumus leonatus so they must or do your honour injury iachimo the chimney is south the chamber and the chimneypiece 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 posthumus leonatus this is a thing which you might from relation likewise reap being as it is much spoke of iachimo the roof o the chamber with golden cherubins is fretted her andirons i had forgot themwere two winking cupids of silver each on one foot standing nicely depending on their brands posthumus leonatus this is her honour let it be granted you have seen all thisand praise be given to your remembrancethe description of what is in her chamber nothing saves the wager you have laid iachimo then if you can showing 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 posthumus leonatus jove once more let me behold it is it that which i left with her iachimo siri thank herthat 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 prized it once posthumus leonatus may be she pluck'd it off to send it me iachimo she writes so to you doth she posthumus leonatus 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 philario 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 stol'n it from her posthumus leonatus very true 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 iachimo by jupiter i had it from her arm posthumus leonatus hark you he swears by jupiter he swears tis truenay keep the ring'tis true i am sure she would not lose it her attendants are all sworn and honourablethey induced to steal it and by a strangerno he hath enjoyed 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 philario sir be patient this is not strong enough to be believed of one persuaded well of posthumus leonatus never talk on't she hath been colted by him iachimo if you seek for further satisfying under her breast worthy the pressinglies 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 posthumus leonatus ay and it doth confirm another stain as big as hell can hold were there no more but it iachimo will you hear more posthumus leonatus spare your arithmetic never count the turns once and a million iachimo i'll be sworn posthumus leonatus no swearing if you will swear you have not done't you lie and i will kill thee if thou dost deny thou'st made me cuckold iachimo i'll deny nothing posthumus leonatus o that i had her here to tear her limbmeal i will go there and do't i the court before her father i'll do something exit philario quite besides the government of patience you have won let's follow him and pervert the present wrath he hath against himself iachimo with an my heart exeunt cymbeline act ii scene v another room in philario's house enter posthumus leonatus posthumus leonatus is there no way for men to be but women must be halfworkers we are all bastards 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 hourwast not or lessat firstperchance he spoke not but like a fullacorn'd boar a german one cried o 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 longing slanders mutability all faults that may be named nay that hell knows why hers in part or all but rather all for even 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 in a true hate to pray they have their will the very devils cannot plague them better exit cymbeline act iii scene i britain a hall in cymbeline's palace enter in state cymbeline queen cloten and lords at one door and at another caius lucius and attendants cymbeline now say what would augustus caesar with us caius lucius when julius caesar whose remembrance yet lives in men's eyes and will to ears and tongues be theme and hearing ever was in this britain and conquer'd it cassibelan thine uncle famous in caesar's praises no whit less than in his feats deserving itfor him and his succession granted rome a tribute yearly three thousand pounds which by thee lately is left untender'd queen and to kill the marvel shall be so ever cloten there be many caesars ere such another julius britain is a world by itself and we will nothing pay for wearing our own noses queen that opportunity which then they had to take from s to resume we have again remember sir my liege the kings your ancestors together with the natural bravery of your isle which stands as neptune's park ribbed and paled in with rocks unscalable and roaring waters with sands that will not bear your enemies boats but suck them up to the topmast a kind of conquest caesar made here but made not here his brag of came and saw and overcame with shame that first that ever touch'd himhe was carried from off our coast twice beaten and his shipping poor ignorant baubles upon our terrible seas like eggshells moved upon their surges crack'd as easily gainst our rocks for joy whereof the famed cassibelan who was once at point o giglot fortuneto master caesar's sword made lud's town with rejoicing fires bright and britons strut with courage cloten come there's no more tribute to be paid our kingdom is stronger than it was at that time and as i said there is no moe such caesars other of them may have crook'd noses but to owe such straight arms none cymbeline son let your mother end cloten we have yet many among us can gripe as hard as cassibelan i do not say i am one but i have a hand why tribute why should we pay tribute if caesar can hide the sun from us with a blanket or put the moon in his pocket we will pay him tribute for light else sir no more tribute pray you now cymbeline you must know till the injurious romans did extort this tribute from us we were free caesar's ambition which swell'd so much that it did almost stretch the sides o the world against all colour here did put the yoke upon s which to shake off becomes a warlike people whom we reckon ourselves to be cloten we do lords cymbeline say then to caesar our ancestor was that mulmutius which ordain'd our laws whose use the sword of caesar hath too much mangled whose repair and franchise shall by the power we hold be our good deed though rome be therefore angry mulmutius made our laws who was the first of britain which did put his brows within a golden crown and call'd himself a king caius lucius i am sorry cymbeline that i am to pronounce augustus caesar caesar that hath more kings his servants than thyself domestic officersthine enemy receive it from me then war and confusion in caesar's name pronounce i gainst thee look for fury not to be resisted thus defied i thank thee for myself cymbeline thou art welcome caius thy caesar knighted me my youth i spent much under him of him i gather'd honour which he to seek of me again perforce behoves me keep at utterance i am perfect that the pannonians and dalmatians for their liberties are now in arms a precedent which not to read would show the britons cold so caesar shall not find them caius lucius let proof speak cloten his majesty bids you welcome make pastime with us a day or two or longer if you seek us afterwards in other terms you shall find us in our saltwater girdle if you beat us out of it it is yours if you fall in the adventure our crows shall fare the better for you and there's an end caius lucius so sir cymbeline i know your master's pleasure and he mine all the remain is welcome' exeunt cymbeline act iii scene ii another room in the palace enter pisanio with a letter pisanio how of adultery wherefore write you not what monster's her accuser leonatus o master what a strange infection is fall'n into thy ear what false italian as poisonoustongued as handed hath prevail'd on thy too ready hearing disloyal no she's punish'd for her truth and undergoes more goddesslike than wifelike such assaults as would take in some virtue o my master thy mind to her is now as low as were thy fortunes how that i should murder her upon the love and truth and vows which i have made to thy command i her her blood if it be so to do good service never let me be counted serviceable how look i that i should seem to lack humanity so much as this fact comes to reading do't the letter that i have sent her by her own command shall give thee opportunity o damn'd paper black as the ink that's on thee senseless bauble art thou a feodary for this act and look'st so virginlike without lo here she comes i am ignorant in what i am commanded enter imogen imogen how now pisanio pisanio madam here is a letter from my lord imogen who thy lord that is my lord leonatus o learn'd indeed were that astronomer that knew the stars as i his characters he'ld lay the future open you good gods let what is here contain'd relish of love of my lord's health of his content yet not that we two are asunder let that grieve him some griefs are med'cinable that is one of them for it doth physic love of his content all but in that good wax thy leave blest be you bees that make these locks of counsel lovers and men in dangerous bonds pray not alike though forfeiters you cast in prison yet you clasp young cupid's tables good news gods reads justice and your father's wrath should he take me in his dominion could not be so cruel to me as you o the dearest of creatures would even renew me with your eyes take notice that i am in cambria at milfordhaven what your own love will out of this advise you follow so he wishes you all happiness that remains loyal to his vow and your increasing in love leonatus posthumus' o for a horse with wings hear'st thou pisanio he is at milfordhaven read and tell me how far tis thither if one of mean affairs may plod it in a week why may not i glide thither in a day then true pisanio who long'st like me to see thy lord who long'st let me batebut not like meyet long'st but in a fainter kindo not like me for mine's beyond beyondsay and speak thick love's counsellor should fill the bores of hearing to the smothering of the sensehow far it is to this same blessed milford and by the way tell me how wales was made so happy as to inherit such a haven but first of all how we may steal from hence and for the gap that we shall make in time from our hencegoing and our return to excuse but first how get hence why should excuse be born or e'er begot we'll talk of that hereafter prithee speak how many score of miles may we well ride twixt hour and hour pisanio one score twixt sun and sun madam s enough for you aside and too much too imogen why one that rode to's execution man could never go so slow i have heard of riding wagers where horses have been nimbler than the sands that run i the clock's behalf but this is foolery go bid my woman feign a sickness say she'll home to her father and provide me presently a ridingsuit no costlier than would fit a franklin's housewife pisanio madam you're best consider imogen i see before me man nor here nor here nor what ensues but have a fog in them that i cannot look through away i prithee do as i bid thee there's no more to say accessible is none but milford way exeunt cymbeline act iii scene iii wales a mountainous country with a cave enter from the cave belarius guiderius and arviragus following belarius a goodly day not to keep house with such whose roof's as low as ours stoop boys this gate instructs you how to adore the heavens and bows you to a morning's holy office the gates of monarchs are arch'd so high that giants may jet through and keep their impious turbans on without good morrow to the sun hail thou fair heaven we house i the rock yet use thee not so hardly as prouder livers do guiderius hail heaven arviragus hail heaven belarius now for our mountain sport up to yond hill your legs are young i'll tread these flats consider when you above perceive me like a crow that it is place which lessens and sets off and you may then revolve what tales i have told you of courts of princes of the tricks in war this service is not service so being done but being so allow'd to apprehend thus draws us a profit from all things we see and often to our comfort shall we find the sharded beetle in a safer hold than is the fullwing'd eagle o this life is nobler than attending for a cheque richer than doing nothing for a bauble prouder than rustling in unpaidfor silk such gain the cap of him that makes em fine yet keeps his book uncross'd no life to ours guiderius out of your proof you speak we poor unfledged have never wing'd from view o the nest nor know not what air's from home haply this life is best if quiet life be best sweeter to you that have a sharper known well corresponding with your stiff age but unto us it is a cell of ignorance travelling abed a prison for a debtor that not dares to stride a limit arviragus what should we speak of when we are old as you when we shall hear the rain and wind beat dark december how in this our pinching cave shall we discourse the freezing hours away we have seen nothing we are beastly subtle as the fox for prey like warlike as the wolf for what we eat our valour is to chase what flies our cage we make a quire as doth the prison'd bird and sing our bondage freely belarius how you speak did you but know the city's usuries and felt them knowingly the art o the court as hard to leave as keep whose top to climb is certain falling or so slippery that the fear's as bad as falling the toil o the war a pain that only seems to seek out danger i the name of fame and honour which dies i' the search and hath as oft a slanderous epitaph as record of fair act nay many times doth ill deserve by doing well what's worse must court'sy at the censureo boys this story the world may read in me my body's mark'd with roman swords and my report was once first with the best of note cymbeline loved me and when a soldier was the theme my name was not far off then was i as a tree whose boughs did bend with fruit but in one night a storm or robbery call it what you will shook down my mellow hangings nay my leaves and left me bare to weather guiderius uncertain favour belarius my fault being nothingas i have told you oft but that two villains whose false oaths prevail'd before my perfect honour swore to cymbeline i was confederate with the romans so follow'd my banishment and this twenty years this rock and these demesnes have been my world where i have lived at honest freedom paid more pious debts to heaven than in all the foreend of my time but up to the mountains this is not hunters language he that strikes the venison first shall be the lord o the feast to him the other two shall minister and we will fear no poison which attends in place of greater state i'll meet you in the valleys exeunt guiderius and arviragus how hard it is to hide the sparks of nature these boys know little they are sons to the king nor cymbeline dreams that they are alive they think they are mine and though train'd up thus meanly i the cave wherein they bow their thoughts do hit the roofs of palaces and nature prompts them in simple and low things to prince it much beyond the trick of others this polydore the heir of cymbeline and britain who the king his father call'd guideriusjove when on my threefoot stool i sit and tell the warlike feats i have done his spirits fly out into my story say thus mine enemy fell and thus i set my foot on s neck even then the princely blood flows in his cheek he sweats strains his young nerves and puts himself in posture that acts my words the younger brother cadwal once arviragus in as like a figure strikes life into my speech and shows much more his own conceivinghark the game is roused o cymbeline heaven and my conscience knows thou didst unjustly banish me whereon at three and two years old i stole these babes thinking to bar thee of succession as thou reft'st me of my lands euriphile thou wast their nurse they took thee for their mother and every day do honour to her grave myself belarius that am morgan call'd they take for natural father the game is up exit cymbeline act iii scene iv country near milfordhaven enter pisanio and imogen imogen thou told'st me when we came from horse the place was near at hand ne'er long'd my mother so to see me first as i have now pisanio man where is posthumus what is in thy mind that makes thee stare thus wherefore breaks that sigh from the inward of thee one but painted thus would be interpreted a thing perplex'd beyond selfexplication put thyself into a havior of less fear ere wildness vanquish my staider senses what's the matter why tender'st thou that paper to me with a look untender if't be summer news smile to't before if winterly thou need'st but keep that countenance still my husband's hand that drugdamn'd italy hath outcraftied him and he's at some hard point speak man thy tongue may take off some extremity which to read would be even mortal to me pisanio please you read and you shall find me wretched man a thing the most disdain'd of fortune imogen reads thy mistress pisanio hath played the strumpet in my bed the testimonies whereof lie bleeding in me i speak not out of weak surmises but from proof as strong as my grief and as certain as i expect my revenge that part thou pisanio must act for me if thy faith be not tainted with the breach of hers let thine own hands take away her life i shall give thee opportunity at milfordhaven she hath my letter for the purpose where if thou fear to strike and to make me certain it is done thou art the pandar to her dishonour and equally to me disloyal' pisanio what shall i need to draw my sword the paper hath cut her throat already no tis slander whose edge is sharper than the sword whose tongue outvenoms all the worms of nile whose breath rides on the posting winds and doth belie all corners of the world kings queens and states maids matrons nay the secrets of the grave this viperous slander enters what cheer madam imogen false to his bed what is it to be false to lie in watch there and to think on him to weep twixt clock and clock if sleep charge nature to break it with a fearful dream of him and cry myself awake that's false to's bed is it pisanio alas good lady imogen i false thy conscience witness iachimo thou didst accuse him of incontinency thou then look'dst like a villain now methinks thy favour's good enough some jay of italy whose mother was her painting hath betray'd him poor i am stale a garment out of fashion and for i am richer than to hang by the walls i must be ripp'dto pieces with meo men's vows are women's traitors all good seeming by thy revolt o husband shall be thought put on for villany not born where't grows but worn a bait for ladies pisanio good madam hear me imogen true honest men being heard like false aeneas were in his time thought false and sinon's weeping did scandal many a holy tear took pity from most true wretchedness so thou posthumus wilt lay the leaven on all proper men goodly and gallant shall be false and perjured from thy great fall come fellow be thou honest do thou thy master's bidding when thou see'st him a little witness my obedience look i draw the sword myself take it and hit the innocent mansion of my love my heart fear not tis empty of all things but grief thy master is not there who was indeed the riches of it do his bidding strike thou mayst be valiant in a better cause but now thou seem'st a coward pisanio hence vile instrument thou shalt not damn my hand imogen why i must die and if i do not by thy hand thou art no servant of thy master's against selfslaughter there is a prohibition so divine that cravens my weak hand come here's my heart something's afore't soft soft we'll no defence obedient as the scabbard what is here the scriptures of the loyal leonatus all turn'd to heresy away away corrupters of my faith you shall no more be stomachers to my heart thus may poor fools believe false teachers though those that are betray'd do feel the treason sharply yet the traitor stands in worse case of woe and thou posthumus thou that didst set up my disobedience gainst the king my father and make me put into contempt the suits of princely fellows shalt hereafter find it is no act of common passage but a strain of rareness and i grieve myself to think when thou shalt be disedged by her that now thou tirest on how thy memory will then be pang'd by me prithee dispatch the lamb entreats the butcher where's thy knife thou art too slow to do thy master's bidding when i desire it too pisanio o gracious lady since i received command to do this business i have not slept one wink imogen do't and to bed then pisanio i'll wake mine eyeballs blind first imogen wherefore then didst undertake it why hast thou abused so many miles with a pretence this place mine action and thine own our horses labour the time inviting thee the perturb'd court for my being absent whereunto i never purpose return why hast thou gone so far to be unbent when thou hast ta'en thy stand the elected deer before thee pisanio but to win time to lose so bad employment in the which i have consider'd of a course good lady hear me with patience imogen talk thy tongue weary speak i have heard i am a strumpet and mine ear therein false struck can take no greater wound nor tent to bottom that but speak pisanio then madam i thought you would not back again imogen most like bringing me here to kill me pisanio not so neither but if i were as wise as honest then my purpose would prove well it cannot be but that my master is abused some villain ay and singular in his art hath done you both this cursed injury imogen some roman courtezan pisanio no on my life i'll give but notice you are dead and send him some bloody sign of it for tis commanded i should do so you shall be miss'd at court and that will well confirm it imogen why good fellow what shall i do the where where bide how live or in my life what comfort when i am dead to my husband pisanio if you'll back to the court imogen no court no father nor no more ado with that harsh noble simple nothing that cloten whose lovesuit hath been to me as fearful as a siege pisanio if not at court then not in britain must you bide imogen where then hath britain all the sun that shines day night are they not but in britain i the world's volume our britain seems as of it but not in t in a great pool a swan's nest prithee think there's livers out of britain pisanio i am most glad you think of other place the ambassador lucius the roman comes to milfordhaven tomorrow now if you could wear a mind dark as your fortune is and but disguise that which to appear itself must not yet be but by selfdanger you should tread a course pretty and full of view yea haply near the residence of posthumus so nigh at least that though his actions were not visible yet report should render him hourly to your ear as truly as he moves imogen o for such means though peril to my modesty not death on't i would adventure pisanio well then here's the point you must forget to be a woman change command into obedience fear and niceness the handmaids of all women or more truly woman its pretty selfinto a waggish courage ready in gibes quickanswer'd saucy and as quarrelous as the weasel nay you must forget that rarest treasure of your cheek exposing itbut o the harder heart alack no remedyto the greedy touch of commonkissing titan and forget your laboursome and dainty trims wherein you made great juno angry imogen nay be brief i see into thy end and am almost a man already pisanio first make yourself but like one forethinking this i have already fit tis in my cloakbagdoublet hat hose all that answer to them would you in their serving and with what imitation you can borrow from youth of such a season fore noble lucius present yourself desire his service tell him wherein you're happywhich you'll make him know if that his head have ear in musicdoubtless with joy he will embrace you for he's honourable and doubling that most holy your means abroad you have me rich and i will never fail beginning nor supplyment imogen thou art all the comfort the gods will diet me with prithee away there's more to be consider'd but we'll even all that good time will give us this attempt i am soldier to and will abide it with a prince's courage away i prithee pisanio well madam we must take a short farewell lest being miss'd i be suspected of your carriage from the court my noble mistress here is a box i had it from the queen what's in't is precious if you are sick at sea or stomachqualm'd at land a dram of this will drive away distemper to some shade and fit you to your manhood may the gods direct you to the best imogen amen i thank thee exeunt severally cymbeline act iii scene v a room in cymbeline's palace enter cymbeline queen cloten lucius lords and attendants cymbeline thus far and so farewell caius lucius thanks royal sir my emperor hath wrote i must from hence and am right sorry that i must report ye my master's enemy cymbeline our subjects sir will not endure his yoke and for ourself to show less sovereignty than they must needs appear unkinglike caius lucius so sir i desire of you a conduct overland to milfordhaven madam all joy befal your grace queen and you cymbeline my lords you are appointed for that office the due of honour in no point omit so farewell noble lucius caius lucius your hand my lord cloten receive it friendly but from this time forth i wear it as your enemy caius lucius sir the event is yet to name the winner fare you well cymbeline leave not the worthy lucius good my lords till he have cross'd the severn happiness exeunt lucius and lords queen he goes hence frowning but it honours us that we have given him cause cloten tis all the better your valiant britons have their wishes in it cymbeline lucius hath wrote already to the emperor how it goes here it fits us therefore ripely our chariots and our horsemen be in readiness the powers that he already hath in gallia will soon be drawn to head from whence he moves his war for britain queen tis not sleepy business but must be look'd to speedily and strongly cymbeline our expectation that it would be thus hath made us forward but my gentle queen where is our daughter she hath not appear'd before the roman nor to us hath tender'd the duty of the day she looks us like a thing more made of malice than of duty we have noted it call her before us for we have been too slight in sufferance exit an attendant queen royal sir since the exile of posthumus most retired hath her life been the cure whereof my lord tis time must do beseech your majesty forbear sharp speeches to her she's a lady so tender of rebukes that words are strokes and strokes death to her reenter attendant cymbeline where is she sir how can her contempt be answer'd attendant please you sir her chambers are all lock'd and there's no answer that will be given to the loudest noise we make queen my lord when last i went to visit her she pray'd me to excuse her keeping close whereto constrain'd by her infirmity she should that duty leave unpaid to you which daily she was bound to proffer this she wish'd me to make known but our great court made me to blame in memory cymbeline her doors lock'd not seen of late grant heavens that which i fear prove false exit queen son i say follow the king cloten that man of hers pisanio her old servant have not seen these two days queen go look after exit cloten pisanio thou that stand'st so for posthumus he hath a drug of mine i pray his absence proceed by swallowing that for he believes it is a thing most precious but for her where is she gone haply despair hath seized her or wing'd with fervor of her love she's flown to her desired posthumus gone she is to death or to dishonour and my end can make good use of either she being down i have the placing of the british crown reenter cloten how now my son cloten tis certain she is fled go in and cheer the king he rages none dare come about him queen aside all the better may this night forestall him of the coming day exit cloten i love and hate her for she's fair and royal and that she hath all courtly parts more exquisite than lady ladies woman from every one the best she hath and she of all compounded outsells them all i love her therefore but disdaining me and throwing favours on the low posthumus slanders so her judgment that what's else rare is choked and in that point i will conclude to hate her nay indeed to be revenged upon her for when fools shall enter pisanio who is here what are you packing sirrah come hither ah you precious pander villain where is thy lady in a word or else thou art straightway with the fiends pisanio o good my lord cloten where is thy lady or by jupiter i will not ask again close villain i'll have this secret from thy heart or rip thy heart to find it is she with posthumus from whose so many weights of baseness cannot a dram of worth be drawn pisanio alas my lord how can she be with him when was she missed he is in rome cloten where is she sir come nearer no further halting satisfy me home what is become of her pisanio o my allworthy lord cloten allworthy villain discover where thy mistress is at once at the next word no more of worthy lord' speak or thy silence on the instant is thy condemnation and thy death pisanio then sir this paper is the history of my knowledge touching her flight presenting a letter cloten let's see't i will pursue her even to augustus throne pisanio aside or this or perish she's far enough and what he learns by this may prove his travel not her danger cloten hum pisanio aside i'll write to my lord she's dead o imogen safe mayst thou wander safe return again cloten sirrah is this letter true pisanio sir as i think cloten it is posthumus hand i know't sirrah if thou wouldst not be a villain but do me true service undergo those employments wherein i should have cause to use thee with a serious industry that is what villany soe'er i bid thee do to perform it directly and truly i would think thee an honest man thou shouldst neither want my means for thy relief nor my voice for thy preferment pisanio well my good lord cloten wilt thou serve me for since patiently and constantly thou hast stuck to the bare fortune of that beggar posthumus thou canst not in the course of gratitude but be a diligent follower of mine wilt thou serve me pisanio sir i will cloten give me thy hand here's my purse hast any of thy late master's garments in thy possession pisanio i have my lord at my lodging the same suit he wore when he took leave of my lady and mistress cloten the first service thou dost me fetch that suit hither let it be thy lint service go pisanio i shall my lord exit cloten meet thee at milfordhaveni forgot to ask him one thing i'll remember't anoneven there thou villain posthumus will i kill thee i would these garments were come she said upon a timethe bitterness of it i now belch from my heartthat she held the very garment of posthumus in more respect than my noble and natural person together with the adornment of my qualities with that suit upon my back will i ravish her first kill him and in her eyes there shall she see my valour which will then be a torment to her contempt he on the ground my speech of insultment ended on his dead body and when my lust hath dinedwhich as i say to vex her i will execute in the clothes that she so praisedto the court i'll knock her back foot her home again she hath despised me rejoicingly and i'll be merry in my revenge reenter pisanio with the clothes be those the garments pisanio ay my noble lord cloten how long is't since she went to milfordhaven pisanio she can scarce be there yet cloten bring this apparel to my chamber that is the second thing that i have commanded thee the third is that thou wilt be a voluntary mute to my design be but duteous and true preferment shall tender itself to thee my revenge is now at milford would i had wings to follow it come and be true exit pisanio thou bid'st me to my loss for true to thee were to prove false which i will never be to him that is most true to milford go and find not her whom thou pursuest flow flow you heavenly blessings on her this fool's speed be cross'd with slowness labour be his meed exit cymbeline act iii scene vi wales before the cave of belarius enter imogen in boy's clothes imogen i see a man's life is a tedious one i have tired myself and for two nights together have made the ground my bed i should be sick but that my resolution helps me milford when from the mountaintop pisanio show'd thee thou wast within a ken o jove i think foundations fly the wretched such i mean where they should be relieved two beggars told me i could not miss my way will poor folks lie that have afflictions on them knowing tis a punishment or trial yes no wonder when rich ones scarce tell true to lapse in fulness is sorer than to lie for need and falsehood is worse in kings than beggars my dear lord thou art one o the false ones now i think on thee my hunger's gone but even before i was at point to sink for food but what is this here is a path to't tis some savage hold i were best not to call i dare not call yet famine ere clean it o'erthrow nature makes it valiant plenty and peace breeds cowards hardness ever of hardiness is mother ho who's here if any thing that's civil speak if savage take or lend ho no answer then i'll enter best draw my sword and if mine enemy but fear the sword like me he'll scarcely look on't such a foe good heavens exit to the cave enter belarius guiderius and arviragus belarius you polydote have proved best woodman and are master of the feast cadwal and i will play the cook and servant tis our match the sweat of industry would dry and die but for the end it works to come our stomachs will make what's homely savoury weariness can snore upon the flint when resty sloth finds the down pillow hard now peace be here poor house that keep'st thyself guiderius i am thoroughly weary arviragus i am weak with toil yet strong in appetite guiderius there is cold meat i the cave we'll browse on that whilst what we have kill'd be cook'd belarius looking into the cave stay come not in but that it eats our victuals i should think here were a fairy guiderius what's the matter sir belarius by jupiter an angel or if not an earthly paragon behold divineness no elder than a boy reenter imogen imogen good masters harm me not before i enter'd here i call'd and thought to have begg'd or bought what i have took good troth i have stol'n nought nor would not though i had found gold strew'd i the floor here's money for my meat i would have left it on the board so soon as i had made my meal and parted with prayers for the provider guiderius money youth arviragus all gold and silver rather turn to dirt as tis no better reckon'd but of those who worship dirty gods imogen i see you're angry know if you kill me for my fault i should have died had i not made it belarius whither bound imogen to milfordhaven belarius what's your name imogen fidele sir i have a kinsman who is bound for italy he embark'd at milford to whom being going almost spent with hunger i am fall'n in this offence belarius prithee fair youth think us no churls nor measure our good minds by this rude place we live in well encounter'd tis almost night you shall have better cheer ere you depart and thanks to stay and eat it boys bid him welcome guiderius were you a woman youth i should woo hard but be your groom in honesty i bid for you as i'd buy arviragus i'll make't my comfort he is a man i'll love him as my brother and such a welcome as i'd give to him after long absence such is yours most welcome be sprightly for you fall mongst friends imogen mongst friends if brothers aside would it had been so that they had been my father's sons then had my prize been less and so more equal ballasting to thee posthumus belarius he wrings at some distress guiderius would i could free't arviragus or i whate'er it be what pain it cost what danger god's belarius hark boys whispering imogen great men that had a court no bigger than this cave that did attend themselves and had the virtue which their own conscience seal'd themlaying by that nothinggift of differing multitudes could not outpeer these twain pardon me gods i'd change my sex to be companion with them since leonatus's false belarius it shall be so boys we'll go dress our hunt fair youth come in discourse is heavy fasting when we have supp'd we'll mannerly demand thee of thy story so far as thou wilt speak it guiderius pray draw near arviragus the night to the owl and morn to the lark less welcome imogen thanks sir arviragus i pray draw near exeunt cymbeline act iii scene vii rome a public place enter two senators and tribunes first senator this is the tenor of the emperor's writ that since the common men are now in action gainst the pannonians and dalmatians and that the legions now in gallia are full weak to undertake our wars against the fall'noff britons that we do incite the gentry to this business he creates lucius preconsul and to you the tribunes for this immediate levy he commends his absolute commission long live caesar first tribune is lucius general of the forces second senator ay first tribune remaining now in gallia first senator with those legions which i have spoke of whereunto your levy must be supplyant the words of your commission will tie you to the numbers and the time of their dispatch first tribune we will discharge our duty exeunt cymbeline act iv scene i wales near the cave of belarius enter cloten cloten i am near to the place where they should meet if pisanio have mapped it truly how fit his garments serve me why should his mistress who was made by him that made the tailor not be fit too the rathersaving reverence of the wordfor tis said a woman's fitness comes by fits therein i must play the workman i dare speak it to myselffor it is not vainglory for a man and his glass to confer in his own chamberi mean the lines of my body are as well drawn as his no less young more strong not beneath him in fortunes beyond him in the advantage of the time above him in birth alike conversant in general services and more remarkable in single oppositions yet this imperceiverant thing loves him in my despite what mortality is posthumus thy head which now is growing upon thy shoulders shall within this hour be off thy mistress enforced thy garments cut to pieces before thy face and all this done spurn her home to her father who may haply be a little angry for my so rough usage but my mother having power of his testiness shall turn all into my commendations my horse is tied up safe out sword and to a sore purpose fortune put them into my hand this is the very description of their meetingplace and the fellow dares not deceive me exit cymbeline act iv scene ii before the cave of belarius enter from the cave belarius guiderius arviragus and imogen belarius to imogen you are not well remain here in the cave we'll come to you after hunting arviragus to imogen brother stay here are we not brothers imogen so man and man should be but clay and clay differs in dignity whose dust is both alike i am very sick guiderius go you to hunting i'll abide with him imogen so sick i am not yet i am not well but not so citizen a wanton as to seem to die ere sick so please you leave me stick to your journal course the breach of custom is breach of all i am ill but your being by me cannot amend me society is no comfort to one not sociable i am not very sick since i can reason of it pray you trust me here i'll rob none but myself and let me die stealing so poorly guiderius i love thee i have spoke it how much the quantity the weight as much as i do love my father belarius what how how arviragus if it be sin to say so i yoke me in my good brother's fault i know not why i love this youth and i have heard you say love's reason's without reason the bier at door and a demand who is't shall die i'd say my father not this youth' belarius aside o noble strain o worthiness of nature breed of greatness cowards father cowards and base things sire base nature hath meal and bran contempt and grace i'm not their father yet who this should be doth miracle itself loved before me tis the ninth hour o the morn arviragus brother farewell imogen i wish ye sport arviragus you health so please you sir imogen aside these are kind creatures gods what lies i have heard our courtiers say all's savage but at court experience o thou disprovest report the imperious seas breed monsters for the dish poor tributary rivers as sweet fish i am sick still heartsick pisanio i'll now taste of thy drug swallows some guiderius i could not stir him he said he was gentle but unfortunate dishonestly afflicted but yet honest arviragus thus did he answer me yet said hereafter i might know more belarius to the field to the field we'll leave you for this time go in and rest arviragus we'll not be long away belarius pray be not sick for you must be our housewife imogen well or ill i am bound to you belarius and shalt be ever exit imogen to the cave this youth how'er distress'd appears he hath had good ancestors arviragus how angellike he sings guiderius but his neat cookery he cut our roots in characters and sauced our broths as juno had been sick and he her dieter arviragus nobly he yokes a smiling with a sigh as if the sigh was that it was for not being such a smile the smile mocking the sigh that it would fly from so divine a temple to commix with winds that sailors rail at guiderius i do note that grief and patience rooted in him both mingle their spurs together arviragus grow patience and let the stinking elder grief untwine his perishing root with the increasing vine belarius it is great morning come away who's there enter cloten cloten i cannot find those runagates that villain hath mock'd me i am faint belarius those runagates' means he not us i partly know him tis cloten the son o the queen i fear some ambush i saw him not these many years and yet i know tis he we are held as outlaws hence guiderius he is but one you and my brother search what companies are near pray you away let me alone with him exeunt belarius and arviragus cloten soft what are you that fly me thus some villain mountaineers i have heard of such what slave art thou guiderius a thing more slavish did i ne'er than answering a slave without a knock cloten thou art a robber a lawbreaker a villain yield thee thief guiderius to who to thee what art thou have not i an arm as big as thine a heart as big thy words i grant are bigger for i wear not my dagger in my mouth say what thou art why i should yield to thee cloten thou villain base know'st me not by my clothes guiderius no nor thy tailor rascal who is thy grandfather he made those clothes which as it seems make thee cloten thou precious varlet my tailor made them not guiderius hence then and thank the man that gave them thee thou art some fool i am loath to beat thee cloten thou injurious thief hear but my name and tremble guiderius what's thy name cloten cloten thou villain guiderius cloten thou double villain be thy name i cannot tremble at it were it toad or adder spider twould move me sooner cloten to thy further fear nay to thy mere confusion thou shalt know i am son to the queen guiderius i am sorry for t not seeming so worthy as thy birth cloten art not afeard guiderius those that i reverence those i fear the wise at fools i laugh not fear them cloten die the death when i have slain thee with my proper hand i'll follow those that even now fled hence and on the gates of lud'stown set your heads yield rustic mountaineer exeunt fighting reenter belarius and arviragus belarius no companies abroad arviragus none in the world you did mistake him sure belarius i cannot tell long is it since i saw him but time hath nothing blurr'd those lines of favour which then he wore the snatches in his voice and burst of speaking were as his i am absolute twas very cloten arviragus in this place we left them i wish my brother make good time with him you say he is so fell belarius being scarce made up i mean to man he had not apprehension of roaring terrors for the effect of judgment is oft the cause of fear but see thy brother reenter guiderius with cloten's head guiderius this cloten was a fool an empty purse there was no money in't not hercules could have knock'd out his brains for he had none yet i not doing this the fool had borne my head as i do his belarius what hast thou done guiderius i am perfect what cut off one cloten's head son to the queen after his own report who call'd me traitor mountaineer and swore with his own single hand he'ld take us in displace our heads wherethank the godsthey grow and set them on lud'stown belarius we are all undone guiderius why worthy father what have we to lose but that he swore to take our lives the law protects not us then why should we be tender to let an arrogant piece of flesh threat us play judge and executioner all himself for we do fear the law what company discover you abroad belarius no single soul can we set eye on but in all safe reason he must have some attendants though his humour was nothing but mutation ay and that from one bad thing to worse not frenzy not absolute madness could so far have raved to bring him here alone although perhaps it may be heard at court that such as we cave here hunt here are outlaws and in time may make some stronger head the which he hearing as it is like himmight break out and swear he'ld fetch us in yet is't not probable to come alone either he so undertaking or they so suffering then on good ground we fear if we do fear this body hath a tail more perilous than the head arviragus let ordinance come as the gods foresay it howsoe'er my brother hath done well belarius i had no mind to hunt this day the boy fidele's sickness did make my way long forth guiderius with his own sword which he did wave against my throat i have ta'en his head from him i'll throw't into the creek behind our rock and let it to the sea and tell the fishes he's the queen's son cloten that's all i reck exit belarius i fear twill be revenged would polydote thou hadst not done't though valour becomes thee well enough arviragus would i had done't so the revenge alone pursued me polydore i love thee brotherly but envy much thou hast robb'd me of this deed i would revenges that possible strength might meet would seek us through and put us to our answer belarius well tis done we'll hunt no more today nor seek for danger where there's no profit i prithee to our rock you and fidele play the cooks i'll stay till hasty polydote return and bring him to dinner presently arviragus poor sick fidele i'll weringly to him to gain his colour i'ld let a parish of such clotens blood and praise myself for charity exit belarius o thou goddess thou divine nature how thyself thou blazon'st in these two princely boys they are as gentle as zephyrs blowing below the violet not wagging his sweet head and yet as rough their royal blood enchafed as the rudest wind that by the top doth take the mountain pine and make him stoop to the vale tis wonder that an invisible instinct should frame them to royalty unlearn'd honour untaught civility not seen from other valour that wildly grows in them but yields a crop as if it had been sow'd yet still it's strange what cloten's being here to us portends or what his death will bring us reenter guiderius guiderius where's my brother i have sent cloten's clotpoll down the stream in embassy to his mother his body's hostage for his return solemn music belarius my ingenious instrument hark polydore it sounds but what occasion hath cadwal now to give it motion hark guiderius is he at home belarius he went hence even now guiderius what does he mean since death of my dear'st mother it did not speak before all solemn things should answer solemn accidents the matter triumphs for nothing and lamenting toys is jollity for apes and grief for boys is cadwal mad belarius look here he comes and brings the dire occasion in his arms of what we blame him for reenter arviragus with imogen as dead bearing her in his arms arviragus the bird is dead that we have made so much on i had rather have skipp'd from sixteen years of age to sixty to have turn'd my leapingtime into a crutch than have seen this guiderius o sweetest fairest lily my brother wears thee not the one half so well as when thou grew'st thyself belarius o melancholy who ever yet could sound thy bottom find the ooze to show what coast thy sluggish crare might easiliest harbour in thou blessed thing jove knows what man thou mightst have made but i thou diedst a most rare boy of melancholy how found you him arviragus stark as you see thus smiling as some fly hid tickled slumber not as death's dart being laugh'd at his right cheek reposing on a cushion guiderius where arviragus o the floor his arms thus leagued i thought he slept and put my clouted brogues from off my feet whose rudeness answer'd my steps too loud guiderius why he but sleeps if he be gone he'll make his grave a bed with female fairies will his tomb be haunted and worms will not come to thee arviragus with fairest flowers whilst summer lasts and i live here fidele i'll sweeten thy sad grave thou shalt not lack the flower that's like thy face pale primrose nor the azured harebell like thy veins no nor the leaf of eglantine whom not to slander outsweeten'd not thy breath the ruddock would with charitable billo bill soreshaming those richleft heirs that let their fathers lie without a monumentbring thee all this yea and furr'd moss besides when flowers are none to winterground thy corse guiderius prithee have done and do not play in wenchlike words with that which is so serious let us bury him and not protract with admiration what is now due debt to the grave arviragus say where shall's lay him guiderius by good euriphile our mother arviragus be't so and let us polydore though now our voices have got the mannish crack sing him to the ground as once our mother use like note and words save that euriphile must be fidele guiderius cadwal i cannot sing i'll weep and word it with thee for notes of sorrow out of tune are worse than priests and fanes that lie arviragus we'll speak it then belarius great griefs i see medicine the less for cloten is quite forgot he was a queen's son boys and though he came our enemy remember he was paid for that though mean and mighty rotting together have one dust yet reverence that angel of the world doth make distinction of place tween high and low our foe was princely and though you took his life as being our foe yet bury him as a prince guiderius pray you fetch him hither thersites body is as good as ajax' when neither are alive arviragus if you'll go fetch him we'll say our song the whilst brother begin exit belarius guiderius nay cadwal we must lay his head to the east my father hath a reason for't arviragus tis true guiderius come on then and remove him arviragus so begin song guiderius fear no more the heat o the sun nor the furious winter's rages thou thy worldly task hast done home art gone and ta'en thy wages golden lads and girls all must as chimneysweepers come to dust arviragus fear no more the frown o the great thou art past the tyrant's stroke care no more to clothe and eat to thee the reed is as the oak the sceptre learning physic must all follow this and come to dust guiderius fear no more the lightning flash arviragus nor the alldreaded thunderstone guiderius fear not slander censure rash arviragus thou hast finish'd joy and moan guiderius all lovers young all lovers must arviragus consign to thee and come to dust guiderius no exorciser harm thee arviragus nor no witchcraft charm thee guiderius ghost unlaid forbear thee arviragus nothing ill come near thee guiderius quiet consummation have arviragus and renowned be thy grave reenter belarius with the body of cloten guiderius we have done our obsequies come lay him down belarius here's a few flowers but bout midnight more the herbs that have on them cold dew o the night are strewings fitt'st for graves upon their faces you were as flowers now wither'd even so these herblets shall which we upon you strew come on away apart upon our knees the ground that gave them first has them again their pleasures here are past so is their pain exeunt belarius guiderius and arviragus imogen awaking yes sir to milfordhaven which is the way i thank youby yond bushpray how far thither ods pittikins can it be six mile yet i have gone all night faith i'll lie down and sleep but soft no bedfellowo gods and goddesses seeing the body of cloten these flowers are like the pleasures of the world this bloody man the care on't i hope i dream for so i thought i was a cavekeeper and cook to honest creatures but tis not so twas but a bolt of nothing shot at nothing which the brain makes of fumes our very eyes are sometimes like our judgments blind good faith i tremble stiff with fear but if there be yet left in heaven as small a drop of pity as a wren's eye fear'd gods a part of it the dream's here still even when i wake it is without me as within me not imagined felt a headless man the garments of posthumus i know the shape of's leg this is his hand his foot mercurial his martial thigh the brawns of hercules but his jovial face murder in heavenhow'tis gone pisanio all curses madded hecuba gave the greeks and mine to boot be darted on thee thou conspired with that irregulous devil cloten hast here cut off my lord to write and read be henceforth treacherous damn'd pisanio hath with his forged lettersdamn'd pisanio from this most bravest vessel of the world struck the maintop o posthumus alas where is thy head where's that ay me where's that pisanio might have kill'd thee at the heart and left this head on how should this be pisanio tis he and cloten malice and lucre in them have laid this woe here o tis pregnant pregnant the drug he gave me which he said was precious and cordial to me have i not found it murderous to the senses that confirms it home this is pisanio's deed and cloten's o give colour to my pale cheek with thy blood that we the horrider may seem to those which chance to find us o my lord my lord falls on the body enter lucius a captain and other officers and a soothsayer captain to them the legions garrison'd in gailia after your will have cross'd the sea attending you here at milfordhaven with your ships they are in readiness caius lucius but what from rome captain the senate hath stirr'd up the confiners and gentlemen of italy most willing spirits that promise noble service and they come under the conduct of bold iachimo syenna's brother caius lucius when expect you them captain with the next benefit o the wind caius lucius this forwardness makes our hopes fair command our present numbers be muster'd bid the captains look to't now sir what have you dream'd of late of this war's purpose soothsayer last night the very gods show'd me a vision i fast and pray'd for their intelligencethus i saw jove's bird the roman eagle wing'd from the spongy south to this part of the west there vanish'd in the sunbeams which portends unless my sins abuse my divination success to the roman host caius lucius dream often so and never false soft ho what trunk is here without his top the ruin speaks that sometime it was a worthy building how a page or dead or sleeping on him but dead rather for nature doth abhor to make his bed with the defunct or sleep upon the dead let's see the boy's face captain he's alive my lord caius lucius he'll then instruct us of this body young one inform us of thy fortunes for it seems they crave to be demanded who is this thou makest thy bloody pillow or who was he that otherwise than noble nature did hath alter'd that good picture what's thy interest in this sad wreck how came it who is it what art thou imogen i am nothing or if not nothing to be were better this was my master a very valiant briton and a good that here by mountaineers lies slain alas there is no more such masters i may wander from east to occident cry out for service try many all good serve truly never find such another master caius lucius lack good youth thou movest no less with thy complaining than thy master in bleeding say his name good friend imogen richard du champ aside if i do lie and do no harm by it though the gods hear i hope they'll pardon itsay you sir caius lucius thy name imogen fidele sir caius lucius thou dost approve thyself the very same thy name well fits thy faith thy faith thy name wilt take thy chance with me i will not say thou shalt be so well master'd but be sure no less beloved the roman emperor's letters sent by a consul to me should not sooner than thine own worth prefer thee go with me imogen i'll follow sir but first an't please the gods i'll hide my master from the flies as deep as these poor pickaxes can dig and when with wild woodleaves and weeds i ha strew'd his grave and on it said a century of prayers such as i can twice o'er i'll weep and sigh and leaving so his service follow you so please you entertain me caius lucius ay good youth and rather father thee than master thee my friends the boy hath taught us manly duties let us find out the prettiest daisied plot we can and make him with our pikes and partisans a grave come arm him boy he is preferr'd by thee to us and he shall be interr'd as soldiers can be cheerful wipe thine eyes some falls are means the happier to arise exeunt cymbeline act iv scene iii a room in cymbeline's palace enter cymbeline lords pisanio and attendants cymbeline again and bring me word how tis with her exit an attendant a fever with the absence of her son a madness of which her life's in danger heavens how deeply you at once do touch me imogen the great part of my comfort gone my queen upon a desperate bed and in a time when fearful wars point at me her son gone so needful for this present it strikes me past the hope of comfort but for thee fellow who needs must know of her departure and dost seem so ignorant we'll enforce it from thee by a sharp torture pisanio sir my life is yours i humbly set it at your will but for my mistress i nothing know where she remains why gone nor when she purposes return beseech your highness hold me your loyal servant first lord good my liege the day that she was missing he was here i dare be bound he's true and shall perform all parts of his subjection loyally for cloten there wants no diligence in seeking him and will no doubt be found cymbeline the time is troublesome to pisanio we'll slip you for a season but our jealousy does yet depend first lord so please your majesty the roman legions all from gallia drawn are landed on your coast with a supply of roman gentlemen by the senate sent cymbeline now for the counsel of my son and queen i am amazed with matter first lord good my liege your preparation can affront no less than what you hear of come more for more you're ready the want is but to put those powers in motion that long to move cymbeline i thank you let's withdraw and meet the time as it seeks us we fear not what can from italy annoy us but we grieve at chances here away exeunt all but pisanio pisanio i heard no letter from my master since i wrote him imogen was slain tis strange nor hear i from my mistress who did promise to yield me often tidings neither know i what is betid to cloten but remain perplex'd in all the heavens still must work wherein i am false i am honest not true to be true these present wars shall find i love my country even to the note o the king or i'll fall in them all other doubts by time let them be clear'd fortune brings in some boats that are not steer'd exit cymbeline act iv scene iv wales before the cave of belarius enter belarius guiderius and arviragus guiderius the noise is round about us belarius let us from it arviragus what pleasure sir find we in life to lock it from action and adventure guiderius nay what hope have we in hiding us this way the romans must or for britons slay us or receive us for barbarous and unnatural revolts during their use and slay us after belarius sons we'll higher to the mountains there secure us to the king's party there's no going newness of cloten's deathwe being not known not muster'd among the bandsmay drive us to a render where we have lived and so extort from's that which we have done whose answer would be death drawn on with torture guiderius this is sir a doubt in such a time nothing becoming you nor satisfying us arviragus it is not likely that when they hear the roman horses neigh behold their quarter'd fires have both their eyes and ears so cloy'd importantly as now that they will waste their time upon our note to know from whence we are belarius o i am known of many in the army many years though cloten then but young you see not wore him from my remembrance and besides the king hath not deserved my service nor your loves who find in my exile the want of breeding the certainty of this hard life aye hopeless to have the courtesy your cradle promised but to be still hot summer's tamings and the shrinking slaves of winter guiderius than be so better to cease to be pray sir to the army i and my brother are not known yourself so out of thought and thereto so o'ergrown cannot be question'd arviragus by this sun that shines i'll thither what thing is it that i never did see man die scarce ever look'd on blood but that of coward hares hot goats and venison never bestrid a horse save one that had a rider like myself who ne'er wore rowel nor iron on his heel i am ashamed to look upon the holy sun to have the benefit of his blest beams remaining so long a poor unknown guiderius by heavens i'll go if you will bless me sir and give me leave i'll take the better care but if you will not the hazard therefore due fall on me by the hands of romans arviragus so say i amen belarius no reason i since of your lives you set so slight a valuation should reserve my crack'd one to more care have with you boys if in your country wars you chance to die that is my bed too lads an there i'll lie lead lead aside the time seems long their blood thinks scorn till it fly out and show them princes born exeunt cymbeline act v scene i britain the roman camp enter posthumus with a bloody handkerchief posthumus leonatus yea bloody cloth i'll keep thee for i wish'd thou shouldst be colour'd thus you married ones if each of you should take this course how many must murder wives much better than themselves for wrying but a little o pisanio every good servant does not all commands no bond but to do just ones gods if you should have ta'en vengeance on my faults i never had lived to put on this so had you saved the noble imogen to repent and struck me wretch more worth your vengeance but alack you snatch some hence for little faults that's love to have them fall no more you some permit to second ills with ills each elder worse and make them dread it to the doers thrift but imogen is your own do your best wills and make me blest to obey i am brought hither among the italian gentry and to fight against my lady's kingdom tis enough that britain i have kill'd thy mistress peace i'll give no wound to thee therefore good heavens hear patiently my purpose i'll disrobe me of these italian weeds and suit myself as does a briton peasant so i'll fight against the part i come with so i'll die for thee o imogen even for whom my life is every breath a death and thus unknown pitied nor hated to the face of peril myself i'll dedicate let me make men know more valour in me than my habits show gods put the strength o the leonati in me to shame the guise o the world i will begin the fashion less without and more within exit cymbeline act v scene ii field of battle between the british and roman camps enter from one side lucius iachimo and the roman army from the other side the british army posthumus leonatus following like a poor soldier they march over and go out then enter again in skirmish iachimo and posthumus leonatus he vanquisheth and disarmeth iachimo and then leaves him iachimo the heaviness and guilt within my bosom takes off my manhood i have belied a lady the princess of this country and the air on't revengingly enfeebles me or could this carl a very drudge of nature's have subdued me in my profession knighthoods and honours borne as i wear mine are titles but of scorn if that thy gentry britain go before this lout as he exceeds our lords the odds is that we scarce are men and you are gods exit the battle continues the britons fly cymbeline is taken then enter to his rescue belarius guiderius and arviragus belarius stand stand we have the advantage of the ground the lane is guarded nothing routs us but the villany of our fears guiderius stand stand and fight arviragus reenter posthumus leonatus and seconds the britons they rescue cymbeline and exeunt then reenter lucius and iachimo with imogen caius lucius away boy from the troops and save thyself for friends kill friends and the disorder's such as war were hoodwink'd iachimo tis their fresh supplies caius lucius it is a day turn'd strangely or betimes let's reinforce or fly exeunt cymbeline act v scene iii another part of the field enter posthumus leonatus and a british lord lord camest thou from where they made the stand posthumus leonatus i did though you it seems come from the fliers lord i did posthumus leonatus no blame be to you sir for all was lost but that the heavens fought the king himself of his wings destitute the army broken and but the backs of britons seen all flying through a straight lane the enemy fullhearted lolling the tongue with slaughtering having work more plentiful than tools to do't struck down some mortally some slightly touch'd some falling merely through fear that the straight pass was damm'd with dead men hurt behind and cowards living to die with lengthen'd shame lord where was this lane posthumus leonatus close by the battle ditch'd and wall'd with turf which gave advantage to an ancient soldier an honest one i warrant who deserved so long a breeding as his white beard came to in doing this for's country athwart the lane he with two striplingslads more like to run the country base than to commit such slaughter with faces fit for masks or rather fairer than those for preservation cased or shame made good the passage cried to those that fled our britain s harts die flying not our men to darkness fleet souls that fly backwards stand or we are romans and will give you that like beasts which you shun beastly and may save but to look back in frown stand stand' these three three thousand confident in act as many for three performers are the file when all the rest do nothingwith this word stand stand' accommodated by the place more charming with their own nobleness which could have turn'd a distaff to a lance gilded pale looks part shame part spirit renew'd that some turn'd coward but by exampleo a sin in war damn'd in the first beginnersgan to look the way that they did and to grin like lions upon the pikes o the hunters then began a stop i the chaser a retire anon a rout confusion thick forthwith they fly chickens the way which they stoop'd eagles slaves the strides they victors made and now our cowards like fragments in hard voyages became the life o the need having found the backdoor open of the unguarded hearts heavens how they wound some slain before some dying some their friends o'er borne i the former wave ten chased by one are now each one the slaughterman of twenty those that would die or ere resist are grown the mortal bugs o the field lord this was strange chance a narrow lane an old man and two boys posthumus leonatus nay do not wonder at it you are made rather to wonder at the things you hear than to work any will you rhyme upon't and vent it for a mockery here is one two boys an old man twice a boy a lane preserved the britons was the romans bane' lord nay be not angry sir posthumus leonatus lack to what end who dares not stand his foe i'll be his friend for if he'll do as he is made to do i know he'll quickly fly my friendship too you have put me into rhyme lord farewell you're angry posthumus leonatus still going exit lord this is a lord o noble misery to be i the field and ask what news of me today how many would have given their honours to have saved their carcasses took heel to do't and yet died too i in mine own woe charm'd could not find death where i did hear him groan nor feel him where he struck being an ugly monster tis strange he hides him in fresh cups soft beds sweet words or hath more ministers than we that draw his knives i the war well i will find him for being now a favourer to the briton no more a briton i have resumed again the part i came in fight i will no more but yield me to the veriest hind that shall once touch my shoulder great the slaughter is here made by the roman great the answer be britons must take for me my ransom's death on either side i come to spend my breath which neither here i'll keep nor bear again but end it by some means for imogen enter two british captains and soldiers first captain great jupiter be praised lucius is taken tis thought the old man and his sons were angels second captain there was a fourth man in a silly habit that gave the affront with them first captain so tis reported but none of em can be found stand who's there posthumus leonatus a roman who had not now been drooping here if seconds had answer'd him second captain lay hands on him a dog a leg of rome shall not return to tell what crows have peck'd them here he brags his service as if he were of note bring him to the king enter cymbeline belarius guiderius arviragus pisanio soldiers attendants and roman captives the captains present posthumus leonatus to cymbeline who delivers him over to a gaoler then exeunt omnes cymbeline act v scene iv a british prison enter posthumus leonatus and two gaolers first gaoler you shall not now be stol'n you have locks upon you so graze as you find pasture second gaoler ay or a stomach exeunt gaolers posthumus leonatus most welcome bondage for thou art away think to liberty yet am i better than one that's sick o the gout since he had rather groan so in perpetuity than be cured by the sure physician death who is the key to unbar these locks my conscience thou art fetter'd more than my shanks and wrists you good gods give me the penitent instrument to pick that bolt then free for ever is't enough i am sorry so children temporal fathers do appease gods are more full of mercy must i repent i cannot do it better than in gyves desired more than constrain'd to satisfy if of my freedom tis the main part take no stricter render of me than my all i know you are more clement than vile men who of their broken debtors take a third a sixth a tenth letting them thrive again on their abatement that's not my desire for imogen's dear life take mine and though tis not so dear yet tis a life you coin'd it tween man and man they weigh not every stamp though light take pieces for the figure's sake you rather mine being yours and so great powers if you will take this audit take this life and cancel these cold bonds o imogen i'll speak to thee in silence sleeps solemn music enter as in an apparition sicilius leonatus father to posthumus leonatus an old man attired like a warrior leading in his hand an ancient matron his wife and mother to posthumus leonatus with music before them then after other music follow the two young leonati brothers to posthumus leonatus with wounds as they died in the wars they circle posthumus leonatus round as he lies sleeping sicilius leonatus no more thou thundermaster show thy spite on mortal flies with mars fall out with juno chide that thy adulteries rates and revenges hath my poor boy done aught but well whose face i never saw i died whilst in the womb he stay'd attending nature's law whose father then as men report thou orphans father art thou shouldst have been and shielded him from this earthvexing smart mother lucina lent not me her aid but took me in my throes that from me was posthumus ript came crying mongst his foes a thing of pity sicilius leonatus great nature like his ancestry moulded the stuff so fair that he deserved the praise o the world as great sicilius heir first brother when once he was mature for man in britain where was he that could stand up his parallel or fruitful object be in eye of imogen that best could deem his dignity mother with marriage wherefore was he mock'd to be exiled and thrown from leonati seat and cast from her his dearest one sweet imogen sicilius leonatus why did you suffer iachimo slight thing of italy to taint his nobler heart and brain with needless jealosy and to become the geck and scorn o th other's villany second brother for this from stiller seats we came our parents and us twain that striking in our country's cause fell bravely and were slain our fealty and tenantius right with honour to maintain first brother like hardiment posthumus hath to cymbeline perform'd then jupiter thou king of gods why hast thou thus adjourn'd the graces for his merits due being all to dolours turn'd sicilius leonatus thy crystal window ope look out no longer exercise upon a valiant race thy harsh and potent injuries mother since jupiter our son is good take off his miseries sicilius leonatus peep through thy marble mansion help or we poor ghosts will cry to the shining synod of the rest against thy deity first brother help jupiter or we appeal and from thy justice fly second brother jupiter descends in thunder and lightning sitting upon an eagle he throws a thunderbolt the apparitions fall on their knees jupiter no more you petty spirits of region low offend our hearing hush how dare you ghosts accuse the thunderer whose bolt you know skyplanted batters all rebelling coasts poor shadows of elysium hence and rest upon your neverwithering banks of flowers be not with mortal accidents opprest no care of yours it is you know tis ours whom best i love i cross to make my gift the more delay'd delighted be content your lowlaid son our godhead will uplift his comforts thrive his trials well are spent our jovial star reign'd at his birth and in our temple was he married rise and fade he shall be lord of lady imogen and happier much by his affliction made this tablet lay upon his breast wherein our pleasure his full fortune doth confine and so away no further with your din express impatience lest you stir up mine mount eagle to my palace crystalline ascends sicilius leonatus he came in thunder his celestial breath was sulphurous to smell the holy eagle stoop'd as to foot us his ascension is more sweet than our blest fields his royal bird prunes the immortal wing and cloys his beak as when his god is pleased all thanks jupiter sicilius leonatus the marble pavement closes he is enter'd his radiant root away and to be blest let us with care perform his great behest the apparitions vanish posthumus leonatus waking sleep thou hast been a grandsire and begot a father to me and thou hast created a mother and two brothers but o scorn gone they went hence so soon as they were born and so i am awake poor wretches that depend on greatness favour dream as i have done wake and find nothing but alas i swerve many dream not to find neither deserve and yet are steep'd in favours so am i that have this golden chance and know not why what fairies haunt this ground a book o rare one be not as is our fangled world a garment nobler than that it covers let thy effects so follow to be most unlike our courtiers as good as promise reads when as a lion's whelp shall to himself unknown without seeking find and be embraced by a piece of tender air and when from a stately cedar shall be lopped branches which being dead many years shall after revive be jointed to the old stock and freshly grow then shall posthumus end his miseries britain be fortunate and flourish in peace and plenty' tis still a dream or else such stuff as madmen tongue and brain not either both or nothing or senseless speaking or a speaking such as sense cannot untie be what it is the action of my life is like it which i'll keep if but for sympathy reenter first gaoler first gaoler come sir are you ready for death posthumus leonatus overroasted rather ready long ago first gaoler hanging is the word sir if you be ready for that you are well cooked posthumus leonatus so if i prove a good repast to the spectators the dish pays the shot first gaoler a heavy reckoning for you sir but the comfort is you shall be called to no more payments fear no more tavernbills which are often the sadness of parting as the procuring of mirth you come in flint for want of meat depart reeling with too much drink sorry that you have paid too much and sorry that you are paid too much purse and brain both empty the brain the heavier for being too light the purse too light being drawn of heaviness of this contradiction you shall now be quit o the charity of a penny cord it sums up thousands in a trice you have no true debitor and creditor but it of what's past is and to come the discharge your neck sir is pen book and counters so the acquittance follows posthumus leonatus i am merrier to die than thou art to live first gaoler indeed sir he that sleeps feels not the toothache but a man that were to sleep your sleep and a hangman to help him to bed i think he would change places with his officer for look you sir you know not which way you shall go posthumus leonatus yes indeed do i fellow first gaoler your death has eyes in s head then i have not seen him so pictured you must either be directed by some that take upon them to know or do take upon yourself that which i am sure you do not know or jump the after inquiry on your own peril and how you shall speed in your journey's end i think you'll never return to tell one posthumus leonatus i tell thee fellow there are none want eyes to direct them the way i am going but such as wink and will not use them first gaoler what an infinite mock is this that a man should have the best use of eyes to see the way of blindness i am sure hanging's the way of winking enter a messenger messenger knock off his manacles bring your prisoner to the king posthumus leonatus thou bring'st good news i am called to be made free first gaoler i'll be hang'd then posthumus leonatus thou shalt be then freer than a gaoler no bolts for the dead exeunt posthumus leonatus and messenger first gaoler unless a man would marry a gallows and beget young gibbets i never saw one so prone yet on my conscience there are verier knaves desire to live for all he be a roman and there be some of them too that die against their wills so should i if i were one i would we were all of one mind and one mind good o there were desolation of gaolers and gallowses i speak against my present profit but my wish hath a preferment in t exeunt cymbeline act v scene v cymbeline's tent enter cymbeline belarius guiderius arviragus pisanio lords officers and attendants cymbeline stand by my side you whom the gods have made preservers of my throne woe is my heart that the poor soldier that so richly fought whose rags shamed gilded arms whose naked breast stepp'd before larges of proof cannot be found he shall be happy that can find him if our grace can make him so belarius i never saw such noble fury in so poor a thing such precious deeds in one that promises nought but beggary and poor looks cymbeline no tidings of him pisanio he hath been search'd among the dead and living but no trace of him cymbeline to my grief i am the heir of his reward to belarius guiderius and arviragus which i will add to you the liver heart and brain of britain by whom i grant she lives tis now the time to ask of whence you are report it belarius sir in cambria are we born and gentlemen further to boast were neither true nor modest unless i add we are honest cymbeline bow your knees arise my knights o the battle i create you companions to our person and will fit you with dignities becoming your estates enter cornelius and ladies there's business in these faces why so sadly greet you our victory you look like romans and not o the court of britain cornelius hail great king to sour your happiness i must report the queen is dead cymbeline who worse than a physician would this report become but i consider by medicine life may be prolong'd yet death will seize the doctor too how ended she cornelius with horror madly dying like her life which being cruel to the world concluded most cruel to herself what she confess'd i will report so please you these her women can trip me if i err who with wet cheeks were present when she finish'd cymbeline prithee say cornelius first she confess'd she never loved you only affected greatness got by you not you married your royalty was wife to your place abhorr'd your person cymbeline she alone knew this and but she spoke it dying i would not believe her lips in opening it proceed cornelius your daughter whom she bore in hand to love with such integrity she did confess was as a scorpion to her sight whose life but that her flight prevented it she had ta'en off by poison cymbeline o most delicate fiend who is t can read a woman is there more cornelius more sir and worse she did confess she had for you a mortal mineral which being took should by the minute feed on life and lingering by inches waste you in which time she purposed by watching weeping tendance kissing to o'ercome you with her show and in time when she had fitted you with her craft to work her son into the adoption of the crown but failing of her end by his strange absence grew shamelessdesperate open'd in despite of heaven and men her purposes repented the evils she hatch'd were not effected so despairing died cymbeline heard you all this her women first lady we did so please your highness cymbeline mine eyes were not in fault for she was beautiful mine ears that heard her flattery nor my heart that thought her like her seeming it had been vicious to have mistrusted her yet o my daughter that it was folly in me thou mayst say and prove it in thy feeling heaven mend all enter lucius iachimo the soothsayer and other roman prisoners guarded posthumus leonatus behind and imogen thou comest not caius now for tribute that the britons have razed out though with the loss of many a bold one whose kinsmen have made suit that their good souls may be appeased with slaughter of you their captives which ourself have granted so think of your estate caius lucius consider sir the chance of war the day was yours by accident had it gone with us we should not when the blood was cool have threaten'd our prisoners with the sword but since the gods will have it thus that nothing but our lives may be call'd ransom let it come sufficeth a roman with a roman's heart can suffer augustus lives to think on't and so much for my peculiar care this one thing only i will entreat my boy a briton born let him be ransom'd never master had a page so kind so duteous diligent so tender over his occasions true so feat so nurselike let his virtue join with my request which i make bold your highness cannot deny he hath done no briton harm though he have served a roman save him sir and spare no blood beside cymbeline i have surely seen him his favour is familiar to me boy thou hast look'd thyself into my grace and art mine own i know not why wherefore to say live boy ne'er thank thy master live and ask of cymbeline what boon thou wilt fitting my bounty and thy state i'll give it yea though thou do demand a prisoner the noblest ta'en imogen i humbly thank your highness caius lucius i do not bid thee beg my life good lad and yet i know thou wilt imogen no no alack there's other work in hand i see a thing bitter to me as death your life good master must shuffle for itself caius lucius the boy disdains me he leaves me scorns me briefly die their joys that place them on the truth of girls and boys why stands he so perplex'd cymbeline what wouldst thou boy i love thee more and more think more and more what's best to ask know'st him thou look'st on speak wilt have him live is he thy kin thy friend imogen he is a roman no more kin to me than i to your highness who being born your vassal am something nearer cymbeline wherefore eyest him so imogen i'll tell you sir in private if you please to give me hearing cymbeline ay with all my heart and lend my best attention what's thy name imogen fidele sir cymbeline thou'rt my good youth my page i'll be thy master walk with me speak freely cymbeline and imogen converse apart belarius is not this boy revived from death arviragus one sand another not more resembles that sweet rosy lad who died and was fidele what think you guiderius the same dead thing alive belarius peace peace see further he eyes us not forbear creatures may be alike were t he i am sure he would have spoke to us guiderius but we saw him dead belarius be silent let's see further pisanio aside it is my mistress since she is living let the time run on to good or bad cymbeline and imogen come forward cymbeline come stand thou by our side make thy demand aloud to iachimo sir step you forth give answer to this boy and do it freely or by our greatness and the grace of it which is our honour bitter torture shall winnow the truth from falsehood on speak to him imogen my boon is that this gentleman may render of whom he had this ring posthumus leonatus aside what's that to him cymbeline that diamond upon your finger say how came it yours iachimo thou'lt torture me to leave unspoken that which to be spoke would torture thee cymbeline how me iachimo i am glad to be constrain'd to utter that which torments me to conceal by villany i got this ring twas leonatus jewel whom thou didst banish andwhich more may grieve thee as it doth mea nobler sir ne'er lived twixt sky and ground wilt thou hear more my lord cymbeline all that belongs to this iachimo that paragon thy daughter for whom my heart drops blood and my false spirits quail to remembergive me leave i faint cymbeline my daughter what of her renew thy strength i had rather thou shouldst live while nature will than die ere i hear more strive man and speak iachimo upon a timeunhappy was the clock that struck the hourit was in romeaccursed the mansion where'twas at a feasto would our viands had been poison'd or at least those which i heaved to headthe good posthumus what should i say he was too good to be where ill men were and was the best of all amongst the rarest of good onessitting sadly hearing us praise our loves of italy for beauty that made barren the swell'd boast of him that best could speak for feature laming the shrine of venus or straightpight minerva postures beyond brief nature for condition a shop of all the qualities that man loves woman for besides that hook of wiving fairness which strikes the eye cymbeline i stand on fire come to the matter iachimo all too soon i shall unless thou wouldst grieve quickly this posthumus most like a noble lord in love and one that had a royal lover took his hint and not dispraising whom we praisedtherein he was as calm as virtuehe began his mistress picture which by his tongue being made and then a mind put in't either our brags were crack'd of kitchentrolls or his description proved us unspeaking sots cymbeline nay nay to the purpose iachimo your daughter's chastitythere it begins he spake of her as dian had hot dreams and she alone were cold whereat i wretch made scruple of his praise and wager'd with him pieces of gold gainst this which then he wore upon his honour'd finger to attain in suit the place of's bed and win this ring by hers and mine adultery he true knight no lesser of her honour confident than i did truly find her stakes this ring and would so had it been a carbuncle of phoebus wheel and might so safely had it been all the worth of's car away to britain post i in this design well may you sir remember me at court where i was taught of your chaste daughter the wide difference twixt amorous and villanous being thus quench'd of hope not longing mine italian brain gan in your duller britain operate most vilely for my vantage excellent and to be brief my practise so prevail'd that i return'd with simular proof enough to make the noble leonatus mad by wounding his belief in her renown with tokens thus and thus averting notes of chamberhanging pictures this her bracelet o cunning how i got itnay some marks of secret on her person that he could not but think her bond of chastity quite crack'd i having ta'en the forfeit whereupon methinks i see him now posthumus leonatus advancing ay so thou dost italian fiend ay me most credulous fool egregious murderer thief any thing that's due to all the villains past in being to come o give me cord or knife or poison some upright justicer thou king send out for torturers ingenious it is i that all the abhorred things o the earth amend by being worse than they i am posthumus that kill'd thy daughtervillainlike i lie that caused a lesser villain than myself a sacrilegious thief to do't the temple of virtue was she yea and she herself spit and throw stones cast mire upon me set the dogs o the street to bay me every villain be call'd posthumus leonitus and be villany less than twas o imogen my queen my life my wife o imogen imogen imogen imogen peace my lord hear hear posthumus leonatus shall's have a play of this thou scornful page there lie thy part striking her she falls pisanio o gentlemen help mine and your mistress o my lord posthumus you ne'er kill'd imogen til now help help mine honour'd lady cymbeline does the world go round posthumus leonatus how come these staggers on me pisanio wake my mistress cymbeline if this be so the gods do mean to strike me to death with mortal joy pisanio how fares thy mistress imogen o get thee from my sight thou gavest me poison dangerous fellow hence breathe not where princes are cymbeline the tune of imogen pisanio lady the gods throw stones of sulphur on me if that box i gave you was not thought by me a precious thing i had it from the queen cymbeline new matter still imogen it poison'd me cornelius o gods i left out one thing which the queen confess'd which must approve thee honest if pisanio have said she given his mistress that confection which i gave him for cordial she is served as i would serve a rat' cymbeline what's this comelius cornelius the queen sir very oft importuned me to temper poisons for her still pretending the satisfaction of her knowledge only in killing creatures vile as cats and dogs of no esteem i dreading that her purpose was of more danger did compound for her a certain stuff which being ta'en would cease the present power of life but in short time all offices of nature should again do their due functions have you ta'en of it imogen most like i did for i was dead belarius my boys there was our error guiderius this is sure fidele imogen why did you throw your wedded lady from you think that you are upon a rock and now throw me again embracing him posthumus leonatus hang there like a fruit my soul till the tree die cymbeline how now my flesh my child what makest thou me a dullard in this act wilt thou not speak to me imogen kneeling your blessing sir belarius to guiderius and arviragus though you did love this youth i blame ye not you had a motive for't cymbeline my tears that fall prove holy water on thee imogen thy mother's dead imogen i am sorry for't my lord cymbeline o she was nought and long of her it was that we meet here so strangely but her son is gone we know not how nor where pisanio my lord now fear is from me i'll speak troth lord cloten upon my lady's missing came to me with his sword drawn foam'd at the mouth and swore if i discover'd not which way she was gone it was my instant death by accident had a feigned letter of my master's then in my pocket which directed him to seek her on the mountains near to milford where in a frenzy in my master's garments which he enforced from me away he posts with unchaste purpose and with oath to violate my lady's honour what became of him i further know not guiderius let me end the story i slew him there cymbeline marry the gods forfend i would not thy good deeds should from my lips pluck a bard sentence prithee valiant youth deny't again guiderius i have spoke it and i did it cymbeline he was a prince guiderius a most incivil one the wrongs he did me were nothing princelike for he did provoke me with language that would make me spurn the sea if it could so roar to me i cut off's head and am right glad he is not standing here to tell this tale of mine cymbeline i am sorry for thee by thine own tongue thou art condemn'd and must endure our law thou'rt dead imogen that headless man i thought had been my lord cymbeline bind the offender and take him from our presence belarius stay sir king this man is better than the man he slew as well descended as thyself and hath more of thee merited than a band of clotens had ever scar for to the guard let his arms alone they were not born for bondage cymbeline why old soldier wilt thou undo the worth thou art unpaid for by tasting of our wrath how of descent as good as we arviragus in that he spake too far cymbeline and thou shalt die for't belarius we will die all three but i will prove that two on's are as good as i have given out him my sons i must for mine own part unfold a dangerous speech though haply well for you arviragus your danger's ours guiderius and our good his belarius have at it then by leave thou hadst great king a subject who was call'd belarius cymbeline what of him he is a banish'd traitor belarius he it is that hath assumed this age indeed a banish'd man i know not how a traitor cymbeline take him hence the whole world shall not save him belarius not too hot first pay me for the nursing of thy sons and let it be confiscate all so soon as i have received it cymbeline nursing of my sons belarius i am too blunt and saucy here's my knee ere i arise i will prefer my sons then spare not the old father mighty sir these two young gentlemen that call me father and think they are my sons are none of mine they are the issue of your loins my liege and blood of your begetting cymbeline how my issue belarius so sure as you your father's i old morgan am that belarius whom you sometime banish'd your pleasure was my mere offence my punishment itself and all my treason that i suffer'd was all the harm i did these gentle princes for such and so they arethese twenty years have i train'd up those arts they have as i could put into them my breeding was sir as your highness knows their nurse euriphile whom for the theft i wedded stole these children upon my banishment i moved her to't having received the punishment before for that which i did then beaten for loyalty excited me to treason their dear loss the more of you twas felt the more it shaped unto my end of stealing them but gracious sir here are your sons again and i must lose two of the sweet'st companions in the world the benediction of these covering heavens fall on their heads like dew for they are worthy to inlay heaven with stars cymbeline thou weep'st and speak'st the service that you three have done is more unlike than this thou tell'st i lost my children if these be they i know not how to wish a pair of worthier sons belarius be pleased awhile this gentleman whom i call polydore most worthy prince as yours is true guiderius this gentleman my cadwal arviragus your younger princely son he sir was lapp'd in a most curious mantle wrought by the hand of his queen mother which for more probation i can with ease produce cymbeline guiderius had upon his neck a mole a sanguine star it was a mark of wonder belarius this is he who hath upon him still that natural stamp it was wise nature's end in the donation to be his evidence now cymbeline o what am i a mother to the birth of three ne'er mother rejoiced deliverance more blest pray you be that after this strange starting from your orbs may reign in them now o imogen thou hast lost by this a kingdom imogen no my lord i have got two worlds by t o my gentle brothers have we thus met o never say hereafter but i am truest speaker you call'd me brother when i was but your sister i you brothers when ye were so indeed cymbeline did you e'er meet arviragus ay my good lord guiderius and at first meeting loved continued so until we thought he died cornelius by the queen's dram she swallow'd cymbeline o rare instinct when shall i hear all through this fierce abridgement hath to it circumstantial branches which distinction should be rich in where how lived you and when came you to serve our roman captive how parted with your brothers how first met them why fled you from the court and whither these and your three motives to the battle with i know not how much more should be demanded and all the other bydependencies from chance to chance but nor the time nor place will serve our long inter'gatories see posthumus anchors upon imogen and she like harmless lightning throws her eye on him her brother me her master hitting each object with a joy the counterchange is severally in all let's quit this ground and smoke the temple with our sacrifices to belarius thou art my brother so we'll hold thee ever imogen you are my father too and did relieve me to see this gracious season cymbeline all o'erjoy'd save these in bonds let them be joyful too for they shall taste our comfort imogen my good master i will yet do you service caius lucius happy be you cymbeline the forlorn soldier that so nobly fought he would have well becomed this place and graced the thankings of a king posthumus leonatus i am sir the soldier that did company these three in poor beseeming twas a fitment for the purpose i then follow'd that i was he speak iachimo i had you down and might have made you finish iachimo kneeling i am down again but now my heavy conscience sinks my knee as then your force did take that life beseech you which i so often owe but your ring first and here the bracelet of the truest princess that ever swore her faith posthumus leonatus kneel not to me the power that i have on you is to spare you the malice towards you to forgive you live and deal with others better cymbeline nobly doom'd we'll learn our freeness of a soninlaw pardon's the word to all arviragus you holp us sir as you did mean indeed to be our brother joy'd are we that you are posthumus leonatus your servant princes good my lord of rome call forth your soothsayer as i slept methought great jupiter upon his eagle back'd appear'd to me with other spritely shows of mine own kindred when i waked i found this label on my bosom whose containing is so from sense in hardness that i can make no collection of it let him show his skill in the construction caius lucius philarmonus soothsayer here my good lord caius lucius read and declare the meaning soothsayer reads when as a lion's whelp shall to himself unknown without seeking find and be embraced by a piece of tender air and when from a stately cedar shall be lopped branches which being dead many years shall after revive be jointed to the old stock and freshly grow then shall posthumus end his miseries britain be fortunate and flourish in peace and plenty' thou leonatus art the lion's whelp the fit and apt construction of thy name being leonatus doth import so much to cymbeline the piece of tender air thy virtuous daughter which we call mollis aer and mollis aer' we term it mulier which mulier i divine is this most constant wife who even now answering the letter of the oracle unknown to you unsought were clipp'd about with this most tender air cymbeline this hath some seeming soothsayer the lofty cedar royal cymbeline personates thee and thy lopp'd branches point thy two sons forth who by belarius stol'n for many years thought dead are now revived to the majestic cedar join'd whose issue promises britain peace and plenty cymbeline well my peace we will begin and caius lucius although the victor we submit to caesar and to the roman empire promising to pay our wonted tribute from the which we were dissuaded by our wicked queen whom heavens in justice both on her and hers have laid most heavy hand soothsayer the fingers of the powers above do tune the harmony of this peace the vision which i made known to lucius ere the stroke of this yet scarcecold battle at this instant is full accomplish'd for the roman eagle from south to west on wing soaring aloft lessen'd herself and in the beams o the sun so vanish'd which foreshow'd our princely eagle the imperial caesar should again unite his favour with the radiant cymbeline which shines here in the west cymbeline laud we the gods and let our crooked smokes climb to their nostrils from our blest altars publish we this peace to all our subjects set we forward let a roman and a british ensign wave friendly together so through lud'stown march and in the temple of great jupiter our peace we'll ratify seal it with feasts set on there never was a war did cease ere bloody hands were wash'd with such a peace exeunt love's labour's lost dramatis personae ferdinand king of navarre biron longaville lords attending on the king dumain boyet lords attending on the princess of france mercade don adriano de armado a fantastical spaniard sir nathaniel a curate holofernes a schoolmaster dull a constable costard a clown moth page to armado a forester the princess of france princess rosaline maria ladies attending on the princess katharine jaquenetta a country wench lords attendants &c first lord scene navarre love's labours lost act i scene i the king of navarre's park enter ferdinand king of navarre biron longaville and dumain ferdinand let fame that all hunt after in their lives live register'd upon our brazen tombs and then grace us in the disgrace of death when spite of cormorant devouring time the endeavor of this present breath may buy that honour which shall bate his scythe's keen edge and make us heirs of all eternity therefore brave conquerorsfor so you are that war against your own affections and the huge army of the world's desires our late edict shall strongly stand in force navarre shall be the wonder of the world our court shall be a little academe still and contemplative in living art you three biron dumain and longaville have sworn for three years term to live with me my fellowscholars and to keep those statutes that are recorded in this schedule here your oaths are pass'd and now subscribe your names that his own hand may strike his honour down that violates the smallest branch herein if you are arm'd to do as sworn to do subscribe to your deep oaths and keep it too longaville i am resolved tis but a three years fast the mind shall banquet though the body pine fat paunches have lean pates and dainty bits make rich the ribs but bankrupt quite the wits dumain my loving lord dumain is mortified the grosser manner of these world's delights he throws upon the gross world's baser slaves to love to wealth to pomp i pine and die with all these living in philosophy biron i can but say their protestation over so much dear liege i have already sworn that is to live and study here three years but there are other strict observances as not to see a woman in that term which i hope well is not enrolled there and one day in a week to touch no food and but one meal on every day beside the which i hope is not enrolled there and then to sleep but three hours in the night and not be seen to wink of all the day when i was wont to think no harm all night and make a dark night too of half the day which i hope well is not enrolled there o these are barren tasks too hard to keep not to see ladies study fast not sleep ferdinand your oath is pass'd to pass away from these biron let me say no my liege an if you please i only swore to study with your grace and stay here in your court for three years space longaville you swore to that biron and to the rest biron by yea and nay sir then i swore in jest what is the end of study let me know ferdinand why that to know which else we should not know biron things hid and barr'd you mean from common sense ferdinand ay that is study's godlike recompense biron come on then i will swear to study so to know the thing i am forbid to know as thusto study where i well may dine when i to feast expressly am forbid or study where to meet some mistress fine when mistresses from common sense are hid or having sworn too hard a keeping oath study to break it and not break my troth if study's gain be thus and this be so study knows that which yet it doth not know swear me to this and i will ne'er say no ferdinand these be the stops that hinder study quite and train our intellects to vain delight biron why all delights are vain but that most vain which with pain purchased doth inherit pain as painfully to pore upon a book to seek the light of truth while truth the while doth falsely blind the eyesight of his look light seeking light doth light of light beguile so ere you find where light in darkness lies your light grows dark by losing of your eyes study me how to please the eye indeed by fixing it upon a fairer eye who dazzling so that eye shall be his heed and give him light that it was blinded by study is like the heaven's glorious sun that will not be deepsearch'd with saucy looks small have continual plodders ever won save base authority from others books these earthly godfathers of heaven's lights that give a name to every fixed star have no more profit of their shining nights than those that walk and wot not what they are too much to know is to know nought but fame and every godfather can give a name ferdinand how well he's read to reason against reading dumain proceeded well to stop all good proceeding longaville he weeds the corn and still lets grow the weeding biron the spring is near when green geese are abreeding dumain how follows that biron fit in his place and time dumain in reason nothing biron something then in rhyme ferdinand biron is like an envious sneaping frost that bites the firstborn infants of the spring biron well say i am why should proud summer boast before the birds have any cause to sing why should i joy in any abortive birth at christmas i no more desire a rose than wish a snow in may's newfangled mirth but like of each thing that in season grows so you to study now it is too late climb o'er the house to unlock the little gate ferdinand well sit you out go home biron adieu biron no my good lord i have sworn to stay with you and though i have for barbarism spoke more than for that angel knowledge you can say yet confident i'll keep what i have swore and bide the penance of each three years day give me the paper let me read the same and to the strict'st decrees i'll write my name ferdinand how well this yielding rescues thee from shame biron reads item that no woman shall come within a mile of my court hath this been proclaimed longaville four days ago biron let's see the penalty reads on pain of losing her tongue who devised this penalty longaville marry that did i biron sweet lord and why longaville to fright them hence with that dread penalty biron a dangerous law against gentility reads item if any man be seen to talk with a woman within the term of three years he shall endure such public shame as the rest of the court can possibly devise' this article my liege yourself must break for well you know here comes in embassy the french king's daughter with yourself to speak a maid of grace and complete majesty about surrender up of aquitaine to her decrepit sick and bedrid father therefore this article is made in vain or vainly comes the admired princess hither ferdinand what say you lords why this was quite forgot biron so study evermore is overshot while it doth study to have what it would it doth forget to do the thing it should and when it hath the thing it hunteth most tis won as towns with fire so won so lost ferdinand we must of force dispense with this decree she must lie here on mere necessity biron necessity will make us all forsworn three thousand times within this three years space for every man with his affects is born not by might master'd but by special grace if i break faith this word shall speak for me i am forsworn on mere necessity' so to the laws at large i write my name subscribes and he that breaks them in the least degree stands in attainder of eternal shame suggestions are to other as to me but i believe although i seem so loath i am the last that will last keep his oath but is there no quick recreation granted ferdinand ay that there is our court you know is haunted with a refined traveller of spain a man in all the world's new fashion planted that hath a mint of phrases in his brain one whom the music of his own vain tongue doth ravish like enchanting harmony a man of complements whom right and wrong have chose as umpire of their mutiny this child of fancy that armado hight for interim to our studies shall relate in highborn words the worth of many a knight from tawny spain lost in the world's debate how you delight my lords i know not i but i protest i love to hear him lie and i will use him for my minstrelsy biron armado is a most illustrious wight a man of firenew words fashion's own knight longaville costard the swain and he shall be our sport and so to study three years is but short enter dull with a letter and costard dull which is the duke's own person biron this fellow what wouldst dull i myself reprehend his own person for i am his grace's tharborough but i would see his own person in flesh and blood biron this is he dull signior armearmecommends you there's villany abroad this letter will tell you more costard sir the contempts thereof are as touching me ferdinand a letter from the magnificent armado biron how low soever the matter i hope in god for high words longaville a high hope for a low heaven god grant us patience biron to hear or forbear laughing longaville to hear meekly sir and to laugh moderately or to forbear both biron well sir be it as the style shall give us cause to climb in the merriness costard the matter is to me sir as concerning jaquenetta the manner of it is i was taken with the manner biron in what manner costard in manner and form following sir all those three i was seen with her in the manorhouse sitting with her upon the form and taken following her into the park which put together is in manner and form following now sir for the mannerit is the manner of a man to speak to a woman for the form in some form biron for the following sir costard as it shall follow in my correction and god defend the right ferdinand will you hear this letter with attention biron as we would hear an oracle costard such is the simplicity of man to hearken after the flesh ferdinand reads great deputy the welkin's vicegerent and sole dominator of navarre my soul's earth's god and body's fostering patron' costard not a word of costard yet ferdinand reads so it is' costard it may be so but if he say it is so he is in telling true but so ferdinand peace costard be to me and every man that dares not fight ferdinand no words costard of other men's secrets i beseech you ferdinand reads so it is besieged with sablecoloured melancholy i did commend the blackoppressing humour to the most wholesome physic of thy healthgiving air and as i am a gentleman betook myself to walk the time when about the sixth hour when beasts most graze birds best peck and men sit down to that nourishment which is called supper so much for the time when now for the ground which which i mean i walked upon it is ycleped thy park then for the place where where i mean i did encounter that obscene and preposterous event that draweth from my snowwhite pen the eboncoloured ink which here thou viewest beholdest surveyest or seest but to the place where it standeth northnortheast and by east from the west corner of thy curious knotted garden there did i see that lowspirited swain that base minnow of thy mirth' costard me ferdinand reads that unlettered smallknowing soul' costard me ferdinand reads that shallow vassal' costard still me ferdinand reads which as i remember hight costard' costard o me ferdinand reads sorted and consorted contrary to thy established proclaimed edict and continent canon which witho withbut with this i passion to say wherewith costard with a wench ferdinand reads with a child of our grandmother eve a female or for thy more sweet understanding a woman him i as my everesteemed duty pricks me on have sent to thee to receive the meed of punishment by thy sweet grace's officer anthony dull a man of good repute carriage bearing and estimation' dull me an't shall please you i am anthony dull ferdinand reads for jaquenettaso is the weaker vessel called which i apprehended with the aforesaid swaini keep her as a vessel of the law's fury and shall at the least of thy sweet notice bring her to trial thine in all compliments of devoted and heartburning heat of duty don adriano de armado' biron this is not so well as i looked for but the best that ever i heard ferdinand ay the best for the worst but sirrah what say you to this costard sir i confess the wench ferdinand did you hear the proclamation costard i do confess much of the hearing it but little of the marking of it ferdinand it was proclaimed a year's imprisonment to be taken with a wench costard i was taken with none sir i was taken with a damsel ferdinand well it was proclaimed damsel' costard this was no damsel neither sir she was a virgin ferdinand it is so varied too for it was proclaimed virgin' costard if it were i deny her virginity i was taken with a maid ferdinand this maid will not serve your turn sir costard this maid will serve my turn sir ferdinand sir i will pronounce your sentence you shall fast a week with bran and water costard i had rather pray a month with mutton and porridge ferdinand and don armado shall be your keeper my lord biron see him deliver'd o'er and go we lords to put in practise that which each to other hath so strongly sworn exeunt ferdinand longaville and dumain biron i'll lay my head to any good man's hat these oaths and laws will prove an idle scorn sirrah come on costard i suffer for the truth sir for true it is i was taken with jaquenetta and jaquenetta is a true girl and therefore welcome the sour cup of prosperity affliction may one day smile again and till then sit thee down sorrow exeunt love's labours lost act i scene ii the same enter don adriano de armado and moth don adriano de armado boy what sign is it when a man of great spirit grows melancholy moth a great sign sir that he will look sad don adriano de armado why sadness is one and the selfsame thing dear imp moth no no o lord sir no don adriano de armado how canst thou part sadness and melancholy my tender juvenal moth by a familiar demonstration of the working my tough senior don adriano de armado why tough senior why tough senior moth why tender juvenal why tender juvenal don adriano de armado i spoke it tender juvenal as a congruent epitheton appertaining to thy young days which we may nominate tender moth and i tough senior as an appertinent title to your old time which we may name tough don adriano de armado pretty and apt moth how mean you sir i pretty and my saying apt or i apt and my saying pretty don adriano de armado thou pretty because little moth little pretty because little wherefore apt don adriano de armado and therefore apt because quick moth speak you this in my praise master don adriano de armado in thy condign praise moth i will praise an eel with the same praise don adriano de armado what that an eel is ingenious moth that an eel is quick don adriano de armado i do say thou art quick in answers thou heatest my blood moth i am answered sir don adriano de armado i love not to be crossed moth aside he speaks the mere contrary crosses love not him don adriano de armado i have promised to study three years with the duke moth you may do it in an hour sir don adriano de armado impossible moth how many is one thrice told don adriano de armado i am ill at reckoning it fitteth the spirit of a tapster moth you are a gentleman and a gamester sir don adriano de armado i confess both they are both the varnish of a complete man moth then i am sure you know how much the gross sum of deuceace amounts to don adriano de armado it doth amount to one more than two moth which the base vulgar do call three don adriano de armado true moth why sir is this such a piece of study now here is three studied ere ye'll thrice wink and how easy it is to put years to the word three and study three years in two words the dancing horse will tell you don adriano de armado a most fine figure moth to prove you a cipher don adriano de armado i will hereupon confess i am in love and as it is base for a soldier to love so am i in love with a base wench if drawing my sword against the humour of affection would deliver me from the reprobate thought of it i would take desire prisoner and ransom him to any french courtier for a newdevised courtesy i think scorn to sigh methinks i should outswear cupid comfort me boy what great men have been in love moth hercules master don adriano de armado most sweet hercules more authority dear boy name more and sweet my child let them be men of good repute and carriage moth samson master he was a man of good carriage great carriage for he carried the towngates on his back like a porter and he was in love don adriano de armado o wellknit samson strongjointed samson i do excel thee in my rapier as much as thou didst me in carrying gates i am in love too who was samson's love my dear moth moth a woman master don adriano de armado of what complexion moth of all the four or the three or the two or one of the four don adriano de armado tell me precisely of what complexion moth of the seawater green sir don adriano de armado is that one of the four complexions moth as i have read sir and the best of them too don adriano de armado green indeed is the colour of lovers but to have a love of that colour methinks samson had small reason for it he surely affected her for her wit moth it was so sir for she had a green wit don adriano de armado my love is most immaculate white and red moth most maculate thoughts master are masked under such colours don adriano de armado define define welleducated infant moth my father's wit and my mother's tongue assist me don adriano de armado sweet invocation of a child most pretty and pathetical moth if she be made of white and red her faults will ne'er be known for blushing cheeks by faults are bred and fears by pale white shown then if she fear or be to blame by this you shall not know for still her cheeks possess the same which native she doth owe a dangerous rhyme master against the reason of white and red don adriano de armado is there not a ballad boy of the king and the beggar moth the world was very guilty of such a ballad some three ages since but i think now tis not to be found or if it were it would neither serve for the writing nor the tune don adriano de armado i will have that subject newly writ o'er that i may example my digression by some mighty precedent boy i do love that country girl that i took in the park with the rational hind costard she deserves well moth aside to be whipped and yet a better love than my master don adriano de armado sing boy my spirit grows heavy in love moth and that's great marvel loving a light wench don adriano de armado i say sing moth forbear till this company be past enter dull costard and jaquenetta dull sir the duke's pleasure is that you keep costard safe and you must suffer him to take no delight nor no penance but a must fast three days a week for this damsel i must keep her at the park she is allowed for the daywoman fare you well don adriano de armado i do betray myself with blushing maid jaquenetta man don adriano de armado i will visit thee at the lodge jaquenetta that's hereby don adriano de armado i know where it is situate jaquenetta lord how wise you are don adriano de armado i will tell thee wonders jaquenetta with that face don adriano de armado i love thee jaquenetta so i heard you say don adriano de armado and so farewell jaquenetta fair weather after you dull come jaquenetta away exeunt dull and jaquenetta don adriano de armado villain thou shalt fast for thy offences ere thou be pardoned costard well sir i hope when i do it i shall do it on a full stomach don adriano de armado thou shalt be heavily punished costard i am more bound to you than your fellows for they are but lightly rewarded don adriano de armado take away this villain shut him up moth come you transgressing slave away costard let me not be pent up sir i will fast being loose moth no sir that were fast and loose thou shalt to prison costard well if ever i do see the merry days of desolation that i have seen some shall see moth what shall some see costard nay nothing master moth but what they look upon it is not for prisoners to be too silent in their words and therefore i will say nothing i thank god i have as little patience as another man and therefore i can be quiet exeunt moth and costard don adriano de armado i do affect the very ground which is base where her shoe which is baser guided by her foot which is basest doth tread i shall be forsworn which is a great argument of falsehood if i love and how can that be true love which is falsely attempted love is a familiar love is a devil there is no evil angel but love yet was samson so tempted and he had an excellent strength yet was solomon so seduced and he had a very good wit cupid's buttshaft is too hard for hercules club and therefore too much odds for a spaniard's rapier the first and second cause will not serve my turn the passado he respects not the duello he regards not his disgrace is to be called boy but his glory is to subdue men adieu valour rust rapier be still drum for your manager is in love yea he loveth assist me some extemporal god of rhyme for i am sure i shall turn sonnet devise wit write pen for i am for whole volumes in folio exit love's labours lost act ii scene i the same enter the princess of france rosaline maria katharine boyet lords and other attendants boyet now madam summon up your dearest spirits consider who the king your father sends to whom he sends and what's his embassy yourself held precious in the world's esteem to parley with the sole inheritor of all perfections that a man may owe matchless navarre the plea of no less weight than aquitaine a dowry for a queen be now as prodigal of all dear grace as nature was in making graces dear when she did starve the general world beside and prodigally gave them all to you princess good lord boyet my beauty though but mean needs not the painted flourish of your praise beauty is bought by judgement of the eye not utter'd by base sale of chapmen's tongues i am less proud to hear you tell my worth than you much willing to be counted wise in spending your wit in the praise of mine but now to task the tasker good boyet you are not ignorant alltelling fame doth noise abroad navarre hath made a vow till painful study shall outwear three years no woman may approach his silent court therefore to's seemeth it a needful course before we enter his forbidden gates to know his pleasure and in that behalf bold of your worthiness we single you as our bestmoving fair solicitor tell him the daughter of the king of france on serious business craving quick dispatch importunes personal conference with his grace haste signify so much while we attend like humblevisaged suitors his high will boyet proud of employment willingly i go princess all pride is willing pride and yours is so exit boyet who are the votaries my loving lords that are vowfellows with this virtuous duke first lord lord longaville is one princess know you the man maria i know him madam at a marriagefeast between lord perigort and the beauteous heir of jaques falconbridge solemnized in normandy saw i this longaville a man of sovereign parts he is esteem'd well fitted in arts glorious in arms nothing becomes him ill that he would well the only soil of his fair virtue's gloss if virtue's gloss will stain with any soil is a sharp wit matched with too blunt a will whose edge hath power to cut whose will still wills it should none spare that come within his power princess some merry mocking lord belike is't so maria they say so most that most his humours know princess such shortlived wits do wither as they grow who are the rest katharine the young dumain a wellaccomplished youth of all that virtue love for virtue loved most power to do most harm least knowing ill for he hath wit to make an ill shape good and shape to win grace though he had no wit i saw him at the duke alencon's once and much too little of that good i saw is my report to his great worthiness rosaline another of these students at that time was there with him if i have heard a truth biron they call him but a merrier man within the limit of becoming mirth i never spent an hour's talk withal his eye begets occasion for his wit for every object that the one doth catch the other turns to a mirthmoving jest which his fair tongue conceit's expositor delivers in such apt and gracious words that aged ears play truant at his tales and younger hearings are quite ravished so sweet and voluble is his discourse princess god bless my ladies are they all in love that every one her own hath garnished with such bedecking ornaments of praise first lord here comes boyet reenter boyet princess now what admittance lord boyet navarre had notice of your fair approach and he and his competitors in oath were all address'd to meet you gentle lady before i came marry thus much i have learnt he rather means to lodge you in the field like one that comes here to besiege his court than seek a dispensation for his oath to let you enter his unpeopled house here comes navarre enter ferdinand longaville dumain biron and attendants ferdinand fair princess welcome to the court of navarre princess fair i give you back again and welcome i have not yet the roof of this court is too high to be yours and welcome to the wide fields too base to be mine ferdinand you shall be welcome madam to my court princess i will be welcome then conduct me thither ferdinand hear me dear lady i have sworn an oath princess our lady help my lord he'll be forsworn ferdinand not for the world fair madam by my will princess why will shall break it will and nothing else ferdinand your ladyship is ignorant what it is princess were my lord so his ignorance were wise where now his knowledge must prove ignorance i hear your grace hath sworn out housekeeping tis deadly sin to keep that oath my lord and sin to break it but pardon me i am too suddenbold to teach a teacher ill beseemeth me vouchsafe to read the purpose of my coming and suddenly resolve me in my suit ferdinand madam i will if suddenly i may princess you will the sooner that i were away for you'll prove perjured if you make me stay biron did not i dance with you in brabant once rosaline did not i dance with you in brabant once biron i know you did rosaline how needless was it then to ask the question biron you must not be so quick rosaline tis long of you that spur me with such questions biron your wit's too hot it speeds too fast twill tire rosaline not till it leave the rider in the mire biron what time o day rosaline the hour that fools should ask biron now fair befall your mask rosaline fair fall the face it covers biron and send you many lovers rosaline amen so you be none biron nay then will i be gone ferdinand madam your father here doth intimate the payment of a hundred thousand crowns being but the one half of an entire sum disbursed by my father in his wars but say that he or we as neither have received that sum yet there remains unpaid a hundred thousand more in surety of the which one part of aquitaine is bound to us although not valued to the money's worth if then the king your father will restore but that one half which is unsatisfied we will give up our right in aquitaine and hold fair friendship with his majesty but that it seems he little purposeth for here he doth demand to have repaid a hundred thousand crowns and not demands on payment of a hundred thousand crowns to have his title live in aquitaine which we much rather had depart withal and have the money by our father lent than aquitaine so gelded as it is dear princess were not his requests so far from reason's yielding your fair self should make a yielding gainst some reason in my breast and go well satisfied to france again princess you do the king my father too much wrong and wrong the reputation of your name in so unseeming to confess receipt of that which hath so faithfully been paid ferdinand i do protest i never heard of it and if you prove it i'll repay it back or yield up aquitaine princess we arrest your word boyet you can produce acquittances for such a sum from special officers of charles his father ferdinand satisfy me so boyet so please your grace the packet is not come where that and other specialties are bound tomorrow you shall have a sight of them ferdinand it shall suffice me at which interview all liberal reason i will yield unto meantime receive such welcome at my hand as honour without breach of honour may make tender of to thy true worthiness you may not come fair princess in my gates but here without you shall be so received as you shall deem yourself lodged in my heart though so denied fair harbour in my house your own good thoughts excuse me and farewell tomorrow shall we visit you again princess sweet health and fair desires consort your grace ferdinand thy own wish wish i thee in every place exit biron lady i will commend you to mine own heart rosaline pray you do my commendations i would be glad to see it biron i would you heard it groan rosaline is the fool sick biron sick at the heart rosaline alack let it blood biron would that do it good rosaline my physic says ay' biron will you prick't with your eye rosaline no point with my knife biron now god save thy life rosaline and yours from long living biron i cannot stay thanksgiving retiring dumain sir i pray you a word what lady is that same boyet the heir of alencon katharine her name dumain a gallant lady monsieur fare you well exit longaville i beseech you a word what is she in the white boyet a woman sometimes an you saw her in the light longaville perchance light in the light i desire her name boyet she hath but one for herself to desire that were a shame longaville pray you sir whose daughter boyet her mother's i have heard longaville god's blessing on your beard boyet good sir be not offended she is an heir of falconbridge longaville nay my choler is ended she is a most sweet lady boyet not unlike sir that may be exit longaville biron what's her name in the cap boyet rosaline by good hap biron is she wedded or no boyet to her will sir or so biron you are welcome sir adieu boyet farewell to me sir and welcome to you exit biron maria that last is biron the merry madcap lord not a word with him but a jest boyet and every jest but a word princess it was well done of you to take him at his word boyet i was as willing to grapple as he was to board maria two hot sheeps marry boyet and wherefore not ships no sheep sweet lamb unless we feed on your lips maria you sheep and i pasture shall that finish the jest boyet so you grant pasture for me offering to kiss her maria not so gentle beast my lips are no common though several they be boyet belonging to whom maria to my fortunes and me princess good wits will be jangling but gentles agree this civil war of wits were much better used on navarre and his bookmen for here tis abused boyet if my observation which very seldom lies by the heart's still rhetoric disclosed with eyes deceive me not now navarre is infected princess with what boyet with that which we lovers entitle affected princess your reason boyet why all his behaviors did make their retire to the court of his eye peeping thorough desire his heart like an agate with your print impress'd proud with his form in his eye pride express'd his tongue all impatient to speak and not see did stumble with haste in his eyesight to be all senses to that sense did make their repair to feel only looking on fairest of fair methought all his senses were lock'd in his eye as jewels in crystal for some prince to buy who tendering their own worth from where they were glass'd did point you to buy them along as you pass'd his face's own margent did quote such amazes that all eyes saw his eyes enchanted with gazes i'll give you aquitaine and all that is his an you give him for my sake but one loving kiss princess come to our pavilion boyet is disposed boyet but to speak that in words which his eye hath disclosed i only have made a mouth of his eye by adding a tongue which i know will not lie rosaline thou art an old lovemonger and speakest skilfully maria he is cupid's grandfather and learns news of him rosaline then was venus like her mother for her father is but grim boyet do you hear my mad wenches maria no boyet what then do you see rosaline ay our way to be gone boyet you are too hard for me exeunt love's labours lost act iii scene i the same enter don adriano de armado and moth don adriano de armado warble child make passionate my sense of hearing moth concolinel singing don adriano de armado sweet air go tenderness of years take this key give enlargement to the swain bring him festinately hither i must employ him in a letter to my love moth master will you win your love with a french brawl don adriano de armado how meanest thou brawling in french moth no my complete master but to jig off a tune at the tongue's end canary to it with your feet humour it with turning up your eyelids sigh a note and sing a note sometime through the throat as if you swallowed love with singing love sometime through the nose as if you snuffed up love by smelling love with your hat penthouselike o'er the shop of your eyes with your arms crossed on your thinbelly doublet like a rabbit on a spit or your hands in your pocket like a man after the old painting and keep not too long in one tune but a snip and away these are complements these are humours these betray nice wenches that would be betrayed without these and make them men of notedo you note methat most are affected to these don adriano de armado how hast thou purchased this experience moth by my penny of observation don adriano de armado but obut o moth the hobbyhorse is forgot' don adriano de armado callest thou my love hobbyhorse' moth no master the hobbyhorse is but a colt and your love perhaps a hackney but have you forgot your love don adriano de armado almost i had moth negligent student learn her by heart don adriano de armado by heart and in heart boy moth and out of heart master all those three i will prove don adriano de armado what wilt thou prove moth a man if i live and this by in and without upon the instant by heart you love her because your heart cannot come by her in heart you love her because your heart is in love with her and out of heart you love her being out of heart that you cannot enjoy her don adriano de armado i am all these three moth and three times as much more and yet nothing at all don adriano de armado fetch hither the swain he must carry me a letter moth a message well sympathized a horse to be ambassador for an ass don adriano de armado ha ha what sayest thou moth marry sir you must send the ass upon the horse for he is very slowgaited but i go don adriano de armado the way is but short away moth as swift as lead sir don adriano de armado the meaning pretty ingenious is not lead a metal heavy dull and slow moth minime honest master or rather master no don adriano de armado i say lead is slow moth you are too swift sir to say so is that lead slow which is fired from a gun don adriano de armado sweet smoke of rhetoric he reputes me a cannon and the bullet that's he i shoot thee at the swain moth thump then and i flee exit don adriano de armado a most acute juvenal voluble and free of grace by thy favour sweet welkin i must sigh in thy face most rude melancholy valour gives thee place my herald is return'd reenter moth with costard moth a wonder master here's a costard broken in a shin don adriano de armado some enigma some riddle come thy l'envoy begin costard no enigma no riddle no l'envoy no salve in the mail sir o sir plantain a plain plantain no l'envoy no l'envoy no salve sir but a plantain don adriano de armado by virtue thou enforcest laughter thy silly thought my spleen the heaving of my lungs provokes me to ridiculous smiling o pardon me my stars doth the inconsiderate take salve for l'envoy and the word l'envoy for a salve moth do the wise think them other is not l'envoy a salve don adriano de armado no page it is an epilogue or discourse to make plain some obscure precedence that hath tofore been sain i will example it the fox the ape and the humblebee were still at odds being but three there's the moral now the l'envoy moth i will add the l'envoy say the moral again don adriano de armado the fox the ape and the humblebee were still at odds being but three moth until the goose came out of door and stay'd the odds by adding four now will i begin your moral and do you follow with my l'envoy the fox the ape and the humblebee were still at odds being but three don adriano de armado until the goose came out of door staying the odds by adding four moth a good l'envoy ending in the goose would you desire more costard the boy hath sold him a bargain a goose that's flat sir your pennyworth is good an your goose be fat to sell a bargain well is as cunning as fast and loose let me see a fat l'envoy ay that's a fat goose don adriano de armado come hither come hither how did this argument begin moth by saying that a costard was broken in a shin then call'd you for the l'envoy costard true and i for a plantain thus came your argument in then the boy's fat l'envoy the goose that you bought and he ended the market don adriano de armado but tell me how was there a costard broken in a shin moth i will tell you sensibly costard thou hast no feeling of it moth i will speak that l'envoy i costard running out that was safely within fell over the threshold and broke my shin don adriano de armado we will talk no more of this matter costard till there be more matter in the shin don adriano de armado sirrah costard i will enfranchise thee costard o marry me to one frances i smell some l'envoy some goose in this don adriano de armado by my sweet soul i mean setting thee at liberty enfreedoming thy person thou wert immured restrained captivated bound costard true true and now you will be my purgation and let me loose don adriano de armado i give thee thy liberty set thee from durance and in lieu thereof impose on thee nothing but this bear this significant giving a letter to the country maid jaquenetta there is remuneration for the best ward of mine honour is rewarding my dependents moth follow exit moth like the sequel i signior costard adieu costard my sweet ounce of man's flesh my incony jew exit moth now will i look to his remuneration remuneration o that's the latin word for three farthings three farthingsremuneration'what's the price of this inkle''one penny''no i'll give you a remuneration why it carries it remuneration why it is a fairer name than french crown i will never buy and sell out of this word enter biron biron o my good knave costard exceedingly well met costard pray you sir how much carnation ribbon may a man buy for a remuneration biron what is a remuneration costard marry sir halfpenny farthing biron why then threefarthing worth of silk costard i thank your worship god be wi you biron stay slave i must employ thee as thou wilt win my favour good my knave do one thing for me that i shall entreat costard when would you have it done sir biron this afternoon costard well i will do it sir fare you well biron thou knowest not what it is costard i shall know sir when i have done it biron why villain thou must know first costard i will come to your worship tomorrow morning biron it must be done this afternoon hark slave it is but this the princess comes to hunt here in the park and in her train there is a gentle lady when tongues speak sweetly then they name her name and rosaline they call her ask for her and to her white hand see thou do commend this seal'dup counsel there's thy guerdon go giving him a shilling costard gardon o sweet gardon better than remuneration a'levenpence farthing better most sweet gardon i will do it sir in print gardon remuneration exit biron and i forsooth in love i that have been love's whip a very beadle to a humorous sigh a critic nay a nightwatch constable a domineering pedant o'er the boy than whom no mortal so magnificent this whimpled whining purblind wayward boy this seniorjunior giantdwarf dan cupid regent of loverhymes lord of folded arms the anointed sovereign of sighs and groans liege of all loiterers and malcontents dread prince of plackets king of codpieces sole imperator and great general of trotting paritorso my little heart and i to be a corporal of his field and wear his colours like a tumbler's hoop what i i love i sue i seek a wife a woman that is like a german clock still arepairing ever out of frame and never going aright being a watch but being watch'd that it may still go right nay to be perjured which is worst of all and among three to love the worst of all a wightly wanton with a velvet brow with two pitchballs stuck in her face for eyes ay and by heaven one that will do the deed though argus were her eunuch and her guard and i to sigh for her to watch for her to pray for her go to it is a plague that cupid will impose for my neglect of his almighty dreadful little might well i will love write sigh pray sue and groan some men must love my lady and some joan exit love's labours lost act iv scene i the same enter the princess and her train a forester boyet rosaline maria and katharine princess was that the king that spurred his horse so hard against the steep uprising of the hill boyet i know not but i think it was not he princess whoe'er a was a show'd a mounting mind well lords today we shall have our dispatch on saturday we will return to france then forester my friend where is the bush that we must stand and play the murderer in forester hereby upon the edge of yonder coppice a stand where you may make the fairest shoot princess i thank my beauty i am fair that shoot and thereupon thou speak'st the fairest shoot forester pardon me madam for i meant not so princess what what first praise me and again say no o shortlived pride not fair alack for woe forester yes madam fair princess nay never paint me now where fair is not praise cannot mend the brow here good my glass take this for telling true fair payment for foul words is more than due forester nothing but fair is that which you inherit princess see see my beauty will be saved by merit o heresy in fair fit for these days a giving hand though foul shall have fair praise but come the bow now mercy goes to kill and shooting well is then accounted ill thus will i save my credit in the shoot not wounding pity would not let me do't if wounding then it was to show my skill that more for praise than purpose meant to kill and out of question so it is sometimes glory grows guilty of detested crimes when for fame's sake for praise an outward part we bend to that the working of the heart as i for praise alone now seek to spill the poor deer's blood that my heart means no ill boyet do not curst wives hold that selfsovereignty only for praise sake when they strive to be lords o'er their lords princess only for praise and praise we may afford to any lady that subdues a lord boyet here comes a member of the commonwealth enter costard costard god digyouden all pray you which is the head lady princess thou shalt know her fellow by the rest that have no heads costard which is the greatest lady the highest princess the thickest and the tallest costard the thickest and the tallest it is so truth is truth an your waist mistress were as slender as my wit one o these maids girdles for your waist should be fit are not you the chief woman you are the thickest here princess what's your will sir what's your will costard i have a letter from monsieur biron to one lady rosaline princess o thy letter thy letter he's a good friend of mine stand aside good bearer boyet you can carve break up this capon boyet i am bound to serve this letter is mistook it importeth none here it is writ to jaquenetta princess we will read it i swear break the neck of the wax and every one give ear reads boyet by heaven that thou art fair is most infallible true that thou art beauteous truth itself that thou art lovely more fairer than fair beautiful than beauteous truer than truth itself have commiseration on thy heroical vassal the magnanimous and most illustrate king cophetua set eye upon the pernicious and indubitate beggar zenelophon and he it was that might rightly say veni vidi vici which to annothanize in the vulgaro base and obscure vulgarvidelicet he came saw and overcame he came one saw two overcame three who came the king why did he come to see why did he see to overcome to whom came he to the beggar what saw he the beggar who overcame he the beggar the conclusion is victory on whose side the king's the captive is enriched on whose side the beggar's the catastrophe is a nuptial on whose side the king's no on both in one or one in both i am the king for so stands the comparison thou the beggar for so witnesseth thy lowliness shall i command thy love i may shall i enforce thy love i could shall i entreat thy love i will what shalt thou exchange for rags robes for tittles titles for thyself me thus expecting thy reply i profane my lips on thy foot my eyes on thy picture and my heart on thy every part thine in the dearest design of industry don adriano de armado' thus dost thou hear the nemean lion roar gainst thee thou lamb that standest as his prey submissive fall his princely feet before and he from forage will incline to play but if thou strive poor soul what art thou then food for his rage repasture for his den princess what plume of feathers is he that indited this letter what vane what weathercock did you ever hear better boyet i am much deceived but i remember the style princess else your memory is bad going o'er it erewhile boyet this armado is a spaniard that keeps here in court a phantasime a monarcho and one that makes sport to the prince and his bookmates princess thou fellow a word who gave thee this letter costard i told you my lord princess to whom shouldst thou give it costard from my lord to my lady princess from which lord to which lady costard from my lord biron a good master of mine to a lady of france that he call'd rosaline princess thou hast mistaken his letter come lords away to rosaline here sweet put up this twill be thine another day exeunt princess and train boyet who is the suitor who is the suitor rosaline shall i teach you to know boyet ay my continent of beauty rosaline why she that bears the bow finely put off boyet my lady goes to kill horns but if thou marry hang me by the neck if horns that year miscarry finely put on rosaline well then i am the shooter boyet and who is your deer rosaline if we choose by the horns yourself come not near finely put on indeed maria you still wrangle with her boyet and she strikes at the brow boyet but she herself is hit lower have i hit her now rosaline shall i come upon thee with an old saying that was a man when king pepin of france was a little boy as touching the hit it boyet so i may answer thee with one as old that was a woman when queen guinover of britain was a little wench as touching the hit it rosaline thou canst not hit it hit it hit it thou canst not hit it my good man boyet an i cannot cannot cannot an i cannot another can exeunt rosaline and katharine costard by my troth most pleasant how both did fit it maria a mark marvellous well shot for they both did hit it boyet a mark o mark but that mark a mark says my lady let the mark have a prick in't to mete at if it may be maria wide o the bow hand i faith your hand is out costard indeed a must shoot nearer or he'll ne'er hit the clout boyet an if my hand be out then belike your hand is in costard then will she get the upshoot by cleaving the pin maria come come you talk greasily your lips grow foul costard she's too hard for you at pricks sir challenge her to bowl boyet i fear too much rubbing good night my good owl exeunt boyet and maria costard by my soul a swain a most simple clown lord lord how the ladies and i have put him down o my troth most sweet jests most incony vulgar wit when it comes so smoothly off so obscenely as it were so fit armado o th one sideo a most dainty man to see him walk before a lady and to bear her fan to see him kiss his hand and how most sweetly a' will swear and his page o t other side that handful of wit ah heavens it is a most pathetical nit sola sola shout within exit costard running love's labours lost act iv scene ii the same enter holofernes sir nathaniel and dull sir nathaniel very reverend sport truly and done in the testimony of a good conscience holofernes the deer was as you know sanguis in blood ripe as the pomewater who now hangeth like a jewel in the ear of caelo the sky the welkin the heaven and anon falleth like a crab on the face of terra the soil the land the earth sir nathaniel truly master holofernes the epithets are sweetly varied like a scholar at the least but sir i assure ye it was a buck of the first head holofernes sir nathaniel haud credo dull twas not a haud credo twas a pricket holofernes most barbarous intimation yet a kind of insinuation as it were in via in way of explication facere as it were replication or rather ostentare to show as it were his inclination after his undressed unpolished uneducated unpruned untrained or rather unlettered or ratherest unconfirmed fashion to insert again my haud credo for a deer dull i said the deer was not a haud credo twas a pricket holofernes twicesod simplicity his coctus o thou monster ignorance how deformed dost thou look sir nathaniel sir he hath never fed of the dainties that are bred in a book he hath not eat paper as it were he hath not drunk ink his intellect is not replenished he is only an animal only sensible in the duller parts and such barren plants are set before us that we thankful should be which we of taste and feeling are for those parts that do fructify in us more than he for as it would ill become me to be vain indiscreet or a fool so were there a patch set on learning to see him in a school but omne bene say i being of an old father's mind many can brook the weather that love not the wind dull you two are bookmen can you tell me by your wit what was a month old at cain's birth that's not five weeks old as yet holofernes dictynna goodman dull dictynna goodman dull dull what is dictynna sir nathaniel a title to phoebe to luna to the moon holofernes the moon was a month old when adam was no more and raught not to five weeks when he came to fivescore the allusion holds in the exchange dull tis true indeed the collusion holds in the exchange holofernes god comfort thy capacity i say the allusion holds in the exchange dull and i say the pollusion holds in the exchange for the moon is never but a month old and i say beside that twas a pricket that the princess killed holofernes sir nathaniel will you hear an extemporal epitaph on the death of the deer and to humour the ignorant call i the deer the princess killed a pricket sir nathaniel perge good master holofernes perge so it shall please you to abrogate scurrility holofernes i will something affect the letter for it argues facility the preyful princess pierced and prick'd a pretty pleasing pricket some say a sore but not a sore till now made sore with shooting the dogs did yell put l to sore then sorel jumps from thicket or pricket sore or else sorel the people fall ahooting if sore be sore then l to sore makes fifty sores one sorel of one sore i an hundred make by adding but one more l sir nathaniel a rare talent dull aside if a talent be a claw look how he claws him with a talent holofernes this is a gift that i have simple simple a foolish extravagant spirit full of forms figures shapes objects ideas apprehensions motions revolutions these are begot in the ventricle of memory nourished in the womb of pia mater and delivered upon the mellowing of occasion but the gift is good in those in whom it is acute and i am thankful for it sir nathaniel sir i praise the lord for you and so may my parishioners for their sons are well tutored by you and their daughters profit very greatly under you you are a good member of the commonwealth holofernes mehercle if their sons be ingenuous they shall want no instruction if their daughters be capable i will put it to them but vir sapit qui pauca loquitur a soul feminine saluteth us enter jaquenetta and costard jaquenetta god give you good morrow master parson holofernes master parson quasi person an if one should be pierced which is the one costard marry master schoolmaster he that is likest to a hogshead holofernes piercing a hogshead a good lustre of conceit in a tuft of earth fire enough for a flint pearl enough for a swine tis pretty it is well jaquenetta good master parson be so good as read me this letter it was given me by costard and sent me from don armado i beseech you read it holofernes fauste precor gelida quando pecus omne sub umbra ruminatand so forth ah good old mantuan i may speak of thee as the traveller doth of venice venetia venetia chi non ti vede non ti pretia old mantuan old mantuan who understandeth thee not loves thee not ut re sol la mi fa under pardon sir what are the contents or rather as horace says in hiswhat my soul verses sir nathaniel ay sir and very learned holofernes let me hear a staff a stanze a verse lege domine sir nathaniel reads if love make me forsworn how shall i swear to love ah never faith could hold if not to beauty vow'd though to myself forsworn to thee i'll faithful prove those thoughts to me were oaks to thee like osiers bow'd study his bias leaves and makes his book thine eyes where all those pleasures live that art would comprehend if knowledge be the mark to know thee shall suffice well learned is that tongue that well can thee commend all ignorant that soul that sees thee without wonder which is to me some praise that i thy parts admire thy eye jove's lightning bears thy voice his dreadful thunder which not to anger bent is music and sweet fire celestial as thou art o pardon love this wrong that sings heaven's praise with such an earthly tongue holofernes you find not the apostraphas and so miss the accent let me supervise the canzonet here are only numbers ratified but for the elegancy facility and golden cadence of poesy caret ovidius naso was the man and why indeed naso but for smelling out the odouriferous flowers of fancy the jerks of invention imitari is nothing so doth the hound his master the ape his keeper the tired horse his rider but damosella virgin was this directed to you jaquenetta ay sir from one monsieur biron one of the strange queen's lords holofernes i will overglance the superscript to the snowwhite hand of the most beauteous lady rosaline i will look again on the intellect of the letter for the nomination of the party writing to the person written unto your ladyship's in all desired employment biron sir nathaniel this biron is one of the votaries with the king and here he hath framed a letter to a sequent of the stranger queen's which accidentally or by the way of progression hath miscarried trip and go my sweet deliver this paper into the royal hand of the king it may concern much stay not thy compliment i forgive thy duty adieu jaquenetta good costard go with me sir god save your life costard have with thee my girl exeunt costard and jaquenetta sir nathaniel sir you have done this in the fear of god very religiously and as a certain father saith holofernes sir tell me not of the father i do fear colourable colours but to return to the verses did they please you sir nathaniel sir nathaniel marvellous well for the pen holofernes i do dine today at the father's of a certain pupil of mine where if before repast it shall please you to gratify the table with a grace i will on my privilege i have with the parents of the foresaid child or pupil undertake your ben venuto where i will prove those verses to be very unlearned neither savouring of poetry wit nor invention i beseech your society sir nathaniel and thank you too for society saith the text is the happiness of life holofernes and certes the text most infallibly concludes it to dull sir i do invite you too you shall not say me nay pauca verba away the gentles are at their game and we will to our recreation exeunt love's labours lost act iv scene iii the same enter biron with a paper biron the king he is hunting the deer i am coursing myself they have pitched a toil i am toiling in a pitchpitch that defiles defile a foul word well set thee down sorrow for so they say the fool said and so say i and i the fool well proved wit by the lord this love is as mad as ajax it kills sheep it kills me i a sheep well proved again o my side i will not love if i do hang me i faith i will not o but her eyeby this light but for her eye i would not love her yes for her two eyes well i do nothing in the world but lie and lie in my throat by heaven i do love and it hath taught me to rhyme and to be melancholy and here is part of my rhyme and here my melancholy well she hath one o my sonnets already the clown bore it the fool sent it and the lady hath it sweet clown sweeter fool sweetest lady by the world i would not care a pin if the other three were in here comes one with a paper god give him grace to groan stands aside enter ferdinand with a paper ferdinand ay me biron aside shot by heaven proceed sweet cupid thou hast thumped him with thy birdbolt under the left pap in faith secrets ferdinand reads so sweet a kiss the golden sun gives not to those fresh morning drops upon the rose as thy eyebeams when their fresh rays have smote the night of dew that on my cheeks down flows nor shines the silver moon one half so bright through the transparent bosom of the deep as doth thy face through tears of mine give light thou shinest in every tear that i do weep no drop but as a coach doth carry thee so ridest thou triumphing in my woe do but behold the tears that swell in me and they thy glory through my grief will show but do not love thyself then thou wilt keep my tears for glasses and still make me weep o queen of queens how far dost thou excel no thought can think nor tongue of mortal tell how shall she know my griefs i'll drop the paper sweet leaves shade folly who is he comes here steps aside what longaville and reading listen ear biron now in thy likeness one more fool appear enter longaville with a paper longaville ay me i am forsworn biron why he comes in like a perjure wearing papers ferdinand in love i hope sweet fellowship in shame biron one drunkard loves another of the name longaville am i the first that have been perjured so biron i could put thee in comfort not by two that i know thou makest the triumviry the cornercap of society the shape of love's tyburn that hangs up simplicity longaville i fear these stubborn lines lack power to move o sweet maria empress of my love these numbers will i tear and write in prose biron o rhymes are guards on wanton cupid's hose disfigure not his slop longaville this same shall go reads did not the heavenly rhetoric of thine eye gainst whom the world cannot hold argument persuade my heart to this false perjury vows for thee broke deserve not punishment a woman i forswore but i will prove thou being a goddess i forswore not thee my vow was earthly thou a heavenly love thy grace being gain'd cures all disgrace in me vows are but breath and breath a vapour is then thou fair sun which on my earth dost shine exhalest this vapourvow in thee it is if broken then it is no fault of mine if by me broke what fool is not so wise to lose an oath to win a paradise biron this is the livervein which makes flesh a deity a green goose a goddess pure pure idolatry god amend us god amend we are much out o the way longaville by whom shall i send thiscompany stay steps aside biron all hid all hid an old infant play like a demigod here sit i in the sky and wretched fools secrets heedfully o'ereye more sacks to the mill o heavens i have my wish enter dumain with a paper dumain transform'd four woodcocks in a dish dumain o most divine kate biron o most profane coxcomb dumain by heaven the wonder in a mortal eye biron by earth she is not corporal there you lie dumain her amber hair for foul hath amber quoted biron an ambercolour'd raven was well noted dumain as upright as the cedar biron stoop i say her shoulder is with child dumain as fair as day biron ay as some days but then no sun must shine dumain o that i had my wish longaville and i had mine ferdinand and i mine too good lord biron amen so i had mine is not that a good word dumain i would forget her but a fever she reigns in my blood and will remember'd be biron a fever in your blood why then incision would let her out in saucers sweet misprision dumain once more i'll read the ode that i have writ biron once more i'll mark how love can vary wit dumain reads on a dayalack the day love whose month is ever may spied a blossom passing fair playing in the wanton air through the velvet leaves the wind all unseen can passage find that the lover sick to death wish himself the heaven's breath air quoth he thy cheeks may blow air would i might triumph so but alack my hand is sworn ne'er to pluck thee from thy thorn vow alack for youth unmeet youth so apt to pluck a sweet do not call it sin in me that i am forsworn for thee thou for whom jove would swear juno but an ethiope were and deny himself for jove turning mortal for thy love this will i send and something else more plain that shall express my true love's fasting pain o would the king biron and longaville were lovers too ill to example ill would from my forehead wipe a perjured note for none offend where all alike do dote longaville advancing dumain thy love is far from charity you may look pale but i should blush i know to be o'erheard and taken napping so ferdinand advancing come sir you blush as his your case is such you chide at him offending twice as much you do not love maria longaville did never sonnet for her sake compile nor never lay his wreathed arms athwart his loving bosom to keep down his heart i have been closely shrouded in this bush and mark'd you both and for you both did blush i heard your guilty rhymes observed your fashion saw sighs reek from you noted well your passion ay me says one o jove the other cries one her hairs were gold crystal the other's eyes to longaville you would for paradise break faith and troth to dumain and jove for your love would infringe an oath what will biron say when that he shall hear faith so infringed which such zeal did swear how will he scorn how will he spend his wit how will he triumph leap and laugh at it for all the wealth that ever i did see i would not have him know so much by me biron now step i forth to whip hypocrisy advancing ah good my liege i pray thee pardon me good heart what grace hast thou thus to reprove these worms for loving that art most in love your eyes do make no coaches in your tears there is no certain princess that appears you'll not be perjured tis a hateful thing tush none but minstrels like of sonneting but are you not ashamed nay are you not all three of you to be thus much o'ershot you found his mote the king your mote did see but i a beam do find in each of three o what a scene of foolery have i seen of sighs of groans of sorrow and of teen o me with what strict patience have i sat to see a king transformed to a gnat to see great hercules whipping a gig and profound solomon to tune a jig and nestor play at pushpin with the boys and critic timon laugh at idle toys where lies thy grief o tell me good dumain and gentle longaville where lies thy pain and where my liege's all about the breast a caudle ho ferdinand too bitter is thy jest are we betray'd thus to thy overview biron not you to me but i betray'd by you i that am honest i that hold it sin to break the vow i am engaged in i am betray'd by keeping company with men like men of inconstancy when shall you see me write a thing in rhyme or groan for love or spend a minute's time in pruning me when shall you hear that i will praise a hand a foot a face an eye a gait a state a brow a breast a waist a leg a limb ferdinand soft whither away so fast a true man or a thief that gallops so biron i post from love good lover let me go enter jaquenetta and costard jaquenetta god bless the king ferdinand what present hast thou there costard some certain treason ferdinand what makes treason here costard nay it makes nothing sir ferdinand if it mar nothing neither the treason and you go in peace away together jaquenetta i beseech your grace let this letter be read our parson misdoubts it twas treason he said ferdinand biron read it over giving him the paper where hadst thou it jaquenetta of costard ferdinand where hadst thou it costard of dun adramadio dun adramadio biron tears the letter ferdinand how now what is in you why dost thou tear it biron a toy my liege a toy your grace needs not fear it longaville it did move him to passion and therefore let's hear it dumain it is biron's writing and here is his name gathering up the pieces biron to costard ah you whoreson loggerhead you were born to do me shame guilty my lord guilty i confess i confess ferdinand what biron that you three fools lack'd me fool to make up the mess he he and you and you my liege and i are pickpurses in love and we deserve to die o dismiss this audience and i shall tell you more dumain now the number is even biron true true we are four will these turtles be gone ferdinand hence sirs away costard walk aside the true folk and let the traitors stay exeunt costard and jaquenetta biron sweet lords sweet lovers o let us embrace as true we are as flesh and blood can be the sea will ebb and flow heaven show his face young blood doth not obey an old decree we cannot cross the cause why we were born therefore of all hands must we be forsworn ferdinand what did these rent lines show some love of thine biron did they quoth you who sees the heavenly rosaline that like a rude and savage man of inde at the first opening of the gorgeous east bows not his vassal head and strucken blind kisses the base ground with obedient breast what peremptory eaglesighted eye dares look upon the heaven of her brow that is not blinded by her majesty ferdinand what zeal what fury hath inspired thee now my love her mistress is a gracious moon she an attending star scarce seen a light biron my eyes are then no eyes nor i biron o but for my love day would turn to night of all complexions the cull'd sovereignty do meet as at a fair in her fair cheek where several worthies make one dignity where nothing wants that want itself doth seek lend me the flourish of all gentle tongues fie painted rhetoric o she needs it not to things of sale a seller's praise belongs she passes praise then praise too short doth blot a wither'd hermit fivescore winters worn might shake off fifty looking in her eye beauty doth varnish age as if newborn and gives the crutch the cradle's infancy o tis the sun that maketh all things shine ferdinand by heaven thy love is black as ebony biron is ebony like her o wood divine a wife of such wood were felicity o who can give an oath where is a book that i may swear beauty doth beauty lack if that she learn not of her eye to look no face is fair that is not full so black ferdinand o paradox black is the badge of hell the hue of dungeons and the suit of night and beauty's crest becomes the heavens well biron devils soonest tempt resembling spirits of light o if in black my lady's brows be deck'd it mourns that painting and usurping hair should ravish doters with a false aspect and therefore is she born to make black fair her favour turns the fashion of the days for native blood is counted painting now and therefore red that would avoid dispraise paints itself black to imitate her brow dumain to look like her are chimneysweepers black longaville and since her time are colliers counted bright ferdinand and ethiopes of their sweet complexion crack dumain dark needs no candles now for dark is light biron your mistresses dare never come in rain for fear their colours should be wash'd away ferdinand twere good yours did for sir to tell you plain i'll find a fairer face not wash'd today biron i'll prove her fair or talk till doomsday here ferdinand no devil will fright thee then so much as she dumain i never knew man hold vile stuff so dear longaville look here's thy love my foot and her face see biron o if the streets were paved with thine eyes her feet were much too dainty for such tread dumain o vile then as she goes what upward lies the street should see as she walk'd overhead ferdinand but what of this are we not all in love biron nothing so sure and thereby all forsworn ferdinand then leave this chat and good biron now prove our loving lawful and our faith not torn dumain ay marry there some flattery for this evil longaville o some authority how to proceed some tricks some quillets how to cheat the devil dumain some salve for perjury biron tis more than need have at you then affection's men at arms consider what you first did swear unto to fast to study and to see no woman flat treason gainst the kingly state of youth say can you fast your stomachs are too young and abstinence engenders maladies and where that you have vow'd to study lords in that each of you have forsworn his book can you still dream and pore and thereon look for when would you my lord or you or you have found the ground of study's excellence without the beauty of a woman's face from women's eyes this doctrine i derive they are the ground the books the academes from whence doth spring the true promethean fire why universal plodding poisons up the nimble spirits in the arteries as motion and longduring action tires the sinewy vigour of the traveller now for not looking on a woman's face you have in that forsworn the use of eyes and study too the causer of your vow for where is any author in the world teaches such beauty as a woman's eye learning is but an adjunct to ourself and where we are our learning likewise is then when ourselves we see in ladies eyes do we not likewise see our learning there o we have made a vow to study lords and in that vow we have forsworn our books for when would you my liege or you or you in leaden contemplation have found out such fiery numbers as the prompting eyes of beauty's tutors have enrich'd you with other slow arts entirely keep the brain and therefore finding barren practisers scarce show a harvest of their heavy toil but love first learned in a lady's eyes lives not alone immured in the brain but with the motion of all elements courses as swift as thought in every power and gives to every power a double power above their functions and their offices it adds a precious seeing to the eye a lover's eyes will gaze an eagle blind a lover's ear will hear the lowest sound when the suspicious head of theft is stopp'd love's feeling is more soft and sensible than are the tender horns of cockl'd snails love's tongue proves dainty bacchus gross in taste for valour is not love a hercules still climbing trees in the hesperides subtle as sphinx as sweet and musical as bright apollo's lute strung with his hair and when love speaks the voice of all the gods makes heaven drowsy with the harmony never durst poet touch a pen to write until his ink were temper'd with love's sighs o then his lines would ravish savage ears and plant in tyrants mild humility from women's eyes this doctrine i derive they sparkle still the right promethean fire they are the books the arts the academes that show contain and nourish all the world else none at all in ought proves excellent then fools you were these women to forswear or keeping what is sworn you will prove fools for wisdom's sake a word that all men love or for love's sake a word that loves all men or for men's sake the authors of these women or women's sake by whom we men are men let us once lose our oaths to find ourselves or else we lose ourselves to keep our oaths it is religion to be thus forsworn for charity itself fulfills the law and who can sever love from charity ferdinand saint cupid then and soldiers to the field biron advance your standards and upon them lords pellmell down with them but be first advised in conflict that you get the sun of them longaville now to plaindealing lay these glozes by shall we resolve to woo these girls of france ferdinand and win them too therefore let us devise some entertainment for them in their tents biron first from the park let us conduct them thither then homeward every man attach the hand of his fair mistress in the afternoon we will with some strange pastime solace them such as the shortness of the time can shape for revels dances masks and merry hours forerun fair love strewing her way with flowers ferdinand away away no time shall be omitted that will betime and may by us be fitted biron allons allons sow'd cockle reap'd no corn and justice always whirls in equal measure light wenches may prove plagues to men forsworn if so our copper buys no better treasure exeunt love's labours lost act v scene i the same enter holofernes sir nathaniel and dull holofernes satis quod sufficit sir nathaniel i praise god for you sir your reasons at dinner have been sharp and sententious pleasant without scurrility witty without affection audacious without impudency learned without opinion and strange with out heresy i did converse this quondam day with a companion of the king's who is intituled nomi nated or called don adriano de armado holofernes novi hominem tanquam te his humour is lofty his discourse peremptory his tongue filed his eye ambitious his gait majestical and his general behavior vain ridiculous and thrasonical he is too picked too spruce too affected too odd as it were too peregrinate as i may call it sir nathaniel a most singular and choice epithet draws out his tablebook holofernes he draweth out the thread of his verbosity finer than the staple of his argument i abhor such fanatical phantasimes such insociable and pointdevise companions such rackers of orthography as to speak dout fine when he should say doubt det when he should pronounce debtd e b t not d e t he clepeth a calf cauf half hauf neighbour vocatur nebor neigh abbreviated ne this is abhominablewhich he would call abbominable it insinuateth me of insanie anne intelligis domine to make frantic lunatic sir nathaniel laus deo bene intelligo holofernes bon bon fort bon priscian a little scratch'd twill serve sir nathaniel videsne quis venit holofernes video et gaudeo enter don adriano de armado moth and costard don adriano de armado chirrah to moth holofernes quare chirrah not sirrah don adriano de armado men of peace well encountered holofernes most military sir salutation moth aside to costard they have been at a great feast of languages and stolen the scraps costard o they have lived long on the almsbasket of words i marvel thy master hath not eaten thee for a word for thou art not so long by the head as honorificabilitudinitatibus thou art easier swallowed than a flapdragon moth peace the peal begins don adriano de armado to holofernes monsieur are you not lettered moth yes yes he teaches boys the hornbook what is a b spelt backward with the horn on his head holofernes ba pueritia with a horn added moth ba most silly sheep with a horn you hear his learning holofernes quis quis thou consonant moth the third of the five vowels if you repeat them or the fifth if i holofernes i will repeat thema e i moth the sheep the other two concludes ito u don adriano de armado now by the salt wave of the mediterraneum a sweet touch a quick venue of wit snip snap quick and home it rejoiceth my intellect true wit moth offered by a child to an old man which is witold holofernes what is the figure what is the figure moth horns holofernes thou disputest like an infant go whip thy gig moth lend me your horn to make one and i will whip about your infamy circum circaa gig of a cuckold's horn costard an i had but one penny in the world thou shouldst have it to buy gingerbread hold there is the very remuneration i had of thy master thou halfpenny purse of wit thou pigeonegg of discretion o an the heavens were so pleased that thou wert but my bastard what a joyful father wouldst thou make me go to thou hast it ad dunghill at the fingers' ends as they say holofernes o i smell false latin dunghill for unguem don adriano de armado artsman preambulate we will be singled from the barbarous do you not educate youth at the chargehouse on the top of the mountain holofernes or mons the hill don adriano de armado at your sweet pleasure for the mountain holofernes i do sans question don adriano de armado sir it is the king's most sweet pleasure and affection to congratulate the princess at her pavilion in the posteriors of this day which the rude multitude call the afternoon holofernes the posterior of the day most generous sir is liable congruent and measurable for the afternoon the word is well culled chose sweet and apt i do assure you sir i do assure don adriano de armado sir the king is a noble gentleman and my familiar i do assure ye very good friend for what is inward between us let it pass i do beseech thee remember thy courtesy i beseech thee apparel thy head and among other important and most serious designs and of great import indeed too but let that pass for i must tell thee it will please his grace by the world sometime to lean upon my poor shoulder and with his royal finger thus dally with my excrement with my mustachio but sweet heart let that pass by the world i recount no fable some certain special honours it pleaseth his greatness to impart to armado a soldier a man of travel that hath seen the world but let that pass the very all of all isbut sweet heart i do implore secrecythat the king would have me present the princess sweet chuck with some delightful ostentation or show or pageant or antique or firework now understanding that the curate and your sweet self are good at such eruptions and sudden breaking out of mirth as it were i have acquainted you withal to the end to crave your assistance holofernes sir you shall present before her the nine worthies sir as concerning some entertainment of time some show in the posterior of this day to be rendered by our assistants at the king's command and this most gallant illustrate and learned gentleman before the princess i say none so fit as to present the nine worthies sir nathaniel where will you find men worthy enough to present them holofernes joshua yourself myself and this gallant gentleman judas maccabaeus this swain because of his great limb or joint shall pass pompey the great the page hercules don adriano de armado pardon sir error he is not quantity enough for that worthy's thumb he is not so big as the end of his club holofernes shall i have audience he shall present hercules in minority his enter and exit shall be strangling a snake and i will have an apology for that purpose moth an excellent device so if any of the audience hiss you may cry well done hercules now thou crushest the snake that is the way to make an offence gracious though few have the grace to do it don adriano de armado for the rest of the worthies holofernes i will play three myself moth thriceworthy gentleman don adriano de armado shall i tell you a thing holofernes we attend don adriano de armado we will have if this fadge not an antique i beseech you follow holofernes via goodman dull thou hast spoken no word all this while dull nor understood none neither sir holofernes allons we will employ thee dull i'll make one in a dance or so or i will play on the tabour to the worthies and let them dance the hay holofernes most dull honest dull to our sport away exeunt love's labours lost act v scene ii the same enter the princess katharine rosaline and maria princess sweet hearts we shall be rich ere we depart if fairings come thus plentifully in a lady wall'd about with diamonds look you what i have from the loving king rosaline madame came nothing else along with that princess nothing but this yes as much love in rhyme as would be cramm'd up in a sheet of paper writ o both sides the leaf margent and all that he was fain to seal on cupid's name rosaline that was the way to make his godhead wax for he hath been five thousand years a boy katharine ay and a shrewd unhappy gallows too rosaline you'll ne'er be friends with him a kill'd your sister katharine he made her melancholy sad and heavy and so she died had she been light like you of such a merry nimble stirring spirit she might ha been a grandam ere she died and so may you for a light heart lives long rosaline what's your dark meaning mouse of this light word katharine a light condition in a beauty dark rosaline we need more light to find your meaning out katharine you'll mar the light by taking it in snuff therefore i'll darkly end the argument rosaline look what you do you do it still i the dark katharine so do not you for you are a light wench rosaline indeed i weigh not you and therefore light katharine you weigh me not o that's you care not for me rosaline great reason for past cure is still past care' princess well bandied both a set of wit well play'd but rosaline you have a favour too who sent it and what is it rosaline i would you knew an if my face were but as fair as yours my favour were as great be witness this nay i have verses too i thank biron the numbers true and were the numbering too i were the fairest goddess on the ground i am compared to twenty thousand fairs o he hath drawn my picture in his letter princess any thing like rosaline much in the letters nothing in the praise princess beauteous as ink a good conclusion katharine fair as a text b in a copybook rosaline ware pencils ho let me not die your debtor my red dominical my golden letter o that your face were not so full of o's katharine a pox of that jest and i beshrew all shrows princess but katharine what was sent to you from fair dumain katharine madam this glove princess did he not send you twain katharine yes madam and moreover some thousand verses of a faithful lover a huge translation of hypocrisy vilely compiled profound simplicity maria this and these pearls to me sent longaville the letter is too long by half a mile princess i think no less dost thou not wish in heart the chain were longer and the letter short maria ay or i would these hands might never part princess we are wise girls to mock our lovers so rosaline they are worse fools to purchase mocking so that same biron i'll torture ere i go o that i knew he were but in by the week how i would make him fawn and beg and seek and wait the season and observe the times and spend his prodigal wits in bootless rhymes and shape his service wholly to my hests and make him proud to make me proud that jests so perttauntlike would i o'ersway his state that he should be my fool and i his fate princess none are so surely caught when they are catch'd as wit turn'd fool folly in wisdom hatch'd hath wisdom's warrant and the help of school and wit's own grace to grace a learned fool rosaline the blood of youth burns not with such excess as gravity's revolt to wantonness maria folly in fools bears not so strong a note as foolery in the wise when wit doth dote since all the power thereof it doth apply to prove by wit worth in simplicity princess here comes boyet and mirth is in his face enter boyet boyet o i am stabb'd with laughter where's her grace princess thy news boyet boyet prepare madam prepare arm wenches arm encounters mounted are against your peace love doth approach disguised armed in arguments you'll be surprised muster your wits stand in your own defence or hide your heads like cowards and fly hence princess saint denis to saint cupid what are they that charge their breath against us say scout say boyet under the cool shade of a sycamore i thought to close mine eyes some half an hour when lo to interrupt my purposed rest toward that shade i might behold addrest the king and his companions warily i stole into a neighbour thicket by and overheard what you shall overhear that by and by disguised they will be here their herald is a pretty knavish page that well by heart hath conn'd his embassage action and accent did they teach him there thus must thou speak and thus thy body bear' and ever and anon they made a doubt presence majestical would put him out for quoth the king an angel shalt thou see yet fear not thou but speak audaciously' the boy replied an angel is not evil i should have fear'd her had she been a devil' with that all laugh'd and clapp'd him on the shoulder making the bold wag by their praises bolder one rubb'd his elbow thus and fleer'd and swore a better speech was never spoke before another with his finger and his thumb cried via we will do't come what will come' the third he caper'd and cried all goes well' the fourth turn'd on the toe and down he fell with that they all did tumble on the ground with such a zealous laughter so profound that in this spleen ridiculous appears to cheque their folly passion's solemn tears princess but what but what come they to visit us boyet they do they do and are apparell'd thus like muscovites or russians as i guess their purpose is to parle to court and dance and every one his lovefeat will advance unto his several mistress which they'll know by favours several which they did bestow princess and will they so the gallants shall be task'd for ladies we shall every one be mask'd and not a man of them shall have the grace despite of suit to see a lady's face hold rosaline this favour thou shalt wear and then the king will court thee for his dear hold take thou this my sweet and give me thine so shall biron take me for rosaline and change your favours too so shall your loves woo contrary deceived by these removes rosaline come on then wear the favours most in sight katharine but in this changing what is your intent princess the effect of my intent is to cross theirs they do it but in mocking merriment and mock for mock is only my intent their several counsels they unbosom shall to loves mistook and so be mock'd withal upon the next occasion that we meet with visages displayed to talk and greet rosaline but shall we dance if they desire to't princess no to the death we will not move a foot nor to their penn'd speech render we no grace but while tis spoke each turn away her face boyet why that contempt will kill the speaker's heart and quite divorce his memory from his part princess therefore i do it and i make no doubt the rest will ne'er come in if he be out there's no such sport as sport by sport o'erthrown to make theirs ours and ours none but our own so shall we stay mocking intended game and they well mock'd depart away with shame trumpets sound within boyet the trumpet sounds be mask'd the maskers come the ladies mask enter blackamoors with music moth ferdinand biron longaville and dumain in russian habits and masked moth all hail the richest beauties on the earth boyet beauties no richer than rich taffeta moth a holy parcel of the fairest dames the ladies turn their backs to him that ever turn'd theirbacksto mortal views biron aside to moth their eyes villain their eyes moth that ever turn'd their eyes to mortal viewsout boyet true out indeed moth out of your favours heavenly spirits vouchsafe not to behold biron aside to moth once to behold rogue moth once to behold with your sunbeamed eyes with your sunbeamed eyes boyet they will not answer to that epithet you were best call it daughterbeamed eyes' moth they do not mark me and that brings me out biron is this your perfectness be gone you rogue exit moth rosaline what would these strangers know their minds boyet if they do speak our language tis our will that some plain man recount their purposes know what they would boyet what would you with the princess biron nothing but peace and gentle visitation rosaline what would they say they boyet nothing but peace and gentle visitation rosaline why that they have and bid them so be gone boyet she says you have it and you may be gone ferdinand say to her we have measured many miles to tread a measure with her on this grass boyet they say that they have measured many a mile to tread a measure with you on this grass rosaline it is not so ask them how many inches is in one mile if they have measured many the measure then of one is easily told boyet if to come hither you have measured miles and many miles the princess bids you tell how many inches doth fill up one mile biron tell her we measure them by weary steps boyet she hears herself rosaline how many weary steps of many weary miles you have o'ergone are number'd in the travel of one mile biron we number nothing that we spend for you our duty is so rich so infinite that we may do it still without accompt vouchsafe to show the sunshine of your face that we like savages may worship it rosaline my face is but a moon and clouded too ferdinand blessed are clouds to do as such clouds do vouchsafe bright moon and these thy stars to shine those clouds removed upon our watery eyne rosaline o vain petitioner beg a greater matter thou now request'st but moonshine in the water ferdinand then in our measure do but vouchsafe one change thou bid'st me beg this begging is not strange rosaline play music then nay you must do it soon music plays not yet no dance thus change i like the moon ferdinand will you not dance how come you thus estranged rosaline you took the moon at full but now she's changed ferdinand yet still she is the moon and i the man the music plays vouchsafe some motion to it rosaline our ears vouchsafe it ferdinand but your legs should do it rosaline since you are strangers and come here by chance we'll not be nice take hands we will not dance ferdinand why take we hands then rosaline only to part friends curtsy sweet hearts and so the measure ends ferdinand more measure of this measure be not nice rosaline we can afford no more at such a price ferdinand prize you yourselves what buys your company rosaline your absence only ferdinand that can never be rosaline then cannot we be bought and so adieu twice to your visor and half once to you ferdinand if you deny to dance let's hold more chat rosaline in private then ferdinand i am best pleased with that they converse apart biron whitehanded mistress one sweet word with thee princess honey and milk and sugar there is three biron nay then two treys and if you grow so nice metheglin wort and malmsey well run dice there's halfadozen sweets princess seventh sweet adieu since you can cog i'll play no more with you biron one word in secret princess let it not be sweet biron thou grievest my gall princess gall bitter biron therefore meet they converse apart dumain will you vouchsafe with me to change a word maria name it dumain fair lady maria say you so fair lord take that for your fair lady dumain please it you as much in private and i'll bid adieu they converse apart katharine what was your vizard made without a tongue longaville i know the reason lady why you ask katharine o for your reason quickly sir i long longaville you have a double tongue within your mask and would afford my speechless vizard half katharine veal quoth the dutchman is not veal a calf longaville a calf fair lady katharine no a fair lord calf longaville let's part the word katharine no i'll not be your half take all and wean it it may prove an ox longaville look how you butt yourself in these sharp mocks will you give horns chaste lady do not so katharine then die a calf before your horns do grow longaville one word in private with you ere i die katharine bleat softly then the butcher hears you cry they converse apart boyet the tongues of mocking wenches are as keen as is the razor's edge invisible cutting a smaller hair than may be seen above the sense of sense so sensible seemeth their conference their conceits have wings fleeter than arrows bullets wind thought swifter things rosaline not one word more my maids break off break off biron by heaven all drybeaten with pure scoff ferdinand farewell mad wenches you have simple wits princess twenty adieus my frozen muscovits exeunt ferdinand lords and blackamoors are these the breed of wits so wonder'd at boyet tapers they are with your sweet breaths puff'd out rosaline wellliking wits they have gross gross fat fat princess o poverty in wit kinglypoor flout will they not think you hang themselves tonight or ever but in vizards show their faces this pert biron was out of countenance quite rosaline o they were all in lamentable cases the king was weepingripe for a good word princess biron did swear himself out of all suit maria dumain was at my service and his sword no point quoth i my servant straight was mute katharine lord longaville said i came o'er his heart and trow you what he called me princess qualm perhaps katharine yes in good faith princess go sickness as thou art rosaline well better wits have worn plain statutecaps but will you hear the king is my love sworn princess and quick biron hath plighted faith to me katharine and longaville was for my service born maria dumain is mine as sure as bark on tree boyet madam and pretty mistresses give ear immediately they will again be here in their own shapes for it can never be they will digest this harsh indignity princess will they return boyet they will they will god knows and leap for joy though they are lame with blows therefore change favours and when they repair blow like sweet roses in this summer air princess how blow how blow speak to be understood boyet fair ladies mask'd are roses in their bud dismask'd their damask sweet commixture shown are angels vailing clouds or roses blown princess avaunt perplexity what shall we do if they return in their own shapes to woo rosaline good madam if by me you'll be advised let's mock them still as well known as disguised let us complain to them what fools were here disguised like muscovites in shapeless gear and wonder what they were and to what end their shallow shows and prologue vilely penn'd and their rough carriage so ridiculous should be presented at our tent to us boyet ladies withdraw the gallants are at hand princess whip to our tents as roes run o'er land exeunt princess rosaline katharine and maria reenter ferdinand biron longaville and dumain in their proper habits ferdinand fair sir god save you where's the princess boyet gone to her tent please it your majesty command me any service to her thither ferdinand that she vouchsafe me audience for one word boyet i will and so will she i know my lord exit biron this fellow pecks up wit as pigeons pease and utters it again when god doth please he is wit's pedler and retails his wares at wakes and wassails meetings markets fairs and we that sell by gross the lord doth know have not the grace to grace it with such show this gallant pins the wenches on his sleeve had he been adam he had tempted eve a can carve too and lisp why this is he that kiss'd his hand away in courtesy this is the ape of form monsieur the nice that when he plays at tables chides the dice in honourable terms nay he can sing a mean most meanly and in ushering mend him who can the ladies call him sweet the stairs as he treads on them kiss his feet this is the flower that smiles on every one to show his teeth as white as whale's bone and consciences that will not die in debt pay him the due of honeytongued boyet ferdinand a blister on his sweet tongue with my heart that put armado's page out of his part biron see where it comes behavior what wert thou till this madman show'd thee and what art thou now reenter the princess ushered by boyet rosaline maria and katharine ferdinand all hail sweet madam and fair time of day princess fair in all hail is foul as i conceive ferdinand construe my speeches better if you may princess then wish me better i will give you leave ferdinand we came to visit you and purpose now to lead you to our court vouchsafe it then princess this field shall hold me and so hold your vow nor god nor i delights in perjured men ferdinand rebuke me not for that which you provoke the virtue of your eye must break my oath princess you nickname virtue vice you should have spoke for virtue's office never breaks men's troth now by my maiden honour yet as pure as the unsullied lily i protest a world of torments though i should endure i would not yield to be your house's guest so much i hate a breaking cause to be of heavenly oaths vow'd with integrity ferdinand o you have lived in desolation here unseen unvisited much to our shame princess not so my lord it is not so i swear we have had pastimes here and pleasant game a mess of russians left us but of late ferdinand how madam russians princess ay in truth my lord trim gallants full of courtship and of state rosaline madam speak true it is not so my lord my lady to the manner of the days in courtesy gives undeserving praise we four indeed confronted were with four in russian habit here they stay'd an hour and talk'd apace and in that hour my lord they did not bless us with one happy word i dare not call them fools but this i think when they are thirsty fools would fain have drink biron this jest is dry to me fair gentle sweet your wit makes wise things foolish when we greet with eyes best seeing heaven's fiery eye by light we lose light your capacity is of that nature that to your huge store wise things seem foolish and rich things but poor rosaline this proves you wise and rich for in my eye biron i am a fool and full of poverty rosaline but that you take what doth to you belong it were a fault to snatch words from my tongue biron o i am yours and all that i possess rosaline all the fool mine biron i cannot give you less rosaline which of the vizards was it that you wore biron where when what vizard why demand you this rosaline there then that vizard that superfluous case that hid the worse and show'd the better face ferdinand we are descried they'll mock us now downright dumain let us confess and turn it to a jest princess amazed my lord why looks your highness sad rosaline help hold his brows he'll swoon why look you pale seasick i think coming from muscovy biron thus pour the stars down plagues for perjury can any face of brass hold longer out here stand i lady dart thy skill at me bruise me with scorn confound me with a flout thrust thy sharp wit quite through my ignorance cut me to pieces with thy keen conceit and i will wish thee never more to dance nor never more in russian habit wait o never will i trust to speeches penn'd nor to the motion of a schoolboy's tongue nor never come in vizard to my friend nor woo in rhyme like a blind harper's song taffeta phrases silken terms precise threepiled hyperboles spruce affectation figures pedantical these summerflies have blown me full of maggot ostentation i do forswear them and i here protest by this white glovehow white the hand god knows henceforth my wooing mind shall be express'd in russet yeas and honest kersey noes and to begin wenchso god help me la my love to thee is sound sans crack or flaw rosaline sans sans i pray you biron yet i have a trick of the old rage bear with me i am sick i'll leave it by degrees soft let us see write lord have mercy on us on those three they are infected in their hearts it lies they have the plague and caught it of your eyes these lords are visited you are not free for the lord's tokens on you do i see princess no they are free that gave these tokens to us biron our states are forfeit seek not to undo us rosaline it is not so for how can this be true that you stand forfeit being those that sue biron peace for i will not have to do with you rosaline nor shall not if i do as i intend biron speak for yourselves my wit is at an end ferdinand teach us sweet madam for our rude transgression some fair excuse princess the fairest is confession were not you here but even now disguised ferdinand madam i was princess and were you well advised ferdinand i was fair madam princess when you then were here what did you whisper in your lady's ear ferdinand that more than all the world i did respect her princess when she shall challenge this you will reject her ferdinand upon mine honour no princess peace peace forbear your oath once broke you force not to forswear ferdinand despise me when i break this oath of mine princess i will and therefore keep it rosaline what did the russian whisper in your ear rosaline madam he swore that he did hold me dear as precious eyesight and did value me above this world adding thereto moreover that he would wed me or else die my lover princess god give thee joy of him the noble lord most honourably doth unhold his word ferdinand what mean you madam by my life my troth i never swore this lady such an oath rosaline by heaven you did and to confirm it plain you gave me this but take it sir again ferdinand my faith and this the princess i did give i knew her by this jewel on her sleeve princess pardon me sir this jewel did she wear and lord biron i thank him is my dear what will you have me or your pearl again biron neither of either i remit both twain i see the trick on't here was a consent knowing aforehand of our merriment to dash it like a christmas comedy some carrytale some pleaseman some slight zany some mumblenews some trencherknight some dick that smiles his cheek in years and knows the trick to make my lady laugh when she's disposed told our intents before which once disclosed the ladies did change favours and then we following the signs woo'd but the sign of she now to our perjury to add more terror we are again forsworn in will and error much upon this it is and might not you to boyet forestall our sport to make us thus untrue do not you know my lady's foot by the squier and laugh upon the apple of her eye and stand between her back sir and the fire holding a trencher jesting merrily you put our page out go you are allow'd die when you will a smock shall be your shroud you leer upon me do you there's an eye wounds like a leaden sword boyet full merrily hath this brave manage this career been run biron lo he is tilting straight peace i have done enter costard welcome pure wit thou partest a fair fray costard o lord sir they would know whether the three worthies shall come in or no biron what are there but three costard no sir but it is vara fine for every one pursents three biron and three times thrice is nine costard not so sir under correction sir i hope it is not so you cannot beg us sir i can assure you sir we know what we know i hope sir three times thrice sir biron is not nine costard under correction sir we know whereuntil it doth amount biron by jove i always took three threes for nine costard o lord sir it were pity you should get your living by reckoning sir biron how much is it costard o lord sir the parties themselves the actors sir will show whereuntil it doth amount for mine own part i am as they say but to parfect one man in one poor man pompion the great sir biron art thou one of the worthies costard it pleased them to think me worthy of pompion the great for mine own part i know not the degree of the worthy but i am to stand for him biron go bid them prepare costard we will turn it finely off sir we will take some care exit ferdinand biron they will shame us let them not approach biron we are shameproof my lord and tis some policy to have one show worse than the king's and his company ferdinand i say they shall not come princess nay my good lord let me o'errule you now that sport best pleases that doth least know how where zeal strives to content and the contents dies in the zeal of that which it presents their form confounded makes most form in mirth when great things labouring perish in their birth biron a right description of our sport my lord enter don adriano de armado don adriano de armado anointed i implore so much expense of thy royal sweet breath as will utter a brace of words converses apart with ferdinand and delivers him a paper princess doth this man serve god biron why ask you princess he speaks not like a man of god's making don adriano de armado that is all one my fair sweet honey monarch for i protest the schoolmaster is exceeding fantastical too too vain too too vain but we will put it as they say to fortuna de la guerra i wish you the peace of mind most royal couplement exit ferdinand here is like to be a good presence of worthies he presents hector of troy the swain pompey the great the parish curate alexander armado's page hercules the pedant judas maccabaeus and if these four worthies in their first show thrive these four will change habits and present the other five biron there is five in the first show ferdinand you are deceived tis not so biron the pedant the braggart the hedgepriest the fool and the boy abate throw at novum and the whole world again cannot pick out five such take each one in his vein ferdinand the ship is under sail and here she comes amain enter costard for pompey costard i pompey am boyet you lie you are not he costard i pompey am boyet with libbard's head on knee biron well said old mocker i must needs be friends with thee costard i pompey am pompey surnamed the big dumain the great costard it is great sir pompey surnamed the great that oft in field with targe and shield did make my foe to sweat and travelling along this coast i here am come by chance and lay my arms before the legs of this sweet lass of france if your ladyship would say thanks pompey i had done princess great thanks great pompey costard tis not so much worth but i hope i was perfect i made a little fault in great' biron my hat to a halfpenny pompey proves the best worthy enter sir nathaniel for alexander sir nathaniel when in the world i lived i was the world's commander by east west north and south i spread my conquering might my scutcheon plain declares that i am alisander boyet your nose says no you are not for it stands too right biron your nose smells no in this most tendersmelling knight princess the conqueror is dismay'd proceed good alexander sir nathaniel when in the world i lived i was the world's commander boyet most true tis right you were so alisander biron pompey the great costard your servant and costard biron take away the conqueror take away alisander costard to sir nathaniel o sir you have overthrown alisander the conqueror you will be scraped out of the painted cloth for this your lion that holds his pollaxe sitting on a closestool will be given to ajax he will be the ninth worthy a conqueror and afeard to speak run away for shame alisander sir nathaniel retires there an't shall please you a foolish mild man an honest man look you and soon dashed he is a marvellous good neighbour faith and a very good bowler but for alisanderalas you see how tisa little o'erparted but there are worthies acoming will speak their mind in some other sort enter holofernes for judas and moth for hercules holofernes great hercules is presented by this imp whose club kill'd cerberus that threeheaded canis and when he was a babe a child a shrimp thus did he strangle serpents in his manus quoniam he seemeth in minority ergo i come with this apology keep some state in thy exit and vanish moth retires judas i am dumain a judas holofernes not iscariot sir judas i am ycliped maccabaeus dumain judas maccabaeus clipt is plain judas biron a kissing traitor how art thou proved judas holofernes judas i am dumain the more shame for you judas holofernes what mean you sir boyet to make judas hang himself holofernes begin sir you are my elder biron well followed judas was hanged on an elder holofernes i will not be put out of countenance biron because thou hast no face holofernes what is this boyet a citternhead dumain the head of a bodkin biron a death's face in a ring longaville the face of an old roman coin scarce seen boyet the pommel of caesar's falchion dumain the carvedbone face on a flask biron saint george's halfcheek in a brooch dumain ay and in a brooch of lead biron ay and worn in the cap of a toothdrawer and now forward for we have put thee in countenance holofernes you have put me out of countenance biron false we have given thee faces holofernes but you have outfaced them all biron an thou wert a lion we would do so boyet therefore as he is an ass let him go and so adieu sweet jude nay why dost thou stay dumain for the latter end of his name biron for the ass to the jude give it himjudas away holofernes this is not generous not gentle not humble boyet a light for monsieur judas it grows dark he may stumble holofernes retires princess alas poor maccabaeus how hath he been baited enter don adriano de armado for hector biron hide thy head achilles here comes hector in arms dumain though my mocks come home by me i will now be merry ferdinand hector was but a troyan in respect of this boyet but is this hector ferdinand i think hector was not so cleantimbered longaville his leg is too big for hector's dumain more calf certain boyet no he is best endued in the small biron this cannot be hector dumain he's a god or a painter for he makes faces don adriano de armado the armipotent mars of lances the almighty gave hector a gift dumain a gilt nutmeg biron a lemon longaville stuck with cloves dumain no cloven don adriano de armado peace the armipotent mars of lances the almighty gave hector a gift the heir of ilion a man so breathed that certain he would fight yea from morn till night out of his pavilion i am that flower dumain that mint longaville that columbine don adriano de armado sweet lord longaville rein thy tongue longaville i must rather give it the rein for it runs against hector dumain ay and hector's a greyhound don adriano de armado the sweet warman is dead and rotten sweet chucks beat not the bones of the buried when he breathed he was a man but i will forward with my device to the princess sweet royalty bestow on me the sense of hearing princess speak brave hector we are much delighted don adriano de armado i do adore thy sweet grace's slipper boyet aside to dumain loves her by the foot dumain aside to boyet he may not by the yard don adriano de armado this hector far surmounted hannibal costard the party is gone fellow hector she is gone she is two months on her way don adriano de armado what meanest thou costard faith unless you play the honest troyan the poor wench is cast away she's quick the child brags in her belly already tis yours don adriano de armado dost thou infamonize me among potentates thou shalt die costard then shall hector be whipped for jaquenetta that is quick by him and hanged for pompey that is dead by him dumain most rare pompey boyet renowned pompey biron greater than great great great great pompey pompey the huge dumain hector trembles biron pompey is moved more ates more ates stir them on stir them on dumain hector will challenge him biron ay if a have no man's blood in's belly than will sup a flea don adriano de armado by the north pole i do challenge thee costard i will not fight with a pole like a northern man i'll slash i'll do it by the sword i bepray you let me borrow my arms again dumain room for the incensed worthies costard i'll do it in my shirt dumain most resolute pompey moth master let me take you a buttonhole lower do you not see pompey is uncasing for the combat what mean you you will lose your reputation don adriano de armado gentlemen and soldiers pardon me i will not combat in my shirt dumain you may not deny it pompey hath made the challenge don adriano de armado sweet bloods i both may and will biron what reason have you for't don adriano de armado the naked truth of it is i have no shirt i go woolward for penance boyet true and it was enjoined him in rome for want of linen since when i'll be sworn he wore none but a dishclout of jaquenetta's and that a wears next his heart for a favour enter mercade mercade god save you madam princess welcome mercade but that thou interrupt'st our merriment mercade i am sorry madam for the news i bring is heavy in my tongue the king your father princess dead for my life mercade even so my tale is told biron worthies away the scene begins to cloud don adriano de armado for mine own part i breathe free breath i have seen the day of wrong through the little hole of discretion and i will right myself like a soldier exeunt worthies ferdinand how fares your majesty princess boyet prepare i will away tonight ferdinand madam not so i do beseech you stay princess prepare i say i thank you gracious lords for all your fair endeavors and entreat out of a newsad soul that you vouchsafe in your rich wisdom to excuse or hide the liberal opposition of our spirits if overboldly we have borne ourselves in the converse of breath your gentleness was guilty of it farewell worthy lord a heavy heart bears not a nimble tongue excuse me so coming too short of thanks for my great suit so easily obtain'd ferdinand the extreme parts of time extremely forms all causes to the purpose of his speed and often at his very loose decides that which long process could not arbitrate and though the mourning brow of progeny forbid the smiling courtesy of love the holy suit which fain it would convince yet since love's argument was first on foot let not the cloud of sorrow justle it from what it purposed since to wail friends lost is not by much so wholesomeprofitable as to rejoice at friends but newly found princess i understand you not my griefs are double biron honest plain words best pierce the ear of grief and by these badges understand the king for your fair sakes have we neglected time play'd foul play with our oaths your beauty ladies hath much deform'd us fashioning our humours even to the opposed end of our intents and what in us hath seem'd ridiculous as love is full of unbefitting strains all wanton as a child skipping and vain form'd by the eye and therefore like the eye full of strange shapes of habits and of forms varying in subjects as the eye doth roll to every varied object in his glance which particoated presence of loose love put on by us if in your heavenly eyes have misbecomed our oaths and gravities those heavenly eyes that look into these faults suggested us to make therefore ladies our love being yours the error that love makes is likewise yours we to ourselves prove false by being once false for ever to be true to those that make us bothfair ladies you and even that falsehood in itself a sin thus purifies itself and turns to grace princess we have received your letters full of love your favours the ambassadors of love and in our maiden council rated them at courtship pleasant jest and courtesy as bombast and as lining to the time but more devout than this in our respects have we not been and therefore met your loves in their own fashion like a merriment dumain our letters madam show'd much more than jest longaville so did our looks rosaline we did not quote them so ferdinand now at the latest minute of the hour grant us your loves princess a time methinks too short to make a worldwithoutend bargain in no no my lord your grace is perjured much full of dear guiltiness and therefore this if for my love as there is no such cause you will do aught this shall you do for me your oath i will not trust but go with speed to some forlorn and naked hermitage remote from all the pleasures of the world there stay until the twelve celestial signs have brought about the annual reckoning if this austere insociable life change not your offer made in heat of blood if frosts and fasts hard lodging and thin weeds nip not the gaudy blossoms of your love but that it bear this trial and last love then at the expiration of the year come challenge me challenge me by these deserts and by this virgin palm now kissing thine i will be thine and till that instant shut my woeful self up in a mourning house raining the tears of lamentation for the remembrance of my father's death if this thou do deny let our hands part neither entitled in the other's heart ferdinand if this or more than this i would deny to flatter up these powers of mine with rest the sudden hand of death close up mine eye hence ever then my heart is in thy breast biron and what to me my love and what to me rosaline you must be purged too your sins are rack'd you are attaint with faults and perjury therefore if you my favour mean to get a twelvemonth shall you spend and never rest but seek the weary beds of people sick dumain but what to me my love but what to me a wife katharine a beard fair health and honesty with threefold love i wish you all these three dumain o shall i say i thank you gentle wife katharine not so my lord a twelvemonth and a day i'll mark no words that smoothfaced wooers say come when the king doth to my lady come then if i have much love i'll give you some dumain i'll serve thee true and faithfully till then katharine yet swear not lest ye be forsworn again longaville what says maria maria at the twelvemonth's end i'll change my black gown for a faithful friend longaville i'll stay with patience but the time is long maria the liker you few taller are so young biron studies my lady mistress look on me behold the window of my heart mine eye what humble suit attends thy answer there impose some service on me for thy love rosaline oft have i heard of you my lord biron before i saw you and the world's large tongue proclaims you for a man replete with mocks full of comparisons and wounding flouts which you on all estates will execute that lie within the mercy of your wit to weed this wormwood from your fruitful brain and therewithal to win me if you please without the which i am not to be won you shall this twelvemonth term from day to day visit the speechless sick and still converse with groaning wretches and your task shall be with all the fierce endeavor of your wit to enforce the pained impotent to smile biron to move wild laughter in the throat of death it cannot be it is impossible mirth cannot move a soul in agony rosaline why that's the way to choke a gibing spirit whose influence is begot of that loose grace which shallow laughing hearers give to fools a jest's prosperity lies in the ear of him that hears it never in the tongue of him that makes it then if sickly ears deaf'd with the clamours of their own dear groans will hear your idle scorns continue then and i will have you and that fault withal but if they will not throw away that spirit and i shall find you empty of that fault right joyful of your reformation biron a twelvemonth well befall what will befall i'll jest a twelvemonth in an hospital princess to ferdinand ay sweet my lord and so i take my leave ferdinand no madam we will bring you on your way biron our wooing doth not end like an old play jack hath not jill these ladies courtesy might well have made our sport a comedy ferdinand come sir it wants a twelvemonth and a day and then twill end biron that's too long for a play reenter don adriano de armado don adriano de armado sweet majesty vouchsafe me princess was not that hector dumain the worthy knight of troy don adriano de armado i will kiss thy royal finger and take leave i am a votary i have vowed to jaquenetta to hold the plough for her sweet love three years but most esteemed greatness will you hear the dialogue that the two learned men have compiled in praise of the owl and the cuckoo it should have followed in the end of our show ferdinand call them forth quickly we will do so don adriano de armado holla approach reenter holofernes sir nathaniel moth costard and others this side is hiems winter this ver the spring the one maintained by the owl the other by the cuckoo ver begin the song spring when daisies pied and violets blue and ladysmocks all silverwhite and cuckoobuds of yellow hue do paint the meadows with delight the cuckoo then on every tree mocks married men for thus sings he cuckoo cuckoo cuckoo o word of fear unpleasing to a married ear when shepherds pipe on oaten straws and merry larks are ploughmen's clocks when turtles tread and rooks and daws and maidens bleach their summer smocks the cuckoo then on every tree mocks married men for thus sings he cuckoo cuckoo cuckoo o word of fear unpleasing to a married ear winter when icicles hang by the wall and dick the shepherd blows his nail and tom bears logs into the hall and milk comes frozen home in pail when blood is nipp'd and ways be foul then nightly sings the staring owl tuwhit tuwho a merry note while greasy joan doth keel the pot when all aloud the wind doth blow and coughing drowns the parson's saw and birds sit brooding in the snow and marian's nose looks red and raw when roasted crabs hiss in the bowl then nightly sings the staring owl tuwhit tuwho a merry note while greasy joan doth keel the pot don adriano de armado the words of mercury are harsh after the songs of apollo you that way we this way exeunt measure for measure dramatis personae vincentio the duke duke vincentio angelo deputy escalus an ancient lord claudio a young gentleman lucio a fantastic two other gentlemen first gentleman second gentleman provost peter friar peter two friars thomas friar thomas a justice varrius elbow a simple constable froth a foolish gentleman pompey servant to mistress overdone abhorson an executioner barnardine a dissolute prisoner isabella sister to claudio mariana betrothed to angelo juliet beloved of claudio francisca a nun mistress overdone a bawd lords officers citizens boy and attendant servant messenger scene vienna measure for measure act i scene i an apartment in the duke's palace enter duke vincentio escalus lords and attendants duke vincentio escalus escalus my lord duke vincentio of government the properties to unfold would seem in me to affect speech and discourse since i am put to know that your own science exceeds in that the lists of all advice my strength can give you then no more remains but that to your sufficiency as your worth is able and let them work the nature of our people our city's institutions and the terms for common justice you're as pregnant in as art and practise hath enriched any that we remember there is our commission from which we would not have you warp call hither i say bid come before us angelo exit an attendant what figure of us think you he will bear for you must know we have with special soul elected him our absence to supply lent him our terror dress'd him with our love and given his deputation all the organs of our own power what think you of it escalus if any in vienna be of worth to undergo such ample grace and honour it is lord angelo duke vincentio look where he comes enter angelo angelo always obedient to your grace's will i come to know your pleasure duke vincentio angelo there is a kind of character in thy life that to the observer doth thy history fully unfold thyself and thy belongings are not thine own so proper as to waste thyself upon thy virtues they on thee heaven doth with us as we with torches do not light them for themselves for if our virtues did not go forth of us twere all alike as if we had them not spirits are not finely touch'd but to fine issues nor nature never lends the smallest scruple of her excellence but like a thrifty goddess she determines herself the glory of a creditor both thanks and use but i do bend my speech to one that can my part in him advertise hold therefore angelo in our remove be thou at full ourself mortality and mercy in vienna live in thy tongue and heart old escalus though first in question is thy secondary take thy commission angelo now good my lord let there be some more test made of my metal before so noble and so great a figure be stamp'd upon it duke vincentio no more evasion we have with a leaven'd and prepared choice proceeded to you therefore take your honours our haste from hence is of so quick condition that it prefers itself and leaves unquestion'd matters of needful value we shall write to you as time and our concernings shall importune how it goes with us and do look to know what doth befall you here so fare you well to the hopeful execution do i leave you of your commissions angelo yet give leave my lord that we may bring you something on the way duke vincentio my haste may not admit it nor need you on mine honour have to do with any scruple your scope is as mine own so to enforce or qualify the laws as to your soul seems good give me your hand i'll privily away i love the people but do not like to stage me to their eyes through it do well i do not relish well their loud applause and aves vehement nor do i think the man of safe discretion that does affect it once more fare you well angelo the heavens give safety to your purposes escalus lead forth and bring you back in happiness duke i thank you fare you well exit escalus i shall desire you sir to give me leave to have free speech with you and it concerns me to look into the bottom of my place a power i have but of what strength and nature i am not yet instructed angelo tis so with me let us withdraw together and we may soon our satisfaction have touching that point escalus i'll wait upon your honour exeunt measure for measure act i scene ii a street enter lucio and two gentlemen lucio if the duke with the other dukes come not to composition with the king of hungary why then all the dukes fall upon the king first gentleman heaven grant us its peace but not the king of hungary's second gentleman amen lucio thou concludest like the sanctimonious pirate that went to sea with the ten commandments but scraped one out of the table second gentleman thou shalt not steal' lucio ay that he razed first gentleman why twas a commandment to command the captain and all the rest from their functions they put forth to steal there's not a soldier of us all that in the thanksgiving before meat do relish the petition well that prays for peace second gentleman i never heard any soldier dislike it lucio i believe thee for i think thou never wast where grace was said second gentleman no a dozen times at least first gentleman what in metre lucio in any proportion or in any language first gentleman i think or in any religion lucio ay why not grace is grace despite of all controversy as for example thou thyself art a wicked villain despite of all grace first gentleman well there went but a pair of shears between us lucio i grant as there may between the lists and the velvet thou art the list first gentleman and thou the velvet thou art good velvet thou'rt a threepiled piece i warrant thee i had as lief be a list of an english kersey as be piled as thou art piled for a french velvet do i speak feelingly now lucio i think thou dost and indeed with most painful feeling of thy speech i will out of thine own confession learn to begin thy health but whilst i live forget to drink after thee first gentleman i think i have done myself wrong have i not second gentleman yes that thou hast whether thou art tainted or free lucio behold behold where madam mitigation comes i have purchased as many diseases under her roof as come to second gentleman to what i pray lucio judge second gentleman to three thousand dolours a year first gentleman ay and more lucio a french crown more first gentleman thou art always figuring diseases in me but thou art full of error i am sound lucio nay not as one would say healthy but so sound as things that are hollow thy bones are hollow impiety has made a feast of thee enter mistress overdone first gentleman how now which of your hips has the most profound sciatica mistress overdone well well there's one yonder arrested and carried to prison was worth five thousand of you all second gentleman who's that i pray thee mistress overdone marry sir that's claudio signior claudio first gentleman claudio to prison tis not so mistress overdone nay but i know tis so i saw him arrested saw him carried away and which is more within these three days his head to be chopped off lucio but after all this fooling i would not have it so art thou sure of this mistress overdone i am too sure of it and it is for getting madam julietta with child lucio believe me this may be he promised to meet me two hours since and he was ever precise in promisekeeping second gentleman besides you know it draws something near to the speech we had to such a purpose first gentleman but most of all agreeing with the proclamation lucio away let's go learn the truth of it exeunt lucio and gentlemen mistress overdone thus what with the war what with the sweat what with the gallows and what with poverty i am customshrunk enter pompey how now what's the news with you pompey yonder man is carried to prison mistress overdone well what has he done pompey a woman mistress overdone but what's his offence pompey groping for trouts in a peculiar river mistress overdone what is there a maid with child by him pompey no but there's a woman with maid by him you have not heard of the proclamation have you mistress overdone what proclamation man pompey all houses in the suburbs of vienna must be plucked down mistress overdone and what shall become of those in the city pompey they shall stand for seed they had gone down too but that a wise burgher put in for them mistress overdone but shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs be pulled down pompey to the ground mistress mistress overdone why here's a change indeed in the commonwealth what shall become of me pompey come fear you not good counsellors lack no clients though you change your place you need not change your trade i'll be your tapster still courage there will be pity taken on you you that have worn your eyes almost out in the service you will be considered mistress overdone what's to do here thomas tapster let's withdraw pompey here comes signior claudio led by the provost to prison and there's madam juliet exeunt enter provost claudio juliet and officers claudio fellow why dost thou show me thus to the world bear me to prison where i am committed provost i do it not in evil disposition but from lord angelo by special charge claudio thus can the demigod authority make us pay down for our offence by weight the words of heaven on whom it will it will on whom it will not so yet still tis just reenter lucio and two gentlemen lucio why how now claudio whence comes this restraint claudio from too much liberty my lucio liberty as surfeit is the father of much fast so every scope by the immoderate use turns to restraint our natures do pursue like rats that ravin down their proper bane a thirsty evil and when we drink we die lucio if could speak so wisely under an arrest i would send for certain of my creditors and yet to say the truth i had as lief have the foppery of freedom as the morality of imprisonment what's thy offence claudio claudio what but to speak of would offend again lucio what is't murder claudio no lucio lechery claudio call it so provost away sir you must go claudio one word good friend lucio a word with you lucio a hundred if they'll do you any good is lechery so look'd after claudio thus stands it with me upon a true contract i got possession of julietta's bed you know the lady she is fast my wife save that we do the denunciation lack of outward order this we came not to only for propagation of a dower remaining in the coffer of her friends from whom we thought it meet to hide our love till time had made them for us but it chances the stealth of our most mutual entertainment with character too gross is writ on juliet lucio with child perhaps claudio unhappily even so and the new deputy now for the duke whether it be the fault and glimpse of newness or whether that the body public be a horse whereon the governor doth ride who newly in the seat that it may know he can command lets it straight feel the spur whether the tyranny be in his place or in his emmence that fills it up i stagger inbut this new governor awakes me all the enrolled penalties which have like unscour'd armour hung by the wall so long that nineteen zodiacs have gone round and none of them been worn and for a name now puts the drowsy and neglected act freshly on me tis surely for a name lucio i warrant it is and thy head stands so tickle on thy shoulders that a milkmaid if she be in love may sigh it off send after the duke and appeal to him claudio i have done so but he's not to be found i prithee lucio do me this kind service this day my sister should the cloister enter and there receive her approbation acquaint her with the danger of my state implore her in my voice that she make friends to the strict deputy bid herself assay him i have great hope in that for in her youth there is a prone and speechless dialect such as move men beside she hath prosperous art when she will play with reason and discourse and well she can persuade lucio i pray she may as well for the encouragement of the like which else would stand under grievous imposition as for the enjoying of thy life who i would be sorry should be thus foolishly lost at a game of ticktack i'll to her claudio i thank you good friend lucio lucio within two hours claudio come officer away exeunt measure for measure act i scene iii a monastery enter duke vincentio and friar thomas duke vincentio no holy father throw away that thought believe not that the dribbling dart of love can pierce a complete bosom why i desire thee to give me secret harbour hath a purpose more grave and wrinkled than the aims and ends of burning youth friar thomas may your grace speak of it duke vincentio my holy sir none better knows than you how i have ever loved the life removed and held in idle price to haunt assemblies where youth and cost and witless bravery keeps i have deliver'd to lord angelo a man of stricture and firm abstinence my absolute power and place here in vienna and he supposes me travell'd to poland for so i have strew'd it in the common ear and so it is received now pious sir you will demand of me why i do this friar thomas gladly my lord duke vincentio we have strict statutes and most biting laws the needful bits and curbs to headstrong weeds which for this nineteen years we have let slip even like an o'ergrown lion in a cave that goes not out to prey now as fond fathers having bound up the threatening twigs of birch only to stick it in their children's sight for terror not to use in time the rod becomes more mock'd than fear'd so our decrees dead to infliction to themselves are dead and liberty plucks justice by the nose the baby beats the nurse and quite athwart goes all decorum friar thomas it rested in your grace to unloose this tiedup justice when you pleased and it in you more dreadful would have seem'd than in lord angelo duke vincentio i do fear too dreadful sith twas my fault to give the people scope twould be my tyranny to strike and gall them for what i bid them do for we bid this be done when evil deeds have their permissive pass and not the punishment therefore indeed my father i have on angelo imposed the office who may in the ambush of my name strike home and yet my nature never in the fight to do in slander and to behold his sway i will as twere a brother of your order visit both prince and people therefore i prithee supply me with the habit and instruct me how i may formally in person bear me like a true friar more reasons for this action at our more leisure shall i render you only this one lord angelo is precise stands at a guard with envy scarce confesses that his blood flows or that his appetite is more to bread than stone hence shall we see if power change purpose what our seemers be exeunt measure for measure act i scene iv a nunnery enter isabella and francisca isabella and have you nuns no farther privileges francisca are not these large enough isabella yes truly i speak not as desiring more but rather wishing a more strict restraint upon the sisterhood the votarists of saint clare lucio within ho peace be in this place isabella who's that which calls francisca it is a man's voice gentle isabella turn you the key and know his business of him you may i may not you are yet unsworn when you have vow'd you must not speak with men but in the presence of the prioress then if you speak you must not show your face or if you show your face you must not speak he calls again i pray you answer him exit isabella peace and prosperity who is't that calls enter lucio lucio hail virgin if you be as those cheekroses proclaim you are no less can you so stead me as bring me to the sight of isabella a novice of this place and the fair sister to her unhappy brother claudio isabella why her unhappy brother let me ask the rather for i now must make you know i am that isabella and his sister lucio gentle and fair your brother kindly greets you not to be weary with you he's in prison isabella woe me for what lucio for that which if myself might be his judge he should receive his punishment in thanks he hath got his friend with child isabella sir make me not your story lucio it is true i would notthough tis my familiar sin with maids to seem the lapwing and to jest tongue far from heartplay with all virgins so i hold you as a thing ensky'd and sainted by your renouncement an immortal spirit and to be talk'd with in sincerity as with a saint isabella you do blaspheme the good in mocking me lucio do not believe it fewness and truth tis thus your brother and his lover have embraced as those that feed grow full as blossoming time that from the seedness the bare fallow brings to teeming foison even so her plenteous womb expresseth his full tilth and husbandry isabella some one with child by him my cousin juliet lucio is she your cousin isabella adoptedly as schoolmaids change their names by vain though apt affection lucio she it is isabella o let him marry her lucio this is the point the duke is very strangely gone from hence bore many gentlemen myself being one in hand and hope of action but we do learn by those that know the very nerves of state his givingsout were of an infinite distance from his truemeant design upon his place and with full line of his authority governs lord angelo a man whose blood is very snowbroth one who never feels the wanton stings and motions of the sense but doth rebate and blunt his natural edge with profits of the mind study and fast heto give fear to use and liberty which have for long run by the hideous law as mice by lionshath pick'd out an act under whose heavy sense your brother's life falls into forfeit he arrests him on it and follows close the rigour of the statute to make him an example all hope is gone unless you have the grace by your fair prayer to soften angelo and that's my pith of business twixt you and your poor brother isabella doth he so seek his life lucio has censured him already and as i hear the provost hath a warrant for his execution isabella alas what poor ability's in me to do him good lucio assay the power you have isabella my power alas i doubt lucio our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt go to lord angelo and let him learn to know when maidens sue men give like gods but when they weep and kneel all their petitions are as freely theirs as they themselves would owe them isabella i'll see what i can do lucio but speedily isabella i will about it straight no longer staying but to give the mother notice of my affair i humbly thank you commend me to my brother soon at night i'll send him certain word of my success lucio i take my leave of you isabella good sir adieu exeunt measure for measure act ii scene i a hall in angelo's house enter angelo escalus and a justice provost officers and other attendants behind angelo we must not make a scarecrow of the law setting it up to fear the birds of prey and let it keep one shape till custom make it their perch and not their terror escalus ay but yet let us be keen and rather cut a little than fall and bruise to death alas this gentleman whom i would save had a most noble father let but your honour know whom i believe to be most strait in virtue that in the working of your own affections had time cohered with place or place with wishing or that the resolute acting of your blood could have attain'd the effect of your own purpose whether you had not sometime in your life err'd in this point which now you censure him and pull'd the law upon you angelo tis one thing to be tempted escalus another thing to fall i not deny the jury passing on the prisoner's life may in the sworn twelve have a thief or two guiltier than him they try what's open made to justice that justice seizes what know the laws that thieves do pass on thieves tis very pregnant the jewel that we find we stoop and take't because we see it but what we do not see we tread upon and never think of it you may not so extenuate his offence for i have had such faults but rather tell me when i that censure him do so offend let mine own judgment pattern out my death and nothing come in partial sir he must die escalus be it as your wisdom will angelo where is the provost provost here if it like your honour angelo see that claudio be executed by nine tomorrow morning bring him his confessor let him be prepared for that's the utmost of his pilgrimage exit provost escalus aside well heaven forgive him and forgive us all some rise by sin and some by virtue fall some run from brakes of ice and answer none and some condemned for a fault alone enter elbow and officers with froth and pompey elbow come bring them away if these be good people in a commonweal that do nothing but use their abuses in common houses i know no law bring them away angelo how now sir what's your name and what's the matter elbow if it please your honour i am the poor duke's constable and my name is elbow i do lean upon justice sir and do bring in here before your good honour two notorious benefactors angelo benefactors well what benefactors are they are they not malefactors elbow if it please your honour i know not well what they are but precise villains they are that i am sure of and void of all profanation in the world that good christians ought to have escalus this comes off well here's a wise officer angelo go to what quality are they of elbow is your name why dost thou not speak elbow pompey he cannot sir he's out at elbow angelo what are you sir elbow he sir a tapster sir parcelbawd one that serves a bad woman whose house sir was as they say plucked down in the suburbs and now she professes a hothouse which i think is a very ill house too escalus how know you that elbow my wife sir whom i detest before heaven and your honour escalus how thy wife elbow ay sir whom i thank heaven is an honest woman escalus dost thou detest her therefore elbow i say sir i will detest myself also as well as she that this house if it be not a bawd's house it is pity of her life for it is a naughty house escalus how dost thou know that constable elbow marry sir by my wife who if she had been a woman cardinally given might have been accused in fornication adultery and all uncleanliness there escalus by the woman's means elbow ay sir by mistress overdone's means but as she spit in his face so she defied him pompey sir if it please your honour this is not so elbow prove it before these varlets here thou honourable man prove it escalus do you hear how he misplaces pompey sir she came in great with child and longing saving your honour's reverence for stewed prunes sir we had but two in the house which at that very distant time stood as it were in a fruitdish a dish of some threepence your honours have seen such dishes they are not china dishes but very good dishes escalus go to go to no matter for the dish sir pompey no indeed sir not of a pin you are therein in the right but to the point as i say this mistress elbow being as i say with child and being greatbellied and longing as i said for prunes and having but two in the dish as i said master froth here this very man having eaten the rest as i said and as i say paying for them very honestly for as you know master froth i could not give you threepence again froth no indeed pompey very well you being then if you be remembered cracking the stones of the foresaid prunes froth ay so i did indeed pompey why very well i telling you then if you be remembered that such a one and such a one were past cure of the thing you wot of unless they kept very good diet as i told you froth all this is true pompey why very well then escalus come you are a tedious fool to the purpose what was done to elbow's wife that he hath cause to complain of come me to what was done to her pompey sir your honour cannot come to that yet escalus no sir nor i mean it not pompey sir but you shall come to it by your honour's leave and i beseech you look into master froth here sir a man of fourscore pound a year whose father died at hallowmas was't not at hallowmas master froth froth allhallond eve pompey why very well i hope here be truths he sir sitting as i say in a lower chair sir twas in the bunch of grapes where indeed you have a delight to sit have you not froth i have so because it is an open room and good for winter pompey why very well then i hope here be truths angelo this will last out a night in russia when nights are longest there i'll take my leave and leave you to the hearing of the cause hoping you'll find good cause to whip them all escalus i think no less good morrow to your lordship exit angelo now sir come on what was done to elbow's wife once more pompey once sir there was nothing done to her once elbow i beseech you sir ask him what this man did to my wife pompey i beseech your honour ask me escalus well sir what did this gentleman to her pompey i beseech you sir look in this gentleman's face good master froth look upon his honour tis for a good purpose doth your honour mark his face escalus ay sir very well pompey nay i beseech you mark it well escalus well i do so pompey doth your honour see any harm in his face escalus why no pompey i'll be supposed upon a book his face is the worst thing about him good then if his face be the worst thing about him how could master froth do the constable's wife any harm i would know that of your honour escalus he's in the right constable what say you to it elbow first an it like you the house is a respected house next this is a respected fellow and his mistress is a respected woman pompey by this hand sir his wife is a more respected person than any of us all elbow varlet thou liest thou liest wicked varlet the time has yet to come that she was ever respected with man woman or child pompey sir she was respected with him before he married with her escalus which is the wiser here justice or iniquity is this true elbow o thou caitiff o thou varlet o thou wicked hannibal i respected with her before i was married to her if ever i was respected with her or she with me let not your worship think me the poor duke's officer prove this thou wicked hannibal or i'll have mine action of battery on thee escalus if he took you a box o the ear you might have your action of slander too elbow marry i thank your good worship for it what is't your worship's pleasure i shall do with this wicked caitiff escalus truly officer because he hath some offences in him that thou wouldst discover if thou couldst let him continue in his courses till thou knowest what they are elbow marry i thank your worship for it thou seest thou wicked varlet now what's come upon thee thou art to continue now thou varlet thou art to continue escalus where were you born friend froth here in vienna sir escalus are you of fourscore pounds a year froth yes an't please you sir escalus so what trade are you of sir pomphey tapster a poor widow's tapster escalus your mistress name pomphey mistress overdone escalus hath she had any more than one husband pompey nine sir overdone by the last escalus nine come hither to me master froth master froth i would not have you acquainted with tapsters they will draw you master froth and you will hang them get you gone and let me hear no more of you froth i thank your worship for mine own part i never come into any room in a taphouse but i am drawn in escalus well no more of it master froth farewell exit froth come you hither to me master tapster what's your name master tapster pompey pompey escalus what else pompey bum sir escalus troth and your bum is the greatest thing about you so that in the beastliest sense you are pompey the great pompey you are partly a bawd pompey howsoever you colour it in being a tapster are you not come tell me true it shall be the better for you pompey truly sir i am a poor fellow that would live escalus how would you live pompey by being a bawd what do you think of the trade pompey is it a lawful trade pompey if the law would allow it sir escalus but the law will not allow it pompey nor it shall not be allowed in vienna pompey does your worship mean to geld and splay all the youth of the city escalus no pompey pompey truly sir in my poor opinion they will to't then if your worship will take order for the drabs and the knaves you need not to fear the bawds escalus there are pretty orders beginning i can tell you it is but heading and hanging pompey if you head and hang all that offend that way but for ten year together you'll be glad to give out a commission for more heads if this law hold in vienna ten year i'll rent the fairest house in it after threepence a bay if you live to see this come to pass say pompey told you so escalus thank you good pompey and in requital of your prophecy hark you i advise you let me not find you before me again upon any complaint whatsoever no not for dwelling where you do if i do pompey i shall beat you to your tent and prove a shrewd caesar to you in plain dealing pompey i shall have you whipt so for this time pompey fare you well pompey i thank your worship for your good counsel aside but i shall follow it as the flesh and fortune shall better determine whip me no no let carman whip his jade the valiant heart is not whipt out of his trade exit escalus come hither to me master elbow come hither master constable how long have you been in this place of constable elbow seven year and a half sir escalus i thought by your readiness in the office you had continued in it some time you say seven years together elbow and a half sir escalus alas it hath been great pains to you they do you wrong to put you so oft upon t are there not men in your ward sufficient to serve it elbow faith sir few of any wit in such matters as they are chosen they are glad to choose me for them i do it for some piece of money and go through with all escalus look you bring me in the names of some six or seven the most sufficient of your parish elbow to your worship's house sir escalus to my house fare you well exit elbow what's o'clock think you justice eleven sir escalus i pray you home to dinner with me justice i humbly thank you escalus it grieves me for the death of claudio but there's no remedy justice lord angelo is severe escalus it is but needful mercy is not itself that oft looks so pardon is still the nurse of second woe but yetpoor claudio there is no remedy come sir exeunt measure for measure act ii scene ii another room in the same enter provost and a servant servant he's hearing of a cause he will come straight i'll tell him of you provost pray you do exit servant i'll know his pleasure may be he will relent alas he hath but as offended in a dream all sects all ages smack of this vice and he to die for't enter angelo angelo now what's the matter provost provost is it your will claudio shall die tomorrow angelo did not i tell thee yea hadst thou not order why dost thou ask again provost lest i might be too rash under your good correction i have seen when after execution judgment hath repented o'er his doom angelo go to let that be mine do you your office or give up your place and you shall well be spared provost i crave your honour's pardon what shall be done sir with the groaning juliet she's very near her hour angelo dispose of her to some more fitter place and that with speed reenter servant servant here is the sister of the man condemn'd desires access to you angelo hath he a sister provost ay my good lord a very virtuous maid and to be shortly of a sisterhood if not already angelo well let her be admitted exit servant see you the fornicatress be removed let have needful but not lavish means there shall be order for't enter isabella and lucio provost god save your honour angelo stay a little while to isabella you're welcome what's your will isabella i am a woeful suitor to your honour please but your honour hear me angelo well what's your suit isabella there is a vice that most i do abhor and most desire should meet the blow of justice for which i would not plead but that i must for which i must not plead but that i am at war twixt will and will not angelo well the matter isabella i have a brother is condemn'd to die i do beseech you let it be his fault and not my brother provost aside heaven give thee moving graces angelo condemn the fault and not the actor of it why every fault's condemn'd ere it be done mine were the very cipher of a function to fine the faults whose fine stands in record and let go by the actor isabella o just but severe law i had a brother then heaven keep your honour lucio aside to isabella give't not o'er so to him again entreat him kneel down before him hang upon his gown you are too cold if you should need a pin you could not with more tame a tongue desire it to him i say isabella must he needs die angelo maiden no remedy isabella yes i do think that you might pardon him and neither heaven nor man grieve at the mercy angelo i will not do't isabella but can you if you would angelo look what i will not that i cannot do isabella but might you do't and do the world no wrong if so your heart were touch'd with that remorse as mine is to him angelo he's sentenced tis too late lucio aside to isabella you are too cold isabella too late why no i that do speak a word may call it back again well believe this no ceremony that to great ones longs not the king's crown nor the deputed sword the marshal's truncheon nor the judge's robe become them with one half so good a grace as mercy does if he had been as you and you as he you would have slipt like him but he like you would not have been so stern angelo pray you be gone isabella i would to heaven i had your potency and you were isabel should it then be thus no i would tell what twere to be a judge and what a prisoner lucio aside to isabella ay touch him there's the vein angelo your brother is a forfeit of the law and you but waste your words isabella alas alas why all the souls that were were forfeit once and he that might the vantage best have took found out the remedy how would you be if he which is the top of judgment should but judge you as you are o think on that and mercy then will breathe within your lips like man new made angelo be you content fair maid it is the law not i condemn your brother were he my kinsman brother or my son it should be thus with him he must die tomorrow isabella tomorrow o that's sudden spare him spare him he's not prepared for death even for our kitchens we kill the fowl of season shall we serve heaven with less respect than we do minister to our gross selves good good my lord bethink you who is it that hath died for this offence there's many have committed it lucio aside to isabella ay well said angelo the law hath not been dead though it hath slept those many had not dared to do that evil if the first that did the edict infringe had answer'd for his deed now tis awake takes note of what is done and like a prophet looks in a glass that shows what future evils either new or by remissness newconceived and so in progress to be hatch'd and born are now to have no successive degrees but ere they live to end isabella yet show some pity angelo i show it most of all when i show justice for then i pity those i do not know which a dismiss'd offence would after gall and do him right that answering one foul wrong lives not to act another be satisfied your brother dies tomorrow be content isabella so you must be the first that gives this sentence and he that suffer's o it is excellent to have a giant's strength but it is tyrannous to use it like a giant lucio aside to isabella that's well said isabella could great men thunder as jove himself does jove would ne'er be quiet for every pelting petty officer would use his heaven for thunder nothing but thunder merciful heaven thou rather with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt split'st the unwedgeable and gnarled oak than the soft myrtle but man proud man drest in a little brief authority most ignorant of what he's most assured his glassy essence like an angry ape plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven as make the angels weep who with our spleens would all themselves laugh mortal lucio aside to isabella o to him to him wench he will relent he's coming i perceive t provost aside pray heaven she win him isabella we cannot weigh our brother with ourself great men may jest with saints tis wit in them but in the less foul profanation lucio thou'rt i the right girl more o that isabella that in the captain's but a choleric word which in the soldier is flat blasphemy lucio aside to isabella art avised o that more on t angelo why do you put these sayings upon me isabella because authority though it err like others hath yet a kind of medicine in itself that skins the vice o the top go to your bosom knock there and ask your heart what it doth know that's like my brother's fault if it confess a natural guiltiness such as is his let it not sound a thought upon your tongue against my brother's life angelo aside she speaks and tis such sense that my sense breeds with it fare you well isabella gentle my lord turn back angelo i will bethink me come again tomorrow isabella hark how i'll bribe you good my lord turn back angelo how bribe me isabella ay with such gifts that heaven shall share with you lucio aside to isabella you had marr'd all else isabella not with fond shekels of the tested gold or stones whose rates are either rich or poor as fancy values them but with true prayers that shall be up at heaven and enter there ere sunrise prayers from preserved souls from fasting maids whose minds are dedicate to nothing temporal angelo well come to me tomorrow lucio aside to isabella go to tis well away isabella heaven keep your honour safe angelo aside amen for i am that way going to temptation where prayers cross isabella at what hour tomorrow shall i attend your lordship angelo at any time fore noon isabella save your honour exeunt isabella lucio and provost angelo from thee even from thy virtue what's this what's this is this her fault or mine the tempter or the tempted who sins most ha not she nor doth she tempt but it is i that lying by the violet in the sun do as the carrion does not as the flower corrupt with virtuous season can it be that modesty may more betray our sense than woman's lightness having waste ground enough shall we desire to raze the sanctuary and pitch our evils there o fie fie fie what dost thou or what art thou angelo dost thou desire her foully for those things that make her good o let her brother live thieves for their robbery have authority when judges steal themselves what do i love her that i desire to hear her speak again and feast upon her eyes what is't i dream on o cunning enemy that to catch a saint with saints dost bait thy hook most dangerous is that temptation that doth goad us on to sin in loving virtue never could the strumpet with all her double vigour art and nature once stir my temper but this virtuous maid subdues me quite even till now when men were fond i smiled and wonder'd how exit measure for measure act ii scene iii a room in a prison enter severally duke vincentio disguised as a friar and provost duke vincentio hail to you provost so i think you are provost i am the provost what's your will good friar duke vincentio bound by my charity and my blest order i come to visit the afflicted spirits here in the prison do me the common right to let me see them and to make me know the nature of their crimes that i may minister to them accordingly provost i would do more than that if more were needful enter juliet look here comes one a gentlewoman of mine who falling in the flaws of her own youth hath blister'd her report she is with child and he that got it sentenced a young man more fit to do another such offence than die for this duke vincentio when must he die provost as i do think tomorrow i have provided for you stay awhile to juliet and you shall be conducted duke vincentio repent you fair one of the sin you carry juliet i do and bear the shame most patiently duke vincentio i'll teach you how you shall arraign your conscience and try your penitence if it be sound or hollowly put on juliet i'll gladly learn duke vincentio love you the man that wrong'd you juliet yes as i love the woman that wrong'd him duke vincentio so then it seems your most offenceful act was mutually committed juliet mutually duke vincentio then was your sin of heavier kind than his juliet i do confess it and repent it father duke vincentio tis meet so daughter but lest you do repent as that the sin hath brought you to this shame which sorrow is always towards ourselves not heaven showing we would not spare heaven as we love it but as we stand in fear juliet i do repent me as it is an evil and take the shame with joy duke vincentio there rest your partner as i hear must die tomorrow and i am going with instruction to him grace go with you benedicite exit juliet must die tomorrow o injurious love that respites me a life whose very comfort is still a dying horror provost tis pity of him exeunt measure for measure act ii scene iv a room in angelo's house enter angelo angelo when i would pray and think i think and pray to several subjects heaven hath my empty words whilst my invention hearing not my tongue anchors on isabel heaven in my mouth as if i did but only chew his name and in my heart the strong and swelling evil of my conception the state whereon i studied is like a good thing being often read grown fear'd and tedious yea my gravity whereinlet no man hear mei take pride could i with boot change for an idle plume which the air beats for vain o place o form how often dost thou with thy case thy habit wrench awe from fools and tie the wiser souls to thy false seeming blood thou art blood let's write good angel on the devil's horn tis not the devil's crest enter a servant how now who's there servant one isabel a sister desires access to you angelo teach her the way exit servant o heavens why does my blood thus muster to my heart making both it unable for itself and dispossessing all my other parts of necessary fitness so play the foolish throngs with one that swoons come all to help him and so stop the air by which he should revive and even so the general subject to a wellwish'd king quit their own part and in obsequious fondness crowd to his presence where their untaught love must needs appear offence enter isabella how now fair maid isabella i am come to know your pleasure angelo that you might know it would much better please me than to demand what tis your brother cannot live isabella even so heaven keep your honour angelo yet may he live awhile and it may be as long as you or i yet he must die isabella under your sentence angelo yea isabella when i beseech you that in his reprieve longer or shorter he may be so fitted that his soul sicken not angelo ha fie these filthy vices it were as good to pardon him that hath from nature stolen a man already made as to remit their saucy sweetness that do coin heaven's image in stamps that are forbid tis all as easy falsely to take away a life true made as to put metal in restrained means to make a false one isabella tis set down so in heaven but not in earth angelo say you so then i shall pose you quickly which had you rather that the most just law now took your brother's life or to redeem him give up your body to such sweet uncleanness as she that he hath stain'd isabella sir believe this i had rather give my body than my soul angelo i talk not of your soul our compell'd sins stand more for number than for accompt isabella how say you angelo nay i'll not warrant that for i can speak against the thing i say answer to this i now the voice of the recorded law pronounce a sentence on your brother's life might there not be a charity in sin to save this brother's life isabella please you to do't i'll take it as a peril to my soul it is no sin at all but charity angelo pleased you to do't at peril of your soul were equal poise of sin and charity isabella that i do beg his life if it be sin heaven let me bear it you granting of my suit if that be sin i'll make it my morn prayer to have it added to the faults of mine and nothing of your answer angelo nay but hear me your sense pursues not mine either you are ignorant or seem so craftily and that's not good isabella let me be ignorant and in nothing good but graciously to know i am no better angelo thus wisdom wishes to appear most bright when it doth tax itself as these black masks proclaim an enshield beauty ten times louder than beauty could display'd but mark me to be received plain i'll speak more gross your brother is to die isabella so angelo and his offence is so as it appears accountant to the law upon that pain isabella true angelo admit no other way to save his life as i subscribe not that nor any other but in the loss of questionthat you his sister finding yourself desired of such a person whose credit with the judge or own great place could fetch your brother from the manacles of the allbuilding law and that there were no earthly mean to save him but that either you must lay down the treasures of your body to this supposed or else to let him suffer what would you do isabella as much for my poor brother as myself that is were i under the terms of death the impression of keen whips i'ld wear as rubies and strip myself to death as to a bed that longing have been sick for ere i'ld yield my body up to shame angelo then must your brother die isabella and twere the cheaper way better it were a brother died at once than that a sister by redeeming him should die for ever angelo were not you then as cruel as the sentence that you have slander'd so isabella ignomy in ransom and free pardon are of two houses lawful mercy is nothing kin to foul redemption angelo you seem'd of late to make the law a tyrant and rather proved the sliding of your brother a merriment than a vice isabella o pardon me my lord it oft falls out to have what we would have we speak not what we mean i something do excuse the thing i hate for his advantage that i dearly love angelo we are all frail isabella else let my brother die if not a feodary but only he owe and succeed thy weakness angelo nay women are frail too isabella ay as the glasses where they view themselves which are as easy broke as they make forms women help heaven men their creation mar in profiting by them nay call us ten times frail for we are soft as our complexions are and credulous to false prints angelo i think it well and from this testimony of your own sex since i suppose we are made to be no stronger than faults may shake our frameslet me be bold i do arrest your words be that you are that is a woman if you be more you're none if you be one as you are well express'd by all external warrants show it now by putting on the destined livery isabella i have no tongue but one gentle my lord let me entreat you speak the former language angelo plainly conceive i love you isabella my brother did love juliet and you tell me that he shall die for it angelo he shall not isabel if you give me love isabella i know your virtue hath a licence in't which seems a little fouler than it is to pluck on others angelo believe me on mine honour my words express my purpose isabella ha little honour to be much believed and most pernicious purpose seeming seeming i will proclaim thee angelo look for't sign me a present pardon for my brother or with an outstretch'd throat i'll tell the world aloud what man thou art angelo who will believe thee isabel my unsoil'd name the austereness of my life my vouch against you and my place i the state will so your accusation overweigh that you shall stifle in your own report and smell of calumny i have begun and now i give my sensual race the rein fit thy consent to my sharp appetite lay by all nicety and prolixious blushes that banish what they sue for redeem thy brother by yielding up thy body to my will or else he must not only die the death but thy unkindness shall his death draw out to lingering sufferance answer me tomorrow or by the affection that now guides me most i'll prove a tyrant to him as for you say what you can my false o'erweighs your true exit isabella to whom should i complain did i tell this who would believe me o perilous mouths that bear in them one and the selfsame tongue either of condemnation or approof bidding the law make court'sy to their will hooking both right and wrong to the appetite to follow as it draws i'll to my brother though he hath fallen by prompture of the blood yet hath he in him such a mind of honour that had he twenty heads to tender down on twenty bloody blocks he'ld yield them up before his sister should her body stoop to such abhorr'd pollution then isabel live chaste and brother die more than our brother is our chastity i'll tell him yet of angelo's request and fit his mind to death for his soul's rest exit measure for measure act iii scene i a room in the prison enter duke vincentio disguised as before claudio and provost duke vincentio so then you hope of pardon from lord angelo claudio the miserable have no other medicine but only hope i've hope to live and am prepared to die duke vincentio be absolute for death either death or life shall thereby be the sweeter reason thus with life if i do lose thee i do lose a thing that none but fools would keep a breath thou art servile to all the skyey influences that dost this habitation where thou keep'st hourly afflict merely thou art death's fool for him thou labour'st by thy flight to shun and yet runn'st toward him still thou art not noble for all the accommodations that thou bear'st are nursed by baseness thou'rt by no means valiant for thou dost fear the soft and tender fork of a poor worm thy best of rest is sleep and that thou oft provokest yet grossly fear'st thy death which is no more thou art not thyself for thou exist'st on many a thousand grains that issue out of dust happy thou art not for what thou hast not still thou strivest to get and what thou hast forget'st thou art not certain for thy complexion shifts to strange effects after the moon if thou art rich thou'rt poor for like an ass whose back with ingots bows thou bear's thy heavy riches but a journey and death unloads thee friend hast thou none for thine own bowels which do call thee sire the mere effusion of thy proper loins do curse the gout serpigo and the rheum for ending thee no sooner thou hast nor youth nor age but as it were an afterdinner's sleep dreaming on both for all thy blessed youth becomes as aged and doth beg the alms of palsied eld and when thou art old and rich thou hast neither heat affection limb nor beauty to make thy riches pleasant what's yet in this that bears the name of life yet in this life lie hid moe thousand deaths yet death we fear that makes these odds all even claudio i humbly thank you to sue to live i find i seek to die and seeking death find life let it come on isabella within what ho peace here grace and good company provost who's there come in the wish deserves a welcome duke vincentio dear sir ere long i'll visit you again claudio most holy sir i thank you enter isabella isabella my business is a word or two with claudio provost and very welcome look signior here's your sister duke vincentio provost a word with you provost as many as you please duke vincentio bring me to hear them speak where i may be concealed exeunt duke vincentio and provost claudio now sister what's the comfort isabella why as all comforts are most good most good indeed lord angelo having affairs to heaven intends you for his swift ambassador where you shall be an everlasting leiger therefore your best appointment make with speed tomorrow you set on claudio is there no remedy isabella none but such remedy as to save a head to cleave a heart in twain claudio but is there any isabella yes brother you may live there is a devilish mercy in the judge if you'll implore it that will free your life but fetter you till death claudio perpetual durance isabella ay just perpetual durance a restraint though all the world's vastidity you had to a determined scope claudio but in what nature isabella in such a one as you consenting to't would bark your honour from that trunk you bear and leave you naked claudio let me know the point isabella o i do fear thee claudio and i quake lest thou a feverous life shouldst entertain and six or seven winters more respect than a perpetual honour darest thou die the sense of death is most in apprehension and the poor beetle that we tread upon in corporal sufferance finds a pang as great as when a giant dies claudio why give you me this shame think you i can a resolution fetch from flowery tenderness if i must die i will encounter darkness as a bride and hug it in mine arms isabella there spake my brother there my father's grave did utter forth a voice yes thou must die thou art too noble to conserve a life in base appliances this outwardsainted deputy whose settled visage and deliberate word nips youth i the head and follies doth emmew as falcon doth the fowl is yet a devil his filth within being cast he would appear a pond as deep as hell claudio the prenzie angelo isabella o tis the cunning livery of hell the damned'st body to invest and cover in prenzie guards dost thou think claudio if i would yield him my virginity thou mightst be freed claudio o heavens it cannot be isabella yes he would give't thee from this rank offence so to offend him still this night's the time that i should do what i abhor to name or else thou diest tomorrow claudio thou shalt not do't isabella o were it but my life i'ld throw it down for your deliverance as frankly as a pin claudio thanks dear isabel isabella be ready claudio for your death tomorrow claudio yes has he affections in him that thus can make him bite the law by the nose when he would force it sure it is no sin or of the deadly seven it is the least isabella which is the least claudio if it were damnable he being so wise why would he for the momentary trick be perdurably fined o isabel isabella what says my brother claudio death is a fearful thing isabella and shamed life a hateful claudio ay but to die and go we know not where to lie in cold obstruction and to rot this sensible warm motion to become a kneaded clod and the delighted spirit to bathe in fiery floods or to reside in thrilling region of thickribbed ice to be imprison'd in the viewless winds and blown with restless violence round about the pendent world or to be worse than worst of those that lawless and incertain thought imagine howling tis too horrible the weariest and most loathed worldly life that age ache penury and imprisonment can lay on nature is a paradise to what we fear of death isabella alas alas claudio sweet sister let me live what sin you do to save a brother's life nature dispenses with the deed so far that it becomes a virtue isabella o you beast o faithless coward o dishonest wretch wilt thou be made a man out of my vice is't not a kind of incest to take life from thine own sister's shame what should i think heaven shield my mother play'd my father fair for such a warped slip of wilderness ne'er issued from his blood take my defiance die perish might but my bending down reprieve thee from thy fate it should proceed i'll pray a thousand prayers for thy death no word to save thee claudio nay hear me isabel isabella o fie fie fie thy sin's not accidental but a trade mercy to thee would prove itself a bawd tis best thou diest quickly claudio o hear me isabella reenter duke vincentio duke vincentio vouchsafe a word young sister but one word isabella what is your will duke vincentio might you dispense with your leisure i would by and by have some speech with you the satisfaction i would require is likewise your own benefit isabella i have no superfluous leisure my stay must be stolen out of other affairs but i will attend you awhile walks apart duke vincentio son i have overheard what hath passed between you and your sister angelo had never the purpose to corrupt her only he hath made an essay of her virtue to practise his judgment with the disposition of natures she having the truth of honour in her hath made him that gracious denial which he is most glad to receive i am confessor to angelo and i know this to be true therefore prepare yourself to death do not satisfy your resolution with hopes that are fallible tomorrow you must die go to your knees and make ready claudio let me ask my sister pardon i am so out of love with life that i will sue to be rid of it duke vincentio hold you there farewell exit claudio provost a word with you reenter provost provost what's your will father duke vincentio that now you are come you will be gone leave me awhile with the maid my mind promises with my habit no loss shall touch her by my company provost in good time exit provost isabella comes forward duke vincentio the hand that hath made you fair hath made you good the goodness that is cheap in beauty makes beauty brief in goodness but grace being the soul of your complexion shall keep the body of it ever fair the assault that angelo hath made to you fortune hath conveyed to my understanding and but that frailty hath examples for his falling i should wonder at angelo how will you do to content this substitute and to save your brother isabella i am now going to resolve him i had rather my brother die by the law than my son should be unlawfully born but o how much is the good duke deceived in angelo if ever he return and i can speak to him i will open my lips in vain or discover his government duke vincentio that shall not be much amiss yet as the matter now stands he will avoid your accusation he made trial of you only therefore fasten your ear on my advisings to the love i have in doing good a remedy presents itself i do make myself believe that you may most uprighteously do a poor wronged lady a merited benefit redeem your brother from the angry law do no stain to your own gracious person and much please the absent duke if peradventure he shall ever return to have hearing of this business isabella let me hear you speak farther i have spirit to do anything that appears not foul in the truth of my spirit duke vincentio virtue is bold and goodness never fearful have you not heard speak of mariana the sister of frederick the great soldier who miscarried at sea isabella i have heard of the lady and good words went with her name duke vincentio she should this angelo have married was affianced to her by oath and the nuptial appointed between which time of the contract and limit of the solemnity her brother frederick was wrecked at sea having in that perished vessel the dowry of his sister but mark how heavily this befell to the poor gentlewoman there she lost a noble and renowned brother in his love toward her ever most kind and natural with him the portion and sinew of her fortune her marriagedowry with both her combinate husband this wellseeming angelo isabella can this be so did angelo so leave her duke vincentio left her in her tears and dried not one of them with his comfort swallowed his vows whole pretending in her discoveries of dishonour in few bestowed her on her own lamentation which she yet wears for his sake and he a marble to her tears is washed with them but relents not isabella what a merit were it in death to take this poor maid from the world what corruption in this life that it will let this man live but how out of this can she avail duke vincentio it is a rupture that you may easily heal and the cure of it not only saves your brother but keeps you from dishonour in doing it isabella show me how good father duke vincentio this forenamed maid hath yet in her the continuance of her first affection his unjust unkindness that in all reason should have quenched her love hath like an impediment in the current made it more violent and unruly go you to angelo answer his requiring with a plausible obedience agree with his demands to the point only refer yourself to this advantage first that your stay with him may not be long that the time may have all shadow and silence in it and the place answer to convenience this being granted in courseand now follows allwe shall advise this wronged maid to stead up your appointment go in your place if the encounter acknowledge itself hereafter it may compel him to her recompense and here by this is your brother saved your honour untainted the poor mariana advantaged and the corrupt deputy scaled the maid will i frame and make fit for his attempt if you think well to carry this as you may the doubleness of the benefit defends the deceit from reproof what think you of it isabella the image of it gives me content already and i trust it will grow to a most prosperous perfection duke vincentio it lies much in your holding up haste you speedily to angelo if for this night he entreat you to his bed give him promise of satisfaction i will presently to saint luke's there at the moated grange resides this dejected mariana at that place call upon me and dispatch with angelo that it may be quickly isabella i thank you for this comfort fare you well good father exeunt severally measure for measure act iii scene ii the street before the prison enter on one side duke vincentio disguised as before on the other elbow and officers with pompey elbow nay if there be no remedy for it but that you will needs buy and sell men and women like beasts we shall have all the world drink brown and white bastard duke vincentio o heavens what stuff is here pompey twas never merry world since of two usuries the merriest was put down and the worser allowed by order of law a furred gown to keep him warm and furred with fox and lambskins too to signify that craft being richer than innocency stands for the facing elbow come your way sir bless you good father friar duke vincentio and you good brother father what offence hath this man made you sir elbow marry sir he hath offended the law and sir we take him to be a thief too sir for we have found upon him sir a strange picklock which we have sent to the deputy duke vincentio fie sirrah a bawd a wicked bawd the evil that thou causest to be done that is thy means to live do thou but think what tis to cram a maw or clothe a back from such a filthy vice say to thyself from their abominable and beastly touches i drink i eat array myself and live canst thou believe thy living is a life so stinkingly depending go mend go mend pompey indeed it does stink in some sort sir but yet sir i would prove duke vincentio nay if the devil have given thee proofs for sin thou wilt prove his take him to prison officer correction and instruction must both work ere this rude beast will profit elbow he must before the deputy sir he has given him warning the deputy cannot abide a whoremaster if he be a whoremonger and comes before him he were as good go a mile on his errand duke vincentio that we were all as some would seem to be from our faults as faults from seeming free elbow his neck will come to your waista cord sir pompey i spy comfort i cry bail here's a gentleman and a friend of mine enter lucio lucio how now noble pompey what at the wheels of caesar art thou led in triumph what is there none of pygmalion's images newly made woman to be had now for putting the hand in the pocket and extracting it clutch'd what reply ha what sayest thou to this tune matter and method is't not drowned i the last rain ha what sayest thou trot is the world as it was man which is the way is it sad and few words or how the trick of it duke vincentio still thus and thus still worse lucio how doth my dear morsel thy mistress procures she still ha pompey troth sir she hath eaten up all her beef and she is herself in the tub lucio why tis good it is the right of it it must be so ever your fresh whore and your powdered bawd an unshunned consequence it must be so art going to prison pompey pompey yes faith sir lucio why tis not amiss pompey farewell go say i sent thee thither for debt pompey or how elbow for being a bawd for being a bawd lucio well then imprison him if imprisonment be the due of a bawd why tis his right bawd is he doubtless and of antiquity too bawdborn farewell good pompey commend me to the prison pompey you will turn good husband now pompey you will keep the house pompey i hope sir your good worship will be my bail lucio no indeed will i not pompey it is not the wear i will pray pompey to increase your bondage if you take it not patiently why your mettle is the more adieu trusty pompey bless you friar duke vincentio and you lucio does bridget paint still pompey ha elbow come your ways sir come pompey you will not bail me then sir lucio then pompey nor now what news abroad friar what news elbow come your ways sir come lucio go to kennel pompey go exeunt elbow pompey and officers what news friar of the duke duke vincentio i know none can you tell me of any lucio some say he is with the emperor of russia other some he is in rome but where is he think you duke vincentio i know not where but wheresoever i wish him well lucio it was a mad fantastical trick of him to steal from the state and usurp the beggary he was never born to lord angelo dukes it well in his absence he puts transgression to t duke vincentio he does well in t lucio a little more lenity to lechery would do no harm in him something too crabbed that way friar duke vincentio it is too general a vice and severity must cure it lucio yes in good sooth the vice is of a great kindred it is well allied but it is impossible to extirp it quite friar till eating and drinking be put down they say this angelo was not made by man and woman after this downright way of creation is it true think you duke vincentio how should he be made then lucio some report a seamaid spawned him some that he was begot between two stockfishes but it is certain that when he makes water his urine is congealed ice that i know to be true and he is a motion generative that's infallible duke vincentio you are pleasant sir and speak apace lucio why what a ruthless thing is this in him for the rebellion of a codpiece to take away the life of a man would the duke that is absent have done this ere he would have hanged a man for the getting a hundred bastards he would have paid for the nursing a thousand he had some feeling of the sport he knew the service and that instructed him to mercy duke vincentio i never heard the absent duke much detected for women he was not inclined that way lucio o sir you are deceived duke vincentio tis not possible lucio who not the duke yes your beggar of fifty and his use was to put a ducat in her clackdish the duke had crotchets in him he would be drunk too that let me inform you duke vincentio you do him wrong surely lucio sir i was an inward of his a shy fellow was the duke and i believe i know the cause of his withdrawing duke vincentio what i prithee might be the cause lucio no pardon tis a secret must be locked within the teeth and the lips but this i can let you understand the greater file of the subject held the duke to be wise duke vincentio wise why no question but he was lucio a very superficial ignorant unweighing fellow duke vincentio either this is the envy in you folly or mistaking the very stream of his life and the business he hath helmed must upon a warranted need give him a better proclamation let him be but testimonied in his own bringingsforth and he shall appear to the envious a scholar a statesman and a soldier therefore you speak unskilfully or if your knowledge be more it is much darkened in your malice lucio sir i know him and i love him duke vincentio love talks with better knowledge and knowledge with dearer love lucio come sir i know what i know duke vincentio i can hardly believe that since you know not what you speak but if ever the duke return as our prayers are he may let me desire you to make your answer before him if it be honest you have spoke you have courage to maintain it i am bound to call upon you and i pray you your name lucio sir my name is lucio well known to the duke duke vincentio he shall know you better sir if i may live to report you lucio i fear you not duke vincentio o you hope the duke will return no more or you imagine me too unhurtful an opposite but indeed i can do you little harm you'll forswear this again lucio i'll be hanged first thou art deceived in me friar but no more of this canst thou tell if claudio die tomorrow or no duke vincentio why should he die sir lucio why for filling a bottle with a tundish i would the duke we talk of were returned again the ungenitured agent will unpeople the province with continency sparrows must not build in his houseeaves because they are lecherous the duke yet would have dark deeds darkly answered he would never bring them to light would he were returned marry this claudio is condemned for untrussing farewell good friar i prithee pray for me the duke i say to thee again would eat mutton on fridays he's not past it yet and i say to thee he would mouth with a beggar though she smelt brown bread and garlic say that i said so farewell exit duke vincentio no might nor greatness in mortality can censure scape backwounding calumny the whitest virtue strikes what king so strong can tie the gall up in the slanderous tongue but who comes here enter escalus provost and officers with mistress overdone escalus go away with her to prison mistress overdone good my lord be good to me your honour is accounted a merciful man good my lord escalus double and treble admonition and still forfeit in the same kind this would make mercy swear and play the tyrant provost a bawd of eleven years continuance may it please your honour mistress overdone my lord this is one lucio's information against me mistress kate keepdown was with child by him in the duke's time he promised her marriage his child is a year and a quarter old come philip and jacob i have kept it myself and see how he goes about to abuse me escalus that fellow is a fellow of much licence let him be called before us away with her to prison go to no more words exeunt officers with mistress overdone provost my brother angelo will not be altered claudio must die tomorrow let him be furnished with divines and have all charitable preparation if my brother wrought by my pity it should not be so with him provost so please you this friar hath been with him and advised him for the entertainment of death escalus good even good father duke vincentio bliss and goodness on you escalus of whence are you duke vincentio not of this country though my chance is now to use it for my time i am a brother of gracious order late come from the see in special business from his holiness escalus what news abroad i the world duke vincentio none but that there is so great a fever on goodness that the dissolution of it must cure it novelty is only in request and it is as dangerous to be aged in any kind of course as it is virtuous to be constant in any undertaking there is scarce truth enough alive to make societies secure but security enough to make fellowships accurst much upon this riddle runs the wisdom of the world this news is old enough yet it is every day's news i pray you sir of what disposition was the duke escalus one that above all other strifes contended especially to know himself duke vincentio what pleasure was he given to escalus rather rejoicing to see another merry than merry at any thing which professed to make him rejoice a gentleman of all temperance but leave we him to his events with a prayer they may prove prosperous and let me desire to know how you find claudio prepared i am made to understand that you have lent him visitation duke vincentio he professes to have received no sinister measure from his judge but most willingly humbles himself to the determination of justice yet had he framed to himself by the instruction of his frailty many deceiving promises of life which i by my good leisure have discredited to him and now is he resolved to die escalus you have paid the heavens your function and the prisoner the very debt of your calling i have laboured for the poor gentleman to the extremest shore of my modesty but my brother justice have i found so severe that he hath forced me to tell him he is indeed justice duke vincentio if his own life answer the straitness of his proceeding it shall become him well wherein if he chance to fail he hath sentenced himself escalus i am going to visit the prisoner fare you well duke vincentio peace be with you exeunt escalus and provost he who the sword of heaven will bear should be as holy as severe pattern in himself to know grace to stand and virtue go more nor less to others paying than by selfoffences weighing shame to him whose cruel striking kills for faults of his own liking twice treble shame on angelo to weed my vice and let his grow o what may man within him hide though angel on the outward side how may likeness made in crimes making practise on the times to draw with idle spiders strings most ponderous and substantial things craft against vice i must apply with angelo tonight shall lie his old betrothed but despised so disguise shall by the disguised pay with falsehood false exacting and perform an old contracting exit measure for measure act iv scene i the moated grange at st luke's enter mariana and a boy boy sings take o take those lips away that so sweetly were forsworn and those eyes the break of day lights that do mislead the morn but my kisses bring again bring again seals of love but sealed in vain sealed in vain mariana break off thy song and haste thee quick away here comes a man of comfort whose advice hath often still'd my brawling discontent exit boy enter duke vincentio disguised as before i cry you mercy sir and well could wish you had not found me here so musical let me excuse me and believe me so my mirth it much displeased but pleased my woe duke vincentio tis good though music oft hath such a charm to make bad good and good provoke to harm i pray you tell me hath any body inquired for me here today much upon this time have i promised here to meet mariana you have not been inquired after i have sat here all day enter isabella duke vincentio i do constantly believe you the time is come even now i shall crave your forbearance a little may be i will call upon you anon for some advantage to yourself mariana i am always bound to you exit duke vincentio very well met and well come what is the news from this good deputy isabella he hath a garden circummured with brick whose western side is with a vineyard back'd and to that vineyard is a planched gate that makes his opening with this bigger key this other doth command a little door which from the vineyard to the garden leads there have i made my promise upon the heavy middle of the night to call upon him duke vincentio but shall you on your knowledge find this way isabella i have ta'en a due and wary note upon't with whispering and most guilty diligence in action all of precept he did show me the way twice o'er duke vincentio are there no other tokens between you greed concerning her observance isabella no none but only a repair i the dark and that i have possess'd him my most stay can be but brief for i have made him know i have a servant comes with me along that stays upon me whose persuasion is i come about my brother duke vincentio tis well borne up i have not yet made known to mariana a word of this what ho within come forth reenter mariana i pray you be acquainted with this maid she comes to do you good isabella i do desire the like duke vincentio do you persuade yourself that i respect you mariana good friar i know you do and have found it duke vincentio take then this your companion by the hand who hath a story ready for your ear i shall attend your leisure but make haste the vaporous night approaches mariana will't please you walk aside exeunt mariana and isabella duke vincentio o place and greatness millions of false eyes are stuck upon thee volumes of report run with these false and most contrarious quests upon thy doings thousand escapes of wit make thee the father of their idle dreams and rack thee in their fancies reenter mariana and isabella welcome how agreed isabella she'll take the enterprise upon her father if you advise it duke vincentio it is not my consent but my entreaty too isabella little have you to say when you depart from him but soft and low remember now my brother' mariana fear me not duke vincentio nor gentle daughter fear you not at all he is your husband on a precontract to bring you thus together tis no sin sith that the justice of your title to him doth flourish the deceit come let us go our corn's to reap for yet our tithe's to sow exeunt measure for measure act iv scene ii a room in the prison enter provost and pompey provost come hither sirrah can you cut off a man's head pompey if the man be a bachelor sir i can but if he be a married man he's his wife's head and i can never cut off a woman's head provost come sir leave me your snatches and yield me a direct answer tomorrow morning are to die claudio and barnardine here is in our prison a common executioner who in his office lacks a helper if you will take it on you to assist him it shall redeem you from your gyves if not you shall have your full time of imprisonment and your deliverance with an unpitied whipping for you have been a notorious bawd pompey sir i have been an unlawful bawd time out of mind but yet i will be content to be a lawful hangman i would be glad to receive some instruction from my fellow partner provost what ho abhorson where's abhorson there enter abhorson abhorson do you call sir provost sirrah here's a fellow will help you tomorrow in your execution if you think it meet compound with him by the year and let him abide here with you if not use him for the present and dismiss him he cannot plead his estimation with you he hath been a bawd abhorson a bawd sir fie upon him he will discredit our mystery provost go to sir you weigh equally a feather will turn the scale exit pompey pray sir by your good favourfor surely sir a good favour you have but that you have a hanging lookdo you call sir your occupation a mystery abhorson ay sir a mystery pompey painting sir i have heard say is a mystery and your whores sir being members of my occupation using painting do prove my occupation a mystery but what mystery there should be in hanging if i should be hanged i cannot imagine abhorson sir it is a mystery pompey proof abhorson every true man's apparel fits your thief if it be too little for your thief your true man thinks it big enough if it be too big for your thief your thief thinks it little enough so every true man's apparel fits your thief reenter provost provost are you agreed pompey sir i will serve him for i do find your hangman is a more penitent trade than your bawd he doth oftener ask forgiveness provost you sirrah provide your block and your axe tomorrow four o'clock abhorson come on bawd i will instruct thee in my trade follow pompey i do desire to learn sir and i hope if you have occasion to use me for your own turn you shall find me yare for truly sir for your kindness i owe you a good turn provost call hither barnardine and claudio exeunt pompey and abhorson the one has my pity not a jot the other being a murderer though he were my brother enter claudio look here's the warrant claudio for thy death tis now dead midnight and by eight tomorrow thou must be made immortal where's barnardine claudio as fast lock'd up in sleep as guiltless labour when it lies starkly in the traveller's bones he will not wake provost who can do good on him well go prepare yourself knocking within but hark what noise heaven give your spirits comfort exit claudio by and by i hope it is some pardon or reprieve for the most gentle claudio enter duke vincentio disguised as before welcome father duke vincentio the best and wholesomest spirts of the night envelope you good provost who call'd here of late provost none since the curfew rung duke vincentio not isabel provost no duke vincentio they will then ere't be long provost what comfort is for claudio duke vincentio there's some in hope provost it is a bitter deputy duke vincentio not so not so his life is parallel'd even with the stroke and line of his great justice he doth with holy abstinence subdue that in himself which he spurs on his power to qualify in others were he meal'd with that which he corrects then were he tyrannous but this being so he's just knocking within now are they come exit provost this is a gentle provost seldom when the steeled gaoler is the friend of men knocking within how now what noise that spirit's possessed with haste that wounds the unsisting postern with these strokes reenter provost provost there he must stay until the officer arise to let him in he is call'd up duke vincentio have you no countermand for claudio yet but he must die tomorrow provost none sir none duke vincentio as near the dawning provost as it is you shall hear more ere morning provost happily you something know yet i believe there comes no countermand no such example have we besides upon the very siege of justice lord angelo hath to the public ear profess'd the contrary enter a messenger this is his lordship's man duke vincentio and here comes claudio's pardon messenger giving a paper my lord hath sent you this note and by me this further charge that you swerve not from the smallest article of it neither in time matter or other circumstance good morrow for as i take it it is almost day provost i shall obey him exit messenger duke vincentio aside this is his pardon purchased by such sin for which the pardoner himself is in hence hath offence his quick celerity when it is born in high authority when vice makes mercy mercy's so extended that for the fault's love is the offender friended now sir what news provost i told you lord angelo belike thinking me remiss in mine office awakens me with this unwonted puttingon methinks strangely for he hath not used it before duke vincentio pray you let's hear provost reads whatsoever you may hear to the contrary let claudio be executed by four of the clock and in the afternoon barnardine for my better satisfaction let me have claudio's head sent me by five let this be duly performed with a thought that more depends on it than we must yet deliver thus fail not to do your office as you will answer it at your peril' what say you to this sir duke vincentio what is that barnardine who is to be executed in the afternoon provost a bohemian born but here nursed un and bred one that is a prisoner nine years old duke vincentio how came it that the absent duke had not either delivered him to his liberty or executed him i have heard it was ever his manner to do so provost his friends still wrought reprieves for him and indeed his fact till now in the government of lord angelo came not to an undoubtful proof duke vincentio it is now apparent provost most manifest and not denied by himself duke vincentio hath he born himself penitently in prison how seems he to be touched provost a man that apprehends death no more dreadfully but as a drunken sleep careless reckless and fearless of what's past present or to come insensible of mortality and desperately mortal duke vincentio he wants advice provost he will hear none he hath evermore had the liberty of the prison give him leave to escape hence he would not drunk many times a day if not many days entirely drunk we have very oft awaked him as if to carry him to execution and showed him a seeming warrant for it it hath not moved him at all duke vincentio more of him anon there is written in your brow provost honesty and constancy if i read it not truly my ancient skill beguiles me but in the boldness of my cunning i will lay myself in hazard claudio whom here you have warrant to execute is no greater forfeit to the law than angelo who hath sentenced him to make you understand this in a manifested effect i crave but four days respite for the which you are to do me both a present and a dangerous courtesy provost pray sir in what duke vincentio in the delaying death provost a lack how may i do it having the hour limited and an express command under penalty to deliver his head in the view of angelo i may make my case as claudio's to cross this in the smallest duke vincentio by the vow of mine order i warrant you if my instructions may be your guide let this barnardine be this morning executed and his head born to angelo provost angelo hath seen them both and will discover the favour duke vincentio o death's a great disguiser and you may add to it shave the head and tie the beard and say it was the desire of the penitent to be so bared before his death you know the course is common if any thing fall to you upon this more than thanks and good fortune by the saint whom i profess i will plead against it with my life provost pardon me good father it is against my oath duke vincentio were you sworn to the duke or to the deputy provost to him and to his substitutes duke vincentio you will think you have made no offence if the duke avouch the justice of your dealing provost but what likelihood is in that duke vincentio not a resemblance but a certainty yet since i see you fearful that neither my coat integrity nor persuasion can with ease attempt you i will go further than i meant to pluck all fears out of you look you sir here is the hand and seal of the duke you know the character i doubt not and the signet is not strange to you provost i know them both duke vincentio the contents of this is the return of the duke you shall anon overread it at your pleasure where you shall find within these two days he will be here this is a thing that angelo knows not for he this very day receives letters of strange tenor perchance of the duke's death perchance entering into some monastery but by chance nothing of what is writ look the unfolding star calls up the shepherd put not yourself into amazement how these things should be all difficulties are but easy when they are known call your executioner and off with barnardine's head i will give him a present shrift and advise him for a better place yet you are amazed but this shall absolutely resolve you come away it is almost clear dawn exeunt measure for measure act iv scene iii another room in the same enter pompey pompey i am as well acquainted here as i was in our house of profession one would think it were mistress overdone's own house for here be many of her old customers first here's young master rash he's in for a commodity of brown paper and old ginger ninescore and seventeen pounds of which he made five marks ready money marry then ginger was not much in request for the old women were all dead then is there here one master caper at the suit of master threepile the mercer for some four suits of peachcoloured satin which now peaches him a beggar then have we here young dizy and young master deepvow and master copperspur and master starvelackey the rapier and dagger man and young dropheir that killed lusty pudding and master forthlight the tilter and brave master shooty the great traveller and wild halfcan that stabbed pots and i think forty more all great doers in our trade and are now for the lord's sake' enter abhorson abhorson sirrah bring barnardine hither pompey master barnardine you must rise and be hanged master barnardine abhorson what ho barnardine barnardine within a pox o your throats who makes that noise there what are you pompey your friends sir the hangman you must be so good sir to rise and be put to death barnardine within away you rogue away i am sleepy abhorson tell him he must awake and that quickly too pompey pray master barnardine awake till you are executed and sleep afterwards abhorson go in to him and fetch him out pompey he is coming sir he is coming i hear his straw rustle abhorson is the axe upon the block sirrah pompey very ready sir enter barnardine barnardine how now abhorson what's the news with you abhorson truly sir i would desire you to clap into your prayers for look you the warrant's come barnardine you rogue i have been drinking all night i am not fitted for t pompey o the better sir for he that drinks all night and is hanged betimes in the morning may sleep the sounder all the next day abhorson look you sir here comes your ghostly father do we jest now think you enter duke vincentio disguised as before duke vincentio sir induced by my charity and hearing how hastily you are to depart i am come to advise you comfort you and pray with you barnardine friar not i i have been drinking hard all night and i will have more time to prepare me or they shall beat out my brains with billets i will not consent to die this day that's certain duke vincentio o sir you must and therefore i beseech you look forward on the journey you shall go barnardine i swear i will not die today for any man's persuasion duke vincentio but hear you barnardine not a word if you have any thing to say to me come to my ward for thence will not i today exit duke vincentio unfit to live or die o gravel heart after him fellows bring him to the block exeunt abhorson and pompey reenter provost provost now sir how do you find the prisoner duke vincentio a creature unprepared unmeet for death and to transport him in the mind he is were damnable provost here in the prison father there died this morning of a cruel fever one ragozine a most notorious pirate a man of claudio's years his beard and head just of his colour what if we do omit this reprobate till he were well inclined and satisfy the deputy with the visage of ragozine more like to claudio duke vincentio o tis an accident that heaven provides dispatch it presently the hour draws on prefix'd by angelo see this be done and sent according to command whiles i persuade this rude wretch willingly to die provost this shall be done good father presently but barnardine must die this afternoon and how shall we continue claudio to save me from the danger that might come if he were known alive duke vincentio let this be done put them in secret holds both barnardine and claudio ere twice the sun hath made his journal greeting to the under generation you shall find your safety manifested provost i am your free dependant duke vincentio quick dispatch and send the head to angelo exit provost now will i write letters to angelo the provost he shall bear them whose contents shall witness to him i am near at home and that by great injunctions i am bound to enter publicly him i'll desire to meet me at the consecrated fount a league below the city and from thence by cold gradation and wellbalanced form we shall proceed with angelo reenter provost provost here is the head i'll carry it myself duke vincentio convenient is it make a swift return for i would commune with you of such things that want no ear but yours provost i'll make all speed exit isabella within peace ho be here duke vincentio the tongue of isabel she's come to know if yet her brother's pardon be come hither but i will keep her ignorant of her good to make her heavenly comforts of despair when it is least expected enter isabella isabella ho by your leave duke vincentio good morning to you fair and gracious daughter isabella the better given me by so holy a man hath yet the deputy sent my brother's pardon duke vincentio he hath released him isabel from the world his head is off and sent to angelo isabella nay but it is not so duke vincentio it is no other show your wisdom daughter in your close patience isabella o i will to him and pluck out his eyes duke vincentio you shall not be admitted to his sight isabella unhappy claudio wretched isabel injurious world most damned angelo duke vincentio this nor hurts him nor profits you a jot forbear it therefore give your cause to heaven mark what i say which you shall find by every syllable a faithful verity the duke comes home tomorrow nay dry your eyes one of our convent and his confessor gives me this instance already he hath carried notice to escalus and angelo who do prepare to meet him at the gates there to give up their power if you can pace your wisdom in that good path that i would wish it go and you shall have your bosom on this wretch grace of the duke revenges to your heart and general honour isabella i am directed by you duke vincentio this letter then to friar peter give tis that he sent me of the duke's return say by this token i desire his company at mariana's house tonight her cause and yours i'll perfect him withal and he shall bring you before the duke and to the head of angelo accuse him home and home for my poor self i am combined by a sacred vow and shall be absent wend you with this letter command these fretting waters from your eyes with a light heart trust not my holy order if i pervert your course who's here enter lucio lucio good even friar where's the provost duke vincentio not within sir lucio o pretty isabella i am pale at mine heart to see thine eyes so red thou must be patient i am fain to dine and sup with water and bran i dare not for my head fill my belly one fruitful meal would set me to t but they say the duke will be here tomorrow by my troth isabel i loved thy brother if the old fantastical duke of dark corners had been at home he had lived exit isabella duke vincentio sir the duke is marvellous little beholding to your reports but the best is he lives not in them lucio friar thou knowest not the duke so well as i do he's a better woodman than thou takest him for duke vincentio well you'll answer this one day fare ye well lucio nay tarry i'll go along with thee i can tell thee pretty tales of the duke duke vincentio you have told me too many of him already sir if they be true if not true none were enough lucio i was once before him for getting a wench with child duke vincentio did you such a thing lucio yes marry did i but i was fain to forswear it they would else have married me to the rotten medlar duke vincentio sir your company is fairer than honest rest you well lucio by my troth i'll go with thee to the lane's end if bawdy talk offend you we'll have very little of it nay friar i am a kind of burr i shall stick exeunt measure for measure act iv scene iv a room in angelo's house enter angelo and escalus escalus every letter he hath writ hath disvouched other angelo in most uneven and distracted manner his actions show much like to madness pray heaven his wisdom be not tainted and why meet him at the gates and redeliver our authorities there escalus i guess not angelo and why should we proclaim it in an hour before his entering that if any crave redress of injustice they should exhibit their petitions in the street escalus he shows his reason for that to have a dispatch of complaints and to deliver us from devices hereafter which shall then have no power to stand against us angelo well i beseech you let it be proclaimed betimes i the morn i'll call you at your house give notice to such men of sort and suit as are to meet him escalus i shall sir fare you well angelo good night exit escalus this deed unshapes me quite makes me unpregnant and dull to all proceedings a deflower'd maid and by an eminent body that enforced the law against it but that her tender shame will not proclaim against her maiden loss how might she tongue me yet reason dares her no for my authority bears of a credent bulk that no particular scandal once can touch but it confounds the breather he should have lived save that riotous youth with dangerous sense might in the times to come have ta'en revenge by so receiving a dishonour'd life with ransom of such shame would yet he had lived a lack when once our grace we have forgot nothing goes right we would and we would not exit measure for measure act iv scene v fields without the town enter duke vincentio in his own habit and friar peter duke vincentio these letters at fit time deliver me giving letters the provost knows our purpose and our plot the matter being afoot keep your instruction and hold you ever to our special drift though sometimes you do blench from this to that as cause doth minister go call at flavius house and tell him where i stay give the like notice to valentinus rowland and to crassus and bid them bring the trumpets to the gate but send me flavius first friar peter it shall be speeded well exit enter varrius duke vincentio i thank thee varrius thou hast made good haste come we will walk there's other of our friends will greet us here anon my gentle varrius exeunt measure for measure act iv scene vi street near the city gate enter isabella and mariana isabella to speak so indirectly i am loath i would say the truth but to accuse him so that is your part yet i am advised to do it he says to veil full purpose mariana be ruled by him isabella besides he tells me that if peradventure he speak against me on the adverse side i should not think it strange for tis a physic that's bitter to sweet end mariana i would friar peter isabella o peace the friar is come enter friar peter friar peter come i have found you out a stand most fit where you may have such vantage on the duke he shall not pass you twice have the trumpets sounded the generous and gravest citizens have hent the gates and very near upon the duke is entering therefore hence away exeunt measure for measure act v scene i the city gate mariana veiled isabella and friar peter at their stand enter duke vincentio varrius lords angelo escalus lucio provost officers and citizens at several doors duke vincentio my very worthy cousin fairly met our old and faithful friend we are glad to see you angelo happy return be to your royal grace escalus duke vincentio many and hearty thankings to you both we have made inquiry of you and we hear such goodness of your justice that our soul cannot but yield you forth to public thanks forerunning more requital angelo you make my bonds still greater duke vincentio o your desert speaks loud and i should wrong it to lock it in the wards of covert bosom when it deserves with characters of brass a forted residence gainst the tooth of time and razure of oblivion give me your hand and let the subject see to make them know that outward courtesies would fain proclaim favours that keep within come escalus you must walk by us on our other hand and good supporters are you friar peter and isabella come forward friar peter now is your time speak loud and kneel before him isabella justice o royal duke vail your regard upon a wrong'd i would fain have said a maid o worthy prince dishonour not your eye by throwing it on any other object till you have heard me in my true complaint and given me justice justice justice justice duke vincentio relate your wrongs in what by whom be brief here is lord angelo shall give you justice reveal yourself to him isabella o worthy duke you bid me seek redemption of the devil hear me yourself for that which i must speak must either punish me not being believed or wring redress from you hear me o hear me here angelo my lord her wits i fear me are not firm she hath been a suitor to me for her brother cut off by course of justice isabella by course of justice angelo and she will speak most bitterly and strange isabella most strange but yet most truly will i speak that angelo's forsworn is it not strange that angelo's a murderer is t not strange that angelo is an adulterous thief an hypocrite a virginviolator is it not strange and strange duke vincentio nay it is ten times strange isabella it is not truer he is angelo than this is all as true as it is strange nay it is ten times true for truth is truth to the end of reckoning duke vincentio away with her poor soul she speaks this in the infirmity of sense isabella o prince i conjure thee as thou believest there is another comfort than this world that thou neglect me not with that opinion that i am touch'd with madness make not impossible that which but seems unlike tis not impossible but one the wicked'st caitiff on the ground may seem as shy as grave as just as absolute as angelo even so may angelo in all his dressings characts titles forms be an archvillain believe it royal prince if he be less he's nothing but he's more had i more name for badness duke vincentio by mine honesty if she be madas i believe no other her madness hath the oddest frame of sense such a dependency of thing on thing as e'er i heard in madness isabella o gracious duke harp not on that nor do not banish reason for inequality but let your reason serve to make the truth appear where it seems hid and hide the false seems true duke vincentio many that are not mad have sure more lack of reason what would you say isabella i am the sister of one claudio condemn'd upon the act of fornication to lose his head condemn'd by angelo i in probation of a sisterhood was sent to by my brother one lucio as then the messenger lucio that's i an't like your grace i came to her from claudio and desired her to try her gracious fortune with lord angelo for her poor brother's pardon isabella that's he indeed duke vincentio you were not bid to speak lucio no my good lord nor wish'd to hold my peace duke vincentio i wish you now then pray you take note of it and when you have a business for yourself pray heaven you then be perfect lucio i warrant your honour duke vincentio the warrants for yourself take heed to't isabella this gentleman told somewhat of my tale lucio right duke vincentio it may be right but you are i the wrong to speak before your time proceed isabella i went to this pernicious caitiff deputy duke vincentio that's somewhat madly spoken isabella pardon it the phrase is to the matter duke vincentio mended again the matter proceed isabella in brief to set the needless process by how i persuaded how i pray'd and kneel'd how he refell'd me and how i replied for this was of much lengththe vile conclusion i now begin with grief and shame to utter he would not but by gift of my chaste body to his concupiscible intemperate lust release my brother and after much debatement my sisterly remorse confutes mine honour and i did yield to him but the next morn betimes his purpose surfeiting he sends a warrant for my poor brother's head duke vincentio this is most likely isabella o that it were as like as it is true duke vincentio by heaven fond wretch thou knowist not what thou speak'st or else thou art suborn'd against his honour in hateful practise first his integrity stands without blemish next it imports no reason that with such vehemency he should pursue faults proper to himself if he had so offended he would have weigh'd thy brother by himself and not have cut him off some one hath set you on confess the truth and say by whose advice thou camest here to complain isabella and is this all then o you blessed ministers above keep me in patience and with ripen'd time unfold the evil which is here wrapt up in countenance heaven shield your grace from woe as i thus wrong'd hence unbelieved go duke vincentio i know you'ld fain be gone an officer to prison with her shall we thus permit a blasting and a scandalous breath to fall on him so near us this needs must be a practise who knew of your intent and coming hither isabella one that i would were here friar lodowick duke vincentio a ghostly father belike who knows that lodowick lucio my lord i know him tis a meddling friar i do not like the man had he been lay my lord for certain words he spake against your grace in your retirement i had swinged him soundly duke vincentio words against me this is a good friar belike and to set on this wretched woman here against our substitute let this friar be found lucio but yesternight my lord she and that friar i saw them at the prison a saucy friar a very scurvy fellow friar peter blessed be your royal grace i have stood by my lord and i have heard your royal ear abused first hath this woman most wrongfully accused your substitute who is as free from touch or soil with her as she from one ungot duke vincentio we did believe no less know you that friar lodowick that she speaks of friar peter i know him for a man divine and holy not scurvy nor a temporary meddler as he's reported by this gentleman and on my trust a man that never yet did as he vouches misreport your grace lucio my lord most villanously believe it friar peter well he in time may come to clear himself but at this instant he is sick my lord of a strange fever upon his mere request being come to knowledge that there was complaint intended gainst lord angelo came i hither to speak as from his mouth what he doth know is true and false and what he with his oath and all probation will make up full clear whensoever he's convented first for this woman to justify this worthy nobleman so vulgarly and personally accused her shall you hear disproved to her eyes till she herself confess it duke vincentio good friar let's hear it isabella is carried off guarded and mariana comes forward do you not smile at this lord angelo o heaven the vanity of wretched fools give us some seats come cousin angelo in this i'll be impartial be you judge of your own cause is this the witness friar first let her show her face and after speak mariana pardon my lord i will not show my face until my husband bid me duke vincentio what are you married mariana no my lord duke vincentio are you a maid mariana no my lord duke vincentio a widow then mariana neither my lord duke vincentio why you are nothing then neither maid widow nor wife lucio my lord she may be a punk for many of them are neither maid widow nor wife duke vincentio silence that fellow i would he had some cause to prattle for himself lucio well my lord mariana my lord i do confess i ne'er was married and i confess besides i am no maid i have known my husband yet my husband knows not that ever he knew me lucio he was drunk then my lord it can be no better duke vincentio for the benefit of silence would thou wert so too lucio well my lord duke vincentio this is no witness for lord angelo mariana now i come to't my lord she that accuses him of fornication in selfsame manner doth accuse my husband and charges him my lord with such a time when i'll depose i had him in mine arms with all the effect of love angelo charges she more than me mariana not that i know duke vincentio no you say your husband mariana why just my lord and that is angelo who thinks he knows that he ne'er knew my body but knows he thinks that he knows isabel's angelo this is a strange abuse let's see thy face mariana my husband bids me now i will unmask unveiling this is that face thou cruel angelo which once thou sworest was worth the looking on this is the hand which with a vow'd contract was fast belock'd in thine this is the body that took away the match from isabel and did supply thee at thy gardenhouse in her imagined person duke vincentio know you this woman lucio carnally she says duke vincentio sirrah no more lucio enough my lord angelo my lord i must confess i know this woman and five years since there was some speech of marriage betwixt myself and her which was broke off partly for that her promised proportions came short of composition but in chief for that her reputation was disvalued in levity since which time of five years i never spake with her saw her nor heard from her upon my faith and honour mariana noble prince as there comes light from heaven and words from breath as there is sense in truth and truth in virtue i am affianced this man's wife as strongly as words could make up vows and my good lord but tuesday night last gone in's gardenhouse he knew me as a wife as this is true let me in safety raise me from my knees or else for ever be confixed here a marble monument angelo i did but smile till now now good my lord give me the scope of justice my patience here is touch'd i do perceive these poor informal women are no more but instruments of some more mightier member that sets them on let me have way my lord to find this practise out duke vincentio ay with my heart and punish them to your height of pleasure thou foolish friar and thou pernicious woman compact with her that's gone think'st thou thy oaths though they would swear down each particular saint were testimonies against his worth and credit that's seal'd in approbation you lord escalus sit with my cousin lend him your kind pains to find out this abuse whence tis derived there is another friar that set them on let him be sent for friar peter would he were here my lord for he indeed hath set the women on to this complaint your provost knows the place where he abides and he may fetch him duke vincentio go do it instantly exit provost and you my noble and wellwarranted cousin whom it concerns to hear this matter forth do with your injuries as seems you best in any chastisement i for a while will leave you but stir not you till you have well determined upon these slanderers escalus my lord we'll do it throughly exit duke signior lucio did not you say you knew that friar lodowick to be a dishonest person lucio cucullus non facit monachum honest in nothing but in his clothes and one that hath spoke most villanous speeches of the duke escalus we shall entreat you to abide here till he come and enforce them against him we shall find this friar a notable fellow lucio as any in vienna on my word escalus call that same isabel here once again i would speak with her exit an attendant pray you my lord give me leave to question you shall see how i'll handle her lucio not better than he by her own report escalus say you lucio marry sir i think if you handled her privately she would sooner confess perchance publicly she'll be ashamed escalus i will go darkly to work with her lucio that's the way for women are light at midnight reenter officers with isabella and provost with the duke vincentio in his friar's habit escalus come on mistress here's a gentlewoman denies all that you have said lucio my lord here comes the rascal i spoke of here with the provost escalus in very good time speak not you to him till we call upon you lucio mum escalus come sir did you set these women on to slander lord angelo they have confessed you did duke vincentio tis false escalus how know you where you are duke vincentio respect to your great place and let the devil be sometime honour'd for his burning throne where is the duke tis he should hear me speak escalus the duke's in us and we will hear you speak look you speak justly duke vincentio boldly at least but o poor souls come you to seek the lamb here of the fox good night to your redress is the duke gone then is your cause gone too the duke's unjust thus to retort your manifest appeal and put your trial in the villain's mouth which here you come to accuse lucio this is the rascal this is he i spoke of escalus why thou unreverend and unhallow'd friar is't not enough thou hast suborn'd these women to accuse this worthy man but in foul mouth and in the witness of his proper ear to call him villain and then to glance from him to the duke himself to tax him with injustice take him hence to the rack with him we'll touse you joint by joint but we will know his purpose what unjust' duke vincentio be not so hot the duke dare no more stretch this finger of mine than he dare rack his own his subject am i not nor here provincial my business in this state made me a looker on here in vienna where i have seen corruption boil and bubble till it o'errun the stew laws for all faults but faults so countenanced that the strong statutes stand like the forfeits in a barber's shop as much in mock as mark escalus slander to the state away with him to prison angelo what can you vouch against him signior lucio is this the man that you did tell us of lucio tis he my lord come hither goodman baldpate do you know me duke vincentio i remember you sir by the sound of your voice i met you at the prison in the absence of the duke lucio o did you so and do you remember what you said of the duke duke vincentio most notedly sir lucio do you so sir and was the duke a fleshmonger a fool and a coward as you then reported him to be duke vincentio you must sir change persons with me ere you make that my report you indeed spoke so of him and much more much worse lucio o thou damnable fellow did not i pluck thee by the nose for thy speeches duke vincentio i protest i love the duke as i love myself angelo hark how the villain would close now after his treasonable abuses escalus such a fellow is not to be talked withal away with him to prison where is the provost away with him to prison lay bolts enough upon him let him speak no more away with those giglots too and with the other confederate companion duke vincentio to provost stay sir stay awhile angelo what resists he help him lucio lucio come sir come sir come sir foh sir why you baldpated lying rascal you must be hooded must you show your knave's visage with a pox to you show your sheepbiting face and be hanged an hour will't not off pulls off the friar's hood and discovers duke vincentio duke vincentio thou art the first knave that e'er madest a duke first provost let me bail these gentle three to lucio sneak not away sir for the friar and you must have a word anon lay hold on him lucio this may prove worse than hanging duke vincentio to escalus what you have spoke i pardon sit you down we'll borrow place of him to angelo sir by your leave hast thou or word or wit or impudence that yet can do thee office if thou hast rely upon it till my tale be heard and hold no longer out angelo o my dread lord i should be guiltier than my guiltiness to think i can be undiscernible when i perceive your grace like power divine hath look'd upon my passes then good prince no longer session hold upon my shame but let my trial be mine own confession immediate sentence then and sequent death is all the grace i beg duke vincentio come hither mariana say wast thou e'er contracted to this woman angelo i was my lord duke vincentio go take her hence and marry her instantly do you the office friar which consummate return him here again go with him provost exeunt angelo mariana friar peter and provost escalus my lord i am more amazed at his dishonour than at the strangeness of it duke vincentio come hither isabel your friar is now your prince as i was then advertising and holy to your business not changing heart with habit i am still attorney'd at your service isabella o give me pardon that i your vassal have employ'd and pain'd your unknown sovereignty duke vincentio you are pardon'd isabel and now dear maid be you as free to us your brother's death i know sits at your heart and you may marvel why i obscured myself labouring to save his life and would not rather make rash remonstrance of my hidden power than let him so be lost o most kind maid it was the swift celerity of his death which i did think with slower foot came on that brain'd my purpose but peace be with him that life is better life past fearing death than that which lives to fear make it your comfort so happy is your brother isabella i do my lord reenter angelo mariana friar peter and provost duke vincentio for this newmarried man approaching here whose salt imagination yet hath wrong'd your well defended honour you must pardon for mariana's sake but as he adjudged your brother being criminal in double violation of sacred chastity and of promisebreach thereon dependent for your brother's life the very mercy of the law cries out most audible even from his proper tongue an angelo for claudio death for death' haste still pays haste and leisure answers leisure like doth quit like and measure still for measure then angelo thy fault's thus manifested which though thou wouldst deny denies thee vantage we do condemn thee to the very block where claudio stoop'd to death and with like haste away with him mariana o my most gracious lord i hope you will not mock me with a husband duke vincentio it is your husband mock'd you with a husband consenting to the safeguard of your honour i thought your marriage fit else imputation for that he knew you might reproach your life and choke your good to come for his possessions although by confiscation they are ours we do instate and widow you withal to buy you a better husband mariana o my dear lord i crave no other nor no better man duke vincentio never crave him we are definitive mariana gentle my liege kneeling duke vincentio you do but lose your labour away with him to death to lucio now sir to you mariana o my good lord sweet isabel take my part lend me your knees and all my life to come i'll lend you all my life to do you service duke vincentio against all sense you do importune her should she kneel down in mercy of this fact her brother's ghost his paved bed would break and take her hence in horror mariana isabel sweet isabel do yet but kneel by me hold up your hands say nothing i'll speak all they say best men are moulded out of faults and for the most become much more the better for being a little bad so may my husband o isabel will you not lend a knee duke vincentio he dies for claudio's death isabella most bounteous sir kneeling look if it please you on this man condemn'd as if my brother lived i partly think a due sincerity govern'd his deeds till he did look on me since it is so let him not die my brother had but justice in that he did the thing for which he died for angelo his act did not o'ertake his bad intent and must be buried but as an intent that perish'd by the way thoughts are no subjects intents but merely thoughts mariana merely my lord duke vincentio your suit's unprofitable stand up i say i have bethought me of another fault provost how came it claudio was beheaded at an unusual hour provost it was commanded so duke vincentio had you a special warrant for the deed provost no my good lord it was by private message duke vincentio for which i do discharge you of your office give up your keys provost pardon me noble lord i thought it was a fault but knew it not yet did repent me after more advice for testimony whereof one in the prison that should by private order else have died i have reserved alive duke vincentio what's he provost his name is barnardine duke vincentio i would thou hadst done so by claudio go fetch him hither let me look upon him exit provost escalus i am sorry one so learned and so wise as you lord angelo have still appear'd should slip so grossly both in the heat of blood and lack of temper'd judgment afterward angelo i am sorry that such sorrow i procure and so deep sticks it in my penitent heart that i crave death more willingly than mercy tis my deserving and i do entreat it reenter provost with barnardine claudio muffled and juliet duke vincentio which is that barnardine provost this my lord duke vincentio there was a friar told me of this man sirrah thou art said to have a stubborn soul that apprehends no further than this world and squarest thy life according thou'rt condemn'd but for those earthly faults i quit them all and pray thee take this mercy to provide for better times to come friar advise him i leave him to your hand what muffled fellow's that provost this is another prisoner that i saved who should have died when claudio lost his head as like almost to claudio as himself unmuffles claudio duke vincentio to isabella if he be like your brother for his sake is he pardon'd and for your lovely sake give me your hand and say you will be mine he is my brother too but fitter time for that by this lord angelo perceives he's safe methinks i see a quickening in his eye well angelo your evil quits you well look that you love your wife her worth worth yours i find an apt remission in myself and yet here's one in place i cannot pardon to lucio you sirrah that knew me for a fool a coward one all of luxury an ass a madman wherein have i so deserved of you that you extol me thus lucio faith my lord i spoke it but according to the trick if you will hang me for it you may but i had rather it would please you i might be whipt duke vincentio whipt first sir and hanged after proclaim it provost round about the city is any woman wrong'd by this lewd fellow as i have heard him swear himself there's one whom he begot with child let her appear and he shall marry her the nuptial finish'd let him be whipt and hang'd lucio i beseech your highness do not marry me to a whore your highness said even now i made you a duke good my lord do not recompense me in making me a cuckold duke vincentio upon mine honour thou shalt marry her thy slanders i forgive and therewithal remit thy other forfeits take him to prison and see our pleasure herein executed lucio marrying a punk my lord is pressing to death whipping and hanging duke vincentio slandering a prince deserves it exit officers with lucio she claudio that you wrong'd look you restore joy to you mariana love her angelo i have confess'd her and i know her virtue thanks good friend escalus for thy much goodness there's more behind that is more gratulate thanks provost for thy care and secrecy we shill employ thee in a worthier place forgive him angelo that brought you home the head of ragozine for claudio's the offence pardons itself dear isabel i have a motion much imports your good whereto if you'll a willing ear incline what's mine is yours and what is yours is mine so bring us to our palace where we'll show what's yet behind that's meet you all should know exeunt the merchant of venice dramatis personae the duke of venice duke the prince of morocco morocco suitors to portia the prince of arragon arragon antonio a merchant of venice bassanio his friend suitor likewise to portia salanio salarino friends to antonio and bassanio gratiano salerio lorenzo in love with jessica shylock a rich jew tubal a jew his friend launcelot gobbo the clown servant to shylock launcelot old gobbo father to launcelot gobbo leonardo servant to bassanio balthasar servants to portia stephano portia a rich heiress nerissa her waitingmaid jessica daughter to shylock magnificoes of venice officers of the court of justice gaoler servants to portia and other attendants servant clerk scene partly at venice and partly at belmont the seat of portia on the continent the merchant of venice act i scene i venice a street enter antonio salarino and salanio antonio in sooth i know not why i am so sad it wearies me you say it wearies you but how i caught it found it or came by it what stuff tis made of whereof it is born i am to learn and such a wantwit sadness makes of me that i have much ado to know myself salarino your mind is tossing on the ocean there where your argosies with portly sail like signiors and rich burghers on the flood or as it were the pageants of the sea do overpeer the petty traffickers that curtsy to them do them reverence as they fly by them with their woven wings salanio believe me sir had i such venture forth the better part of my affections would be with my hopes abroad i should be still plucking the grass to know where sits the wind peering in maps for ports and piers and roads and every object that might make me fear misfortune to my ventures out of doubt would make me sad salarino my wind cooling my broth would blow me to an ague when i thought what harm a wind too great at sea might do i should not see the sandy hourglass run but i should think of shallows and of flats and see my wealthy andrew dock'd in sand vailing her hightop lower than her ribs to kiss her burial should i go to church and see the holy edifice of stone and not bethink me straight of dangerous rocks which touching but my gentle vessel's side would scatter all her spices on the stream enrobe the roaring waters with my silks and in a word but even now worth this and now worth nothing shall i have the thought to think on this and shall i lack the thought that such a thing bechanced would make me sad but tell not me i know antonio is sad to think upon his merchandise antonio believe me no i thank my fortune for it my ventures are not in one bottom trusted nor to one place nor is my whole estate upon the fortune of this present year therefore my merchandise makes me not sad salarino why then you are in love antonio fie fie salarino not in love neither then let us say you are sad because you are not merry and twere as easy for you to laugh and leap and say you are merry because you are not sad now by twoheaded janus nature hath framed strange fellows in her time some that will evermore peep through their eyes and laugh like parrots at a bagpiper and other of such vinegar aspect that they'll not show their teeth in way of smile though nestor swear the jest be laughable enter bassanio lorenzo and gratiano salanio here comes bassanio your most noble kinsman gratiano and lorenzo fare ye well we leave you now with better company salarino i would have stay'd till i had made you merry if worthier friends had not prevented me antonio your worth is very dear in my regard i take it your own business calls on you and you embrace the occasion to depart salarino good morrow my good lords bassanio good signiors both when shall we laugh say when you grow exceeding strange must it be so salarino we'll make our leisures to attend on yours exeunt salarino and salanio lorenzo my lord bassanio since you have found antonio we two will leave you but at dinnertime i pray you have in mind where we must meet bassanio i will not fail you gratiano you look not well signior antonio you have too much respect upon the world they lose it that do buy it with much care believe me you are marvellously changed antonio i hold the world but as the world gratiano a stage where every man must play a part and mine a sad one gratiano let me play the fool with mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come and let my liver rather heat with wine than my heart cool with mortifying groans why should a man whose blood is warm within sit like his grandsire cut in alabaster sleep when he wakes and creep into the jaundice by being peevish i tell thee what antonio i love thee and it is my love that speaks there are a sort of men whose visages do cream and mantle like a standing pond and do a wilful stillness entertain with purpose to be dress'd in an opinion of wisdom gravity profound conceit as who should say i am sir oracle and when i ope my lips let no dog bark' o my antonio i do know of these that therefore only are reputed wise for saying nothing when i am very sure if they should speak would almost damn those ears which hearing them would call their brothers fools i'll tell thee more of this another time but fish not with this melancholy bait for this fool gudgeon this opinion come good lorenzo fare ye well awhile i'll end my exhortation after dinner lorenzo well we will leave you then till dinnertime i must be one of these same dumb wise men for gratiano never lets me speak gratiano well keep me company but two years moe thou shalt not know the sound of thine own tongue antonio farewell i'll grow a talker for this gear gratiano thanks i faith for silence is only commendable in a neat's tongue dried and a maid not vendible exeunt gratiano and lorenzo antonio is that any thing now bassanio gratiano speaks an infinite deal of nothing more than any man in all venice his reasons are as two grains of wheat hid in two bushels of chaff you shall seek all day ere you find them and when you have them they are not worth the search antonio well tell me now what lady is the same to whom you swore a secret pilgrimage that you today promised to tell me of bassanio tis not unknown to you antonio how much i have disabled mine estate by something showing a more swelling port than my faint means would grant continuance nor do i now make moan to be abridged from such a noble rate but my chief care is to come fairly off from the great debts wherein my time something too prodigal hath left me gaged to you antonio i owe the most in money and in love and from your love i have a warranty to unburden all my plots and purposes how to get clear of all the debts i owe antonio i pray you good bassanio let me know it and if it stand as you yourself still do within the eye of honour be assured my purse my person my extremest means lie all unlock'd to your occasions bassanio in my schooldays when i had lost one shaft i shot his fellow of the selfsame flight the selfsame way with more advised watch to find the other forth and by adventuring both i oft found both i urge this childhood proof because what follows is pure innocence i owe you much and like a wilful youth that which i owe is lost but if you please to shoot another arrow that self way which you did shoot the first i do not doubt as i will watch the aim or to find both or bring your latter hazard back again and thankfully rest debtor for the first antonio you know me well and herein spend but time to wind about my love with circumstance and out of doubt you do me now more wrong in making question of my uttermost than if you had made waste of all i have then do but say to me what i should do that in your knowledge may by me be done and i am prest unto it therefore speak bassanio in belmont is a lady richly left and she is fair and fairer than that word of wondrous virtues sometimes from her eyes i did receive fair speechless messages her name is portia nothing undervalued to cato's daughter brutus portia nor is the wide world ignorant of her worth for the four winds blow in from every coast renowned suitors and her sunny locks hang on her temples like a golden fleece which makes her seat of belmont colchos strand and many jasons come in quest of her o my antonio had i but the means to hold a rival place with one of them i have a mind presages me such thrift that i should questionless be fortunate antonio thou know'st that all my fortunes are at sea neither have i money nor commodity to raise a present sum therefore go forth try what my credit can in venice do that shall be rack'd even to the uttermost to furnish thee to belmont to fair portia go presently inquire and so will i where money is and i no question make to have it of my trust or for my sake exeunt the merchant of venice act i scene ii belmont a room in portia's house enter portia and nerissa portia by my troth nerissa my little body is aweary of this great world nerissa you would be sweet madam if your miseries were in the same abundance as your good fortunes are and yet for aught i see they are as sick that surfeit with too much as they that starve with nothing it is no mean happiness therefore to be seated in the mean superfluity comes sooner by white hairs but competency lives longer portia good sentences and well pronounced nerissa they would be better if well followed portia if to do were as easy as to know what were good to do chapels had been churches and poor men's cottages princes palaces it is a good divine that follows his own instructions i can easier teach twenty what were good to be done than be one of the twenty to follow mine own teaching the brain may devise laws for the blood but a hot temper leaps o'er a cold decree such a hare is madness the youth to skip o'er the meshes of good counsel the cripple but this reasoning is not in the fashion to choose me a husband o me the word choose i may neither choose whom i would nor refuse whom i dislike so is the will of a living daughter curbed by the will of a dead father is it not hard nerissa that i cannot choose one nor refuse none nerissa your father was ever virtuous and holy men at their death have good inspirations therefore the lottery that he hath devised in these three chests of gold silver and lead whereof who chooses his meaning chooses you will no doubt never be chosen by any rightly but one who shall rightly love but what warmth is there in your affection towards any of these princely suitors that are already come portia i pray thee overname them and as thou namest them i will describe them and according to my description level at my affection nerissa first there is the neapolitan prince portia ay that's a colt indeed for he doth nothing but talk of his horse and he makes it a great appropriation to his own good parts that he can shoe him himself i am much afeard my lady his mother played false with a smith nerissa then there is the county palatine portia he doth nothing but frown as who should say if you will not have me choose he hears merry tales and smiles not i fear he will prove the weeping philosopher when he grows old being so full of unmannerly sadness in his youth i had rather be married to a death'shead with a bone in his mouth than to either of these god defend me from these two nerissa how say you by the french lord monsieur le bon portia god made him and therefore let him pass for a man in truth i know it is a sin to be a mocker but he why he hath a horse better than the neapolitan's a better bad habit of frowning than the count palatine he is every man in no man if a throstle sing he falls straight a capering he will fence with his own shadow if i should marry him i should marry twenty husbands if he would despise me i would forgive him for if he love me to madness i shall never requite him nerissa what say you then to falconbridge the young baron of england portia you know i say nothing to him for he understands not me nor i him he hath neither latin french nor italian and you will come into the court and swear that i have a poor pennyworth in the english he is a proper man's picture but alas who can converse with a dumbshow how oddly he is suited i think he bought his doublet in italy his round hose in france his bonnet in germany and his behavior every where nerissa what think you of the scottish lord his neighbour portia that he hath a neighbourly charity in him for he borrowed a box of the ear of the englishman and swore he would pay him again when he was able i think the frenchman became his surety and sealed under for another nerissa how like you the young german the duke of saxony's nephew portia very vilely in the morning when he is sober and most vilely in the afternoon when he is drunk when he is best he is a little worse than a man and when he is worst he is little better than a beast and the worst fall that ever fell i hope i shall make shift to go without him nerissa if he should offer to choose and choose the right casket you should refuse to perform your father's will if you should refuse to accept him portia therefore for fear of the worst i pray thee set a deep glass of rhenish wine on the contrary casket for if the devil be within and that temptation without i know he will choose it i will do any thing nerissa ere i'll be married to a sponge nerissa you need not fear lady the having any of these lords they have acquainted me with their determinations which is indeed to return to their home and to trouble you with no more suit unless you may be won by some other sort than your father's imposition depending on the caskets portia if i live to be as old as sibylla i will die as chaste as diana unless i be obtained by the manner of my father's will i am glad this parcel of wooers are so reasonable for there is not one among them but i dote on his very absence and i pray god grant them a fair departure nerissa do you not remember lady in your father's time a venetian a scholar and a soldier that came hither in company of the marquis of montferrat portia yes yes it was bassanio as i think he was so called nerissa true madam he of all the men that ever my foolish eyes looked upon was the best deserving a fair lady portia i remember him well and i remember him worthy of thy praise enter a servingman how now what news servant the four strangers seek for you madam to take their leave and there is a forerunner come from a fifth the prince of morocco who brings word the prince his master will be here tonight portia if i could bid the fifth welcome with so good a heart as i can bid the other four farewell i should be glad of his approach if he have the condition of a saint and the complexion of a devil i had rather he should shrive me than wive me come nerissa sirrah go before whiles we shut the gates upon one wooer another knocks at the door exeunt the merchant of venice act i scene iii venice a public place enter bassanio and shylock shylock three thousand ducats well bassanio ay sir for three months shylock for three months well bassanio for the which as i told you antonio shall be bound shylock antonio shall become bound well bassanio may you stead me will you pleasure me shall i know your answer shylock three thousand ducats for three months and antonio bound bassanio your answer to that shylock antonio is a good man bassanio have you heard any imputation to the contrary shylock oh no no no no my meaning in saying he is a good man is to have you understand me that he is sufficient yet his means are in supposition he hath an argosy bound to tripolis another to the indies i understand moreover upon the rialto he hath a third at mexico a fourth for england and other ventures he hath squandered abroad but ships are but boards sailors but men there be landrats and waterrats waterthieves and landthieves i mean pirates and then there is the peril of waters winds and rocks the man is notwithstanding sufficient three thousand ducats i think i may take his bond bassanio be assured you may shylock i will be assured i may and that i may be assured i will bethink me may i speak with antonio bassanio if it please you to dine with us shylock yes to smell pork to eat of the habitation which your prophet the nazarite conjured the devil into i will buy with you sell with you talk with you walk with you and so following but i will not eat with you drink with you nor pray with you what news on the rialto who is he comes here enter antonio bassanio this is signior antonio shylock aside how like a fawning publican he looks i hate him for he is a christian but more for that in low simplicity he lends out money gratis and brings down the rate of usance here with us in venice if i can catch him once upon the hip i will feed fat the ancient grudge i bear him he hates our sacred nation and he rails even there where merchants most do congregate on me my bargains and my wellwon thrift which he calls interest cursed be my tribe if i forgive him bassanio shylock do you hear shylock i am debating of my present store and by the near guess of my memory i cannot instantly raise up the gross of full three thousand ducats what of that tubal a wealthy hebrew of my tribe will furnish me but soft how many months do you desire to antonio rest you fair good signior your worship was the last man in our mouths antonio shylock although i neither lend nor borrow by taking nor by giving of excess yet to supply the ripe wants of my friend i'll break a custom is he yet possess'd how much ye would shylock ay ay three thousand ducats antonio and for three months shylock i had forgot three months you told me so well then your bond and let me see but hear you methought you said you neither lend nor borrow upon advantage antonio i do never use it shylock when jacob grazed his uncle laban's sheep this jacob from our holy abram was as his wise mother wrought in his behalf the third possessor ay he was the third antonio and what of him did he take interest shylock no not take interest not as you would say directly interest mark what jacob did when laban and himself were compromised that all the eanlings which were streak'd and pied should fall as jacob's hire the ewes being rank in the end of autumn turned to the rams and when the work of generation was between these woolly breeders in the act the skilful shepherd peel'd me certain wands and in the doing of the deed of kind he stuck them up before the fulsome ewes who then conceiving did in eaning time fall particolour'd lambs and those were jacob's this was a way to thrive and he was blest and thrift is blessing if men steal it not antonio this was a venture sir that jacob served for a thing not in his power to bring to pass but sway'd and fashion'd by the hand of heaven was this inserted to make interest good or is your gold and silver ewes and rams shylock i cannot tell i make it breed as fast but note me signior antonio mark you this bassanio the devil can cite scripture for his purpose an evil soul producing holy witness is like a villain with a smiling cheek a goodly apple rotten at the heart o what a goodly outside falsehood hath shylock three thousand ducats tis a good round sum three months from twelve then let me see the rate antonio well shylock shall we be beholding to you shylock signior antonio many a time and oft in the rialto you have rated me about my moneys and my usances still have i borne it with a patient shrug for sufferance is the badge of all our tribe you call me misbeliever cutthroat dog and spit upon my jewish gaberdine and all for use of that which is mine own well then it now appears you need my help go to then you come to me and you say shylock we would have moneys you say so you that did void your rheum upon my beard and foot me as you spurn a stranger cur over your threshold moneys is your suit what should i say to you should i not say hath a dog money is it possible a cur can lend three thousand ducats or shall i bend low and in a bondman's key with bated breath and whispering humbleness say this fair sir you spit on me on wednesday last you spurn'd me such a day another time you call'd me dog and for these courtesies i'll lend you thus much moneys' antonio i am as like to call thee so again to spit on thee again to spurn thee too if thou wilt lend this money lend it not as to thy friends for when did friendship take a breed for barren metal of his friend but lend it rather to thine enemy who if he break thou mayst with better face exact the penalty shylock why look you how you storm i would be friends with you and have your love forget the shames that you have stain'd me with supply your present wants and take no doit of usance for my moneys and you'll not hear me this is kind i offer bassanio this were kindness shylock this kindness will i show go with me to a notary seal me there your single bond and in a merry sport if you repay me not on such a day in such a place such sum or sums as are express'd in the condition let the forfeit be nominated for an equal pound of your fair flesh to be cut off and taken in what part of your body pleaseth me antonio content i faith i'll seal to such a bond and say there is much kindness in the jew bassanio you shall not seal to such a bond for me i'll rather dwell in my necessity antonio why fear not man i will not forfeit it within these two months that's a month before this bond expires i do expect return of thrice three times the value of this bond shylock o father abram what these christians are whose own hard dealings teaches them suspect the thoughts of others pray you tell me this if he should break his day what should i gain by the exaction of the forfeiture a pound of man's flesh taken from a man is not so estimable profitable neither as flesh of muttons beefs or goats i say to buy his favour i extend this friendship if he will take it so if not adieu and for my love i pray you wrong me not antonio yes shylock i will seal unto this bond shylock then meet me forthwith at the notary's give him direction for this merry bond and i will go and purse the ducats straight see to my house left in the fearful guard of an unthrifty knave and presently i will be with you antonio hie thee gentle jew exit shylock the hebrew will turn christian he grows kind bassanio i like not fair terms and a villain's mind antonio come on in this there can be no dismay my ships come home a month before the day exeunt the merchant of venice act ii scene i belmont a room in portia's house flourish of cornets enter the prince of morocco and his train portia nerissa and others attending morocco mislike me not for my complexion the shadow'd livery of the burnish'd sun to whom i am a neighbour and near bred bring me the fairest creature northward born where phoebus fire scarce thaws the icicles and let us make incision for your love to prove whose blood is reddest his or mine i tell thee lady this aspect of mine hath fear'd the valiant by my love i swear the bestregarded virgins of our clime have loved it too i would not change this hue except to steal your thoughts my gentle queen portia in terms of choice i am not solely led by nice direction of a maiden's eyes besides the lottery of my destiny bars me the right of voluntary choosing but if my father had not scanted me and hedged me by his wit to yield myself his wife who wins me by that means i told you yourself renowned prince then stood as fair as any comer i have look'd on yet for my affection morocco even for that i thank you therefore i pray you lead me to the caskets to try my fortune by this scimitar that slew the sophy and a persian prince that won three fields of sultan solyman i would outstare the sternest eyes that look outbrave the heart most daring on the earth pluck the young sucking cubs from the shebear yea mock the lion when he roars for prey to win thee lady but alas the while if hercules and lichas play at dice which is the better man the greater throw may turn by fortune from the weaker hand so is alcides beaten by his page and so may i blind fortune leading me miss that which one unworthier may attain and die with grieving portia you must take your chance and either not attempt to choose at all or swear before you choose if you choose wrong never to speak to lady afterward in way of marriage therefore be advised morocco nor will not come bring me unto my chance portia first forward to the temple after dinner your hazard shall be made morocco good fortune then to make me blest or cursed'st among men cornets and exeunt the merchant of venice act ii scene ii venice a street enter launcelot launcelot certainly my conscience will serve me to run from this jew my master the fiend is at mine elbow and tempts me saying to me gobbo launcelot gobbo good launcelot or good gobbo or good launcelot gobbo use your legs take the start run away my conscience says no take heed honest launcelot take heed honest gobbo or as aforesaid honest launcelot gobbo do not run scorn running with thy heels well the most courageous fiend bids me pack via says the fiend away says the fiend for the heavens rouse up a brave mind' says the fiend and run well my conscience hanging about the neck of my heart says very wisely to me my honest friend launcelot being an honest man's son or rather an honest woman's son for indeed my father did something smack something grow to he had a kind of taste well my conscience says launcelot budge not budge says the fiend budge not says my conscience conscience say i you counsel well fiend' say i you counsel well to be ruled by my conscience i should stay with the jew my master who god bless the mark is a kind of devil and to run away from the jew i should be ruled by the fiend who saving your reverence is the devil himself certainly the jew is the very devil incarnal and in my conscience my conscience is but a kind of hard conscience to offer to counsel me to stay with the jew the fiend gives the more friendly counsel i will run fiend my heels are at your command i will run enter old gobbo with a basket gobbo master young man you i pray you which is the way to master jew's launcelot aside o heavens this is my truebegotten father who being more than sandblind highgravel blind knows me not i will try confusions with him gobbo master young gentleman i pray you which is the way to master jew's launcelot turn up on your right hand at the next turning but at the next turning of all on your left marry at the very next turning turn of no hand but turn down indirectly to the jew's house gobbo by god's sonties twill be a hard way to hit can you tell me whether one launcelot that dwells with him dwell with him or no launcelot talk you of young master launcelot aside mark me now now will i raise the waters talk you of young master launcelot gobbo no master sir but a poor man's son his father though i say it is an honest exceeding poor man and god be thanked well to live launcelot well let his father be what a will we talk of young master launcelot gobbo your worship's friend and launcelot sir launcelot but i pray you ergo old man ergo i beseech you talk you of young master launcelot gobbo of launcelot an't please your mastership launcelot ergo master launcelot talk not of master launcelot father for the young gentleman according to fates and destinies and such odd sayings the sisters three and such branches of learning is indeed deceased or as you would say in plain terms gone to heaven gobbo marry god forbid the boy was the very staff of my age my very prop launcelot do i look like a cudgel or a hovelpost a staff or a prop do you know me father gobbo alack the day i know you not young gentleman but i pray you tell me is my boy god rest his soul alive or dead launcelot do you not know me father gobbo alack sir i am sandblind i know you not launcelot nay indeed if you had your eyes you might fail of the knowing me it is a wise father that knows his own child well old man i will tell you news of your son give me your blessing truth will come to light murder cannot be hid long a man's son may but at the length truth will out gobbo pray you sir stand up i am sure you are not launcelot my boy launcelot pray you let's have no more fooling about it but give me your blessing i am launcelot your boy that was your son that is your child that shall be gobbo i cannot think you are my son launcelot i know not what i shall think of that but i am launcelot the jew's man and i am sure margery your wife is my mother gobbo her name is margery indeed i'll be sworn if thou be launcelot thou art mine own flesh and blood lord worshipped might he be what a beard hast thou got thou hast got more hair on thy chin than dobbin my fillhorse has on his tail launcelot it should seem then that dobbin's tail grows backward i am sure he had more hair of his tail than i have of my face when i last saw him gobbo lord how art thou changed how dost thou and thy master agree i have brought him a present how gree you now launcelot well well but for mine own part as i have set up my rest to run away so i will not rest till i have run some ground my master's a very jew give him a present give him a halter i am famished in his service you may tell every finger i have with my ribs father i am glad you are come give me your present to one master bassanio who indeed gives rare new liveries if i serve not him i will run as far as god has any ground o rare fortune here comes the man to him father for i am a jew if i serve the jew any longer enter bassanio with leonardo and other followers bassanio you may do so but let it be so hasted that supper be ready at the farthest by five of the clock see these letters delivered put the liveries to making and desire gratiano to come anon to my lodging exit a servant launcelot to him father gobbo god bless your worship bassanio gramercy wouldst thou aught with me gobbo here's my son sir a poor boy launcelot not a poor boy sir but the rich jew's man that would sir as my father shall specify gobbo he hath a great infection sir as one would say to serve launcelot indeed the short and the long is i serve the jew and have a desire as my father shall specify gobbo his master and he saving your worship's reverence are scarce catercousins launcelot to be brief the very truth is that the jew having done me wrong doth cause me as my father being i hope an old man shall frutify unto you gobbo i have here a dish of doves that i would bestow upon your worship and my suit is launcelot in very brief the suit is impertinent to myself as your worship shall know by this honest old man and though i say it though old man yet poor man my father bassanio one speak for both what would you launcelot serve you sir gobbo that is the very defect of the matter sir bassanio i know thee well thou hast obtain'd thy suit shylock thy master spoke with me this day and hath preferr'd thee if it be preferment to leave a rich jew's service to become the follower of so poor a gentleman launcelot the old proverb is very well parted between my master shylock and you sir you have the grace of god sir and he hath enough bassanio thou speak'st it well go father with thy son take leave of thy old master and inquire my lodging out give him a livery more guarded than his fellows see it done launcelot father in i cannot get a service no i have ne'er a tongue in my head well if any man in italy have a fairer table which doth offer to swear upon a book i shall have good fortune go to here's a simple line of life here's a small trifle of wives alas fifteen wives is nothing eleven widows and nine maids is a simple comingin for one man and then to scape drowning thrice and to be in peril of my life with the edge of a featherbed here are simple scapes well if fortune be a woman she's a good wench for this gear father come i'll take my leave of the jew in the twinkling of an eye exeunt launcelot and old gobbo bassanio i pray thee good leonardo think on this these things being bought and orderly bestow'd return in haste for i do feast tonight my bestesteem'd acquaintance hie thee go leonardo my best endeavours shall be done herein enter gratiano gratiano where is your master leonardo yonder sir he walks exit gratiano signior bassanio bassanio gratiano gratiano i have a suit to you bassanio you have obtain'd it gratiano you must not deny me i must go with you to belmont bassanio why then you must but hear thee gratiano thou art too wild too rude and bold of voice parts that become thee happily enough and in such eyes as ours appear not faults but where thou art not known why there they show something too liberal pray thee take pain to allay with some cold drops of modesty thy skipping spirit lest through thy wild behavior i be misconstrued in the place i go to and lose my hopes gratiano signior bassanio hear me if i do not put on a sober habit talk with respect and swear but now and then wear prayerbooks in my pocket look demurely nay more while grace is saying hood mine eyes thus with my hat and sigh and say amen' use all the observance of civility like one well studied in a sad ostent to please his grandam never trust me more bassanio well we shall see your bearing gratiano nay but i bar tonight you shall not gauge me by what we do tonight bassanio no that were pity i would entreat you rather to put on your boldest suit of mirth for we have friends that purpose merriment but fare you well i have some business gratiano and i must to lorenzo and the rest but we will visit you at suppertime exeunt the merchant of venice act ii scene iii the same a room in shylock's house enter jessica and launcelot jessica i am sorry thou wilt leave my father so our house is hell and thou a merry devil didst rob it of some taste of tediousness but fare thee well there is a ducat for thee and launcelot soon at supper shalt thou see lorenzo who is thy new master's guest give him this letter do it secretly and so farewell i would not have my father see me in talk with thee launcelot adieu tears exhibit my tongue most beautiful pagan most sweet jew if a christian did not play the knave and get thee i am much deceived but adieu these foolish drops do something drown my manly spirit adieu jessica farewell good launcelot exit launcelot alack what heinous sin is it in me to be ashamed to be my father's child but though i am a daughter to his blood i am not to his manners o lorenzo if thou keep promise i shall end this strife become a christian and thy loving wife exit the merchant of venice act ii scene iv the same a street enter gratiano lorenzo salarino and salanio lorenzo nay we will slink away in suppertime disguise us at my lodging and return all in an hour gratiano we have not made good preparation salarino we have not spoke us yet of torchbearers salanio tis vile unless it may be quaintly order'd and better in my mind not undertook lorenzo tis now but four o'clock we have two hours to furnish us enter launcelot with a letter friend launcelot what's the news launcelot an it shall please you to break up this it shall seem to signify lorenzo i know the hand in faith tis a fair hand and whiter than the paper it writ on is the fair hand that writ gratiano lovenews in faith launcelot by your leave sir lorenzo whither goest thou launcelot marry sir to bid my old master the jew to sup tonight with my new master the christian lorenzo hold here take this tell gentle jessica i will not fail her speak it privately go gentlemen exit launcelot will you prepare you for this masque tonight i am provided of a torchbearer salanio ay marry i'll be gone about it straight salanio and so will i lorenzo meet me and gratiano at gratiano's lodging some hour hence salarino tis good we do so exeunt salarino and salanio gratiano was not that letter from fair jessica lorenzo i must needs tell thee all she hath directed how i shall take her from her father's house what gold and jewels she is furnish'd with what page's suit she hath in readiness if e'er the jew her father come to heaven it will be for his gentle daughter's sake and never dare misfortune cross her foot unless she do it under this excuse that she is issue to a faithless jew come go with me peruse this as thou goest fair jessica shall be my torchbearer exeunt the merchant of venice act ii scene v the same before shylock's house enter shylock and launcelot shylock well thou shalt see thy eyes shall be thy judge the difference of old shylock and bassanio what jessicathou shalt not gormandise as thou hast done with mewhat jessica and sleep and snore and rend apparel out why jessica i say launcelot why jessica shylock who bids thee call i do not bid thee call launcelot your worship was wont to tell me that i could do nothing without bidding enter jessica jessica call you what is your will shylock i am bid forth to supper jessica there are my keys but wherefore should i go i am not bid for love they flatter me but yet i'll go in hate to feed upon the prodigal christian jessica my girl look to my house i am right loath to go there is some ill abrewing towards my rest for i did dream of moneybags tonight launcelot i beseech you sir go my young master doth expect your reproach shylock so do i his launcelot an they have conspired together i will not say you shall see a masque but if you do then it was not for nothing that my nose fell ableeding on blackmonday last at six o'clock i the morning falling out that year on ashwednesday was four year in the afternoon shylock what are there masques hear you me jessica lock up my doors and when you hear the drum and the vile squealing of the wryneck'd fife clamber not you up to the casements then nor thrust your head into the public street to gaze on christian fools with varnish'd faces but stop my house's ears i mean my casements let not the sound of shallow foppery enter my sober house by jacob's staff i swear i have no mind of feasting forth tonight but i will go go you before me sirrah say i will come launcelot i will go before sir mistress look out at window for all this there will come a christian boy will be worth a jewess eye exit shylock what says that fool of hagar's offspring ha jessica his words were farewell mistress nothing else shylock the patch is kind enough but a huge feeder snailslow in profit and he sleeps by day more than the wildcat drones hive not with me therefore i part with him and part with him to one that would have him help to waste his borrow'd purse well jessica go in perhaps i will return immediately do as i bid you shut doors after you fast bind fast find a proverb never stale in thrifty mind exit jessica farewell and if my fortune be not crost i have a father you a daughter lost exit the merchant of venice act ii scene vi the same enter gratiano and salarino masqued gratiano this is the penthouse under which lorenzo desired us to make stand salarino his hour is almost past gratiano and it is marvel he outdwells his hour for lovers ever run before the clock salarino o ten times faster venus pigeons fly to seal love's bonds newmade than they are wont to keep obliged faith unforfeited gratiano that ever holds who riseth from a feast with that keen appetite that he sits down where is the horse that doth untread again his tedious measures with the unbated fire that he did pace them first all things that are are with more spirit chased than enjoy'd how like a younker or a prodigal the scarfed bark puts from her native bay hugg'd and embraced by the strumpet wind how like the prodigal doth she return with overweather'd ribs and ragged sails lean rent and beggar'd by the strumpet wind salarino here comes lorenzo more of this hereafter enter lorenzo lorenzo sweet friends your patience for my long abode not i but my affairs have made you wait when you shall please to play the thieves for wives i'll watch as long for you then approach here dwells my father jew ho who's within enter jessica above in boy's clothes jessica who are you tell me for more certainty albeit i'll swear that i do know your tongue lorenzo lorenzo and thy love jessica lorenzo certain and my love indeed for who love i so much and now who knows but you lorenzo whether i am yours lorenzo heaven and thy thoughts are witness that thou art jessica here catch this casket it is worth the pains i am glad tis night you do not look on me for i am much ashamed of my exchange but love is blind and lovers cannot see the pretty follies that themselves commit for if they could cupid himself would blush to see me thus transformed to a boy lorenzo descend for you must be my torchbearer jessica what must i hold a candle to my shames they in themselves goodsooth are too too light why tis an office of discovery love and i should be obscured lorenzo so are you sweet even in the lovely garnish of a boy but come at once for the close night doth play the runaway and we are stay'd for at bassanio's feast jessica i will make fast the doors and gild myself with some more ducats and be with you straight exit above gratiano now by my hood a gentile and no jew lorenzo beshrew me but i love her heartily for she is wise if i can judge of her and fair she is if that mine eyes be true and true she is as she hath proved herself and therefore like herself wise fair and true shall she be placed in my constant soul enter jessica below what art thou come on gentlemen away our masquing mates by this time for us stay exit with jessica and salarino enter antonio antonio who's there gratiano signior antonio antonio fie fie gratiano where are all the rest tis nine o'clock our friends all stay for you no masque tonight the wind is come about bassanio presently will go aboard i have sent twenty out to seek for you gratiano i am glad on't i desire no more delight than to be under sail and gone tonight exeunt the merchant of venice act ii scene vii belmont a room in portia's house flourish of cornets enter portia with the prince of morocco and their trains portia go draw aside the curtains and discover the several caskets to this noble prince now make your choice morocco the first of gold who this inscription bears who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire' the second silver which this promise carries who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves' this third dull lead with warning all as blunt who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath' how shall i know if i do choose the right portia the one of them contains my picture prince if you choose that then i am yours withal morocco some god direct my judgment let me see i will survey the inscriptions back again what says this leaden casket who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath' must give for what for lead hazard for lead this casket threatens men that hazard all do it in hope of fair advantages a golden mind stoops not to shows of dross i'll then nor give nor hazard aught for lead what says the silver with her virgin hue who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves' as much as he deserves pause there morocco and weigh thy value with an even hand if thou be'st rated by thy estimation thou dost deserve enough and yet enough may not extend so far as to the lady and yet to be afeard of my deserving were but a weak disabling of myself as much as i deserve why that's the lady i do in birth deserve her and in fortunes in graces and in qualities of breeding but more than these in love i do deserve what if i stray'd no further but chose here let's see once more this saying graved in gold who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire' why that's the lady all the world desires her from the four corners of the earth they come to kiss this shrine this mortalbreathing saint the hyrcanian deserts and the vasty wilds of wide arabia are as thoroughfares now for princes to come view fair portia the watery kingdom whose ambitious head spits in the face of heaven is no bar to stop the foreign spirits but they come as o'er a brook to see fair portia one of these three contains her heavenly picture is't like that lead contains her twere damnation to think so base a thought it were too gross to rib her cerecloth in the obscure grave or shall i think in silver she's immured being ten times undervalued to tried gold o sinful thought never so rich a gem was set in worse than gold they have in england a coin that bears the figure of an angel stamped in gold but that's insculp'd upon but here an angel in a golden bed lies all within deliver me the key here do i choose and thrive i as i may portia there take it prince and if my form lie there then i am yours he unlocks the golden casket morocco o hell what have we here a carrion death within whose empty eye there is a written scroll i'll read the writing reads all that glitters is not gold often have you heard that told many a man his life hath sold but my outside to behold gilded tombs do worms enfold had you been as wise as bold young in limbs in judgment old your answer had not been inscroll'd fare you well your suit is cold cold indeed and labour lost then farewell heat and welcome frost portia adieu i have too grieved a heart to take a tedious leave thus losers part exit with his train flourish of cornets portia a gentle riddance draw the curtains go let all of his complexion choose me so exeunt the merchant of venice act ii scene viii venice a street enter salarino and salanio salarino why man i saw bassanio under sail with him is gratiano gone along and in their ship i am sure lorenzo is not salanio the villain jew with outcries raised the duke who went with him to search bassanio's ship salarino he came too late the ship was under sail but there the duke was given to understand that in a gondola were seen together lorenzo and his amorous jessica besides antonio certified the duke they were not with bassanio in his ship salanio i never heard a passion so confused so strange outrageous and so variable as the dog jew did utter in the streets my daughter o my ducats o my daughter fled with a christian o my christian ducats justice the law my ducats and my daughter a sealed bag two sealed bags of ducats of double ducats stolen from me by my daughter and jewels two stones two rich and precious stones stolen by my daughter justice find the girl she hath the stones upon her and the ducats' salarino why all the boys in venice follow him crying his stones his daughter and his ducats salanio let good antonio look he keep his day or he shall pay for this salarino marry well remember'd i reason'd with a frenchman yesterday who told me in the narrow seas that part the french and english there miscarried a vessel of our country richly fraught i thought upon antonio when he told me and wish'd in silence that it were not his salanio you were best to tell antonio what you hear yet do not suddenly for it may grieve him salarino a kinder gentleman treads not the earth i saw bassanio and antonio part bassanio told him he would make some speed of his return he answer'd do not so slubber not business for my sake bassanio but stay the very riping of the time and for the jew's bond which he hath of me let it not enter in your mind of love be merry and employ your chiefest thoughts to courtship and such fair ostents of love as shall conveniently become you there' and even there his eye being big with tears turning his face he put his hand behind him and with affection wondrous sensible he wrung bassanio's hand and so they parted salanio i think he only loves the world for him i pray thee let us go and find him out and quicken his embraced heaviness with some delight or other salarino do we so exeunt the merchant of venice act ii scene ix belmont a room in portia's house enter nerissa with a servitor nerissa quick quick i pray thee draw the curtain straight the prince of arragon hath ta'en his oath and comes to his election presently flourish of cornets enter the prince of arragon portia and their trains portia behold there stand the caskets noble prince if you choose that wherein i am contain'd straight shall our nuptial rites be solemnized but if you fail without more speech my lord you must be gone from hence immediately arragon i am enjoin'd by oath to observe three things first never to unfold to any one which casket twas i chose next if i fail of the right casket never in my life to woo a maid in way of marriage lastly if i do fail in fortune of my choice immediately to leave you and be gone portia to these injunctions every one doth swear that comes to hazard for my worthless self arragon and so have i address'd me fortune now to my heart's hope gold silver and base lead who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath' you shall look fairer ere i give or hazard what says the golden chest ha let me see who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire' what many men desire that many may be meant by the fool multitude that choose by show not learning more than the fond eye doth teach which pries not to the interior but like the martlet builds in the weather on the outward wall even in the force and road of casualty i will not choose what many men desire because i will not jump with common spirits and rank me with the barbarous multitudes why then to thee thou silver treasurehouse tell me once more what title thou dost bear who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves' and well said too for who shall go about to cozen fortune and be honourable without the stamp of merit let none presume to wear an undeserved dignity o that estates degrees and offices were not derived corruptly and that clear honour were purchased by the merit of the wearer how many then should cover that stand bare how many be commanded that command how much low peasantry would then be glean'd from the true seed of honour and how much honour pick'd from the chaff and ruin of the times to be newvarnish'd well but to my choice who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves' i will assume desert give me a key for this and instantly unlock my fortunes here he opens the silver casket portia too long a pause for that which you find there arragon what's here the portrait of a blinking idiot presenting me a schedule i will read it how much unlike art thou to portia how much unlike my hopes and my deservings who chooseth me shall have as much as he deserves' did i deserve no more than a fool's head is that my prize are my deserts no better portia to offend and judge are distinct offices and of opposed natures arragon what is here reads the fire seven times tried this seven times tried that judgment is that did never choose amiss some there be that shadows kiss such have but a shadow's bliss there be fools alive i wis silver'd o'er and so was this take what wife you will to bed i will ever be your head so be gone you are sped still more fool i shall appear by the time i linger here with one fool's head i came to woo but i go away with two sweet adieu i'll keep my oath patiently to bear my wroth exeunt arragon and train portia thus hath the candle singed the moth o these deliberate fools when they do choose they have the wisdom by their wit to lose nerissa the ancient saying is no heresy hanging and wiving goes by destiny portia come draw the curtain nerissa enter a servant servant where is my lady portia here what would my lord servant madam there is alighted at your gate a young venetian one that comes before to signify the approaching of his lord from whom he bringeth sensible regreets to wit besides commends and courteous breath gifts of rich value yet i have not seen so likely an ambassador of love a day in april never came so sweet to show how costly summer was at hand as this forespurrer comes before his lord portia no more i pray thee i am half afeard thou wilt say anon he is some kin to thee thou spend'st such highday wit in praising him come come nerissa for i long to see quick cupid's post that comes so mannerly nerissa bassanio lord love if thy will it be exeunt the merchant of venice act iii scene i venice a street enter salanio and salarino salanio now what news on the rialto salarino why yet it lives there uncheck'd that antonio hath a ship of rich lading wrecked on the narrow seas the goodwins i think they call the place a very dangerous flat and fatal where the carcasses of many a tall ship lie buried as they say if my gossip report be an honest woman of her word salanio i would she were as lying a gossip in that as ever knapped ginger or made her neighbours believe she wept for the death of a third husband but it is true without any slips of prolixity or crossing the plain highway of talk that the good antonio the honest antonioo that i had a title good enough to keep his name company salarino come the full stop salanio ha what sayest thou why the end is he hath lost a ship salarino i would it might prove the end of his losses salanio let me say amen betimes lest the devil cross my prayer for here he comes in the likeness of a jew enter shylock how now shylock what news among the merchants shylock you know none so well none so well as you of my daughter's flight salarino that's certain i for my part knew the tailor that made the wings she flew withal salanio and shylock for his own part knew the bird was fledged and then it is the complexion of them all to leave the dam shylock she is damned for it salanio that's certain if the devil may be her judge shylock my own flesh and blood to rebel salanio out upon it old carrion rebels it at these years shylock i say my daughter is my flesh and blood salarino there is more difference between thy flesh and hers than between jet and ivory more between your bloods than there is between red wine and rhenish but tell us do you hear whether antonio have had any loss at sea or no shylock there i have another bad match a bankrupt a prodigal who dare scarce show his head on the rialto a beggar that was used to come so smug upon the mart let him look to his bond he was wont to call me usurer let him look to his bond he was wont to lend money for a christian courtesy let him look to his bond salarino why i am sure if he forfeit thou wilt not take his flesh what's that good for shylock to bait fish withal if it will feed nothing else it will feed my revenge he hath disgraced me and hindered me half a million laughed at my losses mocked at my gains scorned my nation thwarted my bargains cooled my friends heated mine enemies and what's his reason i am a jew hath not a jew eyes hath not a jew hands organs dimensions senses affections passions fed with the same food hurt with the same weapons subject to the same diseases healed by the same means warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a christian is if you prick us do we not bleed if you tickle us do we not laugh if you poison us do we not die and if you wrong us shall we not revenge if we are like you in the rest we will resemble you in that if a jew wrong a christian what is his humility revenge if a christian wrong a jew what should his sufferance be by christian example why revenge the villany you teach me i will execute and it shall go hard but i will better the instruction enter a servant servant gentlemen my master antonio is at his house and desires to speak with you both salarino we have been up and down to seek him enter tubal salanio here comes another of the tribe a third cannot be matched unless the devil himself turn jew exeunt salanio salarino and servant shylock how now tubal what news from genoa hast thou found my daughter tubal i often came where i did hear of her but cannot find her shylock why there there there there a diamond gone cost me two thousand ducats in frankfort the curse never fell upon our nation till now i never felt it till now two thousand ducats in that and other precious precious jewels i would my daughter were dead at my foot and the jewels in her ear would she were hearsed at my foot and the ducats in her coffin no news of them why so and i know not what's spent in the search why thou loss upon loss the thief gone with so much and so much to find the thief and no satisfaction no revenge nor no in luck stirring but what lights on my shoulders no sighs but of my breathing no tears but of my shedding tubal yes other men have ill luck too antonio as i heard in genoa shylock what what what ill luck ill luck tubal hath an argosy cast away coming from tripolis shylock i thank god i thank god is't true is't true tubal i spoke with some of the sailors that escaped the wreck shylock i thank thee good tubal good news good news ha ha where in genoa tubal your daughter spent in genoa as i heard in one night fourscore ducats shylock thou stickest a dagger in me i shall never see my gold again fourscore ducats at a sitting fourscore ducats tubal there came divers of antonio's creditors in my company to venice that swear he cannot choose but break shylock i am very glad of it i'll plague him i'll torture him i am glad of it tubal one of them showed me a ring that he had of your daughter for a monkey shylock out upon her thou torturest me tubal it was my turquoise i had it of leah when i was a bachelor i would not have given it for a wilderness of monkeys tubal but antonio is certainly undone shylock nay that's true that's very true go tubal fee me an officer bespeak him a fortnight before i will have the heart of him if he forfeit for were he out of venice i can make what merchandise i will go go tubal and meet me at our synagogue go good tubal at our synagogue tubal exeunt the merchant of venice act iii scene ii belmont a room in portia's house enter bassanio portia gratiano nerissa and attendants portia i pray you tarry pause a day or two before you hazard for in choosing wrong i lose your company therefore forbear awhile there's something tells me but it is not love i would not lose you and you know yourself hate counsels not in such a quality but lest you should not understand me well and yet a maiden hath no tongue but thought i would detain you here some month or two before you venture for me i could teach you how to choose right but i am then forsworn so will i never be so may you miss me but if you do you'll make me wish a sin that i had been forsworn beshrew your eyes they have o'erlook'd me and divided me one half of me is yours the other half yours mine own i would say but if mine then yours and so all yours o these naughty times put bars between the owners and their rights and so though yours not yours prove it so let fortune go to hell for it not i i speak too long but tis to peize the time to eke it and to draw it out in length to stay you from election bassanio let me choose for as i am i live upon the rack portia upon the rack bassanio then confess what treason there is mingled with your love bassanio none but that ugly treason of mistrust which makes me fear the enjoying of my love there may as well be amity and life tween snow and fire as treason and my love portia ay but i fear you speak upon the rack where men enforced do speak anything bassanio promise me life and i'll confess the truth portia well then confess and live bassanio confess and love' had been the very sum of my confession o happy torment when my torturer doth teach me answers for deliverance but let me to my fortune and the caskets portia away then i am lock'd in one of them if you do love me you will find me out nerissa and the rest stand all aloof let music sound while he doth make his choice then if he lose he makes a swanlike end fading in music that the comparison may stand more proper my eye shall be the stream and watery deathbed for him he may win and what is music then then music is even as the flourish when true subjects bow to a newcrowned monarch such it is as are those dulcet sounds in break of day that creep into the dreaming bridegroom's ear and summon him to marriage now he goes with no less presence but with much more love than young alcides when he did redeem the virgin tribute paid by howling troy to the seamonster i stand for sacrifice the rest aloof are the dardanian wives with bleared visages come forth to view the issue of the exploit go hercules live thou i live with much much more dismay i view the fight than thou that makest the fray music whilst bassanio comments on the caskets to himself song tell me where is fancy bred or in the heart or in the head how begot how nourished reply reply it is engender'd in the eyes with gazing fed and fancy dies in the cradle where it lies let us all ring fancy's knell i'll begin itding dong bell all ding dong bell bassanio so may the outward shows be least themselves the world is still deceived with ornament in law what plea so tainted and corrupt but being seasoned with a gracious voice obscures the show of evil in religion what damned error but some sober brow will bless it and approve it with a text hiding the grossness with fair ornament there is no vice so simple but assumes some mark of virtue on his outward parts how many cowards whose hearts are all as false as stairs of sand wear yet upon their chins the beards of hercules and frowning mars who inward search'd have livers white as milk and these assume but valour's excrement to render them redoubted look on beauty and you shall see tis purchased by the weight which therein works a miracle in nature making them lightest that wear most of it so are those crisped snaky golden locks which make such wanton gambols with the wind upon supposed fairness often known to be the dowry of a second head the skull that bred them in the sepulchre thus ornament is but the guiled shore to a most dangerous sea the beauteous scarf veiling an indian beauty in a word the seeming truth which cunning times put on to entrap the wisest therefore thou gaudy gold hard food for midas i will none of thee nor none of thee thou pale and common drudge tween man and man but thou thou meagre lead which rather threatenest than dost promise aught thy paleness moves me more than eloquence and here choose i joy be the consequence portia aside how all the other passions fleet to air as doubtful thoughts and rashembraced despair and shuddering fear and greeneyed jealousy o love be moderate allay thy ecstasy in measure rein thy joy scant this excess i feel too much thy blessing make it less for fear i surfeit bassanio what find i here opening the leaden casket fair portia's counterfeit what demigod hath come so near creation move these eyes or whether riding on the balls of mine seem they in motion here are sever'd lips parted with sugar breath so sweet a bar should sunder such sweet friends here in her hairs the painter plays the spider and hath woven a golden mesh to entrap the hearts of men faster than gnats in cobwebs but her eyes how could he see to do them having made one methinks it should have power to steal both his and leave itself unfurnish'd yet look how far the substance of my praise doth wrong this shadow in underprizing it so far this shadow doth limp behind the substance here's the scroll the continent and summary of my fortune reads you that choose not by the view chance as fair and choose as true since this fortune falls to you be content and seek no new if you be well pleased with this and hold your fortune for your bliss turn you where your lady is and claim her with a loving kiss a gentle scroll fair lady by your leave i come by note to give and to receive like one of two contending in a prize that thinks he hath done well in people's eyes hearing applause and universal shout giddy in spirit still gazing in a doubt whether these pearls of praise be his or no so thrice fair lady stand i even so as doubtful whether what i see be true until confirm'd sign'd ratified by you portia you see me lord bassanio where i stand such as i am though for myself alone i would not be ambitious in my wish to wish myself much better yet for you i would be trebled twenty times myself a thousand times more fair ten thousand times more rich that only to stand high in your account i might in virtue beauties livings friends exceed account but the full sum of me is sum of something which to term in gross is an unlesson'd girl unschool'd unpractised happy in this she is not yet so old but she may learn happier than this she is not bred so dull but she can learn happiest of all is that her gentle spirit commits itself to yours to be directed as from her lord her governor her king myself and what is mine to you and yours is now converted but now i was the lord of this fair mansion master of my servants queen o'er myself and even now but now this house these servants and this same myself are yours my lord i give them with this ring which when you part from lose or give away let it presage the ruin of your love and be my vantage to exclaim on you bassanio madam you have bereft me of all words only my blood speaks to you in my veins and there is such confusion in my powers as after some oration fairly spoke by a beloved prince there doth appear among the buzzing pleased multitude where every something being blent together turns to a wild of nothing save of joy express'd and not express'd but when this ring parts from this finger then parts life from hence o then be bold to say bassanio's dead nerissa my lord and lady it is now our time that have stood by and seen our wishes prosper to cry good joy good joy my lord and lady gratiano my lord bassanio and my gentle lady i wish you all the joy that you can wish for i am sure you can wish none from me and when your honours mean to solemnize the bargain of your faith i do beseech you even at that time i may be married too bassanio with all my heart so thou canst get a wife gratiano i thank your lordship you have got me one my eyes my lord can look as swift as yours you saw the mistress i beheld the maid you loved i loved for intermission no more pertains to me my lord than you your fortune stood upon the casket there and so did mine too as the matter falls for wooing here until i sweat again and sweating until my very roof was dry with oaths of love at last if promise last i got a promise of this fair one here to have her love provided that your fortune achieved her mistress portia is this true nerissa nerissa madam it is so you stand pleased withal bassanio and do you gratiano mean good faith gratiano yes faith my lord bassanio our feast shall be much honour'd in your marriage gratiano we'll play with them the first boy for a thousand ducats nerissa what and stake down gratiano no we shall ne'er win at that sport and stake down but who comes here lorenzo and his infidel what and my old venetian friend salerio enter lorenzo jessica and salerio a messenger from venice bassanio lorenzo and salerio welcome hither if that the youth of my new interest here have power to bid you welcome by your leave i bid my very friends and countrymen sweet portia welcome portia so do i my lord they are entirely welcome lorenzo i thank your honour for my part my lord my purpose was not to have seen you here but meeting with salerio by the way he did entreat me past all saying nay to come with him along salerio i did my lord and i have reason for it signior antonio commends him to you gives bassanio a letter bassanio ere i ope his letter i pray you tell me how my good friend doth salerio not sick my lord unless it be in mind nor well unless in mind his letter there will show you his estate gratiano nerissa cheer yon stranger bid her welcome your hand salerio what's the news from venice how doth that royal merchant good antonio i know he will be glad of our success we are the jasons we have won the fleece salerio i would you had won the fleece that he hath lost portia there are some shrewd contents in yon same paper that steals the colour from bassanio's cheek some dear friend dead else nothing in the world could turn so much the constitution of any constant man what worse and worse with leave bassanio i am half yourself and i must freely have the half of anything that this same paper brings you bassanio o sweet portia here are a few of the unpleasant'st words that ever blotted paper gentle lady when i did first impart my love to you i freely told you all the wealth i had ran in my veins i was a gentleman and then i told you true and yet dear lady rating myself at nothing you shall see how much i was a braggart when i told you my state was nothing i should then have told you that i was worse than nothing for indeed i have engaged myself to a dear friend engaged my friend to his mere enemy to feed my means here is a letter lady the paper as the body of my friend and every word in it a gaping wound issuing lifeblood but is it true salerio have all his ventures fail'd what not one hit from tripolis from mexico and england from lisbon barbary and india and not one vessel scape the dreadful touch of merchantmarring rocks salerio not one my lord besides it should appear that if he had the present money to discharge the jew he would not take it never did i know a creature that did bear the shape of man so keen and greedy to confound a man he plies the duke at morning and at night and doth impeach the freedom of the state if they deny him justice twenty merchants the duke himself and the magnificoes of greatest port have all persuaded with him but none can drive him from the envious plea of forfeiture of justice and his bond jessica when i was with him i have heard him swear to tubal and to chus his countrymen that he would rather have antonio's flesh than twenty times the value of the sum that he did owe him and i know my lord if law authority and power deny not it will go hard with poor antonio portia is it your dear friend that is thus in trouble bassanio the dearest friend to me the kindest man the bestcondition'd and unwearied spirit in doing courtesies and one in whom the ancient roman honour more appears than any that draws breath in italy portia what sum owes he the jew bassanio for me three thousand ducats portia what no more pay him six thousand and deface the bond double six thousand and then treble that before a friend of this description shall lose a hair through bassanio's fault first go with me to church and call me wife and then away to venice to your friend for never shall you lie by portia's side with an unquiet soul you shall have gold to pay the petty debt twenty times over when it is paid bring your true friend along my maid nerissa and myself meantime will live as maids and widows come away for you shall hence upon your weddingday bid your friends welcome show a merry cheer since you are dear bought i will love you dear but let me hear the letter of your friend bassanio reads sweet bassanio my ships have all miscarried my creditors grow cruel my estate is very low my bond to the jew is forfeit and since in paying it it is impossible i should live all debts are cleared between you and i if i might but see you at my death notwithstanding use your pleasure if your love do not persuade you to come let not my letter portia o love dispatch all business and be gone bassanio since i have your good leave to go away i will make haste but till i come again no bed shall e'er be guilty of my stay no rest be interposer twixt us twain exeunt the merchant of venice act iii scene iii venice a street enter shylock salarino antonio and gaoler shylock gaoler look to him tell not me of mercy this is the fool that lent out money gratis gaoler look to him antonio hear me yet good shylock shylock i'll have my bond speak not against my bond i have sworn an oath that i will have my bond thou call'dst me dog before thou hadst a cause but since i am a dog beware my fangs the duke shall grant me justice i do wonder thou naughty gaoler that thou art so fond to come abroad with him at his request antonio i pray thee hear me speak shylock i'll have my bond i will not hear thee speak i'll have my bond and therefore speak no more i'll not be made a soft and dulleyed fool to shake the head relent and sigh and yield to christian intercessors follow not i'll have no speaking i will have my bond exit salarino it is the most impenetrable cur that ever kept with men antonio let him alone i'll follow him no more with bootless prayers he seeks my life his reason well i know i oft deliver'd from his forfeitures many that have at times made moan to me therefore he hates me salarino i am sure the duke will never grant this forfeiture to hold antonio the duke cannot deny the course of law for the commodity that strangers have with us in venice if it be denied will much impeach the justice of his state since that the trade and profit of the city consisteth of all nations therefore go these griefs and losses have so bated me that i shall hardly spare a pound of flesh tomorrow to my bloody creditor well gaoler on pray god bassanio come to see me pay his debt and then i care not exeunt the merchant of venice act iii scene iv belmont a room in portia's house enter portia nerissa lorenzo jessica and balthasar lorenzo madam although i speak it in your presence you have a noble and a true conceit of godlike amity which appears most strongly in bearing thus the absence of your lord but if you knew to whom you show this honour how true a gentleman you send relief how dear a lover of my lord your husband i know you would be prouder of the work than customary bounty can enforce you portia i never did repent for doing good nor shall not now for in companions that do converse and waste the time together whose souls do bear an equal yoke of love there must be needs a like proportion of lineaments of manners and of spirit which makes me think that this antonio being the bosom lover of my lord must needs be like my lord if it be so how little is the cost i have bestow'd in purchasing the semblance of my soul from out the state of hellish misery this comes too near the praising of myself therefore no more of it hear other things lorenzo i commit into your hands the husbandry and manage of my house until my lord's return for mine own part i have toward heaven breathed a secret vow to live in prayer and contemplation only attended by nerissa here until her husband and my lord's return there is a monastery two miles off and there will we abide i do desire you not to deny this imposition the which my love and some necessity now lays upon you lorenzo madam with all my heart i shall obey you in all fair commands portia my people do already know my mind and will acknowledge you and jessica in place of lord bassanio and myself and so farewell till we shall meet again lorenzo fair thoughts and happy hours attend on you jessica i wish your ladyship all heart's content portia i thank you for your wish and am well pleased to wish it back on you fare you well jessica exeunt jessica and lorenzo now balthasar as i have ever found thee honesttrue so let me find thee still take this same letter and use thou all the endeavour of a man in speed to padua see thou render this into my cousin's hand doctor bellario and look what notes and garments he doth give thee bring them i pray thee with imagined speed unto the tranect to the common ferry which trades to venice waste no time in words but get thee gone i shall be there before thee balthasar madam i go with all convenient speed exit portia come on nerissa i have work in hand that you yet know not of we'll see our husbands before they think of us nerissa shall they see us portia they shall nerissa but in such a habit that they shall think we are accomplished with that we lack i'll hold thee any wager when we are both accoutred like young men i'll prove the prettier fellow of the two and wear my dagger with the braver grace and speak between the change of man and boy with a reed voice and turn two mincing steps into a manly stride and speak of frays like a fine bragging youth and tell quaint lies how honourable ladies sought my love which i denying they fell sick and died i could not do withal then i'll repent and wish for all that that i had not killed them and twenty of these puny lies i'll tell that men shall swear i have discontinued school above a twelvemonth i have within my mind a thousand raw tricks of these bragging jacks which i will practise nerissa why shall we turn to men portia fie what a question's that if thou wert near a lewd interpreter but come i'll tell thee all my whole device when i am in my coach which stays for us at the park gate and therefore haste away for we must measure twenty miles today exeunt the merchant of venice act iii scene v the same a garden enter launcelot and jessica launcelot yes truly for look you the sins of the father are to be laid upon the children therefore i promise ye i fear you i was always plain with you and so now i speak my agitation of the matter therefore be of good cheer for truly i think you are damned there is but one hope in it that can do you any good and that is but a kind of bastard hope neither jessica and what hope is that i pray thee launcelot marry you may partly hope that your father got you not that you are not the jew's daughter jessica that were a kind of bastard hope indeed so the sins of my mother should be visited upon me launcelot truly then i fear you are damned both by father and mother thus when i shun scylla your father i fall into charybdis your mother well you are gone both ways jessica i shall be saved by my husband he hath made me a christian launcelot truly the more to blame he we were christians enow before e'en as many as could well live one by another this making christians will raise the price of hogs if we grow all to be porkeaters we shall not shortly have a rasher on the coals for money enter lorenzo jessica i'll tell my husband launcelot what you say here he comes lorenzo i shall grow jealous of you shortly launcelot if you thus get my wife into corners jessica nay you need not fear us lorenzo launcelot and i are out he tells me flatly there is no mercy for me in heaven because i am a jew's daughter and he says you are no good member of the commonwealth for in converting jews to christians you raise the price of pork lorenzo i shall answer that better to the commonwealth than you can the getting up of the negro's belly the moor is with child by you launcelot launcelot it is much that the moor should be more than reason but if she be less than an honest woman she is indeed more than i took her for lorenzo how every fool can play upon the word i think the best grace of wit will shortly turn into silence and discourse grow commendable in none only but parrots go in sirrah bid them prepare for dinner launcelot that is done sir they have all stomachs lorenzo goodly lord what a witsnapper are you then bid them prepare dinner launcelot that is done too sir only cover is the word lorenzo will you cover then sir launcelot not so sir neither i know my duty lorenzo yet more quarrelling with occasion wilt thou show the whole wealth of thy wit in an instant i pray tree understand a plain man in his plain meaning go to thy fellows bid them cover the table serve in the meat and we will come in to dinner launcelot for the table sir it shall be served in for the meat sir it shall be covered for your coming in to dinner sir why let it be as humours and conceits shall govern exit lorenzo o dear discretion how his words are suited the fool hath planted in his memory an army of good words and i do know a many fools that stand in better place garnish'd like him that for a tricksy word defy the matter how cheerest thou jessica and now good sweet say thy opinion how dost thou like the lord bassanio's wife jessica past all expressing it is very meet the lord bassanio live an upright life for having such a blessing in his lady he finds the joys of heaven here on earth and if on earth he do not mean it then in reason he should never come to heaven why if two gods should play some heavenly match and on the wager lay two earthly women and portia one there must be something else pawn'd with the other for the poor rude world hath not her fellow lorenzo even such a husband hast thou of me as she is for a wife jessica nay but ask my opinion too of that lorenzo i will anon first let us go to dinner jessica nay let me praise you while i have a stomach lorenzo no pray thee let it serve for tabletalk then howso'er thou speak'st mong other things i shall digest it jessica well i'll set you forth exeunt the merchant of venice act iv scene i venice a court of justice enter the duke the magnificoes antonio bassanio gratiano salerio and others duke what is antonio here antonio ready so please your grace duke i am sorry for thee thou art come to answer a stony adversary an inhuman wretch uncapable of pity void and empty from any dram of mercy antonio i have heard your grace hath ta'en great pains to qualify his rigorous course but since he stands obdurate and that no lawful means can carry me out of his envy's reach i do oppose my patience to his fury and am arm'd to suffer with a quietness of spirit the very tyranny and rage of his duke go one and call the jew into the court salerio he is ready at the door he comes my lord enter shylock duke make room and let him stand before our face shylock the world thinks and i think so too that thou but lead'st this fashion of thy malice to the last hour of act and then tis thought thou'lt show thy mercy and remorse more strange than is thy strange apparent cruelty and where thou now exact'st the penalty which is a pound of this poor merchant's flesh thou wilt not only loose the forfeiture but touch'd with human gentleness and love forgive a moiety of the principal glancing an eye of pity on his losses that have of late so huddled on his back enow to press a royal merchant down and pluck commiseration of his state from brassy bosoms and rough hearts of flint from stubborn turks and tartars never train'd to offices of tender courtesy we all expect a gentle answer jew shylock i have possess'd your grace of what i purpose and by our holy sabbath have i sworn to have the due and forfeit of my bond if you deny it let the danger light upon your charter and your city's freedom you'll ask me why i rather choose to have a weight of carrion flesh than to receive three thousand ducats i'll not answer that but say it is my humour is it answer'd what if my house be troubled with a rat and i be pleased to give ten thousand ducats to have it baned what are you answer'd yet some men there are love not a gaping pig some that are mad if they behold a cat and others when the bagpipe sings i the nose cannot contain their urine for affection mistress of passion sways it to the mood of what it likes or loathes now for your answer as there is no firm reason to be render'd why he cannot abide a gaping pig why he a harmless necessary cat why he a woollen bagpipe but of force must yield to such inevitable shame as to offend himself being offended so can i give no reason nor i will not more than a lodged hate and a certain loathing i bear antonio that i follow thus a losing suit against him are you answer'd bassanio this is no answer thou unfeeling man to excuse the current of thy cruelty shylock i am not bound to please thee with my answers bassanio do all men kill the things they do not love shylock hates any man the thing he would not kill bassanio every offence is not a hate at first shylock what wouldst thou have a serpent sting thee twice antonio i pray you think you question with the jew you may as well go stand upon the beach and bid the main flood bate his usual height you may as well use question with the wolf why he hath made the ewe bleat for the lamb you may as well forbid the mountain pines to wag their high tops and to make no noise when they are fretten with the gusts of heaven you may as well do anything most hard as seek to soften thatthan which what's harder his jewish heart therefore i do beseech you make no more offers use no farther means but with all brief and plain conveniency let me have judgment and the jew his will bassanio for thy three thousand ducats here is six shylock what judgment shall i dread doing were in six parts and every part a ducat i would not draw them i would have my bond duke how shalt thou hope for mercy rendering none shylock what judgment shall i dread doing no wrong you have among you many a purchased slave which like your asses and your dogs and mules you use in abject and in slavish parts because you bought them shall i say to you let them be free marry them to your heirs why sweat they under burthens let their beds be made as soft as yours and let their palates be season'd with such viands you will answer the slaves are ours so do i answer you the pound of flesh which i demand of him is dearly bought tis mine and i will have it if you deny me fie upon your law there is no force in the decrees of venice i stand for judgment answer shall i have it duke upon my power i may dismiss this court unless bellario a learned doctor whom i have sent for to determine this come here today salerio my lord here stays without a messenger with letters from the doctor new come from padua duke bring us the letter call the messenger bassanio good cheer antonio what man courage yet the jew shall have my flesh blood bones and all ere thou shalt lose for me one drop of blood antonio i am a tainted wether of the flock meetest for death the weakest kind of fruit drops earliest to the ground and so let me you cannot better be employ'd bassanio than to live still and write mine epitaph enter nerissa dressed like a lawyer's clerk duke came you from padua from bellario nerissa from both my lord bellario greets your grace presenting a letter bassanio why dost thou whet thy knife so earnestly shylock to cut the forfeiture from that bankrupt there gratiano not on thy sole but on thy soul harsh jew thou makest thy knife keen but no metal can no not the hangman's axe bear half the keenness of thy sharp envy can no prayers pierce thee shylock no none that thou hast wit enough to make gratiano o be thou damn'd inexecrable dog and for thy life let justice be accused thou almost makest me waver in my faith to hold opinion with pythagoras that souls of animals infuse themselves into the trunks of men thy currish spirit govern'd a wolf who hang'd for human slaughter even from the gallows did his fell soul fleet and whilst thou lay'st in thy unhallow'd dam infused itself in thee for thy desires are wolvish bloody starved and ravenous shylock till thou canst rail the seal from off my bond thou but offend'st thy lungs to speak so loud repair thy wit good youth or it will fall to cureless ruin i stand here for law duke this letter from bellario doth commend a young and learned doctor to our court where is he nerissa he attendeth here hard by to know your answer whether you'll admit him duke with all my heart some three or four of you go give him courteous conduct to this place meantime the court shall hear bellario's letter clerk reads your grace shall understand that at the receipt of your letter i am very sick but in the instant that your messenger came in loving visitation was with me a young doctor of rome his name is balthasar i acquainted him with the cause in controversy between the jew and antonio the merchant we turned o'er many books together he is furnished with my opinion which bettered with his own learning the greatness whereof i cannot enough commend comes with him at my importunity to fill up your grace's request in my stead i beseech you let his lack of years be no impediment to let him lack a reverend estimation for i never knew so young a body with so old a head i leave him to your gracious acceptance whose trial shall better publish his commendation duke you hear the learn'd bellario what he writes and here i take it is the doctor come enter portia dressed like a doctor of laws give me your hand come you from old bellario portia i did my lord duke you are welcome take your place are you acquainted with the difference that holds this present question in the court portia i am informed thoroughly of the cause which is the merchant here and which the jew duke antonio and old shylock both stand forth portia is your name shylock shylock shylock is my name portia of a strange nature is the suit you follow yet in such rule that the venetian law cannot impugn you as you do proceed you stand within his danger do you not antonio ay so he says portia do you confess the bond antonio i do portia then must the jew be merciful shylock on what compulsion must i tell me that portia the quality of mercy is not strain'd it droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath it is twice blest it blesseth him that gives and him that takes tis mightiest in the mightiest it becomes the throned monarch better than his crown his sceptre shows the force of temporal power the attribute to awe and majesty wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings but mercy is above this sceptred sway it is enthroned in the hearts of kings it is an attribute to god himself and earthly power doth then show likest god's when mercy seasons justice therefore jew though justice be thy plea consider this that in the course of justice none of us should see salvation we do pray for mercy and that same prayer doth teach us all to render the deeds of mercy i have spoke thus much to mitigate the justice of thy plea which if thou follow this strict court of venice must needs give sentence gainst the merchant there shylock my deeds upon my head i crave the law the penalty and forfeit of my bond portia is he not able to discharge the money bassanio yes here i tender it for him in the court yea twice the sum if that will not suffice i will be bound to pay it ten times o'er on forfeit of my hands my head my heart if this will not suffice it must appear that malice bears down truth and i beseech you wrest once the law to your authority to do a great right do a little wrong and curb this cruel devil of his will portia it must not be there is no power in venice can alter a decree established twill be recorded for a precedent and many an error by the same example will rush into the state it cannot be shylock a daniel come to judgment yea a daniel o wise young judge how i do honour thee portia i pray you let me look upon the bond shylock here tis most reverend doctor here it is portia shylock there's thrice thy money offer'd thee shylock an oath an oath i have an oath in heaven shall i lay perjury upon my soul no not for venice portia why this bond is forfeit and lawfully by this the jew may claim a pound of flesh to be by him cut off nearest the merchant's heart be merciful take thrice thy money bid me tear the bond shylock when it is paid according to the tenor it doth appear you are a worthy judge you know the law your exposition hath been most sound i charge you by the law whereof you are a welldeserving pillar proceed to judgment by my soul i swear there is no power in the tongue of man to alter me i stay here on my bond antonio most heartily i do beseech the court to give the judgment portia why then thus it is you must prepare your bosom for his knife shylock o noble judge o excellent young man portia for the intent and purpose of the law hath full relation to the penalty which here appeareth due upon the bond shylock tis very true o wise and upright judge how much more elder art thou than thy looks portia therefore lay bare your bosom shylock ay his breast so says the bond doth it not noble judge nearest his heart those are the very words portia it is so are there balance here to weigh the flesh shylock i have them ready portia have by some surgeon shylock on your charge to stop his wounds lest he do bleed to death shylock is it so nominated in the bond portia it is not so express'd but what of that twere good you do so much for charity shylock i cannot find it tis not in the bond portia you merchant have you any thing to say antonio but little i am arm'd and well prepared give me your hand bassanio fare you well grieve not that i am fallen to this for you for herein fortune shows herself more kind than is her custom it is still her use to let the wretched man outlive his wealth to view with hollow eye and wrinkled brow an age of poverty from which lingering penance of such misery doth she cut me off commend me to your honourable wife tell her the process of antonio's end say how i loved you speak me fair in death and when the tale is told bid her be judge whether bassanio had not once a love repent but you that you shall lose your friend and he repents not that he pays your debt for if the jew do cut but deep enough i'll pay it presently with all my heart bassanio antonio i am married to a wife which is as dear to me as life itself but life itself my wife and all the world are not with me esteem'd above thy life i would lose all ay sacrifice them all here to this devil to deliver you portia your wife would give you little thanks for that if she were by to hear you make the offer gratiano i have a wife whom i protest i love i would she were in heaven so she could entreat some power to change this currish jew nerissa tis well you offer it behind her back the wish would make else an unquiet house shylock these be the christian husbands i have a daughter would any of the stock of barrabas had been her husband rather than a christian aside we trifle time i pray thee pursue sentence portia a pound of that same merchant's flesh is thine the court awards it and the law doth give it shylock most rightful judge portia and you must cut this flesh from off his breast the law allows it and the court awards it shylock most learned judge a sentence come prepare portia tarry a little there is something else this bond doth give thee here no jot of blood the words expressly are a pound of flesh' take then thy bond take thou thy pound of flesh but in the cutting it if thou dost shed one drop of christian blood thy lands and goods are by the laws of venice confiscate unto the state of venice gratiano o upright judge mark jew o learned judge shylock is that the law portia thyself shalt see the act for as thou urgest justice be assured thou shalt have justice more than thou desirest gratiano o learned judge mark jew a learned judge shylock i take this offer then pay the bond thrice and let the christian go bassanio here is the money portia soft the jew shall have all justice soft no haste he shall have nothing but the penalty gratiano o jew an upright judge a learned judge portia therefore prepare thee to cut off the flesh shed thou no blood nor cut thou less nor more but just a pound of flesh if thou cut'st more or less than a just pound be it but so much as makes it light or heavy in the substance or the division of the twentieth part of one poor scruple nay if the scale do turn but in the estimation of a hair thou diest and all thy goods are confiscate gratiano a second daniel a daniel jew now infidel i have you on the hip portia why doth the jew pause take thy forfeiture shylock give me my principal and let me go bassanio i have it ready for thee here it is portia he hath refused it in the open court he shall have merely justice and his bond gratiano a daniel still say i a second daniel i thank thee jew for teaching me that word shylock shall i not have barely my principal portia thou shalt have nothing but the forfeiture to be so taken at thy peril jew shylock why then the devil give him good of it i'll stay no longer question portia tarry jew the law hath yet another hold on you it is enacted in the laws of venice if it be proved against an alien that by direct or indirect attempts he seek the life of any citizen the party gainst the which he doth contrive shall seize one half his goods the other half comes to the privy coffer of the state and the offender's life lies in the mercy of the duke only gainst all other voice in which predicament i say thou stand'st for it appears by manifest proceeding that indirectly and directly too thou hast contrived against the very life of the defendant and thou hast incurr'd the danger formerly by me rehearsed down therefore and beg mercy of the duke gratiano beg that thou mayst have leave to hang thyself and yet thy wealth being forfeit to the state thou hast not left the value of a cord therefore thou must be hang'd at the state's charge duke that thou shalt see the difference of our spirits i pardon thee thy life before thou ask it for half thy wealth it is antonio's the other half comes to the general state which humbleness may drive unto a fine portia ay for the state not for antonio shylock nay take my life and all pardon not that you take my house when you do take the prop that doth sustain my house you take my life when you do take the means whereby i live portia what mercy can you render him antonio gratiano a halter gratis nothing else for god's sake antonio so please my lord the duke and all the court to quit the fine for one half of his goods i am content so he will let me have the other half in use to render it upon his death unto the gentleman that lately stole his daughter two things provided more that for this favour he presently become a christian the other that he do record a gift here in the court of all he dies possess'd unto his son lorenzo and his daughter duke he shall do this or else i do recant the pardon that i late pronounced here portia art thou contented jew what dost thou say shylock i am content portia clerk draw a deed of gift shylock i pray you give me leave to go from hence i am not well send the deed after me and i will sign it duke get thee gone but do it gratiano in christening shalt thou have two godfathers had i been judge thou shouldst have had ten more to bring thee to the gallows not the font exit shylock duke sir i entreat you home with me to dinner portia i humbly do desire your grace of pardon i must away this night toward padua and it is meet i presently set forth duke i am sorry that your leisure serves you not antonio gratify this gentleman for in my mind you are much bound to him exeunt duke and his train bassanio most worthy gentleman i and my friend have by your wisdom been this day acquitted of grievous penalties in lieu whereof three thousand ducats due unto the jew we freely cope your courteous pains withal antonio and stand indebted over and above in love and service to you evermore portia he is well paid that is well satisfied and i delivering you am satisfied and therein do account myself well paid my mind was never yet more mercenary i pray you know me when we meet again i wish you well and so i take my leave bassanio dear sir of force i must attempt you further take some remembrance of us as a tribute not as a fee grant me two things i pray you not to deny me and to pardon me portia you press me far and therefore i will yield to antonio give me your gloves i'll wear them for your sake to bassanio and for your love i'll take this ring from you do not draw back your hand i'll take no more and you in love shall not deny me this bassanio this ring good sir alas it is a trifle i will not shame myself to give you this portia i will have nothing else but only this and now methinks i have a mind to it bassanio there's more depends on this than on the value the dearest ring in venice will i give you and find it out by proclamation only for this i pray you pardon me portia i see sir you are liberal in offers you taught me first to beg and now methinks you teach me how a beggar should be answer'd bassanio good sir this ring was given me by my wife and when she put it on she made me vow that i should neither sell nor give nor lose it portia that scuse serves many men to save their gifts an if your wife be not a madwoman and know how well i have deserved the ring she would not hold out enemy for ever for giving it to me well peace be with you exeunt portia and nerissa antonio my lord bassanio let him have the ring let his deservings and my love withal be valued against your wife's commandment bassanio go gratiano run and overtake him give him the ring and bring him if thou canst unto antonio's house away make haste exit gratiano come you and i will thither presently and in the morning early will we both fly toward belmont come antonio exeunt the merchant of venice act iv scene ii the same a street enter portia and nerissa portia inquire the jew's house out give him this deed and let him sign it we'll away tonight and be a day before our husbands home this deed will be well welcome to lorenzo enter gratiano gratiano fair sir you are well o'erta'en my lord bassanio upon more advice hath sent you here this ring and doth entreat your company at dinner portia that cannot be his ring i do accept most thankfully and so i pray you tell him furthermore i pray you show my youth old shylock's house gratiano that will i do nerissa sir i would speak with you aside to portia i'll see if i can get my husband's ring which i did make him swear to keep for ever portia aside to nerissa thou mayst i warrant we shall have old swearing that they did give the rings away to men but we'll outface them and outswear them too aloud away make haste thou knowist where i will tarry nerissa come good sir will you show me to this house exeunt the merchant of venice act v scene i belmont avenue to portia's house enter lorenzo and jessica lorenzo the moon shines bright in such a night as this when the sweet wind did gently kiss the trees and they did make no noise in such a night troilus methinks mounted the troyan walls and sigh'd his soul toward the grecian tents where cressid lay that night jessica in such a night did thisbe fearfully o'ertrip the dew and saw the lion's shadow ere himself and ran dismay'd away lorenzo in such a night stood dido with a willow in her hand upon the wild sea banks and waft her love to come again to carthage jessica in such a night medea gather'd the enchanted herbs that did renew old aeson lorenzo in such a night did jessica steal from the wealthy jew and with an unthrift love did run from venice as far as belmont jessica in such a night did young lorenzo swear he loved her well stealing her soul with many vows of faith and ne'er a true one lorenzo in such a night did pretty jessica like a little shrew slander her love and he forgave it her jessica i would outnight you did no body come but hark i hear the footing of a man enter stephano lorenzo who comes so fast in silence of the night stephano a friend lorenzo a friend what friend your name i pray you friend stephano stephano is my name and i bring word my mistress will before the break of day be here at belmont she doth stray about by holy crosses where she kneels and prays for happy wedlock hours lorenzo who comes with her stephano none but a holy hermit and her maid i pray you is my master yet return'd lorenzo he is not nor we have not heard from him but go we in i pray thee jessica and ceremoniously let us prepare some welcome for the mistress of the house enter launcelot launcelot sola sola wo ha ho sola sola lorenzo who calls launcelot sola did you see master lorenzo master lorenzo sola sola lorenzo leave hollaing man here launcelot sola where where lorenzo here launcelot tell him there's a post come from my master with his horn full of good news my master will be here ere morning exit lorenzo sweet soul let's in and there expect their coming and yet no matter why should we go in my friend stephano signify i pray you within the house your mistress is at hand and bring your music forth into the air exit stephano how sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank here will we sit and let the sounds of music creep in our ears soft stillness and the night become the touches of sweet harmony sit jessica look how the floor of heaven is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold there's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st but in his motion like an angel sings still quiring to the youngeyed cherubins such harmony is in immortal souls but whilst this muddy vesture of decay doth grossly close it in we cannot hear it enter musicians come ho and wake diana with a hymn with sweetest touches pierce your mistress ear and draw her home with music music jessica i am never merry when i hear sweet music lorenzo the reason is your spirits are attentive for do but note a wild and wanton herd or race of youthful and unhandled colts fetching mad bounds bellowing and neighing loud which is the hot condition of their blood if they but hear perchance a trumpet sound or any air of music touch their ears you shall perceive them make a mutual stand their savage eyes turn'd to a modest gaze by the sweet power of music therefore the poet did feign that orpheus drew trees stones and floods since nought so stockish hard and full of rage but music for the time doth change his nature the man that hath no music in himself nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds is fit for treasons stratagems and spoils the motions of his spirit are dull as night and his affections dark as erebus let no such man be trusted mark the music enter portia and nerissa portia that light we see is burning in my hall how far that little candle throws his beams so shines a good deed in a naughty world nerissa when the moon shone we did not see the candle portia so doth the greater glory dim the less a substitute shines brightly as a king unto the king be by and then his state empties itself as doth an inland brook into the main of waters music hark nerissa it is your music madam of the house portia nothing is good i see without respect methinks it sounds much sweeter than by day nerissa silence bestows that virtue on it madam portia the crow doth sing as sweetly as the lark when neither is attended and i think the nightingale if she should sing by day when every goose is cackling would be thought no better a musician than the wren how many things by season season'd are to their right praise and true perfection peace ho the moon sleeps with endymion and would not be awaked music ceases lorenzo that is the voice or i am much deceived of portia portia he knows me as the blind man knows the cuckoo by the bad voice lorenzo dear lady welcome home portia we have been praying for our husbands healths which speed we hope the better for our words are they return'd lorenzo madam they are not yet but there is come a messenger before to signify their coming portia go in nerissa give order to my servants that they take no note at all of our being absent hence nor you lorenzo jessica nor you a tucket sounds lorenzo your husband is at hand i hear his trumpet we are no telltales madam fear you not portia this night methinks is but the daylight sick it looks a little paler tis a day such as the day is when the sun is hid enter bassanio antonio gratiano and their followers bassanio we should hold day with the antipodes if you would walk in absence of the sun portia let me give light but let me not be light for a light wife doth make a heavy husband and never be bassanio so for me but god sort all you are welcome home my lord bassanio i thank you madam give welcome to my friend this is the man this is antonio to whom i am so infinitely bound portia you should in all sense be much bound to him for as i hear he was much bound for you antonio no more than i am well acquitted of portia sir you are very welcome to our house it must appear in other ways than words therefore i scant this breathing courtesy gratiano to nerissa by yonder moon i swear you do me wrong in faith i gave it to the judge's clerk would he were gelt that had it for my part since you do take it love so much at heart portia a quarrel ho already what's the matter gratiano about a hoop of gold a paltry ring that she did give me whose posy was for all the world like cutler's poetry upon a knife love me and leave me not' nerissa what talk you of the posy or the value you swore to me when i did give it you that you would wear it till your hour of death and that it should lie with you in your grave though not for me yet for your vehement oaths you should have been respective and have kept it gave it a judge's clerk no god's my judge the clerk will ne'er wear hair on's face that had it gratiano he will an if he live to be a man nerissa ay if a woman live to be a man gratiano now by this hand i gave it to a youth a kind of boy a little scrubbed boy no higher than thyself the judge's clerk a prating boy that begg'd it as a fee i could not for my heart deny it him portia you were to blame i must be plain with you to part so slightly with your wife's first gift a thing stuck on with oaths upon your finger and so riveted with faith unto your flesh i gave my love a ring and made him swear never to part with it and here he stands i dare be sworn for him he would not leave it nor pluck it from his finger for the wealth that the world masters now in faith gratiano you give your wife too unkind a cause of grief an twere to me i should be mad at it bassanio aside why i were best to cut my left hand off and swear i lost the ring defending it gratiano my lord bassanio gave his ring away unto the judge that begg'd it and indeed deserved it too and then the boy his clerk that took some pains in writing he begg'd mine and neither man nor master would take aught but the two rings portia what ring gave you my lord not that i hope which you received of me bassanio if i could add a lie unto a fault i would deny it but you see my finger hath not the ring upon it it is gone portia even so void is your false heart of truth by heaven i will ne'er come in your bed until i see the ring nerissa nor i in yours till i again see mine bassanio sweet portia if you did know to whom i gave the ring if you did know for whom i gave the ring and would conceive for what i gave the ring and how unwillingly i left the ring when nought would be accepted but the ring you would abate the strength of your displeasure portia if you had known the virtue of the ring or half her worthiness that gave the ring or your own honour to contain the ring you would not then have parted with the ring what man is there so much unreasonable if you had pleased to have defended it with any terms of zeal wanted the modesty to urge the thing held as a ceremony nerissa teaches me what to believe i'll die for't but some woman had the ring bassanio no by my honour madam by my soul no woman had it but a civil doctor which did refuse three thousand ducats of me and begg'd the ring the which i did deny him and suffer'd him to go displeased away even he that did uphold the very life of my dear friend what should i say sweet lady i was enforced to send it after him i was beset with shame and courtesy my honour would not let ingratitude so much besmear it pardon me good lady for by these blessed candles of the night had you been there i think you would have begg'd the ring of me to give the worthy doctor portia let not that doctor e'er come near my house since he hath got the jewel that i loved and that which you did swear to keep for me i will become as liberal as you i'll not deny him any thing i have no not my body nor my husband's bed know him i shall i am well sure of it lie not a night from home watch me like argus if you do not if i be left alone now by mine honour which is yet mine own i'll have that doctor for my bedfellow nerissa and i his clerk therefore be well advised how you do leave me to mine own protection gratiano well do you so let not me take him then for if i do i'll mar the young clerk's pen antonio i am the unhappy subject of these quarrels portia sir grieve not you you are welcome notwithstanding bassanio portia forgive me this enforced wrong and in the hearing of these many friends i swear to thee even by thine own fair eyes wherein i see myself portia mark you but that in both my eyes he doubly sees himself in each eye one swear by your double self and there's an oath of credit bassanio nay but hear me pardon this fault and by my soul i swear i never more will break an oath with thee antonio i once did lend my body for his wealth which but for him that had your husband's ring had quite miscarried i dare be bound again my soul upon the forfeit that your lord will never more break faith advisedly portia then you shall be his surety give him this and bid him keep it better than the other antonio here lord bassanio swear to keep this ring bassanio by heaven it is the same i gave the doctor portia i had it of him pardon me bassanio for by this ring the doctor lay with me nerissa and pardon me my gentle gratiano for that same scrubbed boy the doctor's clerk in lieu of this last night did lie with me gratiano why this is like the mending of highways in summer where the ways are fair enough what are we cuckolds ere we have deserved it portia speak not so grossly you are all amazed here is a letter read it at your leisure it comes from padua from bellario there you shall find that portia was the doctor nerissa there her clerk lorenzo here shall witness i set forth as soon as you and even but now return'd i have not yet enter'd my house antonio you are welcome and i have better news in store for you than you expect unseal this letter soon there you shall find three of your argosies are richly come to harbour suddenly you shall not know by what strange accident i chanced on this letter antonio i am dumb bassanio were you the doctor and i knew you not gratiano were you the clerk that is to make me cuckold nerissa ay but the clerk that never means to do it unless he live until he be a man bassanio sweet doctor you shall be my bedfellow when i am absent then lie with my wife antonio sweet lady you have given me life and living for here i read for certain that my ships are safely come to road portia how now lorenzo my clerk hath some good comforts too for you nerissa ay and i'll give them him without a fee there do i give to you and jessica from the rich jew a special deed of gift after his death of all he dies possess'd of lorenzo fair ladies you drop manna in the way of starved people portia it is almost morning and yet i am sure you are not satisfied of these events at full let us go in and charge us there upon inter'gatories and we will answer all things faithfully gratiano let it be so the first inter'gatory that my nerissa shall be sworn on is whether till the next night she had rather stay or go to bed now being two hours to day but were the day come i should wish it dark that i were couching with the doctor's clerk well while i live i'll fear no other thing so sore as keeping safe nerissa's ring exeunt the merry wives of windsor dramatis personae sir john falstaff falstaff fenton a gentleman shallow a country justice slender cousin to shallow ford two gentlemen dwelling at windsor page william page a boy son to page sir hugh evans a welsh parson doctor caius a french physician host of the garter inn host bardolph pistol sharpers attending on falstaff nym robin page to falstaff simple servant to slender rugby servant to doctor caius mistress ford mistress page anne page her daughter mistress quickly servant to doctor caius servants to page ford &c servant first servant second servant scene windsor and the neighbourhood the merry wives of windsor act i scene i windsor before page's house enter shallow slender and sir hugh evans shallow sir hugh persuade me not i will make a star chamber matter of it if he were twenty sir john falstaffs he shall not abuse robert shallow esquire slender in the county of gloucester justice of peace and coram' shallow ay cousin slender and custalourum slender ay and ratolorum too and a gentleman born master parson who writes himself armigero in any bill warrant quittance or obligation armigero' shallow ay that i do and have done any time these three hundred years slender all his successors gone before him hath done't and all his ancestors that come after him may they may give the dozen white luces in their coat shallow it is an old coat sir hugh evans the dozen white louses do become an old coat well it agrees well passant it is a familiar beast to man and signifies love shallow the luce is the fresh fish the salt fish is an old coat slender i may quarter coz shallow you may by marrying sir hugh evans it is marring indeed if he quarter it shallow not a whit sir hugh evans yes py'r lady if he has a quarter of your coat there is but three skirts for yourself in my simple conjectures but that is all one if sir john falstaff have committed disparagements unto you i am of the church and will be glad to do my benevolence to make atonements and compremises between you shallow the council shall bear it it is a riot sir hugh evans it is not meet the council hear a riot there is no fear of got in a riot the council look you shall desire to hear the fear of got and not to hear a riot take your vizaments in that shallow ha o my life if i were young again the sword should end it sir hugh evans it is petter that friends is the sword and end it and there is also another device in my prain which peradventure prings goot discretions with it there is anne page which is daughter to master thomas page which is pretty virginity slender mistress anne page she has brown hair and speaks small like a woman sir hugh evans it is that fery person for all the orld as just as you will desire and seven hundred pounds of moneys and gold and silver is her grandsire upon his death'sbedgot deliver to a joyful resurrections give when she is able to overtake seventeen years old it were a goot motion if we leave our pribbles and prabbles and desire a marriage between master abraham and mistress anne page slender did her grandsire leave her seven hundred pound sir hugh evans ay and her father is make her a petter penny slender i know the young gentlewoman she has good gifts sir hugh evans seven hundred pounds and possibilities is goot gifts shallow well let us see honest master page is falstaff there sir hugh evans shall i tell you a lie i do despise a liar as i do despise one that is false or as i despise one that is not true the knight sir john is there and i beseech you be ruled by your wellwillers i will peat the door for master page knocks what hoa got pless your house here page within who's there enter page sir hugh evans here is got's plessing and your friend and justice shallow and here young master slender that peradventures shall tell you another tale if matters grow to your likings page i am glad to see your worships well i thank you for my venison master shallow shallow master page i am glad to see you much good do it your good heart i wished your venison better it was ill killed how doth good mistress pageand i thank you always with my heart la with my heart page sir i thank you shallow sir i thank you by yea and no i do page i am glad to see you good master slender slender how does your fallow greyhound sir i heard say he was outrun on cotsall page it could not be judged sir slender you'll not confess you'll not confess shallow that he will not tis your fault tis your fault tis a good dog page a cur sir shallow sir he's a good dog and a fair dog can there be more said he is good and fair is sir john falstaff here page sir he is within and i would i could do a good office between you sir hugh evans it is spoke as a christians ought to speak shallow he hath wronged me master page page sir he doth in some sort confess it shallow if it be confessed it is not redress'd is not that so master page he hath wronged me indeed he hath at a word he hath believe me robert shallow esquire saith he is wronged page here comes sir john enter falstaff bardolph nym and pistol falstaff now master shallow you'll complain of me to the king shallow knight you have beaten my men killed my deer and broke open my lodge falstaff but not kissed your keeper's daughter shallow tut a pin this shall be answered falstaff i will answer it straight i have done all this that is now answered shallow the council shall know this falstaff twere better for you if it were known in counsel you'll be laughed at sir hugh evans pauca verba sir john goot worts falstaff good worts good cabbage slender i broke your head what matter have you against me slender marry sir i have matter in my head against you and against your conycatching rascals bardolph nym and pistol bardolph you banbury cheese slender ay it is no matter pistol how now mephostophilus slender ay it is no matter nym slice i say pauca pauca slice that's my humour slender where's simple my man can you tell cousin sir hugh evans peace i pray you now let us understand there is three umpires in this matter as i understand that is master page fidelicet master page and there is myself fidelicet myself and the three party is lastly and finally mine host of the garter page we three to hear it and end it between them sir hugh evans fery goot i will make a prief of it in my note book and we will afterwards ork upon the cause with as great discreetly as we can falstaff pistol pistol he hears with ears sir hugh evans the tevil and his tam what phrase is this he hears with ear why it is affectations falstaff pistol did you pick master slender's purse slender ay by these gloves did he or i would i might never come in mine own great chamber again else of seven groats in millsixpences and two edward shovelboards that cost me two shilling and two pence apiece of yead miller by these gloves falstaff is this true pistol sir hugh evans no it is false if it is a pickpurse pistol ha thou mountainforeigner sir john and master mine i combat challenge of this latten bilbo word of denial in thy labras here word of denial froth and scum thou liest slender by these gloves then twas he nym be avised sir and pass good humours i will say marry trap with you if you run the nuthook's humour on me that is the very note of it slender by this hat then he in the red face had it for though i cannot remember what i did when you made me drunk yet i am not altogether an ass falstaff what say you scarlet and john bardolph why sir for my part i say the gentleman had drunk himself out of his five sentences sir hugh evans it is his five senses fie what the ignorance is bardolph and being fap sir was as they say cashiered and so conclusions passed the careires slender ay you spake in latin then too but tis no matter i'll ne'er be drunk whilst i live again but in honest civil godly company for this trick if i be drunk i'll be drunk with those that have the fear of god and not with drunken knaves sir hugh evans so got udge me that is a virtuous mind falstaff you hear all these matters denied gentlemen you hear it enter anne page with wine mistress ford and mistress page following page nay daughter carry the wine in we'll drink within exit anne page slender o heaven this is mistress anne page page how now mistress ford falstaff mistress ford by my troth you are very well met by your leave good mistress kisses her page wife bid these gentlemen welcome come we have a hot venison pasty to dinner come gentlemen i hope we shall drink down all unkindness exeunt all except shallow slender and sir hugh evans slender i had rather than forty shillings i had my book of songs and sonnets here enter simple how now simple where have you been i must wait on myself must i you have not the book of riddles about you have you simple book of riddles why did you not lend it to alice shortcake upon allhallowmas last a fortnight afore michaelmas shallow come coz come coz we stay for you a word with you coz marry this coz there is as twere a tender a kind of tender made afar off by sir hugh here do you understand me slender ay sir you shall find me reasonable if it be so i shall do that that is reason shallow nay but understand me slender so i do sir sir hugh evans give ear to his motions master slender i will description the matter to you if you be capacity of it slender nay i will do as my cousin shallow says i pray you pardon me he's a justice of peace in his country simple though i stand here sir hugh evans but that is not the question the question is concerning your marriage shallow ay there's the point sir sir hugh evans marry is it the very point of it to mistress anne page slender why if it be so i will marry her upon any reasonable demands sir hugh evans but can you affection the oman let us command to know that of your mouth or of your lips for divers philosophers hold that the lips is parcel of the mouth therefore precisely can you carry your good will to the maid shallow cousin abraham slender can you love her slender i hope sir i will do as it shall become one that would do reason sir hugh evans nay got's lords and his ladies you must speak possitable if you can carry her your desires towards her shallow that you must will you upon good dowry marry her slender i will do a greater thing than that upon your request cousin in any reason shallow nay conceive me conceive me sweet coz what i do is to pleasure you coz can you love the maid slender i will marry her sir at your request but if there be no great love in the beginning yet heaven may decrease it upon better acquaintance when we are married and have more occasion to know one another i hope upon familiarity will grow more contempt but if you say marry her i will marry her that i am freely dissolved and dissolutely sir hugh evans it is a fery discretion answer save the fall is in the ort dissolutely the ort is according to our meaning resolutely his meaning is good shallow ay i think my cousin meant well slender ay or else i would i might be hanged la shallow here comes fair mistress anne reenter anne page would i were young for your sake mistress anne anne page the dinner is on the table my father desires your worships company shallow i will wait on him fair mistress anne sir hugh evans od's plessed will i will not be absence at the grace exeunt shallow and sir hugh evans anne page will't please your worship to come in sir slender no i thank you forsooth heartily i am very well anne page the dinner attends you sir slender i am not ahungry i thank you forsooth go sirrah for all you are my man go wait upon my cousin shallow exit simple a justice of peace sometimes may be beholding to his friend for a man i keep but three men and a boy yet till my mother be dead but what though yet i live like a poor gentleman born anne page i may not go in without your worship they will not sit till you come slender i faith i'll eat nothing i thank you as much as though i did anne page i pray you sir walk in slender i had rather walk here i thank you i bruised my shin th other day with playing at sword and dagger with a master of fence three veneys for a dish of stewed prunes and by my troth i cannot abide the smell of hot meat since why do your dogs bark so be there bears i the town anne page i think there are sir i heard them talked of slender i love the sport well but i shall as soon quarrel at it as any man in england you are afraid if you see the bear loose are you not anne page ay indeed sir slender that's meat and drink to me now i have seen sackerson loose twenty times and have taken him by the chain but i warrant you the women have so cried and shrieked at it that it passed but women indeed cannot abide em they are very illfavored rough things reenter page page come gentle master slender come we stay for you slender i'll eat nothing i thank you sir page by cock and pie you shall not choose sir come come slender nay pray you lead the way page come on sir slender mistress anne yourself shall go first anne page not i sir pray you keep on slender i'll rather be unmannerly than troublesome you do yourself wrong indeed la exeunt the merry wives of windsor act i scene ii the same enter sir hugh evans and simple sir hugh evans go your ways and ask of doctor caius house which is the way and there dwells one mistress quickly which is in the manner of his nurse or his dry nurse or his cook or his laundry his washer and his wringer simple well sir sir hugh evans nay it is petter yet give her this letter for it is a oman that altogether's acquaintance with mistress anne page and the letter is to desire and require her to solicit your master's desires to mistress anne page i pray you be gone i will make an end of my dinner there's pippins and cheese to come exeunt the merry wives of windsor act i scene iii a room in the garter inn enter falstaff host bardolph nym pistol and robin falstaff mine host of the garter host what says my bullyrook speak scholarly and wisely falstaff truly mine host i must turn away some of my followers host discard bully hercules cashier let them wag trot trot falstaff i sit at ten pounds a week host thou'rt an emperor caesar keisar and pheezar i will entertain bardolph he shall draw he shall tap said i well bully hector falstaff do so good mine host host i have spoke let him follow to bardolph let me see thee froth and lime i am at a word follow exit falstaff bardolph follow him a tapster is a good trade an old cloak makes a new jerkin a withered servingman a fresh tapster go adieu bardolph it is a life that i have desired i will thrive pistol o base hungarian wight wilt thou the spigot wield exit bardolph nym he was gotten in drink is not the humour conceited falstaff i am glad i am so acquit of this tinderbox his thefts were too open his filching was like an unskilful singer he kept not time nym the good humour is to steal at a minute's rest pistol convey the wise it call steal foh a fico for the phrase falstaff well sirs i am almost out at heels pistol why then let kibes ensue falstaff there is no remedy i must conycatch i must shift pistol young ravens must have food falstaff which of you know ford of this town pistol i ken the wight he is of substance good falstaff my honest lads i will tell you what i am about pistol two yards and more falstaff no quips now pistol indeed i am in the waist two yards about but i am now about no waste i am about thrift briefly i do mean to make love to ford's wife i spy entertainment in her she discourses she carves she gives the leer of invitation i can construe the action of her familiar style and the hardest voice of her behavior to be englished rightly is i am sir john falstaff's' pistol he hath studied her will and translated her will out of honesty into english nym the anchor is deep will that humour pass falstaff now the report goes she has all the rule of her husband's purse he hath a legion of angels pistol as many devils entertain and to her boy say i nym the humour rises it is good humour me the angels falstaff i have writ me here a letter to her and here another to page's wife who even now gave me good eyes too examined my parts with most judicious oeillades sometimes the beam of her view gilded my foot sometimes my portly belly pistol then did the sun on dunghill shine nym i thank thee for that humour falstaff o she did so course o'er my exteriors with such a greedy intention that the appetite of her eye did seem to scorch me up like a burningglass here's another letter to her she bears the purse too she is a region in guiana all gold and bounty i will be cheater to them both and they shall be exchequers to me they shall be my east and west indies and i will trade to them both go bear thou this letter to mistress page and thou this to mistress ford we will thrive lads we will thrive pistol shall i sir pandarus of troy become and by my side wear steel then lucifer take all nym i will run no base humour here take the humourletter i will keep the havior of reputation falstaff to robin hold sirrah bear you these letters tightly sail like my pinnace to these golden shores rogues hence avaunt vanish like hailstones go trudge plod away o the hoof seek shelter pack falstaff will learn the humour of the age french thrift you rogues myself and skirted page exeunt falstaff and robin pistol let vultures gripe thy guts for gourd and fullam holds and high and low beguiles the rich and poor tester i'll have in pouch when thou shalt lack base phrygian turk nym i have operations which be humours of revenge pistol wilt thou revenge nym by welkin and her star pistol with wit or steel nym with both the humours i i will discuss the humour of this love to page pistol and i to ford shall eke unfold how falstaff varlet vile his dove will prove his gold will hold and his soft couch defile nym my humour shall not cool i will incense page to deal with poison i will possess him with yellowness for the revolt of mine is dangerous that is my true humour pistol thou art the mars of malecontents i second thee troop on exeunt the merry wives of windsor act i scene iv a room in doctor caius house enter mistress quickly simple and rugby mistress quickly what john rugby i pray thee go to the casement and see if you can see my master master doctor caius coming if he do i faith and find any body in the house here will be an old abusing of god's patience and the king's english rugby i'll go watch mistress quickly go and we'll have a posset for't soon at night in faith at the latter end of a seacoal fire exit rugby an honest willing kind fellow as ever servant shall come in house withal and i warrant you no telltale nor no breedbate his worst fault is that he is given to prayer he is something peevish that way but nobody but has his fault but let that pass peter simple you say your name is simple ay for fault of a better mistress quickly and master slender's your master simple ay forsooth mistress quickly does he not wear a great round beard like a glover's paringknife simple no forsooth he hath but a little wee face with a little yellow beard a caincoloured beard mistress quickly a softlysprighted man is he not simple ay forsooth but he is as tall a man of his hands as any is between this and his head he hath fought with a warrener mistress quickly how say you o i should remember him does he not hold up his head as it were and strut in his gait simple yes indeed does he mistress quickly well heaven send anne page no worse fortune tell master parson evans i will do what i can for your master anne is a good girl and i wish reenter rugby rugby out alas here comes my master mistress quickly we shall all be shent run in here good young man go into this closet he will not stay long shuts simple in the closet what john rugby john what john i say go john go inquire for my master i doubt he be not well that he comes not home singing and down down adowna &c enter doctor caius doctor caius vat is you sing i do not like des toys pray you go and vetch me in my closet un boitier vert a box a greena box do intend vat i speak a greena box mistress quickly ay forsooth i'll fetch it you aside i am glad he went not in himself if he had found the young man he would have been hornmad doctor caius fe fe fe fe ma foi il fait fort chaud je m'en vais a la courla grande affaire mistress quickly is it this sir doctor caius oui mette le au mon pocket depeche quickly vere is dat knave rugby mistress quickly what john rugby john rugby here sir doctor caius you are john rugby and you are jack rugby come takea your rapier and come after my heel to the court rugby tis ready sir here in the porch doctor caius by my trot i tarry too long od's me qu'aij'oublie dere is some simples in my closet dat i vill not for the varld i shall leave behind mistress quickly ay me he'll find the young man here and be mad doctor caius o diable diable vat is in my closet villain larron pulling simple out rugby my rapier mistress quickly good master be content doctor caius wherefore shall i be contenta mistress quickly the young man is an honest man doctor caius what shall de honest man do in my closet dere is no honest man dat shall come in my closet mistress quickly i beseech you be not so phlegmatic hear the truth of it he came of an errand to me from parson hugh doctor caius vell simple ay forsooth to desire her to mistress quickly peace i pray you doctor caius peacea your tongue speaka your tale simple to desire this honest gentlewoman your maid to speak a good word to mistress anne page for my master in the way of marriage mistress quickly this is all indeed la but i'll ne'er put my finger in the fire and need not doctor caius sir hugh senda you rugby baille me some paper tarry you a littlea while writes mistress quickly aside to simple i am glad he is so quiet if he had been thoroughly moved you should have heard him so loud and so melancholy but notwithstanding man i'll do you your master what good i can and the very yea and the no is the french doctor my masteri may call him my master look you for i keep his house and i wash wring brew bake scour dress meat and drink make the beds and do all myself simple aside to mistress quickly tis a great charge to come under one body's hand mistress quickly aside to simple are you avised o that you shall find it a great charge and to be up early and down late but notwithstandingto tell you in your ear i would have no words of itmy master himself is in love with mistress anne page but notwithstanding that i know anne's mindthat's neither here nor there doctor caius you jack'nape givea this letter to sir hugh by gar it is a shallenge i will cut his troat in dee park and i will teach a scurvy jackanape priest to meddle or make you may be gone it is not good you tarry here by gar i will cut all his two stones by gar he shall not have a stone to throw at his dog exit simple mistress quickly alas he speaks but for his friend doctor caius it is no mattera ver dat do not you tella me dat i shall have anne page for myself by gar i vill kill de jack priest and i have appointed mine host of de jarteer to measure our weapon by gar i will myself have anne page mistress quickly sir the maid loves you and all shall be well we must give folks leave to prate what the goodjer doctor caius rugby come to the court with me by gar if i have not anne page i shall turn your head out of my door follow my heels rugby exeunt doctor caius and rugby mistress quickly you shall have an fool'shead of your own no i know anne's mind for that never a woman in windsor knows more of anne's mind than i do nor can do more than i do with her i thank heaven fenton within who's within there ho mistress quickly who's there i trow come near the house i pray you enter fenton fenton how now good woman how dost thou mistress quickly the better that it pleases your good worship to ask fenton what news how does pretty mistress anne mistress quickly in truth sir and she is pretty and honest and gentle and one that is your friend i can tell you that by the way i praise heaven for it fenton shall i do any good thinkest thou shall i not lose my suit mistress quickly troth sir all is in his hands above but notwithstanding master fenton i'll be sworn on a book she loves you have not your worship a wart above your eye fenton yes marry have i what of that mistress quickly well thereby hangs a tale good faith it is such another nan but i detest an honest maid as ever broke bread we had an hour's talk of that wart i shall never laugh but in that maid's company but indeed she is given too much to allicholy and musing but for youwell go to fenton well i shall see her today hold there's money for thee let me have thy voice in my behalf if thou seest her before me commend me mistress quickly will i i'faith that we will and i will tell your worship more of the wart the next time we have confidence and of other wooers fenton well farewell i am in great haste now mistress quickly farewell to your worship exit fenton truly an honest gentleman but anne loves him not for i know anne's mind as well as another does out upon't what have i forgot exit the merry wives of windsor act ii scene i before page's house enter mistress page with a letter mistress page what have i scaped loveletters in the holiday time of my beauty and am i now a subject for them let me see reads ask me no reason why i love you for though love use reason for his physician he admits him not for his counsellor you are not young no more am i go to then there's sympathy you are merry so am i ha ha then there's more sympathy you love sack and so do i would you desire better sympathy let it suffice thee mistress pageat the least if the love of soldier can suffice that i love thee i will not say pity me tis not a soldierlike phrase but i say love me by me thine own true knight by day or night or any kind of light with all his might for thee to fight john falstaff' what a herod of jewry is this o wicked world one that is wellnigh worn to pieces with age to show himself a young gallant what an unweighed behavior hath this flemish drunkard pickedwith the devil's nameout of my conversation that he dares in this manner assay me why he hath not been thrice in my company what should i say to him i was then frugal of my mirth heaven forgive me why i'll exhibit a bill in the parliament for the putting down of men how shall i be revenged on him for revenged i will be as sure as his guts are made of puddings enter mistress ford mistress ford mistress page trust me i was going to your house mistress page and trust me i was coming to you you look very ill mistress ford nay i'll ne'er believe that i have to show to the contrary mistress page faith but you do in my mind mistress ford well i do then yet i say i could show you to the contrary o mistress page give me some counsel mistress page what's the matter woman mistress ford o woman if it were not for one trifling respect i could come to such honour mistress page hang the trifle woman take the honour what is it dispense with trifles what is it mistress ford if i would but go to hell for an eternal moment or so i could be knighted mistress page what thou liest sir alice ford these knights will hack and so thou shouldst not alter the article of thy gentry mistress ford we burn daylight here read read perceive how i might be knighted i shall think the worse of fat men as long as i have an eye to make difference of men's liking and yet he would not swear praised women's modesty and gave such orderly and wellbehaved reproof to all uncomeliness that i would have sworn his disposition would have gone to the truth of his words but they do no more adhere and keep place together than the hundredth psalm to the tune of green sleeves what tempest i trow threw this whale with so many tuns of oil in his belly ashore at windsor how shall i be revenged on him i think the best way were to entertain him with hope till the wicked fire of lust have melted him in his own grease did you ever hear the like mistress page letter for letter but that the name of page and ford differs to thy great comfort in this mystery of ill opinions here's the twinbrother of thy letter but let thine inherit first for i protest mine never shall i warrant he hath a thousand of these letters writ with blank space for different namessure moreand these are of the second edition he will print them out of doubt for he cares not what he puts into the press when he would put us two i had rather be a giantess and lie under mount pelion well i will find you twenty lascivious turtles ere one chaste man mistress ford why this is the very same the very hand the very words what doth he think of us mistress page nay i know not it makes me almost ready to wrangle with mine own honesty i'll entertain myself like one that i am not acquainted withal for sure unless he know some strain in me that i know not myself he would never have boarded me in this fury mistress ford boarding call you it i'll be sure to keep him above deck mistress page so will i if he come under my hatches i'll never to sea again let's be revenged on him let's appoint him a meeting give him a show of comfort in his suit and lead him on with a finebaited delay till he hath pawned his horses to mine host of the garter mistress ford nay i will consent to act any villany against him that may not sully the chariness of our honesty o that my husband saw this letter it would give eternal food to his jealousy mistress page why look where he comes and my good man too he's as far from jealousy as i am from giving him cause and that i hope is an unmeasurable distance mistress ford you are the happier woman mistress page let's consult together against this greasy knight come hither they retire enter ford with pistol and page with nym ford well i hope it be not so pistol hope is a curtal dog in some affairs sir john affects thy wife ford why sir my wife is not young pistol he wooes both high and low both rich and poor both young and old one with another ford he loves the gallimaufry ford perpend ford love my wife pistol with liver burning hot prevent or go thou like sir actaeon he with ringwood at thy heels o odious is the name ford what name sir pistol the horn i say farewell take heed have open eye for thieves do foot by night take heed ere summer comes or cuckoobirds do sing away sir corporal nym believe it page he speaks sense exit ford aside i will be patient i will find out this nym to page and this is true i like not the humour of lying he hath wronged me in some humours i should have borne the humoured letter to her but i have a sword and it shall bite upon my necessity he loves your wife there's the short and the long my name is corporal nym i speak and i avouch tis true my name is nym and falstaff loves your wife adieu i love not the humour of bread and cheese and there's the humour of it adieu exit page the humour of it quoth a here's a fellow frights english out of his wits ford i will seek out falstaff page i never heard such a drawling affecting rogue ford if i do find it well page i will not believe such a cataian though the priest o the town commended him for a true man ford twas a good sensible fellow well page how now meg mistress page and mistress ford come forward mistress page whither go you george hark you mistress ford how now sweet frank why art thou melancholy ford i melancholy i am not melancholy get you home go mistress ford faith thou hast some crotchets in thy head now will you go mistress page mistress page have with you you'll come to dinner george aside to mistress ford look who comes yonder she shall be our messenger to this paltry knight mistress ford aside to mistress page trust me i thought on her she'll fit it enter mistress quickly mistress page you are come to see my daughter anne mistress quickly ay forsooth and i pray how does good mistress anne mistress page go in with us and see we have an hour's talk with you exeunt mistress page mistress ford and mistress quickly page how now master ford ford you heard what this knave told me did you not page yes and you heard what the other told me ford do you think there is truth in them page hang em slaves i do not think the knight would offer it but these that accuse him in his intent towards our wives are a yoke of his discarded men very rogues now they be out of service ford were they his men page marry were they ford i like it never the better for that does he lie at the garter page ay marry does he if he should intend this voyage towards my wife i would turn her loose to him and what he gets more of her than sharp words let it lie on my head ford i do not misdoubt my wife but i would be loath to turn them together a man may be too confident i would have nothing lie on my head i cannot be thus satisfied page look where my ranting host of the garter comes there is either liquor in his pate or money in his purse when he looks so merrily enter host how now mine host host how now bullyrook thou'rt a gentleman cavaleirojustice i say enter shallow shallow i follow mine host i follow good even and twenty good master page master page will you go with us we have sport in hand host tell him cavaleirojustice tell him bullyrook shallow sir there is a fray to be fought between sir hugh the welsh priest and caius the french doctor ford good mine host o the garter a word with you drawing him aside host what sayest thou my bullyrook shallow to page will you go with us to behold it my merry host hath had the measuring of their weapons and i think hath appointed them contrary places for believe me i hear the parson is no jester hark i will tell you what our sport shall be they converse apart host hast thou no suit against my knight my guestcavaleire ford none i protest but i'll give you a pottle of burnt sack to give me recourse to him and tell him my name is brook only for a jest host my hand bully thou shalt have egress and regress said i welland thy name shall be brook it is a merry knight will you go anheires shallow have with you mine host page i have heard the frenchman hath good skill in his rapier shallow tut sir i could have told you more in these times you stand on distance your passes stoccadoes and i know not what tis the heart master page tis here tis here i have seen the time with my long sword i would have made you four tall fellows skip like rats host here boys here here shall we wag page have with you i would rather hear them scold than fight exeunt host shallow and page ford though page be a secure fool an stands so firmly on his wife's frailty yet i cannot put off my opinion so easily she was in his company at page's house and what they made there i know not well i will look further into't and i have a disguise to sound falstaff if i find her honest i lose not my labour if she be otherwise tis labour well bestowed exit the merry wives of windsor act ii scene ii a room in the garter inn enter falstaff and pistol falstaff i will not lend thee a penny pistol why then the world's mine oyster which i with sword will open falstaff not a penny i have been content sir you should lay my countenance to pawn i have grated upon my good friends for three reprieves for you and your coachfellow nym or else you had looked through the grate like a geminy of baboons i am damned in hell for swearing to gentlemen my friends you were good soldiers and tall fellows and when mistress bridget lost the handle of her fan i took't upon mine honour thou hadst it not pistol didst not thou share hadst thou not fifteen pence falstaff reason you rogue reason thinkest thou i'll endanger my soul gratis at a word hang no more about me i am no gibbet for you go a short knife and a throng to your manor of pickthatch go you'll not bear a letter for me you rogue you stand upon your honour why thou unconfinable baseness it is as much as i can do to keep the terms of my honour precise i i i myself sometimes leaving the fear of god on the left hand and hiding mine honour in my necessity am fain to shuffle to hedge and to lurch and yet you rogue will ensconce your rags your catamountain looks your redlattice phrases and your boldbeating oaths under the shelter of your honour you will not do it you pistol i do relent what would thou more of man enter robin robin sir here's a woman would speak with you falstaff let her approach enter mistress quickly mistress quickly give your worship good morrow falstaff good morrow good wife mistress quickly not so an't please your worship falstaff good maid then mistress quickly i'll be sworn as my mother was the first hour i was born falstaff i do believe the swearer what with me mistress quickly shall i vouchsafe your worship a word or two falstaff two thousand fair woman and i'll vouchsafe thee the hearing mistress quickly there is one mistress ford siri pray come a little nearer this waysi myself dwell with master doctor caius falstaff well on mistress ford you say mistress quickly your worship says very true i pray your worship come a little nearer this ways falstaff i warrant thee nobody hears mine own people mine own people mistress quickly are they so god bless them and make them his servants falstaff well mistress ford what of her mistress quickly why sir she's a good creature lord lord your worship's a wanton well heaven forgive you and all of us i pray falstaff mistress ford come mistress ford mistress quickly marry this is the short and the long of it you have brought her into such a canaries as tis wonderful the best courtier of them all when the court lay at windsor could never have brought her to such a canary yet there has been knights and lords and gentlemen with their coaches i warrant you coach after coach letter after letter gift after gift smelling so sweetly all musk and so rushling i warrant you in silk and gold and in such alligant terms and in such wine and sugar of the best and the fairest that would have won any woman's heart and i warrant you they could never get an eyewink of her i had myself twenty angels given me this morning but i defy all angels in any such sort as they say but in the way of honesty and i warrant you they could never get her so much as sip on a cup with the proudest of them all and yet there has been earls nay which is more pensioners but i warrant you all is one with her falstaff but what says she to me be brief my good shemercury mistress quickly marry she hath received your letter for the which she thanks you a thousand times and she gives you to notify that her husband will be absence from his house between ten and eleven falstaff ten and eleven mistress quickly ay forsooth and then you may come and see the picture she says that you wot of master ford her husband will be from home alas the sweet woman leads an ill life with him he's a very jealousy man she leads a very frampold life with him good heart falstaff ten and eleven woman commend me to her i will not fail her mistress quickly why you say well but i have another messenger to your worship mistress page hath her hearty commendations to you too and let me tell you in your ear she's as fartuous a civil modest wife and one i tell you that will not miss you morning nor evening prayer as any is in windsor whoe'er be the other and she bade me tell your worship that her husband is seldom from home but she hopes there will come a time i never knew a woman so dote upon a man surely i think you have charms la yes in truth falstaff not i i assure thee setting the attractions of my good parts aside i have no other charms mistress quickly blessing on your heart for't falstaff but i pray thee tell me this has ford's wife and page's wife acquainted each other how they love me mistress quickly that were a jest indeed they have not so little grace i hope that were a trick indeed but mistress page would desire you to send her your little page of all loves her husband has a marvellous infection to the little page and truly master page is an honest man never a wife in windsor leads a better life than she does do what she will say what she will take all pay all go to bed when she list rise when she list all is as she will and truly she deserves it for if there be a kind woman in windsor she is one you must send her your page no remedy falstaff why i will mistress quickly nay but do so then and look you he may come and go between you both and in any case have a nayword that you may know one another's mind and the boy never need to understand any thing for tis not good that children should know any wickedness old folks you know have discretion as they say and know the world falstaff fare thee well commend me to them both there's my purse i am yet thy debtor boy go along with this woman exeunt mistress quickly and robin this news distracts me pistol this punk is one of cupid's carriers clap on more sails pursue up with your fights give fire she is my prize or ocean whelm them all exit falstaff sayest thou so old jack go thy ways i'll make more of thy old body than i have done will they yet look after thee wilt thou after the expense of so much money be now a gainer good body i thank thee let them say tis grossly done so it be fairly done no matter enter bardolph bardolph sir john there's one master brook below would fain speak with you and be acquainted with you and hath sent your worship a morning's draught of sack falstaff brook is his name bardolph ay sir falstaff call him in exit bardolph such brooks are welcome to me that o'erflow such liquor ah ha mistress ford and mistress page have i encompassed you go to via reenter bardolph with ford disguised ford bless you sir falstaff and you sir would you speak with me ford i make bold to press with so little preparation upon you falstaff you're welcome what's your will give us leave drawer exit bardolph ford sir i am a gentleman that have spent much my name is brook falstaff good master brook i desire more acquaintance of you ford good sir john i sue for yours not to charge you for i must let you understand i think myself in better plight for a lender than you are the which hath something embolden'd me to this unseasoned intrusion for they say if money go before all ways do lie open falstaff money is a good soldier sir and will on ford troth and i have a bag of money here troubles me if you will help to bear it sir john take all or half for easing me of the carriage falstaff sir i know not how i may deserve to be your porter ford i will tell you sir if you will give me the hearing falstaff speak good master brook i shall be glad to be your servant ford sir i hear you are a scholari will be brief with youand you have been a man long known to me though i had never so good means as desire to make myself acquainted with you i shall discover a thing to you wherein i must very much lay open mine own imperfection but good sir john as you have one eye upon my follies as you hear them unfolded turn another into the register of your own that i may pass with a reproof the easier sith you yourself know how easy it is to be such an offender falstaff very well sir proceed ford there is a gentlewoman in this town her husband's name is ford falstaff well sir ford i have long loved her and i protest to you bestowed much on her followed her with a doting observance engrossed opportunities to meet her fee'd every slight occasion that could but niggardly give me sight of her not only bought many presents to give her but have given largely to many to know what she would have given briefly i have pursued her as love hath pursued me which hath been on the wing of all occasions but whatsoever i have merited either in my mind or in my means meed i am sure i have received none unless experience be a jewel that i have purchased at an infinite rate and that hath taught me to say this love like a shadow flies when substance love pursues pursuing that that flies and flying what pursues' falstaff have you received no promise of satisfaction at her hands ford never falstaff have you importuned her to such a purpose ford never falstaff of what quality was your love then ford like a fair house built on another man's ground so that i have lost my edifice by mistaking the place where i erected it falstaff to what purpose have you unfolded this to me ford when i have told you that i have told you all some say that though she appear honest to me yet in other places she enlargeth her mirth so far that there is shrewd construction made of her now sir john here is the heart of my purpose you are a gentleman of excellent breeding admirable discourse of great admittance authentic in your place and person generally allowed for your many warlike courtlike and learned preparations falstaff o sir ford believe it for you know it there is money spend it spend it spend more spend all i have only give me so much of your time in exchange of it as to lay an amiable siege to the honesty of this ford's wife use your art of wooing win her to consent to you if any man may you may as soon as any falstaff would it apply well to the vehemency of your affection that i should win what you would enjoy methinks you prescribe to yourself very preposterously ford o understand my drift she dwells so securely on the excellency of her honour that the folly of my soul dares not present itself she is too bright to be looked against now could i could come to her with any detection in my hand my desires had instance and argument to commend themselves i could drive her then from the ward of her purity her reputation her marriagevow and a thousand other her defences which now are too too strongly embattled against me what say you to't sir john falstaff master brook i will first make bold with your money next give me your hand and last as i am a gentleman you shall if you will enjoy ford's wife ford o good sir falstaff i say you shall ford want no money sir john you shall want none falstaff want no mistress ford master brook you shall want none i shall be with her i may tell you by her own appointment even as you came in to me her assistant or gobetween parted from me i say i shall be with her between ten and eleven for at that time the jealous rascally knave her husband will be forth come you to me at night you shall know how i speed ford i am blest in your acquaintance do you know ford sir falstaff hang him poor cuckoldly knave i know him not yet i wrong him to call him poor they say the jealous wittolly knave hath masses of money for the which his wife seems to me wellfavored i will use her as the key of the cuckoldly rogue's coffer and there's my harvesthome ford i would you knew ford sir that you might avoid him if you saw him falstaff hang him mechanical saltbutter rogue i will stare him out of his wits i will awe him with my cudgel it shall hang like a meteor o'er the cuckold's horns master brook thou shalt know i will predominate over the peasant and thou shalt lie with his wife come to me soon at night ford's a knave and i will aggravate his style thou master brook shalt know him for knave and cuckold come to me soon at night exit ford what a damned epicurean rascal is this my heart is ready to crack with impatience who says this is improvident jealousy my wife hath sent to him the hour is fixed the match is made would any man have thought this see the hell of having a false woman my bed shall be abused my coffers ransacked my reputation gnawn at and i shall not only receive this villanous wrong but stand under the adoption of abominable terms and by him that does me this wrong terms names amaimon sounds well lucifer well barbason well yet they are devils additions the names of fiends but cuckold wittolcuckold the devil himself hath not such a name page is an ass a secure ass he will trust his wife he will not be jealous i will rather trust a fleming with my butter parson hugh the welshman with my cheese an irishman with my aquavitae bottle or a thief to walk my ambling gelding than my wife with herself then she plots then she ruminates then she devises and what they think in their hearts they may effect they will break their hearts but they will effect god be praised for my jealousy eleven o'clock the hour i will prevent this detect my wife be revenged on falstaff and laugh at page i will about it better three hours too soon than a minute too late fie fie fie cuckold cuckold cuckold exit the merry wives of windsor act ii scene iii a field near windsor enter doctor caius and rugby doctor caius jack rugby rugby sir doctor caius vat is de clock jack rugby tis past the hour sir that sir hugh promised to meet doctor caius by gar he has save his soul dat he is no come he has pray his pible well dat he is no come by gar jack rugby he is dead already if he be come rugby he is wise sir he knew your worship would kill him if he came doctor caius by gar de herring is no dead so as i vill kill him take your rapier jack i vill tell you how i vill kill him rugby alas sir i cannot fence doctor caius villany take your rapier rugby forbear here's company enter host shallow slender and page host bless thee bully doctor shallow save you master doctor caius page now good master doctor slender give you good morrow sir doctor caius vat be all you one two tree four come for host to see thee fight to see thee foin to see thee traverse to see thee here to see thee there to see thee pass thy punto thy stock thy reverse thy distance thy montant is he dead my ethiopian is he dead my francisco ha bully what says my aesculapius my galen my heart of elder ha is he dead bully stale is he dead doctor caius by gar he is de coward jack priest of de vorld he is not show his face host thou art a castalionkingurinal hector of greece my boy doctor caius i pray you bear vitness that me have stay six or seven two tree hours for him and he is no come shallow he is the wiser man master doctor he is a curer of souls and you a curer of bodies if you should fight you go against the hair of your professions is it not true master page page master shallow you have yourself been a great fighter though now a man of peace shallow bodykins master page though i now be old and of the peace if i see a sword out my finger itches to make one though we are justices and doctors and churchmen master page we have some salt of our youth in us we are the sons of women master page page tis true master shallow shallow it will be found so master page master doctor caius i am come to fetch you home i am sworn of the peace you have showed yourself a wise physician and sir hugh hath shown himself a wise and patient churchman you must go with me master doctor host pardon guestjustice a word mounseur mockwater doctor caius mockvater vat is dat host mockwater in our english tongue is valour bully doctor caius by gar den i have as mush mockvater as de englishman scurvy jackdog priest by gar me vill cut his ears host he will clapperclaw thee tightly bully doctor caius clapperdeclaw vat is dat host that is he will make thee amends doctor caius by gar me do look he shall clapperdeclaw me for by gar me vill have it host and i will provoke him to't or let him wag doctor caius me tank you for dat host and moreover bullybut first master guest and master page and eke cavaleiro slender go you through the town to frogmore aside to them page sir hugh is there is he host he is there see what humour he is in and i will bring the doctor about by the fields will it do well shallow we will do it page shallow adieu good master doctor slender exeunt page shallow and slender doctor caius by gar me vill kill de priest for he speak for a jackanape to anne page host let him die sheathe thy impatience throw cold water on thy choler go about the fields with me through frogmore i will bring thee where mistress anne page is at a farmhouse afeasting and thou shalt woo her cried i aim said i well doctor caius by gar me dank you for dat by gar i love you and i shall procurea you de good guest de earl de knight de lords de gentlemen my patients host for the which i will be thy adversary toward anne page said i well doctor caius by gar tis good vell said host let us wag then doctor caius come at my heels jack rugby exeunt the merry wives of windsor act iii scene i a field near frogmore enter sir hugh evans and simple sir hugh evans i pray you now good master slender's servingman and friend simple by your name which way have you looked for master caius that calls himself doctor of physic simple marry sir the pittieward the parkward every way old windsor way and every way but the town way sir hugh evans i most fehemently desire you you will also look that way simple i will sir exit sir hugh evans pless my soul how full of chollors i am and trempling of mind i shall be glad if he have deceived me how melancholies i am i will knog his urinals about his knave's costard when i have good opportunities for the ork pless my soul sings to shallow rivers to whose falls melodious birds sings madrigals there will we make our peds of roses and a thousand fragrant posies to shallow mercy on me i have a great dispositions to cry sings melodious birds sing madrigals when as i sat in pabylon and a thousand vagram posies to shallow &c reenter simple simple yonder he is coming this way sir hugh sir hugh evans he's welcome sings to shallow rivers to whose falls heaven prosper the right what weapons is he simple no weapons sir there comes my master master shallow and another gentleman from frogmore over the stile this way sir hugh evans pray you give me my gown or else keep it in your arms enter page shallow and slender shallow how now master parson good morrow good sir hugh keep a gamester from the dice and a good student from his book and it is wonderful slender aside ah sweet anne page page save you good sir hugh sir hugh evans pless you from his mercy sake all of you shallow what the sword and the word do you study them both master parson page and youthful still in your doublet and hose this raw rheumatic day sir hugh evans there is reasons and causes for it page we are come to you to do a good office master parson sir hugh evans fery well what is it page yonder is a most reverend gentleman who belike having received wrong by some person is at most odds with his own gravity and patience that ever you saw shallow i have lived fourscore years and upward i never heard a man of his place gravity and learning so wide of his own respect sir hugh evans what is he page i think you know him master doctor caius the renowned french physician sir hugh evans got's will and his passion of my heart i had as lief you would tell me of a mess of porridge page why sir hugh evans he has no more knowledge in hibocrates and galen and he is a knave besides a cowardly knave as you would desires to be acquainted withal page i warrant you he's the man should fight with him shallow aside o sweet anne page shallow it appears so by his weapons keep them asunder here comes doctor caius enter host doctor caius and rugby page nay good master parson keep in your weapon shallow so do you good master doctor host disarm them and let them question let them keep their limbs whole and hack our english doctor caius i pray you leta me speak a word with your ear vherefore vill you not meeta me sir hugh evans aside to doctor caius pray you use your patience in good time doctor caius by gar you are de coward de jack dog john ape sir hugh evans aside to doctor caius pray you let us not be laughingstocks to other men's humours i desire you in friendship and i will one way or other make you amends aloud i will knog your urinals about your knave's cockscomb for missing your meetings and appointments doctor caius diable jack rugbymine host de jarteerhave i not stay for him to kill him have i not at de place i did appoint sir hugh evans as i am a christians soul now look you this is the place appointed i'll be judgement by mine host of the garter host peace i say gallia and gaul french and welsh soulcurer and bodycurer doctor caius ay dat is very good excellent host peace i say hear mine host of the garter am i politic am i subtle am i a machiavel shall i lose my doctor no he gives me the potions and the motions shall i lose my parson my priest my sir hugh no he gives me the proverbs and the noverbs give me thy hand terrestrial so give me thy hand celestial so boys of art i have deceived you both i have directed you to wrong places your hearts are mighty your skins are whole and let burnt sack be the issue come lay their swords to pawn follow me lads of peace follow follow follow shallow trust me a mad host follow gentlemen follow slender aside o sweet anne page exeunt shallow slender page and host doctor caius ha do i perceive dat have you makea de sot of us ha ha sir hugh evans this is well he has made us his vloutingstog i desire you that we may be friends and let us knog our prains together to be revenge on this same scall scurvy cogging companion the host of the garter doctor caius by gar with all my heart he promise to bring me where is anne page by gar he deceive me too sir hugh evans well i will smite his noddles pray you follow exeunt the merry wives of windsor act iii scene ii a street enter mistress page and robin mistress page nay keep your way little gallant you were wont to be a follower but now you are a leader whether had you rather lead mine eyes or eye your master's heels robin i had rather forsooth go before you like a man than follow him like a dwarf mistress page o you are a flattering boy now i see you'll be a courtier enter ford ford well met mistress page whither go you mistress page truly sir to see your wife is she at home ford ay and as idle as she may hang together for want of company i think if your husbands were dead you two would marry mistress page be sure of thattwo other husbands ford where had you this pretty weathercock mistress page i cannot tell what the dickens his name is my husband had him of what do you call your knight's name sirrah robin sir john falstaff ford sir john falstaff mistress page he he i can never hit on's name there is such a league between my good man and he is your wife at home indeed ford indeed she is mistress page by your leave sir i am sick till i see her exeunt mistress page and robin ford has page any brains hath he any eyes hath he any thinking sure they sleep he hath no use of them why this boy will carry a letter twenty mile as easy as a cannon will shoot pointblank twelve score he pieces out his wife's inclination he gives her folly motion and advantage and now she's going to my wife and falstaff's boy with her a man may hear this shower sing in the wind and falstaff's boy with her good plots they are laid and our revolted wives share damnation together well i will take him then torture my wife pluck the borrowed veil of modesty from the so seeming mistress page divulge page himself for a secure and wilful actaeon and to these violent proceedings all my neighbours shall cry aim clock heard the clock gives me my cue and my assurance bids me search there i shall find falstaff i shall be rather praised for this than mocked for it is as positive as the earth is firm that falstaff is there i will go enter page shallow slender host sir hugh evans doctor caius and rugby shallow page well met master ford &c ford trust me a good knot i have good cheer at home and i pray you all go with me shallow i must excuse myself master ford slender and so must i sir we have appointed to dine with mistress anne and i would not break with her for more money than i'll speak of shallow we have lingered about a match between anne page and my cousin slender and this day we shall have our answer slender i hope i have your good will father page page you have master slender i stand wholly for you but my wife master doctor is for you altogether doctor caius ay begar and de maid is lovea me my nursha quickly tell me so mush host what say you to young master fenton he capers he dances he has eyes of youth he writes verses he speaks holiday he smells april and may he will carry't he will carry't tis in his buttons he will carry't page not by my consent i promise you the gentleman is of no having he kept company with the wild prince and poins he is of too high a region he knows too much no he shall not knit a knot in his fortunes with the finger of my substance if he take her let him take her simply the wealth i have waits on my consent and my consent goes not that way ford i beseech you heartily some of you go home with me to dinner besides your cheer you shall have sport i will show you a monster master doctor you shall go so shall you master page and you sir hugh shallow well fare you well we shall have the freer wooing at master page's exeunt shallow and slender doctor caius go home john rugby i come anon exit rugby host farewell my hearts i will to my honest knight falstaff and drink canary with him exit ford aside i think i shall drink in pipe wine first with him i'll make him dance will you go gentles all have with you to see this monster exeunt the merry wives of windsor act iii scene iii a room in ford's house enter mistress ford and mistress page mistress ford what john what robert mistress page quickly quickly is the buckbasket mistress ford i warrant what robin i say enter servants with a basket mistress page come come come mistress ford here set it down mistress page give your men the charge we must be brief mistress ford marry as i told you before john and robert be ready here hard by in the brewhouse and when i suddenly call you come forth and without any pause or staggering take this basket on your shoulders that done trudge with it in all haste and carry it among the whitsters in datchetmead and there empty it in the muddy ditch close by the thames side mistress page you will do it mistress ford i ha told them over and over they lack no direction be gone and come when you are called exeunt servants mistress page here comes little robin enter robin mistress ford how now my eyasmusket what news with you robin my master sir john is come in at your backdoor mistress ford and requests your company mistress page you little jackalent have you been true to us robin ay i'll be sworn my master knows not of your being here and hath threatened to put me into everlasting liberty if i tell you of it for he swears he'll turn me away mistress page thou'rt a good boy this secrecy of thine shall be a tailor to thee and shall make thee a new doublet and hose i'll go hide me mistress ford do so go tell thy master i am alone exit robin mistress page remember you your cue mistress page i warrant thee if i do not act it hiss me exit mistress ford go to then we'll use this unwholesome humidity this gross watery pumpion we'll teach him to know turtles from jays enter falstaff falstaff have i caught thee my heavenly jewel why now let me die for i have lived long enough this is the period of my ambition o this blessed hour mistress ford o sweet sir john falstaff mistress ford i cannot cog i cannot prate mistress ford now shall i sin in my wish i would thy husband were dead i'll speak it before the best lord i would make thee my lady mistress ford i your lady sir john alas i should be a pitiful lady falstaff let the court of france show me such another i see how thine eye would emulate the diamond thou hast the right arched beauty of the brow that becomes the shiptire the tirevaliant or any tire of venetian admittance mistress ford a plain kerchief sir john my brows become nothing else nor that well neither falstaff by the lord thou art a traitor to say so thou wouldst make an absolute courtier and the firm fixture of thy foot would give an excellent motion to thy gait in a semicircled farthingale i see what thou wert if fortune thy foe were not nature thy friend come thou canst not hide it mistress ford believe me there is no such thing in me falstaff what made me love thee let that persuade thee there's something extraordinary in thee come i cannot cog and say thou art this and that like a many of these lisping hawthornbuds that come like women in men's apparel and smell like bucklersbury in simple time i cannot but i love thee none but thee and thou deservest it mistress ford do not betray me sir i fear you love mistress page falstaff thou mightst as well say i love to walk by the countergate which is as hateful to me as the reek of a limekiln mistress ford well heaven knows how i love you and you shall one day find it falstaff keep in that mind i'll deserve it mistress ford nay i must tell you so you do or else i could not be in that mind robin within mistress ford mistress ford here's mistress page at the door sweating and blowing and looking wildly and would needs speak with you presently falstaff she shall not see me i will ensconce me behind the arras mistress ford pray you do so she's a very tattling woman falstaff hides himself reenter mistress page and robin what's the matter how now mistress page o mistress ford what have you done you're shamed you're overthrown you're undone for ever mistress ford what's the matter good mistress page mistress page o welladay mistress ford having an honest man to your husband to give him such cause of suspicion mistress ford what cause of suspicion mistress page what cause of suspicion out pon you how am i mistook in you mistress ford why alas what's the matter mistress page your husband's coming hither woman with all the officers in windsor to search for a gentleman that he says is here now in the house by your consent to take an ill advantage of his assence you are undone mistress ford tis not so i hope mistress page pray heaven it be not so that you have such a man here but tis most certain your husband's coming with half windsor at his heels to search for such a one i come before to tell you if you know yourself clear why i am glad of it but if you have a friend here convey convey him out be not amazed call all your senses to you defend your reputation or bid farewell to your good life for ever mistress ford what shall i do there is a gentleman my dear friend and i fear not mine own shame so much as his peril i had rather than a thousand pound he were out of the house mistress page for shame never stand you had rather and you had rather your husband's here at hand bethink you of some conveyance in the house you cannot hide him o how have you deceived me look here is a basket if he be of any reasonable stature he may creep in here and throw foul linen upon him as if it were going to bucking orit is whitingtime send him by your two men to datchetmead mistress ford he's too big to go in there what shall i do falstaff coming forward let me see't let me see't o let me see't i'll in i'll in follow your friend's counsel i'll in mistress page what sir john falstaff are these your letters knight falstaff i love thee help me away let me creep in here i'll never gets into the basket they cover him with foul linen mistress page help to cover your master boy call your men mistress ford you dissembling knight mistress ford what john robert john exit robin reenter servants go take up these clothes here quickly where's the cowlstaff look how you drumble carry them to the laundress in datchetmeat quickly come enter ford page doctor caius and sir hugh evans ford pray you come near if i suspect without cause why then make sport at me then let me be your jest i deserve it how now whither bear you this servant to the laundress forsooth mistress ford why what have you to do whither they bear it you were best meddle with buckwashing ford buck i would i could wash myself of the buck buck buck buck ay buck i warrant you buck and of the season too it shall appear exeunt servants with the basket gentlemen i have dreamed tonight i'll tell you my dream here here here be my keys ascend my chambers search seek find out i'll warrant we'll unkennel the fox let me stop this way first locking the door so now uncape page good master ford be contented you wrong yourself too much ford true master page up gentlemen you shall see sport anon follow me gentlemen exit sir hugh evans this is fery fantastical humours and jealousies doctor caius by gar tis no the fashion of france it is not jealous in france page nay follow him gentlemen see the issue of his search exeunt page doctor caius and sir hugh evans mistress page is there not a double excellency in this mistress ford i know not which pleases me better that my husband is deceived or sir john mistress page what a taking was he in when your husband asked who was in the basket mistress ford i am half afraid he will have need of washing so throwing him into the water will do him a benefit mistress page hang him dishonest rascal i would all of the same strain were in the same distress mistress ford i think my husband hath some special suspicion of falstaff's being here for i never saw him so gross in his jealousy till now mistress page i will lay a plot to try that and we will yet have more tricks with falstaff his dissolute disease will scarce obey this medicine mistress ford shall we send that foolish carrion mistress quickly to him and excuse his throwing into the water and give him another hope to betray him to another punishment mistress page we will do it let him be sent for tomorrow eight o'clock to have amends reenter ford page doctor caius and sir hugh evans ford i cannot find him may be the knave bragged of that he could not compass mistress page aside to mistress ford heard you that mistress ford you use me well master ford do you ford ay i do so mistress ford heaven make you better than your thoughts ford amen mistress page you do yourself mighty wrong master ford ford ay ay i must bear it sir hugh evans if there be any pody in the house and in the chambers and in the coffers and in the presses heaven forgive my sins at the day of judgment doctor caius by gar nor i too there is no bodies page fie fie master ford are you not ashamed what spirit what devil suggests this imagination i would not ha your distemper in this kind for the wealth of windsor castle ford tis my fault master page i suffer for it sir hugh evans you suffer for a pad conscience your wife is as honest a omans as i will desires among five thousand and five hundred too doctor caius by gar i see tis an honest woman ford well i promised you a dinner come come walk in the park i pray you pardon me i will hereafter make known to you why i have done this come wife come mistress page i pray you pardon me pray heartily pardon me page let's go in gentlemen but trust me we'll mock him i do invite you tomorrow morning to my house to breakfast after we'll abirding together i have a fine hawk for the bush shall it be so ford any thing sir hugh evans if there is one i shall make two in the company doctor caius if dere be one or two i shall makea the turd ford pray you go master page sir hugh evans i pray you now remembrance tomorrow on the lousy knave mine host doctor caius dat is good by gar with all my heart sir hugh evans a lousy knave to have his gibes and his mockeries exeunt the merry wives of windsor act iii scene iv a room in page's house enter fenton and anne page fenton i see i cannot get thy father's love therefore no more turn me to him sweet nan anne page alas how then fenton why thou must be thyself he doth object i am too great of birth and that my state being gall'd with my expense i seek to heal it only by his wealth besides these other bars he lays before me my riots past my wild societies and tells me tis a thing impossible i should love thee but as a property anne page may be he tells you true fenton no heaven so speed me in my time to come albeit i will confess thy father's wealth was the first motive that i woo'd thee anne yet wooing thee i found thee of more value than stamps in gold or sums in sealed bags and tis the very riches of thyself that now i aim at anne page gentle master fenton yet seek my father's love still seek it sir if opportunity and humblest suit cannot attain it why thenhark you hither they converse apart enter shallow slender and mistress quickly shallow break their talk mistress quickly my kinsman shall speak for himself slender i'll make a shaft or a bolt on't slid tis but venturing shallow be not dismayed slender no she shall not dismay me i care not for that but that i am afeard mistress quickly hark ye master slender would speak a word with you anne page i come to him aside this is my father's choice o what a world of vile illfavor'd faults looks handsome in three hundred pounds ayear mistress quickly and how does good master fenton pray you a word with you shallow she's coming to her coz o boy thou hadst a father slender i had a father mistress anne my uncle can tell you good jests of him pray you uncle tell mistress anne the jest how my father stole two geese out of a pen good uncle shallow mistress anne my cousin loves you slender ay that i do as well as i love any woman in gloucestershire shallow he will maintain you like a gentlewoman slender ay that i will come cut and longtail under the degree of a squire shallow he will make you a hundred and fifty pounds jointure anne page good master shallow let him woo for himself shallow marry i thank you for it i thank you for that good comfort she calls you coz i'll leave you anne page now master slender slender now good mistress anne anne page what is your will slender my will od's heartlings that's a pretty jest indeed i ne'er made my will yet i thank heaven i am not such a sickly creature i give heaven praise anne page i mean master slender what would you with me slender truly for mine own part i would little or nothing with you your father and my uncle hath made motions if it be my luck so if not happy man be his dole they can tell you how things go better than i can you may ask your father here he comes enter page and mistress page page now master slender love him daughter anne why how now what does master fenton here you wrong me sir thus still to haunt my house i told you sir my daughter is disposed of fenton nay master page be not impatient mistress page good master fenton come not to my child page she is no match for you fenton sir will you hear me page no good master fenton come master shallow come son slender in knowing my mind you wrong me master fenton exeunt page shallow and slender mistress quickly speak to mistress page fenton good mistress page for that i love your daughter in such a righteous fashion as i do perforce against all cheques rebukes and manners i must advance the colours of my love and not retire let me have your good will anne page good mother do not marry me to yond fool mistress page i mean it not i seek you a better husband mistress quickly that's my master master doctor anne page alas i had rather be set quick i the earth and bowl'd to death with turnips mistress page come trouble not yourself good master fenton i will not be your friend nor enemy my daughter will i question how she loves you and as i find her so am i affected till then farewell sir she must needs go in her father will be angry fenton farewell gentle mistress farewell nan exeunt mistress page and anne page mistress quickly this is my doing now nay said i will you cast away your child on a fool and a physician look on master fenton this is my doing fenton i thank thee and i pray thee once tonight give my sweet nan this ring there's for thy pains mistress quickly now heaven send thee good fortune exit fenton a kind heart he hath a woman would run through fire and water for such a kind heart but yet i would my master had mistress anne or i would master slender had her or in sooth i would master fenton had her i will do what i can for them all three for so i have promised and i'll be as good as my word but speciously for master fenton well i must of another errand to sir john falstaff from my two mistresses what a beast am i to slack it exit the merry wives of windsor act iii scene v a room in the garter inn enter falstaff and bardolph falstaff bardolph i say bardolph here sir falstaff go fetch me a quart of sack put a toast in't exit bardolph have i lived to be carried in a basket like a barrow of butcher's offal and to be thrown in the thames well if i be served such another trick i'll have my brains ta'en out and buttered and give them to a dog for a newyear's gift the rogues slighted me into the river with as little remorse as they would have drowned a blind bitch's puppies fifteen i the litter and you may know by my size that i have a kind of alacrity in sinking if the bottom were as deep as hell i should down i had been drowned but that the shore was shelvy and shallowa death that i abhor for the water swells a man and what a thing should i have been when i had been swelled i should have been a mountain of mummy reenter bardolph with sack bardolph here's mistress quickly sir to speak with you falstaff let me pour in some sack to the thames water for my belly's as cold as if i had swallowed snowballs for pills to cool the reins call her in bardolph come in woman enter mistress quickly mistress quickly by your leave i cry you mercy give your worship good morrow falstaff take away these chalices go brew me a pottle of sack finely bardolph with eggs sir falstaff simple of itself i'll no pulletsperm in my brewage exit bardolph how now mistress quickly marry sir i come to your worship from mistress ford falstaff mistress ford i have had ford enough i was thrown into the ford i have my belly full of ford mistress quickly alas the day good heart that was not her fault she does so take on with her men they mistook their erection falstaff so did i mine to build upon a foolish woman's promise mistress quickly well she laments sir for it that it would yearn your heart to see it her husband goes this morning abirding she desires you once more to come to her between eight and nine i must carry her word quickly she'll make you amends i warrant you falstaff well i will visit her tell her so and bid her think what a man is let her consider his frailty and then judge of my merit mistress quickly i will tell her falstaff do so between nine and ten sayest thou mistress quickly eight and nine sir falstaff well be gone i will not miss her mistress quickly peace be with you sir exit falstaff i marvel i hear not of master brook he sent me word to stay within i like his money well o here he comes enter ford ford bless you sir falstaff now master brook you come to know what hath passed between me and ford's wife ford that indeed sir john is my business falstaff master brook i will not lie to you i was at her house the hour she appointed me ford and sped you sir falstaff very illfavoredly master brook ford how so sir did she change her determination falstaff no master brook but the peaking cornuto her husband master brook dwelling in a continual larum of jealousy comes me in the instant of our encounter after we had embraced kissed protested and as it were spoke the prologue of our comedy and at his heels a rabble of his companions thither provoked and instigated by his distemper and forsooth to search his house for his wife's love ford what while you were there falstaff while i was there ford and did he search for you and could not find you falstaff you shall hear as good luck would have it comes in one mistress page gives intelligence of ford's approach and in her invention and ford's wife's distraction they conveyed me into a buckbasket ford a buckbasket falstaff by the lord a buckbasket rammed me in with foul shirts and smocks socks foul stockings greasy napkins that master brook there was the rankest compound of villanous smell that ever offended nostril ford and how long lay you there falstaff nay you shall hear master brook what i have suffered to bring this woman to evil for your good being thus crammed in the basket a couple of ford's knaves his hinds were called forth by their mistress to carry me in the name of foul clothes to datchetlane they took me on their shoulders met the jealous knave their master in the door who asked them once or twice what they had in their basket i quaked for fear lest the lunatic knave would have searched it but fate ordaining he should be a cuckold held his hand well on went he for a search and away went i for foul clothes but mark the sequel master brook i suffered the pangs of three several deaths first an intolerable fright to be detected with a jealous rotten bellwether next to be compassed like a good bilbo in the circumference of a peck hilt to point heel to head and then to be stopped in like a strong distillation with stinking clothes that fretted in their own grease think of thata man of my kidneythink of thatthat am as subject to heat as butter a man of continual dissolution and thaw it was a miracle to scape suffocation and in the height of this bath when i was more than half stewed in grease like a dutch dish to be thrown into the thames and cooled glowing hot in that surge like a horseshoe think of thathissing hotthink of that master brook ford in good sadness i am sorry that for my sake you have sufferd all this my suit then is desperate you'll undertake her no more falstaff master brook i will be thrown into etna as i have been into thames ere i will leave her thus her husband is this morning gone abirding i have received from her another embassy of meeting twixt eight and nine is the hour master brook ford tis past eight already sir falstaff is it i will then address me to my appointment come to me at your convenient leisure and you shall know how i speed and the conclusion shall be crowned with your enjoying her adieu you shall have her master brook master brook you shall cuckold ford exit ford hum ha is this a vision is this a dream do i sleep master ford awake awake master ford there's a hole made in your best coat master ford this tis to be married this tis to have linen and buckbaskets well i will proclaim myself what i am i will now take the lecher he is at my house he cannot scape me tis impossible he should he cannot creep into a halfpenny purse nor into a pepperbox but lest the devil that guides him should aid him i will search impossible places though what i am i cannot avoid yet to be what i would not shall not make me tame if i have horns to make one mad let the proverb go with me i'll be hornmad exit the merry wives of windsor act iv scene i a street enter mistress page mistress quickly and william page mistress page is he at master ford's already think'st thou mistress quickly sure he is by this or will be presently but truly he is very courageous mad about his throwing into the water mistress ford desires you to come suddenly mistress page i'll be with her by and by i'll but bring my young man here to school look where his master comes tis a playingday i see enter sir hugh evans how now sir hugh no school today sir hugh evans no master slender is let the boys leave to play mistress quickly blessing of his heart mistress page sir hugh my husband says my son profits nothing in the world at his book i pray you ask him some questions in his accidence sir hugh evans come hither william hold up your head come mistress page come on sirrah hold up your head answer your master be not afraid sir hugh evans william how many numbers is in nouns william page two mistress quickly truly i thought there had been one number more because they say 'od's nouns' sir hugh evans peace your tattlings what is fair william william page pulcher mistress quickly polecats there are fairer things than polecats sure sir hugh evans you are a very simplicity oman i pray you peace what is lapis william william page a stone sir hugh evans and what is a stone william william page a pebble sir hugh evans no it is lapis i pray you remember in your prain william page lapis sir hugh evans that is a good william what is he william that does lend articles william page articles are borrowed of the pronoun and be thus declined singulariter nominativo hic haec hoc sir hugh evans nominativo hig hag hog pray you mark genitivo hujus well what is your accusative case william page accusativo hinc sir hugh evans i pray you have your remembrance child accusative hung hang hog mistress quickly hanghog is latin for bacon i warrant you sir hugh evans leave your prabbles oman what is the focative case william william page ovocativo o sir hugh evans remember william focative is caret mistress quickly and that's a good root sir hugh evans oman forbear mistress page peace sir hugh evans what is your genitive case plural william william page genitive case sir hugh evans ay william page genitivehorum harum horum mistress quickly vengeance of jenny's case fie on her never name her child if she be a whore sir hugh evans for shame oman mistress quickly you do ill to teach the child such words he teaches him to hick and to hack which they'll do fast enough of themselves and to call horum fie upon you sir hugh evans oman art thou lunatics hast thou no understandings for thy cases and the numbers of the genders thou art as foolish christian creatures as i would desires mistress page prithee hold thy peace sir hugh evans show me now william some declensions of your pronouns william page forsooth i have forgot sir hugh evans it is qui quae quod if you forget your quies' your quaes and your quods you must be preeches go your ways and play go mistress page he is a better scholar than i thought he was sir hugh evans he is a good sprag memory farewell mistress page mistress page adieu good sir hugh exit sir hugh evans get you home boy come we stay too long exeunt the merry wives of windsor act iv scene ii a room in ford's house enter falstaff and mistress ford falstaff mistress ford your sorrow hath eaten up my sufferance i see you are obsequious in your love and i profess requital to a hair's breadth not only mistress ford in the simple office of love but in all the accoutrement complement and ceremony of it but are you sure of your husband now mistress ford he's abirding sweet sir john mistress page within what ho gossip ford what ho mistress ford step into the chamber sir john exit falstaff enter mistress page mistress page how now sweetheart who's at home besides yourself mistress ford why none but mine own people mistress page indeed mistress ford no certainly aside to her speak louder mistress page truly i am so glad you have nobody here mistress ford why mistress page why woman your husband is in his old lunes again he so takes on yonder with my husband so rails against all married mankind so curses all eve's daughters of what complexion soever and so buffets himself on the forehead crying peer out peer out that any madness i ever yet beheld seemed but tameness civility and patience to this his distemper he is in now i am glad the fat knight is not here mistress ford why does he talk of him mistress page of none but him and swears he was carried out the last time he searched for him in a basket protests to my husband he is now here and hath drawn him and the rest of their company from their sport to make another experiment of his suspicion but i am glad the knight is not here now he shall see his own foolery mistress ford how near is he mistress page mistress page hard by at street end he will be here anon mistress ford i am undone the knight is here mistress page why then you are utterly shamed and he's but a dead man what a woman are youaway with him away with him better shame than murder ford which way should be go how should i bestow him shall i put him into the basket again reenter falstaff falstaff no i'll come no more i the basket may i not go out ere he come mistress page alas three of master ford's brothers watch the door with pistols that none shall issue out otherwise you might slip away ere he came but what make you here falstaff what shall i do i'll creep up into the chimney mistress ford there they always use to discharge their birdingpieces creep into the kilnhole falstaff where is it mistress ford he will seek there on my word neither press coffer chest trunk well vault but he hath an abstract for the remembrance of such places and goes to them by his note there is no hiding you in the house falstaff i'll go out then mistress page if you go out in your own semblance you die sir john unless you go out disguised mistress ford how might we disguise him mistress page alas the day i know not there is no woman's gown big enough for him otherwise he might put on a hat a muffler and a kerchief and so escape falstaff good hearts devise something any extremity rather than a mischief mistress ford my maid's aunt the fat woman of brentford has a gown above mistress page on my word it will serve him she's as big as he is and there's her thrummed hat and her muffler too run up sir john mistress ford go go sweet sir john mistress page and i will look some linen for your head mistress page quick quick we'll come dress you straight put on the gown the while exit falstaff mistress ford i would my husband would meet him in this shape he cannot abide the old woman of brentford he swears she's a witch forbade her my house and hath threatened to beat her mistress page heaven guide him to thy husband's cudgel and the devil guide his cudgel afterwards mistress ford but is my husband coming mistress page ah in good sadness is he and talks of the basket too howsoever he hath had intelligence mistress ford we'll try that for i'll appoint my men to carry the basket again to meet him at the door with it as they did last time mistress page nay but he'll be here presently let's go dress him like the witch of brentford mistress ford i'll first direct my men what they shall do with the basket go up i'll bring linen for him straight exit mistress page hang him dishonest varlet we cannot misuse him enough we'll leave a proof by that which we will do wives may be merry and yet honest too we do not act that often jest and laugh tis old but true still swine eat all the draff exit reenter mistress ford with two servants mistress ford go sirs take the basket again on your shoulders your master is hard at door if he bid you set it down obey him quickly dispatch exit first servant come come take it up second servant pray heaven it be not full of knight again first servant i hope not i had as lief bear so much lead enter ford page shallow doctor caius and sir hugh evans ford ay but if it prove true master page have you any way then to unfool me again set down the basket villain somebody call my wife youth in a basket o you panderly rascals there's a knot a ging a pack a conspiracy against me now shall the devil be shamed what wife i say come come forth behold what honest clothes you send forth to bleaching page why this passes master ford you are not to go loose any longer you must be pinioned sir hugh evans why this is lunatics this is mad as a mad dog shallow indeed master ford this is not well indeed ford so say i too sir reenter mistress ford come hither mistress ford mistress ford the honest woman the modest wife the virtuous creature that hath the jealous fool to her husband i suspect without cause mistress do i mistress ford heaven be my witness you do if you suspect me in any dishonesty ford well said brazenface hold it out come forth sirrah pulling clothes out of the basket page this passes mistress ford are you not ashamed let the clothes alone ford i shall find you anon sir hugh evans tis unreasonable will you take up your wife's clothes come away ford empty the basket i say mistress ford why man why ford master page as i am a man there was one conveyed out of my house yesterday in this basket why may not he be there again in my house i am sure he is my intelligence is true my jealousy is reasonable pluck me out all the linen mistress ford if you find a man there he shall die a flea's death page here's no man shallow by my fidelity this is not well master ford this wrongs you sir hugh evans master ford you must pray and not follow the imaginations of your own heart this is jealousies ford well he's not here i seek for page no nor nowhere else but in your brain ford help to search my house this one time if i find not what i seek show no colour for my extremity let me for ever be your tablesport let them say of me as jealous as ford chat searched a hollow walnut for his wife's leman satisfy me once more once more search with me mistress ford what ho mistress page come you and the old woman down my husband will come into the chamber ford old woman what old woman's that mistress ford nay it is my maid's aunt of brentford ford a witch a quean an old cozening quean have i not forbid her my house she comes of errands does she we are simple men we do not know what's brought to pass under the profession of fortunetelling she works by charms by spells by the figure and such daubery as this is beyond our element we know nothing come down you witch you hag you come down i say mistress ford nay good sweet husband good gentlemen let him not strike the old woman reenter falstaff in woman's clothes and mistress page mistress page come mother prat come give me your hand ford i'll prat her beating him out of my door you witch you hag you baggage you polecat you runyon out out i'll conjure you i'll fortunetell you exit falstaff mistress page are you not ashamed i think you have killed the poor woman mistress ford nay he will do it tis a goodly credit for you ford hang her witch sir hugh evans by the yea and no i think the oman is a witch indeed i like not when a oman has a great peard i spy a great peard under his muffler ford will you follow gentlemen i beseech you follow see but the issue of my jealousy if i cry out thus upon no trail never trust me when i open again page let's obey his humour a little further come gentlemen exeunt ford page shallow doctor caius and sir hugh evans mistress page trust me he beat him most pitifully mistress ford nay by the mass that he did not he beat him most unpitifully methought mistress page i'll have the cudgel hallowed and hung o'er the altar it hath done meritorious service mistress ford what think you may we with the warrant of womanhood and the witness of a good conscience pursue him with any further revenge mistress page the spirit of wantonness is sure scared out of him if the devil have him not in feesimple with fine and recovery he will never i think in the way of waste attempt us again mistress ford shall we tell our husbands how we have served him mistress page yes by all means if it be but to scrape the figures out of your husband's brains if they can find in their hearts the poor unvirtuous fat knight shall be any further afflicted we two will still be the ministers mistress ford i'll warrant they'll have him publicly shamed and methinks there would be no period to the jest should he not be publicly shamed mistress page come to the forge with it then shape it i would not have things cool exeunt the merry wives of windsor act iv scene iii a room in the garter inn enter host and bardolph bardolph sir the germans desire to have three of your horses the duke himself will be tomorrow at court and they are going to meet him host what duke should that be comes so secretly i hear not of him in the court let me speak with the gentlemen they speak english bardolph ay sir i'll call them to you host they shall have my horses but i'll make them pay i'll sauce them they have had my house a week at command i have turned away my other guests they must come off i'll sauce them come exeunt the merry wives of windsor act iv scene iv a room in ford's house enter page ford mistress page mistress ford and sir hugh evans sir hugh evans tis one of the best discretions of a oman as ever i did look upon page and did he send you both these letters at an instant mistress page within a quarter of an hour ford pardon me wife henceforth do what thou wilt i rather will suspect the sun with cold than thee with wantonness now doth thy honour stand in him that was of late an heretic as firm as faith page tis well tis well no more be not as extreme in submission as in offence but let our plot go forward let our wives yet once again to make us public sport appoint a meeting with this old fat fellow where we may take him and disgrace him for it ford there is no better way than that they spoke of page how to send him word they'll meet him in the park at midnight fie fie he'll never come sir hugh evans you say he has been thrown in the rivers and has been grievously peaten as an old oman methinks there should be terrors in him that he should not come methinks his flesh is punished he shall have no desires page so think i too mistress ford devise but how you'll use him when he comes and let us two devise to bring him thither mistress page there is an old tale goes that herne the hunter sometime a keeper here in windsor forest doth all the wintertime at still midnight walk round about an oak with great ragg'd horns and there he blasts the tree and takes the cattle and makes milchkine yield blood and shakes a chain in a most hideous and dreadful manner you have heard of such a spirit and well you know the superstitious idleheaded eld received and did deliver to our age this tale of herne the hunter for a truth page why yet there want not many that do fear in deep of night to walk by this herne's oak but what of this mistress ford marry this is our device that falstaff at that oak shall meet with us page well let it not be doubted but he'll come and in this shape when you have brought him thither what shall be done with him what is your plot mistress page that likewise have we thought upon and thus nan page my daughter and my little son and three or four more of their growth we'll dress like urchins ouphes and fairies green and white with rounds of waxen tapers on their heads and rattles in their hands upon a sudden as falstaff she and i are newly met let them from forth a sawpit rush at once with some diffused song upon their sight we two in great amazedness will fly then let them all encircle him about and fairylike topinch the unclean knight and ask him why that hour of fairy revel in their so sacred paths he dares to tread in shape profane mistress ford and till he tell the truth let the supposed fairies pinch him sound and burn him with their tapers mistress page the truth being known we'll all present ourselves dishorn the spirit and mock him home to windsor ford the children must be practised well to this or they'll ne'er do't sir hugh evans i will teach the children their behaviors and i will be like a jackanapes also to burn the knight with my taber ford that will be excellent i'll go and buy them vizards mistress page my nan shall be the queen of all the fairies finely attired in a robe of white page that silk will i go buy aside and in that time shall master slender steal my nan away and marry her at eton go send to falstaff straight ford nay i'll to him again in name of brook he'll tell me all his purpose sure he'll come mistress page fear not you that go get us properties and tricking for our fairies sir hugh evans let us about it it is admirable pleasures and fery honest knaveries exeunt page ford and sir hugh evans mistress page go mistress ford send quickly to sir john to know his mind exit mistress ford i'll to the doctor he hath my good will and none but he to marry with nan page that slender though well landed is an idiot and he my husband best of all affects the doctor is well money'd and his friends potent at court he none but he shall have her though twenty thousand worthier come to crave her exit the merry wives of windsor act iv scene v a room in the garter inn enter host and simple host what wouldst thou have boor what thickskin speak breathe discuss brief short quick snap simple marry sir i come to speak with sir john falstaff from master slender host there's his chamber his house his castle his standingbed and trucklebed tis painted about with the story of the prodigal fresh and new go knock and call hell speak like an anthropophaginian unto thee knock i say simple there's an old woman a fat woman gone up into his chamber i'll be so bold as stay sir till she come down i come to speak with her indeed host ha a fat woman the knight may be robbed i'll call bully knight bully sir john speak from thy lungs military art thou there it is thine host thine ephesian calls falstaff above how now mine host host here's a bohemiantartar tarries the coming down of thy fat woman let her descend bully let her descend my chambers are honourable fie privacy fie enter falstaff falstaff there was mine host an old fat woman even now with me but she's gone simple pray you sir was't not the wise woman of brentford falstaff ay marry was it musselshell what would you with her simple my master sir master slender sent to her seeing her go through the streets to know sir whether one nym sir that beguiled him of a chain had the chain or no falstaff i spake with the old woman about it simple and what says she i pray sir falstaff marry she says that the very same man that beguiled master slender of his chain cozened him of it simple i would i could have spoken with the woman herself i had other things to have spoken with her too from him falstaff what are they let us know host ay come quick simple i may not conceal them sir host conceal them or thou diest simple why sir they were nothing but about mistress anne page to know if it were my master's fortune to have her or no falstaff tis tis his fortune simple what sir falstaff to have her or no go say the woman told me so simple may i be bold to say so sir falstaff ay sir like who more bold simple i thank your worship i shall make my master glad with these tidings exit host thou art clerkly thou art clerkly sir john was there a wise woman with thee falstaff ay that there was mine host one that hath taught me more wit than ever i learned before in my life and i paid nothing for it neither but was paid for my learning enter bardolph bardolph out alas sir cozenage mere cozenage host where be my horses speak well of them varletto bardolph run away with the cozeners for so soon as i came beyond eton they threw me off from behind one of them in a slough of mire and set spurs and away like three german devils three doctor faustuses host they are gone but to meet the duke villain do not say they be fled germans are honest men enter sir hugh evans sir hugh evans where is mine host host what is the matter sir sir hugh evans have a care of your entertainments there is a friend of mine come to town tells me there is three cozengermans that has cozened all the hosts of readins of maidenhead of colebrook of horses and money i tell you for good will look you you are wise and full of gibes and vloutingstocks and tis not convenient you should be cozened fare you well exit enter doctor caius doctor caius vere is mine host de jarteer host here master doctor in perplexity and doubtful dilemma doctor caius i cannot tell vat is dat but it is tella me dat you make grand preparation for a duke de jamany by my trot dere is no duke dat the court is know to come i tell you for good vill adieu exit host hue and cry villain go assist me knight i am undone fly run hue and cry villain i am undone exeunt host and bardolph falstaff i would all the world might be cozened for i have been cozened and beaten too if it should come to the ear of the court how i have been transformed and how my transformation hath been washed and cudgelled they would melt me out of my fat drop by drop and liquor fishermen's boots with me i warrant they would whip me with their fine wits till i were as crestfallen as a dried pear i never prospered since i forswore myself at primero well if my wind were but long enough to say my prayers i would repent enter mistress quickly now whence come you mistress quickly from the two parties forsooth falstaff the devil take one party and his dam the other and so they shall be both bestowed i have suffered more for their sakes more than the villanous inconstancy of man's disposition is able to bear mistress quickly and have not they suffered yes i warrant speciously one of them mistress ford good heart is beaten black and blue that you cannot see a white spot about her falstaff what tellest thou me of black and blue i was beaten myself into all the colours of the rainbow and i was like to be apprehended for the witch of brentford but that my admirable dexterity of wit my counterfeiting the action of an old woman delivered me the knave constable had set me i the stocks i the common stocks for a witch mistress quickly sir let me speak with you in your chamber you shall hear how things go and i warrant to your content here is a letter will say somewhat good hearts what ado here is to bring you together sure one of you does not serve heaven well that you are so crossed falstaff come up into my chamber exeunt the merry wives of windsor act iv scene vi another room in the garter inn enter fenton and host host master fenton talk not to me my mind is heavy i will give over all fenton yet hear me speak assist me in my purpose and as i am a gentleman i'll give thee a hundred pound in gold more than your loss host i will hear you master fenton and i will at the least keep your counsel fenton from time to time i have acquainted you with the dear love i bear to fair anne page who mutually hath answer'd my affection so far forth as herself might be her chooser even to my wish i have a letter from her of such contents as you will wonder at the mirth whereof so larded with my matter that neither singly can be manifested without the show of both fat falstaff hath a great scene the image of the jest i'll show you here at large hark good mine host tonight at herne's oak just twixt twelve and one must my sweet nan present the fairy queen the purpose why is here in which disguise while other jests are something rank on foot her father hath commanded her to slip away with slender and with him at eton immediately to marry she hath consented now sir her mother ever strong against that match and firm for doctor caius hath appointed that he shall likewise shuffle her away while other sports are tasking of their minds and at the deanery where a priest attends straight marry her to this her mother's plot she seemingly obedient likewise hath made promise to the doctor now thus it rests her father means she shall be all in white and in that habit when slender sees his time to take her by the hand and bid her go she shall go with him her mother hath intended the better to denote her to the doctor for they must all be mask'd and vizarded that quaint in green she shall be loose enrobed with ribands pendent flaring bout her head and when the doctor spies his vantage ripe to pinch her by the hand and on that token the maid hath given consent to go with him host which means she to deceive father or mother fenton both my good host to go along with me and here it rests that you'll procure the vicar to stay for me at church twixt twelve and one and in the lawful name of marrying to give our hearts united ceremony host well husband your device i'll to the vicar bring you the maid you shall not lack a priest fenton so shall i evermore be bound to thee besides i'll make a present recompense exeunt the merry wives of windsor act v scene i a room in the garter inn enter falstaff and mistress quickly falstaff prithee no more prattling go i'll hold this is the third time i hope good luck lies in odd numbers away i go they say there is divinity in odd numbers either in nativity chance or death away mistress quickly i'll provide you a chain and i'll do what i can to get you a pair of horns falstaff away i say time wears hold up your head and mince exit mistress quickly enter ford how now master brook master brook the matter will be known tonight or never be you in the park about midnight at herne's oak and you shall see wonders ford went you not to her yesterday sir as you told me you had appointed falstaff i went to her master brook as you see like a poor old man but i came from her master brook like a poor old woman that same knave ford her husband hath the finest mad devil of jealousy in him master brook that ever governed frenzy i will tell you he beat me grievously in the shape of a woman for in the shape of man master brook i fear not goliath with a weaver's beam because i know also life is a shuttle i am in haste go along with me i'll tell you all master brook since i plucked geese played truant and whipped top i knew not what twas to be beaten till lately follow me i'll tell you strange things of this knave ford on whom tonight i will be revenged and i will deliver his wife into your hand follow strange things in hand master brook follow exeunt the merry wives of windsor act v scene ii windsor park enter page shallow and slender page come come we'll couch i the castleditch till we see the light of our fairies remember son slender my daughter slender ay forsooth i have spoke with her and we have a nayword how to know one another i come to her in white and cry mum she cries budget and by that we know one another shallow that's good too but what needs either your mum' or her budget the white will decipher her well enough it hath struck ten o'clock page the night is dark light and spirits will become it well heaven prosper our sport no man means evil but the devil and we shall know him by his horns let's away follow me exeunt the merry wives of windsor act v scene iii a street leading to the park enter mistress page mistress ford and doctor caius mistress page master doctor my daughter is in green when you see your time take her by the band away with her to the deanery and dispatch it quickly go before into the park we two must go together doctor caius i know vat i have to do adieu mistress page fare you well sir exit doctor caius my husband will not rejoice so much at the abuse of falstaff as he will chafe at the doctor's marrying my daughter but tis no matter better a little chiding than a great deal of heartbreak mistress ford where is nan now and her troop of fairies and the welsh devil hugh mistress page they are all couched in a pit hard by herne's oak with obscured lights which at the very instant of falstaff's and our meeting they will at once display to the night mistress ford that cannot choose but amaze him mistress page if he be not amazed he will be mocked if he be amazed he will every way be mocked mistress ford we'll betray him finely mistress page against such lewdsters and their lechery those that betray them do no treachery mistress ford the hour draws on to the oak to the oak exeunt the merry wives of windsor act v scene iv windsor park enter sir hugh evans disguised with others as fairies sir hugh evans trib trib fairies come and remember your parts be pold i pray you follow me into the pit and when i give the watch'ords do as i pid you come come trib trib exeunt the merry wives of windsor act v scene v another part of the park enter falstaff disguised as herne falstaff the windsor bell hath struck twelve the minute draws on now the hotblooded gods assist me remember jove thou wast a bull for thy europa love set on thy horns o powerful love that in some respects makes a beast a man in some other a man a beast you were also jupiter a swan for the love of leda o omnipotent love how near the god drew to the complexion of a goose a fault done first in the form of a beast o jove a beastly fault and then another fault in the semblance of a fowl think on t jove a foul fault when gods have hot backs what shall poor men do for me i am here a windsor stag and the fattest i think i the forest send me a cool ruttime jove or who can blame me to piss my tallow who comes here my doe enter mistress ford and mistress page mistress ford sir john art thou there my deer my male deer falstaff my doe with the black scut let the sky rain potatoes let it thunder to the tune of green sleeves hail kissingcomfits and snow eringoes let there come a tempest of provocation i will shelter me here mistress ford mistress page is come with me sweetheart falstaff divide me like a bribe buck each a haunch i will keep my sides to myself my shoulders for the fellow of this walk and my horns i bequeath your husbands am i a woodman ha speak i like herne the hunter why now is cupid a child of conscience he makes restitution as i am a true spirit welcome noise within mistress page alas what noise mistress ford heaven forgive our sins falstaff what should this be mistress ford away away mistress page they run off falstaff i think the devil will not have me damned lest the oil that's in me should set hell on fire he would never else cross me thus enter sir hugh evans disguised as before pistol as hobgoblin mistress quickly anne page and others as fairies with tapers mistress quickly fairies black grey green and white you moonshine revellers and shades of night you orphan heirs of fixed destiny attend your office and your quality crier hobgoblin make the fairy oyes pistol elves list your names silence you airy toys cricket to windsor chimneys shalt thou leap where fires thou find'st unraked and hearths unswept there pinch the maids as blue as bilberry our radiant queen hates sluts and sluttery falstaff they are fairies he that speaks to them shall die i'll wink and couch no man their works must eye lies down upon his face sir hugh evans where's bede go you and where you find a maid that ere she sleep has thrice her prayers said raise up the organs of her fantasy sleep she as sound as careless infancy but those as sleep and think not on their sins pinch them arms legs backs shoulders sides and shins mistress quickly about about search windsor castle elves within and out strew good luck ouphes on every sacred room that it may stand till the perpetual doom in state as wholesome as in state tis fit worthy the owner and the owner it the several chairs of order look you scour with juice of balm and every precious flower each fair instalment coat and several crest with loyal blazon evermore be blest and nightly meadowfairies look you sing like to the garter's compass in a ring the expressure that it bears green let it be more fertilefresh than all the field to see and honi soit qui mal y pense write in emerald tufts flowers purple blue and white let sapphire pearl and rich embroidery buckled below fair knighthood's bending knee fairies use flowers for their charactery away disperse but till tis one o'clock our dance of custom round about the oak of herne the hunter let us not forget sir hugh evans pray you lock hand in hand yourselves in order set and twenty glowworms shall our lanterns be to guide our measure round about the tree but stay i smell a man of middleearth falstaff heavens defend me from that welsh fairy lest he transform me to a piece of cheese pistol vile worm thou wast o'erlook'd even in thy birth mistress quickly with trialfire touch me his fingerend if he be chaste the flame will back descend and turn him to no pain but if he start it is the flesh of a corrupted heart pistol a trial come sir hugh evans come will this wood take fire they burn him with their tapers falstaff oh oh oh mistress quickly corrupt corrupt and tainted in desire about him fairies sing a scornful rhyme and as you trip still pinch him to your time song fie on sinful fantasy fie on lust and luxury lust is but a bloody fire kindled with unchaste desire fed in heart whose flames aspire as thoughts do blow them higher and higher pinch him fairies mutually pinch him for his villany pinch him and burn him and turn him about till candles and starlight and moonshine be out during this song they pinch falstaff doctor caius comes one way and steals away a boy in green slender another way and takes off a boy in white and fenton comes and steals away ann page a noise of hunting is heard within all the fairies run away falstaff pulls off his buck's head and rises enter page ford mistress page and mistress ford page nay do not fly i think we have watch'd you now will none but herne the hunter serve your turn mistress page i pray you come hold up the jest no higher now good sir john how like you windsor wives see you these husband do not these fair yokes become the forest better than the town ford now sir who's a cuckold now master brook falstaff's a knave a cuckoldly knave here are his horns master brook and master brook he hath enjoyed nothing of ford's but his buckbasket his cudgel and twenty pounds of money which must be paid to master brook his horses are arrested for it master brook mistress ford sir john we have had ill luck we could never meet i will never take you for my love again but i will always count you my deer falstaff i do begin to perceive that i am made an ass ford ay and an ox too both the proofs are extant falstaff and these are not fairies i was three or four times in the thought they were not fairies and yet the guiltiness of my mind the sudden surprise of my powers drove the grossness of the foppery into a received belief in despite of the teeth of all rhyme and reason that they were fairies see now how wit may be made a jackalent when tis upon ill employment sir hugh evans sir john falstaff serve got and leave your desires and fairies will not pinse you ford well said fairy hugh sir hugh evans and leave your jealousies too i pray you ford i will never mistrust my wife again till thou art able to woo her in good english falstaff have i laid my brain in the sun and dried it that it wants matter to prevent so gross o'erreaching as this am i ridden with a welsh goat too shall i have a coxcomb of frize tis time i were choked with a piece of toasted cheese sir hugh evans seese is not good to give putter your belly is all putter falstaff seese and putter have i lived to stand at the taunt of one that makes fritters of english this is enough to be the decay of lust and latewalking through the realm mistress page why sir john do you think though we would have the virtue out of our hearts by the head and shoulders and have given ourselves without scruple to hell that ever the devil could have made you our delight ford what a hodgepudding a bag of flax mistress page a puffed man page old cold withered and of intolerable entrails ford and one that is as slanderous as satan page and as poor as job ford and as wicked as his wife sir hugh evans and given to fornications and to taverns and sack and wine and metheglins and to drinkings and swearings and starings pribbles and prabbles falstaff well i am your theme you have the start of me i am dejected i am not able to answer the welsh flannel ignorance itself is a plummet o'er me use me as you will ford marry sir we'll bring you to windsor to one master brook that you have cozened of money to whom you should have been a pander over and above that you have suffered i think to repay that money will be a biting affliction page yet be cheerful knight thou shalt eat a posset tonight at my house where i will desire thee to laugh at my wife that now laughs at thee tell her master slender hath married her daughter mistress page aside doctors doubt that if anne page be my daughter she is by this doctor caius wife enter slender slender whoa ho ho father page page son how now how now son have you dispatched slender dispatched i'll make the best in gloucestershire know on't would i were hanged la else page of what son slender i came yonder at eton to marry mistress anne page and she's a great lubberly boy if it had not been i the church i would have swinged him or he should have swinged me if i did not think it had been anne page would i might never stirand tis a postmaster's boy page upon my life then you took the wrong slender what need you tell me that i think so when i took a boy for a girl if i had been married to him for all he was in woman's apparel i would not have had him page why this is your own folly did not i tell you how you should know my daughter by her garments slender i went to her in white and cried mum and she cried budget as anne and i had appointed and yet it was not anne but a postmaster's boy mistress page good george be not angry i knew of your purpose turned my daughter into green and indeed she is now with the doctor at the deanery and there married enter doctor caius doctor caius vere is mistress page by gar i am cozened i ha' married un garcon a boy un paysan by gar a boy it is not anne page by gar i am cozened mistress page why did you take her in green doctor caius ay by gar and tis a boy by gar i'll raise all windsor exit ford this is strange who hath got the right anne page my heart misgives me here comes master fenton enter fenton and anne page how now master fenton anne page pardon good father good my mother pardon page now mistress how chance you went not with master slender mistress page why went you not with master doctor maid fenton you do amaze her hear the truth of it you would have married her most shamefully where there was no proportion held in love the truth is she and i long since contracted are now so sure that nothing can dissolve us the offence is holy that she hath committed and this deceit loses the name of craft of disobedience or unduteous title since therein she doth evitate and shun a thousand irreligious cursed hours which forced marriage would have brought upon her ford stand not amazed here is no remedy in love the heavens themselves do guide the state money buys lands and wives are sold by fate falstaff i am glad though you have ta'en a special stand to strike at me that your arrow hath glanced page well what remedy fenton heaven give thee joy what cannot be eschew'd must be embraced falstaff when nightdogs run all sorts of deer are chased mistress page well i will muse no further master fenton heaven give you many many merry days good husband let us every one go home and laugh this sport o'er by a country fire sir john and all ford let it be so sir john to master brook you yet shall hold your word for he tonight shall lie with mistress ford exeunt a midsummer night's dream dramatis personae theseus duke of athens egeus father to hermia lysander in love with hermia demetrius philostrate master of the revels to theseus quince a carpenter snug a joiner bottom a weaver flute a bellowsmender snout a tinker starveling a tailor hippolyta queen of the amazons betrothed to theseus hermia daughter to egeus in love with lysander helena in love with demetrius oberon king of the fairies titania queen of the fairies puck or robin goodfellow peaseblossom cobweb fairies moth mustardseed other fairies attending their king and queen attendants on theseus and hippolyta scene athens and a wood near it a midsummer night's dream act i scene i athens the palace of theseus enter theseus hippolyta philostrate and attendants theseus now fair hippolyta our nuptial hour draws on apace four happy days bring in another moon but o methinks how slow this old moon wanes she lingers my desires like to a stepdame or a dowager long withering out a young man revenue hippolyta four days will quickly steep themselves in night four nights will quickly dream away the time and then the moon like to a silver bow newbent in heaven shall behold the night of our solemnities theseus go philostrate stir up the athenian youth to merriments awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth turn melancholy forth to funerals the pale companion is not for our pomp exit philostrate hippolyta i woo'd thee with my sword and won thy love doing thee injuries but i will wed thee in another key with pomp with triumph and with revelling enter egeus hermia lysander and demetrius egeus happy be theseus our renowned duke theseus thanks good egeus what's the news with thee egeus full of vexation come i with complaint against my child my daughter hermia stand forth demetrius my noble lord this man hath my consent to marry her stand forth lysander and my gracious duke this man hath bewitch'd the bosom of my child thou thou lysander thou hast given her rhymes and interchanged lovetokens with my child thou hast by moonlight at her window sung with feigning voice verses of feigning love and stolen the impression of her fantasy with bracelets of thy hair rings gawds conceits knacks trifles nosegays sweetmeats messengers of strong prevailment in unharden'd youth with cunning hast thou filch'd my daughter's heart turn'd her obedience which is due to me to stubborn harshness and my gracious duke be it so she will not here before your grace consent to marry with demetrius i beg the ancient privilege of athens as she is mine i may dispose of her which shall be either to this gentleman or to her death according to our law immediately provided in that case theseus what say you hermia be advised fair maid to you your father should be as a god one that composed your beauties yea and one to whom you are but as a form in wax by him imprinted and within his power to leave the figure or disfigure it demetrius is a worthy gentleman hermia so is lysander theseus in himself he is but in this kind wanting your father's voice the other must be held the worthier hermia i would my father look'd but with my eyes theseus rather your eyes must with his judgment look hermia i do entreat your grace to pardon me i know not by what power i am made bold nor how it may concern my modesty in such a presence here to plead my thoughts but i beseech your grace that i may know the worst that may befall me in this case if i refuse to wed demetrius theseus either to die the death or to abjure for ever the society of men therefore fair hermia question your desires know of your youth examine well your blood whether if you yield not to your father's choice you can endure the livery of a nun for aye to be in shady cloister mew'd to live a barren sister all your life chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon thriceblessed they that master so their blood to undergo such maiden pilgrimage but earthlier happy is the rose distill'd than that which withering on the virgin thorn grows lives and dies in single blessedness hermia so will i grow so live so die my lord ere i will my virgin patent up unto his lordship whose unwished yoke my soul consents not to give sovereignty theseus take time to pause and by the nest new moon the sealingday betwixt my love and me for everlasting bond of fellowship upon that day either prepare to die for disobedience to your father's will or else to wed demetrius as he would or on diana's altar to protest for aye austerity and single life demetrius relent sweet hermia and lysander yield thy crazed title to my certain right lysander you have her father's love demetrius let me have hermia's do you marry him egeus scornful lysander true he hath my love and what is mine my love shall render him and she is mine and all my right of her i do estate unto demetrius lysander i am my lord as well derived as he as well possess'd my love is more than his my fortunes every way as fairly rank'd if not with vantage as demetrius' and which is more than all these boasts can be i am beloved of beauteous hermia why should not i then prosecute my right demetrius i'll avouch it to his head made love to nedar's daughter helena and won her soul and she sweet lady dotes devoutly dotes dotes in idolatry upon this spotted and inconstant man theseus i must confess that i have heard so much and with demetrius thought to have spoke thereof but being overfull of selfaffairs my mind did lose it but demetrius come and come egeus you shall go with me i have some private schooling for you both for you fair hermia look you arm yourself to fit your fancies to your father's will or else the law of athens yields you up which by no means we may extenuate to death or to a vow of single life come my hippolyta what cheer my love demetrius and egeus go along i must employ you in some business against our nuptial and confer with you of something nearly that concerns yourselves egeus with duty and desire we follow you exeunt all but lysander and hermia lysander how now my love why is your cheek so pale how chance the roses there do fade so fast hermia belike for want of rain which i could well beteem them from the tempest of my eyes lysander ay me for aught that i could ever read could ever hear by tale or history the course of true love never did run smooth but either it was different in blood hermia o cross too high to be enthrall'd to low lysander or else misgraffed in respect of years hermia o spite too old to be engaged to young lysander or else it stood upon the choice of friends hermia o hell to choose love by another's eyes lysander or if there were a sympathy in choice war death or sickness did lay siege to it making it momentany as a sound swift as a shadow short as any dream brief as the lightning in the collied night that in a spleen unfolds both heaven and earth and ere a man hath power to say behold' the jaws of darkness do devour it up so quick bright things come to confusion hermia if then true lovers have been ever cross'd it stands as an edict in destiny then let us teach our trial patience because it is a customary cross as due to love as thoughts and dreams and sighs wishes and tears poor fancy's followers lysander a good persuasion therefore hear me hermia i have a widow aunt a dowager of great revenue and she hath no child from athens is her house remote seven leagues and she respects me as her only son there gentle hermia may i marry thee and to that place the sharp athenian law cannot pursue us if thou lovest me then steal forth thy father's house tomorrow night and in the wood a league without the town where i did meet thee once with helena to do observance to a morn of may there will i stay for thee hermia my good lysander i swear to thee by cupid's strongest bow by his best arrow with the golden head by the simplicity of venus doves by that which knitteth souls and prospers loves and by that fire which burn'd the carthage queen when the false troyan under sail was seen by all the vows that ever men have broke in number more than ever women spoke in that same place thou hast appointed me tomorrow truly will i meet with thee lysander keep promise love look here comes helena enter helena hermia god speed fair helena whither away helena call you me fair that fair again unsay demetrius loves your fair o happy fair your eyes are lodestars and your tongue's sweet air more tuneable than lark to shepherd's ear when wheat is green when hawthorn buds appear sickness is catching o were favour so yours would i catch fair hermia ere i go my ear should catch your voice my eye your eye my tongue should catch your tongue's sweet melody were the world mine demetrius being bated the rest i'd give to be to you translated o teach me how you look and with what art you sway the motion of demetrius heart hermia i frown upon him yet he loves me still helena o that your frowns would teach my smiles such skill hermia i give him curses yet he gives me love helena o that my prayers could such affection move hermia the more i hate the more he follows me helena the more i love the more he hateth me hermia his folly helena is no fault of mine helena none but your beauty would that fault were mine hermia take comfort he no more shall see my face lysander and myself will fly this place before the time i did lysander see seem'd athens as a paradise to me o then what graces in my love do dwell that he hath turn'd a heaven unto a hell lysander helen to you our minds we will unfold tomorrow night when phoebe doth behold her silver visage in the watery glass decking with liquid pearl the bladed grass a time that lovers flights doth still conceal through athens gates have we devised to steal hermia and in the wood where often you and i upon faint primrosebeds were wont to lie emptying our bosoms of their counsel sweet there my lysander and myself shall meet and thence from athens turn away our eyes to seek new friends and stranger companies farewell sweet playfellow pray thou for us and good luck grant thee thy demetrius keep word lysander we must starve our sight from lovers food till morrow deep midnight lysander i will my hermia exit hermia helena adieu as you on him demetrius dote on you exit helena how happy some o'er other some can be through athens i am thought as fair as she but what of that demetrius thinks not so he will not know what all but he do know and as he errs doting on hermia's eyes so i admiring of his qualities things base and vile folding no quantity love can transpose to form and dignity love looks not with the eyes but with the mind and therefore is wing'd cupid painted blind nor hath love's mind of any judgement taste wings and no eyes figure unheedy haste and therefore is love said to be a child because in choice he is so oft beguiled as waggish boys in game themselves forswear so the boy love is perjured every where for ere demetrius look'd on hermia's eyne he hail'd down oaths that he was only mine and when this hail some heat from hermia felt so he dissolved and showers of oaths did melt i will go tell him of fair hermia's flight then to the wood will he tomorrow night pursue her and for this intelligence if i have thanks it is a dear expense but herein mean i to enrich my pain to have his sight thither and back again exit a midsummer night's dream act i scene ii athens quince's house enter quince snug bottom flute snout and starveling quince is all our company here bottom you were best to call them generally man by man according to the scrip quince here is the scroll of every man's name which is thought fit through all athens to play in our interlude before the duke and the duchess on his weddingday at night bottom first good peter quince say what the play treats on then read the names of the actors and so grow to a point quince marry our play is the most lamentable comedy and most cruel death of pyramus and thisby bottom a very good piece of work i assure you and a merry now good peter quince call forth your actors by the scroll masters spread yourselves quince answer as i call you nick bottom the weaver bottom ready name what part i am for and proceed quince you nick bottom are set down for pyramus bottom what is pyramus a lover or a tyrant quince a lover that kills himself most gallant for love bottom that will ask some tears in the true performing of it if i do it let the audience look to their eyes i will move storms i will condole in some measure to the rest yet my chief humour is for a tyrant i could play ercles rarely or a part to tear a cat in to make all split the raging rocks and shivering shocks shall break the locks of prison gates and phibbus car shall shine from far and make and mar the foolish fates this was lofty now name the rest of the players this is ercles vein a tyrant's vein a lover is more condoling quince francis flute the bellowsmender flute here peter quince quince flute you must take thisby on you flute what is thisby a wandering knight quince it is the lady that pyramus must love flute nay faith let me not play a woman i have a beard coming quince that's all one you shall play it in a mask and you may speak as small as you will bottom an i may hide my face let me play thisby too i'll speak in a monstrous little voice thisne thisne ah pyramus lover dear thy thisby dear and lady dear' quince no no you must play pyramus and flute you thisby bottom well proceed quince robin starveling the tailor starveling here peter quince quince robin starveling you must play thisby's mother tom snout the tinker snout here peter quince quince you pyramus father myself thisby's father snug the joiner you the lion's part and i hope here is a play fitted snug have you the lion's part written pray you if it be give it me for i am slow of study quince you may do it extempore for it is nothing but roaring bottom let me play the lion too i will roar that i will do any man's heart good to hear me i will roar that i will make the duke say let him roar again let him roar again' quince an you should do it too terribly you would fright the duchess and the ladies that they would shriek and that were enough to hang us all all that would hang us every mother's son bottom i grant you friends if that you should fright the ladies out of their wits they would have no more discretion but to hang us but i will aggravate my voice so that i will roar you as gently as any sucking dove i will roar you an twere any nightingale quince you can play no part but pyramus for pyramus is a sweetfaced man a proper man as one shall see in a summer's day a most lovely gentlemanlike man therefore you must needs play pyramus bottom well i will undertake it what beard were i best to play it in quince why what you will bottom i will discharge it in either your strawcolour beard your orangetawny beard your purpleingrain beard or your frenchcrowncolour beard your perfect yellow quince some of your french crowns have no hair at all and then you will play barefaced but masters here are your parts and i am to entreat you request you and desire you to con them by tomorrow night and meet me in the palace wood a mile without the town by moonlight there will we rehearse for if we meet in the city we shall be dogged with company and our devices known in the meantime i will draw a bill of properties such as our play wants i pray you fail me not bottom we will meet and there we may rehearse most obscenely and courageously take pains be perfect adieu quince at the duke's oak we meet bottom enough hold or cut bowstrings exeunt a midsummer night's dream act ii scene i a wood near athens enter from opposite sides a fairy and puck puck how now spirit whither wander you fairy over hill over dale thorough bush thorough brier over park over pale thorough flood thorough fire i do wander everywhere swifter than the moon's sphere and i serve the fairy queen to dew her orbs upon the green the cowslips tall her pensioners be in their gold coats spots you see those be rubies fairy favours in those freckles live their savours i must go seek some dewdrops here and hang a pearl in every cowslip's ear farewell thou lob of spirits i'll be gone our queen and all our elves come here anon puck the king doth keep his revels here tonight take heed the queen come not within his sight for oberon is passing fell and wrath because that she as her attendant hath a lovely boy stolen from an indian king she never had so sweet a changeling and jealous oberon would have the child knight of his train to trace the forests wild but she perforce withholds the loved boy crowns him with flowers and makes him all her joy and now they never meet in grove or green by fountain clear or spangled starlight sheen but they do square that all their elves for fear creep into acorncups and hide them there fairy either i mistake your shape and making quite or else you are that shrewd and knavish sprite call'd robin goodfellow are not you he that frights the maidens of the villagery skim milk and sometimes labour in the quern and bootless make the breathless housewife churn and sometime make the drink to bear no barm mislead nightwanderers laughing at their harm those that hobgoblin call you and sweet puck you do their work and they shall have good luck are not you he puck thou speak'st aright i am that merry wanderer of the night i jest to oberon and make him smile when i a fat and beanfed horse beguile neighing in likeness of a filly foal and sometime lurk i in a gossip's bowl in very likeness of a roasted crab and when she drinks against her lips i bob and on her wither'd dewlap pour the ale the wisest aunt telling the saddest tale sometime for threefoot stool mistaketh me then slip i from her bum down topples she and tailor cries and falls into a cough and then the whole quire hold their hips and laugh and waxen in their mirth and neeze and swear a merrier hour was never wasted there but room fairy here comes oberon fairy and here my mistress would that he were gone enter from one side oberon with his train from the other titania with hers oberon ill met by moonlight proud titania titania what jealous oberon fairies skip hence i have forsworn his bed and company oberon tarry rash wanton am not i thy lord titania then i must be thy lady but i know when thou hast stolen away from fairy land and in the shape of corin sat all day playing on pipes of corn and versing love to amorous phillida why art thou here come from the farthest steppe of india but that forsooth the bouncing amazon your buskin'd mistress and your warrior love to theseus must be wedded and you come to give their bed joy and prosperity oberon how canst thou thus for shame titania glance at my credit with hippolyta knowing i know thy love to theseus didst thou not lead him through the glimmering night from perigenia whom he ravished and make him with fair aegle break his faith with ariadne and antiopa titania these are the forgeries of jealousy and never since the middle summer's spring met we on hill in dale forest or mead by paved fountain or by rushy brook or in the beached margent of the sea to dance our ringlets to the whistling wind but with thy brawls thou hast disturb'd our sport therefore the winds piping to us in vain as in revenge have suck'd up from the sea contagious fogs which falling in the land have every pelting river made so proud that they have overborne their continents the ox hath therefore stretch'd his yoke in vain the ploughman lost his sweat and the green corn hath rotted ere his youth attain'd a beard the fold stands empty in the drowned field and crows are fatted with the murrion flock the nine men's morris is fill'd up with mud and the quaint mazes in the wanton green for lack of tread are undistinguishable the human mortals want their winter here no night is now with hymn or carol blest therefore the moon the governess of floods pale in her anger washes all the air that rheumatic diseases do abound and thorough this distemperature we see the seasons alter hoaryheaded frosts far in the fresh lap of the crimson rose and on old hiems thin and icy crown an odorous chaplet of sweet summer buds is as in mockery set the spring the summer the childing autumn angry winter change their wonted liveries and the mazed world by their increase now knows not which is which and this same progeny of evils comes from our debate from our dissension we are their parents and original oberon do you amend it then it lies in you why should titania cross her oberon i do but beg a little changeling boy to be my henchman titania set your heart at rest the fairy land buys not the child of me his mother was a votaress of my order and in the spiced indian air by night full often hath she gossip'd by my side and sat with me on neptune's yellow sands marking the embarked traders on the flood when we have laugh'd to see the sails conceive and grow bigbellied with the wanton wind which she with pretty and with swimming gait followingher womb then rich with my young squire would imitate and sail upon the land to fetch me trifles and return again as from a voyage rich with merchandise but she being mortal of that boy did die and for her sake do i rear up her boy and for her sake i will not part with him oberon how long within this wood intend you stay titania perchance till after theseus weddingday if you will patiently dance in our round and see our moonlight revels go with us if not shun me and i will spare your haunts oberon give me that boy and i will go with thee titania not for thy fairy kingdom fairies away we shall chide downright if i longer stay exit titania with her train oberon well go thy way thou shalt not from this grove till i torment thee for this injury my gentle puck come hither thou rememberest since once i sat upon a promontory and heard a mermaid on a dolphin's back uttering such dulcet and harmonious breath that the rude sea grew civil at her song and certain stars shot madly from their spheres to hear the seamaid's music puck i remember oberon that very time i saw but thou couldst not flying between the cold moon and the earth cupid all arm'd a certain aim he took at a fair vestal throned by the west and loosed his loveshaft smartly from his bow as it should pierce a hundred thousand hearts but i might see young cupid's fiery shaft quench'd in the chaste beams of the watery moon and the imperial votaress passed on in maiden meditation fancyfree yet mark'd i where the bolt of cupid fell it fell upon a little western flower before milkwhite now purple with love's wound and maidens call it loveinidleness fetch me that flower the herb i shew'd thee once the juice of it on sleeping eyelids laid will make or man or woman madly dote upon the next live creature that it sees fetch me this herb and be thou here again ere the leviathan can swim a league puck i'll put a girdle round about the earth in forty minutes exit oberon having once this juice i'll watch titania when she is asleep and drop the liquor of it in her eyes the next thing then she waking looks upon be it on lion bear or wolf or bull on meddling monkey or on busy ape she shall pursue it with the soul of love and ere i take this charm from off her sight as i can take it with another herb i'll make her render up her page to me but who comes here i am invisible and i will overhear their conference enter demetrius helena following him demetrius i love thee not therefore pursue me not where is lysander and fair hermia the one i'll slay the other slayeth me thou told'st me they were stolen unto this wood and here am i and wode within this wood because i cannot meet my hermia hence get thee gone and follow me no more helena you draw me you hardhearted adamant but yet you draw not iron for my heart is true as steel leave you your power to draw and i shall have no power to follow you demetrius do i entice you do i speak you fair or rather do i not in plainest truth tell you i do not nor i cannot love you helena and even for that do i love you the more i am your spaniel and demetrius the more you beat me i will fawn on you use me but as your spaniel spurn me strike me neglect me lose me only give me leave unworthy as i am to follow you what worser place can i beg in your love and yet a place of high respect with me than to be used as you use your dog demetrius tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit for i am sick when i do look on thee helena and i am sick when i look not on you demetrius you do impeach your modesty too much to leave the city and commit yourself into the hands of one that loves you not to trust the opportunity of night and the ill counsel of a desert place with the rich worth of your virginity helena your virtue is my privilege for that it is not night when i do see your face therefore i think i am not in the night nor doth this wood lack worlds of company for you in my respect are all the world then how can it be said i am alone when all the world is here to look on me demetrius i'll run from thee and hide me in the brakes and leave thee to the mercy of wild beasts helena the wildest hath not such a heart as you run when you will the story shall be changed apollo flies and daphne holds the chase the dove pursues the griffin the mild hind makes speed to catch the tiger bootless speed when cowardice pursues and valour flies demetrius i will not stay thy questions let me go or if thou follow me do not believe but i shall do thee mischief in the wood helena ay in the temple in the town the field you do me mischief fie demetrius your wrongs do set a scandal on my sex we cannot fight for love as men may do we should be wood and were not made to woo exit demetrius i'll follow thee and make a heaven of hell to die upon the hand i love so well exit oberon fare thee well nymph ere he do leave this grove thou shalt fly him and he shall seek thy love reenter puck hast thou the flower there welcome wanderer puck ay there it is oberon i pray thee give it me i know a bank where the wild thyme blows where oxlips and the nodding violet grows quite overcanopied with luscious woodbine with sweet muskroses and with eglantine there sleeps titania sometime of the night lull'd in these flowers with dances and delight and there the snake throws her enamell'd skin weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in and with the juice of this i'll streak her eyes and make her full of hateful fantasies take thou some of it and seek through this grove a sweet athenian lady is in love with a disdainful youth anoint his eyes but do it when the next thing he espies may be the lady thou shalt know the man by the athenian garments he hath on effect it with some care that he may prove more fond on her than she upon her love and look thou meet me ere the first cock crow puck fear not my lord your servant shall do so exeunt a midsummer night's dream act ii scene ii another part of the wood enter titania with her train titania come now a roundel and a fairy song then for the third part of a minute hence some to kill cankers in the muskrose buds some war with reremice for their leathern wings to make my small elves coats and some keep back the clamorous owl that nightly hoots and wonders at our quaint spirits sing me now asleep then to your offices and let me rest the fairies sing you spotted snakes with double tongue thorny hedgehogs be not seen newts and blindworms do no wrong come not near our fairy queen philomel with melody sing in our sweet lullaby lulla lulla lullaby lulla lulla lullaby never harm nor spell nor charm come our lovely lady nigh so good night with lullaby weaving spiders come not here hence you longlegg'd spinners hence beetles black approach not near worm nor snail do no offence philomel with melody &c fairy hence away now all is well one aloof stand sentinel exeunt fairies titania sleeps enter oberon and squeezes the flower on titania's eyelids oberon what thou seest when thou dost wake do it for thy truelove take love and languish for his sake be it ounce or cat or bear pard or boar with bristled hair in thy eye that shall appear when thou wakest it is thy dear wake when some vile thing is near exit enter lysander and hermia lysander fair love you faint with wandering in the wood and to speak troth i have forgot our way we'll rest us hermia if you think it good and tarry for the comfort of the day hermia be it so lysander find you out a bed for i upon this bank will rest my head lysander one turf shall serve as pillow for us both one heart one bed two bosoms and one troth hermia nay good lysander for my sake my dear lie further off yet do not lie so near lysander o take the sense sweet of my innocence love takes the meaning in love's conference i mean that my heart unto yours is knit so that but one heart we can make of it two bosoms interchained with an oath so then two bosoms and a single troth then by your side no bedroom me deny for lying so hermia i do not lie hermia lysander riddles very prettily now much beshrew my manners and my pride if hermia meant to say lysander lied but gentle friend for love and courtesy lie further off in human modesty such separation as may well be said becomes a virtuous bachelor and a maid so far be distant and good night sweet friend thy love ne'er alter till thy sweet life end lysander amen amen to that fair prayer say i and then end life when i end loyalty here is my bed sleep give thee all his rest hermia with half that wish the wisher's eyes be press'd they sleep enter puck puck through the forest have i gone but athenian found i none on whose eyes i might approve this flower's force in stirring love night and silencewho is here weeds of athens he doth wear this is he my master said despised the athenian maid and here the maiden sleeping sound on the dank and dirty ground pretty soul she durst not lie near this lacklove this killcourtesy churl upon thy eyes i throw all the power this charm doth owe when thou wakest let love forbid sleep his seat on thy eyelid so awake when i am gone for i must now to oberon exit enter demetrius and helena running helena stay though thou kill me sweet demetrius demetrius i charge thee hence and do not haunt me thus helena o wilt thou darkling leave me do not so demetrius stay on thy peril i alone will go exit helena o i am out of breath in this fond chase the more my prayer the lesser is my grace happy is hermia wheresoe'er she lies for she hath blessed and attractive eyes how came her eyes so bright not with salt tears if so my eyes are oftener wash'd than hers no no i am as ugly as a bear for beasts that meet me run away for fear therefore no marvel though demetrius do as a monster fly my presence thus what wicked and dissembling glass of mine made me compare with hermia's sphery eyne but who is here lysander on the ground dead or asleep i see no blood no wound lysander if you live good sir awake lysander awaking and run through fire i will for thy sweet sake transparent helena nature shows art that through thy bosom makes me see thy heart where is demetrius o how fit a word is that vile name to perish on my sword helena do not say so lysander say not so what though he love your hermia lord what though yet hermia still loves you then be content lysander content with hermia no i do repent the tedious minutes i with her have spent not hermia but helena i love who will not change a raven for a dove the will of man is by his reason sway'd and reason says you are the worthier maid things growing are not ripe until their season so i being young till now ripe not to reason and touching now the point of human skill reason becomes the marshal to my will and leads me to your eyes where i o'erlook love's stories written in love's richest book helena wherefore was i to this keen mockery born when at your hands did i deserve this scorn is't not enough is't not enough young man that i did never no nor never can deserve a sweet look from demetrius eye but you must flout my insufficiency good troth you do me wrong good sooth you do in such disdainful manner me to woo but fare you well perforce i must confess i thought you lord of more true gentleness o that a lady of one man refused should of another therefore be abused exit lysander she sees not hermia hermia sleep thou there and never mayst thou come lysander near for as a surfeit of the sweetest things the deepest loathing to the stomach brings or as tie heresies that men do leave are hated most of those they did deceive so thou my surfeit and my heresy of all be hated but the most of me and all my powers address your love and might to honour helen and to be her knight exit hermia awaking help me lysander help me do thy best to pluck this crawling serpent from my breast ay me for pity what a dream was here lysander look how i do quake with fear methought a serpent eat my heart away and you sat smiling at his cruel pray lysander what removed lysander lord what out of hearing gone no sound no word alack where are you speak an if you hear speak of all loves i swoon almost with fear no then i well perceive you all not nigh either death or you i'll find immediately exit a midsummer night's dream act iii scene i the wood titania lying asleep enter quince snug bottom flute snout and starveling bottom are we all met quince pat pat and here's a marvellous convenient place for our rehearsal this green plot shall be our stage this hawthornbrake our tiringhouse and we will do it in action as we will do it before the duke bottom peter quince quince what sayest thou bully bottom bottom there are things in this comedy of pyramus and thisby that will never please first pyramus must draw a sword to kill himself which the ladies cannot abide how answer you that snout by'r lakin a parlous fear starveling i believe we must leave the killing out when all is done bottom not a whit i have a device to make all well write me a prologue and let the prologue seem to say we will do no harm with our swords and that pyramus is not killed indeed and for the more better assurance tell them that i pyramus am not pyramus but bottom the weaver this will put them out of fear quince well we will have such a prologue and it shall be written in eight and six bottom no make it two more let it be written in eight and eight snout will not the ladies be afeard of the lion starveling i fear it i promise you bottom masters you ought to consider with yourselves to bring ingod shield usa lion among ladies is a most dreadful thing for there is not a more fearful wildfowl than your lion living and we ought to look to t snout therefore another prologue must tell he is not a lion bottom nay you must name his name and half his face must be seen through the lion's neck and he himself must speak through saying thus or to the same defect'ladies'or fairladiesi would wish you'or i would request you'or i would entreat younot to fear not to tremble my life for yours if you think i come hither as a lion it were pity of my life no i am no such thing i am a man as other men are and there indeed let him name his name and tell them plainly he is snug the joiner quince well it shall be so but there is two hard things that is to bring the moonlight into a chamber for you know pyramus and thisby meet by moonlight snout doth the moon shine that night we play our play bottom a calendar a calendar look in the almanac find out moonshine find out moonshine quince yes it doth shine that night bottom why then may you leave a casement of the great chamber window where we play open and the moon may shine in at the casement quince ay or else one must come in with a bush of thorns and a lanthorn and say he comes to disfigure or to present the person of moonshine then there is another thing we must have a wall in the great chamber for pyramus and thisby says the story did talk through the chink of a wall snout you can never bring in a wall what say you bottom bottom some man or other must present wall and let him have some plaster or some loam or some roughcast about him to signify wall and let him hold his fingers thus and through that cranny shall pyramus and thisby whisper quince if that may be then all is well come sit down every mother's son and rehearse your parts pyramus you begin when you have spoken your speech enter into that brake and so every one according to his cue enter puck behind puck what hempen homespuns have we swaggering here so near the cradle of the fairy queen what a play toward i'll be an auditor an actor too perhaps if i see cause quince speak pyramus thisby stand forth bottom thisby the flowers of odious savours sweet quince odours odours bottom odours savours sweet so hath thy breath my dearest thisby dear but hark a voice stay thou but here awhile and by and by i will to thee appear exit puck a stranger pyramus than e'er played here exit flute must i speak now quince ay marry must you for you must understand he goes but to see a noise that he heard and is to come again flute most radiant pyramus most lilywhite of hue of colour like the red rose on triumphant brier most brisky juvenal and eke most lovely jew as true as truest horse that yet would never tire i'll meet thee pyramus at ninny's tomb quince ninus tomb man why you must not speak that yet that you answer to pyramus you speak all your part at once cues and all pyramus enter your cue is past it is never tire' flute oas true as truest horse that yet would never tire reenter puck and bottom with an ass's head bottom if i were fair thisby i were only thine quince o monstrous o strange we are haunted pray masters fly masters help exeunt quince snug flute snout and starveling puck i'll follow you i'll lead you about a round through bog through bush through brake through brier sometime a horse i'll be sometime a hound a hog a headless bear sometime a fire and neigh and bark and grunt and roar and burn like horse hound hog bear fire at every turn exit bottom why do they run away this is a knavery of them to make me afeard reenter snout snout o bottom thou art changed what do i see on thee bottom what do you see you see an asshead of your own do you exit snout reenter quince quince bless thee bottom bless thee thou art translated exit bottom i see their knavery this is to make an ass of me to fright me if they could but i will not stir from this place do what they can i will walk up and down here and i will sing that they shall hear i am not afraid sings the ousel cock so black of hue with orangetawny bill the throstle with his note so true the wren with little quill titania awaking what angel wakes me from my flowery bed bottom sings the finch the sparrow and the lark the plainsong cuckoo gray whose note full many a man doth mark and dares not answer nay for indeed who would set his wit to so foolish a bird who would give a bird the lie though he cry cuckoo never so titania i pray thee gentle mortal sing again mine ear is much enamour'd of thy note so is mine eye enthralled to thy shape and thy fair virtue's force perforce doth move me on the first view to say to swear i love thee bottom methinks mistress you should have little reason for that and yet to say the truth reason and love keep little company together nowadays the more the pity that some honest neighbours will not make them friends nay i can gleek upon occasion titania thou art as wise as thou art beautiful bottom not so neither but if i had wit enough to get out of this wood i have enough to serve mine own turn titania out of this wood do not desire to go thou shalt remain here whether thou wilt or no i am a spirit of no common rate the summer still doth tend upon my state and i do love thee therefore go with me i'll give thee fairies to attend on thee and they shall fetch thee jewels from the deep and sing while thou on pressed flowers dost sleep and i will purge thy mortal grossness so that thou shalt like an airy spirit go peaseblossom cobweb moth and mustardseed enter peaseblossom cobweb moth and mustardseed peaseblossom ready cobweb and i moth and i mustardseed and i all where shall we go titania be kind and courteous to this gentleman hop in his walks and gambol in his eyes feed him with apricocks and dewberries with purple grapes green figs and mulberries the honeybags steal from the humblebees and for nighttapers crop their waxen thighs and light them at the fiery glowworm's eyes to have my love to bed and to arise and pluck the wings from painted butterflies to fan the moonbeams from his sleeping eyes nod to him elves and do him courtesies peaseblossom hail mortal cobweb hail moth hail mustardseed hail bottom i cry your worship's mercy heartily i beseech your worship's name cobweb cobweb bottom i shall desire you of more acquaintance good master cobweb if i cut my finger i shall make bold with you your name honest gentleman peaseblossom peaseblossom bottom i pray you commend me to mistress squash your mother and to master peascod your father good master peaseblossom i shall desire you of more acquaintance too your name i beseech you sir mustardseed mustardseed bottom good master mustardseed i know your patience well that same cowardly giantlike oxbeef hath devoured many a gentleman of your house i promise you your kindred had made my eyes water ere now i desire your more acquaintance good master mustardseed titania come wait upon him lead him to my bower the moon methinks looks with a watery eye and when she weeps weeps every little flower lamenting some enforced chastity tie up my love's tongue bring him silently exeunt a midsummer night's dream act iii scene ii another part of the wood enter oberon oberon i wonder if titania be awaked then what it was that next came in her eye which she must dote on in extremity enter puck here comes my messenger how now mad spirit what nightrule now about this haunted grove puck my mistress with a monster is in love near to her close and consecrated bower while she was in her dull and sleeping hour a crew of patches rude mechanicals that work for bread upon athenian stalls were met together to rehearse a play intended for great theseus nuptialday the shallowest thickskin of that barren sort who pyramus presented in their sport forsook his scene and enter'd in a brake when i did him at this advantage take an ass's nole i fixed on his head anon his thisbe must be answered and forth my mimic comes when they him spy as wild geese that the creeping fowler eye or russetpated choughs many in sort rising and cawing at the gun's report sever themselves and madly sweep the sky so at his sight away his fellows fly and at our stamp here o'er and o'er one falls he murder cries and help from athens calls their sense thus weak lost with their fears thus strong made senseless things begin to do them wrong for briers and thorns at their apparel snatch some sleeves some hats from yielders all things catch i led them on in this distracted fear and left sweet pyramus translated there when in that moment so it came to pass titania waked and straightway loved an ass oberon this falls out better than i could devise but hast thou yet latch'd the athenian's eyes with the lovejuice as i did bid thee do puck i took him sleepingthat is finish'd too and the athenian woman by his side that when he waked of force she must be eyed enter hermia and demetrius oberon stand close this is the same athenian puck this is the woman but not this the man demetrius o why rebuke you him that loves you so lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe hermia now i but chide but i should use thee worse for thou i fear hast given me cause to curse if thou hast slain lysander in his sleep being o'er shoes in blood plunge in the deep and kill me too the sun was not so true unto the day as he to me would he have stolen away from sleeping hermia i'll believe as soon this whole earth may be bored and that the moon may through the centre creep and so displease her brother's noontide with antipodes it cannot be but thou hast murder'd him so should a murderer look so dead so grim demetrius so should the murder'd look and so should i pierced through the heart with your stern cruelty yet you the murderer look as bright as clear as yonder venus in her glimmering sphere hermia what's this to my lysander where is he ah good demetrius wilt thou give him me demetrius i had rather give his carcass to my hounds hermia out dog out cur thou drivest me past the bounds of maiden's patience hast thou slain him then henceforth be never number'd among men o once tell true tell true even for my sake durst thou have look'd upon him being awake and hast thou kill'd him sleeping o brave touch could not a worm an adder do so much an adder did it for with doubler tongue than thine thou serpent never adder stung demetrius you spend your passion on a misprised mood i am not guilty of lysander's blood nor is he dead for aught that i can tell hermia i pray thee tell me then that he is well demetrius an if i could what should i get therefore hermia a privilege never to see me more and from thy hated presence part i so see me no more whether he be dead or no exit demetrius there is no following her in this fierce vein here therefore for a while i will remain so sorrow's heaviness doth heavier grow for debt that bankrupt sleep doth sorrow owe which now in some slight measure it will pay if for his tender here i make some stay lies down and sleeps oberon what hast thou done thou hast mistaken quite and laid the lovejuice on some truelove's sight of thy misprision must perforce ensue some true love turn'd and not a false turn'd true puck then fate o'errules that one man holding troth a million fail confounding oath on oath oberon about the wood go swifter than the wind and helena of athens look thou find all fancysick she is and pale of cheer with sighs of love that costs the fresh blood dear by some illusion see thou bring her here i'll charm his eyes against she do appear puck i go i go look how i go swifter than arrow from the tartar's bow exit oberon flower of this purple dye hit with cupid's archery sink in apple of his eye when his love he doth espy let her shine as gloriously as the venus of the sky when thou wakest if she be by beg of her for remedy reenter puck puck captain of our fairy band helena is here at hand and the youth mistook by me pleading for a lover's fee shall we their fond pageant see lord what fools these mortals be oberon stand aside the noise they make will cause demetrius to awake puck then will two at once woo one that must needs be sport alone and those things do best please me that befal preposterously enter lysander and helena lysander why should you think that i should woo in scorn scorn and derision never come in tears look when i vow i weep and vows so born in their nativity all truth appears how can these things in me seem scorn to you bearing the badge of faith to prove them true helena you do advance your cunning more and more when truth kills truth o devilishholy fray these vows are hermia's will you give her o'er weigh oath with oath and you will nothing weigh your vows to her and me put in two scales will even weigh and both as light as tales lysander i had no judgment when to her i swore helena nor none in my mind now you give her o'er lysander demetrius loves her and he loves not you demetrius awaking o helena goddess nymph perfect divine to what my love shall i compare thine eyne crystal is muddy o how ripe in show thy lips those kissing cherries tempting grow that pure congealed white high taurus snow fann'd with the eastern wind turns to a crow when thou hold'st up thy hand o let me kiss this princess of pure white this seal of bliss helena o spite o hell i see you all are bent to set against me for your merriment if you we re civil and knew courtesy you would not do me thus much injury can you not hate me as i know you do but you must join in souls to mock me too if you were men as men you are in show you would not use a gentle lady so to vow and swear and superpraise my parts when i am sure you hate me with your hearts you both are rivals and love hermia and now both rivals to mock helena a trim exploit a manly enterprise to conjure tears up in a poor maid's eyes with your derision none of noble sort would so offend a virgin and extort a poor soul's patience all to make you sport lysander you are unkind demetrius be not so for you love hermia this you know i know and here with all good will with all my heart in hermia's love i yield you up my part and yours of helena to me bequeath whom i do love and will do till my death helena never did mockers waste more idle breath demetrius lysander keep thy hermia i will none if e'er i loved her all that love is gone my heart to her but as guestwise sojourn'd and now to helen is it home return'd there to remain lysander helen it is not so demetrius disparage not the faith thou dost not know lest to thy peril thou aby it dear look where thy love comes yonder is thy dear reenter hermia hermia dark night that from the eye his function takes the ear more quick of apprehension makes wherein it doth impair the seeing sense it pays the hearing double recompense thou art not by mine eye lysander found mine ear i thank it brought me to thy sound but why unkindly didst thou leave me so lysander why should he stay whom love doth press to go hermia what love could press lysander from my side lysander lysander's love that would not let him bide fair helena who more engilds the night than all you fiery oes and eyes of light why seek'st thou me could not this make thee know the hate i bear thee made me leave thee so hermia you speak not as you think it cannot be helena lo she is one of this confederacy now i perceive they have conjoin'd all three to fashion this false sport in spite of me injurious hermia most ungrateful maid have you conspired have you with these contrived to bait me with this foul derision is all the counsel that we two have shared the sisters vows the hours that we have spent when we have chid the hastyfooted time for parting uso is it all forgot all schooldays friendship childhood innocence we hermia like two artificial gods have with our needles created both one flower both on one sampler sitting on one cushion both warbling of one song both in one key as if our hands our sides voices and minds had been incorporate so we grow together like to a double cherry seeming parted but yet an union in partition two lovely berries moulded on one stem so with two seeming bodies but one heart two of the first like coats in heraldry due but to one and crowned with one crest and will you rent our ancient love asunder to join with men in scorning your poor friend it is not friendly tis not maidenly our sex as well as i may chide you for it though i alone do feel the injury hermia i am amazed at your passionate words i scorn you not it seems that you scorn me helena have you not set lysander as in scorn to follow me and praise my eyes and face and made your other love demetrius who even but now did spurn me with his foot to call me goddess nymph divine and rare precious celestial wherefore speaks he this to her he hates and wherefore doth lysander deny your love so rich within his soul and tender me forsooth affection but by your setting on by your consent what thought i be not so in grace as you so hung upon with love so fortunate but miserable most to love unloved this you should pity rather than despise hernia i understand not what you mean by this helena ay do persever counterfeit sad looks make mouths upon me when i turn my back wink each at other hold the sweet jest up this sport well carried shall be chronicled if you have any pity grace or manners you would not make me such an argument but fare ye well tis partly my own fault which death or absence soon shall remedy lysander stay gentle helena hear my excuse my love my life my soul fair helena helena o excellent hermia sweet do not scorn her so demetrius if she cannot entreat i can compel lysander thou canst compel no more than she entreat thy threats have no more strength than her weak prayers helen i love thee by my life i do i swear by that which i will lose for thee to prove him false that says i love thee not demetrius i say i love thee more than he can do lysander if thou say so withdraw and prove it too demetrius quick come hermia lysander whereto tends all this lysander away you ethiope demetrius no no he'll seem to break loose take on as you would follow but yet come not you are a tame man go lysander hang off thou cat thou burr vile thing let loose or i will shake thee from me like a serpent hermia why are you grown so rude what change is this sweet love lysander thy love out tawny tartar out out loathed medicine hated potion hence hermia do you not jest helena yes sooth and so do you lysander demetrius i will keep my word with thee demetrius i would i had your bond for i perceive a weak bond holds you i'll not trust your word lysander what should i hurt her strike her kill her dead although i hate her i'll not harm her so hermia what can you do me greater harm than hate hate me wherefore o me what news my love am not i hermia are not you lysander i am as fair now as i was erewhile since night you loved me yet since night you left me why then you left meo the gods forbid in earnest shall i say lysander ay by my life and never did desire to see thee more therefore be out of hope of question of doubt be certain nothing truer tis no jest that i do hate thee and love helena hermia o me you juggler you cankerblossom you thief of love what have you come by night and stolen my love's heart from him helena fine i'faith have you no modesty no maiden shame no touch of bashfulness what will you tear impatient answers from my gentle tongue fie fie you counterfeit you puppet you hermia puppet why so ay that way goes the game now i perceive that she hath made compare between our statures she hath urged her height and with her personage her tall personage her height forsooth she hath prevail'd with him and are you grown so high in his esteem because i am so dwarfish and so low how low am i thou painted maypole speak how low am i i am not yet so low but that my nails can reach unto thine eyes helena i pray you though you mock me gentlemen let her not hurt me i was never curst i have no gift at all in shrewishness i am a right maid for my cowardice let her not strike me you perhaps may think because she is something lower than myself that i can match her hermia lower hark again helena good hermia do not be so bitter with me i evermore did love you hermia did ever keep your counsels never wrong'd you save that in love unto demetrius i told him of your stealth unto this wood he follow'd you for love i follow'd him but he hath chid me hence and threaten'd me to strike me spurn me nay to kill me too and now so you will let me quiet go to athens will i bear my folly back and follow you no further let me go you see how simple and how fond i am hermia why get you gone who is't that hinders you helena a foolish heart that i leave here behind hermia what with lysander helena with demetrius lysander be not afraid she shall not harm thee helena demetrius no sir she shall not though you take her part helena o when she's angry she is keen and shrewd she was a vixen when she went to school and though she be but little she is fierce hermia little again nothing but low and little' why will you suffer her to flout me thus let me come to her lysander get you gone you dwarf you minimus of hindering knotgrass made you bead you acorn demetrius you are too officious in her behalf that scorns your services let her alone speak not of helena take not her part for if thou dost intend never so little show of love to her thou shalt aby it lysander now she holds me not now follow if thou darest to try whose right of thine or mine is most in helena demetrius follow nay i'll go with thee cheek by jole exeunt lysander and demetrius hermia you mistress all this coil is long of you nay go not back helena i will not trust you i nor longer stay in your curst company your hands than mine are quicker for a fray my legs are longer though to run away exit hermia i am amazed and know not what to say exit oberon this is thy negligence still thou mistakest or else committ'st thy knaveries wilfully puck believe me king of shadows i mistook did not you tell me i should know the man by the athenian garment be had on and so far blameless proves my enterprise that i have nointed an athenian's eyes and so far am i glad it so did sort as this their jangling i esteem a sport oberon thou see'st these lovers seek a place to fight hie therefore robin overcast the night the starry welkin cover thou anon with drooping fog as black as acheron and lead these testy rivals so astray as one come not within another's way like to lysander sometime frame thy tongue then stir demetrius up with bitter wrong and sometime rail thou like demetrius and from each other look thou lead them thus till o'er their brows deathcounterfeiting sleep with leaden legs and batty wings doth creep then crush this herb into lysander's eye whose liquor hath this virtuous property to take from thence all error with his might and make his eyeballs roll with wonted sight when they next wake all this derision shall seem a dream and fruitless vision and back to athens shall the lovers wend with league whose date till death shall never end whiles i in this affair do thee employ i'll to my queen and beg her indian boy and then i will her charmed eye release from monster's view and all things shall be peace puck my fairy lord this must be done with haste for night's swift dragons cut the clouds full fast and yonder shines aurora's harbinger at whose approach ghosts wandering here and there troop home to churchyards damned spirits all that in crossways and floods have burial already to their wormy beds are gone for fear lest day should look their shames upon they willfully themselves exile from light and must for aye consort with blackbrow'd night oberon but we are spirits of another sort i with the morning's love have oft made sport and like a forester the groves may tread even till the eastern gate all fieryred opening on neptune with fair blessed beams turns into yellow gold his salt green streams but notwithstanding haste make no delay we may effect this business yet ere day exit puck up and down up and down i will lead them up and down i am fear'd in field and town goblin lead them up and down here comes one reenter lysander lysander where art thou proud demetrius speak thou now puck here villain drawn and ready where art thou lysander i will be with thee straight puck follow me then to plainer ground exit lysander as following the voice reenter demetrius demetrius lysander speak again thou runaway thou coward art thou fled speak in some bush where dost thou hide thy head puck thou coward art thou bragging to the stars telling the bushes that thou look'st for wars and wilt not come come recreant come thou child i'll whip thee with a rod he is defiled that draws a sword on thee demetrius yea art thou there puck follow my voice we'll try no manhood here exeunt reenter lysander lysander he goes before me and still dares me on when i come where he calls then he is gone the villain is much lighterheel'd than i i follow'd fast but faster he did fly that fallen am i in dark uneven way and here will rest me lies down come thou gentle day for if but once thou show me thy grey light i'll find demetrius and revenge this spite sleeps reenter puck and demetrius puck ho ho ho coward why comest thou not demetrius abide me if thou darest for well i wot thou runn'st before me shifting every place and darest not stand nor look me in the face where art thou now puck come hither i am here demetrius nay then thou mock'st me thou shalt buy this dear if ever i thy face by daylight see now go thy way faintness constraineth me to measure out my length on this cold bed by day's approach look to be visited lies down and sleeps reenter helena helena o weary night o long and tedious night abate thy hour shine comforts from the east that i may back to athens by daylight from these that my poor company detest and sleep that sometimes shuts up sorrow's eye steal me awhile from mine own company lies down and sleeps puck yet but three come one more two of both kinds make up four here she comes curst and sad cupid is a knavish lad thus to make poor females mad reenter hermia hermia never so weary never so in woe bedabbled with the dew and torn with briers i can no further crawl no further go my legs can keep no pace with my desires here will i rest me till the break of day heavens shield lysander if they mean a fray lies down and sleeps puck on the ground sleep sound i'll apply to your eye gentle lover remedy squeezing the juice on lysander's eyes when thou wakest thou takest true delight in the sight of thy former lady's eye and the country proverb known that every man should take his own in your waking shall be shown jack shall have jill nought shall go ill the man shall have his mare again and all shall be well exit a midsummer night's dream act iv scene i the same lysander demetrius helena and hermia lying asleep enter titania and bottom peaseblossom cobweb moth mustardseed and other fairies attending oberon behind unseen titania come sit thee down upon this flowery bed while i thy amiable cheeks do coy and stick muskroses in thy sleek smooth head and kiss thy fair large ears my gentle joy bottom where's peaseblossom peaseblossom ready bottom scratch my head peaseblossom where's mounsieur cobweb cobweb ready bottom mounsieur cobweb good mounsieur get you your weapons in your hand and kill me a redhipped humblebee on the top of a thistle and good mounsieur bring me the honeybag do not fret yourself too much in the action mounsieur and good mounsieur have a care the honeybag break not i would be loath to have you overflown with a honeybag signior where's mounsieur mustardseed mustardseed ready bottom give me your neaf mounsieur mustardseed pray you leave your courtesy good mounsieur mustardseed what's your will bottom nothing good mounsieur but to help cavalery cobweb to scratch i must to the barber's monsieur for methinks i am marvellous hairy about the face and i am such a tender ass if my hair do but tickle me i must scratch titania what wilt thou hear some music my sweet love bottom i have a reasonable good ear in music let's have the tongs and the bones titania or say sweet love what thou desirest to eat bottom truly a peck of provender i could munch your good dry oats methinks i have a great desire to a bottle of hay good hay sweet hay hath no fellow titania i have a venturous fairy that shall seek the squirrel's hoard and fetch thee new nuts bottom i had rather have a handful or two of dried peas but i pray you let none of your people stir me i have an exposition of sleep come upon me titania sleep thou and i will wind thee in my arms fairies begone and be all ways away exeunt fairies so doth the woodbine the sweet honeysuckle gently entwist the female ivy so enrings the barky fingers of the elm o how i love thee how i dote on thee they sleep enter puck oberon advancing welcome good robin see'st thou this sweet sight her dotage now i do begin to pity for meeting her of late behind the wood seeking sweet favours from this hateful fool i did upbraid her and fall out with her for she his hairy temples then had rounded with a coronet of fresh and fragrant flowers and that same dew which sometime on the buds was wont to swell like round and orient pearls stood now within the pretty flowerets eyes like tears that did their own disgrace bewail when i had at my pleasure taunted her and she in mild terms begg'd my patience i then did ask of her her changeling child which straight she gave me and her fairy sent to bear him to my bower in fairy land and now i have the boy i will undo this hateful imperfection of her eyes and gentle puck take this transformed scalp from off the head of this athenian swain that he awaking when the other do may all to athens back again repair and think no more of this night's accidents but as the fierce vexation of a dream but first i will release the fairy queen be as thou wast wont to be see as thou wast wont to see dian's bud o'er cupid's flower hath such force and blessed power now my titania wake you my sweet queen titania my oberon what visions have i seen methought i was enamour'd of an ass oberon there lies your love titania how came these things to pass o how mine eyes do loathe his visage now oberon silence awhile robin take off this head titania music call and strike more dead than common sleep of all these five the sense titania music ho music such as charmeth sleep music still puck now when thou wakest with thine own fool's eyes peep oberon sound music come my queen take hands with me and rock the ground whereon these sleepers be now thou and i are new in amity and will tomorrow midnight solemnly dance in duke theseus house triumphantly and bless it to all fair prosperity there shall the pairs of faithful lovers be wedded with theseus all in jollity puck fairy king attend and mark i do hear the morning lark oberon then my queen in silence sad trip we after the night's shade we the globe can compass soon swifter than the wandering moon titania come my lord and in our flight tell me how it came this night that i sleeping here was found with these mortals on the ground exeunt horns winded within enter theseus hippolyta egeus and train theseus go one of you find out the forester for now our observation is perform'd and since we have the vaward of the day my love shall hear the music of my hounds uncouple in the western valley let them go dispatch i say and find the forester exit an attendant we will fair queen up to the mountain's top and mark the musical confusion of hounds and echo in conjunction hippolyta i was with hercules and cadmus once when in a wood of crete they bay'd the bear with hounds of sparta never did i hear such gallant chiding for besides the groves the skies the fountains every region near seem'd all one mutual cry i never heard so musical a discord such sweet thunder theseus my hounds are bred out of the spartan kind so flew'd so sanded and their heads are hung with ears that sweep away the morning dew crookknee'd and dewlapp'd like thessalian bulls slow in pursuit but match'd in mouth like bells each under each a cry more tuneable was never holla'd to nor cheer'd with horn in crete in sparta nor in thessaly judge when you hear but soft what nymphs are these egeus my lord this is my daughter here asleep and this lysander this demetrius is this helena old nedar's helena i wonder of their being here together theseus no doubt they rose up early to observe the rite of may and hearing our intent came here in grace our solemnity but speak egeus is not this the day that hermia should give answer of her choice egeus it is my lord theseus go bid the huntsmen wake them with their horns horns and shout within lysander demetrius helena and hermia wake and start up good morrow friends saint valentine is past begin these woodbirds but to couple now lysander pardon my lord theseus i pray you all stand up i know you two are rival enemies how comes this gentle concord in the world that hatred is so far from jealousy to sleep by hate and fear no enmity lysander my lord i shall reply amazedly half sleep half waking but as yet i swear i cannot truly say how i came here but as i thinkfor truly would i speak and now do i bethink me so it is i came with hermia hither our intent was to be gone from athens where we might without the peril of the athenian law egeus enough enough my lord you have enough i beg the law the law upon his head they would have stolen away they would demetrius thereby to have defeated you and me you of your wife and me of my consent of my consent that she should be your wife demetrius my lord fair helen told me of their stealth of this their purpose hither to this wood and i in fury hither follow'd them fair helena in fancy following me but my good lord i wot not by what power but by some power it ismy love to hermia melted as the snow seems to me now as the remembrance of an idle gaud which in my childhood i did dote upon and all the faith the virtue of my heart the object and the pleasure of mine eye is only helena to her my lord was i betroth'd ere i saw hermia but like in sickness did i loathe this food but as in health come to my natural taste now i do wish it love it long for it and will for evermore be true to it theseus fair lovers you are fortunately met of this discourse we more will hear anon egeus i will overbear your will for in the temple by and by with us these couples shall eternally be knit and for the morning now is something worn our purposed hunting shall be set aside away with us to athens three and three we'll hold a feast in great solemnity come hippolyta exeunt theseus hippolyta egeus and train demetrius these things seem small and undistinguishable hermia methinks i see these things with parted eye when every thing seems double helena so methinks and i have found demetrius like a jewel mine own and not mine own demetrius are you sure that we are awake it seems to me that yet we sleep we dream do not you think the duke was here and bid us follow him hermia yea and my father helena and hippolyta lysander and he did bid us follow to the temple demetrius why then we are awake let's follow him and by the way let us recount our dreams exeunt bottom awaking when my cue comes call me and i will answer my next is most fair pyramus heighho peter quince flute the bellowsmender snout the tinker starveling god's my life stolen hence and left me asleep i have had a most rare vision i have had a dream past the wit of man to say what dream it was man is but an ass if he go about to expound this dream methought i wasthere is no man can tell what methought i wasand methought i hadbut man is but a patched fool if he will offer to say what methought i had the eye of man hath not heard the ear of man hath not seen man's hand is not able to taste his tongue to conceive nor his heart to report what my dream was i will get peter quince to write a ballad of this dream it shall be called bottom's dream because it hath no bottom and i will sing it in the latter end of a play before the duke peradventure to make it the more gracious i shall sing it at her death exit a midsummer night's dream act iv scene ii athens quince's house enter quince flute snout and starveling quince have you sent to bottom's house is he come home yet starveling he cannot be heard of out of doubt he is transported flute if he come not then the play is marred it goes not forward doth it quince it is not possible you have not a man in all athens able to discharge pyramus but he flute no he hath simply the best wit of any handicraft man in athens quince yea and the best person too and he is a very paramour for a sweet voice flute you must say paragon a paramour is god bless us a thing of naught enter snug snug masters the duke is coming from the temple and there is two or three lords and ladies more married if our sport had gone forward we had all been made men flute o sweet bully bottom thus hath he lost sixpence a day during his life he could not have scaped sixpence a day an the duke had not given him sixpence a day for playing pyramus i'll be hanged he would have deserved it sixpence a day in pyramus or nothing enter bottom bottom where are these lads where are these hearts quince bottom o most courageous day o most happy hour bottom masters i am to discourse wonders but ask me not what for if i tell you i am no true athenian i will tell you every thing right as it fell out quince let us hear sweet bottom bottom not a word of me all that i will tell you is that the duke hath dined get your apparel together good strings to your beards new ribbons to your pumps meet presently at the palace every man look o'er his part for the short and the long is our play is preferred in any case let thisby have clean linen and let not him that plays the lion pair his nails for they shall hang out for the lion's claws and most dear actors eat no onions nor garlic for we are to utter sweet breath and i do not doubt but to hear them say it is a sweet comedy no more words away go away exeunt a midsummer night's dream act v scene i athens the palace of theseus enter theseus hippolyta philostrate lords and attendants hippolyta tis strange my theseus that these lovers speak of theseus more strange than true i never may believe these antique fables nor these fairy toys lovers and madmen have such seething brains such shaping fantasies that apprehend more than cool reason ever comprehends the lunatic the lover and the poet are of imagination all compact one sees more devils than vast hell can hold that is the madman the lover all as frantic sees helen's beauty in a brow of egypt the poet's eye in fine frenzy rolling doth glance from heaven to earth from earth to heaven and as imagination bodies forth the forms of things unknown the poet's pen turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothing a local habitation and a name such tricks hath strong imagination that if it would but apprehend some joy it comprehends some bringer of that joy or in the night imagining some fear how easy is a bush supposed a bear hippolyta but all the story of the night told over and all their minds transfigured so together more witnesseth than fancy's images and grows to something of great constancy but howsoever strange and admirable theseus here come the lovers full of joy and mirth enter lysander demetrius hermia and helena joy gentle friends joy and fresh days of love accompany your hearts lysander more than to us wait in your royal walks your board your bed theseus come now what masques what dances shall we have to wear away this long age of three hours between our aftersupper and bedtime where is our usual manager of mirth what revels are in hand is there no play to ease the anguish of a torturing hour call philostrate philostrate here mighty theseus theseus say what abridgement have you for this evening what masque what music how shall we beguile the lazy time if not with some delight philostrate there is a brief how many sports are ripe make choice of which your highness will see first giving a paper theseus reads the battle with the centaurs to be sung by an athenian eunuch to the harp' we'll none of that that have i told my love in glory of my kinsman hercules reads the riot of the tipsy bacchanals tearing the thracian singer in their rage' that is an old device and it was play'd when i from thebes came last a conqueror reads the thrice three muses mourning for the death of learning late deceased in beggary' that is some satire keen and critical not sorting with a nuptial ceremony reads a tedious brief scene of young pyramus and his love thisbe very tragical mirth' merry and tragical tedious and brief that is hot ice and wondrous strange snow how shall we find the concord of this discord philostrate a play there is my lord some ten words long which is as brief as i have known a play but by ten words my lord it is too long which makes it tedious for in all the play there is not one word apt one player fitted and tragical my noble lord it is for pyramus therein doth kill himself which when i saw rehearsed i must confess made mine eyes water but more merry tears the passion of loud laughter never shed theseus what are they that do play it philostrate hardhanded men that work in athens here which never labour'd in their minds till now and now have toil'd their unbreathed memories with this same play against your nuptial theseus and we will hear it philostrate no my noble lord it is not for you i have heard it over and it is nothing nothing in the world unless you can find sport in their intents extremely stretch'd and conn'd with cruel pain to do you service theseus i will hear that play for never anything can be amiss when simpleness and duty tender it go bring them in and take your places ladies exit philostrate hippolyta i love not to see wretchedness o'er charged and duty in his service perishing theseus why gentle sweet you shall see no such thing hippolyta he says they can do nothing in this kind theseus the kinder we to give them thanks for nothing our sport shall be to take what they mistake and what poor duty cannot do noble respect takes it in might not merit where i have come great clerks have purposed to greet me with premeditated welcomes where i have seen them shiver and look pale make periods in the midst of sentences throttle their practised accent in their fears and in conclusion dumbly have broke off not paying me a welcome trust me sweet out of this silence yet i pick'd a welcome and in the modesty of fearful duty i read as much as from the rattling tongue of saucy and audacious eloquence love therefore and tonguetied simplicity in least speak most to my capacity reenter philostrate philostrate so please your grace the prologue is address'd theseus let him approach flourish of trumpets enter quince for the prologue prologue if we offend it is with our good will that you should think we come not to offend but with good will to show our simple skill that is the true beginning of our end consider then we come but in despite we do not come as minding to contest you our true intent is all for your delight we are not here that you should here repent you the actors are at hand and by their show you shall know all that you are like to know theseus this fellow doth not stand upon points lysander he hath rid his prologue like a rough colt he knows not the stop a good moral my lord it is not enough to speak but to speak true hippolyta indeed he hath played on his prologue like a child on a recorder a sound but not in government theseus his speech was like a tangled chain nothing impaired but all disordered who is next enter pyramus and thisbe wall moonshine and lion prologue gentles perchance you wonder at this show but wonder on till truth make all things plain this man is pyramus if you would know this beauteous lady thisby is certain this man with lime and roughcast doth present wall that vile wall which did these lovers sunder and through wall's chink poor souls they are content to whisper at the which let no man wonder this man with lanthorn dog and bush of thorn presenteth moonshine for if you will know by moonshine did these lovers think no scorn to meet at ninus tomb there there to woo this grisly beast which lion hight by name the trusty thisby coming first by night did scare away or rather did affright and as she fled her mantle she did fall which lion vile with bloody mouth did stain anon comes pyramus sweet youth and tall and finds his trusty thisby's mantle slain whereat with blade with bloody blameful blade he bravely broach'd is boiling bloody breast and thisby tarrying in mulberry shade his dagger drew and died for all the rest let lion moonshine wall and lovers twain at large discourse while here they do remain exeunt prologue thisbe lion and moonshine theseus i wonder if the lion be to speak demetrius no wonder my lord one lion may when many asses do wall in this same interlude it doth befall that i one snout by name present a wall and such a wall as i would have you think that had in it a crannied hole or chink through which the lovers pyramus and thisby did whisper often very secretly this loam this roughcast and this stone doth show that i am that same wall the truth is so and this the cranny is right and sinister through which the fearful lovers are to whisper theseus would you desire lime and hair to speak better demetrius it is the wittiest partition that ever i heard discourse my lord enter pyramus theseus pyramus draws near the wall silence pyramus o grimlook'd night o night with hue so black o night which ever art when day is not o night o night alack alack alack i fear my thisby's promise is forgot and thou o wall o sweet o lovely wall that stand'st between her father's ground and mine thou wall o wall o sweet and lovely wall show me thy chink to blink through with mine eyne wall holds up his fingers thanks courteous wall jove shield thee well for this but what see i no thisby do i see o wicked wall through whom i see no bliss cursed be thy stones for thus deceiving me theseus the wall methinks being sensible should curse again pyramus no in truth sir he should not deceiving me' is thisby's cue she is to enter now and i am to spy her through the wall you shall see it will fall pat as i told you yonder she comes enter thisbe thisbe o wall full often hast thou heard my moans for parting my fair pyramus and me my cherry lips have often kiss'd thy stones thy stones with lime and hair knit up in thee pyramus i see a voice now will i to the chink to spy an i can hear my thisby's face thisby thisbe my love thou art my love i think pyramus think what thou wilt i am thy lover's grace and like limander am i trusty still thisbe and i like helen till the fates me kill pyramus not shafalus to procrus was so true thisbe as shafalus to procrus i to you pyramus o kiss me through the hole of this vile wall thisbe i kiss the wall's hole not your lips at all pyramus wilt thou at ninny's tomb meet me straightway thisbe tide life tide death i come without delay exeunt pyramus and thisbe wall thus have i wall my part discharged so and being done thus wall away doth go exit theseus now is the mural down between the two neighbours demetrius no remedy my lord when walls are so wilful to hear without warning hippolyta this is the silliest stuff that ever i heard theseus the best in this kind are but shadows and the worst are no worse if imagination amend them hippolyta it must be your imagination then and not theirs theseus if we imagine no worse of them than they of themselves they may pass for excellent men here come two noble beasts in a man and a lion enter lion and moonshine lion you ladies you whose gentle hearts do fear the smallest monstrous mouse that creeps on floor may now perchance both quake and tremble here when lion rough in wildest rage doth roar then know that i one snug the joiner am a lionfell nor else no lion's dam for if i should as lion come in strife into this place twere pity on my life theseus a very gentle beast of a good conscience demetrius the very best at a beast my lord that e'er i saw lysander this lion is a very fox for his valour theseus true and a goose for his discretion demetrius not so my lord for his valour cannot carry his discretion and the fox carries the goose theseus his discretion i am sure cannot carry his valour for the goose carries not the fox it is well leave it to his discretion and let us listen to the moon moonshine this lanthorn doth the horned moon present demetrius he should have worn the horns on his head theseus he is no crescent and his horns are invisible within the circumference moonshine this lanthorn doth the horned moon present myself the man i the moon do seem to be theseus this is the greatest error of all the rest the man should be put into the lanthorn how is it else the man i the moon demetrius he dares not come there for the candle for you see it is already in snuff hippolyta i am aweary of this moon would he would change theseus it appears by his small light of discretion that he is in the wane but yet in courtesy in all reason we must stay the time lysander proceed moon moonshine all that i have to say is to tell you that the lanthorn is the moon i the man in the moon this thornbush my thornbush and this dog my dog demetrius why all these should be in the lanthorn for all these are in the moon but silence here comes thisbe enter thisbe thisbe this is old ninny's tomb where is my love lion roaring oh thisbe runs off demetrius well roared lion theseus well run thisbe hippolyta well shone moon truly the moon shines with a good grace the lion shakes thisbe's mantle and exit theseus well moused lion lysander and so the lion vanished demetrius and then came pyramus enter pyramus pyramus sweet moon i thank thee for thy sunny beams i thank thee moon for shining now so bright for by thy gracious golden glittering gleams i trust to take of truest thisby sight but stay o spite but mark poor knight what dreadful dole is here eyes do you see how can it be o dainty duck o dear thy mantle good what stain'd with blood approach ye furies fell o fates come come cut thread and thrum quail crush conclude and quell theseus this passion and the death of a dear friend would go near to make a man look sad hippolyta beshrew my heart but i pity the man pyramus o wherefore nature didst thou lions frame since lion vile hath here deflower'd my dear which isno nowhich was the fairest dame that lived that loved that liked that look'd with cheer come tears confound out sword and wound the pap of pyramus ay that left pap where heart doth hop stabs himself thus die i thus thus thus now am i dead now am i fled my soul is in the sky tongue lose thy light moon take thy flight exit moonshine now die die die die die dies demetrius no die but an ace for him for he is but one lysander less than an ace man for he is dead he is nothing theseus with the help of a surgeon he might yet recover and prove an ass hippolyta how chance moonshine is gone before thisbe comes back and finds her lover theseus she will find him by starlight here she comes and her passion ends the play reenter thisbe hippolyta methinks she should not use a long one for such a pyramus i hope she will be brief demetrius a mote will turn the balance which pyramus which thisbe is the better he for a man god warrant us she for a woman god bless us lysander she hath spied him already with those sweet eyes demetrius and thus she means videlicet thisbe asleep my love what dead my dove o pyramus arise speak speak quite dumb dead dead a tomb must cover thy sweet eyes these my lips this cherry nose these yellow cowslip cheeks are gone are gone lovers make moan his eyes were green as leeks o sisters three come come to me with hands as pale as milk lay them in gore since you have shore with shears his thread of silk tongue not a word come trusty sword come blade my breast imbrue stabs herself and farewell friends thus thisby ends adieu adieu adieu dies theseus moonshine and lion are left to bury the dead demetrius ay and wall too bottom starting up no assure you the wall is down that parted their fathers will it please you to see the epilogue or to hear a bergomask dance between two of our company theseus no epilogue i pray you for your play needs no excuse never excuse for when the players are all dead there needs none to be blamed marry if he that writ it had played pyramus and hanged himself in thisbe's garter it would have been a fine tragedy and so it is truly and very notably discharged but come your bergomask let your epilogue alone a dance the iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve lovers to bed tis almost fairy time i fear we shall outsleep the coming morn as much as we this night have overwatch'd this palpablegross play hath well beguiled the heavy gait of night sweet friends to bed a fortnight hold we this solemnity in nightly revels and new jollity exeunt enter puck puck now the hungry lion roars and the wolf behowls the moon whilst the heavy ploughman snores all with weary task fordone now the wasted brands do glow whilst the screechowl screeching loud puts the wretch that lies in woe in remembrance of a shroud now it is the time of night that the graves all gaping wide every one lets forth his sprite in the churchway paths to glide and we fairies that do run by the triple hecate's team from the presence of the sun following darkness like a dream now are frolic not a mouse shall disturb this hallow'd house i am sent with broom before to sweep the dust behind the door enter oberon and titania with their train oberon through the house give gathering light by the dead and drowsy fire every elf and fairy sprite hop as light as bird from brier and this ditty after me sing and dance it trippingly titania first rehearse your song by rote to each word a warbling note hand in hand with fairy grace will we sing and bless this place song and dance oberon now until the break of day through this house each fairy stray to the best bridebed will we which by us shall blessed be and the issue there create ever shall be fortunate so shall all the couples three ever true in loving be and the blots of nature's hand shall not in their issue stand never mole hare lip nor scar nor mark prodigious such as are despised in nativity shall upon their children be with this fielddew consecrate every fairy take his gait and each several chamber bless through this palace with sweet peace and the owner of it blest ever shall in safety rest trip away make no stay meet me all by break of day exeunt oberon titania and train puck if we shadows have offended think but this and all is mended that you have but slumber'd here while these visions did appear and this weak and idle theme no more yielding but a dream gentles do not reprehend if you pardon we will mend and as i am an honest puck if we have unearned luck now to scape the serpent's tongue we will make amends ere long else the puck a liar call so good night unto you all give me your hands if we be friends and robin shall restore amends much ado about nothing dramatis personae don pedro prince of arragon don john his bastard brother claudio a young lord of florence benedick a young lord of padua leonato governor of messina antonio his brother balthasar attendant on don pedro conrade followers of don john borachio friar francis dogberry a constable verges a headborough a sexton a boy hero daughter to leonato beatrice niece to leonato margaret gentlewomen attending on hero ursula messengers watch attendants &c lord messenger watchman first watchman second watchman scene messina much ado about nothing act i scene i before leonato's house enter leonato hero and beatrice with a messenger leonato i learn in this letter that don peter of arragon comes this night to messina messenger he is very near by this he was not three leagues off when i left him leonato how many gentlemen have you lost in this action messenger but few of any sort and none of name leonato a victory is twice itself when the achiever brings home full numbers i find here that don peter hath bestowed much honour on a young florentine called claudio messenger much deserved on his part and equally remembered by don pedro he hath borne himself beyond the promise of his age doing in the figure of a lamb the feats of a lion he hath indeed better bettered expectation than you must expect of me to tell you how leonato he hath an uncle here in messina will be very much glad of it messenger i have already delivered him letters and there appears much joy in him even so much that joy could not show itself modest enough without a badge of bitterness leonato did he break out into tears messenger in great measure leonato a kind overflow of kindness there are no faces truer than those that are so washed how much better is it to weep at joy than to joy at weeping beatrice i pray you is signior mountanto returned from the wars or no messenger i know none of that name lady there was none such in the army of any sort leonato what is he that you ask for niece hero my cousin means signior benedick of padua messenger o he's returned and as pleasant as ever he was beatrice he set up his bills here in messina and challenged cupid at the flight and my uncle's fool reading the challenge subscribed for cupid and challenged him at the birdbolt i pray you how many hath he killed and eaten in these wars but how many hath he killed for indeed i promised to eat all of his killing leonato faith niece you tax signior benedick too much but he'll be meet with you i doubt it not messenger he hath done good service lady in these wars beatrice you had musty victual and he hath holp to eat it he is a very valiant trencherman he hath an excellent stomach messenger and a good soldier too lady beatrice and a good soldier to a lady but what is he to a lord messenger a lord to a lord a man to a man stuffed with all honourable virtues beatrice it is so indeed he is no less than a stuffed man but for the stuffingwell we are all mortal leonato you must not sir mistake my niece there is a kind of merry war betwixt signior benedick and her they never meet but there's a skirmish of wit between them beatrice alas he gets nothing by that in our last conflict four of his five wits went halting off and now is the whole man governed with one so that if he have wit enough to keep himself warm let him bear it for a difference between himself and his horse for it is all the wealth that he hath left to be known a reasonable creature who is his companion now he hath every month a new sworn brother messenger is't possible beatrice very easily possible he wears his faith but as the fashion of his hat it ever changes with the next block messenger i see lady the gentleman is not in your books beatrice no an he were i would burn my study but i pray you who is his companion is there no young squarer now that will make a voyage with him to the devil messenger he is most in the company of the right noble claudio beatrice o lord he will hang upon him like a disease he is sooner caught than the pestilence and the taker runs presently mad god help the noble claudio if he have caught the benedick it will cost him a thousand pound ere a be cured messenger i will hold friends with you lady beatrice do good friend leonato you will never run mad niece beatrice no not till a hot january messenger don pedro is approached enter don pedro don john claudio benedick and balthasar don pedro good signior leonato you are come to meet your trouble the fashion of the world is to avoid cost and you encounter it leonato never came trouble to my house in the likeness of your grace for trouble being gone comfort should remain but when you depart from me sorrow abides and happiness takes his leave don pedro you embrace your charge too willingly i think this is your daughter leonato her mother hath many times told me so benedick were you in doubt sir that you asked her leonato signior benedick no for then were you a child don pedro you have it full benedick we may guess by this what you are being a man truly the lady fathers herself be happy lady for you are like an honourable father benedick if signior leonato be her father she would not have his head on her shoulders for all messina as like him as she is beatrice i wonder that you will still be talking signior benedick nobody marks you benedick what my dear lady disdain are you yet living beatrice is it possible disdain should die while she hath such meet food to feed it as signior benedick courtesy itself must convert to disdain if you come in her presence benedick then is courtesy a turncoat but it is certain i am loved of all ladies only you excepted and i would i could find in my heart that i had not a hard heart for truly i love none beatrice a dear happiness to women they would else have been troubled with a pernicious suitor i thank god and my cold blood i am of your humour for that i had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me benedick god keep your ladyship still in that mind so some gentleman or other shall scape a predestinate scratched face beatrice scratching could not make it worse an twere such a face as yours were benedick well you are a rare parrotteacher beatrice a bird of my tongue is better than a beast of yours benedick i would my horse had the speed of your tongue and so good a continuer but keep your way i god's name i have done beatrice you always end with a jade's trick i know you of old don pedro that is the sum of all leonato signior claudio and signior benedick my dear friend leonato hath invited you all i tell him we shall stay here at the least a month and he heartily prays some occasion may detain us longer i dare swear he is no hypocrite but prays from his heart leonato if you swear my lord you shall not be forsworn to don john let me bid you welcome my lord being reconciled to the prince your brother i owe you all duty don john i thank you i am not of many words but i thank you leonato please it your grace lead on don pedro your hand leonato we will go together exeunt all except benedick and claudio claudio benedick didst thou note the daughter of signior leonato benedick i noted her not but i looked on her claudio is she not a modest young lady benedick do you question me as an honest man should do for my simple true judgment or would you have me speak after my custom as being a professed tyrant to their sex claudio no i pray thee speak in sober judgment benedick why i faith methinks she's too low for a high praise too brown for a fair praise and too little for a great praise only this commendation i can afford her that were she other than she is she were unhandsome and being no other but as she is i do not like her claudio thou thinkest i am in sport i pray thee tell me truly how thou likest her benedick would you buy her that you inquire after her claudio can the world buy such a jewel benedick yea and a case to put it into but speak you this with a sad brow or do you play the flouting jack to tell us cupid is a good harefinder and vulcan a rare carpenter come in what key shall a man take you to go in the song claudio in mine eye she is the sweetest lady that ever i looked on benedick i can see yet without spectacles and i see no such matter there's her cousin an she were not possessed with a fury exceeds her as much in beauty as the first of may doth the last of december but i hope you have no intent to turn husband have you claudio i would scarce trust myself though i had sworn the contrary if hero would be my wife benedick is't come to this in faith hath not the world one man but he will wear his cap with suspicion shall i never see a bachelor of threescore again go to i faith an thou wilt needs thrust thy neck into a yoke wear the print of it and sigh away sundays look don pedro is returned to seek you reenter don pedro don pedro what secret hath held you here that you followed not to leonato's benedick i would your grace would constrain me to tell don pedro i charge thee on thy allegiance benedick you hear count claudio i can be secret as a dumb man i would have you think so but on my allegiance mark you this on my allegiance he is in love with who now that is your grace's part mark how short his answer iswith hero leonato's short daughter claudio if this were so so were it uttered benedick like the old tale my lord it is not so nor twas not so but indeed god forbid it should be so' claudio if my passion change not shortly god forbid it should be otherwise don pedro amen if you love her for the lady is very well worthy claudio you speak this to fetch me in my lord don pedro by my troth i speak my thought claudio and in faith my lord i spoke mine benedick and by my two faiths and troths my lord i spoke mine claudio that i love her i feel don pedro that she is worthy i know benedick that i neither feel how she should be loved nor know how she should be worthy is the opinion that fire cannot melt out of me i will die in it at the stake don pedro thou wast ever an obstinate heretic in the despite of beauty claudio and never could maintain his part but in the force of his will benedick that a woman conceived me i thank her that she brought me up i likewise give her most humble thanks but that i will have a recheat winded in my forehead or hang my bugle in an invisible baldrick all women shall pardon me because i will not do them the wrong to mistrust any i will do myself the right to trust none and the fine is for the which i may go the finer i will live a bachelor don pedro i shall see thee ere i die look pale with love benedick with anger with sickness or with hunger my lord not with love prove that ever i lose more blood with love than i will get again with drinking pick out mine eyes with a balladmaker's pen and hang me up at the door of a brothelhouse for the sign of blind cupid don pedro well if ever thou dost fall from this faith thou wilt prove a notable argument benedick if i do hang me in a bottle like a cat and shoot at me and he that hits me let him be clapped on the shoulder and called adam don pedro well as time shall try in time the savage bull doth bear the yoke' benedick the savage bull may but if ever the sensible benedick bear it pluck off the bull's horns and set them in my forehead and let me be vilely painted and in such great letters as they write here is good horse to hire let them signify under my sign here you may see benedick the married man' claudio if this should ever happen thou wouldst be hornmad don pedro nay if cupid have not spent all his quiver in venice thou wilt quake for this shortly benedick i look for an earthquake too then don pedro well you temporize with the hours in the meantime good signior benedick repair to leonato's commend me to him and tell him i will not fail him at supper for indeed he hath made great preparation benedick i have almost matter enough in me for such an embassage and so i commit you claudio to the tuition of god from my house if i had it don pedro the sixth of july your loving friend benedick benedick nay mock not mock not the body of your discourse is sometime guarded with fragments and the guards are but slightly basted on neither ere you flout old ends any further examine your conscience and so i leave you exit claudio my liege your highness now may do me good don pedro my love is thine to teach teach it but how and thou shalt see how apt it is to learn any hard lesson that may do thee good claudio hath leonato any son my lord don pedro no child but hero she's his only heir dost thou affect her claudio claudio o my lord when you went onward on this ended action i look'd upon her with a soldier's eye that liked but had a rougher task in hand than to drive liking to the name of love but now i am return'd and that warthoughts have left their places vacant in their rooms come thronging soft and delicate desires all prompting me how fair young hero is saying i liked her ere i went to wars don pedro thou wilt be like a lover presently and tire the hearer with a book of words if thou dost love fair hero cherish it and i will break with her and with her father and thou shalt have her was't not to this end that thou began'st to twist so fine a story claudio how sweetly you do minister to love that know love's grief by his complexion but lest my liking might too sudden seem i would have salved it with a longer treatise don pedro what need the bridge much broader than the flood the fairest grant is the necessity look what will serve is fit tis once thou lovest and i will fit thee with the remedy i know we shall have revelling tonight i will assume thy part in some disguise and tell fair hero i am claudio and in her bosom i'll unclasp my heart and take her hearing prisoner with the force and strong encounter of my amorous tale then after to her father will i break and the conclusion is she shall be thine in practise let us put it presently exeunt much ado about nothing act i scene ii a room in leonato's house enter leonato and antonio meeting leonato how now brother where is my cousin your son hath he provided this music antonio he is very busy about it but brother i can tell you strange news that you yet dreamt not of leonato are they good antonio as the event stamps them but they have a good cover they show well outward the prince and count claudio walking in a thickpleached alley in mine orchard were thus much overheard by a man of mine the prince discovered to claudio that he loved my niece your daughter and meant to acknowledge it this night in a dance and if he found her accordant he meant to take the present time by the top and instantly break with you of it leonato hath the fellow any wit that told you this antonio a good sharp fellow i will send for him and question him yourself leonato no no we will hold it as a dream till it appear itself but i will acquaint my daughter withal that she may be the better prepared for an answer if peradventure this be true go you and tell her of it enter attendants cousins you know what you have to do o i cry you mercy friend go you with me and i will use your skill good cousin have a care this busy time exeunt much ado about nothing act i scene iii the same enter don john and conrade conrade what the goodyear my lord why are you thus out of measure sad don john there is no measure in the occasion that breeds therefore the sadness is without limit conrade you should hear reason don john and when i have heard it what blessing brings it conrade if not a present remedy at least a patient sufferance don john i wonder that thou being as thou sayest thou art born under saturn goest about to apply a moral medicine to a mortifying mischief i cannot hide what i am i must be sad when i have cause and smile at no man's jests eat when i have stomach and wait for no man's leisure sleep when i am drowsy and tend on no man's business laugh when i am merry and claw no man in his humour conrade yea but you must not make the full show of this till you may do it without controlment you have of late stood out against your brother and he hath ta'en you newly into his grace where it is impossible you should take true root but by the fair weather that you make yourself it is needful that you frame the season for your own harvest don john i had rather be a canker in a hedge than a rose in his grace and it better fits my blood to be disdained of all than to fashion a carriage to rob love from any in this though i cannot be said to be a flattering honest man it must not be denied but i am a plaindealing villain i am trusted with a muzzle and enfranchised with a clog therefore i have decreed not to sing in my cage if i had my mouth i would bite if i had my liberty i would do my liking in the meantime let me be that i am and seek not to alter me conrade can you make no use of your discontent don john i make all use of it for i use it only who comes here enter borachio what news borachio borachio i came yonder from a great supper the prince your brother is royally entertained by leonato and i can give you intelligence of an intended marriage don john will it serve for any model to build mischief on what is he for a fool that betroths himself to unquietness borachio marry it is your brother's right hand don john who the most exquisite claudio borachio even he don john a proper squire and who and who which way looks he borachio marry on hero the daughter and heir of leonato don john a very forward marchchick how came you to this borachio being entertained for a perfumer as i was smoking a musty room comes me the prince and claudio hand in hand in sad conference i whipt me behind the arras and there heard it agreed upon that the prince should woo hero for himself and having obtained her give her to count claudio don john come come let us thither this may prove food to my displeasure that young startup hath all the glory of my overthrow if i can cross him any way i bless myself every way you are both sure and will assist me conrade to the death my lord don john let us to the great supper their cheer is the greater that i am subdued would the cook were of my mind shall we go prove what's to be done borachio we'll wait upon your lordship exeunt much ado about nothing act ii scene i a hall in leonato's house enter leonato antonio hero beatrice and others leonato was not count john here at supper antonio i saw him not beatrice how tartly that gentleman looks i never can see him but i am heartburned an hour after hero he is of a very melancholy disposition beatrice he were an excellent man that were made just in the midway between him and benedick the one is too like an image and says nothing and the other too like my lady's eldest son evermore tattling leonato then half signior benedick's tongue in count john's mouth and half count john's melancholy in signior benedick's face beatrice with a good leg and a good foot uncle and money enough in his purse such a man would win any woman in the world if a could get her goodwill leonato by my troth niece thou wilt never get thee a husband if thou be so shrewd of thy tongue antonio in faith she's too curst beatrice too curst is more than curst i shall lessen god's sending that way for it is said god sends a curst cow short horns but to a cow too curst he sends none leonato so by being too curst god will send you no horns beatrice just if he send me no husband for the which blessing i am at him upon my knees every morning and evening lord i could not endure a husband with a beard on his face i had rather lie in the woollen leonato you may light on a husband that hath no beard beatrice what should i do with him dress him in my apparel and make him my waitinggentlewoman he that hath a beard is more than a youth and he that hath no beard is less than a man and he that is more than a youth is not for me and he that is less than a man i am not for him therefore i will even take sixpence in earnest of the bearward and lead his apes into hell leonato well then go you into hell beatrice no but to the gate and there will the devil meet me like an old cuckold with horns on his head and say get you to heaven beatrice get you to heaven here's no place for you maids so deliver i up my apes and away to saint peter for the heavens he shows me where the bachelors sit and there live we as merry as the day is long antonio to hero well niece i trust you will be ruled by your father beatrice yes faith it is my cousin's duty to make curtsy and say father as it please you but yet for all that cousin let him be a handsome fellow or else make another curtsy and say father as it please me' leonato well niece i hope to see you one day fitted with a husband beatrice not till god make men of some other metal than earth would it not grieve a woman to be overmastered with a pierce of valiant dust to make an account of her life to a clod of wayward marl no uncle i'll none adam's sons are my brethren and truly i hold it a sin to match in my kindred leonato daughter remember what i told you if the prince do solicit you in that kind you know your answer beatrice the fault will be in the music cousin if you be not wooed in good time if the prince be too important tell him there is measure in every thing and so dance out the answer for hear me hero wooing wedding and repenting is as a scotch jig a measure and a cinque pace the first suit is hot and hasty like a scotch jig and full as fantastical the wedding mannerlymodest as a measure full of state and ancientry and then comes repentance and with his bad legs falls into the cinque pace faster and faster till he sink into his grave leonato cousin you apprehend passing shrewdly beatrice i have a good eye uncle i can see a church by daylight leonato the revellers are entering brother make good room all put on their masks enter don pedro claudio benedick balthasar don john borachio margaret ursula and others masked don pedro lady will you walk about with your friend hero so you walk softly and look sweetly and say nothing i am yours for the walk and especially when i walk away don pedro with me in your company hero i may say so when i please don pedro and when please you to say so hero when i like your favour for god defend the lute should be like the case don pedro my visor is philemon's roof within the house is jove hero why then your visor should be thatched don pedro speak low if you speak love drawing her aside balthasar well i would you did like me margaret so would not i for your own sake for i have many illqualities balthasar which is one margaret i say my prayers aloud balthasar i love you the better the hearers may cry amen margaret god match me with a good dancer balthasar amen margaret and god keep him out of my sight when the dance is done answer clerk balthasar no more words the clerk is answered ursula i know you well enough you are signior antonio antonio at a word i am not ursula i know you by the waggling of your head antonio to tell you true i counterfeit him ursula you could never do him so illwell unless you were the very man here's his dry hand up and down you are he you are he antonio at a word i am not ursula come come do you think i do not know you by your excellent wit can virtue hide itself go to mum you are he graces will appear and there's an end beatrice will you not tell me who told you so benedick no you shall pardon me beatrice nor will you not tell me who you are benedick not now beatrice that i was disdainful and that i had my good wit out of the hundred merry tales'well this was signior benedick that said so benedick what's he beatrice i am sure you know him well enough benedick not i believe me beatrice did he never make you laugh benedick i pray you what is he beatrice why he is the prince's jester a very dull fool only his gift is in devising impossible slanders none but libertines delight in him and the commendation is not in his wit but in his villany for he both pleases men and angers them and then they laugh at him and beat him i am sure he is in the fleet i would he had boarded me benedick when i know the gentleman i'll tell him what you say beatrice do do he'll but break a comparison or two on me which peradventure not marked or not laughed at strikes him into melancholy and then there's a partridge wing saved for the fool will eat no supper that night music we must follow the leaders benedick in every good thing beatrice nay if they lead to any ill i will leave them at the next turning dance then exeunt all except don john borachio and claudio don john sure my brother is amorous on hero and hath withdrawn her father to break with him about it the ladies follow her and but one visor remains borachio and that is claudio i know him by his bearing don john are not you signior benedick claudio you know me well i am he don john signior you are very near my brother in his love he is enamoured on hero i pray you dissuade him from her she is no equal for his birth you may do the part of an honest man in it claudio how know you he loves her don john i heard him swear his affection borachio so did i too and he swore he would marry her tonight don john come let us to the banquet exeunt don john and borachio claudio thus answer i in the name of benedick but hear these ill news with the ears of claudio tis certain so the prince wooes for himself friendship is constant in all other things save in the office and affairs of love therefore all hearts in love use their own tongues let every eye negotiate for itself and trust no agent for beauty is a witch against whose charms faith melteth into blood this is an accident of hourly proof which i mistrusted not farewell therefore hero reenter benedick benedick count claudio claudio yea the same benedick come will you go with me claudio whither benedick even to the next willow about your own business county what fashion will you wear the garland of about your neck like an usurer's chain or under your arm like a lieutenant's scarf you must wear it one way for the prince hath got your hero claudio i wish him joy of her benedick why that's spoken like an honest drovier so they sell bullocks but did you think the prince would have served you thus claudio i pray you leave me benedick ho now you strike like the blind man twas the boy that stole your meat and you'll beat the post claudio if it will not be i'll leave you exit benedick alas poor hurt fowl now will he creep into sedges but that my lady beatrice should know me and not know me the prince's fool ha it may be i go under that title because i am merry yea but so i am apt to do myself wrong i am not so reputed it is the base though bitter disposition of beatrice that puts the world into her person and so gives me out well i'll be revenged as i may reenter don pedro don pedro now signior where's the count did you see him benedick troth my lord i have played the part of lady fame i found him here as melancholy as a lodge in a warren i told him and i think i told him true that your grace had got the good will of this young lady and i offered him my company to a willowtree either to make him a garland as being forsaken or to bind him up a rod as being worthy to be whipped don pedro to be whipped what's his fault benedick the flat transgression of a schoolboy who being overjoyed with finding a birds nest shows it his companion and he steals it don pedro wilt thou make a trust a transgression the transgression is in the stealer benedick yet it had not been amiss the rod had been made and the garland too for the garland he might have worn himself and the rod he might have bestowed on you who as i take it have stolen his birds nest don pedro i will but teach them to sing and restore them to the owner benedick if their singing answer your saying by my faith you say honestly don pedro the lady beatrice hath a quarrel to you the gentleman that danced with her told her she is much wronged by you benedick o she misused me past the endurance of a block an oak but with one green leaf on it would have answered her my very visor began to assume life and scold with her she told me not thinking i had been myself that i was the prince's jester that i was duller than a great thaw huddling jest upon jest with such impossible conveyance upon me that i stood like a man at a mark with a whole army shooting at me she speaks poniards and every word stabs if her breath were as terrible as her terminations there were no living near her she would infect to the north star i would not marry her though she were endowed with all that adam bad left him before he transgressed she would have made hercules have turned spit yea and have cleft his club to make the fire too come talk not of her you shall find her the infernal ate in good apparel i would to god some scholar would conjure her for certainly while she is here a man may live as quiet in hell as in a sanctuary and people sin upon purpose because they would go thither so indeed all disquiet horror and perturbation follows her don pedro look here she comes enter claudio beatrice hero and leonato benedick will your grace command me any service to the world's end i will go on the slightest errand now to the antipodes that you can devise to send me on i will fetch you a toothpicker now from the furthest inch of asia bring you the length of prester john's foot fetch you a hair off the great cham's beard do you any embassage to the pigmies rather than hold three words conference with this harpy you have no employment for me don pedro none but to desire your good company benedick o god sir here's a dish i love not i cannot endure my lady tongue exit don pedro come lady come you have lost the heart of signior benedick beatrice indeed my lord he lent it me awhile and i gave him use for it a double heart for his single one marry once before he won it of me with false dice therefore your grace may well say i have lost it don pedro you have put him down lady you have put him down beatrice so i would not he should do me my lord lest i should prove the mother of fools i have brought count claudio whom you sent me to seek don pedro why how now count wherefore are you sad claudio not sad my lord don pedro how then sick claudio neither my lord beatrice the count is neither sad nor sick nor merry nor well but civil count civil as an orange and something of that jealous complexion don pedro i faith lady i think your blazon to be true though i'll be sworn if he be so his conceit is false here claudio i have wooed in thy name and fair hero is won i have broke with her father and his good will obtained name the day of marriage and god give thee joy leonato count take of me my daughter and with her my fortunes his grace hath made the match and an grace say amen to it beatrice speak count tis your cue claudio silence is the perfectest herald of joy i were but little happy if i could say how much lady as you are mine i am yours i give away myself for you and dote upon the exchange beatrice speak cousin or if you cannot stop his mouth with a kiss and let not him speak neither don pedro in faith lady you have a merry heart beatrice yea my lord i thank it poor fool it keeps on the windy side of care my cousin tells him in his ear that he is in her heart claudio and so she doth cousin beatrice good lord for alliance thus goes every one to the world but i and i am sunburnt i may sit in a corner and cry heighho for a husband don pedro lady beatrice i will get you one beatrice i would rather have one of your father's getting hath your grace ne'er a brother like you your father got excellent husbands if a maid could come by them don pedro will you have me lady beatrice no my lord unless i might have another for workingdays your grace is too costly to wear every day but i beseech your grace pardon me i was born to speak all mirth and no matter don pedro your silence most offends me and to be merry best becomes you for out of question you were born in a merry hour beatrice no sure my lord my mother cried but then there was a star danced and under that was i born cousins god give you joy leonato niece will you look to those things i told you of beatrice i cry you mercy uncle by your grace's pardon exit don pedro by my troth a pleasantspirited lady leonato there's little of the melancholy element in her my lord she is never sad but when she sleeps and not ever sad then for i have heard my daughter say she hath often dreamed of unhappiness and waked herself with laughing don pedro she cannot endure to hear tell of a husband leonato o by no means she mocks all her wooers out of suit don pedro she were an excellent wife for benedict leonato o lord my lord if they were but a week married they would talk themselves mad don pedro county claudio when mean you to go to church claudio tomorrow my lord time goes on crutches till love have all his rites leonato not till monday my dear son which is hence a just sevennight and a time too brief too to have all things answer my mind don pedro come you shake the head at so long a breathing but i warrant thee claudio the time shall not go dully by us i will in the interim undertake one of hercules labours which is to bring signior benedick and the lady beatrice into a mountain of affection the one with the other i would fain have it a match and i doubt not but to fashion it if you three will but minister such assistance as i shall give you direction leonato my lord i am for you though it cost me ten nights watchings claudio and i my lord don pedro and you too gentle hero hero i will do any modest office my lord to help my cousin to a good husband don pedro and benedick is not the unhopefullest husband that i know thus far can i praise him he is of a noble strain of approved valour and confirmed honesty i will teach you how to humour your cousin that she shall fall in love with benedick and i with your two helps will so practise on benedick that in despite of his quick wit and his queasy stomach he shall fall in love with beatrice if we can do this cupid is no longer an archer his glory shall be ours for we are the only lovegods go in with me and i will tell you my drift exeunt much ado about nothing act ii scene ii the same enter don john and borachio don john it is so the count claudio shall marry the daughter of leonato borachio yea my lord but i can cross it don john any bar any cross any impediment will be medicinable to me i am sick in displeasure to him and whatsoever comes athwart his affection ranges evenly with mine how canst thou cross this marriage borachio not honestly my lord but so covertly that no dishonesty shall appear in me don john show me briefly how borachio i think i told your lordship a year since how much i am in the favour of margaret the waiting gentlewoman to hero don john i remember borachio i can at any unseasonable instant of the night appoint her to look out at her lady's chamber window don john what life is in that to be the death of this marriage borachio the poison of that lies in you to temper go you to the prince your brother spare not to tell him that he hath wronged his honour in marrying the renowned claudiowhose estimation do you mightily hold upto a contaminated stale such a one as hero don john what proof shall i make of that borachio proof enough to misuse the prince to vex claudio to undo hero and kill leonato look you for any other issue don john only to despite them i will endeavour any thing borachio go then find me a meet hour to draw don pedro and the count claudio alone tell them that you know that hero loves me intend a kind of zeal both to the prince and claudio asin love of your brother's honour who hath made this match and his friend's reputation who is thus like to be cozened with the semblance of a maidthat you have discovered thus they will scarcely believe this without trial offer them instances which shall bear no less likelihood than to see me at her chamberwindow hear me call margaret hero hear margaret term me claudio and bring them to see this the very night before the intended weddingfor in the meantime i will so fashion the matter that hero shall be absentand there shall appear such seeming truth of hero's disloyalty that jealousy shall be called assurance and all the preparation overthrown don john grow this to what adverse issue it can i will put it in practise be cunning in the working this and thy fee is a thousand ducats borachio be you constant in the accusation and my cunning shall not shame me don john i will presently go learn their day of marriage exeunt much ado about nothing act ii scene iii leonato's orchard enter benedick benedick boy enter boy boy signior benedick in my chamberwindow lies a book bring it hither to me in the orchard boy i am here already sir benedick i know that but i would have thee hence and here again exit boy i do much wonder that one man seeing how much another man is a fool when he dedicates his behaviors to love will after he hath laughed at such shallow follies in others become the argument of his own scorn by failing in love and such a man is claudio i have known when there was no music with him but the drum and the fife and now had he rather hear the tabour and the pipe i have known when he would have walked ten mile afoot to see a good armour and now will he lie ten nights awake carving the fashion of a new doublet he was wont to speak plain and to the purpose like an honest man and a soldier and now is he turned orthography his words are a very fantastical banquet just so many strange dishes may i be so converted and see with these eyes i cannot tell i think not i will not be sworn but love may transform me to an oyster but i'll take my oath on it till he have made an oyster of me he shall never make me such a fool one woman is fair yet i am well another is wise yet i am well another virtuous yet i am well but till all graces be in one woman one woman shall not come in my grace rich she shall be that's certain wise or i'll none virtuous or i'll never cheapen her fair or i'll never look on her mild or come not near me noble or not i for an angel of good discourse an excellent musician and her hair shall be of what colour it please god ha the prince and monsieur love i will hide me in the arbour withdraws enter don pedro claudio and leonato don pedro come shall we hear this music claudio yea my good lord how still the evening is as hush'd on purpose to grace harmony don pedro see you where benedick hath hid himself claudio o very well my lord the music ended we'll fit the kidfox with a pennyworth enter balthasar with music don pedro come balthasar we'll hear that song again balthasar o good my lord tax not so bad a voice to slander music any more than once don pedro it is the witness still of excellency to put a strange face on his own perfection i pray thee sing and let me woo no more balthasar because you talk of wooing i will sing since many a wooer doth commence his suit to her he thinks not worthy yet he wooes yet will he swear he loves don pedro now pray thee come or if thou wilt hold longer argument do it in notes balthasar note this before my notes there's not a note of mine that's worth the noting don pedro why these are very crotchets that he speaks note notes forsooth and nothing air benedick now divine air now is his soul ravished is it not strange that sheeps guts should hale souls out of men's bodies well a horn for my money when all's done the song balthasar sigh no more ladies sigh no more men were deceivers ever one foot in sea and one on shore to one thing constant never then sigh not so but let them go and be you blithe and bonny converting all your sounds of woe into hey nonny nonny sing no more ditties sing no moe of dumps so dull and heavy the fraud of men was ever so since summer first was leafy then sigh not so &c don pedro by my troth a good song balthasar and an ill singer my lord don pedro ha no no faith thou singest well enough for a shift benedick an he had been a dog that should have howled thus they would have hanged him and i pray god his bad voice bode no mischief i had as lief have heard the nightraven come what plague could have come after it don pedro yea marry dost thou hear balthasar i pray thee get us some excellent music for tomorrow night we would have it at the lady hero's chamberwindow balthasar the best i can my lord don pedro do so farewell exit balthasar come hither leonato what was it you told me of today that your niece beatrice was in love with signior benedick claudio o ay stalk on stalk on the fowl sits i did never think that lady would have loved any man leonato no nor i neither but most wonderful that she should so dote on signior benedick whom she hath in all outward behaviors seemed ever to abhor benedick is't possible sits the wind in that corner leonato by my troth my lord i cannot tell what to think of it but that she loves him with an enraged affection it is past the infinite of thought don pedro may be she doth but counterfeit claudio faith like enough leonato o god counterfeit there was never counterfeit of passion came so near the life of passion as she discovers it don pedro why what effects of passion shows she claudio bait the hook well this fish will bite leonato what effects my lord she will sit you you heard my daughter tell you how claudio she did indeed don pedro how how pray you you amaze me i would have i thought her spirit had been invincible against all assaults of affection leonato i would have sworn it had my lord especially against benedick benedick i should think this a gull but that the whitebearded fellow speaks it knavery cannot sure hide himself in such reverence claudio he hath ta'en the infection hold it up don pedro hath she made her affection known to benedick leonato no and swears she never will that's her torment claudio tis true indeed so your daughter says shall i says she that have so oft encountered him with scorn write to him that i love him' leonato this says she now when she is beginning to write to him for she'll be up twenty times a night and there will she sit in her smock till she have writ a sheet of paper my daughter tells us all claudio now you talk of a sheet of paper i remember a pretty jest your daughter told us of leonato o when she had writ it and was reading it over she found benedick and beatrice between the sheet claudio that leonato o she tore the letter into a thousand halfpence railed at herself that she should be so immodest to write to one that she knew would flout her i measure him says she by my own spirit for i should flout him if he writ to me yea though i love him i should' claudio then down upon her knees she falls weeps sobs beats her heart tears her hair prays curses o sweet benedick god give me patience' leonato she doth indeed my daughter says so and the ecstasy hath so much overborne her that my daughter is sometime afeared she will do a desperate outrage to herself it is very true don pedro it were good that benedick knew of it by some other if she will not discover it claudio to what end he would make but a sport of it and torment the poor lady worse don pedro an he should it were an alms to hang him she's an excellent sweet lady and out of all suspicion she is virtuous claudio and she is exceeding wise don pedro in every thing but in loving benedick leonato o my lord wisdom and blood combating in so tender a body we have ten proofs to one that blood hath the victory i am sorry for her as i have just cause being her uncle and her guardian don pedro i would she had bestowed this dotage on me i would have daffed all other respects and made her half myself i pray you tell benedick of it and hear what a will say leonato were it good think you claudio hero thinks surely she will die for she says she will die if he love her not and she will die ere she make her love known and she will die if he woo her rather than she will bate one breath of her accustomed crossness don pedro she doth well if she should make tender of her love tis very possible he'll scorn it for the man as you know all hath a contemptible spirit claudio he is a very proper man don pedro he hath indeed a good outward happiness claudio before god and in my mind very wise don pedro he doth indeed show some sparks that are like wit claudio and i take him to be valiant don pedro as hector i assure you and in the managing of quarrels you may say he is wise for either he avoids them with great discretion or undertakes them with a most christianlike fear leonato if he do fear god a must necessarily keep peace if he break the peace he ought to enter into a quarrel with fear and trembling don pedro and so will he do for the man doth fear god howsoever it seems not in him by some large jests he will make well i am sorry for your niece shall we go seek benedick and tell him of her love claudio never tell him my lord let her wear it out with good counsel leonato nay that's impossible she may wear her heart out first don pedro well we will hear further of it by your daughter let it cool the while i love benedick well and i could wish he would modestly examine himself to see how much he is unworthy so good a lady leonato my lord will you walk dinner is ready claudio if he do not dote on her upon this i will never trust my expectation don pedro let there be the same net spread for her and that must your daughter and her gentlewomen carry the sport will be when they hold one an opinion of another's dotage and no such matter that's the scene that i would see which will be merely a dumbshow let us send her to call him in to dinner exeunt don pedro claudio and leonato benedick coming forward this can be no trick the conference was sadly borne they have the truth of this from hero they seem to pity the lady it seems her affections have their full bent love me why it must be requited i hear how i am censured they say i will bear myself proudly if i perceive the love come from her they say too that she will rather die than give any sign of affection i did never think to marry i must not seem proud happy are they that hear their detractions and can put them to mending they say the lady is fair tis a truth i can bear them witness and virtuous tis so i cannot reprove it and wise but for loving me by my troth it is no addition to her wit nor no great argument of her folly for i will be horribly in love with her i may chance have some odd quirks and remnants of wit broken on me because i have railed so long against marriage but doth not the appetite alter a man loves the meat in his youth that he cannot endure in his age shall quips and sentences and these paper bullets of the brain awe a man from the career of his humour no the world must be peopled when i said i would die a bachelor i did not think i should live till i were married here comes beatrice by this day she's a fair lady i do spy some marks of love in her enter beatrice beatrice against my will i am sent to bid you come in to dinner benedick fair beatrice i thank you for your pains beatrice i took no more pains for those thanks than you take pains to thank me if it had been painful i would not have come benedick you take pleasure then in the message beatrice yea just so much as you may take upon a knife's point and choke a daw withal you have no stomach signior fare you well exit benedick ha against my will i am sent to bid you come in to dinner there's a double meaning in that i took no more pains for those thanks than you took pains to thank me that's as much as to say any pains that i take for you is as easy as thanks if i do not take pity of her i am a villain if i do not love her i am a jew i will go get her picture exit much ado about nothing act iii scene i leonato's garden enter hero margaret and ursula hero good margaret run thee to the parlor there shalt thou find my cousin beatrice proposing with the prince and claudio whisper her ear and tell her i and ursula walk in the orchard and our whole discourse is all of her say that thou overheard'st us and bid her steal into the pleached bower where honeysuckles ripen'd by the sun forbid the sun to enter like favourites made proud by princes that advance their pride against that power that bred it there will she hide her to listen our purpose this is thy office bear thee well in it and leave us alone margaret i'll make her come i warrant you presently exit hero now ursula when beatrice doth come as we do trace this alley up and down our talk must only be of benedick when i do name him let it be thy part to praise him more than ever man did merit my talk to thee must be how benedick is sick in love with beatrice of this matter is little cupid's crafty arrow made that only wounds by hearsay enter beatrice behind now begin for look where beatrice like a lapwing runs close by the ground to hear our conference ursula the pleasant'st angling is to see the fish cut with her golden oars the silver stream and greedily devour the treacherous bait so angle we for beatrice who even now is couched in the woodbine coverture fear you not my part of the dialogue hero then go we near her that her ear lose nothing of the false sweet bait that we lay for it approaching the bower no truly ursula she is too disdainful i know her spirits are as coy and wild as haggerds of the rock ursula but are you sure that benedick loves beatrice so entirely hero so says the prince and my newtrothed lord ursula and did they bid you tell her of it madam hero they did entreat me to acquaint her of it but i persuaded them if they loved benedick to wish him wrestle with affection and never to let beatrice know of it ursula why did you so doth not the gentleman deserve as full as fortunate a bed as ever beatrice shall couch upon hero o god of love i know he doth deserve as much as may be yielded to a man but nature never framed a woman's heart of prouder stuff than that of beatrice disdain and scorn ride sparkling in her eyes misprising what they look on and her wit values itself so highly that to her all matter else seems weak she cannot love nor take no shape nor project of affection she is so selfendeared ursula sure i think so and therefore certainly it were not good she knew his love lest she make sport at it hero why you speak truth i never yet saw man how wise how noble young how rarely featured but she would spell him backward if fairfaced she would swear the gentleman should be her sister if black why nature drawing of an antique made a foul blot if tall a lance illheaded if low an agate very vilely cut if speaking why a vane blown with all winds if silent why a block moved with none so turns she every man the wrong side out and never gives to truth and virtue that which simpleness and merit purchaseth ursula sure sure such carping is not commendable hero no not to be so odd and from all fashions as beatrice is cannot be commendable but who dare tell her so if i should speak she would mock me into air o she would laugh me out of myself press me to death with wit therefore let benedick like cover'd fire consume away in sighs waste inwardly it were a better death than die with mocks which is as bad as die with tickling ursula yet tell her of it hear what she will say hero no rather i will go to benedick and counsel him to fight against his passion and truly i'll devise some honest slanders to stain my cousin with one doth not know how much an ill word may empoison liking ursula o do not do your cousin such a wrong she cannot be so much without true judgment having so swift and excellent a wit as she is prized to haveas to refuse so rare a gentleman as signior benedick hero he is the only man of italy always excepted my dear claudio ursula i pray you be not angry with me madam speaking my fancy signior benedick for shape for bearing argument and valour goes foremost in report through italy hero indeed he hath an excellent good name ursula his excellence did earn it ere he had it when are you married madam hero why every day tomorrow come go in i'll show thee some attires and have thy counsel which is the best to furnish me tomorrow ursula she's limed i warrant you we have caught her madam hero if it proves so then loving goes by haps some cupid kills with arrows some with traps exeunt hero and ursula beatrice coming forward what fire is in mine ears can this be true stand i condemn'd for pride and scorn so much contempt farewell and maiden pride adieu no glory lives behind the back of such and benedick love on i will requite thee taming my wild heart to thy loving hand if thou dost love my kindness shall incite thee to bind our loves up in a holy band for others say thou dost deserve and i believe it better than reportingly exit much ado about nothing act iii scene ii a room in leonato's house enter don pedro claudio benedick and leonato don pedro i do but stay till your marriage be consummate and then go i toward arragon claudio i'll bring you thither my lord if you'll vouchsafe me don pedro nay that would be as great a soil in the new gloss of your marriage as to show a child his new coat and forbid him to wear it i will only be bold with benedick for his company for from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot he is all mirth he hath twice or thrice cut cupid's bowstring and the little hangman dare not shoot at him he hath a heart as sound as a bell and his tongue is the clapper for what his heart thinks his tongue speaks benedick gallants i am not as i have been leonato so say i methinks you are sadder claudio i hope he be in love don pedro hang him truant there's no true drop of blood in him to be truly touched with love if he be sad he wants money benedick i have the toothache don pedro draw it benedick hang it claudio you must hang it first and draw it afterwards don pedro what sigh for the toothache leonato where is but a humour or a worm benedick well every one can master a grief but he that has it claudio yet say i he is in love don pedro there is no appearance of fancy in him unless it be a fancy that he hath to strange disguises as to be a dutchman today a frenchman tomorrow or in the shape of two countries at once as a german from the waist downward all slops and a spaniard from the hip upward no doublet unless he have a fancy to this foolery as it appears he hath he is no fool for fancy as you would have it appear he is claudio if he be not in love with some woman there is no believing old signs a brushes his hat o' mornings what should that bode don pedro hath any man seen him at the barber's claudio no but the barber's man hath been seen with him and the old ornament of his cheek hath already stuffed tennisballs leonato indeed he looks younger than he did by the loss of a beard don pedro nay a rubs himself with civet can you smell him out by that claudio that's as much as to say the sweet youth's in love don pedro the greatest note of it is his melancholy claudio and when was he wont to wash his face don pedro yea or to paint himself for the which i hear what they say of him claudio nay but his jesting spirit which is now crept into a lutestring and now governed by stops don pedro indeed that tells a heavy tale for him conclude conclude he is in love claudio nay but i know who loves him don pedro that would i know too i warrant one that knows him not claudio yes and his ill conditions and in despite of all dies for him don pedro she shall be buried with her face upwards benedick yet is this no charm for the toothache old signior walk aside with me i have studied eight or nine wise words to speak to you which these hobbyhorses must not hear exeunt benedick and leonato don pedro for my life to break with him about beatrice claudio tis even so hero and margaret have by this played their parts with beatrice and then the two bears will not bite one another when they meet enter don john don john my lord and brother god save you don pedro good den brother don john if your leisure served i would speak with you don pedro in private don john if it please you yet count claudio may hear for what i would speak of concerns him don pedro what's the matter don john to claudio means your lordship to be married tomorrow don pedro you know he does don john i know not that when he knows what i know claudio if there be any impediment i pray you discover it don john you may think i love you not let that appear hereafter and aim better at me by that i now will manifest for my brother i think he holds you well and in dearness of heart hath holp to effect your ensuing marriagesurely suit ill spent and labour ill bestowed don pedro why what's the matter don john i came hither to tell you and circumstances shortened for she has been too long a talking of the lady is disloyal claudio who hero don pedro even she leonato's hero your hero every man's hero claudio disloyal don john the word is too good to paint out her wickedness i could say she were worse think you of a worse title and i will fit her to it wonder not till further warrant go but with me tonight you shall see her chamberwindow entered even the night before her weddingday if you love her then tomorrow wed her but it would better fit your honour to change your mind claudio may this be so don pedro i will not think it don john if you dare not trust that you see confess not that you know if you will follow me i will show you enough and when you have seen more and heard more proceed accordingly claudio if i see any thing tonight why i should not marry her tomorrow in the congregation where i should wed there will i shame her don pedro and as i wooed for thee to obtain her i will join with thee to disgrace her don john i will disparage her no farther till you are my witnesses bear it coldly but till midnight and let the issue show itself don pedro o day untowardly turned claudio o mischief strangely thwarting don john o plague right well prevented so will you say when you have seen the sequel exeunt much ado about nothing act iii scene iii a street enter dogberry and verges with the watch dogberry are you good men and true verges yea or else it were pity but they should suffer salvation body and soul dogberry nay that were a punishment too good for them if they should have any allegiance in them being chosen for the prince's watch verges well give them their charge neighbour dogberry dogberry first who think you the most desertless man to be constable first watchman hugh otecake sir or george seacole for they can write and read dogberry come hither neighbour seacole god hath blessed you with a good name to be a wellfavoured man is the gift of fortune but to write and read comes by nature second watchman both which master constable dogberry you have i knew it would be your answer well for your favour sir why give god thanks and make no boast of it and for your writing and reading let that appear when there is no need of such vanity you are thought here to be the most senseless and fit man for the constable of the watch therefore bear you the lantern this is your charge you shall comprehend all vagrom men you are to bid any man stand in the prince's name second watchman how if a will not stand dogberry why then take no note of him but let him go and presently call the rest of the watch together and thank god you are rid of a knave verges if he will not stand when he is bidden he is none of the prince's subjects dogberry true and they are to meddle with none but the prince's subjects you shall also make no noise in the streets for for the watch to babble and to talk is most tolerable and not to be endured watchman we will rather sleep than talk we know what belongs to a watch dogberry why you speak like an ancient and most quiet watchman for i cannot see how sleeping should offend only have a care that your bills be not stolen well you are to call at all the alehouses and bid those that are drunk get them to bed watchman how if they will not dogberry why then let them alone till they are sober if they make you not then the better answer you may say they are not the men you took them for watchman well sir dogberry if you meet a thief you may suspect him by virtue of your office to be no true man and for such kind of men the less you meddle or make with them why the more is for your honesty watchman if we know him to be a thief shall we not lay hands on him dogberry truly by your office you may but i think they that touch pitch will be defiled the most peaceable way for you if you do take a thief is to let him show himself what he is and steal out of your company verges you have been always called a merciful man partner dogberry truly i would not hang a dog by my will much more a man who hath any honesty in him verges if you hear a child cry in the night you must call to the nurse and bid her still it watchman how if the nurse be asleep and will not hear us dogberry why then depart in peace and let the child wake her with crying for the ewe that will not hear her lamb when it baes will never answer a calf when he bleats verges tis very true dogberry this is the end of the chargeyou constable are to present the prince's own person if you meet the prince in the night you may stay him verges nay by'r our lady that i think a cannot dogberry five shillings to one on't with any man that knows the statutes he may stay him marry not without the prince be willing for indeed the watch ought to offend no man and it is an offence to stay a man against his will verges by'r lady i think it be so dogberry ha ha ha well masters good night an there be any matter of weight chances call up me keep your fellows counsels and your own and good night come neighbour watchman well masters we hear our charge let us go sit here upon the churchbench till two and then all to bed dogberry one word more honest neighbours i pray you watch about signior leonato's door for the wedding being there tomorrow there is a great coil tonight adieu be vigitant i beseech you exeunt dogberry and verges enter borachio and conrade borachio what conrade watchman aside peace stir not borachio conrade i say conrade here man i am at thy elbow borachio mass and my elbow itched i thought there would a scab follow conrade i will owe thee an answer for that and now forward with thy tale borachio stand thee close then under this penthouse for it drizzles rain and i will like a true drunkard utter all to thee watchman aside some treason masters yet stand close borachio therefore know i have earned of don john a thousand ducats conrade is it possible that any villany should be so dear borachio thou shouldst rather ask if it were possible any villany should be so rich for when rich villains have need of poor ones poor ones may make what price they will conrade i wonder at it borachio that shows thou art unconfirmed thou knowest that the fashion of a doublet or a hat or a cloak is nothing to a man conrade yes it is apparel borachio i mean the fashion conrade yes the fashion is the fashion borachio tush i may as well say the fool's the fool but seest thou not what a deformed thief this fashion is watchman aside i know that deformed a has been a vile thief this seven year a goes up and down like a gentleman i remember his name borachio didst thou not hear somebody conrade no twas the vane on the house borachio seest thou not i say what a deformed thief this fashion is how giddily a turns about all the hot bloods between fourteen and fiveandthirty sometimes fashioning them like pharaoh's soldiers in the reeky painting sometime like god bel's priests in the old churchwindow sometime like the shaven hercules in the smirched wormeaten tapestry where his codpiece seems as massy as his club conrade all this i see and i see that the fashion wears out more apparel than the man but art not thou thyself giddy with the fashion too that thou hast shifted out of thy tale into telling me of the fashion borachio not so neither but know that i have tonight wooed margaret the lady hero's gentlewoman by the name of hero she leans me out at her mistress' chamberwindow bids me a thousand times good nighti tell this tale vilelyi should first tell thee how the prince claudio and my master planted and placed and possessed by my master don john saw afar off in the orchard this amiable encounter conrade and thought they margaret was hero borachio two of them did the prince and claudio but the devil my master knew she was margaret and partly by his oaths which first possessed them partly by the dark night which did deceive them but chiefly by my villany which did confirm any slander that don john had made away went claudio enraged swore he would meet her as he was appointed next morning at the temple and there before the whole congregation shame her with what he saw o'er night and send her home again without a husband first watchman we charge you in the prince's name stand second watchman call up the right master constable we have here recovered the most dangerous piece of lechery that ever was known in the commonwealth first watchman and one deformed is one of them i know him a' wears a lock conrade masters masters second watchman you'll be made bring deformed forth i warrant you conrade masters first watchman never speak we charge you let us obey you to go with us borachio we are like to prove a goodly commodity being taken up of these men's bills conrade a commodity in question i warrant you come we'll obey you exeunt much ado about nothing act iii scene iv hero's apartment enter hero margaret and ursula hero good ursula wake my cousin beatrice and desire her to rise ursula i will lady hero and bid her come hither ursula well exit margaret troth i think your other rabato were better hero no pray thee good meg i'll wear this margaret by my troth s not so good and i warrant your cousin will say so hero my cousin's a fool and thou art another i'll wear none but this margaret i like the new tire within excellently if the hair were a thought browner and your gown's a most rare fashion i faith i saw the duchess of milan's gown that they praise so hero o that exceeds they say margaret by my troth s but a nightgown in respect of yours cloth o gold and cuts and laced with silver set with pearls down sleeves side sleeves and skirts round underborne with a bluish tinsel but for a fine quaint graceful and excellent fashion yours is worth ten on t hero god give me joy to wear it for my heart is exceeding heavy margaret twill be heavier soon by the weight of a man hero fie upon thee art not ashamed margaret of what lady of speaking honourably is not marriage honourable in a beggar is not your lord honourable without marriage i think you would have me say saving your reverence a husband and bad thinking do not wrest true speaking i'll offend nobody is there any harm in the heavier for a husband none i think and it be the right husband and the right wife otherwise tis light and not heavy ask my lady beatrice else here she comes enter beatrice hero good morrow coz beatrice good morrow sweet hero hero why how now do you speak in the sick tune beatrice i am out of all other tune methinks margaret clap's into light o love that goes without a burden do you sing it and i'll dance it beatrice ye light o love with your heels then if your husband have stables enough you'll see he shall lack no barns margaret o illegitimate construction i scorn that with my heels beatrice tis almost five o'clock cousin tis time you were ready by my troth i am exceeding ill heighho margaret for a hawk a horse or a husband beatrice for the letter that begins them all h margaret well and you be not turned turk there's no more sailing by the star beatrice what means the fool trow margaret nothing i but god send every one their heart's desire hero these gloves the count sent me they are an excellent perfume beatrice i am stuffed cousin i cannot smell margaret a maid and stuffed there's goodly catching of cold beatrice o god help me god help me how long have you professed apprehension margaret even since you left it doth not my wit become me rarely beatrice it is not seen enough you should wear it in your cap by my troth i am sick margaret get you some of this distilled carduus benedictus and lay it to your heart it is the only thing for a qualm hero there thou prickest her with a thistle beatrice benedictus why benedictus you have some moral in this benedictus margaret moral no by my troth i have no moral meaning i meant plain holythistle you may think perchance that i think you are in love nay by'r lady i am not such a fool to think what i list nor i list not to think what i can nor indeed i cannot think if i would think my heart out of thinking that you are in love or that you will be in love or that you can be in love yet benedick was such another and now is he become a man he swore he would never marry and yet now in despite of his heart he eats his meat without grudging and how you may be converted i know not but methinks you look with your eyes as other women do beatrice what pace is this that thy tongue keeps margaret not a false gallop reenter ursula ursula madam withdraw the prince the count signior benedick don john and all the gallants of the town are come to fetch you to church hero help to dress me good coz good meg good ursula exeunt much ado about nothing act iii scene v another room in leonato's house enter leonato with dogberry and verges leonato what would you with me honest neighbour dogberry marry sir i would have some confidence with you that decerns you nearly leonato brief i pray you for you see it is a busy time with me dogberry marry this it is sir verges yes in truth it is sir leonato what is it my good friends dogberry goodman verges sir speaks a little off the matter an old man sir and his wits are not so blunt as god help i would desire they were but in faith honest as the skin between his brows verges yes i thank god i am as honest as any man living that is an old man and no honester than i dogberry comparisons are odorous palabras neighbour verges leonato neighbours you are tedious dogberry it pleases your worship to say so but we are the poor duke's officers but truly for mine own part if i were as tedious as a king i could find it in my heart to bestow it all of your worship leonato all thy tediousness on me ah dogberry yea an twere a thousand pound more than tis for i hear as good exclamation on your worship as of any man in the city and though i be but a poor man i am glad to hear it verges and so am i leonato i would fain know what you have to say verges marry sir our watch tonight excepting your worship's presence ha ta'en a couple of as arrant knaves as any in messina dogberry a good old man sir he will be talking as they say when the age is in the wit is out god help us it is a world to see well said i faith neighbour verges well god's a good man an two men ride of a horse one must ride behind an honest soul i faith sir by my troth he is as ever broke bread but god is to be worshipped all men are not alike alas good neighbour leonato indeed neighbour he comes too short of you dogberry gifts that god gives leonato i must leave you dogberry one word sir our watch sir have indeed comprehended two aspicious persons and we would have them this morning examined before your worship leonato take their examination yourself and bring it me i am now in great haste as it may appear unto you dogberry it shall be suffigance leonato drink some wine ere you go fare you well enter a messenger messenger my lord they stay for you to give your daughter to her husband leonato i'll wait upon them i am ready exeunt leonato and messenger dogberry go good partner go get you to francis seacole bid him bring his pen and inkhorn to the gaol we are now to examination these men verges and we must do it wisely dogberry we will spare for no wit i warrant you here's that shall drive some of them to a noncome only get the learned writer to set down our excommunication and meet me at the gaol exeunt much ado about nothing act iv scene i a church enter don pedro don john leonato friar francis claudio benedick hero beatrice and attendants leonato come friar francis be brief only to the plain form of marriage and you shall recount their particular duties afterwards friar francis you come hither my lord to marry this lady claudio no leonato to be married to her friar you come to marry her friar francis lady you come hither to be married to this count hero i do friar francis if either of you know any inward impediment why you should not be conjoined charge you on your souls to utter it claudio know you any hero hero none my lord friar francis know you any count leonato i dare make his answer none claudio o what men dare do what men may do what men daily do not knowing what they do benedick how now interjections why then some be of laughing as ah ha he claudio stand thee by friar father by your leave will you with free and unconstrained soul give me this maid your daughter leonato as freely son as god did give her me claudio and what have i to give you back whose worth may counterpoise this rich and precious gift don pedro nothing unless you render her again claudio sweet prince you learn me noble thankfulness there leonato take her back again give not this rotten orange to your friend she's but the sign and semblance of her honour behold how like a maid she blushes here o what authority and show of truth can cunning sin cover itself withal comes not that blood as modest evidence to witness simple virtue would you not swear all you that see her that she were a maid by these exterior shows but she is none she knows the heat of a luxurious bed her blush is guiltiness not modesty leonato what do you mean my lord claudio not to be married not to knit my soul to an approved wanton leonato dear my lord if you in your own proof have vanquish'd the resistance of her youth and made defeat of her virginity claudio i know what you would say if i have known her you will say she did embrace me as a husband and so extenuate the forehand sin no leonato i never tempted her with word too large but as a brother to his sister show'd bashful sincerity and comely love hero and seem'd i ever otherwise to you claudio out on thee seeming i will write against it you seem to me as dian in her orb as chaste as is the bud ere it be blown but you are more intemperate in your blood than venus or those pamper'd animals that rage in savage sensuality hero is my lord well that he doth speak so wide leonato sweet prince why speak not you don pedro what should i speak i stand dishonour'd that have gone about to link my dear friend to a common stale leonato are these things spoken or do i but dream don john sir they are spoken and these things are true benedick this looks not like a nuptial hero true o god claudio leonato stand i here is this the prince is this the prince's brother is this face hero's are our eyes our own leonato all this is so but what of this my lord claudio let me but move one question to your daughter and by that fatherly and kindly power that you have in her bid her answer truly leonato i charge thee do so as thou art my child hero o god defend me how am i beset what kind of catechising call you this claudio to make you answer truly to your name hero is it not hero who can blot that name with any just reproach claudio marry that can hero hero itself can blot out hero's virtue what man was he talk'd with you yesternight out at your window betwixt twelve and one now if you are a maid answer to this hero i talk'd with no man at that hour my lord don pedro why then are you no maiden leonato i am sorry you must hear upon mine honour myself my brother and this grieved count did see her hear her at that hour last night talk with a ruffian at her chamberwindow who hath indeed most like a liberal villain confess'd the vile encounters they have had a thousand times in secret don john fie fie they are not to be named my lord not to be spoke of there is not chastity enough in language without offence to utter them thus pretty lady i am sorry for thy much misgovernment claudio o hero what a hero hadst thou been if half thy outward graces had been placed about thy thoughts and counsels of thy heart but fare thee well most foul most fair farewell thou pure impiety and impious purity for thee i'll lock up all the gates of love and on my eyelids shall conjecture hang to turn all beauty into thoughts of harm and never shall it more be gracious leonato hath no man's dagger here a point for me hero swoons beatrice why how now cousin wherefore sink you down don john come let us go these things come thus to light smother her spirits up exeunt don pedro don john and claudio benedick how doth the lady beatrice dead i think help uncle hero why hero uncle signior benedick friar leonato o fate take not away thy heavy hand death is the fairest cover for her shame that may be wish'd for beatrice how now cousin hero friar francis have comfort lady leonato dost thou look up friar francis yea wherefore should she not leonato wherefore why doth not every earthly thing cry shame upon her could she here deny the story that is printed in her blood do not live hero do not ope thine eyes for did i think thou wouldst not quickly die thought i thy spirits were stronger than thy shames myself would on the rearward of reproaches strike at thy life grieved i i had but one chid i for that at frugal nature's frame o one too much by thee why had i one why ever wast thou lovely in my eyes why had i not with charitable hand took up a beggar's issue at my gates who smirch'd thus and mired with infamy i might have said no part of it is mine this shame derives itself from unknown loins' but mine and mine i loved and mine i praised and mine that i was proud on mine so much that i myself was to myself not mine valuing of herwhy she o she is fallen into a pit of ink that the wide sea hath drops too few to wash her clean again and salt too little which may season give to her foultainted flesh benedick sir sir be patient for my part i am so attired in wonder i know not what to say beatrice o on my soul my cousin is belied benedick lady were you her bedfellow last night beatrice no truly not although until last night i have this twelvemonth been her bedfellow leonato confirm'd confirm'd o that is stronger made which was before barr'd up with ribs of iron would the two princes lie and claudio lie who loved her so that speaking of her foulness wash'd it with tears hence from her let her die friar francis hear me a little for i have only been silent so long and given way unto this course of fortune by noting of the lady i have mark'd a thousand blushing apparitions to start into her face a thousand innocent shames in angel whiteness beat away those blushes and in her eye there hath appear'd a fire to burn the errors that these princes hold against her maiden truth call me a fool trust not my reading nor my observations which with experimental seal doth warrant the tenor of my book trust not my age my reverence calling nor divinity if this sweet lady lie not guiltless here under some biting error leonato friar it cannot be thou seest that all the grace that she hath left is that she will not add to her damnation a sin of perjury she not denies it why seek'st thou then to cover with excuse that which appears in proper nakedness friar francis lady what man is he you are accused of hero they know that do accuse me i know none if i know more of any man alive than that which maiden modesty doth warrant let all my sins lack mercy o my father prove you that any man with me conversed at hours unmeet or that i yesternight maintain'd the change of words with any creature refuse me hate me torture me to death friar francis there is some strange misprision in the princes benedick two of them have the very bent of honour and if their wisdoms be misled in this the practise of it lives in john the bastard whose spirits toil in frame of villanies leonato i know not if they speak but truth of her these hands shall tear her if they wrong her honour the proudest of them shall well hear of it time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine nor age so eat up my invention nor fortune made such havoc of my means nor my bad life reft me so much of friends but they shall find awaked in such a kind both strength of limb and policy of mind ability in means and choice of friends to quit me of them throughly friar francis pause awhile and let my counsel sway you in this case your daughter here the princes left for dead let her awhile be secretly kept in and publish it that she is dead indeed maintain a mourning ostentation and on your family's old monument hang mournful epitaphs and do all rites that appertain unto a burial leonato what shall become of this what will this do friar francis marry this well carried shall on her behalf change slander to remorse that is some good but not for that dream i on this strange course but on this travail look for greater birth she dying as it must so be maintain'd upon the instant that she was accused shall be lamented pitied and excused of every hearer for it so falls out that what we have we prize not to the worth whiles we enjoy it but being lack'd and lost why then we rack the value then we find the virtue that possession would not show us whiles it was ours so will it fare with claudio when he shall hear she died upon his words the idea of her life shall sweetly creep into his study of imagination and every lovely organ of her life shall come apparell'd in more precious habit more movingdelicate and full of life into the eye and prospect of his soul than when she lived indeed then shall he mourn if ever love had interest in his liver and wish he had not so accused her no though he thought his accusation true let this be so and doubt not but success will fashion the event in better shape than i can lay it down in likelihood but if all aim but this be levell'd false the supposition of the lady's death will quench the wonder of her infamy and if it sort not well you may conceal her as best befits her wounded reputation in some reclusive and religious life out of all eyes tongues minds and injuries benedick signior leonato let the friar advise you and though you know my inwardness and love is very much unto the prince and claudio yet by mine honour i will deal in this as secretly and justly as your soul should with your body leonato being that i flow in grief the smallest twine may lead me friar francis tis well consented presently away for to strange sores strangely they strain the cure come lady die to live this weddingday perhaps is but prolong'd have patience and endure exeunt all but benedick and beatrice benedick lady beatrice have you wept all this while beatrice yea and i will weep a while longer benedick i will not desire that beatrice you have no reason i do it freely benedick surely i do believe your fair cousin is wronged beatrice ah how much might the man deserve of me that would right her benedick is there any way to show such friendship beatrice a very even way but no such friend benedick may a man do it beatrice it is a man's office but not yours benedick i do love nothing in the world so well as you is not that strange beatrice as strange as the thing i know not it were as possible for me to say i loved nothing so well as you but believe me not and yet i lie not i confess nothing nor i deny nothing i am sorry for my cousin benedick by my sword beatrice thou lovest me beatrice do not swear and eat it benedick i will swear by it that you love me and i will make him eat it that says i love not you beatrice will you not eat your word benedick with no sauce that can be devised to it i protest i love thee beatrice why then god forgive me benedick what offence sweet beatrice beatrice you have stayed me in a happy hour i was about to protest i loved you benedick and do it with all thy heart beatrice i love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest benedick come bid me do any thing for thee beatrice kill claudio benedick ha not for the wide world beatrice you kill me to deny it farewell benedick tarry sweet beatrice beatrice i am gone though i am here there is no love in you nay i pray you let me go benedick beatrice beatrice in faith i will go benedick we'll be friends first beatrice you dare easier be friends with me than fight with mine enemy benedick is claudio thine enemy beatrice is he not approved in the height a villain that hath slandered scorned dishonoured my kinswoman o that i were a man what bear her in hand until they come to take hands and then with public accusation uncovered slander unmitigated rancour o god that i were a man i would eat his heart in the marketplace benedick hear me beatrice beatrice talk with a man out at a window a proper saying benedick nay but beatrice beatrice sweet hero she is wronged she is slandered she is undone benedick beat beatrice princes and counties surely a princely testimony a goodly count count comfect a sweet gallant surely o that i were a man for his sake or that i had any friend would be a man for my sake but manhood is melted into courtesies valour into compliment and men are only turned into tongue and trim ones too he is now as valiant as hercules that only tells a lie and swears it i cannot be a man with wishing therefore i will die a woman with grieving benedick tarry good beatrice by this hand i love thee beatrice use it for my love some other way than swearing by it benedick think you in your soul the count claudio hath wronged hero beatrice yea as sure as i have a thought or a soul benedick enough i am engaged i will challenge him i will kiss your hand and so i leave you by this hand claudio shall render me a dear account as you hear of me so think of me go comfort your cousin i must say she is dead and so farewell exeunt much ado about nothing act iv scene ii a prison enter dogberry verges and sexton in gowns and the watch with conrade and borachio dogberry is our whole dissembly appeared verges o a stool and a cushion for the sexton sexton which be the malefactors dogberry marry that am i and my partner verges nay that's certain we have the exhibition to examine sexton but which are the offenders that are to be examined let them come before master constable dogberry yea marry let them come before me what is your name friend borachio borachio dogberry pray write down borachio yours sirrah conrade i am a gentleman sir and my name is conrade dogberry write down master gentleman conrade masters do you serve god conrade yea sir we hope borachio dogberry write down that they hope they serve god and write god first for god defend but god should go before such villains masters it is proved already that you are little better than false knaves and it will go near to be thought so shortly how answer you for yourselves conrade marry sir we say we are none dogberry a marvellous witty fellow i assure you but i will go about with him come you hither sirrah a word in your ear sir i say to you it is thought you are false knaves borachio sir i say to you we are none dogberry well stand aside fore god they are both in a tale have you writ down that they are none sexton master constable you go not the way to examine you must call forth the watch that are their accusers dogberry yea marry that's the eftest way let the watch come forth masters i charge you in the prince's name accuse these men first watchman this man said sir that don john the prince's brother was a villain dogberry write down prince john a villain why this is flat perjury to call a prince's brother villain borachio master constable dogberry pray thee fellow peace i do not like thy look i promise thee sexton what heard you him say else second watchman marry that he had received a thousand ducats of don john for accusing the lady hero wrongfully dogberry flat burglary as ever was committed verges yea by mass that it is sexton what else fellow first watchman and that count claudio did mean upon his words to disgrace hero before the whole assembly and not marry her dogberry o villain thou wilt be condemned into everlasting redemption for this sexton what else watchman this is all sexton and this is more masters than you can deny prince john is this morning secretly stolen away hero was in this manner accused in this very manner refused and upon the grief of this suddenly died master constable let these men be bound and brought to leonato's i will go before and show him their examination exit dogberry come let them be opinioned verges let them be in the hands conrade off coxcomb dogberry god's my life where's the sexton let him write down the prince's officer coxcomb come bind them thou naughty varlet conrade away you are an ass you are an ass dogberry dost thou not suspect my place dost thou not suspect my years o that he were here to write me down an ass but masters remember that i am an ass though it be not written down yet forget not that i am an ass no thou villain thou art full of piety as shall be proved upon thee by good witness i am a wise fellow and which is more an officer and which is more a householder and which is more as pretty a piece of flesh as any is in messina and one that knows the law go to and a rich fellow enough go to and a fellow that hath had losses and one that hath two gowns and every thing handsome about him bring him away o that i had been writ down an ass exeunt much ado about nothing act v scene i before leonato's house enter leonato and antonio antonio if you go on thus you will kill yourself and tis not wisdom thus to second grief against yourself leonato i pray thee cease thy counsel which falls into mine ears as profitless as water in a sieve give not me counsel nor let no comforter delight mine ear but such a one whose wrongs do suit with mine bring me a father that so loved his child whose joy of her is overwhelm'd like mine and bid him speak of patience measure his woe the length and breadth of mine and let it answer every strain for strain as thus for thus and such a grief for such in every lineament branch shape and form if such a one will smile and stroke his beard bid sorrow wag cry hem when he should groan patch grief with proverbs make misfortune drunk with candlewasters bring him yet to me and i of him will gather patience but there is no such man for brother men can counsel and speak comfort to that grief which they themselves not feel but tasting it their counsel turns to passion which before would give preceptial medicine to rage fetter strong madness in a silken thread charm ache with air and agony with words no no tis all men's office to speak patience to those that wring under the load of sorrow but no man's virtue nor sufficiency to be so moral when he shall endure the like himself therefore give me no counsel my griefs cry louder than advertisement antonio therein do men from children nothing differ leonato i pray thee peace i will be flesh and blood for there was never yet philosopher that could endure the toothache patiently however they have writ the style of gods and made a push at chance and sufferance antonio yet bend not all the harm upon yourself make those that do offend you suffer too leonato there thou speak'st reason nay i will do so my soul doth tell me hero is belied and that shall claudio know so shall the prince and all of them that thus dishonour her antonio here comes the prince and claudio hastily enter don pedro and claudio don pedro good den good den claudio good day to both of you leonato hear you my lords don pedro we have some haste leonato leonato some haste my lord well fare you well my lord are you so hasty now well all is one don pedro nay do not quarrel with us good old man antonio if he could right himself with quarreling some of us would lie low claudio who wrongs him leonato marry thou dost wrong me thou dissembler thou nay never lay thy hand upon thy sword i fear thee not claudio marry beshrew my hand if it should give your age such cause of fear in faith my hand meant nothing to my sword leonato tush tush man never fleer and jest at me i speak not like a dotard nor a fool as under privilege of age to brag what i have done being young or what would do were i not old know claudio to thy head thou hast so wrong'd mine innocent child and me that i am forced to lay my reverence by and with grey hairs and bruise of many days do challenge thee to trial of a man i say thou hast belied mine innocent child thy slander hath gone through and through her heart and she lies buried with her ancestors o in a tomb where never scandal slept save this of hers framed by thy villany claudio my villany leonato thine claudio thine i say don pedro you say not right old man leonato my lord my lord i'll prove it on his body if he dare despite his nice fence and his active practise his may of youth and bloom of lustihood claudio away i will not have to do with you leonato canst thou so daff me thou hast kill'd my child if thou kill'st me boy thou shalt kill a man antonio he shall kill two of us and men indeed but that's no matter let him kill one first win me and wear me let him answer me come follow me boy come sir boy come follow me sir boy i'll whip you from your foining fence nay as i am a gentleman i will leonato brother antonio content yourself god knows i loved my niece and she is dead slander'd to death by villains that dare as well answer a man indeed as i dare take a serpent by the tongue boys apes braggarts jacks milksops leonato brother antony antonio hold you content what man i know them yea and what they weigh even to the utmost scruple scrambling outfacing fashionmonging boys that lie and cog and flout deprave and slander go anticly show outward hideousness and speak off half a dozen dangerous words how they might hurt their enemies if they durst and this is all leonato but brother antony antonio come tis no matter do not you meddle let me deal in this don pedro gentlemen both we will not wake your patience my heart is sorry for your daughter's death but on my honour she was charged with nothing but what was true and very full of proof leonato my lord my lord don pedro i will not hear you leonato no come brother away i will be heard antonio and shall or some of us will smart for it exeunt leonato and antonio don pedro see see here comes the man we went to seek enter benedick claudio now signior what news benedick good day my lord don pedro welcome signior you are almost come to part almost a fray claudio we had like to have had our two noses snapped off with two old men without teeth don pedro leonato and his brother what thinkest thou had we fought i doubt we should have been too young for them benedick in a false quarrel there is no true valour i came to seek you both claudio we have been up and down to seek thee for we are highproof melancholy and would fain have it beaten away wilt thou use thy wit benedick it is in my scabbard shall i draw it don pedro dost thou wear thy wit by thy side claudio never any did so though very many have been beside their wit i will bid thee draw as we do the minstrels draw to pleasure us don pedro as i am an honest man he looks pale art thou sick or angry claudio what courage man what though care killed a cat thou hast mettle enough in thee to kill care benedick sir i shall meet your wit in the career and you charge it against me i pray you choose another subject claudio nay then give him another staff this last was broke cross don pedro by this light he changes more and more i think he be angry indeed claudio if he be he knows how to turn his girdle benedick shall i speak a word in your ear claudio god bless me from a challenge benedick aside to claudio you are a villain i jest not i will make it good how you dare with what you dare and when you dare do me right or i will protest your cowardice you have killed a sweet lady and her death shall fall heavy on you let me hear from you claudio well i will meet you so i may have good cheer don pedro what a feast a feast claudio i faith i thank him he hath bid me to a calf's head and a capon the which if i do not carve most curiously say my knife's naught shall i not find a woodcock too benedick sir your wit ambles well it goes easily don pedro i'll tell thee how beatrice praised thy wit the other day i said thou hadst a fine wit true' said she a fine little one no said i a great wit right says she a great gross one' nay said i a good wit just said she it hurts nobody nay said i the gentleman is wise certain said she a wise gentleman' nay said i he hath the tongues that i believe said she for he swore a thing to me on monday night which he forswore on tuesday morning there's a double tongue there's two tongues thus did she an hour together transshape thy particular virtues yet at last she concluded with a sigh thou wast the properest man in italy claudio for the which she wept heartily and said she cared not don pedro yea that she did but yet for all that an if she did not hate him deadly she would love him dearly the old man's daughter told us all claudio all all and moreover god saw him when he was hid in the garden don pedro but when shall we set the savage bull's horns on the sensible benedick's head claudio yea and text underneath here dwells benedick the married man' benedick fare you well boy you know my mind i will leave you now to your gossiplike humour you break jests as braggarts do their blades which god be thanked hurt not my lord for your many courtesies i thank you i must discontinue your company your brother the bastard is fled from messina you have among you killed a sweet and innocent lady for my lord lackbeard there he and i shall meet and till then peace be with him exit don pedro he is in earnest claudio in most profound earnest and i'll warrant you for the love of beatrice don pedro and hath challenged thee claudio most sincerely don pedro what a pretty thing man is when he goes in his doublet and hose and leaves off his wit claudio he is then a giant to an ape but then is an ape a doctor to such a man don pedro but soft you let me be pluck up my heart and be sad did he not say my brother was fled enter dogberry verges and the watch with conrade and borachio dogberry come you sir if justice cannot tame you she shall ne'er weigh more reasons in her balance nay an you be a cursing hypocrite once you must be looked to don pedro how now two of my brother's men bound borachio one claudio hearken after their offence my lord don pedro officers what offence have these men done dogberry marry sir they have committed false report moreover they have spoken untruths secondarily they are slanders sixth and lastly they have belied a lady thirdly they have verified unjust things and to conclude they are lying knaves don pedro first i ask thee what they have done thirdly i ask thee what's their offence sixth and lastly why they are committed and to conclude what you lay to their charge claudio rightly reasoned and in his own division and by my troth there's one meaning well suited don pedro who have you offended masters that you are thus bound to your answer this learned constable is too cunning to be understood what's your offence borachio sweet prince let me go no farther to mine answer do you hear me and let this count kill me i have deceived even your very eyes what your wisdoms could not discover these shallow fools have brought to light who in the night overheard me confessing to this man how don john your brother incensed me to slander the lady hero how you were brought into the orchard and saw me court margaret in hero's garments how you disgraced her when you should marry her my villany they have upon record which i had rather seal with my death than repeat over to my shame the lady is dead upon mine and my master's false accusation and briefly i desire nothing but the reward of a villain don pedro runs not this speech like iron through your blood claudio i have drunk poison whiles he utter'd it don pedro but did my brother set thee on to this borachio yea and paid me richly for the practise of it don pedro he is composed and framed of treachery and fled he is upon this villany claudio sweet hero now thy image doth appear in the rare semblance that i loved it first dogberry come bring away the plaintiffs by this time our sexton hath reformed signior leonato of the matter and masters do not forget to specify when time and place shall serve that i am an ass verges here here comes master signior leonato and the sexton too reenter leonato and antonio with the sexton leonato which is the villain let me see his eyes that when i note another man like him i may avoid him which of these is he borachio if you would know your wronger look on me leonato art thou the slave that with thy breath hast kill'd mine innocent child borachio yea even i alone leonato no not so villain thou beliest thyself here stand a pair of honourable men a third is fled that had a hand in it i thank you princes for my daughter's death record it with your high and worthy deeds twas bravely done if you bethink you of it claudio i know not how to pray your patience yet i must speak choose your revenge yourself impose me to what penance your invention can lay upon my sin yet sinn'd i not but in mistaking don pedro by my soul nor i and yet to satisfy this good old man i would bend under any heavy weight that he'll enjoin me to leonato i cannot bid you bid my daughter live that were impossible but i pray you both possess the people in messina here how innocent she died and if your love can labour ought in sad invention hang her an epitaph upon her tomb and sing it to her bones sing it tonight tomorrow morning come you to my house and since you could not be my soninlaw be yet my nephew my brother hath a daughter almost the copy of my child that's dead and she alone is heir to both of us give her the right you should have given her cousin and so dies my revenge claudio o noble sir your overkindness doth wring tears from me i do embrace your offer and dispose for henceforth of poor claudio leonato tomorrow then i will expect your coming tonight i take my leave this naughty man shall face to face be brought to margaret who i believe was pack'd in all this wrong hired to it by your brother borachio no by my soul she was not nor knew not what she did when she spoke to me but always hath been just and virtuous in any thing that i do know by her dogberry moreover sir which indeed is not under white and black this plaintiff here the offender did call me ass i beseech you let it be remembered in his punishment and also the watch heard them talk of one deformed they say be wears a key in his ear and a lock hanging by it and borrows money in god's name the which he hath used so long and never paid that now men grow hardhearted and will lend nothing for god's sake pray you examine him upon that point leonato i thank thee for thy care and honest pains dogberry your worship speaks like a most thankful and reverend youth and i praise god for you leonato there's for thy pains dogberry god save the foundation leonato go i discharge thee of thy prisoner and i thank thee dogberry i leave an arrant knave with your worship which i beseech your worship to correct yourself for the example of others god keep your worship i wish your worship well god restore you to health i humbly give you leave to depart and if a merry meeting may be wished god prohibit it come neighbour exeunt dogberry and verges leonato until tomorrow morning lords farewell antonio farewell my lords we look for you tomorrow don pedro we will not fail claudio tonight i'll mourn with hero leonato to the watch bring you these fellows on we'll talk with margaret how her acquaintance grew with this lewd fellow exeunt severally much ado about nothing act v scene ii leonato's garden enter benedick and margaret meeting benedick pray thee sweet mistress margaret deserve well at my hands by helping me to the speech of beatrice margaret will you then write me a sonnet in praise of my beauty benedick in so high a style margaret that no man living shall come over it for in most comely truth thou deservest it margaret to have no man come over me why shall i always keep below stairs benedick thy wit is as quick as the greyhound's mouth it catches margaret and yours as blunt as the fencer's foils which hit but hurt not benedick a most manly wit margaret it will not hurt a woman and so i pray thee call beatrice i give thee the bucklers margaret give us the swords we have bucklers of our own benedick if you use them margaret you must put in the pikes with a vice and they are dangerous weapons for maids margaret well i will call beatrice to you who i think hath legs benedick and therefore will come exit margaret sings the god of love that sits above and knows me and knows me how pitiful i deserve i mean in singing but in loving leander the good swimmer troilus the first employer of panders and a whole bookful of these quondam carpetmangers whose names yet run smoothly in the even road of a blank verse why they were never so truly turned over and over as my poor self in love marry i cannot show it in rhyme i have tried i can find out no rhyme to lady but baby an innocent rhyme for scorn horn a hard rhyme for school fool a babbling rhyme very ominous endings no i was not born under a rhyming planet nor i cannot woo in festival terms enter beatrice sweet beatrice wouldst thou come when i called thee beatrice yea signior and depart when you bid me benedick o stay but till then beatrice then is spoken fare you well now and yet ere i go let me go with that i came which is with knowing what hath passed between you and claudio benedick only foul words and thereupon i will kiss thee beatrice foul words is but foul wind and foul wind is but foul breath and foul breath is noisome therefore i will depart unkissed benedick thou hast frighted the word out of his right sense so forcible is thy wit but i must tell thee plainly claudio undergoes my challenge and either i must shortly hear from him or i will subscribe him a coward and i pray thee now tell me for which of my bad parts didst thou first fall in love with me beatrice for them all together which maintained so politic a state of evil that they will not admit any good part to intermingle with them but for which of my good parts did you first suffer love for me benedick suffer love a good epithet i do suffer love indeed for i love thee against my will beatrice in spite of your heart i think alas poor heart if you spite it for my sake i will spite it for yours for i will never love that which my friend hates benedick thou and i are too wise to woo peaceably beatrice it appears not in this confession there's not one wise man among twenty that will praise himself benedick an old an old instance beatrice that lived in the lime of good neighbours if a man do not erect in this age his own tomb ere he dies he shall live no longer in monument than the bell rings and the widow weeps beatrice and how long is that think you benedick question why an hour in clamour and a quarter in rheum therefore is it most expedient for the wise if don worm his conscience find no impediment to the contrary to be the trumpet of his own virtues as i am to myself so much for praising myself who i myself will bear witness is praiseworthy and now tell me how doth your cousin beatrice very ill benedick and how do you beatrice very ill too benedick serve god love me and mend there will i leave you too for here comes one in haste enter ursula ursula madam you must come to your uncle yonder's old coil at home it is proved my lady hero hath been falsely accused the prince and claudio mightily abused and don john is the author of all who is fed and gone will you come presently beatrice will you go hear this news signior benedick i will live in thy heart die in thy lap and be buried in thy eyes and moreover i will go with thee to thy uncle's exeunt much ado about nothing act v scene iii a church enter don pedro claudio and three or four with tapers claudio is this the monument of leonato lord it is my lord claudio reading out of a scroll done to death by slanderous tongues was the hero that here lies death in guerdon of her wrongs gives her fame which never dies so the life that died with shame lives in death with glorious fame hang thou there upon the tomb praising her when i am dumb now music sound and sing your solemn hymn song pardon goddess of the night those that slew thy virgin knight for the which with songs of woe round about her tomb they go midnight assist our moan help us to sigh and groan heavily heavily graves yawn and yield your dead till death be uttered heavily heavily claudio now unto thy bones good night yearly will i do this rite don pedro good morrow masters put your torches out the wolves have prey'd and look the gentle day before the wheels of phoebus round about dapples the drowsy east with spots of grey thanks to you all and leave us fare you well claudio good morrow masters each his several way don pedro come let us hence and put on other weeds and then to leonato's we will go claudio and hymen now with luckier issue speed's than this for whom we render'd up this woe exeunt much ado about nothing act v scene iv a room in leonato's house enter leonato antonio benedick beatrice margaret ursula friar francis and hero friar francis did i not tell you she was innocent leonato so are the prince and claudio who accused her upon the error that you heard debated but margaret was in some fault for this although against her will as it appears in the true course of all the question antonio well i am glad that all things sort so well benedick and so am i being else by faith enforced to call young claudio to a reckoning for it leonato well daughter and you gentlewomen all withdraw into a chamber by yourselves and when i send for you come hither mask'd exeunt ladies the prince and claudio promised by this hour to visit me you know your office brother you must be father to your brother's daughter and give her to young claudio antonio which i will do with confirm'd countenance benedick friar i must entreat your pains i think friar francis to do what signior benedick to bind me or undo me one of them signior leonato truth it is good signior your niece regards me with an eye of favour leonato that eye my daughter lent her tis most true benedick and i do with an eye of love requite her leonato the sight whereof i think you had from me from claudio and the prince but what's your will benedick your answer sir is enigmatical but for my will my will is your good will may stand with ours this day to be conjoin'd in the state of honourable marriage in which good friar i shall desire your help leonato my heart is with your liking friar francis and my help here comes the prince and claudio enter don pedro and claudio and two or three others don pedro good morrow to this fair assembly leonato good morrow prince good morrow claudio we here attend you are you yet determined today to marry with my brother's daughter claudio i'll hold my mind were she an ethiope leonato call her forth brother here's the friar ready exit antonio don pedro good morrow benedick why what's the matter that you have such a february face so full of frost of storm and cloudiness claudio i think he thinks upon the savage bull tush fear not man we'll tip thy horns with gold and all europa shall rejoice at thee as once europa did at lusty jove when he would play the noble beast in love benedick bull jove sir had an amiable low and some such strange bull leap'd your father's cow and got a calf in that same noble feat much like to you for you have just his bleat claudio for this i owe you here comes other reckonings reenter antonio with the ladies masked which is the lady i must seize upon antonio this same is she and i do give you her claudio why then she's mine sweet let me see your face leonato no that you shall not till you take her hand before this friar and swear to marry her claudio give me your hand before this holy friar i am your husband if you like of me hero and when i lived i was your other wife unmasking and when you loved you were my other husband claudio another hero hero nothing certainer one hero died defiled but i do live and surely as i live i am a maid don pedro the former hero hero that is dead leonato she died my lord but whiles her slander lived friar francis all this amazement can i qualify when after that the holy rites are ended i'll tell you largely of fair hero's death meantime let wonder seem familiar and to the chapel let us presently benedick soft and fair friar which is beatrice beatrice unmasking i answer to that name what is your will benedick do not you love me beatrice why no no more than reason benedick why then your uncle and the prince and claudio have been deceived they swore you did beatrice do not you love me benedick troth no no more than reason beatrice why then my cousin margaret and ursula are much deceived for they did swear you did benedick they swore that you were almost sick for me beatrice they swore that you were wellnigh dead for me benedick tis no such matter then you do not love me beatrice no truly but in friendly recompense leonato come cousin i am sure you love the gentleman claudio and i'll be sworn upon't that he loves her for here's a paper written in his hand a halting sonnet of his own pure brain fashion'd to beatrice hero and here's another writ in my cousin's hand stolen from her pocket containing her affection unto benedick benedick a miracle here's our own hands against our hearts come i will have thee but by this light i take thee for pity beatrice i would not deny you but by this good day i yield upon great persuasion and partly to save your life for i was told you were in a consumption benedick peace i will stop your mouth kissing her don pedro how dost thou benedick the married man benedick i'll tell thee what prince a college of witcrackers cannot flout me out of my humour dost thou think i care for a satire or an epigram no if a man will be beaten with brains a shall wear nothing handsome about him in brief since i do purpose to marry i will think nothing to any purpose that the world can say against it and therefore never flout at me for what i have said against it for man is a giddy thing and this is my conclusion for thy part claudio i did think to have beaten thee but in that thou art like to be my kinsman live unbruised and love my cousin claudio i had well hoped thou wouldst have denied beatrice that i might have cudgelled thee out of thy single life to make thee a doubledealer which out of question thou wilt be if my cousin do not look exceedingly narrowly to thee benedick come come we are friends let's have a dance ere we are married that we may lighten our own hearts and our wives heels leonato we'll have dancing afterward benedick first of my word therefore play music prince thou art sad get thee a wife get thee a wife there is no staff more reverend than one tipped with horn enter a messenger messenger my lord your brother john is ta'en in flight and brought with armed men back to messina benedick think not on him till tomorrow i'll devise thee brave punishments for him strike up pipers dance exeunt pericles prince of tyre dramatis personae antiochus king of antioch pericles prince of tyre helicanus two lords of tyre escanes simonides king of pentapolis cleon governor of tarsus lysimachus governor of mytilene cerimon a lord of ephesus thaliard a lord of antioch philemon servant to cerimon leonine servant to dionyza marshal marshal a pandar pandar boult his servant the daughter of antiochus daughter dionyza wife to cleon thaisa daughter to simonides marina daughter to pericles and thaisa lychorida nurse to marina a bawd bawd lords knights gentlemen sailors pirates fishermen and messengers lord first lord second lord third lord first knight second knight third knight first gentleman second gentleman first sailor second sailor first pirate second pirate third pirate first fisherman second fisherman third fisherman messenger diana gower as chorus scene dispersedly in various countries pericles prince of tyre act i enter gower before the palace of antioch to sing a song that old was sung from ashes ancient gower is come assuming man's infirmities to glad your ear and please your eyes it hath been sung at festivals on embereves and holyales and lords and ladies in their lives have read it for restoratives the purchase is to make men glorious et bonum quo antiquius eo melius if you born in these latter times when wit's more ripe accept my rhymes and that to hear an old man sing may to your wishes pleasure bring i life would wish and that i might waste it for you like taperlight this antioch then antiochus the great built up this city for his chiefest seat the fairest in all syria i tell you what mine authors say this king unto him took a fere who died and left a female heir so buxom blithe and full of face as heaven had lent her all his grace with whom the father liking took and her to incest did provoke bad child worse father to entice his own to evil should be done by none but custom what they did begin was with long use account no sin the beauty of this sinful dame made many princes thither frame to seek her as a bedfellow in marriagepleasures playfellow which to prevent he made a law to keep her still and men in awe that whoso ask'd her for his wife his riddle told not lost his life so for her many a wight did die as yon grim looks do testify what now ensues to the judgment of your eye i give my cause who best can justify exit pericles prince of tyre act i scene i antioch a room in the palace enter antiochus prince pericles and followers antiochus young prince of tyre you have at large received the danger of the task you undertake pericles i have antiochus and with a soul embolden'd with the glory of her praise think death no hazard in this enterprise antiochus bring in our daughter clothed like a bride for the embracements even of jove himself at whose conception till lucina reign'd nature this dowry gave to glad her presence the senatehouse of planets all did sit to knit in her their best perfections music enter the daughter of antiochus pericles see where she comes apparell'd like the spring graces her subjects and her thoughts the king of every virtue gives renown to men her face the book of praises where is read nothing but curious pleasures as from thence sorrow were ever razed and testy wrath could never be her mild companion you gods that made me man and sway in love that have inflamed desire in my breast to taste the fruit of yon celestial tree or die in the adventure be my helps as i am son and servant to your will to compass such a boundless happiness antiochus prince pericles pericles that would be son to great antiochus antiochus before thee stands this fair hesperides with golden fruit but dangerous to be touch'd for deathlike dragons here affright thee hard her face like heaven enticeth thee to view her countless glory which desert must gain and which without desert because thine eye presumes to reach all thy whole heap must die yon sometimes famous princes like thyself drawn by report adventurous by desire tell thee with speechless tongues and semblance pale that without covering save yon field of stars here they stand martyrs slain in cupid's wars and with dead cheeks advise thee to desist for going on death's net whom none resist pericles antiochus i thank thee who hath taught my frail mortality to know itself and by those fearful objects to prepare this body like to them to what i must for death remember'd should be like a mirror who tells us life's but breath to trust it error i'll make my will then and as sick men do who know the world see heaven but feeling woe gripe not at earthly joys as erst they did so i bequeath a happy peace to you and all good men as every prince should do my riches to the earth from whence they came but my unspotted fire of love to you to the daughter of antiochus thus ready for the way of life or death i wait the sharpest blow antiochus antiochus scorning advice read the conclusion then which read and not expounded tis decreed as these before thee thou thyself shalt bleed daughter of all say'd yet mayst thou prove prosperous of all say'd yet i wish thee happiness pericles like a bold champion i assume the lists nor ask advice of any other thought but faithfulness and courage he reads the riddle i am no viper yet i feed on mother's flesh which did me breed i sought a husband in which labour i found that kindness in a father he's father son and husband mild i mother wife and yet his child how they may be and yet in two as you will live resolve it you sharp physic is the last but o you powers that give heaven countless eyes to view men's acts why cloud they not their sights perpetually if this be true which makes me pale to read it fair glass of light i loved you and could still takes hold of the hand of the daughter of antiochus were not this glorious casket stored with ill but i must tell you now my thoughts revolt for he's no man on whom perfections wait that knowing sin within will touch the gate you are a fair viol and your sense the strings who finger'd to make man his lawful music would draw heaven down and all the gods to hearken but being play'd upon before your time hell only danceth at so harsh a chime good sooth i care not for you antiochus prince pericles touch not upon thy life for that's an article within our law as dangerous as the rest your time's expired either expound now or receive your sentence pericles great king few love to hear the sins they love to act twould braid yourself too near for me to tell it who has a book of all that monarchs do he's more secure to keep it shut than shown for vice repeated is like the wandering wind blows dust in other's eyes to spread itself and yet the end of all is bought thus dear the breath is gone and the sore eyes see clear to stop the air would hurt them the blind mole casts copp'd hills towards heaven to tell the earth is throng'd by man's oppression and the poor worm doth die for't kings are earth's gods in vice their law's their will and if jove stray who dares say jove doth ill it is enough you know and it is fit what being more known grows worse to smother it all love the womb that their first being bred then give my tongue like leave to love my head antiochus aside heaven that i had thy head he has found the meaning but i will gloze with himyoung prince of tyre though by the tenor of our strict edict your exposition misinterpreting we might proceed to cancel of your days yet hope succeeding from so fair a tree as your fair self doth tune us otherwise forty days longer we do respite you if by which time our secret be undone this mercy shows we'll joy in such a son and until then your entertain shall be as doth befit our honour and your worth exeunt all but pericles pericles how courtesy would seem to cover sin when what is done is like an hypocrite the which is good in nothing but in sight if it be true that i interpret false then were it certain you were not so bad as with foul incest to abuse your soul where now you're both a father and a son by your untimely claspings with your child which pleasure fits an husband not a father and she an eater of her mother's flesh by the defiling of her parent's bed and both like serpents are who though they feed on sweetest flowers yet they poison breed antioch farewell for wisdom sees those men blush not in actions blacker than the night will shun no course to keep them from the light one sin i know another doth provoke murder's as near to lust as flame to smoke poison and treason are the hands of sin ay and the targets to put off the shame then lest my lie be cropp'd to keep you clear by flight i'll shun the danger which i fear exit reenter antiochus antiochus he hath found the meaning for which we mean to have his head he must not live to trumpet forth my infamy nor tell the world antiochus doth sin in such a loathed manner and therefore instantly this prince must die for by his fall my honour must keep high who attends us there enter thaliard thaliard doth your highness call antiochus thaliard you are of our chamber and our mind partakes her private actions to your secrecy and for your faithfulness we will advance you thaliard behold here's poison and here's gold we hate the prince of tyre and thou must kill him it fits thee not to ask the reason why because we bid it say is it done thaliard my lord tis done antiochus enough enter a messenger let your breath cool yourself telling your haste messenger my lord prince pericles is fled exit antiochus as thou wilt live fly after and like an arrow shot from a wellexperienced archer hits the mark his eye doth level at so thou ne'er return unless thou say prince pericles is dead' thaliard my lord if i can get him within my pistol's length i'll make him sure enough so farewell to your highness antiochus thaliard adieu exit thaliard till pericles be dead my heart can lend no succor to my head exit pericles prince of tyre act i scene ii tyre a room in the palace enter pericles pericles to lords without let none disturb uswhy should this change of thoughts the sad companion dulleyed melancholy be my so used a guest as not an hour in the day's glorious walk or peaceful night the tomb where grief should sleep can breed me quiet here pleasures court mine eyes and mine eyes shun them and danger which i fear'd is at antioch whose aim seems far too short to hit me here yet neither pleasure's art can joy my spirits nor yet the other's distance comfort me then it is thus the passions of the mind that have their first conception by misdread have afternourishment and life by care and what was first but fear what might be done grows elder now and cares it be not done and so with me the great antiochus gainst whom i am too little to contend since he's so great can make his will his act will think me speaking though i swear to silence nor boots it me to say i honour him if he suspect i may dishonour him and what may make him blush in being known he'll stop the course by which it might be known with hostile forces he'll o'erspread the land and with the ostent of war will look so huge amazement shall drive courage from the state our men be vanquish'd ere they do resist and subjects punish'd that ne'er thought offence which care of them not pity of myself who am no more but as the tops of trees which fence the roots they grow by and defend them makes both my body pine and soul to languish and punish that before that he would punish enter helicanus with other lords first lord joy and all comfort in your sacred breast second lord and keep your mind till you return to us peaceful and comfortable helicanus peace peace and give experience tongue they do abuse the king that flatter him for flattery is the bellows blows up sin the thing which is flatter'd but a spark to which that blast gives heat and stronger glowing whereas reproof obedient and in order fits kings as they are men for they may err when signior sooth here does proclaim a peace he flatters you makes war upon your life prince pardon me or strike me if you please i cannot be much lower than my knees pericles all leave us else but let your cares o'erlook what shipping and what lading's in our haven and then return to us exeunt lords helicanus thou hast moved us what seest thou in our looks helicanus an angry brow dread lord pericles if there be such a dart in princes frowns how durst thy tongue move anger to our face helicanus how dare the plants look up to heaven from whence they have their nourishment pericles thou know'st i have power to take thy life from thee helicanus kneeling i have ground the axe myself do you but strike the blow pericles rise prithee rise sit down thou art no flatterer i thank thee for it and heaven forbid that kings should let their ears hear their faults hid fit counsellor and servant for a prince who by thy wisdom makest a prince thy servant what wouldst thou have me do helicanus to bear with patience such griefs as you yourself do lay upon yourself pericles thou speak'st like a physician helicanus that minister'st a potion unto me that thou wouldst tremble to receive thyself attend me then i went to antioch where as thou know'st against the face of death i sought the purchase of a glorious beauty from whence an issue i might propagate are arms to princes and bring joys to subjects her face was to mine eye beyond all wonder the resthark in thine earas black as incest which by my knowledge found the sinful father seem'd not to strike but smooth but thou know'st this tis time to fear when tyrants seem to kiss such fear so grew in me i hither fled under the covering of a careful night who seem'd my good protector and being here bethought me what was past what might succeed i knew him tyrannous and tyrants fears decrease not but grow faster than the years and should he doubt it as no doubt he doth that i should open to the listening air how many worthy princes bloods were shed to keep his bed of blackness unlaid ope to lop that doubt he'll fill this land with arms and make pretence of wrong that i have done him when all for mine if i may call offence must feel war's blow who spares not innocence which love to all of which thyself art one who now reprovest me for it helicanus alas sir pericles drew sleep out of mine eyes blood from my cheeks musings into my mind with thousand doubts how i might stop this tempest ere it came and finding little comfort to relieve them i thought it princely charity to grieve them helicanus well my lord since you have given me leave to speak freely will i speak antiochus you fear and justly too i think you fear the tyrant who either by public war or private treason will take away your life therefore my lord go travel for a while till that his rage and anger be forgot or till the destinies do cut his thread of life your rule direct to any if to me day serves not light more faithful than i'll be pericles i do not doubt thy faith but should he wrong my liberties in my absence helicanus we'll mingle our bloods together in the earth from whence we had our being and our birth pericles tyre i now look from thee then and to tarsus intend my travel where i'll hear from thee and by whose letters i'll dispose myself the care i had and have of subjects good on thee i lay whose wisdom's strength can bear it i'll take thy word for faith not ask thine oath who shuns not to break one will sure crack both but in our orbs we'll live so round and safe that time of both this truth shall ne'er convince thou show'dst a subject's shine i a true prince exeunt pericles prince of tyre act i scene iii tyre an antechamber in the palace enter thaliard thaliard so this is tyre and this the court here must i kill king pericles and if i do it not i am sure to be hanged at home tis dangerous well i perceive he was a wise fellow and had good discretion that being bid to ask what he would of the king desired he might know none of his secrets now do i see he had some reason for't for if a king bid a man be a villain he's bound by the indenture of his oath to be one hush here come the lords of tyre enter helicanus and escanes with other lords of tyre helicanus you shall not need my fellow peers of tyre further to question me of your king's departure his seal'd commission left in trust with me doth speak sufficiently he's gone to travel thaliard aside how the king gone helicanus if further yet you will be satisfied why as it were unlicensed of your loves he would depart i'll give some light unto you being at antioch thaliard aside what from antioch helicanus royal antiochuson what cause i know not took some displeasure at him at least he judged so and doubting lest that he had err'd or sinn'd to show his sorrow he'ld correct himself so puts himself unto the shipman's toil with whom each minute threatens life or death thaliard aside well i perceive i shall not be hang'd now although i would but since he's gone the king's seas must please he scaped the land to perish at the sea i'll present myself peace to the lords of tyre helicanus lord thaliard from antiochus is welcome thaliard from him i come with message unto princely pericles but since my landing i have understood your lord has betook himself to unknown travels my message must return from whence it came helicanus we have no reason to desire it commended to our master not to us yet ere you shall depart this we desire as friends to antioch we may feast in tyre exeunt pericles prince of tyre act i scene iv tarsus a room in the governor's house enter cleon the governor of tarsus with dionyza and others cleon my dionyza shall we rest us here and by relating tales of others griefs see if twill teach us to forget our own dionyza that were to blow at fire in hope to quench it for who digs hills because they do aspire throws down one mountain to cast up a higher o my distressed lord even such our griefs are here they're but felt and seen with mischief's eyes but like to groves being topp'd they higher rise cleon o dionyza who wanteth food and will not say he wants it or can conceal his hunger till he famish our tongues and sorrows do sound deep our woes into the air our eyes do weep till tongues fetch breath that may proclaim them louder that if heaven slumber while their creatures want they may awake their helps to comfort them i'll then discourse our woes felt several years and wanting breath to speak help me with tears dionyza i'll do my best sir cleon this tarsus o'er which i have the government a city on whom plenty held full hand for riches strew'd herself even in the streets whose towers bore heads so high they kiss'd the clouds and strangers ne'er beheld but wondered at whose men and dames so jetted and adorn'd like one another's glass to trim them by their tables were stored full to glad the sight and not so much to feed on as delight all poverty was scorn'd and pride so great the name of help grew odious to repeat dionyza o tis too true cleon but see what heaven can do by this our change these mouths who but of late earth sea and air were all too little to content and please although they gave their creatures in abundance as houses are defiled for want of use they are now starved for want of exercise those palates who not yet two summers younger must have inventions to delight the taste would now be glad of bread and beg for it those mothers who to nousle up their babes thought nought too curious are ready now to eat those little darlings whom they loved so sharp are hunger's teeth that man and wife draw lots who first shall die to lengthen life here stands a lord and there a lady weeping here many sink yet those which see them fall have scarce strength left to give them burial is not this true dionyza our cheeks and hollow eyes do witness it cleon o let those cities that of plenty's cup and her prosperities so largely taste with their superfluous riots hear these tears the misery of tarsus may be theirs enter a lord lord where's the lord governor cleon here speak out thy sorrows which thou bring'st in haste for comfort is too far for us to expect lord we have descried upon our neighbouring shore a portly sail of ships make hitherward cleon i thought as much one sorrow never comes but brings an heir that may succeed as his inheritor and so in ours some neighbouring nation taking advantage of our misery hath stuff'd these hollow vessels with their power to beat us down the which are down already and make a conquest of unhappy me whereas no glory's got to overcome lord that's the least fear for by the semblance of their white flags display'd they bring us peace and come to us as favourers not as foes cleon thou speak'st like him's untutor'd to repeat who makes the fairest show means most deceit but bring they what they will and what they can what need we fear the ground's the lowest and we are half way there go tell their general we attend him here to know for what he comes and whence he comes and what he craves lord i go my lord exit cleon welcome is peace if he on peace consist if wars we are unable to resist enter pericles with attendants pericles lord governor for so we hear you are let not our ships and number of our men be like a beacon fired to amaze your eyes we have heard your miseries as far as tyre and seen the desolation of your streets nor come we to add sorrow to your tears but to relieve them of their heavy load and these our ships you happily may think are like the trojan horse was stuff'd within with bloody veins expecting overthrow are stored with corn to make your needy bread and give them life whom hunger starved half dead all the gods of greece protect you and we'll pray for you pericles arise i pray you rise we do not look for reverence but to love and harbourage for ourself our ships and men cleon the which when any shall not gratify or pay you with unthankfulness in thought be it our wives our children or ourselves the curse of heaven and men succeed their evils till whenthe which i hope shall ne'er be seen your grace is welcome to our town and us pericles which welcome we'll accept feast here awhile until our stars that frown lend us a smile exeunt pericles prince of tyre act ii enter gower gower here have you seen a mighty king his child i wis to incest bring a better prince and benign lord that will prove awful both in deed and word be quiet then as men should be till he hath pass'd necessity i'll show you those in troubles reign losing a mite a mountain gain the good in conversation to whom i give my benison is still at tarsus where each man thinks all is writ he speken can and to remember what he does build his statue to make him glorious but tidings to the contrary are brought your eyes what need speak i dumb show enter at one door pericles talking with cleon all the train with them enter at another door a gentleman with a letter to pericles pericles shows the letter to cleon gives the messenger a reward and knights him exit pericles at one door and cleon at another good helicane that stay'd at home not to eat honey like a drone from others labours for though he strive to killen bad keep good alive and to fulfil his prince desire sends word of all that haps in tyre how thaliard came full bent with sin and had intent to murder him and that in tarsus was not best longer for him to make his rest he doing so put forth to seas where when men been there's seldom ease for now the wind begins to blow thunder above and deeps below make such unquiet that the ship should house him safe is wreck'd and split and he good prince having all lost by waves from coast to coast is tost all perishen of man of pelf ne aught escapen but himself till fortune tired with doing bad threw him ashore to give him glad and here he comes what shall be next pardon old gowerthis longs the text exit pericles prince of tyre act ii scene i pentapolis an open place by the seaside enter pericles wet pericles yet cease your ire you angry stars of heaven wind rain and thunder remember earthly man is but a substance that must yield to you and i as fits my nature do obey you alas the sea hath cast me on the rocks wash'd me from shore to shore and left me breath nothing to think on but ensuing death let it suffice the greatness of your powers to have bereft a prince of all his fortunes and having thrown him from your watery grave here to have death in peace is all he'll crave enter three fishermen first fisherman what ho pilch second fisherman ha come and bring away the nets first fisherman what patchbreech i say third fisherman what say you master first fisherman look how thou stirrest now come away or i'll fetch thee with a wanion third fisherman faith master i am thinking of the poor men that were cast away before us even now first fisherman alas poor souls it grieved my heart to hear what pitiful cries they made to us to help them when welladay we could scarce help ourselves third fisherman nay master said not i as much when i saw the porpus how he bounced and tumbled they say they're half fish half flesh a plague on them they ne'er come but i look to be washed master i marvel how the fishes live in the sea first fisherman why as men do aland the great ones eat up the little ones i can compare our rich misers to nothing so fitly as to a whale a plays and tumbles driving the poor fry before him and at last devours them all at a mouthful such whales have i heard on o the land who never leave gaping till they've swallowed the whole parish church steeple bells and all pericles aside a pretty moral third fisherman but master if i had been the sexton i would have been that day in the belfry second fisherman why man third fisherman because he should have swallowed me too and when i had been in his belly i would have kept such a jangling of the bells that he should never have left till he cast bells steeple church and parish up again but if the good king simonides were of my mind pericles aside simonides third fisherman we would purge the land of these drones that rob the bee of her honey pericles aside how from the finny subject of the sea these fishers tell the infirmities of men and from their watery empire recollect all that may men approve or men detect peace be at your labour honest fishermen second fisherman honest good fellow what's that if it be a day fits you search out of the calendar and nobody look after it pericles may see the sea hath cast upon your coast second fisherman what a drunken knave was the sea to cast thee in our way pericles a man whom both the waters and the wind in that vast tenniscourt have made the ball for them to play upon entreats you pity him he asks of you that never used to beg first fisherman no friend cannot you beg here's them in our country greece gets more with begging than we can do with working second fisherman canst thou catch any fishes then pericles i never practised it second fisherman nay then thou wilt starve sure for here's nothing to be got nowadays unless thou canst fish for't pericles what i have been i have forgot to know but what i am want teaches me to think on a man throng'd up with cold my veins are chill and have no more of life than may suffice to give my tongue that heat to ask your help which if you shall refuse when i am dead for that i am a man pray see me buried first fisherman die quotha now gods forbid i have a gown here come put it on keep thee warm now afore me a handsome fellow come thou shalt go home and we'll have flesh for holidays fish for fastingdays and moreo'er puddings and flapjacks and thou shalt be welcome pericles i thank you sir second fisherman hark you my friend you said you could not beg pericles i did but crave second fisherman but crave then i'll turn craver too and so i shall scape whipping pericles why are all your beggars whipped then second fisherman o not all my friend not all for if all your beggars were whipped i would wish no better office than to be beadle but master i'll go draw up the net exit with third fisherman pericles aside how well this honest mirth becomes their labour first fisherman hark you sir do you know where ye are pericles not well first fisherman why i'll tell you this is called pentapolis and our king the good simonides pericles the good king simonides do you call him first fisherman ay sir and he deserves so to be called for his peaceable reign and good government pericles he is a happy king since he gains from his subjects the name of good by his government how far is his court distant from this shore first fisherman marry sir half a day's journey and i'll tell you he hath a fair daughter and tomorrow is her birthday and there are princes and knights come from all parts of the world to just and tourney for her love pericles were my fortunes equal to my desires i could wish to make one there first fisherman o sir things must be as they may and what a man cannot get he may lawfully deal forhis wife's soul reenter second and third fishermen drawing up a net second fisherman help master help here's a fish hangs in the net like a poor man's right in the law twill hardly come out ha bots on't tis come at last and tis turned to a rusty armour pericles an armour friends i pray you let me see it thanks fortune yet that after all my crosses thou givest me somewhat to repair myself and though it was mine own part of my heritage which my dead father did bequeath to me with this strict charge even as he left his life keep it my pericles it hath been a shield twixt me and death'and pointed to this brace for that it saved me keep it in like necessity the which the gods protect thee frommay defend thee' it kept where i kept i so dearly loved it till the rough seas that spare not any man took it in rage though calm'd have given't again i thank thee for't my shipwreck now's no ill since i have here my father's gift in's will first fisherman what mean you sir pericles to beg of you kind friends this coat of worth for it was sometime target to a king i know it by this mark he loved me dearly and for his sake i wish the having of it and that you'ld guide me to your sovereign's court where with it i may appear a gentleman and if that ever my low fortune's better i'll pay your bounties till then rest your debtor first fisherman why wilt thou tourney for the lady pericles i'll show the virtue i have borne in arms first fisherman why do e take it and the gods give thee good on't second fisherman ay but hark you my friend twas we that made up this garment through the rough seams of the waters there are certain condolements certain vails i hope sir if you thrive you'll remember from whence you had it pericles believe t i will by your furtherance i am clothed in steel and spite of all the rapture of the sea this jewel holds his building on my arm unto thy value i will mount myself upon a courser whose delightful steps shall make the gazer joy to see him tread only my friend i yet am unprovided of a pair of bases second fisherman we'll sure provide thou shalt have my best gown to make thee a pair and i'll bring thee to the court myself pericles then honour be but a goal to my will this day i'll rise or else add ill to ill exeunt pericles prince of tyre act ii scene ii the same a public way or platform leading to the lists a pavilion by the side of it for the reception of king princess lords &c enter simonides thaisa lords and attendants simonides are the knights ready to begin the triumph first lord they are my liege and stay your coming to present themselves simonides return them we are ready and our daughter in honour of whose birth these triumphs are sits here like beauty's child whom nature gat for men to see and seeing wonder at exit a lord thaisa it pleaseth you my royal father to express my commendations great whose merit's less simonides it's fit it should be so for princes are a model which heaven makes like to itself as jewels lose their glory if neglected so princes their renowns if not respected tis now your honour daughter to explain the labour of each knight in his device thaisa which to preserve mine honour i'll perform enter a knight he passes over and his squire presents his shield to the princess simonides who is the first that doth prefer himself thaisa a knight of sparta my renowned father and the device he bears upon his shield is a black ethiope reaching at the sun the word lux tua vita mihi' simonides he loves you well that holds his life of you the second knight passes over who is the second that presents himself thaisa a prince of macedon my royal father and the device he bears upon his shield is an arm'd knight that's conquer'd by a lady the motto thus in spanish piu por dulzura que por fuerza' the third knight passes over simonides and what's the third thaisa the third of antioch and his device a wreath of chivalry the word me pompae provexit apex' the fourth knight passes over simonides what is the fourth thaisa a burning torch that's turned upside down the word quod me alit me extinguit' simonides which shows that beauty hath his power and will which can as well inflame as it can kill the fifth knight passes over thaisa the fifth an hand environed with clouds holding out gold that's by the touchstone tried the motto thus sic spectanda fides' the sixth knight pericles passes over simonides and what's the sixth and last the which the knight himself with such a graceful courtesy deliver'd thaisa he seems to be a stranger but his present is a wither'd branch that's only green at top the motto in hac spe vivo' simonides a pretty moral from the dejected state wherein he is he hopes by you his fortunes yet may flourish first lord he had need mean better than his outward show can any way speak in his just commend for by his rusty outside he appears to have practised more the whipstock than the lance second lord he well may be a stranger for he comes to an honour'd triumph strangely furnished third lord and on set purpose let his armour rust until this day to scour it in the dust simonides opinion's but a fool that makes us scan the outward habit by the inward man but stay the knights are coming we will withdraw into the gallery exeunt great shouts within and all cry the mean knight' pericles prince of tyre act ii scene iii the same a hall of state a banquet prepared enter simonides thaisa lords attendants and knights from tilting simonides knights to say you're welcome were superfluous to place upon the volume of your deeds as in a titlepage your worth in arms were more than you expect or more than's fit since every worth in show commends itself prepare for mirth for mirth becomes a feast you are princes and my guests thaisa but you my knight and guest to whom this wreath of victory i give and crown you king of this day's happiness pericles tis more by fortune lady than by merit simonides call it by what you will the day is yours and here i hope is none that envies it in framing an artist art hath thus decreed to make some good but others to exceed and you are her labour'd scholar come queen o' the feast for daughter so you arehere take your place marshal the rest as they deserve their grace knights we are honour'd much by good simonides simonides your presence glads our days honour we love for who hates honour hates the gods above marshal sir yonder is your place pericles some other is more fit first knight contend not sir for we are gentlemen that neither in our hearts nor outward eyes envy the great nor do the low despise pericles you are right courteous knights simonides sit sir sit pericles by jove i wonder that is king of thoughts these cates resist me she but thought upon thaisa by juno that is queen of marriage all viands that i eat do seem unsavoury wishing him my meat sure he's a gallant gentleman simonides he's but a country gentleman has done no more than other knights have done has broken a staff or so so let it pass thaisa to me he seems like diamond to glass pericles yon king's to me like to my father's picture which tells me in that glory once he was had princes sit like stars about his throne and he the sun for them to reverence none that beheld him but like lesser lights did vail their crowns to his supremacy where now his son's like a glowworm in the night the which hath fire in darkness none in light whereby i see that time's the king of men he's both their parent and he is their grave and gives them what he will not what they crave simonides what are you merry knights knights who can be other in this royal presence simonides here with a cup that's stored unto the brim as you do love fill to your mistress lips we drink this health to you knights we thank your grace simonides yet pause awhile yon knight doth sit too melancholy as if the entertainment in our court had not a show might countervail his worth note it not you thaisa thaisa what is it to me my father simonides o attend my daughter princes in this should live like gods above who freely give to every one that comes to honour them and princes not doing so are like to gnats which make a sound but kill'd are wonder'd at therefore to make his entrance more sweet here say we drink this standingbowl of wine to him thaisa alas my father it befits not me unto a stranger knight to be so bold he may my proffer take for an offence since men take women's gifts for impudence simonides how do as i bid you or you'll move me else thaisa aside now by the gods he could not please me better simonides and furthermore tell him we desire to know of him of whence he is his name and parentage thaisa the king my father sir has drunk to you pericles i thank him thaisa wishing it so much blood unto your life pericles i thank both him and you and pledge him freely thaisa and further he desires to know of you of whence you are your name and parentage pericles a gentleman of tyre my name pericles my education been in arts and arms who looking for adventures in the world was by the rough seas reft of ships and men and after shipwreck driven upon this shore thaisa he thanks your grace names himself pericles a gentleman of tyre who only by misfortune of the seas bereft of ships and men cast on this shore simonides now by the gods i pity his misfortune and will awake him from his melancholy come gentlemen we sit too long on trifles and waste the time which looks for other revels even in your armours as you are address'd will very well become a soldier's dance i will not have excuse with saying this loud music is too harsh for ladies heads since they love men in arms as well as beds the knights dance so this was well ask'd'twas so well perform'd come sir here is a lady that wants breathing too and i have heard you knights of tyre are excellent in making ladies trip and that their measures are as excellent pericles in those that practise them they are my lord simonides o that's as much as you would be denied of your fair courtesy the knights and ladies dance unclasp unclasp thanks gentlemen to all all have done well to pericles but you the best pages and lights to conduct these knights unto their several lodgings to pericles yours sir we have given order to be next our own pericles i am at your grace's pleasure simonides princes it is too late to talk of love and that's the mark i know you level at therefore each one betake him to his rest tomorrow all for speeding do their best exeunt pericles prince of tyre act ii scene iv tyre a room in the governor's house enter helicanus and escanes helicanus no escanes know this of me antiochus from incest lived not free for which the most high gods not minding longer to withhold the vengeance that they had in store due to this heinous capital offence even in the height and pride of all his glory when he was seated in a chariot of an inestimable value and his daughter with him a fire from heaven came and shrivell'd up their bodies even to loathing for they so stunk that all those eyes adored them ere their fall scorn now their hand should give them burial escanes twas very strange helicanus and yet but justice for though this king were great his greatness was no guard to bar heaven's shaft but sin had his reward escanes tis very true enter two or three lords first lord see not a man in private conference or council has respect with him but he second lord it shall no longer grieve without reproof third lord and cursed be he that will not second it first lord follow me then lord helicane a word helicanus with me and welcome happy day my lords first lord know that our griefs are risen to the top and now at length they overflow their banks helicanus your griefs for what wrong not your prince you love first lord wrong not yourself then noble helicane but if the prince do live let us salute him or know what ground's made happy by his breath if in the world he live we'll seek him out if in his grave he rest we'll find him there and be resolved he lives to govern us or dead give's cause to mourn his funeral and leave us to our free election second lord whose death indeed's the strongest in our censure and knowing this kingdom is without a head like goodly buildings left without a roof soon fall to ruinyour noble self that best know how to rule and how to reign we thus submit untoour sovereign all live noble helicane helicanus for honour's cause forbear your suffrages if that you love prince pericles forbear take i your wish i leap into the seas where's hourly trouble for a minute's ease a twelvemonth longer let me entreat you to forbear the absence of your king if in which time expired he not return i shall with aged patience bear your yoke but if i cannot win you to this love go search like nobles like noble subjects and in your search spend your adventurous worth whom if you find and win unto return you shall like diamonds sit about his crown first lord to wisdom he's a fool that will not yield and since lord helicane enjoineth us we with our travels will endeavour us helicanus then you love us we you and we'll clasp hands when peers thus knit a kingdom ever stands exeunt pericles prince of tyre act ii scene v pentapolis a room in the palace enter simonides reading a letter at one door the knights meet him first knight good morrow to the good simonides simonides knights from my daughter this i let you know that for this twelvemonth she'll not undertake a married life her reason to herself is only known which yet from her by no means can i get second knight may we not get access to her my lord simonides faith by no means she has so strictly tied her to her chamber that tis impossible one twelve moons more she'll wear diana's livery this by the eye of cynthia hath she vow'd and on her virgin honour will not break it third knight loath to bid farewell we take our leaves exeunt knights simonides so they are well dispatch'd now to my daughter's letter she tells me here she'd wed the stranger knight or never more to view nor day nor light tis well mistress your choice agrees with mine i like that well nay how absolute she's in't not minding whether i dislike or no well i do commend her choice and will no longer have it be delay'd soft here he comes i must dissemble it enter pericles pericles all fortune to the good simonides simonides to you as much sir i am beholding to you for your sweet music this last night i do protest my ears were never better fed with such delightful pleasing harmony pericles it is your grace's pleasure to commend not my desert simonides sir you are music's master pericles the worst of all her scholars my good lord simonides let me ask you one thing what do you think of my daughter sir pericles a most virtuous princess simonides and she is fair too is she not pericles as a fair day in summer wondrous fair simonides sir my daughter thinks very well of you ay so well that you must be her master and she will be your scholar therefore look to it pericles i am unworthy for her schoolmaster simonides she thinks not so peruse this writing else pericles aside what's here a letter that she loves the knight of tyre tis the king's subtlety to have my life o seek not to entrap me gracious lord a stranger and distressed gentleman that never aim'd so high to love your daughter but bent all offices to honour her simonides thou hast bewitch'd my daughter and thou art a villain pericles by the gods i have not never did thought of mine levy offence nor never did my actions yet commence a deed might gain her love or your displeasure simonides traitor thou liest pericles traitor simonides ay traitor pericles even in his throatunless it be the king that calls me traitor i return the lie simonides aside now by the gods i do applaud his courage pericles my actions are as noble as my thoughts that never relish'd of a base descent i came unto your court for honour's cause and not to be a rebel to her state and he that otherwise accounts of me this sword shall prove he's honour's enemy simonides no here comes my daughter she can witness it enter thaisa pericles then as you are as virtuous as fair resolve your angry father if my tongue did ere solicit or my hand subscribe to any syllable that made love to you thaisa why sir say if you had who takes offence at that would make me glad simonides yea mistress are you so peremptory aside i am glad on't with all my heart i'll tame you i'll bring you in subjection will you not having my consent bestow your love and your affections upon a stranger aside who for aught i know may be nor can i think the contrary as great in blood as i myself therefore hear you mistress either frame your will to mineand you sir hear you either be ruled by me or i will make you man and wife nay come your hands and lips must seal it too and being join'd i'll thus your hopes destroy and for a further griefgod give you joy what are you both pleased thaisa yes if you love me sir pericles even as my life or blood that fosters it simonides what are you both agreed both yes if it please your majesty simonides it pleaseth me so well that i will see you wed and then with what haste you can get you to bed exeunt pericles prince of tyre act iii enter gower gower now sleep yslaked hath the rout no din but snores the house about made louder by the o'erfed breast of this most pompous marriagefeast the cat with eyne of burning coal now crouches fore the mouse's hole and crickets sing at the oven's mouth e'er the blither for their drouth hymen hath brought the bride to bed where by the loss of maidenhead a babe is moulded be attent and time that is so briefly spent with your fine fancies quaintly eche what's dumb in show i'll plain with speech dumb show enter pericles and simonides at one door with attendants a messenger meets them kneels and gives pericles a letter pericles shows it simonides the lords kneel to him then enter thaisa with child with lychorida a nurse the king shows her the letter she rejoices she and pericles takes leave of her father and depart with lychorida and their attendants then exeunt simonides and the rest by many a dern and painful perch of pericles the careful search by the four opposing coigns which the world together joins is made with all due diligence that horse and sail and high expense can stead the quest at last from tyre fame answering the most strange inquire to the court of king simonides are letters brought the tenor these antiochus and his daughter dead the men of tyrus on the head of helicanus would set on the crown of tyre but he will none the mutiny he there hastes t oppress says to em if king pericles come not home in twice six moons he obedient to their dooms will take the crown the sum of this brought hither to pentapolis yravished the regions round and every one with claps can sound our heirapparent is a king who dream'd who thought of such a thing' brief he must hence depart to tyre his queen with child makes her desire which who shall crossalong to go omit we all their dole and woe lychorida her nurse she takes and so to sea their vessel shakes on neptune's billow half the flood hath their keel cut but fortune's mood varies again the grisly north disgorges such a tempest forth that as a duck for life that dives so up and down the poor ship drives the lady shrieks and wellanear does fall in travail with her fear and what ensues in this fell storm shall for itself itself perform i nill relate action may conveniently the rest convey which might not what by me is told in your imagination hold this stage the ship upon whose deck the seatost pericles appears to speak exit pericles prince of tyre act iii scene i enter pericles on shipboard pericles thou god of this great vast rebuke these surges which wash both heaven and hell and thou that hast upon the winds command bind them in brass having call'd them from the deep o still thy deafening dreadful thunders gently quench thy nimble sulphurous flashes o how lychorida how does my queen thou stormest venomously wilt thou spit all thyself the seaman's whistle is as a whisper in the ears of death unheard lychoridalucina o divinest patroness and midwife gentle to those that cry by night convey thy deity aboard our dancing boat make swift the pangs of my queen's travails enter lychorida with an infant now lychorida lychorida here is a thing too young for such a place who if it had conceit would die as i am like to do take in your arms this piece of your dead queen pericles how how lychorida lychorida patience good sir do not assist the storm here's all that is left living of your queen a little daughter for the sake of it be manly and take comfort pericles o you gods why do you make us love your goodly gifts and snatch them straight away we here below recall not what we give and therein may use honour with you lychorida patience good sir even for this charge pericles now mild may be thy life for a more blustrous birth had never babe quiet and gentle thy conditions for thou art the rudeliest welcome to this world that ever was prince's child happy what follows thou hast as chiding a nativity as fire air water earth and heaven can make to herald thee from the womb even at the first thy loss is more than can thy portage quit with all thou canst find here now the good gods throw their best eyes upon't enter two sailors first sailor what courage sir god save you pericles courage enough i do not fear the flaw it hath done to me the worst yet for the love of this poor infant this freshnew seafarer i would it would be quiet first sailor slack the bolins there thou wilt not wilt thou blow and split thyself second sailor but searoom an the brine and cloudy billow kiss the moon i care not first sailor sir your queen must overboard the sea works high the wind is loud and will not lie till the ship be cleared of the dead pericles that's your superstition first sailor pardon us sir with us at sea it hath been still observed and we are strong in custom therefore briefly yield her for she must overboard straight pericles as you think meet most wretched queen lychorida here she lies sir pericles a terrible childbed hast thou had my dear no light no fire the unfriendly elements forgot thee utterly nor have i time to give thee hallow'd to thy grave but straight must cast thee scarcely coffin'd in the ooze where for a monument upon thy bones and e'erremaining lamps the belching whale and humming water must o'erwhelm thy corpse lying with simple shells o lychorida bid nestor bring me spices ink and paper my casket and my jewels and bid nicander bring me the satin coffer lay the babe upon the pillow hie thee whiles i say a priestly farewell to her suddenly woman exit lychorida second sailor sir we have a chest beneath the hatches caulked and bitumed ready pericles i thank thee mariner say what coast is this second sailor we are near tarsus pericles thither gentle mariner alter thy course for tyre when canst thou reach it second sailor by break of day if the wind cease pericles o make for tarsus there will i visit cleon for the babe cannot hold out to tyrus there i'll leave it at careful nursing go thy ways good mariner i'll bring the body presently exeunt pericles prince of tyre act iii scene ii ephesus a room in cerimon's house enter cerimon with a servant and some persons who have been shipwrecked cerimon philemon ho enter philemon philemon doth my lord call cerimon get fire and meat for these poor men t has been a turbulent and stormy night servant i have been in many but such a night as this till now i ne'er endured cerimon your master will be dead ere you return there's nothing can be minister'd to nature that can recover him to philemon give this to the pothecary and tell me how it works exeunt all but cerimon enter two gentlemen first gentleman good morrow second gentleman good morrow to your lordship cerimon gentlemen why do you stir so early first gentleman sir our lodgings standing bleak upon the sea shook as the earth did quake the very principals did seem to rend and allto topple pure surprise and fear made me to quit the house second gentleman that is the cause we trouble you so early tis not our husbandry cerimon o you say well first gentleman but i much marvel that your lordship having rich tire about you should at these early hours shake off the golden slumber of repose tis most strange nature should be so conversant with pain being thereto not compell'd cerimon i hold it ever virtue and cunning were endowments greater than nobleness and riches careless heirs may the two latter darken and expend but immortality attends the former making a man a god tis known i ever have studied physic through which secret art by turning o'er authorities i have together with my practise made familiar to me and to my aid the blest infusions that dwell in vegetives in metals stones and i can speak of the disturbances that nature works and of her cures which doth give me a more content in course of true delight than to be thirsty after tottering honour or tie my treasure up in silken bags to please the fool and death second gentleman your honour has through ephesus pour'd forth your charity and hundreds call themselves your creatures who by you have been restored and not your knowledge your personal pain but even your purse still open hath built lord cerimon such strong renown as time shall ne'er decay enter two or three servants with a chest first servant so lift there cerimon what is that first servant sir even now did the sea toss upon our shore this chest tis of some wreck cerimon set t down let's look upon't second gentleman tis like a coffin sir cerimon whate'er it be tis wondrous heavy wrench it open straight if the sea's stomach be o'ercharged with gold tis a good constraint of fortune it belches upon us second gentleman tis so my lord cerimon how close tis caulk'd and bitumed did the sea cast it up first servant i never saw so huge a billow sir as toss'd it upon shore cerimon wrench it open soft it smells most sweetly in my sense second gentleman a delicate odour cerimon as ever hit my nostril so up with it o you most potent gods what's here a corse first gentleman most strange cerimon shrouded in cloth of state balm'd and entreasured with full bags of spices a passport too apollo perfect me in the characters reads from a scroll here i give to understand if e'er this coffin drive aland i king pericles have lost this queen worth all our mundane cost who finds her give her burying she was the daughter of a king besides this treasure for a fee the gods requite his charity' if thou livest pericles thou hast a heart that even cracks for woe this chanced tonight second gentleman most likely sir cerimon nay certainly tonight for look how fresh she looks they were too rough that threw her in the sea make a fire within fetch hither all my boxes in my closet exit a servant death may usurp on nature many hours and yet the fire of life kindle again the o'erpress'd spirits i heard of an egyptian that had nine hours lien dead who was by good appliance recovered reenter a servant with boxes napkins and fire well said well said the fire and cloths the rough and woeful music that we have cause it to sound beseech you the viol once more how thou stirr'st thou block the music therei pray you give her air gentlemen this queen will live nature awakes a warmth breathes out of her she hath not been entranced above five hours see how she gins to blow into life's flower again first gentleman the heavens through you increase our wonder and set up your fame forever cerimon she is alive behold her eyelids cases to those heavenly jewels which pericles hath lost begin to part their fringes of bright gold the diamonds of a most praised water do appear to make the world twice rich live and make us weep to hear your fate fair creature rare as you seem to be she moves thaisa o dear diana where am i where's my lord what world is this second gentleman is not this strange first gentleman most rare cerimon hush my gentle neighbours lend me your hands to the next chamber bear her get linen now this matter must be look'd to for her relapse is mortal come come and aesculapius guide us exeunt carrying her away pericles prince of tyre act iii scene iii tarsus a room in cleon's house enter pericles cleon dionyza and lychorida with marina in her arms pericles most honour'd cleon i must needs be gone my twelve months are expired and tyrus stands in a litigious peace you and your lady take from my heart all thankfulness the gods make up the rest upon you cleon your shafts of fortune though they hurt you mortally yet glance full wanderingly on us dionyza o your sweet queen that the strict fates had pleased you had brought her hither to have bless'd mine eyes with her pericles we cannot but obey the powers above us could i rage and roar as doth the sea she lies in yet the end must be as tis my gentle babe marina whom for she was born at sea i have named so here i charge your charity withal leaving her the infant of your care beseeching you to give her princely training that she may be manner'd as she is born cleon fear not my lord but think your grace that fed my country with your corn for which the people's prayers still fall upon you must in your child be thought on if neglection should therein make me vile the common body by you relieved would force me to my duty but if to that my nature need a spur the gods revenge it upon me and mine to the end of generation pericles i believe you your honour and your goodness teach me to't without your vows till she be married madam by bright diana whom we honour all unscissor'd shall this hair of mine remain though i show ill in't so i take my leave good madam make me blessed in your care in bringing up my child dionyza i have one myself who shall not be more dear to my respect than yours my lord pericles madam my thanks and prayers cleon we'll bring your grace e'en to the edge o the shore then give you up to the mask'd neptune and the gentlest winds of heaven pericles i will embrace your offer come dearest madam o no tears lychorida no tears look to your little mistress on whose grace you may depend hereafter come my lord exeunt pericles prince of tyre act iii scene iv ephesus a room in cerimon's house enter cerimon and thaisa cerimon madam this letter and some certain jewels lay with you in your coffer which are now at your command know you the character thaisa it is my lord's that i was shipp'd at sea i well remember even on my eaning time but whether there deliver'd by the holy gods i cannot rightly say but since king pericles my wedded lord i ne'er shall see again a vestal livery will i take me to and never more have joy cerimon madam if this you purpose as ye speak diana's temple is not distant far where you may abide till your date expire moreover if you please a niece of mine shall there attend you thaisa my recompense is thanks that's all yet my good will is great though the gift small exeunt pericles prince of tyre act iv enter gower gower imagine pericles arrived at tyre welcomed and settled to his own desire his woeful queen we leave at ephesus unto diana there a votaress now to marina bend your mind whom our fastgrowing scene must find at tarsus and by cleon train'd in music letters who hath gain'd of education all the grace which makes her both the heart and place of general wonder but alack that monster envy oft the wrack of earned praise marina's life seeks to take off by treason's knife and in this kind hath our cleon one daughter and a wench full grown even ripe for marriagerite this maid hight philoten and it is said for certain in our story she would ever with marina be be't when she weaved the sleided silk with fingers long small white as milk or when she would with sharp needle wound the cambric which she made more sound by hurting it or when to the lute she sung and made the nightbird mute that still records with moan or when she would with rich and constant pen vail to her mistress dian still this philoten contends in skill with absolute marina so with the dove of paphos might the crow vie feathers white marina gets all praises which are paid as debts and not as given this so darks in philoten all graceful marks that cleon's wife with envy rare a present murderer does prepare for good marina that her daughter might stand peerless by this slaughter the sooner her vile thoughts to stead lychorida our nurse is dead and cursed dionyza hath the pregnant instrument of wrath prest for this blow the unborn event i do commend to your content only i carry winged time post on the lame feet of my rhyme which never could i so convey unless your thoughts went on my way dionyza does appear with leonine a murderer exit pericles prince of tyre act iv scene i tarsus an open place near the seashore enter dionyza and leonine dionyza thy oath remember thou hast sworn to do't tis but a blow which never shall be known thou canst not do a thing in the world so soon to yield thee so much profit let not conscience which is but cold inflaming love i thy bosom inflame too nicely nor let pity which even women have cast off melt thee but be a soldier to thy purpose leonine i will do't but yet she is a goodly creature dionyza the fitter then the gods should have her here she comes weeping for her only mistress death thou art resolved leonine i am resolved enter marina with a basket of flowers marina no i will rob tellus of her weed to strew thy green with flowers the yellows blues the purple violets and marigolds shall as a carpet hang upon thy grave while summerdays do last ay me poor maid born in a tempest when my mother died this world to me is like a lasting storm whirring me from my friends dionyza how now marina why do you keep alone how chance my daughter is not with you do not consume your blood with sorrowing you have a nurse of me lord how your favour's changed with this unprofitable woe come give me your flowers ere the sea mar it walk with leonine the air is quick there and it pierces and sharpens the stomach come leonine take her by the arm walk with her marina no i pray you i'll not bereave you of your servant dionyza come come i love the king your father and yourself with more than foreign heart we every day expect him here when he shall come and find our paragon to all reports thus blasted he will repent the breadth of his great voyage blame both my lord and me that we have taken no care to your best courses go i pray you walk and be cheerful once again reserve that excellent complexion which did steal the eyes of young and old care not for me i can go home alone marina well i will go but yet i have no desire to it dionyza come come i know tis good for you walk half an hour leonine at the least remember what i have said leonine i warrant you madam dionyza i'll leave you my sweet lady for a while pray walk softly do not heat your blood what i must have a care of you marina my thanks sweet madam exit dionyza is this wind westerly that blows leonine southwest marina when i was born the wind was north leonine was't so marina my father as nurse said did never fear but cried good seaman to the sailors galling his kingly hands haling ropes and clasping to the mast endured a sea that almost burst the deck leonine when was this marina when i was born never was waves nor wind more violent and from the laddertackle washes off a canvasclimber ha says one wilt out' and with a dropping industry they skip from stem to stern the boatswain whistles and the master calls and trebles their confusion leonine come say your prayers marina what mean you leonine if you require a little space for prayer i grant it pray but be not tedious for the gods are quick of ear and i am sworn to do my work with haste marina why will you kill me leonine to satisfy my lady marina why would she have me kill'd now as i can remember by my troth i never did her hurt in all my life i never spake bad word nor did ill turn to any living creature believe me la i never kill'd a mouse nor hurt a fly i trod upon a worm against my will but i wept for it how have i offended wherein my death might yield her any profit or my life imply her any danger leonine my commission is not to reason of the deed but do it marina you will not do't for all the world i hope you are well favour'd and your looks foreshow you have a gentle heart i saw you lately when you caught hurt in parting two that fought good sooth it show'd well in you do so now your lady seeks my life come you between and save poor me the weaker leonine i am sworn and will dispatch he seizes her enter pirates first pirate hold villain leonine runs away second pirate a prize a prize third pirate halfpart mates halfpart come let's have her aboard suddenly exeunt pirates with marina reenter leonine leonine these roguing thieves serve the great pirate valdes and they have seized marina let her go there's no hope she will return i'll swear she's dead and thrown into the sea but i'll see further perhaps they will but please themselves upon her not carry her aboard if she remain whom they have ravish'd must by me be slain exit pericles prince of tyre act iv scene ii mytilene a room in a brothel enter pandar bawd and boult pandar boult boult sir pandar search the market narrowly mytilene is full of gallants we lost too much money this mart by being too wenchless bawd we were never so much out of creatures we have but poor three and they can do no more than they can do and they with continual action are even as good as rotten pandar therefore let's have fresh ones whate'er we pay for them if there be not a conscience to be used in every trade we shall never prosper bawd thou sayest true tis not our bringing up of poor bastardsas i think i have brought up some eleven boult ay to eleven and brought them down again but shall i search the market bawd what else man the stuff we have a strong wind will blow it to pieces they are so pitifully sodden pandar thou sayest true they're too unwholesome o' conscience the poor transylvanian is dead that lay with the little baggage boult ay she quickly pooped him she made him roastmeat for worms but i'll go search the market exit pandar three or four thousand chequins were as pretty a proportion to live quietly and so give over bawd why to give over i pray you is it a shame to get when we are old pandar o our credit comes not in like the commodity nor the commodity wages not with the danger therefore if in our youths we could pick up some pretty estate twere not amiss to keep our door hatched besides the sore terms we stand upon with the gods will be strong with us for giving over bawd come other sorts offend as well as we pandar as well as we ay and better too we offend worse neither is our profession any trade it's no calling but here comes boult reenter boult with the pirates and marina boult to marina come your ways my masters you say she's a virgin first pirate o sir we doubt it not boult master i have gone through for this piece you see if you like her so if not i have lost my earnest bawd boult has she any qualities boult she has a good face speaks well and has excellent good clothes there's no further necessity of qualities can make her be refused bawd what's her price boult boult i cannot be bated one doit of a thousand pieces pandar well follow me my masters you shall have your money presently wife take her in instruct her what she has to do that she may not be raw in her entertainment exeunt pandar and pirates bawd boult take you the marks of her the colour of her hair complexion height age with warrant of her virginity and cry he that will give most shall have her first such a maidenhead were no cheap thing if men were as they have been get this done as i command you boult performance shall follow exit marina alack that leonine was so slack so slow he should have struck not spoke or that these pirates not enough barbarous had not o'erboard thrown me for to seek my mother bawd why lament you pretty one marina that i am pretty bawd come the gods have done their part in you marina i accuse them not bawd you are light into my hands where you are like to live marina the more my fault to scape his hands where i was like to die bawd ay and you shall live in pleasure marina no bawd yes indeed shall you and taste gentlemen of all fashions you shall fare well you shall have the difference of all complexions what do you stop your ears marina are you a woman bawd what would you have me be an i be not a woman marina an honest woman or not a woman bawd marry whip thee gosling i think i shall have something to do with you come you're a young foolish sapling and must be bowed as i would have you marina the gods defend me bawd if it please the gods to defend you by men then men must comfort you men must feed you men must stir you up boult's returned reenter boult now sir hast thou cried her through the market boult i have cried her almost to the number of her hairs i have drawn her picture with my voice bawd and i prithee tell me how dost thou find the inclination of the people especially of the younger sort boult faith they listened to me as they would have hearkened to their father's testament there was a spaniard's mouth so watered that he went to bed to her very description bawd we shall have him here tomorrow with his best ruff on boult tonight tonight but mistress do you know the french knight that cowers i the hams bawd who monsieur veroles boult ay he he offered to cut a caper at the proclamation but he made a groan at it and swore he would see her tomorrow bawd well well as for him he brought his disease hither here he does but repair it i know he will come in our shadow to scatter his crowns in the sun boult well if we had of every nation a traveller we should lodge them with this sign bawd to marina pray you come hither awhile you have fortunes coming upon you mark me you must seem to do that fearfully which you commit willingly despise profit where you have most gain to weep that you live as ye do makes pity in your lovers seldom but that pity begets you a good opinion and that opinion a mere profit marina i understand you not boult o take her home mistress take her home these blushes of hers must be quenched with some present practise bawd thou sayest true i faith so they must for your bride goes to that with shame which is her way to go with warrant boult faith some do and some do not but mistress if i have bargained for the joint bawd thou mayst cut a morsel off the spit boult i may so bawd who should deny it come young one i like the manner of your garments well boult ay by my faith they shall not be changed yet bawd boult spend thou that in the town report what a sojourner we have you'll lose nothing by custom when nature flamed this piece she meant thee a good turn therefore say what a paragon she is and thou hast the harvest out of thine own report boult i warrant you mistress thunder shall not so awake the beds of eels as my giving out her beauty stir up the lewdlyinclined i'll bring home some tonight bawd come your ways follow me marina if fires be hot knives sharp or waters deep untied i still my virgin knot will keep diana aid my purpose bawd what have we to do with diana pray you will you go with us exeunt pericles prince of tyre act iv scene iii tarsus a room in cleon's house enter cleon and dionyza dionyza why are you foolish can it be undone cleon o dionyza such a piece of slaughter the sun and moon ne'er look'd upon dionyza i think you'll turn a child again cleon were i chief lord of all this spacious world i'ld give it to undo the deed o lady much less in blood than virtue yet a princess to equal any single crown o the earth i the justice of compare o villain leonine whom thou hast poison'd too if thou hadst drunk to him t had been a kindness becoming well thy fact what canst thou say when noble pericles shall demand his child dionyza that she is dead nurses are not the fates to foster it nor ever to preserve she died at night i'll say so who can cross it unless you play the pious innocent and for an honest attribute cry out she died by foul play' cleon o go to well well of all the faults beneath the heavens the gods do like this worst dionyza be one of those that think the petty wrens of tarsus will fly hence and open this to pericles i do shame to think of what a noble strain you are and of how coward a spirit cleon to such proceeding who ever but his approbation added though not his prime consent he did not flow from honourable sources dionyza be it so then yet none does know but you how she came dead nor none can know leonine being gone she did disdain my child and stood between her and her fortunes none would look on her but cast their gazes on marina's face whilst ours was blurted at and held a malkin not worth the time of day it pierced me through and though you call my course unnatural you not your child well loving yet i find it greets me as an enterprise of kindness perform'd to your sole daughter cleon heavens forgive it dionyza and as for pericles what should he say we wept after her hearse and yet we mourn her monument is almost finish'd and her epitaphs in glittering golden characters express a general praise to her and care in us at whose expense tis done cleon thou art like the harpy which to betray dost with thine angel's face seize with thine eagle's talons dionyza you are like one that superstitiously doth swear to the gods that winter kills the flies but yet i know you'll do as i advise exeunt pericles prince of tyre act iv scene iv enter gower before the monument of marina at tarsus gower thus time we waste and longest leagues make short sail seas in cockles have an wish but for't making to take your imagination from bourn to bourn region to region by you being pardon'd we commit no crime to use one language in each several clime where our scenes seem to live i do beseech you to learn of me who stand i the gaps to teach you the stages of our story pericles is now again thwarting the wayward seas attended on by many a lord and knight to see his daughter all his life's delight old escanes whom helicanus late advanced in time to great and high estate is left to govern bear you it in mind old helicanus goes along behind wellsailing ships and bounteous winds have brought this king to tarsusthink his pilot thought so with his steerage shall your thoughts grow on to fetch his daughter home who first is gone like motes and shadows see them move awhile your ears unto your eyes i'll reconcile dumb show enter pericles at one door with all his train cleon and dionyza at the other cleon shows pericles the tomb whereat pericles makes lamentation puts on sackcloth and in a mighty passion departs then exeunt cleon and dionyza see how belief may suffer by foul show this borrow'd passion stands for true old woe and pericles in sorrow all devour'd with sighs shot through and biggest tears o'ershower'd leaves tarsus and again embarks he swears never to wash his face nor cut his hairs he puts on sackcloth and to sea he bears a tempest which his mortal vessel tears and yet he rides it out now please you wit the epitaph is for marina writ by wicked dionyza reads the inscription on marina's monument the fairest sweet'st and best lies here who wither'd in her spring of year she was of tyrus the king's daughter on whom foul death hath made this slaughter marina was she call'd and at her birth thetis being proud swallow'd some part o the earth therefore the earth fearing to be o'erflow'd hath thetis birthchild on the heavens bestow'd wherefore she does and swears she'll never stint make raging battery upon shores of flint' no visor does become black villany so well as soft and tender flattery let pericles believe his daughter's dead and bear his courses to be ordered by lady fortune while our scene must play his daughter's woe and heavy welladay in her unholy service patience then and think you now are all in mytilene exit pericles prince of tyre act iv scene v mytilene a street before the brothel enter from the brothel two gentlemen first gentleman did you ever hear the like second gentleman no nor never shall do in such a place as this she being once gone first gentleman but to have divinity preached there did you ever dream of such a thing second gentleman no no come i am for no more bawdyhouses shall's go hear the vestals sing first gentleman i'll do any thing now that is virtuous but i am out of the road of rutting for ever exeunt pericles prince of tyre act iv scene vi the same a room in the brothel enter pandar bawd and boult pandar well i had rather than twice the worth of her she had ne'er come here bawd fie fie upon her she's able to freeze the god priapus and undo a whole generation we must either get her ravished or be rid of her when she should do for clients her fitment and do me the kindness of our profession she has me her quirks her reasons her master reasons her prayers her knees that she would make a puritan of the devil if he should cheapen a kiss of her boult faith i must ravish her or she'll disfurnish us of all our cavaliers and make our swearers priests pandar now the pox upon her greensickness for me bawd faith there's no way to be rid on't but by the way to the pox here comes the lord lysimachus disguised boult we should have both lord and lown if the peevish baggage would but give way to customers enter lysimachus lysimachus how now how a dozen of virginities bawd now the gods tobless your honour boult i am glad to see your honour in good health lysimachus you may so tis the better for you that your resorters stand upon sound legs how now wholesome iniquity have you that a man may deal withal and defy the surgeon bawd we have here one sir if she wouldbut there never came her like in mytilene lysimachus if she'ld do the deed of darkness thou wouldst say bawd your honour knows what tis to say well enough lysimachus well call forth call forth boult for flesh and blood sir white and red you shall see a rose and she were a rose indeed if she had but lysimachus what prithee boult o sir i can be modest lysimachus that dignifies the renown of a bawd no less than it gives a good report to a number to be chaste exit boult bawd here comes that which grows to the stalk never plucked yet i can assure you reenter boult with marina is she not a fair creature lysimachus faith she would serve after a long voyage at sea well there's for you leave us bawd i beseech your honour give me leave a word and i'll have done presently lysimachus i beseech you do bawd to marina first i would have you note this is an honourable man marina i desire to find him so that i may worthily note him bawd next he's the governor of this country and a man whom i am bound to marina if he govern the country you are bound to him indeed but how honourable he is in that i know not bawd pray you without any more virginal fencing will you use him kindly he will line your apron with gold marina what he will do graciously i will thankfully receive lysimachus ha you done bawd my lord she's not paced yet you must take some pains to work her to your manage come we will leave his honour and her together go thy ways exeunt bawd pandar and boult lysimachus now pretty one how long have you been at this trade marina what trade sir lysimachus why i cannot name't but i shall offend marina i cannot be offended with my trade please you to name it lysimachus how long have you been of this profession marina e'er since i can remember lysimachus did you go to t so young were you a gamester at five or at seven marina earlier too sir if now i be one lysimachus why the house you dwell in proclaims you to be a creature of sale marina do you know this house to be a place of such resort and will come into t i hear say you are of honourable parts and are the governor of this place lysimachus why hath your principal made known unto you who i am marina who is my principal lysimachus why your herbwoman she that sets seeds and roots of shame and iniquity o you have heard something of my power and so stand aloof for more serious wooing but i protest to thee pretty one my authority shall not see thee or else look friendly upon thee come bring me to some private place come come marina if you were born to honour show it now if put upon you make the judgment good that thought you worthy of it lysimachus how's this how's this some more be sage marina for me that am a maid though most ungentle fortune have placed me in this sty where since i came diseases have been sold dearer than physic o that the gods would set me free from this unhallow'd place though they did change me to the meanest bird that flies i the purer air lysimachus i did not think thou couldst have spoke so well ne'er dream'd thou couldst had i brought hither a corrupted mind thy speech had alter'd it hold here's gold for thee persever in that clear way thou goest and the gods strengthen thee marina the good gods preserve you lysimachus for me be you thoughten that i came with no ill intent for to me the very doors and windows savour vilely fare thee well thou art a piece of virtue and i doubt not but thy training hath been noble hold here's more gold for thee a curse upon him die he like a thief that robs thee of thy goodness if thou dost hear from me it shall be for thy good reenter boult boult i beseech your honour one piece for me lysimachus avaunt thou damned doorkeeper your house but for this virgin that doth prop it would sink and overwhelm you away exit boult how's this we must take another course with you if your peevish chastity which is not worth a breakfast in the cheapest country under the cope shall undo a whole household let me be gelded like a spaniel come your ways marina whither would you have me boult i must have your maidenhead taken off or the common hangman shall execute it come your ways we'll have no more gentlemen driven away come your ways i say reenter bawd bawd how now what's the matter boult worse and worse mistress she has here spoken holy words to the lord lysimachus bawd o abominable boult she makes our profession as it were to stink afore the face of the gods bawd marry hang her up for ever boult the nobleman would have dealt with her like a nobleman and she sent him away as cold as a snowball saying his prayers too bawd boult take her away use her at thy pleasure crack the glass of her virginity and make the rest malleable boult an if she were a thornier piece of ground than she is she shall be ploughed marina hark hark you gods bawd she conjures away with her would she had never come within my doors marry hang you she's born to undo us will you not go the way of womenkind marry come up my dish of chastity with rosemary and bays exit boult come mistress come your ways with me marina whither wilt thou have me boult to take from you the jewel you hold so dear marina prithee tell me one thing first boult come now your one thing marina what canst thou wish thine enemy to be boult why i could wish him to be my master or rather my mistress marina neither of these are so bad as thou art since they do better thee in their command thou hold'st a place for which the pained'st fiend of hell would not in reputation change thou art the damned doorkeeper to every coistrel that comes inquiring for his tib to the choleric fisting of every rogue thy ear is liable thy food is such as hath been belch'd on by infected lungs boult what would you have me do go to the wars would you where a man may serve seven years for the loss of a leg and have not money enough in the end to buy him a wooden one marina do any thing but this thou doest empty old receptacles or common shores of filth serve by indenture to the common hangman any of these ways are yet better than this for what thou professest a baboon could he speak would own a name too dear o that the gods would safely deliver me from this place here here's gold for thee if that thy master would gain by thee proclaim that i can sing weave sew and dance with other virtues which i'll keep from boast and i will undertake all these to teach i doubt not but this populous city will yield many scholars boult but can you teach all this you speak of marina prove that i cannot take me home again and prostitute me to the basest groom that doth frequent your house boult well i will see what i can do for thee if i can place thee i will marina but amongst honest women boult faith my acquaintance lies little amongst them but since my master and mistress have bought you there's no going but by their consent therefore i will make them acquainted with your purpose and i doubt not but i shall find them tractable enough come i'll do for thee what i can come your ways exeunt pericles prince of tyre act v enter gower gower marina thus the brothel scapes and chances into an honest house our story says she sings like one immortal and she dances as goddesslike to her admired lays deep clerks she dumbs and with her needle composes nature's own shape of bud bird branch or berry that even her art sisters the natural roses her inkle silk twin with the rubied cherry that pupils lacks she none of noble race who pour their bounty on her and her gain she gives the cursed bawd here we her place and to her father turn our thoughts again where we left him on the sea we there him lost whence driven before the winds he is arrived here where his daughter dwells and on this coast suppose him now at anchor the city strived god neptune's annual feast to keep from whence lysimachus our tyrian ship espies his banners sable trimm'd with rich expense and to him in his barge with fervor hies in your supposing once more put your sight of heavy pericles think this his bark where what is done in action more if might shall be discover'd please you sit and hark exit pericles prince of tyre act v scene i on board pericles ship off mytilene a close pavilion on deck with a curtain before it pericles within it reclined on a couch a barge lying beside the tyrian vessel enter two sailors one belonging to the tyrian vessel the other to the barge to them helicanus tyrian sailor to the sailor of mytilene where is lord helicanus he can resolve you o here he is sir there's a barge put off from mytilene and in it is lysimachus the governor who craves to come aboard what is your will helicanus that he have his call up some gentlemen tyrian sailor ho gentlemen my lord calls enter two or three gentlemen first gentleman doth your lordship call helicanus gentlemen there's some of worth would come aboard i pray ye greet them fairly the gentlemen and the two sailors descend and go on board the barge enter from thence lysimachus and lords with the gentlemen and the two sailors tyrian sailor sir this is the man that can in aught you would resolve you lysimachus hail reverend sir the gods preserve you helicanus and you sir to outlive the age i am and die as i would do lysimachus you wish me well being on shore honouring of neptune's triumphs seeing this goodly vessel ride before us i made to it to know of whence you are helicanus first what is your place lysimachus i am the governor of this place you lie before helicanus sir our vessel is of tyre in it the king a man who for this three months hath not spoken to any one nor taken sustenance but to prorogue his grief lysimachus upon what ground is his distemperature helicanus twould be too tedious to repeat but the main grief springs from the loss of a beloved daughter and a wife lysimachus may we not see him helicanus you may but bootless is your sight he will not speak to any lysimachus yet let me obtain my wish helicanus behold him pericles discovered this was a goodly person till the disaster that one mortal night drove him to this lysimachus sir king all hail the gods preserve you hail royal sir helicanus it is in vain he will not speak to you first lord sir we have a maid in mytilene i durst wager would win some words of him lysimachus tis well bethought she questionless with her sweet harmony and other chosen attractions would allure and make a battery through his deafen'd parts which now are midway stopp'd she is all happy as the fairest of all and with her fellow maids is now upon the leafy shelter that abuts against the island's side whispers a lord who goes off in the barge of lysimachus helicanus sure all's effectless yet nothing we'll omit that bears recovery's name but since your kindness we have stretch'd thus far let us beseech you that for our gold we may provision have wherein we are not destitute for want but weary for the staleness lysimachus o sir a courtesy which if we should deny the most just gods for every graff would send a caterpillar and so afflict our province yet once more let me entreat to know at large the cause of your king's sorrow helicanus sit sir i will recount it to you but see i am prevented reenter from the barge lord with marina and a young lady lysimachus o here is the lady that i sent for welcome fair one is't not a goodly presence helicanus she's a gallant lady lysimachus she's such a one that were i well assured came of a gentle kind and noble stock i'ld wish no better choice and think me rarely wed fair one all goodness that consists in bounty expect even here where is a kingly patient if that thy prosperous and artificial feat can draw him but to answer thee in aught thy sacred physic shall receive such pay as thy desires can wish marina sir i will use my utmost skill in his recovery provided that none but i and my companion maid be suffer'd to come near him lysimachus come let us leave her and the gods make her prosperous marina sings lysimachus mark'd he your music marina no nor look'd on us lysimachus see she will speak to him marina hail sir my lord lend ear pericles hum ha marina i am a maid my lord that ne'er before invited eyes but have been gazed on like a comet she speaks my lord that may be hath endured a grief might equal yours if both were justly weigh'd though wayward fortune did malign my state my derivation was from ancestors who stood equivalent with mighty kings but time hath rooted out my parentage and to the world and awkward casualties bound me in servitude aside i will desist but there is something glows upon my cheek and whispers in mine ear go not till he speak' pericles my fortunesparentagegood parentage to equal minewas it not thus what say you marina i said my lord if you did know my parentage you would not do me violence pericles i do think so pray you turn your eyes upon me you are like something thatwhat countrywoman here of these shores marina no nor of any shores yet i was mortally brought forth and am no other than i appear pericles i am great with woe and shall deliver weeping my dearest wife was like this maid and such a one my daughter might have been my queen's square brows her stature to an inch as wandlike straight as silvervoiced her eyes as jewellike and cased as richly in pace another juno who starves the ears she feeds and makes them hungry the more she gives them speech where do you live marina where i am but a stranger from the deck you may discern the place pericles where were you bred and how achieved you these endowments which you make more rich to owe marina if i should tell my history it would seem like lies disdain'd in the reporting pericles prithee speak falseness cannot come from thee for thou look'st modest as justice and thou seem'st a palace for the crown'd truth to dwell in i will believe thee and make my senses credit thy relation to points that seem impossible for thou look'st like one i loved indeed what were thy friends didst thou not say when i did push thee back which was when i perceived theethat thou camest from good descending marina so indeed i did pericles report thy parentage i think thou said'st thou hadst been toss'd from wrong to injury and that thou thought'st thy griefs might equal mine if both were open'd marina some such thing i said and said no more but what my thoughts did warrant me was likely pericles tell thy story if thine consider'd prove the thousandth part of my endurance thou art a man and i have suffer'd like a girl yet thou dost look like patience gazing on kings graves and smiling extremity out of act what were thy friends how lost thou them thy name my most kind virgin recount i do beseech thee come sit by me marina my name is marina pericles o i am mock'd and thou by some incensed god sent hither to make the world to laugh at me marina patience good sir or here i'll cease pericles nay i'll be patient thou little know'st how thou dost startle me to call thyself marina marina the name was given me by one that had some power my father and a king pericles how a king's daughter and call'd marina marina you said you would believe me but not to be a troubler of your peace i will end here pericles but are you flesh and blood have you a working pulse and are no fairy motion well speak on where were you born and wherefore call'd marina marina call'd marina for i was born at sea pericles at sea what mother marina my mother was the daughter of a king who died the minute i was born as my good nurse lychorida hath oft deliver'd weeping pericles o stop there a little aside this is the rarest dream that e'er dull sleep did mock sad fools withal this cannot be my daughter's buried well where were you bred i'll hear you more to the bottom of your story and never interrupt you marina you scorn believe me twere best i did give o'er pericles i will believe you by the syllable of what you shall deliver yet give me leave how came you in these parts where were you bred marina the king my father did in tarsus leave me till cruel cleon with his wicked wife did seek to murder me and having woo'd a villain to attempt it who having drawn to do't a crew of pirates came and rescued me brought me to mytilene but good sir whither will you have me why do you weep it may be you think me an impostor no good faith i am the daughter to king pericles if good king pericles be pericles ho helicanus helicanus calls my lord pericles thou art a grave and noble counsellor most wise in general tell me if thou canst what this maid is or what is like to be that thus hath made me weep helicanus i know not but here is the regent sir of mytilene speaks nobly of her lysimachus she would never tell her parentage being demanded that she would sit still and weep pericles o helicanus strike me honour'd sir give me a gash put me to present pain lest this great sea of joys rushing upon me o'erbear the shores of my mortality and drown me with their sweetness o come hither thou that beget'st him that did thee beget thou that wast born at sea buried at tarsus and found at sea again o helicanus down on thy knees thank the holy gods as loud as thunder threatens us this is marina what was thy mother's name tell me but that for truth can never be confirm'd enough though doubts did ever sleep marina first sir i pray what is your title pericles i am pericles of tyre but tell me now my drown'd queen's name as in the rest you said thou hast been godlike perfect the heir of kingdoms and another like to pericles thy father marina is it no more to be your daughter than to say my mother's name was thaisa thaisa was my mother who did end the minute i began pericles now blessing on thee rise thou art my child give me fresh garments mine own helicanus she is not dead at tarsus as she should have been by savage cleon she shall tell thee all when thou shalt kneel and justify in knowledge she is thy very princess who is this helicanus sir tis the governor of mytilene who hearing of your melancholy state did come to see you pericles i embrace you give me my robes i am wild in my beholding o heavens bless my girl but hark what music tell helicanus my marina tell him o'er point by point for yet he seems to doubt how sure you are my daughter but what music helicanus my lord i hear none pericles none the music of the spheres list my marina lysimachus it is not good to cross him give him way pericles rarest sounds do ye not hear lysimachus my lord i hear music pericles most heavenly music it nips me unto listening and thick slumber hangs upon mine eyes let me rest sleeps lysimachus a pillow for his head so leave him all well my companion friends if this but answer to my just belief i'll well remember you exeunt all but pericles diana appears to pericles as in a vision diana my temple stands in ephesus hie thee thither and do upon mine altar sacrifice there when my maiden priests are met together before the people all reveal how thou at sea didst lose thy wife to mourn thy crosses with thy daughter's call and give them repetition to the life or perform my bidding or thou livest in woe do it and happy by my silver bow awake and tell thy dream disappears pericles celestial dian goddess argentine i will obey thee helicanus reenter helicanus lysimachus and marina helicanus sir pericles my purpose was for tarsus there to strike the inhospitable cleon but i am for other service first toward ephesus turn our blown sails eftsoons i'll tell thee why to lysimachus shall we refresh us sir upon your shore and give you gold for such provision as our intents will need lysimachus sir with all my heart and when you come ashore i have another suit pericles you shall prevail were it to woo my daughter for it seems you have been noble towards her lysimachus sir lend me your arm pericles come my marina exeunt pericles prince of tyre act v scene ii enter gower before the temple of diana at ephesus gower now our sands are almost run more a little and then dumb this my last boon give me for such kindness must relieve me that you aptly will suppose what pageantry what feats what shows what minstrelsy and pretty din the regent made in mytilene to greet the king so he thrived that he is promised to be wived to fair marina but in no wise till he had done his sacrifice as dian bade whereto being bound the interim pray you all confound in feather'd briefness sails are fill'd and wishes fall out as they're will'd at ephesus the temple see our king and all his company that he can hither come so soon is by your fancy's thankful doom exit pericles prince of tyre act v scene iii the temple of diana at ephesus thaisa standing near the altar as high priestess a number of virgins on each side cerimon and other inhabitants of ephesus attending enter pericles with his train lysimachus helicanus marina and a lady pericles hail dian to perform thy just command i here confess myself the king of tyre who frighted from my country did wed at pentapolis the fair thaisa at sea in childbed died she but brought forth a maidchild call'd marina who o goddess wears yet thy silver livery she at tarsus was nursed with cleon who at fourteen years he sought to murder but her better stars brought her to mytilene gainst whose shore riding her fortunes brought the maid aboard us where by her own most clear remembrance she made known herself my daughter thaisa voice and favour you are you areo royal pericles faints pericles what means the nun she dies help gentlemen cerimon noble sir if you have told diana's altar true this is your wife pericles reverend appearer no i threw her overboard with these very arms cerimon upon this coast i warrant you pericles tis most certain cerimon look to the lady o she's but o'erjoy'd early in blustering morn this lady was thrown upon this shore i oped the coffin found there rich jewels recover'd her and placed her here in diana's temple pericles may we see them cerimon great sir they shall be brought you to my house whither i invite you look thaisa is recovered thaisa o let me look if he be none of mine my sanctity will to my sense bend no licentious ear but curb it spite of seeing o my lord are you not pericles like him you spake like him you are did you not name a tempest a birth and death pericles the voice of dead thaisa thaisa that thaisa am i supposed dead and drown'd pericles immortal dian thaisa now i know you better when we with tears parted pentapolis the king my father gave you such a ring shows a ring pericles this this no more you gods your present kindness makes my past miseries sports you shall do well that on the touching of her lips i may melt and no more be seen o come be buried a second time within these arms marina my heart leaps to be gone into my mother's bosom kneels to thaisa pericles look who kneels here flesh of thy flesh thaisa thy burden at the sea and call'd marina for she was yielded there thaisa blest and mine own helicanus hail madam and my queen thaisa i know you not pericles you have heard me say when i did fly from tyre i left behind an ancient substitute can you remember what i call'd the man i have named him oft thaisa twas helicanus then pericles still confirmation embrace him dear thaisa this is he now do i long to hear how you were found how possibly preserved and who to thank besides the gods for this great miracle thaisa lord cerimon my lord this man through whom the gods have shown their power that can from first to last resolve you pericles reverend sir the gods can have no mortal officer more like a god than you will you deliver how this dead queen relives cerimon i will my lord beseech you first go with me to my house where shall be shown you all was found with her how she came placed here in the temple no needful thing omitted pericles pure dian bless thee for thy vision i will offer nightoblations to thee thaisa this prince the fairbetrothed of your daughter shall marry her at pentapolis and now this ornament makes me look dismal will i clip to form and what this fourteen years no razor touch'd to grace thy marriageday i'll beautify thaisa lord cerimon hath letters of good credit sir my father's dead pericles heavens make a star of him yet there my queen we'll celebrate their nuptials and ourselves will in that kingdom spend our following days our son and daughter shall in tyrus reign lord cerimon we do our longing stay to hear the rest untold sir lead's the way exeunt enter gower gower in antiochus and his daughter you have heard of monstrous lust the due and just reward in pericles his queen and daughter seen although assail'd with fortune fierce and keen virtue preserved from fell destruction's blast led on by heaven and crown'd with joy at last in helicanus may you well descry a figure of truth of faith of loyalty in reverend cerimon there well appears the worth that learned charity aye wears for wicked cleon and his wife when fame had spread their cursed deed and honour'd name of pericles to rage the city turn that him and his they in his palace burn the gods for murder seemed so content to punish them although not done but meant so on your patience evermore attending new joy wait on you here our play has ending exit the taming of the shrew dramatis personae a lord christopher sly a tinker sly persons in the induction hostess page players huntsmen and servants hostess page a player first huntsman second huntsman messenger first servant second servant third servant baptista a rich gentleman of padua vincentio an old gentleman of pisa lucentio son to vincentio in love with bianca petruchio a gentleman of verona a suitor to katharina gremio suitors to bianca hortensio tranio servants to lucentio biondello grumio curtis nathaniel nicholas servants to petruchio joseph philip peter a pedant katharina the shrew daughters to baptista bianca widow tailor haberdasher and servants attending on baptista and petruchio tailor haberdasher first servant scene padua and petruchio's country house the taming of the shrew induction scene i before an alehouse on a heath enter hostess and sly sly i'll pheeze you in faith hostess a pair of stocks you rogue sly ye are a baggage the slys are no rogues look in the chronicles we came in with richard conqueror therefore paucas pallabris let the world slide sessa hostess you will not pay for the glasses you have burst sly no not a denier go by jeronimy go to thy cold bed and warm thee hostess i know my remedy i must go fetch the thirdborough exit sly third or fourth or fifth borough i'll answer him by law i'll not budge an inch boy let him come and kindly falls asleep horns winded enter a lord from hunting with his train lord huntsman i charge thee tender well my hounds brach merriman the poor cur is emboss'd and couple clowder with the deepmouth'd brach saw'st thou not boy how silver made it good at the hedgecorner in the coldest fault i would not lose the dog for twenty pound first huntsman why belman is as good as he my lord he cried upon it at the merest loss and twice today pick'd out the dullest scent trust me i take him for the better dog lord thou art a fool if echo were as fleet i would esteem him worth a dozen such but sup them well and look unto them all tomorrow i intend to hunt again first huntsman i will my lord lord what's here one dead or drunk see doth he breathe second huntsman he breathes my lord were he not warm'd with ale this were a bed but cold to sleep so soundly lord o monstrous beast how like a swine he lies grim death how foul and loathsome is thine image sirs i will practise on this drunken man what think you if he were convey'd to bed wrapp'd in sweet clothes rings put upon his fingers a most delicious banquet by his bed and brave attendants near him when he wakes would not the beggar then forget himself first huntsman believe me lord i think he cannot choose second huntsman it would seem strange unto him when he waked lord even as a flattering dream or worthless fancy then take him up and manage well the jest carry him gently to my fairest chamber and hang it round with all my wanton pictures balm his foul head in warm distilled waters and burn sweet wood to make the lodging sweet procure me music ready when he wakes to make a dulcet and a heavenly sound and if he chance to speak be ready straight and with a low submissive reverence say what is it your honour will command' let one attend him with a silver basin full of rosewater and bestrew'd with flowers another bear the ewer the third a diaper and say will't please your lordship cool your hands' some one be ready with a costly suit and ask him what apparel he will wear another tell him of his hounds and horse and that his lady mourns at his disease persuade him that he hath been lunatic and when he says he is say that he dreams for he is nothing but a mighty lord this do and do it kindly gentle sirs it will be pastime passing excellent if it be husbanded with modesty first huntsman my lord i warrant you we will play our part as he shall think by our true diligence he is no less than what we say he is lord 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 servingman belike some noble gentleman that means travelling some journey to repose him here reenter servingman how now who is it servant an't please your honour players that offer service to your lordship lord bid them come near enter players now fellows you are welcome players we thank your honour lord do you intend to stay with me tonight a player so please your lordship to accept our duty lord with all my heart this fellow i remember since 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 a player i think twas soto that your honour means lord tis very true thou didst it excellent well you are come to me in a 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 tonight but i am doubtful of your modesties lest overeyeing of his odd behavior 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 a player fear not my lord we can contain ourselves were he the veriest antic in the world lord go sirrah take them to the buttery and give them friendly welcome every one let them want nothing that my house affords exit one with the players sirrah go you to barthol'mew my page and see him dress'd in all suits like a lady that done conduct him to the drunkard's chamber and call him madam do him obeisance tell him from me as he will win my love he bear himself with honourable action such as he hath observed 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 restored to health who for this seven years hath esteem'd 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 an onion will do well for such a shift which in a napkin being close convey'd shall in despite enforce a watery eye see this dispatch'd with all the haste thou canst anon i'll give thee more instructions exit a servingman i know the boy will well usurp the grace voice gait and action of a gentlewoman i long to hear him call the drunkard husband and how my men will stay themselves from laughter when they do homage to this simple peasant i'll in to counsel them haply my presence may well abate the overmerry spleen which otherwise would grow into extremes exeunt the taming of the shrew induction scene ii a bedchamber in the lord's house enter aloft sly with attendants some with apparel others with basin and ewer and appurtenances and lord sly for god's sake a pot of small ale first servant will't please your lordship drink a cup of sack second servant will't please your honour taste of these conserves third servant what raiment will your honour wear today sly i am christophero sly call not me honour nor lordship i ne'er 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 overleather lord heaven cease this idle humour in your honour o that a mighty man of such descent of such possessions and so high esteem should be infused with so foul a spirit sly what would you make me mad am not i christopher sly old sly's son of burtonheath by birth a pedlar by education a cardmaker by transmutation a bearherd and now by present profession a tinker ask marian hacket the fat alewife 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 here's third servant o this it is that makes your lady mourn second servant o this is it that makes your servants droop lord hence comes it that your kindred shuns your house as beaten hence by your strange lunacy o noble lord bethink thee of thy birth call home thy ancient 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 music hark apollo plays music 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 say thou wilt walk we will bestrew the ground or wilt thou ride thy horses shall be trapp'd their harness studded all with gold and pearl dost thou love hawking thou hast hawks will soar above the morning lark or wilt thou hunt thy hounds shall make the welkin answer them and fetch shrill echoes from the hollow earth first servant say thou wilt course thy greyhounds are as swift as breathed stags ay fleeter than the roe second servant dost thou love pictures we will fetch thee straight adonis painted by a running brook and cytherea all in sedges hid which seem to move and wanton with her breath even as the waving sedges play with wind lord we'll show thee io as she was a maid and how she was beguiled and surprised as lively painted as the deed was done third servant or daphne roaming through a thorny wood scratching her legs that one shall swear she bleeds and at that sight shall sad apollo weep so workmanly the blood and tears are drawn lord thou art a lord and nothing but a lord thou hast a lady far more beautiful than any woman in this waning age first servant and till the tears that she hath shed for thee like envious floods o'errun her lovely face she was the fairest creature in the world and yet she is inferior to none sly am i a lord and have i such a lady or do i dream or have i dream'd till now i do not sleep i see i hear i speak i smell sweet savours and i feel soft things upon my life i am a lord indeed and not a tinker nor christophero sly well bring our lady hither to our sight and once again a pot o the smallest ale second servant will't please your mightiness to wash your hands o how we joy to see your wit restored o that once more you knew but what you are these fifteen years you have been in a dream or when you waked so waked as if you slept sly these fifteen years by my fay a goodly nap but did i never speak of all that time first servant o yes my lord but very idle words for though you lay here in this goodly chamber yet would you say ye were beaten out of door and rail upon the hostess of the house and say you would present her at the leet because she brought stone jugs and no seal'd quarts sometimes you would call out for cicely hacket sly ay the woman's maid of the house third servant why sir you know no house nor no such maid nor no such men as you have reckon'd up as stephen sly and did john naps of greece and peter turph and henry pimpernell and twenty more such names and men as these which never were nor no man ever saw sly now lord be thanked for my good amends all amen sly i thank thee thou shalt not lose by it enter the page as a lady with attendants page how fares my noble lord sly marry i fare well for here is cheer enough where is my wife page here noble lord what is thy will with her sly are you my wife and will not call me husband my men should call me lord i am your goodman page my husband and my lord my lord and husband i am your wife in all obedience sly i know it well what must i call her lord madam sly al'ce madam or joan madam lord madam and nothing else so lords call ladies sly madam wife they say that i have dream'd and slept above some fifteen year or more page ay and the time seems thirty unto me being all this time abandon'd from your bed sly tis much servants leave me and her alone madam undress you and come now to bed page thrice noble lord let me entreat of you to pardon me yet for a night or two or if not so until the sun be set for your physicians have expressly charged in peril to incur your former malady that i should yet absent me from your bed i hope this reason stands for my excuse sly ay it stands so that i may hardly tarry so long but i would be loath to fall into my dreams again i will therefore tarry in despite of the flesh and the blood enter a messenger messenger your honour's players heating your amendment are come to play a pleasant comedy for so your doctors hold it very meet seeing too much sadness hath congeal'd your blood and melancholy is the nurse of frenzy therefore they thought it good you hear a play and frame your mind to mirth and merriment which bars a thousand harms and lengthens life sly marry i will let them play it is not a comondy a christmas gambold or a tumblingtrick page no my good lord it is more pleasing stuff sly what household stuff page it is a kind of history sly well well see't come madam wife sit by my side and let the world slip we shall ne'er be younger flourish the taming of the shrew act i scene i padua a public place enter lucentio and his man tranio lucentio tranio since for the great desire i had to see fair padua nursery of arts i am arrived for fruitful lombardy the pleasant garden of great italy and by my father's love and leave am arm'd with his good will and thy good company my trusty servant well approved in all here let us breathe and haply institute a course of learning and ingenious studies pisa renown'd for grave citizens gave me my being and my father first a merchant of great traffic through the world vincetino come of bentivolii vincetino's son brought up in florence it shall become to serve all hopes conceived to deck his fortune with his virtuous deeds and therefore tranio for the time i study virtue and that part of philosophy will i apply that treats of happiness by virtue specially to be achieved tell me thy mind for i have pisa left and am to padua come as he that leaves a shallow plash to plunge him in the deep and with satiety seeks to quench his thirst tranio mi perdonato gentle master mine i am in all affected as yourself glad that you thus continue your resolve to suck the sweets of sweet philosophy only good master while we do admire this virtue and this moral discipline let's be no stoics nor no stocks i pray or so devote to aristotle's cheques as ovid be an outcast quite abjured balk logic with acquaintance that you have and practise rhetoric in your common talk music and poesy use to quicken you the mathematics and the metaphysics fall to them as you find your stomach serves you no profit grows where is no pleasure ta'en in brief sir study what you most affect lucentio gramercies tranio well dost thou advise if biondello thou wert come ashore we could at once put us in readiness and take a lodging fit to entertain such friends as time in padua shall beget but stay a while what company is this tranio master some show to welcome us to town enter baptista katharina bianca gremio and hortensio lucentio and tranio stand by baptista gentlemen importune me no farther for how i firmly am resolved you know that is not bestow my youngest daughter before i have a husband for the elder if either of you both love katharina because i know you well and love you well leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure gremio aside to cart her rather she's too rough for me there there hortensio will you any wife katharina i pray you sir is it your will to make a stale of me amongst these mates hortensio mates maid how mean you that no mates for you unless you were of gentler milder mould katharina i'faith sir you shall never need to fear i wis it is not half way to her heart but if it were doubt not her care should be to comb your noddle with a threelegg'd stool and paint your face and use you like a fool hortensia from all such devils good lord deliver us gremio and me too good lord tranio hush master here's some good pastime toward that wench is stark mad or wonderful froward lucentio but in the other's silence do i see maid's mild behavior and sobriety peace tranio tranio well said master mum and gaze your fill baptista gentlemen that i may soon make good what i have said bianca get you in and let it not displease thee good bianca for i will love thee ne'er the less my girl katharina a pretty peat it is best put finger in the eye an she knew why bianca sister content you in my discontent sir to your pleasure humbly i subscribe my books and instruments shall be my company on them to took and practise by myself lucentio hark tranio thou may'st hear minerva speak hortensio signior baptista will you be so strange sorry am i that our good will effects bianca's grief gremio why will you mew her up signior baptista for this fiend of hell and make her bear the penance of her tongue baptista gentlemen content ye i am resolved go in bianca exit bianca and for i know she taketh most delight in music instruments and poetry schoolmasters will i keep within my house fit to instruct her youth if you hortensio or signior gremio you know any such prefer them hither for to cunning men i will be very kind and liberal to mine own children in good bringing up and so farewell katharina you may stay for i have more to commune with bianca exit katharina why and i trust i may go too may i not what shall i be appointed hours as though belike i knew not what to take and what to leave ha exit gremio you may go to the devil's dam your gifts are so good here's none will hold you their love is not so great hortensio but we may blow our nails together and fast it fairly out our cakes dough on both sides farewell yet for the love i bear my sweet bianca if i can by any means light on a fit man to teach her that wherein she delights i will wish him to her father hortensio so will i signior gremio but a word i pray though the nature of our quarrel yet never brooked parle know now upon advice it toucheth us both that we may yet again have access to our fair mistress and be happy rivals in bianco's love to labour and effect one thing specially gremio what's that i pray hortensio marry sir to get a husband for her sister gremio a husband a devil hortensio i say a husband gremio i say a devil thinkest thou hortensio though her father be very rich any man is so very a fool to be married to hell hortensio tush gremio though it pass your patience and mine to endure her loud alarums why man there be good fellows in the world an a man could light on them would take her with all faults and money enough gremio i cannot tell but i had as lief take her dowry with this condition to be whipped at the high cross every morning hortensio faith as you say there's small choice in rotten apples but come since this bar in law makes us friends it shall be so far forth friendly maintained all by helping baptista's eldest daughter to a husband we set his youngest free for a husband and then have to't a fresh sweet bianca happy man be his dole he that runs fastest gets the ring how say you signior gremio gremio i am agreed and would i had given him the best horse in padua to begin his wooing that would thoroughly woo her wed her and bed her and rid the house of her come on exeunt gremio and hortensio tranio i pray sir tell me is it possible that love should of a sudden take such hold lucentio o tranio till i found it to be true i never thought it possible or likely but see while idly i stood looking on i found the effect of love in idleness and now in plainness do confess to thee that art to me as secret and as dear as anna to the queen of carthage was tranio i burn i pine i perish tranio if i achieve not this young modest girl counsel me tranio for i know thou canst assist me tranio for i know thou wilt tranio master it is no time to chide you now affection is not rated from the heart if love have touch'd you nought remains but so redime te captum quam queas minimo' lucentio gramercies lad go forward this contents the rest will comfort for thy counsel's sound tranio master you look'd so longly on the maid perhaps you mark'd not what's the pith of all lucentio o yes i saw sweet beauty in her face such as the daughter of agenor had that made great jove to humble him to her hand when with his knees he kiss'd the cretan strand tranio saw you no more mark'd you not how her sister began to scold and raise up such a storm that mortal ears might hardly endure the din lucentio tranio i saw her coral lips to move and with her breath she did perfume the air sacred and sweet was all i saw in her tranio nay then tis time to stir him from his trance i pray awake sir if you love the maid bend thoughts and wits to achieve her thus it stands her eldest sister is so curst and shrewd that till the father rid his hands of her master your love must live a maid at home and therefore has he closely mew'd her up because she will not be annoy'd with suitors lucentio ah tranio what a cruel father's he but art thou not advised he took some care to get her cunning schoolmasters to instruct her tranio ay marry am i sir and now tis plotted lucentio i have it tranio tranio master for my hand both our inventions meet and jump in one lucentio tell me thine first tranio you will be schoolmaster and undertake the teaching of the maid that's your device lucentio it is may it be done tranio not possible for who shall bear your part and be in padua here vincentio's son keep house and ply his book welcome his friends visit his countrymen and banquet them lucentio basta content thee for i have it full we have not yet been seen in any house nor can we lie distinguish'd by our faces for man or master then it follows thus thou shalt be master tranio in my stead keep house and port and servants as i should i will some other be some florentine some neapolitan or meaner man of pisa tis hatch'd and shall be so tranio at once uncase thee take my colour'd hat and cloak when biondello comes he waits on thee but i will charm him first to keep his tongue tranio so had you need in brief sir sith it your pleasure is and i am tied to be obedient for so your father charged me at our parting be serviceable to my son quoth he although i think twas in another sense i am content to be lucentio because so well i love lucentio lucentio tranio be so because lucentio loves and let me be a slave to achieve that maid whose sudden sight hath thrall'd my wounded eye here comes the rogue enter biondello sirrah where have you been biondello where have i been nay how now where are you master has my fellow tranio stolen your clothes or you stolen his or both pray what's the news lucentio sirrah come hither tis no time to jest and therefore frame your manners to the time your fellow tranio here to save my life puts my apparel and my countenance on and i for my escape have put on his for in a quarrel since i came ashore i kill'd a man and fear i was descried wait you on him i charge you as becomes while i make way from hence to save my life you understand me biondello i sir ne'er a whit lucentio and not a jot of tranio in your mouth tranio is changed into lucentio biondello the better for him would i were so too tranio so could i faith boy to have the next wish after that lucentio indeed had baptista's youngest daughter but sirrah not for my sake but your master's i advise you use your manners discreetly in all kind of companies when i am alone why then i am tranio but in all places else your master lucentio lucentio tranio let's go one thing more rests that thyself execute to make one among these wooers if thou ask me why sufficeth my reasons are both good and weighty exeunt the presenters above speak first servant my lord you nod you do not mind the play sly yes by saint anne do i a good matter surely comes there any more of it page my lord tis but begun sly tis a very excellent piece of work madam lady would twere done they sit and mark the taming of the shrew act i scene ii padua before hortensio's house enter petruchio and his man grumio petruchio verona for a while i take my leave to see my friends in padua but of all my best beloved and approved friend hortensio and i trow this is his house here sirrah grumio knock i say grumio knock sir whom should i knock is there man has rebused your worship petruchio villain i say knock me here soundly grumio knock you here sir why sir what am i sir that i should knock you here sir petruchio villain i say knock me at this gate and rap me well or i'll knock your knave's pate grumio my master is grown quarrelsome i should knock you first and then i know after who comes by the worst petruchio will it not be faith sirrah an you'll not knock i'll ring it i'll try how you can sol fa and sing it he wrings him by the ears grumio help masters help my master is mad petruchio now knock when i bid you sirrah villain enter hortensio hortensio how now what's the matter my old friend grumio and my good friend petruchio how do you all at verona petruchio signior hortensio come you to part the fray con tutto il cuore ben trovato may i say hortensio alla nostra casa ben venuto molto honorato signor mio petruchio rise grumio rise we will compound this quarrel grumio nay tis no matter sir what he leges in latin if this be not a lawful case for me to leave his service look you sir he bid me knock him and rap him soundly sir well was it fit for a servant to use his master so being perhaps for aught i see two and thirty a pip out whom would to god i had well knock'd at first then had not grumio come by the worst petruchio a senseless villain good hortensio i bade the rascal knock upon your gate and could not get him for my heart to do it grumio knock at the gate o heavens spake you not these words plain sirrah knock me here rap me here knock me well and knock me soundly and come you now with knocking at the gate' petruchio sirrah be gone or talk not i advise you hortensio petruchio patience i am grumio's pledge why this's a heavy chance twixt him and you your ancient trusty pleasant servant grumio and tell me now sweet friend what happy gale blows you to padua here from old verona petruchio such wind as scatters young men through the world to seek their fortunes farther than at home where small experience grows but in a few signior hortensio thus it stands with me antonio my father is deceased and i have thrust myself into this maze haply to wive and thrive as best i may crowns in my purse i have and goods at home and so am come abroad to see the world hortensio petruchio shall i then come roundly to thee and wish thee to a shrewd illfavour'd wife thou'ldst thank me but a little for my counsel and yet i'll promise thee she shall be rich and very rich but thou'rt too much my friend and i'll not wish thee to her petruchio signior hortensio twixt such friends as we few words suffice and therefore if thou know one rich enough to be petruchio's wife as wealth is burden of my wooing dance be she as foul as was florentius love as old as sibyl and as curst and shrewd as socrates xanthippe or a worse she moves me not or not removes at least affection's edge in me were she as rough as are the swelling adriatic seas i come to wive it wealthily in padua if wealthily then happily in padua grumio nay look you sir he tells you flatly what his mind is why give him gold enough and marry him to a puppet or an agletbaby or an old trot with ne'er a tooth in her head though she have as many diseases as two and fifty horses why nothing comes amiss so money comes withal hortensio petruchio since we are stepp'd thus far in i will continue that i broach'd in jest i can petruchio help thee to a wife with wealth enough and young and beauteous brought up as best becomes a gentlewoman her only fault and that is faults enough is that she is intolerable curst and shrewd and froward so beyond all measure that were my state far worser than it is i would not wed her for a mine of gold petruchio hortensio peace thou know'st not gold's effect tell me her father's name and tis enough for i will board her though she chide as loud as thunder when the clouds in autumn crack hortensio her father is baptista minola an affable and courteous gentleman her name is katharina minola renown'd in padua for her scolding tongue petruchio i know her father though i know not her and he knew my deceased father well i will not sleep hortensio till i see her and therefore let me be thus bold with you to give you over at this first encounter unless you will accompany me thither grumio i pray you sir let him go while the humour lasts o my word an she knew him as well as i do she would think scolding would do little good upon him she may perhaps call him half a score knaves or so why that's nothing an he begin once he'll rail in his ropetricks i'll tell you what sir an she stand him but a little he will throw a figure in her face and so disfigure her with it that she shall have no more eyes to see withal than a cat you know him not sir hortensio tarry petruchio i must go with thee for in baptista's keep my treasure is he hath the jewel of my life in hold his youngest daughter beautiful binaca and her withholds from me and other more suitors to her and rivals in my love supposing it a thing impossible for those defects i have before rehearsed that ever katharina will be woo'd therefore this order hath baptista ta'en that none shall have access unto bianca till katharina the curst have got a husband grumio katharina the curst a title for a maid of all titles the worst hortensio now shall my friend petruchio do me grace and offer me disguised in sober robes to old baptista as a schoolmaster well seen in music to instruct bianca that so i may by this device at least have leave and leisure to make love to her and unsuspected court her by herself grumio here's no knavery see to beguile the old folks how the young folks lay their heads together enter gremio and lucentio disguised master master look about you who goes there ha hortensio peace grumio it is the rival of my love petruchio stand by a while grumio a proper stripling and an amorous gremio o very well i have perused the note hark you sir i'll have them very fairly bound all books of love see that at any hand and see you read no other lectures to her you understand me over and beside signior baptista's liberality i'll mend it with a largess take your paper too and let me have them very well perfumed for she is sweeter than perfume itself to whom they go to what will you read to her lucentio whate'er i read to her i'll plead for you as for my patron stand you so assured as firmly as yourself were still in place yea and perhaps with more successful words than you unless you were a scholar sir gremio o this learning what a thing it is grumio o this woodcock what an ass it is petruchio peace sirrah hortensio grumio mum god save you signior gremio gremio and you are well met signior hortensio trow you whither i am going to baptista minola i promised to inquire carefully about a schoolmaster for the fair bianca and by good fortune i have lighted well on this young man for learning and behavior fit for her turn well read in poetry and other books good ones i warrant ye hortensio tis well and i have met a gentleman hath promised me to help me to another a fine musician to instruct our mistress so shall i no whit be behind in duty to fair bianca so beloved of me gremio beloved of me and that my deeds shall prove grumio and that his bags shall prove hortensio gremio tis now no time to vent our love listen to me and if you speak me fair i'll tell you news indifferent good for either here is a gentleman whom by chance i met upon agreement from us to his liking will undertake to woo curst katharina yea and to marry her if her dowry please gremio so said so done is well hortensio have you told him all her faults petruchio i know she is an irksome brawling scold if that be all masters i hear no harm gremio no say'st me so friend what countryman petruchio born in verona old antonio's son my father dead my fortune lives for me and i do hope good days and long to see gremio o sir such a life with such a wife were strange but if you have a stomach to't i god's name you shall have me assisting you in all but will you woo this wildcat petruchio will i live grumio will he woo her ay or i'll hang her petruchio why came i hither but to that intent think you a little din can daunt mine ears have i not in my time heard lions roar have i not heard the sea puff'd up with winds rage like an angry boar chafed with sweat have i not heard great ordnance in the field and heaven's artillery thunder in the skies have i not in a pitched battle heard loud larums neighing steeds and trumpets clang and do you tell me of a woman's tongue that gives not half so great a blow to hear as will a chestnut in a farmer's fire tush tush fear boys with bugs grumio for he fears none gremio hortensio hark this gentleman is happily arrived my mind presumes for his own good and ours hortensio i promised we would be contributors and bear his charging of wooing whatsoe'er gremio and so we will provided that he win her grumio i would i were as sure of a good dinner enter tranio brave and biondello tranio gentlemen god save you if i may be bold tell me i beseech you which is the readiest way to the house of signior baptista minola biondello he that has the two fair daughters is't he you mean tranio even he biondello gremio hark you sir you mean not her to tranio perhaps him and her sir what have you to do petruchio not her that chides sir at any hand i pray tranio i love no chiders sir biondello let's away lucentio well begun tranio hortensio sir a word ere you go are you a suitor to the maid you talk of yea or no tranio and if i be sir is it any offence gremio no if without more words you will get you hence tranio why sir i pray are not the streets as free for me as for you gremio but so is not she tranio for what reason i beseech you gremio for this reason if you'll know that she's the choice love of signior gremio hortensio that she's the chosen of signior hortensio tranio softly my masters if you be gentlemen do me this right hear me with patience baptista is a noble gentleman to whom my father is not all unknown and were his daughter fairer than she is she may more suitors have and me for one fair leda's daughter had a thousand wooers then well one more may fair bianca have and so she shall lucentio shall make one though paris came in hope to speed alone gremio what this gentleman will outtalk us all lucentio sir give him head i know he'll prove a jade petruchio hortensio to what end are all these words hortensio sir let me be so bold as ask you did you yet ever see baptista's daughter tranio no sir but hear i do that he hath two the one as famous for a scolding tongue as is the other for beauteous modesty petruchio sir sir the first's for me let her go by gremio yea leave that labour to great hercules and let it be more than alcides twelve petruchio sir understand you this of me in sooth the youngest daughter whom you hearken for her father keeps from all access of suitors and will not promise her to any man until the elder sister first be wed the younger then is free and not before tranio if it be so sir that you are the man must stead us all and me amongst the rest and if you break the ice and do this feat achieve the elder set the younger free for our access whose hap shall be to have her will not so graceless be to be ingrate hortensio sir you say well and well you do conceive and since you do profess to be a suitor you must as we do gratify this gentleman to whom we all rest generally beholding tranio sir i shall not be slack in sign whereof please ye we may contrive this afternoon and quaff carouses to our mistress health and do as adversaries do in law strive mightily but eat and drink as friends grumio o excellent motion fellows let's be gone biondello hortensio the motion's good indeed and be it so petruchio i shall be your ben venuto exeunt the taming of the shrew act ii scene i padua a room in baptista's house enter katharina and bianca bianca good sister wrong me not nor wrong yourself to make a bondmaid and a slave of me that i disdain but for these other gawds unbind my hands i'll pull them off myself yea all my raiment to my petticoat or what you will command me will i do so well i know my duty to my elders katharina of all thy suitors here i charge thee tell whom thou lovest best see thou dissemble not bianca believe me sister of all the men alive i never yet beheld that special face which i could fancy more than any other katharina minion thou liest is't not hortensio bianca if you affect him sister here i swear i'll plead for you myself but you shall have him katharina o then belike you fancy riches more you will have gremio to keep you fair bianca is it for him you do envy me so nay then you jest and now i well perceive you have but jested with me all this while i prithee sister kate untie my hands katharina if that be jest then all the rest was so strikes her enter baptista baptista why how now dame whence grows this insolence bianca stand aside poor girl she weeps go ply thy needle meddle not with her for shame thou helding of a devilish spirit why dost thou wrong her that did ne'er wrong thee when did she cross thee with a bitter word katharina her silence flouts me and i'll be revenged flies after bianca baptista what in my sight bianca get thee in exit bianca katharina what will you not suffer me nay now i see she is your treasure she must have a husband i must dance barefoot on her wedding day and for your love to her lead apes in hell talk not to me i will go sit and weep till i can find occasion of revenge exit baptista was ever gentleman thus grieved as i but who comes here enter gremio lucentio in the habit of a mean man petruchio with hortensio as a musician and tranio with biondello bearing a lute and books gremio good morrow neighbour baptista baptista good morrow neighbour gremio god save you gentlemen petruchio and you good sir pray have you not a daughter call'd katharina fair and virtuous baptista i have a daughter sir called katharina gremio you are too blunt go to it orderly petruchio you wrong me signior gremio give me leave i am a gentleman of verona sir that hearing of her beauty and her wit her affability and bashful modesty her wondrous qualities and mild behavior am bold to show myself a forward guest within your house to make mine eye the witness of that report which i so oft have heard and for an entrance to my entertainment i do present you with a man of mine presenting hortensio cunning in music and the mathematics to instruct her fully in those sciences whereof i know she is not ignorant accept of him or else you do me wrong his name is licio born in mantua baptista you're welcome sir and he for your good sake but for my daughter katharina this i know she is not for your turn the more my grief petruchio i see you do not mean to part with her or else you like not of my company baptista mistake me not i speak but as i find whence are you sir what may i call your name petruchio petruchio is my name antonio's son a man well known throughout all italy baptista i know him well you are welcome for his sake gremio saving your tale petruchio i pray let us that are poor petitioners speak too baccare you are marvellous forward petruchio o pardon me signior gremio i would fain be doing gremio i doubt it not sir but you will curse your wooing neighbour this is a gift very grateful i am sure of it to express the like kindness myself that have been more kindly beholding to you than any freely give unto you this young scholar presenting lucentio that hath been long studying at rheims as cunning in greek latin and other languages as the other in music and mathematics his name is cambio pray accept his service baptista a thousand thanks signior gremio welcome good cambio to tranio but gentle sir methinks you walk like a stranger may i be so bold to know the cause of your coming tranio pardon me sir the boldness is mine own that being a stranger in this city here do make myself a suitor to your daughter unto bianca fair and virtuous nor is your firm resolve unknown to me in the preferment of the eldest sister this liberty is all that i request that upon knowledge of my parentage i may have welcome mongst the rest that woo and free access and favour as the rest and toward the education of your daughters i here bestow a simple instrument and this small packet of greek and latin books if you accept them then their worth is great baptista lucentio is your name of whence i pray tranio of pisa sir son to vincentio baptista a mighty man of pisa by report i know him well you are very welcome sir take you the lute and you the set of books you shall go see your pupils presently holla within enter a servant sirrah lead these gentlemen to my daughters and tell them both these are their tutors bid them use them well exit servant with lucentio and hortensio biondello following we will go walk a little in the orchard and then to dinner you are passing welcome and so i pray you all to think yourselves petruchio signior baptista my business asketh haste and every day i cannot come to woo you knew my father well and in him me left solely heir to all his lands and goods which i have better'd rather than decreased then tell me if i get your daughter's love what dowry shall i have with her to wife baptista after my death the one half of my lands and in possession twenty thousand crowns petruchio and for that dowry i'll assure her of her widowhood be it that she survive me in all my lands and leases whatsoever let specialties be therefore drawn between us that covenants may be kept on either hand baptista ay when the special thing is well obtain'd that is her love for that is all in all petruchio why that is nothing for i tell you father i am as peremptory as she proudminded and where two raging fires meet together they do consume the thing that feeds their fury though little fire grows great with little wind yet extreme gusts will blow out fire and all so i to her and so she yields to me for i am rough and woo not like a babe baptista well mayst thou woo and happy be thy speed but be thou arm'd for some unhappy words petruchio ay to the proof as mountains are for winds that shake not though they blow perpetually reenter hortensio with his head broke baptista how now my friend why dost thou look so pale hortensio for fear i promise you if i look pale baptista what will my daughter prove a good musician hortensio i think she'll sooner prove a soldier iron may hold with her but never lutes baptista why then thou canst not break her to the lute hortensio why no for she hath broke the lute to me i did but tell her she mistook her frets and bow'd her hand to teach her fingering when with a most impatient devilish spirit frets call you these quoth she i'll fume with them' and with that word she struck me on the head and through the instrument my pate made way and there i stood amazed for a while as on a pillory looking through the lute while she did call me rascal fiddler and twangling jack with twenty such vile terms as had she studied to misuse me so petruchio now by the world it is a lusty wench i love her ten times more than e'er i did o how i long to have some chat with her baptista well go with me and be not so discomfited proceed in practise with my younger daughter she's apt to learn and thankful for good turns signior petruchio will you go with us or shall i send my daughter kate to you petruchio i pray you do exeunt all but petruchio i will attend her here and woo her with some spirit when she comes say that she rail why then i'll tell her plain she sings as sweetly as a nightingale say that she frown i'll say she looks as clear as morning roses newly wash'd with dew say she be mute and will not speak a word then i'll commend her volubility and say she uttereth piercing eloquence if she do bid me pack i'll give her thanks as though she bid me stay by her a week if she deny to wed i'll crave the day when i shall ask the banns and when be married but here she comes and now petruchio speak enter katharina good morrow kate for that's your name i hear katharina well have you heard but something hard of hearing they call me katharina that do talk of me petruchio you lie in faith for you are call'd plain kate and bonny kate and sometimes kate the curst but kate the prettiest kate in christendom kate of kate hall my superdainty kate for dainties are all kates and therefore kate take this of me kate of my consolation hearing thy mildness praised in every town thy virtues spoke of and thy beauty sounded yet not so deeply as to thee belongs myself am moved to woo thee for my wife katharina moved in good time let him that moved you hither remove you hence i knew you at the first you were a moveable petruchio why what's a moveable katharina a join'dstool petruchio thou hast hit it come sit on me katharina asses are made to bear and so are you petruchio women are made to bear and so are you katharina no such jade as you if me you mean petruchio alas good kate i will not burden thee for knowing thee to be but young and light katharina too light for such a swain as you to catch and yet as heavy as my weight should be petruchio should be shouldbuzz katharina well ta'en and like a buzzard petruchio o slowwing'd turtle shall a buzzard take thee katharina ay for a turtle as he takes a buzzard petruchio come come you wasp i faith you are too angry katharina if i be waspish best beware my sting petruchio my remedy is then to pluck it out katharina ay if the fool could find it where it lies petruchio who knows not where a wasp does wear his sting in his tail katharina in his tongue petruchio whose tongue katharina yours if you talk of tails and so farewell petruchio what with my tongue in your tail nay come again good kate i am a gentleman katharina that i'll try she strikes him petruchio i swear i'll cuff you if you strike again katharina so may you lose your arms if you strike me you are no gentleman and if no gentleman why then no arms petruchio a herald kate o put me in thy books katharina what is your crest a coxcomb petruchio a combless cock so kate will be my hen katharina no cock of mine you crow too like a craven petruchio nay come kate come you must not look so sour katharina it is my fashion when i see a crab petruchio why here's no crab and therefore look not sour katharina there is there is petruchio then show it me katharina had i a glass i would petruchio what you mean my face katharina well aim'd of such a young one petruchio now by saint george i am too young for you katharina yet you are wither'd petruchio tis with cares katharina i care not petruchio nay hear you kate in sooth you scape not so katharina i chafe you if i tarry let me go petruchio no not a whit i find you passing gentle twas told me you were rough and coy and sullen and now i find report a very liar for thou are pleasant gamesome passing courteous but slow in speech yet sweet as springtime flowers thou canst not frown thou canst not look askance nor bite the lip as angry wenches will nor hast thou pleasure to be cross in talk but thou with mildness entertain'st thy wooers with gentle conference soft and affable why does the world report that kate doth limp o slanderous world kate like the hazeltwig is straight and slender and as brown in hue as hazel nuts and sweeter than the kernels o let me see thee walk thou dost not halt katharina go fool and whom thou keep'st command petruchio did ever dian so become a grove as kate this chamber with her princely gait o be thou dian and let her be kate and then let kate be chaste and dian sportful katharina where did you study all this goodly speech petruchio it is extempore from my motherwit katharina a witty mother witless else her son petruchio am i not wise katharina yes keep you warm petruchio marry so i mean sweet katharina in thy bed and therefore setting all this chat aside thus in plain terms your father hath consented that you shall be my wife your dowry greed on and will you nill you i will marry you now kate i am a husband for your turn for by this light whereby i see thy beauty thy beauty that doth make me like thee well thou must be married to no man but me for i am he am born to tame you kate and bring you from a wild kate to a kate conformable as other household kates here comes your father never make denial i must and will have katharina to my wife reenter baptista gremio and tranio baptista now signior petruchio how speed you with my daughter petruchio how but well sir how but well it were impossible i should speed amiss baptista why how now daughter katharina in your dumps katharina call you me daughter now i promise you you have show'd a tender fatherly regard to wish me wed to one half lunatic a madcup ruffian and a swearing jack that thinks with oaths to face the matter out petruchio father tis thus yourself and all the world that talk'd of her have talk'd amiss of her if she be curst it is for policy for she's not froward but modest as the dove she is not hot but temperate as the morn for patience she will prove a second grissel and roman lucrece for her chastity and to conclude we have greed so well together that upon sunday is the weddingday katharina i'll see thee hang'd on sunday first gremio hark petruchio she says she'll see thee hang'd first tranio is this your speeding nay then good night our part petruchio be patient gentlemen i choose her for myself if she and i be pleased what's that to you tis bargain'd twixt us twain being alone that she shall still be curst in company i tell you tis incredible to believe how much she loves me o the kindest kate she hung about my neck and kiss on kiss she vied so fast protesting oath on oath that in a twink she won me to her love o you are novices tis a world to see how tame when men and women are alone a meacock wretch can make the curstest shrew give me thy hand kate i will unto venice to buy apparel gainst the weddingday provide the feast father and bid the guests i will be sure my katharina shall be fine baptista i know not what to say but give me your hands god send you joy petruchio tis a match gremio amen say we we will be witnesses tranio petruchio father and wife and gentlemen adieu i will to venice sunday comes apace we will have rings and things and fine array and kiss me kate we will be married o'sunday exeunt petruchio and katharina severally gremio was ever match clapp'd up so suddenly baptista faith gentlemen now i play a merchant's part and venture madly on a desperate mart tranio twas a commodity lay fretting by you twill bring you gain or perish on the seas baptista the gain i seek is quiet in the match gremio no doubt but he hath got a quiet catch but now baptists to your younger daughter now is the day we long have looked for i am your neighbour and was suitor first tranio and i am one that love bianca more than words can witness or your thoughts can guess gremio youngling thou canst not love so dear as i tranio graybeard thy love doth freeze gremio but thine doth fry skipper stand back tis age that nourisheth tranio but youth in ladies eyes that flourisheth baptista content you gentlemen i will compound this strife tis deeds must win the prize and he of both that can assure my daughter greatest dower shall have my bianca's love say signior gremio what can you assure her gremio first as you know my house within the city is richly furnished with plate and gold basins and ewers to lave her dainty hands my hangings all of tyrian tapestry in ivory coffers i have stuff'd my crowns in cypress chests my arras counterpoints costly apparel tents and canopies fine linen turkey cushions boss'd with pearl valance of venice gold in needlework pewter and brass and all things that belong to house or housekeeping then at my farm i have a hundred milchkine to the pail sixscore fat oxen standing in my stalls and all things answerable to this portion myself am struck in years i must confess and if i die tomorrow this is hers if whilst i live she will be only mine tranio that only came well in sir list to me i am my father's heir and only son if i may have your daughter to my wife i'll leave her houses three or four as good within rich pisa walls as any one old signior gremio has in padua besides two thousand ducats by the year of fruitful land all which shall be her jointure what have i pinch'd you signior gremio gremio two thousand ducats by the year of land my land amounts not to so much in all that she shall have besides an argosy that now is lying in marseilles road what have i choked you with an argosy tranio gremio tis known my father hath no less than three great argosies besides two galliases and twelve tight galleys these i will assure her and twice as much whate'er thou offer'st next gremio nay i have offer'd all i have no more and she can have no more than all i have if you like me she shall have me and mine tranio why then the maid is mine from all the world by your firm promise gremio is outvied baptista i must confess your offer is the best and let your father make her the assurance she is your own else you must pardon me if you should die before him where's her dower tranio that's but a cavil he is old i young gremio and may not young men die as well as old baptista well gentlemen i am thus resolved on sunday next you know my daughter katharina is to be married now on the sunday following shall bianca be bride to you if you this assurance if not signior gremio and so i take my leave and thank you both gremio adieu good neighbour exit baptista now i fear thee not sirrah young gamester your father were a fool to give thee all and in his waning age set foot under thy table tut a toy an old italian fox is not so kind my boy exit tranio a vengeance on your crafty wither'd hide yet i have faced it with a card of ten tis in my head to do my master good i see no reason but supposed lucentio must get a father call'd supposed vincentio' and that's a wonder fathers commonly do get their children but in this case of wooing a child shall get a sire if i fail not of my cunning exit the taming of the shrew act iii scene i padua baptista's house enter lucentio hortensio and bianca lucentio fiddler forbear you grow too forward sir have you so soon forgot the entertainment her sister katharina welcomed you withal hortensio but wrangling pedant this is the patroness of heavenly harmony then give me leave to have prerogative and when in music we have spent an hour your lecture shall have leisure for as much lucentio preposterous ass that never read so far to know the cause why music was ordain'd was it not to refresh the mind of man after his studies or his usual pain then give me leave to read philosophy and while i pause serve in your harmony hortensio sirrah i will not bear these braves of thine bianca why gentlemen you do me double wrong to strive for that which resteth in my choice i am no breeching scholar in the schools i'll not be tied to hours nor pointed times but learn my lessons as i please myself and to cut off all strife here sit we down take you your instrument play you the whiles his lecture will be done ere you have tuned hortensio you'll leave his lecture when i am in tune lucentio that will be never tune your instrument bianca where left we last lucentio here madam hic ibat simois hic est sigeia tellus hic steterat priami regia celsa senis' bianca construe them lucentio hic ibat as i told you before simois i am lucentio hic est son unto vincentio of pisa sigeia tellus disguised thus to get your love hic steterat and that lucentio that comes awooing priami is my man tranio regia' bearing my port celsa senis that we might beguile the old pantaloon hortensio madam my instrument's in tune bianca let's hear o fie the treble jars lucentio spit in the hole man and tune again bianca now let me see if i can construe it hic ibat simois i know you not hic est sigeia tellus i trust you not hic steterat priami take heed he hear us not regia presume not celsa senis' despair not hortensio madam tis now in tune lucentio all but the base hortensio the base is right tis the base knave that jars aside how fiery and forward our pedant is now for my life the knave doth court my love pedascule i'll watch you better yet bianca in time i may believe yet i mistrust lucentio mistrust it not for sure aeacides was ajax call'd so from his grandfather bianca i must believe my master else i promise you i should be arguing still upon that doubt but let it rest now licio to you good masters take it not unkindly pray that i have been thus pleasant with you both hortensio you may go walk and give me leave a while my lessons make no music in three parts lucentio are you so formal sir well i must wait aside and watch withal for but i be deceived our fine musician groweth amorous hortensio madam before you touch the instrument to learn the order of my fingering i must begin with rudiments of art to teach you gamut in a briefer sort more pleasant pithy and effectual than hath been taught by any of my trade and there it is in writing fairly drawn bianca why i am past my gamut long ago hortensio yet read the gamut of hortensio bianca reads 'gamut i am the ground of all accord a re to plead hortensio's passion b mi bianca take him for thy lord c fa ut that loves with all affection d sol re one clef two notes have i e la mi show pity or i die' call you this gamut tut i like it not old fashions please me best i am not so nice to change true rules for old inventions enter a servant servant mistress your father prays you leave your books and help to dress your sister's chamber up you know tomorrow is the weddingday bianca farewell sweet masters both i must be gone exeunt bianca and servant lucentio faith mistress then i have no cause to stay exit hortensio but i have cause to pry into this pedant methinks he looks as though he were in love yet if thy thoughts bianca be so humble to cast thy wandering eyes on every stale seize thee that list if once i find thee ranging hortensio will be quit with thee by changing exit the taming of the shrew act iii scene ii padua before baptista's house enter baptista gremio tranio katharina bianca lucentio and others attendants baptista to tranio signior lucentio this is the pointed day that katharina and petruchio should be married and yet we hear not of our soninlaw what will be said what mockery will it be to want the bridegroom when the priest attends to speak the ceremonial rites of marriage what says lucentio to this shame of ours katharina no shame but mine i must forsooth be forced to give my hand opposed against my heart unto a madbrain rudesby full of spleen who woo'd in haste and means to wed at leisure i told you i he was a frantic fool hiding his bitter jests in blunt behavior and to be noted for a merry man he'll woo a thousand point the day of marriage make feasts invite friends and proclaim the banns yet never means to wed where he hath woo'd now must the world point at poor katharina and say lo there is mad petruchio's wife if it would please him come and marry her' tranio patience good katharina and baptista too upon my life petruchio means but well whatever fortune stays him from his word though he be blunt i know him passing wise though he be merry yet withal he's honest katharina would katharina had never seen him though exit weeping followed by bianca and others baptista go girl i cannot blame thee now to weep for such an injury would vex a very saint much more a shrew of thy impatient humour enter biondello biondello master master news old news and such news as you never heard of baptista is it new and old too how may that be biondello why is it not news to hear of petruchio's coming baptista is he come biondello why no sir baptista what then biondello he is coming baptista when will he be here biondello when he stands where i am and sees you there tranio but say what to thine old news biondello why petruchio is coming in a new hat and an old jerkin a pair of old breeches thrice turned a pair of boots that have been candlecases one buckled another laced an old rusty sword ta'en out of the townarmory with a broken hilt and chapeless with two broken points his horse hipped with an old mothy saddle and stirrups of no kindred besides possessed with the glanders and like to mose in the chine troubled with the lampass infected with the fashions full of wingdalls sped with spavins rayed with yellows past cure of the fives stark spoiled with the staggers begnawn with the bots swayed in the back and shouldershotten nearlegged before and with a halfchequed bit and a headstall of sheeps leather which being restrained to keep him from stumbling hath been often burst and now repaired with knots one girth six time pieced and a woman's crupper of velure which hath two letters for her name fairly set down in studs and here and there pieced with packthread baptista who comes with him biondello o sir his lackey for all the world caparisoned like the horse with a linen stock on one leg and a kersey boothose on the other gartered with a red and blue list an old hat and the humour of forty fancies pricked in't for a feather a monster a very monster in apparel and not like a christian footboy or a gentleman's lackey tranio tis some odd humour pricks him to this fashion yet oftentimes he goes but meanapparell'd baptista i am glad he's come howsoe'er he comes biondello why sir he comes not baptista didst thou not say he comes biondello who that petruchio came baptista ay that petruchio came biondello no sir i say his horse comes with him on his back baptista why that's all one biondello nay by saint jamy i hold you a penny a horse and a man is more than one and yet not many enter petruchio and grumio petruchio come where be these gallants who's at home baptista you are welcome sir petruchio and yet i come not well baptista and yet you halt not tranio not so well apparell'd as i wish you were petruchio were it better i should rush in thus but where is kate where is my lovely bride how does my father gentles methinks you frown and wherefore gaze this goodly company as if they saw some wondrous monument some comet or unusual prodigy baptista why sir you know this is your weddingday first were we sad fearing you would not come now sadder that you come so unprovided fie doff this habit shame to your estate an eyesore to our solemn festival tranio and tells us what occasion of import hath all so long detain'd you from your wife and sent you hither so unlike yourself petruchio tedious it were to tell and harsh to hear sufficeth i am come to keep my word though in some part enforced to digress which at more leisure i will so excuse as you shall well be satisfied withal but where is kate i stay too long from her the morning wears tis time we were at church tranio see not your bride in these unreverent robes go to my chamber put on clothes of mine petruchio not i believe me thus i'll visit her baptista but thus i trust you will not marry her petruchio good sooth even thus therefore ha done with words to me she's married not unto my clothes could i repair what she will wear in me as i can change these poor accoutrements twere well for kate and better for myself but what a fool am i to chat with you when i should bid good morrow to my bride and seal the title with a lovely kiss exeunt petruchio and grumio tranio he hath some meaning in his mad attire we will persuade him be it possible to put on better ere he go to church baptista i'll after him and see the event of this exeunt baptista gremio and attendants tranio but to her love concerneth us to add her father's liking which to bring to pass as i before unparted to your worship i am to get a manwhate'er he be it skills not much we'll fit him to our turn and he shall be vincentio of pisa and make assurance here in padua of greater sums than i have promised so shall you quietly enjoy your hope and marry sweet bianca with consent lucentio were it not that my fellowschoolmaster doth watch bianca's steps so narrowly twere good methinks to steal our marriage which once perform'd let all the world say no i'll keep mine own despite of all the world tranio that by degrees we mean to look into and watch our vantage in this business we'll overreach the greybeard gremio the narrowprying father minola the quaint musician amorous licio all for my master's sake lucentio reenter gremio signior gremio came you from the church gremio as willingly as e'er i came from school tranio and is the bride and bridegroom coming home gremio a bridegroom say you tis a groom indeed a grumbling groom and that the girl shall find tranio curster than she why tis impossible gremio why he's a devil a devil a very fiend tranio why she's a devil a devil the devil's dam gremio tut she's a lamb a dove a fool to him i'll tell you sir lucentio when the priest should ask if katharina should be his wife ay by gogswouns quoth he and swore so loud that allamazed the priest let fall the book and as he stoop'd again to take it up the madbrain'd bridegroom took him such a cuff that down fell priest and book and book and priest now take them up quoth he if any list' tranio what said the wench when he rose again gremio trembled and shook for why he stamp'd and swore as if the vicar meant to cozen him but after many ceremonies done he calls for wine a health quoth he as if he had been aboard carousing to his mates after a storm quaff'd off the muscadel and threw the sops all in the sexton's face having no other reason but that his beard grew thin and hungerly and seem'd to ask him sops as he was drinking this done he took the bride about the neck and kiss'd her lips with such a clamorous smack that at the parting all the church did echo and i seeing this came thence for very shame and after me i know the rout is coming such a mad marriage never was before hark hark i hear the minstrels play music reenter petruchio katharina bianca baptista hortensio grumio and train petruchio gentlemen and friends i thank you for your pains i know you think to dine with me today and have prepared great store of wedding cheer but so it is my haste doth call me hence and therefore here i mean to take my leave baptista is't possible you will away tonight petruchio i must away today before night come make it no wonder if you knew my business you would entreat me rather go than stay and honest company i thank you all that have beheld me give away myself to this most patient sweet and virtuous wife dine with my father drink a health to me for i must hence and farewell to you all tranio let us entreat you stay till after dinner petruchio it may not be gremio let me entreat you petruchio it cannot be katharina let me entreat you petruchio i am content katharina are you content to stay petruchio i am content you shall entreat me stay but yet not stay entreat me how you can katharina now if you love me stay petruchio grumio my horse grumio ay sir they be ready the oats have eaten the horses katharina nay then do what thou canst i will not go today no nor tomorrow not till i please myself the door is open sir there lies your way you may be jogging whiles your boots are green for me i'll not be gone till i please myself tis like you'll prove a jolly surly groom that take it on you at the first so roundly petruchio o kate content thee prithee be not angry katharina i will be angry what hast thou to do father be quiet he shall stay my leisure gremio ay marry sir now it begins to work katarina gentlemen forward to the bridal dinner i see a woman may be made a fool if she had not a spirit to resist petruchio they shall go forward kate at thy command obey the bride you that attend on her go to the feast revel and domineer carouse full measure to her maidenhead be mad and merry or go hang yourselves but for my bonny kate she must with me nay look not big nor stamp nor stare nor fret i will be master of what is mine own she is my goods my chattels she is my house my household stuff my field my barn my horse my ox my ass my any thing and here she stands touch her whoever dare i'll bring mine action on the proudest he that stops my way in padua grumio draw forth thy weapon we are beset with thieves rescue thy mistress if thou be a man fear not sweet wench they shall not touch thee kate i'll buckler thee against a million exeunt petruchio katharina and grumio baptista nay let them go a couple of quiet ones gremio went they not quickly i should die with laughing tranio of all mad matches never was the like lucentio mistress what's your opinion of your sister bianca that being mad herself she's madly mated gremio i warrant him petruchio is kated baptista neighbours and friends though bride and bridegroom wants for to supply the places at the table you know there wants no junkets at the feast lucentio you shall supply the bridegroom's place and let bianca take her sister's room tranio shall sweet bianca practise how to bride it baptista she shall lucentio come gentlemen let's go exeunt the taming of the shrew act iv scene i petruchio's country house enter grumio grumio fie fie on all tired jades on all mad masters and all foul ways was ever man so beaten was ever man so rayed was ever man so weary i am sent before to make a fire and they are coming after to warm them now were not i a little pot and soon hot my very lips might freeze to my teeth my tongue to the roof of my mouth my heart in my belly ere i should come by a fire to thaw me but i with blowing the fire shall warm myself for considering the weather a taller man than i will take cold holla ho curtis enter curtis curtis who is that calls so coldly grumio a piece of ice if thou doubt it thou mayst slide from my shoulder to my heel with no greater a run but my head and my neck a fire good curtis curtis is my master and his wife coming grumio grumio o ay curtis ay and therefore fire fire cast on no water curtis is she so hot a shrew as she's reported grumio she was good curtis before this frost but thou knowest winter tames man woman and beast for it hath tamed my old master and my new mistress and myself fellow curtis curtis away you threeinch fool i am no beast grumio am i but three inches why thy horn is a foot and so long am i at the least but wilt thou make a fire or shall i complain on thee to our mistress whose hand she being now at hand thou shalt soon feel to thy cold comfort for being slow in thy hot office curtis i prithee good grumio tell me how goes the world grumio a cold world curtis in every office but thine and therefore fire do thy duty and have thy duty for my master and mistress are almost frozen to death curtis there's fire ready and therefore good grumio the news grumio why jack boy ho boy and as much news as will thaw curtis come you are so full of conycatching grumio why therefore fire for i have caught extreme cold where's the cook is supper ready the house trimmed rushes strewed cobwebs swept the servingmen in their new fustian their white stockings and every officer his weddinggarment on be the jacks fair within the jills fair without the carpets laid and every thing in order curtis all ready and therefore i pray thee news grumio first know my horse is tired my master and mistress fallen out curtis how grumio out of their saddles into the dirt and thereby hangs a tale curtis let's ha't good grumio grumio lend thine ear curtis here grumio there strikes him curtis this is to feel a tale not to hear a tale grumio and therefore tis called a sensible tale and this cuff was but to knock at your ear and beseech listening now i begin imprimis we came down a foul hill my master riding behind my mistress curtis both of one horse grumio what's that to thee curtis why a horse grumio tell thou the tale but hadst thou not crossed me thou shouldst have heard how her horse fell and she under her horse thou shouldst have heard in how miry a place how she was bemoiled how he left her with the horse upon her how he beat me because her horse stumbled how she waded through the dirt to pluck him off me how he swore how she prayed that never prayed before how i cried how the horses ran away how her bridle was burst how i lost my crupper with many things of worthy memory which now shall die in oblivion and thou return unexperienced to thy grave curtis by this reckoning he is more shrew than she grumio ay and that thou and the proudest of you all shall find when he comes home but what talk i of this call forth nathaniel joseph nicholas philip walter sugarsop and the rest let their heads be sleekly combed their blue coats brushed and their garters of an indifferent knit let them curtsy with their left legs and not presume to touch a hair of my master's horsetail till they kiss their hands are they all ready curtis they are grumio call them forth curtis do you hear ho you must meet my master to countenance my mistress grumio why she hath a face of her own curtis who knows not that grumio thou it seems that calls for company to countenance her curtis i call them forth to credit her grumio why she comes to borrow nothing of them enter four or five servingmen nathaniel welcome home grumio philip how now grumio joseph what grumio nicholas fellow grumio nathaniel how now old lad grumio welcome youhow now you what youfellow youand thus much for greeting now my spruce companions is all ready and all things neat nathaniel all things is ready how near is our master grumio e'en at hand alighted by this and therefore be notcock's passion silence i hear my master enter petruchio and katharina petruchio where be these knaves what no man at door to hold my stirrup nor to take my horse where is nathaniel gregory philip all servingmen here here sir here sir petruchio here sir here sir here sir here sir you loggerheaded and unpolish'd grooms what no attendance no regard no duty where is the foolish knave i sent before grumio here sir as foolish as i was before petruchio you peasant swain you whoreson malthorse drudge did i not bid thee meet me in the park and bring along these rascal knaves with thee grumio nathaniel's coat sir was not fully made and gabriel's pumps were all unpink'd i the heel there was no link to colour peter's hat and walter's dagger was not come from sheathing there were none fine but adam ralph and gregory the rest were ragged old and beggarly yet as they are here are they come to meet you petruchio go rascals go and fetch my supper in exeunt servants singing where is the life that late i led where are thosesit down kate and welcome sound sound sound sound reenter servants with supper why when i say nay good sweet kate be merry off with my boots you rogues you villains when sings it was the friar of orders grey as he forth walked on his way out you rogue you pluck my foot awry take that and mend the plucking off the other strikes him be merry kate some water here what ho where's my spaniel troilus sirrah get you hence and bid my cousin ferdinand come hither one kate that you must kiss and be acquainted with where are my slippers shall i have some water enter one with water come kate and wash and welcome heartily you whoreson villain will you let it fall strikes him katharina patience i pray you twas a fault unwilling petruchio a whoreson beetleheaded flapear'd knave come kate sit down i know you have a stomach will you give thanks sweet kate or else shall i what's this mutton first servant ay petruchio who brought it peter i petruchio tis burnt and so is all the meat what dogs are these where is the rascal cook how durst you villains bring it from the dresser and serve it thus to me that love it not theretake it to you trenchers cups and all throws the meat &c about the stage you heedless joltheads and unmanner'd slaves what do you grumble i'll be with you straight katharina i pray you husband be not so disquiet the meat was well if you were so contented petruchio i tell thee kate twas burnt and dried away and i expressly am forbid to touch it for it engenders choler planteth anger and better twere that both of us did fast since of ourselves ourselves are choleric than feed it with such overroasted flesh be patient tomorrow t shall be mended and for this night we'll fast for company come i will bring thee to thy bridal chamber exeunt reenter servants severally nathaniel peter didst ever see the like peter he kills her in her own humour reenter curtis grumio where is he curtis in her chamber making a sermon of continency to her and rails and swears and rates that she poor soul knows not which way to stand to look to speak and sits as one newrisen from a dream away away for he is coming hither exeunt reenter petruchio petruchio thus have i politicly begun my reign and tis my hope to end successfully my falcon now is sharp and passing empty and till she stoop she must not be fullgorged for then she never looks upon her lure another way i have to man my haggard to make her come and know her keeper's call that is to watch her as we watch these kites that bate and beat and will not be obedient she eat no meat today nor none shall eat last night she slept not nor tonight she shall not as with the meat some undeserved fault i'll find about the making of the bed and here i'll fling the pillow there the bolster this way the coverlet another way the sheets ay and amid this hurly i intend that all is done in reverend care of her and in conclusion she shall watch all night and if she chance to nod i'll rail and brawl and with the clamour keep her still awake this is a way to kill a wife with kindness and thus i'll curb her mad and headstrong humour he that knows better how to tame a shrew now let him speak tis charity to show exit the taming of the shrew act iv scene ii padua before baptista's house enter tranio and hortensio tranio is't possible friend licio that mistress bianca doth fancy any other but lucentio i tell you sir she bears me fair in hand hortensio sir to satisfy you in what i have said stand by and mark the manner of his teaching enter bianca and lucentio lucentio now mistress profit you in what you read bianca what master read you first resolve me that lucentio i read that i profess the art to love bianca and may you prove sir master of your art lucentio while you sweet dear prove mistress of my heart hortensio quick proceeders marry now tell me i pray you that durst swear at your mistress bianca loved none in the world so well as lucentio tranio o despiteful love unconstant womankind i tell thee licio this is wonderful hortensio mistake no more i am not licio nor a musician as i seem to be but one that scorn to live in this disguise for such a one as leaves a gentleman and makes a god of such a cullion know sir that i am call'd hortensio tranio signior hortensio i have often heard of your entire affection to bianca and since mine eyes are witness of her lightness i will with you if you be so contented forswear bianca and her love for ever hortensio see how they kiss and court signior lucentio here is my hand and here i firmly vow never to woo her no more but do forswear her as one unworthy all the former favours that i have fondly flatter'd her withal tranio and here i take the unfeigned oath never to marry with her though she would entreat fie on her see how beastly she doth court him hortensio would all the world but he had quite forsworn for me that i may surely keep mine oath i will be married to a wealthy widow ere three days pass which hath as long loved me as i have loved this proud disdainful haggard and so farewell signior lucentio kindness in women not their beauteous looks shall win my love and so i take my leave in resolution as i swore before exit tranio mistress bianca bless you with such grace as longeth to a lover's blessed case nay i have ta'en you napping gentle love and have forsworn you with hortensio bianca tranio you jest but have you both forsworn me tranio mistress we have lucentio then we are rid of licio tranio i faith he'll have a lusty widow now that shall be wood and wedded in a day bianca god give him joy tranio ay and he'll tame her bianca he says so tranio tranio faith he is gone unto the tamingschool bianca the tamingschool what is there such a place tranio ay mistress and petruchio is the master that teacheth tricks eleven and twenty long to tame a shrew and charm her chattering tongue enter biondello biondello o master master i have watch'd so long that i am dogweary but at last i spied an ancient angel coming down the hill will serve the turn tranio what is he biondello biondello master a mercatante or a pedant i know not what but format in apparel in gait and countenance surely like a father lucentio and what of him tranio tranio if he be credulous and trust my tale i'll make him glad to seem vincentio and give assurance to baptista minola as if he were the right vincentio take in your love and then let me alone exeunt lucentio and bianca enter a pedant pedant god save you sir tranio and you sir you are welcome travel you far on or are you at the farthest pedant sir at the farthest for a week or two but then up farther and as for as rome and so to tripoli if god lend me life tranio what countryman i pray pedant of mantua tranio of mantua sir marry god forbid and come to padua careless of your life pedant my life sir how i pray for that goes hard tranio tis death for any one in mantua to come to padua know you not the cause your ships are stay'd at venice and the duke for private quarrel twixt your duke and him hath publish'd and proclaim'd it openly tis marvel but that you are but newly come you might have heard it else proclaim'd about pedant alas sir it is worse for me than so for i have bills for money by exchange from florence and must here deliver them tranio well sir to do you courtesy this will i do and this i will advise you first tell me have you ever been at pisa pedant ay sir in pisa have i often been pisa renowned for grave citizens tranio among them know you one vincentio pedant i know him not but i have heard of him a merchant of incomparable wealth tranio he is my father sir and sooth to say in countenance somewhat doth resemble you biondello aside as much as an apple doth an oyster and all one tranio to save your life in this extremity this favour will i do you for his sake and think it not the worst of an your fortunes that you are like to sir vincentio his name and credit shall you undertake and in my house you shall be friendly lodged look that you take upon you as you should you understand me sir so shall you stay till you have done your business in the city if this be courtesy sir accept of it pedant o sir i do and will repute you ever the patron of my life and liberty tranio then go with me to make the matter good this by the way i let you understand my father is here look'd for every day to pass assurance of a dower in marriage twixt me and one baptista's daughter here in all these circumstances i'll instruct you go with me to clothe you as becomes you exeunt the taming of the shrew act iv scene iii a room in petruchio's house enter katharina and grumio grumio no no forsooth i dare not for my life katharina the more my wrong the more his spite appears what did he marry me to famish me beggars that come unto my father's door upon entreaty have a present aims if not elsewhere they meet with charity but i who never knew how to entreat nor never needed that i should entreat am starved for meat giddy for lack of sleep with oath kept waking and with brawling fed and that which spites me more than all these wants he does it under name of perfect love as who should say if i should sleep or eat twere deadly sickness or else present death i prithee go and get me some repast i care not what so it be wholesome food grumio what say you to a neat's foot katharina tis passing good i prithee let me have it grumio i fear it is too choleric a meat how say you to a fat tripe finely broil'd katharina i like it well good grumio fetch it me grumio i cannot tell i fear tis choleric what say you to a piece of beef and mustard katharina a dish that i do love to feed upon grumio ay but the mustard is too hot a little katharina why then the beef and let the mustard rest grumio nay then i will not you shall have the mustard or else you get no beef of grumio katharina then both or one or any thing thou wilt grumio why then the mustard without the beef katharina go get thee gone thou false deluding slave beats him that feed'st me with the very name of meat sorrow on thee and all the pack of you that triumph thus upon my misery go get thee gone i say enter petruchio and hortensio with meat petruchio how fares my kate what sweeting all amort hortensio mistress what cheer katharina faith as cold as can be petruchio pluck up thy spirits look cheerfully upon me here love thou see'st how diligent i am to dress thy meat myself and bring it thee i am sure sweet kate this kindness merits thanks what not a word nay then thou lovest it not and all my pains is sorted to no proof here take away this dish katharina i pray you let it stand petruchio the poorest service is repaid with thanks and so shall mine before you touch the meat katharina i thank you sir hortensio signior petruchio fie you are to blame come mistress kate i'll bear you company petruchio aside eat it up all hortensio if thou lovest me much good do it unto thy gentle heart kate eat apace and now my honey love will we return unto thy father's house and revel it as bravely as the best with silken coats and caps and golden rings with ruffs and cuffs and fardingales and things with scarfs and fans and double change of bravery with amber bracelets beads and all this knavery what hast thou dined the tailor stays thy leisure to deck thy body with his ruffling treasure enter tailor come tailor let us see these ornaments lay forth the gown enter haberdasher what news with you sir haberdasher here is the cap your worship did bespeak petruchio why this was moulded on a porringer a velvet dish fie fie tis lewd and filthy why tis a cockle or a walnutshell a knack a toy a trick a baby's cap away with it come let me have a bigger katharina i'll have no bigger this doth fit the time and gentlewomen wear such caps as these petruchio when you are gentle you shall have one too and not till then hortensio aside that will not be in haste katharina why sir i trust i may have leave to speak and speak i will i am no child no babe your betters have endured me say my mind and if you cannot best you stop your ears my tongue will tell the anger of my heart or else my heart concealing it will break and rather than it shall i will be free even to the uttermost as i please in words petruchio why thou say'st true it is a paltry cap a custardcoffin a bauble a silken pie i love thee well in that thou likest it not katharina love me or love me not i like the cap and it i will have or i will have none exit haberdasher petruchio thy gown why ay come tailor let us see't o mercy god what masquing stuff is here what's this a sleeve tis like a demicannon what up and down carved like an appletart here's snip and nip and cut and slish and slash like to a censer in a barber's shop why what i devil's name tailor call'st thou this hortensio aside i see she's like to have neither cap nor gown tailor you bid me make it orderly and well according to the fashion and the time petruchio marry and did but if you be remember'd i did not bid you mar it to the time go hop me over every kennel home for you shall hop without my custom sir i'll none of it hence make your best of it katharina i never saw a betterfashion'd gown more quaint more pleasing nor more commendable belike you mean to make a puppet of me petruchio why true he means to make a puppet of thee tailor she says your worship means to make a puppet of her petruchio o monstrous arrogance thou liest thou thread thou thimble thou yard threequarters halfyard quarter nail thou flea thou nit thou wintercricket thou braved in mine own house with a skein of thread away thou rag thou quantity thou remnant or i shall so bemete thee with thy yard as thou shalt think on prating whilst thou livest i tell thee i that thou hast marr'd her gown tailor your worship is deceived the gown is made just as my master had direction grumio gave order how it should be done grumio i gave him no order i gave him the stuff tailor but how did you desire it should be made grumio marry sir with needle and thread tailor but did you not request to have it cut grumio thou hast faced many things tailor i have grumio face not me thou hast braved many men brave not me i will neither be faced nor braved i say unto thee i bid thy master cut out the gown but i did not bid him cut it to pieces ergo thou liest tailor why here is the note of the fashion to testify petruchio read it grumio the note lies in's throat if he say i said so tailor reads imprimis a loosebodied gown' grumio master if ever i said loosebodied gown sew me in the skirts of it and beat me to death with a bottom of brown thread i said a gown petruchio proceed tailor reads with a small compassed cape' grumio i confess the cape tailor reads with a trunk sleeve' grumio i confess two sleeves tailor reads the sleeves curiously cut' petruchio ay there's the villany grumio error i the bill sir error i the bill i commanded the sleeves should be cut out and sewed up again and that i'll prove upon thee though thy little finger be armed in a thimble tailor this is true that i say an i had thee in place where thou shouldst know it grumio i am for thee straight take thou the bill give me thy meteyard and spare not me hortensio godamercy grumio then he shall have no odds petruchio well sir in brief the gown is not for me grumio you are i the right sir tis for my mistress petruchio go take it up unto thy master's use grumio villain not for thy life take up my mistress' gown for thy master's use petruchio why sir what's your conceit in that grumio o sir the conceit is deeper than you think for take up my mistress gown to his master's use o fie fie fie petruchio aside hortensio say thou wilt see the tailor paid go take it hence be gone and say no more hortensio tailor i'll pay thee for thy gown tomorrow take no unkindness of his hasty words away i say commend me to thy master exit tailor petruchio well come my kate we will unto your father's even in these honest mean habiliments our purses shall be proud our garments poor for tis the mind that makes the body rich and as the sun breaks through the darkest clouds so honour peereth in the meanest habit what is the jay more precious than the lark because his fathers are more beautiful or is the adder better than the eel because his painted skin contents the eye o no good kate neither art thou the worse for this poor furniture and mean array if thou account'st it shame lay it on me and therefore frolic we will hence forthwith to feast and sport us at thy father's house go call my men and let us straight to him and bring our horses unto longlane end there will we mount and thither walk on foot let's see i think tis now some seven o'clock and well we may come there by dinnertime katharina i dare assure you sir tis almost two and twill be suppertime ere you come there petruchio it shall be seven ere i go to horse look what i speak or do or think to do you are still crossing it sirs let't alone i will not go today and ere i do it shall be what o'clock i say it is hortensio aside why so this gallant will command the sun exeunt the taming of the shrew act iv scene iv padua before baptista's house enter tranio and the pedant dressed like vincentio tranio sir this is the house please it you that i call pedant ay what else and but i be deceived signior baptista may remember me near twenty years ago in genoa where we were lodgers at the pegasus tranio tis well and hold your own in any case with such austerity as longeth to a father pedant i warrant you enter biondello but sir here comes your boy twere good he were school'd tranio fear you not him sirrah biondello now do your duty throughly i advise you imagine twere the right vincentio biondello tut fear not me tranio but hast thou done thy errand to baptista biondello i told him that your father was at venice and that you look'd for him this day in padua tranio thou'rt a tall fellow hold thee that to drink here comes baptista set your countenance sir enter baptista and lucentio signior baptista you are happily met to the pedant sir this is the gentleman i told you of i pray you stand good father to me now give me bianca for my patrimony pedant soft son sir by your leave having come to padua to gather in some debts my son lucentio made me acquainted with a weighty cause of love between your daughter and himself and for the good report i hear of you and for the love he beareth to your daughter and she to him to stay him not too long i am content in a good father's care to have him match'd and if you please to like no worse than i upon some agreement me shall you find ready and willing with one consent to have her so bestow'd for curious i cannot be with you signior baptista of whom i hear so well baptista sir pardon me in what i have to say your plainness and your shortness please me well right true it is your son lucentio here doth love my daughter and she loveth him or both dissemble deeply their affections and therefore if you say no more than this that like a father you will deal with him and pass my daughter a sufficient dower the match is made and all is done your son shall have my daughter with consent tranio i thank you sir where then do you know best we be affied and such assurance ta'en as shall with either part's agreement stand baptista not in my house lucentio for you know pitchers have ears and i have many servants besides old gremio is hearkening still and happily we might be interrupted tranio then at my lodging an it like you there doth my father lie and there this night we'll pass the business privately and well send for your daughter by your servant here my boy shall fetch the scrivener presently the worst is this that at so slender warning you are like to have a thin and slender pittance baptista it likes me well biondello hie you home and bid bianca make her ready straight and if you will tell what hath happened lucentio's father is arrived in padua and how she's like to be lucentio's wife biondello i pray the gods she may with all my heart tranio dally not with the gods but get thee gone exit biondello signior baptista shall i lead the way welcome one mess is like to be your cheer come sir we will better it in pisa baptista i follow you exeunt tranio pedant and baptista reenter biondello biondello cambio lucentio what sayest thou biondello biondello you saw my master wink and laugh upon you lucentio biondello what of that biondello faith nothing but has left me here behind to expound the meaning or moral of his signs and tokens lucentio i pray thee moralize them biondello then thus baptista is safe talking with the deceiving father of a deceitful son lucentio and what of him biondello his daughter is to be brought by you to the supper lucentio and then biondello the old priest of saint luke's church is at your command at all hours lucentio and what of all this biondello i cannot tell expect they are busied about a counterfeit assurance take you assurance of her cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum to the church take the priest clerk and some sufficient honest witnesses if this be not that you look for i have no more to say but bid bianca farewell for ever and a day lucentio hearest thou biondello biondello i cannot tarry i knew a wench married in an afternoon as she went to the garden for parsley to stuff a rabbit and so may you sir and so adieu sir my master hath appointed me to go to saint luke's to bid the priest be ready to come against you come with your appendix exit lucentio i may and will if she be so contented she will be pleased then wherefore should i doubt hap what hap may i'll roundly go about her it shall go hard if cambio go without her exit the taming of the shrew act iv scene v a public road enter petruchio katharina hortensio and servants petruchio come on i god's name once more toward our father's good lord how bright and goodly shines the moon katharina the moon the sun it is not moonlight now petruchio i say it is the moon that shines so bright katharina i know it is the sun that shines so bright petruchio now by my mother's son and that's myself it shall be moon or star or what i list or ere i journey to your father's house go on and fetch our horses back again evermore cross'd and cross'd nothing but cross'd hortensio say as he says or we shall never go katharina forward i pray since we have come so far and be it moon or sun or what you please an if you please to call it a rushcandle henceforth i vow it shall be so for me petruchio i say it is the moon katharina i know it is the moon petruchio nay then you lie it is the blessed sun katharina then god be bless'd it is the blessed sun but sun it is not when you say it is not and the moon changes even as your mind what you will have it named even that it is and so it shall be so for katharina hortensio petruchio go thy ways the field is won petruchio well forward forward thus the bowl should run and not unluckily against the bias but soft company is coming here enter vincentio to vincentio good morrow gentle mistress where away tell me sweet kate and tell me truly too hast thou beheld a fresher gentlewoman such war of white and red within her cheeks what stars do spangle heaven with such beauty as those two eyes become that heavenly face fair lovely maid once more good day to thee sweet kate embrace her for her beauty's sake hortensio a will make the man mad to make a woman of him katharina young budding virgin fair and fresh and sweet whither away or where is thy abode happy the parents of so fair a child happier the man whom favourable stars allot thee for his lovely bedfellow petruchio why how now kate i hope thou art not mad this is a man old wrinkled faded wither'd and not a maiden as thou say'st he is katharina pardon old father my mistaking eyes that have been so bedazzled with the sun that everything i look on seemeth green now i perceive thou art a reverend father pardon i pray thee for my mad mistaking petruchio do good old grandsire and withal make known which way thou travellest if along with us we shall be joyful of thy company vincentio fair sir and you my merry mistress that with your strange encounter much amazed me my name is call'd vincentio my dwelling pisa and bound i am to padua there to visit a son of mine which long i have not seen petruchio what is his name vincentio lucentio gentle sir petruchio happily we met the happier for thy son and now by law as well as reverend age i may entitle thee my loving father the sister to my wife this gentlewoman thy son by this hath married wonder not nor be grieved she is of good esteem her dowery wealthy and of worthy birth beside so qualified as may beseem the spouse of any noble gentleman let me embrace with old vincentio and wander we to see thy honest son who will of thy arrival be full joyous vincentio but is it true or else is it your pleasure like pleasant travellers to break a jest upon the company you overtake hortensio i do assure thee father so it is petruchio come go along and see the truth hereof for our first merriment hath made thee jealous exeunt all but hortensio hortensio well petruchio this has put me in heart have to my widow and if she be froward then hast thou taught hortensio to be untoward exit the taming of the shrew act v scene i padua before lucentio's house gremio discovered enter behind biondello lucentio and bianca biondello softly and swiftly sir for the priest is ready lucentio i fly biondello but they may chance to need thee at home therefore leave us biondello nay faith i'll see the church o your back and then come back to my master's as soon as i can exeunt lucentio bianca and biondello gremio i marvel cambio comes not all this while enter petruchio katharina vincentio grumio with attendants petruchio sir here's the door this is lucentio's house my father's bears more toward the marketplace thither must i and here i leave you sir vincentio you shall not choose but drink before you go i think i shall command your welcome here and by all likelihood some cheer is toward knocks gremio they're busy within you were best knock louder pedant looks out of the window pedant what's he that knocks as he would beat down the gate vincentio is signior lucentio within sir pedant he's within sir but not to be spoken withal vincentio what if a man bring him a hundred pound or two to make merry withal pedant keep your hundred pounds to yourself he shall need none so long as i live petruchio nay i told you your son was well beloved in padua do you hear sir to leave frivolous circumstances i pray you tell signior lucentio that his father is come from pisa and is here at the door to speak with him pedant thou liest his father is come from padua and here looking out at the window vincentio art thou his father pedant ay sir so his mother says if i may believe her petruchio to vincentio why how now gentleman why this is flat knavery to take upon you another man's name pedant lay hands on the villain i believe a means to cozen somebody in this city under my countenance reenter biondello biondello i have seen them in the church together god send em good shipping but who is here mine old master vincentio now we are undone and brought to nothing vincentio seeing biondello come hither crackhemp biondello hope i may choose sir vincentio come hither you rogue what have you forgot me biondello forgot you no sir i could not forget you for i never saw you before in all my life vincentio what you notorious villain didst thou never see thy master's father vincentio biondello what my old worshipful old master yes marry sir see where he looks out of the window vincentio is't so indeed beats biondello biondello help help help here's a madman will murder me exit pedant help son help signior baptista exit from above petruchio prithee kate let's stand aside and see the end of this controversy they retire reenter pedant below tranio baptista and servants tranio sir what are you that offer to beat my servant vincentio what am i sir nay what are you sir o immortal gods o fine villain a silken doublet a velvet hose a scarlet cloak and a copatain hat o i am undone i am undone while i play the good husband at home my son and my servant spend all at the university tranio how now what's the matter baptista what is the man lunatic tranio sir you seem a sober ancient gentleman by your habit but your words show you a madman why sir what cerns it you if i wear pearl and gold i thank my good father i am able to maintain it vincentio thy father o villain he is a sailmaker in bergamo baptista you mistake sir you mistake sir pray what do you think is his name vincentio his name as if i knew not his name i have brought him up ever since he was three years old and his name is tranio pedant away away mad ass his name is lucentio and he is mine only son and heir to the lands of me signior vincentio vincentio lucentio o he hath murdered his master lay hold on him i charge you in the duke's name o my son my son tell me thou villain where is my son lucentio tranio call forth an officer enter one with an officer carry this mad knave to the gaol father baptista i charge you see that he be forthcoming vincentio carry me to the gaol gremio stay officer he shall not go to prison baptista talk not signior gremio i say he shall go to prison gremio take heed signior baptista lest you be conycatched in this business i dare swear this is the right vincentio pedant swear if thou darest gremio nay i dare not swear it tranio then thou wert best say that i am not lucentio gremio yes i know thee to be signior lucentio baptista away with the dotard to the gaol with him vincentio thus strangers may be hailed and abused o monstrous villain reenter biondello with lucentio and bianca biondello o we are spoiled andyonder he is deny him forswear him or else we are all undone lucentio kneeling pardon sweet father vincentio lives my sweet son exeunt biondello tranio and pedant as fast as may be bianca pardon dear father baptista how hast thou offended where is lucentio lucentio here's lucentio right son to the right vincentio that have by marriage made thy daughter mine while counterfeit supposes bleared thine eyne gremio here's packing with a witness to deceive us all vincentio where is that damned villain tranio that faced and braved me in this matter so baptista why tell me is not this my cambio bianca cambio is changed into lucentio lucentio love wrought these miracles bianca's love made me exchange my state with tranio while he did bear my countenance in the town and happily i have arrived at the last unto the wished haven of my bliss what tranio did myself enforced him to then pardon him sweet father for my sake vincentio i'll slit the villain's nose that would have sent me to the gaol baptista but do you hear sir have you married my daughter without asking my good will vincentio fear not baptista we will content you go to but i will in to be revenged for this villany exit baptista and i to sound the depth of this knavery exit lucentio look not pale bianca thy father will not frown exeunt lucentio and bianca gremio my cake is dough but i'll in among the rest out of hope of all but my share of the feast exit katharina husband let's follow to see the end of this ado petruchio first kiss me kate and we will katharina what in the midst of the street petruchio what art thou ashamed of me katharina no sir god forbid but ashamed to kiss petruchio why then let's home again come sirrah let's away katharina nay i will give thee a kiss now pray thee love stay petruchio is not this well come my sweet kate better once than never for never too late exeunt the taming of the shrew act v scene ii padua lucentio's house enter baptista vincentio gremio the pedant lucentio bianca petruchio katharina hortensio and widow tranio biondello and grumio the servingmen with tranio bringing in a banquet lucentio at last though long our jarring notes agree and time it is when raging war is done to smile at scapes and perils overblown my fair bianca bid my father welcome while i with selfsame kindness welcome thine brother petruchio sister katharina and thou hortensio with thy loving widow feast with the best and welcome to my house my banquet is to close our stomachs up after our great good cheer pray you sit down for now we sit to chat as well as eat petruchio nothing but sit and sit and eat and eat baptista padua affords this kindness son petruchio petruchio padua affords nothing but what is kind hortensio for both our sakes i would that word were true petruchio now for my life hortensio fears his widow widow then never trust me if i be afeard petruchio you are very sensible and yet you miss my sense i mean hortensio is afeard of you widow he that is giddy thinks the world turns round petruchio roundly replied katharina mistress how mean you that widow thus i conceive by him petruchio conceives by me how likes hortensio that hortensio my widow says thus she conceives her tale petruchio very well mended kiss him for that good widow katharina he that is giddy thinks the world turns round' i pray you tell me what you meant by that widow your husband being troubled with a shrew measures my husband's sorrow by his woe and now you know my meaning katharina a very mean meaning widow right i mean you katharina and i am mean indeed respecting you petruchio to her kate hortensio to her widow petruchio a hundred marks my kate does put her down hortensio that's my office petruchio spoke like an officer ha to thee lad drinks to hortensio baptista how likes gremio these quickwitted folks gremio believe me sir they butt together well bianca head and butt an hastywitted body would say your head and butt were head and horn vincentio ay mistress bride hath that awaken'd you bianca ay but not frighted me therefore i'll sleep again petruchio nay that you shall not since you have begun have at you for a bitter jest or two bianca am i your bird i mean to shift my bush and then pursue me as you draw your bow you are welcome all exeunt bianca katharina and widow petruchio she hath prevented me here signior tranio this bird you aim'd at though you hit her not therefore a health to all that shot and miss'd tranio o sir lucentio slipp'd me like his greyhound which runs himself and catches for his master petruchio a good swift simile but something currish tranio tis well sir that you hunted for yourself tis thought your deer does hold you at a bay baptista o ho petruchio tranio hits you now lucentio i thank thee for that gird good tranio hortensio confess confess hath he not hit you here petruchio a has a little gall'd me i confess and as the jest did glance away from me tis ten to one it maim'd you two outright baptista now in good sadness son petruchio i think thou hast the veriest shrew of all petruchio well i say no and therefore for assurance let's each one send unto his wife and he whose wife is most obedient to come at first when he doth send for her shall win the wager which we will propose hortensio content what is the wager lucentio twenty crowns petruchio twenty crowns i'll venture so much of my hawk or hound but twenty times so much upon my wife lucentio a hundred then hortensio content petruchio a match tis done hortensio who shall begin lucentio that will i go biondello bid your mistress come to me biondello i go exit baptista son i'll be your half bianca comes lucentio i'll have no halves i'll bear it all myself reenter biondello how now what news biondello sir my mistress sends you word that she is busy and she cannot come petruchio how she is busy and she cannot come is that an answer gremio ay and a kind one too pray god sir your wife send you not a worse petruchio i hope better hortensio sirrah biondello go and entreat my wife to come to me forthwith exit biondello petruchio o ho entreat her nay then she must needs come hortensio i am afraid sir do what you can yours will not be entreated reenter biondello now where's my wife biondello she says you have some goodly jest in hand she will not come she bids you come to her petruchio worse and worse she will not come o vile intolerable not to be endured sirrah grumio go to your mistress say i command her to come to me exit grumio hortensio i know her answer petruchio what hortensio she will not petruchio the fouler fortune mine and there an end baptista now by my holidame here comes katharina reenter katarina katharina what is your will sir that you send for me petruchio where is your sister and hortensio's wife katharina they sit conferring by the parlor fire petruchio go fetch them hither if they deny to come swinge me them soundly forth unto their husbands away i say and bring them hither straight exit katharina lucentio here is a wonder if you talk of a wonder hortensio and so it is i wonder what it bodes petruchio marry peace it bodes and love and quiet life and awful rule and right supremacy and to be short what not that's sweet and happy baptista now fair befal thee good petruchio the wager thou hast won and i will add unto their losses twenty thousand crowns another dowry to another daughter for she is changed as she had never been petruchio nay i will win my wager better yet and show more sign of her obedience her newbuilt virtue and obedience see where she comes and brings your froward wives as prisoners to her womanly persuasion reenter katharina with bianca and widow katharina that cap of yours becomes you not off with that bauble throw it underfoot widow lord let me never have a cause to sigh till i be brought to such a silly pass bianca fie what a foolish duty call you this lucentio i would your duty were as foolish too the wisdom of your duty fair bianca hath cost me an hundred crowns since suppertime bianca the more fool you for laying on my duty petruchio katharina i charge thee tell these headstrong women what duty they do owe their lords and husbands widow come come you're mocking we will have no telling petruchio come on i say and first begin with her widow she shall not petruchio i say she shall and first begin with her katharina fie fie unknit that threatening unkind brow and dart not scornful glances from those eyes to wound thy lord thy king thy governor it blots thy beauty as frosts do bite the meads confounds thy fame as whirlwinds shake fair buds and in no sense is meet or amiable a woman moved is like a fountain troubled muddy illseeming thick bereft of beauty and while it is so none so dry or thirsty will deign to sip or touch one drop of it thy husband is thy lord thy life thy keeper thy head thy sovereign one that cares for thee and for thy maintenance commits his body to painful labour both by sea and land to watch the night in storms the day in cold whilst thou liest warm at home secure and safe and craves no other tribute at thy hands but love fair looks and true obedience too little payment for so great a debt such duty as the subject owes the prince even such a woman oweth to her husband and when she is froward peevish sullen sour and not obedient to his honest will what is she but a foul contending rebel and graceless traitor to her loving lord i am ashamed that women are so simple to offer war where they should kneel for peace or seek for rule supremacy and sway when they are bound to serve love and obey why are our bodies soft and weak and smooth unapt to toil and trouble in the world but that our soft conditions and our hearts should well agree with our external parts come come you froward and unable worms my mind hath been as big as one of yours my heart as great my reason haply more to bandy word for word and frown for frown but now i see our lances are but straws our strength as weak our weakness past compare that seeming to be most which we indeed least are then vail your stomachs for it is no boot and place your hands below your husband's foot in token of which duty if he please my hand is ready may it do him ease petruchio why there's a wench come on and kiss me kate lucentio well go thy ways old lad for thou shalt ha't vincentio tis a good hearing when children are toward lucentio but a harsh hearing when women are froward petruchio come kate we'll to bed we three are married but you two are sped to lucentio twas i won the wager though you hit the white and being a winner god give you good night exeunt petruchio and katharina hortensio now go thy ways thou hast tamed a curst shrew lucentio tis a wonder by your leave she will be tamed so exeunt the tempest dramatis personae alonso king of naples sebastian his brother prospero the right duke of milan antonio his brother the usurping duke of milan ferdinand son to the king of naples gonzalo an honest old counsellor adrian lords francisco caliban a savage and deformed slave trinculo a jester stephano a drunken butler master of a ship master boatswain boatswain mariners mariners miranda daughter to prospero ariel an airy spirit iris ceres juno presented by spirits nymphs reapers other spirits attending on prospero scene a ship at sea an island the tempest act i scene i on a ship at sea a tempestuous noise of thunder and lightning heard enter a master and a boatswain master boatswain boatswain here master what cheer master good speak to the mariners fall to't yarely or we run ourselves aground bestir bestir exit enter mariners boatswain heigh my hearts cheerly cheerly my hearts yare yare take in the topsail tend to the master's whistle blow till thou burst thy wind if room enough enter alonso sebastian antonio ferdinand gonzalo and others alonso good boatswain have care where's the master play the men boatswain i pray now keep below antonio where is the master boatswain boatswain do you not hear him you mar our labour keep your cabins you do assist the storm gonzalo nay good be patient boatswain when the sea is hence what cares these roarers for the name of king to cabin silence trouble us not gonzalo good yet remember whom thou hast aboard boatswain none that i more love than myself you are a counsellor if you can command these elements to silence and work the peace of the present we will not hand a rope more use your authority if you cannot give thanks you have lived so long and make yourself ready in your cabin for the mischance of the hour if it so hap cheerly good hearts out of our way i say exit gonzalo i have great comfort from this fellow methinks he hath no drowning mark upon him his complexion is perfect gallows stand fast good fate to his hanging make the rope of his destiny our cable for our own doth little advantage if he be not born to be hanged our case is miserable exeunt reenter boatswain boatswain down with the topmast yare lower lower bring her to try with maincourse a cry within a plague upon this howling they are louder than the weather or our office reenter sebastian antonio and gonzalo yet again what do you here shall we give o'er and drown have you a mind to sink sebastian a pox o your throat you bawling blasphemous incharitable dog boatswain work you then antonio hang cur hang you whoreson insolent noisemaker we are less afraid to be drowned than thou art gonzalo i'll warrant him for drowning though the ship were no stronger than a nutshell and as leaky as an unstanched wench boatswain lay her ahold ahold set her two courses off to sea again lay her off enter mariners wet mariners all lost to prayers to prayers all lost boatswain what must our mouths be cold gonzalo the king and prince at prayers let's assist them for our case is as theirs sebastian i'm out of patience antonio we are merely cheated of our lives by drunkards this widechapp'd rascalwould thou mightst lie drowning the washing of ten tides gonzalo he'll be hang'd yet though every drop of water swear against it and gape at widest to glut him a confused noise within mercy on us' we split we split''farewell my wife and children' farewell brother''we split we split we split' antonio let's all sink with the king sebastian let's take leave of him exeunt antonio and sebastian gonzalo now would i give a thousand furlongs of sea for an acre of barren ground long heath brown furze any thing the wills above be done but i would fain die a dry death exeunt the tempest act i scene ii the island before prospero's cell enter prospero and miranda miranda if by your art my dearest father you have put the wild waters in this roar allay them the sky it seems would pour down stinking pitch but that the sea mounting to the welkin's cheek dashes the fire out o i have suffered with those that i saw suffer a brave vessel who had no doubt some noble creature in her dash'd all to pieces o the cry did knock against my very heart poor souls they perish'd had i been any god of power i would have sunk the sea within the earth or ere it should the good ship so have swallow'd and the fraughting souls within her prospero be collected no more amazement tell your piteous heart there's no harm done miranda o woe the day prospero no harm i have done nothing but in care of thee of thee my dear one thee my daughter who art ignorant of what thou art nought knowing of whence i am nor that i am more better than prospero master of a full poor cell and thy no greater father miranda more to know did never meddle with my thoughts prospero tis time i should inform thee farther lend thy hand and pluck my magic garment from me so lays down his mantle lie there my art wipe thou thine eyes have comfort the direful spectacle of the wreck which touch'd the very virtue of compassion in thee i have with such provision in mine art so safely ordered that there is no soul no not so much perdition as an hair betid to any creature in the vessel which thou heard'st cry which thou saw'st sink sit down for thou must now know farther miranda you have often begun to tell me what i am but stopp'd and left me to a bootless inquisition concluding stay not yet' prospero the hour's now come the very minute bids thee ope thine ear obey and be attentive canst thou remember a time before we came unto this cell i do not think thou canst for then thou wast not out three years old miranda certainly sir i can prospero by what by any other house or person of any thing the image tell me that hath kept with thy remembrance miranda tis far off and rather like a dream than an assurance that my remembrance warrants had i not four or five women once that tended me prospero thou hadst and more miranda but how is it that this lives in thy mind what seest thou else in the dark backward and abysm of time if thou remember'st aught ere thou camest here how thou camest here thou mayst miranda but that i do not prospero twelve year since miranda twelve year since thy father was the duke of milan and a prince of power miranda sir are not you my father prospero thy mother was a piece of virtue and she said thou wast my daughter and thy father was duke of milan and thou his only heir and princess no worse issued miranda o the heavens what foul play had we that we came from thence or blessed was't we did prospero both both my girl by foul play as thou say'st were we heaved thence but blessedly holp hither miranda o my heart bleeds to think o the teen that i have turn'd you to which is from my remembrance please you farther prospero my brother and thy uncle call'd antonio i pray thee mark methat a brother should be so perfidioushe whom next thyself of all the world i loved and to him put the manage of my state as at that time through all the signories it was the first and prospero the prime duke being so reputed in dignity and for the liberal arts without a parallel those being all my study the government i cast upon my brother and to my state grew stranger being transported and rapt in secret studies thy false uncle dost thou attend me miranda sir most heedfully prospero being once perfected how to grant suits how to deny them who to advance and who to trash for overtopping new created the creatures that were mine i say or changed em or else new form'd em having both the key of officer and office set all hearts i the state to what tune pleased his ear that now he was the ivy which had hid my princely trunk and suck'd my verdure out on't thou attend'st not miranda o good sir i do prospero i pray thee mark me i thus neglecting worldly ends all dedicated to closeness and the bettering of my mind with that which but by being so retired o'erprized all popular rate in my false brother awaked an evil nature and my trust like a good parent did beget of him a falsehood in its contrary as great as my trust was which had indeed no limit a confidence sans bound he being thus lorded not only with what my revenue yielded but what my power might else exact like one who having into truth by telling of it made such a sinner of his memory to credit his own lie he did believe he was indeed the duke out o the substitution and executing the outward face of royalty with all prerogative hence his ambition growing dost thou hear miranda your tale sir would cure deafness prospero to have no screen between this part he play'd and him he play'd it for he needs will be absolute milan me poor man my library was dukedom large enough of temporal royalties he thinks me now incapable confederates so dry he was for swaywi the king of naples to give him annual tribute do him homage subject his coronet to his crown and bend the dukedom yet unbow'dalas poor milan to most ignoble stooping miranda o the heavens prospero mark his condition and the event then tell me if this might be a brother miranda i should sin to think but nobly of my grandmother good wombs have borne bad sons prospero now the condition the king of naples being an enemy to me inveterate hearkens my brother's suit which was that he in lieu o the premises of homage and i know not how much tribute should presently extirpate me and mine out of the dukedom and confer fair milan with all the honours on my brother whereon a treacherous army levied one midnight fated to the purpose did antonio open the gates of milan and i the dead of darkness the ministers for the purpose hurried thence me and thy crying self miranda alack for pity i not remembering how i cried out then will cry it o'er again it is a hint that wrings mine eyes to't prospero hear a little further and then i'll bring thee to the present business which now's upon's without the which this story were most impertinent miranda wherefore did they not that hour destroy us prospero well demanded wench my tale provokes that question dear they durst not so dear the love my people bore me nor set a mark so bloody on the business but with colours fairer painted their foul ends in few they hurried us aboard a bark bore us some leagues to sea where they prepared a rotten carcass of a boat not rigg'd nor tackle sail nor mast the very rats instinctively had quit it there they hoist us to cry to the sea that roar'd to us to sigh to the winds whose pity sighing back again did us but loving wrong miranda alack what trouble was i then to you prospero o a cherubim thou wast that did preserve me thou didst smile infused with a fortitude from heaven when i have deck'd the sea with drops full salt under my burthen groan'd which raised in me an undergoing stomach to bear up against what should ensue miranda how came we ashore prospero by providence divine some food we had and some fresh water that a noble neapolitan gonzalo out of his charity being then appointed master of this design did give us with rich garments linens stuffs and necessaries which since have steaded much so of his gentleness knowing i loved my books he furnish'd me from mine own library with volumes that i prize above my dukedom miranda would i might but ever see that man prospero now i arise resumes his mantle sit still and hear the last of our seasorrow here in this island we arrived and here have i thy schoolmaster made thee more profit than other princesses can that have more time for vainer hours and tutors not so careful miranda heavens thank you for't and now i pray you sir for still tis beating in my mind your reason for raising this seastorm prospero know thus far forth by accident most strange bountiful fortune now my dear lady hath mine enemies brought to this shore and by my prescience i find my zenith doth depend upon a most auspicious star whose influence if now i court not but omit my fortunes will ever after droop here cease more questions thou art inclined to sleep tis a good dulness and give it way i know thou canst not choose miranda sleeps come away servant come i am ready now approach my ariel come enter ariel ariel all hail great master grave sir hail i come to answer thy best pleasure be't to fly to swim to dive into the fire to ride on the curl'd clouds to thy strong bidding task ariel and all his quality prospero hast thou spirit perform'd to point the tempest that i bade thee ariel to every article i boarded the king's ship now on the beak now in the waist the deck in every cabin i flamed amazement sometime i'ld divide and burn in many places on the topmast the yards and bowsprit would i flame distinctly then meet and join jove's lightnings the precursors o the dreadful thunderclaps more momentary and sightoutrunning were not the fire and cracks of sulphurous roaring the most mighty neptune seem to besiege and make his bold waves tremble yea his dread trident shake prospero my brave spirit who was so firm so constant that this coil would not infect his reason ariel not a soul but felt a fever of the mad and play'd some tricks of desperation all but mariners plunged in the foaming brine and quit the vessel then all afire with me the king's son ferdinand with hair upstaringthen like reeds not hair was the first man that leap'd cried hell is empty and all the devils are here' prospero why that's my spirit but was not this nigh shore ariel close by my master prospero but are they ariel safe ariel not a hair perish'd on their sustaining garments not a blemish but fresher than before and as thou badest me in troops i have dispersed them bout the isle the king's son have i landed by himself whom i left cooling of the air with sighs in an odd angle of the isle and sitting his arms in this sad knot prospero of the king's ship the mariners say how thou hast disposed and all the rest o the fleet ariel safely in harbour is the king's ship in the deep nook where once thou call'dst me up at midnight to fetch dew from the stillvex'd bermoothes there she's hid the mariners all under hatches stow'd who with a charm join'd to their suffer'd labour i have left asleep and for the rest o the fleet which i dispersed they all have met again and are upon the mediterranean flote bound sadly home for naples supposing that they saw the king's ship wreck'd and his great person perish prospero ariel thy charge exactly is perform'd but there's more work what is the time o the day ariel past the mid season prospero at least two glasses the time twixt six and now must by us both be spent most preciously ariel is there more toil since thou dost give me pains let me remember thee what thou hast promised which is not yet perform'd me prospero how now moody what is't thou canst demand ariel my liberty prospero before the time be out no more ariel i prithee remember i have done thee worthy service told thee no lies made thee no mistakings served without or grudge or grumblings thou didst promise to bate me a full year prospero dost thou forget from what a torment i did free thee ariel no prospero thou dost and think'st it much to tread the ooze of the salt deep to run upon the sharp wind of the north to do me business in the veins o the earth when it is baked with frost ariel i do not sir prospero thou liest malignant thing hast thou forgot the foul witch sycorax who with age and envy was grown into a hoop hast thou forgot her ariel no sir prospero thou hast where was she born speak tell me ariel sir in argier prospero o was she so i must once in a month recount what thou hast been which thou forget'st this damn'd witch sycorax for mischiefs manifold and sorceries terrible to enter human hearing from argier thou know'st was banish'd for one thing she did they would not take her life is not this true ariel ay sir prospero this blueeyed hag was hither brought with child and here was left by the sailors thou my slave as thou report'st thyself wast then her servant and for thou wast a spirit too delicate to act her earthy and abhorr'd commands refusing her grand hests she did confine thee by help of her more potent ministers and in her most unmitigable rage into a cloven pine within which rift imprison'd thou didst painfully remain a dozen years within which space she died and left thee there where thou didst vent thy groans as fast as millwheels strike then was this island save for the son that she did litter here a freckled whelp hagbornnot honour'd with a human shape ariel yes caliban her son prospero dull thing i say so he that caliban whom now i keep in service thou best know'st what torment i did find thee in thy groans did make wolves howl and penetrate the breasts of ever angry bears it was a torment to lay upon the damn'd which sycorax could not again undo it was mine art when i arrived and heard thee that made gape the pine and let thee out ariel i thank thee master prospero if thou more murmur'st i will rend an oak and peg thee in his knotty entrails till thou hast howl'd away twelve winters ariel pardon master i will be correspondent to command and do my spiriting gently prospero do so and after two days i will discharge thee ariel that's my noble master what shall i do say what what shall i do prospero go make thyself like a nymph o the sea be subject to no sight but thine and mine invisible to every eyeball else go take this shape and hither come in't go hence with diligence exit ariel awake dear heart awake thou hast slept well awake miranda the strangeness of your story put heaviness in me prospero shake it off come on we'll visit caliban my slave who never yields us kind answer miranda tis a villain sir i do not love to look on prospero but as tis we cannot miss him he does make our fire fetch in our wood and serves in offices that profit us what ho slave caliban thou earth thou speak caliban within there's wood enough within prospero come forth i say there's other business for thee come thou tortoise when reenter ariel like a waternymph fine apparition my quaint ariel hark in thine ear ariel my lord it shall be done exit prospero thou poisonous slave got by the devil himself upon thy wicked dam come forth enter caliban caliban as wicked dew as e'er my mother brush'd with raven's feather from unwholesome fen drop on you both a southwest blow on ye and blister you all o'er prospero for this be sure tonight thou shalt have cramps sidestitches that shall pen thy breath up urchins shall for that vast of night that they may work all exercise on thee thou shalt be pinch'd as thick as honeycomb each pinch more stinging than bees that made em caliban i must eat my dinner this island's mine by sycorax my mother which thou takest from me when thou camest first thou strokedst me and madest much of me wouldst give me water with berries in't and teach me how to name the bigger light and how the less that burn by day and night and then i loved thee and show'd thee all the qualities o the isle the fresh springs brinepits barren place and fertile cursed be i that did so all the charms of sycorax toads beetles bats light on you for i am all the subjects that you have which first was mine own king and here you sty me in this hard rock whiles you do keep from me the rest o the island prospero thou most lying slave whom stripes may move not kindness i have used thee filth as thou art with human care and lodged thee in mine own cell till thou didst seek to violate the honour of my child caliban o ho o ho would't had been done thou didst prevent me i had peopled else this isle with calibans prospero abhorred slave which any print of goodness wilt not take being capable of all ill i pitied thee took pains to make thee speak taught thee each hour one thing or other when thou didst not savage know thine own meaning but wouldst gabble like a thing most brutish i endow'd thy purposes with words that made them known but thy vile race though thou didst learn had that in't which good natures could not abide to be with therefore wast thou deservedly confined into this rock who hadst deserved more than a prison caliban you taught me language and my profit on't is i know how to curse the red plague rid you for learning me your language prospero hagseed hence fetch us in fuel and be quick thou'rt best to answer other business shrug'st thou malice if thou neglect'st or dost unwillingly what i command i'll rack thee with old cramps fill all thy bones with aches make thee roar that beasts shall tremble at thy din caliban no pray thee aside i must obey his art is of such power it would control my dam's god setebos and make a vassal of him prospero so slave hence exit caliban reenter ariel invisible playing and singing ferdinand following ariel's song come unto these yellow sands and then take hands courtsied when you have and kiss'd the wild waves whist foot it featly here and there and sweet sprites the burthen bear hark hark burthen dispersedly within bowwow the watchdogs bark burthen bowwow hark hark i hear the strain of strutting chanticleer cry cockadiddledow ferdinand where should this music be i the air or the earth it sounds no more and sure it waits upon some god o the island sitting on a bank weeping again the king my father's wreck this music crept by me upon the waters allaying both their fury and my passion with its sweet air thence i have follow'd it or it hath drawn me rather but tis gone no it begins again ariel sings full fathom five thy father lies of his bones are coral made those are pearls that were his eyes nothing of him that doth fade but doth suffer a seachange into something rich and strange seanymphs hourly ring his knell burthen dingdong hark now i hear themdingdong bell ferdinand the ditty does remember my drown'd father this is no mortal business nor no sound that the earth owes i hear it now above me prospero the fringed curtains of thine eye advance and say what thou seest yond miranda what is't a spirit lord how it looks about believe me sir it carries a brave form but tis a spirit prospero no wench it eats and sleeps and hath such senses as we have such this gallant which thou seest was in the wreck and but he's something stain'd with grief that's beauty's canker thou mightst call him a goodly person he hath lost his fellows and strays about to find em miranda i might call him a thing divine for nothing natural i ever saw so noble prospero aside it goes on i see as my soul prompts it spirit fine spirit i'll free thee within two days for this ferdinand most sure the goddess on whom these airs attend vouchsafe my prayer may know if you remain upon this island and that you will some good instruction give how i may bear me here my prime request which i do last pronounce is o you wonder if you be maid or no miranda no wonder sir but certainly a maid ferdinand my language heavens i am the best of them that speak this speech were i but where tis spoken prospero how the best what wert thou if the king of naples heard thee ferdinand a single thing as i am now that wonders to hear thee speak of naples he does hear me and that he does i weep myself am naples who with mine eyes never since at ebb beheld the king my father wreck'd miranda alack for mercy ferdinand yes faith and all his lords the duke of milan and his brave son being twain prospero aside the duke of milan and his more braver daughter could control thee if now twere fit to do't at the first sight they have changed eyes delicate ariel i'll set thee free for this to ferdinand a word good sir i fear you have done yourself some wrong a word miranda why speaks my father so ungently this is the third man that e'er i saw the first that e'er i sigh'd for pity move my father to be inclined my way ferdinand o if a virgin and your affection not gone forth i'll make you the queen of naples prospero soft sir one word more aside they are both in either's powers but this swift business i must uneasy make lest too light winning make the prize light to ferdinand one word more i charge thee that thou attend me thou dost here usurp the name thou owest not and hast put thyself upon this island as a spy to win it from me the lord on't ferdinand no as i am a man miranda there's nothing ill can dwell in such a temple if the ill spirit have so fair a house good things will strive to dwell with't prospero follow me speak not you for him he's a traitor come i'll manacle thy neck and feet together seawater shalt thou drink thy food shall be the freshbrook muscles wither'd roots and husks wherein the acorn cradled follow ferdinand no i will resist such entertainment till mine enemy has more power draws and is charmed from moving miranda o dear father make not too rash a trial of him for he's gentle and not fearful prospero what i say my foot my tutor put thy sword up traitor who makest a show but darest not strike thy conscience is so possess'd with guilt come from thy ward for i can here disarm thee with this stick and make thy weapon drop miranda beseech you father prospero hence hang not on my garments miranda sir have pity i'll be his surety prospero silence one word more shall make me chide thee if not hate thee what an advocate for an imposter hush thou think'st there is no more such shapes as he having seen but him and caliban foolish wench to the most of men this is a caliban and they to him are angels miranda my affections are then most humble i have no ambition to see a goodlier man prospero come on obey thy nerves are in their infancy again and have no vigour in them ferdinand so they are my spirits as in a dream are all bound up my father's loss the weakness which i feel the wreck of all my friends nor this man's threats to whom i am subdued are but light to me might i but through my prison once a day behold this maid all corners else o the earth let liberty make use of space enough have i in such a prison prospero aside it works to ferdinand come on thou hast done well fine ariel to ferdinand follow me to ariel hark what thou else shalt do me miranda be of comfort my father's of a better nature sir than he appears by speech this is unwonted which now came from him prospero thou shalt be free as mountain winds but then exactly do all points of my command ariel to the syllable prospero come follow speak not for him exeunt the tempest act ii scene i another part of the island enter alonso sebastian antonio gonzalo adrian francisco and others gonzalo beseech you sir be merry you have cause so have we all of joy for our escape is much beyond our loss our hint of woe is common every day some sailor's wife the masters of some merchant and the merchant have just our theme of woe but for the miracle i mean our preservation few in millions can speak like us then wisely good sir weigh our sorrow with our comfort alonso prithee peace sebastian he receives comfort like cold porridge antonio the visitor will not give him o'er so sebastian look he's winding up the watch of his wit by and by it will strike gonzalo sir sebastian one tell gonzalo when every grief is entertain'd that's offer'd comes to the entertainer sebastian a dollar gonzalo dolour comes to him indeed you have spoken truer than you purposed sebastian you have taken it wiselier than i meant you should gonzalo therefore my lord antonio fie what a spendthrift is he of his tongue alonso i prithee spare gonzalo well i have done but yet sebastian he will be talking antonio which of he or adrian for a good wager first begins to crow sebastian the old cock antonio the cockerel sebastian done the wager antonio a laughter sebastian a match adrian though this island seem to be desert sebastian ha ha ha so you're paid adrian uninhabitable and almost inaccessible sebastian yet adrian yet antonio he could not miss't adrian it must needs be of subtle tender and delicate temperance antonio temperance was a delicate wench sebastian ay and a subtle as he most learnedly delivered adrian the air breathes upon us here most sweetly sebastian as if it had lungs and rotten ones antonio or as twere perfumed by a fen gonzalo here is everything advantageous to life antonio true save means to live sebastian of that there's none or little gonzalo how lush and lusty the grass looks how green antonio the ground indeed is tawny sebastian with an eye of green in't antonio he misses not much sebastian no he doth but mistake the truth totally gonzalo but the rarity of it iswhich is indeed almost beyond credit sebastian as many vouched rarities are gonzalo that our garments being as they were drenched in the sea hold notwithstanding their freshness and glosses being rather newdyed than stained with salt water antonio if but one of his pockets could speak would it not say he lies sebastian ay or very falsely pocket up his report gonzalo methinks our garments are now as fresh as when we put them on first in afric at the marriage of the king's fair daughter claribel to the king of tunis sebastian twas a sweet marriage and we prosper well in our return adrian tunis was never graced before with such a paragon to their queen gonzalo not since widow dido's time antonio widow a pox o that how came that widow in widow dido sebastian what if he had said widower aeneas too good lord how you take it adrian widow dido said you you make me study of that she was of carthage not of tunis gonzalo this tunis sir was carthage adrian carthage gonzalo i assure you carthage sebastian his word is more than the miraculous harp he hath raised the wall and houses too antonio what impossible matter will he make easy next sebastian i think he will carry this island home in his pocket and give it his son for an apple antonio and sowing the kernels of it in the sea bring forth more islands gonzalo ay antonio why in good time gonzalo sir we were talking that our garments seem now as fresh as when we were at tunis at the marriage of your daughter who is now queen antonio and the rarest that e'er came there sebastian bate i beseech you widow dido antonio o widow dido ay widow dido gonzalo is not sir my doublet as fresh as the first day i wore it i mean in a sort antonio that sort was well fished for gonzalo when i wore it at your daughter's marriage alonso you cram these words into mine ears against the stomach of my sense would i had never married my daughter there for coming thence my son is lost and in my rate she too who is so far from italy removed i ne'er again shall see her o thou mine heir of naples and of milan what strange fish hath made his meal on thee francisco sir he may live i saw him beat the surges under him and ride upon their backs he trod the water whose enmity he flung aside and breasted the surge most swoln that met him his bold head bove the contentious waves he kept and oar'd himself with his good arms in lusty stroke to the shore that o'er his waveworn basis bow'd as stooping to relieve him i not doubt he came alive to land alonso no no he's gone sebastian sir you may thank yourself for this great loss that would not bless our europe with your daughter but rather lose her to an african where she at least is banish'd from your eye who hath cause to wet the grief on't alonso prithee peace sebastian you were kneel'd to and importuned otherwise by all of us and the fair soul herself weigh'd between loathness and obedience at which end o the beam should bow we have lost your son i fear for ever milan and naples have more widows in them of this business making than we bring men to comfort them the fault's your own alonso so is the dear'st o the loss gonzalo my lord sebastian the truth you speak doth lack some gentleness and time to speak it in you rub the sore when you should bring the plaster sebastian very well antonio and most chirurgeonly gonzalo it is foul weather in us all good sir when you are cloudy sebastian foul weather antonio very foul gonzalo had i plantation of this isle my lord antonio he'ld sow't with nettleseed sebastian or docks or mallows gonzalo and were the king on't what would i do sebastian scape being drunk for want of wine gonzalo i the commonwealth i would by contraries execute all things for no kind of traffic would i admit no name of magistrate letters should not be known riches poverty and use of service none contract succession bourn bound of land tilth vineyard none no use of metal corn or wine or oil no occupation all men idle all and women too but innocent and pure no sovereignty sebastian yet he would be king on't antonio the latter end of his commonwealth forgets the beginning gonzalo all things in common nature should produce without sweat or endeavour treason felony sword pike knife gun or need of any engine would i not have but nature should bring forth of its own kind all foison all abundance to feed my innocent people sebastian no marrying mong his subjects antonio none man all idle whores and knaves gonzalo i would with such perfection govern sir to excel the golden age sebastian god save his majesty antonio long live gonzalo gonzalo anddo you mark me sir alonso prithee no more thou dost talk nothing to me gonzalo i do well believe your highness and did it to minister occasion to these gentlemen who are of such sensible and nimble lungs that they always use to laugh at nothing antonio twas you we laughed at gonzalo who in this kind of merry fooling am nothing to you so you may continue and laugh at nothing still antonio what a blow was there given sebastian an it had not fallen flatlong gonzalo you are gentlemen of brave metal you would lift the moon out of her sphere if she would continue in it five weeks without changing enter ariel invisible playing solemn music sebastian we would so and then go a batfowling antonio nay good my lord be not angry gonzalo no i warrant you i will not adventure my discretion so weakly will you laugh me asleep for i am very heavy antonio go sleep and hear us all sleep except alonso sebastian and antonio alonso what all so soon asleep i wish mine eyes would with themselves shut up my thoughts i find they are inclined to do so sebastian please you sir do not omit the heavy offer of it it seldom visits sorrow when it doth it is a comforter antonio we two my lord will guard your person while you take your rest and watch your safety alonso thank you wondrous heavy alonso sleeps exit ariel sebastian what a strange drowsiness possesses them antonio it is the quality o the climate sebastian why doth it not then our eyelids sink i find not myself disposed to sleep antonio nor i my spirits are nimble they fell together all as by consent they dropp'd as by a thunderstroke what might worthy sebastian o what mightno more and yet me thinks i see it in thy face what thou shouldst be the occasion speaks thee and my strong imagination sees a crown dropping upon thy head sebastian what art thou waking antonio do you not hear me speak sebastian i do and surely it is a sleepy language and thou speak'st out of thy sleep what is it thou didst say this is a strange repose to be asleep with eyes wide open standing speaking moving and yet so fast asleep antonio noble sebastian thou let'st thy fortune sleepdie rather wink'st whiles thou art waking sebastian thou dost snore distinctly there's meaning in thy snores antonio i am more serious than my custom you must be so too if heed me which to do trebles thee o'er sebastian well i am standing water antonio i'll teach you how to flow sebastian do so to ebb hereditary sloth instructs me antonio o if you but knew how you the purpose cherish whiles thus you mock it how in stripping it you more invest it ebbing men indeed most often do so near the bottom run by their own fear or sloth sebastian prithee say on the setting of thine eye and cheek proclaim a matter from thee and a birth indeed which throes thee much to yield antonio thus sir although this lord of weak remembrance this who shall be of as little memory when he is earth'd hath here almost persuade for he's a spirit of persuasion only professes to persuadethe king his son's alive tis as impossible that he's undrown'd and he that sleeps here swims sebastian i have no hope that he's undrown'd antonio o out of that no hope' what great hope have you no hope that way is another way so high a hope that even ambition cannot pierce a wink beyond but doubt discovery there will you grant with me that ferdinand is drown'd sebastian he's gone antonio then tell me who's the next heir of naples sebastian claribel antonio she that is queen of tunis she that dwells ten leagues beyond man's life she that from naples can have no note unless the sun were post the man i the moon's too slowtill newborn chins be rough and razorable she thatfrom whom we all were seaswallow'd though some cast again and by that destiny to perform an act whereof what's past is prologue what to come in yours and my discharge sebastian what stuff is this how say you tis true my brother's daughter's queen of tunis so is she heir of naples twixt which regions there is some space antonio a space whose every cubit seems to cry out how shall that claribel measure us back to naples keep in tunis and let sebastian wake say this were death that now hath seized them why they were no worse than now they are there be that can rule naples as well as he that sleeps lords that can prate as amply and unnecessarily as this gonzalo i myself could make a chough of as deep chat o that you bore the mind that i do what a sleep were this for your advancement do you understand me sebastian methinks i do antonio and how does your content tender your own good fortune sebastian i remember you did supplant your brother prospero antonio true and look how well my garments sit upon me much feater than before my brother's servants were then my fellows now they are my men sebastian but for your conscience antonio ay sir where lies that if twere a kibe twould put me to my slipper but i feel not this deity in my bosom twenty consciences that stand twixt me and milan candied be they and melt ere they molest here lies your brother no better than the earth he lies upon if he were that which now he's like that's dead whom i with this obedient steel three inches of it can lay to bed for ever whiles you doing thus to the perpetual wink for aye might put this ancient morsel this sir prudence who should not upbraid our course for all the rest they'll take suggestion as a cat laps milk they'll tell the clock to any business that we say befits the hour sebastian thy case dear friend shall be my precedent as thou got'st milan i'll come by naples draw thy sword one stroke shall free thee from the tribute which thou payest and i the king shall love thee antonio draw together and when i rear my hand do you the like to fall it on gonzalo sebastian o but one word they talk apart reenter ariel invisible ariel my master through his art foresees the danger that you his friend are in and sends me forth for else his project diesto keep them living sings in gonzalo's ear while you here do snoring lie openeyed conspiracy his time doth take if of life you keep a care shake off slumber and beware awake awake antonio then let us both be sudden gonzalo now good angels preserve the king they wake alonso why how now ho awake why are you drawn wherefore this ghastly looking gonzalo what's the matter sebastian whiles we stood here securing your repose even now we heard a hollow burst of bellowing like bulls or rather lions did't not wake you it struck mine ear most terribly alonso i heard nothing antonio o twas a din to fright a monster's ear to make an earthquake sure it was the roar of a whole herd of lions alonso heard you this gonzalo gonzalo upon mine honour sir i heard a humming and that a strange one too which did awake me i shaked you sir and cried as mine eyes open'd i saw their weapons drawn there was a noise that's verily tis best we stand upon our guard or that we quit this place let's draw our weapons alonso lead off this ground and let's make further search for my poor son gonzalo heavens keep him from these beasts for he is sure i the island alonso lead away ariel prospero my lord shall know what i have done so king go safely on to seek thy son exeunt the tempest act ii scene ii another part of the island enter caliban with a burden of wood a noise of thunder heard caliban all the infections that the sun sucks up from bogs fens flats on prosper fall and make him by inchmeal a disease his spirits hear me and yet i needs must curse but they'll nor pinch fright me with urchinshows pitch me i the mire nor lead me like a firebrand in the dark out of my way unless he bid em but for every trifle are they set upon me sometime like apes that mow and chatter at me and after bite me then like hedgehogs which lie tumbling in my barefoot way and mount their pricks at my footfall sometime am i all wound with adders who with cloven tongues do hiss me into madness enter trinculo lo now lo here comes a spirit of his and to torment me for bringing wood in slowly i'll fall flat perchance he will not mind me trinculo here's neither bush nor shrub to bear off any weather at all and another storm brewing i hear it sing i the wind yond same black cloud yond huge one looks like a foul bombard that would shed his liquor if it should thunder as it did before i know not where to hide my head yond same cloud cannot choose but fall by pailfuls what have we here a man or a fish dead or alive a fish he smells like a fish a very ancient and fish like smell a kind of not of the newest poor john a strange fish were i in england now as once i was and had but this fish painted not a holiday fool there but would give a piece of silver there would this monster make a man any strange beast there makes a man when they will not give a doit to relieve a lame beggar they will lazy out ten to see a dead indian legged like a man and his fins like arms warm o my troth i do now let loose my opinion hold it no longer this is no fish but an islander that hath lately suffered by a thunderbolt thunder alas the storm is come again my best way is to creep under his gaberdine there is no other shelter hereabouts misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows i will here shroud till the dregs of the storm be past enter stephano singing a bottle in his hand stephano i shall no more to sea to sea here shall i die ashore this is a very scurvy tune to sing at a man's funeral well here's my comfort drinks sings the master the swabber the boatswain and i the gunner and his mate loved mall meg and marian and margery but none of us cared for kate for she had a tongue with a tang would cry to a sailor go hang she loved not the savour of tar nor of pitch yet a tailor might scratch her where'er she did itch then to sea boys and let her go hang this is a scurvy tune too but here's my comfort drinks caliban do not torment me oh stephano what's the matter have we devils here do you put tricks upon's with savages and men of ind ha i have not scaped drowning to be afeard now of your four legs for it hath been said as proper a man as ever went on four legs cannot make him give ground and it shall be said so again while stephano breathes at's nostrils caliban the spirit torments me oh stephano this is some monster of the isle with four legs who hath got as i take it an ague where the devil should he learn our language i will give him some relief if it be but for that if i can recover him and keep him tame and get to naples with him he's a present for any emperor that ever trod on neat's leather caliban do not torment me prithee i'll bring my wood home faster stephano he's in his fit now and does not talk after the wisest he shall taste of my bottle if he have never drunk wine afore will go near to remove his fit if i can recover him and keep him tame i will not take too much for him he shall pay for him that hath him and that soundly caliban thou dost me yet but little hurt thou wilt anon i know it by thy trembling now prosper works upon thee stephano come on your ways open your mouth here is that which will give language to you cat open your mouth this will shake your shaking i can tell you and that soundly you cannot tell who's your friend open your chaps again trinculo i should know that voice it should bebut he is drowned and these are devils o defend me stephano four legs and two voices a most delicate monster his forward voice now is to speak well of his friend his backward voice is to utter foul speeches and to detract if all the wine in my bottle will recover him i will help his ague come amen i will pour some in thy other mouth trinculo stephano stephano doth thy other mouth call me mercy mercy this is a devil and no monster i will leave him i have no long spoon trinculo stephano if thou beest stephano touch me and speak to me for i am trinculobe not afeardthy good friend trinculo stephano if thou beest trinculo come forth i'll pull thee by the lesser legs if any be trinculo's legs these are they thou art very trinculo indeed how camest thou to be the siege of this mooncalf can he vent trinculos trinculo i took him to be killed with a thunderstroke but art thou not drowned stephano i hope now thou art not drowned is the storm overblown i hid me under the dead mooncalf's gaberdine for fear of the storm and art thou living stephano o stephano two neapolitans scaped stephano prithee do not turn me about my stomach is not constant caliban aside these be fine things an if they be not sprites that's a brave god and bears celestial liquor i will kneel to him stephano how didst thou scape how camest thou hither swear by this bottle how thou camest hither i escaped upon a butt of sack which the sailors heaved o'erboard by this bottle which i made of the bark of a tree with mine own hands since i was cast ashore caliban i'll swear upon that bottle to be thy true subject for the liquor is not earthly stephano here swear then how thou escapedst trinculo swum ashore man like a duck i can swim like a duck i'll be sworn stephano here kiss the book though thou canst swim like a duck thou art made like a goose trinculo o stephano hast any more of this stephano the whole butt man my cellar is in a rock by the seaside where my wine is hid how now mooncalf how does thine ague caliban hast thou not dropp'd from heaven stephano out o the moon i do assure thee i was the man i' the moon when time was caliban i have seen thee in her and i do adore thee my mistress show'd me thee and thy dog and thy bush stephano come swear to that kiss the book i will furnish it anon with new contents swear trinculo by this good light this is a very shallow monster i afeard of him a very weak monster the man i' the moon a most poor credulous monster well drawn monster in good sooth caliban i'll show thee every fertile inch o th island and i will kiss thy foot i prithee be my god trinculo by this light a most perfidious and drunken monster when s god's asleep he'll rob his bottle caliban i'll kiss thy foot i'll swear myself thy subject stephano come on then down and swear trinculo i shall laugh myself to death at this puppyheaded monster a most scurvy monster i could find in my heart to beat him stephano come kiss trinculo but that the poor monster's in drink an abominable monster caliban i'll show thee the best springs i'll pluck thee berries i'll fish for thee and get thee wood enough a plague upon the tyrant that i serve i'll bear him no more sticks but follow thee thou wondrous man trinculo a most ridiculous monster to make a wonder of a poor drunkard caliban i prithee let me bring thee where crabs grow and i with my long nails will dig thee pignuts show thee a jay's nest and instruct thee how to snare the nimble marmoset i'll bring thee to clustering filberts and sometimes i'll get thee young scamels from the rock wilt thou go with me stephano i prithee now lead the way without any more talking trinculo the king and all our company else being drowned we will inherit here here bear my bottle fellow trinculo we'll fill him by and by again caliban sings drunkenly farewell master farewell farewell trinculo a howling monster a drunken monster caliban no more dams i'll make for fish nor fetch in firing at requiring nor scrape trencher nor wash dish ban ban cacaliban has a new master get a new man freedom heyday heyday freedom freedom heyday freedom stephano o brave monster lead the way exeunt the tempest act iii scene i before prospero's cell enter ferdinand bearing a log ferdinand there be some sports are painful and their labour delight in them sets off some kinds of baseness are nobly undergone and most poor matters point to rich ends this my mean task would be as heavy to me as odious but the mistress which i serve quickens what's dead and makes my labours pleasures o she is ten times more gentle than her father's crabbed and he's composed of harshness i must remove some thousands of these logs and pile them up upon a sore injunction my sweet mistress weeps when she sees me work and says such baseness had never like executor i forget but these sweet thoughts do even refresh my labours most busy lest when i do it enter miranda and prospero at a distance unseen miranda alas now pray you work not so hard i would the lightning had burnt up those logs that you are enjoin'd to pile pray set it down and rest you when this burns twill weep for having wearied you my father is hard at study pray now rest yourself he's safe for these three hours ferdinand o most dear mistress the sun will set before i shall discharge what i must strive to do miranda if you'll sit down i'll bear your logs the while pray give me that i'll carry it to the pile ferdinand no precious creature i had rather crack my sinews break my back than you should such dishonour undergo while i sit lazy by miranda it would become me as well as it does you and i should do it with much more ease for my good will is to it and yours it is against prospero poor worm thou art infected this visitation shows it miranda you look wearily ferdinand no noble mistress'tis fresh morning with me when you are by at night i do beseech you chiefly that i might set it in my prayers what is your name miranda mirandao my father i have broke your hest to say so ferdinand admired miranda indeed the top of admiration worth what's dearest to the world full many a lady i have eyed with best regard and many a time the harmony of their tongues hath into bondage brought my too diligent ear for several virtues have i liked several women never any with so fun soul but some defect in her did quarrel with the noblest grace she owed and put it to the foil but you o you so perfect and so peerless are created of every creature's best miranda i do not know one of my sex no woman's face remember save from my glass mine own nor have i seen more that i may call men than you good friend and my dear father how features are abroad i am skilless of but by my modesty the jewel in my dower i would not wish any companion in the world but you nor can imagination form a shape besides yourself to like of but i prattle something too wildly and my father's precepts i therein do forget ferdinand i am in my condition a prince miranda i do think a king i would not soand would no more endure this wooden slavery than to suffer the fleshfly blow my mouth hear my soul speak the very instant that i saw you did my heart fly to your service there resides to make me slave to it and for your sake am i this patient logman miranda do you love me ferdinand o heaven o earth bear witness to this sound and crown what i profess with kind event if i speak true if hollowly invert what best is boded me to mischief i beyond all limit of what else i the world do love prize honour you miranda i am a fool to weep at what i am glad of prospero fair encounter of two most rare affections heavens rain grace on that which breeds between em ferdinand wherefore weep you miranda at mine unworthiness that dare not offer what i desire to give and much less take what i shall die to want but this is trifling and all the more it seeks to hide itself the bigger bulk it shows hence bashful cunning and prompt me plain and holy innocence i am your wife it you will marry me if not i'll die your maid to be your fellow you may deny me but i'll be your servant whether you will or no ferdinand my mistress dearest and i thus humble ever miranda my husband then ferdinand ay with a heart as willing as bondage e'er of freedom here's my hand miranda and mine with my heart in't and now farewell till half an hour hence ferdinand a thousand thousand exeunt ferdinand and miranda severally prospero so glad of this as they i cannot be who are surprised withal but my rejoicing at nothing can be more i'll to my book for yet ere suppertime must i perform much business appertaining exit the tempest act iii scene ii another part of the island enter caliban stephano and trinculo stephano tell not me when the butt is out we will drink water not a drop before therefore bear up and board em servantmonster drink to me trinculo servantmonster the folly of this island they say there's but five upon this isle we are three of them if th other two be brained like us the state totters stephano drink servantmonster when i bid thee thy eyes are almost set in thy head trinculo where should they be set else he were a brave monster indeed if they were set in his tail stephano my manmonster hath drown'd his tongue in sack for my part the sea cannot drown me i swam ere i could recover the shore five and thirty leagues off and on by this light thou shalt be my lieutenant monster or my standard trinculo your lieutenant if you list he's no standard stephano we'll not run monsieur monster trinculo nor go neither but you'll lie like dogs and yet say nothing neither stephano mooncalf speak once in thy life if thou beest a good mooncalf caliban how does thy honour let me lick thy shoe i'll not serve him he's not valiant trinculo thou liest most ignorant monster i am in case to justle a constable why thou deboshed fish thou was there ever man a coward that hath drunk so much sack as i today wilt thou tell a monstrous lie being but half a fish and half a monster caliban lo how he mocks me wilt thou let him my lord trinculo lord quoth he that a monster should be such a natural caliban lo lo again bite him to death i prithee stephano trinculo keep a good tongue in your head if you prove a mutineerthe next tree the poor monster's my subject and he shall not suffer indignity caliban i thank my noble lord wilt thou be pleased to hearken once again to the suit i made to thee stephano marry will i kneel and repeat it i will stand and so shall trinculo enter ariel invisible caliban as i told thee before i am subject to a tyrant a sorcerer that by his cunning hath cheated me of the island ariel thou liest caliban thou liest thou jesting monkey thou i would my valiant master would destroy thee i do not lie stephano trinculo if you trouble him any more in's tale by this hand i will supplant some of your teeth trinculo why i said nothing stephano mum then and no more proceed caliban i say by sorcery he got this isle from me he got it if thy greatness will revenge it on himfor i know thou darest but this thing dare not stephano that's most certain caliban thou shalt be lord of it and i'll serve thee stephano how now shall this be compassed canst thou bring me to the party caliban yea yea my lord i'll yield him thee asleep where thou mayst knock a nail into his bead ariel thou liest thou canst not caliban what a pied ninny's this thou scurvy patch i do beseech thy greatness give him blows and take his bottle from him when that's gone he shall drink nought but brine for i'll not show him where the quick freshes are stephano trinculo run into no further danger interrupt the monster one word further and by this hand i'll turn my mercy out o doors and make a stockfish of thee trinculo why what did i i did nothing i'll go farther off stephano didst thou not say he lied ariel thou liest stephano do i so take thou that beats trinculo as you like this give me the lie another time trinculo i did not give the lie out o your wits and bearing too a pox o your bottle this can sack and drinking do a murrain on your monster and the devil take your fingers caliban ha ha ha stephano now forward with your tale prithee stand farther off caliban beat him enough after a little time i'll beat him too stephano stand farther come proceed caliban why as i told thee tis a custom with him i th afternoon to sleep there thou mayst brain him having first seized his books or with a log batter his skull or paunch him with a stake or cut his wezand with thy knife remember first to possess his books for without them he's but a sot as i am nor hath not one spirit to command they all do hate him as rootedly as i burn but his books he has brave utensilsfor so he calls them which when he has a house he'll deck withal and that most deeply to consider is the beauty of his daughter he himself calls her a nonpareil i never saw a woman but only sycorax my dam and she but she as far surpasseth sycorax as great'st does least stephano is it so brave a lass caliban ay lord she will become thy bed i warrant and bring thee forth brave brood stephano monster i will kill this man his daughter and i will be king and queensave our gracesand trinculo and thyself shall be viceroys dost thou like the plot trinculo trinculo excellent stephano give me thy hand i am sorry i beat thee but while thou livest keep a good tongue in thy head caliban within this half hour will he be asleep wilt thou destroy him then stephano ay on mine honour ariel this will i tell my master caliban thou makest me merry i am full of pleasure let us be jocund will you troll the catch you taught me but whileere stephano at thy request monster i will do reason any reason come on trinculo let us sing sings flout em and scout em and scout em and flout em thought is free caliban that's not the tune ariel plays the tune on a tabour and pipe stephano what is this same trinculo this is the tune of our catch played by the picture of nobody stephano if thou beest a man show thyself in thy likeness if thou beest a devil take't as thou list trinculo o forgive me my sins stephano he that dies pays all debts i defy thee mercy upon us caliban art thou afeard stephano no monster not i caliban be not afeard the isle is full of noises sounds and sweet airs that give delight and hurt not sometimes a thousand twangling instruments will hum about mine ears and sometime voices that if i then had waked after long sleep will make me sleep again and then in dreaming the clouds methought would open and show riches ready to drop upon me that when i waked i cried to dream again stephano this will prove a brave kingdom to me where i shall have my music for nothing caliban when prospero is destroyed stephano that shall be by and by i remember the story trinculo the sound is going away let's follow it and after do our work stephano lead monster we'll follow i would i could see this tabourer he lays it on trinculo wilt come i'll follow stephano exeunt the tempest act iii scene iii another part of the island enter alonso sebastian antonio gonzalo adrian francisco and others gonzalo by'r lakin i can go no further sir my old bones ache here's a maze trod indeed through forthrights and meanders by your patience i needs must rest me alonso old lord i cannot blame thee who am myself attach'd with weariness to the dulling of my spirits sit down and rest even here i will put off my hope and keep it no longer for my flatterer he is drown'd whom thus we stray to find and the sea mocks our frustrate search on land well let him go antonio aside to sebastian i am right glad that he's so out of hope do not for one repulse forego the purpose that you resolved to effect sebastian aside to antonio the next advantage will we take throughly antonio aside to sebastian let it be tonight for now they are oppress'd with travel they will not nor cannot use such vigilance as when they are fresh sebastian aside to antonio i say tonight no more solemn and strange music alonso what harmony is this my good friends hark gonzalo marvellous sweet music enter prospero above invisible enter several strange shapes bringing in a banquet they dance about it with gentle actions of salutation and inviting the king &c to eat they depart alonso give us kind keepers heavens what were these sebastian a living drollery now i will believe that there are unicorns that in arabia there is one tree the phoenix throne one phoenix at this hour reigning there antonio i'll believe both and what does else want credit come to me and i'll be sworn tis true travellers ne'er did lie though fools at home condemn em gonzalo if in naples i should report this now would they believe me if i should say i saw such islanders for certes these are people of the island who though they are of monstrous shape yet note their manners are more gentlekind than of our human generation you shall find many nay almost any prospero aside honest lord thou hast said well for some of you there present are worse than devils alonso i cannot too much muse such shapes such gesture and such sound expressing although they want the use of tongue a kind of excellent dumb discourse prospero aside praise in departing francisco they vanish'd strangely sebastian no matter since they have left their viands behind for we have stomachs will't please you taste of what is here alonso not i gonzalo faith sir you need not fear when we were boys who would believe that there were mountaineers dewlapp'd like bulls whose throats had hanging at em wallets of flesh or that there were such men whose heads stood in their breasts which now we find each putterout of five for one will bring us good warrant of alonso i will stand to and feed although my last no matter since i feel the best is past brother my lord the duke stand to and do as we thunder and lightning enter ariel like a harpy claps his wings upon the table and with a quaint device the banquet vanishes ariel you are three men of sin whom destiny that hath to instrument this lower world and what is in't the neversurfeited sea hath caused to belch up you and on this island where man doth not inhabit you mongst men being most unfit to live i have made you mad and even with suchlike valour men hang and drown their proper selves alonso sebastian &c draw their swords you fools i and my fellows are ministers of fate the elements of whom your swords are temper'd may as well wound the loud winds or with bemock'dat stabs kill the stillclosing waters as diminish one dowle that's in my plume my fellowministers are like invulnerable if you could hurt your swords are now too massy for your strengths and will not be uplifted but remember for that's my business to youthat you three from milan did supplant good prospero exposed unto the sea which hath requit it him and his innocent child for which foul deed the powers delaying not forgetting have incensed the seas and shores yea all the creatures against your peace thee of thy son alonso they have bereft and do pronounce by me lingering perdition worse than any death can be at once shall step by step attend you and your ways whose wraths to guard you from which here in this most desolate isle else falls upon your headsis nothing but heartsorrow and a clear life ensuing he vanishes in thunder then to soft music enter the shapes again and dance with mocks and mows and carrying out the table prospero bravely the figure of this harpy hast thou perform'd my ariel a grace it had devouring of my instruction hast thou nothing bated in what thou hadst to say so with good life and observation strange my meaner ministers their several kinds have done my high charms work and these mine enemies are all knit up in their distractions they now are in my power and in these fits i leave them while i visit young ferdinand whom they suppose is drown'd and his and mine loved darling exit above gonzalo i the name of something holy sir why stand you in this strange stare alonso o it is monstrous monstrous methought the billows spoke and told me of it the winds did sing it to me and the thunder that deep and dreadful organpipe pronounced the name of prosper it did bass my trespass therefore my son i the ooze is bedded and i'll seek him deeper than e'er plummet sounded and with him there lie mudded exit sebastian but one fiend at a time i'll fight their legions o'er antonio i'll be thy second exeunt sebastian and antonio gonzalo all three of them are desperate their great guilt like poison given to work a great time after now gins to bite the spirits i do beseech you that are of suppler joints follow them swiftly and hinder them from what this ecstasy may now provoke them to adrian follow i pray you exeunt the tempest act iv scene i before prospero's cell enter prospero ferdinand and miranda prospero if i have too austerely punish'd you your compensation makes amends for i have given you here a third of mine own life or that for which i live who once again i tender to thy hand all thy vexations were but my trials of thy love and thou hast strangely stood the test here afore heaven i ratify this my rich gift o ferdinand do not smile at me that i boast her off for thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise and make it halt behind her ferdinand i do believe it against an oracle prospero then as my gift and thine own acquisition worthily purchased take my daughter but if thou dost break her virginknot before all sanctimonious ceremonies may with full and holy rite be minister'd no sweet aspersion shall the heavens let fall to make this contract grow but barren hate soureyed disdain and discord shall bestrew the union of your bed with weeds so loathly that you shall hate it both therefore take heed as hymen's lamps shall light you ferdinand as i hope for quiet days fair issue and long life with such love as tis now the murkiest den the most opportune place the strong'st suggestion our worser genius can shall never melt mine honour into lust to take away the edge of that day's celebration when i shall think or phoebus steeds are founder'd or night kept chain'd below prospero fairly spoke sit then and talk with her she is thine own what ariel my industrious servant ariel enter ariel ariel what would my potent master here i am prospero thou and thy meaner fellows your last service did worthily perform and i must use you in such another trick go bring the rabble o'er whom i give thee power here to this place incite them to quick motion for i must bestow upon the eyes of this young couple some vanity of mine art it is my promise and they expect it from me ariel presently prospero ay with a twink ariel before you can say come and go' and breathe twice and cry so so' each one tripping on his toe will be here with mop and mow do you love me master no prospero dearly my delicate ariel do not approach till thou dost hear me call ariel well i conceive exit prospero look thou be true do not give dalliance too much the rein the strongest oaths are straw to the fire i the blood be more abstemious or else good night your vow ferdinand i warrant you sir the white cold virgin snow upon my heart abates the ardour of my liver prospero well now come my ariel bring a corollary rather than want a spirit appear and pertly no tongue all eyes be silent soft music enter iris iris ceres most bounteous lady thy rich leas of wheat rye barley vetches oats and pease thy turfy mountains where live nibbling sheep and flat meads thatch'd with stover them to keep thy banks with pioned and twilled brims which spongy april at thy hest betrims to make cold nymphs chaste crowns and thy broom groves whose shadow the dismissed bachelor loves being lasslorn thy poleclipt vineyard and thy seamarge sterile and rockyhard where thou thyself dost airthe queen o the sky whose watery arch and messenger am i bids thee leave these and with her sovereign grace here on this grassplot in this very place to come and sport her peacocks fly amain approach rich ceres her to entertain enter ceres ceres hail manycolour'd messenger that ne'er dost disobey the wife of jupiter who with thy saffron wings upon my flowers diffusest honeydrops refreshing showers and with each end of thy blue bow dost crown my bosky acres and my unshrubb'd down rich scarf to my proud earth why hath thy queen summon'd me hither to this shortgrass'd green iris a contract of true love to celebrate and some donation freely to estate on the blest lovers ceres tell me heavenly bow if venus or her son as thou dost know do now attend the queen since they did plot the means that dusky dis my daughter got her and her blind boy's scandal'd company i have forsworn iris of her society be not afraid i met her deity cutting the clouds towards paphos and her son dovedrawn with her here thought they to have done some wanton charm upon this man and maid whose vows are that no bedright shall be paid till hymen's torch be lighted but vain mars's hot minion is returned again her waspishheaded son has broke his arrows swears he will shoot no more but play with sparrows and be a boy right out ceres high'st queen of state great juno comes i know her by her gait enter juno juno how does my bounteous sister go with me to bless this twain that they may prosperous be and honour'd in their issue they sing juno honour riches marriageblessing long continuance and increasing hourly joys be still upon you juno sings her blessings upon you ceres earth's increase foison plenty barns and garners never empty vines and clustering bunches growing plants with goodly burthen bowing spring come to you at the farthest in the very end of harvest scarcity and want shall shun you ceres blessing so is on you ferdinand this is a most majestic vision and harmoniously charmingly may i be bold to think these spirits prospero spirits which by mine art i have from their confines call'd to enact my present fancies ferdinand let me live here ever so rare a wonder'd father and a wife makes this place paradise juno and ceres whisper and send iris on employment prospero sweet now silence juno and ceres whisper seriously there's something else to do hush and be mute or else our spell is marr'd iris you nymphs call'd naiads of the windring brooks with your sedged crowns and everharmless looks leave your crisp channels and on this green land answer your summons juno does command come temperate nymphs and help to celebrate a contract of true love be not too late enter certain nymphs you sunburnt sicklemen of august weary come hither from the furrow and be merry make holiday your ryestraw hats put on and these fresh nymphs encounter every one in country footing enter certain reapers properly habited they join with the nymphs in a graceful dance towards the end whereof prospero starts suddenly and speaks after which to a strange hollow and confused noise they heavily vanish prospero aside i had forgot that foul conspiracy of the beast caliban and his confederates against my life the minute of their plot is almost come to the spirits well done avoid no more ferdinand this is strange your father's in some passion that works him strongly miranda never till this day saw i him touch'd with anger so distemper'd prospero you do look my son in a moved sort as if you were dismay'd be cheerful sir our revels now are ended these our actors as i foretold you were all spirits and are melted into air into thin air and like the baseless fabric of this vision the cloudcapp'd towers the gorgeous palaces the solemn temples the great globe itself ye all which it inherit shall dissolve and like this insubstantial pageant faded leave not a rack behind we are such stuff as dreams are made on and our little life is rounded with a sleep sir i am vex'd bear with my weakness my brain is troubled be not disturb'd with my infirmity if you be pleased retire into my cell and there repose a turn or two i'll walk to still my beating mind ferdinand we wish your peace miranda exeunt prospero come with a thought i thank thee ariel come enter ariel ariel thy thoughts i cleave to what's thy pleasure prospero spirit we must prepare to meet with caliban ariel ay my commander when i presented ceres i thought to have told thee of it but i fear'd lest i might anger thee prospero say again where didst thou leave these varlets ariel i told you sir they were redhot with drinking so fun of valour that they smote the air for breathing in their faces beat the ground for kissing of their feet yet always bending towards their project then i beat my tabour at which like unback'd colts they prick'd their ears advanced their eyelids lifted up their noses as they smelt music so i charm'd their ears that calflike they my lowing follow'd through tooth'd briers sharp furzes pricking goss and thorns which entered their frail shins at last i left them i the filthymantled pool beyond your cell there dancing up to the chins that the foul lake o'erstunk their feet prospero this was well done my bird thy shape invisible retain thou still the trumpery in my house go bring it hither for stale to catch these thieves ariel i go i go exit prospero a devil a born devil on whose nature nurture can never stick on whom my pains humanely taken all all lost quite lost and as with age his body uglier grows so his mind cankers i will plague them all even to roaring reenter ariel loaden with glistering apparel &c come hang them on this line prospero and ariel remain invisible enter caliban stephano and trinculo all wet caliban pray you tread softly that the blind mole may not hear a foot fall we now are near his cell stephano monster your fairy which you say is a harmless fairy has done little better than played the jack with us trinculo monster i do smell all horsepiss at which my nose is in great indignation stephano so is mine do you hear monster if i should take a displeasure against you look you trinculo thou wert but a lost monster caliban good my lord give me thy favour still be patient for the prize i'll bring thee to shall hoodwink this mischance therefore speak softly all's hush'd as midnight yet trinculo ay but to lose our bottles in the pool stephano there is not only disgrace and dishonour in that monster but an infinite loss trinculo that's more to me than my wetting yet this is your harmless fairy monster stephano i will fetch off my bottle though i be o'er ears for my labour caliban prithee my king be quiet seest thou here this is the mouth o the cell no noise and enter do that good mischief which may make this island thine own for ever and i thy caliban for aye thy footlicker stephano give me thy hand i do begin to have bloody thoughts trinculo o king stephano o peer o worthy stephano look what a wardrobe here is for thee caliban let it alone thou fool it is but trash trinculo o ho monster we know what belongs to a frippery o king stephano stephano put off that gown trinculo by this hand i'll have that gown trinculo thy grace shall have it caliban the dropsy drown this fool i what do you mean to dote thus on such luggage let's alone and do the murder first if he awake from toe to crown he'll fill our skins with pinches make us strange stuff stephano be you quiet monster mistress line is not this my jerkin now is the jerkin under the line now jerkin you are like to lose your hair and prove a bald jerkin trinculo do do we steal by line and level an't like your grace stephano i thank thee for that jest here's a garment for't wit shall not go unrewarded while i am king of this country steal by line and level is an excellent pass of pate there's another garment for't trinculo monster come put some lime upon your fingers and away with the rest caliban i will have none on't we shall lose our time and all be turn'd to barnacles or to apes with foreheads villanous low stephano monster layto your fingers help to bear this away where my hogshead of wine is or i'll turn you out of my kingdom go to carry this trinculo and this stephano ay and this a noise of hunters heard enter divers spirits in shape of dogs and hounds and hunt them about prospero and ariel setting them on prospero hey mountain hey ariel silver i there it goes silver prospero fury fury there tyrant there hark hark caliban stephano and trinculo are driven out go charge my goblins that they grind their joints with dry convulsions shorten up their sinews with aged cramps and more pinchspotted make them than pard or cat o mountain ariel hark they roar prospero let them be hunted soundly at this hour lie at my mercy all mine enemies shortly shall all my labours end and thou shalt have the air at freedom for a little follow and do me service exeunt the tempest act v scene i before prospero's cell enter prospero in his magic robes and ariel prospero now does my project gather to a head my charms crack not my spirits obey and time goes upright with his carriage how's the day ariel on the sixth hour at which time my lord you said our work should cease prospero i did say so when first i raised the tempest say my spirit how fares the king and's followers ariel confined together in the same fashion as you gave in charge just as you left them all prisoners sir in the linegrove which weatherfends your cell they cannot budge till your release the king his brother and yours abide all three distracted and the remainder mourning over them brimful of sorrow and dismay but chiefly him that you term'd sir the good old lord gonzalo' his tears run down his beard like winter's drops from eaves of reeds your charm so strongly works em that if you now beheld them your affections would become tender prospero dost thou think so spirit ariel mine would sir were i human prospero and mine shall hast thou which art but air a touch a feeling of their afflictions and shall not myself one of their kind that relish all as sharply passion as they be kindlier moved than thou art though with their high wrongs i am struck to the quick yet with my nobler reason gaitist my fury do i take part the rarer action is in virtue than in vengeance they being penitent the sole drift of my purpose doth extend not a frown further go release them ariel my charms i'll break their senses i'll restore and they shall be themselves ariel i'll fetch them sir exit prospero ye elves of hills brooks standing lakes and groves and ye that on the sands with printless foot do chase the ebbing neptune and do fly him when he comes back you demipuppets that by moonshine do the green sour ringlets make whereof the ewe not bites and you whose pastime is to make midnight mushrooms that rejoice to hear the solemn curfew by whose aid weak masters though ye be i have bedimm'd the noontide sun call'd forth the mutinous winds and twixt the green sea and the azured vault set roaring war to the dread rattling thunder have i given fire and rifted jove's stout oak with his own bolt the strongbased promontory have i made shake and by the spurs pluck'd up the pine and cedar graves at my command have waked their sleepers oped and let em forth by my so potent art but this rough magic i here abjure and when i have required some heavenly music which even now i do to work mine end upon their senses that this airy charm is for i'll break my staff bury it certain fathoms in the earth and deeper than did ever plummet sound i'll drown my book solemn music reenter ariel before then alonso with a frantic gesture attended by gonzalo sebastian and antonio in like manner attended by adrian and francisco they all enter the circle which prospero had made and there stand charmed which prospero observing speaks a solemn air and the best comforter to an unsettled fancy cure thy brains now useless boil'd within thy skull there stand for you are spellstopp'd holy gonzalo honourable man mine eyes even sociable to the show of thine fall fellowly drops the charm dissolves apace and as the morning steals upon the night melting the darkness so their rising senses begin to chase the ignorant fumes that mantle their clearer reason o good gonzalo my true preserver and a loyal sir to him you follow'st i will pay thy graces home both in word and deed most cruelly didst thou alonso use me and my daughter thy brother was a furtherer in the act thou art pinch'd fort now sebastian flesh and blood you brother mine that entertain'd ambition expell'd remorse and nature who with sebastian whose inward pinches therefore are most strong would here have kill'd your king i do forgive thee unnatural though thou art their understanding begins to swell and the approaching tide will shortly fill the reasonable shore that now lies foul and muddy not one of them that yet looks on me or would know me ariel fetch me the hat and rapier in my cell i will discase me and myself present as i was sometime milan quickly spirit thou shalt ere long be free ariel sings and helps to attire him where the bee sucks there suck i in a cowslip's bell i lie there i couch when owls do cry on the bat's back i do fly after summer merrily merrily merrily shall i live now under the blossom that hangs on the bough prospero why that's my dainty ariel i shall miss thee but yet thou shalt have freedom so so so to the king's ship invisible as thou art there shalt thou find the mariners asleep under the hatches the master and the boatswain being awake enforce them to this place and presently i prithee ariel i drink the air before me and return or ere your pulse twice beat exit gonzalo all torment trouble wonder and amazement inhabits here some heavenly power guide us out of this fearful country prospero behold sir king the wronged duke of milan prospero for more assurance that a living prince does now speak to thee i embrace thy body and to thee and thy company i bid a hearty welcome alonso whether thou best he or no or some enchanted trifle to abuse me as late i have been i not know thy pulse beats as of flesh and blood and since i saw thee the affliction of my mind amends with which i fear a madness held me this must crave an if this be at all a most strange story thy dukedom i resign and do entreat thou pardon me my wrongs but how should prospero be living and be here prospero first noble friend let me embrace thine age whose honour cannot be measured or confined gonzalo whether this be or be not i'll not swear prospero you do yet taste some subtilties o the isle that will not let you believe things certain welcome my friends all aside to sebastian and antonio but you my brace of lords were i so minded i here could pluck his highness frown upon you and justify you traitors at this time i will tell no tales sebastian aside the devil speaks in him prospero no for you most wicked sir whom to call brother would even infect my mouth i do forgive thy rankest fault all of them and require my dukedom of thee which perforce i know thou must restore alonso if thou be'st prospero give us particulars of thy preservation how thou hast met us here who three hours since were wreck'd upon this shore where i have lost how sharp the point of this remembrance is my dear son ferdinand prospero i am woe for't sir alonso irreparable is the loss and patience says it is past her cure prospero i rather think you have not sought her help of whose soft grace for the like loss i have her sovereign aid and rest myself content alonso you the like loss prospero as great to me as late and supportable to make the dear loss have i means much weaker than you may call to comfort you for i have lost my daughter alonso a daughter o heavens that they were living both in naples the king and queen there that they were i wish myself were mudded in that oozy bed where my son lies when did you lose your daughter prospero in this last tempest i perceive these lords at this encounter do so much admire that they devour their reason and scarce think their eyes do offices of truth their words are natural breath but howsoe'er you have been justled from your senses know for certain that i am prospero and that very duke which was thrust forth of milan who most strangely upon this shore where you were wreck'd was landed to be the lord on't no more yet of this for tis a chronicle of day by day not a relation for a breakfast nor befitting this first meeting welcome sir this cell's my court here have i few attendants and subjects none abroad pray you look in my dukedom since you have given me again i will requite you with as good a thing at least bring forth a wonder to content ye as much as me my dukedom here prospero discovers ferdinand and miranda playing at chess miranda sweet lord you play me false ferdinand no my dear'st love i would not for the world miranda yes for a score of kingdoms you should wrangle and i would call it fair play alonso if this prove a vision of the island one dear son shall i twice lose sebastian a most high miracle ferdinand though the seas threaten they are merciful i have cursed them without cause kneels alonso now all the blessings of a glad father compass thee about arise and say how thou camest here miranda o wonder how many goodly creatures are there here how beauteous mankind is o brave new world that has such people in't prospero tis new to thee alonso what is this maid with whom thou wast at play your eld'st acquaintance cannot be three hours is she the goddess that hath sever'd us and brought us thus together ferdinand sir she is mortal but by immortal providence she's mine i chose her when i could not ask my father for his advice nor thought i had one she is daughter to this famous duke of milan of whom so often i have heard renown but never saw before of whom i have received a second life and second father this lady makes him to me alonso i am hers but o how oddly will it sound that i must ask my child forgiveness prospero there sir stop let us not burthen our remembrance with a heaviness that's gone gonzalo i have inly wept or should have spoke ere this look down you god and on this couple drop a blessed crown for it is you that have chalk'd forth the way which brought us hither alonso i say amen gonzalo gonzalo was milan thrust from milan that his issue should become kings of naples o rejoice beyond a common joy and set it down with gold on lasting pillars in one voyage did claribel her husband find at tunis and ferdinand her brother found a wife where he himself was lost prospero his dukedom in a poor isle and all of us ourselves when no man was his own alonso to ferdinand and miranda give me your hands let grief and sorrow still embrace his heart that doth not wish you joy gonzalo be it so amen reenter ariel with the master and boatswain amazedly following o look sir look sir here is more of us i prophesied if a gallows were on land this fellow could not drown now blasphemy that swear'st grace o'erboard not an oath on shore hast thou no mouth by land what is the news boatswain the best news is that we have safely found our king and company the next our ship which but three glasses since we gave out split is tight and yare and bravely rigg'd as when we first put out to sea ariel aside to prospero sir all this service have i done since i went prospero aside to ariel my tricksy spirit alonso these are not natural events they strengthen from strange to stranger say how came you hither boatswain if i did think sir i were well awake i'ld strive to tell you we were dead of sleep andhow we know notall clapp'd under hatches where but even now with strange and several noises of roaring shrieking howling jingling chains and more diversity of sounds all horrible we were awaked straightway at liberty where we in all her trim freshly beheld our royal good and gallant ship our master capering to eye her on a trice so please you even in a dream were we divided from them and were brought moping hither ariel aside to prospero was't well done prospero aside to ariel bravely my diligence thou shalt be free alonso this is as strange a maze as e'er men trod and there is in this business more than nature was ever conduct of some oracle must rectify our knowledge prospero sir my liege do not infest your mind with beating on the strangeness of this business at pick'd leisure which shall be shortly single i'll resolve you which to you shall seem probable of every these happen'd accidents till when be cheerful and think of each thing well aside to ariel come hither spirit set caliban and his companions free untie the spell exit ariel how fares my gracious sir there are yet missing of your company some few odd lads that you remember not reenter ariel driving in caliban stephano and trinculo in their stolen apparel stephano every man shift for all the rest and let no man take care for himself for all is but fortune coragio bullymonster coragio trinculo if these be true spies which i wear in my head here's a goodly sight caliban o setebos these be brave spirits indeed how fine my master is i am afraid he will chastise me sebastian ha ha what things are these my lord antonio will money buy em antonio very like one of them is a plain fish and no doubt marketable prospero mark but the badges of these men my lords then say if they be true this misshapen knave his mother was a witch and one so strong that could control the moon make flows and ebbs and deal in her command without her power these three have robb'd me and this demidevil for he's a bastard onehad plotted with them to take my life two of these fellows you must know and own this thing of darkness acknowledge mine caliban i shall be pinch'd to death alonso is not this stephano my drunken butler sebastian he is drunk now where had he wine alonso and trinculo is reeling ripe where should they find this grand liquor that hath gilded em how camest thou in this pickle trinculo i have been in such a pickle since i saw you last that i fear me will never out of my bones i shall not fear flyblowing sebastian why how now stephano stephano o touch me not i am not stephano but a cramp prospero you'ld be king o the isle sirrah stephano i should have been a sore one then alonso this is a strange thing as e'er i look'd on pointing to caliban prospero he is as disproportion'd in his manners as in his shape go sirrah to my cell take with you your companions as you look to have my pardon trim it handsomely caliban ay that i will and i'll be wise hereafter and seek for grace what a thricedouble ass was i to take this drunkard for a god and worship this dull fool prospero go to away alonso hence and bestow your luggage where you found it sebastian or stole it rather exeunt caliban stephano and trinculo prospero sir i invite your highness and your train to my poor cell where you shall take your rest for this one night which part of it i'll waste with such discourse as i not doubt shall make it go quick away the story of my life and the particular accidents gone by since i came to this isle and in the morn i'll bring you to your ship and so to naples where i have hope to see the nuptial of these our dearbeloved solemnized and thence retire me to my milan where every third thought shall be my grave alonso i long to hear the story of your life which must take the ear strangely prospero i'll deliver all and promise you calm seas auspicious gales and sail so expeditious that shall catch your royal fleet far off aside to ariel my ariel chick that is thy charge then to the elements be free and fare thou well please you draw near exeunt the tempest epilogue spoken by prospero now my charms are all o'erthrown and what strength i have's mine own which is most faint now tis true i must be here confined by you or sent to naples let me not since i have my dukedom got and pardon'd the deceiver dwell in this bare island by your spell but release me from my bands with the help of your good hands gentle breath of yours my sails must fill or else my project fails which was to please now i want spirits to enforce art to enchant and my ending is despair unless i be relieved by prayer which pierces so that it assaults mercy itself and frees all faults as you from crimes would pardon'd be let your indulgence set me free troilus and cressida dramatis personae priam king of troy hector troilus paris his sons deiphobus helenus margarelon a bastard son of priam aeneas trojan commanders antenor calchas a trojan priest taking part with the greeks pandarus uncle to cressida agamemnon the grecian general menelaus his brother achilles ajax ulysses grecian princes nestor diomedes patroclus thersites a deformed and scurrilous grecian alexander servant to cressida servant to troilus boy servant to paris servant to diomedes servant helen wife to menelaus andromache wife to hector cassandra daughter to priam a prophetess cressida daughter to calchas trojan and greek soldiers and attendants scene troy and the grecian camp before it troilus and cressida prologue in troy there lies the scene from isles of greece the princes orgulous their high blood chafed have to the port of athens sent their ships fraught with the ministers and instruments of cruel war sixty and nine that wore their crownets regal from the athenian bay put forth toward phrygia and their vow is made to ransack troy within whose strong immures the ravish'd helen menelaus queen with wanton paris sleeps and that's the quarrel to tenedos they come and the deepdrawing barks do there disgorge their warlike fraughtage now on dardan plains the fresh and yet unbruised greeks do pitch their brave pavilions priam's sixgated city dardan and tymbria helias chetas troien and antenorides with massy staples and corresponsive and fulfilling bolts sperr up the sons of troy now expectation tickling skittish spirits on one and other side trojan and greek sets all on hazard and hither am i come a prologue arm'd but not in confidence of author's pen or actor's voice but suited in like conditions as our argument to tell you fair beholders that our play leaps o'er the vaunt and firstlings of those broils beginning in the middle starting thence away to what may be digested in a play like or find fault do as your pleasures are now good or bad tis but the chance of war troilus and cressida act i scene i troy before priam's palace enter troilus armed and pandarus troilus call here my varlet i'll unarm again why should i war without the walls of troy that find such cruel battle here within each trojan that is master of his heart let him to field troilus alas hath none pandarus will this gear ne'er be mended troilus the greeks are strong and skilful to their strength fierce to their skill and to their fierceness valiant but i am weaker than a woman's tear tamer than sleep fonder than ignorance less valiant than the virgin in the night and skilless as unpractised infancy pandarus well i have told you enough of this for my part i'll not meddle nor make no further he that will have a cake out of the wheat must needs tarry the grinding troilus have i not tarried pandarus ay the grinding but you must tarry the bolting troilus have i not tarried pandarus ay the bolting but you must tarry the leavening troilus still have i tarried pandarus ay to the leavening but here's yet in the word hereafter the kneading the making of the cake the heating of the oven and the baking nay you must stay the cooling too or you may chance to burn your lips troilus patience herself what goddess e'er she be doth lesser blench at sufferance than i do at priam's royal table do i sit and when fair cressid comes into my thoughts so traitor when she comes when is she thence pandarus well she looked yesternight fairer than ever i saw her look or any woman else troilus i was about to tell theewhen my heart as wedged with a sigh would rive in twain lest hector or my father should perceive me i have as when the sun doth light a storm buried this sigh in wrinkle of a smile but sorrow that is couch'd in seeming gladness is like that mirth fate turns to sudden sadness pandarus an her hair were not somewhat darker than helen's well go tothere were no more comparison between the women but for my part she is my kinswoman i would not as they term it praise her but i would somebody had heard her talk yesterday as i did i will not dispraise your sister cassandra's wit but troilus o pandarus i tell thee pandarus when i do tell thee there my hopes lie drown'd reply not in how many fathoms deep they lie indrench'd i tell thee i am mad in cressid's love thou answer'st she is fair' pour'st in the open ulcer of my heart her eyes her hair her cheek her gait her voice handlest in thy discourse o that her hand in whose comparison all whites are ink writing their own reproach to whose soft seizure the cygnet's down is harsh and spirit of sense hard as the palm of ploughman this thou tell'st me as true thou tell'st me when i say i love her but saying thus instead of oil and balm thou lay'st in every gash that love hath given me the knife that made it pandarus i speak no more than truth troilus thou dost not speak so much pandarus faith i'll not meddle in't let her be as she is if she be fair tis the better for her an she be not she has the mends in her own hands troilus good pandarus how now pandarus pandarus i have had my labour for my travail illthought on of her and illthought on of you gone between and between but small thanks for my labour troilus what art thou angry pandarus what with me pandarus because she's kin to me therefore she's not so fair as helen an she were not kin to me she would be as fair on friday as helen is on sunday but what care i i care not an she were a blackamoor tis all one to me troilus say i she is not fair pandarus i do not care whether you do or no she's a fool to stay behind her father let her to the greeks and so i'll tell her the next time i see her for my part i'll meddle nor make no more i the matter troilus pandarus pandarus not i troilus sweet pandarus pandarus pray you speak no more to me i will leave all as i found it and there an end exit pandarus an alarum troilus peace you ungracious clamours peace rude sounds fools on both sides helen must needs be fair when with your blood you daily paint her thus i cannot fight upon this argument it is too starved a subject for my sword but pandaruso gods how do you plague me i cannot come to cressid but by pandar and he's as tetchy to be woo'd to woo as she is stubbornchaste against all suit tell me apollo for thy daphne's love what cressid is what pandar and what we her bed is india there she lies a pearl between our ilium and where she resides let it be call'd the wild and wandering flood ourself the merchant and this sailing pandar our doubtful hope our convoy and our bark alarum enter aeneas aeneas how now prince troilus wherefore not afield troilus because not there this woman's answer sorts for womanish it is to be from thence what news aeneas from the field today aeneas that paris is returned home and hurt troilus by whom aeneas aeneas troilus by menelaus troilus let paris bleed tis but a scar to scorn paris is gored with menelaus horn alarum aeneas hark what good sport is out of town today troilus better at home if would i might were may' but to the sport abroad are you bound thither aeneas in all swift haste troilus come go we then together exeunt troilus and cressida act i scene ii the same a street enter cressida and alexander cressida who were those went by alexander queen hecuba and helen cressida and whither go they alexander up to the eastern tower whose height commands as subject all the vale to see the battle hector whose patience is as a virtue fix'd today was moved he chid andromache and struck his armourer and like as there were husbandry in war before the sun rose he was harness'd light and to the field goes he where every flower did as a prophet weep what it foresaw in hector's wrath cressida what was his cause of anger alexander the noise goes this there is among the greeks a lord of trojan blood nephew to hector they call him ajax cressida good and what of him alexander they say he is a very man per se and stands alone cressida so do all men unless they are drunk sick or have no legs alexander this man lady hath robbed many beasts of their particular additions he is as valiant as the lion churlish as the bear slow as the elephant a man into whom nature hath so crowded humours that his valour is crushed into folly his folly sauced with discretion there is no man hath a virtue that he hath not a glimpse of nor any man an attaint but he carries some stain of it he is melancholy without cause and merry against the hair he hath the joints of every thing but everything so out of joint that he is a gouty briareus many hands and no use or purblind argus all eyes and no sight cressida but how should this man that makes me smile make hector angry alexander they say he yesterday coped hector in the battle and struck him down the disdain and shame whereof hath ever since kept hector fasting and waking cressida who comes here alexander madam your uncle pandarus enter pandarus cressida hector's a gallant man alexander as may be in the world lady pandarus what's that what's that cressida good morrow uncle pandarus pandarus good morrow cousin cressid what do you talk of good morrow alexander how do you cousin when were you at ilium cressida this morning uncle pandarus what were you talking of when i came was hector armed and gone ere ye came to ilium helen was not up was she cressida hector was gone but helen was not up pandarus even so hector was stirring early cressida that were we talking of and of his anger pandarus was he angry cressida so he says here pandarus true he was so i know the cause too he'll lay about him today i can tell them that and there's troilus will not come far behind him let them take heed of troilus i can tell them that too cressida what is he angry too pandarus who troilus troilus is the better man of the two cressida o jupiter there's no comparison pandarus what not between troilus and hector do you know a man if you see him cressida ay if i ever saw him before and knew him pandarus well i say troilus is troilus cressida then you say as i say for i am sure he is not hector pandarus no nor hector is not troilus in some degrees cressida tis just to each of them he is himself pandarus himself alas poor troilus i would he were cressida so he is pandarus condition i had gone barefoot to india cressida he is not hector pandarus himself no he's not himself would a were himself well the gods are above time must friend or end well troilus well i would my heart were in her body no hector is not a better man than troilus cressida excuse me pandarus he is elder cressida pardon me pardon me pandarus th other's not come to't you shall tell me another tale when th other's come to't hector shall not have his wit this year cressida he shall not need it if he have his own pandarus nor his qualities cressida no matter pandarus nor his beauty cressida twould not become him his own's better pandarus you have no judgment niece helen herself swore th other day that troilus for a brown favourfor so tis i must confess not brown neither cressida no but brown pandarus faith to say truth brown and not brown cressida to say the truth true and not true pandarus she praised his complexion above paris cressida why paris hath colour enough pandarus so he has cressida then troilus should have too much if she praised him above his complexion is higher than his he having colour enough and the other higher is too flaming a praise for a good complexion i had as lief helen's golden tongue had commended troilus for a copper nose pandarus i swear to you i think helen loves him better than paris cressida then she's a merry greek indeed pandarus nay i am sure she does she came to him th other day into the compassed windowand you know he has not past three or four hairs on his chin cressida indeed a tapster's arithmetic may soon bring his particulars therein to a total pandarus why he is very young and yet will he within three pound lift as much as his brother hector cressida is he so young a man and so old a lifter pandarus but to prove to you that helen loves him she came and puts me her white hand to his cloven chin cressida juno have mercy how came it cloven pandarus why you know tis dimpled i think his smiling becomes him better than any man in all phrygia cressida o he smiles valiantly pandarus does he not cressida o yes an twere a cloud in autumn pandarus why go to then but to prove to you that helen loves troilus cressida troilus will stand to the proof if you'll prove it so pandarus troilus why he esteems her no more than i esteem an addle egg cressida if you love an addle egg as well as you love an idle head you would eat chickens i the shell pandarus i cannot choose but laugh to think how she tickled his chin indeed she has a marvellous white hand i must needs confess cressida without the rack pandarus and she takes upon her to spy a white hair on his chin cressida alas poor chin many a wart is richer pandarus but there was such laughing queen hecuba laughed that her eyes ran o'er cressida with millstones pandarus and cassandra laughed cressida but there was more temperate fire under the pot of her eyes did her eyes run o'er too pandarus and hector laughed cressida at what was all this laughing pandarus marry at the white hair that helen spied on troilus chin cressida an't had been a green hair i should have laughed too pandarus they laughed not so much at the hair as at his pretty answer cressida what was his answer pandarus quoth she here's but two and fifty hairs on your chin and one of them is white cressida this is her question pandarus that's true make no question of that two and fifty hairs quoth he and one white that white hair is my father and all the rest are his sons' jupiter quoth she which of these hairs is paris my husband the forked one quoth he pluck't out and give it him but there was such laughing and helen so blushed an paris so chafed and all the rest so laughed that it passed cressida so let it now for it has been while going by pandarus well cousin i told you a thing yesterday think on't cressida so i do pandarus i'll be sworn tis true he will weep you an twere a man born in april cressida and i'll spring up in his tears an twere a nettle against may a retreat sounded pandarus hark they are coming from the field shall we stand up here and see them as they pass toward ilium good niece do sweet niece cressida cressida at your pleasure pandarus here here here's an excellent place here we may see most bravely i'll tell you them all by their names as they pass by but mark troilus above the rest cressida speak not so loud aeneas passes pandarus that's aeneas is not that a brave man he's one of the flowers of troy i can tell you but mark troilus you shall see anon antenor passes cressida who's that pandarus that's antenor he has a shrewd wit i can tell you and he's a man good enough he's one o the soundest judgments in whosoever and a proper man of person when comes troilus i'll show you troilus anon if he see me you shall see him nod at me cressida will he give you the nod pandarus you shall see cressida if he do the rich shall have more hector passes pandarus that's hector that that look you that there's a fellow go thy way hector there's a brave man niece o brave hector look how he looks there's a countenance is't not a brave man cressida o a brave man pandarus is a not it does a man's heart good look you what hacks are on his helmet look you yonder do you see look you there there's no jesting there's laying on take't off who will as they say there be hacks cressida be those with swords pandarus swords any thing he cares not an the devil come to him it's all one by god's lid it does one's heart good yonder comes paris yonder comes paris paris passes look ye yonder niece is't not a gallant man too is't not why this is brave now who said he came hurt home today he's not hurt why this will do helen's heart good now ha would i could see troilus now you shall see troilus anon helenus passes cressida who's that pandarus that's helenus i marvel where troilus is that's helenus i think he went not forth today that's helenus cressida can helenus fight uncle pandarus helenus no yes he'll fight indifferent well i marvel where troilus is hark do you not hear the people cry troilus helenus is a priest cressida what sneaking fellow comes yonder troilus passes pandarus where yonder that's deiphobus tis troilus there's a man niece hem brave troilus the prince of chivalry cressida peace for shame peace pandarus mark him note him o brave troilus look well upon him niece look you how his sword is bloodied and his helm more hacked than hector's and how he looks and how he goes o admirable youth he ne'er saw three and twenty go thy way troilus go thy way had i a sister were a grace or a daughter a goddess he should take his choice o admirable man paris paris is dirt to him and i warrant helen to change would give an eye to boot cressida here come more forces pass pandarus asses fools dolts chaff and bran chaff and bran porridge after meat i could live and die i the eyes of troilus ne'er look ne'er look the eagles are gone crows and daws crows and daws i had rather be such a man as troilus than agamemnon and all greece cressida there is among the greeks achilles a better man than troilus pandarus achilles a drayman a porter a very camel cressida well well pandarus well well why have you any discretion have you any eyes do you know what a man is is not birth beauty good shape discourse manhood learning gentleness virtue youth liberality and such like the spice and salt that season a man cressida ay a minced man and then to be baked with no date in the pie for then the man's date's out pandarus you are such a woman one knows not at what ward you lie cressida upon my back to defend my belly upon my wit to defend my wiles upon my secrecy to defend mine honesty my mask to defend my beauty and you to defend all these and at all these wards i lie at a thousand watches pandarus say one of your watches cressida nay i'll watch you for that and that's one of the chiefest of them too if i cannot ward what i would not have hit i can watch you for telling how i took the blow unless it swell past hiding and then it's past watching pandarus you are such another enter troilus's boy boy sir my lord would instantly speak with you pandarus where boy at your own house there he unarms him pandarus good boy tell him i come exit boy i doubt he be hurt fare ye well good niece cressida adieu uncle pandarus i'll be with you niece by and by cressida to bring uncle pandarus ay a token from troilus cressida by the same token you are a bawd exit pandarus words vows gifts tears and love's full sacrifice he offers in another's enterprise but more in troilus thousand fold i see than in the glass of pandar's praise may be yet hold i off women are angels wooing things won are done joy's soul lies in the doing that she beloved knows nought that knows not this men prize the thing ungain'd more than it is that she was never yet that ever knew love got so sweet as when desire did sue therefore this maxim out of love i teach achievement is command ungain'd beseech then though my heart's content firm love doth bear nothing of that shall from mine eyes appear exeunt troilus and cressida act i scene iii the grecian camp before agamemnon's tent sennet enter agamemnon nestor ulysses menelaus and others agamemnon princes what grief hath set the jaundice on your cheeks the ample proposition that hope makes in all designs begun on earth below fails in the promised largeness cheques and disasters grow in the veins of actions highest rear'd as knots by the conflux of meeting sap infect the sound pine and divert his grain tortive and errant from his course of growth nor princes is it matter new to us that we come short of our suppose so far that after seven years siege yet troy walls stand sith every action that hath gone before whereof we have record trial did draw bias and thwart not answering the aim and that unbodied figure of the thought that gave't surmised shape why then you princes do you with cheeks abash'd behold our works and call them shames which are indeed nought else but the protractive trials of great jove to find persistive constancy in men the fineness of which metal is not found in fortune's love for then the bold and coward the wise and fool the artist and unread the hard and soft seem all affined and kin but in the wind and tempest of her frown distinction with a broad and powerful fan puffing at all winnows the light away and what hath mass or matter by itself lies rich in virtue and unmingled nestor with due observance of thy godlike seat great agamemnon nestor shall apply thy latest words in the reproof of chance lies the true proof of men the sea being smooth how many shallow bauble boats dare sail upon her patient breast making their way with those of nobler bulk but let the ruffian boreas once enrage the gentle thetis and anon behold the strongribb'd bark through liquid mountains cut bounding between the two moist elements like perseus horse where's then the saucy boat whose weak untimber'd sides but even now corivall'd greatness either to harbour fled or made a toast for neptune even so doth valour's show and valour's worth divide in storms of fortune for in her ray and brightness the herd hath more annoyance by the breeze than by the tiger but when the splitting wind makes flexible the knees of knotted oaks and flies fled under shade why then the thing of courage as roused with rage with rage doth sympathize and with an accent tuned in selfsame key retorts to chiding fortune ulysses agamemnon thou great commander nerve and bone of greece heart of our numbers soul and only spirit in whom the tempers and the minds of all should be shut up hear what ulysses speaks besides the applause and approbation to which to agamemnon most mighty for thy place and sway to nestor and thou most reverend for thy stretch'dout life i give to both your speeches which were such as agamemnon and the hand of greece should hold up high in brass and such again as venerable nestor hatch'd in silver should with a bond of air strong as the axletree on which heaven rides knit all the greekish ears to his experienced tongue yet let it please both thou great and wise to hear ulysses speak agamemnon speak prince of ithaca and be't of less expect that matter needless of importless burden divide thy lips than we are confident when rank thersites opes his mastic jaws we shall hear music wit and oracle ulysses troy yet upon his basis had been down and the great hector's sword had lack'd a master but for these instances the specialty of rule hath been neglected and look how many grecian tents do stand hollow upon this plain so many hollow factions when that the general is not like the hive to whom the foragers shall all repair what honey is expected degree being vizarded the unworthiest shows as fairly in the mask the heavens themselves the planets and this centre observe degree priority and place insisture course proportion season form office and custom in all line of order and therefore is the glorious planet sol in noble eminence enthroned and sphered amidst the other whose medicinable eye corrects the ill aspects of planets evil and posts like the commandment of a king sans cheque to good and bad but when the planets in evil mixture to disorder wander what plagues and what portents what mutiny what raging of the sea shaking of earth commotion in the winds frights changes horrors divert and crack rend and deracinate the unity and married calm of states quite from their fixure o when degree is shaked which is the ladder to all high designs then enterprise is sick how could communities degrees in schools and brotherhoods in cities peaceful commerce from dividable shores the primogenitive and due of birth prerogative of age crowns sceptres laurels but by degree stand in authentic place take but degree away untune that string and hark what discord follows each thing meets in mere oppugnancy the bounded waters should lift their bosoms higher than the shores and make a sop of all this solid globe strength should be lord of imbecility and the rude son should strike his father dead force should be right or rather right and wrong between whose endless jar justice resides should lose their names and so should justice too then every thing includes itself in power power into will will into appetite and appetite an universal wolf so doubly seconded with will and power must make perforce an universal prey and last eat up himself great agamemnon this chaos when degree is suffocate follows the choking and this neglection of degree it is that by a pace goes backward with a purpose it hath to climb the general's disdain'd by him one step below he by the next that next by him beneath so every step exampled by the first pace that is sick of his superior grows to an envious fever of pale and bloodless emulation and tis this fever that keeps troy on foot not her own sinews to end a tale of length troy in our weakness stands not in her strength nestor most wisely hath ulysses here discover'd the fever whereof all our power is sick agamemnon the nature of the sickness found ulysses what is the remedy ulysses the great achilles whom opinion crowns the sinew and the forehand of our host having his ear full of his airy fame grows dainty of his worth and in his tent lies mocking our designs with him patroclus upon a lazy bed the livelong day breaks scurril jests and with ridiculous and awkward action which slanderer he imitation calls he pageants us sometime great agamemnon thy topless deputation he puts on and like a strutting player whose conceit lies in his hamstring and doth think it rich to hear the wooden dialogue and sound twixt his stretch'd footing and the scaffoldage such tobepitied and o'erwrested seeming he acts thy greatness in and when he speaks tis like a chime amending with terms unsquared which from the tongue of roaring typhon dropp'd would seem hyperboles at this fusty stuff the large achilles on his press'd bed lolling from his deep chest laughs out a loud applause cries excellent tis agamemnon just now play me nestor hem and stroke thy beard as he being drest to some oration' that's done as near as the extremest ends of parallels as like as vulcan and his wife yet god achilles still cries excellent tis nestor right now play him me patroclus arming to answer in a night alarm' and then forsooth the faint defects of age must be the scene of mirth to cough and spit and with a palsyfumbling on his gorget shake in and out the rivet and at this sport sir valour dies cries o enough patroclus or give me ribs of steel i shall split all in pleasure of my spleen and in this fashion all our abilities gifts natures shapes severals and generals of grace exact achievements plots orders preventions excitements to the field or speech for truce success or loss what is or is not serves as stuff for these two to make paradoxes nestor and in the imitation of these twain who as ulysses says opinion crowns with an imperial voicemany are infect ajax is grown selfwill'd and bears his head in such a rein in full as proud a place as broad achilles keeps his tent like him makes factious feasts rails on our state of war bold as an oracle and sets thersites a slave whose gall coins slanders like a mint to match us in comparisons with dirt to weaken and discredit our exposure how rank soever rounded in with danger ulysses they tax our policy and call it cowardice count wisdom as no member of the war forestall prescience and esteem no act but that of hand the still and mental parts that do contrive how many hands shall strike when fitness calls them on and know by measure of their observant toil the enemies weight why this hath not a finger's dignity they call this bedwork mappery closetwar so that the ram that batters down the wall for the great swing and rudeness of his poise they place before his hand that made the engine or those that with the fineness of their souls by reason guide his execution nestor let this be granted and achilles horse makes many thetis sons a tucket agamemnon what trumpet look menelaus menelaus from troy enter aeneas agamemnon what would you fore our tent aeneas is this great agamemnon's tent i pray you agamemnon even this aeneas may one that is a herald and a prince do a fair message to his kingly ears agamemnon with surety stronger than achilles arm fore all the greekish heads which with one voice call agamemnon head and general aeneas fair leave and large security how may a stranger to those most imperial looks know them from eyes of other mortals agamemnon how aeneas ay i ask that i might waken reverence and bid the cheek be ready with a blush modest as morning when she coldly eyes the youthful phoebus which is that god in office guiding men which is the high and mighty agamemnon agamemnon this trojan scorns us or the men of troy are ceremonious courtiers aeneas courtiers as free as debonair unarm'd as bending angels that's their fame in peace but when they would seem soldiers they have galls good arms strong joints true swords and jove's accord nothing so full of heart but peace aeneas peace trojan lay thy finger on thy lips the worthiness of praise distains his worth if that the praised himself bring the praise forth but what the repining enemy commends that breath fame blows that praise sole sure transcends agamemnon sir you of troy call you yourself aeneas aeneas ay greek that is my name agamemnon what's your affair i pray you aeneas sir pardon tis for agamemnon's ears agamemnon he hears naught privately that comes from troy aeneas nor i from troy come not to whisper him i bring a trumpet to awake his ear to set his sense on the attentive bent and then to speak agamemnon speak frankly as the wind it is not agamemnon's sleeping hour that thou shalt know trojan he is awake he tells thee so himself aeneas trumpet blow loud send thy brass voice through all these lazy tents and every greek of mettle let him know what troy means fairly shall be spoke aloud trumpet sounds we have great agamemnon here in troy a prince call'd hectorpriam is his father who in this dull and longcontinued truce is rusty grown he bade me take a trumpet and to this purpose speak kings princes lords if there be one among the fair'st of greece that holds his honour higher than his ease that seeks his praise more than he fears his peril that knows his valour and knows not his fear that loves his mistress more than in confession with truant vows to her own lips he loves and dare avow her beauty and her worth in other arms than hersto him this challenge hector in view of trojans and of greeks shall make it good or do his best to do it he hath a lady wiser fairer truer than ever greek did compass in his arms and will tomorrow with his trumpet call midway between your tents and walls of troy to rouse a grecian that is true in love if any come hector shall honour him if none he'll say in troy when he retires the grecian dames are sunburnt and not worth the splinter of a lance even so much agamemnon this shall be told our lovers lord aeneas if none of them have soul in such a kind we left them all at home but we are soldiers and may that soldier a mere recreant prove that means not hath not or is not in love if then one is or hath or means to be that one meets hector if none else i am he nestor tell him of nestor one that was a man when hector's grandsire suck'd he is old now but if there be not in our grecian host one noble man that hath one spark of fire to answer for his love tell him from me i'll hide my silver beard in a gold beaver and in my vantbrace put this wither'd brawn and meeting him will tell him that my lady was fairer than his grandam and as chaste as may be in the world his youth in flood i'll prove this truth with my three drops of blood aeneas now heavens forbid such scarcity of youth ulysses amen agamemnon fair lord aeneas let me touch your hand to our pavilion shall i lead you sir achilles shall have word of this intent so shall each lord of greece from tent to tent yourself shall feast with us before you go and find the welcome of a noble foe exeunt all but ulysses and nestor ulysses nestor nestor what says ulysses ulysses i have a young conception in my brain be you my time to bring it to some shape nestor what is't ulysses this tis blunt wedges rive hard knots the seeded pride that hath to this maturity blown up in rank achilles must or now be cropp'd or shedding breed a nursery of like evil to overbulk us all nestor well and how ulysses this challenge that the gallant hector sends however it is spread in general name relates in purpose only to achilles nestor the purpose is perspicuous even as substance whose grossness little characters sum up and in the publication make no strain but that achilles were his brain as barren as banks of libyathough apollo knows tis dry enoughwill with great speed of judgment ay with celerity find hector's purpose pointing on him ulysses and wake him to the answer think you nestor yes tis most meet whom may you else oppose that can from hector bring his honour off if not achilles though't be a sportful combat yet in the trial much opinion dwells for here the trojans taste our dear'st repute with their finest palate and trust to me ulysses our imputation shall be oddly poised in this wild action for the success although particular shall give a scantling of good or bad unto the general and in such indexes although small pricks to their subsequent volumes there is seen the baby figure of the giant mass of things to come at large it is supposed he that meets hector issues from our choice and choice being mutual act of all our souls makes merit her election and doth boil as twere from us all a man distill'd out of our virtues who miscarrying what heart receives from hence the conquering part to steel a strong opinion to themselves which entertain'd limbs are his instruments in no less working than are swords and bows directive by the limbs ulysses give pardon to my speech therefore tis meet achilles meet not hector let us like merchants show our foulest wares and think perchance they'll sell if not the lustre of the better yet to show shall show the better do not consent that ever hector and achilles meet for both our honour and our shame in this are dogg'd with two strange followers nestor i see them not with my old eyes what are they ulysses what glory our achilles shares from hector were he not proud we all should share with him but he already is too insolent and we were better parch in afric sun than in the pride and salt scorn of his eyes should he scape hector fair if he were foil'd why then we did our main opinion crush in taint of our best man no make a lottery and by device let blockish ajax draw the sort to fight with hector among ourselves give him allowance for the better man for that will physic the great myrmidon who broils in loud applause and make him fall his crest that prouder than blue iris bends if the dull brainless ajax come safe off we'll dress him up in voices if he fail yet go we under our opinion still that we have better men but hit or miss our project's life this shape of sense assumes ajax employ'd plucks down achilles plumes nestor ulysses now i begin to relish thy advice and i will give a taste of it forthwith to agamemnon go we to him straight two curs shall tame each other pride alone must tarre the mastiffs on as twere their bone exeunt troilus and cressida act ii scene i a part of the grecian camp enter ajax and thersites ajax thersites thersites agamemnon how if he had boils full all over generally ajax thersites thersites and those boils did run say so did not the general run then were not that a botchy core ajax dog thersites then would come some matter from him i see none now ajax thou bitchwolf's son canst thou not hear beating him feel then thersites the plague of greece upon thee thou mongrel beefwitted lord ajax speak then thou vinewedst leaven speak i will beat thee into handsomeness thersites i shall sooner rail thee into wit and holiness but i think thy horse will sooner con an oration than thou learn a prayer without book thou canst strike canst thou a red murrain o thy jade's tricks ajax toadstool learn me the proclamation thersites dost thou think i have no sense thou strikest me thus ajax the proclamation thersites thou art proclaimed a fool i think ajax do not porpentine do not my fingers itch thersites i would thou didst itch from head to foot and i had the scratching of thee i would make thee the loathsomest scab in greece when thou art forth in the incursions thou strikest as slow as another ajax i say the proclamation thersites thou grumblest and railest every hour on achilles and thou art as full of envy at his greatness as cerberus is at proserpine's beauty ay that thou barkest at him ajax mistress thersites thersites thou shouldest strike him ajax cobloaf thersites he would pun thee into shivers with his fist as a sailor breaks a biscuit ajax beating him you whoreson cur thersites do do ajax thou stool for a witch thersites ay do do thou soddenwitted lord thou hast no more brain than i have in mine elbows an assinego may tutor thee thou scurvyvaliant ass thou art here but to thrash trojans and thou art bought and sold among those of any wit like a barbarian slave if thou use to beat me i will begin at thy heel and tell what thou art by inches thou thing of no bowels thou ajax you dog thersites you scurvy lord ajax beating him you cur thersites mars his idiot do rudeness do camel do do enter achilles and patroclus achilles why how now ajax wherefore do you thus how now thersites what's the matter man thersites you see him there do you achilles ay what's the matter thersites nay look upon him achilles so i do what's the matter thersites nay but regard him well achilles well why i do so thersites but yet you look not well upon him for whosoever you take him to be he is ajax achilles i know that fool thersites ay but that fool knows not himself ajax therefore i beat thee thersites lo lo lo lo what modicums of wit he utters his evasions have ears thus long i have bobbed his brain more than he has beat my bones i will buy nine sparrows for a penny and his pia mater is not worth the nineth part of a sparrow this lord achilles ajax who wears his wit in his belly and his guts in his head i'll tell you what i say of him achilles what thersites i say this ajax ajax offers to beat him achilles nay good ajax thersites has not so much wit achilles nay i must hold you thersites as will stop the eye of helen's needle for whom he comes to fight achilles peace fool thersites i would have peace and quietness but the fool will not he there that he look you there ajax o thou damned cur i shall achilles will you set your wit to a fool's thersites no i warrant you for a fools will shame it patroclus good words thersites achilles what's the quarrel ajax i bade the vile owl go learn me the tenor of the proclamation and he rails upon me thersites i serve thee not ajax well go to go to thersites i serve here voluntarily achilles your last service was sufferance twas not voluntary no man is beaten voluntary ajax was here the voluntary and you as under an impress thersites e'en so a great deal of your wit too lies in your sinews or else there be liars hector have a great catch if he knock out either of your brains a' were as good crack a fusty nut with no kernel achilles what with me too thersites thersites there's ulysses and old nestor whose wit was mouldy ere your grandsires had nails on their toes yoke you like draughtoxen and make you plough up the wars achilles what what thersites yes good sooth to achilles to ajax to ajax i shall cut out your tongue thersites tis no matter i shall speak as much as thou afterwards patroclus no more words thersites peace thersites i will hold my peace when achilles brach bids me shall i achilles there's for you patroclus thersites i will see you hanged like clotpoles ere i come any more to your tents i will keep where there is wit stirring and leave the faction of fools exit patroclus a good riddance achilles marry this sir is proclaim'd through all our host that hector by the fifth hour of the sun will with a trumpet twixt our tents and troy tomorrow morning call some knight to arms that hath a stomach and such a one that dare maintaini know not what tis trash farewell ajax farewell who shall answer him achilles i know not tis put to lottery otherwise he knew his man ajax o meaning you i will go learn more of it exeunt troilus and cressida act ii scene ii troy a room in priam's palace enter priam hector troilus paris and helenus priam after so many hours lives speeches spent thus once again says nestor from the greeks deliver helen and all damage else as honour loss of time travail expense wounds friends and what else dear that is consumed in hot digestion of this cormorant war shall be struck off hector what say you to't hector though no man lesser fears the greeks than i as far as toucheth my particular yet dread priam there is no lady of more softer bowels more spongy to suck in the sense of fear more ready to cry out who knows what follows' than hector is the wound of peace is surety surety secure but modest doubt is call'd the beacon of the wise the tent that searches to the bottom of the worst let helen go since the first sword was drawn about this question every tithe soul mongst many thousand dismes hath been as dear as helen i mean of ours if we have lost so many tenths of ours to guard a thing not ours nor worth to us had it our name the value of one ten what merit's in that reason which denies the yielding of her up troilus fie fie my brother weigh you the worth and honour of a king so great as our dread father in a scale of common ounces will you with counters sum the past proportion of his infinite and buckle in a waist most fathomless with spans and inches so diminutive as fears and reasons fie for godly shame helenus no marvel though you bite so sharp at reasons you are so empty of them should not our father bear the great sway of his affairs with reasons because your speech hath none that tells him so troilus you are for dreams and slumbers brother priest you fur your gloves with reason here are your reasons you know an enemy intends you harm you know a sword employ'd is perilous and reason flies the object of all harm who marvels then when helenus beholds a grecian and his sword if he do set the very wings of reason to his heels and fly like chidden mercury from jove or like a star disorb'd nay if we talk of reason let's shut our gates and sleep manhood and honour should have harehearts would they but fat their thoughts with this cramm'd reason reason and respect make livers pale and lustihood deject hector brother she is not worth what she doth cost the holding troilus what is aught but as tis valued hector but value dwells not in particular will it holds his estimate and dignity as well wherein tis precious of itself as in the prizer tis mad idolatry to make the service greater than the god and the will dotes that is attributive to what infectiously itself affects without some image of the affected merit troilus i take today a wife and my election is led on in the conduct of my will my will enkindled by mine eyes and ears two traded pilots twixt the dangerous shores of will and judgment how may i avoid although my will distaste what it elected the wife i chose there can be no evasion to blench from this and to stand firm by honour we turn not back the silks upon the merchant when we have soil'd them nor the remainder viands we do not throw in unrespective sieve because we now are full it was thought meet paris should do some vengeance on the greeks your breath of full consent bellied his sails the seas and winds old wranglers took a truce and did him service he touch'd the ports desired and for an old aunt whom the greeks held captive he brought a grecian queen whose youth and freshness wrinkles apollo's and makes stale the morning why keep we her the grecians keep our aunt is she worth keeping why she is a pearl whose price hath launch'd above a thousand ships and turn'd crown'd kings to merchants if you'll avouch twas wisdom paris went as you must needs for you all cried go go' if you'll confess he brought home noble prize as you must needs for you all clapp'd your hands and cried inestimable'why do you now the issue of your proper wisdoms rate and do a deed that fortune never did beggar the estimation which you prized richer than sea and land o theft most base that we have stol'n what we do fear to keep but thieves unworthy of a thing so stol'n that in their country did them that disgrace we fear to warrant in our native place cassandra within cry trojans cry priam what noise what shriek is this troilus tis our mad sister i do know her voice cassandra within cry trojans hector it is cassandra enter cassandra raving cassandra cry trojans cry lend me ten thousand eyes and i will fill them with prophetic tears hector peace sister peace cassandra virgins and boys midage and wrinkled eld soft infancy that nothing canst but cry add to my clamours let us pay betimes a moiety of that mass of moan to come cry trojans cry practise your eyes with tears troy must not be nor goodly ilion stand our firebrand brother paris burns us all cry trojans cry a helen and a woe cry cry troy burns or else let helen go exit hector now youthful troilus do not these high strains of divination in our sister work some touches of remorse or is your blood so madly hot that no discourse of reason nor fear of bad success in a bad cause can qualify the same troilus why brother hector we may not think the justness of each act such and no other than event doth form it nor once deject the courage of our minds because cassandra's mad her brainsick raptures cannot distaste the goodness of a quarrel which hath our several honours all engaged to make it gracious for my private part i am no more touch'd than all priam's sons and jove forbid there should be done amongst us such things as might offend the weakest spleen to fight for and maintain paris else might the world convince of levity as well my undertakings as your counsels but i attest the gods your full consent gave wings to my propension and cut off all fears attending on so dire a project for what alas can these my single arms what propugnation is in one man's valour to stand the push and enmity of those this quarrel would excite yet i protest were i alone to pass the difficulties and had as ample power as i have will paris should ne'er retract what he hath done nor faint in the pursuit priam paris you speak like one besotted on your sweet delights you have the honey still but these the gall so to be valiant is no praise at all paris sir i propose not merely to myself the pleasures such a beauty brings with it but i would have the soil of her fair rape wiped off in honourable keeping her what treason were it to the ransack'd queen disgrace to your great worths and shame to me now to deliver her possession up on terms of base compulsion can it be that so degenerate a strain as this should once set footing in your generous bosoms there's not the meanest spirit on our party without a heart to dare or sword to draw when helen is defended nor none so noble whose life were ill bestow'd or death unfamed where helen is the subject then i say well may we fight for her whom we know well the world's large spaces cannot parallel hector paris and troilus you have both said well and on the cause and question now in hand have glozed but superficially not much unlike young men whom aristotle thought unfit to hear moral philosophy the reasons you allege do more conduce to the hot passion of distemper'd blood than to make up a free determination twixt right and wrong for pleasure and revenge have ears more deaf than adders to the voice of any true decision nature craves all dues be render'd to their owners now what nearer debt in all humanity than wife is to the husband if this law of nature be corrupted through affection and that great minds of partial indulgence to their benumbed wills resist the same there is a law in each wellorder'd nation to curb those raging appetites that are most disobedient and refractory if helen then be wife to sparta's king as it is known she is these moral laws of nature and of nations speak aloud to have her back return'd thus to persist in doing wrong extenuates not wrong but makes it much more heavy hector's opinion is this in way of truth yet ne'ertheless my spritely brethren i propend to you in resolution to keep helen still for tis a cause that hath no mean dependance upon our joint and several dignities troilus why there you touch'd the life of our design were it not glory that we more affected than the performance of our heaving spleens i would not wish a drop of trojan blood spent more in her defence but worthy hector she is a theme of honour and renown a spur to valiant and magnanimous deeds whose present courage may beat down our foes and fame in time to come canonize us for i presume brave hector would not lose so rich advantage of a promised glory as smiles upon the forehead of this action for the wide world's revenue hector i am yours you valiant offspring of great priamus i have a roisting challenge sent amongst the dun and factious nobles of the greeks will strike amazement to their drowsy spirits i was advertised their great general slept whilst emulation in the army crept this i presume will wake him exeunt troilus and cressida act ii scene iii the grecian camp before achilles tent enter thersites solus thersites how now thersites what lost in the labyrinth of thy fury shall the elephant ajax carry it thus he beats me and i rail at him o worthy satisfaction would it were otherwise that i could beat him whilst he railed at me sfoot i'll learn to conjure and raise devils but i'll see some issue of my spiteful execrations then there's achilles a rare enginer if troy be not taken till these two undermine it the walls will stand till they fall of themselves o thou great thunderdarter of olympus forget that thou art jove the king of gods and mercury lose all the serpentine craft of thy caduceus if ye take not that little little less than little wit from them that they have which shortarmed ignorance itself knows is so abundant scarce it will not in circumvention deliver a fly from a spider without drawing their massy irons and cutting the web after this the vengeance on the whole camp or rather the boneache for that methinks is the curse dependent on those that war for a placket i have said my prayers and devil envy say amen what ho my lord achilles enter patroclus patroclus who's there thersites good thersites come in and rail thersites if i could have remembered a gilt counterfeit thou wouldst not have slipped out of my contemplation but it is no matter thyself upon thyself the common curse of mankind folly and ignorance be thine in great revenue heaven bless thee from a tutor and discipline come not near thee let thy blood be thy direction till thy death then if she that lays thee out says thou art a fair corse i'll be sworn and sworn upon't she never shrouded any but lazars amen where's achilles patroclus what art thou devout wast thou in prayer thersites ay the heavens hear me enter achilles achilles who's there patroclus thersites my lord achilles where where art thou come why my cheese my digestion why hast thou not served thyself in to my table so many meals come what's agamemnon thersites thy commander achilles then tell me patroclus what's achilles patroclus thy lord thersites then tell me i pray thee what's thyself thersites thy knower patroclus then tell me patroclus what art thou patroclus thou mayst tell that knowest achilles o tell tell thersites i'll decline the whole question agamemnon commands achilles achilles is my lord i am patroclus' knower and patroclus is a fool patroclus you rascal thersites peace fool i have not done achilles he is a privileged man proceed thersites thersites agamemnon is a fool achilles is a fool thersites is a fool and as aforesaid patroclus is a fool achilles derive this come thersites agamemnon is a fool to offer to command achilles achilles is a fool to be commanded of agamemnon thersites is a fool to serve such a fool and patroclus is a fool positive patroclus why am i a fool thersites make that demand of the prover it suffices me thou art look you who comes here achilles patroclus i'll speak with nobody come in with me thersites exit thersites here is such patchery such juggling and such knavery all the argument is a cuckold and a whore a good quarrel to draw emulous factions and bleed to death upon now the dry serpigo on the subject and war and lechery confound all exit enter agamemnon ulysses nestor diomedes and ajax agamemnon where is achilles patroclus within his tent but ill disposed my lord agamemnon let it be known to him that we are here he shent our messengers and we lay by our appertainments visiting of him let him be told so lest perchance he think we dare not move the question of our place or know not what we are patroclus i shall say so to him exit ulysses we saw him at the opening of his tent he is not sick ajax yes lionsick sick of proud heart you may call it melancholy if you will favour the man but by my head tis pride but why why let him show us the cause a word my lord takes agamemnon aside nestor what moves ajax thus to bay at him ulysses achilles hath inveigled his fool from him nestor who thersites ulysses he nestor then will ajax lack matter if he have lost his argument ulysses no you see he is his argument that has his argument achilles nestor all the better their fraction is more our wish than their faction but it was a strong composure a fool could disunite ulysses the amity that wisdom knits not folly may easily untie here comes patroclus reenter patroclus nestor no achilles with him ulysses the elephant hath joints but none for courtesy his legs are legs for necessity not for flexure patroclus achilles bids me say he is much sorry if any thing more than your sport and pleasure did move your greatness and this noble state to call upon him he hopes it is no other but for your health and your digestion sake and afterdinner's breath agamemnon hear you patroclus we are too well acquainted with these answers but his evasion wing'd thus swift with scorn cannot outfly our apprehensions much attribute he hath and much the reason why we ascribe it to him yet all his virtues not virtuously on his own part beheld do in our eyes begin to lose their gloss yea like fair fruit in an unwholesome dish are like to rot untasted go and tell him we come to speak with him and you shall not sin if you do say we think him overproud and underhonest in selfassumption greater than in the note of judgment and worthier than himself here tend the savage strangeness he puts on disguise the holy strength of their command and underwrite in an observing kind his humorous predominance yea watch his pettish lunes his ebbs his flows as if the passage and whole carriage of this action rode on his tide go tell him this and add that if he overhold his price so much we'll none of him but let him like an engine not portable lie under this report bring action hither this cannot go to war a stirring dwarf we do allowance give before a sleeping giant tell him so patroclus i shall and bring his answer presently exit agamemnon in second voice we'll not be satisfied we come to speak with him ulysses enter you exit ulysses ajax what is he more than another agamemnon no more than what he thinks he is ajax is he so much do you not think he thinks himself a better man than i am agamemnon no question ajax will you subscribe his thought and say he is agamemnon no noble ajax you are as strong as valiant as wise no less noble much more gentle and altogether more tractable ajax why should a man be proud how doth pride grow i know not what pride is agamemnon your mind is the clearer ajax and your virtues the fairer he that is proud eats up himself pride is his own glass his own trumpet his own chronicle and whatever praises itself but in the deed devours the deed in the praise ajax i do hate a proud man as i hate the engendering of toads nestor yet he loves himself is't not strange aside reenter ulysses ulysses achilles will not to the field tomorrow agamemnon what's his excuse ulysses he doth rely on none but carries on the stream of his dispose without observance or respect of any in will peculiar and in selfadmission agamemnon why will he not upon our fair request untent his person and share the air with us ulysses things small as nothing for request's sake only he makes important possess'd he is with greatness and speaks not to himself but with a pride that quarrels at selfbreath imagined worth holds in his blood such swoln and hot discourse that twixt his mental and his active parts kingdom'd achilles in commotion rages and batters down himself what should i say he is so plaguy proud that the deathtokens of it cry no recovery' agamemnon let ajax go to him dear lord go you and greet him in his tent tis said he holds you well and will be led at your request a little from himself ulysses o agamemnon let it not be so we'll consecrate the steps that ajax makes when they go from achilles shall the proud lord that bastes his arrogance with his own seam and never suffers matter of the world enter his thoughts save such as do revolve and ruminate himself shall he be worshipp'd of that we hold an idol more than he no this thrice worthy and right valiant lord must not so stale his palm nobly acquired nor by my will assubjugate his merit as amply titled as achilles is by going to achilles that were to enlard his fat already pride and add more coals to cancer when he burns with entertaining great hyperion this lord go to him jupiter forbid and say in thunder achilles go to him' nestor aside to diomedes o this is well he rubs the vein of him diomedes aside to nestor and how his silence drinks up this applause ajax if i go to him with my armed fist i'll pash him o'er the face agamemnon o no you shall not go ajax an a be proud with me i'll pheeze his pride let me go to him ulysses not for the worth that hangs upon our quarrel ajax a paltry insolent fellow nestor how he describes himself ajax can he not be sociable ulysses the raven chides blackness ajax i'll let his humours blood agamemnon he will be the physician that should be the patient ajax an all men were o my mind ulysses wit would be out of fashion ajax a should not bear it so a should eat swords first shall pride carry it nestor an twould you'ld carry half ulysses a would have ten shares ajax i will knead him i'll make him supple nestor he's not yet through warm force him with praises pour in pour in his ambition is dry ulysses to agamemnon my lord you feed too much on this dislike nestor our noble general do not do so diomedes you must prepare to fight without achilles ulysses why tis this naming of him does him harm here is a manbut tis before his face i will be silent nestor wherefore should you so he is not emulous as achilles is ulysses know the whole world he is as valiant ajax a whoreson dog that shall pelter thus with us would he were a trojan nestor what a vice were it in ajax now ulysses if he were proud diomedes or covetous of praise ulysses ay or surly borne diomedes or strange or selfaffected ulysses thank the heavens lord thou art of sweet composure praise him that got thee she that gave thee suck famed be thy tutor and thy parts of nature thrice famed beyond all erudition but he that disciplined thy arms to fight let mars divide eternity in twain and give him half and for thy vigour bullbearing milo his addition yield to sinewy ajax i will not praise thy wisdom which like a bourn a pale a shore confines thy spacious and dilated parts here's nestor instructed by the antiquary times he must he is he cannot but be wise put pardon father nestor were your days as green as ajax and your brain so temper'd you should not have the eminence of him but be as ajax ajax shall i call you father nestor ay my good son diomedes be ruled by him lord ajax ulysses there is no tarrying here the hart achilles keeps thicket please it our great general to call together all his state of war fresh kings are come to troy tomorrow we must with all our main of power stand fast and here's a lordcome knights from east to west and cull their flower ajax shall cope the best agamemnon go we to council let achilles sleep light boats sail swift though greater hulks draw deep exeunt troilus and cressida act iii scene i troy priam's palace enter a servant and pandarus pandarus friend you pray you a word do not you follow the young lord paris servant ay sir when he goes before me pandarus you depend upon him i mean servant sir i do depend upon the lord pandarus you depend upon a noble gentleman i must needs praise him servant the lord be praised pandarus you know me do you not servant faith sir superficially pandarus friend know me better i am the lord pandarus servant i hope i shall know your honour better pandarus i do desire it servant you are in the state of grace pandarus grace not so friend honour and lordship are my titles music within what music is this servant i do but partly know sir it is music in parts pandarus know you the musicians servant wholly sir pandarus who play they to servant to the hearers sir pandarus at whose pleasure friend servant at mine sir and theirs that love music pandarus command i mean friend servant who shall i command sir pandarus friend we understand not one another i am too courtly and thou art too cunning at whose request do these men play servant that's to t indeed sir marry sir at the request of paris my lord who's there in person with him the mortal venus the heartblood of beauty love's invisible soul pandarus who my cousin cressida servant no sir helen could you not find out that by her attributes pandarus it should seem fellow that thou hast not seen the lady cressida i come to speak with paris from the prince troilus i will make a complimental assault upon him for my business seethes servant sodden business there's a stewed phrase indeed enter paris and helen attended pandarus fair be to you my lord and to all this fair company fair desires in all fair measure fairly guide them especially to you fair queen fair thoughts be your fair pillow helen dear lord you are full of fair words pandarus you speak your fair pleasure sweet queen fair prince here is good broken music paris you have broke it cousin and by my life you shall make it whole again you shall piece it out with a piece of your performance nell he is full of harmony pandarus truly lady no helen o sir pandarus rude in sooth in good sooth very rude paris well said my lord well you say so in fits pandarus i have business to my lord dear queen my lord will you vouchsafe me a word helen nay this shall not hedge us out we'll hear you sing certainly pandarus well sweet queen you are pleasant with me but marry thus my lord my dear lord and most esteemed friend your brother troilus helen my lord pandarus honeysweet lord pandarus go to sweet queen to gocommends himself most affectionately to you helen you shall not bob us out of our melody if you do our melancholy upon your head pandarus sweet queen sweet queen that's a sweet queen i faith helen and to make a sweet lady sad is a sour offence pandarus nay that shall not serve your turn that shall not in truth la nay i care not for such words no no and my lord he desires you that if the king call for him at supper you will make his excuse helen my lord pandarus pandarus what says my sweet queen my very very sweet queen paris what exploit's in hand where sups he tonight helen nay but my lord pandarus what says my sweet queen my cousin will fall out with you you must not know where he sups paris i'll lay my life with my disposer cressida pandarus no no no such matter you are wide come your disposer is sick paris well i'll make excuse pandarus ay good my lord why should you say cressida no your poor disposer's sick paris i spy pandarus you spy what do you spy come give me an instrument now sweet queen helen why this is kindly done pandarus my niece is horribly in love with a thing you have sweet queen helen she shall have it my lord if it be not my lord paris pandarus he no she'll none of him they two are twain helen falling in after falling out may make them three pandarus come come i'll hear no more of this i'll sing you a song now helen ay ay prithee now by my troth sweet lord thou hast a fine forehead pandarus ay you may you may helen let thy song be love this love will undo us all o cupid cupid cupid pandarus love ay that it shall i faith paris ay good now love love nothing but love pandarus in good troth it begins so sings love love nothing but love still more for o love's bow shoots buck and doe the shaft confounds not that it wounds but tickles still the sore these lovers cry oh oh they die yet that which seems the wound to kill doth turn oh oh to ha ha he so dying love lives still oh oh a while but ha ha ha oh oh groans out for ha ha ha heighho helen in love i faith to the very tip of the nose paris he eats nothing but doves love and that breeds hot blood and hot blood begets hot thoughts and hot thoughts beget hot deeds and hot deeds is love pandarus is this the generation of love hot blood hot thoughts and hot deeds why they are vipers is love a generation of vipers sweet lord who's afield today paris hector deiphobus helenus antenor and all the gallantry of troy i would fain have armed today but my nell would not have it so how chance my brother troilus went not helen he hangs the lip at something you know all lord pandarus pandarus not i honeysweet queen i long to hear how they sped today you'll remember your brother's excuse paris to a hair pandarus farewell sweet queen helen commend me to your niece pandarus i will sweet queen exit a retreat sounded paris they're come from field let us to priam's hall to greet the warriors sweet helen i must woo you to help unarm our hector his stubborn buckles with these your white enchanting fingers touch'd shall more obey than to the edge of steel or force of greekish sinews you shall do more than all the island kingsdisarm great hector helen twill make us proud to be his servant paris yea what he shall receive of us in duty gives us more palm in beauty than we have yea overshines ourself paris sweet above thought i love thee exeunt troilus and cressida act iii scene ii the same pandarus orchard enter pandarus and troilus's boy meeting pandarus how now where's thy master at my cousin cressida's boy no sir he stays for you to conduct him thither pandarus o here he comes enter troilus how now how now troilus sirrah walk off exit boy pandarus have you seen my cousin troilus no pandarus i stalk about her door like a strange soul upon the stygian banks staying for waftage o be thou my charon and give me swift transportance to those fields where i may wallow in the lilybeds proposed for the deserver o gentle pandarus from cupid's shoulder pluck his painted wings and fly with me to cressid pandarus walk here i the orchard i'll bring her straight exit troilus i am giddy expectation whirls me round the imaginary relish is so sweet that it enchants my sense what will it be when that the watery palate tastes indeed love's thrice repured nectar death i fear me swooning destruction or some joy too fine too subtlepotent tuned too sharp in sweetness for the capacity of my ruder powers i fear it much and i do fear besides that i shall lose distinction in my joys as doth a battle when they charge on heaps the enemy flying reenter pandarus pandarus she's making her ready she'll come straight you must be witty now she does so blush and fetches her wind so short as if she were frayed with a sprite i'll fetch her it is the prettiest villain she fetches her breath as short as a newta'en sparrow exit troilus even such a passion doth embrace my bosom my heart beats thicker than a feverous pulse and all my powers do their bestowing lose like vassalage at unawares encountering the eye of majesty reenter pandarus with cressida pandarus come come what need you blush shame's a baby here she is now swear the oaths now to her that you have sworn to me what are you gone again you must be watched ere you be made tame must you come your ways come your ways an you draw backward we'll put you i the fills why do you not speak to her come draw this curtain and let's see your picture alas the day how loath you are to offend daylight an twere dark you'ld close sooner so so rub on and kiss the mistress how now a kiss in feefarm build there carpenter the air is sweet nay you shall fight your hearts out ere i part you the falcon as the tercel for all the ducks i the river go to go to troilus you have bereft me of all words lady pandarus words pay no debts give her deeds but she'll bereave you o the deeds too if she call your activity in question what billing again here's in witness whereof the parties interchangeably' come in come in i'll go get a fire exit cressida will you walk in my lord troilus o cressida how often have i wished me thus cressida wished my lord the gods granto my lord troilus what should they grant what makes this pretty abruption what too curious dreg espies my sweet lady in the fountain of our love cressida more dregs than water if my fears have eyes troilus fears make devils of cherubims they never see truly cressida blind fear that seeing reason leads finds safer footing than blind reason stumbling without fear to fear the worst oft cures the worse troilus o let my lady apprehend no fear in all cupid's pageant there is presented no monster cressida nor nothing monstrous neither troilus nothing but our undertakings when we vow to weep seas live in fire eat rocks tame tigers thinking it harder for our mistress to devise imposition enough than for us to undergo any difficulty imposed this is the monstruosity in love lady that the will is infinite and the execution confined that the desire is boundless and the act a slave to limit cressida they say all lovers swear more performance than they are able and yet reserve an ability that they never perform vowing more than the perfection of ten and discharging less than the tenth part of one they that have the voice of lions and the act of hares are they not monsters troilus are there such such are not we praise us as we are tasted allow us as we prove our head shall go bare till merit crown it no perfection in reversion shall have a praise in present we will not name desert before his birth and being born his addition shall be humble few words to fair faith troilus shall be such to cressid as what envy can say worst shall be a mock for his truth and what truth can speak truest not truer than troilus cressida will you walk in my lord reenter pandarus pandarus what blushing still have you not done talking yet cressida well uncle what folly i commit i dedicate to you pandarus i thank you for that if my lord get a boy of you you'll give him me be true to my lord if he flinch chide me for it troilus you know now your hostages your uncle's word and my firm faith pandarus nay i'll give my word for her too our kindred though they be long ere they are wooed they are constant being won they are burs i can tell you they'll stick where they are thrown cressida boldness comes to me now and brings me heart prince troilus i have loved you night and day for many weary months troilus why was my cressid then so hard to win cressida hard to seem won but i was won my lord with the first glance that everpardon me if i confess much you will play the tyrant i love you now but not till now so much but i might master it in faith i lie my thoughts were like unbridled children grown too headstrong for their mother see we fools why have i blabb'd who shall be true to us when we are so unsecret to ourselves but though i loved you well i woo'd you not and yet good faith i wish'd myself a man or that we women had men's privilege of speaking first sweet bid me hold my tongue for in this rapture i shall surely speak the thing i shall repent see see your silence cunning in dumbness from my weakness draws my very soul of counsel stop my mouth troilus and shall albeit sweet music issues thence pandarus pretty i faith cressida my lord i do beseech you pardon me twas not my purpose thus to beg a kiss i am ashamed o heavens what have i done for this time will i take my leave my lord troilus your leave sweet cressid pandarus leave an you take leave till tomorrow morning cressida pray you content you troilus what offends you lady cressida sir mine own company troilus you cannot shun yourself cressida let me go and try i have a kind of self resides with you but an unkind self that itself will leave to be another's fool i would be gone where is my wit i know not what i speak troilus well know they what they speak that speak so wisely cressida perchance my lord i show more craft than love and fell so roundly to a large confession to angle for your thoughts but you are wise or else you love not for to be wise and love exceeds man's might that dwells with gods above troilus o that i thought it could be in a woman as if it can i will presume in you to feed for aye her ramp and flames of love to keep her constancy in plight and youth outliving beauty's outward with a mind that doth renew swifter than blood decays or that persuasion could but thus convince me that my integrity and truth to you might be affronted with the match and weight of such a winnow'd purity in love how were i then uplifted but alas i am as true as truth's simplicity and simpler than the infancy of truth cressida in that i'll war with you troilus o virtuous fight when right with right wars who shall be most right true swains in love shall in the world to come approve their truths by troilus when their rhymes full of protest of oath and big compare want similes truth tired with iteration as true as steel as plantage to the moon as sun to day as turtle to her mate as iron to adamant as earth to the centre yet after all comparisons of truth as truth's authentic author to be cited as true as troilus shall crown up the verse and sanctify the numbers cressida prophet may you be if i be false or swerve a hair from truth when time is old and hath forgot itself when waterdrops have worn the stones of troy and blind oblivion swallow'd cities up and mighty states characterless are grated to dusty nothing yet let memory from false to false among false maids in love upbraid my falsehood when they've said as false as air as water wind or sandy earth as fox to lamb as wolf to heifer's calf pard to the hind or stepdame to her son' yea let them say to stick the heart of falsehood as false as cressid' pandarus go to a bargain made seal it seal it i'll be the witness here i hold your hand here my cousin's if ever you prove false one to another since i have taken such pains to bring you together let all pitiful goersbetween be called to the world's end after my name call them all pandars let all constant men be troiluses all false women cressids and all brokersbetween pandars say amen troilus amen cressida amen pandarus amen whereupon i will show you a chamber with a bed which bed because it shall not speak of your pretty encounters press it to death away and cupid grant all tonguetied maidens here bed chamber pandar to provide this gear exeunt troilus and cressida act iii scene iii the grecian camp before achilles tent enter agamemnon ulysses diomedes nestor ajax menelaus and calchas calchas now princes for the service i have done you the advantage of the time prompts me aloud to call for recompense appear it to your mind that through the sight i bear in things to love i have abandon'd troy left my possession incurr'd a traitor's name exposed myself from certain and possess'd conveniences to doubtful fortunes sequestering from me all that time acquaintance custom and condition made tame and most familiar to my nature and here to do you service am become as new into the world strange unacquainted i do beseech you as in way of taste to give me now a little benefit out of those many register'd in promise which you say live to come in my behalf agamemnon what wouldst thou of us trojan make demand calchas you have a trojan prisoner call'd antenor yesterday took troy holds him very dear oft have youoften have you thanks therefore desired my cressid in right great exchange whom troy hath still denied but this antenor i know is such a wrest in their affairs that their negotiations all must slack wanting his manage and they will almost give us a prince of blood a son of priam in change of him let him be sent great princes and he shall buy my daughter and her presence shall quite strike off all service i have done in most accepted pain agamemnon let diomedes bear him and bring us cressid hither calchas shall have what he requests of us good diomed furnish you fairly for this interchange withal bring word if hector will tomorrow be answer'd in his challenge ajax is ready diomedes this shall i undertake and tis a burden which i am proud to bear exeunt diomedes and calchas enter achilles and patroclus before their tent ulysses achilles stands i the entrance of his tent please it our general to pass strangely by him as if he were forgot and princes all lay negligent and loose regard upon him i will come last tis like he'll question me why such unplausive eyes are bent on him if so i have derision medicinable to use between your strangeness and his pride which his own will shall have desire to drink it may be good pride hath no other glass to show itself but pride for supple knees feed arrogance and are the proud man's fees agamemnon we'll execute your purpose and put on a form of strangeness as we pass along so do each lord and either greet him not or else disdainfully which shall shake him more than if not look'd on i will lead the way achilles what comes the general to speak with me you know my mind i'll fight no more gainst troy agamemnon what says achilles would he aught with us nestor would you my lord aught with the general achilles no nestor nothing my lord agamemnon the better exeunt agamemnon and nestor achilles good day good day menelaus how do you how do you exit achilles what does the cuckold scorn me ajax how now patroclus achilles good morrow ajax ajax ha achilles good morrow ajax ay and good next day too exit achilles what mean these fellows know they not achilles patroclus they pass by strangely they were used to bend to send their smiles before them to achilles to come as humbly as they used to creep to holy altars achilles what am i poor of late tis certain greatness once fall'n out with fortune must fall out with men too what the declined is he shall as soon read in the eyes of others as feel in his own fall for men like butterflies show not their mealy wings but to the summer and not a man for being simply man hath any honour but honour for those honours that are without him as place riches favour prizes of accident as oft as merit which when they fall as being slippery standers the love that lean'd on them as slippery too do one pluck down another and together die in the fall but tis not so with me fortune and i are friends i do enjoy at ample point all that i did possess save these men's looks who do methinks find out something not worth in me such rich beholding as they have often given here is ulysses i'll interrupt his reading how now ulysses ulysses now great thetis son achilles what are you reading ulysses a strange fellow here writes me that man how dearly ever parted how much in having or without or in cannot make boast to have that which he hath nor feels not what he owes but by reflection as when his virtues shining upon others heat them and they retort that heat again to the first giver' achilles this is not strange ulysses the beauty that is borne here in the face the bearer knows not but commends itself to others eyes nor doth the eye itself that most pure spirit of sense behold itself not going from itself but eye to eye opposed salutes each other with each other's form for speculation turns not to itself till it hath travell'd and is mirror'd there where it may see itself this is not strange at all ulysses i do not strain at the position it is familiarbut at the author's drift who in his circumstance expressly proves that no man is the lord of any thing though in and of him there be much consisting till he communicate his parts to others nor doth he of himself know them for aught till he behold them form'd in the applause where they're extended who like an arch reverberates the voice again or like a gate of steel fronting the sun receives and renders back his figure and his heat i was much wrapt in this and apprehended here immediately the unknown ajax heavens what a man is there a very horse that has he knows not what nature what things there are most abject in regard and dear in use what things again most dear in the esteem and poor in worth now shall we see tomorrow an act that very chance doth throw upon him ajax renown'd o heavens what some men do while some men leave to do how some men creep in skittish fortune's hall whiles others play the idiots in her eyes how one man eats into another's pride while pride is fasting in his wantonness to see these grecian lordswhy even already they clap the lubber ajax on the shoulder as if his foot were on brave hector's breast and great troy shrieking achilles i do believe it for they pass'd by me as misers do by beggars neither gave to me good word nor look what are my deeds forgot ulysses time hath my lord a wallet at his back wherein he puts alms for oblivion a greatsized monster of ingratitudes those scraps are good deeds past which are devour'd as fast as they are made forgot as soon as done perseverance dear my lord keeps honour bright to have done is to hang quite out of fashion like a rusty mail in monumental mockery take the instant way for honour travels in a strait so narrow where one but goes abreast keep then the path for emulation hath a thousand sons that one by one pursue if you give way or hedge aside from the direct forthright like to an enter'd tide they all rush by and leave you hindmost or like a gallant horse fall'n in first rank lie there for pavement to the abject rear o'errun and trampled on then what they do in present though less than yours in past must o'ertop yours for time is like a fashionable host that slightly shakes his parting guest by the hand and with his arms outstretch'd as he would fly grasps in the comer welcome ever smiles and farewell goes out sighing o let not virtue seek remuneration for the thing it was for beauty wit high birth vigour of bone desert in service love friendship charity are subjects all to envious and calumniating time one touch of nature makes the whole world kin that all with one consent praise newborn gawds though they are made and moulded of things past and give to dust that is a little gilt more laud than gilt o'erdusted the present eye praises the present object then marvel not thou great and complete man that all the greeks begin to worship ajax since things in motion sooner catch the eye than what not stirs the cry went once on thee and still it might and yet it may again if thou wouldst not entomb thyself alive and case thy reputation in thy tent whose glorious deeds but in these fields of late made emulous missions mongst the gods themselves and drave great mars to faction achilles of this my privacy i have strong reasons ulysses but gainst your privacy the reasons are more potent and heroical tis known achilles that you are in love with one of priam's daughters achilles ha known ulysses is that a wonder the providence that's in a watchful state knows almost every grain of plutus gold finds bottom in the uncomprehensive deeps keeps place with thought and almost like the gods does thoughts unveil in their dumb cradles there is a mysterywith whom relation durst never meddlein the soul of state which hath an operation more divine than breath or pen can give expressure to all the commerce that you have had with troy as perfectly is ours as yours my lord and better would it fit achilles much to throw down hector than polyxena but it must grieve young pyrrhus now at home when fame shall in our islands sound her trump and all the greekish girls shall tripping sing great hector's sister did achilles win but our great ajax bravely beat down him' farewell my lord i as your lover speak the fool slides o'er the ice that you should break exit patroclus to this effect achilles have i moved you a woman impudent and mannish grown is not more loathed than an effeminate man in time of action i stand condemn'd for this they think my little stomach to the war and your great love to me restrains you thus sweet rouse yourself and the weak wanton cupid shall from your neck unloose his amorous fold and like a dewdrop from the lion's mane be shook to air achilles shall ajax fight with hector patroclus ay and perhaps receive much honour by him achilles i see my reputation is at stake my fame is shrewdly gored patroclus o then beware those wounds heal ill that men do give themselves omission to do what is necessary seals a commission to a blank of danger and danger like an ague subtly taints even then when we sit idly in the sun achilles go call thersites hither sweet patroclus i'll send the fool to ajax and desire him to invite the trojan lords after the combat to see us here unarm'd i have a woman's longing an appetite that i am sick withal to see great hector in his weeds of peace to talk with him and to behold his visage even to my full of view enter thersites a labour saved thersites a wonder achilles what thersites ajax goes up and down the field asking for himself achilles how so thersites he must fight singly tomorrow with hector and is so prophetically proud of an heroical cudgelling that he raves in saying nothing achilles how can that be thersites why he stalks up and down like a peacocka stride and a stand ruminates like an hostess that hath no arithmetic but her brain to set down her reckoning bites his lip with a politic regard as who should say there were wit in this head an twould out' and so there is but it lies as coldly in him as fire in a flint which will not show without knocking the man's undone forever for if hector break not his neck i the combat he'll break t himself in vainglory he knows not me i said good morrow ajax and he replies thanks agamemnon what think you of this man that takes me for the general he's grown a very landfish languageless a monster a plague of opinion a man may wear it on both sides like a leather jerkin achilles thou must be my ambassador to him thersites thersites who i why he'll answer nobody he professes not answering speaking is for beggars he wears his tongue in's arms i will put on his presence let patroclus make demands to me you shall see the pageant of ajax achilles to him patroclus tell him i humbly desire the valiant ajax to invite the most valorous hector to come unarmed to my tent and to procure safeconduct for his person of the magnanimous and most illustrious sixorseventimeshonoured captaingeneral of the grecian army agamemnon et cetera do this patroclus jove bless great ajax thersites hum patroclus i come from the worthy achilles thersites ha patroclus who most humbly desires you to invite hector to his tent thersites hum patroclus and to procure safeconduct from agamemnon thersites agamemnon patroclus ay my lord thersites ha patroclus what say you to't thersites god b wi you with all my heart patroclus your answer sir thersites if tomorrow be a fair day by eleven o'clock it will go one way or other howsoever he shall pay for me ere he has me patroclus your answer sir thersites fare you well with all my heart achilles why but he is not in this tune is he thersites no but he's out o tune thus what music will be in him when hector has knocked out his brains i know not but i am sure none unless the fiddler apollo get his sinews to make catlings on achilles come thou shalt bear a letter to him straight thersites let me bear another to his horse for that's the more capable creature achilles my mind is troubled like a fountain stirr'd and i myself see not the bottom of it exeunt achilles and patroclus thersites would the fountain of your mind were clear again that i might water an ass at it i had rather be a tick in a sheep than such a valiant ignorance exit troilus and cressida act iv scene i troy a street enter from one side aeneas and servant with a torch from the other paris deiphobus antenor diomedes and others with torches paris see ho who is that there deiphobus it is the lord aeneas aeneas is the prince there in person had i so good occasion to lie long as you prince paris nothing but heavenly business should rob my bedmate of my company diomedes that's my mind too good morrow lord aeneas paris a valiant greek aeneastake his hand witness the process of your speech wherein you told how diomed a whole week by days did haunt you in the field aeneas health to you valiant sir during all question of the gentle truce but when i meet you arm'd as black defiance as heart can think or courage execute diomedes the one and other diomed embraces our bloods are now in calm and so long health but when contention and occasion meet by jove i'll play the hunter for thy life with all my force pursuit and policy aeneas and thou shalt hunt a lion that will fly with his face backward in humane gentleness welcome to troy now by anchises life welcome indeed by venus hand i swear no man alive can love in such a sort the thing he means to kill more excellently diomedes we sympathize jove let aeneas live if to my sword his fate be not the glory a thousand complete courses of the sun but in mine emulous honour let him die with every joint a wound and that tomorrow aeneas we know each other well diomedes we do and long to know each other worse paris this is the most despiteful gentle greeting the noblest hateful love that e'er i heard of what business lord so early aeneas i was sent for to the king but why i know not paris his purpose meets you twas to bring this greek to calchas house and there to render him for the enfreed antenor the fair cressid let's have your company or if you please haste there before us i constantly do think or rather call my thought a certain knowledge my brother troilus lodges there tonight rouse him and give him note of our approach with the whole quality wherefore i fear we shall be much unwelcome aeneas that i assure you troilus had rather troy were borne to greece than cressid borne from troy paris there is no help the bitter disposition of the time will have it so on lord we'll follow you aeneas good morrow all exit with servant paris and tell me noble diomed faith tell me true even in the soul of sound goodfellowship who in your thoughts merits fair helen best myself or menelaus diomedes both alike he merits well to have her that doth seek her not making any scruple of her soilure with such a hell of pain and world of charge and you as well to keep her that defend her not palating the taste of her dishonour with such a costly loss of wealth and friends he like a puling cuckold would drink up the lees and dregs of a flat tamed piece you like a lecher out of whorish loins are pleased to breed out your inheritors both merits poised each weighs nor less nor more but he as he the heavier for a whore paris you are too bitter to your countrywoman diomedes she's bitter to her country hear me paris for every false drop in her bawdy veins a grecian's life hath sunk for every scruple of her contaminated carrion weight a trojan hath been slain since she could speak she hath not given so many good words breath as for her greeks and trojans suffer'd death paris fair diomed you do as chapmen do dispraise the thing that you desire to buy but we in silence hold this virtue well we'll but commend what we intend to sell here lies our way exeunt troilus and cressida act iv scene ii the same court of pandarus house enter troilus and cressida troilus dear trouble not yourself the morn is cold cressida then sweet my lord i'll call mine uncle down he shall unbolt the gates troilus trouble him not to bed to bed sleep kill those pretty eyes and give as soft attachment to thy senses as infants empty of all thought cressida good morrow then troilus i prithee now to bed cressida are you aweary of me troilus o cressida but that the busy day waked by the lark hath roused the ribald crows and dreaming night will hide our joys no longer i would not from thee cressida night hath been too brief troilus beshrew the witch with venomous wights she stays as tediously as hell but flies the grasps of love with wings more momentaryswift than thought you will catch cold and curse me cressida prithee tarry you men will never tarry o foolish cressid i might have still held off and then you would have tarried hark there's one up pandarus within what s all the doors open here troilus it is your uncle cressida a pestilence on him now will he be mocking i shall have such a life enter pandarus pandarus how now how now how go maidenheads here you maid where's my cousin cressid cressida go hang yourself you naughty mocking uncle you bring me to do and then you flout me too pandarus to do what to do what let her say what what have i brought you to do cressida come come beshrew your heart you'll ne'er be good nor suffer others pandarus ha ha alas poor wretch ah poor capocchia hast not slept tonight would he not a naughty man let it sleep a bugbear take him cressida did not i tell you would he were knock'd i the head knocking within who's that at door good uncle go and see my lord come you again into my chamber you smile and mock me as if i meant naughtily troilus ha ha cressida come you are deceived i think of no such thing knocking within how earnestly they knock pray you come in i would not for half troy have you seen here exeunt troilus and cressida pandarus who's there what's the matter will you beat down the door how now what's the matter enter aeneas aeneas good morrow lord good morrow pandarus who's there my lord aeneas by my troth i knew you not what news with you so early aeneas is not prince troilus here pandarus here what should he do here aeneas come he is here my lord do not deny him it doth import him much to speak with me pandarus is he here say you tis more than i know i'll be sworn for my own part i came in late what should he do here aeneas whonay then come come you'll do him wrong ere you're ware you'll be so true to him to be false to him do not you know of him but yet go fetch him hither go reenter troilus troilus how now what's the matter aeneas my lord i scarce have leisure to salute you my matter is so rash there is at hand paris your brother and deiphobus the grecian diomed and our antenor deliver'd to us and for him forthwith ere the first sacrifice within this hour we must give up to diomedes hand the lady cressida troilus is it so concluded aeneas by priam and the general state of troy they are at hand and ready to effect it troilus how my achievements mock me i will go meet them and my lord aeneas we met by chance you did not find me here aeneas good good my lord the secrets of nature have not more gift in taciturnity exeunt troilus and aeneas pandarus is't possible no sooner got but lost the devil take antenor the young prince will go mad a plague upon antenor i would they had broke s neck reenter cressida cressida how now what's the matter who was here pandarus ah ah cressida why sigh you so profoundly where's my lord gone tell me sweet uncle what's the matter pandarus would i were as deep under the earth as i am above cressida o the gods what's the matter pandarus prithee get thee in would thou hadst ne'er been born i knew thou wouldst be his death o poor gentleman a plague upon antenor cressida good uncle i beseech you on my knees beseech you what's the matter pandarus thou must be gone wench thou must be gone thou art changed for antenor thou must to thy father and be gone from troilus twill be his death twill be his bane he cannot bear it cressida o you immortal gods i will not go pandarus thou must cressida i will not uncle i have forgot my father i know no touch of consanguinity no kin no love no blood no soul so near me as the sweet troilus o you gods divine make cressid's name the very crown of falsehood if ever she leave troilus time force and death do to this body what extremes you can but the strong base and building of my love is as the very centre of the earth drawing all things to it i'll go in and weep pandarus do do cressida tear my bright hair and scratch my praised cheeks crack my clear voice with sobs and break my heart with sounding troilus i will not go from troy exeunt troilus and cressida act iv scene iii the same street before pandarus house enter paris troilus aeneas deiphobus antenor and diomedes paris it is great morning and the hour prefix'd of her delivery to this valiant greek comes fast upon good my brother troilus tell you the lady what she is to do and haste her to the purpose troilus walk into her house i'll bring her to the grecian presently and to his hand when i deliver her think it an altar and thy brother troilus a priest there offering to it his own heart exit paris i know what tis to love and would as i shall pity i could help please you walk in my lords exeunt troilus and cressida act iv scene iv the same pandarus house enter pandarus and cressida pandarus be moderate be moderate cressida why tell you me of moderation the grief is fine full perfect that i taste and violenteth in a sense as strong as that which causeth it how can i moderate it if i could temporize with my affection or brew it to a weak and colder palate the like allayment could i give my grief my love admits no qualifying dross no more my grief in such a precious loss pandarus here here here he comes enter troilus ah sweet ducks cressida o troilus troilus embracing him pandarus what a pair of spectacles is here let me embrace too o heart as the goodly saying is o heart heavy heart why sigh'st thou without breaking where he answers again because thou canst not ease thy smart by friendship nor by speaking' there was never a truer rhyme let us cast away nothing for we may live to have need of such a verse we see it we see it how now lambs troilus cressid i love thee in so strain'd a purity that the bless'd gods as angry with my fancy more bright in zeal than the devotion which cold lips blow to their deities take thee from me cressida have the gods envy pandarus ay ay ay ay tis too plain a case cressida and is it true that i must go from troy troilus a hateful truth cressida what and from troilus too troilus from troy and troilus cressida is it possible troilus and suddenly where injury of chance puts back leavetaking justles roughly by all time of pause rudely beguiles our lips of all rejoindure forcibly prevents our lock'd embrasures strangles our dear vows even in the birth of our own labouring breath we two that with so many thousand sighs did buy each other must poorly sell ourselves with the rude brevity and discharge of one injurious time now with a robber's haste crams his rich thievery up he knows not how as many farewells as be stars in heaven with distinct breath and consign'd kisses to them he fumbles up into a lose adieu and scants us with a single famish'd kiss distasted with the salt of broken tears aeneas within my lord is the lady ready troilus hark you are call'd some say the genius so cries come to him that instantly must die bid them have patience she shall come anon pandarus where are my tears rain to lay this wind or my heart will be blown up by the root exit cressida i must then to the grecians troilus no remedy cressida a woful cressid mongst the merry greeks when shall we see again troilus hear me my love be thou but true of heart cressida i true how now what wicked deem is this troilus nay we must use expostulation kindly for it is parting from us i speak not be thou true as fearing thee for i will throw my glove to death himself that there's no maculation in thy heart but be thou true say i to fashion in my sequent protestation be thou true and i will see thee cressida o you shall be exposed my lord to dangers as infinite as imminent but i'll be true troilus and i'll grow friend with danger wear this sleeve cressida and you this glove when shall i see you troilus i will corrupt the grecian sentinels to give thee nightly visitation but yet be true cressida o heavens be true again troilus hear while i speak it love the grecian youths are full of quality they're loving well composed with gifts of nature flowing and swelling o'er with arts and exercise how novelty may move and parts with person alas a kind of godly jealousy which i beseech you call a virtuous sin makes me afeard cressida o heavens you love me not troilus die i a villain then in this i do not call your faith in question so mainly as my merit i cannot sing nor heel the high lavolt nor sweeten talk nor play at subtle games fair virtues all to which the grecians are most prompt and pregnant but i can tell that in each grace of these there lurks a still and dumbdiscoursive devil that tempts most cunningly but be not tempted cressida do you think i will troilus no but something may be done that we will not and sometimes we are devils to ourselves when we will tempt the frailty of our powers presuming on their changeful potency aeneas within nay good my lord troilus come kiss and let us part paris within brother troilus troilus good brother come you hither and bring aeneas and the grecian with you cressida my lord will you be true troilus who i alas it is my vice my fault whiles others fish with craft for great opinion i with great truth catch mere simplicity whilst some with cunning gild their copper crowns with truth and plainness i do wear mine bare fear not my truth the moral of my wit is plain and true there's all the reach of it enter aeneas paris antenor deiphobus and diomedes welcome sir diomed here is the lady which for antenor we deliver you at the port lord i'll give her to thy hand and by the way possess thee what she is entreat her fair and by my soul fair greek if e'er thou stand at mercy of my sword name cressida and thy life shall be as safe as priam is in ilion diomedes fair lady cressid so please you save the thanks this prince expects the lustre in your eye heaven in your cheek pleads your fair usage and to diomed you shall be mistress and command him wholly troilus grecian thou dost not use me courteously to shame the zeal of my petition to thee in praising her i tell thee lord of greece she is as far highsoaring o'er thy praises as thou unworthy to be call'd her servant i charge thee use her well even for my charge for by the dreadful pluto if thou dost not though the great bulk achilles be thy guard i'll cut thy throat diomedes o be not moved prince troilus let me be privileged by my place and message to be a speaker free when i am hence i'll answer to my lust and know you lord i'll nothing do on charge to her own worth she shall be prized but that you say be't so' i'll speak it in my spirit and honour no' troilus come to the port i'll tell thee diomed this brave shall oft make thee to hide thy head lady give me your hand and as we walk to our own selves bend we our needful talk exeunt troilus cressida and diomedes trumpet within paris hark hector's trumpet aeneas how have we spent this morning the prince must think me tardy and remiss that sore to ride before him to the field paris tis troilus fault come come to field with him deiphobus let us make ready straight aeneas yea with a bridegroom's fresh alacrity let us address to tend on hector's heels the glory of our troy doth this day lie on his fair worth and single chivalry exeunt troilus and cressida act iv scene v the grecian camp lists set out enter ajax armed agamemnon achilles patroclus menelaus ulysses nestor and others agamemnon here art thou in appointment fresh and fair anticipating time with starting courage give with thy trumpet a loud note to troy thou dreadful ajax that the appalled air may pierce the head of the great combatant and hale him hither ajax thou trumpet there's my purse now crack thy lungs and split thy brazen pipe blow villain till thy sphered bias cheek outswell the colic of puff'd aquilon come stretch thy chest and let thy eyes spout blood thou blow'st for hector trumpet sounds ulysses no trumpet answers achilles tis but early days agamemnon is not yond diomed with calchas daughter ulysses tis he i ken the manner of his gait he rises on the toe that spirit of his in aspiration lifts him from the earth enter diomedes with cressida agamemnon is this the lady cressid diomedes even she agamemnon most dearly welcome to the greeks sweet lady nestor our general doth salute you with a kiss ulysses yet is the kindness but particular twere better she were kiss'd in general nestor and very courtly counsel i'll begin so much for nestor achilles i'll take what winter from your lips fair lady achilles bids you welcome menelaus i had good argument for kissing once patroclus but that's no argument for kissing now for this popp'd paris in his hardiment and parted thus you and your argument ulysses o deadly gall and theme of all our scorns for which we lose our heads to gild his horns patroclus the first was menelaus kiss this mine patroclus kisses you menelaus o this is trim patroclus paris and i kiss evermore for him menelaus i'll have my kiss sir lady by your leave cressida in kissing do you render or receive patroclus both take and give cressida i'll make my match to live the kiss you take is better than you give therefore no kiss menelaus i'll give you boot i'll give you three for one cressida you're an odd man give even or give none menelaus an odd man lady every man is odd cressida no paris is not for you know tis true that you are odd and he is even with you menelaus you fillip me o the head cressida no i'll be sworn ulysses it were no match your nail against his horn may i sweet lady beg a kiss of you cressida you may ulysses i do desire it cressida why beg then ulysses why then for venus sake give me a kiss when helen is a maid again and his cressida i am your debtor claim it when tis due ulysses never's my day and then a kiss of you diomedes lady a word i'll bring you to your father exit with cressida nestor a woman of quick sense ulysses fie fie upon her there's language in her eye her cheek her lip nay her foot speaks her wanton spirits look out at every joint and motive of her body o these encounterers so glib of tongue that give accosting welcome ere it comes and wide unclasp the tables of their thoughts to every ticklish reader set them down for sluttish spoils of opportunity and daughters of the game trumpet within all the trojans trumpet agamemnon yonder comes the troop enter hector armed aeneas troilus and other trojans with attendants aeneas hail all you state of greece what shall be done to him that victory commands or do you purpose a victor shall be known will you the knights shall to the edge of all extremity pursue each other or shall be divided by any voice or order of the field hector bade ask agamemnon which way would hector have it aeneas he cares not he'll obey conditions achilles tis done like hector but securely done a little proudly and great deal misprizing the knight opposed aeneas if not achilles sir what is your name achilles if not achilles nothing aeneas therefore achilles but whate'er know this in the extremity of great and little valour and pride excel themselves in hector the one almost as infinite as all the other blank as nothing weigh him well and that which looks like pride is courtesy this ajax is half made of hector's blood in love whereof half hector stays at home half heart half hand half hector comes to seek this blended knight half trojan and half greek achilles a maiden battle then o i perceive you reenter diomedes agamemnon here is sir diomed go gentle knight stand by our ajax as you and lord aeneas consent upon the order of their fight so be it either to the uttermost or else a breath the combatants being kin half stints their strife before their strokes begin ajax and hector enter the lists ulysses they are opposed already agamemnon what trojan is that same that looks so heavy ulysses the youngest son of priam a true knight not yet mature yet matchless firm of word speaking in deeds and deedless in his tongue not soon provoked nor being provoked soon calm'd his heart and hand both open and both free for what he has he gives what thinks he shows yet gives he not till judgment guide his bounty nor dignifies an impure thought with breath manly as hector but more dangerous for hector in his blaze of wrath subscribes to tender objects but he in heat of action is more vindicative than jealous love they call him troilus and on him erect a second hope as fairly built as hector thus says aeneas one that knows the youth even to his inches and with private soul did in great ilion thus translate him to me alarum hector and ajax fight agamemnon they are in action nestor now ajax hold thine own troilus hector thou sleep'st awake thee agamemnon his blows are well disposed there ajax diomedes you must no more trumpets cease aeneas princes enough so please you ajax i am not warm yet let us fight again diomedes as hector pleases hector why then will i no more thou art great lord my father's sister's son a cousingerman to great priam's seed the obligation of our blood forbids a gory emulation twixt us twain were thy commixtion greek and trojan so that thou couldst say this hand is grecian all and this is trojan the sinews of this leg all greek and this all troy my mother's blood runs on the dexter cheek and this sinister bounds in my father's by jove multipotent thou shouldst not bear from me a greekish member wherein my sword had not impressure made of our rank feud but the just gods gainsay that any drop thou borrow'dst from thy mother my sacred aunt should by my mortal sword be drain'd let me embrace thee ajax by him that thunders thou hast lusty arms hector would have them fall upon him thus cousin all honour to thee ajax i thank thee hector thou art too gentle and too free a man i came to kill thee cousin and bear hence a great addition earned in thy death hector not neoptolemus so mirable on whose bright crest fame with her loud'st oyes cries this is he could promise to himself a thought of added honour torn from hector aeneas there is expectance here from both the sides what further you will do hector we'll answer it the issue is embracement ajax farewell ajax if i might in entreaties find success as seld i have the chancei would desire my famous cousin to our grecian tents diomedes tis agamemnon's wish and great achilles doth long to see unarm'd the valiant hector hector aeneas call my brother troilus to me and signify this loving interview to the expecters of our trojan part desire them home give me thy hand my cousin i will go eat with thee and see your knights ajax great agamemnon comes to meet us here hector the worthiest of them tell me name by name but for achilles mine own searching eyes shall find him by his large and portly size agamemnon worthy of arms as welcome as to one that would be rid of such an enemy but that's no welcome understand more clear what's past and what's to come is strew'd with husks and formless ruin of oblivion but in this extant moment faith and troth strain'd purely from all hollow biasdrawing bids thee with most divine integrity from heart of very heart great hector welcome hector i thank thee most imperious agamemnon agamemnon to troilus my wellfamed lord of troy no less to you menelaus let me confirm my princely brother's greeting you brace of warlike brothers welcome hither hector who must we answer aeneas the noble menelaus hector o you my lord by mars his gauntlet thanks mock not that i affect the untraded oath your quondam wife swears still by venus glove she's well but bade me not commend her to you menelaus name her not now sir she's a deadly theme hector o pardon i offend nestor i have thou gallant trojan seen thee oft labouring for destiny make cruel way through ranks of greekish youth and i have seen thee as hot as perseus spur thy phrygian steed despising many forfeits and subduements when thou hast hung thy advanced sword i the air not letting it decline on the declined that i have said to some my standers by lo jupiter is yonder dealing life' and i have seen thee pause and take thy breath when that a ring of greeks have hemm'd thee in like an olympian wrestling this have i seen but this thy countenance still lock'd in steel i never saw till now i knew thy grandsire and once fought with him he was a soldier good but by great mars the captain of us all never saw like thee let an old man embrace thee and worthy warrior welcome to our tents aeneas tis the old nestor hector let me embrace thee good old chronicle that hast so long walk'd hand in hand with time most reverend nestor i am glad to clasp thee nestor i would my arms could match thee in contention as they contend with thee in courtesy hector i would they could nestor ha by this white beard i'ld fight with thee tomorrow well welcome welcome i have seen the time ulysses i wonder now how yonder city stands when we have here her base and pillar by us hector i know your favour lord ulysses well ah sir there's many a greek and trojan dead since first i saw yourself and diomed in ilion on your greekish embassy ulysses sir i foretold you then what would ensue my prophecy is but half his journey yet for yonder walls that pertly front your town yond towers whose wanton tops do buss the clouds must kiss their own feet hector i must not believe you there they stand yet and modestly i think the fall of every phrygian stone will cost a drop of grecian blood the end crowns all and that old common arbitrator time will one day end it ulysses so to him we leave it most gentle and most valiant hector welcome after the general i beseech you next to feast with me and see me at my tent achilles i shall forestall thee lord ulysses thou now hector i have fed mine eyes on thee i have with exact view perused thee hector and quoted joint by joint hector is this achilles achilles i am achilles hector stand fair i pray thee let me look on thee achilles behold thy fill hector nay i have done already achilles thou art too brief i will the second time as i would buy thee view thee limb by limb hector o like a book of sport thou'lt read me o'er but there's more in me than thou understand'st why dost thou so oppress me with thine eye achilles tell me you heavens in which part of his body shall i destroy him whether there or there or there that i may give the local wound a name and make distinct the very breach whereout hector's great spirit flew answer me heavens hector it would discredit the blest gods proud man to answer such a question stand again think'st thou to catch my life so pleasantly as to prenominate in nice conjecture where thou wilt hit me dead achilles i tell thee yea hector wert thou an oracle to tell me so i'd not believe thee henceforth guard thee well for i'll not kill thee there nor there nor there but by the forge that stithied mars his helm i'll kill thee every where yea o'er and o'er you wisest grecians pardon me this brag his insolence draws folly from my lips but i'll endeavour deeds to match these words or may i never ajax do not chafe thee cousin and you achilles let these threats alone till accident or purpose bring you to't you may have every day enough of hector if you have stomach the general state i fear can scarce entreat you to be odd with him hector i pray you let us see you in the field we have had pelting wars since you refused the grecians cause achilles dost thou entreat me hector tomorrow do i meet thee fell as death tonight all friends hector thy hand upon that match agamemnon first all you peers of greece go to my tent there in the full convive we afterwards as hector's leisure and your bounties shall concur together severally entreat him beat loud the tabourines let the trumpets blow that this great soldier may his welcome know exeunt all except troilus and ulysses troilus my lord ulysses tell me i beseech you in what place of the field doth calchas keep ulysses at menelaus tent most princely troilus there diomed doth feast with him tonight who neither looks upon the heaven nor earth but gives all gaze and bent of amorous view on the fair cressid troilus shall sweet lord be bound to you so much after we part from agamemnon's tent to bring me thither ulysses you shall command me sir as gentle tell me of what honour was this cressida in troy had she no lover there that wails her absence troilus o sir to such as boasting show their scars a mock is due will you walk on my lord she was beloved she loved she is and doth but still sweet love is food for fortune's tooth exeunt troilus and cressida act v scene i the grecian camp before achilles tent enter achilles and patroclus achilles i'll heat his blood with greekish wine tonight which with my scimitar i'll cool tomorrow patroclus let us feast him to the height patroclus here comes thersites enter thersites achilles how now thou core of envy thou crusty batch of nature what's the news thersites why thou picture of what thou seemest and idol of idiot worshippers here's a letter for thee achilles from whence fragment thersites why thou full dish of fool from troy patroclus who keeps the tent now thersites the surgeon's box or the patient's wound patroclus well said adversity and what need these tricks thersites prithee be silent boy i profit not by thy talk thou art thought to be achilles male varlet patroclus male varlet you rogue what's that thersites why his masculine whore now the rotten diseases of the south the gutsgriping ruptures catarrhs loads o gravel i the back lethargies cold palsies raw eyes dirtrotten livers wheezing lungs bladders full of imposthume sciaticas limekilns i the palm incurable boneache and the rivelled feesimple of the tetter take and take again such preposterous discoveries patroclus why thou damnable box of envy thou what meanest thou to curse thus thersites do i curse thee patroclus why no you ruinous butt you whoreson indistinguishable cur no thersites no why art thou then exasperate thou idle immaterial skein of sleavesilk thou green sarcenet flap for a sore eye thou tassel of a prodigal's purse thou ah how the poor world is pestered with such waterflies diminutives of nature patroclus out gall thersites finchegg achilles my sweet patroclus i am thwarted quite from my great purpose in tomorrow's battle here is a letter from queen hecuba a token from her daughter my fair love both taxing me and gaging me to keep an oath that i have sworn i will not break it fall greeks fail fame honour or go or stay my major vow lies here this i'll obey come come thersites help to trim my tent this night in banqueting must all be spent away patroclus exeunt achilles and patroclus thersites with too much blood and too little brain these two may run mad but if with too much brain and too little blood they do i'll be a curer of madmen here's agamemnon an honest fellow enough and one that loves quails but he has not so much brain as earwax and the goodly transformation of jupiter there his brother the bullthe primitive statue and oblique memorial of cuckolds a thrifty shoeinghorn in a chain hanging at his brother's legto what form but that he is should wit larded with malice and malice forced with wit turn him to to an ass were nothing he is both ass and ox to an ox were nothing he is both ox and ass to be a dog a mule a cat a fitchew a toad a lizard an owl a puttock or a herring without a roe i would not care but to be menelaus i would conspire against destiny ask me not what i would be if i were not thersites for i care not to be the louse of a lazar so i were not menelaus heyday spirits and fires enter hector troilus ajax agamemnon ulysses nestor menelaus and diomedes with lights agamemnon we go wrong we go wrong ajax no yonder tis there where we see the lights hector i trouble you ajax no not a whit ulysses here comes himself to guide you reenter achilles achilles welcome brave hector welcome princes all agamemnon so now fair prince of troy i bid good night ajax commands the guard to tend on you hector thanks and good night to the greeks general menelaus good night my lord hector good night sweet lord menelaus thersites sweet draught sweet quoth a sweet sink sweet sewer achilles good night and welcome both at once to those that go or tarry agamemnon good night exeunt agamemnon and menelaus achilles old nestor tarries and you too diomed keep hector company an hour or two diomedes i cannot lord i have important business the tide whereof is now good night great hector hector give me your hand ulysses aside to troilus follow his torch he goes to calchas tent i'll keep you company troilus sweet sir you honour me hector and so good night exit diomedes ulysses and troilus following achilles come come enter my tent exeunt achilles hector ajax and nestor thersites that same diomed's a falsehearted rogue a most unjust knave i will no more trust him when he leers than i will a serpent when he hisses he will spend his mouth and promise like brabbler the hound but when he performs astronomers foretell it it is prodigious there will come some change the sun borrows of the moon when diomed keeps his word i will rather leave to see hector than not to dog him they say he keeps a trojan drab and uses the traitor calchas tent i'll after nothing but lechery all incontinent varlets exit troilus and cressida act v scene ii the same before calchas tent enter diomedes diomedes what are you up here ho speak calchas within who calls diomedes calchas i think where's your daughter calchas within she comes to you enter troilus and ulysses at a distance after them thersites ulysses stand where the torch may not discover us enter cressida troilus cressid comes forth to him diomedes how now my charge cressida now my sweet guardian hark a word with you whispers troilus yea so familiar ulysses she will sing any man at first sight thersites and any man may sing her if he can take her cliff she's noted diomedes will you remember cressida remember yes diomedes nay but do then and let your mind be coupled with your words troilus what should she remember ulysses list cressida sweet honey greek tempt me no more to folly thersites roguery diomedes nay then cressida i'll tell you what diomedes foh foh come tell a pin you are forsworn cressida in faith i cannot what would you have me do thersites a juggling trickto be secretly open diomedes what did you swear you would bestow on me cressida i prithee do not hold me to mine oath bid me do any thing but that sweet greek diomedes good night troilus hold patience ulysses how now trojan cressida diomed diomedes no no good night i'll be your fool no more troilus thy better must cressida hark one word in your ear troilus o plague and madness ulysses you are moved prince let us depart i pray you lest your displeasure should enlarge itself to wrathful terms this place is dangerous the time right deadly i beseech you go troilus behold i pray you ulysses nay good my lord go off you flow to great distraction come my lord troilus i pray thee stay ulysses you have not patience come troilus i pray you stay by hell and all hell's torments i will not speak a word diomedes and so good night cressida nay but you part in anger troilus doth that grieve thee o wither'd truth ulysses why how now lord troilus by jove i will be patient cressida guardianwhy greek diomedes foh foh adieu you palter cressida in faith i do not come hither once again ulysses you shake my lord at something will you go you will break out troilus she strokes his cheek ulysses come come troilus nay stay by jove i will not speak a word there is between my will and all offences a guard of patience stay a little while thersites how the devil luxury with his fat rump and potatofinger tickles these together fry lechery fry diomedes but will you then cressida in faith i will la never trust me else diomedes give me some token for the surety of it cressida i'll fetch you one exit ulysses you have sworn patience troilus fear me not sweet lord i will not be myself nor have cognition of what i feel i am all patience reenter cressida thersites now the pledge now now now cressida here diomed keep this sleeve troilus o beauty where is thy faith ulysses my lord troilus i will be patient outwardly i will cressida you look upon that sleeve behold it well he loved meo false wenchgive't me again diomedes whose was't cressida it is no matter now i have't again i will not meet with you tomorrow night i prithee diomed visit me no more thersites now she sharpens well said whetstone diomedes i shall have it cressida what this diomedes ay that cressida o all you gods o pretty pretty pledge thy master now lies thinking in his bed of thee and me and sighs and takes my glove and gives memorial dainty kisses to it as i kiss thee nay do not snatch it from me he that takes that doth take my heart withal diomedes i had your heart before this follows it troilus i did swear patience cressida you shall not have it diomed faith you shall not i'll give you something else diomedes i will have this whose was it cressida it is no matter diomedes come tell me whose it was cressida twas one's that loved me better than you will but now you have it take it diomedes whose was it cressida by all diana's waitingwomen yond and by herself i will not tell you whose diomedes tomorrow will i wear it on my helm and grieve his spirit that dares not challenge it troilus wert thou the devil and worest it on thy horn it should be challenged cressida well well tis done tis past and yet it is not i will not keep my word diomedes why then farewell thou never shalt mock diomed again cressida you shall not go one cannot speak a word but it straight starts you diomedes i do not like this fooling thersites nor i by pluto but that that likes not you pleases me best diomedes what shall i come the hour cressida ay comeo jovedo comei shall be plagued diomedes farewell till then cressida good night i prithee come exit diomedes troilus farewell one eye yet looks on thee but with my heart the other eye doth see ah poor our sex this fault in us i find the error of our eye directs our mind what error leads must err o then conclude minds sway'd by eyes are full of turpitude exit thersites a proof of strength she could not publish more unless she said my mind is now turn'd whore' ulysses all's done my lord troilus it is ulysses why stay we then troilus to make a recordation to my soul of every syllable that here was spoke but if i tell how these two did coact shall i not lie in publishing a truth sith yet there is a credence in my heart an esperance so obstinately strong that doth invert the attest of eyes and ears as if those organs had deceptious functions created only to calumniate was cressid here ulysses i cannot conjure trojan troilus she was not sure ulysses most sure she was troilus why my negation hath no taste of madness ulysses nor mine my lord cressid was here but now troilus let it not be believed for womanhood think we had mothers do not give advantage to stubborn critics apt without a theme for depravation to square the general sex by cressid's rule rather think this not cressid ulysses what hath she done prince that can soil our mothers troilus nothing at all unless that this were she thersites will he swagger himself out on's own eyes troilus this she no this is diomed's cressida if beauty have a soul this is not she if souls guide vows if vows be sanctimonies if sanctimony be the gods delight if there be rule in unity itself this is not she o madness of discourse that cause sets up with and against itself bifold authority where reason can revolt without perdition and loss assume all reason without revolt this is and is not cressid within my soul there doth conduce a fight of this strange nature that a thing inseparate divides more wider than the sky and earth and yet the spacious breadth of this division admits no orifex for a point as subtle as ariachne's broken woof to enter instance o instance strong as pluto's gates cressid is mine tied with the bonds of heaven instance o instance strong as heaven itself the bonds of heaven are slipp'd dissolved and loosed and with another knot fivefingertied the fractions of her faith orts of her love the fragments scraps the bits and greasy relics of her o'ereaten faith are bound to diomed ulysses may worthy troilus be half attach'd with that which here his passion doth express troilus ay greek and that shall be divulged well in characters as red as mars his heart inflamed with venus never did young man fancy with so eternal and so fix'd a soul hark greek as much as i do cressid love so much by weight hate i her diomed that sleeve is mine that he'll bear on his helm were it a casque composed by vulcan's skill my sword should bite it not the dreadful spout which shipmen do the hurricano call constringed in mass by the almighty sun shall dizzy with more clamour neptune's ear in his descent than shall my prompted sword falling on diomed thersites he'll tickle it for his concupy troilus o cressid o false cressid false false false let all untruths stand by thy stained name and they'll seem glorious ulysses o contain yourself your passion draws ears hither enter aeneas aeneas i have been seeking you this hour my lord hector by this is arming him in troy ajax your guard stays to conduct you home troilus have with you prince my courteous lord adieu farewell revolted fair and diomed stand fast and wear a castle on thy head ulysses i'll bring you to the gates troilus accept distracted thanks exeunt troilus aeneas and ulysses thersites would i could meet that rogue diomed i would croak like a raven i would bode i would bode patroclus will give me any thing for the intelligence of this whore the parrot will not do more for an almond than he for a commodious drab lechery lechery still wars and lechery nothing else holds fashion a burning devil take them exit troilus and cressida act v scene iii troy before priam's palace enter hector and andromache andromache when was my lord so much ungently temper'd to stop his ears against admonishment unarm unarm and do not fight today hector you train me to offend you get you in by all the everlasting gods i'll go andromache my dreams will sure prove ominous to the day hector no more i say enter cassandra cassandra where is my brother hector andromache here sister arm'd and bloody in intent consort with me in loud and dear petition pursue we him on knees for i have dream'd of bloody turbulence and this whole night hath nothing been but shapes and forms of slaughter cassandra o tis true hector ho bid my trumpet sound cassandra no notes of sally for the heavens sweet brother hector be gone i say the gods have heard me swear cassandra the gods are deaf to hot and peevish vows they are polluted offerings more abhorr'd than spotted livers in the sacrifice andromache o be persuaded do not count it holy to hurt by being just it is as lawful for we would give much to use violent thefts and rob in the behalf of charity cassandra it is the purpose that makes strong the vow but vows to every purpose must not hold unarm sweet hector hector hold you still i say mine honour keeps the weather of my fate lie every man holds dear but the brave man holds honour far more preciousdear than life enter troilus how now young man mean'st thou to fight today andromache cassandra call my father to persuade exit cassandra hector no faith young troilus doff thy harness youth i am today i the vein of chivalry let grow thy sinews till their knots be strong and tempt not yet the brushes of the war unarm thee go and doubt thou not brave boy i'll stand today for thee and me and troy troilus brother you have a vice of mercy in you which better fits a lion than a man hector what vice is that good troilus chide me for it troilus when many times the captive grecian falls even in the fan and wind of your fair sword you bid them rise and live hector o'tis fair play troilus fool's play by heaven hector hector how now how now troilus for the love of all the gods let's leave the hermit pity with our mothers and when we have our armours buckled on the venom'd vengeance ride upon our swords spur them to ruthful work rein them from ruth hector fie savage fie troilus hector then tis wars hector troilus i would not have you fight today troilus who should withhold me not fate obedience nor the hand of mars beckoning with fiery truncheon my retire not priamus and hecuba on knees their eyes o'ergalled with recourse of tears not you my brother with your true sword drawn opposed to hinder me should stop my way but by my ruin reenter cassandra with priam cassandra lay hold upon him priam hold him fast he is thy crutch now if thou lose thy stay thou on him leaning and all troy on thee fall all together priam come hector come go back thy wife hath dream'd thy mother hath had visions cassandra doth foresee and i myself am like a prophet suddenly enrapt to tell thee that this day is ominous therefore come back hector aeneas is afield and i do stand engaged to many greeks even in the faith of valour to appear this morning to them priam ay but thou shalt not go hector i must not break my faith you know me dutiful therefore dear sir let me not shame respect but give me leave to take that course by your consent and voice which you do here forbid me royal priam cassandra o priam yield not to him andromache do not dear father hector andromache i am offended with you upon the love you bear me get you in exit andromache troilus this foolish dreaming superstitious girl makes all these bodements cassandra o farewell dear hector look how thou diest look how thy eye turns pale look how thy wounds do bleed at many vents hark how troy roars how hecuba cries out how poor andromache shrills her dolours forth behold distraction frenzy and amazement like witless antics one another meet and all cry hector hector's dead o hector troilus away away cassandra farewell yet soft hector take my leave thou dost thyself and all our troy deceive exit hector you are amazed my liege at her exclaim go in and cheer the town we'll forth and fight do deeds worth praise and tell you them at night priam farewell the gods with safety stand about thee exeunt severally priam and hector alarums troilus they are at it hark proud diomed believe i come to lose my arm or win my sleeve enter pandarus pandarus do you hear my lord do you hear troilus what now pandarus here's a letter come from yond poor girl troilus let me read pandarus a whoreson tisick a whoreson rascally tisick so troubles me and the foolish fortune of this girl and what one thing what another that i shall leave you one o these days and i have a rheum in mine eyes too and such an ache in my bones that unless a man were cursed i cannot tell what to think on't what says she there troilus words words mere words no matter from the heart the effect doth operate another way tearing the letter go wind to wind there turn and change together my love with words and errors still she feeds but edifies another with her deeds exeunt severally troilus and cressida act v scene iv plains between troy and the grecian camp alarums excursions enter thersites thersites now they are clapperclawing one another i'll go look on that dissembling abominable varlets diomed has got that same scurvy doting foolish young knave's sleeve of troy there in his helm i would fain see them meet that that same young trojan ass that loves the whore there might send that greekish whoremasterly villain with the sleeve back to the dissembling luxurious drab of a sleeveless errand o the t'other side the policy of those crafty swearing rascals that stale old mouseeaten dry cheese nestor and that same dogfox ulysses is not proved worthy a blackberry they set me up in policy that mongrel cur ajax against that dog of as bad a kind achilles and now is the cur ajax prouder than the cur achilles and will not arm today whereupon the grecians begin to proclaim barbarism and policy grows into an ill opinion soft here comes sleeve and t'other enter diomedes troilus following troilus fly not for shouldst thou take the river styx i would swim after diomedes thou dost miscall retire i do not fly but advantageous care withdrew me from the odds of multitude have at thee thersites hold thy whore greciannow for thy whore trojannow the sleeve now the sleeve exeunt troilus and diomedes fighting enter hector hector what art thou greek art thou for hector's match art thou of blood and honour thersites no no i am a rascal a scurvy railing knave a very filthy rogue hector i do believe thee live exit thersites godamercy that thou wilt believe me but a plague break thy neck for frightening me what's become of the wenching rogues i think they have swallowed one another i would laugh at that miracle yet in a sort lechery eats itself i'll seek them exit troilus and cressida act v scene v another part of the plains enter diomedes and a servant diomedes go go my servant take thou troilus horse present the fair steed to my lady cressid fellow commend my service to her beauty tell her i have chastised the amorous trojan and am her knight by proof servant i go my lord exit enter agamemnon agamemnon renew renew the fierce polydamas hath beat down menon bastard margarelon hath doreus prisoner and stands colossuswise waving his beam upon the pashed corses of the kings epistrophus and cedius polyxenes is slain amphimachus and thoas deadly hurt patroclus ta'en or slain and palamedes sore hurt and bruised the dreadful sagittary appals our numbers haste we diomed to reinforcement or we perish all enter nestor nestor go bear patroclus body to achilles and bid the snailpaced ajax arm for shame there is a thousand hectors in the field now here he fights on galathe his horse and there lacks work anon he's there afoot and there they fly or die like scaled sculls before the belching whale then is he yonder and there the strawy greeks ripe for his edge fall down before him like the mower's swath here there and every where he leaves and takes dexterity so obeying appetite that what he will he does and does so much that proof is call'd impossibility enter ulysses ulysses o courage courage princes great achilles is arming weeping cursing vowing vengeance patroclus wounds have roused his drowsy blood together with his mangled myrmidons that noseless handless hack'd and chipp'd come to him crying on hector ajax hath lost a friend and foams at mouth and he is arm'd and at it roaring for troilus who hath done today mad and fantastic execution engaging and redeeming of himself with such a careless force and forceless care as if that luck in very spite of cunning bade him win all enter ajax ajax troilus thou coward troilus exit diomedes ay there there nestor so so we draw together enter achilles achilles where is this hector come come thou boyqueller show thy face know what it is to meet achilles angry hector where's hector i will none but hector exeunt troilus and cressida act v scene vi another part of the plains enter ajax ajax troilus thou coward troilus show thy head enter diomedes diomedes troilus i say where's troilus ajax what wouldst thou diomedes i would correct him ajax were i the general thou shouldst have my office ere that correction troilus i say what troilus enter troilus troilus o traitor diomed turn thy false face thou traitor and pay thy life thou owest me for my horse diomedes ha art thou there ajax i'll fight with him alone stand diomed diomedes he is my prize i will not look upon troilus come both you cogging greeks have at you both exeunt fighting enter hector hector yea troilus o well fought my youngest brother enter achilles achilles now do i see thee ha have at thee hector hector pause if thou wilt achilles i do disdain thy courtesy proud trojan be happy that my arms are out of use my rest and negligence befriends thee now but thou anon shalt hear of me again till when go seek thy fortune exit hector fare thee well i would have been much more a fresher man had i expected thee how now my brother reenter troilus troilus ajax hath ta'en aeneas shall it be no by the flame of yonder glorious heaven he shall not carry him i'll be ta'en too or bring him off fate hear me what i say i reck not though i end my life today exit enter one in sumptuous armour hector stand stand thou greek thou art a goodly mark no wilt thou not i like thy armour well i'll frush it and unlock the rivets all but i'll be master of it wilt thou not beast abide why then fly on i'll hunt thee for thy hide exeunt troilus and cressida act v scene vii another part of the plains enter achilles with myrmidons achilles come here about me you my myrmidons mark what i say attend me where i wheel strike not a stroke but keep yourselves in breath and when i have the bloody hector found empale him with your weapons round about in fellest manner execute your aims follow me sirs and my proceedings eye it is decreed hector the great must die exeunt enter menelaus and paris fighting then thersites thersites the cuckold and the cuckoldmaker are at it now bull now dog loo paris loo now my double henned sparrow loo paris loo the bull has the game ware horns ho exeunt paris and menelaus enter margarelon margarelon turn slave and fight thersites what art thou margarelon a bastard son of priam's thersites i am a bastard too i love bastards i am a bastard begot bastard instructed bastard in mind bastard in valour in every thing illegitimate one bear will not bite another and wherefore should one bastard take heed the quarrel's most ominous to us if the son of a whore fight for a whore he tempts judgment farewell bastard exit margarelon the devil take thee coward exit troilus and cressida act v scene viii another part of the plains enter hector hector most putrefied core so fair without thy goodly armour thus hath cost thy life now is my day's work done i'll take good breath rest sword thou hast thy fill of blood and death puts off his helmet and hangs his shield behind him enter achilles and myrmidons achilles look hector how the sun begins to set how ugly night comes breathing at his heels even with the vail and darking of the sun to close the day up hector's life is done hector i am unarm'd forego this vantage greek achilles strike fellows strike this is the man i seek hector falls so ilion fall thou next now troy sink down here lies thy heart thy sinews and thy bone on myrmidons and cry you all amain achilles hath the mighty hector slain' a retreat sounded hark a retire upon our grecian part myrmidons the trojan trumpets sound the like my lord achilles the dragon wing of night o'erspreads the earth and sticklerlike the armies separates my halfsupp'd sword that frankly would have fed pleased with this dainty bait thus goes to bed sheathes his sword come tie his body to my horse's tail along the field i will the trojan trail exeunt troilus and cressida act v scene ix another part of the plains enter agamemnon ajax menelaus nestor diomedes and others marching shouts within agamemnon hark hark what shout is that nestor peace drums within achilles achilles hector's slain achilles diomedes the bruit is hector's slain and by achilles ajax if it be so yet bragless let it be great hector was a man as good as he agamemnon march patiently along let one be sent to pray achilles see us at our tent if in his death the gods have us befriended great troy is ours and our sharp wars are ended exeunt marching troilus and cressida act v scene x another part of the plains enter aeneas and trojans aeneas stand ho yet are we masters of the field never go home here starve we out the night enter troilus troilus hector is slain all hector the gods forbid troilus he's dead and at the murderer's horse's tail in beastly sort dragg'd through the shameful field frown on you heavens effect your rage with speed sit gods upon your thrones and smile at troy i say at once let your brief plagues be mercy and linger not our sure destructions on aeneas my lord you do discomfort all the host troilus you understand me not that tell me so i do not speak of flight of fear of death but dare all imminence that gods and men address their dangers in hector is gone who shall tell priam so or hecuba let him that will a screechowl aye be call'd go in to troy and say there hector's dead there is a word will priam turn to stone make wells and niobes of the maids and wives cold statues of the youth and in a word scare troy out of itself but march away hector is dead there is no more to say stay yet you vile abominable tents thus proudly pight upon our phrygian plains let titan rise as early as he dare i'll through and through you and thou greatsized coward no space of earth shall sunder our two hates i'll haunt thee like a wicked conscience still that mouldeth goblins swift as frenzy's thoughts strike a free march to troy with comfort go hope of revenge shall hide our inward woe exeunt aeneas and trojans as troilus is going out enter from the other side pandarus pandarus but hear you hear you troilus hence brokerlackey ignomy and shame pursue thy life and live aye with thy name exit pandarus a goodly medicine for my aching bones o world world world thus is the poor agent despised o traitors and bawds how earnestly are you set awork and how ill requited why should our endeavour be so loved and the performance so loathed what verse for it what instance for it let me see full merrily the humblebee doth sing till he hath lost his honey and his sting and being once subdued in armed tail sweet honey and sweet notes together fail good traders in the flesh set this in your painted cloths as many as be here of pander's hall your eyes half out weep out at pandar's fall or if you cannot weep yet give some groans though not for me yet for your aching bones brethren and sisters of the holddoor trade some two months hence my will shall here be made it should be now but that my fear is this some galled goose of winchester would hiss till then i'll sweat and seek about for eases and at that time bequeathe you my diseases exit twelfth night dramatis personae orsino duke of illyria duke orsino sebastian brother to viola antonio a sea captain friend to sebastian a sea captain friend to viola captain valentine gentlemen attending on the duke curio sir toby belch uncle to olivia sir andrew aguecheek sir andrew malvolio steward to olivia fabian servants to olivia feste a clown clown olivia viola maria olivia's woman lords priests sailors officers musicians and other attendants priest first officer second officer servant scene a city in illyria and the seacoast near it twelfth night act i scene i duke orsino's palace enter duke orsino curio and other lords musicians attending duke orsino if music be the food of love play on give me excess of it that surfeiting the appetite may sicken and so die that strain again it had a dying fall o it came o'er my ear like the sweet sound that breathes upon a bank of violets stealing and giving odour enough no more tis not so sweet now as it was before o spirit of love how quick and fresh art thou that notwithstanding thy capacity receiveth as the sea nought enters there of what validity and pitch soe'er but falls into abatement and low price even in a minute so full of shapes is fancy that it alone is high fantastical curio will you go hunt my lord duke orsino what curio curio the hart duke orsino why so i do the noblest that i have o when mine eyes did see olivia first methought she purged the air of pestilence that instant was i turn'd into a hart and my desires like fell and cruel hounds e'er since pursue me enter valentine how now what news from her valentine so please my lord i might not be admitted but from her handmaid do return this answer the element itself till seven years heat shall not behold her face at ample view but like a cloistress she will veiled walk and water once a day her chamber round with eyeoffending brine all this to season a brother's dead love which she would keep fresh and lasting in her sad remembrance duke orsino o she that hath a heart of that fine frame to pay this debt of love but to a brother how will she love when the rich golden shaft hath kill'd the flock of all affections else that live in her when liver brain and heart these sovereign thrones are all supplied and fill'd her sweet perfections with one self king away before me to sweet beds of flowers lovethoughts lie rich when canopied with bowers exeunt twelfth night act i scene ii the seacoast enter viola a captain and sailors viola what country friends is this captain this is illyria lady viola and what should i do in illyria my brother he is in elysium perchance he is not drown'd what think you sailors captain it is perchance that you yourself were saved viola o my poor brother and so perchance may he be captain true madam and to comfort you with chance assure yourself after our ship did split when you and those poor number saved with you hung on our driving boat i saw your brother most provident in peril bind himself courage and hope both teaching him the practise to a strong mast that lived upon the sea where like arion on the dolphin's back i saw him hold acquaintance with the waves so long as i could see viola for saying so there's gold mine own escape unfoldeth to my hope whereto thy speech serves for authority the like of him know'st thou this country captain ay madam well for i was bred and born not three hours travel from this very place viola who governs here captain a noble duke in nature as in name viola what is the name captain orsino viola orsino i have heard my father name him he was a bachelor then captain and so is now or was so very late for but a month ago i went from hence and then twas fresh in murmuras you know what great ones do the less will prattle of that he did seek the love of fair olivia viola what's she captain a virtuous maid the daughter of a count that died some twelvemonth since then leaving her in the protection of his son her brother who shortly also died for whose dear love they say she hath abjured the company and sight of men viola o that i served that lady and might not be delivered to the world till i had made mine own occasion mellow what my estate is captain that were hard to compass because she will admit no kind of suit no not the duke's viola there is a fair behavior in thee captain and though that nature with a beauteous wall doth oft close in pollution yet of thee i will believe thou hast a mind that suits with this thy fair and outward character i prithee and i'll pay thee bounteously conceal me what i am and be my aid for such disguise as haply shall become the form of my intent i'll serve this duke thou shall present me as an eunuch to him it may be worth thy pains for i can sing and speak to him in many sorts of music that will allow me very worth his service what else may hap to time i will commit only shape thou thy silence to my wit captain be you his eunuch and your mute i'll be when my tongue blabs then let mine eyes not see viola i thank thee lead me on exeunt twelfth night act i scene iii olivia's house enter sir toby belch and maria sir toby belch what a plague means my niece to take the death of her brother thus i am sure care's an enemy to life maria by my troth sir toby you must come in earlier o' nights your cousin my lady takes great exceptions to your ill hours sir toby belch why let her except before excepted maria ay but you must confine yourself within the modest limits of order sir toby belch confine i'll confine myself no finer than i am these clothes are good enough to drink in and so be these boots too an they be not let them hang themselves in their own straps maria that quaffing and drinking will undo you i heard my lady talk of it yesterday and of a foolish knight that you brought in one night here to be her wooer sir toby belch who sir andrew aguecheek maria ay he sir toby belch he's as tall a man as any's in illyria maria what's that to the purpose sir toby belch why he has three thousand ducats a year maria ay but he'll have but a year in all these ducats he's a very fool and a prodigal sir toby belch fie that you'll say so he plays o the violdegamboys and speaks three or four languages word for word without book and hath all the good gifts of nature maria he hath indeed almost natural for besides that he's a fool he's a great quarreller and but that he hath the gift of a coward to allay the gust he hath in quarrelling tis thought among the prudent he would quickly have the gift of a grave sir toby belch by this hand they are scoundrels and subtractors that say so of him who are they maria they that add moreover he's drunk nightly in your company sir toby belch with drinking healths to my niece i'll drink to her as long as there is a passage in my throat and drink in illyria he's a coward and a coystrill that will not drink to my niece till his brains turn o the toe like a parishtop what wench castiliano vulgo for here comes sir andrew agueface enter sir andrew sir andrew sir toby belch how now sir toby belch sir toby belch sweet sir andrew sir andrew bless you fair shrew maria and you too sir sir toby belch accost sir andrew accost sir andrew what's that sir toby belch my niece's chambermaid sir andrew good mistress accost i desire better acquaintance maria my name is mary sir sir andrew good mistress mary accost sir toby belch you mistake knight accost is front her board her woo her assail her sir andrew by my troth i would not undertake her in this company is that the meaning of accost' maria fare you well gentlemen sir toby belch an thou let part so sir andrew would thou mightst never draw sword again sir andrew an you part so mistress i would i might never draw sword again fair lady do you think you have fools in hand maria sir i have not you by the hand sir andrew marry but you shall have and here's my hand maria now sir thought is free i pray you bring your hand to the butterybar and let it drink sir andrew wherefore sweetheart what's your metaphor maria it's dry sir sir andrew why i think so i am not such an ass but i can keep my hand dry but what's your jest maria a dry jest sir sir andrew are you full of them maria ay sir i have them at my fingers ends marry now i let go your hand i am barren exit sir toby belch o knight thou lackest a cup of canary when did i see thee so put down sir andrew never in your life i think unless you see canary put me down methinks sometimes i have no more wit than a christian or an ordinary man has but i am a great eater of beef and i believe that does harm to my wit sir toby belch no question sir andrew an i thought that i'ld forswear it i'll ride home tomorrow sir toby sir toby belch pourquoi my dear knight sir andrew what is pourquoi do or not do i would i had bestowed that time in the tongues that i have in fencing dancing and bearbaiting o had i but followed the arts sir toby belch then hadst thou had an excellent head of hair sir andrew why would that have mended my hair sir toby belch past question for thou seest it will not curl by nature sir andrew but it becomes me well enough does't not sir toby belch excellent it hangs like flax on a distaff and i hope to see a housewife take thee between her legs and spin it off sir andrew faith i'll home tomorrow sir toby your niece will not be seen or if she be it's four to one she'll none of me the count himself here hard by woos her sir toby belch she'll none o the count she'll not match above her degree neither in estate years nor wit i have heard her swear't tut there's life in't man sir andrew i'll stay a month longer i am a fellow o the strangest mind i the world i delight in masques and revels sometimes altogether sir toby belch art thou good at these kickshawses knight sir andrew as any man in illyria whatsoever he be under the degree of my betters and yet i will not compare with an old man sir toby belch what is thy excellence in a galliard knight sir andrew faith i can cut a caper sir toby belch and i can cut the mutton to't sir andrew and i think i have the backtrick simply as strong as any man in illyria sir toby belch wherefore are these things hid wherefore have these gifts a curtain before em are they like to take dust like mistress mall's picture why dost thou not go to church in a galliard and come home in a coranto my very walk should be a jig i would not so much as make water but in a sinkapace what dost thou mean is it a world to hide virtues in i did think by the excellent constitution of thy leg it was formed under the star of a galliard sir andrew ay tis strong and it does indifferent well in a flamecoloured stock shall we set about some revels sir toby belch what shall we do else were we not born under taurus sir andrew taurus that's sides and heart sir toby belch no sir it is legs and thighs let me see the caper ha higher ha ha excellent exeunt twelfth night act i scene iv duke orsino's palace enter valentine and viola in man's attire valentine if the duke continue these favours towards you cesario you are like to be much advanced he hath known you but three days and already you are no stranger viola you either fear his humour or my negligence that you call in question the continuance of his love is he inconstant sir in his favours valentine no believe me viola i thank you here comes the count enter duke orsino curio and attendants duke orsino who saw cesario ho viola on your attendance my lord here duke orsino stand you a while aloof cesario thou know'st no less but all i have unclasp'd to thee the book even of my secret soul therefore good youth address thy gait unto her be not denied access stand at her doors and tell them there thy fixed foot shall grow till thou have audience viola sure my noble lord if she be so abandon'd to her sorrow as it is spoke she never will admit me duke orsino be clamorous and leap all civil bounds rather than make unprofited return viola say i do speak with her my lord what then duke orsino o then unfold the passion of my love surprise her with discourse of my dear faith it shall become thee well to act my woes she will attend it better in thy youth than in a nuncio's of more grave aspect viola i think not so my lord duke orsino dear lad believe it for they shall yet belie thy happy years that say thou art a man diana's lip is not more smooth and rubious thy small pipe is as the maiden's organ shrill and sound and all is semblative a woman's part i know thy constellation is right apt for this affair some four or five attend him all if you will for i myself am best when least in company prosper well in this and thou shalt live as freely as thy lord to call his fortunes thine viola i'll do my best to woo your lady aside yet a barful strife whoe'er i woo myself would be his wife exeunt twelfth night act i scene v olivia's house enter maria and clown maria nay either tell me where thou hast been or i will not open my lips so wide as a bristle may enter in way of thy excuse my lady will hang thee for thy absence clown let her hang me he that is well hanged in this world needs to fear no colours maria make that good clown he shall see none to fear maria a good lenten answer i can tell thee where that saying was born of i fear no colours' clown where good mistress mary maria in the wars and that may you be bold to say in your foolery clown well god give them wisdom that have it and those that are fools let them use their talents maria yet you will be hanged for being so long absent or to be turned away is not that as good as a hanging to you clown many a good hanging prevents a bad marriage and for turning away let summer bear it out maria you are resolute then clown not so neither but i am resolved on two points maria that if one break the other will hold or if both break your gaskins fall clown apt in good faith very apt well go thy way if sir toby would leave drinking thou wert as witty a piece of eve's flesh as any in illyria maria peace you rogue no more o that here comes my lady make your excuse wisely you were best exit clown wit an't be thy will put me into good fooling those wits that think they have thee do very oft prove fools and i that am sure i lack thee may pass for a wise man for what says quinapalus better a witty fool than a foolish wit' enter olivia with malvolio god bless thee lady olivia take the fool away clown do you not hear fellows take away the lady olivia go to you're a dry fool i'll no more of you besides you grow dishonest clown two faults madonna that drink and good counsel will amend for give the dry fool drink then is the fool not dry bid the dishonest man mend himself if he mend he is no longer dishonest if he cannot let the botcher mend him any thing that's mended is but patched virtue that transgresses is but patched with sin and sin that amends is but patched with virtue if that this simple syllogism will serve so if it will not what remedy as there is no true cuckold but calamity so beauty's a flower the lady bade take away the fool therefore i say again take her away olivia sir i bade them take away you clown misprision in the highest degree lady cucullus non facit monachum that's as much to say as i wear not motley in my brain good madonna give me leave to prove you a fool olivia can you do it clown dexterously good madonna olivia make your proof clown i must catechise you for it madonna good my mouse of virtue answer me olivia well sir for want of other idleness i'll bide your proof clown good madonna why mournest thou olivia good fool for my brother's death clown i think his soul is in hell madonna olivia i know his soul is in heaven fool clown the more fool madonna to mourn for your brother's soul being in heaven take away the fool gentlemen olivia what think you of this fool malvolio doth he not mend malvolio yes and shall do till the pangs of death shake him infirmity that decays the wise doth ever make the better fool clown god send you sir a speedy infirmity for the better increasing your folly sir toby will be sworn that i am no fox but he will not pass his word for two pence that you are no fool olivia how say you to that malvolio malvolio i marvel your ladyship takes delight in such a barren rascal i saw him put down the other day with an ordinary fool that has no more brain than a stone look you now he's out of his guard already unless you laugh and minister occasion to him he is gagged i protest i take these wise men that crow so at these set kind of fools no better than the fools zanies olivia oh you are sick of selflove malvolio and taste with a distempered appetite to be generous guiltless and of free disposition is to take those things for birdbolts that you deem cannonbullets there is no slander in an allowed fool though he do nothing but rail nor no railing in a known discreet man though he do nothing but reprove clown now mercury endue thee with leasing for thou speakest well of fools reenter maria maria madam there is at the gate a young gentleman much desires to speak with you olivia from the count orsino is it maria i know not madam tis a fair young man and well attended olivia who of my people hold him in delay maria sir toby madam your kinsman olivia fetch him off i pray you he speaks nothing but madman fie on him exit maria go you malvolio if it be a suit from the count i am sick or not at home what you will to dismiss it exit malvolio now you see sir how your fooling grows old and people dislike it clown thou hast spoke for us madonna as if thy eldest son should be a fool whose skull jove cram with brains forhere he comesone of thy kin has a most weak pia mater enter sir toby belch olivia by mine honour half drunk what is he at the gate cousin sir toby belch a gentleman olivia a gentleman what gentleman sir toby belch tis a gentle man herea plague o these pickleherring how now sot clown good sir toby olivia cousin cousin how have you come so early by this lethargy sir toby belch lechery i defy lechery there's one at the gate olivia ay marry what is he sir toby belch let him be the devil an he will i care not give me faith say i well it's all one exit olivia what's a drunken man like fool clown like a drowned man a fool and a mad man one draught above heat makes him a fool the second mads him and a third drowns him olivia go thou and seek the crowner and let him sit o my coz for he's in the third degree of drink he's drowned go look after him clown he is but mad yet madonna and the fool shall look to the madman exit reenter malvolio malvolio madam yond young fellow swears he will speak with you i told him you were sick he takes on him to understand so much and therefore comes to speak with you i told him you were asleep he seems to have a foreknowledge of that too and therefore comes to speak with you what is to be said to him lady he's fortified against any denial olivia tell him he shall not speak with me malvolio has been told so and he says he'll stand at your door like a sheriff's post and be the supporter to a bench but he'll speak with you olivia what kind o man is he malvolio why of mankind olivia what manner of man malvolio of very ill manner he'll speak with you will you or no olivia of what personage and years is he malvolio not yet old enough for a man nor young enough for a boy as a squash is before tis a peascod or a cooling when tis almost an apple tis with him in standing water between boy and man he is very wellfavoured and he speaks very shrewishly one would think his mother's milk were scarce out of him olivia let him approach call in my gentlewoman malvolio gentlewoman my lady calls exit reenter maria olivia give me my veil come throw it o'er my face we'll once more hear orsino's embassy enter viola and attendants viola the honourable lady of the house which is she olivia speak to me i shall answer for her your will viola most radiant exquisite and unmatchable beautyi pray you tell me if this be the lady of the house for i never saw her i would be loath to cast away my speech for besides that it is excellently well penned i have taken great pains to con it good beauties let me sustain no scorn i am very comptible even to the least sinister usage olivia whence came you sir viola i can say little more than i have studied and that question's out of my part good gentle one give me modest assurance if you be the lady of the house that i may proceed in my speech olivia are you a comedian viola no my profound heart and yet by the very fangs of malice i swear i am not that i play are you the lady of the house olivia if i do not usurp myself i am viola most certain if you are she you do usurp yourself for what is yours to bestow is not yours to reserve but this is from my commission i will on with my speech in your praise and then show you the heart of my message olivia come to what is important in't i forgive you the praise viola alas i took great pains to study it and tis poetical olivia it is the more like to be feigned i pray you keep it in i heard you were saucy at my gates and allowed your approach rather to wonder at you than to hear you if you be not mad be gone if you have reason be brief tis not that time of moon with me to make one in so skipping a dialogue maria will you hoist sail sir here lies your way viola no good swabber i am to hull here a little longer some mollification for your giant sweet lady tell me your mind i am a messenger olivia sure you have some hideous matter to deliver when the courtesy of it is so fearful speak your office viola it alone concerns your ear i bring no overture of war no taxation of homage i hold the olive in my hand my words are as fun of peace as matter olivia yet you began rudely what are you what would you viola the rudeness that hath appeared in me have i learned from my entertainment what i am and what i would are as secret as maidenhead to your ears divinity to any other's profanation olivia give us the place alone we will hear this divinity exeunt maria and attendants now sir what is your text viola most sweet lady olivia a comfortable doctrine and much may be said of it where lies your text viola in orsino's bosom olivia in his bosom in what chapter of his bosom viola to answer by the method in the first of his heart olivia o i have read it it is heresy have you no more to say viola good madam let me see your face olivia have you any commission from your lord to negotiate with my face you are now out of your text but we will draw the curtain and show you the picture look you sir such a one i was this present is't not well done unveiling viola excellently done if god did all olivia tis in grain sir twill endure wind and weather viola tis beauty truly blent whose red and white nature's own sweet and cunning hand laid on lady you are the cruell'st she alive if you will lead these graces to the grave and leave the world no copy olivia o sir i will not be so hardhearted i will give out divers schedules of my beauty it shall be inventoried and every particle and utensil labelled to my will as item two lips indifferent red item two grey eyes with lids to them item one neck one chin and so forth were you sent hither to praise me viola i see you what you are you are too proud but if you were the devil you are fair my lord and master loves you o such love could be but recompensed though you were crown'd the nonpareil of beauty olivia how does he love me viola with adorations fertile tears with groans that thunder love with sighs of fire olivia your lord does know my mind i cannot love him yet i suppose him virtuous know him noble of great estate of fresh and stainless youth in voices well divulged free learn'd and valiant and in dimension and the shape of nature a gracious person but yet i cannot love him he might have took his answer long ago viola if i did love you in my master's flame with such a suffering such a deadly life in your denial i would find no sense i would not understand it olivia why what would you viola make me a willow cabin at your gate and call upon my soul within the house write loyal cantons of contemned love and sing them loud even in the dead of night halloo your name to the reverberate hills and make the babbling gossip of the air cry out olivia o you should not rest between the elements of air and earth but you should pity me olivia you might do much what is your parentage viola above my fortunes yet my state is well i am a gentleman olivia get you to your lord i cannot love him let him send no more unless perchance you come to me again to tell me how he takes it fare you well i thank you for your pains spend this for me viola i am no fee'd post lady keep your purse my master not myself lacks recompense love make his heart of flint that you shall love and let your fervor like my master's be placed in contempt farewell fair cruelty exit olivia what is your parentage' above my fortunes yet my state is well i am a gentleman i'll be sworn thou art thy tongue thy face thy limbs actions and spirit do give thee fivefold blazon not too fast soft soft unless the master were the man how now even so quickly may one catch the plague methinks i feel this youth's perfections with an invisible and subtle stealth to creep in at mine eyes well let it be what ho malvolio reenter malvolio malvolio here madam at your service olivia run after that same peevish messenger the county's man he left this ring behind him would i or not tell him i'll none of it desire him not to flatter with his lord nor hold him up with hopes i am not for him if that the youth will come this way tomorrow i'll give him reasons for't hie thee malvolio malvolio madam i will exit olivia i do i know not what and fear to find mine eye too great a flatterer for my mind fate show thy force ourselves we do not owe what is decreed must be and be this so exit twelfth night act ii scene i the seacoast enter antonio and sebastian antonio will you stay no longer nor will you not that i go with you sebastian by your patience no my stars shine darkly over me the malignancy of my fate might perhaps distemper yours therefore i shall crave of you your leave that i may bear my evils alone it were a bad recompense for your love to lay any of them on you antonio let me yet know of you whither you are bound sebastian no sooth sir my determinate voyage is mere extravagancy but i perceive in you so excellent a touch of modesty that you will not extort from me what i am willing to keep in therefore it charges me in manners the rather to express myself you must know of me then antonio my name is sebastian which i called roderigo my father was that sebastian of messaline whom i know you have heard of he left behind him myself and a sister both born in an hour if the heavens had been pleased would we had so ended but you sir altered that for some hour before you took me from the breach of the sea was my sister drowned antonio alas the day sebastian a lady sir though it was said she much resembled me was yet of many accounted beautiful but though i could not with such estimable wonder overfar believe that yet thus far i will boldly publish her she bore a mind that envy could not but call fair she is drowned already sir with salt water though i seem to drown her remembrance again with more antonio pardon me sir your bad entertainment sebastian o good antonio forgive me your trouble antonio if you will not murder me for my love let me be your servant sebastian if you will not undo what you have done that is kill him whom you have recovered desire it not fare ye well at once my bosom is full of kindness and i am yet so near the manners of my mother that upon the least occasion more mine eyes will tell tales of me i am bound to the count orsino's court farewell exit antonio the gentleness of all the gods go with thee i have many enemies in orsino's court else would i very shortly see thee there but come what may i do adore thee so that danger shall seem sport and i will go exit twelfth night act ii scene ii a street enter viola malvolio following malvolio were not you even now with the countess olivia viola even now sir on a moderate pace i have since arrived but hither malvolio she returns this ring to you sir you might have saved me my pains to have taken it away yourself she adds moreover that you should put your lord into a desperate assurance she will none of him and one thing more that you be never so hardy to come again in his affairs unless it be to report your lord's taking of this receive it so viola she took the ring of me i'll none of it malvolio come sir you peevishly threw it to her and her will is it should be so returned if it be worth stooping for there it lies in your eye if not be it his that finds it exit viola i left no ring with her what means this lady fortune forbid my outside have not charm'd her she made good view of me indeed so much that sure methought her eyes had lost her tongue for she did speak in starts distractedly she loves me sure the cunning of her passion invites me in this churlish messenger none of my lord's ring why he sent her none i am the man if it be so as tis poor lady she were better love a dream disguise i see thou art a wickedness wherein the pregnant enemy does much how easy is it for the properfalse in women's waxen hearts to set their forms alas our frailty is the cause not we for such as we are made of such we be how will this fadge my master loves her dearly and i poor monster fond as much on him and she mistaken seems to dote on me what will become of this as i am man my state is desperate for my master's love as i am womannow alas the day what thriftless sighs shall poor olivia breathe o time thou must untangle this not i it is too hard a knot for me to untie exit twelfth night act ii scene iii olivia's house enter sir toby belch and sir andrew sir toby belch approach sir andrew not to be abed after midnight is to be up betimes and diluculo surgere thou know'st sir andrew nay my troth i know not but i know to be up late is to be up late sir toby belch a false conclusion i hate it as an unfilled can to be up after midnight and to go to bed then is early so that to go to bed after midnight is to go to bed betimes does not our life consist of the four elements sir andrew faith so they say but i think it rather consists of eating and drinking sir toby belch thou'rt a scholar let us therefore eat and drink marian i say a stoup of wine enter clown sir andrew here comes the fool i faith clown how now my hearts did you never see the picture of we three' sir toby belch welcome ass now let's have a catch sir andrew by my troth the fool has an excellent breast i had rather than forty shillings i had such a leg and so sweet a breath to sing as the fool has in sooth thou wast in very gracious fooling last night when thou spokest of pigrogromitus of the vapians passing the equinoctial of queubus twas very good i faith i sent thee sixpence for thy leman hadst it clown i did impeticos thy gratillity for malvolio's nose is no whipstock my lady has a white hand and the myrmidons are no bottleale houses sir andrew excellent why this is the best fooling when all is done now a song sir toby belch come on there is sixpence for you let's have a song sir andrew there's a testril of me too if one knight give a clown would you have a lovesong or a song of good life sir toby belch a lovesong a lovesong sir andrew ay ay i care not for good life clown sings o mistress mine where are you roaming o stay and hear your true love's coming that can sing both high and low trip no further pretty sweeting journeys end in lovers meeting every wise man's son doth know sir andrew excellent good i faith sir toby belch good good clown sings what is love tis not hereafter present mirth hath present laughter what's to come is still unsure in delay there lies no plenty then come kiss me sweet and twenty youth's a stuff will not endure sir andrew a mellifluous voice as i am true knight sir toby belch a contagious breath sir andrew very sweet and contagious i faith sir toby belch to hear by the nose it is dulcet in contagion but shall we make the welkin dance indeed shall we rouse the nightowl in a catch that will draw three souls out of one weaver shall we do that sir andrew an you love me let's do't i am dog at a catch clown by'r lady sir and some dogs will catch well sir andrew most certain let our catch be thou knave' clown hold thy peace thou knave knight i shall be constrained in't to call thee knave knight sir andrew tis not the first time i have constrained one to call me knave begin fool it begins hold thy peace' clown i shall never begin if i hold my peace sir andrew good i faith come begin catch sung enter maria maria what a caterwauling do you keep here if my lady have not called up her steward malvolio and bid him turn you out of doors never trust me sir toby belch my lady's a cataian we are politicians malvolio's a pegaramsey and three merry men be we am not i consanguineous am i not of her blood tillyvally lady sings there dwelt a man in babylon lady lady' clown beshrew me the knight's in admirable fooling sir andrew ay he does well enough if he be disposed and so do i too he does it with a better grace but i do it more natural sir toby belch sings o the twelfth day of december' maria for the love o god peace enter malvolio malvolio my masters are you mad or what are you have ye no wit manners nor honesty but to gabble like tinkers at this time of night do ye make an alehouse of my lady's house that ye squeak out your coziers catches without any mitigation or remorse of voice is there no respect of place persons nor time in you sir toby belch we did keep time sir in our catches sneck up malvolio sir toby i must be round with you my lady bade me tell you that though she harbours you as her kinsman she's nothing allied to your disorders if you can separate yourself and your misdemeanors you are welcome to the house if not an it would please you to take leave of her she is very willing to bid you farewell sir toby belch farewell dear heart since i must needs be gone' maria nay good sir toby clown his eyes do show his days are almost done' malvolio is't even so sir toby belch but i will never die' clown sir toby there you lie malvolio this is much credit to you sir toby belch shall i bid him go' clown what an if you do' sir toby belch shall i bid him go and spare not' clown o no no no no you dare not' sir toby belch out o tune sir ye lie art any more than a steward dost thou think because thou art virtuous there shall be no more cakes and ale clown yes by saint anne and ginger shall be hot i the mouth too sir toby belch thou'rt i the right go sir rub your chain with crumbs a stoup of wine maria malvolio mistress mary if you prized my lady's favour at any thing more than contempt you would not give means for this uncivil rule she shall know of it by this hand exit maria go shake your ears sir andrew twere as good a deed as to drink when a man's ahungry to challenge him the field and then to break promise with him and make a fool of him sir toby belch do't knight i'll write thee a challenge or i'll deliver thy indignation to him by word of mouth maria sweet sir toby be patient for tonight since the youth of the count's was today with thy lady she is much out of quiet for monsieur malvolio let me alone with him if i do not gull him into a nayword and make him a common recreation do not think i have wit enough to lie straight in my bed i know i can do it sir toby belch possess us possess us tell us something of him maria marry sir sometimes he is a kind of puritan sir andrew o if i thought that i'ld beat him like a dog sir toby belch what for being a puritan thy exquisite reason dear knight sir andrew i have no exquisite reason for't but i have reason good enough maria the devil a puritan that he is or any thing constantly but a timepleaser an affectioned ass that cons state without book and utters it by great swarths the best persuaded of himself so crammed as he thinks with excellencies that it is his grounds of faith that all that look on him love him and on that vice in him will my revenge find notable cause to work sir toby belch what wilt thou do maria i will drop in his way some obscure epistles of love wherein by the colour of his beard the shape of his leg the manner of his gait the expressure of his eye forehead and complexion he shall find himself most feelingly personated i can write very like my lady your niece on a forgotten matter we can hardly make distinction of our hands sir toby belch excellent i smell a device sir andrew i have't in my nose too sir toby belch he shall think by the letters that thou wilt drop that they come from my niece and that she's in love with him maria my purpose is indeed a horse of that colour sir andrew and your horse now would make him an ass maria ass i doubt not sir andrew o twill be admirable maria sport royal i warrant you i know my physic will work with him i will plant you two and let the fool make a third where he shall find the letter observe his construction of it for this night to bed and dream on the event farewell exit sir toby belch good night penthesilea sir andrew before me she's a good wench sir toby belch she's a beagle truebred and one that adores me what o that sir andrew i was adored once too sir toby belch let's to bed knight thou hadst need send for more money sir andrew if i cannot recover your niece i am a foul way out sir toby belch send for money knight if thou hast her not i' the end call me cut sir andrew if i do not never trust me take it how you will sir toby belch come come i'll go burn some sack tis too late to go to bed now come knight come knight exeunt twelfth night act ii scene iv duke orsino's palace enter duke orsino viola curio and others duke orsino give me some music now good morrow friends now good cesario but that piece of song that old and antique song we heard last night methought it did relieve my passion much more than light airs and recollected terms of these most brisk and giddypaced times come but one verse curio he is not here so please your lordship that should sing it duke orsino who was it curio feste the jester my lord a fool that the lady olivia's father took much delight in he is about the house duke orsino seek him out and play the tune the while exit curio music plays come hither boy if ever thou shalt love in the sweet pangs of it remember me for such as i am all true lovers are unstaid and skittish in all motions else save in the constant image of the creature that is beloved how dost thou like this tune viola it gives a very echo to the seat where love is throned duke orsino thou dost speak masterly my life upon't young though thou art thine eye hath stay'd upon some favour that it loves hath it not boy viola a little by your favour duke orsino what kind of woman is't viola of your complexion duke orsino she is not worth thee then what years i faith viola about your years my lord duke orsino too old by heaven let still the woman take an elder than herself so wears she to him so sways she level in her husband's heart for boy however we do praise ourselves our fancies are more giddy and unfirm more longing wavering sooner lost and worn than women's are viola i think it well my lord duke orsino then let thy love be younger than thyself or thy affection cannot hold the bent for women are as roses whose fair flower being once display'd doth fall that very hour viola and so they are alas that they are so to die even when they to perfection grow reenter curio and clown duke orsino o fellow come the song we had last night mark it cesario it is old and plain the spinsters and the knitters in the sun and the free maids that weave their thread with bones do use to chant it it is silly sooth and dallies with the innocence of love like the old age clown are you ready sir duke orsino ay prithee sing music song clown come away come away death and in sad cypress let me be laid fly away fly away breath i am slain by a fair cruel maid my shroud of white stuck all with yew o prepare it my part of death no one so true did share it not a flower not a flower sweet on my black coffin let there be strown not a friend not a friend greet my poor corpse where my bones shall be thrown a thousand thousand sighs to save lay me o where sad true lover never find my grave to weep there duke orsino there's for thy pains clown no pains sir i take pleasure in singing sir duke orsino i'll pay thy pleasure then clown truly sir and pleasure will be paid one time or another duke orsino give me now leave to leave thee clown now the melancholy god protect thee and the tailor make thy doublet of changeable taffeta for thy mind is a very opal i would have men of such constancy put to sea that their business might be every thing and their intent every where for that's it that always makes a good voyage of nothing farewell exit duke orsino let all the rest give place curio and attendants retire once more cesario get thee to yond same sovereign cruelty tell her my love more noble than the world prizes not quantity of dirty lands the parts that fortune hath bestow'd upon her tell her i hold as giddily as fortune but tis that miracle and queen of gems that nature pranks her in attracts my soul viola but if she cannot love you sir duke orsino i cannot be so answer'd viola sooth but you must say that some lady as perhaps there is hath for your love a great a pang of heart as you have for olivia you cannot love her you tell her so must she not then be answer'd duke orsino there is no woman's sides can bide the beating of so strong a passion as love doth give my heart no woman's heart so big to hold so much they lack retention alas their love may be call'd appetite no motion of the liver but the palate that suffer surfeit cloyment and revolt but mine is all as hungry as the sea and can digest as much make no compare between that love a woman can bear me and that i owe olivia viola ay but i know duke orsino what dost thou know viola too well what love women to men may owe in faith they are as true of heart as we my father had a daughter loved a man as it might be perhaps were i a woman i should your lordship duke orsino and what's her history viola a blank my lord she never told her love but let concealment like a worm i the bud feed on her damask cheek she pined in thought and with a green and yellow melancholy she sat like patience on a monument smiling at grief was not this love indeed we men may say more swear more but indeed our shows are more than will for still we prove much in our vows but little in our love duke orsino but died thy sister of her love my boy viola i am all the daughters of my father's house and all the brothers too and yet i know not sir shall i to this lady duke orsino ay that's the theme to her in haste give her this jewel say my love can give no place bide no denay exeunt twelfth night act ii scene v olivia's garden enter sir toby belch sir andrew and fabian sir toby belch come thy ways signior fabian fabian nay i'll come if i lose a scruple of this sport let me be boiled to death with melancholy sir toby belch wouldst thou not be glad to have the niggardly rascally sheepbiter come by some notable shame fabian i would exult man you know he brought me out o' favour with my lady about a bearbaiting here sir toby belch to anger him we'll have the bear again and we will fool him black and blue shall we not sir andrew sir andrew an we do not it is pity of our lives sir toby belch here comes the little villain enter maria how now my metal of india maria get ye all three into the boxtree malvolio's coming down this walk he has been yonder i the sun practising behavior to his own shadow this half hour observe him for the love of mockery for i know this letter will make a contemplative idiot of him close in the name of jesting lie thou there throws down a letter for here comes the trout that must be caught with tickling exit enter malvolio malvolio tis but fortune all is fortune maria once told me she did affect me and i have heard herself come thus near that should she fancy it should be one of my complexion besides she uses me with a more exalted respect than any one else that follows her what should i think on't sir toby belch here's an overweening rogue fabian o peace contemplation makes a rare turkeycock of him how he jets under his advanced plumes sir andrew slight i could so beat the rogue sir toby belch peace i say malvolio to be count malvolio sir toby belch ah rogue sir andrew pistol him pistol him sir toby belch peace peace malvolio there is example for't the lady of the strachy married the yeoman of the wardrobe sir andrew fie on him jezebel fabian o peace now he's deeply in look how imagination blows him malvolio having been three months married to her sitting in my state sir toby belch o for a stonebow to hit him in the eye malvolio calling my officers about me in my branched velvet gown having come from a daybed where i have left olivia sleeping sir toby belch fire and brimstone fabian o peace peace malvolio and then to have the humour of state and after a demure travel of regard telling them i know my place as i would they should do theirs to for my kinsman toby sir toby belch bolts and shackles fabian o peace peace peace now now malvolio seven of my people with an obedient start make out for him i frown the while and perchance wind up watch or play with mysome rich jewel toby approaches courtesies there to me sir toby belch shall this fellow live fabian though our silence be drawn from us with cars yet peace malvolio i extend my hand to him thus quenching my familiar smile with an austere regard of control sir toby belch and does not toby take you a blow o the lips then malvolio saying cousin toby my fortunes having cast me on your niece give me this prerogative of speech' sir toby belch what what malvolio you must amend your drunkenness' sir toby belch out scab fabian nay patience or we break the sinews of our plot malvolio besides you waste the treasure of your time with a foolish knight' sir andrew that's me i warrant you malvolio one sir andrew' sir andrew i knew twas i for many do call me fool malvolio what employment have we here taking up the letter fabian now is the woodcock near the gin sir toby belch o peace and the spirit of humour intimate reading aloud to him malvolio by my life this is my lady's hand these be her very c's her u's and her t's and thus makes she her great p's it is in contempt of question her hand sir andrew her c's her u's and her t's why that malvolio reads to the unknown beloved this and my good wishes'her very phrases by your leave wax soft and the impressure her lucrece with which she uses to seal tis my lady to whom should this be fabian this wins him liver and all malvolio reads jove knows i love but who lips do not move no man must know no man must know what follows the numbers altered no man must know if this should be thee malvolio sir toby belch marry hang thee brock malvolio reads i may command where i adore but silence like a lucrece knife with bloodless stroke my heart doth gore m o a i doth sway my life fabian a fustian riddle sir toby belch excellent wench say i malvolio m o a i doth sway my life nay but first let me see let me see let me see fabian what dish o poison has she dressed him sir toby belch and with what wing the staniel cheques at it malvolio i may command where i adore why she may command me i serve her she is my lady why this is evident to any formal capacity there is no obstruction in this and the endwhat should that alphabetical position portend if i could make that resemble something in mesoftly m o a i sir toby belch o ay make up that he is now at a cold scent fabian sowter will cry upon't for all this though it be as rank as a fox malvolio mmalvolio mwhy that begins my name fabian did not i say he would work it out the cur is excellent at faults malvolio mbut then there is no consonancy in the sequel that suffers under probation a should follow but o does fabian and o shall end i hope sir toby belch ay or i'll cudgel him and make him cry o malvolio and then i comes behind fabian ay an you had any eye behind you you might see more detraction at your heels than fortunes before you malvolio m o a i this simulation is not as the former and yet to crush this a little it would bow to me for every one of these letters are in my name soft here follows prose reads if this fall into thy hand revolve in my stars i am above thee but be not afraid of greatness some are born great some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon em thy fates open their hands let thy blood and spirit embrace them and to inure thyself to what thou art like to be cast thy humble slough and appear fresh be opposite with a kinsman surly with servants let thy tongue tang arguments of state put thyself into the trick of singularity she thus advises thee that sighs for thee remember who commended thy yellow stockings and wished to see thee ever crossgartered i say remember go to thou art made if thou desirest to be so if not let me see thee a steward still the fellow of servants and not worthy to touch fortune's fingers farewell she that would alter services with thee the fortunateunhappy' daylight and champaign discovers not more this is open i will be proud i will read politic authors i will baffle sir toby i will wash off gross acquaintance i will be pointdevise the very man i do not now fool myself to let imagination jade me for every reason excites to this that my lady loves me she did commend my yellow stockings of late she did praise my leg being crossgartered and in this she manifests herself to my love and with a kind of injunction drives me to these habits of her liking i thank my stars i am happy i will be strange stout in yellow stockings and crossgartered even with the swiftness of putting on jove and my stars be praised here is yet a postscript reads thou canst not choose but know who i am if thou entertainest my love let it appear in thy smiling thy smiles become thee well therefore in my presence still smile dear my sweet i prithee' jove i thank thee i will smile i will do everything that thou wilt have me exit fabian i will not give my part of this sport for a pension of thousands to be paid from the sophy sir toby belch i could marry this wench for this device sir andrew so could i too sir toby belch and ask no other dowry with her but such another jest sir andrew nor i neither fabian here comes my noble gullcatcher reenter maria sir toby belch wilt thou set thy foot o my neck sir andrew or o mine either sir toby belch shall i play my freedom at traytrip and become thy bondslave sir andrew i faith or i either sir toby belch why thou hast put him in such a dream that when the image of it leaves him he must run mad maria nay but say true does it work upon him sir toby belch like aquavitae with a midwife maria if you will then see the fruits of the sport mark his first approach before my lady he will come to her in yellow stockings and tis a colour she abhors and crossgartered a fashion she detests and he will smile upon her which will now be so unsuitable to her disposition being addicted to a melancholy as she is that it cannot but turn him into a notable contempt if you will see it follow me sir toby belch to the gates of tartar thou most excellent devil of wit sir andrew i'll make one too exeunt twelfth night act iii scene i olivia's garden enter viola and clown with a tabour viola save thee friend and thy music dost thou live by thy tabour clown no sir i live by the church viola art thou a churchman clown no such matter sir i do live by the church for i do live at my house and my house doth stand by the church viola so thou mayst say the king lies by a beggar if a beggar dwell near him or the church stands by thy tabour if thy tabour stand by the church clown you have said sir to see this age a sentence is but a cheveril glove to a good wit how quickly the wrong side may be turned outward viola nay that's certain they that dally nicely with words may quickly make them wanton clown i would therefore my sister had had no name sir viola why man clown why sir her name's a word and to dally with that word might make my sister wanton but indeed words are very rascals since bonds disgraced them viola thy reason man clown troth sir i can yield you none without words and words are grown so false i am loath to prove reason with them viola i warrant thou art a merry fellow and carest for nothing clown not so sir i do care for something but in my conscience sir i do not care for you if that be to care for nothing sir i would it would make you invisible viola art not thou the lady olivia's fool clown no indeed sir the lady olivia has no folly she will keep no fool sir till she be married and fools are as like husbands as pilchards are to herrings the husband's the bigger i am indeed not her fool but her corrupter of words viola i saw thee late at the count orsino's clown foolery sir does walk about the orb like the sun it shines every where i would be sorry sir but the fool should be as oft with your master as with my mistress i think i saw your wisdom there viola nay an thou pass upon me i'll no more with thee hold there's expenses for thee clown now jove in his next commodity of hair send thee a beard viola by my troth i'll tell thee i am almost sick for one aside though i would not have it grow on my chin is thy lady within clown would not a pair of these have bred sir viola yes being kept together and put to use clown i would play lord pandarus of phrygia sir to bring a cressida to this troilus viola i understand you sir tis well begged clown the matter i hope is not great sir begging but a beggar cressida was a beggar my lady is within sir i will construe to them whence you come who you are and what you would are out of my welkin i might say element but the word is overworn exit viola this fellow is wise enough to play the fool and to do that well craves a kind of wit he must observe their mood on whom he jests the quality of persons and the time and like the haggard cheque at every feather that comes before his eye this is a practise as full of labour as a wise man's art for folly that he wisely shows is fit but wise men follyfall'n quite taint their wit enter sir toby belch and sir andrew sir toby belch save you gentleman viola and you sir sir andrew dieu vous garde monsieur viola et vous aussi votre serviteur sir andrew i hope sir you are and i am yours sir toby belch will you encounter the house my niece is desirous you should enter if your trade be to her viola i am bound to your niece sir i mean she is the list of my voyage sir toby belch taste your legs sir put them to motion viola my legs do better understand me sir than i understand what you mean by bidding me taste my legs sir toby belch i mean to go sir to enter viola i will answer you with gait and entrance but we are prevented enter olivia and maria most excellent accomplished lady the heavens rain odours on you sir andrew that youth's a rare courtier rain odours well viola my matter hath no voice to your own most pregnant and vouchsafed ear sir andrew odours pregnant and vouchsafed i'll get em all three all ready olivia let the garden door be shut and leave me to my hearing exeunt sir toby belch sir andrew and maria give me your hand sir viola my duty madam and most humble service olivia what is your name viola cesario is your servant's name fair princess olivia my servant sir twas never merry world since lowly feigning was call'd compliment you're servant to the count orsino youth viola and he is yours and his must needs be yours your servant's servant is your servant madam olivia for him i think not on him for his thoughts would they were blanks rather than fill'd with me viola madam i come to whet your gentle thoughts on his behalf olivia o by your leave i pray you i bade you never speak again of him but would you undertake another suit i had rather hear you to solicit that than music from the spheres viola dear lady olivia give me leave beseech you i did send after the last enchantment you did here a ring in chase of you so did i abuse myself my servant and i fear me you under your hard construction must i sit to force that on you in a shameful cunning which you knew none of yours what might you think have you not set mine honour at the stake and baited it with all the unmuzzled thoughts that tyrannous heart can think to one of your receiving enough is shown a cypress not a bosom hideth my heart so let me hear you speak viola i pity you olivia that's a degree to love viola no not a grize for tis a vulgar proof that very oft we pity enemies olivia why then methinks tis time to smile again o world how apt the poor are to be proud if one should be a prey how much the better to fall before the lion than the wolf clock strikes the clock upbraids me with the waste of time be not afraid good youth i will not have you and yet when wit and youth is come to harvest your were is alike to reap a proper man there lies your way due west viola then westwardho grace and good disposition attend your ladyship you'll nothing madam to my lord by me olivia stay i prithee tell me what thou thinkest of me viola that you do think you are not what you are olivia if i think so i think the same of you viola then think you right i am not what i am olivia i would you were as i would have you be viola would it be better madam than i am i wish it might for now i am your fool olivia o what a deal of scorn looks beautiful in the contempt and anger of his lip a murderous guilt shows not itself more soon than love that would seem hid love's night is noon cesario by the roses of the spring by maidhood honour truth and every thing i love thee so that maugre all thy pride nor wit nor reason can my passion hide do not extort thy reasons from this clause for that i woo thou therefore hast no cause but rather reason thus with reason fetter love sought is good but given unsought better viola by innocence i swear and by my youth i have one heart one bosom and one truth and that no woman has nor never none shall mistress be of it save i alone and so adieu good madam never more will i my master's tears to you deplore olivia yet come again for thou perhaps mayst move that heart which now abhors to like his love exeunt twelfth night act iii scene ii olivia's house enter sir toby belch sir andrew and fabian sir andrew no faith i'll not stay a jot longer sir toby belch thy reason dear venom give thy reason fabian you must needs yield your reason sir andrew sir andrew marry i saw your niece do more favours to the count's servingman than ever she bestowed upon me i saw't i the orchard sir toby belch did she see thee the while old boy tell me that sir andrew as plain as i see you now fabian this was a great argument of love in her toward you sir andrew slight will you make an ass o me fabian i will prove it legitimate sir upon the oaths of judgment and reason sir toby belch and they have been grandjurymen since before noah was a sailor fabian she did show favour to the youth in your sight only to exasperate you to awake your dormouse valour to put fire in your heart and brimstone in your liver you should then have accosted her and with some excellent jests firenew from the mint you should have banged the youth into dumbness this was looked for at your hand and this was balked the double gilt of this opportunity you let time wash off and you are now sailed into the north of my lady's opinion where you will hang like an icicle on a dutchman's beard unless you do redeem it by some laudable attempt either of valour or policy sir andrew an't be any way it must be with valour for policy i hate i had as lief be a brownist as a politician sir toby belch why then build me thy fortunes upon the basis of valour challenge me the count's youth to fight with him hurt him in eleven places my niece shall take note of it and assure thyself there is no lovebroker in the world can more prevail in man's commendation with woman than report of valour fabian there is no way but this sir andrew sir andrew will either of you bear me a challenge to him sir toby belch go write it in a martial hand be curst and brief it is no matter how witty so it be eloquent and fun of invention taunt him with the licence of ink if thou thou'st him some thrice it shall not be amiss and as many lies as will lie in thy sheet of paper although the sheet were big enough for the bed of ware in england set em down go about it let there be gall enough in thy ink though thou write with a goosepen no matter about it sir andrew where shall i find you sir toby belch we'll call thee at the cubiculo go exit sir andrew fabian this is a dear manikin to you sir toby sir toby belch i have been dear to him lad some two thousand strong or so fabian we shall have a rare letter from him but you'll not deliver't sir toby belch never trust me then and by all means stir on the youth to an answer i think oxen and wainropes cannot hale them together for andrew if he were opened and you find so much blood in his liver as will clog the foot of a flea i'll eat the rest of the anatomy fabian and his opposite the youth bears in his visage no great presage of cruelty enter maria sir toby belch look where the youngest wren of nine comes maria if you desire the spleen and will laugh yourself into stitches follow me yond gull malvolio is turned heathen a very renegado for there is no christian that means to be saved by believing rightly can ever believe such impossible passages of grossness he's in yellow stockings sir toby belch and crossgartered maria most villanously like a pedant that keeps a school i the church i have dogged him like his murderer he does obey every point of the letter that i dropped to betray him he does smile his face into more lines than is in the new map with the augmentation of the indies you have not seen such a thing as tis i can hardly forbear hurling things at him i know my lady will strike him if she do he'll smile and take't for a great favour sir toby belch come bring us bring us where he is exeunt twelfth night act iii scene iii a street enter sebastian and antonio sebastian i would not by my will have troubled you but since you make your pleasure of your pains i will no further chide you antonio i could not stay behind you my desire more sharp than filed steel did spur me forth and not all love to see you though so much as might have drawn one to a longer voyage but jealousy what might befall your travel being skilless in these parts which to a stranger unguided and unfriended often prove rough and unhospitable my willing love the rather by these arguments of fear set forth in your pursuit sebastian my kind antonio i can no other answer make but thanks and thanks and ever oft good turns are shuffled off with such uncurrent pay but were my worth as is my conscience firm you should find better dealing what's to do shall we go see the reliques of this town antonio tomorrow sir best first go see your lodging sebastian i am not weary and tis long to night i pray you let us satisfy our eyes with the memorials and the things of fame that do renown this city antonio would you'ld pardon me i do not without danger walk these streets once in a seafight gainst the count his galleys i did some service of such note indeed that were i ta'en here it would scarce be answer'd sebastian belike you slew great number of his people antonio the offence is not of such a bloody nature albeit the quality of the time and quarrel might well have given us bloody argument it might have since been answer'd in repaying what we took from them which for traffic's sake most of our city did only myself stood out for which if i be lapsed in this place i shall pay dear sebastian do not then walk too open antonio it doth not fit me hold sir here's my purse in the south suburbs at the elephant is best to lodge i will bespeak our diet whiles you beguile the time and feed your knowledge with viewing of the town there shall you have me sebastian why i your purse antonio haply your eye shall light upon some toy you have desire to purchase and your store i think is not for idle markets sir sebastian i'll be your pursebearer and leave you for an hour antonio to the elephant sebastian i do remember exeunt twelfth night act iii scene iv olivia's garden enter olivia and maria olivia i have sent after him he says he'll come how shall i feast him what bestow of him for youth is bought more oft than begg'd or borrow'd i speak too loud where is malvolio he is sad and civil and suits well for a servant with my fortunes where is malvolio maria he's coming madam but in very strange manner he is sure possessed madam olivia why what's the matter does he rave maria no madam he does nothing but smile your ladyship were best to have some guard about you if he come for sure the man is tainted in's wits olivia go call him hither exit maria i am as mad as he if sad and merry madness equal be reenter maria with malvolio how now malvolio malvolio sweet lady ho ho olivia smilest thou i sent for thee upon a sad occasion malvolio sad lady i could be sad this does make some obstruction in the blood this crossgartering but what of that if it please the eye of one it is with me as the very true sonnet is please one and please all' olivia why how dost thou man what is the matter with thee malvolio not black in my mind though yellow in my legs it did come to his hands and commands shall be executed i think we do know the sweet roman hand olivia wilt thou go to bed malvolio malvolio to bed ay sweetheart and i'll come to thee olivia god comfort thee why dost thou smile so and kiss thy hand so oft maria how do you malvolio malvolio at your request yes nightingales answer daws maria why appear you with this ridiculous boldness before my lady malvolio be not afraid of greatness twas well writ olivia what meanest thou by that malvolio malvolio some are born great' olivia ha malvolio some achieve greatness' olivia what sayest thou malvolio and some have greatness thrust upon them' olivia heaven restore thee malvolio remember who commended thy yellow stockings' olivia thy yellow stockings malvolio and wished to see thee crossgartered' olivia crossgartered malvolio go to thou art made if thou desirest to be so' olivia am i made malvolio if not let me see thee a servant still' olivia why this is very midsummer madness enter servant servant madam the young gentleman of the count orsino's is returned i could hardly entreat him back he attends your ladyship's pleasure olivia i'll come to him exit servant good maria let this fellow be looked to where's my cousin toby let some of my people have a special care of him i would not have him miscarry for the half of my dowry exeunt olivia and maria malvolio o ho do you come near me now no worse man than sir toby to look to me this concurs directly with the letter she sends him on purpose that i may appear stubborn to him for she incites me to that in the letter cast thy humble slough says she be opposite with a kinsman surly with servants let thy tongue tang with arguments of state put thyself into the trick of singularity and consequently sets down the manner how as a sad face a reverend carriage a slow tongue in the habit of some sir of note and so forth i have limed her but it is jove's doing and jove make me thankful and when she went away now let this fellow be looked to fellow not malvolio nor after my degree but fellow why every thing adheres together that no dram of a scruple no scruple of a scruple no obstacle no incredulous or unsafe circumstancewhat can be said nothing that can be can come between me and the full prospect of my hopes well jove not i is the doer of this and he is to be thanked reenter maria with sir toby belch and fabian sir toby belch which way is he in the name of sanctity if all the devils of hell be drawn in little and legion himself possessed him yet i'll speak to him fabian here he is here he is how is't with you sir how is't with you man malvolio go off i discard you let me enjoy my private go off maria lo how hollow the fiend speaks within him did not i tell you sir toby my lady prays you to have a care of him malvolio ah ha does she so sir toby belch go to go to peace peace we must deal gently with him let me alone how do you malvolio how is't with you what man defy the devil consider he's an enemy to mankind malvolio do you know what you say maria la you an you speak ill of the devil how he takes it at heart pray god he be not bewitched fabian carry his water to the wise woman maria marry and it shall be done tomorrow morning if i live my lady would not lose him for more than i'll say malvolio how now mistress maria o lord sir toby belch prithee hold thy peace this is not the way do you not see you move him let me alone with him fabian no way but gentleness gently gently the fiend is rough and will not be roughly used sir toby belch why how now my bawcock how dost thou chuck malvolio sir sir toby belch ay biddy come with me what man tis not for gravity to play at cherrypit with satan hang him foul collier maria get him to say his prayers good sir toby get him to pray malvolio my prayers minx maria no i warrant you he will not hear of godliness malvolio go hang yourselves all you are idle shallow things i am not of your element you shall know more hereafter exit sir toby belch is't possible fabian if this were played upon a stage now i could condemn it as an improbable fiction sir toby belch his very genius hath taken the infection of the device man maria nay pursue him now lest the device take air and taint fabian why we shall make him mad indeed maria the house will be the quieter sir toby belch come we'll have him in a dark room and bound my niece is already in the belief that he's mad we may carry it thus for our pleasure and his penance till our very pastime tired out of breath prompt us to have mercy on him at which time we will bring the device to the bar and crown thee for a finder of madmen but see but see enter sir andrew fabian more matter for a may morning sir andrew here's the challenge read it warrant there's vinegar and pepper in't fabian is't so saucy sir andrew ay is't i warrant him do but read sir toby belch give me reads youth whatsoever thou art thou art but a scurvy fellow' fabian good and valiant sir toby belch reads wonder not nor admire not in thy mind why i do call thee so for i will show thee no reason for't' fabian a good note that keeps you from the blow of the law sir toby belch reads thou comest to the lady olivia and in my sight she uses thee kindly but thou liest in thy throat that is not the matter i challenge thee for' fabian very brief and to exceeding good senseless sir toby belch reads i will waylay thee going home where if it be thy chance to kill me' fabian good sir toby belch reads thou killest me like a rogue and a villain' fabian still you keep o the windy side of the law good sir toby belch reads fare thee well and god have mercy upon one of our souls he may have mercy upon mine but my hope is better and so look to thyself thy friend as thou usest him and thy sworn enemy andrew aguecheek if this letter move him not his legs cannot i'll give't him maria you may have very fit occasion for't he is now in some commerce with my lady and will by and by depart sir toby belch go sir andrew scout me for him at the corner the orchard like a bumbaily so soon as ever thou seest him draw and as thou drawest swear horrible for it comes to pass oft that a terrible oath with a swaggering accent sharply twanged off gives manhood more approbation than ever proof itself would have earned him away sir andrew nay let me alone for swearing exit sir toby belch now will not i deliver his letter for the behavior of the young gentleman gives him out to be of good capacity and breeding his employment between his lord and my niece confirms no less therefore this letter being so excellently ignorant will breed no terror in the youth he will find it comes from a clodpole but sir i will deliver his challenge by word of mouth set upon aguecheek a notable report of valour and drive the gentleman as i know his youth will aptly receive it into a most hideous opinion of his rage skill fury and impetuosity this will so fright them both that they will kill one another by the look like cockatrices reenter olivia with viola fabian here he comes with your niece give them way till he take leave and presently after him sir toby belch i will meditate the while upon some horrid message for a challenge exeunt sir toby belch fabian and maria olivia i have said too much unto a heart of stone and laid mine honour too unchary out there's something in me that reproves my fault but such a headstrong potent fault it is that it but mocks reproof viola with the same havior that your passion bears goes on my master's grief olivia here wear this jewel for me tis my picture refuse it not it hath no tongue to vex you and i beseech you come again tomorrow what shall you ask of me that i'll deny that honour saved may upon asking give viola nothing but this your true love for my master olivia how with mine honour may i give him that which i have given to you viola i will acquit you olivia well come again tomorrow fare thee well a fiend like thee might bear my soul to hell exit reenter sir toby belch and fabian sir toby belch gentleman god save thee viola and you sir sir toby belch that defence thou hast betake thee to't of what nature the wrongs are thou hast done him i know not but thy intercepter full of despite bloody as the hunter attends thee at the orchardend dismount thy tuck be yare in thy preparation for thy assailant is quick skilful and deadly viola you mistake sir i am sure no man hath any quarrel to me my remembrance is very free and clear from any image of offence done to any man sir toby belch you'll find it otherwise i assure you therefore if you hold your life at any price betake you to your guard for your opposite hath in him what youth strength skill and wrath can furnish man withal viola i pray you sir what is he sir toby belch he is knight dubbed with unhatched rapier and on carpet consideration but he is a devil in private brawl souls and bodies hath he divorced three and his incensement at this moment is so implacable that satisfaction can be none but by pangs of death and sepulchre hob nob is his word give't or take't viola i will return again into the house and desire some conduct of the lady i am no fighter i have heard of some kind of men that put quarrels purposely on others to taste their valour belike this is a man of that quirk sir toby belch sir no his indignation derives itself out of a very competent injury therefore get you on and give him his desire back you shall not to the house unless you undertake that with me which with as much safety you might answer him therefore on or strip your sword stark naked for meddle you must that's certain or forswear to wear iron about you viola this is as uncivil as strange i beseech you do me this courteous office as to know of the knight what my offence to him is it is something of my negligence nothing of my purpose sir toby belch i will do so signior fabian stay you by this gentleman till my return exit viola pray you sir do you know of this matter fabian i know the knight is incensed against you even to a mortal arbitrement but nothing of the circumstance more viola i beseech you what manner of man is he fabian nothing of that wonderful promise to read him by his form as you are like to find him in the proof of his valour he is indeed sir the most skilful bloody and fatal opposite that you could possibly have found in any part of illyria will you walk towards him i will make your peace with him if i can viola i shall be much bound to you for't i am one that had rather go with sir priest than sir knight i care not who knows so much of my mettle exeunt reenter sir toby belch with sir andrew sir toby belch why man he's a very devil i have not seen such a firago i had a pass with him rapier scabbard and all and he gives me the stuck in with such a mortal motion that it is inevitable and on the answer he pays you as surely as your feet hit the ground they step on they say he has been fencer to the sophy sir andrew pox on't i'll not meddle with him sir toby belch ay but he will not now be pacified fabian can scarce hold him yonder sir andrew plague on't an i thought he had been valiant and so cunning in fence i'ld have seen him damned ere i'ld have challenged him let him let the matter slip and i'll give him my horse grey capilet sir toby belch i'll make the motion stand here make a good show on't this shall end without the perdition of souls aside marry i'll ride your horse as well as i ride you reenter fabian and viola to fabian i have his horse to take up the quarrel i have persuaded him the youth's a devil fabian he is as horribly conceited of him and pants and looks pale as if a bear were at his heels sir toby belch to viola there's no remedy sir he will fight with you for's oath sake marry he hath better bethought him of his quarrel and he finds that now scarce to be worth talking of therefore draw for the supportance of his vow he protests he will not hurt you viola aside pray god defend me a little thing would make me tell them how much i lack of a man fabian give ground if you see him furious sir toby belch come sir andrew there's no remedy the gentleman will for his honour's sake have one bout with you he cannot by the duello avoid it but he has promised me as he is a gentleman and a soldier he will not hurt you come on to't sir andrew pray god he keep his oath viola i do assure you tis against my will they draw enter antonio antonio put up your sword if this young gentleman have done offence i take the fault on me if you offend him i for him defy you sir toby belch you sir why what are you antonio one sir that for his love dares yet do more than you have heard him brag to you he will sir toby belch nay if you be an undertaker i am for you they draw enter officers fabian o good sir toby hold here come the officers sir toby belch i'll be with you anon viola pray sir put your sword up if you please sir andrew marry will i sir and for that i promised you i'll be as good as my word he will bear you easily and reins well first officer this is the man do thy office second officer antonio i arrest thee at the suit of count orsino antonio you do mistake me sir first officer no sir no jot i know your favour well though now you have no seacap on your head take him away he knows i know him well antonio i must obey to viola this comes with seeking you but there's no remedy i shall answer it what will you do now my necessity makes me to ask you for my purse it grieves me much more for what i cannot do for you than what befalls myself you stand amazed but be of comfort second officer come sir away antonio i must entreat of you some of that money viola what money sir for the fair kindness you have show'd me here and part being prompted by your present trouble out of my lean and low ability i'll lend you something my having is not much i'll make division of my present with you hold there's half my coffer antonio will you deny me now is't possible that my deserts to you can lack persuasion do not tempt my misery lest that it make me so unsound a man as to upbraid you with those kindnesses that i have done for you viola i know of none nor know i you by voice or any feature i hate ingratitude more in a man than lying vainness babbling drunkenness or any taint of vice whose strong corruption inhabits our frail blood antonio o heavens themselves second officer come sir i pray you go antonio let me speak a little this youth that you see here i snatch'd one half out of the jaws of death relieved him with such sanctity of love and to his image which methought did promise most venerable worth did i devotion first officer what's that to us the time goes by away antonio but o how vile an idol proves this god thou hast sebastian done good feature shame in nature there's no blemish but the mind none can be call'd deform'd but the unkind virtue is beauty but the beauteous evil are empty trunks o'erflourish'd by the devil first officer the man grows mad away with him come come sir antonio lead me on exit with officers viola methinks his words do from such passion fly that he believes himself so do not i prove true imagination o prove true that i dear brother be now ta'en for you sir toby belch come hither knight come hither fabian we'll whisper o'er a couplet or two of most sage saws viola he named sebastian i my brother know yet living in my glass even such and so in favour was my brother and he went still in this fashion colour ornament for him i imitate o if it prove tempests are kind and salt waves fresh in love exit sir toby belch a very dishonest paltry boy and more a coward than a hare his dishonesty appears in leaving his friend here in necessity and denying him and for his cowardship ask fabian fabian a coward a most devout coward religious in it sir andrew slid i'll after him again and beat him sir toby belch do cuff him soundly but never draw thy sword sir andrew an i do not fabian come let's see the event sir toby belch i dare lay any money twill be nothing yet exeunt twelfth night act iv scene i before olivia's house enter sebastian and clown clown will you make me believe that i am not sent for you sebastian go to go to thou art a foolish fellow let me be clear of thee clown well held out i faith no i do not know you nor i am not sent to you by my lady to bid you come speak with her nor your name is not master cesario nor this is not my nose neither nothing that is so is so sebastian i prithee vent thy folly somewhere else thou know'st not me clown vent my folly he has heard that word of some great man and now applies it to a fool vent my folly i am afraid this great lubber the world will prove a cockney i prithee now ungird thy strangeness and tell me what i shall vent to my lady shall i vent to her that thou art coming sebastian i prithee foolish greek depart from me there's money for thee if you tarry longer i shall give worse payment clown by my troth thou hast an open hand these wise men that give fools money get themselves a good reportafter fourteen years purchase enter sir andrew sir toby belch and fabian sir andrew now sir have i met you again there's for you sebastian why there's for thee and there and there are all the people mad sir toby belch hold sir or i'll throw your dagger o'er the house clown this will i tell my lady straight i would not be in some of your coats for two pence exit sir toby belch come on sir hold sir andrew nay let him alone i'll go another way to work with him i'll have an action of battery against him if there be any law in illyria though i struck him first yet it's no matter for that sebastian let go thy hand sir toby belch come sir i will not let you go come my young soldier put up your iron you are well fleshed come on sebastian i will be free from thee what wouldst thou now if thou darest tempt me further draw thy sword sir toby belch what what nay then i must have an ounce or two of this malapert blood from you enter olivia olivia hold toby on thy life i charge thee hold sir toby belch madam olivia will it be ever thus ungracious wretch fit for the mountains and the barbarous caves where manners ne'er were preach'd out of my sight be not offended dear cesario rudesby be gone exeunt sir toby belch sir andrew and fabian i prithee gentle friend let thy fair wisdom not thy passion sway in this uncivil and thou unjust extent against thy peace go with me to my house and hear thou there how many fruitless pranks this ruffian hath botch'd up that thou thereby mayst smile at this thou shalt not choose but go do not deny beshrew his soul for me he started one poor heart of mine in thee sebastian what relish is in this how runs the stream or i am mad or else this is a dream let fancy still my sense in lethe steep if it be thus to dream still let me sleep olivia nay come i prithee would thou'ldst be ruled by me sebastian madam i will olivia o say so and so be exeunt twelfth night act iv scene ii olivia's house enter maria and clown maria nay i prithee put on this gown and this beard make him believe thou art sir topas the curate do it quickly i'll call sir toby the whilst exit clown well i'll put it on and i will dissemble myself in't and i would i were the first that ever dissembled in such a gown i am not tall enough to become the function well nor lean enough to be thought a good student but to be said an honest man and a good housekeeper goes as fairly as to say a careful man and a great scholar the competitors enter enter sir toby belch and maria sir toby belch jove bless thee master parson clown bonos dies sir toby for as the old hermit of prague that never saw pen and ink very wittily said to a niece of king gorboduc that that is is' so i being master parson am master parson for what is that but that and is but is' sir toby belch to him sir topas clown what ho i say peace in this prison sir toby belch the knave counterfeits well a good knave malvolio within who calls there clown sir topas the curate who comes to visit malvolio the lunatic malvolio sir topas sir topas good sir topas go to my lady clown out hyperbolical fiend how vexest thou this man talkest thou nothing but of ladies sir toby belch well said master parson malvolio sir topas never was man thus wronged good sir topas do not think i am mad they have laid me here in hideous darkness clown fie thou dishonest satan i call thee by the most modest terms for i am one of those gentle ones that will use the devil himself with courtesy sayest thou that house is dark malvolio as hell sir topas clown why it hath bay windows transparent as barricadoes and the clearstores toward the south north are as lustrous as ebony and yet complainest thou of obstruction malvolio i am not mad sir topas i say to you this house is dark clown madman thou errest i say there is no darkness but ignorance in which thou art more puzzled than the egyptians in their fog malvolio i say this house is as dark as ignorance though ignorance were as dark as hell and i say there was never man thus abused i am no more mad than you are make the trial of it in any constant question clown what is the opinion of pythagoras concerning wild fowl malvolio that the soul of our grandam might haply inhabit a bird clown what thinkest thou of his opinion malvolio i think nobly of the soul and no way approve his opinion clown fare thee well remain thou still in darkness thou shalt hold the opinion of pythagoras ere i will allow of thy wits and fear to kill a woodcock lest thou dispossess the soul of thy grandam fare thee well malvolio sir topas sir topas sir toby belch my most exquisite sir topas clown nay i am for all waters maria thou mightst have done this without thy beard and gown he sees thee not sir toby belch to him in thine own voice and bring me word how thou findest him i would we were well rid of this knavery if he may be conveniently delivered i would he were for i am now so far in offence with my niece that i cannot pursue with any safety this sport to the upshot come by and by to my chamber exeunt sir toby belch and maria clown singing hey robin jolly robin tell me how thy lady does' malvolio fool clown my lady is unkind perdy' malvolio fool clown alas why is she so' malvolio fool i say clown she loves another'who calls ha malvolio good fool as ever thou wilt deserve well at my hand help me to a candle and pen ink and paper as i am a gentleman i will live to be thankful to thee for't clown master malvolio malvolio ay good fool clown alas sir how fell you besides your five wits malvolio fool there was never a man so notoriously abused i am as well in my wits fool as thou art clown but as well then you are mad indeed if you be no better in your wits than a fool malvolio they have here propertied me keep me in darkness send ministers to me asses and do all they can to face me out of my wits clown advise you what you say the minister is here malvolio malvolio thy wits the heavens restore endeavour thyself to sleep and leave thy vain bibble babble malvolio sir topas clown maintain no words with him good fellow who i sir not i sir god be wi you good sir topas merry amen i will sir i will malvolio fool fool fool i say clown alas sir be patient what say you sir i am shent for speaking to you malvolio good fool help me to some light and some paper i tell thee i am as well in my wits as any man in illyria clown welladay that you were sir malvolio by this hand i am good fool some ink paper and light and convey what i will set down to my lady it shall advantage thee more than ever the bearing of letter did clown i will help you to't but tell me true are you not mad indeed or do you but counterfeit malvolio believe me i am not i tell thee true clown nay i'll ne'er believe a madman till i see his brains i will fetch you light and paper and ink malvolio fool i'll requite it in the highest degree i prithee be gone clown singing i am gone sir and anon sir i'll be with you again in a trice like to the old vice your need to sustain who with dagger of lath in his rage and his wrath cries ah ha to the devil like a mad lad pare thy nails dad adieu good man devil exit twelfth night act iv scene iii olivia's garden enter sebastian sebastian this is the air that is the glorious sun this pearl she gave me i do feel't and see't and though tis wonder that enwraps me thus yet tis not madness where's antonio then i could not find him at the elephant yet there he was and there i found this credit that he did range the town to seek me out his counsel now might do me golden service for though my soul disputes well with my sense that this may be some error but no madness yet doth this accident and flood of fortune so far exceed all instance all discourse that i am ready to distrust mine eyes and wrangle with my reason that persuades me to any other trust but that i am mad or else the lady's mad yet if twere so she could not sway her house command her followers take and give back affairs and their dispatch with such a smooth discreet and stable bearing as i perceive she does there's something in't that is deceiveable but here the lady comes enter olivia and priest olivia blame not this haste of mine if you mean well now go with me and with this holy man into the chantry by there before him and underneath that consecrated roof plight me the full assurance of your faith that my most jealous and too doubtful soul may live at peace he shall conceal it whiles you are willing it shall come to note what time we will our celebration keep according to my birth what do you say sebastian i'll follow this good man and go with you and having sworn truth ever will be true olivia then lead the way good father and heavens so shine that they may fairly note this act of mine exeunt twelfth night act v scene i before olivia's house enter clown and fabian fabian now as thou lovest me let me see his letter clown good master fabian grant me another request fabian any thing clown do not desire to see this letter fabian this is to give a dog and in recompense desire my dog again enter duke orsino viola curio and lords duke orsino belong you to the lady olivia friends clown ay sir we are some of her trappings duke orsino i know thee well how dost thou my good fellow clown truly sir the better for my foes and the worse for my friends duke orsino just the contrary the better for thy friends clown no sir the worse duke orsino how can that be clown marry sir they praise me and make an ass of me now my foes tell me plainly i am an ass so that by my foes sir i profit in the knowledge of myself and by my friends i am abused so that conclusions to be as kisses if your four negatives make your two affirmatives why then the worse for my friends and the better for my foes duke orsino why this is excellent clown by my troth sir no though it please you to be one of my friends duke orsino thou shalt not be the worse for me there's gold clown but that it would be doubledealing sir i would you could make it another duke orsino o you give me ill counsel clown put your grace in your pocket sir for this once and let your flesh and blood obey it duke orsino well i will be so much a sinner to be a doubledealer there's another clown primo secundo tertio is a good play and the old saying is the third pays for all the triplex sir is a good tripping measure or the bells of saint bennet sir may put you in mind one two three duke orsino you can fool no more money out of me at this throw if you will let your lady know i am here to speak with her and bring her along with you it may awake my bounty further clown marry sir lullaby to your bounty till i come again i go sir but i would not have you to think that my desire of having is the sin of covetousness but as you say sir let your bounty take a nap i will awake it anon exit viola here comes the man sir that did rescue me enter antonio and officers duke orsino that face of his i do remember well yet when i saw it last it was besmear'd as black as vulcan in the smoke of war a bawbling vessel was he captain of for shallow draught and bulk unprizable with which such scathful grapple did he make with the most noble bottom of our fleet that very envy and the tongue of loss cried fame and honour on him what's the matter first officer orsino this is that antonio that took the phoenix and her fraught from candy and this is he that did the tiger board when your young nephew titus lost his leg here in the streets desperate of shame and state in private brabble did we apprehend him viola he did me kindness sir drew on my side but in conclusion put strange speech upon me i know not what twas but distraction duke orsino notable pirate thou saltwater thief what foolish boldness brought thee to their mercies whom thou in terms so bloody and so dear hast made thine enemies antonio orsino noble sir be pleased that i shake off these names you give me antonio never yet was thief or pirate though i confess on base and ground enough orsino's enemy a witchcraft drew me hither that most ingrateful boy there by your side from the rude sea's enraged and foamy mouth did i redeem a wreck past hope he was his life i gave him and did thereto add my love without retention or restraint all his in dedication for his sake did i expose myself pure for his love into the danger of this adverse town drew to defend him when he was beset where being apprehended his false cunning not meaning to partake with me in danger taught him to face me out of his acquaintance and grew a twenty years removed thing while one would wink denied me mine own purse which i had recommended to his use not half an hour before viola how can this be duke orsino when came he to this town antonio today my lord and for three months before no interim not a minute's vacancy both day and night did we keep company enter olivia and attendants duke orsino here comes the countess now heaven walks on earth but for thee fellow fellow thy words are madness three months this youth hath tended upon me but more of that anon take him aside olivia what would my lord but that he may not have wherein olivia may seem serviceable cesario you do not keep promise with me viola madam duke orsino gracious olivia olivia what do you say cesario good my lord viola my lord would speak my duty hushes me olivia if it be aught to the old tune my lord it is as fat and fulsome to mine ear as howling after music duke orsino still so cruel olivia still so constant lord duke orsino what to perverseness you uncivil lady to whose ingrate and unauspicious altars my soul the faithfull'st offerings hath breathed out that e'er devotion tender'd what shall i do olivia even what it please my lord that shall become him duke orsino why should i not had i the heart to do it like to the egyptian thief at point of death kill what i lovea savage jealousy that sometimes savours nobly but hear me this since you to nonregardance cast my faith and that i partly know the instrument that screws me from my true place in your favour live you the marblebreasted tyrant still but this your minion whom i know you love and whom by heaven i swear i tender dearly him will i tear out of that cruel eye where he sits crowned in his master's spite come boy with me my thoughts are ripe in mischief i'll sacrifice the lamb that i do love to spite a raven's heart within a dove viola and i most jocund apt and willingly to do you rest a thousand deaths would die olivia where goes cesario viola after him i love more than i love these eyes more than my life more by all mores than e'er i shall love wife if i do feign you witnesses above punish my life for tainting of my love olivia ay me detested how am i beguiled viola who does beguile you who does do you wrong olivia hast thou forgot thyself is it so long call forth the holy father duke orsino come away olivia whither my lord cesario husband stay duke orsino husband olivia ay husband can he that deny duke orsino her husband sirrah viola no my lord not i olivia alas it is the baseness of thy fear that makes thee strangle thy propriety fear not cesario take thy fortunes up be that thou know'st thou art and then thou art as great as that thou fear'st enter priest o welcome father father i charge thee by thy reverence here to unfold though lately we intended to keep in darkness what occasion now reveals before tis ripe what thou dost know hath newly pass'd between this youth and me priest a contract of eternal bond of love confirm'd by mutual joinder of your hands attested by the holy close of lips strengthen'd by interchangement of your rings and all the ceremony of this compact seal'd in my function by my testimony since when my watch hath told me toward my grave i have travell'd but two hours duke orsino o thou dissembling cub what wilt thou be when time hath sow'd a grizzle on thy case or will not else thy craft so quickly grow that thine own trip shall be thine overthrow farewell and take her but direct thy feet where thou and i henceforth may never meet viola my lord i do protest olivia o do not swear hold little faith though thou hast too much fear enter sir andrew sir andrew for the love of god a surgeon send one presently to sir toby olivia what's the matter sir andrew he has broke my head across and has given sir toby a bloody coxcomb too for the love of god your help i had rather than forty pound i were at home olivia who has done this sir andrew sir andrew the count's gentleman one cesario we took him for a coward but he's the very devil incardinate duke orsino my gentleman cesario sir andrew od's lifelings here he is you broke my head for nothing and that that i did i was set on to do't by sir toby viola why do you speak to me i never hurt you you drew your sword upon me without cause but i bespoke you fair and hurt you not sir andrew if a bloody coxcomb be a hurt you have hurt me i think you set nothing by a bloody coxcomb enter sir toby belch and clown here comes sir toby halting you shall hear more but if he had not been in drink he would have tickled you othergates than he did duke orsino how now gentleman how is't with you sir toby belch that's all one has hurt me and there's the end on't sot didst see dick surgeon sot clown o he's drunk sir toby an hour agone his eyes were set at eight i the morning sir toby belch then he's a rogue and a passy measures panyn i hate a drunken rogue olivia away with him who hath made this havoc with them sir andrew i'll help you sir toby because well be dressed together sir toby belch will you help an asshead and a coxcomb and a knave a thinfaced knave a gull olivia get him to bed and let his hurt be look'd to exeunt clown fabian sir toby belch and sir andrew enter sebastian sebastian i am sorry madam i have hurt your kinsman but had it been the brother of my blood i must have done no less with wit and safety you throw a strange regard upon me and by that i do perceive it hath offended you pardon me sweet one even for the vows we made each other but so late ago duke orsino one face one voice one habit and two persons a natural perspective that is and is not sebastian antonio o my dear antonio how have the hours rack'd and tortured me since i have lost thee antonio sebastian are you sebastian fear'st thou that antonio antonio how have you made division of yourself an apple cleft in two is not more twin than these two creatures which is sebastian olivia most wonderful sebastian do i stand there i never had a brother nor can there be that deity in my nature of here and every where i had a sister whom the blind waves and surges have devour'd of charity what kin are you to me what countryman what name what parentage viola of messaline sebastian was my father such a sebastian was my brother too so went he suited to his watery tomb if spirits can assume both form and suit you come to fright us sebastian a spirit i am indeed but am in that dimension grossly clad which from the womb i did participate were you a woman as the rest goes even i should my tears let fall upon your cheek and say thricewelcome drowned viola' viola my father had a mole upon his brow sebastian and so had mine viola and died that day when viola from her birth had number'd thirteen years sebastian o that record is lively in my soul he finished indeed his mortal act that day that made my sister thirteen years viola if nothing lets to make us happy both but this my masculine usurp'd attire do not embrace me till each circumstance of place time fortune do cohere and jump that i am viola which to confirm i'll bring you to a captain in this town where lie my maiden weeds by whose gentle help i was preserved to serve this noble count all the occurrence of my fortune since hath been between this lady and this lord sebastian to olivia so comes it lady you have been mistook but nature to her bias drew in that you would have been contracted to a maid nor are you therein by my life deceived you are betroth'd both to a maid and man duke orsino be not amazed right noble is his blood if this be so as yet the glass seems true i shall have share in this most happy wreck to viola boy thou hast said to me a thousand times thou never shouldst love woman like to me viola and all those sayings will i overswear and those swearings keep as true in soul as doth that orbed continent the fire that severs day from night duke orsino give me thy hand and let me see thee in thy woman's weeds viola the captain that did bring me first on shore hath my maid's garments he upon some action is now in durance at malvolio's suit a gentleman and follower of my lady's olivia he shall enlarge him fetch malvolio hither and yet alas now i remember me they say poor gentleman he's much distract reenter clown with a letter and fabian a most extracting frenzy of mine own from my remembrance clearly banish'd his how does he sirrah clown truly madam he holds belzebub at the staves's end as well as a man in his case may do has here writ a letter to you i should have given't you today morning but as a madman's epistles are no gospels so it skills not much when they are delivered olivia open't and read it clown look then to be well edified when the fool delivers the madman reads by the lord madam' olivia how now art thou mad clown no madam i do but read madness an your ladyship will have it as it ought to be you must allow vox olivia prithee read i thy right wits clown so i do madonna but to read his right wits is to read thus therefore perpend my princess and give ear olivia read it you sirrah to fabian fabian reads by the lord madam you wrong me and the world shall know it though you have put me into darkness and given your drunken cousin rule over me yet have i the benefit of my senses as well as your ladyship i have your own letter that induced me to the semblance i put on with the which i doubt not but to do myself much right or you much shame think of me as you please i leave my duty a little unthought of and speak out of my injury the madlyused malvolio' olivia did he write this clown ay madam duke orsino this savours not much of distraction olivia see him deliver'd fabian bring him hither exit fabian my lord so please you these things further thought on to think me as well a sister as a wife one day shall crown the alliance on't so please you here at my house and at my proper cost duke orsino madam i am most apt to embrace your offer to viola your master quits you and for your service done him so much against the mettle of your sex so far beneath your soft and tender breeding and since you call'd me master for so long here is my hand you shall from this time be your master's mistress olivia a sister you are she reenter fabian with malvolio duke orsino is this the madman olivia ay my lord this same how now malvolio malvolio madam you have done me wrong notorious wrong olivia have i malvolio no malvolio lady you have pray you peruse that letter you must not now deny it is your hand write from it if you can in hand or phrase or say tis not your seal nor your invention you can say none of this well grant it then and tell me in the modesty of honour why you have given me such clear lights of favour bade me come smiling and crossgarter'd to you to put on yellow stockings and to frown upon sir toby and the lighter people and acting this in an obedient hope why have you suffer'd me to be imprison'd kept in a dark house visited by the priest and made the most notorious geck and gull that e'er invention play'd on tell me why olivia alas malvolio this is not my writing though i confess much like the character but out of question tis maria's hand and now i do bethink me it was she first told me thou wast mad then camest in smiling and in such forms which here were presupposed upon thee in the letter prithee be content this practise hath most shrewdly pass'd upon thee but when we know the grounds and authors of it thou shalt be both the plaintiff and the judge of thine own cause fabian good madam hear me speak and let no quarrel nor no brawl to come taint the condition of this present hour which i have wonder'd at in hope it shall not most freely i confess myself and toby set this device against malvolio here upon some stubborn and uncourteous parts we had conceived against him maria writ the letter at sir toby's great importance in recompense whereof he hath married her how with a sportful malice it was follow'd may rather pluck on laughter than revenge if that the injuries be justly weigh'd that have on both sides pass'd olivia alas poor fool how have they baffled thee clown why some are born great some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrown upon them i was one sir in this interlude one sir topas sir but that's all one by the lord fool i am not mad' but do you remember madam why laugh you at such a barren rascal an you smile not he's gagged' and thus the whirligig of time brings in his revenges malvolio i'll be revenged on the whole pack of you exit olivia he hath been most notoriously abused duke orsino pursue him and entreat him to a peace he hath not told us of the captain yet when that is known and golden time convents a solemn combination shall be made of our dear souls meantime sweet sister we will not part from hence cesario come for so you shall be while you are a man but when in other habits you are seen orsino's mistress and his fancy's queen exeunt all except clown clown sings when that i was and a little tiny boy with hey ho the wind and the rain a foolish thing was but a toy for the rain it raineth every day but when i came to man's estate with hey ho &c gainst knaves and thieves men shut their gate for the rain &c but when i came alas to wive with hey ho &c by swaggering could i never thrive for the rain &c but when i came unto my beds with hey ho &c with tosspots still had drunken heads for the rain &c a great while ago the world begun with hey ho &c but that's all one our play is done and we'll strive to please you every day exit the two gentlemen of verona dramatis personae duke of milan father to silvia duke valentine the two gentlemen proteus antonio father to proteus thurio a foolish rival to valentine eglamour agent for silvia in her escape host where julia lodges host outlaws with valentine first outlaw second outlaw third outlaw speed a clownish servant to valentine launce the like to proteus panthino servant to antonio julia beloved of proteus silvia beloved of valentine lucetta waitingwoman to julia servants musicians scene verona milan the frontiers of mantua the two gentlemen of verona act i scene i verona an open place enter valentine and proteus valentine cease to persuade my loving proteus homekeeping youth have ever homely wits were't not affection chains thy tender days to the sweet glances of thy honour'd love i rather would entreat thy company to see the wonders of the world abroad than living dully sluggardized at home wear out thy youth with shapeless idleness but since thou lovest love still and thrive therein even as i would when i to love begin proteus wilt thou be gone sweet valentine adieu think on thy proteus when thou haply seest some rare noteworthy object in thy travel wish me partaker in thy happiness when thou dost meet good hap and in thy danger if ever danger do environ thee commend thy grievance to my holy prayers for i will be thy beadsman valentine valentine and on a lovebook pray for my success proteus upon some book i love i'll pray for thee valentine that's on some shallow story of deep love how young leander cross'd the hellespont proteus that's a deep story of a deeper love for he was more than over shoes in love valentine tis true for you are over boots in love and yet you never swum the hellespont proteus over the boots nay give me not the boots valentine no i will not for it boots thee not proteus what valentine to be in love where scorn is bought with groans coy looks with heartsore sighs one fading moment's mirth with twenty watchful weary tedious nights if haply won perhaps a hapless gain if lost why then a grievous labour won however but a folly bought with wit or else a wit by folly vanquished proteus so by your circumstance you call me fool valentine so by your circumstance i fear you'll prove proteus tis love you cavil at i am not love valentine love is your master for he masters you and he that is so yoked by a fool methinks should not be chronicled for wise proteus yet writers say as in the sweetest bud the eating canker dwells so eating love inhabits in the finest wits of all valentine and writers say as the most forward bud is eaten by the canker ere it blow even so by love the young and tender wit is turn'd to folly blasting in the bud losing his verdure even in the prime and all the fair effects of future hopes but wherefore waste i time to counsel thee that art a votary to fond desire once more adieu my father at the road expects my coming there to see me shipp'd proteus and thither will i bring thee valentine valentine sweet proteus no now let us take our leave to milan let me hear from thee by letters of thy success in love and what news else betideth here in absence of thy friend and likewise will visit thee with mine proteus all happiness bechance to thee in milan valentine as much to you at home and so farewell exit proteus he after honour hunts i after love he leaves his friends to dignify them more i leave myself my friends and all for love thou julia thou hast metamorphosed me made me neglect my studies lose my time war with good counsel set the world at nought made wit with musing weak heart sick with thought enter speed speed sir proteus save you saw you my master proteus but now he parted hence to embark for milan speed twenty to one then he is shipp'd already and i have play'd the sheep in losing him proteus indeed a sheep doth very often stray an if the shepherd be a while away speed you conclude that my master is a shepherd then and i a sheep proteus i do speed why then my horns are his horns whether i wake or sleep proteus a silly answer and fitting well a sheep speed this proves me still a sheep proteus true and thy master a shepherd speed nay that i can deny by a circumstance proteus it shall go hard but i'll prove it by another speed the shepherd seeks the sheep and not the sheep the shepherd but i seek my master and my master seeks not me therefore i am no sheep proteus the sheep for fodder follow the shepherd the shepherd for food follows not the sheep thou for wages followest thy master thy master for wages follows not thee therefore thou art a sheep speed such another proof will make me cry baa' proteus but dost thou hear gavest thou my letter to julia speed ay sir i a lost mutton gave your letter to her a laced mutton and she a laced mutton gave me a lost mutton nothing for my labour proteus here's too small a pasture for such store of muttons speed if the ground be overcharged you were best stick her proteus nay in that you are astray twere best pound you speed nay sir less than a pound shall serve me for carrying your letter proteus you mistake i mean the pounda pinfold speed from a pound to a pin fold it over and over tis threefold too little for carrying a letter to your lover proteus but what said she speed first nodding ay proteus nodaywhy that's noddy speed you mistook sir i say she did nod and you ask me if she did nod and i say ay' proteus and that set together is noddy speed now you have taken the pains to set it together take it for your pains proteus no no you shall have it for bearing the letter speed well i perceive i must be fain to bear with you proteus why sir how do you bear with me speed marry sir the letter very orderly having nothing but the word noddy for my pains proteus beshrew me but you have a quick wit speed and yet it cannot overtake your slow purse proteus come come open the matter in brief what said she speed open your purse that the money and the matter may be both at once delivered proteus well sir here is for your pains what said she speed truly sir i think you'll hardly win her proteus why couldst thou perceive so much from her speed sir i could perceive nothing at all from her no not so much as a ducat for delivering your letter and being so hard to me that brought your mind i fear she'll prove as hard to you in telling your mind give her no token but stones for she's as hard as steel proteus what said she nothing speed no not so much as take this for thy pains to testify your bounty i thank you you have testerned me in requital whereof henceforth carry your letters yourself and so sir i'll commend you to my master proteus go go be gone to save your ship from wreck which cannot perish having thee aboard being destined to a drier death on shore exit speed i must go send some better messenger i fear my julia would not deign my lines receiving them from such a worthless post exit the two gentlemen of verona act i scene ii the same garden of julia's house enter julla and lucetta julia but say lucetta now we are alone wouldst thou then counsel me to fall in love lucetta ay madam so you stumble not unheedfully julia of all the fair resort of gentlemen that every day with parle encounter me in thy opinion which is worthiest love lucetta please you repeat their names i'll show my mind according to my shallow simple skill julia what think'st thou of the fair sir eglamour lucetta as of a knight wellspoken neat and fine but were i you he never should be mine julia what think'st thou of the rich mercatio lucetta well of his wealth but of himself so so julia what think'st thou of the gentle proteus lucetta lord lord to see what folly reigns in us julia how now what means this passion at his name lucetta pardon dear madam tis a passing shame that i unworthy body as i am should censure thus on lovely gentlemen julia why not on proteus as of all the rest lucetta then thus of many good i think him best julia your reason lucetta i have no other but a woman's reason i think him so because i think him so julia and wouldst thou have me cast my love on him lucetta ay if you thought your love not cast away julia why he of all the rest hath never moved me lucetta yet he of all the rest i think best loves ye julia his little speaking shows his love but small lucetta fire that's closest kept burns most of all julia they do not love that do not show their love lucetta o they love least that let men know their love julia i would i knew his mind lucetta peruse this paper madam julia to julia say from whom lucetta that the contents will show julia say say who gave it thee lucetta valentine's page and sent i think from proteus he would have given it you but i being in the way did in your name receive it pardon the fault i pray julia now by my modesty a goodly broker dare you presume to harbour wanton lines to whisper and conspire against my youth now trust me tis an office of great worth and you an officer fit for the place or else return no more into my sight lucetta to plead for love deserves more fee than hate julia will ye be gone lucetta that you may ruminate exit julia and yet i would i had o'erlooked the letter it were a shame to call her back again and pray her to a fault for which i chid her what a fool is she that knows i am a maid and would not force the letter to my view since maids in modesty say no to that which they would have the profferer construe ay' fie fie how wayward is this foolish love that like a testy babe will scratch the nurse and presently all humbled kiss the rod how churlishly i chid lucetta hence when willingly i would have had her here how angerly i taught my brow to frown when inward joy enforced my heart to smile my penance is to call lucetta back and ask remission for my folly past what ho lucetta reenter lucetta lucetta what would your ladyship julia is't near dinnertime lucetta i would it were that you might kill your stomach on your meat and not upon your maid julia what is't that you took up so gingerly lucetta nothing julia why didst thou stoop then lucetta to take a paper up that i let fall julia and is that paper nothing lucetta nothing concerning me julia then let it lie for those that it concerns lucetta madam it will not lie where it concerns unless it have a false interpeter julia some love of yours hath writ to you in rhyme lucetta that i might sing it madam to a tune give me a note your ladyship can set julia as little by such toys as may be possible best sing it to the tune of light o love' lucetta it is too heavy for so light a tune julia heavy belike it hath some burden then lucetta ay and melodious were it would you sing it julia and why not you lucetta i cannot reach so high julia let's see your song how now minion lucetta keep tune there still so you will sing it out and yet methinks i do not like this tune julia you do not lucetta no madam it is too sharp julia you minion are too saucy lucetta nay now you are too flat and mar the concord with too harsh a descant there wanteth but a mean to fill your song julia the mean is drown'd with your unruly bass lucetta indeed i bid the base for proteus julia this babble shall not henceforth trouble me here is a coil with protestation tears the letter go get you gone and let the papers lie you would be fingering them to anger me lucetta she makes it strange but she would be best pleased to be so anger'd with another letter exit julia nay would i were so anger'd with the same o hateful hands to tear such loving words injurious wasps to feed on such sweet honey and kill the bees that yield it with your stings i'll kiss each several paper for amends look here is writ kind julia unkind julia as in revenge of thy ingratitude i throw thy name against the bruising stones trampling contemptuously on thy disdain and here is writ lovewounded proteus' poor wounded name my bosom as a bed shall lodge thee till thy wound be thoroughly heal'd and thus i search it with a sovereign kiss but twice or thrice was proteus written down be calm good wind blow not a word away till i have found each letter in the letter except mine own name that some whirlwind bear unto a ragged fearfulhanging rock and throw it thence into the raging sea lo here in one line is his name twice writ poor forlorn proteus passionate proteus to the sweet julia that i'll tear away and yet i will not sith so prettily he couples it to his complaining names thus will i fold them one on another now kiss embrace contend do what you will reenter lucetta lucetta madam dinner is ready and your father stays julia well let us go lucetta what shall these papers lie like telltales here julia if you respect them best to take them up lucetta nay i was taken up for laying them down yet here they shall not lie for catching cold julia i see you have a month's mind to them lucetta ay madam you may say what sights you see i see things too although you judge i wink julia come come will't please you go exeunt the two gentlemen of verona act i scene iii the same antonio's house enter antonio and panthino antonio tell me panthino what sad talk was that wherewith my brother held you in the cloister panthino twas of his nephew proteus your son antonio why what of him panthino he wonder'd that your lordship would suffer him to spend his youth at home while other men of slender reputation put forth their sons to seek preferment out some to the wars to try their fortune there some to discover islands far away some to the studious universities for any or for all these exercises he said that proteus your son was meet and did request me to importune you to let him spend his time no more at home which would be great impeachment to his age in having known no travel in his youth antonio nor need'st thou much importune me to that whereon this month i have been hammering i have consider'd well his loss of time and how he cannot be a perfect man not being tried and tutor'd in the world experience is by industry achieved and perfected by the swift course of time then tell me whither were i best to send him panthino i think your lordship is not ignorant how his companion youthful valentine attends the emperor in his royal court antonio i know it well panthino twere good i think your lordship sent him thither there shall he practise tilts and tournaments hear sweet discourse converse with noblemen and be in eye of every exercise worthy his youth and nobleness of birth antonio i like thy counsel well hast thou advised and that thou mayst perceive how well i like it the execution of it shall make known even with the speediest expedition i will dispatch him to the emperor's court panthino tomorrow may it please you don alphonso with other gentlemen of good esteem are journeying to salute the emperor and to commend their service to his will antonio good company with them shall proteus go and in good time now will we break with him enter proteus proteus sweet love sweet lines sweet life here is her hand the agent of her heart here is her oath for love her honour's pawn o that our fathers would applaud our loves to seal our happiness with their consents o heavenly julia antonio how now what letter are you reading there proteus may't please your lordship tis a word or two of commendations sent from valentine deliver'd by a friend that came from him antonio lend me the letter let me see what news proteus there is no news my lord but that he writes how happily he lives how well beloved and daily graced by the emperor wishing me with him partner of his fortune antonio and how stand you affected to his wish proteus as one relying on your lordship's will and not depending on his friendly wish antonio my will is something sorted with his wish muse not that i thus suddenly proceed for what i will i will and there an end i am resolved that thou shalt spend some time with valentinus in the emperor's court what maintenance he from his friends receives like exhibition thou shalt have from me tomorrow be in readiness to go excuse it not for i am peremptory proteus my lord i cannot be so soon provided please you deliberate a day or two antonio look what thou want'st shall be sent after thee no more of stay tomorrow thou must go come on panthino you shall be employ'd to hasten on his expedition exeunt antonio and panthino proteus thus have i shunn'd the fire for fear of burning and drench'd me in the sea where i am drown'd i fear'd to show my father julia's letter lest he should take exceptions to my love and with the vantage of mine own excuse hath he excepted most against my love o how this spring of love resembleth the uncertain glory of an april day which now shows all the beauty of the sun and by and by a cloud takes all away reenter panthino panthino sir proteus your father calls for you he is in haste therefore i pray you to go proteus why this it is my heart accords thereto and yet a thousand times it answers no' exeunt the two gentlemen of verona act ii scene i milan the duke's palace enter valentine and speed speed sir your glove valentine not mine my gloves are on speed why then this may be yours for this is but one valentine ha let me see ay give it me it's mine sweet ornament that decks a thing divine ah silvia silvia speed madam silvia madam silvia valentine how now sirrah speed she is not within hearing sir valentine why sir who bade you call her speed your worship sir or else i mistook valentine well you'll still be too forward speed and yet i was last chidden for being too slow valentine go to sir tell me do you know madam silvia speed she that your worship loves valentine why how know you that i am in love speed marry by these special marks first you have learned like sir proteus to wreathe your arms like a malecontent to relish a lovesong like a robinredbreast to walk alone like one that had the pestilence to sigh like a schoolboy that had lost his a b c to weep like a young wench that had buried her grandam to fast like one that takes diet to watch like one that fears robbing to speak puling like a beggar at hallowmas you were wont when you laughed to crow like a cock when you walked to walk like one of the lions when you fasted it was presently after dinner when you looked sadly it was for want of money and now you are metamorphosed with a mistress that when i look on you i can hardly think you my master valentine are all these things perceived in me speed they are all perceived without ye valentine without me they cannot speed without you nay that's certain for without you were so simple none else would but you are so without these follies that these follies are within you and shine through you like the water in an urinal that not an eye that sees you but is a physician to comment on your malady valentine but tell me dost thou know my lady silvia speed she that you gaze on so as she sits at supper valentine hast thou observed that even she i mean speed why sir i know her not valentine dost thou know her by my gazing on her and yet knowest her not speed is she not hardfavoured sir valentine not so fair boy as wellfavoured speed sir i know that well enough valentine what dost thou know speed that she is not so fair as of you wellfavoured valentine i mean that her beauty is exquisite but her favour infinite speed that's because the one is painted and the other out of all count valentine how painted and how out of count speed marry sir so painted to make her fair that no man counts of her beauty valentine how esteemest thou me i account of her beauty speed you never saw her since she was deformed valentine how long hath she been deformed speed ever since you loved her valentine i have loved her ever since i saw her and still i see her beautiful speed if you love her you cannot see her valentine why speed because love is blind o that you had mine eyes or your own eyes had the lights they were wont to have when you chid at sir proteus for going ungartered valentine what should i see then speed your own present folly and her passing deformity for he being in love could not see to garter his hose and you being in love cannot see to put on your hose valentine belike boy then you are in love for last morning you could not see to wipe my shoes speed true sir i was in love with my bed i thank you you swinged me for my love which makes me the bolder to chide you for yours valentine in conclusion i stand affected to her speed i would you were set so your affection would cease valentine last night she enjoined me to write some lines to one she loves speed and have you valentine i have speed are they not lamely writ valentine no boy but as well as i can do them peace here she comes speed aside o excellent motion o exceeding puppet now will he interpret to her enter silvia valentine madam and mistress a thousand goodmorrows speed aside o give ye good even here's a million of manners silvia sir valentine and servant to you two thousand speed aside he should give her interest and she gives it him valentine as you enjoin'd me i have writ your letter unto the secret nameless friend of yours which i was much unwilling to proceed in but for my duty to your ladyship silvia i thank you gentle servant tis very clerkly done valentine now trust me madam it came hardly off for being ignorant to whom it goes i writ at random very doubtfully silvia perchance you think too much of so much pains valentine no madam so it stead you i will write please you command a thousand times as much and yet silvia a pretty period well i guess the sequel and yet i will not name it and yet i care not and yet take this again and yet i thank you meaning henceforth to trouble you no more speed aside and yet you will and yet another yet' valentine what means your ladyship do you not like it silvia yes yes the lines are very quaintly writ but since unwillingly take them again nay take them valentine madam they are for you silvia ay ay you writ them sir at my request but i will none of them they are for you i would have had them writ more movingly valentine please you i'll write your ladyship another silvia and when it's writ for my sake read it over and if it please you so if not why so valentine if it please me madam what then silvia why if it please you take it for your labour and so good morrow servant exit speed o jest unseen inscrutable invisible as a nose on a man's face or a weathercock on a steeple my master sues to her and she hath taught her suitor he being her pupil to become her tutor o excellent device was there ever heard a better that my master being scribe to himself should write the letter valentine how now sir what are you reasoning with yourself speed nay i was rhyming tis you that have the reason valentine to do what speed to be a spokesman for madam silvia valentine to whom speed to yourself why she wooes you by a figure valentine what figure speed by a letter i should say valentine why she hath not writ to me speed what need she when she hath made you write to yourself why do you not perceive the jest valentine no believe me speed no believing you indeed sir but did you perceive her earnest valentine she gave me none except an angry word speed why she hath given you a letter valentine that's the letter i writ to her friend speed and that letter hath she delivered and there an end valentine i would it were no worse speed i'll warrant you tis as well for often have you writ to her and she in modesty or else for want of idle time could not again reply or fearing else some messenger that might her mind discover herself hath taught her love himself to write unto her lover all this i speak in print for in print i found it why muse you sir tis dinnertime valentine i have dined speed ay but hearken sir though the chameleon love can feed on the air i am one that am nourished by my victuals and would fain have meat o be not like your mistress be moved be moved exeunt the two gentlemen of verona act ii scene ii verona julia's house enter proteus and julia proteus have patience gentle julia julia i must where is no remedy proteus when possibly i can i will return julia if you turn not you will return the sooner keep this remembrance for thy julia's sake giving a ring proteus why then we'll make exchange here take you this julia and seal the bargain with a holy kiss proteus here is my hand for my true constancy and when that hour o'erslips me in the day wherein i sigh not julia for thy sake the next ensuing hour some foul mischance torment me for my love's forgetfulness my father stays my coming answer not the tide is now nay not thy tide of tears that tide will stay me longer than i should julia farewell exit julia what gone without a word ay so true love should do it cannot speak for truth hath better deeds than words to grace it enter panthino panthino sir proteus you are stay'd for proteus go i come i come alas this parting strikes poor lovers dumb exeunt the two gentlemen of verona act ii scene iii the same a street enter launce leading a dog launce nay twill be this hour ere i have done weeping all the kind of the launces have this very fault i have received my proportion like the prodigious son and am going with sir proteus to the imperial's court i think crab my dog be the sourestnatured dog that lives my mother weeping my father wailing my sister crying our maid howling our cat wringing her hands and all our house in a great perplexity yet did not this cruelhearted cur shed one tear he is a stone a very pebble stone and has no more pity in him than a dog a jew would have wept to have seen our parting why my grandam having no eyes look you wept herself blind at my parting nay i'll show you the manner of it this shoe is my father no this left shoe is my father no no this left shoe is my mother nay that cannot be so neither yes it is so it is so it hath the worser sole this shoe with the hole in it is my mother and this my father a vengeance on't there tis now sit this staff is my sister for look you she is as white as a lily and as small as a wand this hat is nan our maid i am the dog no the dog is himself and i am the dogoh the dog is me and i am myself ay so so now come i to my father father your blessing now should not the shoe speak a word for weeping now should i kiss my father well he weeps on now come i to my mother o that she could speak now like a wood woman well i kiss her why there tis here's my mother's breath up and down now come i to my sister mark the moan she makes now the dog all this while sheds not a tear nor speaks a word but see how i lay the dust with my tears enter panthino panthino launce away away aboard thy master is shipped and thou art to post after with oars what's the matter why weepest thou man away ass you'll lose the tide if you tarry any longer launce it is no matter if the tied were lost for it is the unkindest tied that ever any man tied panthino what's the unkindest tide launce why he that's tied here crab my dog panthino tut man i mean thou'lt lose the flood and in losing the flood lose thy voyage and in losing thy voyage lose thy master and in losing thy master lose thy service and in losing thy servicewhy dost thou stop my mouth launce for fear thou shouldst lose thy tongue panthino where should i lose my tongue launce in thy tale panthino in thy tail launce lose the tide and the voyage and the master and the service and the tied why man if the river were dry i am able to fill it with my tears if the wind were down i could drive the boat with my sighs panthino come come away man i was sent to call thee launce sir call me what thou darest panthino wilt thou go launce well i will go exeunt the two gentlemen of verona act ii scene iv milan the duke's palace enter silvia valentine thurio and speed silvia servant valentine mistress speed master sir thurio frowns on you valentine ay boy it's for love speed not of you valentine of my mistress then speed twere good you knocked him exit silvia servant you are sad valentine indeed madam i seem so thurio seem you that you are not valentine haply i do thurio so do counterfeits valentine so do you thurio what seem i that i am not valentine wise thurio what instance of the contrary valentine your folly thurio and how quote you my folly valentine i quote it in your jerkin thurio my jerkin is a doublet valentine well then i'll double your folly thurio how silvia what angry sir thurio do you change colour valentine give him leave madam he is a kind of chameleon thurio that hath more mind to feed on your blood than live in your air valentine you have said sir thurio ay sir and done too for this time valentine i know it well sir you always end ere you begin silvia a fine volley of words gentlemen and quickly shot off valentine tis indeed madam we thank the giver silvia who is that servant valentine yourself sweet lady for you gave the fire sir thurio borrows his wit from your ladyship's looks and spends what he borrows kindly in your company thurio sir if you spend word for word with me i shall make your wit bankrupt valentine i know it well sir you have an exchequer of words and i think no other treasure to give your followers for it appears by their bare liveries that they live by your bare words silvia no more gentlemen no morehere comes my father enter duke duke now daughter silvia you are hard beset sir valentine your father's in good health what say you to a letter from your friends of much good news valentine my lord i will be thankful to any happy messenger from thence duke know ye don antonio your countryman valentine ay my good lord i know the gentleman to be of worth and worthy estimation and not without desert so well reputed duke hath he not a son valentine ay my good lord a son that well deserves the honour and regard of such a father duke you know him well valentine i know him as myself for from our infancy we have conversed and spent our hours together and though myself have been an idle truant omitting the sweet benefit of time to clothe mine age with angellike perfection yet hath sir proteus for that's his name made use and fair advantage of his days his years but young but his experience old his head unmellow'd but his judgment ripe and in a word for far behind his worth comes all the praises that i now bestow he is complete in feature and in mind with all good grace to grace a gentleman duke beshrew me sir but if he make this good he is as worthy for an empress love as meet to be an emperor's counsellor well sir this gentleman is come to me with commendation from great potentates and here he means to spend his time awhile i think tis no unwelcome news to you valentine should i have wish'd a thing it had been he duke welcome him then according to his worth silvia i speak to you and you sir thurio for valentine i need not cite him to it i will send him hither to you presently exit valentine this is the gentleman i told your ladyship had come along with me but that his mistress did hold his eyes lock'd in her crystal looks silvia belike that now she hath enfranchised them upon some other pawn for fealty valentine nay sure i think she holds them prisoners still silvia nay then he should be blind and being blind how could he see his way to seek out you valentine why lady love hath twenty pair of eyes thurio they say that love hath not an eye at all valentine to see such lovers thurio as yourself upon a homely object love can wink silvia have done have done here comes the gentleman exit thurio enter proteus valentine welcome dear proteus mistress i beseech you confirm his welcome with some special favour silvia his worth is warrant for his welcome hither if this be he you oft have wish'd to hear from valentine mistress it is sweet lady entertain him to be my fellowservant to your ladyship silvia too low a mistress for so high a servant proteus not so sweet lady but too mean a servant to have a look of such a worthy mistress valentine leave off discourse of disability sweet lady entertain him for your servant proteus my duty will i boast of nothing else silvia and duty never yet did want his meed servant you are welcome to a worthless mistress proteus i'll die on him that says so but yourself silvia that you are welcome proteus that you are worthless reenter thurio thurio madam my lord your father would speak with you silvia i wait upon his pleasure come sir thurio go with me once more new servant welcome i'll leave you to confer of home affairs when you have done we look to hear from you proteus we'll both attend upon your ladyship exeunt silvia and thurio valentine now tell me how do all from whence you came proteus your friends are well and have them much commended valentine and how do yours proteus i left them all in health valentine how does your lady and how thrives your love proteus my tales of love were wont to weary you i know you joy not in a love discourse valentine ay proteus but that life is alter'd now i have done penance for contemning love whose high imperious thoughts have punish'd me with bitter fasts with penitential groans with nightly tears and daily heartsore sighs for in revenge of my contempt of love love hath chased sleep from my enthralled eyes and made them watchers of mine own heart's sorrow o gentle proteus love's a mighty lord and hath so humbled me as i confess there is no woe to his correction nor to his service no such joy on earth now no discourse except it be of love now can i break my fast dine sup and sleep upon the very naked name of love proteus enough i read your fortune in your eye was this the idol that you worship so valentine even she and is she not a heavenly saint proteus no but she is an earthly paragon valentine call her divine proteus i will not flatter her valentine o flatter me for love delights in praises proteus when i was sick you gave me bitter pills and i must minister the like to you valentine then speak the truth by her if not divine yet let her be a principality sovereign to all the creatures on the earth proteus except my mistress valentine sweet except not any except thou wilt except against my love proteus have i not reason to prefer mine own valentine and i will help thee to prefer her too she shall be dignified with this high honour to bear my lady's train lest the base earth should from her vesture chance to steal a kiss and of so great a favour growing proud disdain to root the summerswelling flower and make rough winter everlastingly proteus why valentine what braggardism is this valentine pardon me proteus all i can is nothing to her whose worth makes other worthies nothing she is alone proteus then let her alone valentine not for the world why man she is mine own and i as rich in having such a jewel as twenty seas if all their sand were pearl the water nectar and the rocks pure gold forgive me that i do not dream on thee because thou see'st me dote upon my love my foolish rival that her father likes only for his possessions are so huge is gone with her along and i must after for love thou know'st is full of jealousy proteus but she loves you valentine ay and we are betroth'd nay more our marriagehour with all the cunning manner of our flight determined of how i must climb her window the ladder made of cords and all the means plotted and greed on for my happiness good proteus go with me to my chamber in these affairs to aid me with thy counsel proteus go on before i shall inquire you forth i must unto the road to disembark some necessaries that i needs must use and then i'll presently attend you valentine will you make haste proteus i will exit valentine even as one heat another heat expels or as one nail by strength drives out another so the remembrance of my former love is by a newer object quite forgotten is it mine or valentine's praise her true perfection or my false transgression that makes me reasonless to reason thus she is fair and so is julia that i love that i did love for now my love is thaw'd which like a waxen image gainst a fire bears no impression of the thing it was methinks my zeal to valentine is cold and that i love him not as i was wont o but i love his lady too too much and that's the reason i love him so little how shall i dote on her with more advice that thus without advice begin to love her tis but her picture i have yet beheld and that hath dazzled my reason's light but when i look on her perfections there is no reason but i shall be blind if i can cheque my erring love i will if not to compass her i'll use my skill exit the two gentlemen of verona act ii scene v the same a street enter speed and launce severally speed launce by mine honesty welcome to milan launce forswear not thyself sweet youth for i am not welcome i reckon this always that a man is never undone till he be hanged nor never welcome to a place till some certain shot be paid and the hostess say welcome' speed come on you madcap i'll to the alehouse with you presently where for one shot of five pence thou shalt have five thousand welcomes but sirrah how did thy master part with madam julia launce marry after they closed in earnest they parted very fairly in jest speed but shall she marry him launce no speed how then shall he marry her launce no neither speed what are they broken launce no they are both as whole as a fish speed why then how stands the matter with them launce marry thus when it stands well with him it stands well with her speed what an ass art thou i understand thee not launce what a block art thou that thou canst not my staff understands me speed what thou sayest launce ay and what i do too look thee i'll but lean and my staff understands me speed it stands under thee indeed launce why standunder and understand is all one speed but tell me true will't be a match launce ask my dog if he say ay it will if he say no it will if he shake his tail and say nothing it will speed the conclusion is then that it will launce thou shalt never get such a secret from me but by a parable speed tis well that i get it so but launce how sayest thou that my master is become a notable lover launce i never knew him otherwise speed than how launce a notable lubber as thou reportest him to be speed why thou whoreson ass thou mistakest me launce why fool i meant not thee i meant thy master speed i tell thee my master is become a hot lover launce why i tell thee i care not though he burn himself in love if thou wilt go with me to the alehouse if not thou art an hebrew a jew and not worth the name of a christian speed why launce because thou hast not so much charity in thee as to go to the ale with a christian wilt thou go speed at thy service exeunt the two gentlemen of verona act ii scene vi the same the duke's palace enter proteus proteus to leave my julia shall i be forsworn to love fair silvia shall i be forsworn to wrong my friend i shall be much forsworn and even that power which gave me first my oath provokes me to this threefold perjury love bade me swear and love bids me forswear o sweetsuggesting love if thou hast sinned teach me thy tempted subject to excuse it at first i did adore a twinkling star but now i worship a celestial sun unheedful vows may heedfully be broken and he wants wit that wants resolved will to learn his wit to exchange the bad for better fie fie unreverend tongue to call her bad whose sovereignty so oft thou hast preferr'd with twenty thousand soulconfirming oaths i cannot leave to love and yet i do but there i leave to love where i should love julia i lose and valentine i lose if i keep them i needs must lose myself if i lose them thus find i by their loss for valentine myself for julia silvia i to myself am dearer than a friend for love is still most precious in itself and silviawitness heaven that made her fair shows julia but a swarthy ethiope i will forget that julia is alive remembering that my love to her is dead and valentine i'll hold an enemy aiming at silvia as a sweeter friend i cannot now prove constant to myself without some treachery used to valentine this night he meaneth with a corded ladder to climb celestial silvia's chamberwindow myself in counsel his competitor now presently i'll give her father notice of their disguising and pretended flight who all enraged will banish valentine for thurio he intends shall wed his daughter but valentine being gone i'll quickly cross by some sly trick blunt thurio's dull proceeding love lend me wings to make my purpose swift as thou hast lent me wit to plot this drift exit the two gentlemen of verona act ii scene vii verona julia's house enter julia and lucetta julia counsel lucetta gentle girl assist me and even in kind love i do conjure thee who art the table wherein all my thoughts are visibly character'd and engraved to lesson me and tell me some good mean how with my honour i may undertake a journey to my loving proteus lucetta alas the way is wearisome and long julia a truedevoted pilgrim is not weary to measure kingdoms with his feeble steps much less shall she that hath love's wings to fly and when the flight is made to one so dear of such divine perfection as sir proteus lucetta better forbear till proteus make return julia o know'st thou not his looks are my soul's food pity the dearth that i have pined in by longing for that food so long a time didst thou but know the inly touch of love thou wouldst as soon go kindle fire with snow as seek to quench the fire of love with words lucetta i do not seek to quench your love's hot fire but qualify the fire's extreme rage lest it should burn above the bounds of reason julia the more thou damm'st it up the more it burns the current that with gentle murmur glides thou know'st being stopp'd impatiently doth rage but when his fair course is not hindered he makes sweet music with the enamell'ed stones giving a gentle kiss to every sedge he overtaketh in his pilgrimage and so by many winding nooks he strays with willing sport to the wild ocean then let me go and hinder not my course i'll be as patient as a gentle stream and make a pastime of each weary step till the last step have brought me to my love and there i'll rest as after much turmoil a blessed soul doth in elysium lucetta but in what habit will you go along julia not like a woman for i would prevent the loose encounters of lascivious men gentle lucetta fit me with such weeds as may beseem some wellreputed page lucetta why then your ladyship must cut your hair julia no girl i'll knit it up in silken strings with twenty oddconceited truelove knots to be fantastic may become a youth of greater time than i shall show to be lucetta what fashion madam shall i make your breeches julia that fits as well as tell me good my lord what compass will you wear your farthingale' why even what fashion thou best likest lucetta lucetta you must needs have them with a codpiece madam julia out out lucetta that would be illfavour'd lucetta a round hose madam now's not worth a pin unless you have a codpiece to stick pins on julia lucetta as thou lovest me let me have what thou thinkest meet and is most mannerly but tell me wench how will the world repute me for undertaking so unstaid a journey i fear me it will make me scandalized lucetta if you think so then stay at home and go not julia nay that i will not lucetta then never dream on infamy but go if proteus like your journey when you come no matter who's displeased when you are gone i fear me he will scarce be pleased withal julia that is the least lucetta of my fear a thousand oaths an ocean of his tears and instances of infinite of love warrant me welcome to my proteus lucetta all these are servants to deceitful men julia base men that use them to so base effect but truer stars did govern proteus birth his words are bonds his oaths are oracles his love sincere his thoughts immaculate his tears pure messengers sent from his heart his heart as far from fraud as heaven from earth lucetta pray heaven he prove so when you come to him julia now as thou lovest me do him not that wrong to bear a hard opinion of his truth only deserve my love by loving him and presently go with me to my chamber to take a note of what i stand in need of to furnish me upon my longing journey all that is mine i leave at thy dispose my goods my lands my reputation only in lieu thereof dispatch me hence come answer not but to it presently i am impatient of my tarriance exeunt the two gentlemen of verona act iii scene i milan the duke's palace enter duke thurio and proteus duke sir thurio give us leave i pray awhile we have some secrets to confer about exit thurio now tell me proteus what's your will with me proteus my gracious lord that which i would discover the law of friendship bids me to conceal but when i call to mind your gracious favours done to me undeserving as i am my duty pricks me on to utter that which else no worldly good should draw from me know worthy prince sir valentine my friend this night intends to steal away your daughter myself am one made privy to the plot i know you have determined to bestow her on thurio whom your gentle daughter hates and should she thus be stol'n away from you it would be much vexation to your age thus for my duty's sake i rather chose to cross my friend in his intended drift than by concealing it heap on your head a pack of sorrows which would press you down being unprevented to your timeless grave duke proteus i thank thee for thine honest care which to requite command me while i live this love of theirs myself have often seen haply when they have judged me fast asleep and oftentimes have purposed to forbid sir valentine her company and my court but fearing lest my jealous aim might err and so unworthily disgrace the man a rashness that i ever yet have shunn'd i gave him gentle looks thereby to find that which thyself hast now disclosed to me and that thou mayst perceive my fear of this knowing that tender youth is soon suggested i nightly lodge her in an upper tower the key whereof myself have ever kept and thence she cannot be convey'd away proteus know noble lord they have devised a mean how he her chamberwindow will ascend and with a corded ladder fetch her down for which the youthful lover now is gone and this way comes he with it presently where if it please you you may intercept him but good my lord do it so cunningly that my discovery be not aimed at for love of you not hate unto my friend hath made me publisher of this pretence duke upon mine honour he shall never know that i had any light from thee of this proteus adieu my lord sir valentine is coming exit enter valentine duke sir valentine whither away so fast valentine please it your grace there is a messenger that stays to bear my letters to my friends and i am going to deliver them duke be they of much import valentine the tenor of them doth but signify my health and happy being at your court duke nay then no matter stay with me awhile i am to break with thee of some affairs that touch me near wherein thou must be secret tis not unknown to thee that i have sought to match my friend sir thurio to my daughter valentine i know it well my lord and sure the match were rich and honourable besides the gentleman is full of virtue bounty worth and qualities beseeming such a wife as your fair daughter cannot your grace win her to fancy him duke no trust me she is peevish sullen froward proud disobedient stubborn lacking duty neither regarding that she is my child nor fearing me as if i were her father and may i say to thee this pride of hers upon advice hath drawn my love from her and where i thought the remnant of mine age should have been cherish'd by her childlike duty i now am full resolved to take a wife and turn her out to who will take her in then let her beauty be her weddingdower for me and my possessions she esteems not valentine what would your grace have me to do in this duke there is a lady in verona here whom i affect but she is nice and coy and nought esteems my aged eloquence now therefore would i have thee to my tutor for long agone i have forgot to court besides the fashion of the time is changed how and which way i may bestow myself to be regarded in her sunbright eye valentine win her with gifts if she respect not words dumb jewels often in their silent kind more than quick words do move a woman's mind duke but she did scorn a present that i sent her valentine a woman sometimes scorns what best contents her send her another never give her o'er for scorn at first makes afterlove the more if she do frown tis not in hate of you but rather to beget more love in you if she do chide tis not to have you gone for why the fools are mad if left alone take no repulse whatever she doth say for get you gone she doth not mean away' flatter and praise commend extol their graces though ne'er so black say they have angels faces that man that hath a tongue i say is no man if with his tongue he cannot win a woman duke but she i mean is promised by her friends unto a youthful gentleman of worth and kept severely from resort of men that no man hath access by day to her valentine why then i would resort to her by night duke ay but the doors be lock'd and keys kept safe that no man hath recourse to her by night valentine what lets but one may enter at her window duke her chamber is aloft far from the ground and built so shelving that one cannot climb it without apparent hazard of his life valentine why then a ladder quaintly made of cords to cast up with a pair of anchoring hooks would serve to scale another hero's tower so bold leander would adventure it duke now as thou art a gentleman of blood advise me where i may have such a ladder valentine when would you use it pray sir tell me that duke this very night for love is like a child that longs for every thing that he can come by valentine by seven o'clock i'll get you such a ladder duke but hark thee i will go to her alone how shall i best convey the ladder thither valentine it will be light my lord that you may bear it under a cloak that is of any length duke a cloak as long as thine will serve the turn valentine ay my good lord duke then let me see thy cloak i'll get me one of such another length valentine why any cloak will serve the turn my lord duke how shall i fashion me to wear a cloak i pray thee let me feel thy cloak upon me what letter is this same what's here to silvia' and here an engine fit for my proceeding i'll be so bold to break the seal for once reads my thoughts do harbour with my silvia nightly and slaves they are to me that send them flying o could their master come and go as lightly himself would lodge where senseless they are lying my herald thoughts in thy pure bosom rest them while i their king that hither them importune do curse the grace that with such grace hath bless'd them because myself do want my servants fortune i curse myself for they are sent by me that they should harbour where their lord would be' what's here silvia this night i will enfranchise thee' tis so and here's the ladder for the purpose why phaetonfor thou art merops son wilt thou aspire to guide the heavenly car and with thy daring folly burn the world wilt thou reach stars because they shine on thee go base intruder overweening slave bestow thy fawning smiles on equal mates and think my patience more than thy desert is privilege for thy departure hence thank me for this more than for all the favours which all too much i have bestow'd on thee but if thou linger in my territories longer than swiftest expedition will give thee time to leave our royal court by heaven my wrath shall far exceed the love i ever bore my daughter or thyself be gone i will not hear thy vain excuse but as thou lovest thy life make speed from hence exit valentine and why not death rather than living torment to die is to be banish'd from myself and silvia is myself banish'd from her is self from self a deadly banishment what light is light if silvia be not seen what joy is joy if silvia be not by unless it be to think that she is by and feed upon the shadow of perfection except i be by silvia in the night there is no music in the nightingale unless i look on silvia in the day there is no day for me to look upon she is my essence and i leave to be if i be not by her fair influence foster'd illumined cherish'd kept alive i fly not death to fly his deadly doom tarry i here i but attend on death but fly i hence i fly away from life enter proteus and launce proteus run boy run run and seek him out launce soho soho proteus what seest thou launce him we go to find there's not a hair on's head but tis a valentine proteus valentine valentine no proteus who then his spirit valentine neither proteus what then valentine nothing launce can nothing speak master shall i strike proteus who wouldst thou strike launce nothing proteus villain forbear launce why sir i'll strike nothing i pray you proteus sirrah i say forbear friend valentine a word valentine my ears are stopt and cannot hear good news so much of bad already hath possess'd them proteus then in dumb silence will i bury mine for they are harsh untuneable and bad valentine is silvia dead proteus no valentine valentine no valentine indeed for sacred silvia hath she forsworn me proteus no valentine valentine no valentine if silvia have forsworn me what is your news launce sir there is a proclamation that you are vanished proteus that thou art banishedo that's the news from hence from silvia and from me thy friend valentine o i have fed upon this woe already and now excess of it will make me surfeit doth silvia know that i am banished proteus ay ay and she hath offer'd to the doom which unreversed stands in effectual force a sea of melting pearl which some call tears those at her father's churlish feet she tender'd with them upon her knees her humble self wringing her hands whose whiteness so became them as if but now they waxed pale for woe but neither bended knees pure hands held up sad sighs deep groans nor silvershedding tears could penetrate her uncompassionate sire but valentine if he be ta'en must die besides her intercession chafed him so when she for thy repeal was suppliant that to close prison he commanded her with many bitter threats of biding there valentine no more unless the next word that thou speak'st have some malignant power upon my life if so i pray thee breathe it in mine ear as ending anthem of my endless dolour proteus cease to lament for that thou canst not help and study help for that which thou lament'st time is the nurse and breeder of all good here if thou stay thou canst not see thy love besides thy staying will abridge thy life hope is a lover's staff walk hence with that and manage it against despairing thoughts thy letters may be here though thou art hence which being writ to me shall be deliver'd even in the milkwhite bosom of thy love the time now serves not to expostulate come i'll convey thee through the citygate and ere i part with thee confer at large of all that may concern thy loveaffairs as thou lovest silvia though not for thyself regard thy danger and along with me valentine i pray thee launce an if thou seest my boy bid him make haste and meet me at the northgate proteus go sirrah find him out come valentine valentine o my dear silvia hapless valentine exeunt valentine and proteus launce i am but a fool look you and yet i have the wit to think my master is a kind of a knave but that's all one if he be but one knave he lives not now that knows me to be in love yet i am in love but a team of horse shall not pluck that from me nor who tis i love and yet tis a woman but what woman i will not tell myself and yet tis a milkmaid yet tis not a maid for she hath had gossips yet tis a maid for she is her master's maid and serves for wages she hath more qualities than a waterspaniel which is much in a bare christian pulling out a paper here is the catelog of her condition imprimis she can fetch and carry why a horse can do no more nay a horse cannot fetch but only carry therefore is she better than a jade item she can milk look you a sweet virtue in a maid with clean hands enter speed speed how now signior launce what news with your mastership launce with my master's ship why it is at sea speed well your old vice still mistake the word what news then in your paper launce the blackest news that ever thou heardest speed why man how black launce why as black as ink speed let me read them launce fie on thee jolthead thou canst not read speed thou liest i can launce i will try thee tell me this who begot thee speed marry the son of my grandfather launce o illiterate loiterer it was the son of thy grandmother this proves that thou canst not read speed come fool come try me in thy paper launce there and st nicholas be thy speed speed reads imprimis she can milk' launce ay that she can speed item she brews good ale' launce and thereof comes the proverb blessing of your heart you brew good ale' speed item she can sew' launce that's as much as to say can she so speed item she can knit' launce what need a man care for a stock with a wench when she can knit him a stock speed item she can wash and scour' launce a special virtue for then she need not be washed and scoured speed item she can spin' launce then may i set the world on wheels when she can spin for her living speed item she hath many nameless virtues' launce that's as much as to say bastard virtues that indeed know not their fathers and therefore have no names speed here follow her vices' launce close at the heels of her virtues speed item she is not to be kissed fasting in respect of her breath' launce well that fault may be mended with a breakfast read on speed item she hath a sweet mouth' launce that makes amends for her sour breath speed item she doth talk in her sleep' launce it's no matter for that so she sleep not in her talk speed item she is slow in words' launce o villain that set this down among her vices to be slow in words is a woman's only virtue i pray thee out with't and place it for her chief virtue speed item she is proud' launce out with that too it was eve's legacy and cannot be ta'en from her speed item she hath no teeth' launce i care not for that neither because i love crusts speed item she is curst' launce well the best is she hath no teeth to bite speed item she will often praise her liquor' launce if her liquor be good she shall if she will not i will for good things should be praised speed item she is too liberal' launce of her tongue she cannot for that's writ down she is slow of of her purse she shall not for that i'll keep shut now of another thing she may and that cannot i help well proceed speed item she hath more hair than wit and more faults than hairs and more wealth than faults' launce stop there i'll have her she was mine and not mine twice or thrice in that last article rehearse that once more speed item she hath more hair than wit' launce more hair than wit it may be i'll prove it the cover of the salt hides the salt and therefore it is more than the salt the hair that covers the wit is more than the wit for the greater hides the less what's next speed and more faults than hairs' launce that's monstrous o that that were out speed and more wealth than faults' launce why that word makes the faults gracious well i'll have her and if it be a match as nothing is impossible speed what then launce why then will i tell theethat thy master stays for thee at the northgate speed for me launce for thee ay who art thou he hath stayed for a better man than thee speed and must i go to him launce thou must run to him for thou hast stayed so long that going will scarce serve the turn speed why didst not tell me sooner pox of your love letters exit launce now will he be swinged for reading my letter an unmannerly slave that will thrust himself into secrets i'll after to rejoice in the boy's correction exit the two gentlemen of verona act iii scene ii the same the duke's palace enter duke and thurio duke sir thurio fear not but that she will love you now valentine is banish'd from her sight thurio since his exile she hath despised me most forsworn my company and rail'd at me that i am desperate of obtaining her duke this weak impress of love is as a figure trenched in ice which with an hour's heat dissolves to water and doth lose his form a little time will melt her frozen thoughts and worthless valentine shall be forgot enter proteus how now sir proteus is your countryman according to our proclamation gone proteus gone my good lord duke my daughter takes his going grievously proteus a little time my lord will kill that grief duke so i believe but thurio thinks not so proteus the good conceit i hold of thee for thou hast shown some sign of good desert makes me the better to confer with thee proteus longer than i prove loyal to your grace let me not live to look upon your grace duke thou know'st how willingly i would effect the match between sir thurio and my daughter proteus i do my lord duke and also i think thou art not ignorant how she opposes her against my will proteus she did my lord when valentine was here duke ay and perversely she persevers so what might we do to make the girl forget the love of valentine and love sir thurio proteus the best way is to slander valentine with falsehood cowardice and poor descent three things that women highly hold in hate duke ay but she'll think that it is spoke in hate proteus ay if his enemy deliver it therefore it must with circumstance be spoken by one whom she esteemeth as his friend duke then you must undertake to slander him proteus and that my lord i shall be loath to do tis an ill office for a gentleman especially against his very friend duke where your good word cannot advantage him your slander never can endamage him therefore the office is indifferent being entreated to it by your friend proteus you have prevail'd my lord if i can do it by ought that i can speak in his dispraise she shall not long continue love to him but say this weed her love from valentine it follows not that she will love sir thurio thurio therefore as you unwind her love from him lest it should ravel and be good to none you must provide to bottom it on me which must be done by praising me as much as you in worth dispraise sir valentine duke and proteus we dare trust you in this kind because we know on valentine's report you are already love's firm votary and cannot soon revolt and change your mind upon this warrant shall you have access where you with silvia may confer at large for she is lumpish heavy melancholy and for your friend's sake will be glad of you where you may temper her by your persuasion to hate young valentine and love my friend proteus as much as i can do i will effect but you sir thurio are not sharp enough you must lay lime to tangle her desires by wailful sonnets whose composed rhymes should be fullfraught with serviceable vows duke ay much is the force of heavenbred poesy proteus say that upon the altar of her beauty you sacrifice your tears your sighs your heart write till your ink be dry and with your tears moist it again and frame some feeling line that may discover such integrity for orpheus lute was strung with poets sinews whose golden touch could soften steel and stones make tigers tame and huge leviathans forsake unsounded deeps to dance on sands after your direlamenting elegies visit by night your lady's chamberwindow with some sweet concert to their instruments tune a deploring dump the night's dead silence will well become such sweetcomplaining grievance this or else nothing will inherit her duke this discipline shows thou hast been in love thurio and thy advice this night i'll put in practise therefore sweet proteus my directiongiver let us into the city presently to sort some gentlemen well skill'd in music i have a sonnet that will serve the turn to give the onset to thy good advice duke about it gentlemen proteus we'll wait upon your grace till after supper and afterward determine our proceedings duke even now about it i will pardon you exeunt the two gentlemen of verona act iv scene i the frontiers of mantua a forest enter certain outlaws first outlaw fellows stand fast i see a passenger second outlaw if there be ten shrink not but down with em enter valentine and speed third outlaw stand sir and throw us that you have about ye if not we'll make you sit and rifle you speed sir we are undone these are the villains that all the travellers do fear so much valentine my friends first outlaw that's not so sir we are your enemies second outlaw peace we'll hear him third outlaw ay by my beard will we for he's a proper man valentine then know that i have little wealth to lose a man i am cross'd with adversity my riches are these poor habiliments of which if you should here disfurnish me you take the sum and substance that i have second outlaw whither travel you valentine to verona first outlaw whence came you valentine from milan third outlaw have you long sojourned there valentine some sixteen months and longer might have stay'd if crooked fortune had not thwarted me first outlaw what were you banish'd thence valentine i was second outlaw for what offence valentine for that which now torments me to rehearse i kill'd a man whose death i much repent but yet i slew him manfully in fight without false vantage or base treachery first outlaw why ne'er repent it if it were done so but were you banish'd for so small a fault valentine i was and held me glad of such a doom second outlaw have you the tongues valentine my youthful travel therein made me happy or else i often had been miserable third outlaw by the bare scalp of robin hood's fat friar this fellow were a king for our wild faction first outlaw we'll have him sirs a word speed master be one of them it's an honourable kind of thievery valentine peace villain second outlaw tell us this have you any thing to take to valentine nothing but my fortune third outlaw know then that some of us are gentlemen such as the fury of ungovern'd youth thrust from the company of awful men myself was from verona banished for practising to steal away a lady an heir and near allied unto the duke second outlaw and i from mantua for a gentleman who in my mood i stabb'd unto the heart first outlaw and i for such like petty crimes as these but to the purposefor we cite our faults that they may hold excus'd our lawless lives and partly seeing you are beautified with goodly shape and by your own report a linguist and a man of such perfection as we do in our quality much want second outlaw indeed because you are a banish'd man therefore above the rest we parley to you are you content to be our general to make a virtue of necessity and live as we do in this wilderness third outlaw what say'st thou wilt thou be of our consort say ay and be the captain of us all we'll do thee homage and be ruled by thee love thee as our commander and our king first outlaw but if thou scorn our courtesy thou diest second outlaw thou shalt not live to brag what we have offer'd valentine i take your offer and will live with you provided that you do no outrages on silly women or poor passengers third outlaw no we detest such vile base practises come go with us we'll bring thee to our crews and show thee all the treasure we have got which with ourselves all rest at thy dispose exeunt the two gentlemen of verona act iv scene ii milan outside the duke's palace under silvia's chamber enter proteus proteus already have i been false to valentine and now i must be as unjust to thurio under the colour of commending him i have access my own love to prefer but silvia is too fair too true too holy to be corrupted with my worthless gifts when i protest true loyalty to her she twits me with my falsehood to my friend when to her beauty i commend my vows she bids me think how i have been forsworn in breaking faith with julia whom i loved and notwithstanding all her sudden quips the least whereof would quell a lover's hope yet spaniellike the more she spurns my love the more it grows and fawneth on her still but here comes thurio now must we to her window and give some evening music to her ear enter thurio and musicians thurio how now sir proteus are you crept before us proteus ay gentle thurio for you know that love will creep in service where it cannot go thurio ay but i hope sir that you love not here proteus sir but i do or else i would be hence thurio who silvia proteus ay silvia for your sake thurio i thank you for your own now gentlemen let's tune and to it lustily awhile enter at a distance host and julia in boy's clothes host now my young guest methinks you're allycholly i pray you why is it julia marry mine host because i cannot be merry host come we'll have you merry i'll bring you where you shall hear music and see the gentleman that you asked for julia but shall i hear him speak host ay that you shall julia that will be music music plays host hark hark julia is he among these host ay but peace let's hear em song who is silvia what is she that all our swains commend her holy fair and wise is she the heaven such grace did lend her that she might admired be is she kind as she is fair for beauty lives with kindness love doth to her eyes repair to help him of his blindness and being help'd inhabits there then to silvia let us sing that silvia is excelling she excels each mortal thing upon the dull earth dwelling to her let us garlands bring host how now are you sadder than you were before how do you man the music likes you not julia you mistake the musician likes me not host why my pretty youth julia he plays false father host how out of tune on the strings julia not so but yet so false that he grieves my very heartstrings host you have a quick ear julia ay i would i were deaf it makes me have a slow heart host i perceive you delight not in music julia not a whit when it jars so host hark what fine change is in the music julia ay that change is the spite host you would have them always play but one thing julia i would always have one play but one thing but host doth this sir proteus that we talk on often resort unto this gentlewoman host i tell you what launce his man told me he loved her out of all nick julia where is launce host gone to seek his dog which tomorrow by his master's command he must carry for a present to his lady julia peace stand aside the company parts proteus sir thurio fear not you i will so plead that you shall say my cunning drift excels thurio where meet we proteus at saint gregory's well thurio farewell exeunt thurio and musicians enter silvia above proteus madam good even to your ladyship silvia i thank you for your music gentlemen who is that that spake proteus one lady if you knew his pure heart's truth you would quickly learn to know him by his voice silvia sir proteus as i take it proteus sir proteus gentle lady and your servant silvia what's your will proteus that i may compass yours silvia you have your wish my will is even this that presently you hie you home to bed thou subtle perjured false disloyal man think'st thou i am so shallow so conceitless to be seduced by thy flattery that hast deceived so many with thy vows return return and make thy love amends for me by this pale queen of night i swear i am so far from granting thy request that i despise thee for thy wrongful suit and by and by intend to chide myself even for this time i spend in talking to thee proteus i grant sweet love that i did love a lady but she is dead julia aside twere false if i should speak it for i am sure she is not buried silvia say that she be yet valentine thy friend survives to whom thyself art witness i am betroth'd and art thou not ashamed to wrong him with thy importunacy proteus i likewise hear that valentine is dead silvia and so suppose am i for in his grave assure thyself my love is buried proteus sweet lady let me rake it from the earth silvia go to thy lady's grave and call hers thence or at the least in hers sepulchre thine julia aside he heard not that proteus madam if your heart be so obdurate vouchsafe me yet your picture for my love the picture that is hanging in your chamber to that i'll speak to that i'll sigh and weep for since the substance of your perfect self is else devoted i am but a shadow and to your shadow will i make true love julia aside if twere a substance you would sure deceive it and make it but a shadow as i am silvia i am very loath to be your idol sir but since your falsehood shall become you well to worship shadows and adore false shapes send to me in the morning and i'll send it and so good rest proteus as wretches have o'ernight that wait for execution in the morn exeunt proteus and silvia severally julia host will you go host by my halidom i was fast asleep julia pray you where lies sir proteus host marry at my house trust me i think tis almost day julia not so but it hath been the longest night that e'er i watch'd and the most heaviest exeunt the two gentlemen of verona act iv scene iii the same enter eglamour eglamour this is the hour that madam silvia entreated me to call and know her mind there's some great matter she'ld employ me in madam madam enter silvia above silvia who calls eglamour your servant and your friend one that attends your ladyship's command silvia sir eglamour a thousand times good morrow eglamour as many worthy lady to yourself according to your ladyship's impose i am thus early come to know what service it is your pleasure to command me in silvia o eglamour thou art a gentleman think not i flatter for i swear i do not valiant wise remorseful well accomplish'd thou art not ignorant what dear good will i bear unto the banish'd valentine nor how my father would enforce me marry vain thurio whom my very soul abhors thyself hast loved and i have heard thee say no grief did ever come so near thy heart as when thy lady and thy true love died upon whose grave thou vow'dst pure chastity sir eglamour i would to valentine to mantua where i hear he makes abode and for the ways are dangerous to pass i do desire thy worthy company upon whose faith and honour i repose urge not my father's anger eglamour but think upon my grief a lady's grief and on the justice of my flying hence to keep me from a most unholy match which heaven and fortune still rewards with plagues i do desire thee even from a heart as full of sorrows as the sea of sands to bear me company and go with me if not to hide what i have said to thee that i may venture to depart alone eglamour madam i pity much your grievances which since i know they virtuously are placed i give consent to go along with you recking as little what betideth me as much i wish all good befortune you when will you go silvia this evening coming eglamour where shall i meet you silvia at friar patrick's cell where i intend holy confession eglamour i will not fail your ladyship good morrow gentle lady silvia good morrow kind sir eglamour exeunt severally the two gentlemen of verona act iv scene iv the same enter launce with his his dog launce when a man's servant shall play the cur with him look you it goes hard one that i brought up of a puppy one that i saved from drowning when three or four of his blind brothers and sisters went to it i have taught him even as one would say precisely thus i would teach a dog i was sent to deliver him as a present to mistress silvia from my master and i came no sooner into the diningchamber but he steps me to her trencher and steals her capon's leg o tis a foul thing when a cur cannot keep himself in all companies i would have as one should say one that takes upon him to be a dog indeed to be as it were a dog at all things if i had not had more wit than he to take a fault upon me that he did i think verily he had been hanged for't sure as i live he had suffered for't you shall judge he thrusts me himself into the company of three or four gentlemanlike dogs under the duke's table he had not been therebless the marka pissing while but all the chamber smelt him out with the dog says one what cur is that says another whip him out says the third hang him up says the duke i having been acquainted with the smell before knew it was crab and goes me to the fellow that whips the dogs friend quoth i you mean to whip the dog ay marry do i quoth he you do him the more wrong quoth i 'twas i did the thing you wot of he makes me no more ado but whips me out of the chamber how many masters would do this for his servant nay i'll be sworn i have sat in the stocks for puddings he hath stolen otherwise he had been executed i have stood on the pillory for geese he hath killed otherwise he had suffered for't thou thinkest not of this now nay i remember the trick you served me when i took my leave of madam silvia did not i bid thee still mark me and do as i do when didst thou see me heave up my leg and make water against a gentlewoman's farthingale didst thou ever see me do such a trick enter proteus and julia proteus sebastian is thy name i like thee well and will employ thee in some service presently julia in what you please i'll do what i can proteus i hope thou wilt to launce how now you whoreson peasant where have you been these two days loitering launce marry sir i carried mistress silvia the dog you bade me proteus and what says she to my little jewel launce marry she says your dog was a cur and tells you currish thanks is good enough for such a present proteus but she received my dog launce no indeed did she not here have i brought him back again proteus what didst thou offer her this from me launce ay sir the other squirrel was stolen from me by the hangman boys in the marketplace and then i offered her mine own who is a dog as big as ten of yours and therefore the gift the greater proteus go get thee hence and find my dog again or ne'er return again into my sight away i say stay'st thou to vex me here exit launce a slave that still an end turns me to shame sebastian i have entertained thee partly that i have need of such a youth that can with some discretion do my business for tis no trusting to yond foolish lout but chiefly for thy face and thy behavior which if my augury deceive me not witness good bringing up fortune and truth therefore know thou for this i entertain thee go presently and take this ring with thee deliver it to madam silvia she loved me well deliver'd it to me julia it seems you loved not her to leave her token she is dead belike proteus not so i think she lives julia alas proteus why dost thou cry alas' julia i cannot choose but pity her proteus wherefore shouldst thou pity her julia because methinks that she loved you as well as you do love your lady silvia she dreams of him that has forgot her love you dote on her that cares not for your love tis pity love should be so contrary and thinking of it makes me cry alas' proteus well give her that ring and therewithal this letter that's her chamber tell my lady i claim the promise for her heavenly picture your message done hie home unto my chamber where thou shalt find me sad and solitary exit julia how many women would do such a message alas poor proteus thou hast entertain'd a fox to be the shepherd of thy lambs alas poor fool why do i pity him that with his very heart despiseth me because he loves her he despiseth me because i love him i must pity him this ring i gave him when he parted from me to bind him to remember my good will and now am i unhappy messenger to plead for that which i would not obtain to carry that which i would have refused to praise his faith which i would have dispraised i am my master's trueconfirmed love but cannot be true servant to my master unless i prove false traitor to myself yet will i woo for him but yet so coldly as heaven it knows i would not have him speed enter silvia attended gentlewoman good day i pray you be my mean to bring me where to speak with madam silvia silvia what would you with her if that i be she julia if you be she i do entreat your patience to hear me speak the message i am sent on silvia from whom julia from my master sir proteus madam silvia o he sends you for a picture julia ay madam silvia ursula bring my picture here go give your master this tell him from me one julia that his changing thoughts forget would better fit his chamber than this shadow julia madam please you peruse this letter pardon me madam i have unadvised deliver'd you a paper that i should not this is the letter to your ladyship silvia i pray thee let me look on that again julia it may not be good madam pardon me silvia there hold i will not look upon your master's lines i know they are stuff'd with protestations and full of newfound oaths which he will break as easily as i do tear his paper julia madam he sends your ladyship this ring silvia the more shame for him that he sends it me for i have heard him say a thousand times his julia gave it him at his departure though his false finger have profaned the ring mine shall not do his julia so much wrong julia she thanks you silvia what say'st thou julia i thank you madam that you tender her poor gentlewoman my master wrongs her much silvia dost thou know her julia almost as well as i do know myself to think upon her woes i do protest that i have wept a hundred several times silvia belike she thinks that proteus hath forsook her julia i think she doth and that's her cause of sorrow silvia is she not passing fair julia she hath been fairer madam than she is when she did think my master loved her well she in my judgment was as fair as you but since she did neglect her lookingglass and threw her sunexpelling mask away the air hath starved the roses in her cheeks and pinch'd the lilytincture of her face that now she is become as black as i silvia how tall was she julia about my stature for at pentecost when all our pageants of delight were play'd our youth got me to play the woman's part and i was trimm'd in madam julia's gown which served me as fit by all men's judgments as if the garment had been made for me therefore i know she is about my height and at that time i made her weep agood for i did play a lamentable part madam twas ariadne passioning for theseus perjury and unjust flight which i so lively acted with my tears that my poor mistress moved therewithal wept bitterly and would i might be dead if i in thought felt not her very sorrow silvia she is beholding to thee gentle youth alas poor lady desolate and left i weep myself to think upon thy words here youth there is my purse i give thee this for thy sweet mistress sake because thou lovest her farewell exit silvia with attendants julia and she shall thank you for't if e'er you know her a virtuous gentlewoman mild and beautiful i hope my master's suit will be but cold since she respects my mistress love so much alas how love can trifle with itself here is her picture let me see i think if i had such a tire this face of mine were full as lovely as is this of hers and yet the painter flatter'd her a little unless i flatter with myself too much her hair is auburn mine is perfect yellow if that be all the difference in his love i'll get me such a colour'd periwig her eyes are grey as glass and so are mine ay but her forehead's low and mine's as high what should it be that he respects in her but i can make respective in myself if this fond love were not a blinded god come shadow come and take this shadow up for tis thy rival o thou senseless form thou shalt be worshipp'd kiss'd loved and adored and were there sense in his idolatry my substance should be statue in thy stead i'll use thee kindly for thy mistress sake that used me so or else by jove i vow i should have scratch'd out your unseeing eyes to make my master out of love with thee exit the two gentlemen of verona act v scene i milan an abbey enter eglamour eglamour the sun begins to gild the western sky and now it is about the very hour that silvia at friar patrick's cell should meet me she will not fail for lovers break not hours unless it be to come before their time so much they spur their expedition see where she comes enter silvia lady a happy evening silvia amen amen go on good eglamour out at the postern by the abbeywall i fear i am attended by some spies eglamour fear not the forest is not three leagues off if we recover that we are sure enough exeunt the two gentlemen of verona act v scene ii the same the duke's palace enter thurio proteus and julia thurio sir proteus what says silvia to my suit proteus o sir i find her milder than she was and yet she takes exceptions at your person thurio what that my leg is too long proteus no that it is too little thurio i'll wear a boot to make it somewhat rounder julia aside but love will not be spurr'd to what it loathes thurio what says she to my face proteus she says it is a fair one thurio nay then the wanton lies my face is black proteus but pearls are fair and the old saying is black men are pearls in beauteous ladies eyes julia aside tis true such pearls as put out ladies eyes for i had rather wink than look on them thurio how likes she my discourse proteus ill when you talk of war thurio but well when i discourse of love and peace julia aside but better indeed when you hold your peace thurio what says she to my valour proteus o sir she makes no doubt of that julia aside she needs not when she knows it cowardice thurio what says she to my birth proteus that you are well derived julia aside true from a gentleman to a fool thurio considers she my possessions proteus o ay and pities them thurio wherefore julia aside that such an ass should owe them proteus that they are out by lease julia here comes the duke enter duke duke how now sir proteus how now thurio which of you saw sir eglamour of late thurio not i proteus nor i duke saw you my daughter proteus neither duke why then she's fled unto that peasant valentine and eglamour is in her company tis true for friar laurence met them both as he in penance wander'd through the forest him he knew well and guess'd that it was she but being mask'd he was not sure of it besides she did intend confession at patrick's cell this even and there she was not these likelihoods confirm her flight from hence therefore i pray you stand not to discourse but mount you presently and meet with me upon the rising of the mountainfoot that leads towards mantua whither they are fled dispatch sweet gentlemen and follow me exit thurio why this it is to be a peevish girl that flies her fortune when it follows her i'll after more to be revenged on eglamour than for the love of reckless silvia exit proteus and i will follow more for silvia's love than hate of eglamour that goes with her exit julia and i will follow more to cross that love than hate for silvia that is gone for love exit the two gentlemen of verona act v scene iii the frontiers of mantua the forest enter outlaws with silvia first outlaw come come be patient we must bring you to our captain silvia a thousand more mischances than this one have learn'd me how to brook this patiently second outlaw come bring her away first outlaw where is the gentleman that was with her third outlaw being nimblefooted he hath outrun us but moyses and valerius follow him go thou with her to the west end of the wood there is our captain we'll follow him that's fled the thicket is beset he cannot scape first outlaw come i must bring you to our captain's cave fear not he bears an honourable mind and will not use a woman lawlessly silvia o valentine this i endure for thee exeunt the two gentlemen of verona act v scene iv another part of the forest enter valentine valentine how use doth breed a habit in a man this shadowy desert unfrequented woods i better brook than flourishing peopled towns here can i sit alone unseen of any and to the nightingale's complaining notes tune my distresses and record my woes o thou that dost inhabit in my breast leave not the mansion so long tenantless lest growing ruinous the building fall and leave no memory of what it was repair me with thy presence silvia thou gentle nymph cherish thy forlorn swain what halloing and what stir is this today these are my mates that make their wills their law have some unhappy passenger in chase they love me well yet i have much to do to keep them from uncivil outrages withdraw thee valentine who's this comes here enter proteus silvia and julia proteus madam this service i have done for you though you respect not aught your servant doth to hazard life and rescue you from him that would have forced your honour and your love vouchsafe me for my meed but one fair look a smaller boon than this i cannot beg and less than this i am sure you cannot give valentine aside how like a dream is this i see and hear love lend me patience to forbear awhile silvia o miserable unhappy that i am proteus unhappy were you madam ere i came but by my coming i have made you happy silvia by thy approach thou makest me most unhappy julia aside and me when he approacheth to your presence silvia had i been seized by a hungry lion i would have been a breakfast to the beast rather than have false proteus rescue me o heaven be judge how i love valentine whose life's as tender to me as my soul and full as much for more there cannot be i do detest false perjured proteus therefore be gone solicit me no more proteus what dangerous action stood it next to death would i not undergo for one calm look o tis the curse in love and still approved when women cannot love where they're beloved silvia when proteus cannot love where he's beloved read over julia's heart thy first best love for whose dear sake thou didst then rend thy faith into a thousand oaths and all those oaths descended into perjury to love me thou hast no faith left now unless thou'dst two and that's far worse than none better have none than plural faith which is too much by one thou counterfeit to thy true friend proteus in love who respects friend silvia all men but proteus proteus nay if the gentle spirit of moving words can no way change you to a milder form i'll woo you like a soldier at arms end and love you gainst the nature of loveforce ye silvia o heaven proteus i'll force thee yield to my desire valentine ruffian let go that rude uncivil touch thou friend of an ill fashion proteus valentine valentine thou common friend that's without faith or love for such is a friend now treacherous man thou hast beguiled my hopes nought but mine eye could have persuaded me now i dare not say i have one friend alive thou wouldst disprove me who should be trusted when one's own right hand is perjured to the bosom proteus i am sorry i must never trust thee more but count the world a stranger for thy sake the private wound is deepest o time most accurst mongst all foes that a friend should be the worst proteus my shame and guilt confounds me forgive me valentine if hearty sorrow be a sufficient ransom for offence i tender t here i do as truly suffer as e'er i did commit valentine then i am paid and once again i do receive thee honest who by repentance is not satisfied is nor of heaven nor earth for these are pleased by penitence the eternal's wrath's appeased and that my love may appear plain and free all that was mine in silvia i give thee julia o me unhappy swoons proteus look to the boy valentine why boy why wag how now what's the matter look up speak julia o good sir my master charged me to deliver a ring to madam silvia which out of my neglect was never done proteus where is that ring boy julia here tis this is it proteus how let me see why this is the ring i gave to julia julia o cry you mercy sir i have mistook this is the ring you sent to silvia proteus but how camest thou by this ring at my depart i gave this unto julia julia and julia herself did give it me and julia herself hath brought it hither proteus how julia julia behold her that gave aim to all thy oaths and entertain'd em deeply in her heart how oft hast thou with perjury cleft the root o proteus let this habit make thee blush be thou ashamed that i have took upon me such an immodest raiment if shame live in a disguise of love it is the lesser blot modesty finds women to change their shapes than men their minds proteus than men their minds tis true o heaven were man but constant he were perfect that one error fills him with faults makes him run through all the sins inconstancy falls off ere it begins what is in silvia's face but i may spy more fresh in julia's with a constant eye valentine come come a hand from either let me be blest to make this happy close twere pity two such friends should be long foes proteus bear witness heaven i have my wish for ever julia and i mine enter outlaws with duke and thurio outlaws a prize a prize a prize valentine forbear forbear i say it is my lord the duke your grace is welcome to a man disgraced banished valentine duke sir valentine thurio yonder is silvia and silvia's mine valentine thurio give back or else embrace thy death come not within the measure of my wrath do not name silvia thine if once again verona shall not hold thee here she stands take but possession of her with a touch i dare thee but to breathe upon my love thurio sir valentine i care not for her i i hold him but a fool that will endanger his body for a girl that loves him not i claim her not and therefore she is thine duke the more degenerate and base art thou to make such means for her as thou hast done and leave her on such slight conditions now by the honour of my ancestry i do applaud thy spirit valentine and think thee worthy of an empress love know then i here forget all former griefs cancel all grudge repeal thee home again plead a new state in thy unrivall'd merit to which i thus subscribe sir valentine thou art a gentleman and well derived take thou thy silvia for thou hast deserved her valentine i thank your grace the gift hath made me happy i now beseech you for your daughter's sake to grant one boom that i shall ask of you duke i grant it for thine own whate'er it be valentine these banish'd men that i have kept withal are men endued with worthy qualities forgive them what they have committed here and let them be recall'd from their exile they are reformed civil full of good and fit for great employment worthy lord duke thou hast prevail'd i pardon them and thee dispose of them as thou know'st their deserts come let us go we will include all jars with triumphs mirth and rare solemnity valentine and as we walk along i dare be bold with our discourse to make your grace to smile what think you of this page my lord duke i think the boy hath grace in him he blushes valentine i warrant you my lord more grace than boy duke what mean you by that saying valentine please you i'll tell you as we pass along that you will wonder what hath fortuned come proteus tis your penance but to hear the story of your loves discovered that done our day of marriage shall be yours one feast one house one mutual happiness exeunt the winter's tale dramatis personae leontes king of sicilia mamillius young prince of sicilia camillo antigonus four lords of sicilia cleomenes dion polixenes king of bohemia florizel prince of bohemia archidamus a lord of bohemia old shepherd reputed father of perdita shepherd clown his son autolycus a rogue a mariner mariner a gaoler gaoler hermione queen to leontes perdita daughter to leontes and hermione paulina wife to antigonus emilia a lady attending on hermione mopsa shepherdesses dorcas other lords and gentlemen ladies officers and servants shepherds and shepherdesses first lord gentleman first gentleman second gentleman third gentleman first lady second lady officer servant first servant second servant time as chorus scene sicilia and bohemia the winter's tale act i scene i antechamber in leontes palace enter camillo and archidamus archidamus if you shall chance camillo to visit bohemia on the like occasion whereon my services are now on foot you shall see as i have said great difference betwixt our bohemia and your sicilia camillo i think this coming summer the king of sicilia means to pay bohemia the visitation which he justly owes him archidamus wherein our entertainment shall shame us we will be justified in our loves for indeed camillo beseech you archidamus verily i speak it in the freedom of my knowledge we cannot with such magnificencein so rarei know not what to say we will give you sleepy drinks that your senses unintelligent of our insufficience may though they cannot praise us as little accuse us camillo you pay a great deal too dear for what's given freely archidamus believe me i speak as my understanding instructs me and as mine honesty puts it to utterance camillo sicilia cannot show himself overkind to bohemia they were trained together in their childhoods and there rooted betwixt them then such an affection which cannot choose but branch now since their more mature dignities and royal necessities made separation of their society their encounters though not personal have been royally attorneyed with interchange of gifts letters loving embassies that they have seemed to be together though absent shook hands as over a vast and embraced as it were from the ends of opposed winds the heavens continue their loves archidamus i think there is not in the world either malice or matter to alter it you have an unspeakable comfort of your young prince mamillius it is a gentleman of the greatest promise that ever came into my note camillo i very well agree with you in the hopes of him it is a gallant child one that indeed physics the subject makes old hearts fresh they that went on crutches ere he was born desire yet their life to see him a man archidamus would they else be content to die camillo yes if there were no other excuse why they should desire to live archidamus if the king had no son they would desire to live on crutches till he had one exeunt the winter's tale act i scene ii a room of state in the same enter leontes hermione mamillius polixenes camillo and attendants polixenes nine changes of the watery star hath been the shepherd's note since we have left our throne without a burthen time as long again would be find up my brother with our thanks and yet we should for perpetuity go hence in debt and therefore like a cipher yet standing in rich place i multiply with one we thank you many thousands moe that go before it leontes stay your thanks a while and pay them when you part polixenes sir that's tomorrow i am question'd by my fears of what may chance or breed upon our absence that may blow no sneaping winds at home to make us say this is put forth too truly besides i have stay'd to tire your royalty leontes we are tougher brother than you can put us to't polixenes no longer stay leontes one sevennight longer polixenes very sooth tomorrow leontes we'll part the time between's then and in that i'll no gainsaying polixenes press me not beseech you so there is no tongue that moves none none i the world so soon as yours could win me so it should now were there necessity in your request although twere needful i denied it my affairs do even drag me homeward which to hinder were in your love a whip to me my stay to you a charge and trouble to save both farewell our brother leontes tonguetied our queen speak you hermione i had thought sir to have held my peace until you have drawn oaths from him not to stay you sir charge him too coldly tell him you are sure all in bohemia's well this satisfaction the bygone day proclaim'd say this to him he's beat from his best ward leontes well said hermione hermione to tell he longs to see his son were strong but let him say so then and let him go but let him swear so and he shall not stay we'll thwack him hence with distaffs yet of your royal presence i'll adventure the borrow of a week when at bohemia you take my lord i'll give him my commission to let him there a month behind the gest prefix'd for's parting yet good deed leontes i love thee not a jar o the clock behind what ladyshe her lord you'll stay polixenes no madam hermione nay but you will polixenes i may not verily hermione verily you put me off with limber vows but i though you would seek to unsphere the stars with oaths should yet say sir no going verily you shall not go a lady's verily s as potent as a lord's will you go yet force me to keep you as a prisoner not like a guest so you shall pay your fees when you depart and save your thanks how say you my prisoner or my guest by your dread verily' one of them you shall be polixenes your guest then madam to be your prisoner should import offending which is for me less easy to commit than you to punish hermione not your gaoler then but your kind hostess come i'll question you of my lord's tricks and yours when you were boys you were pretty lordings then polixenes we were fair queen two lads that thought there was no more behind but such a day tomorrow as today and to be boy eternal hermione was not my lord the verier wag o the two polixenes we were as twinn'd lambs that did frisk i the sun and bleat the one at the other what we changed was innocence for innocence we knew not the doctrine of illdoing nor dream'd that any did had we pursued that life and our weak spirits ne'er been higher rear'd with stronger blood we should have answer'd heaven boldly not guilty the imposition clear'd hereditary ours hermione by this we gather you have tripp'd since polixenes o my most sacred lady temptations have since then been born to's for in those unfledged days was my wife a girl your precious self had then not cross'd the eyes of my young playfellow hermione grace to boot of this make no conclusion lest you say your queen and i are devils yet go on the offences we have made you do we'll answer if you first sinn'd with us and that with us you did continue fault and that you slipp'd not with any but with us leontes is he won yet hermione he'll stay my lord leontes at my request he would not hermione my dearest thou never spokest to better purpose hermione never leontes never but once hermione what have i twice said well when was't before i prithee tell me cram's with praise and make's as fat as tame things one good deed dying tongueless slaughters a thousand waiting upon that our praises are our wages you may ride's with one soft kiss a thousand furlongs ere with spur we beat an acre but to the goal my last good deed was to entreat his stay what was my first it has an elder sister or i mistake you o would her name were grace but once before i spoke to the purpose when nay let me have't i long leontes why that was when three crabbed months had sour'd themselves to death ere i could make thee open thy white hand and clap thyself my love then didst thou utter i am yours for ever' hermione tis grace indeed why lo you now i have spoke to the purpose twice the one for ever earn'd a royal husband the other for some while a friend leontes aside too hot too hot to mingle friendship far is mingling bloods i have tremor cordis on me my heart dances but not for joy not joy this entertainment may a free face put on derive a liberty from heartiness from bounty fertile bosom and well become the agent t may i grant but to be paddling palms and pinching fingers as now they are and making practised smiles as in a lookingglass and then to sigh as twere the mort o the deer o that is entertainment my bosom likes not nor my brows mamillius art thou my boy mamillius ay my good lord leontes i fecks why that's my bawcock what hast smutch'd thy nose they say it is a copy out of mine come captain we must be neat not neat but cleanly captain and yet the steer the heifer and the calf are all call'd neatstill virginalling upon his palmhow now you wanton calf art thou my calf mamillius yes if you will my lord leontes thou want'st a rough pash and the shoots that i have to be full like me yet they say we are almost as like as eggs women say so that will say anything but were they false as o'erdyed blacks as wind as waters false as dice are to be wish'd by one that fixes no bourn twixt his and mine yet were it true to say this boy were like me come sir page look on me with your welkin eye sweet villain most dear'st my collop can thy dammay't be affection thy intention stabs the centre thou dost make possible things not so held communicatest with dreamshow can this be with what's unreal thou coactive art and fellow'st nothing then tis very credent thou mayst cojoin with something and thou dost and that beyond commission and i find it and that to the infection of my brains and hardening of my brows polixenes what means sicilia hermione he something seems unsettled polixenes how my lord what cheer how is't with you best brother hermione you look as if you held a brow of much distraction are you moved my lord leontes no in good earnest how sometimes nature will betray its folly its tenderness and make itself a pastime to harder bosoms looking on the lines of my boy's face methoughts i did recoil twentythree years and saw myself unbreech'd in my green velvet coat my dagger muzzled lest it should bite its master and so prove as ornaments oft do too dangerous how like methought i then was to this kernel this squash this gentleman mine honest friend will you take eggs for money mamillius no my lord i'll fight leontes you will why happy man be's dole my brother are you so fond of your young prince as we do seem to be of ours polixenes if at home sir he's all my exercise my mirth my matter now my sworn friend and then mine enemy my parasite my soldier statesman all he makes a july's day short as december and with his varying childness cures in me thoughts that would thick my blood leontes so stands this squire officed with me we two will walk my lord and leave you to your graver steps hermione how thou lovest us show in our brother's welcome let what is dear in sicily be cheap next to thyself and my young rover he's apparent to my heart hermione if you would seek us we are yours i the garden shall's attend you there leontes to your own bents dispose you you'll be found be you beneath the sky aside i am angling now though you perceive me not how i give line go to go to how she holds up the neb the bill to him and arms her with the boldness of a wife to her allowing husband exeunt polixenes hermione and attendants gone already inchthick kneedeep o'er head and ears a fork'd one go play boy play thy mother plays and i play too but so disgraced a part whose issue will hiss me to my grave contempt and clamour will be my knell go play boy play there have been or i am much deceived cuckolds ere now and many a man there is even at this present now while i speak this holds his wife by the arm that little thinks she has been sluiced in's absence and his pond fish'd by his next neighbour by sir smile his neighbour nay there's comfort in't whiles other men have gates and those gates open'd as mine against their will should all despair that have revolted wives the tenth of mankind would hang themselves physic for't there is none it is a bawdy planet that will strike where tis predominant and tis powerful think it from east west north and south be it concluded no barricado for a belly know't it will let in and out the enemy with bag and baggage many thousand on's have the disease and feel't not how now boy mamillius i am like you they say leontes why that's some comfort what camillo there camillo ay my good lord leontes go play mamillius thou'rt an honest man exit mamillius camillo this great sir will yet stay longer camillo you had much ado to make his anchor hold when you cast out it still came home leontes didst note it camillo he would not stay at your petitions made his business more material leontes didst perceive it aside they're here with me already whispering rounding sicilia is a soforth tis far gone when i shall gust it last how came't camillo that he did stay camillo at the good queen's entreaty leontes at the queen's be't good should be pertinent but so it is it is not was this taken by any understanding pate but thine for thy conceit is soaking will draw in more than the common blocks not noted is't but of the finer natures by some severals of headpiece extraordinary lower messes perchance are to this business purblind say camillo business my lord i think most understand bohemia stays here longer leontes ha camillo stays here longer leontes ay but why camillo to satisfy your highness and the entreaties of our most gracious mistress leontes satisfy the entreaties of your mistress satisfy let that suffice i have trusted thee camillo with all the nearest things to my heart as well my chambercouncils wherein priestlike thou hast cleansed my bosom i from thee departed thy penitent reform'd but we have been deceived in thy integrity deceived in that which seems so camillo be it forbid my lord leontes to bide upon't thou art not honest or if thou inclinest that way thou art a coward which hoxes honesty behind restraining from course required or else thou must be counted a servant grafted in my serious trust and therein negligent or else a fool that seest a game play'd home the rich stake drawn and takest it all for jest camillo my gracious lord i may be negligent foolish and fearful in every one of these no man is free but that his negligence his folly fear among the infinite doings of the world sometime puts forth in your affairs my lord if ever i were wilfulnegligent it was my folly if industriously i play'd the fool it was my negligence not weighing well the end if ever fearful to do a thing where i the issue doubted where of the execution did cry out against the nonperformance twas a fear which oft infects the wisest these my lord are such allow'd infirmities that honesty is never free of but beseech your grace be plainer with me let me know my trespass by its own visage if i then deny it tis none of mine leontes ha not you seen camillo but that's past doubt you have or your eyeglass is thicker than a cuckold's hornor heard for to a vision so apparent rumour cannot be muteor thoughtfor cogitation resides not in that man that does not think my wife is slippery if thou wilt confess or else be impudently negative to have nor eyes nor ears nor thought then say my wife's a hobbyhorse deserves a name as rank as any flaxwench that puts to before her trothplight say't and justify't camillo i would not be a standerby to hear my sovereign mistress clouded so without my present vengeance taken shrew my heart you never spoke what did become you less than this which to reiterate were sin as deep as that though true leontes is whispering nothing is leaning cheek to cheek is meeting noses kissing with inside lip stopping the career of laughing with a sigha note infallible of breaking honestyhorsing foot on foot skulking in corners wishing clocks more swift hours minutes noon midnight and all eyes blind with the pin and web but theirs theirs only that would unseen be wicked is this nothing why then the world and all that's in't is nothing the covering sky is nothing bohemia nothing my wife is nothing nor nothing have these nothings if this be nothing camillo good my lord be cured of this diseased opinion and betimes for tis most dangerous leontes say it be tis true camillo no no my lord leontes it is you lie you lie i say thou liest camillo and i hate thee pronounce thee a gross lout a mindless slave or else a hovering temporizer that canst with thine eyes at once see good and evil inclining to them both were my wife's liver infected as her life she would not live the running of one glass camillo who does infect her leontes why he that wears her like a medal hanging about his neck bohemia who if i had servants true about me that bare eyes to see alike mine honour as their profits their own particular thrifts they would do that which should undo more doing ay and thou his cupbearerwhom i from meaner form have benched and reared to worship who mayst see plainly as heaven sees earth and earth sees heaven how i am galledmightst bespice a cup to give mine enemy a lasting wink which draught to me were cordial camillo sir my lord i could do this and that with no rash potion but with a lingering dram that should not work maliciously like poison but i cannot believe this crack to be in my dread mistress so sovereignly being honourable i have loved thee leontes make that thy question and go rot dost think i am so muddy so unsettled to appoint myself in this vexation sully the purity and whiteness of my sheets which to preserve is sleep which being spotted is goads thorns nettles tails of wasps give scandal to the blood o the prince my son who i do think is mine and love as mine without ripe moving to't would i do this could man so blench camillo i must believe you sir i do and will fetch off bohemia for't provided that when he's removed your highness will take again your queen as yours at first even for your son's sake and thereby for sealing the injury of tongues in courts and kingdoms known and allied to yours leontes thou dost advise me even so as i mine own course have set down i'll give no blemish to her honour none camillo my lord go then and with a countenance as clear as friendship wears at feasts keep with bohemia and with your queen i am his cupbearer if from me he have wholesome beverage account me not your servant leontes this is all do't and thou hast the one half of my heart do't not thou split'st thine own camillo i'll do't my lord leontes i will seem friendly as thou hast advised me exit camillo o miserable lady but for me what case stand i in i must be the poisoner of good polixenes and my ground to do't is the obedience to a master one who in rebellion with himself will have all that are his so too to do this deed promotion follows if i could find example of thousands that had struck anointed kings and flourish'd after i'ld not do't but since nor brass nor stone nor parchment bears not one let villany itself forswear't i must forsake the court to do't or no is certain to me a breakneck happy star reign now here comes bohemia reenter polixenes polixenes this is strange methinks my favour here begins to warp not speak good day camillo camillo hail most royal sir polixenes what is the news i the court camillo none rare my lord polixenes the king hath on him such a countenance as he had lost some province and a region loved as he loves himself even now i met him with customary compliment when he wafting his eyes to the contrary and falling a lip of much contempt speeds from me and so leaves me to consider what is breeding that changeth thus his manners camillo i dare not know my lord polixenes how dare not do not do you know and dare not be intelligent to me tis thereabouts for to yourself what you do know you must and cannot say you dare not good camillo your changed complexions are to me a mirror which shows me mine changed too for i must be a party in this alteration finding myself thus alter'd with t camillo there is a sickness which puts some of us in distemper but i cannot name the disease and it is caught of you that yet are well polixenes how caught of me make me not sighted like the basilisk i have look'd on thousands who have sped the better by my regard but kill'd none so camillo as you are certainly a gentleman thereto clerklike experienced which no less adorns our gentry than our parents noble names in whose success we are gentlei beseech you if you know aught which does behove my knowledge thereof to be inform'd imprison't not in ignorant concealment camillo i may not answer polixenes a sickness caught of me and yet i well i must be answer'd dost thou hear camillo i conjure thee by all the parts of man which honour does acknowledge whereof the least is not this suit of mine that thou declare what incidency thou dost guess of harm is creeping toward me how far off how near which way to be prevented if to be if not how best to bear it camillo sir i will tell you since i am charged in honour and by him that i think honourable therefore mark my counsel which must be even as swiftly follow'd as i mean to utter it or both yourself and me cry lost and so good night polixenes on good camillo camillo i am appointed him to murder you polixenes by whom camillo camillo by the king polixenes for what camillo he thinks nay with all confidence he swears as he had seen't or been an instrument to vice you to't that you have touch'd his queen forbiddenly polixenes o then my best blood turn to an infected jelly and my name be yoked with his that did betray the best turn then my freshest reputation to a savour that may strike the dullest nostril where i arrive and my approach be shunn'd nay hated too worse than the great'st infection that e'er was heard or read camillo swear his thought over by each particular star in heaven and by all their influences you may as well forbid the sea for to obey the moon as or by oath remove or counsel shake the fabric of his folly whose foundation is piled upon his faith and will continue the standing of his body polixenes how should this grow camillo i know not but i am sure tis safer to avoid what's grown than question how tis born if therefore you dare trust my honesty that lies enclosed in this trunk which you shall bear along impawn'd away tonight your followers i will whisper to the business and will by twos and threes at several posterns clear them o the city for myself i'll put my fortunes to your service which are here by this discovery lost be not uncertain for by the honour of my parents i have utter'd truth which if you seek to prove i dare not stand by nor shall you be safer than one condemn'd by the king's own mouth thereon his execution sworn polixenes i do believe thee i saw his heart in s face give me thy hand be pilot to me and thy places shall still neighbour mine my ships are ready and my people did expect my hence departure two days ago this jealousy is for a precious creature as she's rare must it be great and as his person's mighty must it be violent and as he does conceive he is dishonour'd by a man which ever profess'd to him why his revenges must in that be made more bitter fear o'ershades me good expedition be my friend and comfort the gracious queen part of his theme but nothing of his illta'en suspicion come camillo i will respect thee as a father if thou bear'st my life off hence let us avoid camillo it is in mine authority to command the keys of all the posterns please your highness to take the urgent hour come sir away exeunt the winter's tale act ii scene i a room in leontes palace enter hermione mamillius and ladies hermione take the boy to you he so troubles me tis past enduring first lady come my gracious lord shall i be your playfellow mamillius no i'll none of you first lady why my sweet lord mamillius you'll kiss me hard and speak to me as if i were a baby still i love you better second lady and why so my lord mamillius not for because your brows are blacker yet black brows they say become some women best so that there be not too much hair there but in a semicircle or a halfmoon made with a pen second lady who taught you this mamillius i learnt it out of women's faces pray now what colour are your eyebrows first lady blue my lord mamillius nay that's a mock i have seen a lady's nose that has been blue but not her eyebrows first lady hark ye the queen your mother rounds apace we shall present our services to a fine new prince one of these days and then you'ld wanton with us if we would have you second lady she is spread of late into a goodly bulk good time encounter her hermione what wisdom stirs amongst you come sir now i am for you again pray you sit by us and tell s a tale mamillius merry or sad shall't be hermione as merry as you will mamillius a sad tale's best for winter i have one of sprites and goblins hermione let's have that good sir come on sit down come on and do your best to fright me with your sprites you're powerful at it mamillius there was a man hermione nay come sit down then on mamillius dwelt by a churchyard i will tell it softly yond crickets shall not hear it hermione come on then and give't me in mine ear enter leontes with antigonus lords and others leontes was he met there his train camillo with him first lord behind the tuft of pines i met them never saw i men scour so on their way i eyed them even to their ships leontes how blest am i in my just censure in my true opinion alack for lesser knowledge how accursed in being so blest there may be in the cup a spider steep'd and one may drink depart and yet partake no venom for his knowledge is not infected but if one present the abhorr'd ingredient to his eye make known how he hath drunk he cracks his gorge his sides with violent hefts i have drunk and seen the spider camillo was his help in this his pander there is a plot against my life my crown all's true that is mistrusted that false villain whom i employ'd was preemploy'd by him he has discover'd my design and i remain a pinch'd thing yea a very trick for them to play at will how came the posterns so easily open first lord by his great authority which often hath no less prevail'd than so on your command leontes i know't too well give me the boy i am glad you did not nurse him though he does bear some signs of me yet you have too much blood in him hermione what is this sport leontes bear the boy hence he shall not come about her away with him and let her sport herself with that she's big with for tis polixenes has made thee swell thus hermione but i'ld say he had not and i'll be sworn you would believe my saying howe'er you lean to the nayward leontes you my lords look on her mark her well be but about to say she is a goodly lady and the justice of your bearts will thereto add tis pity she's not honest honourable' praise her but for this her withoutdoor form which on my faith deserves high speech and straight the shrug the hum or ha these petty brands that calumny doth useo i am out that mercy does for calumny will sear virtue itself these shrugs these hums and ha's when you have said she's goodly come between ere you can say she's honest but be t known from him that has most cause to grieve it should be she's an adulteress hermione should a villain say so the most replenish'd villain in the world he were as much more villain you my lord do but mistake leontes you have mistook my lady polixenes for leontes o thou thing which i'll not call a creature of thy place lest barbarism making me the precedent should a like language use to all degrees and mannerly distinguishment leave out betwixt the prince and beggar i have said she's an adulteress i have said with whom more she's a traitor and camillo is a federary with her and one that knows what she should shame to know herself but with her most vile principal that she's a bedswerver even as bad as those that vulgars give bold'st titles ay and privy to this their late escape hermione no by my life privy to none of this how will this grieve you when you shall come to clearer knowledge that you thus have publish'd me gentle my lord you scarce can right me throughly then to say you did mistake leontes no if i mistake in those foundations which i build upon the centre is not big enough to bear a schoolboy's top away with her to prison he who shall speak for her is afar off guilty but that he speaks hermione there's some ill planet reigns i must be patient till the heavens look with an aspect more favourable good my lords i am not prone to weeping as our sex commonly are the want of which vain dew perchance shall dry your pities but i have that honourable grief lodged here which burns worse than tears drown beseech you all my lords with thoughts so qualified as your charities shall best instruct you measure me and so the king's will be perform'd leontes shall i be heard hermione who is't that goes with me beseech your highness my women may be with me for you see my plight requires it do not weep good fools there is no cause when you shall know your mistress has deserved prison then abound in tears as i come out this action i now go on is for my better grace adieu my lord i never wish'd to see you sorry now i trust i shall my women come you have leave leontes go do our bidding hence exit hermione guarded with ladies first lord beseech your highness call the queen again antigonus be certain what you do sir lest your justice prove violence in the which three great ones suffer yourself your queen your son first lord for her my lord i dare my life lay down and will do't sir please you to accept it that the queen is spotless i the eyes of heaven and to you i mean in this which you accuse her antigonus if it prove she's otherwise i'll keep my stables where i lodge my wife i'll go in couples with her than when i feel and see her no farther trust her for every inch of woman in the world ay every dram of woman's flesh is false if she be leontes hold your peaces first lord good my lord antigonus it is for you we speak not for ourselves you are abused and by some putteron that will be damn'd for't would i knew the villain i would landdamn him be she honourflaw'd i have three daughters the eldest is eleven the second and the third nine and some five if this prove true they'll pay for't by mine honour i'll geld em all fourteen they shall not see to bring false generations they are coheirs and i had rather glib myself than they should not produce fair issue leontes cease no more you smell this business with a sense as cold as is a dead man's nose but i do see't and feel't as you feel doing thus and see withal the instruments that feel antigonus if it be so we need no grave to bury honesty there's not a grain of it the face to sweeten of the whole dungy earth leontes what lack i credit first lord i had rather you did lack than i my lord upon this ground and more it would content me to have her honour true than your suspicion be blamed for't how you might leontes why what need we commune with you of this but rather follow our forceful instigation our prerogative calls not your counsels but our natural goodness imparts this which if you or stupefied or seeming so in skill cannot or will not relish a truth like us inform yourselves we need no more of your advice the matter the loss the gain the ordering on't is all properly ours antigonus and i wish my liege you had only in your silent judgment tried it without more overture leontes how could that be either thou art most ignorant by age or thou wert born a fool camillo's flight added to their familiarity which was as gross as ever touch'd conjecture that lack'd sight only nought for approbation but only seeing all other circumstances made up to the deed doth push on this proceeding yet for a greater confirmation for in an act of this importance twere most piteous to be wild i have dispatch'd in post to sacred delphos to apollo's temple cleomenes and dion whom you know of stuff'd sufficiency now from the oracle they will bring all whose spiritual counsel had shall stop or spur me have i done well first lord well done my lord leontes though i am satisfied and need no more than what i know yet shall the oracle give rest to the minds of others such as he whose ignorant credulity will not come up to the truth so have we thought it good from our free person she should be confined lest that the treachery of the two fled hence be left her to perform come follow us we are to speak in public for this business will raise us all antigonus aside to laughter as i take it if the good truth were known exeunt the winter's tale act ii scene ii a prison enter paulina a gentleman and attendants paulina the keeper of the prison call to him let him have knowledge who i am exit gentleman good lady no court in europe is too good for thee what dost thou then in prison reenter gentleman with the gaoler now good sir you know me do you not gaoler for a worthy lady and one whom much i honour paulina pray you then conduct me to the queen gaoler i may not madam to the contrary i have express commandment paulina here's ado to lock up honesty and honour from the access of gentle visitors is't lawful pray you to see her women any of them emilia gaoler so please you madam to put apart these your attendants i shall bring emilia forth paulina i pray now call her withdraw yourselves exeunt gentleman and attendants gaoler and madam i must be present at your conference paulina well be't so prithee exit gaoler here's such ado to make no stain a stain as passes colouring reenter gaoler with emilia dear gentlewoman how fares our gracious lady emilia as well as one so great and so forlorn may hold together on her frights and griefs which never tender lady hath born greater she is something before her time deliver'd paulina a boy emilia a daughter and a goodly babe lusty and like to live the queen receives much comfort in't says my poor prisoner i am innocent as you' paulina i dare be sworn these dangerous unsafe lunes i the king beshrew them he must be told on't and he shall the office becomes a woman best i'll take't upon me if i prove honeymouth'd let my tongue blister and never to my redlook'd anger be the trumpet any more pray you emilia commend my best obedience to the queen if she dares trust me with her little babe i'll show't the king and undertake to be her advocate to the loud'st we do not know how he may soften at the sight o the child the silence often of pure innocence persuades when speaking fails emilia most worthy madam your honour and your goodness is so evident that your free undertaking cannot miss a thriving issue there is no lady living so meet for this great errand please your ladyship to visit the next room i'll presently acquaint the queen of your most noble offer who but today hammer'd of this design but durst not tempt a minister of honour lest she should be denied paulina tell her emilia i'll use that tongue i have if wit flow from't as boldness from my bosom let t not be doubted i shall do good emilia now be you blest for it i'll to the queen please you come something nearer gaoler madam if't please the queen to send the babe i know not what i shall incur to pass it having no warrant paulina you need not fear it sir this child was prisoner to the womb and is by law and process of great nature thence freed and enfranchised not a party to the anger of the king nor guilty of if any be the trespass of the queen gaoler i do believe it paulina do not you fear upon mine honour i will stand betwixt you and danger exeunt the winter's tale act ii scene iii a room in leontes palace enter leontes antigonus lords and servants leontes nor night nor day no rest it is but weakness to bear the matter thus mere weakness if the cause were not in beingpart o the cause she the adulteress for the harlot king is quite beyond mine arm out of the blank and level of my brain plotproof but she i can hook to me say that she were gone given to the fire a moiety of my rest might come to me again who's there first servant my lord leontes how does the boy first servant he took good rest tonight tis hoped his sickness is discharged leontes to see his nobleness conceiving the dishonour of his mother he straight declined droop'd took it deeply fasten'd and fix'd the shame on't in himself threw off his spirit his appetite his sleep and downright languish'd leave me solely go see how he fares exit servant fie fie no thought of him the thought of my revenges that way recoil upon me in himself too mighty and in his parties his alliance let him be until a time may serve for present vengeance take it on her camillo and polixenes laugh at me make their pastime at my sorrow they should not laugh if i could reach them nor shall she within my power enter paulina with a child first lord you must not enter paulina nay rather good my lords be second to me fear you his tyrannous passion more alas than the queen's life a gracious innocent soul more free than he is jealous antigonus that's enough second servant madam he hath not slept tonight commanded none should come at him paulina not so hot good sir i come to bring him sleep tis such as you that creep like shadows by him and do sigh at each his needless heavings such as you nourish the cause of his awaking i do come with words as medicinal as true honest as either to purge him of that humour that presses him from sleep leontes what noise there ho paulina no noise my lord but needful conference about some gossips for your highness leontes how away with that audacious lady antigonus i charged thee that she should not come about me i knew she would antigonus i told her so my lord on your displeasure's peril and on mine she should not visit you leontes what canst not rule her paulina from all dishonesty he can in this unless he take the course that you have done commit me for committing honour trust it he shall not rule me antigonus la you now you hear when she will take the rein i let her run but she'll not stumble paulina good my liege i come and i beseech you hear me who profess myself your loyal servant your physician your most obedient counsellor yet that dare less appear so in comforting your evils than such as most seem yours i say i come from your good queen leontes good queen paulina good queen my lord good queen i say good queen and would by combat make her good so were i a man the worst about you leontes force her hence paulina let him that makes but trifles of his eyes first hand me on mine own accord i'll off but first i'll do my errand the good queen for she is good hath brought you forth a daughter here tis commends it to your blessing laying down the child leontes out a mankind witch hence with her out o door a most intelligencing bawd paulina not so i am as ignorant in that as you in so entitling me and no less honest than you are mad which is enough i'll warrant as this world goes to pass for honest leontes traitors will you not push her out give her the bastard thou dotard thou art womantired unroosted by thy dame partlet here take up the bastard take't up i say give't to thy crone paulina for ever unvenerable be thy hands if thou takest up the princess by that forced baseness which he has put upon't leontes he dreads his wife paulina so i would you did then twere past all doubt you'ld call your children yours leontes a nest of traitors antigonus i am none by this good light paulina nor i nor any but one that's here and that's himself for he the sacred honour of himself his queen's his hopeful son's his babe's betrays to slander whose sting is sharper than the sword's and will not for as the case now stands it is a curse he cannot be compell'd to'tonce remove the root of his opinion which is rotten as ever oak or stone was sound leontes a callat of boundless tongue who late hath beat her husband and now baits me this brat is none of mine it is the issue of polixenes hence with it and together with the dam commit them to the fire paulina it is yours and might we lay the old proverb to your charge so like you tis the worse behold my lords although the print be little the whole matter and copy of the father eye nose lip the trick of's frown his forehead nay the valley the pretty dimples of his chin and cheek his smiles the very mould and frame of hand nail finger and thou good goddess nature which hast made it so like to him that got it if thou hast the ordering of the mind too mongst all colours no yellow in't lest she suspect as he does her children not her husband's leontes a gross hag and lozel thou art worthy to be hang'd that wilt not stay her tongue antigonus hang all the husbands that cannot do that feat you'll leave yourself hardly one subject leontes once more take her hence paulina a most unworthy and unnatural lord can do no more leontes i'll ha thee burnt paulina i care not it is an heretic that makes the fire not she which burns in't i'll not call you tyrant but this most cruel usage of your queen not able to produce more accusation than your own weakhinged fancy something savours of tyranny and will ignoble make you yea scandalous to the world leontes on your allegiance out of the chamber with her were i a tyrant where were her life she durst not call me so if she did know me one away with her paulina i pray you do not push me i'll be gone look to your babe my lord tis yours jove send her a better guiding spirit what needs these hands you that are thus so tender o'er his follies will never do him good not one of you so so farewell we are gone exit leontes thou traitor hast set on thy wife to this my child away with't even thou that hast a heart so tender o'er it take it hence and see it instantly consumed with fire even thou and none but thou take it up straight within this hour bring me word tis done and by good testimony or i'll seize thy life with what thou else call'st thine if thou refuse and wilt encounter with my wrath say so the bastard brains with these my proper hands shall i dash out go take it to the fire for thou set'st on thy wife antigonus i did not sir these lords my noble fellows if they please can clear me in't lords we can my royal liege he is not guilty of her coming hither leontes you're liars all first lord beseech your highness give us better credit we have always truly served you and beseech you so to esteem of us and on our knees we beg as recompense of our dear services past and to come that you do change this purpose which being so horrible so bloody must lead on to some foul issue we all kneel leontes i am a feather for each wind that blows shall i live on to see this bastard kneel and call me father better burn it now than curse it then but be it let it live it shall not neither you sir come you hither you that have been so tenderly officious with lady margery your midwife there to save this bastard's lifefor tis a bastard so sure as this beard's grey what will you adventure to save this brat's life antigonus any thing my lord that my ability may undergo and nobleness impose at least thus much i'll pawn the little blood which i have left to save the innocent any thing possible leontes it shall be possible swear by this sword thou wilt perform my bidding antigonus i will my lord leontes mark and perform it see'st thou for the fail of any point in't shall not only be death to thyself but to thy lewdtongued wife whom for this time we pardon we enjoin thee as thou art liegeman to us that thou carry this female bastard hence and that thou bear it to some remote and desert place quite out of our dominions and that there thou leave it without more mercy to its own protection and favour of the climate as by strange fortune it came to us i do in justice charge thee on thy soul's peril and thy body's torture that thou commend it strangely to some place where chance may nurse or end it take it up antigonus i swear to do this though a present death had been more merciful come on poor babe some powerful spirit instruct the kites and ravens to be thy nurses wolves and bears they say casting their savageness aside have done like offices of pity sir be prosperous in more than this deed does require and blessing against this cruelty fight on thy side poor thing condemn'd to loss exit with the child leontes no i'll not rear another's issue enter a servant servant please your highness posts from those you sent to the oracle are come an hour since cleomenes and dion being well arrived from delphos are both landed hasting to the court first lord so please you sir their speed hath been beyond account leontes twentythree days they have been absent tis good speed foretells the great apollo suddenly will have the truth of this appear prepare you lords summon a session that we may arraign our most disloyal lady for as she hath been publicly accused so shall she have a just and open trial while she lives my heart will be a burthen to me leave me and think upon my bidding exeunt the winter's tale act iii scene i a seaport in sicilia enter cleomenes and dion cleomenes the climate's delicate the air most sweet fertile the isle the temple much surpassing the common praise it bears dion i shall report for most it caught me the celestial habits methinks i so should term them and the reverence of the grave wearers o the sacrifice how ceremonious solemn and unearthly it was i the offering cleomenes but of all the burst and the eardeafening voice o the oracle kin to jove's thunder so surprised my sense that i was nothing dion if the event o the journey prove as successful to the queeno be't so as it hath been to us rare pleasant speedy the time is worth the use on't cleomenes great apollo turn all to the best these proclamations so forcing faults upon hermione i little like dion the violent carriage of it will clear or end the business when the oracle thus by apollo's great divine seal'd up shall the contents discover something rare even then will rush to knowledge go fresh horses and gracious be the issue exeunt the winter's tale act iii scene ii a court of justice enter leontes lords and officers leontes this sessions to our great grief we pronounce even pushes gainst our heart the party tried the daughter of a king our wife and one of us too much beloved let us be clear'd of being tyrannous since we so openly proceed in justice which shall have due course even to the guilt or the purgation produce the prisoner officer it is his highness pleasure that the queen appear in person here in court silence enter hermione guarded paulina and ladies attending leontes read the indictment officer reads hermione queen to the worthy leontes king of sicilia thou art here accused and arraigned of high treason in committing adultery with polixenes king of bohemia and conspiring with camillo to take away the life of our sovereign lord the king thy royal husband the pretence whereof being by circumstances partly laid open thou hermione contrary to the faith and allegiance of a true subject didst counsel and aid them for their better safety to fly away by night hermione since what i am to say must be but that which contradicts my accusation and the testimony on my part no other but what comes from myself it shall scarce boot me to say not guilty mine integrity being counted falsehood shall as i express it be so received but thus if powers divine behold our human actions as they do i doubt not then but innocence shall make false accusation blush and tyranny tremble at patience you my lord best know who least will seem to do so my past life hath been as continent as chaste as true as i am now unhappy which is more than history can pattern though devised and play'd to take spectators for behold me a fellow of the royal bed which owe a moiety of the throne a great king's daughter the mother to a hopeful prince here standing to prate and talk for life and honour fore who please to come and hear for life i prize it as i weigh grief which i would spare for honour tis a derivative from me to mine and only that i stand for i appeal to your own conscience sir before polixenes came to your court how i was in your grace how merited to be so since he came with what encounter so uncurrent i have strain'd to appear thus if one jot beyond the bound of honour or in act or will that way inclining harden'd be the hearts of all that hear me and my near'st of kin cry fie upon my grave leontes i ne'er heard yet that any of these bolder vices wanted less impudence to gainsay what they did than to perform it first hermione that's true enough through tis a saying sir not due to me leontes you will not own it hermione more than mistress of which comes to me in name of fault i must not at all acknowledge for polixenes with whom i am accused i do confess i loved him as in honour he required with such a kind of love as might become a lady like me with a love even such so and no other as yourself commanded which not to have done i think had been in me both disobedience and ingratitude to you and toward your friend whose love had spoke even since it could speak from an infant freely that it was yours now for conspiracy i know not how it tastes though it be dish'd for me to try how all i know of it is that camillo was an honest man and why he left your court the gods themselves wotting no more than i are ignorant leontes you knew of his departure as you know what you have underta'en to do in's absence hermione sir you speak a language that i understand not my life stands in the level of your dreams which i'll lay down leontes your actions are my dreams you had a bastard by polixenes and i but dream'd it as you were past all shame those of your fact are soso past all truth which to deny concerns more than avails for as thy brat hath been cast out like to itself no father owning itwhich is indeed more criminal in thee than itso thou shalt feel our justice in whose easiest passage look for no less than death hermione sir spare your threats the bug which you would fright me with i seek to me can life be no commodity the crown and comfort of my life your favour i do give lost for i do feel it gone but know not how it went my second joy and firstfruits of my body from his presence i am barr'd like one infectious my third comfort starr'd most unluckily is from my breast the innocent milk in its most innocent mouth haled out to murder myself on every post proclaimed a strumpet with immodest hatred the childbed privilege denied which longs to women of all fashion lastly hurried here to this place i the open air before i have got strength of limit now my liege tell me what blessings i have here alive that i should fear to die therefore proceed but yet hear this mistake me not no life i prize it not a straw but for mine honour which i would free if i shall be condemn'd upon surmises all proofs sleeping else but what your jealousies awake i tell you tis rigor and not law your honours all i do refer me to the oracle apollo be my judge first lord this your request is altogether just therefore bring forth and in apollos name his oracle exeunt certain officers hermione the emperor of russia was my father o that he were alive and here beholding his daughter's trial that he did but see the flatness of my misery yet with eyes of pity not revenge reenter officers with cleomenes and dion officer you here shall swear upon this sword of justice that you cleomenes and dion have been both at delphos and from thence have brought the seal'dup oracle by the hand deliver'd of great apollo's priest and that since then you have not dared to break the holy seal nor read the secrets in't cleomenes all this we swear dion leontes break up the seals and read officer reads hermione is chaste polixenes blameless camillo a true subject leontes a jealous tyrant his innocent babe truly begotten and the king shall live without an heir if that which is lost be not found lords now blessed be the great apollo hermione praised leontes hast thou read truth officer ay my lord even so as it is here set down leontes there is no truth at all i the oracle the sessions shall proceed this is mere falsehood enter servant servant my lord the king the king leontes what is the business servant o sir i shall be hated to report it the prince your son with mere conceit and fear of the queen's speed is gone leontes how gone servant is dead leontes apollo's angry and the heavens themselves do strike at my injustice hermione swoons how now there paulina this news is mortal to the queen look down and see what death is doing leontes take her hence her heart is but o'ercharged she will recover i have too much believed mine own suspicion beseech you tenderly apply to her some remedies for life exeunt paulina and ladies with hermione apollo pardon my great profaneness gainst thine oracle i'll reconcile me to polixenes new woo my queen recall the good camillo whom i proclaim a man of truth of mercy for being transported by my jealousies to bloody thoughts and to revenge i chose camillo for the minister to poison my friend polixenes which had been done but that the good mind of camillo tardied my swift command though i with death and with reward did threaten and encourage him not doing t and being done he most humane and fill'd with honour to my kingly guest unclasp'd my practise quit his fortunes here which you knew great and to the hazard of all encertainties himself commended no richer than his honour how he glisters thorough my rust and how his pity does my deeds make the blacker reenter paulina paulina woe the while o cut my lace lest my heart cracking it break too first lord what fit is this good lady paulina what studied torments tyrant hast for me what wheels racks fires what flaying boiling in leads or oils what old or newer torture must i receive whose every word deserves to taste of thy most worst thy tyranny together working with thy jealousies fancies too weak for boys too green and idle for girls of nine o think what they have done and then run mad indeed stark mad for all thy bygone fooleries were but spices of it that thou betray'dst polixenes'twas nothing that did but show thee of a fool inconstant and damnable ingrateful nor was't much thou wouldst have poison'd good camillo's honour to have him kill a king poor trespasses more monstrous standing by whereof i reckon the casting forth to crows thy babydaughter to be or none or little though a devil would have shed water out of fire ere done't nor is't directly laid to thee the death of the young prince whose honourable thoughts thoughts high for one so tender cleft the heart that could conceive a gross and foolish sire blemish'd his gracious dam this is not no laid to thy answer but the lasto lords when i have said cry woe the queen the queen the sweet'st dear'st creature's dead and vengeance for't not dropp'd down yet first lord the higher powers forbid paulina i say she's dead i'll swear't if word nor oath prevail not go and see if you can bring tincture or lustre in her lip her eye heat outwardly or breath within i'll serve you as i would do the gods but o thou tyrant do not repent these things for they are heavier than all thy woes can stir therefore betake thee to nothing but despair a thousand knees ten thousand years together naked fasting upon a barren mountain and still winter in storm perpetual could not move the gods to look that way thou wert leontes go on go on thou canst not speak too much i have deserved all tongues to talk their bitterest first lord say no more howe'er the business goes you have made fault i the boldness of your speech paulina i am sorry for't all faults i make when i shall come to know them i do repent alas i have show'd too much the rashness of a woman he is touch'd to the noble heart what's gone and what's past help should be past grief do not receive affliction at my petition i beseech you rather let me be punish'd that have minded you of what you should forget now good my liege sir royal sir forgive a foolish woman the love i bore your queenlo fool again i'll speak of her no more nor of your children i'll not remember you of my own lord who is lost too take your patience to you and i'll say nothing leontes thou didst speak but well when most the truth which i receive much better than to be pitied of thee prithee bring me to the dead bodies of my queen and son one grave shall be for both upon them shall the causes of their death appear unto our shame perpetual once a day i'll visit the chapel where they lie and tears shed there shall be my recreation so long as nature will bear up with this exercise so long i daily vow to use it come and lead me unto these sorrows exeunt the winter's tale act iii scene iii bohemia a desert country near the sea enter antigonus with a child and a mariner antigonus thou art perfect then our ship hath touch'd upon the deserts of bohemia mariner ay my lord and fear we have landed in ill time the skies look grimly and threaten present blusters in my conscience the heavens with that we have in hand are angry and frown upon s antigonus their sacred wills be done go get aboard look to thy bark i'll not be long before i call upon thee mariner make your best haste and go not too far i the land tis like to be loud weather besides this place is famous for the creatures of prey that keep upon't antigonus go thou away i'll follow instantly mariner i am glad at heart to be so rid o the business exit antigonus come poor babe i have heard but not believed the spirits o the dead may walk again if such thing be thy mother appear'd to me last night for ne'er was dream so like a waking to me comes a creature sometimes her head on one side some another i never saw a vessel of like sorrow so fill'd and so becoming in pure white robes like very sanctity she did approach my cabin where i lay thrice bow'd before me and gasping to begin some speech her eyes became two spouts the fury spent anon did this breakfrom her good antigonus since fate against thy better disposition hath made thy person for the throwerout of my poor babe according to thine oath places remote enough are in bohemia there weep and leave it crying and for the babe is counted lost for ever perdita i prithee call't for this ungentle business put on thee by my lord thou ne'er shalt see thy wife paulina more and so with shrieks she melted into air affrighted much i did in time collect myself and thought this was so and no slumber dreams are toys yet for this once yea superstitiously i will be squared by this i do believe hermione hath suffer'd death and that apollo would this being indeed the issue of king polixenes it should here be laid either for life or death upon the earth of its right father blossom speed thee well there lie and there thy character there these which may if fortune please both breed thee pretty and still rest thine the storm begins poor wretch that for thy mother's fault art thus exposed to loss and what may follow weep i cannot but my heart bleeds and most accursed am i to be by oath enjoin'd to this farewell the day frowns more and more thou'rt like to have a lullaby too rough i never saw the heavens so dim by day a savage clamour well may i get aboard this is the chase i am gone for ever exit pursued by a bear enter a shepherd shepherd i would there were no age between sixteen and threeandtwenty or that youth would sleep out the rest for there is nothing in the between but getting wenches with child wronging the ancientry stealing fightinghark you now would any but these boiled brains of nineteen and twoandtwenty hunt this weather they have scared away two of my best sheep which i fear the wolf will sooner find than the master if any where i have them tis by the seaside browsing of ivy good luck an't be thy will what have we here mercy on s a barne a very pretty barne a boy or a child i wonder a pretty one a very pretty one sure some scape though i am not bookish yet i can read waitinggentlewoman in the scape this has been some stairwork some trunkwork some behinddoorwork they were warmer that got this than the poor thing is here i'll take it up for pity yet i'll tarry till my son come he hallooed but even now whoa ho hoa enter clown clown hilloa loa shepherd what art so near if thou'lt see a thing to talk on when thou art dead and rotten come hither what ailest thou man clown i have seen two such sights by sea and by land but i am not to say it is a sea for it is now the sky betwixt the firmament and it you cannot thrust a bodkin's point shepherd why boy how is it clown i would you did but see how it chafes how it rages how it takes up the shore but that's not the point o the most piteous cry of the poor souls sometimes to see em and not to see em now the ship boring the moon with her mainmast and anon swallowed with yest and froth as you'ld thrust a cork into a hogshead and then for the landservice to see how the bear tore out his shoulderbone how he cried to me for help and said his name was antigonus a nobleman but to make an end of the ship to see how the sea flapdragoned it but first how the poor souls roared and the sea mocked them and how the poor gentleman roared and the bear mocked him both roaring louder than the sea or weather shepherd name of mercy when was this boy clown now now i have not winked since i saw these sights the men are not yet cold under water nor the bear half dined on the gentleman he's at it now shepherd would i had been by to have helped the old man clown i would you had been by the ship side to have helped her there your charity would have lacked footing shepherd heavy matters heavy matters but look thee here boy now bless thyself thou mettest with things dying i with things newborn here's a sight for thee look thee a bearingcloth for a squire's child look thee here take up take up boy open't so let's see it was told me i should be rich by the fairies this is some changeling open't what's within boy clown you're a made old man if the sins of your youth are forgiven you you're well to live gold all gold shepherd this is fairy gold boy and twill prove so up with't keep it close home home the next way we are lucky boy and to be so still requires nothing but secrecy let my sheep go come good boy the next way home clown go you the next way with your findings i'll go see if the bear be gone from the gentleman and how much he hath eaten they are never curst but when they are hungry if there be any of him left i'll bury it shepherd that's a good deed if thou mayest discern by that which is left of him what he is fetch me to the sight of him clown marry will i and you shall help to put him i the ground shepherd tis a lucky day boy and we'll do good deeds on't exeunt the winter's tale act iv scene i enter time the chorus time i that please some try all both joy and terror of good and bad that makes and unfolds error now take upon me in the name of time to use my wings impute it not a crime to me or my swift passage that i slide o'er sixteen years and leave the growth untried of that wide gap since it is in my power to o'erthrow law and in one selfborn hour to plant and o'erwhelm custom let me pass the same i am ere ancient'st order was or what is now received i witness to the times that brought them in so shall i do to the freshest things now reigning and make stale the glistering of this present as my tale now seems to it your patience this allowing i turn my glass and give my scene such growing as you had slept between leontes leaving the effects of his fond jealousies so grieving that he shuts up himself imagine me gentle spectators that i now may be in fair bohemia and remember well i mentioned a son o the king's which florizel i now name to you and with speed so pace to speak of perdita now grown in grace equal with wondering what of her ensues i list not prophecy but let time's news be known when tis brought forth a shepherd's daughter and what to her adheres which follows after is the argument of time of this allow if ever you have spent time worse ere now if never yet that time himself doth say he wishes earnestly you never may exit the winter's tale act iv scene ii bohemia the palace of polixenes enter polixenes and camillo polixenes i pray thee good camillo be no more importunate tis a sickness denying thee any thing a death to grant this camillo it is fifteen years since i saw my country though i have for the most part been aired abroad i desire to lay my bones there besides the penitent king my master hath sent for me to whose feeling sorrows i might be some allay or i o'erween to think so which is another spur to my departure polixenes as thou lovest me camillo wipe not out the rest of thy services by leaving me now the need i have of thee thine own goodness hath made better not to have had thee than thus to want thee thou having made me businesses which none without thee can sufficiently manage must either stay to execute them thyself or take away with thee the very services thou hast done which if i have not enough considered as too much i cannot to be more thankful to thee shall be my study and my profit therein the heaping friendships of that fatal country sicilia prithee speak no more whose very naming punishes me with the remembrance of that penitent as thou callest him and reconciled king my brother whose loss of his most precious queen and children are even now to be afresh lamented say to me when sawest thou the prince florizel my son kings are no less unhappy their issue not being gracious than they are in losing them when they have approved their virtues camillo sir it is three days since i saw the prince what his happier affairs may be are to me unknown but i have missingly noted he is of late much retired from court and is less frequent to his princely exercises than formerly he hath appeared polixenes i have considered so much camillo and with some care so far that i have eyes under my service which look upon his removedness from whom i have this intelligence that he is seldom from the house of a most homely shepherd a man they say that from very nothing and beyond the imagination of his neighbours is grown into an unspeakable estate camillo i have heard sir of such a man who hath a daughter of most rare note the report of her is extended more than can be thought to begin from such a cottage polixenes that's likewise part of my intelligence but i fear the angle that plucks our son thither thou shalt accompany us to the place where we will not appearing what we are have some question with the shepherd from whose simplicity i think it not uneasy to get the cause of my son's resort thither prithee be my present partner in this business and lay aside the thoughts of sicilia camillo i willingly obey your command polixenes my best camillo we must disguise ourselves exeunt the winter's tale act iv scene iii a road near the shepherd's cottage enter autolycus singing autolycus when daffodils begin to peer with heigh the doxy over the dale why then comes in the sweet o the year for the red blood reigns in the winter's pale the white sheet bleaching on the hedge with heigh the sweet birds o how they sing doth set my pugging tooth on edge for a quart of ale is a dish for a king the lark that tirralyra chants with heigh with heigh the thrush and the jay are summer songs for me and my aunts while we lie tumbling in the hay i have served prince florizel and in my time wore threepile but now i am out of service but shall i go mourn for that my dear the pale moon shines by night and when i wander here and there i then do most go right if tinkers may have leave to live and bear the sowskin budget then my account i well may give and in the stocks avouch it my traffic is sheets when the kite builds look to lesser linen my father named me autolycus who being as i am littered under mercury was likewise a snapperup of unconsidered trifles with die and drab i purchased this caparison and my revenue is the silly cheat gallows and knock are too powerful on the highway beating and hanging are terrors to me for the life to come i sleep out the thought of it a prize a prize enter clown clown let me see every leven wether tods every tod yields pound and odd shilling fifteen hundred shorn what comes the wool to autolycus aside if the springe hold the cock's mine clown i cannot do't without counters let me see what am i to buy for our sheepshearing feast three pound of sugar five pound of currants ricewhat will this sister of mine do with rice but my father hath made her mistress of the feast and she lays it on she hath made me four and twenty nosegays for the shearers threemansongmen all and very good ones but they are most of them means and bases but one puritan amongst them and he sings psalms to hornpipes i must have saffron to colour the warden pies mace datesnone that's out of my note nutmegs seven a race or two of ginger but that i may beg four pound of prunes and as many of raisins o the sun autolycus o that ever i was born grovelling on the ground clown i the name of me autolycus o help me help me pluck but off these rags and then death death clown alack poor soul thou hast need of more rags to lay on thee rather than have these off autolycus o sir the loathsomeness of them offends me more than the stripes i have received which are mighty ones and millions clown alas poor man a million of beating may come to a great matter autolycus i am robbed sir and beaten my money and apparel ta'en from me and these detestable things put upon me clown what by a horseman or a footman autolycus a footman sweet sir a footman clown indeed he should be a footman by the garments he has left with thee if this be a horseman's coat it hath seen very hot service lend me thy hand i'll help thee come lend me thy hand autolycus o good sir tenderly o clown alas poor soul autolycus o good sir softly good sir i fear sir my shoulderblade is out clown how now canst stand autolycus picking his pocket softly dear sir good sir softly you ha done me a charitable office clown dost lack any money i have a little money for thee autolycus no good sweet sir no i beseech you sir i have a kinsman not past three quarters of a mile hence unto whom i was going i shall there have money or any thing i want offer me no money i pray you that kills my heart clown what manner of fellow was he that robbed you autolycus a fellow sir that i have known to go about with trollmydames i knew him once a servant of the prince i cannot tell good sir for which of his virtues it was but he was certainly whipped out of the court clown his vices you would say there's no virtue whipped out of the court they cherish it to make it stay there and yet it will no more but abide autolycus vices i would say sir i know this man well he hath been since an apebearer then a processserver a bailiff then he compassed a motion of the prodigal son and married a tinker's wife within a mile where my land and living lies and having flown over many knavish professions he settled only in rogue some call him autolycus clown out upon him prig for my life prig he haunts wakes fairs and bearbaitings autolycus very true sir he sir he that's the rogue that put me into this apparel clown not a more cowardly rogue in all bohemia if you had but looked big and spit at him he'ld have run autolycus i must confess to you sir i am no fighter i am false of heart that way and that he knew i warrant him clown how do you now autolycus sweet sir much better than i was i can stand and walk i will even take my leave of you and pace softly towards my kinsman's clown shall i bring thee on the way autolycus no goodfaced sir no sweet sir clown then fare thee well i must go buy spices for our sheepshearing autolycus prosper you sweet sir exit clown your purse is not hot enough to purchase your spice i'll be with you at your sheepshearing too if i make not this cheat bring out another and the shearers prove sheep let me be unrolled and my name put in the book of virtue sings jog on jog on the footpath way and merrily hent the stilea a merry heart goes all the day your sad tires in a milea exit the winter's tale act iv scene iv the shepherd's cottage enter florizel and perdita florizel these your unusual weeds to each part of you do give a life no shepherdess but flora peering in april's front this your sheepshearing is as a meeting of the petty gods and you the queen on't perdita sir my gracious lord to chide at your extremes it not becomes me o pardon that i name them your high self the gracious mark o the land you have obscured with a swain's wearing and me poor lowly maid most goddesslike prank'd up but that our feasts in every mess have folly and the feeders digest it with a custom i should blush to see you so attired sworn i think to show myself a glass florizel i bless the time when my good falcon made her flight across thy father's ground perdita now jove afford you cause to me the difference forges dread your greatness hath not been used to fear even now i tremble to think your father by some accident should pass this way as you did o the fates how would he look to see his work so noble vilely bound up what would he say or how should i in these my borrow'd flaunts behold the sternness of his presence florizel apprehend nothing but jollity the gods themselves humbling their deities to love have taken the shapes of beasts upon them jupiter became a bull and bellow'd the green neptune a ram and bleated and the firerobed god golden apollo a poor humble swain as i seem now their transformations were never for a piece of beauty rarer nor in a way so chaste since my desires run not before mine honour nor my lusts burn hotter than my faith perdita o but sir your resolution cannot hold when tis opposed as it must be by the power of the king one of these two must be necessities which then will speak that you must change this purpose or i my life florizel thou dearest perdita with these forced thoughts i prithee darken not the mirth o the feast or i'll be thine my fair or not my father's for i cannot be mine own nor any thing to any if i be not thine to this i am most constant though destiny say no be merry gentle strangle such thoughts as these with any thing that you behold the while your guests are coming lift up your countenance as it were the day of celebration of that nuptial which we two have sworn shall come perdita o lady fortune stand you auspicious florizel see your guests approach address yourself to entertain them sprightly and let's be red with mirth enter shepherd clown mopsa dorcas and others with polixenes and camillo disguised shepherd fie daughter when my old wife lived upon this day she was both pantler butler cook both dame and servant welcomed all served all would sing her song and dance her turn now here at upper end o the table now i the middle on his shoulder and his her face o fire with labour and the thing she took to quench it she would to each one sip you are retired as if you were a feasted one and not the hostess of the meeting pray you bid these unknown friends to's welcome for it is a way to make us better friends more known come quench your blushes and present yourself that which you are mistress o the feast come on and bid us welcome to your sheepshearing as your good flock shall prosper perdita to polixenes sir welcome it is my father's will i should take on me the hostessship o the day to camillo you're welcome sir give me those flowers there dorcas reverend sirs for you there's rosemary and rue these keep seeming and savour all the winter long grace and remembrance be to you both and welcome to our shearing polixenes shepherdess a fair one are youwell you fit our ages with flowers of winter perdita sir the year growing ancient not yet on summer's death nor on the birth of trembling winter the fairest flowers o the season are our carnations and streak'd gillyvors which some call nature's bastards of that kind our rustic garden's barren and i care not to get slips of them polixenes wherefore gentle maiden do you neglect them perdita for i have heard it said there is an art which in their piedness shares with great creating nature polixenes say there be yet nature is made better by no mean but nature makes that mean so over that art which you say adds to nature is an art that nature makes you see sweet maid we marry a gentler scion to the wildest stock and make conceive a bark of baser kind by bud of nobler race this is an art which does mend nature change it rather but the art itself is nature perdita so it is polixenes then make your garden rich in gillyvors and do not call them bastards perdita i'll not put the dibble in earth to set one slip of them no more than were i painted i would wish this youth should say twere well and only therefore desire to breed by me here's flowers for you hot lavender mints savoury marjoram the marigold that goes to bed wi the sun and with him rises weeping these are flowers of middle summer and i think they are given to men of middle age you're very welcome camillo i should leave grazing were i of your flock and only live by gazing perdita out alas you'd be so lean that blasts of january would blow you through and through now my fair'st friend i would i had some flowers o the spring that might become your time of day and yours and yours that wear upon your virgin branches yet your maidenheads growing o proserpina for the flowers now that frighted thou let'st fall from dis's waggon daffodils that come before the swallow dares and take the winds of march with beauty violets dim but sweeter than the lids of juno's eyes or cytherea's breath pale primroses that die unmarried ere they can behold bight phoebus in his strengtha malady most incident to maids bold oxlips and the crown imperial lilies of all kinds the flowerdeluce being one o these i lack to make you garlands of and my sweet friend to strew him o'er and o'er florizel what like a corse perdita no like a bank for love to lie and play on not like a corse or if not to be buried but quick and in mine arms come take your flowers methinks i play as i have seen them do in whitsun pastorals sure this robe of mine does change my disposition florizel what you do still betters what is done when you speak sweet i'ld have you do it ever when you sing i'ld have you buy and sell so so give alms pray so and for the ordering your affairs to sing them too when you do dance i wish you a wave o the sea that you might ever do nothing but that move still still so and own no other function each your doing so singular in each particular crowns what you are doing in the present deed that all your acts are queens perdita o doricles your praises are too large but that your youth and the true blood which peepeth fairly through't do plainly give you out an unstain'd shepherd with wisdom i might fear my doricles you woo'd me the false way florizel i think you have as little skill to fear as i have purpose to put you to't but come our dance i pray your hand my perdita so turtles pair that never mean to part perdita i'll swear for em polixenes this is the prettiest lowborn lass that ever ran on the greensward nothing she does or seems but smacks of something greater than herself too noble for this place camillo he tells her something that makes her blood look out good sooth she is the queen of curds and cream clown come on strike up dorcas mopsa must be your mistress marry garlic to mend her kissing with mopsa now in good time clown not a word a word we stand upon our manners come strike up music here a dance of shepherds and shepherdesses polixenes pray good shepherd what fair swain is this which dances with your daughter shepherd they call him doricles and boasts himself to have a worthy feeding but i have it upon his own report and i believe it he looks like sooth he says he loves my daughter i think so too for never gazed the moon upon the water as he'll stand and read as twere my daughter's eyes and to be plain i think there is not half a kiss to choose who loves another best polixenes she dances featly shepherd so she does any thing though i report it that should be silent if young doricles do light upon her she shall bring him that which he not dreams of enter servant servant o master if you did but hear the pedlar at the door you would never dance again after a tabour and pipe no the bagpipe could not move you he sings several tunes faster than you'll tell money he utters them as he had eaten ballads and all men's ears grew to his tunes clown he could never come better he shall come in i love a ballad but even too well if it be doleful matter merrily set down or a very pleasant thing indeed and sung lamentably servant he hath songs for man or woman of all sizes no milliner can so fit his customers with gloves he has the prettiest lovesongs for maids so without bawdry which is strange with such delicate burthens of dildos and fadings jump her and thump her and where some stretchmouthed rascal would as it were mean mischief and break a foul gap into the matter he makes the maid to answer whoop do me no harm good man puts him off slights him with whoop do me no harm good man' polixenes this is a brave fellow clown believe me thou talkest of an admirable conceited fellow has he any unbraided wares servant he hath ribbons of an the colours i the rainbow points more than all the lawyers in bohemia can learnedly handle though they come to him by the gross inkles caddisses cambrics lawns why he sings em over as they were gods or goddesses you would think a smock were a sheangel he so chants to the sleevehand and the work about the square on't clown prithee bring him in and let him approach singing perdita forewarn him that he use no scurrilous words in s tunes exit servant clown you have of these pedlars that have more in them than you'ld think sister perdita ay good brother or go about to think enter autolycus singing autolycus lawn as white as driven snow cyprus black as e'er was crow gloves as sweet as damask roses masks for faces and for noses bugle bracelet necklace amber perfume for a lady's chamber golden quoifs and stomachers for my lads to give their dears pins and pokingsticks of steel what maids lack from head to heel come buy of me come come buy come buy buy lads or else your lasses cry come buy clown if i were not in love with mopsa thou shouldst take no money of me but being enthralled as i am it will also be the bondage of certain ribbons and gloves mopsa i was promised them against the feast but they come not too late now dorcas he hath promised you more than that or there be liars mopsa he hath paid you all he promised you may be he has paid you more which will shame you to give him again clown is there no manners left among maids will they wear their plackets where they should bear their faces is there not milkingtime when you are going to bed or kilnhole to whistle off these secrets but you must be tittletattling before all our guests tis well they are whispering clamour your tongues and not a word more mopsa i have done come you promised me a tawdrylace and a pair of sweet gloves clown have i not told thee how i was cozened by the way and lost all my money autolycus and indeed sir there are cozeners abroad therefore it behoves men to be wary clown fear not thou man thou shalt lose nothing here autolycus i hope so sir for i have about me many parcels of charge clown what hast here ballads mopsa pray now buy some i love a ballad in print o' life for then we are sure they are true autolycus here's one to a very doleful tune how a usurer's wife was brought to bed of twenty moneybags at a burthen and how she longed to eat adders heads and toads carbonadoed mopsa is it true think you autolycus very true and but a month old dorcas bless me from marrying a usurer autolycus here's the midwife's name to't one mistress taleporter and five or six honest wives that were present why should i carry lies abroad mopsa pray you now buy it clown come on lay it by and let's first see moe ballads we'll buy the other things anon autolycus here's another ballad of a fish that appeared upon the coast on wednesday the fourscore of april forty thousand fathom above water and sung this ballad against the hard hearts of maids it was thought she was a woman and was turned into a cold fish for she would not exchange flesh with one that loved her the ballad is very pitiful and as true dorcas is it true too think you autolycus five justices hands at it and witnesses more than my pack will hold clown lay it by too another autolycus this is a merry ballad but a very pretty one mopsa let's have some merry ones autolycus why this is a passing merry one and goes to the tune of two maids wooing a man there's scarce a maid westward but she sings it tis in request i can tell you mopsa we can both sing it if thou'lt bear a part thou shalt hear tis in three parts dorcas we had the tune on't a month ago autolycus i can bear my part you must know tis my occupation have at it with you song autolycus get you hence for i must go where it fits not you to know dorcas whither mopsa o whither dorcas whither mopsa it becomes thy oath full well thou to me thy secrets tell dorcas me too let me go thither mopsa or thou goest to the orange or mill dorcas if to either thou dost ill autolycus neither dorcas what neither autolycus neither dorcas thou hast sworn my love to be mopsa thou hast sworn it more to me then whither goest say whither clown we'll have this song out anon by ourselves my father and the gentlemen are in sad talk and we'll not trouble them come bring away thy pack after me wenches i'll buy for you both pedlar let's have the first choice follow me girls exit with dorcas and mopsa autolycus and you shall pay well for em follows singing will you buy any tape or lace for your cape my dainty duck my deara any silk any thread any toys for your head of the new'st and finest finest weara come to the pedlar money's a medler that doth utter all men's warea exit reenter servant servant master there is three carters three shepherds three neatherds three swineherds that have made themselves all men of hair they call themselves saltiers and they have a dance which the wenches say is a gallimaufry of gambols because they are not in't but they themselves are o the mind if it be not too rough for some that know little but bowling it will please plentifully shepherd away we'll none on t here has been too much homely foolery already i know sir we weary you polixenes you weary those that refresh us pray let's see these four threes of herdsmen servant one three of them by their own report sir hath danced before the king and not the worst of the three but jumps twelve foot and a half by the squier shepherd leave your prating since these good men are pleased let them come in but quickly now servant why they stay at door sir exit here a dance of twelve satyrs polixenes o father you'll know more of that hereafter to camillo is it not too far gone tis time to part them he's simple and tells much to florizel how now fair shepherd your heart is full of something that does take your mind from feasting sooth when i was young and handed love as you do i was wont to load my she with knacks i would have ransack'd the pedlar's silken treasury and have pour'd it to her acceptance you have let him go and nothing marted with him if your lass interpretation should abuse and call this your lack of love or bounty you were straited for a reply at least if you make a care of happy holding her florizel old sir i know she prizes not such trifles as these are the gifts she looks from me are pack'd and lock'd up in my heart which i have given already but not deliver'd o hear me breathe my life before this ancient sir who it should seem hath sometime loved i take thy hand this hand as soft as dove's down and as white as it or ethiopian's tooth or the fann'd snow that's bolted by the northern blasts twice o'er polixenes what follows this how prettily the young swain seems to wash the hand was fair before i have put you out but to your protestation let me hear what you profess florizel do and be witness to t polixenes and this my neighbour too florizel and he and more than he and men the earth the heavens and all that were i crown'd the most imperial monarch thereof most worthy were i the fairest youth that ever made eye swerve had force and knowledge more than was ever man's i would not prize them without her love for her employ them all commend them and condemn them to her service or to their own perdition polixenes fairly offer'd camillo this shows a sound affection shepherd but my daughter say you the like to him perdita i cannot speak so well nothing so well no nor mean better by the pattern of mine own thoughts i cut out the purity of his shepherd take hands a bargain and friends unknown you shall bear witness to t i give my daughter to him and will make her portion equal his florizel o that must be i the virtue of your daughter one being dead i shall have more than you can dream of yet enough then for your wonder but come on contract us fore these witnesses shepherd come your hand and daughter yours polixenes soft swain awhile beseech you have you a father florizel i have but what of him polixenes knows he of this florizel he neither does nor shall polixenes methinks a father is at the nuptial of his son a guest that best becomes the table pray you once more is not your father grown incapable of reasonable affairs is he not stupid with age and altering rheums can he speak hear know man from man dispute his own estate lies he not bedrid and again does nothing but what he did being childish florizel no good sir he has his health and ampler strength indeed than most have of his age polixenes by my white beard you offer him if this be so a wrong something unfilial reason my son should choose himself a wife but as good reason the father all whose joy is nothing else but fair posterity should hold some counsel in such a business florizel i yield all this but for some other reasons my grave sir which tis not fit you know i not acquaint my father of this business polixenes let him know't florizel he shall not polixenes prithee let him florizel no he must not shepherd let him my son he shall not need to grieve at knowing of thy choice florizel come come he must not mark our contract polixenes mark your divorce young sir discovering himself whom son i dare not call thou art too base to be acknowledged thou a sceptre's heir that thus affect'st a sheephook thou old traitor i am sorry that by hanging thee i can but shorten thy life one week and thou fresh piece of excellent witchcraft who of force must know the royal fool thou copest with shepherd o my heart polixenes i'll have thy beauty scratch'd with briers and made more homely than thy state for thee fond boy if i may ever know thou dost but sigh that thou no more shalt see this knack as never i mean thou shalt we'll bar thee from succession not hold thee of our blood no not our kin far than deucalion off mark thou my words follow us to the court thou churl for this time though full of our displeasure yet we free thee from the dead blow of it and you enchantment worthy enough a herdsman yea him too that makes himself but for our honour therein unworthy theeif ever henceforth thou these rural latches to his entrance open or hoop his body more with thy embraces i will devise a death as cruel for thee as thou art tender to't exit perdita even here undone i was not much afeard for once or twice i was about to speak and tell him plainly the selfsame sun that shines upon his court hides not his visage from our cottage but looks on alike will't please you sir be gone i told you what would come of this beseech you of your own state take care this dream of mine being now awake i'll queen it no inch farther but milk my ewes and weep camillo why how now father speak ere thou diest shepherd i cannot speak nor think nor dare to know that which i know o sir you have undone a man of fourscore three that thought to fill his grave in quiet yea to die upon the bed my father died to lie close by his honest bones but now some hangman must put on my shroud and lay me where no priest shovels in dust o cursed wretch that knew'st this was the prince and wouldst adventure to mingle faith with him undone undone if i might die within this hour i have lived to die when i desire exit florizel why look you so upon me i am but sorry not afeard delay'd but nothing alter'd what i was i am more straining on for plucking back not following my leash unwillingly camillo gracious my lord you know your father's temper at this time he will allow no speech which i do guess you do not purpose to him and as hardly will he endure your sight as yet i fear then till the fury of his highness settle come not before him florizel i not purpose it i think camillo camillo even he my lord perdita how often have i told you twould be thus how often said my dignity would last but till twere known florizel it cannot fail but by the violation of my faith and then let nature crush the sides o the earth together and mar the seeds within lift up thy looks from my succession wipe me father i am heir to my affection camillo be advised florizel i am and by my fancy if my reason will thereto be obedient i have reason if not my senses better pleased with madness do bid it welcome camillo this is desperate sir florizel so call it but it does fulfil my vow i needs must think it honesty camillo not for bohemia nor the pomp that may be thereat glean'd for all the sun sees or the close earth wombs or the profound sea hides in unknown fathoms will i break my oath to this my fair beloved therefore i pray you as you have ever been my father's honour'd friend when he shall miss meas in faith i mean not to see him any morecast your good counsels upon his passion let myself and fortune tug for the time to come this you may know and so deliver i am put to sea with her whom here i cannot hold on shore and most opportune to our need i have a vessel rides fast by but not prepared for this design what course i mean to hold shall nothing benefit your knowledge nor concern me the reporting camillo o my lord i would your spirit were easier for advice or stronger for your need florizel hark perdita drawing her aside i'll hear you by and by camillo he's irremoveable resolved for flight now were i happy if his going i could frame to serve my turn save him from danger do him love and honour purchase the sight again of dear sicilia and that unhappy king my master whom i so much thirst to see florizel now good camillo i am so fraught with curious business that i leave out ceremony camillo sir i think you have heard of my poor services i the love that i have borne your father florizel very nobly have you deserved it is my father's music to speak your deeds not little of his care to have them recompensed as thought on camillo well my lord if you may please to think i love the king and through him what is nearest to him which is your gracious self embrace but my direction if your more ponderous and settled project may suffer alteration on mine honour i'll point you where you shall have such receiving as shall become your highness where you may enjoy your mistress from the whom i see there's no disjunction to be made but by as heavens forefendyour ruin marry her and with my best endeavours in your absence your discontenting father strive to qualify and bring him up to liking florizel how camillo may this almost a miracle be done that i may call thee something more than man and after that trust to thee camillo have you thought on a place whereto you'll go florizel not any yet but as the unthoughton accident is guilty to what we wildly do so we profess ourselves to be the slaves of chance and flies of every wind that blows camillo then list to me this follows if you will not change your purpose but undergo this flight make for sicilia and there present yourself and your fair princess for so i see she must be fore leontes she shall be habited as it becomes the partner of your bed methinks i see leontes opening his free arms and weeping his welcomes forth asks thee the son forgiveness as twere i the father's person kisses the hands of your fresh princess o'er and o'er divides him twixt his unkindness and his kindness the one he chides to hell and bids the other grow faster than thought or time florizel worthy camillo what colour for my visitation shall i hold up before him camillo sent by the king your father to greet him and to give him comforts sir the manner of your bearing towards him with what you as from your father shall deliver things known betwixt us three i'll write you down the which shall point you forth at every sitting what you must say that he shall not perceive but that you have your father's bosom there and speak his very heart florizel i am bound to you there is some sap in this camillo a cause more promising than a wild dedication of yourselves to unpath'd waters undream'd shores most certain to miseries enough no hope to help you but as you shake off one to take another nothing so certain as your anchors who do their best office if they can but stay you where you'll be loath to be besides you know prosperity's the very bond of love whose fresh complexion and whose heart together affliction alters perdita one of these is true i think affliction may subdue the cheek but not take in the mind camillo yea say you so there shall not at your father's house these seven years be born another such florizel my good camillo she is as forward of her breeding as she is i the rear our birth camillo i cannot say tis pity she lacks instructions for she seems a mistress to most that teach perdita your pardon sir for this i'll blush you thanks florizel my prettiest perdita but o the thorns we stand upon camillo preserver of my father now of me the medicine of our house how shall we do we are not furnish'd like bohemia's son nor shall appear in sicilia camillo my lord fear none of this i think you know my fortunes do all lie there it shall be so my care to have you royally appointed as if the scene you play were mine for instance sir that you may know you shall not want one word they talk aside reenter autolycus autolycus ha ha what a fool honesty is and trust his sworn brother a very simple gentleman i have sold all my trumpery not a counterfeit stone not a ribbon glass pomander brooch tablebook ballad knife tape glove shoetie bracelet hornring to keep my pack from fasting they throng who should buy first as if my trinkets had been hallowed and brought a benediction to the buyer by which means i saw whose purse was best in picture and what i saw to my good use i remembered my clown who wants but something to be a reasonable man grew so in love with the wenches song that he would not stir his pettitoes till he had both tune and words which so drew the rest of the herd to me that all their other senses stuck in ears you might have pinched a placket it was senseless twas nothing to geld a codpiece of a purse i could have filed keys off that hung in chains no hearing no feeling but my sir's song and admiring the nothing of it so that in this time of lethargy i picked and cut most of their festival purses and had not the old man come in with a whoobub against his daughter and the king's son and scared my choughs from the chaff i had not left a purse alive in the whole army camillo florizel and perdita come forward camillo nay but my letters by this means being there so soon as you arrive shall clear that doubt florizel and those that you'll procure from king leontes camillo shall satisfy your father perdita happy be you all that you speak shows fair camillo who have we here seeing autolycus we'll make an instrument of this omit nothing may give us aid autolycus if they have overheard me now why hanging camillo how now good fellow why shakest thou so fear not man here's no harm intended to thee autolycus i am a poor fellow sir camillo why be so still here's nobody will steal that from thee yet for the outside of thy poverty we must make an exchange therefore discase thee instantly thou must think there's a necessity in'tand change garments with this gentleman though the pennyworth on his side be the worst yet hold thee there's some boot autolycus i am a poor fellow sir aside i know ye well enough camillo nay prithee dispatch the gentleman is half flayed already autolycus are you in earnest sir aside i smell the trick on't florizel dispatch i prithee autolycus indeed i have had earnest but i cannot with conscience take it camillo unbuckle unbuckle florizel and autolycus exchange garments fortunate mistresslet my prophecy come home to yeyou must retire yourself into some covert take your sweetheart's hat and pluck it o'er your brows muffle your face dismantle you and as you can disliken the truth of your own seeming that you may for i do fear eyes overto shipboard get undescried perdita i see the play so lies that i must bear a part camillo no remedy have you done there florizel should i now meet my father he would not call me son camillo nay you shall have no hat giving it to perdita come lady come farewell my friend autolycus adieu sir florizel o perdita what have we twain forgot pray you a word camillo aside what i do next shall be to tell the king of this escape and whither they are bound wherein my hope is i shall so prevail to force him after in whose company i shall review sicilia for whose sight i have a woman's longing florizel fortune speed us thus we set on camillo to the seaside camillo the swifter speed the better exeunt florizel perdita and camillo autolycus i understand the business i hear it to have an open ear a quick eye and a nimble hand is necessary for a cutpurse a good nose is requisite also to smell out work for the other senses i see this is the time that the unjust man doth thrive what an exchange had this been without boot what a boot is here with this exchange sure the gods do this year connive at us and we may do any thing extempore the prince himself is about a piece of iniquity stealing away from his father with his clog at his heels if i thought it were a piece of honesty to acquaint the king withal i would not do't i hold it the more knavery to conceal it and therein am i constant to my profession reenter clown and shepherd aside aside here is more matter for a hot brain every lane's end every shop church session hanging yields a careful man work clown see see what a man you are now there is no other way but to tell the king she's a changeling and none of your flesh and blood shepherd nay but hear me clown nay but hear me shepherd go to then clown she being none of your flesh and blood your flesh and blood has not offended the king and so your flesh and blood is not to be punished by him show those things you found about her those secret things all but what she has with her this being done let the law go whistle i warrant you shepherd i will tell the king all every word yea and his son's pranks too who i may say is no honest man neither to his father nor to me to go about to make me the king's brotherinlaw clown indeed brotherinlaw was the farthest off you could have been to him and then your blood had been the dearer by i know how much an ounce autolycus aside very wisely puppies shepherd well let us to the king there is that in this fardel will make him scratch his beard autolycus aside i know not what impediment this complaint may be to the flight of my master clown pray heartily he be at palace autolycus aside though i am not naturally honest i am so sometimes by chance let me pocket up my pedlar's excrement takes off his false beard how now rustics whither are you bound shepherd to the palace an it like your worship autolycus your affairs there what with whom the condition of that fardel the place of your dwelling your names your ages of what having breeding and any thing that is fitting to be known discover clown we are but plain fellows sir autolycus a lie you are rough and hairy let me have no lying it becomes none but tradesmen and they often give us soldiers the lie but we pay them for it with stamped coin not stabbing steel therefore they do not give us the lie clown your worship had like to have given us one if you had not taken yourself with the manner shepherd are you a courtier an't like you sir autolycus whether it like me or no i am a courtier seest thou not the air of the court in these enfoldings hath not my gait in it the measure of the court receives not thy nose courtodor from me reflect i not on thy baseness courtcontempt thinkest thou for that i insinuate or toaze from thee thy business i am therefore no courtier i am courtier capape and one that will either push on or pluck back thy business there whereupon i command thee to open thy affair shepherd my business sir is to the king autolycus what advocate hast thou to him shepherd i know not an't like you clown advocate's the courtword for a pheasant say you have none shepherd none sir i have no pheasant cock nor hen autolycus how blessed are we that are not simple men yet nature might have made me as these are therefore i will not disdain clown this cannot be but a great courtier shepherd his garments are rich but he wears them not handsomely clown he seems to be the more noble in being fantastical a great man i'll warrant i know by the picking on's teeth autolycus the fardel there what's i the fardel wherefore that box shepherd sir there lies such secrets in this fardel and box which none must know but the king and which he shall know within this hour if i may come to the speech of him autolycus age thou hast lost thy labour shepherd why sir autolycus the king is not at the palace he is gone aboard a new ship to purge melancholy and air himself for if thou beest capable of things serious thou must know the king is full of grief shepard so tis said sir about his son that should have married a shepherd's daughter autolycus if that shepherd be not in handfast let him fly the curses he shall have the tortures he shall feel will break the back of man the heart of monster clown think you so sir autolycus not he alone shall suffer what wit can make heavy and vengeance bitter but those that are germane to him though removed fifty times shall all come under the hangman which though it be great pity yet it is necessary an old sheepwhistling rogue a ramtender to offer to have his daughter come into grace some say he shall be stoned but that death is too soft for him say i draw our throne into a sheepcote all deaths are too few the sharpest too easy clown has the old man e'er a son sir do you hear an't like you sir autolycus he has a son who shall be flayed alive then nointed over with honey set on the head of a wasp's nest then stand till he be three quarters and a dram dead then recovered again with aquavitae or some other hot infusion then raw as he is and in the hottest day prognostication proclaims shall be be set against a brickwall the sun looking with a southward eye upon him where he is to behold him with flies blown to death but what talk we of these traitorly rascals whose miseries are to be smiled at their offences being so capital tell me for you seem to be honest plain men what you have to the king being something gently considered i'll bring you where he is aboard tender your persons to his presence whisper him in your behalfs and if it be in man besides the king to effect your suits here is man shall do it clown he seems to be of great authority close with him give him gold and though authority be a stubborn bear yet he is oft led by the nose with gold show the inside of your purse to the outside of his hand and no more ado remember stoned and flayed alive' shepherd an't please you sir to undertake the business for us here is that gold i have i'll make it as much more and leave this young man in pawn till i bring it you autolycus after i have done what i promised shepherd ay sir autolycus well give me the moiety are you a party in this business clown in some sort sir but though my case be a pitiful one i hope i shall not be flayed out of it autolycus o that's the case of the shepherd's son hang him he'll be made an example clown comfort good comfort we must to the king and show our strange sights he must know tis none of your daughter nor my sister we are gone else sir i will give you as much as this old man does when the business is performed and remain as he says your pawn till it be brought you autolycus i will trust you walk before toward the seaside go on the right hand i will but look upon the hedge and follow you clown we are blest in this man as i may say even blest shepherd let's before as he bids us he was provided to do us good exeunt shepherd and clown autolycus if i had a mind to be honest i see fortune would not suffer me she drops booties in my mouth i am courted now with a double occasion gold and a means to do the prince my master good which who knows how that may turn back to my advancement i will bring these two moles these blind ones aboard him if he think it fit to shore them again and that the complaint they have to the king concerns him nothing let him call me rogue for being so far officious for i am proof against that title and what shame else belongs to't to him will i present them there may be matter in it exit the winter's tale act v scene i a room in leontes palace enter leontes cleomenes dion paulina and servants cleomenes sir you have done enough and have perform'd a saintlike sorrow no fault could you make which you have not redeem'd indeed paid down more penitence than done trespass at the last do as the heavens have done forget your evil with them forgive yourself leontes whilst i remember her and her virtues i cannot forget my blemishes in them and so still think of the wrong i did myself which was so much that heirless it hath made my kingdom and destroy'd the sweet'st companion that e'er man bred his hopes out of paulina true too true my lord if one by one you wedded all the world or from the all that are took something good to make a perfect woman she you kill'd would be unparallel'd leontes i think so kill'd she i kill'd i did so but thou strikest me sorely to say i did it is as bitter upon thy tongue as in my thought now good now say so but seldom cleomenes not at all good lady you might have spoken a thousand things that would have done the time more benefit and graced your kindness better paulina you are one of those would have him wed again dion if you would not so you pity not the state nor the remembrance of his most sovereign name consider little what dangers by his highness fail of issue may drop upon his kingdom and devour incertain lookers on what were more holy than to rejoice the former queen is well what holier than for royalty's repair for present comfort and for future good to bless the bed of majesty again with a sweet fellow to't paulina there is none worthy respecting her that's gone besides the gods will have fulfill'd their secret purposes for has not the divine apollo said is't not the tenor of his oracle that king leontes shall not have an heir till his lost child be found which that it shall is all as monstrous to our human reason as my antigonus to break his grave and come again to me who on my life did perish with the infant tis your counsel my lord should to the heavens be contrary oppose against their wills to leontes care not for issue the crown will find an heir great alexander left his to the worthiest so his successor was like to be the best leontes good paulina who hast the memory of hermione i know in honour o that ever i had squared me to thy counsel then even now i might have look'd upon my queen's full eyes have taken treasure from her lips paulina and left them more rich for what they yielded leontes thou speak'st truth no more such wives therefore no wife one worse and better used would make her sainted spirit again possess her corpse and on this stage where we're offenders now appear soulvex'd and begin why to me' paulina had she such power she had just cause leontes she had and would incense me to murder her i married paulina i should so were i the ghost that walk'd i'ld bid you mark her eye and tell me for what dull part in't you chose her then i'ld shriek that even your ears should rift to hear me and the words that follow'd should be remember mine' leontes stars stars and all eyes else dead coals fear thou no wife i'll have no wife paulina paulina will you swear never to marry but by my free leave leontes never paulina so be blest my spirit paulina then good my lords bear witness to his oath cleomenes you tempt him overmuch paulina unless another as like hermione as is her picture affront his eye cleomenes good madam paulina i have done yet if my lord will marryif you will sir no remedy but you willgive me the office to choose you a queen she shall not be so young as was your former but she shall be such as walk'd your first queen's ghost it should take joy to see her in your arms leontes my true paulina we shall not marry till thou bid'st us paulina that shall be when your first queen's again in breath never till then enter a gentleman gentleman one that gives out himself prince florizel son of polixenes with his princess she the fairest i have yet beheld desires access to your high presence leontes what with him he comes not like to his father's greatness his approach so out of circumstance and sudden tells us tis not a visitation framed but forced by need and accident what train gentleman but few and those but mean leontes his princess say you with him gentleman ay the most peerless piece of earth i think that e'er the sun shone bright on paulina o hermione as every present time doth boast itself above a better gone so must thy grave give way to what's seen now sir you yourself have said and writ so but your writing now is colder than that theme she had not been nor was not to be equall'd'thus your verse flow'd with her beauty once tis shrewdly ebb'd to say you have seen a better gentleman pardon madam the one i have almost forgotyour pardon the other when she has obtain'd your eye will have your tongue too this is a creature would she begin a sect might quench the zeal of all professors else make proselytes of who she but bid follow paulina how not women gentleman women will love her that she is a woman more worth than any man men that she is the rarest of all women leontes go cleomenes yourself assisted with your honour'd friends bring them to our embracement still tis strange exeunt cleomenes and others he thus should steal upon us paulina had our prince jewel of children seen this hour he had pair'd well with this lord there was not full a month between their births leontes prithee no more cease thou know'st he dies to me again when talk'd of sure when i shall see this gentleman thy speeches will bring me to consider that which may unfurnish me of reason they are come reenter cleomenes and others with florizel and perdita your mother was most true to wedlock prince for she did print your royal father off conceiving you were i but twentyone your father's image is so hit in you his very air that i should call you brother as i did him and speak of something wildly by us perform'd before most dearly welcome and your fair princessgoddesso alas i lost a couple that twixt heaven and earth might thus have stood begetting wonder as you gracious couple do and then i lost all mine own follythe society amity too of your brave father whom though bearing misery i desire my life once more to look on him florizel by his command have i here touch'd sicilia and from him give you all greetings that a king at friend can send his brother and but infirmity which waits upon worn times hath something seized his wish'd ability he had himself the lands and waters twixt your throne and his measured to look upon you whom he loves he bade me say somore than all the sceptres and those that bear them living leontes o my brother good gentleman the wrongs i have done thee stir afresh within me and these thy offices so rarely kind are as interpreters of my behindhand slackness welcome hither as is the spring to the earth and hath he too exposed this paragon to the fearful usage at least ungentle of the dreadful neptune to greet a man not worth her pains much less the adventure of her person florizel good my lord she came from libya leontes where the warlike smalus that noble honour'd lord is fear'd and loved florizel most royal sir from thence from him whose daughter his tears proclaim'd his parting with her thence a prosperous southwind friendly we have cross'd to execute the charge my father gave me for visiting your highness my best train i have from your sicilian shores dismiss'd who for bohemia bend to signify not only my success in libya sir but my arrival and my wife's in safety here where we are leontes the blessed gods purge all infection from our air whilst you do climate here you have a holy father a graceful gentleman against whose person so sacred as it is i have done sin for which the heavens taking angry note have left me issueless and your father's blest as he from heaven merits it with you worthy his goodness what might i have been might i a son and daughter now have look'd on such goodly things as you enter a lord lord most noble sir that which i shall report will bear no credit were not the proof so nigh please you great sir bohemia greets you from himself by me desires you to attach his son who has his dignity and duty both cast off fled from his father from his hopes and with a shepherd's daughter leontes where's bohemia speak lord here in your city i now came from him i speak amazedly and it becomes my marvel and my message to your court whiles he was hastening in the chase it seems of this fair couple meets he on the way the father of this seeming lady and her brother having both their country quitted with this young prince florizel camillo has betray'd me whose honour and whose honesty till now endured all weathers lord lay't so to his charge he's with the king your father leontes who camillo lord camillo sir i spake with him who now has these poor men in question never saw i wretches so quake they kneel they kiss the earth forswear themselves as often as they speak bohemia stops his ears and threatens them with divers deaths in death perdita o my poor father the heaven sets spies upon us will not have our contract celebrated leontes you are married florizel we are not sir nor are we like to be the stars i see will kiss the valleys first the odds for high and low's alike leontes my lord is this the daughter of a king florizel she is when once she is my wife leontes that once i see by your good father's speed will come on very slowly i am sorry most sorry you have broken from his liking where you were tied in duty and as sorry your choice is not so rich in worth as beauty that you might well enjoy her florizel dear look up though fortune visible an enemy should chase us with my father power no jot hath she to change our loves beseech you sir remember since you owed no more to time than i do now with thought of such affections step forth mine advocate at your request my father will grant precious things as trifles leontes would he do so i'ld beg your precious mistress which he counts but a trifle paulina sir my liege your eye hath too much youth in't not a month fore your queen died she was more worth such gazes than what you look on now leontes i thought of her even in these looks i made to florizel but your petition is yet unanswer'd i will to your father your honour not o'erthrown by your desires i am friend to them and you upon which errand i now go toward him therefore follow me and mark what way i make come good my lord exeunt the winter's tale act v scene ii before leontes palace enter autolycus and a gentleman autolycus beseech you sir were you present at this relation first gentleman i was by at the opening of the fardel heard the old shepherd deliver the manner how he found it whereupon after a little amazedness we were all commanded out of the chamber only this methought i heard the shepherd say he found the child autolycus i would most gladly know the issue of it first gentleman i make a broken delivery of the business but the changes i perceived in the king and camillo were very notes of admiration they seemed almost with staring on one another to tear the cases of their eyes there was speech in their dumbness language in their very gesture they looked as they had heard of a world ransomed or one destroyed a notable passion of wonder appeared in them but the wisest beholder that knew no more but seeing could not say if the importance were joy or sorrow but in the extremity of the one it must needs be enter another gentleman here comes a gentleman that haply knows more the news rogero second gentleman nothing but bonfires the oracle is fulfilled the king's daughter is found such a deal of wonder is broken out within this hour that balladmakers cannot be able to express it enter a third gentleman here comes the lady paulina's steward he can deliver you more how goes it now sir this news which is called true is so like an old tale that the verity of it is in strong suspicion has the king found his heir third gentleman most true if ever truth were pregnant by circumstance that which you hear you'll swear you see there is such unity in the proofs the mantle of queen hermione's her jewel about the neck of it the letters of antigonus found with it which they know to be his character the majesty of the creature in resemblance of the mother the affection of nobleness which nature shows above her breeding and many other evidences proclaim her with all certainty to be the king's daughter did you see the meeting of the two kings second gentleman no third gentleman then have you lost a sight which was to be seen cannot be spoken of there might you have beheld one joy crown another so and in such manner that it seemed sorrow wept to take leave of them for their joy waded in tears there was casting up of eyes holding up of hands with countenances of such distraction that they were to be known by garment not by favour our king being ready to leap out of himself for joy of his found daughter as if that joy were now become a loss cries o thy mother thy mother then asks bohemia forgiveness then embraces his soninlaw then again worries he his daughter with clipping her now he thanks the old shepherd which stands by like a weatherbitten conduit of many kings reigns i never heard of such another encounter which lames report to follow it and undoes description to do it second gentleman what pray you became of antigonus that carried hence the child third gentleman like an old tale still which will have matter to rehearse though credit be asleep and not an ear open he was torn to pieces with a bear this avouches the shepherd's son who has not only his innocence which seems much to justify him but a handkerchief and rings of his that paulina knows first gentleman what became of his bark and his followers third gentleman wrecked the same instant of their master's death and in the view of the shepherd so that all the instruments which aided to expose the child were even then lost when it was found but o the noble combat that twixt joy and sorrow was fought in paulina she had one eye declined for the loss of her husband another elevated that the oracle was fulfilled she lifted the princess from the earth and so locks her in embracing as if she would pin her to her heart that she might no more be in danger of losing first gentleman the dignity of this act was worth the audience of kings and princes for by such was it acted third gentleman one of the prettiest touches of all and that which angled for mine eyes caught the water though not the fish was when at the relation of the queen's death with the manner how she came to't bravely confessed and lamented by the king how attentiveness wounded his daughter till from one sign of dolour to another she did with an alas' i would fain say bleed tears for i am sure my heart wept blood who was most marble there changed colour some swooned all sorrowed if all the world could have seen t the woe had been universal first gentleman are they returned to the court third gentleman no the princess hearing of her mother's statue which is in the keeping of paulinaa piece many years in doing and now newly performed by that rare italian master julio romano who had he himself eternity and could put breath into his work would beguile nature of her custom so perfectly he is her ape he so near to hermione hath done hermione that they say one would speak to her and stand in hope of answer thither with all greediness of affection are they gone and there they intend to sup second gentleman i thought she had some great matter there in hand for she hath privately twice or thrice a day ever since the death of hermione visited that removed house shall we thither and with our company piece the rejoicing first gentleman who would be thence that has the benefit of access every wink of an eye some new grace will be born our absence makes us unthrifty to our knowledge let's along exeunt gentlemen autolycus now had i not the dash of my former life in me would preferment drop on my head i brought the old man and his son aboard the prince told him i heard them talk of a fardel and i know not what but he at that time overfond of the shepherd's daughter so he then took her to be who began to be much seasick and himself little better extremity of weather continuing this mystery remained undiscovered but tis all one to me for had i been the finder out of this secret it would not have relished among my other discredits enter shepherd and clown here come those i have done good to against my will and already appearing in the blossoms of their fortune shepherd come boy i am past moe children but thy sons and daughters will be all gentlemen born clown you are well met sir you denied to fight with me this other day because i was no gentleman born see you these clothes say you see them not and think me still no gentleman born you were best say these robes are not gentlemen born give me the lie do and try whether i am not now a gentleman born autolycus i know you are now sir a gentleman born clown ay and have been so any time these four hours shepherd and so have i boy clown so you have but i was a gentleman born before my father for the king's son took me by the hand and called me brother and then the two kings called my father brother and then the prince my brother and the princess my sister called my father father and so we wept and there was the first gentlemanlike tears that ever we shed shepherd we may live son to shed many more clown ay or else twere hard luck being in so preposterous estate as we are autolycus i humbly beseech you sir to pardon me all the faults i have committed to your worship and to give me your good report to the prince my master shepherd prithee son do for we must be gentle now we are gentlemen clown thou wilt amend thy life autolycus ay an it like your good worship clown give me thy hand i will swear to the prince thou art as honest a true fellow as any is in bohemia shepherd you may say it but not swear it clown not swear it now i am a gentleman let boors and franklins say it i'll swear it shepherd how if it be false son clown if it be ne'er so false a true gentleman may swear it in the behalf of his friend and i'll swear to the prince thou art a tall fellow of thy hands and that thou wilt not be drunk but i know thou art no tall fellow of thy hands and that thou wilt be drunk but i'll swear it and i would thou wouldst be a tall fellow of thy hands autolycus i will prove so sir to my power clown ay by any means prove a tall fellow if i do not wonder how thou darest venture to be drunk not being a tall fellow trust me not hark the kings and the princes our kindred are going to see the queen's picture come follow us we'll be thy good masters exeunt the winter's tale act v scene iii a chapel in paulina's house enter leontes polixenes florizel perdita camillo paulina lords and attendants leontes o grave and good paulina the great comfort that i have had of thee paulina what sovereign sir i did not well i meant well all my services you have paid home but that you have vouchsafed with your crown'd brother and these your contracted heirs of your kingdoms my poor house to visit it is a surplus of your grace which never my life may last to answer leontes o paulina we honour you with trouble but we came to see the statue of our queen your gallery have we pass'd through not without much content in many singularities but we saw not that which my daughter came to look upon the statue of her mother paulina as she lived peerless so her dead likeness i do well believe excels whatever yet you look'd upon or hand of man hath done therefore i keep it lonely apart but here it is prepare to see the life as lively mock'd as ever still sleep mock'd death behold and say tis well paulina draws a curtain and discovers hermione standing like a statue i like your silence it the more shows off your wonder but yet speak first you my liege comes it not something near leontes her natural posture chide me dear stone that i may say indeed thou art hermione or rather thou art she in thy not chiding for she was as tender as infancy and grace but yet paulina hermione was not so much wrinkled nothing so aged as this seems polixenes o not by much paulina so much the more our carver's excellence which lets go by some sixteen years and makes her as she lived now leontes as now she might have done so much to my good comfort as it is now piercing to my soul o thus she stood even with such life of majesty warm life as now it coldly stands when first i woo'd her i am ashamed does not the stone rebuke me for being more stone than it o royal piece there's magic in thy majesty which has my evils conjured to remembrance and from thy admiring daughter took the spirits standing like stone with thee perdita and give me leave and do not say tis superstition that i kneel and then implore her blessing lady dear queen that ended when i but began give me that hand of yours to kiss paulina o patience the statue is but newly fix'd the colour's not dry camillo my lord your sorrow was too sore laid on which sixteen winters cannot blow away so many summers dry scarce any joy did ever so long live no sorrow but kill'd itself much sooner polixenes dear my brother let him that was the cause of this have power to take off so much grief from you as he will piece up in himself paulina indeed my lord if i had thought the sight of my poor image would thus have wrought youfor the stone is mine i'ld not have show'd it leontes do not draw the curtain paulina no longer shall you gaze on't lest your fancy may think anon it moves leontes let be let be would i were dead but that methinks already what was he that did make it see my lord would you not deem it breathed and that those veins did verily bear blood polixenes masterly done the very life seems warm upon her lip leontes the fixture of her eye has motion in't as we are mock'd with art paulina i'll draw the curtain my lord's almost so far transported that he'll think anon it lives leontes o sweet paulina make me to think so twenty years together no settled senses of the world can match the pleasure of that madness let t alone paulina i am sorry sir i have thus far stirr'd you but i could afflict you farther leontes do paulina for this affliction has a taste as sweet as any cordial comfort still methinks there is an air comes from her what fine chisel could ever yet cut breath let no man mock me for i will kiss her paulina good my lord forbear the ruddiness upon her lip is wet you'll mar it if you kiss it stain your own with oily painting shall i draw the curtain leontes no not these twenty years perdita so long could i stand by a looker on paulina either forbear quit presently the chapel or resolve you for more amazement if you can behold it i'll make the statue move indeed descend and take you by the hand but then you'll think which i protest againsti am assisted by wicked powers leontes what you can make her do i am content to look on what to speak i am content to hear for tis as easy to make her speak as move paulina it is required you do awake your faith then all stand still on those that think it is unlawful business i am about let them depart leontes proceed no foot shall stir paulina music awake her strike music tis time descend be stone no more approach strike all that look upon with marvel come i'll fill your grave up stir nay come away bequeath to death your numbness for from him dear life redeems you you perceive she stirs hermione comes down start not her actions shall be holy as you hear my spell is lawful do not shun her until you see her die again for then you kill her double nay present your hand when she was young you woo'd her now in age is she become the suitor leontes o she's warm if this be magic let it be an art lawful as eating polixenes she embraces him camillo she hangs about his neck if she pertain to life let her speak too polixenes ay and make't manifest where she has lived or how stolen from the dead paulina that she is living were it but told you should be hooted at like an old tale but it appears she lives though yet she speak not mark a little while please you to interpose fair madam kneel and pray your mother's blessing turn good lady our perdita is found hermione you gods look down and from your sacred vials pour your graces upon my daughter's head tell me mine own where hast thou been preserved where lived how found thy father's court for thou shalt hear that i knowing by paulina that the oracle gave hope thou wast in being have preserved myself to see the issue paulina there's time enough for that lest they desire upon this push to trouble your joys with like relation go together you precious winners all your exultation partake to every one i an old turtle will wing me to some wither'd bough and there my mate that's never to be found again lament till i am lost leontes o peace paulina thou shouldst a husband take by my consent as i by thine a wife this is a match and made between's by vows thou hast found mine but how is to be question'd for i saw her as i thought dead and have in vain said many a prayer upon her grave i'll not seek far for him i partly know his mindto find thee an honourable husband come camillo and take her by the hand whose worth and honesty is richly noted and here justified by us a pair of kings let's from this place what look upon my brother both your pardons that e'er i put between your holy looks my ill suspicion this is your soninlaw and son unto the king who heavens directing is trothplight to your daughter good paulina lead us from hence where we may leisurely each one demand an answer to his part perform'd in this wide gap of time since first we were dissever'd hastily lead away exeunt 1 king henry iv dramatis personae king henry the fourth king henry iv henry prince of wales prince henry sons of the king john of lancaster lancaster westmoreland sir walter blunt thomas percy earl of worcester earl of worcester henry percy earl of northumberland northumberland henry percy surnamed hotspur his son hotspur edmund mortimer earl of march mortimer richard scroop archbishop of york archbishop of york archibald earl of douglas douglas owen glendower sir richard vernon vernon sir john falstaff falstaff sir michael a friend to the archbishop of york poins gadshill peto bardolph francis a waiter lady percy wife to hotspur and sister to mortimer lady mortimer daughter to glendower and wife to mortimer mistress quickly hostess of a tavern in eastcheap hostess lords officers sheriff vintner chamberlain drawers two carriers travellers attendants and an ostler sheriff vintner chamberlain first carrier second carrier first traveller servant messenger ostler scene england 1 king henry iv act i scene i london the palace enter king henry lord john of lancaster the earl of westmoreland sir walter blunt and others king henry iv so shaken as we are so wan with care find we a time for frighted peace to pant and breathe shortwinded accents of new broils to be commenced in strands afar remote no more the thirsty entrance of this soil shall daub her lips with her own children's blood nor more shall trenching war channel her fields nor bruise her flowerets with the armed hoofs of hostile paces those opposed eyes which like the meteors of a troubled heaven all of one nature of one substance bred did lately meet in the intestine shock and furious close of civil butchery shall now in mutual wellbeseeming ranks march all one way and be no more opposed against acquaintance kindred and allies the edge of war like an illsheathed knife no more shall cut his master therefore friends as far as to the sepulchre of christ whose soldier now under whose blessed cross we are impressed and engaged to fight forthwith a power of english shall we levy whose arms were moulded in their mothers womb to chase these pagans in those holy fields over whose acres walk'd those blessed feet which fourteen hundred years ago were nail'd for our advantage on the bitter cross but this our purpose now is twelve month old and bootless tis to tell you we will go therefore we meet not now then let me hear of you my gentle cousin westmoreland what yesternight our council did decree in forwarding this dear expedience westmoreland my liege this haste was hot in question and many limits of the charge set down but yesternight when all athwart there came a post from wales loaden with heavy news whose worst was that the noble mortimer leading the men of herefordshire to fight against the irregular and wild glendower was by the rude hands of that welshman taken a thousand of his people butchered upon whose dead corpse there was such misuse such beastly shameless transformation by those welshwomen done as may not be without much shame retold or spoken of king henry iv it seems then that the tidings of this broil brake off our business for the holy land westmoreland this match'd with other did my gracious lord for more uneven and unwelcome news came from the north and thus it did import on holyrood day the gallant hotspur there young harry percy and brave archibald that evervaliant and approved scot at holmedon met where they did spend a sad and bloody hour as by discharge of their artillery and shape of likelihood the news was told for he that brought them in the very heat and pride of their contention did take horse uncertain of the issue any way king henry iv here is a dear a true industrious friend sir walter blunt new lighted from his horse stain'd with the variation of each soil betwixt that holmedon and this seat of ours and he hath brought us smooth and welcome news the earl of douglas is discomfited ten thousand bold scots two and twenty knights balk'd in their own blood did sir walter see on holmedon's plains of prisoners hotspur took mordake the earl of fife and eldest son to beaten douglas and the earl of athol of murray angus and menteith and is not this an honourable spoil a gallant prize ha cousin is it not westmoreland in faith it is a conquest for a prince to boast of king henry iv yea there thou makest me sad and makest me sin in envy that my lord northumberland should be the father to so blest a son a son who is the theme of honour's tongue amongst a grove the very straightest plant who is sweet fortune's minion and her pride whilst i by looking on the praise of him see riot and dishonour stain the brow of my young harry o that it could be proved that some nighttripping fairy had exchanged in cradleclothes our children where they lay and call'd mine percy his plantagenet then would i have his harry and he mine but let him from my thoughts what think you coz of this young percy's pride the prisoners which he in this adventure hath surprised to his own use he keeps and sends me word i shall have none but mordake earl of fife westmoreland this is his uncle's teaching this is worcester malevolent to you in all aspects which makes him prune himself and bristle up the crest of youth against your dignity king henry iv but i have sent for him to answer this and for this cause awhile we must neglect our holy purpose to jerusalem cousin on wednesday next our council we will hold at windsor so inform the lords but come yourself with speed to us again for more is to be said and to be done than out of anger can be uttered westmoreland i will my liege exeunt 1 king henry iv act i scene ii london an apartment of the prince's enter the prince of wales and falstaff falstaff now hal what time of day is it lad prince henry thou art so fatwitted with drinking of old sack and unbuttoning thee after supper and sleeping upon benches after noon that thou hast forgotten to demand that truly which thou wouldst truly know what a devil hast thou to do with the time of the day unless hours were cups of sack and minutes capons and clocks the tongues of bawds and dials the signs of leapinghouses and the blessed sun himself a fair hot wench in flamecoloured taffeta i see no reason why thou shouldst be so superfluous to demand the time of the day falstaff indeed you come near me now hal for we that take purses go by the moon and the seven stars and not by phoebus he'that wandering knight so fair and i prithee sweet wag when thou art king as god save thy gracemajesty i should say for grace thou wilt have none prince henry what none falstaff no by my troth not so much as will serve to prologue to an egg and butter prince henry well how then come roundly roundly falstaff marry then sweet wag when thou art king let not us that are squires of the night's body be called thieves of the day's beauty let us be diana's foresters gentlemen of the shade minions of the moon and let men say we be men of good government being governed as the sea is by our noble and chaste mistress the moon under whose countenance we steal prince henry thou sayest well and it holds well too for the fortune of us that are the moon's men doth ebb and flow like the sea being governed as the sea is by the moon as for proof now a purse of gold most resolutely snatched on monday night and most dissolutely spent on tuesday morning got with swearing lay by and spent with crying bring in' now in as low an ebb as the foot of the ladder and by and by in as high a flow as the ridge of the gallows falstaff by the lord thou sayest true lad and is not my hostess of the tavern a most sweet wench prince henry as the honey of hybla my old lad of the castle and is not a buff jerkin a most sweet robe of durance falstaff how now how now mad wag what in thy quips and thy quiddities what a plague have i to do with a buff jerkin prince henry why what a pox have i to do with my hostess of the tavern falstaff well thou hast called her to a reckoning many a time and oft prince henry did i ever call for thee to pay thy part falstaff no i'll give thee thy due thou hast paid all there prince henry yea and elsewhere so far as my coin would stretch and where it would not i have used my credit falstaff yea and so used it that were it not here apparent that thou art heir apparentbut i prithee sweet wag shall there be gallows standing in england when thou art king and resolution thus fobbed as it is with the rusty curb of old father antic the law do not thou when thou art king hang a thief prince henry no thou shalt falstaff shall i o rare by the lord i'll be a brave judge prince henry thou judgest false already i mean thou shalt have the hanging of the thieves and so become a rare hangman falstaff well hal well and in some sort it jumps with my humour as well as waiting in the court i can tell you prince henry for obtaining of suits falstaff yea for obtaining of suits whereof the hangman hath no lean wardrobe sblood i am as melancholy as a gib cat or a lugged bear prince henry or an old lion or a lover's lute falstaff yea or the drone of a lincolnshire bagpipe prince henry what sayest thou to a hare or the melancholy of moorditch falstaff thou hast the most unsavoury similes and art indeed the most comparative rascalliest sweet young prince but hal i prithee trouble me no more with vanity i would to god thou and i knew where a commodity of good names were to be bought an old lord of the council rated me the other day in the street about you sir but i marked him not and yet he talked very wisely but i regarded him not and yet he talked wisely and in the street too prince henry thou didst well for wisdom cries out in the streets and no man regards it falstaff o thou hast damnable iteration and art indeed able to corrupt a saint thou hast done much harm upon me hal god forgive thee for it before i knew thee hal i knew nothing and now am i if a man should speak truly little better than one of the wicked i must give over this life and i will give it over by the lord and i do not i am a villain i'll be damned for never a king's son in christendom prince henry where shall we take a purse tomorrow jack falstaff zounds where thou wilt lad i'll make one an i do not call me villain and baffle me prince henry i see a good amendment of life in thee from praying to pursetaking falstaff why hal tis my vocation hal tis no sin for a man to labour in his vocation enter poins poins now shall we know if gadshill have set a match o if men were to be saved by merit what hole in hell were hot enough for him this is the most omnipotent villain that ever cried stand to a true man prince henry good morrow ned poins good morrow sweet hal what says monsieur remorse what says sir john sack and sugar jack how agrees the devil and thee about thy soul that thou soldest him on goodfriday last for a cup of madeira and a cold capon's leg prince henry sir john stands to his word the devil shall have his bargain for he was never yet a breaker of proverbs he will give the devil his due poins then art thou damned for keeping thy word with the devil prince henry else he had been damned for cozening the devil poins but my lads my lads tomorrow morning by four o'clock early at gadshill there are pilgrims going to canterbury with rich offerings and traders riding to london with fat purses i have vizards for you all you have horses for yourselves gadshill lies tonight in rochester i have bespoke supper tomorrow night in eastcheap we may do it as secure as sleep if you will go i will stuff your purses full of crowns if you will not tarry at home and be hanged falstaff hear ye yedward if i tarry at home and go not i'll hang you for going poins you will chops falstaff hal wilt thou make one prince henry who i rob i a thief not i by my faith falstaff there's neither honesty manhood nor good fellowship in thee nor thou camest not of the blood royal if thou darest not stand for ten shillings prince henry well then once in my days i'll be a madcap falstaff why that's well said prince henry well come what will i'll tarry at home falstaff by the lord i'll be a traitor then when thou art king prince henry i care not poins sir john i prithee leave the prince and me alone i will lay him down such reasons for this adventure that he shall go falstaff well god give thee the spirit of persuasion and him the ears of profiting that what thou speakest may move and what he hears may be believed that the true prince may for recreation sake prove a false thief for the poor abuses of the time want countenance farewell you shall find me in eastcheap prince henry farewell thou latter spring farewell allhallown summer exit falstaff poins now my good sweet honey lord ride with us tomorrow i have a jest to execute that i cannot manage alone falstaff bardolph peto and gadshill shall rob those men that we have already waylaid yourself and i will not be there and when they have the booty if you and i do not rob them cut this head off from my shoulders prince henry how shall we part with them in setting forth poins why we will set forth before or after them and appoint them a place of meeting wherein it is at our pleasure to fail and then will they adventure upon the exploit themselves which they shall have no sooner achieved but we'll set upon them prince henry yea but tis like that they will know us by our horses by our habits and by every other appointment to be ourselves poins tut our horses they shall not see i'll tie them in the wood our vizards we will change after we leave them and sirrah i have cases of buckram for the nonce to immask our noted outward garments prince henry yea but i doubt they will be too hard for us poins well for two of them i know them to be as truebred cowards as ever turned back and for the third if he fight longer than he sees reason i'll forswear arms the virtue of this jest will be the incomprehensible lies that this same fat rogue will tell us when we meet at supper how thirty at least he fought with what wards what blows what extremities he endured and in the reproof of this lies the jest prince henry well i'll go with thee provide us all things necessary and meet me tomorrow night in eastcheap there i'll sup farewell poins farewell my lord exit poins prince henry i know you all and will awhile uphold the unyoked humour of your idleness yet herein will i imitate the sun who doth permit the base contagious clouds to smother up his beauty from the world that when he please again to be himself being wanted he may be more wonder'd at by breaking through the foul and ugly mists of vapours that did seem to strangle him if all the year were playing holidays to sport would be as tedious as to work but when they seldom come they wish'd for come and nothing pleaseth but rare accidents so when this loose behavior i throw off and pay the debt i never promised by how much better than my word i am by so much shall i falsify men's hopes and like bright metal on a sullen ground my reformation glittering o'er my fault shall show more goodly and attract more eyes than that which hath no foil to set it off i'll so offend to make offence a skill redeeming time when men think least i will exit 1 king henry iv act i scene iii london the palace enter the king northumberland worcester hotspur sir walter blunt with others king henry iv my blood hath been too cold and temperate unapt to stir at these indignities and you have found me for accordingly you tread upon my patience but be sure i will from henceforth rather be myself mighty and to be fear'd than my condition which hath been smooth as oil soft as young down and therefore lost that title of respect which the proud soul ne'er pays but to the proud earl of worcester our house my sovereign liege little deserves the scourge of greatness to be used on it and that same greatness too which our own hands have holp to make so portly northumberland my lord king henry iv worcester get thee gone for i do see danger and disobedience in thine eye o sir your presence is too bold and peremptory and majesty might never yet endure the moody frontier of a servant brow you have good leave to leave us when we need your use and counsel we shall send for you exit worcester you were about to speak to north northumberland yea my good lord those prisoners in your highness name demanded which harry percy here at holmedon took were as he says not with such strength denied as is deliver'd to your majesty either envy therefore or misprison is guilty of this fault and not my son hotspur my liege i did deny no prisoners but i remember when the fight was done when i was dry with rage and extreme toil breathless and faint leaning upon my sword came there a certain lord neat and trimly dress'd fresh as a bridegroom and his chin new reap'd show'd like a stubbleland at harvesthome he was perfumed like a milliner and twixt his finger and his thumb he held a pouncetbox which ever and anon he gave his nose and took't away again who therewith angry when it next came there took it in snuff and still he smiled and talk'd and as the soldiers bore dead bodies by he call'd them untaught knaves unmannerly to bring a slovenly unhandsome corse betwixt the wind and his nobility with many holiday and lady terms he question'd me amongst the rest demanded my prisoners in your majesty's behalf i then all smarting with my wounds being cold to be so pester'd with a popinjay out of my grief and my impatience answer'd neglectingly i know not what he should or he should not for he made me mad to see him shine so brisk and smell so sweet and talk so like a waitinggentlewoman of guns and drums and woundsgod save the mark and telling me the sovereign'st thing on earth was parmaceti for an inward bruise and that it was great pity so it was this villanous saltpetre should be digg'd out of the bowels of the harmless earth which many a good tall fellow had destroy'd so cowardly and but for these vile guns he would himself have been a soldier this bald unjointed chat of his my lord i answer'd indirectly as i said and i beseech you let not his report come current for an accusation betwixt my love and your high majesty sir walter blunt the circumstance consider'd good my lord whate'er lord harry percy then had said to such a person and in such a place at such a time with all the rest retold may reasonably die and never rise to do him wrong or any way impeach what then he said so he unsay it now king henry iv why yet he doth deny his prisoners but with proviso and exception that we at our own charge shall ransom straight his brotherinlaw the foolish mortimer who on my soul hath wilfully betray'd the lives of those that he did lead to fight against that great magician damn'd glendower whose daughter as we hear the earl of march hath lately married shall our coffers then be emptied to redeem a traitor home shall we but treason and indent with fears when they have lost and forfeited themselves no on the barren mountains let him starve for i shall never hold that man my friend whose tongue shall ask me for one penny cost to ransom home revolted mortimer hotspur revolted mortimer he never did fall off my sovereign liege but by the chance of war to prove that true needs no more but one tongue for all those wounds those mouthed wounds which valiantly he took when on the gentle severn's sedgy bank in single opposition hand to hand he did confound the best part of an hour in changing hardiment with great glendower three times they breathed and three times did they drink upon agreement of swift severn's flood who then affrighted with their bloody looks ran fearfully among the trembling reeds and hid his crisp head in the hollow bank bloodstained with these valiant combatants never did base and rotten policy colour her working with such deadly wounds nor could the noble mortimer receive so many and all willingly then let not him be slander'd with revolt king henry iv thou dost belie him percy thou dost belie him he never did encounter with glendower i tell thee he durst as well have met the devil alone as owen glendower for an enemy art thou not ashamed but sirrah henceforth let me not hear you speak of mortimer send me your prisoners with the speediest means or you shall hear in such a kind from me as will displease you my lord northumberland we licence your departure with your son send us your prisoners or you will hear of it exeunt king henry blunt and train hotspur an if the devil come and roar for them i will not send them i will after straight and tell him so for i will ease my heart albeit i make a hazard of my head northumberland what drunk with choler stay and pause awhile here comes your uncle reenter worcester hotspur speak of mortimer zounds i will speak of him and let my soul want mercy if i do not join with him yea on his part i'll empty all these veins and shed my dear blood drop by drop in the dust but i will lift the downtrod mortimer as high in the air as this unthankful king as this ingrate and canker'd bolingbroke northumberland brother the king hath made your nephew mad earl of worcester who struck this heat up after i was gone hotspur he will forsooth have all my prisoners and when i urged the ransom once again of my wife's brother then his cheek look'd pale and on my face he turn'd an eye of death trembling even at the name of mortimer earl of worcester i cannot blame him was not he proclaim'd by richard that dead is the next of blood northumberland he was i heard the proclamation and then it was when the unhappy king whose wrongs in us god pardondid set forth upon his irish expedition from whence he intercepted did return to be deposed and shortly murdered earl of worcester and for whose death we in the world's wide mouth live scandalized and foully spoken of hotspur but soft i pray you did king richard then proclaim my brother edmund mortimer heir to the crown northumberland he did myself did hear it hotspur nay then i cannot blame his cousin king that wished him on the barren mountains starve but shall it be that you that set the crown upon the head of this forgetful man and for his sake wear the detested blot of murderous subornation shall it be that you a world of curses undergo being the agents or base second means the cords the ladder or the hangman rather o pardon me that i descend so low to show the line and the predicament wherein you range under this subtle king shall it for shame be spoken in these days or fill up chronicles in time to come that men of your nobility and power did gage them both in an unjust behalf as both of yougod pardon ithave done to put down richard that sweet lovely rose an plant this thorn this canker bolingbroke and shall it in more shame be further spoken that you are fool'd discarded and shook off by him for whom these shames ye underwent no yet time serves wherein you may redeem your banish'd honours and restore yourselves into the good thoughts of the world again revenge the jeering and disdain'd contempt of this proud king who studies day and night to answer all the debt he owes to you even with the bloody payment of your deaths therefore i say earl of worcester peace cousin say no more and now i will unclasp a secret book and to your quickconceiving discontents i'll read you matter deep and dangerous as full of peril and adventurous spirit as to o'erwalk a current roaring loud on the unsteadfast footing of a spear hotspur if he fall in good night or sink or swim send danger from the east unto the west so honour cross it from the north to south and let them grapple o the blood more stirs to rouse a lion than to start a hare northumberland imagination of some great exploit drives him beyond the bounds of patience hotspur by heaven methinks it were an easy leap to pluck bright honour from the palefaced moon or dive into the bottom of the deep where fathomline could never touch the ground and pluck up drowned honour by the locks so he that doth redeem her thence might wear without corrival all her dignities but out upon this halffaced fellowship earl of worcester he apprehends a world of figures here but not the form of what he should attend good cousin give me audience for a while hotspur i cry you mercy earl of worcester those same noble scots that are your prisoners hotspur i'll keep them all by god he shall not have a scot of them no if a scot would save his soul he shall not i'll keep them by this hand earl of worcester you start away and lend no ear unto my purposes those prisoners you shall keep hotspur nay i will that's flat he said he would not ransom mortimer forbad my tongue to speak of mortimer but i will find him when he lies asleep and in his ear i'll holla mortimer' nay i'll have a starling shall be taught to speak nothing but mortimer and give it him to keep his anger still in motion earl of worcester hear you cousin a word hotspur all studies here i solemnly defy save how to gall and pinch this bolingbroke and that same swordandbuckler prince of wales but that i think his father loves him not and would be glad he met with some mischance i would have him poison'd with a pot of ale earl of worcester farewell kinsman i'll talk to you when you are better temper'd to attend northumberland why what a waspstung and impatient fool art thou to break into this woman's mood tying thine ear to no tongue but thine own hotspur why look you i am whipp'd and scourged with rods nettled and stung with pismires when i hear of this vile politician bolingbroke in richard's timewhat do you call the place a plague upon it it is in gloucestershire twas where the madcap duke his uncle kept his uncle york where i first bow'd my knee unto this king of smiles this bolingbroke sblood when you and he came back from ravenspurgh northumberland at berkley castle hotspur you say true why what a candy deal of courtesy this fawning greyhound then did proffer me look'when his infant fortune came to age' and gentle harry percy and kind cousin' o the devil take such cozeners god forgive me good uncle tell your tale i have done earl of worcester nay if you have not to it again we will stay your leisure hotspur i have done i faith earl of worcester then once more to your scottish prisoners deliver them up without their ransom straight and make the douglas son your only mean for powers in scotland which for divers reasons which i shall send you written be assured will easily be granted you my lord to northumberland your son in scotland being thus employ'd shall secretly into the bosom creep of that same noble prelate well beloved the archbishop hotspur of york is it not earl of worcester true who bears hard his brother's death at bristol the lord scroop i speak not this in estimation as what i think might be but what i know is ruminated plotted and set down and only stays but to behold the face of that occasion that shall bring it on hotspur i smell it upon my life it will do well northumberland before the game is afoot thou still let'st slip hotspur why it cannot choose but be a noble plot and then the power of scotland and of york to join with mortimer ha earl of worcester and so they shall hotspur in faith it is exceedingly well aim'd earl of worcester and tis no little reason bids us speed to save our heads by raising of a head for bear ourselves as even as we can the king will always think him in our debt and think we think ourselves unsatisfied till he hath found a time to pay us home and see already how he doth begin to make us strangers to his looks of love hotspur he does he does we'll be revenged on him earl of worcester cousin farewell no further go in this than i by letters shall direct your course when time is ripe which will be suddenly i'll steal to glendower and lord mortimer where you and douglas and our powers at once as i will fashion it shall happily meet to bear our fortunes in our own strong arms which now we hold at much uncertainty northumberland farewell good brother we shall thrive i trust hotspur uncle adieu o let the hours be short till fields and blows and groans applaud our sport exeunt 1 king henry iv act ii scene i rochester an inn yard enter a carrier with a lantern in his hand first carrier heighho an it be not four by the day i'll be hanged charles wain is over the new chimney and yet our horse not packed what ostler ostler within anon anon first carrier i prithee tom beat cut's saddle put a few flocks in the point poor jade is wrung in the withers out of all cess enter another carrier second carrier peas and beans are as dank here as a dog and that is the next way to give poor jades the bots this house is turned upside down since robin ostler died first carrier poor fellow never joyed since the price of oats rose it was the death of him second carrier i think this be the most villanous house in all london road for fleas i am stung like a tench first carrier like a tench by the mass there is ne'er a king christen could be better bit than i have been since the first cock second carrier why they will allow us ne'er a jordan and then we leak in your chimney and your chamberlie breeds fleas like a loach first carrier what ostler come away and be hanged second carrier i have a gammon of bacon and two razors of ginger to be delivered as far as charingcross first carrier god's body the turkeys in my pannier are quite starved what ostler a plague on thee hast thou never an eye in thy head canst not hear an twere not as good deed as drink to break the pate on thee i am a very villain come and be hanged hast thou no faith in thee enter gadshill gadshill good morrow carriers what's o'clock first carrier i think it be two o'clock gadshill i pray thee lend me thy lantern to see my gelding in the stable first carrier nay by god soft i know a trick worth two of that i faith gadshill i pray thee lend me thine second carrier ay when can'st tell lend me thy lantern quoth he marry i'll see thee hanged first gadshill sirrah carrier what time do you mean to come to london second carrier time enough to go to bed with a candle i warrant thee come neighbour mugs we'll call up the gentleman they will along with company for they have great charge exeunt carriers gadshill what ho chamberlain chamberlain within at hand quoth pickpurse gadshill that's even as fair asat hand quoth the chamberlain for thou variest no more from picking of purses than giving direction doth from labouring thou layest the plot how enter chamberlain chamberlain good morrow master gadshill it holds current that i told you yesternight there's a franklin in the wild of kent hath brought three hundred marks with him in gold i heard him tell it to one of his company last night at supper a kind of auditor one that hath abundance of charge too god knows what they are up already and call for eggs and butter they will away presently gadshill sirrah if they meet not with saint nicholas' clerks i'll give thee this neck chamberlain no i'll none of it i pray thee keep that for the hangman for i know thou worshippest st nicholas as truly as a man of falsehood may gadshill what talkest thou to me of the hangman if i hang i'll make a fat pair of gallows for if i hang old sir john hangs with me and thou knowest he is no starveling tut there are other trojans that thou dreamest not of the which for sport sake are content to do the profession some grace that would if matters should be looked into for their own credit sake make all whole i am joined with no footland rakers no longstaff sixpenny strikers none of these mad mustachio purplehued maltworms but with nobility and tranquillity burgomasters and great oneyers such as can hold in such as will strike sooner than speak and speak sooner than drink and drink sooner than pray and yet zounds i lie for they pray continually to their saint the commonwealth or rather not pray to her but prey on her for they ride up and down on her and make her their boots chamberlain what the commonwealth their boots will she hold out water in foul way gadshill she will she will justice hath liquored her we steal as in a castle cocksure we have the receipt of fernseed we walk invisible chamberlain nay by my faith i think you are more beholding to the night than to fernseed for your walking invisible gadshill give me thy hand thou shalt have a share in our purchase as i am a true man chamberlain nay rather let me have it as you are a false thief gadshill go to homo is a common name to all men bid the ostler bring my gelding out of the stable farewell you muddy knave exeunt 1 king henry iv act ii scene ii the highway near gadshill enter prince henry and poins poins come shelter shelter i have removed falstaff's horse and he frets like a gummed velvet prince henry stand close enter falstaff falstaff poins poins and be hanged poins prince henry peace ye fatkidneyed rascal what a brawling dost thou keep falstaff where's poins hal prince henry he is walked up to the top of the hill i'll go seek him falstaff i am accursed to rob in that thief's company the rascal hath removed my horse and tied him i know not where if i travel but four foot by the squier further afoot i shall break my wind well i doubt not but to die a fair death for all this if i scape hanging for killing that rogue i have forsworn his company hourly any time this two and twenty years and yet i am bewitched with the rogue's company if the rascal hath not given me medicines to make me love him i'll be hanged it could not be else i have drunk medicines poins hal a plague upon you both bardolph peto i'll starve ere i'll rob a foot further an twere not as good a deed as drink to turn true man and to leave these rogues i am the veriest varlet that ever chewed with a tooth eight yards of uneven ground is threescore and ten miles afoot with me and the stonyhearted villains know it well enough a plague upon it when thieves cannot be true one to another they whistle whew a plague upon you all give me my horse you rogues give me my horse and be hanged prince henry peace ye fatguts lie down lay thine ear close to the ground and list if thou canst hear the tread of travellers falstaff have you any levers to lift me up again being down sblood i'll not bear mine own flesh so far afoot again for all the coin in thy father's exchequer what a plague mean ye to colt me thus prince henry thou liest thou art not colted thou art uncolted falstaff i prithee good prince hal help me to my horse good king's son prince henry out ye rogue shall i be your ostler falstaff go hang thyself in thine own heirapparent garters if i be ta'en i'll peach for this an i have not ballads made on you all and sung to filthy tunes let a cup of sack be my poison when a jest is so forward and afoot too i hate it enter gadshill bardolph and peto gadshill stand falstaff so i do against my will poins o tis our setter i know his voice bardolph what news bardolph case ye case ye on with your vizards there s money of the king's coming down the hill tis going to the king's exchequer falstaff you lie ye rogue tis going to the king's tavern gadshill there's enough to make us all falstaff to be hanged prince henry sirs you four shall front them in the narrow lane ned poins and i will walk lower if they scape from your encounter then they light on us peto how many be there of them gadshill some eight or ten falstaff zounds will they not rob us prince henry what a coward sir john paunch falstaff indeed i am not john of gaunt your grandfather but yet no coward hal prince henry well we leave that to the proof poins sirrah jack thy horse stands behind the hedge when thou needest him there thou shalt find him farewell and stand fast falstaff now cannot i strike him if i should be hanged prince henry ned where are our disguises poins here hard by stand close exeunt prince henry and poins falstaff now my masters happy man be his dole say i every man to his business enter the travellers first traveller come neighbour the boy shall lead our horses down the hill we'll walk afoot awhile and ease our legs thieves stand travellers jesus bless us falstaff strike down with them cut the villains throats ah whoreson caterpillars baconfed knaves they hate us youth down with them fleece them travellers o we are undone both we and ours for ever falstaff hang ye gorbellied knaves are ye undone no ye fat chuffs i would your store were here on bacons on what ye knaves young men must live you are grandjurors are ye we'll jure ye faith here they rob them and bind them exeunt reenter prince henry and poins prince henry the thieves have bound the true men now could thou and i rob the thieves and go merrily to london it would be argument for a week laughter for a month and a good jest for ever poins stand close i hear them coming enter the thieves again falstaff come my masters let us share and then to horse before day an the prince and poins be not two arrant cowards there's no equity stirring there's no more valour in that poins than in a wildduck prince henry your money poins villains as they are sharing the prince and poins set upon them they all run away and falstaff after a blow or two runs away too leaving the booty behind them prince henry got with much ease now merrily to horse the thieves are all scatter'd and possess'd with fear so strongly that they dare not meet each other each takes his fellow for an officer away good ned falstaff sweats to death and lards the lean earth as he walks along were t not for laughing i should pity him poins how the rogue roar'd exeunt 1 king henry iv act ii scene iii warkworth castle enter hotspur solus reading a letter hotspur but for mine own part my lord i could be well contented to be there in respect of the love i bear your house he could be contented why is he not then in respect of the love he bears our house he shows in this he loves his own barn better than he loves our house let me see some more the purpose you undertake is dangerous'why that's certain tis dangerous to take a cold to sleep to drink but i tell you my lord fool out of this nettle danger we pluck this flower safety the purpose you undertake is dangerous the friends you have named uncertain the time itself unsorted and your whole plot too light for the counterpoise of so great an opposition say you so say you so i say unto you again you are a shallow cowardly hind and you lie what a lackbrain is this by the lord our plot is a good plot as ever was laid our friends true and constant a good plot good friends and full of expectation an excellent plot very good friends what a frostyspirited rogue is this why my lord of york commends the plot and the general course of action zounds an i were now by this rascal i could brain him with his lady's fan is there not my father my uncle and myself lord edmund mortimer my lord of york and owen glendower is there not besides the douglas have i not all their letters to meet me in arms by the ninth of the next month and are they not some of them set forward already what a pagan rascal is this an infidel ha you shall see now in very sincerity of fear and cold heart will he to the king and lay open all our proceedings o i could divide myself and go to buffets for moving such a dish of skim milk with so honourable an action hang him let him tell the king we are prepared i will set forward tonight enter lady percy how now kate i must leave you within these two hours lady percy o my good lord why are you thus alone for what offence have i this fortnight been a banish'd woman from my harry's bed tell me sweet lord what is't that takes from thee thy stomach pleasure and thy golden sleep why dost thou bend thine eyes upon the earth and start so often when thou sit'st alone why hast thou lost the fresh blood in thy cheeks and given my treasures and my rights of thee to thickeyed musing and cursed melancholy in thy faint slumbers i by thee have watch'd and heard thee murmur tales of iron wars speak terms of manage to thy bounding steed cry courage to the field and thou hast talk'd of sallies and retires of trenches tents of palisadoes frontiers parapets of basilisks of cannon culverin of prisoners ransom and of soldiers slain and all the currents of a heady fight thy spirit within thee hath been so at war and thus hath so bestirr'd thee in thy sleep that beads of sweat have stood upon thy brow like bubbles in a latedisturbed stream and in thy face strange motions have appear'd such as we see when men restrain their breath on some great sudden hest o what portents are these some heavy business hath my lord in hand and i must know it else he loves me not hotspur what ho enter servant is gilliams with the packet gone servant he is my lord an hour ago hotspur hath butler brought those horses from the sheriff servant one horse my lord he brought even now hotspur what horse a roan a cropear is it not servant it is my lord hotspur that roan shall by my throne well i will back him straight o esperance bid butler lead him forth into the park exit servant lady percy but hear you my lord hotspur what say'st thou my lady lady percy what is it carries you away hotspur why my horse my love my horse lady percy out you madheaded ape a weasel hath not such a deal of spleen as you are toss'd with in faith i'll know your business harry that i will i fear my brother mortimer doth stir about his title and hath sent for you to line his enterprise but if you go hotspur so far afoot i shall be weary love lady percy come come you paraquito answer me directly unto this question that i ask in faith i'll break thy little finger harry an if thou wilt not tell me all things true hotspur away away you trifler love i love thee not i care not for thee kate this is no world to play with mammets and to tilt with lips we must have bloody noses and crack'd crowns and pass them current too god's me my horse what say'st thou kate what would'st thou have with me lady percy do you not love me do you not indeed well do not then for since you love me not i will not love myself do you not love me nay tell me if you speak in jest or no hotspur come wilt thou see me ride and when i am on horseback i will swear i love thee infinitely but hark you kate i must not have you henceforth question me whither i go nor reason whereabout whither i must i must and to conclude this evening must i leave you gentle kate i know you wise but yet no farther wise than harry percy's wife constant you are but yet a woman and for secrecy no lady closer for i well believe thou wilt not utter what thou dost not know and so far will i trust thee gentle kate lady percy how so far hotspur not an inch further but hark you kate whither i go thither shall you go too today will i set forth tomorrow you will this content you kate lady percy it must of force exeunt 1 king henry iv act ii scene iv the boar'shead tavern eastcheap enter prince henry and poins prince henry ned prithee come out of that fat room and lend me thy hand to laugh a little poins where hast been hal prince henry with three or four loggerheads amongst three or four score hogsheads i have sounded the very basestring of humility sirrah i am sworn brother to a leash of drawers and can call them all by their christen names as tom dick and francis they take it already upon their salvation that though i be but the prince of wales yet i am king of courtesy and tell me flatly i am no proud jack like falstaff but a corinthian a lad of mettle a good boy by the lord so they call me and when i am king of england i shall command all the good lads in eastcheap they call drinking deep dyeing scarlet and when you breathe in your watering they cry hem and bid you play it off to conclude i am so good a proficient in one quarter of an hour that i can drink with any tinker in his own language during my life i tell thee ned thou hast lost much honour that thou wert not with me in this sweet action but sweet nedto sweeten which name of ned i give thee this pennyworth of sugar clapped even now into my hand by an underskinker one that never spake other english in his life than eight shillings and sixpence and you are welcome with this shrill addition anon anon sir score a pint of bastard in the halfmoon or so but ned to drive away the time till falstaff come i prithee do thou stand in some byroom while i question my puny drawer to what end he gave me the sugar and do thou never leave calling francis that his tale to me may be nothing but anon step aside and i'll show thee a precedent poins francis prince henry thou art perfect poins francis exit poins enter francis francis anon anon sir look down into the pomgarnet ralph prince henry come hither francis francis my lord prince henry how long hast thou to serve francis francis forsooth five years and as much as to poins within francis francis anon anon sir prince henry five year by'r lady a long lease for the clinking of pewter but francis darest thou be so valiant as to play the coward with thy indenture and show it a fair pair of heels and run from it francis o lord sir i'll be sworn upon all the books in england i could find in my heart poins within francis francis anon sir prince henry how old art thou francis francis let me seeabout michaelmas next i shall be poins within francis francis anon sir pray stay a little my lord prince henry nay but hark you francis for the sugar thou gavest me'twas a pennyworth wast't not francis o lord i would it had been two prince henry i will give thee for it a thousand pound ask me when thou wilt and thou shalt have it poins within francis francis anon anon prince henry anon francis no francis but tomorrow francis or francis o thursday or indeed francis when thou wilt but francis francis my lord prince henry wilt thou rob this leathern jerkin crystalbutton notpated agatering pukestocking caddisgarter smoothtongue spanishpouch francis o lord sir who do you mean prince henry why then your brown bastard is your only drink for look you francis your white canvas doublet will sully in barbary sir it cannot come to so much francis what sir poins within francis prince henry away you rogue dost thou not hear them call here they both call him the drawer stands amazed not knowing which way to go enter vintner vintner what standest thou still and hearest such a calling look to the guests within exit francis my lord old sir john with halfadozen more are at the door shall i let them in prince henry let them alone awhile and then open the door exit vintner poins reenter poins poins anon anon sir prince henry sirrah falstaff and the rest of the thieves are at the door shall we be merry poins as merry as crickets my lad but hark ye what cunning match have you made with this jest of the drawer come what's the issue prince henry i am now of all humours that have showed themselves humours since the old days of goodman adam to the pupil age of this present twelve o'clock at midnight reenter francis what's o'clock francis francis anon anon sir exit prince henry that ever this fellow should have fewer words than a parrot and yet the son of a woman his industry is upstairs and downstairs his eloquence the parcel of a reckoning i am not yet of percy's mind the hotspur of the north he that kills me some six or seven dozen of scots at a breakfast washes his hands and says to his wife fie upon this quiet life i want work o my sweet harry says she how many hast thou killed today give my roan horse a drench says he and answers some fourteen an hour after a trifle a trifle i prithee call in falstaff i'll play percy and that damned brawn shall play dame mortimer his wife rivo says the drunkard call in ribs call in tallow enter falstaff gadshill bardolph and peto francis following with wine poins welcome jack where hast thou been falstaff a plague of all cowards i say and a vengeance too marry and amen give me a cup of sack boy ere i lead this life long i'll sew nether stocks and mend them and foot them too a plague of all cowards give me a cup of sack rogue is there no virtue extant he drinks prince henry didst thou never see titan kiss a dish of butter pitifulhearted titan that melted at the sweet tale of the sun's if thou didst then behold that compound falstaff you rogue here's lime in this sack too there is nothing but roguery to be found in villanous man yet a coward is worse than a cup of sack with lime in it a villanous coward go thy ways old jack die when thou wilt if manhood good manhood be not forgot upon the face of the earth then am i a shotten herring there live not three good men unhanged in england and one of them is fat and grows old god help the while a bad world i say i would i were a weaver i could sing psalms or any thing a plague of all cowards i say still prince henry how now woolsack what mutter you falstaff a king's son if i do not beat thee out of thy kingdom with a dagger of lath and drive all thy subjects afore thee like a flock of wildgeese i'll never wear hair on my face more you prince of wales prince henry why you whoreson round man what's the matter falstaff are not you a coward answer me to that and poins there poins zounds ye fat paunch an ye call me coward by the lord i'll stab thee falstaff i call thee coward i'll see thee damned ere i call thee coward but i would give a thousand pound i could run as fast as thou canst you are straight enough in the shoulders you care not who sees your back call you that backing of your friends a plague upon such backing give me them that will face me give me a cup of sack i am a rogue if i drunk today prince henry o villain thy lips are scarce wiped since thou drunkest last falstaff all's one for that he drinks a plague of all cowards still say i prince henry what's the matter falstaff what's the matter there be four of us here have ta'en a thousand pound this day morning prince henry where is it jack where is it falstaff where is it taken from us it is a hundred upon poor four of us prince henry what a hundred man falstaff i am a rogue if i were not at halfsword with a dozen of them two hours together i have scaped by miracle i am eight times thrust through the doublet four through the hose my buckler cut through and through my sword hacked like a handsawecce signum i never dealt better since i was a man all would not do a plague of all cowards let them speak if they speak more or less than truth they are villains and the sons of darkness prince henry speak sirs how was it gadshill we four set upon some dozen falstaff sixteen at least my lord gadshill and bound them peto no no they were not bound falstaff you rogue they were bound every man of them or i am a jew else an ebrew jew gadshill as we were sharing some six or seven fresh men set upon us falstaff and unbound the rest and then come in the other prince henry what fought you with them all falstaff all i know not what you call all but if i fought not with fifty of them i am a bunch of radish if there were not two or three and fifty upon poor old jack then am i no twolegged creature prince henry pray god you have not murdered some of them falstaff nay that's past praying for i have peppered two of them two i am sure i have paid two rogues in buckram suits i tell thee what hal if i tell thee a lie spit in my face call me horse thou knowest my old ward here i lay and thus i bore my point four rogues in buckram let drive at me prince henry what four thou saidst but two even now falstaff four hal i told thee four poins ay ay he said four falstaff these four came all afront and mainly thrust at me i made me no more ado but took all their seven points in my target thus prince henry seven why there were but four even now falstaff in buckram poins ay four in buckram suits falstaff seven by these hilts or i am a villain else prince henry prithee let him alone we shall have more anon falstaff dost thou hear me hal prince henry ay and mark thee too jack falstaff do so for it is worth the listening to these nine in buckram that i told thee of prince henry so two more already falstaff their points being broken poins down fell their hose falstaff began to give me ground but i followed me close came in foot and hand and with a thought seven of the eleven i paid prince henry o monstrous eleven buckram men grown out of two falstaff but as the devil would have it three misbegotten knaves in kendal green came at my back and let drive at me for it was so dark hal that thou couldst not see thy hand prince henry these lies are like their father that begets them gross as a mountain open palpable why thou claybrained guts thou knottypated fool thou whoreson obscene grease tallowcatch falstaff what art thou mad art thou mad is not the truth the truth prince henry why how couldst thou know these men in kendal green when it was so dark thou couldst not see thy hand come tell us your reason what sayest thou to this poins come your reason jack your reason falstaff what upon compulsion zounds an i were at the strappado or all the racks in the world i would not tell you on compulsion give you a reason on compulsion if reasons were as plentiful as blackberries i would give no man a reason upon compulsion i prince henry i'll be no longer guilty of this sin this sanguine coward this bedpresser this horsebackbreaker this huge hill of flesh falstaff sblood you starveling you elfskin you dried neat's tongue you bull's pizzle you stockfish o for breath to utter what is like thee you tailor'syard you sheath you bowcase you vile standingtuck prince henry well breathe awhile and then to it again and when thou hast tired thyself in base comparisons hear me speak but this poins mark jack prince henry we two saw you four set on four and bound them and were masters of their wealth mark now how a plain tale shall put you down then did we two set on you four and with a word outfaced you from your prize and have it yea and can show it you here in the house and falstaff you carried your guts away as nimbly with as quick dexterity and roared for mercy and still run and roared as ever i heard bullcalf what a slave art thou to hack thy sword as thou hast done and then say it was in fight what trick what device what startinghole canst thou now find out to hide thee from this open and apparent shame poins come let's hear jack what trick hast thou now falstaff by the lord i knew ye as well as he that made ye why hear you my masters was it for me to kill the heirapparent should i turn upon the true prince why thou knowest i am as valiant as hercules but beware instinct the lion will not touch the true prince instinct is a great matter i was now a coward on instinct i shall think the better of myself and thee during my life i for a valiant lion and thou for a true prince but by the lord lads i am glad you have the money hostess clap to the doors watch tonight pray tomorrow gallants lads boys hearts of gold all the titles of good fellowship come to you what shall we be merry shall we have a play extempore prince henry content and the argument shall be thy running away falstaff ah no more of that hal an thou lovest me enter hostess hostess o jesu my lord the prince prince henry how now my lady the hostess what sayest thou to me hostess marry my lord there is a nobleman of the court at door would speak with you he says he comes from your father prince henry give him as much as will make him a royal man and send him back again to my mother falstaff what manner of man is he hostess an old man falstaff what doth gravity out of his bed at midnight shall i give him his answer prince henry prithee do jack falstaff faith and i'll send him packing exit falstaff prince henry now sirs by'r lady you fought fair so did you peto so did you bardolph you are lions too you ran away upon instinct you will not touch the true prince no fie bardolph faith i ran when i saw others run prince henry faith tell me now in earnest how came falstaff's sword so hacked peto why he hacked it with his dagger and said he would swear truth out of england but he would make you believe it was done in fight and persuaded us to do the like bardolph yea and to tickle our noses with speargrass to make them bleed and then to beslubber our garments with it and swear it was the blood of true men i did that i did not this seven year before i blushed to hear his monstrous devices prince henry o villain thou stolest a cup of sack eighteen years ago and wert taken with the manner and ever since thou hast blushed extempore thou hadst fire and sword on thy side and yet thou rannest away what instinct hadst thou for it bardolph my lord do you see these meteors do you behold these exhalations prince henry i do bardolph what think you they portend prince henry hot livers and cold purses bardolph choler my lord if rightly taken prince henry no if rightly taken halter reenter falstaff here comes lean jack here comes barebone how now my sweet creature of bombast how long is't ago jack since thou sawest thine own knee falstaff my own knee when i was about thy years hal i was not an eagle's talon in the waist i could have crept into any alderman's thumbring a plague of sighing and grief it blows a man up like a bladder there's villanous news abroad here was sir john bracy from your father you must to the court in the morning that same mad fellow of the north percy and he of wales that gave amamon the bastinado and made lucifer cuckold and swore the devil his true liegeman upon the cross of a welsh hookwhat a plague call you him poins o glendower falstaff owen owen the same and his soninlaw mortimer and old northumberland and that sprightly scot of scots douglas that runs o horseback up a hill perpendicular prince henry he that rides at high speed and with his pistol kills a sparrow flying falstaff you have hit it prince henry so did he never the sparrow falstaff well that rascal hath good mettle in him he will not run prince henry why what a rascal art thou then to praise him so for running falstaff o horseback ye cuckoo but afoot he will not budge a foot prince henry yes jack upon instinct falstaff i grant ye upon instinct well he is there too and one mordake and a thousand bluecaps more worcester is stolen away tonight thy father's beard is turned white with the news you may buy land now as cheap as stinking mackerel prince henry why then it is like if there come a hot june and this civil buffeting hold we shall buy maidenheads as they buy hobnails by the hundreds falstaff by the mass lad thou sayest true it is like we shall have good trading that way but tell me hal art not thou horrible afeard thou being heirapparent could the world pick thee out three such enemies again as that fiend douglas that spirit percy and that devil glendower art thou not horribly afraid doth not thy blood thrill at it prince henry not a whit i faith i lack some of thy instinct falstaff well thou wert be horribly chid tomorrow when thou comest to thy father if thou love me practise an answer prince henry do thou stand for my father and examine me upon the particulars of my life falstaff shall i content this chair shall be my state this dagger my sceptre and this cushion my crown prince henry thy state is taken for a joinedstool thy golden sceptre for a leaden dagger and thy precious rich crown for a pitiful bald crown falstaff well an the fire of grace be not quite out of thee now shalt thou be moved give me a cup of sack to make my eyes look red that it may be thought i have wept for i must speak in passion and i will do it in king cambyses vein prince henry well here is my leg falstaff and here is my speech stand aside nobility hostess o jesu this is excellent sport i faith falstaff weep not sweet queen for trickling tears are vain hostess o the father how he holds his countenance falstaff for god's sake lords convey my tristful queen for tears do stop the floodgates of her eyes hostess o jesu he doth it as like one of these harlotry players as ever i see falstaff peace good pintpot peace good ticklebrain harry i do not only marvel where thou spendest thy time but also how thou art accompanied for though the camomile the more it is trodden on the faster it grows yet youth the more it is wasted the sooner it wears that thou art my son i have partly thy mother's word partly my own opinion but chiefly a villanous trick of thine eye and a foolishhanging of thy nether lip that doth warrant me if then thou be son to me here lies the point why being son to me art thou so pointed at shall the blessed sun of heaven prove a micher and eat blackberries a question not to be asked shall the sun of england prove a thief and take purses a question to be asked there is a thing harry which thou hast often heard of and it is known to many in our land by the name of pitch this pitch as ancient writers do report doth defile so doth the company thou keepest for harry now i do not speak to thee in drink but in tears not in pleasure but in passion not in words only but in woes also and yet there is a virtuous man whom i have often noted in thy company but i know not his name prince henry what manner of man an it like your majesty falstaff a goodly portly man i faith and a corpulent of a cheerful look a pleasing eye and a most noble carriage and as i think his age some fifty or by'r lady inclining to three score and now i remember me his name is falstaff if that man should be lewdly given he deceiveth me for harry i see virtue in his looks if then the tree may be known by the fruit as the fruit by the tree then peremptorily i speak it there is virtue in that falstaff him keep with the rest banish and tell me now thou naughty varlet tell me where hast thou been this month prince henry dost thou speak like a king do thou stand for me and i'll play my father falstaff depose me if thou dost it half so gravely so majestically both in word and matter hang me up by the heels for a rabbitsucker or a poulter's hare prince henry well here i am set falstaff and here i stand judge my masters prince henry now harry whence come you falstaff my noble lord from eastcheap prince henry the complaints i hear of thee are grievous falstaff sblood my lord they are false nay i'll tickle ye for a young prince i faith prince henry swearest thou ungracious boy henceforth ne'er look on me thou art violently carried away from grace there is a devil haunts thee in the likeness of an old fat man a tun of man is thy companion why dost thou converse with that trunk of humours that boltinghutch of beastliness that swollen parcel of dropsies that huge bombard of sack that stuffed cloakbag of guts that roasted manningtree ox with the pudding in his belly that reverend vice that grey iniquity that father ruffian that vanity in years wherein is he good but to taste sack and drink it wherein neat and cleanly but to carve a capon and eat it wherein cunning but in craft wherein crafty but in villany wherein villanous but in all things wherein worthy but in nothing falstaff i would your grace would take me with you whom means your grace prince henry that villanous abominable misleader of youth falstaff that old whitebearded satan falstaff my lord the man i know prince henry i know thou dost falstaff but to say i know more harm in him than in myself were to say more than i know that he is old the more the pity his white hairs do witness it but that he is saving your reverence a whoremaster that i utterly deny if sack and sugar be a fault god help the wicked if to be old and merry be a sin then many an old host that i know is damned if to be fat be to be hated then pharaoh's lean kine are to be loved no my good lord banish peto banish bardolph banish poins but for sweet jack falstaff kind jack falstaff true jack falstaff valiant jack falstaff and therefore more valiant being as he is old jack falstaff banish not him thy harry's company banish not him thy harry's company banish plump jack and banish all the world prince henry i do i will a knocking heard exeunt hostess francis and bardolph reenter bardolph running bardolph o my lord my lord the sheriff with a most monstrous watch is at the door falstaff out ye rogue play out the play i have much to say in the behalf of that falstaff reenter the hostess hostess o jesu my lord my lord prince henry heigh heigh the devil rides upon a fiddlestick what's the matter hostess the sheriff and all the watch are at the door they are come to search the house shall i let them in falstaff dost thou hear hal never call a true piece of gold a counterfeit thou art essentially mad without seeming so prince henry and thou a natural coward without instinct falstaff i deny your major if you will deny the sheriff so if not let him enter if i become not a cart as well as another man a plague on my bringing up i hope i shall as soon be strangled with a halter as another prince henry go hide thee behind the arras the rest walk up above now my masters for a true face and good conscience falstaff both which i have had but their date is out and therefore i'll hide me prince henry call in the sheriff exeunt all except prince henry and peto enter sheriff and the carrier now master sheriff what is your will with me sheriff first pardon me my lord a hue and cry hath follow'd certain men unto this house prince henry what men sheriff one of them is well known my gracious lord a gross fat man carrier as fat as butter prince henry the man i do assure you is not here for i myself at this time have employ'd him and sheriff i will engage my word to thee that i will by tomorrow dinnertime send him to answer thee or any man for any thing he shall be charged withal and so let me entreat you leave the house sheriff i will my lord there are two gentlemen have in this robbery lost three hundred marks prince henry it may be so if he have robb'd these men he shall be answerable and so farewell sheriff good night my noble lord prince henry i think it is good morrow is it not sheriff indeed my lord i think it be two o'clock exeunt sheriff and carrier prince henry this oily rascal is known as well as paul's go call him forth peto falstafffast asleep behind the arras and snorting like a horse prince henry hark how hard he fetches breath search his pockets he searcheth his pockets and findeth certain papers what hast thou found peto nothing but papers my lord prince henry let's see what they be read them peto reads item a capon 2s 2d item sauce 4d item sack two gallons 5s 8d item anchovies and sack after supper 2s 6d item bread ob prince henry o monstrous but one halfpennyworth of bread to this intolerable deal of sack what there is else keep close we'll read it at more advantage there let him sleep till day i'll to the court in the morning we must all to the wars and thy place shall be honourable i'll procure this fat rogue a charge of foot and i know his death will be a march of twelvescore the money shall be paid back again with advantage be with me betimes in the morning and so good morrow peto exeunt peto good morrow good my lord 1 king henry iv act iii scene i bangor the archdeacon's house enter hotspur worcester mortimer and glendower mortimer these promises are fair the parties sure and our induction full of prosperous hope hotspur lord mortimer and cousin glendower will you sit down and uncle worcester a plague upon it i have forgot the map glendower no here it is sit cousin percy sit good cousin hotspur for by that name as oft as lancaster doth speak of you his cheek looks pale and with a rising sigh he wisheth you in heaven hotspur and you in hell as oft as he hears owen glendower spoke of glendower i cannot blame him at my nativity the front of heaven was full of fiery shapes of burning cressets and at my birth the frame and huge foundation of the earth shaked like a coward hotspur why so it would have done at the same season if your mother's cat had but kittened though yourself had never been born glendower i say the earth did shake when i was born hotspur and i say the earth was not of my mind if you suppose as fearing you it shook glendower the heavens were all on fire the earth did tremble hotspur o then the earth shook to see the heavens on fire and not in fear of your nativity diseased nature oftentimes breaks forth in strange eruptions oft the teeming earth is with a kind of colic pinch'd and vex'd by the imprisoning of unruly wind within her womb which for enlargement striving shakes the old beldam earth and topples down steeples and mossgrown towers at your birth our grandam earth having this distemperature in passion shook glendower cousin of many men i do not bear these crossings give me leave to tell you once again that at my birth the front of heaven was full of fiery shapes the goats ran from the mountains and the herds were strangely clamorous to the frighted fields these signs have mark'd me extraordinary and all the courses of my life do show i am not in the roll of common men where is he living clipp'd in with the sea that chides the banks of england scotland wales which calls me pupil or hath read to me and bring him out that is but woman's son can trace me in the tedious ways of art and hold me pace in deep experiments hotspur i think there's no man speaks better welsh i'll to dinner mortimer peace cousin percy you will make him mad glendower i can call spirits from the vasty deep hotspur why so can i or so can any man but will they come when you do call for them glendower why i can teach you cousin to command the devil hotspur and i can teach thee coz to shame the devil by telling truth tell truth and shame the devil if thou have power to raise him bring him hither and i'll be sworn i have power to shame him hence o while you live tell truth and shame the devil mortimer come come no more of this unprofitable chat glendower three times hath henry bolingbroke made head against my power thrice from the banks of wye and sandybottom'd severn have i sent him bootless home and weatherbeaten back hotspur home without boots and in foul weather too how scapes he agues in the devil's name glendower come here's the map shall we divide our right according to our threefold order ta'en mortimer the archdeacon hath divided it into three limits very equally england from trent and severn hitherto by south and east is to my part assign'd all westward wales beyond the severn shore and all the fertile land within that bound to owen glendower and dear coz to you the remnant northward lying off from trent and our indentures tripartite are drawn which being sealed interchangeably a business that this night may execute tomorrow cousin percy you and i and my good lord of worcester will set forth to meet your father and the scottish power as is appointed us at shrewsbury my father glendower is not ready yet not shall we need his help these fourteen days within that space you may have drawn together your tenants friends and neighbouring gentlemen glendower a shorter time shall send me to you lords and in my conduct shall your ladies come from whom you now must steal and take no leave for there will be a world of water shed upon the parting of your wives and you hotspur methinks my moiety north from burton here in quantity equals not one of yours see how this river comes me cranking in and cuts me from the best of all my land a huge halfmoon a monstrous cantle out i'll have the current in this place damm'd up and here the smug and silver trent shall run in a new channel fair and evenly it shall not wind with such a deep indent to rob me of so rich a bottom here glendower not wind it shall it must you see it doth mortimer yea but mark how he bears his course and runs me up with like advantage on the other side gelding the opposed continent as much as on the other side it takes from you earl of worcester yea but a little charge will trench him here and on this north side win this cape of land and then he runs straight and even hotspur i'll have it so a little charge will do it glendower i'll not have it alter'd hotspur will not you glendower no nor you shall not hotspur who shall say me nay glendower why that will i hotspur let me not understand you then speak it in welsh glendower i can speak english lord as well as you for i was train'd up in the english court where being but young i framed to the harp many an english ditty lovely well and gave the tongue a helpful ornament a virtue that was never seen in you hotspur marry and i am glad of it with all my heart i had rather be a kitten and cry mew than one of these same metre balladmongers i had rather hear a brazen canstick turn'd or a dry wheel grate on the axletree and that would set my teeth nothing on edge nothing so much as mincing poetry tis like the forced gait of a shuffling nag glendower come you shall have trent turn'd hotspur i do not care i'll give thrice so much land to any welldeserving friend but in the way of bargain mark ye me i'll cavil on the ninth part of a hair are the indentures drawn shall we be gone glendower the moon shines fair you may away by night i'll haste the writer and withal break with your wives of your departure hence i am afraid my daughter will run mad so much she doteth on her mortimer exit glendower mortimer fie cousin percy how you cross my father hotspur i cannot choose sometime he angers me with telling me of the mouldwarp and the ant of the dreamer merlin and his prophecies and of a dragon and a finless fish a clipwing'd griffin and a moulten raven a couching lion and a ramping cat and such a deal of skimbleskamble stuff as puts me from my faith i tell you what he held me last night at least nine hours in reckoning up the several devils names that were his lackeys i cried hum and well go to' but mark'd him not a word o he is as tedious as a tired horse a railing wife worse than a smoky house i had rather live with cheese and garlic in a windmill far than feed on cates and have him talk to me in any summerhouse in christendom mortimer in faith he is a worthy gentleman exceedingly well read and profited in strange concealments valiant as a lion and as wondrous affable and as bountiful as mines of india shall i tell you cousin he holds your temper in a high respect and curbs himself even of his natural scope when you come cross his humour faith he does i warrant you that man is not alive might so have tempted him as you have done without the taste of danger and reproof but do not use it oft let me entreat you earl of worcester in faith my lord you are too wilfulblame and since your coming hither have done enough to put him quite beside his patience you must needs learn lord to amend this fault though sometimes it show greatness courage blood and that's the dearest grace it renders you yet oftentimes it doth present harsh rage defect of manners want of government pride haughtiness opinion and disdain the least of which haunting a nobleman loseth men's hearts and leaves behind a stain upon the beauty of all parts besides beguiling them of commendation hotspur well i am school'd good manners be your speed here come our wives and let us take our leave reenter glendower with the ladies mortimer this is the deadly spite that angers me my wife can speak no english i no welsh glendower my daughter weeps she will not part with you she'll be a soldier too she'll to the wars mortimer good father tell her that she and my aunt percy shall follow in your conduct speedily glendower speaks to her in welsh and she answers him in the same glendower she is desperate here a peevish selfwind harlotry one that no persuasion can do good upon the lady speaks in welsh mortimer i understand thy looks that pretty welsh which thou pour'st down from these swelling heavens i am too perfect in and but for shame in such a parley should i answer thee the lady speaks again in welsh i understand thy kisses and thou mine and that's a feeling disputation but i will never be a truant love till i have learned thy language for thy tongue makes welsh as sweet as ditties highly penn'd sung by a fair queen in a summer's bower with ravishing division to her lute glendower nay if you melt then will she run mad the lady speaks again in welsh mortimer o i am ignorance itself in this glendower she bids you on the wanton rushes lay you down and rest your gentle head upon her lap and she will sing the song that pleaseth you and on your eyelids crown the god of sleep charming your blood with pleasing heaviness making such difference twixt wake and sleep as is the difference betwixt day and night the hour before the heavenlyharness'd team begins his golden progress in the east mortimer with all my heart i'll sit and hear her sing by that time will our book i think be drawn glendower do so and those musicians that shall play to you hang in the air a thousand leagues from hence and straight they shall be here sit and attend hotspur come kate thou art perfect in lying down come quick quick that i may lay my head in thy lap lady percy go ye giddy goose the music plays hotspur now i perceive the devil understands welsh and tis no marvel he is so humorous by'r lady he is a good musician lady percy then should you be nothing but musical for you are altogether governed by humours lie still ye thief and hear the lady sing in welsh hotspur i had rather hear lady my brach howl in irish lady percy wouldst thou have thy head broken hotspur no lady percy then be still hotspur neither'tis a woman's fault lady percy now god help thee hotspur to the welsh lady's bed lady percy what's that hotspur peace she sings here the lady sings a welsh song hotspur come kate i'll have your song too lady percy not mine in good sooth hotspur not yours in good sooth heart you swear like a comfitmaker's wife not you in good sooth and as true as i live and as god shall mend me and as sure as day' and givest such sarcenet surety for thy oaths as if thou never walk'st further than finsbury swear me kate like a lady as thou art a good mouthfilling oath and leave in sooth' and such protest of peppergingerbread to velvetguards and sundaycitizens come sing lady percy i will not sing hotspur tis the next way to turn tailor or be redbreast teacher an the indentures be drawn i'll away within these two hours and so come in when ye will exit glendower come come lord mortimer you are as slow as hot lord percy is on fire to go by this our book is drawn we'll but seal and then to horse immediately mortimer with all my heart exeunt 1 king henry iv act iii scene ii london the palace enter king henry iv prince henry and others king henry iv lords give us leave the prince of wales and i must have some private conference but be near at hand for we shall presently have need of you exeunt lords i know not whether god will have it so for some displeasing service i have done that in his secret doom out of my blood he'll breed revengement and a scourge for me but thou dost in thy passages of life make me believe that thou art only mark'd for the hot vengeance and the rod of heaven to punish my mistreadings tell me else could such inordinate and low desires such poor such bare such lewd such mean attempts such barren pleasures rude society as thou art match'd withal and grafted to accompany the greatness of thy blood and hold their level with thy princely heart prince henry so please your majesty i would i could quit all offences with as clear excuse as well as i am doubtless i can purge myself of many i am charged withal yet such extenuation let me beg as in reproof of many tales devised which oft the ear of greatness needs must hear by smiling pickthanks and base newsmongers i may for some things true wherein my youth hath faulty wander'd and irregular find pardon on my true submission king henry iv god pardon thee yet let me wonder harry at thy affections which do hold a wing quite from the flight of all thy ancestors thy place in council thou hast rudely lost which by thy younger brother is supplied and art almost an alien to the hearts of all the court and princes of my blood the hope and expectation of thy time is ruin'd and the soul of every man prophetically doth forethink thy fall had i so lavish of my presence been so commonhackney'd in the eyes of men so stale and cheap to vulgar company opinion that did help me to the crown had still kept loyal to possession and left me in reputeless banishment a fellow of no mark nor likelihood by being seldom seen i could not stir but like a comet i was wonder'd at that men would tell their children this is he' others would say where which is bolingbroke' and then i stole all courtesy from heaven and dress'd myself in such humility that i did pluck allegiance from men's hearts loud shouts and salutations from their mouths even in the presence of the crowned king thus did i keep my person fresh and new my presence like a robe pontifical ne'er seen but wonder'd at and so my state seldom but sumptuous showed like a feast and won by rareness such solemnity the skipping king he ambled up and down with shallow jesters and rash bavin wits soon kindled and soon burnt carded his state mingled his royalty with capering fools had his great name profaned with their scorns and gave his countenance against his name to laugh at gibing boys and stand the push of every beardless vain comparative grew a companion to the common streets enfeoff'd himself to popularity that being daily swallow'd by men's eyes they surfeited with honey and began to loathe the taste of sweetness whereof a little more than a little is by much too much so when he had occasion to be seen he was but as the cuckoo is in june heard not regarded seen but with such eyes as sick and blunted with community afford no extraordinary gaze such as is bent on sunlike majesty when it shines seldom in admiring eyes but rather drowzed and hung their eyelids down slept in his face and render'd such aspect as cloudy men use to their adversaries being with his presence glutted gorged and full and in that very line harry standest thou for thou has lost thy princely privilege with vile participation not an eye but is aweary of thy common sight save mine which hath desired to see thee more which now doth that i would not have it do make blind itself with foolish tenderness prince henry i shall hereafter my thrice gracious lord be more myself king henry iv for all the world as thou art to this hour was richard then when i from france set foot at ravenspurgh and even as i was then is percy now now by my sceptre and my soul to boot he hath more worthy interest to the state than thou the shadow of succession for of no right nor colour like to right he doth fill fields with harness in the realm turns head against the lion's armed jaws and being no more in debt to years than thou leads ancient lords and reverend bishops on to bloody battles and to bruising arms what neverdying honour hath he got against renowned douglas whose high deeds whose hot incursions and great name in arms holds from all soldiers chief majority and military title capital through all the kingdoms that acknowledge christ thrice hath this hotspur mars in swathling clothes this infant warrior in his enterprises discomfited great douglas ta'en him once enlarged him and made a friend of him to fill the mouth of deep defiance up and shake the peace and safety of our throne and what say you to this percy northumberland the archbishop's grace of york douglas mortimer capitulate against us and are up but wherefore do i tell these news to thee why harry do i tell thee of my foes which art my near'st and dearest enemy thou that art like enough through vassal fear base inclination and the start of spleen to fight against me under percy's pay to dog his heels and curtsy at his frowns to show how much thou art degenerate prince henry do not think so you shall not find it so and god forgive them that so much have sway'd your majesty's good thoughts away from me i will redeem all this on percy's head and in the closing of some glorious day be bold to tell you that i am your son when i will wear a garment all of blood and stain my favours in a bloody mask which wash'd away shall scour my shame with it and that shall be the day whene'er it lights that this same child of honour and renown this gallant hotspur this allpraised knight and your unthoughtof harry chance to meet for every honour sitting on his helm would they were multitudes and on my head my shames redoubled for the time will come that i shall make this northern youth exchange his glorious deeds for my indignities percy is but my factor good my lord to engross up glorious deeds on my behalf and i will call him to so strict account that he shall render every glory up yea even the slightest worship of his time or i will tear the reckoning from his heart this in the name of god i promise here the which if he be pleased i shall perform i do beseech your majesty may salve the longgrown wounds of my intemperance if not the end of life cancels all bands and i will die a hundred thousand deaths ere break the smallest parcel of this vow king henry iv a hundred thousand rebels die in this thou shalt have charge and sovereign trust herein enter blunt how now good blunt thy looks are full of speed sir walter blunt so hath the business that i come to speak of lord mortimer of scotland hath sent word that douglas and the english rebels met the eleventh of this month at shrewsbury a mighty and a fearful head they are if promises be kept on every hand as ever offer'd foul play in the state king henry iv the earl of westmoreland set forth today with him my son lord john of lancaster for this advertisement is five days old on wednesday next harry you shall set forward on thursday we ourselves will march our meeting is bridgenorth and harry you shall march through gloucestershire by which account our business valued some twelve days hence our general forces at bridgenorth shall meet our hands are full of business let's away advantage feeds him fat while men delay exeunt 1 king henry iv act iii scene iii eastcheap the boar'shead tavern enter falstaff and bardolph falstaff bardolph am i not fallen away vilely since this last action do i not bate do i not dwindle why my skin hangs about me like an like an old lady's loose gown i am withered like an old applejohn well i'll repent and that suddenly while i am in some liking i shall be out of heart shortly and then i shall have no strength to repent an i have not forgotten what the inside of a church is made of i am a peppercorn a brewer's horse the inside of a church company villanous company hath been the spoil of me bardolph sir john you are so fretful you cannot live long falstaff why there is it come sing me a bawdy song make me merry i was as virtuously given as a gentleman need to be virtuous enough swore little diced not above seven times a week went to a bawdyhouse once in a quarterof an hour paid money that i borrowed three of four times lived well and in good compass and now i live out of all order out of all compass bardolph why you are so fat sir john that you must needs be out of all compass out of all reasonable compass sir john falstaff do thou amend thy face and i'll amend my life thou art our admiral thou bearest the lantern in the poop but tis in the nose of thee thou art the knight of the burning lamp bardolph why sir john my face does you no harm falstaff no i'll be sworn i make as good use of it as many a man doth of a death'shead or a memento mori i never see thy face but i think upon hellfire and dives that lived in purple for there he is in his robes burning burning if thou wert any way given to virtue i would swear by thy face my oath should be by this fire that's god's angel but thou art altogether given over and wert indeed but for the light in thy face the son of utter darkness when thou rannest up gadshill in the night to catch my horse if i did not think thou hadst been an ignis fatuus or a ball of wildfire there's no purchase in money o thou art a perpetual triumph an everlasting bonfirelight thou hast saved me a thousand marks in links and torches walking with thee in the night betwixt tavern and tavern but the sack that thou hast drunk me would have bought me lights as good cheap at the dearest chandler's in europe i have maintained that salamander of yours with fire any time this two and thirty years god reward me for it bardolph sblood i would my face were in your belly falstaff godamercy so should i be sure to be heartburned enter hostess how now dame partlet the hen have you inquired yet who picked my pocket hostess why sir john what do you think sir john do you think i keep thieves in my house i have searched i have inquired so has my husband man by man boy by boy servant by servant the tithe of a hair was never lost in my house before falstaff ye lie hostess bardolph was shaved and lost many a hair and i'll be sworn my pocket was picked go to you are a woman go hostess who i no i defy thee god's light i was never called so in mine own house before falstaff go to i know you well enough hostess no sir john you do not know me sir john i know you sir john you owe me money sir john and now you pick a quarrel to beguile me of it i bought you a dozen of shirts to your back falstaff dowlas filthy dowlas i have given them away to bakers wives and they have made bolters of them hostess now as i am a true woman holland of eight shillings an ell you owe money here besides sir john for your diet and bydrinkings and money lent you four and twenty pound falstaff he had his part of it let him pay hostess he alas he is poor he hath nothing falstaff how poor look upon his face what call you rich let them coin his nose let them coin his cheeks ill not pay a denier what will you make a younker of me shall i not take mine case in mine inn but i shall have my pocket picked i have lost a sealring of my grandfather's worth forty mark hostess o jesu i have heard the prince tell him i know not how oft that ring was copper falstaff how the prince is a jack a sneakcup sblood an he were here i would cudgel him like a dog if he would say so enter prince henry and peto marching and falstaff meets them playing on his truncheon like a life how now lad is the wind in that door i faith must we all march bardolph yea two and two newgate fashion hostess my lord i pray you hear me prince henry what sayest thou mistress quickly how doth thy husband i love him well he is an honest man hostess good my lord hear me falstaff prithee let her alone and list to me prince henry what sayest thou jack falstaff the other night i fell asleep here behind the arras and had my pocket picked this house is turned bawdyhouse they pick pockets prince henry what didst thou lose jack falstaff wilt thou believe me hal three or four bonds of forty pound apiece and a sealring of my grandfather's prince henry a trifle some eightpenny matter hostess so i told him my lord and i said i heard your grace say so and my lord he speaks most vilely of you like a foulmouthed man as he is and said he would cudgel you prince henry what he did not hostess there's neither faith truth nor womanhood in me else falstaff there's no more faith in thee than in a stewed prune nor no more truth in thee than in a drawn fox and for womanhood maid marian may be the deputy's wife of the ward to thee go you thing go hostess say what thing what thing falstaff what thing why a thing to thank god on hostess i am no thing to thank god on i would thou shouldst know it i am an honest man's wife and setting thy knighthood aside thou art a knave to call me so falstaff setting thy womanhood aside thou art a beast to say otherwise hostess say what beast thou knave thou falstaff what beast why an otter prince henry an otter sir john why an otter falstaff why she's neither fish nor flesh a man knows not where to have her hostess thou art an unjust man in saying so thou or any man knows where to have me thou knave thou prince henry thou sayest true hostess and he slanders thee most grossly hostess so he doth you my lord and said this other day you ought him a thousand pound prince henry sirrah do i owe you a thousand pound falstaff a thousand pound ha a million thy love is worth a million thou owest me thy love hostess nay my lord he called you jack and said he would cudgel you falstaff did i bardolph bardolph indeed sir john you said so falstaff yea if he said my ring was copper prince henry i say tis copper darest thou be as good as thy word now falstaff why hal thou knowest as thou art but man i dare but as thou art prince i fear thee as i fear the roaring of a lion's whelp prince henry and why not as the lion falstaff the king is to be feared as the lion dost thou think i'll fear thee as i fear thy father nay an i do i pray god my girdle break prince henry o if it should how would thy guts fall about thy knees but sirrah there's no room for faith truth nor honesty in this bosom of thine it is all filled up with guts and midriff charge an honest woman with picking thy pocket why thou whoreson impudent embossed rascal if there were anything in thy pocket but tavernreckonings memorandums of bawdyhouses and one poor pennyworth of sugarcandy to make thee longwinded if thy pocket were enriched with any other injuries but these i am a villain and yet you will stand to if you will not pocket up wrong art thou not ashamed falstaff dost thou hear hal thou knowest in the state of innocency adam fell and what should poor jack falstaff do in the days of villany thou seest i have more flesh than another man and therefore more frailty you confess then you picked my pocket prince henry it appears so by the story falstaff hostess i forgive thee go make ready breakfast love thy husband look to thy servants cherish thy guests thou shalt find me tractable to any honest reason thou seest i am pacified still nay prithee be gone exit hostess now hal to the news at court for the robbery lad how is that answered prince henry o my sweet beef i must still be good angel to thee the money is paid back again falstaff o i do not like that paying back tis a double labour prince henry i am good friends with my father and may do any thing falstaff rob me the exchequer the first thing thou doest and do it with unwashed hands too bardolph do my lord prince henry i have procured thee jack a charge of foot falstaff i would it had been of horse where shall i find one that can steal well o for a fine thief of the age of two and twenty or thereabouts i am heinously unprovided well god be thanked for these rebels they offend none but the virtuous i laud them i praise them prince henry bardolph bardolph my lord prince henry go bear this letter to lord john of lancaster to my brother john this to my lord of westmoreland exit bardolph go peto to horse to horse for thou and i have thirty miles to ride yet ere dinner time exit peto jack meet me tomorrow in the temple hall at two o'clock in the afternoon there shalt thou know thy charge and there receive money and order for their furniture the land is burning percy stands on high and either we or they must lower lie exit prince henry falstaff rare words brave world hostess my breakfast come o i could wish this tavern were my drum exit 1 king henry iv act iv scene i the rebel camp near shrewsbury enter hotspur worcester and douglas hotspur well said my noble scot if speaking truth in this fine age were not thought flattery such attribution should the douglas have as not a soldier of this season's stamp should go so general current through the world by god i cannot flatter i do defy the tongues of soothers but a braver place in my heart's love hath no man than yourself nay task me to my word approve me lord earl of douglas thou art the king of honour no man so potent breathes upon the ground but i will beard him hotspur do so and tis well enter a messenger with letters what letters hast thou therei can but thank you messenger these letters come from your father hotspur letters from him why comes he not himself messenger he cannot come my lord he is grievous sick hotspur zounds how has he the leisure to be sick in such a rustling time who leads his power under whose government come they along messenger his letters bear his mind not i my lord earl of worcester i prithee tell me doth he keep his bed messenger he did my lord four days ere i set forth and at the time of my departure thence he was much fear'd by his physicians earl of worcester i would the state of time had first been whole ere he by sickness had been visited his health was never better worth than now hotspur sick now droop now this sickness doth infect the very lifeblood of our enterprise tis catching hither even to our camp he writes me here that inward sickness and that his friends by deputation could not so soon be drawn nor did he think it meet to lay so dangerous and dear a trust on any soul removed but on his own yet doth he give us bold advertisement that with our small conjunction we should on to see how fortune is disposed to us for as he writes there is no quailing now because the king is certainly possess'd of all our purposes what say you to it earl of worcester your father's sickness is a maim to us hotspur a perilous gash a very limb lopp'd off and yet in faith it is not his present want seems more than we shall find it were it good to set the exact wealth of all our states all at one cast to set so rich a main on the nice hazard of one doubtful hour it were not good for therein should we read the very bottom and the soul of hope the very list the very utmost bound of all our fortunes earl of douglas faith and so we should where now remains a sweet reversion we may boldly spend upon the hope of what is to come in a comfort of retirement lives in this hotspur a rendezvous a home to fly unto if that the devil and mischance look big upon the maidenhead of our affairs earl of worcester but yet i would your father had been here the quality and hair of our attempt brooks no division it will be thought by some that know not why he is away that wisdom loyalty and mere dislike of our proceedings kept the earl from hence and think how such an apprehension may turn the tide of fearful faction and breed a kind of question in our cause for well you know we of the offering side must keep aloof from strict arbitrement and stop all sightholes every loop from whence the eye of reason may pry in upon us this absence of your father's draws a curtain that shows the ignorant a kind of fear before not dreamt of hotspur you strain too far i rather of his absence make this use it lends a lustre and more great opinion a larger dare to our great enterprise than if the earl were here for men must think if we without his help can make a head to push against a kingdom with his help we shall o'erturn it topsyturvy down yet all goes well yet all our joints are whole earl of douglas as heart can think there is not such a word spoke of in scotland as this term of fear enter sir richard vernon hotspur my cousin vernon welcome by my soul vernon pray god my news be worth a welcome lord the earl of westmoreland seven thousand strong is marching hitherwards with him prince john hotspur no harm what more vernon and further i have learn'd the king himself in person is set forth or hitherwards intended speedily with strong and mighty preparation hotspur he shall be welcome too where is his son the nimblefooted madcap prince of wales and his comrades that daff'd the world aside and bid it pass vernon all furnish'd all in arms all plumed like estridges that with the wind baited like eagles having lately bathed glittering in golden coats like images as full of spirit as the month of may and gorgeous as the sun at midsummer wanton as youthful goats wild as young bulls i saw young harry with his beaver on his cuisses on his thighs gallantly arm'd rise from the ground like feather'd mercury and vaulted with such ease into his seat as if an angel dropp'd down from the clouds to turn and wind a fiery pegasus and witch the world with noble horsemanship hotspur no more no more worse than the sun in march this praise doth nourish agues let them come they come like sacrifices in their trim and to the fireeyed maid of smoky war all hot and bleeding will we offer them the mailed mars shall on his altar sit up to the ears in blood i am on fire to hear this rich reprisal is so nigh and yet not ours come let me taste my horse who is to bear me like a thunderbolt against the bosom of the prince of wales harry to harry shall hot horse to horse meet and ne'er part till one drop down a corse o that glendower were come vernon there is more news i learn'd in worcester as i rode along he cannot draw his power this fourteen days earl of douglas that's the worst tidings that i hear of yet worcester ay by my faith that bears a frosty sound hotspur what may the king's whole battle reach unto vernon to thirty thousand hotspur forty let it be my father and glendower being both away the powers of us may serve so great a day come let us take a muster speedily doomsday is near die all die merrily earl of douglas talk not of dying i am out of fear of death or death's hand for this onehalf year exeunt 1 king henry iv act iv scene ii a public road near coventry enter falstaff and bardolph falstaff bardolph get thee before to coventry fill me a bottle of sack our soldiers shall march through we'll to sutton co'fil tonight bardolph will you give me money captain falstaff lay out lay out bardolph this bottle makes an angel falstaff an if it do take it for thy labour and if it make twenty take them all i'll answer the coinage bid my lieutenant peto meet me at town's end bardolph i will captain farewell exit falstaff if i be not ashamed of my soldiers i am a soused gurnet i have misused the king's press damnably i have got in exchange of a hundred and fifty soldiers three hundred and odd pounds i press me none but good householders yeoman's sons inquire me out contracted bachelors such as had been asked twice on the banns such a commodity of warm slaves as had as lieve hear the devil as a drum such as fear the report of a caliver worse than a struck fowl or a hurt wildduck i pressed me none but such toastsandbutter with hearts in their bellies no bigger than pins heads and they have bought out their services and now my whole charge consists of ancients corporals lieutenants gentlemen of companies slaves as ragged as lazarus in the painted cloth where the glutton's dogs licked his sores and such as indeed were never soldiers but discarded unjust servingmen younger sons to younger brothers revolted tapsters and ostlers tradefallen the cankers of a calm world and a long peace ten times more dishonourable ragged than an old faced ancient and such have i to fill up the rooms of them that have bought out their services that you would think that i had a hundred and fifty tattered prodigals lately come from swinekeeping from eating draff and husks a mad fellow met me on the way and told me i had unloaded all the gibbets and pressed the dead bodies no eye hath seen such scarecrows i'll not march through coventry with them that's flat nay and the villains march wide betwixt the legs as if they had gyves on for indeed i had the most of them out of prison there's but a shirt and a half in all my company and the half shirt is two napkins tacked together and thrown over the shoulders like an herald's coat without sleeves and the shirt to say the truth stolen from my host at saint alban's or the rednose innkeeper of daventry but that's all one they'll find linen enough on every hedge enter the prince and westmoreland prince henry how now blown jack how now quilt falstaff what hal how now mad wag what a devil dost thou in warwickshire my good lord of westmoreland i cry you mercy i thought your honour had already been at shrewsbury westmoreland faith sir john'tis more than time that i were there and you too but my powers are there already the king i can tell you looks for us all we must away all night falstaff tut never fear me i am as vigilant as a cat to steal cream prince henry i think to steal cream indeed for thy theft hath already made thee butter but tell me jack whose fellows are these that come after falstaff mine hal mine prince henry i did never see such pitiful rascals falstaff tut tut good enough to toss food for powder food for powder they'll fill a pit as well as better tush man mortal men mortal men westmoreland ay but sir john methinks they are exceeding poor and bare too beggarly falstaff faith for their poverty i know not where they had that and for their bareness i am sure they never learned that of me prince henry no i'll be sworn unless you call three fingers on the ribs bare but sirrah make haste percy is already in the field falstaff what is the king encamped westmoreland he is sir john i fear we shall stay too long falstaff well to the latter end of a fray and the beginning of a feast fits a dull fighter and a keen guest exeunt 1 king henry iv act iv scene iii the rebel camp near shrewsbury enter hotspur worcester douglas and vernon hotspur we'll fight with him tonight earl of worcester it may not be earl of douglas you give him then the advantage vernon not a whit hotspur why say you so looks he not for supply vernon so do we hotspur his is certain ours is doubtful earl of worcester good cousin be advised stir not tonight vernon do not my lord earl of douglas you do not counsel well you speak it out of fear and cold heart vernon do me no slander douglas by my life and i dare well maintain it with my life if wellrespected honour bid me on i hold as little counsel with weak fear as you my lord or any scot that this day lives let it be seen tomorrow in the battle which of us fears earl of douglas yea or tonight vernon content hotspur tonight say i vernon come come it nay not be i wonder much being men of such great leading as you are that you foresee not what impediments drag back our expedition certain horse of my cousin vernon's are not yet come up your uncle worcester's horse came but today and now their pride and mettle is asleep their courage with hard labour tame and dull that not a horse is half the half of himself hotspur so are the horses of the enemy in general journeybated and brought low the better part of ours are full of rest earl of worcester the number of the king exceedeth ours for god's sake cousin stay till all come in the trumpet sounds a parley enter sir walter blunt sir walter blunt i come with gracious offers from the king if you vouchsafe me hearing and respect hotspur welcome sir walter blunt and would to god you were of our determination some of us love you well and even those some envy your great deservings and good name because you are not of our quality but stand against us like an enemy sir walter blunt and god defend but still i should stand so so long as out of limit and true rule you stand against anointed majesty but to my charge the king hath sent to know the nature of your griefs and whereupon you conjure from the breast of civil peace such bold hostility teaching his duteous land audacious cruelty if that the king have any way your good deserts forgot which he confesseth to be manifold he bids you name your griefs and with all speed you shall have your desires with interest and pardon absolute for yourself and these herein misled by your suggestion hotspur the king is kind and well we know the king knows at what time to promise when to pay my father and my uncle and myself did give him that same royalty he wears and when he was not six and twenty strong sick in the world's regard wretched and low a poor unminded outlaw sneaking home my father gave him welcome to the shore and when he heard him swear and vow to god he came but to be duke of lancaster to sue his livery and beg his peace with tears of innocency and terms of zeal my father in kind heart and pity moved swore him assistance and perform'd it too now when the lords and barons of the realm perceived northumberland did lean to him the more and less came in with cap and knee met him in boroughs cities villages attended him on bridges stood in lanes laid gifts before him proffer'd him their oaths gave him their heirs as pages follow'd him even at the heels in golden multitudes he presently as greatness knows itself steps me a little higher than his vow made to my father while his blood was poor upon the naked shore at ravenspurgh and now forsooth takes on him to reform some certain edicts and some strait decrees that lie too heavy on the commonwealth cries out upon abuses seems to weep over his country's wrongs and by this face this seeming brow of justice did he win the hearts of all that he did angle for proceeded further cut me off the heads of all the favourites that the absent king in deputation left behind him here when he was personal in the irish war sir walter blunt tut i came not to hear this hotspur then to the point in short time after he deposed the king soon after that deprived him of his life and in the neck of that task'd the whole state to make that worse suffer'd his kinsman march who is if every owner were well placed indeed his king to be engaged in wales there without ransom to lie forfeited disgraced me in my happy victories sought to entrap me by intelligence rated mine uncle from the councilboard in rage dismiss'd my father from the court broke oath on oath committed wrong on wrong and in conclusion drove us to seek out this head of safety and withal to pry into his title the which we find too indirect for long continuance sir walter blunt shall i return this answer to the king hotspur not so sir walter we'll withdraw awhile go to the king and let there be impawn'd some surety for a safe return again and in the morning early shall my uncle bring him our purposes and so farewell sir walter blunt i would you would accept of grace and love hotspur and may be so we shall sir walter blunt pray god you do exeunt 1 king henry iv act iv scene iv york the archbishop's palace enter the archbishop of york and sir michael archbishop of york hie good sir michael bear this sealed brief with winged haste to the lord marshal this to my cousin scroop and all the rest to whom they are directed if you knew how much they do to import you would make haste sir michael my good lord i guess their tenor archbishop of york like enough you do tomorrow good sir michael is a day wherein the fortune of ten thousand men must bide the touch for sir at shrewsbury as i am truly given to understand the king with mighty and quickraised power meets with lord harry and i fear sir michael what with the sickness of northumberland whose power was in the first proportion and what with owen glendower's absence thence who with them was a rated sinew too and comes not in o'erruled by prophecies i fear the power of percy is too weak to wage an instant trial with the king sir michael why my good lord you need not fear there is douglas and lord mortimer archbishop of york no mortimer is not there sir michael but there is mordake vernon lord harry percy and there is my lord of worcester and a head of gallant warriors noble gentlemen archbishop of york and so there is but yet the king hath drawn the special head of all the land together the prince of wales lord john of lancaster the noble westmoreland and warlike blunt and moe corrivals and dear men of estimation and command in arms sir michael doubt not my lord they shall be well opposed archbishop of york i hope no less yet needful tis to fear and to prevent the worst sir michael speed for if lord percy thrive not ere the king dismiss his power he means to visit us for he hath heard of our confederacy and tis but wisdom to make strong against him therefore make haste i must go write again to other friends and so farewell sir michael exeunt 1 king henry iv act v scene i king henry iv's camp near shrewsbury enter king henry prince henry lord john of lancaster earl of westmoreland sir walter blunt and falstaff king henry iv how bloodily the sun begins to peer above yon busky hill the day looks pale at his distemperature prince henry the southern wind doth play the trumpet to his purposes and by his hollow whistling in the leaves foretells a tempest and a blustering day king henry iv then with the losers let it sympathize for nothing can seem foul to those that win the trumpet sounds enter worcester and vernon how now my lord of worcester tis not well that you and i should meet upon such terms as now we meet you have deceived our trust and made us doff our easy robes of peace to crush our old limbs in ungentle steel this is not well my lord this is not well what say you to it will you again unknit this curlish knot of allabhorred war and move in that obedient orb again where you did give a fair and natural light and be no more an exhaled meteor a prodigy of fear and a portent of broached mischief to the unborn times earl of worcester hear me my liege for mine own part i could be well content to entertain the lagend of my life with quiet hours for i do protest i have not sought the day of this dislike king henry iv you have not sought it how comes it then falstaff rebellion lay in his way and he found it prince henry peace chewet peace earl of worcester it pleased your majesty to turn your looks of favour from myself and all our house and yet i must remember you my lord we were the first and dearest of your friends for you my staff of office did i break in richard's time and posted day and night to meet you on the way and kiss your hand when yet you were in place and in account nothing so strong and fortunate as i it was myself my brother and his son that brought you home and boldly did outdare the dangers of the time you swore to us and you did swear that oath at doncaster that you did nothing purpose gainst the state nor claim no further than your newfall'n right the seat of gaunt dukedom of lancaster to this we swore our aid but in short space it rain'd down fortune showering on your head and such a flood of greatness fell on you what with our help what with the absent king what with the injuries of a wanton time the seeming sufferances that you had borne and the contrarious winds that held the king so long in his unlucky irish wars that all in england did repute him dead and from this swarm of fair advantages you took occasion to be quickly woo'd to gripe the general sway into your hand forget your oath to us at doncaster and being fed by us you used us so as that ungentle hull the cuckoo's bird useth the sparrow did oppress our nest grew by our feeding to so great a bulk that even our love durst not come near your sight for fear of swallowing but with nimble wing we were enforced for safety sake to fly out of sight and raise this present head whereby we stand opposed by such means as you yourself have forged against yourself by unkind usage dangerous countenance and violation of all faith and troth sworn to us in your younger enterprise king henry iv these things indeed you have articulate proclaim'd at marketcrosses read in churches to face the garment of rebellion with some fine colour that may please the eye of fickle changelings and poor discontents which gape and rub the elbow at the news of hurlyburly innovation and never yet did insurrection want such watercolours to impaint his cause nor moody beggars starving for a time of pellmell havoc and confusion prince henry in both your armies there is many a soul shall pay full dearly for this encounter if once they join in trial tell your nephew the prince of wales doth join with all the world in praise of henry percy by my hopes this present enterprise set off his head i do not think a braver gentleman more activevaliant or more valiantyoung more daring or more bold is now alive to grace this latter age with noble deeds for my part i may speak it to my shame i have a truant been to chivalry and so i hear he doth account me too yet this before my father's majesty i am content that he shall take the odds of his great name and estimation and will to save the blood on either side try fortune with him in a single fight king henry iv and prince of wales so dare we venture thee albeit considerations infinite do make against it no good worcester no we love our people well even those we love that are misled upon your cousin's part and will they take the offer of our grace both he and they and you every man shall be my friend again and i'll be his so tell your cousin and bring me word what he will do but if he will not yield rebuke and dread correction wait on us and they shall do their office so be gone we will not now be troubled with reply we offer fair take it advisedly exeunt worcester and vernon prince henry it will not be accepted on my life the douglas and the hotspur both together are confident against the world in arms king henry iv hence therefore every leader to his charge for on their answer will we set on them and god befriend us as our cause is just exeunt all but prince henry and falstaff falstaff hal if thou see me down in the battle and bestride me so tis a point of friendship prince henry nothing but a colossus can do thee that friendship say thy prayers and farewell falstaff i would twere bedtime hal and all well prince henry why thou owest god a death exit prince henry falstaff tis not due yet i would be loath to pay him before his day what need i be so forward with him that calls not on me well tis no matter honour pricks me on yea but how if honour prick me off when i come on how then can honour set to a leg no or an arm no or take away the grief of a wound no honour hath no skill in surgery then no what is honour a word what is in that word honour what is that honour air a trim reckoning who hath it he that died o wednesday doth he feel it no doth he hear it no tis insensible then yea to the dead but will it not live with the living no why detraction will not suffer it therefore i'll none of it honour is a mere scutcheon and so ends my catechism exit 1 king henry iv act v scene ii the rebel camp enter worcester and vernon earl of worcester o no my nephew must not know sir richard the liberal and kind offer of the king vernon twere best he did earl of worcester then are we all undone it is not possible it cannot be the king should keep his word in loving us he will suspect us still and find a time to punish this offence in other faults suspicion all our lives shall be stuck full of eyes for treason is but trusted like the fox who ne'er so tame so cherish'd and lock'd up will have a wild trick of his ancestors look how we can or sad or merrily interpretation will misquote our looks and we shall feed like oxen at a stall the better cherish'd still the nearer death my nephew's trespass may be well forgot it hath the excuse of youth and heat of blood and an adopted name of privilege a hairbrain'd hotspur govern'd by a spleen all his offences live upon my head and on his father's we did train him on and his corruption being ta'en from us we as the spring of all shall pay for all therefore good cousin let not harry know in any case the offer of the king vernon deliver what you will i'll say tis so here comes your cousin enter hotspur and douglas hotspur my uncle is return'd deliver up my lord of westmoreland uncle what news earl of worcester the king will bid you battle presently earl of douglas defy him by the lord of westmoreland hotspur lord douglas go you and tell him so earl of douglas marry and shall and very willingly exit earl of worcester there is no seeming mercy in the king hotspur did you beg any god forbid earl of worcester i told him gently of our grievances of his oathbreaking which he mended thus by now forswearing that he is forsworn he calls us rebels traitors and will scourge with haughty arms this hateful name in us reenter the earl of douglas earl of douglas arm gentlemen to arms for i have thrown a brave defiance in king henry's teeth and westmoreland that was engaged did bear it which cannot choose but bring him quickly on earl of worcester the prince of wales stepp'd forth before the king and nephew challenged you to single fight hotspur o would the quarrel lay upon our heads and that no man might draw short breath today but i and harry monmouth tell me tell me how show'd his tasking seem'd it in contempt vernon no by my soul i never in my life did hear a challenge urged more modestly unless a brother should a brother dare to gentle exercise and proof of arms he gave you all the duties of a man trimm'd up your praises with a princely tongue spoke to your deservings like a chronicle making you ever better than his praise by still dispraising praise valued in you and which became him like a prince indeed he made a blushing cital of himself and chid his truant youth with such a grace as if he master'd there a double spirit of teaching and of learning instantly there did he pause but let me tell the world if he outlive the envy of this day england did never owe so sweet a hope so much misconstrued in his wantonness hotspur cousin i think thou art enamoured on his follies never did i hear of any prince so wild a libertine but be he as he will yet once ere night i will embrace him with a soldier's arm that he shall shrink under my courtesy arm arm with speed and fellows soldiers friends better consider what you have to do than i that have not well the gift of tongue can lift your blood up with persuasion enter a messenger messenger my lord here are letters for you hotspur i cannot read them now o gentlemen the time of life is short to spend that shortness basely were too long if life did ride upon a dial's point still ending at the arrival of an hour an if we live we live to tread on kings if die brave death when princes die with us now for our consciences the arms are fair when the intent of bearing them is just enter another messenger messenger my lord prepare the king comes on apace hotspur i thank him that he cuts me from my tale for i profess not talking only this let each man do his best and here draw i a sword whose temper i intend to stain with the best blood that i can meet withal in the adventure of this perilous day now esperance percy and set on sound all the lofty instruments of war and by that music let us all embrace for heaven to earth some of us never shall a second time do such a courtesy the trumpets sound they embrace and exeunt 1 king henry iv act v scene iii plain between the camps king henry enters with his power alarum to the battle then enter douglas and sir walter blunt sir walter blunt what is thy name that in the battle thus thou crossest me what honour dost thou seek upon my head earl of douglas know then my name is douglas and i do haunt thee in the battle thus because some tell me that thou art a king sir walter blunt they tell thee true earl of douglas the lord of stafford dear today hath bought thy likeness for instead of thee king harry this sword hath ended him so shall it thee unless thou yield thee as my prisoner sir walter blunt i was not born a yielder thou proud scot and thou shalt find a king that will revenge lord stafford's death they fight douglas kills sir walter blunt enter hotspur hotspur o douglas hadst thou fought at holmedon thus never had triumph'd upon a scot earl of douglas all's done all's won here breathless lies the king hotspur where earl of douglas here hotspur this douglas no i know this face full well a gallant knight he was his name was blunt semblably furnish'd like the king himself earl of douglas a fool go with thy soul whither it goes a borrow'd title hast thou bought too dear why didst thou tell me that thou wert a king hotspur the king hath many marching in his coats earl of douglas now by my sword i will kill all his coats i'll murder all his wardrobe piece by piece until i meet the king hotspur up and away our soldiers stand full fairly for the day exeunt alarum enter falstaff solus falstaff though i could scape shotfree at london i fear the shot here here's no scoring but upon the pate soft who are you sir walter blunt there's honour for you here's no vanity i am as hot as moulten lead and as heavy too god keep lead out of me i need no more weight than mine own bowels i have led my ragamuffins where they are peppered there's not three of my hundred and fifty left alive and they are for the town's end to beg during life but who comes here enter prince henry prince henry what stand'st thou idle here lend me thy sword many a nobleman lies stark and stiff under the hoofs of vaunting enemies whose deaths are yet unrevenged i prithee lend me thy sword falstaff o hal i prithee give me leave to breathe awhile turk gregory never did such deeds in arms as i have done this day i have paid percy i have made him sure prince henry he is indeed and living to kill thee i prithee lend me thy sword falstaff nay before god hal if percy be alive thou get'st not my sword but take my pistol if thou wilt prince henry give it to me what is it in the case falstaff ay hal tis hot tis hot there's that will sack a city prince henry draws it out and finds it to be a bottle of sack prince henry what is it a time to jest and dally now he throws the bottle at him exit falstaff well if percy be alive i'll pierce him if he do come in my way so if he do not if i come in his willingly let him make a carbonado of me i like not such grinning honour as sir walter hath give me life which if i can save so if not honour comes unlooked for and there's an end exit falstaff 1 king henry iv act v scene iv another part of the field alarum excursions enter prince henry lord john of lancaster and earl of westmoreland king henry iv i prithee harry withdraw thyself thou bleed'st too much lord john of lancaster go you with him lancaster not i my lord unless i did bleed too prince henry i beseech your majesty make up lest your retirement do amaze your friends king henry iv i will do so my lord of westmoreland lead him to his tent westmoreland come my lord i'll lead you to your tent prince henry lead me my lord i do not need your help and god forbid a shallow scratch should drive the prince of wales from such a field as this where stain'd nobility lies trodden on and rebels arms triumph in massacres lancaster we breathe too long come cousin westmoreland our duty this way lies for god's sake come exeunt lancaster and westmoreland prince henry by god thou hast deceived me lancaster i did not think thee lord of such a spirit before i loved thee as a brother john but now i do respect thee as my soul king henry iv i saw him hold lord percy at the point with lustier maintenance than i did look for of such an ungrown warrior prince henry o this boy lends mettle to us all exit enter douglas earl of douglas another king they grow like hydra's heads i am the douglas fatal to all those that wear those colours on them what art thou that counterfeit'st the person of a king king henry iv the king himself who douglas grieves at heart so many of his shadows thou hast met and not the very king i have two boys seek percy and thyself about the field but seeing thou fall'st on me so luckily i will assay thee so defend thyself earl of douglas i fear thou art another counterfeit and yet in faith thou bear'st thee like a king but mine i am sure thou art whoe'er thou be and thus i win thee they fight king henry being in danger prince henry enters prince henry hold up thy head vile scot or thou art like never to hold it up again the spirits of valiant shirley stafford blunt are in my arms it is the prince of wales that threatens thee who never promiseth but he means to pay they fight douglas flies cheerly my lord how fares your grace sir nicholas gawsey hath for succor sent and so hath clifton i'll to clifton straight king henry iv stay and breathe awhile thou hast redeem'd thy lost opinion and show'd thou makest some tender of my life in this fair rescue thou hast brought to me prince henry o god they did me too much injury that ever said i hearken'd for your death if it were so i might have let alone the insulting hand of douglas over you which would have been as speedy in your end as all the poisonous potions in the world and saved the treacherous labour of your son king henry iv make up to clifton i'll to sir nicholas gawsey exit enter hotspur hotspur if i mistake not thou art harry monmouth prince henry thou speak'st as if i would deny my name hotspur my name is harry percy prince henry why then i see a very valiant rebel of the name i am the prince of wales and think not percy to share with me in glory any more two stars keep not their motion in one sphere nor can one england brook a double reign of harry percy and the prince of wales hotspur nor shall it harry for the hour is come to end the one of us and would to god thy name in arms were now as great as mine prince henry i'll make it greater ere i part from thee and all the budding honours on thy crest i'll crop to make a garland for my head hotspur i can no longer brook thy vanities they fight enter falstaff falstaff well said hal to it hal nay you shall find no boy's play here i can tell you reenter douglas he fights with falstaff who falls down as if he were dead and exit douglas hotspur is wounded and falls hotspur o harry thou hast robb'd me of my youth i better brook the loss of brittle life than those proud titles thou hast won of me they wound my thoughts worse than sword my flesh but thought's the slave of life and life time's fool and time that takes survey of all the world must have a stop o i could prophesy but that the earthy and cold hand of death lies on my tongue no percy thou art dust and food for dies prince henry for worms brave percy fare thee well great heart illweaved ambition how much art thou shrunk when that this body did contain a spirit a kingdom for it was too small a bound but now two paces of the vilest earth is room enough this earth that bears thee dead bears not alive so stout a gentleman if thou wert sensible of courtesy i should not make so dear a show of zeal but let my favours hide thy mangled face and even in thy behalf i'll thank myself for doing these fair rites of tenderness adieu and take thy praise with thee to heaven thy ignominy sleep with thee in the grave but not remember'd in thy epitaph he spieth falstaff on the ground what old acquaintance could not all this flesh keep in a little life poor jack farewell i could have better spared a better man o i should have a heavy miss of thee if i were much in love with vanity death hath not struck so fat a deer today though many dearer in this bloody fray embowell'd will i see thee by and by till then in blood by noble percy lie exit prince henry falstaff rising up embowelled if thou embowel me today i'll give you leave to powder me and eat me too tomorrow sblood'twas time to counterfeit or that hot termagant scot had paid me scot and lot too counterfeit i lie i am no counterfeit to die is to be a counterfeit for he is but the counterfeit of a man who hath not the life of a man but to counterfeit dying when a man thereby liveth is to be no counterfeit but the true and perfect image of life indeed the better part of valour is discretion in the which better part i have saved my life'zounds i am afraid of this gunpowder percy though he be dead how if he should counterfeit too and rise by my faith i am afraid he would prove the better counterfeit therefore i'll make him sure yea and i'll swear i killed him why may not he rise as well as i nothing confutes me but eyes and nobody sees me therefore sirrah stabbing him with a new wound in your thigh come you along with me takes up hotspur on his back reenter prince henry and lord john of lancaster prince henry come brother john full bravely hast thou flesh'd thy maiden sword lancaster but soft whom have we here did you not tell me this fat man was dead prince henry i did i saw him dead breathless and bleeding on the ground art thou alive or is it fantasy that plays upon our eyesight i prithee speak we will not trust our eyes without our ears thou art not what thou seem'st falstaff no that's certain i am not a double man but if i be not jack falstaff then am i a jack there is percy throwing the body down if your father will do me any honour so if not let him kill the next percy himself i look to be either earl or duke i can assure you prince henry why percy i killed myself and saw thee dead falstaff didst thou lord lord how this world is given to lying i grant you i was down and out of breath and so was he but we rose both at an instant and fought a long hour by shrewsbury clock if i may be believed so if not let them that should reward valour bear the sin upon their own heads i'll take it upon my death i gave him this wound in the thigh if the man were alive and would deny it zounds i would make him eat a piece of my sword lancaster this is the strangest tale that ever i heard prince henry this is the strangest fellow brother john come bring your luggage nobly on your back for my part if a lie may do thee grace i'll gild it with the happiest terms i have a retreat is sounded the trumpet sounds retreat the day is ours come brother let us to the highest of the field to see what friends are living who are dead exeunt prince henry and lancaster falstaff i'll follow as they say for reward he that rewards me god reward him if i do grow great i'll grow less for i'll purge and leave sack and live cleanly as a nobleman should do exit 1 king henry iv act v scene v another part of the field the trumpets sound enter king henry iv prince henry lord john lancaster earl of westmoreland with worcester and vernon prisoners king henry iv thus ever did rebellion find rebuke illspirited worcester did not we send grace pardon and terms of love to all of you and wouldst thou turn our offers contrary misuse the tenor of thy kinsman's trust three knights upon our party slain today a noble earl and many a creature else had been alive this hour if like a christian thou hadst truly borne betwixt our armies true intelligence earl of worcester what i have done my safety urged me to and i embrace this fortune patiently since not to be avoided it falls on me king henry iv bear worcester to the death and vernon too other offenders we will pause upon exeunt worcester and vernon guarded how goes the field prince henry the noble scot lord douglas when he saw the fortune of the day quite turn'd from him the noble percy slain and all his men upon the foot of fear fled with the rest and falling from a hill he was so bruised that the pursuers took him at my tent the douglas is and i beseech your grace i may dispose of him king henry iv with all my heart prince henry then brother john of lancaster to you this honourable bounty shall belong go to the douglas and deliver him up to his pleasure ransomless and free his valour shown upon our crests today hath taught us how to cherish such high deeds even in the bosom of our adversaries lancaster i thank your grace for this high courtesy which i shall give away immediately king henry iv then this remains that we divide our power you son john and my cousin westmoreland towards york shall bend you with your dearest speed to meet northumberland and the prelate scroop who as we hear are busily in arms myself and you son harry will towards wales to fight with glendower and the earl of march rebellion in this land shall lose his sway meeting the cheque of such another day and since this business so fair is done let us not leave till all our own be won exeunt 1 king henry vi dramatis personae king henry the sixth king henry vi duke of gloucester uncle to the king and protector gloucester duke of bedford uncle to the king and regent of france bedford thomas beaufort duke of exeter greatuncle to the king exeter henry beaufort greatuncle to the king bishop of winchester and afterwards cardinal bishop of winchester john beaufort earl afterwards duke of somerset somerset richard plantagenet son of richard late earl of cambridge richard plantagenet afterwards duke of york york earl of warwick warwick earl of salisbury salisbury earl of suffolk suffolk lord talbot afterwards earl of shrewsbury talbot john talbot lord talbot's son edmund mortimer earl of march mortimer sir john fastolfe fastolfe sir william lucy lucy sir william glansdale glandsdale sir thomas gargrave gargrave mayor of london mayor woodvile lieutenant of the tower vernon of the whiterose or york faction basset of the redrose or lancaster faction a lawyer lawyer mortimer's keepers first gaoler charles dauphin and afterwards king of france reignier duke of anjou and titular king of naples duke of burgundy burgundy duke of alencon alencon bastard of orleans governor of paris mastergunner of orleans mastergunner and his son boy general of the french forces in bourdeaux general a french sergeant sargeant a porter an old shepherd father to joan la pucelle shepherd margaret daughter to reignier afterwards married to king henry countess of auvergne joan la pucelle commonly called joan of arc lords warders of the tower heralds officers soldiers messengers and attendants first warder second warder captain officer soldier first soldier watch scout first sentinel servant first servingman second servingman third servingman fiends appearing to la pucelle scene partly in england and partly in france 1 king henry vi act i scene i westminster abbey dead march enter the funeral of king henry the fifth attended on by dukes of bedford regent of france gloucester protector and exeter earl of warwick the bishop of winchester heralds &c bedford hung be the heavens with black yield day to night comets importing change of times and states brandish your crystal tresses in the sky and with them scourge the bad revolting stars that have consented unto henry's death king henry the fifth too famous to live long england ne'er lost a king of so much worth gloucester england ne'er had a king until his time virtue he had deserving to command his brandish'd sword did blind men with his beams his arms spread wider than a dragon's wings his sparking eyes replete with wrathful fire more dazzled and drove back his enemies than midday sun fierce bent against their faces what should i say his deeds exceed all speech he ne'er lift up his hand but conquered exeter we mourn in black why mourn we not in blood henry is dead and never shall revive upon a wooden coffin we attend and death's dishonourable victory we with our stately presence glorify like captives bound to a triumphant car what shall we curse the planets of mishap that plotted thus our glory's overthrow or shall we think the subtlewitted french conjurers and sorcerers that afraid of him by magic verses have contrived his end bishop of winchester he was a king bless'd of the king of kings unto the french the dreadful judgementday so dreadful will not be as was his sight the battles of the lord of hosts he fought the church's prayers made him so prosperous gloucester the church where is it had not churchmen pray'd his thread of life had not so soon decay'd none do you like but an effeminate prince whom like a schoolboy you may overawe bishop of winchester gloucester whate'er we like thou art protector and lookest to command the prince and realm thy wife is proud she holdeth thee in awe more than god or religious churchmen may gloucester name not religion for thou lovest the flesh and ne'er throughout the year to church thou go'st except it be to pray against thy foes bedford cease cease these jars and rest your minds in peace let's to the altar heralds wait on us instead of gold we'll offer up our arms since arms avail not now that henry's dead posterity await for wretched years when at their mothers moist eyes babes shall suck our isle be made a nourish of salt tears and none but women left to wail the dead henry the fifth thy ghost i invocate prosper this realm keep it from civil broils combat with adverse planets in the heavens a far more glorious star thy soul will make than julius caesar or bright enter a messenger messenger my honourable lords health to you all sad tidings bring i to you out of france of loss of slaughter and discomfiture guienne champagne rheims orleans paris guysors poictiers are all quite lost bedford what say'st thou man before dead henry's corse speak softly or the loss of those great towns will make him burst his lead and rise from death gloucester is paris lost is rouen yielded up if henry were recall'd to life again these news would cause him once more yield the ghost exeter how were they lost what treachery was used messenger no treachery but want of men and money amongst the soldiers this is muttered that here you maintain several factions and whilst a field should be dispatch'd and fought you are disputing of your generals one would have lingering wars with little cost another would fly swift but wanteth wings a third thinks without expense at all by guileful fair words peace may be obtain'd awake awake english nobility let not sloth dim your horrors newbegot cropp'd are the flowerdeluces in your arms of england's coat one half is cut away exeter were our tears wanting to this funeral these tidings would call forth their flowing tides bedford me they concern regent i am of france give me my steeled coat i'll fight for france away with these disgraceful wailing robes wounds will i lend the french instead of eyes to weep their intermissive miseries enter to them another messenger messenger lords view these letters full of bad mischance france is revolted from the english quite except some petty towns of no import the dauphin charles is crowned king of rheims the bastard of orleans with him is join'd reignier duke of anjou doth take his part the duke of alencon flieth to his side exeter the dauphin crowned king all fly to him o whither shall we fly from this reproach gloucester we will not fly but to our enemies throats bedford if thou be slack i'll fight it out bedford gloucester why doubt'st thou of my forwardness an army have i muster'd in my thoughts wherewith already france is overrun enter another messenger messenger my gracious lords to add to your laments wherewith you now bedew king henry's hearse i must inform you of a dismal fight betwixt the stout lord talbot and the french bishop of winchester what wherein talbot overcame is't so messenger o no wherein lord talbot was o'erthrown the circumstance i'll tell you more at large the tenth of august last this dreadful lord retiring from the siege of orleans having full scarce six thousand in his troop by three and twenty thousand of the french was round encompassed and set upon no leisure had he to enrank his men he wanted pikes to set before his archers instead whereof sharp stakes pluck'd out of hedges they pitched in the ground confusedly to keep the horsemen off from breaking in more than three hours the fight continued where valiant talbot above human thought enacted wonders with his sword and lance hundreds he sent to hell and none durst stand him here there and every where enraged he flew the french exclaim'd the devil was in arms all the whole army stood agazed on him his soldiers spying his undaunted spirit a talbot a talbot cried out amain and rush'd into the bowels of the battle here had the conquest fully been seal'd up if sir john fastolfe had not play'd the coward he being in the vaward placed behind with purpose to relieve and follow them cowardly fled not having struck one stroke hence grew the general wreck and massacre enclosed were they with their enemies a base walloon to win the dauphin's grace thrust talbot with a spear into the back whom all france with their chief assembled strength durst not presume to look once in the face bedford is talbot slain then i will slay myself for living idly here in pomp and ease whilst such a worthy leader wanting aid unto his dastard foemen is betray'd messenger o no he lives but is took prisoner and lord scales with him and lord hungerford most of the rest slaughter'd or took likewise bedford his ransom there is none but i shall pay i'll hale the dauphin headlong from his throne his crown shall be the ransom of my friend four of their lords i'll change for one of ours farewell my masters to my task will i bonfires in france forthwith i am to make to keep our great saint george's feast withal ten thousand soldiers with me i will take whose bloody deeds shall make all europe quake messenger so you had need for orleans is besieged the english army is grown weak and faint the earl of salisbury craveth supply and hardly keeps his men from mutiny since they so few watch such a multitude exeter remember lords your oaths to henry sworn either to quell the dauphin utterly or bring him in obedience to your yoke bedford i do remember it and here take my leave to go about my preparation exit gloucester i'll to the tower with all the haste i can to view the artillery and munition and then i will proclaim young henry king exit exeter to eltham will i where the young king is being ordain'd his special governor and for his safety there i'll best devise exit bishop of winchester each hath his place and function to attend i am left out for me nothing remains but long i will not be jack out of office the king from eltham i intend to steal and sit at chiefest stern of public weal exeunt 1 king henry vi act i scene ii france before orleans sound a flourish enter charles alencon and reignier marching with drum and soldiers charles mars his true moving even as in the heavens so in the earth to this day is not known late did he shine upon the english side now we are victors upon us he smiles what towns of any moment but we have at pleasure here we lie near orleans otherwhiles the famish'd english like pale ghosts faintly besiege us one hour in a month alencon they want their porridge and their fat bullbeeves either they must be dieted like mules and have their provender tied to their mouths or piteous they will look like drowned mice reignier let's raise the siege why live we idly here talbot is taken whom we wont to fear remaineth none but madbrain'd salisbury and he may well in fretting spend his gall nor men nor money hath he to make war charles sound sound alarum we will rush on them now for the honour of the forlorn french him i forgive my death that killeth me when he sees me go back one foot or fly exeunt here alarum they are beaten back by the english with great loss reenter charles alencon and reignier charles who ever saw the like what men have i dogs cowards dastards i would ne'er have fled but that they left me midst my enemies reignier salisbury is a desperate homicide he fighteth as one weary of his life the other lords like lions wanting food do rush upon us as their hungry prey alencon froissart a countryman of ours records england all olivers and rowlands bred during the time edward the third did reign more truly now may this be verified for none but samsons and goliases it sendeth forth to skirmish one to ten lean rawboned rascals who would e'er suppose they had such courage and audacity charles let's leave this town for they are harebrain'd slaves and hunger will enforce them to be more eager of old i know them rather with their teeth the walls they'll tear down than forsake the siege reignier i think by some odd gimmors or device their arms are set like clocks stiff to strike on else ne'er could they hold out so as they do by my consent we'll even let them alone alencon be it so enter the bastard of orleans bastard of orleans where's the prince dauphin i have news for him charles bastard of orleans thrice welcome to us bastard of orleans methinks your looks are sad your cheer appall'd hath the late overthrow wrought this offence be not dismay'd for succor is at hand a holy maid hither with me i bring which by a vision sent to her from heaven ordained is to raise this tedious siege and drive the english forth the bounds of france the spirit of deep prophecy she hath exceeding the nine sibyls of old rome what's past and what's to come she can descry speak shall i call her in believe my words for they are certain and unfallible charles go call her in exit bastard of orleans but first to try her skill reignier stand thou as dauphin in my place question her proudly let thy looks be stern by this means shall we sound what skill she hath reenter the bastard of orleans with joan la pucelle reignier fair maid is't thou wilt do these wondrous feats joan la pucelle reignier is't thou that thinkest to beguile me where is the dauphin come come from behind i know thee well though never seen before be not amazed there's nothing hid from me in private will i talk with thee apart stand back you lords and give us leave awhile reignier she takes upon her bravely at first dash joan la pucelle dauphin i am by birth a shepherd's daughter my wit untrain'd in any kind of art heaven and our lady gracious hath it pleased to shine on my contemptible estate lo whilst i waited on my tender lambs and to sun's parching heat display'd my cheeks god's mother deigned to appear to me and in a vision full of majesty will'd me to leave my base vocation and free my country from calamity her aid she promised and assured success in complete glory she reveal'd herself and whereas i was black and swart before with those clear rays which she infused on me that beauty am i bless'd with which you see ask me what question thou canst possible and i will answer unpremeditated my courage try by combat if thou darest and thou shalt find that i exceed my sex resolve on this thou shalt be fortunate if thou receive me for thy warlike mate charles thou hast astonish'd me with thy high terms only this proof i'll of thy valour make in single combat thou shalt buckle with me and if thou vanquishest thy words are true otherwise i renounce all confidence joan la pucelle i am prepared here is my keenedged sword deck'd with five flowerdeluces on each side the which at touraine in saint katharine's churchyard out of a great deal of old iron i chose forth charles then come o god's name i fear no woman joan la pucelle and while i live i'll ne'er fly from a man here they fight and joan la pucelle overcomes charles stay stay thy hands thou art an amazon and fightest with the sword of deborah joan la pucelle christ's mother helps me else i were too weak charles whoe'er helps thee tis thou that must help me impatiently i burn with thy desire my heart and hands thou hast at once subdued excellent pucelle if thy name be so let me thy servant and not sovereign be tis the french dauphin sueth to thee thus joan la pucelle i must not yield to any rites of love for my profession's sacred from above when i have chased all thy foes from hence then will i think upon a recompense charles meantime look gracious on thy prostrate thrall reignier my lord methinks is very long in talk alencon doubtless he shrives this woman to her smock else ne'er could he so long protract his speech reignier shall we disturb him since he keeps no mean alencon he may mean more than we poor men do know these women are shrewd tempters with their tongues reignier my lord where are you what devise you on shall we give over orleans or no joan la pucelle why no i say distrustful recreants fight till the last gasp i will be your guard charles what she says i'll confirm we'll fight it out joan la pucelle assign'd am i to be the english scourge this night the siege assuredly i'll raise expect saint martin's summer halcyon days since i have entered into these wars glory is like a circle in the water which never ceaseth to enlarge itself till by broad spreading it disperse to nought with henry's death the english circle ends dispersed are the glories it included now am i like that proud insulting ship which caesar and his fortune bare at once charles was mahomet inspired with a dove thou with an eagle art inspired then helen the mother of great constantine nor yet saint philip's daughters were like thee bright star of venus fall'n down on the earth how may i reverently worship thee enough alencon leave off delays and let us raise the siege reignier woman do what thou canst to save our honours drive them from orleans and be immortalized charles presently we'll try come let's away about it no prophet will i trust if she prove false exeunt 1 king henry vi act i scene iii london before the tower enter gloucester with his servingmen in blue coats gloucester i am come to survey the tower this day since henry's death i fear there is conveyance where be these warders that they wait not here open the gates tis gloucester that calls first warder within who's there that knocks so imperiously first servingman it is the noble duke of gloucester second warder within whoe'er he be you may not be let in first servingman villains answer you so the lord protector first warder within the lord protect him so we answer him we do no otherwise than we are will'd gloucester who willed you or whose will stands but mine there's none protector of the realm but i break up the gates i'll be your warrantize shall i be flouted thus by dunghill grooms gloucester's men rush at the tower gates and woodvile the lieutenant speaks within woodvile what noise is this what traitors have we here gloucester lieutenant is it you whose voice i hear open the gates here's gloucester that would enter woodvile have patience noble duke i may not open the cardinal of winchester forbids from him i have express commandment that thou nor none of thine shall be let in gloucester fainthearted woodvile prizest him fore me arrogant winchester that haughty prelate whom henry our late sovereign ne'er could brook thou art no friend to god or to the king open the gates or i'll shut thee out shortly servingmen open the gates unto the lord protector or we'll burst them open if that you come not quickly enter to the protector at the tower gates bishop of winchester and his men in tawny coats bishop of winchester how now ambitious humphry what means this gloucester peel'd priest dost thou command me to be shut out bishop of winchester i do thou most usurping proditor and not protector of the king or realm gloucester stand back thou manifest conspirator thou that contrivedst to murder our dead lord thou that givest whores indulgences to sin i'll canvass thee in thy broad cardinal's hat if thou proceed in this thy insolence bishop of winchester nay stand thou back i will not budge a foot this be damascus be thou cursed cain to slay thy brother abel if thou wilt gloucester i will not slay thee but i'll drive thee back thy scarlet robes as a child's bearingcloth i'll use to carry thee out of this place bishop of winchester do what thou darest i beard thee to thy face gloucester what am i dared and bearded to my face draw men for all this privileged place blue coats to tawny coats priest beware your beard i mean to tug it and to cuff you soundly under my feet i stamp thy cardinal's hat in spite of pope or dignities of church here by the cheeks i'll drag thee up and down bishop of winchester gloucester thou wilt answer this before the pope gloucester winchester goose i cry a rope a rope now beat them hence why do you let them stay thee i'll chase hence thou wolf in sheep's array out tawny coats out scarlet hypocrite here gloucester's men beat out bishop of winchester's men and enter in the hurly burly the mayor of london and his officers mayor fie lords that you being supreme magistrates thus contumeliously should break the peace gloucester peace mayor thou know'st little of my wrongs here's beaufort that regards nor god nor king hath here distrain'd the tower to his use bishop of winchester here's gloucester a foe to citizens one that still motions war and never peace o'ercharging your free purses with large fines that seeks to overthrow religion because he is protector of the realm and would have armour here out of the tower to crown himself king and suppress the prince gloucester i will not answer thee with words but blows here they skirmish again mayor naught rests for me in this tumultuous strife but to make open proclamation come officer as loud as e'er thou canst cry officer all manner of men assembled here in arms this day against god's peace and the king's we charge and command you in his highness name to repair to your several dwellingplaces and not to wear handle or use any sword weapon or dagger henceforward upon pain of death gloucester cardinal i'll be no breaker of the law but we shall meet and break our minds at large bishop of winchester gloucester we will meet to thy cost be sure thy heartblood i will have for this day's work mayor i'll call for clubs if you will not away this cardinal's more haughty than the devil gloucester mayor farewell thou dost but what thou mayst bishop of winchester abominable gloucester guard thy head for i intend to have it ere long exeunt severally gloucester and bishop of winchester with their servingmen mayor see the coast clear'd and then we will depart good god these nobles should such stomachs bear i myself fight not once in forty year exeunt 1 king henry vi act i scene iv orleans enter on the walls a master gunner and his boy mastergunner sirrah thou know'st how orleans is besieged and how the english have the suburbs won boy father i know and oft have shot at them howe'er unfortunate i miss'd my aim mastergunner but now thou shalt not be thou ruled by me chief mastergunner am i of this town something i must do to procure me grace the prince's espials have informed me how the english in the suburbs close intrench'd wont through a secret grate of iron bars in yonder tower to overpeer the city and thence discover how with most advantage they may vex us with shot or with assault to intercept this inconvenience a piece of ordnance gainst it i have placed and even these three days have i watch'd if i could see them now do thou watch for i can stay no longer if thou spy'st any run and bring me word and thou shalt find me at the governor's exit boy father i warrant you take you no care i'll never trouble you if i may spy them exit enter on the turrets salisbury and talbot glansdale gargrave and others salisbury talbot my life my joy again return'd how wert thou handled being prisoner or by what means got'st thou to be released discourse i prithee on this turret's top talbot the duke of bedford had a prisoner call'd the brave lord ponton de santrailles for him was i exchanged and ransomed but with a baser man of arms by far once in contempt they would have barter'd me which i disdaining scorn'd and craved death rather than i would be so vile esteem'd in fine redeem'd i was as i desired but o the treacherous fastolfe wounds my heart whom with my bare fists i would execute if i now had him brought into my power salisbury yet tell'st thou not how thou wert entertain'd talbot with scoffs and scorns and contumelious taunts in open marketplace produced they me to be a public spectacle to all here said they is the terror of the french the scarecrow that affrights our children so then broke i from the officers that led me and with my nails digg'd stones out of the ground to hurl at the beholders of my shame my grisly countenance made others fly none durst come near for fear of sudden death in iron walls they deem'd me not secure so great fear of my name mongst them was spread that they supposed i could rend bars of steel and spurn in pieces posts of adamant wherefore a guard of chosen shot i had that walked about me every minutewhile and if i did but stir out of my bed ready they were to shoot me to the heart enter the boy with a linstock salisbury i grieve to hear what torments you endured but we will be revenged sufficiently now it is suppertime in orleans here through this grate i count each one and view the frenchmen how they fortify let us look in the sight will much delight thee sir thomas gargrave and sir william glansdale let me have your express opinions where is best place to make our battery next gargrave i think at the north gate for there stand lords glansdale and i here at the bulwark of the bridge talbot for aught i see this city must be famish'd or with light skirmishes enfeebled here they shoot salisbury and gargrave fall salisbury o lord have mercy on us wretched sinners gargrave o lord have mercy on me woful man talbot what chance is this that suddenly hath cross'd us speak salisbury at least if thou canst speak how farest thou mirror of all martial men one of thy eyes and thy cheek's side struck off accursed tower accursed fatal hand that hath contrived this woful tragedy in thirteen battles salisbury o'ercame henry the fifth he first train'd to the wars whilst any trump did sound or drum struck up his sword did ne'er leave striking in the field yet livest thou salisbury though thy speech doth fail one eye thou hast to look to heaven for grace the sun with one eye vieweth all the world heaven be thou gracious to none alive if salisbury wants mercy at thy hands bear hence his body i will help to bury it sir thomas gargrave hast thou any life speak unto talbot nay look up to him salisbury cheer thy spirit with this comfort thou shalt not die whiles he beckons with his hand and smiles on me as who should say when i am dead and gone remember to avenge me on the french' plantagenet i will and like thee nero play on the lute beholding the towns burn wretched shall france be only in my name here an alarum and it thunders and lightens what stir is this what tumult's in the heavens whence cometh this alarum and the noise enter a messenger messenger my lord my lord the french have gathered head the dauphin with one joan la pucelle join'd a holy prophetess new risen up is come with a great power to raise the siege here salisbury lifteth himself up and groans talbot hear hear how dying salisbury doth groan it irks his heart he cannot be revenged frenchmen i'll be a salisbury to you pucelle or puzzel dolphin or dogfish your hearts i'll stamp out with my horse's heels and make a quagmire of your mingled brains convey me salisbury into his tent and then we'll try what these dastard frenchmen dare alarum exeunt 1 king henry vi act i scene v the same here an alarum again and talbot pursueth the dauphin and driveth him then enter joan la pucelle driving englishmen before her and exit after them then reenter talbot talbot where is my strength my valour and my force our english troops retire i cannot stay them a woman clad in armour chaseth them reenter joan la pucelle here here she comes i'll have a bout with thee devil or devil's dam i'll conjure thee blood will i draw on thee thou art a witch and straightway give thy soul to him thou servest joan la pucelle come come tis only i that must disgrace thee here they fight talbot heavens can you suffer hell so to prevail my breast i'll burst with straining of my courage and from my shoulders crack my arms asunder but i will chastise this highminded strumpet they fight again joan la pucelle talbot farewell thy hour is not yet come i must go victual orleans forthwith a short alarum then enter the town with soldiers o'ertake me if thou canst i scorn thy strength go go cheer up thy hungrystarved men help salisbury to make his testament this day is ours as many more shall be exit talbot my thoughts are whirled like a potter's wheel i know not where i am nor what i do a witch by fear not force like hannibal drives back our troops and conquers as she lists so bees with smoke and doves with noisome stench are from their hives and houses driven away they call'd us for our fierceness english dogs now like to whelps we crying run away a short alarum hark countrymen either renew the fight or tear the lions out of england's coat renounce your soil give sheep in lions stead sheep run not half so treacherous from the wolf or horse or oxen from the leopard as you fly from your oftsubdued slaves alarum here another skirmish it will not be retire into your trenches you all consented unto salisbury's death for none would strike a stroke in his revenge pucelle is enter'd into orleans in spite of us or aught that we could do o would i were to die with salisbury the shame hereof will make me hide my head exit talbot alarum retreat flourish 1 king henry vi act i scene vi the same enter on the walls joan la pucelle charles reignier alencon and soldiers joan la pucelle advance our waving colours on the walls rescued is orleans from the english thus joan la pucelle hath perform'd her word charles divinest creature astraea's daughter how shall i honour thee for this success thy promises are like adonis gardens that one day bloom'd and fruitful were the next france triumph in thy glorious prophetess recover'd is the town of orleans more blessed hap did ne'er befall our state reignier why ring not out the bells aloud throughout the town dauphin command the citizens make bonfires and feast and banquet in the open streets to celebrate the joy that god hath given us alencon all france will be replete with mirth and joy when they shall hear how we have play'd the men charles tis joan not we by whom the day is won for which i will divide my crown with her and all the priests and friars in my realm shall in procession sing her endless praise a statelier pyramis to her i'll rear than rhodope's or memphis ever was in memory of her when she is dead her ashes in an urn more precious than the richjewel'd of darius transported shall be at high festivals before the kings and queens of france no longer on saint denis will we cry but joan la pucelle shall be france's saint come in and let us banquet royally after this golden day of victory flourish exeunt 1 king henry vi act ii scene i before orleans enter a sergeant of a band with two sentinels sergeant sirs take your places and be vigilant if any noise or soldier you perceive near to the walls by some apparent sign let us have knowledge at the court of guard first sentinel sergeant you shall exit sergeant thus are poor servitors when others sleep upon their quiet beds constrain'd to watch in darkness rain and cold enter talbot bedford burgundy and forces with scalingladders their drums beating a dead march talbot lord regent and redoubted burgundy by whose approach the regions of artois wallon and picardy are friends to us this happy night the frenchmen are secure having all day caroused and banqueted embrace we then this opportunity as fitting best to quittance their deceit contrived by art and baleful sorcery bedford coward of france how much he wrongs his fame despairing of his own arm's fortitude to join with witches and the help of hell burgundy traitors have never other company but what's that pucelle whom they term so pure talbot a maid they say bedford a maid and be so martial burgundy pray god she prove not masculine ere long if underneath the standard of the french she carry armour as she hath begun talbot well let them practise and converse with spirits god is our fortress in whose conquering name let us resolve to scale their flinty bulwarks bedford ascend brave talbot we will follow thee talbot not all together better far i guess that we do make our entrance several ways that if it chance the one of us do fail the other yet may rise against their force bedford agreed i'll to yond corner burgundy and i to this talbot and here will talbot mount or make his grave now salisbury for thee and for the right of english henry shall this night appear how much in duty i am bound to both sentinels arm arm the enemy doth make assault cry st george a talbot' the french leap over the walls in their shirts enter several ways the bastard of orleans alencon and reignier half ready and half unready alencon how now my lords what all unready so bastard of orleans unready ay and glad we scaped so well reignier twas time i trow to wake and leave our beds hearing alarums at our chamberdoors alencon of all exploits since first i follow'd arms ne'er heard i of a warlike enterprise more venturous or desperate than this bastard of orleans i think this talbot be a fiend of hell reignier if not of hell the heavens sure favour him alencon here cometh charles i marvel how he sped bastard of orleans tut holy joan was his defensive guard enter charles and joan la pucelle charles is this thy cunning thou deceitful dame didst thou at first to flatter us withal make us partakers of a little gain that now our loss might be ten times so much joan la pucelle wherefore is charles impatient with his friend at all times will you have my power alike sleeping or waking must i still prevail or will you blame and lay the fault on me improvident soldiers had your watch been good this sudden mischief never could have fall'n charles duke of alencon this was your default that being captain of the watch tonight did look no better to that weighty charge alencon had all your quarters been as safely kept as that whereof i had the government we had not been thus shamefully surprised bastard of orleans mine was secure reignier and so was mine my lord charles and for myself most part of all this night within her quarter and mine own precinct i was employ'd in passing to and fro about relieving of the sentinels then how or which way should they first break in joan la pucelle question my lords no further of the case how or which way tis sure they found some place but weakly guarded where the breach was made and now there rests no other shift but this to gather our soldiers scatter'd and dispersed and lay new platforms to endamage them alarum enter an english soldier crying a talbot a talbot they fly leaving their clothes behind soldier i'll be so bold to take what they have left the cry of talbot serves me for a sword for i have loaden me with many spoils using no other weapon but his name exit 1 king henry vi act ii scene ii orleans within the town enter talbot bedford burgundy a captain and others bedford the day begins to break and night is fled whose pitchy mantle overveil'd the earth here sound retreat and cease our hot pursuit retreat sounded talbot bring forth the body of old salisbury and here advance it in the marketplace the middle centre of this cursed town now have i paid my vow unto his soul for every drop of blood was drawn from him there hath at least five frenchmen died tonight and that hereafter ages may behold what ruin happen'd in revenge of him within their chiefest temple i'll erect a tomb wherein his corpse shall be interr'd upon the which that every one may read shall be engraved the sack of orleans the treacherous manner of his mournful death and what a terror he had been to france but lords in all our bloody massacre i muse we met not with the dauphin's grace his newcome champion virtuous joan of arc nor any of his false confederates bedford tis thought lord talbot when the fight began roused on the sudden from their drowsy beds they did amongst the troops of armed men leap o'er the walls for refuge in the field burgundy myself as far as i could well discern for smoke and dusky vapours of the night am sure i scared the dauphin and his trull when arm in arm they both came swiftly running like to a pair of loving turtledoves that could not live asunder day or night after that things are set in order here we'll follow them with all the power we have enter a messenger messenger all hail my lords which of this princely train call ye the warlike talbot for his acts so much applauded through the realm of france talbot here is the talbot who would speak with him messenger the virtuous lady countess of auvergne with modesty admiring thy renown by me entreats great lord thou wouldst vouchsafe to visit her poor castle where she lies that she may boast she hath beheld the man whose glory fills the world with loud report burgundy is it even so nay then i see our wars will turn unto a peaceful comic sport when ladies crave to be encounter'd with you may not my lord despise her gentle suit talbot ne'er trust me then for when a world of men could not prevail with all their oratory yet hath a woman's kindness overruled and therefore tell her i return great thanks and in submission will attend on her will not your honours bear me company bedford no truly it is more than manners will and i have heard it said unbidden guests are often welcomest when they are gone talbot well then alone since there's no remedy i mean to prove this lady's courtesy come hither captain whispers you perceive my mind captain i do my lord and mean accordingly exeunt 1 king henry vi act ii scene iii auvergne the countess's castle enter the countess and her porter countess of auvergne porter remember what i gave in charge and when you have done so bring the keys to me porter madam i will exit countess of auvergne the plot is laid if all things fall out right i shall as famous be by this exploit as scythian tomyris by cyrus death great is the rumor of this dreadful knight and his achievements of no less account fain would mine eyes be witness with mine ears to give their censure of these rare reports enter messenger and talbot messenger madam according as your ladyship desired by message craved so is lord talbot come countess of auvergne and he is welcome what is this the man messenger madam it is countess of auvergne is this the scourge of france is this the talbot so much fear'd abroad that with his name the mothers still their babes i see report is fabulous and false i thought i should have seen some hercules a second hector for his grim aspect and large proportion of his strongknit limbs alas this is a child a silly dwarf it cannot be this weak and writhled shrimp should strike such terror to his enemies talbot madam i have been bold to trouble you but since your ladyship is not at leisure i'll sort some other time to visit you countess of auvergne what means he now go ask him whither he goes messenger stay my lord talbot for my lady craves to know the cause of your abrupt departure talbot marry for that she's in a wrong belief i go to certify her talbot's here reenter porter with keys countess of auvergne if thou be he then art thou prisoner talbot prisoner to whom countess of auvergne to me bloodthirsty lord and for that cause i trained thee to my house long time thy shadow hath been thrall to me for in my gallery thy picture hangs but now the substance shall endure the like and i will chain these legs and arms of thine that hast by tyranny these many years wasted our country slain our citizens and sent our sons and husbands captivate talbot ha ha ha countess of auvergne laughest thou wretch thy mirth shall turn to moan talbot i laugh to see your ladyship so fond to think that you have aught but talbot's shadow whereon to practise your severity countess of auvergne why art not thou the man talbot i am indeed countess of auvergne then have i substance too talbot no no i am but shadow of myself you are deceived my substance is not here for what you see is but the smallest part and least proportion of humanity i tell you madam were the whole frame here it is of such a spacious lofty pitch your roof were not sufficient to contain't countess of auvergne this is a riddling merchant for the nonce he will be here and yet he is not here how can these contrarieties agree talbot that will i show you presently winds his horn drums strike up a peal of ordnance enter soldiers how say you madam are you now persuaded that talbot is but shadow of himself these are his substance sinews arms and strength with which he yoketh your rebellious necks razeth your cities and subverts your towns and in a moment makes them desolate countess of auvergne victorious talbot pardon my abuse i find thou art no less than fame hath bruited and more than may be gather'd by thy shape let my presumption not provoke thy wrath for i am sorry that with reverence i did not entertain thee as thou art talbot be not dismay'd fair lady nor misconstrue the mind of talbot as you did mistake the outward composition of his body what you have done hath not offended me nor other satisfaction do i crave but only with your patience that we may taste of your wine and see what cates you have for soldiers stomachs always serve them well countess of auvergne with all my heart and think me honoured to feast so great a warrior in my house exeunt 1 king henry vi act ii scene iv london the templegarden enter the earls of somerset suffolk and warwick richard plantagenet vernon and another lawyer richard plantagenet great lords and gentlemen what means this silence dare no man answer in a case of truth suffolk within the templehall we were too loud the garden here is more convenient richard plantagenet then say at once if i maintain'd the truth or else was wrangling somerset in the error suffolk faith i have been a truant in the law and never yet could frame my will to it and therefore frame the law unto my will somerset judge you my lord of warwick then between us warwick between two hawks which flies the higher pitch between two dogs which hath the deeper mouth between two blades which bears the better temper between two horses which doth bear him best between two girls which hath the merriest eye i have perhaps some shallow spirit of judgement but in these nice sharp quillets of the law good faith i am no wiser than a daw richard plantagenet tut tut here is a mannerly forbearance the truth appears so naked on my side that any purblind eye may find it out somerset and on my side it is so well apparell'd so clear so shining and so evident that it will glimmer through a blind man's eye richard plantagenet since you are tonguetied and so loath to speak in dumb significants proclaim your thoughts let him that is a trueborn gentleman and stands upon the honour of his birth if he suppose that i have pleaded truth from off this brier pluck a white rose with me somerset let him that is no coward nor no flatterer but dare maintain the party of the truth pluck a red rose from off this thorn with me warwick i love no colours and without all colour of base insinuating flattery i pluck this white rose with plantagenet suffolk i pluck this red rose with young somerset and say withal i think he held the right vernon stay lords and gentlemen and pluck no more till you conclude that he upon whose side the fewest roses are cropp'd from the tree shall yield the other in the right opinion somerset good master vernon it is well objected if i have fewest i subscribe in silence richard plantagenet and i vernon then for the truth and plainness of the case i pluck this pale and maiden blossom here giving my verdict on the white rose side somerset prick not your finger as you pluck it off lest bleeding you do paint the white rose red and fall on my side so against your will vernon if i my lord for my opinion bleed opinion shall be surgeon to my hurt and keep me on the side where still i am somerset well well come on who else lawyer unless my study and my books be false the argument you held was wrong in you to somerset in sign whereof i pluck a white rose too richard plantagenet now somerset where is your argument somerset here in my scabbard meditating that shall dye your white rose in a bloody red richard plantagenet meantime your cheeks do counterfeit our roses for pale they look with fear as witnessing the truth on our side somerset no plantagenet tis not for fear but anger that thy cheeks blush for pure shame to counterfeit our roses and yet thy tongue will not confess thy error richard plantagenet hath not thy rose a canker somerset somerset hath not thy rose a thorn plantagenet richard plantagenet ay sharp and piercing to maintain his truth whiles thy consuming canker eats his falsehood somerset well i'll find friends to wear my bleeding roses that shall maintain what i have said is true where false plantagenet dare not be seen richard plantagenet now by this maiden blossom in my hand i scorn thee and thy fashion peevish boy suffolk turn not thy scorns this way plantagenet richard plantagenet proud pole i will and scorn both him and thee suffolk i'll turn my part thereof into thy throat somerset away away good william de la pole we grace the yeoman by conversing with him warwick now by god's will thou wrong'st him somerset his grandfather was lionel duke of clarence third son to the third edward king of england spring crestless yeomen from so deep a root richard plantagenet he bears him on the place's privilege or durst not for his craven heart say thus somerset by him that made me i'll maintain my words on any plot of ground in christendom was not thy father richard earl of cambridge for treason executed in our late king's days and by his treason stand'st not thou attainted corrupted and exempt from ancient gentry his trespass yet lives guilty in thy blood and till thou be restored thou art a yeoman richard plantagenet my father was attached not attainted condemn'd to die for treason but no traitor and that i'll prove on better men than somerset were growing time once ripen'd to my will for your partaker pole and you yourself i'll note you in my book of memory to scourge you for this apprehension look to it well and say you are well warn'd somerset ah thou shalt find us ready for thee still and know us by these colours for thy foes for these my friends in spite of thee shall wear richard plantagenet and by my soul this pale and angry rose as cognizance of my blooddrinking hate will i for ever and my faction wear until it wither with me to my grave or flourish to the height of my degree suffolk go forward and be choked with thy ambition and so farewell until i meet thee next exit somerset have with thee pole farewell ambitious richard exit richard plantagenet how i am braved and must perforce endure it warwick this blot that they object against your house shall be wiped out in the next parliament call'd for the truce of winchester and gloucester and if thou be not then created york i will not live to be accounted warwick meantime in signal of my love to thee against proud somerset and william pole will i upon thy party wear this rose and here i prophesy this brawl today grown to this faction in the templegarden shall send between the red rose and the white a thousand souls to death and deadly night richard plantagenet good master vernon i am bound to you that you on my behalf would pluck a flower vernon in your behalf still will i wear the same lawyer and so will i richard plantagenet thanks gentle sir come let us four to dinner i dare say this quarrel will drink blood another day exeunt 1 king henry vi act ii scene v the tower of london enter mortimer brought in a chair and gaolers mortimer kind keepers of my weak decaying age let dying mortimer here rest himself even like a man new haled from the rack so fare my limbs with long imprisonment and these grey locks the pursuivants of death nestorlike aged in an age of care argue the end of edmund mortimer these eyes like lamps whose wasting oil is spent wax dim as drawing to their exigent weak shoulders overborne with burthening grief and pithless arms like to a wither'd vine that droops his sapless branches to the ground yet are these feet whose strengthless stay is numb unable to support this lump of clay swiftwinged with desire to get a grave as witting i no other comfort have but tell me keeper will my nephew come first gaoler richard plantagenet my lord will come we sent unto the temple unto his chamber and answer was return'd that he will come mortimer enough my soul shall then be satisfied poor gentleman his wrong doth equal mine since henry monmouth first began to reign before whose glory i was great in arms this loathsome sequestration have i had and even since then hath richard been obscured deprived of honour and inheritance but now the arbitrator of despairs just death kind umpire of men's miseries with sweet enlargement doth dismiss me hence i would his troubles likewise were expired that so he might recover what was lost enter richard plantagenet first gaoler my lord your loving nephew now is come mortimer richard plantagenet my friend is he come richard plantagenet ay noble uncle thus ignobly used your nephew late despised richard comes mortimer direct mine arms i may embrace his neck and in his bosom spend my latter gasp o tell me when my lips do touch his cheeks that i may kindly give one fainting kiss and now declare sweet stem from york's great stock why didst thou say of late thou wert despised richard plantagenet first lean thine aged back against mine arm and in that ease i'll tell thee my disease this day in argument upon a case some words there grew twixt somerset and me among which terms he used his lavish tongue and did upbraid me with my father's death which obloquy set bars before my tongue else with the like i had requited him therefore good uncle for my father's sake in honour of a true plantagenet and for alliance sake declare the cause my father earl of cambridge lost his head mortimer that cause fair nephew that imprison'd me and hath detain'd me all my flowering youth within a loathsome dungeon there to pine was cursed instrument of his decease richard plantagenet discover more at large what cause that was for i am ignorant and cannot guess mortimer i will if that my fading breath permit and death approach not ere my tale be done henry the fourth grandfather to this king deposed his nephew richard edward's son the firstbegotten and the lawful heir of edward king the third of that descent during whose reign the percies of the north finding his usurpation most unjust endeavor'd my advancement to the throne the reason moved these warlike lords to this was for thatyoung king richard thus removed leaving no heir begotten of his body i was the next by birth and parentage for by my mother i derived am from lionel duke of clarence the third son to king edward the third whereas he from john of gaunt doth bring his pedigree being but fourth of that heroic line but mark as in this haughty attempt they laboured to plant the rightful heir i lost my liberty and they their lives long after this when henry the fifth succeeding his father bolingbroke did reign thy father earl of cambridge then derived from famous edmund langley duke of york marrying my sister that thy mother was again in pity of my hard distress levied an army weening to redeem and have install'd me in the diadem but as the rest so fell that noble earl and was beheaded thus the mortimers in whom the tide rested were suppress'd richard plantagenet of which my lord your honour is the last mortimer true and thou seest that i no issue have and that my fainting words do warrant death thou art my heir the rest i wish thee gather but yet be wary in thy studious care richard plantagenet thy grave admonishments prevail with me but yet methinks my father's execution was nothing less than bloody tyranny mortimer with silence nephew be thou politic strongfixed is the house of lancaster and like a mountain not to be removed but now thy uncle is removing hence as princes do their courts when they are cloy'd with long continuance in a settled place richard plantagenet o uncle would some part of my young years might but redeem the passage of your age mortimer thou dost then wrong me as that slaughterer doth which giveth many wounds when one will kill mourn not except thou sorrow for my good only give order for my funeral and so farewell and fair be all thy hopes and prosperous be thy life in peace and war dies richard plantagenet and peace no war befall thy parting soul in prison hast thou spent a pilgrimage and like a hermit overpass'd thy days well i will lock his counsel in my breast and what i do imagine let that rest keepers convey him hence and i myself will see his burial better than his life exeunt gaolers bearing out the body of mortimer here dies the dusky torch of mortimer choked with ambition of the meaner sort and for those wrongs those bitter injuries which somerset hath offer'd to my house i doubt not but with honour to redress and therefore haste i to the parliament either to be restored to my blood or make my ill the advantage of my good exit 1 king henry vi act iii scene i london the parliamenthouse flourish enter king henry vi exeter gloucester warwick somerset and suffolk the bishop of winchester richard plantagenet and others gloucester offers to put up a bill bishop of winchester snatches it and tears it bishop of winchester comest thou with deep premeditated lines with written pamphlets studiously devised humphrey of gloucester if thou canst accuse or aught intend'st to lay unto my charge do it without invention suddenly as i with sudden and extemporal speech purpose to answer what thou canst object gloucester presumptuous priest this place commands my patience or thou shouldst find thou hast dishonour'd me think not although in writing i preferr'd the manner of thy vile outrageous crimes that therefore i have forged or am not able verbatim to rehearse the method of my pen no prelate such is thy audacious wickedness thy lewd pestiferous and dissentious pranks as very infants prattle of thy pride thou art a most pernicious usurer forward by nature enemy to peace lascivious wanton more than well beseems a man of thy profession and degree and for thy treachery what's more manifest in that thou laid'st a trap to take my life as well at london bridge as at the tower beside i fear me if thy thoughts were sifted the king thy sovereign is not quite exempt from envious malice of thy swelling heart bishop of winchester gloucester i do defy thee lords vouchsafe to give me hearing what i shall reply if i were covetous ambitious or perverse as he will have me how am i so poor or how haps it i seek not to advance or raise myself but keep my wonted calling and for dissension who preferreth peace more than i doexcept i be provoked no my good lords it is not that offends it is not that that hath incensed the duke it is because no one should sway but he no one but he should be about the king and that engenders thunder in his breast and makes him roar these accusations forth but he shall know i am as good gloucester as good thou bastard of my grandfather bishop of winchester ay lordly sir for what are you i pray but one imperious in another's throne gloucester am i not protector saucy priest bishop of winchester and am not i a prelate of the church gloucester yes as an outlaw in a castle keeps and useth it to patronage his theft bishop of winchester unreverent gloster gloucester thou art reverent touching thy spiritual function not thy life bishop of winchester rome shall remedy this warwick roam thither then somerset my lord it were your duty to forbear warwick ay see the bishop be not overborne somerset methinks my lord should be religious and know the office that belongs to such warwick methinks his lordship should be humbler it fitteth not a prelate so to plead somerset yes when his holy state is touch'd so near warwick state holy or unhallow'd what of that is not his grace protector to the king richard plantagenet aside plantagenet i see must hold his tongue lest it be said speak sirrah when you should must your bold verdict enter talk with lords' else would i have a fling at winchester king henry vi uncles of gloucester and of winchester the special watchmen of our english weal i would prevail if prayers might prevail to join your hearts in love and amity o what a scandal is it to our crown that two such noble peers as ye should jar believe me lords my tender years can tell civil dissension is a viperous worm that gnaws the bowels of the commonwealth a noise within down with the tawnycoats' what tumult's this warwick an uproar i dare warrant begun through malice of the bishop's men a noise again stones stones enter mayor mayor o my good lords and virtuous henry pity the city of london pity us the bishop and the duke of gloucester's men forbidden late to carry any weapon have fill'd their pockets full of pebble stones and banding themselves in contrary parts do pelt so fast at one another's pate that many have their giddy brains knock'd out our windows are broke down in every street and we for fear compell'd to shut our shops enter servingmen in skirmish with bloody pates king henry vi we charge you on allegiance to ourself to hold your slaughtering hands and keep the peace pray uncle gloucester mitigate this strife first servingman nay if we be forbidden stones we'll fall to it with our teeth second servingman do what ye dare we are as resolute skirmish again gloucester you of my household leave this peevish broil and set this unaccustom'd fight aside third servingman my lord we know your grace to be a man just and upright and for your royal birth inferior to none but to his majesty and ere that we will suffer such a prince so kind a father of the commonweal to be disgraced by an inkhorn mate we and our wives and children all will fight and have our bodies slaughtered by thy foes first servingman ay and the very parings of our nails shall pitch a field when we are dead begin again gloucester stay stay i say and if you love me as you say you do let me persuade you to forbear awhile king henry vi o how this discord doth afflict my soul can you my lord of winchester behold my sighs and tears and will not once relent who should be pitiful if you be not or who should study to prefer a peace if holy churchmen take delight in broils warwick yield my lord protector yield winchester except you mean with obstinate repulse to slay your sovereign and destroy the realm you see what mischief and what murder too hath been enacted through your enmity then be at peace except ye thirst for blood bishop of winchester he shall submit or i will never yield gloucester compassion on the king commands me stoop or i would see his heart out ere the priest should ever get that privilege of me warwick behold my lord of winchester the duke hath banish'd moody discontented fury as by his smoothed brows it doth appear why look you still so stern and tragical gloucester here winchester i offer thee my hand king henry vi fie uncle beaufort i have heard you preach that malice was a great and grievous sin and will not you maintain the thing you teach but prove a chief offender in the same warwick sweet king the bishop hath a kindly gird for shame my lord of winchester relent what shall a child instruct you what to do bishop of winchester well duke of gloucester i will yield to thee love for thy love and hand for hand i give gloucester aside ay but i fear me with a hollow heart see here my friends and loving countrymen this token serveth for a flag of truce betwixt ourselves and all our followers so help me god as i dissemble not bishop of winchester aside so help me god as i intend it not king henry vi o loving uncle kind duke of gloucester how joyful am i made by this contract away my masters trouble us no more but join in friendship as your lords have done first servingman content i'll to the surgeon's second servingman and so will i third servingman and i will see what physic the tavern affords exeunt servingmen mayor &c warwick accept this scroll most gracious sovereign which in the right of richard plantagenet we do exhibit to your majesty gloucester well urged my lord of warwick or sweet prince and if your grace mark every circumstance you have great reason to do richard right especially for those occasions at eltham place i told your majesty king henry vi and those occasions uncle were of force therefore my loving lords our pleasure is that richard be restored to his blood warwick let richard be restored to his blood so shall his father's wrongs be recompensed bishop of winchester as will the rest so willeth winchester king henry vi if richard will be true not that alone but all the whole inheritance i give that doth belong unto the house of york from whence you spring by lineal descent richard plantagenet thy humble servant vows obedience and humble service till the point of death king henry vi stoop then and set your knee against my foot and in reguerdon of that duty done i gird thee with the valiant sword of york rise richard like a true plantagenet and rise created princely duke of york richard plantagenet and so thrive richard as thy foes may fall and as my duty springs so perish they that grudge one thought against your majesty all welcome high prince the mighty duke of york somerset aside perish base prince ignoble duke of york gloucester now will it best avail your majesty to cross the seas and to be crown'd in france the presence of a king engenders love amongst his subjects and his loyal friends as it disanimates his enemies king henry vi when gloucester says the word king henry goes for friendly counsel cuts off many foes gloucester your ships already are in readiness sennet flourish exeunt all but exeter exeter ay we may march in england or in france not seeing what is likely to ensue this late dissension grown betwixt the peers burns under feigned ashes of forged love and will at last break out into a flame as fester'd members rot but by degree till bones and flesh and sinews fall away so will this base and envious discord breed and now i fear that fatal prophecy which in the time of henry named the fifth was in the mouth of every sucking babe that henry born at monmouth should win all and henry born at windsor lose all which is so plain that exeter doth wish his days may finish ere that hapless time exit 1 king henry vi act iii scene ii france before rouen enter joan la pucelle disguised with four soldiers with sacks upon their backs joan la pucelle these are the city gates the gates of rouen through which our policy must make a breach take heed be wary how you place your words talk like the vulgar sort of market men that come to gather money for their corn if we have entrance as i hope we shall and that we find the slothful watch but weak i'll by a sign give notice to our friends that charles the dauphin may encounter them first soldier our sacks shall be a mean to sack the city and we be lords and rulers over rouen therefore we'll knock knocks watch within qui est la joan la pucelle paysans pauvres gens de france poor market folks that come to sell their corn watch enter go in the market bell is rung joan la pucelle now rouen i'll shake thy bulwarks to the ground exeunt enter charles the bastard of orleans alencon reignier and forces charles saint denis bless this happy stratagem and once again we'll sleep secure in rouen bastard of orleans here enter'd pucelle and her practisants now she is there how will she specify where is the best and safest passage in reignier by thrusting out a torch from yonder tower which once discern'd shows that her meaning is no way to that for weakness which she enter'd enter joan la pucelle on the top thrusting out a torch burning joan la pucelle behold this is the happy wedding torch that joineth rouen unto her countrymen but burning fatal to the talbotites exit bastard of orleans see noble charles the beacon of our friend the burning torch in yonder turret stands charles now shine it like a comet of revenge a prophet to the fall of all our foes reignier defer no time delays have dangerous ends enter and cry the dauphin presently and then do execution on the watch alarum exeunt an alarum enter talbot in an excursion talbot france thou shalt rue this treason with thy tears if talbot but survive thy treachery pucelle that witch that damned sorceress hath wrought this hellish mischief unawares that hardly we escaped the pride of france exit an alarum excursions bedford brought in sick in a chair enter talbot and burgundy without within joan la pucelle charles bastard of orleans alencon and reignier on the walls joan la pucelle good morrow gallants want ye corn for bread i think the duke of burgundy will fast before he'll buy again at such a rate twas full of darnel do you like the taste burgundy scoff on vile fiend and shameless courtezan i trust ere long to choke thee with thine own and make thee curse the harvest of that corn charles your grace may starve perhaps before that time bedford o let no words but deeds revenge this treason joan la pucelle what will you do good greybeard break a lance and run a tilt at death within a chair talbot foul fiend of france and hag of all despite encompass'd with thy lustful paramours becomes it thee to taunt his valiant age and twit with cowardice a man half dead damsel i'll have a bout with you again or else let talbot perish with this shame joan la pucelle are ye so hot sir yet pucelle hold thy peace if talbot do but thunder rain will follow the english whisper together in council god speed the parliament who shall be the speaker talbot dare ye come forth and meet us in the field joan la pucelle belike your lordship takes us then for fools to try if that our own be ours or no talbot i speak not to that railing hecate but unto thee alencon and the rest will ye like soldiers come and fight it out alencon signior no talbot signior hang base muleters of france like peasant footboys do they keep the walls and dare not take up arms like gentlemen joan la pucelle away captains let's get us from the walls for talbot means no goodness by his looks god be wi you my lord we came but to tell you that we are here exeunt from the walls talbot and there will we be too ere it be long or else reproach be talbot's greatest fame vow burgundy by honour of thy house prick'd on by public wrongs sustain'd in france either to get the town again or die and i as sure as english henry lives and as his father here was conqueror as sure as in this latebetrayed town great coeurdelion's heart was buried so sure i swear to get the town or die burgundy my vows are equal partners with thy vows talbot but ere we go regard this dying prince the valiant duke of bedford come my lord we will bestow you in some better place fitter for sickness and for crazy age bedford lord talbot do not so dishonour me here will i sit before the walls of rouen and will be partner of your weal or woe burgundy courageous bedford let us now persuade you bedford not to be gone from hence for once i read that stout pendragon in his litter sick came to the field and vanquished his foes methinks i should revive the soldiers hearts because i ever found them as myself talbot undaunted spirit in a dying breast then be it so heavens keep old bedford safe and now no more ado brave burgundy but gather we our forces out of hand and set upon our boasting enemy exeunt all but bedford and attendants an alarum excursions enter fastolfe and a captain captain whither away sir john fastolfe in such haste fastolfe whither away to save myself by flight we are like to have the overthrow again captain what will you fly and leave lord talbot fastolfe ay all the talbots in the world to save my life exit captain cowardly knight ill fortune follow thee exit retreat excursions joan la pucelle alencon and charles fly bedford now quiet soul depart when heaven please for i have seen our enemies overthrow what is the trust or strength of foolish man they that of late were daring with their scoffs are glad and fain by flight to save themselves bedford dies and is carried in by two in his chair an alarum reenter talbot burgundy and the rest talbot lost and recover'd in a day again this is a double honour burgundy yet heavens have glory for this victory burgundy warlike and martial talbot burgundy enshrines thee in his heart and there erects thy noble deeds as valour's monuments talbot thanks gentle duke but where is pucelle now i think her old familiar is asleep now where's the bastard's braves and charles his gleeks what all amort rouen hangs her head for grief that such a valiant company are fled now will we take some order in the town placing therein some expert officers and then depart to paris to the king for there young henry with his nobles lie burgundy what wills lord talbot pleaseth burgundy talbot but yet before we go let's not forget the noble duke of bedford late deceased but see his exequies fulfill'd in rouen a braver soldier never couched lance a gentler heart did never sway in court but kings and mightiest potentates must die for that's the end of human misery exeunt 1 king henry vi act iii scene iii the plains near rouen enter charles the bastard of orleans alencon joan la pucelle and forces joan la pucelle dismay not princes at this accident nor grieve that rouen is so recovered care is no cure but rather corrosive for things that are not to be remedied let frantic talbot triumph for a while and like a peacock sweep along his tail we'll pull his plumes and take away his train if dauphin and the rest will be but ruled charles we have been guided by thee hitherto and of thy cunning had no diffidence one sudden foil shall never breed distrust bastard of orleans search out thy wit for secret policies and we will make thee famous through the world alencon we'll set thy statue in some holy place and have thee reverenced like a blessed saint employ thee then sweet virgin for our good joan la pucelle then thus it must be this doth joan devise by fair persuasions mix'd with sugar'd words we will entice the duke of burgundy to leave the talbot and to follow us charles ay marry sweeting if we could do that france were no place for henry's warriors nor should that nation boast it so with us but be extirped from our provinces alencon for ever should they be expulsed from france and not have title of an earldom here joan la pucelle your honours shall perceive how i will work to bring this matter to the wished end drum sounds afar off hark by the sound of drum you may perceive their powers are marching unto parisward here sound an english march enter and pass over at a distance talbot and his forces there goes the talbot with his colours spread and all the troops of english after him french march enter burgundy and forces now in the rearward comes the duke and his fortune in favour makes him lag behind summon a parley we will talk with him trumpets sound a parley charles a parley with the duke of burgundy burgundy who craves a parley with the burgundy joan la pucelle the princely charles of france thy countryman burgundy what say'st thou charles for i am marching hence charles speak pucelle and enchant him with thy words joan la pucelle brave burgundy undoubted hope of france stay let thy humble handmaid speak to thee burgundy speak on but be not overtedious joan la pucelle look on thy country look on fertile france and see the cities and the towns defaced by wasting ruin of the cruel foe as looks the mother on her lowly babe when death doth close his tender dying eyes see see the pining malady of france behold the wounds the most unnatural wounds which thou thyself hast given her woful breast o turn thy edged sword another way strike those that hurt and hurt not those that help one drop of blood drawn from thy country's bosom should grieve thee more than streams of foreign gore return thee therefore with a flood of tears and wash away thy country's stained spots burgundy either she hath bewitch'd me with her words or nature makes me suddenly relent joan la pucelle besides all french and france exclaims on thee doubting thy birth and lawful progeny who joint'st thou with but with a lordly nation that will not trust thee but for profit's sake when talbot hath set footing once in france and fashion'd thee that instrument of ill who then but english henry will be lord and thou be thrust out like a fugitive call we to mind and mark but this for proof was not the duke of orleans thy foe and was he not in england prisoner but when they heard he was thine enemy they set him free without his ransom paid in spite of burgundy and all his friends see then thou fight'st against thy countrymen and joint'st with them will be thy slaughtermen come come return return thou wandering lord charles and the rest will take thee in their arms burgundy i am vanquished these haughty words of hers have batter'd me like roaring cannonshot and made me almost yield upon my knees forgive me country and sweet countrymen and lords accept this hearty kind embrace my forces and my power of men are yours so farewell talbot i'll no longer trust thee joan la pucelle aside done like a frenchman turn and turn again charles welcome brave duke thy friendship makes us fresh bastard of orleans and doth beget new courage in our breasts alencon pucelle hath bravely play'd her part in this and doth deserve a coronet of gold charles now let us on my lords and join our powers and seek how we may prejudice the foe exeunt 1 king henry vi act iii scene iv paris the palace enter king henry vi gloucester bishop of winchester york suffolk somerset warwick exeter vernon basset and others to them with his soldiers talbot talbot my gracious prince and honourable peers hearing of your arrival in this realm i have awhile given truce unto my wars to do my duty to my sovereign in sign whereof this arm that hath reclaim'd to your obedience fifty fortresses twelve cities and seven walled towns of strength beside five hundred prisoners of esteem lets fall his sword before your highness feet and with submissive loyalty of heart ascribes the glory of his conquest got first to my god and next unto your grace kneels king henry vi is this the lord talbot uncle gloucester that hath so long been resident in france gloucester yes if it please your majesty my liege king henry vi welcome brave captain and victorious lord when i was young as yet i am not old i do remember how my father said a stouter champion never handled sword long since we were resolved of your truth your faithful service and your toil in war yet never have you tasted our reward or been reguerdon'd with so much as thanks because till now we never saw your face therefore stand up and for these good deserts we here create you earl of shrewsbury and in our coronation take your place sennet flourish exeunt all but vernon and basset vernon now sir to you that were so hot at sea disgracing of these colours that i wear in honour of my noble lord of york darest thou maintain the former words thou spakest basset yes sir as well as you dare patronage the envious barking of your saucy tongue against my lord the duke of somerset vernon sirrah thy lord i honour as he is basset why what is he as good a man as york vernon hark ye not so in witness take ye that strikes him basset villain thou know'st the law of arms is such that whoso draws a sword tis present death or else this blow should broach thy dearest blood but i'll unto his majesty and crave i may have liberty to venge this wrong when thou shalt see i'll meet thee to thy cost vernon well miscreant i'll be there as soon as you and after meet you sooner than you would exeunt 1 king henry vi act iv scene i paris a hall of state enter king henry vi gloucester bishop of winchester york suffolk somerset warwick talbot exeter the governor of paris and others gloucester lord bishop set the crown upon his head bishop of winchester god save king henry of that name the sixth gloucester now governor of paris take your oath that you elect no other king but him esteem none friends but such as are his friends and none your foes but such as shall pretend malicious practises against his state this shall ye do so help you righteous god enter fastolfe fastolfe my gracious sovereign as i rode from calais to haste unto your coronation a letter was deliver'd to my hands writ to your grace from the duke of burgundy talbot shame to the duke of burgundy and thee i vow'd base knight when i did meet thee next to tear the garter from thy craven's leg plucking it off which i have done because unworthily thou wast installed in that high degree pardon me princely henry and the rest this dastard at the battle of patay when but in all i was six thousand strong and that the french were almost ten to one before we met or that a stroke was given like to a trusty squire did run away in which assault we lost twelve hundred men myself and divers gentlemen beside were there surprised and taken prisoners then judge great lords if i have done amiss or whether that such cowards ought to wear this ornament of knighthood yea or no gloucester to say the truth this fact was infamous and ill beseeming any common man much more a knight a captain and a leader talbot when first this order was ordain'd my lords knights of the garter were of noble birth valiant and virtuous full of haughty courage such as were grown to credit by the wars not fearing death nor shrinking for distress but always resolute in most extremes he then that is not furnish'd in this sort doth but usurp the sacred name of knight profaning this most honourable order and should if i were worthy to be judge be quite degraded like a hedgeborn swain that doth presume to boast of gentle blood king henry vi stain to thy countrymen thou hear'st thy doom be packing therefore thou that wast a knight henceforth we banish thee on pain of death exit fastolfe and now my lord protector view the letter sent from our uncle duke of burgundy gloucester what means his grace that he hath changed his style no more but plain and bluntly to the king' hath he forgot he is his sovereign or doth this churlish superscription pretend some alteration in good will what's here reads i have upon especial cause moved with compassion of my country's wreck together with the pitiful complaints of such as your oppression feeds upon forsaken your pernicious faction and join'd with charles the rightful king of france' o monstrous treachery can this be so that in alliance amity and oaths there should be found such false dissembling guile king henry vi what doth my uncle burgundy revolt gloucester he doth my lord and is become your foe king henry vi is that the worst this letter doth contain gloucester it is the worst and all my lord he writes king henry vi why then lord talbot there shall talk with him and give him chastisement for this abuse how say you my lord are you not content talbot content my liege yes but that i am prevented i should have begg'd i might have been employ'd king henry vi then gather strength and march unto him straight let him perceive how ill we brook his treason and what offence it is to flout his friends talbot i go my lord in heart desiring still you may behold confusion of your foes exit enter vernon and basset vernon grant me the combat gracious sovereign basset and me my lord grant me the combat too york this is my servant hear him noble prince somerset and this is mine sweet henry favour him king henry vi be patient lords and give them leave to speak say gentlemen what makes you thus exclaim and wherefore crave you combat or with whom vernon with him my lord for he hath done me wrong basset and i with him for he hath done me wrong king henry vi what is that wrong whereof you both complain first let me know and then i'll answer you basset crossing the sea from england into france this fellow here with envious carping tongue upbraided me about the rose i wear saying the sanguine colour of the leaves did represent my master's blushing cheeks when stubbornly he did repugn the truth about a certain question in the law argued betwixt the duke of york and him with other vile and ignominious terms in confutation of which rude reproach and in defence of my lord's worthiness i crave the benefit of law of arms vernon and that is my petition noble lord for though he seem with forged quaint conceit to set a gloss upon his bold intent yet know my lord i was provoked by him and he first took exceptions at this badge pronouncing that the paleness of this flower bewray'd the faintness of my master's heart york will not this malice somerset be left somerset your private grudge my lord of york will out though ne'er so cunningly you smother it king henry vi good lord what madness rules in brainsick men when for so slight and frivolous a cause such factious emulations shall arise good cousins both of york and somerset quiet yourselves i pray and be at peace york let this dissension first be tried by fight and then your highness shall command a peace somerset the quarrel toucheth none but us alone betwixt ourselves let us decide it then york there is my pledge accept it somerset vernon nay let it rest where it began at first basset confirm it so mine honourable lord gloucester confirm it so confounded be your strife and perish ye with your audacious prate presumptuous vassals are you not ashamed with this immodest clamorous outrage to trouble and disturb the king and us and you my lords methinks you do not well to bear with their perverse objections much less to take occasion from their mouths to raise a mutiny betwixt yourselves let me persuade you take a better course exeter it grieves his highness good my lords be friends king henry vi come hither you that would be combatants henceforth i charge you as you love our favour quite to forget this quarrel and the cause and you my lords remember where we are in france amongst a fickle wavering nation if they perceive dissension in our looks and that within ourselves we disagree how will their grudging stomachs be provoked to wilful disobedience and rebel beside what infamy will there arise when foreign princes shall be certified that for a toy a thing of no regard king henry's peers and chief nobility destroy'd themselves and lost the realm of france o think upon the conquest of my father my tender years and let us not forego that for a trifle that was bought with blood let me be umpire in this doubtful strife i see no reason if i wear this rose putting on a red rose that any one should therefore be suspicious i more incline to somerset than york both are my kinsmen and i love them both as well they may upbraid me with my crown because forsooth the king of scots is crown'd but your discretions better can persuade than i am able to instruct or teach and therefore as we hither came in peace so let us still continue peace and love cousin of york we institute your grace to be our regent in these parts of france and good my lord of somerset unite your troops of horsemen with his bands of foot and like true subjects sons of your progenitors go cheerfully together and digest your angry choler on your enemies ourself my lord protector and the rest after some respite will return to calais from thence to england where i hope ere long to be presented by your victories with charles alencon and that traitorous rout flourish exeunt all but york warwick exeter and vernon warwick my lord of york i promise you the king prettily methought did play the orator york and so he did but yet i like it not in that he wears the badge of somerset warwick tush that was but his fancy blame him not i dare presume sweet prince he thought no harm york an if i wist he didbut let it rest other affairs must now be managed exeunt all but exeter exeter well didst thou richard to suppress thy voice for had the passions of thy heart burst out i fear we should have seen decipher'd there more rancorous spite more furious raging broils than yet can be imagined or supposed but howsoe'er no simple man that sees this jarring discord of nobility this shouldering of each other in the court this factious bandying of their favourites but that it doth presage some ill event tis much when sceptres are in children's hands but more when envy breeds unkind division there comes the rain there begins confusion exit 1 king henry vi act iv scene ii before bourdeaux enter talbot with trump and drum talbot go to the gates of bourdeaux trumpeter summon their general unto the wall trumpet sounds enter general and others aloft english john talbot captains calls you forth servant in arms to harry king of england and thus he would open your city gates be humble to us call my sovereign yours and do him homage as obedient subjects and i'll withdraw me and my bloody power but if you frown upon this proffer'd peace you tempt the fury of my three attendants lean famine quartering steel and climbing fire who in a moment even with the earth shall lay your stately and airbraving towers if you forsake the offer of their love general thou ominous and fearful owl of death our nation's terror and their bloody scourge the period of thy tyranny approacheth on us thou canst not enter but by death for i protest we are well fortified and strong enough to issue out and fight if thou retire the dauphin well appointed stands with the snares of war to tangle thee on either hand thee there are squadrons pitch'd to wall thee from the liberty of flight and no way canst thou turn thee for redress but death doth front thee with apparent spoil and pale destruction meets thee in the face ten thousand french have ta'en the sacrament to rive their dangerous artillery upon no christian soul but english talbot lo there thou stand'st a breathing valiant man of an invincible unconquer'd spirit this is the latest glory of thy praise that i thy enemy due thee withal for ere the glass that now begins to run finish the process of his sandy hour these eyes that see thee now well coloured shall see thee wither'd bloody pale and dead drum afar off hark hark the dauphin's drum a warning bell sings heavy music to thy timorous soul and mine shall ring thy dire departure out exeunt general &c talbot he fables not i hear the enemy out some light horsemen and peruse their wings o negligent and heedless discipline how are we park'd and bounded in a pale a little herd of england's timorous deer mazed with a yelping kennel of french curs if we be english deer be then in blood not rascallike to fall down with a pinch but rather moodymad and desperate stags turn on the bloody hounds with heads of steel and make the cowards stand aloof at bay sell every man his life as dear as mine and they shall find dear deer of us my friends god and saint george talbot and england's right prosper our colours in this dangerous fight exeunt 1 king henry vi act iv scene iii plains in gascony enter a messenger that meets york enter york with trumpet and many soldiers york are not the speedy scouts return'd again that dogg'd the mighty army of the dauphin messenger they are return'd my lord and give it out that he is march'd to bourdeaux with his power to fight with talbot as he march'd along by your espials were discovered two mightier troops than that the dauphin led which join'd with him and made their march for bourdeaux york a plague upon that villain somerset that thus delays my promised supply of horsemen that were levied for this siege renowned talbot doth expect my aid and i am lowted by a traitor villain and cannot help the noble chevalier god comfort him in this necessity if he miscarry farewell wars in france enter sir william lucy lucy thou princely leader of our english strength never so needful on the earth of france spur to the rescue of the noble talbot who now is girdled with a waist of iron and hemm'd about with grim destruction to bourdeaux warlike duke to bourdeaux york else farewell talbot france and england's honour york o god that somerset who in proud heart doth stop my cornets were in talbot's place so should we save a valiant gentleman by forfeiting a traitor and a coward mad ire and wrathful fury makes me weep that thus we die while remiss traitors sleep lucy o send some succor to the distress'd lord york he dies we lose i break my warlike word we mourn france smiles we lose they daily get all long of this vile traitor somerset lucy then god take mercy on brave talbot's soul and on his son young john who two hours since i met in travel toward his warlike father this seven years did not talbot see his son and now they meet where both their lives are done york alas what joy shall noble talbot have to bid his young son welcome to his grave away vexation almost stops my breath that sunder'd friends greet in the hour of death lucy farewell no more my fortune can but curse the cause i cannot aid the man maine blois poictiers and tours are won away long all of somerset and his delay exit with his soldiers lucy thus while the vulture of sedition feeds in the bosom of such great commanders sleeping neglection doth betray to loss the conquest of our scarce cold conqueror that ever living man of memory henry the fifth whiles they each other cross lives honours lands and all hurry to loss exit 1 king henry vi act iv scene iv other plains in gascony enter somerset with his army a captain of talbot's with him somerset it is too late i cannot send them now this expedition was by york and talbot too rashly plotted all our general force might with a sally of the very town be buckled with the overdaring talbot hath sullied all his gloss of former honour by this unheedful desperate wild adventure york set him on to fight and die in shame that talbot dead great york might bear the name captain here is sir william lucy who with me set from our o'ermatch'd forces forth for aid enter sir william lucy somerset how now sir william whither were you sent lucy whither my lord from bought and sold lord talbot who ring'd about with bold adversity cries out for noble york and somerset to beat assailing death from his weak legions and whiles the honourable captain there drops bloody sweat from his warwearied limbs and in advantage lingering looks for rescue you his false hopes the trust of england's honour keep off aloof with worthless emulation let not your private discord keep away the levied succors that should lend him aid while he renowned noble gentleman yields up his life unto a world of odds orleans the bastard charles burgundy alencon reignier compass him about and talbot perisheth by your default somerset york set him on york should have sent him aid lucy and york as fast upon your grace exclaims swearing that you withhold his levied host collected for this expedition somerset york lies he might have sent and had the horse i owe him little duty and less love and take foul scorn to fawn on him by sending lucy the fraud of england not the force of france hath now entrapp'd the nobleminded talbot never to england shall he bear his life but dies betray'd to fortune by your strife somerset come go i will dispatch the horsemen straight within six hours they will be at his aid lucy too late comes rescue he is ta'en or slain for fly he could not if he would have fled and fly would talbot never though he might somerset if he be dead brave talbot then adieu lucy his fame lives in the world his shame in you exeunt 1 king henry vi act iv scene v the english camp near bourdeaux enter talbot and john his son talbot o young john talbot i did send for thee to tutor thee in stratagems of war that talbot's name might be in thee revived when sapless age and weak unable limbs should bring thy father to his drooping chair but o malignant and illboding stars now thou art come unto a feast of death a terrible and unavoided danger therefore dear boy mount on my swiftest horse and i'll direct thee how thou shalt escape by sudden flight come dally not be gone john talbot is my name talbot and am i your son and shall i fly o if you love my mother dishonour not her honourable name to make a bastard and a slave of me the world will say he is not talbot's blood that basely fled when noble talbot stood talbot fly to revenge my death if i be slain john talbot he that flies so will ne'er return again talbot if we both stay we both are sure to die john talbot then let me stay and father do you fly your loss is great so your regard should be my worth unknown no loss is known in me upon my death the french can little boast in yours they will in you all hopes are lost flight cannot stain the honour you have won but mine it will that no exploit have done you fled for vantage everyone will swear but if i bow they'll say it was for fear there is no hope that ever i will stay if the first hour i shrink and run away here on my knee i beg mortality rather than life preserved with infamy talbot shall all thy mother's hopes lie in one tomb john talbot ay rather than i'll shame my mother's womb talbot upon my blessing i command thee go john talbot to fight i will but not to fly the foe talbot part of thy father may be saved in thee john talbot no part of him but will be shame in me talbot thou never hadst renown nor canst not lose it john talbot yes your renowned name shall flight abuse it talbot thy father's charge shall clear thee from that stain john talbot you cannot witness for me being slain if death be so apparent then both fly talbot and leave my followers here to fight and die my age was never tainted with such shame john talbot and shall my youth be guilty of such blame no more can i be sever'd from your side than can yourself yourself in twain divide stay go do what you will the like do i for live i will not if my father die talbot then here i take my leave of thee fair son born to eclipse thy life this afternoon come side by side together live and die and soul with soul from france to heaven fly exeunt 1 king henry vi act iv scene vi a field of battle alarum excursions wherein john talbot is hemmed about and talbot rescues him talbot saint george and victory fight soldiers fight the regent hath with talbot broke his word and left us to the rage of france his sword where is john talbot pause and take thy breath i gave thee life and rescued thee from death john talbot o twice my father twice am i thy son the life thou gavest me first was lost and done till with thy warlike sword despite of late to my determined time thou gavest new date talbot when from the dauphin's crest thy sword struck fire it warm'd thy father's heart with proud desire of boldfaced victory then leaden age quicken'd with youthful spleen and warlike rage beat down alencon orleans burgundy and from the pride of gallia rescued thee the ireful bastard orleans that drew blood from thee my boy and had the maidenhood of thy first fight i soon encountered and interchanging blows i quickly shed some of his bastard blood and in disgrace bespoke him thus contaminated base and misbegotten blood i spill of thine mean and right poor for that pure blood of mine which thou didst force from talbot my brave boy' here purposing the bastard to destroy came in strong rescue speak thy father's care art thou not weary john how dost thou fare wilt thou yet leave the battle boy and fly now thou art seal'd the son of chivalry fly to revenge my death when i am dead the help of one stands me in little stead o too much folly is it well i wot to hazard all our lives in one small boat if i today die not with frenchmen's rage tomorrow i shall die with mickle age by me they nothing gain an if i stay tis but the shortening of my life one day in thee thy mother dies our household's name my death's revenge thy youth and england's fame all these and more we hazard by thy stay all these are saved if thou wilt fly away john talbot the sword of orleans hath not made me smart these words of yours draw lifeblood from my heart on that advantage bought with such a shame to save a paltry life and slay bright fame before young talbot from old talbot fly the coward horse that bears me fail and die and like me to the peasant boys of france to be shame's scorn and subject of mischance surely by all the glory you have won an if i fly i am not talbot's son then talk no more of flight it is no boot if son to talbot die at talbot's foot talbot then follow thou thy desperate sire of crete thou icarus thy life to me is sweet if thou wilt fight fight by thy father's side and commendable proved let's die in pride exeunt 1 king henry vi act iv scene vii another part of the field alarum excursions enter talbot led by a servant talbot where is my other life mine own is gone o where's young talbot where is valiant john triumphant death smear'd with captivity young talbot's valour makes me smile at thee when he perceived me shrink and on my knee his bloody sword he brandish'd over me and like a hungry lion did commence rough deeds of rage and stern impatience but when my angry guardant stood alone tendering my ruin and assail'd of none dizzyeyed fury and great rage of heart suddenly made him from my side to start into the clustering battle of the french and in that sea of blood my boy did drench his overmounting spirit and there died my icarus my blossom in his pride servant o my dear lord lo where your son is borne enter soldiers with the body of john talbot talbot thou antic death which laugh'st us here to scorn anon from thy insulting tyranny coupled in bonds of perpetuity two talbots winged through the lither sky in thy despite shall scape mortality o thou whose wounds become hardfavour'd death speak to thy father ere thou yield thy breath brave death by speaking whether he will or no imagine him a frenchman and thy foe poor boy he smiles methinks as who should say had death been french then death had died today come come and lay him in his father's arms my spirit can no longer bear these harms soldiers adieu i have what i would have now my old arms are young john talbot's grave dies enter charles alencon burgundy bastard of orleans joan la pucelle and forces charles had york and somerset brought rescue in we should have found a bloody day of this bastard of orleans how the young whelp of talbot's ragingwood did flesh his puny sword in frenchmen's blood joan la pucelle once i encounter'd him and thus i said thou maiden youth be vanquish'd by a maid' but with a proud majestical high scorn he answer'd thus young talbot was not born to be the pillage of a giglot wench' so rushing in the bowels of the french he left me proudly as unworthy fight burgundy doubtless he would have made a noble knight see where he lies inhearsed in the arms of the most bloody nurser of his harms bastard of orleans hew them to pieces hack their bones asunder whose life was england's glory gallia's wonder charles o no forbear for that which we have fled during the life let us not wrong it dead enter sir william lucy attended herald of the french preceding lucy herald conduct me to the dauphin's tent to know who hath obtained the glory of the day charles on what submissive message art thou sent lucy submission dauphin tis a mere french word we english warriors wot not what it means i come to know what prisoners thou hast ta'en and to survey the bodies of the dead charles for prisoners ask'st thou hell our prison is but tell me whom thou seek'st lucy but where's the great alcides of the field valiant lord talbot earl of shrewsbury created for his rare success in arms great earl of washford waterford and valence lord talbot of goodrig and urchinfield lord strange of blackmere lord verdun of alton lord cromwell of wingfield lord furnival of sheffield the thricevictorious lord of falconbridge knight of the noble order of saint george worthy saint michael and the golden fleece great marshal to henry the sixth of all his wars within the realm of france joan la pucelle here is a silly stately style indeed the turk that two and fifty kingdoms hath writes not so tedious a style as this him that thou magnifiest with all these titles stinking and flyblown lies here at our feet lucy is talbot slain the frenchmen's only scourge your kingdom's terror and black nemesis o were mine eyeballs into bullets turn'd that i in rage might shoot them at your faces o that i could but call these dead to life it were enough to fright the realm of france were but his picture left amongst you here it would amaze the proudest of you all give me their bodies that i may bear them hence and give them burial as beseems their worth joan la pucelle i think this upstart is old talbot's ghost he speaks with such a proud commanding spirit for god's sake let him have em to keep them here they would but stink and putrefy the air charles go take their bodies hence lucy i'll bear them hence but from their ashes shall be rear'd a phoenix that shall make all france afeard charles so we be rid of them do with em what thou wilt and now to paris in this conquering vein all will be ours now bloody talbot's slain exeunt 1 king henry vi act v scene i london the palace sennet enter king henry vi gloucester and exeter king henry vi have you perused the letters from the pope the emperor and the earl of armagnac gloucester i have my lord and their intent is this they humbly sue unto your excellence to have a godly peace concluded of between the realms of england and of france king henry vi how doth your grace affect their motion gloucester well my good lord and as the only means to stop effusion of our christian blood and stablish quietness on every side king henry vi ay marry uncle for i always thought it was both impious and unnatural that such immanity and bloody strife should reign among professors of one faith gloucester beside my lord the sooner to effect and surer bind this knot of amity the earl of armagnac near knit to charles a man of great authority in france proffers his only daughter to your grace in marriage with a large and sumptuous dowry king henry vi marriage uncle alas my years are young and fitter is my study and my books than wanton dalliance with a paramour yet call the ambassador and as you please so let them have their answers every one i shall be well content with any choice tends to god's glory and my country's weal enter cardinal of winchester in cardinal's habit a legate and two ambassadors exeter what is my lord of winchester install'd and call'd unto a cardinal's degree then i perceive that will be verified henry the fifth did sometime prophesy if once he come to be a cardinal he'll make his cap coequal with the crown' king henry vi my lords ambassadors your several suits have been consider'd and debated on and therefore are we certainly resolved to draw conditions of a friendly peace which by my lord of winchester we mean shall be transported presently to france gloucester and for the proffer of my lord your master i have inform'd his highness so at large as liking of the lady's virtuous gifts her beauty and the value of her dower he doth intend she shall be england's queen king henry vi in argument and proof of which contract bear her this jewel pledge of my affection and so my lord protector see them guarded and safely brought to dover where inshipp'd commit them to the fortune of the sea exeunt all but cardinal of winchester and legate cardinal of winchester stay my lord legate you shall first receive the sum of money which i promised should be deliver'd to his holiness for clothing me in these grave ornaments legate i will attend upon your lordship's leisure cardinal of winchester aside now winchester will not submit i trow or be inferior to the proudest peer humphrey of gloucester thou shalt well perceive that neither in birth or for authority the bishop will be overborne by thee i'll either make thee stoop and bend thy knee or sack this country with a mutiny exeunt 1 king henry vi act v scene ii france plains in anjou enter charles burgundy alencon bastard of orleans reignier joan la pucelle and forces charles these news my lord may cheer our drooping spirits tis said the stout parisians do revolt and turn again unto the warlike french alencon then march to paris royal charles of france and keep not back your powers in dalliance joan la pucelle peace be amongst them if they turn to us else ruin combat with their palaces enter scout scout success unto our valiant general and happiness to his accomplices charles what tidings send our scouts i prithee speak scout the english army that divided was into two parties is now conjoined in one and means to give you battle presently charles somewhat too sudden sirs the warning is but we will presently provide for them burgundy i trust the ghost of talbot is not there now he is gone my lord you need not fear joan la pucelle of all base passions fear is most accursed command the conquest charles it shall be thine let henry fret and all the world repine charles then on my lords and france be fortunate exeunt 1 king henry vi act v scene iii before angiers alarum excursions enter joan la pucelle joan la pucelle the regent conquers and the frenchmen fly now help ye charming spells and periapts and ye choice spirits that admonish me and give me signs of future accidents thunder you speedy helpers that are substitutes under the lordly monarch of the north appear and aid me in this enterprise enter fiends this speedy and quick appearance argues proof of your accustom'd diligence to me now ye familiar spirits that are cull'd out of the powerful regions under earth help me this once that france may get the field they walk and speak not o hold me not with silence overlong where i was wont to feed you with my blood i'll lop a member off and give it you in earnest of further benefit so you do condescend to help me now they hang their heads no hope to have redress my body shall pay recompense if you will grant my suit they shake their heads cannot my body nor bloodsacrifice entreat you to your wonted furtherance then take my soul my body soul and all before that england give the french the foil they depart see they forsake me now the time is come that france must vail her loftyplumed crest and let her head fall into england's lap my ancient incantations are too weak and hell too strong for me to buckle with now france thy glory droopeth to the dust exit excursions reenter joan la pucelle fighting hand to hand with york joan la pucelle is taken the french fly york damsel of france i think i have you fast unchain your spirits now with spelling charms and try if they can gain your liberty a goodly prize fit for the devil's grace see how the ugly wench doth bend her brows as if with circe she would change my shape joan la pucelle changed to a worser shape thou canst not be york o charles the dauphin is a proper man no shape but his can please your dainty eye joan la pucelle a plaguing mischief light on charles and thee and may ye both be suddenly surprised by bloody hands in sleeping on your beds york fell banning hag enchantress hold thy tongue joan la pucelle i prithee give me leave to curse awhile york curse miscreant when thou comest to the stake exeunt alarum enter suffolk with margaret in his hand suffolk be what thou wilt thou art my prisoner gazes on her o fairest beauty do not fear nor fly for i will touch thee but with reverent hands i kiss these fingers for eternal peace and lay them gently on thy tender side who art thou say that i may honour thee margaret margaret my name and daughter to a king the king of naples whosoe'er thou art suffolk an earl i am and suffolk am i call'd be not offended nature's miracle thou art allotted to be ta'en by me so doth the swan her downy cygnets save keeping them prisoner underneath her wings yet if this servile usage once offend go and be free again as suffolk's friend she is going o stay i have no power to let her pass my hand would free her but my heart says no as plays the sun upon the glassy streams twinkling another counterfeited beam so seems this gorgeous beauty to mine eyes fain would i woo her yet i dare not speak i'll call for pen and ink and write my mind fie de la pole disable not thyself hast not a tongue is she not here wilt thou be daunted at a woman's sight ay beauty's princely majesty is such confounds the tongue and makes the senses rough margaret say earl of suffolkif thy name be so what ransom must i pay before i pass for i perceive i am thy prisoner suffolk how canst thou tell she will deny thy suit before thou make a trial of her love margaret why speak'st thou not what ransom must i pay suffolk she's beautiful and therefore to be woo'd she is a woman therefore to be won margaret wilt thou accept of ransom yea or no suffolk fond man remember that thou hast a wife then how can margaret be thy paramour margaret i were best to leave him for he will not hear suffolk there all is marr'd there lies a cooling card margaret he talks at random sure the man is mad suffolk and yet a dispensation may be had margaret and yet i would that you would answer me suffolk i'll win this lady margaret for whom why for my king tush that's a wooden thing margaret he talks of wood it is some carpenter suffolk yet so my fancy may be satisfied and peace established between these realms but there remains a scruple in that too for though her father be the king of naples duke of anjou and maine yet is he poor and our nobility will scorn the match margaret hear ye captain are you not at leisure suffolk it shall be so disdain they ne'er so much henry is youthful and will quickly yield madam i have a secret to reveal margaret what though i be enthrall'd he seems a knight and will not any way dishonour me suffolk lady vouchsafe to listen what i say margaret perhaps i shall be rescued by the french and then i need not crave his courtesy suffolk sweet madam give me a hearing in a cause margaret tush women have been captivate ere now suffolk lady wherefore talk you so margaret i cry you mercy tis but quid for quo suffolk say gentle princess would you not suppose your bondage happy to be made a queen margaret to be a queen in bondage is more vile than is a slave in base servility for princes should be free suffolk and so shall you if happy england's royal king be free margaret why what concerns his freedom unto me suffolk i'll undertake to make thee henry's queen to put a golden sceptre in thy hand and set a precious crown upon thy head if thou wilt condescend to be my margaret what suffolk his love margaret i am unworthy to be henry's wife suffolk no gentle madam i unworthy am to woo so fair a dame to be his wife and have no portion in the choice myself how say you madam are ye so content margaret an if my father please i am content suffolk then call our captains and our colours forth and madam at your father's castle walls we'll crave a parley to confer with him a parley sounded enter reignier on the walls see reignier see thy daughter prisoner reignier to whom suffolk to me reignier suffolk what remedy i am a soldier and unapt to weep or to exclaim on fortune's fickleness suffolk yes there is remedy enough my lord consent and for thy honour give consent thy daughter shall be wedded to my king whom i with pain have woo'd and won thereto and this her easyheld imprisonment hath gained thy daughter princely liberty reignier speaks suffolk as he thinks suffolk fair margaret knows that suffolk doth not flatter face or feign reignier upon thy princely warrant i descend to give thee answer of thy just demand exit from the walls suffolk and here i will expect thy coming trumpets sound enter reignier below reignier welcome brave earl into our territories command in anjou what your honour pleases suffolk thanks reignier happy for so sweet a child fit to be made companion with a king what answer makes your grace unto my suit reignier since thou dost deign to woo her little worth to be the princely bride of such a lord upon condition i may quietly enjoy mine own the country maine and anjou free from oppression or the stroke of war my daughter shall be henry's if he please suffolk that is her ransom i deliver her and those two counties i will undertake your grace shall well and quietly enjoy reignier and i again in henry's royal name as deputy unto that gracious king give thee her hand for sign of plighted faith suffolk reignier of france i give thee kingly thanks because this is in traffic of a king aside and yet methinks i could be well content to be mine own attorney in this case i'll over then to england with this news and make this marriage to be solemnized so farewell reignier set this diamond safe in golden palaces as it becomes reignier i do embrace thee as i would embrace the christian prince king henry were he here margaret farewell my lord good wishes praise and prayers shall suffolk ever have of margaret going suffolk farewell sweet madam but hark you margaret no princely commendations to my king margaret such commendations as becomes a maid a virgin and his servant say to him suffolk words sweetly placed and modestly directed but madam i must trouble you again no loving token to his majesty margaret yes my good lord a pure unspotted heart never yet taint with love i send the king suffolk and this withal kisses her margaret that for thyself i will not so presume to send such peevish tokens to a king exeunt reignier and margaret suffolk o wert thou for myself but suffolk stay thou mayst not wander in that labyrinth there minotaurs and ugly treasons lurk solicit henry with her wondrous praise bethink thee on her virtues that surmount and natural graces that extinguish art repeat their semblance often on the seas that when thou comest to kneel at henry's feet thou mayst bereave him of his wits with wonder exit 1 king henry vi act v scene iv camp of the york in anjou enter york warwick and others york bring forth that sorceress condemn'd to burn enter joan la pucelle guarded and a shepherd shepherd ah joan this kills thy father's heart outright have i sought every country far and near and now it is my chance to find thee out must i behold thy timeless cruel death ah joan sweet daughter joan i'll die with thee joan la pucelle decrepit miser base ignoble wretch i am descended of a gentler blood thou art no father nor no friend of mine shepherd out out my lords an please you tis not so i did beget her all the parish knows her mother liveth yet can testify she was the first fruit of my bachelorship warwick graceless wilt thou deny thy parentage york this argues what her kind of life hath been wicked and vile and so her death concludes shepherd fie joan that thou wilt be so obstacle god knows thou art a collop of my flesh and for thy sake have i shed many a tear deny me not i prithee gentle joan joan la pucelle peasant avaunt you have suborn'd this man of purpose to obscure my noble birth shepherd tis true i gave a noble to the priest the morn that i was wedded to her mother kneel down and take my blessing good my girl wilt thou not stoop now cursed be the time of thy nativity i would the milk thy mother gave thee when thou suck'dst her breast had been a little ratsbane for thy sake or else when thou didst keep my lambs afield i wish some ravenous wolf had eaten thee dost thou deny thy father cursed drab o burn her burn her hanging is too good exit york take her away for she hath lived too long to fill the world with vicious qualities joan la pucelle first let me tell you whom you have condemn'd not me begotten of a shepherd swain but issued from the progeny of kings virtuous and holy chosen from above by inspiration of celestial grace to work exceeding miracles on earth i never had to do with wicked spirits but you that are polluted with your lusts stain'd with the guiltless blood of innocents corrupt and tainted with a thousand vices because you want the grace that others have you judge it straight a thing impossible to compass wonders but by help of devils no misconceived joan of arc hath been a virgin from her tender infancy chaste and immaculate in very thought whose maiden blood thus rigorously effused will cry for vengeance at the gates of heaven york ay ay away with her to execution warwick and hark ye sirs because she is a maid spare for no faggots let there be enow place barrels of pitch upon the fatal stake that so her torture may be shortened joan la pucelle will nothing turn your unrelenting hearts then joan discover thine infirmity that warranteth by law to be thy privilege i am with child ye bloody homicides murder not then the fruit within my womb although ye hale me to a violent death york now heaven forfend the holy maid with child warwick the greatest miracle that e'er ye wrought is all your strict preciseness come to this york she and the dauphin have been juggling i did imagine what would be her refuge warwick well go to we'll have no bastards live especially since charles must father it joan la pucelle you are deceived my child is none of his it was alencon that enjoy'd my love york alencon that notorious machiavel it dies an if it had a thousand lives joan la pucelle o give me leave i have deluded you twas neither charles nor yet the duke i named but reignier king of naples that prevail'd warwick a married man that's most intolerable york why here's a girl i think she knows not well there were so many whom she may accuse warwick it's sign she hath been liberal and free york and yet forsooth she is a virgin pure strumpet thy words condemn thy brat and thee use no entreaty for it is in vain joan la pucelle then lead me hence with whom i leave my curse may never glorious sun reflex his beams upon the country where you make abode but darkness and the gloomy shade of death environ you till mischief and despair drive you to break your necks or hang yourselves exit guarded york break thou in pieces and consume to ashes thou foul accursed minister of hell enter cardinal of winchester attended cardinal of winchester lord regent i do greet your excellence with letters of commission from the king for know my lords the states of christendom moved with remorse of these outrageous broils have earnestly implored a general peace betwixt our nation and the aspiring french and here at hand the dauphin and his train approacheth to confer about some matter york is all our travail turn'd to this effect after the slaughter of so many peers so many captains gentlemen and soldiers that in this quarrel have been overthrown and sold their bodies for their country's benefit shall we at last conclude effeminate peace have we not lost most part of all the towns by treason falsehood and by treachery our great progenitors had conquered o warwick warwick i foresee with grief the utter loss of all the realm of france warwick be patient york if we conclude a peace it shall be with such strict and severe covenants as little shall the frenchmen gain thereby enter charles alencon bastard of orleans reignier and others charles since lords of england it is thus agreed that peaceful truce shall be proclaim'd in france we come to be informed by yourselves what the conditions of that league must be york speak winchester for boiling choler chokes the hollow passage of my poison'd voice by sight of these our baleful enemies cardinal of winchester charles and the rest it is enacted thus that in regard king henry gives consent of mere compassion and of lenity to ease your country of distressful war and suffer you to breathe in fruitful peace you shall become true liegemen to his crown and charles upon condition thou wilt swear to pay him tribute submit thyself thou shalt be placed as viceroy under him and still enjoy thy regal dignity alencon must he be then as shadow of himself adorn his temples with a coronet and yet in substance and authority retain but privilege of a private man this proffer is absurd and reasonless charles tis known already that i am possess'd with more than half the gallian territories and therein reverenced for their lawful king shall i for lucre of the rest unvanquish'd detract so much from that prerogative as to be call'd but viceroy of the whole no lord ambassador i'll rather keep that which i have than coveting for more be cast from possibility of all york insulting charles hast thou by secret means used intercession to obtain a league and now the matter grows to compromise stand'st thou aloof upon comparison either accept the title thou usurp'st of benefit proceeding from our king and not of any challenge of desert or we will plague thee with incessant wars reignier my lord you do not well in obstinacy to cavil in the course of this contract if once it be neglected ten to one we shall not find like opportunity alencon to say the truth it is your policy to save your subjects from such massacre and ruthless slaughters as are daily seen by our proceeding in hostility and therefore take this compact of a truce although you break it when your pleasure serves warwick how say'st thou charles shall our condition stand charles it shall only reserved you claim no interest in any of our towns of garrison york then swear allegiance to his majesty as thou art knight never to disobey nor be rebellious to the crown of england thou nor thy nobles to the crown of england so now dismiss your army when ye please hang up your ensign let your drums be still for here we entertain a solemn peace exeunt 1 king henry vi act v scene v london the palace enter suffolk in conference with king henry vi gloucester and exeter king henry vi your wondrous rare description noble earl of beauteous margaret hath astonish'd me her virtues graced with external gifts do breed love's settled passions in my heart and like as rigor of tempestuous gusts provokes the mightiest hulk against the tide so am i driven by breath of her renown either to suffer shipwreck or arrive where i may have fruition of her love suffolk tush my good lord this superficial tale is but a preface of her worthy praise the chief perfections of that lovely dame had i sufficient skill to utter them would make a volume of enticing lines able to ravish any dull conceit and which is more she is not so divine so fullreplete with choice of all delights but with as humble lowliness of mind she is content to be at your command command i mean of virtuous chaste intents to love and honour henry as her lord king henry vi and otherwise will henry ne'er presume therefore my lord protector give consent that margaret may be england's royal queen gloucester so should i give consent to flatter sin you know my lord your highness is betroth'd unto another lady of esteem how shall we then dispense with that contract and not deface your honour with reproach suffolk as doth a ruler with unlawful oaths or one that at a triumph having vow'd to try his strength forsaketh yet the lists by reason of his adversary's odds a poor earl's daughter is unequal odds and therefore may be broke without offence gloucester why what i pray is margaret more than that her father is no better than an earl although in glorious titles he excel suffolk yes lord her father is a king the king of naples and jerusalem and of such great authority in france as his alliance will confirm our peace and keep the frenchmen in allegiance gloucester and so the earl of armagnac may do because he is near kinsman unto charles exeter beside his wealth doth warrant a liberal dower where reignier sooner will receive than give suffolk a dower my lords disgrace not so your king that he should be so abject base and poor to choose for wealth and not for perfect love henry is able to enrich his queen and not seek a queen to make him rich so worthless peasants bargain for their wives as marketmen for oxen sheep or horse marriage is a matter of more worth than to be dealt in by attorneyship not whom we will but whom his grace affects must be companion of his nuptial bed and therefore lords since he affects her most it most of all these reasons bindeth us in our opinions she should be preferr'd for what is wedlock forced but a hell an age of discord and continual strife whereas the contrary bringeth bliss and is a pattern of celestial peace whom should we match with henry being a king but margaret that is daughter to a king her peerless feature joined with her birth approves her fit for none but for a king her valiant courage and undaunted spirit more than in women commonly is seen will answer our hope in issue of a king for henry son unto a conqueror is likely to beget more conquerors if with a lady of so high resolve as is fair margaret he be link'd in love then yield my lords and here conclude with me that margaret shall be queen and none but she king henry vi whether it be through force of your report my noble lord of suffolk or for that my tender youth was never yet attaint with any passion of inflaming love i cannot tell but this i am assured i feel such sharp dissension in my breast such fierce alarums both of hope and fear as i am sick with working of my thoughts take therefore shipping post my lord to france agree to any covenants and procure that lady margaret do vouchsafe to come to cross the seas to england and be crown'd king henry's faithful and anointed queen for your expenses and sufficient charge among the people gather up a tenth be gone i say for till you do return i rest perplexed with a thousand cares and you good uncle banish all offence if you do censure me by what you were not what you are i know it will excuse this sudden execution of my will and so conduct me where from company i may revolve and ruminate my grief exit gloucester ay grief i fear me both at first and last exeunt gloucester and exeter suffolk thus suffolk hath prevail'd and thus he goes as did the youthful paris once to greece with hope to find the like event in love but prosper better than the trojan did margaret shall now be queen and rule the king but i will rule both her the king and realm exit 2 king henry iv dramatis personae rumour the presenter king henry the fourth king henry iv prince henry of wales prince henry afterwards king henry v thomas duke of sons of king henry clarence clarence prince humphrey of gloucester gloucester earl of warwick warwick earl of westmoreland westmoreland earl of surrey gower harcourt blunt lord chiefjustice of the king's bench lord chiefjustice a servant of the chiefjustice earl of northumberland northumberland scroop archbishop of york archbishop of york lord mowbray mowbray lord hastings hastings lord bardolph sir john colevile colevile travers retainers of northumberland morton sir john falstaff falstaff his page page bardolph pistol poins peto shallow country justices silence davy servant to shallow mouldy shadow wart recruits feeble bullcalf fang sheriff's officers snare lady northumberland lady percy mistress quickly hostess of a tavern in eastcheap doll tearsheet lords and attendants porter drawers beadles grooms &c first messenger porter first drawer second drawer first beadle first groom second groom a dancer speaker of the epilogue scene england 2 king henry iv induction warkworth before the castle enter rumour painted full of tongues rumour open your ears for which of you will stop the vent of hearing when loud rumour speaks i from the orient to the drooping west making the wind my posthorse still unfold the acts commenced on this ball of earth upon my tongues continual slanders ride the which in every language i pronounce stuffing the ears of men with false reports i speak of peace while covert enmity under the smile of safety wounds the world and who but rumour who but only i make fearful musters and prepared defence whiles the big year swoln with some other grief is thought with child by the stern tyrant war and no such matter rumour is a pipe blown by surmises jealousies conjectures and of so easy and so plain a stop that the blunt monster with uncounted heads the stilldiscordant wavering multitude can play upon it but what need i thus my wellknown body to anatomize among my household why is rumour here i run before king harry's victory who in a bloody field by shrewsbury hath beaten down young hotspur and his troops quenching the flame of bold rebellion even with the rebel's blood but what mean i to speak so true at first my office is to noise abroad that harry monmouth fell under the wrath of noble hotspur's sword and that the king before the douglas rage stoop'd his anointed head as low as death this have i rumour'd through the peasant towns between that royal field of shrewsbury and this wormeaten hold of ragged stone where hotspur's father old northumberland lies craftysick the posts come tiring on and not a man of them brings other news than they have learn'd of me from rumour's tongues they bring smooth comforts false worse than true wrongs exit 2 king henry iv act i scene i the same enter lord bardolph lord bardolph who keeps the gate here ho the porter opens the gate where is the earl porter what shall i say you are lord bardolph tell thou the earl that the lord bardolph doth attend him here porter his lordship is walk'd forth into the orchard please it your honour knock but at the gate and he himself wilt answer enter northumberland lord bardolph here comes the earl exit porter northumberland what news lord bardolph every minute now should be the father of some stratagem the times are wild contention like a horse full of high feeding madly hath broke loose and bears down all before him lord bardolph noble earl i bring you certain news from shrewsbury northumberland good an god will lord bardolph as good as heart can wish the king is almost wounded to the death and in the fortune of my lord your son prince harry slain outright and both the blunts kill'd by the hand of douglas young prince john and westmoreland and stafford fled the field and harry monmouth's brawn the hulk sir john is prisoner to your son o such a day so fought so follow'd and so fairly won came not till now to dignify the times since caesar's fortunes northumberland how is this derived saw you the field came you from shrewsbury lord bardolph i spake with one my lord that came from thence a gentleman well bred and of good name that freely render'd me these news for true northumberland here comes my servant travers whom i sent on tuesday last to listen after news enter travers lord bardolph my lord i overrode him on the way and he is furnish'd with no certainties more than he haply may retail from me northumberland now travers what good tidings comes with you travers my lord sir john umfrevile turn'd me back with joyful tidings and being better horsed outrode me after him came spurring hard a gentleman almost forspent with speed that stopp'd by me to breathe his bloodied horse he ask'd the way to chester and of him i did demand what news from shrewsbury he told me that rebellion had bad luck and that young harry percy's spur was cold with that he gave his able horse the head and bending forward struck his armed heels against the panting sides of his poor jade up to the rowelhead and starting so he seem'd in running to devour the way staying no longer question northumberland ha again said he young harry percy's spur was cold of hotspur coldspur that rebellion had met ill luck lord bardolph my lord i'll tell you what if my young lord your son have not the day upon mine honour for a silken point i'll give my barony never talk of it northumberland why should that gentleman that rode by travers give then such instances of loss lord bardolph who he he was some hilding fellow that had stolen the horse he rode on and upon my life spoke at a venture look here comes more news enter morton northumberland yea this man's brow like to a titleleaf foretells the nature of a tragic volume so looks the strand whereon the imperious flood hath left a witness'd usurpation say morton didst thou come from shrewsbury morton i ran from shrewsbury my noble lord where hateful death put on his ugliest mask to fright our party northumberland how doth my son and brother thou tremblest and the whiteness in thy cheek is apter than thy tongue to tell thy errand even such a man so faint so spiritless so dull so dead in look so woebegone drew priam's curtain in the dead of night and would have told him half his troy was burnt but priam found the fire ere he his tongue and i my percy's death ere thou report'st it this thou wouldst say your son did thus and thus your brother thus so fought the noble douglas' stopping my greedy ear with their bold deeds but in the end to stop my ear indeed thou hast a sigh to blow away this praise ending with brother son and all are dead' morton douglas is living and your brother yet but for my lord your son northumberland why he is dead see what a ready tongue suspicion hath he that but fears the thing he would not know hath by instinct knowledge from others eyes that what he fear'd is chanced yet speak morton tell thou an earl his divination lies and i will take it as a sweet disgrace and make thee rich for doing me such wrong morton you are too great to be by me gainsaid your spirit is too true your fears too certain northumberland yet for all this say not that percy's dead i see a strange confession in thine eye thou shakest thy head and hold'st it fear or sin to speak a truth if he be slain say so the tongue offends not that reports his death and he doth sin that doth belie the dead not he which says the dead is not alive yet the first bringer of unwelcome news hath but a losing office and his tongue sounds ever after as a sullen bell remember'd tolling a departing friend lord bardolph i cannot think my lord your son is dead morton i am sorry i should force you to believe that which i would to god i had not seen but these mine eyes saw him in bloody state rendering faint quittance wearied and outbreathed to harry monmouth whose swift wrath beat down the neverdaunted percy to the earth from whence with life he never more sprung up in few his death whose spirit lent a fire even to the dullest peasant in his camp being bruited once took fire and heat away from the best temper'd courage in his troops for from his metal was his party steel'd which once in him abated all the rest turn'd on themselves like dull and heavy lead and as the thing that's heavy in itself upon enforcement flies with greatest speed so did our men heavy in hotspur's loss lend to this weight such lightness with their fear that arrows fled not swifter toward their aim than did our soldiers aiming at their safety fly from the field then was the noble worcester too soon ta'en prisoner and that furious scot the bloody douglas whose welllabouring sword had three times slain the appearance of the king gan vail his stomach and did grace the shame of those that turn'd their backs and in his flight stumbling in fear was took the sum of all is that the king hath won and hath sent out a speedy power to encounter you my lord under the conduct of young lancaster and westmoreland this is the news at full northumberland for this i shall have time enough to mourn in poison there is physic and these news having been well that would have made me sick being sick have in some measure made me well and as the wretch whose feverweaken'd joints like strengthless hinges buckle under life impatient of his fit breaks like a fire out of his keeper's arms even so my limbs weaken'd with grief being now enraged with grief are thrice themselves hence therefore thou nice crutch a scaly gauntlet now with joints of steel must glove this hand and hence thou sickly quoif thou art a guard too wanton for the head which princes flesh'd with conquest aim to hit now bind my brows with iron and approach the ragged'st hour that time and spite dare bring to frown upon the enraged northumberland let heaven kiss earth now let not nature's hand keep the wild flood confined let order die and let this world no longer be a stage to feed contention in a lingering act but let one spirit of the firstborn cain reign in all bosoms that each heart being set on bloody courses the rude scene may end and darkness be the burier of the dead travers this strained passion doth you wrong my lord lord bardolph sweet earl divorce not wisdom from your honour morton the lives of all your loving complices lean on your health the which if you give o'er to stormy passion must perforce decay you cast the event of war my noble lord and summ'd the account of chance before you said let us make head it was your presurmise that in the dole of blows your son might drop you knew he walk'd o'er perils on an edge more likely to fall in than to get o'er you were advised his flesh was capable of wounds and scars and that his forward spirit would lift him where most trade of danger ranged yet did you say go forth and none of this though strongly apprehended could restrain the stiffborne action what hath then befallen or what hath this bold enterprise brought forth more than that being which was like to be lord bardolph we all that are engaged to this loss knew that we ventured on such dangerous seas that if we wrought our life twas ten to one and yet we ventured for the gain proposed choked the respect of likely peril fear'd and since we are o'erset venture again come we will all put forth body and goods morton tis more than time and my most noble lord i hear for certain and do speak the truth the gentle archbishop of york is up with wellappointed powers he is a man who with a double surety binds his followers my lord your son had only but the corpse but shadows and the shows of men to fight for that same word rebellion did divide the action of their bodies from their souls and they did fight with queasiness constrain'd as men drink potions that their weapons only seem'd on our side but for their spirits and souls this word rebellion it had froze them up as fish are in a pond but now the bishop turns insurrection to religion supposed sincere and holy in his thoughts he's followed both with body and with mind and doth enlarge his rising with the blood of fair king richard scraped from pomfret stones derives from heaven his quarrel and his cause tells them he doth bestride a bleeding land gasping for life under great bolingbroke and more and less do flock to follow him northumberland i knew of this before but to speak truth this present grief had wiped it from my mind go in with me and counsel every man the aptest way for safety and revenge get posts and letters and make friends with speed never so few and never yet more need exeunt 2 king henry iv act i scene ii london a street enter falstaff with his page bearing his sword and buckler falstaff sirrah you giant what says the doctor to my water page he said sir the water itself was a good healthy water but for the party that owed it he might have more diseases than he knew for falstaff men of all sorts take a pride to gird at me the brain of this foolishcompounded clay man is not able to invent anything that tends to laughter more than i invent or is invented on me i am not only witty in myself but the cause that wit is in other men i do here walk before thee like a sow that hath overwhelmed all her litter but one if the prince put thee into my service for any other reason than to set me off why then i have no judgment thou whoreson mandrake thou art fitter to be worn in my cap than to wait at my heels i was never manned with an agate till now but i will inset you neither in gold nor silver but in vile apparel and send you back again to your master for a jewel the juvenal the prince your master whose chin is not yet fledged i will sooner have a beard grow in the palm of my hand than he shall get one on his cheek and yet he will not stick to say his face is a faceroyal god may finish it when he will tis not a hair amiss yet he may keep it still at a faceroyal for a barber shall never earn sixpence out of it and yet he'll be crowing as if he had writ man ever since his father was a bachelor he may keep his own grace but he's almost out of mine i can assure him what said master dombledon about the satin for my short cloak and my slops page he said sir you should procure him better assurance than bardolph he would not take his band and yours he liked not the security falstaff let him be damned like the glutton pray god his tongue be hotter a whoreson achitophel a rascally yeaforsooth knave to bear a gentleman in hand and then stand upon security the whoreson smoothpates do now wear nothing but high shoes and bunches of keys at their girdles and if a man is through with them in honest taking up then they must stand upon security i had as lief they would put ratsbane in my mouth as offer to stop it with security i looked a should have sent me two and twenty yards of satin as i am a true knight and he sends me security well he may sleep in security for he hath the horn of abundance and the lightness of his wife shines through it and yet cannot he see though he have his own lanthorn to light him where's bardolph page he's gone into smithfield to buy your worship a horse falstaff i bought him in paul's and he'll buy me a horse in smithfield an i could get me but a wife in the stews i were manned horsed and wived enter the lord chiefjustice and servant page sir here comes the nobleman that committed the prince for striking him about bardolph falstaff wait close i will not see him lord chiefjustice what's he that goes there servant falstaff an't please your lordship lord chiefjustice he that was in question for the robbery servant he my lord but he hath since done good service at shrewsbury and as i hear is now going with some charge to the lord john of lancaster lord chiefjustice what to york call him back again servant sir john falstaff falstaff boy tell him i am deaf page you must speak louder my master is deaf lord chiefjustice i am sure he is to the hearing of any thing good go pluck him by the elbow i must speak with him servant sir john falstaff what a young knave and begging is there not wars is there not employment doth not the king lack subjects do not the rebels need soldiers though it be a shame to be on any side but one it is worse shame to beg than to be on the worst side were it worse than the name of rebellion can tell how to make it servant you mistake me sir falstaff why sir did i say you were an honest man setting my knighthood and my soldiership aside i had lied in my throat if i had said so servant i pray you sir then set your knighthood and our soldiership aside and give me leave to tell you you lie in your throat if you say i am any other than an honest man falstaff i give thee leave to tell me so i lay aside that which grows to me if thou gettest any leave of me hang me if thou takest leave thou wert better be hanged you hunt counter hence avaunt servant sir my lord would speak with you lord chiefjustice sir john falstaff a word with you falstaff my good lord god give your lordship good time of day i am glad to see your lordship abroad i heard say your lordship was sick i hope your lordship goes abroad by advice your lordship though not clean past your youth hath yet some smack of age in you some relish of the saltness of time and i must humbly beseech your lordship to have a reverent care of your health lord chiefjustice sir john i sent for you before your expedition to shrewsbury falstaff an't please your lordship i hear his majesty is returned with some discomfort from wales lord chiefjustice i talk not of his majesty you would not come when i sent for you falstaff and i hear moreover his highness is fallen into this same whoreson apoplexy lord chiefjustice well god mend him i pray you let me speak with you falstaff this apoplexy is as i take it a kind of lethargy an't please your lordship a kind of sleeping in the blood a whoreson tingling lord chiefjustice what tell you me of it be it as it is falstaff it hath its original from much grief from study and perturbation of the brain i have read the cause of his effects in galen it is a kind of deafness lord chiefjustice i think you are fallen into the disease for you hear not what i say to you falstaff very well my lord very well rather an't please you it is the disease of not listening the malady of not marking that i am troubled withal lord chiefjustice to punish you by the heels would amend the attention of your ears and i care not if i do become your physician falstaff i am as poor as job my lord but not so patient your lordship may minister the potion of imprisonment to me in respect of poverty but how should i be your patient to follow your prescriptions the wise may make some dram of a scruple or indeed a scruple itself lord chiefjustice i sent for you when there were matters against you for your life to come speak with me falstaff as i was then advised by my learned counsel in the laws of this landservice i did not come lord chiefjustice well the truth is sir john you live in great infamy falstaff he that buckles him in my belt cannot live in less lord chiefjustice your means are very slender and your waste is great falstaff i would it were otherwise i would my means were greater and my waist slenderer lord chiefjustice you have misled the youthful prince falstaff the young prince hath misled me i am the fellow with the great belly and he my dog lord chiefjustice well i am loath to gall a newhealed wound your day's service at shrewsbury hath a little gilded over your night's exploit on gad'shill you may thank the unquiet time for your quiet o'erposting that action falstaff my lord lord chiefjustice but since all is well keep it so wake not a sleeping wolf falstaff to wake a wolf is as bad as to smell a fox lord chiefjustice what you are as a candle the better part burnt out falstaff a wassail candle my lord all tallow if i did say of wax my growth would approve the truth lord chiefjustice there is not a white hair on your face but should have his effect of gravity falstaff his effect of gravy gravy gravy lord chiefjustice you follow the young prince up and down like his ill angel falstaff not so my lord your ill angel is light but i hope he that looks upon me will take me without weighing and yet in some respects i grant i cannot go i cannot tell virtue is of so little regard in these costermonger times that true valour is turned bearherd pregnancy is made a tapster and hath his quick wit wasted in giving reckonings all the other gifts appertinent to man as the malice of this age shapes them are not worth a gooseberry you that are old consider not the capacities of us that are young you do measure the heat of our livers with the bitterness of your galls and we that are in the vaward of our youth i must confess are wags too lord chiefjustice do you set down your name in the scroll of youth that are written down old with all the characters of age have you not a moist eye a dry hand a yellow cheek a white beard a decreasing leg an increasing belly is not your voice broken your wind short your chin double your wit single and every part about you blasted with antiquity and will you yet call yourself young fie fie fie sir john falstaff my lord i was born about three of the clock in the afternoon with a white head and something a round belly for my voice i have lost it with halloing and singing of anthems to approve my youth further i will not the truth is i am only old in judgment and understanding and he that will caper with me for a thousand marks let him lend me the money and have at him for the box of the ear that the prince gave you he gave it like a rude prince and you took it like a sensible lord i have chequed him for it and the young lion repents marry not in ashes and sackcloth but in new silk and old sack lord chiefjustice well god send the prince a better companion falstaff god send the companion a better prince i cannot rid my hands of him lord chiefjustice well the king hath severed you and prince harry i hear you are going with lord john of lancaster against the archbishop and the earl of northumberland falstaff yea i thank your pretty sweet wit for it but look you pray all you that kiss my lady peace at home that our armies join not in a hot day for by the lord i take but two shirts out with me and i mean not to sweat extraordinarily if it be a hot day and i brandish any thing but a bottle i would i might never spit white again there is not a dangerous action can peep out his head but i am thrust upon it well i cannot last ever but it was alway yet the trick of our english nation if they have a good thing to make it too common if ye will needs say i am an old man you should give me rest i would to god my name were not so terrible to the enemy as it is i were better to be eaten to death with a rust than to be scoured to nothing with perpetual motion lord chiefjustice well be honest be honest and god bless your expedition falstaff will your lordship lend me a thousand pound to furnish me forth lord chiefjustice not a penny not a penny you are too impatient to bear crosses fare you well commend me to my cousin westmoreland exeunt chiefjustice and servant falstaff if i do fillip me with a threeman beetle a man can no more separate age and covetousness than a' can part young limbs and lechery but the gout galls the one and the pox pinches the other and so both the degrees prevent my curses boy page sir falstaff what money is in my purse page seven groats and two pence falstaff i can get no remedy against this consumption of the purse borrowing only lingers and lingers it out but the disease is incurable go bear this letter to my lord of lancaster this to the prince this to the earl of westmoreland and this to old mistress ursula whom i have weekly sworn to marry since i perceived the first white hair on my chin about it you know where to find me exit page a pox of this gout or a gout of this pox for the one or the other plays the rogue with my great toe tis no matter if i do halt i have the wars for my colour and my pension shall seem the more reasonable a good wit will make use of any thing i will turn diseases to commodity exit 2 king henry iv act i scene iii york the archbishop's palace enter the archbishop of york the lords hastings mowbray and bardolph archbishop of york thus have you heard our cause and known our means and my most noble friends i pray you all speak plainly your opinions of our hopes and first lord marshal what say you to it mowbray i well allow the occasion of our arms but gladly would be better satisfied how in our means we should advance ourselves to look with forehead bold and big enough upon the power and puissance of the king hastings our present musters grow upon the file to five and twenty thousand men of choice and our supplies live largely in the hope of great northumberland whose bosom burns with an incensed fire of injuries lord bardolph the question then lord hastings standeth thus whether our present five and twenty thousand may hold up head without northumberland hastings with him we may lord bardolph yea marry there's the point but if without him we be thought too feeble my judgment is we should not step too far till we had his assistance by the hand for in a theme so bloodyfaced as this conjecture expectation and surmise of aids incertain should not be admitted archbishop of york tis very true lord bardolph for indeed it was young hotspur's case at shrewsbury lord bardolph it was my lord who lined himself with hope eating the air on promise of supply flattering himself in project of a power much smaller than the smallest of his thoughts and so with great imagination proper to madmen led his powers to death and winking leap'd into destruction hastings but by your leave it never yet did hurt to lay down likelihoods and forms of hope lord bardolph yes if this present quality of war indeed the instant action a cause on foot lives so in hope as in an early spring we see the appearing buds which to prove fruit hope gives not so much warrant as despair that frosts will bite them when we mean to build we first survey the plot then draw the model and when we see the figure of the house then must we rate the cost of the erection which if we find outweighs ability what do we then but draw anew the model in fewer offices or at last desist to build at all much more in this great work which is almost to pluck a kingdom down and set another up should we survey the plot of situation and the model consent upon a sure foundation question surveyors know our own estate how able such a work to undergo to weigh against his opposite or else we fortify in paper and in figures using the names of men instead of men like one that draws the model of a house beyond his power to build it who half through gives o'er and leaves his partcreated cost a naked subject to the weeping clouds and waste for churlish winter's tyranny hastings grant that our hopes yet likely of fair birth should be stillborn and that we now possess'd the utmost man of expectation i think we are a body strong enough even as we are to equal with the king lord bardolph what is the king but five and twenty thousand hastings to us no more nay not so much lord bardolph for his divisions as the times do brawl are in three heads one power against the french and one against glendower perforce a third must take up us so is the unfirm king in three divided and his coffers sound with hollow poverty and emptiness archbishop of york that he should draw his several strengths together and come against us in full puissance need not be dreaded hastings if he should do so he leaves his back unarm'd the french and welsh baying him at the heels never fear that lord bardolph who is it like should lead his forces hither hastings the duke of lancaster and westmoreland against the welsh himself and harry monmouth but who is substituted gainst the french i have no certain notice archbishop of york let us on and publish the occasion of our arms the commonwealth is sick of their own choice their overgreedy love hath surfeited an habitation giddy and unsure hath he that buildeth on the vulgar heart o thou fond many with what loud applause didst thou beat heaven with blessing bolingbroke before he was what thou wouldst have him be and being now trimm'd in thine own desires thou beastly feeder art so full of him that thou provokest thyself to cast him up so so thou common dog didst thou disgorge thy glutton bosom of the royal richard and now thou wouldst eat thy dead vomit up and howl'st to find it what trust is in these times they that when richard lived would have him die are now become enamour'd on his grave thou that threw'st dust upon his goodly head when through proud london he came sighing on after the admired heels of bolingbroke criest now o earth yield us that king again and take thou this o thoughts of men accursed past and to come seems best things present worst mowbray shall we go draw our numbers and set on hastings we are time's subjects and time bids be gone exeunt 2 king henry iv act ii scene i london a street enter mistress quickly fang and his boy with her and snare following mistress quickly master fang have you entered the action fang it is entered mistress quickly where's your yeoman is't a lusty yeoman will a' stand to t fang sirrah where's snare mistress quickly o lord ay good master snare snare here here fang snare we must arrest sir john falstaff mistress quickly yea good master snare i have entered him and all snare it may chance cost some of us our lives for he will stab mistress quickly alas the day take heed of him he stabbed me in mine own house and that most beastly in good faith he cares not what mischief he does if his weapon be out he will foin like any devil he will spare neither man woman nor child fang if i can close with him i care not for his thrust mistress quickly no nor i neither i'll be at your elbow fang an i but fist him once an a come but within my vice mistress quickly i am undone by his going i warrant you he's an infinitive thing upon my score good master fang hold him sure good master snare let him not scape a comes continuantly to piecornersaving your manhoodsto buy a saddle and he is indited to dinner to the lubber'shead in lumbert street to master smooth's the silkman i pray ye since my exion is entered and my case so openly known to the world let him be brought in to his answer a hundred mark is a long one for a poor lone woman to bear and i have borne and borne and borne and have been fubbed off and fubbed off and fubbed off from this day to that day that it is a shame to be thought on there is no honesty in such dealing unless a woman should be made an ass and a beast to bear every knave's wrong yonder he comes and that errant malmseynose knave bardolph with him do your offices do your offices master fang and master snare do me do me do me your offices enter falstaff page and bardolph falstaff how now whose mare's dead what's the matter fang sir john i arrest you at the suit of mistress quickly falstaff away varlets draw bardolph cut me off the villain's head throw the quean in the channel mistress quickly throw me in the channel i'll throw thee in the channel wilt thou wilt thou thou bastardly rogue murder murder ah thou honeysuckle villain wilt thou kill god's officers and the king's ah thou honeyseed rogue thou art a honeyseed a manqueller and a womanqueller falstaff keep them off bardolph fang a rescue a rescue mistress quickly good people bring a rescue or two thou wo't wo't thou thou wo't wo't ta do do thou rogue do thou hempseed falstaff away you scullion you rampallion you fustilarian i'll tickle your catastrophe enter the lord chiefjustice and his men lord chiefjustice what is the matter keep the peace here ho mistress quickly good my lord be good to me i beseech you stand to me lord chiefjustice how now sir john what are you brawling here doth this become your place your time and business you should have been well on your way to york stand from him fellow wherefore hang'st upon him mistress quickly o most worshipful lord an't please your grace i am a poor widow of eastcheap and he is arrested at my suit lord chiefjustice for what sum mistress quickly it is more than for some my lord it is for all all i have he hath eaten me out of house and home he hath put all my substance into that fat belly of his but i will have some of it out again or i will ride thee o nights like the mare falstaff i think i am as like to ride the mare if i have any vantage of ground to get up lord chiefjustice how comes this sir john fie what man of good temper would endure this tempest of exclamation are you not ashamed to enforce a poor widow to so rough a course to come by her own falstaff what is the gross sum that i owe thee mistress quickly marry if thou wert an honest man thyself and the money too thou didst swear to me upon a parcelgilt goblet sitting in my dolphinchamber at the round table by a seacoal fire upon wednesday in wheeson week when the prince broke thy head for liking his father to a singingman of windsor thou didst swear to me then as i was washing thy wound to marry me and make me my lady thy wife canst thou deny it did not goodwife keech the butcher's wife come in then and call me gossip quickly coming in to borrow a mess of vinegar telling us she had a good dish of prawns whereby thou didst desire to eat some whereby i told thee they were ill for a green wound and didst thou not when she was gone down stairs desire me to be no more so familiarity with such poor people saying that ere long they should call me madam and didst thou not kiss me and bid me fetch thee thirty shillings i put thee now to thy bookoath deny it if thou canst falstaff my lord this is a poor mad soul and she says up and down the town that the eldest son is like you she hath been in good case and the truth is poverty hath distracted her but for these foolish officers i beseech you i may have redress against them lord chiefjustice sir john sir john i am well acquainted with your manner of wrenching the true cause the false way it is not a confident brow nor the throng of words that come with such more than impudent sauciness from you can thrust me from a level consideration you have as it appears to me practised upon the easyyielding spirit of this woman and made her serve your uses both in purse and in person mistress quickly yea in truth my lord lord chiefjustice pray thee peace pay her the debt you owe her and unpay the villany you have done her the one you may do with sterling money and the other with current repentance falstaff my lord i will not undergo this sneap without reply you call honourable boldness impudent sauciness if a man will make courtesy and say nothing he is virtuous no my lord my humble duty remembered i will not be your suitor i say to you i do desire deliverance from these officers being upon hasty employment in the king's affairs lord chiefjustice you speak as having power to do wrong but answer in the effect of your reputation and satisfy this poor woman falstaff come hither hostess enter gower lord chiefjustice now master gower what news gower the king my lord and harry prince of wales are near at hand the rest the paper tells falstaff as i am a gentleman mistress quickly faith you said so before falstaff as i am a gentleman come no more words of it mistress quickly by this heavenly ground i tread on i must be fain to pawn both my plate and the tapestry of my diningchambers falstaff glasses glasses is the only drinking and for thy walls a pretty slight drollery or the story of the prodigal or the german hunting in waterwork is worth a thousand of these bedhangings and these flybitten tapestries let it be ten pound if thou canst come an twere not for thy humours there's not a better wench in england go wash thy face and draw the action come thou must not be in this humour with me dost not know me come come i know thou wast set on to this mistress quickly pray thee sir john let it be but twenty nobles i' faith i am loath to pawn my plate so god save me la falstaff let it alone i'll make other shift you'll be a fool still mistress quickly well you shall have it though i pawn my gown i hope you'll come to supper you'll pay me all together falstaff will i live to bardolph go with her with her hook on hook on mistress quickly will you have doll tearsheet meet you at supper falstaff no more words let's have her exeunt mistress quickly bardolph officers and boy lord chiefjustice i have heard better news falstaff what's the news my lord lord chiefjustice where lay the king last night gower at basingstoke my lord falstaff i hope my lord all's well what is the news my lord lord chiefjustice come all his forces back gower no fifteen hundred foot five hundred horse are marched up to my lord of lancaster against northumberland and the archbishop falstaff comes the king back from wales my noble lord lord chiefjustice you shall have letters of me presently come go along with me good master gower falstaff my lord lord chiefjustice what's the matter falstaff master gower shall i entreat you with me to dinner gower i must wait upon my good lord here i thank you good sir john lord chiefjustice sir john you loiter here too long being you are to take soldiers up in counties as you go falstaff will you sup with me master gower lord chiefjustice what foolish master taught you these manners sir john falstaff master gower if they become me not he was a fool that taught them me this is the right fencing grace my lord tap for tap and so part fair lord chiefjustice now the lord lighten thee thou art a great fool exeunt 2 king henry iv act ii scene ii london another street enter prince henry and poins prince henry before god i am exceeding weary poins is't come to that i had thought weariness durst not have attached one of so high blood prince henry faith it does me though it discolours the complexion of my greatness to acknowledge it doth it not show vilely in me to desire small beer poins why a prince should not be so loosely studied as to remember so weak a composition prince henry belike then my appetite was not princely got for by my troth i do now remember the poor creature small beer but indeed these humble considerations make me out of love with my greatness what a disgrace is it to me to remember thy name or to know thy face tomorrow or to take note how many pair of silk stockings thou hast viz these and those that were thy peachcoloured ones or to bear the inventory of thy shirts as one for superfluity and another for use but that the tenniscourtkeeper knows better than i for it is a low ebb of linen with thee when thou keepest not racket there as thou hast not done a great while because the rest of thy low countries have made a shift to eat up thy holland and god knows whether those that bawl out the ruins of thy linen shall inherit his kingdom but the midwives say the children are not in the fault whereupon the world increases and kindreds are mightily strengthened poins how ill it follows after you have laboured so hard you should talk so idly tell me how many good young princes would do so their fathers being so sick as yours at this time is prince henry shall i tell thee one thing poins poins yes faith and let it be an excellent good thing prince henry it shall serve among wits of no higher breeding than thine poins go to i stand the push of your one thing that you will tell prince henry marry i tell thee it is not meet that i should be sad now my father is sick albeit i could tell thee as to one it pleases me for fault of a better to call my friend i could be sad and sad indeed too poins very hardly upon such a subject prince henry by this hand thou thinkest me as far in the devil's book as thou and falstaff for obduracy and persistency let the end try the man but i tell thee my heart bleeds inwardly that my father is so sick and keeping such vile company as thou art hath in reason taken from me all ostentation of sorrow poins the reason prince henry what wouldst thou think of me if i should weep poins i would think thee a most princely hypocrite prince henry it would be every man's thought and thou art a blessed fellow to think as every man thinks never a man's thought in the world keeps the roadway better than thine every man would think me an hypocrite indeed and what accites your most worshipful thought to think so poins why because you have been so lewd and so much engraffed to falstaff prince henry and to thee poins by this light i am well spoke on i can hear it with my own ears the worst that they can say of me is that i am a second brother and that i am a proper fellow of my hands and those two things i confess i cannot help by the mass here comes bardolph enter bardolph and page prince henry and the boy that i gave falstaff a had him from me christian and look if the fat villain have not transformed him ape bardolph god save your grace prince henry and yours most noble bardolph bardolph come you virtuous ass you bashful fool must you be blushing wherefore blush you now what a maidenly manatarms are you become is't such a matter to get a pottlepot's maidenhead page a calls me e'en now my lord through a red lattice and i could discern no part of his face from the window at last i spied his eyes and methought he had made two holes in the alewife's new petticoat and so peeped through prince henry has not the boy profited bardolph away you whoreson upright rabbit away page away you rascally althaea's dream away prince henry instruct us boy what dream boy page marry my lord althaea dreamed she was delivered of a firebrand and therefore i call him her dream prince henry a crown's worth of good interpretation there tis boy poins o that this good blossom could be kept from cankers well there is sixpence to preserve thee bardolph an you do not make him hanged among you the gallows shall have wrong prince henry and how doth thy master bardolph bardolph well my lord he heard of your grace's coming to town there's a letter for you poins delivered with good respect and how doth the martlemas your master bardolph in bodily health sir poins marry the immortal part needs a physician but that moves not him though that be sick it dies not prince henry i do allow this wen to be as familiar with me as my dog and he holds his place for look you how be writes poins reads john falstaff knight'every man must know that as oft as he has occasion to name himself even like those that are kin to the king for they never prick their finger but they say there's some of the king's blood spilt how comes that says he that takes upon him not to conceive the answer is as ready as a borrower's cap i am the king's poor cousin sir' prince henry nay they will be kin to us or they will fetch it from japhet but to the letter poins reads sir john falstaff knight to the son of the king nearest his father harry prince of wales greeting why this is a certificate prince henry peace poins reads i will imitate the honourable romans in brevity he sure means brevity in breath shortwinded i commend me to thee i commend thee and i leave thee be not too familiar with poins for he misuses thy favours so much that he swears thou art to marry his sister nell repent at idle times as thou mayest and so farewell thine by yea and no which is as much as to say as thou usest him jack falstaff with my familiars john with my brothers and sisters and sir john with all europe' my lord i'll steep this letter in sack and make him eat it prince henry that's to make him eat twenty of his words but do you use me thus ned must i marry your sister poins god send the wench no worse fortune but i never said so prince henry well thus we play the fools with the time and the spirits of the wise sit in the clouds and mock us is your master here in london bardolph yea my lord prince henry where sups he doth the old boar feed in the old frank bardolph at the old place my lord in eastcheap prince henry what company page ephesians my lord of the old church prince henry sup any women with him page none my lord but old mistress quickly and mistress doll tearsheet prince henry what pagan may that be page a proper gentlewoman sir and a kinswoman of my master's prince henry even such kin as the parish heifers are to the town bull shall we steal upon them ned at supper poins i am your shadow my lord i'll follow you prince henry sirrah you boy and bardolph no word to your master that i am yet come to town there's for your silence bardolph i have no tongue sir page and for mine sir i will govern it prince henry fare you well go exeunt bardolph and page this doll tearsheet should be some road poins i warrant you as common as the way between saint alban's and london prince henry how might we see falstaff bestow himself tonight in his true colours and not ourselves be seen poins put on two leathern jerkins and aprons and wait upon him at his table as drawers prince henry from a god to a bull a heavy decension it was jove's case from a prince to a prentice a low transformation that shall be mine for in every thing the purpose must weigh with the folly follow me ned exeunt 2 king henry iv act ii scene iii warkworth before the castle enter northumberland lady northumberland and lady percy northumberland i pray thee loving wife and gentle daughter give even way unto my rough affairs put not you on the visage of the times and be like them to percy troublesome lady northumberland i have given over i will speak no more do what you will your wisdom be your guide northumberland alas sweet wife my honour is at pawn and but my going nothing can redeem it lady percy o yet for god's sake go not to these wars the time was father that you broke your word when you were more endeared to it than now when your own percy when my heart's dear harry threw many a northward look to see his father bring up his powers but he did long in vain who then persuaded you to stay at home there were two honours lost yours and your son's for yours the god of heaven brighten it for his it stuck upon him as the sun in the grey vault of heaven and by his light did all the chivalry of england move to do brave acts he was indeed the glass wherein the noble youth did dress themselves he had no legs that practised not his gait and speaking thick which nature made his blemish became the accents of the valiant for those that could speak low and tardily would turn their own perfection to abuse to seem like him so that in speech in gait in diet in affections of delight in military rules humours of blood he was the mark and glass copy and book that fashion'd others and him o wondrous him o miracle of men him did you leave second to none unseconded by you to look upon the hideous god of war in disadvantage to abide a field where nothing but the sound of hotspur's name did seem defensible so you left him never o never do his ghost the wrong to hold your honour more precise and nice with others than with him let them alone the marshal and the archbishop are strong had my sweet harry had but half their numbers today might i hanging on hotspur's neck have talk'd of monmouth's grave northumberland beshrew your heart fair daughter you do draw my spirits from me with new lamenting ancient oversights but i must go and meet with danger there or it will seek me in another place and find me worse provided lady northumberland o fly to scotland till that the nobles and the armed commons have of their puissance made a little taste lady percy if they get ground and vantage of the king then join you with them like a rib of steel to make strength stronger but for all our loves first let them try themselves so did your son he was so suffer'd so came i a widow and never shall have length of life enough to rain upon remembrance with mine eyes that it may grow and sprout as high as heaven for recordation to my noble husband northumberland come come go in with me tis with my mind as with the tide swell'd up unto his height that makes a stillstand running neither way fain would i go to meet the archbishop but many thousand reasons hold me back i will resolve for scotland there am i till time and vantage crave my company exeunt 2 king henry iv act ii scene iv london the boar'shead tavern in eastcheap enter two drawers first drawer what the devil hast thou brought there applejohns thou knowest sir john cannot endure an applejohn second drawer mass thou sayest true the prince once set a dish of applejohns before him and told him there were five more sir johns and putting off his hat said i will now take my leave of these six dry round old withered knights it angered him to the heart but he hath forgot that first drawer why then cover and set them down and see if thou canst find out sneak's noise mistress tearsheet would fain hear some music dispatch the room where they supped is too hot they'll come in straight second drawer sirrah here will be the prince and master poins anon and they will put on two of our jerkins and aprons and sir john must not know of it bardolph hath brought word first drawer by the mass here will be old utis it will be an excellent stratagem second drawer i'll see if i can find out sneak exit enter mistress quickly and doll tearsheet mistress quickly i faith sweetheart methinks now you are in an excellent good temperality your pulsidge beats as extraordinarily as heart would desire and your colour i warrant you is as red as any rose in good truth la but i faith you have drunk too much canaries and that's a marvellous searching wine and it perfumes the blood ere one can say what's this how do you now doll tearsheet better than i was hem mistress quickly why that's well said a good heart's worth gold lo here comes sir john enter falstaff falstaff singing when arthur first in court' empty the jordan exit first drawer singing and was a worthy king how now mistress doll mistress quickly sick of a calm yea good faith falstaff so is all her sect an they be once in a calm they are sick doll tearsheet you muddy rascal is that all the comfort you give me falstaff you make fat rascals mistress doll doll tearsheet i make them gluttony and diseases make them i make them not falstaff if the cook help to make the gluttony you help to make the diseases doll we catch of you doll we catch of you grant that my poor virtue grant that doll tearsheet yea joy our chains and our jewels falstaff your broaches pearls and ouches for to serve bravely is to come halting off you know to come off the breach with his pike bent bravely and to surgery bravely to venture upon the charged chambers bravely doll tearsheet hang yourself you muddy conger hang yourself mistress quickly by my troth this is the old fashion you two never meet but you fall to some discord you are both i good truth as rheumatic as two dry toasts you cannot one bear with another's confirmities what the goodyear one must bear and that must be you you are the weaker vessel as they say the emptier vessel doll tearsheet can a weak empty vessel bear such a huge full hogshead there's a whole merchant's venture of bourdeaux stuff in him you have not seen a hulk better stuffed in the hold come i'll be friends with thee jack thou art going to the wars and whether i shall ever see thee again or no there is nobody cares reenter first drawer first drawer sir ancient pistol's below and would speak with you doll tearsheet hang him swaggering rascal let him not come hither it is the foulmouthed'st rogue in england mistress quickly if he swagger let him not come here no by my faith i must live among my neighbours i'll no swaggerers i am in good name and fame with the very best shut the door there comes no swaggerers here i have not lived all this while to have swaggering now shut the door i pray you falstaff dost thou hear hostess mistress quickly pray ye pacify yourself sir john there comes no swaggerers here falstaff dost thou hear it is mine ancient mistress quickly tillyfally sir john ne'er tell me your ancient swaggerer comes not in my doors i was before master tisick the debuty t'other day and as he said to me twas no longer ago than wednesday last i' good faith neighbour quickly says he master dumbe our minister was by then neighbour quickly says he receive those that are civil for said he you are in an ill name now a' said so i can tell whereupon for says he you are an honest woman and well thought on therefore take heed what guests you receive receive says he no swaggering companions there comes none here you would bless you to hear what he said no i'll no swaggerers falstaff he's no swaggerer hostess a tame cheater i' faith you may stroke him as gently as a puppy greyhound he'll not swagger with a barbary hen if her feathers turn back in any show of resistance call him up drawer exit first drawer mistress quickly cheater call you him i will bar no honest man my house nor no cheater but i do not love swaggering by my troth i am the worse when one says swagger feel masters how i shake look you i warrant you doll tearsheet so you do hostess mistress quickly do i yea in very truth do i an twere an aspen leaf i cannot abide swaggerers enter pistol bardolph and page pistol god save you sir john falstaff welcome ancient pistol here pistol i charge you with a cup of sack do you discharge upon mine hostess pistol i will discharge upon her sir john with two bullets falstaff she is pistolproof sir you shall hardly offend her mistress quickly come i'll drink no proofs nor no bullets i'll drink no more than will do me good for no man's pleasure i pistol then to you mistress dorothy i will charge you doll tearsheet charge me i scorn you scurvy companion what you poor base rascally cheating lacklinen mate away you mouldy rogue away i am meat for your master pistol i know you mistress dorothy doll tearsheet away you cutpurse rascal you filthy bung away by this wine i'll thrust my knife in your mouldy chaps an you play the saucy cuttle with me away you bottleale rascal you baskethilt stale juggler you since when i pray you sir god's light with two points on your shoulder much pistol god let me not live but i will murder your ruff for this falstaff no more pistol i would not have you go off here discharge yourself of our company pistol mistress quickly no good captain pistol not here sweet captain doll tearsheet captain thou abominable damned cheater art thou not ashamed to be called captain an captains were of my mind they would truncheon you out for taking their names upon you before you have earned them you a captain you slave for what for tearing a poor whore's ruff in a bawdyhouse he a captain hang him rogue he lives upon mouldy stewed prunes and dried cakes a captain god's light these villains will make the word as odious as the word occupy which was an excellent good word before it was ill sorted therefore captains had need look to t bardolph pray thee go down good ancient falstaff hark thee hither mistress doll pistol not i i tell thee what corporal bardolph i could tear her i'll be revenged of her page pray thee go down pistol i'll see her damned first to pluto's damned lake by this hand to the infernal deep with erebus and tortures vile also hold hook and line say i down down dogs down faitors have we not hiren here mistress quickly good captain peesel be quiet tis very late i' faith i beseek you now aggravate your choler pistol these be good humours indeed shall packhorses and hollow pamper'd jades of asia which cannot go but thirty mile aday compare with caesars and with cannibals and trojan greeks nay rather damn them with king cerberus and let the welkin roar shall we fall foul for toys mistress quickly by my troth captain these are very bitter words bardolph be gone good ancient this will grow to abrawl anon pistol die men like dogs give crowns like pins have we not heren here mistress quickly o my word captain there's none such here what the goodyear do you think i would deny her for god's sake be quiet pistol then feed and be fat my fair calipolis come give's some sack si fortune me tormente sperato me contento' fear we broadsides no let the fiend give fire give me some sack and sweetheart lie thou there laying down his sword come we to full points here and are etceteras nothing falstaff pistol i would be quiet pistol sweet knight i kiss thy neaf what we have seen the seven stars doll tearsheet for god's sake thrust him down stairs i cannot endure such a fustian rascal pistol thrust him down stairs know we not galloway nags falstaff quoit him down bardolph like a shovegroat shilling nay an a do nothing but speak nothing a shall be nothing here bardolph come get you down stairs pistol what shall we have incision shall we imbrue snatching up his sword then death rock me asleep abridge my doleful days why then let grievous ghastly gaping wounds untwine the sisters three come atropos i say mistress quickly here's goodly stuff toward falstaff give me my rapier boy doll tearsheet i pray thee jack i pray thee do not draw falstaff get you down stairs drawing and driving pistol out mistress quickly here's a goodly tumult i'll forswear keeping house afore i'll be in these tirrits and frights so murder i warrant now alas alas put up your naked weapons put up your naked weapons exeunt pistol and bardolph doll tearsheet i pray thee jack be quiet the rascal's gone ah you whoreson little valiant villain you mistress quickly he you not hurt i the groin methought a made a shrewd thrust at your belly reenter bardolph falstaff have you turned him out o doors bardolph yea sir the rascal's drunk you have hurt him sir i the shoulder falstaff a rascal to brave me doll tearsheet ah you sweet little rogue you alas poor ape how thou sweatest come let me wipe thy face come on you whoreson chops ah rogue i'faith i love thee thou art as valorous as hector of troy worth five of agamemnon and ten times better than the nine worthies ah villain falstaff a rascally slave i will toss the rogue in a blanket doll tearsheet do an thou darest for thy heart an thou dost i'll canvass thee between a pair of sheets enter music page the music is come sir falstaff let them play play sirs sit on my knee doll a rascal bragging slave the rogue fled from me like quicksilver doll tearsheet i faith and thou followedst him like a church thou whoreson little tidy bartholomew boarpig when wilt thou leave fighting o days and foining o nights and begin to patch up thine old body for heaven enter behind prince henry and poins disguised falstaff peace good doll do not speak like a death'shead do not bid me remember mine end doll tearsheet sirrah what humour's the prince of falstaff a good shallow young fellow a would have made a good pantler a would ha chipp'd bread well doll tearsheet they say poins has a good wit falstaff he a good wit hang him baboon his wit's as thick as tewksbury mustard there's no more conceit in him than is in a mallet doll tearsheet why does the prince love him so then falstaff because their legs are both of a bigness and a' plays at quoits well and eats conger and fennel and drinks off candles ends for flapdragons and rides the wildmare with the boys and jumps upon joinedstools and swears with a good grace and wears his boots very smooth like unto the sign of the leg and breeds no bate with telling of discreet stories and such other gambol faculties a has that show a weak mind and an able body for the which the prince admits him for the prince himself is such another the weight of a hair will turn the scales between their avoirdupois prince henry would not this nave of a wheel have his ears cut off poins let's beat him before his whore prince henry look whether the withered elder hath not his poll clawed like a parrot poins is it not strange that desire should so many years outlive performance falstaff kiss me doll prince henry saturn and venus this year in conjunction what says the almanac to that poins and look whether the fiery trigon his man be not lisping to his master's old tables his notebook his counselkeeper falstaff thou dost give me flattering busses doll tearsheet by my troth i kiss thee with a most constant heart falstaff i am old i am old doll tearsheet i love thee better than i love e'er a scurvy young boy of them all falstaff what stuff wilt have a kirtle of i shall receive money o thursday shalt have a cap tomorrow a merry song come it grows late we'll to bed thou'lt forget me when i am gone doll tearsheet by my troth thou'lt set me aweeping an thou sayest so prove that ever i dress myself handsome till thy return well harken at the end falstaff some sack francis prince henry anon anon sir poins coming forward falstaff ha a bastard son of the king's and art not thou poins his brother prince henry why thou globe of sinful continents what a life dost thou lead falstaff a better than thou i am a gentleman thou art a drawer prince henry very true sir and i come to draw you out by the ears mistress quickly o the lord preserve thy good grace by my troth welcome to london now the lord bless that sweet face of thine o jesu are you come from wales falstaff thou whoreson mad compound of majesty by this light flesh and corrupt blood thou art welcome doll tearsheet how you fat fool i scorn you poins my lord he will drive you out of your revenge and turn all to a merriment if you take not the heat prince henry you whoreson candlemine you how vilely did you speak of me even now before this honest virtuous civil gentlewoman mistress quickly god's blessing of your good heart and so she is by my troth falstaff didst thou hear me prince henry yea and you knew me as you did when you ran away by gad'shill you knew i was at your back and spoke it on purpose to try my patience falstaff no no no not so i did not think thou wast within hearing prince henry i shall drive you then to confess the wilful abuse and then i know how to handle you falstaff no abuse hal o mine honour no abuse prince henry not to dispraise me and call me pantier and breadchipper and i know not what falstaff no abuse hal poins no abuse falstaff no abuse ned i the world honest ned none i dispraised him before the wicked that the wicked might not fall in love with him in which doing i have done the part of a careful friend and a true subject and thy father is to give me thanks for it no abuse hal none ned none no faith boys none prince henry see now whether pure fear and entire cowardice doth not make thee wrong this virtuous gentlewoman to close with us is she of the wicked is thine hostess here of the wicked or is thy boy of the wicked or honest bardolph whose zeal burns in his nose of the wicked poins answer thou dead elm answer falstaff the fiend hath pricked down bardolph irrecoverable and his face is lucifer's privykitchen where he doth nothing but roast maltworms for the boy there is a good angel about him but the devil outbids him too prince henry for the women falstaff for one of them she is in hell already and burns poor souls for the other i owe her money and whether she be damned for that i know not mistress quickly no i warrant you falstaff no i think thou art not i think thou art quit for that marry there is another indictment upon thee for suffering flesh to be eaten in thy house contrary to the law for the which i think thou wilt howl mistress quickly all victuallers do so what's a joint of mutton or two in a whole lent prince henry you gentlewoman doll tearsheet what says your grace falstaff his grace says that which his flesh rebels against knocking within mistress quickly who knocks so loud at door look to the door there francis enter peto prince henry peto how now what news peto the king your father is at westminster and there are twenty weak and wearied posts come from the north and as i came along i met and overtook a dozen captains bareheaded sweating knocking at the taverns and asking every one for sir john falstaff prince henry by heaven poins i feel me much to blame so idly to profane the precious time when tempest of commotion like the south borne with black vapour doth begin to melt and drop upon our bare unarmed heads give me my sword and cloak falstaff good night exeunt prince henry poins peto and bardolph falstaff now comes in the sweetest morsel of the night and we must hence and leave it unpicked knocking within more knocking at the door reenter bardolph how now what's the matter bardolph you must away to court sir presently a dozen captains stay at door for you falstaff to the page pay the musicians sirrah farewell hostess farewell doll you see my good wenches how men of merit are sought after the undeserver may sleep when the man of action is called on farewell good wenches if i be not sent away post i will see you again ere i go doll tearsheet i cannot speak if my heart be not read to burst well sweet jack have a care of thyself falstaff farewell farewell exeunt falstaff and bardolph mistress quickly well fare thee well i have known thee these twentynine years come peascodtime but an honester and truerhearted manwell fare thee well bardolph within mistress tearsheet mistress quickly what's the matter bardolph within good mistress tearsheet come to my master mistress quickly o run doll run run good doll come she comes blubbered yea will you come doll exeunt 2 king henry iv act iii scene i westminster the palace enter king henry iv in his nightgown with a page king henry iv go call the earls of surrey and of warwick but ere they come bid them o'erread these letters and well consider of them make good speed exit page how many thousand of my poorest subjects are at this hour asleep o sleep o gentle sleep nature's soft nurse how have i frighted thee that thou no more wilt weigh my eyelids down and steep my senses in forgetfulness why rather sleep liest thou in smoky cribs upon uneasy pallets stretching thee and hush'd with buzzing nightflies to thy slumber than in the perfumed chambers of the great under the canopies of costly state and lull'd with sound of sweetest melody o thou dull god why liest thou with the vile in loathsome beds and leavest the kingly couch a watchcase or a common larumbell wilt thou upon the high and giddy mast seal up the shipboy's eyes and rock his brains in cradle of the rude imperious surge and in the visitation of the winds who take the ruffian billows by the top curling their monstrous heads and hanging them with deafening clamour in the slippery clouds that with the hurly death itself awakes canst thou o partial sleep give thy repose to the wet seaboy in an hour so rude and in the calmest and most stillest night with all appliances and means to boot deny it to a king then happy low lie down uneasy lies the head that wears a crown enter warwick and surrey warwick many good morrows to your majesty king henry iv is it good morrow lords warwick tis one o'clock and past king henry iv why then good morrow to you all my lords have you read o'er the letters that i sent you warwick we have my liege king henry iv then you perceive the body of our kingdom how foul it is what rank diseases grow and with what danger near the heart of it warwick it is but as a body yet distemper'd which to his former strength may be restored with good advice and little medicine my lord northumberland will soon be cool'd king henry iv o god that one might read the book of fate and see the revolution of the times make mountains level and the continent weary of solid firmness melt itself into the sea and other times to see the beachy girdle of the ocean too wide for neptune's hips how chances mock and changes fill the cup of alteration with divers liquors o if this were seen the happiest youth viewing his progress through what perils past what crosses to ensue would shut the book and sit him down and die tis not ten years gone since richard and northumberland great friends did feast together and in two years after were they at wars it is but eight years since this percy was the man nearest my soul who like a brother toil'd in my affairs and laid his love and life under my foot yea for my sake even to the eyes of richard gave him defiance but which of you was by you cousin nevil as i may remember to warwick when richard with his eye brimful of tears then cheque'd and rated by northumberland did speak these words now proved a prophecy northumberland thou ladder by the which my cousin bolingbroke ascends my throne' though then god knows i had no such intent but that necessity so bow'd the state that i and greatness were compell'd to kiss the time shall come thus did he follow it the time will come that foul sin gathering head shall break into corruption so went on foretelling this same time's condition and the division of our amity warwick there is a history in all men's lives figuring the nature of the times deceased the which observed a man may prophesy with a near aim of the main chance of things as yet not come to life which in their seeds and weak beginnings lie intreasured such things become the hatch and brood of time and by the necessary form of this king richard might create a perfect guess that great northumberland then false to him would of that seed grow to a greater falseness which should not find a ground to root upon unless on you king henry iv are these things then necessities then let us meet them like necessities and that same word even now cries out on us they say the bishop and northumberland are fifty thousand strong warwick it cannot be my lord rumour doth double like the voice and echo the numbers of the fear'd please it your grace to go to bed upon my soul my lord the powers that you already have sent forth shall bring this prize in very easily to comfort you the more i have received a certain instance that glendower is dead your majesty hath been this fortnight ill and these unseason'd hours perforce must add unto your sickness king henry iv i will take your counsel and were these inward wars once out of hand we would dear lords unto the holy land exeunt 2 king henry iv act iii scene ii gloucestershire before shallow's house enter shallow and silence meeting mouldy shadow wart feeble bullcalf a servant or two with them shallow come on come on come on sir give me your hand sir give me your hand sir an early stirrer by the rood and how doth my good cousin silence silence good morrow good cousin shallow shallow and how doth my cousin your bedfellow and your fairest daughter and mine my goddaughter ellen silence alas a black ousel cousin shallow shallow by yea and nay sir i dare say my cousin william is become a good scholar he is at oxford still is he not silence indeed sir to my cost shallow a must then to the inns o court shortly i was once of clement's inn where i think they will talk of mad shallow yet silence you were called lusty shallow then cousin shallow by the mass i was called any thing and i would have done any thing indeed too and roundly too there was i and little john doit of staffordshire and black george barnes and francis pickbone and will squele a cotswold man you had not four such swingebucklers in all the inns o court again and i may say to you we knew where the bonarobas were and had the best of them all at commandment then was jack falstaff now sir john a boy and page to thomas mowbray duke of norfolk silence this sir john cousin that comes hither anon about soldiers shallow the same sir john the very same i see him break skogan's head at the courtgate when a was a crack not thus high and the very same day did i fight with one sampson stockfish a fruiterer behind gray's inn jesu jesu the mad days that i have spent and to see how many of my old acquaintance are dead silence we shall all follow cousin shadow certain tis certain very sure very sure death as the psalmist saith is certain to all all shall die how a good yoke of bullocks at stamford fair silence by my troth i was not there shallow death is certain is old double of your town living yet silence dead sir shallow jesu jesu dead a drew a good bow and dead a' shot a fine shoot john a gaunt loved him well and betted much money on his head dead a would have clapped i the clout at twelve score and carried you a forehand shaft a fourteen and fourteen and a half that it would have done a man's heart good to see how a score of ewes now silence thereafter as they be a score of good ewes may be worth ten pounds shallow and is old double dead silence here come two of sir john falstaff's men as i think enter bardolph and one with him bardolph good morrow honest gentlemen i beseech you which is justice shallow shallow i am robert shallow sir a poor esquire of this county and one of the king's justices of the peace what is your good pleasure with me bardolph my captain sir commends him to you my captain sir john falstaff a tall gentleman by heaven and a most gallant leader shallow he greets me well sir i knew him a good backsword man how doth the good knight may i ask how my lady his wife doth bardolph sir pardon a soldier is better accommodated than with a wife shallow it is well said in faith sir and it is well said indeed too better accommodated it is good yea indeed is it good phrases are surely and ever were very commendable accommodated it comes of accommodo very good a good phrase bardolph pardon me sir i have heard the word phrase call you it by this good day i know not the phrase but i will maintain the word with my sword to be a soldierlike word and a word of exceeding good command by heaven accommodated that is when a man is as they say accommodated or when a man is being whereby a may be thought to be accommodated which is an excellent thing shallow it is very just enter falstaff look here comes good sir john give me your good hand give me your worship's good hand by my troth you like well and bear your years very well welcome good sir john falstaff i am glad to see you well good master robert shallow master surecard as i think shallow no sir john it is my cousin silence in commission with me falstaff good master silence it well befits you should be of the peace silence your goodworship is welcome falstaff fie this is hot weather gentlemen have you provided me here half a dozen sufficient men shallow marry have we sir will you sit falstaff let me see them i beseech you shallow where's the roll where's the roll where's the roll let me see let me see let me see so so yea marry sir ralph mouldy let them appear as i call let them do so let them do so let me see where is mouldy mouldy here an't please you shallow what think you sir john a goodlimbed fellow young strong and of good friends falstaff is thy name mouldy mouldy yea an't please you falstaff tis the more time thou wert used shallow ha ha ha most excellent i faith things that are mouldy lack use very singular good in faith well said sir john very well said falstaff prick him mouldy i was pricked well enough before an you could have let me alone my old dame will be undone now for one to do her husbandry and her drudgery you need not to have pricked me there are other men fitter to go out than i falstaff go to peace mouldy you shall go mouldy it is time you were spent mouldy spent shallow peace fellow peace stand aside know you where you are for the other sir john let me see simon shadow falstaff yea marry let me have him to sit under he's like to be a cold soldier shallow where's shadow shadow here sir falstaff shadow whose son art thou shadow my mother's son sir falstaff thy mother's son like enough and thy father's shadow so the son of the female is the shadow of the male it is often so indeed but much of the father's substance shallow do you like him sir john falstaff shadow will serve for summer prick him for we have a number of shadows to fill up the musterbook shallow thomas wart falstaff where's he wart here sir falstaff is thy name wart wart yea sir falstaff thou art a very ragged wart shallow shall i prick him down sir john falstaff it were superfluous for his apparel is built upon his back and the whole frame stands upon pins prick him no more shallow ha ha ha you can do it sir you can do it i commend you well francis feeble feeble here sir falstaff what trade art thou feeble feeble a woman's tailor sir shallow shall i prick him sir falstaff you may but if he had been a man's tailor he'ld ha pricked you wilt thou make as many holes in an enemy's battle as thou hast done in a woman's petticoat feeble i will do my good will sir you can have no more falstaff well said good woman's tailor well said courageous feeble thou wilt be as valiant as the wrathful dove or most magnanimous mouse prick the woman's tailor well master shallow deep master shallow feeble i would wart might have gone sir falstaff i would thou wert a man's tailor that thou mightst mend him and make him fit to go i cannot put him to a private soldier that is the leader of so many thousands let that suffice most forcible feeble feeble it shall suffice sir falstaff i am bound to thee reverend feeble who is next shallow peter bullcalf o the green falstaff yea marry let's see bullcalf bullcalf here sir falstaff fore god a likely fellow come prick me bullcalf till he roar again bullcalf o lord good my lord captain falstaff what dost thou roar before thou art pricked bullcalf o lord sir i am a diseased man falstaff what disease hast thou bullcalf a whoreson cold sir a cough sir which i caught with ringing in the king's affairs upon his coronationday sir falstaff come thou shalt go to the wars in a gown we wilt have away thy cold and i will take such order that my friends shall ring for thee is here all shallow here is two more called than your number you must have but four here sir and so i pray you go in with me to dinner falstaff come i will go drink with you but i cannot tarry dinner i am glad to see you by my troth master shallow shallow o sir john do you remember since we lay all night in the windmill in saint george's field falstaff no more of that good master shallow no more of that shallow ha twas a merry night and is jane nightwork alive falstaff she lives master shallow shallow she never could away with me falstaff never never she would always say she could not abide master shallow shallow by the mass i could anger her to the heart she was then a bonaroba doth she hold her own well falstaff old old master shallow shallow nay she must be old she cannot choose but be old certain she's old and had robin nightwork by old nightwork before i came to clement's inn silence that's fiftyfive year ago shallow ha cousin silence that thou hadst seen that that this knight and i have seen ha sir john said i well falstaff we have heard the chimes at midnight master shallow shallow that we have that we have that we have in faith sir john we have our watchword was hem boys' come let's to dinner come let's to dinner jesus the days that we have seen come come exeunt falstaff and justices bullcalf good master corporate bardolph stand my friend and here's four harry ten shillings in french crowns for you in very truth sir i had as lief be hanged sir as go and yet for mine own part sir i do not care but rather because i am unwilling and for mine own part have a desire to stay with my friends else sir i did not care for mine own part so much bardolph go to stand aside mouldy and good master corporal captain for my old dame's sake stand my friend she has nobody to do any thing about her when i am gone and she is old and cannot help herself you shall have forty sir bardolph go to stand aside feeble by my troth i care not a man can die but once we owe god a death i'll ne'er bear a base mind an't be my destiny so an't be not so no man is too good to serve's prince and let it go which way it will he that dies this year is quit for the next bardolph well said thou'rt a good fellow feeble faith i'll bear no base mind reenter falstaff and the justices falstaff come sir which men shall i have shallow four of which you please bardolph sir a word with you i have three pound to free mouldy and bullcalf falstaff go to well shallow come sir john which four will you have falstaff do you choose for me shallow marry then mouldy bullcalf feeble and shadow falstaff mouldy and bullcalf for you mouldy stay at home till you are past service and for your part bullcalf grow till you come unto it i will none of you shallow sir john sir john do not yourself wrong they are your likeliest men and i would have you served with the best falstaff will you tell me master shallow how to choose a man care i for the limb the thewes the stature bulk and big assemblance of a man give me the spirit master shallow here's wart you see what a ragged appearance it is a shall charge you and discharge you with the motion of a pewterer's hammer come off and on swifter than he that gibbets on the brewer's bucket and this same halffaced fellow shadow give me this man he presents no mark to the enemy the foeman may with as great aim level at the edge of a penknife and for a retreat how swiftly will this feeble the woman's tailor run off o give me the spare men and spare me the great ones put me a caliver into wart's hand bardolph bardolph hold wart traverse thus thus thus falstaff come manage me your caliver so very well go to very good exceeding good o give me always a little lean old chapt bald shot well said i' faith wart thou'rt a good scab hold there's a tester for thee shallow he is not his craft's master he doth not do it right i remember at mileend green when i lay at clement's inni was then sir dagonet in arthur's showthere was a little quiver fellow and a' would manage you his piece thus and a would about and about and come you in and come you in rah tah tah would a say bounce would a say and away again would a go and again would a come i shall ne'er see such a fellow falstaff these fellows will do well master shallow god keep you master silence i will not use many words with you fare you well gentlemen both i thank you i must a dozen mile tonight bardolph give the soldiers coats shallow sir john the lord bless you god prosper your affairs god send us peace at your return visit our house let our old acquaintance be renewed peradventure i will with ye to the court falstaff fore god i would you would master shallow shallow go to i have spoke at a word god keep you falstaff fare you well gentle gentlemen exeunt justices on bardolph lead the men away exeunt bardolph recruits &c as i return i will fetch off these justices i do see the bottom of justice shallow lord lord how subject we old men are to this vice of lying this same starved justice hath done nothing but prate to me of the wildness of his youth and the feats he hath done about turnbull street and every third word a lie duer paid to the hearer than the turk's tribute i do remember him at clement's inn like a man made after supper of a cheeseparing when a' was naked he was for all the world like a forked radish with a head fantastically carved upon it with a knife a was so forlorn that his dimensions to any thick sight were invincible a' was the very genius of famine yet lecherous as a monkey and the whores called him mandrake a came ever in the rearward of the fashion and sung those tunes to the overscutched huswives that he heard the carmen whistle and swear they were his fancies or his goodnights and now is this vice's dagger become a squire and talks as familiarly of john a gaunt as if he had been sworn brother to him and i'll be sworn a ne'er saw him but once in the tiltyard and then he burst his head for crowding among the marshal's men i saw it and told john a gaunt he beat his own name for you might have thrust him and all his apparel into an eelskin the case of a treble hautboy was a mansion for him a court and now has he land and beefs well i'll be acquainted with him if i return and it shall go hard but i will make him a philosopher's two stones to me if the young dace be a bait for the old pike i see no reason in the law of nature but i may snap at him let time shape and there an end exit 2 king henry iv act iv scene i yorkshire gaultree forest enter the archbishop of york mowbray lord hastings and others archbishop of york what is this forest call'd hastings tis gaultree forest an't shall please your grace archbishop of york here stand my lords and send discoverers forth to know the numbers of our enemies hastings we have sent forth already archbishop of york tis well done my friends and brethren in these great affairs i must acquaint you that i have received newdated letters from northumberland their cold intent tenor and substance thus here doth he wish his person with such powers as might hold sortance with his quality the which he could not levy whereupon he is retired to ripe his growing fortunes to scotland and concludes in hearty prayers that your attempts may overlive the hazard and fearful melting of their opposite mowbray thus do the hopes we have in him touch ground and dash themselves to pieces enter a messenger hastings now what news messenger west of this forest scarcely off a mile in goodly form comes on the enemy and by the ground they hide i judge their number upon or near the rate of thirty thousand mowbray the just proportion that we gave them out let us sway on and face them in the field archbishop of york what wellappointed leader fronts us here enter westmoreland mowbray i think it is my lord of westmoreland westmoreland health and fair greeting from our general the prince lord john and duke of lancaster archbishop of york say on my lord of westmoreland in peace what doth concern your coming westmoreland then my lord unto your grace do i in chief address the substance of my speech if that rebellion came like itself in base and abject routs led on by bloody youth guarded with rags and countenanced by boys and beggary i say if damn'd commotion so appear'd in his true native and most proper shape you reverend father and these noble lords had not been here to dress the ugly form of base and bloody insurrection with your fair honours you lord archbishop whose see is by a civil peace maintained whose beard the silver hand of peace hath touch'd whose learning and good letters peace hath tutor'd whose white investments figure innocence the dove and very blessed spirit of peace wherefore do you so ill translate ourself out of the speech of peace that bears such grace into the harsh and boisterous tongue of war turning your books to graves your ink to blood your pens to lances and your tongue divine to a trumpet and a point of war archbishop of york wherefore do i this so the question stands briefly to this end we are all diseased and with our surfeiting and wanton hours have brought ourselves into a burning fever and we must bleed for it of which disease our late king richard being infected died but my most noble lord of westmoreland i take not on me here as a physician nor do i as an enemy to peace troop in the throngs of military men but rather show awhile like fearful war to diet rank minds sick of happiness and purge the obstructions which begin to stop our very veins of life hear me more plainly i have in equal balance justly weigh'd what wrongs our arms may do what wrongs we suffer and find our griefs heavier than our offences we see which way the stream of time doth run and are enforced from our most quiet there by the rough torrent of occasion and have the summary of all our griefs when time shall serve to show in articles which long ere this we offer'd to the king and might by no suit gain our audience when we are wrong'd and would unfold our griefs we are denied access unto his person even by those men that most have done us wrong the dangers of the days but newly gone whose memory is written on the earth with yet appearing blood and the examples of every minute's instance present now hath put us in these illbeseeming arms not to break peace or any branch of it but to establish here a peace indeed concurring both in name and quality westmoreland when ever yet was your appeal denied wherein have you been galled by the king what peer hath been suborn'd to grate on you that you should seal this lawless bloody book of forged rebellion with a seal divine and consecrate commotion's bitter edge archbishop of york my brother general the commonwealth to brother born an household cruelty i make my quarrel in particular westmoreland there is no need of any such redress or if there were it not belongs to you mowbray why not to him in part and to us all that feel the bruises of the days before and suffer the condition of these times to lay a heavy and unequal hand upon our honours westmoreland o my good lord mowbray construe the times to their necessities and you shall say indeed it is the time and not the king that doth you injuries yet for your part it not appears to me either from the king or in the present time that you should have an inch of any ground to build a grief on were you not restored to all the duke of norfolk's signories your noble and right well remember'd father's mowbray what thing in honour had my father lost that need to be revived and breathed in me the king that loved him as the state stood then was force perforce compell'd to banish him and then that harry bolingbroke and he being mounted and both roused in their seats their neighing coursers daring of the spur their armed staves in charge their beavers down their eyes of fire sparking through sights of steel and the loud trumpet blowing them together then then when there was nothing could have stay'd my father from the breast of bolingbroke o when the king did throw his warder down his own life hung upon the staff he threw then threw he down himself and all their lives that by indictment and by dint of sword have since miscarried under bolingbroke westmoreland you speak lord mowbray now you know not what the earl of hereford was reputed then in england the most valiant gentlemen who knows on whom fortune would then have smiled but if your father had been victor there he ne'er had borne it out of coventry for all the country in a general voice cried hate upon him and all their prayers and love were set on hereford whom they doted on and bless'd and graced indeed more than the king but this is mere digression from my purpose here come i from our princely general to know your griefs to tell you from his grace that he will give you audience and wherein it shall appear that your demands are just you shall enjoy them every thing set off that might so much as think you enemies mowbray but he hath forced us to compel this offer and it proceeds from policy not love westmoreland mowbray you overween to take it so this offer comes from mercy not from fear for lo within a ken our army lies upon mine honour all too confident to give admittance to a thought of fear our battle is more full of names than yours our men more perfect in the use of arms our armour all as strong our cause the best then reason will our heart should be as good say you not then our offer is compell'd mowbray well by my will we shall admit no parley westmoreland that argues but the shame of your offence a rotten case abides no handling hastings hath the prince john a full commission in very ample virtue of his father to hear and absolutely to determine of what conditions we shall stand upon westmoreland that is intended in the general's name i muse you make so slight a question archbishop of york then take my lord of westmoreland this schedule for this contains our general grievances each several article herein redress'd all members of our cause both here and hence that are insinew'd to this action acquitted by a true substantial form and present execution of our wills to us and to our purposes confined we come within our awful banks again and knit our powers to the arm of peace westmoreland this will i show the general please you lords in sight of both our battles we may meet and either end in peace which god so frame or to the place of difference call the swords which must decide it archbishop of york my lord we will do so exit westmoreland mowbray there is a thing within my bosom tells me that no conditions of our peace can stand hastings fear you not that if we can make our peace upon such large terms and so absolute as our conditions shall consist upon our peace shall stand as firm as rocky mountains mowbray yea but our valuation shall be such that every slight and falsederived cause yea every idle nice and wanton reason shall to the king taste of this action that were our royal faiths martyrs in love we shall be winnow'd with so rough a wind that even our corn shall seem as light as chaff and good from bad find no partition archbishop of york no no my lord note this the king is weary of dainty and such picking grievances for he hath found to end one doubt by death revives two greater in the heirs of life and therefore will he wipe his tables clean and keep no telltale to his memory that may repeat and history his loss to new remembrance for full well he knows he cannot so precisely weed this land as his misdoubts present occasion his foes are so enrooted with his friends that plucking to unfix an enemy he doth unfasten so and shake a friend so that this land like an offensive wife that hath enraged him on to offer strokes as he is striking holds his infant up and hangs resolved correction in the arm that was uprear'd to execution hastings besides the king hath wasted all his rods on late offenders that he now doth lack the very instruments of chastisement so that his power like to a fangless lion may offer but not hold archbishop of york tis very true and therefore be assured my good lord marshal if we do now make our atonement well our peace will like a broken limb united grow stronger for the breaking mowbray be it so here is return'd my lord of westmoreland reenter westmoreland westmoreland the prince is here at hand pleaseth your lordship to meet his grace just distance tween our armies mowbray your grace of york in god's name then set forward archbishop of york before and greet his grace my lord we come exeunt 2 king henry iv act iv scene ii another part of the forest enter from one side mowbray attended afterwards the archbishop of york hastings and others from the other side prince john of lancaster and westmoreland officers and others with them lancaster you are well encounter'd here my cousin mowbray good day to you gentle lord archbishop and so to you lord hastings and to all my lord of york it better show'd with you when that your flock assembled by the bell encircled you to hear with reverence your exposition on the holy text than now to see you here an iron man cheering a rout of rebels with your drum turning the word to sword and life to death that man that sits within a monarch's heart and ripens in the sunshine of his favour would he abuse the countenance of the king alack what mischiefs might he set abrooch in shadow of such greatness with you lord bishop it is even so who hath not heard it spoken how deep you were within the books of god to us the speaker in his parliament to us the imagined voice of god himself the very opener and intelligencer between the grace the sanctities of heaven and our dull workings o who shall believe but you misuse the reverence of your place employ the countenance and grace of heaven as a false favourite doth his prince's name in deeds dishonourable you have ta'en up under the counterfeited zeal of god the subjects of his substitute my father and both against the peace of heaven and him have here upswarm'd them archbishop of york good my lord of lancaster i am not here against your father's peace but as i told my lord of westmoreland the time misorder'd doth in common sense crowd us and crush us to this monstrous form to hold our safety up i sent your grace the parcels and particulars of our grief the which hath been with scorn shoved from the court whereon this hydra son of war is born whose dangerous eyes may well be charm'd asleep with grant of our most just and right desires and true obedience of this madness cured stoop tamely to the foot of majesty mowbray if not we ready are to try our fortunes to the last man hastings and though we here fall down we have supplies to second our attempt if they miscarry theirs shall second them and so success of mischief shall be born and heir from heir shall hold this quarrel up whiles england shall have generation lancaster you are too shallow hastings much too shallow to sound the bottom of the aftertimes westmoreland pleaseth your grace to answer them directly how far forth you do like their articles lancaster i like them all and do allow them well and swear here by the honour of my blood my father's purposes have been mistook and some about him have too lavishly wrested his meaning and authority my lord these griefs shall be with speed redress'd upon my soul they shall if this may please you discharge your powers unto their several counties as we will ours and here between the armies let's drink together friendly and embrace that all their eyes may bear those tokens home of our restored love and amity archbishop of york i take your princely word for these redresses lancaster i give it you and will maintain my word and thereupon i drink unto your grace hastings go captain and deliver to the army this news of peace let them have pay and part i know it will well please them hie thee captain exit officer archbishop of york to you my noble lord of westmoreland westmoreland i pledge your grace and if you knew what pains i have bestow'd to breed this present peace you would drink freely but my love to ye shall show itself more openly hereafter archbishop of york i do not doubt you westmoreland i am glad of it health to my lord and gentle cousin mowbray mowbray you wish me health in very happy season for i am on the sudden something ill archbishop of york against ill chances men are ever merry but heaviness foreruns the good event westmoreland therefore be merry coz since sudden sorrow serves to say thus some good thing comes tomorrow' archbishop of york believe me i am passing light in spirit mowbray so much the worse if your own rule be true shouts within lancaster the word of peace is render'd hark how they shout mowbray this had been cheerful after victory archbishop of york a peace is of the nature of a conquest for then both parties nobly are subdued and neither party loser lancaster go my lord and let our army be discharged too exit westmoreland and good my lord so please you let our trains march by us that we may peruse the men we should have coped withal archbishop of york go good lord hastings and ere they be dismissed let them march by exit hastings lancaster i trust lords we shall lie tonight together reenter westmoreland now cousin wherefore stands our army still westmoreland the leaders having charge from you to stand will not go off until they hear you speak lancaster they know their duties reenter hastings hastings my lord our army is dispersed already like youthful steers unyoked they take their courses east west north south or like a school broke up each hurries toward his home and sportingplace westmoreland good tidings my lord hastings for the which i do arrest thee traitor of high treason and you lord archbishop and you lord mowbray of capitol treason i attach you both mowbray is this proceeding just and honourable westmoreland is your assembly so archbishop of york will you thus break your faith lancaster i pawn'd thee none i promised you redress of these same grievances whereof you did complain which by mine honour i will perform with a most christian care but for you rebels look to taste the due meet for rebellion and such acts as yours most shallowly did you these arms commence fondly brought here and foolishly sent hence strike up our drums pursue the scatter'd stray god and not we hath safely fought today some guard these traitors to the block of death treason's true bed and yielder up of breath exeunt 2 king henry iv act iv scene iii another part of the forest alarum excursions enter falstaff and colevile meeting falstaff what's your name sir of what condition are you and of what place i pray colevile i am a knight sir and my name is colevile of the dale falstaff well then colevile is your name a knight is your degree and your place the dale colevile shall be still your name a traitor your degree and the dungeon your place a place deep enough so shall you be still colevile of the dale colevile are not you sir john falstaff falstaff as good a man as he sir whoe'er i am do ye yield sir or shall i sweat for you if i do sweat they are the drops of thy lovers and they weep for thy death therefore rouse up fear and trembling and do observance to my mercy colevile i think you are sir john falstaff and in that thought yield me falstaff i have a whole school of tongues in this belly of mine and not a tongue of them all speaks any other word but my name an i had but a belly of any indifference i were simply the most active fellow in europe my womb my womb my womb undoes me here comes our general enter prince john of lancaster westmoreland blunt and others lancaster the heat is past follow no further now call in the powers good cousin westmoreland exit westmoreland now falstaff where have you been all this while when every thing is ended then you come these tardy tricks of yours will on my life one time or other break some gallows back falstaff i would be sorry my lord but it should be thus i never knew yet but rebuke and cheque was the reward of valour do you think me a swallow an arrow or a bullet have i in my poor and old motion the expedition of thought i have speeded hither with the very extremest inch of possibility i have foundered nine score and odd posts and here traveltainted as i am have in my pure and immaculate valour taken sir john colevile of the dale a most furious knight and valorous enemy but what of that he saw me and yielded that i may justly say with the hooknosed fellow of rome i came saw and overcame' lancaster it was more of his courtesy than your deserving falstaff i know not here he is and here i yield him and i beseech your grace let it be booked with the rest of this day's deeds or by the lord i will have it in a particular ballad else with mine own picture on the top on't colevile kissing my foot to the which course if i be enforced if you do not all show like gilt twopences to me and i in the clear sky of fame o'ershine you as much as the full moon doth the cinders of the element which show like pins heads to her believe not the word of the noble therefore let me have right and let desert mount lancaster thine's too heavy to mount falstaff let it shine then lancaster thine's too thick to shine falstaff let it do something my good lord that may do me good and call it what you will lancaster is thy name colevile colevile it is my lord lancaster a famous rebel art thou colevile falstaff and a famous true subject took him colevile i am my lord but as my betters are that led me hither had they been ruled by me you should have won them dearer than you have falstaff i know not how they sold themselves but thou like a kind fellow gavest thyself away gratis and i thank thee for thee reenter westmoreland lancaster now have you left pursuit westmoreland retreat is made and execution stay'd lancaster send colevile with his confederates to york to present execution blunt lead him hence and see you guard him sure exeunt blunt and others with colevile and now dispatch we toward the court my lords i hear the king my father is sore sick our news shall go before us to his majesty which cousin you shall bear to comfort him and we with sober speed will follow you falstaff my lord i beseech you give me leave to go through gloucestershire and when you come to court stand my good lord pray in your good report lancaster fare you well falstaff i in my condition shall better speak of you than you deserve exeunt all but falstaff falstaff i would you had but the wit twere better than your dukedom good faith this same young sober blooded boy doth not love me nor a man cannot make him laugh but that's no marvel he drinks no wine there's never none of these demure boys come to any proof for thin drink doth so overcool their blood and making many fishmeals that they fall into a kind of male greensickness and then when they marry they get wenches they are generally fools and cowards which some of us should be too but for inflammation a good sherris sack hath a twofold operation in it it ascends me into the brain dries me there all the foolish and dull and curdy vapours which environ it makes it apprehensive quick forgetive full of nimble fiery and delectable shapes which delivered o'er to the voice the tongue which is the birth becomes excellent wit the second property of your excellent sherris is the warming of the blood which before cold and settled left the liver white and pale which is the badge of pusillanimity and cowardice but the sherris warms it and makes it course from the inwards to the parts extreme it illumineth the face which as a beacon gives warning to all the rest of this little kingdom man to arm and then the vital commoners and inland petty spirits muster me all to their captain the heart who great and puffed up with this retinue doth any deed of courage and this valour comes of sherris so that skill in the weapon is nothing without sack for that sets it awork and learning a mere hoard of gold kept by a devil till sack commences it and sets it in act and use hereof comes it that prince harry is valiant for the cold blood he did naturally inherit of his father he hath like lean sterile and bare land manured husbanded and tilled with excellent endeavour of drinking good and good store of fertile sherris that he is become very hot and valiant if i had a thousand sons the first humane principle i would teach them should be to forswear thin potations and to addict themselves to sack enter bardolph how now bardolph bardolph the army is discharged all and gone falstaff let them go i'll through gloucestershire and there will i visit master robert shallow esquire i have him already tempering between my finger and my thumb and shortly will i seal with him come away exeunt 2 king henry iv act iv scene iv westminster the jerusalem chamber enter king henry iv the princes thomas of clarence and humphrey of gloucester warwick and others king henry iv now lords if god doth give successful end to this debate that bleedeth at our doors we will our youth lead on to higher fields and draw no swords but what are sanctified our navy is address'd our power collected our substitutes in absence well invested and every thing lies level to our wish only we want a little personal strength and pause us till these rebels now afoot come underneath the yoke of government warwick both which we doubt not but your majesty shall soon enjoy king henry iv humphrey my son of gloucester where is the prince your brother gloucester i think he's gone to hunt my lord at windsor king henry iv and how accompanied gloucester i do not know my lord king henry iv is not his brother thomas of clarence with him gloucester no my good lord he is in presence here clarence what would my lord and father king henry iv nothing but well to thee thomas of clarence how chance thou art not with the prince thy brother he loves thee and thou dost neglect him thomas thou hast a better place in his affection than all thy brothers cherish it my boy and noble offices thou mayst effect of mediation after i am dead between his greatness and thy other brethren therefore omit him not blunt not his love nor lose the good advantage of his grace by seeming cold or careless of his will for he is gracious if he be observed he hath a tear for pity and a hand open as day for melting charity yet notwithstanding being incensed he's flint as humorous as winter and as sudden as flaws congealed in the spring of day his temper therefore must be well observed chide him for faults and do it reverently when thou perceive his blood inclined to mirth but being moody give him line and scope till that his passions like a whale on ground confound themselves with working learn this thomas and thou shalt prove a shelter to thy friends a hoop of gold to bind thy brothers in that the united vessel of their blood mingled with venom of suggestion as force perforce the age will pour it in shall never leak though it do work as strong as aconitum or rash gunpowder clarence i shall observe him with all care and love king henry iv why art thou not at windsor with him thomas clarence he is not there today he dines in london king henry iv and how accompanied canst thou tell that clarence with poins and other his continual followers king henry iv most subject is the fattest soil to weeds and he the noble image of my youth is overspread with them therefore my grief stretches itself beyond the hour of death the blood weeps from my heart when i do shape in forms imaginary the unguided days and rotten times that you shall look upon when i am sleeping with my ancestors for when his headstrong riot hath no curb when rage and hot blood are his counsellors when means and lavish manners meet together o with what wings shall his affections fly towards fronting peril and opposed decay warwick my gracious lord you look beyond him quite the prince but studies his companions like a strange tongue wherein to gain the language tis needful that the most immodest word be look'd upon and learn'd which once attain'd your highness knows comes to no further use but to be known and hated so like gross terms the prince will in the perfectness of time cast off his followers and their memory shall as a pattern or a measure live by which his grace must mete the lives of others turning past evils to advantages king henry iv tis seldom when the bee doth leave her comb in the dead carrion enter westmoreland who's here westmoreland westmoreland health to my sovereign and new happiness added to that that i am to deliver prince john your son doth kiss your grace's hand mowbray the bishop scroop hastings and all are brought to the correction of your law there is not now a rebel's sword unsheath'd but peace puts forth her olive every where the manner how this action hath been borne here at more leisure may your highness read with every course in his particular king henry iv o westmoreland thou art a summer bird which ever in the haunch of winter sings the lifting up of day enter harcourt look here's more news harcourt from enemies heaven keep your majesty and when they stand against you may they fall as those that i am come to tell you of the earl northumberland and the lord bardolph with a great power of english and of scots are by the sheriff of yorkshire overthrown the manner and true order of the fight this packet please it you contains at large king henry iv and wherefore should these good news make me sick will fortune never come with both hands full but write her fair words still in foulest letters she either gives a stomach and no food such are the poor in health or else a feast and takes away the stomach such are the rich that have abundance and enjoy it not i should rejoice now at this happy news and now my sight fails and my brain is giddy o me come near me now i am much ill gloucester comfort your majesty clarence o my royal father westmoreland my sovereign lord cheer up yourself look up warwick be patient princes you do know these fits are with his highness very ordinary stand from him give him air he'll straight be well clarence no no he cannot long hold out these pangs the incessant care and labour of his mind hath wrought the mure that should confine it in so thin that life looks through and will break out gloucester the people fear me for they do observe unfather'd heirs and loathly births of nature the seasons change their manners as the year had found some months asleep and leap'd them over clarence the river hath thrice flow'd no ebb between and the old folk time's doting chronicles say it did so a little time before that our greatgrandsire edward sick'd and died warwick speak lower princes for the king recovers gloucester this apoplexy will certain be his end king henry iv i pray you take me up and bear me hence into some other chamber softly pray 2 king henry iv act iv scene v another chamber king henry iv lying on a bed clarence gloucester warwick and others in attendance king henry iv let there be no noise made my gentle friends unless some dull and favourable hand will whisper music to my weary spirit warwick call for the music in the other room king henry iv set me the crown upon my pillow here clarence his eye is hollow and he changes much warwick less noise less noise enter prince henry prince henry who saw the duke of clarence clarence i am here brother full of heaviness prince henry how now rain within doors and none abroad how doth the king gloucester exceeding ill prince henry heard he the good news yet tell it him gloucester he alter'd much upon the hearing it prince henry if he be sick with joy he'll recover without physic warwick not so much noise my lords sweet prince speak low the king your father is disposed to sleep clarence let us withdraw into the other room warwick will't please your grace to go along with us prince henry no i will sit and watch here by the king exeunt all but prince henry why doth the crown lie there upon his pillow being so troublesome a bedfellow o polish'd perturbation golden care that keep'st the ports of slumber open wide to many a watchful night sleep with it now yet not so sound and half so deeply sweet as he whose brow with homely biggen bound snores out the watch of night o majesty when thou dost pinch thy bearer thou dost sit like a rich armour worn in heat of day that scalds with safety by his gates of breath there lies a downy feather which stirs not did he suspire that light and weightless down perforce must move my gracious lord my father this sleep is sound indeed this is a sleep that from this golden rigol hath divorced so many english kings thy due from me is tears and heavy sorrows of the blood which nature love and filial tenderness shall o dear father pay thee plenteously my due from thee is this imperial crown which as immediate as thy place and blood derives itself to me lo here it sits which god shall guard and put the world's whole strength into one giant arm it shall not force this lineal honour from me this from thee will i to mine leave as tis left to me exit king henry iv warwick gloucester clarence reenter warwick gloucester clarence and the rest clarence doth the king call warwick what would your majesty how fares your grace king henry iv why did you leave me here alone my lords clarence we left the prince my brother here my liege who undertook to sit and watch by you king henry iv the prince of wales where is he let me see him he is not here warwick this door is open he is gone this way gloucester he came not through the chamber where we stay'd king henry iv where is the crown who took it from my pillow warwick when we withdrew my liege we left it here king henry iv the prince hath ta'en it hence go seek him out is he so hasty that he doth suppose my sleep my death find him my lord of warwick chide him hither exit warwick this part of his conjoins with my disease and helps to end me see sons what things you are how quickly nature falls into revolt when gold becomes her object for this the foolish overcareful fathers have broke their sleep with thoughts their brains with care their bones with industry for this they have engrossed and piled up the canker'd heaps of strangeachieved gold for this they have been thoughtful to invest their sons with arts and martial exercises when like the bee culling from every flower the virtuous sweets our thighs pack'd with wax our mouths with honey we bring it to the hive and like the bees are murdered for our pains this bitter taste yield his engrossments to the ending father reenter warwick now where is he that will not stay so long till his friend sickness hath determined me warwick my lord i found the prince in the next room washing with kindly tears his gentle cheeks with such a deep demeanor in great sorrow that tyranny which never quaff'd but blood would by beholding him have wash'd his knife with gentle eyedrops he is coming hither king henry iv but wherefore did he take away the crown reenter prince henry lo where he comes come hither to me harry depart the chamber leave us here alone exeunt warwick and the rest prince henry i never thought to hear you speak again king henry iv thy wish was father harry to that thought i stay too long by thee i weary thee dost thou so hunger for mine empty chair that thou wilt needs invest thee with my honours before thy hour be ripe o foolish youth thou seek'st the greatness that will o'erwhelm thee stay but a little for my cloud of dignity is held from falling with so weak a wind that it will quickly drop my day is dim thou hast stolen that which after some few hours were thine without offence and at my death thou hast seal'd up my expectation thy life did manifest thou lovedst me not and thou wilt have me die assured of it thou hidest a thousand daggers in thy thoughts which thou hast whetted on thy stony heart to stab at half an hour of my life what canst thou not forbear me half an hour then get thee gone and dig my grave thyself and bid the merry bells ring to thine ear that thou art crowned not that i am dead let all the tears that should bedew my hearse be drops of balm to sanctify thy head only compound me with forgotten dust give that which gave thee life unto the worms pluck down my officers break my decrees for now a time is come to mock at form harry the fifth is crown'd up vanity down royal state all you sage counsellors hence and to the english court assemble now from every region apes of idleness now neighbour confines purge you of your scum have you a ruffian that will swear drink dance revel the night rob murder and commit the oldest sins the newest kind of ways be happy he will trouble you no more england shall double gild his treble guilt england shall give him office honour might for the fifth harry from curb'd licence plucks the muzzle of restraint and the wild dog shall flesh his tooth on every innocent o my poor kingdom sick with civil blows when that my care could not withhold thy riots what wilt thou do when riot is thy care o thou wilt be a wilderness again peopled with wolves thy old inhabitants prince henry o pardon me my liege but for my tears the moist impediments unto my speech i had forestall'd this dear and deep rebuke ere you with grief had spoke and i had heard the course of it so far there is your crown and he that wears the crown immortally long guard it yours if i affect it more than as your honour and as your renown let me no more from this obedience rise which my most inward true and duteous spirit teacheth this prostrate and exterior bending god witness with me when i here came in and found no course of breath within your majesty how cold it struck my heart if i do feign o let me in my present wildness die and never live to show the incredulous world the noble change that i have purposed coming to look on you thinking you dead and dead almost my liege to think you were i spake unto this crown as having sense and thus upbraided it the care on thee depending hath fed upon the body of my father therefore thou best of gold art worst of gold other less fine in carat is more precious preserving life in medicine potable but thou most fine most honour'd most renown'd hast eat thy bearer up thus my most royal liege accusing it i put it on my head to try with it as with an enemy that had before my face murder'd my father the quarrel of a true inheritor but if it did infect my blood with joy or swell my thoughts to any strain of pride if any rebel or vain spirit of mine did with the least affection of a welcome give entertainment to the might of it let god for ever keep it from my head and make me as the poorest vassal is that doth with awe and terror kneel to it king henry iv o my son god put it in thy mind to take it hence that thou mightst win the more thy father's love pleading so wisely in excuse of it come hither harry sit thou by my bed and hear i think the very latest counsel that ever i shall breathe god knows my son by what bypaths and indirect crook'd ways i met this crown and i myself know well how troublesome it sat upon my head to thee it shall descend with bitter quiet better opinion better confirmation for all the soil of the achievement goes with me into the earth it seem'd in me but as an honour snatch'd with boisterous hand and i had many living to upbraid my gain of it by their assistances which daily grew to quarrel and to bloodshed wounding supposed peace all these bold fears thou see'st with peril i have answered for all my reign hath been but as a scene acting that argument and now my death changes the mode for what in me was purchased falls upon thee in a more fairer sort so thou the garland wear'st successively yet though thou stand'st more sure than i could do thou art not firm enough since griefs are green and all my friends which thou must make thy friends have but their stings and teeth newly ta'en out by whose fell working i was first advanced and by whose power i well might lodge a fear to be again displaced which to avoid i cut them off and had a purpose now to lead out many to the holy land lest rest and lying still might make them look too near unto my state therefore my harry be it thy course to busy giddy minds with foreign quarrels that action hence borne out may waste the memory of the former days more would i but my lungs are wasted so that strength of speech is utterly denied me how i came by the crown o god forgive and grant it may with thee in true peace live prince henry my gracious liege you won it wore it kept it gave it me then plain and right must my possession be which i with more than with a common pain gainst all the world will rightfully maintain enter lord john of lancaster king henry iv look look here comes my john of lancaster lancaster health peace and happiness to my royal father king henry iv thou bring'st me happiness and peace son john but health alack with youthful wings is flown from this bare wither'd trunk upon thy sight my worldly business makes a period where is my lord of warwick prince henry my lord of warwick enter warwick and others king henry iv doth any name particular belong unto the lodging where i first did swoon warwick tis call'd jerusalem my noble lord king henry iv laud be to god even there my life must end it hath been prophesied to me many years i should not die but in jerusalem which vainly i supposed the holy land but bear me to that chamber there i'll lie in that jerusalem shall harry die exeunt 2 king henry iv act v scene i gloucestershire shallow's house enter shallow falstaff bardolph and page shallow by cock and pie sir you shall not away tonight what davy i say falstaff you must excuse me master robert shallow shallow i will not excuse you you shall not be excused excuses shall not be admitted there is no excuse shall serve you shall not be excused why davy enter davy davy here sir shallow davy davy davy davy let me see davy let me see davy let me see yea marry william cook bid him come hither sir john you shall not be excused davy marry sir thus those precepts cannot be served and again sir shall we sow the headland with wheat shallow with red wheat davy but for william cook are there no young pigeons davy yes sir here is now the smith's note for shoeing and ploughirons shallow let it be cast and paid sir john you shall not be excused davy now sir a new link to the bucket must need be had and sir do you mean to stop any of william's wages about the sack he lost the other day at hinckley fair shallow a shall answer it some pigeons davy a couple of shortlegged hens a joint of mutton and any pretty little tiny kickshaws tell william cook davy doth the man of war stay all night sir shallow yea davy i will use him well a friend i the court is better than a penny in purse use his men well davy for they are arrant knaves and will backbite davy no worse than they are backbitten sir for they have marvellous foul linen shallow well conceited davy about thy business davy davy i beseech you sir to countenance william visor of woncot against clement perkes of the hill shallow there is many complaints davy against that visor that visor is an arrant knave on my knowledge davy i grant your worship that he is a knave sir but yet god forbid sir but a knave should have some countenance at his friend's request an honest man sir is able to speak for himself when a knave is not i have served your worship truly sir this eight years and if i cannot once or twice in a quarter bear out a knave against an honest man i have but a very little credit with your worship the knave is mine honest friend sir therefore i beseech your worship let him be countenanced shallow go to i say he shall have no wrong look about davy exit davy where are you sir john come come come off with your boots give me your hand master bardolph bardolph i am glad to see your worship shallow i thank thee with all my heart kind master bardolph and welcome my tall fellow to the page come sir john falstaff i'll follow you good master robert shallow exit shallow bardolph look to our horses exeunt bardolph and page if i were sawed into quantities i should make four dozen of such bearded hermits staves as master shallow it is a wonderful thing to see the semblable coherence of his men's spirits and his they by observing of him do bear themselves like foolish justices he by conversing with them is turned into a justicelike servingman their spirits are so married in conjunction with the participation of society that they flock together in consent like so many wildgeese if i had a suit to master shallow i would humour his men with the imputation of being near their master if to his men i would curry with master shallow that no man could better command his servants it is certain that either wise bearing or ignorant carriage is caught as men take diseases one of another therefore let men take heed of their company i will devise matter enough out of this shallow to keep prince harry in continual laughter the wearing out of six fashions which is four terms or two actions and a shall laugh without intervallums o it is much that a lie with a slight oath and a jest with a sad brow will do with a fellow that never had the ache in his shoulders o you shall see him laugh till his face be like a wet cloak ill laid up shallow within sir john falstaff i come master shallow i come master shallow exit 2 king henry iv act v scene ii westminster the palace enter warwick and the lord chiefjustice meeting warwick how now my lord chiefjustice whither away lord chiefjustice how doth the king warwick exceeding well his cares are now all ended lord chiefjustice i hope not dead warwick he's walk'd the way of nature and to our purposes he lives no more lord chiefjustice i would his majesty had call'd me with him the service that i truly did his life hath left me open to all injuries warwick indeed i think the young king loves you not lord chiefjustice i know he doth not and do arm myself to welcome the condition of the time which cannot look more hideously upon me than i have drawn it in my fantasy enter lancaster clarence gloucester westmoreland and others warwick here come the heavy issue of dead harry o that the living harry had the temper of him the worst of these three gentlemen how many nobles then should hold their places that must strike sail to spirits of vile sort lord chiefjustice o god i fear all will be overturn'd lancaster good morrow cousin warwick good morrow gloucester good morrow cousin clarence lancaster we meet like men that had forgot to speak warwick we do remember but our argument is all too heavy to admit much talk lancaster well peace be with him that hath made us heavy lord chiefjustice peace be with us lest we be heavier gloucester o good my lord you have lost a friend indeed and i dare swear you borrow not that face of seeming sorrow it is sure your own lancaster though no man be assured what grace to find you stand in coldest expectation i am the sorrier would twere otherwise clarence well you must now speak sir john falstaff fair which swims against your stream of quality lord chiefjustice sweet princes what i did i did in honour led by the impartial conduct of my soul and never shall you see that i will beg a ragged and forestall'd remission if truth and upright innocency fail me i'll to the king my master that is dead and tell him who hath sent me after him warwick here comes the prince enter king henry v attended lord chiefjustice good morrow and god save your majesty king henry v this new and gorgeous garment majesty sits not so easy on me as you think brothers you mix your sadness with some fear this is the english not the turkish court not amurath an amurath succeeds but harry harry yet be sad good brothers for by my faith it very well becomes you sorrow so royally in you appears that i will deeply put the fashion on and wear it in my heart why then be sad but entertain no more of it good brothers than a joint burden laid upon us all for me by heaven i bid you be assured i'll be your father and your brother too let me but bear your love i ll bear your cares yet weep that harry's dead and so will i but harry lives that shall convert those tears by number into hours of happiness princes we hope no other from your majesty king henry v you all look strangely on me and you most you are i think assured i love you not lord chiefjustice i am assured if i be measured rightly your majesty hath no just cause to hate me king henry v no how might a prince of my great hopes forget so great indignities you laid upon me what rate rebuke and roughly send to prison the immediate heir of england was this easy may this be wash'd in lethe and forgotten lord chiefjustice i then did use the person of your father the image of his power lay then in me and in the administration of his law whiles i was busy for the commonwealth your highness pleased to forget my place the majesty and power of law and justice the image of the king whom i presented and struck me in my very seat of judgment whereon as an offender to your father i gave bold way to my authority and did commit you if the deed were ill be you contented wearing now the garland to have a son set your decrees at nought to pluck down justice from your awful bench to trip the course of law and blunt the sword that guards the peace and safety of your person nay more to spurn at your most royal image and mock your workings in a second body question your royal thoughts make the case yours be now the father and propose a son hear your own dignity so much profaned see your most dreadful laws so loosely slighted behold yourself so by a son disdain'd and then imagine me taking your part and in your power soft silencing your son after this cold considerance sentence me and as you are a king speak in your state what i have done that misbecame my place my person or my liege's sovereignty king henry v you are right justice and you weigh this well therefore still bear the balance and the sword and i do wish your honours may increase till you do live to see a son of mine offend you and obey you as i did so shall i live to speak my father's words happy am i that have a man so bold that dares do justice on my proper son and not less happy having such a son that would deliver up his greatness so into the hands of justice you did commit me for which i do commit into your hand the unstained sword that you have used to bear with this remembrance that you use the same with the like bold just and impartial spirit as you have done gainst me there is my hand you shall be as a father to my youth my voice shall sound as you do prompt mine ear and i will stoop and humble my intents to your wellpractised wise directions and princes all believe me i beseech you my father is gone wild into his grave for in his tomb lie my affections and with his spirit sadly i survive to mock the expectation of the world to frustrate prophecies and to raze out rotten opinion who hath writ me down after my seeming the tide of blood in me hath proudly flow'd in vanity till now now doth it turn and ebb back to the sea where it shall mingle with the state of floods and flow henceforth in formal majesty now call we our high court of parliament and let us choose such limbs of noble counsel that the great body of our state may go in equal rank with the best govern'd nation that war or peace or both at once may be as things acquainted and familiar to us in which you father shall have foremost hand our coronation done we will accite as i before remember'd all our state and god consigning to my good intents no prince nor peer shall have just cause to say god shorten harry's happy life one day exeunt 2 king henry iv act v scene iii gloucestershire shallow's orchard enter falstaff shallow silence davy bardolph and the page shallow nay you shall see my orchard where in an arbour we will eat a last year's pippin of my own graffing with a dish of caraways and so forth come cousin silence and then to bed falstaff fore god you have here a goodly dwelling and a rich shallow barren barren barren beggars all beggars all sir john marry good air spread davy spread davy well said davy falstaff this davy serves you for good uses he is your servingman and your husband shallow a good varlet a good varlet a very good varlet sir john by the mass i have drunk too much sack at supper a good varlet now sit down now sit down come cousin silence ah sirrah quotha we shall do nothing but eat and make good cheer singing and praise god for the merry year when flesh is cheap and females dear and lusty lads roam here and there so merrily and ever among so merrily falstaff there's a merry heart good master silence i'll give you a health for that anon shallow give master bardolph some wine davy davy sweet sir sit i'll be with you anon most sweet sir sit master page good master page sit proface what you want in meat we'll have in drink but you must bear the heart's all exit shallow be merry master bardolph and my little soldier there be merry silence be merry be merry my wife has all singing for women are shrews both short and tall tis merry in hall when beards wag all and welcome merry shrovetide be merry be merry falstaff i did not think master silence had been a man of this mettle silence who i i have been merry twice and once ere now reenter davy davy there's a dish of leathercoats for you to bardolph shallow davy davy your worship i'll be with you straight to bardolph a cup of wine sir silence a cup of wine that's brisk and fine singing and drink unto the leman mine and a merry heart lives longa falstaff well said master silence silence an we shall be merry now comes in the sweet o the night falstaff health and long life to you master silence silence fill the cup and let it come singing i'll pledge you a mile to the bottom shallow honest bardolph welcome if thou wantest any thing and wilt not call beshrew thy heart welcome my little tiny thief to the page and welcome indeed too i'll drink to master bardolph and to all the cavaleros about london davy i hove to see london once ere i die bardolph an i might see you there davy shallow by the mass you'll crack a quart together ha will you not master bardolph bardolph yea sir in a pottlepot shallow by god's liggens i thank thee the knave will stick by thee i can assure thee that a will not out he is true bred bardolph and i'll stick by him sir shallow why there spoke a king lack nothing be merry knocking within look who's at door there ho who knocks exit davy falstaff why now you have done me right to silence seeing him take off a bumper silence singing do me right and dub me knight samingo is't not so falstaff tis so silence is't so why then say an old man can do somewhat reenter davy davy an't please your worship there's one pistol come from the court with news falstaff from the court let him come in enter pistol how now pistol pistol sir john god save you falstaff what wind blew you hither pistol pistol not the ill wind which blows no man to good sweet knight thou art now one of the greatest men in this realm silence by'r lady i think a be but goodman puff of barson pistol puff puff in thy teeth most recreant coward base sir john i am thy pistol and thy friend and helterskelter have i rode to thee and tidings do i bring and lucky joys and golden times and happy news of price falstaff i pray thee now deliver them like a man of this world pistol a foutre for the world and worldlings base i speak of africa and golden joys falstaff o base assyrian knight what is thy news let king cophetua know the truth thereof silence and robin hood scarlet and john singing pistol shall dunghill curs confront the helicons and shall good news be baffled then pistol lay thy head in furies lap silence honest gentleman i know not your breeding pistol why then lament therefore shallow give me pardon sir if sir you come with news from the court i take it there's but two ways either to utter them or to conceal them i am sir under the king in some authority pistol under which king besonian speak or die shallow under king harry pistol harry the fourth or fifth shallow harry the fourth pistol a foutre for thine office sir john thy tender lambkin now is king harry the fifth's the man i speak the truth when pistol lies do this and fig me like the bragging spaniard falstaff what is the old king dead pistol as nail in door the things i speak are just falstaff away bardolph saddle my horse master robert shallow choose what office thou wilt in the land tis thine pistol i will doublecharge thee with dignities bardolph o joyful day i would not take a knighthood for my fortune pistol what i do bring good news falstaff carry master silence to bed master shallow my lord shallowbe what thou wilt i am fortune's stewardget on thy boots we'll ride all night o sweet pistol away bardolph exit bardolph come pistol utter more to me and withal devise something to do thyself good boot boot master shallow i know the young king is sick for me let us take any man's horses the laws of england are at my commandment blessed are they that have been my friends and woe to my lord chiefjustice pistol let vultures vile seize on his lungs also where is the life that late i led say they why here it is welcome these pleasant days exeunt 2 king henry iv act v scene iv london a street enter beadles dragging in hostess quickly and doll tearsheet mistress quickly no thou arrant knave i would to god that i might die that i might have thee hanged thou hast drawn my shoulder out of joint first beadle the constables have delivered her over to me and she shall have whippingcheer enough i warrant her there hath been a man or two lately killed about her doll tearsheet nuthook nuthook you lie come on i ll tell thee what thou damned tripevisaged rascal an the child i now go with do miscarry thou wert better thou hadst struck thy mother thou paperfaced villain mistress quickly o the lord that sir john were come he would make this a bloody day to somebody but i pray god the fruit of her womb miscarry first beadle if it do you shall have a dozen of cushions again you have but eleven now come i charge you both go with me for the man is dead that you and pistol beat amongst you doll tearsheet i'll tell you what you thin man in a censer i will have you as soundly swinged for thisyou bluebottle rogue you filthy famished correctioner if you be not swinged i'll forswear halfkirtles first beadle come come you she knighterrant come mistress quickly o god that right should thus overcome might well of sufferance comes ease doll tearsheet come you rogue come bring me to a justice mistress quickly ay come you starved bloodhound doll tearsheet goodman death goodman bones mistress quickly thou atomy thou doll tearsheet come you thin thing come you rascal first beadle very well exeunt 2 king henry iv act v scene v a public place near westminster abbey enter two grooms strewing rushes first groom more rushes more rushes second groom the trumpets have sounded twice first groom twill be two o'clock ere they come from the coronation dispatch dispatch exeunt enter falstaff shallow pistol bardolph and page falstaff stand here by me master robert shallow i will make the king do you grace i will leer upon him as a comes by and do but mark the countenance that he will give me pistol god bless thy lungs good knight falstaff come here pistol stand behind me o if i had had time to have made new liveries i would have bestowed the thousand pound i borrowed of you but tis no matter this poor show doth better this doth infer the zeal i had to see him shallow it doth so falstaff it shows my earnestness of affection shallow it doth so falstaff my devotion shallow it doth it doth it doth falstaff as it were to ride day and night and not to deliberate not to remember not to have patience to shift me shallow it is best certain falstaff but to stand stained with travel and sweating with desire to see him thinking of nothing else putting all affairs else in oblivion as if there were nothing else to be done but to see him pistol tis semper idem for obsque hoc nihil est' tis all in every part shallow tis so indeed pistol my knight i will inflame thy noble liver and make thee rage thy doll and helen of thy noble thoughts is in base durance and contagious prison haled thither by most mechanical and dirty hand rouse up revenge from ebon den with fell alecto's snake for doll is in pistol speaks nought but truth falstaff i will deliver her shouts within and the trumpets sound pistol there roar'd the sea and trumpetclangor sounds enter king henry v and his train the lord chief justice among them falstaff god save thy grace king hal my royal hal pistol the heavens thee guard and keep most royal imp of fame falstaff god save thee my sweet boy king henry iv my lord chiefjustice speak to that vain man lord chiefjustice have you your wits know you what tis to speak falstaff my king my jove i speak to thee my heart king henry iv i know thee not old man fall to thy prayers how ill white hairs become a fool and jester i have long dream'd of such a kind of man so surfeitswell'd so old and so profane but being awaked i do despise my dream make less thy body hence and more thy grace leave gormandizing know the grave doth gape for thee thrice wider than for other men reply not to me with a foolborn jest presume not that i am the thing i was for god doth know so shall the world perceive that i have turn'd away my former self so will i those that kept me company when thou dost hear i am as i have been approach me and thou shalt be as thou wast the tutor and the feeder of my riots till then i banish thee on pain of death as i have done the rest of my misleaders not to come near our person by ten mile for competence of life i will allow you that lack of means enforce you not to evil and as we hear you do reform yourselves we will according to your strengths and qualities give you advancement be it your charge my lord to see perform'd the tenor of our word set on exeunt king henry v &c falstaff master shallow i owe you a thousand pound shallow yea marry sir john which i beseech you to let me have home with me falstaff that can hardly be master shallow do not you grieve at this i shall be sent for in private to him look you he must seem thus to the world fear not your advancements i will be the man yet that shall make you great shallow i cannot well perceive how unless you should give me your doublet and stuff me out with straw i beseech you good sir john let me have five hundred of my thousand falstaff sir i will be as good as my word this that you heard was but a colour shallow a colour that i fear you will die in sir john falstaff fear no colours go with me to dinner come lieutenant pistol come bardolph i shall be sent for soon at night reenter prince john of lancaster the lord chiefjustice officers with them lord chiefjustice go carry sir john falstaff to the fleet take all his company along with him falstaff my lord my lord lord chiefjustice i cannot now speak i will hear you soon take them away pistol si fortune me tormenta spero contenta exeunt all but prince john and the lord chiefjustice lancaster i like this fair proceeding of the king's he hath intent his wonted followers shall all be very well provided for but all are banish'd till their conversations appear more wise and modest to the world lord chiefjustice and so they are lancaster the king hath call'd his parliament my lord lord chiefjustice he hath lancaster i will lay odds that ere this year expire we bear our civil swords and native fire as far as france i beard a bird so sing whose music to my thinking pleased the king come will you hence exeunt 2 king henry iv epilogue spoken by a dancer first my fear then my courtesy last my speech my fear is your displeasure my courtesy my duty and my speech to beg your pardons if you look for a good speech now you undo me for what i have to say is of mine own making and what indeed i should say will i doubt prove mine own marring but to the purpose and so to the venture be it known to you as it is very well i was lately here in the end of a displeasing play to pray your patience for it and to promise you a better i meant indeed to pay you with this which if like an ill venture it come unluckily home i break and you my gentle creditors lose here i promised you i would be and here i commit my body to your mercies bate me some and i will pay you some and as most debtors do promise you infinitely if my tongue cannot entreat you to acquit me will you command me to use my legs and yet that were but light payment to dance out of your debt but a good conscience will make any possible satisfaction and so would i all the gentlewomen here have forgiven me if the gentlemen will not then the gentlemen do not agree with the gentlewomen which was never seen before in such an assembly one word more i beseech you if you be not too much cloyed with fat meat our humble author will continue the story with sir john in it and make you merry with fair katharine of france where for any thing i know falstaff shall die of a sweat unless already a be killed with your hard opinions for oldcastle died a martyr and this is not the man my tongue is weary when my legs are too i will bid you good night and so kneel down before you but indeed to pray for the queen 2 king henry vi dramatis personae king henry the sixth king henry vi humphrey duke of gloucester his uncle gloucester cardinal beaufort bishop of winchester greatuncle to the king cardinal richard plantagenet duke of york york edward his sons richard duke of somerset somerset duke of suffolk suffolk duke of buckingham buckingham lord clifford clifford young clifford his son earl of salisbury salisbury earl of warwick warwick lord scales scales lord say say sir humphrey stafford sir humphrey william stafford sir humphrey stafford's brother sir john stanley stanley vaux matthew goffe a seacaptain captain master and master'smate walter whitmore two gentlemen prisoners with suffolk first gentleman second gentleman john hume hume priests john southwell bolingbroke a conjurer thomas horner an armourer horner peter thomas horner's man clerk of chatham clerk mayor of saint alban's mayor simpcox an impostor alexander iden a kentish gentleman iden jack cade a rebel cade george bevis bevis john holland holland dick the butcher dick followers of cade smith the weaver smith michael michael &c two murderers first murderer second murderer queen margaret queen to king henry eleanor duchess of gloucester duchess margaret jourdain a witch wife to simpcox wife lords ladies and attendants petitioners aldermen a herald a beadle sheriff and officers citizens prentices falconers guards soldiers messengers &c first neighbour second neighbour third neighbour first petitioner second petitioner herald beadle sheriff servant soldier townsman first prentice second prentice post messenger a spirit spirit scene england 2 king henry vi act i scene i london the palace flourish of trumpets then hautboys enter king henry vi gloucester salisbury warwick and cardinal on the one side queen margaret suffolk york somerset and buckingham on the other suffolk as by your high imperial majesty i had in charge at my depart for france as procurator to your excellence to marry princess margaret for your grace so in the famous ancient city tours in presence of the kings of france and sicil the dukes of orleans calaber bretagne and alencon seven earls twelve barons and twenty reverend bishops i have perform'd my task and was espoused and humbly now upon my bended knee in sight of england and her lordly peers deliver up my title in the queen to your most gracious hands that are the substance of that great shadow i did represent the happiest gift that ever marquess gave the fairest queen that ever king received king henry vi suffolk arise welcome queen margaret i can express no kinder sign of love than this kind kiss o lord that lends me life lend me a heart replete with thankfulness for thou hast given me in this beauteous face a world of earthly blessings to my soul if sympathy of love unite our thoughts queen margaret great king of england and my gracious lord the mutual conference that my mind hath had by day by night waking and in my dreams in courtly company or at my beads with you mine alderliefest sovereign makes me the bolder to salute my king with ruder terms such as my wit affords and overjoy of heart doth minister king henry vi her sight did ravish but her grace in speech her words yclad with wisdom's majesty makes me from wondering fall to weeping joys such is the fulness of my heart's content lords with one cheerful voice welcome my love all kneeling long live queen margaret england's happiness queen margaret we thank you all flourish suffolk my lord protector so it please your grace here are the articles of contracted peace between our sovereign and the french king charles for eighteen months concluded by consent gloucester reads imprimis it is agreed between the french king charles and william de la pole marquess of suffolk ambassador for henry king of england that the said henry shall espouse the lady margaret daughter unto reignier king of naples sicilia and jerusalem and crown her queen of england ere the thirtieth of may next ensuing item that the duchy of anjou and the county of maine shall be released and delivered to the king her father' lets the paper fall king henry vi uncle how now gloucester pardon me gracious lord some sudden qualm hath struck me at the heart and dimm'd mine eyes that i can read no further king henry vi uncle of winchester i pray read on cardinal reads item it is further agreed between them that the duchies of anjou and maine shall be released and delivered over to the king her father and she sent over of the king of england's own proper cost and charges without having any dowry' king henry vi they please us well lord marquess kneel down we here create thee the first duke of suffolk and gird thee with the sword cousin of york we here discharge your grace from being regent i the parts of france till term of eighteen months be full expired thanks uncle winchester gloucester york buckingham somerset salisbury and warwick we thank you all for the great favour done in entertainment to my princely queen come let us in and with all speed provide to see her coronation be perform'd exeunt king henry vi queen margaret and suffolk gloucester brave peers of england pillars of the state to you duke humphrey must unload his grief your grief the common grief of all the land what did my brother henry spend his youth his valour coin and people in the wars did he so often lodge in open field in winter's cold and summer's parching heat to conquer france his true inheritance and did my brother bedford toil his wits to keep by policy what henry got have you yourselves somerset buckingham brave york salisbury and victorious warwick received deep scars in france and normandy or hath mine uncle beaufort and myself with all the learned council of the realm studied so long sat in the councilhouse early and late debating to and fro how france and frenchmen might be kept in awe and had his highness in his infancy crowned in paris in despite of foes and shall these labours and these honours die shall henry's conquest bedford's vigilance your deeds of war and all our counsel die o peers of england shameful is this league fatal this marriage cancelling your fame blotting your names from books of memory razing the characters of your renown defacing monuments of conquer'd france undoing all as all had never been cardinal nephew what means this passionate discourse this peroration with such circumstance for france tis ours and we will keep it still gloucester ay uncle we will keep it if we can but now it is impossible we should suffolk the newmade duke that rules the roast hath given the duchy of anjou and maine unto the poor king reignier whose large style agrees not with the leanness of his purse salisbury now by the death of him that died for all these counties were the keys of normandy but wherefore weeps warwick my valiant son warwick for grief that they are past recovery for were there hope to conquer them again my sword should shed hot blood mine eyes no tears anjou and maine myself did win them both those provinces these arms of mine did conquer and are the cities that i got with wounds delivered up again with peaceful words mort dieu york for suffolk's duke may he be suffocate that dims the honour of this warlike isle france should have torn and rent my very heart before i would have yielded to this league i never read but england's kings have had large sums of gold and dowries with their wives and our king henry gives away his own to match with her that brings no vantages gloucester a proper jest and never heard before that suffolk should demand a whole fifteenth for costs and charges in transporting her she should have stayed in france and starved in france before cardinal my lord of gloucester now ye grow too hot it was the pleasure of my lord the king gloucester my lord of winchester i know your mind tis not my speeches that you do mislike but tis my presence that doth trouble ye rancour will out proud prelate in thy face i see thy fury if i longer stay we shall begin our ancient bickerings lordings farewell and say when i am gone i prophesied france will be lost ere long exit cardinal so there goes our protector in a rage tis known to you he is mine enemy nay more an enemy unto you all and no great friend i fear me to the king consider lords he is the next of blood and heir apparent to the english crown had henry got an empire by his marriage and all the wealthy kingdoms of the west there's reason he should be displeased at it look to it lords let not his smoothing words bewitch your hearts be wise and circumspect what though the common people favour him calling him humphrey the good duke of gloucester' clapping their hands and crying with loud voice jesu maintain your royal excellence' with god preserve the good duke humphrey' i fear me lords for all this flattering gloss he will be found a dangerous protector buckingham why should he then protect our sovereign he being of age to govern of himself cousin of somerset join you with me and all together with the duke of suffolk we'll quickly hoise duke humphrey from his seat cardinal this weighty business will not brook delay i'll to the duke of suffolk presently exit somerset cousin of buckingham though humphrey's pride and greatness of his place be grief to us yet let us watch the haughty cardinal his insolence is more intolerable than all the princes in the land beside if gloucester be displaced he'll be protector buckingham or thou or i somerset will be protector despite duke humphrey or the cardinal exeunt buckingham and somerset salisbury pride went before ambition follows him while these do labour for their own preferment behoves it us to labour for the realm i never saw but humphrey duke of gloucester did bear him like a noble gentleman oft have i seen the haughty cardinal more like a soldier than a man o the church as stout and proud as he were lord of all swear like a ruffian and demean himself unlike the ruler of a commonweal warwick my son the comfort of my age thy deeds thy plainness and thy housekeeping hath won the greatest favour of the commons excepting none but good duke humphrey and brother york thy acts in ireland in bringing them to civil discipline thy late exploits done in the heart of france when thou wert regent for our sovereign have made thee fear'd and honour'd of the people join we together for the public good in what we can to bridle and suppress the pride of suffolk and the cardinal with somerset's and buckingham's ambition and as we may cherish duke humphrey's deeds while they do tend the profit of the land warwick so god help warwick as he loves the land and common profit of his country york aside and so says york for he hath greatest cause salisbury then let's make haste away and look unto the main warwick unto the main o father maine is lost that maine which by main force warwick did win and would have kept so long as breath did last main chance father you meant but i meant maine which i will win from france or else be slain exeunt warwick and salisbury york anjou and maine are given to the french paris is lost the state of normandy stands on a tickle point now they are gone suffolk concluded on the articles the peers agreed and henry was well pleased to change two dukedoms for a duke's fair daughter i cannot blame them all what is't to them tis thine they give away and not their own pirates may make cheap pennyworths of their pillage and purchase friends and give to courtezans still revelling like lords till all be gone while as the silly owner of the goods weeps over them and wrings his hapless hands and shakes his head and trembling stands aloof while all is shared and all is borne away ready to starve and dare not touch his own so york must sit and fret and bite his tongue while his own lands are bargain'd for and sold methinks the realms of england france and ireland bear that proportion to my flesh and blood as did the fatal brand althaea burn'd unto the prince's heart of calydon anjou and maine both given unto the french cold news for me for i had hope of france even as i have of fertile england's soil a day will come when york shall claim his own and therefore i will take the nevils parts and make a show of love to proud duke humphrey and when i spy advantage claim the crown for that's the golden mark i seek to hit nor shall proud lancaster usurp my right nor hold the sceptre in his childish fist nor wear the diadem upon his head whose churchlike humours fits not for a crown then york be still awhile till time do serve watch thou and wake when others be asleep to pry into the secrets of the state till henry surfeiting in joys of love with his new bride and england's dearbought queen and humphrey with the peers be fall'n at jars then will i raise aloft the milkwhite rose with whose sweet smell the air shall be perfumed and in my standard bear the arms of york to grapple with the house of lancaster and force perforce i'll make him yield the crown whose bookish rule hath pull'd fair england down exit 2 king henry vi act i scene ii gloucester's house enter gloucester and his duchess duchess why droops my lord like overripen'd corn hanging the head at ceres plenteous load why doth the great duke humphrey knit his brows as frowning at the favours of the world why are thine eyes fixed to the sullen earth gazing on that which seems to dim thy sight what seest thou there king henry's diadem enchased with all the honours of the world if so gaze on and grovel on thy face until thy head be circled with the same put forth thy hand reach at the glorious gold what is't too short i'll lengthen it with mine and having both together heaved it up we'll both together lift our heads to heaven and never more abase our sight so low as to vouchsafe one glance unto the ground gloucester o nell sweet nell if thou dost love thy lord banish the canker of ambitious thoughts and may that thought when i imagine ill against my king and nephew virtuous henry be my last breathing in this mortal world my troublous dream this night doth make me sad duchess what dream'd my lord tell me and i'll requite it with sweet rehearsal of my morning's dream gloucester methought this staff mine officebadge in court was broke in twain by whom i have forgot but as i think it was by the cardinal and on the pieces of the broken wand were placed the heads of edmund duke of somerset and william de la pole first duke of suffolk this was my dream what it doth bode god knows duchess tut this was nothing but an argument that he that breaks a stick of gloucester's grove shall lose his head for his presumption but list to me my humphrey my sweet duke methought i sat in seat of majesty in the cathedral church of westminster and in that chair where kings and queens are crown'd where henry and dame margaret kneel'd to me and on my head did set the diadem gloucester nay eleanor then must i chide outright presumptuous dame illnurtured eleanor art thou not second woman in the realm and the protector's wife beloved of him hast thou not worldly pleasure at command above the reach or compass of thy thought and wilt thou still be hammering treachery to tumble down thy husband and thyself from top of honour to disgrace's feet away from me and let me hear no more duchess what what my lord are you so choleric with eleanor for telling but her dream next time i'll keep my dreams unto myself and not be cheque'd gloucester nay be not angry i am pleased again enter messenger messenger my lord protector tis his highness pleasure you do prepare to ride unto saint alban's where as the king and queen do mean to hawk gloucester i go come nell thou wilt ride with us duchess yes my good lord i'll follow presently exeunt gloucester and messenger follow i must i cannot go before while gloucester bears this base and humble mind were i a man a duke and next of blood i would remove these tedious stumblingblocks and smooth my way upon their headless necks and being a woman i will not be slack to play my part in fortune's pageant where are you there sir john nay fear not man we are alone here's none but thee and i enter hume hume jesus preserve your royal majesty duchess what say'st thou majesty i am but grace hume but by the grace of god and hume's advice your grace's title shall be multiplied duchess what say'st thou man hast thou as yet conferr'd with margery jourdain the cunning witch with roger bolingbroke the conjurer and will they undertake to do me good hume this they have promised to show your highness a spirit raised from depth of underground that shall make answer to such questions as by your grace shall be propounded him duchess it is enough i'll think upon the questions when from st alban's we do make return we'll see these things effected to the full here hume take this reward make merry man with thy confederates in this weighty cause exit hume hume must make merry with the duchess gold marry and shall but how now sir john hume seal up your lips and give no words but mum the business asketh silent secrecy dame eleanor gives gold to bring the witch gold cannot come amiss were she a devil yet have i gold flies from another coast i dare not say from the rich cardinal and from the great and newmade duke of suffolk yet i do find it so for to be plain they knowing dame eleanor's aspiring humour have hired me to undermine the duchess and buz these conjurations in her brain they say a crafty knave does need no broker' yet am i suffolk and the cardinal's broker hume if you take not heed you shall go near to call them both a pair of crafty knaves well so it stands and thus i fear at last hume's knavery will be the duchess wreck and her attainture will be humphrey's fall sort how it will i shall have gold for all exit 2 king henry vi act i scene iii the palace enter three or four petitioners peter the armourer's man being one first petitioner my masters let's stand close my lord protector will come this way by and by and then we may deliver our supplications in the quill second petitioner marry the lord protect him for he's a good man jesu bless him enter suffolk and queen margaret peter here a comes methinks and the queen with him i'll be the first sure second petitioner come back fool this is the duke of suffolk and not my lord protector suffolk how now fellow would'st anything with me first petitioner i pray my lord pardon me i took ye for my lord protector queen margaret reading to my lord protector are your supplications to his lordship let me see them what is thine first petitioner mine is an't please your grace against john goodman my lord cardinal's man for keeping my house and lands and wife and all from me suffolk thy wife too that's some wrong indeed what's yours what's here reads against the duke of suffolk for enclosing the commons of melford how now sir knave second petitioner alas sir i am but a poor petitioner of our whole township peter giving his petition against my master thomas horner for saying that the duke of york was rightful heir to the crown queen margaret what sayst thou did the duke of york say he was rightful heir to the crown peter that my master was no forsooth my master said that he was and that the king was an usurper suffolk who is there enter servant take this fellow in and send for his master with a pursuivant presently we'll hear more of your matter before the king exit servant with peter queen margaret and as for you that love to be protected under the wings of our protector's grace begin your suits anew and sue to him tears the supplication away base cullions suffolk let them go all come let's be gone exeunt queen margaret my lord of suffolk say is this the guise is this the fashion in the court of england is this the government of britain's isle and this the royalty of albion's king what shall king henry be a pupil still under the surly gloucester's governance am i a queen in title and in style and must be made a subject to a duke i tell thee pole when in the city tours thou ran'st a tilt in honour of my love and stolest away the ladies hearts of france i thought king henry had resembled thee in courage courtship and proportion but all his mind is bent to holiness to number avemaries on his beads his champions are the prophets and apostles his weapons holy saws of sacred writ his study is his tiltyard and his loves are brazen images of canonized saints i would the college of the cardinals would choose him pope and carry him to rome and set the triple crown upon his head that were a state fit for his holiness suffolk madam be patient as i was cause your highness came to england so will i in england work your grace's full content queen margaret beside the haughty protector have we beaufort the imperious churchman somerset buckingham and grumbling york and not the least of these but can do more in england than the king suffolk and he of these that can do most of all cannot do more in england than the nevils salisbury and warwick are no simple peers queen margaret not all these lords do vex me half so much as that proud dame the lord protector's wife she sweeps it through the court with troops of ladies more like an empress than duke humphrey's wife strangers in court do take her for the queen she bears a duke's revenues on her back and in her heart she scorns our poverty shall i not live to be avenged on her contemptuous baseborn callet as she is she vaunted mongst her minions t'other day the very train of her worst wearing gown was better worth than all my father's lands till suffolk gave two dukedoms for his daughter suffolk madam myself have limed a bush for her and placed a quire of such enticing birds that she will light to listen to the lays and never mount to trouble you again so let her rest and madam list to me for i am bold to counsel you in this although we fancy not the cardinal yet must we join with him and with the lords till we have brought duke humphrey in disgrace as for the duke of york this late complaint will make but little for his benefit so one by one we'll weed them all at last and you yourself shall steer the happy helm sound a sennet enter king henry vi gloucester cardinal buckingham york somerset salisbury warwick and the duchess king henry vi for my part noble lords i care not which or somerset or york all's one to me york if york have ill demean'd himself in france then let him be denay'd the regentship somerset if somerset be unworthy of the place let york be regent i will yield to him warwick whether your grace be worthy yea or no dispute not that york is the worthier cardinal ambitious warwick let thy betters speak warwick the cardinal's not my better in the field buckingham all in this presence are thy betters warwick warwick warwick may live to be the best of all salisbury peace son and show some reason buckingham why somerset should be preferred in this queen margaret because the king forsooth will have it so gloucester madam the king is old enough himself to give his censure these are no women's matters queen margaret if he be old enough what needs your grace to be protector of his excellence gloucester madam i am protector of the realm and at his pleasure will resign my place suffolk resign it then and leave thine insolence since thou wert kingas who is king but thou the commonwealth hath daily run to wreck the dauphin hath prevail'd beyond the seas and all the peers and nobles of the realm have been as bondmen to thy sovereignty cardinal the commons hast thou rack'd the clergy's bags are lank and lean with thy extortions somerset thy sumptuous buildings and thy wife's attire have cost a mass of public treasury buckingham thy cruelty in execution upon offenders hath exceeded law and left thee to the mercy of the law queen margaret they sale of offices and towns in france if they were known as the suspect is great would make thee quickly hop without thy head exit gloucester queen margaret drops her fan give me my fan what minion can ye not she gives the duchess a box on the ear i cry you mercy madam was it you duchess was't i yea i it was proud frenchwoman could i come near your beauty with my nails i'd set my ten commandments in your face king henry vi sweet aunt be quiet twas against her will duchess against her will good king look to't in time she'll hamper thee and dandle thee like a baby though in this place most master wear no breeches she shall not strike dame eleanor unrevenged exit buckingham lord cardinal i will follow eleanor and listen after humphrey how he proceeds she's tickled now her fume needs no spurs she'll gallop far enough to her destruction exit reenter gloucester gloucester now lords my choler being overblown with walking once about the quadrangle i come to talk of commonwealth affairs as for your spiteful false objections prove them and i lie open to the law but god in mercy so deal with my soul as i in duty love my king and country but to the matter that we have in hand i say my sovereign york is meetest man to be your regent in the realm of france suffolk before we make election give me leave to show some reason of no little force that york is most unmeet of any man york i'll tell thee suffolk why i am unmeet first for i cannot flatter thee in pride next if i be appointed for the place my lord of somerset will keep me here without discharge money or furniture till france be won into the dauphin's hands last time i danced attendance on his will till paris was besieged famish'd and lost warwick that can i witness and a fouler fact did never traitor in the land commit suffolk peace headstrong warwick warwick image of pride why should i hold my peace enter horner the armourer and his man peter guarded suffolk because here is a man accused of treason pray god the duke of york excuse himself york doth any one accuse york for a traitor king henry vi what mean'st thou suffolk tell me what are these suffolk please it your majesty this is the man that doth accuse his master of high treason his words were these that richard duke of york was rightful heir unto the english crown and that your majesty was a usurper king henry vi say man were these thy words horner an't shall please your majesty i never said nor thought any such matter god is my witness i am falsely accused by the villain peter by these ten bones my lords he did speak them to me in the garret one night as we were scouring my lord of york's armour york base dunghill villain and mechanical i'll have thy head for this thy traitor's speech i do beseech your royal majesty let him have all the rigor of the law horner alas my lord hang me if ever i spake the words my accuser is my prentice and when i did correct him for his fault the other day he did vow upon his knees he would be even with me i have good witness of this therefore i beseech your majesty do not cast away an honest man for a villain's accusation king henry vi uncle what shall we say to this in law gloucester this doom my lord if i may judge let somerset be regent over the french because in york this breeds suspicion and let these have a day appointed them for single combat in convenient place for he hath witness of his servant's malice this is the law and this duke humphrey's doom somerset i humbly thank your royal majesty horner and i accept the combat willingly peter alas my lord i cannot fight for god's sake pity my case the spite of man prevaileth against me o lord have mercy upon me i shall never be able to fight a blow o lord my heart gloucester sirrah or you must fight or else be hang'd king henry vi away with them to prison and the day of combat shall be the last of the next month come somerset we'll see thee sent away flourish exeunt 2 king henry vi act i scene iv gloucester's garden enter margaret jourdain hume southwell and bolingbroke hume come my masters the duchess i tell you expects performance of your promises bolingbroke master hume we are therefore provided will her ladyship behold and hear our exorcisms hume ay what else fear you not her courage bolingbroke i have heard her reported to be a woman of an invincible spirit but it shall be convenient master hume that you be by her aloft while we be busy below and so i pray you go in god's name and leave us exit hume mother jourdain be you prostrate and grovel on the earth john southwell read you and let us to our work enter the duchess aloft hume following duchess well said my masters and welcome all to this gear the sooner the better bolingbroke patience good lady wizards know their times deep night dark night the silent of the night the time of night when troy was set on fire the time when screechowls cry and bandogs howl and spirits walk and ghosts break up their graves that time best fits the work we have in hand madam sit you and fear not whom we raise we will make fast within a hallow'd verge here they do the ceremonies belonging and make the circle bolingbroke or southwell reads conjuro te &c it thunders and lightens terribly then the spirit riseth spirit adsum margaret jourdain asmath by the eternal god whose name and power thou tremblest at answer that i shall ask for till thou speak thou shalt not pass from hence spirit ask what thou wilt that i had said and done bolingbroke first of the king what shall of him become' reading out of a paper spirit the duke yet lives that henry shall depose but him outlive and die a violent death as the spirit speaks southwell writes the answer bolingbroke what fates await the duke of suffolk' spirit by water shall he die and take his end bolingbroke what shall befall the duke of somerset' spirit let him shun castles safer shall he be upon the sandy plains than where castles mounted stand have done for more i hardly can endure bolingbroke descend to darkness and the burning lake false fiend avoid thunder and lightning exit spirit enter york and buckingham with their guard and break in york lay hands upon these traitors and their trash beldam i think we watch'd you at an inch what madam are you there the king and commonweal are deeply indebted for this piece of pains my lord protector will i doubt it not see you well guerdon'd for these good deserts duchess not half so bad as thine to england's king injurious duke that threatest where's no cause buckingham true madam none at all what call you this away with them let them be clapp'd up close and kept asunder you madam shall with us stafford take her to thee exeunt above duchess and hume guarded we'll see your trinkets here all forthcoming all away exeunt guard with margaret jourdain southwell &c york lord buckingham methinks you watch'd her well a pretty plot well chosen to build upon now pray my lord let's see the devil's writ what have we here reads the duke yet lives that henry shall depose but him outlive and die a violent death' why this is just aio te aeacida romanos vincere posse' well to the rest tell me what fate awaits the duke of suffolk by water shall he die and take his end what shall betide the duke of somerset let him shun castles safer shall he be upon the sandy plains than where castles mounted stand' come come my lords these oracles are hardly attain'd and hardly understood the king is now in progress towards saint alban's with him the husband of this lovely lady thither go these news as fast as horse can carry them a sorry breakfast for my lord protector buckingham your grace shall give me leave my lord of york to be the post in hope of his reward york at your pleasure my good lord who's within there ho enter a servingman invite my lords of salisbury and warwick to sup with me tomorrow night away exeunt 2 king henry vi act ii scene i saint alban's enter king henry vi queen margaret gloucester cardinal and suffolk with falconers halloing queen margaret believe me lords for flying at the brook i saw not better sport these seven years day yet by your leave the wind was very high and ten to one old joan had not gone out king henry vi but what a point my lord your falcon made and what a pitch she flew above the rest to see how god in all his creatures works yea man and birds are fain of climbing high suffolk no marvel an it like your majesty my lord protector's hawks do tower so well they know their master loves to be aloft and bears his thoughts above his falcon's pitch gloucester my lord tis but a base ignoble mind that mounts no higher than a bird can soar cardinal i thought as much he would be above the clouds gloucester ay my lord cardinal how think you by that were it not good your grace could fly to heaven king henry vi the treasury of everlasting joy cardinal thy heaven is on earth thine eyes and thoughts beat on a crown the treasure of thy heart pernicious protector dangerous peer that smooth'st it so with king and commonweal gloucester what cardinal is your priesthood grown peremptory tantaene animis coelestibus irae churchmen so hot good uncle hide such malice with such holiness can you do it suffolk no malice sir no more than well becomes so good a quarrel and so bad a peer gloucester as who my lord suffolk why as you my lord an't like your lordly lordprotectorship gloucester why suffolk england knows thine insolence queen margaret and thy ambition gloucester king henry vi i prithee peace good queen and whet not on these furious peers for blessed are the peacemakers on earth cardinal let me be blessed for the peace i make against this proud protector with my sword gloucester aside to cardinal faith holy uncle would twere come to that cardinal aside to gloucester marry when thou darest gloucester aside to cardinal make up no factious numbers for the matter in thine own person answer thy abuse cardinal aside to gloucester ay where thou darest not peep an if thou darest this evening on the east side of the grove king henry vi how now my lords cardinal believe me cousin gloucester had not your man put up the fowl so suddenly we had had more sport aside to gloucester come with thy twohand sword gloucester true uncle cardinal aside to gloucester are ye advised the east side of the grove gloucester aside to cardinal cardinal i am with you king henry vi why how now uncle gloucester gloucester talking of hawking nothing else my lord aside to cardinal now by god's mother priest i'll shave your crown for this or all my fence shall fail cardinal aside to gloucester medice teipsum protector see to't well protect yourself king henry vi the winds grow high so do your stomachs lords how irksome is this music to my heart when such strings jar what hope of harmony i pray my lords let me compound this strife enter a townsman of saint alban's crying a miracle' gloucester what means this noise fellow what miracle dost thou proclaim townsman a miracle a miracle suffolk come to the king and tell him what miracle townsman forsooth a blind man at saint alban's shrine within this halfhour hath received his sight a man that ne'er saw in his life before king henry vi now god be praised that to believing souls gives light in darkness comfort in despair enter the mayor of saint alban's and his brethren bearing simpcox between two in a chair simpcox's wife following cardinal here comes the townsmen on procession to present your highness with the man king henry vi great is his comfort in this earthly vale although by his sight his sin be multiplied gloucester stand by my masters bring him near the king his highness pleasure is to talk with him king henry vi good fellow tell us here the circumstance that we for thee may glorify the lord what hast thou been long blind and now restored simpcox born blind an't please your grace wife ay indeed was he suffolk what woman is this wife his wife an't like your worship gloucester hadst thou been his mother thou couldst have better told king henry vi where wert thou born simpcox at berwick in the north an't like your grace king henry vi poor soul god's goodness hath been great to thee let never day nor night unhallow'd pass but still remember what the lord hath done queen margaret tell me good fellow camest thou here by chance or of devotion to this holy shrine simpcox god knows of pure devotion being call'd a hundred times and oftener in my sleep by good saint alban who said simpcox come come offer at my shrine and i will help thee' wife most true forsooth and many time and oft myself have heard a voice to call him so cardinal what art thou lame simpcox ay god almighty help me suffolk how camest thou so simpcox a fall off of a tree wife a plumtree master gloucester how long hast thou been blind simpcox born so master gloucester what and wouldst climb a tree simpcox but that in all my life when i was a youth wife too true and bought his climbing very dear gloucester mass thou lovedst plums well that wouldst venture so simpcox alas good master my wife desired some damsons and made me climb with danger of my life gloucester a subtle knave but yet it shall not serve let me see thine eyes wink now now open them in my opinion yet thou seest not well simpcox yes master clear as day i thank god and saint alban gloucester say'st thou me so what colour is this cloak of simpcox red master red as blood gloucester why that's well said what colour is my gown of simpcox black forsooth coalblack as jet king henry vi why then thou know'st what colour jet is of suffolk and yet i think jet did he never see gloucester but cloaks and gowns before this day a many wife never before this day in all his life gloucester tell me sirrah what's my name simpcox alas master i know not gloucester what's his name simpcox i know not gloucester nor his simpcox no indeed master gloucester what's thine own name simpcox saunder simpcox an if it please you master gloucester then saunder sit there the lyingest knave in christendom if thou hadst been born blind thou mightest as well have known all our names as thus to name the several colours we do wear sight may distinguish of colours but suddenly to nominate them all it is impossible my lords saint alban here hath done a miracle and would ye not think his cunning to be great that could restore this cripple to his legs again simpcox o master that you could gloucester my masters of saint alban's have you not beadles in your town and things called whips mayor yes my lord if it please your grace gloucester then send for one presently mayor sirrah go fetch the beadle hither straight exit an attendant gloucester now fetch me a stool hither by and by now sirrah if you mean to save yourself from whipping leap me over this stool and run away simpcox alas master i am not able to stand alone you go about to torture me in vain enter a beadle with whips gloucester well sir we must have you find your legs sirrah beadle whip him till he leap over that same stool beadle i will my lord come on sirrah off with your doublet quickly simpcox alas master what shall i do i am not able to stand after the beadle hath hit him once he leaps over the stool and runs away and they follow and cry a miracle' king henry vi o god seest thou this and bearest so long queen margaret it made me laugh to see the villain run gloucester follow the knave and take this drab away wife alas sir we did it for pure need gloucester let them be whipped through every markettown till they come to berwick from whence they came exeunt wife beadle mayor &c cardinal duke humphrey has done a miracle today suffolk true made the lame to leap and fly away gloucester but you have done more miracles than i you made in a day my lord whole towns to fly enter buckingham king henry vi what tidings with our cousin buckingham buckingham such as my heart doth tremble to unfold a sort of naughty persons lewdly bent under the countenance and confederacy of lady eleanor the protector's wife the ringleader and head of all this rout have practised dangerously against your state dealing with witches and with conjurers whom we have apprehended in the fact raising up wicked spirits from under ground demanding of king henry's life and death and other of your highness privycouncil as more at large your grace shall understand cardinal aside to gloucester and so my lord protector by this means your lady is forthcoming yet at london this news i think hath turn'd your weapon's edge tis like my lord you will not keep your hour gloucester ambitious churchman leave to afflict my heart sorrow and grief have vanquish'd all my powers and vanquish'd as i am i yield to thee or to the meanest groom king henry vi o god what mischiefs work the wicked ones heaping confusion on their own heads thereby queen margaret gloucester see here the tainture of thy nest and look thyself be faultless thou wert best gloucester madam for myself to heaven i do appeal how i have loved my king and commonweal and for my wife i know not how it stands sorry i am to hear what i have heard noble she is but if she have forgot honour and virtue and conversed with such as like to pitch defile nobility i banish her my bed and company and give her as a prey to law and shame that hath dishonour'd gloucester's honest name king henry vi well for this night we will repose us here tomorrow toward london back again to look into this business thoroughly and call these foul offenders to their answers and poise the cause in justice equal scales whose beam stands sure whose rightful cause prevails flourish exeunt 2 king henry vi act ii scene ii london york's garden enter york salisbury and warwick york now my good lords of salisbury and warwick our simple supper ended give me leave in this close walk to satisfy myself in craving your opinion of my title which is infallible to england's crown salisbury my lord i long to hear it at full warwick sweet york begin and if thy claim be good the nevils are thy subjects to command york then thus edward the third my lords had seven sons the first edward the black prince prince of wales the second william of hatfield and the third lionel duke of clarence next to whom was john of gaunt the duke of lancaster the fifth was edmund langley duke of york the sixth was thomas of woodstock duke of gloucester william of windsor was the seventh and last edward the black prince died before his father and left behind him richard his only son who after edward the third's death reign'd as king till henry bolingbroke duke of lancaster the eldest son and heir of john of gaunt crown'd by the name of henry the fourth seized on the realm deposed the rightful king sent his poor queen to france from whence she came and him to pomfret where as all you know harmless richard was murder'd traitorously warwick father the duke hath told the truth thus got the house of lancaster the crown york which now they hold by force and not by right for richard the first son's heir being dead the issue of the next son should have reign'd salisbury but william of hatfield died without an heir york the third son duke of clarence from whose line i claimed the crown had issue philippe a daughter who married edmund mortimer earl of march edmund had issue roger earl of march roger had issue edmund anne and eleanor salisbury this edmund in the reign of bolingbroke as i have read laid claim unto the crown and but for owen glendower had been king who kept him in captivity till he died but to the rest york his eldest sister anne my mother being heir unto the crown married richard earl of cambridge who was son to edmund langley edward the third's fifth son by her i claim the kingdom she was heir to roger earl of march who was the son of edmund mortimer who married philippe sole daughter unto lionel duke of clarence so if the issue of the elder son succeed before the younger i am king warwick what plain proceeding is more plain than this henry doth claim the crown from john of gaunt the fourth son york claims it from the third till lionel's issue fails his should not reign it fails not yet but flourishes in thee and in thy sons fair slips of such a stock then father salisbury kneel we together and in this private plot be we the first that shall salute our rightful sovereign with honour of his birthright to the crown both long live our sovereign richard england's king york we thank you lords but i am not your king till i be crown'd and that my sword be stain'd with heartblood of the house of lancaster and that's not suddenly to be perform'd but with advice and silent secrecy do you as i do in these dangerous days wink at the duke of suffolk's insolence at beaufort's pride at somerset's ambition at buckingham and all the crew of them till they have snared the shepherd of the flock that virtuous prince the good duke humphrey tis that they seek and they in seeking that shall find their deaths if york can prophesy salisbury my lord break we off we know your mind at full warwick my heart assures me that the earl of warwick shall one day make the duke of york a king york and nevil this i do assure myself richard shall live to make the earl of warwick the greatest man in england but the king exeunt 2 king henry vi act ii scene iii a hall of justice sound trumpets enter king henry vi queen margaret gloucester york suffolk and salisbury the duchess margaret jourdain southwell hume and bolingbroke under guard king henry vi stand forth dame eleanor cobham gloucester's wife in sight of god and us your guilt is great receive the sentence of the law for sins such as by god's book are adjudged to death you four from hence to prison back again from thence unto the place of execution the witch in smithfield shall be burn'd to ashes and you three shall be strangled on the gallows you madam for you are more nobly born despoiled of your honour in your life shall after three days open penance done live in your country here in banishment with sir john stanley in the isle of man duchess welcome is banishment welcome were my death gloucester eleanor the law thou see'st hath judged thee i cannot justify whom the law condemns exeunt duchess and other prisoners guarded mine eyes are full of tears my heart of grief ah humphrey this dishonour in thine age will bring thy head with sorrow to the ground i beseech your majesty give me leave to go sorrow would solace and mine age would ease king henry vi stay humphrey duke of gloucester ere thou go give up thy staff henry will to himself protector be and god shall be my hope my stay my guide and lantern to my feet and go in peace humphrey no less beloved than when thou wert protector to thy king queen margaret i see no reason why a king of years should be to be protected like a child god and king henry govern england's realm give up your staff sir and the king his realm gloucester my staff here noble henry is my staff as willingly do i the same resign as e'er thy father henry made it mine and even as willingly at thy feet i leave it as others would ambitiously receive it farewell good king when i am dead and gone may honourable peace attend thy throne exit queen margaret why now is henry king and margaret queen and humphrey duke of gloucester scarce himself that bears so shrewd a maim two pulls at once his lady banish'd and a limb lopp'd off this staff of honour raught there let it stand where it best fits to be in henry's hand suffolk thus droops this lofty pine and hangs his sprays thus eleanor's pride dies in her youngest days york lords let him go please it your majesty this is the day appointed for the combat and ready are the appellant and defendant the armourer and his man to enter the lists so please your highness to behold the fight queen margaret ay good my lord for purposely therefore left i the court to see this quarrel tried king henry vi o god's name see the lists and all things fit here let them end it and god defend the right york i never saw a fellow worse bested or more afraid to fight than is the appellant the servant of this armourer my lords enter at one door horner the armourer and his neighbours drinking to him so much that he is drunk and he enters with a drum before him and his staff with a sandbag fastened to it and at the other door peter his man with a drum and sandbag and prentices drinking to him first neighbour here neighbour horner i drink to you in a cup of sack and fear not neighbour you shall do well enough second neighbour and here neighbour here's a cup of charneco third neighbour and here's a pot of good double beer neighbour drink and fear not your man horner let it come i faith and i'll pledge you all and a fig for peter first prentice here peter i drink to thee and be not afraid second prentice be merry peter and fear not thy master fight for credit of the prentices peter i thank you all drink and pray for me i pray you for i think i have taken my last draught in this world here robin an if i die i give thee my apron and will thou shalt have my hammer and here tom take all the money that i have o lord bless me i pray god for i am never able to deal with my master he hath learnt me so much fence already salisbury come leave your drinking and fall to blows sirrah what's thy name peter peter forsooth salisbury peter what more peter thump salisbury thump then see thou thump thy master well horner masters i am come hither as it were upon my man's instigation to prove him a knave and myself an honest man and touching the duke of york i will take my death i never meant him any ill nor the king nor the queen and therefore peter have at thee with a downright blow york dispatch this knave's tongue begins to double sound trumpets alarum to the combatants alarum they fight and peter strikes him down horner hold peter hold i confess i confess treason dies york take away his weapon fellow thank god and the good wine in thy master's way peter o god have i overcome mine enemy in this presence o peter thou hast prevailed in right king henry vi go take hence that traitor from our sight for his death we do perceive his guilt and god in justice hath revealed to us the truth and innocence of this poor fellow which he had thought to have murder'd wrongfully come fellow follow us for thy reward sound a flourish exeunt 2 king henry vi act ii scene iv a street enter gloucester and his servingmen in mourning cloaks gloucester thus sometimes hath the brightest day a cloud and after summer evermore succeeds barren winter with his wrathful nipping cold so cares and joys abound as seasons fleet sirs what's o'clock servants ten my lord gloucester ten is the hour that was appointed me to watch the coming of my punish'd duchess uneath may she endure the flinty streets to tread them with her tenderfeeling feet sweet nell ill can thy noble mind abrook the abject people gazing on thy face with envious looks laughing at thy shame that erst did follow thy proud chariotwheels when thou didst ride in triumph through the streets but soft i think she comes and i'll prepare my tearstain'd eyes to see her miseries enter the duchess in a white sheet and a taper burning in her hand with stanley the sheriff and officers servant so please your grace we'll take her from the sheriff gloucester no stir not for your lives let her pass by duchess come you my lord to see my open shame now thou dost penance too look how they gaze see how the giddy multitude do point and nod their heads and throw their eyes on thee ah gloucester hide thee from their hateful looks and in thy closet pent up rue my shame and ban thine enemies both mine and thine gloucester be patient gentle nell forget this grief duchess ah gloucester teach me to forget myself for whilst i think i am thy married wife and thou a prince protector of this land methinks i should not thus be led along mail'd up in shame with papers on my back and followed with a rabble that rejoice to see my tears and hear my deepfet groans the ruthless flint doth cut my tender feet and when i start the envious people laugh and bid me be advised how i tread ah humphrey can i bear this shameful yoke trow'st thou that e'er i'll look upon the world or count them happy that enjoy the sun no dark shall be my light and night my day to think upon my pomp shall be my hell sometime i'll say i am duke humphrey's wife and he a prince and ruler of the land yet so he ruled and such a prince he was as he stood by whilst i his forlorn duchess was made a wonder and a pointingstock to every idle rascal follower but be thou mild and blush not at my shame nor stir at nothing till the axe of death hang over thee as sure it shortly will for suffolk he that can do all in all with her that hateth thee and hates us all and york and impious beaufort that false priest have all limed bushes to betray thy wings and fly thou how thou canst they'll tangle thee but fear not thou until thy foot be snared nor never seek prevention of thy foes gloucester ah nell forbear thou aimest all awry i must offend before i be attainted and had i twenty times so many foes and each of them had twenty times their power all these could not procure me any scathe so long as i am loyal true and crimeless wouldst have me rescue thee from this reproach why yet thy scandal were not wiped away but i in danger for the breach of law thy greatest help is quiet gentle nell i pray thee sort thy heart to patience these few days wonder will be quickly worn enter a herald herald i summon your grace to his majesty's parliament holden at bury the first of this next month gloucester and my consent ne'er ask'd herein before this is close dealing well i will be there exit herald my nell i take my leave and master sheriff let not her penance exceed the king's commission sheriff an't please your grace here my commission stays and sir john stanley is appointed now to take her with him to the isle of man gloucester must you sir john protect my lady here stanley so am i given in charge may't please your grace gloucester entreat her not the worse in that i pray you use her well the world may laugh again and i may live to do you kindness if you do it her and so sir john farewell duchess what gone my lord and bid me not farewell gloucester witness my tears i cannot stay to speak exeunt gloucester and servingmen duchess art thou gone too all comfort go with thee for none abides with me my joy is death death at whose name i oft have been afear'd because i wish'd this world's eternity stanley i prithee go and take me hence i care not whither for i beg no favour only convey me where thou art commanded stanley why madam that is to the isle of man there to be used according to your state duchess that's bad enough for i am but reproach and shall i then be used reproachfully stanley like to a duchess and duke humphrey's lady according to that state you shall be used duchess sheriff farewell and better than i fare although thou hast been conduct of my shame sheriff it is my office and madam pardon me duchess ay ay farewell thy office is discharged come stanley shall we go stanley madam your penance done throw off this sheet and go we to attire you for our journey duchess my shame will not be shifted with my sheet no it will hang upon my richest robes and show itself attire me how i can go lead the way i long to see my prison exeunt 2 king henry vi act iii scene i the abbey at bury st edmund's sound a sennet enter king henry vi queen margaret cardinal suffolk york buckingham salisbury and warwick to the parliament king henry vi i muse my lord of gloucester is not come tis not his wont to be the hindmost man whate'er occasion keeps him from us now queen margaret can you not see or will ye not observe the strangeness of his alter'd countenance with what a majesty he bears himself how insolent of late he is become how proud how peremptory and unlike himself we know the time since he was mild and affable and if we did but glance a faroff look immediately he was upon his knee that all the court admired him for submission but meet him now and be it in the morn when every one will give the time of day he knits his brow and shows an angry eye and passeth by with stiff unbowed knee disdaining duty that to us belongs small curs are not regarded when they grin but great men tremble when the lion roars and humphrey is no little man in england first note that he is near you in descent and should you fall he as the next will mount me seemeth then it is no policy respecting what a rancorous mind he bears and his advantage following your decease that he should come about your royal person or be admitted to your highness council by flattery hath he won the commons hearts and when he please to make commotion tis to be fear'd they all will follow him now tis the spring and weeds are shallowrooted suffer them now and they'll o'ergrow the garden and choke the herbs for want of husbandry the reverent care i bear unto my lord made me collect these dangers in the duke if it be fond call it a woman's fear which fear if better reasons can supplant i will subscribe and say i wrong'd the duke my lord of suffolk buckingham and york reprove my allegation if you can or else conclude my words effectual suffolk well hath your highness seen into this duke and had i first been put to speak my mind i think i should have told your grace's tale the duchess by his subornation upon my life began her devilish practises or if he were not privy to those faults yet by reputing of his high descent as next the king he was successive heir and such high vaunts of his nobility did instigate the bedlam brainsick duchess by wicked means to frame our sovereign's fall smooth runs the water where the brook is deep and in his simple show he harbours treason the fox barks not when he would steal the lamb no no my sovereign gloucester is a man unsounded yet and full of deep deceit cardinal did he not contrary to form of law devise strange deaths for small offences done york and did he not in his protectorship levy great sums of money through the realm for soldiers pay in france and never sent it by means whereof the towns each day revolted buckingham tut these are petty faults to faults unknown which time will bring to light in smooth duke humphrey king henry vi my lords at once the care you have of us to mow down thorns that would annoy our foot is worthy praise but shall i speak my conscience our kinsman gloucester is as innocent from meaning treason to our royal person as is the sucking lamb or harmless dove the duke is virtuous mild and too well given to dream on evil or to work my downfall queen margaret ah what's more dangerous than this fond affiance seems he a dove his feathers are but borrowed for he's disposed as the hateful raven is he a lamb his skin is surely lent him for he's inclined as is the ravenous wolf who cannot steal a shape that means deceit take heed my lord the welfare of us all hangs on the cutting short that fraudful man enter somerset somerset all health unto my gracious sovereign king henry vi welcome lord somerset what news from france somerset that all your interest in those territories is utterly bereft you all is lost king henry vi cold news lord somerset but god's will be done york aside cold news for me for i had hope of france as firmly as i hope for fertile england thus are my blossoms blasted in the bud and caterpillars eat my leaves away but i will remedy this gear ere long or sell my title for a glorious grave enter gloucester gloucester all happiness unto my lord the king pardon my liege that i have stay'd so long suffolk nay gloucester know that thou art come too soon unless thou wert more loyal than thou art i do arrest thee of high treason here gloucester well suffolk thou shalt not see me blush nor change my countenance for this arrest a heart unspotted is not easily daunted the purest spring is not so free from mud as i am clear from treason to my sovereign who can accuse me wherein am i guilty york tis thought my lord that you took bribes of france and being protector stayed the soldiers pay by means whereof his highness hath lost france gloucester is it but thought so what are they that think it i never robb'd the soldiers of their pay nor ever had one penny bribe from france so help me god as i have watch'd the night ay night by night in studying good for england that doit that e'er i wrested from the king or any groat i hoarded to my use be brought against me at my trialday no many a pound of mine own proper store because i would not tax the needy commons have i disbursed to the garrisons and never ask'd for restitution cardinal it serves you well my lord to say so much gloucester i say no more than truth so help me god york in your protectorship you did devise strange tortures for offenders never heard of that england was defamed by tyranny gloucester why tis well known that whiles i was protector pity was all the fault that was in me for i should melt at an offender's tears and lowly words were ransom for their fault unless it were a bloody murderer or foul felonious thief that fleeced poor passengers i never gave them condign punishment murder indeed that bloody sin i tortured above the felon or what trespass else suffolk my lord these faults are easy quickly answered but mightier crimes are laid unto your charge whereof you cannot easily purge yourself i do arrest you in his highness name and here commit you to my lord cardinal to keep until your further time of trial king henry vi my lord of gloucester tis my special hope that you will clear yourself from all suspect my conscience tells me you are innocent gloucester ah gracious lord these days are dangerous virtue is choked with foul ambition and charity chased hence by rancour's hand foul subornation is predominant and equity exiled your highness land i know their complot is to have my life and if my death might make this island happy and prove the period of their tyranny i would expend it with all willingness but mine is made the prologue to their play for thousands more that yet suspect no peril will not conclude their plotted tragedy beaufort's red sparkling eyes blab his heart's malice and suffolk's cloudy brow his stormy hate sharp buckingham unburthens with his tongue the envious load that lies upon his heart and dogged york that reaches at the moon whose overweening arm i have pluck'd back by false accuse doth level at my life and you my sovereign lady with the rest causeless have laid disgraces on my head and with your best endeavour have stirr'd up my liefest liege to be mine enemy ay all you have laid your heads together myself had notice of your conventicles and all to make away my guiltless life i shall not want false witness to condemn me nor store of treasons to augment my guilt the ancient proverb will be well effected a staff is quickly found to beat a dog' cardinal my liege his railing is intolerable if those that care to keep your royal person from treason's secret knife and traitors rage be thus upbraided chid and rated at and the offender granted scope of speech twill make them cool in zeal unto your grace suffolk hath he not twit our sovereign lady here with ignominious words though clerkly couch'd as if she had suborned some to swear false allegations to o'erthrow his state queen margaret but i can give the loser leave to chide gloucester far truer spoke than meant i lose indeed beshrew the winners for they play'd me false and well such losers may have leave to speak buckingham he'll wrest the sense and hold us here all day lord cardinal he is your prisoner cardinal sirs take away the duke and guard him sure gloucester ah thus king henry throws away his crutch before his legs be firm to bear his body thus is the shepherd beaten from thy side and wolves are gnarling who shall gnaw thee first ah that my fear were false ah that it were for good king henry thy decay i fear exit guarded king henry vi my lords what to your wisdoms seemeth best do or undo as if ourself were here queen margaret what will your highness leave the parliament king henry vi ay margaret my heart is drown'd with grief whose flood begins to flow within mine eyes my body round engirt with misery for what's more miserable than discontent ah uncle humphrey in thy face i see the map of honour truth and loyalty and yet good humphrey is the hour to come that e'er i proved thee false or fear'd thy faith what louring star now envies thy estate that these great lords and margaret our queen do seek subversion of thy harmless life thou never didst them wrong nor no man wrong and as the butcher takes away the calf and binds the wretch and beats it when it strays bearing it to the bloody slaughterhouse even so remorseless have they borne him hence and as the dam runs lowing up and down looking the way her harmless young one went and can do nought but wail her darling's loss even so myself bewails good gloucester's case with sad unhelpful tears and with dimm'd eyes look after him and cannot do him good so mighty are his vowed enemies his fortunes i will weep and twixt each groan say who's a traitor gloucester he is none' exeunt all but queen margaret cardinal suffolk and york somerset remains apart queen margaret free lords cold snow melts with the sun's hot beams henry my lord is cold in great affairs too full of foolish pity and gloucester's show beguiles him as the mournful crocodile with sorrow snares relenting passengers or as the snake roll'd in a flowering bank with shining chequer'd slough doth sting a child that for the beauty thinks it excellent believe me lords were none more wise than i and yet herein i judge mine own wit good this gloucester should be quickly rid the world to rid us of the fear we have of him cardinal that he should die is worthy policy but yet we want a colour for his death tis meet he be condemn'd by course of law suffolk but in my mind that were no policy the king will labour still to save his life the commons haply rise to save his life and yet we have but trivial argument more than mistrust that shows him worthy death york so that by this you would not have him die suffolk ah york no man alive so fain as i york tis york that hath more reason for his death but my lord cardinal and you my lord of suffolk say as you think and speak it from your souls were't not all one an empty eagle were set to guard the chicken from a hungry kite as place duke humphrey for the king's protector queen margaret so the poor chicken should be sure of death suffolk madam tis true and were't not madness then to make the fox surveyor of the fold who being accused a crafty murderer his guilt should be but idly posted over because his purpose is not executed no let him die in that he is a fox by nature proved an enemy to the flock before his chaps be stain'd with crimson blood as humphrey proved by reasons to my liege and do not stand on quillets how to slay him be it by gins by snares by subtlety sleeping or waking tis no matter how so he be dead for that is good deceit which mates him first that first intends deceit queen margaret thricenoble suffolk tis resolutely spoke suffolk not resolute except so much were done for things are often spoke and seldom meant but that my heart accordeth with my tongue seeing the deed is meritorious and to preserve my sovereign from his foe say but the word and i will be his priest cardinal but i would have him dead my lord of suffolk ere you can take due orders for a priest say you consent and censure well the deed and i'll provide his executioner i tender so the safety of my liege suffolk here is my hand the deed is worthy doing queen margaret and so say i york and i and now we three have spoke it it skills not greatly who impugns our doom enter a post post great lords from ireland am i come amain to signify that rebels there are up and put the englishmen unto the sword send succors lords and stop the rage betime before the wound do grow uncurable for being green there is great hope of help cardinal a breach that craves a quick expedient stop what counsel give you in this weighty cause york that somerset be sent as regent thither tis meet that lucky ruler be employ'd witness the fortune he hath had in france somerset if york with all his farfet policy had been the regent there instead of me he never would have stay'd in france so long york no not to lose it all as thou hast done i rather would have lost my life betimes than bring a burthen of dishonour home by staying there so long till all were lost show me one scar character'd on thy skin men's flesh preserved so whole do seldom win queen margaret nay then this spark will prove a raging fire if wind and fuel be brought to feed it with no more good york sweet somerset be still thy fortune york hadst thou been regent there might happily have proved far worse than his york what worse than nought nay then a shame take all somerset and in the number thee that wishest shame cardinal my lord of york try what your fortune is the uncivil kerns of ireland are in arms and temper clay with blood of englishmen to ireland will you lead a band of men collected choicely from each county some and try your hap against the irishmen york i will my lord so please his majesty suffolk why our authority is his consent and what we do establish he confirms then noble york take thou this task in hand york i am content provide me soldiers lords whiles i take order for mine own affairs suffolk a charge lord york that i will see perform'd but now return we to the false duke humphrey cardinal no more of him for i will deal with him that henceforth he shall trouble us no more and so break off the day is almost spent lord suffolk you and i must talk of that event york my lord of suffolk within fourteen days at bristol i expect my soldiers for there i'll ship them all for ireland suffolk i'll see it truly done my lord of york exeunt all but york york now york or never steel thy fearful thoughts and change misdoubt to resolution be that thou hopest to be or what thou art resign to death it is not worth the enjoying let palefaced fear keep with the meanborn man and find no harbour in a royal heart faster than springtime showers comes thought on thought and not a thought but thinks on dignity my brain more busy than the labouring spider weaves tedious snares to trap mine enemies well nobles well tis politicly done to send me packing with an host of men i fear me you but warm the starved snake who cherish'd in your breasts will sting your hearts twas men i lack'd and you will give them me i take it kindly and yet be well assured you put sharp weapons in a madman's hands whiles i in ireland nourish a mighty band i will stir up in england some black storm shall blow ten thousand souls to heaven or hell and this fell tempest shall not cease to rage until the golden circuit on my head like to the glorious sun's transparent beams do calm the fury of this madbred flaw and for a minister of my intent i have seduced a headstrong kentishman john cade of ashford to make commotion as full well he can under the title of john mortimer in ireland have i seen this stubborn cade oppose himself against a troop of kerns and fought so long till that his thighs with darts were almost like a sharpquill'd porpentine and in the end being rescued i have seen him caper upright like a wild morisco shaking the bloody darts as he his bells full often like a shaghair'd crafty kern hath he conversed with the enemy and undiscover'd come to me again and given me notice of their villanies this devil here shall be my substitute for that john mortimer which now is dead in face in gait in speech he doth resemble by this i shall perceive the commons mind how they affect the house and claim of york say he be taken rack'd and tortured i know no pain they can inflict upon him will make him say i moved him to those arms say that he thrive as tis great like he will why then from ireland come i with my strength and reap the harvest which that rascal sow'd for humphrey being dead as he shall be and henry put apart the next for me exit 2 king henry vi act iii scene ii bury st edmund's a room of state enter certain murderers hastily first murderer run to my lord of suffolk let him know we have dispatch'd the duke as he commanded second murderer o that it were to do what have we done didst ever hear a man so penitent enter suffolk first murder here comes my lord suffolk now sirs have you dispatch'd this thing first murderer ay my good lord he's dead suffolk why that's well said go get you to my house i will reward you for this venturous deed the king and all the peers are here at hand have you laid fair the bed is all things well according as i gave directions first murderer tis my good lord suffolk away be gone exeunt murderers sound trumpets enter king henry vi queen margaret cardinal somerset with attendants king henry vi go call our uncle to our presence straight say we intend to try his grace today if he be guilty as tis published suffolk i'll call him presently my noble lord exit king henry vi lords take your places and i pray you all proceed no straiter gainst our uncle gloucester than from true evidence of good esteem he be approved in practise culpable queen margaret god forbid any malice should prevail that faultless may condemn a nobleman pray god he may acquit him of suspicion king henry vi i thank thee meg these words content me much reenter suffolk how now why look'st thou pale why tremblest thou where is our uncle what's the matter suffolk suffolk dead in his bed my lord gloucester is dead queen margaret marry god forfend cardinal god's secret judgment i did dream tonight the duke was dumb and could not speak a word king henry vi swoons queen margaret how fares my lord help lords the king is dead somerset rear up his body wring him by the nose queen margaret run go help help o henry ope thine eyes suffolk he doth revive again madam be patient king henry vi o heavenly god queen margaret how fares my gracious lord suffolk comfort my sovereign gracious henry comfort king henry vi what doth my lord of suffolk comfort me came he right now to sing a raven's note whose dismal tune bereft my vital powers and thinks he that the chirping of a wren by crying comfort from a hollow breast can chase away the firstconceived sound hide not thy poison with such sugar'd words lay not thy hands on me forbear i say their touch affrights me as a serpent's sting thou baleful messenger out of my sight upon thy eyeballs murderous tyranny sits in grim majesty to fright the world look not upon me for thine eyes are wounding yet do not go away come basilisk and kill the innocent gazer with thy sight for in the shade of death i shall find joy in life but double death now gloucester's dead queen margaret why do you rate my lord of suffolk thus although the duke was enemy to him yet he most christianlike laments his death and for myself foe as he was to me might liquid tears or heartoffending groans or bloodconsuming sighs recall his life i would be blind with weeping sick with groans look pale as primrose with blooddrinking sighs and all to have the noble duke alive what know i how the world may deem of me for it is known we were but hollow friends it may be judged i made the duke away so shall my name with slander's tongue be wounded and princes courts be fill'd with my reproach this get i by his death ay me unhappy to be a queen and crown'd with infamy king henry vi ah woe is me for gloucester wretched man queen margaret be woe for me more wretched than he is what dost thou turn away and hide thy face i am no loathsome leper look on me what art thou like the adder waxen deaf be poisonous too and kill thy forlorn queen is all thy comfort shut in gloucester's tomb why then dame margaret was ne'er thy joy erect his statue and worship it and make my image but an alehouse sign was i for this nigh wreck'd upon the sea and twice by awkward wind from england's bank drove back again unto my native clime what boded this but well forewarning wind did seem to say seek not a scorpion's nest nor set no footing on this unkind shore' what did i then but cursed the gentle gusts and he that loosed them forth their brazen caves and bid them blow towards england's blessed shore or turn our stern upon a dreadful rock yet aeolus would not be a murderer but left that hateful office unto thee the prettyvaulting sea refused to drown me knowing that thou wouldst have me drown'd on shore with tears as salt as sea through thy unkindness the splitting rocks cower'd in the sinking sands and would not dash me with their ragged sides because thy flinty heart more hard than they might in thy palace perish margaret as far as i could ken thy chalky cliffs when from thy shore the tempest beat us back i stood upon the hatches in the storm and when the dusky sky began to rob my earnestgaping sight of thy land's view i took a costly jewel from my neck a heart it was bound in with diamonds and threw it towards thy land the sea received it and so i wish'd thy body might my heart and even with this i lost fair england's view and bid mine eyes be packing with my heart and call'd them blind and dusky spectacles for losing ken of albion's wished coast how often have i tempted suffolk's tongue the agent of thy foul inconstancy to sit and witch me as ascanius did when he to madding dido would unfold his father's acts commenced in burning troy am i not witch'd like her or thou not false like him ay me i can no more die margaret for henry weeps that thou dost live so long noise within enter warwick salisbury and many commons warwick it is reported mighty sovereign that good duke humphrey traitorously is murder'd by suffolk and the cardinal beaufort's means the commons like an angry hive of bees that want their leader scatter up and down and care not who they sting in his revenge myself have calm'd their spleenful mutiny until they hear the order of his death king henry vi that he is dead good warwick tis too true but how he died god knows not henry enter his chamber view his breathless corpse and comment then upon his sudden death warwick that shall i do my liege stay salisbury with the rude multitude till i return exit king henry vi o thou that judgest all things stay my thoughts my thoughts that labour to persuade my soul some violent hands were laid on humphrey's life if my suspect be false forgive me god for judgment only doth belong to thee fain would i go to chafe his paly lips with twenty thousand kisses and to drain upon his face an ocean of salt tears to tell my love unto his dumb deaf trunk and with my fingers feel his hand unfeeling but all in vain are these mean obsequies and to survey his dead and earthly image what were it but to make my sorrow greater reenter warwick and others bearing gloucester's body on a bed warwick come hither gracious sovereign view this body king henry vi that is to see how deep my grave is made for with his soul fled all my worldly solace for seeing him i see my life in death warwick as surely as my soul intends to live with that dread king that took our state upon him to free us from his father's wrathful curse i do believe that violent hands were laid upon the life of this thricefamed duke suffolk a dreadful oath sworn with a solemn tongue what instance gives lord warwick for his vow warwick see how the blood is settled in his face oft have i seen a timelyparted ghost of ashy semblance meagre pale and bloodless being all descended to the labouring heart who in the conflict that it holds with death attracts the same for aidance gainst the enemy which with the heart there cools and ne'er returneth to blush and beautify the cheek again but see his face is black and full of blood his eyeballs further out than when he lived staring full ghastly like a strangled man his hair uprear'd his nostrils stretched with struggling his hands abroad display'd as one that grasp'd and tugg'd for life and was by strength subdued look on the sheets his hair you see is sticking his wellproportion'd beard made rough and rugged like to the summer's corn by tempest lodged it cannot be but he was murder'd here the least of all these signs were probable suffolk why warwick who should do the duke to death myself and beaufort had him in protection and we i hope sir are no murderers warwick but both of you were vow'd duke humphrey's foes and you forsooth had the good duke to keep tis like you would not feast him like a friend and tis well seen he found an enemy queen margaret then you belike suspect these noblemen as guilty of duke humphrey's timeless death warwick who finds the heifer dead and bleeding fresh and sees fast by a butcher with an axe but will suspect twas he that made the slaughter who finds the partridge in the puttock's nest but may imagine how the bird was dead although the kite soar with unbloodied beak even so suspicious is this tragedy queen margaret are you the butcher suffolk where's your knife is beaufort term'd a kite where are his talons suffolk i wear no knife to slaughter sleeping men but here's a vengeful sword rusted with ease that shall be scoured in his rancorous heart that slanders me with murder's crimson badge say if thou darest proud lord of warwickshire that i am faulty in duke humphrey's death exeunt cardinal somerset and others warwick what dares not warwick if false suffolk dare him queen margaret he dares not calm his contumelious spirit nor cease to be an arrogant controller though suffolk dare him twenty thousand times warwick madam be still with reverence may i say for every word you speak in his behalf is slander to your royal dignity suffolk bluntwitted lord ignoble in demeanor if ever lady wrong'd her lord so much thy mother took into her blameful bed some stern untutor'd churl and noble stock was graft with crabtree slip whose fruit thou art and never of the nevils noble race warwick but that the guilt of murder bucklers thee and i should rob the deathsman of his fee quitting thee thereby of ten thousand shames and that my sovereign's presence makes me mild i would false murderous coward on thy knee make thee beg pardon for thy passed speech and say it was thy mother that thou meant'st that thou thyself was born in bastardy and after all this fearful homage done give thee thy hire and send thy soul to hell pernicious bloodsucker of sleeping men suffolk thou shall be waking well i shed thy blood if from this presence thou darest go with me warwick away even now or i will drag thee hence unworthy though thou art i'll cope with thee and do some service to duke humphrey's ghost exeunt suffolk and warwick king henry vi what stronger breastplate than a heart untainted thrice is he armed that hath his quarrel just and he but naked though lock'd up in steel whose conscience with injustice is corrupted a noise within queen margaret what noise is this reenter suffolk and warwick with their weapons drawn king henry vi why how now lords your wrathful weapons drawn here in our presence dare you be so bold why what tumultuous clamour have we here suffolk the traitorous warwick with the men of bury set all upon me mighty sovereign salisbury to the commons entering sirs stand apart the king shall know your mind dread lord the commons send you word by me unless lord suffolk straight be done to death or banished fair england's territories they will by violence tear him from your palace and torture him with grievous lingering death they say by him the good duke humphrey died they say in him they fear your highness death and mere instinct of love and loyalty free from a stubborn opposite intent as being thought to contradict your liking makes them thus forward in his banishment they say in care of your most royal person that if your highness should intend to sleep and charge that no man should disturb your rest in pain of your dislike or pain of death yet notwithstanding such a strait edict were there a serpent seen with forked tongue that slily glided towards your majesty it were but necessary you were waked lest being suffer'd in that harmful slumber the mortal worm might make the sleep eternal and therefore do they cry though you forbid that they will guard you whether you will or no from such fell serpents as false suffolk is with whose envenomed and fatal sting your loving uncle twenty times his worth they say is shamefully bereft of life commons within an answer from the king my lord of salisbury suffolk tis like the commons rude unpolish'd hinds could send such message to their sovereign but you my lord were glad to be employ'd to show how quaint an orator you are but all the honour salisbury hath won is that he was the lord ambassador sent from a sort of tinkers to the king commons within an answer from the king or we will all break in king henry vi go salisbury and tell them all from me i thank them for their tender loving care and had i not been cited so by them yet did i purpose as they do entreat for sure my thoughts do hourly prophesy mischance unto my state by suffolk's means and therefore by his majesty i swear whose far unworthy deputy i am he shall not breathe infection in this air but three days longer on the pain of death exit salisbury queen margaret o henry let me plead for gentle suffolk king henry vi ungentle queen to call him gentle suffolk no more i say if thou dost plead for him thou wilt but add increase unto my wrath had i but said i would have kept my word but when i swear it is irrevocable if after three days space thou here be'st found on any ground that i am ruler of the world shall not be ransom for thy life come warwick come good warwick go with me i have great matters to impart to thee exeunt all but queen margaret and suffolk queen margaret mischance and sorrow go along with you heart's discontent and sour affliction be playfellows to keep you company there's two of you the devil make a third and threefold vengeance tend upon your steps suffolk cease gentle queen these execrations and let thy suffolk take his heavy leave queen margaret fie coward woman and softhearted wretch hast thou not spirit to curse thine enemy suffolk a plague upon them wherefore should i curse them would curses kill as doth the mandrake's groan i would invent as bittersearching terms as curst as harsh and horrible to hear deliver'd strongly through my fixed teeth with full as many signs of deadly hate as leanfaced envy in her loathsome cave my tongue should stumble in mine earnest words mine eyes should sparkle like the beaten flint mine hair be fixed on end as one distract ay every joint should seem to curse and ban and even now my burthen'd heart would break should i not curse them poison be their drink gall worse than gall the daintiest that they taste their sweetest shade a grove of cypress trees their chiefest prospect murdering basilisks their softest touch as smart as lizards sting their music frightful as the serpent's hiss and boding screechowls make the concert full all the foul terrors in darkseated hell queen margaret enough sweet suffolk thou torment'st thyself and these dread curses like the sun gainst glass or like an overcharged gun recoil and turn the force of them upon thyself suffolk you bade me ban and will you bid me leave now by the ground that i am banish'd from well could i curse away a winter's night though standing naked on a mountain top where biting cold would never let grass grow and think it but a minute spent in sport queen margaret o let me entreat thee cease give me thy hand that i may dew it with my mournful tears nor let the rain of heaven wet this place to wash away my woful monuments o could this kiss be printed in thy hand that thou mightst think upon these by the seal through whom a thousand sighs are breathed for thee so get thee gone that i may know my grief tis but surmised whiles thou art standing by as one that surfeits thinking on a want i will repeal thee or be well assured adventure to be banished myself and banished i am if but from thee go speak not to me even now be gone o go not yet even thus two friends condemn'd embrace and kiss and take ten thousand leaves loather a hundred times to part than die yet now farewell and farewell life with thee suffolk thus is poor suffolk ten times banished once by the king and three times thrice by thee tis not the land i care for wert thou thence a wilderness is populous enough so suffolk had thy heavenly company for where thou art there is the world itself with every several pleasure in the world and where thou art not desolation i can no more live thou to joy thy life myself no joy in nought but that thou livest enter vaux queen margaret wither goes vaux so fast what news i prithee vaux to signify unto his majesty that cardinal beaufort is at point of death for suddenly a grievous sickness took him that makes him gasp and stare and catch the air blaspheming god and cursing men on earth sometimes he talks as if duke humphrey's ghost were by his side sometime he calls the king and whispers to his pillow as to him the secrets of his overcharged soul and i am sent to tell his majesty that even now he cries aloud for him queen margaret go tell this heavy message to the king exit vaux ay me what is this world what news are these but wherefore grieve i at an hour's poor loss omitting suffolk's exile my soul's treasure why only suffolk mourn i not for thee and with the southern clouds contend in tears theirs for the earth's increase mine for my sorrows now get thee hence the king thou know'st is coming if thou be found by me thou art but dead suffolk if i depart from thee i cannot live and in thy sight to die what were it else but like a pleasant slumber in thy lap here could i breathe my soul into the air as mild and gentle as the cradlebabe dying with mother's dug between its lips where from thy sight i should be raging mad and cry out for thee to close up mine eyes to have thee with thy lips to stop my mouth so shouldst thou either turn my flying soul or i should breathe it so into thy body and then it lived in sweet elysium to die by thee were but to die in jest from thee to die were torture more than death o let me stay befall what may befall queen margaret away though parting be a fretful corrosive it is applied to a deathful wound to france sweet suffolk let me hear from thee for wheresoe'er thou art in this world's globe i'll have an iris that shall find thee out suffolk i go queen margaret and take my heart with thee suffolk a jewel lock'd into the wofull'st cask that ever did contain a thing of worth even as a splitted bark so sunder we this way fall i to death queen margaret this way for me exeunt severally 2 king henry vi act iii scene iii a bedchamber enter the king salisbury warwick to the cardinal in bed king henry vi how fares my lord speak beaufort to thy sovereign cardinal if thou be'st death i'll give thee england's treasure enough to purchase such another island so thou wilt let me live and feel no pain king henry vi ah what a sign it is of evil life where death's approach is seen so terrible warwick beaufort it is thy sovereign speaks to thee cardinal bring me unto my trial when you will died he not in his bed where should he die can i make men live whether they will or no o torture me no more i will confess alive again then show me where he is i'll give a thousand pound to look upon him he hath no eyes the dust hath blinded them comb down his hair look look it stands upright like limetwigs set to catch my winged soul give me some drink and bid the apothecary bring the strong poison that i bought of him king henry vi o thou eternal mover of the heavens look with a gentle eye upon this wretch o beat away the busy meddling fiend that lays strong siege unto this wretch's soul and from his bosom purge this black despair warwick see how the pangs of death do make him grin salisbury disturb him not let him pass peaceably king henry vi peace to his soul if god's good pleasure be lord cardinal if thou think'st on heaven's bliss hold up thy hand make signal of thy hope he dies and makes no sign o god forgive him warwick so bad a death argues a monstrous life king henry vi forbear to judge for we are sinners all close up his eyes and draw the curtain close and let us all to meditation exeunt 2 king henry vi act iv scene i the coast of kent alarum fight at sea ordnance goes off enter a captain a master a master'smate walter whitmore and others with them suffolk and others prisoners captain the gaudy blabbing and remorseful day is crept into the bosom of the sea and now loudhowling wolves arouse the jades that drag the tragic melancholy night who with their drowsy slow and flagging wings clip dead men's graves and from their misty jaws breathe foul contagious darkness in the air therefore bring forth the soldiers of our prize for whilst our pinnace anchors in the downs here shall they make their ransom on the sand or with their blood stain this discolour'd shore master this prisoner freely give i thee and thou that art his mate make boot of this the other walter whitmore is thy share first gentleman what is my ransom master let me know master a thousand crowns or else lay down your head master'smate and so much shall you give or off goes yours captain what think you much to pay two thousand crowns and bear the name and port of gentlemen cut both the villains throats for die you shall the lives of those which we have lost in fight be counterpoised with such a petty sum first gentleman i'll give it sir and therefore spare my life second gentleman and so will i and write home for it straight whitmore i lost mine eye in laying the prize aboard and therefore to revenge it shalt thou die to suffolk and so should these if i might have my will captain be not so rash take ransom let him live suffolk look on my george i am a gentleman rate me at what thou wilt thou shalt be paid whitmore and so am i my name is walter whitmore how now why start'st thou what doth death affright suffolk thy name affrights me in whose sound is death a cunning man did calculate my birth and told me that by water i should die yet let not this make thee be bloodyminded thy name is gaultier being rightly sounded whitmore gaultier or walter which it is i care not never yet did base dishonour blur our name but with our sword we wiped away the blot therefore when merchantlike i sell revenge broke be my sword my arms torn and defaced and i proclaim'd a coward through the world suffolk stay whitmore for thy prisoner is a prince the duke of suffolk william de la pole whitmore the duke of suffolk muffled up in rags suffolk ay but these rags are no part of the duke jove sometimes went disguised and why not i captain but jove was never slain as thou shalt be suffolk obscure and lowly swain king henry's blood the honourable blood of lancaster must not be shed by such a jaded groom hast thou not kiss'd thy hand and held my stirrup bareheaded plodded by my footcloth mule and thought thee happy when i shook my head how often hast thou waited at my cup fed from my trencher kneel'd down at the board when i have feasted with queen margaret remember it and let it make thee crestfall'n ay and allay this thy abortive pride how in our voiding lobby hast thou stood and duly waited for my coming forth this hand of mine hath writ in thy behalf and therefore shall it charm thy riotous tongue whitmore speak captain shall i stab the forlorn swain captain first let my words stab him as he hath me suffolk base slave thy words are blunt and so art thou captain convey him hence and on our longboat's side strike off his head suffolk thou darest not for thy own captain yes pole suffolk pole captain pool sir pool lord ay kennel puddle sink whose filth and dirt troubles the silver spring where england drinks now will i dam up this thy yawning mouth for swallowing the treasure of the realm thy lips that kiss'd the queen shall sweep the ground and thou that smiledst at good duke humphrey's death against the senseless winds shalt grin in vain who in contempt shall hiss at thee again and wedded be thou to the hags of hell for daring to affy a mighty lord unto the daughter of a worthless king having neither subject wealth nor diadem by devilish policy art thou grown great and like ambitious sylla overgorged with gobbets of thy mother's bleeding heart by thee anjou and maine were sold to france the false revolting normans thorough thee disdain to call us lord and picardy hath slain their governors surprised our forts and sent the ragged soldiers wounded home the princely warwick and the nevils all whose dreadful swords were never drawn in vain as hating thee are rising up in arms and now the house of york thrust from the crown by shameful murder of a guiltless king and lofty proud encroaching tyranny burns with revenging fire whose hopeful colours advance our halffaced sun striving to shine under the which is writ invitis nubibus' the commons here in kent are up in arms and to conclude reproach and beggary is crept into the palace of our king and all by thee away convey him hence suffolk o that i were a god to shoot forth thunder upon these paltry servile abject drudges small things make base men proud this villain here being captain of a pinnace threatens more than bargulus the strong illyrian pirate drones suck not eagles blood but rob beehives it is impossible that i should die by such a lowly vassal as thyself thy words move rage and not remorse in me i go of message from the queen to france i charge thee waft me safely cross the channel captain walter whitmore come suffolk i must waft thee to thy death suffolk gelidus timor occupat artus it is thee i fear whitmore thou shalt have cause to fear before i leave thee what are ye daunted now now will ye stoop first gentleman my gracious lord entreat him speak him fair suffolk suffolk's imperial tongue is stern and rough used to command untaught to plead for favour far be it we should honour such as these with humble suit no rather let my head stoop to the block than these knees bow to any save to the god of heaven and to my king and sooner dance upon a bloody pole than stand uncover'd to the vulgar groom true nobility is exempt from fear more can i bear than you dare execute captain hale him away and let him talk no more suffolk come soldiers show what cruelty ye can that this my death may never be forgot great men oft die by vile bezonians a roman sworder and banditto slave murder'd sweet tully brutus bastard hand stabb'd julius caesar savage islanders pompey the great and suffolk dies by pirates exeunt whitmore and others with suffolk captain and as for these whose ransom we have set it is our pleasure one of them depart therefore come you with us and let him go exeunt all but the first gentleman reenter whitmore with suffolk's body whitmore there let his head and lifeless body lie until the queen his mistress bury it exit first gentleman o barbarous and bloody spectacle his body will i bear unto the king if he revenge it not yet will his friends so will the queen that living held him dear exit with the body 2 king henry vi act iv scene ii blackheath enter george bevis and john holland bevis come and get thee a sword though made of a lath they have been up these two days holland they have the more need to sleep now then bevis i tell thee jack cade the clothier means to dress the commonwealth and turn it and set a new nap upon it holland so he had need for tis threadbare well i say it was never merry world in england since gentlemen came up bevis o miserable age virtue is not regarded in handicraftsmen holland the nobility think scorn to go in leather aprons bevis nay more the king's council are no good workmen holland true and yet it is said labour in thy vocation which is as much to say as let the magistrates be labouring men and therefore should we be magistrates bevis thou hast hit it for there's no better sign of a brave mind than a hard hand holland i see them i see them there's best's son the tanner of wingham bevis he shall have the skin of our enemies to make dog'sleather of holland and dick the butcher bevis then is sin struck down like an ox and iniquity's throat cut like a calf holland and smith the weaver bevis argo their thread of life is spun holland come come let's fall in with them drum enter cade dick the butcher smith the weaver and a sawyer with infinite numbers cade we john cade so termed of our supposed father dick aside or rather of stealing a cade of herrings cade for our enemies shall fall before us inspired with the spirit of putting down kings and princes command silence dick silence cade my father was a mortimer dick aside he was an honest man and a good bricklayer cade my mother a plantagenet dick aside i knew her well she was a midwife cade my wife descended of the lacies dick aside she was indeed a pedler's daughter and sold many laces smith aside but now of late notable to travel with her furred pack she washes bucks here at home cade therefore am i of an honourable house dick aside ay by my faith the field is honourable and there was he borne under a hedge for his father had never a house but the cage cade valiant i am smith aside a must needs for beggary is valiant cade i am able to endure much dick aside no question of that for i have seen him whipped three marketdays together cade i fear neither sword nor fire smith aside he need not fear the sword for his coat is of proof dick aside but methinks he should stand in fear of fire being burnt i the hand for stealing of sheep cade be brave then for your captain is brave and vows reformation there shall be in england seven halfpenny loaves sold for a penny the threehooped pot shall have ten hoops and i will make it felony to drink small beer all the realm shall be in common and in cheapside shall my palfrey go to grass and when i am king as king i will be all god save your majesty cade i thank you good people there shall be no money all shall eat and drink on my score and i will apparel them all in one livery that they may agree like brothers and worship me their lord dick the first thing we do let's kill all the lawyers cade nay that i mean to do is not this a lamentable thing that of the skin of an innocent lamb should be made parchment that parchment being scribbled o'er should undo a man some say the bee stings but i say tis the bee's wax for i did but seal once to a thing and i was never mine own man since how now who's there enter some bringing forward the clerk of chatham smith the clerk of chatham he can write and read and cast accompt cade o monstrous smith we took him setting of boys copies cade here's a villain smith has a book in his pocket with red letters in't cade nay then he is a conjurer dick nay he can make obligations and write courthand cade i am sorry for't the man is a proper man of mine honour unless i find him guilty he shall not die come hither sirrah i must examine thee what is thy name clerk emmanuel dick they use to write it on the top of letters twill go hard with you cade let me alone dost thou use to write thy name or hast thou a mark to thyself like an honest plaindealing man clerk sir i thank god i have been so well brought up that i can write my name all he hath confessed away with him he's a villain and a traitor cade away with him i say hang him with his pen and inkhorn about his neck exit one with the clerk enter michael michael where's our general cade here i am thou particular fellow michael fly fly fly sir humphrey stafford and his brother are hard by with the king's forces cade stand villain stand or i'll fell thee down he shall be encountered with a man as good as himself he is but a knight is a' michael no cade to equal him i will make myself a knight presently kneels rise up sir john mortimer rises now have at him enter sir humphrey and william stafford with drum and soldiers sir humphrey rebellious hinds the filth and scum of kent mark'd for the gallows lay your weapons down home to your cottages forsake this groom the king is merciful if you revolt william stafford but angry wrathful and inclined to blood if you go forward therefore yield or die cade as for these silkencoated slaves i pass not it is to you good people that i speak over whom in time to come i hope to reign for i am rightful heir unto the crown sir humphrey villain thy father was a plasterer and thou thyself a shearman art thou not cade and adam was a gardener william stafford and what of that cade marry this edmund mortimer earl of march married the duke of clarence daughter did he not sir humphrey ay sir cade by her he had two children at one birth william stafford that's false cade ay there's the question but i say tis true the elder of them being put to nurse was by a beggarwoman stolen away and ignorant of his birth and parentage became a bricklayer when he came to age his son am i deny it if you can dick nay tis too true therefore he shall be king smith sir he made a chimney in my father's house and the bricks are alive at this day to testify it therefore deny it not sir humphrey and will you credit this base drudge's words that speaks he knows not what all ay marry will we therefore get ye gone william stafford jack cade the duke of york hath taught you this cade aside he lies for i invented it myself go to sirrah tell the king from me that for his father's sake henry the fifth in whose time boys went to spancounter for french crowns i am content he shall reign but i'll be protector over him dick and furthermore well have the lord say's head for selling the dukedom of maine cade and good reason for thereby is england mained and fain to go with a staff but that my puissance holds it up fellow kings i tell you that that lord say hath gelded the commonwealth and made it an eunuch and more than that he can speak french and therefore he is a traitor sir humphrey o gross and miserable ignorance cade nay answer if you can the frenchmen are our enemies go to then i ask but this can he that speaks with the tongue of an enemy be a good counsellor or no all no no and therefore we'll have his head william stafford well seeing gentle words will not prevail assail them with the army of the king sir humphrey herald away and throughout every town proclaim them traitors that are up with cade that those which fly before the battle ends may even in their wives and children's sight be hang'd up for example at their doors and you that be the king's friends follow me exeunt william stafford and sir humphrey and soldiers cade and you that love the commons follow me now show yourselves men tis for liberty we will not leave one lord one gentleman spare none but such as go in clouted shoon for they are thrifty honest men and such as would but that they dare not take our parts dick they are all in order and march toward us cade but then are we in order when we are most out of order come march forward exeunt 2 king henry vi act iv scene iii another part of blackheath alarums to the fight wherein sir humphrey and william stafford are slain enter cade and the rest cade where's dick the butcher of ashford dick here sir cade they fell before thee like sheep and oxen and thou behavedst thyself as if thou hadst been in thine own slaughterhouse therefore thus will i reward thee the lent shall be as long again as it is and thou shalt have a licence to kill for a hundred lacking one dick i desire no more cade and to speak truth thou deservest no less this monument of the victory will i bear putting on sir humphrey's brigandine and the bodies shall be dragged at my horse heels till i do come to london where we will have the mayor's sword borne before us dick if we mean to thrive and do good break open the gaols and let out the prisoners cade fear not that i warrant thee come let's march towards london exeunt 2 king henry vi act iv scene iv london the palace enter king henry vi with a supplication and the queen with suffolk's head buckingham and lord say queen margaret oft have i heard that grief softens the mind and makes it fearful and degenerate think therefore on revenge and cease to weep but who can cease to weep and look on this here may his head lie on my throbbing breast but where's the body that i should embrace buckingham what answer makes your grace to the rebels' supplication king henry vi i'll send some holy bishop to entreat for god forbid so many simple souls should perish by the sword and i myself rather than bloody war shall cut them short will parley with jack cade their general but stay i'll read it over once again queen margaret ah barbarous villains hath this lovely face ruled like a wandering planet over me and could it not enforce them to relent that were unworthy to behold the same king henry vi lord say jack cade hath sworn to have thy head say ay but i hope your highness shall have his king henry vi how now madam still lamenting and mourning for suffolk's death i fear me love if that i had been dead thou wouldst not have mourn'd so much for me queen margaret no my love i should not mourn but die for thee enter a messenger king henry vi how now what news why comest thou in such haste messenger the rebels are in southwark fly my lord jack cade proclaims himself lord mortimer descended from the duke of clarence house and calls your grace usurper openly and vows to crown himself in westminster his army is a ragged multitude of hinds and peasants rude and merciless sir humphrey stafford and his brother's death hath given them heart and courage to proceed all scholars lawyers courtiers gentlemen they call false caterpillars and intend their death king henry vi o graceless men they know not what they do buckingham my gracious lord return to killingworth until a power be raised to put them down queen margaret ah were the duke of suffolk now alive these kentish rebels would be soon appeased king henry vi lord say the traitors hate thee therefore away with us to killingworth say so might your grace's person be in danger the sight of me is odious in their eyes and therefore in this city will i stay and live alone as secret as i may enter another messenger messenger jack cade hath gotten london bridge the citizens fly and forsake their houses the rascal people thirsting after prey join with the traitor and they jointly swear to spoil the city and your royal court buckingham then linger not my lord away take horse king henry vi come margaret god our hope will succor us queen margaret my hope is gone now suffolk is deceased king henry vi farewell my lord trust not the kentish rebels buckingham trust nobody for fear you be betray'd say the trust i have is in mine innocence and therefore am i bold and resolute exeunt 2 king henry vi act iv scene v london the tower enter scales upon the tower walking then enter two or three citizens below scales how now is jack cade slain first citizen no my lord nor likely to be slain for they have won the bridge killing all those that withstand them the lord mayor craves aid of your honour from the tower to defend the city from the rebels scales such aid as i can spare you shall command but i am troubled here with them myself the rebels have assay'd to win the tower but get you to smithfield and gather head and thither i will send you matthew goffe fight for your king your country and your lives and so farewell for i must hence again exeunt 2 king henry vi act iv scene vi london cannon street enter cade and the rest and strikes his staff on londonstone cade now is mortimer lord of this city and here sitting upon londonstone i charge and command that of the city's cost the pissingconduit run nothing but claret wine this first year of our reign and now henceforward it shall be treason for any that calls me other than lord mortimer enter a soldier running soldier jack cade jack cade cade knock him down there they kill him smith if this fellow be wise he'll never call ye jack cade more i think he hath a very fair warning dick my lord there's an army gathered together in smithfield cade come then let's go fight with them but first go and set london bridge on fire and if you can burn down the tower too come let's away exeunt 2 king henry vi act iv scene vii london smithfield alarums matthew goffe is slain and all the rest then enter cade with his company cade so sirs now go some and pull down the savoy others to the inns of court down with them all dick i have a suit unto your lordship cade be it a lordship thou shalt have it for that word dick only that the laws of england may come out of your mouth holland aside mass twill be sore law then for he was thrust in the mouth with a spear and tis not whole yet smith aside nay john it will be stinking law for his breath stinks with eating toasted cheese cade i have thought upon it it shall be so away burn all the records of the realm my mouth shall be the parliament of england holland aside then we are like to have biting statutes unless his teeth be pulled out cade and henceforward all things shall be in common enter a messenger messenger my lord a prize a prize here's the lord say which sold the towns in france he that made us pay one and twenty fifteens and one shilling to the pound the last subsidy enter bevis with lord say cade well he shall be beheaded for it ten times ah thou say thou serge nay thou buckram lord now art thou within pointblank of our jurisdiction regal what canst thou answer to my majesty for giving up of normandy unto mounsieur basimecu the dauphin of france be it known unto thee by these presence even the presence of lord mortimer that i am the besom that must sweep the court clean of such filth as thou art thou hast most traitorously corrupted the youth of the realm in erecting a grammar school and whereas before our forefathers had no other books but the score and the tally thou hast caused printing to be used and contrary to the king his crown and dignity thou hast built a papermill it will be proved to thy face that thou hast men about thee that usually talk of a noun and a verb and such abominable words as no christian ear can endure to hear thou hast appointed justices of peace to call poor men before them about matters they were not able to answer moreover thou hast put them in prison and because they could not read thou hast hanged them when indeed only for that cause they have been most worthy to live thou dost ride in a footcloth dost thou not say what of that cade marry thou oughtest not to let thy horse wear a cloak when honester men than thou go in their hose and doublets dick and work in their shirt too as myself for example that am a butcher say you men of kent dick what say you of kent say nothing but this tis bona terra mala gens' cade away with him away with him he speaks latin say hear me but speak and bear me where you will kent in the commentaries caesar writ is term'd the civil'st place of this isle sweet is the country because full of riches the people liberal valiant active wealthy which makes me hope you are not void of pity i sold not maine i lost not normandy yet to recover them would lose my life justice with favour have i always done prayers and tears have moved me gifts could never when have i aught exacted at your hands but to maintain the king the realm and you large gifts have i bestow'd on learned clerks because my book preferr'd me to the king and seeing ignorance is the curse of god knowledge the wing wherewith we fly to heaven unless you be possess'd with devilish spirits you cannot but forbear to murder me this tongue hath parley'd unto foreign kings for your behoof cade tut when struck'st thou one blow in the field say great men have reaching hands oft have i struck those that i never saw and struck them dead bevis o monstrous coward what to come behind folks say these cheeks are pale for watching for your good cade give him a box o the ear and that will make em red again say long sitting to determine poor men's causes hath made me full of sickness and diseases cade ye shall have a hempen caudle then and the help of hatchet dick why dost thou quiver man say the palsy and not fear provokes me cade nay he nods at us as who should say i'll be even with you i'll see if his head will stand steadier on a pole or no take him away and behead him say tell me wherein have i offended most have i affected wealth or honour speak are my chests fill'd up with extorted gold is my apparel sumptuous to behold whom have i injured that ye seek my death these hands are free from guiltless bloodshedding this breast from harbouring foul deceitful thoughts o let me live cade aside i feel remorse in myself with his words but i'll bridle it he shall die an it be but for pleading so well for his life away with him he has a familiar under his tongue he speaks not o' god's name go take him away i say and strike off his head presently and then break into his soninlaw's house sir james cromer and strike off his head and bring them both upon two poles hither all it shall be done say ah countrymen if when you make your prayers god should be so obdurate as yourselves how would it fare with your departed souls and therefore yet relent and save my life cade away with him and do as i command ye exeunt some with lord say the proudest peer in the realm shall not wear a head on his shoulders unless he pay me tribute there shall not a maid be married but she shall pay to me her maidenhead ere they have it men shall hold of me in capite and we charge and command that their wives be as free as heart can wish or tongue can tell dick my lord when shall we go to cheapside and take up commodities upon our bills cade marry presently all o brave reenter one with the heads cade but is not this braver let them kiss one another for they loved well when they were alive now part them again lest they consult about the giving up of some more towns in france soldiers defer the spoil of the city until night for with these borne before us instead of maces will we ride through the streets and at every corner have them kiss away exeunt 2 king henry vi act iv scene viii southwark alarum and retreat enter cade and all his rabblement cade up fish street down saint magnus corner kill and knock down throw them into thames sound a parley what noise is this i hear dare any be so bold to sound retreat or parley when i command them kill enter buckingham and clifford attended buckingham ay here they be that dare and will disturb thee know cade we come ambassadors from the king unto the commons whom thou hast misled and here pronounce free pardon to them all that will forsake thee and go home in peace clifford what say ye countrymen will ye relent and yield to mercy whilst tis offer'd you or let a rebel lead you to your deaths who loves the king and will embrace his pardon fling up his cap and say god save his majesty' who hateth him and honours not his father henry the fifth that made all france to quake shake he his weapon at us and pass by all god save the king god save the king cade what buckingham and clifford are ye so brave and you base peasants do ye believe him will you needs be hanged with your pardons about your necks hath my sword therefore broke through london gates that you should leave me at the white hart in southwark i thought ye would never have given out these arms till you had recovered your ancient freedom but you are all recreants and dastards and delight to live in slavery to the nobility let them break your backs with burthens take your houses over your heads ravish your wives and daughters before your faces for me i will make shift for one and so god's curse light upon you all all we'll follow cade we'll follow cade clifford is cade the son of henry the fifth that thus you do exclaim you'll go with him will he conduct you through the heart of france and make the meanest of you earls and dukes alas he hath no home no place to fly to nor knows he how to live but by the spoil unless by robbing of your friends and us were't not a shame that whilst you live at jar the fearful french whom you late vanquished should make a start o'er seas and vanquish you methinks already in this civil broil i see them lording it in london streets crying villiago unto all they meet better ten thousand baseborn cades miscarry than you should stoop unto a frenchman's mercy to france to france and get what you have lost spare england for it is your native coast henry hath money you are strong and manly god on our side doubt not of victory all a clifford a clifford we'll follow the king and clifford cade was ever feather so lightly blown to and fro as this multitude the name of henry the fifth hales them to an hundred mischiefs and makes them leave me desolate i see them lay their heads together to surprise me my sword make way for me for here is no staying in despite of the devils and hell have through the very middest of you and heavens and honour be witness that no want of resolution in me but only my followers base and ignominious treasons makes me betake me to my heels exit buckingham what is he fled go some and follow him and he that brings his head unto the king shall have a thousand crowns for his reward exeunt some of them follow me soldiers we'll devise a mean to reconcile you all unto the king exeunt 2 king henry vi act iv scene ix kenilworth castle sound trumpets enter king henry vi queen margaret and somerset on the terrace king henry vi was ever king that joy'd an earthly throne and could command no more content than i no sooner was i crept out of my cradle but i was made a king at nine months old was never subject long'd to be a king as i do long and wish to be a subject enter buckingham and clifford buckingham health and glad tidings to your majesty king henry vi why buckingham is the traitor cade surprised or is he but retired to make him strong enter below multitudes with halters about their necks clifford he is fled my lord and all his powers do yield and humbly thus with halters on their necks expect your highness doom of life or death king henry vi then heaven set ope thy everlasting gates to entertain my vows of thanks and praise soldiers this day have you redeemed your lives and show'd how well you love your prince and country continue still in this so good a mind and henry though he be infortunate assure yourselves will never be unkind and so with thanks and pardon to you all i do dismiss you to your several countries all god save the king god save the king enter a messenger messenger please it your grace to be advertised the duke of york is newly come from ireland and with a puissant and a mighty power of gallowglasses and stout kerns is marching hitherward in proud array and still proclaimeth as he comes along his arms are only to remove from thee the duke of somerset whom he terms traitor king henry vi thus stands my state twixt cade and york distress'd like to a ship that having scaped a tempest is straightway calm'd and boarded with a pirate but now is cade driven back his men dispersed and now is york in arms to second him i pray thee buckingham go and meet him and ask him what's the reason of these arms tell him i'll send duke edmund to the tower and somerset we'll commit thee thither until his army be dismiss'd from him somerset my lord i'll yield myself to prison willingly or unto death to do my country good king henry vi in any case be not too rough in terms for he is fierce and cannot brook hard language buckingham i will my lord and doubt not so to deal as all things shall redound unto your good king henry vi come wife let's in and learn to govern better for yet may england curse my wretched reign flourish exeunt 2 king henry vi act iv scene x kent iden's garden enter cade cade fie on ambition fie on myself that have a sword and yet am ready to famish these five days have i hid me in these woods and durst not peep out for all the country is laid for me but now am i so hungry that if i might have a lease of my life for a thousand years i could stay no longer wherefore on a brick wall have i climbed into this garden to see if i can eat grass or pick a sallet another while which is not amiss to cool a man's stomach this hot weather and i think this word sallet' was born to do me good for many a time but for a sallet my brainpan had been cleft with a brown bill and many a time when i have been dry and bravely marching it hath served me instead of a quart pot to drink in and now the word sallet' must serve me to feed on enter iden iden lord who would live turmoiled in the court and may enjoy such quiet walks as these this small inheritance my father left me contenteth me and worth a monarchy i seek not to wax great by others waning or gather wealth i care not with what envy sufficeth that i have maintains my state and sends the poor well pleased from my gate cade here's the lord of the soil come to seize me for a stray for entering his feesimple without leave ah villain thou wilt betray me and get a thousand crowns of the king carrying my head to him but i'll make thee eat iron like an ostrich and swallow my sword like a great pin ere thou and i part iden why rude companion whatsoe'er thou be i know thee not why then should i betray thee is't not enough to break into my garden and like a thief to come to rob my grounds climbing my walls in spite of me the owner but thou wilt brave me with these saucy terms cade brave thee ay by the best blood that ever was broached and beard thee too look on me well i have eat no meat these five days yet come thou and thy five men and if i do not leave you all as dead as a doornail i pray god i may never eat grass more iden nay it shall ne'er be said while england stands that alexander iden an esquire of kent took odds to combat a poor famish'd man oppose thy steadfastgazing eyes to mine see if thou canst outface me with thy looks set limb to limb and thou art far the lesser thy hand is but a finger to my fist thy leg a stick compared with this truncheon my foot shall fight with all the strength thou hast and if mine arm be heaved in the air thy grave is digg'd already in the earth as for words whose greatness answers words let this my sword report what speech forbears cade by my valour the most complete champion that ever i heard steel if thou turn the edge or cut not out the burlyboned clown in chines of beef ere thou sleep in thy sheath i beseech god on my knees thou mayst be turned to hobnails here they fight cade falls o i am slain famine and no other hath slain me let ten thousand devils come against me and give me but the ten meals i have lost and i'll defy them all wither garden and be henceforth a buryingplace to all that do dwell in this house because the unconquered soul of cade is fled iden is't cade that i have slain that monstrous traitor sword i will hollow thee for this thy deed and hang thee o'er my tomb when i am dead ne'er shall this blood be wiped from thy point but thou shalt wear it as a herald's coat to emblaze the honour that thy master got cade iden farewell and be proud of thy victory tell kent from me she hath lost her best man and exhort all the world to be cowards for i that never feared any am vanquished by famine not by valour dies iden how much thou wrong'st me heaven be my judge die damned wretch the curse of her that bare thee and as i thrust thy body in with my sword so wish i i might thrust thy soul to hell hence will i drag thee headlong by the heels unto a dunghill which shall be thy grave and there cut off thy most ungracious head which i will bear in triumph to the king leaving thy trunk for crows to feed upon exit 2 king henry vi act v scene i fields between dartford and blackheath enter york and his army of irish with drum and colours york from ireland thus comes york to claim his right and pluck the crown from feeble henry's head ring bells aloud burn bonfires clear and bright to entertain great england's lawful king ah sancta majestas who would not buy thee dear let them obey that know not how to rule this hand was made to handle naught but gold i cannot give due action to my words except a sword or sceptre balance it a sceptre shall it have have i a soul on which i'll toss the flowerdeluce of france enter buckingham whom have we here buckingham to disturb me the king hath sent him sure i must dissemble buckingham york if thou meanest well i greet thee well york humphrey of buckingham i accept thy greeting art thou a messenger or come of pleasure buckingham a messenger from henry our dread liege to know the reason of these arms in peace or why thou being a subject as i am against thy oath and true allegiance sworn should raise so great a power without his leave or dare to bring thy force so near the court york aside scarce can i speak my choler is so great o i could hew up rocks and fight with flint i am so angry at these abject terms and now like ajax telamonius on sheep or oxen could i spend my fury i am far better born than is the king more like a king more kingly in my thoughts but i must make fair weather yet a while till henry be more weak and i more strong buckingham i prithee pardon me that i have given no answer all this while my mind was troubled with deep melancholy the cause why i have brought this army hither is to remove proud somerset from the king seditious to his grace and to the state buckingham that is too much presumption on thy part but if thy arms be to no other end the king hath yielded unto thy demand the duke of somerset is in the tower york upon thine honour is he prisoner buckingham upon mine honour he is prisoner york then buckingham i do dismiss my powers soldiers i thank you all disperse yourselves meet me tomorrow in st george's field you shall have pay and every thing you wish and let my sovereign virtuous henry command my eldest son nay all my sons as pledges of my fealty and love i'll send them all as willing as i live lands goods horse armour any thing i have is his to use so somerset may die buckingham york i commend this kind submission we twain will go into his highness tent enter king henry vi and attendants king henry vi buckingham doth york intend no harm to us that thus he marcheth with thee arm in arm york in all submission and humility york doth present himself unto your highness king henry vi then what intends these forces thou dost bring york to heave the traitor somerset from hence and fight against that monstrous rebel cade who since i heard to be discomfited enter iden with cade's head iden if one so rude and of so mean condition may pass into the presence of a king lo i present your grace a traitor's head the head of cade whom i in combat slew king henry vi the head of cade great god how just art thou o let me view his visage being dead that living wrought me such exceeding trouble tell me my friend art thou the man that slew him iden i was an't like your majesty king henry vi how art thou call'd and what is thy degree iden alexander iden that's my name a poor esquire of kent that loves his king buckingham so please it you my lord twere not amiss he were created knight for his good service king henry vi iden kneel down he kneels rise up a knight we give thee for reward a thousand marks and will that thou henceforth attend on us iden may iden live to merit such a bounty and never live but true unto his liege rises enter queen margaret and somerset king henry vi see buckingham somerset comes with the queen go bid her hide him quickly from the duke queen margaret for thousand yorks he shall not hide his head but boldly stand and front him to his face york how now is somerset at liberty then york unloose thy longimprison'd thoughts and let thy tongue be equal with thy heart shall i endure the sight of somerset false king why hast thou broken faith with me knowing how hardly i can brook abuse king did i call thee no thou art not king not fit to govern and rule multitudes which darest not no nor canst not rule a traitor that head of thine doth not become a crown thy hand is made to grasp a palmer's staff and not to grace an awful princely sceptre that gold must round engirt these brows of mine whose smile and frown like to achilles spear is able with the change to kill and cure here is a hand to hold a sceptre up and with the same to act controlling laws give place by heaven thou shalt rule no more o'er him whom heaven created for thy ruler somerset o monstrous traitor i arrest thee york of capital treason gainst the king and crown obey audacious traitor kneel for grace york wouldst have me kneel first let me ask of these if they can brook i bow a knee to man sirrah call in my sons to be my bail exit attendant i know ere they will have me go to ward they'll pawn their swords for my enfranchisement queen margaret call hither clifford bid him come amain to say if that the bastard boys of york shall be the surety for their traitor father exit buckingham york o bloodbesotted neapolitan outcast of naples england's bloody scourge the sons of york thy betters in their birth shall be their father's bail and bane to those that for my surety will refuse the boys enter edward and richard see where they come i'll warrant they'll make it good enter clifford and young clifford queen margaret and here comes clifford to deny their bail clifford health and all happiness to my lord the king kneels york i thank thee clifford say what news with thee nay do not fright us with an angry look we are thy sovereign clifford kneel again for thy mistaking so we pardon thee clifford this is my king york i do not mistake but thou mistakest me much to think i do to bedlam with him is the man grown mad king henry vi ay clifford a bedlam and ambitious humour makes him oppose himself against his king clifford he is a traitor let him to the tower and chop away that factious pate of his queen margaret he is arrested but will not obey his sons he says shall give their words for him york will you not sons edward ay noble father if our words will serve richard and if words will not then our weapons shall clifford why what a brood of traitors have we here york look in a glass and call thy image so i am thy king and thou a falseheart traitor call hither to the stake my two brave bears that with the very shaking of their chains they may astonish these felllurking curs bid salisbury and warwick come to me enter the warwick and salisbury clifford are these thy bears we'll bait thy bears to death and manacle the bearward in their chains if thou darest bring them to the baiting place richard oft have i seen a hot o'erweening cur run back and bite because he was withheld who being suffer'd with the bear's fell paw hath clapp'd his tail between his legs and cried and such a piece of service will you do if you oppose yourselves to match lord warwick clifford hence heap of wrath foul indigested lump as crooked in thy manners as thy shape york nay we shall heat you thoroughly anon clifford take heed lest by your heat you burn yourselves king henry vi why warwick hath thy knee forgot to bow old salisbury shame to thy silver hair thou mad misleader of thy brainsick son what wilt thou on thy deathbed play the ruffian and seek for sorrow with thy spectacles o where is faith o where is loyalty if it be banish'd from the frosty head where shall it find a harbour in the earth wilt thou go dig a grave to find out war and shame thine honourable age with blood why art thou old and want'st experience or wherefore dost abuse it if thou hast it for shame in duty bend thy knee to me that bows unto the grave with mickle age salisbury my lord i have consider'd with myself the title of this most renowned duke and in my conscience do repute his grace the rightful heir to england's royal seat king henry vi hast thou not sworn allegiance unto me salisbury i have king henry vi canst thou dispense with heaven for such an oath salisbury it is great sin to swear unto a sin but greater sin to keep a sinful oath who can be bound by any solemn vow to do a murderous deed to rob a man to force a spotless virgin's chastity to reave the orphan of his patrimony to wring the widow from her custom'd right and have no other reason for this wrong but that he was bound by a solemn oath queen margaret a subtle traitor needs no sophister king henry vi call buckingham and bid him arm himself york call buckingham and all the friends thou hast i am resolved for death or dignity clifford the first i warrant thee if dreams prove true warwick you were best to go to bed and dream again to keep thee from the tempest of the field clifford i am resolved to bear a greater storm than any thou canst conjure up today and that i'll write upon thy burgonet might i but know thee by thy household badge warwick now by my father's badge old nevil's crest the rampant bear chain'd to the ragged staff this day i'll wear aloft my burgonet as on a mountain top the cedar shows that keeps his leaves in spite of any storm even to affright thee with the view thereof clifford and from thy burgonet i'll rend thy bear and tread it under foot with all contempt despite the bearward that protects the bear young clifford and so to arms victorious father to quell the rebels and their complices richard fie charity for shame speak not in spite for you shall sup with jesu christ tonight young clifford foul stigmatic that's more than thou canst tell richard if not in heaven you'll surely sup in hell exeunt severally 2 king henry vi act v scene ii saint alban's alarums to the battle enter warwick warwick clifford of cumberland tis warwick calls and if thou dost not hide thee from the bear now when the angry trumpet sounds alarum and dead men's cries do fill the empty air clifford i say come forth and fight with me proud northern lord clifford of cumberland warwick is hoarse with calling thee to arms enter york how now my noble lord what all afoot york the deadlyhanded clifford slew my steed but match to match i have encounter'd him and made a prey for carrion kites and crows even of the bonny beast he loved so well enter clifford warwick of one or both of us the time is come york hold warwick seek thee out some other chase for i myself must hunt this deer to death warwick then nobly york tis for a crown thou fight'st as i intend clifford to thrive today it grieves my soul to leave thee unassail'd exit clifford what seest thou in me york why dost thou pause york with thy brave bearing should i be in love but that thou art so fast mine enemy clifford nor should thy prowess want praise and esteem but that tis shown ignobly and in treason york so let it help me now against thy sword as i in justice and true right express it clifford my soul and body on the action both york a dreadful lay address thee instantly they fight and clifford falls clifford la fin couronne les oeuvres dies york thus war hath given thee peace for thou art still peace with his soul heaven if it be thy will exit enter young clifford young clifford shame and confusion all is on the rout fear frames disorder and disorder wounds where it should guard o war thou son of hell whom angry heavens do make their minister throw in the frozen bosoms of our part hot coals of vengeance let no soldier fly he that is truly dedicate to war hath no selflove nor he that loves himself hath not essentially but by circumstance the name of valour seeing his dead father o let the vile world end and the premised flames of the last day knit earth and heaven together now let the general trumpet blow his blast particularities and petty sounds to cease wast thou ordain'd dear father to lose thy youth in peace and to achieve the silver livery of advised age and in thy reverence and thy chairdays thus to die in ruffian battle even at this sight my heart is turn'd to stone and while tis mine it shall be stony york not our old men spares no more will i their babes tears virginal shall be to me even as the dew to fire and beauty that the tyrant oft reclaims shall to my flaming wrath be oil and flax henceforth i will not have to do with pity meet i an infant of the house of york into as many gobbets will i cut it as wild medea young absyrtus did in cruelty will i seek out my fame come thou new ruin of old clifford's house as did aeneas old anchises bear so bear i thee upon my manly shoulders but then aeneas bare a living load nothing so heavy as these woes of mine exit bearing off his father enter richard and somerset to fight somerset is killed richard so lie thou there for underneath an alehouse paltry sign the castle in saint alban's somerset hath made the wizard famous in his death sword hold thy temper heart be wrathful still priests pray for enemies but princes kill exit fight excursions enter king henry vi queen margaret and others queen margaret away my lord you are slow for shame away king henry vi can we outrun the heavens good margaret stay queen margaret what are you made of you'll nor fight nor fly now is it manhood wisdom and defence to give the enemy way and to secure us by what we can which can no more but fly alarum afar off if you be ta'en we then should see the bottom of all our fortunes but if we haply scape as well we may if not through your neglect we shall to london get where you are loved and where this breach now in our fortunes made may readily be stopp'd reenter young clifford young clifford but that my heart's on future mischief set i would speak blasphemy ere bid you fly but fly you must uncurable discomfit reigns in the hearts of all our present parts away for your relief and we will live to see their day and them our fortune give away my lord away exeunt 2 king henry vi act v scene iii fields near st alban's alarum retreat enter york richard warwick and soldiers with drum and colours york of salisbury who can report of him that winter lion who in rage forgets aged contusions and all brush of time and like a gallant in the brow of youth repairs him with occasion this happy day is not itself nor have we won one foot if salisbury be lost richard my noble father three times today i holp him to his horse three times bestrid him thrice i led him off persuaded him from any further act but still where danger was still there i met him and like rich hangings in a homely house so was his will in his old feeble body but noble as he is look where he comes enter salisbury salisbury now by my sword well hast thou fought today by the mass so did we all i thank you richard god knows how long it is i have to live and it hath pleased him that three times today you have defended me from imminent death well lords we have not got that which we have tis not enough our foes are this time fled being opposites of such repairing nature york i know our safety is to follow them for as i hear the king is fled to london to call a present court of parliament let us pursue him ere the writs go forth what says lord warwick shall we after them warwick after them nay before them if we can now by my faith lords twas a glorious day saint alban's battle won by famous york shall be eternized in all age to come sound drums and trumpets and to london all and more such days as these to us befall exeunt 3 king henry vi dramatis personae king henry the sixth edward prince of wales his son prince edward king lewis xi king of france king lewis xi duke of somerset somerset duke of exeter exeter earl of oxford oxford earl of northumberland northumberland earl of westmoreland westmoreland lord clifford clifford richard plantagenet duke of york york edward edward earl of march afterwards king edward iv king edward iv edmund earl of rutland rutland his sons george george afterwards duke of clarence clarence richard richard afterwards duke of gloucester gloucester duke of norfolk norfolk marquess of montague montague earl of warwick warwick earl of pembroke pembroke lord hastings hastings lord stafford stafford sir john mortimer john mortimer uncles to the duke of york sir hugh mortimer hugh mortimer henry earl of richmond a youth henry of richmond lord rivers brother to lady grey rivers sir william stanley stanley sir john montgomery montgomery sir john somerville somerville tutor to rutland tutor mayor of york mayor lieutenant of the tower lieutenant a nobleman nobleman two keepers first keeper second keeper a huntsman huntsman a son that has killed his father son a father that has killed his son father queen margaret lady grey afterwards queen to edward iv queen elizabeth bona sister to the french queen soldiers attendants messengers watchmen &c soldier post messenger first messenger second messenger first watchman second watchman third watchman scene england and france act i scene i london the parliamenthouse alarum enter york edward richard norfolk montague warwick and soldiers warwick i wonder how the king escaped our hands york while we pursued the horsemen of the north he slily stole away and left his men whereat the great lord of northumberland whose warlike ears could never brook retreat cheer'd up the drooping army and himself lord clifford and lord stafford all abreast charged our main battle's front and breaking in were by the swords of common soldiers slain edward lord stafford's father duke of buckingham is either slain or wounded dangerously i cleft his beaver with a downright blow that this is true father behold his blood montague and brother here's the earl of wiltshire's blood whom i encounter'd as the battles join'd richard speak thou for me and tell them what i did throwing down somerset's head york richard hath best deserved of all my sons but is your grace dead my lord of somerset norfolk such hope have all the line of john of gaunt richard thus do i hope to shake king henry's head warwick and so do i victorious prince of york before i see thee seated in that throne which now the house of lancaster usurps i vow by heaven these eyes shall never close this is the palace of the fearful king and this the regal seat possess it york for this is thine and not king henry's heirs' york assist me then sweet warwick and i will for hither we have broken in by force norfolk we'll all assist you he that flies shall die york thanks gentle norfolk stay by me my lords and soldiers stay and lodge by me this night they go up warwick and when the king comes offer no violence unless he seek to thrust you out perforce york the queen this day here holds her parliament but little thinks we shall be of her council by words or blows here let us win our right richard arm'd as we are let's stay within this house warwick the bloody parliament shall this be call'd unless plantagenet duke of york be king and bashful henry deposed whose cowardice hath made us bywords to our enemies york then leave me not my lords be resolute i mean to take possession of my right warwick neither the king nor he that loves him best the proudest he that holds up lancaster dares stir a wing if warwick shake his bells i'll plant plantagenet root him up who dares resolve thee richard claim the english crown flourish enter king henry vi clifford northumberland westmoreland exeter and the rest king henry vi my lords look where the sturdy rebel sits even in the chair of state belike he means back'd by the power of warwick that false peer to aspire unto the crown and reign as king earl of northumberland he slew thy father and thine lord clifford and you both have vow'd revenge on him his sons his favourites and his friends northumberland if i be not heavens be revenged on me clifford the hope thereof makes clifford mourn in steel westmoreland what shall we suffer this let's pluck him down my heart for anger burns i cannot brook it king henry vi be patient gentle earl of westmoreland clifford patience is for poltroons such as he he durst not sit there had your father lived my gracious lord here in the parliament let us assail the family of york northumberland well hast thou spoken cousin be it so king henry vi ah know you not the city favours them and they have troops of soldiers at their beck exeter but when the duke is slain they'll quickly fly king henry vi far be the thought of this from henry's heart to make a shambles of the parliamenthouse cousin of exeter frowns words and threats shall be the war that henry means to use thou factious duke of york descend my throne and kneel for grace and mercy at my feet i am thy sovereign york i am thine exeter for shame come down he made thee duke of york york twas my inheritance as the earldom was exeter thy father was a traitor to the crown warwick exeter thou art a traitor to the crown in following this usurping henry clifford whom should he follow but his natural king warwick true clifford and that's richard duke of york king henry vi and shall i stand and thou sit in my throne york it must and shall be so content thyself warwick be duke of lancaster let him be king westmoreland he is both king and duke of lancaster and that the lord of westmoreland shall maintain warwick and warwick shall disprove it you forget that we are those which chased you from the field and slew your fathers and with colours spread march'd through the city to the palace gates northumberland yes warwick i remember it to my grief and by his soul thou and thy house shall rue it westmoreland plantagenet of thee and these thy sons thy kinsman and thy friends i'll have more lives than drops of blood were in my father's veins clifford urge it no more lest that instead of words i send thee warwick such a messenger as shall revenge his death before i stir warwick poor clifford how i scorn his worthless threats york will you we show our title to the crown if not our swords shall plead it in the field king henry vi what title hast thou traitor to the crown thy father was as thou art duke of york thy grandfather roger mortimer earl of march i am the son of henry the fifth who made the dauphin and the french to stoop and seized upon their towns and provinces warwick talk not of france sith thou hast lost it all king henry vi the lord protector lost it and not i when i was crown'd i was but nine months old richard you are old enough now and yet methinks you lose father tear the crown from the usurper's head edward sweet father do so set it on your head montague good brother as thou lovest and honourest arms let's fight it out and not stand cavilling thus richard sound drums and trumpets and the king will fly york sons peace king henry vi peace thou and give king henry leave to speak warwick plantagenet shall speak first hear him lords and be you silent and attentive too for he that interrupts him shall not live king henry vi think'st thou that i will leave my kingly throne wherein my grandsire and my father sat no first shall war unpeople this my realm ay and their colours often borne in france and now in england to our heart's great sorrow shall be my windingsheet why faint you lords my title's good and better far than his warwick prove it henry and thou shalt be king king henry vi henry the fourth by conquest got the crown york twas by rebellion against his king king henry vi aside i know not what to say my title's weak tell me may not a king adopt an heir york what then king henry vi an if he may then am i lawful king for richard in the view of many lords resign'd the crown to henry the fourth whose heir my father was and i am his york he rose against him being his sovereign and made him to resign his crown perforce warwick suppose my lords he did it unconstrain'd think you twere prejudicial to his crown exeter no for he could not so resign his crown but that the next heir should succeed and reign king henry vi art thou against us duke of exeter exeter his is the right and therefore pardon me york why whisper you my lords and answer not exeter my conscience tells me he is lawful king king henry vi aside all will revolt from me and turn to him northumberland plantagenet for all the claim thou lay'st think not that henry shall be so deposed warwick deposed he shall be in despite of all northumberland thou art deceived tis not thy southern power of essex norfolk suffolk nor of kent which makes thee thus presumptuous and proud can set the duke up in despite of me clifford king henry be thy title right or wrong lord clifford vows to fight in thy defence may that ground gape and swallow me alive where i shall kneel to him that slew my father king henry vi o clifford how thy words revive my heart york henry of lancaster resign thy crown what mutter you or what conspire you lords warwick do right unto this princely duke of york or i will fill the house with armed men and over the chair of state where now he sits write up his title with usurping blood he stamps with his foot and the soldiers show themselves king henry vi my lord of warwick hear me but one word let me for this my lifetime reign as king york confirm the crown to me and to mine heirs and thou shalt reign in quiet while thou livest king henry vi i am content richard plantagenet enjoy the kingdom after my decease clifford what wrong is this unto the prince your son warwick what good is this to england and himself westmoreland base fearful and despairing henry clifford how hast thou injured both thyself and us westmoreland i cannot stay to hear these articles northumberland nor i clifford come cousin let us tell the queen these news westmoreland farewell fainthearted and degenerate king in whose cold blood no spark of honour bides northumberland be thou a prey unto the house of york and die in bands for this unmanly deed clifford in dreadful war mayst thou be overcome or live in peace abandon'd and despised exeunt northumberland clifford and westmoreland warwick turn this way henry and regard them not exeter they seek revenge and therefore will not yield king henry vi ah exeter warwick why should you sigh my lord king henry vi not for myself lord warwick but my son whom i unnaturally shall disinherit but be it as it may i here entail the crown to thee and to thine heirs for ever conditionally that here thou take an oath to cease this civil war and whilst i live to honour me as thy king and sovereign and neither by treason nor hostility to seek to put me down and reign thyself york this oath i willingly take and will perform warwick long live king henry plantagenet embrace him king henry vi and long live thou and these thy forward sons york now york and lancaster are reconciled exeter accursed be he that seeks to make them foes sennet here they come down york farewell my gracious lord i'll to my castle warwick and i'll keep london with my soldiers norfolk and i to norfolk with my followers montague and i unto the sea from whence i came exeunt york edward edmund george richard warwick norfolk montague their soldiers and attendants king henry vi and i with grief and sorrow to the court enter queen margaret and prince edward exeter here comes the queen whose looks bewray her anger i'll steal away king henry vi exeter so will i queen margaret nay go not from me i will follow thee king henry vi be patient gentle queen and i will stay queen margaret who can be patient in such extremes ah wretched man would i had died a maid and never seen thee never borne thee son seeing thou hast proved so unnatural a father hath he deserved to lose his birthright thus hadst thou but loved him half so well as i or felt that pain which i did for him once or nourish'd him as i did with my blood thou wouldst have left thy dearest heartblood there rather than have that savage duke thine heir and disinherited thine only son prince edward father you cannot disinherit me if you be king why should not i succeed king henry vi pardon me margaret pardon me sweet son the earl of warwick and the duke enforced me queen margaret enforced thee art thou king and wilt be forced i shame to hear thee speak ah timorous wretch thou hast undone thyself thy son and me and given unto the house of york such head as thou shalt reign but by their sufferance to entail him and his heirs unto the crown what is it but to make thy sepulchre and creep into it far before thy time warwick is chancellor and the lord of calais stern falconbridge commands the narrow seas the duke is made protector of the realm and yet shalt thou be safe such safety finds the trembling lamb environed with wolves had i been there which am a silly woman the soldiers should have toss'd me on their pikes before i would have granted to that act but thou preferr'st thy life before thine honour and seeing thou dost i here divorce myself both from thy table henry and thy bed until that act of parliament be repeal'd whereby my son is disinherited the northern lords that have forsworn thy colours will follow mine if once they see them spread and spread they shall be to thy foul disgrace and utter ruin of the house of york thus do i leave thee come son let's away our army is ready come we'll after them king henry vi stay gentle margaret and hear me speak queen margaret thou hast spoke too much already get thee gone king henry vi gentle son edward thou wilt stay with me queen margaret ay to be murder'd by his enemies prince edward when i return with victory from the field i'll see your grace till then i'll follow her queen margaret come son away we may not linger thus exeunt queen margaret and prince edward king henry vi poor queen how love to me and to her son hath made her break out into terms of rage revenged may she be on that hateful duke whose haughty spirit winged with desire will cost my crown and like an empty eagle tire on the flesh of me and of my son the loss of those three lords torments my heart i'll write unto them and entreat them fair come cousin you shall be the messenger exeter and i i hope shall reconcile them all exeunt 3 king henry vi act i scene ii sandal castle enter richard edward and montague richard brother though i be youngest give me leave edward no i can better play the orator montague but i have reasons strong and forcible enter york york why how now sons and brother at a strife what is your quarrel how began it first edward no quarrel but a slight contention york about what richard about that which concerns your grace and us the crown of england father which is yours york mine boy not till king henry be dead richard your right depends not on his life or death edward now you are heir therefore enjoy it now by giving the house of lancaster leave to breathe it will outrun you father in the end york i took an oath that he should quietly reign edward but for a kingdom any oath may be broken i would break a thousand oaths to reign one year richard no god forbid your grace should be forsworn york i shall be if i claim by open war richard i'll prove the contrary if you'll hear me speak york thou canst not son it is impossible richard an oath is of no moment being not took before a true and lawful magistrate that hath authority over him that swears henry had none but did usurp the place then seeing twas he that made you to depose your oath my lord is vain and frivolous therefore to arms and father do but think how sweet a thing it is to wear a crown within whose circuit is elysium and all that poets feign of bliss and joy why do we finger thus i cannot rest until the white rose that i wear be dyed even in the lukewarm blood of henry's heart york richard enough i will be king or die brother thou shalt to london presently and whet on warwick to this enterprise thou richard shalt to the duke of norfolk and tell him privily of our intent you edward shall unto my lord cobham with whom the kentishmen will willingly rise in them i trust for they are soldiers witty courteous liberal full of spirit while you are thus employ'd what resteth more but that i seek occasion how to rise and yet the king not privy to my drift nor any of the house of lancaster enter a messenger but stay what news why comest thou in such post messenger the queen with all the northern earls and lords intend here to besiege you in your castle she is hard by with twenty thousand men and therefore fortify your hold my lord york ay with my sword what think'st thou that we fear them edward and richard you shall stay with me my brother montague shall post to london let noble warwick cobham and the rest whom we have left protectors of the king with powerful policy strengthen themselves and trust not simple henry nor his oaths montague brother i go i'll win them fear it not and thus most humbly i do take my leave exit enter john mortimer and hugh mortimer sir john and sir hugh mortimer mine uncles you are come to sandal in a happy hour the army of the queen mean to besiege us john mortimer she shall not need we'll meet her in the field york what with five thousand men richard ay with five hundred father for a need a woman's general what should we fear a march afar off edward i hear their drums let's set our men in order and issue forth and bid them battle straight york five men to twenty though the odds be great i doubt not uncle of our victory many a battle have i won in france when as the enemy hath been ten to one why should i not now have the like success alarum exeunt 3 king henry vi act i scene iii field of battle betwixt sandal castle and wakefield alarums enter rutland and his tutor rutland ah whither shall i fly to scape their hands ah tutor look where bloody clifford comes enter clifford and soldiers clifford chaplain away thy priesthood saves thy life as for the brat of this accursed duke whose father slew my father he shall die tutor and i my lord will bear him company clifford soldiers away with him tutor ah clifford murder not this innocent child lest thou be hated both of god and man exit dragged off by soldiers clifford how now is he dead already or is it fear that makes him close his eyes i'll open them rutland so looks the pentup lion o'er the wretch that trembles under his devouring paws and so he walks insulting o'er his prey and so he comes to rend his limbs asunder ah gentle clifford kill me with thy sword and not with such a cruel threatening look sweet clifford hear me speak before i die i am too mean a subject for thy wrath be thou revenged on men and let me live clifford in vain thou speak'st poor boy my father's blood hath stopp'd the passage where thy words should enter rutland then let my father's blood open it again he is a man and clifford cope with him clifford had thy brethren here their lives and thine were not revenge sufficient for me no if i digg'd up thy forefathers graves and hung their rotten coffins up in chains it could not slake mine ire nor ease my heart the sight of any of the house of york is as a fury to torment my soul and till i root out their accursed line and leave not one alive i live in hell therefore lifting his hand rutland o let me pray before i take my death to thee i pray sweet clifford pity me clifford such pity as my rapier's point affords rutland i never did thee harm why wilt thou slay me clifford thy father hath rutland but twas ere i was born thou hast one son for his sake pity me lest in revenge thereof sith god is just he be as miserably slain as i ah let me live in prison all my days and when i give occasion of offence then let me die for now thou hast no cause clifford no cause thy father slew my father therefore die stabs him rutland di faciant laudis summa sit ista tuae dies clifford plantagenet i come plantagenet and this thy son's blood cleaving to my blade shall rust upon my weapon till thy blood congeal'd with this do make me wipe off both exit 3 king henry vi act i scene iv another part of the field alarum enter york york the army of the queen hath got the field my uncles both are slain in rescuing me and all my followers to the eager foe turn back and fly like ships before the wind or lambs pursued by hungerstarved wolves my sons god knows what hath bechanced them but this i know they have demean'd themselves like men born to renown by life or death three times did richard make a lane to me and thrice cried courage father fight it out' and full as oft came edward to my side with purple falchion painted to the hilt in blood of those that had encounter'd him and when the hardiest warriors did retire richard cried charge and give no foot of ground' and cried a crown or else a glorious tomb a sceptre or an earthly sepulchre' with this we charged again but out alas we bodged again as i have seen a swan with bootless labour swim against the tide and spend her strength with overmatching waves a short alarum within ah hark the fatal followers do pursue and i am faint and cannot fly their fury and were i strong i would not shun their fury the sands are number'd that make up my life here must i stay and here my life must end enter queen margaret clifford northumberland prince edward and soldiers come bloody clifford rough northumberland i dare your quenchless fury to more rage i am your butt and i abide your shot northumberland yield to our mercy proud plantagenet clifford ay to such mercy as his ruthless arm with downright payment show'd unto my father now phaethon hath tumbled from his car and made an evening at the noontide prick york my ashes as the phoenix may bring forth a bird that will revenge upon you all and in that hope i throw mine eyes to heaven scorning whate'er you can afflict me with why come you not what multitudes and fear clifford so cowards fight when they can fly no further so doves do peck the falcon's piercing talons so desperate thieves all hopeless of their lives breathe out invectives gainst the officers york o clifford but bethink thee once again and in thy thought o'errun my former time and if though canst for blushing view this face and bite thy tongue that slanders him with cowardice whose frown hath made thee faint and fly ere this clifford i will not bandy with thee word for word but buckle with thee blows twice two for one queen margaret hold valiant clifford for a thousand causes i would prolong awhile the traitor's life wrath makes him deaf speak thou northumberland northumberland hold clifford do not honour him so much to prick thy finger though to wound his heart what valour were it when a cur doth grin for one to thrust his hand between his teeth when he might spurn him with his foot away it is war's prize to take all vantages and ten to one is no impeach of valour they lay hands on york who struggles clifford ay ay so strives the woodcock with the gin northumberland so doth the cony struggle in the net york so triumph thieves upon their conquer'd booty so true men yield with robbers so o'ermatch'd northumberland what would your grace have done unto him now queen margaret brave warriors clifford and northumberland come make him stand upon this molehill here that raught at mountains with outstretched arms yet parted but the shadow with his hand what was it you that would be england's king was't you that revell'd in our parliament and made a preachment of your high descent where are your mess of sons to back you now the wanton edward and the lusty george and where's that valiant crookback prodigy dicky your boy that with his grumbling voice was wont to cheer his dad in mutinies or with the rest where is your darling rutland look york i stain'd this napkin with the blood that valiant clifford with his rapier's point made issue from the bosom of the boy and if thine eyes can water for his death i give thee this to dry thy cheeks withal alas poor york but that i hate thee deadly i should lament thy miserable state i prithee grieve to make me merry york what hath thy fiery heart so parch'd thine entrails that not a tear can fall for rutland's death why art thou patient man thou shouldst be mad and i to make thee mad do mock thee thus stamp rave and fret that i may sing and dance thou wouldst be fee'd i see to make me sport york cannot speak unless he wear a crown a crown for york and lords bow low to him hold you his hands whilst i do set it on putting a paper crown on his head ay marry sir now looks he like a king ay this is he that took king henry's chair and this is he was his adopted heir but how is it that great plantagenet is crown'd so soon and broke his solemn oath as i bethink me you should not be king till our king henry had shook hands with death and will you pale your head in henry's glory and rob his temples of the diadem now in his life against your holy oath o tis a fault too too unpardonable off with the crown and with the crown his head and whilst we breathe take time to do him dead clifford that is my office for my father's sake queen margaret nay stay lets hear the orisons he makes york shewolf of france but worse than wolves of france whose tongue more poisons than the adder's tooth how illbeseeming is it in thy sex to triumph like an amazonian trull upon their woes whom fortune captivates but that thy face is vizardlike unchanging made impudent with use of evil deeds i would assay proud queen to make thee blush to tell thee whence thou camest of whom derived were shame enough to shame thee wert thou not shameless thy father bears the type of king of naples of both the sicils and jerusalem yet not so wealthy as an english yeoman hath that poor monarch taught thee to insult it needs not nor it boots thee not proud queen unless the adage must be verified that beggars mounted run their horse to death tis beauty that doth oft make women proud but god he knows thy share thereof is small tis virtue that doth make them most admired the contrary doth make thee wonder'd at tis government that makes them seem divine the want thereof makes thee abominable thou art as opposite to every good as the antipodes are unto us or as the south to the septentrion o tiger's heart wrapt in a woman's hide how couldst thou drain the lifeblood of the child to bid the father wipe his eyes withal and yet be seen to bear a woman's face women are soft mild pitiful and flexible thou stern obdurate flinty rough remorseless bids't thou me rage why now thou hast thy wish wouldst have me weep why now thou hast thy will for raging wind blows up incessant showers and when the rage allays the rain begins these tears are my sweet rutland's obsequies and every drop cries vengeance for his death gainst thee fell clifford and thee false frenchwoman northumberland beshrew me but his passion moves me so that hardly can i cheque my eyes from tears york that face of his the hungry cannibals would not have touch'd would not have stain'd with blood but you are more inhuman more inexorable o ten times more than tigers of hyrcania see ruthless queen a hapless father's tears this cloth thou dip'dst in blood of my sweet boy and i with tears do wash the blood away keep thou the napkin and go boast of this and if thou tell'st the heavy story right upon my soul the hearers will shed tears yea even my foes will shed fastfalling tears and say alas it was a piteous deed' there take the crown and with the crown my curse and in thy need such comfort come to thee as now i reap at thy too cruel hand hardhearted clifford take me from the world my soul to heaven my blood upon your heads northumberland had he been slaughterman to all my kin i should not for my life but weep with him to see how inly sorrow gripes his soul queen margaret what weepingripe my lord northumberland think but upon the wrong he did us all and that will quickly dry thy melting tears clifford here's for my oath here's for my father's death stabbing him queen margaret and here's to right our gentlehearted king stabbing him york open thy gate of mercy gracious god my soul flies through these wounds to seek out thee dies queen margaret off with his head and set it on york gates so york may overlook the town of york flourish exeunt 3 king henry vi act ii scene i a plain near mortimer's cross in herefordshire a march enter edward richard and their power edward i wonder how our princely father scaped or whether he be scaped away or no from clifford's and northumberland's pursuit had he been ta'en we should have heard the news had he been slain we should have heard the news or had he scaped methinks we should have heard the happy tidings of his good escape how fares my brother why is he so sad richard i cannot joy until i be resolved where our right valiant father is become i saw him in the battle range about and watch'd him how he singled clifford forth methought he bore him in the thickest troop as doth a lion in a herd of neat or as a bear encompass'd round with dogs who having pinch'd a few and made them cry the rest stand all aloof and bark at him so fared our father with his enemies so fled his enemies my warlike father methinks tis prize enough to be his son see how the morning opes her golden gates and takes her farewell of the glorious sun how well resembles it the prime of youth trimm'd like a younker prancing to his love edward dazzle mine eyes or do i see three suns richard three glorious suns each one a perfect sun not separated with the racking clouds but sever'd in a pale clearshining sky see see they join embrace and seem to kiss as if they vow'd some league inviolable now are they but one lamp one light one sun in this the heaven figures some event edward tis wondrous strange the like yet never heard of i think it cites us brother to the field that we the sons of brave plantagenet each one already blazing by our meeds should notwithstanding join our lights together and overshine the earth as this the world whate'er it bodes henceforward will i bear upon my target three fairshining suns richard nay bear three daughters by your leave i speak it you love the breeder better than the male enter a messenger but what art thou whose heavy looks foretell some dreadful story hanging on thy tongue messenger ah one that was a woful lookeron when as the noble duke of york was slain your princely father and my loving lord edward o speak no more for i have heard too much richard say how he died for i will hear it all messenger environed he was with many foes and stood against them as the hope of troy against the greeks that would have enter'd troy but hercules himself must yield to odds and many strokes though with a little axe hew down and fell the hardesttimber'd oak by many hands your father was subdued but only slaughter'd by the ireful arm of unrelenting clifford and the queen who crown'd the gracious duke in high despite laugh'd in his face and when with grief he wept the ruthless queen gave him to dry his cheeks a napkin steeped in the harmless blood of sweet young rutland by rough clifford slain and after many scorns many foul taunts they took his head and on the gates of york they set the same and there it doth remain the saddest spectacle that e'er i view'd edward sweet duke of york our prop to lean upon now thou art gone we have no staff no stay o clifford boisterous clifford thou hast slain the flower of europe for his chivalry and treacherously hast thou vanquish'd him for hand to hand he would have vanquish'd thee now my soul's palace is become a prison ah would she break from hence that this my body might in the ground be closed up in rest for never henceforth shall i joy again never o never shall i see more joy richard i cannot weep for all my body's moisture scarce serves to quench my furnaceburning heart nor can my tongue unload my heart's great burthen for selfsame wind that i should speak withal is kindling coals that fires all my breast and burns me up with flames that tears would quench to weep is to make less the depth of grief tears then for babes blows and revenge for me richard i bear thy name i'll venge thy death or die renowned by attempting it edward his name that valiant duke hath left with thee his dukedom and his chair with me is left richard nay if thou be that princely eagle's bird show thy descent by gazing gainst the sun for chair and dukedom throne and kingdom say either that is thine or else thou wert not his march enter warwick montague and their army warwick how now fair lords what fare what news abroad richard great lord of warwick if we should recount our baleful news and at each word's deliverance stab poniards in our flesh till all were told the words would add more anguish than the wounds o valiant lord the duke of york is slain edward o warwick warwick that plantagenet which held three dearly as his soul's redemption is by the stern lord clifford done to death warwick ten days ago i drown'd these news in tears and now to add more measure to your woes i come to tell you things sith then befall'n after the bloody fray at wakefield fought where your brave father breathed his latest gasp tidings as swiftly as the posts could run were brought me of your loss and his depart i then in london keeper of the king muster'd my soldiers gather'd flocks of friends and very well appointed as i thought march'd toward saint alban's to intercept the queen bearing the king in my behalf along for by my scouts i was advertised that she was coming with a full intent to dash our late decree in parliament touching king henry's oath and your succession short tale to make we at saint alban's met our battles join'd and both sides fiercely fought but whether twas the coldness of the king who look'd full gently on his warlike queen that robb'd my soldiers of their heated spleen or whether twas report of her success or more than common fear of clifford's rigour who thunders to his captives blood and death i cannot judge but to conclude with truth their weapons like to lightning came and went our soldiers like the nightowl's lazy flight or like an idle thresher with a flail fell gently down as if they struck their friends i cheer'd them up with justice of our cause with promise of high pay and great rewards but all in vain they had no heart to fight and we in them no hope to win the day so that we fled the king unto the queen lord george your brother norfolk and myself in haste posthaste are come to join with you for in the marches here we heard you were making another head to fight again edward where is the duke of norfolk gentle warwick and when came george from burgundy to england warwick some six miles off the duke is with the soldiers and for your brother he was lately sent from your kind aunt duchess of burgundy with aid of soldiers to this needful war richard twas odds belike when valiant warwick fled oft have i heard his praises in pursuit but ne'er till now his scandal of retire warwick nor now my scandal richard dost thou hear for thou shalt know this strong right hand of mine can pluck the diadem from faint henry's head and wring the awful sceptre from his fist were he as famous and as bold in war as he is famed for mildness peace and prayer richard i know it well lord warwick blame me not tis love i bear thy glories makes me speak but in this troublous time what's to be done shall we go throw away our coats of steel and wrap our bodies in black mourning gowns numbering our avemaries with our beads or shall we on the helmets of our foes tell our devotion with revengeful arms if for the last say ay and to it lords warwick why therefore warwick came to seek you out and therefore comes my brother montague attend me lords the proud insulting queen with clifford and the haught northumberland and of their feather many more proud birds have wrought the easymelting king like wax he swore consent to your succession his oath enrolled in the parliament and now to london all the crew are gone to frustrate both his oath and what beside may make against the house of lancaster their power i think is thirty thousand strong now if the help of norfolk and myself with all the friends that thou brave earl of march amongst the loving welshmen canst procure will but amount to five and twenty thousand why via to london will we march amain and once again bestride our foaming steeds and once again cry charge upon our foes' but never once again turn back and fly richard ay now methinks i hear great warwick speak ne'er may he live to see a sunshine day that cries retire if warwick bid him stay edward lord warwick on thy shoulder will i lean and when thou fail'stas god forbid the hour must edward fall which peril heaven forfend warwick no longer earl of march but duke of york the next degree is england's royal throne for king of england shalt thou be proclaim'd in every borough as we pass along and he that throws not up his cap for joy shall for the fault make forfeit of his head king edward valiant richard montague stay we no longer dreaming of renown but sound the trumpets and about our task richard then clifford were thy heart as hard as steel as thou hast shown it flinty by thy deeds i come to pierce it or to give thee mine edward then strike up drums god and saint george for us enter a messenger warwick how now what news messenger the duke of norfolk sends you word by me the queen is coming with a puissant host and craves your company for speedy counsel warwick why then it sorts brave warriors let's away exeunt 3 king henry vi act ii scene ii before york flourish enter king henry vi queen margaret prince edward clifford and northumberland with drum and trumpets queen margaret welcome my lord to this brave town of york yonder's the head of that archenemy that sought to be encompass'd with your crown doth not the object cheer your heart my lord king henry vi ay as the rocks cheer them that fear their wreck to see this sight it irks my very soul withhold revenge dear god tis not my fault nor wittingly have i infringed my vow clifford my gracious liege this too much lenity and harmful pity must be laid aside to whom do lions cast their gentle looks not to the beast that would usurp their den whose hand is that the forest bear doth lick not his that spoils her young before her face who scapes the lurking serpent's mortal sting not he that sets his foot upon her back the smallest worm will turn being trodden on and doves will peck in safeguard of their brood ambitious york doth level at thy crown thou smiling while he knit his angry brows he but a duke would have his son a king and raise his issue like a loving sire thou being a king blest with a goodly son didst yield consent to disinherit him which argued thee a most unloving father unreasonable creatures feed their young and though man's face be fearful to their eyes yet in protection of their tender ones who hath not seen them even with those wings which sometime they have used with fearful flight make war with him that climb'd unto their nest offer their own lives in their young's defence for shame my liege make them your precedent were it not pity that this goodly boy should lose his birthright by his father's fault and long hereafter say unto his child what my greatgrandfather and his grandsire got my careless father fondly gave away' ah what a shame were this look on the boy and let his manly face which promiseth successful fortune steel thy melting heart to hold thine own and leave thine own with him king henry vi full well hath clifford play'd the orator inferring arguments of mighty force but clifford tell me didst thou never hear that things illgot had ever bad success and happy always was it for that son whose father for his hoarding went to hell i'll leave my son my virtuous deeds behind and would my father had left me no more for all the rest is held at such a rate as brings a thousandfold more care to keep than in possession and jot of pleasure ah cousin york would thy best friends did know how it doth grieve me that thy head is here queen margaret my lord cheer up your spirits our foes are nigh and this soft courage makes your followers faint you promised knighthood to our forward son unsheathe your sword and dub him presently edward kneel down king henry vi edward plantagenet arise a knight and learn this lesson draw thy sword in right prince my gracious father by your kingly leave i'll draw it as apparent to the crown and in that quarrel use it to the death clifford why that is spoken like a toward prince enter a messenger messenger royal commanders be in readiness for with a band of thirty thousand men comes warwick backing of the duke of york and in the towns as they do march along proclaims him king and many fly to him darraign your battle for they are at hand clifford i would your highness would depart the field the queen hath best success when you are absent queen margaret ay good my lord and leave us to our fortune king henry vi why that's my fortune too therefore i'll stay northumberland be it with resolution then to fight prince edward my royal father cheer these noble lords and hearten those that fight in your defence unsheathe your sword good father cry saint george' march enter edward george richard warwick norfolk montague and soldiers edward now perjured henry wilt thou kneel for grace and set thy diadem upon my head or bide the mortal fortune of the field queen margaret go rate thy minions proud insulting boy becomes it thee to be thus bold in terms before thy sovereign and thy lawful king edward i am his king and he should bow his knee i was adopted heir by his consent since when his oath is broke for as i hear you that are king though he do wear the crown have caused him by new act of parliament to blot out me and put his own son in clifford and reason too who should succeed the father but the son richard are you there butcher o i cannot speak clifford ay crookback here i stand to answer thee or any he the proudest of thy sort richard twas you that kill'd young rutland was it not clifford ay and old york and yet not satisfied richard for god's sake lords give signal to the fight warwick what say'st thou henry wilt thou yield the crown queen margaret why how now longtongued warwick dare you speak when you and i met at saint alban's last your legs did better service than your hands warwick then twas my turn to fly and now tis thine clifford you said so much before and yet you fled warwick twas not your valour clifford drove me thence northumberland no nor your manhood that durst make you stay richard northumberland i hold thee reverently break off the parley for scarce i can refrain the execution of my bigswoln heart upon that clifford that cruel childkiller clifford i slew thy father call'st thou him a child richard ay like a dastard and a treacherous coward as thou didst kill our tender brother rutland but ere sunset i'll make thee curse the deed king henry vi have done with words my lords and hear me speak queen margaret defy them then or else hold close thy lips king henry vi i prithee give no limits to my tongue i am a king and privileged to speak clifford my liege the wound that bred this meeting here cannot be cured by words therefore be still richard then executioner unsheathe thy sword by him that made us all i am resolved that clifford's manhood lies upon his tongue edward say henry shall i have my right or no a thousand men have broke their fasts today that ne'er shall dine unless thou yield the crown warwick if thou deny their blood upon thy head for york in justice puts his armour on prince edward if that be right which warwick says is right there is no wrong but every thing is right richard whoever got thee there thy mother stands for well i wot thou hast thy mother's tongue queen margaret but thou art neither like thy sire nor dam but like a foul misshapen stigmatic mark'd by the destinies to be avoided as venom toads or lizards dreadful stings richard iron of naples hid with english gilt whose father bears the title of a king as if a channel should be call'd the sea shamest thou not knowing whence thou art extraught to let thy tongue detect thy baseborn heart edward a wisp of straw were worth a thousand crowns to make this shameless callet know herself helen of greece was fairer far than thou although thy husband may be menelaus and ne'er was agamemnon's brother wrong'd by that false woman as this king by thee his father revell'd in the heart of france and tamed the king and made the dauphin stoop and had he match'd according to his state he might have kept that glory to this day but when he took a beggar to his bed and graced thy poor sire with his bridalday even then that sunshine brew'd a shower for him that wash'd his father's fortunes forth of france and heap'd sedition on his crown at home for what hath broach'd this tumult but thy pride hadst thou been meek our title still had slept and we in pity of the gentle king had slipp'd our claim until another age george but when we saw our sunshine made thy spring and that thy summer bred us no increase we set the axe to thy usurping root and though the edge hath something hit ourselves yet know thou since we have begun to strike we'll never leave till we have hewn thee down or bathed thy growing with our heated bloods edward and in this resolution i defy thee not willing any longer conference since thou deniest the gentle king to speak sound trumpets let our bloody colours wave and either victory or else a grave queen margaret stay edward edward no wrangling woman we'll no longer stay these words will cost ten thousand lives this day exeunt 3 king henry vi act ii scene iii a field of battle between towton and saxton in yorkshire alarum excursions enter warwick warwick forspent with toil as runners with a race i lay me down a little while to breathe for strokes received and many blows repaid have robb'd my strongknit sinews of their strength and spite of spite needs must i rest awhile enter edward running edward smile gentle heaven or strike ungentle death for this world frowns and edward's sun is clouded warwick how now my lord what hap what hope of good enter george george our hap is loss our hope but sad despair our ranks are broke and ruin follows us what counsel give you whither shall we fly edward bootless is flight they follow us with wings and weak we are and cannot shun pursuit enter richard richard ah warwick why hast thou withdrawn thyself thy brother's blood the thirsty earth hath drunk broach'd with the steely point of clifford's lance and in the very pangs of death he cried like to a dismal clangour heard from far warwick revenge brother revenge my death' so underneath the belly of their steeds that stain'd their fetlocks in his smoking blood the noble gentleman gave up the ghost warwick then let the earth be drunken with our blood i'll kill my horse because i will not fly why stand we like softhearted women here wailing our losses whiles the foe doth rage and look upon as if the tragedy were play'd in jest by counterfeiting actors here on my knee i vow to god above i'll never pause again never stand still till either death hath closed these eyes of mine or fortune given me measure of revenge edward o warwick i do bend my knee with thine and in this vow do chain my soul to thine and ere my knee rise from the earth's cold face i throw my hands mine eyes my heart to thee thou setter up and plucker down of kings beseeching thee if with they will it stands that to my foes this body must be prey yet that thy brazen gates of heaven may ope and give sweet passage to my sinful soul now lords take leave until we meet again where'er it be in heaven or in earth richard brother give me thy hand and gentle warwick let me embrace thee in my weary arms i that did never weep now melt with woe that winter should cut off our springtime so warwick away away once more sweet lords farewell george yet let us all together to our troops and give them leave to fly that will not stay and call them pillars that will stand to us and if we thrive promise them such rewards as victors wear at the olympian games this may plant courage in their quailing breasts for yet is hope of life and victory forslow no longer make we hence amain exeunt 3 king henry vi act ii scene iv another part of the field excursions enter richard and clifford richard now clifford i have singled thee alone suppose this arm is for the duke of york and this for rutland both bound to revenge wert thou environ'd with a brazen wall clifford now richard i am with thee here alone this is the hand that stabb'd thy father york and this the hand that slew thy brother rutland and here's the heart that triumphs in their death and cheers these hands that slew thy sire and brother to execute the like upon thyself and so have at thee they fight warwick comes clifford flies richard nay warwick single out some other chase for i myself will hunt this wolf to death exeunt 3 king henry vi act ii scene v another part of the field alarum enter king henry vi alone king henry vi this battle fares like to the morning's war when dying clouds contend with growing light what time the shepherd blowing of his nails can neither call it perfect day nor night now sways it this way like a mighty sea forced by the tide to combat with the wind now sways it that way like the selfsame sea forced to retire by fury of the wind sometime the flood prevails and then the wind now one the better then another best both tugging to be victors breast to breast yet neither conqueror nor conquered so is the equal of this fell war here on this molehill will i sit me down to whom god will there be the victory for margaret my queen and clifford too have chid me from the battle swearing both they prosper best of all when i am thence would i were dead if god's good will were so for what is in this world but grief and woe o god methinks it were a happy life to be no better than a homely swain to sit upon a hill as i do now to carve out dials quaintly point by point thereby to see the minutes how they run how many make the hour full complete how many hours bring about the day how many days will finish up the year how many years a mortal man may live when this is known then to divide the times so many hours must i tend my flock so many hours must i take my rest so many hours must i contemplate so many hours must i sport myself so many days my ewes have been with young so many weeks ere the poor fools will ean so many years ere i shall shear the fleece so minutes hours days months and years pass'd over to the end they were created would bring white hairs unto a quiet grave ah what a life were this how sweet how lovely gives not the hawthornbush a sweeter shade to shepherds looking on their silly sheep than doth a rich embroider'd canopy to kings that fear their subjects treachery o yes it doth a thousandfold it doth and to conclude the shepherd's homely curds his cold thin drink out of his leather bottle his wonted sleep under a fresh tree's shade all which secure and sweetly he enjoys is far beyond a prince's delicates his viands sparkling in a golden cup his body couched in a curious bed when care mistrust and treason waits on him alarum enter a son that has killed his father dragging in the dead body son ill blows the wind that profits nobody this man whom hand to hand i slew in fight may be possessed with some store of crowns and i that haply take them from him now may yet ere night yield both my life and them to some man else as this dead man doth me who's this o god it is my father's face whom in this conflict i unwares have kill'd o heavy times begetting such events from london by the king was i press'd forth my father being the earl of warwick's man came on the part of york press'd by his master and i who at his hands received my life him have by my hands of life bereaved him pardon me god i knew not what i did and pardon father for i knew not thee my tears shall wipe away these bloody marks and no more words till they have flow'd their fill king henry vi o piteous spectacle o bloody times whiles lions war and battle for their dens poor harmless lambs abide their enmity weep wretched man i'll aid thee tear for tear and let our hearts and eyes like civil war be blind with tears and break o'ercharged with grief enter a father that has killed his son bringing in the body father thou that so stoutly hast resisted me give me thy gold if thou hast any gold for i have bought it with an hundred blows but let me see is this our foeman's face ah no no no it is mine only son ah boy if any life be left in thee throw up thine eye see see what showers arise blown with the windy tempest of my heart upon thy words that kill mine eye and heart o pity god this miserable age what stratagems how fell how butcherly erroneous mutinous and unnatural this deadly quarrel daily doth beget o boy thy father gave thee life too soon and hath bereft thee of thy life too late king henry vi woe above woe grief more than common grief o that my death would stay these ruthful deeds o pity pity gentle heaven pity the red rose and the white are on his face the fatal colours of our striving houses the one his purple blood right well resembles the other his pale cheeks methinks presenteth wither one rose and let the other flourish if you contend a thousand lives must wither son how will my mother for a father's death take on with me and ne'er be satisfied father how will my wife for slaughter of my son shed seas of tears and ne'er be satisfied king henry vi how will the country for these woful chances misthink the king and not be satisfied son was ever son so rued a father's death father was ever father so bemoan'd his son king henry vi was ever king so grieved for subjects woe much is your sorrow mine ten times so much son i'll bear thee hence where i may weep my fill exit with the body father these arms of mine shall be thy windingsheet my heart sweet boy shall be thy sepulchre for from my heart thine image ne'er shall go my sighing breast shall be thy funeral bell and so obsequious will thy father be even for the loss of thee having no more as priam was for all his valiant sons i'll bear thee hence and let them fight that will for i have murdered where i should not kill exit with the body king henry vi sadhearted men much overgone with care here sits a king more woful than you are alarums excursions enter queen margaret prince edward and exeter prince edward fly father fly for all your friends are fled and warwick rages like a chafed bull away for death doth hold us in pursuit queen margaret mount you my lord towards berwick post amain edward and richard like a brace of greyhounds having the fearful flying hare in sight with fiery eyes sparkling for very wrath and bloody steel grasp'd in their ireful hands are at our backs and therefore hence amain exeter away for vengeance comes along with them nay stay not to expostulate make speed or else come after i'll away before king henry vi nay take me with thee good sweet exeter not that i fear to stay but love to go whither the queen intends forward away exeunt 3 king henry vi act ii scene vi another part of the field a loud alarum enter clifford wounded clifford here burns my candle out ay here it dies which whiles it lasted gave king henry light o lancaster i fear thy overthrow more than my body's parting with my soul my love and fear glued many friends to thee and now i fall thy tough commixture melts impairing henry strengthening misproud york the common people swarm like summer flies and whither fly the gnats but to the sun and who shines now but henry's enemies o phoebus hadst thou never given consent that phaethon should cheque thy fiery steeds thy burning car never had scorch'd the earth and henry hadst thou sway'd as kings should do or as thy father and his father did giving no ground unto the house of york they never then had sprung like summer flies i and ten thousand in this luckless realm had left no mourning widows for our death and thou this day hadst kept thy chair in peace for what doth cherish weeds but gentle air and what makes robbers bold but too much lenity bootless are plaints and cureless are my wounds no way to fly nor strength to hold out flight the foe is merciless and will not pity for at their hands i have deserved no pity the air hath got into my deadly wounds and much effuse of blood doth make me faint come york and richard warwick and the rest i stabb'd your fathers bosoms split my breast he faints alarum and retreat enter edward george richard montague warwick and soldiers edward now breathe we lords good fortune bids us pause and smooth the frowns of war with peaceful looks some troops pursue the bloodyminded queen that led calm henry though he were a king as doth a sail fill'd with a fretting gust command an argosy to stem the waves but think you lords that clifford fled with them warwick no tis impossible he should escape for though before his face i speak the words your brother richard mark'd him for the grave and wheresoe'er he is he's surely dead clifford groans and dies edward whose soul is that which takes her heavy leave richard a deadly groan like life and death's departing edward see who it is and now the battle's ended if friend or foe let him be gently used richard revoke that doom of mercy for tis clifford who not contented that he lopp'd the branch in hewing rutland when his leaves put forth but set his murdering knife unto the root from whence that tender spray did sweetly spring i mean our princely father duke of york warwick from off the gates of york fetch down the head your father's head which clifford placed there instead whereof let this supply the room measure for measure must be answered edward bring forth that fatal screechowl to our house that nothing sung but death to us and ours now death shall stop his dismal threatening sound and his illboding tongue no more shall speak warwick i think his understanding is bereft speak clifford dost thou know who speaks to thee dark cloudy death o'ershades his beams of life and he nor sees nor hears us what we say richard o would he did and so perhaps he doth tis but his policy to counterfeit because he would avoid such bitter taunts which in the time of death he gave our father george if so thou think'st vex him with eager words richard clifford ask mercy and obtain no grace edward clifford repent in bootless penitence warwick clifford devise excuses for thy faults george while we devise fell tortures for thy faults richard thou didst love york and i am son to york edward thou pitied'st rutland i will pity thee george where's captain margaret to fence you now warwick they mock thee clifford swear as thou wast wont richard what not an oath nay then the world goes hard when clifford cannot spare his friends an oath i know by that he's dead and by my soul if this right hand would buy two hour's life that i in all despite might rail at him this hand should chop it off and with the issuing blood stifle the villain whose unstanched thirst york and young rutland could not satisfy warwick ay but he's dead off with the traitor's head and rear it in the place your father's stands and now to london with triumphant march there to be crowned england's royal king from whence shall warwick cut the sea to france and ask the lady bona for thy queen so shalt thou sinew both these lands together and having france thy friend thou shalt not dread the scatter'd foe that hopes to rise again for though they cannot greatly sting to hurt yet look to have them buzz to offend thine ears first will i see the coronation and then to brittany i'll cross the sea to effect this marriage so it please my lord edward even as thou wilt sweet warwick let it be for in thy shoulder do i build my seat and never will i undertake the thing wherein thy counsel and consent is wanting richard i will create thee duke of gloucester and george of clarence warwick as ourself shall do and undo as him pleaseth best richard let me be duke of clarence george of gloucester for gloucester's dukedom is too ominous warwick tut that's a foolish observation richard be duke of gloucester now to london to see these honours in possession exeunt 3 king henry vi act iii scene i a forest in the north of england enter two keepers with crossbows in their hands first keeper under this thickgrown brake we'll shroud ourselves for through this laund anon the deer will come and in this covert will we make our stand culling the principal of all the deer second keeper i'll stay above the hill so both may shoot first keeper that cannot be the noise of thy crossbow will scare the herd and so my shoot is lost here stand we both and aim we at the best and for the time shall not seem tedious i'll tell thee what befell me on a day in this selfplace where now we mean to stand second keeper here comes a man let's stay till he be past enter king henry vi disguised with a prayerbook king henry vi from scotland am i stol'n even of pure love to greet mine own land with my wishful sight no harry harry tis no land of thine thy place is fill'd thy sceptre wrung from thee thy balm wash'd off wherewith thou wast anointed no bending knee will call thee caesar now no humble suitors press to speak for right no not a man comes for redress of thee for how can i help them and not myself first keeper ay here's a deer whose skin's a keeper's fee this is the quondam king let's seize upon him king henry vi let me embrace thee sour adversity for wise men say it is the wisest course second keeper why linger we let us lay hands upon him first keeper forbear awhile we'll hear a little more king henry vi my queen and son are gone to france for aid and as i hear the great commanding warwick is thither gone to crave the french king's sister to wife for edward if this news be true poor queen and son your labour is but lost for warwick is a subtle orator and lewis a prince soon won with moving words by this account then margaret may win him for she's a woman to be pitied much her sighs will make a battery in his breast her tears will pierce into a marble heart the tiger will be mild whiles she doth mourn and nero will be tainted with remorse to hear and see her plaints her brinish tears ay but she's come to beg warwick to give she on his left side craving aid for henry he on his right asking a wife for edward she weeps and says her henry is deposed he smiles and says his edward is install'd that she poor wretch for grief can speak no more whiles warwick tells his title smooths the wrong inferreth arguments of mighty strength and in conclusion wins the king from her with promise of his sister and what else to strengthen and support king edward's place o margaret thus twill be and thou poor soul art then forsaken as thou went'st forlorn second keeper say what art thou that talk'st of kings and queens king henry vi more than i seem and less than i was born to a man at least for less i should not be and men may talk of kings and why not i second keeper ay but thou talk'st as if thou wert a king king henry vi why so i am in mind and that's enough second keeper but if thou be a king where is thy crown king henry vi my crown is in my heart not on my head not decked with diamonds and indian stones nor to be seen my crown is called content a crown it is that seldom kings enjoy second keeper well if you be a king crown'd with content your crown content and you must be contented to go along with us for as we think you are the king king edward hath deposed and we his subjects sworn in all allegiance will apprehend you as his enemy king henry vi but did you never swear and break an oath second keeper no never such an oath nor will not now king henry vi where did you dwell when i was king of england second keeper here in this country where we now remain king henry vi i was anointed king at nine months old my father and my grandfather were kings and you were sworn true subjects unto me and tell me then have you not broke your oaths first keeper no for we were subjects but while you were king king henry vi why am i dead do i not breathe a man ah simple men you know not what you swear look as i blow this feather from my face and as the air blows it to me again obeying with my wind when i do blow and yielding to another when it blows commanded always by the greater gust such is the lightness of you common men but do not break your oaths for of that sin my mild entreaty shall not make you guilty go where you will the king shall be commanded and be you kings command and i'll obey first keeper we are true subjects to the king king edward king henry vi so would you be again to henry if he were seated as king edward is first keeper we charge you in god's name and the king's to go with us unto the officers king henry vi in god's name lead your king's name be obey'd and what god will that let your king perform and what he will i humbly yield unto exeunt 3 king henry vi act iii scene ii london the palace enter king edward iv gloucester clarence and lady grey king edward iv brother of gloucester at saint alban's field this lady's husband sir richard grey was slain his lands then seized on by the conqueror her suit is now to repossess those lands which we in justice cannot well deny because in quarrel of the house of york the worthy gentleman did lose his life gloucester your highness shall do well to grant her suit it were dishonour to deny it her king edward iv it were no less but yet i'll make a pause gloucester aside to clarence yea is it so i see the lady hath a thing to grant before the king will grant her humble suit clarence aside to gloucester he knows the game how true he keeps the wind gloucester aside to clarence silence king edward iv widow we will consider of your suit and come some other time to know our mind lady grey right gracious lord i cannot brook delay may it please your highness to resolve me now and what your pleasure is shall satisfy me gloucester aside to clarence ay widow then i'll warrant you all your lands an if what pleases him shall pleasure you fight closer or good faith you'll catch a blow clarence aside to gloucester i fear her not unless she chance to fall gloucester aside to clarence god forbid that for he'll take vantages king edward iv how many children hast thou widow tell me clarence aside to gloucester i think he means to beg a child of her gloucester aside to clarence nay whip me then he'll rather give her two lady grey three my most gracious lord gloucester aside to clarence you shall have four if you'll be ruled by him king edward iv twere pity they should lose their father's lands lady grey be pitiful dread lord and grant it then king edward iv lords give us leave i'll try this widow's wit gloucester aside to clarence ay good leave have you for you will have leave till youth take leave and leave you to the crutch gloucester and clarence retire king edward iv now tell me madam do you love your children lady grey ay full as dearly as i love myself king edward iv and would you not do much to do them good lady grey to do them good i would sustain some harm king edward iv then get your husband's lands to do them good lady grey therefore i came unto your majesty king edward iv i'll tell you how these lands are to be got lady grey so shall you bind me to your highness service king edward iv what service wilt thou do me if i give them lady grey what you command that rests in me to do king edward iv but you will take exceptions to my boon lady grey no gracious lord except i cannot do it king edward iv ay but thou canst do what i mean to ask lady grey why then i will do what your grace commands gloucester aside to clarence he plies her hard and much rain wears the marble clarence aside to gloucester as red as fire nay then her wax must melt lady grey why stops my lord shall i not hear my task king edward iv an easy task tis but to love a king lady grey that's soon perform'd because i am a subject king edward iv why then thy husband's lands i freely give thee lady grey i take my leave with many thousand thanks gloucester aside to clarence the match is made she seals it with a curtsy king edward iv but stay thee tis the fruits of love i mean lady grey the fruits of love i mean my loving liege king edward iv ay but i fear me in another sense what love think'st thou i sue so much to get lady grey my love till death my humble thanks my prayers that love which virtue begs and virtue grants king edward iv no by my troth i did not mean such love lady grey why then you mean not as i thought you did king edward iv but now you partly may perceive my mind lady grey my mind will never grant what i perceive your highness aims at if i aim aright king edward iv to tell thee plain i aim to lie with thee lady grey to tell you plain i had rather lie in prison king edward iv why then thou shalt not have thy husband's lands lady grey why then mine honesty shall be my dower for by that loss i will not purchase them king edward iv therein thou wrong'st thy children mightily lady grey herein your highness wrongs both them and me but mighty lord this merry inclination accords not with the sadness of my suit please you dismiss me either with ay or no' king edward iv ay if thou wilt say ay to my request no if thou dost say no to my demand lady grey then no my lord my suit is at an end gloucester aside to clarence the widow likes him not she knits her brows clarence aside to gloucester he is the bluntest wooer in christendom king edward iv aside her looks do argue her replete with modesty her words do show her wit incomparable all her perfections challenge sovereignty one way or other she is for a king and she shall be my love or else my queen say that king edward take thee for his queen lady grey tis better said than done my gracious lord i am a subject fit to jest withal but far unfit to be a sovereign king edward iv sweet widow by my state i swear to thee i speak no more than what my soul intends and that is to enjoy thee for my love lady grey and that is more than i will yield unto i know i am too mean to be your queen and yet too good to be your concubine king edward iv you cavil widow i did mean my queen lady grey twill grieve your grace my sons should call you father king edward iv no more than when my daughters call thee mother thou art a widow and thou hast some children and by god's mother i being but a bachelor have other some why tis a happy thing to be the father unto many sons answer no more for thou shalt be my queen gloucester aside to clarence the ghostly father now hath done his shrift clarence aside to gloucester when he was made a shriver twas for shift king edward iv brothers you muse what chat we two have had gloucester the widow likes it not for she looks very sad king edward iv you'll think it strange if i should marry her clarence to whom my lord king edward iv why clarence to myself gloucester that would be ten days wonder at the least clarence that's a day longer than a wonder lasts gloucester by so much is the wonder in extremes king edward iv well jest on brothers i can tell you both her suit is granted for her husband's lands enter a nobleman nobleman my gracious lord henry your foe is taken and brought your prisoner to your palace gate king edward iv see that he be convey'd unto the tower and go we brothers to the man that took him to question of his apprehension widow go you along lords use her honourably exeunt all but gloucester gloucester ay edward will use women honourably would he were wasted marrow bones and all that from his loins no hopeful branch may spring to cross me from the golden time i look for and yet between my soul's desire and me the lustful edward's title buried is clarence henry and his son young edward and all the unlook'd for issue of their bodies to take their rooms ere i can place myself a cold premeditation for my purpose why then i do but dream on sovereignty like one that stands upon a promontory and spies a faroff shore where he would tread wishing his foot were equal with his eye and chides the sea that sunders him from thence saying he'll lade it dry to have his way so do i wish the crown being so far off and so i chide the means that keeps me from it and so i say i'll cut the causes off flattering me with impossibilities my eye's too quick my heart o'erweens too much unless my hand and strength could equal them well say there is no kingdom then for richard what other pleasure can the world afford i'll make my heaven in a lady's lap and deck my body in gay ornaments and witch sweet ladies with my words and looks o miserable thought and more unlikely than to accomplish twenty golden crowns why love forswore me in my mother's womb and for i should not deal in her soft laws she did corrupt frail nature with some bribe to shrink mine arm up like a wither'd shrub to make an envious mountain on my back where sits deformity to mock my body to shape my legs of an unequal size to disproportion me in every part like to a chaos or an unlick'd bearwhelp that carries no impression like the dam and am i then a man to be beloved o monstrous fault to harbour such a thought then since this earth affords no joy to me but to command to cheque to o'erbear such as are of better person than myself i'll make my heaven to dream upon the crown and whiles i live to account this world but hell until my misshaped trunk that bears this head be round impaled with a glorious crown and yet i know not how to get the crown for many lives stand between me and home and ilike one lost in a thorny wood that rends the thorns and is rent with the thorns seeking a way and straying from the way not knowing how to find the open air but toiling desperately to find it out torment myself to catch the english crown and from that torment i will free myself or hew my way out with a bloody axe why i can smile and murder whiles i smile and cry content to that which grieves my heart and wet my cheeks with artificial tears and frame my face to all occasions i'll drown more sailors than the mermaid shall i'll slay more gazers than the basilisk i'll play the orator as well as nestor deceive more slily than ulysses could and like a sinon take another troy i can add colours to the chameleon change shapes with proteus for advantages and set the murderous machiavel to school can i do this and cannot get a crown tut were it farther off i'll pluck it down exit 3 king henry vi act iii scene iii france king lewis xi's palace flourish enter king lewis xi his sister bona his admiral called bourbon prince edward queen margaret and oxford king lewis xi sits and riseth up again king lewis xi fair queen of england worthy margaret sit down with us it ill befits thy state and birth that thou shouldst stand while lewis doth sit queen margaret no mighty king of france now margaret must strike her sail and learn awhile to serve where kings command i was i must confess great albion's queen in former golden days but now mischance hath trod my title down and with dishonour laid me on the ground where i must take like seat unto my fortune and to my humble seat conform myself king lewis xi why say fair queen whence springs this deep despair queen margaret from such a cause as fills mine eyes with tears and stops my tongue while heart is drown'd in cares king lewis xi whate'er it be be thou still like thyself and sit thee by our side seats her by him yield not thy neck to fortune's yoke but let thy dauntless mind still ride in triumph over all mischance be plain queen margaret and tell thy grief it shall be eased if france can yield relief queen margaret those gracious words revive my drooping thoughts and give my tonguetied sorrows leave to speak now therefore be it known to noble lewis that henry sole possessor of my love is of a king become a banish'd man and forced to live in scotland a forlorn while proud ambitious edward duke of york usurps the regal title and the seat of england's trueanointed lawful king this is the cause that i poor margaret with this my son prince edward henry's heir am come to crave thy just and lawful aid and if thou fail us all our hope is done scotland hath will to help but cannot help our people and our peers are both misled our treasures seized our soldiers put to flight and as thou seest ourselves in heavy plight king lewis xi renowned queen with patience calm the storm while we bethink a means to break it off queen margaret the more we stay the stronger grows our foe king lewis xi the more i stay the more i'll succor thee queen margaret o but impatience waiteth on true sorrow and see where comes the breeder of my sorrow enter warwick king lewis xi what's he approacheth boldly to our presence queen margaret our earl of warwick edward's greatest friend king lewis xi welcome brave warwick what brings thee to france he descends she ariseth queen margaret ay now begins a second storm to rise for this is he that moves both wind and tide warwick from worthy edward king of albion my lord and sovereign and thy vowed friend i come in kindness and unfeigned love first to do greetings to thy royal person and then to crave a league of amity and lastly to confirm that amity with a nuptial knot if thou vouchsafe to grant that virtuous lady bona thy fair sister to england's king in lawful marriage queen margaret aside if that go forward henry's hope is done warwick to bona and gracious madam in our king's behalf i am commanded with your leave and favour humbly to kiss your hand and with my tongue to tell the passion of my sovereign's heart where fame late entering at his heedful ears hath placed thy beauty's image and thy virtue queen margaret king lewis and lady bona hear me speak before you answer warwick his demand springs not from edward's wellmeant honest love but from deceit bred by necessity for how can tyrants safely govern home unless abroad they purchase great alliance to prove him tyrant this reason may suffice that henry liveth still but were he dead yet here prince edward stands king henry's son look therefore lewis that by this league and marriage thou draw not on thy danger and dishonour for though usurpers sway the rule awhile yet heavens are just and time suppresseth wrongs warwick injurious margaret prince edward and why not queen warwick because thy father henry did usurp and thou no more are prince than she is queen oxford then warwick disannuls great john of gaunt which did subdue the greatest part of spain and after john of gaunt henry the fourth whose wisdom was a mirror to the wisest and after that wise prince henry the fifth who by his prowess conquered all france from these our henry lineally descends warwick oxford how haps it in this smooth discourse you told not how henry the sixth hath lost all that which henry fifth had gotten methinks these peers of france should smile at that but for the rest you tell a pedigree of threescore and two years a silly time to make prescription for a kingdom's worth oxford why warwick canst thou speak against thy liege whom thou obeyed'st thirty and six years and not bewray thy treason with a blush warwick can oxford that did ever fence the right now buckler falsehood with a pedigree for shame leave henry and call edward king oxford call him my king by whose injurious doom my elder brother the lord aubrey vere was done to death and more than so my father even in the downfall of his mellow'd years when nature brought him to the door of death no warwick no while life upholds this arm this arm upholds the house of lancaster warwick and i the house of york king lewis xi queen margaret prince edward and oxford vouchsafe at our request to stand aside while i use further conference with warwick they stand aloof queen margaret heavens grant that warwick's words bewitch him not king lewis xi now warwick tell me even upon thy conscience is edward your true king for i were loath to link with him that were not lawful chosen warwick thereon i pawn my credit and mine honour king lewis xi but is he gracious in the people's eye warwick the more that henry was unfortunate king lewis xi then further all dissembling set aside tell me for truth the measure of his love unto our sister bona warwick such it seems as may beseem a monarch like himself myself have often heard him say and swear that this his love was an eternal plant whereof the root was fix'd in virtue's ground the leaves and fruit maintain'd with beauty's sun exempt from envy but not from disdain unless the lady bona quit his pain king lewis xi now sister let us hear your firm resolve bona your grant or your denial shall be mine to warwick yet i confess that often ere this day when i have heard your king's desert recounted mine ear hath tempted judgment to desire king lewis xi then warwick thus our sister shall be edward's and now forthwith shall articles be drawn touching the jointure that your king must make which with her dowry shall be counterpoised draw near queen margaret and be a witness that bona shall be wife to the english king prince edward to edward but not to the english king queen margaret deceitful warwick it was thy device by this alliance to make void my suit before thy coming lewis was henry's friend king lewis xi and still is friend to him and margaret but if your title to the crown be weak as may appear by edward's good success then tis but reason that i be released from giving aid which late i promised yet shall you have all kindness at my hand that your estate requires and mine can yield warwick henry now lives in scotland at his ease where having nothing nothing can he lose and as for you yourself our quondam queen you have a father able to maintain you and better twere you troubled him than france queen margaret peace impudent and shameless warwick peace proud setter up and puller down of kings i will not hence till with my talk and tears both full of truth i make king lewis behold thy sly conveyance and thy lord's false love for both of you are birds of selfsame feather post blows a horn within king lewis xi warwick this is some post to us or thee enter a post post to warwick my lord ambassador these letters are for you sent from your brother marquess montague to king lewis xi these from our king unto your majesty to queen margaret and madam these for you from whom i know not they all read their letters oxford i like it well that our fair queen and mistress smiles at her news while warwick frowns at his prince edward nay mark how lewis stamps as he were nettled i hope all's for the best king lewis xi warwick what are thy news and yours fair queen queen margaret mine such as fill my heart with unhoped joys warwick mine full of sorrow and heart's discontent king lewis xi what has your king married the lady grey and now to soothe your forgery and his sends me a paper to persuade me patience is this the alliance that he seeks with france dare he presume to scorn us in this manner queen margaret i told your majesty as much before this proveth edward's love and warwick's honesty warwick king lewis i here protest in sight of heaven and by the hope i have of heavenly bliss that i am clear from this misdeed of edward's no more my king for he dishonours me but most himself if he could see his shame did i forget that by the house of york my father came untimely to his death did i let pass the abuse done to my niece did i impale him with the regal crown did i put henry from his native right and am i guerdon'd at the last with shame shame on himself for my desert is honour and to repair my honour lost for him i here renounce him and return to henry my noble queen let former grudges pass and henceforth i am thy true servitor i will revenge his wrong to lady bona and replant henry in his former state queen margaret warwick these words have turn'd my hate to love and i forgive and quite forget old faults and joy that thou becomest king henry's friend warwick so much his friend ay his unfeigned friend that if king lewis vouchsafe to furnish us with some few bands of chosen soldiers i'll undertake to land them on our coast and force the tyrant from his seat by war tis not his newmade bride shall succor him and as for clarence as my letters tell me he's very likely now to fall from him for matching more for wanton lust than honour or than for strength and safety of our country bona dear brother how shall bona be revenged but by thy help to this distressed queen queen margaret renowned prince how shall poor henry live unless thou rescue him from foul despair bona my quarrel and this english queen's are one warwick and mine fair lady bona joins with yours king lewis xi and mine with hers and thine and margaret's therefore at last i firmly am resolved you shall have aid queen margaret let me give humble thanks for all at once king lewis xi then england's messenger return in post and tell false edward thy supposed king that lewis of france is sending over masquers to revel it with him and his new bride thou seest what's past go fear thy king withal bona tell him in hope he'll prove a widower shortly i'll wear the willow garland for his sake queen margaret tell him my mourning weeds are laid aside and i am ready to put armour on warwick tell him from me that he hath done me wrong and therefore i'll uncrown him ere't be long there's thy reward be gone exit post king lewis xi but warwick thou and oxford with five thousand men shall cross the seas and bid false edward battle and as occasion serves this noble queen and prince shall follow with a fresh supply yet ere thou go but answer me one doubt what pledge have we of thy firm loyalty warwick this shall assure my constant loyalty that if our queen and this young prince agree i'll join mine eldest daughter and my joy to him forthwith in holy wedlock bands queen margaret yes i agree and thank you for your motion son edward she is fair and virtuous therefore delay not give thy hand to warwick and with thy hand thy faith irrevocable that only warwick's daughter shall be thine prince edward yes i accept her for she well deserves it and here to pledge my vow i give my hand he gives his hand to warwick king lewis xi why stay we now these soldiers shall be levied and thou lord bourbon our high admiral shalt waft them over with our royal fleet i long till edward fall by war's mischance for mocking marriage with a dame of france exeunt all but warwick warwick i came from edward as ambassador but i return his sworn and mortal foe matter of marriage was the charge he gave me but dreadful war shall answer his demand had he none else to make a stale but me then none but i shall turn his jest to sorrow i was the chief that raised him to the crown and i'll be chief to bring him down again not that i pity henry's misery but seek revenge on edward's mockery exit 3 king henry vi act iv scene i london the palace enter gloucester clarence somerset and montague gloucester now tell me brother clarence what think you of this new marriage with the lady grey hath not our brother made a worthy choice clarence alas you know tis far from hence to france how could he stay till warwick made return somerset my lords forbear this talk here comes the king gloucester and his wellchosen bride clarence i mind to tell him plainly what i think flourish enter king edward iv attended queen elizabeth pembroke stafford hastings and others king edward iv now brother of clarence how like you our choice that you stand pensive as half malcontent clarence as well as lewis of france or the earl of warwick which are so weak of courage and in judgment that they'll take no offence at our abuse king edward iv suppose they take offence without a cause they are but lewis and warwick i am edward your king and warwick's and must have my will gloucester and shall have your will because our king yet hasty marriage seldom proveth well king edward iv yea brother richard are you offended too gloucester not i no god forbid that i should wish them sever'd whom god hath join'd together ay and twere pity to sunder them that yoke so well together king edward iv setting your scorns and your mislike aside tell me some reason why the lady grey should not become my wife and england's queen and you too somerset and montague speak freely what you think clarence then this is mine opinion that king lewis becomes your enemy for mocking him about the marriage of the lady bona gloucester and warwick doing what you gave in charge is now dishonoured by this new marriage king edward iv what if both lewis and warwick be appeased by such invention as i can devise montague yet to have join'd with france in such alliance would more have strengthen'd this our commonwealth gainst foreign storms than any homebred marriage hastings why knows not montague that of itself england is safe if true within itself montague but the safer when tis back'd with france hastings tis better using france than trusting france let us be back'd with god and with the seas which he hath given for fence impregnable and with their helps only defend ourselves in them and in ourselves our safety lies clarence for this one speech lord hastings well deserves to have the heir of the lord hungerford king edward iv ay what of that it was my will and grant and for this once my will shall stand for law gloucester and yet methinks your grace hath not done well to give the heir and daughter of lord scales unto the brother of your loving bride she better would have fitted me or clarence but in your bride you bury brotherhood clarence or else you would not have bestow'd the heir of the lord bonville on your new wife's son and leave your brothers to go speed elsewhere king edward iv alas poor clarence is it for a wife that thou art malcontent i will provide thee clarence in choosing for yourself you show'd your judgment which being shallow you give me leave to play the broker in mine own behalf and to that end i shortly mind to leave you king edward iv leave me or tarry edward will be king and not be tied unto his brother's will queen elizabeth my lords before it pleased his majesty to raise my state to title of a queen do me but right and you must all confess that i was not ignoble of descent and meaner than myself have had like fortune but as this title honours me and mine so your dislike to whom i would be pleasing doth cloud my joys with danger and with sorrow king edward iv my love forbear to fawn upon their frowns what danger or what sorrow can befall thee so long as edward is thy constant friend and their true sovereign whom they must obey nay whom they shall obey and love thee too unless they seek for hatred at my hands which if they do yet will i keep thee safe and they shall feel the vengeance of my wrath gloucester aside i hear yet say not much but think the more enter a post king edward iv now messenger what letters or what news from france post my sovereign liege no letters and few words but such as i without your special pardon dare not relate king edward iv go to we pardon thee therefore in brief tell me their words as near as thou canst guess them what answer makes king lewis unto our letters post at my depart these were his very words go tell false edward thy supposed king that lewis of france is sending over masquers to revel it with him and his new bride' king edward iv is lewis so brave belike he thinks me henry but what said lady bona to my marriage post these were her words utter'd with mad disdain tell him in hope he'll prove a widower shortly i'll wear the willow garland for his sake' king edward iv i blame not her she could say little less she had the wrong but what said henry's queen for i have heard that she was there in place post tell him quoth she my mourning weeds are done and i am ready to put armour on' king edward iv belike she minds to play the amazon but what said warwick to these injuries post he more incensed against your majesty than all the rest discharged me with these words tell him from me that he hath done me wrong and therefore i'll uncrown him ere't be long' king edward iv ha durst the traitor breathe out so proud words well i will arm me being thus forewarn'd they shall have wars and pay for their presumption but say is warwick friends with margaret post ay gracious sovereign they are so link'd in friendship that young prince edward marries warwick's daughter clarence belike the elder clarence will have the younger now brother king farewell and sit you fast for i will hence to warwick's other daughter that though i want a kingdom yet in marriage i may not prove inferior to yourself you that love me and warwick follow me exit clarence and somerset follows gloucester aside not i my thoughts aim at a further matter i stay not for the love of edward but the crown king edward iv clarence and somerset both gone to warwick yet am i arm'd against the worst can happen and haste is needful in this desperate case pembroke and stafford you in our behalf go levy men and make prepare for war they are already or quickly will be landed myself in person will straight follow you exeunt pembroke and stafford but ere i go hastings and montague resolve my doubt you twain of all the rest are near to warwick by blood and by alliance tell me if you love warwick more than me if it be so then both depart to him i rather wish you foes than hollow friends but if you mind to hold your true obedience give me assurance with some friendly vow that i may never have you in suspect montague so god help montague as he proves true hastings and hastings as he favours edward's cause king edward iv now brother richard will you stand by us gloucester ay in despite of all that shall withstand you king edward iv why so then am i sure of victory now therefore let us hence and lose no hour till we meet warwick with his foreign power exeunt 3 king henry vi act iv scene ii a plain in warwickshire enter warwick and oxford with french soldiers warwick trust me my lord all hitherto goes well the common people by numbers swarm to us enter clarence and somerset but see where somerset and clarence come speak suddenly my lords are we all friends clarence fear not that my lord warwick then gentle clarence welcome unto warwick and welcome somerset i hold it cowardice to rest mistrustful where a noble heart hath pawn'd an open hand in sign of love else might i think that clarence edward's brother were but a feigned friend to our proceedings but welcome sweet clarence my daughter shall be thine and now what rests but in night's coverture thy brother being carelessly encamp'd his soldiers lurking in the towns about and but attended by a simple guard we may surprise and take him at our pleasure our scouts have found the adventure very easy that as ulysses and stout diomede with sleight and manhood stole to rhesus tents and brought from thence the thracian fatal steeds so we well cover'd with the night's black mantle at unawares may beat down edward's guard and seize himself i say not slaughter him for i intend but only to surprise him you that will follow me to this attempt applaud the name of henry with your leader they all cry henry' why then let's on our way in silent sort for warwick and his friends god and saint george exeunt 3 king henry vi act iv scene iii edward's camp near warwick enter three watchmen to guard king edward iv's tent first watchman come on my masters each man take his stand the king by this is set him down to sleep second watchman what will he not to bed first watchman why no for he hath made a solemn vow never to lie and take his natural rest till warwick or himself be quite suppress'd second watchman tomorrow then belike shall be the day if warwick be so near as men report third watchman but say i pray what nobleman is that that with the king here resteth in his tent first watchman tis the lord hastings the king's chiefest friend third watchman o is it so but why commands the king that his chief followers lodge in towns about him while he himself keeps in the cold field second watchman tis the more honour because more dangerous third watchman ay but give me worship and quietness i like it better than a dangerous honour if warwick knew in what estate he stands tis to be doubted he would waken him first watchman unless our halberds did shut up his passage second watchman ay wherefore else guard we his royal tent but to defend his person from nightfoes enter warwick clarence oxford somerset and french soldiers silent all warwick this is his tent and see where stand his guard courage my masters honour now or never but follow me and edward shall be ours first watchman who goes there second watchman stay or thou diest warwick and the rest cry all warwick warwick' and set upon the guard who fly crying arm arm warwick and the rest following them the drum playing and trumpet sounding reenter warwick somerset and the rest bringing king edward iv out in his gown sitting in a chair richard and hastings fly over the stage somerset what are they that fly there warwick richard and hastings let them go here is the duke king edward iv the duke why warwick when we parted thou call'dst me king warwick ay but the case is alter'd when you disgraced me in my embassade then i degraded you from being king and come now to create you duke of york alas how should you govern any kingdom that know not how to use ambassadors nor how to be contented with one wife nor how to use your brothers brotherly nor how to study for the people's welfare nor how to shroud yourself from enemies king edward iv yea brother of clarence are thou here too nay then i see that edward needs must down yet warwick in despite of all mischance of thee thyself and all thy complices edward will always bear himself as king though fortune's malice overthrow my state my mind exceeds the compass of her wheel warwick then for his mind be edward england's king takes off his crown but henry now shall wear the english crown and be true king indeed thou but the shadow my lord of somerset at my request see that forthwith duke edward be convey'd unto my brother archbishop of york when i have fought with pembroke and his fellows i'll follow you and tell what answer lewis and the lady bona send to him now for a while farewell good duke of york they lead him out forcibly king edward iv what fates impose that men must needs abide it boots not to resist both wind and tide exit guarded oxford what now remains my lords for us to do but march to london with our soldiers warwick ay that's the first thing that we have to do to free king henry from imprisonment and see him seated in the regal throne exeunt 3 king henry vi act iv scene iv london the palace enter queen elizabeth and rivers rivers madam what makes you in this sudden change queen elizabeth why brother rivers are you yet to learn what late misfortune is befall'n king edward rivers what loss of some pitch'd battle against warwick queen elizabeth no but the loss of his own royal person rivers then is my sovereign slain queen elizabeth ay almost slain for he is taken prisoner either betray'd by falsehood of his guard or by his foe surprised at unawares and as i further have to understand is new committed to the bishop of york fell warwick's brother and by that our foe rivers these news i must confess are full of grief yet gracious madam bear it as you may warwick may lose that now hath won the day queen elizabeth till then fair hope must hinder life's decay and i the rather wean me from despair for love of edward's offspring in my womb this is it that makes me bridle passion and bear with mildness my misfortune's cross ay ay for this i draw in many a tear and stop the rising of bloodsucking sighs lest with my sighs or tears i blast or drown king edward's fruit true heir to the english crown rivers but madam where is warwick then become queen elizabeth i am inform'd that he comes towards london to set the crown once more on henry's head guess thou the rest king edward's friends must down but to prevent the tyrant's violence for trust not him that hath once broken faith i'll hence forthwith unto the sanctuary to save at least the heir of edward's right there shall i rest secure from force and fraud come therefore let us fly while we may fly if warwick take us we are sure to die exeunt 3 king henry vi act iv scene v a park near middleham castle in yorkshire enter gloucester hastings and stanley gloucester now my lord hastings and sir william stanley leave off to wonder why i drew you hither into this chiefest thicket of the park thus stands the case you know our king my brother is prisoner to the bishop here at whose hands he hath good usage and great liberty and often but attended with weak guard comes hunting this way to disport himself i have advertised him by secret means that if about this hour he make his way under the colour of his usual game he shall here find his friends with horse and men to set him free from his captivity enter king edward iv and a huntsman with him huntsman this way my lord for this way lies the game king edward iv nay this way man see where the huntsmen stand now brother of gloucester lord hastings and the rest stand you thus close to steal the bishop's deer gloucester brother the time and case requireth haste your horse stands ready at the parkcorner king edward iv but whither shall we then hastings to lynn my lord and ship from thence to flanders gloucester well guess'd believe me for that was my meaning king edward iv stanley i will requite thy forwardness gloucester but wherefore stay we tis no time to talk king edward iv huntsman what say'st thou wilt thou go along huntsman better do so than tarry and be hang'd gloucester come then away let's ha no more ado king edward iv bishop farewell shield thee from warwick's frown and pray that i may repossess the crown exeunt 3 king henry vi act iv scene vi london the tower flourish enter king henry vi clarence warwick somerset henry of richmond oxford montague and lieutenant of the tower king henry vi master lieutenant now that god and friends have shaken edward from the regal seat and turn'd my captive state to liberty my fear to hope my sorrows unto joys at our enlargement what are thy due fees lieutenant subjects may challenge nothing of their sovereigns but if an humble prayer may prevail i then crave pardon of your majesty king henry vi for what lieutenant for well using me nay be thou sure i'll well requite thy kindness for that it made my imprisonment a pleasure ay such a pleasure as incaged birds conceive when after many moody thoughts at last by notes of household harmony they quite forget their loss of liberty but warwick after god thou set'st me free and chiefly therefore i thank god and thee he was the author thou the instrument therefore that i may conquer fortune's spite by living low where fortune cannot hurt me and that the people of this blessed land may not be punish'd with my thwarting stars warwick although my head still wear the crown i here resign my government to thee for thou art fortunate in all thy deeds warwick your grace hath still been famed for virtuous and now may seem as wise as virtuous by spying and avoiding fortune's malice for few men rightly temper with the stars yet in this one thing let me blame your grace for choosing me when clarence is in place clarence no warwick thou art worthy of the sway to whom the heavens in thy nativity adjudged an olive branch and laurel crown as likely to be blest in peace and war and therefore i yield thee my free consent warwick and i choose clarence only for protector king henry vi warwick and clarence give me both your hands now join your hands and with your hands your hearts that no dissension hinder government i make you both protectors of this land while i myself will lead a private life and in devotion spend my latter days to sin's rebuke and my creator's praise warwick what answers clarence to his sovereign's will clarence that he consents if warwick yield consent for on thy fortune i repose myself warwick why then though loath yet must i be content we'll yoke together like a double shadow to henry's body and supply his place i mean in bearing weight of government while he enjoys the honour and his ease and clarence now then it is more than needful forthwith that edward be pronounced a traitor and all his lands and goods be confiscate clarence what else and that succession be determined warwick ay therein clarence shall not want his part king henry vi but with the first of all your chief affairs let me entreat for i command no more that margaret your queen and my son edward be sent for to return from france with speed for till i see them here by doubtful fear my joy of liberty is half eclipsed clarence it shall be done my sovereign with all speed king henry vi my lord of somerset what youth is that of whom you seem to have so tender care somerset my liege it is young henry earl of richmond king henry vi come hither england's hope lays his hand on his head if secret powers suggest but truth to my divining thoughts this pretty lad will prove our country's bliss his looks are full of peaceful majesty his head by nature framed to wear a crown his hand to wield a sceptre and himself likely in time to bless a regal throne make much of him my lords for this is he must help you more than you are hurt by me enter a post warwick what news my friend post that edward is escaped from your brother and fled as he hears since to burgundy warwick unsavoury news but how made he escape post he was convey'd by richard duke of gloucester and the lord hastings who attended him in secret ambush on the forest side and from the bishop's huntsmen rescued him for hunting was his daily exercise warwick my brother was too careless of his charge but let us hence my sovereign to provide a salve for any sore that may betide exeunt all but somerset henry of richmond and oxford somerset my lord i like not of this flight of edward's for doubtless burgundy will yield him help and we shall have more wars before t be long as henry's late presaging prophecy did glad my heart with hope of this young richmond so doth my heart misgive me in these conflicts what may befall him to his harm and ours therefore lord oxford to prevent the worst forthwith we'll send him hence to brittany till storms be past of civil enmity oxford ay for if edward repossess the crown tis like that richmond with the rest shall down somerset it shall be so he shall to brittany come therefore let's about it speedily exeunt 3 king henry vi act iv scene vii before york flourish enter king edward iv gloucester hastings and soldiers king edward iv now brother richard lord hastings and the rest yet thus far fortune maketh us amends and says that once more i shall interchange my waned state for henry's regal crown well have we pass'd and now repass'd the seas and brought desired help from burgundy what then remains we being thus arrived from ravenspurgh haven before the gates of york but that we enter as into our dukedom gloucester the gates made fast brother i like not this for many men that stumble at the threshold are well foretold that danger lurks within king edward iv tush man abodements must not now affright us by fair or foul means we must enter in for hither will our friends repair to us hastings my liege i'll knock once more to summon them enter on the walls the mayor of york and his brethren mayor my lords we were forewarned of your coming and shut the gates for safety of ourselves for now we owe allegiance unto henry king edward iv but master mayor if henry be your king yet edward at the least is duke of york mayor true my good lord i know you for no less king edward iv why and i challenge nothing but my dukedom as being well content with that alone gloucester aside but when the fox hath once got in his nose he'll soon find means to make the body follow hastings why master mayor why stand you in a doubt open the gates we are king henry's friends mayor ay say you so the gates shall then be open'd they descend gloucester a wise stout captain and soon persuaded hastings the good old man would fain that all were well so twere not long of him but being enter'd i doubt not i but we shall soon persuade both him and all his brothers unto reason enter the mayor and two aldermen below king edward iv so master mayor these gates must not be shut but in the night or in the time of war what fear not man but yield me up the keys takes his keys for edward will defend the town and thee and all those friends that deign to follow me march enter montgomery with drum and soldiers gloucester brother this is sir john montgomery our trusty friend unless i be deceived king edward iv welcome sir john but why come you in arms montague to help king edward in his time of storm as every loyal subject ought to do king edward iv thanks good montgomery but we now forget our title to the crown and only claim our dukedom till god please to send the rest montague then fare you well for i will hence again i came to serve a king and not a duke drummer strike up and let us march away the drum begins to march king edward iv nay stay sir john awhile and we'll debate by what safe means the crown may be recover'd montague what talk you of debating in few words if you'll not here proclaim yourself our king i'll leave you to your fortune and be gone to keep them back that come to succor you why shall we fight if you pretend no title gloucester why brother wherefore stand you on nice points king edward iv when we grow stronger then we'll make our claim till then tis wisdom to conceal our meaning hastings away with scrupulous wit now arms must rule gloucester and fearless minds climb soonest unto crowns brother we will proclaim you out of hand the bruit thereof will bring you many friends king edward iv then be it as you will for tis my right and henry but usurps the diadem montague ay now my sovereign speaketh like himself and now will i be edward's champion hastings sound trumpet edward shall be here proclaim'd come fellowsoldier make thou proclamation flourish soldier edward the fourth by the grace of god king of england and france and lord of ireland &c montague and whosoe'er gainsays king edward's right by this i challenge him to single fight throws down his gauntlet all long live edward the fourth king edward iv thanks brave montgomery and thanks unto you all if fortune serve me i'll requite this kindness now for this night let's harbour here in york and when the morning sun shall raise his car above the border of this horizon we'll forward towards warwick and his mates for well i wot that henry is no soldier ah froward clarence how evil it beseems thee to flatter henry and forsake thy brother yet as we may we'll meet both thee and warwick come on brave soldiers doubt not of the day and that once gotten doubt not of large pay exeunt 3 king henry vi act iv scene viii london the palace flourish enter king henry vi warwick montague clarence exeter and oxford warwick what counsel lords edward from belgia with hasty germans and blunt hollanders hath pass'd in safety through the narrow seas and with his troops doth march amain to london and many giddy people flock to him king henry vi let's levy men and beat him back again clarence a little fire is quickly trodden out which being suffer'd rivers cannot quench warwick in warwickshire i have truehearted friends not mutinous in peace yet bold in war those will i muster up and thou son clarence shalt stir up in suffolk norfolk and in kent the knights and gentlemen to come with thee thou brother montague in buckingham northampton and in leicestershire shalt find men well inclined to hear what thou command'st and thou brave oxford wondrous well beloved in oxfordshire shalt muster up thy friends my sovereign with the loving citizens like to his island girt in with the ocean or modest dian circled with her nymphs shall rest in london till we come to him fair lords take leave and stand not to reply farewell my sovereign king henry vi farewell my hector and my troy's true hope clarence in sign of truth i kiss your highness hand king henry vi wellminded clarence be thou fortunate montague comfort my lord and so i take my leave oxford and thus i seal my truth and bid adieu king henry vi sweet oxford and my loving montague and all at once once more a happy farewell warwick farewell sweet lords let's meet at coventry exeunt all but king henry vi and exeter king henry vi here at the palace i will rest awhile cousin of exeter what thinks your lordship methinks the power that edward hath in field should not be able to encounter mine exeter the doubt is that he will seduce the rest king henry vi that's not my fear my meed hath got me fame i have not stopp'd mine ears to their demands nor posted off their suits with slow delays my pity hath been balm to heal their wounds my mildness hath allay'd their swelling griefs my mercy dried their waterflowing tears i have not been desirous of their wealth nor much oppress'd them with great subsidies nor forward of revenge though they much err'd then why should they love edward more than me no exeter these graces challenge grace and when the lion fawns upon the lamb the lamb will never cease to follow him shout within a lancaster a lancaster' exeter hark hark my lord what shouts are these enter king edward iv gloucester and soldiers king edward iv seize on the shamefaced henry bear him hence and once again proclaim us king of england you are the fount that makes small brooks to flow now stops thy spring my sea sha$l suck them dry and swell so much the higher by their ebb hence with him to the tower let him not speak exeunt some with king henry vi and lords towards coventry bend we our course where peremptory warwick now remains the sun shines hot and if we use delay cold biting winter mars our hopedfor hay gloucester away betimes before his forces join and take the greatgrown traitor unawares brave warriors march amain towards coventry exeunt 3 king henry vi act v scene i coventry enter warwick the mayor of coventry two messengers and others upon the walls warwick where is the post that came from valiant oxford how far hence is thy lord mine honest fellow first messenger by this at dunsmore marching hitherward warwick how far off is our brother montague where is the post that came from montague second messenger by this at daintry with a puissant troop enter sir john somerville warwick say somerville what says my loving son and by thy guess how nigh is clarence now somerset at southam i did leave him with his forces and do expect him here some two hours hence drum heard warwick then clarence is at hand i hear his drum somerset it is not his my lord here southam lies the drum your honour hears marcheth from warwick warwick who should that be belike unlook'dfor friends somerset they are at hand and you shall quickly know march flourish enter king edward iv gloucester and soldiers king edward iv go trumpet to the walls and sound a parle gloucester see how the surly warwick mans the wall warwick o unbid spite is sportful edward come where slept our scouts or how are they seduced that we could hear no news of his repair king edward iv now warwick wilt thou ope the city gates speak gentle words and humbly bend thy knee call edward king and at his hands beg mercy and he shall pardon thee these outrages warwick nay rather wilt thou draw thy forces hence confess who set thee up and pluck'd thee own call warwick patron and be penitent and thou shalt still remain the duke of york gloucester i thought at least he would have said the king or did he make the jest against his will warwick is not a dukedom sir a goodly gift gloucester ay by my faith for a poor earl to give i'll do thee service for so good a gift warwick twas i that gave the kingdom to thy brother king edward iv why then tis mine if but by warwick's gift warwick thou art no atlas for so great a weight and weakling warwick takes his gift again and henry is my king warwick his subject king edward iv but warwick's king is edward's prisoner and gallant warwick do but answer this what is the body when the head is off gloucester alas that warwick had no more forecast but whiles he thought to steal the single ten the king was slily finger'd from the deck you left poor henry at the bishop's palace and ten to one you'll meet him in the tower edward tis even so yet you are warwick still gloucester come warwick take the time kneel down kneel down nay when strike now or else the iron cools warwick i had rather chop this hand off at a blow and with the other fling it at thy face than bear so low a sail to strike to thee king edward iv sail how thou canst have wind and tide thy friend this hand fast wound about thy coalblack hair shall whiles thy head is warm and new cut off write in the dust this sentence with thy blood windchanging warwick now can change no more' enter oxford with drum and colours warwick o cheerful colours see where oxford comes oxford oxford oxford for lancaster he and his forces enter the city gloucester the gates are open let us enter too king edward iv so other foes may set upon our backs stand we in good array for they no doubt will issue out again and bid us battle if not the city being but of small defence we'll quickly rouse the traitors in the same warwick o welcome oxford for we want thy help enter montague with drum and colours montague montague montague for lancaster he and his forces enter the city gloucester thou and thy brother both shall buy this treason even with the dearest blood your bodies bear king edward iv the harder match'd the greater victory my mind presageth happy gain and conquest enter somerset with drum and colours somerset somerset somerset for lancaster he and his forces enter the city gloucester two of thy name both dukes of somerset have sold their lives unto the house of york and thou shalt be the third if this sword hold enter clarence with drum and colours warwick and lo where george of clarence sweeps along of force enough to bid his brother battle with whom an upright zeal to right prevails more than the nature of a brother's love come clarence come thou wilt if warwick call clarence father of warwick know you what this means taking his red rose out of his hat look here i throw my infamy at thee i will not ruinate my father's house who gave his blood to lime the stones together and set up lancaster why trow'st thou warwick that clarence is so harsh so blunt unnatural to bend the fatal instruments of war against his brother and his lawful king perhaps thou wilt object my holy oath to keep that oath were more impiety than jephthah's when he sacrificed his daughter i am so sorry for my trespass made that to deserve well at my brother's hands i here proclaim myself thy mortal foe with resolution wheresoe'er i meet thee as i will meet thee if thou stir abroad to plague thee for thy foul misleading me and so proudhearted warwick i defy thee and to my brother turn my blushing cheeks pardon me edward i will make amends and richard do not frown upon my faults for i will henceforth be no more unconstant king edward iv now welcome more and ten times more beloved than if thou never hadst deserved our hate gloucester welcome good clarence this is brotherlike warwick o passing traitor perjured and unjust king edward iv what warwick wilt thou leave the town and fight or shall we beat the stones about thine ears warwick alas i am not coop'd here for defence i will away towards barnet presently and bid thee battle edward if thou darest king edward iv yes warwick edward dares and leads the way lords to the field saint george and victory exeunt king edward and his company march warwick and his company follow 3 king henry vi act v scene ii a field of battle near barnet alarum and excursions enter king edward iv bringing forth warwick wounded king edward iv so lie thou there die thou and die our fear for warwick was a bug that fear'd us all now montague sit fast i seek for thee that warwick's bones may keep thine company exit warwick ah who is nigh come to me friend or foe and tell me who is victor york or warwick why ask i that my mangled body shows my blood my want of strength my sick heart shows that i must yield my body to the earth and by my fall the conquest to my foe thus yields the cedar to the axe's edge whose arms gave shelter to the princely eagle under whose shade the ramping lion slept whose topbranch overpeer'd jove's spreading tree and kept low shrubs from winter's powerful wind these eyes that now are dimm'd with death's black veil have been as piercing as the midday sun to search the secret treasons of the world the wrinkles in my brows now filled with blood were liken'd oft to kingly sepulchres for who lived king but i could dig his grave and who durst mine when warwick bent his brow lo now my glory smear'd in dust and blood my parks my walks my manors that i had even now forsake me and of all my lands is nothing left me but my body's length why what is pomp rule reign but earth and dust and live we how we can yet die we must enter oxford and somerset somerset ah warwick warwick wert thou as we are we might recover all our loss again the queen from france hath brought a puissant power even now we heard the news ah could'st thou fly warwick why then i would not fly ah montague if thou be there sweet brother take my hand and with thy lips keep in my soul awhile thou lovest me not for brother if thou didst thy tears would wash this cold congealed blood that glues my lips and will not let me speak come quickly montague or i am dead somerset ah warwick montague hath breathed his last and to the latest gasp cried out for warwick and said commend me to my valiant brother' and more he would have said and more he spoke which sounded like a clamour in a vault that mought not be distinguished but at last i well might hear delivered with a groan o farewell warwick' warwick sweet rest his soul fly lords and save yourselves for warwick bids you all farewell to meet in heaven dies oxford away away to meet the queen's great power here they bear away his body exeunt 3 king henry vi act v scene iii another part of the field flourish enter king edward iv in triumph with gloucester clarence and the rest king edward iv thus far our fortune keeps an upward course and we are graced with wreaths of victory but in the midst of this brightshining day i spy a black suspicious threatening cloud that will encounter with our glorious sun ere he attain his easeful western bed i mean my lords those powers that the queen hath raised in gallia have arrived our coast and as we hear march on to fight with us clarence a little gale will soon disperse that cloud and blow it to the source from whence it came the very beams will dry those vapours up for every cloud engenders not a storm gloucester the queen is valued thirty thousand strong and somerset with oxford fled to her if she have time to breathe be well assured her faction will be full as strong as ours king edward iv we are advertised by our loving friends that they do hold their course toward tewksbury we having now the best at barnet field will thither straight for willingness rids way and as we march our strength will be augmented in every county as we go along strike up the drum cry courage and away exeunt 3 king henry vi act v scene iv plains near tewksbury march enter queen margaret prince edward somerset oxford and soldiers queen margaret great lords wise men ne'er sit and wail their loss but cheerly seek how to redress their harms what though the mast be now blown overboard the cable broke the holdinganchor lost and half our sailors swallow'd in the flood yet lives our pilot still is't meet that he should leave the helm and like a fearful lad with tearful eyes add water to the sea and give more strength to that which hath too much whiles in his moan the ship splits on the rock which industry and courage might have saved ah what a shame ah what a fault were this say warwick was our anchor what of that and montague our topmost what of him our slaughter'd friends the tackles what of these why is not oxford here another anchor and somerset another goodly mast the friends of france our shrouds and tacklings and though unskilful why not ned and i for once allow'd the skilful pilot's charge we will not from the helm to sit and weep but keep our course though the rough wind say no from shelves and rocks that threaten us with wreck as good to chide the waves as speak them fair and what is edward but ruthless sea what clarence but a quicksand of deceit and richard but a ragged fatal rock all these the enemies to our poor bark say you can swim alas tis but a while tread on the sand why there you quickly sink bestride the rock the tide will wash you off or else you famish that's a threefold death this speak i lords to let you understand if case some one of you would fly from us that there's no hopedfor mercy with the brothers more than with ruthless waves with sands and rocks why courage then what cannot be avoided twere childish weakness to lament or fear prince edward methinks a woman of this valiant spirit should if a coward heard her speak these words infuse his breast with magnanimity and make him naked foil a man at arms i speak not this as doubting any here for did i but suspect a fearful man he should have leave to go away betimes lest in our need he might infect another and make him of like spirit to himself if any such be hereas god forbid let him depart before we need his help oxford women and children of so high a courage and warriors faint why twere perpetual shame o brave young prince thy famous grandfather doth live again in thee long mayst thou live to bear his image and renew his glories somerset and he that will not fight for such a hope go home to bed and like the owl by day if he arise be mock'd and wonder'd at queen margaret thanks gentle somerset sweet oxford thanks prince edward and take his thanks that yet hath nothing else enter a messenger messenger prepare you lords for edward is at hand ready to fight therefore be resolute oxford i thought no less it is his policy to haste thus fast to find us unprovided somerset but he's deceived we are in readiness queen margaret this cheers my heart to see your forwardness oxford here pitch our battle hence we will not budge flourish and march enter king edward iv gloucester clarence and soldiers king edward iv brave followers yonder stands the thorny wood which by the heavens assistance and your strength must by the roots be hewn up yet ere night i need not add more fuel to your fire for well i wot ye blaze to burn them out give signal to the fight and to it lords queen margaret lords knights and gentlemen what i should say my tears gainsay for every word i speak ye see i drink the water of mine eyes therefore no more but this henry your sovereign is prisoner to the foe his state usurp'd his realm a slaughterhouse his subjects slain his statutes cancell'd and his treasure spent and yonder is the wolf that makes this spoil you fight in justice then in god's name lords be valiant and give signal to the fight alarum retreat excursions exeunt 3 king henry vi act v scene v another part of the field flourish enter king edward iv gloucester clarence and soldiers with queen margaret oxford and somerset prisoners king edward iv now here a period of tumultuous broils away with oxford to hames castle straight for somerset off with his guilty head go bear them hence i will not hear them speak oxford for my part i'll not trouble thee with words somerset nor i but stoop with patience to my fortune exeunt oxford and somerset guarded queen margaret so part we sadly in this troublous world to meet with joy in sweet jerusalem king edward iv is proclamation made that who finds edward shall have a high reward and he his life gloucester it is and lo where youthful edward comes enter soldiers with prince edward king edward iv bring forth the gallant let us hear him speak what can so young a thorn begin to prick edward what satisfaction canst thou make for bearing arms for stirring up my subjects and all the trouble thou hast turn'd me to prince edward speak like a subject proud ambitious york suppose that i am now my father's mouth resign thy chair and where i stand kneel thou whilst i propose the selfsame words to thee which traitor thou wouldst have me answer to queen margaret ah that thy father had been so resolved gloucester that you might still have worn the petticoat and ne'er have stol'n the breech from lancaster prince edward let aesop fable in a winter's night his currish riddles sort not with this place gloucester by heaven brat i'll plague ye for that word queen margaret ay thou wast born to be a plague to men gloucester for god's sake take away this captive scold prince edward nay take away this scolding crookback rather king edward iv peace wilful boy or i will charm your tongue clarence untutor'd lad thou art too malapert prince edward i know my duty you are all undutiful lascivious edward and thou perjured george and thou misshapen dick i tell ye all i am your better traitors as ye are and thou usurp'st my father's right and mine king edward iv take that thou likeness of this railer here stabs him gloucester sprawl'st thou take that to end thy agony stabs him clarence and there's for twitting me with perjury stabs him queen margaret o kill me too gloucester marry and shall offers to kill her king edward iv hold richard hold for we have done too much gloucester why should she live to fill the world with words king edward iv what doth she swoon use means for her recovery gloucester clarence excuse me to the king my brother i'll hence to london on a serious matter ere ye come there be sure to hear some news clarence what what gloucester the tower the tower exit queen margaret o ned sweet ned speak to thy mother boy canst thou not speak o traitors murderers they that stabb'd caesar shed no blood at all did not offend nor were not worthy blame if this foul deed were by to equal it he was a man this in respect a child and men ne'er spend their fury on a child what's worse than murderer that i may name it no no my heart will burst and if i speak and i will speak that so my heart may burst butchers and villains bloody cannibals how sweet a plant have you untimely cropp'd you have no children butchers if you had the thought of them would have stirr'd up remorse but if you ever chance to have a child look in his youth to have him so cut off as deathmen you have rid this sweet young prince king edward iv away with her go bear her hence perforce queen margaret nay never bear me hence dispatch me here here sheathe thy sword i'll pardon thee my death what wilt thou not then clarence do it thou clarence by heaven i will not do thee so much ease queen margaret good clarence do sweet clarence do thou do it clarence didst thou not hear me swear i would not do it queen margaret ay but thou usest to forswear thyself twas sin before but now tis charity what wilt thou not where is that devil's butcher hardfavour'd richard richard where art thou thou art not here murder is thy almsdeed petitioners for blood thou ne'er put'st back king edward iv away i say i charge ye bear her hence queen margaret so come to you and yours as to this prince exit led out forcibly king edward iv where's richard gone clarence to london all in post and as i guess to make a bloody supper in the tower king edward iv he's sudden if a thing comes in his head now march we hence discharge the common sort with pay and thanks and let's away to london and see our gentle queen how well she fares by this i hope she hath a son for me exeunt 3 king henry vi act v scene vi london the tower enter king henry vi and gloucester with the lieutenant on the walls gloucester good day my lord what at your book so hard king henry vi ay my good lordmy lord i should say rather tis sin to flatter good was little better good gloucester and good devil were alike and both preposterous therefore not good lord' gloucester sirrah leave us to ourselves we must confer exit lieutenant king henry vi so flies the reckless shepherd from the wolf so first the harmless sheep doth yield his fleece and next his throat unto the butcher's knife what scene of death hath roscius now to act gloucester suspicion always haunts the guilty mind the thief doth fear each bush an officer king henry vi the bird that hath been limed in a bush with trembling wings misdoubteth every bush and i the hapless male to one sweet bird have now the fatal object in my eye where my poor young was limed was caught and kill'd gloucester why what a peevish fool was that of crete that taught his son the office of a fowl an yet for all his wings the fool was drown'd king henry vi i daedalus my poor boy icarus thy father minos that denied our course the sun that sear'd the wings of my sweet boy thy brother edward and thyself the sea whose envious gulf did swallow up his life ah kill me with thy weapon not with words my breast can better brook thy dagger's point than can my ears that tragic history but wherefore dost thou come is't for my life gloucester think'st thou i am an executioner king henry vi a persecutor i am sure thou art if murdering innocents be executing why then thou art an executioner gloucester thy son i kill'd for his presumption king henry vi hadst thou been kill'd when first thou didst presume thou hadst not lived to kill a son of mine and thus i prophesy that many a thousand which now mistrust no parcel of my fear and many an old man's sigh and many a widow's and many an orphan's waterstanding eye men for their sons wives for their husbands and orphans for their parents timeless death shall rue the hour that ever thou wast born the owl shriek'd at thy birthan evil sign the nightcrow cried aboding luckless time dogs howl'd and hideous tempest shook down trees the raven rook'd her on the chimney's top and chattering pies in dismal discords sung thy mother felt more than a mother's pain and yet brought forth less than a mother's hope to wit an indigested and deformed lump not like the fruit of such a goodly tree teeth hadst thou in thy head when thou wast born to signify thou camest to bite the world and if the rest be true which i have heard thou camest gloucester i'll hear no more die prophet in thy speech stabs him for this amongst the rest was i ordain'd king henry vi ay and for much more slaughter after this god forgive my sins and pardon thee dies gloucester what will the aspiring blood of lancaster sink in the ground i thought it would have mounted see how my sword weeps for the poor king's death o may such purple tears be alway shed from those that wish the downfall of our house if any spark of life be yet remaining down down to hell and say i sent thee thither stabs him again i that have neither pity love nor fear indeed tis true that henry told me of for i have often heard my mother say i came into the world with my legs forward had i not reason think ye to make haste and seek their ruin that usurp'd our right the midwife wonder'd and the women cried o jesus bless us he is born with teeth' and so i was which plainly signified that i should snarl and bite and play the dog then since the heavens have shaped my body so let hell make crook'd my mind to answer it i have no brother i am like no brother and this word love which graybeards call divine be resident in men like one another and not in me i am myself alone clarence beware thou keep'st me from the light but i will sort a pitchy day for thee for i will buz abroad such prophecies that edward shall be fearful of his life and then to purge his fear i'll be thy death king henry and the prince his son are gone clarence thy turn is next and then the rest counting myself but bad till i be best i'll throw thy body in another room and triumph henry in thy day of doom exit with the body 3 king henry vi act v scene vii london the palace flourish enter king edward iv queen elizabeth clarence gloucester hastings a nurse with the young prince and attendants king edward iv once more we sit in england's royal throne repurchased with the blood of enemies what valiant foemen like to autumn's corn have we mow'd down in tops of all their pride three dukes of somerset threefold renown'd for hardy and undoubted champions two cliffords as the father and the son and two northumberlands two braver men ne'er spurr'd their coursers at the trumpet's sound with them the two brave bears warwick and montague that in their chains fetter'd the kingly lion and made the forest tremble when they roar'd thus have we swept suspicion from our seat and made our footstool of security come hither bess and let me kiss my boy young ned for thee thine uncles and myself have in our armours watch'd the winter's night went all afoot in summer's scalding heat that thou mightst repossess the crown in peace and of our labours thou shalt reap the gain gloucester aside i'll blast his harvest if your head were laid for yet i am not look'd on in the world this shoulder was ordain'd so thick to heave and heave it shall some weight or break my back work thou the wayand thou shalt execute king edward iv clarence and gloucester love my lovely queen and kiss your princely nephew brothers both clarence the duty that i owe unto your majesty i seal upon the lips of this sweet babe queen elizabeth thanks noble clarence worthy brother thanks gloucester and that i love the tree from whence thou sprang'st witness the loving kiss i give the fruit aside to say the truth so judas kiss'd his master and cried all hail when as he meant all harm king edward iv now am i seated as my soul delights having my country's peace and brothers loves clarence what will your grace have done with margaret reignier her father to the king of france hath pawn'd the sicils and jerusalem and hither have they sent it for her ransom king edward iv away with her and waft her hence to france and now what rests but that we spend the time with stately triumphs mirthful comic shows such as befits the pleasure of the court sound drums and trumpets farewell sour annoy for here i hope begins our lasting joy exeunt king henry v dramatis personae king henry the fifth king henry v duke of gloucester gloucester brothers to the king duke of bedford bedford duke of exeter uncle to the king exeter duke of york cousin to the king york earl of salisbury salisbury earl of westmoreland westmoreland earl of warwick warwick bishop of canterbury canterbury bishop of ely ely earl of cambridge cambridge lord scroop scroop sir thomas grey grey sir thomas erpingham erpingham gower fluellen officers in king henry's army macmorris jamy bates court soldiers in the same williams pistol nym bardolph boy a herald charles the sixth king of france king of france french king lewis the dauphin dauphin duke of burgundy burgundy duke of orleans orleans duke of bourbon bourbon the constable of france constable rambures french lords grandpre governor of harfleur montjoy a french herald ambassadors to the king of england isabel queen of france queen isabel katharine daughter to charles and isabel alice a lady attending on her hostess of a tavern in eastcheap formerly mistress quickly and now married to pistol lords ladies officers soldiers citizens messengers and attendants chorus hostess first ambassador messenger french soldier scene england afterwards france king henry v prologue enter chorus chorus o for a muse of fire that would ascend the brightest heaven of invention a kingdom for a stage princes to act and monarchs to behold the swelling scene then should the warlike harry like himself assume the port of mars and at his heels leash'd in like hounds should famine sword and fire crouch for employment but pardon and gentles all the flat unraised spirits that have dared on this unworthy scaffold to bring forth so great an object can this cockpit hold the vasty fields of france or may we cram within this wooden o the very casques that did affright the air at agincourt o pardon since a crooked figure may attest in little place a million and let us ciphers to this great accompt on your imaginary forces work suppose within the girdle of these walls are now confined two mighty monarchies whose high upreared and abutting fronts the perilous narrow ocean parts asunder piece out our imperfections with your thoughts into a thousand parts divide on man and make imaginary puissance think when we talk of horses that you see them printing their proud hoofs i the receiving earth for tis your thoughts that now must deck our kings carry them here and there jumping o'er times turning the accomplishment of many years into an hourglass for the which supply admit me chorus to this history who prologuelike your humble patience pray gently to hear kindly to judge our play exit king henry v act i scene i london an antechamber in the king's palace enter the archbishop of canterbury and the bishop of ely canterbury my lord i'll tell you that self bill is urged which in the eleventh year of the last king's reign was like and had indeed against us pass'd but that the scambling and unquiet time did push it out of farther question ely but how my lord shall we resist it now canterbury it must be thought on if it pass against us we lose the better half of our possession for all the temporal lands which men devout by testament have given to the church would they strip from us being valued thus as much as would maintain to the king's honour full fifteen earls and fifteen hundred knights six thousand and two hundred good esquires and to relief of lazars and weak age of indigent faint souls past corporal toil a hundred almshouses right well supplied and to the coffers of the king beside a thousand pounds by the year thus runs the bill ely this would drink deep canterbury twould drink the cup and all ely but what prevention canterbury the king is full of grace and fair regard ely and a true lover of the holy church canterbury the courses of his youth promised it not the breath no sooner left his father's body but that his wildness mortified in him seem'd to die too yea at that very moment consideration like an angel came and whipp'd the offending adam out of him leaving his body as a paradise to envelop and contain celestial spirits never was such a sudden scholar made never came reformation in a flood with such a heady currance scouring faults nor never hydraheaded wilfulness so soon did lose his seat and all at once as in this king ely we are blessed in the change canterbury hear him but reason in divinity and alladmiring with an inward wish you would desire the king were made a prelate hear him debate of commonwealth affairs you would say it hath been all in all his study list his discourse of war and you shall hear a fearful battle render'd you in music turn him to any cause of policy the gordian knot of it he will unloose familiar as his garter that when he speaks the air a charter'd libertine is still and the mute wonder lurketh in men's ears to steal his sweet and honey'd sentences so that the art and practic part of life must be the mistress to this theoric which is a wonder how his grace should glean it since his addiction was to courses vain his companies unletter'd rude and shallow his hours fill'd up with riots banquets sports and never noted in him any study any retirement any sequestration from open haunts and popularity ely the strawberry grows underneath the nettle and wholesome berries thrive and ripen best neighbour'd by fruit of baser quality and so the prince obscured his contemplation under the veil of wildness which no doubt grew like the summer grass fastest by night unseen yet crescive in his faculty canterbury it must be so for miracles are ceased and therefore we must needs admit the means how things are perfected ely but my good lord how now for mitigation of this bill urged by the commons doth his majesty incline to it or no canterbury he seems indifferent or rather swaying more upon our part than cherishing the exhibiters against us for i have made an offer to his majesty upon our spiritual convocation and in regard of causes now in hand which i have open'd to his grace at large as touching france to give a greater sum than ever at one time the clergy yet did to his predecessors part withal ely how did this offer seem received my lord canterbury with good acceptance of his majesty save that there was not time enough to hear as i perceived his grace would fain have done the severals and unhidden passages of his true titles to some certain dukedoms and generally to the crown and seat of france derived from edward his greatgrandfather ely what was the impediment that broke this off canterbury the french ambassador upon that instant craved audience and the hour i think is come to give him hearing is it four o'clock ely it is canterbury then go we in to know his embassy which i could with a ready guess declare before the frenchman speak a word of it ely i'll wait upon you and i long to hear it exeunt king henry v act i scene ii the same the presence chamber enter king henry v gloucester bedford exeter warwick westmoreland and attendants king henry v where is my gracious lord of canterbury exeter not here in presence king henry v send for him good uncle westmoreland shall we call in the ambassador my liege king henry v not yet my cousin we would be resolved before we hear him of some things of weight that task our thoughts concerning us and france enter the archbishop of canterbury and the bishop of ely canterbury god and his angels guard your sacred throne and make you long become it king henry v sure we thank you my learned lord we pray you to proceed and justly and religiously unfold why the law salique that they have in france or should or should not bar us in our claim and god forbid my dear and faithful lord that you should fashion wrest or bow your reading or nicely charge your understanding soul with opening titles miscreate whose right suits not in native colours with the truth for god doth know how many now in health shall drop their blood in approbation of what your reverence shall incite us to therefore take heed how you impawn our person how you awake our sleeping sword of war we charge you in the name of god take heed for never two such kingdoms did contend without much fall of blood whose guiltless drops are every one a woe a sore complaint gainst him whose wrong gives edge unto the swords that make such waste in brief mortality under this conjuration speak my lord for we will hear note and believe in heart that what you speak is in your conscience wash'd as pure as sin with baptism canterbury then hear me gracious sovereign and you peers that owe yourselves your lives and services to this imperial throne there is no bar to make against your highness claim to france but this which they produce from pharamond in terram salicam mulieres ne succedant' no woman shall succeed in salique land' which salique land the french unjustly gloze to be the realm of france and pharamond the founder of this law and female bar yet their own authors faithfully affirm that the land salique is in germany between the floods of sala and of elbe where charles the great having subdued the saxons there left behind and settled certain french who holding in disdain the german women for some dishonest manners of their life establish'd then this law to wit no female should be inheritrix in salique land which salique as i said twixt elbe and sala is at this day in germany call'd meisen then doth it well appear that salique law was not devised for the realm of france nor did the french possess the salique land until four hundred one and twenty years after defunction of king pharamond idly supposed the founder of this law who died within the year of our redemption four hundred twentysix and charles the great subdued the saxons and did seat the french beyond the river sala in the year eight hundred five besides their writers say king pepin which deposed childeric did as heir general being descended of blithild which was daughter to king clothair make claim and title to the crown of france hugh capet also who usurped the crown of charles the duke of lorraine sole heir male of the true line and stock of charles the great to find his title with some shows of truth through in pure truth it was corrupt and naught convey'd himself as heir to the lady lingare daughter to charlemain who was the son to lewis the emperor and lewis the son of charles the great also king lewis the tenth who was sole heir to the usurper capet could not keep quiet in his conscience wearing the crown of france till satisfied that fair queen isabel his grandmother was lineal of the lady ermengare daughter to charles the foresaid duke of lorraine by the which marriage the line of charles the great was reunited to the crown of france so that as clear as is the summer's sun king pepin's title and hugh capet's claim king lewis his satisfaction all appear to hold in right and title of the female so do the kings of france unto this day howbeit they would hold up this salique law to bar your highness claiming from the female and rather choose to hide them in a net than amply to imbar their crooked titles usurp'd from you and your progenitors king henry v may i with right and conscience make this claim canterbury the sin upon my head dread sovereign for in the book of numbers is it writ when the man dies let the inheritance descend unto the daughter gracious lord stand for your own unwind your bloody flag look back into your mighty ancestors go my dread lord to your greatgrandsire's tomb from whom you claim invoke his warlike spirit and your greatuncle's edward the black prince who on the french ground play'd a tragedy making defeat on the full power of france whiles his most mighty father on a hill stood smiling to behold his lion's whelp forage in blood of french nobility o noble english that could entertain with half their forces the full pride of france and let another half stand laughing by all out of work and cold for action ely awake remembrance of these valiant dead and with your puissant arm renew their feats you are their heir you sit upon their throne the blood and courage that renowned them runs in your veins and my thricepuissant liege is in the very maymorn of his youth ripe for exploits and mighty enterprises exeter your brother kings and monarchs of the earth do all expect that you should rouse yourself as did the former lions of your blood westmoreland they know your grace hath cause and means and might so hath your highness never king of england had nobles richer and more loyal subjects whose hearts have left their bodies here in england and lie pavilion'd in the fields of france canterbury o let their bodies follow my dear liege with blood and sword and fire to win your right in aid whereof we of the spiritualty will raise your highness such a mighty sum as never did the clergy at one time bring in to any of your ancestors king henry v we must not only arm to invade the french but lay down our proportions to defend against the scot who will make road upon us with all advantages canterbury they of those marches gracious sovereign shall be a wall sufficient to defend our inland from the pilfering borderers king henry v we do not mean the coursing snatchers only but fear the main intendment of the scot who hath been still a giddy neighbour to us for you shall read that my greatgrandfather never went with his forces into france but that the scot on his unfurnish'd kingdom came pouring like the tide into a breach with ample and brim fulness of his force galling the gleaned land with hot assays girding with grievous siege castles and towns that england being empty of defence hath shook and trembled at the ill neighbourhood canterbury she hath been then more fear'd than harm'd my liege for hear her but exampled by herself when all her chivalry hath been in france and she a mourning widow of her nobles she hath herself not only well defended but taken and impounded as a stray the king of scots whom she did send to france to fill king edward's fame with prisoner kings and make her chronicle as rich with praise as is the ooze and bottom of the sea with sunken wreck and sunless treasuries westmoreland but there's a saying very old and true if that you will france win then with scotland first begin' for once the eagle england being in prey to her unguarded nest the weasel scot comes sneaking and so sucks her princely eggs playing the mouse in absence of the cat to tear and havoc more than she can eat exeter it follows then the cat must stay at home yet that is but a crush'd necessity since we have locks to safeguard necessaries and pretty traps to catch the petty thieves while that the armed hand doth fight abroad the advised head defends itself at home for government though high and low and lower put into parts doth keep in one consent congreeing in a full and natural close like music canterbury therefore doth heaven divide the state of man in divers functions setting endeavour in continual motion to which is fixed as an aim or butt obedience for so work the honeybees creatures that by a rule in nature teach the act of order to a peopled kingdom they have a king and officers of sorts where some like magistrates correct at home others like merchants venture trade abroad others like soldiers armed in their stings make boot upon the summer's velvet buds which pillage they with merry march bring home to the tentroyal of their emperor who busied in his majesty surveys the singing masons building roofs of gold the civil citizens kneading up the honey the poor mechanic porters crowding in their heavy burdens at his narrow gate the sadeyed justice with his surly hum delivering o'er to executors pale the lazy yawning drone i this infer that many things having full reference to one consent may work contrariously as many arrows loosed several ways come to one mark as many ways meet in one town as many fresh streams meet in one salt sea as many lines close in the dial's centre so may a thousand actions once afoot end in one purpose and be all well borne without defeat therefore to france my liege divide your happy england into four whereof take you one quarter into france and you withal shall make all gallia shake if we with thrice such powers left at home cannot defend our own doors from the dog let us be worried and our nation lose the name of hardiness and policy king henry v call in the messengers sent from the dauphin exeunt some attendants now are we well resolved and by god's help and yours the noble sinews of our power france being ours we'll bend it to our awe or break it all to pieces or there we'll sit ruling in large and ample empery o'er france and all her almost kingly dukedoms or lay these bones in an unworthy urn tombless with no remembrance over them either our history shall with full mouth speak freely of our acts or else our grave like turkish mute shall have a tongueless mouth not worshipp'd with a waxen epitaph enter ambassadors of france now are we well prepared to know the pleasure of our fair cousin dauphin for we hear your greeting is from him not from the king first ambassador may't please your majesty to give us leave freely to render what we have in charge or shall we sparingly show you far off the dauphin's meaning and our embassy king henry v we are no tyrant but a christian king unto whose grace our passion is as subject as are our wretches fetter'd in our prisons therefore with frank and with uncurbed plainness tell us the dauphin's mind first ambassador thus then in few your highness lately sending into france did claim some certain dukedoms in the right of your great predecessor king edward the third in answer of which claim the prince our master says that you savour too much of your youth and bids you be advised there's nought in france that can be with a nimble galliard won you cannot revel into dukedoms there he therefore sends you meeter for your spirit this tun of treasure and in lieu of this desires you let the dukedoms that you claim hear no more of you this the dauphin speaks king henry v what treasure uncle exeter tennisballs my liege king henry v we are glad the dauphin is so pleasant with us his present and your pains we thank you for when we have march'd our rackets to these balls we will in france by god's grace play a set shall strike his father's crown into the hazard tell him he hath made a match with such a wrangler that all the courts of france will be disturb'd with chaces and we understand him well how he comes o'er us with our wilder days not measuring what use we made of them we never valued this poor seat of england and therefore living hence did give ourself to barbarous licence as tis ever common that men are merriest when they are from home but tell the dauphin i will keep my state be like a king and show my sail of greatness when i do rouse me in my throne of france for that i have laid by my majesty and plodded like a man for workingdays but i will rise there with so full a glory that i will dazzle all the eyes of france yea strike the dauphin blind to look on us and tell the pleasant prince this mock of his hath turn'd his balls to gunstones and his soul shall stand sore charged for the wasteful vengeance that shall fly with them for many a thousand widows shall this his mock mock out of their dear husbands mock mothers from their sons mock castles down and some are yet ungotten and unborn that shall have cause to curse the dauphin's scorn but this lies all within the will of god to whom i do appeal and in whose name tell you the dauphin i am coming on to venge me as i may and to put forth my rightful hand in a wellhallow'd cause so get you hence in peace and tell the dauphin his jest will savour but of shallow wit when thousands weep more than did laugh at it convey them with safe conduct fare you well exeunt ambassadors exeter this was a merry message king henry v we hope to make the sender blush at it therefore my lords omit no happy hour that may give furtherance to our expedition for we have now no thought in us but france save those to god that run before our business therefore let our proportions for these wars be soon collected and all things thought upon that may with reasonable swiftness add more feathers to our wings for god before we'll chide this dauphin at his father's door therefore let every man now task his thought that this fair action may on foot be brought exeunt flourish king henry v act ii prologue enter chorus chorus now all the youth of england are on fire and silken dalliance in the wardrobe lies now thrive the armourers and honour's thought reigns solely in the breast of every man they sell the pasture now to buy the horse following the mirror of all christian kings with winged heels as english mercuries for now sits expectation in the air and hides a sword from hilts unto the point with crowns imperial crowns and coronets promised to harry and his followers the french advised by good intelligence of this most dreadful preparation shake in their fear and with pale policy seek to divert the english purposes o england model to thy inward greatness like little body with a mighty heart what mightst thou do that honour would thee do were all thy children kind and natural but see thy fault france hath in thee found out a nest of hollow bosoms which he fills with treacherous crowns and three corrupted men one richard earl of cambridge and the second henry lord scroop of masham and the third sir thomas grey knight of northumberland have for the gilt of franceo guilt indeed confirm'd conspiracy with fearful france and by their hands this grace of kings must die if hell and treason hold their promises ere he take ship for france and in southampton linger your patience on and we'll digest the abuse of distance force a play the sum is paid the traitors are agreed the king is set from london and the scene is now transported gentles to southampton there is the playhouse now there must you sit and thence to france shall we convey you safe and bring you back charming the narrow seas to give you gentle pass for if we may we'll not offend one stomach with our play but till the king come forth and not till then unto southampton do we shift our scene exit king henry v act ii scene i london a street enter corporal nym and lieutenant bardolph bardolph well met corporal nym nym good morrow lieutenant bardolph bardolph what are ancient pistol and you friends yet nym for my part i care not i say little but when time shall serve there shall be smiles but that shall be as it may i dare not fight but i will wink and hold out mine iron it is a simple one but what though it will toast cheese and it will endure cold as another man's sword will and there's an end bardolph i will bestow a breakfast to make you friends and we'll be all three sworn brothers to france let it be so good corporal nym nym faith i will live so long as i may that's the certain of it and when i cannot live any longer i will do as i may that is my rest that is the rendezvous of it bardolph it is certain corporal that he is married to nell quickly and certainly she did you wrong for you were trothplight to her nym i cannot tell things must be as they may men may sleep and they may have their throats about them at that time and some say knives have edges it must be as it may though patience be a tired mare yet she will plod there must be conclusions well i cannot tell enter pistol and hostess bardolph here comes ancient pistol and his wife good corporal be patient here how now mine host pistol pistol base tike call'st thou me host now by this hand i swear i scorn the term nor shall my nell keep lodgers hostess no by my troth not long for we cannot lodge and board a dozen or fourteen gentlewomen that live honestly by the prick of their needles but it will be thought we keep a bawdy house straight nym and pistol draw o well a day lady if he be not drawn now we shall see wilful adultery and murder committed bardolph good lieutenant good corporal offer nothing here nym pish pistol pish for thee iceland dog thou prickear'd cur of iceland hostess good corporal nym show thy valour and put up your sword nym will you shog off i would have you solus pistol solus egregious dog o viper vile the solus in thy most mervailous face the solus in thy teeth and in thy throat and in thy hateful lungs yea in thy maw perdy and which is worse within thy nasty mouth i do retort the solus in thy bowels for i can take and pistol's cock is up and flashing fire will follow nym i am not barbason you cannot conjure me i have an humour to knock you indifferently well if you grow foul with me pistol i will scour you with my rapier as i may in fair terms if you would walk off i would prick your guts a little in good terms as i may and that's the humour of it pistol o braggart vile and damned furious wight the grave doth gape and doting death is near therefore exhale bardolph hear me hear me what i say he that strikes the first stroke i'll run him up to the hilts as i am a soldier draws pistol an oath of mickle might and fury shall abate give me thy fist thy forefoot to me give thy spirits are most tall nym i will cut thy throat one time or other in fair terms that is the humour of it pistol couple a gorge' that is the word i thee defy again o hound of crete think'st thou my spouse to get no to the spital go and from the powdering tub of infamy fetch forth the lazar kite of cressid's kind doll tearsheet she by name and her espouse i have and i will hold the quondam quickly for the only she andpauca there's enough go to enter the boy boy mine host pistol you must come to my master and you hostess he is very sick and would to bed good bardolph put thy face between his sheets and do the office of a warmingpan faith he's very ill bardolph away you rogue hostess by my troth he'll yield the crow a pudding one of these days the king has killed his heart good husband come home presently exeunt hostess and boy bardolph come shall i make you two friends we must to france together why the devil should we keep knives to cut one another's throats pistol let floods o'erswell and fiends for food howl on nym you'll pay me the eight shillings i won of you at betting pistol base is the slave that pays nym that now i will have that's the humour of it pistol as manhood shall compound push home they draw bardolph by this sword he that makes the first thrust i'll kill him by this sword i will pistol sword is an oath and oaths must have their course bardolph corporal nym an thou wilt be friends be friends an thou wilt not why then be enemies with me too prithee put up nym i shall have my eight shillings i won of you at betting pistol a noble shalt thou have and present pay and liquor likewise will i give to thee and friendship shall combine and brotherhood i'll live by nym and nym shall live by me is not this just for i shall sutler be unto the camp and profits will accrue give me thy hand nym i shall have my noble pistol in cash most justly paid nym well then that's the humour of't reenter hostess hostess as ever you came of women come in quickly to sir john ah poor heart he is so shaked of a burning quotidian tertian that it is most lamentable to behold sweet men come to him nym the king hath run bad humours on the knight that's the even of it pistol nym thou hast spoke the right his heart is fracted and corroborate nym the king is a good king but it must be as it may he passes some humours and careers pistol let us condole the knight for lambkins we will live king henry v act ii scene ii southampton a councilchamber enter exeter bedford and westmoreland bedford fore god his grace is bold to trust these traitors exeter they shall be apprehended by and by westmoreland how smooth and even they do bear themselves as if allegiance in their bosoms sat crowned with faith and constant loyalty bedford the king hath note of all that they intend by interception which they dream not of exeter nay but the man that was his bedfellow whom he hath dull'd and cloy'd with gracious favours that he should for a foreign purse so sell his sovereign's life to death and treachery trumpets sound enter king henry v scroop cambridge grey and attendants king henry v now sits the wind fair and we will aboard my lord of cambridge and my kind lord of masham and you my gentle knight give me your thoughts think you not that the powers we bear with us will cut their passage through the force of france doing the execution and the act for which we have in head assembled them scroop no doubt my liege if each man do his best king henry v i doubt not that since we are well persuaded we carry not a heart with us from hence that grows not in a fair consent with ours nor leave not one behind that doth not wish success and conquest to attend on us cambridge never was monarch better fear'd and loved than is your majesty there's not i think a subject that sits in heartgrief and uneasiness under the sweet shade of your government grey true those that were your father's enemies have steep'd their galls in honey and do serve you with hearts create of duty and of zeal king henry v we therefore have great cause of thankfulness and shall forget the office of our hand sooner than quittance of desert and merit according to the weight and worthiness scroop so service shall with steeled sinews toil and labour shall refresh itself with hope to do your grace incessant services king henry v we judge no less uncle of exeter enlarge the man committed yesterday that rail'd against our person we consider it was excess of wine that set him on and on his more advice we pardon him scroop that's mercy but too much security let him be punish'd sovereign lest example breed by his sufferance more of such a kind king henry v o let us yet be merciful cambridge so may your highness and yet punish too grey sir you show great mercy if you give him life after the taste of much correction king henry v alas your too much love and care of me are heavy orisons gainst this poor wretch if little faults proceeding on distemper shall not be wink'd at how shall we stretch our eye when capital crimes chew'd swallow'd and digested appear before us we'll yet enlarge that man though cambridge scroop and grey in their dear care and tender preservation of our person would have him punished and now to our french causes who are the late commissioners cambridge i one my lord your highness bade me ask for it today scroop so did you me my liege grey and i my royal sovereign king henry v then richard earl of cambridge there is yours there yours lord scroop of masham and sir knight grey of northumberland this same is yours read them and know i know your worthiness my lord of westmoreland and uncle exeter we will aboard to night why how now gentlemen what see you in those papers that you lose so much complexion look ye how they change their cheeks are paper why what read you there that hath so cowarded and chased your blood out of appearance cambridge i do confess my fault and do submit me to your highness mercy grey to which we all appeal scroop king henry v the mercy that was quick in us but late by your own counsel is suppress'd and kill'd you must not dare for shame to talk of mercy for your own reasons turn into your bosoms as dogs upon their masters worrying you see you my princes and my noble peers these english monsters my lord of cambridge here you know how apt our love was to accord to furnish him with all appertinents belonging to his honour and this man hath for a few light crowns lightly conspired and sworn unto the practises of france to kill us here in hampton to the which this knight no less for bounty bound to us than cambridge is hath likewise sworn but o what shall i say to thee lord scroop thou cruel ingrateful savage and inhuman creature thou that didst bear the key of all my counsels that knew'st the very bottom of my soul that almost mightst have coin'd me into gold wouldst thou have practised on me for thy use may it be possible that foreign hire could out of thee extract one spark of evil that might annoy my finger tis so strange that though the truth of it stands off as gross as black and white my eye will scarcely see it treason and murder ever kept together as two yokedevils sworn to either's purpose working so grossly in a natural cause that admiration did not whoop at them but thou gainst all proportion didst bring in wonder to wait on treason and on murder and whatsoever cunning fiend it was that wrought upon thee so preposterously hath got the voice in hell for excellence all other devils that suggest by treasons do botch and bungle up damnation with patches colours and with forms being fetch'd from glistering semblances of piety but he that temper'd thee bade thee stand up gave thee no instance why thou shouldst do treason unless to dub thee with the name of traitor if that same demon that hath gull'd thee thus should with his lion gait walk the whole world he might return to vasty tartar back and tell the legions i can never win a soul so easy as that englishman's' o how hast thou with jealousy infected the sweetness of affiance show men dutiful why so didst thou seem they grave and learned why so didst thou come they of noble family why so didst thou seem they religious why so didst thou or are they spare in diet free from gross passion or of mirth or anger constant in spirit not swerving with the blood garnish'd and deck'd in modest complement not working with the eye without the ear and but in purged judgment trusting neither such and so finely bolted didst thou seem and thus thy fall hath left a kind of blot to mark the fullfraught man and best indued with some suspicion i will weep for thee for this revolt of thine methinks is like another fall of man their faults are open arrest them to the answer of the law and god acquit them of their practises exeter i arrest thee of high treason by the name of richard earl of cambridge i arrest thee of high treason by the name of henry lord scroop of masham i arrest thee of high treason by the name of thomas grey knight of northumberland scroop our purposes god justly hath discover'd and i repent my fault more than my death which i beseech your highness to forgive although my body pay the price of it cambridge for me the gold of france did not seduce although i did admit it as a motive the sooner to effect what i intended but god be thanked for prevention which i in sufferance heartily will rejoice beseeching god and you to pardon me grey never did faithful subject more rejoice at the discovery of most dangerous treason than i do at this hour joy o'er myself prevented from a damned enterprise my fault but not my body pardon sovereign king henry v god quit you in his mercy hear your sentence you have conspired against our royal person join'd with an enemy proclaim'd and from his coffers received the golden earnest of our death wherein you would have sold your king to slaughter his princes and his peers to servitude his subjects to oppression and contempt and his whole kingdom into desolation touching our person seek we no revenge but we our kingdom's safety must so tender whose ruin you have sought that to her laws we do deliver you get you therefore hence poor miserable wretches to your death the taste whereof god of his mercy give you patience to endure and true repentance of all your dear offences bear them hence exeunt cambridge scroop and grey guarded now lords for france the enterprise whereof shall be to you as us like glorious we doubt not of a fair and lucky war since god so graciously hath brought to light this dangerous treason lurking in our way to hinder our beginnings we doubt not now but every rub is smoothed on our way then forth dear countrymen let us deliver our puissance into the hand of god putting it straight in expedition cheerly to sea the signs of war advance no king of england if not king of france exeunt king henry v act ii scene iii london before a tavern enter pistol hostess nym bardolph and boy hostess prithee honeysweet husband let me bring thee to staines pistol no for my manly heart doth yearn bardolph be blithe nym rouse thy vaunting veins boy bristle thy courage up for falstaff he is dead and we must yearn therefore bardolph would i were with him wheresome'er he is either in heaven or in hell hostess nay sure he's not in hell he's in arthur's bosom if ever man went to arthur's bosom a made a finer end and went away an it had been any christom child a parted even just between twelve and one even at the turning o the tide for after i saw him fumble with the sheets and play with flowers and smile upon his fingers ends i knew there was but one way for his nose was as sharp as a pen and a babbled of green fields how now sir john quoth i what man be o good cheer so a cried out god god god three or four times now i to comfort him bid him a' should not think of god i hoped there was no need to trouble himself with any such thoughts yet so a bade me lay more clothes on his feet i put my hand into the bed and felt them and they were as cold as any stone then i felt to his knees and they were as cold as any stone and so upward and upward and all was as cold as any stone nym they say he cried out of sack hostess ay that a did bardolph and of women hostess nay that a did not boy yes that a did and said they were devils incarnate hostess a could never abide carnation twas a colour he never liked boy a said once the devil would have him about women hostess a did in some sort indeed handle women but then he was rheumatic and talked of the whore of babylon boy do you not remember a saw a flea stick upon bardolph's nose and a said it was a black soul burning in hellfire bardolph well the fuel is gone that maintained that fire that's all the riches i got in his service nym shall we shog the king will be gone from southampton pistol come let's away my love give me thy lips look to my chattels and my movables let senses rule the word is pitch and pay' trust none for oaths are straws men's faiths are wafercakes and holdfast is the only dog my duck therefore caveto be thy counsellor go clear thy crystals yokefellows in arms let us to france like horseleeches my boys to suck to suck the very blood to suck boy and that's but unwholesome food they say pistol touch her soft mouth and march bardolph farewell hostess kissing her nym i cannot kiss that is the humour of it but adieu pistol let housewifery appear keep close i thee command hostess farewell adieu exeunt king henry v act ii scene iv france the king's palace flourish enter the french king the dauphin the dukes of berri and bretagne the constable and others king of france thus comes the english with full power upon us and more than carefully it us concerns to answer royally in our defences therefore the dukes of berri and of bretagne of brabant and of orleans shall make forth and you prince dauphin with all swift dispatch to line and new repair our towns of war with men of courage and with means defendant for england his approaches makes as fierce as waters to the sucking of a gulf it fits us then to be as provident as fear may teach us out of late examples left by the fatal and neglected english upon our fields dauphin my most redoubted father it is most meet we arm us gainst the foe for peace itself should not so dull a kingdom though war nor no known quarrel were in question but that defences musters preparations should be maintain'd assembled and collected as were a war in expectation therefore i say tis meet we all go forth to view the sick and feeble parts of france and let us do it with no show of fear no with no more than if we heard that england were busied with a whitsun morrisdance for my good liege she is so idly king'd her sceptre so fantastically borne by a vain giddy shallow humorous youth that fear attends her not constable o peace prince dauphin you are too much mistaken in this king question your grace the late ambassadors with what great state he heard their embassy how well supplied with noble counsellors how modest in exception and withal how terrible in constant resolution and you shall find his vanities forespent were but the outside of the roman brutus covering discretion with a coat of folly as gardeners do with ordure hide those roots that shall first spring and be most delicate dauphin well tis not so my lord high constable but though we think it so it is no matter in cases of defence tis best to weigh the enemy more mighty than he seems so the proportions of defence are fill'd which of a weak or niggardly projection doth like a miser spoil his coat with scanting a little cloth king of france think we king harry strong and princes look you strongly arm to meet him the kindred of him hath been flesh'd upon us and he is bred out of that bloody strain that haunted us in our familiar paths witness our too much memorable shame when cressy battle fatally was struck and all our princes captiv'd by the hand of that black name edward black prince of wales whiles that his mountain sire on mountain standing up in the air crown'd with the golden sun saw his heroical seed and smiled to see him mangle the work of nature and deface the patterns that by god and by french fathers had twenty years been made this is a stem of that victorious stock and let us fear the native mightiness and fate of him enter a messenger messenger ambassadors from harry king of england do crave admittance to your majesty king of france we'll give them present audience go and bring them exeunt messenger and certain lords you see this chase is hotly follow'd friends dauphin turn head and stop pursuit for coward dogs most spend their mouths when what they seem to threaten runs far before them good my sovereign take up the english short and let them know of what a monarchy you are the head selflove my liege is not so vile a sin as selfneglecting reenter lords with exeter and train king of france from our brother england exeter from him and thus he greets your majesty he wills you in the name of god almighty that you divest yourself and lay apart the borrow'd glories that by gift of heaven by law of nature and of nations long to him and to his heirs namely the crown and all widestretched honours that pertain by custom and the ordinance of times unto the crown of france that you may know tis no sinister nor no awkward claim pick'd from the wormholes of longvanish'd days nor from the dust of old oblivion raked he sends you this most memorable line in every branch truly demonstrative willing to overlook this pedigree and when you find him evenly derived from his most famed of famous ancestors edward the third he bids you then resign your crown and kingdom indirectly held from him the native and true challenger king of france or else what follows exeter bloody constraint for if you hide the crown even in your hearts there will he rake for it therefore in fierce tempest is he coming in thunder and in earthquake like a jove that if requiring fail he will compel and bids you in the bowels of the lord deliver up the crown and to take mercy on the poor souls for whom this hungry war opens his vasty jaws and on your head turning the widows tears the orphans cries the dead men's blood the pining maidens groans for husbands fathers and betrothed lovers that shall be swallow'd in this controversy this is his claim his threatening and my message unless the dauphin be in presence here to whom expressly i bring greeting too king of france for us we will consider of this further tomorrow shall you bear our full intent back to our brother england dauphin for the dauphin i stand here for him what to him from england exeter scorn and defiance slight regard contempt and any thing that may not misbecome the mighty sender doth he prize you at thus says my king an if your father's highness do not in grant of all demands at large sweeten the bitter mock you sent his majesty he'll call you to so hot an answer of it that caves and womby vaultages of france shall chide your trespass and return your mock in second accent of his ordnance dauphin say if my father render fair return it is against my will for i desire nothing but odds with england to that end as matching to his youth and vanity i did present him with the paris balls exeter he'll make your paris louvre shake for it were it the mistresscourt of mighty europe and be assured you'll find a difference as we his subjects have in wonder found between the promise of his greener days and these he masters now now he weighs time even to the utmost grain that you shall read in your own losses if he stay in france king of france tomorrow shall you know our mind at full exeter dispatch us with all speed lest that our king come here himself to question our delay for he is footed in this land already king of france you shall be soon dispatch's with fair conditions a night is but small breath and little pause to answer matters of this consequence flourish exeunt king henry v act iii prologue enter chorus chorus thus with imagined wing our swift scene flies in motion of no less celerity than that of thought suppose that you have seen the wellappointed king at hampton pier embark his royalty and his brave fleet with silken streamers the young phoebus fanning play with your fancies and in them behold upon the hempen tackle shipboys climbing hear the shrill whistle which doth order give to sounds confused behold the threaden sails borne with the invisible and creeping wind draw the huge bottoms through the furrow'd sea breasting the lofty surge o do but think you stand upon the ravage and behold a city on the inconstant billows dancing for so appears this fleet majestical holding due course to harfleur follow follow grapple your minds to sternage of this navy and leave your england as dead midnight still guarded with grandsires babies and old women either past or not arrived to pith and puissance for who is he whose chin is but enrich'd with one appearing hair that will not follow these cull'd and choicedrawn cavaliers to france work work your thoughts and therein see a siege behold the ordnance on their carriages with fatal mouths gaping on girded harfleur suppose the ambassador from the french comes back tells harry that the king doth offer him katharine his daughter and with her to dowry some petty and unprofitable dukedoms the offer likes not and the nimble gunner with linstock now the devilish cannon touches alarum and chambers go off and down goes all before them still be kind and eke out our performance with your mind exit king henry v act iii scene i france before harfleur alarum enter king henry exeter bedford gloucester and soldiers with scalingladders king henry v once more unto the breach dear friends once more or close the wall up with our english dead in peace there's nothing so becomes a man as modest stillness and humility but when the blast of war blows in our ears then imitate the action of the tiger stiffen the sinews summon up the blood disguise fair nature with hardfavour'd rage then lend the eye a terrible aspect let pry through the portage of the head like the brass cannon let the brow o'erwhelm it as fearfully as doth a galled rock o'erhang and jutty his confounded base swill'd with the wild and wasteful ocean now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit to his full height on on you noblest english whose blood is fet from fathers of warproof fathers that like so many alexanders have in these parts from morn till even fought and sheathed their swords for lack of argument dishonour not your mothers now attest that those whom you call'd fathers did beget you be copy now to men of grosser blood and teach them how to war and you good yeoman whose limbs were made in england show us here the mettle of your pasture let us swear that you are worth your breeding which i doubt not for there is none of you so mean and base that hath not noble lustre in your eyes i see you stand like greyhounds in the slips straining upon the start the game's afoot follow your spirit and upon this charge cry god for harry england and saint george' exeunt alarum and chambers go off king henry v act iii scene ii the same enter nym bardolph pistol and boy bardolph on on on on on to the breach to the breach nym pray thee corporal stay the knocks are too hot and for mine own part i have not a case of lives the humour of it is too hot that is the very plainsong of it pistol the plainsong is most just for humours do abound knocks go and come god's vassals drop and die and sword and shield in bloody field doth win immortal fame boy would i were in an alehouse in london i would give all my fame for a pot of ale and safety pistol and i if wishes would prevail with me my purpose should not fail with me but thither would i hie boy as duly but not as truly as bird doth sing on bough enter fluellen fluellen up to the breach you dogs avaunt you cullions driving them forward pistol be merciful great duke to men of mould abate thy rage abate thy manly rage abate thy rage great duke good bawcock bate thy rage use lenity sweet chuck nym these be good humours your honour wins bad humours exeunt all but boy boy as young as i am i have observed these three swashers i am boy to them all three but all they three though they would serve me could not be man to me for indeed three such antics do not amount to a man for bardolph he is whitelivered and redfaced by the means whereof a faces it out but fights not for pistol he hath a killing tongue and a quiet sword by the means whereof a breaks words and keeps whole weapons for nym he hath heard that men of few words are the best men and therefore he scorns to say his prayers lest a' should be thought a coward but his few bad words are matched with as few good deeds for a never broke any man's head but his own and that was against a post when he was drunk they will steal any thing and call it purchase bardolph stole a lutecase bore it twelve leagues and sold it for three half pence nym and bardolph are sworn brothers in filching and in calais they stole a fireshovel i knew by that piece of service the men would carry coals they would have me as familiar with men's pockets as their gloves or their handkerchers which makes much against my manhood if i should take from another's pocket to put into mine for it is plain pocketing up of wrongs i must leave them and seek some better service their villany goes against my weak stomach and therefore i must cast it up exit reenter fluellen gower following gower captain fluellen you must come presently to the mines the duke of gloucester would speak with you fluellen to the mines tell you the duke it is not so good to come to the mines for look you the mines is not according to the disciplines of the war the concavities of it is not sufficient for look you the athversary you may discuss unto the duke look you is digt himself four yard under the countermines by cheshu i think a will plough up all if there is not better directions gower the duke of gloucester to whom the order of the siege is given is altogether directed by an irishman a very valiant gentleman i faith fluellen it is captain macmorris is it not gower i think it be fluellen by cheshu he is an ass as in the world i will verify as much in his beard be has no more directions in the true disciplines of the wars look you of the roman disciplines than is a puppydog enter macmorris and captain jamy gower here a comes and the scots captain captain jamy with him fluellen captain jamy is a marvellous falourous gentleman that is certain and of great expedition and knowledge in th aunchient wars upon my particular knowledge of his directions by cheshu he will maintain his argument as well as any military man in the world in the disciplines of the pristine wars of the romans jamy i say gudday captain fluellen fluellen godden to your worship good captain james gower how now captain macmorris have you quit the mines have the pioneers given o'er macmorris by chrish la tish ill done the work ish give over the trompet sound the retreat by my hand i swear and my father's soul the work ish ill done it ish give over i would have blowed up the town so chrish save me la in an hour o tish ill done tish ill done by my hand tish ill done fluellen captain macmorris i beseech you now will you voutsafe me look you a few disputations with you as partly touching or concerning the disciplines of the war the roman wars in the way of argument look you and friendly communication partly to satisfy my opinion and partly for the satisfaction look you of my mind as touching the direction of the military discipline that is the point jamy it sall be vary gud gud feith gud captains bath and i sall quit you with gud leve as i may pick occasion that sall i marry macmorris it is no time to discourse so chrish save me the day is hot and the weather and the wars and the king and the dukes it is no time to discourse the town is beseeched and the trumpet call us to the breach and we talk and be chrish do nothing tis shame for us all so god sa me tis shame to stand still it is shame by my hand and there is throats to be cut and works to be done and there ish nothing done so chrish sa me la jamy by the mess ere theise eyes of mine take themselves to slomber ay'll de gud service or ay'll lig i' the grund for it ay or go to death and ay'll pay t as valourously as i may that sall i suerly do that is the breff and the long marry i wad full fain hear some question tween you tway fluellen captain macmorris i think look you under your correction there is not many of your nation macmorris of my nation what ish my nation ish a villain and a bastard and a knave and a rascal what ish my nation who talks of my nation fluellen look you if you take the matter otherwise than is meant captain macmorris peradventure i shall think you do not use me with that affability as in discretion you ought to use me look you being as good a man as yourself both in the disciplines of war and in the derivation of my birth and in other particularities macmorris i do not know you so good a man as myself so chrish save me i will cut off your head gower gentlemen both you will mistake each other jamy a that's a foul fault a parley sounded gower the town sounds a parley fluellen captain macmorris when there is more better opportunity to be required look you i will be so bold as to tell you i know the disciplines of war and there is an end exeunt king henry v act iii scene iii the same before the gates the governor and some citizens on the walls the english forces below enter king henry and his train king henry v how yet resolves the governor of the town this is the latest parle we will admit therefore to our best mercy give yourselves or like to men proud of destruction defy us to our worst for as i am a soldier a name that in my thoughts becomes me best if i begin the battery once again i will not leave the halfachieved harfleur till in her ashes she lie buried the gates of mercy shall be all shut up and the flesh'd soldier rough and hard of heart in liberty of bloody hand shall range with conscience wide as hell mowing like grass your freshfair virgins and your flowering infants what is it then to me if impious war array'd in flames like to the prince of fiends do with his smirch'd complexion all fell feats enlink'd to waste and desolation what is't to me when you yourselves are cause if your pure maidens fall into the hand of hot and forcing violation what rein can hold licentious wickedness when down the hill he holds his fierce career we may as bootless spend our vain command upon the enraged soldiers in their spoil as send precepts to the leviathan to come ashore therefore you men of harfleur take pity of your town and of your people whiles yet my soldiers are in my command whiles yet the cool and temperate wind of grace o'erblows the filthy and contagious clouds of heady murder spoil and villany if not why in a moment look to see the blind and bloody soldier with foul hand defile the locks of your shrillshrieking daughters your fathers taken by the silver beards and their most reverend heads dash'd to the walls your naked infants spitted upon pikes whiles the mad mothers with their howls confused do break the clouds as did the wives of jewry at herod's bloodyhunting slaughtermen what say you will you yield and this avoid or guilty in defence be thus destroy'd governor our expectation hath this day an end the dauphin whom of succors we entreated returns us that his powers are yet not ready to raise so great a siege therefore great king we yield our town and lives to thy soft mercy enter our gates dispose of us and ours for we no longer are defensible king henry v open your gates come uncle exeter go you and enter harfleur there remain and fortify it strongly gainst the french use mercy to them all for us dear uncle the winter coming on and sickness growing upon our soldiers we will retire to calais tonight in harfleur we will be your guest tomorrow for the march are we addrest flourish the king and his train enter the town king henry v act iii scene iv the french king's palace enter katharine and alice katharine alice tu as ete en angleterre et tu parles bien le langage alice un peu madame katharine je te prie m'enseignez il faut que j'apprenne a parler comment appelezvous la main en anglois alice la main elle est appelee de hand katharine de hand et les doigts alice les doigts ma foi j'oublie les doigts mais je me souviendrai les doigts je pense qu'ils sont appeles de fingres oui de fingres katharine la main de hand les doigts de fingres je pense que je suis le bon ecolier j'ai gagne deux mots d'anglois vitement comment appelezvous les ongles alice les ongles nous les appelons de nails katharine de nails ecoutez ditesmoi si je parle bien de hand de fingres et de nails alice c'est bien dit madame il est fort bon anglois katharine ditesmoi l'anglois pour le bras alice de arm madame katharine et le coude alice de elbow katharine de elbow je m'en fais la repetition de tous les mots que vous m'avez appris des a present alice il est trop difficile madame comme je pense katharine excusezmoi alice ecoutez de hand de fingres de nails de arma de bilbow alice de elbow madame katharine o seigneur dieu je m'en oublie de elbow comment appelezvous le col alice de neck madame katharine de nick et le menton alice de chin katharine de sin le col de nick de menton de sin alice oui sauf votre honneur en verite vous prononcez les mots aussi droit que les natifs d'angleterre katharine je ne doute point d'apprendre par la grace de dieu et en peu de temps alice n'avez vous pas deja oublie ce que je vous ai enseigne katharine non je reciterai a vous promptement de hand de fingres de mails alice de nails madame katharine de nails de arm de ilbow alice sauf votre honneur de elbow katharine ainsi disje de elbow de nick et de sin comment appelezvous le pied et la robe alice de foot madame et de coun katharine de foot et de coun o seigneur dieu ce sont mots de son mauvais corruptible gros et impudique et non pour les dames d'honneur d'user je ne voudrais prononcer ces mots devant les seigneurs de france pour tout le monde foh le foot et le coun neanmoins je reciterai une autre fois ma lecon ensemble de hand de fingres de nails de arm de elbow de nick de sin de foot de coun alice excellent madame katharine c'est assez pour une fois allonsnous a diner exeunt king henry v act iii scene v the same enter the king of france the dauphin the duke of bourbon the constable of france and others king of france tis certain he hath pass'd the river somme constable and if he be not fought withal my lord let us not live in france let us quit all and give our vineyards to a barbarous people dauphin o dieu vivant shall a few sprays of us the emptying of our fathers luxury our scions put in wild and savage stock spirt up so suddenly into the clouds and overlook their grafters bourbon normans but bastard normans norman bastards mort de ma vie if they march along unfought withal but i will sell my dukedom to buy a slobbery and a dirty farm in that nookshotten isle of albion constable dieu de batailles where have they this mettle is not their climate foggy raw and dull on whom as in despite the sun looks pale killing their fruit with frowns can sodden water a drench for surrein'd jades their barleybroth decoct their cold blood to such valiant heat and shall our quick blood spirited with wine seem frosty o for honour of our land let us not hang like roping icicles upon our houses thatch whiles a more frosty people sweat drops of gallant youth in our rich fields poor we may call them in their native lords dauphin by faith and honour our madams mock at us and plainly say our mettle is bred out and they will give their bodies to the lust of english youth to newstore france with bastard warriors bourbon they bid us to the english dancingschools and teach lavoltas high and swift corantos saying our grace is only in our heels and that we are most lofty runaways king of france where is montjoy the herald speed him hence let him greet england with our sharp defiance up princes and with spirit of honour edged more sharper than your swords hie to the field charles delabreth high constable of france you dukes of orleans bourbon and of berri alencon brabant bar and burgundy jaques chatillon rambures vaudemont beaumont grandpre roussi and fauconberg foix lestrale bouciqualt and charolois high dukes great princes barons lords and knights for your great seats now quit you of great shames bar harry england that sweeps through our land with pennons painted in the blood of harfleur rush on his host as doth the melted snow upon the valleys whose low vassal seat the alps doth spit and void his rheum upon go down upon him you have power enough and in a captive chariot into rouen bring him our prisoner constable this becomes the great sorry am i his numbers are so few his soldiers sick and famish'd in their march for i am sure when he shall see our army he'll drop his heart into the sink of fear and for achievement offer us his ransom king of france therefore lord constable haste on montjoy and let him say to england that we send to know what willing ransom he will give prince dauphin you shall stay with us in rouen dauphin not so i do beseech your majesty king of france be patient for you shall remain with us now forth lord constable and princes all and quickly bring us word of england's fall exeunt king henry v act iii scene vi the english camp in picardy enter gower and fluellen meeting gower how now captain fluellen come you from the bridge fluellen i assure you there is very excellent services committed at the bridge gower is the duke of exeter safe fluellen the duke of exeter is as magnanimous as agamemnon and a man that i love and honour with my soul and my heart and my duty and my life and my living and my uttermost power he is notgod be praised and blessedany hurt in the world but keeps the bridge most valiantly with excellent discipline there is an aunchient lieutenant there at the pridge i think in my very conscience he is as valiant a man as mark antony and he is a man of no estimation in the world but did see him do as gallant service gower what do you call him fluellen he is called aunchient pistol gower i know him not enter pistol fluellen here is the man pistol captain i thee beseech to do me favours the duke of exeter doth love thee well fluellen ay i praise god and i have merited some love at his hands pistol bardolph a soldier firm and sound of heart and of buxom valour hath by cruel fate and giddy fortune's furious fickle wheel that goddess blind that stands upon the rolling restless stone fluellen by your patience aunchient pistol fortune is painted blind with a muffler afore her eyes to signify to you that fortune is blind and she is painted also with a wheel to signify to you which is the moral of it that she is turning and inconstant and mutability and variation and her foot look you is fixed upon a spherical stone which rolls and rolls and rolls in good truth the poet makes a most excellent description of it fortune is an excellent moral pistol fortune is bardolph's foe and frowns on him for he hath stolen a pax and hanged must a be a damned death let gallows gape for dog let man go free and let not hemp his windpipe suffocate but exeter hath given the doom of death for pax of little price therefore go speak the duke will hear thy voice and let not bardolph's vital thread be cut with edge of penny cord and vile reproach speak captain for his life and i will thee requite fluellen aunchient pistol i do partly understand your meaning pistol why then rejoice therefore fluellen certainly aunchient it is not a thing to rejoice at for if look you he were my brother i would desire the duke to use his good pleasure and put him to execution for discipline ought to be used pistol die and be damn'd and figo for thy friendship fluellen it is well pistol the fig of spain exit fluellen very good gower why this is an arrant counterfeit rascal i remember him now a bawd a cutpurse fluellen i'll assure you a uttered as brave words at the bridge as you shall see in a summer's day but it is very well what he has spoke to me that is well i warrant you when time is serve gower why tis a gull a fool a rogue that now and then goes to the wars to grace himself at his return into london under the form of a soldier and such fellows are perfect in the great commanders names and they will learn you by rote where services were done at such and such a sconce at such a breach at such a convoy who came off bravely who was shot who disgraced what terms the enemy stood on and this they con perfectly in the phrase of war which they trick up with newtuned oaths and what a beard of the general's cut and a horrid suit of the camp will do among foaming bottles and alewashed wits is wonderful to be thought on but you must learn to know such slanders of the age or else you may be marvellously mistook fluellen i tell you what captain gower i do perceive he is not the man that he would gladly make show to the world he is if i find a hole in his coat i will tell him my mind drum heard hark you the king is coming and i must speak with him from the pridge drum and colours enter king henry gloucester and soldiers god pless your majesty king henry v how now fluellen camest thou from the bridge fluellen ay so please your majesty the duke of exeter has very gallantly maintained the pridge the french is gone off look you and there is gallant and most prave passages marry th athversary was have possession of the pridge but he is enforced to retire and the duke of exeter is master of the pridge i can tell your majesty the duke is a prave man king henry v what men have you lost fluellen fluellen the perdition of th athversary hath been very great reasonable great marry for my part i think the duke hath lost never a man but one that is like to be executed for robbing a church one bardolph if your majesty know the man his face is all bubukles and whelks and knobs and flames o' fire and his lips blows at his nose and it is like a coal of fire sometimes plue and sometimes red but his nose is executed and his fire's out king henry v we would have all such offenders so cut off and we give express charge that in our marches through the country there be nothing compelled from the villages nothing taken but paid for none of the french upbraided or abused in disdainful language for when lenity and cruelty play for a kingdom the gentler gamester is the soonest winner tucket enter montjoy montjoy you know me by my habit king henry v well then i know thee what shall i know of thee montjoy my master's mind king henry v unfold it montjoy thus says my king say thou to harry of england though we seemed dead we did but sleep advantage is a better soldier than rashness tell him we could have rebuked him at harfleur but that we thought not good to bruise an injury till it were full ripe now we speak upon our cue and our voice is imperial england shall repent his folly see his weakness and admire our sufferance bid him therefore consider of his ransom which must proportion the losses we have borne the subjects we have lost the disgrace we have digested which in weight to reanswer his pettiness would bow under for our losses his exchequer is too poor for the effusion of our blood the muster of his kingdom too faint a number and for our disgrace his own person kneeling at our feet but a weak and worthless satisfaction to this add defiance and tell him for conclusion he hath betrayed his followers whose condemnation is pronounced so far my king and master so much my office king henry v what is thy name i know thy quality montjoy montjoy king henry v thou dost thy office fairly turn thee back and tell thy king i do not seek him now but could be willing to march on to calais without impeachment for to say the sooth though tis no wisdom to confess so much unto an enemy of craft and vantage my people are with sickness much enfeebled my numbers lessened and those few i have almost no better than so many french who when they were in health i tell thee herald i thought upon one pair of english legs did march three frenchmen yet forgive me god that i do brag thus this your air of france hath blown that vice in me i must repent go therefore tell thy master here i am my ransom is this frail and worthless trunk my army but a weak and sickly guard yet god before tell him we will come on though france himself and such another neighbour stand in our way there's for thy labour montjoy go bid thy master well advise himself if we may pass we will if we be hinder'd we shall your tawny ground with your red blood discolour and so montjoy fare you well the sum of all our answer is but this we would not seek a battle as we are nor as we are we say we will not shun it so tell your master montjoy i shall deliver so thanks to your highness exit gloucester i hope they will not come upon us now king henry v we are in god's hand brother not in theirs march to the bridge it now draws toward night beyond the river we'll encamp ourselves and on tomorrow bid them march away exeunt king henry v act iii scene vii the french camp near agincourt enter the constable of france the lord rambures orleans dauphin with others constable tut i have the best armour of the world would it were day orleans you have an excellent armour but let my horse have his due constable it is the best horse of europe orleans will it never be morning dauphin my lord of orleans and my lord high constable you talk of horse and armour orleans you are as well provided of both as any prince in the world dauphin what a long night is this i will not change my horse with any that treads but on four pasterns ca ha he bounds from the earth as if his entrails were hairs le cheval volant the pegasus chez les narines de feu when i bestride him i soar i am a hawk he trots the air the earth sings when he touches it the basest horn of his hoof is more musical than the pipe of hermes orleans he's of the colour of the nutmeg dauphin and of the heat of the ginger it is a beast for perseus he is pure air and fire and the dull elements of earth and water never appear in him but only in patient stillness while his rider mounts him he is indeed a horse and all other jades you may call beasts constable indeed my lord it is a most absolute and excellent horse dauphin it is the prince of palfreys his neigh is like the bidding of a monarch and his countenance enforces homage orleans no more cousin dauphin nay the man hath no wit that cannot from the rising of the lark to the lodging of the lamb vary deserved praise on my palfrey it is a theme as fluent as the sea turn the sands into eloquent tongues and my horse is argument for them all tis a subject for a sovereign to reason on and for a sovereign's sovereign to ride on and for the world familiar to us and unknown to lay apart their particular functions and wonder at him i once writ a sonnet in his praise and began thus wonder of nature' orleans i have heard a sonnet begin so to one's mistress dauphin then did they imitate that which i composed to my courser for my horse is my mistress orleans your mistress bears well dauphin me well which is the prescript praise and perfection of a good and particular mistress constable nay for methought yesterday your mistress shrewdly shook your back dauphin so perhaps did yours constable mine was not bridled dauphin o then belike she was old and gentle and you rode like a kern of ireland your french hose off and in your straight strossers constable you have good judgment in horsemanship dauphin be warned by me then they that ride so and ride not warily fall into foul bogs i had rather have my horse to my mistress constable i had as lief have my mistress a jade dauphin i tell thee constable my mistress wears his own hair constable i could make as true a boast as that if i had a sow to my mistress dauphin le chien est retourne a son propre vomissement et la truie lavee au bourbier thou makest use of any thing constable yet do i not use my horse for my mistress or any such proverb so little kin to the purpose rambures my lord constable the armour that i saw in your tent tonight are those stars or suns upon it constable stars my lord dauphin some of them will fall tomorrow i hope constable and yet my sky shall not want dauphin that may be for you bear a many superfluously and twere more honour some were away constable even as your horse bears your praises who would trot as well were some of your brags dismounted dauphin would i were able to load him with his desert will it never be day i will trot tomorrow a mile and my way shall be paved with english faces constable i will not say so for fear i should be faced out of my way but i would it were morning for i would fain be about the ears of the english rambures who will go to hazard with me for twenty prisoners constable you must first go yourself to hazard ere you have them dauphin tis midnight i'll go arm myself exit orleans the dauphin longs for morning rambures he longs to eat the english constable i think he will eat all he kills orleans by the white hand of my lady he's a gallant prince constable swear by her foot that she may tread out the oath orleans he is simply the most active gentleman of france constable doing is activity and he will still be doing orleans he never did harm that i heard of constable nor will do none tomorrow he will keep that good name still orleans i know him to be valiant constable i was told that by one that knows him better than you orleans what's he constable marry he told me so himself and he said he cared not who knew it orleans he needs not it is no hidden virtue in him constable by my faith sir but it is never any body saw it but his lackey tis a hooded valour and when it appears it will bate orleans ill will never said well constable i will cap that proverb with there is flattery in friendship' orleans and i will take up that with give the devil his due' constable well placed there stands your friend for the devil have at the very eye of that proverb with a pox of the devil' orleans you are the better at proverbs by how much a fool's bolt is soon shot' constable you have shot over orleans tis not the first time you were overshot enter a messenger messenger my lord high constable the english lie within fifteen hundred paces of your tents constable who hath measured the ground messenger the lord grandpre constable a valiant and most expert gentleman would it were day alas poor harry of england he longs not for the dawning as we do orleans what a wretched and peevish fellow is this king of england to mope with his fatbrained followers so far out of his knowledge constable if the english had any apprehension they would run away orleans that they lack for if their heads had any intellectual armour they could never wear such heavy headpieces rambures that island of england breeds very valiant creatures their mastiffs are of unmatchable courage orleans foolish curs that run winking into the mouth of a russian bear and have their heads crushed like rotten apples you may as well say that's a valiant flea that dare eat his breakfast on the lip of a lion constable just just and the men do sympathize with the mastiffs in robustious and rough coming on leaving their wits with their wives and then give them great meals of beef and iron and steel they will eat like wolves and fight like devils orleans ay but these english are shrewdly out of beef constable then shall we find tomorrow they have only stomachs to eat and none to fight now is it time to arm come shall we about it orleans it is now two o'clock but let me see by ten we shall have each a hundred englishmen exeunt king henry v act iv prologue enter chorus chorus now entertain conjecture of a time when creeping murmur and the poring dark fills the wide vessel of the universe from camp to camp through the foul womb of night the hum of either army stilly sounds that the fixed sentinels almost receive the secret whispers of each other's watch fire answers fire and through their paly flames each battle sees the other's umber'd face steed threatens steed in high and boastful neighs piercing the night's dull ear and from the tents the armourers accomplishing the knights with busy hammers closing rivets up give dreadful note of preparation the country cocks do crow the clocks do toll and the third hour of drowsy morning name proud of their numbers and secure in soul the confident and overlusty french do the lowrated english play at dice and chide the cripple tardygaited night who like a foul and ugly witch doth limp so tediously away the poor condemned english like sacrifices by their watchful fires sit patiently and inly ruminate the morning's danger and their gesture sad investing lanklean cheeks and warworn coats presenteth them unto the gazing moon so many horrid ghosts o now who will behold the royal captain of this ruin'd band walking from watch to watch from tent to tent let him cry praise and glory on his head' for forth he goes and visits all his host bids them good morrow with a modest smile and calls them brothers friends and countrymen upon his royal face there is no note how dread an army hath enrounded him nor doth he dedicate one jot of colour unto the weary and allwatched night but freshly looks and overbears attaint with cheerful semblance and sweet majesty that every wretch pining and pale before beholding him plucks comfort from his looks a largess universal like the sun his liberal eye doth give to every one thawing cold fear that mean and gentle all behold as may unworthiness define a little touch of harry in the night and so our scene must to the battle fly whereo for pitywe shall much disgrace with four or five most vile and ragged foils right illdisposed in brawl ridiculous the name of agincourt yet sit and see minding true things by what their mockeries be exit king henry v act iv scene i the english camp at agincourt enter king henry bedford and gloucester king henry v gloucester tis true that we are in great danger the greater therefore should our courage be good morrow brother bedford god almighty there is some soul of goodness in things evil would men observingly distil it out for our bad neighbour makes us early stirrers which is both healthful and good husbandry besides they are our outward consciences and preachers to us all admonishing that we should dress us fairly for our end thus may we gather honey from the weed and make a moral of the devil himself enter erpingham good morrow old sir thomas erpingham a good soft pillow for that good white head were better than a churlish turf of france erpingham not so my liege this lodging likes me better since i may say now lie i like a king' king henry v tis good for men to love their present pains upon example so the spirit is eased and when the mind is quicken'd out of doubt the organs though defunct and dead before break up their drowsy grave and newly move with casted slough and fresh legerity lend me thy cloak sir thomas brothers both commend me to the princes in our camp do my good morrow to them and anon desire them an to my pavilion gloucester we shall my liege erpingham shall i attend your grace king henry v no my good knight go with my brothers to my lords of england i and my bosom must debate awhile and then i would no other company erpingham the lord in heaven bless thee noble harry exeunt all but king henry king henry v godamercy old heart thou speak'st cheerfully enter pistol pistol qui va la king henry v a friend pistol discuss unto me art thou officer or art thou base common and popular king henry v i am a gentleman of a company pistol trail'st thou the puissant pike king henry v even so what are you pistol as good a gentleman as the emperor king henry v then you are a better than the king pistol the king's a bawcock and a heart of gold a lad of life an imp of fame of parents good of fist most valiant i kiss his dirty shoe and from heartstring i love the lovely bully what is thy name king henry v harry le roy pistol le roy a cornish name art thou of cornish crew king henry v no i am a welshman pistol know'st thou fluellen king henry v yes pistol tell him i'll knock his leek about his pate upon saint davy's day king henry v do not you wear your dagger in your cap that day lest he knock that about yours pistol art thou his friend king henry v and his kinsman too pistol the figo for thee then king henry v i thank you god be with you pistol my name is pistol call'd exit king henry v it sorts well with your fierceness enter fluellen and gower gower captain fluellen fluellen so in the name of jesu christ speak lower it is the greatest admiration of the universal world when the true and aunchient prerogatifes and laws of the wars is not kept if you would take the pains but to examine the wars of pompey the great you shall find i warrant you that there is no tiddle toddle nor pibble pabble in pompey's camp i warrant you you shall find the ceremonies of the wars and the cares of it and the forms of it and the sobriety of it and the modesty of it to be otherwise gower why the enemy is loud you hear him all night fluellen if the enemy is an ass and a fool and a prating coxcomb is it meet think you that we should also look you be an ass and a fool and a prating coxcomb in your own conscience now gower i will speak lower fluellen i pray you and beseech you that you will exeunt gower and fluellen king henry v though it appear a little out of fashion there is much care and valour in this welshman enter three soldiers john bates alexander court and michael williams court brother john bates is not that the morning which breaks yonder bates i think it be but we have no great cause to desire the approach of day williams we see yonder the beginning of the day but i think we shall never see the end of it who goes there king henry v a friend williams under what captain serve you king henry v under sir thomas erpingham williams a good old commander and a most kind gentleman i pray you what thinks he of our estate king henry v even as men wrecked upon a sand that look to be washed off the next tide bates he hath not told his thought to the king king henry v no nor it is not meet he should for though i speak it to you i think the king is but a man as i am the violet smells to him as it doth to me the element shows to him as it doth to me all his senses have but human conditions his ceremonies laid by in his nakedness he appears but a man and though his affections are higher mounted than ours yet when they stoop they stoop with the like wing therefore when he sees reason of fears as we do his fears out of doubt be of the same relish as ours are yet in reason no man should possess him with any appearance of fear lest he by showing it should dishearten his army bates he may show what outward courage he will but i believe as cold a night as tis he could wish himself in thames up to the neck and so i would he were and i by him at all adventures so we were quit here king henry v by my troth i will speak my conscience of the king i think he would not wish himself any where but where he is bates then i would he were here alone so should he be sure to be ransomed and a many poor men's lives saved king henry v i dare say you love him not so ill to wish him here alone howsoever you speak this to feel other men's minds methinks i could not die any where so contented as in the king's company his cause being just and his quarrel honourable williams that's more than we know bates ay or more than we should seek after for we know enough if we know we are the kings subjects if his cause be wrong our obedience to the king wipes the crime of it out of us williams but if the cause be not good the king himself hath a heavy reckoning to make when all those legs and arms and heads chopped off in battle shall join together at the latter day and cry all we died at such a place some swearing some crying for a surgeon some upon their wives left poor behind them some upon the debts they owe some upon their children rawly left i am afeard there are few die well that die in a battle for how can they charitably dispose of any thing when blood is their argument now if these men do not die well it will be a black matter for the king that led them to it whom to disobey were against all proportion of subjection king henry v so if a son that is by his father sent about merchandise do sinfully miscarry upon the sea the imputation of his wickedness by your rule should be imposed upon his father that sent him or if a servant under his master's command transporting a sum of money be assailed by robbers and die in many irreconciled iniquities you may call the business of the master the author of the servant's damnation but this is not so the king is not bound to answer the particular endings of his soldiers the father of his son nor the master of his servant for they purpose not their death when they purpose their services besides there is no king be his cause never so spotless if it come to the arbitrement of swords can try it out with all unspotted soldiers some peradventure have on them the guilt of premeditated and contrived murder some of beguiling virgins with the broken seals of perjury some making the wars their bulwark that have before gored the gentle bosom of peace with pillage and robbery now if these men have defeated the law and outrun native punishment though they can outstrip men they have no wings to fly from god war is his beadle war is vengeance so that here men are punished for beforebreach of the king's laws in now the king's quarrel where they feared the death they have borne life away and where they would be safe they perish then if they die unprovided no more is the king guilty of their damnation than he was before guilty of those impieties for the which they are now visited every subject's duty is the king's but every subject's soul is his own therefore should every soldier in the wars do as every sick man in his bed wash every mote out of his conscience and dying so death is to him advantage or not dying the time was blessedly lost wherein such preparation was gained and in him that escapes it were not sin to think that making god so free an offer he let him outlive that day to see his greatness and to teach others how they should prepare williams tis certain every man that dies ill the ill upon his own head the king is not to answer it bates but i do not desire he should answer for me and yet i determine to fight lustily for him king henry v i myself heard the king say he would not be ransomed williams ay he said so to make us fight cheerfully but when our throats are cut he may be ransomed and we ne'er the wiser king henry v if i live to see it i will never trust his word after williams you pay him then that's a perilous shot out of an eldergun that a poor and private displeasure can do against a monarch you may as well go about to turn the sun to ice with fanning in his face with a peacock's feather you'll never trust his word after come tis a foolish saying king henry v your reproof is something too round i should be angry with you if the time were convenient williams let it be a quarrel between us if you live king henry v i embrace it williams how shall i know thee again king henry v give me any gage of thine and i will wear it in my bonnet then if ever thou darest acknowledge it i will make it my quarrel williams here's my glove give me another of thine king henry v there williams this will i also wear in my cap if ever thou come to me and say after tomorrow this is my glove' by this hand i will take thee a box on the ear king henry v if ever i live to see it i will challenge it williams thou darest as well be hanged king henry v well i will do it though i take thee in the king's company williams keep thy word fare thee well bates be friends you english fools be friends we have french quarrels enow if you could tell how to reckon king henry v indeed the french may lay twenty french crowns to one they will beat us for they bear them on their shoulders but it is no english treason to cut french crowns and tomorrow the king himself will be a clipper exeunt soldiers upon the king let us our lives our souls our debts our careful wives our children and our sins lay on the king we must bear all o hard condition twinborn with greatness subject to the breath of every fool whose sense no more can feel but his own wringing what infinite heart'sease must kings neglect that private men enjoy and what have kings that privates have not too save ceremony save general ceremony and what art thou thou idle ceremony what kind of god art thou that suffer'st more of mortal griefs than do thy worshippers what are thy rents what are thy comings in o ceremony show me but thy worth what is thy soul of adoration art thou aught else but place degree and form creating awe and fear in other men wherein thou art less happy being fear'd than they in fearing what drink'st thou oft instead of homage sweet but poison'd flattery o be sick great greatness and bid thy ceremony give thee cure think'st thou the fiery fever will go out with titles blown from adulation will it give place to flexure and low bending canst thou when thou command'st the beggar's knee command the health of it no thou proud dream that play'st so subtly with a king's repose i am a king that find thee and i know tis not the balm the sceptre and the ball the sword the mace the crown imperial the intertissued robe of gold and pearl the farced title running fore the king the throne he sits on nor the tide of pomp that beats upon the high shore of this world no not all these thricegorgeous ceremony not all these laid in bed majestical can sleep so soundly as the wretched slave who with a body fill'd and vacant mind gets him to rest cramm'd with distressful bread never sees horrid night the child of hell but like a lackey from the rise to set sweats in the eye of phoebus and all night sleeps in elysium next day after dawn doth rise and help hyperion to his horse and follows so the everrunning year with profitable labour to his grave and but for ceremony such a wretch winding up days with toil and nights with sleep had the forehand and vantage of a king the slave a member of the country's peace enjoys it but in gross brain little wots what watch the king keeps to maintain the peace whose hours the peasant best advantages enter erpingham erpingham my lord your nobles jealous of your absence seek through your camp to find you king henry v good old knight collect them all together at my tent i'll be before thee erpingham i shall do't my lord exit king henry v o god of battles steel my soldiers hearts possess them not with fear take from them now the sense of reckoning if the opposed numbers pluck their hearts from them not today o lord o not today think not upon the fault my father made in compassing the crown i richard's body have interred anew and on it have bestow'd more contrite tears than from it issued forced drops of blood five hundred poor i have in yearly pay who twice aday their wither'd hands hold up toward heaven to pardon blood and i have built two chantries where the sad and solemn priests sing still for richard's soul more will i do though all that i can do is nothing worth since that my penitence comes after all imploring pardon enter gloucester gloucester my liege king henry v my brother gloucester's voice ay i know thy errand i will go with thee the day my friends and all things stay for me exeunt king henry v act iv scene ii the french camp enter the dauphin orleans rambures and others orleans the sun doth gild our armour up my lords dauphin montez a cheval my horse varlet laquais ha orleans o brave spirit dauphin via les eaux et la terre orleans rien puis l'air et la feu dauphin ciel cousin orleans enter constable now my lord constable constable hark how our steeds for present service neigh dauphin mount them and make incision in their hides that their hot blood may spin in english eyes and dout them with superfluous courage ha rambures what will you have them weep our horses blood how shall we then behold their natural tears enter messenger messenger the english are embattled you french peers constable to horse you gallant princes straight to horse do but behold yon poor and starved band and your fair show shall suck away their souls leaving them but the shales and husks of men there is not work enough for all our hands scarce blood enough in all their sickly veins to give each naked curtleaxe a stain that our french gallants shall today draw out and sheathe for lack of sport let us but blow on them the vapour of our valour will o'erturn them tis positive gainst all exceptions lords that our superfluous lackeys and our peasants who in unnecessary action swarm about our squares of battle were enow to purge this field of such a hilding foe though we upon this mountain's basis by took stand for idle speculation but that our honours must not what's to say a very little little let us do and all is done then let the trumpets sound the tucket sonance and the note to mount for our approach shall so much dare the field that england shall couch down in fear and yield enter grandpre grandpre why do you stay so long my lords of france yon island carrions desperate of their bones illfavouredly become the morning field their ragged curtains poorly are let loose and our air shakes them passing scornfully big mars seems bankrupt in their beggar'd host and faintly through a rusty beaver peeps the horsemen sit like fixed candlesticks with torchstaves in their hand and their poor jades lob down their heads dropping the hides and hips the gum downroping from their paledead eyes and in their pale dull mouths the gimmal bit lies foul with chew'd grass still and motionless and their executors the knavish crows fly o'er them all impatient for their hour description cannot suit itself in words to demonstrate the life of such a battle in life so lifeless as it shows itself constable they have said their prayers and they stay for death dauphin shall we go send them dinners and fresh suits and give their fasting horses provender and after fight with them constable i stay but for my guidon to the field i will the banner from a trumpet take and use it for my haste come come away the sun is high and we outwear the day exeunt king henry v act iv scene iii the english camp enter gloucester bedford exeter erpingham with all his host salisbury and westmoreland gloucester where is the king bedford the king himself is rode to view their battle westmoreland of fighting men they have full three score thousand exeter there's five to one besides they all are fresh salisbury god's arm strike with us tis a fearful odds god be wi you princes all i'll to my charge if we no more meet till we meet in heaven then joyfully my noble lord of bedford my dear lord gloucester and my good lord exeter and my kind kinsman warriors all adieu bedford farewell good salisbury and good luck go with thee exeter farewell kind lord fight valiantly today and yet i do thee wrong to mind thee of it for thou art framed of the firm truth of valour exit salisbury bedford he is full of valour as of kindness princely in both enter the king westmoreland o that we now had here but one ten thousand of those men in england that do no work today king henry v what's he that wishes so my cousin westmoreland no my fair cousin if we are mark'd to die we are enow to do our country loss and if to live the fewer men the greater share of honour god's will i pray thee wish not one man more by jove i am not covetous for gold nor care i who doth feed upon my cost it yearns me not if men my garments wear such outward things dwell not in my desires but if it be a sin to covet honour i am the most offending soul alive no faith my coz wish not a man from england god's peace i would not lose so great an honour as one man more methinks would share from me for the best hope i have o do not wish one more rather proclaim it westmoreland through my host that he which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart his passport shall be made and crowns for convoy put into his purse we would not die in that man's company that fears his fellowship to die with us this day is called the feast of crispian he that outlives this day and comes safe home will stand a tiptoe when the day is named and rouse him at the name of crispian he that shall live this day and see old age will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours and say tomorrow is saint crispian' then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars and say these wounds i had on crispin's day' old men forget yet all shall be forgot but he'll remember with advantages what feats he did that day then shall our names familiar in his mouth as household words harry the king bedford and exeter warwick and talbot salisbury and gloucester be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd this story shall the good man teach his son and crispin crispian shall ne'er go by from this day to the ending of the world but we in it shall be remember'd we few we happy few we band of brothers for he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother be he ne'er so vile this day shall gentle his condition and gentlemen in england now abed shall think themselves accursed they were not here and hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks that fought with us upon saint crispin's day reenter salisbury salisbury my sovereign lord bestow yourself with speed the french are bravely in their battles set and will with all expedience charge on us king henry v all things are ready if our minds be so westmoreland perish the man whose mind is backward now king henry v thou dost not wish more help from england coz westmoreland god's will my liege would you and i alone without more help could fight this royal battle king henry v why now thou hast unwish'd five thousand men which likes me better than to wish us one you know your places god be with you all tucket enter montjoy montjoy once more i come to know of thee king harry if for thy ransom thou wilt now compound before thy most assured overthrow for certainly thou art so near the gulf thou needs must be englutted besides in mercy the constable desires thee thou wilt mind thy followers of repentance that their souls may make a peaceful and a sweet retire from off these fields where wretches their poor bodies must lie and fester king henry v who hath sent thee now montjoy the constable of france king henry v i pray thee bear my former answer back bid them achieve me and then sell my bones good god why should they mock poor fellows thus the man that once did sell the lion's skin while the beast lived was killed with hunting him a many of our bodies shall no doubt find native graves upon the which i trust shall witness live in brass of this day's work and those that leave their valiant bones in france dying like men though buried in your dunghills they shall be famed for there the sun shall greet them and draw their honours reeking up to heaven leaving their earthly parts to choke your clime the smell whereof shall breed a plague in france mark then abounding valour in our english that being dead like to the bullet's grazing break out into a second course of mischief killing in relapse of mortality let me speak proudly tell the constable we are but warriors for the workingday our gayness and our gilt are all besmirch'd with rainy marching in the painful field there's not a piece of feather in our host good argument i hope we will not fly and time hath worn us into slovenry but by the mass our hearts are in the trim and my poor soldiers tell me yet ere night they'll be in fresher robes or they will pluck the gay new coats o'er the french soldiers heads and turn them out of service if they do this as if god please they shallmy ransom then will soon be levied herald save thou thy labour come thou no more for ransom gentle herald they shall have none i swear but these my joints which if they have as i will leave em them shall yield them little tell the constable montjoy i shall king harry and so fare thee well thou never shalt hear herald any more exit king henry v i fear thou'lt once more come again for ransom enter york york my lord most humbly on my knee i beg the leading of the vaward king henry v take it brave york now soldiers march away and how thou pleasest god dispose the day exeunt king henry v act iv scene iv the field of battle alarum excursions enter pistol french soldier and boy pistol yield cur french soldier je pense que vous etes gentilhomme de bonne qualite pistol qualtitie calmie custure me art thou a gentleman what is thy name discuss french soldier o seigneur dieu pistol o signieur dew should be a gentleman perpend my words o signieur dew and mark o signieur dew thou diest on point of fox except o signieur thou do give to me egregious ransom french soldier o prenez misericorde ayez pitie de moi pistol moy shall not serve i will have forty moys or i will fetch thy rim out at thy throat in drops of crimson blood french soldier estil impossible d'echapper la force de ton bras pistol brass cur thou damned and luxurious mountain goat offer'st me brass french soldier o pardonnez moi pistol say'st thou me so is that a ton of moys come hither boy ask me this slave in french what is his name boy ecoutez comment etesvous appele french soldier monsieur le fer boy he says his name is master fer pistol master fer i'll fer him and firk him and ferret him discuss the same in french unto him boy i do not know the french for fer and ferret and firk pistol bid him prepare for i will cut his throat french soldier que ditil monsieur boy il me commande de vous dire que vous faites vous pret car ce soldat ici est dispose tout a cette heure de couper votre gorge pistol owy cuppele gorge permafoy peasant unless thou give me crowns brave crowns or mangled shalt thou be by this my sword french soldier o je vous supplie pour l'amour de dieu me pardonner je suis gentilhomme de bonne maison gardez ma vie et je vous donnerai deux cents ecus pistol what are his words boy he prays you to save his life he is a gentleman of a good house and for his ransom he will give you two hundred crowns pistol tell him my fury shall abate and i the crowns will take french soldier petit monsieur que ditil boy encore qu'il est contre son jurement de pardonner aucun prisonnier neanmoins pour les ecus que vous l'avez promis il est content de vous donner la liberte le franchisement french soldier sur mes genoux je vous donne mille remercimens et je m'estime heureux que je suis tombe entre les mains d'un chevalier je pense le plus brave vaillant et tres distingue seigneur d'angleterre pistol expound unto me boy boy he gives you upon his knees a thousand thanks and he esteems himself happy that he hath fallen into the hands of one as he thinks the most brave valorous and thriceworthy signieur of england pistol as i suck blood i will some mercy show follow me boy suivezvous le grand capitaine exeunt pistol and french soldier i did never know so full a voice issue from so empty a heart but the saying is true the empty vessel makes the greatest sound bardolph and nym had ten times more valour than this roaring devil i' the old play that every one may pare his nails with a wooden dagger and they are both hanged and so would this be if he durst steal any thing adventurously i must stay with the lackeys with the luggage of our camp the french might have a good prey of us if he knew of it for there is none to guard it but boys exit king henry v act iv scene v another part of the field enter constable orleans bourbon dauphin and rambures constable o diable orleans o seigneur le jour est perdu tout est perdu dauphin mort de ma vie all is confounded all reproach and everlasting shame sits mocking in our plumes o merchante fortune do not run away a short alarum constable why all our ranks are broke dauphin o perdurable shame let's stab ourselves be these the wretches that we play'd at dice for orleans is this the king we sent to for his ransom bourbon shame and eternal shame nothing but shame let us die in honour once more back again and he that will not follow bourbon now let him go hence and with his cap in hand like a base pander hold the chamberdoor whilst by a slave no gentler than my dog his fairest daughter is contaminated constable disorder that hath spoil'd us friend us now let us on heaps go offer up our lives orleans we are enow yet living in the field to smother up the english in our throngs if any order might be thought upon bourbon the devil take order now i'll to the throng let life be short else shame will be too long exeunt king henry v act iv scene vi another part of the field alarums enter king henry and forces exeter and others king henry v well have we done thrice valiant countrymen but all's not done yet keep the french the field exeter the duke of york commends him to your majesty king henry v lives he good uncle thrice within this hour i saw him down thrice up again and fighting from helmet to the spur all blood he was exeter in which array brave soldier doth he lie larding the plain and by his bloody side yokefellow to his honourowing wounds the noble earl of suffolk also lies suffolk first died and york all haggled over comes to him where in gore he lay insteep'd and takes him by the beard kisses the gashes that bloodily did spawn upon his face and cries aloud tarry dear cousin suffolk my soul shall thine keep company to heaven tarry sweet soul for mine then fly abreast as in this glorious and wellfoughten field we kept together in our chivalry' upon these words i came and cheer'd him up he smiled me in the face raught me his hand and with a feeble gripe says dear my lord commend my service to me sovereign' so did he turn and over suffolk's neck he threw his wounded arm and kiss'd his lips and so espoused to death with blood he seal'd a testament of nobleending love the pretty and sweet manner of it forced those waters from me which i would have stopp'd but i had not so much of man in me and all my mother came into mine eyes and gave me up to tears king henry v i blame you not for hearing this i must perforce compound with mistful eyes or they will issue too alarum but hark what new alarum is this same the french have reinforced their scatter'd men then every soldier kill his prisoners give the word through exeunt king henry v act iv scene vii another part of the field enter fluellen and gower fluellen kill the poys and the luggage tis expressly against the law of arms tis as arrant a piece of knavery mark you now as can be offer't in your conscience now is it not gower tis certain there's not a boy left alive and the cowardly rascals that ran from the battle ha done this slaughter besides they have burned and carried away all that was in the king's tent wherefore the king most worthily hath caused every soldier to cut his prisoner's throat o tis a gallant king fluellen ay he was porn at monmouth captain gower what call you the town's name where alexander the pig was born gower alexander the great fluellen why i pray you is not pig great the pig or the great or the mighty or the huge or the magnanimous are all one reckonings save the phrase is a little variations gower i think alexander the great was born in macedon his father was called philip of macedon as i take it fluellen i think it is in macedon where alexander is porn i tell you captain if you look in the maps of the orld i warrant you sall find in the comparisons between macedon and monmouth that the situations look you is both alike there is a river in macedon and there is also moreover a river at monmouth it is called wye at monmouth but it is out of my prains what is the name of the other river but tis all one tis alike as my fingers is to my fingers and there is salmons in both if you mark alexander's life well harry of monmouth's life is come after it indifferent well for there is figures in all things alexander god knows and you know in his rages and his furies and his wraths and his cholers and his moods and his displeasures and his indignations and also being a little intoxicates in his prains did in his ales and his angers look you kill his best friend cleitus gower our king is not like him in that he never killed any of his friends fluellen it is not well done mark you now take the tales out of my mouth ere it is made and finished i speak but in the figures and comparisons of it as alexander killed his friend cleitus being in his ales and his cups so also harry monmouth being in his right wits and his good judgments turned away the fat knight with the great bellydoublet he was full of jests and gipes and knaveries and mocks i have forgot his name gower sir john falstaff fluellen that is he i'll tell you there is good men porn at monmouth gower here comes his majesty alarum enter king henry and forces warwick gloucester exeter and others king henry v i was not angry since i came to france until this instant take a trumpet herald ride thou unto the horsemen on yon hill if they will fight with us bid them come down or void the field they do offend our sight if they'll do neither we will come to them and make them skirr away as swift as stones enforced from the old assyrian slings besides we'll cut the throats of those we have and not a man of them that we shall take shall taste our mercy go and tell them so enter montjoy exeter here comes the herald of the french my liege gloucester his eyes are humbler than they used to be king henry v how now what means this herald know'st thou not that i have fined these bones of mine for ransom comest thou again for ransom montjoy no great king i come to thee for charitable licence that we may wander o'er this bloody field to look our dead and then to bury them to sort our nobles from our common men for many of our princeswoe the while lie drown'd and soak'd in mercenary blood so do our vulgar drench their peasant limbs in blood of princes and their wounded steeds fret fetlock deep in gore and with wild rage yerk out their armed heels at their dead masters killing them twice o give us leave great king to view the field in safety and dispose of their dead bodies king henry v i tell thee truly herald i know not if the day be ours or no for yet a many of your horsemen peer and gallop o'er the field montjoy the day is yours king henry v praised be god and not our strength for it what is this castle call'd that stands hard by montjoy they call it agincourt king henry v then call we this the field of agincourt fought on the day of crispin crispianus fluellen your grandfather of famous memory an't please your majesty and your greatuncle edward the plack prince of wales as i have read in the chronicles fought a most prave pattle here in france king henry v they did fluellen fluellen your majesty says very true if your majesties is remembered of it the welshmen did good service in a garden where leeks did grow wearing leeks in their monmouth caps which your majesty know to this hour is an honourable badge of the service and i do believe your majesty takes no scorn to wear the leek upon saint tavy's day king henry v i wear it for a memorable honour for i am welsh you know good countryman fluellen all the water in wye cannot wash your majesty's welsh plood out of your pody i can tell you that god pless it and preserve it as long as it pleases his grace and his majesty too king henry v thanks good my countryman fluellen by jeshu i am your majesty's countryman i care not who know it i will confess it to all the orld i need not to be ashamed of your majesty praised be god so long as your majesty is an honest man king henry v god keep me so our heralds go with him bring me just notice of the numbers dead on both our parts call yonder fellow hither points to williams exeunt heralds with montjoy exeter soldier you must come to the king king henry v soldier why wearest thou that glove in thy cap williams an't please your majesty tis the gage of one that i should fight withal if he be alive king henry v an englishman williams an't please your majesty a rascal that swaggered with me last night who if alive and ever dare to challenge this glove i have sworn to take him a box o th ear or if i can see my glove in his cap which he swore as he was a soldier he would wear if alive i will strike it out soundly king henry v what think you captain fluellen is it fit this soldier keep his oath fluellen he is a craven and a villain else an't please your majesty in my conscience king henry v it may be his enemy is a gentleman of great sort quite from the answer of his degree fluellen though he be as good a gentleman as the devil is as lucifer and belzebub himself it is necessary look your grace that he keep his vow and his oath if he be perjured see you now his reputation is as arrant a villain and a jacksauce as ever his black shoe trod upon god's ground and his earth in my conscience la king henry v then keep thy vow sirrah when thou meetest the fellow williams so i will my liege as i live king henry v who servest thou under williams under captain gower my liege fluellen gower is a good captain and is good knowledge and literatured in the wars king henry v call him hither to me soldier williams i will my liege exit king henry v here fluellen wear thou this favour for me and stick it in thy cap when alencon and myself were down together i plucked this glove from his helm if any man challenge this he is a friend to alencon and an enemy to our person if thou encounter any such apprehend him an thou dost me love fluellen your grace doo's me as great honours as can be desired in the hearts of his subjects i would fain see the man that has but two legs that shall find himself aggrieved at this glove that is all but i would fain see it once an please god of his grace that i might see king henry v knowest thou gower fluellen he is my dear friend an please you king henry v pray thee go seek him and bring him to my tent fluellen i will fetch him exit king henry v my lord of warwick and my brother gloucester follow fluellen closely at the heels the glove which i have given him for a favour may haply purchase him a box o th ear it is the soldier's i by bargain should wear it myself follow good cousin warwick if that the soldier strike him as i judge by his blunt bearing he will keep his word some sudden mischief may arise of it for i do know fluellen valiant and touched with choler hot as gunpowder and quickly will return an injury follow and see there be no harm between them go you with me uncle of exeter exeunt king henry v act iv scene viii before king henry's pavilion enter gower and williams williams i warrant it is to knight you captain enter fluellen fluellen god's will and his pleasure captain i beseech you now come apace to the king there is more good toward you peradventure than is in your knowledge to dream of williams sir know you this glove fluellen know the glove i know the glove is glove williams i know this and thus i challenge it strikes him fluellen sblood an arrant traitor as any is in the universal world or in france or in england gower how now sir you villain williams do you think i'll be forsworn fluellen stand away captain gower i will give treason his payment into ploughs i warrant you williams i am no traitor fluellen that's a lie in thy throat i charge you in his majesty's name apprehend him he's a friend of the duke alencon's enter warwick and gloucester warwick how now how now what's the matter fluellen my lord of warwick here ispraised be god for it a most contagious treason come to light look you as you shall desire in a summer's day here is his majesty enter king henry and exeter king henry v how now what's the matter fluellen my liege here is a villain and a traitor that look your grace has struck the glove which your majesty is take out of the helmet of alencon williams my liege this was my glove here is the fellow of it and he that i gave it to in change promised to wear it in his cap i promised to strike him if he did i met this man with my glove in his cap and i have been as good as my word fluellen your majesty hear now saving your majesty's manhood what an arrant rascally beggarly lousy knave it is i hope your majesty is pear me testimony and witness and will avouchment that this is the glove of alencon that your majesty is give me in your conscience now king henry v give me thy glove soldier look here is the fellow of it twas i indeed thou promised'st to strike and thou hast given me most bitter terms fluellen an please your majesty let his neck answer for it if there is any martial law in the world king henry v how canst thou make me satisfaction williams all offences my lord come from the heart never came any from mine that might offend your majesty king henry v it was ourself thou didst abuse williams your majesty came not like yourself you appeared to me but as a common man witness the night your garments your lowliness and what your highness suffered under that shape i beseech you take it for your own fault and not mine for had you been as i took you for i made no offence therefore i beseech your highness pardon me king henry v here uncle exeter fill this glove with crowns and give it to this fellow keep it fellow and wear it for an honour in thy cap till i do challenge it give him the crowns and captain you must needs be friends with him fluellen by this day and this light the fellow has mettle enough in his belly hold there is twelve pence for you and i pray you to serve got and keep you out of prawls and prabbles and quarrels and dissensions and i warrant you it is the better for you williams i will none of your money fluellen it is with a good will i can tell you it will serve you to mend your shoes come wherefore should you be so pashful your shoes is not so good tis a good silling i warrant you or i will change it enter an english herald king henry v now herald are the dead number'd herald here is the number of the slaughter'd french king henry v what prisoners of good sort are taken uncle exeter charles duke of orleans nephew to the king john duke of bourbon and lord bouciqualt of other lords and barons knights and squires full fifteen hundred besides common men king henry v this note doth tell me of ten thousand french that in the field lie slain of princes in this number and nobles bearing banners there lie dead one hundred twenty six added to these of knights esquires and gallant gentlemen eight thousand and four hundred of the which five hundred were but yesterday dubb'd knights so that in these ten thousand they have lost there are but sixteen hundred mercenaries the rest are princes barons lords knights squires and gentlemen of blood and quality the names of those their nobles that lie dead charles delabreth high constable of france jaques of chatillon admiral of france the master of the crossbows lord rambures great master of france the brave sir guichard dolphin john duke of alencon anthony duke of brabant the brother of the duke of burgundy and edward duke of bar of lusty earls grandpre and roussi fauconberg and foix beaumont and marle vaudemont and lestrale here was a royal fellowship of death where is the number of our english dead herald shews him another paper edward the duke of york the earl of suffolk sir richard ketly davy gam esquire none else of name and of all other men but five and twenty o god thy arm was here and not to us but to thy arm alone ascribe we all when without stratagem but in plain shock and even play of battle was ever known so great and little loss on one part and on the other take it god for it is none but thine exeter tis wonderful king henry v come go we in procession to the village and be it death proclaimed through our host to boast of this or take the praise from god which is his only fluellen is it not lawful an please your majesty to tell how many is killed king henry v yes captain but with this acknowledgement that god fought for us fluellen yes my conscience he did us great good king henry v do we all holy rites let there be sung non nobis and te deum' the dead with charity enclosed in clay and then to calais and to england then where ne'er from france arrived more happy men exeunt king henry v act v prologue enter chorus chorus vouchsafe to those that have not read the story that i may prompt them and of such as have i humbly pray them to admit the excuse of time of numbers and due course of things which cannot in their huge and proper life be here presented now we bear the king toward calais grant him there there seen heave him away upon your winged thoughts athwart the sea behold the english beach pales in the flood with men with wives and boys whose shouts and claps outvoice the deep mouth'd sea which like a mighty whiffler fore the king seems to prepare his way so let him land and solemnly see him set on to london so swift a pace hath thought that even now you may imagine him upon blackheath where that his lords desire him to have borne his bruised helmet and his bended sword before him through the city he forbids it being free from vainness and selfglorious pride giving full trophy signal and ostent quite from himself to god but now behold in the quick forge and workinghouse of thought how london doth pour out her citizens the mayor and all his brethren in best sort like to the senators of the antique rome with the plebeians swarming at their heels go forth and fetch their conquering caesar in as by a lower but loving likelihood were now the general of our gracious empress as in good time he may from ireland coming bringing rebellion broached on his sword how many would the peaceful city quit to welcome him much more and much more cause did they this harry now in london place him as yet the lamentation of the french invites the king of england's stay at home the emperor's coming in behalf of france to order peace between them and omit all the occurrences whatever chanced till harry's backreturn again to france there must we bring him and myself have play'd the interim by remembering you tis past then brook abridgment and your eyes advance after your thoughts straight back again to france exit king henry v act v scene i france the english camp enter fluellen and gower gower nay that's right but why wear you your leek today saint davy's day is past fluellen there is occasions and causes why and wherefore in all things i will tell you asse my friend captain gower the rascally scald beggarly lousy pragging knave pistol which you and yourself and all the world know to be no petter than a fellow look you now of no merits he is come to me and prings me pread and salt yesterday look you and bid me eat my leek it was in place where i could not breed no contention with him but i will be so bold as to wear it in my cap till i see him once again and then i will tell him a little piece of my desires enter pistol gower why here he comes swelling like a turkeycock fluellen tis no matter for his swellings nor his turkeycocks god pless you aunchient pistol you scurvy lousy knave god pless you pistol ha art thou bedlam dost thou thirst base trojan to have me fold up parca's fatal web hence i am qualmish at the smell of leek fluellen i peseech you heartily scurvy lousy knave at my desires and my requests and my petitions to eat look you this leek because look you you do not love it nor your affections and your appetites and your digestions doo's not agree with it i would desire you to eat it pistol not for cadwallader and all his goats fluellen there is one goat for you strikes him will you be so good scauld knave as eat it pistol base trojan thou shalt die fluellen you say very true scauld knave when god's will is i will desire you to live in the mean time and eat your victuals come there is sauce for it strikes him you called me yesterday mountainsquire but i will make you today a squire of low degree i pray you fall to if you can mock a leek you can eat a leek gower enough captain you have astonished him fluellen i say i will make him eat some part of my leek or i will peat his pate four days bite i pray you it is good for your green wound and your ploody coxcomb pistol must i bite fluellen yes certainly and out of doubt and out of question too and ambiguities pistol by this leek i will most horribly revenge i eat and eat i swear fluellen eat i pray you will you have some more sauce to your leek there is not enough leek to swear by pistol quiet thy cudgel thou dost see i eat fluellen much good do you scauld knave heartily nay pray you throw none away the skin is good for your broken coxcomb when you take occasions to see leeks hereafter i pray you mock at em that is all pistol good fluellen ay leeks is good hold you there is a groat to heal your pate pistol me a groat fluellen yes verily and in truth you shall take it or i have another leek in my pocket which you shall eat pistol i take thy groat in earnest of revenge fluellen if i owe you any thing i will pay you in cudgels you shall be a woodmonger and buy nothing of me but cudgels god b wi you and keep you and heal your pate exit pistol all hell shall stir for this gower go go you are a counterfeit cowardly knave will you mock at an ancient tradition begun upon an honourable respect and worn as a memorable trophy of predeceased valour and dare not avouch in your deeds any of your words i have seen you gleeking and galling at this gentleman twice or thrice you thought because he could not speak english in the native garb he could not therefore handle an english cudgel you find it otherwise and henceforth let a welsh correction teach you a good english condition fare ye well exit pistol doth fortune play the huswife with me now news have i that my nell is dead i the spital of malady of france and there my rendezvous is quite cut off old i do wax and from my weary limbs honour is cudgelled well bawd i'll turn and something lean to cutpurse of quick hand to england will i steal and there i'll steal and patches will i get unto these cudgell'd scars and swear i got them in the gallia wars exit king henry v act v scene ii france a royal palace enter at one door king henry exeter bedford gloucester warwick westmoreland and other lords at another the french king queen isabel the princess katharine alice and other ladies the duke of burgundy and his train king henry v peace to this meeting wherefore we are met unto our brother france and to our sister health and fair time of day joy and good wishes to our most fair and princely cousin katharine and as a branch and member of this royalty by whom this great assembly is contrived we do salute you duke of burgundy and princes french and peers health to you all king of france right joyous are we to behold your face most worthy brother england fairly met so are you princes english every one queen isabel so happy be the issue brother england of this good day and of this gracious meeting as we are now glad to behold your eyes your eyes which hitherto have borne in them against the french that met them in their bent the fatal balls of murdering basilisks the venom of such looks we fairly hope have lost their quality and that this day shall change all griefs and quarrels into love king henry v to cry amen to that thus we appear queen isabel you english princes all i do salute you burgundy my duty to you both on equal love great kings of france and england that i have labour'd with all my wits my pains and strong endeavours to bring your most imperial majesties unto this bar and royal interview your mightiness on both parts best can witness since then my office hath so far prevail'd that face to face and royal eye to eye you have congreeted let it not disgrace me if i demand before this royal view what rub or what impediment there is why that the naked poor and mangled peace dear nurse of arts and joyful births should not in this best garden of the world our fertile france put up her lovely visage alas she hath from france too long been chased and all her husbandry doth lie on heaps corrupting in its own fertility her vine the merry cheerer of the heart unpruned dies her hedges evenpleach'd like prisoners wildly overgrown with hair put forth disorder'd twigs her fallow leas the darnel hemlock and rank fumitory doth root upon while that the coulter rusts that should deracinate such savagery the even mead that erst brought sweetly forth the freckled cowslip burnet and green clover wanting the scythe all uncorrected rank conceives by idleness and nothing teems but hateful docks rough thistles kecksies burs losing both beauty and utility and as our vineyards fallows meads and hedges defective in their natures grow to wildness even so our houses and ourselves and children have lost or do not learn for want of time the sciences that should become our country but grow like savagesas soldiers will that nothing do but meditate on blood to swearing and stern looks diffused attire and every thing that seems unnatural which to reduce into our former favour you are assembled and my speech entreats that i may know the let why gentle peace should not expel these inconveniences and bless us with her former qualities king henry v if duke of burgundy you would the peace whose want gives growth to the imperfections which you have cited you must buy that peace with full accord to all our just demands whose tenors and particular effects you have enscheduled briefly in your hands burgundy the king hath heard them to the which as yet there is no answer made king henry v well then the peace which you before so urged lies in his answer king of france i have but with a cursorary eye o'erglanced the articles pleaseth your grace to appoint some of your council presently to sit with us once more with better heed to resurvey them we will suddenly pass our accept and peremptory answer king henry v brother we shall go uncle exeter and brother clarence and you brother gloucester warwick and huntingdon go with the king and take with you free power to ratify augment or alter as your wisdoms best shall see advantageable for our dignity any thing in or out of our demands and we'll consign thereto will you fair sister go with the princes or stay here with us queen isabel our gracious brother i will go with them haply a woman's voice may do some good when articles too nicely urged be stood on king henry v yet leave our cousin katharine here with us she is our capital demand comprised within the forerank of our articles queen isabel she hath good leave exeunt all except henry katharine and alice king henry v fair katharine and most fair will you vouchsafe to teach a soldier terms such as will enter at a lady's ear and plead his lovesuit to her gentle heart katharine your majesty shall mock at me i cannot speak your england king henry v o fair katharine if you will love me soundly with your french heart i will be glad to hear you confess it brokenly with your english tongue do you like me kate katharine pardonnezmoi i cannot tell vat is like me' king henry v an angel is like you kate and you are like an angel katharine que ditil que je suis semblable a les anges alice oui vraiment sauf votre grace ainsi ditil king henry v i said so dear katharine and i must not blush to affirm it katharine o bon dieu les langues des hommes sont pleines de tromperies king henry v what says she fair one that the tongues of men are full of deceits alice oui dat de tongues of de mans is be full of deceits dat is de princess king henry v the princess is the better englishwoman i faith kate my wooing is fit for thy understanding i am glad thou canst speak no better english for if thou couldst thou wouldst find me such a plain king that thou wouldst think i had sold my farm to buy my crown i know no ways to mince it in love but directly to say i love you then if you urge me farther than to say do you in faith i wear out my suit give me your answer i faith do and so clap hands and a bargain how say you lady katharine sauf votre honneur me understand vell king henry v marry if you would put me to verses or to dance for your sake kate why you undid me for the one i have neither words nor measure and for the other i have no strength in measure yet a reasonable measure in strength if i could win a lady at leapfrog or by vaulting into my saddle with my armour on my back under the correction of bragging be it spoken i should quickly leap into a wife or if i might buffet for my love or bound my horse for her favours i could lay on like a butcher and sit like a jackanapes never off but before god kate i cannot look greenly nor gasp out my eloquence nor i have no cunning in protestation only downright oaths which i never use till urged nor never break for urging if thou canst love a fellow of this temper kate whose face is not worth sunburning that never looks in his glass for love of any thing he sees there let thine eye be thy cook i speak to thee plain soldier if thou canst love me for this take me if not to say to thee that i shall die is true but for thy love by the lord no yet i love thee too and while thou livest dear kate take a fellow of plain and uncoined constancy for he perforce must do thee right because he hath not the gift to woo in other places for these fellows of infinite tongue that can rhyme themselves into ladies favours they do always reason themselves out again what a speaker is but a prater a rhyme is but a ballad a good leg will fall a straight back will stoop a black beard will turn white a curled pate will grow bald a fair face will wither a full eye will wax hollow but a good heart kate is the sun and the moon or rather the sun and not the moon for it shines bright and never changes but keeps his course truly if thou would have such a one take me and take me take a soldier take a soldier take a king and what sayest thou then to my love speak my fair and fairly i pray thee katharine is it possible dat i sould love de enemy of france king henry v no it is not possible you should love the enemy of france kate but in loving me you should love the friend of france for i love france so well that i will not part with a village of it i will have it all mine and kate when france is mine and i am yours then yours is france and you are mine katharine i cannot tell vat is dat king henry v no kate i will tell thee in french which i am sure will hang upon my tongue like a newmarried wife about her husband's neck hardly to be shook off je quand sur le possession de france et quand vous avez le possession de moilet me see what then saint denis be my speeddonc votre est france et vous etes mienne it is as easy for me kate to conquer the kingdom as to speak so much more french i shall never move thee in french unless it be to laugh at me katharine sauf votre honneur le francois que vous parlez il est meilleur que l'anglois lequel je parle king henry v no faith is't not kate but thy speaking of my tongue and i thine most trulyfalsely must needs be granted to be much at one but kate dost thou understand thus much english canst thou love me katharine i cannot tell king henry v can any of your neighbours tell kate i'll ask them come i know thou lovest me and at night when you come into your closet you'll question this gentlewoman about me and i know kate you will to her dispraise those parts in me that you love with your heart but good kate mock me mercifully the rather gentle princess because i love thee cruelly if ever thou beest mine kate as i have a saving faith within me tells me thou shalt i get thee with scambling and thou must therefore needs prove a good soldierbreeder shall not thou and i between saint denis and saint george compound a boy half french half english that shall go to constantinople and take the turk by the beard shall we not what sayest thou my fair flowerdeluce katharine i do not know dat king henry v no tis hereafter to know but now to promise do but now promise kate you will endeavour for your french part of such a boy and for my english moiety take the word of a king and a bachelor how answer you la plus belle katharine du monde mon tres cher et devin deesse katharine your majestee ave fausse french enough to deceive de most sage demoiselle dat is en france king henry v now fie upon my false french by mine honour in true english i love thee kate by which honour i dare not swear thou lovest me yet my blood begins to flatter me that thou dost notwithstanding the poor and untempering effect of my visage now beshrew my father's ambition he was thinking of civil wars when he got me therefore was i created with a stubborn outside with an aspect of iron that when i come to woo ladies i fright them but in faith kate the elder i wax the better i shall appear my comfort is that old age that ill layer up of beauty can do no more spoil upon my face thou hast me if thou hast me at the worst and thou shalt wear me if thou wear me better and better and therefore tell me most fair katharine will you have me put off your maiden blushes avouch the thoughts of your heart with the looks of an empress take me by the hand and say harry of england i am thine which word thou shalt no sooner bless mine ear withal but i will tell thee aloud england is thine ireland is thine france is thine and harry plantagenet is thine who though i speak it before his face if he be not fellow with the best king thou shalt find the best king of good fellows come your answer in broken music for thy voice is music and thy english broken therefore queen of all katharine break thy mind to me in broken english wilt thou have me katharine dat is as it sall please de roi mon pere king henry v nay it will please him well kate it shall please him kate katharine den it sall also content me king henry v upon that i kiss your hand and i call you my queen katharine laissez mon seigneur laissez laissez ma foi je ne veux point que vous abaissiez votre grandeur en baisant la main d'une de votre seigeurie indigne serviteur excusezmoi je vous supplie mon trespuissant seigneur king henry v then i will kiss your lips kate katharine les dames et demoiselles pour etre baisees devant leur noces il n'est pas la coutume de france king henry v madam my interpreter what says she alice dat it is not be de fashion pour les ladies of francei cannot tell vat is baiser en anglish king henry v to kiss alice your majesty entendre bettre que moi king henry v it is not a fashion for the maids in france to kiss before they are married would she say alice oui vraiment king henry v o kate nice customs curtsy to great kings dear kate you and i cannot be confined within the weak list of a country's fashion we are the makers of manners kate and the liberty that follows our places stops the mouth of all findfaults as i will do yours for upholding the nice fashion of your country in denying me a kiss therefore patiently and yielding kissing her you have witchcraft in your lips kate there is more eloquence in a sugar touch of them than in the tongues of the french council and they should sooner persuade harry of england than a general petition of monarchs here comes your father reenter the french king and his queen burgundy and other lords burgundy god save your majesty my royal cousin teach you our princess english king henry v i would have her learn my fair cousin how perfectly i love her and that is good english burgundy is she not apt king henry v our tongue is rough coz and my condition is not smooth so that having neither the voice nor the heart of flattery about me i cannot so conjure up the spirit of love in her that he will appear in his true likeness burgundy pardon the frankness of my mirth if i answer you for that if you would conjure in her you must make a circle if conjure up love in her in his true likeness he must appear naked and blind can you blame her then being a maid yet rosed over with the virgin crimson of modesty if she deny the appearance of a naked blind boy in her naked seeing self it were my lord a hard condition for a maid to consign to king henry v yet they do wink and yield as love is blind and enforces burgundy they are then excused my lord when they see not what they do king henry v then good my lord teach your cousin to consent winking burgundy i will wink on her to consent my lord if you will teach her to know my meaning for maids well summered and warm kept are like flies at bartholomewtide blind though they have their eyes and then they will endure handling which before would not abide looking on king henry v this moral ties me over to time and a hot summer and so i shall catch the fly your cousin in the latter end and she must be blind too burgundy as love is my lord before it loves king henry v it is so and you may some of you thank love for my blindness who cannot see many a fair french city for one fair french maid that stands in my way french king yes my lord you see them perspectively the cities turned into a maid for they are all girdled with maiden walls that war hath never entered king henry v shall kate be my wife french king so please you king henry v i am content so the maiden cities you talk of may wait on her so the maid that stood in the way for my wish shall show me the way to my will french king we have consented to all terms of reason king henry v is't so my lords of england westmoreland the king hath granted every article his daughter first and then in sequel all according to their firm proposed natures exeter only he hath not yet subscribed this where your majesty demands that the king of france having any occasion to write for matter of grant shall name your highness in this form and with this addition in french notre trescher fils henri roi d'angleterre heritier de france and thus in latin praeclarissimus filius noster henricus rex angliae et haeres franciae french king nor this i have not brother so denied but your request shall make me let it pass king henry v i pray you then in love and dear alliance let that one article rank with the rest and thereupon give me your daughter french king take her fair son and from her blood raise up issue to me that the contending kingdoms of france and england whose very shores look pale with envy of each other's happiness may cease their hatred and this dear conjunction plant neighbourhood and christianlike accord in their sweet bosoms that never war advance his bleeding sword twixt england and fair france all amen king henry v now welcome kate and bear me witness all that here i kiss her as my sovereign queen flourish queen isabel god the best maker of all marriages combine your hearts in one your realms in one as man and wife being two are one in love so be there twixt your kingdoms such a spousal that never may ill office or fell jealousy which troubles oft the bed of blessed marriage thrust in between the paction of these kingdoms to make divorce of their incorporate league that english may as french french englishmen receive each other god speak this amen all amen king henry v prepare we for our marriageon which day my lord of burgundy we'll take your oath and all the peers for surety of our leagues then shall i swear to kate and you to me and may our oaths well kept and prosperous be sennet exeunt king henry v epilogue enter chorus chorus thus far with rough and allunable pen our bending author hath pursued the story in little room confining mighty men mangling by starts the full course of their glory small time but in that small most greatly lived this star of england fortune made his sword by which the world's best garden be achieved and of it left his son imperial lord henry the sixth in infant bands crown'd king of france and england did this king succeed whose state so many had the managing that they lost france and made his england bleed which oft our stage hath shown and for their sake in your fair minds let this acceptance take exit king henry viii dramatis personae king henry the eighth king henry viii cardinal wolsey cardinal campeius capucius ambassador from the emperor charles v cranmer archbishop of canterbury duke of norfolk norfolk duke of buckingham buckingham duke of suffolk suffolk earl of surrey surrey lord chamberlain chamberlain lord chancellor chancellor gardiner bishop of winchester bishop of lincoln lincoln lord abergavenny abergavenny lord sands sands sir henry guildford guildford sir thomas lovell lovell sir anthony denny denny sir nicholas vaux vaux secretaries to wolsey first secretary second secretary cromwell servant to wolsey griffith gentlemanusher to queen katharine three gentlemen first gentleman second gentleman third gentleman doctor butts physician to the king garter kingatarms garter surveyor to the duke of buckingham surveyor brandon a sergeantatarms sergeant doorkeeper of the councilchamber porter porter and his man man page to gardiner boy a crier crier queen katharine queen katharine wife to king henry afterwards divorced katharine anne bullen anne her maid of honour afterwards queen queen anne an old lady friend to anne bullen old lady patience woman to queen katharine several lords and ladies in the dumb shows women attending upon the queen scribes officers guards and other attendants spirits scribe keeper servant messenger scene london westminster kimbolton king henry viii the prologue i come no more to make you laugh things now that bear a weighty and a serious brow sad high and working full of state and woe such noble scenes as draw the eye to flow we now present those that can pity here may if they think it well let fall a tear the subject will deserve it such as give their money out of hope they may believe may here find truth too those that come to see only a show or two and so agree the play may pass if they be still and willing i'll undertake may see away their shilling richly in two short hours only they that come to hear a merry bawdy play a noise of targets or to see a fellow in a long motley coat guarded with yellow will be deceived for gentle hearers know to rank our chosen truth with such a show as fool and fight is beside forfeiting our own brains and the opinion that we bring to make that only true we now intend will leave us never an understanding friend therefore for goodness sake and as you are known the first and happiest hearers of the town be sad as we would make ye think ye see the very persons of our noble story as they were living think you see them great and follow'd with the general throng and sweat of thousand friends then in a moment see how soon this mightiness meets misery and if you can be merry then i'll say a man may weep upon his weddingday king henry viii act i scene i london an antechamber in the palace enter norfolk at one door at the other buckingham and abergavenny buckingham good morrow and well met how have ye done since last we saw in france norfolk i thank your grace healthful and ever since a fresh admirer of what i saw there buckingham an untimely ague stay'd me a prisoner in my chamber when those suns of glory those two lights of men met in the vale of andren norfolk twixt guynes and arde i was then present saw them salute on horseback beheld them when they lighted how they clung in their embracement as they grew together which had they what four throned ones could have weigh'd such a compounded one buckingham all the whole time i was my chamber's prisoner norfolk then you lost the view of earthly glory men might say till this time pomp was single but now married to one above itself each following day became the next day's master till the last made former wonders its today the french all clinquant all in gold like heathen gods shone down the english and tomorrow they made britain india every man that stood show'd like a mine their dwarfish pages were as cherubins all guilt the madams too not used to toil did almost sweat to bear the pride upon them that their very labour was to them as a painting now this masque was cried incomparable and the ensuing night made it a fool and beggar the two kings equal in lustre were now best now worst as presence did present them him in eye still him in praise and being present both twas said they saw but one and no discerner durst wag his tongue in censure when these suns for so they phrase emby their heralds challenged the noble spirits to arms they did perform beyond thought's compass that former fabulous story being now seen possible enough got credit that bevis was believed buckingham o you go far norfolk as i belong to worship and affect in honour honesty the tract of every thing would by a good discourser lose some life which action's self was tongue to all was royal to the disposing of it nought rebell'd order gave each thing view the office did distinctly his full function buckingham who did guide i mean who set the body and the limbs of this great sport together as you guess norfolk one certes that promises no element in such a business buckingham i pray you who my lord norfolk all this was order'd by the good discretion of the right reverend cardinal of york buckingham the devil speed him no man's pie is freed from his ambitious finger what had he to do in these fierce vanities i wonder that such a keech can with his very bulk take up the rays o the beneficial sun and keep it from the earth norfolk surely sir there's in him stuff that puts him to these ends for being not propp'd by ancestry whose grace chalks successors their way nor call'd upon for high feats done to the crown neither allied for eminent assistants but spiderlike out of his selfdrawing web he gives us note the force of his own merit makes his way a gift that heaven gives for him which buys a place next to the king abergavenny i cannot tell what heaven hath given himlet some graver eye pierce into that but i can see his pride peep through each part of him whence has he that if not from hell the devil is a niggard or has given all before and he begins a new hell in himself buckingham why the devil upon this french going out took he upon him without the privity o the king to appoint who should attend on him he makes up the file of all the gentry for the most part such to whom as great a charge as little honour he meant to lay upon and his own letter the honourable board of council out must fetch him in the papers abergavenny i do know kinsmen of mine three at the least that have by this so sickened their estates that never they shall abound as formerly buckingham o many have broke their backs with laying manors on em for this great journey what did this vanity but minister communication of a most poor issue norfolk grievingly i think the peace between the french and us not values the cost that did conclude it buckingham every man after the hideous storm that follow'd was a thing inspired and not consulting broke into a general prophecy that this tempest dashing the garment of this peace aboded the sudden breach on't norfolk which is budded out for france hath flaw'd the league and hath attach'd our merchants goods at bourdeaux abergavenny is it therefore the ambassador is silenced norfolk marry is't abergavenny a proper title of a peace and purchased at a superfluous rate buckingham why all this business our reverend cardinal carried norfolk like it your grace the state takes notice of the private difference betwixt you and the cardinal i advise you and take it from a heart that wishes towards you honour and plenteous safetythat you read the cardinal's malice and his potency together to consider further that what his high hatred would effect wants not a minister in his power you know his nature that he's revengeful and i know his sword hath a sharp edge it's long and t may be said it reaches far and where twill not extend thither he darts it bosom up my counsel you'll find it wholesome lo where comes that rock that i advise your shunning enter cardinal wolsey the purse borne before him certain of the guard and two secretaries with papers cardinal wolsey in his passage fixeth his eye on buckingham and buckingham on him both full of disdain cardinal wolsey the duke of buckingham's surveyor ha where's his examination first secretary here so please you cardinal wolsey is he in person ready first secretary ay please your grace cardinal wolsey well we shall then know more and buckingham shall lessen this big look exeunt cardinal wolsey and his train buckingham this butcher's cur is venommouth'd and i have not the power to muzzle him therefore best not wake him in his slumber a beggar's book outworths a noble's blood norfolk what are you chafed ask god for temperance that's the appliance only which your disease requires buckingham i read in's looks matter against me and his eye reviled me as his abject object at this instant he bores me with some trick he's gone to the king i'll follow and outstare him norfolk stay my lord and let your reason with your choler question what tis you go about to climb steep hills requires slow pace at first anger is like a fullhot horse who being allow'd his way selfmettle tires him not a man in england can advise me like you be to yourself as you would to your friend buckingham i'll to the king and from a mouth of honour quite cry down this ipswich fellow's insolence or proclaim there's difference in no persons norfolk be advised heat not a furnace for your foe so hot that it do singe yourself we may outrun by violent swiftness that which we run at and lose by overrunning know you not the fire that mounts the liquor til run o'er in seeming to augment it wastes it be advised i say again there is no english soul more stronger to direct you than yourself if with the sap of reason you would quench or but allay the fire of passion buckingham sir i am thankful to you and i'll go along by your prescription but this topproud fellow whom from the flow of gall i name not but from sincere motions by intelligence and proofs as clear as founts in july when we see each grain of gravel i do know to be corrupt and treasonous norfolk say not treasonous' buckingham to the king i'll say't and make my vouch as strong as shore of rock attend this holy fox or wolf or bothfor he is equal ravenous as he is subtle and as prone to mischief as able to perform't his mind and place infecting one another yea reciprocally only to show his pomp as well in france as here at home suggests the king our master to this last costly treaty the interview that swallow'd so much treasure and like a glass did break i the rinsing norfolk faith and so it did buckingham pray give me favour sir this cunning cardinal the articles o the combination drew as himself pleased and they were ratified as he cried thus let be to as much end as give a crutch to the dead but our countcardinal has done this and tis well for worthy wolsey who cannot err he did it now this follows which as i take it is a kind of puppy to the old dam treasoncharles the emperor under pretence to see the queen his aunt for twas indeed his colour but he came to whisper wolseyhere makes visitation his fears were that the interview betwixt england and france might through their amity breed him some prejudice for from this league peep'd harms that menaced him he privily deals with our cardinal and as i trow which i do well for i am sure the emperor paid ere he promised whereby his suit was granted ere it was ask'd but when the way was made and paved with gold the emperor thus desired that he would please to alter the king's course and break the foresaid peace let the king know as soon he shall by me that thus the cardinal does buy and sell his honour as he pleases and for his own advantage norfolk i am sorry to hear this of him and could wish he were something mistaken in't buckingham no not a syllable i do pronounce him in that very shape he shall appear in proof enter brandon a sergeantatarms before him and two or three of the guard brandon your office sergeant execute it sergeant sir my lord the duke of buckingham and earl of hereford stafford and northampton i arrest thee of high treason in the name of our most sovereign king buckingham lo you my lord the net has fall'n upon me i shall perish under device and practise brandon i am sorry to see you ta'en from liberty to look on the business present tis his highness pleasure you shall to the tower buckingham it will help me nothing to plead mine innocence for that dye is on me which makes my whitest part black the will of heaven be done in this and all things i obey o my lord abergavenny fare you well brandon nay he must bear you company the king to abergavenny is pleased you shall to the tower till you know how he determines further abergavenny as the duke said the will of heaven be done and the king's pleasure by me obey'd brandon here is a warrant from the king to attach lord montacute and the bodies of the duke's confessor john de la car one gilbert peck his chancellor buckingham so so these are the limbs o the plot no more i hope brandon a monk o the chartreux buckingham o nicholas hopkins brandon he buckingham my surveyor is false the o'ergreat cardinal hath show'd him gold my life is spann'd already i am the shadow of poor buckingham whose figure even this instant cloud puts on by darkening my clear sun my lord farewell exeunt king henry viii act i scene ii the same the councilchamber cornets enter king henry viii leaning on cardinal wolsey's shoulder the nobles and lovell cardinal wolsey places himself under king henry viii's feet on his right side king henry viii my life itself and the best heart of it thanks you for this great care i stood i the level of a fullcharged confederacy and give thanks to you that choked it let be call'd before us that gentleman of buckingham's in person i'll hear him his confessions justify and point by point the treasons of his master he shall again relate a noise within crying room for the queen enter queen katharine ushered by norfolk and suffolk she kneels king henry viii riseth from his state takes her up kisses and placeth her by him queen katharine nay we must longer kneel i am a suitor king henry viii arise and take place by us half your suit never name to us you have half our power the other moiety ere you ask is given repeat your will and take it queen katharine thank your majesty that you would love yourself and in that love not unconsider'd leave your honour nor the dignity of your office is the point of my petition king henry viii lady mine proceed queen katharine i am solicited not by a few and those of true condition that your subjects are in great grievance there have been commissions sent down among em which hath flaw'd the heart of all their loyalties wherein although my good lord cardinal they vent reproaches most bitterly on you as putter on of these exactions yet the king our master whose honour heaven shield from soileven he escapes not language unmannerly yea such which breaks the sides of loyalty and almost appears in loud rebellion norfolk not almost appears it doth appear for upon these taxations the clothiers all not able to maintain the many to them longing have put off the spinsters carders fullers weavers who unfit for other life compell'd by hunger and lack of other means in desperate manner daring the event to the teeth are all in uproar and danger serves among then king henry viii taxation wherein and what taxation my lord cardinal you that are blamed for it alike with us know you of this taxation cardinal wolsey please you sir i know but of a single part in aught pertains to the state and front but in that file where others tell steps with me queen katharine no my lord you know no more than others but you frame things that are known alike which are not wholesome to those which would not know them and yet must perforce be their acquaintance these exactions whereof my sovereign would have note they are most pestilent to the bearing and to bear em the back is sacrifice to the load they say they are devised by you or else you suffer too hard an exclamation king henry viii still exaction the nature of it in what kind let's know is this exaction queen katharine i am much too venturous in tempting of your patience but am bolden'd under your promised pardon the subjects grief comes through commissions which compel from each the sixth part of his substance to be levied without delay and the pretence for this is named your wars in france this makes bold mouths tongues spit their duties out and cold hearts freeze allegiance in them their curses now live where their prayers did and it's come to pass this tractable obedience is a slave to each incensed will i would your highness would give it quick consideration for there is no primer business king henry viii by my life this is against our pleasure cardinal wolsey and for me i have no further gone in this than by a single voice and that not pass'd me but by learned approbation of the judges if i am traduced by ignorant tongues which neither know my faculties nor person yet will be the chronicles of my doing let me say tis but the fate of place and the rough brake that virtue must go through we must not stint our necessary actions in the fear to cope malicious censurers which ever as ravenous fishes do a vessel follow that is newtrimm'd but benefit no further than vainly longing what we oft do best by sick interpreters once weak ones is not ours or not allow'd what worst as oft hitting a grosser quality is cried up for our best act if we shall stand still in fear our motion will be mock'd or carp'd at we should take root here where we sit or sit statestatues only king henry viii things done well and with a care exempt themselves from fear things done without example in their issue are to be fear'd have you a precedent of this commission i believe not any we must not rend our subjects from our laws and stick them in our will sixth part of each a trembling contribution why we take from every tree lop bark and part o the timber and though we leave it with a root thus hack'd the air will drink the sap to every county where this is question'd send our letters with free pardon to each man that has denied the force of this commission pray look to't i put it to your care cardinal wolsey a word with you to the secretary let there be letters writ to every shire of the king's grace and pardon the grieved commons hardly conceive of me let it be noised that through our intercession this revokement and pardon comes i shall anon advise you further in the proceeding exit secretary enter surveyor queen katharine i am sorry that the duke of buckingham is run in your displeasure king henry viii it grieves many the gentleman is learn'd and a most rare speaker to nature none more bound his training such that he may furnish and instruct great teachers and never seek for aid out of himself yet see when these so noble benefits shall prove not well disposed the mind growing once corrupt they turn to vicious forms ten times more ugly than ever they were fair this man so complete who was enroll'd mongst wonders and when we almost with ravish'd listening could not find his hour of speech a minute he my lady hath into monstrous habits put the graces that once were his and is become as black as if besmear'd in hell sit by us you shall hear this was his gentleman in trustof him things to strike honour sad bid him recount the forerecited practises whereof we cannot feel too little hear too much cardinal wolsey stand forth and with bold spirit relate what you most like a careful subject have collected out of the duke of buckingham king henry viii speak freely surveyor first it was usual with him every day it would infect his speech that if the king should without issue die he'll carry it so to make the sceptre his these very words i've heard him utter to his soninlaw lord abergavenny to whom by oath he menaced revenge upon the cardinal cardinal wolsey please your highness note this dangerous conception in this point not friended by by his wish to your high person his will is most malignant and it stretches beyond you to your friends queen katharine my learn'd lord cardinal deliver all with charity king henry viii speak on how grounded he his title to the crown upon our fail to this point hast thou heard him at any time speak aught surveyor he was brought to this by a vain prophecy of nicholas hopkins king henry viii what was that hopkins surveyor sir a chartreux friar his confessor who fed him every minute with words of sovereignty king henry viii how know'st thou this surveyor not long before your highness sped to france the duke being at the rose within the parish saint lawrence poultney did of me demand what was the speech among the londoners concerning the french journey i replied men fear'd the french would prove perfidious to the king's danger presently the duke said twas the fear indeed and that he doubted twould prove the verity of certain words spoke by a holy monk that oft says he hath sent to me wishing me to permit john de la car my chaplain a choice hour to hear from him a matter of some moment whom after under the confession's seal he solemnly had sworn that what he spoke my chaplain to no creature living but to me should utter with demure confidence this pausingly ensued neither the king nor's heirs tell you the duke shall prosper bid him strive to gain the love o the commonalty the duke shall govern england' queen katharine if i know you well you were the duke's surveyor and lost your office on the complaint o the tenants take good heed you charge not in your spleen a noble person and spoil your nobler soul i say take heed yes heartily beseech you king henry viii let him on go forward surveyor on my soul i'll speak but truth i told my lord the duke by the devil's illusions the monk might be deceived and that twas dangerous for him to ruminate on this so far until it forged him some design which being believed it was much like to do he answer'd tush it can do me no damage adding further that had the king in his last sickness fail'd the cardinal's and sir thomas lovell's heads should have gone off king henry viii ha what so rank ah ha there's mischief in this man canst thou say further surveyor i can my liege king henry viii proceed surveyor being at greenwich after your highness had reproved the duke about sir william blomer king henry viii i remember of such a time being my sworn servant the duke retain'd him his but on what hence surveyor if quoth he i for this had been committed as to the tower i thought i would have play'd the part my father meant to act upon the usurper richard who being at salisbury made suit to come in's presence which if granted as he made semblance of his duty would have put his knife to him' king henry viii a giant traitor cardinal wolsey now madam may his highness live in freedom and this man out of prison queen katharine god mend all king henry viii there's something more would out of thee what say'st surveyor after the duke his father with the knife' he stretch'd him and with one hand on his dagger another spread on's breast mounting his eyes he did discharge a horrible oath whose tenor waswere he evil used he would outgo his father by as much as a performance does an irresolute purpose king henry viii there's his period to sheathe his knife in us he is attach'd call him to present trial if he may find mercy in the law tis his if none let him not seek t of us by day and night he's traitor to the height exeunt king henry viii act i scene iii an antechamber in the palace enter chamberlain and sands chamberlain is't possible the spells of france should juggle men into such strange mysteries sands new customs though they be never so ridiculous nay let em be unmanly yet are follow'd chamberlain as far as i see all the good our english have got by the late voyage is but merely a fit or two o the face but they are shrewd ones for when they hold em you would swear directly their very noses had been counsellors to pepin or clotharius they keep state so sands they have all new legs and lame ones one would take it that never saw em pace before the spavin or springhalt reign'd among em chamberlain death my lord their clothes are after such a pagan cut too that sure they've worn out christendom enter lovell how now what news sir thomas lovell lovell faith my lord i hear of none but the new proclamation that's clapp'd upon the courtgate chamberlain what is't for lovell the reformation of our travell'd gallants that fill the court with quarrels talk and tailors chamberlain i'm glad tis there now i would pray our monsieurs to think an english courtier may be wise and never see the louvre lovell they must either for so run the conditions leave those remnants of fool and feather that they got in france with all their honourable point of ignorance pertaining thereunto as fights and fireworks abusing better men than they can be out of a foreign wisdom renouncing clean the faith they have in tennis and tall stockings short blister'd breeches and those types of travel and understand again like honest men or pack to their old playfellows there i take it they may cum privilegio wear away the lag end of their lewdness and be laugh'd at sands tis time to give em physic their diseases are grown so catching chamberlain what a loss our ladies will have of these trim vanities lovell ay marry there will be woe indeed lords the sly whoresons have got a speeding trick to lay down ladies a french song and a fiddle has no fellow sands the devil fiddle em i am glad they are going for sure there's no converting of em now an honest country lord as i am beaten a long time out of play may bring his plainsong and have an hour of hearing and by'r lady held current music too chamberlain well said lord sands your colt's tooth is not cast yet sands no my lord nor shall not while i have a stump chamberlain sir thomas whither were you agoing lovell to the cardinal's your lordship is a guest too chamberlain o tis true this night he makes a supper and a great one to many lords and ladies there will be the beauty of this kingdom i'll assure you lovell that churchman bears a bounteous mind indeed a hand as fruitful as the land that feeds us his dews fall every where chamberlain no doubt he's noble he had a black mouth that said other of him sands he may my lord has wherewithal in him sparing would show a worse sin than ill doctrine men of his way should be most liberal they are set here for examples chamberlain true they are so but few now give so great ones my barge stays your lordship shall along come good sir thomas we shall be late else which i would not be for i was spoke to with sir henry guildford this night to be comptrollers sands i am your lordship's exeunt king henry viii act i scene iv a hall in york place hautboys a small table under a state for cardinal wolsey a longer table for the guests then enter anne and divers other ladies and gentlemen as guests at one door at another door enter guildford guildford ladies a general welcome from his grace salutes ye all this night he dedicates to fair content and you none here he hopes in all this noble bevy has brought with her one care abroad he would have all as merry as first good company good wine good welcome can make good people o my lord you're tardy enter chamberlain sands and lovell the very thought of this fair company clapp'd wings to me chamberlain you are young sir harry guildford sands sir thomas lovell had the cardinal but half my lay thoughts in him some of these should find a running banquet ere they rested i think would better please em by my life they are a sweet society of fair ones lovell o that your lordship were but now confessor to one or two of these sands i would i were they should find easy penance lovell faith how easy sands as easy as a downbed would afford it chamberlain sweet ladies will it please you sit sir harry place you that side i'll take the charge of this his grace is entering nay you must not freeze two women placed together makes cold weather my lord sands you are one will keep em waking pray sit between these ladies sands by my faith and thank your lordship by your leave sweet ladies if i chance to talk a little wild forgive me i had it from my father anne was he mad sir sands o very mad exceeding mad in love too but he would bite none just as i do now he would kiss you twenty with a breath kisses her chamberlain well said my lord so now you're fairly seated gentlemen the penance lies on you if these fair ladies pass away frowning sands for my little cure let me alone hautboys enter cardinal wolsey and takes his state cardinal wolsey you're welcome my fair guests that noble lady or gentleman that is not freely merry is not my friend this to confirm my welcome and to you all good health drinks sands your grace is noble let me have such a bowl may hold my thanks and save me so much talking cardinal wolsey my lord sands i am beholding to you cheer your neighbours ladies you are not merry gentlemen whose fault is this sands the red wine first must rise in their fair cheeks my lord then we shall have em talk us to silence anne you are a merry gamester my lord sands sands yes if i make my play here's to your ladyship and pledge it madam for tis to such a thing anne you cannot show me sands i told your grace they would talk anon drum and trumpet chambers discharged cardinal wolsey what's that chamberlain look out there some of ye exit servant cardinal wolsey what warlike voice and to what end is this nay ladies fear not by all the laws of war you're privileged reenter servant chamberlain how now what is't servant a noble troop of strangers for so they seem they've left their barge and landed and hither make as great ambassadors from foreign princes cardinal wolsey good lord chamberlain go give em welcome you can speak the french tongue and pray receive em nobly and conduct em into our presence where this heaven of beauty shall shine at full upon them some attend him exit chamberlain attended all rise and tables removed you have now a broken banquet but we'll mend it a good digestion to you all and once more i shower a welcome on ye welcome all hautboys enter king henry viii and others as masquers habited like shepherds ushered by the chamberlain they pass directly before cardinal wolsey and gracefully salute him a noble company what are their pleasures chamberlain because they speak no english thus they pray'd to tell your grace that having heard by fame of this so noble and so fair assembly this night to meet here they could do no less out of the great respect they bear to beauty but leave their flocks and under your fair conduct crave leave to view these ladies and entreat an hour of revels with em cardinal wolsey say lord chamberlain they have done my poor house grace for which i pay em a thousand thanks and pray em take their pleasures they choose ladies for the dance king henry viii chooses anne king henry viii the fairest hand i ever touch'd o beauty till now i never knew thee music dance cardinal wolsey my lord chamberlain your grace cardinal wolsey pray tell em thus much from me there should be one amongst em by his person more worthy this place than myself to whom if i but knew him with my love and duty i would surrender it chamberlain i will my lord whispers the masquers cardinal wolsey what say they chamberlain such a one they all confess there is indeed which they would have your grace find out and he will take it cardinal wolsey let me see then by all your good leaves gentlemen here i'll make my royal choice king henry viii ye have found him cardinal unmasking you hold a fair assembly you do well lord you are a churchman or i'll tell you cardinal i should judge now unhappily cardinal wolsey i am glad your grace is grown so pleasant king henry viii my lord chamberlain prithee come hither what fair lady's that chamberlain an't please your grace sir thomas bullen's daughter the viscount rochfordone of her highness women king henry viii by heaven she is a dainty one sweetheart i were unmannerly to take you out and not to kiss you a health gentlemen let it go round cardinal wolsey sir thomas lovell is the banquet ready i the privy chamber lovell yes my lord cardinal wolsey your grace i fear with dancing is a little heated king henry viii i fear too much cardinal wolsey there's fresher air my lord in the next chamber king henry viii lead in your ladies every one sweet partner i must not yet forsake you let's be merry good my lord cardinal i have half a dozen healths to drink to these fair ladies and a measure to lead em once again and then let's dream who's best in favour let the music knock it exeunt with trumpets king henry viii act ii scene i westminster a street enter two gentlemen meeting first gentleman whither away so fast second gentleman o god save ye even to the hall to hear what shall become of the great duke of buckingham first gentleman i'll save you that labour sir all's now done but the ceremony of bringing back the prisoner second gentleman were you there first gentleman yes indeed was i second gentleman pray speak what has happen'd first gentleman you may guess quickly what second gentleman is he found guilty first gentleman yes truly is he and condemn'd upon't second gentleman i am sorry for't first gentleman so are a number more second gentleman but pray how pass'd it first gentleman i'll tell you in a little the great duke came to the bar where to his accusations he pleaded still not guilty and alleged many sharp reasons to defeat the law the king's attorney on the contrary urged on the examinations proofs confessions of divers witnesses which the duke desired to have brought viva voce to his face at which appear'd against him his surveyor sir gilbert peck his chancellor and john car confessor to him with that devilmonk hopkins that made this mischief second gentleman that was he that fed him with his prophecies first gentleman the same all these accused him strongly which he fain would have flung from him but indeed he could not and so his peers upon this evidence have found him guilty of high treason much he spoke and learnedly for life but all was either pitied in him or forgotten second gentleman after all this how did he bear himself first gentleman when he was brought again to the bar to hear his knell rung out his judgment he was stirr'd with such an agony he sweat extremely and something spoke in choler ill and hasty but he fell to himself again and sweetly in all the rest show'd a most noble patience second gentleman i do not think he fears death first gentleman sure he does not he never was so womanish the cause he may a little grieve at second gentleman certainly the cardinal is the end of this first gentleman tis likely by all conjectures first kildare's attainder then deputy of ireland who removed earl surrey was sent thither and in haste too lest he should help his father second gentleman that trick of state was a deep envious one first gentleman at his return no doubt he will requite it this is noted and generally whoever the king favours the cardinal instantly will find employment and far enough from court too second gentleman all the commons hate him perniciously and o my conscience wish him ten fathom deep this duke as much they love and dote on call him bounteous buckingham the mirror of all courtesy first gentleman stay there sir and see the noble ruin'd man you speak of enter buckingham from his arraignment tipstaves before him the axe with the edge towards him halberds on each side accompanied with lovell vaux sands and common people second gentleman let's stand close and behold him buckingham all good people you that thus far have come to pity me hear what i say and then go home and lose me i have this day received a traitor's judgment and by that name must die yet heaven bear witness and if i have a conscience let it sink me even as the axe falls if i be not faithful the law i bear no malice for my death t has done upon the premises but justice but those that sought it i could wish more christians be what they will i heartily forgive em yet let em look they glory not in mischief nor build their evils on the graves of great men for then my guiltless blood must cry against em for further life in this world i ne'er hope nor will i sue although the king have mercies more than i dare make faults you few that loved me and dare be bold to weep for buckingham his noble friends and fellows whom to leave is only bitter to him only dying go with me like good angels to my end and as the long divorce of steel falls on me make of your prayers one sweet sacrifice and lift my soul to heaven lead on o god's name lovell i do beseech your grace for charity if ever any malice in your heart were hid against me now to forgive me frankly buckingham sir thomas lovell i as free forgive you as i would be forgiven i forgive all there cannot be those numberless offences gainst me that i cannot take peace with no black envy shall mark my grave commend me to his grace and if he speak of buckingham pray tell him you met him half in heaven my vows and prayers yet are the king's and till my soul forsake shall cry for blessings on him may he live longer than i have time to tell his years ever beloved and loving may his rule be and when old time shall lead him to his end goodness and he fill up one monument lovell to the water side i must conduct your grace then give my charge up to sir nicholas vaux who undertakes you to your end vaux prepare there the duke is coming see the barge be ready and fit it with such furniture as suits the greatness of his person buckingham nay sir nicholas let it alone my state now will but mock me when i came hither i was lord high constable and duke of buckingham now poor edward bohun yet i am richer than my base accusers that never knew what truth meant i now seal it and with that blood will make em one day groan for't my noble father henry of buckingham who first raised head against usurping richard flying for succor to his servant banister being distress'd was by that wretch betray'd and without trial fell god's peace be with him henry the seventh succeeding truly pitying my father's loss like a most royal prince restored me to my honours and out of ruins made my name once more noble now his son henry the eighth life honour name and all that made me happy at one stroke has taken for ever from the world i had my trial and must needs say a noble one which makes me a little happier than my wretched father yet thus far we are one in fortunes both fell by our servants by those men we loved most a most unnatural and faithless service heaven has an end in all yet you that hear me this from a dying man receive as certain where you are liberal of your loves and counsels be sure you be not loose for those you make friends and give your hearts to when they once perceive the least rub in your fortunes fall away like water from ye never found again but where they mean to sink ye all good people pray for me i must now forsake ye the last hour of my long weary life is come upon me farewell and when you would say something that is sad speak how i fell i have done and god forgive me exeunt buckingham and train first gentleman o this is full of pity sir it calls i fear too many curses on their beads that were the authors second gentleman if the duke be guiltless tis full of woe yet i can give you inkling of an ensuing evil if it fall greater than this first gentleman good angels keep it from us what may it be you do not doubt my faith sir second gentleman this secret is so weighty twill require a strong faith to conceal it first gentleman let me have it i do not talk much second gentleman i am confident you shall sir did you not of late days hear a buzzing of a separation between the king and katharine first gentleman yes but it held not for when the king once heard it out of anger he sent command to the lord mayor straight to stop the rumor and allay those tongues that durst disperse it second gentleman but that slander sir is found a truth now for it grows again fresher than e'er it was and held for certain the king will venture at it either the cardinal or some about him near have out of malice to the good queen possess'd him with a scruple that will undo her to confirm this too cardinal campeius is arrived and lately as all think for this business first gentleman tis the cardinal and merely to revenge him on the emperor for not bestowing on him at his asking the archbishopric of toledo this is purposed second gentleman i think you have hit the mark but is't not cruel that she should feel the smart of this the cardinal will have his will and she must fall first gentleman tis woful we are too open here to argue this let's think in private more exeunt king henry viii act ii scene ii an antechamber in the palace enter chamberlain reading a letter chamberlain my lord the horses your lordship sent for with all the care i had i saw well chosen ridden and furnished they were young and handsome and of the best breed in the north when they were ready to set out for london a man of my lord cardinal's by commission and main power took em from me with this reason his master would be served before a subject if not before the king which stopped our mouths sir' i fear he will indeed well let him have them he will have all i think enter to chamberlain norfolk and suffolk norfolk well met my lord chamberlain chamberlain good day to both your graces suffolk how is the king employ'd chamberlain i left him private full of sad thoughts and troubles norfolk what's the cause chamberlain it seems the marriage with his brother's wife has crept too near his conscience suffolk no his conscience has crept too near another lady norfolk tis so this is the cardinal's doing the kingcardinal that blind priest like the eldest son of fortune turns what he list the king will know him one day suffolk pray god he do he'll never know himself else norfolk how holily he works in all his business and with what zeal for now he has crack'd the league between us and the emperor the queen's great nephew he dives into the king's soul and there scatters dangers doubts wringing of the conscience fears and despairs and all these for his marriage and out of all these to restore the king he counsels a divorce a loss of her that like a jewel has hung twenty years about his neck yet never lost her lustre of her that loves him with that excellence that angels love good men with even of her that when the greatest stroke of fortune falls will bless the king and is not this course pious chamberlain heaven keep me from such counsel tis most true these news are every where every tongue speaks em and every true heart weeps for't all that dare look into these affairs see this main end the french king's sister heaven will one day open the king's eyes that so long have slept upon this bold bad man suffolk and free us from his slavery norfolk we had need pray and heartily for our deliverance or this imperious man will work us all from princes into pages all men's honours lie like one lump before him to be fashion'd into what pitch he please suffolk for me my lords i love him not nor fear him there's my creed as i am made without him so i'll stand if the king please his curses and his blessings touch me alike they're breath i not believe in i knew him and i know him so i leave him to him that made him proud the pope norfolk let's in and with some other business put the king from these sad thoughts that work too much upon him my lord you'll bear us company chamberlain excuse me the king has sent me otherwhere besides you'll find a most unfit time to disturb him health to your lordships norfolk thanks my good lord chamberlain exit chamberlain and king henry viii draws the curtain and sits reading pensively suffolk how sad he looks sure he is much afflicted king henry viii who's there ha norfolk pray god he be not angry king henry viii who's there i say how dare you thrust yourselves into my private meditations who am i ha norfolk a gracious king that pardons all offences malice ne'er meant our breach of duty this way is business of estate in which we come to know your royal pleasure king henry viii ye are too bold go to i'll make ye know your times of business is this an hour for temporal affairs ha enter cardinal wolsey and cardinal campeius with a commission who's there my good lord cardinal o my wolsey the quiet of my wounded conscience thou art a cure fit for a king to cardinal campeius you're welcome most learned reverend sir into our kingdom use us and it to cardinal wolsey my good lord have great care i be not found a talker cardinal wolsey sir you cannot i would your grace would give us but an hour of private conference king henry viii to norfolk and suffolk we are busy go norfolk aside to suffolk this priest has no pride in him suffolk aside to norfolk not to speak of i would not be so sick though for his place but this cannot continue norfolk aside to suffolk if it do i'll venture one haveathim suffolk aside to norfolk i another exeunt norfolk and suffolk cardinal wolsey your grace has given a precedent of wisdom above all princes in committing freely your scruple to the voice of christendom who can be angry now what envy reach you the spaniard tied blood and favour to her must now confess if they have any goodness the trial just and noble all the clerks i mean the learned ones in christian kingdoms have their free voices rome the nurse of judgment invited by your noble self hath sent one general tongue unto us this good man this just and learned priest cardinal campeius whom once more i present unto your highness king henry viii and once more in mine arms i bid him welcome and thank the holy conclave for their loves they have sent me such a man i would have wish'd for cardinal campeius your grace must needs deserve all strangers loves you are so noble to your highness hand i tender my commission by whose virtue the court of rome commanding you my lord cardinal of york are join'd with me their servant in the unpartial judging of this business king henry viii two equal men the queen shall be acquainted forthwith for what you come where's gardiner cardinal wolsey i know your majesty has always loved her so dear in heart not to deny her that a woman of less place might ask by law scholars allow'd freely to argue for her king henry viii ay and the best she shall have and my favour to him that does best god forbid else cardinal prithee call gardiner to me my new secretary i find him a fit fellow exit cardinal wolsey reenter cardinal wolsey with gardiner cardinal wolsey aside to gardiner give me your hand much joy and favour to you you are the king's now gardiner aside to cardinal wolsey but to be commanded for ever by your grace whose hand has raised me king henry viii come hither gardiner walks and whispers cardinal campeius my lord of york was not one doctor pace in this man's place before him cardinal wolsey yes he was cardinal campeius was he not held a learned man cardinal wolsey yes surely cardinal campeius believe me there's an ill opinion spread then even of yourself lord cardinal cardinal wolsey how of me cardinal campeius they will not stick to say you envied him and fearing he would rise he was so virtuous kept him a foreign man still which so grieved him that he ran mad and died cardinal wolsey heaven's peace be with him that's christian care enough for living murmurers there's places of rebuke he was a fool for he would needs be virtuous that good fellow if i command him follows my appointment i will have none so near else learn this brother we live not to be grip'd by meaner persons king henry viii deliver this with modesty to the queen exit gardiner the most convenient place that i can think of for such receipt of learning is blackfriars there ye shall meet about this weighty business my wolsey see it furnish'd o my lord would it not grieve an able man to leave so sweet a bedfellow but conscience conscience o tis a tender place and i must leave her exeunt king henry viii act ii scene iii an antechamber of the queen's apartments enter anne and an old lady anne not for that neither here's the pang that pinches his highness having lived so long with her and she so good a lady that no tongue could ever pronounce dishonour of her by my life she never knew harmdoing o now after so many courses of the sun enthroned still growing in a majesty and pomp the which to leave a thousandfold more bitter than tis sweet at first to acquireafter this process to give her the avaunt it is a pity would move a monster old lady hearts of most hard temper melt and lament for her anne o god's will much better she ne'er had known pomp though't be temporal yet if that quarrel fortune do divorce it from the bearer tis a sufferance panging as soul and body's severing old lady alas poor lady she's a stranger now again anne so much the more must pity drop upon her verily i swear tis better to be lowly born and range with humble livers in content than to be perk'd up in a glistering grief and wear a golden sorrow old lady our content is our best having anne by my troth and maidenhead i would not be a queen old lady beshrew me i would and venture maidenhead for't and so would you for all this spice of your hypocrisy you that have so fair parts of woman on you have too a woman's heart which ever yet affected eminence wealth sovereignty which to say sooth are blessings and which gifts saving your mincing the capacity of your soft cheveril conscience would receive if you might please to stretch it anne nay good troth old lady yes troth and troth you would not be a queen anne no not for all the riches under heaven old lady tis strange a threepence bow'd would hire me old as i am to queen it but i pray you what think you of a duchess have you limbs to bear that load of title anne no in truth old lady then you are weakly made pluck off a little i would not be a young count in your way for more than blushing comes to if your back cannot vouchsafe this burthen'tis too weak ever to get a boy anne how you do talk i swear again i would not be a queen for all the world old lady in faith for little england you'ld venture an emballing i myself would for carnarvonshire although there long'd no more to the crown but that lo who comes here enter chamberlain chamberlain good morrow ladies what were't worth to know the secret of your conference anne my good lord not your demand it values not your asking our mistress sorrows we were pitying chamberlain it was a gentle business and becoming the action of good women there is hope all will be well anne now i pray god amen chamberlain you bear a gentle mind and heavenly blessings follow such creatures that you may fair lady perceive i speak sincerely and high note's ta'en of your many virtues the king's majesty commends his good opinion of you and does purpose honour to you no less flowing than marchioness of pembroke to which title a thousand pound a year annual support out of his grace he adds anne i do not know what kind of my obedience i should tender more than my all is nothing nor my prayers are not words duly hallow'd nor my wishes more worth than empty vanities yet prayers and wishes are all i can return beseech your lordship vouchsafe to speak my thanks and my obedience as from a blushing handmaid to his highness whose health and royalty i pray for chamberlain lady i shall not fail to approve the fair conceit the king hath of you aside i have perused her well beauty and honour in her are so mingled that they have caught the king and who knows yet but from this lady may proceed a gem to lighten all this isle i'll to the king and say i spoke with you exit chamberlain anne my honour'd lord old lady why this it is see see i have been begging sixteen years in court am yet a courtier beggarly nor could come pat betwixt too early and too late for any suit of pounds and you o fate a very freshfish herefie fie fie upon this compell'd fortunehave your mouth fill'd up before you open it anne this is strange to me old lady how tastes it is it bitter forty pence no there was a lady once tis an old story that would not be a queen that would she not for all the mud in egypt have you heard it anne come you are pleasant old lady with your theme i could o'ermount the lark the marchioness of pembroke a thousand pounds a year for pure respect no other obligation by my life that promises moe thousands honour's train is longer than his foreskirt by this time i know your back will bear a duchess say are you not stronger than you were anne good lady make yourself mirth with your particular fancy and leave me out on't would i had no being if this salute my blood a jot it faints me to think what follows the queen is comfortless and we forgetful in our long absence pray do not deliver what here you've heard to her old lady what do you think me exeunt king henry viii act ii scene iv a hall in blackfriars trumpets sennet and cornets enter two vergers with short silver wands next them two scribes in the habit of doctors after them canterbury alone after him lincoln ely rochester and saint asaph next them with some small distance follows a gentleman bearing the purse with the great seal and a cardinal's hat then two priests bearing each a silver cross then a gentlemanusher bareheaded accompanied with a sergeantatarms bearing a silver mace then two gentlemen bearing two great silver pillars after them side by side cardinal wolsey and cardinal campeius two noblemen with the sword and mace king henry viii takes place under the cloth of state cardinal wolsey and cardinal campeius sit under him as judges queen katharine takes place some distance from king henry viii the bishops place themselves on each side the court in manner of a consistory below them the scribes the lords sit next the bishops the rest of the attendants stand in convenient order about the stage cardinal wolsey whilst our commission from rome is read let silence be commanded king henry viii what's the need it hath already publicly been read and on all sides the authority allow'd you may then spare that time cardinal wolsey be't so proceed scribe say henry king of england come into the court crier henry king of england &c king henry viii here scribe say katharine queen of england come into the court crier katharine queen of england &c queen katharine makes no answer rises out of her chair goes about the court comes to king henry viii and kneels at his feet then speaks queen katharine sir i desire you do me right and justice and to bestow your pity on me for i am a most poor woman and a stranger born out of your dominions having here no judge indifferent nor no more assurance of equal friendship and proceeding alas sir in what have i offended you what cause hath my behavior given to your displeasure that thus you should proceed to put me off and take your good grace from me heaven witness i have been to you a true and humble wife at all times to your will conformable ever in fear to kindle your dislike yea subject to your countenance glad or sorry as i saw it inclined when was the hour i ever contradicted your desire or made it not mine too or which of your friends have i not strove to love although i knew he were mine enemy what friend of mine that had to him derived your anger did i continue in my liking nay gave notice he was from thence discharged sir call to mind that i have been your wife in this obedience upward of twenty years and have been blest with many children by you if in the course and process of this time you can report and prove it too against mine honour aught my bond to wedlock or my love and duty against your sacred person in god's name turn me away and let the foul'st contempt shut door upon me and so give me up to the sharp'st kind of justice please you sir the king your father was reputed for a prince most prudent of an excellent and unmatch'd wit and judgment ferdinand my father king of spain was reckon'd one the wisest prince that there had reign'd by many a year before it is not to be question'd that they had gather'd a wise council to them of every realm that did debate this business who deem'd our marriage lawful wherefore i humbly beseech you sir to spare me till i may be by my friends in spain advised whose counsel i will implore if not i the name of god your pleasure be fulfill'd cardinal wolsey you have here lady and of your choice these reverend fathers men of singular integrity and learning yea the elect o the land who are assembled to plead your cause it shall be therefore bootless that longer you desire the court as well for your own quiet as to rectify what is unsettled in the king cardinal campeius his grace hath spoken well and justly therefore madam it's fit this royal session do proceed and that without delay their arguments be now produced and heard queen katharine lord cardinal to you i speak cardinal wolsey your pleasure madam queen katharine sir i am about to weep but thinking that we are a queen or long have dream'd so certain the daughter of a king my drops of tears i'll turn to sparks of fire cardinal wolsey be patient yet queen katharine i will when you are humble nay before or god will punish me i do believe induced by potent circumstances that you are mine enemy and make my challenge you shall not be my judge for it is you have blown this coal betwixt my lord and me which god's dew quench therefore i say again i utterly abhor yea from my soul refuse you for my judge whom yet once more i hold my most malicious foe and think not at all a friend to truth cardinal wolsey i do profess you speak not like yourself who ever yet have stood to charity and display'd the effects of disposition gentle and of wisdom o'ertopping woman's power madam you do me wrong i have no spleen against you nor injustice for you or any how far i have proceeded or how far further shall is warranted by a commission from the consistory yea the whole consistory of rome you charge me that i have blown this coal i do deny it the king is present if it be known to him that i gainsay my deed how may he wound and worthily my falsehood yea as much as you have done my truth if he know that i am free of your report he knows i am not of your wrong therefore in him it lies to cure me and the cure is to remove these thoughts from you the which before his highness shall speak in i do beseech you gracious madam to unthink your speaking and to say so no more queen katharine my lord my lord i am a simple woman much too weak to oppose your cunning you're meek and humblemouth'd you sign your place and calling in full seeming with meekness and humility but your heart is cramm'd with arrogancy spleen and pride you have by fortune and his highness favours gone slightly o'er low steps and now are mounted where powers are your retainers and your words domestics to you serve your will as't please yourself pronounce their office i must tell you you tender more your person's honour than your high profession spiritual that again i do refuse you for my judge and here before you all appeal unto the pope to bring my whole cause fore his holiness and to be judged by him she curtsies to king henry viii and offers to depart cardinal campeius the queen is obstinate stubborn to justice apt to accuse it and disdainful to be tried by't tis not well she's going away king henry viii call her again crier katharine queen of england come into the court griffith madam you are call'd back queen katharine what need you note it pray you keep your way when you are call'd return now the lord help they vex me past my patience pray you pass on i will not tarry no nor ever more upon this business my appearance make in any of their courts exeunt queen katharine and her attendants king henry viii go thy ways kate that man i the world who shall report he has a better wife let him in nought be trusted for speaking false in that thou art alone if thy rare qualities sweet gentleness thy meekness saintlike wifelike government obeying in commanding and thy parts sovereign and pious else could speak thee out the queen of earthly queens she's noble born and like her true nobility she has carried herself towards me cardinal wolsey most gracious sir in humblest manner i require your highness that it shall please you to declare in hearing of all these earsfor where i am robb'd and bound there must i be unloosed although not there at once and fully satisfiedwhether ever i did broach this business to your highness or laid any scruple in your way which might induce you to the question on't or ever have to you but with thanks to god for such a royal lady spake one the least word that might be to the prejudice of her present state or touch of her good person king henry viii my lord cardinal i do excuse you yea upon mine honour i free you from't you are not to be taught that you have many enemies that know not why they are so but like to villagecurs bark when their fellows do by some of these the queen is put in anger you're excused but will you be more justified you ever have wish'd the sleeping of this business never desired it to be stirr'd but oft have hinder'd oft the passages made toward it on my honour i speak my good lord cardinal to this point and thus far clear him now what moved me to't i will be bold with time and your attention then mark the inducement thus it came give heed to't my conscience first received a tenderness scruple and prick on certain speeches utter'd by the bishop of bayonne then french ambassador who had been hither sent on the debating a marriage twixt the duke of orleans and our daughter mary i the progress of this business ere a determinate resolution he i mean the bishop did require a respite wherein he might the king his lord advertise whether our daughter were legitimate respecting this our marriage with the dowager sometimes our brother's wife this respite shook the bosom of my conscience enter'd me yea with a splitting power and made to tremble the region of my breast which forced such way that many mazed considerings did throng and press'd in with this caution first methought i stood not in the smile of heaven who had commanded nature that my lady's womb if it conceived a male child by me should do no more offices of life to't than the grave does to the dead for her male issue or died where they were made or shortly after this world had air'd them hence i took a thought this was a judgment on me that my kingdom well worthy the best heir o the world should not be gladded in't by me then follows that i weigh'd the danger which my realms stood in by this my issue's fail and that gave to me many a groaning throe thus hulling in the wild sea of my conscience i did steer toward this remedy whereupon we are now present here together that's to say i meant to rectify my consciencewhich i then did feel full sick and yet not well by all the reverend fathers of the land and doctors learn'd first i began in private with you my lord of lincoln you remember how under my oppression i did reek when i first moved you lincoln very well my liege king henry viii i have spoke long be pleased yourself to say how far you satisfied me lincoln so please your highness the question did at first so stagger me bearing a state of mighty moment in't and consequence of dread that i committed the daring'st counsel which i had to doubt and did entreat your highness to this course which you are running here king henry viii i then moved you my lord of canterbury and got your leave to make this present summons unsolicited i left no reverend person in this court but by particular consent proceeded under your hands and seals therefore go on for no dislike i the world against the person of the good queen but the sharp thorny points of my alleged reasons drive this forward prove but our marriage lawful by my life and kingly dignity we are contented to wear our mortal state to come with her katharine our queen before the primest creature that's paragon'd o the world cardinal campeius so please your highness the queen being absent tis a needful fitness that we adjourn this court till further day meanwhile must be an earnest motion made to the queen to call back her appeal she intends unto his holiness king henry viii aside i may perceive these cardinals trifle with me i abhor this dilatory sloth and tricks of rome my learn'd and wellbeloved servant cranmer prithee return with thy approach i know my comfort comes along break up the court i say set on exeunt in manner as they entered king henry viii act iii scene i london queen katharine's apartments enter queen katharine and her women as at work queen katharine take thy lute wench my soul grows sad with troubles sing and disperse em if thou canst leave working song orpheus with his lute made trees and the mountain tops that freeze bow themselves when he did sing to his music plants and flowers ever sprung as sun and showers there had made a lasting spring every thing that heard him play even the billows of the sea hung their heads and then lay by in sweet music is such art killing care and grief of heart fall asleep or hearing die enter a gentleman queen katharine how now gentleman an't please your grace the two great cardinals wait in the presence queen katharine would they speak with me gentleman they will'd me say so madam queen katharine pray their graces to come near exit gentleman what can be their business with me a poor weak woman fall'n from favour i do not like their coming now i think on't they should be good men their affairs as righteous but all hoods make not monks enter cardinal wolsey and cardinal campeius cardinal wolsey peace to your highness queen katharine your graces find me here part of a housewife i would be all against the worst may happen what are your pleasures with me reverend lords cardinal wolsey may it please you noble madam to withdraw into your private chamber we shall give you the full cause of our coming queen katharine speak it here there's nothing i have done yet o my conscience deserves a corner would all other women could speak this with as free a soul as i do my lords i care not so much i am happy above a number if my actions were tried by every tongue every eye saw em envy and base opinion set against em i know my life so even if your business seek me out and that way i am wife in out with it boldly truth loves open dealing cardinal wolsey tanta est erga te mentis integritas regina serenissima queen katharine o good my lord no latin i am not such a truant since my coming as not to know the language i have lived in a strange tongue makes my cause more strange suspicious pray speak in english here are some will thank you if you speak truth for their poor mistress sake believe me she has had much wrong lord cardinal the willing'st sin i ever yet committed may be absolved in english cardinal wolsey noble lady i am sorry my integrity should breed and service to his majesty and you so deep suspicion where all faith was meant we come not by the way of accusation to taint that honour every good tongue blesses nor to betray you any way to sorrow you have too much good lady but to know how you stand minded in the weighty difference between the king and you and to deliver like free and honest men our just opinions and comforts to your cause cardinal campeius most honour'd madam my lord of york out of his noble nature zeal and obedience he still bore your grace forgetting like a good man your late censure both of his truth and him which was too far offers as i do in a sign of peace his service and his counsel queen katharine aside to betray me my lords i thank you both for your good wills ye speak like honest men pray god ye prove so but how to make ye suddenly an answer in such a point of weight so near mine honour more near my life i fearwith my weak wit and to such men of gravity and learning in truth i know not i was set at work among my maids full little god knows looking either for such men or such business for her sake that i have beenfor i feel the last fit of my greatnessgood your graces let me have time and counsel for my cause alas i am a woman friendless hopeless cardinal wolsey madam you wrong the king's love with these fears your hopes and friends are infinite queen katharine in england but little for my profit can you think lords that any englishman dare give me counsel or be a known friend gainst his highness pleasure though he be grown so desperate to be honest and live a subject nay forsooth my friends they that must weigh out my afflictions they that my trust must grow to live not here they are as all my other comforts far hence in mine own country lords cardinal campeius i would your grace would leave your griefs and take my counsel queen katharine how sir cardinal campeius put your main cause into the king's protection he's loving and most gracious twill be much both for your honour better and your cause for if the trial of the law o'ertake ye you'll part away disgraced cardinal wolsey he tells you rightly queen katharine ye tell me what ye wish for bothmy ruin is this your christian counsel out upon ye heaven is above all yet there sits a judge that no king can corrupt cardinal campeius your rage mistakes us queen katharine the more shame for ye holy men i thought ye upon my soul two reverend cardinal virtues but cardinal sins and hollow hearts i fear ye mend em for shame my lords is this your comfort the cordial that ye bring a wretched lady a woman lost among ye laugh'd at scorn'd i will not wish ye half my miseries i have more charity but say i warn'd ye take heed for heaven's sake take heed lest at once the burthen of my sorrows fall upon ye cardinal wolsey madam this is a mere distraction you turn the good we offer into envy queen katharine ye turn me into nothing woe upon ye and all such false professors would you have me if you have any justice any pity if ye be any thing but churchmen's habits put my sick cause into his hands that hates me alas has banish'd me his bed already his love too long ago i am old my lords and all the fellowship i hold now with him is only my obedience what can happen to me above this wretchedness all your studies make me a curse like this cardinal campeius your fears are worse queen katharine have i lived thus longlet me speak myself since virtue finds no friendsa wife a true one a woman i dare say without vainglory never yet branded with suspicion have i with all my full affections still met the king loved him next heaven obey'd him been out of fondness superstitious to him almost forgot my prayers to content him and am i thus rewarded tis not well lords bring me a constant woman to her husband one that ne'er dream'd a joy beyond his pleasure and to that woman when she has done most yet will i add an honour a great patience cardinal wolsey madam you wander from the good we aim at queen katharine my lord i dare not make myself so guilty to give up willingly that noble title your master wed me to nothing but death shall e'er divorce my dignities cardinal wolsey pray hear me queen katharine would i had never trod this english earth or felt the flatteries that grow upon it ye have angels faces but heaven knows your hearts what will become of me now wretched lady i am the most unhappy woman living alas poor wenches where are now your fortunes shipwreck'd upon a kingdom where no pity no friend no hope no kindred weep for me almost no grave allow'd me like the lily that once was mistress of the field and flourish'd i'll hang my head and perish cardinal wolsey if your grace could but be brought to know our ends are honest you'ld feel more comfort why should we good lady upon what cause wrong you alas our places the way of our profession is against it we are to cure such sorrows not to sow em for goodness sake consider what you do how you may hurt yourself ay utterly grow from the king's acquaintance by this carriage the hearts of princes kiss obedience so much they love it but to stubborn spirits they swell and grow as terrible as storms i know you have a gentle noble temper a soul as even as a calm pray think us those we profess peacemakers friends and servants cardinal campeius madam you'll find it so you wrong your virtues with these weak women's fears a noble spirit as yours was put into you ever casts such doubts as false coin from it the king loves you beware you lose it not for us if you please to trust us in your business we are ready to use our utmost studies in your service queen katharine do what ye will my lords and pray forgive me if i have used myself unmannerly you know i am a woman lacking wit to make a seemly answer to such persons pray do my service to his majesty he has my heart yet and shall have my prayers while i shall have my life come reverend fathers bestow your counsels on me she now begs that little thought when she set footing here she should have bought her dignities so dear exeunt king henry viii act iii scene ii antechamber to king henry viii's apartment enter norfolk suffolk surrey and chamberlain norfolk if you will now unite in your complaints and force them with a constancy the cardinal cannot stand under them if you omit the offer of this time i cannot promise but that you shall sustain moe new disgraces with these you bear already surrey i am joyful to meet the least occasion that may give me remembrance of my fatherinlaw the duke to be revenged on him suffolk which of the peers have uncontemn'd gone by him or at least strangely neglected when did he regard the stamp of nobleness in any person out of himself chamberlain my lords you speak your pleasures what he deserves of you and me i know what we can do to him though now the time gives way to us i much fear if you cannot bar his access to the king never attempt any thing on him for he hath a witchcraft over the king in's tongue norfolk o fear him not his spell in that is out the king hath found matter against him that for ever mars the honey of his language no he's settled not to come off in his displeasure surrey sir i should be glad to hear such news as this once every hour norfolk believe it this is true in the divorce his contrary proceedings are all unfolded wherein he appears as i would wish mine enemy surrey how came his practises to light suffolk most strangely surrey o how how suffolk the cardinal's letters to the pope miscarried and came to the eye o the king wherein was read how that the cardinal did entreat his holiness to stay the judgment o the divorce for if it did take place i do quoth he perceive my king is tangled in affection to a creature of the queen's lady anne bullen' surrey has the king this suffolk believe it surrey will this work chamberlain the king in this perceives him how he coasts and hedges his own way but in this point all his tricks founder and he brings his physic after his patient's death the king already hath married the fair lady surrey would he had suffolk may you be happy in your wish my lord for i profess you have it surrey now all my joy trace the conjunction suffolk my amen to't norfolk all men's suffolk there's order given for her coronation marry this is yet but young and may be left to some ears unrecounted but my lords she is a gallant creature and complete in mind and feature i persuade me from her will fall some blessing to this land which shall in it be memorised surrey but will the king digest this letter of the cardinal's the lord forbid norfolk marry amen suffolk no no there be moe wasps that buzz about his nose will make this sting the sooner cardinal campeius is stol'n away to rome hath ta'en no leave has left the cause o the king unhandled and is posted as the agent of our cardinal to second all his plot i do assure you the king cried ha at this chamberlain now god incense him and let him cry ha louder norfolk but my lord when returns cranmer suffolk he is return'd in his opinions which have satisfied the king for his divorce together with all famous colleges almost in christendom shortly i believe his second marriage shall be publish'd and her coronation katharine no more shall be call'd queen but princess dowager and widow to prince arthur norfolk this same cranmer's a worthy fellow and hath ta'en much pain in the king's business suffolk he has and we shall see him for it an archbishop norfolk so i hear suffolk tis so the cardinal enter cardinal wolsey and cromwell norfolk observe observe he's moody cardinal wolsey the packet cromwell gave't you the king cromwell to his own hand in's bedchamber cardinal wolsey look'd he o the inside of the paper cromwell presently he did unseal them and the first he view'd he did it with a serious mind a heed was in his countenance you he bade attend him here this morning cardinal wolsey is he ready to come abroad cromwell i think by this he is cardinal wolsey leave me awhile exit cromwell aside it shall be to the duchess of alencon the french king's sister he shall marry her anne bullen no i'll no anne bullens for him there's more in't than fair visage bullen no we'll no bullens speedily i wish to hear from rome the marchioness of pembroke norfolk he's discontented suffolk may be he hears the king does whet his anger to him surrey sharp enough lord for thy justice cardinal wolsey aside the late queen's gentlewoman a knight's daughter to be her mistress mistress the queen's queen this candle burns not clear tis i must snuff it then out it goes what though i know her virtuous and well deserving yet i know her for a spleeny lutheran and not wholesome to our cause that she should lie i the bosom of our hardruled king again there is sprung up an heretic an arch one cranmer one hath crawl'd into the favour of the king and is his oracle norfolk he is vex'd at something surrey i would twere something that would fret the string the mastercord on's heart enter king henry viii reading of a schedule and lovell suffolk the king the king king henry viii what piles of wealth hath he accumulated to his own portion and what expense by the hour seems to flow from him how i the name of thrift does he rake this together now my lords saw you the cardinal norfolk my lord we have stood here observing him some strange commotion is in his brain he bites his lip and starts stops on a sudden looks upon the ground then lays his finger on his temple straight springs out into fast gait then stops again strikes his breast hard and anon he casts his eye against the moon in most strange postures we have seen him set himself king henry viii it may well be there is a mutiny in's mind this morning papers of state he sent me to peruse as i required and wot you what i found thereon my conscience put unwittingly forsooth an inventory thus importing the several parcels of his plate his treasure rich stuffs and ornaments of household which i find at such proud rate that it outspeaks possession of a subject norfolk it's heaven's will some spirit put this paper in the packet to bless your eye withal king henry viii if we did think his contemplation were above the earth and fix'd on spiritual object he should still dwell in his musings but i am afraid his thinkings are below the moon not worth his serious considering king henry viii takes his seat whispers lovell who goes to cardinal wolsey cardinal wolsey heaven forgive me ever god bless your highness king henry viii good my lord you are full of heavenly stuff and bear the inventory of your best graces in your mind the which you were now running o'er you have scarce time to steal from spiritual leisure a brief span to keep your earthly audit sure in that i deem you an ill husband and am glad to have you therein my companion cardinal wolsey sir for holy offices i have a time a time to think upon the part of business which i bear i the state and nature does require her times of preservation which perforce i her frail son amongst my brethren mortal must give my tendence to king henry viii you have said well cardinal wolsey and ever may your highness yoke together as i will lend you cause my doing well with my well saying king henry viii tis well said again and tis a kind of good deed to say well and yet words are no deeds my father loved you his said he did and with his deed did crown his word upon you since i had my office i have kept you next my heart have not alone employ'd you where high profits might come home but pared my present havings to bestow my bounties upon you cardinal wolsey aside what should this mean surrey aside the lord increase this business king henry viii have i not made you the prime man of the state i pray you tell me if what i now pronounce you have found true and if you may confess it say withal if you are bound to us or no what say you cardinal wolsey my sovereign i confess your royal graces shower'd on me daily have been more than could my studied purposes requite which went beyond all man's endeavours my endeavours have ever come too short of my desires yet filed with my abilities mine own ends have been mine so that evermore they pointed to the good of your most sacred person and the profit of the state for your great graces heap'd upon me poor undeserver i can nothing render but allegiant thanks my prayers to heaven for you my loyalty which ever has and ever shall be growing till death that winter kill it king henry viii fairly answer'd a loyal and obedient subject is therein illustrated the honour of it does pay the act of it as i the contrary the foulness is the punishment i presume that as my hand has open'd bounty to you my heart dropp'd love my power rain'd honour more on you than any so your hand and heart your brain and every function of your power should notwithstanding that your bond of duty as twere in love's particular be more to me your friend than any cardinal wolsey i do profess that for your highness good i ever labour'd more than mine own that am have and will be though all the world should crack their duty to you and throw it from their soul though perils did abound as thick as thought could make em and appear in forms more horridyet my duty as doth a rock against the chiding flood should the approach of this wild river break and stand unshaken yours king henry viii tis nobly spoken take notice lords he has a loyal breast for you have seen him open't read o'er this giving him papers and after this and then to breakfast with what appetite you have exit king henry viii frowning upon cardinal wolsey the nobles throng after him smiling and whispering cardinal wolsey what should this mean what sudden anger's this how have i reap'd it he parted frowning from me as if ruin leap'd from his eyes so looks the chafed lion upon the daring huntsman that has gall'd him then makes him nothing i must read this paper i fear the story of his anger tis so this paper has undone me tis the account of all that world of wealth i have drawn together for mine own ends indeed to gain the popedom and fee my friends in rome o negligence fit for a fool to fall by what cross devil made me put this main secret in the packet i sent the king is there no way to cure this no new device to beat this from his brains i know twill stir him strongly yet i know a way if it take right in spite of fortune will bring me off again what's this to the pope' the letter as i live with all the business i writ to's holiness nay then farewell i have touch'd the highest point of all my greatness and from that full meridian of my glory i haste now to my setting i shall fall like a bright exhalation m the evening and no man see me more reenter to cardinal wolsey norfolk and suffolk surrey and the chamberlain norfolk hear the king's pleasure cardinal who commands you to render up the great seal presently into our hands and to confine yourself to asher house my lord of winchester's till you hear further from his highness cardinal wolsey stay where's your commission lords words cannot carry authority so weighty suffolk who dare cross em bearing the king's will from his mouth expressly cardinal wolsey till i find more than will or words to do it i mean your malice know officious lords i dare and must deny it now i feel of what coarse metal ye are moulded envy how eagerly ye follow my disgraces as if it fed ye and how sleek and wanton ye appear in every thing may bring my ruin follow your envious courses men of malice you have christian warrant for em and no doubt in time will find their fit rewards that seal you ask with such a violence the king mine and your master with his own hand gave me bade me enjoy it with the place and honours during my life and to confirm his goodness tied it by letterspatents now who'll take it surrey the king that gave it cardinal wolsey it must be himself then surrey thou art a proud traitor priest cardinal wolsey proud lord thou liest within these forty hours surrey durst better have burnt that tongue than said so surrey thy ambition thou scarlet sin robb'd this bewailing land of noble buckingham my fatherinlaw the heads of all thy brother cardinals with thee and all thy best parts bound together weigh'd not a hair of his plague of your policy you sent me deputy for ireland far from his succor from the king from all that might have mercy on the fault thou gavest him whilst your great goodness out of holy pity absolved him with an axe cardinal wolsey this and all else this talking lord can lay upon my credit i answer is most false the duke by law found his deserts how innocent i was from any private malice in his end his noble jury and foul cause can witness if i loved many words lord i should tell you you have as little honesty as honour that in the way of loyalty and truth toward the king my ever royal master dare mate a sounder man than surrey can be and all that love his follies surrey by my soul your long coat priest protects you thou shouldst feel my sword i the lifeblood of thee else my lords can ye endure to hear this arrogance and from this fellow if we live thus tamely to be thus jaded by a piece of scarlet farewell nobility let his grace go forward and dare us with his cap like larks cardinal wolsey all goodness is poison to thy stomach surrey yes that goodness of gleaning all the land's wealth into one into your own hands cardinal by extortion the goodness of your intercepted packets you writ to the pope against the king your goodness since you provoke me shall be most notorious my lord of norfolk as you are truly noble as you respect the common good the state of our despised nobility our issues who if he live will scarce be gentlemen produce the grand sum of his sins the articles collected from his life i'll startle you worse than the scaring bell when the brown wench lay kissing in your arms lord cardinal cardinal wolsey how much methinks i could despise this man but that i am bound in charity against it norfolk those articles my lord are in the king's hand but thus much they are foul ones cardinal wolsey so much fairer and spotless shall mine innocence arise when the king knows my truth surrey this cannot save you i thank my memory i yet remember some of these articles and out they shall now if you can blush and cry guilty cardinal you'll show a little honesty cardinal wolsey speak on sir i dare your worst objections if i blush it is to see a nobleman want manners surrey i had rather want those than my head have at you first that without the king's assent or knowledge you wrought to be a legate by which power you maim'd the jurisdiction of all bishops norfolk then that in all you writ to rome or else to foreign princes ego et rex meus' was still inscribed in which you brought the king to be your servant suffolk then that without the knowledge either of king or council when you went ambassador to the emperor you made bold to carry into flanders the great seal surrey item you sent a large commission to gregory de cassado to conclude without the king's will or the state's allowance a league between his highness and ferrara suffolk that out of mere ambition you have caused your holy hat to be stamp'd on the king's coin surrey then that you have sent innumerable substance by what means got i leave to your own conscience to furnish rome and to prepare the ways you have for dignities to the mere undoing of all the kingdom many more there are which since they are of you and odious i will not taint my mouth with chamberlain o my lord press not a falling man too far tis virtue his faults lie open to the laws let them not you correct him my heart weeps to see him so little of his great self surrey i forgive him suffolk lord cardinal the king's further pleasure is because all those things you have done of late by your power legatine within this kingdom fall into the compass of a praemunire that therefore such a writ be sued against you to forfeit all your goods lands tenements chattels and whatsoever and to be out of the king's protection this is my charge norfolk and so we'll leave you to your meditations how to live better for your stubborn answer about the giving back the great seal to us the king shall know it and no doubt shall thank you so fare you well my little good lord cardinal exeunt all but cardinal wolsey cardinal wolsey so farewell to the little good you bear me farewell a long farewell to all my greatness this is the state of man today he puts forth the tender leaves of hopes tomorrow blossoms and bears his blushing honours thick upon him the third day comes a frost a killing frost and when he thinks good easy man full surely his greatness is aripening nips his root and then he falls as i do i have ventured like little wanton boys that swim on bladders this many summers in a sea of glory but far beyond my depth my highblown pride at length broke under me and now has left me weary and old with service to the mercy of a rude stream that must for ever hide me vain pomp and glory of this world i hate ye i feel my heart new open'd o how wretched is that poor man that hangs on princes favours there is betwixt that smile we would aspire to that sweet aspect of princes and their ruin more pangs and fears than wars or women have and when he falls he falls like lucifer never to hope again enter cromwell and stands amazed why how now cromwell cromwell i have no power to speak sir cardinal wolsey what amazed at my misfortunes can thy spirit wonder a great man should decline nay an you weep i am fall'n indeed cromwell how does your grace cardinal wolsey why well never so truly happy my good cromwell i know myself now and i feel within me a peace above all earthly dignities a still and quiet conscience the king has cured me i humbly thank his grace and from these shoulders these ruin'd pillars out of pity taken a load would sink a navy too much honour o tis a burthen cromwell tis a burthen too heavy for a man that hopes for heaven cromwell i am glad your grace has made that right use of it cardinal wolsey i hope i have i am able now methinks out of a fortitude of soul i feel to endure more miseries and greater far than my weakhearted enemies dare offer what news abroad cromwell the heaviest and the worst is your displeasure with the king cardinal wolsey god bless him cromwell the next is that sir thomas more is chosen lord chancellor in your place cardinal wolsey that's somewhat sudden but he's a learned man may he continue long in his highness favour and do justice for truth's sake and his conscience that his bones when he has run his course and sleeps in blessings may have a tomb of orphans tears wept on em what more cromwell that cranmer is return'd with welcome install'd lord archbishop of canterbury cardinal wolsey that's news indeed cromwell last that the lady anne whom the king hath in secrecy long married this day was view'd in open as his queen going to chapel and the voice is now only about her coronation cardinal wolsey there was the weight that pull'd me down o cromwell the king has gone beyond me all my glories in that one woman i have lost for ever no sun shall ever usher forth mine honours or gild again the noble troops that waited upon my smiles go get thee from me cromwell i am a poor fall'n man unworthy now to be thy lord and master seek the king that sun i pray may never set i have told him what and how true thou art he will advance thee some little memory of me will stir him i know his noble naturenot to let thy hopeful service perish too good cromwell neglect him not make use now and provide for thine own future safety cromwell o my lord must i then leave you must i needs forego so good so noble and so true a master bear witness all that have not hearts of iron with what a sorrow cromwell leaves his lord the king shall have my service but my prayers for ever and for ever shall be yours cardinal wolsey cromwell i did not think to shed a tear in all my miseries but thou hast forced me out of thy honest truth to play the woman let's dry our eyes and thus far hear me cromwell and when i am forgotten as i shall be and sleep in dull cold marble where no mention of me more must be heard of say i taught thee say wolsey that once trod the ways of glory and sounded all the depths and shoals of honour found thee a way out of his wreck to rise in a sure and safe one though thy master miss'd it mark but my fall and that that ruin'd me cromwell i charge thee fling away ambition by that sin fell the angels how can man then the image of his maker hope to win by it love thyself last cherish those hearts that hate thee corruption wins not more than honesty still in thy right hand carry gentle peace to silence envious tongues be just and fear not let all the ends thou aim'st at be thy country's thy god's and truth's then if thou fall'st o cromwell thou fall'st a blessed martyr serve the king andprithee lead me in there take an inventory of all i have to the last penny tis the king's my robe and my integrity to heaven is all i dare now call mine own o cromwell cromwell had i but served my god with half the zeal i served my king he would not in mine age have left me naked to mine enemies cromwell good sir have patience cardinal wolsey so i have farewell the hopes of court my hopes in heaven do dwell exeunt king henry viii act iv scene i a street in westminster enter two gentlemen meeting one another first gentleman you're well met once again second gentleman so are you first gentleman you come to take your stand here and behold the lady anne pass from her coronation second gentleman tis all my business at our last encounter the duke of buckingham came from his trial first gentleman tis very true but that time offer'd sorrow this general joy second gentleman tis well the citizens i am sure have shown at full their royal minds as let em have their rights they are ever forward in celebration of this day with shows pageants and sights of honour first gentleman never greater nor i'll assure you better taken sir second gentleman may i be bold to ask at what that contains that paper in your hand first gentleman yes tis the list of those that claim their offices this day by custom of the coronation the duke of suffolk is the first and claims to be highsteward next the duke of norfolk he to be earl marshal you may read the rest second gentleman i thank you sir had i not known those customs i should have been beholding to your paper but i beseech you what's become of katharine the princess dowager how goes her business first gentleman that i can tell you too the archbishop of canterbury accompanied with other learned and reverend fathers of his order held a late court at dunstable six miles off from ampthill where the princess lay to which she was often cited by them but appear'd not and to be short for not appearance and the king's late scruple by the main assent of all these learned men she was divorced and the late marriage made of none effect since which she was removed to kimbolton where she remains now sick second gentleman alas good lady trumpets the trumpets sound stand close the queen is coming hautboys the order of the coronation 1 a lively flourish of trumpets 2 then two judges 3 lord chancellor with the purse and mace before him 4 choristers singing music 5 mayor of london bearing the mace then garter in his coat of arms and on his head a gilt copper crown 6 marquess dorset bearing a sceptre of gold on his head a demicoronal of gold with him surrey bearing the rod of silver with the dove crowned with an earl's coronet collars of ss 7 suffolk in his robe of estate his coronet on his head bearing a long white wand as highsteward with him norfolk with the rod of marshalship a coronet on his head collars of ss 8 a canopy borne by four of the cinqueports under it queen anne in her robe in her hair richly adorned with pearl crowned on each side her the bishops of london and winchester 9 the old duchess of norfolk in a coronal of gold wrought with flowers bearing queen anne's train 10 certain ladies or countesses with plain circlets of gold without flowers they pass over the stage in order and state second gentleman a royal train believe me these i know who's that that bears the sceptre first gentleman marquess dorset and that the earl of surrey with the rod second gentleman a bold brave gentleman that should be the duke of suffolk first gentleman tis the same highsteward second gentleman and that my lord of norfolk first gentleman yes second gentleman heaven bless thee looking on queen anne thou hast the sweetest face i ever look'd on sir as i have a soul she is an angel our king has all the indies in his arms and more and richer when he strains that lady i cannot blame his conscience first gentleman they that bear the cloth of honour over her are four barons of the cinqueports second gentleman those men are happy and so are all are near her i take it she that carries up the train is that old noble lady duchess of norfolk first gentleman it is and all the rest are countesses second gentleman their coronets say so these are stars indeed and sometimes falling ones first gentleman no more of that exit procession and then a great flourish of trumpets enter a third gentleman first gentleman god save you sir where have you been broiling third gentleman among the crowd i the abbey where a finger could not be wedged in more i am stifled with the mere rankness of their joy second gentleman you saw the ceremony third gentleman that i did first gentleman how was it third gentleman well worth the seeing second gentleman good sir speak it to us third gentleman as well as i am able the rich stream of lords and ladies having brought the queen to a prepared place in the choir fell off a distance from her while her grace sat down to rest awhile some half an hour or so in a rich chair of state opposing freely the beauty of her person to the people believe me sir she is the goodliest woman that ever lay by man which when the people had the full view of such a noise arose as the shrouds make at sea in a stiff tempest as loud and to as many tunes hats cloaks doublets i thinkflew up and had their faces been loose this day they had been lost such joy i never saw before greatbellied women that had not half a week to go like rams in the old time of war would shake the press and make em reel before em no man living could say this is my wife there all were woven so strangely in one piece second gentleman but what follow'd third gentleman at length her grace rose and with modest paces came to the altar where she kneel'd and saintlike cast her fair eyes to heaven and pray'd devoutly then rose again and bow'd her to the people when by the archbishop of canterbury she had all the royal makings of a queen as holy oil edward confessor's crown the rod and bird of peace and all such emblems laid nobly on her which perform'd the choir with all the choicest music of the kingdom together sung te deum so she parted and with the same full state paced back again to yorkplace where the feast is held first gentleman sir you must no more call it yorkplace that's past for since the cardinal fell that title's lost tis now the king's and call'd whitehall third gentleman i know it but tis so lately alter'd that the old name is fresh about me second gentleman what two reverend bishops were those that went on each side of the queen third gentleman stokesly and gardiner the one of winchester newly preferr'd from the king's secretary the other london second gentleman he of winchester is held no great good lover of the archbishop's the virtuous cranmer third gentleman all the land knows that however yet there is no great breach when it comes cranmer will find a friend will not shrink from him second gentleman who may that be i pray you third gentleman thomas cromwell a man in much esteem with the king and truly a worthy friend the king has made him master o the jewel house and one already of the privy council second gentleman he will deserve more third gentleman yes without all doubt come gentlemen ye shall go my way which is to the court and there ye shall be my guests something i can command as i walk thither i'll tell ye more both you may command us sir exeunt king henry viii act iv scene ii kimbolton enter katharine dowager sick led between griffith her gentleman usher and patience her woman griffith how does your grace katharine o griffith sick to death my legs like loaden branches bow to the earth willing to leave their burthen reach a chair so now methinks i feel a little ease didst thou not tell me griffith as thou led'st me that the great child of honour cardinal wolsey was dead griffith yes madam but i think your grace out of the pain you suffer'd gave no ear to't katharine prithee good griffith tell me how he died if well he stepp'd before me happily for my example griffith well the voice goes madam for after the stout earl northumberland arrested him at york and brought him forward as a man sorely tainted to his answer he fell sick suddenly and grew so ill he could not sit his mule katharine alas poor man griffith at last with easy roads he came to leicester lodged in the abbey where the reverend abbot with all his covent honourably received him to whom he gave these words o father abbot an old man broken with the storms of state is come to lay his weary bones among ye give him a little earth for charity' so went to bed where eagerly his sickness pursued him still and three nights after this about the hour of eight which he himself foretold should be his last full of repentance continual meditations tears and sorrows he gave his honours to the world again his blessed part to heaven and slept in peace katharine so may he rest his faults lie gently on him yet thus far griffith give me leave to speak him and yet with charity he was a man of an unbounded stomach ever ranking himself with princes one that by suggestion tied all the kingdom simony was fairplay his own opinion was his law i the presence he would say untruths and be ever double both in his words and meaning he was never but where he meant to ruin pitiful his promises were as he then was mighty but his performance as he is now nothing of his own body he was ill and gave the clergy in example griffith noble madam men's evil manners live in brass their virtues we write in water may it please your highness to hear me speak his good now katharine yes good griffith i were malicious else griffith this cardinal though from an humble stock undoubtedly was fashion'd to much honour from his cradle he was a scholar and a ripe and good one exceeding wise fairspoken and persuading lofty and sour to them that loved him not but to those men that sought him sweet as summer and though he were unsatisfied in getting which was a sin yet in bestowing madam he was most princely ever witness for him those twins of learning that he raised in you ipswich and oxford one of which fell with him unwilling to outlive the good that did it the other though unfinish'd yet so famous so excellent in art and still so rising that christendom shall ever speak his virtue his overthrow heap'd happiness upon him for then and not till then he felt himself and found the blessedness of being little and to add greater honours to his age than man could give him he died fearing god katharine after my death i wish no other herald no other speaker of my living actions to keep mine honour from corruption but such an honest chronicler as griffith whom i most hated living thou hast made me with thy religious truth and modesty now in his ashes honour peace be with him patience be near me still and set me lower i have not long to trouble thee good griffith cause the musicians play me that sad note i named my knell whilst i sit meditating on that celestial harmony i go to sad and solemn music griffith she is asleep good wench let's sit down quiet for fear we wake her softly gentle patience the vision enter solemnly tripping one after another six personages clad in white robes wearing on their heads garlands of bays and golden vizards on their faces branches of bays or palm in their hands they first congee unto her then dance and at certain changes the first two hold a spare garland over her head at which the other four make reverent curtsies then the two that held the garland deliver the same to the other next two who observe the same order in their changes and holding the garland over her head which done they deliver the same garland to the last two who likewise observe the same order at which as it were by inspiration she makes in her sleep signs of rejoicing and holdeth up her hands to heaven and so in their dancing vanish carrying the garland with them the music continues katharine spirits of peace where are ye are ye all gone and leave me here in wretchedness behind ye griffith madam we are here katharine it is not you i call for saw ye none enter since i slept griffith none madam katharine no saw you not even now a blessed troop invite me to a banquet whose bright faces cast thousand beams upon me like the sun they promised me eternal happiness and brought me garlands griffith which i feel i am not worthy yet to wear i shall assuredly griffith i am most joyful madam such good dreams possess your fancy katharine bid the music leave they are harsh and heavy to me music ceases patience do you note how much her grace is alter'd on the sudden how long her face is drawn how pale she looks and of an earthy cold mark her eyes griffith she is going wench pray pray patience heaven comfort her enter a messenger messenger an't like your grace katharine you are a saucy fellow deserve we no more reverence griffith you are to blame knowing she will not lose her wonted greatness to use so rude behavior go to kneel messenger i humbly do entreat your highness pardon my haste made me unmannerly there is staying a gentleman sent from the king to see you katharine admit him entrance griffith but this fellow let me ne'er see again exeunt griffith and messenger reenter griffith with capucius if my sight fail not you should be lord ambassador from the emperor my royal nephew and your name capucius capucius madam the same your servant katharine o my lord the times and titles now are alter'd strangely with me since first you knew me but i pray you what is your pleasure with me capucius noble lady first mine own service to your grace the next the king's request that i would visit you who grieves much for your weakness and by me sends you his princely commendations and heartily entreats you take good comfort katharine o my good lord that comfort comes too late tis like a pardon after execution that gentle physic given in time had cured me but now i am past an comforts here but prayers how does his highness capucius madam in good health katharine so may he ever do and ever flourish when i shall dwell with worms and my poor name banish'd the kingdom patience is that letter i caused you write yet sent away patience no madam giving it to katharine katharine sir i most humbly pray you to deliver this to my lord the king capucius most willing madam katharine in which i have commended to his goodness the model of our chaste loves his young daughter the dews of heaven fall thick in blessings on her beseeching him to give her virtuous breeding she is young and of a noble modest nature i hope she will deserve welland a little to love her for her mother's sake that loved him heaven knows how dearly my next poor petition is that his noble grace would have some pity upon my wretched women that so long have follow'd both my fortunes faithfully of which there is not one i dare avow and now i should not lie but will deserve for virtue and true beauty of the soul for honesty and decent carriage a right good husband let him be a noble and sure those men are happy that shall have em the last is for my men they are the poorest but poverty could never draw em from me that they may have their wages duly paid em and something over to remember me by if heaven had pleased to have given me longer life and able means we had not parted thus these are the whole contents and good my lord by that you love the dearest in this world as you wish christian peace to souls departed stand these poor people's friend and urge the king to do me this last right capucius by heaven i will or let me lose the fashion of a man katharine i thank you honest lord remember me in all humility unto his highness say his long trouble now is passing out of this world tell him in death i bless'd him for so i will mine eyes grow dim farewell my lord griffith farewell nay patience you must not leave me yet i must to bed call in more women when i am dead good wench let me be used with honour strew me over with maiden flowers that all the world may know i was a chaste wife to my grave embalm me then lay me forth although unqueen'd yet like a queen and daughter to a king inter me i can no more exeunt leading katharine king henry viii act v scene i london a gallery in the palace enter gardiner bishop of winchester a page with a torch before him met by lovell gardiner it's one o'clock boy is't not boy it hath struck gardiner these should be hours for necessities not for delights times to repair our nature with comforting repose and not for us to waste these times good hour of night sir thomas whither so late lovell came you from the king my lord gardiner i did sir thomas and left him at primero with the duke of suffolk lovell i must to him too before he go to bed i'll take my leave gardiner not yet sir thomas lovell what's the matter it seems you are in haste an if there be no great offence belongs to't give your friend some touch of your late business affairs that walk as they say spirits do at midnight have in them a wilder nature than the business that seeks dispatch by day lovell my lord i love you and durst commend a secret to your ear much weightier than this work the queen's in labour they say in great extremity and fear'd she'll with the labour end gardiner the fruit she goes with i pray for heartily that it may find good time and live but for the stock sir thomas i wish it grubb'd up now lovell methinks i could cry the amen and yet my conscience says she's a good creature and sweet lady does deserve our better wishes gardiner but sir sir hear me sir thomas you're a gentleman of mine own way i know you wise religious and let me tell you it will ne'er be well twill not sir thomas lovell take't of me till cranmer cromwell her two hands and she sleep in their graves lovell now sir you speak of two the most remark'd i the kingdom as for cromwell beside that of the jewel house is made master o the rolls and the king's secretary further sir stands in the gap and trade of moe preferments with which the time will load him the archbishop is the king's hand and tongue and who dare speak one syllable against him gardiner yes yes sir thomas there are that dare and i myself have ventured to speak my mind of him and indeed this day sir i may tell it you i think i have incensed the lords o the council that he is for so i know he is they know he is a most arch heretic a pestilence that does infect the land with which they moved have broken with the king who hath so far given ear to our complaint of his great grace and princely care foreseeing those fell mischiefs our reasons laid before him hath commanded tomorrow morning to the councilboard he be convented he's a rank weed sir thomas and we must root him out from your affairs i hinder you too long good night sir thomas lovell many good nights my lord i rest your servant exeunt gardiner and page enter king henry viii and suffolk king henry viii charles i will play no more tonight my mind's not on't you are too hard for me suffolk sir i did never win of you before king henry viii but little charles nor shall not when my fancy's on my play now lovell from the queen what is the news lovell i could not personally deliver to her what you commanded me but by her woman i sent your message who return'd her thanks in the great'st humbleness and desired your highness most heartily to pray for her king henry viii what say'st thou ha to pray for her what is she crying out lovell so said her woman and that her sufferance made almost each pang a death king henry viii alas good lady suffolk god safely quit her of her burthen and with gentle travail to the gladding of your highness with an heir king henry viii tis midnight charles prithee to bed and in thy prayers remember the estate of my poor queen leave me alone for i must think of that which company would not be friendly to suffolk i wish your highness a quiet night and my good mistress will remember in my prayers king henry viii charles good night exit suffolk enter denny well sir what follows denny sir i have brought my lord the archbishop as you commanded me king henry viii ha canterbury denny ay my good lord king henry viii tis true where is he denny denny he attends your highness pleasure exit denny lovell aside this is about that which the bishop spake i am happily come hither reenter denny with cranmer king henry viii avoid the gallery lovell seems to stay ha i have said be gone what exeunt lovell and denny cranmer aside i am fearful wherefore frowns he thus tis his aspect of terror all's not well king henry viii how now my lord you desire to know wherefore i sent for you cranmer kneeling it is my duty to attend your highness pleasure king henry viii pray you arise my good and gracious lord of canterbury come you and i must walk a turn together i have news to tell you come come give me your hand ah my good lord i grieve at what i speak and am right sorry to repeat what follows i have and most unwillingly of late heard many grievous i do say my lord grievous complaints of you which being consider'd have moved us and our council that you shall this morning come before us where i know you cannot with such freedom purge yourself but that till further trial in those charges which will require your answer you must take your patience to you and be well contented to make your house our tower you a brother of us it fits we thus proceed or else no witness would come against you cranmer kneeling i humbly thank your highness and am right glad to catch this good occasion most throughly to be winnow'd where my chaff and corn shall fly asunder for i know there's none stands under more calumnious tongues than i myself poor man king henry viii stand up good canterbury thy truth and thy integrity is rooted in us thy friend give me thy hand stand up prithee let's walk now by my holidame what manner of man are you my lord i look'd you would have given me your petition that i should have ta'en some pains to bring together yourself and your accusers and to have heard you without indurance further cranmer most dread liege the good i stand on is my truth and honesty if they shall fail i with mine enemies will triumph o'er my person which i weigh not being of those virtues vacant i fear nothing what can be said against me king henry viii know you not how your state stands i the world with the whole world your enemies are many and not small their practises must bear the same proportion and not ever the justice and the truth o the question carries the due o the verdict with it at what ease might corrupt minds procure knaves as corrupt to swear against you such things have been done you are potently opposed and with a malice of as great size ween you of better luck i mean in perjured witness than your master whose minister you are whiles here he lived upon this naughty earth go to go to you take a precipice for no leap of danger and woo your own destruction cranmer god and your majesty protect mine innocence or i fall into the trap is laid for me king henry viii be of good cheer they shall no more prevail than we give way to keep comfort to you and this morning see you do appear before them if they shall chance in charging you with matters to commit you the best persuasions to the contrary fail not to use and with what vehemency the occasion shall instruct you if entreaties will render you no remedy this ring deliver them and your appeal to us there make before them look the good man weeps he's honest on mine honour god's blest mother i swear he is truehearted and a soul none better in my kingdom get you gone and do as i have bid you exit cranmer he has strangled his language in his tears enter old lady lovell following gentleman within come back what mean you old lady i'll not come back the tidings that i bring will make my boldness manners now good angels fly o'er thy royal head and shade thy person under their blessed wings king henry viii now by thy looks i guess thy message is the queen deliver'd say ay and of a boy old lady ay ay my liege and of a lovely boy the god of heaven both now and ever bless her tis a girl promises boys hereafter sir your queen desires your visitation and to be acquainted with this stranger tis as like you as cherry is to cherry king henry viii lovell lovell sir king henry viii give her an hundred marks i'll to the queen exit old lady an hundred marks by this light i'll ha more an ordinary groom is for such payment i will have more or scold it out of him said i for this the girl was like to him i will have more or else unsay't and now while it is hot i'll put it to the issue exeunt king henry viii act v scene ii before the councilchamber pursuivants pages &c attending enter cranmer cranmer i hope i am not too late and yet the gentleman that was sent to me from the council pray'd me to make great haste all fast what means this ho who waits there sure you know me enter keeper keeper yes my lord but yet i cannot help you cranmer why enter doctor butts keeper your grace must wait till you be call'd for cranmer so doctor butts aside this is a piece of malice i am glad i came this way so happily the king shall understand it presently exit cranmer aside tis butts the king's physician as he pass'd along how earnestly he cast his eyes upon me pray heaven he sound not my disgrace for certain this is of purpose laid by some that hate me god turn their hearts i never sought their malice to quench mine honour they would shame to make me wait else at door a fellowcounsellor mong boys grooms and lackeys but their pleasures must be fulfill'd and i attend with patience enter the king henry viii and doctor butts at a window above doctor butts i'll show your grace the strangest sight king henry viii what's that butts doctor butts i think your highness saw this many a day king henry viii body o me where is it doctor butts there my lord the high promotion of his grace of canterbury who holds his state at door mongst pursuivants pages and footboys king henry viii ha tis he indeed is this the honour they do one another tis well there's one above em yet i had thought they had parted so much honesty among em at least good manners as not thus to suffer a man of his place and so near our favour to dance attendance on their lordships pleasures and at the door too like a post with packets by holy mary butts there's knavery let em alone and draw the curtain close we shall hear more anon exeunt king henry viii act v scene iii the councilchamber enter chancellor places himself at the upper end of the table on the left hand a seat being left void above him as for cranmer's seat suffolk norfolk surrey chamberlain gardiner seat themselves in order on each side cromwell at lower end as secretary keeper at the door chancellor speak to the business mastersecretary why are we met in council cromwell please your honours the chief cause concerns his grace of canterbury gardiner has he had knowledge of it cromwell yes norfolk who waits there keeper without my noble lords gardiner yes keeper my lord archbishop and has done half an hour to know your pleasures chancellor let him come in keeper your grace may enter now cranmer enters and approaches the counciltable chancellor my good lord archbishop i'm very sorry to sit here at this present and behold that chair stand empty but we all are men in our own natures frail and capable of our flesh few are angels out of which frailty and want of wisdom you that best should teach us have misdemean'd yourself and not a little toward the king first then his laws in filling the whole realm by your teaching and your chaplains for so we are inform'd with new opinions divers and dangerous which are heresies and not reform'd may prove pernicious gardiner which reformation must be sudden too my noble lords for those that tame wild horses pace em not in their hands to make em gentle but stop their mouths with stubborn bits and spur em till they obey the manage if we suffer out of our easiness and childish pity to one man's honour this contagious sickness farewell all physic and what follows then commotions uproars with a general taint of the whole state as of late days our neighbours the upper germany can dearly witness yet freshly pitied in our memories cranmer my good lords hitherto in all the progress both of my life and office i have labour'd and with no little study that my teaching and the strong course of my authority might go one way and safely and the end was ever to do well nor is there living i speak it with a single heart my lords a man that more detests more stirs against both in his private conscience and his place defacers of a public peace than i do pray heaven the king may never find a heart with less allegiance in it men that make envy and crooked malice nourishment dare bite the best i do beseech your lordships that in this case of justice my accusers be what they will may stand forth face to face and freely urge against me suffolk nay my lord that cannot be you are a counsellor and by that virtue no man dare accuse you gardiner my lord because we have business of more moment we will be short with you tis his highness pleasure and our consent for better trial of you from hence you be committed to the tower where being but a private man again you shall know many dare accuse you boldly more than i fear you are provided for cranmer ah my good lord of winchester i thank you you are always my good friend if your will pass i shall both find your lordship judge and juror you are so merciful i see your end tis my undoing love and meekness lord become a churchman better than ambition win straying souls with modesty again cast none away that i shall clear myself lay all the weight ye can upon my patience i make as little doubt as you do conscience in doing daily wrongs i could say more but reverence to your calling makes me modest gardiner my lord my lord you are a sectary that's the plain truth your painted gloss discovers to men that understand you words and weakness cromwell my lord of winchester you are a little by your good favour too sharp men so noble however faulty yet should find respect for what they have been tis a cruelty to load a falling man gardiner good master secretary i cry your honour mercy you may worst of all this table say so cromwell why my lord gardiner do not i know you for a favourer of this new sect ye are not sound cromwell not sound gardiner not sound i say cromwell would you were half so honest men's prayers then would seek you not their fears gardiner i shall remember this bold language cromwell do remember your bold life too chancellor this is too much forbear for shame my lords gardiner i have done cromwell and i chancellor then thus for you my lord it stands agreed i take it by all voices that forthwith you be convey'd to the tower a prisoner there to remain till the king's further pleasure be known unto us are you all agreed lords all we are cranmer is there no other way of mercy but i must needs to the tower my lords gardiner what other would you expect you are strangely troublesome let some o the guard be ready there enter guard cranmer for me must i go like a traitor thither gardiner receive him and see him safe i the tower cranmer stay good my lords i have a little yet to say look there my lords by virtue of that ring i take my cause out of the gripes of cruel men and give it to a most noble judge the king my master chamberlain this is the king's ring surrey tis no counterfeit suffolk tis the right ring by heaven i told ye all when ye first put this dangerous stone arolling twould fall upon ourselves norfolk do you think my lords the king will suffer but the little finger of this man to be vex'd chancellor tis now too certain how much more is his life in value with him would i were fairly out on't cromwell my mind gave me in seeking tales and informations against this man whose honesty the devil and his disciples only envy at ye blew the fire that burns ye now have at ye enter king frowning on them takes his seat gardiner dread sovereign how much are we bound to heaven in daily thanks that gave us such a prince not only good and wise but most religious one that in all obedience makes the church the chief aim of his honour and to strengthen that holy duty out of dear respect his royal self in judgment comes to hear the cause betwixt her and this great offender king henry viii you were ever good at sudden commendations bishop of winchester but know i come not to hear such flattery now and in my presence they are too thin and bare to hide offences to me you cannot reach you play the spaniel and think with wagging of your tongue to win me but whatsoe'er thou takest me for i'm sure thou hast a cruel nature and a bloody to cranmer good man sit down now let me see the proudest he that dares most but wag his finger at thee by all that's holy he had better starve than but once think this place becomes thee not surrey may it please your grace king henry viii no sir it does not please me i had thought i had had men of some understanding and wisdom of my council but i find none was it discretion lords to let this man this good manfew of you deserve that title this honest man wait like a lousy footboy at chamberdoor and one as great as you are why what a shame was this did my commission bid ye so far forget yourselves i gave ye power as he was a counsellor to try him not as a groom there's some of ye i see more out of malice than integrity would try him to the utmost had ye mean which ye shall never have while i live chancellor thus far my most dread sovereign may it like your grace to let my tongue excuse all what was purposed concerning his imprisonment was rather if there be faith in men meant for his trial and fair purgation to the world than malice i'm sure in me king henry viii well well my lords respect him take him and use him well he's worthy of it i will say thus much for him if a prince may be beholding to a subject i am for his love and service so to him make me no more ado but all embrace him be friends for shame my lords my lord of canterbury i have a suit which you must not deny me that is a fair young maid that yet wants baptism you must be godfather and answer for her cranmer the greatest monarch now alive may glory in such an honour how may i deserve it that am a poor and humble subject to you king henry viii come come my lord you'ld spare your spoons you shall have two noble partners with you the old duchess of norfolk and lady marquess dorset will these please you once more my lord of winchester i charge you embrace and love this man gardiner with a true heart and brotherlove i do it cranmer and let heaven witness how dear i hold this confirmation king henry viii good man those joyful tears show thy true heart the common voice i see is verified of thee which says thus do my lord of canterbury a shrewd turn and he is your friend for ever' come lords we trifle time away i long to have this young one made a christian as i have made ye one lords one remain so i grow stronger you more honour gain exeunt king henry viii act v scene iv the palace yard noise and tumult within enter porter and his man porter you'll leave your noise anon ye rascals do you take the court for parisgarden ye rude slaves leave your gaping within good master porter i belong to the larder porter belong to the gallows and be hanged ye rogue is this a place to roar in fetch me a dozen crabtree staves and strong ones these are but switches to em i'll scratch your heads you must be seeing christenings do you look for ale and cakes here you rude rascals man pray sir be patient tis as much impossible unless we sweep em from the door with cannons to scatter em as tis to make em sleep on mayday morning which will never be we may as well push against powle's as stir em porter how got they in and be hang'd man alas i know not how gets the tide in as much as one sound cudgel of four foot you see the poor remaindercould distribute i made no spare sir porter you did nothing sir man i am not samson nor sir guy nor colbrand to mow em down before me but if i spared any that had a head to hit either young or old he or she cuckold or cuckoldmaker let me ne'er hope to see a chine again and that i would not for a cow god save her within do you hear master porter porter i shall be with you presently good master puppy keep the door close sirrah man what would you have me do porter what should you do but knock em down by the dozens is this moorfields to muster in or have we some strange indian with the great tool come to court the women so besiege us bless me what a fry of fornication is at door on my christian conscience this one christening will beget a thousand here will be father godfather and all together man the spoons will be the bigger sir there is a fellow somewhat near the door he should be a brazier by his face for o my conscience twenty of the dogdays now reign in's nose all that stand about him are under the line they need no other penance that firedrake did i hit three times on the head and three times was his nose discharged against me he stands there like a mortarpiece to blow us there was a haberdasher's wife of small wit near him that railed upon me till her pinked porringer fell off her head for kindling such a combustion in the state i missed the meteor once and hit that woman who cried out clubs when i might see from far some forty truncheoners draw to her succor which were the hope o the strand where she was quartered they fell on i made good my place at length they came to the broomstaff to me i defied em still when suddenly a file of boys behind em loose shot delivered such a shower of pebbles that i was fain to draw mine honour in and let em win the work the devil was amongst em i think surely porter these are the youths that thunder at a playhouse and fight for bitten apples that no audience but the tribulation of towerhill or the limbs of limehouse their dear brothers are able to endure i have some of em in limbo patrum and there they are like to dance these three days besides the running banquet of two beadles that is to come enter chamberlain chamberlain mercy o me what a multitude are here they grow still too from all parts they are coming as if we kept a fair here where are these porters these lazy knaves ye have made a fine hand fellows there's a trim rabble let in are all these your faithful friends o the suburbs we shall have great store of room no doubt left for the ladies when they pass back from the christening porter an't please your honour we are but men and what so many may do not being torn apieces we have done an army cannot rule em chamberlain as i live if the king blame me for't i'll lay ye all by the heels and suddenly and on your heads clap round fines for neglect ye are lazy knaves and here ye lie baiting of bombards when ye should do service hark the trumpets sound they're come already from the christening go break among the press and find a way out to let the troop pass fairly or i'll find a marshalsea shall hold ye play these two months porter make way there for the princess man you great fellow stand close up or i'll make your head ache porter you i the camlet get up o the rail i'll peck you o'er the pales else exeunt king henry viii act v scene v the palace enter trumpets sounding then two aldermen lord mayor garter cranmer norfolk with his marshal's staff suffolk two noblemen bearing great standingbowls for the christeninggifts then four noblemen bearing a canopy under which the duchess of norfolk godmother bearing the child richly habited in a mantle &c train borne by a lady then follows the marchioness dorset the other godmother and ladies the troop pass once about the stage and garter speaks garter heaven from thy endless goodness send prosperous life long and ever happy to the high and mighty princess of england elizabeth flourish enter king henry viii and guard cranmer kneeling and to your royal grace and the good queen my noble partners and myself thus pray all comfort joy in this most gracious lady heaven ever laid up to make parents happy may hourly fall upon ye king henry viii thank you good lord archbishop what is her name cranmer elizabeth king henry viii stand up lord king henry viii kisses the child with this kiss take my blessing god protect thee into whose hand i give thy life cranmer amen king henry viii my noble gossips ye have been too prodigal i thank ye heartily so shall this lady when she has so much english cranmer let me speak sir for heaven now bids me and the words i utter let none think flattery for they'll find em truth this royal infantheaven still move about her though in her cradle yet now promises upon this land a thousand thousand blessings which time shall bring to ripeness she shall be but few now living can behold that goodness a pattern to all princes living with her and all that shall succeed saba was never more covetous of wisdom and fair virtue than this pure soul shall be all princely graces that mould up such a mighty piece as this is with all the virtues that attend the good shall still be doubled on her truth shall nurse her holy and heavenly thoughts still counsel her she shall be loved and fear'd her own shall bless her her foes shake like a field of beaten corn and hang their heads with sorrow good grows with her in her days every man shall eat in safety under his own vine what he plants and sing the merry songs of peace to all his neighbours god shall be truly known and those about her from her shall read the perfect ways of honour and by those claim their greatness not by blood nor shall this peace sleep with her but as when the bird of wonder dies the maiden phoenix her ashes new create another heir as great in admiration as herself so shall she leave her blessedness to one when heaven shall call her from this cloud of darkness who from the sacred ashes of her honour shall starlike rise as great in fame as she was and so stand fix'd peace plenty love truth terror that were the servants to this chosen infant shall then be his and like a vine grow to him wherever the bright sun of heaven shall shine his honour and the greatness of his name shall be and make new nations he shall flourish and like a mountain cedar reach his branches to all the plains about him our children's children shall see this and bless heaven king henry viii thou speakest wonders cranmer she shall be to the happiness of england an aged princess many days shall see her and yet no day without a deed to crown it would i had known no more but she must die she must the saints must have her yet a virgin a most unspotted lily shall she pass to the ground and all the world shall mourn her king henry viii o lord archbishop thou hast made me now a man never before this happy child did i get any thing this oracle of comfort has so pleased me that when i am in heaven i shall desire to see what this child does and praise my maker i thank ye all to you my good lord mayor and your good brethren i am much beholding i have received much honour by your presence and ye shall find me thankful lead the way lords ye must all see the queen and she must thank ye she will be sick else this day no man think has business at his house for all shall stay this little one shall make it holiday exeunt king henry viii epilogue tis ten to one this play can never please all that are here some come to take their ease and sleep an act or two but those we fear we have frighted with our trumpets so tis clear they'll say tis naught others to hear the city abused extremely and to cry that's witty' which we have not done neither that i fear all the expected good we're like to hear for this play at this time is only in the merciful construction of good women for such a one we show'd em if they smile and say twill do i know within a while all the best men are ours for tis ill hap if they hold when their ladies bid em clap king john dramatis personae king john prince henry son to the king arthur duke of bretagne nephew to the king the earl of pembroke pembroke the earl of essex essex the earl of salisbury salisbury the lord bigot bigot hubert de burgh hubert robert faulconbridge son to sir robert faulconbridge robert philip the bastard his halfbrother bastard james gurney servant to lady faulconbridge gurney peter of pomfret a prophet peter philip king of france king philip lewis the dauphin lymoges duke of austria austria cardinal pandulph the pope's legate melun a french lord chatillon ambassador from france to king john queen elinor mother to king john constance mother to arthur blanch of spain niece to king john blanch lady faulconbridge lords citizens of angiers sheriff heralds officers soldiers messengers and other attendants first citizen french herald english herald first executioner messenger scene partly in england and partly in france king john act i scene i king john's palace enter king john queen elinor pembroke essex salisbury and others with chatillon king john now say chatillon what would france with us chatillon thus after greeting speaks the king of france in my behavior to the majesty the borrow'd majesty of england here queen elinor a strange beginning borrow'd majesty' king john silence good mother hear the embassy chatillon philip of france in right and true behalf of thy deceased brother geffrey's son arthur plantagenet lays most lawful claim to this fair island and the territories to ireland poictiers anjou touraine maine desiring thee to lay aside the sword which sways usurpingly these several titles and put these same into young arthur's hand thy nephew and right royal sovereign king john what follows if we disallow of this chatillon the proud control of fierce and bloody war to enforce these rights so forcibly withheld king john here have we war for war and blood for blood controlment for controlment so answer france chatillon then take my king's defiance from my mouth the farthest limit of my embassy king john bear mine to him and so depart in peace be thou as lightning in the eyes of france for ere thou canst report i will be there the thunder of my cannon shall be heard so hence be thou the trumpet of our wrath and sullen presage of your own decay an honourable conduct let him have pembroke look to t farewell chatillon exeunt chatillon and pembroke queen elinor what now my son have i not ever said how that ambitious constance would not cease till she had kindled france and all the world upon the right and party of her son this might have been prevented and made whole with very easy arguments of love which now the manage of two kingdoms must with fearful bloody issue arbitrate king john our strong possession and our right for us queen elinor your strong possession much more than your right or else it must go wrong with you and me so much my conscience whispers in your ear which none but heaven and you and i shall hear enter a sheriff essex my liege here is the strangest controversy come from country to be judged by you that e'er i heard shall i produce the men king john let them approach our abbeys and our priories shall pay this expedition's charge enter robert and the bastard what men are you bastard your faithful subject i a gentleman born in northamptonshire and eldest son as i suppose to robert faulconbridge a soldier by the honourgiving hand of coeurdelion knighted in the field king john what art thou robert the son and heir to that same faulconbridge king john is that the elder and art thou the heir you came not of one mother then it seems bastard most certain of one mother mighty king that is well known and as i think one father but for the certain knowledge of that truth i put you o'er to heaven and to my mother of that i doubt as all men's children may queen elinor out on thee rude man thou dost shame thy mother and wound her honour with this diffidence bastard i madam no i have no reason for it that is my brother's plea and none of mine the which if he can prove a pops me out at least from fair five hundred pound a year heaven guard my mother's honour and my land king john a good blunt fellow why being younger born doth he lay claim to thine inheritance bastard i know not why except to get the land but once he slander'd me with bastardy but whether i be as true begot or no that still i lay upon my mother's head but that i am as well begot my liege fair fall the bones that took the pains for me compare our faces and be judge yourself if old sir robert did beget us both and were our father and this son like him o old sir robert father on my knee i give heaven thanks i was not like to thee king john why what a madcap hath heaven lent us here queen elinor he hath a trick of coeurdelion's face the accent of his tongue affecteth him do you not read some tokens of my son in the large composition of this man king john mine eye hath well examined his parts and finds them perfect richard sirrah speak what doth move you to claim your brother's land bastard because he hath a halfface like my father with half that face would he have all my land a halffaced groat five hundred pound a year robert my gracious liege when that my father lived your brother did employ my father much bastard well sir by this you cannot get my land your tale must be how he employ'd my mother robert and once dispatch'd him in an embassy to germany there with the emperor to treat of high affairs touching that time the advantage of his absence took the king and in the mean time sojourn'd at my father's where how he did prevail i shame to speak but truth is truth large lengths of seas and shores between my father and my mother lay as i have heard my father speak himself when this same lusty gentleman was got upon his deathbed he by will bequeath'd his lands to me and took it on his death that this my mother's son was none of his and if he were he came into the world full fourteen weeks before the course of time then good my liege let me have what is mine my father's land as was my father's will king john sirrah your brother is legitimate your father's wife did after wedlock bear him and if she did play false the fault was hers which fault lies on the hazards of all husbands that marry wives tell me how if my brother who as you say took pains to get this son had of your father claim'd this son for his in sooth good friend your father might have kept this calf bred from his cow from all the world in sooth he might then if he were my brother's my brother might not claim him nor your father being none of his refuse him this concludes my mother's son did get your father's heir your father's heir must have your father's land robert shall then my father's will be of no force to dispossess that child which is not his bastard of no more force to dispossess me sir than was his will to get me as i think queen elinor whether hadst thou rather be a faulconbridge and like thy brother to enjoy thy land or the reputed son of coeurdelion lord of thy presence and no land beside bastard madam an if my brother had my shape and i had his sir robert's his like him and if my legs were two such ridingrods my arms such eelskins stuff'd my face so thin that in mine ear i durst not stick a rose lest men should say look where threefarthings goes' and to his shape were heir to all this land would i might never stir from off this place i would give it every foot to have this face i would not be sir nob in any case queen elinor i like thee well wilt thou forsake thy fortune bequeath thy land to him and follow me i am a soldier and now bound to france bastard brother take you my land i'll take my chance your face hath got five hundred pound a year yet sell your face for five pence and tis dear madam i'll follow you unto the death queen elinor nay i would have you go before me thither bastard our country manners give our betters way king john what is thy name bastard philip my liege so is my name begun philip good old sir robert's wife's eldest son king john from henceforth bear his name whose form thou bear'st kneel thou down philip but rise more great arise sir richard and plantagenet bastard brother by the mother's side give me your hand my father gave me honour yours gave land now blessed by the hour by night or day when i was got sir robert was away queen elinor the very spirit of plantagenet i am thy grandam richard call me so bastard madam by chance but not by truth what though something about a little from the right in at the window or else o'er the hatch who dares not stir by day must walk by night and have is have however men do catch near or far off well won is still well shot and i am i howe'er i was begot king john go faulconbridge now hast thou thy desire a landless knight makes thee a landed squire come madam and come richard we must speed for france for france for it is more than need bastard brother adieu good fortune come to thee for thou wast got i the way of honesty exeunt all but bastard a foot of honour better than i was but many a many foot of land the worse well now can i make any joan a lady good den sir richard''godamercy fellow' and if his name be george i'll call him peter for newmade honour doth forget men's names tis too respective and too sociable for your conversion now your traveller he and his toothpick at my worship's mess and when my knightly stomach is sufficed why then i suck my teeth and catechise my picked man of countries my dear sir' thus leaning on mine elbow i begin i shall beseech you'that is question now and then comes answer like an absey book o sir says answer at your best command at your employment at your service sir' no sir says question i sweet sir at yours' and so ere answer knows what question would saving in dialogue of compliment and talking of the alps and apennines the pyrenean and the river po it draws toward supper in conclusion so but this is worshipful society and fits the mounting spirit like myself for he is but a bastard to the time that doth not smack of observation and so am i whether i smack or no and not alone in habit and device exterior form outward accoutrement but from the inward motion to deliver sweet sweet sweet poison for the age's tooth which though i will not practise to deceive yet to avoid deceit i mean to learn for it shall strew the footsteps of my rising but who comes in such haste in ridingrobes what womanpost is this hath she no husband that will take pains to blow a horn before her enter lady faulconbridge and gurney o me it is my mother how now good lady what brings you here to court so hastily lady faulconbridge where is that slave thy brother where is he that holds in chase mine honour up and down bastard my brother robert old sir robert's son colbrand the giant that same mighty man is it sir robert's son that you seek so lady faulconbridge sir robert's son ay thou unreverend boy sir robert's son why scorn'st thou at sir robert he is sir robert's son and so art thou bastard james gurney wilt thou give us leave awhile gurney good leave good philip bastard philip sparrow james there's toys abroad anon i'll tell thee more exit gurney madam i was not old sir robert's son sir robert might have eat his part in me upon goodfriday and ne'er broke his fast sir robert could do well marry to confess could he get me sir robert could not do it we know his handiwork therefore good mother to whom am i beholding for these limbs sir robert never holp to make this leg lady faulconbridge hast thou conspired with thy brother too that for thine own gain shouldst defend mine honour what means this scorn thou most untoward knave bastard knight knight good mother basiliscolike what i am dubb'd i have it on my shoulder but mother i am not sir robert's son i have disclaim'd sir robert and my land legitimation name and all is gone then good my mother let me know my father some proper man i hope who was it mother lady faulconbridge hast thou denied thyself a faulconbridge bastard as faithfully as i deny the devil lady faulconbridge king richard coeurdelion was thy father by long and vehement suit i was seduced to make room for him in my husband's bed heaven lay not my transgression to my charge thou art the issue of my dear offence which was so strongly urged past my defence bastard now by this light were i to get again madam i would not wish a better father some sins do bear their privilege on earth and so doth yours your fault was not your folly needs must you lay your heart at his dispose subjected tribute to commanding love against whose fury and unmatched force the aweless lion could not wage the fight nor keep his princely heart from richard's hand he that perforce robs lions of their hearts may easily win a woman's ay my mother with all my heart i thank thee for my father who lives and dares but say thou didst not well when i was got i'll send his soul to hell come lady i will show thee to my kin and they shall say when richard me begot if thou hadst said him nay it had been sin who says it was he lies i say twas not exeunt king john act ii scene i france before angiers enter austria and forces drums etc on one side on the other king philip and his power lewis arthur constance and attendants lewis before angiers well met brave austria arthur that great forerunner of thy blood richard that robb'd the lion of his heart and fought the holy wars in palestine by this brave duke came early to his grave and for amends to his posterity at our importance hither is he come to spread his colours boy in thy behalf and to rebuke the usurpation of thy unnatural uncle english john embrace him love him give him welcome hither arthur god shall forgive you coeurdelion's death the rather that you give his offspring life shadowing their right under your wings of war i give you welcome with a powerless hand but with a heart full of unstained love welcome before the gates of angiers duke lewis a noble boy who would not do thee right austria upon thy cheek lay i this zealous kiss as seal to this indenture of my love that to my home i will no more return till angiers and the right thou hast in france together with that pale that whitefaced shore whose foot spurns back the ocean's roaring tides and coops from other lands her islanders even till that england hedged in with the main that waterwalled bulwark still secure and confident from foreign purposes even till that utmost corner of the west salute thee for her king till then fair boy will i not think of home but follow arms constance o take his mother's thanks a widow's thanks till your strong hand shall help to give him strength to make a more requital to your love austria the peace of heaven is theirs that lift their swords in such a just and charitable war king philip well then to work our cannon shall be bent against the brows of this resisting town call for our chiefest men of discipline to cull the plots of best advantages we'll lay before this town our royal bones wade to the marketplace in frenchmen's blood but we will make it subject to this boy constance stay for an answer to your embassy lest unadvised you stain your swords with blood my lord chatillon may from england bring that right in peace which here we urge in war and then we shall repent each drop of blood that hot rash haste so indirectly shed enter chatillon king philip a wonder lady lo upon thy wish our messenger chatillon is arrived what england says say briefly gentle lord we coldly pause for thee chatillon speak chatillon then turn your forces from this paltry siege and stir them up against a mightier task england impatient of your just demands hath put himself in arms the adverse winds whose leisure i have stay'd have given him time to land his legions all as soon as i his marches are expedient to this town his forces strong his soldiers confident with him along is come the motherqueen an ate stirring him to blood and strife with her her niece the lady blanch of spain with them a bastard of the king's deceased and all the unsettled humours of the land rash inconsiderate fiery voluntaries with ladies faces and fierce dragons spleens have sold their fortunes at their native homes bearing their birthrights proudly on their backs to make hazard of new fortunes here in brief a braver choice of dauntless spirits than now the english bottoms have waft o'er did nearer float upon the swelling tide to do offence and scath in christendom drum beats the interruption of their churlish drums cuts off more circumstance they are at hand to parley or to fight therefore prepare king philip how much unlook'd for is this expedition austria by how much unexpected by so much we must awake endavour for defence for courage mounteth with occasion let them be welcome then we are prepared enter king john queen elinor blanch the bastard lords and forces king john peace be to france if france in peace permit our just and lineal entrance to our own if not bleed france and peace ascend to heaven whiles we god's wrathful agent do correct their proud contempt that beats his peace to heaven king philip peace be to england if that war return from france to england there to live in peace england we love and for that england's sake with burden of our armour here we sweat this toil of ours should be a work of thine but thou from loving england art so far that thou hast underwrought his lawful king cut off the sequence of posterity outfaced infant state and done a rape upon the maiden virtue of the crown look here upon thy brother geffrey's face these eyes these brows were moulded out of his this little abstract doth contain that large which died in geffrey and the hand of time shall draw this brief into as huge a volume that geffrey was thy elder brother born and this his son england was geffrey's right and this is geffrey's in the name of god how comes it then that thou art call'd a king when living blood doth in these temples beat which owe the crown that thou o'ermasterest king john from whom hast thou this great commission france to draw my answer from thy articles king philip from that supernal judge that stirs good thoughts in any breast of strong authority to look into the blots and stains of right that judge hath made me guardian to this boy under whose warrant i impeach thy wrong and by whose help i mean to chastise it king john alack thou dost usurp authority king philip excuse it is to beat usurping down queen elinor who is it thou dost call usurper france constance let me make answer thy usurping son queen elinor out insolent thy bastard shall be king that thou mayst be a queen and cheque the world constance my bed was ever to thy son as true as thine was to thy husband and this boy liker in feature to his father geffrey than thou and john in manners being as like as rain to water or devil to his dam my boy a bastard by my soul i think his father never was so true begot it cannot be an if thou wert his mother queen elinor there's a good mother boy that blots thy father constance there's a good grandam boy that would blot thee austria peace bastard hear the crier austria what the devil art thou bastard one that will play the devil sir with you an a may catch your hide and you alone you are the hare of whom the proverb goes whose valour plucks dead lions by the beard i'll smoke your skincoat an i catch you right sirrah look to't i faith i will i faith blanch o well did he become that lion's robe that did disrobe the lion of that robe bastard it lies as sightly on the back of him as great alcides shows upon an ass but ass i'll take that burthen from your back or lay on that shall make your shoulders crack austria what craker is this same that deafs our ears with this abundance of superfluous breath king philip lewis determine what we shall do straight lewis women and fools break off your conference king john this is the very sum of all england and ireland anjou touraine maine in right of arthur do i claim of thee wilt thou resign them and lay down thy arms king john my life as soon i do defy thee france arthur of bretagne yield thee to my hand and out of my dear love i'll give thee more than e'er the coward hand of france can win submit thee boy queen elinor come to thy grandam child constance do child go to it grandam child give grandam kingdom and it grandam will give it a plum a cherry and a fig there's a good grandam arthur good my mother peace i would that i were low laid in my grave i am not worth this coil that's made for me queen elinor his mother shames him so poor boy he weeps constance now shame upon you whether she does or no his grandam's wrongs and not his mother's shames draws those heavenmoving pearls from his poor eyes which heaven shall take in nature of a fee ay with these crystal beads heaven shall be bribed to do him justice and revenge on you queen elinor thou monstrous slanderer of heaven and earth constance thou monstrous injurer of heaven and earth call not me slanderer thou and thine usurp the dominations royalties and rights of this oppressed boy this is thy eld'st son's son infortunate in nothing but in thee thy sins are visited in this poor child the canon of the law is laid on him being but the second generation removed from thy sinconceiving womb king john bedlam have done constance i have but this to say that he is not only plagued for her sin but god hath made her sin and her the plague on this removed issue plague for her and with her plague her sin his injury her injury the beadle to her sin all punish'd in the person of this child and all for her a plague upon her queen elinor thou unadvised scold i can produce a will that bars the title of thy son constance ay who doubts that a will a wicked will a woman's will a canker'd grandam's will king philip peace lady pause or be more temperate it ill beseems this presence to cry aim to these illtuned repetitions some trumpet summon hither to the walls these men of angiers let us hear them speak whose title they admit arthur's or john's trumpet sounds enter certain citizens upon the walls first citizen who is it that hath warn'd us to the walls king philip tis france for england king john england for itself you men of angiers and my loving subjects king philip you loving men of angiers arthur's subjects our trumpet call'd you to this gentle parle king john for our advantage therefore hear us first these flags of france that are advanced here before the eye and prospect of your town have hither march'd to your endamagement the cannons have their bowels full of wrath and ready mounted are they to spit forth their iron indignation gainst your walls all preparation for a bloody siege all merciless proceeding by these french confronts your city's eyes your winking gates and but for our approach those sleeping stones that as a waist doth girdle you about by the compulsion of their ordinance by this time from their fixed beds of lime had been dishabited and wide havoc made for bloody power to rush upon your peace but on the sight of us your lawful king who painfully with much expedient march have brought a countercheque before your gates to save unscratch'd your city's threatened cheeks behold the french amazed vouchsafe a parle and now instead of bullets wrapp'd in fire to make a shaking fever in your walls they shoot but calm words folded up in smoke to make a faithless error in your ears which trust accordingly kind citizens and let us in your king whose labour'd spirits forwearied in this action of swift speed crave harbourage within your city walls king philip when i have said make answer to us both lo in this right hand whose protection is most divinely vow'd upon the right of him it holds stands young plantagenet son to the elder brother of this man and king o'er him and all that he enjoys for this downtrodden equity we tread in warlike march these greens before your town being no further enemy to you than the constraint of hospitable zeal in the relief of this oppressed child religiously provokes be pleased then to pay that duty which you truly owe to that owes it namely this young prince and then our arms like to a muzzled bear save in aspect hath all offence seal'd up our cannons malice vainly shall be spent against the invulnerable clouds of heaven and with a blessed and unvex'd retire with unhack'd swords and helmets all unbruised we will bear home that lusty blood again which here we came to spout against your town and leave your children wives and you in peace but if you fondly pass our proffer'd offer tis not the roundure of your oldfaced walls can hide you from our messengers of war though all these english and their discipline were harbour'd in their rude circumference then tell us shall your city call us lord in that behalf which we have challenged it or shall we give the signal to our rage and stalk in blood to our possession first citizen in brief we are the king of england's subjects for him and in his right we hold this town king john acknowledge then the king and let me in first citizen that can we not but he that proves the king to him will we prove loyal till that time have we ramm'd up our gates against the world king john doth not the crown of england prove the king and if not that i bring you witnesses twice fifteen thousand hearts of england's breed bastard bastards and else king john to verify our title with their lives king philip as many and as wellborn bloods as those bastard some bastards too king philip stand in his face to contradict his claim first citizen till you compound whose right is worthiest we for the worthiest hold the right from both king john then god forgive the sin of all those souls that to their everlasting residence before the dew of evening fall shall fleet in dreadful trial of our kingdom's king king philip amen amen mount chevaliers to arms bastard saint george that swinged the dragon and e'er since sits on his horseback at mine hostess door teach us some fence to austria sirrah were i at home at your den sirrah with your lioness i would set an oxhead to your lion's hide and make a monster of you austria peace no more bastard o tremble for you hear the lion roar king john up higher to the plain where we'll set forth in best appointment all our regiments bastard speed then to take advantage of the field king philip it shall be so and at the other hill command the rest to stand god and our right exeunt here after excursions enter the herald of france with trumpets to the gates french herald you men of angiers open wide your gates and let young arthur duke of bretagne in who by the hand of france this day hath made much work for tears in many an english mother whose sons lie scattered on the bleeding ground many a widow's husband grovelling lies coldly embracing the discolour'd earth and victory with little loss doth play upon the dancing banners of the french who are at hand triumphantly display'd to enter conquerors and to proclaim arthur of bretagne england's king and yours enter english herald with trumpet english herald rejoice you men of angiers ring your bells king john your king and england's doth approach commander of this hot malicious day their armours that march'd hence so silverbright hither return all gilt with frenchmen's blood there stuck no plume in any english crest that is removed by a staff of france our colours do return in those same hands that did display them when we first march'd forth and like a troop of jolly huntsmen come our lusty english all with purpled hands dyed in the dying slaughter of their foes open your gates and gives the victors way first citizen heralds from off our towers we might behold from first to last the onset and retire of both your armies whose equality by our best eyes cannot be censured blood hath bought blood and blows have answered blows strength match'd with strength and power confronted power both are alike and both alike we like one must prove greatest while they weigh so even we hold our town for neither yet for both reenter king john and king philip with their powers severally king john france hast thou yet more blood to cast away say shall the current of our right run on whose passage vex'd with thy impediment shall leave his native channel and o'erswell with course disturb'd even thy confining shores unless thou let his silver water keep a peaceful progress to the ocean king philip england thou hast not saved one drop of blood in this hot trial more than we of france rather lost more and by this hand i swear that sways the earth this climate overlooks before we will lay down our justborne arms we'll put thee down gainst whom these arms we bear or add a royal number to the dead gracing the scroll that tells of this war's loss with slaughter coupled to the name of kings bastard ha majesty how high thy glory towers when the rich blood of kings is set on fire o now doth death line his dead chaps with steel the swords of soldiers are his teeth his fangs and now he feasts mousing the flesh of men in undetermined differences of kings why stand these royal fronts amazed thus cry havoc kings back to the stained field you equal potents fiery kindled spirits then let confusion of one part confirm the other's peace till then blows blood and death king john whose party do the townsmen yet admit king philip speak citizens for england who's your king first citizen the king of england when we know the king king philip know him in us that here hold up his right king john in us that are our own great deputy and bear possession of our person here lord of our presence angiers and of you first citizen a greater power then we denies all this and till it be undoubted we do lock our former scruple in our strongbarr'd gates king'd of our fears until our fears resolved be by some certain king purged and deposed bastard by heaven these scroyles of angiers flout you kings and stand securely on their battlements as in a theatre whence they gape and point at your industrious scenes and acts of death your royal presences be ruled by me do like the mutines of jerusalem be friends awhile and both conjointly bend your sharpest deeds of malice on this town by east and west let france and england mount their battering cannon charged to the mouths till their soulfearing clamours have brawl'd down the flinty ribs of this contemptuous city i'ld play incessantly upon these jades even till unfenced desolation leave them as naked as the vulgar air that done dissever your united strengths and part your mingled colours once again turn face to face and bloody point to point then in a moment fortune shall cull forth out of one side her happy minion to whom in favour she shall give the day and kiss him with a glorious victory how like you this wild counsel mighty states smacks it not something of the policy king john now by the sky that hangs above our heads i like it well france shall we knit our powers and lay this angiers even to the ground then after fight who shall be king of it bastard an if thou hast the mettle of a king being wronged as we are by this peevish town turn thou the mouth of thy artillery as we will ours against these saucy walls and when that we have dash'd them to the ground why then defy each other and pellmell make work upon ourselves for heaven or hell king philip let it be so say where will you assault king john we from the west will send destruction into this city's bosom austria i from the north king philip our thunder from the south shall rain their drift of bullets on this town bastard o prudent discipline from north to south austria and france shoot in each other's mouth i'll stir them to it come away away first citizen hear us great kings vouchsafe awhile to stay and i shall show you peace and fairfaced league win you this city without stroke or wound rescue those breathing lives to die in beds that here come sacrifices for the field persever not but hear me mighty kings king john speak on with favour we are bent to hear first citizen that daughter there of spain the lady blanch is niece to england look upon the years of lewis the dauphin and that lovely maid if lusty love should go in quest of beauty where should he find it fairer than in blanch if zealous love should go in search of virtue where should he find it purer than in blanch if love ambitious sought a match of birth whose veins bound richer blood than lady blanch such as she is in beauty virtue birth is the young dauphin every way complete if not complete of say he is not she and she again wants nothing to name want if want it be not that she is not he he is the half part of a blessed man left to be finished by such as she and she a fair divided excellence whose fulness of perfection lies in him o two such silver currents when they join do glorify the banks that bound them in and two such shores to two such streams made one two such controlling bounds shall you be kings to these two princes if you marry them this union shall do more than battery can to our fastclosed gates for at this match with swifter spleen than powder can enforce the mouth of passage shall we fling wide ope and give you entrance but without this match the sea enraged is not half so deaf lions more confident mountains and rocks more free from motion no not death himself in moral fury half so peremptory as we to keep this city bastard here's a stay that shakes the rotten carcass of old death out of his rags here's a large mouth indeed that spits forth death and mountains rocks and seas talks as familiarly of roaring lions as maids of thirteen do of puppydogs what cannoneer begot this lusty blood he speaks plain cannon fire and smoke and bounce he gives the bastinado with his tongue our ears are cudgell'd not a word of his but buffets better than a fist of france zounds i was never so bethump'd with words since i first call'd my brother's father dad queen elinor son list to this conjunction make this match give with our niece a dowry large enough for by this knot thou shalt so surely tie thy now unsured assurance to the crown that yon green boy shall have no sun to ripe the bloom that promiseth a mighty fruit i see a yielding in the looks of france mark how they whisper urge them while their souls are capable of this ambition lest zeal now melted by the windy breath of soft petitions pity and remorse cool and congeal again to what it was first citizen why answer not the double majesties this friendly treaty of our threaten'd town king philip speak england first that hath been forward first to speak unto this city what say you king john if that the dauphin there thy princely son can in this book of beauty read i love' her dowry shall weigh equal with a queen for anjou and fair touraine maine poictiers and all that we upon this side the sea except this city now by us besieged find liable to our crown and dignity shall gild her bridal bed and make her rich in titles honours and promotions as she in beauty education blood holds hand with any princess of the world king philip what say'st thou boy look in the lady's face lewis i do my lord and in her eye i find a wonder or a wondrous miracle the shadow of myself form'd in her eye which being but the shadow of your son becomes a sun and makes your son a shadow i do protest i never loved myself till now infixed i beheld myself drawn in the flattering table of her eye whispers with blanch bastard drawn in the flattering table of her eye hang'd in the frowning wrinkle of her brow and quarter'd in her heart he doth espy himself love's traitor this is pity now that hang'd and drawn and quartered there should be in such a love so vile a lout as he blanch my uncle's will in this respect is mine if he see aught in you that makes him like that any thing he sees which moves his liking i can with ease translate it to my will or if you will to speak more properly i will enforce it easily to my love further i will not flatter you my lord that all i see in you is worthy love than this that nothing do i see in you though churlish thoughts themselves should be your judge that i can find should merit any hate king john what say these young ones what say you my niece blanch that she is bound in honour still to do what you in wisdom still vouchsafe to say king john speak then prince dauphin can you love this lady lewis nay ask me if i can refrain from love for i do love her most unfeignedly king john then do i give volquessen touraine maine poictiers and anjou these five provinces with her to thee and this addition more full thirty thousand marks of english coin philip of france if thou be pleased withal command thy son and daughter to join hands king philip it likes us well young princes close your hands austria and your lips too for i am well assured that i did so when i was first assured king philip now citizens of angiers ope your gates let in that amity which you have made for at saint mary's chapel presently the rites of marriage shall be solemnized is not the lady constance in this troop i know she is not for this match made up her presence would have interrupted much where is she and her son tell me who knows lewis she is sad and passionate at your highness tent king philip and by my faith this league that we have made will give her sadness very little cure brother of england how may we content this widow lady in her right we came which we god knows have turn'd another way to our own vantage king john we will heal up all for we'll create young arthur duke of bretagne and earl of richmond and this rich fair town we make him lord of call the lady constance some speedy messenger bid her repair to our solemnity i trust we shall if not fill up the measure of her will yet in some measure satisfy her so that we shall stop her exclamation go we as well as haste will suffer us to this unlook'd for unprepared pomp exeunt all but the bastard bastard mad world mad kings mad composition john to stop arthur's title in the whole hath willingly departed with a part and france whose armour conscience buckled on whom zeal and charity brought to the field as god's own soldier rounded in the ear with that same purposechanger that sly devil that broker that still breaks the pate of faith that daily breakvow he that wins of all of kings of beggars old men young men maids who having no external thing to lose but the word maid cheats the poor maid of that that smoothfaced gentleman tickling commodity commodity the bias of the world the world who of itself is peised well made to run even upon even ground till this advantage this viledrawing bias this sway of motion this commodity makes it take head from all indifferency from all direction purpose course intent and this same bias this commodity this bawd this broker this allchanging word clapp'd on the outward eye of fickle france hath drawn him from his own determined aid from a resolved and honourable war to a most base and vileconcluded peace and why rail i on this commodity but for because he hath not woo'd me yet not that i have the power to clutch my hand when his fair angels would salute my palm but for my hand as unattempted yet like a poor beggar raileth on the rich well whiles i am a beggar i will rail and say there is no sin but to be rich and being rich my virtue then shall be to say there is no vice but beggary since kings break faith upon commodity gain be my lord for i will worship thee exit king john act iii scene i the french king's pavilion enter constance arthur and salisbury constance gone to be married gone to swear a peace false blood to false blood join'd gone to be friends shall lewis have blanch and blanch those provinces it is not so thou hast misspoke misheard be well advised tell o'er thy tale again it cannot be thou dost but say tis so i trust i may not trust thee for thy word is but the vain breath of a common man believe me i do not believe thee man i have a king's oath to the contrary thou shalt be punish'd for thus frighting me for i am sick and capable of fears oppress'd with wrongs and therefore full of fears a widow husbandless subject to fears a woman naturally born to fears and though thou now confess thou didst but jest with my vex'd spirits i cannot take a truce but they will quake and tremble all this day what dost thou mean by shaking of thy head why dost thou look so sadly on my son what means that hand upon that breast of thine why holds thine eye that lamentable rheum like a proud river peering o'er his bounds be these sad signs confirmers of thy words then speak again not all thy former tale but this one word whether thy tale be true salisbury as true as i believe you think them false that give you cause to prove my saying true constance o if thou teach me to believe this sorrow teach thou this sorrow how to make me die and let belief and life encounter so as doth the fury of two desperate men which in the very meeting fall and die lewis marry blanch o boy then where art thou france friend with england what becomes of me fellow be gone i cannot brook thy sight this news hath made thee a most ugly man salisbury what other harm have i good lady done but spoke the harm that is by others done constance which harm within itself so heinous is as it makes harmful all that speak of it arthur i do beseech you madam be content constance if thou that bid'st me be content wert grim ugly and slanderous to thy mother's womb full of unpleasing blots and sightless stains lame foolish crooked swart prodigious patch'd with foul moles and eyeoffending marks i would not care i then would be content for then i should not love thee no nor thou become thy great birth nor deserve a crown but thou art fair and at thy birth dear boy nature and fortune join'd to make thee great of nature's gifts thou mayst with lilies boast and with the halfblown rose but fortune o she is corrupted changed and won from thee she adulterates hourly with thine uncle john and with her golden hand hath pluck'd on france to tread down fair respect of sovereignty and made his majesty the bawd to theirs france is a bawd to fortune and king john that strumpet fortune that usurping john tell me thou fellow is not france forsworn envenom him with words or get thee gone and leave those woes alone which i alone am bound to underbear salisbury pardon me madam i may not go without you to the kings constance thou mayst thou shalt i will not go with thee i will instruct my sorrows to be proud for grief is proud and makes his owner stoop to me and to the state of my great grief let kings assemble for my grief's so great that no supporter but the huge firm earth can hold it up here i and sorrows sit here is my throne bid kings come bow to it seats herself on the ground enter king john king phillip lewis blanch queen elinor the bastard austria and attendants king philip tis true fair daughter and this blessed day ever in france shall be kept festival to solemnize this day the glorious sun stays in his course and plays the alchemist turning with splendor of his precious eye the meagre cloddy earth to glittering gold the yearly course that brings this day about shall never see it but a holiday constance a wicked day and not a holy day rising what hath this day deserved what hath it done that it in golden letters should be set among the high tides in the calendar nay rather turn this day out of the week this day of shame oppression perjury or if it must stand still let wives with child pray that their burthens may not fall this day lest that their hopes prodigiously be cross'd but on this day let seamen fear no wreck no bargains break that are not this day made this day all things begun come to ill end yea faith itself to hollow falsehood change king philip by heaven lady you shall have no cause to curse the fair proceedings of this day have i not pawn'd to you my majesty constance you have beguiled me with a counterfeit resembling majesty which being touch'd and tried proves valueless you are forsworn forsworn you came in arms to spill mine enemies blood but now in arms you strengthen it with yours the grappling vigour and rough frown of war is cold in amity and painted peace and our oppression hath made up this league arm arm you heavens against these perjured kings a widow cries be husband to me heavens let not the hours of this ungodly day wear out the day in peace but ere sunset set armed discord twixt these perjured kings hear me o hear me austria lady constance peace constance war war no peace peace is to me a war o lymoges o austria thou dost shame that bloody spoil thou slave thou wretch thou coward thou little valiant great in villany thou ever strong upon the stronger side thou fortune's champion that dost never fight but when her humorous ladyship is by to teach thee safety thou art perjured too and soothest up greatness what a fool art thou a ramping fool to brag and stamp and swear upon my party thou coldblooded slave hast thou not spoke like thunder on my side been sworn my soldier bidding me depend upon thy stars thy fortune and thy strength and dost thou now fall over to my fores thou wear a lion's hide doff it for shame and hang a calf'sskin on those recreant limbs austria o that a man should speak those words to me bastard and hang a calf'sskin on those recreant limbs austria thou darest not say so villain for thy life bastard and hang a calf'sskin on those recreant limbs king john we like not this thou dost forget thyself enter cardinal pandulph king philip here comes the holy legate of the pope cardinal pandulph hail you anointed deputies of heaven to thee king john my holy errand is i pandulph of fair milan cardinal and from pope innocent the legate here do in his name religiously demand why thou against the church our holy mother so wilfully dost spurn and force perforce keep stephen langton chosen archbishop of canterbury from that holy see this in our foresaid holy father's name pope innocent i do demand of thee king john what earthy name to interrogatories can task the free breath of a sacred king thou canst not cardinal devise a name so slight unworthy and ridiculous to charge me to an answer as the pope tell him this tale and from the mouth of england add thus much more that no italian priest shall tithe or toll in our dominions but as we under heaven are supreme head so under him that great supremacy where we do reign we will alone uphold without the assistance of a mortal hand so tell the pope all reverence set apart to him and his usurp'd authority king philip brother of england you blaspheme in this king john though you and all the kings of christendom are led so grossly by this meddling priest dreading the curse that money may buy out and by the merit of vile gold dross dust purchase corrupted pardon of a man who in that sale sells pardon from himself though you and all the rest so grossly led this juggling witchcraft with revenue cherish yet i alone alone do me oppose against the pope and count his friends my foes cardinal pandulph then by the lawful power that i have thou shalt stand cursed and excommunicate and blessed shall he be that doth revolt from his allegiance to an heretic and meritorious shall that hand be call'd canonized and worshipped as a saint that takes away by any secret course thy hateful life constance o lawful let it be that i have room with rome to curse awhile good father cardinal cry thou amen to my keen curses for without my wrong there is no tongue hath power to curse him right cardinal pandulph there's law and warrant lady for my curse constance and for mine too when law can do no right let it be lawful that law bar no wrong law cannot give my child his kingdom here for he that holds his kingdom holds the law therefore since law itself is perfect wrong how can the law forbid my tongue to curse cardinal pandulph philip of france on peril of a curse let go the hand of that archheretic and raise the power of france upon his head unless he do submit himself to rome queen elinor look'st thou pale france do not let go thy hand constance look to that devil lest that france repent and by disjoining hands hell lose a soul austria king philip listen to the cardinal bastard and hang a calf'sskin on his recreant limbs austria well ruffian i must pocket up these wrongs because bastard your breeches best may carry them king john philip what say'st thou to the cardinal constance what should he say but as the cardinal lewis bethink you father for the difference is purchase of a heavy curse from rome or the light loss of england for a friend forego the easier blanch that's the curse of rome constance o lewis stand fast the devil tempts thee here in likeness of a new untrimmed bride blanch the lady constance speaks not from her faith but from her need constance o if thou grant my need which only lives but by the death of faith that need must needs infer this principle that faith would live again by death of need o then tread down my need and faith mounts up keep my need up and faith is trodden down king john the king is moved and answers not to this constance o be removed from him and answer well austria do so king philip hang no more in doubt bastard hang nothing but a calf'sskin most sweet lout king philip i am perplex'd and know not what to say cardinal pandulph what canst thou say but will perplex thee more if thou stand excommunicate and cursed king philip good reverend father make my person yours and tell me how you would bestow yourself this royal hand and mine are newly knit and the conjunction of our inward souls married in league coupled and linked together with all religious strength of sacred vows the latest breath that gave the sound of words was deepsworn faith peace amity true love between our kingdoms and our royal selves and even before this truce but new before no longer than we well could wash our hands to clap this royal bargain up of peace heaven knows they were besmear'd and overstain'd with slaughter's pencil where revenge did paint the fearful difference of incensed kings and shall these hands so lately purged of blood so newly join'd in love so strong in both unyoke this seizure and this kind regreet play fast and loose with faith so jest with heaven make such unconstant children of ourselves as now again to snatch our palm from palm unswear faith sworn and on the marriagebed of smiling peace to march a bloody host and make a riot on the gentle brow of true sincerity o holy sir my reverend father let it not be so out of your grace devise ordain impose some gentle order and then we shall be blest to do your pleasure and continue friends cardinal pandulph all form is formless order orderless save what is opposite to england's love therefore to arms be champion of our church or let the church our mother breathe her curse a mother's curse on her revolting son france thou mayst hold a serpent by the tongue a chafed lion by the mortal paw a fasting tiger safer by the tooth than keep in peace that hand which thou dost hold king philip i may disjoin my hand but not my faith cardinal pandulph so makest thou faith an enemy to faith and like a civil war set'st oath to oath thy tongue against thy tongue o let thy vow first made to heaven first be to heaven perform'd that is to be the champion of our church what since thou sworest is sworn against thyself and may not be performed by thyself for that which thou hast sworn to do amiss is not amiss when it is truly done and being not done where doing tends to ill the truth is then most done not doing it the better act of purposes mistook is to mistake again though indirect yet indirection thereby grows direct and falsehood falsehood cures as fire cools fire within the scorched veins of one newburn'd it is religion that doth make vows kept but thou hast sworn against religion by what thou swear'st against the thing thou swear'st and makest an oath the surety for thy truth against an oath the truth thou art unsure to swear swears only not to be forsworn else what a mockery should it be to swear but thou dost swear only to be forsworn and most forsworn to keep what thou dost swear therefore thy later vows against thy first is in thyself rebellion to thyself and better conquest never canst thou make than arm thy constant and thy nobler parts against these giddy loose suggestions upon which better part our prayers come in if thou vouchsafe them but if not then know the peril of our curses light on thee so heavy as thou shalt not shake them off but in despair die under their black weight austria rebellion flat rebellion bastard will't not be will not a calfsskin stop that mouth of thine lewis father to arms blanch upon thy weddingday against the blood that thou hast married what shall our feast be kept with slaughter'd men shall braying trumpets and loud churlish drums clamours of hell be measures to our pomp o husband hear me ay alack how new is husband in my mouth even for that name which till this time my tongue did ne'er pronounce upon my knee i beg go not to arms against mine uncle constance o upon my knee made hard with kneeling i do pray to thee thou virtuous dauphin alter not the doom forethought by heaven blanch now shall i see thy love what motive may be stronger with thee than the name of wife constance that which upholdeth him that thee upholds his honour o thine honour lewis thine honour lewis i muse your majesty doth seem so cold when such profound respects do pull you on cardinal pandulph i will denounce a curse upon his head king philip thou shalt not need england i will fall from thee constance o fair return of banish'd majesty queen elinor o foul revolt of french inconstancy king john france thou shalt rue this hour within this hour bastard old time the clocksetter that bald sexton time is it as he will well then france shall rue blanch the sun's o'ercast with blood fair day adieu which is the side that i must go withal i am with both each army hath a hand and in their rage i having hold of both they swirl asunder and dismember me husband i cannot pray that thou mayst win uncle i needs must pray that thou mayst lose father i may not wish the fortune thine grandam i will not wish thy fortunes thrive whoever wins on that side shall i lose assured loss before the match be play'd lewis lady with me with me thy fortune lies blanch there where my fortune lives there my life dies king john cousin go draw our puissance together exit bastard france i am burn'd up with inflaming wrath a rage whose heat hath this condition that nothing can allay nothing but blood the blood and dearestvalued blood of france king philip thy rage sham burn thee up and thou shalt turn to ashes ere our blood shall quench that fire look to thyself thou art in jeopardy king john no more than he that threats to arms let's hie exeunt king john act iii scene ii the same plains near angiers alarums excursions enter the bastard with austria's head bastard now by my life this day grows wondrous hot some airy devil hovers in the sky and pours down mischief austria's head lie there while philip breathes enter king john arthur and hubert king john hubert keep this boy philip make up my mother is assailed in our tent and ta'en i fear bastard my lord i rescued her her highness is in safety fear you not but on my liege for very little pains will bring this labour to an happy end exeunt king john act iii scene iii the same alarums excursions retreat enter king john queen elinor arthur the bastard hubert and lords king john to queen elinor so shall it be your grace shall stay behind so strongly guarded to arthur cousin look not sad thy grandam loves thee and thy uncle will as dear be to thee as thy father was arthur o this will make my mother die with grief king john to the bastard cousin away for england haste before and ere our coming see thou shake the bags of hoarding abbots imprisoned angels set at liberty the fat ribs of peace must by the hungry now be fed upon use our commission in his utmost force bastard bell book and candle shall not drive me back when gold and silver becks me to come on i leave your highness grandam i will pray if ever i remember to be holy for your fair safety so i kiss your hand elinor farewell gentle cousin king john coz farewell exit the bastard queen elinor come hither little kinsman hark a word king john come hither hubert o my gentle hubert we owe thee much within this wall of flesh there is a soul counts thee her creditor and with advantage means to pay thy love and my good friend thy voluntary oath lives in this bosom dearly cherished give me thy hand i had a thing to say but i will fit it with some better time by heaven hubert i am almost ashamed to say what good respect i have of thee hubert i am much bounden to your majesty king john good friend thou hast no cause to say so yet but thou shalt have and creep time ne'er so slow yet it shall come from me to do thee good i had a thing to say but let it go the sun is in the heaven and the proud day attended with the pleasures of the world is all too wanton and too full of gawds to give me audience if the midnight bell did with his iron tongue and brazen mouth sound on into the drowsy race of night if this same were a churchyard where we stand and thou possessed with a thousand wrongs or if that surly spirit melancholy had baked thy blood and made it heavythick which else runs tickling up and down the veins making that idiot laughter keep men's eyes and strain their cheeks to idle merriment a passion hateful to my purposes or if that thou couldst see me without eyes hear me without thine ears and make reply without a tongue using conceit alone without eyes ears and harmful sound of words then in despite of brooded watchful day i would into thy bosom pour my thoughts but ah i will not yet i love thee well and by my troth i think thou lovest me well hubert so well that what you bid me undertake though that my death were adjunct to my act by heaven i would do it king john do not i know thou wouldst good hubert hubert hubert throw thine eye on yon young boy i'll tell thee what my friend he is a very serpent in my way and whereso'er this foot of mine doth tread he lies before me dost thou understand me thou art his keeper hubert and i'll keep him so that he shall not offend your majesty king john death hubert my lord king john a grave hubert he shall not live king john enough i could be merry now hubert i love thee well i'll not say what i intend for thee remember madam fare you well i'll send those powers o'er to your majesty elinor my blessing go with thee king john for england cousin go hubert shall be your man attend on you with all true duty on toward calais ho exeunt king john act iii scene iv the same king philip's tent enter king philip lewis cardinal pandulph and attendants king philip so by a roaring tempest on the flood a whole armado of convicted sail is scatter'd and disjoin'd from fellowship cardinal pandulph courage and comfort all shall yet go well king philip what can go well when we have run so ill are we not beaten is not angiers lost arthur ta'en prisoner divers dear friends slain and bloody england into england gone o'erbearing interruption spite of france lewis what he hath won that hath he fortified so hot a speed with such advice disposed such temperate order in so fierce a cause doth want example who hath read or heard of any kindred action like to this king philip well could i bear that england had this praise so we could find some pattern of our shame enter constance look who comes here a grave unto a soul holding the eternal spirit against her will in the vile prison of afflicted breath i prithee lady go away with me constance lo now i now see the issue of your peace king philip patience good lady comfort gentle constance constance no i defy all counsel all redress but that which ends all counsel true redress death death o amiable lovely death thou odouriferous stench sound rottenness arise forth from the couch of lasting night thou hate and terror to prosperity and i will kiss thy detestable bones and put my eyeballs in thy vaulty brows and ring these fingers with thy household worms and stop this gap of breath with fulsome dust and be a carrion monster like thyself come grin on me and i will think thou smilest and buss thee as thy wife misery's love o come to me king philip o fair affliction peace constance no no i will not having breath to cry o that my tongue were in the thunder's mouth then with a passion would i shake the world and rouse from sleep that fell anatomy which cannot hear a lady's feeble voice which scorns a modern invocation cardinal pandulph lady you utter madness and not sorrow constance thou art not holy to belie me so i am not mad this hair i tear is mine my name is constance i was geffrey's wife young arthur is my son and he is lost i am not mad i would to heaven i were for then tis like i should forget myself o if i could what grief should i forget preach some philosophy to make me mad and thou shalt be canonized cardinal for being not mad but sensible of grief my reasonable part produces reason how i may be deliver'd of these woes and teaches me to kill or hang myself if i were mad i should forget my son or madly think a babe of clouts were he i am not mad too well too well i feel the different plague of each calamity king philip bind up those tresses o what love i note in the fair multitude of those her hairs where but by chance a silver drop hath fallen even to that drop ten thousand wiry friends do glue themselves in sociable grief like true inseparable faithful loves sticking together in calamity constance to england if you will king philip bind up your hairs constance yes that i will and wherefore will i do it i tore them from their bonds and cried aloud o that these hands could so redeem my son as they have given these hairs their liberty' but now i envy at their liberty and will again commit them to their bonds because my poor child is a prisoner and father cardinal i have heard you say that we shall see and know our friends in heaven if that be true i shall see my boy again for since the birth of cain the first male child to him that did but yesterday suspire there was not such a gracious creature born but now will cankersorrow eat my bud and chase the native beauty from his cheek and he will look as hollow as a ghost as dim and meagre as an ague's fit and so he'll die and rising so again when i shall meet him in the court of heaven i shall not know him therefore never never must i behold my pretty arthur more cardinal pandulph you hold too heinous a respect of grief constance he talks to me that never had a son king philip you are as fond of grief as of your child constance grief fills the room up of my absent child lies in his bed walks up and down with me puts on his pretty looks repeats his words remembers me of all his gracious parts stuffs out his vacant garments with his form then have i reason to be fond of grief fare you well had you such a loss as i i could give better comfort than you do i will not keep this form upon my head when there is such disorder in my wit o lord my boy my arthur my fair son my life my joy my food my all the world my widowcomfort and my sorrows cure exit king philip i fear some outrage and i'll follow her exit lewis there's nothing in this world can make me joy life is as tedious as a twicetold tale vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man and bitter shame hath spoil'd the sweet world's taste that it yields nought but shame and bitterness cardinal pandulph before the curing of a strong disease even in the instant of repair and health the fit is strongest evils that take leave on their departure most of all show evil what have you lost by losing of this day lewis all days of glory joy and happiness cardinal pandulph if you had won it certainly you had no no when fortune means to men most good she looks upon them with a threatening eye tis strange to think how much king john hath lost in this which he accounts so clearly won are not you grieved that arthur is his prisoner lewis as heartily as he is glad he hath him cardinal pandulph your mind is all as youthful as your blood now hear me speak with a prophetic spirit for even the breath of what i mean to speak shall blow each dust each straw each little rub out of the path which shall directly lead thy foot to england's throne and therefore mark john hath seized arthur and it cannot be that whiles warm life plays in that infant's veins the misplaced john should entertain an hour one minute nay one quiet breath of rest a sceptre snatch'd with an unruly hand must be as boisterously maintain'd as gain'd and he that stands upon a slippery place makes nice of no vile hold to stay him up that john may stand then arthur needs must fall so be it for it cannot be but so lewis but what shall i gain by young arthur's fall cardinal pandulph you in the right of lady blanch your wife may then make all the claim that arthur did lewis and lose it life and all as arthur did cardinal pandulph how green you are and fresh in this old world john lays you plots the times conspire with you for he that steeps his safety in true blood shall find but bloody safety and untrue this act so evilly born shall cool the hearts of all his people and freeze up their zeal that none so small advantage shall step forth to cheque his reign but they will cherish it no natural exhalation in the sky no scope of nature no distemper'd day no common wind no customed event but they will pluck away his natural cause and call them meteors prodigies and signs abortives presages and tongues of heaven plainly denouncing vengeance upon john lewis may be he will not touch young arthur's life but hold himself safe in his prisonment cardinal pandulph o sir when he shall hear of your approach if that young arthur be not gone already even at that news he dies and then the hearts of all his people shall revolt from him and kiss the lips of unacquainted change and pick strong matter of revolt and wrath out of the bloody fingers ends of john methinks i see this hurly all on foot and o what better matter breeds for you than i have named the bastard faulconbridge is now in england ransacking the church offending charity if but a dozen french were there in arms they would be as a call to train ten thousand english to their side or as a little snow tumbled about anon becomes a mountain o noble dauphin go with me to the king tis wonderful what may be wrought out of their discontent now that their souls are topful of offence for england go i will whet on the king lewis strong reasons make strong actions let us go if you say ay the king will not say no exeunt king john act iv scene i a room in a castle enter hubert and executioners hubert heat me these irons hot and look thou stand within the arras when i strike my foot upon the bosom of the ground rush forth and bind the boy which you shall find with me fast to the chair be heedful hence and watch first executioner i hope your warrant will bear out the deed hubert uncleanly scruples fear not you look to't exeunt executioners young lad come forth i have to say with you enter arthur arthur good morrow hubert hubert good morrow little prince arthur as little prince having so great a title to be more prince as may be you are sad hubert indeed i have been merrier arthur mercy on me methinks no body should be sad but i yet i remember when i was in france young gentlemen would be as sad as night only for wantonness by my christendom so i were out of prison and kept sheep i should be as merry as the day is long and so i would be here but that i doubt my uncle practises more harm to me he is afraid of me and i of him is it my fault that i was geffrey's son no indeed is't not and i would to heaven i were your son so you would love me hubert hubert aside if i talk to him with his innocent prate he will awake my mercy which lies dead therefore i will be sudden and dispatch arthur are you sick hubert you look pale today in sooth i would you were a little sick that i might sit all night and watch with you i warrant i love you more than you do me hubert aside his words do take possession of my bosom read here young arthur showing a paper aside how now foolish rheum turning dispiteous torture out of door i must be brief lest resolution drop out at mine eyes in tender womanish tears can you not read it is it not fair writ arthur too fairly hubert for so foul effect must you with hot irons burn out both mine eyes hubert young boy i must arthur and will you hubert and i will arthur have you the heart when your head did but ache i knit my handercher about your brows the best i had a princess wrought it me and i did never ask it you again and with my hand at midnight held your head and like the watchful minutes to the hour still and anon cheer'd up the heavy time saying what lack you and where lies your grief' or what good love may i perform for you' many a poor man's son would have lien still and ne'er have spoke a loving word to you but you at your sick service had a prince nay you may think my love was crafty love and call it cunning do an if you will if heaven be pleased that you must use me ill why then you must will you put out mine eyes these eyes that never did nor never shall so much as frown on you hubert i have sworn to do it and with hot irons must i burn them out arthur ah none but in this iron age would do it the iron of itself though heat redhot approaching near these eyes would drink my tears and quench his fiery indignation even in the matter of mine innocence nay after that consume away in rust but for containing fire to harm mine eye are you more stubbornhard than hammer'd iron an if an angel should have come to me and told me hubert should put out mine eyes i would not have believed himno tongue but hubert's hubert come forth stamps reenter executioners with a cord irons &c do as i bid you do arthur o save me hubert save me my eyes are out even with the fierce looks of these bloody men hubert give me the iron i say and bind him here arthur alas what need you be so boisterousrough i will not struggle i will stand stonestill for heaven sake hubert let me not be bound nay hear me hubert drive these men away and i will sit as quiet as a lamb i will not stir nor wince nor speak a word nor look upon the iron angerly thrust but these men away and i'll forgive you whatever torment you do put me to hubert go stand within let me alone with him first executioner i am best pleased to be from such a deed exeunt executioners arthur alas i then have chid away my friend he hath a stern look but a gentle heart let him come back that his compassion may give life to yours hubert come boy prepare yourself arthur is there no remedy hubert none but to lose your eyes arthur o heaven that there were but a mote in yours a grain a dust a gnat a wandering hair any annoyance in that precious sense then feeling what small things are boisterous there your vile intent must needs seem horrible hubert is this your promise go to hold your tongue arthur hubert the utterance of a brace of tongues must needs want pleading for a pair of eyes let me not hold my tongue let me not hubert or hubert if you will cut out my tongue so i may keep mine eyes o spare mine eyes though to no use but still to look on you lo by my truth the instrument is cold and would not harm me hubert i can heat it boy arthur no in good sooth the fire is dead with grief being create for comfort to be used in undeserved extremes see else yourself there is no malice in this burning coal the breath of heaven has blown his spirit out and strew'd repentent ashes on his head hubert but with my breath i can revive it boy arthur an if you do you will but make it blush and glow with shame of your proceedings hubert nay it perchance will sparkle in your eyes and like a dog that is compell'd to fight snatch at his master that doth tarre him on all things that you should use to do me wrong deny their office only you do lack that mercy which fierce fire and iron extends creatures of note for mercylacking uses hubert well see to live i will not touch thine eye for all the treasure that thine uncle owes yet am i sworn and i did purpose boy with this same very iron to burn them out arthur o now you look like hubert all this while you were disguised hubert peace no more adieu your uncle must not know but you are dead i'll fill these dogged spies with false reports and pretty child sleep doubtless and secure that hubert for the wealth of all the world will not offend thee arthur o heaven i thank you hubert hubert silence no more go closely in with me much danger do i undergo for thee exeunt king john act iv scene ii king john's palace enter king john pembroke salisbury and other lords king john here once again we sit once again crown'd and looked upon i hope with cheerful eyes pembroke this once again but that your highness pleased was once superfluous you were crown'd before and that high royalty was ne'er pluck'd off the faiths of men ne'er stained with revolt fresh expectation troubled not the land with any long'dfor change or better state salisbury therefore to be possess'd with double pomp to guard a title that was rich before to gild refined gold to paint the lily to throw a perfume on the violet to smooth the ice or add another hue unto the rainbow or with taperlight to seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish is wasteful and ridiculous excess pembroke but that your royal pleasure must be done this act is as an ancient tale new told and in the last repeating troublesome being urged at a time unseasonable salisbury in this the antique and well noted face of plain old form is much disfigured and like a shifted wind unto a sail it makes the course of thoughts to fetch about startles and frights consideration makes sound opinion sick and truth suspected for putting on so new a fashion'd robe pembroke when workmen strive to do better than well they do confound their skill in covetousness and oftentimes excusing of a fault doth make the fault the worse by the excuse as patches set upon a little breach discredit more in hiding of the fault than did the fault before it was so patch'd salisbury to this effect before you were new crown'd we breathed our counsel but it pleased your highness to overbear it and we are all well pleased since all and every part of what we would doth make a stand at what your highness will king john some reasons of this double coronation i have possess'd you with and think them strong and more more strong then lesser is my fear i shall indue you with meantime but ask what you would have reform'd that is not well and well shall you perceive how willingly i will both hear and grant you your requests pembroke then i as one that am the tongue of these to sound the purpose of all their hearts both for myself and them but chief of all your safety for the which myself and them bend their best studies heartily request the enfranchisement of arthur whose restraint doth move the murmuring lips of discontent to break into this dangerous argument if what in rest you have in right you hold why then your fears which as they say attend the steps of wrong should move you to mew up your tender kinsman and to choke his days with barbarous ignorance and deny his youth the rich advantage of good exercise that the time's enemies may not have this to grace occasions let it be our suit that you have bid us ask his liberty which for our goods we do no further ask than whereupon our weal on you depending counts it your weal he have his liberty enter hubert king john let it be so i do commit his youth to your direction hubert what news with you taking him apart pembroke this is the man should do the bloody deed he show'd his warrant to a friend of mine the image of a wicked heinous fault lives in his eye that close aspect of his does show the mood of a much troubled breast and i do fearfully believe tis done what we so fear'd he had a charge to do salisbury the colour of the king doth come and go between his purpose and his conscience like heralds twixt two dreadful battles set his passion is so ripe it needs must break pembroke and when it breaks i fear will issue thence the foul corruption of a sweet child's death king john we cannot hold mortality's strong hand good lords although my will to give is living the suit which you demand is gone and dead he tells us arthur is deceased tonight salisbury indeed we fear'd his sickness was past cure pembroke indeed we heard how near his death he was before the child himself felt he was sick this must be answer'd either here or hence king john why do you bend such solemn brows on me think you i bear the shears of destiny have i commandment on the pulse of life salisbury it is apparent foul play and tis shame that greatness should so grossly offer it so thrive it in your game and so farewell pembroke stay yet lord salisbury i'll go with thee and find the inheritance of this poor child his little kingdom of a forced grave that blood which owed the breadth of all this isle three foot of it doth hold bad world the while this must not be thus borne this will break out to all our sorrows and ere long i doubt exeunt lords king john they burn in indignation i repent there is no sure foundation set on blood no certain life achieved by others death enter a messenger a fearful eye thou hast where is that blood that i have seen inhabit in those cheeks so foul a sky clears not without a storm pour down thy weather how goes all in france messenger from france to england never such a power for any foreign preparation was levied in the body of a land the copy of your speed is learn'd by them for when you should be told they do prepare the tidings come that they are all arrived king john o where hath our intelligence been drunk where hath it slept where is my mother's care that such an army could be drawn in france and she not hear of it messenger my liege her ear is stopp'd with dust the first of april died your noble mother and as i hear my lord the lady constance in a frenzy died three days before but this from rumour's tongue i idly heard if true or false i know not king john withhold thy speed dreadful occasion o make a league with me till i have pleased my discontented peers what mother dead how wildly then walks my estate in france under whose conduct came those powers of france that thou for truth givest out are landed here messenger under the dauphin king john thou hast made me giddy with these ill tidings enter the bastard and peter of pomfret now what says the world to your proceedings do not seek to stuff my head with more ill news for it is full bastard but if you be afeard to hear the worst then let the worst unheard fall on your bead king john bear with me cousin for i was amazed under the tide but now i breathe again aloft the flood and can give audience to any tongue speak it of what it will bastard how i have sped among the clergymen the sums i have collected shall express but as i travell'd hither through the land i find the people strangely fantasied possess'd with rumours full of idle dreams not knowing what they fear but full of fear and here a prophet that i brought with me from forth the streets of pomfret whom i found with many hundreds treading on his heels to whom he sung in rude harshsounding rhymes that ere the next ascensionday at noon your highness should deliver up your crown king john thou idle dreamer wherefore didst thou so peter foreknowing that the truth will fall out so king john hubert away with him imprison him and on that day at noon whereon he says i shall yield up my crown let him be hang'd deliver him to safety and return for i must use thee exeunt hubert with peter o my gentle cousin hear'st thou the news abroad who are arrived bastard the french my lord men's mouths are full of it besides i met lord bigot and lord salisbury with eyes as red as newenkindled fire and others more going to seek the grave of arthur who they say is kill'd tonight on your suggestion king john gentle kinsman go and thrust thyself into their companies i have a way to win their loves again bring them before me bastard i will seek them out king john nay but make haste the better foot before o let me have no subject enemies when adverse foreigners affright my towns with dreadful pomp of stout invasion be mercury set feathers to thy heels and fly like thought from them to me again bastard the spirit of the time shall teach me speed exit king john spoke like a sprightful noble gentleman go after him for he perhaps shall need some messenger betwixt me and the peers and be thou he messenger with all my heart my liege exit king john my mother dead reenter hubert hubert my lord they say five moons were seen tonight four fixed and the fifth did whirl about the other four in wondrous motion king john five moons hubert old men and beldams in the streets do prophesy upon it dangerously young arthur's death is common in their mouths and when they talk of him they shake their heads and whisper one another in the ear and he that speaks doth gripe the hearer's wrist whilst he that hears makes fearful action with wrinkled brows with nods with rolling eyes i saw a smith stand with his hammer thus the whilst his iron did on the anvil cool with open mouth swallowing a tailor's news who with his shears and measure in his hand standing on slippers which his nimble haste had falsely thrust upon contrary feet told of a many thousand warlike french that were embattailed and rank'd in kent another lean unwash'd artificer cuts off his tale and talks of arthur's death king john why seek'st thou to possess me with these fears why urgest thou so oft young arthur's death thy hand hath murder'd him i had a mighty cause to wish him dead but thou hadst none to kill him hubert no had my lord why did you not provoke me king john it is the curse of kings to be attended by slaves that take their humours for a warrant to break within the bloody house of life and on the winking of authority to understand a law to know the meaning of dangerous majesty when perchance it frowns more upon humour than advised respect hubert here is your hand and seal for what i did king john o when the last account twixt heaven and earth is to be made then shall this hand and seal witness against us to damnation how oft the sight of means to do ill deeds make deeds ill done hadst not thou been by a fellow by the hand of nature mark'd quoted and sign'd to do a deed of shame this murder had not come into my mind but taking note of thy abhorr'd aspect finding thee fit for bloody villany apt liable to be employ'd in danger i faintly broke with thee of arthur's death and thou to be endeared to a king made it no conscience to destroy a prince hubert my lord king john hadst thou but shook thy head or made a pause when i spake darkly what i purposed or turn'd an eye of doubt upon my face as bid me tell my tale in express words deep shame had struck me dumb made me break off and those thy fears might have wrought fears in me but thou didst understand me by my signs and didst in signs again parley with sin yea without stop didst let thy heart consent and consequently thy rude hand to act the deed which both our tongues held vile to name out of my sight and never see me more my nobles leave me and my state is braved even at my gates with ranks of foreign powers nay in the body of this fleshly land this kingdom this confine of blood and breath hostility and civil tumult reigns between my conscience and my cousin's death hubert arm you against your other enemies i'll make a peace between your soul and you young arthur is alive this hand of mine is yet a maiden and an innocent hand not painted with the crimson spots of blood within this bosom never enter'd yet the dreadful motion of a murderous thought and you have slander'd nature in my form which howsoever rude exteriorly is yet the cover of a fairer mind than to be butcher of an innocent child king john doth arthur live o haste thee to the peers throw this report on their incensed rage and make them tame to their obedience forgive the comment that my passion made upon thy feature for my rage was blind and foul imaginary eyes of blood presented thee more hideous than thou art o answer not but to my closet bring the angry lords with all expedient haste i conjure thee but slowly run more fast exeunt king john act iv scene iii before the castle enter arthur on the walls arthur the wall is high and yet will i leap down good ground be pitiful and hurt me not there's few or none do know me if they did this shipboy's semblance hath disguised me quite i am afraid and yet i'll venture it if i get down and do not break my limbs i'll find a thousand shifts to get away as good to die and go as die and stay leaps down o me my uncle's spirit is in these stones heaven take my soul and england keep my bones dies enter pembroke salisbury and bigot salisbury lords i will meet him at saint edmundsbury it is our safety and we must embrace this gentle offer of the perilous time pembroke who brought that letter from the cardinal salisbury the count melun a noble lord of france whose private with me of the dauphin's love is much more general than these lines import bigot tomorrow morning let us meet him then salisbury or rather then set forward for twill be two long days journey lords or ere we meet enter the bastard bastard once more today well met distemper'd lords the king by me requests your presence straight salisbury the king hath dispossess'd himself of us we will not line his thin bestained cloak with our pure honours nor attend the foot that leaves the print of blood where'er it walks return and tell him so we know the worst bastard whate'er you think good words i think were best salisbury our griefs and not our manners reason now bastard but there is little reason in your grief therefore twere reason you had manners now pembroke sir sir impatience hath his privilege bastard tis true to hurt his master no man else salisbury this is the prison what is he lies here seeing arthur pembroke o death made proud with pure and princely beauty the earth had not a hole to hide this deed salisbury murder as hating what himself hath done doth lay it open to urge on revenge bigot or when he doom'd this beauty to a grave found it too preciousprincely for a grave salisbury sir richard what think you have you beheld or have you read or heard or could you think or do you almost think although you see that you do see could thought without this object form such another this is the very top the height the crest or crest unto the crest of murder's arms this is the bloodiest shame the wildest savagery the vilest stroke that ever walleyed wrath or staring rage presented to the tears of soft remorse pembroke all murders past do stand excused in this and this so sole and so unmatchable shall give a holiness a purity to the yet unbegotten sin of times and prove a deadly bloodshed but a jest exampled by this heinous spectacle bastard it is a damned and a bloody work the graceless action of a heavy hand if that it be the work of any hand salisbury if that it be the work of any hand we had a kind of light what would ensue it is the shameful work of hubert's hand the practise and the purpose of the king from whose obedience i forbid my soul kneeling before this ruin of sweet life and breathing to his breathless excellence the incense of a vow a holy vow never to taste the pleasures of the world never to be infected with delight nor conversant with ease and idleness till i have set a glory to this hand by giving it the worship of revenge pembroke our souls religiously confirm thy words bigot enter hubert hubert lords i am hot with haste in seeking you arthur doth live the king hath sent for you salisbury o he is old and blushes not at death avaunt thou hateful villain get thee gone hubert i am no villain salisbury must i rob the law drawing his sword bastard your sword is bright sir put it up again salisbury not till i sheathe it in a murderer's skin hubert stand back lord salisbury stand back i say by heaven i think my sword's as sharp as yours i would not have you lord forget yourself nor tempt the danger of my true defence lest i by marking of your rage forget your worth your greatness and nobility bigot out dunghill darest thou brave a nobleman hubert not for my life but yet i dare defend my innocent life against an emperor salisbury thou art a murderer hubert do not prove me so yet i am none whose tongue soe'er speaks false not truly speaks who speaks not truly lies pembroke cut him to pieces bastard keep the peace i say salisbury stand by or i shall gall you faulconbridge bastard thou wert better gall the devil salisbury if thou but frown on me or stir thy foot or teach thy hasty spleen to do me shame i'll strike thee dead put up thy sword betime or i'll so maul you and your toastingiron that you shall think the devil is come from hell bigot what wilt thou do renowned faulconbridge second a villain and a murderer hubert lord bigot i am none bigot who kill'd this prince hubert tis not an hour since i left him well i honour'd him i loved him and will weep my date of life out for his sweet life's loss salisbury trust not those cunning waters of his eyes for villany is not without such rheum and he long traded in it makes it seem like rivers of remorse and innocency away with me all you whose souls abhor the uncleanly savours of a slaughterhouse for i am stifled with this smell of sin bigot away toward bury to the dauphin there pembroke there tell the king he may inquire us out exeunt lords bastard here's a good world knew you of this fair work beyond the infinite and boundless reach of mercy if thou didst this deed of death art thou damn'd hubert hubert do but hear me sir bastard ha i'll tell thee what thou'rt damn'd as blacknay nothing is so black thou art more deep damn'd than prince lucifer there is not yet so ugly a fiend of hell as thou shalt be if thou didst kill this child hubert upon my soul bastard if thou didst but consent to this most cruel act do but despair and if thou want'st a cord the smallest thread that ever spider twisted from her womb will serve to strangle thee a rush will be a beam to hang thee on or wouldst thou drown thyself put but a little water in a spoon and it shall be as all the ocean enough to stifle such a villain up i do suspect thee very grievously hubert if i in act consent or sin of thought be guilty of the stealing that sweet breath which was embounded in this beauteous clay let hell want pains enough to torture me i left him well bastard go bear him in thine arms i am amazed methinks and lose my way among the thorns and dangers of this world how easy dost thou take all england up from forth this morsel of dead royalty the life the right and truth of all this realm is fled to heaven and england now is left to tug and scamble and to part by the teeth the unowed interest of proudswelling state now for the barepick'd bone of majesty doth dogged war bristle his angry crest and snarleth in the gentle eyes of peace now powers from home and discontents at home meet in one line and vast confusion waits as doth a raven on a sickfall'n beast the imminent decay of wrested pomp now happy he whose cloak and cincture can hold out this tempest bear away that child and follow me with speed i'll to the king a thousand businesses are brief in hand and heaven itself doth frown upon the land exeunt king john act v scene i king john's palace enter king john cardinal pandulph and attendants king john thus have i yielded up into your hand the circle of my glory giving the crown cardinal pandulph take again from this my hand as holding of the pope your sovereign greatness and authority king john now keep your holy word go meet the french and from his holiness use all your power to stop their marches fore we are inflamed our discontented counties do revolt our people quarrel with obedience swearing allegiance and the love of soul to stranger blood to foreign royalty this inundation of mistemper'd humour rests by you only to be qualified then pause not for the present time's so sick that present medicine must be minister'd or overthrow incurable ensues cardinal pandulph it was my breath that blew this tempest up upon your stubborn usage of the pope but since you are a gentle convertite my tongue shall hush again this storm of war and make fair weather in your blustering land on this ascensionday remember well upon your oath of service to the pope go i to make the french lay down their arms exit king john is this ascensionday did not the prophet say that before ascensionday at noon my crown i should give off even so i have i did suppose it should be on constraint but heaven be thank'd it is but voluntary enter the bastard bastard all kent hath yielded nothing there holds out but dover castle london hath received like a kind host the dauphin and his powers your nobles will not hear you but are gone to offer service to your enemy and wild amazement hurries up and down the little number of your doubtful friends king john would not my lords return to me again after they heard young arthur was alive bastard they found him dead and cast into the streets an empty casket where the jewel of life by some damn'd hand was robb'd and ta'en away king john that villain hubert told me he did live bastard so on my soul he did for aught he knew but wherefore do you droop why look you sad be great in act as you have been in thought let not the world see fear and sad distrust govern the motion of a kingly eye be stirring as the time be fire with fire threaten the threatener and outface the brow of bragging horror so shall inferior eyes that borrow their behaviors from the great grow great by your example and put on the dauntless spirit of resolution away and glister like the god of war when he intendeth to become the field show boldness and aspiring confidence what shall they seek the lion in his den and fright him there and make him tremble there o let it not be said forage and run to meet displeasure farther from the doors and grapple with him ere he comes so nigh king john the legate of the pope hath been with me and i have made a happy peace with him and he hath promised to dismiss the powers led by the dauphin bastard o inglorious league shall we upon the footing of our land send fairplay orders and make compromise insinuation parley and base truce to arms invasive shall a beardless boy a cocker'd silken wanton brave our fields and flesh his spirit in a warlike soil mocking the air with colours idly spread and find no cheque let us my liege to arms perchance the cardinal cannot make your peace or if he do let it at least be said they saw we had a purpose of defence king john have thou the ordering of this present time bastard away then with good courage yet i know our party may well meet a prouder foe exeunt king john act v scene ii lewis's camp at st edmundsbury enter in arms lewis salisbury melun pembroke bigot and soldiers lewis my lord melun let this be copied out and keep it safe for our remembrance return the precedent to these lords again that having our fair order written down both they and we perusing o'er these notes may know wherefore we took the sacrament and keep our faiths firm and inviolable salisbury upon our sides it never shall be broken and noble dauphin albeit we swear a voluntary zeal and an unurged faith to your proceedings yet believe me prince i am not glad that such a sore of time should seek a plaster by contemn'd revolt and heal the inveterate canker of one wound by making many o it grieves my soul that i must draw this metal from my side to be a widowmaker o and there where honourable rescue and defence cries out upon the name of salisbury but such is the infection of the time that for the health and physic of our right we cannot deal but with the very hand of stern injustice and confused wrong and is't not pity o my grieved friends that we the sons and children of this isle were born to see so sad an hour as this wherein we step after a stranger march upon her gentle bosom and fill up her enemies ranksi must withdraw and weep upon the spot of this enforced cause to grace the gentry of a land remote and follow unacquainted colours here what here o nation that thou couldst remove that neptune's arms who clippeth thee about would bear thee from the knowledge of thyself and grapple thee unto a pagan shore where these two christian armies might combine the blood of malice in a vein of league and not to spend it so unneighbourly lewis a noble temper dost thou show in this and great affections wrestling in thy bosom doth make an earthquake of nobility o what a noble combat hast thou fought between compulsion and a brave respect let me wipe off this honourable dew that silverly doth progress on thy cheeks my heart hath melted at a lady's tears being an ordinary inundation but this effusion of such manly drops this shower blown up by tempest of the soul startles mine eyes and makes me more amazed than had i seen the vaulty top of heaven figured quite o'er with burning meteors lift up thy brow renowned salisbury and with a great heart heave away the storm commend these waters to those baby eyes that never saw the giant world enraged nor met with fortune other than at feasts full of warm blood of mirth of gossiping come come for thou shalt thrust thy hand as deep into the purse of rich prosperity as lewis himself so nobles shall you all that knit your sinews to the strength of mine and even there methinks an angel spake enter cardinal pandulph look where the holy legate comes apace to give us warrant from the hand of heaven and on our actions set the name of right with holy breath cardinal pandulph hail noble prince of france the next is this king john hath reconciled himself to rome his spirit is come in that so stood out against the holy church the great metropolis and see of rome therefore thy threatening colours now wind up and tame the savage spirit of wild war that like a lion foster'd up at hand it may lie gently at the foot of peace and be no further harmful than in show lewis your grace shall pardon me i will not back i am too highborn to be propertied to be a secondary at control or useful servingman and instrument to any sovereign state throughout the world your breath first kindled the dead coal of wars between this chastised kingdom and myself and brought in matter that should feed this fire and now tis far too huge to be blown out with that same weak wind which enkindled it you taught me how to know the face of right acquainted me with interest to this land yea thrust this enterprise into my heart and come ye now to tell me john hath made his peace with rome what is that peace to me i by the honour of my marriagebed after young arthur claim this land for mine and now it is halfconquer'd must i back because that john hath made his peace with rome am i rome's slave what penny hath rome borne what men provided what munition sent to underprop this action is't not i that undergo this charge who else but i and such as to my claim are liable sweat in this business and maintain this war have i not heard these islanders shout out vive le roi as i have bank'd their towns have i not here the best cards for the game to win this easy match play'd for a crown and shall i now give o'er the yielded set no no on my soul it never shall be said cardinal pandulph you look but on the outside of this work lewis outside or inside i will not return till my attempt so much be glorified as to my ample hope was promised before i drew this gallant head of war and cull'd these fiery spirits from the world to outlook conquest and to win renown even in the jaws of danger and of death trumpet sounds what lusty trumpet thus doth summon us enter the bastard attended bastard according to the fair play of the world let me have audience i am sent to speak my holy lord of milan from the king i come to learn how you have dealt for him and as you answer i do know the scope and warrant limited unto my tongue cardinal pandulph the dauphin is too wilfulopposite and will not temporize with my entreaties he flatly says he'll not lay down his arms bastard by all the blood that ever fury breathed the youth says well now hear our english king for thus his royalty doth speak in me he is prepared and reason too he should this apish and unmannerly approach this harness'd masque and unadvised revel this unhair'd sauciness and boyish troops the king doth smile at and is well prepared to whip this dwarfish war these pigmy arms from out the circle of his territories that hand which had the strength even at your door to cudgel you and make you take the hatch to dive like buckets in concealed wells to crouch in litter of your stable planks to lie like pawns lock'd up in chests and trunks to hug with swine to seek sweet safety out in vaults and prisons and to thrill and shake even at the crying of your nation's crow thinking his voice an armed englishman shall that victorious hand be feebled here that in your chambers gave you chastisement no know the gallant monarch is in arms and like an eagle o'er his aery towers to souse annoyance that comes near his nest and you degenerate you ingrate revolts you bloody neroes ripping up the womb of your dear mother england blush for shame for your own ladies and palevisaged maids like amazons come tripping after drums their thimbles into armed gauntlets change their needles to lances and their gentle hearts to fierce and bloody inclination lewis there end thy brave and turn thy face in peace we grant thou canst outscold us fare thee well we hold our time too precious to be spent with such a brabbler cardinal pandulph give me leave to speak bastard no i will speak lewis we will attend to neither strike up the drums and let the tongue of war plead for our interest and our being here bastard indeed your drums being beaten will cry out and so shall you being beaten do but start an echo with the clamour of thy drum and even at hand a drum is ready braced that shall reverberate all as loud as thine sound but another and another shall as loud as thine rattle the welkin's ear and mock the deepmouth'd thunder for at hand not trusting to this halting legate here whom he hath used rather for sport than need is warlike john and in his forehead sits a bareribb'd death whose office is this day to feast upon whole thousands of the french lewis strike up our drums to find this danger out bastard and thou shalt find it dauphin do not doubt exeunt king john act v scene iii the field of battle alarums enter king john and hubert king john how goes the day with us o tell me hubert hubert badly i fear how fares your majesty king john this fever that hath troubled me so long lies heavy on me o my heart is sick enter a messenger messenger my lord your valiant kinsman faulconbridge desires your majesty to leave the field and send him word by me which way you go king john tell him toward swinstead to the abbey there messenger be of good comfort for the great supply that was expected by the dauphin here are wreck'd three nights ago on goodwin sands this news was brought to richard but even now the french fight coldly and retire themselves king john ay me this tyrant fever burns me up and will not let me welcome this good news set on toward swinstead to my litter straight weakness possesseth me and i am faint exeunt king john act v scene iv another part of the field enter salisbury pembroke and bigot salisbury i did not think the king so stored with friends pembroke up once again put spirit in the french if they miscarry we miscarry too salisbury that misbegotten devil faulconbridge in spite of spite alone upholds the day pembroke they say king john sore sick hath left the field enter melun wounded melun lead me to the revolts of england here salisbury when we were happy we had other names pembroke it is the count melun salisbury wounded to death melun fly noble english you are bought and sold unthread the rude eye of rebellion and welcome home again discarded faith seek out king john and fall before his feet for if the french be lords of this loud day he means to recompense the pains you take by cutting off your heads thus hath he sworn and i with him and many moe with me upon the altar at saint edmundsbury even on that altar where we swore to you dear amity and everlasting love salisbury may this be possible may this be true melun have i not hideous death within my view retaining but a quantity of life which bleeds away even as a form of wax resolveth from his figure gainst the fire what in the world should make me now deceive since i must lose the use of all deceit why should i then be false since it is true that i must die here and live hence by truth i say again if lewis do win the day he is forsworn if e'er those eyes of yours behold another day break in the east but even this night whose black contagious breath already smokes about the burning crest of the old feeble and daywearied sun even this ill night your breathing shall expire paying the fine of rated treachery even with a treacherous fine of all your lives if lewis by your assistance win the day commend me to one hubert with your king the love of him and this respect besides for that my grandsire was an englishman awakes my conscience to confess all this in lieu whereof i pray you bear me hence from forth the noise and rumour of the field where i may think the remnant of my thoughts in peace and part this body and my soul with contemplation and devout desires salisbury we do believe thee and beshrew my soul but i do love the favour and the form of this most fair occasion by the which we will untread the steps of damned flight and like a bated and retired flood leaving our rankness and irregular course stoop low within those bounds we have o'erlook'd and cabby run on in obedience even to our ocean to our great king john my arm shall give thee help to bear thee hence for i do see the cruel pangs of death right in thine eye away my friends new flight and happy newness that intends old right exeunt leading off melun king john act v scene v the french camp enter lewis and his train lewis the sun of heaven methought was loath to set but stay'd and made the western welkin blush when english measure backward their own ground in faint retire o bravely came we off when with a volley of our needless shot after such bloody toil we bid good night and wound our tattering colours clearly up last in the field and almost lords of it enter a messenger messenger where is my prince the dauphin lewis here what news messenger the count melun is slain the english lords by his persuasion are again fall'n off and your supply which you have wish'd so long are cast away and sunk on goodwin sands lewis ah foul shrewd news beshrew thy very heart i did not think to be so sad tonight as this hath made me who was he that said king john did fly an hour or two before the stumbling night did part our weary powers messenger whoever spoke it it is true my lord lewis well keep good quarter and good care tonight the day shall not be up so soon as i to try the fair adventure of tomorrow exeunt king john act v scene vi an open place in the neighbourhood of swinstead abbey enter the bastard and hubert severally hubert who's there speak ho speak quickly or i shoot bastard a friend what art thou hubert of the part of england bastard whither dost thou go hubert what's that to thee why may not i demand of thine affairs as well as thou of mine bastard hubert i think hubert thou hast a perfect thought i will upon all hazards well believe thou art my friend that know'st my tongue so well who art thou bastard who thou wilt and if thou please thou mayst befriend me so much as to think i come one way of the plantagenets hubert unkind remembrance thou and eyeless night have done me shame brave soldier pardon me that any accent breaking from thy tongue should scape the true acquaintance of mine ear bastard come come sans compliment what news abroad hubert why here walk i in the black brow of night to find you out bastard brief then and what's the news hubert o my sweet sir news fitting to the night black fearful comfortless and horrible bastard show me the very wound of this ill news i am no woman i'll not swoon at it hubert the king i fear is poison'd by a monk i left him almost speechless and broke out to acquaint you with this evil that you might the better arm you to the sudden time than if you had at leisure known of this bastard how did he take it who did taste to him hubert a monk i tell you a resolved villain whose bowels suddenly burst out the king yet speaks and peradventure may recover bastard who didst thou leave to tend his majesty hubert why know you not the lords are all come back and brought prince henry in their company at whose request the king hath pardon'd them and they are all about his majesty bastard withhold thine indignation mighty heaven and tempt us not to bear above our power i'll tell tree hubert half my power this night passing these flats are taken by the tide these lincoln washes have devoured them myself well mounted hardly have escaped away before conduct me to the king i doubt he will be dead or ere i come exeunt king john act v scene vii the orchard in swinstead abbey enter prince henry salisbury and bigot prince henry it is too late the life of all his blood is touch'd corruptibly and his pure brain which some suppose the soul's frail dwellinghouse doth by the idle comments that it makes foretell the ending of mortality enter pembroke pembroke his highness yet doth speak and holds belief that being brought into the open air it would allay the burning quality of that fell poison which assaileth him prince henry let him be brought into the orchard here doth he still rage exit bigot pembroke he is more patient than when you left him even now he sung prince henry o vanity of sickness fierce extremes in their continuance will not feel themselves death having prey'd upon the outward parts leaves them invisible and his siege is now against the mind the which he pricks and wounds with many legions of strange fantasies which in their throng and press to that last hold confound themselves tis strange that death should sing i am the cygnet to this pale faint swan who chants a doleful hymn to his own death and from the organpipe of frailty sings his soul and body to their lasting rest salisbury be of good comfort prince for you are born to set a form upon that indigest which he hath left so shapeless and so rude enter attendants and bigot carrying king john in a chair king john ay marry now my soul hath elbowroom it would not out at windows nor at doors there is so hot a summer in my bosom that all my bowels crumble up to dust i am a scribbled form drawn with a pen upon a parchment and against this fire do i shrink up prince henry how fares your majesty king john poison'dill faredead forsook cast off and none of you will bid the winter come to thrust his icy fingers in my maw nor let my kingdom's rivers take their course through my burn'd bosom nor entreat the north to make his bleak winds kiss my parched lips and comfort me with cold i do not ask you much i beg cold comfort and you are so strait and so ingrateful you deny me that prince henry o that there were some virtue in my tears that might relieve you king john the salt in them is hot within me is a hell and there the poison is as a fiend confined to tyrannize on unreprievable condemned blood enter the bastard bastard o i am scalded with my violent motion and spleen of speed to see your majesty king john o cousin thou art come to set mine eye the tackle of my heart is crack'd and burn'd and all the shrouds wherewith my life should sail are turned to one thread one little hair my heart hath one poor string to stay it by which holds but till thy news be uttered and then all this thou seest is but a clod and module of confounded royalty bastard the dauphin is preparing hitherward where heaven he knows how we shall answer him for in a night the best part of my power as i upon advantage did remove were in the washes all unwarily devoured by the unexpected flood king john dies salisbury you breathe these dead news in as dead an ear my liege my lord but now a king now thus prince henry even so must i run on and even so stop what surety of the world what hope what stay when this was now a king and now is clay bastard art thou gone so i do but stay behind to do the office for thee of revenge and then my soul shall wait on thee to heaven as it on earth hath been thy servant still now now you stars that move in your right spheres where be your powers show now your mended faiths and instantly return with me again to push destruction and perpetual shame out of the weak door of our fainting land straight let us seek or straight we shall be sought the dauphin rages at our very heels salisbury it seems you know not then so much as we the cardinal pandulph is within at rest who half an hour since came from the dauphin and brings from him such offers of our peace as we with honour and respect may take with purpose presently to leave this war bastard he will the rather do it when he sees ourselves well sinewed to our defence salisbury nay it is in a manner done already for many carriages he hath dispatch'd to the seaside and put his cause and quarrel to the disposing of the cardinal with whom yourself myself and other lords if you think meet this afternoon will post to consummate this business happily bastard let it be so and you my noble prince with other princes that may best be spared shall wait upon your father's funeral prince henry at worcester must his body be interr'd for so he will'd it bastard thither shall it then and happily may your sweet self put on the lineal state and glory of the land to whom with all submission on my knee i do bequeath my faithful services and true subjection everlastingly salisbury and the like tender of our love we make to rest without a spot for evermore prince henry i have a kind soul that would give you thanks and knows not how to do it but with tears bastard o let us pay the time but needful woe since it hath been beforehand with our griefs this england never did nor never shall lie at the proud foot of a conqueror but when it first did help to wound itself now these her princes are come home again come the three corners of the world in arms and we shall shock them nought shall make us rue if england to itself do rest but true exeunt king richard ii dramatis personae king richard the second king richard ii john of gaunt duke of lancaster uncles to the king edmund of langley duke of york duke of york henry surnamed bolingbroke henry bolingbroke duke of hereford son to john of gaunt afterwards king henry iv duke of aumerle son to the duke of york thomas mowbray duke of norfolk duke of surrey earl of salisbury lord berkeley bushy bagot servants to king richard green earl of northumberland northumberland henry percy surnamed hotspur his son henry percy lord ross lord willoughby lord fitzwater bishop of carlisle abbot of westminster abbot lord marshal lord marshal sir stephen scroop sir pierce of exton exton captain of a band of welshmen captain queen to king richard queen duchess of york duchess of york duchess of gloucester duchess lady attending on the queen lady lords heralds officers soldiers two gardeners keeper messenger groom and other attendants lord first herald second herald gardener keeper groom servant scene england and wales king richard ii act i scene i london king richard ii's palace enter king richard ii john of gaunt with other nobles and attendants king richard ii old john of gaunt timehonour'd lancaster hast thou according to thy oath and band brought hither henry hereford thy bold son here to make good the boisterous late appeal which then our leisure would not let us hear against the duke of norfolk thomas mowbray john of gaunt i have my liege king richard ii tell me moreover hast thou sounded him if he appeal the duke on ancient malice or worthily as a good subject should on some known ground of treachery in him john of gaunt as near as i could sift him on that argument on some apparent danger seen in him aim'd at your highness no inveterate malice king richard ii then call them to our presence face to face and frowning brow to brow ourselves will hear the accuser and the accused freely speak highstomach'd are they both and full of ire in rage deaf as the sea hasty as fire enter henry bolingbroke and thomas mowbray henry bolingbroke many years of happy days befal my gracious sovereign my most loving liege thomas mowbray each day still better other's happiness until the heavens envying earth's good hap add an immortal title to your crown king richard ii we thank you both yet one but flatters us as well appeareth by the cause you come namely to appeal each other of high treason cousin of hereford what dost thou object against the duke of norfolk thomas mowbray henry bolingbroke first heaven be the record to my speech in the devotion of a subject's love tendering the precious safety of my prince and free from other misbegotten hate come i appellant to this princely presence now thomas mowbray do i turn to thee and mark my greeting well for what i speak my body shall make good upon this earth or my divine soul answer it in heaven thou art a traitor and a miscreant too good to be so and too bad to live since the more fair and crystal is the sky the uglier seem the clouds that in it fly once more the more to aggravate the note with a foul traitor's name stuff i thy throat and wish so please my sovereign ere i move what my tongue speaks my right drawn sword may prove thomas mowbray let not my cold words here accuse my zeal tis not the trial of a woman's war the bitter clamour of two eager tongues can arbitrate this cause betwixt us twain the blood is hot that must be cool'd for this yet can i not of such tame patience boast as to be hush'd and nought at all to say first the fair reverence of your highness curbs me from giving reins and spurs to my free speech which else would post until it had return'd these terms of treason doubled down his throat setting aside his high blood's royalty and let him be no kinsman to my liege i do defy him and i spit at him call him a slanderous coward and a villain which to maintain i would allow him odds and meet him were i tied to run afoot even to the frozen ridges of the alps or any other ground inhabitable where ever englishman durst set his foot mean time let this defend my loyalty by all my hopes most falsely doth he lie henry bolingbroke pale trembling coward there i throw my gage disclaiming here the kindred of the king and lay aside my high blood's royalty which fear not reverence makes thee to except if guilty dread have left thee so much strength as to take up mine honour's pawn then stoop by that and all the rites of knighthood else will i make good against thee arm to arm what i have spoke or thou canst worse devise thomas mowbray i take it up and by that sword i swear which gently laid my knighthood on my shoulder i'll answer thee in any fair degree or chivalrous design of knightly trial and when i mount alive may i not light if i be traitor or unjustly fight king richard ii what doth our cousin lay to mowbray's charge it must be great that can inherit us so much as of a thought of ill in him henry bolingbroke look what i speak my life shall prove it true that mowbray hath received eight thousand nobles in name of lendings for your highness soldiers the which he hath detain'd for lewd employments like a false traitor and injurious villain besides i say and will in battle prove or here or elsewhere to the furthest verge that ever was survey'd by english eye that all the treasons for these eighteen years complotted and contrived in this land fetch from false mowbray their first head and spring further i say and further will maintain upon his bad life to make all this good that he did plot the duke of gloucester's death suggest his soonbelieving adversaries and consequently like a traitor coward sluiced out his innocent soul through streams of blood which blood like sacrificing abel's cries even from the tongueless caverns of the earth to me for justice and rough chastisement and by the glorious worth of my descent this arm shall do it or this life be spent king richard ii how high a pitch his resolution soars thomas of norfolk what say'st thou to this thomas mowbray o let my sovereign turn away his face and bid his ears a little while be deaf till i have told this slander of his blood how god and good men hate so foul a liar king richard ii mowbray impartial are our eyes and ears were he my brother nay my kingdom's heir as he is but my father's brother's son now by my sceptre's awe i make a vow such neighbour nearness to our sacred blood should nothing privilege him nor partialize the unstooping firmness of my upright soul he is our subject mowbray so art thou free speech and fearless i to thee allow thomas mowbray then bolingbroke as low as to thy heart through the false passage of thy throat thou liest three parts of that receipt i had for calais disbursed i duly to his highness soldiers the other part reserved i by consent for that my sovereign liege was in my debt upon remainder of a dear account since last i went to france to fetch his queen now swallow down that lie for gloucester's death i slew him not but to my own disgrace neglected my sworn duty in that case for you my noble lord of lancaster the honourable father to my foe once did i lay an ambush for your life a trespass that doth vex my grieved soul but ere i last received the sacrament i did confess it and exactly begg'd your grace's pardon and i hope i had it this is my fault as for the rest appeall'd it issues from the rancour of a villain a recreant and most degenerate traitor which in myself i boldly will defend and interchangeably hurl down my gage upon this overweening traitor's foot to prove myself a loyal gentleman even in the best blood chamber'd in his bosom in haste whereof most heartily i pray your highness to assign our trial day king richard ii wrathkindled gentlemen be ruled by me let's purge this choler without letting blood this we prescribe though no physician deep malice makes too deep incision forget forgive conclude and be agreed our doctors say this is no month to bleed good uncle let this end where it begun we'll calm the duke of norfolk you your son john of gaunt to be a makepeace shall become my age throw down my son the duke of norfolk's gage king richard ii and norfolk throw down his john of gaunt when harry when obedience bids i should not bid again king richard ii norfolk throw down we bid there is no boot thomas mowbray myself i throw dread sovereign at thy foot my life thou shalt command but not my shame the one my duty owes but my fair name despite of death that lives upon my grave to dark dishonour's use thou shalt not have i am disgraced impeach'd and baffled here pierced to the soul with slander's venom'd spear the which no balm can cure but his heartblood which breathed this poison king richard ii rage must be withstood give me his gage lions make leopards tame thomas mowbray yea but not change his spots take but my shame and i resign my gage my dear dear lord the purest treasure mortal times afford is spotless reputation that away men are but gilded loam or painted clay a jewel in a tentimesbarr'dup chest is a bold spirit in a loyal breast mine honour is my life both grow in one take honour from me and my life is done then dear my liege mine honour let me try in that i live and for that will i die king richard ii cousin throw up your gage do you begin henry bolingbroke o god defend my soul from such deep sin shall i seem crestfall'n in my father's sight or with pale beggarfear impeach my height before this outdared dastard ere my tongue shall wound my honour with such feeble wrong or sound so base a parle my teeth shall tear the slavish motive of recanting fear and spit it bleeding in his high disgrace where shame doth harbour even in mowbray's face exit john of gaunt king richard ii we were not born to sue but to command which since we cannot do to make you friends be ready as your lives shall answer it at coventry upon saint lambert's day there shall your swords and lances arbitrate the swelling difference of your settled hate since we can not atone you we shall see justice design the victor's chivalry lord marshal command our officers at arms be ready to direct these home alarms exeunt king richard ii act i scene ii the duke of lancaster's palace enter john of gaunt with duchess john of gaunt alas the part i had in woodstock's blood doth more solicit me than your exclaims to stir against the butchers of his life but since correction lieth in those hands which made the fault that we cannot correct put we our quarrel to the will of heaven who when they see the hours ripe on earth will rain hot vengeance on offenders heads duchess finds brotherhood in thee no sharper spur hath love in thy old blood no living fire edward's seven sons whereof thyself art one were as seven vials of his sacred blood or seven fair branches springing from one root some of those seven are dried by nature's course some of those branches by the destinies cut but thomas my dear lord my life my gloucester one vial full of edward's sacred blood one flourishing branch of his most royal root is crack'd and all the precious liquor spilt is hack'd down and his summer leaves all faded by envy's hand and murder's bloody axe ah gaunt his blood was thine that bed that womb that metal that selfmould that fashion'd thee made him a man and though thou livest and breathest yet art thou slain in him thou dost consent in some large measure to thy father's death in that thou seest thy wretched brother die who was the model of thy father's life call it not patience gaunt it is despair in suffering thus thy brother to be slaughter'd thou showest the naked pathway to thy life teaching stern murder how to butcher thee that which in mean men we intitle patience is pale cold cowardice in noble breasts what shall i say to safeguard thine own life the best way is to venge my gloucester's death john of gaunt god's is the quarrel for god's substitute his deputy anointed in his sight hath caused his death the which if wrongfully let heaven revenge for i may never lift an angry arm against his minister duchess where then alas may i complain myself john of gaunt to god the widow's champion and defence duchess why then i will farewell old gaunt thou goest to coventry there to behold our cousin hereford and fell mowbray fight o sit my husband's wrongs on hereford's spear that it may enter butcher mowbray's breast or if misfortune miss the first career be mowbray's sins so heavy in his bosom they may break his foaming courser's back and throw the rider headlong in the lists a caitiff recreant to my cousin hereford farewell old gaunt thy sometimes brother's wife with her companion grief must end her life john of gaunt sister farewell i must to coventry as much good stay with thee as go with me duchess yet one word more grief boundeth where it falls not with the empty hollowness but weight i take my leave before i have begun for sorrow ends not when it seemeth done commend me to thy brother edmund york lo this is allnay yet depart not so though this be all do not so quickly go i shall remember more bid himah what with all good speed at plashy visit me alack and what shall good old york there see but empty lodgings and unfurnish'd walls unpeopled offices untrodden stones and what hear there for welcome but my groans therefore commend me let him not come there to seek out sorrow that dwells every where desolate desolate will i hence and die the last leave of thee takes my weeping eye exeunt king richard ii act i scene iii the lists at coventry enter the lord marshal and the duke of aumerle lord marshal my lord aumerle is harry hereford arm'd duke of aumerle yea at all points and longs to enter in lord marshal the duke of norfolk sprightfully and bold stays but the summons of the appellant's trumpet duke of aumerle why then the champions are prepared and stay for nothing but his majesty's approach the trumpets sound and king richard enters with his nobles john of gaunt bushy bagot green and others when they are set enter thomas mowbray in arms defendant with a herald king richard ii marshal demand of yonder champion the cause of his arrival here in arms ask him his name and orderly proceed to swear him in the justice of his cause lord marshal in god's name and the king's say who thou art and why thou comest thus knightly clad in arms against what man thou comest and what thy quarrel speak truly on thy knighthood and thy oath as so defend thee heaven and thy valour thomas mowbray my name is thomas mowbray duke of norfolk who hither come engaged by my oath which god defend a knight should violate both to defend my loyalty and truth to god my king and my succeeding issue against the duke of hereford that appeals me and by the grace of god and this mine arm to prove him in defending of myself a traitor to my god my king and me and as i truly fight defend me heaven the trumpets sound enter henry bolingbroke appellant in armour with a herald king richard ii marshal ask yonder knight in arms both who he is and why he cometh hither thus plated in habiliments of war and formally according to our law depose him in the justice of his cause lord marshal what is thy name and wherefore comest thou hither before king richard in his royal lists against whom comest thou and what's thy quarrel speak like a true knight so defend thee heaven henry bolingbroke harry of hereford lancaster and derby am i who ready here do stand in arms to prove by god's grace and my body's valour in lists on thomas mowbray duke of norfolk that he is a traitor foul and dangerous to god of heaven king richard and to me and as i truly fight defend me heaven lord marshal on pain of death no person be so bold or daringhardy as to touch the lists except the marshal and such officers appointed to direct these fair designs henry bolingbroke lord marshal let me kiss my sovereign's hand and bow my knee before his majesty for mowbray and myself are like two men that vow a long and weary pilgrimage then let us take a ceremonious leave and loving farewell of our several friends lord marshal the appellant in all duty greets your highness and craves to kiss your hand and take his leave king richard ii we will descend and fold him in our arms cousin of hereford as thy cause is right so be thy fortune in this royal fight farewell my blood which if today thou shed lament we may but not revenge thee dead henry bolingbroke o let no noble eye profane a tear for me if i be gored with mowbray's spear as confident as is the falcon's flight against a bird do i with mowbray fight my loving lord i take my leave of you of you my noble cousin lord aumerle not sick although i have to do with death but lusty young and cheerly drawing breath lo as at english feasts so i regreet the daintiest last to make the end most sweet o thou the earthly author of my blood whose youthful spirit in me regenerate doth with a twofold vigour lift me up to reach at victory above my head add proof unto mine armour with thy prayers and with thy blessings steel my lance's point that it may enter mowbray's waxen coat and furbish new the name of john a gaunt even in the lusty havior of his son john of gaunt god in thy good cause make thee prosperous be swift like lightning in the execution and let thy blows doubly redoubled fall like amazing thunder on the casque of thy adverse pernicious enemy rouse up thy youthful blood be valiant and live henry bolingbroke mine innocency and saint george to thrive thomas mowbray however god or fortune cast my lot there lives or dies true to king richard's throne a loyal just and upright gentleman never did captive with a freer heart cast off his chains of bondage and embrace his golden uncontroll'd enfranchisement more than my dancing soul doth celebrate this feast of battle with mine adversary most mighty liege and my companion peers take from my mouth the wish of happy years as gentle and as jocund as to jest go i to fight truth hath a quiet breast king richard ii farewell my lord securely i espy virtue with valour couched in thine eye order the trial marshal and begin lord marshal harry of hereford lancaster and derby receive thy lance and god defend the right henry bolingbroke strong as a tower in hope i cry amen lord marshal go bear this lance to thomas duke of norfolk first herald harry of hereford lancaster and derby stands here for god his sovereign and himself on pain to be found false and recreant to prove the duke of norfolk thomas mowbray a traitor to his god his king and him and dares him to set forward to the fight second herald here standeth thomas mowbray duke of norfolk on pain to be found false and recreant both to defend himself and to approve henry of hereford lancaster and derby to god his sovereign and to him disloyal courageously and with a free desire attending but the signal to begin lord marshal sound trumpets and set forward combatants a charge sounded stay the king hath thrown his warder down king richard ii let them lay by their helmets and their spears and both return back to their chairs again withdraw with us and let the trumpets sound while we return these dukes what we decree a long flourish draw near and list what with our council we have done for that our kingdom's earth should not be soil'd with that dear blood which it hath fostered and for our eyes do hate the dire aspect of civil wounds plough'd up with neighbours sword and for we think the eaglewinged pride of skyaspiring and ambitious thoughts with rivalhating envy set on you to wake our peace which in our country's cradle draws the sweet infant breath of gentle sleep which so roused up with boisterous untuned drums with harsh resounding trumpets dreadful bray and grating shock of wrathful iron arms might from our quiet confines fright fair peace and make us wade even in our kindred's blood therefore we banish you our territories you cousin hereford upon pain of life till twice five summers have enrich'd our fields shall not regreet our fair dominions but tread the stranger paths of banishment henry bolingbroke your will be done this must my comfort be sun that warms you here shall shine on me and those his golden beams to you here lent shall point on me and gild my banishment king richard ii norfolk for thee remains a heavier doom which i with some unwillingness pronounce the sly slow hours shall not determinate the dateless limit of thy dear exile the hopeless word of never to return' breathe i against thee upon pain of life thomas mowbray a heavy sentence my most sovereign liege and all unlook'd for from your highness mouth a dearer merit not so deep a maim as to be cast forth in the common air have i deserved at your highness hands the language i have learn'd these forty years my native english now i must forego and now my tongue's use is to me no more than an unstringed viol or a harp or like a cunning instrument cased up or being open put into his hands that knows no touch to tune the harmony within my mouth you have engaol'd my tongue doubly portcullis'd with my teeth and lips and dull unfeeling barren ignorance is made my gaoler to attend on me i am too old to fawn upon a nurse too far in years to be a pupil now what is thy sentence then but speechless death which robs my tongue from breathing native breath king richard ii it boots thee not to be compassionate after our sentence plaining comes too late thomas mowbray then thus i turn me from my country's light to dwell in solemn shades of endless night king richard ii return again and take an oath with thee lay on our royal sword your banish'd hands swear by the duty that you owe to god our part therein we banish with yourselves to keep the oath that we administer you never shall so help you truth and god embrace each other's love in banishment nor never look upon each other's face nor never write regreet nor reconcile this louring tempest of your homebred hate nor never by advised purpose meet to plot contrive or complot any ill gainst us our state our subjects or our land henry bolingbroke i swear thomas mowbray and i to keep all this henry bolingbroke norfolk so far as to mine enemy by this time had the king permitted us one of our souls had wander'd in the air banish'd this frail sepulchre of our flesh as now our flesh is banish'd from this land confess thy treasons ere thou fly the realm since thou hast far to go bear not along the clogging burthen of a guilty soul thomas mowbray no bolingbroke if ever i were traitor my name be blotted from the book of life and i from heaven banish'd as from hence but what thou art god thou and i do know and all too soon i fear the king shall rue farewell my liege now no way can i stray save back to england all the world's my way exit king richard ii uncle even in the glasses of thine eyes i see thy grieved heart thy sad aspect hath from the number of his banish'd years pluck'd four away to henry bolingbroke six frozen winter spent return with welcome home from banishment henry bolingbroke how long a time lies in one little word four lagging winters and four wanton springs end in a word such is the breath of kings john of gaunt i thank my liege that in regard of me he shortens four years of my son's exile but little vantage shall i reap thereby for ere the six years that he hath to spend can change their moons and bring their times about my oildried lamp and timebewasted light shall be extinct with age and endless night my inch of taper will be burnt and done and blindfold death not let me see my son king richard ii why uncle thou hast many years to live john of gaunt but not a minute king that thou canst give shorten my days thou canst with sullen sorrow and pluck nights from me but not lend a morrow thou canst help time to furrow me with age but stop no wrinkle in his pilgrimage thy word is current with him for my death but dead thy kingdom cannot buy my breath king richard ii thy son is banish'd upon good advice whereto thy tongue a partyverdict gave why at our justice seem'st thou then to lour john of gaunt things sweet to taste prove in digestion sour you urged me as a judge but i had rather you would have bid me argue like a father o had it been a stranger not my child to smooth his fault i should have been more mild a partial slander sought i to avoid and in the sentence my own life destroy'd alas i look'd when some of you should say i was too strict to make mine own away but you gave leave to my unwilling tongue against my will to do myself this wrong king richard ii cousin farewell and uncle bid him so six years we banish him and he shall go flourish exeunt king richard ii and train duke of aumerle cousin farewell what presence must not know from where you do remain let paper show lord marshal my lord no leave take i for i will ride as far as land will let me by your side john of gaunt o to what purpose dost thou hoard thy words that thou return'st no greeting to thy friends henry bolingbroke i have too few to take my leave of you when the tongue's office should be prodigal to breathe the abundant dolour of the heart john of gaunt thy grief is but thy absence for a time henry bolingbroke joy absent grief is present for that time john of gaunt what is six winters they are quickly gone henry bolingbroke to men in joy but grief makes one hour ten john of gaunt call it a travel that thou takest for pleasure henry bolingbroke my heart will sigh when i miscall it so which finds it an inforced pilgrimage john of gaunt the sullen passage of thy weary steps esteem as foil wherein thou art to set the precious jewel of thy home return henry bolingbroke nay rather every tedious stride i make will but remember me what a deal of world i wander from the jewels that i love must i not serve a long apprenticehood to foreign passages and in the end having my freedom boast of nothing else but that i was a journeyman to grief john of gaunt all places that the eye of heaven visits are to a wise man ports and happy havens teach thy necessity to reason thus there is no virtue like necessity think not the king did banish thee but thou the king woe doth the heavier sit where it perceives it is but faintly borne go say i sent thee forth to purchase honour and not the king exiled thee or suppose devouring pestilence hangs in our air and thou art flying to a fresher clime look what thy soul holds dear imagine it to lie that way thou go'st not whence thou comest suppose the singing birds musicians the grass whereon thou tread'st the presence strew'd the flowers fair ladies and thy steps no more than a delightful measure or a dance for gnarling sorrow hath less power to bite the man that mocks at it and sets it light henry bolingbroke o who can hold a fire in his hand by thinking on the frosty caucasus or cloy the hungry edge of appetite by bare imagination of a feast or wallow naked in december snow by thinking on fantastic summer's heat o no the apprehension of the good gives but the greater feeling to the worse fell sorrow's tooth doth never rankle more than when he bites but lanceth not the sore john of gaunt come come my son i'll bring thee on thy way had i thy youth and cause i would not stay henry bolingbroke then england's ground farewell sweet soil adieu my mother and my nurse that bears me yet where'er i wander boast of this i can though banish'd yet a trueborn englishman exeunt king richard ii act i scene iv the court enter king richard ii with bagot and green at one door and the duke of aumerle at another king richard ii we did observe cousin aumerle how far brought you high hereford on his way duke of aumerle i brought high hereford if you call him so but to the next highway and there i left him king richard ii and say what store of parting tears were shed duke of aumerle faith none for me except the northeast wind which then blew bitterly against our faces awaked the sleeping rheum and so by chance did grace our hollow parting with a tear king richard ii what said our cousin when you parted with him duke of aumerle farewell' and for my heart disdained that my tongue should so profane the word that taught me craft to counterfeit oppression of such grief that words seem'd buried in my sorrow's grave marry would the word farewell have lengthen'd hours and added years to his short banishment he should have had a volume of farewells but since it would not he had none of me king richard ii he is our cousin cousin but tis doubt when time shall call him home from banishment whether our kinsman come to see his friends ourself and bushy bagot here and green observed his courtship to the common people how he did seem to dive into their hearts with humble and familiar courtesy what reverence he did throw away on slaves wooing poor craftsmen with the craft of smiles and patient underbearing of his fortune as twere to banish their affects with him off goes his bonnet to an oysterwench a brace of draymen bid god speed him well and had the tribute of his supple knee with thanks my countrymen my loving friends' as were our england in reversion his and he our subjects next degree in hope green well he is gone and with him go these thoughts now for the rebels which stand out in ireland expedient manage must be made my liege ere further leisure yield them further means for their advantage and your highness loss king richard ii we will ourself in person to this war and for our coffers with too great a court and liberal largess are grown somewhat light we are inforced to farm our royal realm the revenue whereof shall furnish us for our affairs in hand if that come short our substitutes at home shall have blank charters whereto when they shall know what men are rich they shall subscribe them for large sums of gold and send them after to supply our wants for we will make for ireland presently enter bushy bushy what news bushy old john of gaunt is grievous sick my lord suddenly taken and hath sent post haste to entreat your majesty to visit him king richard ii where lies he bushy at ely house king richard ii now put it god in the physician's mind to help him to his grave immediately the lining of his coffers shall make coats to deck our soldiers for these irish wars come gentlemen let's all go visit him pray god we may make haste and come too late all amen exeunt king richard ii act ii scene i ely house enter john of gaunt sick with the duke of york &c john of gaunt will the king come that i may breathe my last in wholesome counsel to his unstaid youth duke of york vex not yourself nor strive not with your breath for all in vain comes counsel to his ear john of gaunt o but they say the tongues of dying men enforce attention like deep harmony where words are scarce they are seldom spent in vain for they breathe truth that breathe their words in pain he that no more must say is listen'd more than they whom youth and ease have taught to glose more are men's ends mark'd than their lives before the setting sun and music at the close as the last taste of sweets is sweetest last writ in remembrance more than things long past though richard my life's counsel would not hear my death's sad tale may yet undeaf his ear duke of york no it is stopp'd with other flattering sounds as praises of whose taste the wise are fond lascivious metres to whose venom sound the open ear of youth doth always listen report of fashions in proud italy whose manners still our tardy apish nation limps after in base imitation where doth the world thrust forth a vanity so it be new there's no respect how vile that is not quickly buzzed into his ears then all too late comes counsel to be heard where will doth mutiny with wit's regard direct not him whose way himself will choose tis breath thou lack'st and that breath wilt thou lose john of gaunt methinks i am a prophet new inspired and thus expiring do foretell of him his rash fierce blaze of riot cannot last for violent fires soon burn out themselves small showers last long but sudden storms are short he tires betimes that spurs too fast betimes with eager feeding food doth choke the feeder light vanity insatiate cormorant consuming means soon preys upon itself this royal throne of kings this scepter'd isle this earth of majesty this seat of mars this other eden demiparadise this fortress built by nature for herself against infection and the hand of war this happy breed of men this little world this precious stone set in the silver sea which serves it in the office of a wall or as a moat defensive to a house against the envy of less happier lands this blessed plot this earth this realm this england this nurse this teeming womb of royal kings fear'd by their breed and famous by their birth renowned for their deeds as far from home for christian service and true chivalry as is the sepulchre in stubborn jewry of the world's ransom blessed mary's son this land of such dear souls this dear dear land dear for her reputation through the world is now leased out i die pronouncing it like to a tenement or pelting farm england bound in with the triumphant sea whose rocky shore beats back the envious siege of watery neptune is now bound in with shame with inky blots and rotten parchment bonds that england that was wont to conquer others hath made a shameful conquest of itself ah would the scandal vanish with my life how happy then were my ensuing death enter king richard ii and queen duke of aumerle bushy green bagot lord ross and lord willoughby duke of york the king is come deal mildly with his youth for young hot colts being raged do rage the more queen how fares our noble uncle lancaster king richard ii what comfort man how is't with aged gaunt john of gaunt o how that name befits my composition old gaunt indeed and gaunt in being old within me grief hath kept a tedious fast and who abstains from meat that is not gaunt for sleeping england long time have i watch'd watching breeds leanness leanness is all gaunt the pleasure that some fathers feed upon is my strict fast i mean my children's looks and therein fasting hast thou made me gaunt gaunt am i for the grave gaunt as a grave whose hollow womb inherits nought but bones king richard ii can sick men play so nicely with their names john of gaunt no misery makes sport to mock itself since thou dost seek to kill my name in me i mock my name great king to flatter thee king richard ii should dying men flatter with those that live john of gaunt no no men living flatter those that die king richard ii thou now adying say'st thou flatterest me john of gaunt o no thou diest though i the sicker be king richard ii i am in health i breathe and see thee ill john of gaunt now he that made me knows i see thee ill ill in myself to see and in thee seeing ill thy deathbed is no lesser than thy land wherein thou liest in reputation sick and thou too careless patient as thou art commit'st thy anointed body to the cure of those physicians that first wounded thee a thousand flatterers sit within thy crown whose compass is no bigger than thy head and yet incaged in so small a verge the waste is no whit lesser than thy land o had thy grandsire with a prophet's eye seen how his son's son should destroy his sons from forth thy reach he would have laid thy shame deposing thee before thou wert possess'd which art possess'd now to depose thyself why cousin wert thou regent of the world it were a shame to let this land by lease but for thy world enjoying but this land is it not more than shame to shame it so landlord of england art thou now not king thy state of law is bondslave to the law and thou king richard ii a lunatic leanwitted fool presuming on an ague's privilege darest with thy frozen admonition make pale our cheek chasing the royal blood with fury from his native residence now by my seat's right royal majesty wert thou not brother to great edward's son this tongue that runs so roundly in thy head should run thy head from thy unreverent shoulders john of gaunt o spare me not my brother edward's son for that i was his father edward's son that blood already like the pelican hast thou tapp'd out and drunkenly caroused my brother gloucester plain wellmeaning soul whom fair befal in heaven mongst happy souls may be a precedent and witness good that thou respect'st not spilling edward's blood join with the present sickness that i have and thy unkindness be like crooked age to crop at once a too long wither'd flower live in thy shame but die not shame with thee these words hereafter thy tormentors be convey me to my bed then to my grave love they to live that love and honour have exit borne off by his attendants king richard ii and let them die that age and sullens have for both hast thou and both become the grave duke of york i do beseech your majesty impute his words to wayward sickliness and age in him he loves you on my life and holds you dear as harry duke of hereford were he here king richard ii right you say true as hereford's love so his as theirs so mine and all be as it is enter northumberland northumberland my liege old gaunt commends him to your majesty king richard ii what says he northumberland nay nothing all is said his tongue is now a stringless instrument words life and all old lancaster hath spent duke of york be york the next that must be bankrupt so though death be poor it ends a mortal woe king richard ii the ripest fruit first falls and so doth he his time is spent our pilgrimage must be so much for that now for our irish wars we must supplant those rough rugheaded kerns which live like venom where no venom else but only they have privilege to live and for these great affairs do ask some charge towards our assistance we do seize to us the plate corn revenues and moveables whereof our uncle gaunt did stand possess'd duke of york how long shall i be patient ah how long shall tender duty make me suffer wrong not gloucester's death nor hereford's banishment not gaunt's rebukes nor england's private wrongs nor the prevention of poor bolingbroke about his marriage nor my own disgrace have ever made me sour my patient cheek or bend one wrinkle on my sovereign's face i am the last of noble edward's sons of whom thy father prince of wales was first in war was never lion raged more fierce in peace was never gentle lamb more mild than was that young and princely gentleman his face thou hast for even so look'd he accomplish'd with the number of thy hours but when he frown'd it was against the french and not against his friends his noble hand did will what he did spend and spent not that which his triumphant father's hand had won his hands were guilty of no kindred blood but bloody with the enemies of his kin o richard york is too far gone with grief or else he never would compare between king richard ii why uncle what's the matter duke of york o my liege pardon me if you please if not i pleased not to be pardon'd am content withal seek you to seize and gripe into your hands the royalties and rights of banish'd hereford is not gaunt dead and doth not hereford live was not gaunt just and is not harry true did not the one deserve to have an heir is not his heir a welldeserving son take hereford's rights away and take from time his charters and his customary rights let not tomorrow then ensue today be not thyself for how art thou a king but by fair sequence and succession now afore godgod forbid i say true if you do wrongfully seize hereford's rights call in the letters patent that he hath by his attorneysgeneral to sue his livery and deny his offer'd homage you pluck a thousand dangers on your head you lose a thousand welldisposed hearts and prick my tender patience to those thoughts which honour and allegiance cannot think king richard ii think what you will we seize into our hands his plate his goods his money and his lands duke of york i'll not be by the while my liege farewell what will ensue hereof there's none can tell but by bad courses may be understood that their events can never fall out good exit king richard ii go bushy to the earl of wiltshire straight bid him repair to us to ely house to see this business tomorrow next we will for ireland and tis time i trow and we create in absence of ourself our uncle york lord governor of england for he is just and always loved us well come on our queen tomorrow must we part be merry for our time of stay is short flourish exeunt king richard ii queen duke of aumerle bushy green and bagot northumberland well lords the duke of lancaster is dead lord ross and living too for now his son is duke lord willoughby barely in title not in revenue northumberland richly in both if justice had her right lord ross my heart is great but it must break with silence ere't be disburden'd with a liberal tongue northumberland nay speak thy mind and let him ne'er speak more that speaks thy words again to do thee harm lord willoughby tends that thou wouldst speak to the duke of hereford if it be so out with it boldly man quick is mine ear to hear of good towards him lord ross no good at all that i can do for him unless you call it good to pity him bereft and gelded of his patrimony northumberland now afore god tis shame such wrongs are borne in him a royal prince and many moe of noble blood in this declining land the king is not himself but basely led by flatterers and what they will inform merely in hate gainst any of us all that will the king severely prosecute gainst us our lives our children and our heirs lord ross the commons hath he pill'd with grievous taxes and quite lost their hearts the nobles hath he fined for ancient quarrels and quite lost their hearts lord willoughby and daily new exactions are devised as blanks benevolences and i wot not what but what o god's name doth become of this northumberland wars have not wasted it for warr'd he hath not but basely yielded upon compromise that which his noble ancestors achieved with blows more hath he spent in peace than they in wars lord ross the earl of wiltshire hath the realm in farm lord willoughby the king's grown bankrupt like a broken man northumberland reproach and dissolution hangeth over him lord ross he hath not money for these irish wars his burthenous taxations notwithstanding but by the robbing of the banish'd duke northumberland his noble kinsman most degenerate king but lords we hear this fearful tempest sing yet see no shelter to avoid the storm we see the wind sit sore upon our sails and yet we strike not but securely perish lord ross we see the very wreck that we must suffer and unavoided is the danger now for suffering so the causes of our wreck northumberland not so even through the hollow eyes of death i spy life peering but i dare not say how near the tidings of our comfort is lord willoughby nay let us share thy thoughts as thou dost ours lord ross be confident to speak northumberland we three are but thyself and speaking so thy words are but as thoughts therefore be bold northumberland then thus i have from port le blanc a bay in brittany received intelligence that harry duke of hereford rainold lord cobham that late broke from the duke of exeter his brother archbishop late of canterbury sir thomas erpingham sir john ramston sir john norbery sir robert waterton and francis quoint all these well furnish'd by the duke of bretagne with eight tall ships three thousand men of war are making hither with all due expedience and shortly mean to touch our northern shore perhaps they had ere this but that they stay the first departing of the king for ireland if then we shall shake off our slavish yoke imp out our drooping country's broken wing redeem from broking pawn the blemish'd crown wipe off the dust that hides our sceptre's gilt and make high majesty look like itself away with me in post to ravenspurgh but if you faint as fearing to do so stay and be secret and myself will go lord ross to horse to horse urge doubts to them that fear lord willoughby hold out my horse and i will first be there exeunt king richard ii act ii scene ii the palace enter queen bushy and bagot bushy madam your majesty is too much sad you promised when you parted with the king to lay aside lifeharming heaviness and entertain a cheerful disposition queen to please the king i did to please myself i cannot do it yet i know no cause why i should welcome such a guest as grief save bidding farewell to so sweet a guest as my sweet richard yet again methinks some unborn sorrow ripe in fortune's womb is coming towards me and my inward soul with nothing trembles at some thing it grieves more than with parting from my lord the king bushy each substance of a grief hath twenty shadows which shows like grief itself but is not so for sorrow's eye glazed with blinding tears divides one thing entire to many objects like perspectives which rightly gazed upon show nothing but confusion eyed awry distinguish form so your sweet majesty looking awry upon your lord's departure find shapes of grief more than himself to wail which look'd on as it is is nought but shadows of what it is not then thricegracious queen more than your lord's departure weep not more's not seen or if it be tis with false sorrow's eye which for things true weeps things imaginary queen it may be so but yet my inward soul persuades me it is otherwise howe'er it be i cannot but be sad so heavy sad as though on thinking on no thought i think makes me with heavy nothing faint and shrink bushy tis nothing but conceit my gracious lady queen tis nothing less conceit is still derived from some forefather grief mine is not so for nothing had begot my something grief or something hath the nothing that i grieve tis in reversion that i do possess but what it is that is not yet known what i cannot name tis nameless woe i wot enter green green god save your majesty and well met gentlemen i hope the king is not yet shipp'd for ireland queen why hopest thou so tis better hope he is for his designs crave haste his haste good hope then wherefore dost thou hope he is not shipp'd green that he our hope might have retired his power and driven into despair an enemy's hope who strongly hath set footing in this land the banish'd bolingbroke repeals himself and with uplifted arms is safe arrived at ravenspurgh queen now god in heaven forbid green ah madam tis too true and that is worse the lord northumberland his son young henry percy the lords of ross beaumond and willoughby with all their powerful friends are fled to him bushy why have you not proclaim'd northumberland and all the rest revolted faction traitors green we have whereupon the earl of worcester hath broke his staff resign'd his stewardship and all the household servants fled with him to bolingbroke queen so green thou art the midwife to my woe and bolingbroke my sorrow's dismal heir now hath my soul brought forth her prodigy and i a gasping newdeliver'd mother have woe to woe sorrow to sorrow join'd bushy despair not madam queen who shall hinder me i will despair and be at enmity with cozening hope he is a flatterer a parasite a keeper back of death who gently would dissolve the bands of life which false hope lingers in extremity enter duke of york green here comes the duke of york queen with signs of war about his aged neck o full of careful business are his looks uncle for god's sake speak comfortable words duke of york should i do so i should belie my thoughts comfort's in heaven and we are on the earth where nothing lives but crosses cares and grief your husband he is gone to save far off whilst others come to make him lose at home here am i left to underprop his land who weak with age cannot support myself now comes the sick hour that his surfeit made now shall he try his friends that flatter'd him enter a servant servant my lord your son was gone before i came duke of york he was why so go all which way it will the nobles they are fled the commons they are cold and will i fear revolt on hereford's side sirrah get thee to plashy to my sister gloucester bid her send me presently a thousand pound hold take my ring servant my lord i had forgot to tell your lordship today as i came by i called there but i shall grieve you to report the rest duke of york what is't knave servant an hour before i came the duchess died duke of york god for his mercy what a tide of woes comes rushing on this woeful land at once i know not what to do i would to god so my untruth had not provoked him to it the king had cut off my head with my brother's what are there no posts dispatch'd for ireland how shall we do for money for these wars come sistercousin i would saypray pardon me go fellow get thee home provide some carts and bring away the armour that is there exit servant gentlemen will you go muster men if i know how or which way to order these affairs thus thrust disorderly into my hands never believe me both are my kinsmen the one is my sovereign whom both my oath and duty bids defend the other again is my kinsman whom the king hath wrong'd whom conscience and my kindred bids to right well somewhat we must do come cousin i'll dispose of you gentlemen go muster up your men and meet me presently at berkeley i should to plashy too but time will not permit all is uneven and every thing is left at six and seven exeunt duke of york and queen bushy the wind sits fair for news to go to ireland but none returns for us to levy power proportionable to the enemy is all unpossible green besides our nearness to the king in love is near the hate of those love not the king bagot and that's the wavering commons for their love lies in their purses and whoso empties them by so much fills their hearts with deadly hate bushy wherein the king stands generally condemn'd bagot if judgement lie in them then so do we because we ever have been near the king green well i will for refuge straight to bristol castle the earl of wiltshire is already there bushy thither will i with you for little office the hateful commons will perform for us except like curs to tear us all to pieces will you go along with us bagot no i will to ireland to his majesty farewell if heart's presages be not vain we three here art that ne'er shall meet again bushy that's as york thrives to beat back bolingbroke green alas poor duke the task he undertakes is numbering sands and drinking oceans dry where one on his side fights thousands will fly farewell at once for once for all and ever bushy well we may meet again bagot i fear me never exeunt king richard ii act ii scene iii wilds in gloucestershire enter henry bolingbroke and northumberland with forces henry bolingbroke how far is it my lord to berkeley now northumberland believe me noble lord i am a stranger here in gloucestershire these high wild hills and rough uneven ways draws out our miles and makes them wearisome and yet your fair discourse hath been as sugar making the hard way sweet and delectable but i bethink me what a weary way from ravenspurgh to cotswold will be found in ross and willoughby wanting your company which i protest hath very much beguiled the tediousness and process of my travel but theirs is sweetened with the hope to have the present benefit which i possess and hope to joy is little less in joy than hope enjoy'd by this the weary lords shall make their way seem short as mine hath done by sight of what i have your noble company henry bolingbroke of much less value is my company than your good words but who comes here enter henry percy northumberland it is my son young harry percy sent from my brother worcester whencesoever harry how fares your uncle henry percy i had thought my lord to have learn'd his health of you northumberland why is he not with the queen henry percy no my good lord he hath forsook the court broken his staff of office and dispersed the household of the king northumberland what was his reason he was not so resolved when last we spake together henry percy because your lordship was proclaimed traitor but he my lord is gone to ravenspurgh to offer service to the duke of hereford and sent me over by berkeley to discover what power the duke of york had levied there then with directions to repair to ravenspurgh northumberland have you forgot the duke of hereford boy henry percy no my good lord for that is not forgot which ne'er i did remember to my knowledge i never in my life did look on him northumberland then learn to know him now this is the duke henry percy my gracious lord i tender you my service such as it is being tender raw and young which elder days shall ripen and confirm to more approved service and desert henry bolingbroke i thank thee gentle percy and be sure i count myself in nothing else so happy as in a soul remembering my good friends and as my fortune ripens with thy love it shall be still thy true love's recompense my heart this covenant makes my hand thus seals it northumberland how far is it to berkeley and what stir keeps good old york there with his men of war henry percy there stands the castle by yon tuft of trees mann'd with three hundred men as i have heard and in it are the lords of york berkeley and seymour none else of name and noble estimate enter lord ross and lord willoughby northumberland here come the lords of ross and willoughby bloody with spurring fieryred with haste henry bolingbroke welcome my lords i wot your love pursues a banish'd traitor all my treasury is yet but unfelt thanks which more enrich'd shall be your love and labour's recompense lord ross your presence makes us rich most noble lord lord willoughby and far surmounts our labour to attain it henry bolingbroke evermore thanks the exchequer of the poor which till my infant fortune comes to years stands for my bounty but who comes here enter lord berkeley northumberland it is my lord of berkeley as i guess lord berkeley my lord of hereford my message is to you henry bolingbroke my lord my answer isto lancaster and i am come to seek that name in england and i must find that title in your tongue before i make reply to aught you say lord berkeley mistake me not my lord tis not my meaning to raze one title of your honour out to you my lord i come what lord you will from the most gracious regent of this land the duke of york to know what pricks you on to take advantage of the absent time and fright our native peace with selfborn arms enter duke of york attended henry bolingbroke i shall not need transport my words by you here comes his grace in person my noble uncle kneels duke of york show me thy humble heart and not thy knee whose duty is deceiveable and false henry bolingbroke my gracious uncle duke of york tut tut grace me no grace nor uncle me no uncle i am no traitor's uncle and that word grace' in an ungracious mouth is but profane why have those banish'd and forbidden legs dared once to touch a dust of england's ground but then more why why have they dared to march so many miles upon her peaceful bosom frighting her palefaced villages with war and ostentation of despised arms comest thou because the anointed king is hence why foolish boy the king is left behind and in my loyal bosom lies his power were i but now the lord of such hot youth as when brave gaunt thy father and myself rescued the black prince that young mars of men from forth the ranks of many thousand french o then how quickly should this arm of mine now prisoner to the palsy chastise thee and minister correction to thy fault henry bolingbroke my gracious uncle let me know my fault on what condition stands it and wherein duke of york even in condition of the worst degree in gross rebellion and detested treason thou art a banish'd man and here art come before the expiration of thy time in braving arms against thy sovereign henry bolingbroke as i was banish'd i was banish'd hereford but as i come i come for lancaster and noble uncle i beseech your grace look on my wrongs with an indifferent eye you are my father for methinks in you i see old gaunt alive o then my father will you permit that i shall stand condemn'd a wandering vagabond my rights and royalties pluck'd from my arms perforce and given away to upstart unthrifts wherefore was i born if that my cousin king be king of england it must be granted i am duke of lancaster you have a son aumerle my noble cousin had you first died and he been thus trod down he should have found his uncle gaunt a father to rouse his wrongs and chase them to the bay i am denied to sue my livery here and yet my letterspatents give me leave my father's goods are all distrain'd and sold and these and all are all amiss employ'd what would you have me do i am a subject and i challenge law attorneys are denied me and therefore personally i lay my claim to my inheritance of free descent northumberland the noble duke hath been too much abused lord ross it stands your grace upon to do him right lord willoughby base men by his endowments are made great duke of york my lords of england let me tell you this i have had feeling of my cousin's wrongs and laboured all i could to do him right but in this kind to come in braving arms be his own carver and cut out his way to find out right with wrong it may not be and you that do abet him in this kind cherish rebellion and are rebels all northumberland the noble duke hath sworn his coming is but for his own and for the right of that we all have strongly sworn to give him aid and let him ne'er see joy that breaks that oath duke of york well well i see the issue of these arms i cannot mend it i must needs confess because my power is weak and all ill left but if i could by him that gave me life i would attach you all and make you stoop unto the sovereign mercy of the king but since i cannot be it known to you i do remain as neuter so fare you well unless you please to enter in the castle and there repose you for this night henry bolingbroke an offer uncle that we will accept but we must win your grace to go with us to bristol castle which they say is held by bushy bagot and their complices the caterpillars of the commonwealth which i have sworn to weed and pluck away duke of york it may be i will go with you but yet i'll pause for i am loath to break our country's laws nor friends nor foes to me welcome you are things past redress are now with me past care exeunt king richard ii act ii scene iv a camp in wales enter earl of salisbury and a welsh captain captain my lord of salisbury we have stay'd ten days and hardly kept our countrymen together and yet we hear no tidings from the king therefore we will disperse ourselves farewell earl of salisbury stay yet another day thou trusty welshman the king reposeth all his confidence in thee captain tis thought the king is dead we will not stay the baytrees in our country are all wither'd and meteors fright the fixed stars of heaven the palefaced moon looks bloody on the earth and leanlook'd prophets whisper fearful change rich men look sad and ruffians dance and leap the one in fear to lose what they enjoy the other to enjoy by rage and war these signs forerun the death or fall of kings farewell our countrymen are gone and fled as well assured richard their king is dead exit earl of salisbury ah richard with the eyes of heavy mind i see thy glory like a shooting star fall to the base earth from the firmament thy sun sets weeping in the lowly west witnessing storms to come woe and unrest thy friends are fled to wait upon thy foes and crossly to thy good all fortune goes exit king richard ii act iii scene i bristol before the castle enter henry bolingbroke duke of york northumberland lord ross henry percy lord willoughby with bushy and green prisoners henry bolingbroke bring forth these men bushy and green i will not vex your souls since presently your souls must part your bodies with too much urging your pernicious lives for twere no charity yet to wash your blood from off my hands here in the view of men i will unfold some causes of your deaths you have misled a prince a royal king a happy gentleman in blood and lineaments by you unhappied and disfigured clean you have in manner with your sinful hours made a divorce betwixt his queen and him broke the possession of a royal bed and stain'd the beauty of a fair queen's cheeks with tears drawn from her eyes by your foul wrongs myself a prince by fortune of my birth near to the king in blood and near in love till you did make him misinterpret me have stoop'd my neck under your injuries and sigh'd my english breath in foreign clouds eating the bitter bread of banishment whilst you have fed upon my signories dispark'd my parks and fell'd my forest woods from my own windows torn my household coat razed out my imprese leaving me no sign save men's opinions and my living blood to show the world i am a gentleman this and much more much more than twice all this condemns you to the death see them deliver'd over to execution and the hand of death bushy more welcome is the stroke of death to me than bolingbroke to england lords farewell green my comfort is that heaven will take our souls and plague injustice with the pains of hell henry bolingbroke my lord northumberland see them dispatch'd exeunt northumberland and others with the prisoners uncle you say the queen is at your house for god's sake fairly let her be entreated tell her i send to her my kind commends take special care my greetings be deliver'd duke of york a gentleman of mine i have dispatch'd with letters of your love to her at large henry bolingbroke thank gentle uncle come lords away to fight with glendower and his complices awhile to work and after holiday exeunt king richard ii act iii scene ii the coast of wales a castle in view drums flourish and colours enter king richard ii the bishop of carlisle duke of aumerle and soldiers king richard ii barkloughly castle call they this at hand duke of aumerle yea my lord how brooks your grace the air after your late tossing on the breaking seas king richard ii needs must i like it well i weep for joy to stand upon my kingdom once again dear earth i do salute thee with my hand though rebels wound thee with their horses hoofs as a longparted mother with her child plays fondly with her tears and smiles in meeting so weeping smiling greet i thee my earth and do thee favours with my royal hands feed not thy sovereign's foe my gentle earth nor with thy sweets comfort his ravenous sense but let thy spiders that suck up thy venom and heavygaited toads lie in their way doing annoyance to the treacherous feet which with usurping steps do trample thee yield stinging nettles to mine enemies and when they from thy bosom pluck a flower guard it i pray thee with a lurking adder whose double tongue may with a mortal touch throw death upon thy sovereign's enemies mock not my senseless conjuration lords this earth shall have a feeling and these stones prove armed soldiers ere her native king shall falter under foul rebellion's arms bishop of carlisle fear not my lord that power that made you king hath power to keep you king in spite of all the means that heaven yields must be embraced and not neglected else if heaven would and we will not heaven's offer we refuse the proffer'd means of succor and redress duke of aumerle he means my lord that we are too remiss whilst bolingbroke through our security grows strong and great in substance and in power king richard ii discomfortable cousin know'st thou not that when the searching eye of heaven is hid behind the globe that lights the lower world then thieves and robbers range abroad unseen in murders and in outrage boldly here but when from under this terrestrial ball he fires the proud tops of the eastern pines and darts his light through every guilty hole then murders treasons and detested sins the cloak of night being pluck'd from off their backs stand bare and naked trembling at themselves so when this thief this traitor bolingbroke who all this while hath revell'd in the night whilst we were wandering with the antipodes shall see us rising in our throne the east his treasons will sit blushing in his face not able to endure the sight of day but selfaffrighted tremble at his sin not all the water in the rough rude sea can wash the balm off from an anointed king the breath of worldly men cannot depose the deputy elected by the lord for every man that bolingbroke hath press'd to lift shrewd steel against our golden crown god for his richard hath in heavenly pay a glorious angel then if angels fight weak men must fall for heaven still guards the right enter earl of salisbury welcome my lord how far off lies your power earl of salisbury nor near nor farther off my gracious lord than this weak arm discomfort guides my tongue and bids me speak of nothing but despair one day too late i fear me noble lord hath clouded all thy happy days on earth o call back yesterday bid time return and thou shalt have twelve thousand fighting men today today unhappy day too late o'erthrows thy joys friends fortune and thy state for all the welshmen hearing thou wert dead are gone to bolingbroke dispersed and fled duke of aumerle comfort my liege why looks your grace so pale king richard ii but now the blood of twenty thousand men did triumph in my face and they are fled and till so much blood thither come again have i not reason to look pale and dead all souls that will be safe fly from my side for time hath set a blot upon my pride duke of aumerle comfort my liege remember who you are king richard ii i had forgot myself am i not king awake thou coward majesty thou sleepest is not the king's name twenty thousand names arm arm my name a puny subject strikes at thy great glory look not to the ground ye favourites of a king are we not high high be our thoughts i know my uncle york hath power enough to serve our turn but who comes here enter sir stephen scroop sir stephen scroop more health and happiness betide my liege than can my caretuned tongue deliver him king richard ii mine ear is open and my heart prepared the worst is worldly loss thou canst unfold say is my kingdom lost why twas my care and what loss is it to be rid of care strives bolingbroke to be as great as we greater he shall not be if he serve god we'll serve him too and be his fellow so revolt our subjects that we cannot mend they break their faith to god as well as us cry woe destruction ruin and decay the worst is death and death will have his day sir stephen scroop glad am i that your highness is so arm'd to bear the tidings of calamity like an unseasonable stormy day which makes the silver rivers drown their shores as if the world were all dissolved to tears so high above his limits swells the rage of bolingbroke covering your fearful land with hard bright steel and hearts harder than steel whitebeards have arm'd their thin and hairless scalps against thy majesty boys with women's voices strive to speak big and clap their female joints in stiff unwieldy arms against thy crown the very beadsmen learn to bend their bows of doublefatal yew against thy state yea distaffwomen manage rusty bills against thy seat both young and old rebel and all goes worse than i have power to tell king richard ii too well too well thou tell'st a tale so ill where is the earl of wiltshire where is bagot what is become of bushy where is green that they have let the dangerous enemy measure our confines with such peaceful steps if we prevail their heads shall pay for it i warrant they have made peace with bolingbroke sir stephen scroop peace have they made with him indeed my lord king richard ii o villains vipers damn'd without redemption dogs easily won to fawn on any man snakes in my heartblood warm'd that sting my heart three judases each one thrice worse than judas would they make peace terrible hell make war upon their spotted souls for this offence sir stephen scroop sweet love i see changing his property turns to the sourest and most deadly hate again uncurse their souls their peace is made with heads and not with hands those whom you curse have felt the worst of death's destroying wound and lie full low graved in the hollow ground duke of aumerle is bushy green and the earl of wiltshire dead sir stephen scroop ay all of them at bristol lost their heads duke of aumerle where is the duke my father with his power king richard ii no matter where of comfort no man speak let's talk of graves of worms and epitaphs make dust our paper and with rainy eyes write sorrow on the bosom of the earth let's choose executors and talk of wills and yet not so for what can we bequeath save our deposed bodies to the ground our lands our lives and all are bolingbroke's and nothing can we call our own but death and that small model of the barren earth which serves as paste and cover to our bones for god's sake let us sit upon the ground and tell sad stories of the death of kings how some have been deposed some slain in war some haunted by the ghosts they have deposed some poison'd by their wives some sleeping kill'd all murder'd for within the hollow crown that rounds the mortal temples of a king keeps death his court and there the antic sits scoffing his state and grinning at his pomp allowing him a breath a little scene to monarchize be fear'd and kill with looks infusing him with self and vain conceit as if this flesh which walls about our life were brass impregnable and humour'd thus comes at the last and with a little pin bores through his castle wall and farewell king cover your heads and mock not flesh and blood with solemn reverence throw away respect tradition form and ceremonious duty for you have but mistook me all this while i live with bread like you feel want taste grief need friends subjected thus how can you say to me i am a king bishop of carlisle my lord wise men ne'er sit and wail their woes but presently prevent the ways to wail to fear the foe since fear oppresseth strength gives in your weakness strength unto your foe and so your follies fight against yourself fear and be slain no worse can come to fight and fight and die is death destroying death where fearing dying pays death servile breath duke of aumerle my father hath a power inquire of him and learn to make a body of a limb king richard ii thou chidest me well proud bolingbroke i come to change blows with thee for our day of doom this ague fit of fear is overblown an easy task it is to win our own say scroop where lies our uncle with his power speak sweetly man although thy looks be sour sir stephen scroop men judge by the complexion of the sky the state and inclination of the day so may you by my dull and heavy eye my tongue hath but a heavier tale to say i play the torturer by small and small to lengthen out the worst that must be spoken your uncle york is join'd with bolingbroke and all your northern castles yielded up and all your southern gentlemen in arms upon his party king richard ii thou hast said enough beshrew thee cousin which didst lead me forth to duke of aumerle of that sweet way i was in to despair what say you now what comfort have we now by heaven i'll hate him everlastingly that bids me be of comfort any more go to flint castle there i'll pine away a king woe's slave shall kingly woe obey that power i have discharge and let them go to ear the land that hath some hope to grow for i have none let no man speak again to alter this for counsel is but vain duke of aumerle my liege one word king richard ii he does me double wrong that wounds me with the flatteries of his tongue discharge my followers let them hence away from richard's night to bolingbroke's fair day exeunt king richard ii act iii scene iii wales before flint castle enter with drum and colours henry bolingbroke duke of york northumberland attendants and forces henry bolingbroke so that by this intelligence we learn the welshmen are dispersed and salisbury is gone to meet the king who lately landed with some few private friends upon this coast northumberland the news is very fair and good my lord richard not far from hence hath hid his head duke of york it would beseem the lord northumberland to say king richard alack the heavy day when such a sacred king should hide his head northumberland your grace mistakes only to be brief left i his title out duke of york the time hath been would you have been so brief with him he would have been so brief with you to shorten you for taking so the head your whole head's length henry bolingbroke mistake not uncle further than you should duke of york take not good cousin further than you should lest you mistake the heavens are o'er our heads henry bolingbroke i know it uncle and oppose not myself against their will but who comes here enter henry percy welcome harry what will not this castle yield henry percy the castle royally is mann'd my lord against thy entrance henry bolingbroke royally why it contains no king henry percy yes my good lord it doth contain a king king richard lies within the limits of yon lime and stone and with him are the lord aumerle lord salisbury sir stephen scroop besides a clergyman of holy reverence who i cannot learn northumberland o belike it is the bishop of carlisle henry bolingbroke noble lords go to the rude ribs of that ancient castle through brazen trumpet send the breath of parley into his ruin'd ears and thus deliver henry bolingbroke on both his knees doth kiss king richard's hand and sends allegiance and true faith of heart to his most royal person hither come even at his feet to lay my arms and power provided that my banishment repeal'd and lands restored again be freely granted if not i'll use the advantage of my power and lay the summer's dust with showers of blood rain'd from the wounds of slaughter'd englishmen the which how far off from the mind of bolingbroke it is such crimson tempest should bedrench the fresh green lap of fair king richard's land my stooping duty tenderly shall show go signify as much while here we march upon the grassy carpet of this plain let's march without the noise of threatening drum that from this castle's tatter'd battlements our fair appointments may be well perused methinks king richard and myself should meet with no less terror than the elements of fire and water when their thundering shock at meeting tears the cloudy cheeks of heaven be he the fire i'll be the yielding water the rage be his whilst on the earth i rain my waters on the earth and not on him march on and mark king richard how he looks parle without and answer within then a flourish enter on the walls king richard ii the bishop of carlisle duke of aumerle sir stephen scroop and earl of salisbury see see king richard doth himself appear as doth the blushing discontented sun from out the fiery portal of the east when he perceives the envious clouds are bent to dim his glory and to stain the track of his bright passage to the occident duke of york yet looks he like a king behold his eye as bright as is the eagle's lightens forth controlling majesty alack alack for woe that any harm should stain so fair a show king richard ii we are amazed and thus long have we stood to watch the fearful bending of thy knee to northumberland because we thought ourself thy lawful king and if we be how dare thy joints forget to pay their awful duty to our presence if we be not show us the hand of god that hath dismissed us from our stewardship for well we know no hand of blood and bone can gripe the sacred handle of our sceptre unless he do profane steal or usurp and though you think that all as you have done have torn their souls by turning them from us and we are barren and bereft of friends yet know my master god omnipotent is mustering in his clouds on our behalf armies of pestilence and they shall strike your children yet unborn and unbegot that lift your vassal hands against my head and threat the glory of my precious crown tell bolingbrokefor yond methinks he stands that every stride he makes upon my land is dangerous treason he is come to open the purple testament of bleeding war but ere the crown he looks for live in peace ten thousand bloody crowns of mothers sons shall ill become the flower of england's face change the complexion of her maidpale peace to scarlet indignation and bedew her pastures grass with faithful english blood northumberland the king of heaven forbid our lord the king should so with civil and uncivil arms be rush'd upon thy thrice noble cousin harry bolingbroke doth humbly kiss thy hand and by the honourable tomb he swears that stands upon your royal grandsire's bones and by the royalties of both your bloods currents that spring from one most gracious head and by the buried hand of warlike gaunt and by the worth and honour of himself comprising all that may be sworn or said his coming hither hath no further scope than for his lineal royalties and to beg enfranchisement immediate on his knees which on thy royal party granted once his glittering arms he will commend to rust his barbed steeds to stables and his heart to faithful service of your majesty this swears he as he is a prince is just and as i am a gentleman i credit him king richard ii northumberland say thus the king returns his noble cousin is right welcome hither and all the number of his fair demands shall be accomplish'd without contradiction with all the gracious utterance thou hast speak to his gentle hearing kind commends we do debase ourselves cousin do we not to duke of aumerle to look so poorly and to speak so fair shall we call back northumberland and send defiance to the traitor and so die duke of aumerle no good my lord let's fight with gentle words till time lend friends and friends their helpful swords king richard ii o god o god that e'er this tongue of mine that laid the sentence of dread banishment on yon proud man should take it off again with words of sooth o that i were as great as is my grief or lesser than my name or that i could forget what i have been or not remember what i must be now swell'st thou proud heart i'll give thee scope to beat since foes have scope to beat both thee and me duke of aumerle northumberland comes back from bolingbroke king richard ii what must the king do now must he submit the king shall do it must he be deposed the king shall be contented must he lose the name of king o god's name let it go i'll give my jewels for a set of beads my gorgeous palace for a hermitage my gay apparel for an almsman's gown my figured goblets for a dish of wood my sceptre for a palmer's walking staff my subjects for a pair of carved saints and my large kingdom for a little grave a little little grave an obscure grave or i'll be buried in the king's highway some way of common trade where subjects feet may hourly trample on their sovereign's head for on my heart they tread now whilst i live and buried once why not upon my head aumerle thou weep'st my tenderhearted cousin we'll make foul weather with despised tears our sighs and they shall lodge the summer corn and make a dearth in this revolting land or shall we play the wantons with our woes and make some pretty match with shedding tears as thus to drop them still upon one place till they have fretted us a pair of graves within the earth and therein laidthere lies two kinsmen digg'd their graves with weeping eyes would not this ill do well well well i see i talk but idly and you laugh at me most mighty prince my lord northumberland what says king bolingbroke will his majesty give richard leave to live till richard die you make a leg and bolingbroke says ay northumberland my lord in the base court he doth attend to speak with you may it please you to come down king richard ii down down i come like glistering phaethon wanting the manage of unruly jades in the base court base court where kings grow base to come at traitors calls and do them grace in the base court come down down court down king for nightowls shriek where mounting larks should sing exeunt from above henry bolingbroke what says his majesty northumberland sorrow and grief of heart makes him speak fondly like a frantic man yet he is come enter king richard and his attendants below henry bolingbroke stand all apart and show fair duty to his majesty he kneels down my gracious lord king richard ii fair cousin you debase your princely knee to make the base earth proud with kissing it me rather had my heart might feel your love than my unpleased eye see your courtesy up cousin up your heart is up i know thus high at least although your knee be low henry bolingbroke my gracious lord i come but for mine own king richard ii your own is yours and i am yours and all henry bolingbroke so far be mine my most redoubted lord as my true service shall deserve your love king richard ii well you deserve they well deserve to have that know the strong'st and surest way to get uncle give me your hands nay dry your eyes tears show their love but want their remedies cousin i am too young to be your father though you are old enough to be my heir what you will have i'll give and willing too for do we must what force will have us do set on towards london cousin is it so henry bolingbroke yea my good lord king richard ii then i must not say no flourish exeunt king richard ii act iii scene iv langley the duke of york's garden enter the queen and two ladies queen what sport shall we devise here in this garden to drive away the heavy thought of care lady madam we'll play at bowls queen twill make me think the world is full of rubs and that my fortune rubs against the bias lady madam we'll dance queen my legs can keep no measure in delight when my poor heart no measure keeps in grief therefore no dancing girl some other sport lady madam we'll tell tales queen of sorrow or of joy lady of either madam queen of neither girl for of joy being altogether wanting it doth remember me the more of sorrow or if of grief being altogether had it adds more sorrow to my want of joy for what i have i need not to repeat and what i want it boots not to complain lady madam i'll sing queen tis well that thou hast cause but thou shouldst please me better wouldst thou weep lady i could weep madam would it do you good queen and i could sing would weeping do me good and never borrow any tear of thee enter a gardener and two servants but stay here come the gardeners let's step into the shadow of these trees my wretchedness unto a row of pins they'll talk of state for every one doth so against a change woe is forerun with woe queen and ladies retire gardener go bind thou up yon dangling apricocks which like unruly children make their sire stoop with oppression of their prodigal weight give some supportance to the bending twigs go thou and like an executioner cut off the heads of too fast growing sprays that look too lofty in our commonwealth all must be even in our government you thus employ'd i will go root away the noisome weeds which without profit suck the soil's fertility from wholesome flowers servant why should we in the compass of a pale keep law and form and due proportion showing as in a model our firm estate when our seawalled garden the whole land is full of weeds her fairest flowers choked up her fruittrees all upturned her hedges ruin'd her knots disorder'd and her wholesome herbs swarming with caterpillars gardener hold thy peace he that hath suffer'd this disorder'd spring hath now himself met with the fall of leaf the weeds which his broadspreading leaves did shelter that seem'd in eating him to hold him up are pluck'd up root and all by bolingbroke i mean the earl of wiltshire bushy green servant what are they dead gardener they are and bolingbroke hath seized the wasteful king o what pity is it that he had not so trimm'd and dress'd his land as we this garden we at time of year do wound the bark the skin of our fruittrees lest being overproud in sap and blood with too much riches it confound itself had he done so to great and growing men they might have lived to bear and he to taste their fruits of duty superfluous branches we lop away that bearing boughs may live had he done so himself had borne the crown which waste of idle hours hath quite thrown down servant what think you then the king shall be deposed gardener depress'd he is already and deposed tis doubt he will be letters came last night to a dear friend of the good duke of york's that tell black tidings queen o i am press'd to death through want of speaking coming forward thou old adam's likeness set to dress this garden how dares thy harsh rude tongue sound this unpleasing news what eve what serpent hath suggested thee to make a second fall of cursed man why dost thou say king richard is deposed darest thou thou little better thing than earth divine his downfall say where when and how camest thou by this ill tidings speak thou wretch gardener pardon me madam little joy have i to breathe this news yet what i say is true king richard he is in the mighty hold of bolingbroke their fortunes both are weigh'd in your lord's scale is nothing but himself and some few vanities that make him light but in the balance of great bolingbroke besides himself are all the english peers and with that odds he weighs king richard down post you to london and you will find it so i speak no more than every one doth know queen nimble mischance that art so light of foot doth not thy embassage belong to me and am i last that knows it o thou think'st to serve me last that i may longest keep thy sorrow in my breast come ladies go to meet at london london's king in woe what was i born to this that my sad look should grace the triumph of great bolingbroke gardener for telling me these news of woe pray god the plants thou graft'st may never grow exeunt queen and ladies gardener poor queen so that thy state might be no worse i would my skill were subject to thy curse here did she fall a tear here in this place i'll set a bank of rue sour herb of grace rue even for ruth here shortly shall be seen in the remembrance of a weeping queen exeunt king richard ii act iv scene i westminster hall enter as to the parliament henry bolingbroke duke of aumerle northumberland henry percy lord fitzwater duke of surrey the bishop of carlisle the abbot of westminster and another lord herald officers and bagot henry bolingbroke call forth bagot now bagot freely speak thy mind what thou dost know of noble gloucester's death who wrought it with the king and who perform'd the bloody office of his timeless end bagot then set before my face the lord aumerle henry bolingbroke cousin stand forth and look upon that man bagot my lord aumerle i know your daring tongue scorns to unsay what once it hath deliver'd in that dead time when gloucester's death was plotted i heard you say is not my arm of length that reacheth from the restful english court as far as calais to mine uncle's head' amongst much other talk that very time i heard you say that you had rather refuse the offer of an hundred thousand crowns than bolingbroke's return to england adding withal how blest this land would be in this your cousin's death duke of aumerle princes and noble lords what answer shall i make to this base man shall i so much dishonour my fair stars on equal terms to give him chastisement either i must or have mine honour soil'd with the attainder of his slanderous lips there is my gage the manual seal of death that marks thee out for hell i say thou liest and will maintain what thou hast said is false in thy heartblood though being all too base to stain the temper of my knightly sword henry bolingbroke bagot forbear thou shalt not take it up duke of aumerle excepting one i would he were the best in all this presence that hath moved me so lord fitzwater if that thy valour stand on sympathy there is my gage aumerle in gage to thine by that fair sun which shows me where thou stand'st i heard thee say and vauntingly thou spakest it that thou wert cause of noble gloucester's death if thou deny'st it twenty times thou liest and i will turn thy falsehood to thy heart where it was forged with my rapier's point duke of aumerle thou darest not coward live to see that day lord fitzwater now by my soul i would it were this hour duke of aumerle fitzwater thou art damn'd to hell for this henry percy aumerle thou liest his honour is as true in this appeal as thou art all unjust and that thou art so there i throw my gage to prove it on thee to the extremest point of mortal breathing seize it if thou darest duke of aumerle an if i do not may my hands rot off and never brandish more revengeful steel over the glittering helmet of my foe lord i task the earth to the like forsworn aumerle and spur thee on with full as many lies as may be holloa'd in thy treacherous ear from sun to sun there is my honour's pawn engage it to the trial if thou darest duke of aumerle who sets me else by heaven i'll throw at all i have a thousand spirits in one breast to answer twenty thousand such as you duke of surrey my lord fitzwater i do remember well the very time aumerle and you did talk lord fitzwater tis very true you were in presence then and you can witness with me this is true duke of surrey as false by heaven as heaven itself is true lord fitzwater surrey thou liest duke of surrey dishonourable boy that lie shall lie so heavy on my sword that it shall render vengeance and revenge till thou the liegiver and that lie do lie in earth as quiet as thy father's skull in proof whereof there is my honour's pawn engage it to the trial if thou darest lord fitzwater how fondly dost thou spur a forward horse if i dare eat or drink or breathe or live i dare meet surrey in a wilderness and spit upon him whilst i say he lies and lies and lies there is my bond of faith to tie thee to my strong correction as i intend to thrive in this new world aumerle is guilty of my true appeal besides i heard the banish'd norfolk say that thou aumerle didst send two of thy men to execute the noble duke at calais duke of aumerle some honest christian trust me with a gage that norfolk lies here do i throw down this if he may be repeal'd to try his honour henry bolingbroke these differences shall all rest under gage till norfolk be repeal'd repeal'd he shall be and though mine enemy restored again to all his lands and signories when he's return'd against aumerle we will enforce his trial bishop of carlisle that honourable day shall ne'er be seen many a time hath banish'd norfolk fought for jesu christ in glorious christian field streaming the ensign of the christian cross against black pagans turks and saracens and toil'd with works of war retired himself to italy and there at venice gave his body to that pleasant country's earth and his pure soul unto his captain christ under whose colours he had fought so long henry bolingbroke why bishop is norfolk dead bishop of carlisle as surely as i live my lord henry bolingbroke sweet peace conduct his sweet soul to the bosom of good old abraham lords appellants your differences shall all rest under gage till we assign you to your days of trial enter duke of york attended duke of york great duke of lancaster i come to thee from plumepluck'd richard who with willing soul adopts thee heir and his high sceptre yields to the possession of thy royal hand ascend his throne descending now from him and long live henry fourth of that name henry bolingbroke in god's name i'll ascend the regal throne bishop of carlisle marry god forbid worst in this royal presence may i speak yet best beseeming me to speak the truth would god that any in this noble presence were enough noble to be upright judge of noble richard then true noblesse would learn him forbearance from so foul a wrong what subject can give sentence on his king and who sits here that is not richard's subject thieves are not judged but they are by to hear although apparent guilt be seen in them and shall the figure of god's majesty his captain steward deputyelect anointed crowned planted many years be judged by subject and inferior breath and he himself not present o forfend it god that in a christian climate souls refined should show so heinous black obscene a deed i speak to subjects and a subject speaks stirr'd up by god thus boldly for his king my lord of hereford here whom you call king is a foul traitor to proud hereford's king and if you crown him let me prophesy the blood of english shall manure the ground and future ages groan for this foul act peace shall go sleep with turks and infidels and in this seat of peace tumultuous wars shall kin with kin and kind with kind confound disorder horror fear and mutiny shall here inhabit and this land be call'd the field of golgotha and dead men's skulls o if you raise this house against this house it will the woefullest division prove that ever fell upon this cursed earth prevent it resist it let it not be so lest child child's children cry against you woe northumberland well have you argued sir and for your pains of capital treason we arrest you here my lord of westminster be it your charge to keep him safely till his day of trial may it please you lords to grant the commons suit henry bolingbroke fetch hither richard that in common view he may surrender so we shall proceed without suspicion duke of york i will be his conduct exit henry bolingbroke lords you that here are under our arrest procure your sureties for your days of answer little are we beholding to your love and little look'd for at your helping hands reenter duke of york with king richard ii and officers bearing the regalia king richard ii alack why am i sent for to a king before i have shook off the regal thoughts wherewith i reign'd i hardly yet have learn'd to insinuate flatter bow and bend my limbs give sorrow leave awhile to tutor me to this submission yet i well remember the favours of these men were they not mine did they not sometime cry all hail to me so judas did to christ but he in twelve found truth in all but one i in twelve thousand none god save the king will no man say amen am i both priest and clerk well then amen god save the king although i be not he and yet amen if heaven do think him me to do what service am i sent for hither duke of york to do that office of thine own good will which tired majesty did make thee offer the resignation of thy state and crown to henry bolingbroke king richard ii give me the crown here cousin seize the crown here cousin on this side my hand and on that side yours now is this golden crown like a deep well that owes two buckets filling one another the emptier ever dancing in the air the other down unseen and full of water that bucket down and full of tears am i drinking my griefs whilst you mount up on high henry bolingbroke i thought you had been willing to resign king richard ii my crown i am but still my griefs are mine you may my glories and my state depose but not my griefs still am i king of those henry bolingbroke part of your cares you give me with your crown king richard ii your cares set up do not pluck my cares down my care is loss of care by old care done your care is gain of care by new care won the cares i give i have though given away they tend the crown yet still with me they stay henry bolingbroke are you contented to resign the crown king richard ii ay no no ay for i must nothing be therefore no no for i resign to thee now mark me how i will undo myself i give this heavy weight from off my head and this unwieldy sceptre from my hand the pride of kingly sway from out my heart with mine own tears i wash away my balm with mine own hands i give away my crown with mine own tongue deny my sacred state with mine own breath release all duty's rites all pomp and majesty i do forswear my manors rents revenues i forego my acts decrees and statutes i deny god pardon all oaths that are broke to me god keep all vows unbroke that swear to thee make me that nothing have with nothing grieved and thou with all pleased that hast all achieved long mayst thou live in richard's seat to sit and soon lie richard in an earthly pit god save king harry unking'd richard says and send him many years of sunshine days what more remains northumberland no more but that you read these accusations and these grievous crimes committed by your person and your followers against the state and profit of this land that by confessing them the souls of men may deem that you are worthily deposed king richard ii must i do so and must i ravel out my weavedup folly gentle northumberland if thy offences were upon record would it not shame thee in so fair a troop to read a lecture of them if thou wouldst there shouldst thou find one heinous article containing the deposing of a king and cracking the strong warrant of an oath mark'd with a blot damn'd in the book of heaven nay all of you that stand and look upon whilst that my wretchedness doth bait myself though some of you with pilate wash your hands showing an outward pity yet you pilates have here deliver'd me to my sour cross and water cannot wash away your sin northumberland my lord dispatch read o'er these articles king richard ii mine eyes are full of tears i cannot see and yet salt water blinds them not so much but they can see a sort of traitors here nay if i turn mine eyes upon myself i find myself a traitor with the rest for i have given here my soul's consent to undeck the pompous body of a king made glory base and sovereignty a slave proud majesty a subject state a peasant northumberland my lord king richard ii no lord of thine thou haught insulting man nor no man's lord i have no name no title no not that name was given me at the font but tis usurp'd alack the heavy day that i have worn so many winters out and know not now what name to call myself o that i were a mockery king of snow standing before the sun of bolingbroke to melt myself away in waterdrops good king great king and yet not greatly good an if my word be sterling yet in england let it command a mirror hither straight that it may show me what a face i have since it is bankrupt of his majesty henry bolingbroke go some of you and fetch a lookingglass exit an attendant northumberland read o'er this paper while the glass doth come king richard ii fiend thou torment'st me ere i come to hell henry bolingbroke urge it no more my lord northumberland northumberland the commons will not then be satisfied king richard ii they shall be satisfied i'll read enough when i do see the very book indeed where all my sins are writ and that's myself reenter attendant with a glass give me the glass and therein will i read no deeper wrinkles yet hath sorrow struck so many blows upon this face of mine and made no deeper wounds o flattering glass like to my followers in prosperity thou dost beguile me was this face the face that every day under his household roof did keep ten thousand men was this the face that like the sun did make beholders wink was this the face that faced so many follies and was at last outfaced by bolingbroke a brittle glory shineth in this face as brittle as the glory is the face dashes the glass against the ground for there it is crack'd in a hundred shivers mark silent king the moral of this sport how soon my sorrow hath destroy'd my face henry bolingbroke the shadow of your sorrow hath destroy'd the shadow or your face king richard ii say that again the shadow of my sorrow ha let's see tis very true my grief lies all within and these external manners of laments are merely shadows to the unseen grief that swells with silence in the tortured soul there lies the substance and i thank thee king for thy great bounty that not only givest me cause to wail but teachest me the way how to lament the cause i'll beg one boon and then be gone and trouble you no more shall i obtain it henry bolingbroke name it fair cousin king richard ii fair cousin i am greater than a king for when i was a king my flatterers were then but subjects being now a subject i have a king here to my flatterer being so great i have no need to beg henry bolingbroke yet ask king richard ii and shall i have henry bolingbroke you shall king richard ii then give me leave to go henry bolingbroke whither king richard ii whither you will so i were from your sights henry bolingbroke go some of you convey him to the tower king richard ii o good convey conveyers are you all that rise thus nimbly by a true king's fall exeunt king richard ii some lords and a guard henry bolingbroke on wednesday next we solemnly set down our coronation lords prepare yourselves exeunt all except the bishop of carlisle the abbot of westminster and duke of aumerle abbot a woeful pageant have we here beheld bishop of carlisle the woe's to come the children yet unborn shall feel this day as sharp to them as thorn duke of aumerle you holy clergymen is there no plot to rid the realm of this pernicious blot abbot my lord before i freely speak my mind herein you shall not only take the sacrament to bury mine intents but also to effect whatever i shall happen to devise i see your brows are full of discontent your hearts of sorrow and your eyes of tears come home with me to supper and i'll lay a plot shall show us all a merry day exeunt king richard ii act v scene i london a street leading to the tower enter queen and ladies queen this way the king will come this is the way to julius caesar's illerected tower to whose flint bosom my condemned lord is doom'd a prisoner by proud bolingbroke here let us rest if this rebellious earth have any resting for her true king's queen enter king richard ii and guard but soft but see or rather do not see my fair rose wither yet look up behold that you in pity may dissolve to dew and wash him fresh again with truelove tears ah thou the model where old troy did stand thou map of honour thou king richard's tomb and not king richard thou most beauteous inn why should hardfavour'd grief be lodged in thee when triumph is become an alehouse guest king richard ii join not with grief fair woman do not so to make my end too sudden learn good soul to think our former state a happy dream from which awaked the truth of what we are shows us but this i am sworn brother sweet to grim necessity and he and i will keep a league till death hie thee to france and cloister thee in some religious house our holy lives must win a new world's crown which our profane hours here have stricken down queen what is my richard both in shape and mind transform'd and weaken'd hath bolingbroke deposed thine intellect hath he been in thy heart the lion dying thrusteth forth his paw and wounds the earth if nothing else with rage to be o'erpower'd and wilt thou pupillike take thy correction mildly kiss the rod and fawn on rage with base humility which art a lion and a king of beasts king richard ii a king of beasts indeed if aught but beasts i had been still a happy king of men good sometime queen prepare thee hence for france think i am dead and that even here thou takest as from my deathbed thy last living leave in winter's tedious nights sit by the fire with good old folks and let them tell thee tales of woeful ages long ago betid and ere thou bid good night to quit their griefs tell thou the lamentable tale of me and send the hearers weeping to their beds for why the senseless brands will sympathize the heavy accent of thy moving tongue and in compassion weep the fire out and some will mourn in ashes some coalblack for the deposing of a rightful king enter northumberland and others northumberland my lord the mind of bolingbroke is changed you must to pomfret not unto the tower and madam there is order ta'en for you with all swift speed you must away to france king richard ii northumberland thou ladder wherewithal the mounting bolingbroke ascends my throne the time shall not be many hours of age more than it is ere foul sin gathering head shalt break into corruption thou shalt think though he divide the realm and give thee half it is too little helping him to all and he shall think that thou which know'st the way to plant unrightful kings wilt know again being ne'er so little urged another way to pluck him headlong from the usurped throne the love of wicked men converts to fear that fear to hate and hate turns one or both to worthy danger and deserved death northumberland my guilt be on my head and there an end take leave and part for you must part forthwith king richard ii doubly divorced bad men you violate a twofold marriage twixt my crown and me and then betwixt me and my married wife let me unkiss the oath twixt thee and me and yet not so for with a kiss twas made part us northumberland i toward the north where shivering cold and sickness pines the clime my wife to france from whence set forth in pomp she came adorned hither like sweet may sent back like hallowmas or short'st of day queen and must we be divided must we part king richard ii ay hand from hand my love and heart from heart queen banish us both and send the king with me northumberland that were some love but little policy queen then whither he goes thither let me go king richard ii so two together weeping make one woe weep thou for me in france i for thee here better far off than near be ne'er the near go count thy way with sighs i mine with groans queen so longest way shall have the longest moans king richard ii twice for one step i'll groan the way being short and piece the way out with a heavy heart come come in wooing sorrow let's be brief since wedding it there is such length in grief one kiss shall stop our mouths and dumbly part thus give i mine and thus take i thy heart queen give me mine own again twere no good part to take on me to keep and kill thy heart so now i have mine own again be gone that i might strive to kill it with a groan king richard ii we make woe wanton with this fond delay once more adieu the rest let sorrow say exeunt king richard ii act v scene ii the duke of york's palace enter duke of york and duchess of york duchess of york my lord you told me you would tell the rest when weeping made you break the story off of our two cousins coming into london duke of york where did i leave duchess of york at that sad stop my lord where rude misgovern'd hands from windows tops threw dust and rubbish on king richard's head duke of york then as i said the duke great bolingbroke mounted upon a hot and fiery steed which his aspiring rider seem'd to know with slow but stately pace kept on his course whilst all tongues cried god save thee bolingbroke' you would have thought the very windows spake so many greedy looks of young and old through casements darted their desiring eyes upon his visage and that all the walls with painted imagery had said at once jesu preserve thee welcome bolingbroke' whilst he from the one side to the other turning bareheaded lower than his proud steed's neck bespake them thus i thank you countrymen' and thus still doing thus he pass'd along duchess of york alack poor richard where rode he the whilst duke of york as in a theatre the eyes of men after a wellgraced actor leaves the stage are idly bent on him that enters next thinking his prattle to be tedious even so or with much more contempt men's eyes did scowl on gentle richard no man cried god save him' no joyful tongue gave him his welcome home but dust was thrown upon his sacred head which with such gentle sorrow he shook off his face still combating with tears and smiles the badges of his grief and patience that had not god for some strong purpose steel'd the hearts of men they must perforce have melted and barbarism itself have pitied him but heaven hath a hand in these events to whose high will we bound our calm contents to bolingbroke are we sworn subjects now whose state and honour i for aye allow duchess of york here comes my son aumerle duke of york aumerle that was but that is lost for being richard's friend and madam you must call him rutland now i am in parliament pledge for his truth and lasting fealty to the newmade king enter duke of aumerle duchess of york welcome my son who are the violets now that strew the green lap of the new come spring duke of aumerle madam i know not nor i greatly care not god knows i had as lief be none as one duke of york well bear you well in this new spring of time lest you be cropp'd before you come to prime what news from oxford hold those justs and triumphs duke of aumerle for aught i know my lord they do duke of york you will be there i know duke of aumerle if god prevent not i purpose so duke of york what seal is that that hangs without thy bosom yea look'st thou pale let me see the writing duke of aumerle my lord tis nothing duke of york no matter then who see it i will be satisfied let me see the writing duke of aumerle i do beseech your grace to pardon me it is a matter of small consequence which for some reasons i would not have seen duke of york which for some reasons sir i mean to see i fear i fear duchess of york what should you fear tis nothing but some bond that he is enter'd into for gay apparel gainst the triumph day duke of york bound to himself what doth he with a bond that he is bound to wife thou art a fool boy let me see the writing duke of aumerle i do beseech you pardon me i may not show it duke of york i will be satisfied let me see it i say he plucks it out of his bosom and reads it treason foul treason villain traitor slave duchess of york what is the matter my lord duke of york ho who is within there enter a servant saddle my horse god for his mercy what treachery is here duchess of york why what is it my lord duke of york give me my boots i say saddle my horse now by mine honour by my life by my troth i will appeach the villain duchess of york what is the matter duke of york peace foolish woman duchess of york i will not peace what is the matter aumerle duke of aumerle good mother be content it is no more than my poor life must answer duchess of york thy life answer duke of york bring me my boots i will unto the king reenter servant with boots duchess of york strike him aumerle poor boy thou art amazed hence villain never more come in my sight duke of york give me my boots i say duchess of york why york what wilt thou do wilt thou not hide the trespass of thine own have we more sons or are we like to have is not my teeming date drunk up with time and wilt thou pluck my fair son from mine age and rob me of a happy mother's name is he not like thee is he not thine own duke of york thou fond mad woman wilt thou conceal this dark conspiracy a dozen of them here have ta'en the sacrament and interchangeably set down their hands to kill the king at oxford duchess of york he shall be none we'll keep him here then what is that to him duke of york away fond woman were he twenty times my son i would appeach him duchess of york hadst thou groan'd for him as i have done thou wouldst be more pitiful but now i know thy mind thou dost suspect that i have been disloyal to thy bed and that he is a bastard not thy son sweet york sweet husband be not of that mind he is as like thee as a man may be not like to me or any of my kin and yet i love him duke of york make way unruly woman exit duchess of york after aumerle mount thee upon his horse spur post and get before him to the king and beg thy pardon ere he do accuse thee i'll not be long behind though i be old i doubt not but to ride as fast as york and never will i rise up from the ground till bolingbroke have pardon'd thee away be gone exeunt king richard ii act v scene iii a royal palace enter henry bolingbroke henry percy and other lords henry bolingbroke can no man tell me of my unthrifty son tis full three months since i did see him last if any plague hang over us tis he i would to god my lords he might be found inquire at london mongst the taverns there for there they say he daily doth frequent with unrestrained loose companions even such they say as stand in narrow lanes and beat our watch and rob our passengers which he young wanton and effeminate boy takes on the point of honour to support so dissolute a crew henry percy my lord some two days since i saw the prince and told him of those triumphs held at oxford henry bolingbroke and what said the gallant henry percy his answer was he would unto the stews and from the common'st creature pluck a glove and wear it as a favour and with that he would unhorse the lustiest challenger henry bolingbroke as dissolute as desperate yet through both i see some sparks of better hope which elder years may happily bring forth but who comes here enter duke of aumerle duke of aumerle where is the king henry bolingbroke what means our cousin that he stares and looks so wildly duke of aumerle god save your grace i do beseech your majesty to have some conference with your grace alone henry bolingbroke withdraw yourselves and leave us here alone exeunt henry percy and lords what is the matter with our cousin now duke of aumerle for ever may my knees grow to the earth my tongue cleave to my roof within my mouth unless a pardon ere i rise or speak henry bolingbroke intended or committed was this fault if on the first how heinous e'er it be to win thy afterlove i pardon thee duke of aumerle then give me leave that i may turn the key that no man enter till my tale be done henry bolingbroke have thy desire duke of york within my liege beware look to thyself thou hast a traitor in thy presence there henry bolingbroke villain i'll make thee safe drawing duke of aumerle stay thy revengeful hand thou hast no cause to fear duke of york within open the door secure foolhardy king shall i for love speak treason to thy face open the door or i will break it open enter duke of york henry bolingbroke what is the matter uncle speak recover breath tell us how near is danger that we may arm us to encounter it duke of york peruse this writing here and thou shalt know the treason that my haste forbids me show duke of aumerle remember as thou read'st thy promise pass'd i do repent me read not my name there my heart is not confederate with my hand duke of york it was villain ere thy hand did set it down i tore it from the traitor's bosom king fear and not love begets his penitence forget to pity him lest thy pity prove a serpent that will sting thee to the heart henry bolingbroke o heinous strong and bold conspiracy o loyal father of a treacherous son thou sheer immaculate and silver fountain from when this stream through muddy passages hath held his current and defiled himself thy overflow of good converts to bad and thy abundant goodness shall excuse this deadly blot in thy digressing son duke of york so shall my virtue be his vice's bawd and he shall spend mine honour with his shame as thriftless sons their scraping fathers gold mine honour lives when his dishonour dies or my shamed life in his dishonour lies thou kill'st me in his life giving him breath the traitor lives the true man's put to death duchess of york within what ho my liege for god's sake let me in henry bolingbroke what shrillvoiced suppliant makes this eager cry duchess of york a woman and thy aunt great king tis i speak with me pity me open the door a beggar begs that never begg'd before henry bolingbroke our scene is alter'd from a serious thing and now changed to the beggar and the king' my dangerous cousin let your mother in i know she is come to pray for your foul sin duke of york if thou do pardon whosoever pray more sins for this forgiveness prosper may this fester'd joint cut off the rest rest sound this let alone will all the rest confound enter duchess of york duchess of york o king believe not this hardhearted man love loving not itself none other can duke of york thou frantic woman what dost thou make here shall thy old dugs once more a traitor rear duchess of york sweet york be patient hear me gentle liege kneels henry bolingbroke rise up good aunt duchess of york not yet i thee beseech for ever will i walk upon my knees and never see day that the happy sees till thou give joy until thou bid me joy by pardoning rutland my transgressing boy duke of aumerle unto my mother's prayers i bend my knee duke of york against them both my true joints bended be ill mayst thou thrive if thou grant any grace duchess of york pleads he in earnest look upon his face his eyes do drop no tears his prayers are in jest his words come from his mouth ours from our breast he prays but faintly and would be denied we pray with heart and soul and all beside his weary joints would gladly rise i know our knees shall kneel till to the ground they grow his prayers are full of false hypocrisy ours of true zeal and deep integrity our prayers do outpray his then let them have that mercy which true prayer ought to have henry bolingbroke good aunt stand up duchess of york nay do not say stand up' say pardon first and afterwards stand up' and if i were thy nurse thy tongue to teach pardon should be the first word of thy speech i never long'd to hear a word till now say pardon king let pity teach thee how the word is short but not so short as sweet no word like pardon for kings mouths so meet duke of york speak it in french king say pardonne moi' duchess of york dost thou teach pardon pardon to destroy ah my sour husband my hardhearted lord that set'st the word itself against the word speak pardon as tis current in our land the chopping french we do not understand thine eye begins to speak set thy tongue there or in thy piteous heart plant thou thine ear that hearing how our plaints and prayers do pierce pity may move thee pardon to rehearse henry bolingbroke good aunt stand up duchess of york i do not sue to stand pardon is all the suit i have in hand henry bolingbroke i pardon him as god shall pardon me duchess of york o happy vantage of a kneeling knee yet am i sick for fear speak it again twice saying pardon doth not pardon twain but makes one pardon strong henry bolingbroke with all my heart i pardon him duchess of york a god on earth thou art henry bolingbroke but for our trusty brotherinlaw and the abbot with all the rest of that consorted crew destruction straight shall dog them at the heels good uncle help to order several powers to oxford or where'er these traitors are they shall not live within this world i swear but i will have them if i once know where uncle farewell and cousin too adieu your mother well hath pray'd and prove you true duchess of york come my old son i pray god make thee new exeunt king richard ii act v scene iv the same enter exton and servant exton didst thou not mark the king what words he spake have i no friend will rid me of this living fear' was it not so servant these were his very words exton have i no friend quoth he he spake it twice and urged it twice together did he not servant he did exton and speaking it he wistly look'd on me and who should say i would thou wert the man' that would divorce this terror from my heart' meaning the king at pomfret come let's go i am the king's friend and will rid his foe exeunt king richard ii act v scene v pomfret castle enter king richard king richard ii i have been studying how i may compare this prison where i live unto the world and for because the world is populous and here is not a creature but myself i cannot do it yet i'll hammer it out my brain i'll prove the female to my soul my soul the father and these two beget a generation of stillbreeding thoughts and these same thoughts people this little world in humours like the people of this world for no thought is contented the better sort as thoughts of things divine are intermix'd with scruples and do set the word itself against the word as thus come little ones and then again it is as hard to come as for a camel to thread the postern of a small needle's eye' thoughts tending to ambition they do plot unlikely wonders how these vain weak nails may tear a passage through the flinty ribs of this hard world my ragged prison walls and for they cannot die in their own pride thoughts tending to content flatter themselves that they are not the first of fortune's slaves nor shall not be the last like silly beggars who sitting in the stocks refuge their shame that many have and others must sit there and in this thought they find a kind of ease bearing their own misfortunes on the back of such as have before endured the like thus play i in one person many people and none contented sometimes am i king then treasons make me wish myself a beggar and so i am then crushing penury persuades me i was better when a king then am i king'd again and by and by think that i am unking'd by bolingbroke and straight am nothing but whate'er i be nor i nor any man that but man is with nothing shall be pleased till he be eased with being nothing music do i hear music ha ha keep time how sour sweet music is when time is broke and no proportion kept so is it in the music of men's lives and here have i the daintiness of ear to cheque time broke in a disorder'd string but for the concord of my state and time had not an ear to hear my true time broke i wasted time and now doth time waste me for now hath time made me his numbering clock my thoughts are minutes and with sighs they jar their watches on unto mine eyes the outward watch whereto my finger like a dial's point is pointing still in cleansing them from tears now sir the sound that tells what hour it is are clamorous groans which strike upon my heart which is the bell so sighs and tears and groans show minutes times and hours but my time runs posting on in bolingbroke's proud joy while i stand fooling here his jack o the clock this music mads me let it sound no more for though it have holp madmen to their wits in me it seems it will make wise men mad yet blessing on his heart that gives it me for tis a sign of love and love to richard is a strange brooch in this allhating world enter a groom of the stable groom hail royal prince king richard ii thanks noble peer the cheapest of us is ten groats too dear what art thou and how comest thou hither where no man never comes but that sad dog that brings me food to make misfortune live groom i was a poor groom of thy stable king when thou wert king who travelling towards york with much ado at length have gotten leave to look upon my sometimes royal master's face o how it yearn'd my heart when i beheld in london streets that coronationday when bolingbroke rode on roan barbary that horse that thou so often hast bestrid that horse that i so carefully have dress'd king richard ii rode he on barbary tell me gentle friend how went he under him groom so proudly as if he disdain'd the ground king richard ii so proud that bolingbroke was on his back that jade hath eat bread from my royal hand this hand hath made him proud with clapping him would he not stumble would he not fall down since pride must have a fall and break the neck of that proud man that did usurp his back forgiveness horse why do i rail on thee since thou created to be awed by man wast born to bear i was not made a horse and yet i bear a burthen like an ass spurr'd gall'd and tired by jouncing bolingbroke enter keeper with a dish keeper fellow give place here is no longer stay king richard ii if thou love me tis time thou wert away groom what my tongue dares not that my heart shall say exit keeper my lord will't please you to fall to king richard ii taste of it first as thou art wont to do keeper my lord i dare not sir pierce of exton who lately came from the king commands the contrary king richard ii the devil take henry of lancaster and thee patience is stale and i am weary of it beats the keeper keeper help help help enter exton and servants armed king richard ii how now what means death in this rude assault villain thy own hand yields thy death's instrument snatching an axe from a servant and killing him go thou and fill another room in hell he kills another then exton strikes him down that hand shall burn in neverquenching fire that staggers thus my person exton thy fierce hand hath with the king's blood stain'd the king's own land mount mount my soul thy seat is up on high whilst my gross flesh sinks downward here to die dies exton as full of valour as of royal blood both have i spill'd o would the deed were good for now the devil that told me i did well says that this deed is chronicled in hell this dead king to the living king i'll bear take hence the rest and give them burial here exeunt king richard ii act v scene vi windsor castle flourish enter henry bolingbroke duke of york with other lords and attendants henry bolingbroke kind uncle york the latest news we hear is that the rebels have consumed with fire our town of cicester in gloucestershire but whether they be ta'en or slain we hear not enter northumberland welcome my lord what is the news northumberland first to thy sacred state wish i all happiness the next news is i have to london sent the heads of oxford salisbury blunt and kent the manner of their taking may appear at large discoursed in this paper here henry bolingbroke we thank thee gentle percy for thy pains and to thy worth will add right worthy gains enter lord fitzwater lord fitzwater my lord i have from oxford sent to london the heads of brocas and sir bennet seely two of the dangerous consorted traitors that sought at oxford thy dire overthrow henry bolingbroke thy pains fitzwater shall not be forgot right noble is thy merit well i wot enter henry percy and the bishop of carlisle henry percy the grand conspirator abbot of westminster with clog of conscience and sour melancholy hath yielded up his body to the grave but here is carlisle living to abide thy kingly doom and sentence of his pride henry bolingbroke carlisle this is your doom choose out some secret place some reverend room more than thou hast and with it joy thy life so as thou livest in peace die free from strife for though mine enemy thou hast ever been high sparks of honour in thee have i seen enter exton with persons bearing a coffin exton great king within this coffin i present thy buried fear herein all breathless lies the mightiest of thy greatest enemies richard of bordeaux by me hither brought henry bolingbroke exton i thank thee not for thou hast wrought a deed of slander with thy fatal hand upon my head and all this famous land exton from your own mouth my lord did i this deed henry bolingbroke they love not poison that do poison need nor do i thee though i did wish him dead i hate the murderer love him murdered the guilt of conscience take thou for thy labour but neither my good word nor princely favour with cain go wander through shades of night and never show thy head by day nor light lords i protest my soul is full of woe that blood should sprinkle me to make me grow come mourn with me for that i do lament and put on sullen black incontinent i'll make a voyage to the holy land to wash this blood off from my guilty hand march sadly after grace my mournings here in weeping after this untimely bier exeunt king richard iii dramatis personae king edward the fourth king edward iv edward prince of wales prince edward afterwards king edward v sons to the king richard duke of york york george duke of clarence clarence richard duke of gloucester gloucester brothers to afterwards king richard iii the king king richard iii a young son of clarence boy henry earl of richmond richmond afterwards king henry vii cardinal bourchier archbishop of canterbury cardinal thomas rotherham archbishop of york archbishop of york john morton bishop of ely bishop of ely duke of buckingham buckingham duke of norfolk norfolk earl of surrey his son surrey earl rivers brother to elizabeth rivers marquis of dorset dorset sons to elizabeth lord grey grey earl of oxford oxford lord hastings hastings lord stanley stanley called also earl of derby derby lord lovel lovel sir thomas vaughan vaughan sir richard ratcliff ratcliff sir william catesby catesby sir james tyrrel tyrrel sir james blount blount sir walter herbert herbert sir robert brakenbury lieutenant of the tower brakenbury christopher urswick a priest christopher another priest priest tressel gentlemen attending on the lady anne berkeley gentleman lord mayor of london lord mayor sheriff of wiltshire sheriff elizabeth queen to king edward iv queen elizabeth margaret widow of king henry vi queen margaret duchess of york mother to king edward iv lady anne widow of edward prince of wales son to king henry vi afterwards married to richard a young daughter of clarence margaret plantagenet girl ghosts of those murdered by richard iii lords and other attendants a pursuivant scrivener citizens murderers messengers soldiers &c ghost of prince edward ghost of king henry vi ghost of clarence ghost of rivers ghost of grey ghost of vaughan ghost of hasting ghosts of young princes ghost of lady anne ghost of buckingham pursuivant scrivener first citizen second citizen third citizen first murderer second murderer messenger second messenger third messenger fourth messenger scene england king richard iii act i scene i london a street enter gloucester solus gloucester now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by this sun of york and all the clouds that lour'd upon our house in the deep bosom of the ocean buried now are our brows bound with victorious wreaths our bruised arms hung up for monuments our stern alarums changed to merry meetings our dreadful marches to delightful measures grimvisaged war hath smooth'd his wrinkled front and now instead of mounting barded steeds to fright the souls of fearful adversaries he capers nimbly in a lady's chamber to the lascivious pleasing of a lute but i that am not shaped for sportive tricks nor made to court an amorous lookingglass i that am rudely stamp'd and want love's majesty to strut before a wanton ambling nymph i that am curtail'd of this fair proportion cheated of feature by dissembling nature deformed unfinish'd sent before my time into this breathing world scarce half made up and that so lamely and unfashionable that dogs bark at me as i halt by them why i in this weak piping time of peace have no delight to pass away the time unless to spy my shadow in the sun and descant on mine own deformity and therefore since i cannot prove a lover to entertain these fair wellspoken days i am determined to prove a villain and hate the idle pleasures of these days plots have i laid inductions dangerous by drunken prophecies libels and dreams to set my brother clarence and the king in deadly hate the one against the other and if king edward be as true and just as i am subtle false and treacherous this day should clarence closely be mew'd up about a prophecy which says that g' of edward's heirs the murderer shall be dive thoughts down to my soul here clarence comes enter clarence guarded and brakenbury brother good day what means this armed guard that waits upon your grace clarence his majesty tendering my person's safety hath appointed this conduct to convey me to the tower gloucester upon what cause clarence because my name is george gloucester alack my lord that fault is none of yours he should for that commit your godfathers o belike his majesty hath some intent that you shall be newchristen'd in the tower but what's the matter clarence may i know clarence yea richard when i know for i protest as yet i do not but as i can learn he hearkens after prophecies and dreams and from the crossrow plucks the letter g and says a wizard told him that by g his issue disinherited should be and for my name of george begins with g it follows in his thought that i am he these as i learn and such like toys as these have moved his highness to commit me now gloucester why this it is when men are ruled by women tis not the king that sends you to the tower my lady grey his wife clarence tis she that tempers him to this extremity was it not she and that good man of worship anthony woodville her brother there that made him send lord hastings to the tower from whence this present day he is deliver'd we are not safe clarence we are not safe clarence by heaven i think there's no man is secure but the queen's kindred and nightwalking heralds that trudge betwixt the king and mistress shore heard ye not what an humble suppliant lord hastings was to her for his delivery gloucester humbly complaining to her deity got my lord chamberlain his liberty i'll tell you what i think it is our way if we will keep in favour with the king to be her men and wear her livery the jealous o'erworn widow and herself since that our brother dubb'd them gentlewomen are mighty gossips in this monarchy brakenbury i beseech your graces both to pardon me his majesty hath straitly given in charge that no man shall have private conference of what degree soever with his brother gloucester even so an't please your worship brakenbury you may partake of any thing we say we speak no treason man we say the king is wise and virtuous and his noble queen well struck in years fair and not jealous we say that shore's wife hath a pretty foot a cherry lip a bonny eye a passing pleasing tongue and that the queen's kindred are made gentlefolks how say you sir can you deny all this brakenbury with this my lord myself have nought to do gloucester naught to do with mistress shore i tell thee fellow he that doth naught with her excepting one were best he do it secretly alone brakenbury what one my lord gloucester her husband knave wouldst thou betray me brakenbury i beseech your grace to pardon me and withal forbear your conference with the noble duke clarence we know thy charge brakenbury and will obey gloucester we are the queen's abjects and must obey brother farewell i will unto the king and whatsoever you will employ me in were it to call king edward's widow sister i will perform it to enfranchise you meantime this deep disgrace in brotherhood touches me deeper than you can imagine clarence i know it pleaseth neither of us well gloucester well your imprisonment shall not be long meantime have patience clarence i must perforce farewell exeunt clarence brakenbury and guard gloucester go tread the path that thou shalt ne'er return simple plain clarence i do love thee so that i will shortly send thy soul to heaven if heaven will take the present at our hands but who comes here the newdeliver'd hastings enter hastings hastings good time of day unto my gracious lord gloucester as much unto my good lord chamberlain well are you welcome to the open air how hath your lordship brook'd imprisonment hastings with patience noble lord as prisoners must but i shall live my lord to give them thanks that were the cause of my imprisonment gloucester no doubt no doubt and so shall clarence too for they that were your enemies are his and have prevail'd as much on him as you hastings more pity that the eagle should be mew'd while kites and buzzards prey at liberty gloucester what news abroad hastings no news so bad abroad as this at home the king is sickly weak and melancholy and his physicians fear him mightily gloucester now by saint paul this news is bad indeed o he hath kept an evil diet long and overmuch consumed his royal person tis very grievous to be thought upon what is he in his bed hastings he is gloucester go you before and i will follow you exit hastings he cannot live i hope and must not die till george be pack'd with posthorse up to heaven i'll in to urge his hatred more to clarence with lies well steel'd with weighty arguments and if i fall not in my deep intent clarence hath not another day to live which done god take king edward to his mercy and leave the world for me to bustle in for then i'll marry warwick's youngest daughter what though i kill'd her husband and her father the readiest way to make the wench amends is to become her husband and her father the which will i not all so much for love as for another secret close intent by marrying her which i must reach unto but yet i run before my horse to market clarence still breathes edward still lives and reigns when they are gone then must i count my gains exit king richard iii act i scene ii the same another street enter the corpse of king henry the sixth gentlemen with halberds to guard it lady anne being the mourner lady anne set down set down your honourable load if honour may be shrouded in a hearse whilst i awhile obsequiously lament the untimely fall of virtuous lancaster poor keycold figure of a holy king pale ashes of the house of lancaster thou bloodless remnant of that royal blood be it lawful that i invocate thy ghost to hear the lamentations of poor anne wife to thy edward to thy slaughter'd son stabb'd by the selfsame hand that made these wounds lo in these windows that let forth thy life i pour the helpless balm of my poor eyes cursed be the hand that made these fatal holes cursed be the heart that had the heart to do it cursed the blood that let this blood from hence more direful hap betide that hated wretch that makes us wretched by the death of thee than i can wish to adders spiders toads or any creeping venom'd thing that lives if ever he have child abortive be it prodigious and untimely brought to light whose ugly and unnatural aspect may fright the hopeful mother at the view and that be heir to his unhappiness if ever he have wife let her he made a miserable by the death of him as i am made by my poor lord and thee come now towards chertsey with your holy load taken from paul's to be interred there and still as you are weary of the weight rest you whiles i lament king henry's corse enter gloucester gloucester stay you that bear the corse and set it down lady anne what black magician conjures up this fiend to stop devoted charitable deeds gloucester villains set down the corse or by saint paul i'll make a corse of him that disobeys gentleman my lord stand back and let the coffin pass gloucester unmanner'd dog stand thou when i command advance thy halbert higher than my breast or by saint paul i'll strike thee to my foot and spurn upon thee beggar for thy boldness lady anne what do you tremble are you all afraid alas i blame you not for you are mortal and mortal eyes cannot endure the devil avaunt thou dreadful minister of hell thou hadst but power over his mortal body his soul thou canst not have therefore be gone gloucester sweet saint for charity be not so curst lady anne foul devil for god's sake hence and trouble us not for thou hast made the happy earth thy hell fill'd it with cursing cries and deep exclaims if thou delight to view thy heinous deeds behold this pattern of thy butcheries o gentlemen see see dead henry's wounds open their congeal'd mouths and bleed afresh blush blush thou lump of foul deformity for tis thy presence that exhales this blood from cold and empty veins where no blood dwells thy deed inhuman and unnatural provokes this deluge most unnatural o god which this blood madest revenge his death o earth which this blood drink'st revenge his death either heaven with lightning strike the murderer dead or earth gape open wide and eat him quick as thou dost swallow up this good king's blood which his hellgovern'd arm hath butchered gloucester lady you know no rules of charity which renders good for bad blessings for curses lady anne villain thou know'st no law of god nor man no beast so fierce but knows some touch of pity gloucester but i know none and therefore am no beast lady anne o wonderful when devils tell the truth gloucester more wonderful when angels are so angry vouchsafe divine perfection of a woman of these supposedevils to give me leave by circumstance but to acquit myself lady anne vouchsafe defused infection of a man for these known evils but to give me leave by circumstance to curse thy cursed self gloucester fairer than tongue can name thee let me have some patient leisure to excuse myself lady anne fouler than heart can think thee thou canst make no excuse current but to hang thyself gloucester by such despair i should accuse myself lady anne and by despairing shouldst thou stand excused for doing worthy vengeance on thyself which didst unworthy slaughter upon others gloucester say that i slew them not lady anne why then they are not dead but dead they are and devilish slave by thee gloucester i did not kill your husband lady anne why then he is alive gloucester nay he is dead and slain by edward's hand lady anne in thy foul throat thou liest queen margaret saw thy murderous falchion smoking in his blood the which thou once didst bend against her breast but that thy brothers beat aside the point gloucester i was provoked by her slanderous tongue which laid their guilt upon my guiltless shoulders lady anne thou wast provoked by thy bloody mind which never dreamt on aught but butcheries didst thou not kill this king gloucester i grant ye lady anne dost grant me hedgehog then god grant me too thou mayst be damned for that wicked deed o he was gentle mild and virtuous gloucester the fitter for the king of heaven that hath him lady anne he is in heaven where thou shalt never come gloucester let him thank me that holp to send him thither for he was fitter for that place than earth lady anne and thou unfit for any place but hell gloucester yes one place else if you will hear me name it lady anne some dungeon gloucester your bedchamber lady anne i'll rest betide the chamber where thou liest gloucester so will it madam till i lie with you lady anne i hope so gloucester i know so but gentle lady anne to leave this keen encounter of our wits and fall somewhat into a slower method is not the causer of the timeless deaths of these plantagenets henry and edward as blameful as the executioner lady anne thou art the cause and most accursed effect gloucester your beauty was the cause of that effect your beauty which did haunt me in my sleep to undertake the death of all the world so i might live one hour in your sweet bosom lady anne if i thought that i tell thee homicide these nails should rend that beauty from my cheeks gloucester these eyes could never endure sweet beauty's wreck you should not blemish it if i stood by as all the world is cheered by the sun so i by that it is my day my life lady anne black night o'ershade thy day and death thy life gloucester curse not thyself fair creature thou art both lady anne i would i were to be revenged on thee gloucester it is a quarrel most unnatural to be revenged on him that loveth you lady anne it is a quarrel just and reasonable to be revenged on him that slew my husband gloucester he that bereft thee lady of thy husband did it to help thee to a better husband lady anne his better doth not breathe upon the earth gloucester he lives that loves thee better than he could lady anne name him gloucester plantagenet lady anne why that was he gloucester the selfsame name but one of better nature lady anne where is he gloucester here she spitteth at him why dost thou spit at me lady anne would it were mortal poison for thy sake gloucester never came poison from so sweet a place lady anne never hung poison on a fouler toad out of my sight thou dost infect my eyes gloucester thine eyes sweet lady have infected mine lady anne would they were basilisks to strike thee dead gloucester i would they were that i might die at once for now they kill me with a living death those eyes of thine from mine have drawn salt tears shamed their aspect with store of childish drops these eyes that never shed remorseful tear no when my father york and edward wept to hear the piteous moan that rutland made when blackfaced clifford shook his sword at him nor when thy warlike father like a child told the sad story of my father's death and twenty times made pause to sob and weep that all the standersby had wet their cheeks like trees bedash'd with rain in that sad time my manly eyes did scorn an humble tear and what these sorrows could not thence exhale thy beauty hath and made them blind with weeping i never sued to friend nor enemy my tongue could never learn sweet smoothing word but now thy beauty is proposed my fee my proud heart sues and prompts my tongue to speak she looks scornfully at him teach not thy lips such scorn for they were made for kissing lady not for such contempt if thy revengeful heart cannot forgive lo here i lend thee this sharppointed sword which if thou please to hide in this true bosom and let the soul forth that adoreth thee i lay it naked to the deadly stroke and humbly beg the death upon my knee he lays his breast open she offers at it with his sword nay do not pause for i did kill king henry but twas thy beauty that provoked me nay now dispatch twas i that stabb'd young edward but twas thy heavenly face that set me on here she lets fall the sword take up the sword again or take up me lady anne arise dissembler though i wish thy death i will not be the executioner gloucester then bid me kill myself and i will do it lady anne i have already gloucester tush that was in thy rage speak it again and even with the word that hand which for thy love did kill thy love shall for thy love kill a far truer love to both their deaths thou shalt be accessary lady anne i would i knew thy heart gloucester tis figured in my tongue lady anne i fear me both are false gloucester then never man was true lady anne well well put up your sword gloucester say then my peace is made lady anne that shall you know hereafter gloucester but shall i live in hope lady anne all men i hope live so gloucester vouchsafe to wear this ring lady anne to take is not to give gloucester look how this ring encompasseth finger even so thy breast encloseth my poor heart wear both of them for both of them are thine and if thy poor devoted suppliant may but beg one favour at thy gracious hand thou dost confirm his happiness for ever lady anne what is it gloucester that it would please thee leave these sad designs to him that hath more cause to be a mourner and presently repair to crosby place where after i have solemnly interr'd at chertsey monastery this noble king and wet his grave with my repentant tears i will with all expedient duty see you for divers unknown reasons i beseech you grant me this boon lady anne with all my heart and much it joys me too to see you are become so penitent tressel and berkeley go along with me gloucester bid me farewell lady anne tis more than you deserve but since you teach me how to flatter you imagine i have said farewell already exeunt lady anne tressel and berkeley gloucester sirs take up the corse gentlemen towards chertsey noble lord gloucester no to whitefriars there attend my coining exeunt all but gloucester was ever woman in this humour woo'd was ever woman in this humour won i'll have her but i will not keep her long what i that kill'd her husband and his father to take her in her heart's extremest hate with curses in her mouth tears in her eyes the bleeding witness of her hatred by having god her conscience and these bars against me and i nothing to back my suit at all but the plain devil and dissembling looks and yet to win her all the world to nothing ha hath she forgot already that brave prince edward her lord whom i some three months since stabb'd in my angry mood at tewksbury a sweeter and a lovelier gentleman framed in the prodigality of nature young valiant wise and no doubt right royal the spacious world cannot again afford and will she yet debase her eyes on me that cropp'd the golden prime of this sweet prince and made her widow to a woful bed on me whose all not equals edward's moiety on me that halt and am unshapen thus my dukedom to a beggarly denier i do mistake my person all this while upon my life she finds although i cannot myself to be a marvellous proper man i'll be at charges for a lookingglass and entertain some score or two of tailors to study fashions to adorn my body since i am crept in favour with myself will maintain it with some little cost but first i'll turn yon fellow in his grave and then return lamenting to my love shine out fair sun till i have bought a glass that i may see my shadow as i pass exit king richard iii act i scene iii the palace enter queen elizabeth rivers and grey rivers have patience madam there's no doubt his majesty will soon recover his accustom'd health grey in that you brook it in it makes him worse therefore for god's sake entertain good comfort and cheer his grace with quick and merry words queen elizabeth if he were dead what would betide of me rivers no other harm but loss of such a lord queen elizabeth the loss of such a lord includes all harm grey the heavens have bless'd you with a goodly son to be your comforter when he is gone queen elizabeth oh he is young and his minority is put unto the trust of richard gloucester a man that loves not me nor none of you rivers is it concluded that he shall be protector queen elizabeth it is determined not concluded yet but so it must be if the king miscarry enter buckingham and derby grey here come the lords of buckingham and derby buckingham good time of day unto your royal grace derby god make your majesty joyful as you have been queen elizabeth the countess richmond good my lord of derby to your good prayers will scarcely say amen yet derby notwithstanding she's your wife and loves not me be you good lord assured i hate not you for her proud arrogance derby i do beseech you either not believe the envious slanders of her false accusers or if she be accused in true report bear with her weakness which i think proceeds from wayward sickness and no grounded malice rivers saw you the king today my lord of derby derby but now the duke of buckingham and i are come from visiting his majesty queen elizabeth what likelihood of his amendment lords buckingham madam good hope his grace speaks cheerfully queen elizabeth god grant him health did you confer with him buckingham madam we did he desires to make atonement betwixt the duke of gloucester and your brothers and betwixt them and my lord chamberlain and sent to warn them to his royal presence queen elizabeth would all were well but that will never be i fear our happiness is at the highest enter gloucester hastings and dorset gloucester they do me wrong and i will not endure it who are they that complain unto the king that i forsooth am stern and love them not by holy paul they love his grace but lightly that fill his ears with such dissentious rumours because i cannot flatter and speak fair smile in men's faces smooth deceive and cog duck with french nods and apish courtesy i must be held a rancorous enemy cannot a plain man live and think no harm but thus his simple truth must be abused by silken sly insinuating jacks rivers to whom in all this presence speaks your grace gloucester to thee that hast nor honesty nor grace when have i injured thee when done thee wrong or thee or thee or any of your faction a plague upon you all his royal person whom god preserve better than you would wish cannot be quiet scarce a breathingwhile but you must trouble him with lewd complaints queen elizabeth brother of gloucester you mistake the matter the king of his own royal disposition and not provoked by any suitor else aiming belike at your interior hatred which in your outward actions shows itself against my kindred brothers and myself makes him to send that thereby he may gather the ground of your illwill and so remove it gloucester i cannot tell the world is grown so bad that wrens make prey where eagles dare not perch since every jack became a gentleman there's many a gentle person made a jack queen elizabeth come come we know your meaning brother gloucester you envy my advancement and my friends' god grant we never may have need of you gloucester meantime god grants that we have need of you your brother is imprison'd by your means myself disgraced and the nobility held in contempt whilst many fair promotions are daily given to ennoble those that scarce some two days since were worth a noble queen elizabeth by him that raised me to this careful height from that contented hap which i enjoy'd i never did incense his majesty against the duke of clarence but have been an earnest advocate to plead for him my lord you do me shameful injury falsely to draw me in these vile suspects gloucester you may deny that you were not the cause of my lord hastings late imprisonment rivers she may my lord for gloucester she may lord rivers why who knows not so she may do more sir than denying that she may help you to many fair preferments and then deny her aiding hand therein and lay those honours on your high deserts what may she not she may yea marry may she rivers what marry may she gloucester what marry may she marry with a king a bachelor a handsome stripling too i wis your grandam had a worser match queen elizabeth my lord of gloucester i have too long borne your blunt upbraidings and your bitter scoffs by heaven i will acquaint his majesty with those gross taunts i often have endured i had rather be a country servantmaid than a great queen with this condition to be thus taunted scorn'd and baited at enter queen margaret behind small joy have i in being england's queen queen margaret and lessen'd be that small god i beseech thee thy honour state and seat is due to me gloucester what threat you me with telling of the king tell him and spare not look what i have said i will avouch in presence of the king i dare adventure to be sent to the tower tis time to speak my pains are quite forgot queen margaret out devil i remember them too well thou slewest my husband henry in the tower and edward my poor son at tewksbury gloucester ere you were queen yea or your husband king i was a packhorse in his great affairs a weederout of his proud adversaries a liberal rewarder of his friends to royalize his blood i spilt mine own queen margaret yea and much better blood than his or thine gloucester in all which time you and your husband grey were factious for the house of lancaster and rivers so were you was not your husband in margaret's battle at saint alban's slain let me put in your minds if you forget what you have been ere now and what you are withal what i have been and what i am queen margaret a murderous villain and so still thou art gloucester poor clarence did forsake his father warwick yea and forswore himselfwhich jesu pardon queen margaret which god revenge gloucester to fight on edward's party for the crown and for his meed poor lord he is mew'd up i would to god my heart were flint like edward's or edward's soft and pitiful like mine i am too childishfoolish for this world queen margaret hie thee to hell for shame and leave the world thou cacodemon there thy kingdom is rivers my lord of gloucester in those busy days which here you urge to prove us enemies we follow'd then our lord our lawful king so should we you if you should be our king gloucester if i should be i had rather be a pedlar far be it from my heart the thought of it queen elizabeth as little joy my lord as you suppose you should enjoy were you this country's king as little joy may you suppose in me that i enjoy being the queen thereof queen margaret a little joy enjoys the queen thereof for i am she and altogether joyless i can no longer hold me patient advancing hear me you wrangling pirates that fall out in sharing that which you have pill'd from me which of you trembles not that looks on me if not that i being queen you bow like subjects yet that by you deposed you quake like rebels o gentle villain do not turn away gloucester foul wrinkled witch what makest thou in my sight queen margaret but repetition of what thou hast marr'd that will i make before i let thee go gloucester wert thou not banished on pain of death queen margaret i was but i do find more pain in banishment than death can yield me here by my abode a husband and a son thou owest to me and thou a kingdom all of you allegiance the sorrow that i have by right is yours and all the pleasures you usurp are mine gloucester the curse my noble father laid on thee when thou didst crown his warlike brows with paper and with thy scorns drew'st rivers from his eyes and then to dry them gavest the duke a clout steep'd in the faultless blood of pretty rutland his curses then from bitterness of soul denounced against thee are all fall'n upon thee and god not we hath plagued thy bloody deed queen elizabeth so just is god to right the innocent hastings o twas the foulest deed to slay that babe and the most merciless that e'er was heard of rivers tyrants themselves wept when it was reported dorset no man but prophesied revenge for it buckingham northumberland then present wept to see it queen margaret what were you snarling all before i came ready to catch each other by the throat and turn you all your hatred now on me did york's dread curse prevail so much with heaven that henry's death my lovely edward's death their kingdom's loss my woful banishment could all but answer for that peevish brat can curses pierce the clouds and enter heaven why then give way dull clouds to my quick curses if not by war by surfeit die your king as ours by murder to make him a king edward thy son which now is prince of wales for edward my son which was prince of wales die in his youth by like untimely violence thyself a queen for me that was a queen outlive thy glory like my wretched self long mayst thou live to wail thy children's loss and see another as i see thee now deck'd in thy rights as thou art stall'd in mine long die thy happy days before thy death and after many lengthen'd hours of grief die neither mother wife nor england's queen rivers and dorset you were standers by and so wast thou lord hastings when my son was stabb'd with bloody daggers god i pray him that none of you may live your natural age but by some unlook'd accident cut off gloucester have done thy charm thou hateful wither'd hag queen margaret and leave out thee stay dog for thou shalt hear me if heaven have any grievous plague in store exceeding those that i can wish upon thee o let them keep it till thy sins be ripe and then hurl down their indignation on thee the troubler of the poor world's peace the worm of conscience still begnaw thy soul thy friends suspect for traitors while thou livest and take deep traitors for thy dearest friends no sleep close up that deadly eye of thine unless it be whilst some tormenting dream affrights thee with a hell of ugly devils thou elvishmark'd abortive rooting hog thou that wast seal'd in thy nativity the slave of nature and the son of hell thou slander of thy mother's heavy womb thou loathed issue of thy father's loins thou rag of honour thou detested gloucester margaret queen margaret richard gloucester ha queen margaret i call thee not gloucester i cry thee mercy then for i had thought that thou hadst call'd me all these bitter names queen margaret why so i did but look'd for no reply o let me make the period to my curse gloucester tis done by me and ends in margaret' queen elizabeth thus have you breathed your curse against yourself queen margaret poor painted queen vain flourish of my fortune why strew'st thou sugar on that bottled spider whose deadly web ensnareth thee about fool fool thou whet'st a knife to kill thyself the time will come when thou shalt wish for me to help thee curse that poisonous bunchback'd toad hastings falseboding woman end thy frantic curse lest to thy harm thou move our patience queen margaret foul shame upon you you have all moved mine rivers were you well served you would be taught your duty queen margaret to serve me well you all should do me duty teach me to be your queen and you my subjects o serve me well and teach yourselves that duty dorset dispute not with her she is lunatic queen margaret peace master marquess you are malapert your firenew stamp of honour is scarce current o that your young nobility could judge what twere to lose it and be miserable they that stand high have many blasts to shake them and if they fall they dash themselves to pieces gloucester good counsel marry learn it learn it marquess dorset it toucheth you my lord as much as me gloucester yea and much more but i was born so high our aery buildeth in the cedar's top and dallies with the wind and scorns the sun queen margaret and turns the sun to shade alas alas witness my son now in the shade of death whose bright outshining beams thy cloudy wrath hath in eternal darkness folded up your aery buildeth in our aery's nest o god that seest it do not suffer it as it was won with blood lost be it so buckingham have done for shame if not for charity queen margaret urge neither charity nor shame to me uncharitably with me have you dealt and shamefully by you my hopes are butcher'd my charity is outrage life my shame and in that shame still live my sorrow's rage buckingham have done have done queen margaret o princely buckingham i'll kiss thy hand in sign of league and amity with thee now fair befal thee and thy noble house thy garments are not spotted with our blood nor thou within the compass of my curse buckingham nor no one here for curses never pass the lips of those that breathe them in the air queen margaret i'll not believe but they ascend the sky and there awake god's gentlesleeping peace o buckingham take heed of yonder dog look when he fawns he bites and when he bites his venom tooth will rankle to the death have not to do with him beware of him sin death and hell have set their marks on him and all their ministers attend on him gloucester what doth she say my lord of buckingham buckingham nothing that i respect my gracious lord queen margaret what dost thou scorn me for my gentle counsel and soothe the devil that i warn thee from o but remember this another day when he shall split thy very heart with sorrow and say poor margaret was a prophetess live each of you the subjects to his hate and he to yours and all of you to god's exit hastings my hair doth stand on end to hear her curses rivers and so doth mine i muse why she's at liberty gloucester i cannot blame her by god's holy mother she hath had too much wrong and i repent my part thereof that i have done to her queen elizabeth i never did her any to my knowledge gloucester but you have all the vantage of her wrong i was too hot to do somebody good that is too cold in thinking of it now marry as for clarence he is well repaid he is frank'd up to fatting for his pains god pardon them that are the cause of it rivers a virtuous and a christianlike conclusion to pray for them that have done scathe to us gloucester so do i ever aside being welladvised for had i cursed now i had cursed myself enter catesby catesby madam his majesty doth call for you and for your grace and you my noble lords queen elizabeth catesby we come lords will you go with us rivers madam we will attend your grace exeunt all but gloucester gloucester i do the wrong and first begin to brawl the secret mischiefs that i set abroach i lay unto the grievous charge of others clarence whom i indeed have laid in darkness i do beweep to many simple gulls namely to hastings derby buckingham and say it is the queen and her allies that stir the king against the duke my brother now they believe it and withal whet me to be revenged on rivers vaughan grey but then i sigh and with a piece of scripture tell them that god bids us do good for evil and thus i clothe my naked villany with old odd ends stolen out of holy writ and seem a saint when most i play the devil enter two murderers but soft here come my executioners how now my hardy stout resolved mates are you now going to dispatch this deed first murderer we are my lord and come to have the warrant that we may be admitted where he is gloucester well thought upon i have it here about me gives the warrant when you have done repair to crosby place but sirs be sudden in the execution withal obdurate do not hear him plead for clarence is wellspoken and perhaps may move your hearts to pity if you mark him first murderer tush fear not my lord we will not stand to prate talkers are no good doers be assured we come to use our hands and not our tongues gloucester your eyes drop millstones when fools eyes drop tears i like you lads about your business straight go go dispatch first murderer we will my noble lord exeunt king richard iii act i scene iv london the tower enter clarence and brakenbury brakenbury why looks your grace so heavily today clarence o i have pass'd a miserable night so full of ugly sights of ghastly dreams that as i am a christian faithful man i would not spend another such a night though twere to buy a world of happy days so full of dismal terror was the time brakenbury what was your dream i long to hear you tell it clarence methoughts that i had broken from the tower and was embark'd to cross to burgundy and in my company my brother gloucester who from my cabin tempted me to walk upon the hatches thence we looked toward england and cited up a thousand fearful times during the wars of york and lancaster that had befall'n us as we paced along upon the giddy footing of the hatches methought that gloucester stumbled and in falling struck me that thought to stay him overboard into the tumbling billows of the main lord lord methought what pain it was to drown what dreadful noise of waters in mine ears what ugly sights of death within mine eyes methought i saw a thousand fearful wrecks ten thousand men that fishes gnaw'd upon wedges of gold great anchors heaps of pearl inestimable stones unvalued jewels all scatter'd in the bottom of the sea some lay in dead men's skulls and in those holes where eyes did once inhabit there were crept as twere in scorn of eyes reflecting gems which woo'd the slimy bottom of the deep and mock'd the dead bones that lay scatter'd by brakenbury had you such leisure in the time of death to gaze upon the secrets of the deep clarence methought i had and often did i strive to yield the ghost but still the envious flood kept in my soul and would not let it forth to seek the empty vast and wandering air but smother'd it within my panting bulk which almost burst to belch it in the sea brakenbury awaked you not with this sore agony clarence o no my dream was lengthen'd after life o then began the tempest to my soul who pass'd methought the melancholy flood with that grim ferryman which poets write of unto the kingdom of perpetual night the first that there did greet my stranger soul was my great fatherinlaw renowned warwick who cried aloud what scourge for perjury can this dark monarchy afford false clarence' and so he vanish'd then came wandering by a shadow like an angel with bright hair dabbled in blood and he squeak'd out aloud clarence is come false fleeting perjured clarence that stabb'd me in the field by tewksbury seize on him furies take him to your torments' with that methoughts a legion of foul fiends environ'd me about and howled in mine ears such hideous cries that with the very noise i trembling waked and for a season after could not believe but that i was in hell such terrible impression made the dream brakenbury no marvel my lord though it affrighted you i promise i am afraid to hear you tell it clarence o brakenbury i have done those things which now bear evidence against my soul for edward's sake and see how he requites me o god if my deep prayers cannot appease thee but thou wilt be avenged on my misdeeds yet execute thy wrath in me alone o spare my guiltless wife and my poor children i pray thee gentle keeper stay by me my soul is heavy and i fain would sleep brakenbury i will my lord god give your grace good rest clarence sleeps sorrow breaks seasons and reposing hours makes the night morning and the noontide night princes have but their tides for their glories an outward honour for an inward toil and for unfelt imagination they often feel a world of restless cares so that betwixt their tides and low names there's nothing differs but the outward fame enter the two murderers first murderer ho who's here brakenbury in god's name what are you and how came you hither first murderer i would speak with clarence and i came hither on my legs brakenbury yea are you so brief second murderer o sir it is better to be brief than tedious show him our commission talk no more brakenbury reads it brakenbury i am in this commanded to deliver the noble duke of clarence to your hands i will not reason what is meant hereby because i will be guiltless of the meaning here are the keys there sits the duke asleep i'll to the king and signify to him that thus i have resign'd my charge to you first murderer do so it is a point of wisdom fare you well exit brakenbury second murderer what shall we stab him as he sleeps first murderer no then he will say twas done cowardly when he wakes second murderer when he wakes why fool he shall never wake till the judgmentday first murderer why then he will say we stabbed him sleeping second murderer the urging of that word judgment hath bred a kind of remorse in me first murderer what art thou afraid second murderer not to kill him having a warrant for it but to be damned for killing him from which no warrant can defend us first murderer i thought thou hadst been resolute second murderer so i am to let him live first murderer back to the duke of gloucester tell him so second murderer i pray thee stay a while i hope my holy humour will change twas wont to hold me but while one would tell twenty first murderer how dost thou feel thyself now second murderer faith some certain dregs of conscience are yet within me first murderer remember our reward when the deed is done second murderer zounds he dies i had forgot the reward first murderer where is thy conscience now second murderer in the duke of gloucester's purse first murderer so when he opens his purse to give us our reward thy conscience flies out second murderer let it go there's few or none will entertain it first murderer how if it come to thee again second murderer i'll not meddle with it it is a dangerous thing it makes a man a coward a man cannot steal but it accuseth him he cannot swear but it cheques him he cannot lie with his neighbour's wife but it detects him tis a blushing shamefast spirit that mutinies in a man's bosom it fills one full of obstacles it made me once restore a purse of gold that i found it beggars any man that keeps it it is turned out of all towns and cities for a dangerous thing and every man that means to live well endeavours to trust to himself and to live without it first murderer zounds it is even now at my elbow persuading me not to kill the duke second murderer take the devil in thy mind and relieve him not he would insinuate with thee but to make thee sigh first murderer tut i am strongframed he cannot prevail with me i warrant thee second murderer spoke like a tail fellow that respects his reputation come shall we to this gear first murderer take him over the costard with the hilts of thy sword and then we will chop him in the malmseybutt in the next room second murderer o excellent devise make a sop of him first murderer hark he stirs shall i strike second murderer no first let's reason with him clarence where art thou keeper give me a cup of wine second murderer you shall have wine enough my lord anon clarence in god's name what art thou second murderer a man as you are clarence but not as i am royal second murderer nor you as we are loyal clarence thy voice is thunder but thy looks are humble second murderer my voice is now the king's my looks mine own clarence how darkly and how deadly dost thou speak your eyes do menace me why look you pale who sent you hither wherefore do you come both to to to clarence to murder me both ay ay clarence you scarcely have the hearts to tell me so and therefore cannot have the hearts to do it wherein my friends have i offended you first murderer offended us you have not but the king clarence i shall be reconciled to him again second murderer never my lord therefore prepare to die clarence are you call'd forth from out a world of men to slay the innocent what is my offence where are the evidence that do accuse me what lawful quest have given their verdict up unto the frowning judge or who pronounced the bitter sentence of poor clarence death before i be convict by course of law to threaten me with death is most unlawful i charge you as you hope to have redemption by christ's dear blood shed for our grievous sins that you depart and lay no hands on me the deed you undertake is damnable first murderer what we will do we do upon command second murderer and he that hath commanded is the king clarence erroneous vassal the great king of kings hath in the tables of his law commanded that thou shalt do no murder and wilt thou then spurn at his edict and fulfil a man's take heed for he holds vengeance in his hands to hurl upon their heads that break his law second murderer and that same vengeance doth he hurl on thee for false forswearing and for murder too thou didst receive the holy sacrament to fight in quarrel of the house of lancaster first murderer and like a traitor to the name of god didst break that vow and with thy treacherous blade unrip'dst the bowels of thy sovereign's son second murderer whom thou wert sworn to cherish and defend first murderer how canst thou urge god's dreadful law to us when thou hast broke it in so dear degree clarence alas for whose sake did i that ill deed for edward for my brother for his sake why sirs he sends ye not to murder me for this for in this sin he is as deep as i if god will be revenged for this deed o know you yet he doth it publicly take not the quarrel from his powerful arm he needs no indirect nor lawless course to cut off those that have offended him first murderer who made thee then a bloody minister when gallantspringing brave plantagenet that princely novice was struck dead by thee clarence my brother's love the devil and my rage first murderer thy brother's love our duty and thy fault provoke us hither now to slaughter thee clarence oh if you love my brother hate not me i am his brother and i love him well if you be hired for meed go back again and i will send you to my brother gloucester who shall reward you better for my life than edward will for tidings of my death second murderer you are deceived your brother gloucester hates you clarence o no he loves me and he holds me dear go you to him from me both ay so we will clarence tell him when that our princely father york bless'd his three sons with his victorious arm and charged us from his soul to love each other he little thought of this divided friendship bid gloucester think of this and he will weep first murderer ay millstones as be lesson'd us to weep clarence o do not slander him for he is kind first murderer right as snow in harvest thou deceivest thyself tis he that sent us hither now to slaughter thee clarence it cannot be for when i parted with him he hugg'd me in his arms and swore with sobs that he would labour my delivery second murderer why so he doth now he delivers thee from this world's thraldom to the joys of heaven first murderer make peace with god for you must die my lord clarence hast thou that holy feeling in thy soul to counsel me to make my peace with god and art thou yet to thy own soul so blind that thou wilt war with god by murdering me ah sirs consider he that set you on to do this deed will hate you for the deed second murderer what shall we do clarence relent and save your souls first murderer relent tis cowardly and womanish clarence not to relent is beastly savage devilish which of you if you were a prince's son being pent from liberty as i am now if two such murderers as yourselves came to you would not entreat for life my friend i spy some pity in thy looks o if thine eye be not a flatterer come thou on my side and entreat for me as you would beg were you in my distress a begging prince what beggar pities not second murderer look behind you my lord first murderer take that and that if all this will not do stabs him i'll drown you in the malmseybutt within exit with the body second murderer a bloody deed and desperately dispatch'd how fain like pilate would i wash my hands of this most grievous guilty murder done reenter first murderer first murderer how now what mean'st thou that thou help'st me not by heavens the duke shall know how slack thou art second murderer i would he knew that i had saved his brother take thou the fee and tell him what i say for i repent me that the duke is slain exit first murderer so do not i go coward as thou art now must i hide his body in some hole until the duke take order for his burial and when i have my meed i must away for this will out and here i must not stay king richard iii act ii scene i london the palace flourish enter king edward iv sick queen elizabeth dorset rivers hastings buckingham grey and others king edward iv why so now have i done a good day's work you peers continue this united league i every day expect an embassage from my redeemer to redeem me hence and now in peace my soul shall part to heaven since i have set my friends at peace on earth rivers and hastings take each other's hand dissemble not your hatred swear your love rivers by heaven my heart is purged from grudging hate and with my hand i seal my true heart's love hastings so thrive i as i truly swear the like king edward iv take heed you dally not before your king lest he that is the supreme king of kings confound your hidden falsehood and award either of you to be the other's end hastings so prosper i as i swear perfect love rivers and i as i love hastings with my heart king edward iv madam yourself are not exempt in this nor your son dorset buckingham nor you you have been factious one against the other wife love lord hastings let him kiss your hand and what you do do it unfeignedly queen elizabeth here hastings i will never more remember our former hatred so thrive i and mine king edward iv dorset embrace him hastings love lord marquess dorset this interchange of love i here protest upon my part shall be unviolable hastings and so swear i my lord they embrace king edward iv now princely buckingham seal thou this league with thy embracements to my wife's allies and make me happy in your unity buckingham whenever buckingham doth turn his hate on you or yours to the queen but with all duteous love doth cherish you and yours god punish me with hate in those where i expect most love when i have most need to employ a friend and most assured that he is a friend deep hollow treacherous and full of guile be he unto me this do i beg of god when i am cold in zeal to yours king edward iv a pleasing cordial princely buckingham is this thy vow unto my sickly heart there wanteth now our brother gloucester here to make the perfect period of this peace buckingham and in good time here comes the noble duke enter gloucester gloucester good morrow to my sovereign king and queen and princely peers a happy time of day king edward iv happy indeed as we have spent the day brother we done deeds of charity made peace enmity fair love of hate between these swelling wrongincensed peers gloucester a blessed labour my most sovereign liege amongst this princely heap if any here by false intelligence or wrong surmise hold me a foe if i unwittingly or in my rage have aught committed that is hardly borne by any in this presence i desire to reconcile me to his friendly peace tis death to me to be at enmity i hate it and desire all good men's love first madam i entreat true peace of you which i will purchase with my duteous service of you my noble cousin buckingham if ever any grudge were lodged between us of you lord rivers and lord grey of you that without desert have frown'd on me dukes earls lords gentlemen indeed of all i do not know that englishman alive with whom my soul is any jot at odds more than the infant that is born tonight i thank my god for my humility queen elizabeth a holy day shall this be kept hereafter i would to god all strifes were well compounded my sovereign liege i do beseech your majesty to take our brother clarence to your grace gloucester why madam have i offer'd love for this to be so bouted in this royal presence who knows not that the noble duke is dead they all start you do him injury to scorn his corse rivers who knows not he is dead who knows he is queen elizabeth all seeing heaven what a world is this buckingham look i so pale lord dorset as the rest dorset ay my good lord and no one in this presence but his red colour hath forsook his cheeks king edward iv is clarence dead the order was reversed gloucester but he poor soul by your first order died and that a winged mercury did bear some tardy cripple bore the countermand that came too lag to see him buried god grant that some less noble and less loyal nearer in bloody thoughts but not in blood deserve not worse than wretched clarence did and yet go current from suspicion enter derby dorset a boon my sovereign for my service done king edward iv i pray thee peace my soul is full of sorrow dorset i will not rise unless your highness grant king edward iv then speak at once what is it thou demand'st dorset the forfeit sovereign of my servant's life who slew today a righteous gentleman lately attendant on the duke of norfolk king edward iv have a tongue to doom my brother's death and shall the same give pardon to a slave my brother slew no man his fault was thought and yet his punishment was cruel death who sued to me for him who in my rage kneel'd at my feet and bade me be advised who spake of brotherhood who spake of love who told me how the poor soul did forsake the mighty warwick and did fight for me who told me in the field by tewksbury when oxford had me down he rescued me and said dear brother live and be a king' who told me when we both lay in the field frozen almost to death how he did lap me even in his own garments and gave himself all thin and naked to the numb cold night all this from my remembrance brutish wrath sinfully pluck'd and not a man of you had so much grace to put it in my mind but when your carters or your waitingvassals have done a drunken slaughter and defaced the precious image of our dear redeemer you straight are on your knees for pardon pardon and i unjustly too must grant it you but for my brother not a man would speak nor i ungracious speak unto myself for him poor soul the proudest of you all have been beholding to him in his life yet none of you would once plead for his life o god i fear thy justice will take hold on me and you and mine and yours for this come hastings help me to my closet oh poor clarence exeunt some with king edward iv and queen margaret gloucester this is the fruit of rashness mark'd you not how that the guilty kindred of the queen look'd pale when they did hear of clarence death o they did urge it still unto the king god will revenge it but come let us in to comfort edward with our company buckingham we wait upon your grace exeunt king richard iii act ii scene ii the palace enter the duchess of york with the two children of clarence boy tell me good grandam is our father dead duchess of york no boy boy why do you wring your hands and beat your breast and cry o clarence my unhappy son' girl why do you look on us and shake your head and call us wretches orphans castaways if that our noble father be alive duchess of york my pretty cousins you mistake me much i do lament the sickness of the king as loath to lose him not your father's death it were lost sorrow to wail one that's lost boy then grandam you conclude that he is dead the king my uncle is to blame for this god will revenge it whom i will importune with daily prayers all to that effect girl and so will i duchess of york peace children peace the king doth love you well incapable and shallow innocents you cannot guess who caused your father's death boy grandam we can for my good uncle gloucester told me the king provoked by the queen devised impeachments to imprison him and when my uncle told me so he wept and hugg'd me in his arm and kindly kiss'd my cheek bade me rely on him as on my father and he would love me dearly as his child duchess of york oh that deceit should steal such gentle shapes and with a virtuous vizard hide foul guile he is my son yea and therein my shame yet from my dugs he drew not this deceit boy think you my uncle did dissemble grandam duchess of york ay boy boy i cannot think it hark what noise is this enter queen elizabeth with her hair about her ears rivers and dorset after her queen elizabeth oh who shall hinder me to wail and weep to chide my fortune and torment myself i'll join with black despair against my soul and to myself become an enemy duchess of york what means this scene of rude impatience queen elizabeth to make an act of tragic violence edward my lord your son our king is dead why grow the branches now the root is wither'd why wither not the leaves the sap being gone if you will live lament if die be brief that our swiftwinged souls may catch the king's or like obedient subjects follow him to his new kingdom of perpetual rest duchess of york ah so much interest have i in thy sorrow as i had title in thy noble husband i have bewept a worthy husband's death and lived by looking on his images but now two mirrors of his princely semblance are crack'd in pieces by malignant death and i for comfort have but one false glass which grieves me when i see my shame in him thou art a widow yet thou art a mother and hast the comfort of thy children left thee but death hath snatch'd my husband from mine arms and pluck'd two crutches from my feeble limbs edward and clarence o what cause have i thine being but a moiety of my grief to overgo thy plaints and drown thy cries boy good aunt you wept not for our father's death how can we aid you with our kindred tears girl our fatherless distress was left unmoan'd your widowdolour likewise be unwept queen elizabeth give me no help in lamentation i am not barren to bring forth complaints all springs reduce their currents to mine eyes that i being govern'd by the watery moon may send forth plenteous tears to drown the world oh for my husband for my dear lord edward children oh for our father for our dear lord clarence duchess of york alas for both both mine edward and clarence queen elizabeth what stay had i but edward and he's gone children what stay had we but clarence and he's gone duchess of york what stays had i but they and they are gone queen elizabeth was never widow had so dear a loss children were never orphans had so dear a loss duchess of york was never mother had so dear a loss alas i am the mother of these moans their woes are parcell'd mine are general she for an edward weeps and so do i i for a clarence weep so doth not she these babes for clarence weep and so do i i for an edward weep so do not they alas you three on me threefold distress'd pour all your tears i am your sorrow's nurse and i will pamper it with lamentations dorset comfort dear mother god is much displeased that you take with unthankfulness his doing in common worldly things tis call'd ungrateful with dull unwilligness to repay a debt which with a bounteous hand was kindly lent much more to be thus opposite with heaven for it requires the royal debt it lent you rivers madam bethink you like a careful mother of the young prince your son send straight for him let him be crown'd in him your comfort lives drown desperate sorrow in dead edward's grave and plant your joys in living edward's throne enter gloucester buckingham derby hastings and ratcliff gloucester madam have comfort all of us have cause to wail the dimming of our shining star but none can cure their harms by wailing them madam my mother i do cry you mercy i did not see your grace humbly on my knee i crave your blessing duchess of york god bless thee and put meekness in thy mind love charity obedience and true duty gloucester aside amen and make me die a good old man that is the buttend of a mother's blessing i marvel why her grace did leave it out buckingham you cloudy princes and heartsorrowing peers that bear this mutual heavy load of moan now cheer each other in each other's love though we have spent our harvest of this king we are to reap the harvest of his son the broken rancour of your highswoln hearts but lately splinter'd knit and join'd together must gently be preserved cherish'd and kept me seemeth good that with some little train forthwith from ludlow the young prince be fetch'd hither to london to be crown'd our king rivers why with some little train my lord of buckingham buckingham marry my lord lest by a multitude the newheal'd wound of malice should break out which would be so much the more dangerous by how much the estate is green and yet ungovern'd where every horse bears his commanding rein and may direct his course as please himself as well the fear of harm as harm apparent in my opinion ought to be prevented gloucester i hope the king made peace with all of us and the compact is firm and true in me rivers and so in me and so i think in all yet since it is but green it should be put to no apparent likelihood of breach which haply by much company might be urged therefore i say with noble buckingham that it is meet so few should fetch the prince hastings and so say i gloucester then be it so and go we to determine who they shall be that straight shall post to ludlow madam and you my mother will you go to give your censures in this weighty business queen elizabeth with all our harts duchess of york exeunt all but buckingham and gloucester buckingham my lord whoever journeys to the prince for god's sake let not us two be behind for by the way i'll sort occasion as index to the story we late talk'd of to part the queen's proud kindred from the king gloucester my other self my counsel's consistory my oracle my prophet my dear cousin i like a child will go by thy direction towards ludlow then for we'll not stay behind exeunt king richard iii act ii scene iii london a street enter two citizens meeting first citizen neighbour well met whither away so fast second citizen i promise you i scarcely know myself hear you the news abroad first citizen ay that the king is dead second citizen bad news by'r lady seldom comes the better i fear i fear twill prove a troublous world enter another citizen third citizen neighbours god speed first citizen give you good morrow sir third citizen doth this news hold of good king edward's death second citizen ay sir it is too true god help the while third citizen then masters look to see a troublous world first citizen no no by god's good grace his son shall reign third citizen woe to the land that's govern'd by a child second citizen in him there is a hope of government that in his nonage council under him and in his full and ripen'd years himself no doubt shall then and till then govern well first citizen so stood the state when henry the sixth was crown'd in paris but at nine months old third citizen stood the state so no no good friends god wot for then this land was famously enrich'd with politic grave counsel then the king had virtuous uncles to protect his grace first citizen why so hath this both by the father and mother third citizen better it were they all came by the father or by the father there were none at all for emulation now who shall be nearest will touch us all too near if god prevent not o full of danger is the duke of gloucester and the queen's sons and brothers haught and proud and were they to be ruled and not to rule this sickly land might solace as before first citizen come come we fear the worst all shall be well third citizen when clouds appear wise men put on their cloaks when great leaves fall the winter is at hand when the sun sets who doth not look for night untimely storms make men expect a dearth all may be well but if god sort it so tis more than we deserve or i expect second citizen truly the souls of men are full of dread ye cannot reason almost with a man that looks not heavily and full of fear third citizen before the times of change still is it so by a divine instinct men's minds mistrust ensuing dangers as by proof we see the waters swell before a boisterous storm but leave it all to god whither away second citizen marry we were sent for to the justices third citizen and so was i i'll bear you company exeunt king richard iii act ii scene iv london the palace enter the archbishop of york young york queen elizabeth and the duchess of york archbishop of york last night i hear they lay at northampton at stonystratford will they be tonight tomorrow or next day they will be here duchess of york i long with all my heart to see the prince i hope he is much grown since last i saw him queen elizabeth but i hear no they say my son of york hath almost overta'en him in his growth york ay mother but i would not have it so duchess of york why my young cousin it is good to grow york grandam one night as we did sit at supper my uncle rivers talk'd how i did grow more than my brother ay quoth my uncle gloucester small herbs have grace great weeds do grow apace' and since methinks i would not grow so fast because sweet flowers are slow and weeds make haste duchess of york good faith good faith the saying did not hold in him that did object the same to thee he was the wretched'st thing when he was young so long agrowing and so leisurely that if this rule were true he should be gracious archbishop of york why madam so no doubt he is duchess of york i hope he is but yet let mothers doubt york now by my troth if i had been remember'd i could have given my uncle's grace a flout to touch his growth nearer than he touch'd mine duchess of york how my pretty york i pray thee let me hear it york marry they say my uncle grew so fast that he could gnaw a crust at two hours old twas full two years ere i could get a tooth grandam this would have been a biting jest duchess of york i pray thee pretty york who told thee this york grandam his nurse duchess of york his nurse why she was dead ere thou wert born york if twere not she i cannot tell who told me queen elizabeth a parlous boy go to you are too shrewd archbishop of york good madam be not angry with the child queen elizabeth pitchers have ears enter a messenger archbishop of york here comes a messenger what news messenger such news my lord as grieves me to unfold queen elizabeth how fares the prince messenger well madam and in health duchess of york what is thy news then messenger lord rivers and lord grey are sent to pomfret with them sir thomas vaughan prisoners duchess of york who hath committed them messenger the mighty dukes gloucester and buckingham queen elizabeth for what offence messenger the sum of all i can i have disclosed why or for what these nobles were committed is all unknown to me my gracious lady queen elizabeth ay me i see the downfall of our house the tiger now hath seized the gentle hind insulting tyranny begins to jet upon the innocent and aweless throne welcome destruction death and massacre i see as in a map the end of all duchess of york accursed and unquiet wrangling days how many of you have mine eyes beheld my husband lost his life to get the crown and often up and down my sons were toss'd for me to joy and weep their gain and loss and being seated and domestic broils clean overblown themselves the conquerors make war upon themselves blood against blood self against self o preposterous and frantic outrage end thy damned spleen or let me die to look on death no more queen elizabeth come come my boy we will to sanctuary madam farewell duchess of york i'll go along with you queen elizabeth you have no cause archbishop of york my gracious lady go and thither bear your treasure and your goods for my part i'll resign unto your grace the seal i keep and so betide to me as well i tender you and all of yours come i'll conduct you to the sanctuary exeunt king richard iii act iii scene i london a street the trumpets sound enter the young prince edward gloucester buckingham cardinal catesby and others buckingham welcome sweet prince to london to your chamber gloucester welcome dear cousin my thoughts sovereign the weary way hath made you melancholy prince edward no uncle but our crosses on the way have made it tedious wearisome and heavy i want more uncles here to welcome me gloucester sweet prince the untainted virtue of your years hath not yet dived into the world's deceit nor more can you distinguish of a man than of his outward show which god he knows seldom or never jumpeth with the heart those uncles which you want were dangerous your grace attended to their sugar'd words but look'd not on the poison of their hearts god keep you from them and from such false friends prince edward god keep me from false friends but they were none gloucester my lord the mayor of london comes to greet you enter the lord mayor and his train lord mayor god bless your grace with health and happy days prince edward i thank you good my lord and thank you all i thought my mother and my brother york would long ere this have met us on the way fie what a slug is hastings that he comes not to tell us whether they will come or no enter hastings buckingham and in good time here comes the sweating lord prince edward welcome my lord what will our mother come hastings on what occasion god he knows not i the queen your mother and your brother york have taken sanctuary the tender prince would fain have come with me to meet your grace but by his mother was perforce withheld buckingham fie what an indirect and peevish course is this of hers lord cardinal will your grace persuade the queen to send the duke of york unto his princely brother presently if she deny lord hastings go with him and from her jealous arms pluck him perforce cardinal my lord of buckingham if my weak oratory can from his mother win the duke of york anon expect him here but if she be obdurate to mild entreaties god in heaven forbid we should infringe the holy privilege of blessed sanctuary not for all this land would i be guilty of so deep a sin buckingham you are too senselessobstinate my lord too ceremonious and traditional weigh it but with the grossness of this age you break not sanctuary in seizing him the benefit thereof is always granted to those whose dealings have deserved the place and those who have the wit to claim the place this prince hath neither claim'd it nor deserved it and therefore in mine opinion cannot have it then taking him from thence that is not there you break no privilege nor charter there oft have i heard of sanctuary men but sanctuary children ne'er till now cardinal my lord you shall o'errule my mind for once come on lord hastings will you go with me hastings i go my lord prince edward good lords make all the speedy haste you may exeunt cardinal and hastings say uncle gloucester if our brother come where shall we sojourn till our coronation gloucester where it seems best unto your royal self if i may counsel you some day or two your highness shall repose you at the tower then where you please and shall be thought most fit for your best health and recreation prince edward i do not like the tower of any place did julius caesar build that place my lord buckingham he did my gracious lord begin that place which since succeeding ages have reedified prince edward is it upon record or else reported successively from age to age he built it buckingham upon record my gracious lord prince edward but say my lord it were not register'd methinks the truth should live from age to age as twere retail'd to all posterity even to the general allending day gloucester aside so wise so young they say do never live long prince edward what say you uncle gloucester i say without characters fame lives long aside thus like the formal vice iniquity i moralize two meanings in one word prince edward that julius caesar was a famous man with what his valour did enrich his wit his wit set down to make his valour live death makes no conquest of this conqueror for now he lives in fame though not in life i'll tell you what my cousin buckingham buckingham what my gracious lord prince edward an if i live until i be a man i'll win our ancient right in france again or die a soldier as i lived a king gloucester aside short summers lightly have a forward spring enter young york hastings and the cardinal buckingham now in good time here comes the duke of york prince edward richard of york how fares our loving brother york well my dread lord so must i call you now prince edward ay brother to our grief as it is yours too late he died that might have kept that title which by his death hath lost much majesty gloucester how fares our cousin noble lord of york york i thank you gentle uncle o my lord you said that idle weeds are fast in growth the prince my brother hath outgrown me far gloucester he hath my lord york and therefore is he idle gloucester o my fair cousin i must not say so york then is he more beholding to you than i gloucester he may command me as my sovereign but you have power in me as in a kinsman york i pray you uncle give me this dagger gloucester my dagger little cousin with all my heart prince edward a beggar brother york of my kind uncle that i know will give and being but a toy which is no grief to give gloucester a greater gift than that i'll give my cousin york a greater gift o that's the sword to it gloucester a gentle cousin were it light enough york o then i see you will part but with light gifts in weightier things you'll say a beggar nay gloucester it is too heavy for your grace to wear york i weigh it lightly were it heavier gloucester what would you have my weapon little lord york i would that i might thank you as you call me gloucester how york little prince edward my lord of york will still be cross in talk uncle your grace knows how to bear with him york you mean to bear me not to bear with me uncle my brother mocks both you and me because that i am little like an ape he thinks that you should bear me on your shoulders buckingham with what a sharpprovided wit he reasons to mitigate the scorn he gives his uncle he prettily and aptly taunts himself so cunning and so young is wonderful gloucester my lord will't please you pass along myself and my good cousin buckingham will to your mother to entreat of her to meet you at the tower and welcome you york what will you go unto the tower my lord prince edward my lord protector needs will have it so york i shall not sleep in quiet at the tower gloucester why what should you fear york marry my uncle clarence angry ghost my grandam told me he was murdered there prince edward i fear no uncles dead gloucester nor none that live i hope prince edward an if they live i hope i need not fear but come my lord and with a heavy heart thinking on them go i unto the tower a sennet exeunt all but gloucester buckingham and catesby buckingham think you my lord this little prating york was not incensed by his subtle mother to taunt and scorn you thus opprobriously gloucester no doubt no doubt o tis a parlous boy bold quick ingenious forward capable he is all the mother's from the top to toe buckingham well let them rest come hither catesby thou art sworn as deeply to effect what we intend as closely to conceal what we impart thou know'st our reasons urged upon the way what think'st thou is it not an easy matter to make william lord hastings of our mind for the instalment of this noble duke in the seat royal of this famous isle catesby he for his father's sake so loves the prince that he will not be won to aught against him buckingham what think'st thou then of stanley what will he catesby he will do all in all as hastings doth buckingham well then no more but this go gentle catesby and as it were far off sound thou lord hastings how doth he stand affected to our purpose and summon him tomorrow to the tower to sit about the coronation if thou dost find him tractable to us encourage him and show him all our reasons if he be leaden icycold unwilling be thou so too and so break off your talk and give us notice of his inclination for we tomorrow hold divided councils wherein thyself shalt highly be employ'd gloucester commend me to lord william tell him catesby his ancient knot of dangerous adversaries tomorrow are let blood at pomfretcastle and bid my friend for joy of this good news give mistress shore one gentle kiss the more buckingham good catesby go effect this business soundly catesby my good lords both with all the heed i may gloucester shall we hear from you catesby ere we sleep catesby you shall my lord gloucester at crosby place there shall you find us both exit catesby buckingham now my lord what shall we do if we perceive lord hastings will not yield to our complots gloucester chop off his head man somewhat we will do and look when i am king claim thou of me the earldom of hereford and the moveables whereof the king my brother stood possess'd buckingham i'll claim that promise at your grace's hands gloucester and look to have it yielded with all willingness come let us sup betimes that afterwards we may digest our complots in some form exeunt king richard iii act iii scene ii before lord hastings house enter a messenger messenger what ho my lord hastings within who knocks at the door messenger a messenger from the lord stanley enter hastings hastings what is't o'clock messenger upon the stroke of four hastings cannot thy master sleep these tedious nights messenger so it should seem by that i have to say first he commends him to your noble lordship hastings and then messenger and then he sends you word he dreamt tonight the boar had razed his helm besides he says there are two councils held and that may be determined at the one which may make you and him to rue at the other therefore he sends to know your lordship's pleasure if presently you will take horse with him and with all speed post with him toward the north to shun the danger that his soul divines hastings go fellow go return unto thy lord bid him not fear the separated councils his honour and myself are at the one and at the other is my servant catesby where nothing can proceed that toucheth us whereof i shall not have intelligence tell him his fears are shallow wanting instance and for his dreams i wonder he is so fond to trust the mockery of unquiet slumbers to fly the boar before the boar pursues were to incense the boar to follow us and make pursuit where he did mean no chase go bid thy master rise and come to me and we will both together to the tower where he shall see the boar will use us kindly messenger my gracious lord i'll tell him what you say exit enter catesby catesby many good morrows to my noble lord hastings good morrow catesby you are early stirring what news what news in this our tottering state catesby it is a reeling world indeed my lord and i believe twill never stand upright tim richard wear the garland of the realm hastings how wear the garland dost thou mean the crown catesby ay my good lord hastings i'll have this crown of mine cut from my shoulders ere i will see the crown so foul misplaced but canst thou guess that he doth aim at it catesby ay on my life and hopes to find forward upon his party for the gain thereof and thereupon he sends you this good news that this same very day your enemies the kindred of the queen must die at pomfret hastings indeed i am no mourner for that news because they have been still mine enemies but that i'll give my voice on richard's side to bar my master's heirs in true descent god knows i will not do it to the death catesby god keep your lordship in that gracious mind hastings but i shall laugh at this a twelvemonth hence that they who brought me in my master's hate i live to look upon their tragedy i tell thee catesby catesby what my lord hastings ere a fortnight make me elder i'll send some packing that yet think not on it catesby tis a vile thing to die my gracious lord when men are unprepared and look not for it hastings o monstrous monstrous and so falls it out with rivers vaughan grey and so twill do with some men else who think themselves as safe as thou and i who as thou know'st are dear to princely richard and to buckingham catesby the princes both make high account of you aside for they account his head upon the bridge hastings i know they do and i have well deserved it enter stanley come on come on where is your boarspear man fear you the boar and go so unprovided stanley my lord good morrow good morrow catesby you may jest on but by the holy rood i do not like these several councils i hastings my lord i hold my life as dear as you do yours and never in my life i do protest was it more precious to me than tis now think you but that i know our state secure i would be so triumphant as i am stanley the lords at pomfret when they rode from london were jocund and supposed their state was sure and they indeed had no cause to mistrust but yet you see how soon the day o'ercast this sudden stag of rancour i misdoubt pray god i say i prove a needless coward what shall we toward the tower the day is spent hastings come come have with you wot you what my lord today the lords you talk of are beheaded lord stanley they for their truth might better wear their heads than some that have accused them wear their hats but come my lord let us away enter a pursuivant hastings go on before i'll talk with this good fellow exeunt stanley and catesby how now sirrah how goes the world with thee pursuivant the better that your lordship please to ask hastings i tell thee man tis better with me now than when i met thee last where now we meet then was i going prisoner to the tower by the suggestion of the queen's allies but now i tell theekeep it to thyself this day those enemies are put to death and i in better state than e'er i was pursuivant god hold it to your honour's good content hastings gramercy fellow there drink that for me throws him his purse pursuivant god save your lordship exit enter a priest priest well met my lord i am glad to see your honour hastings i thank thee good sir john with all my heart i am in your debt for your last exercise come the next sabbath and i will content you he whispers in his ear enter buckingham buckingham what talking with a priest lord chamberlain your friends at pomfret they do need the priest your honour hath no shriving work in hand hastings good faith and when i met this holy man those men you talk of came into my mind what go you toward the tower buckingham i do my lord but long i shall not stay i shall return before your lordship thence hastings tis like enough for i stay dinner there buckingham aside and supper too although thou know'st it not come will you go hastings i'll wait upon your lordship exeunt king richard iii act iii scene iii pomfret castle enter ratcliff with halberds carrying rivers grey and vaughan to death ratcliff come bring forth the prisoners rivers sir richard ratcliff let me tell thee this today shalt thou behold a subject die for truth for duty and for loyalty grey god keep the prince from all the pack of you a knot you are of damned bloodsuckers vaughan you live that shall cry woe for this after ratcliff dispatch the limit of your lives is out rivers o pomfret pomfret o thou bloody prison fatal and ominous to noble peers within the guilty closure of thy walls richard the second here was hack'd to death and for more slander to thy dismal seat we give thee up our guiltless blood to drink grey now margaret's curse is fall'n upon our heads for standing by when richard stabb'd her son rivers then cursed she hastings then cursed she buckingham then cursed she richard o remember god to hear her prayers for them as now for us and for my sister and her princely sons be satisfied dear god with our true blood which as thou know'st unjustly must be spilt ratcliff make haste the hour of death is expiate rivers come grey come vaughan let us all embrace and take our leave until we meet in heaven exeunt king richard iii act iii scene iv the tower of london enter buckingham derby hastings the bishop of ely ratcliff lovel with others and take their seats at a table hastings my lords at once the cause why we are met is to determine of the coronation in god's name speak when is the royal day buckingham are all things fitting for that royal time derby it is and wants but nomination bishop of ely tomorrow then i judge a happy day buckingham who knows the lord protector's mind herein who is most inward with the royal duke bishop of ely your grace we think should soonest know his mind buckingham who i my lord i we know each other's faces but for our hearts he knows no more of mine than i of yours nor i no more of his than you of mine lord hastings you and he are near in love hastings i thank his grace i know he loves me well but for his purpose in the coronation i have not sounded him nor he deliver'd his gracious pleasure any way therein but you my noble lords may name the time and in the duke's behalf i'll give my voice which i presume he'll take in gentle part enter gloucester bishop of ely now in good time here comes the duke himself gloucester my noble lords and cousins all good morrow i have been long a sleeper but i hope my absence doth neglect no great designs which by my presence might have been concluded buckingham had not you come upon your cue my lord william lord hastings had pronounced your part i mean your voicefor crowning of the king gloucester than my lord hastings no man might be bolder his lordship knows me well and loves me well hastings i thank your grace gloucester my lord of ely bishop of ely my lord gloucester when i was last in holborn i saw good strawberries in your garden there i do beseech you send for some of them bishop of ely marry and will my lord with all my heart exit gloucester cousin of buckingham a word with you drawing him aside catesby hath sounded hastings in our business and finds the testy gentleman so hot as he will lose his head ere give consent his master's son as worshipful as he terms it shall lose the royalty of england's throne buckingham withdraw you hence my lord i'll follow you exit gloucester buckingham following derby we have not yet set down this day of triumph tomorrow in mine opinion is too sudden for i myself am not so well provided as else i would be were the day prolong'd reenter bishop of ely bishop of ely where is my lord protector i have sent for these strawberries hastings his grace looks cheerfully and smooth today there's some conceit or other likes him well when he doth bid good morrow with such a spirit i think there's never a man in christendom that can less hide his love or hate than he for by his face straight shall you know his heart derby what of his heart perceive you in his face by any likelihood he show'd today hastings marry that with no man here he is offended for were he he had shown it in his looks derby i pray god he be not i say reenter gloucester and buckingham gloucester i pray you all tell me what they deserve that do conspire my death with devilish plots of damned witchcraft and that have prevail'd upon my body with their hellish charms hastings the tender love i bear your grace my lord makes me most forward in this noble presence to doom the offenders whatsoever they be i say my lord they have deserved death gloucester then be your eyes the witness of this ill see how i am bewitch'd behold mine arm is like a blasted sapling wither'd up and this is edward's wife that monstrous witch consorted with that harlot strumpet shore that by their witchcraft thus have marked me hastings if they have done this thing my gracious lord gloucester if i thou protector of this damned strumpet tellest thou me of ifs thou art a traitor off with his head now by saint paul i swear i will not dine until i see the same lovel and ratcliff look that it be done the rest that love me rise and follow me exeunt all but hastings ratcliff and lovel hastings woe woe for england not a whit for me for i too fond might have prevented this stanley did dream the boar did raze his helm but i disdain'd it and did scorn to fly three times today my footcloth horse did stumble and startled when he look'd upon the tower as loath to bear me to the slaughterhouse o now i want the priest that spake to me i now repent i told the pursuivant as twere triumphing at mine enemies how they at pomfret bloodily were butcher'd and i myself secure in grace and favour o margaret margaret now thy heavy curse is lighted on poor hastings wretched head ratcliff dispatch my lord the duke would be at dinner make a short shrift he longs to see your head hastings o momentary grace of mortal men which we more hunt for than the grace of god who builds his hopes in air of your good looks lives like a drunken sailor on a mast ready with every nod to tumble down into the fatal bowels of the deep lovel come come dispatch tis bootless to exclaim hastings o bloody richard miserable england i prophesy the fearful'st time to thee that ever wretched age hath look'd upon come lead me to the block bear him my head they smile at me that shortly shall be dead exeunt king richard iii act iii scene v the towerwalls enter gloucester and buckingham in rotten armour marvellous illfavoured gloucester come cousin canst thou quake and change thy colour murder thy breath in the middle of a word and then begin again and stop again as if thou wert distraught and mad with terror buckingham tut i can counterfeit the deep tragedian speak and look back and pry on every side tremble and start at wagging of a straw intending deep suspicion ghastly looks are at my service like enforced smiles and both are ready in their offices at any time to grace my stratagems but what is catesby gone gloucester he is and see he brings the mayor along enter the lord mayor and catesby buckingham lord mayor gloucester look to the drawbridge there buckingham hark a drum gloucester catesby o'erlook the walls buckingham lord mayor the reason we have sent gloucester look back defend thee here are enemies buckingham god and our innocency defend and guard us gloucester be patient they are friends ratcliff and lovel enter lovel and ratcliff with hastings head lovel here is the head of that ignoble traitor the dangerous and unsuspected hastings gloucester so dear i loved the man that i must weep i took him for the plainest harmless creature that breathed upon this earth a christian made him my book wherein my soul recorded the history of all her secret thoughts so smooth he daub'd his vice with show of virtue that his apparent open guilt omitted i mean his conversation with shore's wife he lived from all attainder of suspect buckingham well well he was the covert'st shelter'd traitor that ever lived would you imagine or almost believe were't not that by great preservation we live to tell it you the subtle traitor this day had plotted in the councilhouse to murder me and my good lord of gloucester lord mayor what had he so gloucester what think you we are turks or infidels or that we would against the form of law proceed thus rashly to the villain's death but that the extreme peril of the case the peace of england and our persons safety enforced us to this execution lord mayor now fair befall you he deserved his death and you my good lords both have well proceeded to warn false traitors from the like attempts i never look'd for better at his hands after he once fell in with mistress shore gloucester yet had not we determined he should die until your lordship came to see his death which now the loving haste of these our friends somewhat against our meaning have prevented because my lord we would have had you heard the traitor speak and timorously confess the manner and the purpose of his treason that you might well have signified the same unto the citizens who haply may misconstrue us in him and wail his death lord mayor but my good lord your grace's word shall serve as well as i had seen and heard him speak and doubt you not right noble princes both but i'll acquaint our duteous citizens with all your just proceedings in this cause gloucester and to that end we wish'd your lordship here to avoid the carping censures of the world buckingham but since you come too late of our intents yet witness what you hear we did intend and so my good lord mayor we bid farewell exit lord mayor gloucester go after after cousin buckingham the mayor towards guildhall hies him in all post there at your meet'st advantage of the time infer the bastardy of edward's children tell them how edward put to death a citizen only for saying he would make his son heir to the crown meaning indeed his house which by the sign thereof was termed so moreover urge his hateful luxury and bestial appetite in change of lust which stretched to their servants daughters wives even where his lustful eye or savage heart without control listed to make his prey nay for a need thus far come near my person tell them when that my mother went with child of that unsatiate edward noble york my princely father then had wars in france and by just computation of the time found that the issue was not his begot which well appeared in his lineaments being nothing like the noble duke my father but touch this sparingly as twere far off because you know my lord my mother lives buckingham fear not my lord i'll play the orator as if the golden fee for which i plead were for myself and so my lord adieu gloucester if you thrive well bring them to baynard's castle where you shall find me well accompanied with reverend fathers and welllearned bishops buckingham i go and towards three or four o'clock look for the news that the guildhall affords exit buckingham gloucester go lovel with all speed to doctor shaw to catesby go thou to friar penker bid them both meet me within this hour at baynard's castle exeunt all but gloucester now will i in to take some privy order to draw the brats of clarence out of sight and to give notice that no manner of person at any time have recourse unto the princes exit king richard iii act iii scene vi the same enter a scrivener with a paper in his hand scrivener this is the indictment of the good lord hastings which in a set hand fairly is engross'd that it may be this day read over in paul's and mark how well the sequel hangs together eleven hours i spent to write it over for yesternight by catesby was it brought me the precedent was full as long adoing and yet within these five hours lived lord hastings untainted unexamined free at liberty here's a good world the while why who's so gross that seeth not this palpable device yet who's so blind but says he sees it not bad is the world and all will come to nought when such bad dealings must be seen in thought exit king richard iii act iii scene vii baynard's castle enter gloucester and buckingham at several doors gloucester how now my lord what say the citizens buckingham now by the holy mother of our lord the citizens are mum and speak not a word gloucester touch'd you the bastardy of edward's children buckingham i did with his contract with lady lucy and his contract by deputy in france the insatiate greediness of his desires and his enforcement of the city wives his tyranny for trifles his own bastardy as being got your father then in france his resemblance being not like the duke withal i did infer your lineaments being the right idea of your father both in your form and nobleness of mind laid open all your victories in scotland your dicipline in war wisdom in peace your bounty virtue fair humility indeed left nothing fitting for the purpose untouch'd or slightly handled in discourse and when mine oratory grew to an end i bid them that did love their country's good cry god save richard england's royal king' gloucester ah and did they so buckingham no so god help me they spake not a word but like dumb statues or breathing stones gazed each on other and look'd deadly pale which when i saw i reprehended them and ask'd the mayor what meant this wilful silence his answer was the people were not wont to be spoke to but by the recorder then he was urged to tell my tale again thus saith the duke thus hath the duke inferr'd' but nothing spake in warrant from himself when he had done some followers of mine own at the lower end of the hall hurl'd up their caps and some ten voices cried god save king richard' and thus i took the vantage of those few thanks gentle citizens and friends quoth i this general applause and loving shout argues your wisdoms and your love to richard' and even here brake off and came away gloucester what tongueless blocks were they would not they speak buckingham no by my troth my lord gloucester will not the mayor then and his brethren come buckingham the mayor is here at hand intend some fear be not you spoke with but by mighty suit and look you get a prayerbook in your hand and stand betwixt two churchmen good my lord for on that ground i'll build a holy descant and be not easily won to our request play the maid's part still answer nay and take it gloucester i go and if you plead as well for them as i can say nay to thee for myself no doubt well bring it to a happy issue buckingham go go up to the leads the lord mayor knocks exit gloucester enter the lord mayor and citizens welcome my lord i dance attendance here i think the duke will not be spoke withal enter catesby here comes his servant how now catesby what says he catesby my lord he doth entreat your grace to visit him tomorrow or next day he is within with two right reverend fathers divinely bent to meditation and no worldly suit would he be moved to draw him from his holy exercise buckingham return good catesby to thy lord again tell him myself the mayor and citizens in deep designs and matters of great moment no less importing than our general good are come to have some conference with his grace catesby i'll tell him what you say my lord exit buckingham ah ha my lord this prince is not an edward he is not lolling on a lewd daybed but on his knees at meditation not dallying with a brace of courtezans but meditating with two deep divines not sleeping to engross his idle body but praying to enrich his watchful soul happy were england would this gracious prince take on himself the sovereignty thereof but sure i fear we shall ne'er win him to it lord mayor marry god forbid his grace should say us nay buckingham i fear he will reenter catesby how now catesby what says your lord catesby my lord he wonders to what end you have assembled such troops of citizens to speak with him his grace not being warn'd thereof before my lord he fears you mean no good to him buckingham sorry i am my noble cousin should suspect me that i mean no good to him by heaven i come in perfect love to him and so once more return and tell his grace exit catesby when holy and devout religious men are at their beads tis hard to draw them thence so sweet is zealous contemplation enter gloucester aloft between two bishops catesby returns lord mayor see where he stands between two clergymen buckingham two props of virtue for a christian prince to stay him from the fall of vanity and see a book of prayer in his hand true ornaments to know a holy man famous plantagenet most gracious prince lend favourable ears to our request and pardon us the interruption of thy devotion and right christian zeal gloucester my lord there needs no such apology i rather do beseech you pardon me who earnest in the service of my god neglect the visitation of my friends but leaving this what is your grace's pleasure buckingham even that i hope which pleaseth god above and all good men of this ungovern'd isle gloucester i do suspect i have done some offence that seems disgracious in the city's eyes and that you come to reprehend my ignorance buckingham you have my lord would it might please your grace at our entreaties to amend that fault gloucester else wherefore breathe i in a christian land buckingham then know it is your fault that you resign the supreme seat the throne majestical the scepter'd office of your ancestors your state of fortune and your due of birth the lineal glory of your royal house to the corruption of a blemished stock whilst in the mildness of your sleepy thoughts which here we waken to our country's good this noble isle doth want her proper limbs her face defaced with scars of infamy her royal stock graft with ignoble plants and almost shoulder'd in the swallowing gulf of blind forgetfulness and dark oblivion which to recure we heartily solicit your gracious self to take on you the charge and kingly government of this your land not as protector steward substitute or lowly factor for another's gain but as successively from blood to blood your right of birth your empery your own for this consorted with the citizens your very worshipful and loving friends and by their vehement instigation in this just suit come i to move your grace gloucester i know not whether to depart in silence or bitterly to speak in your reproof best fitteth my degree or your condition if not to answer you might haply think tonguetied ambition not replying yielded to bear the golden yoke of sovereignty which fondly you would here impose on me if to reprove you for this suit of yours so season'd with your faithful love to me then on the other side i cheque'd my friends therefore to speak and to avoid the first and then in speaking not to incur the last definitively thus i answer you your love deserves my thanks but my desert unmeritable shuns your high request first if all obstacles were cut away and that my path were even to the crown as my ripe revenue and due by birth yet so much is my poverty of spirit so mighty and so many my defects as i had rather hide me from my greatness being a bark to brook no mighty sea than in my greatness covet to be hid and in the vapour of my glory smother'd but god be thank'd there's no need of me and much i need to help you if need were the royal tree hath left us royal fruit which mellow'd by the stealing hours of time will well become the seat of majesty and make no doubt us happy by his reign on him i lay what you would lay on me the right and fortune of his happy stars which god defend that i should wring from him buckingham my lord this argues conscience in your grace but the respects thereof are nice and trivial all circumstances well considered you say that edward is your brother's son so say we too but not by edward's wife for first he was contract to lady lucy your mother lives a witness to that vow and afterward by substitute betroth'd to bona sister to the king of france these both put by a poor petitioner a carecrazed mother of a many children a beautywaning and distressed widow even in the afternoon of her best days made prize and purchase of his lustful eye seduced the pitch and height of all his thoughts to base declension and loathed bigamy by her in his unlawful bed he got this edward whom our manners term the prince more bitterly could i expostulate save that for reverence to some alive i give a sparing limit to my tongue then good my lord take to your royal self this proffer'd benefit of dignity if non to bless us and the land withal yet to draw forth your noble ancestry from the corruption of abusing times unto a lineal truederived course lord mayor do good my lord your citizens entreat you buckingham refuse not mighty lord this proffer'd love catesby o make them joyful grant their lawful suit gloucester alas why would you heap these cares on me i am unfit for state and majesty i do beseech you take it not amiss i cannot nor i will not yield to you buckingham if you refuse itas in love and zeal loath to depose the child your brother's son as well we know your tenderness of heart and gentle kind effeminate remorse which we have noted in you to your kin and egally indeed to all estates yet whether you accept our suit or no your brother's son shall never reign our king but we will plant some other in the throne to the disgrace and downfall of your house and in this resolution here we leave you come citizens zounds i'll entreat no more gloucester o do not swear my lord of buckingham exit buckingham with the citizens catesby call them again my lord and accept their suit another do good my lord lest all the land do rue it gloucester would you enforce me to a world of care well call them again i am not made of stone but penetrable to your kind entreats albeit against my conscience and my soul reenter buckingham and the rest cousin of buckingham and you sage grave men since you will buckle fortune on my back to bear her burthen whether i will or no i must have patience to endure the load but if black scandal or foulfaced reproach attend the sequel of your imposition your mere enforcement shall acquittance me from all the impure blots and stains thereof for god he knows and you may partly see how far i am from the desire thereof lord mayor god bless your grace we see it and will say it gloucester in saying so you shall but say the truth buckingham then i salute you with this kingly title long live richard england's royal king lord mayor amen citizens buckingham tomorrow will it please you to be crown'd gloucester even when you please since you will have it so buckingham tomorrow then we will attend your grace and so most joyfully we take our leave gloucester come let us to our holy task again farewell good cousin farewell gentle friends exeunt king richard iii act iv scene i before the tower enter on one side queen elizabeth duchess of york and dorset on the other anne duchess of gloucester leading lady margaret plantagenet clarence's young daughter duchess of york who meets us here my niece plantagenet led in the hand of her kind aunt of gloucester now for my life she's wandering to the tower on pure heart's love to greet the tender princes daughter well met lady anne god give your graces both a happy and a joyful time of day queen elizabeth as much to you good sister whither away lady anne no farther than the tower and as i guess upon the like devotion as yourselves to gratulate the gentle princes there queen elizabeth kind sister thanks we'll enter all together enter brakenbury and in good time here the lieutenant comes master lieutenant pray you by your leave how doth the prince and my young son of york brakenbury right well dear madam by your patience i may not suffer you to visit them the king hath straitly charged the contrary queen elizabeth the king why who's that brakenbury i cry you mercy i mean the lord protector queen elizabeth the lord protect him from that kingly title hath he set bounds betwixt their love and me i am their mother who should keep me from them duchess of york i am their fathers mother i will see them lady anne their aunt i am in law in love their mother then bring me to their sights i'll bear thy blame and take thy office from thee on my peril brakenbury no madam no i may not leave it so i am bound by oath and therefore pardon me exit enter lord stanley lord stanley let me but meet you ladies one hour hence and i'll salute your grace of york as mother and reverend looker on of two fair queens to lady anne come madam you must straight to westminster there to be crowned richard's royal queen queen elizabeth o cut my lace in sunder that my pent heart may have some scope to beat or else i swoon with this deadkilling news lady anne despiteful tidings o unpleasing news dorset be of good cheer mother how fares your grace queen elizabeth o dorset speak not to me get thee hence death and destruction dog thee at the heels thy mother's name is ominous to children if thou wilt outstrip death go cross the seas and live with richmond from the reach of hell go hie thee hie thee from this slaughterhouse lest thou increase the number of the dead and make me die the thrall of margaret's curse nor mother wife nor england's counted queen lord stanley full of wise care is this your counsel madam take all the swift advantage of the hours you shall have letters from me to my son to meet you on the way and welcome you be not ta'en tardy by unwise delay duchess of york o illdispersing wind of misery o my accursed womb the bed of death a cockatrice hast thou hatch'd to the world whose unavoided eye is murderous lord stanley come madam come i in all haste was sent lady anne and i in all unwillingness will go i would to god that the inclusive verge of golden metal that must round my brow were redhot steel to sear me to the brain anointed let me be with deadly venom and die ere men can say god save the queen queen elizabeth go go poor soul i envy not thy glory to feed my humour wish thyself no harm lady anne no why when he that is my husband now came to me as i follow'd henry's corse when scarce the blood was well wash'd from his hands which issued from my other angel husband and that dead saint which then i weeping follow'd o when i say i look'd on richard's face this was my wish be thou quoth i accursed for making me so young so old a widow and when thou wed'st let sorrow haunt thy bed and be thy wifeif any be so mad as miserable by the life of thee as thou hast made me by my dear lord's death lo ere i can repeat this curse again even in so short a space my woman's heart grossly grew captive to his honey words and proved the subject of my own soul's curse which ever since hath kept my eyes from rest for never yet one hour in his bed have i enjoy'd the golden dew of sleep but have been waked by his timorous dreams besides he hates me for my father warwick and will no doubt shortly be rid of me queen elizabeth poor heart adieu i pity thy complaining lady anne no more than from my soul i mourn for yours queen elizabeth farewell thou woful welcomer of glory lady anne adieu poor soul that takest thy leave of it duchess of york to dorset go thou to richmond and good fortune guide thee to lady anne go thou to richard and good angels guard thee to queen elizabeth go thou to sanctuary and good thoughts possess thee i to my grave where peace and rest lie with me eighty odd years of sorrow have i seen and each hour's joy wrecked with a week of teen queen elizabeth stay yet look back with me unto the tower pity you ancient stones those tender babes whom envy hath immured within your walls rough cradle for such little pretty ones rude ragged nurse old sullen playfellow for tender princes use my babies well so foolish sorrow bids your stones farewell exeunt king richard iii act iv scene ii london the palace sennet enter king richard iii in pomp crowned buckingham catesby a page and others king richard iii stand all apart cousin of buckingham buckingham my gracious sovereign king richard iii give me thy hand here he ascendeth his throne thus high by thy advice and thy assistance is king richard seated but shall we wear these honours for a day or shall they last and we rejoice in them buckingham still live they and for ever may they last king richard iii o buckingham now do i play the touch to try if thou be current gold indeed young edward lives think now what i would say buckingham say on my loving lord king richard iii why buckingham i say i would be king buckingham why so you are my thrice renowned liege king richard iii ha am i king tis so but edward lives buckingham true noble prince king richard iii o bitter consequence that edward still should live true noble prince' cousin thou wert not wont to be so dull shall i be plain i wish the bastards dead and i would have it suddenly perform'd what sayest thou speak suddenly be brief buckingham your grace may do your pleasure king richard iii tut tut thou art all ice thy kindness freezeth say have i thy consent that they shall die buckingham give me some breath some little pause my lord before i positively herein i will resolve your grace immediately exit catesby aside to a stander by the king is angry see he bites the lip king richard iii i will converse with ironwitted fools and unrespective boys none are for me that look into me with considerate eyes highreaching buckingham grows circumspect boy page my lord king richard iii know'st thou not any whom corrupting gold would tempt unto a close exploit of death page my lord i know a discontented gentleman whose humble means match not his haughty mind gold were as good as twenty orators and will no doubt tempt him to any thing king richard iii what is his name page his name my lord is tyrrel king richard iii i partly know the man go call him hither exit page the deeprevolving witty buckingham no more shall be the neighbour to my counsel hath he so long held out with me untired and stops he now for breath enter stanley how now what news with you stanley my lord i hear the marquis dorset's fled to richmond in those parts beyond the sea where he abides stands apart king richard iii catesby catesby my lord king richard iii rumour it abroad that anne my wife is sick and like to die i will take order for her keeping close inquire me out some meanborn gentleman whom i will marry straight to clarence daughter the boy is foolish and i fear not him look how thou dream'st i say again give out that anne my wife is sick and like to die about it for it stands me much upon to stop all hopes whose growth may damage me exit catesby i must be married to my brother's daughter or else my kingdom stands on brittle glass murder her brothers and then marry her uncertain way of gain but i am in so far in blood that sin will pluck on sin tearfalling pity dwells not in this eye reenter page with tyrrel is thy name tyrrel tyrrel james tyrrel and your most obedient subject king richard iii art thou indeed tyrrel prove me my gracious sovereign king richard iii darest thou resolve to kill a friend of mine tyrrel ay my lord but i had rather kill two enemies king richard iii why there thou hast it two deep enemies foes to my rest and my sweet sleep's disturbers are they that i would have thee deal upon tyrrel i mean those bastards in the tower tyrrel let me have open means to come to them and soon i'll rid you from the fear of them king richard iii thou sing'st sweet music hark come hither tyrrel go by this token rise and lend thine ear whispers there is no more but so say it is done and i will love thee and prefer thee too tyrrel tis done my gracious lord king richard iii shall we hear from thee tyrrel ere we sleep tyrrel ye shall my lord exit reenter buckingham buckingham my lord i have consider'd in my mind the late demand that you did sound me in king richard iii well let that pass dorset is fled to richmond buckingham i hear that news my lord king richard iii stanley he is your wife's son well look to it buckingham my lord i claim your gift my due by promise for which your honour and your faith is pawn'd the earldom of hereford and the moveables the which you promised i should possess king richard iii stanley look to your wife if she convey letters to richmond you shall answer it buckingham what says your highness to my just demand king richard iii as i remember henry the sixth did prophesy that richmond should be king when richmond was a little peevish boy a king perhaps perhaps buckingham my lord king richard iii how chance the prophet could not at that time have told me i being by that i should kill him buckingham my lord your promise for the earldom king richard iii richmond when last i was at exeter the mayor in courtesy show'd me the castle and call'd it rougemont at which name i started because a bard of ireland told me once i should not live long after i saw richmond buckingham my lord king richard iii ay what's o'clock buckingham i am thus bold to put your grace in mind of what you promised me king richard iii well but what's o'clock buckingham upon the stroke of ten king richard iii well let it strike buckingham why let it strike king richard iii because that like a jack thou keep'st the stroke betwixt thy begging and my meditation i am not in the giving vein today buckingham why then resolve me whether you will or no king richard iii tut tut thou troublest me am not in the vein exeunt all but buckingham buckingham is it even so rewards he my true service with such deep contempt made i him king for this o let me think on hastings and be gone to brecknock while my fearful head is on exit king richard iii act iv scene iii the same enter tyrrel tyrrel the tyrannous and bloody deed is done the most arch of piteous massacre that ever yet this land was guilty of dighton and forrest whom i did suborn to do this ruthless piece of butchery although they were flesh'd villains bloody dogs melting with tenderness and kind compassion wept like two children in their deaths sad stories lo thus quoth dighton lay those tender babes' thus thus quoth forrest girdling one another within their innocent alabaster arms their lips were four red roses on a stalk which in their summer beauty kiss'd each other a book of prayers on their pillow lay which once quoth forrest almost changed my mind but o the devil'there the villain stopp'd whilst dighton thus told on we smothered the most replenished sweet work of nature that from the prime creation e'er she framed' thus both are gone with conscience and remorse they could not speak and so i left them both to bring this tidings to the bloody king and here he comes enter king richard iii all hail my sovereign liege king richard iii kind tyrrel am i happy in thy news tyrrel if to have done the thing you gave in charge beget your happiness be happy then for it is done my lord king richard iii but didst thou see them dead tyrrel i did my lord king richard iii and buried gentle tyrrel tyrrel the chaplain of the tower hath buried them but how or in what place i do not know king richard iii come to me tyrrel soon at after supper and thou shalt tell the process of their death meantime but think how i may do thee good and be inheritor of thy desire farewell till soon exit tyrrel the son of clarence have i pent up close his daughter meanly have i match'd in marriage the sons of edward sleep in abraham's bosom and anne my wife hath bid the world good night now for i know the breton richmond aims at young elizabeth my brother's daughter and by that knot looks proudly o'er the crown to her i go a jolly thriving wooer enter catesby catesby my lord king richard iii good news or bad that thou comest in so bluntly catesby bad news my lord ely is fled to richmond and buckingham back'd with the hardy welshmen is in the field and still his power increaseth king richard iii ely with richmond troubles me more near than buckingham and his rashlevied army come i have heard that fearful commenting is leaden servitor to dull delay delay leads impotent and snailpaced beggary then fiery expedition be my wing jove's mercury and herald for a king come muster men my counsel is my shield we must be brief when traitors brave the field exeunt king richard iii act iv scene iv before the palace enter queen margaret queen margaret so now prosperity begins to mellow and drop into the rotten mouth of death here in these confines slily have i lurk'd to watch the waning of mine adversaries a dire induction am i witness to and will to france hoping the consequence will prove as bitter black and tragical withdraw thee wretched margaret who comes here enter queen elizabeth and the duchess of york queen elizabeth ah my young princes ah my tender babes my unblown flowers newappearing sweets if yet your gentle souls fly in the air and be not fix'd in doom perpetual hover about me with your airy wings and hear your mother's lamentation queen margaret hover about her say that right for right hath dimm'd your infant morn to aged night duchess of york so many miseries have crazed my voice that my woewearied tongue is mute and dumb edward plantagenet why art thou dead queen margaret plantagenet doth quit plantagenet edward for edward pays a dying debt queen elizabeth wilt thou o god fly from such gentle lambs and throw them in the entrails of the wolf when didst thou sleep when such a deed was done queen margaret when holy harry died and my sweet son duchess of york blind sight dead life poor mortal living ghost woe's scene world's shame grave's due by life usurp'd brief abstract and record of tedious days rest thy unrest on england's lawful earth sitting down unlawfully made drunk with innocents blood queen elizabeth o that thou wouldst as well afford a grave as thou canst yield a melancholy seat then would i hide my bones not rest them here o who hath any cause to mourn but i sitting down by her queen margaret if ancient sorrow be most reverend give mine the benefit of seniory and let my woes frown on the upper hand if sorrow can admit society sitting down with them tell o'er your woes again by viewing mine i had an edward till a richard kill'd him i had a harry till a richard kill'd him thou hadst an edward till a richard kill'd him thou hadst a richard till a richard killed him duchess of york i had a richard too and thou didst kill him i had a rutland too thou holp'st to kill him queen margaret thou hadst a clarence too and richard kill'd him from forth the kennel of thy womb hath crept a hellhound that doth hunt us all to death that dog that had his teeth before his eyes to worry lambs and lap their gentle blood that foul defacer of god's handiwork that excellent grand tyrant of the earth that reigns in galled eyes of weeping souls thy womb let loose to chase us to our graves o upright just and truedisposing god how do i thank thee that this carnal cur preys on the issue of his mother's body and makes her pewfellow with others moan duchess of york o harry's wife triumph not in my woes god witness with me i have wept for thine queen margaret bear with me i am hungry for revenge and now i cloy me with beholding it thy edward he is dead that stabb'd my edward thy other edward dead to quit my edward young york he is but boot because both they match not the high perfection of my loss thy clarence he is dead that kill'd my edward and the beholders of this tragic play the adulterate hastings rivers vaughan grey untimely smother'd in their dusky graves richard yet lives hell's black intelligencer only reserved their factor to buy souls and send them thither but at hand at hand ensues his piteous and unpitied end earth gapes hell burns fiends roar saints pray to have him suddenly convey'd away cancel his bond of life dear god i prey that i may live to say the dog is dead queen elizabeth o thou didst prophesy the time would come that i should wish for thee to help me curse that bottled spider that foul bunchback'd toad queen margaret i call'd thee then vain flourish of my fortune i call'd thee then poor shadow painted queen the presentation of but what i was the flattering index of a direful pageant one heaved ahigh to be hurl'd down below a mother only mock'd with two sweet babes a dream of what thou wert a breath a bubble a sign of dignity a garish flag to be the aim of every dangerous shot a queen in jest only to fill the scene where is thy husband now where be thy brothers where are thy children wherein dost thou joy who sues to thee and cries god save the queen' where be the bending peers that flatter'd thee where be the thronging troops that follow'd thee decline all this and see what now thou art for happy wife a most distressed widow for joyful mother one that wails the name for queen a very caitiff crown'd with care for one being sued to one that humbly sues for one that scorn'd at me now scorn'd of me for one being fear'd of all now fearing one for one commanding all obey'd of none thus hath the course of justice wheel'd about and left thee but a very prey to time having no more but thought of what thou wert to torture thee the more being what thou art thou didst usurp my place and dost thou not usurp the just proportion of my sorrow now thy proud neck bears half my burthen'd yoke from which even here i slip my weary neck and leave the burthen of it all on thee farewell york's wife and queen of sad mischance these english woes will make me smile in france queen elizabeth o thou well skill'd in curses stay awhile and teach me how to curse mine enemies queen margaret forbear to sleep the nights and fast the days compare dead happiness with living woe think that thy babes were fairer than they were and he that slew them fouler than he is bettering thy loss makes the bad causer worse revolving this will teach thee how to curse queen elizabeth my words are dull o quicken them with thine queen margaret thy woes will make them sharp and pierce like mine exit duchess of york why should calamity be full of words queen elizabeth windy attorneys to their client woes airy succeeders of intestate joys poor breathing orators of miseries let them have scope though what they do impart help not all yet do they ease the heart duchess of york if so then be not tonguetied go with me and in the breath of bitter words let's smother my damned son which thy two sweet sons smother'd i hear his drum be copious in exclaims enter king richard iii marching with drums and trumpets king richard iii who intercepts my expedition duchess of york o she that might have intercepted thee by strangling thee in her accursed womb from all the slaughters wretch that thou hast done queen elizabeth hidest thou that forehead with a golden crown where should be graven if that right were right the slaughter of the prince that owed that crown and the dire death of my two sons and brothers tell me thou villain slave where are my children duchess of york thou toad thou toad where is thy brother clarence and little ned plantagenet his son queen elizabeth where is kind hastings rivers vaughan grey king richard iii a flourish trumpets strike alarum drums let not the heavens hear these telltale women rail on the lord's enointed strike i say flourish alarums either be patient and entreat me fair or with the clamorous report of war thus will i drown your exclamations duchess of york art thou my son king richard iii ay i thank god my father and yourself duchess of york then patiently hear my impatience king richard iii madam i have a touch of your condition which cannot brook the accent of reproof duchess of york o let me speak king richard iii do then but i'll not hear duchess of york i will be mild and gentle in my speech king richard iii and brief good mother for i am in haste duchess of york art thou so hasty i have stay'd for thee god knows in anguish pain and agony king richard iii and came i not at last to comfort you duchess of york no by the holy rood thou know'st it well thou camest on earth to make the earth my hell a grievous burthen was thy birth to me tetchy and wayward was thy infancy thy schooldays frightful desperate wild and furious thy prime of manhood daring bold and venturous thy age confirm'd proud subdued bloody treacherous more mild but yet more harmful kind in hatred what comfortable hour canst thou name that ever graced me in thy company king richard iii faith none but humphrey hour that call'd your grace to breakfast once forth of my company if i be so disgracious in your sight let me march on and not offend your grace strike the drum duchess of york i prithee hear me speak king richard iii you speak too bitterly duchess of york hear me a word for i shall never speak to thee again king richard iii so duchess of york either thou wilt die by god's just ordinance ere from this war thou turn a conqueror or i with grief and extreme age shall perish and never look upon thy face again therefore take with thee my most heavy curse which in the day of battle tire thee more than all the complete armour that thou wear'st my prayers on the adverse party fight and there the little souls of edward's children whisper the spirits of thine enemies and promise them success and victory bloody thou art bloody will be thy end shame serves thy life and doth thy death attend exit queen elizabeth though far more cause yet much less spirit to curse abides in me i say amen to all king richard iii stay madam i must speak a word with you queen elizabeth i have no more sons of the royal blood for thee to murder for my daughters richard they shall be praying nuns not weeping queens and therefore level not to hit their lives king richard iii you have a daughter call'd elizabeth virtuous and fair royal and gracious queen elizabeth and must she die for this o let her live and i'll corrupt her manners stain her beauty slander myself as false to edward's bed throw over her the veil of infamy so she may live unscarr'd of bleeding slaughter i will confess she was not edward's daughter king richard iii wrong not her birth she is of royal blood queen elizabeth to save her life i'll say she is not so king richard iii her life is only safest in her birth queen elizabeth and only in that safety died her brothers king richard iii lo at their births good stars were opposite queen elizabeth no to their lives bad friends were contrary king richard iii all unavoided is the doom of destiny queen elizabeth true when avoided grace makes destiny my babes were destined to a fairer death if grace had bless'd thee with a fairer life king richard iii you speak as if that i had slain my cousins queen elizabeth cousins indeed and by their uncle cozen'd of comfort kingdom kindred freedom life whose hand soever lanced their tender hearts thy head all indirectly gave direction no doubt the murderous knife was dull and blunt till it was whetted on thy stonehard heart to revel in the entrails of my lambs but that still use of grief makes wild grief tame my tongue should to thy ears not name my boys till that my nails were anchor'd in thine eyes and i in such a desperate bay of death like a poor bark of sails and tackling reft rush all to pieces on thy rocky bosom king richard iii madam so thrive i in my enterprise and dangerous success of bloody wars as i intend more good to you and yours than ever you or yours were by me wrong'd queen elizabeth what good is cover'd with the face of heaven to be discover'd that can do me good king richard iii the advancement of your children gentle lady queen elizabeth up to some scaffold there to lose their heads king richard iii no to the dignity and height of honour the high imperial type of this earth's glory queen elizabeth flatter my sorrows with report of it tell me what state what dignity what honour canst thou demise to any child of mine king richard iii even all i have yea and myself and all will i withal endow a child of thine so in the lethe of thy angry soul thou drown the sad remembrance of those wrongs which thou supposest i have done to thee queen elizabeth be brief lest that be process of thy kindness last longer telling than thy kindness date king richard iii then know that from my soul i love thy daughter queen elizabeth my daughter's mother thinks it with her soul king richard iii what do you think queen elizabeth that thou dost love my daughter from thy soul so from thy soul's love didst thou love her brothers and from my heart's love i do thank thee for it king richard iii be not so hasty to confound my meaning i mean that with my soul i love thy daughter and mean to make her queen of england queen elizabeth say then who dost thou mean shall be her king king richard iii even he that makes her queen who should be else queen elizabeth what thou king richard iii i even i what think you of it madam queen elizabeth how canst thou woo her king richard iii that would i learn of you as one that are best acquainted with her humour queen elizabeth and wilt thou learn of me king richard iii madam with all my heart queen elizabeth send to her by the man that slew her brothers a pair of bleedinghearts thereon engrave edward and york then haply she will weep therefore present to heras sometime margaret did to thy father steep'd in rutland's blood a handkerchief which say to her did drain the purple sap from her sweet brother's body and bid her dry her weeping eyes therewith if this inducement force her not to love send her a story of thy noble acts tell her thou madest away her uncle clarence her uncle rivers yea and for her sake madest quick conveyance with her good aunt anne king richard iii come come you mock me this is not the way to win our daughter queen elizabeth there is no other way unless thou couldst put on some other shape and not be richard that hath done all this king richard iii say that i did all this for love of her queen elizabeth nay then indeed she cannot choose but hate thee having bought love with such a bloody spoil king richard iii look what is done cannot be now amended men shall deal unadvisedly sometimes which after hours give leisure to repent if i did take the kingdom from your sons to make amends ill give it to your daughter if i have kill'd the issue of your womb to quicken your increase i will beget mine issue of your blood upon your daughter a grandam's name is little less in love than is the doting title of a mother they are as children but one step below even of your mettle of your very blood of an one pain save for a night of groans endured of her for whom you bid like sorrow your children were vexation to your youth but mine shall be a comfort to your age the loss you have is but a son being king and by that loss your daughter is made queen i cannot make you what amends i would therefore accept such kindness as i can dorset your son that with a fearful soul leads discontented steps in foreign soil this fair alliance quickly shall call home to high promotions and great dignity the king that calls your beauteous daughter wife familiarly shall call thy dorset brother again shall you be mother to a king and all the ruins of distressful times repair'd with double riches of content what we have many goodly days to see the liquid drops of tears that you have shed shall come again transform'd to orient pearl advantaging their loan with interest of ten times double gain of happiness go then my mother to thy daughter go make bold her bashful years with your experience prepare her ears to hear a wooer's tale put in her tender heart the aspiring flame of golden sovereignty acquaint the princess with the sweet silent hours of marriage joys and when this arm of mine hath chastised the petty rebel dullbrain'd buckingham bound with triumphant garlands will i come and lead thy daughter to a conqueror's bed to whom i will retail my conquest won and she shall be sole victress caesar's caesar queen elizabeth what were i best to say her father's brother would be her lord or shall i say her uncle or he that slew her brothers and her uncles under what title shall i woo for thee that god the law my honour and her love can make seem pleasing to her tender years king richard iii infer fair england's peace by this alliance queen elizabeth which she shall purchase with still lasting war king richard iii say that the king which may command entreats queen elizabeth that at her hands which the king's king forbids king richard iii say she shall be a high and mighty queen queen elizabeth to wail the tide as her mother doth king richard iii say i will love her everlastingly queen elizabeth but how long shall that title ever last king richard iii sweetly in force unto her fair life's end queen elizabeth but how long fairly shall her sweet lie last king richard iii so long as heaven and nature lengthens it queen elizabeth so long as hell and richard likes of it king richard iii say i her sovereign am her subject love queen elizabeth but she your subject loathes such sovereignty king richard iii be eloquent in my behalf to her queen elizabeth an honest tale speeds best being plainly told king richard iii then in plain terms tell her my loving tale queen elizabeth plain and not honest is too harsh a style king richard iii your reasons are too shallow and too quick queen elizabeth o no my reasons are too deep and dead too deep and dead poor infants in their grave king richard iii harp not on that string madam that is past queen elizabeth harp on it still shall i till heartstrings break king richard iii now by my george my garter and my crown queen elizabeth profaned dishonour'd and the third usurp'd king richard iii i swear queen elizabeth by nothing for this is no oath the george profaned hath lost his holy honour the garter blemish'd pawn'd his knightly virtue the crown usurp'd disgraced his kingly glory if something thou wilt swear to be believed swear then by something that thou hast not wrong'd king richard iii now by the world queen elizabeth tis full of thy foul wrongs king richard iii my father's death queen elizabeth thy life hath that dishonour'd king richard iii then by myself queen elizabeth thyself thyself misusest king richard iii why then by god queen elizabeth god's wrong is most of all if thou hadst fear'd to break an oath by him the unity the king thy brother made had not been broken nor my brother slain if thou hadst fear'd to break an oath by him the imperial metal circling now thy brow had graced the tender temples of my child and both the princes had been breathing here which now two tender playfellows to dust thy broken faith hath made a prey for worms what canst thou swear by now king richard iii the time to come queen elizabeth that thou hast wronged in the time o'erpast for i myself have many tears to wash hereafter time for time past wrong'd by thee the children live whose parents thou hast slaughter'd ungovern'd youth to wail it in their age the parents live whose children thou hast butcher'd old wither'd plants to wail it with their age swear not by time to come for that thou hast misused ere used by time misused o'erpast king richard iii as i intend to prosper and repent so thrive i in my dangerous attempt of hostile arms myself myself confound heaven and fortune bar me happy hours day yield me not thy light nor night thy rest be opposite all planets of good luck to my proceedings if with pure heart's love immaculate devotion holy thoughts i tender not thy beauteous princely daughter in her consists my happiness and thine without her follows to this land and me to thee herself and many a christian soul death desolation ruin and decay it cannot be avoided but by this it will not be avoided but by this therefore good motheri must can you so be the attorney of my love to her plead what i will be not what i have been not my deserts but what i will deserve urge the necessity and state of times and be not peevishfond in great designs queen elizabeth shall i be tempted of the devil thus king richard iii ay if the devil tempt thee to do good queen elizabeth shall i forget myself to be myself king richard iii ay if yourself's remembrance wrong yourself queen elizabeth but thou didst kill my children king richard iii but in your daughter's womb i bury them where in that nest of spicery they shall breed selves of themselves to your recomforture queen elizabeth shall i go win my daughter to thy will king richard iii and be a happy mother by the deed queen elizabeth i go write to me very shortly and you shall understand from me her mind king richard iii bear her my true love's kiss and so farewell exit queen elizabeth relenting fool and shallow changing woman enter ratcliff catesby following how now what news ratcliff my gracious sovereign on the western coast rideth a puissant navy to the shore throng many doubtful hollowhearted friends unarm'd and unresolved to beat them back tis thought that richmond is their admiral and there they hull expecting but the aid of buckingham to welcome them ashore king richard iii some lightfoot friend post to the duke of norfolk ratcliff thyself or catesby where is he catesby here my lord king richard iii fly to the duke to ratcliff post thou to salisbury when thou comest thither to catesby dull unmindful villain why stand'st thou still and go'st not to the duke catesby first mighty sovereign let me know your mind what from your grace i shall deliver to him king richard iii o true good catesby bid him levy straight the greatest strength and power he can make and meet me presently at salisbury catesby i go exit ratcliff what is't your highness pleasure i shall do at salisbury king richard iii why what wouldst thou do there before i go ratcliff your highness told me i should post before king richard iii my mind is changed sir my mind is changed enter stanley how now what news with you stanley none good my lord to please you with the hearing nor none so bad but it may well be told king richard iii hoyday a riddle neither good nor bad why dost thou run so many mile about when thou mayst tell thy tale a nearer way once more what news stanley richmond is on the seas king richard iii there let him sink and be the seas on him whiteliver'd runagate what doth he there stanley i know not mighty sovereign but by guess king richard iii well sir as you guess as you guess stanley stirr'd up by dorset buckingham and ely he makes for england there to claim the crown king richard iii is the chair empty is the sword unsway'd is the king dead the empire unpossess'd what heir of york is there alive but we and who is england's king but great york's heir then tell me what doth he upon the sea stanley unless for that my liege i cannot guess king richard iii unless for that he comes to be your liege you cannot guess wherefore the welshman comes thou wilt revolt and fly to him i fear stanley no mighty liege therefore mistrust me not king richard iii where is thy power then to beat him back where are thy tenants and thy followers are they not now upon the western shore safeconducting the rebels from their ships stanley no my good lord my friends are in the north king richard iii cold friends to richard what do they in the north when they should serve their sovereign in the west stanley they have not been commanded mighty sovereign please it your majesty to give me leave i'll muster up my friends and meet your grace where and what time your majesty shall please king richard iii ay ay thou wouldst be gone to join with richmond i will not trust you sir stanley most mighty sovereign you have no cause to hold my friendship doubtful i never was nor never will be false king richard iii well go muster men but hear you leave behind your son george stanley look your faith be firm or else his head's assurance is but frail stanley so deal with him as i prove true to you exit enter a messenger messenger my gracious sovereign now in devonshire as i by friends am well advertised sir edward courtney and the haughty prelate bishop of exeter his brother there with many more confederates are in arms enter another messenger second messenger my liege in kent the guildfords are in arms and every hour more competitors flock to their aid and still their power increaseth enter another messenger third messenger my lord the army of the duke of buckingham king richard iii out on you owls nothing but songs of death he striketh him take that until thou bring me better news third messenger the news i have to tell your majesty is that by sudden floods and fall of waters buckingham's army is dispersed and scatter'd and he himself wander'd away alone no man knows whither king richard iii i cry thee mercy there is my purse to cure that blow of thine hath any welladvised friend proclaim'd reward to him that brings the traitor in third messenger such proclamation hath been made my liege enter another messenger fourth messenger sir thomas lovel and lord marquis dorset tis said my liege in yorkshire are in arms yet this good comfort bring i to your grace the breton navy is dispersed by tempest richmond in yorkshire sent out a boat unto the shore to ask those on the banks if they were his assistants yea or no who answer'd him they came from buckingham upon his party he mistrusting them hoisted sail and made away for brittany king richard iii march on march on since we are up in arms if not to fight with foreign enemies yet to beat down these rebels here at home reenter catesby catesby my liege the duke of buckingham is taken that is the best news that the earl of richmond is with a mighty power landed at milford is colder tidings yet they must be told king richard iii away towards salisbury while we reason here a royal battle might be won and lost some one take order buckingham be brought to salisbury the rest march on with me flourish exeunt king richard iii act iv scene v lord derby's house enter derby and sir christopher urswick derby sir christopher tell richmond this from me that in the sty of this most bloody boar my son george stanley is frank'd up in hold if i revolt off goes young george's head the fear of that withholds my present aid but tell me where is princely richmond now christopher at pembroke or at harfordwest in wales derby what men of name resort to him christopher sir walter herbert a renowned soldier sir gilbert talbot sir william stanley oxford redoubted pembroke sir james blunt and rice ap thomas with a valiant crew and many more of noble fame and worth and towards london they do bend their course if by the way they be not fought withal derby return unto thy lord commend me to him tell him the queen hath heartily consented he shall espouse elizabeth her daughter these letters will resolve him of my mind farewell exeunt king richard iii act v scene i salisbury an open place enter the sheriff and buckingham with halberds led to execution buckingham will not king richard let me speak with him sheriff no my good lord therefore be patient buckingham hastings and edward's children rivers grey holy king henry and thy fair son edward vaughan and all that have miscarried by underhand corrupted foul injustice if that your moody discontented souls do through the clouds behold this present hour even for revenge mock my destruction this is allsouls day fellows is it not sheriff it is my lord buckingham why then allsouls day is my body's doomsday this is the day that in king edward's time i wish't might fall on me when i was found false to his children or his wife's allies this is the day wherein i wish'd to fall by the false faith of him i trusted most this this allsouls day to my fearful soul is the determined respite of my wrongs that high allseer that i dallied with hath turn'd my feigned prayer on my head and given in earnest what i begg'd in jest thus doth he force the swords of wicked men to turn their own points on their masters bosoms now margaret's curse is fallen upon my head when he quoth she shall split thy heart with sorrow remember margaret was a prophetess' come sirs convey me to the block of shame wrong hath but wrong and blame the due of blame exeunt king richard iii act v scene ii the camp near tamworth enter richmond oxford blunt herbert and others with drum and colours richmond fellows in arms and my most loving friends bruised underneath the yoke of tyranny thus far into the bowels of the land have we march'd on without impediment and here receive we from our father stanley lines of fair comfort and encouragement the wretched bloody and usurping boar that spoil'd your summer fields and fruitful vines swills your warm blood like wash and makes his trough in your embowell'd bosoms this foul swine lies now even in the centre of this isle near to the town of leicester as we learn from tamworth thither is but one day's march in god's name cheerly on courageous friends to reap the harvest of perpetual peace by this one bloody trial of sharp war oxford every man's conscience is a thousand swords to fight against that bloody homicide herbert i doubt not but his friends will fly to us blunt he hath no friends but who are friends for fear which in his greatest need will shrink from him richmond all for our vantage then in god's name march true hope is swift and flies with swallow's wings kings it makes gods and meaner creatures kings exeunt king richard iii act v scene iii bosworth field enter king richard iii in arms with norfolk surrey and others king richard iii here pitch our tents even here in bosworth field my lord of surrey why look you so sad surrey my heart is ten times lighter than my looks king richard iii my lord of norfolk norfolk here most gracious liege king richard iii norfolk we must have knocks ha must we not norfolk we must both give and take my gracious lord king richard iii up with my tent there here will i lie tonight but where tomorrow well all's one for that who hath descried the number of the foe norfolk six or seven thousand is their utmost power king richard iii why our battalion trebles that account besides the king's name is a tower of strength which they upon the adverse party want up with my tent there valiant gentlemen let us survey the vantage of the field call for some men of sound direction let's want no discipline make no delay for lords tomorrow is a busy day exeunt enter on the other side of the field richmond sir william brandon oxford and others some of the soldiers pitch richmond's tent richmond the weary sun hath made a golden set and by the bright track of his fiery car gives signal of a goodly day tomorrow sir william brandon you shall bear my standard give me some ink and paper in my tent i'll draw the form and model of our battle limit each leader to his several charge and part in just proportion our small strength my lord of oxford you sir william brandon and you sir walter herbert stay with me the earl of pembroke keeps his regiment good captain blunt bear my good night to him and by the second hour in the morning desire the earl to see me in my tent yet one thing more good blunt before thou go'st where is lord stanley quarter'd dost thou know blunt unless i have mista'en his colours much which well i am assured i have not done his regiment lies half a mile at least south from the mighty power of the king richmond if without peril it be possible good captain blunt bear my goodnight to him and give him from me this most needful scroll blunt upon my life my lord i'll undertake it and so god give you quiet rest tonight richmond good night good captain blunt come gentlemen let us consult upon tomorrow's business in to our tent the air is raw and cold they withdraw into the tent enter to his tent king richard iii norfolk ratcliff catesby and others king richard iii what is't o'clock catesby it's suppertime my lord it's nine o'clock king richard iii i will not sup tonight give me some ink and paper what is my beaver easier than it was and all my armour laid into my tent catesby if is my liege and all things are in readiness king richard iii good norfolk hie thee to thy charge use careful watch choose trusty sentinels norfolk i go my lord king richard iii stir with the lark tomorrow gentle norfolk norfolk i warrant you my lord exit king richard iii catesby catesby my lord king richard iii send out a pursuivant at arms to stanley's regiment bid him bring his power before sunrising lest his son george fall into the blind cave of eternal night exit catesby fill me a bowl of wine give me a watch saddle white surrey for the field tomorrow look that my staves be sound and not too heavy ratcliff ratcliff my lord king richard iii saw'st thou the melancholy lord northumberland ratcliff thomas the earl of surrey and himself much about cockshut time from troop to troop went through the army cheering up the soldiers king richard iii so i am satisfied give me a bowl of wine i have not that alacrity of spirit nor cheer of mind that i was wont to have set it down is ink and paper ready ratcliff it is my lord king richard iii bid my guard watch leave me ratcliff about the mid of night come to my tent and help to arm me leave me i say exeunt ratcliff and the other attendants enter derby to richmond in his tent lords and others attending derby fortune and victory sit on thy helm richmond all comfort that the dark night can afford be to thy person noble fatherinlaw tell me how fares our loving mother derby i by attorney bless thee from thy mother who prays continually for richmond's good so much for that the silent hours steal on and flaky darkness breaks within the east in brieffor so the season bids us be prepare thy battle early in the morning and put thy fortune to the arbitrement of bloody strokes and mortalstaring war i as i maythat which i would i cannot with best advantage will deceive the time and aid thee in this doubtful shock of arms but on thy side i may not be too forward lest being seen thy brother tender george be executed in his father's sight farewell the leisure and the fearful time cuts off the ceremonious vows of love and ample interchange of sweet discourse which so long sunder'd friends should dwell upon god give us leisure for these rites of love once more adieu be valiant and speed well richmond good lords conduct him to his regiment i'll strive with troubled thoughts to take a nap lest leaden slumber peise me down tomorrow when i should mount with wings of victory once more good night kind lords and gentlemen exeunt all but richmond o thou whose captain i account myself look on my forces with a gracious eye put in their hands thy bruising irons of wrath that they may crush down with a heavy fall the usurping helmets of our adversaries make us thy ministers of chastisement that we may praise thee in the victory to thee i do commend my watchful soul ere i let fall the windows of mine eyes sleeping and waking o defend me still sleeps enter the ghost of prince edward son to king henry vi ghost of prince edward to king richard iii let me sit heavy on thy soul tomorrow think how thou stab'dst me in my prime of youth at tewksbury despair therefore and die to richmond be cheerful richmond for the wronged souls of butcher'd princes fight in thy behalf king henry's issue richmond comforts thee enter the ghost of king henry vi ghost of king henry vi to king richard iii when i was mortal my anointed body by thee was punched full of deadly holes think on the tower and me despair and die harry the sixth bids thee despair and die to richmond virtuous and holy be thou conqueror harry that prophesied thou shouldst be king doth comfort thee in thy sleep live and flourish enter the ghost of clarence ghost of clarence to king richard iii let me sit heavy on thy soul tomorrow i that was wash'd to death with fulsome wine poor clarence by thy guile betrayed to death tomorrow in the battle think on me and fall thy edgeless sword despair and die to richmond thou offspring of the house of lancaster the wronged heirs of york do pray for thee good angels guard thy battle live and flourish enter the ghosts of rivers gray and vaughan ghost of rivers to king richard iii let me sit heavy on thy soul tomorrow rivers that died at pomfret despair and die ghost of grey to king richard iii think upon grey and let thy soul despair ghost of vaughan to king richard iii think upon vaughan and with guilty fear let fall thy lance despair and die all to richmond awake and think our wrongs in richard's bosom will conquer him awake and win the day enter the ghost of hastings ghost of hastings to king richard iii bloody and guilty guiltily awake and in a bloody battle end thy days think on lord hastings despair and die to richmond quiet untroubled soul awake awake arm fight and conquer for fair england's sake enter the ghosts of the two young princes ghosts of young princes to king richard iii dream on thy cousins smother'd in the tower let us be led within thy bosom richard and weigh thee down to ruin shame and death thy nephews souls bid thee despair and die to richmond sleep richmond sleep in peace and wake in joy good angels guard thee from the boar's annoy live and beget a happy race of kings edward's unhappy sons do bid thee flourish enter the ghost of lady anne ghost of lady anne to king richard iii richard thy wife that wretched anne thy wife that never slept a quiet hour with thee now fills thy sleep with perturbations tomorrow in the battle think on me and fall thy edgeless sword despair and die to richmond thou quiet soul sleep thou a quiet sleep dream of success and happy victory thy adversary's wife doth pray for thee enter the ghost of buckingham ghost of buckingham to king richard iii the last was i that helped thee to the crown the last was i that felt thy tyranny o in the battle think on buckingham and die in terror of thy guiltiness dream on dream on of bloody deeds and death fainting despair despairing yield thy breath to richmond i died for hope ere i could lend thee aid but cheer thy heart and be thou not dismay'd god and good angel fight on richmond's side and richard falls in height of all his pride the ghosts vanish king richard iii starts out of his dream king richard iii give me another horse bind up my wounds have mercy jesusoft i did but dream o coward conscience how dost thou afflict me the lights burn blue it is now dead midnight cold fearful drops stand on my trembling flesh what do i fear myself there's none else by richard loves richard that is i am i is there a murderer here no yes i am then fly what from myself great reason why lest i revenge what myself upon myself alack i love myself wherefore for any good that i myself have done unto myself o no alas i rather hate myself for hateful deeds committed by myself i am a villain yet i lie i am not fool of thyself speak well fool do not flatter my conscience hath a thousand several tongues and every tongue brings in a several tale and every tale condemns me for a villain perjury perjury in the high'st degree murder stem murder in the direst degree all several sins all used in each degree throng to the bar crying all guilty guilty i shall despair there is no creature loves me and if i die no soul shall pity me nay wherefore should they since that i myself find in myself no pity to myself methought the souls of all that i had murder'd came to my tent and every one did threat tomorrow's vengeance on the head of richard enter ratcliff ratcliff my lord king richard iii zounds who is there ratcliff ratcliff my lord tis i the early villagecock hath twice done salutation to the morn your friends are up and buckle on their armour king richard iii o ratcliff i have dream'd a fearful dream what thinkest thou will our friends prove all true ratcliff no doubt my lord king richard iii o ratcliff i fear i fear ratcliff nay good my lord be not afraid of shadows king richard iii by the apostle paul shadows tonight have struck more terror to the soul of richard than can the substance of ten thousand soldiers armed in proof and led by shallow richmond it is not yet near day come go with me under our tents i'll play the eavesdropper to see if any mean to shrink from me exeunt enter the lords to richmond sitting in his tent lords good morrow richmond richmond cry mercy lords and watchful gentlemen that you have ta'en a tardy sluggard here lords how have you slept my lord richmond the sweetest sleep and fairestboding dreams that ever enter'd in a drowsy head have i since your departure had my lords methought their souls whose bodies richard murder'd came to my tent and cried on victory i promise you my soul is very jocund in the remembrance of so fair a dream how far into the morning is it lords lords upon the stroke of four richmond why then tis time to arm and give direction his oration to his soldiers more than i have said loving countrymen the leisure and enforcement of the time forbids to dwell upon yet remember this god and our good cause fight upon our side the prayers of holy saints and wronged souls like highrear'd bulwarks stand before our faces richard except those whom we fight against had rather have us win than him they follow for what is he they follow truly gentlemen a bloody tyrant and a homicide one raised in blood and one in blood establish'd one that made means to come by what he hath and slaughter'd those that were the means to help him abase foul stone made precious by the foil of england's chair where he is falsely set one that hath ever been god's enemy then if you fight against god's enemy god will in justice ward you as his soldiers if you do sweat to put a tyrant down you sleep in peace the tyrant being slain if you do fight against your country's foes your country's fat shall pay your pains the hire if you do fight in safeguard of your wives your wives shall welcome home the conquerors if you do free your children from the sword your children's children quit it in your age then in the name of god and all these rights advance your standards draw your willing swords for me the ransom of my bold attempt shall be this cold corpse on the earth's cold face but if i thrive the gain of my attempt the least of you shall share his part thereof sound drums and trumpets boldly and cheerfully god and saint george richmond and victory exeunt reenter king richard ratcliff attendants and forces king richard iii what said northumberland as touching richmond ratcliff that he was never trained up in arms king richard iii he said the truth and what said surrey then ratcliff he smiled and said the better for our purpose' king richard iii he was in the right and so indeed it is clock striketh ten the clock there give me a calendar who saw the sun today ratcliff not i my lord king richard iii then he disdains to shine for by the book he should have braved the east an hour ago a black day will it be to somebody ratcliff ratcliff my lord king richard iii the sun will not be seen today the sky doth frown and lour upon our army i would these dewy tears were from the ground not shine today why what is that to me more than to richmond for the selfsame heaven that frowns on me looks sadly upon him enter norfolk norfolk arm arm my lord the foe vaunts in the field king richard iii come bustle bustle caparison my horse call up lord stanley bid him bring his power i will lead forth my soldiers to the plain and thus my battle shall be ordered my foreward shall be drawn out all in length consisting equally of horse and foot our archers shall be placed in the midst john duke of norfolk thomas earl of surrey shall have the leading of this foot and horse they thus directed we will follow in the main battle whose puissance on either side shall be well winged with our chiefest horse this and saint george to boot what think'st thou norfolk norfolk a good direction warlike sovereign this found i on my tent this morning he sheweth him a paper king richard iii reads jockey of norfolk be not too bold for dickon thy master is bought and sold' a thing devised by the enemy go gentleman every man unto his charge let not our babbling dreams affright our souls conscience is but a word that cowards use devised at first to keep the strong in awe our strong arms be our conscience swords our law march on join bravely let us to't pellmell if not to heaven then hand in hand to hell his oration to his army what shall i say more than i have inferr'd remember whom you are to cope withal a sort of vagabonds rascals and runaways a scum of bretons and base lackey peasants whom their o'ercloyed country vomits forth to desperate ventures and assured destruction you sleeping safe they bring to you unrest you having lands and blest with beauteous wives they would restrain the one distain the other and who doth lead them but a paltry fellow long kept in bretagne at our mother's cost a milksop one that never in his life felt so much cold as over shoes in snow let's whip these stragglers o'er the seas again lash hence these overweening rags of france these famish'd beggars weary of their lives who but for dreaming on this fond exploit for want of means poor rats had hang'd themselves if we be conquer'd let men conquer us and not these bastard bretons whom our fathers have in their own land beaten bobb'd and thump'd and in record left them the heirs of shame shall these enjoy our lands lie with our wives ravish our daughters drum afar off hark i hear their drum fight gentlemen of england fight bold yoemen draw archers draw your arrows to the head spur your proud horses hard and ride in blood amaze the welkin with your broken staves enter a messenger what says lord stanley will he bring his power messenger my lord he doth deny to come king richard iii off with his son george's head norfolk my lord the enemy is past the marsh after the battle let george stanley die king richard iii a thousand hearts are great within my bosom advance our standards set upon our foes our ancient word of courage fair saint george inspire us with the spleen of fiery dragons upon them victory sits on our helms exeunt king richard iii act v scene iv another part of the field alarum excursions enter norfolk and forces fighting to him catesby catesby rescue my lord of norfolk rescue rescue the king enacts more wonders than a man daring an opposite to every danger his horse is slain and all on foot he fights seeking for richmond in the throat of death rescue fair lord or else the day is lost alarums enter king richard iii king richard iii a horse a horse my kingdom for a horse catesby withdraw my lord i'll help you to a horse king richard iii slave i have set my life upon a cast and i will stand the hazard of the die i think there be six richmonds in the field five have i slain today instead of him a horse a horse my kingdom for a horse exeunt king richard iii act v scene v another part of the field alarum enter king richard iii and richmond they fight king richard iii is slain retreat and flourish reenter richmond derby bearing the crown with divers other lords richmond god and your arms be praised victorious friends the day is ours the bloody dog is dead derby courageous richmond well hast thou acquit thee lo here this longusurped royalty from the dead temples of this bloody wretch have i pluck'd off to grace thy brows withal wear it enjoy it and make much of it richmond great god of heaven say amen to all but tell me is young george stanley living derby he is my lord and safe in leicester town whither if it please you we may now withdraw us richmond what men of name are slain on either side derby john duke of norfolk walter lord ferrers sir robert brakenbury and sir william brandon richmond inter their bodies as becomes their births proclaim a pardon to the soldiers fled that in submission will return to us and then as we have ta'en the sacrament we will unite the white rose and the red smile heaven upon this fair conjunction that long have frown'd upon their enmity what traitor hears me and says not amen england hath long been mad and scarr'd herself the brother blindly shed the brother's blood the father rashly slaughter'd his own son the son compell'd been butcher to the sire all this divided york and lancaster divided in their dire division o now let richmond and elizabeth the true succeeders of each royal house by god's fair ordinance conjoin together and let their heirs god if thy will be so enrich the time to come with smoothfaced peace with smiling plenty and fair prosperous days abate the edge of traitors gracious lord that would reduce these bloody days again and make poor england weep in streams of blood let them not live to taste this land's increase that would with treason wound this fair land's peace now civil wounds are stopp'd peace lives again that she may long live here god say amen exeunt