The story that is printed in her blood

130

"Do not live, Hero; do not ope thine eyes: "For did I think, thou would'st not quickly die, "Thought I, thy spirits were stronger than thy shames,

"Myself would, on the rearward of reproaches, "Strike at thy life." Griev'd 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 smeared thus, and mir'd with infamy, "I might have said, No part of it is mine, "This shame derives itself from unknown loins? "But mine, and mine I lov'd, and mine I prais`d, "And mine that I was proud on; mine so much, "That I myself was to myself not mine, "Valuing of her; why, she"-0, she, is fallen Into a pit of ink! that the wide sea

140

Hath drops too few to wash her clean again; "And salt too little, which may season give

150

"To her foul tainted flesh!"

Bene. Sir, sir, be patient:

For my part, I am so attir'd in wonder,

I know not what to say.

Beat. O, on my soul, my cousin is bely'd!
Bene. Lady, were you her bedfellow last night?
Beat. No, truly, not; although, until last night,

I have this twelvemonth been her bedfellow.

4

Leon.

Leon. Confirm'd, confirm'd! O, that is stronger

made,

160

Which was before barr'd, up with ribs of iron!
Would the two princes lie? and Claudio lie?
Who lov'd her so, that, speaking of her foulness,
Wash'd it with tears? Hence from her; let her die."
Friar. 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 shaměs

In angel whiteness bear 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 observation,
"Which with experimental seal doth warrant
"The tenour of my book; trust not my age,"
My reverence, calling, nor divinity,

If this sweet lady lie not guiltless here

Under some biting error.

Leon. 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 :

170

180

Why seek'st thou then to cover with excuse

That, which appears in proper nakedness?

Friar. Lady, what man is he you are accus'd 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 convers'd
At hours unmeet, or that I yesternight

Maintain'd the change of words with any creature,
Refuse me, hate me, torture me to death.

190

Friar. There is some strange misprision in the princes.

Bene. Two of them have the very bent of honour; And if their wisdoms be misled in this,

The practice of it lives in John the bastard,

Whose spirits toil in frames of villainies.

199

Leon. I know not; If they speak but truth of her, These hands shall tear her; if they wrong her ho

nour,

The proudest of them shall well hear of it.

"Time hath not yet so dry'd this blood of mine,

"Nor age so eat up my invention,

"Nor fortune made such havock of my means, "Nor my bad life reft me so much of friends, "But they shall find, awak'd 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. Pause awhile,

And let my counsel sway you in this case.
Your daughter here the princes left for dead;

210

Let

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.”

Leon. What shall become of this? What will this

do}

220

Friar. Marry, this, well carry'd, shall on her be

half

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 be so maintain’d,
Upon the instant that she was accus'd,
Shall be lamented, pity'd, and excus'd,
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, 230
"Why, then we rack the value; then we find
"The virtue, that possession would not shew us
"Whiles it was ours :-So will it fare with Claudia:
"When he shall hear she dy'd 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 apparel'd in more precious habit, "More moving, delicate, and full of life,

"Into the eye and prospect of his soul,

240

"Than when she liv'd 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.”
Bene. 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.

Leon. Being that I flow in grief,

The smallest twine may lead me.

250

260

Friar. 'Tis well consented; presently away; "For to strange sores strangely they strain the

cure "

Come, lady, die to live: this wedding day,

Perhaps, is but prolong'd; have patience, and

endure.

[Exeunt.

Manent