To bring forth this difcov'ry. Seek thefe fuitors:
Go fpeedily, and bring again the Count.

Enter Bertram.

I am afraid, the life of Helen (Lady)
Was foully fnatch'd.

Count. Now juftice on the doers!

King. I wonder, Sir, wives are fo monftrous to you, And that you fly them as you fwear to them; Yet you defire to wed. What woman's that? Enter Widow, and Diana.

Dia. I am, my Lord, a wretched Florentine, Deriv'd from the ancient Capulet ; My fuit, as I do underftand, you know, And therefore know how far I may be pitied. Wid. I am her mother, Sir, whofe age and honour Both fuffer under this complaint we bring, And both fhall cease without your remedy.

King. Come hither, Count; do you know these women? Ber. My Lord, I neither can nor will deny

But that I know them; do they charge me further ? Dia. Why do you look fo ftrange upon your wife? Ber. She's none of mine, my Lord.

Dia. If you fhall marry,

You give away this hand, and that is mine;
You give away heav'n's vows, and those are mine ;
You give away myself, which is known mine;
For I by vow am fo embodied yours,

That the, which marries you, must marry me,
Either both or none.

Laf. Your reputation comes too fhort for my daughter, you are no husband for her. [To Bertram. Ber. My Lord, this is a fond and defp'rate creature, Whom fometime I have laugh'd with: let your Highness Lay a more noble thought upon mine honour, Than for to think that I would fink it here.

King. Sir, for my thoughts, you have them ill to friend, 'Till your deeds gain them fairer: prove your honour, Then in my thought it lies.

Dia. Good my Lord,

Ak him upon his oath; if he does think
He had not my virginity.

King. What fay'ft thou to her?

Ber. She's impudent, my Lord;

And was a common gamefter to the camp.

Dia. He does me wrong, my Lord; if I were fo, He might have bought me at a common price. Do not believe him. O, behold this ring, Whofe high refpe&t and rich validity

Did lack a parallel: yet, for all that,

He

gave

it to a commoner o'th' camp,

If I be one.

Count. He blushes, and 'tis his :

Of fix preceding ancestors, that gem

(42) Conferr'd by teftament to th' fequent iffue, Hath it been ow'd and worn. This is his wife, That ring's a thousand proofs.

King. Methought, you faid,

You faw one here in court could witnefs it.
Dia. I did, my Lord, but loath am to produce
So bad an inftrument; his name's Parolles.
Laf. I faw the man to-day, if man he be.
King. Find him, and bring him hither.
Ber. What of him?

He's quoted for a moft perfidious flave,

With all the fpots o'th' world, tax'd and debofh'd,

(42) Conferr'd by teftament to th' fubfequent iue,] This is only the reading, I think, of the laft editor. I might lay, This in Mr. Pope's ear is a verfe, to return him one of his civilities: but I'll content myfelf with obferving, that all the genuine copies read;

Conferr'd by teftament to th' fequent issue,]

So, before, in this play;

Indeed, your O Lord, Sir,------is very fequent to your abipping. So, in Troilus and Creffida;

But be thou true, fay I, to fafhion in

My fequent protestation:

So, in Hamlet.

now, the next day

Was our fea fight; and what to this was fequent,

Thou know'ft already.

And in many other inftances, that might be quoted.

Which

Which nature fickens with: but to speak truth,
Am I or that or this, for what he'll utter,
That will speak any thing?

King. She hath that ring of yours.

Ber. I think, fhe has; certain it is, I lik'd her, And boarded her i'th' wanton way of youth: She knew her diftance, and did angle for me, Madding my eagerness with her reftraint; As all impediments in fancy's course Are motives of more fancy: and in fine, Her infuit coming with her modern grace, Subdu'd me to her rate: fhe got the ring; And I had that, which any inferior might At market-price have bought.

Dia. I must be patient:

You, that turn'd off a first so noble wife,
May justly diet me. I pray you yet,
(Since you lack virtue, I will lofe a husband,)
Send for your ring, I will return it home,
And give me mine again.

Ber. I have it not.

King. What ring was yours, I pray you? Dia. Sir, much like the fame upon your finger. King. Know you this ring? this ring was his of late, Dia. And this was it I gave him, being a-bed. King. The ftory then goes falfe, you threw it him Out of a casement.

Dia. I have spoke the truth.

Enter Parolles.

Ber. My Lord, I do confefs, the ring was hers. King.You boggle shrewdly, every feather ftarts you: Is this the man you speak of?

Dia. It is, my Lord.

King. Tell me, Sirrah, but tell me true, I charge you, Not fearing the displeasure of your mafter, Which on your juft proceeding I'll keep off; By him and by this woman here, what know you? Par. So pleafe your Majefty, my mafter hath been an honourable

honourable gentleman. Tricks he hath had in him, which gentlemen have.

King Come, come, to the purposes did he love this woman?

Par. 'Faith, Sir, he did love her; but how?

King. How, I pray you?

Par. He did love her, Sir, as a gentleman loves a

woman.

King. How is that?

Par. He lov'd her, Sir, and lov'd her not.

King. As thou art a knave, and no knave; what an equivocal companion is this?

Par. I am a poor man, and at your Majesty's command.

Laf. He's a good drum, my Lord, but a naughty

Orator.

Dia. Do you know, he promis'd me marriage?
Par. 'Faith, I know more than I'll speak.

King. But wilt thou not fpeak all thou know'ft ? Par. Yes, so please your Majefty. I did go between them, as I faid; but more than that, he lov'd her: for, indeed, he was mad for her, and talk'd of Satan, and of limbo, and of furies, and I know not what; yet I was in that credit with them at that time, that I knew of their going to bed, and of other motions, as promifing her marriage, and things that would derive me ill will to fpeak of; therefore I will not fpeak what I know.

King. Thou haft spoken all already, unless thou canft fay they are married; but thou art too fine in thy evidence; therefore ftand afide. This ring, you fay, was yours?

Dia. Ay, my good Lord.

King. Where did you buy it? or who gave it you? Dia. It was not given me, nor did I buy it.

King. Who lent it you?

Dia. It was not lent me neither.

King. Where did you find it then?

Dia. I found it not.

King. If it were yours by none of all thefe

VOL. III.

E

ways,

How

How could you give it him?

Dia. I never gave it him.

Laf. This woman's an cafy glove, my Lord, fhe goes off and on at pleasure.

King. This ring was mine, I gave it his first wife.
Dia. It might be yours, or her's, for ought I know.
King. Take her away, I do not like her now,
To prifon with her: and away with him.

Unless thou tell'ft me where thou hadst this ring,
Thou dieft within this hour.

Dia. I'll never tell you.
King. Take her away.

Dia. I'll put in bail, my Liege.

King. I think thee now fome common customer. Dia. By Jove, if ever I knew man, 'twas you. King. Wherefore haft thou accus'd him all this while ? Dia. Because he's guilty, and he is not guilty; He knows, I am no maid, and he'll fwear to't; I'll fwear, I am a maid, and he knows not. Great King, I am no ftrumpet, by my life; I'm either maid, or elfe this old man's wife.

[Pointing to Lafeu. King. She does abufe our ears; to prifon with her. Dia. Good mother, fetch my bail. Stay, royal Sir, [Exit Widow. The jeweller that owes the ring is fent for,

And he shall furety me. But for this Lord, [To Bert.
Who hath abus'd me, as he knows himself,
Tho' yet he never harm'd me, here I quit him.
He knows himself my bed he hath defil'd,
And at that time he got his wife with child;
Dead tho' fhe be, fhe feels her young one kick:
So there's my riddle, one that's dead is quick.
And now behold the meaning.

Enter Helena, and Widow.

King. Is there no exorcist

Beguiles the truer office of mine eyes?

Is't real, that I fee?

Hel. No, my good Lord,