my honour's paid to him. He ftole from Florence, taking no leave, and I follow him to this country for justice: grant it me, O King, in you it beft lies; otherwise a feducer flourishes, and a poor maid is undone.

Diana Capulet.

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

King. The heavens have thought well on thee, Lafeu,

To bring forth this discov'ry. Seek these suitors: Go speedily, 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; you defire to wed. What woman's that?

Yet

Enter Widow and Diana.

Dia. I am, my Lord, a wretched Florentine,
Derived from the ancient Capulet;

My fuit, as I do understand, you know,
And therefore know how far I may be pitied.

Wid. I am her mother, Sir, whofe age and honour Both fuffer under this complaint we bring,

And both fhall ceafe 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

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 fhe, which marries you, must

Either both or none.

marry me,

Laf. Your reputation comes too short for my daughter, you are no husband for her. [To Bertram.

Ber. My Lord, this is a fond and desp'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, Than in my thought it lies!

Dia. Good my lord,

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

King. What fay'st thou to her?

Ber. She's impudent, my Lord;

And was a common gamefter to the camp.

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

Did lack a parallel: yet for all that,

He

gave

it to a commoner o'th'

If I be one.

camp,

Count. He blushes, and 'tis his :

Of fix preceding ancestors, that gem

Conferr'd by Teftament to th' fequent iffue,

Hath it been ow'd and worn.

That ring's a thoufand proofs.

King. Methought, you faid,

This is his wife,

You faw one here in Court could witness it.
Dia. I did, my Lord, but loth am to produce
So bad an inftrument; his name's Parolles.

Laf.

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 slave,

With all the fpots o'th' world tax'd and debofh'd,
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 eagernefs 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 firft fo noble wife,
May juftly diet me. I pray you yet,
(Since you lack virtue, I will lose a husband,)
Send for your ring, I will return it home,
And give me mine again.

Ber. I have it not.

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 cafement.

Dia. I have fpoke the truth.

SCENE

Ber.

MY

Lord, I do confefs, the ring was hers. King. You boggle fhrewdly, 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 Gentleman. Tricks he hath had in him, which Gentlemen have.

King. Come, come, to the purpose; did he love this Woman?

Par. Faith, Sir, he did love her; but how?
King. How, I pray you?

Par. He did love her, Sir, as a Gentleman loves a Woman.

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

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 speak of; therefore I will not fpeak what I know.

King. Thou haft fpoken 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 these ways, How could you give it him?

Dia. I never gave it him.

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

!

King. This ring was mine, I gave it his firft wife. Dia. It might be yours, or hers, for aught 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 hadft 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 cuftomer. Dia. By Jove, if ever I knew a 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