I am afeard, the life of Helen, lady, Was foully snatch'd. Count. Now, justice on the doers! Enter BERTRAM, guarded. King. I wonder, sir, since wives are monsters to you, And that you fly them as you swear them lordship, Yet you desire to marry. What woman's that? Re-enter Gentleman, with Widow, and DIANA. Dia. I am, my lord, a wretched Florentine, My suit, as I do understand, you know, Wid. I am her mother, sir, whose age and honour 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 so strange upon your wife? Ber. She's none of mine, my lord. Dia. If y you shall marry, You give away this hand, and that is mine; You give away heaven's vows, and those are mine; That she, which marries you, must marry me, Laf. Your reputation [To BERTRAM.] comes too short for my daughter, you are no husband for her. Ber. My lord, this is a fond and desperate creature, 1 Decease, die. Whom sometime I have laugh'd with: let your high ness Lay a more noble thought upon mine honour, King. Sir, for my thoughts, you have them ill to friend, Till your deeds gain them: Fairer prove your ho nour, Than in my thought it lies! Dia. Good my lord, Ask him upon his oath, if he does think He had not my virginity. King. What say'st thou to her? Ber. She's impudent, my lord; And was a common gamester to the camp. 2 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, 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. Count. He blushes, and 'tis it: Of six preceding ancestors, that gem Conferr'd by testament to the sequent issue, Hath it been ow'd and worn. This is his wife; Methought, you said, That ring's a thousand proofs. What of him? He's quoted for a most perfidious slave, 2 Gamester when applied to a female, then meant a 3 Noted. 4 Debauch'd. common woman. Whose nature sickens, but to speak a truth: King. Are motives of more fancy; and, in fine, Dia. Ber. I have it not. King. What ring was yours, I pray you? Dia. The same upon your finger. Sir, much like King. Know you this ring? this ring was his of late. Dia. And this was it I gave him, being a-bed. King. The story then goes false, you threw it him Out of a casement. Dia. I have spoke the truth. Enter PAROLles. Ber. My lord, I do confess, the ring was hers. King. You boggle shrewdly, every feather starts s Love. 6 Her solicitation concurring with her appearance of being common. Dia. Ay, my lord. King. Tell me, sirrah, but, tell me true, I charge you, Not fearing the displeasure of your master, (Which, on your just proceeding, I'll keep off,) By him, and by this woman here, what know you? Par. So please your majesty, my master hath been an honourable gentleman; tricks he hath had in him, which gentlemen have. King. Come, come, to the purpose: Did he love this woman? Par, 'Faith, sir, he did love her; But how? Par. He did love her, sir, as a gentleman loves a woman. King. How is that? Par. He loved her, sir, and loved 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 com mand. Laf. He's a good drum, my lord, but a naughty orator. Dia. Do you know, he promised me marriage? King. But wilt thou not speak all thou know'st? Par. 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 that 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? Dia. Ay, my good lord. King. Where did you buy it? or who gave it you? Dia. It was not given me, nor I did not buy it. Dia. It was not lent me neither. 1. 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 easy glove, my lord; she goes off and on at pleasure. King. This ring was mine, I gave it his first wife. Dia. 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 had'st this ring, Thou diest within this hour. Dia. I'll never tell you. King. Take her away. Dia. Because he's guilty, and he is not guilty; [Pointing to LAfeu. King. She does abuse our ears; to prison with her. 1. Dia. Good mother, fetch my bail. - Stay, royal sir; [Exit Widow. |