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 fore-past 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.

Ber. If you shall prove

This ring was ever ber's, you shall as easy
Prove that I husbanded her bed in Florence,
Where yet she never was.

[Exit BERTRAM, guarded.

Enter a GENTLEMAN.

King. I am wrapp'd in dismal thinkings.
Gent. Gracious sovereign,

Whether I have been to blame, or no, I know

not;

Here's a petition from a Florentine,
Who bath, 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 CAPULET. Laf. I will buy me a son-in-law in a fair, and toll him for this, I'll none of him.

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

To bring forth this discovery.-Seek these sui

Dia. I am, my lord, a wretched Florentine,
Derived from the ancient Capulet;
My suit, as I do understand, you know,
And therefore know how far I may be pitied.
Wid. 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?

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 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 your's,
That she, which marries you, must marry me,
Either both or none.

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,

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!

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. +
Dia. He does me wrong, my lord; if I were

80,

He might have bought me at a common price.
Do not believe him: Oh! 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;
That ring's a thousand proofs.

King. Methought, you said,
You saw one bere in court could witness it.
Dia. I did, my lord, but loath am to pro.
duce

So bad an instrument! his name's Parolles.
Laf. I saw the man to-day, if man he be.
King. Find him, and bring him hither.
Ber. What of him?

He's quoted for a most perfidious slave,
With all the spots o'the world tax'd and de-
bosh'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 your's.

Ber. I think, she has certain it is, I lik'd 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 insuit coming with her modern grace, †
Subdued me to her rate: she got the ring;
And I had that, which any inferior might
At market-price have bought.

Dia. I must be patient;

Yon, that 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.

Ber. My lord, I do confess, the ring was her's.

King. You boggle shrewdly, every feather starts you.——

Is this the man you speak of?

Dia. Ay, my lord.

King. Where did you buy it; or who gave it you?

Dia. It was not given me, nor I did not 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 your's 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 your's, or her's, 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. I'll put in bail, my liege.

King. I think thee now some common custo

mer..

Dia. By Jove, if ever I knew man, 'twas you.

King. Wherefore hast thon accus'd him all this while?

Dia. Because he's guilty, and he is not

guilty;

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 bath been an honourable gentleman; tricks he hath had in him, which gentlemen have.

King. Come, come, to the purpose: Did he

love this woman?

orator.

[Pointing to LAFEU.

So there's my riddle, One, that's dead, is quick :
And now behold the meaning.

Re-enter Widow, with HELENA.
King. Is there no exorcist
Beguiles the truer office of mine eyes?
Is't real, that I see?

Hel. No, my good lord;

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, and I knew of their going to bed; and of other motions, as promising ber 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 your's?

I'll love her dearly, ever, ever dearly.
Hel. If it appear not plain, and prove un-
true,

Deadly divorce step between me and you!-
O my dear mother, do I see you living?

Laj. Mine eyes smell onions, I shall weep anon:-Good Tom Drum, [7e PAROLLES.] lend me a handkerchief: So, I thank thee: wait on

[To DIANA.

Advancing.

All is well ended, if this suit be won,
The king's a beggar, now the play is done:

That you express content; which we will pay,

With strife to please you, day exceeding day:

dower ;

For I can guess, that, by thy honest aid, Thou kept'st a wife herself, thyself a maid:of that, and all the progress, more and less, Resolvedly more leisure shall express: All let seems well; and, if it end so meet, The bitter past, more welcome is the sweet. [Flourish.

parts;

Your gentle hands lend us, and take our hearts.

[Exeunt.

1. e. Hear us without interruption, and take our parts, support and defend us.