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 so, He might have bought me at a common price. Do not believe him: O, behold this ring, Whose high respect, and rich validity,1 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: 2 Of six preceding ancestors, that gem This is his wife: Methought you said Conferred by testament to the sequent issue, He's quoted for a most perfidious slave, What of him! With all the spots o' the world taxed and deboshed; * Whose nature sickens but to speak a truth. Am I or that, or this, for what he'll utter, She hath that ring of yours. 1 i. e. value. 2 Malone remarks that the old copy reads, 'tis hit, and that in many of our old chronicles he had found hit printed instead of it. 3 Noted. 4 Debauched. 1 Her insuit coming with her modern grace, Dia. I must be patient; You that turned off a first so noble wife, Ber. I have it not. King. What ring was yours, I pray you? '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 abed. 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. 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 honorable gentleman; tricks he hath had in him, which gentlemen have. "Every thing that obstructs ove is an occasion by which love is heightened, and, to conclude, her solicitation concurring with her common or ordinary grace, she got the ring.' 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? Par. 'Faith, I know more than I'll speak. 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 2 in thy evidence: therefore stand aside. This ring, you say, was yours? Dia. King. Where did Ay, my good lord. 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? I found it not. 1 1. e. fellow. 2 In the French sense, trop fine. 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 hadst 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 Dia. Good mother, fetch my bail.-Stay, royal sir [Exit Widow The jeweller that owes 2 the ring is sent for, i. e. common woman, with whom any one may be familiar. 2 Owns. King. Re-enter Widow, with HELENA. Is there no exorcist Beguiles the truer office of mine eyes? Is't real that I see? Hel. No, my good lord ; 'Tis but the shadow of a wife you see, The name, and not the thing. Both, both. O, pardon! Ber. Hel. O my good lord, when I was like this maid, I found you wondrous kind. There is your ring, And, look you, here's your letter. This it says, When from my finger you can get this ring, And are by me with child, &c.-This is done : Will you be mine, now you are doubly won? Ber. If she, my liege, can make me know this clearly, I'll love her dearly; ever, ever dearly. Hel. If it appear not plain, and prove untrue, Deadly divorce step between me and you! O my dear mother, do I see you living? Laf. Mine eyes smell onions; I shall weep anon. -Good Tom Drum, [TO PAROLLES.] lend me a handkerchief. So, I thank thee; wait on me home. I'll make sport with thee. Let thy courtesies alone; they are scurvy ones. King. Let us from point to point this story know. To make the even truth in pleasure flow. If thou be'st yet a fresh, uncropped flower, [TO DIANA. Choose thou thy husband, and I'll pay thy 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 yet seems well; and if it end so meet, The bitter past, more welcome is the sweet. [Flourish. |