THE BRITISH DRAMA. THE TWO NOBLE KINSMEN. BY SHAKESPEARE AND FLETCHER. PROLOGUE. Flourish. "From me the witless chaff of such a writer "That blasts my bays, and my fam'd works makes lighter New plays and maidenheads are near akin; And shake to lose his honour) is like her That after holy tie, and first night's stir, Yet still is modesty, and still retains More of the maid to sight, than husband's pains. More famous yet 'twixt Po, and silver Trent: For, to say truth, it were an endless thing, Content to you!-If this play do not keep ROSES, their sharp spines being gone, But in their hue; Primrose, first-born child of Ver, Oxlips in their cradles growing, All dear Nature's children sweet, Lye 'fore bride and bridegroom's feet, Blessing their sense! Not an angel of the air, Bird melodious, or bird fair, Be absent hence! Enter three Queens, in black, with veils stained, with imperial crowns. The first Queen falls down at the foot of THESEUS; the second falls down at the foot of HIPPOLITA; the third before EMILIA. 1 Queen. For pity's sake, and true gentility's, Hear and respect me! 2 Queen. For your mother's sake, And as you wish your womb may thrive with fair ones, Hear and respect me! 3 Queen. Now for the love of him whom Jove The honour of your bed, and for the sake For us, and our distresses! This good deed Thes. Sad lady, rise. Hip. Stand up. Emi. No knees to me! What woman I reigns fell before The wrath of cruel Creon; who endured The beaks of ravens, talons of the kites, And pecks of crows, in the foul fields of Thebes, The crow, the slanderous cuckoo, nor May on our bridehouse perch or sing, With stench of our slain lords. Oh, pity, duke ! bones Of our dead kings, that we may chapel them! Thes. Pray you kneel not. I was transported with your speech, and suffer'd Your knees to wrong themselves. I've heard the fortunes. Of your dead lords, which gives me such lamenting As wakes my vengeance and revenge for them. King Capaneus was your lord: the day That he should marry you, at such a season As now it is with me, I met your groom By Mars's altar; you were that time fair, 'Not Juno's mantle fairer than your tresses, Nor in more bounty spread her; your wheaten wreath Was then nor thresh'd, nor blasted; Fortune at you Dimpled her cheek with smiles; Hercules our kinsman (Then weaker than your eyes) laid by his club, He tumbled down upon his Nemean hide, And swore his sinews thaw'd: Oh, grief and time, Fearful consumers, you will all devour! 1 Queen. Oh, I hope some god, Some god hath put his mercy in your manhood, Whereto he'll infuse power, and press you forth Our undertaker! Thes. Oh, no knees, none, widow! Unto the helmeted Bellona use them, And pray for me, your soldier.-Troubled I am. [Turns away. 2 Queen. Honour'd Hippolita, Most dreaded Amazonian, that hast slain 3 Queen. Oh, my petition was [Kneels to EMILIA. Set down in ice, which, by hot grief uncandied, Melts into drops; so sorrow, wanting form, Is press'd with deeper matter. Emi. Pray stand up; Your grief is written in your cheek. You cannot read it there; here through my tears, Emi. Pray you, say nothing; pray you! you, To instruct me 'gainst a capital grief indeed; Your sorrow beats so ardently upon me, Thes. Forward to the temple: leave not out à jot = The scithe-tusk'd boar; that, with thy arm as O' the sacred ceremony. I Queen. Oh, this celebration Will longer last, and be more costly, than quickly sub-Is not done rashly; your first thought is more Than others' labour'd meditance; your premedi Thy force, and thy affection; soldieress, The tenor of thy speech; dear glass of ladies, But touch the ground for us no longer time Tell him, if he i'the blood-sized field lay swoln, Showing the sun his teeth, grinning at the moon, What you would do! Hip. Poor lady, say no more! I had as lief trace this good action with you tating More than their actions; but, (oh, Jove!) your actions, Soon as they move, as osprays do the fish, Subdue before they touch: think, dear duke, think What beds our slain kings have! 2 Queen. What griefs our beds, That our dear lords have none ! 3 Queen. None fit for the dead: Those that with cords, knives, drams, precipitance, Weary of this world's light, have to themselves Been death's most horrid agents, human grace Affords them dust and shadow. Now 'twill take form; the heats are gone to-She makes it in, from henceforth I'll not dare 2 Queen. We come unseasonably; but wher. could Grief Cull forth, as unpang'd Judgment can, fit'st time For best solicitation? The. Why, good ladies, This is a service, whereto I am going, 1 Queen. The more proclaiming To make Mars spurn his drum? Oh, if thou couch Hop. Though much unlike You should be so transported, as much sorry Your shield afore your heart, about that neck All Queens. Oh, help now! Our cause cries for your knee. Emi. If you grant not My sister her petition, in that force, To ask you any thing, nor be so hardy Thes. Pray stand up; I am entreating of myself to do That which you kneel to have me. Perithous, I stamp this kiss upon thy currant lip; [Exeunt towards the Temple, I'll follow you at heels: the feast's solemnity Thes. Cousin, I charge you Budge not from Athens; we shall be returning Ere you can end this feast, of which I pray you Make no abatement. Once more, farewell all! 1 Queen. Thus dost thou still make good the tongue o' the world. 2 Queen. And earn'st a deity equal with Mars. 3 Queen. If not above him; for, Thou being but mortal, mak'st affections bend To godlike honours; they themselves, some say, Groan under such a mastery. Thes. As we are men, Thus should we do; being sensually subdued, We lose our humane title. Good cheer, ladies! Now turn we tow'rds your comforts. SCENE II. [Flourish. [Exeunt. Enter PALAMON and ARCITE. Arc. Dear Palamon, dearer in love than blood, And here to keep in abstinence we shame I' the head o' the current, were almost to sink, Our gain but life, and weakness. Pal. Your advice Is cried up with example: what strange ruins, Since first we went to school, may we perceive Walking in Thebes! Scars, and bare weeds, The gain o' the martialist, who did propound To his bold ends, honour, and golden ingots, |