Count. Son, on my life,

I've feen her wear it, and the reckon'd it

At her life's rate.

Laf. I'm fure, I faw her wear it.

In Florence wa

me,

Ber. You are deceiv'd, my Lord, the never faw it was it from a cafement thrown Wrap'd 20076H a paper, which contain'd the name Of her that threw it: (41) Noble fhe was, and thought I food ungag'd; but when I had fubfcrib'd

To mine own fortune, and inform'd her fully,
I could not anfwer in that courfe of honour
As fhe had made the overture, she ceast

In heavy fatisfaction, and would never
Receive the ring again.

King. Plutus himself,

That knows the tinct and multiplying medicine,
Hath not in Nature's mystery more fcience,
Than I have in this ring. 'Twas mine, 'twas Helen's
Whoever gave it you: then if you know,

That you are well acquainted with yourself,
Confefs 'twas hers, and by what rough enforcement
You got it from her. She call'd the faints to furety,
That she would never put it from her finger,

Unless the gave it to yourself in bed,

(Where you have never come) or fent it us Upon her great difafter.

Ber. She never faw it.

King. Thou fpeak'ft it falfely, as I love mine honour; And mak'ft conject'ral fears to come into me, Which I would fain shut out; if it should prove That thou art fo inhuman-'twill not prove foAnd yet I know not-thou didst hate her deadly,

(51)

noble fhe was, and thought

I flood engag'd;-] Ldon't understand this reading; if we are to understand, that the thought Bertram engag'd to her in affection, infnar'd by her charms, this meaning is too obfcurely exprefs'd.. The context rather makes me believe, that the Poet wrote,

I flood ungag'd;

-noble she was, and thought

i, e. unengaged: neither my heart, nor person, dispos'd of.

And

And she is dead; which nothing, but to clofe
Her eyes myself, could win me to believe,

More than to fee

ring. Take him away,

[Guards feize Bertram.

My fore-paft proofs, howe'er the matter fall,

Shall tax my fears of little vanity,

Having vainly fear'd too little. Away with him,
We'll fift this matter further.

Ber. If you fhall prove,

This ring was ever hers, you'fhall as eafy
Prove that I hufbanded her bed in Florence,
Where yet The never was. [Exit Bertram guarded,

Enter a Gentleman.*

King. I'm wrap'd in difmal thinkings.

Gent. Gracious Sovereign,

Whether I've been to blame or no, I know not:

Here's a petition from a Florentine,

Who hath for four or five removes come fhort
To tender it herself. I undertook it,
Vanquish'd thereto by the fair grace and fpeech
Of the poor fuppliant, who by this, I know,
Is here attending: her bufinefs looks in her
With an importing vifage, and fhe told me,
In a fweet verbal brief, it did concern
Your Highness with herself.

The King reads a letter.

Upon his many proteftations to marry me, when his wife was dead, I blush to fay it, he won me. Now is the Count Roufillon a widower, his vows are forfeited to me, and my honours paid to him. He ftole from Florence, taking no leave, and I follow him to this country for juftice: grant it me, O King, in you it beft lies; otherwife a feducer flourifhes, and a poor maid is undone.

な

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,

91- To

To bring forth this discov'ry. Seek thefe fuitors?
Go fpeedily, and bring again the Count. quina
Enter Bertram,

I am afraid, the life of Helen (Lady), mi a'sde e
Was foully fnatch'd.

Count, Now juftice on the doersk 29059H

King I wonder, Sir, wives are so monstrous to you, And that you fly them as you fwear to them; -Yet you defire to wed. What woman's that?

Dia. I am, my Lord, a wretched Florentine THT Deriv'd 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 strange 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 give away heav'n's vows, and thofe are mine;
You give away myfelf, which is known mine;
For I by vow am fo embodied yours,

That he, which marries you, muft marry me,
Either both or none.

Laf. Your reputation comes too fhort for my daughter, you are no husband for her. [To Bertram. Ber. My Lord, this is a fond and defp'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, Then in my thought it lies.

Dia. Good my Lord,

Afk him upon his oath; if he does think
He had not my virginity.

King. What fay't 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 fo, 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'th' camp,

If I be one. » 1 LA DONUT%

and

Count. He blushes, and 'tis his :

Of fix preceding ancestors, that gem

(42) Conferr'd by teftament to th' fequent iffue,

Hath it been ow'd and worn.

That ring's a thoufand proofs.

King, Methought, you said,

This is his wife,

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

With all the spots o'th' world, tax'd and debofh'd,

(42) Conferr'd by teftament to th' fubfequent iue,] This is only the reading, I think, of the last editor. I might fay, This in Mr. Pope's tar is a verfe,--to return him one of his civilities: but I'll content myfelf with obferving, that all the genuine copies read;,

Conferr'd' by teftament to th' fequent issue,]

So, before, in this play;

!

Indeed, your O Lord, Sir,------is very fequent to your whisping. So, in Troilus and Creffidy;

But be thou true, fay I, to fashion in
My fequent proteftation:

So, in Hamlet,

By now, the next day?

Was our fea fight and what to this was fequent, non Thou know't already.

And in many other inftances, that might be quoted,

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 distance, and did angle for me,
Madding my eagerness with her reftraint;
As all impediments in fancy's course

Are motives of more fancy: and in tine,
Her infuit coming with her modern grace,
Subdu'd me to her rate: fhe got the rings
And I had that, which any inferior might
At market price have bought.

Dia. I muft be patient:

You, 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. 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 casement.

Dia. I have spoke the truth.

Enter Parolles.

Ber. My Lord, I do confefs, the ring was hers. King.You boggle threwdly, 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 difpleasure of your mafter, Which on your juft proceeding I'll keep off; By him and by this woman here, what know you? Par. So please your Majesty, my mafter hath been an

honourable