Wid. Come, come, your mocking: we will haue no telling.

Pet. Come on I fay, and firft begin with her.
Wid. She fhall not.

Pet. I fay the fhall, and firft begin with her.

Kate. Fie, fie, vnknit that thretaning vnkinde brow,
And dart not fcornefull glances from thofe eies,
To wound thy Lord, thy King, thy Gouernour.
It blots thy beautie, as frofts doe bite the Meads,
Confounds thy fame, as whirlewinds fhake faire budds,
And in no fence is meete or amiable.

A woman mou'd, is like a fountaine troubled,
Muddie, ill feeming, thicke, bereft of beautie,
And while it is fo, none fo dry or thirstie
Will daigne to fip, or touch one drop of it.
Thy husband is thy Lord, thy life, thy keeper,
Thy head, thy foueraigne : One that cares for thee,
And for thy maintenance. Commits his body
To painfull labour, both by fea and land:
To watch the night in ftormes, the day in cold,
Whil'ft thou ly'ft warme at home, fecure and fafe,
And craues no other tribute at thy hands,
But loue, faire lookes, and true obedience;
Too little payment for fo great a debt.
Such dutie as the fubiect owes the Prince,
Euen fuch a woman oweth to her husband:
And when the is froward, peeuifh, fullen, fowre,
And not obedient to his honeft will,
What is the but a foule contending Rebell,
And graceleffe Traitor to her louing Lord?
I am afham'd that women are fo fimple,

To offer warre, where they should kneele for peace :
Or feeke for rule, fupremacie, and sway,
When they are bound to ferue, loue, and obay.
Why are our bodies foft, and weake, and fmooth,
Vnapt to toyle and trouble in the world,
But that our foft conditions, and our harts,
Should well agree with our externall parts?
Come, come, you froward and vnable wormes,
My minde hath bin as bigge as one of yours,
My heart as great, my reafon haplie more,
To bandie word for word, and frowne for frowne;
But now I fee our Launces are but ftrawes:
Our strength as weake, our weakeneffe paft compare,
That feeming to be moft, which we indeed leaft are.
Then vale your ftomackes, for it is no boote,
And place your hands below your husbands foote:
In token of which dutie, if he please,

My hand is readie, may it do him ease.

Pet. Why there's a wench: Come on, and kiffe mee Kate.

Luc. Well go thy waies olde Lad for thou fhalt ha't.
Vin. Tis a good hearing, when children are toward.
Luc. But a harsh hearing, when women are froward,
Pet. Come Kate, weee'le to bed,

We three are married, but you two are fped.
'Twas I wonne the wager, though you hit the white,
And being a winner, God giue you good night.

Exit Petruchio Horten. Now goe thy wayes, thou haft tam'd a curft Shrow.

Luc.Tis a wonder, by your leaue, fhe wil be tam'd fo.

230

Eneer yong Bertram Count of Roffillion, bis Mother, and Helena, Lord Lafew, all in blacke.

Mother.

N deliuering my fonne from me, I burie a fe

cond husband.

Rof. And I in going Madam, weep ore my fathers death anew;but I must attend his maiefties command, to whom I am now in Ward, euermore in fubiection.

Laf. You shall find of the King a husband Madame, you fir a father. He that fo generally is at all times good, muft of neceffitie hold his vertue to you, whofe worthineffe would stirre it vp where it wanted rather then lack it where there is fuch abundance.

Mo. What hope is there of his Maiefties amendment? Laf. He hath abandon'd his Phifitions Madam, vnder whofe practifes he hath perfecuted time with hope, and finds no other aduantage in the proceffe, but onely the loofing of hope by time.

Mo. This yong Gentlewoman had a father, O that had, how fad a paffage tis, whofe skill was almost as great as his honeftie, had it ftretch'd fo far, would haue made nature immortall, and death fhould haue play for lacke of worke. Would for the Kings fake hee were liuing, I thinke it would be the death of the Kings disease. Laf. How call'd you the man you speake of Madam? Mo. He was famous fir in his profeffion, and it was his great right to be fo: Gerard de Narbon.

Laf. He was excellent indeed Madam, the King very latelie fpoke of him admiringly, and mourningly hee was skilfull enough to haue liu'd ftil, if knowledge could be fet vp against mortallitie.

of?

Rof. What is it (my good Lord) the King languishes

Laf. A Fiftula my Lord.

Rof. I heard not of it before.

Laf. I would it were not notorious. Was this Gentlewoman the Daughter of Gerard de Narbon?

Mo. His fole childe my Lord, and bequeathed to my ouer looking. I haue thofe hopes of her good, that her education promises her difpofitions fhee inherits, which makes faire gifts fairer: for where an vncleane mind carries vertuous qualities, there commendations go with pitty, they arc vertues and traitors too: in her they are the better for their fimpleneffe; the deriues her honeftie,

and atcheeues her goodneffe.

Lafew. Your commendations Madam get from her

teares.

Mo.'Tis the best brine a Maiden can feafon her praise in. The remembrance of her father neuer approches her heart, but the tirrany of her forrowes takes all liuelihood from her cheeke. No more of this Helena, go too, no more least it be rather thought you affect a forrow, then to haue

Hell. I doe affect a forrow indeed, but I haue it too. Laf. Moderate lamentation is the right of the dead, exceffiue greefe the enemie to the liuing.

Mo. If the liuing be enemie to the greefe, the exceffe makes it foone mortall.

Rof. Maddam I defire your holie wishes.

Laf. How vnderstand we that?

Mo. Be thou bleft Bertrame, and fucceed thy father
In manners as in shape: thy blood and vertue
Contend for Empire in thee, and thy goodneffe
Share with thy birth-right. Loue all, truft a few,
Doe wrong to none: be able for thine enemie
Rather in power then vfe: and keepe thy friend
Vnder thy owne lifes key. Be checkt for filence,
But neuer tax'd for fpeech. What heauen more wil,
That thee may furnish, and my prayers plucke downe,
Fall on thy head. Farwell my Lord,
'Tis an vnfeafon'd Courtier, good my Lord
Aduife him.

Laf. He cannot want the best
That shall attend his loue.

Mo. Heauen bleffe him: Farwell Bertram.

Ro. The best wishes that can be forg'd in your thoghts be feruants to you: be comfortable to my mother, your Miftris, and make much of her.

Laf. Farewell prettie Lady, you must hold the credit of your father.

Hell. O were that all, I thinke not on my father,
And these great teares grace his remembrance more
Then those I fhed for him. What was he like?
I haue forgott him. My imagination
Carries no fauour in't but Bertrams.

I am vndone, there is no liuing, none,
If Bertram be away. "Twere all one,
That I fhould loue a bright particuler starre,
And think to wed it, he is fo aboue me
In his bright radience and colaterall light,

Muft

Hel. But he affailes, and our virginitie though valiant, in the defence yet is weak: vnfold to vs fome warlike refiftance.

Par. There is none: Man fetting downe before you, will vndermine you, and blow you vp.

Hel. Bleffe our poore Virginity from vnderminers and blowers vp. Is there no Military policy how Virgins might blow vp men?

Par. Virginity beeing blowne downe, Man will quicklier be blowne vp: marry in blowing him downe againe, with the breach your felues made, you lofe your Citty. It is not politicke, in the Common-wealth of Nature, to preferue virginity. Loffe of Virginitie, is rationall encrease, and there was neuer Virgin goe, till virginitie was first loft. That you were made of, is mettall to make Virgins. Virginitie, by beeing once loft, may be ten times found: by being euer kept, it is euer loft: 'tis too cold a companion: Away with't.

Hel. I will stand for't a little, though therefore I die a Virgin.

Par. There's little can bee faide in't, 'tis against the rule of Nature. To fpeake on the part of virginitie, is to accufe your Mothers; which is moft infallible difobedience. He that hangs himfelfe is a Virgin : Virginitie murthers it felfe, and fhould be buried in highwayes out of all fanctified limit, as a defperate Offendreffe against Nature. Virginitie breedes mites, much like a Cheese, confumes it felfe to the very payring, and fo dies with feeding his owne ftomacke. Befides, Virginitie is peeuifh, proud, ydle, made of felfe-loue, which is the most inhibited finne in the Cannon. Keepe it not, you cannot choose but loose by't. Out with't: within ten yeare it will make it felfe two, which is a goodly increase, and the principall it felfe not much the worse. Away with't.

Hel. How might one do fir, to loofe it to her owne liking?

Par. Let mee fee. Marry ill, to like him that ne're it likes. 'Tis a commodity wil lofe the gloffe with lying: The longer kept, the leffe worth: Off with't while 'tis vendible. Anfwer the time of requeft, Virginitie like an olde Courtier, weares her cap out of fashion, richly futed, but vnfuteable, iuft like the brooch & the toothpick, which were not now your Date is better in your Pye and your Porredge, then in your cheeke: and your virginity, your old virginity, is like one of our French wither'd peares, it lookes ill, it eates drily, marry 'tis a wither'd peare it was formerly better, marry yet 'tis a wither'd peare: Will you any thing with it?

:

Hel. Not my virginity yet:

There fhall your Mafter haue a thousand loues,
A Mother, and a Miftreffe, and a friend,
A Phenix, Captaine, and an enemy,
A guide, a Goddeffe, and a Soueraigne,
A Counsellor, a Traitoreffe, and a Deare:
His humble ambition, proud humility:
His jarring, concord: and his difcord, dulcet:
His faith, his fweet difafter : with a world
Of pretty fond adoptious chriftendomes
That blinking Cupid goffips. Now shall he:
I know not what he fhall, God fend him well,
The Courts a learning place, and he is one.
Par. What one ifaith?

Hel. That I wish well, 'tis pitty.
Par. What's pitty?

Hel. That wishing well had not a body in't,
Which might be felt, that we the poorer borne,
Whose bafer ftarres do fhut vs vp in wishes,
Might vvith effects of them follow our friends,
And fhew what vve alone must thinke, which neuer
Returnes vs thankes.

Enter Page.

Pag. Monfieur Parrolles,

My Lord cals for you.

Par. Little Hellen farewell, if I can remember thee, I will thinke of thee at Court.

Hel. Monfieur Parolles, you were borne vnder a charitable ftarre.

Par. Vnder Mars I.

Hel. I efpecially thinke, vnder Mars.

Par. Why vnder Mars?

Hel. The warres hath fo kept you vnder, that you

muft needes be borne vnder Mars.

Par. When he was predominant.

Hel. When he was retrograde I thinke rather.
Par. Why thinke you fo?

Hel. You go fo much backward when you fight.
Par. That's for aduantage.

Hel. So is running away,

When feare proposes the fafetie:

But the compofition that your valour and feare makes in you, is a vertue of a good wing, and I like the weare well.

Paroll. I am fo full of bufineffes, I cannot answere thee acutely I will returne perfect Courtier, in the which my inftruction fhall ferue to naturalize thee, fo thou wilt be capeable of a Courtiers councell, and vnderstand what aduice fhall thruft vppon thee, elfe thou dieft in thine vnthankfulnes, and thine ignorance makes thee away, farewell: When thou haft leyfure, fay thy praiers when thou haft none, remember thy Friends: V 2

Get

Get thee a good husband, and vfe him as he vses thee:
So farewell.

Hel. Our remedies oft in our felues do lye,
Which we afcribe to heauen: the fated skye
Giues vs free fcope, onely doth backward pull
Our flow defignes, when we our felues are dull.
What power is it, which mounts my loue fo hye,
That makes me fee, and cannot feede mine eye?
The mightieft fpace in fortune, Nature brings
To ioyne like, likes; and kiffe like natiue things.
Impoffible be strange attempts to those

That weigh their paines in fence, and do fuppofe
What hath beene, cannot be. Who euer ftroue
To fhew her merit, that did misse her loue?
(The Kings disease) my proiect may deceiue me,
But my intents are fixt, and will not leaue me.

Flourish Cornets.

Enter the King of France with Letters, and diuers Attendants.

King. The Florentines and Senoys are by th'eares, Haue fought with equall fortune, and continue A brauing warre.

1.Lo.G. So tis reported fir.

King. Nay tis moft credible, we heere receiue it, A certaintie vouch'd from our Cofin Auftria, With caution, that the Florentine will moue vs For fpeedie ayde: wherein our deerest friend Preiudicates the bufineffe, and would feeme To haue vs make deniall.

1.Lo.G. His loue and wifedome Approu'd fo to your Maiefty, may pleade For ampleft credence.

King. He hath arm'd our answer,
And Florence is deni'de before he comes:
Yet for our Gentlemen that meane to fee
The Tufcan feruice, freely haue they leaue
To ftand on either part.

2. Lo. E. It well may ferue

A nurfferie to our Gentrie, who are ficke
For breathing, and exploit.

King. What's he comes heere.

Enter Bertram, Lafew, and Parolles.

1.Lor.G. It is the Count Rofignoll my good Lord, Yong Bertram.

King. Youth, thou bear'ft thy Fathers face, Franke Nature rather curious then in haft Hath well compos'd thee: Thy Fathers morall parts Maift thou inherit too: Welcome to Paris.

Ber. My thankes and dutie are your Maiefties. Kin. I would I had that corporall foundneffe now, As when thy father, and my felfe, in friendship Firft tride our fouldiership : he did looke farre Into the feruice of the time, and was Difcipled of the braueft. He lafted long, But on vs both did haggish Age steale on, And wore vs out of act: It much repaires me To talke of your good father; in his youth He had the wit, which I can well obferue To day in our yong Lords: but they may ieft Till their owne fcorne returne to them vnnoted Ere they can hide their leuitie in honour : So like a Courtier, contempt nor bitternesse

Exit

Were in his pride, or fharpneffe; if they were,
His equall had awak'd them, and his honour
Clocke to it felfe, knew the true minute when
Exception bid him speake: and at this time
His tongue obey'd his hand. Who were below him,
He vs'd as creatures of another place,

Aud bow'd his eminent top to their low rankes,
Making them proud of his humilitie,

In their poore praise he humbled: Such a man
Might be a copie to these yonger times;

Which followed well, would demonstrate them now
But goers backward.

Ber. His good remembrance fir

Lies richer in your thoughts, then on his tombe:
So in approofe liues not his Epitaph,

As in your royall speech.

King. Would I were with him he would alwaies say, (Me thinkes I heare him now) his plaufiue words He scatter'd not in eares, but grafted them

Το
grow there and to beare: Let me not liue,
This his good melancholly oft began
On the Catastrophe and heele of paftime
When it was out: Let me not liue (quoth hee)
After my flame lackes oyle, to be the fnuffe
Of yonger fpirits, whofe apprehenfiue fenfes

All but new things difdaine; whofe iudgements are
Meere fathers of their garments: whofe conftancies
Expire before their fashions: this he wish'd.

I after him, do after him with too:

Since I nor wax nor honie can bring home,

I quickly were diffolued from my hiue

To giue fome Labourers roome.

L.2.E. You'r loued Sir,

Ste. Maddam the care I haue had to euen your content, I wish might be found in the Kalender of my past endeuours, for then we wound our Modeftie, and make foule the clearneffe of our deferuings, when of our felues we publish them.

Coun. What doe's this knaue heere? Get you gone firra: the complaints I haue heard of you I do not all beleeue, 'tis my flowneffe that I doe not: For I know you lacke not folly to commit them, & haue abilitie enough to make fuch knaueries yours.

Clo. "Tis not vnknown to you Madam, I am a poore fellow.

of the rich are damn'd, but if I may haue your Ladiships good will to goe to the world, Isbell the woman and w will doe as we may.

Coun. Wilt thou needes be a begger?

Clo. I doe beg your good will in this cafe.
Cou. In what cafe?

Clo. In Isbels cafe and mine owne: feruice is no heritage, and I thinke I fhall neuer haue the bleffing of God, till I haue iffue a my bodie : for they fay barnes are bleffings.

Cou. Tell me thy reason why thou wilt marrie?

Clo. My poore bodie Madam requires it, I am driuen onby the flesh, and hee must needes goe that the diuell driues.

Cou. Is this all your worships reafon?

Clo. Faith Madam I haue other holie reafons, fuch as they are.

Con. May the world know them?

Clo. I haue beene Madam a wicked creature, as you and all flesh and blood are, and indeede I doe marrie that I may repent.

Cou. Thy marriage fooner then thy wickedneffe. Clo. I am out a friends Madam, and I hope to haue friends for my wiues fake.

Cou. Such friends are thine enemies knaue.

Clo. Y'are fhallow Madam in great friends, for the knaues come to doe that for me which I am a wearie of: he that eres my Land, fpares my teame, and giues mee leaue to Inne the crop if I be his cuckold hee's my drudge; he that comforts my wife, is the cherisher of my flesh and blood; hee that cherishes my flesh and blood, loues my flesh and blood; he that loues my flesh and blood is my friend:ergo, he that kiffes my wife is my friend: if men could be contented to be what they are, there were no feare in marriage, for yong Charbon the Puritan, and old Poyfam the Papift, how fomere their hearts are feuer'd in Religion, their heads are both one, they may ioule horns together like any Deare i'th Herd. Cou. Wilt thou euer be a foule mouth'd and calumnious knaue?

Clo. A Prophet I Madam, and I fpeake the truth the next waie, for I the Ballad will repeate, which men full true fhall finde, your marriage comes by deftinie, your Cuckow fings by kinde.

Cou. Get you gone fir, Ile talke with you more anon. Stew. May it please you Madam, that hee bid Hellen come to you, of her I am to fpeake.

Cou. Sirra tell my gentlewoman I would fpeake with her, Hellen I meane.

Clo. Was this faire face the caufe, quoth fhe,

Why the Grecians facked Troy,

Fond done, done, fond was this King Priams ioy,

With that the fighed as the ftood, bis

And gaue this fentence then, among nine bad if one be good, among nine bad if one be good, there's yet one good in ten.

Cou. What, one good in tenne? you corrupt the fong firra.

Clo. One good woman in ten Madam, which is a pur'fying ath' fong: would God would ferue the world fo all the yeere, weed finde no fault with the tithe woman if I were the Parfon, one in ten quoth a? and wee might haue a good woman borne but ore euerie blazing starre, or at an earthquake, 'twould mend the Lotteriewell, a man may draw his heart out ere a plucke one.

Cou. Youle begone fir knaue, and doe as I command you?

Stew. Madam, I was verie late more neere her then I thinke fhee wifht mee, alone fhee was, and did communicate to her felfe her owne words to her owne eares, fhee thought, I dare vowe for her, they toucht not anie ftranger fence, her matter was, shee loued your Sonne; Fortune thee faid was no goddeffe, that had put fuch difference betwixt their two eftates: Loue no god, that would not extend his might onelie, where qualities were leuell, Queene of Virgins, that would fuffer her poore Knight furpris'd without refcue in the first affault or ranfome afterward: This fhee deliuer'd in the most bitter touch of forrow that ere I heard Virgin exclaime in, which I held my dutie fpeedily to acquaint you withall, fithence in the loffe that may happen, it concernes you fomething to know it.

Cou. You haue difcharg'd this honeftlie, keepe it to your felfe, manie likelihoods inform'd mee of this before, which hung fo tottring in the ballance, that I could neither beleeue nor mifdoubt: praie you leaue mee, stall this in your bofome, and I thanke you for your honeft care: I will fpeake with you further anon. Exit Steward.

Enter Hellen.

Old. Cou. Euen fo it vvas vvith me when I was yong: If euer vve are natures, these are ours, this thorne Doth to our Rofe of youth righlie belong

Our bloud to vs, this to our blood is borne,

It is the show, and feale of natures truth,
Where loues ftrong paffion is impreft in youth,
By our remembrances of daies forgon,

Such were our faults, or then we thought them none,
Her eie is ficke on't, I obferue her now.

Hell. What is your pleasure Madam?

Ol. Cou. You know Hellen I am a mother to you.
Hell. Mine honorable Miftris.

Ol.Cou. Nay a mother, why not a mother? when I fed a mother

Me thought you faw a ferpent, what's in mother,
That you start at it? I fay I am your mother,
And put you in the Catalogue of those
That were enwombed mine, 'tis often feene
Adoption ftriues vvith nature, and choife breedes
A natiue flip to vs from forraine feedes:
You nere oppreft me with a mothers groane,
Yet I expreffe to you a mothers care,
(Gods mercie maiden) dos it curd thy blood
To fay I am thy mother? vvhat's the matter,
That this diftempered meffenger of wet?

V 3

The