Both suffer under this complaint we bring, King. Come hither, count; Do you know these women? But that I know them: Do they charge me further? Dia. If you shall marry, You give away this hand, and that is mine; You give away heaven's vows, and those are mine; That she, which marries you, must marry me, 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 gamestert 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,+ Count. He blushes, and 'tis it: Of six preceding ancestors, that gem Conferr'd by testament to the sequent issue, King. Methought, you said, You saw one here in court could witness it. He's quoted § for a most perfidious slave, With all the spots o' the world tax'd and debosh'd; || * Decease. † A common woman. + Value. § Noted. #Debauched. Whose nature sickens, but* to speak a truth: King. She hath that ring of yours. Ber. I think, she has: certain it is, I liked her, Dia. I must be patient; You, that turn'd off a first so noble wife, (Since you lack virtue, I will lose a husband), Ber. I have it not. King. What ring was yours, I pray you? The same upon your finger. King. Know you this ring? this ring was his of late. Out of a casement. Dia. I have spoke the truth. Enter PAROLLES. Ber. My lord, I do confess, the ring was hers. Dia. Ay, my lord. King. Tell me, sirrah, but, tell me true, I 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 hath been an honourable gentleman; tricks he hath had in him, which gentlemen have. King. Come, come, to the purpose: Did he love this woman? Par. 'Faith, Sir, he did love her; But how? King. How, I pray you? Par. He did love her, Sir, as a gentleman loves a woman. Par. He loved her, Sir, and loved her not. King. As thou art a knave, and no knave: What an equivocal companion || is this? * Only. + Love. # Attractions, though these were not extraordinary. Fellow. Par. I am a poor man, and at your majesty's command. 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* in thy evidence: therefore stand aside. This ring, you say, was yours? Dia. Ay, my good 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 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. To prison with her: and away with him. Unless thou tell'st me where thou hadst this ring, 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 customer.† Dia. By Jove, if ever I knew man, 'twas you. King. Wherefore hast thou accused him all this while? He knows, I am no maid, and he'll swear to't: Great king, I am no strumpet, by my life; I am either maid, or else this old man's wife. [Pointing to LAFEU. The jeweller, that owest the ring, is sent for, [Exit WIDOW. * Owns. Though yet he never harm'd me, here I quit him: Re-enter WIDOW, with HELENA. King. Is there no exorcist Beguiles the truer office of mine eyes? Hel. No, my good lord; "Tis but the shadow of a wife you see, The name, and not the thing. Ber. Both, both, O pardon! Hel. O, my good lord, when I was like this maid, 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, Advancing. The king's a beggar, now the play is done: [TO DIANA. [Flourish. That you express content; which we will pay, [Exeunt. HOSTESS, PAGE, PLAY- the Induc ERS, HUNTSMEN, and (tion. other SERVANTS at tending on the LORD, BAPTISTA, a rich Gentleman of PEDANT, an old Fellow set up to personate Vincentio. Daugh VINCENTIO, an old Gentleman of KATHARINA, the Shrew,ters to Pisa. LUCENTIO, Son to Vincentio, in love with Bianca. PETRUCHIO, a Gentleman of Verona, a Suitor to Katharina. BIANCA, her Sister, WIDOW. TAILOR, HABERDASHER, and SERVANTS attending on BAPTISTA and PETRUCHIO. SCENE.-Sometimes in PADUA; and sometimes in Petruchio's House in the Country. CHARACTERS IN THE INDUCTION To the original Play of The Taming of a Shrew, entered on the Stationers' books in 1594, and printed in quarto, in 1607. SCENE.-Athens; and sometimes Ferando's Country House. |