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To sparkle in the spirits of my daughter,
That she may quickly come.-By my old beard,

[Bertram gives a ring. And every hair that's on't, Helen, that's dead, Was a sweet creature; fuch a ring as this,

a The last time that I took my leave at court, I saw upon her finger.

Ber. Her's it was not.

King. Now, pray you, let me fee it; for mine eye,
While I was speaking, oft was faften'd to't.

This ring was mine; and, when I gave it Helen,
I bade her, if her fortunes ever stood

Neceffity'd to help, that by this token

I would relieve her: Had you that craft, to reave her
Of what should ftead her moft?

Ber. My gracious fovereign,
Howe'er it pleases you to take it so,
The ring was never her's.

Count. Son, on my life,

I have seen her wear it; and the reckon'd it

At her life's rate.

Laf. I am fure, I saw her wear it.

Ber. You are deceiv'd, my lord, she never faw it:
In Florence was it from a casement thrown me,
Wrap'd in a paper, which contain'd the name
Of her that threw it: noble fhe was, and thought

e

I stood ingag'd; but when I had subscrib'd

To mine own fortune, and inform'd her fully,

I could not answer in that course of honour

z To Sparkle in the fpirits of my daughter, that he may quickly come.] -Whole brilliancy may induce my daughter to haften her approach. Thelaft that e'er he took her leave at court.

2

I bade her,]—to know, gave her to understand.

creave]-bereave.

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d

ingag'd;]-difengag'd.

fubfcrib'd to mine own fortune,]-declared my connections.

As

As fhe had made the overture, fhe ceas'd,
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 science,

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: fhe call'd the faints to furety,
That she would never put it from her finger,

Unless she 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 speak'ft it falfely, as I love mine honour; And mak'ft conjectural fears to come into me, Which I would fain fhut out: if it fhould prove That thou art fo inhuman,-'twill not prove fo;— And yet I know not:-thou didst hate her deadly, And she is dead; which nothing, but to close Her eyes myself, could win me to believe, More than to fee this ring.-Take him away.

[Guards feize Bertram.

My fore-past 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 husbanded her bed in Florence,

Where yet she never was.

[Exit Bertram, guarded.

ftinct and multiplying medicine,]-the fecret of the philofopher's ftone; the method of tranfmuting metals into gold.

Enter

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Enter a Gentleman.

King. I am wrap'd in dismal thinkings.

Gent. Gracious fovereign,

Whether I have been to blame, or no, I know not;
Here's a petition from a Florentine,

g

Who had, for four or five removes, come short

To tender it herself. I undertook it,

Vanquish'd thereto by the fair grace and speech
Of the poor fuppliant, who by this, I know,
Is here attending: her business looks in her
With an importing visage; and fhe told me,
In a fweet verbal brief, it did concern
Your highness with herself.

The King reads.

Upon his many proteftations to marry me, when his wife was dead, I blush to say it, he won me. Now is the count Roufillon a widower; his vows are forfeited to me, and my bonour's paid to him. He ftole from Florence, taking no leave, and I follow him to his country for justice: Grant it me, O king; in you it beft lies; otherwife a feducer flourishes, and a poor maid is undone. DIANA CAPULET.

Laf. I will buy me a fon in-law in a fair, and 'toll; For this, I'll none of him.

King. The heavens have thought well on thee, Lafeu, To bring forth this discovery.-Seek these fuitors :Go, fpeedily, and bring again the count.—

Enter Bertram, guarded.

I am afeard, the life of Helen, lady,

removes,]-flages, come short of the time.

h In

a fweet verbal brief,]-In few, but well chofen terms. and toll ;]-enter him in the toll-book, to fhew my title to him. tell for this-ring his knell, consider him as a dead man,

1

Was

Was foully fnatch'd.

Count. Now, juftice on the doers!

King. I wonder, fir, fince wives are monsters to you; And that you fly them as you fwear them lordship, Yet you defire to marry.-What woman's that?

Enter Widow, and Diana.

Dia. I am, my lord, a wretched Florentine, Derived 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, fir, whofe age and honour

Both fuffer under this complaint we bring,

And both fhall 'cease, 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 ftrange 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 heaven's vows, and those are mine;
You give away myself, which is known mine;
For I by vow am fo embody'd yours,

That fhe, which marries you, must marry me,
Either both, or none.

Laf. Your reputation comes too fhort for my daugh

ter, you are no husband for her.

[To Bertram. Ber. My lord, this is a fond and desperate creature, Whom fometimes 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,

lordship,]-protection.

ceafe,]-deceafe, die.

ill to friend,]-ill-disposed to favour you.

'Till your deeds gain them: Fairer prove your honour,

Than 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'ft 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 refpect, and "rich validity,
Did lack a parallel; yet, for all that,
it to a commoner o'the camp,

He gave

If I be one.

Count. He blushes, and 'tis it:

Of fix preceding ancestors, that gem

Conferr'd by teftament to the fequent iffue,

Hath it been ow'd, and worn. This is his wife
That ring's a thousand proofs.

King. Methought you faid,

You faw one here in court could witnefs it.

Dia. I did, my lord, but loth 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 slave,

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With all the spots o'the world tax'd and debosh'd;

rich validity,]-great value.

• quoted]-noted, branded.

"A fellow by the hand of nature mark'd,
Quoted, and fign'd, to do a deed of shame."
KING JOHN, A&t IV, Sc. 2. K. John.

debob'd;]-debauch'd.

VOL. II.

Hh

Whofe

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