Well, call him

We are reconcil'd, and the first view shall kill
All repetition"; Let him not ask our pardon;
The nature of his great offence is dead,
And deeper than oblivion do we bury

The incensing relicks of it: let him approach,
A stranger, no offender; and inform him,
So 'tis our will he should.
Gent.

I shall, my liege. [Exit Gentleman. King. What says he to your daughter? have you spoke?

Laf. All that he is hath reference to your highness. King. Then shall we have a match. I have letters sent me,

That set him high in fame.

Laf.

Enter BERTRAM.

He looks well on't. King. I am not a day of season*, For thou mayst see a sunshine and a hail In me at once: But to the brightest beams Distracted clouds give way; so stand thou forth, The time is fair again.

Ber.

My high repented blames, Dear sovereign, pardon to me. King. All is whole; Not one word more of the consumed time. Let's take the instant by the forward top; For we are old, and on our quick'st decrecs The inaudible and noiseless foot of time Steals ere we can effect them: You remember The daughter of this lord?

Ber. Admiringly, my liege: at first I stuck my choice upon her, ere my heart Durst make too bold a herald of my tongue : Where the impression of mine eye infixing, Contempt his scornful perspective did lend me, Which warp'd the line of every other favour; Scorn'd a fair colour, or express'd it stol'n; Extended or contracted all proportions, To a most hideous object: Thence it came, That she, whom all men prais'd, and whom myself, Since I have lost, have lov'd, was in mine eye The dust that did offend it.

King. Well excus'd: That thou didst love her, strikes some scores away From the great compt: But love, that comes too late, Like a remorseful pardon slowly carried, To the great sender turns a sour offence, Crying, That's good that's gone: our rash faults i. e. Of uninterrupted rain.

3 Recollection

Make trivial price of serious things we have,
Not knowing them, until we know their grave:
Oft our displeasures, to ourselves unjust,
Destroy our friends, and after weep their dust:
Our own love waking cries to see what's done,
While shameful hate sleeps out the afternoon.
Be this sweet Helen's knell, and now forget her.
Send forth your amorous token for fair Maudlin:
The main consents are had; and here we'll stay
To see our widower's second marriage-day.

Count. Which better than the first, O dear heaven, bless!

Or, ere they meet, in me, O nature, cease!
Laf. Come on, my son, in whom my house's name
Must be digested, give a favour from you,
To sparkle in the spirits of my daughter,
That she may quickly come. By my old beard,
And every hair that's on't, Helen, that's dead,
Was a sweet creature; such a ring as this,
The last that e'er I took her leave at court,
I saw upon her finger.

-

Hers it was not.

Ber.
King. Now, pray you let me see it; for mine eye,
While I was speaking, oft was fasten'd to't. —
This ring was mine; and, when I gave it Helen,
I bade her, if her fortunes ever stood
Necessitied to help, that by this token

I would relieve her: Had you that craft, to reave her
Of what should stead her most?
Ber.

My gracious sovereign,
Howe'er it pleases you to take it so,
The ring was never hers.

Count.

I have seen her wear it; At her life's rate.

Son, on my life, and she reckon'd it

Laf. I am sure, I saw her wear it. Ber. You are deceiv'd, my lord, she never saw it: In Florence was it from a casement thrown me, Wrapp'd in a paper, which contain'd the name Of her that threw it: noble she was, and thought I stood ingag'd 5: but when I had subscrib'd To mine own fortune, and inform'd her fully, I could not answer in that course of honour As she had made the overture, she ceas'd, In heavy satisfaction, 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, Confess 'twas hers, and by what rough enforcement You got it from her: she call'd the saints to surety, That she would never put it from her finger, Unless she gave it to yourself in bed, (Where you have never come) or sent it us Upon her great disaster.

Ber.

She never saw it. King. Thou speak'st it falsely, as I love mine honour;

And mak'st conjectural fears to come into me,
Which I would fain shut out: If it should prove
That thou art so inhuman, 'twill not prove so;
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 see this ring. - Take him away.
[Guards seize BERTRAM.
The philosopher's store

In the sense of unengaged.

-

Gracious sovereign,

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

Who hath for four or five removes 7, come short
To tender it herself. I undertook it,
Vanquish'd thereto by the fair grace and speech
Of the poor suppliant, who by this, I know,
Is here attending: her business looks in her
With an important visage; and she told me,
In a sweet verbal brief, it did concern
Your highness with herself.

King. [Reads.] Upon his many protestations to marry me, when his wife was dead, I blush to say it, he won me. Now is the count Rousillon a widower; his vows are forfeited to me, and my honour's paid to him. He stole from Florence, taking no leave, and I follow him to his country for justice: Grant it me, O king; in you it best lies; otherwise a seducer flourishes, and a poor maid is undone.

DIANA CAPULET. Laf. I will buy me a son-in-law in a fair, and toll him 8: for this, I'll none of him.

King. The heavens have thought well on thee, Lafeu,

To bring forth this discovery.-Seek these suitors:Go, speedily, and bring again the count.

[Exeunt Gentleman, and some attendants. I am afeard, the life of Helen, lady, Was foully snatch'd.

Count.

Now, justice on the doers! Enter BERTRAM, guarded.

King. I wonder, sir, since wives are monsters to

For I by vow am so embodied yours,
That she, which marries you, must marry me,
Either both, or none.

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:

nour,

Than in my thought it lies! Dia.

Fairer prove your ho

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 gamester 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,
Did lack a parallel; yet, for all that,
He gave it to a commoner o' the camp,
If I be one.

Count. He blushes, and 'tis it: Of six preceding ancestors, that gem Conferr'd by testament to the sequent issue, Hath it been ow'd and worn. This is his wife; That ring's a thousand proofs. King.

Ber.

Methought, you said,

You saw one here in court could witness it.
Dia. I did, my lord, but loath am to produce
So bad an instrument; his name's Parolles.
Laf. I saw the man to-day, if man he be.
King. Find him, and bring him hither.
What of him?
He's quoted 2 for a most perfidious slave,
With all the spots o' the world tax'd and debosh'd 3;
Whose nature sickens, but to speak a 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, she has: certain it is, I lik'd her.
She knew her distance, and did angle for me,
Madding my eagerness with her restraint,
As all impediments in fancy's 4 course
Are motives of more fancy; and, in fine,
Her insuit coming with her modern grace 5,
Subdued me to her rate: she got the ring;
And I had that, which any inferior might
At market-price have bought.

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, Dia.

The same upon your finger.

pray you? Sir, much like

1 Gamester, when applied to a female, then meant a common

woman.

I have spoke the truth.

Enter PAROlles.

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.

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 accus'd him all this while?

Dia. Because he's guilty, and he is not guilty; He knows I am no maid, and he'll swear to't. I'll swear I am a maid, and he knows not. Great king, I am no strumpet, by my life; I am either maid, or else this old man's wife. [Pointing to Lafeu. King. She does abuse our ears; to prison with her. Dia. Good mother, fetch my bail. Stay, royal sir; [Exit Widow. The jeweller, that owes 6 the ring, is sent for, And he shall surety me. But for this lord, Who hath abus'd me, as he knows himself, Though yet he never harm'd me, here I quit him: He thinks himself, my bed he hath defil'd; But 'twas his wife who then became with child: And now behold the meaning.

woman.

King. How is that?

Par. He loved her, sir, and loved her not. King. As thou art a knave, and no knave: What an equivocal companion is this?

Par. I am a poor man, and at your majesty's command.

Laf. He's a good drum my lord, but a naughty

orator.

be

Dia. Do you know, he promised me marriage? Par. 'Faith, I know more than I'll speak. King. But wilt thou not speak all thou know'st? Par. Yes, so please your majesty; I did go tween 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.

Dia.

It was not lent me neither. King. Where did you find it then? 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. King. Take her away, I do not like her now; To prison with her, and away with him. Unless thou tell'st me where thou hadst this ring, Thou diest within this hour.

Is't real, that I see?
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,
I found you wondrous kind. There is your ring,
And, look you, here's your letter; This it says,
When from my finger you can get this ring,
And are by me with child, &c. This is done :
Will you be mine, now you are doubly won?
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, To make the even truth in pleasure flow:If thou be'st yet a fresh uncropped flower,