Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. Two Noble Kinsmen (1634 Edition)
Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library
|
Table of Contents for this work | | All on-line databases | Etext Center Homepage |
Scene iv
3171: Scaena 4. Enter Palamon and his Knightes pyniond: Iaylor,
3172:
3173:
Palamon.
Speech prefix not in Q
3174: Ther's many a man alive, that hath out liv'd
3175: The love o'th people, yea i'th selfesame state
3176: Stands many a Father with his childe; some comfort
3177: We have by so considering: we expire
3178: And not without mens pitty. To live still,
3179: Have their good wishes, we prevent
3180: The loathsome misery of age, beguile,
3181: The Gowt and Rheume, that in lag howres attend
3182: For grey approachers; we come towards the gods
3183: Yong, and unwrapper'd not, halting under Crymes
3184: Many and stale: that sure shall please the gods
3185: Sooner than such, to give us Nectar with 'em,
3186: For we are more cleare Spirits. My deare kinsemen.
3187: Whose lives (for this poore comfort) are laid downe,
3188: You have sould 'em too too cheape.
3189:
1. K.
What ending could be
3190: Of more content? ore us the victors have
3191: Fortune, whose title is as momentary,
3192: As to us death is certaine: A graine of honour
3193: They not o're-weigh us.
3194:
2.K.
Let us bid farewell;
3195: And with our patience, anger tottring Fortune,
3196: Who at her certain'st reeles.
3197:
3.K.
Come? who begins?
3198:
Pal.
Ev'n he that led you to this Banket, shall
3199: Taste to you all: ah ha my Friend, my Friend,
3200: Your gentle daughter gave me freedome once;
3201: You'l see't done now for ever: pray how do'es she?
3202: I heard she was not well; her kind of ill
3203: Gave me some sorrow.
3204:
Iaylor.
Sir she's well restor'd,
3205: And to be marryed shortly.
3206:
Pal.
By my short life
3207: I am most glad on't; Tis the latest thing
3208: I shall be glad of, pre'thee tell her so:
3209: Commend me to her, and to peece her portion
3210: Tender her this.
3211:
1.K.
Nay lets be offerers all.
3212:
2.K.
Is it a maide?
3213:
Pal.
Verily I thinke so,
3214: A right good creature, more to me deserving
3215: Then I can quight or speake of.
3216:
All K.
Commend us to her. [ They give their purses.]
3217:
Iaylor.
The gods requight you all,
3218: And make her thankefull.
3219:
Pal.
Adiew; and let my life be now as short,
3220: As my leave taking. [ Lies on the Blocke.]
3221:
1.K.
Leade couragious Cosin.
3222:
1.2.K.
Wee'l follow cheerefully.
3223: [ A great noise within crying, run, save hold:]
3224: [ Enter in hast a Messenger.]
3225:
Mess.
Hold, hold, O hold, hold, hold.
3226: [ Enter Pirithous in haste.]
3227:
Pir.
Hold hoa: It is a cursed hast you made
3228: If you have done so quickly: noble Palamon,
3229: The gods will shew their glory in a life
3230: That thou art yet to leade.
3231:
Pal.
Can that be,
3232: When Venus I have said is false? How doe things fare?
3233:
Pir.
Arise great Sir, and give the tydings eare
3234: That are most early sweet, and bitter.
3235:
Pal.
What
3236: Hath wakt us from our dreame?
3237:
Pir.
List then: your Cosen
3238: Mounted upon a Steed that Emily
3239: Did first bestow on him, a blacke one, owing
3240: Not a hayre worth of white, which some will say
3241: Weakens his price, and many will not buy
3242: His goodnesse with this note: Which superstition
3243: Heere findes allowance: On this horse is Arcite
3244: Trotting the stones of Athens, which the Calkins
3245: Did rather tell, then trample; for the horse
3246: Would make his length a mile, if't pleas'd his Rider
3247: To put pride in him: as he thus went counting
3248: The flinty pavement, dancing as t'wer to'th Musicke
3249: His owne hoofes made; (for as they say from iron
3250: Came Musickes origen) what envious Flint,
3251: Cold as old Saturne, and like him possest
3252: With fire malevolent, darted a Sparke
3253: Or what feirce sulphur else, to this end made,
3254: I comment not; the hot horse, hot as fire
3255: Tooke Toy at this, and fell to what disorder
3256: His power could give his will, bounds, comes on end,
3257: Forgets schoole dooing, being therein traind,
3258: And of kind mannadge, pig-like he whines
3259: At the sharpe Rowell, which he freats at rather
3260: Then any jot obaies; seekes all foule meanes
3261: Of boystrous and rough Iadrie, to dis-seate
3262: His Lord, that kept it bravely: when nought serv'd,
3263: When neither Curb would cracke, girth breake nor diffring (plunges
3264:
3265: He kept him tweene his legges, on his hind hoofes
3266: on end he stands
3267: That Arcites leggs being higher then his head
3268: Seem'd with strange art to hang: His victors wreath
3269: Even then fell off his head: and presently
3270: Backeward the Iade comes ore, and his full poyze
3271: Becomes the Riders loade: yet is he living,
3272: But such a vessell tis, that floates but for
3273: The surge that next approaches: he much desires
3274: To have some speech with you: Loe he appeares.
3275:
3276:
3277: The gods are mightie Arcite, if thy heart,
3278: Thy worthie, manly heart be yet unbroken:
3279: Give me thy last words, I am Palamon,
3280: One that yet loves thee dying.
3281:
Arc.
Take Emilia
3282: And with her, all the worlds joy: Reach thy hand,
3283: Farewell: I have told my last houre; I was false,
3284: Yet never treacherous: Forgive me Cosen:
3285: One kisse from faire Emilia: Tis done:
3286: Take her: I die.
3287:
Pal.
Thy brave soule seeke Elizium.
3288:
3289:
3290: Thou art a right good man, and while I live,
3291: This day I give to teares.
3292:
Pal.
And I to honour.
3293:
Thes.
In this place first you fought: ev'n very here
3294: I sundred you, acknowledge to the gods
3295: Our thankes that you are living:
3296: His part is playd, and though it were too short
3297: He did it well: your day is lengthned, and,
3298: The blissefull dew of heaven do's arowze you.
3299: The powerfull Venus, well hath grac'd her Altar,
3300: And given you your love: Our Master Mars
3301: Hast vouch'd his Oracle, and to Arcite gave
3302: The grace of the Contention: So the Deities
3303: Have shewd due justice: Beare this hence.
3304:
Pal.
O Cosen,
3305: That we should things desire, which doe cost us
3306: The losse of our desire; That nought could buy
3307: Deare love, but losse of deare love.
3308:
Thes.
Never Fortune
3309: Did play a subtler Game: The conquerd triumphes,
3310: The victor has the Losse: yet in the passage,
3311: The gods have beene most equall: Palamon,
3312: Your kinesman hath confest the right o'th Lady
3313: Did lye in you, for you first saw her, and
3314: Even then proclaimd your fancie: He restord her
3315: As your stolne Iewell, and desir'd your spirit
3316: To send him hence forgiven; The gods my justice
3317: Take from my hand, and they themselves become
3318: The Executioners: Leade your Lady off;
3319: And call your Lovers from the stage of death,
3320: Whom I adopt my Frinds. A day or two
3321: Let us looke sadly, and give grace unto
3322: The Funerall of Arcite, in whose end
3323: The visages of Bridegroomes weele put on
3324: And smile with Palamon; for whom an houre,
3325: But one houre since, I was as dearely sorry,
3326: As glad of Arcite: and am now as glad,
3327: As for him sorry. O you heavenly Charmers,
3328: What things you make of us? For what we lacke
3329: We laugh, for what we have, are sorry still,
3330: Are children in some kind. Let us be thankefull
3331: For that which is, and with you leave dispute
3332: That are above our question: Let's goe off,
3333: And beare us like the time. [ Florish. Exeunt.]
[Epilogue]
3334: EPILOGVE.
3335: I would now aske ye how ye like the Play,
3336: But as it is with Schoole Boyes, cannot say,
3337: I am cruell fearefull: pray yet stay a while,
3338: And let me looke upon ye: No man smile?
3339: Then it goes hard I see; He that has
3340: Lov'd a yong hansome wench then, show his face:
3341: Tis strange if none be heere, and if he will
3342: Against his Conscience let him hisse, and kill
3343: Our Market: Tis in vaine, I see to stay yee,
3344: Have at the worst can come, then; Now what say ye?
3345: And yet mistake me not: I am not bold
3346: We have no such cause. If the tale we have told
3347: (For tis no other) any way content ye)
3348: (For to that honest purpose it was ment ye)
3349: We have our end; and ye shall have ere long
3350: I dare say many a better, to prolong
3351: Your old loves to us: we, and all our might,
3352: Rest at your service, Gentlemen, good night.
3353: [ Florish.]
3354: FINIS