King. Thou speak'st it falsely, as I love mine honour; And mak'ft conject'ral fears to come into me, Which I would fain shut out; if it should prove That thou art so inhuman - 'twill not prove fo And yet I know not - thou didst hate her deadly, And she is dead; which nothing, but to clofe 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 shall prove,

This ring was ever hers, you shall as eafie
Prove that I husbanded her bed in Florence,

Where yet she never was.

Exit Bertram guarded.

Enter a Gentleman.

King. I'm wrap'd in dismal thinkings.

Gent. Gracious Sovereign,

Whether I've been to blame or no, I know not:
Here's a petition from a Florentine,
Who hath 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 she told me,
In a sweet verbal brief, it did concern
Your Highness with herself.

The King reads a letter.

Upon his many protestations 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 honour's paid to him. He stole from Florence, taking no leave, and I follow him to this country for justice: grant it me, O King, in you it best lyes; otherwise a seducer flourishes, and a poor maid is undone. Diana Capulet. Laf.

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

King. The heavens have thought well on thee, Lafeu, To bring forth this discov'ry. Seek these suitors: Go speedily, and bring again the Count.

Enter Bertram.

I am afraid, the life of Helen (lady)
Was foully snatch'd.

Count. Now justice on the doers!

King. I wonder, Sir, wives are so monstrous to you, And that you fly them as you swear to them; Yet you defire to wed. 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, Sir, whose age and honour

Both suffer under this complaint we bring,
And both shall cease without your remedy.

King. Come hither, Count; do you know these wo

men?

Ber. My Lord, I neither can, nor will, deny But that I know them; do they charge me further ? Dia. Why do you look so strange 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 heav'n's vows, and those are mine;
You give away myself, which is known mine;
For I by vow am so embodied yours,

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

Laf. Your reputation comes too short for my daugh

ter, you are no husband for her.

[To Bertram.

Ber. My Lord, this is a fond and desp'rate creature, Whom sometime I have laugh'd with: let your High

nefs

Lay

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,

'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'it 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 refspect and rich validity
Did lack a parallel: yet for all that,
He gave it to a commoner o'th' camp,
If I be one.

Count. He blushes, and 'tis his:
Of fix preceding ancestors, that gemm
Conferr'd by Testament to th' sequent issue,
Hath it been ow'd and worn. This is his wife,
That ring's a thousand proofs.

King. Methought, you faid,

You saw one here in Court could witness it.
Dia. I did, my Lord, but loth 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.
Ber. What of him?

He's quoted for a most perfidious flave,

With all the spots o'th' world tax'd and debosh'd,
Which nature fickens with: but to speak 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,

And boarded her i'th' wanton way of youth:
She knew her distance, and did angle for me,

Madding

Madding my eagerness with her restraint;
As all impediments in fancy's course
Are motives of more fancy: and in fine,
Her infuit coming with her modern grace,
Subdu'd me to her rate: she got the ring;
And I had That, which any inferior might
At market-price have bought.

Dia. I must be patient :
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, I pray you?
Dia. Sir, much like the fame upon your finger.
King. Know you this ring? this ring was his of late.
Dia. And this was it I gave him, being a-bed.

King. The story then goes false, you threw it him

Out of a casement.

Dia. I have spoke the truth.

Enter Parolles.

Ber. My Lord, I do confess, the ring was hers. King. You boggle shrewdly, every feather starts

you!

Is this the man you speak of?

Dia. It is, 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 mafter 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.

Par. He did love her, Sir, as a Gentleman loves a Woman.

King. How is that?

Par. He lov'd her, Sir, and lov'd 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.

Dia. Do you know, he promis'd 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 between them, as I said; but more than that, he lov'd her: for, indeed, he was mad for her, and talk'd 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 promifing 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 did I 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 easie glove, my Lord, the

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.