Shakespeare's First Folio
Chapter 219 : Wid. I am her Mother sir, whose age and honour Both suffer vnder this complaint we bri

Wid. I am her Mother sir, whose age and honour Both suffer vnder this complaint we bring, And both shall cease, without your remedie

King. Come hether Count, do you know these Women?

Ber. My Lord, I neither can nor will denie, But that I know them, do they charge me further?

Dia. Why do you looke so strange vpon your wife?

Ber. She's none of mine my Lord

Dia. If you shall marrie You giue away this hand, and that is mine, You giue away heauens vowes, and those are mine: You giue away my selfe, which is knowne mine: For I by vow am so embodied yours, That she which marries you, must marrie me, Either both or none

Laf. Your reputation comes too short for my daughter, you are no husband for her

Ber. My Lord, this is a fond and desp'rate creature, Whom sometime I haue laugh'd with: Let your highnes Lay a more n.o.ble thought vpon mine honour, Then for to thinke that I would sinke it heere

Kin. Sir for my thoughts, you haue them il to friend, Till your deeds gaine them fairer: proue your honor, Then in my thought it lies

Dian. Good my Lord, Aske him vpon his oath, if hee do's thinke He had not my virginity

Kin. What saist thou to her?

Ber. She's impudent my Lord, And was a common gamester to the Campe

Dia. He do's me wrong my Lord: If I were so, He might haue bought me at a common price.

Do not beleeue him. O behold this Ring, Whose high respect and rich validitie Did lacke a Paralell: yet for all that He gaue it to a Commoner a'th Campe If I be one

Coun. He blushes, and 'tis. .h.i.t: Of sixe preceding Ancestors that Iemme Confer'd by testament to'th sequent issue Hath it beene owed and worne. This is his wife, That Ring's a thousand proofes

King. Me thought you saide You saw one heere in Court could witnesse it

Dia. I did my Lord, but loath am to produce So bad an instrument, his names Parrolles

Laf. I saw the man to day, if man he bee

Kin. Finde him, and bring him hether

Ros. What of him: He's quoted for a most perfidious slaue With all the spots a'th world, taxt and debosh'd, Whose nature sickens: but to speake a truth, Am I, or that or this for what he'l vtter, That will speake any thing

Kin. She hath that Ring of yours

Ros. I thinke she has; certaine it is I lyk'd her, And boorded her i'th wanton way of youth: She knew her distance, and did angle for mee, Madding my eagernesse with her restraint, As all impediments in fancies course Are motiues of more fancie, and in fine, Her insuite comming with her moderne grace, Subdu'd me to her rate, she got the Ring, And I had that which any inferiour might At Market price haue bought

Dia. I must be patient: You that haue turn'd off a first so n.o.ble wife, May iustly dyet me. I pray you yet, (Since you lacke vertue, I will loose a husband) Send for your Ring, I will returne it home, And giue me mine againe

Ros. I haue it not

Kin. What Ring was yours I pray you?

Dian. Sir much like the same vpon your finger

Kin. Know you this Ring, this Ring was his of late

Dia. And this was it I gaue him being a bed

Kin. The story then goes false, you threw it him Out of a Cas.e.m.e.nt

Dia. I haue spoke the truth.

Enter Parolles.

Ros. My Lord, I do confesse the ring was hers

Kin. You boggle shrewdly, euery feather starts you: Is this the man you speake of?

Dia. I, my Lord

Kin. Tell me sirrah, but tell me true I charge you, Not fearing the displeasure of your master: Which on your iust proceeding, Ile keepe off, By him and by this woman heere, what know you?

Par. So please your Maiesty, my master hath bin an honourable Gentleman. Trickes hee hath had in him, which Gentlemen haue

Kin. Come, come, to'th' purpose: Did hee loue this woman?

Par. Faith sir he did loue her, but how

Kin. How I pray you?

Par. He did loue her sir, as a Gent. loues a Woman

Kin. How is that?

Par. He lou'd her sir, and lou'd her not

Kin. As thou art a knaue and no knaue, what an equiuocall Companion is this?

Par. I am a poore man, and at your Maiesties command

Laf. Hee's a good drumme my Lord, but a naughtie Orator

Dian. Do you know he promist me marriage?

Par. Faith I know more then Ile speake

Kin. But wilt thou not speake all thou know'st?

Par. Yes so please your Maiesty: I did goe betweene them as I said, but more then that he loued her, for indeede he was madde for her, and talkt of Sathan, and of Limbo, and of Furies, and I know not what: yet I was in that credit with them at that time, that I knewe of their going to bed, and of other motions, as promising her marriage, and things which would deriue mee ill will to speake of, therefore I will not speake what I know

Kin. Thou hast spoken all alreadie, vnlesse thou canst say they are maried, but thou art too fine in thy euidence, therefore stand aside. This Ring you say was yours

Dia. I my good Lord

Kin. Where did you buy it? Or who gaue it you?

Dia. It was not giuen me, nor I did not buy it

Kin. Who lent it you?

Dia. It was not lent me neither

Kin. Where did you finde it then?

Dia. I found it not

Kin. If it were yours by none of all these wayes, How could you giue it him?

Dia. I neuer gaue it him