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He gave it to a commoner o' th' camp,
If I be one.

Count. He blufhes, and 'tis his :
Of fix preceding ancestors, that gemm
Conferr'd by teftament to th' fequent iffue,
Hath fo been ow'd and worn.

That ring's a thousand proofs.

King. Methought you faid

This is his wife,

You faw one here in Court could witness 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 flave,
With all the fpots o'th' world tax'd and debosh'd,
Whofe nature fickens 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 the has; certain it is I lik'd her,
And boarded her i' th' wanton way of youth:
She knew her diftance, and did angle for me,
Mading my eagernefs with her restraint;
As all impediments in fancy's courfe
Are motives of more fancy: and in fine,
Her in fuit coming with her modern grace,
Subdu'd me to her rate: fhe got the ring,
And I had that which any inferior might
At market-price have bought.

Dia. I much be patient!

You that turn'd off a firft fo noble wife,
May juftly diet me. I pray you yet,

(Since you lack virtue, I will lofe a husband,)
Send for your ring, I will return this home,

And give me mine again.

Ber. I have it not.

King. What ring was yours, I pray you?

Dia. Much like that fame upon your finger, Sir.
King. Know you this ring? this ring was his of late.

Dia. And this was it I gave him, being a-bed. King. The ftory then goes falfe, you threw it him Out of a cafement.

Dia. I have spoke the truth.

SCENE VI. Enter Parolles.

'Ber. My Lord, I do confefs the ring was hers.
King. You boggle fhrewdly, every feather starts you:
Is this the man you speak of?

Dia. It is, my Lord.

King. Tell me, but tell me true, firrah, I charge you, Not fearing the displeasure of your mafter,

Which on your juft proceeding I'll keep off;

By him, and by this woman here, what know you?

Par. So please your Majefty, my mafter hath been an honourable gentleman. Tricks he hath had in him, which gentlemen have.

King. Come, come, to the purpofe; did he love this

woman?

Par. 'Faith, Sir, he did love her, but how!

King. How, I pray you?

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 Majefty'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'ft? Par. Yes, fo please your Majefty. I did go between them, as I faid; 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 fpeak of; therefore I will not speak what I know.

King. Thou haft fpoken all already, unless thou canft fay

they

they are married; but thou art too fine in thy evidence therefore ftand afide. This ring, you fay, 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.

3

Laf. This woman's an eafie glove, my Lord, she goes off and on at pleafure.

King. This ring was mine, I gave it his first wife.
Dia. It might be yours, or hers, for ought I know,
King. Take her away, I do not like her now;
To prifon with her and away with him.

Unless thou tell'ft me where thou hadft this ring,
Thou dieft within this hour.

Dia. I'll never tell you.

King. Take her away.

Dia. I'll put in bail, my Liege.

King, I think thee now fome common cuftomer?
Dia. By Jove, if ever I knew man, 'twas you. [To Lafeu.
King, Wherefore haft thou accus'd him all this while?
Dia. Because he is guilty, and he is not guilty;

He knows I am no maid, and he'll fwear to't ;
I'll fwear I am a maid, and he knows not.
Great King, I am no ftrumpet, by my life;
I'm either maid, or else this old man's wife.

[Pointing to Lafeu,
King. She does abuse our ears; to prifon with her.
Dia. Good mother, fetch my bail.

Stay, royal Sir,
[Exit Widow.

The jeweller that owes the ring is fent for,
And he fhall furety me. But for this Lord,
Who hath abus'd me, as he knows himself,
Tho' yet he never harm'd me, here I quit him.

[To Bert.

He knows himself my bed he hath defil'd,
And at that time he got his wife with child
Dead tho' fhe be, the feels her young one kick
So there's my riddle, one that's dead is quick.
And now behold the meaning.

Enter Helena and Widow.

King. Is there no exorcist

Beguiles the truer office of mine eyes?
Is't real that I fee?

Hel. No, my good Lord,

'Tis but the fhadow of a wife you fee, The name, and not the thing.

Ber. Both, both; oh, pardon!

Hel. Oh, my good Lord, when I was like this maid
I found you wond'rous kind; there is your ring,
And look you, here's your letter: this it fays,
When from my finger you can get this ring,

And are by me with child, &c. This now is done.
Will you be mine, now you are doubly won?

Ber. If fhe, 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 ftep between me and

you !

O, my dear mother, do I fee you living? [To the Countess. Laf. Mine eyes fmell onions, I fhall weep anon:

Now, good Tom Drum, lend me a handkerchief, [To Parolles. So, 'thank thee, wait on me home. I'll make fport with

thee:

Let thy courtefies alone, they are fcurvy ones.

King. Let us from point to point this story know,
To make the even truth in pleasure flow!
If thou beeft yet a fresh uncropped flower,

Chufe thou thy hufband, and I'll pay thy dower;
For I can guess that by thy honeft aid

Thou kept'ft a wife her felf, thy felf a maid.
Of that and all the progrefs more and lefs,
Refolvedly more leifure fhall exprefs:
All yet feems well, and if it end fo meet,
The bitter paft, more welcome is the sweet.

[To Diana.

[Exeunt,

EPILOGUE.

T

Spoken by the KING.

HE King's a beggar, now the play be done :
All is well Ended, if this fuit be won,
That you express content; which we will pay,
With ftrife to please you, day exceeding day;
Ours be your patience then, and yours our parts,
Your gentle bands lend us, and take our bearts.

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