Two Noble Kinsmen (Quarto, 1634)
Not Peer Reviewed
The Two Noble Kinsmen.
¶The common Streame, twold bring us to an Edy
¶Where we should turne or drowne; if labour through,
¶Our gaine but life, and weakenes.
325Pal. Your advice
¶Is cride up with example: what strange ruins
¶Since first we went to Schoole, may we perceive
¶Walking in Thebs? Skars, and bare weedes
¶The gaine o'th Martialist, who did propound
330To his bold ends, honour, and golden Ingots,
¶Which though he won, he had not, and now flurted
¶By peace for whom he fought, who then shall offer
335Resume her ancient fit of Ielouzie
¶To get the Soldier worke, that peace might purge
¶For her repletion, and retaine anew
¶Her charitable heart now hard, and harsher
¶Then strife, or war could be.
340Arcite, Are you not out?
¶Meete you no ruine, but the Soldier in
¶The Cranckes, and turnes of Thebs? you did begin
¶As if you met decaies of many kindes:
¶Perceive you none, that doe arowse your pitty
345But th'un-considerd Soldier?
¶Pal. Yes, I pitty
¶That sweating in an honourable Toyle
¶Are paide with yce to coole 'em.
350Arcite, Tis not this
¶I did begin to speake of: This is vertue
¶How dangerous if we will keepe our Honours,
¶It is for our resyding, where every evill
355Hath a good cullor; where eve'ry seeming good's
¶A certaine evill, where not to be ev'n Iumpe
¶As they are, here were to be strangers, and
¶Such things to be meere Monsters.
C
Pal.