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Two Noble Kinsmen (Quarto, 1634)

Author: William Shakespeare
Not Peer Reviewed
445
Scæna 3.
Enter Pirithous, Hipolita, Emilia.
Pir. No further.
Hip. Sir farewell; repeat my wishes
To our great Lord, of whose succes I dare not
Make any timerous question, yet I wish him
450Exces, and overflow of power, and't might be
To dure ill-dealing fortune; speede to him,
Store never hurtes good Gouernours.
Pir. Though I know
His Ocean needes not my poore drops, yet they
455Must yeild their tribute there: My precious Maide,
Those best affections, that the heavens infuse
In their best temperd peices, keepe enthroand
In your deare heart.
Emil. Thanckes Sir; Remember me
460To our all royall Brother, for whose speede
The great Bellona ile sollicite; and
Since in our terrene State petitions are not
Without giftes understood: Ile offer to her
What I shall be advised she likes; our hearts
465Are in his Army, in his Tent.
Hip. In's bosome:
We have bin Soldiers, and wee cannot weepe
When our Friends don their helmes, or put to sea,
Or tell of Babes broachd on the Launce, or women
470That have sod their Infants in (and after eate them)
The brine, they wept at killing 'em; Then if
You stay to see of us such Spincsters, we
Should hold you here for ever.
Pir. Peace be to you
475As I pursue this war, which shall be then
Beyond further requiring.
Exit Pir.
Emil. How his longing
Followes his Friend; since his depart, his sportes
Though craving seriousnes, and skill, past slightly
480His careles execution, where nor gaine
Made him regard, or losse consider, but
Playing ore busines in his hand, another
Directing in his head, his minde, nurse equall
To these so diffring Twyns; have you observ'd him,
485Since our great Lord departed?
Hip. With much labour:
And I did love him fort, they two have Cabind
In many as dangerous, as poore a Corner,
Perill and want contending, they have skift
490Torrents whose roring tyranny and power
I'th least of these was dreadfull, and they have
Fought out together, where Deaths-selfe was lodgd,
Yet fate hath brought them off: Their knot of love
Tide, weau'd, intangled, with so true, so long,
495And with a finger of so deepe a cunning
May be out worne, never undone. I thinke
Theseus cannot be umpire to himselfe
Cleaving his conscience into twaine, and doing
Each side like Iustice, which he loves best.
500Emil. Doubtlesse
There is a best, and reason has no manners
To say it is not you: I was acquainted
Once with a time, when I enjoyd a Play-fellow;
You were at wars, when she the grave enrichd,
505Who made too proud the Bed, tooke leave o'th Moone
(which then lookt pale at parting) when our count
Was each a eleven.
Hip. Twas Flauia.
Emil. Yes
510You talke of Pirithous and Theseus love;
Theirs has more ground, is more maturely seasond,
More buckled with strong Iudgement. and their needes
The one of th'other may be said to water
2. Hearses rea-dy with Pala-mon: and Arci{_}te: the 3. Queenes. Thes{e}us: and his Lordes ready.
Their intertangled rootes of love, but I
515And shee (I sigh and spoke of) were things innocent,
Lou'd for we did, and like the Elements
That know not what, nor why, yet doe effect
Rare issues by their operance; our soules
Did so to one another; what she lik'd,
520Was then of me approov'd, what not condemd
No more arraignement, the flowre that I would plncke
And put betweene my breasts, oh (then but beginning
To swell about the blossome) she would long
Till shee had such another, and commit it
525To the like innocent Cradle, where Phenix like
They dide in perfume: on my head no toy
But was her patterne, her affections (pretty
Though happely, her careles, were, I followed
For my most serious decking, had mine eare
530Stolne some new aire, or at adventure humd on
From misicall Coynadge, why it was a note
Whereon her spirits would sojourne (rather dwell on)
And sing it in her slumbers; This rehearsall
(Which fury-innocent wots well) comes in
535Like old importments bastard, has this end,
That the true love tweene Mayde, and mayde, may be
More then in sex individuall.
Hip. Y'are ont of breath
And this high speeded-pace, is but to say
540That you shall never (like the Maide Flavina)
Love any that's calld Man.
Emil. I am sure I shall not.
Hip. Now alacke weake Sister,
I must no more beleeve thee in this point
545(Though, in't I know thou dost beleeve thy selfe,)
Then I will trust a sickely appetite,
That loathes even as it longs; but sure my Sister
If I were ripe for your perswasion, you
Have saide enough to shake me from the Arme
550Of the all noble Theseus, for whose fortunes,
I will now in, and kneele with great assurance,
That we, more then his Pirothous, possesse
The high throne in his heart.
Emil. I am not against your faith,
555Yet I continew mine.
Exeunt.
Cornets.