992haue heere: sure they are bastards to the English, the

993French nere got em.

994La You are too young, too happie, and too good

995To make your selfe a sonne out of my blood.

9964.Lord Faire one, I thinke not so.

997Ol. Lord There's one grape yet, I am sure thy father

998drunke wine. But if thou be'st not an asse, I am a youth

999of fourteene: I haue knowne thee already.

1000Hel I dare not say I take you, but I giue

1001Me and my seruice, euer whilst I liue

1002Into your guiding power: This is the man.

1003King Why then young Bertram take her shee's thy

1004wife.

1005Ber My wife my Leige? I shal beseech your highnes

1006In such a busines, giue me leaue to vse

1007The helpe of mine owne eies.

1008King Know'st thou not Bertram what shee ha's

1009done for mee?

1010Ber Yes my good Lord, but neuer hope to know

1011why I should marrie her.

1012King Thou know'st shee ha's rais'd me from my sick-

1013ly bed.

1014Ber But followes it my Lord, to bring me downe

1015Must answer for your raising? I knowe her well:

1016Shee had her breeding at my fathers charge:

1017A poore Physitians daughter my wife? Disdaine

1018Rather corrupt me euer.

1019King Tis onely title thou disdainst in her, the which

1020I can build vp: strange is it that our bloods

1021Of colour, waight, and heat, pour'd all together,

1022Would quite confound distinction: yet stands off

1023In differences so mightie. If she bee

1024All that is vertuous (saue what thou dislik'st)

1025A poore Phisitians daughter, thou dislik'st

1026Of vertue for the name: but doe not so:

1027From lowest place, whence vertuous things proceed,

1028The place is dignified by th' doers deede.

1029Where great additions swell's, and vertue none,

1030It is a dropsied honour. Good alone,

1031Is good without a name? Vilenesse is so:

1032The propertie by what is is, should go,

1033Not by the title. Shee is young, wise, faire,

1034In these, to Nature shee's immediate heire:

1035And these breed honour: that is honours scorne,

1036Which challenges it selfe as honours borne,

1037And is not like the sire: Honours thriue,

1038When rather from our acts we them deriue

1039Then our fore-goers: the meere words, a slaue

1040Debosh'd on euerie tombe, on euerie graue:

1041A lying Trophee, and as oft is dumbe,

1042Where dust, and damn'd obliuion is the Tombe.

1043Of honour'd bones indeed, what should be saide?

1044If thou canst like this creature, as a maide,

1045I can create the rest: Vertue, and shee

1046Is her owne dower: Honour and wealth, from mee.

1047Ber I cannot loue her, nor will striue to doo't.

1048King Thou wrong'st thy selfe, if thou shold'st striue

1049to choose.

1050Hel That you are well restor'd my Lord, I'me glad:

1051Let the rest go.

1052King My Honor's at the stake, which to defeate

1053I must produce my power. Heere, take her hand,

1054Proud scornfull boy, vnworthie this good gift,

1055That dost in vile misprision shackle vp

1056My loue, and her desert: that canst not dreame,

1057We poizing vs in her defectiue scale,

1058Shall weigh thee to the beame: That wilt not know,

1059It is in Vs to plant thine Honour, where

1060We please to haue it grow. Checke thy contempt:

1061Obey Our will, which trauailes in thy good:

1062Beleeue not thy disdaine, but presentlie

1063Do thine owne fortunes that obedient right

1064Which both thy dutie owes, and Our power claimes,

1065Or I will throw thee from my care for euer

1066Into the staggers, and the carelesse lapse

1067Of youth and ignorance: both my reuenge and hate

1068Loosing vpon thee, in the name of iustice,

1069Without all termes of pittie. Speake, thine answer.

1070Ber Pardon my gracious Lord: for I submit

1071My fancie to your eies, when I consider

1072What great creation, and what dole of honour

1073Flies where you bid it: I finde that she which late

1074Was in my Nobler thoughts, most base: is now

1075The praised of the King, who so ennobled,

1076Is as 'twere borne so.

1077King Take her by the hand,

1078And tell her she is thine: to whom I promise

1079A counterpoize: If not to thy estate,

1080A ballance more repleat.

1081Ber I take her hand.

1082Kin Good fortune, and the fauour of the King

1083Smile vpon this Contract: whose Ceremonie

1084Shall seeme expedient on the now borne briefe,

1085And be perform'd to night: the solemne Feast

1086Shall more attend vpon the coming space,

1087Expecting absent friends. As thou lou'st her,

1088Thy loue's to me Religious: else, do's erre. Exeunt

1091Laf Do you heare Monsieur? A word with you.

1092Par Your pleasure sir.

1093Laf Your Lord and Master did well to make his re-

1094cantation.

1095Par Recantation? My Lord? my Master?

1096Laf I: Is it not a Language I speake?

1097Par A most harsh one, and not to bee vnderstoode

1098without bloudie succeeding. My Master?

1099Laf Are you Companion to the Count Rosillion

1100Par To any Count, to all Counts: to what is man.

1101Laf To what is Counts man: Counts maister is of

1102another stile.

1103Par You are too old sir: Let it satisfie you, you are

1104too old.

1105Laf I must tell thee sirrah, I write Man: to which

1106title age cannot bring thee.

1107Par What I dare too well do, I dare not do.

1108Laf I did thinke thee for two ordinaries: to bee a

1109prettie wise fellow, thou didst make tollerable vent of

1110thy trauell, it might passe: yet the scarffes and the ban-

1111nerets about thee, did manifoldlie disswade me from be-

1112leeuing thee a vessell of too great a burthen. I haue now

1113found thee, when I loose thee againe, I care not: yet art

1114thou good for nothing but taking vp, and that th'ourt

1115scarce worth.

1116Par Hadst thou not the priuiledge of Antiquity vp-

1117on thee.

1118Laf Do not plundge thy selfe to farre in anger, least

1119thou hasten thy triall: which if, Lord haue mercie on

1120thee for a hen, so my good window of Lettice fare thee

1121well, thy casement I neede not open, for I look through

1122thee. Giue me thy hand.

1123Par My Lord, you giue me most egregious indignity.