Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Not Peer Reviewed

Two Noble Kinsmen (Quarto, 1634)

The Two Noble Kinsmen.
3300The blissefull dew of heaven do's arowze you.
The powerfull Venus, well hath grac'd her Altar,
And given you your love: Our Master Mars
Hast vouch'd his Oracle, and to Arcite gave
The grace of the Contention: So the Deities
3305Have shewd due justice: Beare this hence.
Pal. O Cosen,
That we should things desire, which doe cost us
The losse of our desire; That nought could buy
Deare love, but losse of deare love.
3310Thes. Never Fortune
Did play a subtler Game: The conquerd triumphes,
The victor has the Losse: yet in the passage,
The gods have beene most equall: Palamon,
Your kinseman hath confest the right o'th Lady
3315Did lye in you, for you first saw her, and
Even then proclaimd your fancie: He restord her
As your stolne Iewell, and desir'd your spirit
To send him hence forgiven; The gods my justice
Take from my hand, and they themselves become
3320The Executioners: Leade your Lady off;
And call your Lovers from the stage of death,
Whom I adopt my Frinds. A day or two
Let us looke sadly, and give grace unto
The Funerall of Arcite, in whose end
3325The visages of Bridegroomes weele put on
And smile with Palamon; for whom an houre,
But one houre since, I was as dearely sorry,
As glad of Arcite: and am now as glad,
As for him sorry. O you heavenly Charmers,
3330What things you make of us? For what we lacke
We laugh, for what we have, are sorry still,
Are children in some kind. Let us be thankefull
For that which is, and with you leave dispute
That are above our question: Let's goe off,
3335And beare us like the time. Florish. Exeunt.
Epilogue