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  • Title: Two Noble Kinsmen (Quarto, 1634)

    • Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Two Noble Kinsmen (Quarto, 1634)

    445Scaena 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
    That
    The Two Noble Kinsmen.
    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.
    C3 Hip.
    The Two Noble Kinsmen.
    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.
    Theseus: 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
    The Two Noble Kinsmen.
    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.
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