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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    Not Peer Reviewed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)

    Scaena 4. A Battaile strooke withim: Then a Retrait: Florish.
    Then Enter Theseus (victor) the three Queenes meete him,
    and fall on their faces before him.
    5601. Qu. To thee no starre be darke.
    2. Qu. Both heaven and earth
    Friend thee for ever.
    3. Qu. All the good that may
    Be wishd upon thy head, I cry Amen too't.
    565Thes. Th'imparciall Gods, who from the mounted hea-(vens
    View us their mortall Heard, behold who erre,
    And in their time chastice: goe and finde out
    The bones of your dead Lords, and honour them
    With treble Ceremonie, rather then a gap
    570Should be in their deere rights, we would suppl'it.
    But those we will depute, which shall invest
    You in your dignities, and even each thing
    Our hast does leave imperfect; So adiew
    And heavens good eyes looke on you, what are those?
    575Exeunt Queenes.
    Herald. Men of great quality, as may be judgd
    By their appointment; Some of Thebs have told's
    They are Sisters children, Nephewes to the King.
    Thes. By'th Helme of Mars, I saw them in the war,
    580Like to a paire of Lions, succard with prey,
    Make lanes in troopes agast. I fixt my note
    Constantly on them; for they were a marke
    Worth
    The Two Noble Kinsmen.
    Worth a god's view: what prisoner was't that told me
    When I enquired their names?
    585Herald. We leave, they'r called
    Arcite and Palamon,
    Thes. Tis right, those, those
    They are not dead?
    Her. Nor in a state of life, had they bin taken
    590When their last hurts were given, twas possible
    3. Hearses rea-
    dy.
    They might have bin recovered; Yet they breathe
    And haue the name of men.
    Thes. Then like men use'em
    The very lees of such (millions of rates)
    595Exceede the wine of others: all our Surgions
    Convent in their behoofe, our richest balmes
    Rather then niggard wast, their lives concerne us,
    Much more then Thebs is worth, rather then have 'em
    Freed of this plight, and in their morning state
    600(Sound and at liberty) I would 'em dead,
    But forty thousand fold, we had rather have 'em
    Prisoners to us, then death; Beare 'em speedily
    From our kinde aire, to them unkinde, and minister
    What man to man may doe for our sake more,
    605Since I have knowne frights, fury, friends, beheastes,
    Loves, provocations, zeale, a mistris Taske,
    Desire of liberty, a feavour, madnes,
    Hath set a marke which nature could not reach too
    Without some imposition, sicknes in will
    610Or wrastling strength in reason, for our Love
    And great Appollos mercy, all our best,
    Their best skill tender. Leade into the Citty,
    Where having bound things scatterd, we will post Florish.
    To Athens for our Army. Exeunt.
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