Whom sometime I haue laugh'd with: Let your highnes
Lay a more noble thought vpon mine honour,
Then for to thinke that I would sinke it heere
Kin. Sir for my thoughts, you haue them il to friend,
Till your deeds gaine them fairer: proue your honor,
Then in my thought it lies
Dian. Good my Lord,
Aske him vpon his oath, if hee do's thinke
He had not my virginity
Kin. What saist thou to her?
Ber. She's impudent my Lord,
And was a common gamester to the Campe
Dia. He do's me wrong my Lord: If I were so,
He might haue bought me at a common price.
Do not beleeue him. O behold this Ring,
Whose high respect and rich validitie
Did lacke a Paralell: yet for all that
He gaue it to a Commoner a'th Campe
If I be one
Coun. He blushes, and 'tis hit:
Of sixe preceding Ancestors that Iemme
Confer'd by testament to'th sequent issue
Hath it beene owed and worne. This is his wife,
That Ring's a thousand proofes
King. Me thought you saide
You saw one heere in Court could witnesse it
Dia. I did my Lord, but loath am to produce
So bad an instrument, his names Parrolles
Laf. I saw the man to day, if man he bee
Kin. Finde him, and bring him hether
Ros. What of him:
He's quoted for a most perfidious slaue
With all the spots a'th world, taxt and debosh'd,
Whose nature sickens: but to speake a truth,
Am I, or that or this for what he'l vtter,
That will speake any thing
Kin. She hath that Ring of yours
Ros. I thinke she has; certaine it is I lyk'd her,
And boorded her i'th wanton way of youth:
She knew her distance, and did angle for mee,
Madding my eagernesse with her restraint,
As all impediments in fancies course
Are motiues of more fancie, and in fine,
Her insuite comming with her moderne grace,
Subdu'd me to her rate, she got the Ring,
And I had that which any inferiour might
At Market price haue bought
Dia. I must be patient:
You that haue turn'd off a first so noble wife,
May iustly dyet me. I pray you yet,
(Since you lacke vertue, I will loose a husband)
Send for your Ring, I will returne it home,
And giue me mine againe
Ros. I haue it not
Kin. What Ring was yours I pray you?
Dian. Sir much like the same vpon your finger
Kin. Know you this Ring, this Ring was his of late
Dia. And this was it I gaue him being a bed
Kin. The story then goes false, you threw it him
Out of a Casement
Dia. I haue spoke the truth.
Enter Parolles.
Ros. My Lord, I do confesse the ring was hers
Kin. You boggle shrewdly, euery feather starts you:
Is this the man you speake of?
Dia. I, my Lord
Kin. Tell me sirrah, but tell me true I charge you,
Not fearing the displeasure of your master:
Which on your iust proceeding, Ile keepe off,
By him and by this woman heere, what know you?
Par. So please your Maiesty, my master hath bin an
honourable Gentleman. Trickes hee hath had in him,
which Gentlemen haue
Kin. Come, come, to'th' purpose: Did hee loue this
woman?
Par. Faith sir he did loue her, but how
Kin. How I pray you?
Par. He did loue her sir, as a Gent. loues a Woman
Kin. How is that?
Par. He lou'd her sir, and lou'd her not
Kin. As thou art a knaue and no knaue, what an equiuocall
Companion is this?
Par. I am a poore man, and at your Maiesties command
Laf. Hee's a good drumme my Lord, but a naughtie
Orator
Dian. Do you know he promist me marriage?
Par. Faith I know more then Ile speake
Kin. But wilt thou not speake all thou know'st?
Par. Yes so please your Maiesty: I did goe betweene
them as I said, but more then that he loued her, for indeede
he was madde for her, and talkt of Sathan, and of
Limbo, and of Furies, and I know not what: yet I was in
that credit with them at that time, that I knewe of their
going to bed, and of other motions, as promising her
marriage, and things which would deriue mee ill will to
speake of, therefore I will not speake what I know
Kin. Thou hast spoken all alreadie, vnlesse thou canst
say they are maried, but thou art too fine in thy euidence,
therefore stand aside. This Ring you say was yours
Dia. I my good Lord
Kin. Where did you buy it? Or who gaue it you?
Dia. It was not giuen me, nor I did not buy it
Kin. Who lent it you?
Dia. It was not lent me neither
Kin. Where did you finde it then?
Dia. I found it not
Kin. If it were yours by none of all these wayes,
How could you giue it him?
Dia. I neuer gaue it him
Laf. This womans an easie gloue my Lord, she goes
off and on at pleasure
Kin. This Ring was mine, I gaue it his first wife
Dia. It might be yours or hers for ought I know
Kin. Take her away, I do not like her now,
To prison with her: and away with him,
Vnlesse thou telst me where thou hadst this Ring,
Thou diest within this houre
Dia. Ile neuer tell you
Kin. Take her away
Dia. Ile put in baile my liedge
Kin. I thinke thee now some common Customer
Dia. By Ioue if euer I knew man 'twas you
King. Wherefore hast thou accusde him al this while
Dia. Because he's guiltie, and he is not guilty:
He knowes I am no Maid, and hee'l sweare too't:
Ile sweare I am a Maid, and he knowes not.
Great King I am no strumpet, by my life,
I am either Maid, or else this old mans wife
Kin. She does abuse our eares, to prison with her
Dia. Good mother fetch my bayle. Stay Royall sir,
The Ieweller that owes the Ring is sent for,
And he shall surety me. But for this Lord,
Who hath abus'd me as he knowes himselfe,
Though yet he neuer harm'd me, heere I quit him.
He knowes himselfe my bed he hath defil'd,
And at that time he got his wife with childe:
Dead though she be, she feeles her yong one kicke:
So there's my riddle, one that's dead is quicke,
And now behold the meaning.
Enter Hellen and Widdow.
Kin. Is there no exorcist
Beguiles the truer Office of mine eyes?
Is't reall that I see?
Hel. No my good Lord,
'Tis but the shadow of a wife you see,
The name, and not the thing
Ros. Both, both, O pardon
Hel. Oh my good Lord, when I was like this Maid,
I found you wondrous kinde, there is your Ring,
And looke you, heeres your letter: this it sayes,
When from my finger you can get this Ring,
And is by me with childe, &c. This is done,
Will you be mine now you are doubly wonne?
Ros. If she my Liege can make me know this clearly,
Ile loue her dearely, euer, euer dearly
Hel. If it appeare not plaine, and proue vntrue,
Deadly diuorce step betweene me and you.
O my deere mother do I see you liuing?
Laf. Mine eyes smell Onions, I shall weepe anon:
Good Tom Drumme lend me a handkercher.
So I thanke thee, waite on me home, Ile make sport with
thee: Let thy curtsies alone, they are scuruy ones
King. Let vs from point to point this storie know,
To make the euen truth in pleasure flow:
If thou beest yet a fresh vncropped flower,
Choose thou thy husband, and Ile pay thy dower.
For I can guesse, that by thy honest ayde,
Thou keptst a wife her selfe, thy selfe a Maide.
Of that and all the progresse more and lesse,
Resoluedly more leasure shall expresse:
All yet seemes well, and if it end so meete,
The bitter past, more welcome is the sweet.
Flourish.
The Kings a Begger, now the Play is done,
All is well ended, if this suite be wonne,
That you expresse Content: which we will pay,
With strife to please you, day exceeding day:
Ours be your patience then, and yours our parts,
Your gentle hands lend vs, and take our hearts.
Exeunt. omn.
FINIS.