The Two Noble Kinsmen | Page 3

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This etext was prepared by Christopher Hapka, Sunnyvale, CA.
THE TWO NOBLE KINSMEN
A NOTE ON THE TEXT:
The text of this Project Gutenberg edition is taken from C. F. Tucker

Brooke's 1908 edition of THE SHAKESPEARE APOCRYPHA. Italics
have been silently removed in most places, as for proper names, and
replaced with ALL CAPS or bracketed text where appropriate.
THE TWO NOBLE KINSMEN:
Presented at the Blackfriers
by the Kings Maiesties servants,
with
great applause:
Written by the memorable Worthies of their time;
Mr. John Fletcher, Gent., and
Mr. William Shakspeare, Gent.
Printed at London by Tho. Cotes, for John Waterson:
and are to be
sold at the signe of the Crowne
in Pauls Church-yard. 1634.
(The Persons represented in the Play.
Hymen,
Theseus,
Hippolita, Bride to Theseus
Emelia, Sister to
Theseus
[Emelia's Woman],
Nymphs,
Three Queens,
Three
valiant Knights,
Palamon, and
Arcite, The two Noble Kinsmen, in
love with fair Emelia
[Valerius],
Perithous,
[A Herald],
[A
Gentleman],
[A Messenger],
[A Servant],
[Wooer],
[Keeper],

Jaylor,
His Daughter, in love with Palamon
[His brother],
[A
Doctor],
[4] Countreymen,
[2 Friends of the Jaylor],
[3 Knights],

[Nel, and other]
Wenches,
A Taborer,
Gerrold, A
Schoolmaster.)
PROLOGVE.
[Florish.]
New Playes, and Maydenheads, are neare a kin,
Much follow'd both,
for both much mony g'yn,
If they stand sound, and well: And a good
Play
(Whose modest Sceanes blush on his marriage day,
And shake
to loose his honour) is like hir

That after holy Tye and first nights stir


Yet still is Modestie, and still retaines
More of the maid to sight,
than Husbands paines;
We pray our Play may be so; For I am sure

It has a noble Breeder, and a pure,
A learned, and a Poet never went

More famous yet twixt Po and silver Trent:
Chaucer (of all admir'd)
the Story gives,
There constant to Eternity it lives.
If we let fall the
Noblenesse of this,
And the first sound this child heare, be a hisse,

How will it shake the bones of that good man,
And make him cry
from under ground, 'O fan
From me the witles chaffe of such a
wrighter
That blastes my Bayes, and my fam'd workes makes lighter

Then Robin Hood!' This is the feare we bring;
For to say Truth, it
were an endlesse thing,
And too ambitious, to aspire to him,
Weake
as we are, and almost breathlesse swim
In this deepe water. Do but
you hold out
Your helping hands, and we shall take about,
And
something doe to save us: You shall heare
Sceanes, though below his
Art, may yet appeare
Worth two houres travell. To his bones sweet
sleepe:
Content to you. If this play doe not keepe
A little dull time
from us, we perceave
Our losses fall so thicke, we must needs leave.
[Florish.]
Actus Primus.
[Scaena 1.] (Athens. Before a temple.)
[Enter Hymen with a Torch burning: a Boy, in a white Robe before
singing, and strewing Flowres: After Hymen, a Nimph, encompast in

her Tresses, bearing a wheaten Garland. Then Theseus betweene two
other Nimphs with wheaten Chaplets on their heades. Then Hipolita the
Bride, lead by Pirithous, and another holding a Garland over her head
(her Tresses likewise hanging.) After her Emilia holding up her Traine.
(Artesius and Attendants.)]
The Song, [Musike.]
Roses their sharpe spines being gon,
Not royall in their smels alone,

But in their hew.
Maiden Pinckes, of odour faint,
Dazies

smel-lesse, yet most quaint
And sweet Time true.
Prim-rose first borne child of Ver,
Merry Spring times Herbinger,

With her bels dimme.
Oxlips, in their Cradles growing,
Mary-golds,
on death beds blowing,
Larkes-heeles trymme.
All deere natures children sweete,
Ly fore Bride and Bridegroomes
feete, [Strew Flowers.]
Blessing their sence.
Not an angle of the
aire,
Bird melodious, or bird faire,
Is