The Two Noble Kinsmen | Page 8

faith; yet I continew mine. [Exeunt. Cornets.]
Scaena 4. (A field before Thebes. Dead bodies lying on the ground.)
[A Battaile strooke within: Then a Retrait: Florish. Then
Enter
Theseus (victor), (Herald and Attendants:) the three Queenes meete
him, and fall on their faces before him.]
0. QUEEN.
To thee no starre be darke.
2. QUEEN.

Both heaven and earth
Friend thee for ever.
3. QUEEN.
All the good that may
Be wishd upon thy head, I cry Amen too't.
THESEUS.
Th'imparciall Gods, who from the mounted heavens
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
Should be in their deere rights,
we would supply't.
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? [Exeunt Queenes.]
HERALD.
Men of great quality, as may be judgd
By their appointment; Sone of
Thebs have told's
They are Sisters children, Nephewes to the King.
THESEUS.
By'th Helme of Mars, I saw them in the war,
Like to a paire of Lions,
smeard with prey,
Make lanes in troopes agast. I fixt my note

Constantly on them; for they were a marke
Worth a god's view: what
prisoner was't that told me
When I enquired their names?
HERALD.
Wi'leave, they'r called Arcite and Palamon.
THESEUS.
Tis right: those, those. They are not dead?

HERALD.
Nor in a state of life: had they bin taken,
When their last hurts were
given, twas possible [3. Hearses ready.]
They might have bin
recovered; Yet they breathe
And haue the name of men.
THESEUS.
Then like men use 'em.
The very lees of such (millions of rates)

Exceede the wine of others: all our Surgions
Convent in their behoofe;
our richest balmes
Rather then niggard, waft: their lives concerne us

Much more then Thebs is worth: rather then have 'em
Freed of this
plight, and in their morning state
(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,

Since 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
Or 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(e) our Army [Exeunt. Musicke.]
Scaena 5. (Another part of the same.)
[Enter the Queenes with the Hearses of their Knightes, in a Funerall
Solempnity, &c.]
Vrnes and odours bring away,
Vapours, sighes, darken the day;
Our
dole more deadly lookes than dying;
Balmes, and Gummes, and
heavy cheeres,
Sacred vials fill'd with teares,
And clamors through
the wild ayre flying.
Come all sad and solempne Showes,
That are quick-eyd pleasures

foes;
We convent nought else but woes.
We convent, &c.
3. QUEEN.
This funeral path brings to your housholds grave:
Ioy ceaze on you
againe: peace sleepe with him.
2. QUEEN.
And this to yours.
0. QUEEN.
Yours this way: Heavens lend
A thousand differing waies to one sure
end.
3. QUEEN.
This world's a Citty full of straying Streetes,
And Death's the market
place, where each one meetes. [Exeunt severally.]
Actus Secundus.
Scaena 1. (Athens. A garden, with a prison in the background.)
[Enter Iailor, and Wooer.]
IAILOR.
I may depart with little, while I live; some thing I may cast to you, not
much: Alas, the Prison I keepe, though it be for great ones, yet they
seldome come; Before one Salmon, you shall take a number of
Minnowes. I am given out to be better lyn'd then it can appeare to me
report is a true Speaker: I would I were really that I am deliverd to be.
Marry, what I have (be it what it will)
I will assure upon my daughter
at the day of my death.
WOOER.

Sir, I demaund no more then your owne offer, and I will estate your

Daughter in what I have promised.
IAILOR.
Wel, we will talke more of this, when the solemnity is past. But have
you a full promise of her? When that shall be seene, I tender
my
consent.
[Enter Daughter.]
WOOER.
I have Sir; here shee comes.
IAILOR.
Your Friend and I have chanced to name you here, upon the old busines:
But no more of that now; so soone as the Court hurry is over, we will
have an end of it: I'th meane time looke
tenderly to the two Prisoners.
I can tell you they are princes.
DAUGHTER.
These strewings are for their Chamber; tis pitty they are in prison,

and twer pitty they should be out: I doe thinke they have
patience
to
make any adversity asham'd; the prison it selfe is