Dia. I must be patient:

You, that turn'd off a first so noble wife,

May juftly diet me.

I pray you yet,

(Since you lack virtue, I will lofe a husband.)
Send for your ring, I will return it home,
And give me mine again.

Ber. I have it not.

King. What ring was yours, I pray you ? Dia. Sir, much like the fame upon your finger. King. Know you this ring this ring was his of late. Dia. And this was it I gave him, being a-bed. King. The story then goes falfe, you threw it him Out of a cafement.

Dia. I have spoke the truth.

SCENE VI.

Enter Parolles.

Ber. My Lord, I do confefs, the ring was hers.
King. You boggle fhrewdly, every feather ftarts
you!

Is this the man you fpeak of?

Dia. It is, my Lord.

King. Tell me, Sirrah, but tell me true, I charge

you,

Not fearing the difpleafure of your mafter, Which on your juft proceeding I'll keep off; By him and by this woman here, what know you? Par. So please your Majefty, my master hath been an honourable Gentleman. Tricks he hath had in him, which Gentlemen have.

King. Come, come, to the purpofe; did he love this Woman?

Par. 'Faith, Sir, he did love her; but how?

King. How, I pray you

?

Par. He did love her, Sir, as a Gentleman loves a Woman.

King. How is that ?

Par. He lov'd her, Sir, and lov'd her not.

King. As thou art a knave; and no knave; what an equivocal companion is this?

Par.

Par. I am a poor man, and at your Majefty's Com

mand.

Laf. He's a good drum, my Lord, but a naughty Orator.

:

Dia. Do you know, he promis'd me marriage? Par. 'Faith, I know no more than I'll speak. King. But wilt thou not speak all thou know'ft? Par. Yes, fo please your Majefty. I did go between them, as I faid; but more than that, he loved her for, indeed, he was mad for her, and talk'd of Satan, and of limbo, and of furies, and I know not what? yet I was in that credit with them at that time, that I knew of their going to bed, and of other motions, as promifing her marriage, and things that would derive me ill-will to fpeak of; therefore I will not speak what I know.

King. Thou haft fpoken all already, unless thou canst fay they are married, but thou art too fine in thy evidence; therefore ftand afide. This ring, you fay, was yours?

Dia. Ay, my good Lord.

King. Where did you buy it? or who gave it you?
Dia. It was not given me, nor did I buy it.
King. Who lent it you ?

Dia. It was not lent me neither,

King. Where did you find it then?

Dia. I found it not.

King. If it were yours by none of all these ways, How could you give it him?

Dia. I never gave it him.

Laf. This woman's an eafy glove, my Lord, the goes off and on at pleasure.

King. This ring was mine, I gave it his first wife.
Dia. It might be yours, or hers, for aught I know.
King. Take her away, I do not like her now;

To prifon with her and away with him.
Unless thou tell'ft me where thou hadft this ring,

Thou dieft within this hour.

Dia. I'll never tell you.

King. Take her away.

Dia. I'll put in bail, my Liege.

King. I think thee now fome common customer.

M 4

Dia.

Dia. By Jove, if ever I knew man, 'twas you. King. Wherefore haft thou accus'd him all this while ? Dia. Because he's guilty, and he is not guilty; He knows, I am no maid, and he'll fwear to't; I'll fwear, I am a maid, and he knows not. Great King, I am no ftrumpet, by my life; I'm either maid, or elfe this old man's wife.

[Pointing to Lafeu. King. She does abufe our ears; to prifon with her. Dia. Gcod mother, fetch my bail. Stay, royal Sir, [Exis Widow.

[To Bert.

The jeweller, that owns the ring, is fent for,
And he fhall furety me. But for this Lord,
Who hath abus'd me, as he knows himself,
Tho' yet he never harm'd me, here I quit him.
(7) He knows, himself, my bed he hath defil'd,
And at that time he got his wife with child;
Dead, tho' fhe be, the feels her young one kick:
So there's my riddle; one, that's dead, is quick.
And now behold the meaning.

Enter Helena and Widow.

King. Is there no Exorcist (8)

Beguiles the truer office of mine eyes?
Is't real, that I fee?

Hel. No, my good Lord,

'Tis but a fhadow of a wife you fee, The name, and not the thing.

Ber. Both, both; oh pardon!

Hal. Oh, my good Lord, when I was like this maid, I found you wond'rous kind; there is your ring, And look you, here's your letter: : this it fays, When from my finger you can get this ring,

(7) He knows bimfelf, &c.] This dialogue is too long, ince the audience already knew the whole tranfaction; nor is there any reafon for puzzling the king and playing with his paffons; but it was much eafier than to make a pathetical interview between Helen and her husband, her mother, and the king. Exorcift-] This word is ufed not very properly for en

(8)

chanter.

And

And are by me with child, &c. This is done.
Will you be mine, now you are doubly won?

Ber. If the, my Liege, can make me know this clearly,

I'll love her dearly, ever, ever dearly.

Hel. If it appear not plain, and prove untrue,
Deadly divorce ftep between me and you!
O, my dear mother, do I see you living?

[To the Countess.

Laf. Mine eyes fmell onions, I fhall weep anon: Good Tom Drum, lend me a handkerchief, [To Parolles. So, I thank thee, wait on me home. I'll make fport with thee let thy courtefies alone, they are fcurvy

ones..

King. Let us from point to point this ftory know,
To make the even truth in pleafure flow:

If thou beeft yet a fresh uncropped flower, [To Diana.
Chufe thou thy husband, and I'll pay thy dower;
For I can guefs, that, by thy honeft aid,
Thou kept'ft a wife harfelf, thyself a maid.
Of that and all the progrefs more and lefs,
Refolvedly more leifure fhall express:

All yet feems well; and if it end fo meet,

The bitter paft, more welcome is the fweet. [Exeunt.

Spoken by the KING.

THE King's a beggar now the play is done:
All is well ended, if this fuit be won,

That you express content; which we will pay,
With frife to please you, day exceeding day.

* Ours be your patience then, and yours our parts ;
Your gentle bands lend us, and take our hearts.

Ours le your patience then, and yours our parts,] The meaning is: Grant us then your patience; hear us without interruption. And take our parts; that is fupport and defend us.

This play has many delightful scenes, though not fufficiently probable, and fome happy characters, though not new, nor produced by any deep knowledge of human nature. Parolles is a boafter and a coward, fuch as has always been the sport of the ftage, but perhaps never raised more laughter or contempt than in the hands of Shakespeare.

I cannot reconcile my heart to Bertram; a man noble without generofity, and young without truth; who marries Helen as a coward, and leaves her as a profligate when she is dead by his unkindness, fneaks home to a fecond marriage, is accufed by a woman whom he has wronged, defends himself by falfhood, and is dimmiffed to happiness.

The ftory of Bertram and Diana had been told before of Mariana and Angelo, and, to confefs the truth, scarcely merited to be heard a fecond time.

The ftory is copied from a novel of Boccace, which may be read in Shak Speare Illuftrated, with remarks not more favourable to Bertram than my own.

THE