I cannot tell why thou, my girl, shouldʼst joy

2.1.2524In my advancement thus. Honour and place

2.1.3525Bring sullen thoughts with them; business of such

2.1.4526A ragged quality as takes away

2.1.5527The amorous garb, those soft wanton touches

2.1.6Wherewith the youthful flatterer betrays

2.1.7529The weaker side of action, whose effects

2.1.8530More weakness brings. I shall no leisure have

2.1.9531To comfort thee with smiles. When ʼtis assigned

2.1.10532That I must venture for a boy, ʼtwill be

2.1.11533In haste. My business will not suffer me

2.1.12534To stay and make a prologue to the act,

2.1.13535To kiss, or simper invitation.

It is not fit I apprehend you now.

2.1.15537But I wish that you would know: my duty

2.1.16538Is so well preserved from all corruption,

2.1.17539Which either youth or foul example might

2.1.18540Produce, that it implores for sufferance

2.1.19541To certify the world how strong it is.

I was assured before. This is the time

2.1.21543In which I shall oblige posterity

2.1.22544Of fall, my wench, by flattering error:

2.1.23545Hast thou to my sister counsel given?

2.1.24546Instructions safe, Whereby her actions

2.1.25547May warrant her promotion well deserved?

It was my tongueʼs last employment.

I would have her wear her growing fortunes

2.1.28550In a handsome fashion. Do but observe

2.1.29551The unpolished garb of city dames – of those

2.1.30552Whom fathersʼ purse-strings hoist up to honour –

2.1.31553How they do suck their chins into their necks,

2.1.32554Simper with unskilful levity, and trip

2.1.33555On their wanton toes like kibe-heeled fairies.

2.1.34556The devilʼs dam shows like a vestal nun

2.1.35557To them, more powerful in humility.

2.1.36558Instruct my sister, gentle wife.

I shall be earnest to my utmost skill.

[Noticing Lucio] My Lord is come. Whereʼs my sister?

With the Florentine who instructeth her in music.

Signor Foreste,

2.1.41563You see my love is rude and bold: I am

2.1.42564The usher to my own entrance.

My good lord, the proverb will persuade you

2.1.44566To be bold with whatʼs your own.

2.1.45567Your titleʼs strong, both to the house and me.

I am in debt for both. Wilt thou not chide

2.1.47569To see my heart assume this liberty

2.1.48570Upon my tongue, before it rightly knows

2.1.49571Thy sisterʼs heart? 572The Dukeʼs consent as yet

2.1.50Unasked too? Hark!

Unasked too? Hark! [Calling] Cease that noise, ʼtis troublesome.

How Foreste? Hast thou ears? And wilt thou

2.1.52575Silence such hopeful harmony? Or is

2.1.53576Thy thrift unnatural: wilt thou forbid

2.1.54577They friend to share in what is good? [Calling] Sweet tongue

2.1.55578And hand, persist in what your kindness proffered.

[Also Calling] Obey him. [To Lucio] If the music not deserve

2.1.57580Your strict attention, you must blame yourself.

Show me the way, Foreste!

Show me the way, Foreste! Whither, sir?

My heart is stolen out of my ear! Let me

2.1.60584But know the thief and Iʼll forgive the robbery.

2.1.61585Speak. Who is that, with a voice so amorous

2.1.62586And shrill, confounds the otherʼs hollow organ?

2.1.63587Still so reserved? and unto me?

Still so reserved? and unto me? Why then

2.1.64Look there, the voice was hers, go sir

2.1.65589And take what else you would enforce from my possession.

Is this that child of Orpheus? How? Kneel to me?

Stay, sir. If she consent but to abuse

2.1.68592The property of motion – in such kind

2.1.69593As may exalt her person, but on such

2.1.70594Above this height – I am her enemy

2.1.71595Forevermore. Consider what you do.

2.1.72596She brings not portion but humility:

2.1.73597If her first payment fail, who dares assure

2.1.74598The future debt? Pray, look into her lap.

2.1.75599Youʼll find she comes not from the east, enriched

2.1.76600With diamonds, bright wealth, whose wanton worth

2.1.77601Unskilful fancy prizes, not from use

2.1.78602But from the idolatrous dotings of the eye.

2.1.79603Her chaste obedience is all her dowry.

2.1.80604O bitter speech! It cuts my very soul

2.1.81605To think that fortune should create us two

2.1.82606Mere patterns of your charity.

Dare you authorise this idolatry?

2.1.84608Then Iʼll kneel too.

And I

2.1.86610Will join to make the offence seem virtuous.

2.1.87611Now interchange your souls. Where passion is

2.1.88612So fond, it cannot well counterfeit.

2.1.89613Each unbusied angel, hear me speak!

2.1.90614O send, send down unto this youthful pair,

2.1.91615Celestial heat: such serious love as makes

2.1.92616A business of delight. Instruct her soul

2.1.93617To practice duty in the humble strain,

2.1.94618And furnish him with an acceptance prompt.

2.1.95619Make her fruitful as the vine, which grows

2.1.96620Crooked with the weight of its own increase:

2.1.97621So blesséd in their issue, that when time

2.1.98622Shall think them fit to taste the privilege

2.1.99623Of death, they shall not need a monument,

2.1.100624Yet dwell as chief iʼthʼ memory of fame.

Amen, amen.

Such is my prayer too. O Foreste!

2.1.103627Excessive joy disturbs my utterance:

2.1.104628My words are parted on my tongue. O speak!

2.1.105629Thou knowʼst my heart! Tell her there may lie hope

2.1.106630I shall deserve those tears, that show like dew

2.1.107631Upon the morning cheek. Entreat her that

2.1.108632My years may not disgrace my love. Though I

2.1.109633Am young, I cannot counterfeit:

2.1.110634I ever speak my thoughts. I am oʼercome!

Alas sir, so am I. There needs no art

2.1.112636To help belief, where no suspicion is.

Now Iʼll leave you to yourselves.

Iʼve much to promise, in my own behalf,

2.1.115639Of my future love and humble duty

2.1.116640To yo,u my dearest lord. Time lays his hand

2.1.117641On pyramids of brass, and ruins quite

2.1.118642What all the fond artificers did think

2.1.119643Immortal workmanship. He send his worms

2.1.120644To books, to old records, and they devour

2.1.121645Thʼ inscription. He loves ingratitude,

2.1.122646For he destroyed the memory of man.

2.1.123647But I shall neʼer forget on what strange terms

2.1.124648You take me to your bed.

Excellent wretch! I am undone with joy!

2.1.126650I will not blame the coward to fear death,

2.1.127651Since the world contains such joy as this.

2.1.128652Why do you weep, lady? Can you suppose

2.1.129653Foreste would consent to what is done

2.1.130654Unless he knew there were no danger in it?

2.1.131655Sure his mother was a sibyl: he sees,

2.1.132656With a prophetic aim, the end of his

2.1.133657Designs before they come to action.

2.1.134658He is too wise to err. Why weep you then?

It is folly in my eyes.

2.1.136660I know not why they weep, unless they weep

2.1.137661Because they now have lost their liberty.

2.1.138662Heretofore, each man which chance presented,

2.1.139663Was to them a lawful object; but now

2.1.140664They are to look on none but you.

Mark then the bondage I impose on mine:

2.1.142666My poor eyes have no object, but your face,

2.1.143667Of which I will deprive them, thus —

2.1.144668Shroud thee in thy vestal ornaments.

2.1.145669Creep, creep, my glorious sun, behind a cloud,

2.1.146670For else my eyes will surfeit with delight.

2.1.147671I never felt true joy till now. Methinks

2.1.148672A brisk alacrity, a nimble fire,

2.1.149673Conveys me strangely from my flesh.

2.1.150674Not the cannonʼs iron entrail, when wrapped

2.1.151675Within a swarthy case of troubled air,

2.1.152676Could equal me in emphasis of motion.

Though modesty would suffer me to boast,

2.1.154678Yet ʼtwere not in the power of breath to make

2.1.155679My joy known as it is felt.

Come then, my dear Corsa, the priest attends

2.1.157681Within. The world wants men, and Hymen is

2.1.158682A nimble god! When all is past prevention

2.1.159683The Duke shall know my choice.