Foreste.

My gracious lord?

Are yet our letters to his Holiness

2.3.4856Dispatched?

They are, so please your grace.

Did the French ambassador make some show

2.3.7859Of discontent at his departure hence?

Both in his words and looks, for when he heard

2.3.9861Thʼ English leiger had opposed his treaty

2.3.10862Concerning traffic with the Florentine,

2.3.11863His anger straight dismissed the argument

2.3.12864And seized upon the nation; nay, railed

2.3.13865Against the leiger too, whose opposition

2.3.14866Might be chidden as too nice a virtue,

2.3.15867But could not be accused as a vice,

2.3.16868ʼTis known, indeed, the French do take a pride

2.3.17869In the emphasis of sudden anger,

2.3.18870As if alacrity in ill did make

2.3.19871The fault look handsomely, and dulness add

2.3.20872Deformity to sin.

Deformity to sin. ʼTis faithfully observed.

Swelled with uncharitable pride – such as

2.3.22875Admits no style of neighbour, as if grown

2.3.23876Above the use of friendship – they seem to call

2.3.24877Those mighty islanders nearest their soil

2.3.25878Poor borderers to their continent! Such

2.3.26879Whose thin numbers have, in bloody battle,

2.3.27880Made their multitudes their impediments,

2.3.28881Worn their ensigns instead of gaudy scarves.

The chance of war

2.3.30883Admitteth many times of miracles,

2.3.31884Even such as do discredit history.

2.3.32885High providence confers the conquest there,

2.3.33886Where probability conferred the loss.

2.3.34887And this is done that we may attribute

2.3.35888The praise to him that gave the victory,

2.3.36889Not to them that got it. Observe besides,

2.3.37890That when the weak do overcome, the strong

2.3.38891Do leave that stain for their posterity

2.3.39892To wipe away, which is already done:

2.3.40893The French have fiery nimble spirits.

Your grace deals justly in your praise: they have

2.3.42895Spirits. But they all are useless made

2.3.43896By forward and affectate violence.

2.3.44897He that spends his fury and his strength

2.3.45898Iʼthʼ first charge must not hope to makeʼs retreat

2.3.46899So nobly as the modest combatant,

2.3.47900Whose onset slowly moves, as careful not

2.3.48901Tʼoutride his skill. Their valour is tʼattempt,

2.3.49902Not to perform. ʼTis a giddy nation,

2.3.50903And never serious but in trifles.

Thou dost mistake in natural effects:

2.3.52905Where fancy is so rich, ʼtis incident

2.3.53906To some mis-expense. These witty riots

2.3.54907Divulge the wealth oʼthʼ brain. Fruit that is ripe

2.3.55908Is prone to fall, or to corrupt itself.

2.3.56909According to the age of monarchies,

2.3.57910They now are fully ripe: they reach

2.3.58911The height and top of mortal faculties.

2.3.59912Nature in them doth stand upon the verge

2.3.60913Of her own youth. The English want

2.3.61914Three hundred years of that perfection.

2.3.62915And, as the moon neʼer changes but iʼthʼ full,

2.3.63916Even so the mighty nations of the earth

2.3.64917Change in their greatest glory: first, their strict

2.3.65918And rugged discipline, to vain delights;

2.3.66919Their solemn marches next, to wanton jigs;

2.3.67920Their battles fierce, to duels splenitive,

2.3.68921Or witty quarrels of the pen.

Here may my knees take root whilst I do grow

2.3.70923A living statue of true obedience,

2.3.71924Or let my royal master grant his pardon.

Sure we may trust the judgement of our eyes;

2.3.73926Thou dost not look as if thou couldʼst commit

2.3.74927A sin so horrid, so ugly, as can fright

2.3.75928Our mercy from us. Rise: we pardon thee.

2.3.76929Now let us know thy crime.

Now let us know thy crime. It is no crime,

2.3.77931Unless against that great prerogative.

2.3.78932Your ear hath overrun. Perhaps my heart

2.3.79933Hath made escape through these fond eyes, and I –

2.3.80934In the rash discretion of my youthful blood –

2.3.81935Confined myself in matrimonial bonds.

Hah! Married? Speak suddenly: to whom?

To my sister. Sir, pardon the permission;

2.3.84938Or frown, and leave your creature more obscure

2.3.85939Than when you owned him first. Now is the time

2.3.86940To show your charity divine. Preserve

2.3.87941What you have made.

What you have made. Foreste, this is ill.

2.3.88943What, confederate with the ungoverned youth?

2.3.89944But rise, we pardon you. Whereʼs the Lady?

2.3.90945[To Corsa] Rare beauty!

2.3.91946You have our pardon, and our favour too:

2.3.92947I thus invite more knowledge of your worth.

2.3.93948Believe me, lady, you have a feature

2.3.94949That would betray a more experienced eye

2.3.95950Than Lucioʼs is. Excellent wretch! With a

2.3.96951Timorous modesty, she stifleth up

2.3.97952Her utterance. O such a pregnant eye,

2.3.98953And yet so slow of speech, is a wonder

2.3.99954More delightful than any nature makes.

2.3.100955Hast thou, Lucio, so much unhappy wit,

2.3.101956As to be jealous yet? Wilt thou suppose

2.3.102957Thyself secure in our discourse?

Heaven forbid your grace should eʼer employ

2.3.104959Your time so ill as to discourse with her

2.3.105960Till I grew jealous.

Come hither, lady. Come confess: how chance

2.3.107962You have bewitched my boy? With subtle smiles?

2.3.108963With wanton ʼhaviour of those pretty eyes?

2.3.109964Doth heaven bestow such noble ornaments

2.3.110965To be abused in the use? And now

2.3.111966He is your prisoner, too, in cheerful bonds.

2.3.112967How can you have the heart to make such spoil

2.3.113968And havoc of his beauty? Hah! Speak, lady!

I hope your Grace hath thoughts more merciful;

2.3.115970I know this match was made in heaven, and not

2.3.116971Provoked by any sinful art in me.

2.3.117972How I have used him, in this little time

2.3.118973That he hath been my lord, let him declare.

2.3.119974My duty is so strict, I need not blush

2.3.120975To hear the story told.

No! Look. Look there: his eyes, for very shame

2.3.122977Their lustreʼs lost, are crept into his head,

2.3.123978Encircled with weakly colour blue.

2.3.124979The roses in his cheeks are withered quite.

2.3.125980His clear and brisk aspect is muddy now

2.3.126981And dull. His voice – that was so shrill, and could

2.3.127982Even, trumpet-like, outscold the echo –

2.3.128983Is hollow grown and hoarse. Have you then used him well?

Alas, most gracious sir, go not about

2.3.130985To make my lord suspect my loyalty.

2.3.131986If nature sicken his faculties –

2.3.132987Which, heaven be thanked, I perceived not yet –

2.3.133988It cannot prove guiltiness in me.

Believeʼt, young wife; I am no proselyte.

2.3.135990I still aver you are that greedy nymph,

2.3.136991That hath devoured the rich complexion of my boy.

2.3.137992See how his featureʼs shrunk! His beauty stained!

2.3.138993The Scythian dame – whose cruelty is such,

2.3.139994Whose lust so prodigal, that she doth strive

2.3.140995To kill the able lecher in the act,

2.3.141996Making her womb his sepulchre – would yet

2.3.142997Have spared that wanton handsomeness, to show

2.3.143998As pattern of her lenity.

I hope your grace will pardon ignorance,

2.3.1451000That so ill-mannered is as not to know

2.3.1461001Your meaning.

No matter, lady.

2.3.1481003My accusation shall withdraw itself.

2.3.1491004Pretty innocence! Lucio, prepare.

2.3.1501005ʼTis our will to make thy wife a courtier:

2.3.1511006She shall be high in favour, if sheʼll leave

2.3.1521007Her modesty. Thatʼs out of fashion now.

2.3.1531008In neighbour courts the Ladies so prevail

2.3.1541009With masculine behaviour, they grow

2.3.1551010In factions able to dispose their husbands

2.3.1561011From the charter of their sex.

[Aside] Tis strange that his dislike is fled so soon.

Your marriage we will solemnise with masques

2.3.1591014And revels. If invention ever mean

2.3.1601015To get reward for subtlety, ʼtis now.

2.3.1611016We take notice, Lucio: she is thy wife;

2.3.1621017And thy sister our Foreste.

We your Graceʼs humblest creatures.

[Aside] Affection is become a parasite:

2.3.1651020Strives to please whom it cannot benefit.