William Shakespeare - Ultimate Collection: Complete Plays & Poetry in One Volume. William Shakespeare

and nothing else.

       KING.

       Your ladyship is ignorant what it is.

       PRINCESS.

       Were my lord so, his ignorance were wise,

       Where now his knowledge must prove ignorance.

       I hear your Grace hath sworn out housekeeping:

       ‘Tis deadly sin to keep that oath, my lord,

       And sin to break it.

       But pardon me, I am too sudden bold:

       To teach a teacher ill beseemeth me.

       Vouchsafe to read the purpose of my coming,

       And suddenly resolve me in my suit.

       [Gives a paper.]

       KING.

       Madam, I will, if suddenly I may.

       PRINCESS.

       You will the sooner that I were away,

       For you’ll prove perjur’d if you make me stay.

       BEROWNE.

       Did not I dance with you in Brabant once?

       ROSALINE.

       Did not I dance with you in Brabant once?

       BEROWNE.

       I know you did.

       ROSALINE.

       How needless was it then

       To ask the question!

       BEROWNE.

       You must not be so quick.

       ROSALINE.

       ‘Tis long of you, that spur me with such questions.

       BEROWNE.

       Your wit’s too hot, it speeds too fast, ‘twill tire.

       ROSALINE.

       Not till it leave the rider in the mire.

       BEROWNE.

       What time o’ day?

       ROSALINE.

       The hour that fools should ask.

       BEROWNE.

       Now fair befall your mask!

       ROSALINE.

       Fair fall the face it covers!

       BEROWNE.

       And send you many lovers!

       ROSALINE.

       Amen, so you be none.

       BEROWNE.

       Nay, then will I be gone.

       KING.

       Madam, your father here doth intimate

       The payment of a hundred thousand crowns;

       Being but the one half of an entire sum

       Disbursed by my father in his wars.

       But say that he or we,—as neither have,—

       Receiv’d that sum, yet there remains unpaid

       A hundred thousand more, in surety of the which,

       One part of Aquitaine is bound to us,

       Although not valued to the money’s worth.

       If then the King your father will restore

       But that one half which is unsatisfied,

       We will give up our right in Aquitaine,

       And hold fair friendship with his majesty.

       But that, it seems, he little purposeth,

       For here he doth demand to have repaid

       A hundred thousand crowns; and not demands,

       On payment of a hundred thousand crowns,

       To have his title live in Aquitaine;

       Which we much rather had depart withal,

       And have the money by our father lent,

       Than Aquitaine so gelded as it is.

       Dear Princess, were not his requests so far

       From reason’s yielding, your fair self should make

       A yielding ‘gainst some reason in my breast,

       And go well satisfied to France again.

       PRINCESS.

       You do the king my father too much wrong,

       And wrong the reputation of your name,

       In so unseeming to confess receipt

       Of that which hath so faithfully been paid.

       KING.

       I do protest I never heard of it;

       And, if you prove it, I’ll repay it back

       Or yield up Aquitaine.

       PRINCESS.

       We arrest your word.

       Boyet, you can produce acquittances

       For such a sum from special officers

       Of Charles his father.

       KING.

       Satisfy me so.

       BOYET.

       So please your Grace, the packet is not come,

       Where that and other specialties are bound:

       Tomorrow you shall have a sight of them.

       KING.

       It shall suffice me; at which interview

       All liberal reason I will yield unto.

       Meantime receive such welcome at my hand

       As honour, without breach of honour, may

       Make tender of to thy true worthiness.

       You may not come, fair Princess, in my gates;

       But here without you shall be so receiv’d

       As you shall deem yourself lodg’d in my heart,

       Though so denied fair harbour in my house.

       Your own good thoughts excuse me, and farewell:

       Tomorrow shall we visit you again.

       PRINCESS.

       Sweet health and fair desires consort your Grace!

       KING.

       Thy own wish wish I thee in every place.

       [Exeunt KING and his Train.]

       BEROWNE.

       Lady, I will commend you to mine own heart.

       ROSALINE.

       Pray you, do my commendations; I would be glad to see it.

       BEROWNE.

       I would you heard it groan.

       ROSALINE.

       Is the fool sick?

       BEROWNE.

       Sick at the heart.

       ROSALINE.

       Alack! let it blood.

       BEROWNE.

       Would that do it good?

       ROSALINE.

       My physic says ‘ay.’

       BEROWNE.

       Will you prick’t with your eye?

       ROSALINE.

       No point, with my knife.

       BEROWNE.

       Now, God save thy life!

       ROSALINE.

       And yours from long living!

       BEROWNE.

       I cannot stay thanksgiving.

       [Retiring.]