The Two Noble Kinsmen

1 Cornets in sundry places. Noise and hallowing as people a-Maying. Enter
2 Arcite alone.
3 ARCITE.
4 The Duke has lost Hippolyta; each took
5 A several land. This is a solemn rite
6 They owe bloomed May, and the Athenians pay it
7 To th’ heart of ceremony. O Queen Emilia,
8 Fresher than May, sweeter
9 Than her gold buttons on the boughs, or all
10 Th’ enameled knacks o’ th’ mead or garden—yea,
11 We challenge too the bank of any nymph
12 That makes the stream seem flowers; thou, O jewel
13 O’ th’ wood, o’ th’ world, hast likewise blessed a pace
14 With thy sole presence. In thy rumination
15 That I, poor man, might eftsoons come between
16 And chop on some cold thought! Thrice blessed chance
17 To drop on such a mistress, expectation
18 Most guiltless on ’t. Tell me, O Lady Fortune,
19 Next after Emily my sovereign, how far
20 I may be proud. She takes strong note of me,
21 Hath made me near her, and this beauteous morn,
22 The prim’st of all the year, presents me with
23 A brace of horses; two such steeds might well
24 Be by a pair of kings backed, in a field
25 That their crowns’ titles tried. Alas, alas,
26 Poor cousin Palamon, poor prisoner, thou
27 So little dream’st upon my fortune that
28 Thou think’st thyself the happier thing, to be
29 So near Emilia; me thou deem’st at Thebes,
30 And therein wretched, although free. But if
31 Thou knew’st my mistress breathed on me, and that
32 I eared her language, lived in her eye, O coz,
33 What passion would enclose thee!
34 Enter Palamon as out of a bush, with his shackles; he bends his fist at
35 Arcite.
36 PALAMON.
37 Traitor kinsman,
38 Thou shouldst perceive my passion, if these signs
39 Of prisonment were off me, and this hand
40 But owner of a sword. By all oaths in one,
41 I and the justice of my love would make thee
42 A confessed traitor! O thou most perfidious
43 That ever gently looked, the void’st of honour
44 That e’er bore gentle token, falsest cousin
45 That ever blood made kin! Call’st thou her thine?
46 I’ll prove it in my shackles, with these hands,
47 Void of appointment, that thou liest, and art
48 A very thief in love, a chaffy lord,
49 Nor worth the name of villain. Had I a sword,
50 And these house-clogs away—
51 ARCITE.
52 Dear cousin Palamon—
53 PALAMON.
54 Cozener Arcite, give me language such
55 As thou hast showed me feat.
56 ARCITE.
57 Not finding in
58 The circuit of my breast any gross stuff
59 To form me like your blazon holds me to
60 This gentleness of answer. ’Tis your passion
61 That thus mistakes, the which, to you being enemy,
62 Cannot to me be kind. Honour and honesty
63 I cherish and depend on, howsoe’er
64 You skip them in me, and with them, fair coz,
65 I’ll maintain my proceedings. Pray be pleased
66 To show in generous terms your griefs, since that
67 Your question’s with your equal, who professes
68 To clear his own way with the mind and sword
69 Of a true gentleman.
70 PALAMON.
71 That thou durst, Arcite!
72 ARCITE.
73 My coz, my coz, you have been well advertised
74 How much I dare; you’ve seen me use my sword
75 Against th’ advice of fear. Sure, of another
76 You would not hear me doubted, but your silence
77 Should break out, though i’ th’ sanctuary.
78 PALAMON.
79 Sir,
80 I have seen you move in such a place, which well
81 Might justify your manhood; you were called
82 A good knight and a bold. But the whole week’s not fair
83 If any day it rain. Their valiant temper
84 Men lose when they incline to treachery;
85 And then they fight like compelled bears, would fly
86 Were they not tied.
87 ARCITE.
88 Kinsman, you might as well
89 Speak this and act it in your glass as to
90 His ear which now disdains you.
91 PALAMON.
92 Come up to me;
93 Quit me of these cold gyves, give me a sword
94 Though it be rusty, and the charity
95 Of one meal lend me. Come before me then,
96 A good sword in thy hand, and do but say
97 That Emily is thine, I will forgive
98 The trespass thou hast done me, yea, my life,
99 If then thou carry ’t; and brave souls in shades
100 That have died manly, which will seek of me
101 Some news from earth, they shall get none but this:
102 That thou art brave and noble.
103 ARCITE.
104 Be content.
105 Again betake you to your hawthorn house.
106 With counsel of the night, I will be here
107 With wholesome viands. These impediments
108 Will I file off; you shall have garments and
109 Perfumes to kill the smell o’ th’ prison. After,
110 When you shall stretch yourself and say but “Arcite,
111 I am in plight,” there shall be at your choice
112 Both sword and armour.
113 PALAMON.
114 Oh you heavens, dares any
115 So noble bear a guilty business? None
116 But only Arcite, therefore none but Arcite
117 In this kind is so bold.
118 ARCITE.
119 Sweet Palamon.
120 PALAMON.
121 I do embrace you and your offer; for
122 Your offer do ’t I only, sir; your person,
123 Without hypocrisy I may not wish
124 More than my sword’s edge on ’t.
125 [_Wind horns of cornets._]
126 ARCITE.
127 You hear the horns.
128 Enter your musit, lest this match between ’s
129 Be crossed ere met. Give me your hand; farewell.
130 I’ll bring you every needful thing. I pray you,
131 Take comfort and be strong.
132 PALAMON.
133 Pray hold your promise,
134 And do the deed with a bent brow. Most certain
135 You love me not; be rough with me, and pour
136 This oil out of your language. By this air,
137 I could for each word give a cuff, my stomach
138 Not reconciled by reason.
139 ARCITE.
140 Plainly spoken.
141 Yet pardon me hard language. When I spur
142 My horse, I chide him not; content and anger
143 In me have but one face.
144 [_Wind horns._]
145 Hark, sir, they call
146 The scattered to the banquet. You must guess
147 I have an office there.
148 PALAMON.
149 Sir, your attendance
150 Cannot please heaven, and I know your office
151 Unjustly is achieved.
152 ARCITE.
153 ’Tis a good title.
154 I am persuaded, this question, sick between ’s,
155 By bleeding must be cured. I am a suitor
156 That to your sword you will bequeath this plea,
157 And talk of it no more.
158 PALAMON.
159 But this one word:
160 You are going now to gaze upon my mistress,
161 For, note you, mine she is—
162 ARCITE.
163 Nay, then—
164 PALAMON.
165 Nay, pray you,
166 You talk of feeding me to breed me strength.
167 You are going now to look upon a sun
168 That strengthens what it looks on; there
169 You have a vantage o’er me. But enjoy ’t till
170 I may enforce my remedy. Farewell.
171 [_Exeunt._]