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JAILER I must constrain you, then; and for you are dangerous,

I'll clap more irons on you.

PALAMON Do, good keeper.

I'll shake 'em so ye shall not sleep:

I'll make ye a new morris. Must I go?

JAILER There is no remedy.

PALAMON Farewell, kind window.

May rude wind never hurt thee, O, my lady,

If ever thou hast felt what sorrow was, ...

Dream how I suffer. Come, now bury me.

Act II, Scene 3

Enter Arcite.

ARCITE Banished the kingdom? 'Tis a benefit,

A mercy I must thank 'em for; but banished

The free enjoying of that face I die for --

O, 'twas a studied punishment, a death

Beyond imagination; such a vengeance

That, were I old and wicked, all my sins

Could never pluck upon me. Palamon,

Thou has the start now -- thou shalt stay and see

Her bright eyes break each morning 'gainst thy window,

And let in life into thee. Thou shalt feed ...

Upon the sweetness of a noble beauty

That nature ne'er exceeded, nor ne'er shall.

Good gods! What happiness has Palamon!

Twenty to one he'll come to speak to her,

And if she be as gentle as she's fair,

I know she's his -- he has a tongue will tame

Tempests and make the wild rocks wanton.

Come what can come,

The worst is death. I will not leave the kingdom.

I know mine own is but a heap of ruins, ...

And no redress there. If I go he has her.

I am resolved another shape shall make me,

Or end my fortunes. Either way I am happy --

I'll see her and be near her, or no more.

[Enter four Country People, one of whom carries a garland before them. Arcite stands apart.]

1st COUNTRYMAN My masters, I'll be there -- that's certain.

2d COUNTRYMAN And I'll be there.

3d COUNTRYMAN And I.

4th COUNTRYMAN Why then, have with ye, boys!

~~~'Tis but a chiding --

Let the plow play today, I'll tickle't out

Of the jades' tails tomorrow.

1st COUNTRYMAN I am sure ...

To have my wife as jealous as a turkey --

But that's all one. I'll go through, let her mumble.

2d COUNTRYMAN Clap her aboard tomorrow night and stow her,

And all's made up again.

3d COUNTRYMAN Ay, do but put

A fescue in her fist and you shall see her

Take a new lesson out and be a good wench.

Do we all hold against the maying?

4th COUNTRYMAN Hold? What should ail us?

3d COUNTRYMAN Arcas will be there

2d COUNTRYMAN And Sennois, and Rycas, and three

better lads ne'er danced under green tree; and ye know ...

what wenches, ha? But will the dainty dominie, the

schoolmaster, keep touch, do you think? For he does all, ye know.

3d COUNTRYMAN He'll eat a hornbook ere he fail. Go

to, the matter's too far driven between him and the

tanner's daughter to let slip now, and she must see the

Duke, and she must dance too.

4th COUNTRYMAN Shall we be lusty?

2d COUNTRYMAN All the boys in Athens blow wind

i' th' breech on's! And here I'll be and there I'll be, for ...

our town, and here again and there again -- ha, boys,

hey for the weavers!

1st COUNTRYMAN This must be done i' th' woods.

4th COUNTRYMAN O, pardon me.

2d COUNTRYMAN By any means, our thing of learning

said so; where he himself will edify the Duke most

parlously in our behalfs -- he's excellent i' th' woods,

bring him to th' plains, his learning makes no cry.

3d COUNTRYMAN We'll see the sports, then every man

to's tackle -- and, sweet companions, let's rehearse, by ...

any means, before the ladies see us, and do sweetly,

and God know what may come on't.

4th COUNTRYMAN Content -- the sports once ended,

we'll perform. Away boys, and hold.

ARCITE [coming forward.]

By your leaves, honest friends, pray you whither go you?

4th COUNTRYMAN Whither? Why, what a question's that?

ARCITE Yet 'tis a question

To me that know not.

3d COUNTRYMAN To the games, my friend.

2d COUNTRYMAN Where were you bred, you know it not?

ARCITE Not far, sir --

Are there such games today?

1st COUNTRYMAN Yes, marry, are there, ...

And such as you never saw. The Duke himself

Will be in person there.

ARCITE What pastimes are they?

2d COUNTRYMAN Wrestling and running.

~~~[to the others.] 'Tis a pretty fellow.