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The Complete Works of William Shakespeare - Israel Gollancz William Shakespeare [1712]

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Discharge them from your Court.

AUREL.

Thou speak'st like madness!

Command the frozen shepherd to the shade,

When he sits warm i'th'Sun; the fever sick

To add more heat unto his burning pain:

These may obey,'tis less extremity

Then thou enjoynst to me. Cast but thine eye

Upon this beauty, do it, I'le forgive thee,

Though jealousie in other findes no pardon;

Then say thou dost not love; I shall then swear

Th'art immortal and no earthly man.

Oh, blame then my mortality, not me.

HERMIT.

It is thy weakness brings thy misery,

Unhappy Prince.

AUREL.

Be milder in thy doom.

HERMIT.

'Tis you that must indure heavens doom, which faln

Remember's just.

ARTES.

Thou shalt not live to see it. - How fares my Lord?

If my poor presence breed dislike, great Prince,

I am no such neglected soul, will seek

To tie you to your word.

AUREL.

My word, dear Love! may my Religion,

Crown, State and Kingdom fail, when I fail thee.

Command Earl Chester to breal up the camp

Without disturbance to our Saxon friends;

Send every hour swift posts to hasten on

The King her Brother, to conclude this League,

This endless happy Peace of Love and Marriage;

Till when provide for Revels, and give charge

That nought be wanting which (may) make our Triumphs

Sportful and free to all. If such fair blood

Ingender ill, man must not look for good.

(Exit All But HERMIT. Florish

Enter MODESTIA, Reading In A Book.

MODESTA.

How much the oft report of this blest Hermit

Hath won on my desires; I must behold him:

And sure this should be he. Oh, the world's folly,

Proud earth and dust, how low a price bears goodness!

All that should make man absolute shines in him.

Much reverent Sir, may I without offence

Give interruption to your holy thoughts?

HERMIT.

What would you, Lady?

MODESTA.

That which till now ne're found a language in me:

I am in love.

HER.

In Love? with what?

MODEST.

With vertue.

HER.

There's no blame in that.

MODEST.

Nay, sir, with you, with your Religious Life,

Your Vertue, Goodness, if there be a nmae

To express affection greater, that,

That I would learn and utter: Reverent Sir,

If there be any thing to bar my suit,

Be charitable and expose it; your prayers

Are the same Orizons which I will number.

Holy Sir,

Keep not instruction back from willingness,

Possess me of that knowledge leads you on

To this humility; for well I know

Were greatness good, you would not live so low.

HER.

Are you a Virgin?

MODEST.

Yes, Sir.

HER.

Your name?

MODEST.

Modesta.

HER.

Your name and vertues meet, a Modest Virgin:

Live ever in the sanctimonious way

To Heaven and Happiness. There's goodness in you,

I must instruct you further. Come, look up,

Behold yon firmament: there sits a power,

Whose foot-stool is this earth. Oh, learn this lesson,

And practise it: he that will climb so high,

Must leave no joy beneath to move his eye. (Exit.

MODEST.

I apprehend you, sir: on Heaven I fix my love,

Earth gives us grief, our joys are all above;

For this was man in innocence naked born,

To show us wealth hinders our sweet return. (Exit.

ACT II.

Scene I.

A Forest.)

Enter CLOWN And His Sister Great With Childe.

CLOWN.

Away, follow me no further, I am none of thy brother. What, with Childe?

great with Childe and knows not whose the Father on't! I am asham'd to

call thee Sister.

JOAN.

Believe me, Brother, he was a Gentleman.

CLOWN.

Nay, I believe that; he gives arms, and legs too, and has made you the

Herald to blaze 'em: but, Joan, Joan, sister Joan, can you tell me his

name that did it? how shall we call my Cousin, your bastard, when we have it?

JOAN.

Alas, I know not the Gentlemans name, Brother.

I met him in these woods the last great hunting;

He was so kinde and proffer'd me so much,

As I had not the heart to ask him more.

CLOWN.

Not his name? why, this showes your Country breeding now; had you been

brought up i'th'City, you'd have got a Father first, and the childe

afterwards: hast thou no markes to know him by?

JOAN.

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