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Alcides was

       To him a sow of lead: if I could praise

       Each part of him to’th all I have spoke, your Arcite

       Did not loose by’t; For he that was thus good

       Encountred yet his Better. I have heard

       Two emulous Philomels beate the eare o’th night

       With their contentious throates, now one the higher,

       Anon the other, then againe the first,

       And by and by out breasted, that the sence

       Could not be judge betweene ‘em: So it far’d

       Good space betweene these kinesmen; till heavens did

       Make hardly one the winner. Weare the Girlond

       With joy that you have won: For the subdude,

       Give them our present Iustice, since I know

       Their lives but pinch ‘em; Let it here be done.

       The Sceane’s not for our seeing, goe we hence,

       Right joyfull, with some sorrow.—Arme your prize,

       I know you will not loose her.—Hipolita,

       I see one eye of yours conceives a teare

       The which it will deliver. [Florish.]

       EMILIA.

       Is this wynning?

       Oh all you heavenly powers, where is your mercy?

       But that your wils have saide it must be so,

       And charge me live to comfort this unfriended,

       This miserable Prince, that cuts away

       A life more worthy from him then all women,

       I should, and would, die too.

       HIPPOLITA.

       Infinite pitty,

       That fowre such eies should be so fixd on one

       That two must needes be blinde fort.

       THESEUS.

       So it is. [Exeunt.]

       Scaena 4. (The same; a Block prepared.)

       [Enter Palamon and his Knightes pyniond: Iaylor, Executioner, &c. Gard.]

       (PALAMON.)

       Ther’s many a man alive that hath out liv’d

       The love o’th people; yea, i’th selfesame state

       Stands many a Father with his childe; some comfort

       We have by so considering: we expire

       And not without mens pitty. To live still,

       Have their good wishes; we prevent

       The loathsome misery of age, beguile

       The Gowt and Rheume, that in lag howres attend

       For grey approachers; we come towards the gods

       Yong and unwapper’d, not halting under Crymes

       Many and stale: that sure shall please the gods,

       Sooner than such, to give us Nectar with ‘em,

       For we are more cleare Spirits. My deare kinesmen,

       Whose lives (for this poore comfort) are laid downe,

       You have sould ‘em too too cheape.

       1. KNIGHT.

       What ending could be

       Of more content? ore us the victors have

       Fortune, whose title is as momentary,

       As to us death is certaine: A graine of honour

       They not ore’-weigh us.

       2. KNIGHT.

       Let us bid farewell;

       And with our patience anger tottring Fortune,

       Who at her certain’st reeles.

       3. KNIGHT.

       Come; who begins?

       PALAMON.

       Ev’n he that led you to this Banket shall

       Taste to you all.—Ah ha, my Friend, my Friend,

       Your gentle daughter gave me freedome once;

       You’l see’t done now for ever: pray, how do’es she?

       I heard she was not well; her kind of ill

       Gave me some sorrow.

       IAILOR.

       Sir, she’s well restor’d,

       And to be marryed shortly.

       PALAMON.

       By my short life,

       I am most glad on’t; Tis the latest thing

       I shall be glad of; pre’thee tell her so:

       Commend me to her, and to peece her portion,

       Tender her this. [Gives purse.]

       1. KNIGHT.

       Nay lets be offerers all.

       2. KNIGHT.

       Is it a maide?

       PALAMON.

       Verily, I thinke so,

       A right good creature, more to me deserving

       Then I can quight or speake of.

       ALL KNIGHTS.

       Commend us to her. [They give their purses.]

       IAILOR.

       The gods requight you all,

       And make her thankefull.

       PALAMON.

       Adiew; and let my life be now as short,

       As my leave taking. [Lies on the Blocke.]

       1. KNIGHT.

       Leade, couragious Cosin.

       2. KNIGHT.

       Wee’l follow cheerefully. [A great noise within crying, ‘run, save, hold!’]

       [Enter in hast a Messenger.]

       MESSENGER.

       Hold, hold! O hold, hold, hold!

       [Enter Pirithous in haste.]

       PERITHOUS.

       Hold! hoa! It is a cursed hast you made,

       If you have done so quickly. Noble Palamon,

       The gods will shew their glory in a life,

       That thou art yet to leade.

       PALAMON.

       Can that be,

       When Venus, I have said, is false? How doe things fare?

       PERITHOUS.

       Arise, great Sir, and give the tydings eare

       That are most dearly sweet and bitter.

       PALAMON.

       What

       Hath wakt us from our dreame?

       PERITHOUS.

       List then: your Cosen,

       Mounted upon a Steed that Emily

       Did first bestow on him, a blacke one, owing

       Not a hayre worth of white—which some will say

       Weakens his price, and many will not buy

       His goodnesse with this note: Which superstition

       Heere findes allowance—On this horse is Arcite

       Trotting the stones of Athens, which the Calkins

      

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