The Two Noble Kinsmen Part 22

ARCITE.

If I fall, curse me, and say I was a coward, For none but such dare die in these just Tryalls.

Once more farewell, my Cosen.

PALAMON.

Farewell, Arcite. [Fight.]

[Hornes within: they stand.]

ARCITE.

Loe, Cosen, loe, our Folly has undon us.

PALAMON.

Why?

ARCITE.

This is the Duke, a hunting as I told you.

If we be found, we are wretched. O retire For honours sake, and safety presently Into your Bush agen; Sir, we shall finde Too many howres to dye in: gentle Cosen, If you be seene you perish instantly For breaking prison, and I, if you reveale me, For my contempt. Then all the world will scorne us, And say we had a n.o.ble difference, But base disposers of it.

PALAMON.

No, no, Cosen, I will no more be hidden, nor put off This great adventure to a second Tryall: I know your cunning, and I know your cause; He that faints now, shame take him: put thy selfe Vpon thy present guard--

ARCITE.

You are not mad?

PALAMON.

Or I will make th'advantage of this howre Mine owne, and what to come shall threaten me, I feare lesse then my fortune: know, weake Cosen, I love Emilia, and in that ile bury Thee, and all crosses else.

ARCITE.

Then, come what can come, Thou shalt know, Palamon, I dare as well Die, as discourse, or sleepe: Onely this feares me, The law will have the honour of our ends.

Have at thy life.

PALAMON.

Looke to thine owne well, Arcite. [Fight againe. Hornes.]

[Enter Theseus, Hipolita, Emilia, Perithous and traine.]

THESEUS.

What ignorant and mad malicious Traitors, Are you, That gainst the tenor of my Lawes Are making Battaile, thus like Knights appointed, Without my leave, and Officers of Armes?

By Castor, both shall dye.

PALAMON.

Hold thy word, Theseus.

We are certainly both Traitors, both despisers Of thee and of thy goodnesse: I am Palamon, That cannot love thee, he that broke thy Prison; Thinke well what that deserves: and this is Arcite, A bolder Traytor never trod thy ground, A Falser neu'r seem'd friend: This is the man Was begd and banish'd; this is he contemnes thee And what thou dar'st doe, and in this disguise Against thy owne Edict followes thy Sister, That fortunate bright Star, the faire Emilia, Whose servant, (if there be a right in seeing, And first bequeathing of the soule to) justly I am, and, which is more, dares thinke her his.

This treacherie, like a most trusty Lover, I call'd him now to answer; if thou bee'st, As thou art spoken, great and vertuous, The true descider of all injuries, Say, 'Fight againe,' and thou shalt see me, Theseus, Doe such a Iustice, thou thy selfe wilt envie.

Then take my life; Ile wooe thee too't.

PERITHOUS.

O heaven, What more then man is this!

THESEUS.

I have sworne.

ARCITE.

We seeke not Thy breath of mercy, Theseus. Tis to me A thing as soone to dye, as thee to say it, And no more mov'd: where this man calls me Traitor, Let me say thus much: if in love be Treason, In service of so excellent a Beutie, As I love most, and in that faith will perish, As I have brought my life here to confirme it, As I have serv'd her truest, worthiest, As I dare kill this Cosen, that denies it, So let me be most Traitor, and ye please me.

For scorning thy Edict, Duke, aske that Lady Why she is faire, and why her eyes command me Stay here to love her; and if she say 'Traytor,'

I am a villaine fit to lye unburied.

PALAMON.

Thou shalt have pitty of us both, o Theseus, If unto neither thou shew mercy; stop (As thou art just) thy n.o.ble eare against us.

As thou art valiant, for thy Cosens soule Whose 12. strong labours crowne his memory, Lets die together, at one instant, Duke, Onely a little let him fall before me, That I may tell my Soule he shall not have her.

THESEUS.

I grant your wish, for, to say true, your Cosen Has ten times more offended; for I gave him More mercy then you found, Sir, your offenses Being no more then his. None here speake for 'em, For, ere the Sun set, both shall sleepe for ever.

HIPPOLITA.

Alas the pitty! now or never, Sister, Speake, not to be denide; That face of yours Will beare the curses else of after ages For these lost Cosens.

EMILIA.

In my face, deare Sister, I finde no anger to 'em, nor no ruyn; The misadventure of their owne eyes kill 'em; Yet that I will be woman, and have pitty, My knees shall grow to'th ground but Ile get mercie.

Helpe me, deare Sister; in a deede so vertuous The powers of all women will be with us.

Most royall Brother--

HIPPOLITA.

Sir, by our tye of Marriage--

EMILIA.

By your owne spotlesse honour--