All may they yet their dayes well abridge.
There needeth no authority to allege
For it is proved by experience;
But that me list declare my sentence1. 1opinion
Then may men by this order well discern,
That thilke1 mover stable is and etern. 1the same
Well may men know, but that it be a fool,
That every part deriveth from its whole.
For nature hath not ta’en its beginning
Of no 1partie nor cantle1 of a thing, 1part or piece1
But of a thing that perfect is and stable,
Descending so, till it be corruptable.
And therefore of His wise purveyance1 1providence
He hath so well beset1 his ordinance,
That species of things and progressions
Shallen endure by successions,
And not etern, withouten any lie:
This mayst thou understand and see at eye.
Lo th’ oak, that hath so long a nourishing
From the time that it ‘ginneth first to spring,
And hath so long a life, as ye may see,
Yet at the last y-wasted is the tree.
Consider eke, how that the harde stone
Under our feet, on which we tread and gon1, 1walk
Yet wasteth, as it lieth by the way.
The broade river some time waxeth drey1. 1dry
The greate townes see we wane and wend1. 1go, disappear
Then may ye see that all things have an end.
Of man and woman see we well also, —
That needes in one of the termes two, —
That is to say, in youth or else in age,-
He must be dead, the king as shall a page;
Some in his bed, some in the deepe sea,
Some in the large field, as ye may see:
There helpeth nought, all go that ilke1 way: 1same
Then may I say that alle thing must die.
What maketh this but Jupiter the king?
The which is prince, and cause of alle thing,
Converting all unto his proper will,
From which it is derived, sooth to tell
And hereagainst no creature alive,
Of no degree, availeth for to strive.
Then is it wisdom, as it thinketh me,
To make a virtue of necessity,
And take it well, that we may not eschew1, 1escape
And namely what to us all is due.
And whoso grudgeth1 ought, he doth folly, 1murmurs at
And rebel is to him that all may gie1. 1direct, guide
And certainly a man hath most honour
To dien in his excellence and flower,
When he is sicker1 of his goode name. 1certain
Then hath he done his friend, nor him1, no shame 1himself
And gladder ought his friend be of his death,
When with honour is yielded up his breath,
Than when his name 1appalled is for age1; 1decayed by old age1
For all forgotten is his vassalage1. 1valour, service
Then is it best, as for a worthy fame,
To dien when a man is best of name.
The contrary of all this is wilfulness.
Why grudge we, why have we heaviness,
That good Arcite, of chivalry the flower,
Departed is, with duty and honour,
Out of this foule prison of this life?
Why grudge here his cousin and his wife
Of his welfare, that loved him so well?
Can he them thank? nay, God wot, neverdeal1, — 1not a jot
That both his soul and eke themselves offend1, 1hurt
And yet they may their lustes1 not amend2. 1desires 2control
What may I conclude of this longe serie1, 1string of remarks
But after sorrow I rede1 us to be merry, 1counsel
And thanke Jupiter for all his grace?
And ere that we departe from this place,
I rede that we make of sorrows two
One perfect joye lasting evermo’:
And look now where most sorrow is herein,
There will I first amenden and begin.
“Sister,” quoth he, “this is my full assent,
With all th’ advice here of my parlement,
That gentle Palamon, your owen knight,
That serveth you with will, and heart, and might,
And ever hath, since first time ye him knew,
That ye shall of your grace upon him rue1, 1take pity
And take him for your husband and your lord:
Lend me your hand, for this is our accord.
1Let see1 now of your womanly pity. 1make display1
He is a kinge’s brother’s son, pardie1. 1by God
And though he were a poore bachelere,
Since he hath served you so many a year,
And had for you so great adversity,
It muste be considered, 1’lieveth me1. 1believe me1
For gentle mercy 1oweth to passen right1.” 1ought to be rightly
Then said he thus to Palamon the knight; directed1
“I trow there needeth little sermoning
To make you assente to this thing.
Come near, and take your lady by the hand.”
Betwixte them was made anon the band,
That hight matrimony or marriage,
By all the counsel of the baronage.
And thus with alle bliss and melody
Hath Palamon y-wedded Emily.
And God, that all this wide world hath wrought,
Send him his love, that hath it dearly bought.
For now is Palamon in all his weal,
Living in bliss, in riches, and in heal1. 1health
And Emily him loves so tenderly,
And he her serveth all so gentilly,
That never was there worde them between
Of jealousy, nor of none other teen1. 1cause of anger
Thus endeth Palamon and Emily
And God save all this faire company.
THE TWO NOBLE KINSMEN by William Shakespeare and John Fletcher
Attributed to John Fletcher and Shakespeare, this play derives its plot from The Knight’s Tale in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales. Written in 1613-14, the authorship of the play remained in doubt for many years and only in recent times have most critics agreed that Shakespeare and Fletcher collaborated on the play.
The Two Noble Kinsmen begins with three queens pleading with Theseus and Hippolyta, rulers of Athens, to avenge the deaths of their husbands at the hands of the tyrant Creon of Thebes. Creon has killed the three kings and refuses to allow them proper burial. Theseus agrees to wage war on Creon. In Thebes, Palamon and Arcite, cousins and close friends, are bound by duty to fight for Creon, though they are appalled by his tyranny. In a hard-fought battle Palamon and Arcite enact prodigies of courage, but the Thebans are defeated by Theseus. Palamon and Arcite are imprisoned, but philosophically resign themselves to their fate. Their stoicism is instantly destroyed when from their prison window they see the Athenian princess Emilia. Both fall in love with her, and their friendship turns to bitter rivalry. Arcite is released after a relative intercedes on his behalf. He is banished from Athens, but he disguises himself, wins a local wrestling match, and is appointed as Emilia’s attendant.
John Fletcher, who, after Shakespeare’s retirement, became one of the most successful London playwrights of his time
The 1634 Quarto title page
CONTENTS
Dramatis Personæ
Prologue
Act I. Scene I.
Act I. Scene II.
Act I. Scene III.
Act I. Scene IV.
Act I. Scene V.
Act II. Scene I.
Act II. Scene II.
Act II. Scene III.
Act II. Scene IV.
Act II. Scene V.
Act II. Scene VI.
Act III. Scene I.
Act III. Scene II.
Act III. Scene III.
Act III. Scene IV.
Act III. Scene V.
Act III. Scene VI.
Act IV. Scene I.
Act IV. Scene II.
Act IV. Scene III.
Act V. Scene I.
Act V. Scene II.
Act V. Scene III.
Act V. Scene IV.
Act V. Scene V.
Act V. Scene VI.
Epilogue
A scene from a production of the play at Shakespeare’s Globe theatre in 2000. Emilia stands between the two noble kinsmen.
Dramatis Personæ
HYMEN
THESEUS
HIPPOLITA, BRIDE TO THESEUS
EMILIA, SISTER TO THESEUS
EMILIA’S WOMAN
NYMPHS
THREE QUEENS
THREE VALIANT KNIGHTS
The Two Noble Kinsmen:
PALAMON
ARCITE
VALERIUS
PERITHOUS
A HERALD
A GENTLEMAN
A MESSENGER
A SERVANT
WOOER
KEEPER
JAILER
HIS DAUGHTER, IN LOVE WITH PALAMON
HIS BROTHER
A DOCTOR
4 COUNTREYMEN
2 FRIENDS OF THE JAILER
3 KNIGHTS
NEL, AND OTHER
WENCHES
A TABORER
GERROLD, A SCHOOLMASTER
Prologue
Flourish. Enter Prologue
Prologue. New plays and maidenheads are near akin:
Much followed both, for both much money giv’n
If they stand sound and well. And a good play,
Whose modest scenes blush on his marriage day
And shake to lose his honour, is like her 5
That after holy tie and first night’s stir
Yet still is modesty, and still retains
More of the maid to sight than husband’s pains.
We pray our play may be so, for I am sure
It has a noble breeder and a pure, 10
A learnèd, and a poet never went
More famous yet ‘twixt Po and silver Trent.
Chaucer, of all admired, the story gives:
There constant to eternity it lives.
If we let fall the nobleness of this 15
And the first sound this child hear be a hiss,
How will it shake the bones of that good man,
And make him cry from under ground,’ O fan
From me the witless chaff of such a writer,
That blasts my bays and my famed works makes lighter 20
Than Robin Hood’? This is the fear we bring,
For to say truth, it were an endless thing
And too ambitious to aspire to him,
Weak as we are, and almost breathless swim
In this deep water. Do but you hold out 25
Your helping hands and we shall tack about
And something do to save us. You shall hear
Scenes, though below his art, may yet appear
Worth two hours’ travail. To his bones, sweet sleep;
Content to you. If this play do not keep 30
A little dull time from us, we perceive
Our losses fall so thick we must needs leave.
Flourish. Exit
Act I. Scene I.
MUSIC. ENTER HYMEN with a torch burning, a Boy in a white robe before, singing and throwing flowers. Then a nymph with flowing tresses, bearing a wheaten garland. Then Theseus between two other nymphs with wheaten chaplets on their heads. Then Hippolyta, the bride, led by Pirithous and another holding a garland over her head, her tresses likewise hanging and followed by Emilia holding up her train. Then Artesius and some other attendants
Boy (sings during procession)
Roses, their sharp spines being gone,
Not royal in their smells alone,
But in their hue;
Maiden pinks, of odour faint,
Daisies smell-less, yet most quaint, 5
And sweet thyme true;
Primrose, first-born child of Ver,
Merry springtime’s harbinger,
With harebells dim;
Oxlips, in their cradles growing, 10
Marigolds, on deathbeds blowing,
Lark’s-heels trim;
All dear nature’s children sweet,
Lie fore bride and bridegroom’s feet,
[He strews flowers]
Blessing their sense. 15
Not an angel of the air,
Bird melodious, or bird fair,
Is absent hence.
The crow, the sland’rous cuckoo, nor
The boding raven, nor chough hoar, 20
Nor chatt’ring pie,
May on our bridehouse perch or sing,
Or with them any discord bring,
But from it fly.
Enter three Queens in black, wearing stained veils and crowns. The First Queen falls down at the foot of Theseus; the Second falls down at the foot of Hippolyta; the Third, before Emilia
Fir. Que.. (to Theseus) For pity’s sake and true gentility’s, 25
Hear and respect me.
Sec. Que.. (to Hippolyta) For your mother’s sake,
And as you wish your womb may thrive with fair ones,
Hear and respect me.
Thi. Que.. (to Emilia)
Now for the love of him whom Jove hath marked
The honour of your bed, and for the sake 30
Of clear virginity, be advocate
For us and our distresses. This good deed
Shall raze you out o’th’ Book of Trespasses
All you are set down there.
The. (to First Queen) Sad lady, rise.
Hipp. (to Second Queen) Stand up.
Emi. (to Third Queen) No knees to me.
What woman I may stead that is distressed 36
Does bind me to her.
The. (to First Queen) What’s your request? Deliver you for all.
Fir. Que.. [kneeling still]
We are three queens whose sovereigns fell before
The wrath of cruel Creon; who endured 40
The beaks of ravens, talons of the kites,
And pecks of crows in the foul fields of Thebes.
He will not suffer us to burn their bones,
To urn their ashes, nor to take th’offence
Of mortal loathsomeness from the blest eye 45
Of holy Phoebus, but infects the winds
With stench of our slain lords. O pity, Duke!
Thou purger of the earth, draw thy feared sword
That does good turns to’ th’ world; give us the bones
Of our dead kings that we may chapel them; 50
And of thy boundless goodness take some note
That for our crownèd heads we have no roof,
Save this, which is the lion’s and the bear’s,
And vault to everything.
The. Pray you, kneel not:
I was transported with your speech, and suffered 55
Your knees to wrong themselves. I have heard the fortunes
Of your dead lords, which gives me such lamenting
As wakes my vengeance and revenge for ’em.
King Capaneus was your lord: the day
That he should marry you — at such a season 60
As now it is with me — I met your groom
By Mars’s altar. You were that time fair,
Not Juno’s mantle fairer than your tresses,
Nor in more bounty spread her. Your wheaten wreath
Was then nor threshed nor blasted; fortune at you 65
Dimpled her cheek with smiles; Hercules our kinsman —
Then weaker than your eyes — laid by his club.
He tumbled down upon his Nemean hide
And swore his sinews thawed. O grief and time,
Fearfu
l consumers, you will all devour. 70
Fir. Que.. [kneeling stilll O, I hope some god,
Some god hath put his mercy in your manhood,
Whereto he’ll infuse power and press you forth
Our undertaker.
The. O no knees, none, widow:
[The First Queen rises]
Unto the helmeted Bellona use them 75
And pray for me, your soldier. Troubled I am.
He turns away
Sec. Que.. Honoured Hippolyta,
Most dreaded Amazonian, that hast slain
The scythe-tusked boar, that with thy arm, as strong
As it is white, wast near to make the male 80
To thy sex captive, but that this, thy lord —
Born to uphold creation in that honour
First nature styled it in — shrunk thee into
The bound thou wast o’erflowing, at once subduing
Thy force and thy affection; soldieress, 85
That equally canst poise sternness with pity,
Whom now I know hast much more power on him
Than ever he had on thee, who ow’st his strength,
And his love too, who is a servant for
The tenor of thy speech; dear glass of ladies, 90
Bid him that we, whom flaming war doth scorch,
Under the shadow of his sword may cool us.
Require him he advance it o’er our heads.
Speak’t in a woman’s key, like such a woman
As any of us three. Weep ere you fail. 95
Lend us a knee:
But touch the ground for us no longer time
Than a dove’s motion when the head’s plucked off.
Tell him, if he i’th’ blood-sized field lay swoll’n,
Showing the sun his teeth, grinning at the moon, 100
What you would do.
Hipp. Poor lady, say no more.
I had as lief trace this good action with you
As that whereto I am going, and never yet
Went I so willing way. My lord is taken
Heart-deep with your distress. Let him consider. 105
I’ll speak anon.
[The Second Queen rises]
Thi. Que.. (kneeling to Emilia)
O, my petition was
Set down in ice, which by hot grief uncandied
Melts into drops; so sorrow, wanting form,
Is pressed with deeper matter.
Emi. Pray stand up:
Your grief is written in your cheek.
Thi. Que.. O woe, 110
You cannot read it there; there, through my tears,
Collected Works of Giovanni Boccaccio Page 392
