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—
HIPPOLITA.
By that faith,
That faire hand, and that honest heart you gave me.
EMILIA.
By that you would have pitty in another,
By your owne vertues infinite.
HIPPOLITA.
By valour,
By all the chaste nights I have ever pleasd you.
THESEUS.
These are strange Conjurings.
PERITHOUS.
Nay, then, Ile in too:
By all our friendship, Sir, by all our dangers,
By all you love most: warres and this sweet Lady.
EMILIA.
By that you would have trembled to deny,
A blushing Maide.
HIPPOLITA.
By your owne eyes: By strength,
In which you swore I went beyond all women,
Almost all men, and yet I yeelded, Theseus.
PERITHOUS.
To crowne all this: By your most noble soule,
Which cannot want due mercie, I beg first.
HIPPOLITA.
Next, heare my prayers.
EMILIA.
Last, let me intreate, Sir.
PERITHOUS.
For mercy.
HIPPOLITA.
Mercy.
EMILIA.
Mercy on these Princes.
THESEUS.
Ye make my faith reele: Say I felt
Compassion to’em both, how would you place it?
EMILIA.
Vpon their lives: But with their banishments.
THESEUS.
You are a right woman, Sister; you have pitty,
But want the vnderstanding where to use it.
If you desire their lives, invent a way
Safer then banishment: Can these two live
And have the agony of love about ‘em,
And not kill one another? Every day
They’ld fight about you; howrely bring your honour
In publique question with their Swords. Be wise, then,
And here forget ‘em; it concernes your credit
And my oth equally: I have said they die;
Better they fall by’th law, then one another.
Bow not my honor.
EMILIA.
O my noble Brother,
That oth was rashly made, and in your anger,
Your reason will not hold it; if such vowes
Stand for expresse will, all the world must perish.
Beside, I have another oth gainst yours,
Of more authority, I am sure more love,
Not made in passion neither, but good heede.
THESEUS.
What is it, Sister?
PERITHOUS.
Vrge it home, brave Lady.
EMILIA.
That you would nev’r deny me any thing
Fit for my modest suit, and your free granting:
I tye you to your word now; if ye fall in’t,
Thinke how you maime your honour,
(For now I am set a begging, Sir, I am deafe
To all but your compassion.) How, their lives
Might breed the ruine of my name, Opinion!
Shall any thing that loves me perish for me?
That were a cruell wisedome; doe men proyne
The straight yong Bowes that blush with thousand Blossoms,
Because they may be rotten? O Duke Theseus,
The goodly Mothers that have groand for these,
And all the longing Maides that ever lov’d,
If your vow stand, shall curse me and my Beauty,
And in their funerall songs for these two Cosens
Despise my crueltie, and cry woe worth me,
Till I am nothing but the scorne of women;
For heavens sake save their lives, and banish ‘em.
THESEUS.
On what conditions?
EMILIA.
Sweare’em never more
To make me their Contention, or to know me,
To tread upon thy Dukedome; and to be,
Where ever they shall travel, ever strangers
To one another.
PALAMON.
Ile be cut a peeces
Before I take this oth: forget I love her?
O all ye gods dispise me, then! Thy Banishment
I not mislike, so we may fairely carry
Our Swords and cause along: else, never trifle,
But take our lives, Duke: I must love and will,
And for that love must and dare kill this Cosen
On any peece the earth has.
THESEUS.
Will you, Arcite,
Take these conditions?
PALAMON.
He’s a villaine, then.
PERITHOUS.
These are men.
ARCITE.
No, never, Duke: Tis worse to me than begging
To take my life so basely; though I thinke
I never shall enjoy her, yet ile preserve
The honour of affection, and dye for her,
Make death a Devill.
THESEUS.
What may be done? for now I feele compassion.
PERITHOUS.
Let it not fall agen, Sir.
THESEUS.
Say, Emilia,
If one of them were dead, as one must, are you
Content to take th’other to your husband?
They cannot both enjoy