Lem. Sir, if you please to look upon
The Prisoner, and the many services
Her Father hath done for you—
King. We must look on
The cause, and not the persons. Yet beholding
With an impartial eye, th' excelling beauties
Of this fair Lady, which we did believe
Upon report, but till now never saw 'em,
It moves a strange kind of compassion in me;
Let us survey you nearer, she's a book
To be with care perus'd; and 'tis my wonder,
If such mishapen guests, as lust and murther,
At any price should ever find a lodging
In such a beauteous Inne! Mistake us not,
Though we admire the outward structure, if
The rooms be foul within, expect no favour.
I were no man, if I could look on beautie
Distress'd, without some pity; but no King,
If any superficial gloss of feature
Could work me to decline the course of Justice.
But to the cause, Cleander's death, what proofs
Can you produce against her?
Ber. Royal Sir, touching that point my Brothers death,
We build on suppositions.
King. Suppositions? how? Is such a Lady Sir to be condemn'd
On suppositions?
Ber. They are well grounded Sir:
And if we make it evident she is guilty
Of the first crime we charge her with, Adulterie,
That being the parent, it may find belief,
That murther was the issue.
King. We allow
It may be so; but that it may be, must not
Infer a necessary consequence
To cast away a Ladies life. What witnesses
To make this good?
Ber. The principal, this woman,
For many years her servant; she hath taken
Her oath in Court. Come forward.
King. By my Crown a lying face.
Clar. I swore Sir for the King:
And if you are the partie, as I do
Believe you are, for you have a good face,
How ever mine appears, swearing for you Sir,
I ought to have my oath pass.
King. Impudent too? well, what have you sworn?