RIDICULE.
I can as well be hanged, as tell the manner of it; it was mere foolery.—I saw Mark Antony offer him a crown; and, as I told you, he put it by once—but, for all that, to my thinking, he would fain have had it. Then he offered it to him again; then, he put it by again—but, to my thinking, he was very loth to lay his fingers off it. And then he offered it a third time; he put it the third time by; and still as he refused it, the rabblement shouted, and clapt their chopt hands, and threw by their sweaty night-caps, and uttered such a deal of stinking breath, because Cæsar refused the crown, that it had almost choaked Cæsar, for he swooned, and, fell down at it; and for mine own part, I durst not laugh for fear of opening my lips, and receiving the bad air.
Before he fell down, when he perceived the common herd were glad, he refused the crown, he plucked me ope his doublet, and offered them his throat to cut: an' I had been a man of any occupation, if I would not have taken him at a word, I would I might go to hell among the rogues!—and so he fell. When he came to himself again, he said, "if he had done, or said any thing amiss, he desired their worships to think it was his infirmity." Three or four wenches where I stood, cried, Alas, good soul!—and forgave him with all their hearts. But there's no heed to be taken of them: if Cæsar had stabbed their mothers they would have done no less.
PERTURBATION.
Vengeance! death! plague! confusion!
Fiery! what quality?—-Why, Gloster, Gloster!
I'd speak with the Duke of Cornwall and his wife:
The King would speak with Cornwall—-the dear father
Would with his daughter speak; commands her service.
Are they inform'd of this?—-My breath and blood!
Fiery! the fiery Duke! Tell the hot Duke—
No' but not yet: may be he is not well:
I beg his pardon: and I'll chide my rashness,
That took the indisposed and sickly fit.
For the sound man,—-But wherefore sits he there?—
Death on my state! this act convinces me,
That this retiredness of the Duke and her
Is plain contempt—Give me my servant forth—
Go tell the Duke and's wife I'd speak with 'em:
Now: instantly—Bid 'em come forth and hear me;
Or, at their chamber-door, I'll beat the drum—
'Till it cry—Sleep to death.