Bro. Alas, poor lady! faith, I pity her,
And, but to be i' th' same state, could forego
Anything I possess to ease her woe.
Maid. Love's blessing light upon thy gentle soul!
Men rail at women, mistress, but 'tis we
Are false and cruel, ten times more unkind;
You are smoother far and of a softer mind.
Sir, I have one request more.
Ingen. Gentle lad,
It must be one of a strange quality
That I deny thee: both thy form and mind
Inform me that thy nurture hath been better,
Than to betray thee to this present life.
Maid. 'Tis, that you would vouchsafe to entertain me.
My feet do tremble under me to bear
My body back unto my uncouth lady,
To assure her grief. What heart so hard would owe
A tongue to tell so sad a tale to her?
Alas! I dare not look upon her eyes,
Where wronged love sits like the basilisk.
And, sure, would kill me for my dire report:
Or rather should not I appear like death,
[Holding up his dart.
When every word I spake shot through her heart
More mortally than his unsparing dart.
Bro. Let me speak for the boy.
Ingen. To what end, love?
No, I will sue to him to follow me.
In troth, I love thy sweet condition,
And may live to inform thy lady of thee.
Come in; dry, dry thine eyes, respite thy woe;
The effects of causes[95] crown or overthrow.
SCENE IV.
Enter Lord Proudly, Lord Feesimple, Welltried, Seldom, Widow, Bold pinning in a ruff, Wife.