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When your sweet self was got。 DIANA。 She then was honest。 BERTRAM。
So should you be。 DIANA。 No。 My mother did but duty； such； my lord； As
you owe to your wife。 BERTRAM。 No more o'that！ I prithee do not strive
against my vows。 I was compell'd to her； but I love thee By love's own
sweet constraint； and will for ever Do thee all rights of service。 DIANA。
Ay； so you serve us Till we serve you； but when you have our roses You
barely leave our thorns to prick ourselves； And mock us with our bareness。
BERTRAM。 How have I sworn！ DIANA。 'Tis not the many oaths that
makes the truth； But the plain single vow that is vow'd true。 What is not
holy； that we swear not by； But take the High'st to witness。 Then； pray you；
tell me： If I should swear by Jove's great attributes I lov'd you dearly；
would you believe my oaths When I did love you ill？ This has no holding；
To swear by him whom I protest to love That I will work against him。
Therefore your oaths Are words and poor conditions； but unseal'd… At least
in my opinion。 BERTRAM。 Change it； change it； Be not so holy…cruel。
Love is holy； And my integrity ne'er knew the crafts That you do charge
men with。 Stand no more off； But give thyself unto my sick desires； Who
then recovers。 Say thou art mine； and ever My love as it begins shall so
persever。 DIANA。 I see that men make hopes in such a case That we'll
forsake ourselves。 Give me that ring。 BERTRAM。 I'll lend it thee； my dear；
but have no power To give it from me。 DIANA。 Will you not； my lord？
BERTRAM。 It is an honour 'longing to our house； Bequeathed down from
many ancestors； Which were the greatest obloquy i' th' world In me to lose。
DIANA。 Mine honour's such a ring： My chastity's the jewel of our house；
Bequeathed down from many ancestors； Which were the greatest obloquy
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i' th' world In me to lose。 Thus your own proper wisdom Brings in the
champion Honour on my part Against your vain assault。 BERTRAM。 Here；
take my ring； My house； mine honour； yea； my life； be thine； And I'll be
bid by thee。 DIANA。 When midnight comes； knock at my chamber
window； I'll order take my mother shall not hear。 Now will I charge you in
the band of truth； When you have conquer'd my yet maiden bed； Remain
there but an hour； nor speak to me： My reasons are most strong； and you
shall know them When back again this ring shall be deliver'd。 And on your
finger in the night I'll put Another ring； that what in time proceeds May
token to the future our past deeds。 Adieu till then； then fail not。 You have
won A wife of me； though there my hope be done。 BERTRAM。 A heaven
on earth I have won by wooing thee。 Exit DIANA。 For which live long to
thank both heaven and me！ You may so in the end。 My mother told me just
how he would woo； As if she sat in's heart； she says all men Have the like
oaths。 He had sworn to marry me When his wife's dead； therefore I'll lie
with him When I am buried。 Since Frenchmen are so braid； Marry that
will； I live and die a maid。 Only； in this disguise； I think't no sin To cozen
him that would unjustly win。 Exit
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SCENE 3。 The Florentine camp
Enter the two FRENCH LORDS； and two or three SOLDIERS
SECOND LORD。 You have not given him his mother's letter？ FIRST
LORD。 I have deliv'red it an hour since。 There is something in't that stings
his nature； for on the reading it he chang'd almost into another man。
SECOND LORD。 He has much worthy blame laid upon him for shaking
off so good a wife and so sweet a lady。 FIRST LORD。 Especially he hath
incurred the everlasting displeasure of the King； who had even tun'd his
bounty to sing happiness to him。 I will tell you a thing； but you shall let it
dwell darkly with you。 SECOND LORD。 When you have spoken it； 'tis
dead； and I am the grave of it。 FIRST LORD。 He hath perverted a young
gentlewoman here in Florence； of a most chaste renown； and this night he
fleshes his will in the spoil of her honour。 He hath given her his
monumental ring； and thinks himself made in the unchaste composition。
SECOND LORD。 Now； God delay our rebellion！ As we are ourselves；
what things are we！ FIRST LORD。 Merely our own traitors。 And as
in the common course of all treasons we still see them reveal themselves
till they attain to their abhorr'd ends； so he that in this action contrives
against his own nobility； in his proper stream； o'erflows himself。 SECOND
LORD。 Is it not meant damnable in us to be trumpeters of our unlawful
intents？ We shall not then have his company to…night？ FIRST LORD。 Not
till after midnight； for he is dieted to his hour。 SECOND LORD。 That
approaches apace。 I would gladly have him see his company anatomiz'd；
that he might take a measure of his own judgments； wherein so curiously
he had set this counterfeit。 FIRST LORD。 We will not meddle with him till
he come； for his presence must be the whip of the other。 SECOND LORD。
In the meantime； what hear you of these wars？ FIRST LORD。 I hear there
is an overture of peace。 SECOND LORD。 Nay； I assure you； a peace
concluded。 FIRST LORD。 What will Count Rousillon do then？ Will he
travel higher； or return again into France？ SECOND LORD。 I perceive； by
this demand； you are not altogether
of his counsel。 FIRST LORD。 Let it be forbid； sir！ So should I be a
great deal of his act。 SECOND LORD。 Sir； his wife； some two months
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since； fled from his house。 Her pretence is a pilgrimage to Saint Jaques le
Grand； which holy undertaking with most austere sanctimony she
accomplish'd； and； there residing； the tenderness of her nature became as a
prey to her grief； in fine； made a groan of her last breath； and now she
sings in heaven。 FIRST LORD。 How is this justified？ SECOND LORD。
The stronger part of it by her own letters； which makes her story true even
to the point of her death。 Her death itself； which could not be her office to
say is come； was faithfully confirm'd by the rector of the place。 FIRST
LORD。 Hath the Count all this intelligence？ SECOND LORD。 Ay； and the
particular confirmations； point from point； to the full arming of the verity。
FIRST LORD。 I am heartily sorry that he'll be glad of this。 SECOND
LORD。 How mightily sometimes we make us comforts of our losses！
FIRST LORD。 And how mightily some other times we drown our gain in
tears！ The great dignity that his valour hath here acquir'd for him shall at
home be encount'red with a shame as ample。 SECOND LORD。 The web
of our life is of a mingled yarn； good and ill together。 Our virtues would be
proud if our faults whipt them not； and our crimes would despair if they
were not cherish'd by our virtues。
Enter a MESSENGER
How now？ Where's your master？ SERVANT。 He met the Duke in the
street； sir； of whom he hath taken a solemn leave。 His lordship will next
morning for France。 The Duke hath offered him letters of commendations
to the King。 SECOND LORD。 They shall be no more than needful there； if
they were more than they can commend。 FIRST LORD。 They cannot be
too sweet for the King's tartness。 Here's his lordship now。
Enter BERTRAM
How now； my lord； is't not after midnight？ BERTRAM。 I have to…
night dispatch'd sixteen businesses； a month's length apiece； by an abstract
of success： I have congied with the Duke； done my adieu with his nearest；
buried a wife； mourn'd for her； writ to my lady mother I am returning；
entertain'd my convoy； and between these main parcels of dispatch
effected many nicer needs。 The last was the greatest； but that I have not
ended yet。 SECOND LORD。 If the business be of any difficulty and this
morning your departure hence； it requires haste of your lordship。
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BERTRAM。 I mean the business is not ended； as fearing to hear of it
hereafter。 But shall we have this dialogue bet