Ber.
They told me, that your name was Fontibell.

Dia.
No, my good lord, Diana.

Ber.
Titl'd, goddess;
And worth it, with addition. But, fair soul,
In your fine frame hath love no quality?
If the quick fire of youth light not your mind,
You are no maiden, but a monument:
When you are dead, you should be such a one
As you are now, for you are cold and stern;
And now you should be as your mother was,
When your sweet self was got.

Dia.
She then was honest.

Ber.
So should you be.

Dia.
No:
My mother did but duty; such, my lord,
As you owe to your wife.

Ber.
No more of that;
I pr'ythee, 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.

Dia.
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.

Ber.
How have I sworn?

Dia.
'Tis not the many oaths, that make ^note the truth;
But the plain single vow, that is vow'd true.
What is not holy,14Q0410 that we swear not by,
But take the Highest to witness: Then, pray you, tell me,
If I should swear by Jove's great attributes ^note,
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.

Ber.
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 desire, ^note
Who then recovers: say, thou art mine, and ever
My love, as it begins, shall so persever.

Dia.
I see, that men make hopes in such affairs, ^note
That we'll forsake ourselves. Give me that † ring.

Ber.
I'll lend it thee, my dear, but have no power
To give it from me.

Dia.
Will you not, my lord?

Ber.
It is an honour 'longing to our house,
Bequeathed down from many ancestors;
Which were the greatest obloquy i'the world
In me to lose.

Dia.
Mine honour's such a ring:
My chastity's the jewel of our house,
Bequeathed down from many ancestors;
Which were the greatest obloquy i'the world
In me to lose: Thus your own proper wisdom
Brings in the champion honour on my part,
Against your vain assault.

Ber.
Here, take my &dagger2; ring:
My house, mine honour, yea, my life be thine,
And I'll be bid by thee.

Dia.
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.

Ber.
A heaven on earth I have won, by wooing thee. [Exit Bertram.

Dia.
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 his heart; she says, all men
Have the like oaths: he had sworn ^note to marry me,
When his wife's dead; therefore I'll lye with him,
When I am bury'd: Since men are ^note so braid,14Q0411
Marry that will, I live and dye a maid:

Only, in this disguise, I think't no sin
To cozen him, that would unjustly win. [Exit.

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