Pan.

What, blushing still? have you not done talking yet?

Cre.

Well, uncle, what folly I commit, I dedicate to you.

Pan.

I thank you for that; if my lord get a boy of you, you'll give him me; be true to my lord; if he flinch, chide me for it.

Troi.

You know now your hostages; your uncle's word and my firm faith.

Pan.

Nay, I'll give my word for her too; our kindred, though they be long ere they are woo'd, they are constant being won: they are burrs, I can tell you, they'll stick where they are thrown.

Cre.
Boldness comes to me now, and brings me heart:
Prince Troilus, I have lov'd you night and day,
For many weary months.

Troi.
Why was my Cressid then so hard to win?

Cre.
Hard to seem won: but I was won, my lord,
With the first glance that ever—pardon me—
If I confess much, you will play the tyrant:
I love you now, but not till now, so much
But I might master it—in faith I lie—

My thoughts were like unbridled children, grown
Too head-strong for their mother; see we fools,
Why have I blabb'd? who shall be true to us
When we are so unsecret to our selves?
But though I lov'd you well, I woo'd you not,
And yet good faith I wisht my self a man:
Or that the women had mens privilege
Of speaking first. Sweet, bid me hold my tongue,
For in this rapture I shall surely speak
The thing I shall repent; see, ^{q note}


see, your silence
(Cunning in dumbness) from my weakness draws
My very soul of counsel. Stop my mouth.

Troi.
And shall, albeit sweet musick issues thence. [Kissing.

Pan.
Pretty, i'faith.

Cre.
My lord, I do beseech you pardon me;
'Twas not my purpose thus to beg a kiss:
I am asham'd;—O heav'ns, what have I done!—
For this time will I take my leave, my lord.

Troi.
Your leave, sweet Cressid?

Pan.
Leave! an you take leave 'till to-morrow-morning—

Cre.
Pray you, content you.

Troi.
What offends you, lady?

Cre.
Sir, mine own company.

Troi.
You cannot shun your self.

Cre.
Let me go try:
I have a kind of self resides with you:
But an unkind self, that it self will leave,
To be another's fool. Where is my wit?
I would be gone: I speak I know not what.

Troi.
Well know they what they speak, that speak so wisely.

Cre.
Perchance, my lord, I shew more craft than love
And fell so roundly to a large confession,
To angle for your thoughts: but you are wise,
Or else you love not: To be wise and love,
Exceeds man's might, and dwells with gods above.

Troi.
O that I thought it could be in a woman;
(As if it can, I will presume in you,)
To feed for ay her lamp and flames of love,
To keep her constancy in plight and youth,
Out-living beauties outward, with a mind
That doth renew swifter than blood decays.
Oh that perswasion could but thus convince me,
That my integrity and truth to you
Might be affronted with the match and weight
Of such a winnow'd purity in love:
How were I then up-lifted! but alas,
I am as true as truth's simplicity,
And simpler than the infancy of truth.

Cre.
In that I'll war with you.

Troi.
O virtuous fight!
&plquo;True swains in love shall in the world to come
&plquo;Approve their truths by Troilus; when their rhimes,
&plquo;Full of protest, of oath, and big compare,
&plquo;Want similies: truth tired with iteration,
&plquo;As true as steel, as ^{r note}planets to the moon,
&plquo;As sun to day, as turtle to her mate,
&plquo;As ir'on to adamant, as earth to th' center:
&plquo;Yet after all comparisons of truth,
&plquo;(As truth's authentick author to be cited)
&plquo;As true as Troilus shall crown up the verse
&plquo;And sanctifie the numbers.

Cre.
Prophet may you be!
&plquo;If I be false, or swerve a hair from truth,

&plquo;When time is old and hath forgot it self,
&plquo;When water-drops have worn the stones of Troy,
&plquo;And blind oblivion swallow'd cities up,
&plquo;And mighty states characterless are grated
&plquo;To dusty nothing; yet let memory,
&plquo;From false to false, among false maids in love,
&plquo;Upbraid my falsehood; when they've said as false
&plquo;As air, as water, wind, as sandy earth;
&plquo;As fox to lamb, as wolf to heifer's calf;
&plquo;Pard to the hind, or step-dame to her son;
&plquo;Yea let them say, to stick the heart of falsehood,
&plquo;As false as Cressid.—

Pan.

Go to, a bargain made: seal it, seal it, I'll be the witness. Here I hold your hand; here my cousin's; if ever you prove false to one another, since I have taken such pains to bring you together, let all pitiful goers-between be call'd to the world's end after my name: call them all Pandars; let all constant men be Troilus's, all false women Cressida's, and all brokers between Pandars: say Amen.

Troi.

Amen.

Cre.

Amen.

Pan.

Amen. Whereupon I will shew you a chamber, which bed, because it shall not speak of your pretty encounters, press it to death: away.

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