William Shakespeare - The Two Noble Kinsman Act 2 Scene 1 lyrics

Scaena 1. (Athens. A garden, with a prison in the background.) [Enter Iailor, and Wooer.] IAILOR. I may depart with little, while I live; some thing I may cast to you, not much: Alas, the Prison I keepe, though it be for great ones, yet they seldome come; Before one Salmon, you shall take a number of Minnowes. I am given out to be better lyn'd then it can appeare to me report is a true Speaker: I would I were really that I am deliverd to be. Marry, what I have (be it what it will) I will a**ure upon my daughter at the day of my d**h. WOOER. Sir, I demaund no more then your owne offer, and I will estate your Daughter in what I have promised. IAILOR. Wel, we will talke more of this, when the solemnity is past. But have you a full promise of her? When that shall be seene, I tender my consent. [Enter Daughter.] WOOER. I have Sir; here shee comes. IAILOR. Your Friend and I have chanced to name you here, upon the old busines: But no more of that now; so soone as the Court hurry is over, we will have an end of it: I'th meane time looke tenderly to the two Prisoners. I can tell you they are princes. DAUGHTER. These strewings are for their Chamber; tis pitty they are in prison, and twer pitty they should be out: I doe thinke they have patience to make any adversity ashamed; the prison it selfe is proud of 'em; and they have all the world in their Chamber. IAILOR. They are fam'd to be a paire of absolute men. DAUGHTER. By my troth, I think Fame but stammers 'em; they stand a greise above the reach of report. IAILOR. I heard them reported in the Battaile to be the only doers. DAUGHTER. Nay, most likely, for they are noble suffrers; I mervaile how they would have lookd had they beene Victors, that with such a constant Nobility enforce a freedome out of Bondage, making misery their Mirth, and affliction a toy to jest at. IAILOR. Doe they so? DAUGHTER. It seemes to me they have no more sence of their Captivity, then I of ruling Athens: they eate well, looke merrily, discourse of many things, but nothing of their owne restraint, and disasters: yet sometime a devided sigh, martyrd as 'twer i'th deliverance, will breake from one of them; when the other presently gives it so sweete a rebuke, that I could wish my selfe a Sigh to be so chid, or at least a Sigher to be comforted. WOOER. I never saw 'em. IAILOR. The Duke himselfe came privately in the night, [Enter Palamon, and Arcite, above.] and so did they: what the reason of it is, I know not: Looke, yonder they are! that's Arcite lookes out. DAUGHTER. No, Sir, no, that's Palamon: Arcite is the lower of the twaine; you may perceive a part of him. IAILOR. Goe too, leave your pointing; they would not make us their object; out of their sight. DAUGHTER. It is a holliday to looke on them: Lord, the diffrence of men! [Exeunt.]