Even in the birth of our own labouring breath:
We two, that with so many thousand sighs
Did buy each other, must poorly sell ourselves
With the rude brevity and discharge of one.
Injurious time now, with a robber's haste,
Crams his rich thievery up, he knows not how:
As many farewells as be stars in heaven,

With distinct breath and consign'd9 kisses to them, He fumbles up into a loose adieu;

And scants us with a single famish'd kiss,

Distasted with the salt of broken tears.

Ene. [Within.] My lord! is the lady ready? Tro. Hark! you are call'd: Some say, the Genius so Cries, Come! to him that instantly must die.Bid them have patience; she shall come anon. Pan. Where are my tears? rain, to lay this wind, or my heart will be blown up by the root!

[Exit PANDARus.

Cres. I must then to the Greeks?

Tro. No remedy. Cres. A woeful Cressid 'mongst the merry Greeks! When shall we see again?

Tro. Hear me, my love: Be thou but true of

heart,

Cres. I true! how now? what wicked deem2 is

this?

Tro. Nay, we must use expostulation kindly,

For it is parting from us :

I speak not, be thou true, as fearing thee;
For I will throw my glove to death himself,
That there's no maculation3 in thy heart:

9 Sealed.. ■ Interrupted. 2 Surmise.

3 Spot.

But be thou true, say I, to fashion in

My sequent4 protestation; be thou true,
And I will see thee.

Cres. O, you shall be expos'd, my lord, to dangers As infinite as imminent! but, I'll be true.

Tro. And I'll grow friend with danger. Wear this sleeve.

Cres. And

you

this glove. When shall I see you?

Tro. I will corrupt the Grecian sentinels, To give thee nightly visitation.

But yet, be true.

Cres.

O heavens !-be true again?

Tro. Hear why I speak it, love;

The Grecian youths are full of quality; 5

They're loving, well compos'd, with gifts of nature flowing,

And swelling o'er with arts and exercise;

How novelty may move, and parts with person,

Alas, a kind of godly jealousy

(Which I beseech you, call a virtuous sin,)

Makes me afeard.

Cres.

O heavens! you love me not.

Tro. Die I a villain then!

In this I do not call your faith in question,
So mainly as my merit: I cannot sing,
Nor heel the high lavolt, nor sweeten talk,
Nor play at subtle games; fair virtues all,
To which the Grecians are most prompt and pregnant:
But I can tell, that in each grace of these

There lurks a still and dumb-discoursive devil,
That tempts most cunningly: but be not tempted.

4 Following. 5 Highly accomplished.

6 A dance.

Cres. Do you think I will?

Tro. No.

But something may be done, that we will not:
And sometimes we are devils to ourselves,
When we will tempt the frailty of our powers,
Presuming on their changeful potency.

Ene. [Within.] Nay, good my lord,

Tro.

Come, kiss; and let us part.

Par. [Within.] Brother Troilus! Tro. Good brother, come you hither; And bring Æneas, and the Grecian, with you. Cres. My lord, will you be true?

Tro. Who I? alas, it is my vice, my fault: While others fish with craft for great opinion, I with great truth catch mere simplicity; Whilst some with cunning gild their copper crowns, With truth and plainness I do wear mine bare. Fear not my truth; the moral of my wit Is-plain, and true, there's all the reach of it.

Enter ENEAS, PARIS, ANTENOR, DEIPHOBUS, and DIOMEDES.

Welcome, sir Diomed! here is the lady,
Which for Antenor we deliver you:

At the port, lord, I'll give her to thy hand;

8

And, by the way, possess thee what she is..

Entreat her fair; and, by my soul, fair Greek,
If e'er thou stand at mercy of my sword,
Name Cressid, and thy life shall be as safe
As Priam is in Ilion.

Dio.

Fair lady Cressid,

1

So please you, save the thanks this prince expects:
The lustre in your eye, heaven in your cheek,
Pleads your fair usage; and to Diomed
You shall be mistress and command him wholly.

Tro. Grecian, thou dost not use me courteously.
To shame the zeal of my petition to thee,
In praising her: I tell thee, lord of Greece,
She is as far high-soaring o'er thy praises,
As thou unworthy to be call'd her servant.
I charge thee, use her well, even for my charge;
For, by the dreadful Pluto, if thou dost not,
Though the great bulk Achilles be thy guard,
I'll cut thy throat.

Dio. O, be not mov'd, prince Troilus: Let me be privileg'd by my place, and message, To be a speaker free; when I am hence, I'll answer to my lust:9 And know you, lord, I'll nothing do on charge: To her own worth She shall be priz'd; but that you say-be't so, I'll speak it in my spirit and honour,-no.

Tro. Come, to the port.-I'll tell thee, Diomed, This brave shall oft make thee to hide thy head.Lady give me your hand; and, as we walk, To our own selves bend we our needful talk. [Exeunt TROILUS, CRESSIDA, and DIOMED. [Trumpet heard.

Par. Hark! Hector's trumpet.

Ene.

How have, we spent this morning!

The prince must think me tardy and remiss,
That swore to ride before him to the field.

9 Pleasure, will.

Par. 'Tis Troilus'fault: Come, come, to field with

him.

Dei. Let us make ready straight.

Ene. Yea, with a bridegroom's fresh alacrity,
Let us address to tend on Hector's heels:
The glory of our Troy doth this day lie,
On his fair worth and single chivalry.

SCENE V.

The Grecian Camp. Lists set out.

[Exeunt.

Enter AJAX armed; AGAMEMNON, ACHILLES, PATROCLUS, MENELAUS, ULYSSES, NESTOR, and Others.

Agam. Here art thou in appointment' fresh and fair, Anticipating time with starting courage.

Give with thy trumpet a loud note to Troy,
Thou dreadful Ajax; that the appalled air

May pierce the head of the great combatant,
And hale him hither.

Ajax.

Thou, trumpet, there's my purse.

Now crack thy lungs, and split thy brazen pipe:

Blow, villain, till thy sphered bias cheek

Out-swell the colick of puff'd Aquilon:

Come, stretch thy chest, and let thy eyes spout blood;

Thou blow'st for Hector.

Ulyss. No trumpet answers.

Achil.

[Trumpet sounds.

"Tis but early days.

Agam. Is not yon Diomed, with Calchas' daughter?