The Two Noble Kinsmen 9

³DaughterWhy should I love this gentleman? ’tis odds
He never will affect me: I am base,
My father the mean keeper of his prison,
And he a prince: to marry him is hopeless,
To be his whore is witless. Out upon’t!
What pushes are we wenches driven to,
When fifteen once has found us! First, I saw him;
I, seeing, thought he was a goodly man;
He has as much to please a woman in him⁠—
If he please to bestow it so⁠—as ever
These eyes yet look’d on: next I pitied him;
And so would any young wench, o’ my conscience,
That ever dream’d, or vow’d her maidenhead
To a young handsome man: then I lov’d him,
Extremely lov’d him, infinitely lov’d him;
And yet he had a cousin, fair as he too;
But in my heart was Palamon, and there,
Lord, what a coil he keeps! To hear him
Sing in an evening, what a heaven it is!
And yet his songs are sad ones. Fairer spoken
Was never gentleman: when I come in
To bring him water in a morning, first
He bows his noble body, then salutes me thus,
“Fair, gentle maid, good morrow: may thy goodness
Get thee a happy husband!” Once he kiss’d me;
I lov’d my lips the better ten days after:
Would he would do so every day! He grieves much,
And me as much to see his misery:
What should I do, to make him know I love him?
For I would fain enjoy him say I ventur’d
To set him free? what says the law, then? Thus much
For law, or kindred! I will do it;
And this night or to-morrow he shall love me. Exit.