King. I never found such goodness in such years.
Mem. Thou shalt not over-do me, though I die for 't.
Oh, how I love thy goodness, my best brother!
You have given me here a treasure to enrich me,
Would make the worthiest king alive a beggar:
What may I give you back again?

Polyd.

Your love, sir.

Mem. And you shall have it, even my dearest love,
My first, my noblest love: take her again, sir ;
She is yours, your honesty has over-run me:
She loves ye; lov'st her not?-Excellent princess,
Enjoy thy wish :-and now, get generals.

Polyd. As ye love Heaven, love him!-She is only

yours, sir.

Mem. As ye love

yours, sir.

My lord the king—

320

325

Heaven, love him.-She is only

330

He will undo himself, sir,

Polyd.

And must without her perish: who shall fight, then?
Who shall protect your kingdom?

Mem.

Give me hearing,

And, after that, belief. Were she my soul (As I do love her equal), all my victories,

335

And all the living names I have gain'd by war,

And loving him, that good, that virtuous good man,
That only worthy of the name of brother,

I would resign all freely. 'Tis all love

To me, all marriage-rites, the joy of issues,

340

To know him fruitful, that has been so faithful.

King. This is the noblest difference!-Take your choice, sister.

Calis. I see they are so brave and noble both,

I know not which to look on.

Polyd.

And Virtue guide ye!

Stands at the mark.
Mem.

Choose discreetly,

There all the world, in one man 345

There all man's honesty,

327 lov'st her not?] So F1, and all edd. F2 lose her not.

337 And loving him] i. e. and were she enamoured of him-continuing the protasis.

337 good, that virtuous good] The second good was silently omitted by Seward and Colman.

Oh, gods!

The sweetness of all youth.

Calis.

Mem.

My armour !-
By all the gods, she's yours!-my arms, I say!—
And, I beseech your grace, give me employment:
That shall be now my mistress, there my courtship.
King. Ye shall have any thing.

Mem.
Virtuous lady,
Remember me, your servant now.-Young man,
You cannot over-reach me in your goodness.-

Oh, Love! how sweet thou look'st now, and how

gentle !

350

I should have slubber'd thee, and stain'd thy beauty. 355 Your hand, your hand, sir!

King.

Mem. So.

Take her, and Heaven bless her!

Polyd. 'Tis your will, sir, nothing of my merit; And, as your royal gift, I take this blessing.

Calis. And I from Heaven this gentleman.—

Thanks, goddess!

Mem. So ye are pleased now, lady?

Now or never. 360

Calis.
Mem. My cold stiff carcass would have frozen ye.—
Wars, wars!

King.
Mem.

Ye shall have wars.

My next brave battle

I dedicate to your bright honour, sister:
Give me a favour, that the world may know

I am your soldier.

Calis.

[CLEANTHE kneeling.

Mem. And he that bears this from me, must strike

boldly.

Calis. I do forgive thee: be honest: no more, wench.
King. Come, now to revels; this blest day shall

prove

The happy crown of noble faith and love.

[Exeunt.

350 there] F2. FI reads here. If that be the true reading, an opposition is intended between his real passion for war and the courtly worship he will offer the Princess. Cf. 1. 352, your servant now.'

352 your servant] Accepted as your courtier, authorised to pay attentions. 365 s.d. Gives . . . scarf] Added Weber.

366 s.d. Cleanthe kneeling] So Ff.

EPILOGUE

HERE lies the doubt now; let our plays be good,
Our own care sailing equal in this flood,
Our preparations new, new our attire,

Yet here we are becalm'd still, still i' th' mire,
Here we stick fast. Is there no way to clear
This passage of your judgment, and our fear?
No mitigation of that law? Brave friends,
Consider we are yours, made for your ends;
And every thing preserves itself; each will,
If not perverse and crooked, utters still
The best of that it ventures in. Have care,
Even for your pleasure's sake, of what we are,
And do not ruin all: you may frown still,
But 'tis the nobler way to check the will.

5

ΙΟ

2 care] i. e. the actors' efforts, opposed to the playwright's (1. 1) as in Prologue, 1.2. Prof. Deighton (Conjectural Readings, p. 66) proposed crare, 'boat,' which occurs figuratively in The Captain, I. ii. 44, Let him venture In some decay'd crare of his own.'

.

9-10 each will, utters] So F1. F2 each will.、. utter, which Mason accepted, as future. Colman, reading utters, interpreted it is the inclination of all fair dealers to sell their customers the best of their wares,' quoted, with approval, by Dyce. But surely Seward's explanation of utters is much simpler Speaks well of the ship in which he sends any venture,' or of the undertaking in which he invested. He rightly refers to the Prologue, where (11. 7-8) the spectators are said to have ventured their shillings in the play.

THE LOYAL SUBJECT

EDITED BY JOHN MASEFIELD

WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY R. WARWICK BOND