Page 205 - Shakespeare - Vol. 2

This “once again”, but that your highness pleas’d,
Was once superfluous: you were crown’d before,
And that high royalty was ne’er pluck’d off, [5]
The faiths of men ne’er stained with revolt;

Fresh expectation troubled not the land
With any long’d-for change or better state.

SALISBURY
Therefore, to be possess’d with double pomp,
To guard a title that was rich before, [10]

To gild refined gold, to paint the lily,
To throw a perfume on the violet,
To smooth the ice, or add another hue
Unto the rainbow, or with taper-light
To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish, [15]

Is wasteful and ridiculous excess.

PEMBROKE
But that your royal pleasure must be done,
This act is an ancient tale new told,
And, in the last repeating, troublesome,

Being urged at a time unseasonable. [20]

SALISBURY
In this the antique and well-noted face
Of plain old form is much disfigured;
And, like a shifted wind unto a sail,
It makes the course of thoughts to fetch about,

Startles and frights consideration, [25]
Makes sound opinion sick and truth suspected,
For putting on so new a fashion’d robe.

PEMBROKE
When workmen strive to do better than well

They do confound their skill in covetousness;
And oftentimes excusing of a fault [30]
Doth make the fault the worse by th’ excuse:
As patches set upon a little breach