First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
| |
| Enter Countesse & Steward. | Enter the Countess and the Steward | | AW III.iv.1 | |
| La | COUNTESS | | | |
| Alas! and would you take the letter of her: | Alas! and would you take the letter of her? | | AW III.iv.1 | |
| Might you not know she would do, as she has done, | Might you not know she would do as she has done | | AW III.iv.2 | |
| By sending me a Letter. Reade it agen. | By sending me a letter? Read it again. | | AW III.iv.3 | |
| STEWARD | | | |
| Letter. | (reading) | | AW III.iv.4.1 | |
| I am S. Iaques Pilgrim, thither gone: | I am Saint Jaques' pilgrim, thither gone. | Jaques, Saint in Christian tradition, Saint James; a pilgrim centre in Compostella, N Spain | AW III.iv.4 | |
| Ambitious loue hath so in me offended, | Ambitious love hath so in me offended | | AW III.iv.5 | |
| That bare-foot plod I the cold ground vpon | That barefoot plod I the cold ground upon, | | AW III.iv.6 | |
| With sainted vow my faults to haue amended. | With sainted vow my faults to have amended. | sainted (adj.)saintly, angelic, of holy character | AW III.iv.7 | |
| Write, write, that from the bloodie course of warre, | Write, write, that from the bloody course of war | course (n.)bout, engagement, encounter | AW III.iv.8 | |
| My deerest Master your deare sonne, may hie, | My dearest master, your dear son, may hie. | hie (v.)hasten, hurry, speed | AW III.iv.9 | |
| Blesse him at home in peace. Whilst I from farre, | Bless him at home in peace, whilst I from far | | AW III.iv.10 | |
| His name with zealous feruour sanctifie; | His name with zealous fervour sanctify. | | AW III.iv.11 | |
| His taken labours bid him me forgiue; | His taken labours bid him me forgive; | taken (adj.)undertaken, set in train | AW III.iv.12 | |
| I his despightfull Iuno sent him forth, | I, his despiteful Juno, sent him forth | Juno (n.)Roman supreme goddess, wife of Jupiter, associated with the Moon, childbirth, marriage, and female identity | AW III.iv.13 | |
| | despiteful (adj.)cruel, spiteful, malicious | | |
| From Courtly friends, with Camping foes to liue, | From courtly friends, with camping foes to live | courtly (adj.)belonging to the court, connected with the court | AW III.iv.14 | |
| | camping (adj.)living in an army camp, tent-dwelling | | |
| Where death and danger dogges the heeles of worth. | Where death and danger dogs the heels of worth. | | AW III.iv.15 | |
| He is too good and faire for death, and mee, | He is too good and fair for death and me; | | AW III.iv.16 | |
| Whom I my selfe embrace, to set him free. | Whom I myself embrace to set him free. | | AW III.iv.17 | |
| COUNTESS | | | |
| Ah what sharpe stings are in her mildest words? | Ah, what sharp stings are in her mildest words! | | AW III.iv.18 | |
| Rynaldo you did neuer lacke aduice so much, | Rynaldo, you did never lack advice so much | advice (n.)forethought, discretion, wisdom | AW III.iv.19 | |
| As letting her passe so: had I spoke with her, | As letting her pass so. Had I spoke with her, | | AW III.iv.20 | |
| I could haue well diuerted her intents, | I could have well diverted her intents, | intent (n.)intention, purpose, aim | AW III.iv.21 | |
| Which thus she hath preuented. | Which thus she hath prevented. | prevent (v.)forestall, anticipate | AW III.iv.22.1 | |
| Ste. | STEWARD | | | |
| Pardon me Madam, | Pardon me, madam. | | AW III.iv.22.2 | |
| If I had giuen you this at ouer-night, | If I had given you this at overnight | overnight, atlast night, yesterday evening | AW III.iv.23 | |
| She might haue beene ore-tane: and yet she writes | She might have been o'erta'en; and yet she writes | | AW III.iv.24 | |
| Pursuite would be but vaine. | Pursuit would be but vain. | | AW III.iv.25.1 | |
| La. | COUNTESS | | | |
| What Angell shall | What angel shall | | AW III.iv.25.2 | |
| Blesse this vnworthy husband, he cannot thriue, | Bless this unworthy husband? He cannot thrive, | | AW III.iv.26 | |
| Vnlesse her prayers, whom heauen delights to heare | Unless her prayers, whom heaven delights to hear | | AW III.iv.27 | |
| And loues to grant, repreeue him from the wrath | And loves to grant, reprieve him from the wrath | | AW III.iv.28 | |
| Of greatest Iustice. Write, write Rynaldo | Of greatest justice. Write, write, Rynaldo, | | AW III.iv.29 | |
| To this vnworthy husband of his wife, | To this unworthy husband of his wife. | | AW III.iv.30 | |
| Let euerie word waigh heauie of her worrh, | Let every word weigh heavy of her worth | | AW III.iv.31 | |
| That he does waigh too light: my greatest greefe, | That he does weigh too light. My greatest grief, | | AW III.iv.32 | |
| Though little he do feele it, set downe sharpely. | Though little he do feel it, set down sharply. | | AW III.iv.33 | |
| Dispatch the most conuenient messenger, | Dispatch the most convenient messenger. | dispatch, despatch (v.)send away, send off | AW III.iv.34 | |
| When haply he shall heare that she is gone, | When haply he shall hear that she is gone, | haply (adv.)perhaps, maybe, by chance, with luck | AW III.iv.35 | |
| He will returne, and hope I may that shee | He will return; and hope I may that she, | | AW III.iv.36 | |
| Hearing so much, will speede her foote againe, | Hearing so much, will speed her foot again, | | AW III.iv.37 | |
| Led hither by pure loue: which of them both | Led hither by pure love. Which of them both | | AW III.iv.38 | |
| Is deerest to me, I haue no skill in sence | Is dearest to me I have no skill in sense | sense (n.)perception, awareness, discernment, appreciation | AW III.iv.39 | |
| To make distinction: prouide this Messenger: | To make distinction. Provide this messenger. | provide (v.)get ready, equip [oneself] | AW III.iv.40 | |
| My heart is heauie, and mine age is weake, | My heart is heavy and mine age is weak; | | AW III.iv.41 | |
| Greefe would haue teares, and sorrow bids me speake. | Grief would have tears, and sorrow bids me speak. | | AW III.iv.42 | |
| Exeunt | Exeunt | | AW III.iv.42 | |