LADY ANNE - SCANSION

                  /    x          x      /          x              /         x     /        x      /    x                                 

1.           Not for[1] / that nei[2] / ther.[3]  Here's / the pang / that pinches[4]:                          

 

                 x     /             x     /        x     /       x    /             x      x           x     /

2.           His High[5] / ness hav / ing liv'd / so long[6] / with her[7], / and she[8]

 

                x     /       x /     x    x           x      /            x       /

3.           So good / a la / dy that[9] / no tongue / could ever[10]

 

               x     /             x    /      x    x           x             /       x    /

4.           Pronounce / dishon / our of[11] / her[12], --by / my life[13],

 

                x    /       x     /                 x       /      x      /       x      / x 

5.           She ne / ver knew[14] / harm –do / ing-- O, / now, after[15]

 

                x    /      x    /         x   x          x    /       x     /

6.           So ma / ny cour / ses of[16] / the sun / enthroned,

 

               x         /        x   /     x   /      x x            x       /          x      /

7.           Still grow / ing in / a maj / esty[17] / and pomp, / the which

 

                x     /       x     /        x     /         x      /      x     /

8.           To leave / a thous / and-fold / more bit / ter than

 

                       x      /        x    /      x       /       x                   /     x    /        /    x

9.           [18]'Tis sweet / at first / to ac’qui / re[19] [20],  --af / ter this / process[21],[22]

 

               x    /        x    x            x   /            x  /    x  /  x

10.        To give / her the[23] / avaunt[24], / it is / a pity[25]

 

                x        /           x    /        x   

11.        Would move / a mon / ster.[26] [27] [28]

OLD LADY.

12.                                            Hearts of most hard temper

13.        Melt and lament for her.

ANNE.

14.                                                    O, God's will, much better

15.        She ne'er had known pomp!  Though't be temporal,

16.        Yet, if that quarrel, fortune, do divorce

17.        It from the bearer, 'tis a suffer’ance panging

18.        As soul and body's seve’ring.

OLD LADY.

19.                                                           A’las, poor lady!

20.        She's a stranger now again.

 

ANNE.

21.                                                    So much the more

22.        Must pity drop up on her. Verily,

23.        I swear, 'tis better to be lowly born

24.        And range with humble livers in content,

25.        Than to be perk'd up in a glist'ring grief,

26.        And wear a golden sorrow.

OLD LADY.

27.                                                     Our content

28.        Is our best having.

 

ANNE.

29.                                      By my troth and maidenhead,

30.        I would not be a queen. 

OLD LADY.

31.                                                Beshrew me, I would,

32.        And venture maidenhead for't; and so would you,

33.        For all this spice of your hypocrisy.

34.        You, that have so fair parts of woman on you,

35.        Have too a woman's heart, which ever yet

36.        Affected eminence, wealth, sovereignty;

37.        Which, to say sooth, are blessings; and which gifts,

38.        Saving your mincing, the capacity

39.        Of your soft cheveril conscience would receive,

40.        If you might please to stretch it.

 

ANNE.

41.                                                         Nay, good troth.

 

OLD LADY.

42.        Yes, troth and troth. You would not be a queen?

 

ANNE.

43.        No, not for all the riches under heaven.

 

OLD LADY.

44.        'Tis strange.  A three-pence bow'd would hire me,

45.        Old as I am, to queen it. But, I pray you,

46.        What think you of a duchess? Have you limbs

47.        To bear that load of title?

 

ANNE.

48.                                                        No, in truth.

 

OLD LADY.

49.        Then you are weakly made; pluck off a little.

50.        I would not be a young count in your way,

51.        For more than blushing comes to. If your back

52.        Cannot vouchsafe this burden, 'tis too weak

53.        Ever to get a boy.

 

ANNE.

54.                                            How you do talk!

55.        I swear again I would not be a queen

56.        For all the world.

OLD LADY.

57.                                     In faith, for little England

58.        You'd venture an emballing. I myself

59.        Would for Carnarvonshire, although there long'd

60.        No more to the crown but that. Lo, who comes here?

[Enter the Lord Chamberlain.]

CHAMBERLAIN.

61.        Good morrow, ladies. What were't worth to know

62.        The secret of your confer’ence?

 

ANNE.

63.                                                          My good lord,

64.        Not your demand; it values not your asking.

65.        Our mistress'  sorrows we were pitying.

CHAMBERLAIN.

66.        It was a gentle business, and becoming

67.        The action of good women. There is hope

68.        All will be well.

 

ANNE.

69.                                    Now, I pray God, amen!

CHAMBERLAIN.

70.        You bear a gentle mind, and heavenly blessings

71.        Follow such creatures. That you may, fair lady,

72.        Perceive I speak sincerely, and high note's

73.        Ta'en of your many virtues, the King's Majesty

74.        Commends his good opinion of you, and

75.        Does purpose honour to you no less flowing

76.        Than Marchioness of Pembroke; to which title

77.        A thousand pound a year, annual support,

78.        Out of his grace he adds.

 

ANNE.

                                                              x  /       x     / 

79.                                                  [29]  I do / not know

 

                 x      /        x   /       x   /       x     /       x        /    x  

80.        What kind / of my / obed‘ / ience I / should tender.[30]

 

                 /        x             x   /     x   /        x      /       x      /        

81.        More than[31] / my all / is noth / ing; nor / my prayers

 

               x    /         x       /      x   /         x        /       x      /  x 

82.        Are not / words du / ly hall / owed, nor / my wishes[32]

 

                x        /           x      /       x    /     x  /       x      /            x      /   x 

83.        More worth / than emp / ty van / ities; / yet prayers / and wishes[33]

 

                x    /    x   /      x   /               x     /        x       /     x

84.        Are all / I can / return.[34] /  Beseech / your lordship[35],

 

                x        /        x     /         x      /           x     /      x  /     x

85.        Vouch safe / to speak / my thanks / and my / obed‘ience[36],

 

               x    /       x    /         x      /         x      /      x      /    x  

86.        As from / a blush / ing hand / maid, to / his Highness[37];

 

                  x        /           x      /       x  /      /      x

87.        Whose health / and royal / ty I / pray for[38].[39]

CHAMBERLAIN.

88.                                                                         Lady,

89.        I shall not fail to approve the fair conceit

90.        The King hath of you. [Aside.] I have perus'd her well.

91.        Beauty and honour in her are so mingled

92.        That they have caught the King; and who knows yet

93.        But from this lady may proceed a gem

94.        To lighten all this isle? I'll to the King,

95.        And say I spoke with you.

[Exit Lord Chamberlain.]

 

ANNE.

96.                                                    My honour'd lord.

OLD LADY.

97.        Why, this it is: see, see!

98.        I have been begging sixteen years in court,

99.        Am yet a courtier beggarly, nor could

100.      Come pat betwixt too early and too late

101.      For any suit of pounds; and you, O fate!

102.      A very fresh-fish here--fie, fie, fie upon

103.      This compell'd fortune!--have your mouth fill'd up

104.      Before you open it.

 

ANNE.

105.                                       This is strange to me.

OLD LADY.

106.      How tastes it? Is it bitter? Forty pence, no.

107.      There was a lady once, 'tis an old story,

108.      That would not be a queen, that would she not,

109.      For all the mud in Egypt. Have you heard it?

 

ANNE.

110.      Come, you are pleasant.

OLD LADY.

111.                                        With your theme, I could

112.      O'ermount the lark. The Marchioness of Pembroke!

113.      A thousand pounds a year for pure respect!

114.      No other obligation! By my life,

115.      That promises moe thousands; Honour's train

116.      Is longer than his foreskirt. By this time

117.      I know your back will bear a duchess. Say,

118.      Are you not stronger than you were?

ANNE.

                                                                         /      /  x 

119.                                                            / Good lady,[40] [41]

 

                /        x               x      /         x      /         x   /      x             /   x

120.      Make your[42] / self mirth / with your / parti‘c / ular[43]  fancy,[44]

 

                x      /         x     /       x             /         x   /      x     /

121.      And leave / me out / on't.[45]  Would / I had / no being,

    

              x   /       x   /      x      /        x   /           x     /      x 

122.      If this / salute / my blood / a jot.[46] / It faints me,[47]

 

               x     /           x     /       x

123.      To think / what foll / ows.[48]

 

               x       /         x   /         x    x              x    /       x   /   x     

124.      The Queen / is com / fortless[49], / and we / forgetful[50]

 

              x    x      x     /        x               /        x   /       x  / x

125.      In our / long ab / sence.[51] Pray, / do not / deliver[52]

             

                 x      /         x          /        x    /

126.      What here / you've heard / to her. /[53]

 

OLD LADY.

127.                                                  What do you think me?

[Exeunt.]

 

1  Line 1:  Trochee

2  Line 1:  Alliteration:  (Not/Neither)

3  Line 1:  Mid stop

4  Line 1:  Feminine Ending and Alliteration (Pang/Pinches)

5  Line 2:  Alliteration (His/Highness)

6  Line 2:  Alliteration (Lived/Long)

7  Line 2:  Pyrrhic

8  Line 2:  Alexandrine (extra foot)

9  Line 3:  Pyrrhic

10 Line 3:  Elision (ever = e’er)

11  Line 4:  Pyrrhic

12 Line 4:  Consonance (Honour/Her)

13 Line 4:  Assonance (By/My/Life)

14  Line 5:  Alliteration (Never/Knew)

15 Line 5:  Feminine Ending

16 Line 6:  Pyrrhic

17 Line 7:  Pyrrhic

18 Line 9: Highly Irregular BEWARE!

19 Line 9:  Antithesis (Leave/Acquire)

20 Line 9: Elision (to acquire = t’qui - re”)

21 Line 9: Trochee

22 Line 9:  Alexandrine (extra foot)

23 Line 10:  Pyrrhic

24 Line 10:  Antithesis (enthroned/avaunt)

25 Line 10: Feminine Ending

26 Lines 11 & 12:  Shared Line

27 Lines 11 & 12:  Mid line, mid foot stop.

28 The entire speech contains only two full stops.  The second sentence spans eleven lines.

29 Line 79:  Mid line stop, Shared Line

30 Line 80:  Feminine Ending

31 Line 81:  Trochee

32 Line 82:  Feminine Ending

33 Line 83:  Alexandrine (Extra Foot) with a Feminine Ending

34 Line 84:  Mid Line Stop.

35 Line 84:  Feminine Ending

36 Line 85:  Feminine Ending

37 Line 86:  Feminine Ending!

38 Line 87:  Trochee

39 Line 87 & 88:  Shared Line

40 Line 119;  Antibacchius(?), Or Spondee with a Feminine Ending

41  Line 119:  Shared LIne

42 Line 120: Trochee

43 Line 120:  Elision (Particular = Parti c’lar)

44 Line 120:  Alexandrine (extra foot)

45 Line 121:  Mid Line, mid foot stop.

46 Line 122:  Mid Line stop.

47 Line 122:  Feminine Ending

48 Line 123:  Short Line. (missing 2.5 Feet)

49 Line 124:  Pyrrhic

50 Line 124:  Feminine Ending

51 Line 125:  Mid line, mid foot stop

52 Line 125:  Feminine Ending

53 Line 126 & 127:  Shared Line