Digital facsimile of the Bodleian First Folio of Shakespeare's plays, Arch. G c.7
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Mer. A heauier taske could not haue beene impos'd,
Mer. Then I to speake my griefes vnspeakeable:
Mer. Yet that the world may witnesse that my end
Mer. Was wrought by nature, not by vile offence,
Mer. Ile vtter what my sorrow giues me leaue.
Mer. In Syracusa was I borne, and wedde
Mer. Vnto a woman, happy but for me,
Mer. And by me; had not our hap beene bad:
Mer. With her I liu'd in ioy, our wealth increast
Mer. By prosperous voyages I often made
Mer. To Epidamium, till my factors death,
Mer. And he great care of goods at randone left,
Mer. Drew me from kinde embracements of my spouse;
Mer. From whom my absence was not sixe moneths olde,
Mer. Before her selfe (almost at fainting vnder
Mer. The pleasing punishment that women beare)
Mer. Had made prouision for her following me,
Mer. And soone, and safe, arriued where I was:
Mer. There had she not beene long, but she became
Mer. A ioyfull mother of two goodly sonnes: