:

a

(For that is her demand) and know her business? Kmg. I must not hear thee; fare thee well, kind That done, laugh well at me.

maid ; l'ing.

Now, good Lafeu, Thy pains, not us'd, must by thyself be paid : Bring in the admiration ; that we with thee Proffers, not took, reap thanks for their reward. May spend our wonder too, or take off tline, Hela Inspired merit so by breath is barr'd: By wondering how thou tork'st it.

It is not so with him that all things knows, Laf.

Nay, I'll fit you, As 'tis with us that square our guess by shows : And not be all day neither. (Exit LaFeu. But most it is presumption in us, when Ing. Thus he his special nothing ever prologues. The help of heaven we count the act of men. Re-enter LaFer, with HELENA.

Dear sir, to my endeavours give consent :

Of heaven, not me, make an experiment. Laf. Nay, come your ways.

I am not an impostor, that proclaim King

This haste bath wings indeed. Myself against the level of mine aim ; Laf. Nay, come your ways;

But know I think, and think I know most sure, This is his majesty, say your mind to him: My art is not past power, nor you past cure. A traitor you do look like; but such traitors K'ing. Art thou so confident? Within what space His majesty seldom fears : I am Cressid's uncle, Hop'st thou my cure ? That dare leave two together : fare you well. [Erit. Hel.

The greatest grace lending grace, Ing. Now, fair one, does your business follow Ere twice the horses of the sun shall bring us?

Their fiery torcher luis diurnal ring ; Hd. Ay, my good lord. Gerard de Narbon was Ere twice in murk and occidental damp My father; in what he did profess, well found. Moist Hesperus hath quench'd his sleepy lamp ; King. I knew him.

Or four and twenty times the pilot's glass Hd. The rather will I spare my praises towards Hath told the thievish minutes hore they pass ; him ;

What is infirm from your sound parts shall fly, Knowing him, is enough. On his bed of death Health shall live free, and sickness freely die. Many receipts he gave me; chiefly one,

King. Upon thy certainty and confidence, Whichi, as the dearest issue of his practice,

What dar'st thou venture ? And of his old experience the only darling,

Hel.

Tax of impudence, He bad me store up, as a triple eye,

A strumpet's boldness, a divulged shame, Safer than mine own two, more dear; I have so : Traduc'd by odious ballads; my maiden's name And, hearing your high majesty is touch'd Sear'd otherwise; no worse of worst extended, With that malignant cause wherein the honour With vilest torture let my life be ended. Of my dear father's gift stands chief in power, King. Methinks, in thee some blessed spirit doth I came to tender it, and my appliance,

speak; With all bound humbleness.

His powerful sound, within an organ weak : Ing.

We thank you, maiden ; And what impossibility would slay But may not be so credulous of cure,

In common sense, sense saves another way. Waen our most learned doctors leave us; and Thy life is dear; for all, that life can rate The congregated college have concluded

Worth name of life, in thee hath estimate ; That labouring art can never ransom nature Youth, beauty, wisdom, courage, virtue, all From her insidable estate, - I say we must not That happiness and prime can happy call : So stain our judgment, or corrupt our hope, Thou this to hazard, needs musi intimate To prostitute our past-cure malady

Skill infinite, or monstrous desperate. To empiricks; or to dissever so

Sweet practiser, thy physick I will try;
Our great self and our credit, to esteem

That ministers thine own death, if I die.
A senseless help, when help past sense we deem. Hel. If I break time, or flinch in property

Hd. My duty then shall pay me for my pains : Of what I spoke, unpitied let me die ;
I will no more enforce mine office on you;

And well deservd : Not helping, death's my Humbly entreating from your royal thoughts A modest one, to bear me back again.

But, I help, what do you promise me? King. I cannot give thee less to be call'd

King. Make thy demand. grateful :

Hel.

But will you make it even ? Thou thought'st to help me; and such thanks I King. Ay, by my sceptre, and my hopes of heaven. give,

Hel. Then shalt thou give me, with thy kingly As one near death to those that wish him live:

hand, But, what at full I know, thou know'st no part; What husband in thy power I will command : I knowing all my peril, thou no art.

Exempted be from me the arrogance He. What I can do, can do no hurt to try, To choose from forth the royal blood of France ; Since you set up your rest 'gainst remedy: My low and humble name to propagate He that of greatest works is finisher,

With any branch or image of thy state : Oft does them by the weakest minister :

But such a one, thy vassal, whom I know
Sy holy writ in babes hath judgment shown, Is free for me to ask, thee to bestow.
When judges have been babes. Great floods have King. Here is my hand; the premises observ'd,
flown

Thy will by my performance shall be serv'd;
From simple sources; and great seas have dried, So make the choice of thy own time, for I,
When miracles have by the greatest been denied. Thy resolv'd patient, on thce still rely.
Os espectation fails, and most oft there

More should I question thee, and more I must ; Where most it promises ; and oft it hits,

Though, more to know, could not be more to Where hope is coldest, and despair most sits.

fee ;

From whence thou cam'st, how tended on,-But rest Count. I play the noble housewife with the time,
Unquestion’d welcome, and undoubted blest. - to entertain it so merrily with a fool.
Give me some help here, ho !- If thou proceed Clo. O Lord, sir,— Why, there't serves well again.
As high as word, my deed shall match thy deed. Count. An end, sir, to your business: Give Helen
(Flourish. Ereunt.

this,

And urge her to a present answer back : SCENE II. Rousillon. A Room in the Commend me to my kinsmen, and my son ; Countess's Palace.

This is not much.

Clo. Not much commendation to them.
Enter COUNTESS and Clown

Count. Not much employment for you: You unCount. Come on, sir; I shall now put you to derstand me? the height of your breeding.

Clo. Most fruitfully; I am there before my legs. Clo. I will show myself highly fed, and lowly Count. Haste you again. (Exeunt severally. taught : I know my business is but to the court.

Count. To the court! why, what place make you SCENE III. Paris. A Room in the King's special, when you put off that with such contempt ?

Palace.
But to the court!
Clo. Truly, madam, if God have lent a man any

Enter BERTRAM, LAFEU, and PAROLLES. manners, he may easily put it off at court: he that Laf. They say, miracles are past; and we have cannot make a leg, put off's cap, kiss his hand, and our philosophical persons, to make modern and say nothing, has neither leg, hands, lip, nor cap ; familiar things, supernatural and causeless. Hence and, indeed, such a fellow, to say precisely, were is it, that we make trifles of terrors; ensconcing not for the court : but, for me, I have an answer will ourselves into seeming knowledge, when we should serve all men.

submit ourselves to an unknown fear. Count. Marry, that's a bountiful answer, that fits Par. Why, 'tis the rarest argument of wonder, all questions.

that hath shot out in our latter times. Clo. It is like a barber's chair ; that fits all but- Ber. And so 'tis. tocks; the pin-buttock, the quatch-buttock, the Laf. To be relinquish'd of the artists, brawn-buttock, or any buttock.

Par. So I say ; both of Galen and Paracelsus. Count. Will your answer serve fit to all ques- Laf. Of all the learned and authentick fellows,tions?

Par. Right, so I say. Clo. As fit as ten groats is for the hand of an at- Laf. That gave him out incurable. torney, as your French crown for your taffata punk, Par. Why, there 'tis ; so say I too. as Tib's rush for Tom's fore-finger, as a pancake for Laf. Not to be helped, Shrove-Tuesday, a morris for May-day, as the nail Par. Right : as 'twere a man assured of an to his hole, the cuckold to his horn, as a scolding Laf. Uncertain life, and sure death. quean to a wrangling knave, as the nun's lip to the Par. Just, you say well ; so would I have said. friar's mouth; nay, as the pudding to his skin. Laf. I may truly say, it is a novelty to the world.

Count. Have you, I say, an answer of such fit- Par. It is, indeed: if you will have it in showness for all questions ?

ing, you shall read it in, What do you call Clo. From below your duke, to beneath your there? constable, it will fit any question.

Laf. A showing of a heavenly effect in an earthly Count. It must be an answer of most monstrous actor. size, that must fit all demands.

Par. That's it I would have said ; the very same. Clo. But a trifle neither, in good faith, if the Laf. Why, your dolphin is not lustier : 'fore me learned should speak truth of it: here it is, and all I speak in respect. that belongs to't: Ask me, if I am a courtier : it Par. Nay, tis strange, 'tis very strange, that is shall do you no harm to learn.

the brief and the tedious of it; and he is of a most Count. To be young again, if we could: I will facinorous spirit, that will not acknowledge it to be be a fool in question, hoping to be the wiser by the your answer. I pray you, sir, are you a courtier ? Laf. Very hand of heaven. Clo. O Lord, sir, There s a simple putting Par. Ay, so I say. - more, more, a hundred of them.

Laf. In a most weak Count. Sir, I am a poor friend of yours, that loves Par. And debile minister, great power, great you.

transcendence : which should, indeed, give us a furClo. O Lord, sir, — Thick, thick, spare not me. ther use to be made, than alone the recovery of the

Count. I think, sir, you can eat none of this king, as to be homely meat.

Laf. Generally thankful. Clo. O Lord, sir, - Nay, put me to't, I warrant

* Enter King, HELENA, and Attendants. you. Count. You were lately whipped, sir, as I think. Par. I would have said it; you say well. Here Clo. O Lord, sir, -- spare not me.

comes the king Count. Do you cry, O Lord, sir, at your whip- Laf. Lustick, as the Dutchman says: I'll like a ping, and spare not me? Indeed, your O Lord, sir, maid the better, whilst I have a tooth in my head : is very sequent to your whipping ; you would Why, he's able to lead her a coranto. answer very well to a whipping, if you were but Par. Mort du Vinaigre! Is not this Helen? bound to't.

Laf. 'Fore God, I think so. Clo. I ne'er had worse luck in my life, in my King. Go, call before me all the lords in court.O Lord, sir : I sec, things may serve long, but not

(Exit an Attendant serve ever.

Sit, my preserver, by thy patient's side ;

off;

C

And with this healthful hand, whose banish'd sense In such a business give me leave to use
Thou last repealed, a second time receive

The help of mine own eyes.
The confirmation of my promis'd gift,

King.

Know'st thou not, Bertram, Which but attends thy naming.

What she has done for me ?
Ber.

Yes, my good lord;
Enter several Lords.

But never hope to know why I should marry her. Fair maid, send forth thine eye : this youthful parcel King. Thou know'st she has rais'd me from my Of noble bachelors stand at my bestowing,

sickly bed. O'er whom both sovereign power and father's voice Ber. But follows it, my lord, to bring me down I have to use: thy frank election make;

Must answer for your raising? I know her well; Thou hast power to choose, and they none to for- She had her breeding at my father's charge: sake.

A poor physician's daughter my wife ! - Disdain Hel. To each of you one fair and virtuous mistress Rather corrupt me ever! Fall, when love please — marry to each, but one ! King. 'Tis only title thou disdain'st in her, the Lef . I'd give bay Curtal, and his furniture,

which My mouth no more were broken than these boys', I can build up. Strange is it, that our bloods, And writ as little beard.

Of colour, weight, and heat, pour'd all together, Peruse them well : Would quite confound distinction, yet stand off Not one of those, but had a noble father.

In differences so mighty : If she be Hd. Gentlemen,

All that is virtuous, (save what thou dislik'st, Heaven bath, through me, restor'd the king to health. A poor physician's daughter,) thou dislik'st

AL. We understand it, and thank heaven for you. of virtue for the name : but do not so :
Hel. I am a simple maid ; and therein wealthiest, From lowest place when virtuous things proceed,
That, I protest, I simply am a maid :-

The place is dignified by the doer's deed :
Please it your majesty, I have done already : Where great additions swell, and virtue none,
The blushes in my cheeks, thus whisper me, It is a dropsied honour : good alone
We blush, that thone should'st choose ; but, be refus'd, Is good without a name; vileness is so :
Let the white death sit on thy cheek for ever ; The property by what it is should go,
We'l ne'er come there again.

Not by the title. She is young, wise, fair;
Make choice; and, see, In these to nature she's immediate heir ;;
Who shuns thy love, shuns all his love in me. And these breed honour : that is honour's scorn,

Hd Now Dian, from thy altar do I fly; Which challenges itself as honour's born,
And to imperial Love, that god most high,

And is not like the sire: Honours best thrive,
Do my sighs stream. — Sir, will you hear my suit ? When rather from our acts we them derive
I Lord. And grant it.

Than our fore-goers : the mere word's a slave, Het

Thanks, sir; all the rest is mute. Debauch'd on every tomb; on every grave, Laf. I had rather be in this choice, than throw A lying trophy, and as oft is dumb, ames-ace for my life.

Where dust, and damn'd oblivion, is the tomb HL. The honour, sir, that flames in your fair eyes, of honour'd bones indeed. What should be said? Before I speak, too threateningly replies :

If thou canst like this creature as a maid, Lore make your fortunes twenty times above I can create the rest : virtue, and she, Her that so wishes, and her humble love!

Is her own dower; honour, and wealth, from me. 2 Land. No better, if you please.

Ber. I cannot love her, nor will strive to do't. Hd.

My wish receive, King. Thou wrong'st thyself, if thou should'st Which great love grant! and so I take my leave.

strive to choose. Laf. Do all they deny her? An they were sons Hel. That you are well restor'd my lord, I am glad; of mine, I'd have them whipped; or I would send Let the rest go. then to the Turk, to make eunuchs of.

King. My honour's at the stake; which to defeat, Hd. Be not afraid (lo a Lord. ) that I your hand I must produce my power : Here, take her hand, should take;

Proud scornful boy, unworthy this good gift, I'll never do you wrong for your own sake : That dost in vile misprision shackle up Blessing upon your vows! and in your bed My love, and her desert; that canst not dream, Find fairer fortune, if you ever wed !

We, poizing us in her defective scale, Laf. These boys are boys of ice, they'll none Shall weigh thee to the beam ; that wilt not know, hare her : sure, they are bastards to the English ; It is in us to plant thine honour, where the French ne'er got them.

We please to have it grow : Check thy contempt : Hd. You are too young, too happy, and too good, Obey our will, which travails in thy good : To make yourself a son out of my blood.

Believe not thy disdain, but presently 4 Lord. Fair one, I think not so.

Do thine own fortunes that obedient right, Lef. There's one grape yet, I am sure thy fa- Which both thy duty owes, and our power claims ; ther drank wine. — But if thou be’st not an ass, I Or I will throw thee from my care for ever, am a youth of fourteen; I have known thee already. Into the staggers, and the careless lapse

I Hd. I dare not say I take you ; [to BEXTRAM.] of youth and ignorance; both my revenge and but I give

bate, Me and my service, ever whilst I live,

Loosing upon thee in the name of justice, Into your guiding power. - This is the man. Without all terms of pity : Speak! thine answer ! King. Why then, young Bertram, take her, she's Ber. Pardon, my gracious lord ; for I submit thy wife.

My fancy to your eyes : When I consider, ber. My wife, my liege? I shall beseech your What great creation, and what dole of honour, highness,

Flies where you bid it, I find, that she, which late

man.

Was in my nobler thoughts most base, is now will by thee, in what motion age will give me The praised of the king; who, so ennobled,

leave.

Į Erit. Is, as 'twere, born so.

Par. Well, thou hast a son shall take this disKing.

Take her by the hand, grace off me; scurvy, old, filthy, scurvy lord ! And tell her, she is thine: to whom I promise Well, I must be patient; there is no fettering of A counterpoize; if not to thy estate,

authority. I'll beat him, by my life, if I can meet A balance more replete,

him with any convenience, an he were double and Ber. I take her hand.

double a lord. I'll have no more pity of his age, King. Good fortune, and the favour of the than I would have of - I'll beat him, an if I could king,

but meet him again. Smile upon this contráct; whose ceremony Shall seem expedient on the now-born brief,

Re-enter LAFEU. And be perform’d to-night : the solemn feast Laf. Sirrah, your lord and master's married, Shall more attend upon the coming space,

there's news for you ; you have a new mistress. Expecting absent friends. As thou lov'st her, Par. I most unfeignedly beseech your lordship Thy love's to me religious ; else, does err.

to make some reservation of your wrongs : He is my
[Exeunt King, Bertram, Helena, Lords, good lord: whom I serve above, is my master.
and Attendants.

Laf. Who? God?
Laf. Do you hear, monsieur ? a word with you. Par. Ay, sir.
Par. Your pleasure, sir ?

Laf. The devil it is, that's thy master. Why dost Laf. Your lord and master did well to make his thou garter up thy arms o' this fashion ? dost make recantation,

hose of thy sleeves ? do other servants so? Thou Par. Recantation ? - My lord ? my master ? wert best set thy lower part where thy nose stands. Laf. Ay; Is it not a language, I speak ? By mine honour, if I were but two hours younger,

Par. A most barsh one; and not to be understood I'd beat thee : methinks, thou art a general offence, without bloody succeeding. My master?

and every man should beat thee. I think, thou Laf. Are you companion to the count Rousillon? wast created for men to breathe themselves upon Par. To any count; to all counts; to what is thee.

Par. This is hard and undeserved measure, my Laf. To what is count's man; count's master is lord. of another style.

Laf. Go to, sir; you were beaten in Italy for Par. You are too old, sir; let it satisfy you, you picking a kernel out of a pomegranate ; you are a are too old.

vagabond, and no true traveller: you are more saucy Laf. I must tell thee, sirrah, I write man ; to with lords, and honourable personages, than the hewhich title age cannot bring thee,

raldry of your birth and virtue gives you commisPar. What I dare too well do, I dare not do. sion. You are not worth another word, else I'd call Laf. I did think thee, for two ordinaries, to be you knave. I leave you.

Erit. a pretty wise fellow; thou didst make tolerable vent of thy travel ; it might pass : yet the scarfs, and the

Enter BERTRAM. bannerets, about thee, did manifoldly dissuade me Par. Good, very good; it is so then. - Good, from believing thee a vessel of too great a burden. very good ; let it be concealed a while. I have now found thee; when I lose thee again, I Ber. Undone, and forfeited to cares for ever! care not : yet art thou good for nothing but taking Par. What is the matter, sweet heart? up; and that thou art scarce worth.

Ber. Although before the solemn priest I have Par. Hadst thou not the privilege of antiquity upon thee,

I will not bed her. Luf. Do not plunge thyself too far in anger, lest Par. What? what, sweet heart ? thou hasten thy trial; - which if - Lord have mercy Ber. O my Parolles, they have married me : on thee for a hen! So, my good window of lattice, I'll to the Tuscan wars, and never bed lrer. fare thee well; thy casement I need not open, for I Par. France is a dog-hole, and it no more merits look through thee. Give me thy hand.

The tread of a man's foot: to the wars! Par. My lord, you give me most egregious in- Ber. There's letters from my mother ; what the dignity.

import is, Laf. Ay, with all my heart; and thou art worthy I know not yet. of it.

Par. Ay, that would be known : To the wars, Par. I have not, my lord, deserved it.

my boy, to the wars ! Laf. Yes, good faith, every dram of it: and I He wears his honour in a box unseen, will not bate thee a scruple.

That hugs his kicksy-wicksy here at home; Par. Well, I shall be wiser.

Spending his manly marrow in her arms, Laf. E'en as soon as thou canst, for thou hast to which should sustain the bound and high curvet pull at a smack o' the contrary. If ever thou be'st Of Mars's fiery steed: To other regions ! bound in thy scarf, and beaten, thou shalt find what France is a stable ; we, that dwell in't, jades ; it is to be proud of thy bondage. I have a desire Therefore, to the war ! to hold my acquaintance with thce, or rather my Ber. It shall be so; I'll send her to my house, knowledge; that I may say, in the default, he is a Acquaint my mother with my hate to her, man I know.

And wherefore I am fled; write to the king Par. My lord, you do me most insupportable That which I durst not speak : His present gif vexation.

Shall furnish me to those Italian fields, Laf. I would it were hell-pains for thy sake, and Where noble fellows strike: War is no strife my poor doing eternal : for doing I am past ; as I To the dark house, and the detested wife.

sworn,

same.

Par. Will this capricio hold in thee, art sure ? Strengthen'd with what apology you think

Ber. Go with me to my chamber, and advise me. May make it probable need. I'll send her straight away: To-morrow

Hel.

What more commands he? IT to the wars, she to her single sorrow.

Par. That, having this obtain'd, you presently Par. Why, these balls bound; there's noise in it. | Attend his further pleasure. 'Tis hard ;

Hel. In every thing I wait upon his will. ' A young man, married, is a man that's marr'd : Par. I shall report it so. Therefore away, and leave her bravely; go:

Hel.

I pray you. Come, sirrah. The king has done you wrong ; but, hush! tis so.

(Ereunt. (Ereunt.

SCENE V. - Another Room in the same. SCENE IV. - The same. Another Room in the

Enter LAFEU and BERTRAM.

Laf. But, I hope, your lordship thinks not him a Enter HELENA and Clown.

soldier. Hd. My mother greets me kindly: Is she well ? Ber. Yes, my lord, and of very valiant approof.

Ca. She is not well; but yet she has her health : Laf. You have it from his own deliverance. she's very merry; but yet she is not well : but Ber. And by other warranted testimony. thanks be given, she's very well, and wants nothing Laf. Then my dial goes not true; I took this I the world; but yet she is not well.

lark for a bunting. Hd. If she be very well, what does she ail, that Ber. I do assure you, my lord, he is very great in she's not very well ?

knowledge, and accordingly valiant. Cl. Truly, she's very well, indeed, but for two Laf. I have then sinned against his experience,

and transgressed against his valour ; and my state Hd. What two things ?

that way is dangerous, since I cannot yet find in my Cie. One, that she's not in heaven, whither God heart to repent. Here he comes; I pray you, make and her quickly! the other, that she's in earth, us friends, I will pursue the amity. from whence God send her quickly!

Enter PAROLLES.
Enter PakoLLES.

Par. These things shall be done, sir.
Par. Bless you, my fortunate lady!

[T. BERTRAM. Hel. I hope, sir, I have your good will to have Laf. Pray you, sir, who's his tailor ? mine own good fortunes.

Par. Sir? Par. Tou had my prayers to lead them on : and Laf. O, I know him well : Ay, sir ; he, sir, is a to keep them un, have them still. - 0, my knave! good workman, a very good tailor. How does my old lady ?

Ber. Is she gone to the king ? [Aside to PAROLLES. Cle. So that you had her wrinkles, and I her Par. She is. maey, I would she did as you say,

Ber. Will she away to-night? Par. Why, I say nothing.

Par. As you'll have her. C. Marry, you are the wiser man; for many Ber. I have writ my letters, casketed my treasure, a man's tongue shakes out his master's undoing : Given order for our horses; and to-night, To say nothing, to do nothing, to know nothing, When I should take possession of the bride, and to bave nothing, is to be a great part of your And, ere I do begin, atle; which is within a very little of nothing. Laf. A good traveller is something at the latter Ps. Away, thou'rt a knave.

end of a dinner ; but one uiat lies three-thirds, and Cle. You should have said, sir, before a knave uses a known truth to pass a thousand nothings with, thou art a kpave; that is, before me thou art a should be once heard, and thrice beaten. God klave : this had been truth, sir.

save you, captain. Par. Go to, thou art a witty fool, I have found Ber. Is there any unkindness between my lord thee

and you, monsieur ? Ca. Did you find me in yourself, siç ? or were Par. I know not how I have deserved to run into fou taught to find me? The search, sir, was profite my lord's displeasure. ible; and much fool may you find in you, even to Laf. You have made shift to run into't, boots the world's pleasure, and the increase of laughter. and spurs and all, like him that leaped into the cus

Par. A good knave, i'faith, and well fed. - tard ; and out of it you'll run again, rather than Vadam, my lord will go away to-night :

suffer question for your residence. A very serious business calls on him,

Ber. It may be, you have mistaken him, my The great prerogative and rite of love,

lord. Which, as your duc, time claims, he does acknow- Laf. And shall do so ever, though I took him at ledge;

Fare you well, my lord; and believe But puts it off by a compell'd restraiot ;

this of me, there can be no kernel in this light Whose want, and whose delay, is strewed with nut; the soul of this man is his clothes : trust him sxeets,

not in matter of heavy consequence; I have kept of Which shey distil now in the curbed timne,

them tame, and know their natures. - Farewell, To make the coming hour o'er-flow with joy, monsieur : I have spoken better of you, than you And pleasure drown the brim.

have or will deserve at my band; but we must do What’s his will else ? good against evil.

(Exit Ps. That you will take your instant leave o' the Par. An idle lord, I swear. king,

Ber. I think so.
And make this haste as your own good proceeding, Par. Why, do you not know him?

his prayers.