DRAMATIS PERSONE.

KING of France.
Duke of Florence.

Bertram, Count of Roufillon.

Lafeu, an old Lord.

Parolles, a parafitical follower of Bertram; a coward, but vain, and a great pretender to valour.

Two young French Lords, that ferve with Bertram in the Florentine war.

Steward,

Clown,

Countess of Roufillon, Mother to Bertram,

Helena, Daughter to Gerard de Narbon, a famous Phyfi

cian, fome time fince dead.

An old Widow of Florence.

Diana, Daughter to the Widow.

Violenta,

Mariana,

Lords attending on the King, Officers, Soldiers, &c.

SCENE lyes partly in France, and partly in Tuscany.

The plot taken from Boccace, Decam. 3. Nov. 9.

POPI

ALL's well that ENDS well.

A C T I. SCENE I.

4

Roufillon in France.

Enter Bertram, the Countess of Roufillon, Helena, and Lafeu, all in mourning.

I

COUNTESS.

N'delivering up my fon from me, I bury a fecond husband.

2

Ber. And in going, Madam, I weep' o'er my father's death anew; but I muft attend his Majefty's command, to whom I am now in ward, evermore in fubjection.

Laf. You fhall find of the King a husband, Madam ; you, Sir, a father. He that fo generally is at all times good muft of neceflity hold his virtue to you, whofe worthiness would ftir it up where it wanted, rather than 1. 3lack it where there is fuch abundance.

Count. What hope is there of his Majefty's amendment? Laf. He hath abandon'd his physicians, Madam, under whofe practices he hath profecuted time with hope, and finds no other advantage in the procefs, but only the lofing of hope by time.

1 delivering my

Y 2

Count.

2 And I in going, Madam, weep

3 lack... old edit. Warb, emend.

Count. This young gentlewoman had a father, (0, that bad! how fad a preface 'tis!) whofe skill was almost as great as his honefty; had it ftretch'd fo far, it would have made nature immortal, and death fhould s'have had play for lack of work. Would, for the King's fake, he were living! I think it would be the death of the King's difeafe.

Laf. How call'd you the man you fpeak of, Madam? Count. He was famous, Sir, in his profeffion, and it was his great right to be fo: Gerard de Narbon.

Laf. He was excellent indeed, Madam; the King very lately spoke of him admiringly and mourningly: he was skilful enough to have liv'd ftill, if knowledge could be fet up against mortality.

Ber. What is it, my good lord, the King languishes of?
Laf. A fiftula, my lord.

Ber. I heard not of it before.

Laf. I would it were not notorious. Was this gentlewoman the daughter of Gerard de Narbon?

Count. His fole child, my lord, and bequeathed to my overlooking. I have thofe hopes of her good, that her education promises: her difpofition fhe inherits, which makes fair gifts fairer; for where an unclean mind carries virtuous qualities, a there commendations go with pity, they are virtues and traitors too: in her they are the better for her fimplenefs, fhe derives her honefty, and atchieves her goodness.

Laf. Your commendations, Madam, get tears from her. Count. 'Tis the best brine a maiden can feafon her praise in. The remembrance of her father never approaches her heart, but the tyranny of her forrows takes all livelihood from her cheek. No more of this, Helena, go to, no more, 7 'left you be rather thought to affect a forrow,

than to have.

Hel. I do affect a forrow indeed, but I have it too.

Laf. (a) By virtuous qualities here are not meant those of a moral kind, but fuch as are acquired by erudition and good breeding. Warburton. 4 paffage 5 have play 6 their 7 left it be rather thought you affect

Laf. Moderate lamentation is the right of the dead, exceffive grief the enemy of the living.

8

Count. If the living 9 'be not enemy to the grief, the excess makes it foon mortal.

Ber. Madam, I defire your holy wishes.
Laf. How understand we that?

Count. Be thou bleft, Bertram, and fucceed thy father
In manners as in fhape! thy blood and virtue
Contend for empire in thee, and thy goodness
Share with thy birth-right! Love all, truft a few,
Do wrong to none: be able for thine enemy
Rather in power than ufe: and keep thy friend
Under thy own life's key: be check'd for filence,
But never tax'd for fpeech. What heav'n more will,
That thee may furnish, and my prayers pluck down,
Fall on thy head! Farewel, my lord; 'tis an
Unfeafon'd courtier, good my lord, advise him.
Laf. He cannot want the best that shall attend
His love.

Count. May heaven bless him! Farewel, Bertram.

[Exit Count. Ber. [To Hel.] The best wishes that can be forg'd in your thoughts be fervants to you! be comfortable to my mother, your mistress, and make much of her.

Laf. Farewel, pretty lady, you must hold the credit

father.

[Exeunt Ber. and Laf.

SCENE

Hel. Oh were that all!

II.

I think not on my father,

And these great tears grace his remembrance more
Than they are fhed for him. What was he like?

I have forgot him. My imagination
Carries no favour in it, but my Bertram's.
I am undone, there is no living, none,
If Bertram be away. It were all one

Y 3

That

8 to
I those I

be 9

... enemy

old edit. Warb. emend.

That I fhould love a bright partic'lar star,
And think to wed it; he is fo above me:
In his bright radiance and collateral light
Muft I be comforted, not in his fphere.
Th' ambition in my love thus plagues it felf;
The hind that would be mated by the lion,
Muft die for love. 'Twas pretty, tho' a plague,
To fee him every hour, to fit and draw
His arched brows, his hawking eye, his curls
In our heart's table: heart too capable
Of every line and trick of his fweet favour.
But now he's gone, and my idolatrous fancy
Muft fanctifie his relicks. Who comes here?

Enter Parolles.

One that goes with him: I love him for his fake,
And yet I know him a notorious liar;

Think him a great way fool,

wholly a coward;

Yet thefe fix'd evils fit fo fit in him,

That they take place, when virtue's steely bones
Look bleak in the cold wind; full oft we fee
Cold wildom waiting on fuperfluous folly.

S C
CE N E III.

Par. 'Save you, fair Queen.

Hel. And you, Monarch.

Par. No.

'Hel. And no.

Par. Are you meditating on virginity?

Hel, Ay: you have fome ftain of foldier in you, let me ask you a queftion. Man is enemy to virginity, how may we barricado it against him to keep him out? for he affails; and our virginity, though valiant, in the defence yet is weak: unfold to us fome warlike refiftance.

2 folely

3 Par. Keep him out.

Hel. But he affails, 'c.

Par.