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King. No, no, it cannot be; and yet my heart
Will not confefs, it owns the malady

That doth my life befiege; farewel, young Lords;
Whether I live or die, be you the fons
Of worthy Frenchmen; let higher Italy
(Thofe 'bated, that inherit but the Fall
Of the laft Monarchy ;) fee, that you come
Not to woo honour, but to wed it; when
The braveft Queftant fhrinks, find what you feek,
That Fame may cry you loud: I fay, farewel.

2 Lord. Health at your bidding ferve your Majefty!
King. Thofe girls of Italy,take heed of them;
They fay, our French lack language to deny,
If they demand: beware of being captives,
Before you ferve.

Both. Our hearts receive your warnings.

King. Farewel. Come hither to me. [To Attendants.

[Exit. 1 Lord. Oh, my fweet Lord, that you will stay

behind us!

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Of the laft Monarchy ;) fee, &c.] This is obfcure. Italy, at the time of this fcene, was under three very different tenures. The emperor, as fucceffor of the Roman emperors, had one part; the pope, by a pretended donation from Conflantine, another; and the third was compos'd of free ftates. Now by the last monarchy is meant the Roman, the last of the four general monarchies. Upon the fall of this monarchy, in the fcramble, feveral cities fet up for themselves, and became free ftates: now these might be faid properly to inherit the fall of the monarchy. This being premifed, let us now confider fenfe. The King fays, higher Italy; giving it the rank of preference to France; but he corrects himself and fays, I except thofe from that precedency, who only inherit the fall of the last monarchy; as all the little petty ftates; for inftance, Florence to whom thefe voluntiers were going. As if he had faid, I give the place of honour to the emperor and the pope, but not to the free ftates.

Par.

Par. Moft admirable; I have feen thofe wars. Ber. I am commanded here, and kept a coil with, Too young, and the next year, and 'tis too early.

Par. An thy mind ftand to it, boy, fteal away bravely.

Ber. Shall I ftay here the forehorse to a fmock, Creeking my fhoes on the plain masonry,

'Till Honour be bought up, and no fword worn But one to dance with? by heav'n I'll fteal away. I Lord. There's honour in the theft.

Par. Commit it, Count.

2 Lord. I am your acceffary, and fo farewel. Ber. I grow to you, and our parting is a tortur'd body.

Lord. Farewel, Captain.

2 Lord. Sweet Monfieur Parolles!

Par. Noble heroes, my fword and yours are kin; good fparks and luftrous. A word, good metals. You fhall find in the regiment of the Spinii, one captain Spurio with his cicatrice, an emblem of war, here on his finifter cheek; it was this very fword entrench'd it; fay to him, I live, and obferve his reports of

me.

2 Lord. We fhall, noble captain.

Par. Mars doat on you for his novices! what will ye do?

Ber. Stay; the King

[Exeunt Lords.

Par. Ufe a more fpacious ceremony to the noble Lords, you have reftrain'd yourself within the lift of too cold an adieu; be more expreffive to them, for they wear themfelves in the cap of the time, there, to mufter true gate, eat, fpeak, and move under the influence

2

2 they wear themselves in the cap of the time, there, DO mufter true gate, &c.] The main obfcurity of this paffage arifes from the mistake of a single letter. We fhould read, inftead of, do mußter, TO muster. To wear themselves in the cap of the time, fignifies to be the foremost in the fashion: the figurative allufion is to the

galantry

influence of the most receiv'd ftar; and tho' the devil lead the measure, fuch are to be follow'd: after them, and take a more dilated farewel.

Ber. And I will do fo.

Par. Worthy fellows, and like to prove most finewy fword-men.

SCENE II.

Enter the King, and Lafeu.

[Exeunt.

Laf. Pardon, my Lord, for me and for my tidings. King. I'll fee thee to stand up.

Laf. Then here's a man ftands, that hath bought his pardon.

I would, you had kneel'd, my Lord, to ask me mercy; And that at my bidding you could fo ftand up.

King. I would, I had; fo I had broke thy pate, And ask'd thee mercy for❜t.

Laf. Goodfaith, across: but, my good Lord, 'tis thus ;

Will you be cur'd of your infirmity?

King. No.

Laf. O, will you eat no grapes, my royal fox? Yes, but you will, an if

My royal fox could reach them: I have feen a medicine,

That's able to breathe life into a stone;

Quicken a rock, and make you dance Canary

With sprightly fire and motion; whofe fimple touch
Is powerful to araife King Pepin, nay,

To give great Charlemain a pen in's hand,
And write to her a love-line.

King. What her is this?

galantry then in vogue, of wearing jewels, flowers, and their miftrefs's favours in their caps.

there to mufter true gate, fig

nifies to affemble tegether in the high road of the fashion. All

the rest is intelligible and easy.

Laf.

Laf. Why, doctor-fhe: my Lord, there's one arriv'd,

If you will fee her. Now, by my faith and honour, If feriously I may convey my thoughts

In this my light deliverance, I have spoke

With one, that in her fex, 3 her years, profeffion, Wisdom and conftancy, hath amaz'd me more Than I dare blame my weakness: will you fee her, For that is her Demand, and know her bufinefs? That done, laugh well at me.

King. Now, good Lafeu,

Bring in the admiration, that we with thee
May spend our wonder too, or take off thine,
By_wond'ring how thou took'ft it.

Laf. Nay, I'll fit you,

And not be all day neither.

[Exit Lafeu.

King. Thus he his fpecial nothing ever prologues.

Laf. [Returns.] Nay, come your ways.

[Bringing in Helena.

King. This hafte hath wings, indeed.

Laf. Nay, come your ways,

This is his Majefty, fay your mind to him;
A traitor you do look like; but fuch traitors
His Majefty feldom fears; I'm Creffid's uncle,
That dare leave two together; fare you well. [Exit.

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King. Now, fair One, do's your business follow us?
Hel. Ay, my good Lord.

Gerard de Narbon was my father,

In what he did profefs, well found.

King. I knew him.

Hel. The rather will I spare my praise toward him; Knowing him, is enough: on's bed of death

3

- her years, profeffion,] By profeffion is meant her declaration of the end and purpofe of her coming.

Many

Many receipts he gave me, chiefly one,
Which as the deareft iffue of his practice,
And of his old experience th' only darling,
He bade me ftore up, as a triple eye,

Safer than mine own two: more dear I have fo;
And hearing your high Majefty is touch'd
With that malignant caufe, wherein the honour
Of my dear father's gift ftands chief in power,
I come to tender it, and my appliance,
With all bound humbleness.

King. We thank you, maiden;
But may not be fo credulous of cure,

When our most learned doctors leave us; and
The congregated college have concluded,
That labouring art can never ransom nature
From her unaidable eftate: we must not
So ftain our judgment, or corrupt our hope,
To prostitute our paft-cure malady
To empericks; or to diffever fo

Our great felf and our credit, to esteem
A fenfelefs help, when help paft fenfe we deem.
Hel. My duty then fhall pay me for my pains;
I will no more enforce mine office on you;
Humbly intreating from your royal thoughts
A modeft one to bear me back again.

King. I cannot give thee lefs, to be call'd grateful;
Thou thought'st to help me, and fuch thanks I give,
As one near death to those that wish him live;
But what at full I know, thou know'ft no part;
I knowing all my peril, thou no art.

Hel. What I can do, can do no hurt to try,
Since you fet up your reft 'gainst remedy.
He that of greatest works is finisher,
Oft does them by the weakest minifter:
So holy writ in babes hath judgment shown,

When judges have been babes; great floods have

flown

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