Hel. Then, I confefs,

Here on my knee, before high heav'ns and you,
That before you, and next unto high heav'n,
I love
fon:
your

My friends were poor, but honeft; fo's my love;
Be not offended; for it hurts not him,

That he is lov'd of me; I follow him not
By any token of prefumptuous fuit;

Nor would I have him, 'till I do deserve him;
Yet never know, how that defert shall be.
I know, I love in vain; strive against hope;
Yet, in this captious and intenible sieve,
I ftill pour in the waters of my love,
And lack not to lofe ftill; thus, Indian-like,
Religious in mine error, I adore
The fun that looks upon his worshipper,
But knows of him no more. My dearest Madam,
Let not your hate incounter with my love,
For loving where you do; but if your felf,
Whofe aged honour cites a virtuous youth,
Did ever in fo true a flame of liking
Wish chaftly, and love dearly, that your Dian
Was both herself and love; O then, give pity
To her, whose state is such, that cannot chuse
But lend, and give, where fhe is fure to lofe;
That feeks not to find that, which fearch implies;
But, riddle-like, lives fweetly, where the dies.

Count. Had you not lately an intent, speak truly,
To go to Paris?

Hel. Madam, I had.

Count. Wherefore? tell true.

Hel. I will tell truth; by Grace it felf, I swear.
You know, my father left me fome prescriptions
Of rare and prov'd effects; fuch as his reading
And manifeft experience had collected
For general fov'reignty; and that he will'd me,
In heedfull'st reservation to bestow them,
As notes, whofe faculties inclufive were,
More than they were in note: amongst the rest,
There is a remedy, approv'd, fet down,

To

To cure the defperate languishings, whereof
The King is render'd loft.

Count. This was your motive for Paris, was it, fpeak?
Hel. My lord your fon made me to think of this;
Elfe Paris, and the medicine, and the King,
Had from the converfation of my thoughts,
Haply, been absent then.

Count. But think you, Helen,

If you should tender your fuppofed aid,
He would receive it? he and his phyficians
Are of a mind; he, that they cannot help him :
They, that they cannot help. How fhall they credit
A poor unlearned virgin, when the schools,
Embowell'd of their doctrine, have left off
The danger to it felf?

Hel. There's fomething in't

More than my father's skill, (which was the great'st
Of his Profeffion,) that his good receipt

Shall for my legacy be fanctified

By th' luckiest stars in heav'n; and, would your honour
But give me leave to try fuccefs, I'd venture
The well-loft life of mine on his Grace's Cure,
By fuch a day and hour.

Count. Doft thou believ't?

Hel. Ay, Madam, knowingly.

Count. Why, Helen, thou shalt have my leave and love;

Means and attendants; and my loving greetings
To thofe of mine in Court. I'll ftay at home,
And pray God's bleffing into thy attempt:
Begone, to morrow; and be fure of this,
What I can help thee to, thou shalt not mifs.

[Exeunt

ACT

JAN ERIKVANTN

ACT II.

SCENE, the Court of France.

Enter the King, with divers young Lords taking leave for the Florentine war. Bertram and Parolles. Flourish Cornets.

KING.

F

Arewel, young Lords: thefe warlike principles Do not throw from you: you, my Lords, farewel; Share the advice betwixt you. If both gain, The gift doth stretch it felf as 'tis receiv'd, And is enough for both.

1 Lord. 'Tis our hope, Sir, After well-enter'd foldiers, to return And find your Grace in health.

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 French men; (6) let higher Italy

(6)

let higher Italy

(Thofe bated, that inherit but the Fall

(Thofe

Of the last Monarchy;) fee, &c.] This feems to me One of the very obfcure Paffages of Shakespeare, and which therefore may very well demand Explanation. Italy, at the time of this Scene, was under three very different Tenures. The Emperor, as Succeffor of the Roman Emperors, had one Part; the Pope, by a pretended Donation from Conftantine, another; and the Third was compos'd of free States. Now by the last Monarchy is meant the Roman, the laft of the four general Monarchies. Upon the Fall of this Monarchy, in the Scramble, feveral Cities fet up for Themselves, and became free States: Now these might be said properly to inherit the Fall of the Monarchy. This being premised, now tothe Sense, The King says,

(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 brave Questant shrinks, 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 ftay behind us!

Par. 'Tis not his fault; the fpark

2 Lord. Oh, 'tis brave wars.

Par. Moft admirable; I have feen those 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 fmcck, 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. 1 Lord. There's honour in the theft.

Par. Commit it, Count.

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

Higher Italy; -giving it the Rank of Preference to France; but he corrects himself and fays, I except Those from that Precedency, who only inherit the Fall of the laft Monarchy; as all the little petty States; for inftance, Florence to whom thefe Voluntiers were going, As if he had said, I give the Place of Honour to the Emperor and the Pope, but not to the free States. All here is clear; and 'tis exactly Shakespeare's Manner, who lov'd to fhew his Reading on fuch Occafions, Mr. Warburton.

1 Lord.

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. 7) You fhall find in the regiment of the Spinii, one captain Spurio with his cicatrice, an emblem of war, here on his finister cheek; it was this very sword entrench'd it; fay to him, I live, and obferve his reports of me.

1 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 restrain'd your self within the list of too cold an adieu; be more expreffive to them, for they wear themselves in the cap of the time; there, do muster true gate, eat, fpeak, and move under the influence of the most receiv'd star; and tho' the devil lead the meafure, 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. . [Exeunt.

Enter the King, and Lafeu.

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

(7) You shall find in the Regiment of the Spinii one Captain Spurio, his Cicatrice, with an Emblem of War here on his finifter Cheek ;] It is furprizing, none of the Editors could fee that a flight Tranfpofition was abfolutely neceffary here, when there is not common Sense in the Paffage, as it ftands without fuch Tranfpofition. Parolles only means, “You fhall find one Captain "Spurio in the Camp with a Scar on his left Cheek, a Mark of War that my Sword gave him."

VOL. III.

B

King.