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Hel. But will you make it even?
King. Ay, by my sceptre, and my hopes of
Hel. Then shalt thou give me, with thy kingly
hand,

What husband in thy power I will command:
Exempted be from me the arrogance
To chuse from forth the royal blood of France;
My low and humble name to propagate
With any branch or image of thy state:
But such a one, thy vassal, whom I know
Is free for me to ask, thee to bestow.

[serv'd,

King. Here is my hand; the premises ob-
Thy will by my performance shall be serv'd:
So make the choice of thine own time; for I,
Thy resolv'd patient, on thee still rely.
More should I question thee, and more I must;
Though, more toknow, could not be more to trust;
From whence thou cam'st, how tended on,-But

rest

Unquestion'd welcome, and undoubted biest.--
Give me some help here, ho!-If thou proceed
As high as word, my deed shall match thy deed.

SCENE II.
Rousillon.

Enter Countess and Clown.

[Exeunt.

Count. It must be an answer of most monstrous size, that must fit all demands.

Clo. But a trifle neither, in good faith, if the learned should speak truth of it: here it is, and all 5 that belongs to 't: Ask me, if I am a courtier; it shall do you no harm to learn.

Count. To be young again, if we could:-I will be a fool in question, hoping to be the wiser by your answer. I pray you, sir, are you a 10 courtier?

15

20

Clo. O Lord, sir,- -There's a simple put-
ting off: more, more, a hundred of them.
Count. Sir, I am a poor friend of yours, that
loves you.

-Thick,thick, spare not me.
Clo. O Lord, sir,-
Count. I think, sir, you can eat none of this
homely meat.

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

you.

Count. You were lately whipp'd, sir, as I think.
Clo. O Lord, sir,-Spare not me.

Count. Do you cry, O Lord, sir, at your whipping, and spare not me? Indeed, your O Lord, sir, is very sequent to your whipping; you 25 would answer very well to a whipping, if you were but bound to't.

Count. Come on, sir; I shall now put you to 336 the height of your breeding.

Clo. I will shew myself highly fed, and lowly taught: I know my business is but to the court. Count. But to the court! why, what place make you special, when you put off that with such contempt? But to the court!

35

Clo. Truly, madam, if God have lent a man he may easily put it off at court: he any manners, that cannot make a leg, put off's cap, kiss his hand, and say nothing, has neither leg, bands, lip, nor cap; and, indeed, such a fellow, to say 49 precisely, were not for the court: but, for me, I have an answer will serve all men.

Count. Marry, that's a bountiful answer, that fits all questions.

Clo. It is like a barber's chair, that fits all but-45| tocks; the pin-buttock, the quatch-buttock, the brawn-buttock, or any buttock.

Count. Will your answer serve fit to all questions? Clo. As fit as ten groats is for the hand of an attorney, as your French crown for your taffaty punk, 50 as Tib's rush for Tom's fore-finger, as a pancake for Shrove Tuesday, a morris for May-day, as the nail to his hole, the cuckold to his horn, as a scolding quean to a wrangling knave, as the nun's lip to the friar's mouth; nay, as the pudding to his skin. 55 Count. Have you, I say, an answer of such fitness for all questions?

Cio. From be ow your duke, to beneath your constable, it will fit any question.

Clo. I ne'er had worse luck in my life, in myO Lord, sir: I see, things may serve long, but

not serve ever.

again.

Count. I play the noble housewife with the
time, to entertain it so merrily with a fool.
Clo. O Lord, sir,-Why, there't serves well
[Helen this,
Count. An end, sir, to your business: Give
And urge her to a present answer back:
Commend me to my kinsmen, and my son;
This is not much.

Clo. Not much commendation to them. Count. Not much employment for you: You understand me?

Clo. Most fruitfully; I am there before my legs. [Excunt. Count. Haste you again.

SCENE III.

The Court of France.

Enter Bertram, Lafeu, and Purolles. Laf. They say, miracles are past; and we have our philosophical persons, to make modern and familiar things supernatural and causeless. Hence is it, that we make trifles of terrors; ensconcing ourselves into seeming knowledge, when

we

should submit ourselves to an unknown fear 3.
Par. Why, 'tis the rarest argument of wonder,
that hath shot out in our later times.
Ber. And so 'tis.

Laf. To be relinquish'd of the artists,-
Par. So I say; both of Galen and Paracelsus.
Laf. Of all the learned and authentic fellows,—

This alludes to an ancient custom of marrying with a rush ring, as well in other countries as in England; but was scarce ever practised except by designing men, for the purpose of corrupting 2 A ridicule on that foolish expletive of those young women to whom they pretended love 'Fear here means the object of fear. Par. speech, then in vogue at court.

Par. Right, so I say.

Laf. That gave him out incurable,—
Par. Why, there 'tis; so say I too.
Laf. Not to be help'd,-

Par. Right; as 'twere, a man assur'd of an-
Laf. Uncertain life, and sure death.

Par. Just, you say well: so would I have said. Laf. Imay truly say, it is a novelty to the world. Pur. It is indeed: if you will have it in shewing, you shall read it in,-What do you call there?Laf. A shewing of a heavenly effect in an earthly actor.

Par. That's it I would have said; the very same. Laf. Why, your dolphin' is not lustier: 'fore me I speak in respect

Par. Nay, 'tis strange, 'tis very strange, that is the brief and the tedious of it; and he is of a most facinorous spirit, that will not acknowledge it to be the

Luf. Very hand of heaven.
Par. Ay, so I say.

Laf. In a most weak

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20

Par. And debile minister, great power, great transcendance: which should, indeed, give us a farther use to be made, than alone the recovery 25 of the king; as to be

Laf. Generally thankful.

Enter King, Helena, and Attendants. Par. I would have said it; you say well: Here! comes the king.

Luf. Lustick, as the Dutchman says: I'll like a maid the better, while I have a tooth in my head: Why, he's able to lead her a corranto.

Par. Mort du Viruigre! Is not this Helen?
Laf. 'Fore God, I think so.

King.Go,call before me all the lords in court.-
Sit, my preserver, by thy paticnt's side;
And with this healthful hand, whose banish'd sense
Thou hast repeal'd, a second time receive
The confirmation of my promis'd gift,
Which but attends thy naming.

Enter several Lords.

30

Hel. Thanks, sir; all the rest is mute 7. Laf. I had rather be in this choice, than throw ames-ace for my life. [eyes, Hel. The honour, sir, that flames in your fair Before I speak, too threatningly replies; Love make your fortunes twenty times above Her that so wishes, and her humble love! 2 Lord. No better, if you please.

Hel. My wish receive,

Which great Love grant! and so I take my leave. Laf. Do all they deny her? An they were sons of mine, I'd have them whipt; or I would send them to the Turk, to make eunuchs of.

Hel. Be not afraid that I your hand should take; I'll never do you wrong for your own sake: Blessing upon your vows! and in your bed Find fairer fortune, if you ever wed!

Laf. These boys are boys of ice, they'll none of her: sure, they are bastards to the English; the French ne'er got them. [good, Hel. You are too young, too happy, and too To make yourself a son out of my blood. 4 Lord. Fair one, I think not so.

Laf. There's one grape yet,-I am sure, thy father drunk wine.But if thou be'st not an 35 ass, I am a youth of fourteen; I have known thee already.

40

Fair maid, send forth thine eye: this youthful parcel
Of noble bachelors stand at my bestowing,
O'er whom both sovereign power andfather's voice 45
I have to use: thy frank election make;
Thou hast powertochuse, and they noneto forsake.
Hel. Toeach of you one fair and virtuous mistress
Fall, when love please!-marry, to each but one!
Luf. I'd give bay curtal, and his furniture,
My mouth no more were broken" than these boys',
And writ as little beard.

King. Peruse them well:

50

[health. 55

Not one of those but had a noble father.
Hel. Gentlemen,
Heaven hath, through me, restor'd the king to
All. We understand it, and thank heaven for you.
Hel. Iamasimple maid; and therein wealthiest,
That, I protest, I simply am a maid:-----
Please it your majesty, I have done already;
The blushes in my cheeks thus whisper me,

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Hel. I dare not say, I take you; but I give Me, and my service, ever whilst I live, Into your guiding power. This is the man. [To Bertram. King. Why then, young Bertram, take her, she's thy wife. [highness, Ber. My wife, my liege? I shall beseech your In such a business give me leave to use The help of mine own eyes.

King. Know'st thou not, Bertram, What she hath done for me?

Ber. Yes, my good lord;

But never hope to know why I should marry her. King. Thou know'st, she has rais'd me from my

sickly bed.

Ber. But follows it, my lord, to bring me down Must answer for your raising? I know her well; She had her breeding at my father's charge: A poor physician's daughter my wife!-Disdain Rather corrupt me ever! [which

King. 'Tis only title thou disdain'st in her, the I can build up. Strange is it, that our bloods, Of colour, weight, and heat, pour'd all together, 60 Would quite confound distinction, yet stand off In differences so mighty: If she be

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Meaning, had lost no more of his teeth.
i. e. the lowest chance of the dice.

e. silence.

All

¡A balance more replete.

Ber. I take her hand.

[king,

King. Good fortune, and the favour of the
Smile upon this contract; whose ceremony
5 Shall seem expedient on the new-born brief,
And be perforin'd to-night; the solemn feast
Shall more attend upo i the coming space,
Expecting absent friends. As thou lov'st her,
Thy love's to me religious; else, does err.
[Exeunt all but Parolles and Lafeu.
Lof. Do you hear, monsieur, a word with you,
Par. Your pleasure, sir?

[10]

All that is virtuous (save what thou dislik'st,
A poor physician's daughter), thou dislik'st
Of virtue for the name: but do not so:
From lowest place when virtuous things proceed,
The place is dignify'd by the doer's deed:
Where great addition swells, and virtue none,
It is a dropsied honour: good alone
Is good, without a name; vileness is so:
The property by what it is should go,
Not by the title. She is young, wise, fair;
In these to nature she's immediate heir;
And these breed honour: that is honour's scorn,
Which challenges itself as honour's born,
And is not like the sire: Honours best thrive
When rather from our acts we them derive
Than our foregoers: the mere word's a slave,
Debauch'd on every tomb; on every grave,
A lying trophy; and as oft is dumb,
Where dust, and damn'd oblivion, is the tomb
Of honour'd bones indeed. What should be said: 20]
If thou canst like this creature as a maid,
I can create the rest: virtue, and she,

15

Is her own dower: honour and wealth, from me.
Ber. I cannot love her, nor will strive to do't.
King. Thou wrong'st thyself, if thou should'st 25
[glad:

strive to chuse.

Hel. That you are well restor'd, my lord, I'm Let the rest go.

King. My honour's at the stake; which to de-
feat';

I must produce my power: Here, take her hand,
Proud scornful boy, unworthy this good gift;
That dost in vile misprision shackle up
My love, and her desert; that canst not dream,
We, poizing us in her defective scale,

Lof. Your lord and master did well to make his recantation.

Par. Recantation?My lord? my master?
Laf. Ay; Is it not a language I speak?

Pur. A most harsh one; and not to be under-
stood without bloody succeeding. My master?
Laf. Are you companion to the count Rousillon?
Par. To any count; to all counts; to what is

man.

Lef. To what is count's man; count's master is of another style.

Par. You are too old, sir; let it satisfy you, you are too old.

Lof. I must tell thee, sirrah, I write man; to which title age cannot bring thee.

Par. What I dare too well do, I dare not do. Laf. I did think thee, for two ordinaries', to 30 be a pretty wise fellow; thou didst make tolerable vent of thy travel; it might pass: yet the scarfs, and the bannerets, about thee, did manifoldly dissuade me from believing thee a vessel of too great a burden. I have now found thee; when I lose 35 thee again, I care not; yet art thou good for nothing but taking up'; and that thou art scarce worth.

1401

Shall weigh thee to the beam; that wilt not know,
It is in us to plant thine honour, where
We please to have it grow: Check thy contempt:
Obey our will, which travails in thy good:
Believe not thy disdain, but presently
Do thine own fortunes that obedient right,
Which both thy duty owes, and our power claims;
Or I will throw thee from my care for ever,
Into the staggers', and the careless lapse
Of youth and ignorance; both my revenge and 45
Loosing upon thee in the name of justice, [hate,
Without all terms of pity: Speak; thine answer.

Ber. Pardon, my gracious lord; for I submit
My fancy to your eyes: When I consider,
What great creation, and what dole of honour,
Flies where you bid it, I find, that she, which late
Was in my nobler thoughts most base, is now
The praised of the king; who, so ennobled,
Is, as 'twere, born so.

King. Take her by the hand,

And tell her, she is thine: to whom I promise
A counterpoise; if not to thy estate,

50

Par. Hadst thou not the privilege of antiquity Jupon thee,

Laf. Do not plunge thyselftoo far in anger, lest thou hasten thy trial; which if--Lord have mercy on thee for a hen! So, my good window of lattice, fare thee well; thy casement I need not open, for I look through thee. Give me thy hand.

Par. My lord, you give me most egregious indignity.

Laf. Ay, with all my heart; and thou art worthy of it.

Par. I have not, my lord, deserv'd it. Laf. Yes, good faith, every dram of it; and I will not bate thee a scruple.

Pur. Well, I shall be wiser.

Laf. E'en as soon as thou canst, for thou hast to pull at a smack o' the contrary. If ever thou be'st 55bound in thy scarf, and beaten, thous a't find what it is to be proud of thy bondage. I have a desire to Thold my acqa tance with thee, or rather my

'The French verb defaire (from whence our defeat) signifies to free, to d sembarrass, as well as to destroy; and in this sense, we apprehend, defeat is here used. 2 Alloding to that species of the staggers, or the horses' apoplexy, which makes the animal dash himself with destructive violence against posts or walls. The brief is the contract of espousal, or the licence of the church, in which the especial cause shall be assigned. * Ordinary here means dinner. To take up means to contradict, to call to account, as well as to pick of the ground.

knowledge;

knowledge; that I may say in the default', he is a man I know.

Par. My lord, you do me most insupportable vexation.

Laf. I would it were hell-pains for thy sake, and my poor doing eternal: for doing, I am past, as I will by thee, in what motion age will give me leave. Exit.

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

5

Which should sustain the bound and high curvet
Of Mars's fiery steed: To other regions!
France is a stable; we that dwell in't, jades;
Therefore, to the war.

Ber. It shall be so; I'll send her to my house,
Acquaint my mother with my hate to her,
And wherefore I am fled; write to the king
That which I durst not speak: His present gift
Shall furnish me to those Italian fields,

grace off me; scurvy, old, filthy, scurvy lord!-10Where noble fellows strike War is no strife

Well, I must be patient; there is no fettering of authority. I'll beat him, by my life, if I can meet him with any convenience, an he were double and double a lord. I'll have no more pity of his

To the dark house, and the detested wife.
Par. Will this capricio hold in thee, art sure?
Ber.Gowith me to my chamber,and advise me.
I'll send her straight away: To-morrow

age, than I would have of-I'll beat him, an if I[15]I'll to the wars, she to her single sorrow.
could but meet him again.

Re-enter Lafeu.

Laf. Sirrah, your lord and master's marry'd, there's news for you; you have a new mistress. Par. I most unfeignedly beseech your lord-20 ship to make some reservation of your wrongs: He is my good lord: whom I serve above, is iny master.

Laf. Who? God?
Par. Ay, sir.

25

Laf. The devil it is, that's thy master. Why dost thou garter up thy arms o' this fashion? dost make hose of thy sleeves? do other servants so? Thou wert best set thy lower part where thy nose stands. By mine honour, if I were but two 30 hours younger, I'd beat thee: methinks, thou art a general offence, and every man should beat thee. I think, thou wast created for men to breathe themselves upon thee.

Par. This is hard and undeserved measure, 35 my lord.

Laf. Go to, sir; you were beaten in Italy for picking a kernel out of a pomegranate ; you are a vagabond, and no true traveller: you are more saucy with lords, and honourable personages, 40 than the heraldry of your birth and virtue gives you commission. You are not worth another word, else I'd call you knave. I leave you. [Ex. Enter Bertram.

Par. Good, very good; it is so then.-Good, 45 very good; let it be conceal'd a while.

Ber. Undone, and forfeited to cares for ever!
Par. What is the matter, sweet-heart?
Ber. Although before the solemn priest I have
I will not bed her.

[sworn, 50

Pur. What? what, sweet-heart?
Ber. O my Parolles, they have married me:-
I'll to the Tuscan wars, and never bed her.
Par. France is a dog-hole, and it no more merits
The tread of a man's foot: to the wars!
Ber. There's letters from my mother; what the
I know not yet.
[import is,

Pur. Ay, that would be known: To the wars,
my boy, to the wars!

He wears his honour in a box unseen,
That hugs his kicksy-wicksy' here at home;
Spending his manly marrow in her arms,

Par. Why, these balls bound; there's noise
in it.- 'Tis hard;

A young man married, is a man that's marr'd:
Therefore away, and leave her bravely; go:
The king has done you wrong; but hush! 'tis
[Exeunt.

So.

SCENE IV.

Enter Helena and Clown. Hel. My mother greets me kindly; Is she well? Clo. She is not well; but yet she has her health: she's very merry; but yet she's not well: but, thanks be given, she's very well, and wants nothing i' the world; but she is not well.

Hel. If she be very well, what does she ail, that she's not very well?

Clo. Truly, she's very well, indeed, but for two things.

Hel. What two things?

Clo. One, that she's not in heaven, whither God send her quickly! the other, that she's on earth, from whence God send her quickly! Enter Parolles.

Par. Bless you, my fortunate lady!

Hel. I hope, sir, I have your good-will to have mine own good fortunes.

'Par. You have my prayers to lead them on; and to keep them on, have them still.-O, my knave! how does my old lady?

Clo. So that you had her wrinkles, and I her money, I would she did as you say. Par. Why, I say nothing.

Clo. Marry, you are the wiser man; for many a man's tongue shakes out his master's undoing: To say nothing, to do nothing, to know nothing, and to have nothing, is to be a great part of your title: which is within a very little of nothing. Par. Away, thou'rt a knave.

Clo. You should have said, sir, before a knave, thou art a knave; that is, before me, thou art a 55 knave; this had been truth, sir.

Par. Go to, thou art a witty fool, I have found thee.

Clo. Did you find me yourself, sir? or were you taught to find me? The search, sir, was 60 profitable; and much fool may you find is you, even to the world's pleasure, and the increase of laughter.

1i. e. at a need. Doing is here used obscenely. is a made word in ridicule and disdain of a wife. 4

3 Sir T. Hanmer observes, that kicksy-wicksy Probably meaning a smoky house.

Act 2. Scene 5.]

Par. A good knave, i'faith, and well fed.-
Madam, my lord will go away to-night;
A very serious business calls on him.
The great prerogative and right of love, [ledge:
Which, as your due, time claims, he does acknow- 5
But puts it off by a compell'd restraint; [sweets,
Whose want, and whose delay, is strew'd with
Which they distil now in the curbed time,
To make the curbed hour o'erflow with joy,
And pleasure drown the brim.

Hel. What's his will else?

[king,

Par. That you will take your instant leave o' the
And make this haste as your own good proceeding,
Strengthen'd with what apology you think,
May make it probable need1.

Hel. What more commands he?

Pur. That, having this obtain'd, you presently
Attend his further pleasure.

Hel. In every thing I wait upon
Par. I shall report it so.

his will.
[Exit Parolles.

10

and you, monsieur?

Par. I know not how I have descrv'd to runs into my lord's displeasure.

Laf. You have made shift to run into't, boot and spurs and all, like him that leap'd into the cus➡ tard; and out of it you'll run again, rather than suffer question for your residence.

Ber. It may be, you have mistaken him, my lord.

Laf. And shall do so ever, though I took him at's prayers. Fare you well, my lord: and believe this of me, There can be no kernel in this light nut; the soul of this man is his clothes: trust hum not in matter of heavy consequence; I have kept of them tame, and know their natures.15 Farewell, monsieur: 1 have spoken better of you, than you have or will deserve at my hand: but we must do good against evil. Par. An idle lord, I swear.

Hel. I pray you.-Come, sirrah. [To the Clown. 20

SCENE V.

Enter Lafeu and Bertram.

[Exeunt.

Laf. But, I hope your lordship thinks not him

a soldier.

25

Ber. Yes, my lord, and of very valiant approof.
Laf. You have it from his own deliverance.
Ber. And by other warranted testimony.
Laf. Then my dial goes not true; I took this 30
lark for a bunting.

Ber. I do assure you, my lord, he is very great in knowledge, and accordingly valiant.

Ber. I think so.

Par. Why, do you not know him?

[Exit.

Ber. Yes, I know him well; and common speech Gives him a worthy pass. Here comes my clog.

Enter Helena.

Hel. I have, sir, as I was commanded from you, Spoke with the king, and have procur'd his leave For present parting; only, he desires

Some private speech with you.

Ber. I shall obey his will.

You must not marvel, Helen, at my course,
Which holds not colour with the time, nor does
The ministration and required office
On my particular: prepar'd I was not
For such a business; th refore am I found
So much unsettled: This drives me to intreat you,
That presently you take your way for home;
And rather muse', than ask, why I entreat you:
For my respects are better than they seem;
And my appointments have in them a need,
40 Greater than shews itself, at the first view,
To you that know them not. This to my mother.
[Giving a letter.

Luf. I have then sinned against his experience,
35
state
my
and transgressed against his valour; and
that way is dangerous, since I cannot yet find in
pray you
my heart to repent: Here he comes;
make us friends, I will pursue the amity.
Enter Parolles.

Par. These things shall be done, sir.
Lof. I pray you, sir, who's his taylor?
Par. Sir?

Lauf. O, I know him well: Ay, sir; he, sir, is

a very good workman, a very good taylor.
Ber. Is she gone to the king? Aside to Parolles.

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Ber. I have writ my letters, casketed my trea-50Wherein toward me my homely stars have fail'd

Given order for our horses; and to-night, [sure,
When I should take possession of the bride,--
And, ere I do begin,

Laf. A good traveller is something at the latter end of a dinner; but one that lies three thirds, and 55 uses a known truth to pass a thousand nothings with, should be once heard and thrice beaten.God save you, captain.

Ber. Is there any unkindness between my lord!

That is, a specious appearance of necessity.

duced without a view to satire.

To equal my great fortune.

Ber. Let that go :

My haste is very great: Farewel; hie home.
Hel. Pray, sir, your pardon.
Ber. Well, what would you say?

Hel. I am not worthy of the wealth I owe1;
Nor dare I say, 'tis mine; and yet it is;
But like a timorous thief, most fain would steal
What law does voch mine own,

Theobald says, that this odd allusion is not intro It was a foolery practised at city entertainments, whilst the jester or 3 i. e. wonder. zany was in vogue, for him to jump into a large deep custard, set for the purpose, to set on a quantity of burren spectators to laugh, as our poet says in his Hamlet.

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