Hel. Then, I confess, It is the show and seal of nature's truth, youth: By our remembrances of days foregone, Such were our faults;-or then we thought them none. Her eye is sick on't; Lobserve her now. Hel. What is your pleasure, madam? Count. You know, Helen, I am a mother to you. Hel. Mine honourable mistress. Count. Nay, a mother; Why not a mother? When I said a mother, Methought you saw a serpent: What's a mother, That you start at it? I say, I am your mother; That were enwombed mine: 'Tis often seen, Count. I say, I am your mother. The count Rousillon cannot be my brother. No note upou my parents, his all noble: His servant live, and will his vassal die : He must not be my brother. Count. Nor I your mother? Hel. You are my mother, madam; 'Would you were (So that my lord, your son, were not my brother,) Indeed, my mother!-or were you both our mothers, 1 care no more for, than I do for heaven, So I were not his sister: Can't no other, But, I your daughter, he must be my brother? Count. Yes, Helen, you might be my daughter-in-law; God shield, you mean it not! daughter, and mother, So strive upon your pulse: What, pale again? My fear hath catch'd your fondness: Now I see The mystery of your loneliness, and find Your salt tears' head. Now to all sense 'tis gross, You love my son; invention is asham'd, Hel. Good nadam, pardon me! Hel. Do not you love him, madam? Count. Go not about; my love hath in't a bond, Whereof the world takes note: come, come, disclose The state of your affection; for your passions Have to the full appeach'd. My friends were poor, but honest; so's my love: Be not offended; for it hurts not him, Nor would I have him, till I do deserve han; The sun, that looks upon his worshipper Let not your hate encounter with my love, Of rare and prov'd effects, such as his reading, There is a remedy, approv'd, set down, Count. This was your motive For Paris, was it? speak. Hel. My lord, your son made me to think of this; Else Paris, and the medicine, and the king, Count. But think you, Helen, If you should tender your supposed aid, A poor unlearned virgin, when the schools, Hel. There's something hints, More than my father's skill, which was the greatest Of his profession, that his good receipt By the luckiest stars in heaven: and, would your honour But give me leave to try success, I'd venture Count. Dost thou believe it? Count. Why, Helen, thou shalt have my leave and love, 1. e. Whose respectable conduct in age proves that you were no less virtuous when young, +.e. Venus. t Receipts in which greater virtues were enclosed than appeared. Exhausted of their skill. Means and attendants, and my loving greetings ACT II. kin. Good sparks and lustrous, a word, good metals:-You shall find in the regiment of the Spinii, one captain Spurio, with his cicatrice, an emblem of war, here on his sinister cheek: it was this very sword entrenched it: say to him, I live; and observe his reports for me. 2 Lord. We shall, noble captain. Par. Mars dote on you for his novices! [Exeunt LORDS.] What will you do? Ber. Stay; the king-- (Seeing him rise. Par. Use a more spacious ceremony to the SCENE 1.-Paris.-A Room in the King's noble lords; you have restrained yourself with Palace. Flourish. Enter KING, with young LORDS, taking leave for the Florentine war; BERTRAM, PAROLLES, and Attendants. King. Farewell, young lord, these warlike principles Do not throw from you:-And you, my lord, farewell ; Share the advice betwixt you; if both gain all, 1 Lord. It is our hope, Sir, After well-enter'd soldiers, to return King. No, no, it cannot be; and yet my heart Will not confess he owes the malady That doth my life besiege. Farewell, young lords; Whether I live or die, be you the sons Of the last monarchy, *) see, that you come That fame may cry you loud: I say, farewell. King. Those girls of Italy, take heed They say, our French lack language to deny, of Both. Our hearts receive your warnings. King. Fareweil.-Come hither to me. [The KING retires to a couch. 1 Lord. O my sweet lord, that you will stay behind us! Par. 'Tis not his fault: the spark-2 Lord. Oh ! 'tis brave wars! Par. Most admirable: I have seen those in the list of too cold an adieu: be more exthe cap of the time, there, do muster true gait, t pressive to them; for they wear themselves in eat, speak, and move auder the influence of the most received star; and though the devil lead the measure, such are to be followed: after them, and take a more dilated farewell. Ber. And I will do so. Par. Worthy fellows; and like to prove most sinewy swordmen. [Exeunt BERTRAM and PAROLLES. No grapes, my royal fox? yes, but you will, Is powerful to araise king Pepin, nay, King. What her is this? Laf. Why, doctor she: My lord, there's one arriv'd, If you will see her, now, by my faith and honour, If seriously may convey my thoughts Wisdom, and constancy, hath amazed me more Than I dare blame my weakness: Will you see her (For that is her demand,) and know her busi And, hearing your high majesty is touch'd King. We thank you, maiden ; Our great self and our credit, to esteem A senseless help, when help past sense we deem. I will no more enforce mine office on you; King. I cannot give thee less, to be call'd Thou thought'st to help me; and such thanks I As one near death to those that wish him live: Hel. What I can do, can do no hurt to try, From simple sources; and great seas have When miracles have by the greatest been de- Oft expectation fails, and most oft there Thy pains, not us'd, must by thyself be paid: ward. Hel. Inspired merit so by breath is barr'd: The help of heaven we count the act of men. I am not an impostor, that proclaim Myself against the level of mine aim ; * space Hop'st thou my cure? Hel. The greatest grace lending grace, Hel. Tax of impudence, A strumpet's boldness, a divulged shame,- King. Methinks, in thee some blessed spirit His powerful sound, within an organ weak: In common sense, sense saves another way. Hel. If I break time, or flinch in property Hel. But will you make it even? King. Ay, by my sceptre, and my hopes of heaven. Hel. Then shalt thou give me, with thy kingly What husband in thy power, I will cominand: King. Here is my hand; the premises ob- Thy will by my performance shall be serv'd; From whence thou cam'st, how tended on,- Unquestion'd welcome, and undoubted blest.- SCENE II.-Rousillon.-A Room in the Enter COUNTESS and CLOWN. Clo. I will show myself highly fed, and lowly taught; I know my business is but to the court. Count. To the court! why, what place make you special, when you put off that with such contempt? But to the court! I. e. Pretend to greater things than befits the meThe evening star. diocrity of my condition. t I. e. May be counted among the gifts enjoyed by thee. The spring or morning of life. 4 R Clo. Truly, madam, if God have lent a man | terrors; ensconcing ourselves into seeming know. any manners, he may easily put it off at court: ledge, when we should submit ourselves to an he that cannot make a leg, put off's cap, kiss his unknown fear.⚫ hand, and say nothing, has neither leg, hands, lip, nor cap; and, indeed, such a fellow, to say 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 buttocks; the pin-buttock, the quatch-buttock, the brawn-buttoek, or any buttock. Count. Will your answer serve fit to all questions? Par. Why, 'tis the rarest argument of wonder, Laf. To be relinquished of the artists,-- Par. Right, so I say Laf. That gave him out incurable,- Par. Right: as 'twere a man assured of an- Clo. As fit as ten groats is for the hand of an attorney, as your French crown for your taffata punk, as Tib's rush for Tom's forefinger, as a pancake for Shrove Tuesday, a morris for May-said. 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. Count. Have you, I say, an answer of such fitness for all questions? Clo. From below your duke, to beneath your constable, it will fit any question. 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 that belongs to't: Ask me, if I am a courtier; it shall do you no harm to learn. Laf. I may truly say, it is a novelty to the world. Par. It is, indeed: if you will have it in showing, you shall read it in,--What do you call there? Laf. A showing 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 facinorious ‡ spirit, that will not acknow. Laf. Very hand of heaven. Count. To be young again, if we could: Iledge it to be the-will be a fool in question, hoping to be the wiser by your answer. I pray you, Sir, are you a courtier ? Clo. O Lord, Sir,--There's a simple putting off; more, more, a hundred of them. Count. Sir, I am a poor friend of your's, that loves you. Clo. O Lord, Sir,-Thick, thick, spare not me. 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 whipped, 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 Lord, Sir, is very sequent to your whipping; you would answer very well to a whipping, if you were but bound to't. Clo. I ne'er had worse luck in my life, in my -O Lord, Sir: I see, things may serve long, but not serve ever. 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 again. Count. An end, Sir, to your business: Give And urge her to a present answer back : Clo. Not much commendation to them. Count. Not much employment for you: You understand me? Clo. Most fruitfully; I am there before my legs. Count. Haste you again. [Exeunt severally. Laf. In a most weak-- Par. And debile minister, great power, great transcendence: which should, indeed, give us a further use to be made, than alone the recovery 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. Laf. Lustic, as the Dutchman says: I'll like a maid the better, whilst I have a tooth in my head: Why, he's able to lead her a coranto. Par. Mort du Vinaigre! Is not this Helen ? Laf. 'Fore God, I think so. King. Go, call before me all the lords in court.[Exit an Attendant. Sit, my preserver, by thy patient's side! And with this healthful hand, whose banish'd Laf. I'd give bay Curtal, ** and his furniture, My mouth no more were broken than these boy's, SCENE III.-Paris.-A Room in the King's And writ as little beard. Palace. eyes, Before I speak, too threateningly replies: Which great love grant! and so I take my Laf. Do all they deny her? An they were sons of mine, I'd have them whipped or I would send them to the Turk, to make eunuchs of. Hel. Be not afraid [To a LORD] that I your I'll never do you wrong for your own sake: Laf. These boys are boys of ice, they'll none have her: sure, they are bastards to the English; the French ne'er got them. Hel. You are too young, too happy, and too To make yourself a son out of my blood. Hel. I dare not say, I take you; [To BER- Me, and my service, ever whilst I live, Ber. My wife, my liege? I shall beseech your In such a business give me leave to use King. Know'st thou not, Bertram, What she has 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 ted." Ber. But follows it, my lord, to bring me Must answer for your raising? I know her well; King. 'Tis only title thou disdain'st in her, I can build up. Strange is it, that our bloods, Would quite confound distinction, yet stand off • I. e. I have no more to say to you. + The lowest chance of the dice. 1.e. The want of title. All that is virtuous, (save what thou dislik'st The place is dignified by the doer's deed: Is good, without a name: vileness is so :* Which challenges itself as honour's born, Where dust, and damn'd oblivion, is the tomb If thou canst like this creature as a maid, Let the rest go. King. My honour's at the stake; which to de- I must produce my power: Here take her hand, It is in us to plant thine honour, where Obey our will, which travails in thy good: Or I will throw thee from my care for ever, Loosing upon thee in the name of justice, |