had praise for creating. If she had partaken of my flesh, and cost me the dearest groans of a mother, I could not have owed her a more rooted love.

LAF. "T was a good lady, 't was a good lady: we may pick a thousand salads ere we light on such another herb. CLO. Indeed, sir, she was the sweet-marjoram of the salad, or rather, the herb of grace.

LAF. They are not herbs, you knave; they are noseherbs.

CLO. I am no great Nebuchadnezzar, sir; I have not much skill in grass.

11

LAF. Whether dost thou profess thyself, a knave or 20 a fool ?

CLO. A fool, sir, at a woman's service, and a knave at a man's.

LAF. Your distinction?

CLO. I would cozen the man of his wife and do his service.

LAF. So you were a knave at his service, indeed.

CLO. And I would give his wife my bauble, sir, to do her service.

LAF. I will subscribe for thee, thou art both knave and fool.

CLO. At your service.

LAF. No, no, no.

CLO. Why, sir, if I cannot serve you, I can serve as great a prince as you are.

30

LAF. Who's that? a Frenchman?

CLO. Faith, sir, a' has an English name; but his fisnomy is more hotter in France than there.

LAF. What prince is that?

CLO. The black prince, sir; alias, the prince of darkness; alias, the devil.

LAF. Hold thee, there's my purse: I give thee not 40 this to suggest thee from thy master thou talkest of; serve him still.

CLO. I am a woodland fellow, sir, that always loved a great fire; and the master I speak of ever keeps a good fire. But, sure, he is the prince of the world; let his nobility remain in 's court. I am for the house with the narrow gate, which I take to be too little for pomp to enter: some that humble themselves may; but the many will be too chill and tender, and they 'll be for the flowery way that leads to the broad gate and the great fire.

LAF. Go thy ways, I begin to be aweary of thee; and 50 I tell thee so before, because I would not fall out with thee. Go thy ways: let my horses be well looked to, without any tricks.

CLO. If I put any tricks upon 'em, sir, they shall be jades' tricks; which are their own right by the law of

nature.

[Exit.

LAF. A shrewd knave and an unhappy.
COUNT. So he is. My lord that 's gone made himself

35 name] Rowe's satisfactory emendation of the First Folio maine. 56 A shrewd knave and an unhappy] A roguish knave, and one that causes ill-hap or bad luck.

much sport out of him: by his authority he remains here, which he thinks is a patent for his sauciness; and, indeed, he has no pace, but runs where he will.

LAF. I like him well; 't is not amiss. And I was about to tell you, since I heard of the good lady's death and that my lord your son was upon his return home, I moved the king my master to speak in the behalf of my daughter; which, in the minority of them both, his majesty, out of a self-gracious remembrance, did first propose: his highness hath promised me to do it: and, to stop up the displeasure he hath conceived against your son, there is no fitter matter. How does your ladyship like it?

60

COUNT. With very much content, my lord; and I 70 wish it happily effected.

LAF. His highness comes post from Marseilles, of as able body as when he numbered thirty: he will be here to-morrow, or I am deceived by him that in such intelligence hath seldom failed.

COUNT. It rejoices me, that I hope I shall see him ere I die. I have letters that my son will be here to-night: I shall beseech your lordship to remain with me till they meet together.

LAF. Madam, I was thinking with what manners I 80 might safely be admitted.

COUNT. You need but plead your honourable privilege. LAF. Lady, of that I have made a bold charter; but I thank my God it holds yet.

60 he has no pace] he has no prescribed rule of conduct.

Re-enter Clown

CLO. O madam, yonder 's my lord your son with a patch of velvet on's face: whether there be a scar under 't or no, the velvet knows; but 't is a goodly patch of velvet: his left cheek is a cheek of two pile and a half, but his right cheek is worn bare.

LAF. A scar nobly got, or a noble scar, is a good 90 livery of honour; so belike is that.

CLO. But it is your carbonadoed face.

LAF. Let us go see your son, I pray you: I long to talk with the young noble soldier.

CLO. Faith, there's a dozen of 'em, with delicate fine hats and most courteous feathers, which bow the head and nod at every man.

[Exeunt.

88-89 two pile and a half] a reference to the quality of the velvet of which the patch was made. Three piled velvet was the best quality. Cf. Meas. for Meas., I, ii, 32: "Thou art good velvet; thou'rt a three piled piece."

Enter HELENA, Widow, and DIANA, with two Attendants

HELENA

UT THIS

EXCEEDING

posting day and night.

Must wear your spirits low; we cannot help it:

But since you have made the days and nights as one,

To wear your gentle limbs in my affairs,

Be bold you do so grow in my requital

As nothing can unroot you. In happy time;

Enter a Gentleman

This man may help me to his majesty's ear,

If he would spend his power. God save you, sir.

5,6 Be bold... unroot you] Be assured that the claims on my recognition are growing so great that nothing can cancel them.

6 Enter a Gentleman] This is Rowe's emendation of the First Folio