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Hel. That I am not.

Count. I say, I am your mother.
Hel. Pardon, madam;

The count Rousillon cannot be my brother:
I am from humble, he from honour'd name;
No note upon my parents, his all noble:
My master, my dear lord he is; and I
His servant live, and will his vassal die :
He must not be my brother.

Religious in mine error, I adore

The sun, that looks upon his worshipper,
But knows of him no more, My dearest madam,
Let not your hate encounter with my love,
5 For loving where you do: but, if yourself,
Whose aged honour cites a virtuous youth,
Did ever, in so true a flame of liking,
Wish chastely, and love dearly, that your Dian
Was both herself and love; Ŏ then, give pity
To her, whose state is such, that cannot chuse
But 1nd and give, where she is sure to lose;
That seeks not to find that, her search implies,
But, riddle-like, lives sweetly where she dies.
Count. Had you not lately an intent, speak
15 To go to Paris?
[truly,

[were 10

Count. Nor I your mother?
Hel. You are my mother, madam; 'Would you
(So that my lord, your son, were not my brother)
Indeed, my mother!-or were you both our mo-
I care no more for', than I do for heaven, [thers,
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 daugh-

ter-in-law;

mother,

Hel, Madam, I had,

Count. Wherefore? tell true.

Hel, I will tell truth; by grace itself I swear,
You know, my father left me some prescriptions
Of rare and prov'd effects, such as his reading,
And manifest experience, had collected

For general sovereignty; and that he will'd me
In heedfullest reservation to bestow them,
As notes, whose faculties inclusive were
25 More than they were in note: amongst the rest,
There is a remedy, approv'd, set down,
To cure the desperate languishings, whereof
The king is render'd lost.

God shield, you mean it not! daughter, and
So strive upon your pulse: What, pale again? 20
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,
Against the proclamation of thy passion,
To say, thou dost not: therefore tell me true;
But tell me then, 'tis so:-for, look, thy cheeks
Confess it one to the other; and thine eyes
See it so grossly shewn in thy behaviours,
That in their kind they speak it; only sin
And hellish obstinacy tie thy tongue,
That truth should be suspected: Speak, is't so?
If it be so, you have wound a goodly clue;
If it be not, forswear't: howe'er, I charge thee,
As heaven shall work in me for thine avail,
To tell me truly.

Hel. Good madam, pardon me!
Count. Do you love my son?
Hel. Your pardon, noble mistress!
Count. Love you my son?

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, disThe state of your affection; for your passions[close Have to the full appeach'd.

Hel. Then I confess,

Here on my knee, before high heav'n and you,
That before you, and next unto high heaven,
I love your son :—

Count. This was your motive

30 For Paris, was it? speak.

35

[this:

Hel. My lord your son made me to think of Else Paris, and the medicine, and the king, Had, from the conversation of my thoughts, Haply, been absent then.

Count. But think you, Helen,

If you should tender your supposed aid,
He would receive it? He and his physicians
Are of a mind; he, that they cannot help him,
They that they cannot help: How shall they cre
40A poor unlearned virgin, when the schools, [dit
Embowell'd of their doctrine', have left off
The danger to itself?

[est

Hel, There's something hints,
More than my father's skill, which was the great
45 Of his profession, that his good receipt
Shall, for my legacy, be sanctified

[honour
By the luckiest stars in heaven: and, would your
But give me leave to try success, I'd venture
The well-lost life of mine on his grace's cure,

My friends were poor, but honest; so's my love : 50 By such a day and hour.

Be not offended; for it hurts not him,

That he is lov'd of me: I follow him not

By any token of presumptuous suit;

Nor would I have him, 'till I do deserve him;
Yet never know how that desert should be.
I know I love in vain, strive against hope;
Yet, in this captious' and intenible sieve,
I still pour in the waters of my love,
And lack not to lose still: thus, Indian-like,

3

Count. Dost thou believe't?
Hel, Ay, madam, knowingly,

[and love,

Count. Why, Helen, thou shalt have my leave, Means and attendants, and my loving greetings 55 To those of mine in court; I'll stay at home, And pray God's blessing into thy attempt: Be gone to-morrow; and be sure of this, What I can help thee to, thou shalt not miss. [Exeunt.

2i. e. the source of your grief, Meaning, prescriptions in which i. e. exhausted of their skill.

I care no more for, is, I care as much for-I wish it equally. Dr. Johnson suspects we should read carious, i. e. rotten. greater virtues were inclosed than appeared to observation.

ACT

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Share the advice betwixt you; if both gain all,
The gift doth stretch itself as 'tis received,
And is enough for both.

2 Lord. 'Tis our hope, sir,
After well-enter'd soldiers, to return
And find your grace in health.

5

Jcaptain Spurio, with his cicatrice, an emblem of war, here on his sinister cheek; it was this very sword entrench'd it: say to him, I live; and observe his reports for me.

2 Lord. We shall, noble captain. Par. Mars doat on you for his novices! what will you do?

Ber. Stay; the king

Par. Use a more spacious ceremony to the no10ble lords; you have restrained yourself within the list of too cold an adieu: be more expressive to them; for they wear themselves in the cap of the time, there do muster true gait, eat, speak, and move under the influence of the most re15fceiv'd star; and though the devil lead the measure, such are to be follow'd: after them, and take a more dilated farewel.

20

King. No, no, it cannot be; and yet my heart
Will not confess, he owes the malady
That does my life besiege. Farewel, young lords;
Whether I live or die, be you the sons
Of worthy Frenchmen: let higher' Italy
(Those 'bated, that inherit but the fall
Of the last monarchy) see, that you come
Not to woo honour, but to wed it; when
The bravest questant shrinks, find what you seek, 25
That fame may cry you loud: I say, farewel.

2 Lord. Health, at your bidding, serve your
majesty!

King. Those girls of Italy, take heed of them;
They say, our French lack language to deny,
If they demand: beware of being captives,
Before you serve.

Both. Our hearts receive your warnings.
King. Farewel.-Come hither to me.

Ber. And I will do so.

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

Luf. Then here's a man

Stands, that has 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.

King. I would I had; so I had broke thy pate, 30 And ask'd thee mercy for't.

Laf. Goodfaith, across:-but my good lord, Will you be cur'd of your infirmity? ['tis thus; King, No.

Laf. O, will you eat

[The King retires to a couch. 35 No grapes, my royal fox? yes, but you will,

1 Lord. Oh my sweet lord, that you behind us!

Par. " is not his fault! the spark— 2 Lord. Oh, 'tis brave wars!

will stay

Par. Most admirable: I have seen those wars. 40
Ber. I am commanded here, and kept a coil with
Too young, and the next year, and 'tis too early.
Pur. An thy mind stand to it, boy, steal away
bravely.

Ber. I shall stay here the forehorse to a smock, 45
Creaking my shoes on the plain masonry,
Till honour be bought up, and no sword worn,
But one to dance with! By heaven, I'll steal away.

1 Lord. There's honour in the th.ft.
Par. Commit it, count.

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

1 Lord. Farewel, captain.

2 Lord. Sweet monsieur Parolles!
Par. Noble heroes, my sword and yours arekin.
Good sparks and lustrous, a word, good metals:-
You shall find in the regiment of the Spinii, one]

My noble grapes, an if my royal fox
Could reach them: I have seen a medicine
That's able to breath life into a stone:
Quicken a rock, and make you dance canary
With sprightly fire and motion; whose simple
Is powerful to arise king Pepin, nay, [touch
To give great Charlemain a pen in his hand,
And write to her a love-line.
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 I may convey my thoughts
In this my light deliverance, I have spoke
50 With one, that in her sex, her years, profession,
Wisdom, and constancy, hath amaz'd me more
Than I dare bkime my weakness: Will you see her,
(For that is her demand) and know her busi-
That done, laugh well at me.

55

King, Now, good Lafeu,

[ness?

Bring in the admiration; that we with thee May spend our wonder too, or take off thine, [By wond'ring how thou took'st it.

The epithet higher is here to be understood as referring to situation rather than to dignity. This word, as has been before observed, is used when any pass of wit miscarries.

Laf.

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Laf. Nay, I'll fit you,

And not be all day neither.

[Exit Lafeu

King. Thus he his special nothing ever pro-
Laf. [returns.] Nay, come your ways. [logues.
[Bringing in Helenu
King. This haste hath wings indeed.
Laf. Nay, come your ways;
This is his majesty, say your mind to him:
A traitor you do look like; but such traitors
His majesty seldom fears: I am Cressid's uncle,
That dare leave two together; fare you well.[Ex.]
King. Now,fair one,does your business follow us?
Hel. Ay, my good lord. Gerard de Narbon was
My father; in what he did profess, well found.
King. I knew him.

5

10

[him; 15

Hel. The rather will I spare my praises toward
Knowing him, is enough. On his bed of death
Many receipts he gave me; chiefly one,
Which, as the dearest issue of his practice,
And of his old experience the only darling,
He bade me store up, as a triple eye,
Safer than mine own two, more dear! I have so:
And, hearing your high majesty is touch'd
With that malignant cause wherein the honour
Of my dear father's gift stands chief in power,
I come to tender it, and my appliance,
With all bound humbleness.

King. We thank you, maiden;
But may not be so credulous of cure,-
When our most learned doctors leave us; and
The congregated college have concluded,
That labouring art can never answer nature
From her inaidable estate,-I say we must not
So stain our judgment, or corrupt our hope,
To prostitute our past-cure malady
To empiricks; or to dissever so
Our great self and our credit, to esteem

A senseless help, when help past sense we deem.]
Hel. My duty then shall pay me for my pains:
I will no more enforce mine office on you;
Humbly intreating from your royal thoughts
A modest one, to bear me back again.

fful:

King. I cannot give thee less, to be call'd grate-
Thou thought'st to help me: andsuchthanksIgive,
As one near death to those that wish him live:
But what at full I know, thou know'st no part;
I knowing all my peril, thou no art.

Hel. What I can do, can do no hurt to try,
Since you set up your rest 'gainst remedy:
He that of greatest works is finisher,
Oft does them by the weakest minister:
So holy writ in babes hath judgment shown,
When judges have been babes. Great floods have
flown

20

From simple sources; and great seas have dry'd
When miracles have by the Greatest been dený'd,
Oft expectation fails, and most oft there
Where most it promises; and oft it hits,
Where hope is coldest,and despair most sits. [maid;
King. Imust not hear thee; fare thee well, kind
Thy pains, not us'd, must by thyself be paid:
Proffers, not took, reap thanks for their reward.
Hel. Inspired merit so by breath is barr'd;
It is not so with Him that all things knows,
As 'tis with us that square our guess by shows.
But most it is presumption in us, when
The help of heaven we count the act of men.
Dear sir, to my endeavours give consent;
Of heaven, not me, make an experiment.
I am not an impostor, that proclaim
Myself against the level of mine aim 1;
But know I think, and think I know most sure,
My art is not past power, nor you past cure.
King. Art thou so confident? Within what space
Hop'st thou my cure?

Hel. The greatest grace lending grace,
Ere twice the horses of the sun shall bring
Their fiery torcher his diurnal ring;
25 Ere twice in murk and occidental damp
Moist Hesperus hath quench'd his sleepy lamp;
Or four and twenty times the pilot's glass
Hath told the thievish minutes how they pass;
What is infirm from your sound parts shall fly,
30 Health shall live free, and sickness freely die.
King. Upon thy certainty and confidence,
What dar'st thou venture?

Hel. Tax of impudence,

A strumpet's boldness, a divulged shame,
35 Traduc'd by odious ballads; my maiden's name
Sear'd otherwise: no worse of worst extended,
With vilest torture let my life be ended 2.

40

King. Methinks, in thee some blessed spirit doth
speak;

His powerful sound, within an organ weak 3:
And what impossibility would slay

In common sense, sense saves another way.
Thy life is dear; for all, that life can rate
Worth name of life, in thee hath estimate;
45 Youth, beauty, wisdom, courage, virtue, all
That happiness and prime, can happy call:
Thou this to hazard, needs must intimate
Skill infinite, or monstrous desperate.
Sweet practiser, thy physick I will try;
50 That ministers thine own death, if I die.

Hel. If I break time, or flinch in property
Of what I spoke, unpitied let me die;
And well deserv'd: Not helping, death's my fee;
But, if I help, what do you promise me?

That is, "I am not an impostor that proclaim one thing and design another." 2 Mr. Steevens thus happily explains this obscure passage: "I would bear (says she) the tax of impudence, which is the denotement of a strumpet; would endure a shame resulting from my failure in what I have undertaken, and thence become the subject of odious ballads; let my maiden reputation be otherwise branded; and, no worse of worst extended, i. e. provided nothing worse is offered to me, (meaning violation) let my life be ended with the worst of tortures. The poet for the sake of rhime has obscured the sense of the passage. The worst that can befal a woman being extended to me, seems to be the meaning of the last line." The author of the Revisal of Shakspeare's Text explains this line thus: "The verb do h speak, in the first line, should be understood to be repeated in the construction of the second, thus; His powerful sound speaks within a weak organ.' ◄ i, e.'youth.

3

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5

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.

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 putting off: more, more, a hundred of them. Count. Sir, I am a poor friend of yours, that loves you.

Cio. O Lord, sir,- -Thick, thick, spare notme. 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 the height of your breeding. 30

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 any manners, he may easily put it off at court: he that cannot make a leg, put off's cap, kiss his hand, and say nothing, has neither leg, hands, lip; nor cap; and, indeed, such a fellow, to say 4 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 yourtaffaty 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?

Clo. From below your duke, to beneath your constable, it will fit any question.

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. [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.
Count. Haste you again.
[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

The Court of France.

Enter Bertram, Lafeu, and Parolles.

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'. 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,-
Far. So I say; both of Galen and Paracelsus.
Luf. Of all the learned and authentic fellows,——

1 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 those young women to whom they pretended love 2 A ridicule on that foolish expletive of speech, then in vogue at court. 'Fear here means the object of fear. Par.

Laf. That gave him out incurable,

Par. Right, so I say.

Pur. 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.

5

Pur. Just, you say well: so would I have said. Laf. Imay truly say, it is a novelty to the world. Par. Itis indeed: if you will have it in shewing, you shall read it in,-What do you call there?-10 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

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

Laf. In a most weak

15

20

Pur. 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.

Laf. 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 Viraigre! 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 patient'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.

6

We blush, that thou should'st chuse, but be refus'd;
Let the white death sit on thy check for ever,
We'll ne'er come there again.

King. Make choice; and, see,

Who shuns thy love, shuns all his love in me.
Hel. Now, Dian, from thy altar do I fly;
And to imperial Love, that god most high,
Do my sighs stream.--Sir, will you hear my suit!
1 Lord. And grant it.

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Hel. Thanks, sir; all the rest is mute'.
Laf. I had rather be in this choice, than throw
James-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,
30 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.

35

40

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

And writ as little beard.

50

[health. 55

King. Peruse them well:
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. Iama simple maid; and thereinwealthiest,
That, I protest, I simply am a maid:-
Please it your majesty, I have done already;
The blushes in my cheeks thus whisper me,

1 By dolphin is meant the dauphin.

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

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

2 i. e. wicked.

'i. e. lusty, cheerful, pleasant. Meaning, perhaps,

4 A bay dock'd horse. * Meaning, had lost no more of his teeth. the chlorosis.

1i. e. silence.

! i. e. the lowest chance of the dice.

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