to you, when I have held familiarity with fresher clothes: but I am now, sir, muddy'd in fortune's moat, and smell somewhat strong of her strong displeasure.

Clo. Truly, fortune's displeasure is but sluttish, 5 if it smell so strongly as thou speak'st of: I will henceforth eat no fish of fortune's buttering. Pr'ythee, allow the wind'.

Par. Nay, you need not stop your nose, sir; I spake but by a metaphor.

Clo. Indeed, sir, if your metaphor stink, I will stop my nose; or against any man's metaphor. Pr'ythee, get thee further.

Par. Pray you, sir, deliver me this paper. Clo. Foh! pr'ythee, stand away; A paper from fortune's close-stool to give to a nobleman! Look, here he comes himself.

Enter Lafcu.

Here is a pur of fortune's, sir, or of fortune's cat, (but not a musk-cat) that has fallen into the unclean fishpond of her displeasure, and, as he says, is muddy'd withal: Pray you, sir, use the carp as you may; for he looks like a poor, decay'd, ingenious, foolish, rascally knave. I do pity his distress in my smiles of comfort, and leave him to your lordship. [Exit Clown.

Par. My lord, I am a man whom fortune hath cruelly scratch'd.

Flourish. Enter King, Countess, Lafeu, Lords,
Attendants, &c.

King. We lost a jewel of her; and our esteem
10 Was made much poorer by it: but your son,
As mad in folly, lack'd the sense to know
Her estimation home'.

15

Count. 'Tis past, my liege:

And I beseech your majesty to make it
Natural rebellion, done i' the blade of youth;
When oil and fire, too strong for reason's force,
O'erbears it, and burns on.

King. My honour'd lady,

I have forgiven and forgotten all:

20 Though my revenges were high bent upon him, And watch'd the time to shoot.

25

30

Laf. And what would you have me to do? 'tis too late to pare her nails now. Wherein have you play'd the knave with fortune, that she should scratch you, who of herself is a good lady, and would not have knaves thrive long under her: 35 There's a quart d'ecu for you: Let the justices make you and fortune friends; I am for other business.

Par. I beseech your honour, to hear me one! single word.

Laf. You beg a single penny more: come, you
shall ha't; save your word.

Par. My name, my good lord, is Parolles.
Laf. You beg more than one word then?.-

40

Laf. This I must say,

But first I beg my pardon.-The young lord
Did to his majesty, his mother, and his lady,
Offence of mighty note; but to himself
The greatest wrong of all: he lost a wife,
Whose beauty did astonish the survey

Of richest eyes; whose words all ears took captive;
Whose dear perfection, hearts that scorn'd toserve,
Humbly call'd mistress.

King. Praising what is lost, [hither;-
Makes the remembrance dear.- -Well, call hun
We are reconcil'd, and the first view shall kill
All repetition:-Let him not ask our pardon;
The nature of his great offence is dead,
And deeper than oblivion we do bury
The incensing relicks of it: let him approach,
A stranger, no offender; and inform him,
So 'tis our will he should.

Gent. I shall, my liege.
[spoke?
King. What says he to your daughter? have you
Lag. All that he is hath reference to your high-
[ters sent me,

ness.

King. Then shall we have a match. I have let

Cox'my passion; give me your hand:-How does 45 That set him high in fame. your drum?

Par. O my good lord, you were the first_that found me.

Laf. Was I, in sooth? and I was the first that lost thee.

Par. It lies in you, my lord, to bring me in some grace, for you did bring me out.

Enter Bertram.
Laf. He looks well on't.

King. I am not a day of season,

For thou may'st see a sun-shine and a hail
50 in me at once: But to the brightest beams
Distracted clouds give way; so stand thou forth,
The time is fair again.

Laf. Out upon thee, knave! dost thou put upon me at once both the office of God and the devil? one brings thee in grace, and the other brings thee 55 out. [Sound trumpets.] The king's coming, I know by his trumpets-Sirrah, inquire further after me; I had talk of you last night: though|

2

Ber. My high-repented blames,
Dear sovereign, pardon to me.
King. All is whole;

Not one word more of the consumed time.
Let's take the instant by the forward top;
For we are old, and on our quick'st decrees

That is, stand to the windward of me. The meaning is, I testify my pity for his distress, by encouraging him with a gracious smile. A quibble is intended on the word Paroles, which in French is plural, and signifies words. * Esteem here means reckoning or estimate. i. e. completely, in its full extent. i. e. in the spring of early life, when the man is yet green. Oil and fire suit but ill with blude, and therefore Dr. Warburton reads, blaze of youth.

Laf. Come on, my son, in whom my house's
Must be digested, give a favour from you, [name 35
To sparkle in the spirits of my daughter,
That she may quickly come.-By my old beard,
And every hair that's on't, Helen, that's dead,
Was a sweet creature; such a ring as this,
The last that e'er she took her leave at court,

King. Now, pray you, let me see it; for mine
While I was speaking, oft was fastened to't.
This ring was mine; and, when I gave it Helen, 45
I bade her, if her fortunes ever stood
Necessity'd to help, that by this token

Laf. I will buy me a son-in-law in a fair, and

Of her that threw it: noble she was, and thought CO toll him: for this, I'll none of him.

Removes are journies or post-stages. Alluding to buying horses in fairs, and paying toll for them to prove they were honestly come by.

Enter Bertram, guarded.

I am afeard, the life of Helen, lady,
Was foully snatch'd.

Count. Now, justice on the doers! [you,
King. I wonder, sir, since wives are monsters to
And that you fly them as you swear them lordship,
Yet you desire to marry.-What woman's that?
Enter Widow and Diana.

Dia. I am, my lord, a wretched Florentine,
Derived from the ancient Capulet;
My suit, as I do understand, you know,
And therefore know how far I may be pitied.
Wid. Iam her mother, sir, whose age and honour,
Both suffer under this complaint we bring,
And both shall cease', without your remedy.
King. Come hither, count: Do you know these

women?

5

10

Luf. I saw the man to-day, if man he be.
King. Find him, and bring him hither.
Ber. What of him?

He's quoted for a most perfidious slave,
With all the spots o' the world tax'd and debosh'd';
Whose nature sickens but to speak a truth:
Am I or that, or this, for what he'll utter,
That will speak any thing?

King. She hath that ring of yours.

Ber. I think, she has : certain it is, I lik'd her,
And boarded her i' the wanton way of youth:
She knew her distance, and did angle for me,
Madding my eagerness with her restraint,
As all impediments in fancy's course
15 Are motives of more fancy; and in fine,
Her insuit coming with her modern grace,
Subdu'd me to her rate: she got the ring;
And I had that, which any interior might
At market-price have bought.

Ber. My lord, I neither can nor will deny
But that I know them: Do they charge me further: 20
Dia. Why do you look so strange upon your wife?
Ber. She's none of mine, my lord.

Dia. If you shall marry,

You give away this hand, and that is mine;

Dia. I must be patient ;

You, that turn'd off a first so noble wife,
May justly diet me. I pray you yet,
(Since you lack virtue, I will lose a husband)
Send for your ring, I will return it hoine,

You give away heaven's vows, and those are mine; 25 And give me mine again.

You give away myself, which is known mine;
For I by vow am so embody'd yours,

That she, which marries you, must marry me,
Either both, or none.

Laf. Your reputation comes too short for my 30
daughter, you are no husband for her. [ToBertram.
Ber. My lord, this is a fond and desperate creature,
Whom sometime I have laugh'd with; let your

highness

Till your deeds gain them: Fairer prove your ho-
Than in my thought it lies!

Dia. Good my lord,

Ask him upon his oath, if he does think

He had not my virginity.

King. What say'st thou to her?

Ber. She's impudent, my lord;

And was a common gamester to the camp.
Dia. He does me wrong, my lord; if I were so,
He might have bought me at a common price:
Do not believe him: O, behold this ring,
Whose high respect and rich validity,
Did lack a parallel; yet, for all that,
He gave it to a commoner o' the camp,
If I be one.

Count. He blushes, and 'tis it:

Of six preceding ancestors, that gem

Conferr'd by testament to the sequent issue,
Hath it been ow'd, and worn. This is his wife;
That ring's a thousand proofs.

King, Methought you said,

You saw one here in court could witness it.

Dia. I did, my lord, but loth am to produce So bad an instrument; his name's Paroll, s.

35

40

Ber. I have it not.

King. What ring was yours, I pray you?
Dia. Sir, much like
The same upon your finger.

[late.

King. Know you this ring? this ring was his of
Dia. And this was it I gave him, being a-bed.
King. The story then goes false, you threw it
Out of a casement,

Dia. I have spoke the truth.
Enter Paroles.

[him

Ber. My lord, I do confess the ring was hers.
King. You boggle shrewdly, every feather starts
Is this the man you speak of?
[you.-
Dia. It is, my lord.

King. Tell me, sirrah, but tell me true, I charge
Not tearing the displeasure of your master, [you,
(Which, on your just proceeding, I'll keep off)
By him, and by this woman here, what know you?

Par. So please your majesty, my master hath 45been an honourable gentleman; tricks he hath uad in him, which gentlemen have.

King. Cone, come, to the purpose; Did he love this woman?

Par. 'Faith, sir, he did love her: But how? 50 King. How, I pray you?

Par. He did love her, sir, as a gentleman loves

That is, decease, die. i. e. value. Quoted has the same sense as noted. See note 3, p. 13.

i. e. only to speak a truth.

King. But wilt thou not speak all thou know'st? Pur. Yes, so please your majesty! I did go between them, as I said; but more than that, he loved her, for, indeed, he was mad for her, and talk'd of Satan and of limbo, and of furies, and 15 know not what: yet I was in that credit with them at that time, that I knew of their going to bed;| and of other motions, as promising her marriage, and things that would derive me ill will to speak of, therefore I will not speak what I know.

King. Thou hast spoken already, unless thou canst say they are marry'd: But thou art too fine' in thy evidence; therefore stand aside.-This ring, you say, was yours?

Dia. Ay, my good lord.

King. Where did you buy it? or who gave it you?

Dia. It was not given me, nor did I buy it.
King. Who lent it you?

Dia. It was not lent me neither.

King. Where did you find it then?

Dia. I found it not.

King. If it were yours by none of all these ways, How could you give it hini?

Dia. I never gave it him.

Laf. This woman's an easy glove, my lord; she goes off and on at pleasure.

King. The ring was mine, I gave it his first wife.
Dia. It might be yours,or hers, for aught I know.
King. Take her away, I do not like her now;
Το
prison with her: and away with him.-
Unless thou tell'st me where thou hadst this ring,
Thou diest within this hour.

Dia. I'll never tell you.
King. Take her away.

Dia. I'll put in bail, my liege.

King. I think thee now some common customer2.
Dia. By Jove, if ever I knew man, 'twas you.
King. Wherefore hast thou accus'd him all this
while?

Dia. Because he's guilty, and he is not guilty;
He knows, I am no maid, and he'll swear to't:
I'll swear, I am a maid, and he knows not.
Great king, I am no strumpet, by my life;
I am either maid, or else this old man's wife.

[Pointing to Lafeu. King. She does abuse our ears; to prison with her. Dia. Good mother, fetch my bail.-Stay, royal [Exit Widow.

sir:

The jeweller, that owes the ring, is sent for,
And he shall surety me. But for this lord, [ToBert.
Who hath abus'd me, as he knows himself,

1

Though yet he never harm'd me, here I quit him:
He knows himself, my bed he hath defil'd;
And at that time he got his wife with child:
Dead though she be, she feels her young one kick.
So there's my riddle, One, that's dead, is quick.
And now behold the meaning.

Re-enter Widow, with Helena.
King. Is there no exorcist
Beguiles the truer office of mine eyes?
10Is't real, that I see?

15

Hel. No, my good lord;

is but a shadow of a wife you see, The name, and not the thing.

Ber. Both, both; oh, pardon! [maid, Hel. Oh, my good lord, when I was like this I found you wond'rous kind. There is your ring, And, look you, here's your letter; This it says, When from my finger you can get this ring, And are by me with child, &c.—This is done : 20 Will you be mine, now you are doubly won? Ber. If she, my liege, can make me know this clearly,

25

30

I'll love her dearly, ever, ever dearly.

Hel, If it appear not plain, and prove untrue,
Deadly divorce step between me and you!
O, my dear mother, do I see you living?

[To the Countess. Lof. Mine eyes smell onions, I shall weep anon. -Good Tom Drum, lend me a handkerchief; [to Parolles.] So, I thank thee: wait on me home, I'll make sport with thee: Let thy courtesies alone, they are scurvy ones.

King. Let us from point to point this story know,
To make the even truth in pleasure flow:-
35 If thou be'st yet a fresh uncropped flower,

[To Diana.
Chuse thou thy husband, and I'll pay thy dower;
For I can guess, that by thy honest aid,
Thou kept'st a wife herself, thyself a maid.
40 Of that, and all the progress, more and less,
Resolvedly more leisure shall express;
All yet seems well; and, if it end so meet,
The bitter past, more welcome is the sweet,
Advancing:

45

The king's a beggar, now the play is done:
All is well ended, if this suit be won,
That you express content; which we will pay,
With strife to please you, day exceeding day:
50 Ours be your patience then, and yours our parts;
Your gentle hands lend us, and take our hearts.

Too fine, here means full of finesse; too artful. This word is used not very properly for enchanter.

? i, e. a common woman.

[Exeunt.

3 i. e. owns.