Worth name of life, in thee hath estimate:'
Youth, beauty, wisdom, courage, virtue, all
That happiness and prime2 can happy call:
Thou this to hazard, needs must intimate
Skill infinite, or monstrous desperate.
Sweet practiser, thy physic I will try;
That ministers thine own death, if I die.

Hel. If I break time, or flinch in property3
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?
King. Make thy demand.
Hel.
But will you make it even?
King. Ay, by my sceptre, and my hopes of
heaven.4

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 choose from forth the royal blood of France;
My low and humble name to propagate
With any branch or impage of thy state:5
But such a one, thy vassal, whom I know
Is free for me to ask, thee to bestow.

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

rest

Unquestion'd welcome, and undoubted blest.Give me some help here, ho!-If thou proceed As high as word, my deed shall match thy deed. [Flourish. Exeunt. SCENE II. Rousillon. A Room in the Countess's Palace. Enter Countess and Clown. Count. Come on, sir; I shall now put you to the height of your breeding.

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 special, when you put off that with such contempt? But to the court!

you

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 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 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 taffata punk, 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.

tended evil than what I have mentioned, the loss of my honour, which is the worst that could happen,) let me die with torture. Ne is nor.

1 i. e, may be counted among the gifts enjoyed by thee. 2 Prime here signifies that sprightly vigour which usually accompanies us in the prime of life; which old Montaigne calls, cet estat plein de verdeur et de feste, and which Florio translates, that state, full of lust, of prime, and mirth.'

3 Property seems to be used here for performance or achievement, singular as it may seem.

4 The old copy reads hopes of help. The emendation is Thirlby's.

5 The old copy reads 'image of thy state.' War. burton proposed impage, which Steevens rejects, saying unadvisedly there is no such word. It is evident that Shakspeare formed it from an unpe, a scion, or young slip of a tree.'

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.

Count. To be young again, if we could: I will be a fool in question, hoping to be the wiser by you answer. I pray you, sir, are you a courtier? Clo. O Lord, sir, -There's a simple putting -more, more, a hundred of them. Count. Sir, I am a poor friend of yours, that loves

off

you.

Clo. O Lord, sir,-Thick, thick, spare not me. Count. 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 Ő 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

Count. An end, sir, to your business: Give Helen this.

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 un derstand me?

Clo. Most fruitfully; I am there before my legs. Count. Haste you again. [Exeunt severally. SCENE III. Paris. A Room in the King's Palace. 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.12

Par. Why, 'tis the rarest argument of wonder, that hath shot out in our latter 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 13 fellows,→→
Par. Right, so I say.

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

Par. Right: as 'twere, a man assured of an-

6 This is a common proverbial expression. 7 Tom and Tibb were apparently common names for a lad and lass, the rush ring seems to have been a kind of love token, for plighting of troth among rustic lovers.

sir!'

8 A ridicule on this silly expletive of speech, then in vogue at court. Thus Clove and Orange, in Every Man in his Humour: "You conceive me, sir?-O Lord, 9 Properly follows. 10 Common, ordinary. 11 Sconce being a term in fortification for a chief fort ress. To ensconce literally signifies to secure as in a fort.

12 Fear means here an object of fear.

13 Authentic is allowed, approved; and seems to have been the proper epithet for a physician regularly bred or licensed. The diploma of a licentiate still has authentice licentiatus

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, 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 sense
Thou hast repeal'd, a second time receive
The confirmation of my promis'd gift,
Which but attends thy naming.

health.

All. We understand it, and thank heaven for you. Hel. I am a simple 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, We blush, that thou shouldst choose; but, be refus'd, Let the white death sit on thy cheek for ever; We'll ne'er come there again.8 King. Make choice; and, see, Who shuns thy love, shuns all his love in me.

1 The Dauphin was formerly so written, but it is doubtful whether Lafeu means to allude to the Prince or the fish. The old orthography is therefore continued. 2 Wicked.

3 Dr. Johnson thought this and some preceding speeches in the scene were erroneously given to Parolles instead of to Lafeu. This seems very probable, for the humour of the scene consists in Parolles's pretensions to knowledge and sentiments which he has not.

4 Lustigh is the Dutch for active, pleasant, playful, sportive.

5 They were wards as well as subjects.

6 i. e. except one, meaning Bertram: but in the sense of be-out.

7 A curtal was the common phrase for a horse; i. e. 'I'd give my bay horse, &c. that my age were not greater than these boys' a broken mouth is a mouth which has bost part of its teeth.

My blushes (says Helen) thus whisper me-We

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. Hel Thanks, sir, all the rest is mute." Laf. I had rather be in this choice, than throw ames-acel for my life.

Hel. The honour, sir, that flames in your fair eyes, Before I speak, too threateningly replies: Love make your fortunes twenty times above Her that so wishes, and her humble love! 2 Lord. No better, if you please. Hel 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 whipped; or I would send them to the Turk, to make eunuchs of.

My wish receive,

Hel. Be not afraid [To a Lord] 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 have French ne'er got them. her: sure, they are bastards to the English; the

Hel. You are too young, too happy, and too good, 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 fa ther drank wine.-But if thou be'st not an ass, 1 am a youth of fourteen; I have known thee already. Hel. I dare not say, I take you; [To BERTRAM] but I give

Into your guiding power.-This is the man.
Me, and my service, ever whilst I live,

King. Why then, young Bertram, take her, she's thy wife.

Ber. My wife, my liege? I shall beseech your highness,

The help of mine own eyes.
In such a business give me leave to use

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

Ber.

But never hope to know why I should marry her. Yes, my good lord; King. Thou know'st she has raised me from my

sickly bed.

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

King. "Tis only title12 thou disdain'st in her, the I can build up. Strange is it that our bloods, which Would quite confound distinction, yet stand off Of colour, weight, and heat, pour'd all together, In differences so mighty: If she be

A

All that is virtuous (save what thou dislik'st, 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 dignified by the doer's deed: It is a dropsied honour: good alone Where great additions13 swell and virtue none, Is good;-without a name, vileness is so:14 blush that thou shouldst have the nomination of thy hus band. However, choose him at thy peril; but if thou be refused, let thy cheeks be forever pale; we will never revisit them again. Be refused means the same as thou being refused,' or, 'be thou refused.' The white death is the paleness of death.

9 i. e. I have no more to say to you.' So Hamlet, 'the rest is silence.'

10 The lowest chance of the dice.

11 The scene must he so regulated that Lafeu and Parolles talk at a distance, where they may see what passes between Helena and the Lords, but not hear it, so that they know not by whom the refusal is made. 12 i. e. the want of title.

13 Titles.

14 Good is good, independent of any worldly distinc tion: and so vileness would be ever vile, did not rank, power, and fortune screen it from opprobrium.

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,a
When rather from our acts we them derive
Than our fore-goers: 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?
If thou canst like this creature as a maid,
I can create the rest: virtue, and she,
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 shouldst
strive to choose.

Hel. That you are well restor'd, my lord, I am glad;

Let the rest go.

King. My honour's at the stake; which to defeat,
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, poising us in her defective scale,

Shail 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 hate,
Loosing upon thee in the name of justice,
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,

A balance more replete. Ber.

I take her hand.

King. Good fortune, and the favour of the king, Smile upon this contract: whose ceremony Shall seem expedient on the now-born brief, And be perform'd to-night: the solemn feast Shall more attend upon the coming space, Expecting absent friends. As thou lov'st her, Thy love's to me religious; else, does err.

[Exeunt King, BERTRAM, HELENA, Lords, and Attendants.

Laf. Do you hear, monsieur? a word with you. Par. Your pleasure, sir? Laf. Your lord and master did well to make his recantation.

my

Par. Recantation? My lord? master? Laf. Ay; Is it not a language, I speak? Par. A most harsh one; and not to be understood without bloody succeeding. My master?

Laf. Are you companion to the count Rousillon? Par. To any count; to all counts; to what is man.

1 i. e. the child of honour.

2 The first folio omits best; the second folio supplies it. 3 The implication or clause of the sentence (as the grammarians say) here serves for the antecedent, which danger to defeat.

Laf. I must tell thee, sirrah, I write man; te 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 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. have now found thee; when I lose thee again, I care not yet art thou good for nothing but taking up; ; and that thou art scarce worth.

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

Laf. Do not plunge thyself too 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 indig

nity.

Par. I have not, my lord, deserved it.

Laf. Yes, good faith, every dram of it; and I will not bate thee a scruple.

Par. 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 bound in thy scarf, and beaten, thou shalt find what it is to be proud of thy bondage. I have a desire to hold my acquaintance with thee, or rather my 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.fo [Exit.

Par. Well, thou hast a son shall take this disgrace off me; scurvy, old, filthy, scurvy lord!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 age, than I would have of-I'll beat him, an if I could but meet him again.

Re-enter LAFEU.

Laf. Sirrah, your lord and master's married, there's news for you; you have a new mistress.

Par. I most unfeignedly beseech your lordship to make some reservation of your wrongs: He is my good lord: whom I serve above, is my master. Luf. Who? God?

Par. Ay, sir.

thou garter up thy arms o' this fashion? dost make Laf. The devil it is, that's thy master. Why dost 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 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 breathe11 themselves upon thee. Par. This is hard and undeserved measure, my lord.

sense of expeditiously: and brief in the sense of a short note or intimation concerning any business, and some times without the idea of writing.

7 i. e. while I sate twice with thee at dinner.

8 To take up is to contradict, to call to account; as well as to pick off the ground.

9 i. e. at a need.

stood it:- Doing I am past,' says Lafeu, as I will by thee, in what motion age will give me leave; i. e. 'as I will pass by thee as fast as I am able: and he imme diately goes out.

11 Exercise.

I know not yet.

Par. Why, I say nothing.

for

Clo. Marry, you are the wiser man ; 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 knave: this had been truth, sir.

Par. Go to, thou art a witty fool, I have found thee. Clo. Did you find me in yourself, sir? or were you taught to find me? The search, sir, was profitable, and much fool may you find in you, even to the world's pleasure, and the increase of laughter.

Par. A good knave, i'faith, and well fed.-
Madam, my lord, will go away to-night;
A very serious business calls on him.
Which, as your due, time claims, he does acknow-
The great prerogative and rite of love,
ledge;

But puts it off by a compell'd restraint;
Whose want, and whose delay, is strewed with

sweets,

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,
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,
Where noble fellows strike: War is no strife
To the dark house,2 and the detested wife.

Par. Will this capricio hold in thee, art sure? Ber. Go with me to my chamber, and advise me. I'll send her straight away: To-morrow. I'll to the wars, she to her single sorrow.

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 so.

[Exeunt. SCENE IV. The same. Another Room in the same 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 is not well: but thanks be given, she's very well, and wants nothing i'the world; but yet 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 in 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 had 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.

1 A cant term for a wife.

2 The dark house is a house made gloomy by dis

content.

3 Perhaps the old saying, 'better fed than taught,' alluded to here as in a preceding scene, where the clown says, I will show myself highly fed and lowly taught.' 4 The old copy reads to a compell'd restraint.' The meaning appears to be, that the delay of the

To make the coming hour o'erflow with joy,
And pleasure drown the brim.
Hel.

What's his will else? Par. That you will take your instant leave o' the

king.

And make this haste as your own good proceeding,
Strengthen'd with what apology you think
May make it probable need.6
Hel.

What more commands he? Par. That, having this obtain'd, you presently Attend his further pleasure.

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

Hel.

I pray you.-Come, sirrah. [Exeunt. SCENE V. Another Room in the same. Enter LAFEU and BERTRAM.

Laf. But, I hope, your lordship thinks not him a

soldier.

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 lark for a bunting."

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

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

Par. These things shall be done, sir.

[To BERTRAM. Laf. Pray you, sir, who's his tailor? Par. Sir? good workman, a very good tailor. Laf. O, I know him well: Ay, sir; he, sir, is a

Ber. Is she gone to the king?

Ber. Will she away to-night? Par. As you'll have her. Ber. I have writ my letters, casketed my treasure. Given order for our horses, and to-night, 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

joys, and the expectation of them, would make them more delightful when they come. The curbed time means the time of restraint, whose want means the want of which.

6 A specious appearance of necessity.

7 The bunting nearly resembles the sky-lark; but has little or no song, which gives estimation to the sky. lark.