Lords, attending on the King: Officers, Soldiers, &c., French and Florentine. Scene,-Partly in France, and partly in Tuscany. sion, and it was his great right to be so: 0 rard de Narbon. Laf. He was excellent, indeed, mada the king very lately spoke of him, admiring and mourningly: he was skilful enough have lived still, if knowledge could be set against mortality. Ber. What is it, my good lord, the ki languishes of? Laf. A fistula, my lord. Ber. I heard not of it before. Laf. I would, it were not notorious.this gentlewoman the daughter of Gerard Narbon? Count. His sole chil child, my lord; and queathed to my overlooking. I have th hopes of her good, that her education pro ses: her dispositions she inherits, which m fair gifts fairer; for where an unclean m carries virtuous qualities I, there commen tions go with pity, they are virtues and tors too; in her they are the better for t simpleness; she derives her honesty, achieves her goodness. Laf. Your commendations, madam, from her tears. Count. 'Tis the best brine a maiden season her praise in. The remembranc her father never approaches her heart, the tyranny of her sorrows takes all li hood || from her cheek. No more of this, lena, go to, no more; lest it be rather the you affect a sorrow, than to have. Hel. I do affect a sorrow, indeed, 1 have it too. Laf. Moderate lamentation is the rig Under his particular care, as my guardian. + The countess recollects her own lo aband and observes how heavily had passes through her mind. I Qualities of i. e., Her excellencies are the better because they are ar the dead, excessive grief the enemy to the living. Count. If the living be enemy to the grief, the excess makes it soon mortal. Ber. Madam, I desire your holy wishes. Count. Be thou blest, Bertram; and suc- tue, In manners, as in shape! thy blood, and vir- Do wrong to none: be able for thine enemy That thee may furnish*, and my prayers Fall on thy head! Farewell.-My lord, Luf He cannot want the best That shall attend his love. tram. Yet these fix'd evils sit to fit in him, Hel. And no. Par. Are you meditating on virginity? Hel. Ay. You have some stain of soldier in you; let me ask you a question: Man is enemy to virginity; how may we barricado it against him? Par. Keep him out. Hel. But he assails; and our virginity, though valiant in the defence, yet is weak; unfold to us some warlike resistance. Par. There is none; man, sitting down before you, will undermine you, and blow you up. Hel. Bless our poor virginity from underminers, and blowers up!-Is there no military policy, how virgins might blow up men? Par. Virginity, being blown down, man will quicklier be blown up: marry, in blowCount. Heaven bless him!-Farewell, Ber-ing him down again, with the breach yourselves made, you lose your city. It is not politic in the commonwealth of nature, to preserve virginity. Loss of virginity is rational increase; and there was never virgin got, till virginity was first lost. That, you were made of, is metal to make virgins. Virginity, by being once lost, may be ten times found: by being ever kept, it is ever lost: 'tis too cold a companion; away with it. [Exit Countess. Ber. The best wishes, that can be forged in your thoughts, [To HELENA] be servants to yout! Be comfortable to my mother, your mistress, and make much of her. Laf. Farewell, pretty lady: You must hold the credit of your father. [Exeunt BERTRAM and LAFEU. I have forgot him: my imagination To see him every hour; to sit and draw Enter PAROLLES. One that goes with him: I love him for his sake; And yet I know him a notorious liar, Hel. I will stand for't a little, though therefore I die a virgin. Par. There's little can be said in't; 'tis against the rule of nature. To speak on the part of virginity, is to accuse your mothers; which is most infallible disobedience. He, that hangs himself, is a virgin: virginity murders itself; and should be buried in highways, out of all sanctified limit, as a despe rate offendress against nature. Virginity breeds mites, much like a cheese; consumes itself to the very paring, and so dies with feeding his own stomach. Besides, virginity is peevish, proud, idle, made of self-love, which is the most inhibited¶ sin in the canon. Keep it not; you cannot choose but lose by 't: Out with't: within ten years it will make itself ten, which is a goodly increase; and the principal itself not much the worse: Away with't. Hel. How might one do, sir, to lose it to her own liking? Par. Let me see: Marry, ill, to like him that ne'er it likes. 'Tis a commodity will lose the gloss with lying; the longer kept, the less worth: off with't, while 'tis vendible: an i. e., That may help thee with more and better qualifications. be mistress of your wishes, and have power to bring them to effect. ders her heart as the tablet on which his resemblance was portrayed. of feature. Countenance. Forbidden. ti. e., May you Helena consi» Peculiarity swer the time of request. Virginity, like an old courtier, wears her cap out of fashion; richly suited, but unsuitable: just like the brooch and tooth-pick, which wear not now: Your date is better in your pie and your porridge, than in your cheek: And your virginity, your old virginity, is like one of our French withered pears; it looks ill, it eats dryly; marry, 'tis a withered pear; it was formerly better; marry, yet, 'tis a withered pear: Will you any thing with it? Hel. Not my virginity yet. There shall your master have a thousand loves, A mother, and a mistress, and a friend, The court's a learning-place;—and he is one- Hel. That I wish well.-'Tis pity- Hel. That wishing well had not a body in't, [born, Which might be felt that we, the poorer Whose baser stars do shut us up in wishes, Might with effects of them follow our friends, And show what we alone must think +; which Returns us thanks. [never Enter a Page. Page. Monsieur Parolles, my lord calls for you. [Exit Page. Par. Little Helen, farewell: if I can re. member thee, I will think of thee at court. Hel. Monsieur Parolles, you were born under a charitable star. Par. Under Mars, I. Hel. I especially think, under Mars. Hel. The wars have so kept you under, that you must needs be born under Mars. Par. When he was predominant. Hel. When he was retrograde, I think, rather. Par. Why think you so? Hel. You go so much backward, when you fight. Par. That's for advantage. vice shall thrust upon thee; else thou diest in thine unthankfulness, and thine ignorance makes thee away: farewell. When thou has' leisure, say thy prayers; when thou hast none, remember thy friends: get thee a good hasband, and use him as he uses thee: so fare. well. [Exit. Hel. Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie, Which we ascribe to heaven: the fated sky Gives us free scope; only, doth backward pull [dull. Our slow designs, when we ourselves are What power is it, which mounts my love so high; [eye? That makes me see, and cannot feed mine The mightiest space in fortune nature brings To join like likes, and kiss like native things. Impossible be strange attempts, to those That weigh their pains in sense; and do suppose, What hath been cannot be: Who ever strove To show her merit, that did miss her love? The king's disease--my project may deceive me, But my intents are fix'd, and will not leave me. [Exit. SCENE II. Paris. A Room in the King's Palace. Flourish of cornets. Enter the King of France, with letters; Lords and others attending. King. The Florentines and Senoys are by the ears; Have fought with equal fortune, and continue A braving war. i Lord. So 'tis reported, sir. [ceive it King. Nay, 'tis most credible; we here reA certainty, vouch'd from our cousin Austria, With caution, that the Florentine will move us For speedy aid; wherein our dearest friend Prejudicates the business, and would seem To have us make denial. 1 Lord. King. He hath arm'd our answer, And Florence is denied before he comes: Yet, for our gentlemen, that mean to see The Tuscan service, freely have they leave To stand on either part. 2 Lord. It may well serve A nursery to our gentry, who are sick For breathing and exploit. King. What's he comes here? Enter BERTRAM, LAFEU, and PAROLLES. 1 Lord. It is the count Rousillon, my good Bertram. Hel. So is running away, when fear propo-Young ses the safety: But the composition, that your valour and fear makes in you, is a virtue of a good wing, and I like the wear well. Par. I am so full of businesses, I cannot answer thee acutely: I will return perfect courtier; in the which, my instruction shall serve to naturalize thee, so thou wilt be capable of a courtier's counsel, and understand what ad [lord, King. Youth, thou bear'st thy father's face; Frank nature, rather curious than in haste, Hath well composed thee. Thy father's moral parts May'st thou inherit too! Welcome to Paris. Ber. My thanks and duty are your majesty's. King. I would I had that corporal sound ness now, * A quibble on date, which means age, and candied fruit. + i. e., And show by realities what we now must only think. i. e., Thou wilt comprehend it. Things formed by nature for each other. The citizens of the small republic of which Sienna is the capital, As when thy father, and myself, in friendship | In their poor praise he humbled: Such a man [always say, senses You are loved, sir; 2 Lord. They, that least lend it you, shall lack you first. [is't, count, King. I fill a place, I know't.-How long Since the physician at your father's died? He was much fam'd. Ber. Some six months since, my lord. King. If he were living, I would try him yet; Lend me an arm-the rest have worn me out With several applications:-nature and sickness Debate it at their leisure. Welcome, count; My son's no dearer. To repair here signifies to renovate. Count. I will now hear: what say you of this gentlewoman? Stew. Madam, the care I have had to even your content, I wish might be found in the calendar of my past endeavours; for then we wound our modesty, and make foul the clearness of our deservings, when of ourselves we publish them. Count. What does this knave here? Get you gone, sirrah: The complaints, I have heard of you, I do not all believe; 'tis my slowness, that I do not for, I know, you lack not folly to commit them, and have ability enough to make such knaveries yours. Clo. 'Tis not unknown to you, madam, I am a poor fellow. Count. Well, sir. Clo. No, madam, 'tis not so well, that I am poor; though many of the rich are damned: But, if I may have your ladyship's good-will to go to the world, Isbel the woman and I will do as we may. Count. Wilt thou needs be a beggar? Clo. In Isbel's case, and mine own. Service is no heritage: and, I think, I shall never have the blessing of God, till I have issue of my body; for, they say, bearns ** are bless ings. Count. Tell me thy reason why thou wilt marry. Clo. My poor body, madam, requires it: I am driven on by the flesh; and he must needs go, that the devil drives. Count. Is this all your worship's reason? Clo. Faith, madam, I have other holy reasons, such as they are. Count. May the world know them? Clo. I have been, madam, a wicked creature, as you and all flesh and blood are; and, indeed, I do marry, that I may repent. Count. Thy marriage, sooner than thy wick edness. Clo. I am out of friends, madam; and I hope to have friends for my wife's sake. Count.Such friends are thine enemies,knave. Clo. You are shallow, madam; e'en great friends; for the knaves come to do that for me, which I am a-weary of. He, that ears tt my land, spares my teain, and gives me leave to inn the crop if I be his cuckold, he's my drudge: He, that comforts my wife, is the cherisher of my flesh and blood; he, that cherishes my flesh and blood, loves my flesh and blood; he, that loves my flesh and blood, is my friend: ergo, he that kisses my wife, is my friend. If men could be contented to be what they are, there were no fear in marriage; for young Charbon the puritan, and old Poysam the papist, howsoe'er their hearts are severed in religion, their heads are both one, they may joll horns together, like any deer i' the herd. His is put for its. ↑ Approbation. who have no other use of their faculties than to invent new modes of dress. ** Children. + Ploughs. Therefore. To act up to your desires. To be married. Count, Wilt thou ever be a foul-mouthed | first assault, or ransome afterward: This she and calumnious knave? Clo. A prophet I, madam; and I speak the truth the next way*: For I the ballad will repeat, Which men full true shall find ; Your marriage comes by destiny, Your cuckoo sings by kind. Count. Get you gone, sir; I'll talk with you more anon. Stew. May it please you, madam, that he bid Helen come to you; of her I am to speak. Count. Sirrah, tell my gentlewoman, I would speak with her; Helen I mean. Clo. Was this fair face the cause, quoth she, [Singing. Why the Grecians sacked Troy? Fond donet, done fond, Was this king Priam's joy. With that she sighed as she stood, With that she sighed as she stood, And gave this sentence then; Among nine bad if one be good, Among nine bad if one be good, There's yet one good in ten. Count. What, one good in ten? you corrupt the song, sirrah. Clo. One good woman in ten, madam; which is a purifying o'the song: 'Would God would serve the world so all the year! we'd find no fault with the tithe-woman, if I were the parson: One in ten, quoth a'! an we might have a good woman born but every blazing star, or at an earthquake, 'twould mend the lottery well; a man may draw his heart out, ere he pluck one. Count. You'll be gone, sir knave, and do as I command you? Clo. That man should be at woman's command, and yet no hurt done!-Though honesty be no puritan, yet it will do no hurt; it will wear the surplice of humility over the black gown of a big heart.-I am going, forsooth: the business is for Helen to come hither. Count. Well, now. [Exit Clown. Stew. I know, madam, you love your gentlewoman entirely. Count. Faith, I do her father bequeathed her to me; and she herself, without other advantage, may lawfully make title to as much love as she finds: there is more owing her, than is paid; and more shall be paid her, than she'll demand. Stew. Madam, I was very late more near her than, I think, she wished me; alone she was, and did cominunicate to herself, her own words to her own ears; she thought, I dare vow for her, they touched not any stranger sense. Her matter was, she loved your son: Fortune, she said, was no goddess, that had put such difference betwixt their two estates; Love, no god, that would not extend his might, only where qualities were level; Diana, no queen of virgins, that would suffer her poor knight to be surprised, without rescue, in the delivered in the most bitter touch of sorrow, that e'er I heard virgin exclaim in which I held my duty, speedily to acquaint you withal; sithence, in the loss that may happen, it concerns you something to know it. Count. You have discharged this honestly; keep it to yourself: many likelihoods informed me of this before, which hung so tottering in the balance, that I could neither believe, nor misdoubt: Pray you, leave me: stall this in your bosom, and I thank you for your honest care: I will speak with you further anon. [Exit Steward. Enter HELENA. Count. Even so it was with me, when I was young: [thorn If we are nature's, these are ours; this Doth to our rose of youth rightly belong; Our blood to us, this to our blood is born; It is the show and seal of nature's truth, Where love's strong passion is impress'd in By our remembrances of days foregone, youth: Such were our faults;-or then we thought them none. Her eye is sick on't; I observe her now. 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 in mother, That you start at it? I say, I am your mother; And put you in the catalogue of those That were enwombed mine: 'Tis often seen, Adoption strives with nature; and choice breeds A native slip to us from foreign seeds: You ne'er oppress'd me with a mother's groan, Yet I express to you a mother's care:God's mercy, maiden! does it curd thy blood, To say, I am thy mother? What's the matter, That this distemper'd messenger of wet, The many-colour'd Iris, rounds thine eye? Why?that you are my daughter? Hel. That I am not. Count. I say, I am your mother. Hel. I care no more fors, than I do for heaven, The nearest way. + Foolishly done. + Since. wish it equally. i. e., I care as much for: I |