SCENE V.- Rousillon. A Room in the Enter COUNTESS, LAFEU, and CLOWN. Laf. No, no, your son was misled with a snipt, 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 Yeinain in his 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 a-weary of thee, and 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 [Exit. law of nature. taffata fellow there; whose villainous saffron would have made all the unbaked and doughy youth of a Lof. A shrewd knave, and an unhappy. nation in his color: your daughter-in-law had been himself much sport out of him; by his authority he Count. So he is. My lord, that's gone, made alive at this hour and your son here at home, more remains here, which he thinks is a patent for his advanced by the king, than by that red-tailed hum-sauciness; and, indeed, he has no pace, but runs ble-bee I speak of. where he will. Count. I would, I had not known him! it was the death of the most virtuous gentlewoman that about to tell you. Since I heard of the good lady's Laf. I like him well; 'tis not amiss: and I was ever nature had praise for creating: if she had par-death, and that my lord your son was upon his retaken of my flesh, and cost me the dearest groans turn home, I moved the king my master, to speak of a mother, I could not have owed her a more in the behalf of my daughter: which in the minorLaf. 'Twas a good lady, 'twas a good lady: werity of them both, his majesty, out of a self-gracious may pick a thousand salads, ere we light on such promised me to do it: and, to stop up the displearemembrance, did first propose: his highness hath fitter matter. How does your ladyship like it? sure he hath conceived against your son, there is no rooted love. another herb. Clo. Indeed, sir, she was the sweet-marjoram of the salad, or, rather, the herb of grace." Lof. They are not salad-herbs, you knave, they are nose-herbs. Clo. I am no great Nebuchadnezzar, sir, I have not much skill in grass. Laf. Whether dost thou profess thyself; a knave or a fool! knave and fool. Clo. At your service. Laf. No, no, no. Cl. Why, sir, if I cannot serve you, I can serve as great a prince as you are. Laf. Who's that? a Frenchman? Clo. Faith, sir, he has an English name: but his phisnomy is more hotter in France, than there. Luf. 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 this to suggest thee from thy master thou talkest of; serve him still. Clo. I am a woodland fellow, sir, that always I wish it happily effected. as able body as when he numbered thirty; he will 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 might safely be admitted. Count. You need but plead your honorable priv ilege. but, I thank my God, it holds yet. 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 it, or no, the velvet knows: but 'tis 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 livery of honor! so, belike, is that. Clo. But it is your carbonadoeds 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. ACT V. SCENE I-Marseilles. A Street. Hel. But this exceeding posting, day and night, This man may help me to his majesty's ear, Hel. Sir, I have seen you in the court of France. Hel. I do presume, sir, that you are not fallen Lord, how we lose our pains! Hel. All's well that ends well, yet; I do beseech you, whither is he gone? Mischievously unhappy, waggish. Scored like a piece of meat for the gridiron. Gent. Marry, as I take it, to Rousillon; Whither I am going. Hel. I do beseech you sir, Since you are like to see the king before me, Commend the paper to his gracious hand; Which, I presume, shall render you no blame, But rather make you thank your pains for it: I will come after you, with what good speed Our means will make us means. Gent. This I'll do for you. Hel. And you shall find yourself to be well thank'd, Whate'er fails more.-We must to horse again; Enter Clown and PAROLLES. Par. Good monsieur Lavatch, give my lord Lafeu this letter: I have, ere now, sir, been better known to you, when I have held familiarity with fresher clothes; but I am now, sir, muddied in fortune's moat, and smell somewhat strong of her strong dis pleasure. Clo. Truly, fortune's displeasure is but sluttish, if it smell so strong as thou speakest of: I will thenceforth eat no fish of fortune's buttering.Prythee, 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.Prythee, get thee further. Pur. Pray you, sir, deliver me this paper. Clo. Foh! prythee, stand away: A paper from fortune's close-stool to give to a nobleman! Look, here he comes himself. Enter LAFEu. Here is a pur of fortune, sir, or of fortune's cat, (but not a musk-cat,) that has fallen into the unclean shpond of her displeasure, and, as he says, is muddied withal: Pray you, sir, use the carp as you may; for he looks like a poor, decayed, 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 scratched. Laf. And what would you have me to do? 'tis too late to pare her nails now. Wherein have you played 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? 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 honor 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. Luf. You beg more than one word, then. - Cox' my passion! give me your hand:-How does your drum? Pur. O my good lord, you were the first that found me. Laf. Was 1, 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. Laf. Out upon thee, knave! dost thou put upon me at once both the oflice of God and the devil? one brings thee in grace, and the other brings thee out. [Trumpets sound. The king's coming, I know by his trumpets.-Sirrah, inquire further after me; I had talk of you last night: though you are a fool and a knave, you shall eat: go to, follow. Par. I praise God for you. [Exeunt. SCENE III-A Room in the Countess's Palace. Flourish. Enter King, Countess, LAFEU, Lords, Gentlemen, Guards, &c. King. We lost a jewel of her; and our esteem Was made much poorer by it: but your son, As mad in folly, lack'd the sense to know Her estimation home." But first I beg my pardon,-The young lord King. Praising what is lost, Makes the remembrance dear.- Well, call him We are reconcil'd, and the first view shall kill hither;All repetition ;-Let him not ask our pardon; The nature of his great offence is dead, And deeper than oblivion do we bury The incensing relics of it: let him approach, A stranger, no offender; and inform him, So'tis our will he should. Gent. I shall, my liege. [Exil Gentleman. King. What says he to your daughter? have you spoke! Laf. All that he is hath reference to your highness. King. Then shall we have a match. I have letters sent me, That set him high in fame. Enter BERTRAM. All is whole; Ber. Admiringly, my liege: at first King. I struck my choice upon her, ere my heart bless! Or, ere they meet, in me, O nature, cease! Laf. Come on, my son, in whom my house's name Must be digested, give a favor from you, 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 I took her leave at court, I saw upon her finger! ⚫ Recollection. 1i. e. Of uninterrupted rain. Son, on my life, I have seen her wear it; and she reckon❜d it Laf. King. Plutus himself, That knows the tinct and multiplying medicine, Hath not in nature's mystery more science, Than I have in this ring: 'twas mine, 'twas Helen's, Whoever gave it you: Then, if you know, That you are well acquainted with yourself, Confess 'twas hers, and by what rough enforcement You got it from her: she call'd the saints to surety, That she would never put it from her finger, Unless she gave it to yourself in bed, (Where you have never come,) or sent it us Upon her great disaster. Ber. She never saw it. King. Thou speak'st it falsely, as I love mine honor; And mak`st conjectural fears to come into me Having vainly fear'd too little.-Away with him;- Ber. If you shall prove This ring was ever hers, you shall as easy Prove that I husbanded fier bed in Florence, Where yet she never was. Exit BERTRAM, guarded. Enter a Gentleman. 4 King. I am wrapp'd in dismal thinkings. Gent. Gracious sovereign, Whether I have been to blame, or no, I know not; Here's a petition from a Florentine, Who hath for four or five removes, come short To tender it herself. I undertook it, Vanquish'd thereto by the fair grace and speech Of the poor suppliant, who by this, I know, Is here attending: her business looks in her' With an important visage; and she told me, In a sweet verbal brief, it did concern Your highness with herself. King. [Reads.] Upon his many protestations to marry me, when his wife was dead, I blush to say it, he won me. Now is the count Rousillon a widower; his rows are forfeited to me, and my honor's paid to him. He stole from Florence, taking no leave, and I follow him to his country for justice: Grant it me, O king; in you it best lies; otherwise a seducer flourishes, and a poor maid is undone. DIANA CAPULET. Laf. I will buy me a son-in-law in a fair, and toll him: for this, I'll none of him. King. The heavens have thought well on thee, Lafeu, To bring forth this discovery.-Seek these suitors: Go, speedily, and bring again the count. [Exeunt Gentleman and some Attendants. 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? Re-enter Gentleman, with Widow and DIANA, Dia. I am, my lord, a wretched Florentine, Derived from the ancient Capulet; My suit, as I do understand, you know, Ber, My lord, I neither can, nor will deny short for my daughter; you are no husband for her. Laf. Your reputation [To BERTRAM] comes too Ber. My lord, this is a fond and desperate creature, Whom sometime I have laugh'd with: let your high ness Lay a more noble thought upon mine honor, King. Sir, for my thoughts, you have them ill to friend, Till your deeds gain them: Fairer prove your honor, Than in my thought it lies! Dia. Good my lord, King. What sayest thou to her? She's impudent, my lord, 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. He's quoted for a most perfidious slave, King. Gamester, when common woman. • Decease, die. applied to a female, then meant a • Debauch'd. 1 Love. Her solicitation concurring with her appearance of being common. • Noted. Dia. I must be patient; | Unless thou tell'st me where thou hadst this ring You that turn'd off a first so noble wife, May justly diet me. 1 (Since you lack virtue, 1 will lose a husband,) pray you yet, Send for your ring, I will return it home, And give me mine again. Ber. I have it not. King. What ring was yours, I pray you? Dia. The same upon your finger. Sir, much like King. Know you this ring? this ring was his of late. Par. 'Faith, sir, he did love her; But how? King. How, I pray you? Thou diest within this hour. Dia. I'll never tell you. King. Take her away. Din. Because he's guilty, and he is not guilty: Beguiles the truer office of mine eyes! Par. He did love her, sir, as a gentleman loves a 'Tis but the shadow of a wife you see, Dia. Do you know, he promised me marriage? Par. 'Faith, I know more than I'll speak. King. But wilt thou not speak all thou knowest? 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 talked of Satan, and of limbo, and of furies, and I 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. Dia. King, Thou hast spoken all already, unless thou canst say they are married: But thou art too fine in thy evidence; therefore stand aside This ring, you say, was yours? Ay, my good lord. King. Where did you buy it? or who gave it you. Dia. It was not given me, nor I did not 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 him? Dia. I never gave it him. Luf. This woman's an easy glove, my lord; she goes off and on at pleasure. King. This 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: To prison with her, and away with him. No, my good lord; The name, and not the thing. Ber. Both, both; O, pardon! Hel. O, my good lord, when I was like this maid, I found you wondrous 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: Will you be mine, now you are doubly won? Ber. If she, my liege, can make me know this clearly, I'll love her dearly, 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? Laf. Mine eyes smell onions, I shall weep anon: Good Tom Drum, [TO PAROLLES,] lend me a handkerchief: So, I thank thee: wait on me home, I'll make sport with thee: Let thy courtesies alone, They are scurvy ones. [To DIANA. To make the even truth in pleasure flow:- Advancing. [Flourish. The king's a beggar, now the play is done: All is well ended, if this suit be won, With strife to please you, day exceeding day: That you express content; which we will pay, Ours be your patience, then, and yours our parts!• and lake our hearts. Your gentle hands tend us, [Exeunt Owns. 4. Take our parts, support and defend his SCENE I-Before an alehouse on a heath. Enter HOSTESS and SLY. 1 Sly. I'll pheese you, in faith. Sly. Y'are a baggage; the Slies are no rogues. Look in the chronicles, we came in with Richard Conquerer. Therefore paucas pallabris; let the world slide: Sessa! Host. You will not pay for the glasses you have burst? Sly. No, not a denier: Go by, says Jeronimo;Go to thy cold bed, and warm thee. Host. I know my remedy; I must go fetch the third borough. Sly. Third, or fourth, or fifth borough. I'll answer him by law: I'll not budge an inch, boy; let him come, and kindly. [Lies down on the ground, and falls asleep. Wind horns.__Enter a Lord from hunting, with Huntsman and Servants. Lord. Huntsman, I charge thee, tender well my hounds; Brach Merriman, the poor cur is emboss'd, Lord. Thou art a fool; if Echo were as fleet, 1 Hunt. I will, my lord. Lord. What's here? one dead, or drunk? See, doth he breathe? 2 Hunt. He breathes, my lord: Were he not warm'd with ale, This were a bed but cold to sleep so soundly. Lord. O monstrous beast! how like a swine he lies! Grim death, how foul and loathsome is thine image! And brave attendants near him when he wakes, Would not the beggar then forget himself? 1 Hunt. Believe me, lord, I think he cannot choose. 2 Hunt. It would seem strange unto him when he wak'd. Lord. Even as a flattering dream, or worthless fancy. Then take him up, and manage well the jest:- 1 Hunt. My lord, I warrant you, we'll play our part, As he shall think, by our true diligence, Lord. Take him up gently, and to bed with him, And each one to his office when he wakes.— [Some bear out SLY. A trumpet sounds. Sirrah, go see what trumpet 'tis that sounds: [Exit Servant. Belike, some noble gentleman; that means, Traveling some journey, to repose him here. |