Count. Go not about; my love hath in't a bond,
Whereof the world takes note: come, come, difclofe
The state of your affection; for your passions
Have to the full appeach'd.

Hel. Then I confefs,

By any token of presumptuous fuit;

Nor would I have him, till I do deserve him;
Yet never know how that defert fhould be:
I know, I love in vain, ftrive against hope;
Yet, in this captious and intenible fieve,
I ftill pour in the water of my love,

And lack not to lofe ftill: thus Indian-like,
Religious in mine errour, I adore
The fun that looks upon his worshipper,
But knows of him no more. My dearest madam,
Let not your hate encounter with my love,
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 chaftly, and love dearly, that your
X x 2

Dian

Was

Was both herself and love; o, then give pity
To her, whose state is fuch, fhe cannot choose
But lend, and give, where she is sure to lose;
That feeks not to find that which fearch implies,
But, riddle-like, lives fweetly where the dies.

Count. Had you not lately an intent, speak truly,
To go to Paris?

Hel. 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, fuch as his reading,
And manifeft experience, had collected

For general fov'reignty; and that he will'd me
In heedfull'ft refervation to bestow them,
As notes, whofe faculties inclufive were

Count. This was your motive for Paris, was it, fpeak?
Hel. My lord your fon made me to think of this;
Elfe Paris, and the medicine, and the king,
Had, from the converfation of my thoughts,
Haply, been absent then.

Count. But think you, Helen,

If you should tender your fuppofed aid,
He would receive it? he and his phyficians
Are of a mind; he, that he can't be help'd;
They, that they cannot help: how fhall they credit
A poor unlearned virgin, when the schools,
Embowell'd of their doctrine, have left off
The danger to itself?

Hel. There's fomething hints,

More than my father's skill, which was the great'st
Of his profeffion, that his good receipt

Shall

Shall, for my legacy, be fanctified

By th' luckiest stars in heav'n: and, would your honour
But give me leave to try fuccefs, I'd venture
This well-loft life of mine on his grace's cure,
By such a day and hour.

Count. Do'st thou believe it?

Hel. Ay, madam, knowingly.

Count. Why, Helen, thou fhalt have my leave, and love, Means, and attendants, and my loving greetings To those of mine in court: I'll stay at home, And pray god's bleffing upon thy attempt: Be gone to-morrow; and be fure of this, What I can help thee to, thou shalt not miss.

[Exeunt.

The Court of France.

Enter the King, with two young Lords taking leave for the Florentine war. Bertram, and Parolles. Flourish cornets.

KING.

F

AREWEL, young lord; these warlike principles
Do not throw from you: you, my lord, farewel:
Share the advice betwixt you: if both gain, well!
The gift doth stretch itself as 'tis receiv'd,
And is enough for both.

I Lord. 'Tis our hope, fir,

After well-enter'd foldiers, to return

And find your grace in health.

King. No, no, it cannot be; and yet my heart
Will not confefs it owns the malady
That doth my life befiege: farewel, young lords;
Whether I live, or die, be you the fons

**

Of

Of worthy Frenchmen: let higher Italy*
(Those bastards that inherit but the fall

Of the last monarchy) fee, that you come
Not to woo honour, but to wed it; when
The bravest questant shrinks, find what you seek,
That fame may cry you loud! I fay, farewel.

2 Lord. Health, at your bidding, ferve your majesty!
King. Thofe girls of Italy, take heed of them;
They fay, our French lack language to deny,
If they demand: beware of being captives
Before you serve.

Both. Our hearts receive your warnings.
King. Farewel.

[Exit.

1 Lord. O, my fweet lord, that you will stay behind us! Par. 'Tis not his fault; the spark

2 Lord. O, 'tis brave wars.

Par. Moft admirable; I have feen those wars.

Ber. I am commanded here, and kept a coil with;

Too young, and the next year, and 'tis too early.

Par. An thy mind fland to it, boy, steal away bravely.
Ber. Shall I ftay here the forehorfe to a smock,
Creeking my fhoes on the plain masonry,
Till honour be brought up, and no fword worn,
But one to dance with? by heav'n, I'll fteal away.
I Lord. There's honour in the theft.

Par. Commit it, count.

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

I Lord. Farewel, worthy captain.

The ancient geographers have divided Italy into the higher and the lower, the Appennine bills being a kind of natural line of partition; the fide next the Adriatick was denominated the higher Italy, and the other fide the lower: and the two feas followed the fame terms of distinction, the Adriatick being called the upper fea, and the Tyrrhene or Tuscan the lower. Now the Sennones or Senois, with whom the Florentines are here fuppofed to be at war, inhabited the higher Italy, their chief town being Ariminum, now called Rimini, upon the Adriatick.

Reflecting upon the abject and degenerate condition of the cities and ftates which arofe out of the ruins of the Roman empire, the last of the four great monarchies of the world.

2 Lord.

2 Lord. Sweet monfieur Parolles ! —

Par. Noble heroes, my fword and yours are kin; good fparks and luftrous! A word, good metals: you shall find, in the regiment of the Spinii, one captain Spurio, with his cicatrice, an emblem of war, here on his finifter cheek; it was this very sword intrench'd it; fay to him, I live; and observe his reports of me.

I Lord. We fhall noble captain.

Par. Mars dote on you for his novices! what will you do? Ber. Stay; the king[Ex. Lords. Par. Use a more fpacious ceremony to the noble lords; you have restrain'd yourself within the lift of too cold an adieu: be more expreffive to them, for they wear themselves in the cap "of the time, there do mufter together, dress, speak, and move under the influence of the most receiv'd ftar; and, though the devil lead the measure, fuch are to be follow'd: after them, and take a more dilated farewel.

Ber. And I will do fo.

-

Par. Worthy fellows, and like to prove most finewy fwordmen. [Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Enter the King, and Lafeu.

Laf. Pardon, my lord, for me and for my tidings.

King. I'll fee thee to ftand up.

Laf. Then here's a man stands that hath brought his pardon.

I would you had kneel'd, my lord, to afk me mercy;
And that, at my bidding, you could so stand up.

King. I would I had, fo I had broke thy pate,

And ask'd thee mercy for't.

Laf. Good faith, acrofs: but, my good lord, 'tis thus ; Will you be cur'd of your infirmity?

King. No.

Laf. O, will you eat no grapes, my royal fox? Yes, but you will, an if my royal fox

Could