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SCENE VI.

Par. Yet I am thankful: if my heart were great,
'Twould burst at this. Captain I'll be no more;
But I will eat, and drink, and fleep as soft
As captain fhall: fimply the thing I am

Shall make me live. Who knows himself a braggart,
Let him fear this; for it will come to pass,
That every braggart fhall be found an ass.
Ruft, fword! cool, blufhes! and, Parolles, live
Safest in shame! being fool'd, by fool'ry thrive!
There's place and means for every man alive.
I'll after them.

[Exit.

Hel.T

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The Widow's house at Florence.

Enter Helena, Widow, and Diana.

HAT you may well perceive I have not wrong'd you,
One of the greatest in the christian world

Shall be my surety; 'fore whose throne, 'tis needful,
Ere I can perfect mine intents, to kneel.

Time was, I did him a defired office,

Dear almost as his life; for which, gratitude

Through flinty Tartar's bofom would peep forth,
And answer thanks. I duly am inform'd,
His grace is at Marseilles; to which place
We have convenient convoy: you must know,

I am supposed dead; the army breaking,

My husband hies him home; where, heaven aiding,
And by the leave of my good lord the king,
We'll be before our welcome.

Wid. Gentle madam,

You never had a fervant to whose trust

Your

Your business was more welcome.

Hel. Nor you, mistress,

Ever a friend, whofe thoughts more truly labour
To recompence your love: doubt not but heav'n
Hath brought me up to be your daughter's dower,
As it hath fated her to be my motive

And helper to a husband. But, o ftrange men!
That can such sweet use make of what they hate,
When fancy trufting in the cozen'd thoughts
Defiles the pitchy night! fo luft doth play
With what it loaths for that which is away.
But more of this hereafter. You, Diana,
Under my poor instructions yet must suffer
Something in my behalf.

Dia. Let death and honesty

Go with your impofitions, I am yours
Upon your will to fuffer.

Hel. Yet, I pray you,

Bear with the word: the time will bring on fummer,

When briars fhall have leaves as well as thorns,

And be as fweet as sharp: we must away;
Our wagon is prepar'd, and time reviles us:

All's well that ends well, ftill the fine's the crown ;
Whate'er the course, the end is the renown.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VIII.

Changes to Roufillon in France.

Enter Countess, Lafeu, and Clown.

O, no, no, your son was misled with a snipt taffeta fellow there, whofe villanous faffron would have made

Laf. N

all the unbak'd and doughy youth of a nation in his colour.* Your

a

• Alluding to two fafions then in vogue; one of using yellow ftarch for their ruffs and bands, the other of colouring pafte with jaffron.

Eee 2

daughter

daughter-in-law had been alive at this hour; and your fon here at home more advanc'd by the king, but for that red-tail'd humble-bee I speak of.

Count. I would he had not known him! it was the death of the most virtuous gentlewoman that ever nature had praise for creating if she had partaken of my flesh, and coft me the deareft groans of a mother, I could not have owed her a more rooted love.

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Laf. 'Twas a good lady, 'twas a good lady. We may pick a thousand fallets ere we light on fuch another herb.

Clo. Indeed, fir, she was the sweet marjoram of the fallet, or, rather, the herb of grace.

Laf. They are not fallet-herbs, you knave, they are nofe-herbs. Clo. I am no great Nebuchadnezzar, fir, I have not much skill in grafs.

Laf. Whether doft thou profess thyself; a knave, or a fool? Clo. A fool, fir, at a woman's service, and a knave at a man's. Laf. Your diftinction ?

Clo. I would cozen the man of his wife, and do his fervice. Laf. So you were a knave at his fervice, indeed.

Clo. And I would give his wife my folly, fir, to do her fervice.

Laf. I will fubfcribe for thee, thou art both knave and fool. Clo. At your fervice.

Laf. No, no, no.

Clo. Why, fir, if I cannot ferve you, I can ferve as great a prince as you are.

Laf. Who's that? a Frenchman?

Clo. 'Faith, fir, he has an English name, but his phisnomy is more honour'd in France than there."

Laf. What prince is that?

Clo. The black prince, fir, alias, the prince of darkness, alias, the devil.

Laf. Hold thee, there's my purse; I give thee not this to feduce thee from thy mafter thou talk'ft of, serve him still.

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Clo. I am a woodland fellow, fir, that always lov'd a great fire; and the mafter I speak of ever keeps a good fire: but, since he is the prince of the world, let his nobility remain in's 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 flow'ry 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 fo before, because I would not fall out with thee. Go thy ways; let my horfes be well look'd to, without any tricks. Clo. If I put any tricks upon 'em, they fhall be jades' tricks, which are their own right by the law of nature. Laf. A fhrewd knave, and an unhappy.

[Exit.

Count. So he is. My lord that's gone made himself much sport out of him by his authority he remains here, which he thinks is a patent for his faucinefs; and, indeed, he has no place, but runs where he will.

Laf. I like him well; 'tis not amifs: and I was about to tell you, fince I heard of the good lady's death, and that my lord your fon was upon his return home, I mov'd the king my mafter to speak in the behalf of my daughter; which, in the minority of them both, his majefty, out of a felf-gracious remembrance, did firft propose: his highness hath promis'd me to do it; and, to ftop up the displeasure he hath conceiv'd against your son, there is no fitter matter. How does your ladyship like it?

Count. With very much content, my lord; and I wish it happily effected.

Laf. His highness comes poft from Marseilles, of as able a body as when he number'd thirty; he will be here to-morrow, or I am deceiv'd by him that in fuch intelligence hath feldom fail'd.

Count. It rejoices me, that I hope I fhall fee him ere I die. I have letters, that my fon will be here to-night: I fhall beseech your lordship to remain with me till they meet together.

Laf. Madam, I was thinking with what manners I might fafely be admitted.

Count.

Count. You need but plead your honourable privilege. Laf. Lady, of that I have made a bold charter; but, I thank my god, it holds yet.

Enter Clown.

Clo. O madam, yonder's my lord your fon with a patch of velvet on's face: whether there be a scar under't, 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.

Count. A fcar nobly got, or a noble scar, is a good livery of honour: fo, belike, is that.

Clo. But it is your carbinado'd' face.

Laf. Let us go fee your fon, I pray you: I long to talk with the young noble foldier.

Clo. 'Faith, there's a dozen of 'em with delicate fine hats, and most courteous feathers, which bow the head, and nod at every

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Enter Helena, Widow, and Diana, with two Attendants.

HELENA.

UT this exceeding posting, day and night,

В Muft

Muft wear your fpirits low; we cannot help it:

But, fince you've made the days and nights as one
To wear your gentle limbs in my affairs,

Be bold, you do fo grow in my requital

As nothing can unroot you. In happy time;

A quibble is here intended from a wound given with a carabine.

Enter

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