Ever a friend, whofe thoughts more truly labour
To recompenfe 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 frange men!
That can such sweet ufe make of what they hate,
When Fancy, trufting of the cozen'd thoughts,
Defiles the pitchy night; fo luft doth play-
With what it lothes, for that which is away.
But more of this hereafter. You, Diana,
(Under my poor inftructions), yet muft fuffer
Something in my behalf..

Dia. Let death and honefty

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

Hel. Yet I pray you:

གནོ། །

But with the word the time will bring on fummer,
When briars fhall have leaves as well as thorns,
And be as fweet as fharp: we must away,
Our waggon is prepar'd. and time revyes 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 Countefs, Lafeu, and Clown.

Laf. No, no, no, your fon was miffed with a snip'dtaffata fellow there, whofe villanous faffron would have made all the unbak'd and dowy youth of a nation in his colourt. Your daughter-in-law had been alive at this hour; and your fon here at home, more advantaged by the King, than by that red-tail'd humblebee I speak of.

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

Laf. 'Twas a good lady, 'twas a good lady. We

"

* Mative for affiftant.

† Alluding to two fashions then in vogue; one of ufing yellow ftarch for their ruffs and bands, the other at colouring patte with iaf. fion.

may pick a thoufand fallets ere we light on fuch another herb.

Glo. Indeed, Sir, fhe was the fweet marjoram of the fallet, or rather the herb of grace.d of sod

Laf. They are not fallet-herbs, you knave, they are. nofa-herbs. Clos I am no great Nebuchadnezzar, Sir; I have not much skill in grafs

Laf. Whether doft thou profess thyself a knave or a fool ?

...A

Clo. A fool, Sir, at a woman's fervice; and a knave, at a man's. end to 300 front dorur

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. Cho. And I would give his wife my folly, Sir, to do, her fervice.

Laf. I will fubfcribe for thee, thou art both knave and fool...

Glo. At your fervice:

Iaf. No, no, no.

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

Laf. Who's that, a Frenchman?

Cle. 'Faith, Sir, he has an English name; but his phifnomy is more honour'd in France than there *. Laf. What prince is that?

Clo. The black prince, Sir, alias the prince of darknefs, alias the devil.

Laf. Hold thee, there's my purfe; I give thee net this to feduce thee from thy mafter thou talk'st of, ferve him ftill...

Clo. I'm a woodland fellow, Sir, that always lov'd a great fire, and the mafter I speak of ever keeps a good fire; but, fure, 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: fome that humble themfelves, may; but the many will be too chill and tender, and they'll be for the

*Alluding to the darker complexions of the French.

flow'ry.

flow'ry way that leads to the broad gate, and the great fire.

4:

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 looked 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 [Exit.

nature.

Laf. A fhrewd knave, and an unhappy.

Count. So he is. My Lord, that's gone, made himfelf 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 pace, 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 moved 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 propofe. His Highnefs hath promised me to do it; and to ftop up the displeasure he hath conceived againft your fon, there is no fitter matter. How does your Ladyship like it?

Count. With very much content, my Lord, and I wifh 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 hope, that I fhall fee him ere I die. I have letters, that my fon will be here to-night; I fhall befeech your Lordship to remain with me till they meet together.

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

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

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 fear, is a good livery of honour. So 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 man.

[Exeunt.

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

Hel.

B

UT this exceeding posting day and night 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,

Enter a Gentleman:

This man may help me to his Majesty's ear,
If he would fpend his power.
God fave you, Sir.

Gent. And you.

Hel, Sir, I have seen you in the court of France. Gent. I have been fometimes there.

Hel. I do prefume, Sir, that you are not fallen From the report that goes upon your goodness; And therefore, goaded with moft fharp occafions Which lay nice manners by, I put you to.

T

The joke, fuch as it is, confifts in the allusion to a wound-made

with a carabine; arms which Henry IV. had made famous, by bringing into ufe amongst his hore. Mr. Warburton.

The

The use of your own virtues, for the which

I fhall continue thankful.

Gent. What's your will ?...

Hel. That it will please you

To give this poor petition to the King;

And aid me with that store of power you have,
To come into his prefence,

Gent. The King's not here.

Hel. Not here, Sir?

Gent. Not indeed.

He hence remov'd last night, and with more hafte
Than is his ufe.

Wid. Lord, how we lofe our pains!

Hel. All's well that ends well yet,

>

Tho' time seem so adverse, and means unfit.
I do befeech you, whither is he gone
Gent. Marry, as I take it, to Roufillon,
Whither I'm going.

Hel. I befeech you, Sir,

i

Since you are like to fee the King before me,
Commend this paper to his gracious hand;
Which, I prefume, fhall 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 fhall find yourfelf to be well thank'd, Whate'er falls more. We muft to horse again. Go, go, provide.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II. Changes to Roufillon.

Enter Clown and Parolles.

Par. Good Mr. Levatch, give my Lord Lafeu this letter; I have ere now, Sir, been better known to you, when I have held familiarity with fresher cloaths; but I am now, Sir muddied in fortune's moat, and smell fomewhat ftrong of her ftrong difpleasure.

Clo. Truly, Fortune's difpleafure is but fluttish, if it fmell fo ftrongly as thou fpeak'ft of: I will henceforth eat no fifh of Fortune's butt'ring. Pr'ythee, allow the wind.

Par.