to you, when I have held familiarity with fresher you are a fool and a knave, you shall eat; go to, clothes; but I am now, fir, muddy'd in fortune's follow. moat, and fmell fomewhat ftrong of her ftrong difpleasure.

Par. I praife God for you.

[Exeunt.

S

CE N E

III.

Lards, At

tendants, &c.

Clo. Truly, fortune's difpleasure is but fluttish, if it smell fo ftrongly as thou speak'ft of: I will Flourish. Enter King, Countess, Laf henceforth eat no fith of fortune's buttering. Pr'y thee, allow the wind 4.

Par. Nay, you need not stop your nofe, fir; fpake but by a metaphor.

Cla. Indeed, fir, if your metaphor ftink, I will ftop my nofe; or against any man's metaphor. Pr'ythee, get thee further.

Par. Pray you, fir, deliver me this paper. Glo. Foh! pr'ythee, ftand 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's, fir, or of fortune's cat, (but not a musk-cat) that has fallen into the unclean fishpond of her difpleasure, and, as he fays, is muddy'd withal: Pray you, fir, ufe the carp as you may; for he looks like a poor, decay'd, ingenious, foolish, rafcally knave. 2 I do pity his diftrefs in my fmiles of comfort, and leave him to your lordship. [Exit Clown. Par. My lord, am a man whom fortune hath cruelly fcratch'd.

Laf. And what would you have me to do? 'tis too late to pare her nails now. Wherein have you play'd the knave with fortune, that the fhould fcratch 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 juftices make you and fortune friends; I am for other bufinefs.

Par. I beseech your honour, to hear me one fingle word.

Laf. You beg a fingle penny more: come, you fhall ha't; fave your word.

Par. My name, my good lord, is Parolles.
Laf. You beg more than one word then 3.—
Cox' my paffion! give me your hand :---How does
your drum?

Par. O my good lord, you were the first that found me.

Laf. Was I, in footh? and I was the first that

loft thee.

Par. It lies in you, my lord, to bring me in fome grace, for you did bring me out.

Laf. Out upon thee, knave! doft thou put upon me at once both the office of God and the devil? one brings thee in grace, and the other brings thee out. [Sound trumpets.] The king's coming, know by his trumpets.Sirrah, inquire further after me; I had talk of you lait night: though

was made much poorer by it: but your fon,
King. We loft a jewel of her; and our efteern
Her cftimation home 5.
As mad in folly, lack'd the fenfe to know

Count. 'Tis paft, my liege:

And I hefeech your majefty to make it
Natural rebellion, done i' the blade of youth;
When oil and fire, too ftrong for reafon's force,
C'erbears it, and burns on.

King. My honour'd lady,

I have forgiven and forgotten all:
Though my revenges were high bent upon him,
And watch'd the time to shoot.

Laf. This I muft say,——
But first I beg my pardon.-The young lord
Did to his majefty, his mother, and his lady,
Offence of mighty note; but to himself
The greateft wrong of all: he loft a wife,
Whofe beauty did astonish the furvey
Of richeft eyes; whofe words all ears took captive;"
Whofe dear perfection, hearts that icorn'd to ferve,
Humbly call'd mistress.

King, Praifing what is loft, [hither;-
Makes the remembrance dear.Well, call him
We are reconcil'd, and the first view shall kill
All repetition :-Let him not afk our pardon;
The nature of his great offence is dead,
And deeper than oblivion we do bury
The incenfing relicks of it: let him approach,
A ftranger, no offender; and inform him,
So 'tis our will he should.

Gent. I thall, my liege.
[poke?
King. What fays he to your daughter? have you
Laf. All that he is hath reference to your high-
[ters fent me,
King. Then fhall we have a match. I have let-
That fet him high in fame.

nefs.

Enter Bertram.
Laf. He looks well on't.
King. I am not a day of feafon,
For thou may'it fee a fun-fhine and a hail
In me at once: But to the brightest beams
Distracted clouds give v ay; fo ftand thou forth,
The time is fair again.

Ber. My high-repented blames,
Dear fovereign, pardon to me.

King. All is whole;

Not one word more of the confumed time.
Let's take the inftant by the forward top;
For we are old, and on our quick'it decrees

1 That is, ftand to the windward of me. 2 The meaning is, I teftify my pity for his diftrefs, by encouraging him with a gracious fimile. 3 A quibble is intended on the word Parolles, which in French is plural, and fignifics words. 4 Efteem here means reckoning or estimate. 51. e. completely, in its full extent. 1. e. in the spring of early life, when the man is yet green. Oil and fe luit but ill with blade, and therefore Dr. Warburton reads, blaze of youth.

The

The inaudible and noifelefs foot of time

Steals, ere we can effect them: You remember
The daughter of this lord?

Ber. Admiringly, my liege: At first
I ftuck my choice upon her, ere my heart
Darft make too bold a herald of my tongue :
Where the impreffion of mine eye enfixing,
Contempt his fcornful perspective did lend me,
Which warp'd the line of every other favour;
Scorn'd a fair colour, or exprefs'd it ftol'n;
Extended or contracted all proportions,
To a molt hideous object: Thence it came,
That the, whom all men prais'd, and whom myself,
Since I have loft, have lov'd, was in mine eye
The duft that did offend it.

King. Well excus'd:

[late,

As the had made the overture, fhe ceas'd,

In heavy fatisfaction, and would never
Receive the ring again.

King. Plutus himself,

That knows the tinct and multiplying medicine,
Hath not in nature's myftery more fcience,
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,
Confefs 'twas hers, and by what rough enforcement
You got it from her: fhe call'd the faints to furety,
That the would never put it from her finger,
Unlefs fhe gave it to yourself in bed,
(Where you have never come) or fent it us
Upon her great difafter.

Ber. She never faw it.

[honour;

That thou doft love her, ftrikes fome fcores away,
From the great compt: But love, that comes too
Like a remorfeful pardon flowly carried,
To the great fender turns a four offence,
Crying, That's good that's gone; our rath faults
Make trivial price of ferious things we have,
Not knowing them, until we know their grave:
Oft our difpleasures, to ourselves injuft,
Destroy our friends, and after weep their duft:
Our own love waking cries to fee what's done,
While fhameful hate fleeps out the afternoon.
Be this fweet Helen's Knell, and now forget her.
Send forth your amorous token for fair Maudlin:
The main confents are had; and here we'll ftay
To fee our widower's fecond marriage-day. [bless!|This ring was ever hers, you shall as easy
Count. Which better than the firit, O dear heaven
Or, ere they meet, in me, O nature, ceafe!

King. Thou fpeak'it it falfely, as I love mine
And mak'ft conjectural fears to come into me,
Which I would fain fhut out: If it should prove
That thou art fo inhuman,-'twill not prove fo;-
And yet I know not :-thou didft hate her deadly,
And the is dead; which nothing, but to clofe
Her eyes myself, could win me to believe,
More than to fee this ring.-Take him away
[Guards fize Bertram.

Laf. Come on, my fon, in whom my house's
Muft be digefted, give a favour from you, [name
To fparkle in the fpirits of my daughter,

That the may quickly come.By my old beard,
And every hair that's on't, Helen, that's dead,
Was a fweet creature; fuch a ring as this,
The laft that e'er the took her leave at court,
I faw upon her finger.

My fore-paft proofs, howe'er the matter fall,
Shall tax my fears of little vanity,
Having vainly fear'd too little.--Away with him;-
We'll fift this matter further.

Ber. If youthall prove

Prove that I husbanded her bed in Florence,
Where yet the never was. [Exit Bertram guarded.

Enter a Gentleman.

King. I am wrapp'd in difimal thinkings.
Gent. Gracious fovereign,

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 fhort
To tender it hertelf. I undertook it,
Vanquifh'd thereto by the fair grace and speech
Of the poor fuppliant, who by this, I know,
Is here attending: her bufinets looks in her
With an importing vifage; and the told me,
In a fweet verbal brief, it did concern
Your highnefs with herself.

[her

I would relieve her: Had you that craft, to reave
Of what thould ftead her mott?

Ber. My gracious fovereign,

Howe'er it pleafes you to take it so,

The ring was never her's.

Count. So, on my life,

I have feen her wear it; and fhe reckon'd it
At her life's rate.

Lef. I am fure, I faw her wear it.

Ber. You are deceiv'd, my lord, she never faw it:
In Florence was it from a cafement thrown me,
Wrapp'd in a paper, which contain'd the name
Of her that threw it: noble fhe was, and thought
I ftood engag'd: but when I had fubfcrib'd
To mine own fortune, and inform'd her fully,
I could not anfwer in that course of honour

The King reads.

-Upon his many proteitations to marry me, when his wife was dead, I blufh to fay it, "he won me. Now is the count Roufillon a "widower; his vows are forfeited to me, and my "honour's paid to him. He ftole from Florence, "taking no leave, and I follow him to his country "for juftice: Gr..nt it me, O king; in you it beft "lies; otherwife a leducer flourishes, and a poor "maid is undone.

"DIANA CAPULET."

Laf. I will buy me a fon-in-law in a fair, and tol! for this. I'll none of him. [Lafeu, King. The heavens have thought well on thee, To bring forth this difcovery.-Seck thefe fuitors: Go, ípeedily, and bring again the count.

1 Removes are journies or post-flages.

Enter

Enter Bertram, guarded.

I am afeard, the life of Helen, lady,
Was foully fnatch'd.

Count. Now, juftice on the doers !

King. I wonder, fir, fince wives are monfters to
[you
And that you fly them as you fwear them lordship,
Yet you defire to marry. What woman's that?
Enter Widow and Diana.

Dia. I am, my lord, a wretched Florentine,
Derived from the ancient Capulet;
My fuit, as I do understand, you know,
And therefore know how far I may be pitied.
Wid. Iam her mother, fir, whofe age and honour,
Both fuffer under this complaint we bring,
And both fhall ceafe, without your remedy.
King. Come hither, count: Do you know thefe

King. What ring was yours, I pray you?
Dia. Sir, much like

The fame upon your finger.

King. Know you this ring? this ring was his of
Dia. And this was it I gave him, being a-bed.
Out of a cafement.
King. The story then goes falfe, you threw it him

Dia. I have fpoke the truth.
Enter Parolles.

Ber. My lord, I do confefs, the ring was hers.
King. You boggle fhrewdly, every feather starts
Is this the man you speak of ?
Dia. It is, my lord.
[you.

King. Tell me, firrah, but tell me true, I charge
Not fearing the difpleasure of your master, [you,
(Which, on your juft proceeding, I'll keep off)
By him, and by this woman here, what know you?

Par. So please your majefty, my mafter hath been an honourable gentleman; tricks he hath had in him, which gentlemen have.

King. Come, come, to the purpofe; Did he love

this woman?

Par. 'Faith, fir, he did love her: But how?
King. How, I pray you?

Par. He did love her, fir, as a gentleman loves

a woman.

King. How is that ?

Par. He lov'd her, fir, and lov'd her not.
King. As thou art a knave, and no knave -
What an equivocal companion is this?

Par. I am a poor man, and at your majesty's command.

Laf. He's a good drum, my lord, but a naughty

orator.

Dia. Do you know, he promis'd me marriage?
Par, 'Faith, I know more than I'll speak.

That is, decease, die. 2 i. e. value. 3 Qoted has the fame fenfe as noted.

King. But wilt thou not fpeak all thou know'ft Par. Yes, fo please your majefty: I did go between them, as I faid; but more than that, he loved her, for, indeed, he was mad for her, and talk'd of Satan, and of limbo, and of furies, and 1 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 promifing her marriage, and things that would derive me ill will to fpeak of, therefore I will not fpeak what I know.

King. Thou haft fpoken all already, unlefs thou canit fay they are marry'd: But thou art too find in thy evidence; therefore ftand afide. This ring, you ay, was yours?

Dia. Ay, my good lord.

King. Where did you buy it? or who gave it you?

Dia. It was not given me, nor did I buy it.
King. Who lent it you?

Die. It was not lent me neither.

King. Where did you find it then?

Dia. I found it not.

Though vet he never harm'd me, here I quit him:
He knows himself, my bed he hath defil'd;
And at that time he got his wife with child:
Dead though the be, the feels her young one kik,
So there's my riddle, One, that's dead, is quick.
And now behold the meaning.

Re-enter Widow, with Helena.
King. Is there no exorcift 4
Beguiles the truer office of mine eyes?
Is't real, that fee?

Hel. No, my good lord;
'Tis but a thadow of a wife you fee,
The name, and not the thing.

Ber. Both, both; oh, pardon!

Hel. Oh, my good lord, when I was like this maid,
I found you wond'rous kind. There is your ring,
And, look you, here's your letter; This it fays,
When from my fingery a 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 the, my liege, can make me know this
clearly,

Ky. If it were yours by none of all thefe ways, I'll love her dearly, ever, ever dearly.
How could you give it him?

Dia. I never gave it him.

Laf. This woman's an eafy glove, my lord; the off and on at pleasure.

gocs

King. The 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 priton with her and away with him.
Unless thou tell'it me where thou hadst this ring,
Thou die within this hour.

1 Too fire, here means full of finele; too artful. • This word is ufcd not very properly for enchanter.

Hel. If it appear not plain, and prove untrue,
Deadly divorce itep between me and you!
O, my dear mother, do I fee you living?

[To the Countefs.

Laf. Mine eyes fmell onions, I fhall weep anon.
-Good Tom Drum, lend me a handkerchief; [to
Parelles. So, I thank thee; wait on me home,
I'll make iport with thee: Let thy courtefies alone,
they are fcurvy ones.

Ag. Let us from point to point this story know,
To make the even truth in pleasure flow :-
If thou be'it yet a fresh uncropped flower,

[To Diana.
Chufe thou thy husband, and I'll pay thy dower;
For I can guefs, that, by thy honeft aid,
Thou kept'it a wife herfelf, thyfelf a maid.-
Of that, and all the progrefs, more and lefs,
Relolvedly more leifure shall exprets ;
All yet feems well; and, if it end fo meet,
The bitter past, more welcome is the sweet.
Advancing:

The king's a beggar, now the play is done:
All is well ended, if this fuit be won,
That you exprefs content; which we will pay,
With firife to phaf you, day exceeding day?
Ours be your patience then, and yours our parts;
Your gentle bands lend us, and take our beats.