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They, that they cannot help. How shall they credit A poor unlearned virgin, when the schools,

Embowelled of their doctrine,1 have left off

The danger to itself?

Hel.

There's something hints,

2

More than my father's skill, which was the greatest
Of his profession, that his good receipt

Shall, for my legacy, be sanctified

By the luckiest stars in heaven; and would your honor But give me leave to try success, I'd venture

The well-lost life of mine on his grace's cure,

By such a day and hour.

Count.

Dost thou believe't?

Hel. Ay, madam, knowingly.

Count. Why, Helen, thou shalt have my leave and love,

3

Means, and attendants, and my loving greetings
To those of mine in court. I'll stay at home,
And pray God's blessing into thy attempt.
Be gone to-morrow; and be sure of this,
What I can help thee to, thou shalt not miss.

[Exeunt.

1 Exhausted of their skill.

2 The old copy reads-in't. The emendation is Hanmer's.

3 Into for unto-a common form of expression with old writers. The third folio reads unto.

ACT II.

SCENE I. Paris. A Room in the King's Palace. Flourish.

Enter King, with young Lords taking leave for the Florentine war; BERTRAM, PAROLLES, and Attendants.

King. Farewell, young lord,' these warlike principles

Do not throw from you;-and you, my lord, fare

well.

Share the advice betwixt you; if both gain all,

The gift doth stretch itself as 'tis received,

And is enough for both.

1 Lord.

It is our hope, sir,

After well-entered soldiers, to return

And find your grace in health.

King. No, no, it cannot be; and yet my heart
Will not confess he owes the malady

That doth my life besiege. Farewell,
Farewell, young lords;
Whether I live or die, be you the sons

Of worthy Frenchmen. Let higher Italy
(Those 'bated, that inherit but the fall
Of the last monarchy) 3 see, that you come
Not to woo honor, but to wed it; when

The bravest questant shrinks, find what you seek,
That fame may cry you loud. I say, farewell.

1 In this and the following instance the folio reads lords. The correction was suggested by Tyrwhitt.

2 i. e. my spirits, by not sinking under my distemper, do not acknowledge its influence.

Johnson's explanation of this obscure passage is preferable to any that has been offered:-"Let Upper Italy, where you are to exercise your valor, see that you come to gain honor, to the abatement, that is, to the overthrow, of those who inherit but the fall of the last monarchy, or the remains of the Roman empire." Bated and abated are used elsewhere by Shakspeare in a kindred sense.

4 Seeker, inquirer.

2 Lord. Health, at your bidding, serve your ma

jesty!

King. Those girls of Italy, take heed of them;
They say, our French lack language to deny,
If they demand. Beware of being captives,

Before you serve.

Both.

Our hearts receive your warnings.

King. Farewell.-Come hither to me.

[The King retires to a couch.

1 Lord. O my sweet lord, that you will stay behind

us!

Par. 'Tis not his fault; the spark

2 Lord. O, 'tis brave wars! Par. Most admirable: I have seen 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 stand to it, boy, steal away bravely.

Ber. I shall stay here the forehorse to a smock, Creaking my shoes on the plain masonry,

Till honor be bought up, and no sword worn,

But one to dance with! By Heaven, I'll steal away. 1 Lord. There's honor in the theft.

Par. Commit it, count. 2 Lord. I am your accessary; and so farewell. Ber. I grow to you, and our parting is a tortured body.2

1 Lord. Farewell, captain.

2 Lord. Sweet monsieur Parolles!

Par. Noble heroes, my sword and yours are kin. Good sparks and lustrous, 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 sinister cheek; it was this very sword entrenched it. Say to him, I live; and observe his reports for me.

2 Lord. We shall, noble captain.

1 To be kept a coil is to be vexed or troubled with a stir or noise.

2 "I grow to you, and our parting is, as it were, to dissever or torture

a body."

[blocks in formation]

Par. Mars dote on you for his novices!
Lords.] What will you do?
Ber. Stay; the king-

[Exeunt

[Seeing him rise.

Par. Use a more spacious ceremony to the noble lords you have restrained yourself within the list of too cold an adieu; be more expressive to them; for they wear themselves in the cap of the time,' there do muster true gait; 2 eat, speak, and move under the influence of the most received star; and though the devil lead the measure, such are to be followed. After them, and take a more dilated farewell.

3

Ber. And I will do so.

Par. Worthy fellows; and like to prove most sinewy sword-men. [Exeunt BERTRAM and PAROLLES.

Enter LAFEU.

Laf. Pardon, my lord, [Kneeling.] for me and for

my tidings.

King. I'll fee thee to stand up.

Laf.

Then here's a man

Stands, that has brought his pardon. I would you
Had kneeled, my lord, to ask me mercy; and

That, at my bidding, you could so stand up.

King. I would I had; so I had broke thy pate, And asked thee mercy for't.

Laf.

Goodfaith across :1 But, my good lord, 'tis thus: Will you be cured Of your infirmity?

King.
Laf.

No.

O, will you eat

1 They are the foremost in the fashion.

2 It would seem that this passage has been wrongly pointed and improperly explained, there do muster true gait; if addressed to Bertram, it means there exercise yourself in the gait of fashion; eat, &c. But perhaps we should read they instead of there, or else insert they after gait; either of these slight emendations would render this obscure passage perfectly intelligible.

3 The dance.

4 This word, which is taken from breaking a spear across, in chivalric exercises, is used elsewhere by Shakspeare, where a pass of wit miscarries. See As You Like It, Act iii. Sc. 4.

No grapes, my royal fox? Yes, but you will,
My noble grapes, an if my royal fox

Could reach them. I have seen a medicine,
That's able to breathe life into a stone;
Quicken a rock, and make you dance canary,1
With spritely fire and motion; whose simple touch
Is powerful to araise king Pepin, nay,

To give great Charlemain a pen in his hand,
And write to her a love-line.

King.

What her is this?

Laf. Why, doctor she. My lord, there's one arrived,
If you will see her,-now, by my faith and honor,
If seriously I may convey my thoughts

In this my light deliverance, I have spoke
With one, that, in her sex, her years, profession,2
Wisdom, and constancy, hath amazed me more
Then I dare blame my weakness. Will you see her,
(For that is her demand,) and know her business?
That done, laugh well at me.

King.
Now, good Lafeu,
Bring in the admiration; that we with thee
May spend our wonder too, or take off thine,
By wondering how thou took'st it.

Laf.

And not be all day neither.

Nay, I'll fit you,

[Exit LAFEU.

King. Thus he his special nothing ever prologues.

Re-enter LAFEU, with HELENA.

This haste hath wings indeed.

Laf. Nay, come your ways.

King.

Laf. Nay, come your ways.

This is his majesty; say your mind to him:
A traitor you do look like; but such traitors

His majesty seldom fears. I am Cressid's uncle,3
That dare leave two together; fare you well.

[Exit.

1 It has been before observed that the canary was a kind of lively dance.

2 By profession is meant her declaration of the object of her coming. 3 I am like Pandarus. See Troilus and Cressida.

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