Count. Why, Helen, thou shalt 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 blessings into thy attempt: Be gone to-morrow; and be sure of this, What I can help thee to thou shalt not miss. [Exeunt. 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 And is enough for both. 1 Lord. It is our hope, sir, After well-enter'd soldiers, to return And find your grace in health. King. No, no, it cannot be; and yet my heart That doth my life besiege. Farewell, young lords; Of worthy Frenchmen; let higher Italy, Those bated that inherit but the fall Of the last monarchy, see 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: say, farewell. 2 Lord. Health, at your bidding, serve your majesty! King. Those girls of Italy, take heed of them: They say our French lack language to deny, 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 honour be bought up, and no sword worn But one to dance with! By heaven, I'll steal away. 1 Lord. There's honour 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. 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. Par. Mars dote on you for his novices! [Exeunt Lords.] What will ye do? Ber. Stay; the king 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, 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. 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 bought his parI would you had kneel'd, my lord, to ask me mercy; [don. And that, at my bidding, you could so stand up. King. I would I had; so I had broke thy pate, And ask'd thee mercy for't. Laf. Good faith, across; But, my good lord, 'tis thus: Will you be cured No. O, will you eat No grapes, my royal fox? yes, but you will Could reach them: I have seen a medicine With spritely fire and motion; whose simple touch To give great Charlemain a pen in 'is hand King. What her is this? Laf. Why, doctor she: my lord, there's one arriv'd, In this my light deliverance, I have spoke With one that in her sex, her years, profession, King. Laf. And not be all day neither. Nay, I'll fit you, [Exit. 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: King. Now, fair one, does your business follow us? [Exit. Hel. The rather will I spare my praises towards him. Knowing him is enough. On his bed of death Many receipts he gave me; chiefly one, Safer than mine own two, more dear: I have so: King. We thank you, maiden; But may not be so credulous of cure,- That labouring art can never ransom nature To empirics; or, to dissever so Our great self and our credit, to esteem A senseless help, when help past sense we deem. King. I cannot give thee less, to be call'd grateful. I knowing all my peril, thou no art. Hel. What I can do can do no hurt to try, So holy writ in babes hath judgment shown, Where most it promises; and oft it hits King. I must not hear thee: fare thee well, kind maid; Thy pains, not used, must by thyself be paid: Proffers, not took, reap thanks for their reward. Hel. Inspired merit so by breath is barred: It is not so with Him that all things knows, As 'tis with us that square our guess by shows: But know I think, and think I know most sure, Hel. The greatest grace lending grace, Ere twice the horses of the sun shall bring Their fiery torcher his diurnal ring; Ere twice in murk and occidental damp Moist Hesperus hath quench'd his sleepy lamp; Or four-and-twenty times the pilot's glass. Hath told the thievish minutes how they pass; What is infirm from your sound parts shall fly, Health shall live free, and sickness freely die. King. Upon thy certainty and confidence, What dar'st thou venture? Hel. Tax of impudence,— A strumpet's boldness, a divulged shame, Traduc'd by odious ballads; my maiden's name With vilest torture let my life be ended. King. Methinks in thee some blessed spirit doth speak; In common sense, sense saves another way. Hel. If I break time, or flinch in property And well deserv'd. Not helping, death's my fee; King. Make thy demand. Hel. But will you make it even? King. Ay, by my sceptre and my hopes of heaven. |