grooms all,

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Here's eight that must take hands,

And fall into our rustic revelry:
To join in Hymen's bands,

Play, music;-and you brides and bride-
If truth holds true contents.*

[fall, You and you no cross shall part:

With measure heap'd in joy, to the measures [To ORLANDO and ROSALIND. Jaq. Sir, by your patience; If I heard you You and you are heart in heart:

rightly, [T. OLIVER and Celia. The duke hath put on a religious life, You (To PAEBE) to his love must accord, And thrown into neglect the pompous court? Or have a woman to your lord :

Jaq. de B. He hath. You and you are sure together,

Jaq. To him will l; out of these convertites [To TOUCHSTONE and AUDREY. There is much matter to be heard and learn'd.As the winter to foul weather.

You to your former honour I bequeath ; Whiles a wedlock-hymn we sing,

[To Duke S. Feed yourselves with questioning;

Your patience, and your virtue well deserves That reason wonder may diminish,

it:How thus we met, and these things finish. You [TO ORLANDO] to a love, that your true

faith doth merit:Song,

You [To OLIVER] to your land, and love, and Wedding is great Juno's crown ;

great allies :O blessed bond of board and bed!

You (To Silvius] to a long and well deserved 'Tis Hymen peoples every town ; High wedlock then be honoured :

And you [To Touchstone] to wrangling; for Honour, high honour and renown,

thy loving voyage To Hymen, god of every town!

Is but for two months victual'd :-So to your Duke S. O my dear niece, welcome thou art pleasures; to me;

I am for other than for dancing measures. Even daughter, welcome in no less degree. Duke S. Stay, Jaques, stay. Phe. I will not eat my word, now thou art Jaq. To see no pastime, I :-what you would mine;

have Thy faith my fancy to thee doth combine. I'll stay to know at your abandon'd cave. [To Silvius.

[Erit. Enter JAQUES DE Bois.

Duke S. Proceed, proceed: we will begin Jaq. de B. Let me have audience for a word And we do trust they'll end in true delights.

these rites, or two; I am the second son of old Sir Rowland,

[.A dance. That bring these tidings to this fair assembly :

EPILOGUE. Duke Frederick, hearing how that every day Ros. It is not the fashion to see the lady the Men of great worth resorted to this forest, epilogue : but it is no more unhandsome, than Address'da mighty power, which were on foot, to see the lord the prologue. If it be true, that In his own conduct, purposely to take good wine needs no bush, 'tis true, that a good His brother here, and put him to the sword: play needs no epilogue : Yet to good wine they And to the skirts of this wild wood he came; do use good bushes; and good plays prove the Where, meeting with an old religious man, better by the help of good epilogues. What a After some question with him, was converted case am I in then, that am neither a good Both from his enterprise, and from the world: epilogue, nor cannot insinuate with you in the His crown bequeathing to his banish'd brother, behalf of a good play? I am not furnished* And all their lands restor'd to them again like a beggar, therefore to beg will not become That were with him exild: This to be true, me: my way is, to conjure you; and I'll begin I do engage my life.

with the women. I charge you, O women, for Drike S. Welcome, young man;

the love you bear to men, to like as much of Thou offer'st fairly to thy brother's wedding: this play as please them: and so I charge you, To one, his lands withheld; and to the other, O men, for the love you bear to women, (as I A land itself at large, a potent dukedom. perceive by your simpering, none of you hate First, in this forest, let us do those ends ihem,) that between you and the women, the That here were well began, and well begot: play may please. If I were a woman, I would And after, every of this happy number, kiss as many of you as had beards that pleased That have endur'd shrewd days and nights me, complexions that liked me,t and breathe with us,

that I defied not: and, I am sure, as many as Shall share the good of our returned fortune, have good beards, or good faces, or sweet According to the measure of their states. breaths, will, for my kind offer, when I make Meantime, forget this new-fall’n dignity, curt'sy, bid me farewell.

(Eseunt. • Unless trath fails of screcity. i Bind.

* Dresscd.

That I liked.



King of FRANCE.

HELENA, a Gentlewoman protected by the DUKE of FLORENCE.

Countegs. BERTRAM, Count of Rousillon.

An Old Widow of Florence. • LaFeu, an old Lord.

Diana, Daughter to the Widow. PAROLLES, a follower of Bertram.

VIOLENTA, neighbours and friends to the Several young French Lords, that serve with Mariana, Widow.

Bertram in the Florentine war. STEWARD, Servants to the Countess of Rou- Lords, attending on the King; Officers, SolClown, sillon.

diers, &c. French and Florentine. A PAGE.

Scene, partly in France, and partly in Tuscany. COUNTEss of Rousillon, mother to Betram.


Laf. A fistula, my lord. SCENEI.--Rousillon.- A Room in the Coun

Ber. I heard not of it before. tess' Palace.

Laf. I would, it were not notorious. Wag Enter BERTRAM,the COUNTESS of RousiLLON,

this gentlewoman the daughter of Gerard de

HELENA, and LaFeo, in mourning.

Count. His sole child, my lord; and beCount. In delivering my son from me, I bury queathed to my overlooking. I have those a second husband.

hopes of her good, that her education promises: Ber. And I, in going, madam, weep o'er my her dispositions she inherits, which makes fair father's death anew: but I must attend his gifts fairer; for where an unclean mind carries majesty's command, to whom I am now in virtuous qualities,* there commendations go waru,* evermore in subjection. Laf. You shall find of the king a husband, her they are the better for their simpleness ;t

with pity, they are virtues and traitors too; in madam ;-you, Sir, a father: He that so gene- she derives her honesty, and achieves her rally is at all times good, must of necessity goodness. hrold his virtue to you; whose worthiness would

Laf. Your commendations, madam, get from stir it up where it wanted, rather than lack it

her tears. where there is such abundance.

Count. 'Tis the best brine a maiden can seaCount. What hope is there of his majesty's

son her praise in. The remembrance of her amendment?

father never approaches her heart, but the Laf. He hath abandoned his physicians, ma- tyranny of her sorrows takes all livelihood | dam; under whose practices he hath persecu- from her cheek. No more of this, Helena, go ted time with hope; and finds no other advan- to, no more s lest it be rather thought you aftage in the process but only the losing of hope fect a sorrow, than to have. by time.

Hel. I do affect a sorrow, indeed, but I have Count. This young gentlewoman had a fa

it too. ther, (0, that had ! + how sad a passage 'tis :) whose skill was almost as great as his honesty; the dead, excessive grief the enemy to the liv

Laf. Moderate lamentation is the right of had it stretched so far, would have made

ing natare immortal, and death should have play for lack of work. 'Would, for the king's sake, the excess makes it soon mortal.

Count. If the living be enemy to the grief, he were living! I think, it would be the death

Ber. Madam, I desire your holy wishes. of the king's disease. Laf. How called you the man you speak of,

Laf. How understand we that?

Count. Be thou bless'd, Bertram! and sucmadam ? Count. He was famous, Sir, in his profession, In manners, as in shape! thy blood, and vistae,

ceed thy father and it was his great right to be so: Gerard de Contend for empire in thee; and thy goodness Narbon.

Share with thy birthright! Love all, trust a Laf. He was excellent, indeed, maadam ; the

few, king very lately spoke of him, admiringly, and Do wrong to none : be able for thine enemy mourningly : he was skilful enough to have Rather in power, than use; and keep thy friend lived stili, if knowledge could be set up against Under thy own life's key: be check'd for simortality.

lence, Ber. What is it, my good lord, the king lan. But never tax'd for speech. What heaven more guishes of?

* Qualitios of good breeding and erudition. * Under his particular care, as my guardian.

Her excellencies are the better because they are ort. 1 The countess recolleet& her own loss of a husband and less. Observes how leavily,kad passos through hier millo

$ un appearance of life

(will, That thee may furnish,* and my prayers pluck you lose your city. It is not politic in the down,

commonwealth of nature, to preserve virginity. Fall on thy head! Farewell.--My lord, Loss of virginity is rational increase; and there "Tis an unseason'd courtier; good my lord, was never virgin got, till virginity was first Advise him,

lost. That, you were made of, is metal to make Laf. He cannot want the best

virgins. Virginity, by being once lost, may be That shall attend his love.

ten times found: by being ever kept, it is ever Count. Heaven bless him !-Farewell, Ber- lost : 'tis too cold a companion; away with it. tram,

[Exit Countess. Hel. I will stand for't a little, though thereBer. The best wishes that can be forged in fore I die a virgin. your thoughts, [To HELENA] be servants to Par. There's little can be said in't; 'tis against you !| Be comfortable to my mother, your mis- the rule of nature. To speak on the part of tress, and make much of her.

virginity, is to accuse your mothers; which is Laf. Farewell, pretty lady: You must hold most infallible disobedience. He, that hangs the credit of your father.

himself, is a virgin : virginity murders itself; (Exeunt BertRAM and Lareo. and should be buried in highways, out of Hel. O, were that all!--I think not on my all sanctified limit, as a desperate offendress father;

(more against nature. Virginity breeds mites, much And these great tears grace his remembrance like a cheese ; consumes itself to the very paThan those I shed for him. What was he like? ring, and so dies with feeding his own stomach. I have forgot him: my imagination

Besides, virginity is peevish, proud, idle, made Carries no favour in it, but Bertram's.

of self-love, which is the most inhibited* sin I am undone; there is no living, none, in the canon. Keep it not; you cannot choose If Bertram be away. It were all one, but lose by't: Out with't: within ten years it That I should love a bright particular star,

will make itself ten, which is a goodly increase ; And think to wed it, he is so above me: and the principal itself not much the worse ; In his bright radiance and collateral light

Away with't, Must I be comforted, not in his sphere.

Hel. How might one do, Sir, to lose it to her The ambition in my love thus plagues itself: own liking? The hind, that would be mated by the lion, Par. Let me see: Marry, ill, to like him that Must die for love. 'Twas pretty, though a ne'er it likes. 'Tis a commodity will lose the plague,

gloss with lying; the longer kept, the less To see him every hour; to sit and draw worth : off with't, while 'tis vendible; answer His arched brows, his hawking eye, his curls, the time of request. Virginity, like an old In our heart's table;f heart, too capable

courtier, wears her cap out of fashion; richly Of every line and trický of his sweet favour:|| suited, but unsuitable : just like the brooch But now he's gone, and my idolatrous fancy and tooth-pick, which wear not now: Your Must sanctify his relics. Who comes here? datet is better in your pie and your porridge, Enter PAROLLES.

than in your cheek: And your virginity, your

old virginity, is like one of our French withered One that goes with him: I love him for his pears; it looks ill, it eats dryly; marry, 'tis a And yet I know him a notorious liar, (sake; withered pear; it was formerly better; marry, Think him a great way fool, solely a coward; yet, 'tis a withered pear: Will you any thing Yet these fix'd evils sit so fit in him,

with it? That they take place, when virtue's steely bones Hel. Not my virginity yet. Look bleak in the cold wind: withal, full oft There shall your master have a thousand loves,

A mother, and a mistress, and a friend, Cold wisdom waiting on superfluous folly.

A phenix, captain, and an enemy, Par. Save you, fair queen.

A guide, a goddess, and a sovereign, Hel. And you, monarch.

A counsellor, a traitress, and a dear; Par. No.

His humble ambition, proud humility, Hel. And no.

His jarring concord, and his discord dulcet, Par. Are you meditating on virginity?

His faith, his sweet disaster; with a world He. Ay. You have some stain of soldier in Of pretty, fond, adoptious christendoms, you; let me ask you a question: Man is enemy That blinking Cupid gossips. Now shall heto virginity; how may we barricado it against I know not what he shall:-God send him him?

well!Par. Keep him out.

The court's a learning-place;—and he is one Hel. But he assails; and our virginity, though

Par. What one, i'faith? valiant in the defence, yet is weak: unfold to

Hel. That I wish well.—'Tis pity us some warlike resistance.

Par. What's pity ? Par. There is none; man, sitting down be

Hel. That wishing well hall not a body in't fore you, will undermine you, and blow you

Which might be felt: that we, the poorer born, up.

Whose baser stars do shut us up in wishes, Hel. Bless our poor virginity from under- Might with effects of them follow our friends, miners and blowers up!- Is there no military And show what we alone must think ;f which policy, how virgins might blow up men?

Returns us thanks.

(never Par. Virginity, being blown down, man will

Enter a PAGE. quicklier be blown up: marry, in blowing him

Page. Monsieur Parolles, my lord calls for down again, with the breach yourselves made,

Erit PAGE. * I. e. That may help thee with more and bettor quali- Par. Little Helen, farewell : if I can rememfications.


ber thee, I will think of thee at court. t 1. e. May you be mistress of your wishes, and have power to bring them to oflect.

* Forbidden. 1 Helena considers her heart as the tablet on which his 1 A quibble on date, which means age, and candied fruit. sesemblagre is portrayed.

II. e. And show by realities what we now must onlv Peonliitrity or forure.

| Cointanance, think.

we see

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Hel. Monsieur Parolles, you were born un- The Tuscan service, freely have they leave der a charitable star.

To stand on either part. Par. Under Mars, I.

2 Lord. It may well serve Hel. I especially think, under Mars. A nursery to our gentry, who are sick Par. Why under Mars?

For breathing and exploit. Hel. The wars have so kept you under, that King. What's he comes here? you must needs be born under Mars.

Enter BERTRAM, LAPEU, and PAROLLES. Par. When he was predominant.

1 Lord. It is the count Rousillon, my good Hel. When he was retrograde, I think,

Young Bertram.

[lord, rather.

King. Youth, thou bear’st thy father's face; Par. Why think you so ? Hel. You go so much backward, when you Hath well compos'd thee.

Frank nature, rather curious than in haste,

Thy father's moral fight. Par. That's for advantage.


May'st thou inherit too! Welcome to Paris. Hel. So is running away, when sear proposes

Ber. My thanks and duty are your majesty's. the safety: But the composition, that your va

King. I would I had that corporal soundness lour and fear makes in you, is a virtue of a

now, good wing, and I like the wear well. Par. I am so full of businesses, I cannot First tried our soldiership! He did look far

As when thy father and myself, in friendship, answer thee acutely: I will return perfect Into the service of the time, and was courtier ; in the which, my instruction shall serve to naturalize thee, so thou wilt be capa. But on us both did haggish age steal on,

Discipled of the bravest: he lasted long; ble* of a courtier's counsel, and understand And wore us out of act. It much repairs* me what advice shall thrust upon thee; else thou To talk of your good father: In his youth diest in thine unthankfulness, and thine igno- He had the wit, which I can well observe rance makes thee away: farewell. When thou To-day in our young lords; but they may jest, hast leisure, say thy prayers; when thou hast Till their own scorn return to them unnoted, none, remember thy friends : get thee a good Ere they can hide their levity in honour. husband, and use him as he uses thee: so fare. So like a courtier, contempt, not bitterness, well,


Were in his pride or sharpness ; if they were, Hel. Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie,

His equal had awak'd them; and his honour, Which we ascribe to heaven: the fated sky Gives us free scope ; only, doth backward pull Exception bid him speak, and, at this time,

Clock to itself, knew the true minute when Our slow designs, when we ourselves are Jull

. His tongue obey'd hist hand : who were below What power is it, which mounts my love so He used as creatures of another place; shim high;

And bow'd his eminent top to their low ranks, That makes me see, and

cannot feed mine eye? Making them proud of his humility, The mightiest space in fortune nature brings To join like likes, and kiss like native things. Might be a copy to these younger times ;

In their poor praise he humbled : Such a man Impossible be strange attempts, to those That weigh their pains in sense; and do sup. But goers backward.

Which, follow'd well, would demonstrate them

(now розе, , What hath been cannot be: Who ever strove

Ber. His good remembrance, Sir,

Lies richer in your thoughts, than on his tomb; To show her merit, that did miss her love? The king's disease—my project may deceive | As in your royal speech.

So in approoff lives not his epitaph,

King. 'Would I were with him! He would But my intents are fix'd, and will not leave me.

always say,

[Exit. (Methinks, I hear him now; his plausive words SCENE II.-Paris.A Room in the King's He scatter'd not in ears, but grafted them, Palace.

To grow there, and to bear,)- Let me not live

Thus his good melancholy oft began, Flourish of Cornets. Enter the King of France, On the catastrophe and heel of pastime.

with leiters; LORDS and others attending. When it was out,--Let me not live, quoth be, King. The Florentines and Senoys are by After my flame lacks oil, to be the snuff the ears;

of younger spirits, whose apprehensive senses Have fought with equal fortune, and continue

All but new ihings disdain; whose judgements A braving war.

(stancies 1 Lord. So 'tis reported, Sir.



Mere fathers of their garments ;$ whose conKing. Nay, 'tis most credible; we here re

Expire before their fashions :- This he wish'd : ceive it

I, after him, do after him wish too, A certainty, vouch'd from our cousin Austria, Since I nor wax, nor honey, can bring home, With caution that the Florentine will move us

I quickly were dissolved from my hive, For speedy aid; wherein our dearest friend

To give some labourers room. Prejudicates the business, and woald seem

2 Lord. You are lov'd, Sir; To have us make denial.

They, that least lend it you, shall lack you first. 1 Lord. His love and wisdom,

King. I fill a place, I know't.-How long

is't, count, Approv'd so to your majesty, may plead For amplest credence.

Since the physician at your father's died?

He was much fam'd.
King. He hath arm'd our answer,

Ber. Some six months since, my lord.
And Florence is denied before he comes :
Yet, for our gentlemen, that mean to see

King. If he were living, I would try him

yet; * I. e. Thou wilt comprehend it.

* To repair here signifies to renovate. Things formed by nature for each other.

His is put for its.

* Approbation. The citizens of the small republic of which Sienna is Who have no other use of their faculties than to in

vent new modes of drest.

the enpital.

more anon.

a poor fellow.

Lend me an arm;-the rest have worn me out Clo. A prophet I, madam; and I speak the With several applications :-nature and sick- truth the next way :* ness

For I the ballad will repeat, Debate it at their leisure. Welcome, count;

Which men full true shall find; My son's no dearer.

Your marriage comes by destiny, Ber. Thank your majesty.

Your cuckoo sings by kind. [Exeunt. Flourish.

Count. Get you gone, Sir; I'll talk with you SCENE III.-Rousillon. A Room in the COUNTESS' Palace.

Sleu. May it please you, madam, that he Enter COUNTES6, STEWARD, and Clown. bid Helen come to you; of her I am to speak. Count. I will now hear : what say you of

Count. Sirrah, tell my gentlewoman I would this gentlewoman?

speak with her; Helen I mean. Stew. Madam, the care I have had to even

Clo. Was this fair face the cause, quoth she, your content,* I wish might be found in the

(Singing calendar of my past endeavours; for then we

Why the Grecians sacked Troy? wound our modesty, and make foul the clear. Fond done,t done fond, ness of our deservings, when of ourselves we Was this king Priam's joy? publish them.

With that she sighed as she stood, Count. What does this knave here? Get you With that she sighed as she stood, gone, sirrah : The complaints, I have heard of

And gave this sentence then ; you, I do not all believe; ’tis my slowness, that Among nine bad if one be good,

I do not: for I know, you lack not folly to Among nine bad if one be good, ? commit them, and have ability enough to make

There's yet one good in len. such knaveries yours.

Count. What, one good in ten? you corrupt Clo. "Tis not unknown to you, madam, I am the song, sirrah.

Clo. One good woman in ten, madam; which Count. Well, Sir.

is a purifying o’the song : Would God would Clo. No, madam, 'tis not so well, that I am serve the world so all the year! we'd find no poor ; though many of the rich are damned : fault with the tythe-woman, if I were the parBut if I may have your ladyship’s good will to son: One in ten, quoth a'! an we might have go to the world,t Isbel the woman and I will a good woman born but every blazing star, or do as we may.

at an earthquake, 'twould mend the lottery Count. Wilt thou needs be a beggar? well; a man may draw his heart out ere he Clo. I do beg your good-will in this case. pluck one. Count. In what case ?

Count. You'll be gone, Sir knave, and do as Clo. In Isbel's case, and mine own. Ser- I command you? vice is no heritage: and, I think, I shall never Clo. That man should be at woman's comhave the blessing of God, till I have issue of mand, and yet no hurt done !—Though honesty my body; for, they say, bearnsf are blessings. be no puritan, yet it will do no hurt; it will

Count. Tell me thy reason why thou wilt wear the surplice of humility over the black marry.

gown of a big heart.- I am going, forsooth : the Clo. My poor body, madam, requires it: 1 business is for Helen to come hither. am driven on by the flesh; and he must needs

(Exit Clown go, that the devil drives.

Count. Well, now.
Count. Is this all your worship’s reason? Stew. I know, madam, you love your gentle-

Clo. Faith, madam, I have other holy reasons, woman entirely. such as they are.

Count. Faith, I do: her father bequeathed Count. May the world know them? her to me; and she herself, without other ad

Clo. I have been madam, a wicked creature, vantage, may lawfully make title to as much as you and all flesh and blood are; and indeed, love as she finds : there is more owing her than I do marry, that I may repent.

is paid ; and more shall be paid her, than she'll Count. Thy marriage, sooner than thy wick- demand. edness.

Stew. Madam, I was very late more near her Clo. I am out of friends, madam; and I hope than, I think, she wished me: alone she was, to have friends for my wife's sake.

and did communicate to herself, her own words Count. Such friends are thine enemies, knave. to her own ears ; she thought, I dare vow for Clo. You are shallow, madam; e'en great her, they touched not any stranger sense. Her friends ; for the knaves come to do that for me, matter was, she loved your son: Fortune, she which I am a-weary of. He, that earsø my said, was no goddess, that had put such difland, spares my team, and gives me leave to innference betwixt their two estates ; Love, no the crop: if I be his cuckold, he is my drudge: god, that would not extend his might, only He, that comforts my wife, is the cherisher of where qualities were level; Diana, no queen my flesh and blood; he, that cherishes my flesh of virgins, that would suffer her poor knight to and blood, loves my flesh and blood; he, that be surprised, without rescue, in the first asloves my flesh and blood, is my friend : ergoll sault, or ransom afterward: This she deliverhe that kisses my wife, is my friend. If men ed in the most bitter touch of sorrow, that e'er could be contented to be what they are, there I heard virgin exclaim in: which I held my were no fear in marriage; for young Charbon duty, speedily to acquaint you withal ; sithe puritan, and old Poysam the papist, how- thence,f in the loss that may happen, it consoe'er their hearts are severed in religion, their cerns you something to know it. heads are both one, they may joll horns to Count. You have discharged this honestly ; gether, like any deer i’the herd.

keep it to yourself: many likelihoods informed Count. Wilt thou ever be a foul-mouthed me of this before, which hung so tottering in and calumnious knave?

the balance, that I could neither believe, i * To act up to your desires. + 'To be marrier.

Foolisluis done

e The nearest ry.

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