а.

Did ever, in so true a flame of liking
Wish chastly, and love dearly, that your Dian
Was both herself and love;f O then, give pity
To her, whose state is such, that cannot choose
But lend and give, where she is sure to lose;
That seeks not to find that her search implies,
But, riddle-like, lives sweetly where she dies.

Count. Had you not lately, an intent, speak truly,
To go to Paris?
Hel.

Madam, I had.
Count.

Wherefore ? tell true. Hel. I will tell truth; by grace itself, I swear. You know, my father left me some prescriptions Of rare and prov'd effects, such as his reading, And manifest experience, had collected For general sovereignty; and that he will’d me In heedfullest reservation to bestow them, As notes, whose faculties inclusive were, More than they were in note: amongst the rest, There is a remedy, approv'd, set down, To cure the desperate languishes, whereof The king is render'd lost. Count.

This was your

motive For Paris, was it? speak.

Hel. My lord your son made me to think of this ;
Else Paris, and the medicine, and the king,
Had, from the conversation of my thoughts,
Haply been absent then.
Count.

But think you, Helen,
If you should tender your supposed aid,
He would receive it ? He and his physicians
Are of a mind; he, that they cannot help him,
They, that they cannot help: How shall they credit
A A poor unlearned virgin, when the schools,
Embowell’d" of their doctrine, have left off
The danger to itself?
Hel.

There's something hints,
and love ;) i. e. The goddess of amorous rites.- MALONE.

notes, whose faculties inclusive-] Receipts, in which greater virtues were enclosed than appeared to observation.-Johnson,

a

f

8

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 honour
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 believ't?
Hel. Ay, madam, knowingly.

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 blessing 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 lords, these warlike principles
Do not throw from you :-and you, my lords, farewell :>
Share the advice betwixt you; if both gain all,
The gift doth stretch itself as 'tis receiv’d,
And is enough for both. •
1 Lord.

It is our hope, sir,
After well enter'di soldiers, to return
And find your grace in health.

King. No, no, it cannot be; and yet my heart
Will not confess he owesk the malady
That doth my life besiege. Farewell, young lords;
Whether I live or die, be

you
Of worthy Frenchmen: let higher Italy

the sons

(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.-I 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,
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 spark2 Lord.

0, '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.

let higher Italy
(Those’bated, that inherit but the fall

Of the last monarchy,) see, &c.] The ancient geographers have divided Italy into the higher and the lower, the Apennine hills being a kind of natural line of partition ; the side next the Adriatic was denominated the higher Italy, and the other side the lower; and the two seas followed the same terms of distinction, the Adriatic being called the upper Sea, and the Tyrrhene, or Tuscan, the lower. Now the Sennones, or Senois, with whom the Florentines are here supposed to be at war, inhabited the higher Italy, their chief town being Arminium, now called Rimini, upon the Adriatic.-HANMER.

Those 'bated here signifies, those being taken away or excepted. The sentence implies no more than they excepted, who possess modern Italy, the remains of the Roman Empire.—Holt WHITE.

questant-] i. e. Competitor.
Before you serve.] i. e. Before you serve in war.--

--Johnson. • But one to dance with !] It should be remembered that, in Shakspeare's time, it was usual for gentlemen to dance with swords on.-MALONE.

1

m

n

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 you do? Ber. Stay: the king

[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,! eat, speak, and move under the influence of the most received star; and, though the devil lead the measure,q 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 brought his pardon. I would you
Had kneelid, 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 ask'd thee mercy for't.

P

there, do muster true gait, &c.] The meaning is that those lords living constantly in the court, or, as Shakspeare expresses it, wearing themselves in the cap of the time, do there muster the true gait, e. gain perfect knowledge of the most approved rules of conduct,--they eat, speak, and move under the influence of the most received star ; of the person in the highest repute for fashion.

measure,] i. e. The dance.

9

a

Laf.

Goodfaith, across :
But, my good lord, 'tis thus; Will you be cur’d
Of your infirmity ?
King.

No.
Laf.

0, will you eat
No grapes, my royal fox? yes, but you will,
My noble grapes, and 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,
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 arriv'd,
If you will see her,—now, by my faith and honour,
If seriously I may convey my thoughts
In this my light deliverance, I have spoke
With one, that, in her sex, her years, profession,"
Wisdom, and constancy, hath amaz’d me more
Than I dare blame my weakness :' Will you see her

V
(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 time,
By wond'ring how thou took'st it.
Laf.

Nay, I'll fit you,
And not be all day neither.

[Exit LAFEU.

r-across:] This word is used when any pass of wit miscarries.-- JOHNSON. While chivalry was in vogue, breaking spears against a quintain was a favourite exercise. He who shivered the greatest number was esteemed the most adroit; but then it was to be performed exactly with the point, for if achieved by a side stroke, or across, it shewed unskilfulness, and disgraced the practiser. HOLT WHITE.

medicine]-here put for a female physician.
canary,] A quick and lively dance.

- profession,] i. e. Her declaration of the end and purpose of her coming. v Than I dare blame my weakness :) Lafeu's meaning appears to be this :“That the amazement she excited in him was so great, that he could not impute it merely to his own weakness, but to the wonderful qualities of the object that occasioned it.-M. Mason.

a

t