With any branch or image of thy state:

But such a one, thy vassal, whom I know
Is free for me to ask, thee to bestow.

King. Here is my hand; the premises observ'd, ' Thy will by my performance shall be serv'd; So make the choice of thy own time; for I,

Thy resolv'd patient, on thee still rely.

More should I question thee, and more I must; Though, more to know, could not be more to trust; From whence thou cam'st, how tended on,-But

rest

Unquestion'd welcome, and undoubted blest.-
Give me some help here, ho!-If thou proceed
As high as word, my deed shall match thy deed.
[Flourish. Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Rousillon. A room in the Countess's palace.

Enter Countess and Clown.

Count. Come on, sir; I shall now put you to the height of your breeding.

Clo. I will show myself highly fed, and lowly taught: I know my business is but to the court.

Count. To the court! why, what place make you special, when you put off that with such contempt? But to the court!

Clo. Truly, madam, if God have lent a man any manners, he may easily put it off at court: he that cannot make a leg, put off's cap, kiss his hand, and say nothing, has neither, leg, hands, lip, nor cap; and, indeed, such a fellow, to say precisely, were not for the court; but, for me, I have an answer will serve all men.

Count. Marry, that's a bountiful answer, that fits all questions.

Clo. It is like a barber's chair, that fits all but tocks; the pin-buttock, the quatch-buttock, the brawn-buttock, or any buttock.

Count, Will your answer serve fit to all questions?

Clo. As fit aseten groats is for the hand of an attorney, as your French crown for your taffata punk, as Tib's rush for Tom's fore-finger, as a pancake for Shrove-Tuesday, a morris for May-day, as the nail to his hole, the cuckold to his horn, as a scolding quean to a wrangling knave, as the nun's lip to the friar's mouth; nay, as the pudding to his skin.

Count. Have you, I say, an answer of such fitness for all questions?

Clo. From below your duke, to beneath your constable, it will fit any question.

Count. It must be an answer of most monstrous size, that must fit all demands.

Clo. But a trifle neither, in good faith, if the learned should speak truth of it: here it is, and all that belongs to't: Ask nie, if I am a courtier; it shall do you no harm to learn.

Count. To be young again, if we could: I will be a fool in question, hoping to be the wiser by your answer. I pray you, sir, are you a courtier ?

Clo. O Lord, sir,- There's a simple putting off; -more, more, a hundred of them.

Count. Sir, I am a poor friend of yours, that loves you.

Clo. O Lord, sir,-Thick, thick, spare not me.

Count. I think, sir, you can eat none of this homely meat.

Clo. O Lord, sir,-Nay, put me to't, I warrant you.

Count. You were lately whipped, sir, as I think. Clo. O Lord, sir,-Spare not me.

Count. Do you cry, O Lord, sir, at your whip. ping, and spare not me? Indeed, your O'Lord, sir, is very sequent* to your whipping; you would answer very well to a whipping, if you were but

bound to't.

Clo. I ne'er had worse luck in my life, in my-0 Lord, sir: I see, things may serve long, but not

serve ever.

Count. I play the noble housewife with the time, to entertain it so merrily with a fool.

Clo. O Lord, sir,-Why, there't serves well again. Count. An end, sir, to your business: Give Helen this,

And urge her to a present answer back :
Commend me to my kinsmen, and my sou;
This is not much.

Clo. Not much commendation to them.

Count. Not much employment for you: You understand me?

Clo. Most fruitfully; I am there before my legs. Count. Haste you again. [Exeunt severally.

SCENE III.

Paris. A room in the King's palace.

Enter Bertram, Lafen, and Parolles.

Laf. They say, miracles are past; and we have our philosophical persons, to make modernt and familiar things, supernatural and causeless. Hence is it, that we make trifles of terrors; ensconcing our. selves into seeming knowledge, when we should submit ourselves to an unknown fear ‡.

Par. Why, 'tis the rarest argument of wonder, that bath shot out in our latter times.

Properly follows.

+ Ordinary.

Fear means here the object of fear.

Ber. And so 'tis.

Luf. To be relinquished of the artists,

Par. So I say; both of Galen and Paracelsus. Laf. Of all the learned and authentick fellows,Par. Right, so I say.

Laf. That gave him out incurable,—

Par. Why, there 'tis; so say I too..

Laf. Not to be helped,

Par. Right: as 'twere, à man assured of an-
Laf. Uncertain life, and sure death.

Par. Just, you say well; so would I have said.

Laf. I may truly say, it is a novelty to the world. Par. It is, indeed: if you will have it in showing, you shall read it in,What do you call there?

Laf. A showing of a heavenly effect in an earthly

actor.

Par. That's it I would have said: the very same. Laf. Why, your dolphin* is not lustier: "foe me I speak in respect―

Par. Nay, 'tis strange, 'tis very strange, that is the brief and the tedious of it; and he is of a most facinorous spirit, that will not acknowledge it to be the

Laf. Very hand of heaven.

Par. Ay, so I say.

Laf. In a most weak

Par. And debile minister, great power, great transcendence: which should, indeed, give us a further use to be made, than alone the recovery of the king, as to be

Laf. Generally thankful.

Enter King, Helena, and attendants.

Par. I would have said it; you say well: Here comes the king.

Luf. Lustick, as the Dutchman says: I'll like

* The dauphin.

+ Wicked.

Lustigh is the Dutch word for lusty, cheerful.

a maid the better, whilst I have a tooth in my head: Why, he's able to lead her a coranto.

Par. Mort du Vinaigre! Is not this Helen ?
Laf. 'Fore God, I think so.

King. Go, call before me all the lords in court.

[Exit an attendant.

Sit, my preserver, by thy patient's side;

And with this healthful hand, whose banish'd sense
Thou hast repeal'd, a second time receive

The confirmation of my promis'd gift,
Which but attends thy naming.

Enter several Lords.

Fair maid, send forth thine eye: this youthful parcel Of noble bachelors stand at my bestowing,

O'er whom both sovereign power and father's voice I have to use: thy frank election make;

Thou hast power to choose, and they none to forsake. Hel. To each of you one fair and virtuous mis

tress

Fall, when love please!-marry, to each, but onet!
Laf. I'd give bay Curtal ‡, and his furniture,
My mouth no more were broken than these boys',
And writ as little beard.

King.

Peruse them well:

Not one of those, but had a noble father.

Hel. Gentlemen,

Heaven hath, through me, restor'd the king to health.
All. We understand it, and thank heaven for you.
Hel. I am a simple maid; and therein wealthiest,
That, I protest, I simply am a maid:

Please it your majesty, I have done already :
The blushes in my cheeks thus whisper me,

We blush, that thou should'st choose; but, be re fus'd,

They were wards as well as subjects. + Except one, meaning Bertram.

A docked horse.