Count. You were lately whipp'd, sir, I think.
Clo. O Lord, sir,-Spare not me.

Count. Do you cry, O Lord, sir, at your whipping, 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— O 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 son;
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, Lafeu, and Parolles.

Laf. They say, miracles are past; and we have our philosophical persons, to make modern and

familiar things, supernatural and causeless. Hence is it, that we make trifles of terrors; ensconcing ourselves into seeming knowledge, when we should submit ourselves to an unknown fear.

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

Ber. And so 'tis.

Laf. To be relinquish'd 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 help'd,—
Par. Right;
Laf. Uncertain life, and sure death.

as 'twere, a man assur'd of an

Par. Just, you say well; so would I have said. may truly say, it is a novelty to the

Laf. I

world.

Par. It is, indeed: if you will have it in showing, you shall read it in,—

call

-What do

you

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: 'fore 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.

D

say.

Par. Ay, so I
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.

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

sake.

Hel. To each of you one fair and virtuous mis

tress

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

Peruse them well:

King.
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 refus'd, Let the white death sit on thy cheek for ever;

We'll ne'er come there again.

Make choice; and, see,

King, Who shuns thy love, shuns all his love in me. Hel. Now, Dian, from thy altar do I fly; And to imperial Love, that god most high, Do my sighs stream.-Sir, will you hear my suit?

1 Lord. And grant it.

Hel.

Thanks, sir;
Luf. I had rather be in this

ames-ace for

life.

Hel. The honour, sir, that flames in your fair

my

all the rest is mute. choice, than throw

eyes,

Before I speak, too threat'ningly replies:

Love make your fortunes twenty times above
Her that so wishes, and her humble love!
2 Lord. No better, if you please.
Hel.
My wish receive,
Which great love grant! and so I take
Laf. Do all they deny her? An they were sons
of mine, I'd have them whipp'd; or I would send
them to the Turk, to make eunuchs of.

my leave.

Hel. Be not afraid [To a Lord.] that I 'your hand should take;

I'll never do you wrong for your own sake:
bed
your
Blessing upon your vows! and in
Find fairer fortune, if you ever wed!

Laf. These boys are boys of ice, they'll none have her: sure, they are bastards to the English; the French ne'er got them.

Hel. You are too young, too happy, and too good, blood. To make yourself a son out of my

4 Lord. Fair one, I think not so.

Laf. There's one grape yet,-I am sure, thy father drank wine.-But if thou be'st not an ass, I am a youth of fourteen; I have known thee already. Hel. I dare not say, I take you; [To Bertram.] but I give

Me, and my service, ever whilst I live,
Into your guiding power.-This is the man.
King. Why then, young Bertram, take her, she's
thy wife.

Ber. My wife, my liege? I shall beseech your

highness,

In such a business give me leave to use
The help of mine own eyes.