His plausive60 words
He scattered not in ears, but grafted61 them,
To grow there and to bear62 — ‘Let me not live’ —
This his good melancholy oft began
On the catastrophe and heel of pastime64,
When it was out65 — ‘Let me not live,’ quoth he,
‘After my flame lacks oil, to be the snuff66
Of younger spirits, whose apprehensive67 senses
All but new things disdain; whose judgements are
Mere fathers of their garments, whose constancies69
Expire before their fashions.’ This he wished.
I, after him, do after him wish too71,
Since I nor72 wax nor honey can bring home,
I quickly were dissolvèd73 from my hive
To give some labourers74 room.
SECOND LORD You’re loved, sir.
They that least lend it you shall lack76 you first.
KING I fill a place, I know’t. How long is’t, count,
Since the physician at your father’s died?
He was much famed.
BERTRAM Some six months since, my lord.
KING If he were living, I would try him yet.
Lend me an arm: the rest82 have worn me out
With several applications.83 Nature and sickness
Debate it84 at their leisure. Welcome, count.
My son’s no dearer.
BERTRAM Thank your majesty.
Exeunt. Flourish
running scene 3
Enter Countess, Steward [Reynaldo] and Clown [Lavatch]
COUNTESS I will now hear; what say you of this gentlewoman?1
REYNALDO Madam, the care I have had to even your content2, I
wish might be found in the calendar3 of my past endeavours,
for then we wound our modesty, and make foul the clearness4
of our deservings5, when of ourselves we publish them.
COUNTESS What does this knave here? Get you gone, sirrah.6
The complaints I have heard of you I do not all believe. ’Tis
my slowness that I do not, for I know you lack not folly to
commit them, and have ability enough to make such
knaveries yours.
LAVATCH ’Tis not unknown to you, madam, I am a poor11 fellow.
COUNTESS Well12, sir.
LAVATCH No, madam, ’tis not so well that I am poor, though
many of the rich are damned. But if I may have your
ladyship’s good will to go to the world, Isbel the woman15 and
I will do16 as we may.
COUNTESS Wilt thou needs17 be a beggar?
LAVATCH I do beg your good will in this case.
COUNTESS In what case?
LAVATCH In Isbel’s case and mine own. Service is no heritage20:
and I think I shall never have the blessing of God till I have
issue o’my body, for they say bairns22 are blessings.
COUNTESS Tell me thy reason why thou wilt marry.
LAVATCH My poor body, madam, requires it. I am driven on by
the flesh, and he must needs go25 that the devil drives.
COUNTESS Is this all your worship’s26 reason?
LAVATCH Faith, madam, I have other holy27 reasons, such as
they are.
COUNTESS May the world29 know them?
LAVATCH I have been, madam, a wicked creature, as you and
all flesh and blood are, and indeed I do marry that I may
repent.32
COUNTESS Thy marriage, sooner than thy wickedness.
LAVATCH I am out o’ friends, madam, and I hope to have
friends for my wife’s sake.35
COUNTESS Such friends are thine enemies, knave.
LAVATCH You’re shallow, madam, in37 great friends, for the
knaves come to do38 that for me which I am aweary of. He that
ears my land spares my team and gives me leave to in39 the
crop. If I be his cuckold, he’s my drudge; he that comforts40 my
wife is the cherisher41 of my flesh and blood; he that cherishes
my flesh and blood loves my flesh and blood; he that loves my
flesh and blood is my friend: ergo43, he that kisses my wife is my
friend. If men could be contented to be what they are44, there
were no fear in marriage, for young Charbon the Puritan45
and old Poysam the Papist, howsome’er46 their hearts are
severed in religion, their heads are both one. They may jowl47
horns together, like any deer i’th’herd.
COUNTESS Wilt thou ever be a foul-mouthed and calumnious49
knave?
LAVATCH A prophet I, madam, and I speak the truth the
next52 way.
Sings
For I the ballad will repeat,
Which men full true shall find:
Your marriage comes by destiny,
Your cuckoo sings by kind.56
COUNTESS Get you gone, sir. I’ll talk with you more anon.57
REYNALDO May it please you, madam, that he bid Helen come
to you: of her I am to speak.
To Lavatch
COUNTESS Sirrah, tell my gentlewoman I would
speak with her — Helen, I mean.
Sings
LAVATCH ‘Was this fair face the cause,’ quoth she62,
‘Why the Grecians sackèd Troy?63
Fond64 done, done fond,
Was this King Priam’s65 joy?’
With that she sighèd as she stood,
With that she sighèd as she stood,
And gave this sentence68 then:
‘Among69 nine bad if one be good,
Among nine bad if one be good,
There’s yet one good in ten.’
COUNTESS What, one good in ten? You corrupt the song72,
sirrah.
LAVATCH One good woman in ten, madam; which is a
purifying o’th’song. Would God would serve the world75 so all
the year! We’d find no fault with the tithe-woman76, if I were
the parson. One in ten, quoth a? An77 we might have a good
woman born but ere every blazing star78, or at an earthquake,
’twould mend the lottery well. A man may draw79 his heart
out ere a pluck one.80
COUNTESS You’ll be gone, sir knave, and do as I command you?
LAVATCH That82 man should be at woman’s command, and yet
no hurt done! Though honesty83 be no puritan, yet it will do
no hurt. It will wear the surplice of humility over the black84
gown of a big heart. I am going, forsooth.85 The business is for
Helen to come hither.
Exit
COUNTESS Well, now.
REYNALDO I know, madam, you love your gentlewoman entirely.
COUNTESS Faith, I do. Her father bequeathed89 her to me, and
she herself, without other advantage, may lawfully make90
title to as much love as she finds. There is more owing her
than is paid and more shall be paid her than she’ll demand.
REYNALDO Madam, I was very late93 more near her than I think
she wished me. Alone she was, and did communicate to
herself her own words to her own ears. She thought, I dare
vow for her, they touched not any stranger sense. Her matter96
was, she loved your son. Fortune, she said, was no goddess,
that had put such difference betwixt their two estates.98 Love
no god, that would not extend his might only where qualities99
were level. Dian no queen of virgins, that would suffer100 her
poor knight surprised101 without rescue in the first assault or
ransom afterward. This she delivered in the most bitter touch102
of sorrow that e’er I heard virgin exclaim in, which I held my
duty speedily to acquaint you withal, sithence, in the loss104
that may happen, it concerns you something105 to know it.
COUNTESS You have discharged106 this honestly. Keep it to
yourself. Many likelihoods107 informed me of this before, which
hung so tott’ring in the balance that I could neither believe
nor misdoubt. Pray you leave me. Stall109 this in your bosom,
and I thank you for your honest care. I will speak with you
further anon.
Exit Steward [Reynaldo]
Enter Helen
Aside
Even so it was with me when I was young.
If ever we are nature’s, these113 are ours. This thorn
Doth to our rose of youth rightly belong.
Our blood115 to us, this to our blood is born:
It is the show and seal116 of nature’s truth,
Where love’s strong passion is impressed117 in youth.
By our remembrances of days foregone,
Such were our faults, or119 then we thought them none.
Her eye is sick on’t. I observe120 her now.
HELEN What is your pleasure, madam?
COUNTESS You know, Helen, I am a mother to you.
HELEN Mine honourable mistress.
COUNTESS Nay, a mother. Why not a mother? When I said ‘a mother’,
Methought125 you saw a serpent. What’s in ‘mother’
That you start126 at it? I say I am your mother,
And put you in the catalogue of those
That were enwombèd mine.128 ’Tis often seen
Adoption strives with nature, and choice breeds129
A native slip to us from foreign seeds.
You ne’er oppressed me with a mother’s groan131,
Yet I express to you a mother’s care.
God’s mercy, maiden! Does it curd133 thy blood
To say I am thy mother? What’s the matter,
That this distempered135 messenger of wet,
The many-coloured Iris, rounds136 thine eye?
— Why? That you are my daughter?
HELEN That I am not.138
COUNTESS I say I am your mother.
HELEN Pardon, madam.
The Count Rossillion cannot be my brother:
I am from humble, he from honoured name,
No note upon my parents143, his all noble.
My master, my dear lord he is, and I
His servant live, and will his vassal145 die.
He must not be my brother.
COUNTESS Nor I your mother.
HELEN You are my mother, madam, would you were —
So149 that my lord your son were not my brother —
Indeed my mother! Or were you both our mothers150,
I care no more for than151 I do for heaven,
So I were not his sister.
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