1 Lord. And grant it.

Hel. Thanks, sir ;—all the rest is mute.

Laf. I had rather be in this choice, than throw ames-ace for my life.

Hel. The honour, sir, that flames in your fair eyes, Before I speak, too threatningly 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 my leave.

380

Laf. Do all they deny her? An they were sons of mine, I'd have them whipt; or I would send them to the Turk to make eunuchs of.

Hel. Be not afraid that I your hand should take; I'll never do you wrong for your own sake: Blessing upon your vows! and in your bed Find fairer fortune, if you ever wed!

390

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

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

4 Lord. Fair one, I think not so.

Laf. There's one grape yet-I am sure, thy father drunk wine.- -But if thou be'st not an ass, I am a youth of fourteen. I have known thee already. 400 Hel. I dare not say, I take you; but I give

Me, and my service, ever whilst I live,

Into your guided power. This is the man.

[TO BERTRAM.

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.

King. Know'st thou not, Bertram,

What she hath done for me?

Ber. Yes, my good lord;

410

But never hope to know why I should marry her. King. Thou know'st, she has rais'd me from my

sickly bed.

Ber. But follows it, my lord, to bring me down
Must answer for your raising? I know her well;
She had her breeding at my father's charge:
A poor physician's daughter my wife!-Disdain
Rather corrupt me ever!

King. 'Tis only title thou disdain'st in her, the

which

I can build up. Strange is it, that our bloods,
Of colour, weight, and heat, pour'd all together, 420
Would quite confound distinction, yet stand off
In differences, so mighty. If she be

All that is virtuous (save what thou dislik'st,
A poor physician's daughter), thou dislik`st
Of virtue for the name: but do not so..
From lowest place when virtuous things proceed,
The place is dignify'd by the doer's deed.
Where great addition swells, and virtue none,
It is a dropsied honour: good alone

Is good, without a name, vileness is so :
The property by what it is should go,
Not by the title. She is young, wise, fair;
In these, to nature she's immediate heir;

And these breed honour that is honour's scorn,
Which challenges itself as honour's born,
And is not like the sire. Honours best thrive,
When rather from our acts we them derive
Than our fore-goers: the mere word's a slaye
Debauch'd on every tomb; on every grave,
A lying trophy; and as oft is dumb,

430

440

Where dust, and damn'd oblivion, is the tomb
Of honour'd bones, indeed. What should be said?
If thou canst like this creature as a maid,
I can create the rest: virtue, and she,

Is her own dower; honour, and wealth, from me.
Ber. I cannot love her, nor will strive to do't.
King. Thou wrong'st thyself, if thou should'st strive
to choose.

Hel. That you are well restor'd, my lord, I'm glad : Let the rest go.

449

King. My honour's at the stake; which to defend,
I must produce my power. Here, take her hand,
Proud scornful boy, unworthy this good gift;
That dost in vile misprision shackle up

My love, and her desert; that canst not dream,
We, poizing us in her defective scale,

Shall weigh thee to the beam; that wilt not know,
It is in us to plant thine honour, where

We please to have it grow. Check thy contempt :

Obey

44

Obey our will, which travels in thy good:
Believe not thy disdain, but presently

Do thine own fortunes that obedient right,

460

Which both thy duty owes, and our power claims;
Or I will throw thee from my care for ever
Into the staggers, and the careless lapse

Of youth and ignorance; both my revenge, and hate
Loosing upon thee in the name of justice,
Without all terms of pity. Speak; thine answer.
Ber. Pardon, my gracious lord; for I submit
My fancy to your eyes. When I consider,
What great creation, and what dole of honour
Flies where you bid it; I find, that she, which late

470

Was in my nobler thoughts most base, is now

The praised of the king; who, so ennobled,
Is, as 'twere, born so.

King. Take her by the hand,

And tell her, she is thine: to whom I promise
A counterpoize; if not in thy estate,

A balance more replete.

Ber. I take her hand.

481

King. Good fortune, and the favour of the king Smile upon this contract; whose ceremony Shall seem expedient on the new-born brief, And be perform'd to-night; the solemn feast Shall more attend upon the coming space, Expecting absent friends. As thou lov'st her, Thy love's to me religious; else, does err.

[Exeunt all but PAROLLES and LAFEU. Laf. Do you hear, monsieur, a word with you.

Par.

Par. Your pleasure, sir?

Laf. Your lord and master did well to make his recantation.

Par. Recantation?My ord? my master?
Laf. Ay; Is it not a language I speak?

490

Par. A most harsh one; and not to be understood without bloody succeeding. My master?

Laf. Are you companion to the count Rousillon? Par. To any count; to all counts; to what is

man.

Laf. To what is count's man; count's master is of another style.

Par. You are too old, sir; let it satisfy you, you are too old.

501 Laf. I must tell thee, sirrah, I write man; to which title age cannot bring thee.

Par. What I dare too well do, I dare not do. Laf. I did think thee, for two ordinaries, to be a pretty wise fellow; thou didst make tolerable vent of thy travel; it might pass; yet the scarfs and the bannerets about thee did manifoldly dissuade me from believing thee a vessel of too great a burden. I have now found thee; when I lose thee again, I care not: yet art thou good for nothing but taking up; and that thou art scarce worth. 512 Par. Hadst thou not the privilege of antiquity upon thee

Laf. Do not plunge thyself too far in anger, lest thou hasten thy trial; which if-Lord have mercy on thee for å hen! So, my good window of lattice, E

fare