Ever a friend, whose thoughts more truly labour
To recompense your love doubt not, but heaven
Hath brought me up to be your daughter's dower,
As it hath fated her to be my motive.

And helper to a husband. But, O strange men!
That can such sweet use make of what they hate,
When saucy trusting of the cozen'd thoughts
Defiles the pitchy night! so lust doth play
With what it loathes, for that which is away:
But more of this hereafter.You, Diana,
Under my poor instructions yet must suffer
Something in my behalf.

Dia. Let death and honesty

Go with your impositions, I am your's
Upon your will to suffer.

Hel. Yet, I pray you:

550

But with the word, the time will bring on summer,
When briars shall have leaves as well as thorns, 560
And be as sweet as sharp. We must away:

Our waggon is prepar'd, and time revives us ;
All's well that ends well; still the fine's the crown;
Whate'er the course, the end is the renown. [Exeunt.

SCENE V.

Rousillon. Enter Countess, LAFEU, and Clown.

Laf. No, no, no, your son was mis-led with a snipttaffata fellow there; whose villanous saffron would have made all the unbak'd and doughy youth of a nation in his colour. Your daughter-in-law had been alive at this hour; and your son here at home, more advanced by the king than by that red-tail'd humble bee I speak of.

571

Count. I would, I had not known him! it was the death of the most virtuous gentlewoman that ever nature had praise for creating : if she had partaken of my flesh, and cost me the dearest groans of a mother, I could not have owed her a more rooted love.

Laf. 'Twas a good lady, 'twas a good lady. We may pick a thousand sallets, ere we light on such another herb.

579 Clo. Indeed, sir, she was the sweet-marjoram of the sallet, or rather the herb of grace.

Laf. They are not sallet-herbs, you knave, they are nose-herbs.

Clo. I am no great Nebuchadnezzar, sir, I have not much skill in grass.

Laf. Whether dost thou profess thyself; a knave or a fool?

Clo. A fool, sir, at a woman's service; and a knave, at a man's...

Laf. Your distinction?

590

Clo.

Clo. I would cozen the man of his wife, and do his service.

Laf. So you were a knave at his service, indeed. Clo. And I would give his wife my bauble, sir, `to do her service.

Laf. I will subscribe for thee, thou art both knave and fool.

Clo. At your service.

Laf. No, no, no.

Clo. Why, sir, if I cannot serve you, I can serve as great a prince as you are.

Laf. Who's that? a Frenchman?

*601

Clo. Faith, sir, he has an English name; but his phisnomy is more hotter in France than there. Laf. What prince is that?

1

Clo. The black prince, sir; alias the prince of darkness; alias the Devil.

Laf. Hold thee, there's my purse: I give thee not this to seduce thee from thy master thou talk'st of; serve him still,

610

Clo. I am a woodland fellow, sir, that always lov'd a great fire; and the master I speak of, ever keeps a good fire. But, sure, he is the prince of the world, let his nobility remain in's court. I am for the house with the narrow gate, which I take to be too little for pomp to enter: some, that humble themselves, may; but the many will be too chill and tender; and they'll be for the flowery way that leads to the broad gate, and the great fire.

619

Laf. Go thy ways, I begin to be a-weary of thee;

and I tell thee so before, because I would not fall out with thee. Go thy ways; let my horses be well look'd' to, without any tricks.

Clo. If I put any tricks upon 'em, sir, they shall bè jades' tricks; which are their own right by the law of

nature.

Laf. A shrewd knave, and an unhappy.

[Exit.

Count. So he is. My lord, that's gone, made himself much sport out of him: by his authority he remains here, which he thinks is a patent for his sauciness; and, indeed, he has no pace, but runs where he will.

.

632

Laf. I like him well; 'tis not amiss and I was about to tell you, since I heard of the good lady's death, and that my lord your son was upon his return home, I mov'd the king my master to speak in the behalf of my daughter; which, in the minority' of them both, his majesty, out of a self-gracious remembrance, did first propose: his highness has promis'd me to do it; and, to stop up the displeasure he hath conceiv'd against your son, there is no fitter matter. How does your ladyship like it? 642 Count. With very much content, my lord; and I wish it happily effected.

Laf. His highness comes post from Marseilles, of as able a body as when he number'd thirty; he will be here to-morrow, or I am deceiv'd by him that in such intelligence hath seldom fail'd.

Count. It rejoices me, that, I hope, I shall see him ere I die. I have letters, that my son will be here

to-night:

to-night I shall beseech your lordship to remain with me 'till they meet together.

652

Laf. Madam, I was thinking, with what manners I might safely be admitted.

Count. You need but plead your honourable privilege.

Laf. Lady, of that I have made a bold charter; but, I thank my God, it holds yet.

Enter Clown.

Clo. O madam, yonder's my lord your son with a patch of velvet on's face: whether there be a scar under't, or no, the velvet knows but 'tis a goodly patch of velvet: his left cheek is a cheek of two pile" and a half, but his right cheek is worn bare. 663 Count. A scar nobly got, or a noble scar, is a good livery of honour. So, belike, is that.

Clo. But it is your carbonado'd face.

Laf. Let us see your son, I pray you: I long to talk with the young noble soldier.

Clo. 'Faith, there's a dozen of 'em with delicate fine hats, and most courteous feathers, which bow the head, and nod at every man.

[Exeunt.

ACT