ACT II. SCENE I. Paris. A Room in the King's Palace. Flourish. Enter King, with young Lords taking leave for the Florentine war; BERTRAM, PAROLLES, and Attendants. King. Farewell, young lord, these warlike prin ciples Do not throw from you ;—and you, my lord, fare well.-- It is our hope, sir, King. No, no, it cannot be ; and yet my heart 1 In this and the following instance the folio reads lords. The correction was suggested by Tyrwhitt. 2 i. e. my spirits, by not sinking under my distemper, do not acknowledge its influence. 3 Johnson's explanation of this obscure passage is preferable to any that has been offered:—“Let Upper Italy, where you are to exercise your valor, see that you come to gain honor, to the abatement, that is, to the overthrow, of those who inherit but the fall of the last monarchy, or the remains of the Roman empire." Bated and abated are used elsewhere by Shakspeare in a kindred sense. 4 Seeker, inquirer. 2 Lord. Health, at your bidding, serve your ma jesty! Our hearts receive your warnings. King. Farewell.—Come hither to me. [The King retires to a couch. 1 Lord. O my sweet lord, that you will stay behind us! Par. 'Tis not his fault ; the spark2 Lord. O, 'tis brave wars ! Par. Most admirable: I have seen those wars. Ber. I am commanded here, and kept a coil," with Too young, and the next year, and 'tis too early. Pår. An thy mind stand to it, boy, steal away bravely. Ber. I shall stay here the forehorse to a smock, Creaking my shoes on the plain masonry, Till honor be bought up, and no sword worn, But one to dance with! By Heaven, I'll steal away. 1 Lord. There's honor in the theft. Par. Commit it, count. 2 Lord. I am your accessary; and so farewell. Ber. I grow to you, and our parting is a tortured body. ľ Lord. Farewell, captain. Par. Noble heroes, my sword and yours are kin. Good sparks and lustrous, a word, good metals.—You shall find in the regiment of the Spinii, one captain Spurio, with his cicatrice, an emblem of war, here on his sinister cheek; it was this very sword entrenched it. Say to him, I live ; and observe his reports for me. 2 Lord. We shall, noble captain. 2 1 To be kept a coil is to be vexed or troubled with a stir or noise. 2 “I grow to you, and our parting is, as it were, to dissever or torture a body." 47 VOL. II. Par. Mars dote on you for his novices ! [Exeunt Lords.] What will you do? Ber. Stay; the king [Seeing him rise. Par. Use a more spacious ceremony to the noble lords: you have restrained yourself within the list of too cold an adieu ; be more expressive to them; for they wear themselves in the cap of the time, there do muster true gait; ? eat, speak, and move under the influence of the most received star; and though the devil lead the measure, such are to be followed. After them, and take a more dilated farewell. Ber. And I will do so. Par. Worthy fellows; and like to prove most sinewy sword-men. [Exeunt BERTRAM and PAROLLES. Enter LAFEU. Laf. Pardon, my lord, [Kneeling.] for me and for my tidings. King. I'll fee thee to stand up. Laf. Then here's a man Stands, that has brought his pardon. I would you Had kneeled, my lord, to ask me mercy; and That, at my bidding, you could so stand up. King. I would I had; so I had broke thy pate, Goodfaith across : 4 No. 0, will you eat 1 They are the foremost in the fashion. 2 It would seem that this passage has been wrongly pointed and improperly explained, there do muster true gait; if addressed to Bertram, it means there exercise yourself in the gait of fashion ; eat, &c. But perhaps we should read they instead of there, or else insert they after gait; either of these slight emendations would render this obscure passage perfectly intelligible. 3 The dance, 4 This word, which is taken from breaking a spear across, in chivalric exercises, is used elsewhere by Shakspeare, where a pass of wit miscarries. See As You Like It, Act iii. Sc. 4. 1 No grapes, my royal fox ? Yes, but you will, What her is this? Now, good Lafeu, Nay, I'll fit you, And not be all day neither. [Exit LAFEU. King. Thus he his special nothing ever prologues. Re-enter LAFEU, with HELENA. Laf. Nay, come your ways. This haste hath wings indeed. i It has been before observed that the canary was a kind of lively dance. 2 By profession is meant her declaration of the object of her coming. 3 I am like Pandarus. See Troilus and Cressida. YRNYA PRAWNER King. Now, fair one, does your business follow us? him ; 1 Hel. Ay, my.good lord. Gerard de Narbon was My father; in what he did profess, well found. King. I knew him. Hel. The rather will I spare my praises towards Knowing him, is enough. On his bed of death Many receipts he gave me ; chiefly one, Which, as the dearest issue of his practice, And of his old experience the only darling, He bade me store up, as a triple eye, Safer than mine own two, more dear. I have so: And, hearing your high majesty is touched With that malignant cause wherein the honor Of my dear father's gift stands chief in power, I come to tender it, and my appliance, With all bound humbleness. King We thank you, maiden ; Hel. My duty then shall pay me for my pains. King. I cannot give thee less, to be called grateful ܪ 1 A third eye. |