Rust, sword! cool, blushes! and, Parolles, live Safest in shame! being fool'd, by foolery thrive!

There's place, and means, for every man alive. I'll after them.

S CENE IV.

[Exit.]

Florence. A room in the Widow's House.c

Enter HELENA, Widow, and DIANA.

Hel. That you may well perceive I have not 'wrong'd you,

One of the greatest in the christian world

Shall be my surety; fore whose throne, 'tis needful,

Ere I can perfect mine intents, to kneel:
Time was, I did him a desired office,
Dear almost as his life; which gratitude
Through flinty Tartar's bosom would peep
forth,

And answer, thanks: I duly am inform'd,
His grace is at Marseilles; to which place
We have convenient convoy. You must know,
I am supposed dead: the army breaking,

My husband hies him home; where, heaven
Golaiding,

And by the leave of my good lord the king,
We'll be, before our welcome!

Wid. Gentle madam,

You never had a servant, to whose trust

Your businefs was more

welcome.

Hel. Nor you, mistress,

** fནK“

Ever a friend, whose thoughts more truly la

bour

To recompence 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 loaths, fot 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 yours
Upon your will to suffer.

"Hel. Yet, I pray you,

But with the word, the time will bring on

summer,

When briars shall have leaves as well as

thorns,

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. A Room in the Count's Palace.

Enter Countefs, LAFEU, and Clown.

Laf. No, no, no, your son was misled with a snipt- taffata fellow there; whose villainous saffron would have made all the unbaked 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.

Count. I would, I had not known him! it was the death of the most virtuous gentlewo-* man, that ever nature had praise for creating : if she had partaken of my flesh, and cost me the dearest of groans 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 sallads, ere we light on such another herb.

Clown. 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.

Clown. I am no great Nebuchadnezzar, sir; I have not much skill in grafs.

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

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

Laf. Your distinction?

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

Laf. So you were a knave at his service,

indeed.

Clown. 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.

Clown. At your service.

Laf. No, no, no.

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

Laf

3

I

: Who's that? a Frenchman? Clown. Faith, sir, he has an English name;

but his phisnomy is more hotter in France, than there.

Laf. What prince is that?

Clown. 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 suggest thee from thy master thou talk'st of; serve him still.

Clown. I am a woodland fellow, sir, that always loved 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 his 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.

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.

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

[Exit.]

Laf. A shrewd knave, and an unhappy. Gount. 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 saucinefs; and, indeed, he has no pace, but runs where he will.

Laf. I like him well; 'tis not amifs: 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 moved the king my master, to speak in the behalf of my daugh ter; which, in the minority of them both, his

majesty, out of a self-gracious remembrance, did first propose: his highness hath promised me to do it: and, to stop up the displeasure he hath conceived against your son, there is no fitter matter. How does your ladyship like it? Count. With very much content, my lord, and I wish it happily effected.

Laf. His highness comes post from Marseilles, of as able body as when he number'd thirr ty; he will be here to-morrow, or I am deceived 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: I shall beseech your lordship, to remain with me till they meet together.

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.

Re-enter Clown.

Clown. O madam, yonder's my lord your son with a patch of velvet on's face: whether there be a scar under it, 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.

Laf. A scar nobly got, or a noble scar, is a good livery of honour: so, belike, is that. Clown. But it is your carbonado'd face.

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