2 Lord. Oh, 'tis brave wars.

Par. Moft admirable; I have feen thofe wars. Ber. I am commanded here, and kept a coil with, Too young, and the next year, and 'tis too early.

Par. An thy mind ftand to it, boy, fteal away bravely.

Ber. Shall I ftay here the forehorse to a smock, Creeking my fhoes on the plain masonry,

'Till Honour be bought up, and no fword worn But one to dance with? by heav'n, I'll steal away. I Lord. There's honour in the theft.

Par. Commit it, Count.

2 Lord. I am your acceffary, and fo farewel. Ber. I grow to you, and our parting is a tortur'd body.

1 Lord. Farewel, Captain.

2 Lord. Sweet Monfieur Parolles!

Par. Noble heroes, my fword and yours are kin; good fparks and luftrous. A word, good metals. You fhall find in the regiment of the Spinii, one captain Spurio with his cicatrice, an emblem of war, here on his finifter cheek; it was this very fword entrench'd it; fay to him, I live, and obferve his reports of me. 2 Lord. We fhall, noble captain. Par. Mars doat on you for his novices! what will ye do?

Ber. Stay the King

Par. Ufe a more fpacious ceremony to the noble Lords, you have restrain'd yourself within the lift of too cold an adieu; be more expreffive to them, for they wear themselves in the cap of the time, there, do mufter true gait, eat, fpeak, and move under the influence of the moft receiv'd ftar; and tho' the devil lead the measure, fuch are to be follow'd: after them, and take a more dilated farewel.

Ber. And I will do fo.

Par. Worthy fellows, and like to prove most finewy fword-men.

[Exeunt.

SCENE

Enter the King, and Lafeu.

II.

[Lafeu kneels.

Laf. Pardon, my Lord, for me and for my tidings. King. I'll fee thee to ftand up.

Laf. Then here's a man ftands, that hath bought his pardon.

I would, you had kneel'd, my Lord, to ask me mercy; And that at my bidding you could so stand up.

King. I would, I had; fo I had broke thy pate, And afk'd thee mercy for❜t.

Laf. Goodfaith, across :—but, my good Lord, 'tis thus ;

Will you be cur'd of your infirmity?

King, No.

Laf. O, will you eat no grapes, my royal fox? 9 Yes, but you will, my noble grapes; an if

My royal fox could reach them: I have feen a medicine,
That's able to breathe life into a stone;

Quicken a rock, and make you dance Canary
With fprightly fire and motion; whofe fimple touch
Is powerful to araife King Pepin, nay,

To give great Charlemain a pen in's hand,
And write to her a love-line.

If

King. What her is this?

Laf. Why, doctor-fhe: my Lord, there's one arriv'd,

you will fee her. Now, by my faith and honour, If seriously I may convey my thoughts

In this my light deliverance, I have spoke

With one, that in her fex, her years, profeffion,
Wisdom and conftancy, hath amaz'd me more
Than I dare blame my weakness: will you fee her,
For that is her Demand, and know her business?
That done, laugh well at me.

King. Now, good Lafeu,

Bring in the admiration, that we with thee
May spend our wonder too, or take off thine,
By wond'ring how thou took'ft it.

8 — across :-] This word, as has been already obferved, is ufed when any pafs of wit mif

carries.

deed rejected without great lofs, but I believe they are Shakefeare's words. You will eat, fays Lafeu, no grapes. Yes, but you 9 Yes, but you will, my noble will eat fuch noble grapes as I grapes; an' if] Thefe bring you, if you could reach words, my noble seem to them. grapes, Dr. Warburton and Sir T. Hin1; er, to ftand fo much in the way, that they have filently cmitted them. They may be in

X 3

1

her years, profeffion,] By profefon is meant her declaration of the end and purpose of her coming. WARBURTON.

Laf.

Laf. Nay, I'll fit you,

And not be all day neither.

[Exit Lafeu.

King. Thus he his fpecial nothing ever prologues. Laf. [Returns.] Nay, come your ways.

[Bringing in Helena.

King. This hafte hath wings, indeed.
Laf. Nay, come your ways,

This is his Majefty, fay your mind to him;
A traitor you do look like; but fuch traitors
His Majefty feldom fears: I'm Creffid's uncle, *
That dare leave two together; fare you well.

[Exit.

King. Now, fair One, do's your business follow us? Hel. Ay, my good Lord.

Gerard de Narbon was my father,

In what he did profefs, well found.

Kng. I knew him.

Hel. The rather will I fpare my praife toward him; Knowing him, is enough: on's bed of death

Many receipts he gave me, chiefly one,

Which as the deareft iffue of his practice,
And of his old experience th' only darling,
He bade me ftore up, as a triple eye,

Safer than mine own two: more dear I have fo;
And hearing your high Majefty is touch'd
With that malignant caufe, wherein the honour3
Of my dear father's gift ftands chief in power,
I come to tender it, and my appliance,

With all bound humbleness.

King. We thank you, maiden;

But may not be fo credulous of cure,

When our most learned doctors leave us; and
The congregated college have concluded,
That labouring art can never ransom nature
From her unaidable eftate: we must not
So ftain our judgment, or corrupt our hope,
To prostitute our paft-cure malady
To empericks; or to diffever fo

Our great felf and our credit, to esteem
A fenfelefs help, when help paft fenfe we deem.
Hel. My duty then fhall pay me for my pains;
I will no more enforce mine office on you;
Humbly intreating from your royal thoughts
A modeft one to bear me back again.

King. I cannot give thee lefs, to be call'd grateful; Thou thought'st to help me, and fuch thanks I give, As one near death to thofe that wifh him live But what at full I know, thou know'ft no part; I knowing all my peril, thou no art.

Hel. What I can do, can do no hurt to try,

Since you fet up your reft 'gainst remedy.
He that of greatest works is finisher,
Oft does them by the weakest minister :
So holy writ in babes hath judgment shown,

When judges have been babes; great floods have flown
From fimple fources; and great feas have dry'd,
When mir'cles have by th' greatest been deny'd.
Oft expectation fails, and moft oft there

Where most it promifes: and oft it hits
Where hope is coldeft, and defpair most fits.

King. I must not hear thee; fare thee well, kind
Maid;

Thy pains, not us'd, muft by thyself be paid:

↑ When miracles have by th' greatest been deny'd.] I do not fee the import or connection of this line. As the next line

X 4

ftands without a correspondent rhyme, I fufpect that fomething has been loft.

Proffers,