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Rousillon. The COUNT's palace.
[Enter COUNTESS, Steward, and Clown]
COUNTESS
I will now hear, what say you of this gentlewoman.
STEWARD
Madam the care I have had to even your content, I wish might be found in the
calendar of my past endeavors, for then we wound our modesty, and make foul
the clearness of our deservings, when of ourselves we publish them.
COUNTESS
What does this knave here? Get you gone sirrah: the complaints I have heard
of you I do not all believe, 'tis my slowness that I do not: for I know you
lack not folly to commit them, and have ability enough to make such
knaveries yours.
CLOWN
'Tis not unknown to you madam, I am a poor fellow.
COUNTESS
Well sir.
CLOWN
No madam,
'Tis not so well that I am poor, though many of the rich are damned, but if
I may have your ladyship's good will to go to the world, Isbel the woman and
I will do as we may.
COUNTESS
Wilt thou needs be a beggar?
CLOWN
I do beg your good will in this case.
COUNTESS
In what case?
CLOWN
In Isbel's case and mine own: Service is no heritage, and I think I shall
never have the blessing of God, till I have issue of my body: for they say
barnes are blessings.
COUNTESS
Tell me thy reason why thou wilt marry?
CLOWN
My poor body madam requires it, I am driven on by the flesh, and he must
needs go that the devil drives.
COUNTESS
Is this all your worship's reason?
CLOWN
Faith madam I have other holy reasons, such as they are.
COUNTESS
May the world know them?
CLOWN
I have been madam a wicked creature, as you and all flesh and blood are, and
indeed I do marry that I may repent.
COUNTESS
Thy marriage sooner than thy wickedness.
CLOWN
I am out of friends, madam; and I hope to have
friends for my wife's sake.
COUNTESS
Such friends are thine enemies, knave.
CLOWN
You're shallow madam in great friends, for the knaves come to do that for me
which I am aweary of: He that ears my land, spares my team, and gives me
leave to in the crop: if I be his cuckold he's my drudge; he that comforts
my wife, is the cherisher of my flesh and blood; he that cherishes my flesh
and blood, loves my flesh and blood; he that loves my flesh and blood is my
friend: ergo, he that kisses my wife is my friend: If men could be contented
to be what they are, there were no fear in marriage, for young Charbon the
Puritan, and old Poysam the Papist, howsomere their hearts are severed in
religion, their heads are both one, they may jowl horns together like any
deer in the herd.
COUNTESS
Wilt thou ever be a foul-mouthed and calumnious knave?
CLOWN
A prophet I madam, and I speak the truth the next way, for I the ballad will
repeat, which men full true shall find, your marriage comes by destiny, your
cuckoo sings by kind.
COUNTESS
Get you gone sir, I'll talk with you more anon.
STEWARD
May it please you madam, that he bid Helen come to you, of her I am to
speak.
COUNTESS
Sirrah tell my gentlewoman I would speak with her, Helen I mean.
CLOWN
. T T
T . T T
T
Was this fair face | the cause, quoth she,
,
, ,
__
Why the | Grecians | sacked | Troy,
T T
T , 2
T Tx T
Fond done, done,| fond was this | King Priam's
joy,
,
, ,
,
With that | she sigh|ed as | she stood,
,
, , ,
With that | she sigh|ed as | she stood,
And gave this sentence then, among nine bad if one be good, among nine bad
if one be good, there's yet one good in ten.
COUNTESS
What, one good in ten? you corrupt the song sirrah.
CLOWN
One good woman in ten madam, which is a purifying of the song: would God
would serve the world so all the year, we'd find no fault with the
tithe-woman, if I were the parson, one in ten, quoth he! And we might have a
good woman born but one every blazing star, or at an earthquake, twould mend
the lottery well, a man may draw his heart out ere he pluck
one.
COUNTESS
You'll be gone sir knave, and do as I command you?
CLOWN
That man should be at woman's command, and yet no hurt done, though honesty
be no puritan, yet it will do no hurt, it will wear the surplice of humility
over the black gown of a big heart: I am going forsooth, the business is for
Helen to come hither.
[Exit]
COUNTESS
Well now.
STEWARD
I know madam you love your gentlewoman entirely.
COUNTESS
Faith I do: her father bequeathed her to me, and she herself without other
advantage, may lawfully make title to as much love as she finds, there is
more owing her than is paid, and more shall be paid her than she'll demand.
STEWARD
Madam, I was very late more near her than I think she wished me, alone she
was, and did communicate to herself her own words to her own ears, she
thought, I dare vow for her, they touched not any stranger sense, her matter
was, she loved your son; Fortune she said was no goddess, that had put such
difference betwixt their two estates: Love no god, that would not extend his
might only, where qualities were level, Queen of virgins, that would suffer
her poor knight surprised without rescue in the first assault or ransom
afterward: This she delivered in the most bitter touch of sorrow that ere I
heard virgin exclaim in, which I held my duty speedily to acquaint you
withal, sithence in the loss that may happen, it concerns you something to
know it.
COUNTESS
You have discharged this honestly, keep it to yourself, many likelihoods
informed me of this before, which hung so tottering in the balance, that I
could neither believe nor misdoubt: pray you leave me, stall this in your
bosom, and I thank you for your honest care: I will speak with you further
anon.
[Exit Steward. Enter HELENA]
2 ,
, , ,
,
Even so | it was | with me | when I | was young:
x
2 , , ,
,
If ever | we are nat|ure's, these | are ours,|
this^thorn
,
, ,
, ,
Doth to | our rose | of youth | rightly | belong
,
, , ,
,
Our blood | to us,| this to | our blood | is
born,
,
, ,
, ,
It is | the show,| and seal | of nat|ure's truth,
, ,
, ,
,
Where love's | strong pas/sion is | impressed |
in youth,
,
, , .
T T T
By our | remem|brances | of days foregone,
,
, ,
, ,
Such were | our faults,| or then | we thought |
them none.
,
, x
, ,
Her eye | is sick | on it, I | observe | her now.
HELENA
,
, ,
What is | your pleas|ure madam? \\
COUNTESS
,
, , , 2
,
You know | Helen | I am | a moth|er to you.
HELENA
,
3 3 ,
Mine^hon|orable mist|ress.
COUNTESS
<- , ,
, , ,
, ,
,
Nay | a moth|er, why || not a | mother?| When I
| said a | mother
,
x ,
, ,
Methought | you saw a | serpent,| what's in |
mother,
,
, 2 , ,
2 ,
That you | start at it?| I say,| I am your |
mother,
,
, , ,
,
And put | you in | the cat|alog | of those
,
, ,
, ,
That were | enwomb|ed mine,| 'tis oft|en seen
,
, ,
, ,
Adop|tion strives | with nat|ure, and / choice
breeds
,
, , ,
,
A nat|ive slip | to us | from for|eign seeds:
,
, ,
, ,
You nere | oppressed | me with | a moth|er's
groan,
, ,
, ,
,
Yet I | express | to you | a moth|er's care,
,
, ,
, ,
(God's^mer|cy maid|en) does | it curd | thy blood
, ,
2 ,
, ,
To say | I am thy | mother?| What's the | matter,
,
, ,
, ,
That this | distemp|ered mes|senger | of wet?
,
, ,
, ,
The man|y-col|ored Ir|is rounds | thine^eye?
,
, ,
Why, that | you are | my daught|er?
HELENA
, 2 ,
That | I am not.
COUNTESS
,
, ,
I say | I am | your moth|er.
HELENA
, x
pard|on madam.
,
, ,
, x
The Count | Rousil|lon can|not be | my brother:
, ,
, ,
,
I am | from hum|ble, he | from hon|ored name:
T T . T
, ,
x
No note upon | my par|ents, his | all* noble,
,
, , ,
,
My mast|er, my / dear lord | he is,| and I
,
, ,
, ,
His serv|ant live,| and will | his vas|sal die;
. T T T ,
2
He must not be | my broth|er.
COUNTESS
, ,
2->
Nor I | your moth||er.
HELENA
,
, ,
, ,
You are | my moth|er mad|am, would | you were
, 2
, ,
, ,
So that my | lord your | son were | not my |
brother,
,
, x 2
, ,
Indeed | my mother,/ or were you | both our |
mothers,
,
T T T 2
, x
I care | no more for,| than I do | for heaven,
,
, ,
, x
So I | were not | his sis|ter, can't | no other,
,
x , ,
,
But I | your daughter,| he must | be my |
brother.
COUNTESS
T Tx . T
, ,
,
Yes Helen, you might | be my | daughter-|in-law,
,
x , ,
,
God* shield | you mean it | not, daugh/ter and |
mother
,
, , ,
,
So strive | upon | your pulse;| What* pale |
again?
,
, ,
, ,
My fear | hath catched | your fond|ness! now | I
see
,
2 , ,
, ,
The mys|tery of | your lone|liness,| and find
,
T T T 2
, ,
Your salt | tears' head, now | to all sense |'tis
gross:
,
, , ,
,
You love | my son,| invent|ion is | ashamed
,
, , ,
, 2->
Against | the proc|lama|tion of | thy pas||sion
,
, ,
, ,
To say | thou dost^/not: there|fore tell | me
true,
,
, , ,
,
But tell | me then |'tis so,| for look,| thy
cheeks
,
2 , 2
, , ,
Confess | it ton tooth | to the oth|er, and |
thine^eyes
x
, ,
, ,
See it so | grossly | shown in | thy be|haviors,
,
, ,
, ,
That in | their kind | they speak | it, on|ly sin
,
, , ,
,
And hell|ish obs|tina|cy tie | thy tongue
,
, ,
, 2 ,
That truth | should be | suspec|ted, Speak,| is
it so?
,
, 2 ,
, ,
If it | be so,| you have wound | a good|ly clue:
x
, x ,
,
If it be | not, for|swear it how|ere I | charge
thee,
x
, , ,
,
As heaven | shall work | in me | for thine |
avail
,
,
Tell me | truly.
HELENA
, , ,
Good mad|am pard|on me.
COUNTESS
,
, ___
Do you | love my | son? \\
HELENA
,
, ,
Your pard|on nob|le mist|ress. \\
COUNTESS
,
,
Love you | my son?
HELENA
, T Tx
Tx
Do not | you love him madam?
COUNTESS
,
, ,
x ,
Go not | about;| my love | hath in it | a bond
,
. T T T
T T . T
Whereof | the world takes note:| come, come,
disclose:
,
, ,
, ,
->
The state | of your | affec|tion, for | your
pas||sions
, 2
, ,
Have | to the full | appeached.
HELENA
, ,
Then I | confess
,
, . T T Tx
,
Here on | my knee,| before high heaven | and you,
, , ,
, , ,
,
That before you, and next unto high heaven, I
love your son: ????
,
, , ,
,
My friends | were poor | but hon|est, so's | my
love:
,
, , ,
,
Be not | offend|ed, for it // hurts not him
,
, ,
, 2 ,
That he | is loved | of me;| I fol|low him not
, ,
, , 2
,
By an|y tok|en of | presump|tuous suit,
, 2
, ,
, ,
Nor would I | have him,| till I | do de|serve
him,
,
, ,
, ,
Yet nev|er know | how that | desert | should be:
,
, ,
T . T T
I know | I love | in vain,| strive against hope:
,
, ,
, 2 ,
Yet^in | this capt|ious, and | inten|ible sieve
,
, , ,
,
I still | pour^in | the wat|ers of | my love
,
T . T T , 2
,
And lack | not to lose still:| thus^In|dian-like
,
, ,
, ,
Reli|gious in | mine^er|ror, I | adore
,
, ,
, ,
The sun | that looks | upon | his worsh|ipper,
,
, ,
, x
But knows | of him | no more.| My dear|est madam,
,
, ,
, ,
Let^not | your hate | encount|er with | my love,
,
, ,
, ,
For lov|ing where | you do:| but if | yourself,
,
, ,
, 2 ,
Whose ag|ed hon|or cites | a vir|tuous youth,
x ,
, ,
,
Did ever,| in so | true a | flame of | liking,
, ,
, ,
x
Wish chaste/ly, and | love dear/ly, that | your
Dian
,
, ,
, , 2->
Was both | herself | and love,| O* then / give
pit||y
,
T T . T
, ,
To her | whose state is such,| that can|not
choose
,
, ,
, ,
But lend | and give | where she | is sure | to
lose:
,
T . T T ,
,
That seeks | not to find that,| her search |
implies,
, ,
, ,
,
But rid|dle-like,| lives^sweet|ly where | she
dies!
COUNTESS
,
, 2 , ,
,
Had you | not^late|ly an in/tent, speak | truly,
, x
To go | to Paris?
HELENA
x ,
Madam I | had.
COUNTESS
, __
__
Wherefore?|| tell | true. \\
HELENA
. T T
T ,
, ,
I will tell truth;| by grace | itself | I swear:
,
, , ,
2 ,
You know | my fath|er left | me some
pre|scriptions
,
, ,
, 2 ,
Of rare | and proved | effects,| such as his |
reading
,
, , 2
, ,
2->
And man|ifest | exper|ience, had | collec||ted
,
, , ,
2 ,
For gene|ral sove|reignty:| and that he | willed
me
,
, , 2 ,
,
In heed|fullst res|erva|tion to be/stow them,
,
, ,
, ,
As notes,| whose fac|ulties | inclu|sive were,
,
, ,
, ,
More than | they were | in note:| amongst | the
rest,
, , ,
. T T T
There^is | a rem|edy,| approved, set down,
,
, 2 ,
, ,
To cure | the des|perate lang|uishings | whereof
,
, ,
The king | is rend|ered lost. \\
COUNTESS
,
, 2 ,
, ,
This was | your mot|ive for Par|is, was | it,
speak?
HELENA
,
, , ,
,
My lord,| your son,| made me | to think | of
this;
, ,
, 2 ,
,
Else Par/is, and | the med|icine, and | the king,
, ,
, , ,
Had from | the con|versa|tion of | my thoughts,
, ,
,
Haply | been ab|sent then.
COUNTESS
, x
But think | you Helen,
,
, ,
, ,
If you | should tend|er your | suppos|ed aid,
,
x ,
, ,
He would | receive it?| He and | his phy|sicians
, 2 ,
, ,
,
Are of a | mind, he, / that they | cannot | help
him:
,
, ,
, x
They, that | they can|not help,| how shall | they
credit
,
, , ,
,
A poor | unlearn|ed vir|gin, when | the schools
, ,
,
, ,
Embow|elled of | their doct|rine, have / left off
,
, ,
The dang|er to | itself.
HELENA
, x
There's some|thing in it
, 2
, ,
, ,
More than my | father's | skill, which | was the
| greatest
,
, ,
, ,
Of his | profes|sion, that | his good | receipt,
,
, , ,
,
Shall for | my leg|acy | be sanc|tified
2 ,
2 ,
x ,
x
By the luck|iest stars | in heaven,| and would |
your honor
,
, ,
, , 2->
But give | me leave | to try | success,| I'd
ven||ture
,
T T . T 2
, ,
The well-|lost life of mine,| on his grace|'s
cure,
,
, ,
By such | a day,| and hour.
COUNTESS
, x
Dost^thou | believe it?
HELENA
___ ,
, __ oo
Aye | madam | knowing|ly.|
COUNTESS
,
, , ,
,
Why Hel|en thou | shalt have | my leave | and
love,
, 2
, ,
, ,
Means and at|tendants,| and my | loving |
greetings
,
, , ,
,
To those | of mine | in court,| I'll stay | at
home
,
, ,
, ,
And pray | God's bles/sing in|to thy | attempt:
,
, ,
, ,
Be gone | tomor|row, and | be sure | of this,
,
, ,
, ,
What I | can help | thee* to | thou shalt | not*
miss.
[Exeunt]