Re-enter Biondello. How now! what news? Bion. Sir, my mistress fends you word That she is bufy, and the cannot come. Pet. How! the is bufy, and the cannot come ! Is that an answer? Gre. Ay, and a kind one too: Pray God, fir, your wife fend you not a worse. Hor. Sirrah, Biondello, go, and intreat my wife Pet. Oh, ho! intreat her! Nay, then the needs muft come. Hor. I am afraid, fir, [Exit Biondello. Do what you can, yours will not be entreated. Now, where's my wife? Bion. She fays, you have fome goodly jeft in hand; Hor. I know her answer. Pet. What? Hor. She will not. Pet. The fouler fortune mine, and there an end. Bap. Now, by my holidame, here comes Ka- What duty they do owe their lords and husbands. Pet. Come on, I say, and first begin with her. Pet. I fay, the fhall;-and firft begin with her. And dart not scornful glances from thofe eyes, A woman mov'd is like a fountain troubled, To watch the night in ftorms, the day in cold, [Exit Grumio. While thou ly'ft warm at home, fecure and fafe; And craves no other tribute at thy hands, But love, fair looks, and true obedience;Too little payment for fo great a debt. Such duty as the fubject owes the prince, Even fuch, a woman oweth to her husband: And, when she's froward, peevish, fullen, four, And not obedient to his honeft will, What is the but a foul contending rebel, And graceless traitor to her loving lord?I am afham'd, that women are fo fimple To offer war where they thould kneel for peace; Or feek for rule, tupremacy, and fway, When they are bound to ferve, love, and obey. Why are our bodies foft, and weak, and smooth, Luc. Here is a wonder, if you talk of a wonder.Unapt to toil and trouble in the world; Hor. And fo it is; I wonder what it bodes. Pet. Marry, peace it bodes, and love, and quiet life, And awful rule, and right fupremacy; And, to be fhort, what not, that's fweet and happy? Kath. What is your will, fir, that you fent for me? Pet. Where is your fifter, and Hortenfio's wife? Kath. They fit conferring by the parlour fire. Pet. Go, fetch them hither; if they deny to come, Swinge me them foundly forth unto their hufbands: Away, I fay, and bring them hither straight. [Exit Katharins. Bap. Now fair befal thee, good Petruchio! Re-enter Katharine, with Bianca and Widow. [She pulls off ber cap, and throws it down. Bian. Fye! what a foolifh duty call you this? But that our foft condition, and our hearts, My hand is ready, may it do him eafe. [me, Kate. We three are married, but you two are sped. Luc. 'Tis a wonder, by your leave, she will be Meaning, lower your pride. 2 A phrase borrowed from archery: the mark being commonly white. ALL PAROLLES," a parafitical Follower of Bertram; a HELENA, Daughter to Gerard de Narbon, a famous: Coward, but vain, and a great Pre tender to Valour. Several young French Lords, that ferve with Bertram in the Florentine War. Phyfician, fome Time fince dead.. An old Widow of Florence. DIANA, Daughter to the Widow. VIOLENTA, Neighbours and Friends to the Widow. MARIANA, The Countess of Roufillon's House in France. Enter Bertram, the Countess of Roufillon, Helena, and Count. fecond hufband. Ber. And I, in going, madam, weep o'er my father's death anew: but I must attend his majefty's command, to whom I am now in ward, evermore in fubjection. Laf. How call'd you the man you speak of madam? Count. He was famous, fir, in his profeffion, and it was his great right to be so: Gerard de Narbon. Laf. He was excellent, indeed, madam; the king very lately fpoke of him, admiringly, and mourningly he was fkilful enough to have livđ ftill, if knowledge could have been fet up against mortality. Ber. What is it, my good lord, the king lan guishes of? Laf. A fiftula, my lord, Ber. I heard not of it before.. Lef. You shall find of the king a-husband, madam;—you, fir, a father: He that fo generally is at all times good, muft of neceffity hold his virtue to you; whofe worthiness would ftir it up where it wanted, rather than lack it where there is fuch abundance. Count. What hope is there of his majesty's good, that her education promifes: her difpofiamendment? Laf. He hath abandon'd his physicians, madam; under whofe practices he hath perfecuted time with hope; and finds no other advantage in the process, but only the lofing of hope by time, Count. This young gentlewoman had a father, (0, that bad! how fad a paffage 2 'tis! whofe fkill was almost as great as his honesty; had it stretch'd fo far, it would have made nature immortal, and death fhould have play'd for lack of work, 'Would, for the king's fake, he were living! I think, it would be the death of the king's difeafe. Laf. I would, it were not notorious.-Was this gentlewoman the daughter of Gerard de Narbon ?. Count. His fole child, my lord; and bequeathed to my overlooking. I have thofe hopes of her tions the inherits, which makes fair gifts fairer : for where an unclean mind carries virtuous qualities, there commendations go with pity, they are virtues and traitors too 3; in her they are the bet~, ter for their fimplenef's 4; the derives her honefty, and atchieves her goodness. Laf. Your commendations, madam, get from her tears. Count. 'Tis the best brine a maiden can feafon her praife in. The remembrance of her father never approaches her heart, but the tyranny of her forrows takes all livelihood from her cheek. No The heirs of great fortunes were anciently the king's wards, 2 Paffage means any thing that afes, and is here applied in the fame fenfe as when we fay the paffage of a book. 3 Dr. Johnfon this comments upon this paffage: "Eftimable and useful qualities, joined with an evil difpofition, give that evil difpofition power over others, who, by admiring the virtue, are betrayed to the malevolence." 4- i. c. her excellencies are the better because they are artlefs and open, without fraud, without defign. more of this, Helena, go to, no more; left it be Look bleak in the cold wind: withal, full off rather thought you affect a forrow, than to have. Hel. I do affect a forrow, indeed, but I have it too. Laf. Moderate lamentation is the right of the dead, exceffive grief the enemy to the living. Count. If the living be enemy to the grief, the excess makes it foon mortal 1. Ber. Madam, I defure your holy wishes. [father Laf. He cannot want the best, That fhall attend his love. Count. Heaven bless him! Farewell, Bertram. [Exit Countefs. Ber. [To Helena.] The best wishes, that can be forg'd in your thoughts, be fervants to you! Be comfortable to my mother, your mistress, and make much of her. Laf. Farewell, pretty lady: You must hold the credit of your father. [Ex. Bertram and Lafeu. Hel. Oh, were that all!-I think not on my father; And thefe great tears 2 grace his remembrance more, f every line and 3 trick of his sweet favour, One that goes with him: I love him for his fake; we fee Cold 4 wisdom waiting on fuperfluous folly. Hel. And no. Par. Are you meditating on virginity? Hel. Ay. You have fome 5 ftain of foldier in you; let me ask you a question: Man is enemy to virginity; how may we barricado it against him? Par. Keep him out. Hel. But be affails; and our virginity, though valiant, in the defence yet is weak; unfold to us fome warlike refiftance. Par. There is none; man, fitting down before you, will undermine you, and blow you up. Hel. Blefs our poor virginity from underminers, and blowers up!—Is there no military policy, how virgins might blow up men? Par. Virginity being blown down, man will quicklier be blown up: marry, in blowing him down again, with the breach yourselves made, you lofe your city. It is not politick in the commonwealth of nature, to preserve virginity. Lofs of virginity is rational increase; and there was never virgin got, till virginity was firft loit. That, you were made of, is metal to make virgins. Virgi nity, by being once loft, may be ten times found : by being ever kept, is ever loft: 'tis too cold a companion; away with it. Hel. I will ftand for't a little, though therefore I die a virgin. Par. There's little can be faid in't; 'tis against the rule of nature. To speak on the part of virginity, is to accuse your mothers; which is most infallible difobedience. He, that hangs himself, is a virgin virginity murders itfelf; and fhould be buried in highways, out of all fanctified limit, as a defperate offendrefs against nature. Virginity breeds mites, much like a cheese; confumes itself to the very paring, and fo dies with feeding its own ftomach. Befides, virginity is peevish, proud, idle, made of felf-love, which is the most inhi bited fin in the canon. Keep it not; you cannot chufe but lofe by't: Out with't: within ten years it will make itself two, which is a goodly increase; and the principal itself not much the worse. Away with 't. Hel. How might one do, fir, to lefe it to her own liking? Par. Let me fee: Marry, ill, to like him that ne'er it likes. 'Tis a commodity will lofe the glofs with lying; the longer kept, the lefs worth: off with 't, while 'tis vendible: answer the time of requeft. Virginity, like an old courtier, wears her cap out of fashion; richly fuited, but unfuitable : juft like the brooch and the tooth-pick, which wear not now: Your date is better in your pye i. e. That is, "If the living do not indulge grief, grief deftroys itfelf by its own excefs." the tears of the king and countefs. 3. e. fome peculiar feature of his face. 4 Celd is here put for naked, and thus contrasted with fuperfluous or over-cloathed. 5 Meaning, fome colour of foldier. Parelles was in red, as appears from his being afterwards called red-tail'd humble bee.. e. forbidden fin. and and your porridge, than in your cheek: And thou dieft in thine unthankfulness, and thine igno your virginity, your old virginity, is like one of our rance makes thee away; farewel. When thou French wither'd pears: it looks ill, it eats dryly; haft leifure, fay thy prayers; when thou haft none, marry, 'tis a wither'd pear: it was formerly bet-remember thy friends: get thee a good husband, ter; marry, yet, 'tis a wither'd pear: Will you and use him as he uses thee; fo farewel. [Exit. any thing with it? Hel. Not my virginity yet. There fhall your mafter have a thousand loves, Par. What's pity? 'Tis pity Hel That wishing well had not a body in't, Hel. Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie, The Court of France. 11. [Exit, Which might be felt: that we, the poorer born, Flourish Cornets. Enter the King of France, with Whose bafer stars do fhut us up in wishes, Enter Page. . Page. Monfieur Parolles, my lord calls for you. [Exit Page. Par. Little Helen, farewel: if I can remember thee, I will think of thee at court. Letters, and divers Attendants. King The Florentines and Senoys $ are by the ears; Have fought with equal fortune, and continue 1 Lord. So 'tis reported, fir. King. Nay, 'tis moft credible; we here receive it A certainty, vouch'd from our coufin Austria, Hel. Monsieur Parolles, you were born under a With caution, that the Florentine will move us Charitable star. Par. Under Mars, I. Par. Why under Mars? Hel. I especially think, under Mars. For fpeedy aid; wherein our dearest friend 1 Lord. His love and wisdom, Hel. The wars have kept you fo under, that you Approv'd fo to your majesty, may plead must needs be born under Mars. Par. When he was predominant. For ampleft credence. King. He hath arm'd our anfwer, Hel. When he was retrograde, I think, rather. And Florence is deny'd before he comes: Par. Why think you so ? Yet, for our gentlemen, that mean to fee Hel. You go fo much backward, when you fight. The Tuscan service, freely have they leave Hel. So is running away, when fear propofes the fafety: But the compofition, that your valour and fear makes in you, is a virtue of a good wing 3, and I like the wear well. To stand on either part. 2 Lod. It may well ferve King. What's he comes here? Par. I am fo full of bufineffes, I cannot answer thee acutely: I will return perfect courtier; in the which, my instruction shall serve to naturalize thee, fo thou wilt be capable of courtier's counfel, and King. Youth, thou bear'st thy father's face ; understand what advice shall thrust upon thee; else (Frank nature, rather curious than in haste, Enter Bertram, Lafeu, and Parolles. 1 Lord. It is the count Roufillon, my good lord, Young Bertram. Shakspeare here quibbles on the word date, which means both age, and a kind of candied fruit. 3. Dr. Warburton is of opinion, that the eight lines following friend, is the nonfenfe of fome foolish conceited player, who finding a thoufand loves fpoken of, and only three reckoned up, namely, a mother's, a mistress's, and a friend's, would help out the number by the intermediate nonfense. The meaning of Helen, however, in this paffage may be, that the fhall prove every thing to Bertram. 3 A metaphor taken from falconry; and meaning, a virtue that will fly high. 4 Dr. Johnson explains thefe lines thus: "Nature brings like qualities and difpofitions to meet through any distance that fortune may have fet between them; the joins them, and makes them kifs like things born together." The Senois were the people of a small republick, of which the capital was Sienna, and with whom the Florentines were at conftant variance. Hath well compos'd thee. Thy father's moral parts Ber. My thanks and duty are your majesty's. In their poor praise he humbled 3: Such a man Ber. His good remembrance, fir, Lies richer in your thoughts, than on his tomb; So in approof 4 lives not his epitaph, As in your royal speech 5. Since the physician at your father's died? Ber. Some fix months fince, my lord. King. If he were living, I would try him yet;- Ber. Thank your majesty. [Flourish. Exeunt. A Room in the Count's Palace." Enter Counters, Steward, and Clown 6. Count. I will now hear: what fay you of this gentlewoman? Stew. Madam, the care I have had to even your content 7, I wifh might be found in the calendar of my paft endeavours; for then we wound our modefty, and make foul the clearnefs of our defervings, when of ourselves we publish them. Count. What does this knave here? Get you gone, firrah: The complaints, I have heard of you, I do not all believe; 'tis my flowness, that I do not: for, I know, you lack not folly to commit them, and have ability enough to make fuch knaveries yours . Clo. 'Tis not unknown to you, madam, that I am a poor fellow. Count. Well, fir. Clo. No, madam, 'tis not fo well, that I am poor: though many of the rich are damn'd: But, King. Would, I were with him! He would al-if I may have' your ladyship's good will to go to ways fay, (Methinks, I hear him now; his plaufive words Since 1 nor wax, nor honey, can bring home, 2 Lord. You are lov'd, fir; They, that leaft lend it you, fhall lack you first. the world, Ifbel the woman and I will do as we may. Count. Wilt thou needs be a beggar? Clo. I do beg your good will in this case. Clo. In libel's cafe, and mine own. Service is no heritage and, I think, I fhall never have the bleffing of God, till I have iffue of my body; for, · they fay, bearns are bleffings. Count. Tell me thy reafon why thou wilt marry. Clo. My poor body, madam, requires it; I am driven on by the flesh; and he must needs go, that the devil drives. Count. Is this all your worfhip's reason? Clo. Faith, madam, I have other holy reasons, fuch as they are. Count. May the world know them? Clo. 1 have been, madam, a wicked creature, as you and all flesh and blood are; and, indeed, I do marry, that I may repent. I That is, cover petty faults with great merit. 2 i. e. he made allowances for their conduct, and bore from them what he would not from one of his own rank. 3 i. c. by condescending to ftoop to his inferiors, he exalted them and made them proud; and, in the gracious receiving their poor praife, he humbled even his humility. • Approof is approbation. 5 Mr. Tollet explains this paffage thus: "His epitaph or infcription on his tomb is not fo much in approbation or commendation of him, as is your royal fpeech." • A Clown in Shakspeare is commonly taken for a licensed jefter, or domestick fool. We are not to wonder that we find this character often in his plays, ince fools were, at that time, maintained in all great families, to keep up merriment in the house. 7 i. e. to equal your defires. 8 i. e. You are fool enough to commit thofe irregu- ? larities you are charged with, and yet not fo much fool neither, as to difcredit the accufation by any defect in your ability. 9 i. e. to be married. See note 1, p. 128, Countr |