All’s Well That Ends Well

1 Flourish of cornets. Enter the King of France, with letters; Lords and
2 others attending.
3 KING.
4 The Florentines and Senoys are by th’ ears;
5 Have fought with equal fortune, and continue
6 A braving war.
7 FIRST LORD.
8 So ’tis reported, sir.
9 KING.
10 Nay, ’tis most credible, we here receive it,
11 A certainty, vouch’d from our cousin Austria,
12 With caution, that the Florentine will move us
13 For speedy aid; wherein our dearest friend
14 Prejudicates the business, and would seem
15 To have us make denial.
16 FIRST LORD.
17 His love and wisdom,
18 Approv’d so to your majesty, may plead
19 For amplest credence.
20 KING.
21 He hath arm’d our answer,
22 And Florence is denied before he comes:
23 Yet, for our gentlemen that mean to see
24 The Tuscan service, freely have they leave
25 To stand on either part.
26 SECOND LORD.
27 It well may serve
28 A nursery to our gentry, who are sick
29 For breathing and exploit.
30 KING.
31 What’s he comes here?
32 Enter Bertram, Lafew and Parolles.
33 FIRST LORD.
34 It is the Count Rossillon, my good lord,
35 Young Bertram.
36 KING.
37 Youth, thou bear’st thy father’s face;
38 Frank nature, rather curious than in haste,
39 Hath well compos’d thee. Thy father’s moral parts
40 Mayst thou inherit too! Welcome to Paris.
41 BERTRAM.
42 My thanks and duty are your majesty’s.
43 KING.
44 I would I had that corporal soundness now,
45 As when thy father and myself in friendship
46 First tried our soldiership. He did look far
47 Into the service of the time, and was
48 Discipled of the bravest. He lasted long,
49 But on us both did haggish age steal on,
50 And wore us out of act. It much repairs me
51 To talk of your good father; in his youth
52 He had the wit which I can well observe
53 Today in our young lords; but they may jest
54 Till their own scorn return to them unnoted
55 Ere they can hide their levity in honour
56 So like a courtier, contempt nor bitterness
57 Were in his pride or sharpness; if they were,
58 His equal had awak’d them, and his honour,
59 Clock to itself, knew the true minute when
60 Exception bid him speak, and at this time
61 His tongue obey’d his hand. Who were below him
62 He us’d as creatures of another place,
63 And bow’d his eminent top to their low ranks,
64 Making them proud of his humility,
65 In their poor praise he humbled. Such a man
66 Might be a copy to these younger times;
67 Which, followed well, would demonstrate them now
68 But goers backward.
69 BERTRAM.
70 His good remembrance, sir,
71 Lies richer in your thoughts than on his tomb;
72 So in approof lives not his epitaph
73 As in your royal speech.
74 KING.
75 Would I were with him! He would always say,—
76 Methinks I hear him now; his plausive words
77 He scatter’d not in ears, but grafted them
78 To grow there and to bear,—“Let me not live,”
79 This his good melancholy oft began
80 On the catastrophe and heel of pastime,
81 When it was out,—“Let me not live” quoth he,
82 “After my flame lacks oil, to be the snuff
83 Of younger spirits, whose apprehensive senses
84 All but new things disdain; whose judgments are
85 Mere fathers of their garments; whose constancies
86 Expire before their fashions.” This he wish’d.
87 I, after him, do after him wish too,
88 Since I nor wax nor honey can bring home,
89 I quickly were dissolved from my hive
90 To give some labourers room.
91 SECOND LORD.
92 You’re lov’d, sir;
93 They that least lend it you shall lack you first.
94 KING.
95 I fill a place, I know’t. How long is’t, Count,
96 Since the physician at your father’s died?
97 He was much fam’d.
98 BERTRAM.
99 Some six months since, my lord.
100 KING.
101 If he were living, I would try him yet;—
102 Lend me an arm;—the rest have worn me out
103 With several applications; nature and sickness
104 Debate it at their leisure. Welcome, Count;
105 My son’s no dearer.
106 BERTRAM.
107 Thank your majesty.
108 [_Exeunt. Flourish._]