The Bodleian First Folio

A digital facsimile of the First Folio of Shakespeare's plays, Bodleian Arch. G c.7.



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Reference: X2v - Comedies, p. 244

Left Column


All's Well that Ends Well. prize him; such I will haue whom I am sure he knowes

not from the enemie: wee will binde and hoodwinke

[1695]

him so, that he shall suppose no other but that he is car­

ried into the Leager of the aduersaries, when we bring

him to our owne tents: be but your Lordship present

at his examination, if he do not for the promise of his

life, and in the highest compulsion of base feare, offer to

[1700]

betray you, and deliuer all the intelligence in his power

against you, and that with the diuine forfeite of his

soule vpon oath, neuer trust my iudgement in anie

thing.

Cap. G.

O for the loue of laughter, let him fetch his

[1705]

drumme, he sayes he has a stratagem for't: when your

Lordship sees the bottome of this successe in't, and to

what mettle this counterfeyt lump of ours will be mel­

ted if you giue him not Iohn drummes entertainement,

your inclining cannot be remoued. Heere he comes.

Enter Parrolles. Cap. E.
[1710]

O for the loue of laughter hinder not the ho­

nor of his designe, let him fetch off his drumme in any

hand.

Ber.

How now Monsieur? This drumme sticks sore­

ly in your disposition.

Cap. G.
[1715]

A pox on't, let it go, 'tis but a drumme.

Par.

But a drumme: Ist but a drumme? A drum so

lost. There was excellent command, to charge in with

our horse vpon our owne wings, and to rend our owne

souldiers.

Cap. G.
[1720]

That was not to be blam'd in the command

of the seruice: it was a disaster of warre that Cæsar him

selfe could not haue preuented, if he had beene there to

command.

Ber.

Well, wee cannot greatly condemne our suc­

[1725]

cesse: some dishonor wee had in the losse of that drum,

but it is not to be recouered.

Par.

It might haue beene recouered.

Ber.

It might, but it is not now.

Par.

It is to be recouered, but that the merit of ser­

[1730]

uice is sildome attributed to the true and exact perfor­

mer, I would haue that drumme or another, or hic ia­ cet .

Ber.

Why if you haue a stomacke, too't Monsieur: if

you thinke your mysterie in stratagem, can bring this

[1735]

instrument of honour againe into his natiue quarter, be

magnanimious in the enterprize and go on, I wil grace

the attempt for a worthy exploit: if you speede well in

it, the Duke shall both speake of it, and extend to you

what further becomes his greatnesse, euen to the vtmost

[1740]

syllable of your worthinesse.

Par.

By the hand of a souldier I will vndertake it.

Ber.

But you must not now slumber in it.

Par.

Ile about it this euening, and I will presently

pen downe my dilemma's, encourage my selfe in my

[1745]

certaintie, put my selfe into my mortall preparation:

and by midnight looke to heare further from me.

Ber.

May I bee bold to acquaint his grace you are

gone about it.

Par.

I know not what the successe wil be my Lord,

[1750]

but the attempt I vow.

Ber. I know th'art valiant, And to the possibility of thy souldiership, Will subscribe for thee: Farewell. Par.

I loue not many words.

Exit Cap. E.
[1755]

No more then a fish loues water. Is not this

Right Column


a strange fellow my Lord, that so confidently seemes to

vndertake this businesse, which he knowes is not to be

done, damnes himselfe to do, & dares better be damnd

then to doo't.

Cap. G.

You do not know him my Lord as we doe,

[1760]

certaine it is that he will steale himselfe into a mans fa­

uour, and for a weeke escape a great deale of discoue­

ries, but when you finde him out, you haue him euer af­

ter

Ber.

Why do you thinke he will make no deede at

[1765]

all of this that so seriouslie hee dooes addresse himself

vnto?

Cap. E.

None in the world, but returne with an in­

uention, and clap vpon you two or three probable lies:

but we haue almost imbost him, you shall see his fall to

[1770]

night; for indeede he is not for your Lordshippes re­

spect.

Cap. G.

Weele make you some sport with the Foxe

ere we case him. He was first smoak'd by the old Lord

Lafew, when his disguise and he is parted, tell me what

[1775]

a sprat you shall finde him, which you shall see this ve­

rie night.

Cap. E. I must go looke my twigges, He shall be caught. Ber.

Your brother he shall go along with me.

Cap. G.
[1780]

As't please your Lordship, Ile leaue you.

Ber. Now wil I lead you to the house, and shew you The Lasse I spoke of. Cap. E.

But you say she's honest.

Ber. That's all the fault: I spoke with hir but once,
[1785]
And found her wondrous cold, but I sent to her By this same Coxcombe that we haue i'th winde Tokens and Letters, which she did resend, And this is all I haue done: She's a faire creature, Will you go see her?
Cap. E.
[1790]

With all my heart my Lord.

Exeunt.
[Act 3, Scene 7] Enter Hellen, and Widdow. Hel. If you misdoubt me that I am not shee, I know not how I shall assure you further, But I shall loose the grounds I worke vpon. Wid. Though my estate be fal ne, I was well borne,
[1795]
Nothing acquainted with these businesses, And would not put my reputation now In any staining act.
Hel. Nor would I wish you. First giue me trust, the Count he is my husband,
[1800]
And what to your sworne counsaile I haue spoken, Is so from word to word: and then you cannot By the good ayde that I of you shall borrow, Erre in bestowing it.
Wid. I should beleeue you,
[1805]
For you haue shew'd me that which well approues Y'are great in fortune.
Hel. Take this purse of Gold, And let me buy your friendly helpe thus farre, Which I will ouer‑pay, and pay againe
[1810]
When I haue found it. The Count he woes your daughter, Layes downe his wanton siedge before her beautie, Resolue to carrie her: let her in fine consent As wee'l direct her how 'tis best to beare it: Now his important blood will naught denie,
[1815]
That shee'l demand: a ring the Countie weares, That downward hath succeeded in his house From

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[Act 3, Scene 7] Enter Hellen, and Widdow. Hel. If you misdoubt me that I am not shee, I know not how I shall assure you further, But I shall loose the grounds I worke vpon. Wid. Though my estate be fal ne, I was well borne,
[1795]
Nothing acquainted with these businesses, And would not put my reputation now In any staining act.
Hel. Nor would I wish you. First giue me trust, the Count he is my husband,
[1800]
And what to your sworne counsaile I haue spoken, Is so from word to word: and then you cannot By the good ayde that I of you shall borrow, Erre in bestowing it.
Wid. I should beleeue you,
[1805]
For you haue shew'd me that which well approues Y'are great in fortune.
Hel. Take this purse of Gold, And let me buy your friendly helpe thus farre, Which I will ouer‑pay, and pay againe
[1810]
When I haue found it. The Count he woes your daughter, Layes downe his wanton siedge before her beautie, Resolue to carrie her: let her in fine consent As wee'l direct her how 'tis best to beare it: Now his important blood will naught denie,
[1815]
That shee'l demand: a ring the Countie weares, That downward hath succeeded in his house From sonne to sonne, some foure or fiue discents, Since the first father wore it. This Ring he holds In most rich choice: yet in his idle fire,
[1820]
To buy his will, it would not seeme too deere, How ere repented after.
Wid.

Now I see the bottome of your purpose.

Hel. You see it lawfull then, it is no more, But that your daughter ere she seemes as wonne,
[1825]
Desires this Ring; appoints him an encounter; In fine, deliuers me to fill the time, Her selfe most chastly absent: after To marry her, Ile adde three thousand Crownes To what is past already.
Wid.
[1830]
I haue yeelded: Instruct my daughter how she shall perseuer, That time and place with this deceite so lawfull May proue coherent. Euery night he comes With Musickes of all sorts, and songs compos'd
[1835]
To her vnworthinesse: It nothing steeds vs To chide him from our eeues, for he persists As if his life lay on't.
Hel. Why then to night Let vs assay our plot, which if it speed,
[1840]
Is wicked meaning in a lawfull deede; And lawfull meaning in a lawfull act, Where both not sinne, and yet a sinfull fact. But let's about it.
 

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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<div type="scene" n="7" rend="notPresent">
   <head type="supplied">[Act 3, Scene 7]</head>
   <stage rend="italic center" type="entrance">Enter Hellen, and Widdow.</stage>
   <sp who="#F-aww-hel">
      <speaker rend="italic">Hel.</speaker>
      <l n="1791">If you misdoubt me that I am not shee,</l>
      <l n="1792">I know not how I shall assure you further,</l>
      <l n="1793">But I shall loose the grounds I worke vpon.</l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-aww-wid">
      <speaker rend="italic">Wid.</speaker>
      <l n="1794">Though my estate be fal<c rend="inverted">n</c>e, I was well borne,</l>
      <l n="1795">Nothing acquainted with these businesses,</l>
      <l n="1796">And would not put my reputation now</l>
      <l n="1797">In any staining act.</l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-aww-hel">
      <speaker rend="italic">Hel.</speaker>
      <l n="1798">Nor would I wish you.</l>
      <l n="1799">First giue me trust, the Count he is my husband,</l>
      <l n="1800">And what to your sworne counsaile I haue spoken,</l>
      <l n="1801">Is so from word to word: and then you cannot</l>
      <l n="1802">By the good ayde that I of you shall borrow,</l>
      <l n="1803">Erre in bestowing it.</l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-aww-wid">
      <speaker rend="italic">Wid.</speaker>
      <l n="1804">I should beleeue you,</l>
      <l n="1805">For you haue shew'd me that which well approues</l>
      <l n="1806">Y'are great in fortune.</l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-aww-hel">
      <speaker rend="italic">Hel.</speaker>
      <l n="1807">Take this purse of Gold,</l>
      <l n="1808">And let me buy your friendly helpe thus farre,</l>
      <l n="1809">Which I will ouer‑pay, and pay againe</l>
      <l n="1810">When I haue found it. The Count he woes your
      <lb/>daughter,</l>
      <l n="1811">Layes downe his wanton siedge before her beautie,</l>
      <l n="1812">Resolue to carrie her: let her in fine consent</l>
      <l n="1813">As wee'l direct her how 'tis best to beare it:</l>
      <l n="1814">Now his important blood will naught denie,</l>
      <l n="1815">That shee'l demand: a ring the Countie weares,</l>
      <l n="1816">That downward hath succeeded in his house</l>
      <pb facs="FFimg:axc0265-0.jpg" n="245"/>
      <cb n="1"/>
      <l n="1817">From sonne to sonne, some foure or fiue discents,</l>
      <l n="1818">Since the first father wore it. This Ring he holds</l>
      <l n="1819">In most rich choice: yet in his idle fire,</l>
      <l n="1820">To buy his will, it would not seeme too deere,</l>
      <l n="1821">How ere repented after.</l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-aww-wid">
      <speaker rend="italic">Wid.</speaker>
      <p n="1822">Now I see the bottome of your purpose.</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-aww-hel">
      <speaker rend="italic">Hel.</speaker>
      <l n="1823">You see it lawfull then, it is no more,</l>
      <l n="1824">But that your daughter ere she seemes as wonne,</l>
      <l n="1825">Desires this Ring; appoints him an encounter;</l>
      <l n="1826">In fine, deliuers me to fill the time,</l>
      <l n="1827">Her selfe most chastly absent: after</l>
      <l n="1828">To marry her, Ile adde three thousand Crownes</l>
      <l n="1829">To what is past already.</l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-aww-wid">
      <speaker rend="italic">Wid.</speaker>
      <l n="1830">I haue yeelded:</l>
      <l n="1831">Instruct my daughter how she shall perseuer,</l>
      <l n="1832">That time and place with this deceite so lawfull</l>
      <l n="1833">May proue coherent. Euery night he comes</l>
      <l n="1834">With Musickes of all sorts, and songs compos'd</l>
      <l n="1835">To her vnworthinesse: It nothing steeds vs</l>
      <l n="1836">To chide him from our eeues, for he persists</l>
      <l n="1837">As if his life lay on't.</l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-aww-hel">
      <speaker rend="italic">Hel.</speaker>
      <l n="1838">Why then to night</l>
      <l n="1839">Let vs assay our plot, which if it speed,</l>
      <l n="1840">Is wicked meaning in a lawfull deede;</l>
      <l n="1841">And lawfull meaning in a lawfull act,</l>
      <l n="1842">Where both not sinne, and yet a sinfull fact.</l>
      <l n="1843">But let's about it.</l>
   </sp>
</div>

                                
                            

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