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Shakespeare on Stage
Original Shakespeare Company, A Midsommer Night's Dreame (Midsummer Midsommer). To Jun. 21, 2013.
SIP Editors, Measure for Measure. To Aug. 4, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, All's Well That Ends Well. To Nov. 29, 2013.
SIP Editors, King Henry VIII. To Aug. 4, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, Return to the Forbidden Planet. To Dec. 1, 2013.
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All's Well That Ends Well (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editors: Andrew Griffin, Helen Ostovich
Not Peer Reviewed
All's Well, that Ends Well
251
sition of that lasciuious yong boy the Count, haue I run
2400into this danger: yet who would haue suspected an am-
bush where I was taken?
Int There is no remedy sir, but you must dye: the
Generall sayes, you that haue so traitorously discouerd
the secrets of your army, and made such pestifferous re-
2405ports of men very nobly held, can serue the world for
no honest vse: therefore you must dye. Come heades-
man, off with his head.
Par O Lord sir let me liue, or let me see my death.
Int That shall you, and take your leaue of all your
2410friends:
So, looke about you, know you any heere?
Count Good morrow noble Captaine.
Lo. E God blesse you Captaine Parolles
Cap. G God saue you noble Captaine.
2415Lo. E Captain, what greeting will you to my Lord
Lafew I am for France
Cap. G Good Captaine will you giue me a Copy of
the sonnet you writ to Dianain behalfe of the Count
Rossillion and I were not a verie Coward, I'de compell
2420it of you, but far you well.
Exeunt
Int You are vndone Captaine all but your scarfe,
that has a knot on't yet.
Par Who cannot be crush'd with a plot?
Inter If you could finde out a Countrie where but
2425women were that had receiued so much shame, you
might begin an impudent Nation. Fare yee well sir, I
am for Francetoo, we shall speake of you there.
Exit
Par Yet am I thankfull: if my heart were great
'Twould burst at this: Captaine Ile be no more,
2430But I will eate, and drinke, and sleepe as soft
As Captaine shall. Simply the thing I am
Shall make me liue: who knowes himselfe a braggart
Let him feare this; for it will come to passe,
That euery braggart shall be found an Asse.
2435Rust sword, coole blushes, and Parrollesliue
Safest in shame: being fool'd, by fool'rie thriue;
There's place and meanes for euery man aliue.
Ile after them.
Exit

Enter Hellen, Widdow, and Diana

2440Hel That you may well perceiue I haue not
wrong'd you,
One of the greatest in the Christian world
Shall be my suretie: for whose throne 'tis needfull
Ere I can perfect mine intents, to kneele.
2445Time was, I did him a desired office
Deere almost as his life, which gratitude
Through flintie Tartars bosome would peepe forth,
And answer thankes. I duly am inform'd,
His grace is at Marcellae to which place
2450We haue conuenient conuoy: you must know
I am supposed dead, the Army breaking,
My husband hies him home, where heauen ayding,
And by the leaue of my good Lord the King,
Wee'l be before our welcome.
2455Wid Gentle Madam,
You neuer had a seruant to whose trust
Your busines was more welcome.
Hel Nor your Mistris
Euer a friend, whose thoughts more truly labour
2460To recompence your loue: Doubt not but heauen
Hath brought me vp to be your daughters dower,
As it hath fated her to be my motiue
And helper to a husband. But O strange men,
That can such sweet vse make of what they hate,
2465When sawcie trusting of the cosin'd thoughts
Defiles the pitchy night, so lust doth play
With what it loathes, for that which is away,
But more of this heereafter: you Diana
Vnder my poore instructions yet must suffer
2470Something in my behalfe.
Dia Let death and honestie
Go with your impositions, I am yours
Vpon your will to suffer.
Hel Yet I pray you:
2475But with the word the time will bring on summer,
When Briars shall haue leaues as well as thornes,
And be as sweet as sharpe: we must away,
Our Wagon is prepar'd, and time reuiues vs,
All's well that ends well, still the fines the Crowne;
2480What ere the course, the end is the renowne.
Exeunt

Enter Clowne, old Lady, and Lafew
Laf No, no, no, your sonne was misled with a snipt
taffata fellow there, whose villanous saffron wold haue
made all the vnbak'd and dowy youth of a nation in his
2485colour: your daughter-in-law had beene aliue at this
houre, and your sonne heere at home, more aduanc'd
by the King, then by that red-tail'd humble Bee I speak
of.
La I would I had not knowne him, it was the death
2490of the most vertuous gentlewoman, that euer Nature
had praise for creating. If she had pertaken of my flesh
and cost mee the deerest groanes of a mother, I could
not haue owed her a more rooted loue.
Laf Twas a good Lady, 'twas a good Lady. Wee
2495may picke a thousand sallets ere wee light on such ano-
ther hearbe.
Clo Indeed sir she was the sweete Margerom of the
sallet, or rather the hearbe of grace.
Laf They are not hearbes you knaue, they are nose-
2500hearbes.
Clowne I am no great Nabuchadnezarsir, I haue not
much skill in grace.
Laf Whether doest thou professe thy selfe, a knaue
or a foole?
2505Clo A foole sir at a womans seruice, and a knaue at a
mans.
Laf Your distinction.
Clo I would cousen the man of his wife, and do his
seruice.
2510Laf So you were a knaue at his seruice indeed.
Clo And I would giue his wife my bauble sir to doe
her seruice.
Laf I will subscribe for thee, thou art both knaue
and foole.
2515Clo At your seruice.
Laf No, no, no.
Clo Why sir, if I cannot serue you, I can serue as
great a prince as you are.
Laf Whose that, a Frenchman?
2520Clo Faith sir a has an English maine, but his fisno-
mie is more hotter in France then there.
Laf What prince is that?
Clo The blacke prince sir, alias the prince of darke-
nesse, alias the diuell.
2525Laf Hold thee there's my purse, I giue thee not this
to suggest thee from thy master thou talk'st off, serue
him still.
Clow
252
All's Well that Ends Well