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Shakespeare on Stage
American Shakespeare Center, Love's Labour's Lost. To Jun. 15, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, The Duchess of Malfi. To Jun. 15, 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Not Peer Reviewed
Enter Helena and Clowne
1210Hel My mother greets me kindly, is she well?
Clo She is not well, but yet she has her health, she's
very merrie, but yet she is not well: but thankes be gi-
uen she's very well, and wants nothing i'th world: but
yet she is not well.
1215Hel If she be verie wel, what do's she ayle, that she's
not verie well?
Clo Truly she's very well indeed, but for two things
Hel What two things?
Clo One, that she's not in heauen, whether God send
1220her quickly: the other, that she's in earth, from whence
God send her quickly.
Enter Parolles
Par Blesse you my fortunate Ladie.
Hel I hope sir I haue your good will to haue mine
1225owne good fortune.
Par You had my prayers to leade them on, and to
keepe them on, haue them still. O my knaue, how do's
my old Ladie?
Clo So that you had her wrinkles, and I her money,
1230I would she did as you say.
Par Why I say nothing.
Clo Marry you are the wiser man: for many a mans
tongue shakes out his masters vndoing: to say nothing,
to do nothing, to know nothing, and to haue nothing,
1235is to be a great part of your title, which is within a verie
little of nothing.
Par Away, th'art a knaue.
Clo You should haue said sir before a knaue, th'art a
knaue, that's before me th'art a knaue: this had beene
1240truth sir.
Par Go too, thou art a wittie foole, I haue found
thee.
Clo Did you finde me in your selfe sir, or were you
taught to finde me?
1245Clo The search sir was profitable, and much Foole
may you find in you, euen to the worlds pleasure, and the
encrease of laughter.
Par A good knaue ifaith, and well fed.
Madam, my Lord will go awaie to night,
1250A verie serrious businesse call's on him:
The great prerogatiue and rite of loue,
Which as your due time claimes, he do's acknowledge,
But puts it off to a compell'd restraint:
Whose want, and whose delay, is strew'd with sweets
1255Which they distill now in the curbed time,
To make the comming houre oreflow with ioy,
And pleasure drowne the brim.
Hel What's his will else?
Par That you will take your instant leaue a'th king,
1260And make this hast as your owne good proceeding,
Strengthned with what Apologie you thinke
May make it probable neede.
Hel What more commands hee?
Par That hauing this obtain'd, you presentlie
1265Attend his further pleasure.
Hel In euery thing I waite vpon his will.
Par I shall report it so.
Exit Par
Hell I pray you come sirrah.
Exit