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  • Title: All's Well That Ends Well (Folio 1, 1623)
  • Editors: Andrew Griffin, Helen Ostovich

    • ISBN: 978-1-55058-432-5

    Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editors: Andrew Griffin, Helen Ostovich
    Not Peer Reviewed

    All's Well That Ends Well (Folio 1, 1623)

    240All's Well that Ends Well
    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

    Enter Lafew and Bertram
    1270Laf But I hope your Lordshippe thinkes not him a
    souldier.
    Ber Yes my Lord and of verie valiant approofe.
    Laf You haue it from his owne deliuerance.
    Ber And by other warranted testimonie.
    1275Laf Then my Diall goes not true, I tooke this Larke
    for a bunting.
    Ber I do assure you my Lord he is very great in know-
    ledge, and accordinglie valiant.
    Laf I haue then sinn'd against his experience, and
    1280transgrest against his valour, and my state that way is
    dangerous, since I cannot yet find in my heart to repent:
    Heere he comes, I pray you make vs freinds, I will pur-
    sue the amitie.

    Enter Parolles
    1285Par These things shall be done sir.
    Laf Pray you sir whose his Tailor?
    Par Sir?
    Laf O I know him well, I sir, hee sirs a good worke-
    man, a verie good Tailor.
    1290Ber Is shee gone to the king?
    Par Shee is.
    Ber Will shee away to night?
    Par As you'le haue her.
    Ber I haue writ my letters, casketted my treasure,
    1295Giuen order for our horses, and to night,
    When I should take possession of the Bride,
    And ere I doe begin.
    Laf A good Trauailer is something at the latter end
    of a dinner, but on that lies three thirds, and vses a
    1300known truth to passe a thousand nothings with, should
    bee once hard, and thrice beaten. God saue you Cap-
    taine.
    Ber Is there any vnkindnes betweene my Lord and
    you Monsieur?
    1305Par I know not how I haue deserued to run into my
    Lords displeasure.
    Laf You haue made shift to run into't, bootes and
    spurres and all: like him that leapt into the Custard, and
    out of it you'le runne againe, rather then suffer question
    1310for your residence.
    Ber It may bee you haue mistaken him my Lord.
    Laf And shall doe so euer, though I tooke him at's
    prayers. Fare you well my Lord, and beleeue this of
    me, there can be no kernell in this light Nut: the soule
    1315of this man is his cloathes: Trust him not in matter of
    heauie consequence: I haue kept of them tame, & know
    their natures. Farewell Monsieur, I haue spoken better
    of you, then you haue or will to deserue at my hand, but
    we must do good against euill.
    1320Par An idle Lord, I sweare.
    Ber I thinke so.
    Par Why do you not know him?
    Ber Yes, I do know him well, and common speech
    Giues him a worthy passe. Heere comes my clog.

    1325Enter Helena
    Hel I haue sir as I was commanded from you
    Spoke with the King, and haue procur'd his leaue
    For present parting, onely he desires
    Some priuate speech with you.
    1330Ber I shall obey his will.
    You must not meruaile Helenat my course,
    Which holds not colour with the time, nor does
    The ministration, and required office
    On my particular. Prepar'd I was not
    1335For such a businesse, therefore am I found
    So much vnsetled: This driues me to intreate you,
    That presently you take your way for home,
    And rather muse then aske why I intreate you,
    For my respects are better then they seeme,
    1340And my appointments haue in them a neede
    Greater then shewes it selfe at the first view,
    To you that know them not. This to my mother,
    'Twill be two daies ere I shall see you, so
    I leaue you to your wisedome.
    1345Hel Sir, I can nothing say,
    But that I am your most obedient seruant.
    Ber Come, come, no more of that.
    Hel And euer shall
    With true obseruance seeke to eeke out that
    1350Wherein toward me my homely starres haue faild
    To equall my great fortune.
    Ber Let that goe: my hast is verie great. Farwell:
    Hie home.
    Hel Pray sir your pardon.
    1355Ber Well, what would you say?
    Hel I am not worthie of the wealth I owe,
    Nor dare I say 'tis mine: and yet it is,
    But like a timorous theefe, most faine would steale
    What law does vouch mine owne.
    1360Ber What would you haue?
    Hel Something, and scarse so much: nothing indeed,
    I would not tell you what I would my Lord: Faith yes,
    Strangers and foes do sunder, and not kisse.
    Ber I pray you stay not, but in hast to horse.
    1365Hel I shall not breake your bidding, good my Lord:
    Where are my other men? Monsieur, farwell. Exit
    Ber Go thou toward home, where I wil neuer come,
    Whilst I can shake my sword, or heare the drumme:
    Away, and for our flight.
    1370Par Brauely, Coragio.


    Actus Tertius


    Flourish. Enter the Duke of Florence, the two Frenchmen
    with a troope of Souldiers
    Duke So that from point to point, now haue you heard
    The
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