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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    Not Peer Reviewed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)

    All's Well that Ends Well 251
    2655Par Pray you sir deliuer me this paper.
    Clo Foh, prethee stand away: a paper from fortunes
    close-stoole, to giue to a Nobleman. Looke heere he
    comes himselfe.

    Enter Lafew

    2660Clo Heere is a purre of Fortunes sir, or of Fortunes
    Cat, but not a Muscat, that ha's falne into the vncleane
    fish-pond of her displeasure, and as he sayes is muddied
    withall. Pray you sir, vse the Carpe as you may, for he
    lookes like a poore decayed, ingenious, foolish, rascally
    2665knaue. I doe pittie his distresse in my smiles of comfort,
    and leaue him to your Lordship.
    Par My Lord I am a man whom fortune hath cruel-
    ly scratch'd.
    Laf And what would you haue me to doe? 'Tis too
    2670late to paire her nailes now. Wherein haue you played
    the knaue with fortune that she should scratch you, who
    of her selfe is a good Lady, and would not haue knaues
    thriue long vnder? There's a Cardecue for you: Let the
    Iustices make you and fortune friends; I am for other
    2675businesse.
    Par I beseech your honour to heare mee one single
    word,
    Laf you begge a single peny more: Come you shall
    ha't, saue your word.
    2680Par My name my good Lord is Parrolles
    Laf You begge more then word then. Cox my pas-
    sion, giue me your hand: How does your drumme?
    Par O my good Lord, you were the first that found
    mee.
    2685Laf Was I insooth? And I was the first that lost thee.
    Par It lies in you my Lord to bring me in some grace
    for you did bring me out.
    Laf Out vpon thee knaue, doest thou put vpon mee
    at once both the office of God and the diuel: one brings
    2690thee in grace, and the other brings thee out. The Kings
    comming I know by his Trumpets. Sirrah, inquire fur-
    ther after me, I had talke of you last night, though you
    are a foole and a knaue, you shall eate, go too, follow.
    Par I praise God for you.

    2695Flourish. Enter King, old Lady, Lafew, the two French
    Lords, with attendants
    Kin We lost a Iewell of her, and our esteeme
    Was made much poorer by it: but your sonne,
    As mad in folly, lack'd the sence to know
    2700Her estimation home.
    OldLa 'Tis past my Liege,
    And I beseech your Maiestie to make it
    Naturall rebellion, done i'th blade of youth,
    When oyle and fire, too strong for reasons force,
    2705Ore-beares it, and burnes on.
    Kin My honour'd Lady,
    I haue forgiuen and forgotten all,
    Though my reuenges were high bent vpon him,
    And watch'd the time to shoote.
    2710Laf This I must say,
    But first I begge my pardon: the yong Lord
    Did to his Maiesty, his Mother, and his Ladie,
    Offence of mighty note; but to himselfe
    The greatest wrong of all. He lost a wife,
    2715Whose beauty did astonish the suruey
    Of richest eies: whose words all eares tooke captiue,
    Whose deere perfection, hearts that scorn'd to serue,
    Humbly call'd Mistris.
    Kin Praising what is lost,
    2720Makes the remembrance deere. Well, call him hither,
    We are reconcil'd, and the first view shall kill
    All repetition: Let him not aske our pardon,
    The nature of his great offence is dead,
    And deeper then obliuion, we do burie
    2725Th' incensing reliques of it. Let him approach
    A stranger, no offender; and informe him
    So 'tis our will he should.
    Gent I shall my Liege.
    Kin What sayes he to your daughter,
    2730Haue you spoke?
    Laf All that he is, hath reference to your Highnes.
    Kin Then shall we haue a match. I haue letters sent
    me, that sets him high in fame.

    Enter Count Bertram
    2735Laf He lookes well on't.
    Kin I am not a day of season,
    For thou maist see a sun-shine, and a haile
    In me at once: But to the brightest beames
    Distracted clouds giue way, so stand thou forth,
    2740The time is faire againe.
    Ber My high repented blames
    Deere Soueraigne pardon to me.
    Kin All is whole,
    Not one word more of the consumed time,
    2745Let's take the instant by the forward top:
    For we are old, and on our quick'st decrees
    Th' inaudible, and noiselesse foot of time
    Steales, ere we can effect them. You remember
    The daughter of this Lord?
    2750Ber Admiringly my Liege, at first
    I stucke my choice vpon her, ere my heart
    Durst make too bold a herauld of my tongue:
    Where the impression of mine eye enfixing,
    Contempt his scornfull Perspectiue did lend me,
    2755Which warpt the line, of euerie other fauour,
    Scorn'd a faire colour, or exprest it stolne,
    Extended or contracted all proportions
    To a most hideous obiect. Thence it came,
    That she whom all men prais'd, and whom my selfe,
    2760Since I haue lost, haue lou'd; was in mine eye
    The dust that did offend it.
    Kin Well excus'd:
    That thou didst loue her, strikes some scores away
    From the great compt: but loue that comes too late,
    2765Like a remorsefull pardon slowly carried
    To the great sender, turnes a sowre offence,
    Crying, that's good that's gone: Our rash faults,
    Make triuiall price of serious things we haue,
    Not knowing them, vntill we know their graue.
    2770Oft our displeasures to our selues vniust,
    Destroy our friends, and after weepe their dust:
    Our owne loue waking, cries to see what's don,e
    While shamefull hate sleepes out the afternoone.
    Be this sweet Helensknell, and now forget her.
    2775Send forth your amorous token for faire Maudlin
    The maine consents are had, and heere wee'l stay
    To see our widdowers second marriage day:
    Which better then the first, O deere heauen blesse,
    Or, ere they meete in me, O Nature cesse.
    2780Laf Come on my sonne, in whom my houses name
    Must be digested: giue a fauour from you
    To sparkle in the spirits of my daughter,
    That
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