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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    Not Peer Reviewed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)

    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,
    A
    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
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