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About this text

  • 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    Not Peer Reviewed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)

    1730Enter Count Rossillion and the Frenchmen
    as at first
    Cap. E Nay good my Lord put him too't: let him
    haue his way.
    Cap. G If your Lordshippe finde him not a Hilding,
    1735hold me no more in your respect.
    Cap. E On my life my Lord, a bubble.
    Ber Do you thinke I am so farre
    Deceiued in him.
    Cap. E Beleeue it my Lord, in mine owne direct
    1740knowledge, without any malice, but to speake of him
    as my kinsman, hee's a most notable Coward, an infi-
    nite and endlesse Lyar, an hourely promise-breaker, the
    owner of no one good qualitie, worthy your Lordships
    entertainment.
    1745Cap. G It were fit you knew him, least reposing too
    farre in his vertue which he hath not, he might at some
    great and trustie businesse, in a maine daunger, fayle
    you.
    Ber I would I knew in what particular action to try
    1750him.
    Cap. G None better then to let him fetch off his
    drumme, which you heare him so confidently vnder-
    take to do.
    C. E I with a troop of Florentines wil sodainly sur-
    X 2 prize
    244All's Well that Ends Well
    1755prize him; such I will haue whom I am sure he knowes
    not from the enemie: wee will binde and hoodwinke
    him so, that he shall suppose no other but that he is car-
    ried into the Leager of the aduersaries, when we bring
    him to our owne tents: be but your Lordship present
    1760at his examination, if he do not for the promise of his
    life, and in the highest compulsion of base feare, offer to
    betray you, and deliuer all the intelligence in his power
    against you, and that with the diuine forfeite of his
    soule vpon oath, neuer trust my iudgement in anie
    1765thing.
    Cap. G O for the loue of laughter, let him fetch his
    drumme, he sayes he has a stratagem for't: when your
    Lordship sees the bottome of this successe in't, and to
    what mettle this counterfeyt lump of ours will be mel-
    1770ted if you giue him not Iohn drummes entertainement,
    your inclining cannot be remoued. Heere he comes.
    Enter Parrolles
    Cap. E O for the loue of laughter hinder not the ho-
    nor of his designe, let him fetch off his drumme in any
    1775hand.
    Ber How now Monsieur? This drumme sticks sore-
    ly in your disposition.
    Cap. G A pox on't, let it go, 'tis but a drumme.
    Par But a drumme: Ist but a drumme? A drum so
    1780lost. There was excellent command, to charge in with
    our horse vpon our owne wings, and to rend our owne
    souldiers.
    Cap. G That was not to be blam'd in the command
    of the seruice: it was a disaster of warre that Caesarhim
    1785selfe could not haue preuented, if he had beene there to
    command.
    Ber Well, wee cannot greatly condemne our suc-
    cesse: some dishonor wee had in the losse of that drum,
    but it is not to be recouered.
    1790Par It might haue beene recouered.
    Ber It might, but it is not now.
    Par It is to be recouered, but that the merit of ser-
    uice is sildome attributed to the true and exact perfor-
    mer, I would haue that drumme or another, or hic ia-
    1795cet
    Ber Why if you haue a stomacke, too't Monsieur: if
    you thinke your mysterie in stratagem, can bring this
    instrument of honour againe into his natiue quarter, be
    magnanimious in the enterprize and go on, I wil grace
    1800the attempt for a worthy exploit: if you speede well in
    it, the Duke shall both speake of it, and extend to you
    what further becomes his greatnesse, euen to the vtmost
    syllable of your worthinesse.
    Par By the hand of a souldier I will vndertake it.
    1805Ber But you must not now slumber in it.
    Par Ile about it this euening, and I will presently
    pen downe my dilemma's, encourage my selfe in my
    certaintie, put my selfe into my mortall preparation:
    and by midnight looke to heare further from me.
    1810Ber May I bee bold to acquaint his grace you are
    gone about it.
    Par I know not what the successe wil be my Lord,
    but the attempt I vow.
    Ber I know th'art valiant,
    1815And to the possibility of thy souldiership,
    Will subscribe for thee: Farewell.
    Par I loue not many words. Exit
    Cap. E No more then a fish loues water. Is not this
    a strange fellow my Lord, that so confidently seemes to
    1820vndertake this businesse, which he knowes is not to be
    done, damnes himselfe to do, & dares better be damnd
    then to doo't.
    Cap. G You do not know him my Lord as we doe,
    certaine it is that he will steale himselfe into a mans fa-
    1825uour, and for a weeke escape a great deale of discoue-
    ries, but when you finde him out, you haue him euer af-
    ter.
    Ber Why do you thinke he will make no deede at
    all of this that so seriouslie hee dooes addresse himselfe
    1830vnto?
    Cap. E None in the world, but returne with an in-
    uention, and clap vpon you two or three probable lies:
    but we haue almost imbost him, you shall see his fall to
    night; for indeede he is not for your Lordshippes re-
    1835spect.
    Cap. G Weele make you some sport with the Foxe
    ere we case him. He was first smoak'd by the old Lord
    Lafew when his disguise and he is parted, tell me what
    a sprat you shall finde him, which you shall see this ve-
    1840rie night.
    Cap. E I must go looke my twigges,
    He shall be caught.
    Ber Your brother he shall go along with me.
    Cap. G As't please your Lordship, Ile leaue you.
    1845Ber Now wil I lead you to the house, and shew you
    The Lasse I spoke of.
    Cap. E But you say she's honest.
    Ber That's all the fault: I spoke with hir but once,
    And found her wondrous cold, but I sent to her
    1850By this same Coxcombe that we haue i'th winde
    Tokens and Letters, which she did resend,
    And this is all I haue done: She's a faire creature,
    Will you go see her?
    Cap. E With all my heart my Lord. Exeunt