Count. What hope is there of his Majefty's amendment? Laf. He hatl. abandon'd his phyficians, Madam, under whofe practices he hath perfecuted time with hope; and finds no other advantage in the process, but only the lofing of hope by time. Count. This young gentlewoman had a father, (0, that had! how fad a prefage 'tis!) whofe fkill was almoft as great as his honefty; had it ftretch'd fo far, it would have made nature immortal, and death fhould have play'd for lack of work. 'Would, for the King's fake, he were living! I think it would be the death of the King's difeafe. Laf. How call'd you the man you fpeak of, Madam? Count. He was famous, Sir, in his profeffion, and it was his great right to be fo: Gerard de Narbon. Laf. He was excellent, indeed, Madam; the King very lately fpoke of him admiringly, and mourningly: he was fkilful enough to have liv'd ftill, if knowledge could be fet up against mortality. Ber. What is it, my good Lord, the King languishes of?! Laf. A fiftula, my Lord. Ber. I heard not of it before. Laf. I would it were not notorious. Was this gentlewoman the daughter of Gerard de Narbon? Count. His fole child, my Lord, and bequeathed to my overlooking. I have thofe hopes of her good, that her education promifes her: difpofition fhe inherits, which makes fair gifts fairer; for where an unclean mind carries virtuous qualities*, there commendations go with pity; they are virtues and traitors too: in her they are the better for her fimplenefs; the derives her honesty, and at.chieves her goodness. Laf. Your commendations, Madam, get from her tears. Count. 'Tis the beft brine a maiden can feafon her praise in. The remembrance of her father never approaches her heart, but the tyranny of her forrows takes all livelihood from her cheek. No more of this, Helena; By virtuous qualities here are not meant thofe of a moral kind, but fuch as are acquired by erudition and good breeding. Helena; go to, no more; left it be rather thought you affect a forrow, than to have it. Hel. I do affect a forrow, indeed, but I have it too. Laf. Moderate lamentation is the right of the dead, exceffive grief the enemy to the living. Count. If the living be not enemy to the grief, the excefs makes it foon mortal: Ber. Madam, I defire your holy wishes. Laf. How understand we that? Count. Be thou blefs'd, Bertram, and fucceed thy father In manners as in shape! thy blood and virtue Contend for empire in thee, and thy goodness Share with thy birthright! Love all, trust a few, Do wrong to none: be able for thine enemy Rather in power, than ufe; and keep thy friend Under thy own life's key: be check'd for filence, But never tax'd for fpeech. What heav'n more will,. That thee may furnish, and my prayers pluck down, Fall on thy head! farewell, my Lord; 'Tis an unfeafon'd courtier, good my Lord, Advise him. Laf. He cannot want the best,. That fhall attend his love. Count. Heav'n blefs him! Farewell, Bertram. [Exit Countess. Ber. [To Hel.] The best wishes that can be forg'd in your thoughts, be fervants to you! Be comfortable to my mother your mistress, and make much of her. of Laf. Farewell, pretty Lady, you must hold the credit SCENE II. Hel. Oh, were that all! -I think not on my father; And thefe great tears grace his remembrance more Carries no favour in it, but my Bertram's. A 2 In * In his bright radiance and collateral light 4. Of every line and trick of his fweet favour! But now he's gone, and my idolatrous fancy Enter Parolles. One that goes with him; I love him for his fake, "That they take place, when Virtue's fteely bones Par. Are you meditating on virginity? Hel. Ay; you have fome ftain of foldier in you; let me ask you a queftion. Man is enemy to virginity, how may we barricado it against him? Par. Keep him out. Hel. But he affails; and our virginity, though valiant, in the defence yet is weak: unfold to us fome warlike refiftance. Par. There is none: man, setting down before you, will undermine you, and blow you up. Hel. Blefs our poor virginity from underminers and • Reflected. + Cold for naked; as fuperfluous for over-cloth'd. Stain for colour. blowers blowers up!Is there no military policy how virgins might blow up men? Par. Virginity being blown down, man will quicklier be blown up: marry, in blowing him down again, with the breach yourfelves made, you lofe your city. It is not politic in the commonwealth of nature to preferve virginity. Lofs of virginity is rational increafe; and there was never virgin got, till virginity was first loft. That you were made of, is metal to make virgins. Virginity, by being once loft, may be ten times found; by being ever kept, it is ever loft; 'tis too cold a companion: away with't. Hel. I will stand for't a little, though therefore I die a virgin. Par. There's little can be faid in't; 'tis against the rule of nature. To fpeak on the part of virginity, 'tis to accufe your mother;, which is moft infallible difobedience. As he that hangs himself, fo is a virgin: Virginity murthers itself, and should be buried in highways out of all fanctified limit, as a defperate offendrefs againft nature. Virginity breeds mites, much like a cheese; confumes itfelf to the very paring, and fo dies with feeding its own ftomach. Befides, virginity is peevish, proud, idle, made of felf-love; which is the: moft prohibited fin in the canon. Keep it not, you 'cannot chufe but löfe by't. Out with't; within ten years it will make itself two, which is a goodly increase, and the principal itself not much the worfe. `Away 'with't.' Hel. How might one do, Sir, to lose it to her own liking? Par. Let me fee. Marry, ill, to like him that ne'er it likes. 'Tis a commodity will lofe the glofs with lying. The longer kept, the lefs worth; off with't while 'tis vendible. Anfwer the time of requeft. Virginity, like an old courtier, wears her cap out of fashion; richly fuited, but unfuitable: just like the brooch and the toothpick, which we wear not now. Your date is better in your pye and your porridge, than in your cheek; and your virginity, your old virginity, is like one of our French wither'd pears; it looks ill, it eats dryly; marry, 'tis wither'd pear: it was formerly better; marry, yet 'tis a A 3. wither'd a I wither'd pear. Will you any thing with it. There fhall your mafter have a thousand loves, The court's a learning place Par. What one, i' faith? -God fend him well! and he is gone Hel. That I wish well-'tis pity- Hel. That wishing well had not a body in't Might with effects of them follow our friends; Enter Page. Page. Monfieur Parolles, My Lord calls for you. [Exit Page. Par. Little Helen, farewell; if I can remember. thee, I will think of thee at court. Hel. Monfieur Parolles, you were born under a charitable star. Par. Under Mars, I. Hel. I especially think under Mars. Par. Why under Mars? Hel. The wars have kept you fo under, that you muft needs be born under Mars. Par. When he was predominant. Hel. When he was retrograde, I think rather. · Par. Why think you fo? Hel. You go fo much backward, when you fight. -and a friend, A phoenix, captain, and an enemy; Par |
