bear to women, (as I perceive by your fimpering, none of you hate them,) that between you and the women, the play may pleafe. If I were a woman, I would kiss as many of you as had beards that pleas'd me, complexions that lik'd me, and breaths that I defy'd not: and, 1 am fure, as many as have good beards, or good faces, or fweet breaths, will, for my kind offer, when I make curt'fy, bid me farewell. [Exeunt.

ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL.

King of France.

Duke of Florence.

Bertram, Count of Roufillon.

Lafeu, an old Lord.

Parolles, a follower of Bertram.

Several young French Lords, that ferve with Bertram in the Florentine war.

Steward,

Clown,

A Page.

Servants to the Countess of Roufillon.

Countess of Roufillon, mother to Bertram.

Helena, a gentlewoman protected by the Countess.
An old widow of Florence.

Diana, daughter to the widow.

Violenta,

Mariana,

} Neighbours and friends to the widow.

Lords, attending on the King; Officers, Soldiers, &c. French

and Florentine.

SCENE, partly in France, and partly in Tuscany.

ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL.

ACT I.

SCENE I. Roufillon. A Room in the COUNTESS's Palace. Enter BERTRAM, the Countess of ROUSILLON, HELENA, and LAFEU, in mourning.

COUNT. In delivering my fon from me, I bury a fecond husband.

BER. And I, in going, madam, weep o'er my father's death anew but I must attend his majesty's command, to whom I am now in ward, evermore in fubjection.

LAF. You shall find of the king a husband, madam ; -you, fir, a father: He that fo generally is at all times good, muft of neceffity hold his virtue to you; whose worthiness would ftir it up where it wanted, rather than lack it where there is fuch abundance.

COUNT. What hope is there of his majesty's amendment?

LAF. He hath 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 bad! how fad a paffage 'tis !) whose skill was almost VOL. II.

S

as great as his honefty; had it ftretch'd fo far, would have made nature immortal, and death should have play for lack of work. 'Would, for the king's fake, he were living! I think, it would be the death of the king's difease.

LAF. How call'd you the man you speak of, madam ? COUNT. He was famous, fir, 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 spoke of him, admiringly, and mourningly he was skilful 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 promises: her difpofitions fhe inherits, which make 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 their fimpleness; the derives her honesty, and achieves 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, go to, no more; left it be rather thought you affect a forrow, than to have.

HEL. I do affect a forrow, indeed, but I have it too.