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Yet these fix'd evils sit so fit in him That they take place when virtue's
steely bones Looks bleak i' th' cold wind； withal； full oft we see Cold
wisdom waiting on superfluous folly。 PAROLLES。 Save you； fair queen！
HELENA。 And you； monarch！ PAROLLES。 No。 HELENA。 And no。
PAROLLES。 Are you meditating on virginity？ HELENA。 Ay。 You have
some stain of soldier in you； let me ask you a question。 Man is enemy to
virginity； how may we barricado it against him？ PAROLLES。 Keep him
out。 HELENA。 But he assails； and our virginity； though valiant in the
defence； yet is weak。 Unfold to us some warlike resistance。 PAROLLES。
There is none。 Man； setting down before you； will undermine you and
blow you up。 HELENA。 Bless our poor virginity from underminers and
blowers…up！ Is there no military policy how virgins might blow up men？
PAROLLES。 Virginity being blown down； man will quicklier be blown up；
marry； in blowing him down again； with the breach yourselves made； you
lose your city。 It is not politic in the commonwealth of nature to preserve
virginity。 Loss of virginity is rational increase； and there was never virgin
got till virginity was first lost。 That you were made of is metal to make
virgins。 Virginity by being once lost may be ten times found； by being ever
kept； it is ever lost。 'Tis too cold a companion； away with't。 HELENA。 I
will stand for 't a little； though therefore I die a virgin。 PAROLLES。
There's little can be said in 't； 'tis against the rule of nature。 To speak on
the part of virginity is to accuse your mothers； which is most infallible
disobedience。 He that hangs himself is a virgin； virginity murders itself；
and should be buried in highways； out of all sanctified limit； as a desperate
offendress against nature。 Virginity breeds mites； much like a cheese；
consumes itself to the very paring； and so dies with feeding his own
stomach。 Besides； virginity is peevish； proud； idle； made of self…love；
which is the most inhibited sin in the canon。 Keep it not； you cannot
choose but lose by't。 Out with't。 Within ten year it will make itself ten；
which is a goodly increase； and the principal itself not much the worse。
Away with't。 HELENA。 How might one do； sir； to lose it to her own liking？
PAROLLES。 Let me see。 Marry； ill to like him that ne'er it likes。 'Tis a
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commodity will lose the gloss with lying； the longer kept； the less worth。
Off with't while 'tis vendible； answer the time of request。 Virginity； like an
old courtier； wears her cap out of fashion； richly suited but unsuitable； just
like the brooch and the toothpick； which wear not now。 Your date is better
in your pie 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
drily； marry； 'tis a wither'd pear； it was formerly better； marry； yet 'tis a
wither'd pear。 Will you anything with it？ HELENA。 Not my virginity yet。
There shall your master have a thousand loves； A mother； and a mistress；
and a friend； A phoenix； captain； and an enemy； A guide； a goddess； and a
sovereign； A counsellor； a traitress； and a dear； His humble ambition；
proud humility； His jarring concord； and his discord dulcet； His faith； his
sweet disaster； with a world Of pretty； fond； adoptious christendoms That
blinking Cupid gossips。 Now shall he… I know not what he shall。 God send
him well！ The court's a learning…place； and he is one… PAROLLES。 What
one； i' faith？ HELENA。 That I wish well。 'Tis pity… PAROLLES。 What's
pity？ HELENA。 That wishing well had not a body in't Which might be felt；
that we； the poorer born； Whose baser stars do shut us up in wishes； Might
with effects of them follow our friends And show what we alone must
think； which never Returns us thanks。
Enter PAGE
PAGE。 Monsieur Parolles； my lord calls for you。 Exit PAGE
PAROLLES。 Little Helen； farewell； if I can remember thee； I will
think of thee at court。 HELENA。 Monsieur Parolles； you were born under
a charitable star。 PAROLLES。 Under Mars； I。 HELENA。 I especially think；
under Mars。 PAROLLES。 Why under Mars？ HELENA。 The wars hath so
kept you under that you must needs be born under Mars。 PAROLLES。
When he was predominant。 HELENA。 When he was retrograde； I think；
rather。 PAROLLES。 Why think you so？ HELENA。 You go so much
backward when you fight。 PAROLLES。 That's for advantage。 HELENA。
So is running away； when fear proposes the safety： but the composition
that your valour and fear makes in you is a virtue of a good wing； and I
like the wear well。 PAROLLES。 I am so full of business I cannot answer
thee acutely。 I will return perfect courtier； in the which my instruction
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shall serve to naturalize thee； so thou wilt be capable of a courtier's
counsel； and understand what advice shall thrust upon thee； else thou diest
in thine unthankfulness； and thine ignorance makes thee away。 Farewell。
When thou hast leisure； say thy prayers； when thou hast none； remember
thy friends。 Get thee a good husband and use him as he uses thee。 So；
farewell。 Exit HELENA。 Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie； Which we
ascribe to heaven。 The fated sky Gives us free scope； only doth backward
pull Our slow designs when we ourselves are dull。 What power is it which
mounts my love so high； That makes me see； and cannot feed mine eye？
The mightiest space in fortune nature brings To join like likes； and kiss
like native things。 Impossible be strange attempts to those That weigh their
pains in sense； and do suppose What hath been cannot be。 Who ever strove
To show her merit that did miss her love？ The King's disease…my project
may deceive me； But my intents are fix'd； and will not leave me。 Exit
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SCENE 2。 Paris。 The KING'S palace
Flourish of cornets。 Enter the KING OF FRANCE； with letters； and
divers ATTENDANTS
KING。 The Florentines and Senoys are by th' ears