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horses of the sun shall bring Their fiery torcher his diurnal ring； Ere twice
in murk and occidental damp Moist Hesperus hath quench'd his sleepy
lamp； Or four and twenty times the pilot's glass Hath told the thievish
minutes how they pass； What is infirm from your sound parts shall fly；
Health shall live free； and sickness freely die。 KING。 Upon thy certainty
and confidence What dar'st thou venture？ HELENA。 Tax of impudence； A
strumpet's boldness； a divulged shame； Traduc'd by odious ballads； my
maiden's name Sear'd otherwise； ne worse of worst…extended With vilest
torture let my life be ended。 KING。 Methinks in thee some blessed spirit
doth speak His powerful sound within an organ weak； And what
impossibility would slay In common sense； sense saves another way。 Thy
life is dear； for all that life can rate Worth name of life in thee hath
estimate： Youth； beauty； wisdom； courage； all That happiness and prime
can happy call。 Thou this to hazard needs must intimate Skill infinite or
monstrous desperate。 Sweet practiser； thy physic I will try； That ministers
thine own death if I die。 HELENA。 If I break time； or flinch in property Of
what I spoke； unpitied let me die； And well deserv'd。 Not helping； death's
my fee； But； if I help； what do you promise me？ KING。 Make thy demand。
HELENA。 But will you make it even？ KING。 Ay； by my sceptre and my
hopes of heaven。 HELENA。 Then shalt thou give me with thy kingly hand
What husband in thy power I will command。 Exempted be from me the
arrogance To choose from forth the royal blood of France； My low and
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humble name to propagate With any branch or image of thy state； But
such a one； thy vassal； whom I know Is free for me to ask； thee to bestow。
KING。 Here is my hand； the premises observ'd； Thy will by my
performance shall be serv'd。 So make the choice of thy own time； for I；
Thy resolv'd patient； on thee still rely。 More should I question thee； and
more I must； Though more to know could not be more to trust； From
whence thou cam'st； how tended on。 But rest Unquestion'd welcome and
undoubted blest。 Give me some help here； ho！ If thou proceed As high as
word； my deed shall match thy deed。 ＇Flourish。 Exeunt＇
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ALLS WELL THAT ENDS WELL
SCENE 2。 Rousillon。 The COUNT'S palace
Enter COUNTESS and CLOWN
COUNTESS。 Come on； sir； I shall now put you to the height of your
breeding。 CLOWN。 I will show myself highly fed and lowly taught。 I
know my business is but to the court。 COUNTESS。 To the court！ Why；
what place make you special； when you put off that with such contempt？
But to the court！ CLOWN。 Truly； madam； if God have lent a man any
manners； he may easily put it off at court。 He that cannot make a leg； put
off's cap； kiss his hand； and say nothing； has neither leg； hands； lip； nor
cap； and indeed such a fellow； to say precisely； were not for the court； but
for me； I have an answer will serve all men。 COUNTESS。 Marry； that's a
bountiful answer that fits all questions。 CLOWN。 It is like a barber's chair；
that fits all buttocks…the pin buttock； the quatch buttock； the brawn buttock；
or any buttock。 COUNTESS。 Will your answer serve fit to all questions？
CLOWN。 As fit as ten groats is for the hand of an attorney； as your French
crown for your taffety punk； as Tib's rush for Tom's forefinger； as a
pancake for Shrove Tuesday； a morris for Mayday； as the nail to his hole；
the cuckold to his horn； as a scolding quean to a wrangling knave； as the
nun's lip to the friar's mouth； nay； as the pudding to his skin。 COUNTESS。
Have you； I； say； an answer of such fitness for all questions？ CLOWN。
From below your duke to beneath your constable； it will fit any question。
COUNTESS。 It must be an answer of most monstrous size that must fit all
demands。 CLOWN。 But a trifle neither； in good faith； if the learned should
speak truth of it。 Here it is； and all that belongs to't。 Ask me if I am a
courtier： it shall do you no harm to learn。 COUNTESS。 To be young again；
if we could； I will be a fool in question； hoping to be the wiser by your
answer。 I pray you； sir； are you a courtier？ CLOWN。 O Lord； sir！…There's a
simple putting off。 More； more； a hundred of them。 COUNTESS。 Sir； I am
a poor friend of yours； that loves you。 CLOWN。 O Lord； sir！…Thick； thick；
spare not me。 COUNTESS。 I think； sir； you can eat none of this homely
meat。 CLOWN。 O Lord； sir！…Nay； put me to't； I warrant you。 COUNTESS。
You were lately whipp'd； sir； as I think。 CLOWN。 O Lord； sir！…Spare not
me。 COUNTESS。 Do you cry 'O Lord； sir！' at your whipping； and 'spare
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not me'？ Indeed your 'O Lord； sir！' is very sequent to your whipping。 You
would answer very well to a whipping； if you were but bound to't。
CLOWN。 I ne'er had worse luck in my life in my 'O Lord； sir！' I see thing's
may serve long； but not serve ever。 COUNTESS。 I play the noble
housewife with the time； To entertain it so merrily with a fool。 CLOWN。
O Lord； sir！…Why； there't serves well again。 COUNTESS。 An end； sir！ To
your business： give Helen this； And urge her to a present answer back；
Commend me to my kinsmen and my son。 This is not much。 CLOWN。
Not much commendation to them？ COUNTESS。 Not much employment
for you。 You understand me？ CLOWN。 Most fruitfully； I am there before
my legs。 COUNTESS。 Haste you again。 Exeunt
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SCENE 3。 Paris。 The KING'S palace
Enter BERTRAM； LAFEU； and PAROLLES
LAFEU。 They say miracles are past； and we have our philosophical
persons to make modern and familiar things supernatural and causeless。
Hence is it that we make trifles of terrors； ensconcing ourselves into
seeming knowledge when we should submit ourselves to an unknown fear。
PAROLLES。 Why； 'tis the rarest argument of wonder that hath shot out in
our latter times。 BERTRAM。 And so 'tis。 LAFEU。 To be relinquish'd of the
artists… PAROLLES。 So I say…both of Galen and Paracelsus。 LAFEU。 Of