Ber. Stay; the King

Par. Ufe a more fpacious ceremony to the noble Lords, you have reftrain'd yourself within the lift of too cold an adieu; be more expreffive to them, for they wear themselves in the cap of the time', there, do mufter true gait, eat, fpeak, and move under the. influence of the most receiv'd ftar; and tho' the devil lead the measure, fuch are to be follow'd: after them, and take a more dilated farewel.

Ber. And I will do fo.

Par. Worthy fellows, and like to prove moft finewy fword-men.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Enter the King, and Lafeu.

[Lafeu kneels.

Laf. Pardon, my Lord, for me and for my tidings. King. I'll fee thee to ftand up.

Laf. Then here's a man ftands, that hath bought his pardon.

I would you had kneel'd, my Lord, to afk me mercy;
And that at my bidding you could so stand up.
King. I would, I had; fo I had broke thy pate,
And afk'd thee mercy for't.

8

Laf. Goodfaith, across-but, my good Lord,

'tis thus ;

Will you be cur'd of your infirmity?

King. No.

: Laf. O, will you eat no grapes, my royal fox? Yes, but you will, my noble grapes; an if

My royal fox could reach them: I have feen a medicine, That's able to breathe life into a stone;

Quicken a rock, and make you dance Canary

With fprightly fire and motion; whofe fimple touch
Is powerful to araife King Pepin, nay,

To give great Charlemain a pen in's hand,
And write to her a love-line.

If

King. What her is this?

Laf. Why, doctor-fhe: my Lord, there's one arriv'd,

you will fee her. Now, by my faith and honour, If seriously I may convey my thoughts

In this my light deliverance, I have spoke

With one, that in her fex', her years, profeffion, Wisdom and conftancy, hath amaz'd me more Than I dare blame my weakness: will you fee her, For that is her Demand, and know her business? That done, laugh well at me.

King. Now, good Lafeu,

Bring in the admiration, that we with thee
May spend our wonder too, or take off thine,
By wond'ring how thou took'st it.

8 - across-] This word, as has been already obferved, is ufed when any país of wit mifcarries.

9 Yes, but you will, my noble grapes; an' if.] Thefe words, my noble grapes, feem to Dr. Warburton and Sir T. Hanmer, to ftand fo much in the way, that they have filently omitted them. They may be in

X 3

deed rejected without great lofs but I believe they are Shake-, Speare's words. You will eat, fays Lafeu, no grapes. Yes, but you will eat fuch noble grapes as I bring you, if you could reach

them.

I

her years, profeffion,] By profeffion is meant her declaration of the end and purpose of her coming. WARBURTON.

Laf.

Laf. Nay, I'll fit you,

And not be all day neither.

[Exit Lafeu.

King. Thus he his fpecial nothing ever prologues. Laf. [Returns.] Nay, come your ways.

[Bringing in Helena.

King. This hafte hath wings, indeed.
Laf. Nay, come your ways,

This is his majesty, fay your inind to him;

A traitor you do look like; but fuch traitors.
His Majefty feldom fears: I'm Creffid's uncle 2,
That dare leave two together; fare you well. [Exit.

King. Now, fair One, do's your business follow us? Hel. Ay, my good Lord.

Gerard de Narbon was my father,

In what he did profefs, well found.

King. I knew him.

Hel. The rather will I fpare my praise toward him;
Knowing him, is enough: on's bed of death.
Many receipts he gave me, chiefly one,
Which, as the dearest iffue of his practice,
And of his old experience th' only darling,
He bade me store up, as a triple eye,

Safer than mine own two: more dear I have fo;
And hearing your high Majefty is touch'd
With that malignant caufe, wherein the honour'
Of my dear father's gift ftands chief in power,
I come to tender it, and my appliance,
With all bound humbleness.

King. We thank you, maiden;

But may not be fo credulous of cure,

When our moft learned doctors leave us; and
The congregated college have concluded,
That labouring art can never ransome nature
From her unaidable eftate: we must not
So ftain our judgment, or corrupt our hope,
To prostitute our paft-cure malady
To empericks; or to diffever fo

Our great felf and our credit, to esteem
A fenfelefs help, when help paft fenfe we deem.
Hel. My duty then fhall pay me for my pains;
I will no more enforce mine office on you; -
Humbly intreating from your royal thoughts
A modeft one to bear me back again.

King. I cannot give thee less, to be call'd grateful; Thou thought'ft to help me, and fuch thanks I give, As one near death to those that wish him live; But what at full I know, thou know'st no part;

I knowing all my peril, thou no art.

Hel. What I can do, can do no hurt to try,
Since you fet up your reft 'gainft remedy.
He that of greatest works is finisher,
Oft does them by the weakest minister:
So holy writ in babes hath judgment shown,
When judges have been babes; great floods have flown
From fimple fources; and great seas have dry'd,
When mir'cles have by th' greatest been deny'd +
Oft expectation fails, and moft oft there

Where most it promifes: and oft it hits
Where hope is coldeft, and defpair most fits.

King. I must not hear thee; fare thee well, kind
Maid;

Thy pains, not us'd, must by thyself be paid :

4 When miracles have by th' greatest been deny'd] I do not fee the import or connection of this line. As the next line

X 4

ftands without a correspondent rhyme, I fufpect that fomething has been loft.

Proffers,

Proffers, not took, reap thanks for their reward.

Hel. Infpired merit fo by breath is barr'd :
It is not fo with him that all things knows,
As 'tis with us, that fquare our guefs by fhows:
But most it is prefumption in us, when
The help of heav'n we count the act of men.
Dear Sir, to my endeavours give confent,
Of heav'n, not me, make an experiment,
I am not an impoftor, that proclaim
5 Myfelf against the level of mine aim;

But know I think, and think I know moft fure,
My art is not paft power, nor you past cure.

King. Art thou fo confident? within what space Hop'it thou my cure?

Hel. The greateft grace lending grace,
Ere twice the horfes of the fun fhall bring
Their fiery torcher his diurnal ring;
Ere twice in murk and accidental damp
Moift Hesperus hath quench'd his fleepy lamp;
Or four and twenty times the pilot's glass
Hath told the thievifh minutes how they pafs;
What is infirm from your found parts fhall fly,
Health fhall live free, and ficknels freely die.
King. Upon thy certainty and confidence,
What dar'it thou venture?

Hel. Tax of impudence,

A ftrumpet's boldness, a divulged shame
Traduc'd by odious ballads: my maiden's name

5 Mfelf against the level of mine aim;] i. e. pretend to greater things than befits the mediocrity of my condition.

WARBUTON.

I rather think that fhe means to fay, I am not an impoftor that proclaim one thing and defign another, that proclaim a cure and

Seal'd