Hel. My mother greets me kindly: is she well? Clo. She is not well; but yet she has her health: she's very merry; but yet she is not well: but thanks be given, she's very well and wants nothing i' the world; but yet 5 she is not well. Hel. If she be very well, what does she ail, that she's not very well? Clo. Truly, she's very well indeed, but for two things. Hel. What two things? 10 Clo. One, that she's not in heaven, whither God send her quickly! the other, that she's in earth, from whence God send her quickly! Enter Parolles. Par. Bless you, my fortunate lady! Hel. I hope, sir, I have your good will to have mine 15 own good fortunes. Par. You had my prayers to lead them on; and to keep them on, have them still. O, my knave, how does my old lady? Clo. So that you had her wrinkles, and I her money, I 20 would she did as you say. Par. Why, I say nothing. Clo. Marry, you are the wiser man; for many a man's tongue shakes out his master's undoing: to say nothing, to do nothing, to know nothing, and to have nothing, is to be 25 a great part of your title; which is within a very little of nothing. Par. Away! thou'rt a knave. Clo. You should have said, sir, before a knave thou'rt a knave; that's, before me thou'rt a knave: this had been 30 truth, sir. Par. Go to, thou art a witty fool; I have found thee. Clo. Did you find me in yourself, sir? or were you taught to find me? The search, sir, was profitable; and much fool may you find in you, even to the world's pleasure 35 and the increase of laughter. Par. A good knave, i' faith, and well fed. Madam, my lord will go away to-night; A very serious business calls on him. The great prerogative and rite of love, 40 Which, as your due, time claims, he does acknowledge; But puts it off to a compell'd restraint; Whose want, and whose delay, is strew'd with sweets, Which they distil now in the curbed time, To make the coming hour o'erflow with joy, And pleasure drown the brim. 45 Hel. What's his will else? Par. That you will take your instant leave o' the king, And make this haste as your own good proceeding, Strengthen'd with what apology you think May make it probable need. Hel. What more commands he? 50 Par. That, having this obtain'd, you presently Attend his further pleasure. Hel. In every thing I wait upon his will. Par. I shall report it so. Hel. I pray you. [Exit Parolles.] Come, sirrah. [Exeunt.

LINENOTES:

Scene iv.] Scene ix. Pope.

The King's Palace.] Another room in the same. Capell.

[2-5] S. Walker would read as four lines of verse, ending health ... not well ... wants ... well.

[3] but thanks] thanks Hanmer.

[10] she's] F1. she is F2 F3 F4.

[11] in earth] on earth Hanmer.

from whence] whence Rowe (ed. 2).

[15] fortunes] Capell (Heath conj.). fortune Ff.

[23] shakes out] speaks out Warburton. shapes out Anon. conj. shakes to Anon. conj.

[27] thou'rt] Rowe. th' art Ff. Before God thou'rt Anon. conj.

[28, 29] knave ... knave; ... me thou'rt] knave, ... knave, ... me th' art F1 F2. knave, ... knave, ... th' art F3 F4. knave; thou art a knave; and I am before thee that art Hanmer.

[28] thou'rt] Capell. th' art Ff.

[33] find me? The search] Rowe. find me? Clo. The search Ff. find me? Par. Go to, I say: I have found thee: no more; I have found thee, a witty fool. Clo. The search Collier (Collier MS.).

[39] rite] right Capell.

[40] due, time claims] duteous claim or duty's claim Anon. conj.

[41] to] F1 F2. by F3 F4. on Capell.

[42] is] are Hanmer.

[43] curbed] cup of Collier conj.

[46] o'] Rowe. a' Ff.

[53] [Exit Par.] Ff (after so).

you. Come] Theobald. you come Ff.

[Exeunt.] Exit. Ff.