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All’s Well That Ends Well: Act I, Scene 2

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All’s Well That Ends Well
Act I, Scene 2

Paris . The King’s palace .

Frontpiece to 1851 edition of All's Well That Ends Well

Frontpiece to 1851 edition of All's Well That Ends Well

Charles Knight

  1. Flourish cornets . Enter the King of France with letters ,
  2. Lords , and divers Attendants .

King of France

1 - 3
  1. The Florentines and Senoys are by th’ ears ,
  2. Have fought with equal fortune , and continue
  3. A braving war .

First French Lord Dumaine

4
  1.                So ’tis reported , sir .

King of France

5 - 10
  1. Nay , ’tis most credible ; we here receive it
  2. A certainty , vouch’d from our cousin Austria ,
  3. With caution , that the Florentine will move us
  4. For speedy aid ; wherein our dearest friend
  5. Prejudicates the business , and would seem
  6. To have us make denial .

First French Lord Dumaine

11 - 13
  1.                         His love and wisdom ,
  2. Approv’d so to your Majesty , may plead
  3. For amplest credence .

King of France

14 - 18
  1.                       He hath arm’d our answer ,
  2. And Florence is denied before he comes .
  3. Yet for our gentlemen that mean to see
  4. The Tuscan service , freely have they leave
  5. To stand on either part .

Second French Lord Dumaine

19 - 21
  1.                          It well may serve
  2. A nursery to our gentry , who are sick
  3. For breathing and exploit .

King of France

22
  1.                            What’s he comes here ?
  1. Enter Bertram , Lafew , and Parolles .

First French Lord Dumaine

23 - 24
  1. It is the Count Roussillon , my good lord ,
  2. Young Bertram .

King of France

25 - 28
  1.                Youth , thou bear’st thy father’s face ;
  2. Frank Nature , rather curious than in haste ,
  3. Hath well compos’d thee . Thy father’s moral parts
  4. Mayst thou inherit too ! Welcome to Paris .

Bertram

29
  1. My thanks and duty are your Majesty’s .

King of France

30 - 54
  1. I would I had that corporal soundness now
  2. As when thy father and myself in friendship
  3. First tried our soldiership ! He did look far
  4. Into the service of the time , and was
  5. Discipled of the bravest . He lasted long ,
  6. But on us both did haggish age steal on ,
  7. And wore us out of act . It much repairs me
  8. To talk of your good father . In his youth
  9. He had the wit which I can well observe
  10. Today in our young lords ; but they may jest
  11. Till their own scorn return to them unnoted
  12. Ere they can hide their levity in honor .
  13. So like a courtier , contempt nor bitterness
  14. Were in his pride or sharpness ; if they were ,
  15. His equal had awak’d them , and his honor ,
  16. Clock to itself , knew the true minute when
  17. Exception bid him speak , and at this time
  18. His tongue obey’d his hand . Who were below him
  19. He us’d as creatures of another place ,
  20. And bow’d his eminent top to their low ranks ,
  21. Making them proud of his humility ,
  22. In their poor praise he humbled . Such a man
  23. Might be a copy to these younger times ;
  24. Which followed well , would demonstrate them now
  25. But goers backward .
Dramatis Personae from Harper & Brothers edition of All's Well that Ends Well

Dramatis Personae from Harper & Brothers edition of All's Well that Ends Well

W. J. Rolfe, 1898

Bertram

55 - 58
  1.                     His good remembrance , sir ,
  2. Lies richer in your thoughts than on his tomb .
  3. So in approof lives not his epitaph
  4. As in your royal speech .

King of France

59 - 74
  1. Would I were with him ! He would always say —
  2. Methinks I hear him now ; his plausive words
  3. He scatter’d not in ears , but grafted them ,
  4. To grow there and to bear —“ Let me not live ”—
  5. This his good melancholy oft began ,
  6. On the catastrophe and heel of pastime ,
  7. When it was out —“ Let me not live ,” quoth he ,
  8. “ After my flame lacks oil , to be the snuff
  9. Of younger spirits , whose apprehensive senses
  10. All but new things disdain ; whose judgments are
  11. Mere fathers of their garments ; whose constancies
  12. Expire before their fashions .” This he wish’d .
  13. I , after him , do after him wish too ,
  14. Since I nor wax nor honey can bring home ,
  15. I quickly were dissolved from my hive ,
  16. To give some laborers room .

Second French Lord Dumaine

75 - 76
  1.                             You’re loved , sir ;
  2. They that least lend it you shall lack you first .

King of France

77 - 79
  1. I fill a place , I know’t . How long is’t , Count ,
  2. Since the physician at your father’s died ?
  3. He was much fam’d .

Bertram

80
  1.                    Some six months since , my lord .

King of France

81 - 85
  1. If he were living , I would try him yet .—
  2. Lend me an arm .— The rest have worn me out
  3. With several applications . Nature and sickness
  4. Debate it at their leisure . Welcome , Count ,
  5. My son’s no dearer .

Bertram

86
  1.                     Thank your Majesty .
  1. Exeunt . Flourish .
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