All’s Well That Ends Well
Act V, Scene 2
Roussillon . Before the Count’s palace .
Pray you, sir, deliver me this paper.
John Thurston, 1825
- Enter Clown Lavatch and Parolles .
Parolles
1 - 5- Good Master Lavatch , give my Lord Lafew this letter . I have
- ere now , sir , been better known to you , when I have held
- familiarity with fresher clothes ; but I am now , sir , muddied
- in Fortune’s mood , and smell somewhat strong of her strong
- displeasure .
Lavatch
6 - 8- Truly , Fortune’s displeasure is but sluttish if it smell so
- strongly as thou speak’st of . I will henceforth eat no fish
- of Fortune’s butt’ring . Prithee allow the wind .
Parolles
9 - 10- Nay , you need not to stop your nose , sir ; I spake but by a
- metaphor .
Lavatch
11 - 12- Indeed , sir , if your metaphor stink , I will stop my nose , or
- against any man’s metaphor . Prithee get thee further .
Parolles
13- Pray you , sir , deliver me this paper .
Lavatch
14 - 22- Foh , prithee stand away . A paper from Fortune’s close - stool
- to give to a nobleman ! Look here he comes himself .
- Enter Lafew .
- Here is a purr of Fortune’s , sir , or of Fortune’s cat — but
- not a musk - cat — that has fall’n into the unclean fishpond of
- her displeasure , and as he says , is muddied withal . Pray
- you , sir , use the carp as you may , for he looks like a poor ,
- decay’d , ingenious , foolish , rascally knave . I do pity his
- distress in my similes of comfort , and leave him to your
- lordship .
- Exit .
Parolles
23- My lord , I am a man whom Fortune hath cruelly scratch’d .
Lafew
24 - 29- And what would you have me to do ? ’Tis too late to pare her
- nails now . Wherein have you play’d the knave with Fortune
- that she should scratch you , who of herself is a good lady ,
- and would not have knaves thrive long under her ? There’s a
- cardecue for you . Let the justices make you and Fortune
- friends ; I am for other business .
Parolles
30- I beseech your honor to hear me one single word .
Lafew
31 - 32- You beg a single penny more . Come , you shall ha’t ; save your
- word .
Parolles
33- My name , my good lord , is Parolles .
Lafew
34 - 35- You beg more than “ word ” then . Cox my passion ! Give me your
- hand . How does your drum ?
Parolles
36- O my good lord , you were the first that found me !
Lafew
37- Was I , in sooth ? And I was the first that lost thee .
Parolles
38 - 39- It lies in you , my lord , to bring me in some grace , for you
- did bring me out .
Lafew
40 - 45- Out upon thee , knave ! Dost thou put upon me at once both the
- office of God and the devil ? One brings thee in grace , and
- the other brings thee out .
- Trumpets sound .
- The King’s coming , I know by his trumpets . Sirrah , inquire
- further after me . I had talk of you last night ; though you
- are a fool and a knave , you shall eat . Go to , follow .
Parolles
46- I praise God for you .
- Exeunt .
Foh, prithee stand away.
Edwin Austin Abbey, 1891