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All’s Well That Ends Well: Act V, Scene 3

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All’s Well That Ends Well
Act V, Scene 3

Roussillon . The Count’s palace .

And look you, here’s your letter

John Masey Wright, circa 1800

  1. Flourish . Enter King , old Lady Countess , Lafew , the two
  2. French Lords , with Attendants .

King of France

1 - 4
  1. We lost a jewel of her , and our esteem
  2. Was made much poorer by it ; but your son ,
  3. As mad in folly , lack’d the sense to know
  4. Her estimation home .

Countess

5 - 9
  1.                      ’Tis past , my liege ,
  2. And I beseech your Majesty to make it
  3. Natural rebellion , done i’ th’ blade of youth ,
  4. When oil and fire , too strong for reason’s force ,
  5. O’erbears it , and burns on .

King of France

10 - 13
  1.                             My honor’d lady ,
  2. I have forgiven and forgotten all ,
  3. Though my revenges were high bent upon him ,
  4. And watch’d the time to shoot .

Lafew

14 - 22
  1.                                This I must say —
  2. But first I beg my pardon — the young lord
  3. Did to his Majesty , his mother , and his lady
  4. Offense of mighty note ; but to himself
  5. The greatest wrong of all . He lost a wife
  6. Whose beauty did astonish the survey
  7. Of richest eyes , whose words all ears took captive ,
  8. Whose dear perfection hearts that scorn’d to serve
  9. Humbly call’d mistress .

King of France

23 - 31
  1.                         Praising what is lost
  2. Makes the remembrance dear . Well , call him hither ,
  3. We are reconcil’d , and the first view shall kill
  4. All repetition . Let him not ask our pardon ,
  5. The nature of his great offense is dead ,
  6. And deeper than oblivion we do bury
  7. Th’ incensing relics of it . Let him approach
  8. A stranger , no offender ; and inform him
  9. So ’tis our will he should .

Gentleman

32
  1.                             I shall , my liege .
  1. Exit .

King of France

33
  1. What says he to your daughter ? Have you spoke ?

Lafew

34
  1. All that he is hath reference to your Highness .

King of France

35 - 36
  1. Then shall we have a match . I have letters sent me
  2. That sets him high in fame .
  1. Enter Count Bertram .

Lafew

37
  1.                             He looks well on’t .

King of France

38 - 42
  1. I am not a day of season ,
  2. For thou mayst see a sunshine and a hail
  3. In me at once . But to the brightest beams
  4. Distracted clouds give way , so stand thou forth ,
  5. The time is fair again .

Bertram

43 - 44
  1.                         My high - repented blames ,
  2. Dear sovereign , pardon to me .

King of France

45 - 51
  1.                               All is whole ,
  2. Not one word more of the consumed time .
  3. Let’s take the instant by the forward top ;
  4. For we are old , and on our quick’st decrees
  5. Th’ inaudible and noiseless foot of time
  6. Steals ere we can effect them . You remember
  7. The daughter of this lord ?

Bertram

52 - 63
  1. Admiringly , my liege . At first
  2. I stuck my choice upon her , ere my heart
  3. Durst make too bold a herald of my tongue ;
  4. Where the impression of mine eye infixing ,
  5. Contempt his scornful perspective did lend me ,
  6. Which warp’d the line of every other favor ,
  7. Scorn’d a fair color , or express’d it stol’n ,
  8. Extended or contracted all proportions
  9. To a most hideous object . Thence it came
  10. That she whom all men prais’d , and whom myself ,
  11. Since I have lost , have lov’d , was in mine eye
  12. The dust that did offend it .

King of France

64 - 79
  1.                              Well excus’d .
  2. That thou didst love her , strikes some scores away
  3. From the great compt ; but love that comes too late ,
  4. Like a remorseful pardon slowly carried ,
  5. To the great sender turns a sour offense ,
  6. Crying , “ That’s good that’s gone .” Our rash faults
  7. Make trivial price of serious things we have ,
  8. Not knowing them until we know their grave .
  9. Oft our displeasures , to ourselves unjust ,
  10. Destroy our friends , and after weep their dust ;
  11. Our own love waking cries to see what’s done ,
  12. While shameful hate sleeps out the afternoon .
  13. Be this sweet Helen’s knell , and now forget her .
  14. Send forth your amorous token for fair Maudlin .
  15. The main consents are had , and here we’ll stay
  16. To see our widower’s second marriage - day .

Countess

80 - 81
  1. Which better than the first , O dear heaven , bless !
  2. Or , ere they meet , in me , O nature , cesse !

Lafew

82 - 90
  1. Come on , my son , in whom my house’s name
  2. Must be digested ; give a favor from you
  3. To sparkle in the spirits of my daughter ,
  4. That she may quickly come .
  5. Bertram gives a ring .
  6.                            By my old beard ,
  7. And ev’ry hair that’s on’t , Helen , that’s dead ,
  8. Was a sweet creature ; such a ring as this ,
  9. The last that e’er I took her leave at court ,
  10. I saw upon her finger .

Bertram

91
  1.                        Hers it was not .

King of France

92 - 98
  1. Now pray you let me see it ; for mine eye ,
  2. While I was speaking , oft was fasten’d to’t .
  3. This ring was mine , and when I gave it Helen ,
  4. I bade her , if her fortunes ever stood
  5. Necessitied to help , that by this token
  6. I would relieve her . Had you that craft to reave her
  7. Of what should stead her most ?
Maria Macklin as Helena

’Tis but the shadow of a wife you see

Maria Macklin as Helena

From Bell's Edition of Shakespeare, 1775

Charles Grignion, printmaker; John Bell, publisher; James Roberts

Bertram

99 - 101
  1.                                My gracious sovereign ,
  2. Howe’er it pleases you to take it so ,
  3. The ring was never hers .

Countess

102 - 104
  1.                          Son , on my life ,
  2. I have seen her wear it , and she reckon’d it
  3. At her live’s rate .

Lafew

105
  1.                     I am sure I saw her wear it .

Bertram

106 - 115
  1. You are deceiv’d , my lord , she never saw it .
  2. In Florence was it from a casement thrown me ,
  3. Wrapp’d in a paper , which contain’d the name
  4. Of her that threw it . Noble she was , and thought
  5. I stood engag’d ; but when I had subscrib’d
  6. To mine own fortune , and inform’d her fully
  7. I could not answer in that course of honor
  8. As she had made the overture , she ceas’d
  9. In heavy satisfaction , and would never
  10. Receive the ring again .

King of France

116 - 127
  1.                         Plutus himself ,
  2. That knows the tinct and multiplying med’cine ,
  3. Hath not in nature’s mystery more science
  4. Than I have in this ring . ’Twas mine , ’twas Helen’s ,
  5. Whoever gave it you . Then if you know
  6. That you are well acquainted with yourself ,
  7. Confess ’twas hers , and by what rough enforcement
  8. You got it from her . She call’d the saints to surety
  9. That she would never put it from her finger ,
  10. Unless she gave it to yourself in bed ,
  11. Where you have never come , or sent it us
  12. Upon her great disaster .

Bertram

128
  1.                          She never saw it .

King of France

129 - 140
  1. Thou speak’st it falsely , as I love mine honor ,
  2. And mak’st conjectural fears to come into me ,
  3. Which I would fain shut out . If it should prove
  4. That thou art so inhuman — ’twill not prove so ;
  5. And yet I know not : thou didst hate her deadly ,
  6. And she is dead , which nothing but to close
  7. Her eyes myself could win me to believe ,
  8. More than to see this ring . Take him away .
  9. Guards seize Bertram .
  10. My fore - past proofs , howe’er the matter fall ,
  11. Shall tax my fears of little vanity ,
  12. Having vainly fear’d too little . Away with him !
  13. We’ll sift this matter further .

Bertram

141 - 144
  1.                                 If you shall prove
  2. This ring was ever hers , you shall as easy
  3. Prove that I husbanded her bed in Florence ,
  4. Where yet she never was .
  1. Exit guarded .
  1. Enter a Gentleman , the astringer .

King of France

145
  1. I am wrapp’d in dismal thinkings .

Gentleman

146 - 156
  1.                                   Gracious sovereign ,
  2. Whether I have been to blame or no , I know not .
  3. Here’s a petition from a Florentine ,
  4. Who hath for four or five removes come short
  5. To tender it herself . I undertook it ,
  6. Vanquish’d thereto by the fair grace and speech
  7. Of the poor suppliant , who by this I know
  8. Is here attending . Her business looks in her
  9. With an importing visage , and she told me ,
  10. In a sweet verbal brief , it did concern
  11. Your Highness with herself .

King of France

157 - 163
  1. Reads a letter .
  2. “ Upon his many protestations to marry me when his wife was
  3. dead , I blush to say it , he won me . Now is the Count
  4. Roussillon a widower , his vows are forfeited to me , and my
  5. honor’s paid to him . He stole from Florence , taking no
  6. leave , and I follow him to his country for justice . Grant it
  7. me , O King , in you it best lies ; otherwise a seducer
  8. flourishes , and a poor maid is undone . Diana Capilet .”

Lafew

164 - 165
  1. I will buy me a son - in - law in a fair , and toll for this .
  2. I’ll none of him .

King of France

166 - 170
  1. The heavens have thought well on thee , Lafew ,
  2. To bring forth this discov’ry . Seek these suitors .
  3. Go speedily , and bring again the Count .
  4. Exeunt some Attendants .
  5. I am afeard the life of Helen , lady ,
  6. Was foully snatch’d .

Countess

171
  1.                      Now , justice on the doers !
  1. Enter Bertram guarded .

King of France

172 - 174
  1. I wonder , sir , sith wives are monsters to you ,
  2. And that you fly them as you swear them lordship ,
  3. Yet you desire to marry . What woman’s that ?
  1. Enter Widow , Diana .

Diana

175 - 178
  1. I am , my lord , a wretched Florentine ,
  2. Derived from the ancient Capilet .
  3. My suit , as I do understand , you know ,
  4. And therefore know how far I may be pitied .

Widow

179 - 181
  1. I am her mother , sir , whose age and honor
  2. Both suffer under this complaint we bring ,
  3. And both shall cease , without your remedy .

King of France

182
  1. Come hither , Count , do you know these women ?

Bertram

183 - 184
  1. My lord , I neither can nor will deny
  2. But that I know them . Do they charge me further ?

Diana

185
  1. Why do you look so strange upon your wife ?

Bertram

186
  1. She’s none of mine , my lord .

Diana

187 - 193
  1.                              If you shall marry ,
  2. You give away this hand , and that is mine ;
  3. You give away heaven’s vows , and those are mine ;
  4. You give away myself , which is known mine ;
  5. For I by vow am so embodied yours ,
  6. That she which marries you must marry me ,
  7. Either both or none .
Cassell's Illustrated Shakespeare

Now pray you let me see it; for mine eye, while I was speaking, oft was fasten’d to’t.

From: Cassell's Illustrated Shakespeare

Mary Cowden Clarke, Charles Cowden Clarke, 1870

Lafew

194 - 195
  1. Your reputation comes too short for my daughter , you are no
  2. husband for her .

Bertram

196 - 199
  1. My lord , this is a fond and desp’rate creature ,
  2. Whom sometime I have laugh’d with . Let your Highness
  3. Lay a more noble thought upon mine honor
  4. Than for to think that I would sink it here .

King of France

200 - 202
  1. Sir , for my thoughts , you have them ill to friend
  2. Till your deeds gain them ; fairer prove your honor
  3. Than in my thought it lies .

Diana

203 - 205
  1.                             Good my lord ,
  2. Ask him upon his oath , if he does think
  3. He had not my virginity .

King of France

206
  1. What say’st thou to her ?

Bertram

207 - 208
  1.                          She’s impudent , my lord ,
  2. And was a common gamester to the camp .

Diana

209 - 215
  1. He does me wrong , my lord ; if I were so ,
  2. He might have bought me at a common price .
  3. Do not believe him . O , behold this ring ,
  4. Whose high respect and rich validity
  5. Did lack a parallel ; yet for all that
  6. He gave it to a commoner a’ th’ camp ,
  7. If I be one .

Countess

216 - 220
  1.              He blushes , and ’tis hit .
  2. Of six preceding ancestors , that gem ,
  3. Conferr’d by testament to th’ sequent issue ,
  4. Hath it been owed and worn . This is his wife ,
  5. That ring’s a thousand proofs .

King of France

221 - 222
  1.                                Methought you said
  2. You saw one here in court could witness it .

Diana

223 - 224
  1. I did , my lord , but loath am to produce
  2. So bad an instrument . His name’s Parolles .

Lafew

225
  1. I saw the man today , if man he be .

King of France

226
  1. Find him , and bring him hither .
  1. Exit an Attendant .

Bertram

227 - 232
  1.                                 What of him ?
  2. He’s quoted for a most perfidious slave ,
  3. With all the spots a’ th’ world tax’d and debosh’d ,
  4. Whose nature sickens but to speak a truth .
  5. Am I or that or this for what he’ll utter ,
  6. That will speak any thing ?

King of France

233
  1.                            She hath that ring of yours .

Bertram

234 - 243
  1. I think she has . Certain it is I lik’d her ,
  2. And boarded her i’ th’ wanton way of youth .
  3. She knew her distance , and did angle for me ,
  4. Madding my eagerness with her restraint ,
  5. As all impediments in fancy’s course
  6. Are motives of more fancy , and in fine ,
  7. Her inf’nite cunning , with her modern grace ,
  8. Subdu’d me to her rate . She got the ring ,
  9. And I had that which any inferior might
  10. At market - price have bought .

Diana

244 - 249
  1.                              I must be patient .
  2. You that have turn’d off a first so noble wife ,
  3. May justly diet me . I pray you yet
  4. ( Since you lack virtue , I will lose a husband )
  5. Send for your ring , I will return it home ,
  6. And give me mine again .

Bertram

250
  1.                         I have it not .

King of France

251
  1. What ring was yours , I pray you ?

Diana

252 - 253
  1.                                  Sir , much like
  2. The same upon your finger .

King of France

254
  1. Know you this ring ? This ring was his of late .

Diana

255
  1. And this was it I gave him , being a - bed .

King of France

256 - 257
  1. The story then goes false , you threw it him
  2. Out of a casement .

Diana

258
  1.                    I have spoke the truth .
  1. Enter Parolles .

Bertram

259
  1. My lord , I do confess the ring was hers .

King of France

260 - 261
  1. You boggle shrewdly , every feather starts you .
  2. Is this the man you speak of ?

Diana

262
  1.                               Ay , my lord .

King of France

263 - 266
  1. Tell me , sirrah — but tell me true , I charge you ,
  2. Not fearing the displeasure of your master ,
  3. Which on your just proceeding I’ll keep off —
  4. By him and by this woman here what know you ?

Parolles

267 - 268
  1. So please your Majesty , my master hath been an honorable
  2. gentleman . Tricks he hath had in him , which gentlemen have .

King of France

269
  1. Come , come , to th’ purpose . Did he love this woman ?

Parolles

270
  1. Faith , sir , he did love her , but how ?

King of France

271
  1. How , I pray you ?

Parolles

272
  1. He did love her , sir , as a gentleman loves a woman .

King of France

273
  1. How is that ?

Parolles

274
  1. He lov’d her , sir , and lov’d her not .

King of France

275 - 276
  1. As thou art a knave , and no knave . What an equivocal
  2. companion is this !

Parolles

277
  1. I am a poor man , and at your Majesty’s command .

Lafew

278
  1. He’s a good drum , my lord , but a naughty orator .

Diana

279
  1. Do you know he promis’d me marriage ?

Parolles

280
  1. Faith , I know more than I’ll speak .

King of France

281
  1. But wilt thou not speak all thou know’st ?

Parolles

282 - 289
  1. Yes , so please your Majesty . I did go between them as I
  2. said , but more than that , he lov’d her , for indeed he was
  3. mad for her , and talk’d of Satan and of Limbo and of Furies
  4. and I know not what . Yet I was in that credit with them at
  5. that time that I knew of their going to bed , and of other
  6. motions , as promising her marriage , and things which would
  7. derive me ill will to speak of ; therefore I will not speak
  8. what I know .
Cassell's Illustrated Shakespeare

Come hither, Count, do you know these women?

From: Cassell's Illustrated Shakespeare

Mary Cowden Clarke, Charles Cowden Clarke, 1870

King of France

290 - 293
  1. Thou hast spoken all already , unless thou canst say they are
  2. married . But thou art too fine in thy evidence , therefore
  3. stand aside .
  4. This ring you say was yours ?

Diana

294
  1.                              Ay , my good lord .

King of France

295
  1. Where did you buy it ? Or who gave it you ?

Diana

296
  1. It was not given me , nor I did not buy it .

King of France

297
  1. Who lent it you ?

Diana

298
  1.                  It was not lent me neither .

King of France

299
  1. Where did you find it then ?

Diana

300
  1.                             I found it not .

King of France

301 - 302
  1. If it were yours by none of all these ways ,
  2. How could you give it him ?

Diana

303
  1.                            I never gave it him .

Lafew

304 - 305
  1. This woman’s an easy glove , my lord , she goes off and on at
  2. pleasure .

King of France

306
  1. This ring was mine , I gave it his first wife .

Diana

307
  1. It might be yours or hers for aught I know .

King of France

308 - 311
  1. Take her away , I do not like her now ,
  2. To prison with her ; and away with him .
  3. Unless thou tell’st me where thou hadst this ring ,
  4. Thou diest within this hour .

Diana

312
  1.                              I’ll never tell you .

King of France

313
  1. Take her away .

Diana

314
  1.                I’ll put in bail , my liege .

King of France

315
  1. I think thee now some common customer .

Diana

316
  1. By Jove , if ever I knew man , ’twas you .

King of France

317
  1. Wherefore hast thou accus’d him all this while ?

Diana

318 - 322
  1. Because he’s guilty , and he is not guilty .
  2. He knows I am no maid , and he’ll swear to’t ;
  3. I’ll swear I am a maid , and he knows not .
  4. Great King , I am no strumpet , by my life ;
  5. I am either maid , or else this old man’s wife .
  1. Pointing to Lafew .

King of France

323
  1. She does abuse our ears . To prison with her !

Diana

324 - 334
  1. Good mother , fetch my bail .
  2. Exit Widow .
  3. Stay , royal sir .
  4. The jeweler that owes the ring is sent for ,
  5. And he shall surety me . But for this lord ,
  6. Who hath abus’d me , as he knows himself ,
  7. Though yet he never harm’d me , here I quit him .
  8. He knows himself my bed he hath defil’d ,
  9. And at that time he got his wife with child .
  10. Dead though she be , she feels her young one kick .
  11. So there’s my riddle : one that’s dead is quick —
  12. And now behold the meaning .
  1. Enter Widow and Helen .

King of France

335 - 337
  1.                             Is there no exorcist
  2. Beguiles the truer office of mine eyes ?
  3. Is’t real that I see ?

Helena

338 - 340
  1.                       No , my good lord ,
  2. ’Tis but the shadow of a wife you see ,
  3. The name , and not the thing .

Bertram

341
  1.                              Both , both . O , pardon !

Helena

342 - 347
  1. O my good lord , when I was like this maid ,
  2. I found you wondrous kind . There is your ring ,
  3. And look you , here’s your letter . This it says :
  4. “ When from my finger you can get this ring ,
  5. And are by me with child , etc .” This is done .
  6. Will you be mine now you are doubly won ?

Bertram

348 - 349
  1. If she , my liege , can make me know this clearly ,
  2. I’ll love her dearly , ever , ever dearly .

Helena

350 - 352
  1. If it appear not plain and prove untrue ,
  2. Deadly divorce step between me and you !
  3. O my dear mother , do I see you living ?

Lafew

353 - 356
  1. Mine eyes smell onions , I shall weep anon .
  2. To Parolles .
  3. Good Tom Drum , lend me a handkercher . So , I thank thee ; wait
  4. on me home , I’ll make sport with thee . Let thy curtsies
  5. alone , they are scurvy ones .

King of France

357 - 366
  1. Let us from point to point this story know ,
  2. To make the even truth in pleasure flow .
  3. To Diana .
  4. If thou beest yet a fresh uncropped flower ,
  5. Choose thou thy husband , and I’ll pay thy dower ,
  6. For I can guess that by thy honest aid
  7. Thou kept’st a wife herself , thyself a maid .
  8. Of that and all the progress , more and less ,
  9. Resolvedly more leisure shall express .
  10. All yet seems well , and if it end so meet ,
  11. The bitter past , more welcome is the sweet .
  1. Flourish .
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