SCENE V. Rousillon. The COUNT's palace. All's Well That Ends Well  Shakespeare homepage  |  All's Well That Ends Well  | Act 4, Scene 5 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene  SCENE V. Rousillon. The COUNT's palace. 

 Enter COUNTESS, LAFEU, and Clown  LAFEU  No, no, no, your son was misled with a snipt-taffeta 

 fellow there, whose villanous saffron would have 

 made all the unbaked and doughy youth of a nation in 

 his colour: your daughter-in-law had been alive at 

 this hour, and your son here at home, more advanced 

 by the king than by that red-tailed humble-bee I speak of. 

 COUNTESS  I would I had not known him; it was the death of the 

 most virtuous gentlewoman that ever nature had 

 praise for creating. If she had partaken of my 

 flesh, and cost me the dearest groans of a mother, I 

 could not have owed her a more rooted love. 

 LAFEU  'Twas a good lady, 'twas a good lady: we may pick a 

 thousand salads ere we light on such another herb. 

 Clown  Indeed, sir, she was the sweet marjoram of the 

 salad, or rather, the herb of grace. 

 LAFEU  They are not herbs, you knave; they are nose-herbs. 

 Clown  I am no great Nebuchadnezzar, sir; I have not much 

 skill in grass. 

 LAFEU  Whether dost thou profess thyself, a knave or a fool? 

 Clown  A fool, sir, at a woman's service, and a knave at a man's. 

 LAFEU  Your distinction? 

 Clown  I would cozen the man of his wife and do his service. 

 LAFEU  So you were a knave at his service, indeed. 

 Clown  And I would give his wife my bauble, sir, to do her service. 

 LAFEU  I will subscribe for thee, thou art both knave and fool. 

 Clown  At your service. 

 LAFEU  No, no, no. 

 Clown  Why, sir, if I cannot serve you, I can serve as 

 great a prince as you are. 

 LAFEU  Who's that? a Frenchman? 

 Clown  Faith, sir, a' has an English name; but his fisnomy 

 is more hotter in France than there. 

 LAFEU  What prince is that? 

 Clown  The black prince, sir; alias, the prince of 

 darkness; alias, the devil. 

 LAFEU  Hold thee, there's my purse: I give thee not this 

 to suggest thee from thy master thou talkest of; 

 serve him still. 

 Clown  I am a woodland fellow, sir, that always loved a 

 great fire; and the master I speak of ever keeps a 

 good fire. But, sure, he is the prince of the 

 world; let his nobility remain in's court. I am for 

 the house with the narrow gate, which I take to be 

 too little for pomp to enter: some that humble 

 themselves may; but the many will be too chill and 

 tender, and they'll be for the flowery way that 

 leads to the broad gate and the great fire. 

 LAFEU  Go thy ways, I begin to be aweary of thee; and I 

 tell thee so before, because I would not fall out 

 with thee. Go thy ways: let my horses be well 

 looked to, without any tricks. 

 Clown  If I put any tricks upon 'em, sir, they shall be 

 jades' tricks; which are their own right by the law of nature. 



 Exit  LAFEU  A shrewd knave and an unhappy. 

 COUNTESS  So he is. My lord that's gone made himself much 

 sport out of him: by his authority he remains here, 

 which he thinks is a patent for his sauciness; and, 

 indeed, he has no pace, but runs where he will. 

 LAFEU  I like him well; 'tis not amiss. And I was about to 

 tell you, since I heard of the good lady's death and 

 that my lord your son was upon his return home, I 

 moved the king my master to speak in the behalf of 

 my daughter; which, in the minority of them both, 

 his majesty, out of a self-gracious remembrance, did 

 first propose: his highness hath promised me to do 

 it: and, to stop up the displeasure he hath 

 conceived against your son, there is no fitter 

 matter. How does your ladyship like it? 

 COUNTESS  With very much content, my lord; and I wish it 

 happily effected. 

 LAFEU  His highness comes post from Marseilles, of as able 

 body as when he numbered thirty: he will be here 

 to-morrow, or I am deceived by him that in such 

 intelligence hath seldom failed. 

 COUNTESS  It rejoices me, that I hope I shall see him ere I 

 die. I have letters that my son will be here 

 to-night: I shall beseech your lordship to remain 

 with me till they meet together. 

 LAFEU  Madam, I was thinking with what manners I might 

 safely be admitted. 

 COUNTESS  You need but plead your honourable privilege. 

 LAFEU  Lady, of that I have made a bold charter; but I 

 thank my God it holds yet. 



 Re-enter Clown  Clown  O madam, yonder's my lord your son with a patch of 

 velvet on's face: whether there be a scar under't 

 or no, the velvet knows; but 'tis a goodly patch of 

 velvet: his left cheek is a cheek of two pile and a 

 half, but his right cheek is worn bare. 

 LAFEU  A scar nobly got, or a noble scar, is a good livery 

 of honour; so belike is that. 

 Clown  But it is your carbonadoed face. 

 LAFEU  Let us go see your son, I pray you: I long to talk 

 with the young noble soldier. 

 Clown  Faith there's a dozen of 'em, with delicate fine 

 hats and most courteous feathers, which bow the head 

 and nod at every man. 



 Exeunt  Shakespeare homepage  |  All's Well That Ends Well  | Act 4, Scene 5 

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