ALLS WELL THAT ENDS WELL
Dramatis Personae
KING OF FRANCETHE DUKE OF FLORENCEBERTRAM, Count of RousillonLAFEU, an old lordPAROLLES, a follower of BertramTWO FRENCH LORDS, serving with BertramSTEWARD, Servant to the Countess of RousillonLAVACHE, a clown and Servant to the Countess of RousillonA PAGE, Servant to the Countess of RousillonCOUNTESS OF ROUSILLON, mother to BertramHELENA, a gentlewoman protected by the CountessA WIDOW OF FLORENCE.DIANA, daughter to the WidowVIOLENTA, neighbour and friend to the WidowMARIANA, neighbour and friend to the WidowLords, Officers, Soldiers, etc., French and FlorentineSCENE:
Rousillon; Paris; Florence; MarseillesACT I.
SCENE 1.
Rousillon. The COUNT'S palaceEnter BERTRAM, the COUNTESS OF ROUSILLON, HELENA, and LAFEU, all in black
COUNTESS. In delivering my son from me, I bury a second husband.
BERTRAM. And I in going, madam, weep o'er my father's death anew;
but I must attend his Majesty's command, to whom I am now in
ward, evermore in subjection.
LAFEU. You shall find of the King a husband, madam; you, sir, a
father. He that so generally is at all times good must of
necessity hold his virtue to you, whose worthiness would stir it
up where it wanted, rather than lack it where there is such
abundance.
COUNTESS. What hope is there of his Majesty's amendment?
LAFEU. He hath abandon'd his physicians, madam; under whose
practices he hath persecuted time with hope, and finds no other
advantage in the process but only the losing of hope by time.
COUNTESS. This young gentlewoman had a father— O, that 'had,' how
sad a passage 'tis!-whose skill was almost as great as his
honesty; had it stretch'd so far, would have made nature
immortal, and death should have play for lack of work. Would, for