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Enter HELEN, WIDOW, and DIANA, with two ATTENDANTS.
Enter HELEN, WIDOW, and DIANA, with two ATTENDANTS.
HELEN  
But this exceeding posting day and night
Must wear your spirits low. We cannot help it.
But since you have made the days and nights as one
To wear your gentle limbs in my affairs,
5
Be bold you do so grow in my requital
As nothing can unroot you.
HELEN  
But this exceeding posting day and night
Must wear your spirits low. We cannot help it.
But since you have made the days and nights as one
To wear your gentle limbs in my affairs,
Be bold you do so grow in my requital
As nothing can unroot you.
Enter a GENTLEMAN, a gentle Astringer.
Enter a GENTLEMAN, a gentle Astringer.
   In happy time!
   This man may help me to his Majesty’s ear,
   If he would spend his power.—God save you, sir.
   In happy time!
   This man may help me to his Majesty’s ear,
   If he would spend his power.—God save you, sir.
GENTLEMAN  
10
And you.
GENTLEMAN  
And you.
HELEN  
Sir, I have seen you in the court of France.
HELEN  
Sir, I have seen you in the court of France.
GENTLEMAN  
I have been sometimes there.
GENTLEMAN  
I have been sometimes there.
HELEN  
I do presume, sir, that you are not fall’n
From the report that goes upon your goodness,
15
And therefore, goaded with most sharp occasions
Which lay nice manners by, I put you to
The use of your own virtues, for the which
I shall continue thankful.
HELEN  
I do presume, sir, that you are not fall’n
From the report that goes upon your goodness,
And therefore, goaded with most sharp occasions
Which lay nice manners by, I put you to
The use of your own virtues, for the which
I shall continue thankful.
GENTLEMAN  
What’s your will?
GENTLEMAN  
What’s your will?
HELEN taking out a paper
20
That it will please you
To give this poor petition to the King
And aid me with that store of power you have
To come into his presence.
HELEN taking out a paper
That it will please you
To give this poor petition to the King
And aid me with that store of power you have
To come into his presence.
GENTLEMAN  
The King’s not here.
GENTLEMAN  
The King’s not here.
HELEN  
25
Not here, sir?
HELEN  
Not here, sir?
GENTLEMAN  
Not indeed.
He hence removed last night, and with more haste
Than is his use.
GENTLEMAN  
Not indeed.
He hence removed last night, and with more haste
Than is his use.
WIDOW  
Lord, how we lose our pains!
WIDOW  
Lord, how we lose our pains!
HELEN  
30
All’s well that ends well yet,
Though time seem so adverse and means unfit.—
I do beseech you, whither is he gone?
HELEN  
All’s well that ends well yet,
Though time seem so adverse and means unfit.—
I do beseech you, whither is he gone?
GENTLEMAN  
Marry, as I take it, to Rossillion,
Whither I am going.
GENTLEMAN  
Marry, as I take it, to Rossillion,
Whither I am going.
HELEN giving him the paper
35
I do beseech you, sir,
Since you are like to see the King before me,
Commend the paper to his gracious hand,
Which I presume shall render you no blame
But rather make you thank your pains for it.
40
I will come after you with what good speed
Our means will make us means.
HELEN giving him the paper
I do beseech you, sir,
Since you are like to see the King before me,
Commend the paper to his gracious hand,
Which I presume shall render you no blame
But rather make you thank your pains for it.
I will come after you with what good speed
Our means will make us means.
GENTLEMAN  
This I’ll do for you.
GENTLEMAN  
This I’ll do for you.
HELEN  
And you shall find yourself to be well thanked
Whate’er falls more. We must to horse again.—
45
Go, go, provide.
HELEN  
And you shall find yourself to be well thanked
Whate’er falls more. We must to horse again.—
Go, go, provide.
They exit.
They exit.

Original Text

Modern Text
Enter HELEN, WIDOW, and DIANA, with two ATTENDANTS.
Enter HELEN, WIDOW, and DIANA, with two ATTENDANTS.
HELEN  
But this exceeding posting day and night
Must wear your spirits low. We cannot help it.
But since you have made the days and nights as one
To wear your gentle limbs in my affairs,
5
Be bold you do so grow in my requital
As nothing can unroot you.
HELEN  
But this exceeding posting day and night
Must wear your spirits low. We cannot help it.
But since you have made the days and nights as one
To wear your gentle limbs in my affairs,
Be bold you do so grow in my requital
As nothing can unroot you.
Enter a GENTLEMAN, a gentle Astringer.
Enter a GENTLEMAN, a gentle Astringer.
   In happy time!
   This man may help me to his Majesty’s ear,
   If he would spend his power.—God save you, sir.
   In happy time!
   This man may help me to his Majesty’s ear,
   If he would spend his power.—God save you, sir.
GENTLEMAN  
10
And you.
GENTLEMAN  
And you.
HELEN  
Sir, I have seen you in the court of France.
HELEN  
Sir, I have seen you in the court of France.
GENTLEMAN  
I have been sometimes there.
GENTLEMAN  
I have been sometimes there.
HELEN  
I do presume, sir, that you are not fall’n
From the report that goes upon your goodness,
15
And therefore, goaded with most sharp occasions
Which lay nice manners by, I put you to
The use of your own virtues, for the which
I shall continue thankful.
HELEN  
I do presume, sir, that you are not fall’n
From the report that goes upon your goodness,
And therefore, goaded with most sharp occasions
Which lay nice manners by, I put you to
The use of your own virtues, for the which
I shall continue thankful.
GENTLEMAN  
What’s your will?
GENTLEMAN  
What’s your will?
HELEN taking out a paper
20
That it will please you
To give this poor petition to the King
And aid me with that store of power you have
To come into his presence.
HELEN taking out a paper
That it will please you
To give this poor petition to the King
And aid me with that store of power you have
To come into his presence.
GENTLEMAN  
The King’s not here.
GENTLEMAN  
The King’s not here.
HELEN  
25
Not here, sir?
HELEN  
Not here, sir?
GENTLEMAN  
Not indeed.
He hence removed last night, and with more haste
Than is his use.
GENTLEMAN  
Not indeed.
He hence removed last night, and with more haste
Than is his use.
WIDOW  
Lord, how we lose our pains!
WIDOW  
Lord, how we lose our pains!
HELEN  
30
All’s well that ends well yet,
Though time seem so adverse and means unfit.—
I do beseech you, whither is he gone?
HELEN  
All’s well that ends well yet,
Though time seem so adverse and means unfit.—
I do beseech you, whither is he gone?
GENTLEMAN  
Marry, as I take it, to Rossillion,
Whither I am going.
GENTLEMAN  
Marry, as I take it, to Rossillion,
Whither I am going.
HELEN giving him the paper
35
I do beseech you, sir,
Since you are like to see the King before me,
Commend the paper to his gracious hand,
Which I presume shall render you no blame
But rather make you thank your pains for it.
40
I will come after you with what good speed
Our means will make us means.
HELEN giving him the paper
I do beseech you, sir,
Since you are like to see the King before me,
Commend the paper to his gracious hand,
Which I presume shall render you no blame
But rather make you thank your pains for it.
I will come after you with what good speed
Our means will make us means.
GENTLEMAN  
This I’ll do for you.
GENTLEMAN  
This I’ll do for you.
HELEN  
And you shall find yourself to be well thanked
Whate’er falls more. We must to horse again.—
45
Go, go, provide.
HELEN  
And you shall find yourself to be well thanked
Whate’er falls more. We must to horse again.—
Go, go, provide.
They exit.
They exit.
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