Hel.
O, were that all! I think not on my father;
And these great tears grace his remembrance more,
Than those I shed for him. What was he like?
I have forgot him: my imagination
Carries no favour in it, but of Bertram. ^note
I am undone; there is no living, none,
If Bertram be away. It were all one,
That I should love a bright particular star,
And think to wed it, he is so above me:
In his bright radiance and collateral light
Must I be comforted, not in his sphere.
The ambition in my love thus plagues itself:
The hind, that would be mated by the lion,
Must dye for love. 'Twas pretty, though a plague,
To see him every hour; to sit and draw
His arched brows, his hawking eye, his curls,
In our heart's table; heart, too capable
Of every line and trick of his sweet favour:
But now he's gone, and my idolatrous fancy
Must sanctify his relicks. Who comes here? Enter Parolles.
One that goes with him: I love him for his sake;
And yet I know him a notorious liar,
Think him a great way fool, solely a coward;
Yet these fixt evils sit so fit in him,
That they take place, when virtue's steely bones
Looks bleak14Q0372 in the cold wind: withal, full oft we see
Cold wisdom waiting on superfluous folly.

Par.

Save you, fair queen.

Hel.

And you, monárch.14Q0373

Par.

No.

Hel.

And no.

Par.

Are you meditating on virginity?

Hel.

Ay. You have some stain of soldier in you; let me ask you a question: Man is enemy to virginity; how may we barricado it against him?

Par.

Keep him out.14Q0374

Hel.

But he assails; and our virginity, though valiant, in the defence yet is weak: unfold to ^note us some warlike resistance.

Par.

There is none; man, setting down before you, will undermine you, and blow you up.

Hel.

Bless our poor virginity from underminers, and blowers up!—Is there no military policy, how virgins might blow up men?

Par.

Virginity being blown down, man will quicklier be blown up: marry, in blowing him down again, with the breach yourselves made, you lose your city. It is not politick in the common-wealth of nature, to preserve virginity. Loss of virginity is rational increase; and there was never virgin got, ^note 'till virginity was first lost. That, you were made of, is metal to make virgins, Virginity, by being once lost, may be ten times found; by being ever kept, it is ever lost: 'tis too cold a companion; away with't.

Hel.

I will stand for't a little, though therefore I dye a virgin.

Par.

There's little can be said in't; 'tis against the rule of nature. To speak on the part of virginity, is to accuse your mothers; which is most infallible disobedience. He, that hangs himself, is a virgin: virginity murders itself; and should be bury'd in highways, out of all sanctify'd limit, as a desperate offendress against nature. Virginity breeds mites, much like a

cheese; consumes itself to the very paring, and so dies with feeding it's own stomack. Besides, virginity is peevish, proud, idle, made of self-love, which is the most inhibited ^note sin in the canon: Keep it not; you cannot choose but lose by't: Out with't: within ten years ^note it will make itself ten, ^note which is a goodly increase; and the principal itself not much the worse: Away with't.

Hel.

How might one do, sir, to lose it to her own liking?

Par.

Let me see: Marry, ill, to like him that ne'er it likes. 'Tis a commodity will lose the gloss with lying; the longer kept, the less worth: off with't, while 'tis vendible: answer the time of request. Virginity, like an old courtier, wears her cap out of fashion; richly suted, but unsuteable: just like the brooch, and the tooth-pick, which wear not ^note now. Your date is better in your pye, and your porridge, than in your cheek: And your virginity, your old virginity, is like one of our French wither'd pears; it looks ill, it eats drily; marry, 'tis a wither'd pear: it was formerly better; marry, yet 'tis a wither'd pear: Will you any thing with it?

Hel.
Not my virginity yet.14Q0375 You're for the court:
There shall your master have a thousand loves,
A mother, and a mistress, and a friend,
A phœnix, captain, and an enemy,
A guide, a goddess, and a sovereign,
A counsellor, a traitress, and a dear;
His humble ^note ambition, proud humility,
His jarring concord, and his discord dulcet,
His faith, his sweet disaster; with a world

Of pretty, fond, adoptious christendoms,
That blinking Cupid gossips. Now shall he—
I know not what he shall: God send him well!
The court's a learning place; and he is one—

Par.
What one, i'faith?

Hel.
That I wish well. 'Tis pity.

Par.
What's pity?

Hel.
That wishing well had not a body in't,
Which might be felt: that we, the ^note poorer born,
Whose baser stars do shut us up in wishes,
Might with effects of them follow our friends,
And shew what we alone must think; which never
Returns us thanks. Enter a Page.

Pag.
Monsieur Parolles, my lord calls for you.

Par.
Little Helen, farewel: if I can remember thee,
I will think of thee at court.

Hel.

Monsieur Parolles, you were born under a charitable star.

Par.

Under Mars I.

Hel.

I especially think, under Mars.

Par.

Why under Mars?

Hel.

The wars have so ^note kept you under, that you must needs be born under Mars.

Par.

When he was predominant.

Hel.

When he was retrograde, I think, rather.

Par.

Why think you so?

Hel.

You go so much backward, when you fight.

Par.

That's for advantage.

Hel.

So is running away, when fear proposes the safety: But the composition, that your valour and fear makes in you, is a virtue of a good wing, and I like

the wear well.

Par.

I am so full of businesses, I cannot answer thee acutely: I will return perfect courtier; in the which, my instruction shall serve to naturalize thee, so thou wilt be capable of a courtier's ^note counsel, and understand what advice shall thrust upon thee; else thou dyest in thine unthankfulness, and thine ignorance makes thee away; farewel: When thou hast leisure, say thy prayers; when thou hast none, remember thy friends: get thee a good husband, and use him as he uses thee: so farewel.