Open Source Shakespeare

Speeches (Lines) for Lafeu
in "All's Well That Ends Well"

Total: 97

# Act, Scene, Line
(Click to see in context)
Speech text

1

I,1,7

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.

2

I,1,13

He hath abandoned his physicians, madam; under whose
practises he hath persecuted time with hope, and
finds no other advantage in the process but only the
losing of hope by time.

3

I,1,24

How called you the man you speak of, madam?

4

I,1,27

He was excellent indeed, madam: the king very
lately spoke of him admiringly and mourningly: he
was skilful enough to have lived still, if knowledge
could be set up against mortality.

5

I,1,32

A fistula, my lord.

6

I,1,34

I would it were not notorious. Was this gentlewoman
the daughter of Gerard de Narbon?

7

I,1,44

Your commendations, madam, get from her tears.

8

I,1,52

Moderate lamentation is the right of the dead,
excessive grief the enemy to the living.

9

I,1,57

How understand we that?

10

I,1,70

He cannot want the best
That shall attend his love.

11

I,1,77

Farewell, pretty lady: you must hold the credit of
your father.

12

II,1,660

[Kneeling] Pardon, my lord, for me and for my tidings.

13

II,1,662

Then here's a man stands, that has brought his pardon.
I would you had kneel'd, my lord, to ask me mercy,
And that at my bidding you could so stand up.

14

II,1,667

Good faith, across: but, my good lord 'tis thus;
Will you be cured of your infirmity?

15

II,1,670

O, will you eat no grapes, my royal fox?
Yes, but you will my noble grapes, an if
My royal fox could reach them: I have seen a medicine
That's able to breathe life into a stone,
Quicken a rock, and make you dance canary
With spritely fire and motion; whose simple touch,
Is powerful to araise King Pepin, nay,
To give great Charlemain a pen in's hand,
And write to her a love-line.

16

II,1,680

Why, Doctor She: my lord, there's one arrived,
If you will see her: now, by my faith and honour,
If seriously I may convey my thoughts
In this my light deliverance, I have spoke
With one that, in her sex, her years, profession,
Wisdom and constancy, hath amazed me more
Than I dare blame my weakness: will you see her
For that is her demand, and know her business?
That done, laugh well at me.

17

II,1,693

Nay, I'll fit you,
And not be all day neither.

18

II,1,698

Nay, come your ways.

19

II,1,700

Nay, come your ways:
This is his majesty; say your mind to him:
A traitor you do look like; but such traitors
His majesty seldom fears: I am Cressid's uncle,
That dare leave two together; fare you well.

20

II,3,891

They say miracles are past; and we have our
philosophical persons, to make modern and familiar,
things supernatural and causeless. Hence is it that
we make trifles of terrors, ensconcing ourselves
into seeming knowledge, when we should submit
ourselves to an unknown fear.

21

II,3,900

To be relinquish'd of the artists,—

22

II,3,902

Both of Galen and Paracelsus.

23

II,3,904

Of all the learned and authentic fellows,—

24

II,3,906

That gave him out incurable,—

25

II,3,908

Not to be helped,—

26

II,3,910

Uncertain life, and sure death.

27

II,3,912

I may truly say, it is a novelty to the world.

28

II,3,915

A showing of a heavenly effect in an earthly actor.

29

II,3,917

Why, your dolphin is not lustier: 'fore me,
I speak in respect—

30

II,3,922

Very hand of heaven.

31

II,3,924

In a most weak—
[pausing]
and debile minister, great power, great
transcendence: which should, indeed, give us a
further use to be made than alone the recovery of
the king, as to be—
[pausing]
generally thankful.

32

II,3,935

Lustig, as the Dutchman says: I'll like a maid the
better, whilst I have a tooth in my head: why, he's
able to lead her a coranto.

33

II,3,939

'Fore God, I think so.

34

II,3,954

I'ld give bay Curtal and his furniture,
My mouth no more were broken than these boys',
And writ as little beard.

35

II,3,976

I had rather be in this choice than throw ames-ace
for my life.

36

II,3,985

Do all they deny her? An they were sons of mine,
I'd have them whipped; or I would send them to the
Turk, to make eunuchs of.

37

II,3,992

These boys are boys of ice, they'll none have her:
sure, they are bastards to the English; the French
ne'er got 'em.

38

II,3,998

There's one grape yet; I am sure thy father drunk
wine: but if thou be'st not an ass, I am a youth
of fourteen; I have known thee already.

39

II,3,1088

[Advancing] Do you hear, monsieur? a word with you.

40

II,3,1090

Your lord and master did well to make his
recantation.

41

II,3,1093

Ay; is it not a language I speak?

42

II,3,1096

Are you companion to the Count Rousillon?

43

II,3,1098

To what is count's man: count's master is of
another style.

44

II,3,1101

I must tell thee, sirrah, I write man; to which
title age cannot bring thee.

45

II,3,1104

I did think thee, for two ordinaries, to be a pretty
wise fellow; thou didst make tolerable vent of thy
travel; it might pass: yet the scarfs and the
bannerets about thee did manifoldly dissuade me from
believing thee a vessel of too great a burthen. I
have now found thee; when I lose thee again, I care
not: yet art thou good for nothing but taking up; and
that thou't scarce worth.

46

II,3,1113

Do not plunge thyself too far in anger, lest thou
hasten thy trial; which if—Lord have mercy on thee
for a hen! So, my good window of lattice, fare thee
well: thy casement I need not open, for I look
through thee. Give me thy hand.

47

II,3,1119

Ay, with all my heart; and thou art worthy of it.

48

II,3,1121

Yes, good faith, every dram of it; and I will not
bate thee a scruple.

49

II,3,1124

Even as soon as thou canst, for thou hast to pull at
a smack o' the contrary. If ever thou be'st bound
in thy scarf and beaten, thou shalt find what it is
to be proud of thy bondage. I have a desire to hold
my acquaintance with thee, or rather my knowledge,
that I may say in the default, he is a man I know.

50

II,3,1131

I would it were hell-pains for thy sake, and my poor
doing eternal: for doing I am past: as I will by
thee, in what motion age will give me leave.

51

II,3,1143

Sirrah, your lord and master's married; there's news
for you: you have a new mistress.

52

II,3,1148

Who? God?

53

II,3,1150

The devil it is that's thy master. Why dost thou
garter up thy arms o' this fashion? dost make hose of
sleeves? do other servants so? Thou wert best set
thy lower part where thy nose stands. By mine
honour, if I were but two hours younger, I'ld beat
thee: methinks, thou art a general offence, and
every man should beat thee: I think thou wast
created for men to breathe themselves upon thee.

54

II,3,1159

Go to, sir; you were beaten in Italy for picking a
kernel out of a pomegranate; you are a vagabond and
no true traveller: you are more saucy with lords
and honourable personages than the commission of your
birth and virtue gives you heraldry. You are not
worth another word, else I'ld call you knave. I leave you.

55

II,5,1265

But I hope your lordship thinks not him a soldier.

56

II,5,1267

You have it from his own deliverance.

57

II,5,1269

Then my dial goes not true: I took this lark for a bunting.

58

II,5,1272

I have then sinned against his experience and
transgressed against his valour; and my state that
way is dangerous, since I cannot yet find in my
heart to repent. Here he comes: I pray you, make
us friends; I will pursue the amity.

59

II,5,1279

Pray you, sir, who's his tailor?

60

II,5,1281

O, I know him well, I, sir; he, sir, 's a good
workman, a very good tailor.

61

II,5,1291

A good traveller is something at the latter end of a
dinner; but one that lies three thirds and uses a
known truth to pass a thousand nothings with, should
be once heard and thrice beaten. God save you, captain.

62

II,5,1298

You have made shift to run into 't, boots and spurs
and all, like him that leaped into the custard; and
out of it you'll run again, rather than suffer
question for your residence.

63

II,5,1303

And shall do so ever, though I took him at 's
prayers. Fare you well, my lord; and believe this
of me, there can be no kernel in this light nut; the
soul of this man is his clothes. Trust him not in
matter of heavy consequence; I have kept of them
tame, and know their natures. Farewell, monsieur:
I have spoken better of you than you have or will to
deserve at my hand; but we must do good against evil.

64

IV,5,2465

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.

65

IV,5,2476

'Twas a good lady, 'twas a good lady: we may pick a
thousand salads ere we light on such another herb.

66

IV,5,2480

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

67

IV,5,2483

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

68

IV,5,2485

Your distinction?

69

IV,5,2487

So you were a knave at his service, indeed.

70

IV,5,2489

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

71

IV,5,2491

No, no, no.

72

IV,5,2494

Who's that? a Frenchman?

73

IV,5,2497

What prince is that?

74

IV,5,2500

Hold thee, there's my purse: I give thee not this
to suggest thee from thy master thou talkest of;
serve him still.

75

IV,5,2512

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.

76

IV,5,2519

A shrewd knave and an unhappy.

77

IV,5,2524

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?

78

IV,5,2536

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.

79

IV,5,2544

Madam, I was thinking with what manners I might
safely be admitted.

80

IV,5,2547

Lady, of that I have made a bold charter; but I
thank my God it holds yet.

81

IV,5,2555

A scar nobly got, or a noble scar, is a good livery
of honour; so belike is that.

82

IV,5,2558

Let us go see your son, I pray you: I long to talk
with the young noble soldier.

83

V,2,2644

And what would you have me to do? 'Tis too late to
pare her nails now. Wherein have you played the
knave with fortune, that she should scratch you, who
of herself is a good lady and would not have knaves
thrive long under her? There's a quart d'ecu for
you: let the justices make you and fortune friends:
I am for other business.

84

V,2,2652

You beg a single penny more: come, you shall ha't;
save your word.

85

V,2,2655

You beg more than 'word,' then. Cox my passion!
give me your hand. How does your drum?

86

V,2,2658

Was I, in sooth? and I was the first that lost thee.

87

V,2,2661

Out upon thee, knave! dost thou put upon me at once
both the office of God and the devil? One brings
thee in grace and the other brings thee out.
[Trumpets sound]
The king's coming; I know by his trumpets. Sirrah,
inquire further after me; I had talk of you last
night: though you are a fool and a knave, you shall
eat; go to, follow.

88

V,3,2686

This I must say,
But first I beg my pardon, the young lord
Did to his majesty, his mother and his lady
Offence of mighty note; but to himself
The greatest wrong of all. He lost a wife
Whose beauty did astonish the survey
Of richest eyes, whose words all ears took captive,
Whose dear perfection hearts that scorn'd to serve
Humbly call'd mistress.

89

V,3,2707

All that he is hath reference to your highness.

90

V,3,2755

Come on, my son, in whom my house's name
Must be digested, give a favour from you
To sparkle in the spirits of my daughter,
That she may quickly come.
[BERTRAM gives a ring]
By my old beard,
And every hair that's on't, Helen, that's dead,
Was a sweet creature: such a ring as this,
The last that e'er I took her at court,
I saw upon her finger.

91

V,3,2780

I am sure I saw her wear it.

92

V,3,2844

I will buy me a son-in-law in a fair, and toll for
this: I'll none of him.

93

V,3,2877

Your reputation comes too short for my daughter; you
are no husband for her.

94

V,3,2908

I saw the man to-day, if man he be.

95

V,3,2964

He's a good drum, my lord, but a naughty orator.

96

V,3,2991

This woman's an easy glove, my lord; she goes off
and on at pleasure.

97

V,3,3041

Mine eyes smell onions; I shall weep anon:
[To PAROLLES]
Good Tom Drum, lend me a handkercher: so,
I thank thee: wait on me home, I'll make sport with thee:
Let thy courtesies alone, they are scurvy ones.