William Shakespeare: All's Well That Ends Well

ACT II. SCENE 1. Paris. A room in the King's palace. (continued)

KING.
I'll fee thee to stand up.

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

KING.
I would I had; so I had broke thy pate,
And ask'd thee mercy for't.

LAFEU.
Good faith, across;
But, my good lord, 'tis thus: will you be cured
Of your infirmity?

KING.
No.

LAFEU.
O, will you eat
No grapes, my royal fox? yes, but you will
My noble grapes, and 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 Pipin, nay,
To give great Charlemain a pen in his hand
And write to her a love-line.

KING.
What 'her' is that?

LAFEU.
Why, doctor 'she': my lord, there's one arriv'd,
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 amaz'd 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.

KING.
Now, good Lafeu,
Bring in the admiration; that we with the
May spend our wonder too, or take off thine
By wondering how thou took'st it.

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

[Exit LAFEU.]

KING.
Thus he his special nothing ever prologues.

[Re-enter LAFEU with HELENA.]

LAFEU.
Nay, come your ways.