Act I, Scene ii:
Paris. A room in the King's palace.

[Flourish of cornets. Enter the KING OF FRANCE, with letters;Lords and others attending.]

KING:

The Florentines and Senoys are by the ears;

Have fought with equal fortune, and continue

A braving war.

FIRST LORD:

So 'tis reported, sir.

KING:

Nay, 'tis most credible; we here receive it,

A certainty, vouch'd from our cousin Austria,

With caution, that the Florentine will move us

For speedy aid; wherein our dearest friend

Prejudicates the business, and would seem

To have us make denial.

FIRST LORD:

His love and wisdom,

Approv'd so to your majesty, may plead

For amplest credence.

KING:

He hath arm'd our answer,

And Florence is denied before he comes:

Yet, for our gentlemen that mean to see

The Tuscan service, freely have they leave

To stand on either part.

SECOND LORD:

It well may serve

A nursery to our gentry, who are sick

For breathing and exploit.

KING:

What's he comes here?

[Enter BERTRAM, LAFEU, and PAROLLES.]

FIRST LORD:

It is the Count Rousillon, my good lord,

Young Bertram.

KING:

Youth, thou bear'st thy father's face;

Frank nature, rather curious than in haste,

Hath well compos'd thee. Thy father's moral parts

Mayst thou inherit too! Welcome to Paris.

BERTRAM:

My thanks and duty are your majesty's.

KING:

I would I had that corporal soundness now,

As when thy father and myself in friendship

First tried our soldiership! He did look far

Into the service of the time, and was

Discipled of the bravest: he lasted long;

But on us both did haggish age steal on,

And wore us out of act. It much repairs me

To talk of your good father. In his youth

He had the wit which I can well observe

To-day in our young lords; but they may jest

Till their own scorn return to them unnoted,

Ere they can hide their levity in honour

So like a courtier: contempt nor bitterness

Were in his pride or sharpness; if they were,

His equal had awak'd them; and his honour,

Clock to itself, knew the true minute when

Exception bid him speak, and at this time

His tongue obey'd his hand: who were below him

He us'd as creatures of another place;

And bow'd his eminent top to their low ranks,

Making them proud of his humility,

In their poor praise he humbled. Such a man

Might be a copy to these younger times;

Which, follow'd well, would demonstrate them now

But goers backward.

BERTRAM:

His good remembrance, sir,

Lies richer in your thoughts than on his tomb;

So in approof lives not his epitaph

As in your royal speech.

KING:

Would I were with him! He would always say,—

Methinks I hear him now; his plausive words

He scatter'd not in ears, but grafted them

To grow there, and to bear,—'Let me not live,'—

This his good melancholy oft began,

On the catastrophe and heel of pastime,

When it was out,—'Let me not live' quoth he,

'After my flame lacks oil, to be the snuff

Of younger spirits, whose apprehensive senses

All but new things disdain; whose judgments are

Mere fathers of their garments; whose constancies

Expire before their fashions:'—This he wish'd:

I, after him, do after him wish too,

Since I nor wax nor honey can bring home,

I quickly were dissolved from my hive,

To give some labourers room.

SECOND LORD:

You're lov'd, sir;

They that least lend it you shall lack you first.

KING:

I fill a place, I know't.—How long is't, Count,

Since the physician at your father's died?

He was much fam'd.

BERTRAM:

Some six months since, my lord.

KING:

If he were living, I would try him yet;—

Lend me an arm;—the rest have worn me out

With several applications:—nature and sickness

Debate it at their leisure. Welcome, count;

My son's no dearer.

BERTRAM:

Thank your majesty.

[Exeunt. Flourish.]