All's Well That Ends Well

Act 3, Scene 1

SCENE I. Florence. The DUKE's palace.

    Flourish. Enter the DUKE of Florence attended; the two Frenchmen, with a troop of soldiers.

DUKE

    So that from point to point now have you heard
    The fundamental reasons of this war,
    Whose great decision hath much blood let forth
    And more thirsts after.

First Lord

    Holy seems the quarrel
    Upon your grace's part; black and fearful
    On the opposer.

DUKE

    Therefore we marvel much our cousin France
    Would in so just a business shut his bosom
    Against our borrowing prayers.

Second Lord

    Good my lord,
    The reasons of our state I cannot yield,
    But like a common and an outward man,
    That the great figure of a council frames
    By self-unable motion: therefore dare not
    Say what I think of it, since I have found
    Myself in my incertain grounds to fail
    As often as I guess'd.

DUKE

    Be it his pleasure.

First Lord

    But I am sure the younger of our nature,
    That surfeit on their ease, will day by day
    Come here for physic.

DUKE

    Welcome shall they be;
    And all the honours that can fly from us
    Shall on them settle. You know your places well;
    When better fall, for your avails they fell:
    To-morrow to the field.

    Flourish. Exeunt