First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
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| Enter Hellen, and Widdow. | Enter Helena and the Widow | | AW III.vii.1.1 | |
| Hel. | HELENA | | | |
| If you misdoubt me that I am not shee, | If you misdoubt me that I am not she, | misdoubt (v.) disbelieve, doubt the reality [of] | AW III.vii.1 | |
| I know not how I shall assure you further, | I know not how I shall assure you further | | AW III.vii.2 | |
| But I shall loose the grounds I worke vpon. | But I shall lose the grounds I work upon. | ground (n.)foundation, basis, root | AW III.vii.3 | |
| Wid. | WIDOW | | | |
| Though my estate be falne, I was well borne, | Though my estate be fallen, I was well born, | | AW III.vii.4 | |
| Nothing acquainted with these businesses, | Nothing acquainted with these businesses, | | AW III.vii.5 | |
| And would not put my reputation now | And would not put my reputation now | | AW III.vii.6 | |
| In any staining act. | In any staining act. | staining (adj.)disgraceful, dishonourable, shameful | AW III.vii.7.1 | |
| Hel. | HELENA | | | |
| Nor would I wish you. | Nor would I wish you. | | AW III.vii.7.2 | |
| First giue me trust, the Count he is my husband, | First give me trust the Count he is my husband, | | AW III.vii.8 | |
| And what to your sworne counsaile I haue spoken, | And what to your sworn counsel I have spoken | sworn (adj.)sworn to secrecy, confirmed by oath | AW III.vii.9 | |
| | counsel (n.)secrecy, confidence, privacy | | |
| Is so from word to word: and then you cannot | Is so from word to word, and then you cannot, | | AW III.vii.10 | |
| By the good ayde that I of you shall borrow, | By the good aid that I of you shall borrow, | by (prep.)with regard to | AW III.vii.11 | |
| Erre in bestowing it. | Err in bestowing it. | | AW III.vii.12.1 | |
| Wid. | WIDOW | | | |
| I should beleeue you, | I should believe you, | | AW III.vii.12.2 | |
| For you haue shew'd me that which well approues | For you have showed me that which well approves | approve (v.)prove, confirm, corroborate, substantiate | AW III.vii.13 | |
| Y'are great in fortune. | Y'are great in fortune. | | AW III.vii.14.1 | |
| Hel | HELENA | | | |
| Take this purse of Gold, | Take this purse of gold, | | AW III.vii.14.2 | |
| And let me buy your friendly helpe thus farre, | And let me buy your friendly help thus far, | | AW III.vii.15 | |
| Which I will ouer-pay, and pay againe | Which I will overpay, and pay again | | AW III.vii.16 | |
| When I haue found it. The Count he woes your daughter, | When I have found it. The Count he woos your daughter, | | AW III.vii.17 | |
| Layes downe his wanton siedge before her beautie, | Lays down his wanton siege before her beauty, | wanton (adj.)sexually hot, passionate, sportive | AW III.vii.18 | |
| Resolue to carrie her: let her in fine consent | Resolved to carry her; let her in fine consent, | fine, inin the end, finally, in conclusion | AW III.vii.19 | |
| | carry (v.)secure, obtain, gain | | |
| As wee'l direct her how 'tis best to beare it: | As we'll direct her how 'tis best to bear it. | | AW III.vii.20 | |
| Now his important blood will naught denie, | Now his important blood will naught deny | important (adj.)urgent, pressing, demanding, importunate | AW III.vii.21 | |
| That shee'l demand: a ring the Countie weares, | That she'll demand. A ring the County wears | county (n.)[title of rank] count | AW III.vii.22 | |
| That downward hath succeeded in his house | That downward hath succeeded in his house | succeed (v.)pass through inheritance, devolve | AW III.vii.23 | |
| From sonne to sonne, some foure or fiue discents, | From son to son some four or five descents | | AW III.vii.24 | |
| Since the first father wore it. This Ring he holds | Since the first father wore it. This ring he holds | | AW III.vii.25 | |
| In most rich choice: yet in his idle fire, | In most rich choice, yet, in his idle fire, | choice (n.)special value, estimation, esteem | AW III.vii.26 | |
| | idle (adj.)mad, crazy, lunatic | | |
| | fire (n.)ardour, fervour, burning passion | | |
| To buy his will, it would not seeme too deere, | To buy his will it would not seem too dear, | will (n.)lust, sexual desire, passion | AW III.vii.27 | |
| How ere repented after. | Howe'er repented after. | | AW III.vii.28.1 | |
| Wid. | WIDOW | | | |
| Now I see | Now I see | | AW III.vii.28.2 | |
| the bottome of your purpose. | The bottom of your purpose. | purpose (n.)intention, aim, plan | AW III.vii.29 | |
| | bottom (n.)essence, gist, main point | | |
| Hel. | HELENA | | | |
| You see it lawfull then, it is no more, | You see it lawful then. It is no more | | AW III.vii.30 | |
| But that your daughter ere she seemes as wonne, | But that your daughter, ere she seems as won, | | AW III.vii.31 | |
| Desires this Ring; appoints him an encounter; | Desires this ring; appoints him an encounter; | | AW III.vii.32 | |
| In fine, deliuers me to fill the time, | In fine, delivers me to fill the time, | fine, inin the end, finally, in conclusion | AW III.vii.33 | |
| | deliver (v.)hand over, convey, commit to the keeping [of someone] | | |
| Her selfe most chastly absent: after | Herself most chastely absent. After, | | AW III.vii.34 | |
| To marry her, Ile adde three thousand Crownes | To marry her I'll add three thousand crowns | marry (v.)be a marriage dowry for | AW III.vii.35 | |
| | crown (n.)coin [usually showing a monarch's crown], English value: 5 shilllings | | |
| To what is past already. | To what is passed already. | | AW III.vii.36.1 | |
| Wid. | WIDOW | | | |
| I haue yeelded: | I have yielded. | | AW III.vii.36.2 | |
| Instruct my daughter how she shall perseuer, | Instruct my daughter how she shall persever | persever (v.)proceed, carry on | AW III.vii.37 | |
| That time and place with this deceite so lawfull | That time and place with this deceit so lawful | | AW III.vii.38 | |
| May proue coherent. Euery night he comes | May prove coherent. Every night he comes | coherent (adj.)fitting, accordant, agreeable | AW III.vii.39 | |
| With Musickes of all sorts, and songs compos'd | With musics of all sorts, and songs composed | | AW III.vii.40 | |
| To her vnworthinesse: It nothing steeds vs | To her unworthiness. It nothing steads us | stead (v.)help, assist, benefit | AW III.vii.41 | |
| To chide him from our eeues, for he persists | To chide him from our eaves, for he persists | chide (v.), past form chidbrusquely command, drive [away] with harsh words | AW III.vii.42 | |
| As if his life lay on't. | As if his life lay on't. | | AW III.vii.43.1 | |
| Hel | HELENA | | | |
| Why then to night | Why then tonight | | AW III.vii.43.2 | |
| Let vs assay our plot, which if it speed, | Let us assay our plot, which, if it speed, | speed (v.)meet with success, prosper, flourish | AW III.vii.44 | |
| | assay (v.)try, test the mettle of, put to the proof | | |
| Is wicked meaning in a lawfull deede; | Is wicked meaning in a lawful deed, | meaning (n.)design, intention, purpose | AW III.vii.45 | |
| And lawfull meaning in a lawfull act, | And lawful meaning in a lawful act, | | AW III.vii.46 | |
| Where both not sinne, and yet a sinfull fact. | Where both not sin, and yet a sinful fact. | | AW III.vii.47 | |
| But let's about it. | But let's about it. | | AW III.vii.48 | |
| Exeunt | | AW III.vii.48 | |