All’s Well That Ends Well

Act 3, Scene 1

Modern spelling. Stage directions omitted.

Listen to Act 3. LibriVox volunteers recorded “Act III” as one track, so it runs past this scene and includes stage directions this page leaves out. LibriVox catalog.

DUKE

So that, from point to point, now have you heard
The fundamental reasons of this war,
Whose great decision 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.
Tomorrow to the field.

All of All’s Well That Ends Well

Act 1

Act 1, Scene 1Act 1, Scene 2Act 1, Scene 3,

Act 2

Act 2, Scene 1Act 2, Scene 2Act 2, Scene 3Act 2, Scene 4Act 2, Scene 5,

Act 3

Act 3, Scene 1Act 3, Scene 2Act 3, Scene 3Act 3, Scene 4Act 3, Scene 5Act 3, Scene 6Act 3, Scene 7,

Act 4

Act 4, Scene 1Act 4, Scene 2Act 4, Scene 3Act 4, Scene 4Act 4, Scene 5,

Act 5

Act 5, Scene 1Act 5, Scene 2Act 5, Scene 3,

Opening and close

Epilogue

Open All’s Well That Ends Well in the 1623 First Folio. See its words in the cloud.

Modern spelling for reading. The edition is public domain in the United States. Edition source.