The Countess of Rousillon's son, Bertram, prepares to leave for the court of the King of France. The Countess and her friend Lafeu discuss the King's poor health, and the Countess laments the fact that the father of Helena, her ward, has died, as he was a great physician and would likely have been able to cure the King. After Bertram departs, the Countess learns that Helena is in love with her son and encourages her to follow him. Helena devises a plan to cure the King using a prescription of her father's and the Countess agrees to assist her in traveling to Paris to see the King.