House.

what's the instance? Tongue, I must put you SCENE II. Florence. A Room in the Widow's into a butterwoman's mouth, and buy another of Bajazet's mute,2 if you prattle me into these perils. I Lord. Is it possible, he should know what he is, and be that he is?

[Aside. Par. I would the cutting of my garments would serve the turn; or the breaking of my Spanish sword.

1 Lord. We cannot afford you so. [Aside. Par. Or the baring3 of my beard; and to say, it was in stratagem.

1 Lord. "Twould not do.

[Aside. Par. Or to drown my clothes, and say, I was stripped.

1 Lord. Hardly serve.

[Aside. Par. Though I swore I leaped from the window of the citadel

1 Lord. Three great oaths would scarce make that be believed.

[Aside. Par. I would, I had any drum of the enemy's; I would swear, I recovered it.

1 Lord. You shall hear one anion. Par. A drum now of the enemy's!

[Aside.

[Alarum within. 1 Lord. Throca movousus, cargo, cargo, cargo. All. Cargo, cargo, villianda par corbo, cargo. Par. O! ransom, ransom :-Do not hide mine eyes. [They seize him and blindfold him. 1 Sold. Boskos thromuldo boskos. Par. I know you are the Muskos' regiment. And I shall lose my life for want of language: If there be here German, or Dane, low Dutch, Italian, or French, let him speak to me,

I will discover that which shall undo

Come on, thou art granted space.

[Exit, with PAROLLES guarded. 1 Lord. Go, tell the count Rousillon, and my

brother,

We have caught the woodcock, and will keep him muffled,

Till we do hear from them.

2 Sold.

Captain, I will.

Enter BERTRAM and DIANA.

Ber. They told me, that your name was Fonti-
bell.

Dia. No, my good lord, Diana.
Ber.

Titled goddess;

And worth it, with addition! But, fair soul,
In your fine frame hath love no quality?
If the quick fire of youth light not your mind,
You are no maiden, but a monument:
When you are dead, you should be such a one
As you are now, for you are cold and stern;
And now you should be as your mother was,
When your sweet self was got.
Dia. She then was honest.

Ay, so you serve us,
Till we serve you: but when you have our roses,
You barely leave our thorns to prick ourselves,
And mock us with our bareness.
Ber.
How have I sworn?
Dia. "Tis not the many oaths, that make the
truth;

But the plain single vow, that is vow'd true.
What is not holy, that we swear not by,
But take the highest to witness: Then, pray you,
tell me,

If I should swear by Jove's great attributes,
I lov'd you dearly, would you believe my oaths,
When I did love you ill? this has no holding,
To swear by him whom I protest to love,
That I will work against him: Therefore, your

Change it, change it;
Be not so holy-cruel: love is holy;
And my integrity ne'er knew the crafts
That you do charge men with: Stand no more off,
But give thyself unto my sick desires,
Who then recover: say, thou art mine, and ever
My love, as it begins, shall so persever.

Dia I see, that men make hopes, in such a war,
That we'll forsake ourselves. Give me that ring.
Ber. I'll lend it thee, my dear, but have no power
To give it from me.

1 Lord. He will betray us all unto ourselves;-In me to lose : Thus your own proper wisdom

7 The old copy reads, make ropes in such a scarr 6 Heath's attempt at explanation of this very obscure Rowe changed it to, make hopes in such affairs; passage does not satisfy me. It appears to be corrupt;fairs and scene have no literal resemblance to the ad and, after much attention to its probable meaning, and word scarre: warre is always 80 written in the old

taken with the preceding and succeeding speeches, I copy; the change is therefore less violent, more proba

feel persuaded that it should stand thus:

ble, and, I think, makes better sense.

Dia. When midnight comes, knock at my cham- |
ber window;

I'll order take, my mother shall not hear.
Now will I charge you in the band of truth,
When you have conquer'd my yet maiden bed,
Remain there but an hour, nor speak to me;
My reasons are most strong; and you shall know
them,

When back again this ring shall be deliver'd:
And on your finger, in the night, I'll put
Another ring; that, what in time proceeds,
May token to the future our past deeds.
Adieu, till then; then, fail not: You have won
A wife of me, though there my hope be done.
Ber. A heaven on earth I have won, by wooing
thee.
[Exit.
Dia. For which live long to thank both heaven
and me!

You may so in the end.

My mother told me just how he would woo,
As if she sat in his heart; she says, all men
Have the like oaths: he had sworn to marry me,
When his wife's dead; therefore I'll lie with him,
When I am buried. Since. Frenchmen are so
braid,'

[Exit.

Marry that will, I'll live and die a maid:
Only in this disguise, I think't no sin,
To cozen him, that would unjustly win.
SCENE III. The Florentine Camp. Enter the
two French Lords, and two or three Soldiers.

1 Lord. You have not given him his mother's letter?

2 Lord. I have delivered it an hour since: there is something in't that stings his nature; for, on the reading it, he chang'd almost into another man.

1 Lord. He has much worthy blame laid upon him, for shaking off so good a wife, and so sweet a lady.

2 Lord. Especially he hath incurred the everlastIng displeasure of the king, who had even tuned his bounty to sing happiness to him. I will tell you a thing, but you shall let it dwell darkly with you. 1 Lord. When you have spoken it 'tis dead, and I am the grave of it.

2 Lord. He hath perverted a young gentlewoman here in Florence, of a most chaste renown; and this night he fleshes his will in the spoil of her honour; he hath given her his monumental ring, and thinks himself made in the unchaste composition. 1 Lord. Now, God delay our rebellion; as we are ourselves, what things are we!

2 Lord. Merely our own traitors. And as in the common course of all treasons, we still see them reveal themselves, till they attain to their abhorred ends; so he that in this action contrives against his own nobility, in his proper stream o'erflows himself.3

1 Lord. Is it not meant damnable4 in us to be trumpeters of our unlawful intents? We shall not then have his company to-night.

2 Lord. Not till after midnight; for he is dieted to his hour.

1 Lord. That approaches apace; I would gladly have him see his company anatomized; that he might take a measure of his own judgment, wherein so curiously he had set this counterfeit."

2 Lord. What will count Rousillon do then? will he travel higher, or return again into France? 1 Lord. I perceive by this demand, you are not altogether of his council.

2 Lord. We will not meddle with him till he come; for his presence must be the whip of the other.

1 Lord. In the mean time, what hear you of these

wars?

2 Lord. I hear, there is an overture of peace.
1 Lord. Nay, I assure you, a peace concluded.
1 i. e. false, deceitful, tricking, beguiling.

2 Lord. Let it be forbid, sir! so should I be a great deal of his act.

1 Lord. Sir, his wife, some two months since, fled from his house: her pretence is a pilgrimage to Saint Jaques le grand; which holy undertaking, with most austere sanctimony, she accomplished and, there residing, the tenderness of her nature became as a prey to her grief; in fine, made a groan of her last breath, and now she sings in heaven.

2 Lord. How is this justified?

1 Lord. The stronger part of it by her own let ters; which makes her story true, even to the point of her death: her death itself, which could not be her office to say, is come, was faithfully confirmed by the rector of the place.

2 This may mean, they are perpetually talking about the mischief they intend to do, till they have obtained an opportunity of doing it.'

3 i e. betrays his own secrets in his own talk.

2 Lord. Hath the count all this intelligence?

1 Lord. Ay, and the particular confirmations, point from point, to the full arming of the verity. 2 Lord. I am heartily sorry, that he'll be glad of

this.

1 Lord. How mightily, sometimes, we make us comforts of our losses!

2 Lord. And how mightily, some other times, we his valour hath here acquired for him, shall at home drown our gain in tears! The great dignity, that be encountered with a shame as ample.

1 Lord. The web of our life is of a mingled yarn, if our faults whipped them not; and our crimes good and ill together: our virtues would be proud, would despair, if they were not cherish'd by our

virtues.

Enter a Servant.

How now? where's your master?

Serv. He met the duke in the street, sir, of whom he hath taken a solemn leave; his lordship will next morning for France. The duke hath of fered him letters of commendations to the king.

2 Lord. They shall be no more than needful there, if they were more than they can commend. Enter BERTRAM.

tartness. Here's his lordship now.
1 Lord. They cannot be too sweet for the king's
lord, is't not after midnight?
How now, my

Ber. I have to-night despatched sixteen businesses, a month's length a-piece, by an abstract of adieu with his nearest; buried a wife, mourned for success: I have conge'd with the duke, done my her; writ to my lady mother, I am returning; entertained my convoy; and, between these main parcels of despatch, effected many nicer needs; the last was the greatest, but that I have not ended

yet.

2 Lord. If the business be of any difficulty and this morning your departure hence, it requires haste your lordship.

of

Ber. I mean, the business is not ended, as feardialogue between the fool and the soldier?ing to hear of it hereafter: But shall we have this Come, bring forth this counterfeit module; he has deceived me, like a double-meaning prophesier.

has sat in the stocks all night, poor gallant knave.
2 Lord. Bring him forth: [Exeunt Soldiers.] he
Ber. No matter; his heels have deserved it, in
surping his spurs so long. How does he carry

himself?

1 Lord. I have told your lordship already; the finding how erroneously he has judged, will be less confident, and more easily moved by admonition.

7 Counterfeit, besides its ordinary signification of a person pretending to be what he is not, also meant a picture, the word set shows that the word is used in both senses here.

8 Module and model were synonymous. The mean4 Damnable for damnably; the adjective used ad- ing is, bring forth this counterfeit representation of a verbially.

6 Company for companion.

soldier.

9 An allusion to the degradation of a knight by hack

This is a very just and moral reason. Bertram, bying off his spurs.

stocks carry him. But, to answer you as you would Ber. What shall be done to him? be understood; he weeps like a wench that had 1 Lord. Nothing, but let him have thanks. Deshed her milk: he hath confessed himself to Mor-mand of him my conditions, and what credit I have gan, whom he supposes to be a friar, from the time with the duke. of his remembrance, to this very instant disaster of his setting i'the stocks: And what think you he hath confessed?

Ber. Nothing of me, has he?

2 Lord. His confession is taken, and it shall be read to his face if your lordship be in't, as I believe you are, you must have the patience to hear it.

Re-enter Soldiers with PAROLLES.

Ber. A plague upon him! muffled! he can say nothing of me; hush! hush!

1 Lord. Hoodman' comes!-Porto tartarossa. 1 Sold. He calls for the tortures; What will you say without 'em?

Par. I will confess what I know without constraint; if ye pinch me like a pasty, I can say no

more.

1 Sold. Bosko chimurcho.

2 Lord. Boblibindo chicurmurco.

1 Sold. Well, that's set down. You shall de mand of him, whether one captain Dumain be i'the camp, a Frenchman; what his reputation is with the duke, what his valour, honesty, and expertness in wars; or whether he thinks, it were not possible, with wellweighing sums of gold, to corrupt him to a revat. What say you to this? What do you know of it? Par. I beseech you, let me answer to the parti cular of the intergatories: Demand them singly. 1 Sold. Do you know this captain Dumain? Par. I know him: he was a botcher's 'prentice in Paris, from whence he was whipped for getting the sheriff's fool1o with child: a dumb innocent, that could not say him, nay.

[DUMAIN lifts up his hand in enge. Ber. Nay, by your leave, hold your hands; though I know, his brains are forfeit to the next tile that falls.11

1 Sold. Well, is this captain in the duke of Flogene-rence's camp?

1 Sold. You are a merciful general:-Our ral bids you to answer to what I shall ask you out of a note.

Par. And truly, as I hope to live.

1 Sold. First demand of him how many horse the duke is strong? What say you to that?

Par. Five or six thousand; but very weak and unserviceable: the troops are all scattered, and the commanders very poor rogues, upon my reputation and credit, as I hope to live.

1 Sold. Shall I set down your answer so? Par. Do; I'll take the sacrament on't, how and which way you will.

Ber. All's one to him. What a past-saving slave is this !2

1 Lord. You are deceived, my lord; this is monsieur Parolles, the gallant militarist (that was his own phrase,) that had the whole theorick3 of war in the knot of his scarf, and the practice in the chape of his dagger.

Par. Upon my knowledge, he is, and lousy. 1 Lord. Nay, look not so upon me; we shall hear of your lordship anon.

I Sold. What is his reputation with the duke? Par. The duke knows him for no other but a poor officer of mine; and writ to me this other day, to turn him out o'the band: I think, I have his letter in my pocket.

1 Sold. Marry, we'll search.

Par. In good sadness, I do not know; either it is there, or it is upon a file, with the duke's other letters, in my tent.

1 Sold. Here 'tis ; here's a paper? Shall I read it to you?

Par. I do not know if it be it, or no.
Ber. Our interpreter does it well.
1 Lord. Excellently.

1 Sold. Dian. The count's a fool, and full of gold,Par. That is not the duke's letter, sir; that is an keep-advertisement to a proper maid in Florence, one Diana, to take heed of the allurement of one count Rousillon, a foolish idle boy, but for all that, very ruttish: I pray you, sir, put it up again.

2 Lord. I will never trust a man again for ing his sword clean; nor believe he can have every thing in him, by wearing his apparel neatly. 1 Sold. Well, that's set down.

Par. Five or six thousand horse, I said,-I will say true, or thereabouts, set down, for I'll speak truth. 1 Lord. "He's very near the truth in this. Ber. But I con him no thanks" for't, in the nature he delivers it.

Par. Poor rogues, I pray you, say. 1 Sold. Well, that's set down. Par. I humbly thank you, sir: a truth's a truth, the rogues are marvellous poor.

1 Sold. Demand of him, of what strength they are a-foot. What say you to that?

1 Sold. Nay, I'll read it first, by your favour. Par. My meaning in't, I protest, was very bo nest in the behalf of the maid: for I knew the young count to be a dangerous and lascivious boy; who is a whale1 to virginity, and devours up all the fry i

finds.

Ber. Damnable, both sides rogue!

1 Sold. When he swears oaths, bid him drop gold,
and take it;

After he scores, he never pays the score:
Half won, is match well made; match, and well

make it :13

He ne'er pays after debts, take it before;
And say, a soldier, Dian, told thee this,
Men are to mell1 with, boys are not to kiss:
For count of this, the count's a fool, I know it,
Who pays before, but not when he does owe it,
Thine, as he vow'd to thee in thine ear,
PAROLLES.

Par. By my troth, sir, if I were to live this present hour, I will tell true. Let me see: Spurio a hundred and fifty, Sebastian so many, Corambus so many, Jaques so many; Guiltian, Cosmo, Lodowick, and Gratii, two hundred fifty each: mine own company, Chitopher, Vaumond, Bentii, two hundred and fifty each: so that the muster-file, rotten and sound, upon my life, amounts not to fifteen thousand poll; half of which dare not shake the snow from off their cassocks," lest they shake them-monly, were retained in great families for diversion. selves to pieces.

1 The game at blind man's buff was formerly called Hoodman blind.

2 In the old copy these words are given by mistake to Parolles.

3 Theory.

is not improbable that some real event of recent occur. rence is alluded to.

11 In Whitney's Emblems there is a story of three women who threw dice to ascertain which of them should die first. She who lost affected to laugh at the decrees of fate, when a tile suddenly falling put an end to her existence. This book was certainly known to

4 The chape is the catch or fastening of the sheath of Shakspeare. The passages in Lucian and Flutarch

his dagger.

5 i. e. I am not beholden to him for it, &c.

6 Perhaps we should read, if I were but to live this present hour; unless the blunder is meant to show the fright of Parolles. Cassocks.

Soldiers' cloaks or upper garments. Si. e. disposition and character.

9 For interrogatories.

10 Female idiots, as well as male, though not so com

are not so likely to have met the poet's eye.
12 There is probably an allusion here to the Story of
Andromeda in old prints, where the monster is fre
quently represented as a whale.

13 i. e. a match well made is half won; make your match therefore, but make it well.

14 The meaning of the word mell from meler, French, is obvious. To mell, says Ruddiman, to fight, contend, meddle, or have to do with.

Ber. He shall be whipped through the army with this rhyme in his forehead.

2 Lord. This is your devoted friend, sir, the manifold linguist, and the armipotent soldier.

Ber. I could endure any thing before but a cat, and now he's a cat to me.

1 Sold. I perceive, sir, by the general's looks, we shall be fain to hang you.

Par. My life, sir, in any case: not that I am afraid to die; but that, my offences being many, I would repent out the remainder of nature; let me hive, sir, in a dungeon, i'the stocks, or any where, so I may live.

1 Sold. We'll see what may be done, so you confess freely; therefore, once more to this captain Dumain: You have answered to his reputation with the duke, and to his valour: What is his honesty?

Par. He will steal, sir, an egg out of a cloister;' for rapes and ravishments he parallels Nessus.2 He professes not keeping of oaths; in breaking them, he is stronger than Hercules. He will lie, sir, with such volubility, that you would think truth were a fool: drunkenness is his best virtue; for he will be swine-drunk; and in his sleep he does little harm, save to his bed-clothes about him; but they know his conditions, and lay him in straw. I have but little more to say, sir, of his honesty: he has every thing that an honest man should not have; what an honest man should have, he has nothing. 1 Lord. I begin to love him for this. Ber. For this description of thine honesty? A pox upon him for me, he is more and more à cat. 1 Sold. What say you to his expertness in war? Par. Faith, sir, he has led the drum before the English tragedians,-to belie him, I will not,-and more of his soldiership I know not; except in that country, he had the honour to be the officer at a place there call'd Mile End, to instruct for the doubling of files: I would do the man what honour I can, but of this I am not certain.

1 Lord. He hath out-villained villainy so far, that the rarity redeems him.

Ber. Á pox on him! he's a cat still.

such pestiferous reports of men, very nobly held, can serve the world for no honest use; therefore you must die. Come, headsmen, off with his head. Par. O Lord, sir; let me live, or let me see my death!

1 Sold. That shall you, and take your leave of all your friends. [Unmufling him. So, look about you: Know you any here? Ber. Good morrow, noble captain

2 Lord. God bless you, captain Parolles. 1 Lord. God save you, noble captain. 2 Lord. Captain, what greeting will you to my lord Lafeu? I am for France.

1 Lord. Good captain, will you give me a copy of the sonnet you writ to Diana in behalf of the count Rousillon? an I were not a very coward, I'd compel it of you; but fare you well.

[Exeunt BERTRAM, Lords, &c. 1 Sold. You are undone, captain: all but your scarf, that has a knot on't yet.

Par. Who cannot be crushed with a plot?

1 Sold. If you could find out a country where but women were that had received so much shame, you might begin an impudent nation. Fare you well, sir; I am for France too; we shall speak of you there. [Exit.

Par. Yet am I thankful: if my heart were great,
"Twould burst at this: Captain I'll be no more;
But I will eat and drink, and sleep as soft
As captain shall: simply the thing I am
Shall make me live. Who knows himself a brag-
gart,

Let him fear this; for it will come to pass,
That every braggart shall be found an ass.
Rust, sword! cool, blushes! and, Parolles, live
Safest in shame! being fool'd, by foolery thrive!
There's place, and means, for every man alive.
I'll after them.

[Exit.

SCENE IV. Florence. A Room in the Widow's
House. Enter HELENA, Widow, and DIANA.
Hel. That you may well perceive I have not
wrong'd you,

One of the greatest in the Christian world 1 Sold. His qualities being at this poor price, I Shall be my surety; 'fore whose throne, 'tis needful need not ask you, if gold will corrupt him to revolt. Ere I can perfect mine intents, to kneel: Par. Sir, for a quart d'ecu he will sell the fee-Time was, I did him a desired office, simple of his salvation, the inheritance of it: and cut the entail from all remainders, and a perpetual succession for it perpetually.

1 Sold. What's his brother, the other captain Dumain?

2 Lord. Why does he ask him of me? 1 Sold. What's he?

Par. Ev'n a crow of the same nest; not altogether so great as the first in goodness, but greater a great deal in evil. He excels his brother for a coward, yet his brother is reputed one of the best that is: In a retreat he outruns any lackey; marry, in coming on he has the cramp.

1 Sold. If your life be sav'd, will you undertake to betray the Florentine?

Par. Ay, and the captain of his horse, count Rousillon.

1 Sold. I'll whisper with the general, and know his pleasure.

Par. I'll no more drumming; a plague of all drums! Only to seem to deserve well, and to beguile the supposition of that lascivious young boy the count, have I run into this danger: Yet, who would have suspected an ambush where I was taken? [Aside.

1 Sold. There is no remedy, sir, but you must die: the general says, you, that have so traitorously discovered the secrets of your army, and made 1. e. he will steal any thing, however trifling, from any place, however holy.

2 The Centaur killed by Hercules.

3 Mile End Green was the place for public sports and exercises. See K. Henry IV. P. II. Act iii. Sc. 2.

4 The fourth part of the smaller French crown, about eight-pence.

To deceive the opinion

Dear almost as his life; which gratitude
Through flinty Tartar's bosom would peep forth,
And answer, thanks: I duly am inform'd,
His grace is at Marseilles; to which place
We have convenient convoy. You must know,
I am supposed dead: the army breaking,
My husband hies him home; where, heaven aiding,
And by the leave of my good lord the king,
We'll be, before our welcome.

Wid.
Gentle madam,
You never had a servant, to whose trust
Your business was more welcome.

Hel.

Nor you, mistress,
Ever a friend, whose thoughts more truly labour
To recompense your love: doubt not, but heaven
Hath brought me up to be your daughter's dower,
As it hath fated her to be my motive'
And helper to a husband. But, O strange men!
That can such sweet use make of what they hate,
When saucy trusting of the cozen'd thoughts
Defiles the pitchy night! so lust doth play
With what it loathes, for that which is away:
But more of this hereafter:-You, Diana,
Under my poor instructions yet must suffer
Something in my behalf.
Dia.

Let death and honesty
Go with your impositions, I am yours,"
Upon your will to suffer.

6 It appears that Marseilles was pronounced as a word of three syllables. In the old copy it is written Marcellæ and Marcellus.

ble themselves, may; but the many will be too chill and tender; and they'll be for the flowery way, that leads to the broad gate, and the great fire.

Laf. Go thy ways, I begin to be a-weary of thee; and I tell thee so before, because I would not fal out with thee. Go thy ways; let my horses be well looked to, without any tricks.

Clo. If I put any tricks upon 'em, sir, they shall law of nature. be jades' tricks; which are their own right by the (Erit Laf. A shrewd knave, and an unhappy.19 Count. So he is. My lord, that's gone, made himself much sport out of him: by his authority he remains here, which he thinks is a patent for his sauciness; and, indeed, he has no pace,11 but rum where he will.

Clo. I am a woodland fellow, sir, that always loved a great fire; and the master I speak of, ever keeps a good fire. But, sure, he is the prince of the world, let his nobility remain in his court. I am for the house with the narrow gate, which I take to be too little for pomp to enter: some, that hum1 The reading proposed by Blackstone,

But with the word: the time will bring, &c.' seems required by the context, and makes the passage intelligible.

2 A translation of the common Latin proverb, Finis coronat opus: the origin of which has been pointed out by Mr. Douce, in his Illustrations, vol. i. p. 323.

3 It has been thought that there is an allusion here to the fashion of yellow starch for bands and ruffs, which was long prevalent: and also to the custom of colouring paste with saffron. The plain meaning seems to be that Parolles's vices were of such a colourable quality as to be sufficient to corrupt the inexperienced youth of a nation, and make them take the same hue. 4 i. e. rue.

5 The old copy reads grace. The emendation is Rowe's: who also supplies the word salad in the preceding speech. The clown quibbles on grass and grace.