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two hours in a fleep, and then to return and fwear the lies he forges.

W

Enter Parolles.

Par. Ten o'clock: within thefe three hours 'twill be time enough to go home. What shall I fay I have done? It must be a very " plaufive invention that carries it: They begin to smoke me; and difgraces have of late knock'd too often at my door. I find, my tongue is too fool-hardy; buț my heart hath the fear of Mars before it, and of his creatures, not daring the reports of mine own tongue. Lord. This is the first truth that e'er thine own tongue was guilty of.

X

[Afide.

Par. What the devil fhould move me to undertake the recovery of this drum; being not ignorant of the impoflibility, and knowing I had no fuch purpose? I must give myself some hurts, and fay, I got them in exploit: Yet flight ones will not carry it. They will fay, Came you off with fo little? and great ones I dare not give; Wherefore? ' what's the inftance? Tongue, I muft put you into a butter-woman's mouth, and buy another of Bajazet's 'mule, if you prattle me into these perils.

Lord. Is it poffible, he fhould know what he is, and be that he is?

[Afide. Par. I would, the cutting of my garments would ferve the turn; or the breaking of my Spanish fword. Lord. We cannot afford you fo.

b

[Afide.

Par. Or the baring of my beard; and to fay, it was

in ftratagem.

W

Lord. 'Twould not do.

[Afide.

Par. Or to drown my clothes, and fay, I was stript. Lord. Hardly ferve.

plaufive-plaufible.

[Afide.

x

of my tongue.

baring]-cutting off.

Par.

y what's the inftance ?]—what proof shall I produce?

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a afford]-let you off.
F f

Par. Though I fwore I leap'd from the window of the citadel

Lord. How deep?

Par. Thirty fathom.

[Afide.

Lord. Three great oaths would fcarce make that be believ'd.

[Afide.

Par. I would, I had any drum of the enemies; I would fwear, I recover'd it.

Lord. You fhall hear one anon.

Par. A drum now of the enemies!

[Afide.

[Alarum within.

Lord. Throca movoufus, cargo, cargo, cargo.

All. Cargo, cargo, villianda par corbo, cargo.

Par. Oh! ranfom, ransom :-Do not hide mine eyes. [They feize bim and blindfold him.

Inter. Bofkos thromuldo bofkos.

Par. I know you are the Muskos' regiment,
And I fhall lofe my life for want of language:
If there be here German, or Dane, low Dutch,
Italian, or French, let him speak to me, I'll
Discover that which fhall undo the Florentine.
Inter. Bofkos vauvado :-

I understand thee, and can speak thy tongue :
Kerelybonto: Sir,

C

Betake thee to thy faith, for seventeen poniards
Are at thy bofom.

Par. Oh!

Inter. Oh, pray, pray, pray. Manka revania dulcbe.

Lord. Ofcorbi dulchos volivorco.

Inter. The general is content to fpare thee yet; And, hood-winkt as thou art, will lead thee on To gather from thee: haply, thou may'ft inform Something to fave thy life.

Par. Oh, let me live,

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And all the fecrets of our camp I'll fhew,

Their force, their purposes: nay, I'll speak that
Which you will wonder at.

Inter. But wilt thou faithfully?

Par. If I do not, damn me.

Inter. Acorda linta.

Come on, thou art granted space.

[Exit with Parolles.

[A fhort alarum within.

Lord. Go, tell the count Roufillon, and my brother,

We have caught the woodcock, and will keep him muffled 'Till we do hear from them.

Sol. Captain, I will.

Lord. He will betray us all unto ourselves ;

Inform 'em that.

Sol. So I will, fir.

Lord. 'Till then I'll keep him dark, and safely lock'd.

CENE

II.

[Exeunt.

The Widow's Houfe.

Enter Bertram and Diana.

Ber. They told me, that your name was Fontibell.

Dia. No, my good lord, Diana.

Ber. Titled goddess ;

And worth it, with addition! But, fair foul,

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 fuch a one
As you are now, for you are cold and stern

And now you should be as your mother was,
When fweet felf was got.

your

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Dia. She then was honeft.

Ber. So fhould you be.

Dia. No:

My mother did but duty; fuch, my lord,
As you owe to your wife.

Ber. No more of that!

I pr'ythee, do not strive against my vows:
I was compell'd to her; but I love thee

By love's own sweet conftraint, and will for ever
Do thee all rights of service.

Dia. Ay, fo 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 fworn?

Dia. 'Tis not the many oaths, that make the truth; But the plain fingle vow, that is vow'd true. Ber. 'What is not holy, that we swear not by, But take the Highest to witness.

Dia. Then, pray you, tell me,

If I should swear by Love'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 to him whom I proteft to love,

That I will work against him: Therefore, your oaths
Are words, and poor conditions; but unfeal'd;
At least, in my opinion.

с

Ber. Change it, change it;

frive against my vows:]-plead against the vow I have made never to cohabit with Helena.

f What is not holy,]—I will not bind myself to thee by the flight and ordinary proteftations of lovers

sill?]-in an unlawful way.

this has no holding, to fwear to him, &c.]—there is no confiftency in fwearing to a perfon that I love him, when I mean only to injure himby bim.

Be

Be not fo 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 fick defire,

Who then recovers: fay, thou art mine, and ever
My love, as it begins, fhall fo perfever.

Dia. I fee, that men 1 make hopes in such affairs,
That we'll forfake ourselves. Give me that ring.
Ber. I'll lend it thee, my dear, but have no power
To give it from me.

Dia. Will you not, my lord?

Ber. It is an honour 'longing to our house,
Bequeathed down from many ancestors;

Which were the greatest obloquy i' the world
In me to lose.

Dia. Mine honour's fuch a ring:
My chastity's the jewel of our house,
Bequeathed down from many ancestors;
Which were the greateft obloquy i' the world
In me to lofe: Thus your own proper wisdom
Brings in the champion honour on my part,
Against your vain affault.

Ber. Here, take my ring:

My house, mine honour, yea, my life be thine,

k

And I'll be bid by thee.

Dia. When midnight comes, knock at my chamber window;

I'll order take, my mother fhall 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:

make hopes in fuch affairs,]-conceive hopes of fuccefs-in fuch a fcene-when once we admit them to make their amorous protestations. be bid by thee.]-be at thy difpofal.

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