My reasons are moft ftrong; and you fhall know them, Adieu, 'till then; then, fail not: You have won 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 fo in the end. My mother told me juft how he would woo, As if the fat in his heart; fhe fays, all men m Only, in this disguise, I think't no fin To cozen him, that would unjustly win. SCENE [Exit 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 deliver'd it an hour fince: there is fomething in't that ftings his nature; for, on the reading it, he chang'd almost into another man. I Lord. He has much worthy blame laid upon him, for fhaking off fo good a wife, and fo fweet a lady. 2 Lord. Efpecially he hath incurred the everlasting dif braid,]-deceitful. I live. pleasure pleasure of the king, who had even tun'd his bounty to fing happiness to him. I will tell you a thing, but you fhall 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 moft chafte 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 unchafte composition. I Lord. Now God "delay our rebellion; as we are ourfelves, what things are we! 2 Lord. Merely our own traitors. And as in the common course of all treasons, we ftill fee them reveal themselves, ere they attain to their abhorr'd ends; fo he, that in this action contrives against his own nobility, in his proper ftream o'erflows himself. 1 Lord. Is it not most damnable in us, to be trumpeters of our unlawful intents? We fhall not then have his company to-night? 2 Lord. Not 'till after midnight; for he is dieted to his hour. I Lord. That approaches apace: I would gladly have him fee his companion anatomized; that he might take a measure of his own judgment, wherein fo curiously he had fet this counterfeit. 2 Lord. We will not meddle with him till he come; for his prefence 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 affure you, a peace concluded. delay]-avert, prevent. 。 'till. Pin his proper ftream o'erflows himself.]-betrays his fecrets by his meant; meantime; mean and. own talk. company. F f 4 2 Lord. L 2 Lord. What will count Roufillon do then? will he travel higher, or return again into France ? 1 Lord. I perceive by this demand, you are not altogether of his counsel. 2 Lord. Let it be forbid, fir! fo fhould I be a great deal of his act. 1 Lord. Sir, his wife, fome two months fince, fled from his house; her pretence, a pilgrimage to Saint Jaques le grand; which holy undertaking, with most austere fanctimony, the accomplish'd: and, there refiding, through the tenderness of her nature, became as a prey to her grief; in fine, made a groan of her last breath, and now she fings in heaven. 2 Lord. How is this 'justified? I Lord. The stronger part of it by her own letters; which makes her story true, even to the point of her death: her death itself, which could not be her office to fay, is come, was faithfully confirm'd by the rector of the place. 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 forry, that he'll be glad of this. I Lord. How mightily, fometimes, we make us comforts of our loffes! 2 Lord. And how mightily, fome other times, we drown our gain in tears! the great dignity, that his valour hath here acquired for him, fhall at home be encounter'd with a fhame as ample. 1 Lord. The web of our life is of a mingled yarn, good and ill together: our virtues would be proud, if our faults whip'd them not; and our crimes 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, fir, of whom he hath taken a folemn leave; his lordship will next morning for France. The duke hath offered him letters of commendations to the king. W 2 Lord. They fhall be no more than needful there, if they were more than they can commend. Enter Bertram. 1 Lord. They cannot be too sweet for the king's tartnefs. Here's his lordship now. How now, my lord, is't not after midnight? Ber. I have to-night difpatch'd fixteen bufineffes, a month's length a-piece, by an abftract of fuccefs; I have conge'd with the duke, done my adieu with his nearest; buried a wife, mourn'd for her; writ to my lady mother, I am returning; entertain'd my convoy; and, between these main parcels of dispatch, effected many nicer needs: the last was the greatest, but that I have not ended yet. 2 Lord. If the bufinefs be of any difficulty, and this morning your departure hence, it requires haste of your lordship. a Ber. I mean, the business is not ended, as fearing to hear of it hereafter: But fhall we have this dialogue between the fool and the foldier?-Come, bring forth this b countefeit module; he has deceiv'd me, like a doublemeaning prophefier. "if they were more than they can commend.]though their contents should be more ample than authentick. * by an abstract of fuccefs ;]-as it appears from a fhort note of each, taken down as they were fucceffively executed. Y nearest ;]-courtiers. 2 entertain'd]-provided. to bear of it bereafter :]-the common confequences of such an intrigue, which may prove troublesome. counterfeit module ;]-pretended pattern of perfection. 2 Lord. 2 Lord. Bring him forth: he has fat in the ftocks all night, poor gallant knave. Ber. No matter; his heels have deferv'd it, in ufurping his fpurs fo long. How does he carry himself? I Lord. I have told your lordship already; the stocks carry him. But, to answer you as you would be understood; he weeps, like a wench that had fhed her milk: he hath confefs'd himself to Morgan, whom he supposes to be a friar, from the time of his remembrance, to this very instant disaster of his fetting i'the stocks: And what, think you, he hath confeft? Ber. Nothing of me, has he? : 2 Lord. His confeffion 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 fay nothing of me. I Lord. Hufh! hufh! Hoodman comes ! - Porto tartaroffo. Inter. He calls for the tortures; What will you say without 'em? Par. I will confefs what I know without constraint: if ye pinch me like a pafty, I can fay no more. Inter. Bofko chimurcho. 2 Lord. Boblibindo chicurmurco. Inter. You are a merciful general:- Our general bids you answer to what I fhall ask you out of a note. Par. And truly, as I hope to live. Inter. First demand of him, how many horfe the duke is ftrong. What fay you to that? Par. Five or fix thousand; but very weak and unferviceable: the troops are all fcatter'd, and the command Hoodman]-Parolles blindfolded, ers |