Dia. When midnight comes, knock at my chamber window; I'll order take, my mother shall not hear. When back again this ring shall be deliver❜d: You may so in the end. My mother told me just how he would woo, Marry that will, I'll live and die a maid: [Exit. 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 everlastmg 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 stu see them reveal themselves, till they attain to their abhorred ends;2 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 damnable 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. We will not meadle with him till he come; for is 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 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. 4 Damnable for damnably; the adjective used verbially. 5 Company for companion. 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. 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 letters; 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 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 drown our gain in tears! The great dignity, that his valour hath here acquired for him, shall at home be encountered with a shame 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 whipped 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, 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. 1 Lord. They cannot be too sweet for the king's tartness. Here's his lordship now. How now, my lord, is't not after midnight? Ber. I have to-night despatched sixteen businesses, a month's length a-piece, by an abstract of success: I have conge'd with the duke, done my adieu with his nearest; buried a wife, mourned for 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 of your lordship. Ber. I mean, the business is not ended, as fear. ing to hear of it hereafter: But shall we have this dialogue between the fool and the soldier?Come, bring forth this counterfeit module; he has deceived me, like a double-meaning prophesier. 2 Lord. Bring him forth: [Exeunt Soldiers.] he has sat in the stocks all night, poor gallant knave. 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 mean. ad-ing is, bring forth this counterfeit representation of a soldier. 9 An allusion to the degradation of a knight by hack. 6 This is a very just and moral reason. Bertram, by ling off his spura. with the duke. 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 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 demand of him, whether one captain Dumain be '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 revolt. 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 fool" with child: a dumb innocent, that could not say him, nay. [DUMAIN lifts up his hand in anger, Ber. Nay, by your leave, hold your hands; though I know, his brains are forfeit to the next tile that falls." 1 Sold. Well, is this captain in the duke of Flo 1 Sold. You are a merciful general:-Our gene-rence's camp? 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 theorick 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. 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 honest in the behalf of the maid: for I knew the young count to be a dangerous and lascivious boy; who is a whale12 to virginity, and devours up all the fry it 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 wel He ne'er pays after debts, take it before; Par. By my troth, sir, if I were to live this present hour, I will tell true. 6 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. It selves to pieces. is not improbable that some real event of recent occur rence is alluded to. 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. PAROLLES. 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 Plutarch 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. 7 Cassocks. Soldiers' cloaks or upper garments. Si. e. disposition and character. 9 For interrogatories. 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, con 10 Female idiots, as well as male, though not so com- tend, 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, would repent out the remainder of nature; let me live, 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. 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 a 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. A pox on him! he's a cat still. 1 Sold. His qualities being at this poor price, I need not ask you, if gold will corrupt him to revolt. Par. Sir, for a quart d'ecu he will sell the feesimple 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 suppositions 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 i. 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. 5 To deceive the opinion such pestiferous reports of men, very nobly held, 1 Sold. That shall you, and take your leave of 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, l'a compel it of you; but fare you well. [Exeunt BERTRAM, Lords, &e. 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 o you there. [Exit. Par. Yet am I thankful: if my heart were great, Let him fear this; for it will come to pass, [Exit. SCENE IV. Florence. A Room in the Widow's One of the greatest in the Christian world Let death and honesty 6 It appears that Marseilles was pronounced as a word of three syllables. In the old copy it is written Marcella and Marcellus. 7 i. e. to be my mover. 8 Saucy was used in the sense of wanton. We have it with the same meaning in Measure for Measure. 9 i. e. let death, accompanied by honesty, go with the task you impose, still I am yours, &c. "Yet, I pray you,' Hel. But with the word, the time will bring on summer, When briars shall have leaves as well as thorns, And be as sweet as sharp. We must away; Our waggon is prepar'd, and time revives us : All's well that ends well: still the fine's the crown;2 Whate'er the course, the end is the renown. [Exeunt. SCENE V. Rousillon. A Room in the Countess's Palace. Enter Countess, LAFEU, and Clown. Laf. No, no, no, your son was misled with a snipt-taffata fellow there; whose villainous saffron would have made all the unbaked and doughy youth of a nation in his colour: your daughter-in-law had been alive at this hour; and your son here at home, more advanced by the king, than by that red-tailed humble-bee I speak of. Count. I would, I had not known him! it was the death of the most virtuous gentlewoman, that ever nature had praise for creating: if she had partaken of my flesh, and cost me the dearest groans of a mother, I could not have owed her a more rooted love. Laf. 'Twas a good lady, 'twas a good lady: we may pick a thousand salads, ere we light on such another herb. Clo. Indeed, sir, she was the sweet-marjoram of the salad, or rather the herb of grace.4 Laf. They are not salad-herbs, you knave, they are nose-herbs. Clo. I am no great Nebuchadnezzar, sir, I have not much skill in grass." Laf. Whether dost thou profess thyself; a knave, or a fool? Clo. A fool, sir, at a woman's service, and a knave at a man's. Clo. At your service. Laf. No, no, no. Clo. Why, sir, if I cannot serve you, I can serve as great a prince as you are. Laf. Who's that?" a Frenchman? Clo. Faith, sir, he has an English name; but his phisnomy is more hotter in France, than there. Laf. What prince is that? Clo. The black prince, sir, alias, the prince of darkness; alias, the devil. Laf. Hold thee, there's my purse: I give thee not this to suggest thee from thy master thou talkest of; serve him still. Clo. 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 hum 1 The reading proposed by Blackstone, Yet I fray you 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 Rove's: who also supplies the word salad in the precoding speech. The clown quibbles on grass and grace. I 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 fall 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 sha law of nature. be jades' tricks; which are their own right by the [Exit. Laf. A shrewd knave, and an unhappy.10 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 runs where he will. Laf. I like him well; 'tis not amiss: and I was about to tell you, since I heard of the good lady's death, and that my lord your son was upon his return home, I moved the king my master, to speak in the behalf of my daughter; which, in the minority of them both, his majesty, out of a self-gracious remembrance, did first propose: his highness hath promised me to do it: and, to stop up the displeasure he hath conceived against your son, there is no fitter matter. How does your ladyship like it? Count. With very much content, my lord, and I wish it happily effected. Laf. His highness comes post from Marseilles, of as able body as when he numbered thirty; he will be here to-morrow, or I am deceived by him that in such intelligence hath seldom failed. Count. It rejoices me, that I hope I shall see him ere I die. I have letters that my son will be here to-night: I shall beseech your lordship, to remain with me till they meet together. Laf. Madam, I was thinking, with what manners I might safely be admitted. Count. You need but plead your honourable privilege. Laf. Lady, of that I have made a bold charter; but, I thank my God, it holds yet. Re-enter Clown. Clo. O madam, yonder's my lord your son with a patch of velvet on's face: whether there be a scar under it, or no, the velvet knows; bui 'tis a goodly patch of velvet: his left cheek is a cheek of two pile and a half, but his right cheek is worn bare. Laf. A scar nobly got, or a noble scar, is a good livery of honour; so, belike, is that. Clo. But it is your carbonadoed12 face. to talk with the young noble soldier. Laf. Let us go see your son, I pray you; I long fine hats, and most courteous feathers, which bow Clo. 'Faith, there's a dozen of 'em, with delicate the head, and nod at every man. ACT V. [Exeunt. Marseilles. A Street. Enter HESCENE I. LENA, Widow, and DIANA, with two Attendants. Hel. But this exceeding posting, day and night, Must wear your spirits low: we cannot help it; 6 The fool's bauble was a short stick ornamented at the end with the figure of a fool's head, or sometimes with that of a doll or puppet. To this instrument there was frequently annexed an inflated bladder, with which the fool belaboured those who offended him, or with whom he was inclined to make sport. The French cal a bauble, marotte, from Marionette.' 7 The old copy reads maine. s Warburton thought we should read, honour'd ;' but the Clown's allusion is double. To Edward the black prince, and to the prince of darkness. The pre sence of Edward was indeed hot in France: the other allusion is obvious. 9 Steevens thinks, with Sir T. Hanmer, that we should read since. 10 i. e. mischievously waggish, unlucky. 11 No pace, i. e. no prescribed course; he has the un bridled liberty of a fool. 12 Carbonadoed is slashed over the face in a manner that fetcheth the flesh with it,' metaphorically from a carbonado or collop of meat, But, since you have made the days and nights as fortune's close-stool to give to a nobleman! Look, here he comes himself. one, To wear your gentle limbs in my affairs, This man may help me to his majesty's ear, Hel. Sir, I have seen you in the court of France. Hel. I do presume, sir, that you are not fallen From the report that goes upon your goodness; And therefore, goaded with most sharp occasions, Which lay nice manners by, I put you to The use of your own virtues, for the which I shall continue thankful. Lord, how we lose our pains! Hel. All's well that ends well, yet; Though time seem so adverse, and means unfit.I do beseech you, whither is he gone? Gent. Marry, as I take it, to Rousillon; Whither I am going. Hel. I do beseech you, sir, Gent. Whate'er falls more. We must to horse again;— LES. Par. Good Monsieur Lavatch, give my Lord Lafeu this letter: I have ere now, sir, been better known to you, when I have held familiarity with fresher clothes; but I am now, sir, muddied in fortune's mood, and smell somewhat strong of her strong displeasure. Clo. Truly, fortune's displeasure is but sluttish, if it smell so strong as thou speakest of: I will henceforth eat no fish of fortune's buttering. Pr'ythee, allow the wind." I Par. Nay, you need not stop your nose, sir; spake but by a metaphor. Clo. Indeed, sir, if your metaphor stink, I will stop my nose; or against any man's metaphor. Pr'ythee, get thee further. Par. Pray you, sir, deliver me this paper. 1 i. e. a gentleman falconer, called in Juliana Barnes' Book of Huntyng, &c. Ostreger. The term is applied particularly to those that keep goshawks. 2 i. e. they will follow with such speed as the means which they have will give them ability to exert.' 3 Perhaps a corruption of La Vache. 4 Warburton changed mood, the reading of the old copy, to moat, and was followed and defended by Steevens; but though the emendation was ingenious and well supported, it appears unnecessary. Fortune's mood is several timea used by Shakspeare for the whimsical caprice of fortune. 5 i. e. stand to the leeward of me. 6 Warburton observes, that Shakspeare throughout his writings, if we except a passage in Hamlet, has scarce a metaphor that can offend the most squeamish reader' Enter LAFEU. Here is a pur of fortune's, sir, or of fortune's cat, (but not a musk-cat,) that has fallen into the unclean fishpond of her displeasure, and, as he says, is muddied withal: Pray you, sir, use the carp as you may; for he looks like a poor, decayed, ingenious, foolish, rascally knave. I do pity his distress in my smiles' of comfort, and leave him to your lordship. [Exit Clown. Par. My lord, I am a man whom fortune hath cruelly scratched. Laf. And what would you have me to do? 'tis too late to pare her nails now. Wherein have you played the knave with fortune, that she should scratch you, who of herself is a good lady, and would not have knaves thrive long under her? There's a quart d'ecu for you: Let the justices make you and fortune friends; I am for other business. Par. I beseech your honour, to hear me one single word. Laf. You beg a single penny more: come, you shall ha't save your word. Par. My name, my good lord, is Parolles. Laf. You beg more than one word then.-Cox' my passion! give me your hand :-How does your drum ? Par. O my good lord, you were the first that found me. Laf. Was I, in sooth? and I was the first that lost thee. Par. It lies in you, my lord, to bring me in some grace, for you did bring me out. Laf. Out upon thee, knave! dost thou put upon me at once both the office of God and the devil? one brings thee in grace, and the other brings thee out. [Trumpets sound.] The king's coming, I know by his trumpets.-Sirrah, inquire further after me: I had talk of you last night: though you are a fool and a knave, you shall eat; go to, follow." Par. I praise God for you. [Exeunt. SCENE III. The same. A Room in the Coun tess's Palace. Flourish. Enter King, Countess, LAFEU, Lords, Gentlemen, Guards, &c. Was made much poorer by it: but your son, Count. And I beseech your majesty to make it The greatest wrong of all: he lost a wife, Whose beauty did astonish the survey 7 Warburton says we should read, similes of comfort,' such as calling him fortune's cat, carp, &c. 8 A quibble is intended on the word Paroles, which in French signifies words. 9 Johnson justly observes that Parolles has many of the lineaments of Falstaff, and seems to be a charac ter that Shakspeare delighted to draw, a fellow that had more wit than virtue. Though justice required that he should be detected and exposed, yet his vices sit so fit in him that he is not at last suffered to starve.' 10 i. e. in losing her we lost a large portion of our es teem, which she possessed. 11 Completely, in its full extent. 12 The old copy reads blade. Theobald proposed the present reading. |