1 Lord. None, in the world? But return with an invention, and clap upon you two or three probable lies but we have almost emboss'd him, you shall see his fall to-night; for, indeed, he is not for your ladyship's respect.

2 Lord. We'll make you some sport with the fox ere we case him +. He was first smoked by the old lord Lafue: when his disguise and he is parted, tell me what a sprat you shall find him; which you shall this very night.

I Lord. I must go look my twigs; he shall be caught.

Ber. Your brother, he shall go along with me. 1 Lord. As't please your lordship: I'll leave you. [Exit. Ber. Now I will lead you to the house, and shew you

The lass I spoke of.

2 Lord. But, you say, she's honest.

Ber. That's all the fault: I sopke with her but

Enter HELENA and WIDOW.

Hel. If you misdoubt me that I am not she, I know not how I shall assure you further, But I shall lose the grounds I work upon ‡.

ACT IV.

SCENE I.-Without the Florentine Camp. Enter first LORD, with five or six SOLDIERS in ambush.

1 Lord. He can come no other way but by this hedge' corner: when you sally upon him, speak what terrible language you will; though you understand it not yourselves, no matter; for we must not seem to understand him; unless some one among us, whom we must produce for an interpreter. í Sold. Good captain, let me be the interpreter. 1 Lord. Art not acquainted with him? Knows he not thy voice?

1 Sold. No, Sir, I warrant you.

1 Lord. But what linsy-woolsy hast thou to speak to us again?

Sold. Even such as you speak to me.

1 Lord. He must think us some band of strangers, i' the adversary's entertainment. Now he hath a smack of all neighbouring languages; therefore we must every one be a man of his own fancy, not to know what we speak one to another; so we seem to know, is to know straight our purpose: chough's language, gabble enough, and good enough. Astor you, interpreter, you must seem very politic. But couch, ho! Here he comes; to beguile two hours a sleep, and then to return and swear the lies be forges.

Enter PAROLLES.

Nothing acquainted with these businesses;

And would not put my reputation now

In any staining act.

Hel. Nor would I wish you.

First, give me trust, the count he is my husband; And, what to your sworn counsel I have spoken,

Is so, from word to word; and then you cannot, By the good aid that I of you shall borrow,

Err in bestowing it.

Wid. I should believe you;

graces have of late knock'd too often at my door. I find, my tongue is too fool hardy; but my heart hath the fear of Mars before it, and of his creatures, not daring the reports of my tongue.

1 Lord. This is the first truth that e'er thine own [Aside. tongue was guilty of. Par. What the devil should move me to undertake the recovery of this drum; being not ignorant of the impossibility, and knowing I had no such

You are great in fortune.

Hel. Take this purse of gold,

And let me buy your friendly help thus far,

Which I will over-pay, and pay again,

When I have found it. The count he wooes your daughter,

Lays down his wanton siege before her beauty,
Resolves to carry her; let her, in fine, consent,
As we'll direct her how 'tis best to bear it,
Now his important § blood will nought deny
That she'll demand: a ring the county wears,
That downward hath succeeded in his house,
From son to son, some four or five descents
Since the first father wore it: this ring he holds
In most rich choice; yet, in his idle fire,
To buy his will, it would not seem too dear,
Howe'er repented after.

got them in exploit: yet slight ones will not carry it: they will say, Came you off with so little? And great ones I dare not give. Wherefore? What's the instance+? Tongue, I must put you into a butterif you prattle me into these perils. woman's mouth, and buy another of Bajazet's male,

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.

[A side.

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

[Aside.

1 Lord. 'Twould not do.. Par. Or to drown my clothes, and say, I was stripp'd.

1 Lord. Hardly serve.

[Aside.

Par. Though I swore I leap'd from the window

of the citadel

[Aside.

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 recover'd it.

1 Lord. You shall hear one anon. 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! ransome, ransome-Do not hide mine
eyes. [They seize him and blindfold him.

1 Sold. Boskos thromuldo boskos.
Par. I know you are the Musko's 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
The Florentine.

1 Sold. Boskos vauvado

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

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 accomplish'd : and, there residing, the tenderness of her nature became as a prey to her grief; in tine, 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 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 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 encounter'd 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 whipp'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, Sir, of whom he hath taken a solemn leave; his lordship will

next morning for France. The duke hath offer'd 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 despatch'd 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, mourn'd for her; writ to my lady mother, I am returning; entertain'd 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 fearing

to hear of it hereafter: but shail we have this dia

logue between the fool and the soldier ?-Come, bring forth this counterfeit module; he has deceived ine, 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 usurping his spurs so long. How does he carry

himself?

1 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 shed her milk: he hath confess'd himself to Morgan, 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 confess'd?

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 con straint; if ye pinch me like a pasty, I can say no

more.

1 Sold. Bosko chimurcho.

2 Lord. Boblibindo chicurmurco.

1 Sold. You are a merciful general :—Our general bids you answer to what I shall ask you out of a note. Pur. 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 scatter'd, and the commanders very poor rogues, upon my reputation and credit, and 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!

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

2 Lord, I will never trust a man again, for keeping 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 it, 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?

Pur. 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 thou sand poll; half of which dare not shake the snow from off their cassocks ‡, lest they shake themselves to pieces.

Ber. What shall be done to him?

1 Lord. Nothing, but let him have thanks. Demand of him my conditious, and what credit I have

with the duke.

1 Sol. Well, that's set down. You shall demand 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 revolt. What say you to this? What do you know of it?

Par. I beseech you let me answer to the particular of the intergatories: demand them singly. 1 Sold. Do you know this captain Dumain ? Par. I know him: he was a botcher's 'prentice the sheriff's fool with child; a dumb innocent**, in Paris, from whence he was whipp'd for getting 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 Florence's camp?.

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

1 Sold. What is his reputation with the duke? Pur. 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 let ters 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 Sol. Dian. The count's a fool, and full of gold, Par. That is not the duke's letter, Sir; that is an 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.

1 Sold. Nay, I'll read it first, by your favour. Pur. My meaning in't, I protest, was very honest in the cehalf of the maid: for I knew the young count to be a dangerous and lascivious boy; who is a whale 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:

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

Par. E'en 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 coining on he has the cramp.

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

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

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

Par. ' 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 such pestiferous reports of men very nobly held, can

make it;

He ne'er pays after debts, take it before;
And say, a soldier, Dian, told thee this,
Men are to mell with, boys are not to kiss:
For count of this, the count's a jool, I know it,
Who pays before, but not when he does owe it.

Thine, as he vow'd to thee in thine ear,

Parolles. Ber. He shall be whipp'd 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 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 vou confess freely; therefore, once more to this captain Dumain :-You have answer'd 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, called 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-villain'd 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 fee. 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 ?

i. e. A match well made is half won; make your match therefore, but make it well. ti. e. He will steal any thing, however trifling, from any place however holy.

The Centaur killed by Hercules.

The fourth part of the smaller French crown.

must die. Come, headsmen, off with his head. Par. O Lord, Sir; let me live, or let me see my death!

1 Sol. That shall you, and take your leave of all your friends.

[Unmuthing 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 1 were not a very coward, I'd compel it of you; but tare you well.

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

Pur. Who cannot be crush'd 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 I am thankful: if my heart were great, 'Twould burst at this :-Captam 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 braggart, 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 Satest in shame! Being fool'd, by foolery thrive! There's place, and means, for every man alive. I'll after them.

[Exit.

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
Shall be my surety; 'fore whose throne, 'tis needful,
Ere I can perfect mine intents, to kneel:
Time was, I did him a desired office,
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 con enient 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 recompence 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,

• To deceive the opinion.

♦ For mover.

Enter COUNTESS, LAFEU, and CLOWN. Laf. No, no, no, your son was misled with a snipttaffata 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-tail'd humble-bee I speak of.

Court. 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 ¶.

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. Why, Sir, if I cannot serve you, I can serve as great a prince as you are.

but

Laf. Who's that? A Frenchman? Clo. Faith, Sir, he has an English name; 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 talk'st of; serve him still.

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 humble 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 look'd to, without any tricks.

Clo. If I put any tricks upon 'em, Sir, they shall be jades' tricks; which are their own right by the law of nature.

• Lascivious. Commands.

[Exit. i. e. An honest death. End.

There was a fashion of asing yellow starch for bands and ruffles, to which Lafeu alludes.

4. e. Rue.

• Seduce.

Laf. A shrewd knave, and an unhappy.

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, 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 mi nority of them both, his majesty, out of a selfgracious remembrance, did first propose: his highness hath promised me to do it: and, to stop up the displeasure he hath conceived against your sen, there is no fitter matter. How does your ladyship like it?

Count. With very much content, my lord, and I wish it happily erected.

Laf. His highness comes post from Marseilles, of as able body as when he number'd thirty; he will be here to-morrow, or I am deceived by him that in such intelligence hath seldom fail'd.

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 pri vilege.

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; but '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 carbonadoed † face. Laj. Let us go see your son, I pray you; I long to talk with the young noble soldier.

Clo. 'Faith, there's a dozen of 'em, with delicate fine hats, and most courteous feathers, which bow the head, and nod at every man.

ACT V.

[Exeunt.

To wear your gentle limbs in my affairs,
Be bold, you do so grow in my requital,
As nothing can unroot you. In happy time ;-
Enter a gentle ASTRINGER.

This man may help me to his majesty's ear,
If he would spend his power.-God save you, Sir.
Gent. And you.

Hel. Sir, I have seen you in the court of France.
Gent. I have been sometimes there.

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.

Gent. What's your will?
Hel. That it will please you
To give this poor petition to the king,
And aid me with that store of power you have,
To come into his presence.

Gent. The king's not here.
Hel. Not here, Sir?
Gent. Not, indeed :

He hence removed last night, and with more haste
Than is his use.

Wid. 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?

Mischievously unhappy, waggish.

+ Scotched like a piece of meat for the gridiron. A gentleman falconer