That leades him to these places: were I his Ladie,
I would poison that vile Rascall
Hel. Which is he?
Dia. That Iacke-an-apes with scarfes. Why is hee
melancholly?
Hel. Perchance he's hurt i'th battaile
Par. Loose our drum? Well
Mar. He's shrewdly vext at something. Looke he
has spyed vs
Wid. Marrie hang you
Mar. And your curtesie, for a ring-carrier.
Enter.
Wid. The troope is past: Come pilgrim, I wil bring
you, Where you shall host: Of inioyn'd penitents
There's foure or fiue, to great S[aint]. Iaques bound,
Alreadie at my house
Hel. I humbly thanke you:
Please it this Matron, and this gentle Maide
To eate with vs to night, the charge and thanking
Shall be for me, and to requite you further,
I will bestow some precepts of this Virgin,
Worthy the note
Both. Wee'l take your offer kindly.
Exeunt.
Enter Count Rossillion and the Frenchmen, as at first.
Cap.E. Nay good my Lord put him too't: let him
haue his way
Cap.G. If your Lordshippe finde him not a Hilding,
hold me no more in your respect
Cap.E. On my life my Lord, a bubble
Ber. Do you thinke I am so farre
Deceiued in him
Cap.E. Beleeue it my Lord, in mine owne direct
knowledge, without any malice, but to speake of him
as my kinsman, hee's a most notable Coward, an infinite
and endlesse Lyar, an hourely promise-breaker, the
owner of no one good qualitie, worthy your Lordships
entertainment
Cap.G. It were fit you knew him, least reposing too
farre in his vertue which he hath not, he might at some
great and trustie businesse, in a maine daunger, fayle
you
Ber. I would I knew in what particular action to try
him
Cap.G. None better then to let him fetch off his
drumme, which you heare him so confidently vndertake
to do
C.E. I with a troop of Florentines wil sodainly surprize
him; such I will haue whom I am sure he knowes
not from the enemie: wee will binde and hoodwinke
him so, that he shall suppose no other but that he is carried
into the Leager of the aduersaries, when we bring
him to our owne tents: be but your Lordship present
at his examination, if he do not for the promise of his
life, and in the highest compulsion of base feare, offer to
betray you, and deliuer all the intelligence in his power
against you, and that with the diuine forfeite of his
soule vpon oath, neuer trust my iudgement in anie
thing
Cap.G. O for the loue of laughter, let him fetch his
drumme, he sayes he has a stratagem for't: when your
Lordship sees the bottome of this successe in't, and to
what mettle this counterfeyt lump of ours will be melted
if you giue him not Iohn drummes entertainement,
your inclining cannot be remoued. Heere he comes.
Enter Parrolles.
Cap.E. O for the loue of laughter hinder not the honor
of his designe, let him fetch off his drumme in any
hand
Ber. How now Monsieur? This drumme sticks sorely
in your disposition
Cap.G. A pox on't, let it go, 'tis but a drumme
Par. But a drumme: Ist but a drumme? A drum so
lost. There was excellent command, to charge in with
our horse vpon our owne wings, and to rend our owne
souldiers
Cap.G. That was not to be blam'd in the command
of the seruice: it was a disaster of warre that C├Žsar him
selfe could not haue preuented, if he had beene there to
command
Ber. Well, wee cannot greatly condemne our successe:
some dishonor wee had in the losse of that drum,
but it is not to be recouered
Par. It might haue beene recouered
Ber. It might, but it is not now
Par. It is to be recouered, but that the merit of seruice
is sildome attributed to the true and exact performer,
I would haue that drumme or another, or hic iacet
Ber. Why if you haue a stomacke, too't Monsieur: if
you thinke your mysterie in stratagem, can bring this
instrument of honour againe into his natiue quarter, be
magnanimious in the enterprize and go on, I wil grace
the attempt for a worthy exploit: if you speede well in
it, the Duke shall both speake of it, and extend to you
what further becomes his greatnesse, euen to the vtmost
syllable of your worthinesse
Par. By the hand of a souldier I will vndertake it
Ber. But you must not now slumber in it
Par. Ile about it this euening, and I will presently
pen downe my dilemma's, encourage my selfe in my
certaintie, put my selfe into my mortall preparation:
and by midnight looke to heare further from me
Ber. May I bee bold to acquaint his grace you are
gone about it
Par. I know not what the successe wil be my Lord,
but the attempt I vow
Ber. I know th'art valiant,
And to the possibility of thy souldiership,
Will subscribe for thee: Farewell
Par. I loue not many words.
Exit
Cap.E. No more then a fish loues water. Is not this
a strange fellow my Lord, that so confidently seemes to
vndertake this businesse, which he knowes is not to be
done, damnes himselfe to do, & dares better be damnd
then to doo't
Cap.G. You do not know him my Lord as we doe,
certaine it is that he will steale himselfe into a mans fauour,
and for a weeke escape a great deale of discoueries,
but when you finde him out, you haue him euer after
Ber. Why do you thinke he will make no deede at
all of this that so seriouslie hee dooes addresse himselfe
vnto?
Cap.E. None in the world, but returne with an inuention,
and clap vpon you two or three probable lies:
but we haue almost imbost him, you shall see his fall to
night; for indeede he is not for your Lordshippes respect
Cap.G. Weele make you some sport with the Foxe
ere we case him. He was first smoak'd by the old Lord
Lafew, when his disguise and he is parted, tell me what
a sprat you shall finde him, which you shall see this verie
night
Cap.E. I must go looke my twigges,
He shall be caught
Ber. Your brother he shall go along with me
Cap.G. As't please your Lordship, Ile leaue you
Ber. Now wil I lead you to the house, and shew you
The Lasse I spoke of
Cap.E. But you say she's honest
Ber. That's all the fault: I spoke with hir but once,
And found her wondrous cold, but I sent to her
By this same Coxcombe that we haue i'th winde
Tokens and Letters, which she did resend,
And this is all I haue done: She's a faire creature,
Will you go see her?
Cap.E. With all my heart my Lord.
Exeunt.
Enter Hellen, and Widdow.
Hel. If you misdoubt me that I am not shee,
I know not how I shall assure you further,
But I shall loose the grounds I worke vpon
Wid. Though my estate be falne, I was well borne,
Nothing acquainted with these businesses,
And would not put my reputation now
In any staining act
Hel. Nor would I wish you.
First giue me trust, the Count he is my husband,
And what to your sworne counsaile I haue spoken,
Is so from word to word: and then you cannot
By the good ayde that I of you shall borrow,
Erre in bestowing it
Wid. I should beleeue you,
For you haue shew'd me that which well approues
Y'are great in fortune
Hel. Take this purse of Gold,
And let me buy your friendly helpe thus farre,
Which I will ouer-pay, and pay againe
When I haue found it. The Count he woes your
daughter,
Layes downe his wanton siedge before her beautie,
Resolue to carrie her: let her in fine consent
As wee'l direct her how 'tis best to beare it:
Now his important blood will naught denie,
That shee'l demand: a ring the Countie weares,
That downward hath succeeded in his house
From sonne to sonne, some foure or fiue discents,
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 seeme too deere,
How ere repented after
Wid. Now I see the bottome of your purpose
Hel. You see it lawfull then, it is no more,
But that your daughter ere she seemes as wonne,
Desires this Ring; appoints him an encounter;
In fine, deliuers me to fill the time,
Her selfe most chastly absent: after
To marry her, Ile adde three thousand Crownes
To what is past already
Wid. I haue yeelded:
Instruct my daughter how she shall perseuer,
That time and place with this deceite so lawfull
May proue coherent. Euery night he comes
With Musickes of all sorts, and songs compos'd
To her vnworthinesse: It nothing steeds vs
To chide him from our eeues, for he persists
As if his life lay on't
Hel. Why then to night
Let vs assay our plot, which if it speed,
Is wicked meaning in a lawfull deede;
And lawfull meaning in a lawfull act,
Where both not sinne, and yet a sinfull fact.
But let's about it.
Actus Quartus.
Enter one of the Frenchmen, with fiue or sixe other souldiers in
ambush.
Lord E. He can come no other way but by this hedge
corner: when you sallie vpon him, speake what terrible
Language you will: though you vnderstand it not your
selues, no matter: for we must not seeme to vnderstand
him, vnlesse some one among vs, whom wee must produce
for an Interpreter
1.Sol. Good Captaine, let me be th' Interpreter
Lor.E. Art not acquainted with him? knowes he not
thy voice?
1.Sol. No sir I warrant you
Lo.E. But what linsie wolsy hast thou to speake to vs
againe
1.Sol. E'n such as you speake to me
Lo.E. He must thinke vs some band of strangers, i'th
aduersaries entertainment. Now he hath a smacke of all
neighbouring Languages: therefore we must euery one
be a man of his owne fancie, not to know what we speak
one to another: so we seeme to know, is to know straight
our purpose: Choughs language, gabble enough, and
good enough. As for you interpreter, you must seeme
very politicke. But couch hoa, heere hee comes, to beguile
two houres in a sleepe, and then to returne & swear
the lies he forges.
Enter Parrolles.
Par. Ten a clocke: Within these three houres 'twill
be time enough to goe home. What shall I say I haue
done? It must bee a very plausiue inuention that carries
it. They beginne to smoake mee, and disgraces haue of
late, knock'd too often at my doore: I finde my tongue
is too foole-hardie, but my heart hath the feare of Mars
before it, and of his creatures, not daring the reports of
my tongue
Lo.E. This is the first truth that ere thine own tongue
was guiltie of
Par. What the diuell should moue mee to vndertake
the recouerie of this drumme, being not ignorant of the
impossibility, and knowing I had no such purpose? I
must giue my selfe some hurts, and say I got them in exploit:
yet slight ones will not carrie it. They will say,
came you off with so little? And great ones I dare not
giue, wherefore what's the instance. Tongue, I must put
you into a Butter-womans mouth, and buy my selfe another
of Baiazeths Mule, if you prattle mee into these
perilles
Lo.E. Is it possible he should know what hee is, and
be that he is
Par. I would the cutting of my garments wold serue
the turne, or the breaking of my Spanish sword
Lo.E. We cannot affoord you so
Par. Or the baring of my beard, and to say it was in
stratagem
Lo.E. 'Twould not do
Par. Or to drowne my cloathes, and say I was stript
Lo.E. Hardly serue
Par. Though I swore I leapt from the window of the
Citadell
Lo.E. How deepe?
Par. Thirty fadome
Lo.E. Three great oathes would scarse make that be
beleeued
Par. I would I had any drumme of the enemies, I
would sweare I recouer'd it
Lo.E. You shall heare one anon
Par. A drumme now of the enemies.
Alarum within.
Lo.E. Throca movousus, cargo, cargo, cargo
All. Cargo, cargo, cargo, villianda par corbo, cargo
Par. O ransome, ransome,
Do not hide mine eyes
Inter. Boskos thromuldo boskos
Par. I know you are the Muskos Regiment,
And I shall loose my life for want of language.
If there be heere German or Dane, Low Dutch,
Italian, or French, let him speake to me,
Ile discouer that, which shal vndo the Florentine
Int. Boskos vauvado, I vnderstand thee, & can speake
thy tongue: Kerelybonto sir, betake thee to thy faith, for
seuenteene ponyards are at thy bosome
Par. Oh
Inter. Oh pray, pray, pray,
Manka reuania dulche
Lo.E. Oscorbidulchos voliuorco
Int. The Generall is content to spare thee yet,
And hoodwinkt as thou art, will leade thee on
To gather from thee. Haply thou mayst informe
Something to saue thy life
Par. O let me liue,
And all the secrets of our campe Ile shew,
Their force, their purposes: Nay, Ile speake that,
Which you will wonder at
Inter. But wilt thou faithfully?
Par. If I do not, damne me
Inter. Acordo linta.
Come on, thou are granted space.
Exit
A short Alarum within.
L.E. Go tell the Count Rossillion and my brother,
We haue caught the woodcocke, and will keepe him mufled
Till we do heare from them
Sol. Captaine I will
L.E. A will betray vs all vnto our selues,
Informe on that
Sol. So I will sir
L.E. Till then Ile keepe him darke and safely lockt.
Exit
Enter Bertram, and the Maide called Diana.
Ber. They told me that your name was Fontybell
Dia. No my good Lord, Diana
Ber. Titled Goddesse,
And worth it with addition: but faire soule,
In your fine frame hath loue no qualitie?
If the quicke fire of youth light not your minde,
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 sterne,
And now you should be as your mother was
When your sweet selfe was got
Dia. She then was honest
Ber. So should you be
Dia. No:
My mother did but dutie, such (my Lord)
As you owe to your wife
Ber. No more a'that:
I prethee do not striue against my vowes:
I was compell'd to her, but I loue thee
By loues owne sweet constraint, and will for euer
Do thee all rights of seruice
Dia. I so you serue vs
Till we serue you: But when you haue our Roses,
You barely leaue our thornes to pricke our selues,
And mocke vs with our barenesse
Ber. How haue I sworne
Dia. Tis not the many oathes that makes the truth,
But the plaine single vow, that is vow'd true:
What is not holie, that we sweare not by,
But take the high'st to witnesse: then pray you tell me,
If I should sweare by Ioues great attributes,
I lou'd you deerely, would you beleeue my oathes,
When I did loue you ill? This ha's no holding
To sweare by him whom I protest to loue
That I will worke against him. Therefore your oathes
Are words and poore conditions, but vnseal'd
At lest in my opinion
Ber. Change it, change it:
Be not so holy cruell: Loue is holie,
And my integritie ne're knew the crafts
That you do charge men with: Stand no more off,
But giue thy selfe vnto my sicke desires,
Who then recouers. Say thou art mine, and euer
My loue as it beginnes, shall so perseuer
Dia. I see that men make rope's in such a scarre,
That wee'l forsake our selues. Giue me that Ring
Ber. Ile lend it thee my deere; but haue no power
To giue it from me
Dia. Will you not my Lord?
Ber. It is an honour longing to our house,
Bequeathed downe from manie Ancestors,
Which were the greatest obloquie i'th world,
In me to loose
Dian. Mine Honors such a Ring,
My chastities the Iewell of our house,
Bequeathed downe from many Ancestors,
Which were the greatest obloquie i'th world,
In mee to loose. Thus your owne proper wisedome
Brings in the Champion honor on my part,
Against your vaine assault
Ber. Heere, take my Ring,
My house, mine honor, yea my life be thine,
And Ile be bid by thee
Dia. When midnight comes, knocke at my chamber
window:
Ile order take, my mother shall not heare.
Now will I charge you in the band of truth,
When you haue conquer'd my yet maiden-bed,
Remaine there but an houre, nor speake to mee:
My reasons are most strong, and you shall know them,
When backe againe this Ring shall be deliuer'd:
And on your finger in the night, Ile put
Another Ring, that what in time proceeds,
May token to the future, our past deeds.
Adieu till then, then faile not: you haue wonne
A wife of me, though there my hope be done
Ber. A heauen on earth I haue won by wooing thee
Di. For which, liue long to thank both heauen & me,
You may so in the end.
My mother told me iust how he would woo,
As if she sate in's heart. She sayes, all men
Haue the like oathes: He had sworne to marrie me
When his wife's dead: therfore Ile lye with him
When I am buried. Since Frenchmen are so braide,
Marry that will, I liue and die a Maid:
Onely in this disguise, I think't no sinne,
To cosen him that would vniustly winne.
Exit
Enter the two French Captaines, and some two or three Souldiours.
Cap.G. You haue not giuen him his mothers letter
Cap.E. I haue deliu'red it an houre since, there is som
thing in't that stings his nature: for on the reading it,
he chang'd almost into another man
Cap.G. He has much worthy blame laid vpon him,
for shaking off so good a wife, and so sweet a Lady
Cap.E. Especially, hee hath incurred the euerlasting
displeasure of the King, who had euen tun'd his bounty
to sing happinesse to him. I will tell you a thing, but
you shall let it dwell darkly with you
Cap.G. When you haue spoken it 'tis dead, and I am
the graue of it
Cap.E. Hee hath peruerted a young Gentlewoman
heere in Florence, of a most chaste renown, & this night
he fleshes his will in the spoyle of her honour: hee hath
giuen her his monumentall Ring, and thinkes himselfe
made in the vnchaste composition
Cap.G. Now God delay our rebellion as we are our
selues, what things are we
Cap.E. Meerely our owne traitours. And as in the
common course of all treasons, we still see them reueale
themselues, till they attaine to their abhorr'd ends: so
he that in this action contriues against his owne Nobility
in his proper streame, ore-flowes himselfe
Cap.G. Is it not meant damnable in vs, to be Trumpeters
of our vnlawfull intents? We shall not then haue
his company to night?
Cap.E. Not till after midnight: for hee is dieted to
his houre
Cap.G. That approaches apace: I would gladly haue
him see his company anathomiz'd, that hee might take
a measure of his owne iudgements, wherein so curiously
he had set this counterfeit
Cap.E. We will not meddle with him till he come;
for his presence must be the whip of the other
Cap.G. In the meane time, what heare you of these
Warres?
Cap.E. I heare there is an ouerture of peace
Cap.G. Nay, I assure you a peace concluded
Cap.E. What will Count Rossillion do then? Will he
trauaile higher, or returne againe into France?
Cap.G. I perceiue by this demand, you are not altogether
of his councell
Cap.E. Let it be forbid sir, so should I bee a great
deale of his act
Cap.G. Sir, his wife some two months since fledde
from his house, her pretence is a pilgrimage to Saint Iaques
le grand; which holy vndertaking, with most austere
sanctimonie she accomplisht: and there residing,
the tendernesse of her Nature, became as a prey to her
greefe: in fine, made a groane of her last breath, & now
she sings in heauen
Cap.E. How is this iustified?
Cap.G. The stronger part of it by her owne Letters,
which makes her storie true, euen to the poynt of her
death: her death it selfe, which could not be her office
to say, is come: was faithfully confirm'd by the Rector
of the place
Cap.E. Hath the Count all this intelligence?
Cap.G. I, and the particular confirmations, point
from point, to the full arming of the veritie
Cap.E. I am heartily sorrie that hee'l bee gladde of
this
Cap.G. How mightily sometimes, we make vs comforts
of our losses
Cap.E. And how mightily some other times, wee
drowne our gaine in teares, the great dignitie that his
valour hath here acquir'd for him, shall at home be encountred
with a shame as ample
Cap.G. The webbe of our life, is of a mingled yarne,
good and ill together: our vertues would bee proud, if
our faults whipt them not, and our crimes would dispaire
if they were not cherish'd by our vertues.
Enter a Messenger.
How now? Where's your master?
Ser. He met the Duke in the street sir, of whom hee
hath taken a solemne leaue: his Lordshippe will next
morning for France. The Duke hath offered him Letters
of commendations to the King
Cap.E. They shall bee no more then needfull there,
if they were more then they can commend.
Enter Count Rossillion.
Ber. They cannot be too sweete for the Kings tartnesse,
heere's his Lordship now. How now my Lord,
i'st not after midnight?
Ber. I haue to night dispatch'd sixteene businesses, a
moneths length a peece, by an abstract of successe: I
haue congied with the Duke, done my adieu with his
neerest; buried a wife, mourn'd for her, writ to my Ladie
mother, I am returning, entertain'd my Conuoy, &
betweene these maine parcels of dispatch, affected many
nicer needs: the last was the greatest, but that I haue
not ended yet
Cap.E. If the businesse bee of any difficulty, and this
morning your departure hence, it requires hast of your
Lordship
Ber. I meane the businesse is not ended, as fearing
to heare of it hereafter: but shall we haue this dialogue
betweene the Foole and the Soldiour. Come, bring
forth this counterfet module, ha's deceiu'd mee, like a
double-meaning Prophesier
Cap.E. Bring him forth, ha's sate i'th stockes all night
poore gallant knaue
Ber. No matter, his heeles haue deseru'd it, in vsurping
his spurres so long. How does he carry himselfe?
Cap.E. I haue told your Lordship alreadie: The
stockes carrie him. But to answer you as you would be
vnderstood, hee weepes like a wench that had shed her
milke, he hath confest himselfe to Morgan, whom hee
supposes to be a Friar, fro[m] the time of his remembrance
to this very instant disaster of his setting i'th stockes:
and what thinke you he hath confest?
Ber. Nothing of me, ha's a?
Cap.E. His confession is taken, and it shall bee read
to his face, if your Lordshippe be in't, as I beleeue you
are, you must haue the patience to heare it.
Enter Parolles with his Interpreter.
Ber. A plague vpon him, muffeld; he can say nothing
of me: hush, hush
Cap.G. Hoodman comes: Portotartarossa
Inter. He calles for the tortures, what will you say
without em
Par. I will confesse what I know without constraint,
If ye pinch me like a Pasty, I can say no more
Int. Bosko Chimurcho
Cap. Boblibindo chicurmurco
Int. You are a mercifull Generall: Our Generall
bids you answer to what I shall aske you out of a Note
Par. And truly, as I hope to liue
Int. First demand of him, how many horse the Duke
is strong. What say you to that?
Par. Fiue or sixe thousand, but very weake and vnseruiceable:
the troopes are all scattered, and the Commanders
verie poore rogues, vpon my reputation and
credit, and as I hope to liue
Int. Shall I set downe your answer so?
Par. Do, Ile take the Sacrament on't, how & which
way you will: all's one to him
Ber. What a past-sauing slaue is this?
Cap.G. Y'are deceiu'd my Lord, this is Mounsieur
Parrolles the gallant militarist, that was his owne phrase
that had the whole theoricke of warre in the knot of his
scarfe, and the practise in the chape of his dagger
Cap.E. I will neuer trust a man againe, for keeping
his sword cleane, nor beleeue he can haue euerie thing
in him, by wearing his apparrell neatly
Int. Well, that's set downe
Par. Fiue or six thousand horse I sed, I will say true,
or thereabouts set downe, for Ile speake truth
Cap.G. He's very neere the truth in this
Ber. But I con him no thankes for't in the nature he
deliuers it
Par. Poore rogues, I pray you say
Int. Well, that's set downe
Par. I humbly thanke you sir, a truth's a truth, the
Rogues are maruailous poore
Interp. Demaund of him of what strength they are a
foot. What say you to that?
Par. By my troth sir, if I were to liue this present
houre, I will tell true. Let me see, Spurio a hundred &
fiftie, Sebastian so many, Corambus so many, Iaques so
many: Guiltian, Cosmo, Lodowicke, and Gratij, two hundred
fiftie each: Mine owne Company, Chitopher, Vaumond,
Bentij, two hundred fiftie each: so that the muster
file, rotten and sound, vppon my life amounts not to fifteene
thousand pole, halfe of the which, dare not shake
the snow from off their Cassockes, least they shake themselues
to peeces
Ber. What shall be done to him?
Cap.G. Nothing, but let him haue thankes. Demand
of him my condition: and what credite I haue with the
Duke
Int. Well that's set downe: you shall demaund of
him, whether one Captaine Dumaine bee i'th Campe, a
Frenchman: what his reputation is with the Duke, what
his valour, honestie, and expertnesse in warres: or whether
he thinkes it were not possible with well-waighing
summes of gold to corrupt him to a reuolt. 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
Int. Do you know this Captaine Dumaine?
Par. I know him, a was a Botchers Prentize in Paris,
from whence he was whipt for getting the Shrieues fool
with childe, a dumbe innocent that could not say him
nay
Ber. Nay, by your leaue hold your hands, though I
know his braines are forfeite to the next tile that fals
Int. Well, is this Captaine in the Duke of Florences
campe?
Par. Vpon my knowledge he is, and lowsie
Cap.G. Nay looke not so vpon me: we shall heare of
your Lord anon