_K. John_ V, ii, 164.
_Lewis_ [Dauphin.]
Strike up the _drums_! and let the tongue of war
Plead for our interest, and our being here.
_Bastard._ Indeed, your _drums_, being _beaten_, will cry out;
And so shall you, being _beaten_. Do but start
An _echo_ with the clamour of thy drum,
And even at hand a _drum_ is ready brac'd,
That shall reverberate all as loud as thine;
_Sound_ but _another_, and another shall,
As loud as thine, _rattle the welkin's ear_,
And mock the deep-mouth'd thunder.
An entirely different use of the Drum is alluded to by Parolles, in
his slanderous evidence against Captain Dumain.
_All's Well_ IV, iii, 262.
_1 Soldier._ What say you to his expertness in war?
_Parolles._ 'Faith, sir, he has _led the drum before the
English tragedians_, ... and more of his soldiership I know
not.
There are several occasions in Shakespeare when _trumpets_ are sounded
to herald the approach of play-actors, but _drums_ are not mentioned
in this connection except here. Rimbault's Preface to Purcell's Opera
'Bonduca' (Musical Antiquarian Society) says that a Play was always
introduced by the trumpet sounding three times, after which the
Prologue entered. Dekker, referring to the list of _errata_ in his
'Satiromastix,' 1602, says--"Instead of the trumpets sounding thrice
before the play begin, it shall not be amiss for him that will read,
first to behold this short Comedy of Errors."