Dia. There is a gentleman that ferves the Count, Reports but courfely of her. Hel. What's his name? Dia. Monfieur Parolles. Hel. Oh, I believe with him, In argument of praife, or to the worth I have not heard examin'd. Dia. Alas, poor lady! 'Tis a hard bondage, to become the wife Of a detefting Lord. Wid. Ah! right; good creature! wherefoe'er fhe is Her heart weighs fadly; this young maid might do her A fhrewd turn, if the pleas'd. "Hel. How do you mean? May be the am'rous Count folicits her In the unlawful purpose. Wid. He does indeed; And brokes with all that can in fuch a fuit But fhe is arm'd for him, and keeps her guard SCENE VIII. Drum and Colours. Enter Bertram, Parolles, Officers and foldiers attending. Mar. The Gods forbid elfe! Wid. So now they come : That is Antonio, the Duke's eldest fon; That, Efcalus. Hel. Which is the Frenchman? Dia. He; That with the plume; 'tis a moft gallant fellow; He were much goodlier. Is't not a handfome gentle man ? Hel. I like him well. Dia. 'Tis pity he is not honeft; yond's that fame knavę, That That leads him to thefe places; were I his lady, Hel. Which is he? Dia. That jack-an-apes with fcarfs. Why is he melancholy? Hel. Perchance he's hurt i' th' battle. Par. Lofe our drum! Mar. He's threwdly vex'd at something. Look, he hath fpied us. Wid. Marry, hang you! [Exeunt Bertram, Parolles, &c. Mar. And your courtesy, for a ring-carrier! Wid. The troop is pafs'd. Come, pilgrim, I will bring you Where you fhall hoft: Of injoin'd penitents Hel. I humbly thank you : Please it this matron, and this gentle, maid. I will beftow fome precepts on this virgin Worthy the note. Both. We'll take your offer kindly. [Exeunt. Enter Bertram, and the two French Lords. 1 Lord. Nay, good my Lord, put him to't: let him have his way. 7: 2 Lord. If your Lordship find him not a hilding, hold me no more in your refpect. 1 Lord. On my life, my Lord, a bubble. Ber. Do you think I am so far deceiv'd in him? 1 Lord. Believe it, my Lord, in mine own direct knowledge, without any malice, but to fpeak of him. as my kinfman; he's a most notable coward, an infinite and endlefs lyar, an hourly promife-breaker, the owner of no one good quality worthy your Lordship's entertainment. 2 Lord. It were fit you knew him, left repofing too far in his virtue, which he hath not, he might at at fome great and trufty bufinefs in a main danger fail you. Ber. I would I knew in what particular action to try him.. 2 Lord. None better than to let him fetch off his drum; which you hear him fo confidently undertake to do. 1 Lord. I, with a troop of Florentines, will fuddenly furprise him; fuch I will have, whom I am fure he knows not from the enemy: we will bind and hoodwink him fo, that he fhall fuppofe no other but that he is carried into the leaguer of the adverfaries, when we bring him to our own tents. Be but your Lordship prefent at his examination; if he do not for the promise of his life, and in the highest compulfion of base fear, offer to betray you, and deliver all the intelligence in his power against you, and that with the divine forfeit of his foul upon oath, never trust my judgment in any thing. 2 Lord. O, for the love of laughter, let him fetch his drum; he fays, he has a ftratagem for't; when your Lordship fees the bottom of his fuccefs in't, and to what metal this counterfeit lump of oar will be melted, if you give him not Tom Drum's entertainment* inclining cannot be removed. Here he comes. SCENE X. Enter Parolles. your 1 Lord. O, for the love of laughter, hinder not the -humour of his defign, let him fetch off his drum in any hand. Ber. How now, Monfieur? this drum fticks forely in your difpofition. 2 Lord. A pox't on't, let it go, 'tis but a drum. Par. But a drum! is't but a drum? a drum fo loft! Holinghed, in his defcription of Ireland, fpeaking of Patrick Sca fefield, (Mayor of Dublin in the year 1551), and of his extravagant hofpitality, fubjoins, that no guest had ever a cold or forbidding look from any part of his family t fo that bis porter, or any other officer, durft nat, for both his ears, give the fimpleft man that reforted to his boufe, Tom Drum's entertainment; which is, to hale a man in by the head, and thrust him out by both the fhoulders. Mr. Theobald. VOL. III. G there there was an excellent command to charge in with our horfe upon our own wings, and to rend our own foldiers. 2 Lord. That was not to be blamed in the command of the fervice; it was a difafter of war that Cæfar himfelf could not have prevented, if he had been there to command. Ber. Well, we cannot greatly condemn our fuccefs : fome difhonour we had in the lofs of that drum, but it is not to be recover'd. Par, It might have been recover'd. Ber. It might, but it is not now. Par. It is to be recover'd; but that the merit of fervice is feldom attributed to the true and exact performer, I would have that drum or another, or hic jacet Ber. Why, if you have a ftomach to't, Monfieur; if you think your mystery in ftratagem can bring this inftrument of honour again into his native quarter, be magnanimous in the enterprife, and go on; I will grace the attempt for a worthy exploit: if you fpeed well in it, the Duke fhall both fpeak of it, and extend to you what further becomes his greatness, even to the utmost fyllable of your worthiness. Par. By the hand of a foldier, I will undertake it. Ber. But you must not now flumber in it. Par. I'll about it this evening; and I will presently pen down my dilemmas, encourage myself in my certainty, put myself into my mortal preparation; and, by midnight look to hear further from me. Ber. May I be bold to acquaint his Grace you are gone about it? Par. I know not what the fuccefs will be, my Lord; but the attempt I vow. Ber. I know th'art valiant; and to the poffibility of foldierfhip will fubfcribe for thee; farewel. Par. I love not many words. 1 Lord. No more than a fifh loves water. [Exit. Is not this a ftrange fellow, my Lord, that fo confidently feems to undertake this bufinefs, which he knows is not to to be done; damns himself to do it, and dares better be damn'd than to do't? 2 Lord. You do not know him, my Lord, as we do; certain it is, that he will steal himself into a man's favour, and for a week efcape a great deal of discoveries; but when you find him out, you have him ever after. Ber. Why, do you think he will make no deed ar all of this, that fo feriously he does addrefs himself unto? 2 Lord. None in the world, but return with an invention, and clap upon you two or three probable dyes but we have almost imbofs'd him, you fhall fee his fall to-night; for, indeed, he is not for your Lordfhip's refpect. : i Lord. We'll make you fome fport with the fox, ere we cafe him. He was first fmoked by the old Lord Lafeu; when his difguife and he is parted, tell me what a fprat you fhall find him; which you shall fee this very night. 2 Lord. I must go and look my twigs; he fhall be caught. Ber. Your brother, he fhall go along with me. 2 Lord. As't please your Lordship. I'll leave you. [Exit! Ber. Now will I lead you to the house, and fhew you The lafs I spoke of. 1 Lord. But you fay fhe's honest. Ber. That's all the fault: I spoke with her but once, And found her wondrous cold; but I fent to her, By this fame coxcomb that we have i'th' wind, Tokens and letters, which fhe did re-fend; And this is all I've done : fhe's a fair creature, Will you go fee her? 1 Lord With all my heart, my Lord. [Exeunt. SCENE XII. Changes to the Widow's houfe. Enter Helena, and Widow. Hel. If you misdoubt me that I am not the, G 2 Nothing |