it

Int. I perceive, Sir, by the General's looks, we fhalk be fain to hang you.

Par. My life, Sir, in any cafe; 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' th' ftocks, any where, fa I may live.

Int. We'll fee what may be done, fo you confefs frecly; therefore, once more, to this Captain Dumain : you have anfwer'd to his reputation with the Duke, and to his valour. What is his honesty?

Par. He will fteal, Sir, an egg out of a cloister for rapes and ravishments he parallels Neffus. He profeffes no keeping of oaths; in breaking them he is ftronger than Hercules. He will lye, Sir, with fuch volubility, that you would think Truth were a fool: drunkennefs is his best virtue, for he will be fwinedrunk; and in his fleep he does little harm, fave to his bed-cloaths about him; but they know his conditions, and lay him in ftraw. I have but little more to fay, Sir, of his honefty; he has every thing that an honeft man should not have; what an honest man fhould have, he has nothing.

1 Lord. I begin to love him for this.

Ber. For this defcription of thine honefty? a pox upon him for me, he is more and more a cat.

Int. What fay you to his expertness in war?

Par. 'Faith, Sir, h' as led the drum before the Englifh tragedians to bèlye him, I will not; and more of his foldierfhip I know not; except in that country he had the honour to be the officer at a place there called Mile-end, to inftruct for the doubling of files. I would do the man what honour I can, but of this I am not certain.

I Lord. He hath out-villain'd villany fo far, that the rarity redeems him.

Ber. A pox on him, he's a cat ftill.

Int. His qualities being at this poor price, I need not to ask you if gold will corrupt him to revolt.

Par. Sir, for a quart-d'ecu, he will fell the fee-fimple of his falvation, the inheritance of it, and cut th entail from all remainders, and a perpetual fucceffion for it perpetually.

Int. What's his brother, the other Captain Dumain? 2 Lord. Why does he ask him of me?

Int. What's he?

Par. E'en a crow o' th' fame neft; not altogether fo great as the firft 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 lacquey; marry, in coming on he has the cramp.

Int. If your life be faved, will you undertake to betray the Florentine ?

Par. Ay, and the Captain of his Horse, Count Roufillon.

Int. 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 deferve well, and to beguile the fuppofition of that lascivious young boy the Count, have I run into danger; yet who would have suspected an ambufh where I was taken ? [Afide.

Int. There is no remedy, Sir, but you must die; the General fays, you that have fo traiterously discovered the fecrets of your army, and made fuch peftiferous reports of men very nobly held, can ferve the world for no honest use; therefore you muft die. Come, headfman, off with his head.

Par. O Lord, Sir, let me live, or let death.

me fee my Int. That fhall you, and take your leave of all your friends.

[Unbinding him. So, look about you; know you any here? Ber. Good morrow, noble Captain.

2 Lard. God bless you, Captain Parolles. 1 Lord. God fave 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 that fame fonnet you writ to Diana in behalf of the Count Roufillon? if I were not a very coward, I'd compel it of you: but fare you well. [Exeunt. Int. You are undone, Captain, all but your scarf; that has a knot on 't yet.

Par. Who cannot be crufh'd with a plot?

Int. If you could find out a country where but women were that had receiv'd fo much fhame, you might begin an impudent nation. Fare you well, Sir; I am for France too, we shall speak of you there.

[Exit.

Par. Yet am I thankful: if my heart were great,
"Twould burft at this. Captain, I'll be no more;
But I will eat and drink, and fleep as foft
As Captain fhall. Simply the thing I am
Shall make me live: who knows himself a braggart,
Let him fear this; for it will come to pafs,
That every braggart fhall be found an ass.
Ruft, fword! cool, blushes! and, Parolles, live
Safeft in fhame! being fool'd, by fool'ry thrive;
There's place and means for ev'ry man alive.
I'll after them.

[Exit.

Changes to the widow's houfe at Florence.

Enter Helena, Widow, and Diana.

Hel. That you may well perceive I have not wrong'd One of the greatest in the Chriftian world

[you

Shall be my furety; 'fore whofe throne 'tis needful,
Ere I can perfect mine intents, to kneel.
Time was I did him a defired office
Dear almost as his life; which gratitude

Through flinty Tartar's bofom would peep forth,
And anfwer thanks. I duly am inform'd,
His Grace is at Marfeilles, to which place
We have convenient convoy; you must know,
I am fuppofed 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 fervant, to whose truft

Your bufinefs was more welcome.

Hel. Nor you, Mistress,

Ever a friend, whofe thoughts more truly labour
To recompenfe your love: doubt not, but Heav'n
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 ftrange men!
That can fuch sweet use make of what they hate,
When fancy, trufting of the cozen'd thoughts,
Defiles the pitchy night; fo luft doth play
With what it lothes, for that which is away.
But more of this hereafter. You, Diana,
(Under my poor inftructions), yet must suffer
Something in my behalf.

Dia. Let death and honesty

Go with your impofitions, I am your's
Upon your will to fuffer.

Hel. Yet I pray you:

But with the word the time will bring on fummer,
When briars fhall have leaves as well as thorns,
And be as fweet as fharp: we must away,

Our waggon is prepar'd, and time revyes us;
All's well that ends well; ftill the fine's the crown;
Whate'er the courfe, the end is the renown. [Exeunt.

SCENE VIII. Changes to Roufillon in France.
Enter Countefs, Lafeu, and Clown.

Laf. No, no, no; your fon was milled with a fnip'dtaffata fellow there, whofe villainous faffron would have made all the unbak'd and dowy youth of a nation in his colourt. Your daughter-in-law had been alive at this hour; and your fon here at home, more advantaged by the King, than by that red-tail'd humble-bee I speak of.

Count. I would I had not known him! It was the death of the moft virtuous gentlewoman that ever nature had praise for creating; if she had partaken of flesh, and cost me the deareft groans of a mother, I could not have owed her a more rooted love.

my

Laf. 'Twas a good lady, 'twas a good lady. We
Motive for affiftant.

† Alluding to two fashions then in vogue; one of ufing yellow ftarch for their ruffs and bands, the other of colouring paste with faffron.

may pick a thousand fallets ere we light on fuch another herb.

Clo. Indeed, Sir, fhe was the fweet marjoram of the fallet, or rather the herb of grace.

Laf. They are not fallet-herbs, you knave, they are nofe-herbs.

Clo. I am no great Nebuchadnezzar, Sir; I have not much skill in grafs.

Laf. Whether doft thou profefs thyfelf a knave or a fool?

Clo. A fool, Sir, at a woman's fervice; and a knave,

at a man's.

Laf. Your diftinction ?

Clo. I would cozen the man of his wife, and do his fervice.

Laf. So you were a knave at his fervice, indeed.

Clo. And I would give his wife my folly, Sir, to de her fervice.

Laf. I will fubfcribe for thee, thou art both knave and fool.

Clo. At your fervice.

Laf. No, no, no.

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

Laf. Who's that, a Frenchman?

Clo. 'Faith, Sir, he has an English name; but his phifnomy is more honour'd in France than there *. Laf. What prince is that?

Clo. The black prince, Sir, alias the prince of darknefs, alias the devil.

Laf. Hold thee, there's my purfe; I give thee not this to feduce thee from thy mafter thou talk'st of, ferve him ftill.

Clo. I'm a woodland fellow, Sir, that always lov'd a great fire, and the mafter I speak of ever keeps a good fire; but, fure, he is the prince of the world, let his nobility remain in 's court. I am for the house with the narrow gate, which I take to be too little for pomp to enter: fome, that humble themselves, may; but the many will be too chill and tender, and they'll be for the Alluding to the darker complexions of the French.