Puslapio vaizdai
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HEL. I humbly thank you :

Please it this matron, and this gentle maid,
To eat with us to-night, the charge, and thanking,
Shall be for me; and, to requite you further,
I will bestow fome precepts on this virgin,

Worthy the note.

MAR. DIA. We'll take your offer kindly. [Exeunt.

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SCENE VI. Camp under Florence.

Enter BERTRAM, and the two Lords.

2. L. Nay, good my lord, put him to't; let him have his way.

1. L. If your lordship find him not a hilding, hold me no more in your respect.

2. L. On my life, my lord, a bubble.

BER. Do you think, I am fo far deceiv'd in him?

2. L. Believe it, my lord, in mine own direct knowledge, without any malice, but to speak of him as my kinsman, he's a most notable coward, an infinite and endless liar, an hourly promise-breaker, the owner of no one good quality worthy your lordship's entertain

ment.

1. L. It were fit you knew him; left, reposing too far in his virtue, which he hath not, he might, at fome great and trufty business, in a main danger, fail

you.

BER. I would, I knew in what particular action to try him.

1. L. None better than to let him fetch off his drum, which you hear him fo confidently undertake to do. I, with a troop of Florentines, will fuddenly furprize him; fuch I will have, whom, I am sure, he

31 v. Note,

knows not from the enemy: we will bind and hoodwink him fo, that he shall suppose no other but that he is carry'd into the leaguer of the adverfaries, when we bring him to our own tents: Be but your lordship present at his examination; if he do not, for the promise of his life, and in the higheft compulfion of base fear, offer to betray you, and deliver all the intelligence in his power against you, and that with the divine for feit of his foul upon oath, never truft my judgment in any thing.

2. L. 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 John Drum's entertainment, your inclining cannot be removed. Here he comes.

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Enter PAROLLES.

1. L. "O, for the love of laughter, hinder not the " "honour of his defign; let him fetch off his drum in" "any hand. [to Bertram. BER. How now, monfieur? this drum fticks forely in your difposition.

1. L. A pox on't, let it go; 'tis but a drum.

PAR. But a drum! Is't but a drum? A drum fo loft! There was excellent command to charge in with our horfe upon our own wings, and to rend our own foldiers.

1. L. That was not to be blam'd in the command of the fervice; it was a disafter of war that Casar himfelf could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.

BER. Well, we cannot greatly condemn our fuccefs :

13 of this 14 of ours

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 kic jacet.

BER. Why, if you have a stomack to't, monfieur, if you think your mistery in ftratagem can bring this inftrument of honour again into his native quarter, be magnanimous in the enterprize, and go on; I will grace the attempt for a worthy exploit: if you fpeed well in it, the duke fhall both speak 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 cer tainty, 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, thou'rt valiant; and, to the poffibility of thy foldiership, will fubfcribe for thee. Farewel. PAR. I love not many words. [Exit PAROLLES.

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2. L. No more than a fish loves water. Is not this a ftrange fellow, my lord? that fo confidently feems to undertake this business, which he knows is not to be

done; damns himself to do, and dares better be damn'd than to do't.

1. L. 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, escape a great deal of difcoveries; but when you find him out, you have him ever after.

BER. Why, do you think, that he will make no deed at all of this, that so seriously he does address himself unto?

2. L. None in the world; but return with an invention, and clap upon you two or three probable lies: but we have almost imboff'd him, you shall fee his fall to-night; for, indeed, he is not for your lordship's refpect.

1. L. We'll make you fome fport with the fox, ere we cafe him he was firft fmok'd by the old lord Lafeu : when his disguise and he is parted, tell me what a fprat fhall find him; which you fhall fee this very night. I must go look my twigs, he fhall be caught.

you

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

2. L. But, you fay, she's honeft.

BER. That's all the fault: Ifpoke with her but once, And found her wondrous cold; but I fent to her, By this fame coxcomb that we have i'the wind, Tokens, and letters, which fhe did re-fend;

And this is all I have done: She's a fair creature;

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SCENE VII. Florence. A Room in the Widow's House.
Enter HELENA, and Widow.

HEL. If you mifdoubt me that I am not she,
I know not how I fhall affure you further,
But I fhall lose the grounds I work upon.

Wid. Though my eftate be fallen, I was well born, Nothing acquainted with these busineffes;

And would not put my reputation now

In any staining act.

HEL. Nor would I wish you.

Firft, give me truft, the count he is my

husband;

And, what to your fworn counsel I have spoken
Is fo, from word to word; and then you cannot,
By the good aid that I of you fhall borrow,
Err in beftowing it.

Wid. I should believe you;

you

For have fhew'd me that, which well approves
You are great in fortune.

HEL. Take this purfe 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 amorous fiege before her beauty,
Resolves to carry her; let her, in fine, consent,
As we'll direct her how 'tis beft to bear it,
Now his important blood will nought deny
That she'll demand: A ring the county wears,
That downward hath fucceeded in his house,
From fon to fon, fome four or five defcents
Since the first father wore it: this ring he holds
In most rich choice; yet, in his idle fire,

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