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And thou art all my child. Towards Florence is he? 2 Gent. Ay, Madam.

Count. And to be a foldier?

2 Gent. Such is his noble purpose; and, believe't, The Duke will lay upon him all the honour

That good convenience claims.

Count. Return you thither?

2.92

1 Gent. Ay, Madam, with the swiftest wing of speed. Hel. Till I have no wife, I have nothing in France.

'Tis bitter.

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Count. Find you that there?

Hel. Yes, Madam.

[Reading.

1 Gent. 'Tis but the boldness of his hand, haply, which his heart was not confenting to.

Count. Nothing in France until he have no wife? There's nothing here that is too good for him, But only the; and she deferves a Lord

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That twenty fuch rude boys might tend upon,
And call her hourly Mistress. Who was with him?

I Gent. A fervant only, and a gentleman

Which I have fometime known.

Count. Parolles, was't not?

*

12

1 Gent. Ay, my good Lady, he.
Count. A very tainted fellow, and full of wickedness:

My fon corrupts a well-derived nature
With his inducement.

1 Gent. Indeed, good Lady, the fellow has a deal of that too much, which holds him much to have.

Count. Y'are welcome, Gentlemen; I will intreat you, when you fee my fon, to tell him, that his fword can never win the honour that he loses: more I'll intreat you written to bear along.

1 Gent. We ferve you, Madam, in that and all your worthiest affairs.

Count. Not fo, but as we change our courtefies. Will you draw near?

[Exeunt Countess and Gent.

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Hel. Till I have no wife, I have nothing in France. Nothing in France, until he has no wife ! Thou shalt have none, Rousillon, none in France; Then haft thou all again. Poor Lord! is't I.

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That

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1

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That chase thee from thy country, and expose
Those tender limbs of thine to the event
Of the none-fparing war? and is it I
That drive thee from the sportive court, where thou
Wast shot at with fair eyes, to be the mark
Of smoaky muskets? O you leaden messengers,
That ride upon the violent speed of fire,
Fly with false aim ; pierce the still-moving air,
That fings with piercing, do not touch my Lord.
Whoever shoots at him, I set him there :
Whoever charges on his forward breast,
I am the caitiff that do hold him to it;
And though I kill him not, I am the cause
His death was so effected. Better 'twere
I met the rav'ning lion when he roar'd
With sharp constraint of hunger; better 'twere
That all the miseries which nature owes,
Were mine at once. No, come thou home, Roufillont
Whence honour but of danger wins a scar;
As oft it lofes all, I will be gone:
My being here it is that holds thee hence.
Shall I stay here to do't? No, no, although
The air of paradife did fan the house,
And angel's office'd all: I will be gone;
That pitiful rumour my report my flight,
To confolate thine ear. Come, night! end, day!
For with the dark, poor thief, I'll steal away. Exit.

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Changes to the Duke's court in Florence.

Flourish. Enter the Duke of Florence, Bertram, drum and Trumpets, Soldiers, Parolles.

Duke. The General of our Horse thou art, and we, Great in our hope, lay our best love and credence Upon thy promifing fortune.

Ber. Sir, it is

A charge too heavy for my strength; but yet
We'll strive to bear it for your worthy fake,
To th' extreme edge of hazard.

Duke. Then go forth,

F2

1

- And

And fortune play upon thy prosp'rous helm, -

As thy aufpicious mistress!

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Ber. This very day, n
Great Mars, I put myself into thy file; o
Make me but like my thoughts, and I shall prove
A lover of thy drum; hater of love.

[Exeunt

SCENE VI. Changes to Roufillon in France.. Enter Countess and Steward.

Count. Alas! and would you take the letter of her? Might you not know, the would do as he has done, By sending me a letter? Read it again,

LETTER.

I am St. Jaques' pilgrim, thither gone :
Ambitious love hath fo in me offended,
That bare-foot plod I the cold ground upon,
With fainted vow my faults to have amended.
Write, write, that from the bloody course of war

My dearest master, your dear fon, may bie
Bless him at home in peace, whilst I from far
His name with zealous fervour fanctify.
His taken labours bid him me forgives

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I, his despiteful Juno, fent him forth
From courtly friends, with camping foes to live ;
Where death and danger dog the heels of worth.
He is too good and fair for death and me,
Whom I myself embrace, to fet him free.

1

G

Ah, what sharp stings are in her mildest words
Rynaldo, you did never lack advice so much,
As letting her pass so; had I fpoke with her,
I could have well diverted her intents,

Which thus she hath prevented.

Stew. Pardon, Madam,

If I had given you this at over-night,
She might have been o'er-ta'en; and yet she writes,
Purfuit would be but vain.

Count. What angel shall

Bless this unworthy husband? he cannot thrive,
Unless her prayers, whom heaven delights to hear,

And

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And loves to grant, reprieve him from the wrath
Of greatest justice. Write, write, Rynaldo,
To this unworthy husband of his wife;
Let every word weigh heavy of her worth,
That he does weigh too light: my greatest grief, M
Though little he do feel it, set down sharply.
Dispatch the most convenient messenger;
When, haply, he shall hear that the is gone,
He will return, and hope I may, that the,
Hearing so much, will speed her foot again,
Led hither by pure love. Which of them both.
Is dearest to me, I've no skill in sense
To make diftinction; provide this messenger;
My heart is heavy, and mine age is weak;
Grief would have tears, and forrow bids me speak.

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[Exeunt

Changes to a public place in Florence.

A tucket afar off..

Enter an old widow of Florence, Diana, Violenta, and Mariana, with other citizens.

Wid. Nay, come. For if they do approach the city we shall lose all the fight.

Dia. They say the French Count has done most honourable fervice.

Wid. It is reported, that he has ta'en their greatest commander; and that with his own hand he flew the Duke's brother. We have loft our labour, they are gone a contrary way: hark, you may know by their trumpets.

Mar. Come, let's return, again, and fuffice ourselves with the report of it. Well, Diana, take heed of this French Earl; the honour of a maid is her name, and no legacy is so rich as honesty.

Wid. I have told my neighbour how you have been folicited by a gentleman his companion.

Mar. I know that knave, (hang him!) one Parolles; a filthy officer he is in those suggestions for the young Earl; beware of them, Diana; their promises. enticements,

enticements, oaths, tokens, and all these engines of luft, are the things they go under; many a maid hath been feduced by them; and the mifery is, example, that fo terrible shews in the wreck of maidenhood, cannot for all that diffuade fucceffion, but that they are limed with the twigs that threaten them. I hope I need not to advise you further; but I hope your own grace will keep you where you are, though there were no further danger found but the modesty which is fo loft. Dia. You fshall not need to fear me.

Enter Helena, disguis'd like a pilgrim.

Wid. I hope fo Look, here comes a pilgrim: I know the will lie at my house; thither they send one another; I'll question her: God save you, pilgrim! whither are you bound?

Hel. To St. Jaques le Grand. Where do the palmers lodge, I do beseech you?

Wid. At the St. Francis, befide the port.

Hel. Is this the way?

[A march afar off.

Wid. Ay, marry, is't. Hark you, they come this

way.

If you will tarry, holy pilgrim, but till the troops come I will conduct you where you shall be lodg'd;

The rather, for I think I know your hoftefs

As ample as myself.

Hel. Is it yourself?

Wid. If you shall please so, pilgrim.

[by.

Hel. I thank you, and will stay upon your leisure. Wid. You came, I think, from France.

Hel. I did fo.

Wid. Here you shall see a countryman of your's,

That has done worthy service.

Hel. His name, I pray you?

Dia. The Count Roufillon: know you fuch a one? Hel. But by the ear, that hears most nobly of him,

His face I know not.

Dia. Whatsoe'er he is,

He's bravely taken here. He stole from France,
As 'tis reported; for the king hath married him
Against his liking. Think you it is fo?

Hel. Ay, furely, merely.truth; I know his lady.

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