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Dia. There is a gentleman that serves the Count,

Reports but coursely of her.
Hel. What's his name?

Dia. Monfieur Parolles.

Hel. Oh, I believe with him,

In argument of praise, or to the worth
Of the great Count himself: she is too mean
To have her name repeated; all her deferving

Is a referved honesty, and that

I have not heard examin'd.

Dia. Alas, poor lady!

'Tis a hard bondage, to become the wife Of a detefting Lord.

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Wid. Ah! right; good creature! wherefoe'er she 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
Corrupt the tender honour of a maid:

But she is arm'd for him, and keeps her guard
In honestest defence.

2

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 most gallant fellow;
I would he lov'd his wife! if he were honefter,

He were much goodlier. Is't not a handfome gentle

man?

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Dia. 'Tis pity he is not honeft; yond's that fame

knave,

That

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That leads him to thefe places; were I his lady,
I'd poifon that vile rascal..
Hel. Which is he?

Dia. That jack-an-apes with scarfs. Why is he

melancholy?

Hel. Perchance he's hurt i' th' battle.

Par. Lose our drum!~~~~

Mar. He's farewdly vex'd at fomething. Look, he

hath spied 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 shall host: Of injoin'd penitents
There's four or five, to great St. Jaques bound,
Already at my house.

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 beftow fome precepts on this virgin

Worthy the note.

Both. We'll take your offer kindly.

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[Exeunt.

Enter Bertram, and the two French Lords.

Lord. Nay, good my Lord, put him to't: let him

have his way.

2 Lord. If your Lordship find him not a hilding, hold me no more in your respect.

I Lord. On my life, my Lord, a bubble.

Ber. Do you think I am so far deceiv'd in him?

I Lord. Believe it, my Lord, in mine own direct knowledge, without any malice, but to fpeak of him. as my kinsman; he's a most notable coward, an infinite and endless lyar, an hourly promise-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 trusty business 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 so confidently undertake to do.

:

1 Lord. I, with a troop of Florentines, will fuddenly surprise him; such I will have, whom I am fure he knows not from the enemy: we will bind and hoodwink him fo, that he shall suppose no other but that he is carried into the leaguer of the adversaries, 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 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 truft my judgment in any thing.

2 Lord. O, for the love of laughter, let him fetch his drum; he says, he has a stratagem for't; when your Lordship fees the bottom of his success in't, and to what metal this counterfeit lump of oar will be melted, if you give him not Tom Drum's entertainment *, your inclining cannot be removed. Here he comes.

SCENE X. Enter Parolles.

1 Lord. O, for the love of laughter, hinder not the humour of his design, let him fetch off his drum in any hand.

Ber. How now, Monfieur? this drum sticks forely in your difpofition.

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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 so loft!

Holingshed, in his description of Ireland, speaking of Patrick Scarfefield, (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 so that bis porter, or any other officer, durft nat, for both bis ears, give the fimplest man that reforted to bis boufe, Tom Drum's entertainment; which is, to hale a man in by the head, and thiust him out by both the shoulders. Mr. Theobald.

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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 service; it was a difaster of war that Cæfar himfelf could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.

Ber. Well, we cannot greatly condemn our fuccess : fome dishonour we had in the loss 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 service 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 stomach to't, Monfieur; if you think your mystery in stratagem can bring this instrument of honour again into his native quarter, be magnanimous in the enterprise, and go on; I will grace the attempt for a worthy exploit: if you speed well in it, the Duke shall both speak of it, and extend to you what further becomes his greatness, even to the utmost syllable 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 fuccess will be, my Lord; but the attempt I vow.

Ber. I know th'art valiant; and to the poffibility of foldiership will fubscribe for thee; farewel. Par. I love not many words.

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[Exit.

Lord. No more than a fish loves water. Is not

this a strange fellow, my Lord, that fo confidently feems to undertake this business, 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 so seriously he does address 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 imboss'd him, you shall fee his fall to-night; for, indeed, he is not for your Lordship's refpect.

1 Lord. We'll make you fome sport with the fox, ere we cafe him. He was first smoked by the old Lord Lafeu; when his disguife and he is parted, tell me what a sprat you shall find him; which you shall fee this very night.

2 Lord. I must go and look my twigs; he shall be saught.

Ber. Your brother, he shall 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 shew you

The lass I spoke of.

1 Lord. But you say she's honest.

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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 she did re-fend;
And this is all I've done she's a fair creature,
Will you go fee her?

I Lord With all my heart, my Lord.

[Exeunt.

SCENE XII. Changes to the Widow's house.

Enter Helena, and Widow.

Hel. If you misdoubt me that I am not the, I know not how I shall affure you further; But I shall lose the grounds I work upon.

Wid. Thơ my cestate be fallen, I was well horn,

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