drunkenness is his beft virtue, for he will be fwinedrunk, and in his fleep he does little harm, fave to his bed-clothes 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 description of thine honesty? 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 belie him, I will not; and more of his foldiership I know not; except, in that Country, he had the honour to be the Officer at a place there call'd 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.

1 Lord. He hath out-villain'd villany so 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' intail 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 beft that is. In a Retreat he out-runs any lacquey; marry, in coming on he has the cramp.

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

VOL. III.

Par. Ay, and the Captain of his horfe, 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 feem to deferve well, and to beguile the fuppofition of that lafcivious young boy the Count, have I run into danger; yet who would have suspected an ambush where I was taken ? [Afide.

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

Par. O lord, Sir, let me live, or let me fee my death.

Int. That shall 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 Lord. 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 Sonnet 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 crush'd with a Plot?

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

[Exit.

SCENE

SCENE

V.

Par.

Y

ET am I thankful: if

my

heart were great,

'Twould burst at this. Captain I'll be no

more,

But I will eat and drink, and sleep as soft,
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 pass,
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 every man alive.
I'll after them.

Hel.

SCENE VI.

Changes to the Widow's Houfe, at Florence.

Enter Helena, Widow and Diana.

THAT

[Exit.

HAT you may well perceive I have not wrong'd you,

One of the Greatest in the chriftian world

Shall be my Surety; '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 answer thanks. I duly am inform'd,

His Grace is at Marseilles, 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 business was more welcome.
Hel. Nor you, Mistress,

Ever a friend, whose 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 fweet 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 loaths, for that which is away.
But more of this hereafter. You, Diana,
(Under my poor inftructions) yet must suffer
Something in my behalf.

Diana. Let death and honefty

Go with your impofitions, I am yours
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 sweet 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.

Laf. Non

O, no, no, your Son was mif-led with a fnipt-taffata fellow there, whofe villainous faffron would have made all the unbak'd and dowy youth of a nation in his colour. Íaw had been alive at this hour;

my motive] Motive for Affiftant.

Your daughter-inand your fon here

time revyes us;] . . looks us in the Face,

at

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 most virtuous Gentlewoman that ever Nature had Praife for creating: if fhe had partaken of my flesh, and coft me the deareft groans of a Mother, I could not have owed her a more rooted love.

Laf. 'Twas a good lady, 'twas a good lady. We 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 nose-herbs.

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

Laf. Whether doft thou profess thyself, 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 do her service.

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 ferve you, I can ferve as great a Prince as you are.

Laf. Who's that, a Frenchman?

more advanced by the King,] A notable Observation this; that the young Lord had been higher advanced by the King had he ftaid at Court, than he was by his beggarly Follower Parolles. We should read, more advantaged, i. e. the King would have been a better Tutor to the raw young Man than Parolles, whose Profeffion it was.