Laf. Do you hear, monsieur ? a word with, methinks, thou art a general offence, and every man should beat thee. I think thou wast created for men to breathe⚫ themselves upon thee.

Par. Recantation ?--My lord? my master ? Lof. Ay; Is it not a language, I speak ? Laf. Go to, Sir; you were beaten in Italy for Par. A most harsh one; and not to be under-picking a kernel out of a pomegranate; you stood without bloody succeeding. My master? are a vagabond, and no true traveller: you we Lof. Are you companion to the count Rou-more saucy with lords, and honourable personsillon ? ages, than the heraldry of your birth and virtue gives you commission. You are not work another word, else I'd call you knave.

Laf. Sirrah, your lord and master's married, well? there's news for you; you have a new mistress. Clo. She is not well; but yet she has her Par. I most unfeignedly beseech your lord-health: she's very merry: but yet she is not ship to make some reservation of your wrongs: well: but thanks be given, she's very well, sad He is my good lord; whom I serve above, is wants nothing i'the world; but yet she is not my master.

Enter PAROLLES.

Par. Bless you, my fortunate lady!

Hel. I hope, Sir, I have your good will to have mine own good fortunes.

Par. You had my prayers to lead them on: and to keep them on, have them still.-O my knave! How does my old lady?

Clo. So that you had her wrinkles, and I her money, I would she did as you say.

Par. Why, I say nothing.

Clo. Marry, you are the wiser man; for many a man's tongue shakes out his master's undoing: To say nothing, to do nothing, to know nothing, and to have nothing, is to be a great part of your title; which is within a very little of nothing.

Par. Away, thou'rt a knave.

Clo. You should have said, Sir, before a knave thou art a knave; that is, before me thou art a knave: this had been truth, Sir.

Par. Go to, thou art a witty fool, I have found thee.

Clo. Did you find me in yourself, Sir? or were
The search, Sir, was
you taught to find me?
profitable; and much fool may you find in you,
even to the world's pleasure, and the increase
of laughter.

Par. A good knave, i'faith, and well fed.-
Madam, my lord will go away to-night;
A very serious business calls on him.
The great prerogative and right of love,

Ber. Is she gone to the king?

Par. She is.

[Aside to PAROLLES.

Ber. Will she away to-night?
Par. As you'll have her.

Ber. I have writ my letters, casketed my
treasure,

Given order for our horses; and to-night,
When I should take possession of the bride,-
And, ere I do begin,--

Laj. A good traveller is something at the latter end of a dinner; but one that lies threethirds, and uses a known truth to pass a thou sand nothings with, should be once heard, and thrice beaten.-God save you, captain.

Ber. Is there any unkinduess between my lord and you, monsieur?

Par. I know not how I have deserved to run into my lord's displeasure.

Laf. You have made shift to run into't, boots and spurs and all, like him that leaped into the custard; and out of it you'll run again, rather thau suffer question for your residence.

Ber. It may be, you have mistaken him, my lord.

Laf. And shall do so ever, though I took him at his prayers. Pare you well, my lord: and believe this of me, There can be no kernel in this light nut; the soul of this man is his clothes: trust him not in matter of heavy consequence; I have kept of them tame, and know monsieur: 1 have

Which, as your due, time claims, be does ac- their natures.-Farewell,

knowledge;

But pats it off by a compell'd restraint;

Whose want, and whose delay, is strewed with

sweets,

Which they distil now in the curbed time,
To make the coming hour o'erflow with joy,
And pleasure drown the brim.

Hel. What's his will else?

Par. That you will take your instant leave o' the king,

And make this baste as your own good proceed

ing,

Strengthen'd with what apology you think
May make it probable need. •

Hel. What more commands he?

Par. That, having this obtain'd, you presently
Attend his further pleasure.

Hel. In every thing I wait upon his will.
Par. I shall report it so.
Hel. I pray you.-Come, sirrah.

[Exeunt.

Ber. Yes, my lord, and of very valiant approof.

Laf. You have it from his own deliverance.
Ber. And by other warranted testimony.
Laf. Then my dial goes not true; I took this
lark for a bunting. +

Ber. I do assure you, my lord, he is very great in knowledge, and accordingly valiant.

spoken better of you, than you have or will deserve at my hand; but we must do good against evil.

Par. An idle lord, I swear.

Ber. I think so.

Par. Why, do you not know him?

Ber. Yes, I do know him well; and common

speech

Gives him a worthy pass.
clog.

Here comes ty

For my respects are better than they seem; And my appointments bave in them a need, Greater than shows itself, at the fist view, To you that know them not. This to my mother: [Giting a letter. Laf. I have then sinned against his experi-Till be two days ere I shall see you; so ence, and transgressed against his valour; and my state that way is dangerous, since I cannot yet find in my heart to repent. Here he comes; I pray you, make us friends, I will pursue the amity.

Enter PAROLLES.
Par. These things shall be done, Sir.
[To BERTRAM.

Laf. Pray you, Sir, who's his tailor?
Par. Sir?

I leave you to your wisdom.
Hel. Sir, I can nothing say,
But that I am your most obedient servant.
Ber. Conie, come, no more of that.
Hel. And ever shall

With true observance seek to eke out that,
Wherein towards me my homely stars have
fail'd

To equal my great fortune.

Ber. Let that go;

Laf. Oh! I know him well: Ay, Sir; he, Sir, My haste is very great: Farewell; hie home. is a good workman, a very good tailor.

A specious appearance of necessity.

• The banting nearly resembles the sky lark; but belittle or no song, which gives estimation to the sky

But, like a timorous thief, most fain would steal

What law does vouch mine own.

Ber. What would you have?

Clo. I have no mind to Isbel, since I was at court our old ling and our Isbels o'the country are nothing like your old ling and your Ishe's o'the court: the brains of my Cupid's knocked

Hel. Something; and scarce so much :-no-out; and I begin to love, as an old man loves thing indeed.

I would not tell you what I would: my lord-
'faith, yes;-

Strangers and foes do sunder and not kiss.
Ber. I pray you, stay not, but in haste to
horse.

[Exit.

money, with no stomach. Count. What have we here? Clo. E'en that you have there. Count. [Reads.] I have sent you a daughter-in-law: she hath recovered the king, and undone me. I have wedded her, not bedded and sworn to make the not eternal. her; You shall hear I am run away; know it, Ber. Where are my other men, monsieur 1-before the report come. If there be breadti Farewell. [Exit HELENA. enough in the world, I will hold a long disGo thou toward home; where I will never come, tance. My duty to you. Your unfortunate son, Whilst I can shake my sword, or hear the drum :

Hel. I shall not break your bidding, good my lord.

Away, and for our flight.
Par. Bravely, coragio!

ACT III.

BERTRAY.

This is not well, rash and unbridled boy,
[Exeunt. To fly the favours of so good a king;
To pluck his indignation on thy head,
By the misprizing of a maid too virtuous
For the contempt of empire.

Flourish. Enter the DUKE OF FLORENCE, attended; two French LORDS, and others. Duke. So, that, from point to point, now have you heard

The fundamental reasons of this war;

Re-enter CLOWN.

Clo. O madam, yonder is heavy news within, between two soldiers and my young lady. Count. What is the matter?

Clo. Nay, there is some comfort in the news, some comfort; your son will not be killed so soon as I thought he would.

Count. Why should he be killed?

Clo. So say 1, madam, if he run away, as I

Whose great decision hath much blood let hear he does: the danger is in standing tet;

On the opposer.

Duke. Therefore we marvel much, our cousin
France

Would, in so just a business, shut his bosom
Against our borrowing prayers.

2 Lord. Good my lord,

The reasons of our state I cannot yield,
But like a common and an outward man, ↑
That the great figure of a council frames
By self-unable motion: therefore dare not
Say what I think of it; since I have found
Myself in my uncertain grounds to fail
As often as I guess'd.

Duke. Be it his pleasure.

2 Lord. But I am sure, the younger of our

SCENE 11.-Rousillon.-A Room in the
COUNTESS' Palace.

Enter COUNTESS and CLOWN.
Count. It hath happened all as I would have
bad it, save, that he comes not along with her.
Clo. By my troth, I take my young lord to be
a very melancholy man.

Count. By what observance, I pray you?

Clo. Why, he will look upon his boot, and sing; mend the ruff, and sing; ask questions, and sing; pick his teeth, and sing: I know a man that had this trick of melancholy, sold a goodly manor for a song.

Count. Let me see what he writes, and when he means to come. [Opening a letter.

• I. e. I cannot inform you of the reasons.

+ One pot in the secret of affairs.

1 As we say at present, our young fellows.
The folding at the top of the boot.

that's the loss of men, though it be the getting of children. Here they come, will tell you more for my part, I only hear, your son was [Ent CLOWN.

run away.

We met him thitherward; from thence we

came,

And, after some despatch in hand at court,
Thither we bend again.

Hel. Look on his letter, madam; here's my
passport.

[Reads.] When thou canst get the ring "pes my finger, which never shall come v7. and show me a child begotten of thy ba, that I am father to, then call me husband: but in such a then I write a bever. This is a dreadful sentence.

Count. Brought you this letter, gentlemen ↑ 1 Gen. Ay, madam;

And, for the contents' sake, are sorry for ost

The duke will lay upon him all the honour
That good convenience claims.

Count. Return you thither?

1 Gen. Ay, madam, with the swiftest wing of speed.

Hel. [Reads.] Till I have no wife, I have nothing in France.

'Tis bitter.

Count. Find you that there?

Hel. Ay, madam.

SCENE III.-Florence.-Before the DUKE's
Palace.

Flourish. Enter the DUKE OF FLORENCE, BERTRAM, LORDS, Officers, Soldiers, and others.

Duke. The general of our horse thou art; and we,

Great in our hope, lay our best love and credence,

1 Gen. 'Tis but the boldness of his hand, Upon thy promising fortune.

haply, which

His heart was not consenting to

Count. Nothing in France, until he have no

wife!

1 Gen. A servant only, and a gentleman Which I have some time known.

Count. Parolles, was't not?

1 Gen. Ay, my good lady, he.

Count. A very tainted fellow, and full of
wickedness.

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

1 Gen. Indeed, good lady,

The fellow has a deal of that, too much,
Which holds him much to have.

Count. You are welcome, gentlemen,

I will entreat you, when you see my son,
To tell him, that his sword can never win

The honour that he loses : more I'll entreat
you

Written to bear along.

2 Gen. We serve you, madam,

lo that and all your worthiest affairs.

Count. Not so, but as we change our courtesies. Will you draw near?

[Exeunt COUNTESS and GENTLEMEN. Hel. Till I have no wife, I have nothing in France.

Nothing in France, until he has no wife!
Thou shalt have none, Rousillon,

France,

Then hast thou all again.

none in

Poor lord! is't I

That chase thee from thy country, and expose
Those tender limbs of thine to the event

Of the none-sparing 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 smoky muskets? O you leaden messengers,
That ride upon the violent speed of fire,
Fly with false aim; move the still-piercing air,
That sings with piercing, do not touch

lord!

my

Ber. Sir, it is

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

Duke. Then go thou forth;

And fortune play upon thy prosperous helm,
As thy auspicious mistress!

Great Mars, I put myself into thy file :
Ber. This very day,

Make me but like my thoughts; and I shall

prove

A lover of thy drum, bater of love.

[Exeunt.

He is too good and fair for death and me;
Whom I myself embrace, to set him free.

Count. Ah! what sharp stings are in he
mildest words!--

Rinaldo, you did never lack advice so much,
I could have well diverted her intents,
As letting her pass so; bad I spoke with her,
Which thus she hath prevented.

Stew. Pardon me, madam :

If I had given you this at over-night,
She might have been o'erta'en; and yet she

writes,

Pursuit would be in vain.

Count, What angel shall

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

And loves to grant, reprieve him from the wrath
Of greatest justice.-Write, write, Rinaldo,
To this unworthy husband of his wife;
Let every word weigh heavy of her worth,
That he does weigh too light: my greatest

grief,

Though little be do feel it, set down sharply.
Despatch the most convenient messenger :-
When haply, he shall hear that she is gone,
He will return; and hope I may, that she,
Hearing so much, will speed ber foot again,
Led hither by pure love: which of them both
Is dearest to me, I have no skill in sense

Alluding to the story of Hercules.

+ Discretion or thought.

1 Weigh here means to value or esteem.

To make distinction:-Provide this messen- !

ger:

My heart is heavy, and mine age is weak;
Grief would have tears, and sorrow bids me
speak.
[Exeunt.
SCENE V.-Without the walls of Florence.
A tucket afar off. Enter an old WIDOW of
Florence, DIANA, VIOLENTA, MARIANA, and
other Citizens.

Wid. Nay, come; for if they do approach the city, we shall lose all the sight.

Dia. They say, the French count has done most honourable service.

Wid. It is reported that he has taken their own greatest commander; and that with his hand he slew the duke's brother. We have lost our labour; they are gone a contrary way: hark you may know by their trumpets. Mar. Come, let's return again, and suffice 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 solicited 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, oaths, tokens, and all these engines of lust, are not the things they go under: many a maid hath been seduced by them; and the misery is, example, that so terrible shows in the wreck of maidenhood, cannot for all that dissuade succession, 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 known, but the modesty which is

So lost.

Dia. You shall not need to fear me.

Enter HELENA, in the dress of a Pilgrim. Wid. I hope so.--Look, here comes a pilgrim: I know she will lie at my house: thither they send one another: I'll question her.God are you, pilgrim ! whither

save

bound ?

you

Hel. To Saint Jaques le grand.
Where do the palmers lodge, I do beseech you?
Wid. At the saint Francis here, beside the

Dia. Whatsoe'er he is,

He's bravely taken bere. He stole from France,
As 'tis reported, for the king had married Lim
Against his liking: Think you it is so ?
Hel. Ay, surely, mere the truth; I know
his lady.

Dia. There is a gentleman, that serves the
count,
Reports but coarsely of her.
Hel. What's his name?
Dia. Monsieur Paroles.

Hel. Oh! I believe with him,

In argument of praise, or to the worth
Of the great count himself, she is too meas
To have her name repeated; all her deserving
Is a reserved honesty, and that
I bave not heard examin'd.
Dia. Alas, poor lady!

'Tis a hard bondage, to become the wife
Of a detesting lord.

Wid. A right good creature: wheresoe'er
she is,

Her heart weighs sadly this young maid might

do her

He were much goodlier: Is't not a handsome
gentleman ?
Hel. I like him well.

Dia. 'Tis pity, he is not honest: You i's that
same knave,

That leads him to these places; were I bis lady,

I'd poison that vile rascal.

Hel. Which is he?

Dia. That Jack-an-apes with scarfs: Why is be melancholy?

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

Par. Lose our drum! well.

Mar. He's shrewdly vexed at something: Look, he has spied us.

Wid. Marry, hang you!

Mar. And your courtesy, for a ring-carrier! [Exeunt BERTRAM, PASOLLAS, Cice $ and Soldiers.

Wid. The troop is past: Come, pilgrim, I

will bring you

Where you shall host: of enjoin'd penitents
There's four or five, to great Saint 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 thank-
ing,

Shall be for me; and, to requite you further,
I will bestow some precepts on this virgin,
Worthy the note.

Both. We'll take your offer kindly.

¡Excunt.