Hel. Which is he?

Dia. That jack-an-apes with fcarfs: Why is he melancholy?

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

Par. Lofe our drum! weil.

Mar. He's fhrewdly vex'd at fomething: Look, he has fpied us..

Wid. Marry, hang you! [Exeunt Bertram, Parolles, &c. Mar. And your courtesy, for a ring-carrier !

Wid. The troop is past: Come, pilgrim, I will bring you Where you shall hoft: 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 thanking,
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.

SCENE

[Exeunt.

VI.

Enter Bertram, and the two French Lords.

I 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.

1 Lord. On my life, my lord, a bubble.

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

1 Lord. Believe it, my lord, in mine own direct knowledge, without any malice, but to speak of him as my kinf

2 ring-carrier!]-pimp.

a bilding,]-fcoundrel.

man,

man, he's a moft notable coward, an infinite and endlefs liar, 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 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 fo confidently undertake to do.

1 Lord. I, with a troop of Florentines, will fuddenly furprize him; such I will have, whom, I am sure, he knows not from the enemy: we will bind and hood-wink him fo, that he fhall fuppofe no other but that he is carried into the leaguer of the adverfaries, when we bring him to our own tents: Be but your lordship prefent 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 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 ore will be melted, if you give him not John Drum's entertainment, your inclining cannot be removed. Here he comes.

Enter Parolles.

Hinder not the humour of his defign; let him fetch off his drum din any hand.

the leaguer]-the lines.

John Drum's entertainment,]-a good drubbing.-Tom Drum's entertainment (fays Holinfbed) is to hale a man in by his head, and thrust him out by both the shoulders.

in any hand.]-at all events.

Ber.

Ber. How now, monfieur? this drum fticks forely in your difpofition.

2 Lord. 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 an excellent command! to charge in with our horse upon our own wings, and to rend our own foldiers.

2 Lord. That was not to be blamed in the command of the fervice; it was a difafter of war that Cæfar himself could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.

Ber. Well, we cannot greatly condemn our fuccefs: 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 hic jacet.

Ber. Why, if you have a ftomach to't, monfieur, if you think your mystery in ftratagem can bring this inftrument of honour again into its native quarter, be magnapimous in the enterprize, and go on; I will grace the attempt for a worthy exploit: if you fpeed well in it, the duke shall both speak of it, and extend to you what further becomes his greatnefs, 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 lumber 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?

dilemmas,-infallible projects.

Par.

L

Par. I know not what the fuccefs will be, my lord; but the attempt I vow.

Ber. I know, thou art valiant; and, to the poffibility of thy 'foldierfhip, will fubfcribe for thee. Farewel.

Par. I love not many words.

[Exit.

I Lord. No more than a fifh loves water.-Is not this a ftrange fellow, my lord? that fo confidently seems to undertake this business, which he knows is not to be done; damns himself to do, and dares better be damn'd than 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, escape 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 at 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 lies: but we have almost imboss'd him, you fhall fee his fall tonight; for, indeed, he is not for your lordship's refpect.

i

k

1 Lord. We'll make you fome fport with the fox, ere we cafe him. He was first smok'd by the old lord Lafeu when his difguife and he is parted, tell me what fprat you fhall find him; which you fhall fee this very night. I must go look my twigs; he shall be caught. 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 fhew you The lafs I spoke of.

1 Lord. But, you fay, fhe's honest.

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'the wind,

foldiership,]-martial skill. address himself unto?]-undertake. himbofs'd him,]-run him down. cafe him.]-trip him.

* You'll tell me.

Tokens

Tokens and letters, which she did re-fend;

And this is all I have done: She's a fair creature ;
Will you go fee her?

i Lord. With all my heart, my lord.

Enter Helena, and Widow.

Hel. If you misdoubt me that I am not she, I know not how I fhall affure you further,

1 But I fhall lose the grounds I work upon.

[Exeunt.

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

And would not put my reputation now

In any ftaining act.

Hel. Nor would I wish you.

First, 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 shall borrow,
Err in bestowing it.

Wid. I fhould believe you;

For you have shew'd me that, which well approves

You are great in fortune.

Hel. Take this purse 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,

mifdoubt]-fufpect.

But I fhall lofe the grounds I work upon.]-Without discovering myfelf to the count, and thereby fruftrating my defign.

to your worn counfel]-under an oath of fecrefy.

n

good aid-lent for fo good an end.

Lays