In me to lofe. Dia. Mine honour's fuch a ring; Bet. Here, take my ring. My houfe, my honour, yea, my life be thine, [window Dia. When midnight comes, knock at my chamber I'll order take, my mother shall not hear. Now will I charge you in the band of truth, When you have conquer'd my yet maiden bed, Ber. A heav'n on earth I've won by wooing thee. Exit Dia. For which live long to thank both heav'n and me. You may fo in the end.. My mother told me juft how he would woo, As if the fate in's heart; fhe fays, all men Have the like oaths: he had fworn to marry me, When his wife's dead; therefore I'll lie with him, When I am buried. (32) Since Frenchmen are fo braid, Marry 'em that will, I'd live and die a maid; (32) -Since Frenchmen are so braid, Only, Marry that will, I'll live and die" a maid.]. This is certainly the most cruel refolution, that ever poor wench made. What! becaufe Frenchmen were falfe, fhe, that was an Italian, would marry nobody. But it is plain, as refin'd as this reafoning is, her mother did not understand the delicacy of the conclufion; for afterwards the ▪་ Only, in this difguife, I think't no fin Exit SCENE changes to the French Camp in Enter the two French Lords, and two or three foldiers. 1 Lord. Y You OU have not given him his mother's letter? 2 Lord. I have deliver'd it an hour fince; there is fomething in't, that ffings his nature; for, on the reading it, he chang'd almost into another man. Lord. He has much worthy blame laid upon him for fhaking off fo good a wife, and fo fweet a Lady. 2 Lord. Efpecially, he hath incurr'd the everlasting displeasure of the King, who had even tun'd his bounty to fing happiness to him. I will tell you a thing, but you fhall let it dwell darkly with you. 1 Lord. When you have spoken it, 'tis dead, and I am the grave of it. 2 Lord. He hath perverted a young gentlewoman here in Florence, of a most chafte renown; and this night he fleshes his will in the fpoil of her honour; he hath given her his monumental ring, and thinks himself made in the unchafte compofition. I Lord. Now God delay our rebellion; as we are ourselves, what things are we! 2 Lord. Merely our own traitors; as in the common fhe comes into Helen's project, on the promise of a good round dow'ry of 3000 crowns, to help her daughter to a husband. In fhort, the text is, without all queftion, corrupted: and we should read it thus. -Since Frenchmen are fo braid, Marry 'em that avill, I'd live and die a maid. i. e. fince Frenchmen prove fo crooked and perverfe in their manners, let who will marry them, I had rather live and die a maid than venture upon them. This the fays with a view to Helen, who appeared fo fond of her husband, and went through fo many difficulties to obtain him. I dare fay, the fair fex will think this emendation moft agreeable to the rules of logick, as well as to the lefs erring dictates of nature. Mr. Warburton. courfe course of all treafons, we ftill fee them reveal themfelves, 'till they attain to their abhorr'd ends; so he, that in this action contrives against his own nobility, in his proper ftream o'erflows himself. 1 Lord. Is it not meant damnable in us to be the trumpeters of our unlawful intents? we fhall not then have his company to-night? 2 Lord. Not 'till after midnight; for he is dieted to his hour. I Lord. That approaches apace: I would gladly have him fee his company anatomiz'd, that he might take measure of his own judgment, wherein fo curiously he had fet this counterfeit. 2 Lord. We will not meddle with him 'till he come; for his prefence must be the whip of the other. 2 Lord. In the mean time, what hear you of these wars? 2 Lord. I hear, there is an overture of peace. 1 Lord. Nay, I affure you, a peace concluded. 2 Lord. What will Count Roufillon do then? will he travel higher, or return again into France? 1 Lord. I perceive by this demand, you are not altogether of his council. 2 Lord. Let it be forbid, Sir! fo fhould I be a great deal of his act. I Lord, Sir, his wife fome two months fince fled from his houfe, her pretence is a pilgrimage to St. Jacques le Grand; which holy undertaking, with moft auftere fanctimony, the accomplish'd; and there refiding, the tendernefs of her nature became as a prey to her grief; in fine, made a groan of her laft breath, and now the fings in heaven. 2 Lord. How is this juftified? Lord, The ftronger part of it by her own letters, which makes her fory true, even to the point of her death; her death itself (which could not be her office to fay, is come) was faithfully confirm'd by the rector of the place. 2 Lord. Hath the Count all this intelligence? I Lord. 1 Lord. Ay, and the particular confirmations, point from point, to the full arming of the verity. this. Lord. I am heartily forry, that he'll be glad of 1 Lord. How mightily fometimes we make us comforts of our loffes! 2 Lord. And how mightily fome other times we drown our gain in tears! the great dignity, that his valour hath here acquired for him, shall at home be encounter'd with a fhame as ample. 1 Lord. The web of our life is of a mingled yarn, good and ill together: our virtues would be proud, if our faults whipt them not; and our crimes would defpair, if they were not cherish'd by our virtues. Enter a Servant. How now? where's your mafter? Ser. He met the Duke in the ftreet, Sir, of whom he hath taken a folemn leave his Lordship will next morning for France. The Duke hath offered him letters of commendations to the King. 2 Lord. They fhall be no more than needful there, if they were more than they can commend. Enter Bertram. 1 Lord. They cannot be too fweet for the King's tartnefs: here's his Lordship now. How now, my Lord, is't not after midnight? Ber. I have to-night difpatch'd fixteen bufineffes, a month's length a-piece, by an abftract of fuccefs; I have congied with the Duke, done my adieu with his neareft; buried a wife, mourn'd for her; writ to my lady mother, I am returning; entertain'd my convoy; and, between these main parcels of difpatch, effected many nicer needs: the laft was the greateft, but that I have not ended yet. 2 Lord. If the bufinefs be of any difficulty, and this morning your departure hence, it requires hatte of your Lordship. Ber. I mean, the business is not ended, as fearing to D⭑ hear hear of it hereafter. But fhall we have this dialogue between the fool and the foldier? come, bring forth this counterfeit module; h'as deceiv'd me, like a doubie-meaning prophefier. 2 Lord. Bring him forth; ha's fate in the ftocks all night, poor gallant knave. Ber. No matter; his heels have deferv'd it, in usurping his fpurs fo long. How does he carry himself? Lord. I have told your Lordship already: the ftocks carry him. But to answer you as you would be underflood, he weeps like a wench that had shed her milk; he hath confeft himself to Morgan, whom he fuppofes to be a friar, from the time of his remembrance to this very inftant difatter of his setting i'th' ftocks ; and what, think you, he hath confest ? Ber. Nothing of me, has he? 2 Lord. His confeflion is taken, and it fhall be read to his face; if your Lordship be in't, as I believe you are, you must have the patience to hear it. Enter Parolles, with his Interpreter. Ber. A plague upon him, muffled! he can fay no◄ thing of me; hushi hush! 1 Lord. Hoodman comes: Portotartaroffa. Int. He calls for the tortures; what will you fay without 'em? Par. I will confefs what I know without constraint; if ye pinch me like a pafty, I can fay no more. Int. Befo Chimurcho. 2 Lord. Biblibindo chicurmurco. Int. You are a merciful General: our General bids you anfwer to what I fhall afk you out of a note. Par. And truly, as I hope to live. Int. Fir demand of him, how many horfe the Duke is ftrong. What fay you to that? Par. Five or fix thoufand, but very weak and unferviceable; the troops are all scatter'd, and the comn anders very poor rogues, upon my reputation and redit, and as I hope to live. Int. Shall I fet down your answer fo? Par. |