Lays down his wanton fiege before her beauty,
Refolves to carry her; let her, in fine, confent,
As we'll direct her how 'tis best to bear it,
Now his important blood will nought deny
That she'll demand: A ring the county wears,
That downward hath fucceeded in his house,
From fon to fon, fome four or five defcents
Since the first father wore it: this ring he holds
In most rich choice; yet, in his idle fire,
To buy his will, it would not feem too dear,
Howe'er repented after.

Wid. Now I fee

The bottom of your purpose.

Hel. You fee it lawful then: It is no more,
But that your daughter, ere she seems as won,
Defires this ring; appoints him an encounter;
In fine, delivers me to fill the time,
Herself moft chaftly abfent: after this,
To marry her, I'll add three thousand crowns
To what is past already.

Wid. I have yielded :

Inftruct my daughter how she shall perfever,
That time, and place, with this deceit fo lawful,
May prove coherent. Every night he comes
With muficks of all forts, and fongs compos'd
To her unworthiness: it nothing steads us,
To chide him from our eaves; for he perfifts,
As if his life lay on't.

Hel. Why then, to-night

Let us affay our plot; which, if it speed,
Is wicked meaning in a lawful deed,

* Unlawful meaning in a lawful act;

important]-importunate.

P perfever,]-perfevere, proceed.

wicked meaning]-on the part of Bertram, an intentional adulterer. And larvful.

Where

Where both not fin, and yet a finful fact:

But let's about it.

ACT IV.

[Exeunt.

SCENE I.

Part of the French Camp in Florence.

Enter one of the French Lords, with five or fix Soldiers in ambush.

Lord. He can come no other way but by this hedge' corner: When you fally upon him, speak what terrible language you will; though you understand it not yourfelves, no matter: for we must not feem to understand him; unless some one amongst us, whom we must produce for an interpreter.

Sol. Good captain, let me be the interpreter.

Lord. Art not acquainted with him? knows he not thy voice?

Sol. No, fir, I warrant you.

Lord. But what linfy-woolfy hast thou to speak to us again?

Sol. Even fuch as you speak to me.

t

Lord. He must think us fome band of strangers i'the adversary's entertainment. Now he hath a fmack of all neighbouring languages; therefore we must every one be a man of his own fancy, not to know what we speak one to another; fo we feem to know, is " to know ftraight our purpose: chough's language, gabble enough, and good enough. As for you, interpreter, you must seem very politick. But couch, ho! here he comes; to beguile

$ linfy-woolfy]-gibberish-chough's language. 'ftrangers i'the adverfary's entertainment.]-foreign troops in the enemy's pay. "to know]-to make known, to let him know,

two

two hours in a fleep, and then to return and fwear the lies he forges.

W

Enter Parolles.

Par. Ten o'clock: within these three hours 'twill be time enough to go home. What shall I say I have done? It must be a very " plausive invention that carries it: They begin to smoke me; and difgraces have of late knock'd too often at my door. I find, my tongue is too fool-hardy; but my heart hath the fear of Mars before it, and of his creatures, not daring the reports of * mine own tongue. Lord. This is the first truth that e'er thine own tongue was guilty of. [Afide.

Par. What the devil fhould move me to undertake the recovery of this drum; being not ignorant of the impoflibility, and knowing I had no fuch purpose? I must give myself some hurts, and fay, I got them in exploit: Yet flight ones will not carry it. They will fay, Came you off with fo little? and great ones I dare not give; Wherefore? what's the instance? Tongue, I must put you into a butter-woman's mouth, and buy another of Bajazet's 2 mule, if you prattle me into these perils.

Lord. Is it poffible, he should know what he is, and be that he is?

[Afide. Par. I would, the cutting of my garments would ferve the turn; or the breaking of my Spanish fword.

a

Lord. We cannot afford you fo.

[Afide.

Par. Or the baring of my beard; and to say, it was

in ftratagem.

Lord. 'Twould not do.

[Afide.

Par. Or to drown my clothes, and say, I was stript.
Lord. Hardly ferve.

W

plaufive-plaufible.

[Afide.

x of my tongue.

baring]-cutting off.

y what's the inftance?]-what proof fhall I produce?

z mute.

VOL. II.

a afford]-let you off.
F f

Par.

Par. Though I fwore I leap'd from the window of the citadel

Lord. How deep?

Par. Thirty fathom.

[Afide.

Lord. Three great oaths would fcarce make that be believ'd.

[Afide.

Par. I would, I had any drum of the enemies; I would fwear, I recover'd it.

Lord. You fhall hear one anon.

Par. A drum now of the enemies!

[Afide.

[Alarum within.

Lord. Throca movoufus, cargo, cargo, cargo.

All. Cargo, cargo, villianda par corbo, cargo.

Par. Oh! ranfom, ransom :-Do not hide mine eyes. [They feize him and blindfold him.

Inter. Bofkos thromuldo boskos.

Par. I know you are the Muskos' regiment,
And I fhall lofe my life for want of language:
If there be here German, or Dane, low Dutch,
Italian, or French, let him fpeak to me, I'll
Discover that which fhall undo the Florentine.
Inter. Bofkos vauvado :

I understand thee, and can speak thy tongue :-
Kerelybonto: Sir,

с

Betake thee to thy faith, for seventeen poniards
Are at thy bofom.

Par. Oh!

Inter. Oh, pray, pray, pray. Manka revania dulche.

Lord. Ofcorbi dulchos volivorco.

Inter. The general is content to spare thee yet; And, hood-winkt as thou art, will lead thee on To gather from thee: haply, thou may'ft inform Something to fave thy life.

Par. Oh, let me live,

с

thy faith,]-confeffion.

To gather]-To gain intelligence.

And

And all the fecrets of our camp I'll fhew,

Their force, their purposes: nay, I'll speak that
Which you will wonder at.

Inter. But wilt thou faithfully?

Par. If I do not, damn me.

Inter. Acorda linta.

Come on, thou art granted space.

[Exit with Parolles.

[A fhort alarum within.

Lord. Go, tell the count Roufillon, and my brother,

We have caught the woodcock, and will keep him muffled 'Till we do hear from them.

Sol. Captain, I will.

Lord. He will betray us all unto ourselves ;

Inform 'em that.

Sol. So I will, fir.

Lord. 'Till then I'll keep him dark, and fafely lock'd.

SCENE II.

The Widow's Houfe.

Enter Bertram and` Diana.

[Exeunt.

Ber. They told me, that your name was Fontibell.

Dia. No, my good lord, Diana.

Ber. Titled goddess ;

And worth it, with addition! But, fair foul,

In

your fine frame hath love no quality?

If the quick fire of youth light not your mind,
You are no maiden, but a monument:

When you are dead, you should be fuch a one
As you are now, for you are cold and ftern

And now you should be as your mother was,
When fweet felf was got.

your