Page images
PDF
EPUB

Shall be for me and to requite you further,

I will bestow fome precepts on this virgin
Worthy the note.

Both. We'll take your offer kindly.

Enter Bertram, and the two French Lords.

[Exeunt.

1 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 refpect.

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

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

Lord. Believe it, my lord, in mine own direct knowledge, without any malice, but to speak of him as my kinfman; he's a most notable coward, an infinite and endless liar, an hourly promise breaker, the owner of no one good quality worthy your lordship's entertain

ment.

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 trufty bufinefs 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; fuch I will have, whom, I am fure, 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 promife 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,

[ocr errors][merged small]

2 Lord.. O, for the love of laughter, let him fetch his drum; he fays, he has a ftratagem for't (20) when your lordship fees the bottom of his fuccefs in't, and

(20) When your lordship fees the bottom of his Success in't, and to rubat Metal this Counterfeit Lump of Ours will be melted, if you give bim not John Drum's Entertainment, your Inclining cannot be remov'd.] Lump of Ours has been the Reading of all the Editions. Oart, according to my Emendation, bears a Confonancy with the other Terms accompanying, (viz. Metal, Lump, and melted) and helps the Propriety of the Poet's Thought: For fo one Metaphor is kept up, and all the Words are proper and fuitable to it. But, what is the Meaning of John Drum's Entertainment? Lafeu feveral times afterwards calls Parolles, Tom Drum. But the Difference of the Chriftian Name will make None in the Explanation. There is an old Motley Interlude, (printed in 1601) call'd, Jack Drum's Entertainment: Or, the Comedy of Pafquil and Katharine. In this, Jack Drum is a Servant of Intrigue, who is ever aiming at Projects, and always foil'd, and given the Drop. And there is another old piece (publish'd in 1627) call'd, Apollo feroving, in which I find thefe Expreffions.

[ocr errors]

Thuriger. Thou Lozel, bath Slug infected you?

Why do you give fuch kind Entertainment to that Cobweb? Scopas. It all have Tom Drum's Entertainment; a Flap with a Fox-tail.

But Both thefe Pieces, are, perhaps, too late in Time, to come to the Affiftance of our Author: fo we must look a little higher. What is faid here to Bertram is to this Effect, "My Lord, as you have taken this Fellow [Parolles] into so near a Confidence, if, upon his being found a Counterfeit, you don't cafheer him from your Favour, then your Attachment is not to be remov'd.". - F'll now fubjoin a Quotation from Holing bed, (of whofe Books Shakespeare was a moft diligent Reader) which will pretty well afcertain Drum's Hiftory. This Chrcnologer, in his Defcription of Ireland, speaking of Patrick ScarJefield, (Mayor of Dublin in the Year 1551,) and of his extravagant Hofpitality, fubj ins, that no Guest had ever a cold or forbidding Look from any Part of his Family: fo that bis Porter, or any other Officer, durft not, for both his Ears, give the fimpleft Man, that reforted to his Houfe, Tom Drum's Entertainment, which is, to hale a Man in by the Head, and thrust him out by both the Shoulders.

to

to what metal this counterfeit lump of Oar will be melted, if you give him not John Drum's entertainment, your inclining cannot be removed. Here he comes.

Enter Parolles.

1 Lord. O, for the love of laughter, hinder not the humour of his defign, let him fetch off his drum in any hand.

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 horfe 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 himfelf could not have prevented, if he had been there to command.

Ber. Well, we cannot greatly condemn our fuccefs: fome dishonour 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 service is feldom attributed to the true and exact performer, I would have that drum or another, or bic 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 his native quarter, be magnanimous in the enterprize and go on: I will grace the attempt for a worthy exploit: if you speed well in it, the Duke shall both speak of it, and extend to you what further becomes his greatnefs, even to the utmolk fyllable of your worthiness.

Par. By the hand of a soldier, I will undertake it. Ber. But you must not now flumber in it.

Par. I'll about it this evening; and I will presently pen down my dilemma's, encourage myfelf in my cer

tainty,

tainty, 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?

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

Ber. I know, th'art valiant; and to the poffiblity of thy foldiership, will fubfcribe for thee; farewel. Par. I love not many words.

[Exit. - Is not

1 Lord. No more than a fifh loves waterthis a ftrange fellow, my Lord, that fo confidently feems to undertake this business, which he knows is not to be done; damns himself to do it, and dares better be damn'd than to do't.

2 Lord. You do not know him, my lord, as we do; certain it is, that he will fteal 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 fo feriously he does addrefs 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 imbofs'd him, you fhall fee his fall to-night; for, indeed, he is not for your lordship's respect.

Lord. We'll make you some sport with the fox, ere we cafe him. He was firft fmoak'd by the old lord Lafeu; when his difguife and he is parted, tell me what a sprat you shall find him; which you shall fee, this very night.

2 Lord. I must go and look my twigs; he fhall be caught.

Ber. Your brother, he fhall go along with me.
2 Lord. As't please your lordship. I'll leave you.

[Exit. Ber. Now will I lead you to the houfe, and fhew you

The lafs I spoke of.

Lord. But you say, she's honeft.

Ber.

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'th' wind, Tokens and letters, which the did re-fend; And this is all I've done : fhe's a fair creature, Will you go fee her?

1 Lord. With all my heart, my lord.

Hel.

[Exeunt.

SCENE changes to the Widow's House.

IF

Enter Helena, and Widow.

you mifdoubt me that I am not she,

I know not, how I fhall affure you further But I fhall lofe the grounds I work_upon.

Wid. Tho' my eftate be fallen, I was well born,
Nothing acquainted with these businesses;

And would not put my reputation now
In any staining 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 belt wing it.

Wid. I should believe you,

For you have fhew'd me that, which well approves
Y'are great in fortune.

Hel. Take this purfe 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 wooes your daughter,

Lays down his wanton fiege before her beauty,

Refolves to carry her; let her 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 Count does wear,
That downward hath fucceeded in his house
From fon to fon, fome four or five descents,

Since the firft father wore it. This ring he holds

[ocr errors]
« PreviousContinue »