time enough to go home. What fhall I fay I have done? it must be a very plaufive invention that carries it. They begin to fmoke 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 my 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 impoffibility, and knowing I had no fuch purpofe? I muft give myself fome 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 inftance? Tongue, I must put you into a butter-woman's mouth, and buy myfelf another of Bajazet's mute, if you prattle me into thefe 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. Lord. We cannot afford you fo. [Afide. Par. Or the baring of my beard, and to fay it was in ftratagem. Lord. 'Twould not do. [Afide. [Afide. Par. Or to drown my cloaths, and fay I was ftript. Lord. Hardly serve. 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 believed. [Afide. Par. I would I had any drum of the enemy's; I would fwear I recover'd it. Lord. You fhall hear one anon. Par. A drum now of the enemy's! [Afide. [Alarum within. Lord. Throco movoufus, cargo, cargo, cargo. Par. Oh! ransom, ransom :-do not hide mine eyes. [They feize him, and blindfold him. Inter. Bofkos thromuldo bofkos. Par. I know, you are the Muskos regiment, I'll difcover that which shall undo the Florentine. Inter. Bofkos vauvado; I understand thee, and can fpeak thy tongue; Kerelybonto,--Sir, betake thee to thy faith, for feventeen poniards are at thy bofom. Par. Oh! Int. Oh, pray, pray, pray. Mancha ravancha dulche. Lord. Ofceoribi dulchos volivorco. Int. The general is content to fpare thee yet, And, hoodwink'd as thou art, will lead thee on To gather from thee. Haply thou may'st inform Something to fave thy life. Par. Oh let me live, And all the fecrets of our camp I'll fhew; Int. But wilt thou faithfully? Par. If I do not, damn me. Int. Acorda linta. Come on, thou art granted space. [Exit. [A Short alarum within. Lord. Go, tell the Count Roufillon and my brother, We've 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, Sir. Lord. Till then I'll keep him dark and fafely lock'd. SCENE II. [Exeunt. Changes to the widow's houfe. Enter Bertram and Diana. 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, When you are dead, you should be fuch a one Dia. She then was honeft. Ber. So fhould you be. Dia. No. My mother did but duty; fuch, my Lord, Ber. No more o' that! I pr'ythee do not strive against my vows: By love's own fweet constraint, and will for ever Dia. Ay, fo you ferve us, Till we ferve you: but when you have our rofes, Ber. How have I fworn! me, Dia. 'Tis not the many oaths that make the truth; But the plain fingle vow, that is vow'd true; What is not holy that we fwear, not 'bides ;But take the High'ft to witness; then, pray tell If I should swear by Jove's great attributes I lov'd you dearly, would you believe my oaths, When I did love you ill? This has no holding, To fwear by him whom I proteft to love, That I will work against him. Therefore your oaths Are words, and poor conditions but unfeal'd; At least, in my opinion. Ber. Change it, change it: Be not fo holy-cruel. Love is holy, And my integrity ne'er knew the crafts That you do charge men with: ftand no more off, But give thyself unto my fick defires, Which then recover. Say, thou art mine; and ever My love, as it begins, thall fo perfevere. Dia. I fee that men make hopes in fuch affairs That we'll forfake ourselves. Give me that ring. Ber. I'll lend it thee, my dear, but have no power To give it from me. Dia. Will you not, my Lord? Ber. It is an honour 'longing to our house, Which were the greatest obloqu. "th' world Dia. Mine honour's fuch a ring; My chastity's the jewel of our houfe, Ber. Here, take my ring. My house, my honour, yea, my life, be thine, Dia. When midnight comes, knock at my chamber I'll order take my mother fhall not hear. Now will I charge you in the band of truth, When you have conquer'd my yet maiden-bed, [window; My reasons are most strong, and you fhall know them, Ber. A heav'n on earth I've won by wooing thee. [Exit. Dia. For which live long to thank both heav'n and fo in the end. You may Have the like oaths: he had fworn to marry me, [me. Only, in this disguise, I think 't no fin To cozen him that would unjustly win. [Exit. SCENE III. Changes to the French camp in Florence. Enter the two French Lords, and two or three foldiers. 1 Lord. You have not given him his mother's letter? 2 Lord. I have deliver'd it an hour fince; there is fomething in't that ftings 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 so fweet a lady. 2 Lord. Efpecially he hath incurred the everlasting difpleafure of the King, who had even tun'd his bounty to fing happiness to him. I will tell you a thing, but you shall let it dwell darkly with you. I 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 moft chafte renown; and this night he fleshes his will in the spoil of her honour : he hath given her his monumental ring, and thinks himself made in the unchafte compofition. 1 Lord. Now God delay our rebellion; as we are ourfelves, what things are we! 2 Lord. Merely our own traitors; and as, in the common course of all treasons, we ftill fee them reveal themfelves, till they attain to their abhorr'd ends; fo he that in this action contrives againft his own nobility, in his proper ftream o'erflows himself. I Lord. Is it not meant damnable in us to be the trumpeters of our unlawful intents? we shall not then have his company to-night? 2 Lord. Not till after midnight; for he is dieted to his hour. 1 Lord. That approaches apace. I would gladly have him fee his company anatomiz'd, that he might take a 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 muft be the whip of the other. |