2 Lord. This is your devoted friend, sir, the manifold linguist, and the armipotent soldier.

Ber. I could endure any thing before but a cat, and now he's a cat to me.

1 Sold. I perceive, sir, by the general's looks, we shall be fain to hang you.

Par. My life, sir, in any case: not that I am afraid to die; but that, my offences being many, I would repent out the remainder of nature; let me live, sir, in a dungeon, i'the stocks, or any where, so I may live.

1 Sold. We'll see what may be done, so you confess freely; therefore, once more to this captain Dumain: You have answered to his reputation with the duke, and to his valour: What is his honesty?

Par. He will steal, sir, an egg out of a cloister 23; for rapes and ravishments he parallels Nessus 24. He professes not keeping of oaths; in breaking them, he is stronger than Hercules. He will lie, sir, with such volubility, that would think truth were a

you

fool: drunkenness is his best virtue; for he will be swine-drunk; and in his sleep he does little harm, save to his bed-clothes about him; but they know his conditions, and lay him in straw. I have but little more to say, sir, of his honesty: he has every thing that an honest man should not have; what an honest man should have, he has nothing.

1 Lord. I begin to love him for this.

Ber. For this description of thine honesty? A pox upon him for me, he is more and more a cat. 1 Sold. What say you to his expertness in war? Par. Faith, sir, he has led the drum before the English tragedians,—to belie him, I will not,—and

23 i. e. he will steal any thing, however trifling, from any place, however holy.

24 The Centaur killed by Hercules.

more of his soldiership I know not; except in that country, he had the honour to be the officer at a place there call'd Mile End 25, to instruct for the doubling of files: I would do the man what honour I can, but of this I am not certain.

1 Lord. He hath out-villained villany so far, that the rarity redeems him.

Ber. A pox on him! he's a cat still.

1 Sold. His qualities being at this poor price, I need not ask you, if gold will corrupt him to revolt. Par. Sir, for a quart d'ecu 26 he will sell the feesimple of his salvation, the inheritance of it: and cut the entail from all remainders, and a perpetual succession for it perpetually.

1 Sold. What's his brother, the other captain Dumain?

2 Lord. Why does he ask him of me?

1 Sold. What's he?

Par. Ev'n a crow of the same nest; not altogether so great as the first in goodness, but greater a great deal in evil. He excels his brother for a coward, yet his brother is reputed one of the best that is: In a retreat he outruns any lackey; marry, in coming on he has the cramp.

1 Sold. If your life be sav'd, will you undertake to betray the Florentine?

Par. Ay, and the captain of his horse, count Rousillon.

1 Sol. I'll whisper with the general, and know his pleasure.

Par. I'll no more drumming; a plague of all drums! Only to seem to deserve well, and to beguile

25 Mile End Green was the place for public sports and exercises. See K. Henry IV. P. II. Act iii. Sc. 2.

26 The fourth part of the smaller French crown, about eight

pence.

the supposition 27 of that lascivious young boy the count, have I run into this danger: Yet, who would have suspected an ambush where I was taken? [Aside.

1 Sold. There is no remedy, sir, but you must die : the general says, you, that have so traitorously discovered the secrets of your army, and made such pestiferous reports of men very nobly held, can serve the world for no honest use; therefore you must die. Come, headsmen, off with his head.

Par. O Lord, sir; let me live, or let me see my death!

all

1 Sold. That shall you, and take your leave of your friends. [Unmuffling him. So, look about you; Know you any here? Ber. Good morrow, noble captain.

2 Lord. God bless you, captain Parolles. 1 Lord. God save you, noble captain.

2 Lord. Captain, what greeting will you to my lord Lafeu? I am for France.

1 Lord. Good captain, will you give me a copy of the sonnet you writ to Diana in behalf of the count Rousillon? an I were not a very coward, I'd compel it of you; but fare you well.

[Exeunt BERTRAM, Lords, &c. 1 Sold. You are undone, captain: all but your scarf, that has a knot on't yet.

Par. Who cannot be crushed with a plot?

1 Sold. If you could find out a country where but women were that had received so much shame, you might begin an impudent nation. Fare you well, sir; I am for France too; we shall speak of you there. [Exit. Par. Yet am I thankful: if my heart were great, 'Twould burst at this: Captain, I'll be no more; But I will eat and drink, and sleep as soft

27 To deceive the opinion.

As captain shall: simply the thing I am

Shall make me live. Who knows himself a braggart,
Let him fear this; for it will come to pass,

That every braggart shall be found an ass.
Rust, sword! cool, blushes! and, Parolles, live
Safest in shame! being fool'd, by foolery thrive!

There's place, and means, for every man alive.

I'll after them.

SCENE IV. Florence.

A Room in the Widow's House.

Enter HELENA, Widow, and DIANA.

[Exit.

Hel. That you may well perceive I have not wrong'd you,

One of the greatest in the Christian world

Shall be my surety; 'fore whose throne, 'tis needful
Ere I can perfect mine intents, to kneel:

Time was, I did him a desired office,
Dear almost as his life; which gratitude
Through flinty Tartar's bosom would peep forth,
And answer, thanks: I duly am inform'd,
His grace is at Marseilles1; to which place
We have convenient convoy. You must know,
I am supposed dead: the army breaking,

My husband hies him home; where, heaven aiding,
And by the leave of my good lord the king,

We'll be, before our welcome.

Wid.

Gentle madam,

You never had a servant, to whose trust
Your business was more welcome.

Hel.

Nor you, mistress, Ever a friend, whose thoughts more truly labour

1 It appears that Marseilles was pronounced as a word of three syllables. In the old copy it is written Marcellæ and Marcellus.

3

To recompense your love: doubt not, but heaven
Hath brought me up to be your daughter's dower,
As it hath fated her to be my
motive?
And helper to a husband. But, O strange men!
That can such sweet use make of what they hate,
When saucy trusting of the cozen'd thoughts
Defiles the pitchy night! so lust doth play
With what it loathes, for that which is away:
But more of this hereafter :- -You, Diana,
Under my poor instructions yet must suffer
Something in my behalf.

Dia.
Go with your impositions, I am yours*
Upon your will to suffer.

Let death and honesty

Hel. Yet, I pray you 3,But with the word, the time will bring on summer, When briars shall have leaves as well as thorns, And be as sweet as sharp. We must away; Our waggon is prepar'd, and time revives us : All's well that ends well: still the fine's the crown; Whate'er the course, the end is the renown. [Exeunt.

2 i. e. to be my mover.

3 Saucy was used in the sense of wanton. We have it with the same meaning in Measure for Measure.

4 i. e. let death, accompanied by honesty, go with the task you impose, still I am yours, &c.

5 The reading proposed by Blackstone,

"Yet I 'fray you

But with the word: the time will bring, &c.'

seems required by the context, and makes the passage intelligible. The following explanation of the passage, as it now stands in the text, is by Mr. Henley: 'Do not think I would engage you in any service that should expose you to any lasting inconvenience; but, on the contrary, you shall no sooner have delivered what you have to testify on my account, than the irksomeness of the service will be over, and every pleasant circumstance to result from it will instantly appear.'

6 A translation of the common Latin proverb, Finis coronat opus: the origin of which has been pointed out by Mr. Douce, in his Illustrations, vol. i. p. 323.