tempt for a worthy Exploit: If you fpeed well in it, the Duke fhall both fpeak of it, and extend to you what further becomes his Greatnefs, even to the utmoft Syllable 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 Dilemmaes, encourage my felf in my certainty, put my felf 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 Succefs will be, my Lord; but the Attempt I vow.

Ber. I know th'art Valiant,

And to the poffibility of thy Soldership,

Will fubfcribe for thee,

Farewel.

Par. I love not many Words.

[Exit.

I Ld. No more than a Fish loves Water. Is not this a ftrange Fellow, my Lord, that fo confidently feems to undertake this Bufinefs, which he knows is not to be done; Damns himself to do't, and dares better be damn'd than to do't.

2 Ld. 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 so seriously he does address himself unto?

2 Ld. None in the World, but return with an Invention, and clap upon you two or three probable Lies; but we have almost imboft him, you shall fee his Fail to Night; for indeed he is not for your Lordship's Respect.

Ld. We'll make you fome Sport with the Fox e'er we Cafe him. He was first fmoak'd by the old Lord Lafeu; when his Difguife and he is parted, tell me what a Sprat you fhall find him, which you fhall fee this very Night. 2 Ld. I must go and look my Twigs,

He fhall be caught.

Ber. Your Brother he fhall go along with me.
Y 2

2 Ld.

2 Ld. As't please your Lordship, I'll leave you. Ber. Now will I lead you to the Houfe, and fhew the Lafs I fpoke of.

1 Cap. But you fay fhe's honeft.

Ber. That's all the fault: I fpoke with her but once,
And found her wondrous cold; but I sent to her,
By this fame Coxcomb that we have i'th' wind,
Tokens and Letters, which he did refend;
And this is all I have done: She's a fair Creature,
Will you go fee her?

I Żd. With all my Heart, my Lord.

Enter Helena and Widow.

Hel. If 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 thefe Bufineffes,
And would not put my Reputation now
In any ftaining A&.

Hell. 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 should borrow,
Err in beftowing it.

Wid. I fhould 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

you

[Exeunt.

When I have found it. The Count he wooes your Daughter,

Lays down his wanton Siege before her Beauty,

Refolves to carry her; let her in fine confent,

As we'll direct her how 'tis beft to bear it.

Now this importurate Blood will naught deny,

That she'll demand: A Ring the Count does wear
That downward hath fucceeded in his House

From Son to Son, fome four or five Defcents,

Since the firft 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,
How e'er repented after.

Wid. Now I fee the Bottom of your Purpose.
Hel. Now fee it lawful then. It is no more,
But that your Daughter, e'er the feems as won,
Defires this Ring; appoints him an Encounter ;
In fine, delivers me to fill the Time,
Her felf moft chaftly abfent: After this
To marry her, I'll add three thousand Crowns
To what is past already.

Wid. I have yielded:

4

Inftruct my Daughter how the fhall perfever,
That Time and Place with this Deceit fo lawful,
May prove coherent. Every Night he comes
With Mufick of all forts, and Songs compos'd
To her Unworthinefs: It nothing ftands us
To chide him from our Eeves, 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;
And lawful Meaning in a lawful A&,
Where both not Sin, and yet a finful Fa&t.
But let's about it.

[Exeunt.

A CT IV. SCENE I.

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

Lord. HECoaner; when you fally upon him, fpeak what

E can come no other way but by this Hedge

terrible Language you will, though you understand it not your felves, no matter; for we must not feem to understand him, unless fome one amongst us, whom we muft produce for an Interpreter.

Y 3

Sol.

Sol. Good Captain, let me be th' Interpreter. Lord. Art not acquainted with him? Knows he not thy Voice?

Sol. No, Sir, I warrant you.

Lord. But what Linfie-woolfie haft thou to speak to us again?

Sol. Ev'n fuch as you speak to me.

Lord. He muft think us fome Band of Strangers i'th' Adverfaries Entertainment. Now he hath a Smack of all neighbouring Languages; therefore we muft 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 muft feem very politick. But couch hoa, here he comes, to beguile two Hours in a Sleep, and then to return and fwear the Lies he forges.

Enter Parolles,

Par. Ten a Clock; within thefe three Hours 'twill be time enough to go home. What shall I fay I have done? It must be a very plaufive Invention that carries it. They begin to fmoak 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 firft 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 Purpose? I must give my felf 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 my felf another of Bajazet's Mules, if you prattle me into thefe Perils.

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

Par. I would the cutting of my Garments would ferve the turn, or the breaking of my Spanish Sword. Lord. We cannot afford you fo,

Par.

Par. Or the paring of my Beard, and to fay it was in Stratagem.

Lord. 'Twould not do.

Par. Or to drown my Cloaths, and fay I was ftript.
Lord. Hardly ferve.

Par. Though I fwore I leap'd from the Window of the Cittadel.

Lord. How deep?

Par. Thirty Fathom.

Lord. Three great Oaths would fcarce make that be believed.

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.

[Alarum within.

Lord. Throco movoufus, cargo, cargo, cargo.

All. Cargo, cargo, villiando par corbo, cargo.

Par. O Ranfom, Ransom;

Do not hide mine Eyes. [They feize him and blindfold him. Inter. Baskos thromaldo beskos.

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 speak to me,

I'll discover that which fhall undo the Florentine.

Inter. Baskos 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 revancha dulche.

Lord. Ofceoribi dulchos volivorco.

Int. The General is content to fpare thee yet, And, hood-winkt as thou art, will lead thee on To gather from thee. Haply thou may'st inform Something to fave thy Life.

Par. O let me live,

And all the Secrets of our Camp I'll fhew;
Their Force, their Purposes: Nay, I'll fpeak that,
Which you will wonder at.

Int. But wilt thou faithfully?

Y 4

Par