Wid. It is reported that he has ta'en their greatest commander; and that with his own hand he flew the duke's brother. We have loft our labour; they are gone a contrary way: hark! you may know by their trumpets.

Mar. Come, let's return again, and fuffice ourselves with the report of it. Well, Diana, take heed of this French earl: the honour of a maid is her name; and no legacy is fo rich as honesty.

Wid. I have told my neighbour, how you have been folicited by a gentleman his companion.

Mar. I know the knave; hang him! one Parolles: a filthy officer he is in' thofe fuggeftions for the young earl. -Beware of them, Diana; their promifes, enticements, oaths, tokens, and all these engines of luft,' are not the things they go under: many a maid hath been seduced by them; and the mifery is, example, that fo terrible shews in the wreck of maidenhood, cannot for all that diffuade fucceffion, but that they are limed with the twigs that threaten them. I hope, I need not to advise you further; but, I hope, your own grace will keep you where you are, though there were no further danger known, but the modefty which is fo loft.

Dia. You fhall not need to fear me.

Enter Helena, difguifed like a pilgrim.

Wid. I hope fo. -Look, here comes a pilgrim: I know she will lye at my house: thither they fend one another: I'll queftion her.

God fave you, pilgrim! Whither are you bound?

t

in those fuggeftions]—plots that he lays; in intriguing.

are not the things they go under :]-what their names befpeak them. "Not of that dye which their investments fhew."

HAMLET, A& I, S. 3. Pol. modefty which is loft.]—character, which is tarnish'd, though the attempt should fail.

Ee 4'

Hel.

Hel. To St. Jaques le grand.

Where do the palmers lodge, I do beseech you?
Wid. At the St. Francis here, beside the

Hel. Is this the way?

Wid. Ay, marry is it. Hark you!

port.

[A march afar off.

They come this way :-If you will tarry, holy pilgrim, But 'till the troops come by,

I will conduct you where you fhall be lodg'd;

The rather, for, I think, I know your hostess

As ample as myself.

Hel. Is it yourself?

Wid. If you fhall please fo, pilgrim.

Hel. I thank you, and will stay upon your leisure.
Wid. You came, I think, from France?

Hel. I did fo.

Wid. Here you shall see a countryman of yours, That has done worthy service.

Hel. His name, I pray you?

Dia. The count Roufillon; Know you fuch a one? Hel. But by the ear, that hears most nobly of him; His face I know not.

Dia. Whatfoe'er he is,

He's bravely taken here. He ftole from France,
As 'tis reported, "for the king had married him
Against his liking: Think you it is fo?

Hel. Ay, furely, meer the truth; I know his lady. Dia. There is a gentleman, that serves the count, Reports but coarsely of her.

Hel.. What's his name?

Dia. Monfieur Parolles.

Hel. Oh, I believe with him,

In argument of praise, or to the worth

Of the great count himself, she is too mean

"for]-because.

To

To have her name repeated; all her deferving
Is a reserved honesty, and that

x

I have not heard examined.

Dia. Alas, poor lady!

'Tis a hard bondage, to become the wife

Of a detefting lord.

Wid. A right good creature: wherefoe'er she is, Her heart weighs fadly: this young maid might do her A fhrewd turn, if the pleas'd.

Hel. How do you mean?

May be, the amorous count folicits her

In the unlawful purpose.

Wid. He does, indeed;

And brokes with all that can in fuch a fuit

Corrupt the tender honour of a maid:

But she is arm'd for him, and keeps her guard

In honestest defence.

Enter with drums and colours, Bertram, Parolles, Officers and Soldiers attending.

That with the plume: 'tis a moft gallant fellow;

I would, he lov'd his wife: if he were honester,

He were much goodlier :-Is't not a handsome gentleman ? Hel. I like him well.

Dia. 'Tis pity, he is not honeft: Yond's that fame knave, That leads him to thefe places; were I his lady,

I'd poison that vile rascal.

* examined.]—call'd in question.

Y brokes]-tampers.

Hel.

Hel. Which is he?

Dia. That jack-an-apes with fcarfs: Why is he melancholy?

Hel. Perchance he's hurt i' the battle.

Par. Lofe our drum! well.

Mar. He's fhrewdly vex'd at fomething: Look, he has fpied us.

Wid. Marry, hang you! [Exeunt Bertram, Parolles, &c. Mar. And your courtesy, for a ring-carrier !

Wid. The troop is paft: Come, pilgrim, I will bring you Where you fhall hoft: of enjoin'd penitents

There's four or five, to great Saint Jaques bound,
Already at my house.

Hel. I humbly thank you :

Please it this matron, and this gentle maid,

To eat with us to-night, the charge, and thanking,
Shall be for me; and, to requite you further,

I will bestow some precepts on this virgin,

Worthy the note.

Both. We'll take your offer kindly.

SCENE

[Exeunt.

VI.

Enter Bertram, and the two French Lords.

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 respect.

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

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

1 Lord. Believe it, my lord, in mine own direct knowledge, without any malice, but to speak of him as my kins

ring-carrier!]-pimp.

a

bilding,]-fcoundrel.

man,

man, he's a most notable coward, an infinite and endless liar, an hourly promife-breaker, the owner of no one good quality worthy your lordship's entertainment.

2 Lord. It were fit you knew him; left, repofing too far in his virtue, which he hath not, he might, at some great and trusty business, 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.

I 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 shall suppose 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 promise 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.

2 Lord. O, for the love of laughter, let him fetch his drum; he says, he has a ftratagem for't: when your lordfhip fees the bottom of his fuccefs in't, and to what metal this counterfeit lump of ore will be melted, if you give him not John Drum's entertainment, your inclining cannot be removed. Here he comes.

Enter Parolles.

Hinder not the humour of his defign; let him fetch off his drum in any hand.

the leaguer]-the lines.

John Drum's entertainment,]-a good drubbing.-Tom Drum's entertainment (fays Holinfhed) is to hale a man in by his head, and thrust him out by both the shoulders.

in any hand.-at all events.

Ber.