gabble enough, and good enough. As for you, interpreter, you must seem very politick. But couch, ho! here he comes; to beguile two hours in a sleep, and then to return and swear the lies he forges. Enter PAROLles. Par. Ten o'clock: within these three hours 'twill be time enough to go home. What shall I say I have done? It must be a very plausive invention that carries it: They begin to smoke me; and disgraces have of late knocked 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. 1 Lord. This is the first truth that e'er thine own tongue was guilty of. [Aside. Par. What the devil should move me to undertake the recovery of this drum; being not ignorant of the impossibility, and knowing I had no such purpose? I must give myself some hurts, and say, I got them in exploit: Yet slight ones will not carry it: They will say, Came you off with so little? and great ones I dare not give. Wherefore? what's the instance? Tongue, I must put you into a butter-woman's mouth, and buy another of Bajazet's mule, if you prattle me into these perils. 1 Lord. Is it possible, he should know what he is, and be that he is? [Aside. Par. I would the cutting of my garments would serve the turn; or the breaking of my Spanish sword. 1 Lord. We cannot afford you so. [Aside. Par. Or the baring of my beard; and to say, it was in stratagem. 1 Lord. 'Twould not do. [Aside. Par. Or to drown my clothes, and say, I was stripped. 1 Lord. Hardly serve. [Aside. Par. Though I swore I leaped from the window of the citadel 1 Lord. How deep? Par. Thirty fathom. [Aside. 1 Lord. Three great oaths would scarce make that be believed. [Aside. Par. I would, I had any drum of the enemy's; I would swear, I recovered it. 1 Lord. You shall hear one anon. Par. A drum now of the enemy's! [Aside. [Alarum within. 1 Lord. Throca movousus, cargo, cargo, cargo. 1 Sold. Boskos thromuldo boskos. I will discover that which shall undo I understand thee, and can speak thy tongue :— Betake thee to thy faith, for seventeen poniards eyes. 1 Sold. The general is content to spare thee yet; And, hood-wink'd as thou art, will lead thee on To gather from thee: haply, thou may'st inform Something to save thy life. Par. O, let me live, 1 Sold. Par. If I do not, dainn me. 1 Sold. But wilt thou faithfully? Acordo linta. Come on, thou art granted space. [Exit, with PAROLLES guarded. 1 Lord. Go, tell the count Rousillon, and my brother, We have caught the woodcock, and will keep him muffled, Till we do hear from them. 2 Sold. Captain, I will. 1 Lord. He will betray us all unto ourselves ;Inform 'em that. 1 Lord. Till then, I'll keep him dark, and safely lock'd. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-Florence. A room in the Widow's house. Enter BERTRAM and DIANA. Ber. They told me, that your name was Fontibell. Dia. No, my good lord, Diana. Ber. Titled goddess; In You are no maiden, but a monument: Dia. She then was honest. Ber. Dia. My mother did but duty; such, my lord, Ber. No more of that! I pr'ythee, do not strive against my vows: I was compell'd to her; but I love thee By love's own sweet constraint, and will for ever Dia. Ber. How have I sworn? Dia. 'Tis not the many oaths, that make the truth; But the plain single vow, that is vow'd true. What is not holy, that we swear not by, But take the Highest to witness: Then, pray you, tell me, If I should swear by Jove's great attributes, I lov'd you dearly, would you believe my oaths, To swear by him whom I protest to love, That I will work against him: Therefore, your oaths Are words, and poor conditions; but unseal'd; At least, in my opinion. Ber. Change it, change it ; |