bids you answer to what I shall ask you out of a

note.

Par. And truly, as I hope to live.

6

1 Sol. First demand of him how many horse the duke is strong.' What say you to that?

Par. Five or six thousand; but very weak and unserviceable: the troops are all scattered, and the commanders very poor rogues, upon my reputation and credit, and as I hope to live.

1 Sol. Shall I set down your answer so ?

Par. Do; I'll take the sacrament on 't, how and which way you will.

Ber. All's one to him. What a past-saving slave is this!

1 Lord. You are deceived, my lord; this is monsieur Parolles, the gallant militarist, (that was his own phrase) that had the whole theoric1 of war in the knot of his scarf, and the practice in the chape 2 of his dagger.

2 Lord. I will never trust a man again, for keeping his sword clean; nor believe he can have every thing in him, by wearing his apparel neatly.

1 Sol. Well, that's set down.

Par. Five or six thousand horse, I said, I will say true,―or thereabouts, set down,-for I'll speak truth.

1 Lord. He's very near the truth in this.

I Theory.

SHAK.

2 The point of the scabbard.

v.

G

Ber. But I con him no thanks for 't, in the nature

he delivers it.

Par. Poor rogues, I pray you, say.

1 Sol. Well, that's set down.

Par. I humbly thank you, sir: a truth's a truth; the rogues are marvellous poor.

1 Sol. Demand of him, of what strength they are afoot.' What say you to that?

Par. By my troth, sir, if I were to live this present hour, I will tell true. Let me see: Spurio a hundred and fifty, Sebastian so many, Corambus so many, Jaques so many; Guiltian, Cosmo, Lodowick, and Gratii, two hundred and fifty each; mine own company, Chitopher, Vaumond, Bentii, two hundred and fifty each so that the muster-file, rotten and sound, upon my life, amounts not to fifteen thousand poll; half of which dare not shake the snow from off their cassocks,1 lest they shake themselves to pieces.

Ber. What shall be done to him?

De

1 Lord. Nothing, but let him have thanks. mand of him my condition, and what credit I have with the duke.

1 Sol. Well, that's set down. 'You shall demand of him, whether one captain Dumain be i' the camp, a Frenchman; what his reputation is with the duke, what his valor, honesty, and expertness in

Cassock, in the time of Shakspeare, signified a horseman's loose coat. 2 My disposition and character.

wars; or whether he thinks, it were not possible, with well-weighing sums of gold, to corrupt him to a revolt.' What say you to this? what do you know of it?

Par. I beseech you, let me answer to the particular of the intergatories. Demand them singly. 1 Sol. Do you know this captain Dumain?

Par. I know him: he was a botcher's 'prentice in Paris, from whence he was whipped for getting the sheriff's fool with child; a dumb innocent, that could not say him, nay.

[Dumain lifts up his hand in anger. Ber. Nay, by your leave, hold your hands; though I know, his brains are forfeit to the next tile that falls.

1 Sol. Well, is this captain in the duke of Florence's camp?

Par. Upon my knowlege, he is, and lousy.

1 Lord. Nay, look not so upon me; we shall hear of your lordship anon.

1 Sol. What is his reputation with the duke? Par. The duke knows him for no other but a poor officer of mine; and writ to me this other day, to turn him out o' the band: I think, I have his letter in my pocket.

1 Sol. Marry, we'll search.

Par. In good sadness, I do not know: either it is

An idiot under the care of the sheriff.

there, or it, is upon a file, with the duke's other letters, in my tent.

1 Sol. Here 'tis ; here's a paper. Shall I read it to you?

Par. I do not know if it be it or no.

Ber. Our interpreter does it well.

1 Lord. Excellently.

1 Sol. Dian, the count's a fool, and full of gold,'

Par. That is not the duke's letter, sir; that is an advertisement to a proper maid in Florence, one Diana, to take heed of the allurement of one count Rousillon, a foolish idle boy, but, for all that, very ruttish I pray you, sir, put it up again.

1 Sol. Nay, I'll read it first, by your favor.

Par. My meaning in 't, I protest, was very honest in the behalf of the maid: for I knew the young count to be a dangerous and lascivious boy; who is a whale to virginity, and devours up all the fry it finds.

Ber. Damnable, both sides rogue!

1 Sol.

When he swears oaths, bid him drop gold, and take it :

After he scores, he never pays the score.

Half won, is match well made; match, and well

make it: 1

He ne'er pays after debts; take it before:

A match well made is half won: make your match there

fore, but make it well.'-M. Mason.

And say, a soldier, Dian, told thee this :-
Men are to mell with; boys are not to kiss :
For count of this, the count's a fool, I know it,
Who pays before, but not when he does owe it.
'Thine, as he vowed to thee in thine ear,

'PAROLLES.' Ber. He shall be whipped through the army, with this rhyme in his forehead.

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 Sol. 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 Sol. 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 valor. What is his honesty?

Par. He will steal, sir, an egg out of a cloister; 1 for rapes and ravishments he parallels Nessus. He professes not keeping of oaths; in breaking them, he is stronger than Hercules. He will lie, sir, with

He will steal any thing, however trifling, from any place, however holy. 2 The centaur killed by Hercules.