Ber.

This very day,

Great Mars, I put myself into thy file:
Make me but like my thoughts; and I shall prove
A lover of thy drum, hater of love.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV: Rousillon. A Room in the Countess's

Palace.

Enter Countess and Steward.

Count. Alas! and would you take the letter of her? Might you not know, she would do as she has done, By sending me a letter? Read it again.

Stew. I am Saint Jaques'1 pilgrim, thither gone;
Ambitious love hath so in me offended,
That barefoot plod I the cold ground upon,
With sainted vow my faults to have amended.
Write, write, that from the bloody course of war,
My dearest master, your dear son, may hie;
Bless him at home in peace, whilst I from far,
His name with zealous fervor sanctify.
His taken labors bid him me forgive;

I, his despiteful Juno,2 sent him forth
From courtly friends, with camping foes to live,
Where death and danger dog the heels of worth.
He is too good and fair for death and me,
Whom I myself embrace, to set him free.

Count. Ah, what sharp stings are in her mildest words!

3

Rinaldo, you did never lack advice 3 so much,
As letting her pass so; had I spoke with her,
I could have well diverted her intents,
Which thus she hath prevented.

1 At Orleans was a church dedicated to St. Jaques, to which pilgrims formerly used to resort, to adore a part of the cross pretended to be found there. See Heylin's France Painted to the Life, 1656, p. 270-6. 2 Alluding to the story of Hercules.

3 i. e. discretion or thought.

Stew.

Pardon me, maaam.

If I had given you this at over-night,

She might have been o'erta'en; and yet she writes, Pursuit would be but vain.

Count.

What angel shall

Bless this unworthy husband? He cannot thrive,
Unless her prayers, whom Heaven delights to hear,
And loves to grant, reprieve him from the wrath
Of greatest justice.-Write, write, Rinaldo,
To this unworthy husband of his wife;
Let every word weigh heavy of her worth,
That he does weigh too light: my greatest grief,
Though little he do feel it, set down sharply.
Despatch the most convenient messenger :-
When, haply, he shall hear that she is gone,
He will return; and hope I may, that she,
Hearing so much, will speed her foot again,
Led hither by pure love: which of them both
Is dearest to me, I have no skill in sense
To make distinction.-Provide this messenger :-
My heart is heavy, and mine age is weak;
Grief would have tears, and sorrow bids me speak.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V. Without the Walls of Florence.
Tucket afar off.

Enter an old Widow of Florence, DIANA, Violenta, MARIANA, and-other Citizens.

Wid. Nay, come; for if they do approach the city, we shall lose all the sight.

Dia. They say the French count has done most honorable service.

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

Mar. Come, let's return again, and suffice ourselves

with the report of it. Well, Diana, take heed of this French earl: the honor of a maid is her name; and no legacy is so rich as honesty.

Wid. I have told my neighbor how you have been solicited by a gentleman his companion.

1

Mar. I know that knave; hang him! one Parolles a filthy officer he is in those suggestions for the young earl.-Beware of them, Diana; their promises, enticements, oaths, tokens, and all these engines of lust, are not the things they go under. Many a maid hath been seduced by them; and the misery is, example, that so terrible shows in the wreck of maidenhood, cannot, for all that, dissuade succession, 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 modesty which is so lost.

Dia. You shall not need to fear me.

Enter HELENA, in the dress of a Pilgrim.

Wid. I hope so.

Look, here comes a pilgrim;

I know she will lie at my house: thither they send one another. I'll question her.

God save you, pilgrim! Whither are you bound?
Hel. To Saint Jaques le Grand.

3

Where do the palmers lodge, I do beseech you?
Wid. At the Saint Francis here, beside the port.
Hel. Is this the way?

Wid.

Ay, marry,

is it.-Hark you; [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 shall be lodged;

1 Suggestions are temptations.

2 They are not the things for which their names would make them pass. To go under the name of so and so is a common expression.

3 Pilgrims; so called from a staff or bough of palm they were wont to carry, especially such as had visited the holy places at Jerusalem.

The rather, for, I think, I know your hostess
As ample as myself.

Hel.

Is it yourself?

Wid. If you shall please so, pilgrim.

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

I did so.

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

Hel.

Dia. The count Rousillon.

His name, I pray you.

Know you such a one?

Hel. But by the ear, that hears most nobly of him;

His face I know not.

Dia.

Whatsoe'er he is,

He's bravely taken here. He stole from France,
As 'tis reported, for1 the king had married him
Against his liking. Think you it is so?

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

Hel.

Dia. Monsieur Parolles.
Hel.

What's his name?

O, I believe with him,

In argument of praise, or to the worth

Of the great count himself, she is too mean
To have her name repeated; all her deserving
Is a reserved honesty, and that

I have not heard examined.2

Dia.

Alas, poor lady!

'Tis a hard bondage, to become the wife

Of a detesting lord.

Wid. Ay, right; good creature, wheresoe'er she is,3

1 For, here and in other places, signifies because, which Tooke says is always its signification.

2 That is, questioned, doubted.

3 The old copy reads

"I write good creature, wheresoe'er she is."

Malone once deemed this an error, and proposed, "A right good creature," which was admitted into the text, but he subsequently thought that the uld reading was correct.

Her heart weighs sadly this young maid might do her A shrewd turn, if she pleased.

Hel.

May be the amorous count solicits her

In the unlawful purpose.

Wid.

How do you mean?

He does, indeed;

And brokes1 with all that can in such a suit

Corrupt the tender honor of a maid:

But she is armed for him, and keeps her guard

In honestest defence.

Enter, with Drum and Colors, a party of the Florentine Army, BERTRAM and PAROLles.

Mar. The gods forbid else!

Wid.

So, now they come.

That is Antonio, the duke's eldest son;

That, Escalus.

Hel.

Dia.

Which is the Frenchman?

He;

That with the plume: 'tis a most gallant fellow;
I would he loved his wife: if he were honester,
He were much goodlier.-Is't not a handsome gen-
tleman ?

Hel. I like him well.

Dia. 'Tis pity he is not honest. Yond's that same

knave,

That leads him to these places; were I his lady,

I'd poison that vile rascal.

Hel.

Which is he?

Dra. That jack-an-apes with scarfs. Why is he melancholy?

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

Par. Lose our drum! Well.

Mar. He's shrewdly vexed at something. Look, he has spied us.

Wid. Marry, hang you!

1 Deals with panders.