FIRST LORD DUMAINE When you have spoken it ’tis dead, and I am the grave of it.

SECOND LORD DUMAINE He hath perverted a young gentlewoman here in Florence of a most chaste renown, and this night he fleshes his will in the spoil of her honour. He hath given her his monumental ring, and thinks himself made in the unchaste composition.

FIRST LORD DUMAINE Now God delay our rebellion! As we are ourselves, what things are we.

SECOND LORD DUMAINE Merely our own traitors. And as in the common course of all treasons we still see them reveal themselves till they attain to their abhorred ends, so he that in this action contrives against his own nobility, in his proper stream o’erflows himself.

FIRST LORD DUMAINE Is it not meant damnable in us to be trumpeters of our unlawful intents? We shall not then have his company tonight?

SECOND LORD DUMAINE Not till after midnight, for he is dieted to his hour.

FIRST LORD DUMAINE That approaches apace. I would gladly have him see his company anatomized, that he might take a measure of his own judgements, wherein so curiously he had set this counterfeit.

SECOND LORD DUMAINE We will not meddle with him till he come, for his presence must be the whip of the other.

FIRST LORD DUMAINE In the mean time, what hear you of these wars?

SECOND LORD DUMAINE I hear there is an overture of peace.

FIRST LORD DUMAINE Nay, I assure you, a peace concluded.

SECOND LORD DUMAINE What will Count Roussillon do then? Will he travel higher, or return again into France?

FIRST LORD DUMAINE I perceive by this demand you are not altogether of his council.

SECOND LORD DUMAINE Let it be forbid, sir; so should I be a great deal of his act.

FIRST LORD DUMAINE Sir, his wife some two months since fled from his house. Her pretence is a pilgrimage to Saint Jaques le Grand, which holy undertaking with most austere sanctimony she accomplished, and there residing, the tenderness of her nature became as a prey to her grief: in fine, made a groan of her last breath, and now she sings in heaven.

SECOND LORD DUMAINE How is this justified?

FIRST LORD DUMAINE The stronger part of it by her own letters, which makes her story true even to the point of her death. Her death itself, which could not be her office to say is come, was faithfully confirmed by the rector of the place.

SECOND LORD DUMAINE Hath the Count all this intelligence?

FIRST LORD DUMAINE Ay, and the particular confirmations, point from point, to the full arming of the verity.

SECOND LORD DUMAINE I am heartily sorry that he’ll be glad of this.

FIRST LORD DUMAINE How mightily sometimes we make us comforts of our losses.

SECOND LORD DUMAINE And how mightily some other times we drown our gain in tears. The great dignity that his valour hath here acquired for him shall at home be encountered with a shame as ample.

FIRST LORD DUMAINE The web of our life is of a mingled yarn, good and ill together. Our virtues would be proud if our faults whipped them not, and our crimes would despair if they were not cherished by our virtues.

Enter a Servant

How now? Where’s your master?

SERVANT He met the Duke in the street, sir, of whom he hath taken a solemn leave. His lordship will next morning for France. The Duke hath offered him letters of commendations to the King.

SECOND LORD DUMAINE They shall be no more than needful there, if they were more than they can commend.

Enter Bertram

⌈FIRST LORD DUMAINE⌉ They cannot be too sweet for the King’s tartness. Here’s his lordship now. How now, my lord, is’t not after midnight?

BERTRAM I have tonight dispatched sixteen businesses, a month’s length apiece. By an abstract of success: I have congéd with the Duke, done my adieu with his nearest, buried a wife, mourned for her, writ to my lady mother I am returning, entertained my convoy, and between these main parcels of dispatch affected many nicer needs. The last was the greatest, but that I have not ended yet.

SECOND LORD DUMAINE If the business be of any difficulty, and this morning your departure hence, it requires haste of your lordship.

BERTRAM I mean the business is not ended, as fearing to hear of it hereafter. But shall we have this dialogue between the Fool and the Soldier? Come, bring forth this counterfeit model, has deceived me like a double-meaning prophesier.

SECOND LORD DUMAINE Bring him forth. Exit one or more He’s sat i’th’ stocks all night, poor gallant knave. 105

BERTRAM No matter, his heels have deserved it in usurping his spurs so long. How does he carry himself?

SECOND LORD DUMAINE I have told your lordship already, the stocks carry him. But to answer you as you would be understood, he weeps like a wench that had shed her milk. He hath confessed himself to Morgan, whom he supposes to be a friar, from the time of his remembrance to this very instant disaster of his setting i’th’ stocks. And what think you he hath confessed?

BERTRAM Nothing of me, has a?

SECOND LORD DUMAINE His confession is taken, and it shall be read to his face. If your lordship be in’t, as I believe you are, you must have the patience to hear it.

Enter Paroles ⌈guarded and⌉ blindfolded, with the Interpreter

BERTRAM A plague upon him! Muffled! He can say nothing of me.

⌈FIRST LORD DUMAINE⌉ (aside to Bertram) Hush, hush.

⌈SECOND⌉ LORD DUMAINE (aside to Bertram) Hoodman comes. (Aloud) Porto tartarossa.

INTERPRETER (to Paroles) He calls for the tortures. What will you say without ’em?

PAROLES I will confess what I know without constraint. If ye pinch me like a pasty I can say no more.

INTERPRETER Bosko chimurcho.

⌈SECOND⌉ LORD DUMAINE Boblibindo chicurmurco.

INTERPRETER You are a merciful general.—Our general bids you answer to what I shall ask you out of a note.

PAROLES And truly, as I hope to live.

INTERPRETER ⌈reads⌉ ‘First demand of him how many horse the Duke is strong.’—What say you to that?

PAROLES 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.

INTERPRETER Shall I set down your answer so? 139

PAROLES Do. I’ll take the sacrament on’t, how and which way you will.

⌈FIRST LORD DUMAINE

(aside) All’s one to him.

BERTRAM (aside) What a past-saving slave is this!

FIRST LORD DUMAINE (aside) You’re deceived, my lord. This is Monsieur Paroles, the ‘gallant militarist’—that was his own phrase—that had the whole theoric of war in the knot of his scarf, and the practice in the chape of his dagger.

SECOND LORD DUMAINE (aside) I will never trust a man again for keeping his sword clean, nor believe he can have everything in him by wearing his apparel neatly.

INTERPRETER (to Paroles) Well, that’s set down.

PAROLES ‘Five or six thousand horse,’ I said—I will say true—’or thereabouts’ set down, for I’ll speak truth.

FIRST LORD DUMAINE (aside) He’s very near the truth in this.

BERTRAM (aside) But I con him no thanks for’t in the nature he delivers it.

PAROLES ‘Poor rogues’, I pray you say.

INTERPRETER Well, that’s set down.

PAROLES I humbly thank you, sir. A truth’s a truth. The rogues are marvellous poor.

INTERPRETER ⌈reads⌉ ‘Demand of him of what strength they are a-foot.’-What say you to that?

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