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James Boswell [1821], The plays and poems of William Shakspeare, with the corrections and illustrations of various commentators: comprehending A Life of the Poet, and an enlarged history of the stage, by the late Edmond Malone. With a new glossarial index (J. Deighton and Sons, Cambridge) [word count] [S10201].
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SCENE I. Without the Florentine Camp. Enter first Lord, with five or six Soldiers in ambush.

1 Lord.

He can come no other way but by this hedge' corner: When you sally upon him, speak what terrible language you will; though you understand it not yourselves, no matter: for we must not seem to understand him; unless some one among us, whom we must produce for an interpreter.

1 Sold.

Good captain, let me be the interpreter.

1 Lord.

Art not acquainted with him? knows he not thy voice?

1 Sold.

No, sir, I warrant you.

1 Lord.

But what linsy-woolsy hast thou to speak to us again?

1 Sold.

Even such as you speak to me.

-- 426 --

1 Lord.

He must think us some band of strangers i' the adversary's entertainment1 note. Now he hath a smack of all neighbouring languages; therefore we must every one be a man of his own fancy, not to know what we speak one to another; so we seem to know, is to know straight our purpose2 note

: chough's language3 note

, 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

-- 427 --

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 instance4 note? Tongue, I must put you into a butter-woman's mouth, and buy another of Bajazet's mute5 note



, 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.

-- 428 --

Par.

Or the baring of my beard6 note; 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?

[Aside.

Par.

Thirty fathom.

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.

[Aside.

Par.

A drum now of the enemy's!

[Alarum within.

1 Lord.

Throca movousus, cargo, cargo, cargo.

All.

Cargo, cargo, villianda par corbo, cargo.

Par.

O! ransom, ransom:—Do not hide mine eyes.

[They seize him and blindfold him.

1 Sold.
Boskos thromuldo boskos.

Par.
I know you are the Muskos' regiment.
And I shall lose my life for want of language:
If there be here German, or Dane, low Dutch,
Italian, or French, let him speak to me,
I will discover that which shall undo
The Florentine.

1 Sold.
Boskos vauvado:—
I understand thee, and can speak thy tongue:—
Kerelybonto:—Sir,
Betake thee to thy faith, for seventeen poniards
Are at thy bosom.

Par.
Oh!

-- 429 --

1 Sold.
O, pray, pray, pray.—
Manka revania dulche.

1 Lord.
Oscorbi dulchos volivorca.

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,
And all the secrets of our camp I'll show,
Their force, their purposes: nay, I'll speak that
Which you will wonder at.

1 Sold.
But wilt thou faithfully?

Par.
If I do not, damn me.

1 Sold.
Acordo linta.
Come on, thou art granted space.
[Exit, with Parolles guarded.

1 Lord.
Go, tell the count Rousíllon, 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 'em7 note that.

2 Sold.
So I will, sir.

1 Lord.
Till then, I'll keep him dark, and safely lock'd.
[Exeunt.

-- 430 --

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James Boswell [1821], The plays and poems of William Shakspeare, with the corrections and illustrations of various commentators: comprehending A Life of the Poet, and an enlarged history of the stage, by the late Edmond Malone. With a new glossarial index (J. Deighton and Sons, Cambridge) [word count] [S10201].
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