Act 4, Scene 1

Modern spelling. Stage directions omitted.

Listen to Act 4. LibriVox volunteers recorded “Act IV” as one track, so it runs past this scene and includes stage directions this page leaves out. LibriVox catalog.

FIRST 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 someone among us, whom we must produce for an interpreter.

FIRST SOLDIER

Good captain, let me be th’ interpreter.

FIRST LORD

Art not acquainted with him? Knows he not voice?

FIRST SOLDIER

No sir, I warrant you.

FIRST LORD

But what linsey-woolsey has to speak to us again?

FIRST SOLDIER

such as you speak to me.

FIRST LORD

He must think us some band of strangers i’ the adversary’s entertainment. Now he 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 purpose: choughs’ language, gabble enough, and good enough. As for you, interpreter, you must seem very politic. But couch, ho! Here he comes; to beguile two hours in a sleep, and then to return and swear the lies he forges.

PAROLLES

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 knock’d too often at my door. I find my tongue is too foolhardy, but my heart the fear of Mars before it, and of his creatures, not daring the reports of my tongue.

FIRST LORD

This is the first truth that e’er own tongue was guilty of.

PAROLLES

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. , what’s the instance? Tongue, I must put you into a butter-woman’s mouth, and buy myself another of Bajazet’s mule, if you prattle me into these perils.

FIRST LORD

Is it possible he should know what he is, and be that he is?

PAROLLES

I would the cutting of my garments would serve the turn, or the breaking of my Spanish sword.

FIRST LORD

We cannot afford you so.

PAROLLES

Or the baring of my beard, and to say it was in stratagem.

FIRST LORD

’Twould not do.

PAROLLES

Or to drown my clothes, and say I was stripped.

FIRST LORD

Hardly serve.

PAROLLES

Though I swore I leap’d from the window of the citadel,—

FIRST LORD

How deep?

PAROLLES

Thirty fathom.

FIRST LORD

Three great oaths would scarce make that be believed.

PAROLLES

I would I had any drum of the enemy’s; I would swear I recover’d it.

FIRST LORD

You shall hear one .

PAROLLES

A drum now of the enemy’s!

FIRST LORD

Throca movousus, cargo, cargo, cargo.

ALL

Cargo, cargo, cargo, villianda par corbo, cargo.

PAROLLES

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

FIRST SOLDIER

Boskos thromuldo boskos.

PAROLLES

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’ll discover that which shall undo the Florentine.

FIRST SOLDIER

Boskos vauvado. I understand , and can speak tongue. Kerelybonto. Sir, Betake to faith, for seventeen poniards are at bosom.

PAROLLES

FIRST SOLDIER

O, pray, pray, pray!
Manka revania dulche.

FIRST LORD

Oscorbidulchos volivorco.

FIRST SOLDIER

The General is content to spare yet;
And, hoodwink’d as art, will lead on
To gather from . Haply mayst inform
Something to save life.

PAROLLES

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.

FIRST SOLDIER