Speeches (Lines) for First Soldier in "All's Well That Ends Well"

Lord E.. 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.

First Soldier. Good captain, let me be the interpreter.

Lord E.. Art not acquainted with him? knows he not thy voice?

First Soldier. No, sir, I warrant you.

Lord E.. But what linsey-woolsey hast thou to speak to us again?

First Soldier. E'en such as you speak to me.

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 thee, and can speak
thy tongue. Kerely bonto, sir, betake thee to thy
faith, for seventeen poniards are at thy bosom.

Parolles. O!

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

Lord E.. Oscorbidulchos volivorco.

First Soldier. The general is content to spare thee yet;
And, hoodwink'd as thou art, will lead thee on
To gather from thee: haply thou mayst inform
Something to save thy 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. But wilt thou faithfully?

Parolles. If I do not, damn me.

First Soldier. Acordo linta.
Come on; thou art granted space.

Lord G.. Hoodman comes! Portotartarosa

First Soldier. He calls for the tortures: what will you say
without 'em?

Parolles. I will confess what I know without constraint: if
ye pinch me like a pasty, I can say no more.

First Soldier. Bosko chimurcho.

Lord G.. Boblibindo chicurmurco.

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

Parolles. And truly, as I hope to live.

First Soldier. [Reads] 'First demand of him how many horse the
duke is strong.' What say you to that?

Parolles. 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.

First Soldier. Shall I set down your answer so?

Lord E.. 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.

First Soldier. Well, that's set down.

Parolles. Poor rogues, I pray you, say.

First Soldier. Well, that's set down.

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

First Soldier. [Reads] 'Demand of him, of what strength they are
a-foot.' What say you to that?

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

First Soldier. Well, that's set down.
[Reads]
'You shall demand of him, whether one Captain Dumain
be i' the camp, a Frenchman; what his reputation is
with the duke; what his valour, honesty, and
expertness in wars; or whether he thinks it were not
possible, with well-weighing sums of gold, to
corrupt him to revolt.' What say you to this? what
do you know of it?

Parolles. I beseech you, let me answer to the particular of
the inter'gatories: demand them singly.

First Soldier. Do you know this Captain Dumain?

Bertram. Nay, by your leave, hold your hands; though I know
his brains are forfeit to the next tile that falls.

First Soldier. Well, is this captain in the duke of Florence's camp?

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

First Soldier. What is his reputation with the duke?

Parolles. 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.

First Soldier. Marry, we'll search.

Parolles. In good sadness, I do not know; either it is there,
or it is upon a file with the duke's other letters
in my tent.

First Soldier. Here 'tis; here's a paper: shall I read it to you?

Lord G.. Excellently.

First Soldier. [Reads] 'Dian, the count's a fool, and full of gold,'--

Parolles. 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.

First Soldier. Nay, I'll read it first, by your favour.

Bertram. Damnable both-sides rogue!

First Soldier. [Reads] '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;
He ne'er pays after-debts, take it before;
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.'

Bertram. I could endure any thing before but a cat, and now
he's a cat to me.

First Soldier. I perceive, sir, by the general's looks, we shall be
fain to hang you.

Parolles. 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.

First Soldier. 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 valour: what is his honesty?

Bertram. For this description of thine honesty? A pox upon
him for me, he's more and more a cat.

First Soldier. What say you to his expertness in war?

Bertram. A pox on him, he's a cat still.

First Soldier. His qualities being at this poor price, I need not
to ask you if gold will corrupt him to revolt.

Parolles. Sir, for a quart d'ecu he will sell the fee-simple
of his salvation, the inheritance of it; and cut the
entail from all remainders, and a perpetual
succession for it perpetually.

First Soldier. What's his brother, the other Captain Dumain?

Lord E.. Why does be ask him of me?

First Soldier. What's he?

Parolles. E'en a crow o' the same nest; not altogether so
great as the first in goodness, but greater a great
deal in evil: he excels his brother for a coward,
yet his brother is reputed one of the best that is:
in a retreat he outruns any lackey; marry, in coming
on he has the cramp.

First Soldier. If your life be saved, will you undertake to betray
the Florentine?

Parolles. Ay, and the captain of his horse, Count Rousillon.

First Soldier. I'll whisper with the general, and know his pleasure.

Parolles. [Aside] I'll no more drumming; a plague of all
drums! Only to seem to deserve well, and to
beguile the supposition of that lascivious young boy
the count, have I run into this danger. Yet who
would have suspected an ambush where I was taken?

First Soldier. There is no remedy, sir, but you must die: the
general says, you that have so traitorously
discovered the secrets of your army and made such
pestiferous reports of men very nobly held, can
serve the world for no honest use; therefore you
must die. Come, headsman, off with his head.

Lord G.. Good captain, will you give me a copy of the sonnet
you writ to Diana in behalf of the Count Rousillon?
an I were not a very coward, I'ld compel it of you:
but fare you well.

First Soldier. You are undone, captain, all but your scarf; that
has a knot on't yet

Parolles. Who cannot be crushed with a plot?

First Soldier. If you could find out a country where but women were
that had received so much shame, you might begin an
impudent nation. Fare ye well, sir; I am for France
too: we shall speak of you there.