William Shakespeare: All's Well That Ends Well

ACT IV. SCENE 1. Without the Florentine camp. (continued)

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.
Wherefore, 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. {Aside.]
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. {Aside.]
We cannot afford you so.

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

FIRST LORD. {Aside.]
'Twould not do.

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

FIRST LORD. {Aside.]
Hardly serve.

PAROLLES.
Though I swore I leap'd from the window of the citadel,--

FIRST LORD. {Aside.]
How deep?

PAROLLES.
Thirty fathom.

FIRST LORD. {Aside.]
Three great oaths would scarce make that be believed.

PAROLLES.
I would I had any drum of the enemy's; I would swear I recovered
it.

FIRST LORD. {Aside.]
You shall hear one anon.

PAROLLES.
A drum now of the enemy's!

[Alarum within.]

FIRST LORD.
Throca movousus, cargo, cargo, cargo.

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