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Though he had bit me, should have stood that night Against my fire; And wast thou fain, poor father, To hovel thee with swine, and rogues forlorn,

in French enfans perdus. These enfans perdus being always slightly and badly armed, is the reason that she adds, With this thin helm? i. e. bare-headed. WARBURTON.

Dr. Warburton's explanation of the word perdu is just, though the latter part of his assertion has not the least foundation. Paulus Jovius, speaking of the body of men who were anciently sent on this desperate adventure, says: "Hos ab immoderatâ fortitudine perditos vocant, et in summo honore atque admiratione habent." It is not likely that those who deserved so well of their country for exposing themselves to certain danger, should be sent out summa admiratione, and yet slightly and badly armed.

The same allusion occurs in Sir W. Davenant's Love and Honour, 1649:

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"Another night would tire a perdu,

"More than a wet furrow and a great frost."

Again, in Cartwright's Ordinary:

66

as for perdues,

"Some choice sous'd fish, brought couchant in a dish "Among some fennel or some other grass,

"Shows how they lye i' th' field." STEEVENS.

:

In Polemon's Collection of Battels, 4to. bl. 1. printed by Bynneman, p. 98, an account of the battle of Marignano is translated from Jovius, in which is the following passage "They were very chosen fellowes taken out of all the Cantons, men in the prime of youth, and of singular forwardenesse: who by a very auntient order of that country, that by dooyng some deede of passyng prowesse they may obtaine rare honour of warrefare before they be growen in yeares, doe of themselves request all perillous and harde pieces of service, and often use with deadlye praise to runne unto proposed death. These men do they call, of their immoderate fortitude and stoutnesse, the desperats forlorne hopen, and the Frenchmen enfans perdus: and it is lawfull for them, by the prerogative of their prowesse, to beare an ensigne, to have conducte and double wages all their life long. Neyther are the forlorne knowen from the rest by anye other marke and cognisance than the plumes of white feathers, the which, after the manner of captaines, they doe tourn behinde, waveryng over theyr shoulder with a brave kynde of riot."

In short and musty straw? Alack, alack!
'Tis wonder, that thy life and wits at once
Had not concluded all."-He wakes; speak to him.
PHYS. Madam, do you; 'tis fittest.

COR. How does my royal lord? How fares your
majesty?

LEAR. You do me wrong, to take me out o'the

grave:

Thou art a soul in bliss; but I am bound
Upon a wheel of fire, that mine own tears
Do scald like molten lead.

COR.

Sir, do you know me?

you

LEAR. You are a spirit, I know; When did

die?

COR. Still, still, far wide!

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Again, in Bacon's Apology, touching the late Earl of Essex, 12mo. 1651, p. 105: “ you have put me like one of those that the Frenchmen call Enfans perdus that serve on foot before horsemen." REED.

Amongst other desperate services in which the forlorn hope, or enfans perdus, were engaged, the night-watches seem to have been a common one. So, Beaumont and Fletcher:

"I am set here like a perdu,

"To watch a fellow that has wrong'd my mistress." Little French Lawyer, Act II. sc. ii. WHALLEY.

6

With this thin helm ?] With this thin covering of hair.

MALONE.

Mine enemy's dog,] Thus the folio. Both the quartos read, Mine injurious dog. Possibly the poet wrote-Mine injurer's dog. STEEVENS.

7 Had not concluded all.] It is wonder that thy wits and life had not all ended. JOHNSON.

So, in Spenser's Fairy Queen, c. viii:

"Ne spared they to strip her naked all.”

Again, in Timon:

"And dispossess her all." STEEvens.

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