A French lord and a group of soldiers plan to ambush Parolles. They spot him walking, and the lord listens to Parolles talking to himself. Parolles laments that he brags too much, thinking it was foolish to promise to get the drum when he knew he could not. He thinks he could tear his clothes, or even discard them, so that he can claim he was assaulted. All the while, the lord pretends to be in conversation with him, asking for details and noting that Parolles’s plans would not work. Parolles knows the other soldiers suspect him, and he is worried about it.

The group attacks, speaking gibberish to confuse Parolles, and Parolles quickly surrenders. They blindfold him, and one solider pretends to be an interpreter, speaking to Parolles in French while talking nonsense to the other soldiers. He says that they will spare Parolles’s life if he betrays his regiment, and Parolles agrees to tell them all about his camp and companions. The soldiers take Parolles away, and the lord sends one to get Bertram.