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Scæna Tertia.

Enter. Van-dunck. Hubert. Hemskirck. and Margaret. Boores.
Van.
Captaine you are welcome; so is this your friend
Most safely welcome, though our Towne stand out
Against your Master; you shall finde good quarter.
The troth is, we not love him: Meg: some wine,
Let's talke a little treason, If we can
Talk treason, gain' the Traitors; by your leave, Gentlemen
We here in Brugis, thinke he do's usurpe,
And therefore I am bold with him.

Hub.
Sir, your boldnesse,
Happely becomes your mouth, but not our eares,
While we are his servants; And as we come here,
Not to aske questions, walke forth on your walls;
Visit your courtes of guard, view your Munition,
Aske of your corne-provisions, nor enquire
Into the least, as spies upon your strengthes,
So let's entreate, we may receive from you
Nothing in passage or discourse, but what
We may with gladnesse, and our honesties here,
And that shall seale our welcome.

Van.
Good: let's drinke then,
Mage: fill out, I keep mine old pearle still Captaine.

Mar.
I hang fast man.

Hem.
Old Iewels, commend their keeper, Sir.

Van.
Heer's to you with a hart, my Captaines friend,
With a good heart, and if this make us speake
Bold words, anon: 'tis all under the Rose
Forgotten: drowne all memory, when we drinke.

Hub.
'Tis freely spoken noble Burgomaster,
I'le do you right.

Hem.
Nay Sir mine heire Van-dunck,
Is a true Statesmen.

Van.
Fill my Captaines cup there, ô that your Master Woolfort.
Had been an honest man.

Hub.
Sir?

Van.
Under the Rose.

Hem.
Heer's to you Marget.

Mar.
Welcom; welcom Captaine.

Van.
Well said my pearle still,


81

Van.
Well said, my pearl still,

Hem.
And how does my Niece?
Almost a woman; I thinke? This friend of mine,
I drew along with me, through so much hazard,
Only to see her: she was my errand.

Van.
I, a kinde Uncle you are (fill him his glasse)
That in seven yeares, could not find leizure.—

Hem.
No,
It's not so much.

Van.
I'le bate you nev'r an houre on't,
I was before the Brabander gan his war,
For moone-shine, i'th water there, his daughter
That never was lost: yet you could not finde time
To see a Kinswoman: But shee is worth the seeing Sir.
Now you are come, you aske if she were a woman?
Shee is a woman Sir; fetch her forth Margee.
Exit Marg.
And a fine woman, and has Suitors.

Hem.
How?
What Suitors are they.

Van.
Bachellors: young Burgers:
And one, a gallant, the young Prince of Merchants,
We call him here, in Bruges.

Hem.
How? a Merchant?
I thought Van-doncke, you had understood me better,
And my Niece too, so trusted to you by me:
Then t'admit of such in name of Suitors.

Van.
Such? he is such a such, as were she mine
I'de give him thirty thousand crownes with her.

Hem.
But the same things Sir, fit not you and me.

Exit.
Van.
Why, give's some wine, then; This will fit us all:
Here's to you still, my Captains friend: All out:
And still, would Woolfort were an honest man,
Under the Rose, I speake it: but this Merchant
Is a brave boy: he lives so, i'the towne here,
We know not what to thinke on him: At sometimes
We feare he will be Bankrupt; he do's stretch
Tenter his credite so; embraces all,
And too't, the winds have been contrary, long.
But then, if he should have all his returnes,
We thinke he would be a King, and are halfe sure on't.
Your Master is a Traytor, for all this
Under the Rose: here's to you; and usurps
The Earldome from a better man.

Hub.
I marry Sir,
Where is that man?

Van.
Nay soft: and I could tell you
'Tis ten to one I would not: here's my hand,
I love not Woolfort: fit you still, with that:
Here comes my Captaine againe, and his fine Niece,
And ther's my Merchant: view him well, fill wine here.

Enter Hemskirke, Bertha, and Florez.
Hem.
You must not only know me for your Uncle,
Now, but obey me; you, goe cast your selfe
Away, upon a dunghill here? a Merchant?
A petty fellow? one that makes this trade
With oathes and perjuries?

Flo.
What is that you say Sir?
If it be me you speake of; as your eye
Seemes to direct: I wish you would speake to me, Sir.

Hem.
Sir, I do say, she is no Merchandize,
Will that suffice you?

Flo.
Merchandize good Sir,
Though ye be Kinsman to her: take no leave thence
To use me with contempt: I ever thought
Your Niece above all price.

Hem.
And do so still, Sir,
I assure you, her rate's at more then you are worth.

Flo.
You do not know, what a Gentleman's worth sir,
Nor can you value him.

Hub.
Well said Merchant.

Van.
Nay,
Let him alone, and ply your matter.

Hem.
A Genntleman?
What, o' the wool-pack? or the Sugar-chest?
Or lists of Velvet? which is't? pound, or yard,
You vent your Gentry by?

Hub.
O Hemskirke, fye.

Van.
Come, do not mind 'em drink, he is no Woolfort,
Captaine, I advise you.

Hem.
Alas, my pretty man,
I think't be angry, by its looke: Come hither,
Turne this way, a little: if it were the blood
Of Charlemaine, as't may (for ought I know)
Be some good Botchers issue, here in Bruges.

Flo.
How?

Hem.
Nay: I'me not certaine of that; of this I am,
If it once buy, and sell, its Gentry is gone.

Flo.
Ha, ha;

Hem.
You are angry, though ye laugh.

Flo.
No, now 'tis pitty
Of your poor argument. Do not you, the Lords,
Of land (if you be any) sell the grasse,
The corne, the straw, the milke, the cheese?

Van.
And butter:
Remember butter; doe not leave out butter.

Flo.
The Beefs and Muttons that your grounds are stor'd with?
Swine, with the very mast, beside the woods?

Hem.
No, for those sordid uses, we have Tenants,
Or else our Bay liffs.

Flo.
Have not we Sir, Chap-men,
And Factors, then to answer these? your errour
Fetch'd from the Heralds A B C. and said over
With your Court faces, once an houre, shall never
Make me mistake my selfe. Do not your Lawyers
Sell all their practise, as your Priests their prayers?
What is not bought, and sold? The company
That you had last, what had you fort, y'faith?

Hem.
You now grow sawcy.

Flo.
Sure I have been bred
Still, with my honest liberty, and must use it.

Hem.
Upon your equals, then.

Flo.
Sir, he that will
Provoke me first, doth make himselfe my equall.

Hem.
Do ye heare? no more.

Flo.
Yes Sir, this little, I pray you,
And't shall be aside, then after, as you please,
You appeare the Uncle, siir, to her I love,
More then mine eyes; and I have heard your scorns
With so much scoffing, and so much shame,
As each strive which is greater: But, beleeve me
I suck'd not in this patience with my milke.
Do not presume, because you see me young,
Or cast despights on my profession
For the civility and tamenesse of it.
A good man beares a contumely worse
Then he would do an injury. Proceed not
To my offence: wrong is not still successefull,
Indeed it is not: I would approach your Kins-woman
With all respect, done to your selfe and her.

Hem.
Away Companion: handling her? take that.

Flo.
Nay, I do love no blows, sir, there's exchange.

Hub.
Hold sir,

Mar.
O murther.

Ber.
Help, my Goswin.

Mar.
Man.

Van.
Let 'em alone; my life for one.

Flo.
Nay come

82

If you have will.

Hub.
None to offend you, I, Sir.

Flo.
He that had, thank himself: not hand her? yes Sir,
And claspe her, and embrace her; and (would she
Now goe with me) bear her through all her race,
Her Father, Brethren, and her Uncles, arme'd,
And all their Nephews, though they stood a wood
Of pikes, and wall of Canon: kisse me Gertrude,
Quake not, but kisse me.

Van-d.
Kisse him, girle, I bid you;
My Merchant royall; feare no Uncles: hang 'em,
Hang up all Uncles: Are we not in Bruges?
Under the Rose here?

Flo.
In this circle, Love,
Thou art as safe, as in a towre of brasse;
Let such as do wrong, feare.

Van.
I, that's good,
Let Woolfort looke to that.

Flo.
Sir, here she stands,
Your Niece, and my beloved. One of these titles
She must apply to; if unto the last,
Not all the anger can be sent unto her,
In frowne, or voyce, or other art, shall force her,
Had Hercules a hand in't: Come, my Joy,
Say thou art mine, aloud Love, and professe it.

Van.
Doe: and I drinke to it.

Flo.
Prethee say so, Love.

Ber.
'Twould take away the honour from my blushes:
Doe not you play the Tyrant, sweet: they speake it.

Hem.
I thanke you Niece.

Flo.
Sir, thanke her for your life,
And fetch your sword within.

Hem.
You insult too much
With your good fortune, Sir.

Exit Florez.
Hub.
A brave deare spirit;
Hemskirke, you were too blame: a civill habit
Oft covers a good man: and you may meete
In person of a Merchant, with a soule
As resolute, and free, and all wayes worthy,
As else in any file of man-kinde: pray you,
What meant you so to slight him?

Hem.
'Tis done now,
Aske no more of it; I must suffer.
Exit Hemskirk.

Hub.
This,
Is still the punishment of rashnesse, sorrow;
Well; I must to the woods, for nothing here
Will be got out. There, I may chance to learne
Somewhat to help my enquiries further.

Van.
Ha?
A Looking-glasse?

Hub.
How now, brave Burgo master?

Van.
I love no Woolforts, and my names Vandoncke,

Hub.
Van-donke it's rather: Come, go sleep within.

Van.
Earle Florez is right heir, and this same Woolfort
Under the Rose I speake it.—

Hub.
Very hardly.

Vand.
Usurpes: and a cambe Traitor, as ever breathed,
And all that do uphold him. Let me goe,
No pain shall hold me, that upholds him;
Doe you uphold him?

Hub.
No.

Van.
Then hold me up.

Exeunt.
Enter Florez and Hemskirke.
Hem.
Sir, I presume, you have a sword of your owne,
That can so handle anothers.

Flo.
Faith you may Sir.

He.
And ye have made me have so much better thoughts of you
As I am bound to call you forth.

Flo.
For what Sir?

Hem.
To the repairing of mine honour, & hurt here.

Flo.
Expresse your way.

Hem.
By fight, and speedily.

Flo.
You have your will: Require you any more?

Hem.
That you be secret: and come single.

Flo.
I will.

Hem.
As you are the Gentlemā you would be thought.

Flo.
Without the Conjuration: and I'le bring
Only my sword, which I will fit to yours,
I'le take his length within.

Hem.
Your place now Sir?

Flo.
By the Sand-hills.

Hem.
Sir, nearer to the woods,
If you thought so, were fitter.

Flor.
There, then.

Hem.
good.
Your time?

Flo.
'Twixt seven and eight.

Hem.
You'l give me Sir
Cause to report you worthy of my Niece,
If you come, like your promise.

Flo.
If I do not
Let no man think to call me unworthy first,
I'le doe't my selfe: and justly wish to want her.—

Exeunt.