University of Virginia Library

Scen. 1.

Enter Goodwin and Foster.
Fost.

Are we not somwhat too early think you?

Goodw.

It appears so, for neither challenger nor defendant are yet in
field.

Fost:

Which way doe you think the day will goe? or whether of them
do you hold to be the better man?

Goodw:

That I am not able to judge, but if the opinion of the world
hold currant, he that kild one brother, is thought will be the death of
the other, but these things are beyond us: lye close for being seen.

Enter Rainsforth and Forrest the younger.
Rains.

Your resolution holds then?

young For:

Men that are easily moved, are soon removed from resolution,
but when with advice and with foresight we purpose, our intents
are not without considerate reasons altered.

Rains:

Thou art resolved, and I prepared for thee, yet thus much
know, thy state is desperate, and thou art now in dangers throat already
even half devoured; if I subdue thee, know thou art a dead man; for
this fatal steel that searcht thy brothers entrails is prepared to doe as
much to thee; if thou survivest, and I be slain, th'art dead too, my alliance
and greatness in the world will not endure my slaughter unrevenged.
Come, I am for thee.

young For:

I would my brother liv'd that this our difference might end
in an embrace of folded love; but 'twas heavens will that for some guilt
of his he should be scourged by thee, and for that guilt in scourging him
thou by my vengeance punisht, come I am both waies armed against
thy steel, if I be pierc'd by it, or against thy greatness mine pierce thee.

Rains.

Have at thee.

[Fight and pause.
For:

I will not bid thee hold, but if thy breath be as much short as mine
look to thy weakness.

Rains.

The breath thou drawst but weakly, thou now shalt draw no
more.

[Fight, Forrest looseth his weapon.
For.

That heaven knows, he guard my body that my spirit ows.

[He guards himself, and puts by with his hat, slips, the other running fals over him. and Forrest kils him.
Goodw.

My Cosens faln, persue the murderer.

Fost.

But not too near I pray, you see he's armed, and in this deep amazement
may commit some desperate outrage.

For.

Had I but known the terrour of this deed, I would have left it
done imperfectly, rather then in this guilt of conscience laboured so far,

but I forget my safety, the Gentleman is dead, my desperate life, will be
oversway'd by his Allies and friends, and I have now no safety but by
flight.

And see where my pursuers come, away,
Certain destruction hovers o'r my stay.

Exit.
Goodw:

Come follow, see he takes towards the City, you bear the body
of my Cosen hence unto the neighbour village: Ile still keep

Within the murderers sight, raise Hue and cry,
He shall not scape our pursuit though he fly.

Exeunt.
Enter William and Philip.
Will:

now will trusse me that point Phil, I could find in my heart to
beg thee of my Father to wait upon me, but that I am afraid he cannot
spare thee from the plough: besides I heard him say but the last day,
thou wast more fit to make a hind then a serving man.

Phil:

Sir, you were once my brother.

Wil:

True, but that was when you were a son to my father.

Phil:

I and my younger brother, I had then priority of birth.

Wil:

But now it seems we have got the start of you, for being but a
servant you are taken a button-hole lower.

Phil:

When wil this tedious night give place to day?

Wil:

I hope I may command.

Phil.

I must obey.

Enter Joh. & Sus.
Joh:

My string Sue, are these shooes well mundified, down a your maribones
good Sue, I hope you are not so straight lac'd but you can stoop:
you acknowledg me one of your young Masters, if not, 'tis not unknown
to you that I know the way to my father.

Sus:

Yes Sir, and can tell tales, I know you can, and I have felt the
smart on't.

Joh:

Whip me if you shall not if you begin once to grow stubborn:
why when?

Sus.

As humble as your feet.

Enter Mrs. Anne.
Anne:

Why how now naid is this work fitting you? and you Sir,
you are lookt for in the stable, and should not loyter here, will you be
gone?

Phil.

I am for any service.

Exit.
Sus.

And I too.

Exit.
Anne:

We shall find other things for you to doe.

Wil:

If you cannot here be they that can, a drudge, a groom, Ile
send him of my errand.

Joh:

And if I do not find work for her, Ile doe nothing but take Tobacco

in every room, because twice a day Ile make her make clean
house the.

Exeunt.
Anne:

These think because I am their Stepmother, their chiefest
torture is most my content, when I protest, to see them thus afflicted it
grates my very heart-strings every hour: For though before their Fathers
rathless eye, and their remorsless brothers, I seem stern, yet privately
they taste of my best bounty,

And other of my servants are by me
Hired to overcome their chiefest drudgery.


Within.
Follow, follow, follow.

[Ent. young For. with his weapon drawn
young For.

I am pursued, and there is no place of refuge left to my desperate
life, but here's a woman, oh if she harbour soft effeminate pitty
she may redeem me from a shameful death.

Anne:

A man thus arm'd to leap my garden wall; help, help.

young For:

As you are fair, and should be pittifull, a woman therefore
to be moved; a Christian, and therefore one that should be
charitable, pitty a poor distressed Gentleman, who gives his desperate
fortune, life and freedom into your hand.

Anne:

What are you Sir, that with your weapon drawn affright me
thus?

young For.

If you protect my life, fair creature, I am a free
Gentleman, but if betray me, then a poor man doomed unto a shameful
death.

Anne:

What's your offence that such suspitious fear, and timerous
doubts waits on your guilty steps?

young For:

I have kild a man, but fairly as I am a Gentleman, without
all base advantage in even tryal of both our desperate fortunes.

Anne:

Fairly?

young For:

And though I say it, valiantly.

Anne:

And hand to hand?

young For.

In single opposition.

Anne:

In a good quarrel?

young For.

Else let the hope I have in
you of safety turn to my base confusion. A cry within follow, &c.
Gentle creature
I cannot now stand to expostulate; for hark the breath
of my pursuers blow a fearful air upon my flying heel, and I am almost
in their fatal gripe. Say will you save me?

Anne:

I will, then climb into that hovel.

young For.

Oh any where.

Anne:

Nay quickly then.

young For:

Your hand fair Lady.

Anne:

Away, leave me to answer for you.

Enter old Harding, Goodwin, Foster, and Offcers;.
old Hard:

Over my garden wall, is't possible?

Goodw:

Over this wall I see him leap it lightly.

old Hard.

That shall we quickly know, see here's my wife, she can
inform us best.

Fost.

Saw you not Mistris Harding, a young man mount o'r this garden
wall with his sword drawn?

Anne:

My eyes were stedfast on my work in hand, and trust me I saw
none.

old Hard:

Perhaps he took down to the neighbour village,
and when he saw my wife, altered his course.

Anne:

'Tis very like so, for I heard a bustling about that hedge, besides
a sudden noise of some that swiftly ran towards your fields, make
haste, 'twas now, he cannot be far off.

old Hard:

Gentlemen, take my word, I am high Constable; it is part
of my office, Ile be no shelter for any man that shall offend the Law: if
we surprise him, I will send him bound to the next Justice, follow you
your search.

Good.
Farewel good Mr. Harding.

Fost.
Your word's sufficient without further Warrant,
Continue our pursuit, all ways are layd
And ere he reach the City, shall be stayd.

Exit. Good. & Fost.
old Hard.
Adew good friends.

Anne.
Pray what's the business Sir?

old Hard.
Two Gentlemen, went into the fields to fight,
And one hath slain another.

Anne.
On what quarrel?

old Hard.

I had smal leisure to importune that, onely this much I
learnt, the man that's dead was great in fault, and he that now survives,
subject unto the danger of this search, bare himself fairly, and his fortune
being to kill a man Ally'd to Noble men, and greatly friended:
is much pittyed. But Law mest have his course.

Anne.
If this be true.
I thank my fate, and bless this happy hour
To save a life within Laws griping power.

old Hard.
Come then the mornings bleak, and sharp the Ayr
Into the fire my girle, there's wholesome heat:
Ile in and see my servants set at meat.

Anne.

Sir, ile but end this flower and follow you, I this should be
some bloody murderer, great were my guilt to shrowd him from the
Law; but if a gentleman by fortune crost, 'tis pitty one so vallient and
so young should be given up into his enemies hands, whilst greatness
may perhaps weigh down his cause and ballance him to death, who
thus escaping may when he hath, by means obtain his peace, Redeem his
desperate fortunes, and make good th' forfeit made unto th' offended

Law prove as Heaven shall direct, Ile do my best,
'Tis charity to succor the distrest.

Ent. Forrest above.
young For.
Fair Mistress, are they gon, may I descend?

Anne.
No safety lives abroad, then pray forbear.
To speak of scaping hence,

young For.
Oh but I fear

Anne.
My life for yours.

young For.
However poor I fare
May you of this your charitable care
Tast happy fruit.

Anne.
You did not kill him foully.

young For.
No I protest.

Anne.
Nor willingly.

young For.
I willingly fought with him, but unwillingly
Did I become his death's man.

Anne.

Could you now wish him
alive agen.

young For.

With his hands loose, and yet he slew my
brother.

Anne.

Heaven hath sent this gentleman because hee's penitent,
to me for succor, therefore till the violence of all his search be
past, Ile shrowd him here, and bring you meat and wine to comfort
you, free I protest from all unchast pretence, till by some means I may
conveigh you hence.

young For.

The life you saw if I orecome this plunge shall be for
ever yours, all my endeavours to your devoted service I will store, and
carefully hoard up.

Anne:

Sir, now no more.

Exeunt.