University of Virginia Library

Scæna Prima.

Enter three or foure Boores.
1 B.
Come, English beer Hostess, English beer bi'th belly.

2 B.
Start beer boy, stout & strong beer: so, sit downe Lads,
And drinke me upsey-Dutch:
Frollicke, and feare not.

Enter Higgen like a Sow-gelder, singing.
Hig.
Have ye any worke for the Sow-gelder, bow,
My borne goes to high to low, to high to low.
Have ye any Piggs, Calves, or Colts,
Have ye any Lambs in your bolts
To cut for the Stone
Here comes a cunning one.
Have ye any braches to spade,
Or e're a faire maide
That would be a Nun,
Come kisse me, 'tis done.
Harke how my merry borne doth blow,
Too high too low, too high too low.

1 B.
O excellent two-pence a piece boyes, two-pence a piece:
Give the boys some drink there. Piper, wet your whistle.
Canst tell me a way now, how to cut off my wives Concupiscence?

Hig.
The Song.

1 Bo.
More excellent, more excellent, sweet Sow-gelder.

2 Bo.
Three-pence a piece, three-pence a peice.

Hig.
Will you heare a Song how the Divel was gelded?

3 Bo.
I, I, lets heare the Divell roare, Sow-gelder.

1 Bo.
Groats a piece, groats a piece, groats a piece,
There sweet Sow-gelder.

Enter Prig. and Ferret.
Prig.
Will ye see any feates of activity,
Some sleight of hand, leigerdemaine? hey passe,
Presto, be gone there?

2 Bo.
Sit downe Jugler.

Prig.
Sirha, play you your art well; draw neer piper:
Looke you, my honest friends, you see my hands;
Plaine dealing is no Divel: lend me some money;
Twelve-pence a piece will serve.

1., 2. B.
There, there.

Prig.
I thanke you,
Thanke ye heartily: when shall I pay ye?

All B.
Ha, ha, ha, by'th masse this was a fine trick.

Prig.
A merry sleight toy: but now I'le shew your Worships
A tricke indeed.

Hig.
Marke him well now my Masters.

Prig.
Here are three balls,
These balls shall be three bullets,
One, two, and three: ascentibus malentibus.
Presto, be gone: they are vanish'd: faire play Gentlemen,
Now these three, like 3. bullets, from your three noses
Will I plucke presently: feare not, no harme boyes,
Titere, tu patule.

1 B.
Oh, oh, oh.

Prig.
Recubans sub jermine fagi.

2 B.
Ye pull too hard; ye pull too hard.

Prig.
Stand faire then:
Silvertramtrim-tram.

3 B.
Hold, hold, hold.

Prig.
Come aloft bullets three, with a whim-wham:
Have ye their moneys?

Hig.
Yes, yes.

1 B.
Oh rare Jugler.

2 B.
Oh admirable Jugler,

Prig.
One tricke more yet;
Hey, come aloft: sa, sa, flim, flum, taradumbis?
East, west, north, south, now flye like Jacke with a bumbis.
Now all your money's gone: pray search your pockets.

1 B.
Humh.

2 B.
He,

3 B.
The Divell a penny's here.

Prig.
This was a rare tricke.

1 B.
But 'twould be a far rarer to restore it.

Prig.
I'le doe ye that too: looke upon me earnestly,
And move not any wayes your eyes from this place,
This button here: pow, whir, whiss, shake your pockets.

1 B.
By'th masse 'tis here againe boyes.

Prig.
Rest ye merry;
My first tricke has paid me.

All B.
I, take it, take it,
And take some drinke too.

Prig.
Not a drop now I thanke you;
Away, we are discover'd else.

Exit.
Enter Gerrard like a blinde Aquavitæ-man, and a boy singing the Song.
Ger.
Buy any brand wine, buy any brand wine?

Boy.
Have ye any Cony-skins.

2 B.
My fine Canary-bird, ther's a cake for thy worship,

1 B.
Come, fill, fill, fill, fill suddenly: let's see Sir,
What's this?

Ger.
A penny Sir.

1 B.
Fill till't be six-pence,
And there's my pig.

Boy.
This is a counter Sir.

1 B.
A counter? stay ye, what are these then?
O execrable Jugler! ô damn'd Jugler!
Look in your hose, hoa: this comes of looking forward.

3 B.
Divell a Dunkirke! what a rogue's this Jugler,
This hey passe, repasse, h'as repast us sweetly.

2 B.
Doe ye call these tricks.

Enter Higgen.
Hig.
Have ye any ends of gold or silver.

2 B.
This fellow comes to mock us; gold or silver? cry copper.

1 B.
Yes my good friend,
We have e'ne an end of all we have.

Hig.
'Ts well Sir,
You have the lesse to care for: gold and silver,

Exit.
Enter Prig.
Pr.
Have ye any old cloaks to sel, have ye any old clokes to sel.

Exit.
1 B.
Cloakes? looke about ye boyes: mine's gone.

2 B.
A—juggle 'em?
—o' their Prestoes: mine's gone too.

3 B.
Here's mine yet.

1 B.
Come, come, let's drink then: more brand wine.

Boy.
Here Sir.

1 B.
If e're I catch your Sow-gelder, by this hand I'le strip him;
Were ever fooles so ferkt? we have two cloakes yet,
And all our caps; the Divell take the flincher.

All B.
Yaw, yaw, yaw, yaw.

Enter Hemskirke.
Hem.
Good do'n my honest fellows,
You are merry here I see.

3 B.
'Tis all we have left Sir.

Hem.
What hast thou? Aquavitæ?

Boy.
Yes.

Hem.
Fill out then,
And give these honest fellows round.

All b.
We thanke ye.

Hem.
May I speake a word in private to ye?

All b.
Yes Sir.

Hem.
I have a businesse for you, honest friends,
If you dare lend your help, shall get you crownes.

Ger.
Ha?
Lead me a little nearer, boy.

1 B.
What is't Sir?
If it be any thing to purchase money,
Which is our want, command us.

Boors.
All, all, all Sir.

Hem.
You know the young spruce Merchant in Brugis.

2 B.
Who? Master Goswin?

Hem.
That: he owes me money,
And here in towne there is no stirring of him.

Ger.
Say ye so?

Hem.
This day, upon a sure appointment,
He meets me a mile hence, by the Chase side
Under the row of Okes, do you know it?

All b.
Yes Sir.

Hem.
Give 'em more drinke: there if you dare but venture
When I shall give the word to seize upon him,
Here's twenty pound.

3 Boy.
Beware the Jugler.

Hem.
If he resist, downe with him, have no mercy.

1 Boy.
I warrant you: wee'l hamper him.

Hem.
To discharge you,
I have a warrant here about me.

3 Boy.
Her's our warrant,
This carries fire i'the tayle.

Hem.
Away with me then,
The time draws on,
I must remove so insolent a Suitor,
And if he be so rich, make him pay ransome
Ere he see Bruges towres againe: thus wise men
Repaire the hurts they take by a disgrace,
And piece the Lyons skyn with the Foxes case.

Ger.
I am glad I have heard this sport yet.

Hem.
Ther's for thy drink; come pay the house within boyes,
And loose no time.

Ger.
Away with all our hast too.

Exeunt.