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73
[scæna tertia.]
officers leadinge in [Sampayo] [Berecinthivs:] & the first marchant with halter.[Berecinthivs] Bere:
what a skelliton they haue made of mee. starue mee first
and hange mee after. is there noe conscience extant
to a man of my order. they haue degraded mee
tane away my lyons, and to make mee rore like em
they haue parde the fleshe of from my fingers ends
and then laughd at mee. I haue bene kepd in darkenesse
theis fiue longe dayes. noe visitants but divells
or men in shapes more horrid com̄inge at mee.
A chafinge dishe of coles, and a butchers knife
I founde set by mee. and inquiringe why?
I was tolde that I had fleshe enough of [mne] mine owne
& yf that I were hungrie I might freelye
eate mine owne carbonados, & bee croniclde
for a Canniball never read of.
officer:
will you walke sr.
Berec:
I shall come to soone though I creepe to such a breakefast.
I ever vsd to take my portion sittinge
hangeinge in the ayre 'tis not phisicall.
officer:
time flies away sr
Bercy:
whie let hym flie sr. or yf you please to stay hym
& [to] binde vp the balde knaues winges, make vse of my collar
there is substance in it I can assure your worship.
and I thancke your wisdome that you make distinction
betwene mee, and this staruelinge, Hee goes to it
like a grayhounde for killinge of sheepe in a twopenny slippe
but heeres a cable will waigh vp an anchor.
and yet yf I may haue faire play ere I dye
ten to one I shall make it cracke.
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what woulde you haue sr?
Bery:
my ballace about mee I shall nere sayle well els.
to the other worlde. [th] my barke you see wants [ballance] stowage
but gieue mee halfe a dozen of Hens, and a loyne of veale
to keepe it steddie, and you may spare the trouble
of pullinge mee by the leggs, or settinge the knot
vnder mine eare. this drum̄e well bracd, defies
such foolishe courtesies.
1 marchant:
this mirth good flamen
is out of season let vs thincke of elizivm
yf wee dye honest men, or what wee there
shall suffer from the furies.
thou art a foole
Berecynthivs:
to thincke there are or gods, or goddesses,
for the later yf that shee had any power
mine beeinge the mother of 'em woulde haue [helpd mee] helpd mee
they are thinges wee make our selves. or grant there shoulde bee
a hell or an Elizium, singe I cannot
to Orphevs harpe in the one, nor dance in the other.
but yf there bee a Cerberus yf I serue not
to make three sopps for his three heades [that] may serue, for [somethinge more then an ordinarie] [a] breakefast
the cur is [vengeance] Divelishe hungrie. woulde I had
ran away with your fellowe marchants, I had then
provided for my fame. yet as I am
I haue one request to make, & that my freindes
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& then I shall dye in peace.
officer:
what is it?
Berecynthivs:
marrye
that you woulde bee suitors to the proconsul for mee
that noe [needie] covetous Roman after I am dead
may begge to haue my skinne flayde of, or stuffe [m] it
with strawe like an aligator, & then showe it
in faires, and markets for a monster, thowgh
I knowe the sight will draw more fooles to gape on't
then a camell or an elephant, afore hande
I tell you, yf you doe my ghost shall haunt you.
officer:
you shall haue buriall feare not.
Berecinthivs.
& roome enough
to tumble in I pray you thowgh I take vp
more graue then Alexander. I haue ill lucke
yf I stincke not as much as hee, and yeelde the wormes
as large a supper.
1 marchant:
are you not mad to talke thus?
Berecynthivs:
I came crijnge into the worlde, and am resolude
to goe out merrilie, therefore despatch mee.
exevnt.
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