University of Virginia Library

Scæna Secunda.

Enter Caratach and Hengo.
Car.
How does my Boy?

Hen.
I would doe well, my heart's well;
I doe not fear.

Car.
My good boy.

Hen.
I know, Uncle,
we must all die; my little brother dy'd,
I saw him die, and he dy'd smiling: sure,
there's no great pain in't Uncle. But pray tell me,
Whither must we goe when we are dead?

Car.
Strange questions!
why, to the blessed'st place Boy: ever sweetnesse
and happinesse dwels there.

Hen.
Will you come to me?

Car.
Yes, my sweet boy.

Hen.
Mine Aunt too, and my Cosins?

Car.
All, my good childe.

Hen.
No Romans, Uncle?

Car.
No, boy.

Heng.
I should be loth to meet them there.

Car.
No ill men,
that live by violence, and strong oppression,
come thither: 't is for those the gods love, good men.

Heng.
Why, then I care not when I go; for surely
I am perswaded they love me: I never
blasphem'd 'em, Uncle, nor transgrest my parents;
I always said my prayers.

Car.
Thou shalt go, then,
indeed thou shalt.

Heng.
When they please.

Car.
That's my good boy.
Art thou not weary, Hengo?

Heng.
Weary, Uncle?
I have heard you say you have march'd all day in Armour.

Car.
I have, boy.

Hengo.
Am not I your kinsman?

Car.
Yes.

Heng.
And am not I as fully alli'd unto you
in those brave things, as blood?

Car.
Thou art too tender.

Heng.
To go upon my legs? they were made to bear me:
I can play twenty mile a day; I see no reason
but, to preserve my Countrey and my self,
I should march fourty.

Car.
What, wouldst thou be
living to wear a mans strength?

Heng.
Why a Caratach,
a Romane-hater, a scourge sent from heaven
Drum.
to whip these proud theeves from our kingdom. Heark,
hear, Uncle, heark, I hear a Drum.

Enter Judas and his people to the door.
Iud.
Beat softly,
softly, I say; they are here: who dare charge?

1 Sould.
He
that dares be knockt o'th' head: I'll not come neer him.

Iud.
Retire again, and watch then. How he stares!
h'as eyes would kill a dragon: mark the boy well;
if we could take or kill him. A—on ye,
how fierce ye look? see how he broods the boy;
the devil dwells in's scabbard. Back, I say,
apace, apace, h'as found us.

They retire.
Car.
Do ye hunt us?

Heng.
Uncle, good Uncle see, the thin starv'd Rascal,
the eating Romane, see where he thrids the thickets:
kill him, dear Uncle, kill him; one good blow
to knock his brains into his breech: strike's head off,
that I may pisse in 's face.

Car.
Do ye make us Foxes?
Here, hold my charging-staff, and keep the place, boy.
I am at bay, and like a bull I'll bear me.
Stand, stand, ye Rogues, ye Squirrels.

Exit.
Herg.
Now he pays 'em:
O that I had a mans strength.

Enter Iudas, &c.
Iud.
Here's the boy;
mine own, I thank my Fortune.

Heng.
Uncle, uncle;
famine is faln upon me, uncle.

Iud.
Come, Sir,
yeeld willingly, your uncle's out of hearing;
I'll tickle your young tail else.

Heng.
I defie thee,
thou mock-made man of mat: charge home, sitha:
hang thee, base slave, thou shakest.

Iud.
Upon my conscience
the boy will beat me: how it looks, how bravely,
how confident the worm is: a scabb'd boy
to handle me thus? yeeld, or I cut thy head off.

Heng.
Thou dar'st not cut my finger: here 'tis, touch it.

Iud.
The boy speaks sword and buckler. Prethee yeeld, boy:
come, here's an apple; yeeld.

Heng.
By—he fears me.
I'll give you sharper language: When, ye coward,
when come ye up?

Iud.
If he should beat me—

Heng.
When, Sir?
I long to kill thee; come, thou canst not scape me,
I have twenty ways to charge thee; twenty deaths
attend my bloody staff.

Iud.
Sure 't is the devil,
a dwarf, devil in a doubler.

Heng.
I have kill'd a Captain, sirha, a brave Captain,
and when I have done. I have kickt him thus. Look here,
see how I charge this staff.

Iud.
Most certain
this boy will cut my throat, yet.

Enter two souldiers, running.
1 Sould.
Flee, flee, he kills us.

2 Sould.
He comes, he comes.

Iud.
The devil take the hindmost.

Heng.
Run, run, ye Rogues, ye precious Rogues, ye rank Rogues.
A comes, a comes, a comes, a comes that's he, boys.
What a brave cry they make?

Enter Caratach, with a head.
Car.
How does my chicken?

Heng.
'Faith, uncle, grown a Souldier, a great Souldier;
for by the vertue of your charging-staff,
and a strange fighting face I put upon't,
I have outbrav'd hunger.

Car.
That's my boy, my sweet boy.
Here, here's a Romane's head for thee.

Heng.
Good provision.
Before I starve, my sweet-fac'd Gentleman,
I'll trie your favour.

Car.
A right compleat souldier.
Come, chicken, let's go seek some place of strength
(the Countrey's full of Scouts) to rest a while in,
thou wilt not else be able to endure.
The journey to my Countrey, fruits, and water,
must be your food a while, boy.

Heng.
Any thing:
I can eat mosse, nay, I can live on anger,
to vex these Romanes. Let's be wary, Uncle.

Car.
I warrant thee; come chearfully.

Heng.
And boldly.

Exeunt.