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Scena 3a.

Enter The Lord de averne, his Lady, [Dennis] and the wytinge myde.
L. Averne.
Are all thinges redye as I gave in chardge,

Denys:
redy syr

L. Averne.
Inoughe, and you deliver'd it,

Maid:
To his owne hands:

Mayde/I did: (Marginal note)



L. Averne.
howe did hee tak't

Myde.
wth'smiles and seeminge Ioy,

L Averne.
sorrowe and shame
I ffear will bee the sadd end ont:

Lady
Sr your trobled,

L Averne.
I woold not have you so, pray to your rest,
you shall remoove mee ffrom all Ielosyes.
Iff you beetake you to your sowndest sleepes.
and wthout more inquiry,


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Lady.
Sr remember,
that all offences are not [payde] woorthy' deathe,
ffellowny murder treason and such lyke,
off that grosse nature maye bee capitall,
not ffolly error trespasse,

L Averne.
you advyse well
Lett mee advyse you lyke-wyse instantly
retyre in to your chamber wthout noyse
reply or question, leest part off that rage,
is bent gainst him, you turne vpon your selff
wch is not ffor your saffety,

Lady:
Syr good night,

L Averne.
[thy watch] howe goes the hower,

Denis.
tis all most tenn:

L Averne
the tyme off our appointment, you attend
vpon his knocke and giue him ffree admittans,
beeinge entred vsher him Into this place.
that doon reture then to your ladyes chamber
there locke your selff ffast in[OMITTED]


70

Mayde.
my Lord I shall
poore-ffryare I ffeare they'l putt thee to thy penance
beeffore they have conffest thee,

L Averne.
com wthdrawe
the watch woorde's not yet giuen

Enter the ffryar wth a letter
Iohn to them
ff Ihon
Tis her owne [hand] pen I knwe it synce shee sett
her hand to establishe our' ffowndation,
and sweete sowle—shee hath writt a second tyme
to build mee vpp a newe. My Lord is ridd,
a three dayes Iorney loose not this advantadge,
but take tyme by the ffore' topp (yes I will
by th ffore-topp and topp gallant. at the postorne
[my maide] shee to whose' hnd you gave your letter ffyr«st»
Attends ffor your dispatche, my busines
I hope shalbee dispatcht then, ffare you well.
ffayle mee this night and ever,: I'l sooner' fforffett
all pleasures hopes [con] prfferments wth th assurance
off a longe lyffe blest wth most happy howers.
then this one nights content-ment:

Mayde,
Ha whoe's theire. ffryar Ihon

ff Ihon
the same, you mystresse millisent,
my Ladyes gentle woman,

Myde,
I am the closett
that treasures all her consells,

ff Ihon,
Is all cleare,

Myde,
as such a dark night can bee, to' one I ffeare.
that scarce will looke on daye more.

ff Ihon
where's my Lady

Myde
attends you in her chamber

ff Ihon
guide mee too t

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nay quickly guirle howe I all redy sur ffett
in this nights expectation,

Myde.
stye you heare
In this wth drawinge roome, I'l ffetch a light
ffor saffe-guard off your shinnes.

Denis.
shee might have sayde
ffor saffeguard off his [next] necke.

Myde
my sceanes doon
the next act lyes amongst them,

ff Ihon,
my part dothe' but beeginne nwe and I'l act it
in exquisite' cleane linnen and this capp
perffmd off purpose, least I shoold smell ffryar,
what differ wee i th darke save our shaven crownes
ffrom gentlemen, nay Lords, nature hathe araid vs
as well as the best layeman, why shoold lawe
restrayne ffrom vs what is allowed to them,
lett it curbe' ffooles, and Idiots such as througe ffolly
will not, or nyce-nes dare not tast whats sweet
alyke made ffor all pallats:

L. Averne.
howe the slave
Insults in his damation, cease the wretch
I can indure no longer

ff Ihon
such as ban
proffred delights may Iff they please reffuse
whats borne wth mee I will make bold to vse,

L Averne,
and I what thou weart borne too thats a halter
pull wth out ffeare or mercy strangle him
Fry: strangled
wth all his sinnes about him, t'were not elce.
a revendge woorthe my ffury,

Denis.
I dare nwe
lodge him a whole night by my' systers syde,
hees nwe past strmpettinge,

L Averne:
tis night wth him

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a longe and lastinnge night.

Dennis.
hee lyes as quiet:
you did well ffryare to putt on your' Cleane linen
t'will serve you as a shrowde ffor a new grave.
whether shall wee lyft his body,

L Averne
I am on the suddeine.
growne ffull off thoughts, the horror off the ffact
breedes strange seditions in mee.

Dennis.
hee perhapps
but Conterffetts dead sleepe I'l hollowe' to him
to see iff I can wake him:

L. Averne.
Triffle not.
the sinne will proove more serious: [to a consciens
startled wth bloodd and murder.] what a terror
is in the deede beeinge doon wch bredd bee ffore
boathe a delight and longinge this sadd spectacle
howe itt affrights mee.

Denis
«[OMITTED] then»


73

L Averne.
the sinne it selff, the churches malediction,
as doon to one off a sequestred lyffe
and holly order the Lawes penalty
beeinge duble ffor ffeture' off lyffe, and state,
reproach shame inffamy all these incurd
through my' Inconsiderate rashnes.

Denis:
my Lyffe too'
howe to prvent the danger off all these.

L Averne.
ey that will aske mch bryne much proiect.

Denis.
Sr
shall wee poppe him in som privy,

L Averne.
duble Iniurye,
to praye vpon the soule, and after deathe
doo to the body such discoortesy,
it neather savours off a generous spyritt
nor that wch wee call manly

Denis
any thinge
ffor' a quiet lyffe, but this same wry-neckt death,
that wch still spoyles all drinkeinge tis a thinge,
I never coold Indure. as you are noble,
keepe still my wind-pype open,

L Averne.
out off many
museinge ffor boathe our saffetyes. I have ffownd,
one that's aboue the rest most probable.

Denis
what what I praye syr

L Averne.
Interupt mee not:
saye I should nwe begett a strat agem.
to save myne owne lyff, myne estate and goodds.
ey and secure thee too

Denis
t'were exellent syr

L Averne.
I have proiect ffor all these, as willingely
to lenghen boathe our lyves: and limitt vs
tyme to repent his deathe,


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Denis.
but howe I praye syr,

L Averne
ey there's the difficulty: but nwe I hav't
beetwixt vs and the cloyster's but one wall:
and that off no greate height. coold wee in private.
conveighe this ffryar into the monastery.
Itt might bee then imadgind som off them
might bee' his deathes-man, wch might seeme more probable
by cause as I had late intelligens
theare hathe bin stryffe amongst them,

Denis
better still.

L Averne:
nwe howe can wee in curr the least suspect.
ffor what should hee doo' [out off] ffrom the' [monastery] [ffryary]
or what make' heare att this vnseasoned hower,

Dennis.
I apprehende you, and to ffurther this
[theres] In the back yard there is a ladder syr
mont him vpon my backe' and I'l conveighe him
where som, not wee, shall answer, ffor his deathe

L Averne:
As desperate woonds still must have desperate cures,
so all rash mischeiffes shoold have suddeine shiftes:
wee'l putt it to the venter [e].

Dennis
mount him then
Il once trye iff the ventur off a Ladder
can keepe mee ffrom the halter,

clere