University of Virginia Library

Scæna Quarta.

Enter Hubert, and Hemskirck.
Hub.
I must not,

Hems.
Why? 'tis in thy power to do it, and in mine
To reward thee to thy wishes.

Hub.
I dare not, nor I will not.

Hem.
Gentle Huntsman,
Though thou hast kept me hard: though in thy duty,
Which is requir'd to do it, th'hast used me stubbornly;
I can forgive thee freely.

Hub.
You the Earles servant.

Hems.
I sweare I am neare as his owne thoughts to him;
Able to doe thee—

Hub.
Come, come, leave your prating.

Hems.
If thou dar'st but cry.

Hub.
I thanke you hartily, you will be
The first man that will hang me, a sweet recompence,
I could do, but I do not say I will,
To any honest fellow that would thinke on't:
And be a benefactor.

Hem.
If it be not recompenc'd, and to thy owne desires,
If within these ten dayes I do not make thee—

Hub.
What, a false knave?

Hems.
Prethee, prethee conceive me rightly, any thing
Of profit or of place that may advance thee.

Hub.
Why what a Goosecap would'st thou make me,
Do not I know that men in misery will promise
Any thing, more then their lives can reach at?

Hems.
Beleeve me Huntsman,
There shall not one short sillable
That comes from me, pass:
Without it's full performance.

Hub.
Say you so Sir?

90

Have ye e're a good place for my quality.

Hem.
A thousand Chases, Forrests, Parks: I'le make thee
Chiefe ranger over all the games.

Hub.
When?

Hem.
Presently.

Hub.
This may provoke me: and yet to prove a knave too.

Hem.
'Tis to prove honest: 'tis to do good service,
Service for him thou art sworn to, for thy Prince,
Then for thy selfe that good; what fool would live here,
Poore, and in misery, subject to all dangers,
Law, and lewd people can inflict, when bravely
And to himselfe he may be law, and credit?

Hub.
Shall I believe thee?

Hem.
As that thou holdst most holy;

Hub.
Ye may play tricks.

Hem.
Then let me never live more.

Hub.
Then you shall see Sir, I will do a service
That shall deserve indeed.

Hem.
'Tis well said, hunts-man,
And thou shalt be well thought of.

Hub.
I will do it: 'tis not your letting free, for that's meer nothing,
But such a service, if the Earl be noble,
He shall for ever love me.

Hem.
What is't hunts-man?

Hub.
Do you know any of these people live here?

Hem.
No.

Hub.
You are a foole then: here be those to have 'em,
I know the Earl so well, would make him caper.

Hem.
Any of the old Lords that rebel'd?

Hub.
Peace, all,
I know 'em every one, and can betray 'em.

Hem.
But wilt thou doe this service?

Hub.
If you'l keep
Your faith, and free word to me.

Hem.
Wilt thou swear me?

Hub.
No, no, I will beleeve ye: more then that too,
Here's the right heire.

Hem.
O honest, honest hunts-man!

Hub.
Now, how to get these Gallants, ther's the matter,
You will be constant, 'tis no work for me else.

Hem.
Will the Sun shine agen?

Hub.
The way to get 'em.

Hem.
Propound it, and it shall be done.

Hub.
No sleight;
For they are Devillish crafty, it concerns 'em,)
Nor reconcilement, (for they dare not trust neither)
Must doe this tricke.

Hem.
By force?

Hub.
I, that must doe it.
And with the person of the Earl himselfe,
Authority (and mighty) must come on 'em:
Or else in vaine: and thus I would have ye do it.
To morrow-night be here: a hundred men will bear 'em,
(So he be there, for he's both wise and valiant)
And with his terrour will strike dead their forces,
The houre be twelve a clock, now for a guide
To draw ye without danger on these persons,
The woods being thicke, and hard to hit, my selfe
With some few with me, made unto our purpose,
Beyond the wood, upon the plain, will wait ye
By the great Oke.

Hem.
I know it: keep thy faith hunts-man,
And such a showr of wealth—

Hub.
I warrant ye:
Misse nothing that I tell ye.

Hem.
No.

Hub.
Farewell;
You have your liberty, now use it wisely;
And keep your houre, goe closer about the wood there,
For feare they spy you.

Hem.
Well.

Hub.
And bring no noyse with ye.

Hem.
All shall be done to'th purpose: farewel hunts-mā

Exit.
Enter Gerrard, Higgen, Prig, Ginks, Snap, Ferret.
Ger.
Now, what's the news in towne?

Ginks.
No news, but joy Sir;
Every man wooing of the noble Merchant,
Who has his hearty commendations so ye.

Fer.
Yes, this is news, this night he's to be married.

Ginks.
By'th masse that's true, he marryes Vandoncks daughter
The dainty black-ey'd bell.

Hig.
I would my clapper
Hung in his baldricke, what a peale could I ring?

Ger.
Marryed?

Gin.
'Tis very true Sir, ô the pyes,
The piping-hot mince-pyes.

Prig.
O the Plum-pottage.

Hig.
For one leg of a goose now would I venture a limb boys,
I love a fat goose, as I love allegiance,
And—upon the Boors, too well they know it,
And therefore starve their powitry.

Ger.
To be married
To Vandonks daughter?

Hig.
O this pretious Merchant:
What sport he will haue? but hark ye brother Prig,
Shall we do nothing in the fore-said wedding?
Ther's money to be got, and meate I take it,
What thinke ye of a morise?

Prig.
No, by no meanes,
That goes no further then the street, there leaves us,
Now we must think of something that must draw us
Into the bowels of it, into'th buttery,
Into the Kitchin, into the Cellar, something
That that old drunken Burgo-master loves,
What think ye of a wassell?

Hig.
I think worthily.

Prig.
And very fit it should be, thou, and Ferret,
And Ginks to sing the Song: I for the structure,
Which is the bowle.

Hig.
Which must be up-sey English,
Strong, lusty London beer; let's think more of it,

Ger.
He must not marry.

Enter Hubert.
Hub.
By your leave in private,
One word Sir, with ye; Gerrard: do not start me,
I know ye, and he knows ye, that best loves ye:
Hubert speakes to ye, and you must be Gerrard,
The time invites you to it.

Ger.
Make no show then,
I am glad to see you Sir; and I am Gerrard.
How stands affaires?

Hub.
Faire, if ye dare now follow,
Hemskirke I have let goe, and these my causes,
I'le tell ye privately, and how I have wrought him,
And then to prove me honest to my friends,
Looke upon these directions; you have seen his.

Hig.
Then will I speak a speech, and a brave speech
In praise of Merchants, where's the Ape

Prig.
—Take him,
A gowty Beare-ward stole him the other day.

Hig.
May his Beares worry him, that Ape had paid it,
What dainty tricks?—o' that whorson Bear-ward:
In his french doublet, with his baster'd bullions,
In a long stock ty'd up; o how daintily
Would I have made him waite, and change a trencher,
Cary a cup of wine? ten thousand stinks
Waite on thy mangy soule, thou lowzy Bear-ward.


91

Ger.
Tis passing well, I both beleeve and joy in't
And will be ready; keepe you here the meane while,
And keepe this in, I must a while forsake ye,
Upon mine anger no man stir, this two houres.

Hig.
Not to the wedding sir?

Ger.
Not any whither.

Hig.
The wedding must be seene sir; we want meat too,
VVe be monstrous out of meat.

Prig.
Shall it be spoken,
Fatt Capon shak't their tailes at's in defiance?
And turkey toombs such honorable monuments,
Shall piggs, sir, that the Persons selfe would envy,
And deintie Ducks?

Ger.
Not a word more, obey me.
Exit Ger.

Hig.
VVhy then come dolefull death, this is flat tyrany
And by this hand—

Hub.
VVhat?

Hig.
Ile goe sleepe upon't.
Exit Hig.

Prig.
Nay, and there be a wedding, and we wanting
Farewell our happie daies: we doe obey sir.

Exeunt.