University of Virginia Library

Scene. 1.

Enter Roxano with his disguise in his hand.
Rox.
This is the farther Lodge, the place of meeting;
The houre scarce come yet—well—I was not borne to this,

There's not a hayre to chuse betwixt me and a Pander in this
case, shift it off as well as I can: I doe envie this fellowes happinesse
now; and could cut his throate at pleasure: I could ene
gnaw feathers now to thinke of his downie felicity. I that
could never aspire above a dayrie wench, the very creame of
my fortunes; that he should bathe in Nectar, and I most unfortunate
in Buttermilke, this is good dealing now, is't?

Enter Mazeres musing.
Maz.
Ile have some other, for he must not live.

Rox.
Who's this? my Lord Mazeres discontent!
H' has beene to seeke me twice, and privately,
I wonder at the businesse; I'me no Statesman;
If I be, tis more than I know; I protest therefore
I dare not call it in question; what should he make with me?

Ile discover my selfe to him—if th'other come in the meane
time so I may be caught bravely, yet tis scarce the houre, Ile
put it to the tryall.

Maz.
Roxano in my judgement had beene fittest,
And farthest from suspect of such a deed
Because he keepes in the Castle.

Rox.
My lov'd Lord.

Maz.
Roxano!

Rox.
The same my Lord.

Maz.
I was to seeke thee twice;
Tell me Roxano, have I any power in thee? doe I move there,
Or any part of me flow in thy blood?

Rox.
As far as life my Lord.

Maz.
As far as love man, I aske no further.

Rox.
Touch me then my Lord, and try my mettle.

Maz.
First there's gold for thee,
After which follow favour, eminence,
And all those gifts which fortune calls her owne.

Rox.
Well my Lord.

Maz.
There's one Tymethes sonne to the banisht King,
Lives about Court, Zenarchus gives him grace,
That fellow is my disease, I thrive not with him,
He's like a prison chaine shooke in my eares
I take no sleepe for him, his favours mad me.
My honours and my dignities are dreames
When I behold him; That right arme can ease me,
I will not boast my bounties, but for ever
Live rich and happy: thou art wise farewell.

Exit.
Rox.
Hum, what newes is here now? thou art wise farewell,
By my troth I thinke it is a part of wisedome to take gold
When it is offer'd, many wise men will do't: that I learnt
Of my learned Councell: this is worth thinking on now.

To kill Tymethes, so strangely belov'd by a Lady, and so monstrously
detested by a Lord? here's gold to bring Tymethes, and
here's gold to kill Tymethes: I, let me see, which weighes
heaviest; by my faith I thinke the killing gold will carry't:
I shall like many a bad Lawyer, runne my Conscience upon
the greatest fee; who gives most is like to fare best, I like my

safety so much the worse in this businesse in that Lord Mazeres
is his profess'd enemie: he's the Kings bosome, hee
blowes his thoughts into him; and I had rather be torne with
whirlewindes than fall into any of their furies. Troth as far
as I can see, the wisest course is to play the knave, lay open
this Venery, betray him; but see my Lord againe.

Enter Mazeres.
Maz.
Hast thou thought of me? may I doe good upon thee?
Ile out of recreation, make thee worthy; play honours to thy hand.

Rox.
My Lord?

Maz.
Art thou resolv'd? and I will be thy Lord.

Rox.
It will appeare I am so; be proud of your revenge before I name it;
Never was man so fortunate in his hate,
Ile give you a whole Age but to thinke how.

Maz.
Thou mak'st me thirst.

Rox.
Tymethes meetes me here.

Maz.
Here? excellent, on Roxano; he meetes thee here.

Rox.
I meant at first to betray all to you sir: understand that my Lord.

Maz.
Yfaith I doe.

Rox.
Then thus my Lord—he comes.

Enter Tymethes.
Maz.
Withdraw behind the Lodge, relate it breefely.

Tym.
A delicate sweete Creature? slight, who should it be?
I must not know her name, nor see her face?
It may be some tricke to have my bones bastinadode
Well, and so sent backe againe; what say you to a blanquetting
Faith, so twere done by a Lady and her Chambermaides
I care not, for if they tosse me in the Blankets
Ile tosse them in the Sheetes, and that's one for th'other.
A man may bee led into a thousand villanies; but the fellow swore enough,
And here's blood apt enough to beleeve him.

Maz.
I both admire the deede, and my revenge.

Rox.
My Lord Ile make your way.

Maz.
Thou mak'st thy friend.

Exit.
Tym.
Art come? we meete ene jumpe upon a minute.

Rox.
I but you'le play the better jumper of the two,
I shall not jumpe so neere as you by a handfull.

Tym.
How! at a running leape?

Rox.
That is more hard;
At a running leape you may give me a handfull.

Tym.
So, so, what's to be done.

Rox.
Nothing but put this hood over your head.

Tym.
How? I never went blindfold before.

Rox.
You never went otherwise sir; for all folly is blind;
Besides sir, when we see the sinne we act,
We thinke each triviall crime a bloody fact.

Tym.
Well follow'd of a Servingman.

Rox.
Servingmen alwayes follow their masters sir,

Tym.
No not in their Mistresses.

Rox.
There I leave you sir.

Tym.
I desire to be left when I come there sir.
But faith sincerely is there no tricke in this?
Prithee deale honestly with me.

Rox.
Honestly, if protestation be not honest,
I know not what to call it.

Tym.
Why, if she affect me so truely, shee might trust me with her knowledge,
I could be secret to her chiefe actions, why I love women too well.

Rox.
Sheele trust you the worse for that sir.

Tym.
Why because I love women?

Rox.
O sir, tis most common,
He that loves women, is neere true to woman.
Experience dayly proves he loveth none
With a true heart, that affects more than one.

Tym.
Your wit runnes nimbly sir, pray use your pleasure.

Rox.
Why then goodnight sir.

He puts on the hood.
Tym.
Masse the candles out.

Rox.
Oh sir the better sports taste best in th'night,
And what we doe in the darke we hate i'th'light.

Tym.
A good doer mayst thou prove, for thy experience;
Come give me thy hand, thou mayst prove an honest Lad,
But however Ile trust thee.

Rox.
Oh sir, first try me,
But we protract good houres, come follow me sir,
Why this is right your sportive Gallants prize,
Before they'le loose their sport theyle loose their eyes.

Exeu.