University of Virginia Library

Sce: 1.

Ent: [Pike shackled Playsters on his face, Iaylor.] Captaine, Hill, Secretary, Iewell.
Cap:
Our Generall yet shewd him selfe right noble
in offering ransome for poore Captive Pike.

Sec:
So largely too as he did Captaine.

Cap:
If any reasonable price would have bene accepted
it had bene given, Mr Secretary, I assure you.

Iew:
I can testifye that at or returne; In or Generalls name,
& my owne, I made ye large offer to ye Teniente,
who will by no meanes render him; sure they hold him
for some great noble purchace:

Sec:
A Barronet at least, one of ye lusty blood, Captaine?

Cap:
Or perhaps, Mr. Secretary some remarkable Com̄onwealths man
a pollitician in Government.

Sec:
Twere a weake state-body yt could not spare such members:
alas, poore Pike, I thinke thy pate holds no more pollicy
then a Pollax.

Hill:
who is more expert in any quality then he yt hath it at his fingers ends?
& if he have more pollicy in his braines then dirt vnder his nayles
Ile nere give .2. groates for a Calves head. But wt hout all question
he hath done some excellent piece of villany among ye Diego's, or e[OMITTED]
they take him for a fatter sheepe to kill then he is.

Cap:
Well gentlemen, we all can but Condole ye losse of him:
& though all yt we all come hither for be not worth him,
yet we must be content to leave him. The fleete is ready, ye wind fai«r»
& we must expect him no longer.

Hill:
He was a true Devonshire blade.

Secr:
My Countryman sir; therefore would I have given ye price
of a hundred of ye best Toledoes rather then heare ye misse of him
at home complayned by his Wife & Children.

Iew:
your tendernes becomes you sir, but not ye time,
wc h waftes vs hence to shun a greater danger.

Exeunt.