University of Virginia Library

Act 3

sena 1.

VVitte and VVill.
VVitte.
Sayst thou me so boye, will she haue me in deede

VVill.
Be of good cheere sir I warrant you to spede

VVitte.
Did both her parentes speake wel to her of mee.

VVill.
As hart can thinke go on and you shall see,

VVitte.
How toke she the picture, how lyketh shee my person.

VVill.
She neuer had done toting and loking theron.

VVitte.
And must I come to talke with her my fyll.

VVill.
When soeuer you please, and as oft as you will.

VVitte.
O my sweat boy, how shall I recompence,
Thy faythfull hart and painfull diligence,
My hope, my stay, my wealth, the kaye of al my ioye.

VVill.
I praye you sir call me your man, and not your boy,

VVitte.
Thou shalt be what thou wilt all in all.

VVill.
Promise me faythfully that if your wyfe brall
Or set her father to checke me out of measure,
You will not se me abused to their pleasure

VVitte.
Giue me thy hande take here my fayth and troth,
I wil maintayne thee, how soeuer the world goeth.

sena 1.

VVitte.
What shall we doe? shall we stande lingring here?

VVill.
If you be a man preasse in, and go neare.

VVitte.
What if there be some other suter there.

VVill.
And if there be, yet nede you not to feare,
Untill I bringe his head to you, vpon a speare.
I will not loke you in the face, nor in your syght appeare.

Reason.
Nay Witte, aduise your selfe and pause a while,
Or els this hast of yours will you beguile.

Science.
No hast but good, take tyme and learne to fyghte,
Learne to assault, learne to defende a ryght:
Your matche is monstrous to behoulde and full of might,
Whom you must vanquish, not by force but by slyght:

VVitte.
Madame stande to your promyse if I wynne I am sped,
Am I not?

Science.
Yea trulye.

VVill.
Good enough, if we fyght not I would we weare dead,
No man shal stay vs, that beeres a head.

Experience.
Young man a word or twayne, and then adue.
Your yeares are fewe your practise grene and newe,
Marke what I saye, and ye shal fynde it true:
You are the fyrst that shall this rashnes rue,
Be ruled here, our counsell do therafter,
Lay good ground, your worke shal be the faster:
This hedlong hast, may soner misse then hit,
Take hede both of Wittes wyll, and wilfull wit,
We haue within a gentilman our retayner and our friend,
With seruauntes twayne that do on him attende,
Instruction, Studie, Diligence these three,
At your commaundement in this attempt shalbe,
Here them in stede of vs, and as they shall deuyse,
So hardely cast our cardes in this enterpryse
I will send them to you, and leaue you for now.

VVitte.
The more company the merier, boy what saist thou?

VVill.
It is a good faulte to haue more then enowe,
I care not, so as we may pul the knaues downe,
I would we were at it, I passe not how sone.

VVitte.
If it shal please you to send those three hyther,
We wyll follow your counsell and go together.

VVill.
I warrant her a shrewe whosoeuer be an other,
God make the daughter good, I like not the mother,

Reason.
Yet would not I for no good to haue forgone her.

VVill.
Mary sir in deede she talkes and takes on her:
Lyke a Dame, nay like a Dutches or a queene:
Wyth such a solemnitie as I haue not seene.

Reason.
She is a queene I tell thee in her degree,

VVill.
Let her be what she list, wyth a vengaunce for me:
I will keepe me out of her reach if I can.

Reason.
If this mariage goe forward, thou must be her man.

VVill.
Mariage or mariage not, be shrewe me than,
I haue but one maister, and I will serue no moe,
And if he anger me, I wil forsake him to.

Reason.
She shal not hurt the vnlesse her cause be iuster.

VVill.
By the fayth of my bodye sir, I intend not to trust her.

Reason.
Whye.

VVill,
Take me this woman that talkes so roundly,
That be so wyse, that reason so soundly:
That loke so narrow, that speake so shryll:
Their words are not so curst, but their deedes are as ill.

Reason.
It is but thy fansy, I see no such thing in her.

VVill.
Perhappes you had neuer occasion to try her.

Reason.
That were great maruayle in so many yeares.

VVill.
She hath wonne the mastery of you it appeares.

VVitte.
Well quiet your selfe thou shalt take no wronge,
Me thinke oure three companions tary very longe.

sena 3.

Instruction, Studie, Diligence, Reason, VVitte, VVill.
Instruction.
Sir we are come to know your pleasure.

Reason.
You are come in good tyme, Instruction our treasure,
This Gentilman craueth your acquaintaunce & ayde.
What you may do for him let him not be denayde,

VVitte.
Welcome good fellowes, wyll ye dwell wyth me.

Diligence.
If all partes be pleased, content are we.

VVitte.
Wellcome Instruction wyth al my hart.

VVill.
What three newe seruaunts, then farewell my part.

Instruction.
I hartely thanke you, and loke what I can doe,
It shalbe alwayes redye to pleasure you.

Reason.
Consider and talke together with these,
And you shall fynd in your trauayle great e[OMITTED]
Take here of me before I take my leaue,
This glasse of Christal cleare which I you geaue
Accept it and reserue it for my sake most sure,
Much good to you in time it may procure,
Bedold your selfe therin, and view and prye,
Marke what defectes it wil discouer and discrye,
And so wyth iudgement rype, and curiouse eye,
What is a mysse indeuor to supplye,
Farewell.

VVitte.
Farewell to you, right honourable syr:
And commend me to my loue my hartes desyre,
Let her thinke on me when she sees me not and wyshe me wel.

VVill.
Fare wel mayster Reason, thincke vpon vs, when you see vs not.
And in any wyse, let not Wyll be forgot.

VVitte.
Synce I must take aduise and counsell of you three,
I must entreat you all, to dwell in house wyth me,
And loke what order you shall prescribe as needefull,
To kepe the same you shall fynd me as heedefull:
Come,

Instruction.
Come,

VVill.
Goe.