SCENA IV.
Enter Hubert, and Hemskirk.
Hub. I Must not.
Hem. 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 Earls servant?
Hem. I swear I am near as his own thoughts to him; Able to doe thee—
Hub. Come, come, leave your prating.
Hem. If thou dar'st but try.
Hub. I thank you heartily, 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 think on't,
And be a benefactor.
Hem. If it be not recompenc'd, and to thy own desires, If within these ten days I do not make thee—
Hub. What, a false knave!
Hem. 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 than their lives can reach at?
Hem. Believe me Huntsman,
There shall not one short syllable
That comes from me, pass
Without its full performance.
Hub. Say you so Sir? Have ye e're a good place for my quality?
Hem. A thousand Chases, Forests, Parks: I'le make thee Chief 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 self that good; what fool would live here,
Poor, and in misery, subject to all dangers,
Law, and lewd people can inflict, when bravely
And to himself 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, Huntsman, And thou shall be well thought of.
Hub. I will do it: 'tis not your setting 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 Huntsman?
Hub. Do you know any of these people live here?
Hem. No.
Hub. You are a fool 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 believe ye: more than that too, Here's the right heir.
Hem. O honest, honest huntsman!
Hub. Now, how to get these Gallants, there's the matter, You will be constant, 'tis no work for me else.
Hem. Will the Sun shine again?
Hub. The way to get 'em.
Hem. Propound it, and it shall be done.
Hub. No sleight;
(For they are Devilish crafty, it concerns 'em,)
Nor reconcilement, (for they dare not trust neither)
Must doe this trick.
Hem. By force?
Hub. I, that must doe it.
And with the person of the Earl himself,
Authority (and mighty) must come on 'em:
Or else in vain: 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 hour be twelve a Clock, now for a guide
To draw ye without danger on these persons,
The woods being thick, and hard to hit, my self
With some few with me, made unto our purpose,
Beyond the wood, upon the plain, will wait ye
By the great Oak.
Hem. I know it: keep thy faith huntsman, And such a showr of wealth—
Hub. I warrant ye: Miss nothing that I tell ye.
Hem. No.
Hub. Farewel;
You have your liberty, now use it wisely;
And keep your hour, goe closer about the wood there,
For fear they spy you.
Hem. Well.
Hub. And bring no noise with ye. [Exit.
Hem. All shall be done to th' purpose: farewel hunts-man.
Enter Gerrard, Higgen, Prig, Ginks, Snap, Ferret.
Ger. Now, what's the news in town?
Ginks. No news, but joy Sir; Every man wooing of the noble Merchant, Who has his hearty commendations to ye.
Fer. Yes this is news, this night he's to be married.
Ginks. By th' mass that's true, he marrys Vandunks Daughter, The dainty black-ey'd bell.
Hig. I would my clapper Hung in his baldrick, a what a peal could I Ring?
Ger. Married?
Ginks. 'Tis very true Sir, O 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 poultry.
Ger. To be married To Vandunks Daughter?
Hig. O this [pretious] Merchant:
What sport he will have! but hark you brother Prig,
Shall we do nothing in the foresaid wedding?
There's mony to be got, and meat I take it,
What think ye of a morise?
Prig. No, by no means,
That goes no further than 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 wassel?
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 bowl.
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 speaks 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 stand affairs?
Hub. Fair, if ye dare now follow, Hemskirk 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, Look 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 Bear-ward stole him the other day.
Hig. May his Bears worry him, that Ape had paid it,
What dainty tricks! ——— O that bursen Bear-ward:
In his French doublet, with his blister'd bullions,
In a long stock ty'd up; O how daintily
Would I have made him wait, and shift a trencher,
Carry a cup of wine? ten thousand stinks
Wait on thy mangy hide, thou lowzy Bear-ward.
Ger. 'Tis passing well, I both believe and joy in't,
And will be ready: keep you here the mean while,
And keep in, I must a while forsake ye,
Upon mine anger no man stir, this two hours.
Hig. Not to the wedding Sir?
Ger. Not any whither.
Hig. The wedding must be seen sir; we want meat too. We are horrible out of meat.
Prig. Shall it be spoken,
Fat Capons shak't their tails at's in defiance?
And turkey tombs such honorable monuments,
Shall piggs, Sir, that the Parsons self would envy,
And dainty Ducks—
Ger. Not a word more, obey me. [Exit Ger.
Hig. Why then come dolefull death, this is flat tyranny, And by this hand—
Hub. What?
Hig. I'le goe sleep upon't. [Exit Hig.
Prig. Nay, and there be a wedding, and we wanting, Farewel our happy days: we do obey Sir. [Exeunt.