SCENA V.
Enter two young Merchants.
1 Mer. Well met Sir, you are for this lusty wedding.
2 Mer. I am so, so are you I take it.
1 Mer. Yes,
And it much glads me, that to doe him service
Who is the honour of our trade, and lustre,
We meet thus happily.
2 Mer. He's a noble fellow, And well becomes a bride of such a beauty.
1 Mer. She is passing fair indeed, long may their loves
Continue like their youths, in spring of sweetness,
All the young Merchants will be here
No doubt on't,
For he that comes not to attend this wedding,
The curse of a most blind one fall upon him,
A loud wife, and a lazie: here's Vanlock.
Enter Vanlock and Francis.
Vanl. Well overtaken Gentlemen: save ye.
1 Mer. The same to you sir; save ye fair Mistris Francis, I would this happy night might make you blush too.
Vanl. She dreams apace.
Fran. That's but a drowsie fortune.
3 Mer. Nay take us with ye too; we come to that end, I am sure ye are for the wedding.
Vanl. Hand and heart man: And what their feet can doe, I could have tript it Before this whorson gout.
Enter Clause.
Clau. Bless ye Masters.
Vanl. Clause? how now Clause? thou art come to see thy Master, (And a good master he is to all poor people) In all his joy, 'tis honestly done of thee.
Clau. Long may he live sir, but my business now is If you would please to doe it, and to him too.
Enter Goswin.
Vanl. He's here himself.
Gos. Stand at the door my friends?
I pray walk in: welcom fair Mistris Francis,
See what the house affords, there's a young Lady
Will bid you welcom.
Vanl. We joy your happiness. [Exeunt.
Gos. I hope it will be so: Clause nobly welcom, My honest, my best friend, I have been carefull To see thy monys—
Clau. Sir, that brought not me, Do you know this Ring again?
Gos. Thou hadst it of me.
Cla. And do you well remember yet, the boun you gave me Upon the return of this?
Gos. Yes, and I grant it, Be it what it will: ask what thou canst, I'le do it; Within my power.
Cla. Ye are not married yet?
Gos. No.
Cla. Faith I shall ask you that that will disturb ye, But I must put ye to your promise.
Gos. Do, And if I faint and flinch in't—
Cla. Well said Master, And yet it grieves me too: and yet it must be.
Gos. Prethee distrust me not.
Cla. You must not marry, That's part of the power you gave me: which to make up, You must presently depart, and follow me.
Gos. Not marry, Clause?
Cla. Not if you keep your promise, And give me power to ask.
Gos. Pre'thee think better, I will obey, by Heaven.
Cla. I have thought the best, Sir
Gos. Give me thy reason, do'st thou fear her honesty?
Cla. Chaste as the ice, for any thing I know, Sir.
Gos. Why should'st thou light on that then? to what purpose?
Cla. I must not now discover.
Gos. Must not marry? Shall I break now when my poor heart is pawn'd? When all the preparation?
Cla. Now or never.
Gos. Come, 'tis not that thou would'st: thou do'st but fright me.
Cla. Upon my soul it is, Sir, and I bind ye.
Gos. Clause, can'st thou be so cruel?
Cla. You may break, Sir, But never more in my thoughts appear honest.
Gos. Did'st ever see her?
Cla. No.
Gos. She is such a thing,
O Clause, she is such a wonder, such a mirror,
For beauty, and fair vertue, Europe has not:
Why hast thou made me happy, to undo me?
But look upon her; then if thy heart relent not,
I'le quit her presently: who waits there?
Ser. [within] Sir.
Gos. Bid my fair love come hither, and the Company.
Prethee be good unto me; take a mans heart
And look upon her truly: take a friends heart
And feel what misery must follow this.
Cla. Take you a noble heart and keep your promise; I forsook all I had, to make you happy.
Enter Gertrude, Vandunk, and the rest Merchants.
Can that thing call'd a Woman, stop your goodness?
Gos. Look there she is, deal with me as thou wilt now, Did'st ever see a fairer?
Cla. She is most goodly.
Gos. Pray ye stand still.
Ger. What ails my love?
Gos. Didst thou ever,
By the fair light of Heave[n], behold a sweeter?
O that thou knew'st but love, or ever felt him,
Look well, look narrowly upon her beauties.
1 Mer. Sure h'as some strange design in hand, he starts so.
2 Mer. This Beggar has a strong power over his pleasure.
Gos. View all her body,
Cla. 'Tis exact and excellent.
Gos. Is she a thing then to be lost thus lightly?
Her mind is ten times sweeter, ten times nobler,
And but to hear her speak, a Paradise,
And such a love she bears to me, a chaste love,
A vertuous, fair, and fruitful love: 'tis now too
I am ready to enjoy it; the Priest ready, Clause,
To say the holy words shall make us happy,
This is a cruelty beyond mans study,
All these are ready, all our joyes are ready,
And all the expectation of our friends,
'Twill be her death to do it.
Cla. Let her dye then.
Gos. Thou canst not: 'tis impossible.
Cla. It must be.
Gos. 'Twill kill me too, 'twill murder me: by heaven Clause I'le give thee half I have; come thou shalt save me.
Cla. Then you must go with me: I can stay no longer, If ye be true, and noble.
Gos. Hard heart, I'le follow: Pray ye all go in again, and pray be merry, I have a weighty business, (give my Cloak there,)
Enter Servant (with a Cloak.)
Concerns my life, and state, (make no enquiry,)
This present hour befaln me: with the soonest
I shall be here again: nay pray go in, Sir,
And take them with you, 'tis but a night lost, Gentlemen.
Van. Come, come in, we will not lose our meat yet, Nor our good mirth, he cannot stay long from her, I am sure of that.
Gos. I will not stay; believe, Sir. [Exit.
Gertrude, a word with you.
Ger. Why is this stop, Sir?
Gos. I have no more time left me, but to kiss thee, And tell thee this, I am ever thine: farewel wench. [Exit.
Ger. And is that all your Ceremony? Is this a wedding?
Are all my hopes and prayers turn'd to nothing?
Well, I will say no more, nor sigh, nor sorrow;
Till to thy face I prove thee false. Ah me! [Exit.
ACTUS QUINTUS. SCENA PRIMA.
Enter Gertrude, and a Boor.
Ger. Lead, if thou thinkst we are right: why dost thou make These often stands? thou saidst thou knewst the way.
Bo. Fear nothing, I do know it: would 'twere homeward.
Ger. Wrought from me by a Beggar? at the time
That most should tye him? 'tis some other Love
That hath a more command on his affections,
And he that fetcht him, a disguised Agent,
Not what he personated; for his fashion
Was more familiar with him, and more powerful
Than one that ask'd an alms: I must find out
One, if not both: kind darkness be my shrowd,
And cover loves too curious search in me,
For yet, suspicion, I would not name thee.
Bo. Mistris, it grows somewhat pretty and dark.
Ger. What then?
Bo. Nay, nothing; do not think I am afraid, Although perhaps you are.
Ger. I am not, forward.
Bo. Sure but you are? give me your hand, fear nothing.
There's one leg in the wood, do not pull me backward:
What a sweat one on's are in, you or I?
Pray God it do not prove the plague; yet sure
It has infected me; for I sweat too,
It runs out at my knees, feel, feel, I pray you.
Ger. What ails the fellow?
Bo. Hark, hark I beseech you, Do you hear nothing?
Ger. No.
Bo. List: a wild Hog,
He grunts: now 'tis a Bear: this wood is full of 'em,
And now, a Wolf, Mistress, a Wolf, a Wolf,
It is the howling of a Wolf.
Ger. The braying of an Ass, is it not?
Bo. Oh, now one has me; Oh my left haunch, farewel.
Ger. Look to your Shanks, Your Breech is safe enough, the Wolf's a Fern-brake.
Bo. But see, see, see, there is a Serpent in it;
It has eyes as broad as Platters; it spits fire;
Now it creeps towards us, help me to say my Prayers:
It hath swallowed me almost, my breath is stopt;
I cannot speak: do I speak Mistress? tell me.
Ger. Why, thou strange timerous Sot, canst thou perceive Any thing i'th' Bush but a poor Glo-worm?
Bo. It may be 'tis but a Glo-worm now, but 'twill Grow to a Fire-drake presently.
Ger. Come thou from it: I have a precious guide of you, and a courteous, That gives me leave to lead my self the way thus.
Bo. It thunders, you hear that now?
Ger. I hear one hollow.
Bo. 'Tis thunder, thunder:
See, a Flash of Lightning:
Are you not blasted Mistress? pull your Mask off,
It has plaid the Barber with me here: I have lost
My Beard, my Beard, pray God you be not shaven,
'Twill spoil your Marriage Mistress.
Ger. What strange Wonders Fear fancies in a Coward!
Bo. Now the Earth opens.
Ger. Prithee hold thy peace.
Bo. Will you on then?
Ger. Both love and jealousie have made me bold, Where my Fate leads me, I must go. [Exit.
Bo. God be with you then.
Enter Woolfort, Hemskirk, and Attendants.
Hem. It was the Fellow sure, he that should guide me, The Hunts-man that did hollow us.
Woolf. Best make a stand, And listen to his next: Ha!
Hem. Who goes there?
Bo. Mistress, I am taken.
Hem. Mistress? Look forth Souldiers.
Woolf. What are you Sirrah?
Bo. Truly all is left
Of a poor Boor, by day-light, by night no body,
You might have spar'd your Drum, and Guns, and Pikes too
For I am none that will stand out Sir, I.
You may take me in with a walking Stick,
Even when you please, and hold me with a packthred.
Hem. What woman was't you call'd to?
Bo. Woman! none Sir.
Woolf. None! did you not name Mistress?
Bo. Yes, but she's
No woman yet: she should have been this night,
But that a Beggar stole away her Bridegroom,
Whom we were going to make hue and cry after;
I tell you true Sir, she should ha' been married to day;
And was the Bride and all; but in came Clause,
The old lame Beggar, and whips up Mr Goswin
Under his arm; away with him as a Kite,
Or an old Fox would swoop away a Gosling.
Hem. 'Tis she, 'tis she, 'tis she: Niece?
Ger. Ha!
Hem. She Sir,
This was a noble entrance to your fortune,
That being on the point thus to be married,
Upon her venture here, you should surprise her.
Woolf. I begin, Hemskirk, to believe my fate, Works to my ends.
Hem. Yes Sir, and this adds trust
Unto the fellow our guide, who assur'd me Florez
Liv'd in some Merchants shape, as Gerrard did
I' the old Beggars, and that he would use
Him for the train, to call the other forth;
All which we find is done—That's he again— [Holla again.
Woolf. Good, we sent out to meet him.
Hem. Here's the Oak.
Ger. I am miserably lost, thus faln Into my Uncles hands from all my hopes, Can I not think away my self and dye?
Enter Hubert, Higgen, Prig, Ferret, Snap, Ginks like Boors.
Hub. I like your habits well: they are safe, stand close.
Hig. But what's the action we are for now? Ha! Robbing a Ripper of his Fish.
Prig. Or taking A Poulterer Prisoner, without ransome, Bullyes?
Hig. Or cutting off a Convoy of Butter?
Fer. Or surprizing a Boors ken, for granting cheats!
Prig. Or cackling Cheats?
Hig. Or Mergery-praters, Rogers, And Tibs o'th' Buttery?
Prig. O I could drive a Regiment
Of Geese afore me, such a night as this,
Ten Leagues with my Hat and Staff, and not a hiss
Heard, nor a wing of my Troops disordered.
Hig. Tell us,
If it be milling of a lag of duds,
The fetching of a back of cloaths or so;
We are horribly out of linnen.
Hub. No such matter.
Hig. Let me alone with the Farmers dog, If you have a mind to the cheese-loft; 'tis but thus, And he is a silenc'd Mastiff, during pleasure.
Hub. Would it would please you to be silent.
Hig. Mum.
Woolf. Who's there?
Hub. A friend, the Hunts-man.
Hem. O 'tis he.
Hub. I have kept touch Sir, which is the Earl of these? Will he know a man now?
Hem. This my Lord's the Friend, Hath undertook the service.
Hub. If't be worth
His Lordships thanks anon, when 'tis done
Lording, I'll look for't, a rude Wood-man,
I know how to pitch my toils, drive in my game:
And I have don't, both Florez and his Father
Old Gerrard, with Lord Arnold of Benthuisen,
Cozen, and Jaculin, young Florez's Sister:
I have 'em all.
Woolf. Thou speak'st too much, too happy, To carry faith with it.
Hub. I can bring you Where you shall see, and find 'em.
Woolf. We will double What ever Hemskirk then hath promis'd thee.
Hub. And I'll deserve it treble: what horse ha' you?
Woolf. A hundred. That's well: ready to take Upon surprise of 'em.
Hem. Yes.
Hub. Divide then
Your force into five Squadrons; for there are
So many out-lets, ways through the wood
That issue from the place where they are lodg'd:
Five several ways, of all which Passages,
We must possess our selves, to round 'em in;
For by one starting hole they'll all escape else:
I and 4. Boors here to me will be guides,
The Squadron where you are, my self will lead:
And that they may be more secure, I'll use
My wonted whoops, and hollows, as I were
A hunting for 'em; which will make them rest
Careless of any noise, and be a direction
To the other guides, how we approach 'em still.
Woolf. 'Tis order'd well, and relisheth the Souldier; Make the division Hemskirk; you are my charge, Fair One, I'll look to you.
Boo. Shall no body need To look to me? I'll look unto my self.
Hub. 'Tis but this, remember.
Hig. Say, 'tis done, Boy. [Exeunt.