And. True.
Slip. Then, gentle sir, leave us to ourselves, for here comes one as if he would lack a servant ere he went. [Andrew stands aside.
Enter Ateukin.
Ateu. Why, so, Ateukin, this becomes thee best:
Wealth, honour, ease, and angels in thy chest.
Now may I say, as many often sing,
"No fishing to[252] the sea, nor service to a king."
Unto this high promotion doth belong
Means to be talk'd of in the thickest throng.
And first, to fit the humours of my lord,
Sweet lays and lines of love I must record;
And such sweet lines and love-lays I'll indite,
As men may wish for, and my liege delight:
And next, a train of gallants at my heels,
That men may say, the world doth run on wheels;
For men of art, that rise by indirection
To honour and the favour of their king,
Must use all means to save what they have got,
And win their favours whom they never knew.
If any frown to see my fortunes such,
A man must bear a little,—not too much!
But, in good time!—these bills portend, I think,
That some good fellows do for service seek. [Reads.
If any gentleman, spiritual or temporal, will entertain out of his service, a young stripling of the age of thirty years, that can sleep with the soundest, eat with the hungriest, work with the sickest, lie with the loudest, face with the proudest, etc., that can wait in a gentleman's chamber when his master is a mile off, keep his stable when 'tis empty, and his purse when 'tis full, and hath many qualities worse than all these, let him write his name and go his way, and attendance shall be given.
By my faith, a good servant: which is he?
Slip. Truly, sir, that am I.
Ateu. And why dost thou write such a bill? Are all these qualities in thee?
Slip. O Lord, ay, sir, and a great many more, some better, some worse, some richer, some poorer. Why, sir, do you look so? do they not please you?
Ateu. Truly, no, for they are naught, and so art thou: if thou hast no better qualities, stand by.
Slip. O, sir, I tell the worst first; but, an you lack a man, I am for you: I'll tell you the best qualities I have.