Heigh. Upon my life, 'tis somebody brings news.
The court breaks up, and we shall know their council:
Look, look, how busily they fall to reading!
Pisa. I am the last: you should have kept it still.
Well, we shall see what news you bring with you—
[Reads.
"Our duty premised; and we have sent unto your worship sack, Seville oils, pepper, Barbary sugar, and such other commodities as we thought most requisite. We wanted money, therefore we are fain to take up £200 of Master Towerson's man, which by a bill of exchange, sent to him, we would request your worship pay accordingly."
You shall command, sir, you shall command, sir.
[Reads again.
"The news here is, that the English ships, the Fortune (your ship), the Adventure and Good Luck of London, coasting along by Italy towards Turkey, were set upon by two Spanish galleys. What became of them, we know not; but doubt much, by reason of the weather's calmness."
How is't? six to one, the weather calm?
Now, afore God, who would not doubt their safety?
A plague upon these Spanish-galley pirates!
Roaring Charybdis or devouring Scylla
Were[n't] half such terror to the antique world,
As these same antic[497] villains now of late
Have made the Straits 'twixt Spain and Barbary.
Tow. Now, sir, what doth your factor's letters say?
Pis. Marry, he saith these witless, luckless dolts
Have met, and are beset with Spanish galleys,
As they did sail along by Italy!
What a bots made the dolts near Italy?
Could they not keep the coast of Barbary?
Or, having pass'd it, gone for Tripoli,
Being on the other side of Sicily,
As near as where they were unto the Straits?
For by the globe both Tripoli and it
Lie from the Straits some twenty-five degrees,
And each degree makes threescore English miles.