Boy. And I tough signeur, as an appertinent title to your olde time, which we may name tough.

Brag. Pretty and apt.

19

Boy. How meane you sir, I pretty, and my saying apt? or I apt, and my saying prettie?

Brag. Thou pretty because little.

Boy. Little pretty, because little: wherefore apt?
Brag. And therefore apt, because quicke.
Boy. Speake you this in my praise Master?

Brag. In thy condigne praise.

Boy. I will praise an Eele with the same praise.
Brag. What? that an Eele is ingenuous.

Boy. That an Eeele is quicke.

Brag. I doe say thou art quicke in answeres.

heat'st my bloud.

Boy. I am answer'd sir.

Brag. I love not to be crost.

29

Thou

Boy. [Aside] He speakes the meere contrary, crosses1 love not him.

1 coins

Br. I have promis'd to study iii. yeres with the Duke. Boy. You may doe it in an houre sir.

Brag. Impossible.

Boy. How many is one thrice told?

40

Bra. Iam ill at reckning, it fits the spirit of a Tapster. Boy. You are a gentleman and a gamester sir. Brag. I confesse both, they are both the varnish of a compleat man.

Boy. Then I am sure you know how much the grosse summe of deus-ace amounts to.

Brag. It doth amount to one more then two.

Boy. Which the base vulgar call three.

Br. True. Boy. Why sir is this such a peece of study?

28. ingenuous: ingenious-IQ.2-4F.

39. fits: fitteth-1Q.

46. vulgar call: vulgar do call-1Q.

Now here's three studied,ere you'll thrice wink, & how easie it is to put yeres to the word three,and study three yeeres in two words, the dancing horse will tell you. Brag. A most fine Figure.

Boy. To prove you a Cypher.

51

Brag. I will heereupon confesse I am in love: and as it is base for a Souldier to love; so am I in love with a base wench. If drawing my sword against the humour of affection, would deliver mee from the reprobate thought of it, I would take Desire prisoner, and ransome him to any French Courtier for a new devis'd curtsie. I thinke scorne to sigh, me thinkes I should out-sweare Cupid. Comfort me Boy, What great men have beene in love?

Boy. Hercules Master.

61

Brag. Most sweete Hercules: more authority deare Boy, name more; and sweet my childe let them be men of good repute and carriage.

Boy. Sampson Master, he was a man of good carriage, great carriage: for hee carried the Towne-gates on his backe like a Porter: and he was in love.

Brag. O well-knit Sampson, strong joynted Sampson; I doe excell thee in my rapier, as much as thou didst mee in carrying gates. I am in love too. Who was Sampsons love my deare Moth?

Boy. A Woman, Master.

Brag. Of what complexion?

72

Boy. Of all the foure, or the three, or the two, or one of the foure.

Brag. Tell me precisely of what complexion?

Boy. Of the sea-water Greene sir.

Brag. Is that one of the foure complexions?

48. you'll: ye'll-1Q.

79

Boy. As I have read sir, and the best of them too. Brag. Greene indeed is the colour of Lovers: but to have a Love of that colour, methinkes Sampson had small reason for it. He surely affected her for her wit. Boy. It was so sir, for she had a greene wit. Brag. My Love is most immaculate white and red. Boy. Most immaculate thoughts Master, are mask'd under such colours.

Brag. Define, define, well educated infant.

Boy. My fathers witte, and my mothers tongue assist

mee.

90

Brag. Sweet invocation of a childe, most pretty and patheticall.

Boy. If shee be made of white and red,

Her faults will nere be knowne:

For blush-in cheekes by faults are bred,
And feares by pale white showne:
Then if she feare, or be to blame,
By this you shall not know,

For still her cheekes possesse the same,
Which native she doth owe:

100

A dangerous rime master against the reason of white and redde.

Brag. Is there not a ballet Boy, of the King and the Begger?

Boy. The world was very guilty of such a Ballet some three ages since, but I thinke now 'tis not to be found: or if it were, it would neither serve for the writing, nor the

tune.

108

Brag. I will have that subject newly writ ore, that I may example my digression1 by some mighty president.

86. immaculate: maculate-IQ. 103, 105. ballet: ballad-RowE.

1

transgression

95. blush-in: blushing-2-4F.

Boy, I doe love that Countrey girle that I tooke in the Parke with the rationall hinde Costard: she deserves well.

Boy. [Aside] To bee whip'd: and yet a better love then my Master.

Brag. Sing Boy, my spirit grows heavy in iove.

Boy. And that's great marvell, loving a light wench. Brag. I say sing.

Boy. Forbeare till this company

be past.

119

Enter Clowne, Constable, and Wench [Jaquenetta]. Const. Sir, the Dukes pleasure, is that you keepe Costard safe, and you must let him take no delight, nor no penance, but hee must fast three daies a weeke: for this Damsell, I must keepe her at the Parke, shee is alowd for the Day-woman.1 Fare you well. Exit.

Brag. I do betray my felfe with blushing: Maide. Maid. [Jaq.] Man.

Brag. I wil visit thee at the Lodge.

1 dairy-woman

Maid. That's here by.

Brag. I know where it is situate.

Mai. Lord how wise you are!

Brag. I will tell thee wonders.
Ma. With what face?

Brag. I love thee.

Mai. So I heard you say.

Brag. And so farewell.

Mai. Faire weather after you.

Clo. [Dull] Come Jaquenetta, away.

116. iove: love-1Q.2-4F.

122. let him take: suffer him to take-12.

123. bee must: a' must-IQ.

130

Exeunt.

133. what: that-IQ.2-4F.

Brag. Villaine, thou shalt fast for thy offences ere thou be pardoned.

140

Clo. Well sir, I hope when I doe it, I shall doe it on a full stomacke.

Brag. Thou shalt be heavily punished.

Clo. I am more bound to you then your fellowes, for they are but lightly rewarded.

Clo. Take away this villaine, shut him up.
Boy. Come you transgressing slave, away.

Clow. Let mee not bee pent up sir, I will fast being loose.

Boy. No sir, that were fast and loose: thou shalt to prison.

151 Clow. Well, if ever I do see the merry dayes of desolation that I have seene, some shall see.

Boy. What shall some see?

Clow. Nay nothing, Master Moth, but what they looke upon. It is not for prisoners to be silent in their words, and therefore I will say nothing: I thanke God, I have as little patience as another man, and therefore I can be quiet. Exit. [Exeunt Moth and Costard.] 159

Brag. I doe affect the very ground (which is base) where her shooe (which is baser) guided by her foote (which is basest) doth tread. I shall be forsworn (which ia a great argument of falshood) if I love. And how can that be true love, which is falsly attempted? Love is a familiar, Love is a Divell. There is no evill Angell but Love, yet Sampson was so tempted, and he had an excellent strength: Yet was Salomon so seduced, and hee had a very good witte. Cupids But shaft1 is too hard for Her

156. be silent: be too silent-IQ.
166. yet Sampson was: yet was Samson-IQ.
167. Salomon: Solomon-3-4F.