Bes. Farewell, sir, farewell! Commend me to the gentlewoman, I pray. 1 Sw. How now, captain? bear up, man. Bes. Gentlemen o'the sword, your hands once more; I have been kick'd again; but the foolish fellow is penitent, h'as ask'd me mercy, and my honour's safe. 2 Sw. We knew that, or the foolish fellow had better have kick'd his grandsire. Bes. Confirm, confirm, I pray. 1 Sw. There be our hands again! Now let him come, and say he was not sorry, and he sleeps for it. Bes. Alas! good ignorant old man, let him go, let him go; these courses will undo him. [Exeunt. business Brought thee hither? Lyg. Several businesses: My public business will appear by this; If it pleases you so to authorize, is The offer's there set down; please you to read it. Lyg. None, sir; all is as it was. Tigr. And all our friends are well? Spa. Though I have done nothing but what I dare not see my father: It was fault Lyg. Madam, I should have seen you. Lug. Forgive you! why, I am no kin t'you, am I? Spa. Should it be measur'd by my mean deserts, Indeed you are not. Lyg. Thou couldst prate, unhappily, Ere thou couldst go; 'would thou couldst do as well! And how does your custom hold out here? Lyg. Are you in private still, or how? Spa. What do you mean? Lyg. Do you take money? Are you come to sell sin yet? Perhaps, I can help you to liberal clients: Or has not the king cast you off yet? Oh, thou vile creature, whose best commenda tion is, that thou art a young whore! I would thy mother had liv'd to see this; or, rather, that I had died ere I had seen it! Why didst not make me acquainted when thou wert first resolv'd to be a whore? I would have seen thy hot lust satisfied Lyg. If thou couldst not say so much for thyself, thou shouldst be carted. Tigr. Lygones, I have read it, and I like it; You shall deliver it. Lyg. Well, sir, I will : But I have private business with you. Lyg. How has my age deserv'd so ill of you, Tigr. Strumpets, good Lygones? Lyg. Yes; and I wish to have you know, I scorn Might have been spar'd; there were enow besides. Lyg. Why is she with you, then? Thou see'st thy queen there. Lyg. Then have I made a fair hand! I call'd her whore. If I shall speak now as her father, I cannot choose but greatly rejoice that she shall be a queen: But if I should speak to you as a statesman, she were more fit to be your whore. Tigr. Get you about your business to Arbaces; Now you talk idly. Lyg. Yes, sir, I will go. And shall she be a queen? She had more wit Tigr. Yes, marry, shalt thou. Lyg. I'll make these wither'd kexes bear my Two hours together above ground. My business requires haste. preserve you! I have made up a new strong constancy, Bac. Three gentlemen without, to speak with me ? Serv. Yes, sir. Bac. Let them come in. Enter BESSUS with the two Sword-men. Bes. My lord, I have made bold to bring these Bes. I ask no more in honour. you hear my lord is sorry. Bac. Not that I have beaten you, Gentlemen, But beaten one that will be beaten; What come they for, good captain Stockfish? Bes. It seems your lordship has forgot my name. man's head, the nature of the beatings; and we do find his honour is come off clean and sufficient: This, as our swords shall help us. Bac. You are much bound to your bilbo men; I'm glad you're straight again, captain. 'Twere good you would think some way how to gratify them; they have undergone a labour for you, Bessus, would have puzzled Hercules with all his valour. 2 Sw. Your lordship must understand we are no men o'th' law, that take pay for our opinions; it is sufficient we have clear'd our friend. Bac. Yet there is something due, which I, as touch'd in conscience, will discharge. Captain, I'll pay this rent for you. Bes. Spare yourself, my good lord; my brave friends aim at nothing but the virtue. Bac. That's but a cold discharge, sir, for the pains. 2 Sw. Oh, lord! my good lord! Bac. Be not so modest; I will give you something. Bes. They shall dine with your lordship; that's sufficient. Bac. Something in hand the while. You rogues, you apple-squires, do you come hither, with your bottled valour, your windy froth, to limit out my beatings? 1 Sw. I do beseech your lordship. Bac. 'Sfoot, what a bevy of beaten slaves are here! Get me a cudgel, sirrah, and a tough one. 2 Sw. More of your foot, I beseech your lord ship. Bac. You shall, you shall, dog, and your fellow beagle. 1 Sw. O' this side, good my lord. Bac. Off with your swords; for if you hurt my foot, I'll have you flead, you rascals. 1 Sw. Mine's off, my lord. my strap's tied to my cod-piece point: Now, 2 Sw. I beseech your lordship, stay a little; when you please. Bac. Captain, these are your valiant friends; you long for a little too? Bes. I am very well, I humbly thank your lord ship. toe, you mungrel? Thy buttocks cannot be so Bac. What's that in your pocket hurts my hard; out with it quickly. 2 Sw. Here 'tis, sir; a small piece of artillery, that a gentleman, a dear friend of your lordship's, mark, the nose is somewhat loose. sent me with, to get it mended, sir; for, if you wearier of doing nothing, than kicking these two Bac. A friend of mine, you rascal? I was never Bac. That would be a show, indeed, worth seeing. Sirs, be wise and take money for this motion, travel with it; and where the name of Bessus has been known, or a good coward stir-foot-balls. ring, 'twill yield more than a tilting. This will prove more beneficial to you, if you be thrifty, than your captainship, and more natural. Men of most valiant hands, is this true? 2 Sw. It is so, most renowned. Bac. "Tis somewhat strange. 1 Sw. Lord, it is strange, yet true. We have examined, from your lordship's foot there to this Enter Servant. Serv. Here is a good cudgel, sir. Bac. It comes too late; I am weary; prithee, do thou beat them. 2 Sw. My lord, this is foul play, i'faith, to put a fresh man upon us: Men are but men, sir. Bac. That jest shall save your bones. Cap tain, rally up your rotten regiment, and be gone. I had rather thresh than be bound to kick these rascals, 'till they cry'd, ho!' Bessus, you may put your hand to them now, and then you are quit. Farewell! as you like this, pray visit me again; 'twill keep me in good health. [Exit. 2 Sw. H'as a devilish hard foot; I never felt the like. 1 Sw. Nor I; and yet, I am sure, I have felt a hundred. 2 Sw. If he kick thus i' th' Dog-days, he will be dry-foundred. What cure now, captain, besides oil of bays? Bes. Why, well enough, I warrant you; you can go? 2 Sw. Yes, Heav'n be thank'd! but I feel a shrewd ache; sure, he's sprang my huckle-bone. 1 Sw. I ha' lost a haunch. Bes. A little butter, friend, a little butter; but ter and parsley is a sovereign matter: Probatum 2 Sw. Oh, my small guts! a plague upon these sharp-toed shoes; they are murderers! [Exeunt. Enter ARBACES, with his sword drawn. I can no more. Hell, open all thy gates, would look us all out of the land, Årb. I do confess it; will that satisfy? prithee, get thee gone. Mar. Sir, I will speak. Arb. Will ye? Mar. It is my duty. I fear you'll kill yourself: I am a subject, Arb. Thou art not train'd in sin, It seems, Mardonius: Kill myself! by Heav'n, Mar. I'm sorry 'tis so ill. True sorrow is alone; grieve by thyself. up Arb. Why so. it not What folly is this in thee? is Where the most damn'd have dwelling! Ere I As apt to mischief as it was before? end, Can I not reach it, think'st thou? These are toys Mar. Heav'n put into your bosom temperate thoughts! I'll leave you, though I fear. Arb. Go; thou art honest. [Exit MAR. Why should the hasty errors of my youth His worst wish on thee! Thou hast broke my heart. Gob. How, sir! Have I preserv'd you, from a From all the arrows malice or ambition Wert crueller than hard'ned murderers Of infants and their mothers? Thou didst save me, Only till thou hadst studied out a way Arb. Thou know'st the evils thou hast done to me! Dost thou remember all those witching letters Dost thou remember this? so that I doted Gob. This is true. Gob. You kill your father. Arb. My father? Though I know it for a lye, Made out of fear, to save thy stained life, The very rev'rence of the word comes cross me, And ties mine arm down. Gob. I will tell you that shall heighten you again; I am thy father; I charge thee hear me. As 'tis most false, and that I should be found Of lawless lust, I should no more admire Enter ARANE. Ara. Turn thee about; I come to speak to thee, thou wicked man! Arb. I will turn to thee; Hear me, thou strumpet! I have blotted out The name of mother, as thou hast thy shame. Ara. My shame! Thou hast less shame than any thing! Why dost thou keep my daughter in a prison? Why dost thou call her sister, and do this? Arb. Cease, thou strange impudence, and answer quickly! If thou contemn'st me, this will ask an answer, And have it. Ara. Help me, gentle Gobrias. Arb. Guilt dare not help guilt; though they grow together. In doing ill, yet at the punishment They sever, and each flies the noise of other. Ara. I will; to what? Arb. To such a thing, as, if it be a truth, Think what a creature thou hast made thyself, That didst not shame to do what I must blush Only to ask thee. Tell me who I am, Whose son I am, without all circumstance Be thou as hasty as my sword will be, If thou refusest. Ara. Why, you are his son. Arb. His son? Swear, swear, thou worse than Ara. By all that's good, you are. That ever was known bad! Now is the cause I have by thee, which is a spacious world eases As use to pay lust, recompence thy deed! You are a pair of vipers; and behold As brave as mine, for they have more descents; Ara. You spend your rage and words in vain, And rail upon a guess; hear us a little. Arb. No, I will never hear, but talk away Gob. Why, but you are no bastard. Ara. Nor child of mine. Arb. Still you go on In wonders to me. Gob. Pray you, be more patient; I may bring comfort to you. Arb. I will kneel, And hear with the obedience of a child. Gob, First know, our last king, your supposed Was old and feeble when he married her, Arb. Therefore she took leave To play the whore, because the king was old: Is this the comfort? Ara. What will you find out To give me satisfaction, when you find How you have injur'd me? Let fire consume me If ever I were whore! Gob. Forbear these starts, Or I will leave you wedded to despair, Arb. Bring it out, good father. I'll lie, and listen here as reverently Gob. Our king, I say, was old, and this our queen Desir'd to bring an heir, but yet her husband, She hardly could have been: But yet her cunning Found out this way; she feign'd herself with child, And posts were sent in haste throughout the land, And God was humbly thank'd in ev'ry church, That so had bless'd the queen; and prayers were made For her safe going and delivery. She feign'd now to grow bigger; and perceiv'd A far more large respect from every man, Gob. Now when the time was full Mov'd me to let her have you; and such reasons That night this queen feign'd hastily to labour, Which she had charm'd, she made the world be lieve She was deliver'd of you. You grew up, Arb. And have you made an end now? Is this all? If not, I will be still till I be aged, Till all my hairs be silver. Gob. This is all. Arb. And is it true, say you too, madam ? Arb. But can you prove this? Arb. Give consent? Why, I will have 'em all that know it rack'd Mar. Indeed, 'twere well for you This hope of issue made her fear'd, and brought | If you might be a little less obey'd. |