Char. What reply you,

In your defence for this?

Charal. I but attended

Your lordship's pleasure.

For the fact, as of
The former, I confess it; but with what
Base wrongs I was unwillingly drawn to it,
To my few words there are some other proofs,
To witness this for truth. When I was married,
For there I must begin, the slain Novall
Was to my wife, in way of our French courtship,
A most devoted servant; but yet aimed at
Nothing but means to quench his wanton heat,
His heart being never warm'd by lawful fires,
As mine was, lords: and though, on these pre-
sumptions,

Join'd to the hate between his house and mine,
I might, with opportunity and ease,
Have found a way for my revenge, I did not;
But still he had the freedom as before,
When all was mine: and, told that he abused it
With some unseemly license, by my friend,
My approved friend, Romont, I gave no credit
To the reporter, but reproved him for it,
As one uncourtly, and malicious to him.
What could I more, my lords? Yet, after this,
He did continue in his first pursuit,
Hotter than ever, and at length obtain❜d it;
But, how it came to my most certain knowledge,
For the dignity of the court, and my own honour,
I dare not say.

Nov. sen. If all may be believed

A passionate prisoner speaks, who is so foolish
That durst be wicked, that will appear guilty?
No, my grave lords; in his impunity,

But give example unto jealous men

To cut the throats they hate, and they will never
Want matter or pretence for their bad ends.
Char. You must find other proofs, to strengthen

these

But mere presumptions.

Du Croy. Or we shall hardly

Allow your innocence.

Charal. All your attempts

Shall fall on me like brittle shafts on armour,
That break themselves; or waves against a rock,
That leave no sign of their ridiculous fury
But foam and splinters: my innocence, like these,
Shall stand triumphant, and your malice serve
But for a trumpet to proclaim my conquest.
Nor shall you, though you do the worst fate can,
Howe'er condemn, affright an honest man.

Rom. May it please the court, I may be heard?
Nov. sen. You come not

To rail again? but do-you shall not find
Another Rochfort.

Rom. In Novall I cannot;

But I come furnished with what will stop

The mouth of his conspiracy 'gainst the life
Of innocent Charalois. Do you know this charac-
Nov. sen. Yes, 'tis my son's.
[ter?

Rom. May it please your lordships, read it: And you shall find there, with what vehemency He did solicit Beaumelle; how he got

A promise from her to enjoy his wishes;
How after, he abjured her company,

And yet but that 'tis fit I spare the dead-
Like a damn'd villain, as soon as recorded,
He brake that oath :-to make this manifest,
Produce his bawds and hers.

Enter Officers with AYMER, FLORIMEL, and Bellapert.
Char. Have they ta'en their oaths?

Rom. They have, and, rather than endure the rack,

Confess the time, the meeting, nay, the act;
What would you more? only this matron made
A free discovery to a good end;

And therefore I sue to the court, she may not
Be placed in the black list of the delinquents.
Pont. I see by this, Novall's revenge needs me,
And I shall do-
[Aside.

The injuries you have sustain'd appear
So worthy of the mercy of the court,
That, notwithstanding you have gone beyond
The letter of the law, they yet acquit you.
Pont. But, in Novall, I do condemn him-thus.
[Stabs him.

Charal. I am slain.
Rom. Can I look on? Oh, murderous wretch !
Thy challenge now I answer. So! die with him.
[Stabs PONTALIER.

Char. A guard! disarm him. Rom. I yield up my sword Unforced Oh, Charalois !

Charal. For shame, Romont,

Mourn not for him that dies as he hath lived,
Still constant and unmoved: what's fall'n upon me,
Is by heaven's will, because I made myself

A judge in my own cause, without their warrant ;
But He that lets me know thus much in death,
With all good men-forgive me!

Pont. I receive

[Dies.

By this sad precedent, how just soever
Our reasons are to remedy our wrongs,
We are yet to leave them to their will and power
That, to that purpose, have authority.
For you, Romont, although, in your excuse,
You may plead what you did was in revenge
Of the dishonour done unto the court,
Yet, since from us you had not warrant for it,
We banish you the state: for these, they shall,
As they are found guilty or innocent,
Or be set free, or suffer punishment.

[Exeunt.

A SONG BY AYMER. See p. 282.

A DIALOGUE BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN.

Man. Set, Phœbus, set; a fairer sun doth rise

From the bright radiance of my mistress' eyes
Than ever thou begat'st: I dare not look;
Each hair a golden line, each word a hook,
The more I strive, the more still I am took.

Wom. Fair servant, come; the day these eyes do lend
To warm thy blood, thou dost so vainly spend,
Come, strangle breath.

Man. What note so sweet as this,

That calls the spirits to a further bliss?

Wom. Yet this out-savours wine, and this perfume.

Man. Let's die; I languish, I consume.

COURTIER'S SONG OF THE CITIZENS. See p. 282.

Poor citizen, if thou wilt be

A happy husband, learn of me
To set thy wife first in thy shop;

A fair wife, a kind wife, a sweet wife, sets a poor man up.
What though thy shelves be ne'er so bare,

A woman still is current ware;
Each man will cheapen, foe and friend;
But, whilst thou art at t'other end,
Whate'er thou seest, or what dost hear,
Fool, have no eye to, nor an ear;
And after supper, for her sake,

When thou hast fed, snort, though thou wake:
What though the gallants call thee Mome!

Yet with thy lantern light her home;

Then look into the town, and tell

If no such tradesmen there do well.

U

Relieved the poor, and so forth; but he dying, And the twelve hundred a year coming to you, Late master Francis, but now forlorn WellbornWell. Slave, stop! or I shall lose myself. Froth. Very hardly;

You cannot out of your way.

Tap. But to my story:

You were then a lord of acres, the prime gallant,
And I your under butler; note the change now:
You had a merry time of't; hawks and hounds,
With choice of running horses: mistresses
Of all sorts and all sizes, yet so hot,
As their embraces made your lordships melt;
Which your uncle, Sir Giles Overreach, observing,
(Resolving not to lose a drop of them,)
On foolish mortgages, statutes, and bonds,

For a while supplied your looseness, and then left you.

Well. Some curate hath penn'd this invective, And you have studied it. [mongrel,

Tap. I have not done yet;

Your land gone, and your credit not worth a token, You grew the common borrower; no man scaped Your paper-pellets, from the gentleman

To the beggars on highways, that sold you switches In your gallantry.

Well. I shall switch your brains out.

Tap. Where poor Tim Tapwell, with a little stock,

Some forty pounds or so, bought a small cottage; Humbled myself to marriage with my Froth here, Gave entertainment-

Well. Yes, to whores and canters, Clubbers by night.

Tap. True, but they brought in profit, And had a gift to pay for what they called for; And stuck not like your mastership. The poor

income

Tap. Patience, Froth;

There's law to cure our bruises.

[They crawl off on their hands and knees. Well. Sent to your mother?

All. My lady, Frank, my patroness, my all! She's such a mourner for my father's death, And, in her love to him, so favours me, That I cannot pay too much observance to her : There are few such stepdames.

Well. 'Tis a noble widow,

And keeps her reputation pure, and clear
From the least taint of infamy; her life,
With the splendour of her actions, leaves no tongue
To envy or detraction. Prithee tell me,
Has she no suitors?

All. Even the best of the shire, Frank,
My lord, excepted; such as sue, and send,
And send, and sue again, but to no purpose;
Their frequent visits have not gain'd her presence.
Yet she's so far from sullenness and pride,
That I dare undertake you shall meet from her
A liberal entertainment: I can give you
A catalogue of her suitors' names.

Well. Forbear it,

While I give you good counsel: I am bound to it.
Thy father was my friend; and that affection

I bore to him, in right descends to thee;
Thou art a handsome and a hopeful youth,
Nor will I have the least affront stick on thee;
If I with any danger can prevent it.

All. I thank your noble care; but, pray you, in what

Do I run the hazard?

Well. Art thou not in love? Put it not off with wonder.

All. In love, at my years!

Well. You think you walk in clouds, but are transparent.

I have heard all, and the choice that you have made;

And, with my finger, can point out the north star
By which the loadstone of your folly's guided;
And, to confirm this true, what think you of
Fair Margaret, the only child and heir

Of Cormorant Overreach? Does it blush and start,
To hear her only named? blush at your want
Of wit, and reason.

All. You are too bitter, sir.

Well. Wounds of this nature are not to be cured
With balms, but corrosives. I must be plain :
Art thou scarce manumised from the porter's lodge,
And yet sworn servant to the pantofle,
And dar'st thou dream of marriage? I fear
"Twill be concluded for impossible,

That there is now, or e'er shall be hereafter,
A handsome page, or player's boy of fourteen,
But either loves a wench, or drabs love him;
Court-waiters not exempted.

Will e'er consent to make her thine? Give o'er, And think of some course suitable to thy rank, And prosper in it.

All. You have well advised me.
But, in the mean time, you, that are so studious
Of my affairs, wholly neglect your own:

Remember yourself, and in what plight you are.
Well. No matter, no matter.
All. Yes, 'tis much material:

You know my fortune, and my means; yet something

I can spare from myself, to help your wants.
Well. How's this?

All. Nay, be not angry; there's eight pieces,

To put you in better fashion.

Well. Money from thee!

From a boy! a stipendiary! one that lives
At the devotion of a stepmother,

And the uncertain favour of a lord!

I'll eat my arms first. Howsoe'er blind Fortune
Hath spent the utmost of her malice on me;
Though I am vomited out of an alehouse,
And thus accoutred; know not where to eat,
Or drink, or sleep, but underneath this canopy;
Although I thank thee, I despise thy offer:
And as I, in my madness, broke my state,
Without the assistance of another's brain,

Watch. Heaven forbid, man!

Ord. What cause has she given thee?
Furn. Cause enough, master steward.

I was entertained by her to please her palate,
And, till she forswore eating, I perform'd it.
Now, since our master, noble Allworth, died,
Though I crack my brains to find out tempting
And raise fortifications in the pastry, [sauces,

Such as might serve for models in the Low Coun-
Which, if they had been practised at Breda, [tries,
Spinola might have thrown his cap at it, and ne`er
took it-

Amb. But you had wanted matter there to work on. Furn. Matter! with six eggs, and a strike of