shifting is your letters patents: it were a hard matter for me to get my dinner that day, wherein my master had not sold a dozen of devices, a case of cogs, and a suit of shifts, in the morning. I speak this in your commendation, sir, and, I pray you, so take it. ATEU. If I live, knave, I will be revenged. What gentleman would entertain a rascal thus to derogate from his honour? IDA. My lord, why are you thus impatient? ATEU. Not angry, Ida; but I teach this knave How to behave himself among his betters. Behold, fair countess, to assure your stay, I here present the signet of the king, Who now by me, fair Ida, doth salute you: And since in secret I have certain things In his behalf, good madam, to impart, I crave your daughter to discourse apart. COUNT. She shall in humble duty be addrest To do his Highness' will in what she may. IDA. Now, gentle sir, what would his Grace with me? ATEU. Fair, comely nymph, the beauty of your face, Sufficient to bewitch the heavenly powers, Hath wrought so much in him, that now of late He finds himself made captive unto love; And though his power and majesty require* A straight command before an humble suit, Yet he his mightiness doth so abase, As to entreat your favour, honest maid. IDA. Is he not married, sir, unto our queen? IDA. And are not they by God accurst, That sever them whom he hath knit in one? [place ATEU. They be: what then? we seek not to disThe princess from her seat, but since by love *require] The 4to. "requires." The king is made your own, she is resolv'd In spite of war, watch, or worldly eye. IDA. O how he talks, as if he should not die! ATEU. Tut, mistress, man at first was born to err; Women are all not formed to be saints: "Tis impious for to kill our native king, Whom by a little favour we may save. IDA. Better than live unchaste, to live in grave. ATEU. He shall erect your state, and wed you well. IDA. But can his warrant keep my soul from hell? ATEU. He will enforce, if you resist his suit. IDA. What tho?* the world may shame to him To be a king of men and worldly pelf, Yet hath + no power to rule and guide himself. ATEU. I know you, gentle lady, and the care Both of your honour and his Grace's health Makes me confused in this dangerous state. [account IDA. So counsel him, but soothe thou not his sin : 'Tis vain allurement that doth make him love; I shame to hear, be you asham'd to move. COUNT. I see my daughter grows impatient: I fear me, he pretends ‡ some bad intent. ATEU. Will you despise the king, and scorn him so? IDA. In all allegiance I will serve his Grace, But not in lust: O, how I blush to name it! ATEU. An endless work is this: how should I frame it? [They discourse privately. SLIP. O mistress, may I turn a word upon you? COUNT. Friend, what wilt thou? SLIP. O, what a happy gentlewoman be you truly! the world reports this of you, mistress, that a man *tho] i. e. then. + Yet hath] The 4to. gives this line to Ateukin. can no sooner come to your house, but the butler comes with a black jack and says, welcome, friend, here's a cup of the best for you: verily, mistress, you are said to have the best ale in all Scotland. COUNT. Sirrah, go fetch him drink. How likest thou this? [An attendant brings drink. SLIP. Like it, mistress! why this is quincy quarie pepper de watchet, single goby, of all that ever I tasted. I'll prove in this ale and toast the compass of the whole world. First, this is the earth, it ties in the middle a fair brown toast, a goodly country for hungry teeth to dwell upon; next, this is the sea, a fair pool for a dry tongue to fish in: now come I, and seeing the world is naught, I divide it thus; and because the sea cannot stand without the earth, as Aristotle saith, I put them both into their first chaos, which is my belly and so, mistress, you may see your ale is become a miracle. EUST. A merry mate, madam, I promise you. SLIP. Truly, madam, to think upon the world, which, since I denounced it, keeps such a rumbling in my stomach, that unless your cook give it a counterbuff with some of your roasted capons or beef, I fear me I shall become a loose body, so dainty, I think, I shall neither hold fast before nor behind. COUNT. Go take him in, and feast this merry swain. Sirrah, my cook is your physician; He hath a purge for to disgest* the world. * [Exeunt Slipper and Servant. disgest] Used frequently by old writers for digest: so Chamberlayne; "A short delay, which lets not Fancy rest In idle thought, their actions did disgest Into a method." Pharonnida, 1659. B. iii. C. v. p. 249. ATEU. Will you not, Ida, grant his Highness this? IDA. As I have said, in duty I am his : For other lawless lusts, that ill beseem him, I cannot like, and good I will not deem him. COUNT. Ida, come in: and, sir, if so you please, Come, take a homely widow's entertain. IDA. If he have no great haste, he may come nigh; If haste, though he be gone, I will not cry. [Exeunt all but Ateukin. ATEU. I see this labour lost, my hope is vain; Yet will I try another drift again. [Exit. Enter the BISHOP OF ST. ANDREWS, EARL DOUGLAS, MORTON, with others, one way: the Queen [DOROTHEA] with NANO,* another way. BP. OF ST. AND. O wrack of commonweal, O wretched state! DOUG. O hapless flock, whereas the guide is blind! [They all are in a muse. MORT. O heedless youth, where counsel is despis'd! DOR. Come, pretty knave, and prank it by my side; Let's see your best attendance out of hand. NANO. Madam, although my limbs are very small, My heart is good, I'll serve you therewithal. DOR. How, if I were assail'd, what could'st thou do? NANO. Madam, call help, and boldly fight it too: Although a bee be but a little thing, You know, fair queen, it hath a bitter sting. DOR. How could'st thou do me good, were I in grief? NANO. Counsel, dear princess, is a choice relief: Though Nestor wanted force, great was his wit, And though I am but weak, my words are fit. Nano] The 4to. "Dwarfs :" but there is only one such diminutive person in the play,-Nano, whom Ateukin has presented to the Queen: see p. 90. BP. OF ST. AND. Like to a ship upon the ocean seas, Tost in the doubtful stream, without a helm, BP. OF ST. AND. Lord Morton, well y-met. DOUG. Of that which yours and my poor heart doth break; Although fear shuts our mouths we dare not speak. They are so pale in looks, so vex'd in mind. BP. OF ST. AND. If we with patience may atten tion t gain, Your grace shall know the cause of all our grief. DOR. Speak on, good father; come, and sit by me: I know thy care is for the common good. BP. OF ST. AND. As fortune, mighty princess, rear eth some To high estate and place in commonweal, A riper judgment and more searching eye, t attention] The 4to. "attentive." |