I will prefer his safety before my life.
Hear me, O king! 'tis Dorothea's death
Must do
you good.

K. OF SCOTS. What, murder of my queen!
Yet to enjoy my love, what is my queen?
O, but my vow, and promise to my queen!
Ay, but my hope to gain a fairer queen:
With how contrarious thoughts am I withdrawn!
Why linger I twixt hope and doubtful fear?
If Dorothea die, will Ida love?

ATEU. She will, my lord.

[means; K. OF SCOTS. Then let her die: devise, advise the All likes me well that lends me hope in love.

ATEU. What, will your Grace consent? then let me work.

There's here in court a Frenchman, Jaques call'd, A fit performer of our enterprise,

Whom I by gifts and promise will corrupt

To slay the queen, so that your Grace will seal
A warrant for the man, to save his life.

K. OF SCOTS. Nought shall he want; write thou, and I will sign :

And, gentle Gnatho, if my Ida yield,

Thou shalt have what thou wilt; I'll give thee straight A barony, an earldom for reward.

ATEU. Frolic, young king, the lass shall be I'll make her blithe and wanton by my wit.

Enter BOHAN, with OBERON.

[own:

your

[Exeunt.

Вон. So, Oberon, now it begins to work in kind. The ancient lords by leaving him alone,*

Disliking of his humours and despite,†

Let him run headlong, till his flatterers,

*alone] The 4to. " alive."

+ despite] The 4to. "respight."
Let] The 4to. "Lets."

Sweeting his thoughts of luckless lust
With vile persuasions and alluring words,
Make* him make way by murder to his will.
Judge, fairy king, hast heard a greater ill?

OBER. Nor seen † more virtue in a country maid. I tell thee, Bohan, it doth make me merry, To think the deeds the king means to perform. BOн. To change that humour, stand and see the I trow, my son Slipper will shew's a jest. [rest. Enter SLIPPER with a companion, boy,‡ or wench, dancing a hornpipe, and dance out again. BOH. Now after this beguiling of our thoughts, And changing them from sad to better glee, Let's to our cell, and sit and see the rest, For, I believe, this jig will prove no jest.

Chorus.

ACT III.

[Exeunt.

Enter SLIPPER one way, and SIR BARTRAM
another way.

SIR BAR. HO, fellow! stay, and let me speak with thee.

SLIP. Fellow! friend, thou doest abuse me; I am a gentleman.

SIR BAR. A gentleman! how so!
SLIP. Why, I rub horses, sir.

SIR BAR. And what of that?

SLIP. O simple-witted! mark my reason. They that do good service in the commonweal are gentlemen, but such as rub horses do good service in the commonweal, ergo, tarbox, master courtier, a horsekeeper is a gentleman.

*Make] The 4to." Makes." boy] The 4to. "bog."

t seen] The 4to. "send."

SIR BAR. Here is overmuch wit in good earnest. But, sirrah, where is thy master?

SLIP. Neither above ground, nor under ground, drawing out red into white, swallowing that down without chawing, that was never made without treading.

SIR BAR. Why, where is he then?

SLIP. Why in his cellar, drinking a cup of neat and brisk claret, in a bowl of silver. O, sir, the wine runs trillill down his throat, which cost the poor vintner many a stamp before it was made. But I must hence, sir, I have haste.

SIR BAR. Why, whither now, I prithee?

SLIP. Faith, sir, to Sir Silvester, a knight, hard by, upon my master's errand, whom I must certify this, that the lease of East Spring shall be confirmed: and therefore must I bid him provide trash, for my master is no friend without money.

SIR BAR. This is the thing for which I sued so long, This is the lease, which I, by Gnatho's means, Sought to possess by patent from the king: But he, injurious man, who lives by crafts, And sells king's favours for who will give most, Hath taken bribes of me, yet covertly Will sell away the thing pertains to me. But I have found a present help, I hope, For to prevent his purpose and deceit. Stay, gentle friend.

SLIP. A good word; thou hast won me: this word is like a warm caudle* to a cold stomach.

SIR BAR. Sirrah, wilt thou, for money and reward, Convey me certain letters, out of hand,

From out thy master's pocket?

SLIP. Will I, sir? why, were it to rob my father,

candle] The 4to. "candle."

hang my mother, or any such like trifles, I am at your commandment, sir. What will you give me, sir?

SIR BAR. A hundred pounds.

I am

SLIP. I am your man: give me earnest. dead at a pocket, sir: why, I am a lifter, master, by my occupation.

SIR BAR. A lifter! what is that?

SLIP. Why, sir, I can lift a pot as well as any man, and pick a purse as soon as any thief in my country.

SIR BAR. Why, fellow, hold; here is earnest, ten pound to assure thee. Go, dispatch, and bring it me to yonder tavern thou seest; and assure thyself, thou shalt both have thy skin full of wine and the rest of thy money.

SLIP. I will, sir. Now room for a gentleman, my masters who gives me money for a fair new angel, a trim new angel? [Exeunt.

Enter ANDREW, and PURVEYOR.

PUR. Sirrah, I must needs have your master's horses the king cannot be unserved.

AND. Sirrah, you must needs go without them, because my master must be served.

PUR. Why, I am the king's purveyor, and I tell thee, I will have them.

AND. I am Ateukin's servant, Signior Andrew, and I say, thou shalt not have them.

PUR. Here's my ticket, deny it if thou darest. AND. There is the stable, fetch them out if thou darest.

PUR. Sirrah, sirrah, tame your tongue, lest I make you.

AND. Sirrah, sirrah, hold your hand, lest I bum you.

VOL. II.

I

PUR. I tell thee, thy master's geldings are good, and therefore fit for the king.

AND. I tell thee, my master's horses have galled backs, and therefore cannot fit the king. Purveyor, purveyor, purvey thee of more wit: darest thou presume to wrong my lord Ateukin, being the chiefest man in court?

PUR. The more unhappy commonweal, where flatterers are chief in court.

AND. What sayest thou?

PUR. I say thou art too presumptuous, and the officers shall school thee.

AND. A fig for them and thee, purveyor: they seek a knot in a ring that would wrong my master, or his servants, in this court.

Enter JAQUES.

PUR. The world is at a wise pass, when nobility is afraid of a flatterer.

JAQ. Sirrah, what be you that parley contra monsieur my lord Ateukin? en bonne foi, prate you against Sir Altesse, me maka your tete to leap from your shoulders, par ma foi c'y ferai-je.

AND. O signior captain, you shew yourself a forward and friendly gentleman in my master's behalf: I will cause him to thank you.

JAQ. Poltron, speak me one parola against my bon gentilhomme, I shall estramp your guts, and thump your backa, that you no point manage this

ten ours.

PUR. Sirrah, come open me the stable, and let me have the horses: and, fellow, for all your French brags, I will do my duty.

AND. I'll make garters of thy guts, thou villain, if thou enter this office.

JAQ. Mort dieu, take me that cappa pour votre labeur: be gone, villain, in the mort.

[Exit.