My felf wil warrant ful fo much, I know the abbots store,
Ile pawn my life there is no leffe, to haue what ere is more.
Phil. I take thy word, the ouerplus vnto thy fhare shal

come,

But if there want of full fo much, thy necke fhall pay the fumme.

Breake vp the coffer, frier.

Frier. Oh I am vndone, faire Alice the nunne

Hath tooke vp her reft in the abbots cheft.

Sancte benedicite, pardon my fimplicitie.

Fie Alice, confeffion will not falue this tranfgreffion.

Philip. What haue we here, a holy nunne? fo keepe me God in health,

A smooth facde nunne (for aught I know) is al the abbots wealth.

Is this the nunries chaftitie?

Befhrew me but I thinke

They go as oft to venery as niggards to their drinke.
Why paltry frier and pandar too, yee fhamelesse shauen

crowne,

Is this the cheft that held a hoord,

at leaft a thousand pound?

And is the hoord a holy whore?

well, be the hangman nimble, Hee'l take the paine to pay you home, and teach you to dissemble.. Nunne. O fpare the frier Anthony, a better neuer was

To fing a dirige folemnely,

or reade a morning masse.

If money be the meanes of this,

I know an ancient nunne,

That

That hath a hoord these feuen yeeres,
did neuer fee the funne;

And that is yours, and what is ours,
fo fauour now be showne,
You fhall commaund as commonly,
as if it were your owne.
Frier. Your honour excepted.
Nunne. I Thomas, I meane fo.
Philip. From all faue from friers.

Nunne. Good fir, doe not thinke fo.
Philip. I thinke and fee fo:

Why how camft thou here?

Frier. To hide her from lay men.

Nunne. Tis true fir, for feare.

Philip. For feare of the laitie: a pitiful dred When a nunne flies for fuccour to a fat friers bed. But now for your ranfome my cloyfter-bred conney, To the cheft that you spoke of where lies fo much mony. Nun. Faire fir, within this preffe, of plate and mony is The valew of a thousand markes, and other thing by gis. Let vs alone, and take it all, tis yours fir, now you know it. Phi. Come on fir frier, picke the locke, this geere doth cotton hanfome,

That couetoufneffe fo cunningly must pay the lechers ranfome. What is in the hoord ?

Frier. Frier Laurence my lord, now holy water helpe vs, Some witch or some diuell is fent to delude vs :

Hand credo Laurentius, that thou shouldst be pend thus
In the preffe of a nunne we are all vndone,

And brought to discredence if thou be frier Laurence.
Frier. Amor vincit omnia, fo Cato affirmeth,
And therefore a frier whofe fancie foon burneth,
Because he is mortall and made of mould,

He omits what he ought, and doth more than he should.

Q4

Philip.

Philip. How goes this geere? the friers cheft filld with a

faufen nunne.

The nunne again lockes frier vp,

to keepe him from the funne. Belike the preffe is purgatorie,

or penance paffing grieuous : The friers cheft a hell for nunnes !

how doe these dolts deceiue vs ?

Is this the labour of their liues, to feede and liue at ease?
To reuell so lafciuiously as often as they please.

Ile mend the fault or fault my aime,

if I doe miffe amending,

Tis better burne the cloysters downe,

than leaue them for offending.

But holy you, to you I speake,

to you religious diuell,

Is this the preffe that holds the fumme, to quit you for your euill?

Nun. I crie peccaui, parce me,

good fir I was beguil'd.

Fr. Abfolue fir for charitie,

fhee would bee reconcil'd.

Phil. And fo I fhall, firs bind them fast,

This is their abfolution,

goe hang them vp for hurting them, Hafte them to execution.

Fr. Laurence. O tempus edax rerum,
Giue children bookes they teare them.
O vanitas vanitatis, in this waning ætatis,
At threefcore welneere, to goe to this geere,
To my confcience a clog, to die like a dog.
Exaudi me domine, fiuis me parce
Dabo pecuniam, fi habeo veniam.

Το

To goe and fetch it, I will dispatch it,

A hundred pound fterling, for my liues fparing.

Enter Peter a prophet, with people.

Pet. Hoe, who is here? S. Francis be your speed, Come in my flocke, and follow me,

your fortunes I will reed.

Come hither boy, goe get thee home,

and clime not ouer hie,

For from aloft thy fortune stands, in hazard thou shalt die. Boy God be with you Peter, I pray you come to our houfe a Sunday.

Pet. My boy fhew me thy hand, blesse thee my boy, For in thy palme I fee a many troubles are ybent to dwel, But thou fhalt fcape them all, and doe full well.

Boy. I thanke you Peter, theres a cheese for your labor : my fifter prayes yee to come home, and tell her how many husbands she shall haue, and fhee'l giue you a rib of bacon.

Peter. My mafters, stay at the townes end for me. Ile come to you all anone: I must dispatch some bufines with a frier, and then Ile reade your fortunes.

Philip. How now, a prophet! fir prophet whence are ye? Peter. I am of the world and in the world, but liue not as others, by the world: what I am I know, and what thou wilt be I know. If thou knoweft me now, be answered: if not, enquire no more what I am.

Phil. Sir, I know you will be a diffembling knaue, that deludes the people with blinde prophecies: you are hee I look for, you shal away with me: bring away all the rable, and yon frier Laurence, remember your raunfome a hundred pound, and a pardon for your felfe, and the reft; come on fir prophet, you shall with me, to receive a prophets rewarde.

Exeunt.

Enter

Enter Hubert de Burgh with three men.

Hubert. My mafters, I haue fhewed you what warrant I haue for this attempt; I perceiue by your heauy countenances, you had rather be otherwife imployed, and for my owne part, I would the king had made choice of fome other executioner: only this is my comfort, that a king commaunds, whofe precepts neglected or omitted, threatneth torture for the default: therefore in briefe, leaue me, and be ready to attend the aduenture: ftay within that entry, and when you heare me crie, God faue the king, iffue fodainely forth, lay hands on Arthur, fet him in his chaire, wherein (once faft bound) leaue him with me to finish the rest.

Attendants. We goe, though loath.

Exeunt.

Hubert. My lord, will it please your honor to take the benefit of the faire euening?

Enter Arthur to Hubert de Burgh.

Arthur. Gramercie Hubert for thy care of me,
In or to whom restraint is newly knowne,
The joy of walking is fmall benefit,
Yet will I take thy offer with fmall thanks,
I would not loofe the pleasure of the eie.
But tell me curteous keeper if thou can,
How long the king will haue me tarrie heere.

Hubert. I know not prince, but as I geffe, not long.

God fend you freedome, and God faue the king.

They iffue forth.

Arthur. Why how now firs, what may this outrage meane?

O helpe me Hubert, gentle keeper help:
God fend this fodaine mutinous approach

Tend not to reaue a wretched guiltles life.

Hubert. So firs, depart, and leaue the reft for me.

Arth.