[SCENE 1.]

Enter Dicke Bowyer.

Bow. There is no toyle to this walkinge of the Round. S'hart, I have been stumbling up and downe all this night like a Brewers horse that has ne're a good eye in his head. Tis as darke as Pitch: I can resemble our Campe to nothing better then hell, save that in hell they are always waking and heere the villaynes are as drowsie as swyne. Lieutenant Nod! why you might have shot a double Cannon in his eare and never have wakt him. I jogd and I jogd, I showted and I showted, and yet the mungrel snorted, you might heare him to Dover: at last I dragd him by the heeles into a ditch of water and there left the Lobster crawling. A the tother side, Core being appoynted to stand sentynell upon the Wallounes quarter, s'hart the Loach gets me into a Sutlers bath and there sits mee drinking for Joanes best cap: but by this hand, and as Dicke Bowyer is a Soldier and a Cavaliero, he shall sit in the boults for it to morrow. My comfort is in these extremities that I brought Thomasin to her Ladies Tent, leaving her new-come Lover to picke strawes. But, soft: qui vou la?[130]

Enter Ferdinand.

Ferd. My name is Ferdinand.

Bow. Stand!

Ferd. Why, Captayne, thou dost knowe me well inough.

Bow. Know or not know, without the word you passe not.

Ferd. Soliman.

Bow. So, allie, allie, Monseur.

Ferd. First, tell me, sawest thou Pembrooke come this way?

Bow. I saw him not.

Ferd. Farewell. [Exit.

Bow. As much to you. Zounds, these French think to outface us with a card of ten[131]: but, and his beard were made of brasse, Dicke Bowyer will make him know the discipline of war. Here comes another.

Enter Pembrooke.

Pem. Who's there? Dick Bowyer?

Bow. Some call me so: what then?

Pem. Pembrooke salutes thee.

Bow. O good morrow, my Lord, good morrow.

Pem. I prythee, Captayne, sawst thou Ferdinand, Sonne to Navar, as thou didst walke the round.

Bow. Even now, my Lord, he past along this way.

Pem. Himselfe alone? or had he company?

Bow. Nay, questionlesse, he was alone, my Lord.

Pem. Couldst thou discerne his face? how did he looke?

Bow. Faith, scurvily, my Lord, like a greene cheese or the inside of a rotten Pumpian.[132]

Pem. There is Crownes for thee to drinke. [Exit Pem.

Bow. I thanke your Lordship. To see the difference betweene these French Curres and our English Cavaliers! There's as much bounty in them as there's Marchpane in a dish of Almond butter. I might have stood heere till my teeth chatter in my head e're the tother Launcepresado[133] would have sayd, Here, Captayn Bowyer, there's a Cardicue[134] to wash downe melancholy. But, had I knowne as much, I would have basted him till his bones had rattled in his skin.

Enter Core and other Souldiers bringing in the Clowne.

All. Come, sir, you shall answere your walking before our Captayne.

Clow. Well, sirs, take heed what you doe: I am a Princes man; if you stay me upon the kings hye way I can lay fellowship to your charge.

Core. But, sirra, we can lay Treason to thine for being without the word.

Clow. Without the word! O pernicious Frenchman! without the word! why, I have call'd thee Villayne, him Rascall, this Slave, that Rogue; and am I still without the word.

Core. I, sir, the word that must serve your turne, the Watch-word.

Clow. Fayth, y'are like to watch this twelve moneth ere you have any other words at my hands.

Bow. How now, masters? what calfe are you dragging to the slaughter-house there, ha?

Core. A stragler and a spy, Captayne, I pray examine him.

Bow. So, Lieutenant Core, you are crept from your cups at last: Ile talke with you anon. But, sirra, to you: From whence come you?

Clow. I came, Sir, from the king of Fraunces campe.

Bow. So, what's your name?

Clow. My name, sir, is Bow wow.

Bow. S'hart, what a name's that! the Hedge-hog mocks us. Bow wow, quotha? what kin art thou to the generation of Dogges?

Clow. No dog, sir: would you should know it, though I be encompast with curres.

Bow. Zounds, he calls us curres! hang the hotch-potch up in a fathom or two of match.

Clow. Not you, sir; I call not you so. I know you to be a very insufficient ill-spoken Gentleman.

Bow. Well, sirra, whom do you serve?

Clow. My master, sir, is the Lady Catherine, the French king's daughter. I have bin abroad about some businesse of hers, and am now going backe againe.

Bow. An honorable Lady, sir. Let him goe; tis against the law of armes to stay him.

Clow. Stand of. But, soft; I doe not know your name, sir, that my Lady may give you thanks.

Bow. My name's Dick Bowyer.

Clow. Then, master Dicke Bowyer, after my heartie commendations, adue! but as for the rest I shall, I say no more, I shall. [Exit.

Bow. How now, Core? how can you answer your being a tippling when you should stand Sentinel?

Core. Beleeve me, Captayne, I had but a whiffe or two; for I was passing dry.

Bow. Thou art alwayes dry: the whorson Maultworm has a throat like the burning Clyme or a Glassemakers Furnace. But your remove from thence has sav'd you from the boults. How now? what Water-Spanyell have we heere?

Enter Nod.

Core. Tis Lieutenant Nod.

Nod. Captayne, deride me not. I protest I came by this mischaunce by good service, by following a spy that came to discover our army.

Bow. O notable Rogue! did not I find thee asleepe and threw thee into a ditch?

Nod. Was't you? by this light, I took you for a spy.

Bow. Yet saw me not no more then a Molewarp. This is an egregious Rogue.

Nod. Yes, I saw you well ynough and I did but try how you would use me.

Bow. By this flesh and bloud many one that lyes in his grave was not halfe so sencelesse. But the Watch breakes up: every one to his quarter, away!

[Exeunt.