[SCENE V.]

Enter Falleria, Sostrata, Allenso, Pertillo, and two Murtherers booted.

Fall. Now little cooze, you are content to goe, From me your Unckle and your loving Aunt, Your faithfull cozen, and your dearest friendes: And all to come to be a skilfull man, In learned artes and happy sciences?

Per, I am content, because it pleaseth you. My father bid I should obey your will, And yeelde my selfe to your discretion: Besides my cozen gave me yesternight, A prettie nag to ride to Padua. Of all my friends Allenso loves me best.

Fall. I thinke thou art inspir'd with prophesie: [To the people. He loves thee better then I would he did.— Why, wherefore think you so, my prettie Nephew?

Per. Because he taught me how to say my prayers, To ride a horse, to start the fearfull hare. He gave this dagger to me yester night, This little Ring, and many pretie things; For which, kind cooze, I rest your true debtor, And one day I will make you recompence.

Fall. I, with thy lands and goods thou leav'st behinde.

Allen. Pray, father, let me go along with him.— Now, by the Saviour of my sinfull soule, [To the people. I do not like those fellowes countenance.

Fall. Sonne be content, weele go a seavenight hence, And see him in his universitie weedes. These will conduct him safely to the place; Be well assured they'l have a care of him— That you shall never see Pertillo more. [To the people.

Allen. Father, I pray you to withdraw your selfe, Ide have a word or two in secresie.

[They speake together.

Sost. Come living image of thy dead mother, And take my loving farewell, ere we part. I love thee dearly for thy fathers sake, But for thy mothers dote with jealousie. Oh I do feare, before I see thy face, Or thou or I shall taste of bitternesse. Kisse me, sweete boy, and, kissing, folde thine Aunte Within the circle of thy little armes. I neede not feare, death cannot offer wrong; The majestie of thy presaging face, Would vanquish him, though nere so terrible. The angry Lionesse that is bereav'd Of her imperious crew of forrest kings, Would leave her furie, and defend thee safe From Wolves, from Panthers, Leopards, and Shee Beares, That live by rapine, stealth and crueltie. Therefore to God I do commend thy state, Who will be sure to guard thee tenderly. And now to you, that carry hence this wealth, This precious Jewell, this unprized good, Have a regarde to use him carefully, When he is parted from that serious care, Which was imployde for his securitie. I urge it not, that I misdoubt your truth; I hope his Unckle doth perswade himselfe You will be courteous, kinde, and affable. Ther's some rewarde for hoped carefulnesse.

Allen. Now by my soule I do suspect the men, Especially the lower of the two: See, what a hollow discontented looke He casts, which brings apparant cause of feare: The other, though he seeme more courteous, Yet dooth his lookes presadge this thought in me. As if he scorn'd to thinke on courtesie.

Fall. Upon my life, my sonne you are to blame, The gentlemen are honest, vertuous, And will protect Pertillo happily. These thoughts proceed out of aboundant love, Because you grieve to leave his company. If ought betide him otherwise then well, Let God require due vengaunce on my head, And cut my hopes from all prosperitie.

Allen. A heavie sentence, full of wondrous feare: I cannot choose but credit such a vowe. Come hether then, my joy, my chiefest hopes, My second selfe, my earthly happinesse, Lend me thy little prety cherry lip, To kisse me, cozen; lay thy little hand Upon my cheeke, and hug me tenderly. Would the cleere rayes of thy two glorious sunnes Could penetrate the corners of my heart, That thou might see how much I tender thee. My friends, beholde, within this little bulke Two perfect bodyes are incorporate; His life holdes mine, his heart conteines my hart, His every lim containes my every part; Without his being I can never be, He being dead, prepare to bury me. Oh thou immortall mover of the spheares Within their circled revolusions, Whose glorious image this small orphant beares, Wrought by thy all-sufficient majestie, Oh never suffer any wicked hand To harme this heavenly workmanship of thine, But let him live, great God, to honor thee With vertuous life and spotlesse pietie!

Per. Cease, my kind cooze; I cannot choose but weepe, To see your care of my securitie.

Allen.—Knewst thou my reason, that perswades my hart, Thou wouldst not wonder, why I grieve to part: But yet I would suspect my fathers vowe, Did any other make it by your leave.

Fall. What have you done? this lothnesse to depart, Seemes you were trained up in tediousnesse, Thou knowst not when and where to make an end. Take him my friends, I know you will discharge The hope and trust that I repose in you.

Both. Assure your selfe, in every circumstance.

Fall. Then to your horses quicklie, speedily, Else we shall put our fingers in the eye, And weepe for kindnesse till tomorrow morne.

Per. Farewell good Unckle, Aunt, and loving cooze.

[Sostratus [sic] kisseth the boy weeping.

Allen. Farewell.—I fear me everlastinglie.

[Exeunt Sostratus and Allenso.

[One of the Murtherers takes Falleria by the sleeve.

1 mu. You meane not now to have him murthered?

Fall. Not murthered, what else? kill him, I say: But wherefore makes thou question of my will?

Mur. Because you wisht that God should be revenged, If any ill betide the innocent.

Fall. Oh that was nothing but to blind the eyes Of my fond sonne, which loves him too too well.

Mer. It is enough, it shall be surely done.

[Exeunt om.