Act 3 — SCENE II.[588]
Reading edition
SCENE II.[588]
Combe Park.
Enter Pursenet with a scarf over his face, and Boy.
Pur. Boy.
Boy. Sir?
265Pur. Walk my horse behind yon thicket; give a word if you descry.
Boy. I have all perfect, sir. [Exit.
Pur. So; he cannot now be long. What with my boy’s dexterity at ordinaries, and my gelding’s celerity over hedge and ditch, but we make pretty shift to rub out a gallant; for I have learnt these principles:
Stoop thou to th’ world, ’twill on thy bosom tread;
It stoops to thee, if thou advance thy head.
The mind being far more excellent than fate,
’Tis fit our mind then be above our state.
Why should I write my extremities in my brow,
To make them loathe me that respect me now?
If every man were in his courses known,
Legs that now honour him might spurn him down.
To conclude, nothing seems as it is but honesty, and that makes it so little regarded amongst us.
Boy [within]. Ela, ha, ho!
Pur. The boy?
He’s hard at hand; I’ll cross him suddenly:
And here he comes.—
Enter Tailby.
Stand!
Tai. Ha!
Pur. Deliver your purse, sir.
Tai. I feared none but this place, i’faith; nay, when my mind gives me a thing once——
Pur. Quick, quick, sir, quick; I must despatch three robberies yet ere night.
Tai. I’m glad you have such good doings, by my troth, sir.
Pur. You’ll fare ne’er[589] a whit the better for your flattery,
I warrant you, sir.
266Tai. I speak sincerely; ’tis pity such a proper-parted gentleman should want; nor shall you, as long as I have’t about me. [Pursenet rifles his pockets.] Nay, search and spare not: there’s a purse in my left pocket, as I take it, with fifteen pound in gold in’t, and there’s a fair chain of pearl in the other: nay, I’ll deal truly with you; it grieves me, i’faith, when I see such goodly men in distress; I’ll rather want it myself than they should go without it.
Pur. And that shews a good nature, sir.
Tai. Nay, though I say it, I have been always accounted a man of a good nature; I might have hanged myself ere this time else. Pray, use me like a gentleman; take all, but injury[590] not my body.
Pur. You must pardon me, sir;
I must a little play the usurer,
And bind you, for mine own security.
Tai. Alas, there’s no conscience in that, sir! shall I enter into bond and pay money too?
Pur. Tut, I must not be betrayed.
Tai. Hear me but what I say, sir; I do protest I would not be he that should betray a man, to be prince of the world.
Pur. Mass, that’s the devil,—I thank you heartily,—
For he’s call’d prince a’ th’ world.
Tai. You take me still at worst.
Pur. Swear on this sword, then,
To set spurs to your horse, not to look back,
To give no marks to any passenger.
Tai. Marks?[591] why, I think you have left me ne’er a penny, sir.
267Pur. I mean, no marks of any.[592]
Tai. I understand you, sir.
Pur. Swear then.
Tai. I’faith, I do, sir.
Pur. Away!
Tai. I’m gone, sir.—By my troth, of a fierce thief he seems to be a very honest gentleman.
[Exit.
Pur. Why, this was well adventur’d, trim a gallant!
Now, with a covetous[593] and long-thirsting eye,
Let me behold my purchase,[594]
And try the soundness of my bones with laughter.
How? is not this the chain of pearl I gave
To that perjurèd harlot? ’tis, ’sfoot, ’tis,
The very chain!—O damnèd mistress!—Ha!
And this the purse which, not five days before,
I sent her fill’d with fair spur-royals?[595] Heart,
The very gold! ’Slife, is this no robbery?
How many oaths flew toward heaven,
Which ne’er came half-way thither, but, like fire-drakes,[596]
Mounted a little, gave a crack, and fell:
Feign’d oaths bound up to sink more deep to hell.
What folded paper’s this? death, ’tis her hand!
[reads] Master Tailby, you know with what affection I love you. You do? I count the world but as my prey to maintain you. The more dissembling quean you, I must tell you. I have sent you an embroidered purse here with fifty fair spur-royals in’t. A pox on you for your labour, wench! And I desire you of all loves to keep that chain of pearl from 268master Pursenet’s sight. He cannot, strumpet; I behold it now, unto thy[597] secret torture. So fare thee well, but be constant and want nothing—as long as I ha’t, i’faith! methinks it should have gone so. Well, what a horrible age do we live in, that a man cannot have a quean to himself! let him but turn his back, the best of her is chipt away like a court loaf, that when a man comes himself, has nothing but bumbast; and these are two simple chippings here. Does my boy pick and I steal to enrich myself, to keep her, to maintain him? why, this is right the sequence of the world. A lord maintains her, she maintains a knight, he maintains a whore, she maintains a captain. So in like manner the pocket keeps my boy, he keeps me, I keep her, she keeps him; it runs like quicksilver from one to another. ’Sfoot, I perceive I have been the chief upholder of this gallant all this while: it appears true, we that pay dearest for our pasture[598] are ever likely worse used. ’Sfoot, he has a nag can run for nothing, has his choice, nay, and gets by the running of her.[599] O fine world, strange devils, and pretty damnable affections!
Boy [within]. Lela, ha, ho!
Pur. There, boy, again; what news there?
Re-enter Boy.
Boy. Master, hist,[600] master!
Pur. How now, boy?
Boy. I have descried a prize.
Pur. Another, lad?
Boy. The gull, the scholar.
Pur. Master Bouser?
Boy. Ay; comes along this way.
269Pur. Without company?
Boy. As sure as he is your own.
Pur. Back to thy place, boy. [Exit Boy.
I have the luck to-day to rob in safety;
Two precious cowards! Whist; I hear him.—
Enter Fitsgrave.
Stand!
Fit. You lie; I came forth to go.
Pur. Deliver your purse.
Fit. ’Tis better in my pocket.
Pur. How now? at disputations, signior fool?
Fit. I’ve so much logic to confute a knave,
A thief, a rogue!
[Attacks and strikes Pursenet down.
Pur. Hold, hold, sir, and[601] you be a gentleman, hold! let me rise.
Fit. Heart!
’Tis the courtesy of his scarf unmask’d him to me
Above the lip by chance: I’ll counterfeit. [Aside.
Light! because I am a scholar, you think belike that scholars have no metal in ’em, but you shall find,—I have not done with you, cousin.
Pur. As you’re a gentleman!
Fit. As you’re a rogue!
Pur. Keep on upon your way, sir.
Fit. You bade me stand——
Pur. I have been once down for that.
Fit. And then deliver.
Pur. Deliver me from you, sir!—O, pax[602] on’t, has wounded me!—Ela, ha, ho! my horse, my horse, boy! [Exit.
Fit. Have you your boy so ready? O thou world,
How art thou muffled in deceitful forms!
270There’s such a mist of these, and still hath been,
The brightness of true gentry is scarce seen.
This journey was most happily assign’d;
I’ve[603] found him dross both in his means and mind.
What paper’s this he dropt? I’ll look on’t as I go.
[Exit.