ARCITE.
Pray, sit downe then; and let me entreate you,
By all the honesty and honour in you,
No mention of this woman: t’will disturbe us;
We shall have time enough.
PALAMON.
Well, Sir, Ile pledge you.
ARCITE.
Drinke a good hearty draught; it breeds good blood, man.
Doe not you feele it thaw you?
PALAMON.
Stay, Ile tell you after a draught or two more.
ARCITE.
Spare it not, the Duke has more, Cuz: Eate now.
PALAMON.
Yes.
ARCITE.
I am glad you have so good a stomach.
PALAMON.
I am gladder I have so good meate too’t.
ARCITE.
Is’t not mad lodging here in the wild woods, Cosen?
PALAMON.
Yes, for them that have wilde Consciences.
ARCITE.
How tasts your vittails? your hunger needs no sawce, I see.
PALAMON.
Not much;
But if it did, yours is too tart, sweete Cosen: what is this?
ARCITE.
Venison.
PALAMON.
Tis a lusty meate:
Giue me more wine; here, Arcite, to the wenches
We have known in our daies. The Lord Stewards daughter,
Doe you remember her?
ARCITE.
After you, Cuz.
PALAMON.
She lov’d a black-haird man.
ARCITE.
She did so; well, Sir.
PALAMON.
And I have heard some call him Arcite, and—
ARCITE.
Out with’t, faith.
PALAMON.
She met him in an Arbour:
What did she there, Cuz? play o’th virginals?
ARCITE.
Something she did, Sir.
PALAMON.
Made her groane a moneth for’t, or 2. or 3. or 10.
ARCITE.
The Marshals Sister
Had her share too, as I remember, Cosen,
Else there be tales abroade; you’l pledge her?
PALAMON.
Yes.
ARCITE.
A pretty broune wench t’is. There was a time
When yong men went a hunting, and a wood,
And a broade Beech: and thereby hangs a tale:—heigh ho!
PALAMON.
For Emily, upon my life! Foole,
Away with this straind mirth; I say againe,
That sigh was breathd for Emily; base Cosen,
Dar’st thou breake first?
ARCITE.
You are wide.
PALAMON.
By heaven and earth, ther’s nothing in thee honest.
ARCITE.
Then Ile leave you: you are a Beast now.
PALAMON.
As thou makst me, Traytour.
ARCITE.
Ther’s all things needfull, files and shirts, and perfumes:
Ile come againe some two howres hence, and bring
That that shall quiet all,
PALAMON.
A Sword and Armour?
ARCITE.
Feare me not; you are now too fowle; farewell.
Get off your Trinkets; you shall want nought.
PALAMON.
Sir, ha—
ARCITE.
Ile heare no more. [Exit.]
PALAMON.
If he keepe touch, he dies for’t. [Exit.]
Scaena 4. (Another part of the forest.)
[Enter Iaylors daughter.]
DAUGHTER.
I am very cold, and all the Stars are out too,
The little Stars, and all, that looke like aglets:
The Sun has seene my Folly. Palamon!
Alas no; hees in heaven. Where am I now?
Yonder’s the sea, and ther’s a Ship; how’t tumbles!
And ther’s a Rocke lies watching under water;
Now, now, it beates upon it; now, now, now,
Ther’s a leak sprung, a sound one, how they cry!
Spoon her before the winde, you’l loose all els:
Vp with a course or two, and take about, Boyes.
Good night, good night, y’ar gone.—I am very hungry.
Would I could finde a fine Frog; he would tell me
Newes from all parts o’th world, then would I make
A Carecke of a Cockle shell, and sayle
By east and North East to the King of Pigmes,
For he tels fortunes rarely. Now my Father,
Twenty to one, is trust up in a trice
To morrow morning; Ile say never a word.
[Sing.]
For ile cut my greene coat a foote above my knee, And ile clip my yellow lockes an inch below mine eie. hey, nonny, nonny, nonny, He’s buy me a white Cut, forth for to ride And ile goe seeke him, throw the world that is so wide hey nonny, nonny, nonny.
O for a pricke now like a Nightingale,
To put my breast against. I shall sleepe like a Top else.
[Exit.]
Scaena 5. (Another part of the forest.)
[Enter a Schoole master, 4. Countrymen, and Bavian. 2. or 3. wenches, with a Taborer.]
SCHOOLMASTER.
Fy, fy, what tediosity, & disensanity is here among ye? have my Rudiments bin labourd so long with ye? milkd unto ye, and by a figure even the very plumbroth & marrow of my understanding laid upon ye? and do you still cry: where, and how, & wherfore? you most course freeze capacities, ye jane Iudgements, have I saide: thus let be, and there let be, and then let be, and no man understand mee? Proh deum, medius fidius, ye are all dunces! For why, here stand I, Here the Duke comes, there are you close in the Thicket; the Duke appeares, I meete him and unto him I utter learned things and many figures; he heares,