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father was,

      Himself is valued gentle by his worth.

      MOSBIE

      Ah, how you women can insinuate,

      And clear a trespass with your sweet set tongue!

      I will forget this quarrel, gentle Alice,

      Provided I’ll be tempted so no more.

      (here enters BRADSHAW

      ALICE

      Then with thy lips seal up this new made match.

      MOSBIE

      Soft, Alice, here comes some body.

      ALICE

      How now, Bradshaw, what’s the news with you?

      BRADSHAW

      I have little news, but here’s a letter

      That master Greene importuned me to give you.

      ALICE

      Go in, Bradshaw; call for a cup of beer; (Exit.

      ‘tis almost supper time, thou shalt stay with us.

      (then she reads the letter.

      “We have missed of our purpose at London but shall perform

      It by the way. We thank our neighbor BRADSHAW

      Yours, Richard GREENE

      How likes my love the tenor of this letter?

      MOSBIE

      Well, were his date completed and expired.

      ALICE

      Ah, would it were!

      Then comes my happy hour:

      Till then my bliss is mixed with bitter gall.

      Come, let us in to shun suspicion.

      (here Enter Greene, Will, and SHAKEBAG

      SHAKEBAG

      Come, Will, see thy tools be in a readiness!

      Is not thy powder dank,

      Or will thy flint strike fire?

      WILL

      Then ask me if my nose be on my face,

      Than e’er thou handledst pistols in thy life.

      SHAKEBAG

      Ay, haply thou has picked more in a throng:

      But should I brag what booties I have took,

      I think the overplus that’s more than thine

      Would mount to a greater sum of money

      Than either thou or all thy kin are worth.

      Zounds, I hate them as I hate a toad

      That carry a muscado in their tongue,

      And scarce a hurting weapon in their hand.

      WILL

      O Greene intolerable!

      It is not for mine honor to bear this.

      Why, Shakebag, I did serve the king at boulogne

      And thou canst brag of nothing that thou hast done.

      SHAKEBAG

      Why, so can jack of feversham,

      That sounded for a fillip on the nose,

      When he that gave it him hollowed in his ear,

      And he supposed a cannon bullet hit him.

      (then they fight.

      GREENE

      I pray you, sirs, list to aesop’s talk:

      Whilst two stout dogs were striving for a bone,

      There comes a cur and stole it from them both;

      So, while you stand striving on these terms of manhood,

      Arden escapes us, and deceives us all.

      SHAKEBAG

      Why, he begun.

      WILL

      And thou shalt find I’ll end.

      I do but slip it until better time.

      GREENE

      Well, take your fittest standings, and once more

      Lime well your twigs to catch this wary bird.

      I’ll leave you, and at your dag’s discharge

      Make towards like the longing water dog,

      That coucheth till the fowling piece be off,

      Then seizeth on the prey with eager mood.

      Ah, might I see him stretching forth his limbs,

      As I have seen them beat their wings ere now!

      SHAKEBAG

      Why that thou shalt see if he come this way.

      GREENE

      Yes, that he doth, Shakebag, I warrant thee:

      But, sirs, be sure to speed him when he comes,

      And in that hope I’ll leave you for an hour. (Exit GREENE

      (here Enter Arden, Franklin, and MICHAEL

      MICHAEL

      ‘twere best that I went back to rochester:

      The horse halts down right; it were not good

      He travelled in such pain to feversham;

      Removing of a shoe may haply help it.

      ARDEN

      Well, get you back to rochester; but sirrah see ye

      O’ertake us ere we come to rainham down,

      For it will be very late ere we get home.

      MICHAEL

      Ay, god he knows, and so doth Will end Shakebag

      That thou shalt never go further than that down;

      And therefore have I pricked the horse on purpose

      Because I would not view the massacre. (Exit MICHAEL

      ARDEN

      Come, master Franklin, onwards with your tale.

      FRANKLIN

      I do assure you, sir, you task me much:

      A heavy blood is gathered at my heart,

      And on the sudden is my wind so short

      As hindereth the passage of my speech;

      So fierce a qualm yet ne’er assailed me.

      ARDEN

      Come, master Franklin, let us go on softly:

      The annoyance of the dust or else some meat

      You ate at dinner cannot brook with you.

      I have been often so, and soon amended.

      FRANKLIN

      Do you remember where my tale did leave?

      ARDEN

      Ay, where the gentleman did check his wife.

      FRANKLIN

      She being reprehended for the fact,

      Witness produced that took her with the deed,

      Her glove brought in which there she left behind,

      And many other assured arguments,

      Her husband asked her whether it were not so.

      ARDEN

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