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Arden, Dick Greene and I do mean to sup with you.

      ALICE

      And welcome shall you be. Ah, gentlemen,

      How missed you of your purpose yesternight?

      GREENE

      ‘twas ‘long of Shakebag, that unlucky villain.

      SHAKEBAG

      Thou dost me wrong; I did as much as any.

      WILL

      Nay then, mistress Alice, I’ll tell you how it was:

      When he should have locked with both his hilts,

      He in a bravery flourished o’er his head;

      With that comes Franklin at him lustily,

      And hurts the slave; with that he slinks away.

      Now his way had been to have come hand and feet,

      One and two round, at his costard.

      He like a fool bears his sword point half a yard out

      Of danger. I lie here for my life

      If the devil come, and he have no more strength than fence

      He shall never beat me from this ward,

      I’ll stand to it; a buckler in a skilful hand

      Is as good as a castle;

      Nay, ‘tis better than a sconce, for I have tried it.

      Mosbie perceiving this, began to faint.

      With that comes Arden with his arming sword,

      And thrust him through the shoulder in a trice.

      ALICE

      Ay, but I wonder why you both stood still.

      Sweet Mosbie, hide thy arm, it kills my heart.

      MOSBIE

      Ay, mistress Arden, this is your favor.

      ALICE

      Ah say not so for when I saw thee hurt,

      I could have took the weapon thou let’st fall,

      And run at Arden; for I have sworn

      That these mine eyes, offended with his sight,

      Shall never close till Arden’s be shut up.

      This night I rose and walked about the chamber,

      And twice or thrice I thought to have murdered him.

      MOSBIE

      What, in the night? Then had we been undone.

      ALICE

      Why, how long shall he live?

      MOSBIE

      Faith, Alice, no longer than this night. -

      Black Will and Shakebag, Will you two

      Perform the complot that I have laid?

      WILL

      Ay, or else think me a villain.

      GREENE

      And rather than you shall want,

      I’ll help my self.

      MOSBIE

      You, master Greene, shall single Franklin forth,

      And hold him with a long tale of strange news,

      That he may not come home till suppertime.

      I’ll fetch master Arden home, and we like friends

      Will play a game or two at tables here.

      ALICE

      But what of all this?

      How shall he be slain?

      MOSBIE

      Why, Black Will and Shakebag lock’d within the countinghouse

      Shall at a certain watchword given rush forth.

      WILL

      What shall the watchword be?

      MOSBIE

      ‘now I take you’; that shall be the word.

      But come not forth before in any case.

      WILL

      I warrant you. But who shall lock me in?

      ALICE

      That will I do; thou’lt keep the key thy self.

      MOSBIE

      Come, master Greene, go you along with me.

      See all things ready, Alice, against we come.

      ALICE

      Take no care for that; send you him home.

      (Exeunt Mosbie and GREENE

      And if he e’er go forth again, blame me.

      Come, Black Will, that in mine eyes art fair;

      Next unto Mosbie do I honor thee;

      Instead of fair words and large promises

      My hands shall play you golden harmony:

      WILL

      Ay, and that bravely, too, mark my device.

      Place Mosbie, being a stranger, in a chair,

      And let your husband sit upon a stool,

      That I may come behind him cunningly,

      And with a towel pull him to the ground,

      Then stab him till his flesh be as a sieve;

      That done, bear him behind the abbey,

      That those that find him murdered may suppose

      Some slave or other killed him for his gold.

      ALICE

      A fine device! You shall have twenty pouhd,

      And, when he is dead, you shall have forty more,

      And, lest you might be suspected staying here,

      Michael shall saddle you two lusty geldings;

      Ride whither you will, to scotland, or to wales,

      I’ll see you shall not lack, where’er you be.

      WILL

      Such words would make one kill a thousand men.

      Give me the key; which is the countinghouse?

      ALICE

      Here would I stay and still encourage you;

      But that I know how resolute you are.

      SHAKEBAG

      Tush, you are too faint hearted; we must do it.

      ALICE

      But Mosbie will be there, whose very looks

      Will add unwonted courage to my thought,

      And make me the first that shall adventure on him.

      WILL

      Tush, get you gone; ‘tis we must do the deed.

      When this door opens next, look for his death.

      ALICE

      Ah, would he now were here that it might open.

      I shall no more be closed in Arden’s arms,

      That like the snakes of black tisiphone

      Sting me with their embracings. Mosbie’s arms

      Shall compass me, and, were I made a star,

      I would have none other spheres but those.

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