English drama -- Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600
_Bow_. An honorable Lady, sir. Let him goe; tis against the law of armes
to stay him.
_Clow_. Stand of. But, soft; I doe not know your name, sir, that my Lady
may give you thanks.
_Bow_. My name's Dick Bowyer.
_Clow_. Then, master Dicke Bowyer, after my heartie commendations, adue!
but as for the rest I shall, I say no more, I shall. [_Exit_.
_Bow_. How now, Core? how can you answer your being a tippling when you
should stand Sentinel?
_Core_. Beleeve me, Captayne, I had but a whiffe or two; for I was
passing dry.
_Bow_. Thou art alwayes dry: the whorson Maultworm has a throat like the
burning Clyme or a Glassemakers Furnace. But your remove from thence has
sav'd you from the boults. How now? what Water-Spanyell have we heere?
_Enter Nod_.
_Core_. Tis Lieutenant Nod.
_Nod_. Captayne, deride me not. I protest I came by this mischaunce by
good service, by following a spy that came to discover our army.
_Bow_. O notable Rogue! did not I find thee asleepe and threw thee into
a ditch?
_Nod_. Was't you? by this light, I took you for a spy.
_Bow_. Yet saw me not no more then a Molewarp. This is an egregious
Rogue.
_Nod_. Yes, I saw you well ynough and I did but try how you would
use me.
_Bow_. By this flesh and bloud many one that lyes in his grave was not
halfe so sencelesse. But the Watch breakes up: every one to his quarter,
away!
[_Exeunt_.
[SCENE 2.]
_Enter Clowne_.
_Clow_. Tis true, they are gone together, and I am sent to watch Prince
Ferdinand and the Earle of Pembrooke. This way they went, but they are
got out of sight. I were very bad to be a hound, that have no better a
sent. If they were hares as they are men, I should think them squatted.
But, husht! here comes one of them.
_Enter Ferdinand_.
_Ferd_. The morne lookes red, red mornes doe threat a storme;
That storme shall light on Pembrooke or my selfe.
This is our meeting place; here runnes the streame
That parts our camps; the time consorts the place;
And (Pembrooke) if thy reputation hold,
It is thy q. to enter.
_Enter Pembrooke_.
_Clow_. Heere comes the tother; this is lucke upon lucke. Now will I run
and fetch my mistris the Lady Katharine to part their fray. [_Exit_.
_Pem_. Good end succeed my early heavynesse!
Three times my feet, as loth to guide me hither,
Have stumbled in a playne and even way.
My sword forsooke his scabbard once or twice;
Bloud from my nostrills thrice hath spowted forth,
And such a dymnesse overrunnes my sight
That I have tane a tree to bee a man
And question'd with it about serious things.
This is the place where I must meet my friend:
Yonder he stands.--Good morrow, Ferdinand.
_Ferd_. Good morrow to thy death. Draw, Pembrooke, draw,
The ground thou treadst upon must be thy grave.
_Pem_. Draw upon Ferdinand?
_Ferd_. I, upon me.
Dally not, Pembrooke; I am bent to fight
And that with thee for the best blood thou bearst.
_Pem_. You have some reason for this resolution.
_Ferd_. My will.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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