English drama -- Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600
_Cow_. Still in your dumpes, good _Harry_? yet at last,
Utter your motive of this heavinesse.
Why go you not unto your maisters house?
What, are you parted? if that be the cause,
I will provide you of a better place.
_Wil_. Who roves all day, at length may hit the marke;
That is the cause,--because I cannot stay
With him whose love is dearer then my life.
_Cow_. Why fell you out? why did you part so soone?
_Wil_. We fell not out, but feare hath parted us.
_Cow_. What, did he feare your truth or honest life?
_Wil_. No, no, your understanding is but dimme,
That farre-remooved cannot iudge the feare.
We both were fearefull, and we both did part,
Because indeed we both were timerous.
_Cow_. What accident begot your mutuall feare?
_Wil_. That which my hart hath promis'd to conceale.
_Cow_. Why, now you fall into your auncient vaine.
_Wil_. Tis vaine to urge me from this silent vaine;
I will conceale it, though it breed my paine.
_Cow_. It seemes to be a thing of consequence,
And therefore prithie, _Harry_, for my love,
Open this close fast-clasped mysterie.
_Wil_. Were I assur'd my hart should have release
Of secret torment and distemperature,
I would reveale it to you specially
Whom I have found my faithfull favorite.
_Cow_. Good _Harrie Williams_, make no doubt of that;
Besides your griefe reveald may have reliefe,
Beyond your present expectation.
Then tell it, _Harry_, what soere it be,
And ease your hart of horror, me of doubt.
_Wil_. Then have you heard of _Beech_ of _Lambert Hill_,
And of his boy which late were murthered?
_Cow_. I heard, and sawe their mangled carcases.
_Will_. But have you heard of them that murthered them?
_Cow_. No, would I had, for then Ide blaze their shame,
And make them pay due penance for their sinne.
_Wil_. This I misdoubted, therefore will forbeare
To utter what I thought to have reveald.
_Cow_. Knowst thou the actors of this murthrous deed,
And wilt conceale it now the deed is done?
Alas, poore man, thou knowest not what thou doost!
Thou hast incur'd the danger of the lawe
And thou mongst them must suffer punishment,
Unlesse thou do confesse it presentlie.
_Wil_. What? shall I then betray my maisters life?
_Cow_. Better then hazard both thy life and soule
To boulster out such barbarous villanie.
Why, then belike your maister did the deed?
_Wil_. My maister unawares escapt my mouth;
But what the Lord doth please shall come to light,
Cannot be hid by humaine pollicie:
His haplesse hand hath wrought the fatall end
Of _Robert Beech_ and _Thomas Winchester_.
_Cow_. Could he alone do both those men to death?
Hadst thou no share in execution?
_Wil_. Nor knew not of it, till the deed was done.
_Cow_. If this be true, thou maist escape with life:
Confesse the truth unto the officers,
And thou shalt finde the favour of the lawe.
_Wil_. If I offended, 'twas my Maister's love
That made me hide his great transgressions:
But I will be directed as you please.
So save me God, as I am innocent!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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