PUR. O Sir Richard, I will not; O Lord, I will not charge you for all the world; but--but--but for the warrant the old King sign'd to reprieve the porter of the Fleet! O God, O God! JOHN. The porter of the Fleet? the old King sign'd?-- PUR. Ay, my good lord, ay, ay. JOHN. Is he reprieved then? PUR. No, my lord; O, Sir Richard took it from me with his own hand, O! FAU. Here's a device to bring me in contempt With the old King, that I ever lov'd. Princes and Sheriff, you can witness with me, That I have been with you this afternoon-- Only with you, with nobody but you-- And now a fellow, whom the King would save By a reprieve, this fellow says, is hang'd. JOHN. If thou hadst done it, I'd have justified it; But, Richard, I conceit this jest already: This mad-mate Skink, this honest merry knave, Meeting this Pursuivant, and hearing tell He had a warrant to reprieve a slave Whom we would hang, stole it away from him. This is sure the jest; upon my life, it is! PUR. O, but my warrant, how shall I do? O! RICH. But look about you, hot-brain'd brother John, And I believe you'll find it otherwise; Gloster hath got the warrant in disguise, And sav'd the fellow you so fain would hang. JOHN. No, no; how say you, master Sheriff, is he not hang'd? SHER. My lord, the gibbet was set up by noon In the Old Bailey, and I charg'd my men, If I return not, though it were by torchlight, To see him executed, ere they come. JOHN. I am greedy to hear news. FAU. Robb'd of my chain, out-faced I had a sword, Accused of poisoning, cozenage, seeking blood! Not to be borne! it is intolerable! RICH. Sir Richard, I prythee, have some patience. FAU. I'll to Blackheath, talk not of patience; It is intolerable, not to be borne. JOHN. It is intolerable, not to be borne; A warrant, brother; Fauconbridge, a warrant! FAU. I saw no warrant; I defy you all. JOHN. A slave, a pursuivant, one Winterborn. FAU. I care not for thee that, Winterborn. PUR. O, it is I, sir; that's my warrant. JOHN. Is't you? you rogue, you drunkard; ye are cheated, And we are cheated of the prisoner. Out, dog, dog. PUR. O, O, O, O my lord. [_Exit with_ DRAWER. SHER. Have patience, and we will have a privy search. JOHN. Go hang, ye blockheads, get ye from my sight! O, would I were a basilisk, to kill These glear-ey'd villains. SHER. Come away; let's leave him. We have a warrant; let him do his worst. [_Exeunt_ SHERIFF _and_ OFFICERS. FAU. I'll to Blackheath, I'll to the holy hermit; There shall I know not only these deceivers, But how my wife plays fast and loose with Richard. Ha! I shall fit them, I shall tickle them; I'll do it, I'll hence, I'll to the heath amain. [_Exit_.