+Scriuener.+ Then was the fault in readyng, and not in writyng, No nor I dare say in the fourme of endityng, But who read this letter, that it sounded so nought? +M. Mery.+ I redde it in deede. +Scriuener.+ Ye red it not as ye ought. +R. Royster.+ Why thou wretched villaine was all this same fault in thee? +M. Mery.+ I knocke your costarde if ye offer to strike me. +R. Royster.+ Strikest thou in deede? and I offer but in iest? +M. Mery.+ Yea and rappe you againe except ye can sit in rest. And I will no longer tarie here me beleue. +R. Royster.+ What wilt thou be angry, and I do thee forgeue? Fare thou well scribler, I crie thee mercie in deede. +Scriuener.+ Fare ye well bibbler, and worthily may ye speede. +R. Royster.+ If it were an other but thou, it were a knaue. +M. Mery.+ Ye are an other your selfe sir, the lorde vs both saue, Albeit in this matter I must your pardon craue, Alas woulde ye wyshe in me the witte that ye haue? But as for my fault I can quickely amende, I will shewe Custance it was I that did offende. +R. Royster.+ By so doing hir anger may be reformed. +M. Mery.+ But if by no entreatie she will be turned, Then sette lyght by hir and bee as testie as shee, And doe your force vpon hir with extremitie. +R. Royster.+ Come on therefore lette vs go home in sadnesse. +M. Mery.+ That if force shall neede all may be in a readinesse, And as for thys letter hardely let all go, We wyll know where she refuse you for that or no. [_Exeant am._ Actus. iiij. Scæna. j. +Sym Suresby.+ +Sim Sure.+ Is there any man but I Sym Suresby alone, That would haue taken such an enterprise him vpon, In suche an outragious tempest as as this was. Suche a daungerous gulfe of the sea to passe. I thinke verily _Neptunes_ mightie godshyp, Was angry with some that was in our shyp, And but for the honestie which in me he founde, I thinke for the others sake we had bene drownde. But fye on that seruant which for his maisters wealth Will sticke for to hazarde both his lyfe and his health. My maister Gawyn Goodlucke after me a day Bicause of the weather, thought best hys shyppe to stay, And now that I haue the rough sourges so well past, God graunt I may finde all things safe here at last. Then will I thinke all my trauaile well spent. Nowe the first poynt wherfore my maister hath me sent Is to salute dame Christian Custance his wife, Espoused: whome he tendreth no lesse than his life, I must see how it is with hir well or wrong, And whether for him she doth not now thinke long: Then to other friendes I haue a message or tway, And then so to returne and mete him on the way. Now wyll I goe knocke that I may dispatche with speede, But loe forth commeth hir selfe happily in deede. Actus. iiij. Scæna. ij. +Christian Custance. Sim. Suresby.+ +C. Custance.+ I come to see if any more stirryng be here, But what straunger is this, which doth to me appere? +Sym Surs.+ I will speake to hir: Dame the lorde you saue and see.