_Van Her._ Mine inform me farther, the price of pepper, and of other spices, was raised of late in Europe. _Har._ I wish that news may hold; but much suspect it, while the English maintain their factories among us in Amboyna, or in the neighbouring plantations of Seran. _Fisc._ Still I have news that tickles me within; ha, ha, ha! I'faith it does, and will do you, and all our countrymen. _Har._ Pr'ythee do not torture us, but tell it. _Van Her._ Whence comes this news? _Fisc._ From England. _Har._ Is their East India fleet bound outward for these parts, or cast away, or met at sea by pirates? _Fisc._ Better, much better yet; ha, ha, ha! _Har._ Now am I famished for my part of the laughter. _Fisc._ Then, my brave governor, if you're a true Dutchman, I'll make your fat sides heave with the conceit on't, 'till you're blown like a pair of large smith's bellows; here, look upon this paper. _Har._ [_reading._] _You may remember we did endamage the English East-India Company the value of five hundred thousand pounds, all in one year; a treaty is now signed, in which the business is ta'en up for fourscore thousand._--This is news indeed: would I were upon the castle-wall, that I might throw my cap into the sea, and my gold chain after it! this is golden news, boys. _Van Her._ This is news would kindle a thousand bonfires, and make us piss them out again in Rhenish wine. _Har._ Send presently to all our factories, acquaint them with these blessed tidings: If we can 'scape so cheap, 'twill be no matter what villanies henceforth we put in practice. _Fisc._ Hum! why this now gives encouragement to a certain plot, which I have been long brewing, against these skellum English. I almost have it here in pericranio, and 'tis a sound one, 'faith; no less than to cut all their throats, and seize all their effects within this island. I warrant you we may compound again. _Van Her._ Seizing their factories I like well enough, it has some savour in't; but for this whoreson cutting of throats, it goes a little against the grain, because 'tis so notoriously known in Christendom, that they have preserved ours from being cut by the Spaniards. _Har._ Hang them, base English starts, let them e'en take their part of their own old proverb--Save a thief from the gallows; they would needs protect us rebels, and see what comes to themselves. _Fisc._ You're i'the right on't, noble Harman; their assistance, which was a mercy and a providence to us, shall be a judgment upon them. _Van Her._ A little favour would do well; though not that I would stop the current of your wit, or any other plot, to do them mischief; but they were first discoverers of this isle, first traded hither, and showed us the way. _Fisc._ I grant you that; nay more, that, by composition made after many long and tedious quarrels, they were to have a third part of the traffic, we to build forts, and they to contribute to the charge.