229Ros. Where learned you that oath foole?

230Clo. Of a certaine Knight, that swore by his Honour

231they were good Pan-cakes, and swore by his Honor the

232Mustard was naught: Now Ile stand to it, the Pancakes

233were naught, and the Mustard was good, and yet was

234not the Knight forsworne.

235Cel. How proue you that in the great heape of your

236knowledge?

237Ros. I marry, now vnmuzzle your wisedome.

238Clo. Stand you both forth now: stroke your chinnes,

239and sweare by your beards that I am a knaue.

240Cel. By our beards (if we had them) thou art.

241Clo. By my knauerie (if I had it) then I were: but if

242you sweare by that that is not, you are not forsworn: no

243more was this knight swearing by his Honor, for he ne-

244uer had anie; or if he had, he had sworne it away, before

245euer he saw those Pancakes, or that Mustard.

246Cel. Prethee, who is't that thou means't?

247Clo. One that old Fredericke your Father loues.

248Ros. My Fathers loue is enough to honor him enough;

249speake no more of him, you'l be whipt for taxation one

250of these daies.

251Clo. The more pittie that fooles may not speak wise-

252ly, what Wisemen do foolishly.

253Cel. By my troth thou saiest true: For, since the little

254wit that fooles haue was silenced, the little foolerie that

255wise men haue makes a great shew; Heere comes Mon-

256sieur the Beu.

258Ros. With his mouth full of newes.

259Cel. Which he vvill put on vs, as Pigeons feed their

260young.

261Ros. Then shal we be newes-cram'd.

262Cel. All the better: we shalbe the more Marketable.

263Boon-iour Monsieur le Beu, what's the newes?

264Le Ben. Faire Princesse,

265you haue lost much good sport.

266Cel. Sport: of what colour?

267Le Beu. What colour Madame? How shall I aun-

268swer you?

269Ros. As wit and fortune will.

270Clo. Or as the destinies decrees.

271Cel. Well said, that was laid on with a trowell.

272Clo. Nay, if I keepe not my ranke.

273Ros. Thou loosest thy old smell.

274Le Beu. You amaze me Ladies: I would haue told

275you of good wrastling, which you haue lost the sight of.

276Ros. Yet tell vs the manner of the Wrastling.

277Le Beu. I wil tell you the beginning: and if it please

278your Ladiships, you may see the end, for the best is yet

279to doe, and heere where you are, they are comming to

280performe it.

281Cel. Well, the beginning that is dead and buried.

282Le Beu. There comes an old man, and his three sons.

283Cel. I could match this beginning with an old tale.

284Le Beu. Three proper yong men, of excellent growth

285and presence.

286Ros. With bils on their neckes: Be it knowne vnto

287all men by these presents.

288Le Beu. The eldest of the three, wrastled with Charles

289the Dukes Wrastler, which Charles in a moment threw

290him, and broke three of his ribbes, that there is little

291hope of life in him: So he seru'd the second, and so the

292third: yonder they lie, the poore old man their Father,

293making such pittiful dole ouer them, that all the behol-

294ders take his part with weeping.

295Ros. Alas.

296Clo. But what is the sport Monsieur, that the Ladies

297haue lost?

298Le Beu. Why this that I speake of.

299Clo. Thus men may grow wiser euery day. It is the

300first time that euer I heard breaking of ribbes was sport

301for Ladies.

302Cel. Or I, I promise thee.

303Ros. But is there any else longs to see this broken

304Musicke in his sides? Is there yet another doates vpon

305rib-breaking? Shall we see this wrastling Cosin?

306Le Beu. You must if you stay heere, for heere is the

307place appointed for the wrastling, and they are ready to

308performe it.

309Cel. Yonder sure they are comming. Let vs now stay

310and see it.

313Duke. Come on, since the youth will not be intreated

314His owne perill on his forwardnesse.

315Ros. Is yonder the man??

316Le Beu. Euen he, Madam.

317Cel. Alas, he is too yong: yet he looks successefully

318Du. How now daughter, and Cousin:

319Are you crept hither to see the wrastling?

320Ros. I my Liege, so please you giue vs leaue.

321Du. You wil take little delight in it, I can tell you

322there is such oddes in the man: In pitie of the challen-

323gers youth, I would faine disswade him, but he will not

324bee entreated. Speake to him Ladies, see if you can

325mooue him.

326Cel. Call him hether good Monsieuer Le Beu.

327Duke. Do so: Ile not be by.

328Le Beu. Monsieur the Challenger, the Princesse cals

329for you.

330Orl. I attend them with all respect and dutie.

331Ros. Young man, haue you challeng'd Charles the

332Wrastler?

333Orl. No faire Princesse: he is the generall challenger,

334I come but in as others do, to try with him the strength

335of my youth.

336Cel. Yong Gentleman, your spirits are too bold for

337your yeares: you haue seene cruell proofe of this mans

338strength, if you saw your selfe with your eies, or knew

339your selfe with your iudgment, the feare of your aduen-

340ture would counsel you to a more equall enterprise. We

341pray you for your owne sake to embrace your own safe-

342tie, and giue ouer this attempt.

343Ros. Do yong Sir, your reputation shall not therefore

344be misprised: we wil make it our suite to the Duke, that

345the wrastling might not go forward.

346Orl. I beseech you, punish mee not with your harde

347thoughts, wherein I confesse me much guiltie to denie

348so faire and excellent Ladies anie thing. But let your

349faire eies, and gentle wishes go with mee to my triall;

350wherein if I bee foil'd, there is but one sham'd that vvas

351neuer gracious: if kil'd, but one dead that is willing to

352be so: I shall do my friends no wrong, for I haue none to

353lament me: the world no iniurie, for in it I haue nothing:

354onely in the world I fil vp a place, which may bee better

355supplied, when I haue made it emptie.

356Ros. The little strength that I haue, I would it vvere

357with you.