945Corn. Ah, Gonorill, what dire vnhappy chaunce

D2 Hath

946Hath sequestred thy father from our presence,

947That no report can yet be heard of him?

948Some great vnkindnesse hath bin offred him,

949Exceeding far the bounds of patience:

950Else all the world shall neuer me perswade,

951He would forsake vs without notice made.

952Gon. Alas, my Lord, whom doth it touch so neere,

953Or who hath interest in this griefe, but I,

954Whom sorrow had brought to her longest home,

955But that I know his qualities so well?

956I know, he is but stolne vpon my sister

957At vnawares, to see her how she fares,

958And spend a little time with her, to note

959How all things goe, and how she likes her choyce:

960And when occasion serues, heele steale from her,

961And vnawares returne to vs agayne.

962Therefore, my Lord, be frolick, and resolue

963To see my father here agayne e're long.

964Corn. I hope so too; but yet to be more sure,

965Ile send a Poste immediately to know

966Whether he be arriued there or no. Exit.

967Gon. But I will intercept the Messenger,

968And temper him before he doth depart,

969With sweet perswassions, and with sound rewards,

970That his reportshhall ratify my speech,

971And make my Lord cease further to inquire.

972If he be not gone to my sisters Court,

973As sure my mind presageth that he is,

974He happely may, by trauelling vnknowne wayes,

975Fall sicke, and as a common passenger,

976Be dead and buried: would God it were so well;

977For then there were no more to do, but this,

978He went away, and none knowes where he is.

979But say he be in Cambria with the King,

980And there exclayme against me, as he will:

981I know he is as welcome to my sister,

982As water is into a broken ship.

983Well, after him Ile send such thunderclaps

984Of slaunder, scandall, and inuented tales,

985That all the blame shall be remou'd from me,

986And vnperceiu'd rebound vpon himselfe.

987Thus with one nayle another Ile expell,

988And make the world iudge, that I vsde him well.

991Gon. My honest friend, whither away so fast?

992Mes. To Cambria, Madam, with letters frō the king.

993Gon. To whom?

994Mess. Vnto your father, if he be there.

995Gon. Let me see them. She opens them.

996Mess. Madam, I hope your Grace will stand

997Betweene me and my neck-verse, if I be

998Calld in question, for opening the Kings letters.

999Gon. 'Twas I that opened them, it was not thou.

1000Mes. I, but you need not care: and so must I,

1001A hansome man, be quickly trust vp,

1002And when a man's hang'd, all the world cannot saue him.

1003Gon. He that hangs thee, were better hang his father,

1004Or that but hurts thee in the least degree.

1005I tell thee, we make great account of thee.

1006Mes. I am o're-ioy'd, I surfet of sweet words:

1007Kind Queene, had I a hundred liues, I would

1008Spend ninety nyne of them for you, for that word.

1009Gon. I, but thou wouldst keepe one life still,

1010And that's as many as thou art like to haue.

1011Mes. That one life is not too deare for my good Queene; this

1012sword, this buckler, this head, this heart, these hands, armes,

1013legs, tripes, bowels, and all the members else whatsoeuer, are at

1014your dispose; vse me, trust me, commaund me: if I fayle in any

1015thing, tye me to a dung cart, and make a Scauengers horse of

1016me, and whip me, so long as I haue any skin on my back.

1017Gon.In token of further imployment, take that.

1019Mes. A strong Bond, a firme Obligation, good in law, good

1020in law: if I keepe not the condition, let my necke be the forfey-

1021ture of my negligence.

D3 Gon. I

1022Gon. I like thee well, thou hast a good toung.

1023Mes. And as bad a toung if it be set on it, as any Oysterwife

1024at Billinsgate hath: why, I haue made many of my neighbours

1025forsake their houses with rayling vpon them, and go dwell else

1026where; and so by my meanes houses haue bin good cheape in

1027our parish: My toung being well whetted with choller, is more

1028sharpe then a Razer of Palerno.

1029Gon. O, thou art a fit man for my purpose.

1030Mes. Commend me not, sweet Queene, before you try me.

1031As my deserts are, so do think of me.

1032Gon. Well sayd, then this is thy tryall: Instead of carrying

1033the Kings letters to my father, carry thou these letters to my

1034sister, which contayne matter quite contrary to the other: there

1035shal she be giuen to vnderstand, that my father hath detracted

1036her, giuen out slaundrous speaches against her; and that hee

1037hath most intollerably abused me, set my Lord and me at va-

1038riance, and made mutinyes amongst the commons.

1039These things (although it be not so)

1040Yet thou must affirme them to be true,

1041With othes and protestations as will serue,

1042To driue my sister out of loue with him,

1043And cause my will accomplished to be.

1044This do, thou winst my fauour for euer,

1045And makest a hye way of preferment to thee

1046And all thy friends.

1047Mess. It sufficeth, conceyt it is already done:

1048I will so toung-whip him, that I will

1049Leaue him as bare of credit, as a Poulter

1050Leaues a Cony, when she pulls off his skin.

1051Gon. Yet there is a further matter.

1052Mes. I thirst to heare it.

1053Gon. If my sister thinketh conuenient, as my letters

1054importeth, to make him away, hast thou the heart to

1055effect it?

1056Mess. Few words are best in so small a matter:

1057These are but trifles. By this booke I will.

1059Gon. About it presently, I long till it be done.

1060Mes. I fly, I fly. Exeunt.