916Ther. Nay but regard him well.

917Achil. Well, why I do so.

918Ther. But yet you looke not well vpon him: for who

919some euer you take him to be, he is Aiax.

920Achil. I know that foole.

921Ther. I, but that foole knowes not himselfe.

922Aiax. Therefore I beate thee.

923Ther. Lo, lo, lo, lo, what modicums of wit he vtters: his

924euasions haue eares thus long. I haue bobb'd his Braine

925more then he has beate my bones: I will buy nine Spar-

926rowes for a peny, and his Piamater is not worth the ninth

927part of a Sparrow. This Lord (Achilles) Aiax who wears

928his wit in his belly, and his guttes in his head, Ile tell you

929what I say of him.

930Achil. What?

931Ther. I say this Aiax---

932Achil. Nay good Aiax.

933Ther. Has not so much wit.

934Achil: Nay, I must hold you.

935Ther. As will stop the eye of Helens Needle, for whom

936he comes to fight.

937Achil. Peace foole.

938Ther. I would haue peace and quietnes, but the foole

939will not: he there, that he, looke you there.

940Aiax. O thou damn'd Curre, I shall---

941Achil. Will you set your wit to a Fooles.

942Ther. No I warrant you, for a fooles will shame it.

943Pat. Good words Thersites.

944Achil. What's the quarrell?

945Aiax. I bad thee vile Owle, goe learne me the tenure

946of the Proclamation, and he rayles vpon me.

947Ther. I serue thee not.

948Aiax. Well, go too, go too.

949Ther. I serue heere voluntary.

950Achil. Your last seruice was sufferance, 'twas not vo-

951luntary, no man is beaten voluntary: Aiax was heere the

952voluntary, and you as vnder an Impresse.

953Ther. E'neso, a great deale of your wit too lies in your

954sinnewes, or else there be Liars. Hector shall haue a great

955catch, if he knocke out either of your braines, he were as

956good cracke a fustie nut with no kernell.

957Achil. What with me to Thersites?

958Ther. There's Vlysses, and old Nestor, whose Wit was

959mouldy ere their Grandsires had nails on their toes, yoke

960you like draft-Oxen, and make you plough vp the warre.

961Achil. What? what?

962Ther. Yes good sooth, to Achilles, to Aiax, to---

963Aiax. I shall cut out your tongue.

964Ther. 'Tis no matter, I shall speake as much as thou

965afterwards.

966Pat. No more words Thersites.

967Ther. I will hold my peace when Achilles Brooch bids

968me, shall I?

969Achil. There's for you Patroclus.

970Ther. I will see you hang'd like Clotpoles ere I come

971any more to your Tents; I will keepe where there is wit

972stirring, and leaue the faction of fooles. Exit.

973Pat. A good riddance.

974Achil. Marry this Sir is proclaim'd through al our host,

975That Hector by the fift houre of the Sunne,

976Will with a Trumpet, 'twixt our Tents and Troy

977To morrow morning call some Knight to Armes,

978That hath a stomacke, and such a one that dare

979Maintaine I know not what: 'tis trash. Farewell.

980Aiax. Farewell? who shall answer him?

981Achil. I know not, 'tis put to Lottry: otherwise

982He knew his man.

983Aiax. O meaning you, I wil go learne more of it. Exit.

985Pri. After so many houres, liues, speeches spent,

986Thus once againe sayes Nestor from the Greekes,

987Deliuer Helen, and all damage else

988(As honour, losse of time, trauaile, expence,

989Wounds, friends, and what els deere that is consum'd

990In hot digestion of this comorant Warre)

991Shall be stroke off. Hector, what say you too't.

992Hect. Though no man lesser feares the Greeks then I,

993As farre as touches my particular: yet dread Priam,

994There is no Lady of more softer bowels,

995More spungie, to sucke in the sense of Feare,

996More ready to cry out, who knowes what followes

997Then Hector is: the wound of peace is surety,

998Surety secure: but modest Doubt is cal'd

999The Beacon of the wise: the tent that searches

1000To'th'bottome of the worst. Let Helen go,

1001Since the first sword was drawne about this question,

1002Euery tythe soule 'mongst many thousand dismes,

1003Hath bin as deere as Helen: I meane of ours:

1004If we haue lost so many tenths of ours

1005To guard a thing not ours, nor worth to vs

1006(Had it our name) the valew of one ten;

1007What merit's in that reason which denies

1008The yeelding of her vp.

1009Troy. Fie, fie, my Brother;

1010Weigh you the worth and honour of a King

1011(So great as our dread Father) in a Scale

1012Of common Ounces? Wil you with Counters summe

1013The past proportion of his infinite,

1014And buckle in a waste most fathomlesse,

1015With spannes and inches so diminutiue,

1016As feares and reasons? Fie for godly shame?

1017Hel. No maruel though you bite so sharp at reasons,

1018You are so empty of them, should not our Father

1019Beare the great sway of his affayres with reasons,

1020Because your speech hath none that tels him so.

1021Troy. You are for dreames & slumbers brother Priest

1022You furre your gloues with reason: here are your reasons

1023You know an enemy intends you harme,

1024You know, a sword imploy'd is perillous,

1025And reason flyes the obiect of all harme.

1026Who maruels then when Helenus beholds

1027A Grecian and his sword, if he do set

1028The very wings of reason to his heeles:

1029Or like a Starre disorb'd. Nay, if we talke of Reason,

1030And flye like chidden Mercurie from Ioue,

1031Let's shut our gates and sleepe: Manhood and Honor

1032Should haue hard hearts, wold they but fat their thoghts

1033With this cramm'd reason: reason and respect,

1034Makes Liuers pale, and lustyhood deiect.

1035Hect. Brother, she is not worth

1036What she doth cost the holding.

1037Troy. What's aught, but as 'tis valew'd?

1038Hect. But value dwels not in particular will,

1039It holds his estimate and dignitie

1040As well, wherein 'tis precious of it selfe,

1041As in the prizer: 'Tis made Idolatrie,

1042To make the seruice greater then the God,

1043And the will dotes that is inclineable

1044To what infectiously it selfe affects,

1045Without some image of th'affected merit.

1046Troy. I take to day a Wife, and my election

1047Is led on in the conduct of my Will;

¶3 My