Chapter M: Merygreeke. C. Custance. R. Roister. Tib. T. An. Alyface. M

MUMBLECRUST. TRUPENIE. DOBINET DOUGHTIE. HARPAX. _Two drummes with
their Ensignes._

_C. Custance._ What caitifes are those that so shake my house wall?

_M. Mery_ [_with a sly wink_]. Ah sirrha[!] now Custance if ye had so
muche wit
I woulde see you aske pardon, and your selves submit.

_C. Custance._ Have I still this adoe with a couple of fooles?

_M. Mery._ Here ye what she saith? 5

_C. Custance._ Maidens come forth with your tooles.

_R. Royster._ In a ray.

_M. Mery._ Dubba dub sirrha.

_R. Royster._ In a ray.
They come sodainly on us.

_M. Mery._ Dubbadub.

_R. Royster._ In a ray.
That ever I was borne, we are taken tardie.

_M. Mery._ Now sirs, quite our selves like tall men and hardie.

_C. Custance._ On afore Trupenie, holde thyne owne Annot, 10
On towarde them Tibet, for scape us they can not.
Come forth Madge Mumblecrust, so stande fast togither.

_M. Mery._ God sende us a faire day.

_R. Royster._ See they marche on hither.

_Tib. Talk._ But mistresse.

_C. Custance._ What sayst [th]ou?[577]

_Tib._ Shall I go fet our goose?[578]

_C. Custance._ What to do? 15

_Tib._ To yonder Captain I will turne hir loose
And she gape and hisse at him, as she doth at me,
I durst jeoparde my hande she wyll make him flee.

_C. Custance._ On forward.

_R. Royster._ They com.

_M. Mery._ Stand. [_They fight; M. hitting R._

_R. Royster._ Hold.

_M. Mery._ Kepe.

_R. Royster._ There.

_M. Mery._ Strike.

_R. Royster._ Take heede.

_C. Custance._ Wel sayd Truepeny.

_Trupeny._ Ah whooresons.

_C. Custance._ Wel don in deede.

_M. Mery._ Hold thine owne _Harpax_, downe with them Dobinet.
H i _b_ 20

_C. Custance._ Now Madge, there Annot: now sticke them Tibet.

_Tib. Talk._ [_against Dob._]. All my chiefe quarell is to this same
little knave,
That begyled me last day, nothyng shall him save.

_D. Dough._ Downe with this litle queane, that hath at me such spite,
Save you from hir maister, it is a very sprite. 25

_C. Custance._ I my selfe will mounsire graunde[579] captaine
undertake, [_advances against Roister._]

_R. Royster._ They win grounde.

_M. Mery._ Save your selfe sir, for gods sake.

_R. Royster_ [_retiring, beaten_]. Out, alas, I am slaine, helpe.

_M. Mery._ Save your selfe.

_R. Royster._ Alas.

_M. Mery._ Nay then, have at you mistresse.
[_pretending to strike Cust., he hits Roist._]

_R. Royster._ Thou hittest me, alas.

_M. Mery._ I will strike at Custance here. [_again hitting R._] 30

_R. Royster._ Thou hittest me.

_M. Mery._ [_aside_]. So I wil.
Nay mistresse Custance.

_R. Royster._ Alas, thou hittest me still.
Hold.

_M. Mery._ Save your self sir.

_R. Royster._ Help,[580] out alas I am slain

_M. Mery._ Truce, hold your hands, truce for a pissing while or
twaine:
Nay how say you Custance, for saving of your life,
Will ye yelde and graunt to be this gentmans wife? 35

_C. Custance._ Ye tolde me he loved me, call ye this love?

_M. Mery._ He loved a while even like a turtle dove.

_C. Custance._ Gay love God save it, so soone hotte, so soone
colde,[581]

_M. Mery._ I am sory for you: he could love you yet so he coulde.

_R. Royster._ Nay by cocks precious[582] she shall be none of mine. 40

_M. Mery._ Why so?

_R. Royster. _Come away, by the matte she is mankine.[583]
I durst adventure the losse of my right hande,
If shee dyd not slee hir other husbande:
And see if she prepare not againe to fight.

_M. Mery._ What then? sainct George to borow, our Ladies
knight.[584] 45

_R. Royster._ Slee else whom she will, by gog she shall not slee mee.

_M. Mery._ How then?

_R. Royster._ Rather than to be slaine, I will flee.

_C. Custance._ Too it againe, my knightesses, downe with them all.

_R. Royster._ Away, away, away, she will else kyll us all.

_M. Mery._ Nay sticke to it, like an hardie man and a tall. 50

_R. Royster._ Oh bones,[585] thou hittest me. Away, or else die we
shall.

_M. Mery._ Away for the pashe of our sweete Lord Jesus Christ.

_C. Custance._ Away loute and lubber, or I shall be thy priest.
_Exeant_ [_Royster and his 'army.'_][586]
So this fielde is ours we have driven them all away. H ii

_Tib Talk._ Thankes to God mistresse, ye have had a faire day. 55

_C. Custance._ Well nowe goe ye in, and make your selfe some cheere.

_Omnes pariter._ We goe [!--_Exeant Custance's maidens_].

_T. Trust._ Ah sir, what a field we have had heere.

_C. Custance._ Friend Tristram, I pray you be a witnesse with me.

_T. Trusty._ Dame Custance, I shall depose for your honestie,
And nowe fare ye well, except some thing else ye wolde. 60

_C. Custance._ Not now, but when I nede to sende I will be bolde.
I thanke you for these paines. [_Exeat Trusty._[587]] And now I
wyll get me in,
Now Roister Doister will no more wowyng begin. _Ex._ 63

Actus. v. Scæna. i.

GAWYN GOODLUCKE. SYM SURESBY.

Sym Suresby my trustie man, nowe advise thee well,
And see that no false surmises thou me tell,
Was there such adoe about Custance of a truth?

_Sim. Sure._ To reporte that I hearde and sawe, to me is ruth,
But both my duetie and name and propretie,[588] 5
Warneth me to you to shewe fidelitie,
It may be well enough, and I wyshe it so to be,
She may hir selfe discharge and trie[589] hir honestie,
Yet their clayme to hir me thought was very large,
For with letters rings[590] and tokens, they dyd hir charge. 10
Which when I hearde and sawe I would none to you bring.

_G. Goodl._ No, by sainct Marie, I allowe thee in that thing.
Ah sirra, nowe I see truthe in the proverbe olde,
All things that shineth is not by and by[591] pure golde,
If any doe lyve a woman of honestie,[592] 15
I would have sworne Christian Custance had bene shee.[592]

_Sim Sure._ Sir, though I to you be a servant true and just.
Yet doe not ye therfore your faithfull spouse mystrust.
But examine the matter, and if ye shall it finde, H ii _b_
To be all well, be not ye for my wordes unkinde. 20

_G. Goodl._ I shall do that is right, and as I see cause why.
But here commeth Custance forth, we shal know by and by.

Actus. v. Scæna. ii.