What qualities have you, sir, (beside your chaine      
And velvet jacket)? Can your Worship dance?    
_Maff._ A pleasant fellow, faith; it seemes my lord    
Will have him for his jester; and, berlady,    
Such men are now no fooles; 'tis a knights place.    
If I (to save his Grace some crounes) should urge him    
T'abate his bountie, I should not be heard;      
I would to heaven I were an errant asse,    
For then I should be sure to have the eares    
Of these great men, where now their jesters have them.    
Tis good to please him, yet Ile take no notice      
Of his preferment, but in policie      
Will still be grave and serious, lest he thinke    
I feare his woodden dagger. Here, Sir Ambo!    
_Buss._ How, Ambo, Sir?    
_Maff._ I, is not your name Ambo?    
_Buss._ You call'd me lately D'Amboys; has your Worship      
So short a head?    
_Maff._ I cry thee mercy, D'Amboys.    
A thousand crownes I bring you from my lord;    
If you be thriftie, and play the good husband, you may make    
This a good standing living; 'tis a bountie,      
His Highnesse might perhaps have bestow'd better.    
_Buss._ Goe, y'are a rascall; hence, away, you rogue!    
[_Strikes him._]    
_Maff._ What meane you, sir?    
_Buss._ Hence! prate no more!      
Or, by thy villans bloud, thou prat'st thy last!    
A barbarous groome grudge at his masters bountie!    
But since I know he would as much abhorre    
His hinde should argue what he gives his friend,      
Take that, Sir, for your aptnesse to dispute.    
_Exit._    _Maff._ These crownes are set in bloud; bloud be their fruit!
                                                            _Exit._

LINENOTES:           5  _continuall_. A, incessant.           
                     8  _forming_. A, forging.          
                    10  _men meerely great_. A, our tympanouse statists.          
                    20  _wealth_. A, powers.          
                    25  _faine_. A, glad.          

 Prev. P 31/498 next