is no disparagement unto your birth that you converse with me if I mistake not sure sure I am as wel born Old Hard. And yet sure sure 't is ten to one I shall be better buried Old For. I am as honest Old Hard. Nay there you are a ground I am honester by twenty thousand pound Old For. Are all such honest then that riches have Old Hard. Yes rich and good a poor man and a knave Away about thy business loyter not about my gates I shal compel thee else for thy request my will is peremptory thy softness makes me much more violent whom thou the more commisseratest I contemn they are in my deepest hate Wife Sons let 's go Old For. With eyes in tears sunk heart circumvolved in woe Sus. What shal we now do Phil What but endure the worst when comfort 's banish'd welcome all extreams yet I have sent my fellow or my man to prove some friends to help to stock a Farm I have not yet their answer 't is the last of all our hopes that failing we have run our latest course outcast end quite undone Exeunt Enter the Merchant reading a Letter and after him young Mr. Forrest Merch My Sister writes how your occasions stand and how you are to use my secresie in a strange business that concerns your life She hath left nothing unremembred here or slightly urged to make me provident and careful of your safety gentle Sir though I am a stranger to your fortunes yet for her sake whose love I tender deerly I am-all yours my house to entertain you my purse to furnish you in any course my Ship if you 'l to Sea is at your service make choice in which of these in all or any you will employ my faithful industry Young Forr. Oh Sir your unexpected courtesie to a poor stranger challenges the name of brother to the kindest Gentlewoman that euer breathed this air you cannot chuse but be of one strain that such kindness use you bade me to make choice of all your favours my poverty and my necessity do both of them in my extreams concerve to make me think the meanest of any meanes that can unplunge me from this gulf of trouble to be much better then I can deserve to be much greater then I dare desire being too poor to merit too dejected to aim at any hopes Merch You wrong your worth you have desert sufficient that she writes in your behalf and I commend her for 't me thinks I see such honest parts in you that upon weaker urgence then these lines I would build much affection on these gifts that I see nature hath endowed you with indeed I flatter not none flatter those they do not mean to gain by 't is the guise of siccophants such great men to adore by whom they mean to rise disdain the poor my object is much otherwise intended I fain would lose by him whom I commended Young Forr. If ever this my weak ability grow strong agen I will employ it solely to shun the base sin of ingratitude towards you and your fair sister Merch. Will you use me Young Forr. But what shall I return you in exchange of those great favours Merch. Come your love your love 't is more then all I can attempt for you amounts unto pray let me know the most of my employment Young Forr. Then will you but provide me a safe waftage over to France to Flanders or to Spain or any forraign coast I dare not trust my native country with my forfeit life Sir this is all I would entreat of you Merch. Y' are modest in your suit the more you use me the more I think you love me therefore this night I le get you waftage ore for France such Sea apparrel as I use my self you shall accept part here 's ten pounds in gold and wheresoever you shall live hereafter pray let me once a year receive from you some brief or noat I le not return your love idle or empty handed Young Forr. My life 's yours and lesser satisfaction then my life is much too little Merch. Much too much no more no more I do entreat you I am now upon a voyage to the Straits my selfe but 't will be two days hence Young For. Heaven be your guide as I find you so find friends in your need blushing I run into your countless detbts more sums of love then all my hord can pay but if these black adventures I survive Euen till this mortal body lie ingrav'd You shall be Lord of that which you have sav'd Merch. Onely your love come wee 'l provide this night For you safe waftage and your secret flight Exeunt Scen. 4. Enter Clown Foster Goodwin and a Gentleman Fost. Speak with us why what 's the businesse Clow. Nay that 's more then I can resolve you upon the suddain it may be there 's some great fortune fallen to him of late and he would impart the benefit to you Goodw. Nay then let 's go where shall we find him Clow. A word to the wise it may be that hee 's in some monstrous extream necessity and would gladly borrow some money of you or so Goodw. I saidst thou so now I remember me I needs must home I have some business I le see him at some other time Clow. Nay but one word more Fost. We cannot stay now Gent. Nor I a great occasion calls me hence Clow. Nay then I see you are apt to take a man at the worst still if you knew what little need he hath to borrow borrow quoth he a good jest you know he and I my fellow Phil and I 'mongst other works that my Master uses to put us to we use to dig and delve now if we have found a pot a money and would trust you with the laying of it out why so Fost. How Clow: Marry even so you know his Father is such a dogged old Cormudgeon he dares not for his ears acquaint him with Gent. Prithee go on Clow. 'T were kindness in him to chuse you out of all the friends he hath in the world to impart this benefit to were 't not and say true Gent Troth he was always a kind honest youth and would it lay in me to pleasure him Goodw. Introth or me he should command my purse and credit both Fost. Where might we speak with him Clow. Hard by Sir hard by but stay Gentlemen suppose there is no such matter as finding of money but what we mist in digging to supply his present necessities he hopes to find from you I promise you I partly doobt such a matter Fost. How I forgot my selfe I needs must home Goodw. Troth nor can I stay Gent. In sooth nor I Ent. Philip meeting them Phil. Gentlemen whither so fast I sent to speak with you Clow. I can assure you Sir they are better to speak withall then to borrow money of one word or two with you my friends by your leave Master Gentlemen
me to that end that lost name to recover and by me sweet enterchange and double gratitude I left you sped but find you now despoyl'd Married you venter'd for my single life Widdow'd by me to gain the name of wife Mer. What pause you at the motion you are not my Sister if you deny him Phil. Let me plead for him Sus. O doubly link me to you be you stil'd my Brother and my Father old For. With you let my age joyn and make me proud to say that in my last of daies barren of issue I have got so fair a daughter young For. Sweet your answer Anne Sir I should much mistake my own fair ends Should I alone withstand so many friends I am yours and onely so young For. I yours the same and Lady now I kisse you by that name Enter Clown Clown What kissing already then I smel another wedding towards and in no fitter time then now prepare your selves Gentlemen and Gentlewomen make a hall for I come to present you with a Mask Phil. What Mask Clow. Not such as Ladies wear upon their faces to keep the foul from the fair but a plain Mask or rather more properly I may call it a Muming because the presenters have scarce a word to speak for themselves Phil. If there be any that appear as friends and come to grace our feast in courtesie admit 'em prithee Clow. That shall I Sir and with all expedition And that without drum without fife or musitian These two lines shall serve for the Prologue now enter scena prima Dramatis personae these be the Actors yet let me entreat you not to condemn them before you hear them speak Phil. Amazement startles me are these my brothers Clow. By the Fathers side it should seem for you know he was a hard man and it should seem 't is but a hard world with them Phil. And these my false friends that distrusted heaven and put their faith in riches I pray Gentlemen how comes this change Ioh. How comes this change say you no chang of pastors which they say makes fat calves but change of drink change of women change of ordinaries change of gaming and one wench in the change all these helpt to make this change in us Wil. And change is no robbery I have been robbed but not at ruffe yet they that have robbed you see what a poor stock they have left me A whore stole away my Maidenhead ill company my good conditions a broaker robbed me of my apparel drink of my wits and dice of my money Phil. This is no more then expectation but how come you thus altered Clow. If you had said haltered Sir you had gone more roundly to the business Fost. Sir there was coyning laid to my charge for which though I acquit my self I made my estate over unto a friend for so I thought him but now he has cosened me and turned me out of all Goodw. In dead of night my counting house was broak ope by theeves and all my coyn which was my whole estate and god I then did trust in stole away I left a forlorn beggar Phil. O wondrous why this passes Clow. It may pass amongst the rest for a scurvey jest but never like Mother Passes Ale for that was knighted Mer. Ale knighted how I prithee Clow: You have heard of Ale Knights therefore it is not improbable that Ale may be knighted Mer. Thy reason Clow. Why there is Ale in the town that passes from man to man from lip to lip and from nose to nose but mother Passes double Ale I assure you Sir-passes therefore knighted Phil. Leave trifling for more serious is the object offered before our eyes In these heavens justice in these a most remarkable president to teach within our height to know our selves of which I make this use you are my brothers a name you once disdained to call me by your wants shal be relieved you that distrusted heavens providence and made a mock of want and others misery no more deride part of your losse shall be by me supplyed according to my power young For. My noble brother you teach us virtue of which I could wish all those that see good daies make happy use so those distrest for both there 's president but to our present nuptials reverent Father dear Lady Sister Friend nay brothers too but you Sir most conjoyned and endeared In us the world may see our fates well scan'd Fortune in me by Sea in you by Land Exeunt omnes FINIS
Climb to the main-top boy see what you kenne there Boy I shall I shall Sir young For. We seek for purchase but we tak 't from foes and such is held amongst us lawful spoyl but such as are our friends countrymen we succour with the best supply we have of victuals or munition being distrest Above Boy Ho there 1. Mar. Ha boy Boy A sayl 1. Mar. Whence is she Boy That I cannot kenne she appeares to me out of our hemisphear no bigger then a Crow young For: Discry her better oh that it were the desperate Pirates Ship on that condition we might grapple straight and try our desperate fortunes on even change but I that have been born to misery can never be so happy oh my fate when shall I pass away this tedious night Or when my stars will you burn out more bright Boy Boatswain ho 1. Mar. Whence comes thy kenne Boy She makes from South to West 2. Mar. How bears she Boy To the Lee ward young For. Clap on more sails and quickly fetch her up What colours bears her main-top Boy She 's not so near in kenne young For. Discover her more amply now my mates prepare your selves for it may be some prize you Master Gunner load your ordnance wel and look wel to your cartridges and fire see that your gunner room be clear and free your matches bear good coals your priming powder pounded not dank next charge your Murderers for fear of boarding Stearsman part the Helm and bear up towards them be they friends or foes we 'l hale them if heaven please and Master you heed wel your compass Boatswain with your whistle command the Saylors to the upper deck to know their quarters and to hear their charge Boy Captain ho young For. The news whence is her flag Boy She bears the Cross of England and St. George young For: Then she 's a friend for England and St. George our gallant vessel in her main-top bears and all our preparations needless then Boy Arm rather for I see them from a far make all provision for a present fight they have managed their hatches hung their pendants out display'd their Ensignes up with all their feights their matches in their cocks their smoaking Linstocks are likewise fired within their Gunners hands and hark they shoot already A peece goes off young For: Come descend the Pirat Fortune thou art then my friend Now valiant friends and souldiers man the deck draw up your feights and lace your drablers on whilst my self make good the Forecastle and ply my Musket in the front of death quarter your selves in order some abaft some in the Ships waste all in martial order our Spright-sayle Top sail and Top-gallant our Main-sail Boar-spright and our Mizen too are hung with waving pendants and the colours of England and St. Georg ply in the Stern We fight against the foe we all desire Alarum Trumpets Gunner straight give fire Exeunt Alarm Purser and Clinton with their Mariners all furnisht with Sea devices fitting for a fight Clin. Give them a full broad-side oh Mr. Gunner your upper tire of Ordnance shot over you gave not one shot betwixt wind and water in all this skirmish Gun Sir you speak not wel I pierc'd them with my chase piece through and through part of their Capstring too I with a Piece abaft shot over-board Pur. Oh 't was a gallant shot I saw it shatter some of their limbs in pieces Shall we grapple and lay their Ship aboard where be these Irons to hook 'em fast Clin. I fear they 'r too well man'd for see the Gunner ready to give fire unto their Murderers if we stay to board 'em Shall we set sayl and leave 'em Pur. How can we when our Ship has sprung a leak being ready now to founder in the sea some ply the Pump oh for one lucky bullet to take their Mainmast off he that can make it shall have a treble share in this next prize Gun I shall go near it from my lower tyre Clin. Gunner do that 't is all that we desire Exeunt Alarum Enter young Forrest and his Mariners 1. Mar. Where is the Gunner Captain young For. Where he should not be at his prayers I think Is this a time to pray when the Seas mouth seems to spit fire and all the billows burn Come hand with me and we will board the Pirates instantly 1. Mar. Hoyst up more sails and fetch 'em roundly up and with their gallant vessel grapple straight young For. I spy the Pirats in the very prow and forehead of their Ship both wafting us with their bright swords now Steersman take thy turn and Boatswain with your baser trumpets sound mingle your whistles shril oh 't is a Musick the Maremaids love 1. Mar. Who hates it that 's a souldier 2. Mar. Thy Linstock Gunner take thy level right The wind is ours to help us in the fight young For. It blows a stiffe gale it makes all for us every Commander once more to his charge he that this day shall dye dies honourably the Canons Basilisks and Ordnance shall tooll his funeral peale and some now sound shall dye three deaths in one shot burnt and drown'd Come spare no powder till you see our Ship Whose hard tough ribs hewed from the heart of oak Now black with pitch be painted blew with smoak Exeunt A great Alarum and Flourish Enter young Forrest and his Mates with Purser and Clinton with their Mariners prisoners young For. First thankes to heaven for this great victory bought with the fearful hazard of our lives and larg expence of blood on either part Pur. We now are captives that made others thrall Thus ebbs may flow and highest tydes may fall Clin. The latest day must come to have his date Stars govern all and none can change his fate young For. Such prisoners as these Pirats keep in hold release them straight the riches of their ship we 'mongst you will divide in equal shares to every mans desart estate and place Pur. Fortune I spit defiance in thy face Thy best we have tasted an thy worst we know we can but pay what we to nature owe Enter the Merchant brought in with other Prisoners Mer. Surprised agen whose prisoner am I now I am Fortunes ball whither am I bandied having lost al before is 't possible that I can now be made a second prize I lost my wealth in my first hostile strife And nothing now is left me save my life young For. These prisoners we will at our further leasure peruse and know their fortunes and estates Mer. That captain I should know that face of his is with mine eye familiar sure 't is he whose life I by my Sisters means preserved with mony and apparel furnisht him and got him place at sea and hath he now forgot me what not know me the world right when rich we honour beeing poor we spight ne'r look so strange I do not mean to claim acquaintance
of such men as are ingrate All my good deeds once done I throw behind whose meed in heaven not earth I look to find young For. That Merchant I have known and now I better surveigh him 't is the man to whom I owe all that I have my fortunes nay my life what reason have you Sir to fly me so since unto you and to my brothers wife my hopes my power my whole estate is due From whom my means and all my fortunes grew Mer Do you know me then young For. Think you I can forget or slightly cancel such a countless debt behold my ship my conquest and my prize these prisoners with my full command is yours Yours only yours they at your service rest Alass dear friend how came you thus distrest Mer: These Pirates robbed me and have ceised my goods with which they have stuft their hold my brothers venter with mine own substance they have made their spoyl young For. All which behold I re-deliver you and to the utmost farthing will restore besides I make you partner in our prize and herein am I onely fortunate to prove a grateful debtor Mer. Your gratitude exceeds all curtesie both of my Sisters party and my own young For. It comes much short of either oh dear Sir should I forget your friendship shewed in want and done in my extreamest poverty it were a sin of heaven unpardonable this Pirats Ship load with your merchandise you shall streight man for England where arrived commend me to the mirror of her sex your Sister in the humblest phrase you can to whom deliver as from me this jewel the best our voyage yeelds tel her from me that Gentleman whose innocent life she saved hath by that token her remembrance craved to my brother and my Sister this small summe to buy their service from their fathers hand and free them from his slavish servitude Mer. I shall doe all your will and thus o'rsway'd Needs must report your debts are doubly payd young For. Having my pardon purchast and my prisoners delivered to the sentence of the Law my next affairs shall be to visit her Purs. Our case is otherwise our next affairs Is to betake us to our Beads and Prayers Clin. Be as be may base fortune I defie We bravely liv'd and I le as boldly dye young For. Hoyst sayl for England with our long wisht prize Whilst we applaud that fortune he defies Exe. Enter old Mr. Harding Anne his wife Foster and Goodwin William and John Philip and Susans setting forth a Table old Hard. Y' ar welcom Gentlemen come take your places as your degrees are wife the chair is yours my loving boyes sit let th' servants wait Ioh. Brother that 's you old Hard. This day I do entreat you Gentlemen after the Tables ended to be witness unto some deeds that must inherit these and him that is my eldest quite disable to which I must entreat your friendly hands Fost. Mine stil is at your service Goodw. So is mine Sir Will O day long lookt for Ioh. Now shall we live like two young Emperors oh day worthy to be writ in the Almanack in red Letters for a most famous holyday Phil. Well jest on Gentlemen when all is try'd I hope my patience shall exceed your pride Will Wait at my elbow with a clean trencher Phil doe your duty and have your due you know your place be ready with a glass of beer and when I say fil fil Enter the Clown Clow. If please your worship here is a manner or a kind of some foul desire to have some conference with you old Hard. A sea foul Clow. Yes a Sea-gul I mean a Mariner he saies he hath some news to tell you from my Mistris her brother at sea Old Hard. Touching my venter prithee guide him in Clow. He smels as they say of pitch and tar if you will have him to perfume the room with his sea musk I le shew him the way instantly old Hard. I prethee do and that with expedition Anne I did not look thus soon to hear from him old Hard I fear some strange mishap hath late befaln him Enter Saylor and the Clown Anne Now honest friend the news how fares my brother old Hard. How doth my venter prosper Sail. Sir your Ship is taken all your goods by Pirats seised your brother prisoner and of all your venter there 's not the value of one penny saved old Hard. That news hath pierc'd my soul and enter'd me quite through my heart I am on the sudden sick sick of I fear a mortal malady oh oh Ioh. How is it with my father old Hard. Worse and worse the news of such a great and weighty loss kils all my vitals in me Will Father for heavens sake father dye not yet before you have made over your land Ioh. That were a jest indeed why father father old Har. Trouble me not if I survive this nigt you two shal be my heirs Will This night if it be thy will Anne Alass how fare you Sir Ioh. Take courage father old Harr. Son lead me hence and bear me to my bed my strength doth fail I cannot help my self Will Run run for the writings they are ready drawn at the Scriveners bid him bring them quickly with a vengeance old Hard. Let them alone my hand hath not the strength to guide my pen let them alone I say support me to my bed and my kind neighbors Assist me with your prayers for I divine My soul this night shall amongst Angels shine Ioh. Marry heaven forbid can he find no time to die but now come let 's in haunt his ghost about the writings Exe. man Good Fost. Fost. 'T is strange the bare report of such a loss should strike a man so deeply to the heart Goodw. I oft have read the like how some have dyed with sudden joy some with exceeding grief Fost If he should dye Intestate all the land falls to the elder brother and the younger have nothing save meer from his curtesie Goodw. I know it neither lands nor moveables Come le ts hear what further news within Enter the Clown Clow. O my Master my Master what shal I do for my poor Master the kind churl is departed never did poor hard-hearted wretch part out of the world so like a lamb alass for my poor usuring extortioning Master many an old widdow hast thou turned into the street and many an orphan made beg their bread oh my sweet crul kind pittiless loving hard hearted Master he 's dead he 's dead he 's gone he 's fled and now full low must lye his head Oh my sweet vild kind flinty mild uncharitable master Fost. Dead on the suddain 't is exceeding strange yet for the eldest son it happens well Goodw. Ill for the younger brother Enter Jack and Will Will Iack Iac. Will Wil. The land 's gon Iac. Father 's dead Will We have made a fair hand on 't have we not who
I love you well and that you may know I love you I would make bold to reveal a secret to you my young Master here though you see him in these homely Accoutraments simple as you stand here he has more to take to then I le speak of he might I marry might he he might go brave and shine in pearle and gold he hath now in his instant possession a thousand pound thick Fost. A thousand pounds Clow. Nay old lads he hath learnt his 1 2 3 4 5. And never cost him ten shillings Goodw. Five thousand pound Clow. You know where you hear it Mum here 's your tale and your tales Man Gent. Good good proceed Clow. Now lift up your large ears and listen to whom should he reveal all this wealth but to some friend and how should he know a friend but by trying of him and how should he try a friend but by troubling of him and how should he trouble a friend but by borrowing money of him now Gentlemen it may be at first hee 'l make his case poor and pitiful to you Fost. Onely to try us Clow. Onely to try you have you no brains do you think we have need of money has any of you occasion to use a hundred pound need of money as I said afore so I say agen onely to try you be has done the like to four or five that I know now because they would not pity his supposed poverty he would not acquaint them with this infinite mass of wealth you have wits brains apprehension if he makes his case known to you lay it on if I said lay it on lay it on you are not every body if I had not seen some sparks in you you had not been the men lay it on Fost. Enough enough I understand thee fully kind Master Philip will you use my aid in my fair employment Goodw Sir or mine Gent. Or mine Phil. Worthy friends even one as all freely to speak as you are Gentlemen and I from my childhood have protested love as you are Christians therefore to the poor such as I am should be most charitable help with your plenty to releeve my wants you know my labor and have seen my need then take some pity of my poor estate and help to ransome me from slavery by lending me some money Clow. Did I not tell you so Lay it on Fost Sir you shall have a hundred pound of me Goodw. What need you use him and my selfe so neer Gent. Trouble not them Sir you shall hate of me Clow. Take 't Master take 't all Phil. Oh Heavens where slept this friendship all this while who said that charity was fled to heaven and had no known abiding here on earth see these that know me disinherited and to have no means to supply my wants strive who should most engage his purse and credit to one so much opprest with poverty Clow. Alas sir you see their kindness I told you how strange he would make it Lay it on Fost. Pray Sir accept my kindnesse Gent. Goodw. Pray take mine Clow. Pray Master take their courtesies Phil. I le use them all and onely borrow twenty pounds a peece to stock a poor farm for my wife and me some threescore pounds will do 't Clow. Now now lay it on Gent. Take it all of me Goodw. Why all of you Sir is not mine as ready Fost. When one can do 't what need you trouble three but for the thousand pound Sir do not think but you may trust me with the whole employment of all such moneys and never trouble these Phil. What thousand pound Goodw. Though it be six thousand I durst be steward of so great a sum Clow. Why Master Fellow Phil Phil. Do you mock me Gentlemen my wealth amounts not to a thousand straws Clow. I told you he would make it strange lay it on Fost. Make not your wealth so dainty for we know you have at least six thousand pound in banck you may impart it unto us your friends Phil. Who hath deluded you derided me and make a mockery of my poor estate now I protest I have not in the world more riches then these garments on my back Goodw, If possible why here 's my tale and my tales man Clow. No Sir you are deceiv'd here is your tale and you your selfe are your tales man for you carry it about you the truth is Gentlemen that we have betwixt us both no more crosses then you see Phil. Onely the late hope of those sixty pounds promis'd by you unurged and uncompelled may raise my ruined fortunes Gent. Will you disburst it all that were so forward Fost. I have no money do it you for me Goodw. It is but one mans labour do 't your self if you have none I have less God be with you one staies for me at home Gent. Nay take me with you Sir Phil. Why Gentlemen will you revault your words Fost. I have no money Phil. But now you strived which man should lend me most Fost. But then we reckoned Sir without our host Then we supposed you rich but being grown poor I have made a foolish vow to lend no more Exit Gent. I have made the like you know your father threatens To disinherit you and should we lend You being poor should of our purses spend Exit Phil. Though I be poor heaven may enable me Goodw. Heaven may do much that 's all the beggers saying Let me hourd wealth you seek for wealth by praying Exit Phil. The time may come ere long so I divine To punish those that at their power repine Exit Enter a Pursevant meeting the Clown Pursev. Whither away so fast sirrah in the Queens name I command you stay Clow. What are you that look so big Pursev. A Pursevant Clow. If you be so pursey can you lend 's any money I assure you it was the last business we were about or else tell me the reason why you stay my passage Pursev Sirrah I have a Proclamation to publish and because my self am somwhat hoarse and thou hast a large wide mouth and a laudible voice I charge thee for the better understanding of the multitude to speak after me word by word Clow. If it be nothing else do but advance me and I le speak high enough come now and teach me my new lesson Pursev Whereas two famous Rovers on the Sea Clow. Whereas two famous Rogues upon the Sea Pursev Purser and Clinton Clow That lost their purses at the Clink Purs. Long since proclaimed Pirates Clow: Long since proclaimed spirats Purs: Notwithstanding her Majesties commission Clow: Notwithstanding her Majesties condition Pur: Stil keep out Clow: And will not come in Pur: And have of late spoyled a Ship of Exeter Clow: And have of late spoyled all the sheep in the Exchequer Pur: And thrown the chief Merchant over board Clow. And thrown the Merchants cheeses over-board Purs: I therefore in her Majesties name Clow: I therefore in the