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Wind horns. Enter a Lord from hunting, with a Train. Lord. Huntsman, I charge thee, tender well my hounds;

(Brach, Merriman ! the poor cur is imbost ;)

And couple Clowder with the deep-mouth'd Brach.
Saw'st thou not, boy, how Silver made it good
At the hedge-corner in the coldest fault?

I would not lofe the dog for twenty pound.

Hun. Why, Belman is as good as he, my lord ;-
He cried upon it at the meerest loss,

And twice to day pick'd out the dulleft fcent:
Trust me, I take him for the better dog.

Lord. Thou art a fool; if Eccho were as fleet,
I would esteem him worth a dozen fuch.
But fup them well, and look unto them all,
To morrow I intend to hunt again.

Hun. I will, my lord.

Lord. What's here? one dead, or drunk? fee, doth he breathe?

2 Hun. He breathes, my Lord. Were he not warm'd with ale,

This were a bed but cold, to fleep fo foundly.

Lord. O monftrous beaft! how like a fwine he lies! Grim death, how foul and loathfome is thy image! Sirs, I will practise on this drunken man.

What think you, if he were convey'd to bed,
Wrapt in sweet cloaths; rings put upon his fingers;
A moft delicious banquet by his bed,

And brave attendants near him, when he wakes;
Would not the beggar then forget himself?

1 Hun. Believe me, Lord, I think he cannot chufe.
2 Hun. It would feem ftrange unto him, when he
wak'd.

Lord. Even as a flatt'ring dream, or worthless fancy.
Then take him up, and manage well the jeft:
Carry him gently to my fairest chamber,
And hang it round with all my wanton pictures;
Balm his foul head with warm diftilled waters,
And burn fweet wood to make the lodging sweet

Pro

Procure me mufick ready, when he wakes,
To make a dulcet and a heav'nly found;
And if he chance to fpeak, be ready ftraight,
And with a low fubmiffive reverence

Say, what is it your Honour will command ?
Let one attend him with a filver bason

Full of Rofe-water, and beftrew'd with flowers;
Another bear the ewer; a third a diaper;

And fay, wilt please your lordship cool your hands?
Some one be ready with a coftly fuit,

And ask him what apparel he will wear;
Another tell him of his hounds and horfe,
And that his Lady mourns at his disease ;
Perfwade him, that he hath been lunatick.
And when he fays he is,
For he is nothing but a mighty lord:
This do, and do it kindly, gentle Sirs:
It will be paftime paffing excellent,
If it be husbanded with modefty.

fay, that he dreams;

1 Hun. My Lord, I warrant you, we'll play our fart, As he fhall think, by our true diligence,

He is no less than what we fay he is.

Lord. Take him up gently, and to bed with him; And each one to his Office, when he wakes.

[Some bear out Sly.

Sound Trumpets. Sirrah, go fee what trumpet is that founds.

Belike, fome noble gentleman that means, [Ex. Servant. Travelling fome journey, to repose him here.

Re-enter Servant.

How now? who is it?

Ser. An't please your Honour, Players That offer fervice to your lordship.

Lord. Bid them come near:

Enter Players.

Now, Fellows, you are welcome.
Play. We thank your Honour.

Lord. Do you intend to stay with me to night?
2 Play. So please your Lordship to accept our duty.

Lord.

Lord. With all my heart. This fellow I remember,
Since once he play'd a farmer's eldest son :
'Twas where you woo'd the gentlewoman fo well:
I have forgot your name; but, fure, that part
Was aptly fitted, and naturally perform'd.

Sim. I think, 'twas Soto that your Honour means. (4)
Lord. 'Tis very true; thou didst it excellent :
Well, you are come to me in happy time,
The rather for I have some sport in hand,
Wherein your cunning can affift me much.
There is a Lord will hear you play to night;
But I am doubtful of your modefties,
Left, over-eying of his odd Behaviour,
(For yet his honour never heard a Play,)
You break into some merry Passion,
And fo offend him: for I tell you, Sirs,
If you should smile, he grows impatient.

Play. Fear not, my lord, we can contain our felves; Were he the verieft antick in the world.

2 Play. [to the other.] Go get a Dishclout to make clean your shoes, and I'll speak for the properties. [Exit Player: My lord, we must have a shoulder of mutton for a property, and a little Vinegar to make our devil roar. Lord. Go, firrah, take them to the buttery. And give them friendly wellcome, every one: Let them want nothing that the house affords.

[Exit one with the Players. Sirrah, go you to Bartholmew my page, And fee him dreft in all fuits like a lady. That done, conduct him to the drunkard's chamber,

(4) I think, 'twas Soto.] I take our Author here to be paying a Compliment to Beaumont and Fletcher's Women pleas'd, in which Comedy there is the Character of Soto, who is a Farmer's Son, and a very facetious Serving-man. Mr. Rowe and Mr. Pope prefix the Name of Sim to the Line here spoken; but the firft folio has it Sincklo ; which, no doubt, was the Name of one of the Players here introduc'd, and who had play'd the Part of Soto with Applause.

And

And call him Madam, do him all obeisance.
Tell him from me, (as he will win my love)
He bear himself with honourable action,
Such as he hath observ'd in noble ladies
Unto their lords, by them accomplished;
Such duty to the drunkard let him do,
With foft low tongue, and lowly courtefie;
And fay; what is't your Honour will command,
Wherein your lady, and your humble wife,
May fhew her duty, and make known her love!
And then with kind embracements, tempting kiffes,
And with declining head into his bofom,
Bid him fhed tears, as being over-joy'd
To fee her noble lord restor❜d to health,
Who for twice feven years hath esteem'd himself (5)
No better than a poor and loathsome beggar:
And if the boy have not a woman's gift
To rain a fhower of commanded tears,
An Onion will do well for fuch a shift;
Which in a Napkin being clofe convey'd,
Shall in defpight enforce a wat'ry eye.
See this dispatch'd, with all the haft thou canft;
Anon I'll give thee more inftructions. [Ex. Servant.
I know the boy will well ufurp the grace,
Voice, gate, and action of a gentlewoman.

I long to hear him call the drunkard, husband;
And how my men will stay themselves from laughter,
When they do homage to this fimple peasant ;
I'll in to counsel them: haply, my prefence
May well abate the over-merry fspleen ; -
Which otherwife will go into extreams.

[Exit Lord,

(5) Who for these seven years hath esteem'd himself. No better than a poor and leathfom Beggar.]

I have ventur'd to alter a Word here, against the Authority of the printed Copies; and hope, I shall be justified in it by two fubfequent Paffages. That the Poet defign'd, the Tinker's fuppos'd Lunacy fhould be of 14 years ftanding at leaft, is evi dent upon two parallel Paffages in the play to that Purpose.

SCENE

SCENE changes to a Bedchamber in the
Lord's Houfe.

Enter Sly with Attendants, fome with apparel, bason and other appurtenances. Re-enter Lord.

and ewer,

OR God's fake, a pot of small ale.

Sly. FOR

1 Serv. Will't please your lordship drink a cup of fack?

2 Serv. Will't please your Honour taste of these Conferves ?

3 Serv. What raiment will your Honour wear to day?

Sly. I am Chriftophero Sly, call not me Honour, nor lordship: I ne'er drank fack in my life and if you give me any Conferves, give me Conferves of beef: ne'er ask me what raiment I'll wear, for I have no more doublets than backs, no more ftockings than legs, nor no more fhoes than feet; nay, fometimes, more feet than fhoes; or fuch fhoes as my toes look through the over-leather.

Lord. Heav'n cease this idle humour in your Ho

nour!

Oh, that a mighty man of fuch defcent,
Of fuch poffeffions, and fo high efteem,
Should be infufed with fo foul a fpirit!

Sly. What, would you make me mad? am not I Chriftophero Sly, old Sly's Son of Burton-heath, by birth a pedlar, by education a card-maker, by tranfmutation a bearherd, and now by prefent profeffion a tinker? ask Marian Hacket, the fat afe-wife of Wincot, if she know me not; if fhe fay, I am not fourteen pence on the fcore for fheer ale, fcore me up for the lying'ft knave in Christendom. What, I am not beftraught:

here's

1 Man. Oh, this it is that makes your lady mourn. 2 Man. Oh, this it is that makes your fervants droop.

Lord.

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