FIRK

Yaw heb veale gedrunck, quoth’a! They may well be called

butter-boxes when they drink fat veal, and thick beer too! But

come, dame – I hope you’ll chide us no more.

MARGERY

No, faith, Firk. No, perdie, Hodge. I do feel honour creep upon

me, and which is more, a certain rising in my flesh – but let that

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pass.

FIRK

Rising in your flesh do you feel, say you? Ay, you may be with

child, but why should not my master feel a rising in his flesh,

having a gown and a gold ring on? But you are such a shrew,

you’ll soon pull him down.

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MARGERY

Ha, ha! Prithee, peace: thou makest my worship laugh – but let

that pass. Come, I’ll go in. Hodge, prithee, go before me. Firk,

follow me.

FIRK

Firk doth follow. Hodge, pass out in state!

LINCOLN

How now, good Dodger, what’s the news in France?

DODGER

My lord, upon the eighteen day of May

The French and English were prepared to fight.

Each side with eager fury gave the sign

Of a most hot encounter. Five long hours

5

Both armies fought together; at the length

The lot of victory fell on our sides.

Twelve thousand of the Frenchman that day died,

Four thousand English, and no man of name

But Captain Hyam and young Ardington.

10

LINCOLN

Two gallant gentlemen. I knew them well.

But Dodger, prithee tell me, in this fight

How did my cousin Lacy bear himself?

DODGER

My lord, your cousin Lacy was not there.

LINCOLN

Not there?

DODGER No, my good lord.

LINCOLN Sure, thou mistakest:

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I saw him shipped, and a thousand eyes beside

Were witnesses of the farewells which he gave

When I with weeping eyes bid him adieu.

Dodger, take heed.

DODGER My lord, I am advised

That what I spake is true. To prove it so,

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His cousin Askew, that supplied his place,

Sent me for him from France, that secretly

He might convey himself thither.

LINCOLN Is’t even so?

Dares he so carelessly venture his life

Upon the indignation of a king?

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Hath he despised my love, and spurned those favours

Which I with prodigal hand poured on his head?

He shall repent his rashness with his soul.

Since of my love he makes no estimate,

I’ll make him wish he had not known my hate!

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Thou hast no other news?

DODGER None else, my lord.

LINCOLN

None worse I know thou hast. Procure the King

To crown his giddy brows with ample honours,

Send him chief colonel, and all my hope

Thus to be dashed? - but ’tis in vain to grieve.

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One evil cannot a worse relieve.

Upon my life, I have found out his plot!

That old dog Love that fawned upon him so,

Love to that puling girl, his fair-cheeked Rose,

The Lord Mayor’s daughter, hath distracted him,

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And in the fire of that love’s lunacy

Hath he burnt up himself, consumed his credit,

Lost the King’s love, yea, and I fear his life.

Only to get a wanton to his wife.

Dodger, it is so.

DODGER I fear so, my good lord.

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LINCOLN

It is so. - Nay, sure, it cannot be!

I am at my wits’ end. Dodger –

DODGER Yea, my lord?

LINCOLN

Thou art acquainted with my nephew’s haunts.

Spend this gold for thy pains; go seek him out.

Watch at my Lord Mayor’s: there if he live,

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Dodger, thou shalt be sure to meet with him.

Prithee, be diligent. Lacy, thy name

Lived once in honour, now dead in shame!

Be circumspect.

DODGER I warrant you, my lord.