LACY Mass, and that’s well remembered.

SYBIL

Here comes your father.

LACY

Forware, metress, ‘tis un good skow; it sal vel dute, or ye sal neit

betallen.

30

ROSE

O God, it pincheth me! What will you do?

LACY

[Aside] Your father’s presence pincheth, not the shoe.

OATLEY

Well done. Fit my daughter well, and she shall please thee well.

LACY

Yaw, yaw, ick weit dat well. Forware, tis un good skoo, tis gi mait

van neits leither - se ever, mine here.

35

OATLEY

I do believe it.

PRENTICE

Please you, the Earl of Lincoln at the gate

Is newly lighted, and would speak with you.

OATLEY

The Earl of Lincoln come to speak with me?

Well, well, I know his errand. Daughter Rose,

40

Send hence your shoemaker - dispatch, have done.

Syb, make things handsome. Sir boy, follow me.

LACY

Mine uncle come? O, what may this portend?

Sweet Rose, this of our love threatens an end.

ROSE

Be not dismayed at this. Whate’er befall,

45

Rose is thine own. To witness I speak truth,

Where thou appoints the place I’ll meet with thee.

I will not fix a day to follow thee

But presently steal hence! Do not reply.

Love which gave strength to bear my father’s hate

50

Shall now add wings to further our escape.

OATLEY

Believe me - on my credit I speak truth –

Since first your nephew Lacy went to France

I have not seen him. It seemed strange to me

When Dodger told me that he stayed behind,

Neglecting the high charge the King imposed.

5

LINCOLN

Trust me, Sir Roger Oatley, I did think

Your counsel had given head to this attempt,

Drawn to it by the love he bears your child.

Here I did hope to find him in your house;

But now I see mine error, and confess

10

My judgment wronged you by conceiving so.

OATLEY

Lodge in my house, say you? Trust me, my lord,

I love your nephew Lacy too too dearly

So much to wrong his honour; and he hath done so

That first gave him advice to stay from France.

15

To witness I speak truth, I let you know

How careful I have been to keep my daughter

Free from all conference or speech of him –

Not that I scorn your nephew, but in love

I bear your honour, lest your noble blood

20

Should by my mean worth be dishonoured.

LINCOLN

[Aside] How far the churl’s tongue wanders from his heart!

- Well, well, Sir Roger Oatley, I believe you,

With more than many thanks for the kind love

So much you seem to bear me. But, my lord,

25

Let me request your help to seek my nephew,

Whom, if I find, I’ll straight embark for France.

So shall your Rose be free, my thoughts at rest,

And much care die which now lives in my breast.