A Collection Of Old English Plays, Vol. IV. | Page 6

deale ill with this distressed boye, God will
revenge poore orphants iniuries, If you deale well, as I do hope you will,
God will defend both you and yours from ill. Farewell, farewell, now
let me breath my last, Into his dearest mouth, that wanteth breath, And
as we lov'd in life imbrace in death. Brother and sister this is all I pray,
Tender my boye when we are laide in clay. [Dyeth.
Allen. Gods holy Angell guide your loving soules Unto a place of
endlesse happinesse.
Sostr. Amen, Amen. Ah, what a care she had Of her small Orphant!
She did dying pray, To love her Childe when she was laide in claye.
Scr. Ah blame her not although she held it deare; She left him yonge,
the greater cause of feare.
Fall. Knew she my mind, it would recall her life, [To the people. And
like a staring Commet she would moove Our harts to think of
desolation.-- Scrivenor, have you certified the Will?
Scri. I have.
Fall. Then theres two Duckets for your paines.
Scri. Thankes, gentle sir, and for this time farewell. [Exit.
Sost. Come pretty coozen, cozened by grim death Of thy most carefull
parents all too soone; Weepe not, sweete boye, thou shalt have cause to
say, Thy Aunt was kinde, though parents lye in claye.
Pert. But give me leave first to lament the losse, Of my deere parents,
nature bindeth me, To waile the death of those that gave me life, And if
I live untill I be a man, I will erect a sumptuous monument, And leave
remembrance to ensuing times Of kind Pandino and Armenia.
Allen. That shall not neede; my father will erect That sad memoriall of
their timeles[5] death, And at that tombe we will lament and say Soft
lye the bones of faire Armenia.

Fall. Surcease,_ Allenso_; thats a booteless cost, The Will imports no
such iniunction: I will not spend my little Nephewes wealth, In such
vaine toyes; they shall have funerall, But with no stately ceremoniall
pompe, Thats good for nought but fooles to gase uppon. Live thou in
hope to have thine unckles land.
Allen. His land! why, father, you have land enough, And more by much
then I do know to use: I would his vertues would in me survive, So
should my Unckle seeme in me alive. But to your will I doe submit my
selfe; Do what you please concerning funeralls.
Fall. Come then, away, that we may take in hand, To have possession
of my brothers land, His goods and all untill he come of age To rule
and governe such possessions.-- That shalbe never, or ile misse my
marke, Till I surrender up my life to death: And then my Sonne shalbe
his fathers heire, And mount aloft to honors happy chaire.
[Exeunt omnes.

[SCENE III.]
_Enter Merry, solus_.
Beech hath a score of pounds to helpe his neede, And I may starve ere
he will lend it me: But in dispight ile have it ere I sleepe, Although I
send him to eternall rest. But, shallow foole, thou talkst of mighty
things, And canst not compasse what thou dost conceive. Stay, let me
see, ile fetch him to my house, And in my garret quickly murther him:
The night conceales all in her pitchie cloake, And none can open what I
meane to hide. But then his boy will say I fetcht him foorth: I am
resolv'd he shall be murthered to [_sic_]; This toole shall write,
subscribe, and seale their death And send them safely to another world.
But then my sister, and my man at home, Will not conceale it when the
deede is done. Tush, one for love, the other for reward, Will never tell
the world my close intent. My conscience saith it is a damned deede To
traine one foorth, and slay him privily. Peace, conscience, peace, thou
art too scripulous [_sic_]; Gaine doth attend[6] this resolution. Hence,
dastard feare! I must, I can, I will, Kill my best friend to get a bag of

gold. They shall dye both, had they a thousand lives; And therefore I
will place this hammer here, And take it as I follow Beech up staires,
That suddenlie, before he is aware, I may with blowes dash out his
hatefull braines.-- Hoe, Rachell, bring my cloake; look to the house, I
will returne againe immediately.
Rach. Here it is brother, I pray you stay not long; Guesse[7] will come
in, 'tis almost supper time. [_Ex. Ra_.
Mer. Let others suppe, ile make a bloudier feast Then ever yet was
drest in Merryes house. Be like thy selfe then, have a merrie hart, Thou
shalt have gold to mend thy povertie, And after this live ever wealthilie.
_Then Merry