A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Vol. IX | Page 9

at his podix.
[Exeunt BOYS.
Enter YOUNG MASTER ARTHUR.
Y. ART. A pretty wench, a passing pretty wench. A sweeter duck all
London cannot yield; She cast a glance on me as I pass'd by, Not Helen
had so ravishing an eye. Here is the pedant Sir Aminadab; I will inquire
of him if he can tell By any circumstance, whose wife she is: Such
fellows commonly have intercourse Without suspicion, where we are
debarr'd. God save you, gentle Sir Aminadab!
AMIN. _Salve tu quoque_! would you speak with me? You are, I take
it, and let me not lie, For, as you know, _mentiri non est meum_,
Young Master Arthur; _quid vis_--what will you?
Y. ART. You are a man I much rely upon; There is a pretty wench
dwells in this street That keeps no shop, nor is not public known: At the
two posts, next turning of the lane, I saw her from a window looking
out; O, could you tell me how to come acquainted With that sweet lass,

you should command me, sir, Even to the utmost of my life and power.
AMIN. _Dii boni, boni_! 'tis my love he means; But I will keep it from
this gentleman, And so, I hope, make trial of my love. [Aside.]
Y. ART. If I obtain her, thou shalt win thereby More than at this time I
will promise thee.
AMIN. _Quando venis aput_, I shall have two horns on my caput.
[Aside.]
Y. ART. What, if her husband come and find one there?
AMIN. _Nuncquam time_, never fear, She is unmarried, I swear. But,
if I help you to the deed, Tu vis narrare how you speed.
Y. ART. Tell how I speed? ay, sir, I will to you: Then presently about it.
Many thanks For this great kindness, Sir Aminadab. [Exit.
AMIN. If my puella prove a drab, I'll be reveng'd on both: ambo shall
die; Shall die! by what? for ego I Have never handled, I thank God,
Other weapon than a rod; I dare not fight for all my speeches. _Sed
cave_, if I take him thus, Ego sum expers at untruss.
[Exit.

SCENE II.
_A Room in Justice Reason's House_.
Enter JUSTICE REASON, OLD MASTER ARTHUR, OLD MASTER
LUSAM, MISTRESS ARTHUR, YOUNG MASTER LUSAM, and
HUGH.
O. ART. We, Master Justice Reason, come about A serious matter that
concerns us near.
O. LUS. Ay, marry, doth it, sir, concern us near; Would God, sir, you
would take some order for it.

O. ART. Why, look ye, Master Lusam, you are such another, You will
be talking what concerns us near, And know not why we come to
Master Justice.
O. LUS. How? know not I?
O. ART. No, sir, not you.
O. LUS. Well, I know somewhat, though I know not that; Then on, I
pray you.
JUS. Forward, I pray, [and] yet the case is plain.
O. ART. Why, sir, as yet you do not know the case.
O. LUS. Well, he knows somewhat; forward, Master Arthur.
O. ART. And, as I told you, my unruly son, Once having bid his wife
home to my house, There took occasion to be much aggriev'd About
some household matters of his own, And, in plain terms, they fell in
controversy.
O. LUS. 'Tis true, sir, I was there the selfsame time, And I remember
many of the words.
O. ART. Lord, what a man are you! you were not there That time; as I
remember, you were rid Down to the North, to see some friends of
yours.
O. LUS. Well, I was somewhere; forward, Master Arthur.
JUS. All this is well; no fault is to be found In either of the parties; pray,
say on.
O. ART. Why, sir, I have not nam'd the parties yet, Nor touch'd the
fault that is complain'd upon.
O. LUS. Well, you touch'd somewhat; forward, Master Arthur.

O. ART. And, as I said, they fell in controversy: My son, not like a
husband, gave her words Of great reproof, despite, and contumely,
Which she, poor soul, digested patiently; This was the first time of their
falling out. As I remember, at the selfsame time One Thomas, the Earl
of Surrey's gentleman, Din'd at my table.
O. LUS. I knew him well.
O. ART. You are the strangest man; this gentleman, That I speak of, I
am sure you never saw; He came but lately from beyond the sea.
O. LUS. I am sure I know one Thomas;--forward, sir.
JUS. And is this all? Make me a _mittimus_, And send the offender
straightways to the jail.
O. ART. First know the offender--now[13] began the strife Betwixt this
gentlewoman and my son-- Since when, sir, he hath us'd her not like
one That should partake his bed, but like a