The Complete Apocryphal Works of William Shakespeare - All 17 Rare Plays in One Edition. William ShakespeareЧитать онлайн книгу.
forty
Angels I must have more? (here enters a prentice.
PRENTICE
‘tis very late; I were best shut up my stall,
For here will be old filching, when the press comes forth
Of paul’s. (then lets down his window, and it breaks Black Will’s head.
WILL
Zounds, draw, Shakebag, draw, I am almost kill’d.
PRENTICE
We’ll tame you, I warrant.
WILL
Zounds, I am tame enough already.
(here Enter Arden, Franklin, and MICHAEL
ARDEN
What troublesome fray or mutiny is this?
FRANKLIN
‘tis nothing but some brabling paltry fray,
Devised to pick men’s pockets in the throng.
ARDEN
Is’t nothing else? Come Franklin let us away. (Exeunt.
WILL
What mends shall I have for my broken head?
PRENTICE
Marry, this ‘mends, that if you get you not away
All the sooner, you shall be well beaten and sent to the counter.
(Exit prentice.
WILL
Well, I’ll be gone, but look to your signs,
For I’ll pull them down all.
Shakebag, my broken head grieves me not so much
As by this means Arden hath escaped. (here enters GREENE
I had a glimpse of him and his companion.
GREENE
Why, sirs, Arden’s as well as I;
I met him and Franklin going merrily to the ordinary.
What, dare you not do it?
WILL
Yes, sir, we dare do it; but, were my consent to give again,
We would not do it under ten pound more.
I value every drop of my blood at a french crown.
I have had ten pounds to steal a dog,
And we have no more here to kill a man;
You should do it your self.
GREENE
I pray thee, how came thy head broke?
WILL
Why, thou seest it is broke, dost thou not?
SHAKEBAG
Standing against a stall, watching Arden’s coming,
Whereupom arose a brawl, and in the tumult
Arden escaped us and passed by unthought on.
But forbearance is no acquittance;
Another time we’ll do it, I warrant thee.
GREENE
I pray thee, Will, make clean thy bloody brow,
And let us bethink us on some other place
Where Arden may be met with handsomely.
Remember how devoutly thou hast sworn
To kill the villain; think upon thine oath.
WILL
Tush, I have broken five hundred oaths!
But wouldst thou charm me to effect this deed,
Tell me of gold, my resolution’s fee;
Say thou seest Mosbie kneeling at my knees,
Offering me service for my high attempt,
And sweet Alice Arden, with a lap of crowns,
Comes with a lowly curtsey to the earth,
Saying ‘take this but for the quarterage,
Such yearly tribute will I answer thee.’
SHAKEBAG
I cannot paint my valor out with words:
But, give me place and opportunity,
Such mercy as the starven lioness,
When she is dry sucked of her eager young,
Shows to the prey that next encounters her,
On Arden so much pity would I take.
GREENE
So should it fare with men of firm resolve.
And now, sirs, seeing that this accident
Of meeting him in paul’s hath no success,
Let us bethink us of some other place
Whose earth may swallow up this Arden’s blood.
(here enters MICHAEL
see, yonder comes his man: and wot you what
The foolish knave’s in love with Mosbie’s sister,
And for her sake, whose love he cannot get
Unless Mosbie solicit his suit,
The villain hath sworn the slaughter of his master.
We’ll question him, for he may stead us much.
How now, Michael, whither are you going?
And I am going to prepare his chamber.
GREENE
Where supped master Arden?
MICHAEL
At the nag’s head, at the eighteen pence ordinary.
How now, master Shakebag, what Black Will!
God’s dear lady, how chance your face is so bloddy?
WILL
Go to, sirrah, there is a chance in it;
This sauciness in you will make you be knocked.
MICHAEL
Nay, and you be offended, I’ll be gone.
GREENE
Stay, Michael, you may not ‘scape us so.
Michael, I know you love your master well.
MICHAEL
Why, so I do; but wherefore urge you that?
GREENE
Because I think you love your mistress better.
MICHAEL
So think not I; but say, i’ faith, what if I should?
SHAKEBAG
Come to the purpose, Michael; we hear
You have a pretty love in feversham.
MICHAEL
Why, have I two or three, what’s that to thee?
WILL
You deal too mildly with the peasant, thus it is:
‘tis known to us that you love Mosbie’s sister;
We know besides that you have ta’en your oath
To further Mosbie to your mistress’ bed,
And kill your master for his sister’s sake.
Now, sir,