Roister Doister Part 10

Actus. ij. Scaena. iij.

+Truepenie. D. Dough. Tibet T. Anot Al.+

+Trupeny.+ I am cleane lost for lacke of mery companie, We gree not halfe well within, our wenches and I, They will commaunde like mistresses, they will forbyd, If they be not serued, Trupeny must be chyd.

Let them be as mery nowe as ye can desire, With turnyng of a hande, our mirth lieth in the mire, I can not skill of such chaungeable mettle, There is nothing with them but in docke out nettle.

+D. Dough.+ Whether is it better that speake to him furst, Or he first to me, it is good to cast the wurst.

If I beginne first, he will smell all my purpose, Otherwise I shall not neede any thing to disclose.

+Trupeny.+ What boy haue we yonder? I will see what he is.

+D. Dough.+ He commeth to me. It is hereabout ywis.

+Trupeny.+ Wouldest thou ought friende, that thou lookest so about?

+D. Dough.+ Yea, but whether ye can helpe me or no, I dout.

I seeke to one mistresse Custance house here dwellyng.

+Trupenie.+ It is my mistresse ye seeke too by your telling.

+D. Dough.+ Is there any of that name heere but shee?

+Trupenie.+ Not one in all the whole towne that I knowe pardee.

+D. Dough.+ A Widowe she is I trow.

+Trupenie.+ And what and she be?

+D. Dough.+ But ensured to an husbande.

+Trupenie.+ Yea, so thinke we.

+D. Dough.+ And I dwell with hir husbande that trusteth to be.

+Trupenie.+ In faith then, must thou needes be welcome to me, Let vs for acquaintance shake handes togither, And what ere thou be, heartily welcome hither.

+Tib. Talk.+ Well Trupenie neuer but flinging.

+An. Alyface.+ And frisking?

+Trupenie.+ Well Tibet and Annot, still swingyng and whiskyng?

+Tib. Talk.+ But ye roile abroade.

+An. Alyface.+ In the streete euere where.

+Trupenie.+ Where are ye twaine, in chambers when ye mete me there?

But come hither fooles, I haue one nowe by the hande, Seruant to hym that must be our mistresse husbande, Byd him welcome.

+An. Alyface.+ To me truly is he welcome.

+Tib. Talk.+ Forsooth and as I may say, heartily welcome.

+D. Dough.+ I thank you mistresse maides

+An. Alyface.+ I hope we shal better know

+Tib. Talk.+ And when wil our new master come.

+D. Dough.+ Shortly I trow.

+Tib. Talk.+ I would it were to morow: for till he resorte Our mistresse being a Widow hath small comforte, And I hearde our nourse speake of an husbande to day Ready for our mistresse, a riche man and a gay, And we shall go in our frenche hoodes euery day, In our silke ca.s.socks (I warrant you) freshe and gay, In our tricke serdegews and billiments of golde, Braue in our sutes of chaunge seuen double folde, Then shall ye see Tibet sirs, treade the mosse so trimme, Nay, why sayd I treade? ye shall see hir glide and swimme, Not lumperdee clumperdee like our spaniell Rig.

+Trupeny.+ Mary then p.r.i.c.kmedaintie come toste me a fig, Who shall then know our Tib Talke apace trow ye?

+An. Alyface.+ And why not Annot Alyface as fyne as she?

+Trupeny.+ And what had Tom Trupeny, a father or none?

+An. Alyface.+ Then our prety newe come man will looke to be one.

+Trupeny.+ We foure I trust shall be a ioily mery knot.

Shall we sing a fitte to welcome our friende, Annot?

+An. Alyface.+ Perchaunce he can not sing.

+D. Dough.+ I am at all a.s.sayes.

+Tib. Talk.+ By c.o.c.ke and the better welcome to vs alwayes.

_Here they sing._

A thing very fitte For them that haue witte, And are felowes knitte Seruants in one house to bee, Is fast fast for to sitte, And not oft to flitte, Nor varie a whitte, But louingly to agree.

No man complainyng, Nor other disdayning, For losse or for gainyng, But felowes or friends to bee.

No grudge remainyng, No worke refrainyng, Nor helpe restrainyng, But louingly to agree.

No man for despite, By worde or by write His felowe to twite, But further in honestie, No good turnes entwite, Nor olde sores recite, But let all goe quite, And louingly to agree.

After drudgerie, When they be werie, Then to be merie, To laugh and sing they be free With chip and cherie Heigh derie derie, Trill on the berie, And louingly to agree.

_Finis._

+Tib. Talk.+ Wyll you now in with vs vnto our mistresse go?

+D. Dough.+ I haue first for my maister an errand or two.

But I haue here from him a token and a ring, They shall haue moste thanke of hir that first doth it bring.