Roister Doister Part 20

+C. Custance.+ Do not misse You shall haue a token to your maister with you.

+Sym Sure.+ No tokens this time gramercies, G.o.d be with you. _Exeat._

+C. Custance.+ Surely this fellowe misdeemeth some yll in me.

Which thing but G.o.d helpe, will go neere to spill me.

+R. Royster.+ Yea farewell fellow, and tell thy maister Goodlucke That he commeth to late of thys blossome to plucke.

Let him keepe him there still, or at least wise make no hast, As for his labour hither he shall spende in wast.

His betters be in place nowe.

+M. Mery.+ As long as it will hold.

+C. Custance.+ I will be euen with thee thou beast, thou mayst be bolde.

+R. Royster.+ Will ye haue vs then?

+C. Custance.+ I will neuer haue thee.

+R. Royster.+ Then will I haue you?

+C. Custance.+ No, the deuill shal haue thee.

I haue gotten this houre more shame and harme by thee, Then all thy life days thou canst do me honestie.

+M. Mery.+ Why nowe may ye see what it comth too in the ende, To make a deadly foe of your most louing frende: And ywis this letter if ye woulde heare it now.

+C. Custance.+ I will heare none of it.

+M. Mery.+ In faith would rauishe you.

+C. Custance.+ He hath stained my name for euer this is cleare.

+R. Royster.+ I can make all as well in an houre.

+M. Mery.+ As ten yeare.

How say ye, wil ye haue him?

+C. Custance.+ No.

+M. Mery.+ Wil ye take him?

+C. Custance.+ I defie him.

+M. Mery.+ At my word?

+C. Custance.+ A shame take him.

Waste no more wynde, for it will neuer bee.

+M. Mery.+ This one faulte with twaine shall be mended, ye shall see.

Gentle mistresse Custance now, good mistresse Custance, Honey mistresse Custance now, sweete mistresse Custance, Golden mistresse Custance now, white mistresse Custance, Silken mistresse Custance now, faire mistresse Custance.

+C. Custance.+ Faith rather than to mary with suche a doltishe loute, I woulde matche my selfe with a begger out of doute.

+M. Mery.+ Then I can say no more, to speede we are not like, Except ye rappe out a ragge of your Rhetorike.

+C. Custance.+ Speake not of winnyng me: for it shall neuer be so.

+R. Royster.+ Yes dame, I will haue you whether ye will or no, I commaunde you to loue me, wherfore shoulde ye not?

Is not my loue to you chafing and burning hot?

+M. Mery.+ Too hir, that is well sayd.

+R. Royster.+ Shall I so breake my braine To dote vpon you, and ye not loue vs againe?

+M. Mery.+ Wel sayd yet.

+C. Custance.+ Go to you goose.

+R. Royster.+ I say Kit Custance, In case ye will not haze, well, better yes perchaunce.

+C. Custance.+ Auaunt lozell, picke thee hence.

+M. Mery.+ Wel sir, ye perceiue, For all your kinde offer, she will not you receiue.

+R. Royster.+ Then a strawe for hir, and a strawe for hir againe, She shall not be my wife, woulde she neuer so faine, No and though she would be at ten thousand pounde cost.

+M. Mery.+ Lo dame, ye may see what an husbande ye haue lost.

+C. Custance.+ Yea, no force, a iewell muche better lost than founde.

+M. Mery.+ Ah, ye will not beleue how this doth my heart wounde.

How shoulde a mariage betwene you be towarde, If both parties drawe backe, and become so frowarde.

+R. Royster.+ Nay dame, I will fire thee out of thy house, And destroy thee and all thine, and that by and by.

+M. Mery.+ Nay for the pa.s.sion of G.o.d sir, do not so.

+R. Royster.+ Yes, except she will say yea to that she sayde no.

+C. Custance.+ And what, be there no officers trow we, in towne To checke idle loytrers, braggyng vp and downe?

Where be they, by whome vacabunds shoulde be represt?

That poore sillie Widowes might liue in peace and rest.

Shall I neuer ridde thee out of my companie?

I will call for helpe, what hough, come forth Trupenie.

+Trupenie.+ Anon. What is your will mistresse? dyd ye call me?

+C. Custance.+ Yea, go runne apace, and as fast as may be, Pray Tristram Trusty, my moste a.s.sured frende, To be here by and by, that he may me defende.

+Trupenie.+ That message so quickly shall be done by G.o.ds grace, That at my returne ye shall say, I went apace. _Exeat._