A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Ix Part 104

WEN. Fit to be regarded.

BAR. That shall command our souls.

WEN. Our swords.

BAR. Ourselves.

ILF. To feed upon you, as Pharaoh's lean kine did upon the fat.

[_Aside_.]

SCAR. Master Gripe, is my bond current for this gentleman?

ILF. Good security, you Egyptian gra.s.shopper, good security.

[_Aside_.]

GRIPE. And for as much more, kind Master Scarborow, Provided that men, mortal as we are, May have--

SCAR. May have security.

GRIPE. Your bond with land conveyed, which may a.s.sure me of mine own again.

SCAR. You shall be satisfied, and I'll become your debtor For full five hundred more than he doth owe you.

This night we sup here; bear us company, And bring your counsel, scrivener, and the money With you, where I will make as full a.s.surance As in the law you'd wish.

GRIPE. I take your word, sir, And so discharge you of your prisoner.

ILF. Why then let's come And take up a new room, the infected hath spit in this.

He that hath store of coin wants not a friend; Thou shalt receive, sweet rogue, and we will spend.

[_Aside. Exeunt_.

_Enter_ THOMAS _and_ JOHN SCARBOROW.

JOHN. Brother, you see the extremity of want Enforceth us to question for our own, The rather that we see, not like a brother, Our brother keeps from us to spend on other.

THOM. True, he has in his hands our portions--the patrimony which our father gave us, with which he lies fatting himself with sack and sugar[389] in the house, and we are fain to walk with lean purses abroad. Credit must be maintained, which will not be without money; good clothes must be had, which will not be without money; company must be kept, which will not be without money; all which we must have, and from him we will have money.

JOHN. Besides, we have brought our sister to this town, That she herself, having her own from him, Might bring herself in court to be preferr'd Under some n.o.ble personage; or else that he, Whose friends are great in court by his late match, As he is in nature bound, provide for her.

THOM. And he shall do it, brother, though we have waited at his lodging longer than a tailor's bill on a young knight for an old reckoning, without speaking with him. Here we know he is, and we will call him to parley.

JOHN. Yet let us do't in mild and gentle terms; Fair words perhaps may sooner draw our own Than rougher course,[390] by which is mischief grown.

_Enter_ DRAWER.

DRAW. Anon, anon. Look down into the Dolphin[391] there.

THOM. Here comes a drawer, we will question him. Do you hear, my friend?

is not Master Scarborow here?

DRAW. Here, sir! what a jest is that! where should he be else? I would have you well know my master hopes to grow rich,[392] before he leave him.

JOHN. How long hath he continued here, since he came hither?

DRAW. Faith, sir, not so long as Noah's flood, yet long enough to have drowned up the livings of three knights, as knights go nowadays--some month, or thereabouts.

JOHN. Time ill-consum'd to ruinate our house; But what are they that keep him company?

DRAW. Pitch, pitch; but I must not say so; but, for your further satisfaction, did you ever see a young whelp and a lion play together?

JOHN. Yes.

DRAW. Such is Master Scarborow's company.[393]

[_Within, Oliver_!

Anon, anon, look down to the Pomegranate[394] there.

THOM. I prythee, say here's them would speak with him.

DRAW. I'll do your message. Anon, anon, there.

[_Exit_.

JOHN. This fool speaks wiser than he is aware.

Young heirs left in this town, where sin's so rank, And prodigals gape to grow fat by them, Are like young whelps thrown in the lions' den, Who play with them awhile, at length devour them.

_Enter_ SCARBOROW.

SCAR. Who's there would speak with me?

JOHN. Your brothers, who are glad to see you well.

SCAR. Well.

JOHN. 'Tis not your riot, that we hear you use With such as waste their goods, as tire[395] the world With a continual spending, nor that you keep The company of a most leprous rout, Consumes your body's wealth, infects your name With such plague sores that, had you reason's eye, 'Twould make you sick to see you visit them-- Hath drawn us, but our wants to crave the due Our father gave, and yet remains with you.

THOM. Our birthright, good brother; this town craves maintenance; silk stockings must be had, and we would be loth our heritage should be arraigned at the vintner's bar, and so condemned to the vintner's box.

Though, while you did keep house, we had some belly timber at your table or so; yet we would have you think we are your brothers, yet no Esaus, to sell our patrimony for porridge.

SCAR. So, so; what hath your coming else?

JOHN. With us our sister joins in our request, Whom we have brought along with us to London, To have her portion, wherewith to provide An honour'd service or an honest bride.

SCAR. So then you two my brothers, and she my sister, come not, as in duty you are bound, to an elder brother out of Yorks.h.i.+re to see us, but like leeches to suck from us.

JOHN. We come compelled by want to crave our own.

SCAR. Sir, for your own? then thus be satisfied, Both hers and yours were left in trust with me, And I will keep it for ye: must you appoint us, Or what we please to like mix with reproof?

You have been too saucy both, and you shall know I'll curb you for it: ask why? I'll have it so.

JOHN. We do but crave our own.