Now wyll I goe knocke that I may dispatche with speede, But loe forth commeth hir selfe happily in deede.

Actus. iiij. Scaena. ij.

+Christian Custance. Sim. Suresby.+

+C. Custance.+ I come to see if any more stirryng be here, But what straunger is this, which doth to me appere?

+Sym Surs.+ I will speake to hir: Dame the lorde you saue and see.

+C. Custance.+ What friende Sym Suresby? Forsoth right welcome ye be, Howe doth mine owne Gawyn Goodlucke, I pray the tell?

+S. Suresby.+ When he knoweth of your health he will be perfect well.

+C. Custance.+ If he haue perfect helth, I am as I would be.

+Sim. Sure.+ Suche newes will please him well, this is as it should be.

+C. Custance.+ I thinke now long for him.

+Sym Sure.+ And he as long for you.

+C. Custance.+ When wil he be at home?

+Sym Sure.+ His heart is here een now His body commeth after.

+C. Custance.+ I woulde see that faine.

+Sim Sure.+ As fast as wynde and sayle can cary it a maine.

But what two men are yonde comming hitherwarde?

+C. Custance.+ Now I shrew their best Christma.s.se chekes both togetherward.

Actus. iiij. Scaena. iij.

+Christian Custance. Sym Suresby. Ralph Roister. Mathew Merygreke.

Trupeny.+

+C. Custance.+ What meane these lewde felowes thus to trouble me stil?

Sym Suresby here perchance shal therof deme som yll, And shall suspect in me some point of naughtinesse, And they come hitherward.

+Sym Sure.+ What is their businesse?

+C. Custance.+ I haue nought to them, nor they to me in sadnesse.

+Sim Sure.+ Let vs hearken them, somewhat there is I feare it.

+R. Royster.+ I will speake out aloude best, that she may heare it.

+M. Mery.+ Nay alas, ye may so feare hir out of hir wit.

+R. Royster.+ By the crosse of my sworde, I will hurt hir no whit.

+M. Mery.+ Will ye doe no harme in deede, shall I trust your worde?

+R. Royster.+ By Roister Doisters fayth I will speake but in borde.

+Sim Sure.+ Let vs hearken them, somwhat there is I feare it.

+R. Royster.+ I will speake out aloude, I care not who heare it: Sirs, see that my harnesse, my tergat, and my shield, Be made as bright now, as when I was last in fielde, As white as I shoulde to warre againe to morrowe: For sicke shall I be, but I worke some folke sorow.

Therfore see that all shine as bright as sainct George, Or as doth a key newly come from the Smiths forge.

I woulde haue my sworde and harnesse to shine so bright, That I might therwith dimme mine enimies sight, I would haue it cast beames as fast I tell you playne, As doth the glittryng gra.s.se after a showre of raine.

And see that in case I shoulde neede to come to arming, All things may be ready at a minutes warning, For such chaunce may chaunce in an houre, do ye heare?

+M. Mery.+ As perchance shall not chaunce againe in seuen yeare.

+R. Royster.+ Now draw we neare to hir, and here what shall be sayde.

+M. Mery.+ But I woulde not haue you make hir too muche afrayde.

+R. Royster.+ Well founde sweete wife (I trust) for al this your soure looke.

+C. Custance.+ Wife, why cal ye me wife?

+Sim Sure.+ Wife? this gear goth acrook.

+M. Mery.+ Nay mistresse Custance, I warrant you, our letter Is not as we redde een nowe, but much better, And where ye halfe stomaked this gentleman afore, For this same letter, ye wyll loue hym now therefore, Nor it is not this letter, though ye were a queene, That shoulde breake marriage betweene you twaine I weene.

+C. Custance.+ I did not refuse hym for the letters sake.

+R. Royster.+ Then ye are content me for your husbande to take.

+C. Custance.+ You for my husbande to take? nothing lesse truely.

+R. Royster.+ Yea say so, sweete spouse, afore straungers hardly.

+M. Mery.+ And though I haue here his letter of loue with me, Yet his ryng and tokens he sent, keepe safe with ye.

+C. Custance.+ A mischiefe take his tokens, and him and thee too.

But what prate I with fooles? haue I nought else to doo?

Come in with me Sym Suresby to take some repast.

+Sim Sure.+ I must ere I drinke by your leaue, goe in all hast, To a place or two, with earnest letters of his.

+C. Custance.+ Then come drink here with me.

+Sim Sure.+ I thank you.