MUSCO

I will, sir, presently. Very good, sir. Sir. Sir. Yes sir, a pretty while since. In his chamber sir. No sir, he saw him not. Oh Lord sir, that were a jest in deed. Yes sir, (on my word) he opened it, & read the contents Why sir I saw him not read it. Marry sir because he charged me (on my life) to tell no body that he opened it, which (unless he had done) he would never fear to have it revealed. Yes sir, what of him? Why he is gone. Its almost half and hour ago since he rid hence. Why you may have my Master's bay gelding, and you will. Then its no boot to follow him. Let him go and hang sir. Nay I pray you stand still sir. Tut, never vex your self with the thought of such a ba e fellow as he. Like enough so; that was, because he saw you had so few at your hose. I marl, sir, you wear such ill-favoured course stoc kings, having so good a leg as you have. I afore God would it rarely well. You have and excellent good leg, sir: I pray you pardon me, I have a little haste in, sir. 'Slid I am afeard they will know me, would I could get by them. I will venture, come what will: Gentlemen, please you change a few crowns for a very excellent good blade here; I am a poor gentleman, a soldier, one that (in the better state of my Fortune's) scorned so mean a refuge, but now its the humour of necessity to have it so: you seem to be gentlemen well affected to martial men, else I should rather die with si lence, then live with shame: how ever, vouchsafe to remember it is my want speaks, not my self: this condition agrees not with my spirit. May it please you Signior, in all the provinces of Bo hemia, Hungaria, Dalmatia, Poland, where not? I have been a poor servitor by sea and land, any time this xiv. years, and followed the Fortune's of the best Commanders in Christian dome. I was twice shot at the taking of Aleppo, once at the re lief of Vienna; I have been at America in the galleys thrice where I was most dangerously shot in the head, through both the thighs, and yet being thus maimed I am void of mainte nance, nothing left me but my scars, the noted marks of my resolution. Faith Signior, I refer it to your own judgement; you are a gentleman, give me what you please. I assure you the blade may become the side of the best prince in Europe. At your pleasure Signior, nay it's a most pure Toledo. At your service Signior. My master: nay faith have at you: I am fleshed now I have sped so well: Gentleman, I beseech you respect the estate of a poor soldier; I am ashamed of this base course of life (God's my comfort) but extremity provokes me to't, what remedy? By the faith I bear unto God, gentleman, it is no oh dinarie custom, but only to preserve manhood. I protest to you, a man I have been, a man I may be, by your sweet bounty. Good Signior: by Jesu you may do the partly of a kind gentleman, in lending a poor soldier the price of two cans of beer, a matter of small valve, the King of heaven shall pay you, and I shall rest thankful: sweet Signior. O Lord sir, needs will have his course: I was not made to this vile use; well, the edge of the enemy could not have a bated me so much: it's hard when a man hath served in his Princes cause and be thus. Signior, let me derive a small piece of silver from you, it shall not be given in the course of time, by this good ground, I was feign to pawn my rapier last night for a poor supper, I am a Pagan else: sweet Signior. Faith signior, I would gladly find some other course if so Alas e sir, where should a man seek? in the wars, there's no assent by desert in these days, but: and for service would it were as soon purchased as wished for (Gods my come fort) I know what I would say. Please you: Portensi . Signior: by the place and honour of a soldier. Nothing signior, but wish my Fortune's were as happy as my service should be honest. I sir, I know you by sighs . Yes marry did I sir. True I did so. No sir, I confess it, it is none. Gentleman, shall I entreat a word with you? You are pleasant, your name is signior Lorenzo as I take it. No sir, I leave that to the Curate, I am none of that coat. Faith signior, I am but servant to God Mars extraor dinarie, and indeed (this brass varnish being washed off, and three or four other tricks sublated) I appear yours in reuer sion, after the decease of your good father, Musco. Your Easterly wind sir, the same that blue your fa there hither. Nay never start, it's true, he is come to town of pur pose to seek you. At a Gentleman's house yonder by Saint A thonies where he but stays my return; and then— The same sir. Faith a devise, a devise, nay for the love of God, stand not here Gentlemen, house your selves and isle tell you all. Do I live sir? what a question is that? Amen, Amen. Faith sir, I had it of one of the devils near kinsmen, a Broker. True sir, but I needs a broker, Ergo no crafty knave. And yet where I have one, the broker ha ten sir. Master glance, glance: Signior Prospero. No sir, they went in here. Well, and the Pope knew he cursed the Miter it were enough to have him excommunicated ll the Ta erns in the town. Marry (Gods my continued word) where I thought I should have had little comfort of your worships service: O God sir? your coming to the city, & your enter taynement of men, and your sending me to watch; indeed, all the circumstances are as open to our son as to your self. I faith you have hit it: 'tis so indeed. Nay, ir, I cannot tell; unless it were by the black art? is not your son a scholar sir? N y sir, rather you should ask where the found me? for isle be sworn I was going along in the street, thinking nothing, when (of a sudden) one calls, Sig ior Lorenzo man: another, he cries soldier: and thus half a dosen of them, till they had go me within doors, where I no sooner came but out flies their rapiers and all bent against my breast, they swore some two or three hundredth oaths, and all to tell me I was but a dead man, if I did not confess where you were, and how I was employed, and about what, which when they could not get out of me: (as Gods my judge, they should have killed me first) they locked me up into a room in the top of a house, where by great miracle (having a light heart) I slid down by a bottom of packthread into the street, and so escaped: but ma ster, thus much I can assure you, for I herd it while I locked up: there were a great many Merchant's and rich citizens wives with them at a banquet, and your son Signior Lorenzo has pointed one of them to meet anon at one Cobs house, a waterbearers? that dwells by the wall: now there you shall be sure to take him: for fail he will not. I sir, there you shall have him: when can you tell? much wench, or much son: sblood when he has stayed there three or four hours, travelling with the expectation of somewhat; and at the length be delivered of nothing: o the sport that I should the ̄ take to look on him if I durst but now I mean to appear no more afore him in this shape: I have a neither trick to act yet? o that I were so happy, as to light upon and ounce now of this doctors clarke: God save you , I have made you stay somewhat long sir. I Marry have I sir. O Lord sir. O God no sir, why at any time when it please you, I shall be ready to descourse to you what I know: and more to somewhat. I'll follow you sir, he is mine own I faith. Mat Signi r did you ever see the Like cloune of him, where we were to day : signior Prosperos brother? I think the wh le arth cannot show his Like by Jesu. Signior Thorello my m ster doctor Cleme to salutes you, and de ires to speak with you, with all speed pos sible. Marry sir. My youth would needs bestow the wine of me to hear some martial discourse; where I so marsham worser him, that I made him monstrous drunk, & because too much heat was the cause of his distemper, I stripped him stark nam ked as he lay along a sleep, and borrowed his sewt to deliver this counterfeit message in, leaving a rusty Armour, and and old brown bill to watch him; till my return: which shall be when I have paund his apparel, and spent the moni perhaps. I go sir. With all my heart sir? Sir you know my service is my living, such favours these got of my master is his only preferment, and there before you must consider me, as I may make benefit of my place. Faith sir, the thing is extraordinary, and the gentle man may be oh great account: you be what he will, if you will lay me down five crowns in my hand, you shall have it, oath wise no . I am content sir, I will get you the warrant presently whats his name say ou (Giulliano.) What manner of man is he? Ti very good sir. Well gentlemen isle procure this waarrant presently and appoint you a varlet of the city to S rue it, if yowl be v Pon the Realto anon, the varlet shall meet you there. This is rar , now will I go pawn this cloak of the doctors m ns at the brokers for a varlets suit, and be the var let my self, and get either more pawns, or more money of Giulliano for my arrest. Well of all my disguises yet now am I most Like my self being in this vam lets suit, a man of my presen professi on never counterfeits till he lay hold upon a debtor, and says he rests him, for then he brings him to all manner of un rest; A kind of little kings we are, bearing the diminutive of a mace made Like a young Hartechocke that always car ies Pepper and salt in it self, well I know not what danger I un der go by this exploi e, pray God I come well of. Yes and please you sir, he told me two gentlemen had wild him to procure and arrest upon one signior Giulliano by a warrant from his master, which I have about me. Signior Giulliano I arrest you sir in the Dukes name. Why, how are you deceived gentlemen? At these two gentlemens. Keep the peace I charge you sir, in the Dukes name Sir. You must go before master doctor Clement sir, to answer what these gentlemen will object against you, hark you sir, I will use you kindly. Signior Step anon I arrest you. I pray the sir. Well sir then isle leave you, isle take this gentleman's word for his appearance, as I have done yours. Good sir I pity the gentleman's case, heres your more nigh again. I warrant you, he will go with you of himself. I have made a fair mash of it. No sir your worships man bid me do it; for these gentlemen and he would be my discharge. O good sir I beseech you, nay good master doctor, O good sir. O for God sake good Master Doctor. No I thank God sir and your good worship. Goo M. Doctor I beseech you be good to me. Nay sblood before I go to prison, isle put on my old brazen face, and disclaim in my vocation I'll discover thats flat, and I be committed, it shall be for the committing of more then this, hang I loos the least grain of my fam . Hold, hold I pray you. Faith sir afore I go to this house of bondage, I have a case to unfold to your worship: which (that it may ap pear more plain unto your worships view) I do thus first of all uncase, & appear in mine own proper nature, servant to this gentleman: and known by the name of Musco. Nay good M. Doctor since I would e laid my self thus open to your worship: now stand strong for me, till the pro gresse of my tale be ended, and then if my wit do not deserve your countenance: Slight throw it on a dog, and let me go hang my self. pledge M. Doctor and it were a sea to the bottom. Indeed this is it will make a man speak freely. But to the point, know then that I Musc (being somewhat more to usted of my master then reason required a worser knowing his intent to Fl rence) did assume the habit of a poor soldier in wants, and minding by some means to intercept his journey in the mid way, tuum xt the grandg and the city, I encountered him, where begging of him in the most accomplished and true garb (as they term it) contrary to all expectation, he reclaimed me from that bade course of life; entertained me into see ice, employed me in his business possessed me with his secrets, which I no sooner had received but (seeking my young master, and finding him at this gentleman's house) I revealed all mos am ply: this done, by the worser vise of signior Pros ero, and him to gether, I returned ( S the Raven did to the Ark) to mine old mayest r again, told him he should find his son in what ma ner he knows, at one Cobs house, where indeed he never meant to come, now my master lie to maintain the jest, went the there, and jest me with your worships clarke: who being of a most fine supple disposition (as most of your clerks are) prof fers me the wine, which I h worser the grace to accept very easily, and to the tavern we went: there after much ceremony, I made him drunk in kindness, stripped him to his shirt, and leaving him in that cool vain, departed, frolic, courtier Like, having obtained a suit: which suit fitting me exceedingly well, I put on, and usurping your m ns phrase & Actium, carried a message to Signior Thorello in your name: which message was merely devised but to procure his absence, while signior Prospero might make a conveyance of Hesperida to my master. Marry search his pocket sir, and the e show you he is and Author Sir. O how this pleases me. Yes sir straight, isle but g rter m ose; o that my belly were hoopt now, for I am ready to burst with laughing. S lid, was there ever seen a fox in years to betray himself thus? now shall I be possessed of all his determinations, and con sequently and my young master well he is resolved to prove my honesty: faith and I am resolved to prove his patience: o I shall abuse him intolerably: this small piece of service will bring him clean out of love with the soldier for ever. It's no matter, let the world think me a bade counterfeit, if I can not give him the slip at and instant: why this is better then to have stayed his journey by half, well isle follow him; o how I long to be employed. I uva rant you sir, are nothing I have a nimble soul that hath waked all my imaginative forces by this time, and put then in true motion: what you have poss st me with all? le discharge it amply sir. Make no question. I sir, they are at supper the M r maid, where I left your man. M rry sir (coming along the street) these two g tlemen meet me, and very strongly supposing me to be the worship scribe, me to pro ure that m a war to, for the arrest of signior , I promised them upon some pair f silk stockings or a jewel, or so, to do it, and to get a varlet of the city to serve it, which varlet I appointed should meet them upon the Realto such and hour, that y no sooner gone, b to I in a mere hope of more g ine by signior Gi lli n , went to one of S ans old Ingles broker, & there pa and your man livery, for a varlets suit, which here with my self, I offer unto your worships consideration. 'Sblood, I cannot choose but laugh to see my self translated thus, from a poor creature to a creator; for now must I create and intolerable sort of lies, or else my profession looses his grace, and yet the lie to a man of my coat, is as omi nous as the o sir, it holds for good policy to have that outwardly in vilest estimation, that inwardly is most deer to us: So much for my borrowed shape. Well, the troth is, my master intends to follow his son dryfoot to Florence, this morning: now I knowing of this conspiracy, and the rather to insinuate with my young master, ( or so must we that are blue waiters, or men of service do, or else perhaps we may wear motley at the years end, and who wears motley you know:) I have God me afore in this disguise, determining here to lie in ambuscado, & intercept him in the midway: If I can but get his cloak, his purse, his hat, nay any thing so I can stay his journey, Rex Regum, I am made for ever i'faith: well, now must I practice to get the true garb of one of these Lance-knights: my arm here, and my: Gods so, young master and his cousin. Nay they have scarce one c os between the ̄ both to bear. Sign or Giulliano I must arrest you sir