COMASTES

No, none Sir, he's mirth it self, and the cause of it in others, they say all pleasure is a shadow, then that which we enjoy is but the shadow of a shadow, hardly the Picture of what he embraces; our Delights are faint, thwarted by the Conscience, started with fears, and after and hour of pleasure a week of repentance; in which time we live by rule, and not by custom, laugh not though the jest be good, nor rage though at a just cause; but sickly whisper out our sayings, as though they were our last and eat our chickens with the curtains drawn, when the Fool lustest with his whole soul too, and sins till he's weary, knows no Conscience but his want that way; nor remorse but disability. Nature never showed her liberality more than to those she was sparing of her best gifts to, she houses wisdom in a body full of decays, and requires her whole strength to bear off the ruin, measures his legs with the spiders, gives him pale and won looks, scarce altered from the earth he was made of, where to the Idiot she bestows a body equal with the bulk of trees, and arms as Thunder-proof, makes him a strong, a large, and healthy fool. Send me a mind to with it, and you have not a grea ter present for your neighbour Princes. You are melancholy Aratus. claps him somewhat rudely. Very grave and unseasonable, thus your Lordship gets the reputation of singularity, which the vulgar suspect to be wisdom. You see, my Lord, they are not drowned, they live still under water. Troth, an't Like your Grace, I am in hast, in very great hast, the King has sent for me, and I know he's thirsty till I come; I would your Grace were as resolute, and as well armed this way as I He discovers a great Goblet. you'd be the wellcomst man— He loves a royal Drunkard with admiration, he never saw one yet but in a glass. Sir, have you any business with him? you need no other Orator, than such as this, such a mouth, without a tongue, will persuade any thing; yet this is o'th least, fit only for Physic-days, when he would not surfeit, a mere toy that troubles the waiters with often filling, but I have one as high—heeres nothing to measure it by; it that made me so inward with him. I always use to petition with it, 'tis bigger than any of his own, and pleased him a above measure; the first time he saw it, he commended the largeness of my mind, and said it was a noble emulation in me: he has a Daughter Sir, a beautiful Lady, my Hope's, unless some neighbour Prince do reel betwixt us, your Grace comes the right way, he hates a dry Inland traveller, but that you kiss the cup, and have too much bounce, and down with him in you, which were things he surseited on some fifteen years since, and still the very names turn his Stomach, beside your Navy and attendants are too great, hee'd have esteemed more on you, had they been fewer, enough only to lean on, when you are oretaken, or if you had won ted those, and borrowed his unto your chamber it had been better where he finds worth, the pomp delights him not, your pardon Sir. Poliander, Menetius, well met; what have you seen the thing yet? The thing that haunts the Court, it has something Like a man, and pretends to be one, he comes among the Ladies Like a Rough water Dog to a Flock of Foul, and flutter as fast from him, scattering feathers as they pass, I mean their Fans and such movables, he has done no hurt yet, the Guard dare not mingle with him, he's too boisterous for their company, one glance of him as he passed by broke the Kings draught, which a cubit Cup could nee'r do. See, see, here he comes, with as many patches and such Like properties as would furnish a whole cashiered Company to beg with, sure he was Scarr-bearer to some Army let's observe it what it will do, look, look, it's pleased with the hangings. I cannot forbear, for curiosity sake, i'll enter parley with it, what rare things shall I know if I can get him speak, I'll inquire the fortune of the Kingdom for the next thou sand years, that's not worth the asking. I'll inquire the age of the World and where her treasure lies, he cannot choose but know the very heart of the earth. If I cannot persuade, I'll conjure something from him. Boe, Boe, Oh Bullbeggar! what art thou? who let thee lose? where is any gold hid? my fears were just, nothing but a charm will do it. This was not terrible enough. This won't do it, it must be more terrible yet, I adjure thee by those Boots, thy Velvet eye, by all the Tailors work about thee— Oah. Prithee good devil something of the other World. Nay, I'll not leave him thus, be baffled by a Goblin? I'll follow it to the place where it shakes the Chain, that certain. Exit. This can be no body but my Hobgoblin. An't please your grace, was he not in a buff Coat, and his face all to be dab'ld with patches? Then do I know him, he belongs to my Lord A ratus there, no body durst speak to him but he, he showed his teeth at every body else, he had Like to have bit me once. I, and a wall round about they to keep them to the slaughter, that we may not be troubled to kill a thousand in a thousand places: I don't Like this pursuing it's the greatest evil next to the being pursued, the wine near tastes well when it's so jumbled. Give me a Standing Camp that flourishes Like a peaceful City, and want's hoe necessaries, here stand your Engines, there your beef, on this hand a Palesado defends you, on the other, a Baracado of Pork-tubs impregnable, before a Ditch is cut of some two hundred paces, and the Soldiers tippling in't, behind a Coop runs out of the same length, & the Poultry tippling in their Trenches, whose body are too delicate and tender for bore travel, here a man may even among the Tents forget to be a Soldier. Yes, faith as your selves are, if you'd confess the truth. When honour is the prize, and wronged Justice The cause that thrusts them on, they throw of one That they may get a better life, a life Of fame, which is eternal even on earth, That they enjoyed before was fading Sustained only by the infirmities Of one weak body; now it's supported By the memories of all, the charge of it Is committed unto a world of men, Nor is't extinguished before the fame o'th Whole universe, none are so surviving As the Sons of glorious War. Jove gave Life to Hercules, and Theseus ; but Mars Eternity, they breathed from one, but gained Heaven by the other, these were the great thoughts Which when I was yet young, and not able To embrace them, did dwell in me: they did Suggest unto my soul, that I ought to raise, my hand Against the gods, if they slept. At perjury and favoured injustice. To show you how easy a thing it is, to talk Like a Soldier, and be as brave a fellow as either of you. And why from me, me I pray? No more than your Lordship's sword. Is this the ter rible thing? I know not what it may do in a dark night with a candle in't, but in the day, and your Lordship looking through it, I shall never turn my back unless it be to laugh. Pray God the enemy think of no such stratagem with a pitcher in the Progenerall-ship, it may be as much as the Kings Army lies on. Heres—how now, what's this? what does such a boy do in the war? disroole him, I scorn to be Captain of such a youngster. S that the trick on't? Here then for the King I throw the first read, this boy can manage no greater weapon. I marry, there stands a rank of lusty fellows, a man may rely upon such valours, their very looks will overcome common stomachs. I long to see them buckle to it, this is too much sport. Give it me, and found and assault? Pallas and victory for the King—why I, this was a tall fellow. I don't think but Alexander had always a Guard of such attending on his Person; He have a dozen of them, and call them my twelve Labours. Oh for a shout, a little noise would gain the conquest. No? help me then old Soldier. Hah, goethy ways, never a Goblet the King has ere God the honour to struggle so long with me. I warrant you, I retired but to and ambush. But who keeps the door all this while? Say the enemies should come and cut all our throats. I can tell you I have read such pretty stories. A pox on this War 'twill be my undoing, I shall come out with some such roguish question or other at the Kings Table and have my bones broken by the Guard. Fill another—So now bring me the Armour again Bring it again I say, I'll put mirth into you all, pray let him help me that has nothing to do. No I shall have no needs of that. Well S r , when I return I'll pay you that. I breath, am warm—all alive—The Sun shines too, I have not herd of any of his rays in the other world. 'Tis earth I tread on at least, if I am not mounted higher, and yet I hope I am not in heaven, for let them say what they will, 'tis to be dead to be there; and I Like not the society, though they be Angels; what do I see? I begin to misdoubt, I do behold some such shapes here. Faces heavenly, and di—Di vine, or else my fantasy abuses me, if I be alive and on the earth, then there was poison in that cup. A pox oh my curiosity, He takes it, and tastes a little of the bottom. what needs I have cared whither I had been, so long as I found my self well? I should have God fearful honour if I had drunk my share. By this I see 'twas not a dream, nor swoon I was in, but all true story. I did not think before, it had been in the power of all the Kings in the world to have given me life, when I was yet living; but these thoughts shall pass. And now I'll look before me presently, I'll to the new Court, and though the King be changed, not despair to be the same man. I have passed hitherto, and perceive no great alteration, I thought the subversion of a State would have made such a clatter among the houses, and ther's no such matter, it has not changed a suit of hangings here, yonders our Princess too, I am among friends, now fortune direct me, which is the King — The least change that ever I saw, nay then I perceive I may do even what I list. Aratus spies him. Your servant my Lord, I hope you have forgotten all those little unkindnesses that passed betwixt us, and will speak a noble word in my behalf unto the young King. No my Lord, you know I was never called so in the last reign. I'll not despair to be Master of them: Come. kneels 'Twas the desire of favour with my King, that made me what I was before, and shame now for to remember. But seeing I am to please another way, and make virtue my endeavour, un wearied in those ragged ways, I'll toil to gain your smiles. Yes, Theres a couple, pray remove they both, and his wit that is so devilish, that we may fallen a little to our business. if we must, let's to itstoutly, and Like Soldiers, what say ye? shall we drink a battle? the trial of to morrows victo ry, I'll take the Kings partly against you all. I am the strongest, and when I have overcome, I'll send him word of the good omen, 'tis worth a thousand of your paltry birds, and ox enthralls, 'tis a piece of service will gain the favour from you all. I think I shall say more than you at this, as well as in the other.