CLOWN

Not so, for he died with my good will, for I never wept for him. It may be not neither, as in our wisdoms we shall conclude, perhaps weel burn him, then he shall be burned to ashes. You must take it as it falls, and as the foolish Fates, and so the quest decrees. My Master's, and fellow questmen, this is the point, we are to search out the course of law, whither this man that has hanged himself, be accessary to his own death or no. Take heed, your conscience must be vmpler in the case. I put this point to you, whither every one that hangs himself, be willing to die or no? Marry sir, he that hanged his subject. I, in a sort, but that was, see offendendo, for it may be, he meant to have broke the halter, and the halter held him out of his own defence. No, for he goes backward, when 'tis made, and therefore cannot see before, what will come after; ney there is the halter in fault, for he might urge the halter, nolens volens, (as the learned say) neither is he in fault, because his time was come that he should be hanged: and therefore I do conclude, that he was conscious and gilded less of his own death: Moreover, he was a Lord, and a Lord in his own precinct has authority to hang and draw himself. For anter, not so neither, weel fell him to the Apothe caries for mu ̄ mey. For anter not so neither, it may be weel hang him up for the Crows meats, and then he shall be tur ned to that that falls upon their heads, that has no new clothes at Whitsuntide. I say no, for the hangman hangs himself, and yet he is not willing to die. I marry dos he, sir; for if he have not a man to do his office for him, he must hang himself: ergo, every man that hangs himself is not willing to die. Of great reason, always he that is alive must die, and he that is dead must be buried. O, you speak partiously neighbour Crabtree, not de serve to be buried? I say, he deserves to be buried alive that hangs himself. His clothes are the Hangmans. This is a shrewd point of law, this might he do now, because he would save charges, and defeat the Hangman: this must be well handled, did he make a Will? Why then, they fallen to his right heir male, for a fe male cannot inherit no breeches, unless she wears them in her husbands days. 'Tis true, well then for want of issue, they fallen to the chief mourner; I will be he to save you all harmless, I will take his clothes upon mine own back, I will begin with his cloak, do you take every man his quarter, and I will fol low with dole and lamenration. 'Tis not a body, Sir, 'tis but a carcase, sir, some Gentleman it seems; for if he had been a poor man, that labours for his living, he would have found somewhat else to do, and not to have hanged himself. Nay truly, never bestow pity on him, that could not pity himself. You may poale his head here, if it please you, but truly it is not worth the labour, for it is a fleece of the low zest hair that ever was hanged. Sir, you shall be friends with a man of credit then: for I have a hundredth pound in black and white, simple as I stand here: and simple as I stand here, I am one of the Crowners quest at this time. And it may be, as simple as we are here, if we say, he shall be buried, he shall, and if we say not, it may not be neither. Bear up the body of our hanged friend, Silk was his life, a halter was his end: The Hangman hangs too many (graceless else) Then why should any man, thus hang himself? If any ask, why I in tears thus swim? Know, I mourn for his clothes, and not for him. Why sir, you may see it now, and the rest shall see it hereafter. Let your Cousin, let him come, you shall have dig gone of Chymr de, I warrant you. I, I. It is the fashion so to do. Come, my Master's, every man his partly, he shall be examined, ere we partly with him.