MERRY

Your welcome neighbour, you are welcome sir, I pray fit down, your very welcome both: Hoe sister Rachel : Go draw these gentlemen two Cans of bear, Your negligence that cannot tend the shop, Will make our customers forsake the house. Where Harry Williams that he stays not here. If you are busy get you up again, Exit. I'll draw my neighbours then their drink my self, I'll warrant you as good as any men, And yet no better, many have the Like. Exit for Bear. It is the best upon mine honest word. I drink unto you both. 'Tis true indeed, if all were of your mind, My poor estate would sooner be advanced: And our French Merchants seek some other trade. Not so good neighbour, but a poor young man, That would live better if I had the means: But as I am, I can content my self, Till God amend my poor ability. Two pence good sir. Farewell unto you both. His shop is stored he is not much indebt. He hath a score of pounds to help his need, I and a score too if the truth were known: I would I had a shop so stored with wares, And forty pounds to buy a bargain with, When as occasion should be offered me, Idem live as merry as the wealthiest man; That hath his being within London walls, I cannot buy my bear, my bred, my meat: My faggots, coals, and such Like necessaries, At the best hand, because I want the coin, That many misers coffer up in bags, Having enough to serve their turns beside: Ah for a trick to make this Beeches trash, Forsake his coffer and to rest in mine, I marry sir, how may that trick be done: Marry with ease and great facility, I will invent some newfound stratagem, To bring his coin to my possession; What though his death relieve my poverty, Gain waits on courage, lose on cowardice. Let others sup, isle make a bloudier feast, Then ever yet was dressed in Merries house, Be Like thy self, then have a merry heart, Thou shalt have gold to mend thy poverty, And after this, live ever wealthily. What neighbour Beech, so godly occupied? You speak the truth: there is a friend or two Of yours, making merry in my house, And would desire to have your company. No truly nor the men. I never stood to question them of that, But they desire your presence earnestly. In truth they told me that you should not stay, Go but to drink, you may come quick again, But not and if my hand and hammer hold. People Come quickly then, they think we stay too long I take the farewell of your cutting knife, Here is a hand shall help to cut your throat: And give my self a faring from your chest: What are you ready with l you go along? I know not that, you shall see presently, Go up those stairs, your friends do stay above, Here is that friend shall shake you by the head, And make you stagger ere he speak to you. Now you are safe, I would the boy were so, But wherefore wish I, for he shall not live, For if he do, I shall not live my self. Lets see what money he hath in his purse, Mass heres ten g oats, heres something for my pain, But I must be rewarded better yet. Why murdered one that would have murdered me. I fear not Williams but I fear the boy, Who knew I fetched his master to my house. I that torments me worse then pangs of hell, He must be slain to, else he'll utter all. Go down and see, pray God my man keep close: If he prove long-tongd then my days are done, The boy must die, there is no help at all: For on his life, my very life depends, Beside I cannot compass what I would, Unless the boy be quickly made away, This that abridgde his hapless masters days, Shall leave such found memorials one his head, That he shall quite forget who did him harm, Or trained his master to this bloody feast: Why how now Rachell ? who did call below? I would a penny loaf cost me a pound, Provided Beeches boy had eat his last. It may be so, but isle remember him. to people. And send him quickly with a bloody scroll, To greet his master in another world. No, get you up, you shall not stir abroad, And when I call, come quickly to the door. I am knee deep, isle wade up to the wast, To end my heart of fear, and to attain, The hoped end of my intention? But I may see, if I have eyes to see, And if my understanding be not blind, How many dangers do already weight, Upon my steps of bold security, Williams is fled, perchance to utter all, Thats but perchance, nay rather flatly no, But should he tell, I can but die a death, Should he conceal, the boy would utter it, The boy must worser e, there is no remedy I see the boy sits at his masters door , Or now, or never, Merry stir thy self, And rid thy heart from fear and jealousy: Thomas Winchester go quickly to your shop, What fit you still your master is at hand. No, no, not I, but yet another hath, Come, come to bed, for fear we be descried: The fearfullest night that ever Merry knew. Exeunt. Sister, now all my gold expected Hope's, Of future good, is plainly vanished, And in her stead, grim visadged despair, Hath taken possession of my guilty heart, Desire to gain, began this desperate act, Now plain appearance of destruction, Of soul and body, weights upon my sin, Although we hide our sins from mortal men, Whose glass of knowledge is the face of man, The eye of heaven beholds our wickedness, And will no doubt revenge the innocent. What hast thou sped? have you bought the bag? To beat hence Beeches body in the night. Yes w l enough, as I will order it, I'll cut him piecemeal, fi st his head and legs Will be one burden, then the mangled rest, Will be another, which I will transport, Beyond the water in a Ferry boat, And throw it into P ris-gard n ditch. Fetch me the chopping-knife, and in the mean I'll move the Faggots that do cover him. I marry can I fetch the chopping knife. But worse, or be ter, now it must be so, Better do thus, then feel a greater woe. Now will I high me to the water side, And fling this heavy burden in a ditch, Whereof my soul does feel so great a weight, That it does almost press me down with fear, Hark Rach l : I will cross the water straight, And fling this middle mention of a man, Into some ditch, then high me home again, To rid my house of that is left behind. Under the faggots, where it lay before, Help me to put this trunk into the bag. I'll do't my self, only dry up the blood, And burn the clothes as you have done before. Exit. I have bestowed a watery funeral, On the half body of my butchered friend, The head and legs I'll leave in some dark place, I care not if they find them yea or no. In some dark place never to Bainardes castle, Take you no thought, isle have a care of that, Only take heed you have a special care, To make no show of any discontent, Nor use too many words to any one. I will return when I have left my load, Be merry Rachell half the fear is passed. Why go the neighbours round about the street To every house? what hast thou herd the cause? How were my senses overcome with fear, That I could not foresee this jeopardy: For had I brought the bag away with me, They had not had this me nes to find it out. Hide thee above least hat the Salters man, Take notice of thee that thou art the maid, And by that knowledge we be all undone. I did entreat him, but he would not come, But vowed to be as secret as my self. What need you ask me that? You know we never herd him swear and oath. But since he hath concealed the thing thus long, I hope in God he will conceal it still. If it would please him pardon this amiss, And rid my body from the open shame, That does attend this deed, being brought to light, I would endeavour all my coming days, To please my maker, and ex l his praise: But it grow S late, bring to my bed, That I may rest my sorrow charged head. Nothing but that you waked me unawares. With all my heart, what do you know the cause? I do not well remember who you mean. I know the man, but saw him not this fortnight. Well master Constable I do confess, I was the man that did them both to death: As for my sister and my harmless man, I do protest they both are innocent. I comfortless will help to comfort thee. Exeunt. Weep, weep poor souls, & interchange your woes, Now Merry change thy name and countenance: Smile not, thou wretched creature, least in scorn, Thou smile to think on thy extremities, Thy woes were countless for thy wicked deeds, Thy sisters death need not increase the Count, For thou couldst never number them before: Gentles help out with this suppose I pray, And think it truth for Truth doth tell the tale. Me ry by law convict, as principal, Receives his doom, to hang till he be dead, And afterwards for to be hanged in chains: Williams and Rachell likewise are convict For their concealment, Williams craves his book, And so receives a brand of infamy. But wretched Rachels sex denies that grace, And therefore doth receive a doom of death, To die with him, whose sins she did conceal. Your eyes shall witness of their shaded tipes, Which many here did see performed indeed: As for Fallerio, not his homely weeds, His beardless face, nor counterfeited speech, Can shield him from deserved punishment: But what he thinks shall rid him from suspect, Shall drench him in more uva es of wretchedness, Pulling his son into relentless jaws, Of hungry death, on tree of infamy: Here comes the Duke that dooms them both to die, Next Merries death shall end this Tragedy. Exit. Now sister Rachell is the hour come, Wherein we both must satisfy the law, For Beeches death and harmless Winchester : Weep not sweet sister, for that cannot help, I do confess before all this company, That thou Wertenberg never privy to their death's, But only helpest me when the deed was done, To wipe the blood and hide away my sin, And since this fault hath brought thee to this shame, I do entreat thee on my bent knee, To pardon me for thus offending thee. Indeed thou art, thy conscience is at peace, Go up the lather. And feels no terror for such wickedness, Mine hath been vexed but is now at rest, For that I am assured my heinous sin: Shall never rise in judgement gainst my soul, But that the blood of Jesus Christ hath power, To make my purple sin as white as Snow. One thing good people, witness here with me, That I do die in perfect charity, And do forgive, as I would be forgiven, First of my God, and then of all the world: Cease publishing that I have been a man, Trained up in murder, or in cruelty, For before this time, this time is all too soon, I never slew or did consent to kill, So help me God as this I speak is true: I could say something of my innocence, In fornication and adultery, But I confess the justest man alive That bears about the frailty of a man, Cannot excuse himself from daily sin, In thought, in word, and deed, such was my life, I never hated Beech in all my life, Only desire of money which he had, And the inciting of that foe of man, That greedy gulf, that great Laviathan, Did hall me on to these calamities, For which, even now my very soul doth bleed: God strengthen me with patience to endure, This chastisement, which I confess too small A punishment for this my heinous sin: O be courageous sister, fight it well, We shall be crowned with immortality. I am prepared, o God receive my soul, Forgive my sins, for they are numberless, Receive me God, for now I come to thee. O sister, sister, now I am pursued, The mighty clamour that the boy did make, Hath raised the neighbours round about the street: So that I know not where to hide my self. My former life, deserves their good conceits, Were it not blemished with this treachery. My heart is merrier then it was before, For now I hope the greatest fear is passed, The hammer is denied, the bag unknown, Now there is left no means to bring it out, Unless our selves prove Traitors to our selves. Why to day I met him coming home from owls Cross, Where he had been to hear a Sermon. No verily, I am not in a sweat.