BLACK WILL

Now now fellow Bradshaw, Whither away so early? Why Bradshawe was not thou and I, Fellow soldiers at Bulloine : Where I was a corporal, and thou but a base mercenary groom? No fellows now, because you are a goldsmith, And have a little plate in your shop, You were glad to call me fellow Will, And with a curtsy to the earth, One snatch good corporal. When I stole the half Over from John the vitler. And domineered with it, amongst good fellows, In one night. I but they be not passed with me. For I keep that same honourable mind still, Good neighbour Bradshaw you are too proud to be my fell low, But were it not, that I see more company coming down The hill, I would be fellows with you once more, And share Crowns with you to. But let that pass, and tell me whither you go. What is it? What apparel had he, Sirrah Shakebagge, canst thou remember Since we trould the boul at Sittingburgh, Where I broke the Lapsters head of the Lion With a Cudgill stick? Why it was with the money that the plate was should for Sirrah Bradshaw what wilt thou give him That can tell thee who sold thy plate? Why it one Jack Fitten, He's now in Newgate, for stealing a horse, And shall be arrainde the next life. Farewell Bradshaw, I'll drink no water for thy sake, whilst this lasts: Now gentlemen, shall we have your company to London. Now? twenty Angels? give my fellow George shakbag and me, twenty Angels, And if thoult have thy own father slain, That thou mayest inherit his land, weel kill him, Plate me no platforms give me the money, And isle stab him as he stands pissing against a wall, but I'll kill him. My fingers itches to be at the peasant, Ah that I might be set a work thus through the year, And that murder would grow to and occupation: That a man might without danger of law, Zounds I warrant, I should be warden of the company, Come let us be going, and wele bore at Rochester, Where I'll give thee a gallon of Sack, To handsel the match with all. Exeunt, Zounds I'll kill them all three, Why thou seest it is broke, dost thou not. Tush, I have broken five hundred oaths, But wouldst thou charm me to effect this deed? Tell me of gold my resolutions fee, Say thou seest Mosbie kneeling at my knees, Offering me service for my high attempt: And sweet Ales Arden with a lap of crowns. Comes with a lowly curtsy to the earth, Saying take this, but for thy quarterige, Such yearly tribute will I answer Thee. Why this would steal soft mettled cowardice, With which black Will was never tainted with. I tell thee Green the forlorn traveler, Whose lips are glued with summer's parching heat, Near longed so much to see a running brook, As I to finish Ardens Tragedy. Seest thou this gore that cleaveth to my face? From hence never will I wash this bloody stain, Till Ardens heart be panting in my hand. Tush give me leave, the no more but this, Sith thou hast sworn, we dare discover all, And hadst thou or shouldst thou utter it, We have devised a complat under band What ever shall beside to any of us: To send thee roundly to the devil of hell. And therefore thus, I am the very man, Marked in my birth hour by the destynies, To give and end to Ardens life on earth, Thou but a member, but to whet the knife, Whose edge must search the closet of his breast, Thy office is but to appoint the place, And train thy M. to his tragedy. Mine to perform it, when occasion serves. Then be not nice, but here devise with us, Now and what way, we may conclude his death. I tell thoe Shakebag, would this thing were done, I am so heavy that I can scarce go: This drowsiness in me bods little good. Why Shakbagge thou mistakes me much, And wrongs me to in telling me of fear, Wertenberg not a serious thing we go about, It should be slipped, till I had sought with Thee: To let Thee know I am no coward I, I tell thee Shakbag thou abusest me. Shakbag lets seek out green, & in the morning At the Alehouse butting Ardens house, Watch thee out coming of that prick eared cur, And then letme alone to handle him. Exeunt. Then ask me if my nose be on my face, Or whither my tongue be frozen in my mouth. Zounds heres a coil, you were best swear me on the intergatories, how many Pistols I have took in hand, Or whither I love the smell of gun powder, Or dare abide the noise the dag will make, Or will not wink at flashing of the fire. I pray Thee shackbag let this answer Thee. That I have took more purses in this down, Then ere thou handledst pistols in thy life. And thou shalt find I'll end. I do but slip it until better time. But if I do forget. Preserved, a fig, the L. Cheiny hath preserved him And bids him to a feast, to his house at shorlow: But by the way, once more I'll meet with him, And if all the Cheinies in the world say no, I'll have a bullet in his breast to morrow, Therefore come Green and let us to Feuershame. My life for thine, it Arden and his companio ̄ And then all our labour's lost, Faith in a manner I have. The bawdy houses have paid me tribute, There durst not a whore set up, unless she have agreed with me first, for-opning her shop windows. For a crosee word of a Tapster, I have pierced one barrel after another, with my dagger, And held him be the ears till all his bear hath run out, In Temes street a brewers cart was like to have run over me, I made no more ado, but went to the clark and cut all the natches of his tales, and Beatrice them about his head. I and my company have taken the Constable from his watch, And carried him about the fields on a coltstaffe. I have broken a Sariants head with his own mace, And built whom I list with my sword and buckler. All the tenpenny alehouse would stand every morning, With a quart pot in his would worser, Saying will it please your worship drink: He that had not done so had been sure to have had 'tis Singne pulled down, & his latice born away the next right To conclude, what have I not done it cannot do this, Doubtless he is preserved by Miracle. I or else think me as a villain. I and that bravely too, mark my device. Place Mosbie being a stranger in a chair, And let your husband fit upon a stool, That I may come behind him cunningly, And with a to well pull him to the ground, Then stab him till his flesh be as a sine, That done bear him behind the Abbey, That those that find him murdered, may suppose Some slave or other killed him for his gold. Shift for your selves we two will leave you now We have our gold mistress Ales, adieu, Mosbie farewell, and Michael farewell too. Exeunt Shakebag I hear hath taken sanctuary, But I am so pursued with hues and cries, For petty robberies that I have done, That I can come unto no Sanctuary. Therefore must I in some Oyster boat, At last, be feign to go a board some Hoy. And so to Flushing there is no staying here, At Sittinburgh the watch was Like to take me. And had I not with my buckler covered my head, And run full blank, at all adventures, I am sure I had never gone further then that place, For the Constable had 20 warrants to apprehend me, Beside that, I robbed him and his Man once at Gades hill, Farewell England, I'll to Flushing now. Exit Will. What manner of man was he? Nothing but take you up sir, nothing else. Ah that villain will betray us all, Sirrah Shakbag, at his coming forth I'll run him through, and then to the blackfreers, And there take water and a way. How can I miss him, when I think on the forty Angels I must have more. Zounds draw Shakbag draw, I am almost killed. Zounds I am tame enough already, What mends shall I have for my broken head? Well I'll be gone, but look to your signs, For I'll pull them down all. Shakbag my broken head grieves me not so much, As by this means Arden hath escaped. Here enters Green. I had a glimpse of him and his companion. Yes sir we dare do it, but were my consent to give again, We would not do it under ten pound more. I valve every drop of my blood at a french Crown. I have had ten pound to steal a dog, And we have no more here to kill a man, But that a bargain is a bargain, and so forth, You should do it your self. Go too sirrah, there is a chance in it. This sawcines in you will make you be knocked. You deal to mildly, with the peasant, thus it is, 'Tis kown to us you love mosbies sister. We know beside that you have taken your oath, To further Mosbie to your mistress bed. And kill your M. for his sisters sake. Now sir, a poorer coward then your self, Was never fostered in the coast of Kenned. Now comes it then, that such aknaue as you Dare swear a matter of such consequence? Should you deceive us, twould go wrong w to you, Come let's go drink, choler makes me as dry as a dog And if I do not heaven cut me of, But let that pass, and show me to this house. Where thou shalt see I'll do as much as Shakbag. Soft let me see, shakbag 'tis shut indeed. Knock with thy sword, perhaps the slave will hear, And he shall by his mirriment as deer, As ever coistrell bought so little sport, Here let this sword assist me when I need, But rust and canker after I have sworn: If I the next time that I meet the hind, Lop not away his leg, his arm or both, Come lets go seek out Green I know he'll swear Draw Shakbag for heers that villain Michael, Speak milkesope slave, & never after speak. Your excuse hath some what molysted my choler, Why now Green 'tis better now nor ere it was, Oh Gróene, intolerable, It is not for mine honour to bear this. Why shakbag I did serve the King at Bulloyne, And thou canst brag of nothing that thou hast done. Stand to it Shakbag, and be resolute, Not hanged, God save your honour. I am your bedesman, bound to pray for you, Why then let us go, & tell her all the matter. And Plate the news to cut him of to morrow. Exeunt. Here shakbag, almost in hels mouth, Where I can not see my way for smoke. Didst thou ever see better weather to run a way with another men wife, or play with a wench at potfinger. Why, didst thou hear any? Come let us go on like a couple of blind Pilgrim's I was none here, it thou thy self. Sirrah what companies hath passed your ferry this morning Shakbag did not I tell Thee as? No sir, get you gone. No, nor such a fool as will rather be bought then get his way. What could a blinded man perform in arms? Saw you not how till now, the sky was dark, That neither horse nor man could be decerned, Yet did we hear their horses as they passed. With making false footing in the dark, He needs would follow them without a guide. I mistress Arden this will serve the turn, In case we fall into a second fog. Sirrah Green when was I so long in killing a man. Thou knowest Green that I have lived in London this twelve years. Where I have made some go upon wooden legs, For taking the wall on me, Dyuers with silver noses, for saying, There goes blackwill. I have cracked as many blades, As thou hast done Nutes, Nay and there be such cheer, we will bid our selves Mistress Arden, Dick Green & I do mean to sup w to you, Nay, then M. Ales, I'll tell you how it was, When he should have locked with both his huts, He to a bravery flourished over his head With that comes Franklin at him lustily And hurts the slave, with that he slinks away, Now his way had be to have come hand and feet, one and two round at his costerd. He like a lose bears his sword point half a yard out of danger, I lie here for m life. If the devi l come, and he have no more strength then sense He shall never Beatrice me from this ward, He stand to it, a buckler in a skilful hand, Is as good as a castle. Nay 'tis better then a sconce, for I have tried it. Mosbie perceiving this, began to faint. With that comes Arden with his arming sword, And thrust him through the shoulder in a trice. Faith I was so amazed I could not strike. Patient your self, we can not help it now, Green and we two, will dog him through the fair, And stab him in the crowd, and steal away, What shall the watch word be? I warrant you, but who shall lock me in? Lush get you gone, 'tis we must do the deed. When this door opens next look for his death I fear he will spy me, as I am coming, The Devil break all your necks, at 4 miles end, Zounds I could kill my self for very anger. His Lordship chops me in, even when My dag was leaueld at his heart. I would his crown were melted down his throat, Such words would make one kill 1000. men. Give me the key, which is the counting house? Can he not take him yet? what a spite is that?