1499Civ. By my troth God a mercy for this, good
Chri-(
stopher,
1500I thank thee for my maid, I like her very well,
1501How doe
st thou like her,
Frances?
1502Fran. In good
sadness,
Tom, very well, excellent well,
1503She
speaks
so prettily, I pray what's your name?
1504Luce. My name, for
sooth, be called
Tanikin.
1505Fran. By my troth a
fine name: O
Tanikin, you are
1506excellent for dre
ssing one head a new fa
shion.
1507Luce. Me fall doe every ting about da head.
1508Civ. What Countrey woman is
she,
Kester?
1509Fath. A
Dutch woman,
sir.
1510Civ. Why then
she is outlandi
sh, is
she not?
1511Fath. I, Sir,
she is.
1512Fran. O then thou can
st tell how to help me to cheeks
1514Luce. Yes, mi
stre
sse, very vell.
1515Fath. Cheeks and ears, why, mi
stre
sse
Frances, want
1516you cheeks and ears? me thinks you have very fair ones.
1517Fran. Thou art a fool indeed,
Tom, thou knowe
st 1519Civ. I, I,
Kester, 'tis
such as they wear a their heads,
1520I prethee,
Kit, have her in, and
shew her my hou
se.
1521Fath. I will,
sir, come
Tanikin.
1522Fran. O
Tom, you have not bu
ssed me to day,
Tom.
1523Civ. No
Frances, we mu
st not ki
sse afore folkes,
1525Enter Delia, and Artichoak. 1526See yonder, my
sister
Delia is come, welcome, good
sister.
1527Fran. Welcome, good
sister, how do you like the
1529Delia. Very well,
sister.
1530Civ. I am glad you're come,
sister
Delia, to give or
- 1531der for Supper, they will be here
soon.
1532Arti. I, but if good luck had not
served,
she had
1533Not bin here now,
filching
Flowerdale had like
1534To pepper'd us, but for ma
ster
Oliver, we had bin robbed.
1535Delia. Peace,
sirrah, no more.
1536Fath. Robbed! by whom?
1537Arti. Marry by none but by
Flowerdale, he is turned
1539Civ. By my faith, but that is not well, but God be (prai
sed
1540For your e
scape, will you draw near,
sister?
1541Fath. Sirrah, come hither, would
Flowerdale, he that
1542was my ma
ster, a robbed you, I prethee tell me true?
1543Arti. Yes ifaith, even that
Flowerdale, that was thy
1545Fath. Hold thee, there is a French Crown, and
speak
1547Arti. Not I, not a word, now do I
smell knavery:
1548In every pur
se
Flowerdale takes, he is halfe:
1549And gives me this to keep coun
sel, not a word I.
1550Fath. Why God a mercy.
1551Fran. Si
ster, look here, I have a new Dutch maid,
1552And
she
speaks
so
fine, it would do your heart good.
1553Civ. How do you like her,
sister?
1554Del. I like your maid well.
1555Civ. Well, dear
sister, will you draw near, and give
1556dire
ctions for
supper, gue
sse will be here pre
sently.
1557Del. Yes, brother, lead the way, I'le follow you.
1558Exit all but Delia and Luce. 1559Hark you, Dutch Frow, a word.
1560Luce. Vat is your villwit me?
1561Del. Si
ster
Luce, 'tis not your broken language,
1562Nor this
same habit, can di
sgui
se your face
1563From I that know you: pray tell me, what means this?
1564Luce. Si
ster, I
see you know me, yet be
secret:
1565This borrowed
shape that I have tane upon me,
1566Is but to keep my
self a
space unknown,
1567Both from my father, and my neare
st fri
ends:
1568Untill I
see how time will bring to pa
sse,
1569The de
sperate cour
se of Ma
ster
Flowerdale.
1570Del. O he is wor
se then bad, I prithee leave him,
1571And let not once thy heart to think on him.
1572Luce. Do not per
swade me once to
such a thought,
1573Imagine yet, that he is wor
se then nought:
1574Yet one lovers time may all that ill undo,
1575That all his former life did run into.
1576Therefore, kind
sister, do not di
sclo
se my e
state,
1577If e're his heart doth turn, 'tis n'ere too late.
1578Del. Well,
seeing no coun
sel can remove your mind,
1579I'le not di
sclo
se you, that art wilfull blind.
1580Luce. Delia, I thank you, I now mu
st plea
se her eyes,
1581My
sister
Frances, neither fair nor wi
se.