id="id00313">MOUNTCHENSEY.
She may be poor in spirit, but for the flesh,
Tis fat and plump, boys. Ah, rogues, there is
A company of girls would turn you all Friars.

FABELL.
But how, Mountchensey? how, lad, for the wench?

MOUNTCHENSEY.
Sound, lads, yfaith; I thank my holy habit,
I have confest her, and the Lady Prioress
Hath given me ghostly counsel with her blessing.
And how say ye, boys,
If I be chose the weekly visitor?

CLARE.
Z'blood, she'll have nere a Nun unbagd to sing mass then.

JERNINGHAM. The Abbot of Waltham will have as many Children to put to nurse as he has calves in the Marsh.

MOUNTCHENSEY. Well, to be brief, the Nun will soon at night turn tippit; if I can but devise to quit her cleanly of the Nunry, she is mine own.

FABELL.
But, Sirra Raymond,
What news of Peter Fabell at the house?

MOUNTCHENSEY.
Tush, he's the only man;
A Necromancer and a Conjurer
That works for young Mountchensey altogether;
And if it be not for Friar Benedick,
That he can cross him by his learned skill,
The Wench is gone;
Fabell will fetch her out by very magick.

FABELL.
Stands the wind there, boy? keep them in that key.
The wench is ours before to-morrow day.
Well, Hal and Frank, as ye are gentlemen,
Stick to us close this once! You know your fathers
Have men and horse lie ready still at Chesson,
To watch the coast be clear, to scout about,
And have an eye unto Mountchensey's walks:
Therefore you two may hover thereabouts,
And no man will uspect you for the matter;
Be ready but to take her at our hands,
Leave us to scamble for her getting out.

JERNINGHAM.
Z'blood, if all Herford-shire were at our heels,
We'll carry her away in spite of them.

CLARE.
But whither, Raymond?

MOUNTCHENSEY.
To Brian's upper lodge in Enfield Chase;
He is mine honest Friend and a tall keeper;
I'll send my man unto him presently
T' acquaint him with your coming and intent.

FABELL.
Be brief and secret.

MOUNTCHENSEY.
Soon at night remember
You bring your horses to the willow ground.

JERNINGHAM.
Tis done; no more!

CLARE.
We will not fail the hour.
My life and fortune now lies in your power.

FABELL.
About our business! Raymond, let's away!
Think of your hour; it draws well of the day.

[Exit.]

ACT IV.

SCENE I. Enfield Chase.

[Enter Blague, Smug, and Sir John.]

BLAGUE. Come, ye Hungarian pilchers, we are once more come under the zona torrida of the forest. Let's be resolute, let's fly to and again; and if the devil come, we'll put him to his Interrogatories, and not budge a foot. What? s'foot, I'll put fire into you, ye shall all three serve the good Duke of Norfolk.

SMUG. Mine host, my bully, my pretious consull, my noble Holofernes, I have been drunk i' thy house twenty times and ten, all's for that: I was last night in the third heavens, my brain was poor, it had yest in 't; but now I am a man of action; is 't not so, lad?

BANKS. Why, now thou hast two of the liberall sciences about thee, wit and reason, thou maist serve the Duke of Europe.

SMUG. I will serve the Duke of Christendom, and do him more credit in his celler then all the plate in his buttery; is 't not so, lad?

SIR JOHN. Mine host and Smug, stand there; Banks, you and your horse keep together; but lie close, shew no tricks, for fear of the keeper. If we be scared, we'll meet in the Church-porch at Enfield.

SMUG.
Content, sir John.

BANKS.
Smug, dost not thou remember the tree thou felst out of last
Night?

SMUG. Tush, and 't had been as high as the Abbey, I should nere have hurt my self; I have fallen into the river, coming home from Waltham, and scapt drowning.

SIR JOHN. Come, sever, fear no sprits! We'll have a Buck presently; we have watched later then this for a Doe, mine Host.

HOST.
Thou speakst as true as velvet.

SIR JOHN.
Why then, come! Grass and hay, etc.

[Exeunt.]

[Enter Clare, Jerningham, and Milliscent.]

CLARE.
Franke Jerningham!

JERNINGHAM.
Speak softly, rogue; how now?

CLARE. S'foot, we shall lose our way, it's so dark; whereabouts are we?

JERNINGHAM. Why, man, at Potters gate; the way lies right: hark! the clock strikes at Enfield; what's the hour?

CLARE.
Ten, the bell says.

JERNINGHAM.
A lies in's throat, it was but eight when we set out of
Chesson. Sir John and his Sexton are at ale to night, the
clock runs at random.

CLARE. Nay, as sure as thou liv'st, the villanous vicar is abroad in the chase this dark night: the stone Priest steals more venison then half the country.

JERNINGHAM.
Milliscent, how dost thou?

MILLISCENT.
Sir, very well.
I would to God we were at Brians lodge.

CLARE.
We shall anon; z'ounds, hark! What means this noise?

JERNINGHAM.
Stay, I hear horsemen.

CLARE.
I hear footmen too.

JERNINGHAM.
Nay, then I have it: we have been discovered,
And we are followed by our fathers men.

MILLISCENT.
Brother and friend, alas, what shall we do?

CLARE.
Sister, speak softly, or we are descried.
They are hard upon us, what so ere they be,
Shadow your self behind this brake of fern,
We'll get into the wood, and let them pass.

[Enter Sir John, Blague, Smug, and Banks, one after another.]

SIR JOHN. Grass and hay! we are all mortall; the keepers abroad, and there's an end.

BANKS.
Sir John!

SIR JOHN.
Neighbour Banks, what news?

BANKS.
Z'wounds, Sir John, the keepers are abroad; I was hard by 'am.

SIR JOHN.
Grass and hay! where's mine host Blague?

BLAGUE. Here, Metrapolitane. The philistines are upon us, be silent; let us serve the good Duke of Norfolk. But where is Smug?

SMUG. Here; a pox on ye all, dogs; I have kild the greatest Buck in Brians walk. Shift for your selves, all the keepers are up: let's meet in Enfield church porch; away, we are all taken else.

[Exeunt.]

[Enter Brian, with his man, and his hound.]

BRIAN.
Raph, hearst thou any stirring?

RAPH.
I heard one speak here hard by, in the bottom. Peace, Maister,
speak low; zownes, if I did not hear a bow go off, and the
Buck bray, I never heard deer in my life.

BRIAN.
When went your fellows out into their walks?

RAPH.
An hour ago.

BRIAN.
S'life, is there stealers abroad, and they cannot hear
Of them: where the devil are my men to night?
Sirra, go up the wind towards Buckleyes