And were it not, it is 'gainft law of armes,
To offer violence to a messenger,

We would inflict fuch torments on thy felfe,

As fhould inforce thee to reueale the truth.

Am. Madam, your threats no whit apall my mind, I know my confcience guiltleffe of this act;

My king and queene, I dare be fworne, are free

From any thought of such impiety:

And therefore, madam, you haue done them wrong,
And ill befeeming with a fifters loue,

Who in meere duty tender him as much,

As euer you refpected him for dowre.

The king your husband will not fay as much.
Cam. I will fufpend my iudgement for a time,
Till more apparance giue vs further light:
Yet to be playre, your comming doth inforce
A great fufpicion to our doubtfull mind,
And that you do refemble, to be briefe,

Him that first robs, and then cries, ftop the theefe.
Am. Pray God fome neere you haue not done the like.
Rag. Hence, faucy mate, reply no more to vs;

For law of armes fhall not protect thy toung.

Am. Ne're was I offred fuch difcourtesy; God and my king, I trust, ere it be long, Will find a meane to remedy this wrong.

She ftrikes him.

Rag. How fhall I liue, to fuffer this disgrace, At euery base and vulgar peasants hands?

It ill befitteth my imperiall state,

To be thus vfde, and no man take my part.

Exit Amb.

She weeps.

Cam

Cam. What should I do infringe the law of armes, Were to my euerlasting obloquy :

But I will take reuenge vpon his master,

Which fent him hither, to delude vs thus.

Rag. Nay, if you put vp this, be fure, ere long,
Now that my father thus is made away,

Sheele come and clayme a third part of your crowne,
As due vnto her by inheritance.

Cam. But I will proue her title to be nought
But shame, and the reward of parricide,
And make her an example to the world,
For after-ages to admire her penance.
This will I do, as I am Cambriaes king,
Or lofe my life, to profecute reuenge.

Come, first let's learne what newes is of our father,
And then proceed, as best occafion fits,

Exeunt.

Enter Leir, Perillus, and two marriners, in fea-gownes and

fea-caps.

Per. My honeft friends, we are asham'd to fhew

The great extremity of our prefent state,

In that at this time we are brought fo low,

That we want money for to pay our passage,

The truth is fo, we met with fome good fellowes,
A little before we came aboord your fhip,
Which stript vs quite of all the coyne we had,
And left vs not a penny in our purses:
Yet wanting mony, we will vfe the meane,
To fee you fatisfied to the vttermost.

Looke on Leir.

1 Mar. Heres a good gown, 'twould become me paffing wel,

I fhould be fine in it.

Locke an Perillus.

2 Mar. Heres a good cloke, I maruel how I fhould look in it.

Leir. Fayth, had we others to fupply their roome, Though ne're fo meane, you willingly should haue them.

1 Mar. Do you heare, fir? you looke like an honest man; Ile not ftand to do you a pleasure: here's a good strōg motly gaberdine, coft me xiiij. good fhillings at Billinfgate, giue me your gowne for it, and your cap for mine, and Ile forgiue your paffage.

Leir. With al my heart, and xx. thanks.

Leir and he changeth. 2 Mar. Do you heare, fir? you fhall haue a better match the he, because you are my friend: here is a good fheeps ruffet fea-gowne, will bide more ftreffe, I warrant you, then two of his, yes for you seem to be an honeft gentleman, I-am content to chage it for your cloke, and afke you nothing for your paffage more.

Pull off Perillus cloke.

Per. My owne I willingly would change with thee,
And think my felfe indebted to thy kindneffe:
But would my friend might keepe his garment ftill.
My friend, Ile giue thee this new dublet, if thou wilt
Restore his gowne vnto him back agayne.

1 Mar. Nay, if I do, would I might ne're eate powderd beefe and mustard more, nor drink can of good liquor whilft I Jiue. My friend, you haue fmall reafon to feeke to hinder me of my bargaine but the best is, a bargayne's a bargayne. Leir. Kind friend, it is much better as it is;

Leir to Perillus.

For

For by this meanes we may efcape vnknownę,
Till time and opportunity do fit,

2 Mar. Hark, hark, they are laying their heads together, Theile repent them of their bargayne anon,

'Twere best for vs to go while we are well."

1 Mar. God be with you, fir, for your paffage back agayne, Ile vse you as vnreafonable as another.

Leir. I know thou wilt; but we hope to bring ready

money

With vs, when we come back agayne.

Were euer men in this extremity,

In a strange country, and deuoyd of friends,
And not a penny for to helpe our felues?

Exeunt mariners.

Kind friend, what thinkft thou will become of vs?
Per. Be of good cheere, my lord, I haue a dublet,
Will yeeld vs mony ynough to ferue our turnes,
Vntill we come vnto your daughters court:
And then, I hope, we fhall find friends ynough.
Leir. Ah, kind Perillus, that is it I feare,
And makes me faynt, or euer I come there.
Can kindneffe fpring out of ingratitude?
Or loue be reapt, where hatred hath bin fowne?
Can henbane ioyne in league with Methridate?
Or fugar grow in wormwoods bitter stalke?
It cannot be, they are too oppofite:
And fo am I to any kindneffe here.

I haue throwne wormwood on the fugred youth,
And like to henbane poyfoned the fount,
Whence flowed the Methridate of a childs good wil.
Į, like an enuious thorne, haue prickt the heart,
And turnd fweet grapes, to fowre vnrelifht floes:
The caufeleffe ire of my refpectleffe breft,
Hath fowrd the fweet milk of dame patures paps:

My

My bitter words haue gauld her hony thoughts,
And weeds of rancour chokt the flower of grace.
Then what remainder is of any hope,

But all our fortunes will go quite aflope?

Per. Feare not, my lord, the perfit good indeed, Can neuer be corrupted by the bad:

A new fresh vessell ftill retaynes the taste

Of that which first is powr'd into the same :

And therfore, though you name yourselfe the thorn,
The weed, the gall, the henbane and the wormewood;
Yet fheele continue in her former ftate,
The hony, milke, grape, fugar, Methridate.

Leir. Thou pleafing orator vnto me in wo,
Ceafe to beguile me with thy hopefull speaches:
O ioyne with me, and thinke of nought but croffes,
And then weele one lament anothers loffes.

Per. Why, fay the worft, the worft can be but death,
And death is better then for to defspaire :

Then hazzard death, which may conuert to life;
Banish defpaire, which brings a thousand deathes.
Leir. Orecome with thy ftrong arguments, I yeeld,
To be directed by thee, as thou wilt:

As thou yeeldft comfort to my crazed thoughts,
Would I could yeeld the like vnto thy body,
Which is full weake, I know, and ill apayd,
For want of fresh meat and due fustenance.

Per. Alack, my lord, my heart doth bleed, to think

That you fhould be in fuch extremity.

Leir. Come, let vs go, and fee what God will fend; When all meanes faile, he is the fureft friend.

Exeunt.

Enter