Jen. Never make question of that. And first I saluted her with a green gown, and after fell as hard a-wooing as if the priest had been at our backs to have married us.

Geo. What, did she grant?

Jen. Did she grant! never make question of that. And she gave me a shirt-collar wrought over with no counterfeit stuff.

Geo. What, was it gold?

Jen. Nay, 'twas better than gold.

Geo. What was it?

Jen. Right Coventry blue. We* had no sooner come there but wot you who came by?

Geo. No: who?

Jen. Clim the sow-gelder.

Geo. Came he by?

Jen. He spied Madge and I sit together: he leapt from his horse, laid his hand on his dagger, and began to swear. Now I seeing he had a dagger, and I nothing but this twig in my hand, I gave him fair words and said nothing. He comes to me, and takes me by the bosom. "You whoreson slave," said he, "hold my horse, and look he take no cold in his feet." "No, marry, shall he, sir," quoth I; "I'll lay my cloak underneath him." I took my cloak, spread it all along, and [set] his horse on the midst of it.

Geo. Thou clown, didst thou set his horse upon thy cloak?

Jen. Ay, but mark how I served him. Madge and he were no sooner gone down into the ditch, but I plucked out my knife, cut four holes in my cloak, and made his horse stand on the bare ground.

Geo. "Twas well done. Now, sir, go and survey my fields if you find any cattle in the corn, to pound with them.

Jen. And if I find any in the pound, I shall turn them out.

[Exit.

Enter the EARL OF KENDAL, LORD BONFIELD, SIR GILBERT
ARMSTRONG, all disguised, with a train of men.
Ken. Now we have put the horses in the corn,
Let us stand in some corner for to hear
What braving terms the Pinner will breathe
When he spies our horses in the corn.

[Retires with the others.

Re-enter JENKIN† blowing his horn.

Jen. O master, where are you? we have a prize. Geo. A prize! what is it?

Jen. Three goodly horses in our wheat-close.

*We] The 4to. "Who." t Jenkin] The 4to. "Iacke."

Geo. Three horses in our wheat-close! whose be they?

Jen. Marry, that's a riddle to me; but they are there; velvet horses, and I never saw such horses before. As my duty was, I put off my cap, and said as followeth: "My masters, what do you make in our close?" One of them, hearing me ask what he made there, held up his head and neighed, and after his manner laughed as heartily as if a mare had been tied to his girdle.

My masters," said I, “it is no laughing matter; for, if my master take you here, you go as round as a top to the pound." Another untoward jade, hearing me threaten him to the pound and to tell you of them, cast up both his heels, and let such a monstrous great fart, that was as much as in his language to say, "A fart for the pound, and a fart for George-a-Greene." Now I, hearing this, put on my cap, blew my horn, called them all jades, and came to tell you.

Geo. Now, sir, go and drive me those three horses to the pound.

Jen. Do you hear? I were best take a constable with me.

Gco. Why so?

Jen. Why, they,* being gentlemen's horses, may stand on their reputation, and will not obey me. Geo. Go, do as I bid you, sir. Jen. Well, I may go.

The EARL OF KENDAL, LORD BONFIELD, and SIR GILBERT ARMSTRONG, Ccome forward.

Ken. Whither away, sir?

Jen. Whither away! I am going to put the horses in the pound.

Ken. Sirrah, those three horses belong to us, And we put them in,

And they must tarry there and eat their fill.

Jen. Stay, I will go tell my master.-Hear you, master? we have another prize: those three horses be in your wheat-close still, and here be three geldings more.

Geo. What be these?

Jen. These are the masters of the horses. Geo. Now, gentlemen, (I know not your degrees, But more you cannot be, unless+ you be kings,) Why wrong you us of Wakefield with your horses! I am the Pinner, and, before you pass, You shall make good the trespass they have done. Ken. Peace, saucy mate, prate not to us:

I tell thee, Pinner, we are gentlemen.

* Why, they, &c.] Given in the 4to. to George. tunless] Qy. "'less"?

Here in a wood, not far from hence,
There dwells an old man in a cave alone,
That can foretel what fortunes shall befall you,
For he is greatly skilful in magic art.
Go you three to him early in the morning,
And question him: if he says good,
Why, then, my lord, I am the foremost man
Who will march up with your camp to London.
Ken. George, thou honourest me in this.
But where shall we find him out?

Geo. My man shall conduct you to the place; But, good my lord,† tell me true what the wise man saith.

Ken. That will I, as I am Earl of Kendal.
Geo. Why, then, to honour George-a-Greene the

Grime. Nay, are you not

Some crafty quean that comes from George-aGreene,

That rascal, with some letters to my daughter? I will have you search'd.

Wily. Alas, sir, it is Hebrew unto me, To tell me of George-a-Greene or any other. Search me, good sir, and if you find a letter About me, let me have the punishment that's due. Grime. Why are you muffled? I like you the

worse for that.

Wily. I am not, sir, asham'd to show my face; Yet loth I am my cheeks should take the air: Not that I'm chary of my beauty's hue,

But that I'm troubled with the tooth-ache sore. [Unmuffies.

Grime. [aside.] A pretty wench, of smiling

countenance !

Old men can like, although they cannot love;
Ay,

And love, though not so brief as young men can.-
Well,

Go in, my wench, and speak with my daughter.

[Exit WILY into the house.
I wonder much at the Earl of Kendal,
Being a mighty man, as still he is,
Yet for to be a traitor to his king,

Is more than God or man will well allow.
But what a fool am I to talk of him!
My mind is more here of the pretty lass.
Had she brought some forty pounds to town,*
I could be content to make her my wife:
Yet I have heard it in a proverb said,
He that is old and marries with a lass,
Lies but at home and proves himself an ass.

Enter, from the house, BETTRIS in WILY's apparel. How now, my wench! how is't? what, not a word?

Alas, poor soul, the tooth-ache plagues her sore.-
Well, my wench,
[Gives money.

Here is an angel for to buy thee pins,
And I pray thee use mine house;
The oftener, the more welcome: farewell. [Exit.
Bet. O blessed love, and blessèd fortune both!
But, Bettris, stand not here to talk of love,
But hie thee straight unto thy George-a-Greene.
Never went roe-buck swifter on the downs
Than I will trip it till I see my George.

[Exit.

Enter the EARL OF KENDAL, LORD BONFIELD, SIR GILBERT ARMSTRONG, and JENKIN.

Ken. Come away, Jenkin.

"daughter" is a trisyllable: sce Walker's Shakespeare's Versification, &c., p. 208.

town] Qy. "dower"?

Ken. Father, we come not for advice in war,
But to know whether we shall win or leese.*
Geo. Lose, gentle lords, but not by good King
Edward;

A baser man shall give you all the foil.
Ken. Ay, marry, father, what man is that?
Geo. Poor George-a-Greene, the Pinner.
Ken. What shall he?

Geo. Pull all your plumes and sore dishonour

you.

Ken. He! as how?

Geo. Nay, the end tries all; but so it will fall

out.

Ken. But so it shall not, by my honour+

Christ.

I'll raise my camp, and fire Wakefield town,
And take that servile Pinner George-a-Greene,
And butcher him before King Edward's face.
Geo. Good my lord, be not offended,
For I speak no more than art reveals to me:
And for greater proof,

Give your man leave to fetch me my staff.
Ken. Jenkin, fetch him his walking-staff.
Jen. [giving it.] Here is your walking-staff.
Geo. I'll prove it good upon your carcasses,
A wiser wizard never met you yet,
Nor one that better could foredoom your fall.
Now I have singled you here alone,

I care not though you be three to one.
Ken. Villain, hast thou ‡ betray'd us?
Geo. Momford, thou liest, ne'er was I traitor
Only devis'd this guile to draw you on
For to be combatants.

[yet;

Now conquer me, and then march on to London: But shall go hard but I will hold you task.

Arm. Come, my lord, cheerly, I'll kill him

hand to hand.

Ken. A thousand pound to him that strikes that stroke!

Geo. Then give it me, for I will have the first.
[Here they fight; GEORGE killa SIR GILBERT ARM-
STRONG, and takes the other two prisoners.
Bon. Stay, George, we do appeal.
Geo. To whom?

Bon. Why, to the king:

For rather had we bide what he appoints,
Than here be murder'd by a servile groom.
Ken. What wilt thou do with us?
Geo. Even as Lord Bonfield wist,
You shall unto the king; and, for that purpose,
See where the Justice is plac'd.

leese] i. e. lose. thonour] Qy. "honour'd"? hast thou] Qy. "thou hast"?