Chapter 15

TEDIOUSNESS, WIT, WILL, INSTRUCTION, STUDY, DILIGENCE.

TEDIOUSNESS. A doughty dust[439] these four boys will do: I will eat them by morsels, two and two! Thou fightest for a wife! a rod, a rod! Had I wist this, I would have laid on load, And beat thy brain and this my club together, And made thee safe enough for returning hither.

WILL. A foul whoreson! what a sturdy thief it is! But we will pelt thee, knave, until for woe thou piss.

TEDIOUSNESS. Let me come to that elf.

WIT. Nay, nay, thou shalt have work enough to save thyself.

[_Fight_.

INSTRUCTION. Take breath, and change your weapons; play the men.

TEDIOUSNESS. Somewhat it was that made thee come again. Thou stickest somewhat better to thy tackling, I see, But what, no force; ye are but Jack-Sprat to me.

WIT. Have hold, here is a morsel for thee to eat. [_Strikes_.

STUDY, INSTRUCTION. Here is a pelt to make your knave's heart fret.

DILIGENCE. There is a blow able to fell a hog.

WIT. And here is a foin behind for a mad dog!

[_Let Will trip you[440] down_.

Hold, hold, hold, the lubber is down!

TEDIOUSNESS. O!

WILL. Strike off his head, while I hold him by the crown.

WIT. Thou monstrous wretch, thou mortal foe to me and mine, Which evermore at my good luck and fortune did'st repine, Take here thy just desert and payment for thy hire. Thy head this day shall me prefer unto my heart's desire.

INSTRUCTION. O noble Wit, the praise, the game is thine.

STUDY. Hove up his head upon your spear, lo, here a joyful sign!

DILIGENCE.

O valiant knight, O conquest full of praise!

WILL. O bliss[441] of God to see these happy days!

WIT. You, you, my faithful squires, deserve no less, Whose tried trust, well-known to me in my distress. And certain hope of your fix'd faith and fast good-will, Made me attempt this famous fact, most needful to fulfil: To you I yield great thanks, to me redounds the gain, Now home apace, and ring it out, that Tediousness is slain. Say all at once, _Tediousness is slain_.