SCENE IV.

_Enter +Quartfield+ and +Salewit+._

+Quart.+ How now, mad lads; what! is the storm broke up?

+Sale.+ What, sad, like broken gamesters! Master Timothy, 'Slight, who would think your father should lay wheels[239] To catch you thus?

+Tim.+ If ever I be drunk with captains more----

+Plot.+ Where's Bright and Newcut?

+Sale.+ They were sent for to the Temple, but left word They would be here at supper.

+Plot.+ They are sure friends to leave us in distress.

+Quart.+ What a mad plot These two old merchants had contriv'd, to feign A voyage, then to hunt you out disguised, And hear themselves abused?

+Sale.+ We heard all.

+Quart.+ If I had stay'd, they had paid me for a captain.

+Sale.+ They had a fling at me. But do you think Your uncle in this furious mood will marry?

+Plot.+ He deeply swore it: if he do, the sleight Upon the cards, the hollow die, Park Corner And Shooter's Hill, are my revenue.

+Tim.+ Yes: and as for me, my destiny will be To fight by th' day, carry my kitchen and Collation at my back, wear orderly My shirt in course, after't has been the shift Of a whole regiment in the low countries; And, after all, return with half a leg, One arm, perchance my nose shot off, to move Compassion in my father who, in pity To so much ruin, may be brought to buy Some place for me in an hospital, to keep me From bridges, hill-tops, and from selling switches.

+Rose.+ Yonder's your uncle at the field-door, talking With Bannswright, as hot and earnest for a wench As a recover'd Monsieur.

+Quart.+ What is this Bannswright?

+Sale.+ A fellow much employed about the town, That contrives matches: one that brings together Parties that never saw or never met, Till't be for good and all; knows to a penny Estates and jointures: I'll undertake he has Now lying by him (unprovided) some twenty Widows of all fortunes that want husbands, And men that want wives; and, at an hour's warning, Can make things ready for the priest.

+Quart.+ Let us Devise to get him hither, and cross the match.

+Plot.+ I have great interest in him; the fellow loves me. Could I speak with him, and draw him to be An actor in't, I have a stratagem That can redeem all, and turn the plot Upon these sage heads.

_Enter +Bannswright+._

+Sale.+ By Minerva, look! here's Bannswright!

+Plot.+ Master Bannswright!

+Ban.+ Save you, gallants.

+Plot.+ You are employed, I hear, to find a wife out For my young sprightly uncle.

+Ban.+ Sir, he has Retain'd me to that purpose: I just now Came from him.

+Plot.+ And do you mean the match Shall then proceed?

+Ban.+ I have a lieger[240] wench In readiness: he's gone to put himself Into fit ornaments for the solemnity. I'm to provide the priest and licence: we go Some two hours hence to church.

+Quart.+ Death! you pander, Forbid the banns, or I will cut your wizzel,[241] And spoil your squiring in the dark. I've heard Of your lewd function, sirrah! You prefer Wenches to bawdy-houses, rascal!

+Ban.+ Good sir, Threaten me not in my vocation.

+Plot.+ Why, Bannswright, you can be but paid. Say I Procure the wench, a friend of mine, and double Your bargain. Such a fair reward, methinks, Should make thee of my project. Thou dost know My fortunes are engaged, and thou may'st be The happy instrument to recover 'em. Be my good angel once! I have a plot Shall make thee famous.

+Quart.+ By Mars, deny, and I Will act a tragedy upon thee.

+Ban.+ Gentlemen, I am a friend to wit, but more to you, sir, Of whose misfortunes I will not be guilty. Though, then, your uncle has employ'd me, and Has deeply sworn to wed this afternoon A wife of my providing, if you can O'erreach the angry burgess, sir, and bring His wisdom to the gin, show me the way; I'll help to lay the trap.

+Quart.+ Now thou art An honest-hearted pimp: thou shalt for this Be drunk in Vine-dee,[242] rascal; I'll begin A runlet to thee.

+Ban.+[243] Gentlemen, let's in, I'll tell you my design. You, Salewit, must Transform yourself to a French deacon: I Have parts for Bright and Newcut too. Mischief Upon their absence!

+Sale.+ We'll send for 'em.

+Ban.+ And for Master Timothy, I have a project Shall make his father everlastingly Admire his wit, and ask him blessing.

+Quart.+ Come, Let's in and drink a health to our success.

+Tim.+ I'm for no healths, unless the glass be less. [_Exeunt._

FOOTNOTES:

[221] Mr Steevens observes (note to "The Tempest," act ii. sc. 2) that it was formerly very common to exhibit fishes, either real or imaginary, in this manner, and that it appears from the books of Stationers' Hall, that in 1604 was published, "A strange reporte of a monstrous _fish_, that appeared in the form of a woman from her waist upward, seene in the sea."

The Italians use _Nuovo Pesce_ in much the same manner as we employ the phrase "a strange fish." "Nuovo pesce era questo ru-Marco"--Domenichi's "Facetie," 1565, p. 268.

[222] Made him drunk, or intoxicated him.

[223] Probably the same mentioned by Sir Kenelm Digby. See note to "The Ordinary" [xii., 245.]

[224] Meaning that the trumpet has been sounded twice, in imitation of the theatres, where, before the play begins by the entrance of the prologue, there were what were called three soundings. See Malone's "Shakespeare," by Boswell, iii. 114.--_Collier._

[225] [See Mr Huth's "Ancient Ballads and Broadsides," 1867, p. 213.]

[226] _The country has been laid_, means that the country has been _way-laid_ for the purpose of catching him. This was the common mode of expression at the time, as appears from Middleton's "Chaste Maid in Cheapside," 1630, and other authorities--

"_Lay_ the water-side--she's gone for ever else!"

Again, in the same play--

"My mother's gone to _lay_ the common staires."

--_Collier._

[227] "Mare Liberum," was the title of a book written by the celebrated Grotius, to prove that the sea was free to every nation, in opposition to those who wished to circumscribe the Dutch trade. It was printed in 1609, and among other answers which appeared to it, was one by Selden, which he entitled "Mare Clausum."

[228] The _echineis_, a fish which by adhering to the bottoms of ships, was supposed to retard their course. So Lucan, lib. vi. v. 674--

"Puppim retinens, Euro tendente rudentes, In mediis _echineis_ aquis."

--_Steevens._

[229] Sir Francis Drake.

[230] There were two of that name, father and son, in the time of Queen Elizabeth, both eminent navigators. See their lives in "Biographia Britannica."

[231] There is an incident of this kind, where a man is shown for a fish against his will, and thrust under water whenever he attempts to speak, in the "Vida de Lazarillo de Tormes."--_Collier._

[232] [This word was applied formerly to both sexes. See "Gesta Romanorum," edit. Madden, p. 456.]

[233] Prynne and his "Histriomastix," so often noticed in this play.

[234] A tavern which used to be frequented by Ben Jonson, Beaumont and Fletcher, and other wits of the times, and often mentioned in their works. From the following enumeration of taverns, in an old poem called "Newes from Bartholmew Fayre" [by Richard West, 1607], the title-page of which is lost, we find it was situate in Cornhill:--

"There hath beene great sale and utterance of wine, Besides beere and ale, and ipocras fine, In every country, region, and nation; Chefely at Billingsgate, at _the Salutation_, And _Bores Head_, neere London Stone, _The Swan_ at Dowgate, a taverne well knowne, _The Miter_ in Cheape, and then _the Bull Head_, And many like places that make noses red; _The Bores Head_ in Old Fish Street, _three Cranes_ in the Vintree, And now of late, St Martin's in the Sentree: _The Windmill_ in Lothbury, _the Ship_ at the Exchange, _King's Head_ in New Fish Streete, where roysters do range; +The Mermaid in Cornhill+; _Red Lion_ in the Strand, _Three Tuns_ in Newgate Market, Old Fish Street, at _the Swan_."

[235] [An allusion which has been often explained.]

[236] About the year 1631, Archbishop Laud, under the patronage of Charles I., undertook the repairing and rebuilding of St Paul's. On this occasion the king went to the cathedral, and, after divine service was performed, solemnly promised to exert his best endeavours to repair the ruins which time, or the casualties of weather, had made therein. In consequence of this scheme, many applications were made to noblemen and gentlemen for their assistance, and, on their refusal to contribute, some were very severely censured, and even fined.

[237] Most of our ancient maps will sufficiently illustrate this image. The vacant spaces, occasioned by tracts of sea, are usually ornamented with these monsters spouting water.--_Steevens._

[238] Among the illegal modes of raising money adopted by Charles I., after he determined to govern without a parliament; the borrowing of money by writs of privy-seal was one not the least burdensome and oppressive. The manner was to direct these writs to particular persons by name, requiring the loan of money, or plate to the amount of the money, to be paid or delivered to a particular person, for the king's use. The form of the writs may be seen in "The Parliamentary History," xiii., 84, where one of them is printed. [But in this passage this speaker also intends a play on the double meaning of _seal_.]

[239] Alluding to a method of catching pikes.--_Pegge._

[240] [Probably, nimble, sprightly, Fr. _leger_; unless it should be in the sense indicated by Nares in his "Glossary" under Liedger, _i.e._, resident; but Bannswright is not described as a pander.]

[241] A corruption, probably, of _wizand_, or _weazon_.--_Steevens._

[242] Perhaps he means to say _Vin de Dieu_; _i.e._, _Lacrymæ Christi_.--_Steevens._

[243] [The old copy here, and again just below, has improperly Plotwell, for Bannswright must be supposed to maintain his disguise at present.]