SCENE III.

_The Compter._

_Enter_ HOLDFAST _and_ BRAMBLE.

_Ho._ Who would you speak with, sir?

_Br._ I would speak with one Security, that is prisoner here.

_Ho._ Y'are welcome, sir. Stay there, I'll call him to you. Master Security!

_Enter_ SECURITY.

_Sec._ Who calls?

_Ho._ Here's a gentleman would speak with you.

_Sec._ What is he? Is't one that grafts my forehead now I am in prison, and comes to see how the horns shoot up and prosper? 10

_Ho._ You must pardon him, sir; the old man is a little crazed with his imprisonment.

_Sec._ What say you to me, sir? Look you here.--My learned counsel, Master Bramble! cry you mercy, sir! When saw you my wife?

_Br._ She is now at my house, sir; and desired me that I would come to visit you, and inquire of you your case, that we might work some means to get you forth. 18

_Sec._ My case,[113] Master Bramble, is stone walls and iron grates; you see it, this is the weakest part on't. And for getting me forth, no means but hang myself, and so to be carried forth, from which they have here bound me in intolerable bands.

_Br._ Why, but what is't you are in for, sir?

_Sec._ For my sins, for my sins, sir, whereof marriage is the greatest. O, had I never married, I had never known this purgatory, to which hell is a kind of cool bath in respect; my wife's confederacy, sir, with old Touchstone, that she might keep her jubilee and the feast of her new moon. Do you understand me, sir? 30

_Enter_ QUICKSILVER.

_Qu._ Good sir, go in and talk with him. The light does him harm, and his example will be hurtful to the weak prisoners. Fie! father Security, that you'll be still so profane! Will nothing humble you?

[_Exeunt_ SECURITY, BRAMBLE, _and_ HOLDFAST.[114]

_Enter two_ Prisoners, _with a_ Friend.

_Fr._ What's he?

_1st Pr._ O, he is a rare young man! Do you not know him?

_Fr._ Not I. I never saw him, I can remember.

_2nd Pr._ Why, it is he that was the gallant prentice of London--Master Touchstone's man. 40

_Fr._ Who?--Quicksilver?

_1st Pr._ Ay, this is he.

_Fr._ Is this he? They say he has been a gallant indeed.

_1st Pr._ O, the royallest fellow that ever was bred up i' the city! He would play you his thousand pound a-night at dice; keep knights' and lords' company; go with them to bawdy-houses; had his six men in a livery; kept a stable of hunting-horses, and his wench in her velvet gown and her cloth of silver. Here's one knight with him here in prison. 51

_Fr._ And how miserably he is changed!

_1st Pr._ O, that's voluntary in him: he gave away all his rich clothes as soon as ever he came in here among the prisoners; and will eat o' the basket,[115] for humility.

_Fr._ Why will he do so?

_1st Pr._ Alas, he has no hope of life! He mortifies himself. He does but linger on till the sessions.

_2nd Pr._ O, he has penned the best thing, that he calls his Repentance or his _Last Farewell_, that ever you heard. He is a pretty poet; and for prose--you would wonder how many prisoners he has helped out, with penning petitions for 'hem, and not take a penny. Look! this is the knight in the rug gown. Stand by. 64

_Enter_[116] Sir PETRONEL _and_ BRAMBLE.

_Br._ Sir, for Security's case, I have told him. Say he should be condemned to be carted or whipt for a bawd, or so, why, I'll lay an execution on him o' two hundred pound; let him acknowledge a judgment, he shall do it in half an hour; they shall not at all fetch him out without paying the execution, o' my word. 70

_Pe._ But can we not be bailed, Master Bramble?

_Br._ Hardly; there are none of the judges in town, else you should remove yourself (in spite of him) with a _habeas corpus_. But if you have a friend to deliver your tale sensibly to some justice o' the town, that he may have feeling of it (do you see), you may be bailed; for as I understand the case, 'tis only done _in terrorem_; and you shall have an action of false imprisonment against him when you come out, and perhaps a thousand pound costs. 80

_Enter_ Master WOLF.

_Qu._ How now, Master Wolf?--what news?--what return?

_Wo._ 'Faith, bad all: yonder will be no letters received. He says the sessions shall determine it. Only, Master Deputy Golding commends him to you, and with this token wishes he could do you other good.

_Qu._ I thank him. Good Master Bramble, trouble our quiet no more; do not molest us in prison thus, with your winding devices; pray you depart. For my part, I commit my cause to Him that can succour me; let God work His will. Master Wolf, I pray you let this be distributed among the prisoners, and desire 'hem to pray for us. 93

_Wo._ It shall be done, Master Francis.

_1st Pr._ An excellent temper!

_2nd Pr._ Now God send him good luck!

[_Exeunt_[117] _two_ Prisoners _and_ Friend.

_Pe._ But what said my father-in-law, Master Wolf?

_Enter_ HOLDFAST.

_Ho._ Here's one would speak with you, sir.

_Wo._ I'll tell you anon, Sir Petronel; who is't?

_Ho._ A gentleman, sir, that will not be seen. 100

_Enter_ GOLDING.

_Wo._ Where is he? Master Deputy! your worship is welcome----

_Go._ Peace!

_Wo._ Away, sirrah!

[_Exit_[118] BRAMBLE.

_Go._ Good faith, Master Wolf, the estate of these gentlemen, for whom you were so late and willing a suitor, doth much affect me; and because I am desirous to do them some fair office, and find there is no means to make my father relent so likely as to bring him to be a spectator of their miseries, I have ventured on a device, which is, to make myself your prisoner: entreating you will presently go report it to my father, and (feigning an action at suit of some third person) pray him by this token, that he will presently, and with all secrecy, come hither for my bail; which train, if any, I know will bring him abroad; and then, having him here, I doubt not but we shall be all fortunate in the event. 117

_Wo._ Sir, I will put on my best speed to effect it. Please you come in.

_Go._ Yes; and let me rest concealed, I pray you.

_Wo._ See here a benefit truly done, when it is done timely, freely, and to no ambition.

[_Exeunt._

[113] Covering.

[114] Here and elsewhere there is no stage-direction in the old ed.

[115] The basket containing the broken victuals collected for the poor prisoners.

[116] Old ed. "_Enter_ Sir PETRONEL, BRAMBLE, QUICKSILVER, WOLF."

[117] The stage-direction in old ed. is simply "_Exeunt_."

[118] I give this stage-direction at a venture.