Volume Ii Part 18 (1/2)

CAREAWAY.

Yea, marry, sir, you have beaten them down into my tail; But, sir, might I be bold to say one thing Without any blows and without any beating?

JACK JUGGLER.

Truce for a while; say on what thee l.u.s.t:

CAREAWAY.

May a man to your honesty by your word trust?

I pray you swear by the ma.s.s you woll do me no ill--

JACK JUGGLER.

By my faith, I promise pardon thee I will--

CAREAWAY.

What, and you keep no promise?

JACK JUGGLER.

Then upon Careaway[189]

I pray G.o.d light as much or more as hath on thee to-day.

CAREAWAY.

Now dare I speak, so mote I the, Master Bongrace is my master, and the name of me Is Jenkin Careaway!

JACK JUGGLER.

What, sayest thou so?

CAREAWAY.

And if thou wilt strike me, and break thy promise, do, And beat on me, till I stink, and till I die; And yet woll I still say that I am I!

JACK JUGGLER.

This Bedlam knave without doubt is mad--

CAREAWAY.

No, by G.o.d, for all that I am a wise lad, And can call to remembrance every thing That I did this day sith my uprising; For went not I with my master to-day Early in the morning to the tennis-play?

At noon, while my master at his dinner sat, Played not I at dice at the gentleman's gate?

Did not I wait on my master to supper-ward?

And I think I was not changed the way homeward!

Or else, if thou think I lie, Ask in the street of them that I came by; And sith that I came hither into your presence, What man living could carry me hence?

I remember I was sent to fetch my mistress, And what I devised to save me harmless; Do not I speak now? [is] not this my hand?

Be not these my feet that on this ground stand?

Did not this other knave here knock me about the head?

And beat me, till I was almost dead?

How may it then be, that he should be I?

Or I not myself?--it is a shameful lie.

I woll home to our house, whosoever say nay, For surely my name is Jenkin Careaway.

JACK JUGGLER.

I woll make thee say otherwise, ere we depart, if we can--

JENKIN CAREAWAY.