Volume Ix Part 120 (1/2)

WIFE. Given me a dowry too.

BUT. And that he knew, Your sin was his, the punishment his due.

SCAR. All this is here: Is heaven so gracious to sinners then?

BUT. Heaven is, and has his gracious eyes, To give men life, not life-entrapping spies.

SCAR. Your hand--yours--yours--to my soul: to you a kiss; In troth I am sorry I have stray'd amiss; To whom shall I be thankful? all silent?

None speak? whist! why then to G.o.d, That gives men comfort as he gives his rod; Your portions I'll see paid, and I will love you, You three I'll live withal, my soul shall love you!

You are an honest servant, sooth you are; To whom? I, these, and all must pay amends; But you I will admonish in cool terms, Let not promotion's hope be as a string, To tie your tongue, or let it loose to sting.

DOC. From hence it shall not, sir.

SCAR. Then husbands thus shall nourish with their wives.

[_Kiss_.

ILF. As thou and I will, wench.

SCAR. Brothers in brotherly love thus link together [_Embrace_.

Children and servants pay their duty thus.

[_Bow and kneel_.

And are all pleas'd?

ALL. We are.

SCAR. Then, if all these be so, I am new-wed, so ends all marriage woe; And, in your eyes so lovingly being wed, We hope your hands will bring us to our bed.

FINIS.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Baldwin's ”Old English Drama,” 2 vols. 12mo.

[2] From the similarity of the names, it seems the author originally intended to make Young Lusam the son of Old Lusam and brother of Mistress Arthur, but afterwards changed his intention: in page 13 the latter calls him a stranger to her, although he is the intimate friend of her husband.

[3] [Old copy, _walk_.]

[4] Busk-point, the lace with its tag which secured the end of the busk, a piece of wood or whalebone worn by women in front of the stays to keep them straight.

[5] [Old copies, _Study_.]

[6] [Old copy, _watch_.]

[7] [Old copies, _dream_.]

[8] [All Fuller's speeches must be supposed to be _Asides_.]