A King, and No King

p. 192, l. 2. A, B and G] shall I. l. 6. A] But what, what should. B and G] should. l. 11. A, B and G] on more advice. l. 17. A omits] a. l. 19. Folio misprints] faithul. l. 21. F] doe't. l. 23. C—F] doest. l. 24. A, B and G] I hope I. l. 37. E and F] doest.

p. 193, l. 4. A, B and G] cause. l. 5. A, B, C and G omit] ha. l. 7. A, B, C and G] blow about the world. l. 8. A, B and G] his cause. l. 9. A] deare Mardonius. l. 12. A, B and G] Pray God you. l. 24. A, B and G] God preserve you, and mend you. l. 26. A, B and G] require. l. 30. A, B and G] use of. l. 32. A Adds] to them.

p. 194, l. 2. A] I am. l. 4. A, B, F and G] I am. A includes the words 'I am glad on't' in the following speech of Mardonius. l. 5. A, B and G] to that. ll. 7—9. A omits these lines. l. 11. A, B and G] occasions. l. 15. A, B, C and G] to the. l. 16. A—D and G] for his. l. 17. A omits] Mar. l. 19. A] Doe for. The letters 'ith' are in C cut off at the end of the line. l. 23. A, B and G] a thing. l. 26. G] would fain have thee. l. 27. A] understands. G] understandest. l. 30. A] dost make. l. 32. A, B and G] tell me, it shall. C has the same reading, though the word 'tell' is by mistake cut off from the end of the line. A omits] too. l. 35. A, B and C] and mayst yet.

p. 195, l. 2. A—D and G] that I have ever. l. 3. A, B and G omit] the. l. 8. A, B, C and G] your businesse. l. 12. A, B and G omit] now. l. 29. A—F] Gods and mans. l. 30. G] nature. l. 36. A Adds] Finis Actus Tertii. B and C Add] The end of the Third Act.

p. 196, l. 1. A] Actus Quarti Scaena Prima. l. 2. A—G omit] and. l. 11. A, B, C and G] Yet fearing since they. A] th' are many. l. 13. F] them. l. 14. F] them. l. 15. A] fearefull; if he. l. 18. A] labour out this. l. 19. A] against. ll. 25 and 26. A encloses the words 'never … humour' within brackets. l. 26. D, E and F] shot. l. 30. F] no farther. l. 33. A omits] But.

p. 197, l. 3. A Adds] Exit. l. 4. A omits] Exit Gob. l. 13. A] yours. l. 29. G] I'm. A] if no more. l. 36. B—G] these. l. 37. A] That have Authority. l. 38. F] besides.

p. 198, l. 1. A] words. l. 4. A] Ime. l. 12. A, B and G] Pray God. l. 13. A omits] in prison. l. 15. A and F] mine. A] turne. l. 27. A, B and G] deserv'd it. l. 33. A] griefes. l. 35. A] womans. F] woman. l. 36. A] lost. l. 39. G] unconstancy.

p. 199, l. 7. A] kill me Ladie. l. 9. A omits] Lady. l. 15. A] for were. l. 20. A] in the. l. 26. A, B and G] is as firme. l. 27. A] and as lasting. l. 28. A, B and G] in the. C] in th' ayre. l. 31. A] murmurs. l. 37. A—D and G] wrongs.

p. 200, l. 1. A by mistake omits] Spa. l. 2. A, B, C and G] Our ends alike. l. 9. A] hee's asham'd. l. 17. A] pray believe me. l. 19. A, B and G] No more. l. 20. A] and Mardonius. l. 32. A—G] outlast. Folio misprints] too. l. 38. A] is that.

p. 201, l. 5. A] know. l. 10. A] pratling. l. 11. A] to it. l. 15. A—G] Beside. l. 17. A] Sirra. l. 23. A] Staffe poak't. A, B, C and G] through. F] throw. l. 24. A—D and G] broke. l. 25. D, E and F] stifled with. l. 30. F] worst. l. 35. A] you may say Sir what. Folio misprints] you. l. 36. A gives this line to Mardonius.

p. 202, l. 3. A, B and G] I thank God. l. 5. A] doe it. l. 6. A omits] Doe. l. 13. A Adds] and a Souldier like a termogant. l. 16. A] let um be prisoners. l. 18. F] them. ll. 19 and 20. A gives these lines to Bacurius. ll. 21 and 22. A and G give these lines to Spaconia. l. 22. A, B, C and G] deare. l. 23. A] Ex. Bacu. with Tig. and Spa. l. 24. A, B, C and G] have you. l. 25. F] prove. l. 30. A] Sadlers. l. 32. A, D and F] darest. l. 33. A] knowest. l. 34. G] will not. l. 37. A] shall then tell. B] of this. l. 40. A] Where. F] them.

p. 203, l. 1. A Adds after off] doe, kill me. l. 2. A omits] worse. l. 4. A, B, C and G] a dead sleepe. l. 5. A] Like forraigne swords. l. 10. A] all thine. l. 12. G] Wilt. A] with me good Mardonius. l. 20. A, B and G] and all beautie. l. 22. F] she is not. l. 23. A] doe enlarge her. l. 26. A] that would have. l. 29. E and F] heat. l. 30. E] To here wretched. F omits] a. l. 38. A] knew of. B, C and D] knewst the.

p. 204, l. 7. A] is it. l. 15. A—D and G omit] a. l. 16. A omits] Thousands. E and F] Thousand. A] denie it. l. 18. A, B and G] vertue. l. 24. A omits] all. l. 26. A—G] stooles there boy. l. 32. A, B and G] and my deare. l. 33. B, C and G] to th' cause. l. 35. F omits this line. l. 37. A prints the words 'be wise, and speake truth' as the conclusion of the second Sword-man's speech.

p. 205, l. 4. A] If he have. l. 5. B—E] If a have. F] If I have. l. 12. A] case. l. 13. A, B and G] an honourable. l. 15. A, B and G] we Sword-men. l. 17. A, B and G] drawne ten teeth. A—G] beside. l. 18. A] all these. l. 21. B—E] a crackt. l. 22. A] with crossing. l. 26. A—G] There's. l. 30. A, B, C and G] mile. l. 32. A—G] mile. l. 34. A, B and C] 'Tis a the longest. G] o' the longest. l. 35. A by mistake gives this line to Bessus and the following speech to the first Sword-man.

p. 206, ll. 5 and 6. F] word forc'd. l. 9. A—D and G] case. l. 12. A] sit. G] sat. l. 13. A] it had. l. 15. E and F] delivery. l. 19. B—E] A should. F] And should. A—D and G] deliverie. l. 24. A] by th'. l. 25. A] you are. l. 28. A omits] the. l. 32. B and G] that we. l. 33. Folio misprints] honesty. A] good Sir to th'. l. 35. A] The boy may be supposd, hee's lyable; but kicke my brother.

p. 207, l. 7. A] Still the must. l. 9. A—D and G omit] I. A] againe, againe. l. 12. F omits] my. l. 20. A] at the kicke. l. 22. F] baren scorn, as I will call it. l. 27. A—G] sore indeed Sir. l. 29. A] the foole. l. 30. A] Ah Lords. l. 32. A, B, C and G] laught.

p. 208, l. 5. A—G] size, daggers. F] sizes. l. 16. A] To abide upon't. l. 20. A, B, C and G omit] me. F] Both get me. l. 21. F] cleane. l. 22. G] what you have done. l. 27. F] Go will, and tell. l. 28. A—D] Or there be. l. 29. A omits and before Gob. l. 33. A omits] Exit Gob. l. 34. A] you are. A, B, C and G] and I would. A, B and G] to God. l. 38. G] the rising. l. 39. B, C and G] I shall. l. 40. Folio misprints] Ban.

p. 209, l. 3. A] does. l. 6. A] I prethee. l. 8. A, B and G] I am. l. 23. A, B and G] In as equal a degree. C and D] In equal a degree. l. 27. A] I prethee. l. 33. C, D and E] and there is. E] no cause. F] and there is none can see.

p. 210, l. 6. D, E and F] stop. l. 11. A, B and G] God keepe you. l. 12. A, B and G] cause. l. 19. A] innocents. l. 20. A, B and G omit] that. l. 24. A, B and G] it is. l. 27. A, B and G] as it lists. l. 33. A encloses 'Which I beseech thee doe not' within brackets. l. 36. A, B and G] For God knows. l. 39. A] start eye to.

p. 211, l. 2. F] them. l. 5. A] should. l. 11. F] them. l. 20. A, B and G] sinnes. l. 32. A] no steppe.

p. 212, ll. 1-6 and 8. F] them. l. 2. A] them. l. 5. Folio] and them. l. 6. A] drinke them off. l. 25. A gives this line to Panthea. l. 27. D, E and F] brother. l. 29. B] i' this. l. 35. A omits] Why. l. 38. A, B and G] I know thou.

p. 213, l. 4. A, B and G omit too before scrupulous. ll. 8 and 9. In place of these lines G reads] I dare no longer stay. l. 9. A and B] hotter I feare then yours. l. 11. A, B and G] for God's sake. l. 14. A omits stage-direction. B and G omit] several wayes. A Adds] Finis Actus Quarti. B and C Add] The end of the Fourth Act. l. 15. A] Actus Quinti Scaena Prima. l. 19. A] leave to visit. l. 20. A] hands. l. 26. A] officers.

p. 214, l. 3. B—F] were a valiant. l. 6. A] something lighter. l. 28. A—D omit] he. G] h'as. l. 29. B—F] a was. l. 30. A] in his. E and F] in in's. l. 31. A—E] a my. F] in my. G] i'my. l. 33. A, B and G] like to wicker Targets. l. 35. A omits] he. A] so low a sence. l. 36. A] should. l. 38. A, B and G] That this strange fellow.

p. 215, l. 3. A—D and G] broke. A—G] or a shoulder out. A—F] ath' stones. l. 4. A] of my. l. 10. A omits] the. l. 13. Folio misprints] Catain. l. 16. A omits] Sword. l. 19. A] thus kicke you, and thus. B and G] thus kicke, and thus. l. 21. A—D and G] told you that. l. 23. A omits] Sword. A—F] a should. l. 25. A, B, C and G] a one. l. 26. A omits] beats him. l. 29. A, B and G] Sir I know. l. 30. A prints 'Bes.' at the beginning of the following line, thus making this line part of Lygones' speech.

p. 216, l. 6. A, B and G] you would. l. 7. A, B, C and G] strange now to have. l. 12. Folio misprints] danghter. l. 13. A, B and G] of being. l. 15. A omits] Lygo. l. 18. A omits] Sword. l. 19. A] ath' sword. l. 20. G] h'as. l. 23. A] a kick't. l. 24. A omits 'Bes.,' thus making this line part of the second Sword-man's speech. l. 25. A omits] Sword. A gives the words 'Now let him come and say he was not sorry, And he sleepes for it' to '2,' i.e., the second Sword-man. l. 26. B—F] a was not. B—F] a sleepes. l. 28. A omits] clear. G] Exeunt omnes. l. 34. A prints this stage-direction after the words 'There he is indeed' in l. 35.

p. 217, l. 3. A, B, C and G] businesse will. l. 5. B] the Armenia state. l. 9. F omits] is. l. 20. A—G] couldst prate. l. 28. A] vild. B and C] vilde. B—F] commendations. l. 30. A, B and G] or rather would I. l. 34. A and F] mine own. l. 38. A] and like it.

p. 218, l. 3. A] in the. B, C, D and G] i' the. l. 6. B misprints] my Prince. l. 8. A] beside. l. 12. A] men. l. 13. C] Cawdle. l. 14. A] your Queene. l. 21. A] should speake. l. 27. A] a Queene. l. 33. A, B and G] Good God. l. 37. A, B and G omit] all.

p. 219, l. 4. A] that shall. l. 6. A omits] all. l. 7. A] a servant. l. 11. A] and Swordmen. In A this stage-direction is printed after the following line. l. 15. A—F] ath' sword. l. 17. A—D and G omit] much. l. 20. A] I can aske. l. 23. A] will require launcing. l. 24. A] and full. l. 28. A omits] must. l. 31. A, B and G] God continue it. l. 32. F misprints] they to it.

p. 220, l. 5. The two Sword-men are throughout the scene referred to in A as '2' or '1.' l. 6. A omits 'Bac.,' thus giving the line to the second Sword-man. l. 13. A—G omit] on. F] them, that have. l. 16. A—F] ath' law. l. 22. F] That is. A] their paines. l. 26. A] ye rogues, ye apple-squiers. l. 31. A] a many of. F] a beautie of. l. 33. E] I do beseech. l. 35. A—F] A this side.

p. 221, l. 4. A] in your pocket slave, my key you. B and G] in your pocket slave, my toe. l. 5. A] with't. l. 11. A—G] doing nothing. l. 12. A omits this stage-direction. B] Enter Servant, Will. Adkinson. l. 13. A—D] Here's. l. 14. A] I am. A] prethee. l. 15. A] beate um. l. 17. A omits] Sir. l. 18. A omits] Captain, Rally. A] up with your. F] rally upon. l. 20. A] cride hold. l. 22. E and F] vit me. l. 23. A, B and G] breath. A omits] Exit Bac. l. 25. A] Ime sure I ha. l. 26. B—F] a kicke. B—F] a will. l. 27. C—F] beside. l. 29. A, B and G] yes, God be thanked. l. 33. A, B, C and G] is a. l. 34. A] hands.

p. 222, l. 2. A omits] clear. G] Exeunt omnes. l. 4. A—D and G] bore. After this line A Adds]—Hell open all thy gates, And I will thorough them; if they be shut, Ile batter um, but I will find the place Where the most damn'd have dwelling; ere I end, Amongst them all they shall not have a sinne, But I will call it mine: l. 5. A—D and G] friend. A, B and G] to an. l. 13. B, C and D] a comming. l. 14. A—G] does your hand. l. 19. This line from 'I can' and the next line are given by A to Mardonius. l. 24. A] humblier.

p. 223, l. 4. A, B and G omit] and. l. 12. A] thinkest. l. 13. G] these are tales. l. 15. A—D and G] should get. l. 17. A] Farre other Fortunes. l. 19. A, B and G] God put. G] temporall. l. 20. A Adds] Exit. B and. G Add] Exit Mar. l. 21. A—D and G] errors. l. 27. A, B and G omit] more. l. 35. A—D and G omit] my.

p. 224, l. 4. F] knowest. l. 9. A] doest. l. 12. A] and I when I. F] knowest. l. 16. B and F] meanst. l. 17. A, B, C and G] a lie. A, B and G] God and. l. 22. A, B and G] wouldst. l. 28. A] gavest. l. 31. A] your selfe. B and G] it thy selfe. l. 38. A and G] know it. l. 39. E and F] staind.

p. 225, l. 7. A, B, C and G] allowest. l. 15. C—F] doest … doest. l. 17. A—D and G] Cease thou strange. l. 18. A] contemn'st. ll. 20 and 21. Folio misprints] dear … punishnment. l. 35. A and C] expects. B] expectes. D] expectst. G] expect'st. l. 39. A] thou wicked.

p. 226, l. 10. A, B, C and G] of a law. l. 19. A omits] you. ll. 25 and 26. A—G] Land as she. l. 29. A misprints] Arb. l. 31. A—D and G omit] a.

p. 227, l. 2. A] opportunitie. ll. 4 and 5. A, B and G] and God was humbly thankt in every Church, That so had blest the Queene, and prayers etc. l. 12. A—D and G] quicke. l. 14. A] abed. l. 16. A] sware. l. 20. A] the Queene. l. 23. A—G] yeare. l. 28. A] her talke. l. 32. A] sparke. l. 35. A, B and G] till I am. A] are silver. l. 37. A omits] too. I. 38. A, B and G] yes God knowes.

p. 228, l. 2. A by mistake omits] Gob. A] dare. l, 3. A] them. l. 4. A—G] waites. l. 7. A] Ent. Mar. Bessus, and others. l. 8. A omits] Arb. A] Mardonius, the best. B misprints] Mar. l. 11. E and F] happie. l. 14. A] On, call. l. 19. A omits] Exit a Gent. l. 24. A omits] I swear it must not be; nay, trust me. l. 26. B and C] beare. l. 28. A] but you are not.

p. 229, l. 1. A] I say she. l. 8. A] Armenian king. I. 15. Folio misprints] morrning. l. 16. A omits this stage-direction. l. 24. A and G] He shall. B] A shall. C] An shall. l. 25. A—G] shall. l. 26. F omits] that. l. 31. A misprints] thinke. l. 35. In place of this stage-direction A after the word 'Queen' in l. 33 reads] Enter Pan.

p. 230, l. 6. A gives this speech to Mardonius. l. 7. A omits] at first. l. 8. In A this stage-direction occurs after 'Queen' in the following line. l. 14. A and F] Maist. G] May'st. l. 17. F] them. l. 20. A—G] your Queene. l. 23. A—G Add] Finis.

A KING AND NO KING. VERSE AND PROSE VARIATIONS [1]

p. 152, ll. 8 and 9. A—D and G] 3 ll. dare, day, I. l. 27. A] 2 ll. of, thus. ll. 33—35. A] 3 ll. Earth, Prince, Acts.

p. 157, l. 20. A] 2 ll. king, away.

p. 159, ll. 3—8. A—D and G] 8 ll. praise, worthy, death, lies, there, though, dust, envy. ll. 11 and 12. A—D and G] 3 ll. windes, I, speake. ll. 29—38. A—D and G] 14 ll. lives, said, truth, bin, see, parts, world, farre, yeares, mee, thee, wilt, I, thus. l. 40 and p. 160, ll. 1—4. A—D and G] 6 ll. Take, which, love, I, mee, eare.

p. 160, ll. 6 and 7. A, B and G] 2 ll. Mardonius, Jewell.

p. 161, ll. 21 and 22. A—D and G] 3 ll. newes, not, Gobrias. ll. 27—33. A—D and G] 9 ll. farre, sinnes, teares, feele, brest, stand, eyes, world, me. ll. 37—39 and p. 162, ll. 1—7. A—D and G] 14 ll. know, died, life, pardon'd, fit, olde, thence, out, there, live, me, deathes, life, him.

p. 163, ll. 16—22. A, B, C and G] 9 ll. of (C = halfe), free, thine, prisoner, force, me, unwilling, Tigranes, there. D] 7 ll. halfe, free, thine, force, me, Tigranes, there.

p. 164, ll. 1 and 2. A—D and G] 2 ll. health, jealous. ll. 25—35 and p. 165, ll. 1 and 2. A—D and G] 16 ll. regard, prisoner, escape, prisoner, woman, me, say, her, Lord, grace, arme, womanhood, death, sonne, why, speake.

p. 165, ll. 14—17. A—D and G] 5 ll. Time, know, thinke, heart, urgd. ll. 35 and 36. A—D and G] 2 ll. it, believ'd. ll. 38 and 39. A—D and G] 3 ll. you, die, uncredited (D = should).

p. 166, ll. I and 2. A—D and G] 4 ll. Then, me, King, plots (D adds l. 3). ll. 5—8. A—D and G] 5 ll. me, content, power, me, done. ll. 19—23. A—and G] Prose. ll. 25 and 26. A] These, these.

p. 167, ll. 9 and 10. A] 2 ll. well, so. l. 19. A—D and G] 2 ll. readie, morrow. ll. 21—28. A] 10 ll. hereafter, office, discourse, how, victorie, doe, danger, long, while, beate. ll. 21—24. B—D and G] 4 ll. hereafter, office, discourse, victory. ll. 25—28. B—D and G] Prose.

p. 168, ll. 11 and 12. A—D and G] 2 ll. Bessus, nothing. ll. 39 and 40. A—D and G] 2 ll. kindnesses, name.

p. 169, ll. 2—5. A—D and G] 5 ll. letter, enough, you, me, me. ll. 25 and 26. A and G] 2 ll. Already, foolish. ll. 37—40 and p. 170, ll. 1—4. A—D and G] 12 ll. Lord, live, um, Just, um, mee, heare, way, care, you, enjoyes, worth.

p. 170, ll. 5—10. A—D and G] Prose. ll. 13—18. A—D and G] 8 ll. you, power, leave, like, him, humours, lesse, offer'd. ll. 27—29. A] 2 ll. pleasure, Madam.

p. 171, ll. 10—15. A—D and G] 9 ll. unreasonably, seeme, ill, ought, faire, good, prayer, me, you. ll. 31—40 and p. 172, ll. 1—6. A—D] 24 ll. weepe, words, sorrow, me, him, Thalestris, me, sweare, slay, thee, himselfe, me, yet, face, you, eares, eyes, him, hope, dead, him, fast, ceremony, him.

p. 172, ll. 15—21. A—D and G] 11 ll. not, desire, others, me (or not), wrong, birth, injure, hither, commanded, ready, servand.

p. 174, l. 20. A—D] 2 ll. king, now. ll. 23—29. A—D and G] 11 ll. full, subjects, love, height, you, me, warre, imagine, word, blouds, peace.

[Footnote 1: The prose printings of E and F have not been recorded.]

p. 175, ll. 4—6. A—D and G] 4 ll. man, home, hearts, deliverance. ll. 11—22. A—D and G] 17 ll. wrong, spectacle, people, me, deserved, you, dwels, man, compare, selfe, you, too, name, fall, loves, content, worke. ll. 35 and 36. A—D and G] 2 ll. Children, is.

p. 176, ll. 23—35. A—D and G] 14 ll. Sir, hands, know, her, home, stubbornnesse, like, her, Jewell, mad, sister, is, Land, another.

p. 177, ll. 1—10. A—D and G] 11 ll. Too, friends, know, loth, passe, constraint, so, speake, health, love, againe.

p. 178, ll. 16 and 17. A—D and G] 3 ll. die, returne, life. ll. 30—32. A—D and G] 4 ll. ill, kneele, gaine, you.

p. 179, ll. 21—25. A—D and G] 7 ll. earth, alas, command, me, short, sister brought.

p. 180, l. 31. A—D and G] 7 ll. Gobrias, meane.

p. 191, ll. 35 and 36. A—D and G] 2 ll. utterd, careleslie.

p. 192, ll. 9—12. E and F] 3 ll. And, love, thou. ll. 10—12. A—D and G] 3 ll. Advice, love, thou. ll. 16 and 17. A—D and G] 3 ll. This, caution, it (G Adds l. 18). ll. 20 and 21. A—D and G] 2 ll. it, it.

p. 194, ll. 5 and 6. A] 2 ll. cutlers, King. l. 22. A] 2 ll. will, whatsoever.

p. 195, ll. 21 and 22. A] 2 ll. in-, Monsters.

p. 196, l. 38, and p. 197, ll. 1—3. A] Prose.

p. 197, ll. 4 and 5. A] 3 ll. you, Spaconia, thus.

p. 199, ll. 9 and 10. B—D and G] 3 ll. Ladie, passe, King. ll. 12 and 13. A and G] 2 ll. from, remov'd.

p. 201, ll. 7 and 8. A] 2 ll. All, folly. l. 15. A] 2 ll. Sir, warrant. ll. 39 and 40.

p. 202, ll. 19—22. A] Prose.

p. 204, l. 6. A—D and G] 2 ll. false, letter. ll. 36—38. A] 2 ll. Truth, Prince.

p. 205, ll. 26 and 27. A—D and G] 3 ll. Another, distance, opinion.

p. 207, ll. 11—13. A—D and G] 3 ll. Toge-, man, brother. I. 24. A—D and G] 2 ll. Sir, since.

p. 209, ll. 31 and 32. A] 2 ll. me, brother.

p. 212, ll. ii and 12. A] 3 ll. Panthea, gaze, out. ll. 23 and 24. A] 2 ll. you, gone.

Act 5 is in verse in Quartos A, B, C and D, in prose in Quartos E and F from p. 214, I. 22. As the Second Folio also prints it in prose it has been decided to give here the verse of Quarto A (1619) in full.

Actus Quinti Scaena Prima.

Enter Mardonius, and Ligones.

Mar.

Sir, the King has seene your Commission, and beleeves it, and freely by this warrant gives you leave to visit Prince Tigranes your noble Master.

Lig.

I thanke his Grace, and kisse his hands.

Mar.But is the maine of all your businesseEnded in this?

Lig.

I have another, but a worse; I am asham'd, it is a businesse.—

Mar.

You serve a worthy person, and a stranger I am sure you are; you may imploy mee if you please, without your purse, such Officers should ever be their owne rewards.

Lig.

I am bound to your noblenesse.

Mar.I may have neede of you, and then this curtesie,If it be any, is not ill bestowed:But may I civilly desire the rest?I shall not be a hurter, if no helper.Lig.Sir, you shall know I have lost a foolish daughter,And with her all my patience; pilferd awayBy a meane Captaine of your Kings.Mar.Stay there Sir:If he have reacht the noble worth of Captaine,He may well claime a worthy gentlewoman,Though shee were yours, and noble.Lig.I grant all that too: but this wretched fellowReaches no further then the emptie name,That serves to feede him; were he valiant,Or had but in him any noble nature,That might hereafter promise him a good man;My cares were something lighter, and my graveA span yet from me.Mar.I confesse such fellowesBe in all royall Campes, and have, and must beTo make the sinne of coward more detestedIn the meane Souldier, that with such a foyleSets of much valour: By descriptionI should now guesse him to you. It was Bessus,I dare almost with confidence pronounce it.Lig.Tis such a scurvy name as Bessus, and now I thinke tis hee.Mar.Captaine, doe you call him?Beleeve me Sir, you have a miserieToo mighty for your age: A pox upon him,For that must be the end of all his service:Your daughter was not mad Sir?Lig.No, would shee had beene,The fault had had more credit: I would doe something.Mar.I would faine counsell you; but to what I know not:Hee's so below a beating, that the womenFind him not worthy of their distaves; andTo hang him, were to cast away a rope,Hee's such an ayrie thin unbodied coward,That no revenge can catch him:He tell you Sir, and tell you truth; this rascallFeares neither God nor man, has beene so beaten:Sufferance has made him wanscote; he has hadSince hee was first a slave, at least three hundred daggersSet in his head, as little boyes doe new knives in hot meat;Ther's not a rib in's bodie a my conscience,That has not beene thrice broken with drie beating;And now his sides looke like to wicker targets,Everie way bended:Children will shortly take him for a wall,And set their stone-bowes in his forhead: is of so low a sence,I cannot in a weeke imagine what should be done to him.Lig.Sure I have committed some great sinne,That this strange fellow should be made my rod:I would see him, but I shall have no patience:

Mar.

Tis no great matter if you have not, if a laming of him, or such a toy may doe you pleasure Sir, he has it for you, and Ile helpe you to him: tis no newes to him to have a leg broke, or a shoulder out, with being turnd ath' stones like a Tanzie: Draw not your sword, if you love it; for my conscience his head will breake it: we use him ith' warres like a Ramme to shake a wall withall; here comes the verie person of him, doe as you shall find your temper I must leave you: but if you doe not breake him like a bisket, you are much too blame Sir. Ex. Mardo. Enter Bessus and Sword-men.

Lig.

Is your name Bessus?

Bes.

Men call me Captaine Bessus.

Lig.

Then Captaine Bessus you are a ranke rascall, without more exordiums, a durty frozen slave; and with the favour of your friends here, I will beate you.

2.

Pray use your pleasure Sir, you seem to be a gentleman.

Lig.

Thus Captaine Bessus, thus; thus twinge your nose, thus kicke you, and thus tread you.

Bess.

I doe beseech you yeeld your cause Sir quickly.