47Act III Scene I

[ACT iii][Scene I] Enter Babulo, singing, with a boy after him.

BaBulo Boy, how sits my rapier? la sol, la sol, &c. [BABULO continues to sing.]

Boy It hangs as even as a chandler’s1 beam.

BaBulo Some of them deserve to hang upon a beam for that evenness. Boy, learn to give every man his due—give the hangman his due, for he’s a necessarymember.

Boy That’s true, for he cuts off many wicked members.

BaBulo He’s an excellent barber, he shaves most cleanly. But page—how dost thou like the Court?

Boy Prettily and so.

BaBulo Faith2 so do I, prettily and so: I am weary of being a Courtier, Boy.

Boy That you cannot be, Master, for you are but a Courtier’s man.

BaBulo Thou sayest true, and thou art the Courtier’s man’s boy, so thou art a courtier in decimo sexto,3 in the least volume, or a courtier at the third hand, or a

1 chandler candlestick or chandelier 2 Faith used as an interjection; similar to “to be sure”3 in decimo sexto one-sixth; a reversal of sexto-decimo, where a page is folded four times to achieve a sixteenth of a full sheet

48 Act III Scene Icourtier by reversion, or a courtier three descents removed, or a courtier in minority or an under Courtier or a courtier in posse, and I thy Master in esse.4

Boy A posse ad esse non est argumentum,5 Master.

BaBulo Thou has too much wit to be so little, but imitation, imitation, is his good Lord and Master.

Enter JANICULO, LAUREO and FURIO.

Janiculo Banish’t from Court, oh what have we misdone?

laureo What have we done, we must be thus disgraced?

furio I know not, but you are best pack—tis my Lord’s will, and that’s law. I must uncase you: your best course is to fall to your own trades. [Strips them.]

BaBulo Sirrah, what art thou? A Broker?6

furio No, how then, I am a Gentleman.

BaBulo Th’art a Jew, th’art a Pagan: how dar’st thou leave them without a cloak for the rain, when his daughter, and his sister, and my Mistress is the King’s wife?

furio Go look, sirrah Fool, my condition is to ship you too.

BaBulo There’s a ship of fools ready to hoist sail. They stay but for a good wind and your company: ha, ha, ha,

4 posse potential; opposite of esse, to actually exist5 A posse ad esse non est argumentum. Lat. for “From possibility to actuality is no argument.”6 Broker likely used in a contemptuous sense of second-hand dealer

49Act III Scene II wonder (if all fools were banished) where thou wouldst take shipping.

Janiculo Peace, Babulo, we are banished from the Court.

BaBulo I am glad, it shall ease me of a charge here, as long as we have good clothes on our backs, tis no matter for our honesty—we’ll live anywhere, and keep Court in any corner.

Enter GRISSIL.

Janiculo Oh my dear Grissil.

Grissil You from me are banish’t,But ere you leave the Court, oh leave I prayYour grief in Grissil’s bosom, let my cheeksBe watered with woe’s tears, for here and here,And in the error of these wand’ring eyes,Began your discontent: had not I been,By nature painted thus: this had not been,To leave the Court and care be patient,In your old cottage you shall find content.Mourn not because these silks are ta’en away—You’ll seem more rich in a course gown of gray.

furio Will you be packing? When?

Janiculo Friend—what’s thy name?

furio Furio my name is, what of that?

BaBulo Is thy name Fury? Thou art half hanged,7 for thou hast an ill name.

laureo Thy looks are like thy name, thy name and looks

7 hanged Either refers to the practice of hanging or is an expletive meaning cursed or confounded.

50 Act III Scene IApprove thy nature to be violent.

Grissil Brother forbear, he’s servant to my Lord.

BaBulo To him, Master, spare him not an inch.

laureo Princes are never pleas’d with subjects’ sins,But pity those whom they are sworn to smite,And grieve as tender mothers when they beat,With kind correction their unquiet babes—So should their Officers compassionate,The misery of any wretches’ state.

furio [Aside] I must obey my Master, though indeed My heart

(that seems hard) at their wrongs doth bleed. [To them] Pray, get you gone. I say little, but you know my mind.

BaBulo Little said is soon amended—thou sayest but little, and that will be mended soon indeed, that’s never, and so the Proverb stands in his full strength, power, and virtue.

Enter MARQUESS, LEPIDO, and attendants.

furio [Goes to them.] They will not go, my Lord.

Marquess Will they not go?Away with them, expel them from our Court,Base wretches, is it wrong to ask mine own?Think you that my affection to my wifeIs greater than my love to public weal?8

Do not my people murmur every hour,That I have raised you up to dignities?Do not lewd Minstrels in their ribald rhymes,

8 weal wealth, riches; welfare

51Act III Scene IScoff at her birth, and descant9 on her dower?

Janiculo Alas my Lord, you knew her state before.

Marquess I did, and from the bounty of my heart, I robb’d my wardrobe of all precious robes,That she might shine in beauty like the Sun,And in exchange, I hung this russet gown,And this poor pitcher for a monument,Amongst my costliest Gems: see here, they hang,Grissil, look here, this gown is unlike to this?

Grissil My gracious Lord, I know full well it is.

BaBulo Grissil was as pretty a Grissil in the one as in the other.

Marquess You have forgot these rags, this water pot.

Grissil With reverence of your Highness I have not.

BaBulo Nor I, many a good mess of water gruel that has yielded us.

Marquess Yes, you are proud of these your rich attires.

Grissil Never did pride keep pace with my desires.

Marquess Well, get you on, part briefly with your father.

Janiculo Our parting shall be short—daughter, farewell.

laureo Our parting shall be short—sister, farewell.

BaBulo Our parting shall be short—Grissil, farewell.

Janiculo Remember thou didst live when thou wert poor,

9 descant criticize, discourse about

52 Act III Scene IAnd now thou dost but live—come son, no more.

Marquess See them without the Palace, Furio.

furio Good. [Aside] Yet tis bad.

Exeunt [JANICULO, LAUREO] with FURIO.

BaBulo Shall Furio see them out of the Palace? Do you turn us out of doors? You turn us out of doors then?

Marquess Hence with that fool. Mario, drive him hence.

BaBulo He shall not need. I am no Ox nor Ass, I can go without driving. For all his turning, I am glad of one thing.

lePido What’s that, Babulo?

BaBulo Mary, that he shall never hit us i’th’ teeth10 with turning us, for tis not a good turn. Follower, I must cashier11 you: I must give over housekeeping, tis the fashion—farewell, boy.

Boy Mary, farewell, and be hanged.

BaBulo I am glad thou tak’st thy death so patiently. Farewell my Lord, adieu my Lady, great was the wisdom of that Tailor, that stitched me in Motley, for he’s a fool that leaves basket-making to turn Courtier: I see my destiny dogs me: at first I was a fool (for I was born Innocent), then I was a traveller, and then a Basket-maker, and then a Courtier, and now I must turn basket-maker and fool again. The one I am sworn to, but the fool I bestow upon the world, for Stultorum

10 i’th’ teeth directly 11 cashier to release from service

53Act III Scene Iplena sunt omnia,12 adieu, adieu.

Exit [BABULO.]

Marquess [Aside] Farewell simplicity, part of my shame, farewell. [To GRISSIL] Now Lady, what say you of their exile?

Grissil What ever you think good, I’ll not term vile,By this rich burden in my worthless womb,You handmaid is so subject to your will,That nothing you do to her seems ill.

Marquess I am glad you are so patient. Get you in.

Exit GRISSIL.

[Aside] Thy like will never be, never hath been.Mario, Lepido?

Both My gracious Lord.

Marquess The hand of poverty held down your states,As it did Grissil’s, and as her I rais’d,To shine in greatness’ sphere, so did mine eye,Through gilt beams of your births, therefore methinksYour soul should sympathize, and you should know,What passions in my Grissil’s bosom flow—Faith, tell me your opinions of my wife?

lePido She is as virtuous and as patient,As innocent, as patience itself.

Mario She merits much of love, little of hate,

12 Stultorum plena sunt omnia Either “All things are full of fools” or “Fools see all things.” Dekker titled a play using this phrase.

54 Act III Scene IOnly in birth she is unfortunate.

Marquess Aye, aye, the memory of that mirth13 doth kill me—She is with child, you see—her travail past,I am determined she shall leave Court,And live again with old Janiculo.

Both Therein you show true wisdom.

Marquess Do I indeed?Dear friends, it shall be done. I’ll have you twoRumor that presently, to the wide earsOf that news-loving-beast the multitude.Go tell them for their sakes this shall be done.

Mario With wings we fly.

lePido Swifter than time we run.

Exeunt [MARIO and LEPIDO.]

Marquess Begone then: oh these times, these impious times,How swift is mischief? With what nimble feet Doth envy gallop to do injury?They both confess my Grissil’s innocence,They both admire her wondrous patience,Yet in their malice and to flatter me,Head-long they run to this impiety.Oh what’s this world, but a confusèd14 throngOf fools and mad men, crowding in a thrustTo shoulder out the wise, trip down the just.But I will try by self-experience,And shun the vulgar sentence of the base—If I find Grissil strong in patience,

13 The 1603 edition uses mirth, but the 1841 edition uses birth. Both work well and fit in context.14 There is no accent on this syllable in the 1603 edition, but adding it maintains the ten-syllable line pattern of the lines.

55Act III Scene IThese flatterers shall be wounded with disgrace,And whilst verse lives, the fame shall never die,Of Grissil’s patience, and her constancy.

Exit.

56 Act III Scene II[SCENE II The country near Saluzzo]

Enter URCENZE and ONOPHRIO at several doors, and FARNEZE in the midst.1

farneze Onophrio and Urcenze early met, every man take his stand, for there comes a most rich purchase of mirth: Emulo with his hand in a fair scarf, and Julia,2[with whom he sighs apace, and, therefore, I am sure he lies apace.

onoPhrio His arm in a scarf? has he been fighting?farneze Fighting, hang him coward.urcenze Perhaps he does it to show his scarf.farneze Peace, here the ass comes: stand aside and see

him curvet.3 [They stand back]

Enter EMULO and JULIA.

Julia Did my new married cousin Sir Owen wound you thus?

eMulo He certes, as he is allied to the illustrious Julia, I live his devoted as Signor Emulo’s enemy, no adulatory language can redeem him from vengeance. If you please my most accomplished mistress, I will make a most palpable demonstration of our battle.

Julia As palpably as you can, good servant.

1 The entries use both doors and the discovery space in the back of the Renais-sance stage.2 with whom… and gold, a toy, &c. This passage was not located in the 1603 edition of the play, though it was located in the Shakespeare Society’s edition. Consideration was taken to emulate original punctuation similarly to the way it was used in the 1603 copytext.3 curvet take a leap with the fore-legs raised together and equally advanced, and the hind-legs also raised with a spring

57Act III Scene IIonoPhrio Oh, she gulls him simply.4

farneze She has reason: is he not a simple gull?

urcenze Sound an alarum ere his battle begin.5

farneze Peace, Sa sa sa.

eMulo Sir Owen and myself encountering, I veiled my upper garment; and enriching my head again with a fine velvet cap which I then wore, with a band to it of orient pearl and gold, and a foolish sprig6 of some nine or ten pound price or so, we grew to an imparlance.7

farneze Oh ho ho, this is rare.

Julia You did wisely to confer before you combatted. eMulo Verily8 we did so; but, falling into the hands of bitter

words, we retorted a while, and then drew.

onoPhrio True, his gloves to save his hands.

urcenze True, his handkerchief to wipe his face.

farneze He sweat pitifully for fear, if it were true, if --

eMulo I was then encounter’d with a pure Toledo silvered,9 and elevating mine arm, in the drawing, by Jesu

4 she gulls him simply she cheats him, makes a fool (gull) of him 5 Sound an alarum ere his battle begin Give a warning of imminent danger before the battle; clearly not something appropriate6 a foolish sprig of some nine or ten pound price a shoot, twig, or spray of a plant, shrub, or tree; likely referring to an ornament in the form of a sprig7 we grew to an imparlance we started speaking together, debating8 verily indeed; as a matter of truth or fact9 a pure Toledo silvered a silver coated sword-blade made in Toledo, Spain

58 Act III Scene IIsweet madam, my rich cloak loaded with pearl, which I wore at tour sister Grissil’s bridal, I made it then, by God, of mere purpose to grace the Court and so forth, that foolish garment dropped down. The buttons were illustrious and resplendent diamonds, but it’s all one.

farneze Nay they were all scarce one.

eMulo Divine Lady, as I said we both lying.

farneze I’ll be sworn thou dost.

eMulo I must recognize and confess very generously and heroically at our ward, the Welsh knight, making a very desperate thrust at my bosom before God, fairly missed my embroidered jerkin that I then wore, and with my poignard vapulating10 and checking his engine, down it cut me a pair of very imperial cloth of gold hose,11 and least thus long thwart the cannon at least.12

Julia And miss’d your leg?

farneze Ay and his hose too.

eMulo And miss’d my leg, most bright star: which advantageous sign I on this leg (having a fair carnation silk stocking on) stumbled: my spangled garters in that imprision fell about my feet, and he fetching a most valorous and ingenious career13,

10 with my poignard vapulating striking with my small, slim dagger11 gold hose gold clothing for the leg; sometimes reaching down only to the ankle as a legging or gaiter, sometimes also covering the foot like a long stocking 12 at least thus long thwart the cannon as a cannon meant a tube, a cylindrical bore, Emulo is grateful that Sir Owen has not cut off his penis yet13 fetching a most valorous and ingenious career charging (as at a tournament or in battle) bravely and ingeniously

59Act III Scene IIinvaded my rapier hand, entered this gilded fort and in that passado vulnerated my hand thus deep14, I protest and contest Heaven.

Julia No more: it’s too tragical.

eMulo I conclude: I thought (by the syntheresis of my soul15) I had not been imperished, till the blood showing his red tincture16 at the top of a fair enveloped glove, sunk along my arm, and spoiled a rich waistcoat wrought in silk and gold, a toy, &c.]

farneze He’ll strip himself out of his shirt anon, For God’s sake step in.

eMulo My opinion is I shall never recuperate the legitimate office of this member my arm.

all three [Coming forward] Signor Emulo!

eMulo Sweet and accomplish’d Signors.

farneze Ha ha, Madam you had a pitiful hand with this fool, but see he is recovered.

Julia But, servant, where is your other hand?

onoPhrio See, sweet mistress, one is my prisoner.

urcenze The other I have ta’en up with the fine finger.17

14 and in that passado vulnerated my hand with that forward thrust with the foil, advancing the rear foot, he injured my hand15 by the syntheresis of my soul The conscience as directive of one’s actions. Emulo swears by his conscience guiding his soul.16 tincture coloring, pigment17 The other… fine finger To have a fine finger is to be apt at to be apt at ‘fingering’ bribes, a pun by Urcenze suggesting he has taken Emulo’s hand as a bribe.

60 Act III Scene IIJulia Look in his scarf Farneze for another, he has a third

hand, and ‘tis pitifully wounded he tells me, pitifully, pitifully.

farneze Wounded, oh palpable, come a demonstration of it.

onoPhrio Give him your larded cloak18 Signor to stop his mouth, for he will undo you with lies.

urcenze Come, Signor one fine lie now to apparel all these former, in some light sarcenet robe19 of truth: none, none, in this mint?

Julia Fie servant, is your accomplish’d courtship nothing but lies?

onoPhrio Fie Signor, no music in your mouth but battles, yet a mere milksop?

urcenze Fie Emulo, nothing but wardrobe, yet here all your trunks of suits?

farneze Fie Signor, a scarf about your neck, yet will not hang yourself to hear all this?

Julia Servant, I discharge you my service. I’ll entertain no braggarts.

onoPhrio Signor, we discharge you the Court, we’ll have no gulls in our company.

farneze Abr’am, we cashier you our company,20 we must have no minions at Court.

eMulo Oh patience be thou my fortification: Italy thou

18 Give him your larded cloak a pun on “stuffed with fat bacon; greased.” 19 light sarcenet robe a robe made from a very fine and soft silk mate-rial both plain and twilled, in various colors.20 We cashier you our company. We dismiss you from our service or fellowship.

61Act III Scene IIspurnest me for uttering that nutriment, which I suck’d from thee.

farneze How Italy? away you idiot: Italy infects you not, but

your own diseased spirits: Italy? out, you froth,21 you scum, because your soul is mud, and that you have breathed in Italy, you’ll say Italy hath defiled you: away you boar, thou wilt wallow in mire in the sweetest country in the world.

eMulo I cannot conceit this rawness: Italy farewell, Italians adieu: A virtuous soul abhors to dwell with you. Exit.

all Ha ha ha. Laugh.

Enter MARQUESS and SIR OWEN.

Julia Please servants, here comes the Duke my brother.

Marquess Lo cousin here they be: are ye here Gentlemen? And Julia you too? then I’ll call your eyes,To testify, that to Sir Meredith,I do deliver here four sealed bonds:Coz, have a care to them, it much behooves you,For Gentlemen, within this parchment lies,Five thousand Ducats22 payable to him,Just fourteen days before next Pentecost,23

Coz, it concerns you, therefore keep them safe.

sir owen Fugh, her warrant her shall log them ub from Sun

21 Out, you froth a contemptuous remark; scum.22 five thousand Ducats Ducats are money of account in the Venetian republic, of high value in 16th and early 17th century Italy. It is difficult to pinpoint the currency’s modern day value, though it is safe to assume 5,000 ducats was a hefty sum.23 Pentecost A festival observed on the seventh Sunday after Easter, in commemoration of events described in Acts 2 when the Holy Spirit is reported to have descended upon the disciples during the Jewish festival of Pentecost; Whitsuntide.

62 Act III Scene IIand Moon, and seven stars too I hobe, but harg you cousin Marquess.

Marquess Now, what’s the matter?

sir owen A pox on it ‘tis a scald matter, well, well pray cousin Marquess, use her Laty Grissil a good teal better, for as God udge me, you hurt Sir Owen out a’ cry by maging her sad and powd so, see you.

Marquess Hurt you? What harm or good reap you thereby?

sir owen Harm, yes by God’s lid, a poggie teal of harm, for loog you cousin, and cousin Julia, and Shentlemen all, (for all is to know hur wife’s case) you know hur tage to wife the widow Gwenthyan.

Marquess True cousin and she’s a virtuous gentlewoman.

onoPhrio One of the patientest ladies in the world.

urcenze She’s wondrous beautiful and wondrous kind.

farneze She’s the quietest woman that ere I knew, for good heart, she’ll put up any thing.

Julia Cousin I am proud that you are sped so well.

sir owen Are you? by God so are not I, I’ll tell you what, cousin marquess, you all know her well, you know her face is liddle fair and smug, but her has a tongue goes jingle jangle, jungle jangle, petter and worse then pells when hur house is a’ fire: patient? Sir Owen shall tage hur heels and run to Wales, and her play the tevil so out a’ cry terrible a pox on her ladie!

Julia Why cousin what are her qualities that you so commend her?

63Act III Scene IIsir owen Commend her? no by God not I. ha ha: I know her

qualities petter and petter, fore I commend her: but Gwenthian is worse and worse out a’ cry, oh out a’ cry worse, out of all cry, she’s feared to be made fool as Grissil is, and as God udge me, her mage fine poobie fool of Sir Owen, her shide and shide, and prawl and scold, by God and scradge terrible sometime, ow and said her will do what her can, ha ha ha, and Sir Owen were handsome pachelor again, pray cousin marquess tage some order in Grissil, or fedge Sir Owen to mage Gwenthyans quiet and tame her.

Marquess To tame her? that I’ll teach you presently,You had no sooner spake the word of Taming, But mine eye met a speedy remedy,See cousin here’s a plot where Osiers grow,The ground belongs to old Janiculo (My Grissil’s father) come Sir Meredith,Take out your knife cut three and so will I,So, keep yours cousin let them be safe laid up,These three (thus wound together) I’ll preserve.

sir owen What shall her do now with these? peat and knog her Gwenthian?

Enter MARIO.

Marquess You shall not take such counsel from my lips,How now Mario? what news brings thee hither in such quick haste?

Mario Your wife (my gracious lord)Is now delivered of two beauteous twins, A son and daughter.

Marquess Take that for thy pains, [Gives payment.] Not for the joy that I conceive thereby,

64 Act III Scene IIFor Grissil is not gracious in the eyeOf those that love me, therefore I must hateThose that do make my life unfortunate,And that’s my children: must I not Mario?thou bowest thy knee, well, well I know thy mind,[Aside]Virtue in villains can no succor find,24 A son and daughter? I by them will proveMy Grissil’s patience better, and her love: [To Julia] Come Julia, come; Onophrio, coz, farewell,Reserve those wands, these three I’ll bear away,When I require them back, then will I show How easily a man may tame a shrew.

Exeunt[ MARQUESS, JULIA, ONOPHRIO, MARIO.]

sir owen Ha ha ha, tame a shrew, oh ‘tis out o’ cry terrible hard, and more worse than tame a mad pull, but what mean her cousin to mage her cut her wands? ha ha, God udge me ‘tis fine knag, I see her knavery now, ‘tis to pang Gwenthyan’s pody, and she mage a noise and prabble: Is not so? by God’s lid so, and Gwenthyan, Sir Owen will knog you before hur abide such horrible do.

Enter GWENTHYAN and RICE. God’s lid! here hur comes. Terdawgh, Gwenthian,

terdawgh.

Gwenthyan Terdawgh whee, Sir Owen, Terdawgh whee.

sir owen Owe, loog here, fine wands Gwenthyan, is not?

Gwenthyan Rees tage them and preag them in pieces.

rice What say you forsooth25?

24 Virtue in villains can no succor find. Virtue cannot find refuge in villains. 25 What say you, forsooth? What do you say, truly?

65Act III Scene IIGwenthyan What say yo forsooth? you saucy knave, must her

tell her once, and twice, and thrice, and four times, what to do? preag these wands.

sir owen Rees is petter preag Rees his pate: here Rees carry her home.

rice Would I were at gallows, so I were not here.

Gwenthyan Do and her tare, do and her tare, see you, now, what shall her do with wands? peat Gwenthyan podie and mage Gwenthyan put her finger in me hole? ha, by God by God, is scradge her eyes out that judge her, that tawg to her, that loog on her, marg you that, Sir Owen?

sir owen Yes, her marg her, Rees pray marg hur lady.

rice Not I sir she’ll set her marks on me then.

Gwenthyan Is prade? is prade? Go to Rees, I’ll Rees her, you tawg you.

sir owen Pray Gwenthian be patient, as her cousin Grissil is.

Gwenthyan Grissil how? how? Grissil? no, no, no, no. Her shall not mage Gwenthian such ninny poobie fool as Grissil, I say preag her wands.

sir owen God’s plude is pought her to peat dust out of her cloag and parrels.

Gwenthyan Peat her cloag and parrels? fye, fye, fye, ‘tis lie Sir Owen ‘tis lie.

rice Your worship may stab her, she gives you the lie.

sir owen Peace Rees, go to, I pought them indeed to mage her horse run and go a mighty teal of pace, pray let Rees

66 Act III Scene IItage her in, good Gwenthyan.

GWENTHYAN Rees bear in her wands because Sir Owen beg so gently.

SIR OWEN Go Rees, go lock them up in a pox or shest, go.

RICE You shall not need to bid me go, for I’ll run. Exit

SIR OWEN I pought them for her horse indeed, for here was her cousin Marquess and prought her ponds scribblings here for her money: Gwenthyan pray keep her ponds and keep her wisely: Sirrah Gwenthyan is tell her prave news, Grissil is prought to bed of liddle shentleman and shentlewoman: (is glad out a’ cry speag her fair) yes truly Grissil is prought a bed.

GWENTHYAN Grissil no podie but Grissil? what care I for Grissil: I say if Sir Owen love Gwenthyan, shall not love Grissil nor Marquess so, see you now?

SIR OWEN God udge me, not love her cousin? is shealous? how is fine trig, not love her cousin? God udge me her will, and hang herself, see you now?

GWENTHYAN Hang herself how, how, how, Gwenthyan’s tother husband is scorn to say hang herself: hang herself? How, how, how, how?

SIR OWEN God plude, what cannot get by prawls, isget by how, how, how, is terrible Ladie, pray bepeace, and cry no more how, how, how, TawsonGwenthians, God udge me is very fury.

GWENTHYAN O, mon Iago, mon due, hang Gwenthyans?

SIR OWEN Adologo whee Gwenthyan bethog, en Thonigh, en moyen due.

67Act III Scene IIGWENTHYAN Ne vetho en Thonigh, gna wathe gethla Tee, hang

Gwenthyans?

SIR OWEN Sir Owen shall say no more hang herself, be out a’ cry still, and her shall puy her new card to ride in, and two new fine horses, and more plue coats and padges ta follow her heels, see you now.

GWENTHYAN But will her say no more hang herself?

Enter RICE.

SIR OWEN Oh, no more, as God udge me no more, pray leave how, how, how.

RICE Tannekin the Frow26 hath brought your Rebato,27 it comes to three pound.

SIR OWEN What a pestilence is this for Gwenthyan?

GWENTHYAN For her neg, is call’d repatoes, Gwenthyan wear it here, is’t not prave?

SIR OWEN Prave? yes is prave, ‘tis repatoes I warrant her: Ay patoes money out a’ cry, yes ‘tis prave. Rees the preece? Rees the preece?

RICE The frow, sir, says five pound.28

SIR OWEN Ha ha ha, [five] pound, Gwenthyan, pray do not puy it.

26 the frow the frau, i.e., the Dutchwoman27 rebato a type of large collar fashionable from the late 16th until the mid-17th century, stiffened so as to stand up around the back of the neck and typically trimmed with lace.28 The frow… five pound Rice changes the Tannekin’s price from three to five pounds here possibly to obtain more money and/or in mockery of Sir Owen and Gwenthyan.

68 Act III Scene IIGWENTHYAN By God udge me her shall puy it.

SIR OWEN God udge me hur shall not.

GWENTHYAN Shall not? Rees, tage hur away, I say hur shall and were it puy and puy.29

SIR OWEN Then mage a poobie fool of Sir Owen indeed. God’s plude shall! I say shall not. Five pound for puble, for patoes: here there, [Tears it] so, tage it now, wear it now pout her neg, shall pridle Sir Owen, ha!

RICE Oh rare Sir Owen, ah precious Knight, oh rare Sir Owen.

GWENTHYAN Out you rascals, you prade and prade, ile prade your neaces.

RICE Oh rare Madame, oh precious Madame, Oh God, Oh God, Oh God, Oh!

Exit [RICE]

GWENTHYAN Is domineere now, you tear her ruffes and repatoes, you preake her ponds? I’ll teare as good pondes, and petter too, and petter too! [Tears bonds.]

OWEN Oh Gwenthyan, Cod’s plude, is five thousand ducats, hold hold hold, a pogs on her pride, what has her done?

GWENTHYAN Go loog, is now paid for her repatoes, I’ll have her wills and desires, I’ll teadge her pridle her Lady: Catho crogge, Ne vetho, en Thlonigh gna wathee Gnathlatee!

29 wear it buy and buy a pun meaning that Gwenthyan will begin wear-ing the rebato immediately after buying it

69Act III Scene IIExit [GWENTHYAN.]

OWEN A breath vawer or no Tee: pridle her, Sir Owen is pridled I warrant: Widows! (were petter, God’s plude marry whore) were petter be hang’d and quarter’d, than marry widows, as Cod udge me: Sir Owen fall on her knees, and pray God to tage her to her mercy, or else put petter mind in her Lady: all Pritish shentlemans tage heed how her marry vixen widow. Sir Owen ap Mereditch can rightly tell,A shrew’s sharp tongue is terrible as hell.

Exit [OWEN.]