And thus excuse me: that my daughter's sick,
Crazed, and weak, and that her native beauty
Is much decay'd; and should she travel now,
Before recover'd, 'twould engage her life
To too much danger; when she hath ability,
And strength to journey, I will send her safe
Unto my King: this as I am a subject,
And loyal to his highness.

Chest. Your excuse

Hath ground from love and reason: This your

answer,

I shall return to the King.

Marsh. With all my thanks;

That since my daughter doth distaste his bed, He hath sent her back, and home to me her father: His pleasure I withstand not, but return

My zeal, and these do not forget I pray.

Chest. I shall your words have perfect, and repeat them

Unto the King.

Marsh. I should disgrace her beauty

To send it maim'd and waining; but when she
Attains her perfectness, then shall appear
The brightest star fix'd in your courtly sphere.
Chest. The King shall know as much. [Exit.
Marsh. It is my purpose

All my attempts to this one head to draw,
Once more in courtesies to o'ercome the King.
Come, beauteous queen, and thy fair sister cheer,
Whom this sad news will both amaze and fear.

[Exeunt.

Enter CAPTAIN very richly dressed, attended by COCK in a new Livery.

Capt. Sirrah, are all my lands out of mortgage, deeds redeem'd?

and

my

Cock. I cannot tell that, sir; but we have had whole chests full of writings brought home to our house.

Capt. Why then 'tis done, I am possess'd again Of all my father's ancient revenues.

Cock. But how came you by all this money to buy these new suits? methinks we are not the

men we were.

Capt. Questionless that; for now those that before despis'd us, and our company, at meeting give us the bon jour.

Oh! heaven, thou ever art virtue's sole patron,
And wilt not let it sink: all my known fortunes
I had engag'd at home, or spent abroad:
But in the wars, when I was held quite bankrupt
Of all good hap, it was my chance to quarter
In such a house, when we had sack'd a town,
That yielded me inestimable store

Of gold and jewels; those I kept till now
Unknown to any; pleading poverty,

Only to try the humour of my friends;
Which I have prov'd, and now know how to find
Fix'd upon wealth, to want unnatural.

Enter CORPORAL and MATCH.

Cock. See, sir, yonder are my old fellows, Match and Touchbox: I do not think but they come to offer their service to you.

Corp. Save thee, noble Captain! hearing of thy good fortunes and advancement, I am come to offer myself to be partaker of the same, and to follow thee in the same colours that thou hast suited the rest of thy servants.

Cock. God-a-mercy horse! you shall not stand to my livery.

Match. You see our old clothes stick by us still; good Captain, see us new moulded. Capt. You are flies, away! they that my

fled,

winter

Shall not my summer taste: they only merit
A happy harbour, that through stormy seas
Hazard their barks, not they that sail with ease.
You taste none of my fortunes.

Cock. Corporal, you see this livery? if you had stay'd by it, we had been both cut out of a piece: Match, if you had not left us, you had been one of this guard: go! away! betake you to the end of the town; let me find you between Woodsclose-stile and Islington, with will it please your worship to bestow the price of two cans upon a poor soldier that hath serv'd in the face of the Souldan, and so forth a page-away! I scorn to be fellow to any that will leave their masters in adversity: if he entertain you, he shall turn away me, that's certain.

Match. Then, good your worship, bestow something upon a poor soldier; I protest

Cock. Lo, I have taught him his lesson already: I knew where I should have you.

Capt. There's first to make you beggars (gives them money), for to that all such must come that

leave their masters poor. Begone! and never let me see you more.

Corp. God be with you, good Captain! Come, Match, let us betake us to our rendezvous at some out end of the city *.

[Exeunt Corp. and Match. Capt. He makes a beggar first that first relieves

him:

Not usurers make more beggars where they live, Than charitable men that use to give.

Enter CLINTON.

Cock. Here come a lord.

Clint. I am glad to see you, sir.

Capt. You know me now? your worship's wondrous wise,

You could not know me in my last disguise.
Clint. Lord God! you were so chang'd.
Capt. So am I now

From what I was of late: you can allow
This habit well, but put my other on,
No congee then, your lordship must be gone:
You are my summer friend.

Enter BONVILE.

Bonv. Cousin, well met.

Capt. You should have said well found, For I was lost but late; dead, under ground Our kindred was: when I redeem'd my land, They both reviv'd, and both before you stand.

* The Clown had before recommended them to betake themselves" to the end of the town," and Falstaff tells us that the three of his ragged company who were left at the battle of Shrewsbury were for the town's end to beg during life.

Bonv. Well, well, I know you now.
Capt. And why not then?

I am the same without all difference: when
You saw me last, I was as rich, as good;
Have no additions since of name, or blood:
Only because I wore a threadbare suit,
I was not worthy of a poor salute.

A few good clothes put on with small ado, Purchase your knowledge, and your kindred too. You are my silken uncle.

Enter AUDLEY and his Daughter.

Oh, my lord,

You are not in haste now.

Aud. I have time to stay,

To ask you how you do, being glad to hear Of your good fortune, your repurchas'd lands, And 'state much amplified.

Capt. All this is true:

Ay, but my lord, let me examine you : Remember you a contract that once past Betwixt me and your daughter? Here she stands. Aud. Sir, since you did unmortgage all your

means,

It came into my thoughts; trust me, before
I could not call't to mind.

Capt. Oh, mens' weak strength!

That aim at worlds, when they but their mere length

Must at their end enjoy. (To L. Mary.) Thou then art mine,

Of all that I have prov'd in poverty,

The only test of virtue: what are these?
Though they be lords, but worldlings, men of earth;