William Shakespeare - The Complete Apocryphal Works of William Shakespeare - All 17 Rare Plays in One Edition

Why, Black Will and Shakebag lock’d within the countinghouse

Shall at a certain watchword given rush forth.

WILL

What shall the watchword be?

MOSBIE

‘now I take you’; that shall be the word.

But come not forth before in any case.

WILL

I warrant you. But who shall lock me in?

ALICE

That will I do; thou’lt keep the key thy self.

MOSBIE

Come, master Greene, go you along with me.

See all things ready, Alice, against we come.

ALICE

Take no care for that; send you him home.

(Exeunt Mosbie and GREENE

And if he e’er go forth again, blame me.

Come, Black Will, that in mine eyes art fair;

Next unto Mosbie do I honor thee;

Instead of fair words and large promises

My hands shall play you golden harmony:

WILL

Ay, and that bravely, too, mark my device.

Place Mosbie, being a stranger, in a chair,

And let your husband sit upon a stool,

That I may come behind him cunningly,

And with a towel pull him to the ground,

Then stab him till his flesh be as a sieve;

That done, bear him behind the abbey,

That those that find him murdered may suppose

Some slave or other killed him for his gold.

ALICE

A fine device! You shall have twenty pouhd,

And, when he is dead, you shall have forty more,

And, lest you might be suspected staying here,

Michael shall saddle you two lusty geldings;

Ride whither you will, to scotland, or to wales,

I’ll see you shall not lack, where’er you be.

WILL

Such words would make one kill a thousand men.

Give me the key; which is the countinghouse?

ALICE

Here would I stay and still encourage you;

But that I know how resolute you are.

SHAKEBAG

Tush, you are too faint hearted; we must do it.

ALICE

But Mosbie will be there, whose very looks

Will add unwonted courage to my thought,

And make me the first that shall adventure on him.

WILL

Tush, get you gone; ‘tis we must do the deed.

When this door opens next, look for his death.

ALICE

Ah, would he now were here that it might open.

I shall no more be closed in Arden’s arms,

That like the snakes of black tisiphone

Sting me with their embracings. Mosbie’s arms

Shall compass me, and, were I made a star,

I would have none other spheres but those.

There is no nectar but in Mosbie’s lips.

Had chaste diana kissed him, she like me

Would grow love sick, and from her watery bower

Fling down endymion and snatch him up:

Then blame not me that slay a silly man

Not half so lovely as endymion.

(here enters MICHAEL

MICHAEL

Mistress, my master is coming hard by.

MICHAEL

That’s brave. I’ll go fetch the tables.

ALICE

But, Michael, hark to me a word or two:

When my husband is come in, lock the street door;

He shall be murdered, ere the guests come in. (Exit MICHAEL

(here enters Arden and MOSBIE

Husband, what mean you to bring Mosbie home?

Although I wished you to be reconciled,

‘twas more for fear of you than love of him.

Black Will and Greene are his companions,

And they are cutters, and may cut you short:

Therefore I thought it good to make you friends.

But wherefore do you bring him hither now?

You have given me my supper with his sight.

MOSBIE

Master Arden, me thinks your wife would have me gone.

ARDEN

No, good master Mosbie; women will be prating.

Alice, bid him welcome; he and I are friends.

ALICE

You may enforce me to it, if you will;

But I had rather die than bid him welcome.

His company hath purchased me ill friends,

And therefore will I ne’er frequent it more.

MOSBIE

oh, how cunningly she can dissemble.

ARDEN

Now he is here, you will not serve me so.

ALICE

I pray you be not angry or displeased;

I’ll bid him welcome, seeing you’ll have it so.

You are welcome, master Mosbie; will you sit down?

MOSBIE

I know I am welcome to your loving husband;

But for your self you speak not from your heart.

ALICE

And if I do not, sir, think I have cause.

MOSBIE

Pardon me, master Arden; I’ll away.

ARDEN

No, good master MOSBIE

ALICE

We shall have guests enough, though you go home.

MOSBIE

I pray you, master Arden, let me go.

ARDEN

I pray thee, Mosbie, let her prate her fill.

ALICE

The doors are open, sir, you may be gone.

MICHAEL

nay, that’s a lie, for I have locked the doors.

ARDEN

Sirrah, fetch me a cup of wine,

I’ll make them friends.

And, gentle mistress Alice, seeing you are so stout,

ALICE

I pray you meddle with that you have to do.

ARDEN

Why, Alice! How can I do too much for him

Whose life I have endangered without cause?

ALICE

‘tis true; and, seeing ‘twas partly through my meands,

I am content to drink to him for this once.

Here master Mosbie, and I pray you henceforth,

Be you as strange to me, as I to you

Your company hath pruchased me ill friends.

And I for you god knows, have undeserved

Been ill spoken of in every place.

Therefore henceforth frequent my house no more.

MOSBIE

I’ll see your husband in despite of you,