A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Viii Part 37

FRIAR. Holla, holla, holla! follow, follow, follow!

[_Like noise within_.

Now, benedicite!

What foul absurdity, Folly and foolery Had like to follow me!

I and my mates, Like addle-pates, Inviting great states To see our last play, Are hunting the hay, With "Ho! that way The goodly hart ran,"

With "Follow, Little John!

Much, play the man!"

And I, like a sot, Have wholly forgot The course of our plot But, cross-bow, lie down, Come on, friar's gown, Hood, cover my crown, And with a low beck Prevent a sharp check.

Blithe sit ye all, and wink at our rude cry: Mind, where we left in Sherwood merrily The king, his train Robin, his yeomen tall, Gone to the wood to see the fat deer fall.

We left maid Marian busy in the bower, And pretty Jenny looking every hour For their returning from the hunting-game, And therefore seek to set each thing in frame.

Warman all woful for his sin we left: Sir Doncaster, whose villanies and theft You never heard of, but too soon ye shall, Housed[259] with the Prior, shame them both befall!

They two will make our mirth be short and small.

But lest I bring ye sorrow ere the time, Pardon I beg of your well-judging eyne, And take in part bad prologue and rude play.

The hunters halloo! Tuck must needs away.

Therefore down, weed;

Bow, do the deed To make the stag bleed; And if my hand speed, Hey for a cry, With a throat strain'd high, And a loud yall At the beast's fall

_Enter_ KING, ELY, FITZWATER, SALISBURY, CHESTER, PRINCE JOHN, LITTLE JOHN, SCATHLOCK.

KING. Where is our mother?[260]

JOHN. Mounted in a stand: Six fallow deer have died by her hand.

FITZ. Three stags I slew.

ELY. Two bucks by me fell down.

CHES. As many died by me.

SAL. But I had three.

JOHN. Scathlock, where's Much?

SCATH. When last I saw him, may it please your grace, He and the Friar footed it apace.

JOHN. Scathlock, no grace--your fellow and plain John.

LIT. JOHN. I warrant you, Much will be here anon.

JOHN. Think'st thou, Little John, that he must Jenny wed?

LIT. JOHN. No doubt he must.

JOHN. Then to adorn his head, We shall have horns good store.

KING. G.o.d, for thy grace, How could I miss the stag I had in chase?

Twice did I hit him in the very neck, When back my arrows flew, as they had smit On some sure armour. Where is Robin Hood And the wight[261] Scarlet? Seek them, Little John.

[_Exit_ LITTLE JOHN.

I'll have that stag, before I dine, to-day.

_Enter_ MUCH.

MUCH. O, the Friar, the Friar, the Friar!

KING. Why, how now, Much?

MUCH. Cry ye mercy, Master King:[262] marry, this is the matter.

Scarlet is following the stag you hit, and has almost lodged him: now, the Friar has the best bow but yours in all the field; which and Scarlet had, he would have him straight.

KING. Where is thy master?

MUCH. Nay, I cannot tell, nor the Friar neither.

SCATH. I hear them halloo far off in the wood.

KING. Come, Much, can'st lead us where as Scarlet is?

MUCH. Never fear you: follow me.

[_Exeunt hallooing_.

SCENE II.

_Enter_ SIR DONCASTER, PRIOR.

DON. You were resolv'd to have him poisoned, Or kill'd, or made away, you car'd not how: What devil makes you doubtful now to do't?

PRIOR. Why, Doncaster, his kindness in our needs.

DON. A plague upon his kindness! let him die.

I never temper'd poison in my life, But I employ'd it. By th'ma.s.s, and I lose this, For ever look to lose my company.

PRIOR. But will you give it him?

DON. That cannot be.

The queen, Earl Chester, and Earl Salisbury, If they once see me, I am a dead man: Or did they hear my name, I'll lay my life, They all would hunt me for my life.

PRIOR. What hast thou done to them?

DON. Faith, some odd toys, That made me fly the south: but pa.s.s we them.

Here is the poison; will you give it Robin?

PRIOR. Now, by this gold, I will.