WILLIAM.

Come on, my love, the comfort of my life.

Disguised thus we may remain unknowen, And get we once to Seas, I force no then, We quickly shall attain the English sh.o.r.e.

BLAUNCH.

But this I urge you with your former oath: You shall not seek to violate mine honour, Until our marriage rights be all performed.

WILLIAM.

Mariana, here I swear to thee by heaven, And by the honour that I bear to Arms, Never to seek or crave at hands of thee The spoil of honourable chast.i.ty, Until we do attain the English coast, Where thou shalt be my right espoused Queen.

BLANCH.

In hope your oath proceedeth from your heart, Let's leave the Court, and betake us to his power That governs all things to his mighty will, And will reward the just with endless joy, And plague the bad with most extreme annoy.

WILLIAM.

Lady, as little tarriance as we may, Lest some misfortune happen by the way.

[Exit Blanch and William.]

SCENE IV.

Manchester. The Mill.

[Enter the Miller, his man Trotter, and Manville.]

MILLER.

I tell you, sir, it is no little grief to me, you should so hardly conseit of my daughter, whose honest report, though I say it, was never blotted with any t.i.tle of defamation.

MANVILLE.

Father Miller, the repair of those gentlemen to your house hath given me great occasion to mislike.

MILLER.

As for those gentlemen, I never saw in them any evil intreaty.

But should they have profered it, her chaste mind hath proof enough to prevent it.

TROTTER.

Those gentlemen are so honest as ever I saw: For yfaith one of them gave me six pence to fetch a quart of Seck.--See, maister, here they come.

[Enter Mountney and Valingford.]

MILLER.

Trotter, call Em. Now they are here together, I'll have this matter throughly debated.

[Exit Trotter.]

MOUNTNEY.

Father, well met. We are come to confer with you.

MANVILLE.

Nay, with his daughter rather.

VALINGFORD.

Thus it is, father, we are come to crave your friendship in a matter.

MILLER.

Gentlemen, as you are strangers to me, yet by the way of courtesy you shall demand any reasonable thing at my hands.

MANVILLE.

What, is the matter so forward they came to crave his good will?

VALINGFORD.

It is given us to understand that your daughter is sodenly become both blind and deaf.

MILLER.

Marie, G.o.d forbid! I have sent for her. In deed, she hath kept her chamber this three days. It were no little grief to me if it should be so.

MANVILLE.

This is G.o.d's judgement for her treachery.

[Enter Trotter, leading Em.]

MILLER.

Gentlemen, I fear your words are too true. See where Trotter comes leading of her.--What ails my Em? Not blind, I hope?

EM.

[Aside.] Mountney and Valingford both together! And Manville, to whom I have faithfully vowed my love! Now, Em, suddenly help thy self.

MOUNTNEY.

This is no desembling, Valingford.

VALINGFORD.

If it be, it is cunningly contrived of all sides.

EM.

[Aside to Trotter.] Trotter, lend me thy hand, and as thou lovest me, keep my counsell, and justify what so ever I say and I'll largely requite thee.

TROTTER.

Ah, thats as much as to say you would tell a monstrous, terrible, horrible, outragious lie, and I shall sooth it-- no, berlady!

EM.

My present extremity will me,--if thou love me, Trotter.

TROTTER.

That same word love makes me to do any thing.

EM.

Trotter, wheres my father?