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To meet thy traiterous Saxons, thee and them,

That with advantage thus have won the King,

To back your factions and to work our ruines.

This, by the Gods and my good Sword, I'le set

In bloody lines upon thy Burgonet.

(Exeunt.

ACT 4.

Scene I.

Before a Ruined Castle in Wales.)

Enter CLOWN, MERLIN, and a little antick SPIRIT.

MER.

How now, Uncle? why do you search your pockets so?

Do you miss any thing?

CLOWN.

Ha! Cousin Merlin, I hope your beard does not overgrow your honesty;

I pray, remember, you are made up of sisters thread, I am your mothers

brother, whosoever was your father.

MERLIN.

Why, wherein can you task my duty, Uncle?

CLOWN.

Your self or your page it must be, I have kept no other company

since your mother bound your head to my Protectorship; I do feel a

fault of one side; either it was that Sparrowhawk, or a Cast of Merlins,

for I find a Covy of Cardecu's sprung out of my pocket.

MERLIN.

Why, do you want any money, Uncle? Sirrah, had you any from him?

CLOWN.

Deny it not, for my pockets are witness against you.

SPIRIT.

Yes, I had, to teach you better wit to look to it.

CLOWN.

Pray, use your fingers better, and my wit may serve as it is, sir.

MERLIN.

Well, restore it.

SPIRIT.

There it is.

CLOWN.

I, there's some honesty in this; 'twas a token from your invisible Father,

Cousin, which I would not have to go invisibly from me agen.

MER.

Well, you are sure you have it now, Uncle?

CLOWN.

Yes, and mean to keep it now from your pages filching fingers too.

SPIRIT.

If you have it so sure, pray show it me agen.

CLOWN.

Yes, my little juggler, I dare show it. Ha, cleanly conveyance agen!

ye have no invisible fingers, have ye? 'Tis gone, certainly.

SPIRIT.

Why, sir, I toucht you not.

MER.

Why, look you, Uncle, I have it now: how ill do you look to it!

here, keep it safer.

CLOWN.

Ha, ha, this is fine, yfaith. I must keep some other company,

if you have these slights of hand.

MERLIN.

Come, come, Uncle, 'tis all my Art, which shall not offend you, sir,

onely I give you a taste of it to show you sport.

CLOWN.

Oh, but 'tis ill jesting with a mans pocket, tho'. But I am glad to

see you cunning, Cousin, for now will I warrant thee a living till thou diest.

You have heard the news in Wales here?

MER.

Uncle, let me prevent your care and counsel,

'Twill give you better knowledge of my cunning.

You would prefer me now, in hope of gain,

To Vortiger, King of the Welch Brittains,

To whom are all the Artists summon'd now,

That seeks the secrets of futurity.:

The Bards, the Druids, Wizards, Conjurers,

Not au Auraspex with his whistling spells,

No Capnomanster with his musty fumes,

No Witch or Juggler, but is thither sent,

To calculate the strange and fear'd event

Of his prodigious Castle, now in building,

Where all the labors of the painful day

Are ruin'd still i'th'night, and to this place

You would have me go.

CLOWN.

Well, if thy mother were not my sister, I would say she was a witch

that begot thee; but this is thy father, not thy mother wit.

Thou hast taken my tale into thy mouth, and spake my thoughts before me;

therefore away, shuffle thyself amongst the Conjurers, and be a made man

before thou comest to age.

MER.

Nay, but stay, Uncle, you overslip my dangers:

The Prophecies and all the cunning Wizards

Have certifi'd the King that this his Castle

Can never stand, till the foundation's laid

With Mortar temper'd with the fatal blood

If such a childe whose father was no mortal.

CLOWN.

What's this to thee? If the devil were thy father, wast not thy mother

born at Carmarden? Diggon for that, then; and then it must be a childes blood,

and who will take thee for a childe with such a beard of thy face?

Is there not diggon for that too, Cousin?

MERLIN.

I must not go: lend me your ear a while,

Ile give you reasons to the contrary.

Enter two Gentlemen.

1. GENTLE.

Sure, this is an endless piece of work the King has sent us about!

2. GENTLE.