CLIN.  With all my heart, and welcome shall you be
To that good earl, who mourns his daughter’s want: 
But they have for a holy abbot sent,
Who can, men say, do many miracles,
In hope that he will work this wondrous cure.

BEL.  Whate’er he be, I know ’tis past his skill;
Nor any in the world, besides myself,
Did ever sound the depth of that device.

Enter MUSGRAVE.

CLIN.  Musgrave, well met:  I needs must speak with you.

MUS.  I came to seek you.

CLIN.  Tarry you a while.
[To BEL.] Shall I entreat you, sir, to walk before
With this same gentleman?  I’ll overtake you.
                 [Exeunt BELPHEGOR and AKERCOCK. 
This is the news:  the Earl of Kent is come,
And in all haste the marriage must be made. 
Your lady weeps, and knows not what to do;
But hopes that you will work some means or other
To stop the cross-proceedings of the earl.

MUS.  Alas, poor Clinton! what can Musgrave do? 
Unless I should by stealth convey her thence,
On which a thousand dangers do depend.

CLIN.  Well, to be brief, because I cannot stay,
Thus stands the case:  if you will promise me
To work your cousin Marian to be mine,
I’ll so devise that you shall purchase[436] her;
And therefore, tell me if you like the match?

MUS.  With all my heart, sir; yea, and thank you, too.

CLIN.  Then say no more, but leave the rest to me,
For I have plotted how it shall be done. 
I must go follow yon fair gentleman,
On whom I build my hopes.  Musgrave, adieu.

MUS.  Clinton, farewell; I’ll wish thee good success.

[Exeunt.

ACT II., SCENE I.

Enter MORGAN, LACY, DUNSTAN, FORREST, HONOREA, MARIAN.

MOR.  Thou holy man, to whom the higher powers
Have given the gift of cures beyond conceit,
Welcome thou art unto Earl Morgan’s house: 
The house of sorrow yet, unless by thee
Our joys may spring anew; which if they do,
Reward and praise shall both attend on thee.

LACY.  And we will ever reverence thy name,
Making the chronicles to speak thy praise: 
So Honorea may but have her speech.

DUN.  My lords, you know the hallow’d gift of tongues
Comes from the selfsame power that gives us breath: 
He binds and looseth them at his dispose;
And in his name will Dunstan undertake
To work this cure upon fair Honorea. 
Hang there, my harp, my solitary muse,
Companion of my contemplation.
          [He hangs his harp on the wall. 
And, lady, kneel with me upon the earth,
That both our prayers may ascend to heaven.

    [They kneel down.  Then enters CLINTON, with
    BELPHEGOR, terming himself CASTILIANO, and
    AKERCOCK, as ROBIN GOODFELLOW.