SHO.  What, Grim, hath grief drown’d thee at last? 
Are all thy joys overcast? 
Is Joan in place, and thou so sad! 
Her presence, man, should make thee glad.

JOAN.  Good Master Parson, ’twas no fault of mine;
He takes occasion, where there none was given. 
I will not blab unto the world, my love
I owe to him, and shall do whilst I live. [Aside]

GRIM.  Well, Joan, without all ifs or ands, e-persese, a-persese, or tittle-tattles in the world, I do love thee; and so much that, in thy absence I cry, when I see thee, and rejoice with my very heart, when I cannot behold thee.

SHO.  No doubt, no doubt, thou lov’st her well,
But listen now to what I tell: 
Since ye are both so well agreed,
I wish you make more haste and speed. 
To-morrow is Holy-rood day,
When all a-nutting take their way;
Within the wood a close doth stand,
Encompass’d round on either hand
With trees and bushes; there will I
Despatch your marriage presently.

GRIM.  O Master Parson, your devising pate hath blessed me for ever. 
Joan, we’ll have that so:  the shorter the work the sweeter.

JOAN.  And if my mother give but her consent,
My absence shall in no case hinder it.

GRIM.  She, quotha? she is mine already; we’ll to her presently.  Master Parson, ’tis a match; we’ll meet you.  Now, miller, do I go beyond you?  I have stripped him of the wench, as a cook would strip an eel out of her skin, or a pudding out of the case thereof.  Now I talk of a pudding, O, ’tis my only food, I am an old dog at it.  Come, Joan, let us away, I’ll pudding you.

SHO.  Well, if my fortune luckily ensue,
As you shall cosen him, I’ll cosen you.

[Exeunt.

    Enter CASTILIANO at one door with MARIAN, EARL LACY
    at another door with HONOREA.

CAS.  Come, lovely Honorea, bright as day. 
As came Alcmena from her sacred bed
With Jupiter, shap’d like Amphitrion,
So show my love.

HON.  My love! whom have we here?  Sweet
Musgrave! but, alas, I am betrayed!

CAS.  Thou art my love.

LACY.  No, mine.

HON.  Nor yours, nor yours;
But Musgrave’s love.  O Musgrave! where art thou?

LACY.  Be not displeas’d, my dear; give me thy hand.

HON.  My hand, false earl! nor hand nor heart of mine! 
Couldst thou thus cunningly deceive my hopes? 
And could my father give consent thereto? 
Well, neither he nor thou shalt force my love.

CAS.  ’Tis I, fair Honorea, am thy love: 
Forsake the worthless earl, give me thy hand.

MAR.  Whose hand would you have, sir? this hand is mine,
And mine is yours:  then keep you to your own: 
Yet are you mine, sir, and I mean to keep you. 
What! do you think to shake me off so soon? 
No, gentle husband, now ’tis too-too late;
You should have look’d, before you came to bed.