ROB.  Here is two well-favoured slaves! 
Grim and I may curse all good faces,
And not hurt our own.

JOAN.  What, my love, how dost thou?

GRIM.  Even as a conqueror may do.  Jug, for thy sake I have made the miller a poor cripple all the days of his life, good for nothing else but to be carried into the ’spital-house.

ROB.  Ay, there is one lie, for thou didst never hurt him. [Aside.]

JOAN.  I am glad thou ’scapedst, my love, and wast not hurt.

GRIM.  Who?  I hurt?  Joan, thou knowest me not yet:  thou mayest do better hereafter.  I gave him five mortal wounds the first five strokes I made at him.

ROB.  There are five lies clapt into one, for brevity’s sake. [Aside.]

GRIM.  And presently, upon the fifth blow, I made a dangerous thrust at him, and violently overthrew him, horse and foot, and there he lay.

ROB.  Nay, there you lie.  The collier is excellent
To be companion to the devil himself. [Aside.]

GRIM.  But where’s Master Parson?

JOAN.  He was well bang’d, and knew not who ’twas did it,
And would have had me gone away with him. 
Here lieth his nut-bag, and the miller’s too: 
They had no leisure to take them away.

GRIM.  The better for us, Joan; there is good cracking work:  it will increase household stuff.  Come, let’s after the parson; we will comfort him, and he shall couple us.  I’ll have Pounceby the painter score upon our painted cloth[473] at home all the whole story of our going a-nutting this Holyrood-day; and he shall paint me up triumphing over the miller.

[Exeunt GRIM and JOAN.

ROB.  So let the collier now go boast at home
How he hath beat the miller from his love. 
I like this modest country maid so well,
That I believe I must report in hell
Better of women than my master can. 
Well, till my time’s expir’d, I’ll keep this quarter,
And night by night attend their merry meetings.
                                       [Exit ROBIN.

Enter DUNSTAN with EARL LACY sick.

DUN.  Let not your sickness add more feebleness
Unto your weaken’d age; but give me leave
To cure thy vain suspicious malady. 
Thy eyes shall witness how thou art deceiv’d,
Misprizing thy fair lady’s chastity: 
For whilst we two stand closely here unseen,
We shall espy them presently approach.

LACY.  O, show me this, thou blessed man of God,
And thou shalt then make young my withered age.

DUN.  Mark the beginning; for here Musgrave cometh.

    Enter MUSGRAVE.

MUS.  O thrice unhappy and unfortunate,
That, having fit occasion proffer’d thee
Of conference with beauteous Honorea,
Thou overslipp’d it, and o’erslipp’dst thyself. 
Never since wedlock tied her to the earl,
Have I saluted her; although report
Is blaz’d abroad of her inconstancy. 
This is her evening walk, and here will I
Attend her coming forth, and greet her fairly.