VIS.  Gustus, good day.

GUS.  I cannot have a bad,
Meeting so fair an omen as yourself.

TAC.  Shall I? will’t prove? ha! well, ’tis best to venture.
                                [TACTUS puts on the robes.

GUS.  Saw you not Tactus?  I should speak with him.

TAC.  Perchance so; a sudden lie hath best luck.

VIS.  That face is his, or else mine eye’s deceiv’d. 
Why, how now, Tactus! what, so gorgeous?

GUS.  Where didst thou get these fair habiliments?

TAC.  Stand back, I charge you, as you love your lives;
By Styx, the first that toucheth me shall die.

VIS.  I can discern no weapons.  Will he kill us?

TAC.  Kill you? not I, but come not near me,
You had best.

VIS.  Why, art thou mad?

TAC.  Friends, as you love your lives,
Venture not once to come within my reach.

GUS.  Why dost threaten so?

TAG.  I do not threaten,
But in pure love advise you for the best: 
Dare not to touch me, but hence fly apace;
Add wings unto your feet, and save your lives.

VIS.  Why, what’s the matter, Tactus? prythee, tell me?

TAC.  If you will needs jeopard your lives so long,
As hear the ground of my amazedness,
Then for your better safety stand aside.

GUS.  How full of ceremonies! sure he’ll conjure;
For such like robes magicians use to wear.

VIS.  I’ll see the end, though he should unlock hell,
And set th’infernal hags at liberty.

TAC.  How rash is man on hidden harms[191] to rush! 
It was my chance—­O chance most miserable!—­
To walk that way that to Crumena leads.

GUS.  You mean Cremona, a little town hard-by.

TAC.  I say Crumena, called Vacua,
A town which doth, and always hath belong’d,
Chiefly to scholars.  From Crumena walls
I saw a man come stealing craftily,
Apparell’d in this vesture which I wear;
But, seeing me, eftsoons[192] he took his heels,
And threw his garment from him all in haste,
Which I perceiving to be richly wrought,
Took it me up; but, good, now get you gone,
Warn’d by my harms, and ’scape my misery.

VIS.  I know no danger:  leave these circumstances.

TAC.  No sooner had I put it on my back,
But suddenly mine eyes began to dim,
My joints wex[193] sore, and all my body burn[’d]
With most intestine torture, and at length
It was too evident, I had caught the plague.

VIS.  The plague! away, good Gustus, let’s be gone;
I doubt ’tis true, now I remember me,
Crumena Vacua never wants the plague.

GUS.  Tactus, I’ll put myself in jeopardy
To pleasure thee.

TAC.  No, gentle Gustus,
Your absence is the only thing I wish,
Lest I infect you with my company.

GUS.  Farewell. [Exit GUSTUS.

VIS.  I willingly would stay to do thee good.