AMORETTO.  Well said, subtle Jack; put me in mind, when I return again, that I may make my lady mother laugh at the scholar.  I’ll to my game; for you, Jack, I would have you employ your time, till my coming, in watching what hour of the day my hawk mutes. [Exit.

PAGE.  Is not this an excellent office, to be apothecary to his worship’s hawk, to sit scouting on the wall how the physic works?  And is not my master an absolute villain, that loves his hawk, his hobby, and his greyhound, more than any mortal creature?  Do but dispraise a feather of his hawk’s train, and he writhes his mouth, and swears (for he can do that only with a good grace) that you are the most shallow-brained fellow that lives.  Do but say his horse stales with a good presence, and he’s your bondslave.  When he returns, I’ll tell twenty admirable lies of his hawk; and then I shall be his little rogue and his white villain for a whole week after.  Well, let others complain; but I think there is no felicity to the serving of a fool.

ACTUS III., SCAENA 1.

    SIR RADERIC, RECORDER, PAGE, SIGNIOR IMMERITO.

SIR RADERIC.  Signior Immerito, you remember my caution for the tithes, and my promise for farming my tithes at such a rate?

IMMERITO. 
Ay, and please your worship, sir.

SIR RADERIC.  You must put in security for the performance of it, in such sort as I and Master Recorder shall like of.

IMMERITO. 
I will, an’t please your worship.

SIR RADERIC.  And because I will be sure that I have conferred this kindness upon a sufficient man, I have desired Master Recorder to take examination of you.

PAGE.  My master, it seems, takes him for a thief; but he hath small reason for it.  As for learning, it’s plain he never stole any; and for the living, he knows himself how he comes by it; for let him but eat a mess of furmenty this seven year, and yet he shall never be able to recover himself.  Alas, poor sheep, that hath fallen into the hands of such a fox! [Aside.

SIR RADERIC.  Good Master Recorder, take your place by me, and make trial of his gifts:  is the clerk there to record his examination?  O, the page shall serve the turn.

PAGE.  Trial of his gifts! never had any gifts a better trial:  why, Immerito’s gifts have appeared in as many colours as the rainbow; first, to Master Amoretto, in colour of the satin suit he wears:  to my lady, in the similitude of a loose gown:  to my master, in the likeness of a silver basin and ewer:  to us pages, in the semblance of new suits and points.  So Master Amoretto plays the gull in a piece of a parsonage; my master adorns his cupboard with a piece of a parsonage; my mistress, upon good days, puts on a piece of a parsonage; and we pages play at blowpoint for a piece of a parsonage:  I think here’s trial enough for one man’s gifts.
          
                                                     [Aside.