2d Mer. ’Tis but a washy jade, I see:  what do you ask for this bauble?

Must. Bauble, do you call him? he is a substantial true-bred beast; bravely forehanded.  Mark but the cleanness of his shapes too:  his dam may be a Spanish gennet, but a true barb by the sire, or I have no skill in horseflesh:—­Marry, I ask six hundred xeriffs for him.

  Enter MUFTI.

Mufti. What is that you are asking, sirrah?

Must. Marry, I ask your reverence six hundred pardons; I was doing you a small piece of service here, putting off your cattle for you.

Mufti. And putting the money into your own pocket.

Must. Upon vulgar reputation, no, my lord; it was for your profit and emolument.  What! wrong the head of my religion?  I was sensible you would have damned me, or any man, that should have injured you in a single farthing; for I knew that was sacrifice.

Mufti. Sacrilege, you mean, sirrah,—­and damning shall be the least part of your punishment:  I have taken you in the manner, and will have the law upon you.

Must. Good my lord, take pity upon a poor man in this world, and damn me in the next.

Mufti. No, sirrah, so you may repent and escape punishment:  Did not you sell this very slave amongst the rest to me, and take money for him?

Must. Right, my lord.

Mufti. And selling him again? take money twice for the same commodity?  Oh, villain! but did you not know him to be my slave, sirrah?

Must. Why should I lie to your honour?  I did know him; and thereupon, seeing him wander about, took him up for a stray, and impounded him, with intention to restore him to the right owner.

Mufti. And yet at the same time was selling him to another:  How rarely the story hangs together!

Must. Patience, my lord.  I took him up, as your herriot, with intention to have made the best of him, and then have brought the whole product of him in a purse to you; for I know you would have spent half of it upon your pious pleasures, have hoarded up the other half, and given the remainder in charities to the poor.

Mufti. And what’s become of my other slave?  Thou hast sold him too, I have a villainous suspicion.

Must. I know you have, my lord; but while I was managing this young robustious fellow, that old spark, who was nothing but skin and bone, and by consequence very nimble, slipt through my fingers like an eel, for there was no hold-fast of him, and ran away to buy himself a new master.

Muft. [To ANT.] Follow me home, sirrah:—­[To MUST.] I shall remember you some other time. [Exit MUFTI with ANT.