Frail.

O here they come, here they come!

Pye.

Now must I close secretly with the soldier; prevent his impatience, or else all's discovered.

Wid.

O lamentable seeing! These were those brothers, that fought and bled before our door.

Sir God.

What! they were not, sister?

Skir.

George, look to't; I'll peach at Tyburn else.

Pye.
Mum.—Gentles all, vouchsafe me audience,
And you especially, good master sheriff:
Yon man is bound to execution,
Because he wounded this that now lies coffin'd.

Sher.

True, true; he shall have the law,—and I know the law.

Pye.

But under favour, master sheriff, if this man had been cur'd and safe again, he should have been releas'd then?

Sher.

Why make you question of that, sir?

Pye.

Then I release him freely; and will take upon me the death that he should die, if within a little season I do not cure him to his proper health again^{8 note}
.

Sher.

How, sir! recover a dead man? That were most strange of all.

Fran.

Sweet sir, I love you dearly, and could wish my best part yours. O do not undertake such an impossible venture!

Pye.

Love you me? Then for your sweet sake I'll do't. Let me entreat the corpse to be set down.

Sher.

Bearers, set down the coffin. This were wonderful, and worthy Stowe's Chronicle.

Pye.

I pray bestow the freedom of the air upon our wholsome art. Mass his cheeks begin to receive natural warmth. Nay, good corporal, wake betime, or I shall have a longer sleep than you. 'Sfoot, if he should prove dead indeed now, he were fully reveng'd upon me for making a property of him: yet I had rather run upon the ropes* ^note

Sher.

O, O, defend us! Out, alas!

Pye.

Nay, pray be still; you'll make him more giddy else. He knows nobody yet.

Oath.

'Zounds, where am I? Cover'd with snow! I marvel.

Pye.

Nay, I knew he would swear the first thing he did as soon as ever he came to his life again.

Oath.

'Sfoot, hostess, some hot porridge. O, O!—lay on a dozen of faggots in the Moon parlour, there.

Pye.

Lady, you must needs take a little pity of him i'faith, and send him in to your kitchen fire.

Wid.

O, with all my heart, sir: Nicholas and Frailty, help to bear him in.

Nich.

Bear him in, quoth-a! Pray call out the maids; I shall ne'er have the heart to do't, indeed la.

Frail.

Nor I neither; I cannot abide to handle a ghost, of all men.

Oath.

'Sblood, let me see—where was I drunk last night? heh?

Wid.

O, shall I bid you once again take him away?

Frail.

Why we are as fearful as you, I warrant you. Oh.

Wid.

Away, villains! bid the maids make him a caudle presently, to settle his brain,—or a posset of sack; quickly, quickly.

Sher.

Sir, whatsoe'er you are, I do more than admire you.

Wid.

O ay, if you knew all, master sheriff, as you shall do, you would say then, that here were two of the rarest men within the walls of Christendom.

Sher.

Two of them? O wonderful! Officers, I discharge you; set him free; all's in tune.

Sir God.

Ay, and a banquet ready by this time, master sheriff; to which I most cheerfully invite you, and your late prisoner there. See you this goodly chain, sir? Mum! no more words; 'twas lost and is found again. Come, my inestimable bullies, we'll talk of your noble acts in sparkling charnico^{1 note}; and instead of a jester, we'll have the ghost in the white sheet sit at the upper end of the table^{2 note}

Sher.

Excellent, merry man, i'faith!

Fran.
Well, seeing I am enjoin'd to love, and marry,
My foolish vow thus I cashier to air,
Which first begot it. Now, Love, play thy part;
The scholar reads his lecture in my heart. [Exit.

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