Bas.
A foot of honour better than I was;
But many a many foot of land the worse.
Well, now can I make any Joan a lady:—
Good-den, sir Richard,—God-a-mercy, fellow,—
And, if his name be George, I'll call him Peter:
For new-made honour doth forget men's names;
'Tis too respective ^note,14Q0534 and too sociable,
For your conversion. Now your traveller,—
He and his tooth-pick at my worship's mess;
And when my knightly stomach is suffic'd,
Why then I suck my teeth, and catechize
My piked man of countries:—My dear sir,
(Thus, leaning on mine elbow, I begin)
I shall beseech you,—That is Question now;
And then comes Answer like an a-b-c. book:—
O, sir, says Answer, at your best command;
At your employment; at your service, sir:—
No, sir, says Question; I, sweet sir, at yours:
And so, ere Answer knows what Question would,

(Saving in dialogue of compliment;
And talking of the Alps, and Apennines,
The Pyrenean ^note, and the river Po)
It draws toward supper in conclusion.
But this is worshipful society;
And fits the mounting spirit, like myself:
For he is but a bastard to the time,
That doth not smack ^note of observation;
(And so am I, whether I smack, or no)
And not alone in habit and device,
Exterior form, outward accoutrement;
But from the inward motion too, deliver ^note
Sweet, sweet, sweet poison for the age's tooth:
Which though I will not practise to deceive,
Yet, to avoid deceit, I mean to learn;
For it shall strew the foot-steps of my rising.
But who comes in such haste, in riding robes?
What woman-post is this? hath she no husband,
That will take pains to blow a horn before her? Enter Lady Faulconbridge, and Servant.
O me! it is my mother:—How now, good lady?
What brings you here to court so hastily?

Lad.
Where is that slave, thy brother? where is he?
That holds in chace mine honour up and down?

Bas.
My brother Robert? old sir Robert's son?
Colbrand the giant, that same mighty man?
Is it sir Robert's son, that you seek so?

Lad.
Sir Robert's son! Ay, thou unreverend boy,
Sir Robert's son: Why scorn'st thou at sir Robert?
He is sir Robert's son; and so art thou.

Bas.
James Gurney, wilt thou give us leave a while?

Ser.
Good leave, good Philip.

Bas.
Philip! sparrow:14Q0535 James,
There's toys abroad; anon I'll tell thee more. [Exit Servant.
Madam, I was not old sir Robert's son;
Sir Robert might have eat his part in me
Upon good-friday, and ne'er broke his fast:
Sir Robert could do well; Marry, to confess,
Could he get me? sir Robert could not do it;
We know his handy-work: Therefore, good mother,
To whom am I beholding for these limbs?
Sir Robert never holp to make this leg.

Lad.
Hast thou conspired with thy brother too,
That for thine own gain should'st defend mine honour?
What means this scorn, thou most untoward knave?

Bas.
Knight, knight, good mother, Basilisco like:
What! I am dub'd; I have it on my shoulder.
But, mother, I am not sir Robert's son;
I have disclaim'd sir Robert, and my land;
Legitimation, name, and all is gone:
Then, good my mother, let me know my father;
Some proper man, I hope; Who was it mother?

Lad.
Hast thou deny'd thyself a Faulconbridge?

Bas.
As faithfully as I deny the devil.

Lad.
King Richard Cœur-de-lion was thy father;
By long and vehement suit I was seduc'd
To make room for him in my husband's bed:—
Heaven lay not my transgression to my charge!—
Thou art ^note the issue of my dear offence,
Which was so strongly urg'd, past my defence.

Bas.
Now, by this light, were I to get again,
Madam, I would not wish a better father.
Some sins do bear their priviledge on earth,

And so doth yours; your fault was not your folly: ^note
Needs must you lay your heart at his dispose,—
Subjected tribute to commanding love,—
Against whose fury and unmatched force
The awless lion could not wage the fight,
Nor keep his princely heart from Richard's hand:
He, that perforce robs lions of their hearts,
May easily win a woman's. Ah, my mother,
With all my heart I thank thee for my father!
Who lives and dares but say, thou didst not well
When I was got, I'll send his soul to hell.
Come, lady, I will shew thee to my kin;
  And they shall say ^note, when Richard me begot,
If thou hadst said him nay, it had been sin:
  Who says, it was, he lies; I say, 'twas not. [Exeunt.

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