To Robin, &c. Marian, John, Scarlet, Scathlock.

    Rob. My Marian, and my Mistris!
    Mar. My lov'd Robin!
    Mel. The Moon's at full, the happy Pair are met!
    Mar. How hath this morning paid me, for my rising!
First, with my Sports; but most with meeting you!
I did not half so well rewarded my Hounds,
As she hath me to day: although I gave them
All the sweet Morsels, call'd Tongue, Ears and Dowcets!
    Rob. What? and the Inch-pin?     Mar. Yes.
    Rob. Your Sports then pleas'd you?
    Mar. You are a Wanton.
    Rob. One, I do confess,
I wanted till you came; but now I have you,
I'll grow to your Embraces, till Two Souls
Distilled into Kisses, through our Lips,
Do make one Spirit of Love.
    Mar. O Robin! Robin!
    Rob. breath, breath a while, what says my gentle
         Marian
    Mar. Could you so long be absent?
    Rob. What, a Week?
Was that so long?
    Mar. How long are Lovers Weeks,
Do you think, Robin, when they are asunder?
Are they not Pris'ners Years?
    Rob. To some they seem so;
But being met again, they are School-boys Hours.
    Mar. That have got leave to play, and so we use
         them.
    Rob. Had you good Sport i'your Chase to day?
    Jo. O, Prime!
    Mar. A lusty Stag?     Rob. And hunted ye at force?

                Z z z

    Mar. In a full cry.     Jo. And never hunted change!
    Rob. You had stanch Hounds then?
    Mar. Old and sure; I love
No young rash Dogs, no more than changing Friends.
    Rob. What relays set you?
    Jo. None at all; we laid not
In one fresh Dog.     Rob. He stood not long then?
    Sca. Yes,
Five hours and more. A great, large Deer!
    Rob. What Head?
    Joh. Forked! A Heart of Ten.
    Mar. He is good Venison,
According to the Season i' the Blood,
I'll promise all your Friends, for whom he fell.
    Joh. But at his fall there hap't a chance.
    Mar. Worth mark?
    Rob. I! what was that, sweet Marian?
             [He kisses her.
    Mar. You'll not hear?
    Rob. I love these interruptions in a Story;
             [He kisses her again.
They make it sweeter.     Mar. You do know, as soon
As the Assay is taken.
             [He kisses her again.
    Rob. On, my Marian.
I did but take the Assay.     Mar. You stop ones Mouth,
And yet you bid'em speak -- when the Arbor's made.
    Rob. Pull'd down, and Paunch turn'd out.
    Mar. He that undoes him,
Doth cleave the Brisket-bone, upon the Spoon
Of which, a little Gristle grows, you call it --
    Rob. The Ravens Bone.
    Mar. Now, o'er Head sate a Raven!
On a sere bough! a grown great Bird! and Hoarse!
Who, all the while the Deer was breaking up,
So crok'd and cry'd for't, as all the Huntsmen
(Especially old Scathlock) thought it was ominous!
Swore it was Mother Maudlin, whom he met
At the day-dawn, just as he rows'd the Deer
Out of his Laire: but we made shift to run him
Off his Four Legs, and sunk him ere we left.
Is the Deer come?     Scat. He lies within o'the dresser!
    Mar. Will you go see him, Mellifleur?
    Mel. I attend you.
    Mar. Come, Amie, you'll go with us?
    Am. I am not well.
    Lio. She's sick o' the young Shep'erd that bekist her.
    Mar. Frind, chaer your Friends up. we will eat him
         merrily.
    Alk. Saw you the Raven, Friend?
    Scat. I, qu'ha suld let me?
I suld be afraid o you, Sir, suld I?
    Clar. Huntsman!
A Dram more of Civility would not hurt you?
    Rob. Nay, you must give them all their rudenesses;
They are not else themselves, without their Language.
    Alk. And what do you think of her?
    Scat. As of a Witch.
They call her a Wise-woman, but I think her
An arrant Witch.
    Clar. And wherefore think you so?
    Scat. Because I saw her since broiling the Bone
Was cast her at the Quarry.
    Alk. Where saw you her?
    Scat. I'the Chimney nuik, within: she's there now.
    Rob. Marian.