Cel. Were you made the messenger? Clo. No by mine honor, but I was bid to come for you Ros. Where learned you that oath foole? Clo. Of a certaine Knight, that swore by his Honour they were good Pan-cakes, and swore by his Honor the Mustard was naught: Now Ile stand to it, the Pancakes were naught, and the Mustard was good, and yet was not the Knight forsworne
Cel. How proue you that in the great heape of your knowledge? Ros. I marry, now vnmuzzle your wisedome
Clo. Stand you both forth now: stroke your chinnes, and sweare by your beards that I am a knaue
Cel. By our beards (if we had them) thou art
Clo. By my knauerie (if I had it) then I were: but if you sweare by that that is not, you are not forsworn: no more was this knight swearing by his Honor, for he neuer had anie; or if he had, he had sworne it away, before euer he saw those Pancakes, or that Mustard
Cel. Prethee, who is't that thou means't? Clo. One that old Fredericke your Father loues
Ros. My Fathers loue is enough to honor him enough; speake no more of him, you'l be whipt for taxation one of these daies
Clo. The more pittie that fooles may not speak wisely, what Wisemen do foolishly
Cel. By my troth thou saiest true: For, since the little wit that fooles haue was silenced, the little foolerie that wise men haue makes a great shew; Heere comes Monsieur the Beu. Enter le Beau.
Ros. With his mouth full of newes
Cel. Which he will put on vs, as Pigeons feed their young
Ros. Then shal we be newes-cram'd
Cel. All the better: we shalbe the more Marketable. Boon-iour Monsieur le Beu, what's the newes? Le Beu. Faire Princesse, you haue lost much good sport
Cel. Sport: of what colour? Le Beu. What colour Madame? How shall I aunswer you? Ros. As wit and fortune will
Clo. Or as the destinies decrees
Cel. Well said, that was laid on with a trowell
Clo. Nay, if I keepe not my ranke
Ros. Thou loosest thy old smell
Le Beu. You amaze me Ladies: I would haue told you of good wrastling, which you haue lost the sight of
Ros. Yet tell vs the manner of the Wrastling
Le Beu. I wil tell you the beginning: and if it please your Ladiships, you may see the end, for the best is yet to doe, and heere where you are, they are comming to performe it
Cel. Well, the beginning that is dead and buried
Le Beu. There comes an old man, and his three sons
Cel. I could match this beginning with an old tale
Le Beu. Three proper yong men, of excellent growth and presence
Ros. With bils on their neckes: Be it knowne vnto all men by these presents
Le Beu. The eldest of the three, wrastled with Charles the Dukes Wrastler, which Charles in a moment threw him, and broke three of his ribbes, that there is little hope of life in him: So he seru'd the second, and so the third: yonder they lie, the poore old man their Father, making such pittiful dole ouer them, that all the beholders take his part with weeping
Ros. Alas
Clo. But what is the sport Monsieur, that the Ladies haue lost? Le Beu. Why this that I speake of
Clo. Thus men may grow wiser euery day. It is the first time that euer I heard breaking of ribbes was sport for Ladies
Cel. Or I, I promise thee