ne'er a shoe, had rather go barefoot than buy cloutleather to mend the old, when they can buy no new; for they have time enough to mend all, they sit so long between the cup and the wall. Well, God amend them! God amend them! Let me see, by my executor here, my leather pouch, what I have taken, what I have spent, what I have gained, what I have lost, and what I have laid out. My taking is more than my spending, for here's store left. I have spent but a groat; a penny for my two jades, a penny to the poor, a penny pot of ale, and a penny cake for my man and me, a dicker of cowhides cost me.

Enter the Queen and Duchess with their riding rods,

unpinning their masks. Hobs goes forward.

'Snails, who comes here? Mistress Ferris, or Mistress What call ye her? Put up, John Hobs: money tempts beauty.

Duch. Well met, good fellow: saw'st thou not the hart? Hobs. My heart? God bless me from seeing my heart. Duch. Thy heart? the deer, man; we demand the deer. Hobs. Do you demand what's dear? Marry, corn and cow-hides. Mass, a good snug lass, well like my daughter Nell. I had rather than a bend of leather she and I might smouch together.

Duch. Cam'st thou not down the wood?

Hobs. Yes, mistress; that I did.

Duch. And sawest thou not the deer imbost?

Hobs. By my hood, ye make me laugh. What the dickens? is it love that makes ye prate to me so fondly? By my father's soul, I would I had job'd faces with you. Hunts. Why, how now, Hobs? so saucy with the Duchess and the Queen?

Hobs. Much Queen, I trow! these be but women: and one of them is like my wench. I would she had her

rags. I would give a load of hair and horns, and a fat of leather, to match her to some justice, by the meg. holly. Hunts. Be silent, Tanner, and ask pardon of the Queen.

Hobs. And ye be the Queen, I cry ye mercy, good MistressQueen.

Queen. No fault, my friend. Madam, let's take our bows, And in the standing seek to get a shoot.

Duch. Come, bend our bows, and bring the herd of [Exeunt.

deer.

Hobs, (solus.) God send ye good standing, and good striking, and fat flesh! See, if all gentlewomen be not alike when their black faces be on! I took the queen, as I am a true tanner, for mistress Ferris.

Enter Sellinger and Howard (in green).

Soft, who comes here? more knaves yet?

Sel. Ho, good fellow! sawest thou not the King? Hobs. No, good fellow! I saw no king. Which king dost thou ask for?

How. Why, King Edward. What king is there else? Hobs. There's another king, and ye could hit on him; one Harry, one Harry; and, by our Lady, they say he's the honester man of the two.

Sel. Sirrah, beware you speak not treason.

Hobs. What, if I do?

Sel. Then shalt thou be hanged.

Hobs. A dog's death: I'll not meddle with it; for, by my troth, I know not when I speak treason, when I do not. There's such halting betwixt two kings, that a man cannot go upright, but he shall offend t'one of them. I would God had them both, for me.

How. Well, thou sawest not the King.
Hobs. No; is he in the country?

How. He's hunting here, at Drayton Basset.

Hobs. The devil he is? God bless his mastership! I saw a woman here, that they said was the Queen. She's as like my daughter, but my daughter is the fairer, as ever I see.

Sel. Farewell, fellow; speak well of the King.

[Exeunt.

Hobs. (Solus.) God make him an honest man! I hope that's well spoken; for, by the mouse-foot, some give him hard words, whether he 'zerves 'em not. Let him look to that. I'll meddle of my cow-hide, and let the world slide.

Enter the King, disguised.

The devil in a dung-cart! How these roysters swarm in the country, now the King is so near! God 'liver me from this; for this looks like a thief; but a man cannot tell amongst these court-nols who's true.

King. Holla, my friend! good fellow, prithee, stay. Hobs. No such matter. I have more haste of my way. King. If thou be a good fellow, let me borrow a word. Hobs. My purse, thou meanest. I am no good fellow; and I pray God thou beest not one.

King. Why? dost thou not love a good fellow?
Hobs. No: good fellows be thieves.

King. Dost thou think I am one?

Hobs. Thought is free; and thou art not my ghostly father.

King. I mean thee no harm.

Hobs. Who knows that but thyself? I pray God he spy not my purse.

King. On my troth, I mean thee none.

Hobs. Upon thy oath, I'll stay. Now, what sayest thou to me? speak quickly; for my company stays for me beneath, at the next style.

King. The king is hunting hereabouts. Didst thou see his Majesty?

Hobs. His majesty? what's that? his horse or his mare?

King. Tush! I mean his Grace?

Hobs. Grace, quotha? pray God he have any! Which king dost thou 'quire for?

King. Why, for King Edward. Knowest thou any more kings than one?

Hobs. I know not so many; for I tell thee I know none. Marry, I hear of King Edward.

King. Didst thou see his Highness?

Hobs. By my holidame, that's the best term thou gavest him yet: he's high enough; but he has put poor King Harry low enough.

King. How low hath he put him?

Hobs. Nay, I cannot tell; but he has put him down, for he has got the crown; much good do't him with it. King. Amen. I like thy talk so well, I would I knew thy name.

Hobs. Dost thou not know me?

King. No.

Hobs. Then thou knowest nobody. Didst never hear of John Hobs, the tanner of Tamworth?

King. Not till now, I promise thee; but now I like thee well.

Hobs. So do not I thee. I fear thou art some outrider, that lives by taking of purses here, on Basset's Heath. But I fear thee not, for I have wared all my money in cowhides at Coleshill Market, and my man and my mare are hard by at the hill-foot.

King. Is that thy gray mare, that's tied at the style, with the hides on her back?

Hobs. That's Brock, my mare; and there's Dun, my nag, and Dudgeon, my man.

King. There's neither man nor horse; but only one

mare.

Hobs. God's blue budkin! has the knave served me so? Farewell! I may lose hides, horns, and mare and all, by prating with thee.

King. Tarry, man, tarry! they'll sooner take my gelding than thy gray mare; for I have tied mine by her. Hobs. That will I see, afore I'll take your word.

King. I'll bear thee company.

Hobs. I had as lieve

go

alone.

[Exeunt.

Re-enter the two Huntsmen, with the Bows.

First Hunts. Now, on my troth, the Queen shoots pass

ing well.

Sec. Hunts. So did the Duchess, when she was as young. First Hunts. Age shakes the hand, and shoots both wide and short.

Sec. Hunts. What have they given us?

First Hunts. Six rose-nobles just.

Sec. Hunts. The Queen gave four.

First Hunts. True; and the Duchess twain.

Sec. Hunts. Oh, were we ever so paid for our pain! First Hunts. Tut! had the King come, as they said he would,

He would have rain'd upon us show'rs of gold.

Sec. Hunts. Why, he is hunting somewhere hereabout. Let's first go drink and then go seek him out. [Exeunt.

Re-enter the King and Hobs.

King. Hay say'st thou, tanner? wilt thou take my courser for thy mare?

Hobs. Courser, call'st thou him? So ill mought I fare, thy skittish jade will never abide to carry my leather, my horns, nor hide. But, if I were so mad to scorce, what boot would'st thou give me?

King. Nay, boot that's boot worthy. I look for boot

of thee.