Here entereth Will and Jack.
Will. I wonder what my master Aristippus means now-a-days,
That he leaveth philosophy, and seeks[34] to please
King Dionysius with such merry toys:
In Dionysius’ court now he only joys,
As trim a courtier as the best,
Ready to answer, quick in taunts, pleasant to jest;
A lusty companion to devise with fine dames,
Whose humour to feed his wily wit he frames.
Jack. By Cock, as you say, your master is a minion:
A foul coil he keeps in this court; Aristippus alone
Now rules the roost with his pleasant devices,
That I fear he will put out of conceit my master Carisophus.
Will. Fear not that, Jack; for, like brother and brother,
They are knit in true friendship the one with the other;
They are fellows, you know, and honest men both,
Therefore the one to hinder the other they will be loth.
Jack. Yea, but I have heard say there is falsehood in fellowship,
In the court sometimes one gives another finely the slip:
Which when it is spied, it is laugh’d out with a scoff,[35]
And with sporting and playing quickly[36] shaken off:
In which kind of toying thy master hath such a grace,
That he will never blush, he hath a wooden face.
But, Will, my master hath bees in his head,
If he find me here prating, I am but dead:
He is still trotting in the city, there is somewhat in the wind;
His looks bewray his inward troubled mind:
Therefore I will be packing to the court by and by;
If he be once angry, Jack shall cry, woe the pie!
Will. By’r Lady, if I tarry long here, of the same sauce shall I taste,
For my master sent me on an errand, and bad me make haste,
Therefore we will depart together.
[Exeunt.
Here entereth Stephano.
Stephano. Ofttimes I have heard, before I came hither,
That no man can serve two masters together;
A sentence so true, as most men do take it,
At any time false that no man can make it:
And yet by their leave, that first have it spoken,
How that may prove false, even here I will open:
For I, Stephano, lo, so named by my father,
At this time serve two masters together,
And love them alike: the one and the other
I duly obey, I can do no other.
A bondman I am, so nature hath wrought me,
One Damon of Greece, a gentleman, bought me.
To him I stand bound, yet serve I another,
Whom Damon my master loves as his own brother:
A gentleman too, and Pithias he is named,
Fraught with virtue, whom vice never defamed.
These two, since at school they fell acquainted,
In mutual friendship at no time have fainted.
But loved so kindly and friendly each other,
As though they were brothers by father and mother.
Pythagoras learning these two have embraced,
Which both are in virtue so narrowly laced,
That all their whole doings do fall to this issue,
To have no respect but only to virtue:
All one in effect, all one in their going,
All one in their study, all one in their doing.
These gentlemen both, being of one condition.
Both alike of my service have all the fruition:
Pithias is joyful, if Damon be pleased:
If Pithias is served, then Damon is eased.
Serve one, serve both (so near[37]), who would win them:
I think they have but one heart between them.
In travelling countries we three have contrived[38]
Full many a year, and this day arrived
At Syracuse in Sicilia, that ancient town,
Where my masters are lodged; and I up and down
Go seeking to learn what news here are walking,
To hark of what things the people are talking.
I like not this soil, for as I go plodding,
I mark there two, there three, their heads always nodding,
In close secret wise, still whispering together.
If I ask any question, no man doth answer:
But shaking their heads, they go their ways speaking;
I mark how with tears their wet eyes are leaking:
Some strangeness there is, that breedeth this musing.
Well, I will to my masters, and tell of their using,
That they may learn, and walk wisely together:
I fear we shall curse the time we came hither.
[Exit.
Here entereth Aristippus and Will.
Aristippus. Will, didst thou hear the ladies so talk of me?
What aileth them? from their nips[39] shall I never be free?
Will. Good faith, sir, all the ladies in the court do plainly report,
That without mention of them you can make no sport:
They are your plain-song to sing descant upon;[40]
If they were not, your mirth were gone.
Therefore, master, jest no more with women in any wise,
If you do, by Cock, you are like to know the price.
Aristippus. By’r Lady, Will, this is good counsel: plainly to jest
Of women, proof hath taught me is not the best:
I will change my copy, howbeit I care not a quinch,[41]
I know the gall’d horse will soonest winch:
But learn thou secretly how privily they talk
Of me in the court: among them slyly walk,
And bring me true news thereof.
Will. I will, sir master, thereof have no doubt, for I
Where they talk of you will inform you perfectly.
Aristippus. Do so, my boy: if thou bring it finely to pass,
For thy good service thou shalt