Act I - Page 2

of Swedish hawks,
A leash of greyhounds in my left?--

GERARD. --With Hugh
The logman for supporter, in his right
The bill-hook, in his left the brushwood-shears!

THIRD RETAINER. Out on you, crab! What next, what next? The Earl!

FIRST RETAINER. Oh Walter, groom, our horses, do they match
The Earl's? Alas, that first pair of the six--
They paw the ground--Ah Walter! and that brute
Just on his haunches by the wheel!

SIXTH RETAINER. Ay--ay!
You, Philip, are a special hand, I hear,
At soups and sauces: what's a horse to you?
D'ye mark that beast they've slid into the midst
So cunningly?--then, Philip, mark this further;
No leg has he to stand on!

FIRST RETAINER. No? that's comfort.

SECOND RETAINER. Peace, Cook! The Earl descends. Well, Gerard, see
The Earl at least! Come, there's a proper man,
I hope! Why, Ralph, no falcon, Pole or Swede,
Has got a starrier eye.

THIRD RETAINER. His eyes are blue:
But leave my hawks alone!

FOURTH RETAINER. So young, and yet
So tall and shapely!

FIFTH RETAINER. Here's Lord Tresham's self!
There now--there's what a nobleman should be!
He's older, graver, loftier, he's more like
A House's head.

SECOND RETAINER. But you'd not have a boy
--And what's the Earl beside?--possess too soon
That stateliness?

FIRST RETAINER. Our master takes his hand--
Richard and his white staff are on the move--
Back fall our people--(tsh!--there's Timothy
Sure to get tangled in his ribbon-ties,
And Peter's cursed rosette's a-coming off!)
--At last I see our lord's back and his friend's;
And the whole beautiful bright company
Close round them--in they go!
[Jumping down from the window-bench, and making for
the table and its jugs.]
Good health, long life,
Great joy to our Lord Tresham and his House!

SIXTH RETAINER. My father drove his father first to court,
After his marriage-day--ay, did he!

SECOND RETAINER. God bless
Lord Tresham, Lady Mildred, and the Earl!
Here, Gerard, reach your beaker!

GERARD. Drink, my boys!
Don't mind me--all's not right about me--drink!

SECOND RETAINER [aside].
He's vexed, now, that he let the show escape!
[To GERARD.]
Remember that the Earl returns this way.

GERARD. That way?

SECOND RETAINER. Just so.

GERARD. Then my way's here.
[Goes.]

SECOND RETAINER. Old Gerard
Will die soon--mind, I said it! He was used
To care about the pitifullest thing
That touched the House's honour, not an eye
But his could see wherein: and on a cause
Of scarce a quarter this importance, Gerard
Fairly had fretted flesh and bone away
In cares that this was