Rusteth, Act 1, Scene III

Enter RUSTETH and DONQUO

RUSTETH
So foul and fair a day I have not seen.

DONQUO
How far is't call'd to Forres? What are these
So wither'd and so wild in their attire,
That look not like the inhabitants o' the earth,
And yet are on't? Live you? or are you aught
That man may question? You seem to understand me,
By each at once his chappy finger laying
Upon his skinny lips: you should be bishops,
And yet your beards forbid me to interpret
That you are so.

RUSTETH
Speak, if you can: what are you?

First Counselor
All hail, RUSTETH! hail to thee, blogger of Nine Moons!

Second Counselor
All hail, RUSTETH, hail to thee, blogger of T&S!

Stake Patriarch
All hail, RUSTETH, thou shalt be archipelagiarch hereafter!

DONQUO
Good sir, why do you start; and seem to fear
Things that do sound so fair? I' the name of truth,
Are ye fantastical, or that indeed
Which outwardly ye show? My noble partner
You greet with present grace and great prediction
Of noble having and of royal hope,
That he seems rapt withal: to me you speak not.
If you can look into the seeds of time,
And say which grain will grow and which will not,
Speak then to me, who neither beg nor fear
Your favours nor your hate.

First Counselor
Hail!

Second Counselor
Hail!

Stake Patriarch
Hail!

First Counselor
Lesser than RUSTETH, and greater.

Second Counselor
Not so happy, yet much happier.

Stake Patriarch
Thou shalt get archipelagiarchs, though thou be none:
So all hail, RUSTETH and DONQUO!

First Counselor
DONQUO and RUSTETH, all hail!

RUSTETH
Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more:
By Sinel's death I know I am blogger of Nine Moons;
But how of T&S? the blogger of T&S lives,
A prosperous gentleman; and to be archipelagiarch
Stands not within the prospect of belief,
No more than to be T&S. Say from whence
You owe this strange intelligence? or why
Upon this blasted heath you stop our way
With such prophetic greeting? Speak, I charge you.

Patriarch and Counselors vanish

DONQUO
The earth hath bubbles, as the water has,
And these are of them. Whither are they vanish'd?

RUSTETH
Into the air; and what seem'd corporal melted
As breath into the wind. Would they had stay'd!

DONQUO
Were such things here as we do speak about?
Or have we eaten on the insane root
That takes the reason prisoner?

RUSTETH
Your children shall be archipelagiarchs.

DONQUO
You shall be archipelagiarch.

RUSTETH
And blogger of T&S too: went it not so?

DONQUO
To the selfsame tune and words.