VVorke for cutlers. Or, A merry dialogue betweene sword, rapier, and dagger. Acted in a shew in the famous Vniuersitie of Cambridge.

WORKE FOR Cutlers: or, a merry Dialogue betweene

• ...Sword,
• ...Rapier,
• ...and Dagger.

Enter Sword.

Sword.

NAy Rapier, come foorth, come forth I say, Ile giue thee a crowne, though it be but a crackt one: what wilt not? art so hard to be drawne forth Rapier?

Enter Rapier.

Rapier.

S'foot thou shalt know that Rapier dares enter: nay Backe-Sword.

Enter Dagger, he holds Rapiers hands behinde him.

Rapier.

Whose this behinde me?

Dagger.

Tis Dagger sir; what will you neuer leaue your quarrelling?

Rapier.

Well Sword, Dagger hath defen∣ded you a good many times; but tis no mat∣ter, another time shall serue: shall I get you out Sword alone, that I may haue you Single-sword.

Sword.

Yes if youle be single Rapier too.

Dag.

Nay Sword, put the Case of Rapiers aside, that there were two of them, I hope you were able to buckle with them.

Sword.

Ile tell you what, if I goe into the Field with him, hang Sword vp if I doe not cut Rapiers poynts, and lash him when I haue done: nay, you shall finde Sword mettle to the very backe: 'sfoot, my teeth be an edge at him.

Dag.

If you offer but to thrust towards

him Rapier, Ile strike you downe.

Sword.

Hang him, I defie him base Spa∣niard.

Rap.

Defie me? sirrha Sword, Rapier spits i'thy face: dar'st meete mee i'the fields, cra∣uenly Capon?

Sword.

Capon?

Rapier.

I Capon, so I say sir.

Dagg.

Why any man may see that thou art well caru'd Sword; and yet mee thinks that Rapier should not speake of that, for it's an hundred to one if he be not gilt too.

Sword.

Well Rapier, if thou goest into the fields with me, Ile make a Capon of you before I haue done with you, you shall nere come home vncut Ile warrant you.

Dagger.

Nay, you shall finde Sword a notable Cutter.

Rapier.

He a Cutter? alas he nere went into the fields yet, but he was soundly hackt before he came out

Sword.

Nere talke you of hacking, for it's a hundred to one if you haue not the Foyle-Rapier.

Rapier.

'Sfoot if you be so Short-Sword, Rapier nere feares you: come a long.

Dagger.

Nay nere goe, for if you doe,

Ile sende one after you, which shall scowre you both. The Cutler can doe it. I haue seene him handle you both brauely.

Sword.

The Cutler, Alas wee are the best Friends hee has, and if it were not for vs, the Cutler might soone shut vp his shoppe.

Dagger.

Alas Sword, you need not talke of his shutting vp of Shoppe, and if it had not beene for him, you had broken by this time Sword, Nay, nere talke: For you know hee can holde your nose to the Grind-stone, when hee list.

And as for you Rapier, you knowe hee brought you vp first, and if you had stayed with him still, it might haue bene better for you.

Rapier.

Better for mee? Alas hee knewe not how to vse mee.

Dagger.

Hee vsde you too well indeede: for when you were with him he furnisht you with Siler and euery thing, but now you are worne out of all fashion. You are euen like a Lapwing, you are no sooner Hatcht Ra∣pier, but you runne abroade presently from him.

Rapier.

Yet I scorne to runne away from him.

Sword.

But it were more wisedome then to stand: For the Cutler is a man as well Ar∣med as any man I knowe, and has as good skill ins weapons.

Rapier.

Ha Sworde, is the winde in that Doore? Faith nowe I see which waye you stand bent Sworde, you had rather sleepe in a whole skinne, then goe into the Fields to trye your selfe.

Sword.

Syr, Sword has bene proou'd be∣fore now, and yet heele prooue himselfe a∣gaine with you, if you dare follow him.

Dagger.

Doe you heare Sworde? If you goe, looke for Dagger at your backs present∣lie; For I am a Iustice of Peace, and am sworne to keepe and defend the Peace.

Rapier.

Syr, wee will fight, and doe you take it in Dudgeon Dagger if you please: if you once offer to hinder vs, Ile so Pummell you Dagger, that you were neuer better Pummeld in your life; And howsoeuer, I hope theres Lawe against you as well as o∣thers, and Rapier can put vp a Case against you.

Dagger.

Alas I care not if you were both Plaintifes against mee, you shall finde Dag∣ger your Defendant Ile warrant you:

I, and if neede bee, I could put vp an Action of Batterie against you.

Sword.

What talke you of Law? Sword scornes to haue any other Law then Martiall law, and that vpon you Rapier.

Dagger.

Away Sworde, the Time was in∣deed when thou wast a notable Swash-buck∣ler, but now thou art growne olde Sword.

Rapier.

I, you doe well, to excuse his Cowardise.

Sword.

Why Sir, tis well knowne that Sword has flourisht in his dayes.

Dagger.

Flourisht? yfaith Syr I, I haue seene Sword hang with nothing but Scarffes ere now.

Rapier.

With Scarffes? with a Halter, if he had beene well seru'de, For hees a nota∣ble Theefe.

Dagger.

A Theefe?

Rapier.

I, a Thiefe. Did you nere heare of Cutting-Dicke, this is the very same man.

Dagger.

Nay Rapier, nere hit Sword ith teeth with that: for you know you were both Indited for treason before now, and were in danger to be hangd, and drawn too, and had escapt well if you had not bene quarterd.

Sword.

I hope knows how to keep his quarters

Dagger.

You are a craftie Foxe Sword: It

were well if you knewe howe to keepe your friendship too, for Gentlemen and Friendes should not fall out.

Sword.

Rapier a Gentleman?

Rap.

A Gentleman? and has Armes.

Dag.

But mee thinkes Sworde by the very sounding of his Name should bee the better Gentleman, and has the better Armes too: for if the truth were well knowne, Rapier hath but one arme.

Rapier.

Sword beare Armes? Hees a base companion. Alas I haue knowne you beare a Basket Sword.

Dag.

If you looke ith booke of Armorie, Ile warrant you, you shall finde Sworde of more antiquitie then you Rapier: Hee deriues his Pedigree from Morglay, Beuis of South-hamp∣tons sword; and that from S. George his sword, that killd the Draggon.

Rapier.

I, the draggon in Sussex, the other day: But Ile warrant you Rapiers of as good a blood as hee for his hart.

Dag.

Byth masse, I thinke indeed, you are both wel sanguind. Your both of one blood, only thers this difference, that sword coms of the elder brother, & you Rapier of the yōger.

Rapier.

And oftentimes the younger bro∣ther prooues the better Souldier.

Dagger.

Nay, Dagger will defende you both for good Souldiers.

Sworde.

Rapier a Souldier? When did you ere knowe Rapier fight a Battell?

Dagger.

Yes Rapier is a Souldier, and a Man as well Armed at all poyntes as anie one.

Sword.

No, no, its Sworde that's the no∣table Souldier; Why, theres none of all you Captaines could doe anie thing in Warre without him.

Rapier.

I hope Rapier hath not beene at Fencing-Schoole all this while for nothing.

Dagger.

Alas there's none Maister of De∣fence but Dagger: But yet if you speake of Souldiers, the'rs Bow, Bill, and Gunne, worth twenty such as wee are.

Rapier.

Indeed they say that Bow has bin an olde Souldier.

Sword.

Yet hees not fit for a Souldier, any man may bende him as hee list.

Rapier.

And as for Bow-string, I dare vn∣dertake to whip him my selfe.

Sword.

Then let mee alone to tickle Bowes ownes nocke yfaith.

Dagger.

But what say you to Bill? hees a notable sturdy villaine.

Sword.

Bill, Ile pay him soundly, if ere I reach him.

Dagger.

Its more then you can doe, Ime affraide; For Bill's a Tall-fellow ons hands, and will quickly be Wood: and then theres Gunne, such another Bouncing-fellow too.

Rapier.

Gunne, Alas hees No-body: any little Boy will make him roare.

I haue made him goe off 'oth Fieldes, a good many times my selfe.

Dagger.

Well, is Gunne No-bodie? Ime sure heel giue some blowes sometimes.

Sword.

Its' nere but when Powder ouer∣charges him, then indeed heel be somewhat hote oth matter.

Rapier.

I think that Powder is a vile brag∣ger, he doth nothing but cracke.

Dagger.

Faith I knowe not what Souldi∣er hee is, but they say, Hees an excellent pol∣litician.

Rapier,

Hee a Pollitician?

Dagger.

Why, hee has an excellent wit?

Sword,

Pish, Its nothing but a flash.

Dagger.

Ime sure I can remember since he was a Parlement-man.

Rapier.

Hee a Parlement-man: For what Shyre?

Dag.

Nay ber-lady, it was for the whole Countrey.

Sword.

I wonder they should chuse him: Why he does euery thing on the sudden.

Dag.

Oh he plottes shrevvdly. If they had not look't too it, Hee had vndermined the vvhole parlement-house.

Sword.

I but hees No-body now-adayes, Hees blovvne vp long agoe.

Dagger.

Well, if eyther you, or any body else shuld meete with Povvder, yet its a hun∣dred to one, if he meete not vvith his match.

Rapier.

Nay, you should let him alone Dagger, and you should see that Swords' as notable a bragger as Povvder. He thinks hee shall nere be matcht too: but hee shall, and ouer-matcht too, by Rapier; I vvarrant him. Come Sworde, after your long Parley, Dare you goe into the Fieldes?

Sword.

Dare I? You shall soone see that: Goe, and Ile follovv you.

Dag.

Well saide, desperate Dicke. Sword, You may be asham'd to offer it. You knovve you are tvvo-handed-Sworde, and Rapier has but one hand (vnlesse I helpe him) to do any good vvithall, and yet youde haue him go in∣to the Fieldes vvith you. Come, theres ney∣ther of you shall goe. Doe not you knovve

that Duells are put downe?

Youle bee bound to'th Peace euer heere-after, if you strike but one stroke. Therefore you had best let me decide your controuersie for you.

Sword.

Why, you are a backe-Friend to vs both Dagger.

Dagger.

Nay, you knowe Ime equally al∣lyed to you both, and therefore shall proue an impartiall Iudge: How say you, will you be rulde by me?

Rapier.

Nay let him choose, Rapiers at a good poynt, whether he will or no.

Dagger.

Why are are you so long Sword before you speake?

Sworde.

Are duells put downe? Then I am forc'de to be Friends: Speake then.

Dagger.

Then in briefe it shall bee thus. Sworde, you shall beare Chiefe force ith Campe, and be made Generall of the Field, to beare sway euery where. As for you Ra∣pier, since Duells are put downe, you shall liue quietly and peaceablie heere 'ith Court, and goe euery day in Veluet: You shall be Frendes with euerie one, and bee on euery ones side, that if occasion serue, and Sworde be absent, so that matters are driuē to a push,

Rapier shall be the onely man to performe a Combate: And I my selfe will backe you both, as occasion shall serue.

How say yee, are yee content?

Rapier.

Wee are.

Dagger.

Then goe before to my House, to the Dagger in Cheape: and there weele conclude all.

Rapier.

A Long-Sword.

Exeunt, Sworde and Rapier.

Dagger.

Our weapons drawne, and yet no hurt yee finde, Did Dagger then defend vnto your minde? Hee that defended others not long sence, At last hee dares not stand ins owne defence; But this hee hopes, with you it will suffize, To craue a pardon for a Schollers Prize.

FINIS.