M. Mery. Ah that ye would in a letter shew such despite.

R. Royster. Oh I would I had hym here, the which did it endite.
In the next scene he has brought before him the Scrivener " the which did it endite," and hotly rebukes him :
R. Royster. All the stocke thou comest of later or rather From thy fyrst father's grandfather's father's father. Nor all that shall come of thee to the worldes ende. Though to three score generations they descende. Can be able to make me a just recompense, P'or this trespasse of thine and this one offense.
The Scrivener is greatly astonished and will know what is the matter.
R. Royster. I say the letter thou madest me was not good.
Scrivener. Then did ye wrong copy it of likelihood.
R. Royster. Yes, out of the copy worde for worde I wrote.
1 62 SHAKSPERE AND HIS FORERUNNERS
The Scrivener now conjectures that " in reading and point- yng there was made some faulte," and to prove it pro- duces the original ; adding to Royster Doyster's embarrass- ment thereby, for that gentleman had bragged very loudly at sending the letter that it was written by himself. " Howe saye you," says the Scrivener, " is this mine originallorno?"
R. Royster. The selfe same that I wrote out of, so mote I
go. Scrivener, Locke you on your owne fist, and I will looke on this. And let this man be judge whether I read amisse.
Upon the Scrivener's reading, the letter sounds beautiful and very tender, the trick being in the punctuation, as you will easily perceive from a little study of the text and breaking up of the lines. But Royster returns to the pursuit. In the fourth act we find him standing by while his factotum pleads for him.
Will ye take him ? " says Merygreeke. I defie him," says Custance. " Waste no more wynde, for it will never bee."
But Merygreeke will waste " wynde."
Gentle mistresse Custance now [says he], good mistresse
Custance, Honey mistresse Custance now, sweetc mistresse Custance, Golden mistresse Custance now, white mistresse Custance, Silken mistresse Custance now, faire mistresse Custance.