Worke for cutlers

WORKE FOR 
CVTLERS. 

OR, 

A MERRY DIA- 
LOGVE BETWEENE 

Sword, 
Rapier, 

and 
Dagger. 

Acted in a Shew in the famous 
Vniuerjitie of Cambridge. 




LONDON 

Printed by Thomas Creede, for Richard 

Meighen and Thomas lones; and are to 

be sold at S. Clements Church without 

Temple-barre. 1615. 



WORKE FOR 

CVTLERS : or, a merry Dialogue 
betweene 



Swordy \ 
Rapier, f 
and C 
<■ Dagger. / 




Enter Sword, 

Sword. 

Ay Rapier, come foorth, 
come forth I say, He giue 
thee a crowne, though its 
be but a crackt one : what 
wilt not? art fo hard to 
be drawne forth Rapier? 
Enter 



38 Worke for Cutlers 

Enter Rapier. 

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

Enter Dagger, he holds Rapiers 
hands hehinde him. 

Rapier. Whofe this behinde me? 

Dagger. Tis Dagger fir; 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 fhall seme : fhall I get 
20 you out Sword alone, that I may haue you 
Single-fword. 

Sword. Yes if youle be fingle Rapier too. 

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

Sword. He tell you what, if I goe into the 
Field with him, hang Sword vp if I doe not 
cut Rapiers poynts, and lafh him when I haue 
done : nay, you fhall finde Sword mettle to 
30 the very backe : 's foot, my teeth be an edge 
at him. 

Dag. If you ofFer but to thruft towards 

him 



Worke for Cutlers 39 

him Rapier, He ftrike you downe. 

Sword. Hang him, I defie him bafe Spa- 
niard. 

Rap. Defie me ? firrha Sword, Rapier fpits 
i' thy face : dar'ft meete mee i' the fields, cra- 
uenly Capon ? 

Sword. Capon ? 

Rapier. I Capon, fo I fay fir. 40 

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

Sword. Well Rapier, if thou goeft into 
the fields with me, He make a Capon of you 
before I haue done with you, you fhall nere 
come home vncut He warrant you. 

Dagger. Nay, you fhall finde Sword a 
notable Cutter. 50 

Rapier. He a Cutter ? alas he nere went 
into the fields yet,' but he was foundly 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. 'S foot if you be fo Short-Sword, 
Rapier nere feares you : come a long. 

Dagger. Nay nere goe, for if you doe, 

He 



40 Worke for Cutlers 

60 He fende one after you, which fhall fcowre 
you both. The Cutler can doe it. I haue feene 
him handle you both brauely. 

Sword. The Cutler^ Alas wee are the beft 
Friends hee has, and if it were not for vs, 
the Cutler might foone fhut vp his fhoppe. 

Dagger. Alas Sword, you need not talke 
of his fhutting vp of Shoppe, and if it had 
not beene for him, you had broken by this 
time Sword, Nay, nere talke : For you know 
70 hee can holde your nofe to the Grind-ftone, 
when hee lift. 

And as for you Rapier, you knowe hee 
brought you vp firft, and if you had ftayed 
with him ftill, it might haue bene better for 
you. 

Rapier. Better for mee ? Alas hee knewe 
not how to vfe mee. 

Dagger. Hee vfde you too well indeede : 
for when you were with him he furnifht you 
80 with Siler and euery thing, but now you are 
worne out of all fafhion. You are euen like 
a Lapwing, you are no fooner Hatcht Ra- 
pier, but you runne abroade prefently from 
him. 

Rapier. Yet I fcorne to runne away from 
him. 

Sword. 



Worke for Cutlers 4 1 

Sword. But it were more wifedome then 
to ftand : For the Cutler is a man as well Ar- 
med as any man I knowe, and has as good 
skill ins weapons. 90 

Rapier. Ha Sworde, is the winde in that 
Doore ? Faith nowe I fee which waye you 
ftand bent Sworde, you had rather fleepe 
in a whole skinne, then goe into the Fields 
to trye your felfe. 

Sword. Syr, Sword has been proou'd be- 
fore now, and yet heele prooue himfelfe a- 
gaine with you, if you dare follow him. 

Dagger. Doe you heare Sworde ? If you 
goe, looke for Dagger at your backs prefent- 100 
lie ; For I am a luftice of Peace, and am 
fworne to keepe and defend the Peace. 

Rapier. Syr, wee will fight, and doe you 
take it in Dudgeon Dagger if you pleafe : if 
you once offer to hinder vs. He fo Pummell 
you Dagger, that you were neuer better 
Pummeld in your life ; And howfoeuer, 
I hope theres Lawe againft you as well as o- 
thers, and Rapier can put vp a Cafe againft 
you. no 

Dagger. Alas I care not if you were both 
Plaintifes againft mee, you fhall finde Dag- 
ger your Defendant He warrant you: 

I, and 



42 Worke for Cutlers 

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

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

Dagger. Away Sworde, the Time was in- 
120 deed when thou waft a notable Swafh-buck- 
ler, but now thou art growne olde Sword. 

Rapier. I, you doe well, to excufe his 
Cowardife. 

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

Dagger. Flourifht ? yfaith Syr I, I haue 
feene Sword hang with nothing but ScarfFes 
ere now. 

Rapier. With ScarfFes ? with a Halter, if 
130 he had beene well feru'de. For hees a nota- 
ble Theefe. Dagger. A Theefe ? 

Rapier. I, a Thiefe. 

Did you nere heare of Cutting-Dicie, this is 
the very fame man. 

Dagger. Nay Rapier, nere hit Sword ith 
teeth with that : for you know you were both 
Indited for treafon before now, and were in 
danger to be hangd, and drawn too, and had 
efcapt well if you had not bene quarterd. 
140 Sword. I hope knows how to keep his quarters. 

Dagger. You are a craftie Foxe Sword: It 

were 



Worke for Cutlers 43 

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

Sword. Rapier a Gentleman ? 

Rap. A Gentleman ? and has Armes. 

Dag. But mee thinkes Sworde by the very 
founding of his Name fhould bee the better 
Gentleman, and has the better Armes too : 
for if the truth were well known e, Rapier hath 150 
but one arme. 

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

Dag. If you looke ith booke of Armorie., He 
warrant you, you fhall finde Sworde of more 
antiquitie then you Rapier: Hee deriues his 
Pedigree from Morglay^ Beuis of South-hamp- 
tons fword ; and that from S. George his fword, 
that killd the Draggon. 160 

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

Dag. Byth maffe, I thinke indeed, you are 
both we'll fanguind. Your both of one blood, 
only thers this difference, that fword coms of 
the elder brother, & you Rapier of the yoger. 

Rapier. And oftentimes the younger bro- 
ther prooues the better Souldier. 

Dag. 



44 Worke for Cutlers 

170 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 
180 without him. 

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

Dagger. Alas there's none Maifter of De- 
fence but Dagger: But yet if you fpeake of 
Souldiers, the'rs Bow, Bill, and Gunne, worth 
twenty fuch as wee are. 

Rapier. Indeed they fay that Bow has bin 
an olde Souldier. 

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

Rapier, And as for Bow-ftring, I dare vn- 
dertake to whip him my felfe. 

Sword. Then let mee alone to tickle Bowes 
ownes nocke yfaith. 

Dagger. But what fay you to BillP hees a 
notable fturdy villai'ne. 

Sword. 



Worke for Cutlers 45 

Sword. Bill, He pay him foundly, if ere 
I reach him. 

Dagger. Its more then you can doe, Ime 
afFraide ; For Bill's a Tall-fellow ons hands, 200 
and will quickly be Wood : and then theres 
Gunne, fuch 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 felfe. 

Dagger. Well, is Gunne No-bodie ? Ime 
fure heel giue fome blowes fometimes. 

Sword. Its' nere but when Powder ouer- 
charges him, then indeed heel be fomewhat 210 
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 fay, Hees an excellent pol- 
litician. 

Rapier, Hee a PoUitician ? 

Dagger. Why, hee has an excellent wit? 

Sword. Pifh, Its nothing but a flafh. 

Dagger. Ime fure I can remember fince 220 
he was a Parlement-man. 

Rapier. Hee a Parlement-man : For what 
Shyre ? 

Dag. 



46 Worke for Cutlers 

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

Sword. I wonder they fhould chufe him : 
Why he does euery thing on the fudden. 

Dag. Oh he plottes fhrevvdly. If they had 
not look't too it, Hee had vndermined the 
230 whole parlement-houfe. 

Sword. I but hees No-body now-»dayes, 
Hees blovvne vp long agoe. 

Dagger. Well, if eyther you, or any body 
elfe fhuld meete with Powder, yet its a hun- 
dred to one, if he meete not with his match. 

Rapier. Nay, you fhould let him alone 
Dagger, and you fhould fee that Swords' as 
notable a bragger as Powder. He thinks hee 
fhall nere be matcht too : but hee fhall, and 
240 ouer-matcht too, by Rapier ; I warrant him. 
Come Sworde, after your long Parley, Dare 
you goe into the Fieldes ? 

Sword. Dare I ? You fhall foone fee that : 
Goe, and He follow you. 

Dag. Well faide, defperate Dicke, Sword, 
You may be afham'd to offer it. You knowe 
you are t\vo-Ya.nisA-Sworde, and Rapier has 
but one hand (vnleffe I helpe him) to do any 
good withall, and yet youde haue him go in- 
250 to the Fieldes with you. Come, theres ney- 
ther of you fhall goe. Doe not you knowe 

that 



Worke for Cutlers 47 

that Duells are put downe ? 

Youle bee bound to'th Peace euer heere- 
after, if you ftrike but one ftroke. Therefore 
you had beft let me decide your controuerfie 
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 fhall proue 260 
an impartiall ludge : How fay you, will you 
be rulde by me ? 

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

Dagger. Why are you fo long Sword 
before you fpeake ? 

Sworde. Are duells put downe ? Then 1 
am forc'de to be Friends : Speake then. 

Dagger. Then in briefe it fhall bee thus. 
Sworde, you fhall beare Chiefe force ith 270 
Campe, and be made Generall of the Field, 
to beare fway euery where. As for you Ra- 
pier , fince Duells are put downe, you fhall 
liue quietly and peacablie heere 'ith Court, 
and goe euery day in Veluet : You fhall be 
Frendes with euerie one, and bee on euery 
ones fide, that if occafion ferue, and Sworde 
be absent, fo that matters are driuS to a pufh. 

Rapier 



48 Worke for Cutlers 

Rapier fhall be the onely man to performe a 
280 Combate : And I my felfe will backe you 
both, as occafion fhall feme. 

How fay yee, are yee content ? 

Rapier. Wee are. 

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

Rapier. A Long-Sword. 

Exeunt^ Sworde and Rapier. 

Dagger. 

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



FINIS