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Fly, varlet! quick! I bid you fly

Forthwith, unless you long to die,

The devil ’tis that brings you here,

The fiend accurst, the ravisher,

In this base robbery fain would he

Take part, I doubt not, readily.

Although no saint afford me aid,

God help me! be you well afraid

O vassal, lest I break your head.

Then Fear and Shame together sped

Towards me when they heard him cry

“Fly! fly! thou varlet,” lustily.

Ah! had he merely used his tongue!

But he the devil brought among

Us there, and drove the saints away;

What tricks the treacherous wretch doth play!

And then, fulfilled of rage, the three,

With one accord fell foul of me,

Thrusting my hands behind my back.

Cried they, “Of more you needs must lack

Than what you have already won.

’Tis plain by what you now have done

That you Fair-Welcome understood

But ill when he would work you good.

His all he lightly offered you

With heart, kind, generous, frank, and true,

And you with utter disregard

Of honesty his goods had shared

Beyond the sense in which ’twas meant.

For, though unspoken, the intent