Alone."—Whereon I sang this song:
Said the sorceress to the buccaneer,
"Good captain, in good sooth," said she,
"In the wink of an eye you shall have your dear,
For I will not ungrateful be.
But first select amongst your crew
Some comely page, all fresh and new,
Who, spite my years not a few,
Will say a kindly word or two.
And, for the bliss that I provide,
I'll take four sheep, each with its hide,
The jaw-bone of a whale, beside,
Chameleons of changing hue,
Some charm or cantrap magical,
Six asps, three skins of a jackal,
And the thinnest man in all your crew
To make a skeleton withal."
Surely the Guggligoy doth sell herself
More cheaply. Sooth to say, in her own skin
A living skeleton. But I conclude
From such procedure that this shaven-crowned
Corrupter of duennas and of soldiers
Is here for neither Charles nor Oliver,
But Frances.
Elespuru. By my faith, I'm more at sea
Than ever. What's the meaning of it all?
Giraff.I know not; but 'tis most original.
Gramadoch.Our Cromwell who conceives that everyone
Must to his sway submit, if well-advised,
Would borrow the sharp eyes of his four fools.
Suppose we warn him?
Giraff. What's that? warn him? we?
