University of Virginia Library

Scene 2.

Host.
Lady. Prudence. Franke.
Your Ladiship, and all your traine are welcome.

Lad.
I thank my hearty host.

Host.
so is your souerainty,
Madame, I wish you ioy o'your new gowne.

Lad.
It should ha'bin, my host, but Stuffe, our Taylor
Has broke with vs, you shall be o'the counsell.

Pru.
He will deserue it, madame, my Lady has heard
You haue a pretty sonne, mine host, she'ld see him.

Lad.
I very faine, I pr'y thee let me see him, host.

Host.
Your Ladiship shall presently,
Bid Franke come hither, anone, vnto my Lady,
It is a bashfull child, homely brought vp,
In a rude hostelry. But the light Heart
Is his fathers, and it may be his.
Here he comes. Frank salute my Lady.

Fra.
I doe.
What, madame, I am desin'd to doe, by my birth right,
As heire of the light Heart, bid you most welcome.

Lad.
And I beleeue your most my prettie boy,
Being so emphased, by you.

Fra.
Your Ladiship,
If you beleeue it such, are sure to make it.

Lad.
Pretily answer'd! Is your name Francis?

Fra.
Yes madame.

Lad.
I loue mine own the better.

Fra.
If I knew yours,
I should make haste to doe so too, good madame.

Lad.
It is the same with yours.

F.
Mine then acknowledgeth
The lustre it receiues, by being nam'd, after.

Lad.
You will win vpon me in complement.

Fra.
By silence.

Lad.
A modest, and a faire well spoken-child.

Hos.
Her Ladiship, shall haue him, soueraigne Pru,
Or what I haue beside: diuide my heart,
Betweene you and your Lady. Make your vse of it:
My house is yours, my sonne is yours. Behold,
I tender him to your seruice; Franke, become
What these braue Ladies would ha' you. Only this,
There is a chare-woman i'the house, his nurse,
An Irish woman, I tooke in, a beggar,
That waits vpon him; a poore silly foole,
But an impertinent, and sedulous one,
As euer was: will vexe you on all occasions,
Neuer be off, or from you, but in her sleepe;
Or drinke which makes it. She doth loue him so,
Or rather doate on him. Now, for her, a shape,
As we may dresse her (and I'le helpe) to fit her,
With a tuft-taffata cloake, an old French hood,
And other pieces, heterogene enough.

Pru.
We ha' brought a standard of apparrell, down,
Because this Taylor sayld vs i'the maine.

Hos.
She shall aduance the game.

Pru.
About it then.
And send but Trundle, hither, the coachman, to me:

Hos.
I shall: But Pru, let Louel ha'faire quarter.

Pru.
The best.

Lad.
Our Host (me thinks) is very gamesome.

Pru.
How like you the boy?

Lad.
A miracle!

Pru.
Good Madame
But take him in, and sort a sute for him,
Ile giue our Trundle his instructions;
And wayt vpon your Ladiship, i'the instant.

Lad.
But Pru, what shall we call him, when we ha'drest him?

Pr.
My Lady-No-body, Any thing what you wil.

Lad.
Call him Lætitia, by my sisters name,
And so t'will minde our mirth too, we haue in hand.