 | The Chances |  |
Scæne 4.
Enter Petruchio, Don Iohn, and Fredrick.Iohn.
Sir, he is worth your knowledg; and a Gentleman
If I that so much love him, may commend him,
Of free and vertuous parts; and one, if foule play
Should fall upon us, for which feare I brought him,
Will not flie backe for phillips.
Pet.
Ye much honour me,
And once more I pronounce ye both mine.
Fred.
Stay, what Troope
Is that below i'th valley there?
Iohn.
Hawking I take ir.
Pet.
They are so; 'tis the Duke, 'tis even he Gentlemen,
Sirrah, draw backe the Horses till we call ye,
I know him by his company.
Fred.
I thinke too
He bends up this way.
Pet.
So he does.
Iohn.
Stand you still
Within that Covert till I call: you Fredrick,
By no meanes be not seen, unlesse they offer
To bring on odds upon us; he comes forward,
Here will I waite him fairely: to your Cabins.
Pet.
I need no more instruct ye?
Iohn.
Feare me not,
I'le give it him, and boldly.
Ex: Pet. and Fred.
Enter Duke and his faction.
Duke.
Feed the Hawkes up,
Wee'l flie no more to day: O my blest fortune,
Have I so fairely met the man!
Iohn.
Ye have Sir,
And him you know by this,
Duke.
Sir all the honour,
And love—
Iohn.
I do beseech your Grace stay there,
(For I know you too now) that love and honour
I come not to receive; nor can you give it,
Till ye appeare faire to the world; I must beseech ye
Dismisse your traine a little.
Duke.
Walke aside,
And out of hearing I command ye: Now Sir,
Iohn.
Last time we met, I was a friend.
Duke.
And Nobly
You did a friends office: let your businesse
Be what it may, you must be still—
Iohn.
Your pardon,
Never a friend to him, cannot be friend
To his own honour.
Duke.
In what have I transgress'd it?
Ye make a bold breach at the first Sir.
Iohn.
Bolder,
You made that breach that let in infamy
And ruine, to surprize a noble stocke.
Duke.
Be plaine Sir.
Iohn.
I will, and short;
Ye have wrong'd a Gentleman
Little behind your selfe, beyond all justice,
Beyond mediation of all friends.
Duke.
The man, and manner of wrong?
Iohn.
Petruchio,
The wrong, ye have whord his Sister.
Duke.
What's his will in't?
Iohn.
His will is to oppose you like a Gentleman,
And single, to decide all.
Duke.
Now stay you Sir,
And heare me with the like beliefe: this Gentleman
His Sister that you named, 'tis true I have long loved,
Nor was that love lascivious, as he makes it;
As true, I have enjoy'd her: no lesse truth
I have a child by her: But that she, or he,
Or any of that family are tainted
Suffer disgrace, or ruine, by my pleasures,
I weare a Sword to satisfie the world no,
And him in this cause when he please; for know Sir,
She is my wife, contracted before Heaven,
(Witnesse I owe more tye to, then her Brother)
Nor will I flye from that name, which long since
Had had the Churches approbation,
But for his jealous danger.
Iohn.
Sir, your pardon,
And all that was my anger, now my service.
Duke.
Faire sir, I knew I should convert ye; had we
But that rough man here now too—
Iohn.
And ye shall Sir
Whoa, hoa, hoo.
Duke.
I hope ye have laid no Ambush?
Enter Petru.
Iohn.
Only friends.
Duke.
My noble Brother welcome:
Come put your Anger off, we'l have no fighting,
Unlesse you will maintaine I am unworthy
To beare that name.
Pet.
Do you speake this hartely?
Duke.
upon my soule, and truly; the first Priest
Shall put you out of these doubts.
Pet.
Now I love ye;
And I beseech you pardon my suspitions,
You are now more then a Brother, a brave friend too.
14
The good man's over-joy'd
Enter Fred.
Fred.
How now, how goes it?
Iohn.
Why, the man 'has his mare agen, and all's well Fredrick,
The Duke professes freely, hee's her husband.
Fred.
'Tis a good hearing.
Iohn.
Yes, for modest Gentlemen.
I must present ye: may it please your Grace
To number this brave Gentleman, my friend
And noble kinsman, amongst those your servants.
Duke.
O my brave friend! you showre your bounties on me
Amongst my best thoughts Signior, in which number
You being worthily dispos'd already,
May place your friend to honour me.
Fred.
My love sir,
And where your Grace dares trust me, all my service.
Pet.
Why? this is wondrous happy: But now Brother,
Now comes the bitter to our sweet: Constantia.
Duke.
Why, what of her?
Pet.
Nor what, nor where, do I know?
Wing'd with her feares last night, beyond my knowledge,
She quit my house, but whether—
Fred.
Let not that—
Duke.
No more good Sir, I have heard too much.
Pet.
Nay sinke not,
She cannot be so lost.
Iohn.
Nor shall not Gentlemen;
Be free agen, the Ladie's found; that smile Sir,
Shewes ye distruct your Servant.
Duke.
I do beseech ye.
Iohn.
Ye shall beleeve me: by my soule she is safe.
Duke.
Heaven knows, I would beleeve Sir.
Fred.
Ye may safely.
Iohn.
And under noble usage: this faire Gentleman
Met her in all her doubts last night, and to his guard
(Her feares being strong upon her) she gave her person,
who waited on her, to our lodging; where all respect,
Civill and honest service now attend her.
Pet.
Ye may beleeve now.
Duke.
Yes, I do, and strongly:
Well my good friends, or rather my good Angels,
For ye have both preserved me; when these vertues
Dye in your friends remembrance—
Iohn.
Good your grace
Lose no more time in complement, 'tis too pretious,
I know it by my selfe, there can be no hell
To his that hangs upon his hopes; especially
In way of lustly pleasures.
Pet.
He has hit it.
Fred.
To horse againe then, for this night I'le crowne
With all the joyes ye wish for.
Pet.
Happy Gentlemen
Exeunt.
Enter Francisco.
Fran.
This is the maddest mischiefe: never foole
Was so fubd off, as I am; made ridiculous,
And to my selfe, mine owne Asse: trust a woman,
I'le trust the Devill first; for he dare be
Better then's word sometime: what faith have I broke?
In what observance failed? Let me consider,
(Enter Don Iohn, and Fred.
For this is monstrous usage.
Fred.
Let them talke,
Wee'll ride on faire and softly.
Fran.
Well Constantia,
Fred.
Constantia, what's this fellow? stay by all means.
Fran.
Ye have spun your selfe a faire thred now.
Fred.
Stand still Iohn.
Fran.
What cause had you to fly? what feare possest ye?
Were you not safely lodg'd from all suspition?
Us'd with all gentle meanes? did any know
How ye came thether, or what your sin was.
Fred.
Iohn.
I smell some juggling John.
John.
Yes, Fredrick, I feare it will be found so.
Fran.
So strangely,
Without the counsell of your friends; so desperatly
To put all dangers on ye?
Fred.
'Tis she.
Fran.
So deceitfully
After a strangers lure?
John.
Did ye marke that Fredrick?
Fran.
To make ye appeare more monster; and the Law
More cruell to reward ye? to leave all,
All that should be your safegard, to seeke evils?
Was this your wisedome? this your promise? well
He that incited ye—
Fred.
Marke that too.
John.
Yes Sir.
Fran.
'Had better have plough'd farther off; now Lady,
What will your last friend, he that should preserve ye,
And hold your credit up, the brave Antonio,
Thinke of this slip? he'll to Petruchio,
And call for open justice.
John.
'Tis she Fredrick.
Fred.
But what that he is John.
Fran.
I do not doubt yet
To bolt ye out, for I know certainly
Ye are about the Towne still: ha, no more words.
Ex.
Fred.
Well.
Iohn.
Very well.
Fred.
Discreetly.
Iohn.
Finely carried.
Fred.
You have no more of these tricks?
Iohn.
Ten to one Sir,
I shall meet with 'em if ye have.
Fred.
Is this honest?
Iohn.
Was it in you a friends part to deale double?
I am no asse Don Fredrick.
Fred.
And Don Iohn,
It shall appeare I am no foole;
Disgrace me to make yourselfe a lecher?
'Tis boyish, 'tis base.
Iohn.
'Tis false, and most unmanly to upbraid me,
Nor will I be your bolster Sir.
Fred.
Thou wanton boy, thou hadst better have been Eunuch,
Thou common womans curtesie, then thus
Lascivious, basely to have bent mine honour.
A friend? I'le make a horse my friend first!
Iohn.
Holla, holla,
Ye kicke to fast sir: what strange braines have you got,
That dare crow out thus bravely? I better been a Eunuch?
I privy to this dog tricke? cleare your selfe,
For I know where the wind sits, and most nobly,
Or as I have a life—
Fred.
No more: they'r horses.
A noyse within like horses.
Nor shew no discontent: to morrow comes;
Let's quietly away: if she be at home,
Our jealousies are put off.
Iohn.
The fellow
(Enter Duke, Petruchio.
We have lost him in our spleenes, like fooles.
Duke.
Come Gentlemen,
Now set on roundly: suppose ye have all mistresses,
And mend your pace according.
Pet.
Then have at ye.
Exeunt
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