University of Virginia Library

SCÆNA. VI.

Having changed Clothes to their Doublets, Enter Callias, Neander, Artops.
Their eyes blinded with blacke patches; led by Macrinus, Lacero, Serpix.
Macr:
Come Gentlemen, Without Resistance now
Disrobe your upper parts. What's wanting in
Good Clothes, your patience must supply.

Lac:
Good Troth
Your Doublets suite not with your Breeches; Rents
To Rents, And Ragges to Ragges in fashionable.
But as y'are now you looke like Men of Gold
Creeping forth of your Oare; And are the Emblems
Of that State which does know no middle Subjects,
But is compos'd wholly of Lords and Beggers.

Call:
Well, Sir, Neccessity which made you feed
They change Doublets.
The Numerous Thracians, which now feed on me
In these your Breeches, And draw bloud, which is
Against Campe Law, does here perswade me to
Resigne my Doublet; pray shake yours, Sir.

Neand:
There,
My Freind, who e're you are, There is whole plunder.
Pray, if you can, spare me a Doublet which
Hath Linings in't, and no Glasse-Windowes. For if
My feeling doe not faile me with my sight,
Your Nether Garment is halfe Net, halfe Breeches;
And Statutably will catch Greater Fish,
And let small passe, as well as cloth.

Lac:
Troth, Sir,
You shall e'en have 'em as I wore 'em, fellowes;
They were New once; It was not in my power
To keepe them at a stand, by Miracle.
Time which devour'd his Children, will eate Holes, Sir.

Art:
Stay, stay, stay, stay Freind: Sure you must release
My eyes, to see to put your Vesture on right.

Serp:
I warrant you, Sir.

Art:
So; There is one Arme
Past through a Labyrinth. I doe expect
The Other should be lost by th'way. This Jerkin
Is wholly made of Doores; And had need have
A Thread belong to it.

Serp:
Now 'tis on, Sir.

Art.
Thank you.
Y'are sure y'have not mistaken?

Serp.
How d'you meane?

Art:
I meane your Breeches for your Doublet; As being
Indifferent in their use; which should be worne
Above, and which below?

Serp.
All's right, Beleive it, Sir.

Mac:
Next, Gentlemen, you must once more submit
Your Armes to these Hempe prisons. No striving; You
Know where you are.

Call.
Sir, we are tame; y'have made us
So by the Imprisonment of our Legges already.
They pinion them.
But if our Elbowes doe breake prison, pray
Impute it to the loosenesse of your buildings.

Lac:
So; Now y'are All Compleate; you look't before
Like Him who first invented Coaches, to hide
His double Making; Who was downwards Serpent,
Upwards a well shap't Man.

Serp.
Good troth, Me thought,
Your Nether parts lookt as They would petition
Your Upper for an Almes; Or else, as if
You had 'bove Girdle beene the Founders, and
Below, the Hospitall.

Call:
Well, Freinds, you may
Laugh at our Miseries, and raise sport from
Your torne Exchanges. But is this noble usage
Of Souldiers unto Souldiers, thus to strippe us?

Mac:
When we take sheepe with golden Flecees, 'Tis
Our Custome to returne Wool for their Plate.

Lac:
We doe not strippe you, but change Cases; Clothes
For Clothes was still held honourable.

Neand:
And now,
In troth, most Worthy Captaines, (For we have
Created you) what's your Intent? what will you
Doe with us thus reduced to Totters?

Mac:
That
Is as the Councell shall determine. Perhaps,
Imploy you in our Workes to digge: And there
Worke out your Ransomes, 'till the Warre be ended,
As pioners.

Neand:
Must we rowle Wheele-barrowes?
Or manage Spades, and Mattockes then? And earne
Our bread and water with the Picke-Axe?

Serp:
Perhaps,
We shall obtaine you outright for our Slaves.
Then having mark't you, to be knowne our Bond-men,
We will transport you home to Thrace, and there
Make sale of you in some publique Market; you'l
Be vendible Commodities. Perhaps,
Some who have store of Wives will buy you to
Make Eunushes of, and geld you.

Mac:
Or perhaps
Some Ancient Widdowes, long past bearing, will
Buy you for their owne private use.

Las:
Or else,
Perhaps, to make short worke, The Councell will
Condemne you to the Gallies, There to row
Your Dayes our 'gainst the Persian; or fetch Corne
Monthly from Ægypt: Sugar from Creet: or Spunges
From Samos.

Art:
And our Wages to be feele
The scourge about our shoulders if the Winde
Sit opposite, & we can't row.

Lac:
There must
Be such corrections, to quicken Diligence.

Call.
Pray as y'are noble, and know how to pity
Humane Misfortunes, let us aske one Question.

Mac:
As many as you please.

Call.
If by Starre-light
You can discerne so farre, How farre are we
From a Tall Oake, which may be clymb'd by such
Ivyes as we? Or a straight Elme, which may
Support th'Imbraces of such Vines?

Mac:
Why aske you?

Call:
Because if any such kinde naturall plant
Be neare, we would intreat you not t'omit
The Opportunity; But to prevent
Our Greater by lesse sufferings, would imploy
Those Cords which binde our Armes, about our Necks,
And hang us up by Mooneshine.

Mac:
Alas, such favours
Are not in our powers. If it be your fate
So to be sentenc'd, we will doe you all
The freindly Offices we can.

Call:
We thanke you.

Lac:
Meane time, perhaps to you 'til Midnight, Gentlemen;
No Sunne appeares to you: But to us Day breakes.
We will conduct you to the place where you
Shall know your Doomes. Pray follow leisurely.
And doe not stumble.

Neand:
If't be our Destiny
To dye by th'string, the comfort is w'are Three.