University of Virginia Library

Actus quartus.

Scena prima.

After an Alarmne, Enter a Spanish Captaine, with Saylors, bringing in a Merchant, Spencer, and the Surgion prisoners.
Spaniard.
For Fialls losse, and spoile by th'English done,
We are in part reveng'd. There's not a Vessell
That beare upon her top S. Georges Crosse,
But for that act shall suffer.

Merchant.
Insult not Spaniard,
Nor be too proud, that thou by oddes of Ships,
Provision, men, and powder mad'st us yeeld.
Had you come one to one, or made assault
With reasonable advantage, wee by this
Had made the carkasse of your ship your graves,
Low suncke to the Seas bottome.

Span.
Englishman, thy ship shall yeeld us pillage,
These prisoners we will keepe in strongest Hold,
To pay no other ransome then their lives.

Spenc.
Degenerate Spaniard, there's no noblesse in thee
To threaten men unarm'd and miserable,
Thou mightst as well tread ore a field of slaughter,
And kill them ore, that are already slaine,
And brag thy manhood.

Span.
Sirrah, what are you?

Spen.
Thy equall as I am a prisoner,
But once to stay a better man then thou,
A Gentleman in my Country.

Span.
Wert thou not so, we have strappadoes, bolts,
And engines to the Maine-mast-fastened,
Can make you gentle.

Spenc.
Spaniard doe thy worst, thou canst not act
More tortures then my courage is able to endure.

Span.
These Englishmen
Nothing can daunt them; Even in misery
They'l not regard their masters.

Spenc.
Masters! Insulting bragging Thrasoes.

Span.
His sawcinesse wee'l punish 'bove the rest.
About their censures we will next devise,
Flourish
And now towards Spaine with our brave English prise.

Exeunt.
Enter Besse, Mayor, Alderman, Clem. A table set out, and stooles.
Besse.
A Table and some stooles.

Cl.
I shal give you occasion to ease your tailes presently.

Bes.
Will't please you sit?

Mayor.
With all our hearts, and thanke you.

Besse.
Fetch me that parchment in my Closet window.

Cl.
The three sheep-skins with the wrong side outward

Besse.
That with the seale.

Clem.

I hope it is my Indenture, and now shee meanes
to give me my time.

Alder.
And now you are alone, faire Mistresse Elzabeth
I thinke it good to taste you with a motion.
That no way can displease you.

Besse.
Pray speake on.

Alder.
'T hath pleas'd here Master Mayor so far to look
Into your faire demeanour, that he thinkes you
A fit match for his Sonne.

Enter Clem with the parchment.
Clem.

Here's the parchment, but if it bee the lease of
your house, I can assure you 'tis out.

Besse.
The yeares are not expired.

Clem.
No, but it is out of your Closet.

Besse.
About your businesse.

Cl.
Here's even Susanna bewixt the two wicked elders.

Ald.
What thinke you Mistresse Elzabeth?

Besse.
Sir I thanke you.
And how much I esteeme this goodnesse from you
The trust I shall commit unto your charge
Will truly witnes. Marry, gentle Sir!
'Las I have sadder businesse now in hand,
Then sprightly marriage, witnesse these my teares.
Pray reade there.

Maior.

The last Will and Testament of Elzabeth Bridges
to be committed to the trust of the Mayor and Aldermen
of Foy, and their Successors for ever.

To set up yong beginners in their trade, a thousand pound
To relieve such as have had losse by Sea, 500 pound.
To every Maid that's married out of Foy,
Whose name's Elzabeth ten pound.
To relieve maimed Souldiers, by the yeare ten pound.
To Captaine Goodlacke, if hee shall performe
The businesse hee's imployed in, five hundred pound.
The Legacies for Spencer thus to stand,
To number all the poorest of his kin,
And to bestow on them. Item to—

Besse.
Enough: you see sir I am now too poore
To bring a dowry with me fit for your sonne.

Mayor.
You want a president, you so abound
In charitie and goodnesse.

Besse.
All my servants
I leave at your discretions to dispose
Not one but I have left some Legacie.
What shall become of me, or what I purpose
Spare further to enquire.

Mayor.
Wee'll take our leaves.
And prove to you faithfull Executors.
In this bequest.

Alder.
Let never such despaire,
As dying rich, shall make the poore their heyre.

Exit.
Besse.
Why what is all the wealth the world containes,
Without my Spencer?

Enter Roughman and Forset.
Roughm.
Wheres my sweet Besse?
Shall I become a welcome suiter now?
That I have chang'd my Copie?

Besse.
I joy to heare it.
Ile finde imployment for you.

Enter Goodlacke, Sailors, and Clem.
Goodl.
A gallant ship, and wondrous proudly trim'd,
Well calkt, well tackled, every way prepar'd.

Besse.
Here then our mourning for a season end.

Rough.
Besse, shall strike that Captaine? say the word,
Ile have him by the eares.

Besse.
Not for the world.

Goodl.
What saith that fellow?

Besse.
He desires your love, good Captain let him ha'it.

Goodl.
Then change a hand.

Besse.
Resolve me all. I am bound upon a voyage,
Will you in this adventure take such part,
As I my selfe shall doe?

Rough.
With my fayre Besse, to the worlds end.

Besse.
Then Captaine and Lieftenant both, joine hands,
Such are your places now.

Goodl.
Wee two are friends.

Bess.
I next must sweare you two, with all your ginge
True to some articles you must observe,
Reserving to my selfe a prime command,
Whilst I injoyne nothing unreasonable.

Goodl.
All this is granted.

Bes.
Then first, you said your ship was trim and gay,
Ile have her pitcht all ore, no spot of white,
No colour to be seene, no Saile but blacke,
No Flag but sable.

Goodl.
Twill be ominous, and bode disaster fortune.

Besse.
Ile ha'it so.

Goodl.
Why then she shall be pitcht blacke as the devil,

Besse.
She shall be call'd The Negro, when you know
My conceit, Captaine, you will thanke for't.

Roug.
But whither are we bound?

Besse.
Pardon me that.
When wee are out at sea Ile tell you all.
For mine owne wearing I have rich apparell,
For man or woman as occasion serves.

Clem.

But Mistrisse, if you be going to sea, what shall
become of me aland.

Besse.

Ile give thee thy full time.

Clem.

And shall I take time, when time is, and let my
Mistresse slip away. No, it shall be seene that my teeth are
as strong to grinde bisket as the best sailor of them all, and
my stomacke as able to digest pouderd beefe and Poore-john.
Shall I stay here to scoare a pudding in the Halfe-moone,
and see my Mistresse at the Maine yard with her
sailes up, and spread. No it shall be seene that I who have
beene brought up to draw wine, will see what water the
ship drawes, or Ile beray the Voyage.

Besse.

If thou hast so much courage, the Captaine shall
accept thee.

Clem.

If I have so much courage? When did you see
a blacke beard with a white lyvor, or a little fellow without
a tall stomacke. I doubt not but to prove an honour
to all the Drawers in Cornwall.

Goodl.
What now remaines?

Fors.
To make my selfe assotiate in this bold enterprise.

Goodl.
Most gladly sir.
And now our number's full, what's to be done.

Besse.
First, at my charge Ile feast the towne of Foy,
Then set the Cellers ope, that these my Mates
May quaffe unto the health of our boone voyage,
Our needfull things being once convay'd aboard,
Then casting up our caps in signe of joy,
Our purpose is to bid farewell to Foy.

Hoboyes long.
Enter Mullisheg. Bashaw Alcade, and Ioffer: with other Attendants.
Mullish.
Out of these bloody and intestine broiles
Wee have at length attain'd a fort'nate peace,
And now at last establisht in the Throne
Of our great Ancestors, and raigne King
Of Fesse and great Morocco.

Alcade.
Mighty Mullisheg,
Pride of our age, and glory of the Moores,
By whose victorious hand all Barbary
Is conquer'd, aw'd, and swai'd: behold thy vassalls
With loud applauses greet thy victory.

shout. flourish.
Mull.
Vpon the slaughtered bodies of our foes,
We mount our high Tribunall, and being sole
VVithout competitor, we now have leasure
To stablish lawes first for our Kingdomes safetie,
The inriching of our publique Treasury,
And last our state and pleasure: then give order
That all such Christian Merchants as have traffique
And freedome in our Country, that conceale
The least part of our Custome due to us,
Shall forfeit ship and goods.

Ioff.
There are appointed
Vnto that purpose carefull officers.

Mull.
Those forfeitures must help to furnish up
Th'exhausted treasure that our wars consum'd,
Part of such profits as accrue that way
VVe have already tasted.

Alc.
Tis most fit,
Those Christians that reape profit: by our Land
Should contribute unto so great a losse.

Mull.
Alcade, They shall. But what's the style of King
VVithout his pleasure? Finde us concubines,
The fayrest Christian Damsells you can hire,
Or buy for gold: the loueliest of the Moores
VVe can command, and Negroes every where:
Italians, French, and Dutch, choise Turkish Girles
Must fill our Alkedavy, the great Pallace,
Where Mullisheg now daines to keepe his Court.

Ioffer.
Who else are worthy to be Libertines,
But such as beare the Sword?

Mull.
Ioffer, Thou pleasest us.
If Kings on earth be termed Demi-gods,
Why should we not make here terrestriall heaven?
VVe can, wee will, our God shall be our pleasure,
For so our Mecan Prophet warrants us.
And now the musicke of the Drums surcease,
Wee'll learne to dance to the soft tunes of peace.

Hoboyes.
Enter Besse like a Sea-captaine, Goodlacke, Roughman, Forset, and Clem.
Bess.
Good morrow Captaine. Oh this last Sea-fight
VVas gallantly perform'd. It did me good
To see the Spanish Carveile vaile her top
Vnto my Maiden Flag. VVhere ride we now?

Goodl.
Among the Islands.

Bess.
VVhat coast is this wee now descry from farre.

Goodl.
Yon Fort's call'd Fiall.

Bess.
Is that the place where Spencers body lies?

Goodl.
Yes, in yon Church hee's buried.

Besse.
Then know, to this place was my voyage bound
To fetch the body of my Spencer thence.
In his owne Country to erect a tombe,
And lasting monument, where when I die
In the same bed of earth my bones may lye.
Then all that love me, arme and make for shore,
Yours be the spoile, be mine, I crave no more.

Rough.
May that man dye derided and accurst
That will not follow where a woman leades.

Goodl.
Roughman, you are too rash, and counsell ill,
Have not the Spaniards fortifide the towne?
In all our Ginge wee are but sixty five.

Roughm.
Come, Ile make one.

Goodl.
Attend me good Lieutenant,
And sweet Besse, listen what I have devis'd,
With ten tall Fellowes I have man'd our Boat,
To see what stragling Spaniards they can take.
And see where Forset is return'd with prisoners.

Enter Forset with two Spaniards.
Fors.
These Spaniards we by breake of day surpris'd,
As they were ready to take boat for Fishing.

Goodl.
Spaniards, upon your lives resolve us truly
How strong's the Towne and Fort.

Span.
Since English Rawleigh wan and spoil'd it first,
The Towne's reedifide, and Fort new built,
And foure Field-peeces in the Block-house lye
To keepe the Harbours mouth.

Goodl.
And what's one ship to these?

Besse.
Was there not in the time of their aboad
A Gentleman call'd Spencer buryed there
Within the Church, whom some report was slaine,
Or perisht by a wound?

Span.
Indeed there was,
And ore him rais'd a goodly monument,
But when the English Navy were sail'd thence,
And that the Spaniards did possesse the Towne,
Because they held him for an Heretike,
They straight remov'd his body from the Church.

Bes.
And would the tyrants be so uncharitable
To wrong the dead? where did they then bestow him?

Span.
They buryed him ith fields.

Besse.
Oh still more cruell.

Span.
The man that ought the field, doubtfull his corne
Would never prosper whilst an hereticks body
Lay there, hee made petition to the Church
To ha'it digd up and burnt, and so it was.

Besse.
What's he that loves me would perswade me live,
Not rather leape ore hatches into th'Sea:
Yet ere I die I hope to be reveng'd
Vpon some Spaniards for my Spencers wrong.

Rough.
Let's first begin with these.

Bess.
'Las these poore slaves! besides their pardond lives
One give them money. And Spaniards where you come,
Pray for Besse Bridges, and speake well o'th English.

Span.
We shall.

Bess.
Our mourning wee will turne into revenge,
And since the Church hath censur'd so my Spencer,
Bestow upon the Church some few cast Peeces,
Command the Gunner do't.

Goodl.
And if he can to batter it to the earth.

A Peece.
Enter Clem falling for haste.
Clem.
A Saile, a Saile.

Besse.
From whence?

Clem.

A pox upon yon Gunner, could he not giue warning
before he had shot?

Rough.

Why I prethee?

Clem.

Why? I was sent to the top-mast to watch, and
there I fell fast asleepe. Bounce quoth the guns, downe
tumbles Clem, and if by chance my feet had not hung in
the tackles, you must have sent to England for a bone-setter,
for my necke had beene in a pittifull taking,

Rough.
Thou toldst us of a Saile.

Enter Sailer above.
Sailor.
Arme Gentlemen, a gallant ship of warre
Makes with her full sailes this way: who it seemes
Hath tooke a Barke of England.

Besse.
Which wee'll rescue.
Or perish in th'adventure. You have sworne
That howsoere we conquer or miscary
Not to reveale my sex.

All.
Wee have.

Bess.
Then for your Countries honor, my revenge,
For your owne fame, and hope of golden spoile,
Stand bravely to't. The manage of the fight
We leaue to you.

Go.
Then now up with your fights, & let your ensignes
Blest with S. Georges Crosse, play with the windes.
Faire Besse, keepe you your cabin.

Besse.
Captaine you wrong me, I will face the fight,
And where the bullets sing loudst 'bout mine eares,
There shall you finde me chearing up my men.

Rough.
This wench would of a coward make an Hercules.

Besse.
Trumpets a charge, and with your whistles shrill
Sound boatswaynes an alarum to your mates.
With musicke cheare up their astonisht soules,
The whilst the thundring Ordnance beare the Base.

Goodl.
To fight against the Spaniards we desire,
Alarme Trumpets.

Alarme.
Rough.
Gunners straight give fire.

Shot.
Enter Goodlacke hurt. Besse, Roughman, Forset, Clem.
Goodl.
I am shot and can no longer man the Decke,
Yet let not my wound daunt your courage mates.

Besse.
For every drop of blood that thou hast shed,
Ile have a Spaniards life. Advance your Targets,
And now cry all, Boord, boord, amaine for England.

Alarme.
Enter with victory Besse, Roughman, Forset, Clem, &c. The Spaniards Prisoners.
Besse.
How is it with the Captaine?

Rough.
Nothing dangerous,
But being shot ith' thigh hee keepes his Cabin,
And cannot rise to greet your victory.

Besse.
He stood it bravely out whilst he could stand.

Clem.
But for these Spaniards, now you Don Diegoes,
You that made Paules to stinke.

Roughm.
Before we further censure them, let's know
What English prisoners they have here aboord.

Span.
You may command them all. We that were now
Lords ouer them, Fortune hath made your slaves,
Release our prisoners.

Besse.
Had my captaine dide
Not one proud Spaniard had escap'd with life,
Your ship is forfeit to us, and your goods.
So live. Give him his long Boate: him and his
Set safe ashore; and pray for English Besse.

Sp.
I know not whom you meane, but bee't your Queene
Famous Elizabeth, I shall report
She and her subjects both are mercifull.

Exeunt.
Enter Roughman, with the Merchant and Spencer.
Bess.
Whence are you sir? and whither were you bound?

Merch.
I am a London bound for Barbary,
But by this Spanish Man-of-warre surpris'd,
Pillag'd and captiv'd.

Besse.
We much pitty you,
What losse you have sustain'd, this Spanish prey
Shall make good to you to the utmost farthing.

Merc.
Our lives, and all our fortunes whatsoever
Are wholly at your service.

Besse.
These Gentlemen have been dejected long,
Let me peruse them all, and give them money
To drinke our health, and pray forget not Sirs,
To pray for—Hold, support me, or I faint.

Roughm.
What sudden unexpected extasie
Disturbs your conquest.

Besse.
Interrupt me not,
But give me way for Heavens sake.

Spencer.
I have seene a face ere now like that yong Gentleman,
But not remember where.

Besse.
But he was slaine,
Lay buried in yon Church, and thence remov'd,
Denyde all Christian rights, and like an Infidell
Confinde unto the fields, and thence digd up,
His body after death had martyrdome:
All these assure me tis his shadow dogs me,
For some most just revenge thus farre to Sea.
Is it because the Spaniards scap'd with life,
That were to thee so cruell after death
Thou hauntst me thus? Sweet ghost thy rage forbeare,
I will revenge thee on the next we seaze.
I am amaz'd, this sight Ile not endure.
Sleepe, sleepe, faire ghost, for thy revenge is sure.

Roug.
Forset, convey the owner to his cabin.

Spencer.
I pray sir what young Gentleman is that?

Rough.
Hee's both the owner of the ship and goods,
That for some reasons hath his name conceal'd.

Spencer.
Me thinke he lookes like Besse, for in his eyes
Lives the first love that did my heart surprise.

Roughm.
Come Gentlemen, first make your losses good
Out of this Spanish prize. Let's then divide
Both severall wayes, and heavens be our guide.

Merc.
We towards Mamorrah.

Roughm.
We where the Fates doe please,
Till we have tract a wildernesse of Seas.
Florish.
Enter Chorus.
Our Stage so lamely can expresse a Sea,
That we are forst by Chorus to discourse
What should have beene in action. Now imagine
Her passion ore, and Goodlacke well recoverd,
Who had he not been wounded and seene Spencer,
Had sure descride him. Much prise they have tane,
The French and Dutch she spares, onely makes spoile
Of the rich Spaniard, and the barbarous Turke.
And now her fame growes great in all these seas.
Suppose her rich, and forst for want of water
To put into Mamorrah in Barbary,
Where wearied with the habit of a man,
She was discoverd by the Moores aboord,
Which told it to the amorous King of Fesse,
That ne'er before had English Lady seene.
He sends for her on shore, how he receives her,
How she and Spencer meet, must next succeed.
Sit patient then, when these are fully told,
Some may hap say, I, there's a Girle worth gold.

Exeunt.
Act long.