 | Fortune by Land and Sea |  |
Act. 4.
Scen. 1.
A great Alarum and shot: enter Purser and Clinton, with store of Mariners, bringing in the Merchant bound prisoner with others.Pur.
Now valiant mates you have maintained this fight with courage
and with woonted hardiment: the spoyl of this rich ship
we will divide in equal shares, and not the meanest of any, but by the
custom of the sea may challenge according to his place, rights in the
spoyl: thongh Out-laws, we keep laws amongst our selves, else we
could have no certain government.
Clint:
A gallant prize, and bravely purchast too, with loss of blood on
both sides. A sea fight was never better managed nor exployted with
more exchange of hostile opposition, we did not look for such a valiant
spirit in any Merchants breast; nor did we think a ship of such small
burden, so weakly man'd, would have endur'd so hot and proud a fight.
Mer:
Nor did I think the providence of heaven would so have favoured
men of base condition, such as profess wrong, pyracie and theft,
have spoyled my men, and ransackt every corner of my surprised bark;
seised all my substance, and shared amongst you my best merchandise;
and not alone undone me, and in me all that are mine, but in overwhelming
us shook the estate of all my creditors.
Pur:
Whats that to us? men of our known condition must cast behind
we began to rob upon the sea.
Clin:
We know we are Pirates, and profess to rob, and wouldst not
have us freely use our trade? If thou and thine be quite undone by us, we
made by thee, impute it to thy fortune, and not to any injury in us;
How e'r he toyls and trafficks must dye so.
Mer:
If you must needs possess this thriving trade, yet since the seas
afford such choice of store, you might methinks have spar'd your own
countrymen.
Pur:
Nay since our country have proclaim'd us pyrats, and cut us off
from any claim in England, we'l be no longer now call'd English men.
Mer:
Clinton I know thee, and have us'd thy skil, ere now in a good
vessel of my own, before thou tookest this desperate course of life, perhaps
if now thou do'st me a good office, time may enable me to quit thy
love.
Clin:
Troth I could wish we had light of any other, but since thy fate
hath cast thee upon us, we must neglect no opportunity; for they that
intermit advantages, must know occasions head is bald behind. My merry
mates come top your cans apace, pile up your chests with prizes to
the lids, and stuffe the vast hold of our empty ship with such rich wares
as this our prize affords; supple your biskets with such choice of wines
To unlade themselves and seek for stowage here;
Since wine comes freely lets make spare of beer.
Pur.
Let cans of wine pass round in healths through all, such golden
prizes come not every day, nor can we alwaies meet such choice of spoils:
First bind the Merchant, lay him fast in hold, and having seised all his
best Merchandise, pierce with your ordnance through his ships crased
keele, and sink her down into the deep abyss, whence not all the Cranes
in Europe or the world can weigh her out agen.
Clin.
Let it be so,
Lest she prove prize unto a second foe.
Mer.
Be't as my fate shall please, my loss I value but as goods lent
me, now to be paid back, but that which most afflicts my sorrowful soul,
is that my friends have ventured largely with me, especially my Sister,
who I fear will brook that ill which I with patience bear.
Pur.
Place him below the hatches as our prisoner, and now to part
our purchase bravely won, even with the hazard of our dearest lives.
Clin.
The danger past stil makes the purchase sweet. Come first drink
round my merry mates, that done, devide in peace what we by war have won.
Exeunt
young For:
Gentlemen, and my merry mates at sea, those special favours
you have crowned me with, can never be deserved upon my part,
so weak is my ability and knowledge in navigation and exploits at sea;
yet since your loves so far exceeds my worth, that of an unexperienc'd
Gentleman you have prefered me above many other, to be your Captain,
and command your Ship, I hope to bear my self so even and upright
in this my charge, that it shall not repent you of the least honour
to my grace decreed.
1. Mar.
Our Captain being lately slain in fight, we by your valour
scap'd our enemies, and made their ship our prize, since we first knew
you all our attempts succeeded prosperously, and heaven hath better
blest us for your sake.
2. Mar.
When first we took you to our fellowship, we had a poor
bark of some fifteen tun, and that was all our riches, but since then we
have took many a rich prize from Spain, and got a gallant vessel stoutly
man'd, and well provided of Ordnance and small shot, men and ammunition,
that we now dare coap with any Carract that do's trade for Spain.
young For.
We dare do any thing that stands with justice, our countries
honour, and the reputation of our own names; but amongst all our spoils
I wonder we have scap'd the valiant Pirats that are so much renowned
upon the sea, that were a conquest worth the hazarding, besides a thousand
pounds reward proposed to that adventurer that can bring them in,
my peace and pardon though a man condemned, is by the proclamation
ratified.
1. Mar.
The ocean scarce can bear their outrages, they are so violent,
confounding all, and sparing none, not their own countrimen, we could
not do our country greater service then in their pursuit to engage our
lives.
young For.
I could we meet those Rovers on the sea, so famous for
their piracies and thefts, so fear'd of all that trade for Merchandise, so
proud of their strong vessels and stout ging, that man her with their
proud Artillery that thunders wrack to every ship alike; oh with what
ardour and enflamed desire would we in the mid sea encounter them!
Climb to the main-top, boy, see what you kenne there.
Boy.
I shall, I shall Sir.
young For.
We seek for purchase, but we tak't from foes, and such is
held amongst us lawful spoyl; but such as are our friends & countrymen
we succour with the best supply we have of victuals or munition being
distrest.
Ho there.
1. Mar.
Ha boy.
Boy.
A sayl.
1. Mar.
Whence is she?
Boy.
That I cannot kenne; she appeares
to me out of our hemisphear no bigger then a Crow.
young For.
Discry her better, oh that it were the desperate Pirates
Ship, on that condition we might grapple straight, and try our desperate
fortunes on even change, but I that have been born to misery can never
be so happy; oh my fate when shall I pass away this tedious night,
Or when my stars will you burn out more bright.
Boy.
Boatswain, ho.
1. Mar.
Whence comes thy kenne?
Boy.
She makes from South to West.
2. Mar.
How bears she?
Boy.
To the Lee ward.
young For.
Clap on more sails and quickly
fetch her up. What colours bears her main-top?
Boy.
She's not so near in kenne.
young For.
Discover her more amply, now my mates prepare your
selves, for it may be some prize; you Master Gunner load your ordnance
wel, and look wel to your cartridges and fire; see that your gunner
room be clear and free, your matches bear good coals, your priming
powder pounded, not dank; next charge your Murderers for fear of
boarding: Stearsman part the Helm, and bear up towards them, be
they friends or foes we'l hale them if heaven please; and Master you
heed wel your compass, Boatswain with your whistle command the Saylors
to the upper deck to know their quarters, and to hear their charge.
Boy.
Captain, ho.
young For.
The news? whence is her flag?
Boy.
She bears the Cross of England and St. George.
young For.
Then she's a friend for England, and St. George our gallant
vessel in her main-top bears, and all our preparations needless then.
Boy.
Arm rather, for I see them from a far make all provision for a
present fight, they have managed their hatches, hung their pendants out,
display'd their Ensignes, up with all their feights, their matches in their
cocks, their smoaking Linstocks are likewise fired within their Gunners
hands; and hark they shoot already.
[A peece goes off.
young For.
Come descend; the Pirat, Fortune thou art then my friend.
Now valiant friends and souldiers man the deck, draw up your feights,
and lace your drablers on, whilst my self make good the Forecastle, and
ply my Musket in the front of death, quarter your selves in order, some
abaft, some in the Ships waste, all in martial order; our Spright-sayl,
Top sail, and Top-gallant, our Main-sail, Boar-spright, and our Mizen
too are hung with waving pendants, and the colours of England and
Alarum Trumpets, Gunner straight give fire.
Exeunt.
Clin.
Give them a full broad-side; oh Mr. Gunner your upper tire of
Ordnance shot over; you gave not one shot betwixt wind and water in
all this skirmish.
Gun.
Sir, you speak not wel, I pierc'd them with my chase piece through
and through; part of their Capstring too I with a Piece abast shot overboard.
Pur.
Oh 'twas a gallant shot, I saw it shatter some of their
limbs in pieces: Shall we grapple, and lay their Ship aboard? where be
these Irons to hook 'em fast?
Clin.
I fear they'r too well man'd; for see the Gunner ready to give
fire unto their Murderers if we stay to board 'em: Shall we set sayl and
leave 'em.
Pur.
How can we when our Ship has sprung a leak? being ready now
to founder in the sea; some ply the Pump: oh for one lucky bullet to
take their Mainmast off; he that can make it shall have a treble share in
this next prize.
Gun.
I shall go near it from my lower tyre.
Clin.
Gunner do that, 'tis all that we desire.
Exeunt.
Alarum: Enter young Forrest and his Mariners.
1. Mar.
Where is the Gunner Captain?
young For.
Where he should not be, at his prayers I think: Is this a
time to pray, when the Seas mouth seems to spit fire, and all the billows
burn. Come hand with me, and we will board the Pirates instantly.
1. Mar.
Hoyst up more sails, and fetch 'em roundly up, and with their
gallant vessel grapple straight.
young For.
I spy the Pirats in the very prow and forehead of their
Ship, both wafting us with their bright swords: now Steersman take thy
turn; and Boatswain with your baser trumpets sound mingle your
whistles shril, oh 'tis a Musick the Maremaids love.
1. Mar.
Who hates it thats a souldier?
2. Mar.
Thy Linstock Gunner, take thy level right,
The wind is ours to help us in the fight.
young For.
It blows a stiffe gale, it makes all for us, every Commander
once more to his charge, he that this day shall dye dies honourably;
the Canons Basilisks, and Ordnance shall tooll his funeral peale, and
some now sound, shall dye three deaths in one, shot, burnt, and drown'd.
Whose hard tough ribs hewed from the heart of oak,
Now black with pitch be painted blew with smoak.
Exeunt.
young For.
First thankes to heaven for this great victory bought with
the fearful hazard of our lives, and larg expence of blood on either part.
Pur.
We now are captives that made others thrall,
Thus ebbs may flow, and highest tydes may fall.
Clin.
The latest day must come to have his date;
Stars govern all, and none can change his fate.
young For.
Such prisoners as these Pirats keep in hold, release them
straight, the riches of their ship we 'mongst you will divide in equal
shares, to every mans desart, estate, and place.
Pur.
Fortune I spit defiance in thy face: Thy best we have tasted, an
thy worst we know, we can but pay what we to nature owe.
Enter the Merchant brought in with other Prisoners.
Mer.
Surprised agen, whose prisoner am I now? I am Fortunes ball,
whither am I bandied, having lost al before, is't possible that I can now be
made a second prize? I lost my wealth in my first hostile strife,
And nothing now is left me save my life.
young For.
These prisoners we will at our further leasure peruse and
know their fortunes and estates.
Mer.
That captain I should know, that face of his is with mine eye familiar,
sure 'tis he whose life I by my Sisters means preserved, with mony
and apparel furnisht him, and got him place at sea and hath he now forgot
me, what not know me, the world right, when rich we honour, being
poor we spight: ne'r look so strange, I do not mean to claim acquaintance
of such men as are ingrate: All my good deeds once done
I throw behind, whose meed in heaven, not earth I look to find.
young For.
That Merchant I have known, and now I better surveigh
him, 'tis the man to whom I owe all that I have, my fortunes, nay my
life; what reason have you Sir to fly me so, since unto you, and to my
brothers wife, my hopes, my power, my whole estate is due,
From whom my means and all my fortunes grew.
Mer.
Do you know me then.
young For.
Thin you I can forget,
or slightly cancel such a countless debt, behold my ship, my conquest,
and my prize, these prisoners with my full command is yours;
Alass dear friend how came you thus distrest?
Mer:
These Pirates robbed me, and have ceised my goods with which
they have stuft their hold; my brothers venter with mine own substance
they have made their spoyl.
All which behold I re-deliver you, and to the utmost farthing
will restore; besides I make you partner in our prize, and herein
am I onely fortunate to prove a grateful debtor.
Mer.
Your gratitude exceeds all curtesie, both of my Sisters party and
my own.
young For.
It comes much short of either; oh dear Sir should
I forget your friendship shewed in want, and done in my extreamest poverty,
it were a sin, of heaven unpardonable; this Pirats Ship load with
your merchandise you shall streight man for England; where arrived,
commend me to the mirror of her sex, your Sister, in the humblest phrase
you can, to whom deliver, as from me, this jewel, the best our voyage
yeelds; tel her from me, that Gentleman whose innocent life she saved,
hath by that token her remembrance craved, to my brother, and my
Sister this small summe to buy their service from their fathers hand, and
free them from his slavish servitude.
Mer.
I shall doe all your will, and thus o'rsway'd,
Needs must report your debts are doubly payd.
young For.
Having my pardon purchast, and my prisoners delivered to
the sentence of the Law, my next affairs shall be to visit her.
Purs.
Our case is otherwise, our next affairs
Is to betake us to our Beads and Prayers.
Clin.
Be as be may, base fortune I defie,
We bravely liv'd and Ile as boldly dye.
young For.
Hoyst sayl for England with our long wisht prize,
Whilst we applaud that fortune he defies.
Exe.
Enter old Mr. Harding, Anne his wife, Foster and Goodwin, William and John, Philip and Susans setting forth a Table.
old Hard.
Y'ar welcom Gentlemen, come take your places as your degrees
are: wife the chair is yours; my loving boyes sit, let th' servants
wait.
Joh.
Brother, that's you.
old Hard.
This day I do entreat
you Gentlemen after the Tables ended, to be witness unto some deeds
that must inherit these, and him that is my eldest quite disable, to which
I must entreat your friendly hands.
Fost.
Mine stil is at your service.
Goodw.
So is mine Sir.
Will.
O day long lookt for.
Joh.
Now shall we live like two young Emperors; oh day worthy to
be writ in the Almanack in red Letters for a most famous holyday.
Phil.
Well jest on Gentlemen, when all is try'd,
I hope my patience shall exceed your pride.
Will.
Wait at my elbow with a clean trencher Phil: doe your duty,
and have your due, you know your place, be ready with a glass of beer,
and when I say fil, fil.
Clow.
If please your worship here is a manner, or a kind of some foul
desire to have some conference with you.
old Hard.
A sea foul?
Clow.
Yes a Sea-gul, I mean a Mariner, he saies he hath some news to
tell you from my Mistris her brother at sea.
Old Hard.
Touching my venter, prithee guide him in.
Clow.
He smels as they say of pitch and tar, if you will have him to
perfume the room with his sea musk. Ile shew him the way iustantly.
old Hard.
I prethee do, and that with expedition.
Anne.
I did not look thus soon to hear from him.
old Hard.
I fear some strange mishap hath late befaln him.
Enter Saylor and the Clown.
Anne.
Now honest friend the news, how fares my brother?
old Hard.
How doth my venter prosper?
Sail.
Sir, your Ship is taken, all your goods by Pirats seised, your brother
prisoner, and of all your venter there's not the value of one penny
saved.
old Hard.
That news hath pierc'd my soul, and enter'd me quite
through my heart, I am on the sudden sick, sick of I fear a mortal malady;
oh, oh.
Joh.
How is it with my father?
old Hard.
Worse and worse, the news of such a great and weighty loss
kils all my vitals in me.
Will.
Father, for heavens sake father dye not
yet before you have made over your land.
Joh.
That were a jest indeed, why father, father?
old Har.
Trouble me not, if I survive this nigt, you two shal be my heirs.
Will.
This night if it be thy will.
Anne.
Alass, how fare you Sir?
Joh.
Take courage father.
old Harr.
Son lead me hence, and bear
me to my bed, my strength doth fail, I cannot help my self.
Will.
Run, run for the writings, they are ready drawn at the Scriveners,
bid him bring them quickly with a vengeance.
old Hard.
Let them alone, my hand hath not the strength to guide my
pen, let them alone I say, support me to my bed, and my kind neighbors,
My soul this night shall amongst Angels shine.
Joh.
Marry heaven forbid, can he find no time to die but now? come
let's in, & haunt his ghost about the writings.
Exe. man. Good. & Fost.
Fost.
'Tis strange the bare report of such a loss should strike a man so
deeply to the heart.
Goodw.
I oft have read the like, how some have dyed with sudden joy,
some with exceeding grief.
Fost.
If he should dye Intestate, all the land falls to the elder brother,
Goodw.
I know it, neither lands nor moveables. Come lets hear what
further news within.
Enter the Clown.
Clow.
O my Master, my Master, what shal I do for my poor Master,
the kind churl is departed, never did poor hard-hearted wretch part out
of the world so like a lamb; alass for my poor usuring, extortioning
Master, many an old widdow hast thou turned into the street, and many
an orphan made beg their bread; oh my sweet, crul, kind, pittiless, loving,
hard hearted Master, he's dead, he's dead, he's gone, he's fled and
now full low must lye his head. Oh my sweet, vild, kind, flinty, mild, uncharitable
master.
Fost.
Dead on the suddain! 'tis exceeding strange, yet for the eldest
son it happens well.
Goodw.
Ill for the younger brother.
Enter Jack and Will.
Will.
Jack.
Jac.
Will.
Wil.
The land's gon.
Jac.
Fathers dead.
Will.
We have made a fair hand on't, have we not? who shall fil the
glass now, and wait upon our trenchers?
Jac.
Nay who must go to plough, and make clean the hen-roust, rub
horse-heels, lead the wains, remove the billets, clense the shoules, and
and indeed who must do all the drudgery about the house?
Wil.
Could he find no time to dye but now? I could even cry for anger:
here they come.
Enter Phil. & Sus. wel habited Anne and others.
Phil.
My fathers dead.
Ann.
Alass for my dear husband.
Phil.
Comfort your self, although he die intestate it shall not hurt you;
we have found you kind, and shall be now as willing to requite you, as
able: How now brothers, do you weep? and bear a part with us in heaviness?
no, no, your griefs and ours is contrary; I grieve I have lost a
father, she a husband, this doth not move you; you lamenting stand, not
for a fathers loss, but loss of land: do you remember with what rude despight,
what base contempt, and slavish contumelie you have despis'd
me and my dear lov'd wife.
Jac.
We partly remember it.
Phil.
So do not I; I have forgot it quite, in sign whereof, though
had you got my lands, heaven knows how ill you would have dealt with
me, thus Ile use you receive your patrimony.
Clow.
No more fellow Phil now, but here receive your proportions.
Phil.
Your diet if you please is at my table, or where you please if you
refuse my kindness.
Will.
Kindness unlookt for, thanks gentle brother. Jack, why this
gold will never be spent.
Clow.
Oh it is an easie thing to bring this mountain to a molehil.
This is more of your curtesie then our deserving, to trouble your
table being so many Ordinaries in town, were somwhat superfluous.
Phil.
Spend but in compass, rioting eschew, waste not, but seek to
encrease your patrimony, beware of dice and women; company with
men of best desert and qualitie; lay but these words in your hearts inrold,
you'l find them better then these bags of gold.
Wil.
Thanks for your coyn and counsel: Come Jack this shall be lavisht
among the suburbs; here's drink mony, dice mony, and drab mony,
here's mony by the back, and mony by the belly; here's that shall
make us merry in Claret, Muskadine, and Sherrey: farewel, brother.
Jac.
My most bounteous brother.
Clow.
Farewel young Masters.
Phil.
And now my vilde friends, such as fawn on plenty, and cannot
bear the very name of want.
Clow.
We have found the Mine now.
Phil.
You that disabled once the power of heaven, and scorn'd my
state unable to be rais'd.
Clow.
You see here's your Tale, and your Talesman.
Phil.
Take heed lest here for your unthankfulness, that once rais'd,
doe not remove your estates (God be with you) henceforth howe'r
you speed, trust not in riches, and despise not need.
Clow.
One threescore pound will do't.
Phil.
Mother, the thirds of all my Fathers lands are yours; with whatsoever
you like else; and now sweet Sue it glads me I shall make thee
partner of all this plenty that borest part with me in all extream necessities.
Sus.
You are all my wealth, nor can I tast of want whilst I
keep you; O would these fortunes raise my down cast Father, or repeal
my Brother, my banisht brother to his native home, I were in all my
thoughts at peace with heaven.
Phil.
All that I have is theirs; my only sorrow, next to my father, is in
part for them, and next for your dear brother tane at Sea, whose losse
if he survive we will repair even with the best of our ability; but come
unto our fathers burial first, whom though his life brought sorrow, death
content, we cannot but with funeral tears lament.
Clow.
And now no fellows unless it be at footbal.
Enter Merchant.
Anne.
Heaven being just could not deal longer roughly with one so
virtuous and compleatly honest, he merits all he hath, but to my state.
I am at once doubly unfortunate, I have lost a husband and a brother
too.
Mr.
A husband, Sister, but no brother, lo that, brother lives.
Anne.
And can it heaven be so?
Mr.
You are the cause I live.
I brother? how? tidings were brought into this place but now
your ship was spoyl'd, you prisoner.
Mer.
And 'twas true, yet all these losses I regain'd by you.
Anne.
By me?
Mer:
By you and Sister thus it was; you sav'd the
life of a young Gentleman, whom for your sake I furnisht out to sea, he
when my ship was taken, I surpris'd, and bound, and cast in hold, restor'd
my fortunes, and besides all my merchandise restor'd, wherein you bare
chief venter, made me sharer of the rich Pirats prize.
Anne.
That Gentleman!
Mer.
The self same in whose life you did save your self some thousand
pounds, I have as further token of his gratitude, in this choice jewel he
commends to you millions of gratulations and kind thanks, besides unto
his Sister store of gold to redeem her wretched husband and her selfe
from my deceased brothers slavery, which now I see pale death hath
done for them.
Anne.
You speak of unexpected novelties, with which we will acquaint
their sorrowful souls; these tokens will be joyful to them both,
and tydings of his safety welcomer then that great summe by him regain'd
at sea.
Mer.
We do them wrong to keep news of such joy
So long from them, which wee'l no longer smother,
Tvvo thousand pounds I bring you and a brother.
Exeunt.
| Fortune by Land and Sea | |