 | A New Way to Pay Old Debts |  |
Scena secunda.
Alworth. Waiting-woman. Chambermaide. Order. Amble. Furnace. Watchall.Woman.
Could you not command your leasure one houre longer?
Chamberm.
Or halfe an houre?
Alw.
I haue told you what my hast is:
Besides being now anothers, not mine owne,
How e're I much desire to enioy you longer,
My duty suffers, if to please my selfe
I should neglect my Lord.
Wom.
Pray you doe me the fauour
To put these few Quince-cakes into your pocket,
They are of mine owne preseruing.
Chamb.
And this Marmulade;
'Tis comfortable for your stomacke,
Wom.
And at parting
Excuse me if I begge a farewell from you.
Chamb.
You are still before me. I moue the same suite Sir.
Kisses 'em seuerally.
Furn,
How greedie these Chamberers are of a beardlesse chinne!
I thinne the Titts will rauish him.
Alw.
My seruice
To both.
Wom.
Ours waites on you.
And shall doe euer.
Ord.
You are my Ladyes charge, be therefore carefull
That you sustaine your parts.
Wom.
We can beare I warrant you.
Exeunt Woman and Chambermaide.
Furn.
Here; drinke it off, the ingredients are cordiall,
And this the true Elixir; It hath boild
Since midnight for you. 'Tis the Quintessence
Of fiue Cockes of the game, ten dozen of Sparrowes,
Knuckells of Veale, Potato rootes, and Marrow;
Currall, and Ambergreece: were you two yeares elder,
And I had a Wife, or gamesame Mistrisse
I durst trust you with neither: You neede not baite
After this I warrant you; though your iourney's long,
You may ride on the strength of this till to morrow morning.
Alw.
Your courtesies ouerwhelme me: I much grieue
To part from such true friends, and yet find comfort;
My attendance on my honorable Lord
(Whose resolution holds to visit my Lady)
Will speedily bring me backe.
Knocking at the gate; Marrall and Welborne within.
Mar.
Dar'st thou venture further?
Welb.
Yes, yes, and knocke againe.
Ord.
'Tis he; disperse.
Amb.
Performe it brauely.
Furn.
I know my Cue, nere doubt me.
They go off seuerall wayes.
Watch.
Beast that I was to make you stay: most welcome,
You were long since expected.
Welb.
Say so much
To my friend I pray you.
Watch.
For your sake I will Sir.
Mar.
For his sake!
Welb.
Mum; this is nothing.
Mar.
More than euer,
I would haue beleeu'd though I had found it in my Primer.
Alw.
When I haue giu'n you reasons for my late harshnesse,
You'le pardon, and excuse me: for, beleeue me
I will deserue it.
Mar.
Seruice! with a vengeance!
Welb.
I am satisfied: farwell Tom.
Alw.
All ioy stay with you.
Exit Alw. Enter Amble.
Amb.
You are happily encounter'd: I yet neuer
Presented one so welcome, as I know
You will be to my Lady.
Mar.
This is some vision;
Or sure these men are mad, to worship a Dunghill;
It cannot be a truth.
Welb.
Be still a Pagan,
An vnbeleeuing Infidell, be so Miscreant,
And meditate on blanketts, and on dogge-whippes.
Enter Furnace.
Furn.
I am glad you are come, vntill I know your pleasure.
I knew not how to serue vp my Ladies dinner.
Mar.
His pleasure; is it possible?
Welb.
What's thy will?
Furn.
Marry Sir, I haue some Growse, and Turkie chicken,
Some Rayles, and Quailes, and my Lady will'd me aske you
What kind of sawces best affect your palat,
That I may vse my vtmost skill to please it.
Mar.
The Diuell's enter'd this cooke, sawce for his palat!
That on my knowledge, for almost this twelue month,
Durst wish but cheeseparings, and browne bread on Sundayes.
Welb.
That way I like 'em best.
Furn.
It shall be done Sir.
Exit Furnace.
Welb.
What thinke you of the hedge we shall dine vnder?
Shall we feed gratis?
Mar.
I know not what to thinke;
Pray you make me not mad.
Enter Order.
This place becomes you not;
Pray you walke Sir, to the dining roome.
Welb.
I am well here
'Till her Ladiship quitts her chamber.
Mar.
Well here say you?
'Tis a rare change! but yesterday you thought
Your selfe well in a Barne, wrapp'd vp in Pease-straw.
Enter Woman, and Chamber-maide.
Wom.
O Sir. you are wish'd for.
Chamb.
My Lady dream't Sir of you.
VVom.
And the first command she gaue, after she rose
Was (her deuotions donne) to giue her notice
When you approch'd here.
Chamb.
Which is done on my vertue.
Mar.
I shall be conuerted, I begin to grow
Into a new beleefe, which Saints, nor Angells
Could haue woone me to haue faith in.
VVom.
Sir, my Lady.
Enter Lady.
Lady.
I come to meete you, and languish'd till I saw you.
This first kisse is for for me; I allow a second
To such a friend.
Mar.
To such a friend! Heau'n blesse me!
VVelb.
I am wholly yours, yet Madam, if you please
To grace this Gentleman with a salute.
Mar.
Salute me at his bidding.
VVelb.
I shall receaue it
As a most high fauour.
Lady.
Sir, you may command me.
VVelb.
Run backward from a Lady? and such a Lady?
Mar.
To kisse her foote is to poore, me a fauour;
I am vnworthy of.—
(Offers to kisse her foote.
Lady.
Nay, pray you rise,
And since you are so humble, I'le exalt you
You shall dine with me to day, at mine owne table.
Mar.
Your Ladiships table? I am not good enough
To sit at your Stewards boord.
Lady.
You are too modest:
Enter Furnace.
Furn.
Will you still be babling;
Till your meate freeze on the table? the old tricke still.
My Art ne're thought on.
Lady.
Your arme, Master VVelborne:
Nay keep vs company.
Mar.
I was neuer so grac'd.
Exeunt VVelborne. Lady. Amble. Marrall. Woman.
Order.
So we haue play'd our parts, and are come off well.
But if I know the mistery, why my Lady
Consented to it, or why Master VVelborne
Desir'd it, may I perish.
Furn.
Would I had
The roasting of his heart, that cheated him
And forces the poore gentleman to these shiftes,
By Fire (for Cookes are Persians, and sweare by it)
Of all the griping, and extorting tyrants
I euer heard, or read of, I ne're met
A match to Sir Giles Ouerreach.
VVatch.
What will you take
To tell him so fellow Furnace?
Furn.
Iust as much
As my throate is worth, for that would be the price on't.
To haue a vsurer that starues himselfe,
And weares a cloke of one and twenty yeares
On a sute of fourteene groates, bought of the Hangman,
To grow rich, and then purchase, is too common:
But this Sir Giles feedes high, keepes many seruants,
Who must at his command doe any outrage;
Rich in his habit; vast in his expences;
Yet he to admiration still increases
In wealth, and Lordships.
Ord.
He frights men out of their Estates,
And breakes through all Law-netts, made to curbe ill men,
As they were cobwebbs. No man dares reproue him.
Such a spirit to dare, and power to doe, were neuer
Lodg'd so vnluckily.
Ha, ha; I shall burst.
Enter Amble.
Ord.
Containe thy selfe man.
Furn.
Or make vs partakers
Of your suddaine mirth.
Amb.
Ha, ha, my Lady has got
Such a guest at her table, this terme-driuer Marrall,
This suippe of an Attourney.
Furn.
What of him man?
Amb.
The knaue thinkes still hee's at the cookes shop in Ramme-alley,
Where the Clarkes diuide, and the Elder is to choose;
And feedes so slouenly.
Furn.
Is this all?
Amb.
My Lady
Dranke to him for fashion sake, or to please master VVelborne.
As I liue he rises, and takes vp a dish,
In which there were some remnants of a boild capon,
And pledges her in white broth.
Furn.
Nay, 'tis like,
The rest of his tribe.
Amb.
And when I brought him wine,
He leaues his stoole, and after a legge or two
Most humbly thankes my worship.
Ord.
Rose already.
Amb.
I shall be chid.
Enter Lady. Welborne. Marrall.
Furn.
My Lady frownes.
Lady.
You waite well.
Let me haue no more of this, I obseru'd your ieering.
Sirra, I'le haue you know, whom I thinke worthy
To sit at my table, be he ne're so meane,
When I am present, is not your companion.
Ord.
Nay, shee'le preserue what's due to her.
Furn.
This refreshing
Followes your flux of laughter.
Lady.
You are master.
Of your owne will. I know so much of manners
As not to enquire your purposes, in a word
That is your owne.
Velb.
Marke that.
Mar.
With reuerence Sir,
And it like your Worship.
Welb.
Trouble your selfe no farther,
Deare Madam; my heart's full of zeale, and seruice,
How euer in my language I am sparing.
Come master Marrall.
Mar.
I attend your Worship.
Exeunt Welb. Mar.
Lad.
I see in your lookes you are sorry, and you know me
An easy mistris: bee merry; I haue forgot all.
Order, and Furnace come with me, I must giue you
Further directions.
Ord.
What you please.
Furn.
We are ready.
| A New Way to Pay Old Debts | |