 | The Knight of the Burning Pestle |  |
Actus Tertius.
Scæna Prima.
Enter Jasper and Luce.Jasp.
Come my dear, though we have lost our way,
We have not lost our selves: are you not weary
With this nights wandring, broken from your rest?
And frighted with the terror that attends
The darkness of this wild unpeopled place?
Luce.
No my best friend, I cannot either fear,
Or entertain a weary thought, whilst you
(The end of all my full desires) stand by me:
Let them that lose their hopes, and live to languish
Amongst the number of forsaken Lovers,
Tell the long weary steps, and number time,
Start at a shadow, and shrink up their bloud,
Whilst I (possest with all content and quiet)
Thus take my pretty love, and thus embrace him.
Jasp.
You have caught me Luce, so fast, that whilst I live
I shall become your faithful prisoner:
And wear these chains for ever. Come, sit down,
And rest your body, too too delicate
For these disturbances; so, will you sleep?
Come, do not be more able than you are,
I know you are not skilful in these Watches,
For Women are no soldiers; be not nice,
But take it, sleep I say.
Luce.
I cannot sleep.
Indeed I cannot friend.
Jasp.
Why then we'll sing,
And try how that will work upon our sences.
Luce.
I'll sing, or say, or any thing but sleep.
Jasp.
Come little Mermaid, rob me of my heart
With that inchanting voice.
Luce.
You mock me Jasper
SONG.
Jasp.
Tell me (dearest) what is Love?
Luce.
'Tis a lightning from above,
'Tis an Arrow, 'tis a Fire,
'Tis a Boy they call desire.
'Tis a smile
Doth beguile
Jasp.
The poor hearts of men that prove,
Tell me more, are Women true?
Luce.
Some Love change, and so do you.
Jasp.
Are they fair, and never kind?
Luce.
Yes, when men turn with the wind.
Jasp.
Are they froward?
Luce.
Ever toward
Those that love, to love anew.
Jasp.
Dissemble it no more, I see the God
Of heavy sleep, lay on his heavy Mace,
Upon your eye-lids.
Luce.
I am very heavy.
Jasp.
Sleep, sleep, and quiet rest crown thy sweet thoughts:
Keep from her fair blood distempers, startings,
Horrors and fearful shapes: let all her dreams
Be joys, and chaste delights, embraces, wishes,
And such new pleasures as the ravish'd soul
Gives to the sences. So my charms have took.
Keep her you powers divine, whilst I contemplate
Upon the wealth and beauty of her mind.
She is only fair, and constant: only kind,
And only to thee Jasper. Oh my joyes!
Whither will you transport me? let not fulness
Of my poor buried hopes come up together,
And over-charge my spirits; I am weak,
Some say (how ever ill) the Sea and Women
Are govern'd by the Moon, both ebb and flow,
Both full of changes: yet to them that know,
And truly judge, these but opinions are,
And heresies to bring on pleasing War
Between our tempers, that without these were
Both void of after-love, and present fear.
Which are the best of Cupid. O thou child!
Bred from despair, I dare not entertain thee,
Having a love without the faults of Women,
And greater in her perfect goods than men:
Which to make good, and please my self the stronger,
Though certainly I am certain of her love,
I'll try her, that the world and memory
May sing to after-times her constancy.
Luce.
Luce awake. Luce, why do you fright me friend,
With those distempered looks? what makes your sword
Drawn in your hand? who hath offended you?
I prethee Jasper sleep, thou art wild with watching,
Come make your way to Heaven, and bid the world
(With all the villanies that stick upon it)
Farewell; you're for another life.
Luce.
Oh Jasper.
How have my tender years committed evil,
(Especially against the man I love)
Thus to be cropt untimely?
Jasp.
Foolish girl,
Canst thou imagine I could love his daughter
That flung me from my fortune into nothing?
Discharged me his service, shut the doors
Upon my poverty, and scorn'd my prayers,
Sending me, like a boat without a mast,
To sink or swim? Come, by this hand you dye,
I must have life and blood to satisfie
Your fathers wrongs.
Wife.
Away George, away, raise the Watch at Ludgate,
and bring a Mittimus from the Justice for this desperate
Villain. Now I charge you Gentlemen, see the
Kings peace kept. O my heart what a varlet's this,
to offer Man-slaughter upon the harmless Gentlewoman?
Cit.
I warrant thee (sweet heart) we'll have him hampered.
Luce.
Oh Jasper! be not cruel,
If thou wilt kill me, smile, and do it quickly.
And let not many deaths appear before me.
I am a woman made of fear and love
A weak, weak woman, kill not with thy eyes,
They shoot me through and through. Strike I am ready.
And dying still I love thee.
Enter Merchant, Humphrey, and his Men.
Merch.
Where abouts?
Jasp.
No more of this, now to my self again.
Hum.
There, there he stands with Sword like martial Knight.
Drawn in his hand, therefore beware the sight
You that are wise: for were I good Sir Bevis,
I would not stay his coming, by your leaves.
Merc.
Sirrah, restore my daughter.
Jasp.
Sirrah, no.
Merch.
Upon him then.
Wife.
So, down with him, down with him, down with him:
cut him i'the leg boyes, cut him i'th' leg.
Merc.
Come your ways Minion, I'll provide a Cage for
you, you're grown so tame. Horse her away.
Hum.
Truly I'm glad your forces have the day.
Exeunt manet Jasper.
Jasp.
They are gone, and I am hurt, my Love is lost,
Never to get again. Oh me unhappy!
Bleed, bleed, and dye, I cannot: Oh my folly!
Thou hast betray'd me, Hope where art thou fled?
Tell me if thou be'st any where remaining.
Shall I but see my love again? Oh no!
She will not dain to look upon her Butcher,
Nor is fit she should; yet I must venter.
Oh chance, or fortune, or what ere thou art
That men adore for powerful, hear my cry,
And let me loving live; or loosing dye.
Wife.
Is a gone George?
Cit.
I conny.
Wife.
Marry and let him go (sweet heart) by the faith a
my body a has put me into such a fright, that I tremble (as
they say) as 'twere an Aspine leaf: look a my little finger
George, how it shakes: now in truth every member of my
body is the worse for't.
Cit.
Come, hug in mine arms sweet Mouse, he shall not
fright thee any more: alass mine own dear heart how it quivers.
Enter Mistris Merry-thought, Rase, Michael, Squire, Dwarfe, Host, and a Tapster.
Wife.
O Rafe, how dost thou Rafe? how hast thou slept
to night? has the Knight us'd thee well?
Cit.
Peace Nell, let Rafe alone.
Tapst.
Master, the reckoning is not paid.
Rafe.
Right courteous Knight, who for the orders sake
Which thou hast tane, hang'st out the holy Bell,
As I this flaming Pestle bear about,
We render thanks to your puissant self,
Your beauteous Lady, and your gentle Squires,
For thus refreshing of our wearied limbs,
Stifned with hard atchievements in wild Desart.
Tapst.
Sir, there is twelve shillings to pay.
Rafe.
Thou merry Squire Tapstero, thanks to thee,
For comforting our souls with double Jug,
And if adventurous Fortune prick thee forth,
Thou jovial Squire, to follow feats of Arms,
Take heed thou tender every Ladies cause,
Every true Knight, and every Damsel fair
But spill the blood of treacherous Sarazens,
And false inchanters, that with Magick spels,
Have done to death full many a noble Knight.
Host.
Thou valiant Knight of the burning Pestle, give ear
to me, there is twelve shillings to pay, and as I am a true
Knight, I will not bate a penny.
Wife.
George, I prethee tell me, must Rafe pay twelve
shillings now?
Cit.
No, Nel, no, nothing but the old Knight is merry
with Rafe
Wife.
O is't nothing else? Rafe will be as merry as he.
Rafe.
Sir Knight, this mirth of yours becomes you well,
But to requite this liberal courtesie,
If any of your Squires will follow Arms,
He shall receive from my Heroick hand
A Knighood, by the virtue of this Pestle.
Host.
Fair Knight, I thank you for your noble offer,
Therefore gentle Knight,
Twelve shillings you must pay, or I must cap you.
Wife.
Look George, did not I tell thee as much, the Knight
of the Bell is in earnest, Rafe shall not be beholding to
him, give him his money George, and let him go snick
up.
Cit.
Cap Rafe? no, hold your hand sir Knight of the Bell,
there's your Money, have you any thing to say to Rafe
now? cap Rafe?
Wife.
I would you should know it, Rafe has friends that
will not suffer him to be capt for ten times so much, and ten
times to the end of that, now take thy course Rafe.
M. mer.
Come Michael, thou and I will go home to thy
father, he hath enough left to keep us a day or two, and
we'll set fellows abroad to cry our Purse and Casket: Shall
we Michael?
Mich.
I, I pray mother, in truth my foot are full of chilblains
with travelling.
Wife.
Faith and those chilblaines are a foul trouble, Mistris
Merry-thought when your youth comes home, let him rub
all the soles of his feet, and his heels, and his ankles, with a
Mouseskin; or if none of your can catch a Mouse, when he
goes to bed, let him rowl his feet in the warm embers, and I
warrant you he shall be well, and you may make him put his
fingers between his toes, and smell to them, it's very soveraign
for his head, if he be costive.
Mist. mer.
Master Knight of the burning Pestle, my son
Michael, and I bid you farewell, I thank your Worship hartily
for your kindness.
Rafe.
Fare-well fair Lady, and your tender Squire.
If pricking through these Desarts, I do hear
Of any traiterous Knight who through his guile,
Hath light upon your Casket and your Purse,
I will despoil him of them and restore them.
Mist. mer.
I thank your Worship.
Exit with Michael
Rafe.
Dwarf bear my shield, Squire elevate my lance,
And now farewell you Knight of holy Bell,
Cit.
I, I Rafe, all is paid.
Rafe.
But yet before I go, speak worthy Knight,
If oft you do of sad adventures know,
Where errant Knights may through his prowess win
Eternal fame, and free some gentle souls,
From endless bounds of steel and lingring pain.
Sirrah go to Nick the Barber, and bid him prepare
himself, as I told you before quickly.
Tap.
I am gone Sir.
Exit Tapster.
Host.
Sir Knight, this wilderness affordeth none
But the great venture, where full many a Knight
Hath tried his prowess, and come off with shame,
And where I would not have you loose your life,
Against no man, but furious fiend of Hell.
Rafe.
Speak on Sir Knight, tell what he is, and where:
For here I vow upon my blazing badge,
Never to blaze a day in quietness;
But bread and water will I only eat,
And the green herb and rock shall be my couch
Till I have queld that man, or beast, or fiend,
That works such damage to all Errant Knights.
Host.
Not far from hence, near a craggy cliff
At the North end of this distressed Town,
There doth stand a lowly house
Ruggedly builded, and in it a Cave
In which an ugly Giant now doth won,
Ycleped Barbaroso: in his hand
He shakes a naked Lance of purest steel,
With sleeves turn'd up, and him before he wears,
A motly garment to preserve his clothes
From blood of those Knights which he massacres,
And Ladies Gentle: without his door doth hang
A copper bason, on a prickant Spear;
At which, no sooner gentle Knights can knock,
But the shrill sound, fierce Barbaroso hears,
And rushing forth, brings in the Errant Knight,
And sets him down in an inchanted chair:
Then with an Engine, which he hath prepar'd
With forty teeth, he claws his courtly crown,
Next makes him wink, and underneath his chin,
He plants a brazen piece of mighty board,
And knocks his bullets round about his cheeks,
Whilst with his fingers, and an instrument
With which he snaps his hair off, he doth fill
The wretches ears with a most hideous noyse.
Thus every Knight Adventurer he doth trim,
And now no creature dares encounter him.
Rafe.
In Gods name, I will fight with him; kind sir,
Go but before me to this dismal Cave
Where this huge Giant Barbaroso dwells,
And by that virtue that brave Rosicleere,
That damn'd brood of ugly Giants slew,
And Palmer in Frannarco overthrew:
I doubt not but to curb this Traytor soul,
And to the Devil send his guilty Soul.
Host.
Brave sprighted Knight, thus far I will perform
This your request, I'll bring you within sight
Of this most loathsome place, inhabited
By a more lothsome man: but dare not stay,
For his main force swoops all he sees away.
Rafe.
Saint George set on before, march Squire and
Page.
Exeunt.
Wife.
George, dost think Rafe will confound the Giant?
Cit.
I hold my cap to a farthing he does: why Nell, I
saw him wrestle with the great Dutchman, and hurle him.
Wife.
Faith and that Dutchman was a goodly man, if all
things were answerable to his bigness: and yet they say
there was a Scottishman higher than he, and that they
two and a Knight met, and saw one another for nothing:
but of all the sights that ever were in London, since I was
married, methinks the little child that was so fair grown
about the members, was the prettiest, that and the Hermaphrodite.
Cit.
Nay, by your leave Nil, Ninivie was better.
Wife.
Ninivie, O that was the story of Jone and the wall,
was it not George?
Cit.
Yes lamb.
Enter Mistris Merry-totgght.
Wife.
Look George, here comes Mistris Merry-thoughauh ain,
and I would have Rafe come and fight with the Gyant, I
tell you true I long to see't.
Cit.
Good Mistriss Merri-thought be a one, I pray you for
my sake, I pray you forbear a little, you shall have audience
presently, I have a little business.
Wife.
Mistriss Merri-thought,, if it please you to refrain
your passion a little, till Rafe have dispatcht the Giant out
of the way, we shall think our selves much bound to thank
you: I thank you good Mistris Merri-thought.
Exit Mist. Merry-thought.
Enter a Boy.
Cit.
Boy, come hither, send away Rafe and this whoreson
Giant quickly.
Boy.
In good faith sir we cannot, you'l utterly spoil our
Play, and make it to be hist, and it cost money, you will
not suffer us to go on with our plots, I pray Gentlemen rule
him.
Cit.
Let him come now and dispatch this, and I'll trouble
you no more.
Boy.
Will you give me your hand of that?
Wife.
Give him thy hand George, do, and I'll kiss him, I
warrant thee the youth means plainly.
Boy.
I'll send him to you presently.
Wife.
I thank you little youth, feth the child hath a
sweet breath George, but I think it be troubled with the
Worms, Carduus Benedictus and Mares milk were the only
thing in the world for't. O Rafe's here George, God send
thee good luck Rafe.
Enter Rafe, Host, Squire, and Dwarf.
Host.
Puissant Knight yonder his Mansion is,
Lo, where the Spear and Copper Bason are,
Behold the string on which hangs many a tooth,
Drawn from the gentle jaw of wandring Knights,
I dare not stay to sound, he will appear.
Exit Host.
Rafe.
O faint not heart, Susan my Lady dear:
The Coblers Maid in Milkstreet, for whose sake,
I take these Arms, O let the thought of thee,
Carry thy Knight through all adventurous deeds,
And in the honor of thy beauteous self,
May I destroy this monster Barbaroso,
Knock Squire upon the Bason till it break
Enter. Barba.
With the shrill strokes, or till the Giant spake.
Wife.
O George, the Giant, the Giant, now Rafe for thy
life.
Bar.
What fond unknowing wight is this, that dares,
So rudely knock at Barbarossa's Cell,
Where no man comes, but leaves his fleece behind?
Rafe.
I, traiterous Caitiffe, who am sent by fate
To punish all the sad enormities
Thou hast committed against Ladies gentle,
And Errant Knights, Traytor to God and men:
Prepare thy self, this is the dismal hour
Appointed for thee to give strict account
Of all thy beastly treacherous villanies.
Bar.
Fool-hardy Knight, full soon thou shalt aby
This fond reproach, thy body will I bang,
He takes down his pole.
And loe upon that string thy teeth shall hang:
Prepare thy self, for dead soon shalt thou be.
Rafe.
Saint George for me
They fight.
Barba.
Gargantua for me.
Wife.
To him Rafe, to him, hold up the Giant, set out thy
leg before Rafe.
Cit.
Falsifie a blow Rafe, falsifie a blow, the Giant lies
open on the left side.
Wife.
Bear't off, bear't off still; there boy, O Rafe's almost
down, Rafe's almost down.
Rafe.
Susan inspire me, now have up again.
Wife.
Up, up, up, up, up, so Rafe, down with him, down
with him Rafe.
Cit.
Fetch him over the hip boy.
Wife.
There boy, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, Rafe.
Cit.
No Rafe, get all out of him first.
Presumptuous man, see to what desperate end
Thy treachery hath brought thee, the just Gods,
Who never prosper those that do despise them,
For all the villanies which thou hast done
To Knights and Ladies, now have paid thee home,
By my stiff arm, a Knight adventurous.
But say, vile wretch, before I send thy soul
To sad Avernus, whither it must go,
What captives holdst thou in thy sable cave?
Barba.
Go in and free them all, thou hast the day.
Rafe.
Go Squire and Dwarf, search in this dreadful cave,
And free the wretched prisoners from their bonds.
Exit Squire and Dwarf.
Barb.
I crave for mercy as thou art a Knight,
And scornst to spill the blood of those that beg.
Rafe.
Thou shewest no mercy, nor shalt thou have any,
Prepare thy self, for thou shalt surely dye.
Enter Squire leading one winking, with a Bason under his chin.
Squire.
Behold brave Knight here is one prisoner,
Whom this wild man hath used as you see.
Wife.
This is the wisest word I hear the Squire speak.
Rafe.
Speak what thou art, and how thou hast been us'd,
That I may give him condign punishment
1. Kni.
I am a Knight that took my journey post
Northward from London, and in courteous wise,
This Gyant train'd me to his den,
Under pretence of killing of the itch,
And all my body with a powder strew'd,
That smarts and stings, and cut away my beard,
And my curl'd locks wherein were Ribands ty'de,
And with a water washt my tender eyes,
Whilst up and down about me still he skipt,
Whose virtue is, that till my eyes be wip't
With a dry cloth, for this my soul disgrace,
I shall not dare to look a dog i'th' face.
Wife.
Alass poor Knight, relieve him Rafe, relieve poor
Knights whilst you live.
Rafe.
My trusty Squire convey him to the Town,
Where he may find relief, adieu fair Knight.
Exit Knight.
Enter Dwarf leading one with a patch o'er his Nose,
Dwar.
Puissant Knight of the burning Pestle height,
See here another wretch, whom this soul beast
Hath scorcht and scor'd in this inhumane wife.
Rafe.
Speak me thy name, and eke thy place of birth,
And what hath been thy usage in this Cave.
2. Knight.
I am a Knight, Sir Pock-hole is my name,
And by my birth I am a Londoner,
Free by my Copy, but my Ancestors
Were Frenchmen all, and riding hard this way.
Upon a trotting horse my bones did ake,
And I faint Knight to ease my weary limbes,
Light at this Cave, when straight this furious fiend,
With sharpest instrument of purest steel,
Did cut the gristle of my Nose away,
And in the place this velvet plaster stands,
Relieve me gentle Knight out of his hands.
Wife.
Good Rafe relieve Sir Pockhole, and send him away,
for in truth his breath stinks.
Rafe.
Convey him straight after the other Knight:
Sir Pockhole fare you well.
3. Knight.
Kind Sir goodnight
Exit.
Cryes within.
Man.
Deliver us.
Woman.
Deliver us.
Wife.
Harke George, what a woful cry there is, I think
some woman lyes in there.
Man.
Deliver us
Woman.
Deliver us.
Rafe.
What gastly noise is this? speak Barbaroso
Or by this blazing steel thy head goes off.
Barb.
Prisoners of mine, whom I in diet keep,
Send lower down into the Cave,
And in a Tub that's heated smoaking hot,
There may they find them and deliver them.
Rafe.
Run Squire and Dwarf, deliver them with speed.
Exeunt Squire and Dwarf.
Wife.
But will not Rafe kill this Giant, surely I am afraid if
he let him go he will do as much hurt, as ever he did.
Citizen.
Not so Mouse neither, if he could convert him.
Wife.
I George, if he could convert him; but a Gyant is
not so soon converted as one of us ordinary people. There's
a pretty tale of a Witch, that had the Divels mark about
her, God bless us, that had a Gyant to her son, that was
call'd Lob-lie-by-the-fire, didst never hear it George.
Enter Squire leading a man with a glass of Lotion in his hand, and the Dwarf leading a woman, with Dyet-bread and Drink.
Cit.
Peace Nell, here comes the prisoners.
Dwar.
Here be these pined wretches, manfull Knight,
That for this six weeks have not seen a wight.
Raph.
Deliver what you are, and how you came
To this sad Cave, and what your usage was?
Man.
I am an errant Knight that followed Arms,
With spear and shield, and in my tender years
I strucken was with Cupids fiery shaft,
And fell in love with this my Lady dear,
And stole her from her friends in Turne-ball street,
And bore her up and down from Town to Town,
Where we did eat and drink and Musick here;
Till at the length at this unhappy Town
We did arrive, and coming to this Cave,
This beast us caught, and put us in a Tub,
Where we this two months sweat, and should have done.
Another Month if you had not relieved us.
Wom.
This bread and water hath our dyet been,
Together with a rib cut from a neck
Of burned Mutton, hard hath been our fare,
Release us from this ugly Gyants snare.
Man.
This hath been half the food we have receiv'd,
But only twice a day for novelty,
He gave a spoonful of his hearty broth
Pulls out a siringe.
To each of us, through this same tender quill.
Raph.
From this infernall Monster you shall go,
That useth Knights and gentle Ladies so.
Convey them hence.
Exeunt man and woman.
Cit.
Cunny, I can tell thee the Gentleman like Rafe.
Wife.
I George, I see it well enough. Gentlemen I thank
you all heartily for gracing my man Raph, and I promise
you, you shall see him oftner.
Bar.
Mercy great Knight, I do recant my ill,
And henceforth never gentle blood will spill.
Raph.
I give thee mercy, but yet thou shalt swear
Upon my burning Pestle to perform
Thy promise utter'd.
Bar.
I swear and kiss.
Raph.
Depart then and amend.
Come Sqire and Dwarf, the Sun grows towards his set,
And we have many more adventures yet.
Exeunt.
Cit.
Now Raph is in this humor, I know he would ha beaten
all the boys in the house, if they had been set on him.
Wife.
I George, but it is well as it is: I warrant you the gentlemen
do consider what it is to overthrow a Gyant: but
look George, here comes Mistriss Merri-thought, and her
son Michael, now you are welcome Mistris Merri-thought,
now Raph has done you may go on.
Enter Mistriss Merry-thought and Michael.
Mist. mer.
Micke My Boy?
Mich.
I forsooth Mother.
Mist. mer.
Be merry Micke, we are at home now: where
I warrant you, yon shall find the house slung out of the
y'faith with my Husband: I'll get in among them, I'll play
them such lesson; that they shall have little list to come
scraping hither again. Why Master Merry-thought, Husband,
Charles Merry-thought.
Old Mer.
within.
If you will sing, and dance, and laugh,
and hollow, and laugh again: and then cry there boys
there: why then,
We shall be merry within this hour.
Mist. Mer.
Why Charles do you not know your own natural
wife? I say open the door, and turn me out those
mangy companions; 'tis more than time that they were
fellow like with you: you are a Gentleman Charles, and
an old man, and father of two children; and I my self,
(though I say it) by my mothers side, Niece to a Worshipful
Gentleman, and a Conductor, he has been three
times in his Majesties service at Chester, and is now the
fourth time, God bless him, and his charge upon his
journey.
Old Mer.
Go from my window my dear,
The wind and the rain will drive you back again,
You cannot be lodged here.
Hark you Mistriss Merri-thought, you that walk upon
Adventures, and forsake your Husband, because he sings
with never a penny in his purse; what shall I think my
self a worse? Faith no, I'll be merry.
You come not here, here's none but Lads of mettle,
lives of a hundred years, and upwards, care never drunk
their bloods, nor want made them warble.
Mist. Mer.
Why M. Merrithought, what am I that you
should laugh me to scorn thus abruptly? am I not your
fellow-feeler, (as we may say) in all our miseries? your
comforter in health and sickness? have I not brought you
Children? are they not like you Charles? look upon thine
own Image, hard-hearted man; and yet for all this—
Old Mer.
within.
Begon, begon my juggy, my puggy,
begon my love my dear.
The weather is warm, 'twill do thee no harm, thou canst
not be lodged here.
Wife.
He's not in earnest, I hope George, is he?
Cit.
What if he be, sweet heart?
Wife.
Marry if he be George, I'll make bold to tell him
he's an ingrant old man, to use his bed-fellow so scurvily.
Cit.
What how does he use her Honey?
Wife.
Marry come up sir sauce-box, I think you'll take
his part, will you not? Lord how hot are you grown:
you are a fine man an you had a fine Dog, it becomes you
sweetly.
Cit.
Nay, prethee Nell chide not: for as I am an honest
man, and a true Christian Grocer, I do not like his
doings.
Wife.
I cry you mercy then George, you know we are
all frail, and full of infirmities. Dee hear Master Merri-thought,
may I crave a word with you?
Old Mer.
within.
Strike up lively lads.
Wife.
I had not thought in truth, Master Merri-thought,
that a man of your age and discretion (as I may say) being
a Gentleman, and therefore known by your gentle
conditions, could have used so little respect to the weakness
of his wife: for your wife is your own flesh, the staff
of your age, your yoke-fellow, with whose help you draw
through the myre of this transitory world: Nay, she's
your own rib. And again—
Old Mer.
I come not hither for thee to teach,
I have no pulpit for thee to preach,
I would thou hadst kist me under the breech,
As thou art a Lady gay.
Wife.
Marry with a vengeance,
I am heartily sorry for the poor Gentlewoman: but if I
were thy wife, i'faith gray-beard, i'faith—
Cit.
I prethee sweet Hony-suckle, be content.
Wife.
Give me such words that am a Gentlewoman born,
hang him hoary Rascal. Get me some drink George, I
am almost molten with fretting: now beshrew his Knaves
heart for it.
Old mer.
Play me a light Lavalto: come, be frollick, fill
the good fellows wine.
Mist. mer.
Why Master Merri-thought, are you disposed
to make me wait here: you'll open I hope, i'll fetch them
that shall open else.
Old mer.
Good woman, if you will sing, I'll give you
something, if not—
Come aloft Boys, aloft.
Mist. mer.
Now a Churles fart in your teeth Sir: Come
Mick, we'll not trouble him, a shall not ding us i'th' teeth
with his bread and his broth, that he shall not: come boy,
I'll provide for thee, I warrant thee: wee'll go to Master
Venterwels the Merchant, I'll get his letter to mine Host of
the Bell in Waltham, there I'll place thee with the Tapster,
will not that do well for thee Mick? and let me alone for
that old Cuckoldly Knave your father, I'll use him in his
kind, I warrant ye.
Wife.
Come George, where's the beer?
Cit.
Here Love.
Wife.
This old fornicating fellow will not out of my
mind yet; Gentlemen, I'll begin to you all, I desire more
of your acquaintance, with all my heart. Fill the Gentlemen
some beer George.
Musick.
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