University of Virginia Library

Enter Prologue.
Enter Citizen.
Cit.
Hold your peace good-man boy.

Pro.
What do you mean Sir?

Cit.

That you have no good meaning: These seven
years there hath been Plays at this House, I have observed
it, you have still girds at Citizens; and now you call your
Play The London Merchant. Down with your Title, Boy,
down with your Title.

Pro.

Are you a member of the noble City?

Cit.

I am.

Pro.

And a Free-man?

Cit.

Yea, and a Grocer.

Pro.

So Grocer, then by your sweat favour, we intend
no abuse to the City.

Cit.
No sir,
Yes sir,
If you were not resolv'd to play the Jacks,
What need you study for new subjects,
Purposely to abuse your betters?
Why could not you be contented,
As well as others,
With the Legend of Whittington,
Or the life and death of Sir Thomas Gresham?
With the building of the Royal Exchange?
Or the storie of Queen Elenor,
With the rearing of London bridge upon Woollsacks?

Pro.
You seem to be an understanding man:
What would you have us do sir?

Cit.
Why?
Present something notably
In honor of the Commons of the City.

Pro.
Why,
What do you say, to the life and death of fat Drake,
Or the repairing of Fleet Privies?

Cit.
I do not like that,
But I will have a Citizen,
And he shall be of my own Trade.

Pro.
Oh,
You should have told us your mind
A month since,
Our Play is ready to begin now.

Cit.
'Tis all one for that,
I will have a Grocer,
And he shall do admirable things.

Pro.
What will you have him do?

Cit.
Marry I will have him—

Wife,
Husband, Husband.

Wife below, Ralph below.
Ralph.
Peace, Mistriss.

Wife.
Hold thy peace Ralph,
I know what I do,
I warrant ye.
Husband, Husband.

Cit.
What say'st thou Conie?

Wife.
Let him kill a Lion with a Pestle Husband,
Let him kill a Lion with a Pestle.

Cit.
So he shall,
I'll have him kill a Lion with a pestle.

Wife.
Husband,
Shall I come up Husband?

Cit.
I Cony.
Ralph, help your Mistriss this way:
Pray Gentlemen make her a little room,
I pray you sir
Lend me your hand to help up my Wife:
I thank you sir.
So.

Wife.
By your leave Gentlemen all,
I'm something troublesome,
I'm a stranger here,
I was ne'r at one of these Play, as they say, before;
But I should have seen Jane Shore once,
And my Husband
Hath promised me any time this Twelvemonth,
To carrie me to the Bold Beauchams,
But in truth he did not;
I pray you bear with me.

Cit.
Boy,
Let my Wife and I have a couple of stools,
And then begin,
And let the Grocer do rare things.

Pro.
But sir,
We have never a Boy to play him,
Every one hath a part already.

Wife.
Husband, Husband,
For gods sake let Ralph play him,
Beshrew me if I do not think
He will go beyond them all.

Cit.
Well remembred wife,
Come up Ralph,
I'll tell you Gentlemen,
Let them but lend him a suit of reparrel,
and necessaries,
And by gad,
If any of them all blow wind in the tail on him,
I'll be hang'd.

Wife.
I pray you youth,
Let him have a suit of reparrel,
I'll be sworn Gentlemen,
My Husband tells you true,
He will act you sometimes at our house,
That all the neighbors cry out on him:
He will fetch you up a couraging part so in the Garret,
That we are all as fear'd I warrant you,
That we quake again:
We'll fear our children with him,
If they be never so unruly,
Do but cry,
Ralph comes, Ralph comes to them,
And they'll be as quiet as Lambs.
Hold up thy head Ralph,
Shew the Gentlemen what thou canst do,
Speak a huffing part,
I warrant you the Gentlemen will accept of it.

Cit.
Do Ralph, do.

Ralph.
By heaven
(Methinks) it were an easie leap
To pluck bright honor from the pale-fac'd Moon,
Or dive into the bottom of the Sea,
Where never fathome line toucht any ground,
And pluck up drowned honor
From the lake of Hell.

Cit.
How say you Gentlemen,
Is it not as I told you?

Wife.
Nay Gentlemen,
He hath plaid before, my husband says, Musidorus
Before the Wardens of our company.

Cit.
I, and he should have plaid Jeronimo
With a shoo-maker for a wager.

Pro.
He shall have a suit of apparel,
If he will go in.

Cit.
In Ralph, in Ralph,
And set out the Grocers in their kind,
If thou lov'st me.

Wife.
I warrant our Ralph will look finely,
When he's drest,

Pro.
But what will you have it call'd?

Cit.
The Grocers Honor.

Pro.
Methinks,
The Knight of the bunrning Pestle were better.

Wife.
I'll be sworn Husband.
That's as good a name as can be.

Cit,
Let it be so, begin, begin;
My Wife and I will sit down.

Pro.
I pray you do.

Cit.
What stately Musick have you?
You have Shawnes.

Pro.
Shawns? no.

Cit.
No?
I'm a thief if my mind did not give me so.
Ralph plaies a stately part,
And he must needs have Shawns:
I'll be at the charge of them my self,
Rather than we'll be without them.

Pro.
So you are like to be.

Cit.
Why and so I will be,
There's two shillings,
Let's have the Waits of Southwark,
They are as rare fellows as any are in England;
And that will fetch them all o'r the water, with a vengeance,
As if they were mad.

Pro.
You shall have them:
Will you sit down then?

Cit.
I, come Wife.

Wife.
Sit you merry all Gentlemen,
I'm bold to sit amongst you for my ease.

Pro.
From all that's near the Court,
From all that's great
Within the compass of the City walls,
We now have brought our Scæne:
Flie far from hence
All private taxes, immodest phrases,
What e'r may but shew like vicious:
For wicked mirth never true pleasure brings,
But honest minds are pleas'd with honest things.
Thus much for that we do:
But for Ralphs part
You must answer for your self.

Cit.
Take you no care for Ralph,
He'll discharge himself I warrant you.

Wife.
I'faith Gentlemen,
I'll give my my word for Ralph.