University of Virginia Library

Scena IV.

To Him Bright and Newcut.
Br.
Save you Merchant Plotwell.

Newc.
Mr Plotwell
Citizen and Merchant, save you.

Br.
Is thy Uncle
Gone the wisht voyage?

Plotw.
Yes, he's gone, and if
He dye by th'way hath bequeathd me but some
Twelve hundred pound a yeare in Kent, some three-
Score thousand pound in money, besides Jewels, Bonds,
And desperate debts.

New.
And dost not thou fall downe
And pray to th'windes to sacrifice him to
Poore John and Mackrell?

Br.
Or invoke some rock
To doe thee justice?

New.
Or some compendious Canon
To take him off ith' middle?

Plotw.
And why my tender
Softhearted friends?

Br.
What to take thee from the Temple
To make thee an old Juryman, a Whittington?

New.
To transforme thy plush to pennystone, and scarlet
Into a velvet Jacket which hath seene
Aleppo twice, is knowne to the great Turke,
Hath scapt three shipwracks to beleft off to thee,
And knowes the way to Mexico as well as the Map?

Br.
This Jacket surely was imploy'd in finding
The Northeast passage out. Or the same Jacket
That Coryat died in.

Plotw.
Very good.

New.
In Ovid
There is not such a Metamorphosis
As thou art now. To be turnd into a tree
Or some handsome beast is courtly to this.
But for thee, Franck, O Transmutation!
Of Satin chang'd to Kersy hose I sing.
Slid his shooes shine too.

Br.
They have the Gresham dye.
Dost thou not dresse thy selfe by 'em? I can see
My face in them hither.

Plotw.
Very pleasant Gentlemen.

Br.
And faith for how many yeares art thou bound?

Plotw.
Doe you take me for a prentice?

New.
Why then what office
Dost thou beare in the parish this yeare? Let's feele,
No batteries in thy head to signifie
Th'art Constable?

Br.
No furious Iugge broke on it
In the Kings name?

Plotw.
Did you contrive this scene
By the way Gentlemen?

New.
No, but the Newes
Thou shouldst turne Trades-man, and this Pagan dresse,
In which if thou shouldst dye thou wouldst be damned
For an Usurer, is comicall at the Temple.
We were about to bring in such a fellow
For an Apostate in our Antimasque.
Set one to keep the doore, provide halfe-crowne roomes,
For Ile set bills up of thee, what shall I
Give thee for the first day?

Br.
I, or second?
For thou't endure twice or thrice comming in.

Plotw.
Well my conceipted Orient friends, bright Offsprings
Oth' female silkworme, and Taylor male I deny not
But you look well in your unpaid for Glory.
That in these colours you set out the Strand,
And adorne Fleet-street. That you may laugh at me
Poore Workingday oth' Citie, like two Festivals
Escapt out of the Almanacke.

New.
Sirrah Bright,
Didst look to heare such language beyond Ludgate?

Br.
I thought all wit had ended at Fleet-bridge.
But wit that goes oth' the score, that may extend
If't be a Courtiers wit into Cheapside.

Plotw.
Your Mercer lives there does he? I warrant you
He has the patience of a burnt Heretique:
The very faith that sold to you these silkes
And thinks you'l pay for em is strong enough
To save the Infidell part oth' world, or Antichrist.

Br.
W'are most mechannically abused.

New.
Let's teare
His Jacket off.

Br.
A match take that side.

Plotw.
Hold, hold.

Br.
How fraile a thing old velvet is, it parts
They teare off his Iacket
With as much ease and willingnes as two Cowards.

New.
The tenderst weed that ever fell a sunder.

Plotw.
Ha you your wits? what mean you?

Br.
Goe, put on
One of thy Temple suits and accompany us,
Or else thy Dimmity breeches be mortall.

Plotw.
You will
Not strip me will you?

New.
By thy visible eares we will.

Br.
By this two handed Beaver; which is so thinne
And light a Butterflies wings put to't would make it
A Mercuries flying hat and soare aloft.

Plotw.
But doe you know to how much danger
You tempt me? should my Uncle know I come
Within the ayre of Fleet-street—

New.
Will you make
Your selfe fit for a coach againe, and come
Along with us?

Plotw.
Well my two resolute friends
You shall prevaile. But whether now are your
Lewd motions bent?

New.
Weel'dine at Roseclaps, there
We shall meet Captaine Quartfield, and his Poet,
They shall shew us another fish.

Br.
But by the way we have agreed to see
A Lady, you Mechanick.

Plotw.
What Lady?

New.
Hast
Not thou heard of the New-sprung Lady?

Br.
One
That keeps her Coachman, Foot-boy, woman, and spends
A thousand pound a yeare by wit.

Plotw.
How? wit?

New.
That is her patrimony, Sir; tis thought
The fortune she is borne to will not buy
A bunch of Turnips.

Plotw.
She is no Gamester is she?
Nor carries false dice?

Br.
No, but has a Tongue,
Wert in a Lawyers mouth, would make him buy
All young Heires neere him.

Plotw.
But does no man know
From whence she came?

Br.
As for hir birth she may
Choose her own pedigree; it is unknowne
Whither she be descended of some Ditch,
Or Dutchesse.

New.
She's the wonder of the Court,
And talke oth' Towne.

Plotw.
Her name?

New.
Aurelia.

Plotw.
I'ue heard of her. They say she does fight duells,
And answers challenges in wit.

Br.
She has beene
Thrice in the field.

Plotw.
Ith' the field?

New.
Yes, in Spring-Garden.
Has conquerd with no second but her woman,
A Puritan, and has returnd with prizes.

Plotw.
And no drum beat before her?

New.
No, nor Colours
Flourisht. She has made a vow never to marry
Till she be won by Stratagem.

Plotw.
I long
To see her.

Br.
Ith' name of Guild-hall who comes here?

Enter Timothy.