 | The Vow Breaker. Or, The Faire Maide of Clifton |  |
Actus Primus
Scena Prima.
Enter young Bateman meeting Anne.Anne.
My Bateman.
Y. Ba.
My sweetest Nan?
An.
Had I but one entire affected Pearle
Inestimable unto vulgar censure
And is there none to play the Theife but thou!
Oh misery would'st have thy love entrans'd,
Without an eccho that would sigh farewell.
Common curtesie 'mongst rurall Hyndes
With this formallity disciplines them
(Kisse at the departure), and you to steale away
Without my Privity?
Y. Ba.
Pray thee no more?
Teares are the Heralds to future sorrowes,
I have collected all that's man together
And wrastld with affections as with streames,
And as they strive that doe oppresse the billowes
So doe I fare in each externall part.
My Actes are like the motionall gymmalls
Fixt in a VVatch, who winde themselves away
Without cessation; here if I stay, I finde,
I must be where thou art! which when I am
Thy fathers rage encreases like a flame
Fedd by ungentle blastes! my absence
And smooth the rising furrowes in his brow.
It is sufficient that I know thee firme.
Fixt as a Rocke in constancy, and love,
Able to ship-wracke greatnes, and despiseth
A violated heart, as a disease.
I goe to Leith as children goe to schoole
Studying what shall please my Mistris best,
My lesson cond , I will returne againe
And dedicate my labours unto thee.
An.
Sweete doe not goe; and yet if that you will
Leaving me here like a forsaken Lover,
Prethee forget, me not; nay be not angry
Souldiers in Warre make any saint their owne
Forgeting those they are devoted too!
Tis I have vow'd to have thee quicke or dead,
Flattering honours, nor dissembling beauties
Workes me not from thee.
Y. Bat.
Sweare not sweete Nan!
The booke of fate, as now may be unclasp'd
And record what thou speak'st.
An.
Be it writ in brasse
My love shall be as durable as that!
Now by this kisse, nay I will second that,
When I this hand bequeath to any one
But my sweete Bateman; then may I ever
From heaven, and goodnes rest a cast-away,
If e're I. give this hand, to any one
But my sweete Bateman.
Y. Bat.
Thy constancy I resalute.
Death onely separates me from thy love.
Alive or dead I shall enjoy thee then
Spite of thy fathers frownes.
Enter Vrsula.
Vrs.
Why then up-with your bag, and baggage, and to Saint
Maries presently the Priest stayes, the Clarke whynes to say Amen!
and for th'official schollers love butterd loaves, an Angell
will perswade him to consent, we that live by the sinnes of the
Y. Bat.
Thou art merry still.
Vrs.
Faith, and shalbe as long as I keepe me out of Cupids
mannacles, doost heare Lover? take her now thou hast her i'th
vaine trust not we wenches, theirs asmuch truth in us, as in
Knightes o'th post, if she sweare love to day, shee'le unsweare it
to morrow with a safe conscience; stand not shall I shall I, take
me her to have, and to hold, and if eyther of you repent your
bargaine within a twelue-month—
An.
What then!
Vrs.
Then you shall fetch no Bacon at Dunmowe; we young
wenches in our loves are like Lapwinges, if once we creepe out
o'th shells, we run from our ould loves like Scopperells, weomens
minds are planetary, and amble as fast as Virginalls Iackes, if
you stop 'em not in true time, you marre all your musique. See
heres your Fathers.
Enter ould Boote old Bateman.
Y. Ba.
Alas what wilt thou doe.
An.
Not shrinke a jot for thee.
Bo.
I charge thee on my blessing leave that boy.
An.
Father! sir.
Bo.
Come, come, come.
Must your appetite be married to beggery
Is this the onely Phœnix of the World?
O. Ba.
Boote, boote, boote, thou art malapert, false, proud,
A wretched miscreant, and dissembler,
H' shall enjoy her, shees his lawfull wife
Thy hand enstated hers, though falsely now
Thou plaist the counterfet.
Vrs.
Well said ould cocke, would thy spurrs were new rowell'd
that thou mightst picke out his eyes.
Bo.
Still are your eyes gadding that way, know this
I'le sooner marry thee unto some slave
Whom mine owne will can subordinate
Rather then to him.
Y. Ba.
Is vertue growne to so absurd a rate
O. Ba.
Tell me Boote.
Does not his birth, and breeding equall hers,
Are not my revenues correspondent
To equall thine; his purity of bloud
Runs in as sweete a streame, and naturall heate
As thine, or hers; his exteriour parts
May parralell hers, or any others
In a true harmony of lawfull love.
Wast not thine owne motion, didst not give way,
And entercourse to their privacies?
Didst thou not make me draw conveighances
Did not th'assurance of thy Lands seeme proball,
Boote, Boote thou shall not carry it thus
I'le make thee know theirs justice to be had
If thou denyst it.
Bo.
Say I grant all this!
With my selfe having deliberated
I doe not like 'thassurance of thy Lands
Thy titles are so bangld with thy debts,
Which thou wouldst have my daughters portion pay.
Sir sir, it shall not!
O. Ba.
hang thee hang thee miser!
Tis thy base thoughts forges these false conceits,
And but for thy daughter, I'de, i'de, i'de.
Bo.
I'de come, come.
An.
Father?
Y. Ba.
Deere sir spare your fury?
Anger in old men is a Lunacy
That woundes the speakers, not the spectators?
My thoughts are now embarqu'd to goe for Leith
And see the VVarrs, I hope e're my returne
I shall finde temperate weather in your lookes,
And all these stormes vanishd.
O. Ba.
Art thou so built on her fidelity
Take heede boy, women by kinde are fickle,
Absence in lovers brings strange events
But those that absent are oft lose reward.
I doubt not of her firmenes, but tis common
An absent lover thrives not with a woman.
Tis good counsell boy, and worth observance
But thou darst trust her.
Y. Ba.
With my life sir.
O. Ba.
Goe on then in thy entended purpose
Noble sir Jarvis whose man thou art,
I know will furnish thee.
Bo.
This works to my designes and gives free way
For wealthy Germane to my daughters love.
Come hither Nan.
Vrs.
I thought the wind was in that doore; by my virginity a
young wench were better be heire to a swine-heards chines, then
a rich mans bagges! we must be coupld in wed-locke like your
Barbary horse, and Spanish Gennet, for breede sake, house
to house, and land to land, the devill a jot of love? poore
simple virginity, that us'd to be our best Dowry is now growne
as bare as a serving-mans cloake that has not had a good nap
this seven yeeres.
Enter Clifton, and a Shoomaker.
O. Ba.
Well Boote time may make us friends.
Bo.
Weele thinke on't Bateman!
Clif.
How many paire of shooes knave ha.
Sho.
By Saint Hugh sir Jarvis foure thousand paire.
Clif.
For every knave two paire good sauce against kyb'd heeles
by my hollidam; well shod, and clad will mak'em fight like
men! the North is could, subject to frostes, and snowes, and tis
bad fighting without vittle, and cloth! for which I have provided
well for both; forty horse loades, and twenty Carrs of
vittle, twill stop a good breach in a souldiours belly! my man
shall pay thee huffit; my Hollidam! my old Neighbour rich
Boote, and Bateman, is this brabling matter ended yet! shall he
have her, by my Hollidam not yet, the knave shall serve his
Queene first, see the warres, where twill do him good to see
Enter Miles.
O. Ba.
Hees at your service.
Clif.
By my Hollidam he shall not want for that
But I am tardy, and my time is precious
My Hollidam, wheir's this knave?
Mi.
Faith sir trading as other knaves doe! sir yonders the
Taylor the Weaver, and I the Miller.
Clif.
My Hollidam knaves all three! put me a Tailor, a Weaver,
and a Miller into a bag.
Mi.
And what then sir?
Clif.
Why he that first comes out will be a knave.
Mi.
Vnder correction sir put me a Justice of peace, an Officiall,
an under Sherriffe into a bag.
Enter Ball-Ioshua.
Clif.
And what then knave?
Mi.
Why and they will not come out, let em'tarry their like
knaves as they are.
Cilf.
What a knave is this.
Mi.
Sir heres two more appeares! th'one is mad Ball old
Huffus man, tho'ther may be a knave in graine for any thing I
know i'me sure hees much given to colours hees a Painter-stainer.
Clif.
Y'are both pres'd, and willing to serve the Queene.
Bal.
I am bend leather, and will endure it.
Iosh.
My name is Marmaduke Ioshua a Painter-stainer by Art,
and a limner by profession? I am given to the meanes, and doe
fructifie among the brethren, it were obnoxious, and inutiable,
and contrary to the sages to presse me.
Clif.
Weele see how you can edifie our Campe.
Iosh.
For the sistren commisserate.
Clif.
Come my old neighbours, let our Drum beat a free march
weele have a health to Queene Besse, cry St. George, and a fig
for St. Dennis.
Enter Omnes nisi Bateman, Anne.
Mi.
Mistris Vrsula, tis not unknowne that I have lov'd you;
leave an hand-kercher with you, tis wrought with blew coventry;
let me not at my returne fall to my old song, she had a
clout of mine sowde with blew coventry, and so hang my selfe
at your infidelity; desiring Jove to blesse you from better fortunes
I leave you.
Exeunt.
Vrs.
The foole doates, but tis no matter, tis no matter, tis
Lady like why should not I have my Monkey to play withall?
Y. Ba.
Prethee leave us.
Vrs.
Heavens blesse me out of your company, for fooles I
found you, and so I must leave you in spite of my hart.
Exit.
Y. Ba.
Now Nan heres none but thou, and I; thy love
Emboldens me to speake, and cheerfully
Here is a peece of gold, tis but a little one
Yet big enough to ty, and seale a knot
A jugall knot on Earth, to which high heaven
Now cryes Amen, say thou so too, and then
When eyther of us breakes this sacred bond
Let us be made strange spectacles to the world
To heaven, and earth.
An.
Amen say I.
And let heaven loth me when I falsifie.
Y. Ba.
Thou now art like a pollishd jvory Table
In purenes without; or staine or blemish.
If thou shouldst soile this whitenes with blacke deedes
Thinke what a monster thou wouldst make thy selfe.
I doubt thee not, but give this cautionary.
Harke the Drum beates, from the armes of love
I now must burnish in the Armes of warre, adue.
An.
When I prove false to thee; oh may I then
Beheld the scorne of heaven, earth, and men.
Enter severally.
Grey, Arguile, Crosse, Souldiours, drume, Colors.
As farre as my Commission Arguile
I have proceeded, we in the trade of warre
Whose Mart consists in blowes, and batteries,
Till the Queene Ocean command them rise.
Dunbarr can witnes where we skuirmishd last
I require the hostages be deliverd
Twixt England, and the federary Lords.
Arg.
Peruse this bedroule from Duke Chattenreault
Wherein their names are, their persons attend
At Inskeith, and with willingnes are bound
To attend the mighty Queene of England.
Grey.
Lord Claud Hambleton fourth son of the Duke, Robert
Dowglasse brother to the Lord James Stuart! Archibald Dowglasse
Lord of Loughennell George Gram second son to the
Earle of Menteich; James Coningham son to the Earle of
Glencorne; all Hostages to the Queene of England till the Articles
be performed betwixt her, and the Federary Lordes.
Herald of Armes conduct these noble pledges from the Red
Brayes to Inskeith, see'em delivered to James Croft, and
George Howard Knights from thence to be embarqd for England.
Cro.
I shall my Lord.
Gr.
What number speake your powers
Ar.
Two thousand hardy Scots,
With glaved blades, bum daggers, and white Kerchers,
Such as will fight, and face the fiery French.
Gr.
Our numbers then are eight thousand
And still we looke for more, sir Francis Leake,
And gentle Sir, Jarvis; two spirits
That in peace are lambes, in warr two ravening Lyons.
A march, Enter Clifton, Souldiers.
Clif.
A Souldiers wishes blesse my noble Generall.
Gr.
Thanks valiant Clifton; they can deserve no lesse
Comming from thee? I see you emulate
That we should take the glory to our selves,
I'le give the first Alar'm, youle be one.
Clif.
I by my Hollidam at warre as at a feast
I'le scramble for my part, and if I catch a knocke
Is of low price unles he bring home scarrs
Gr.
What number sir Jaruis?
Clif.
Five hundred, and fifty tall white coates,
Fellowes that will face a murdering Cannon,
When it blowes rancks into the Aire as Chaffe
Yet dreadles they shall stand it, and not shrinke,
Right Nottingham shire Lads.
Gr.
Tis well don!
Our bands are well divided, yours my Lord
Keepe the greene Bul-warke; mine the west Gate,
You sir Iarvis the water-ports to Inskeith,
Pelham from Pelhamus Mount plaies at the Towne
How now what Trumpets this?
A Trumpet, Enter Trumball.
Trum.
From the Queene Regent of Scotland I come
To thee Lord Generall of the English Force.
She craves a treaty with the Lords of England
To know why thus they enter on her groundes,
Depopulate her Countries, Plough her Plaines
If lawfull cause she finds on enterveiue
She will subscribe to England, sue for peace,
Otherwise by Article sheele confirm't;
This is under her highnes hand, and seale.
This is my message.
Gr.
Whats thy name?
Trum.
Trumball, Serejant Trumpetter to her Grace.
Gr.
Her Princely offer we accept Rowge Crosse
Herrald at Armes, command sir George Howard
Sir James Crofts, and my son Arthur Grey
To shew her Grace my Soveraignes grevances
I'th interim wee'le sheath our burnishd blades
Which had bene dide in scarlet long ere this.
But for thy message.
Trum.
I shall report you honourable.
Clif.
My Hollidam I like not these signes of peace
These French Flyes worke on advantages
I'le not trust 'em.
Gr.
To prevent which each stand on his guard; your eares
my Lord.
Ios.
Resolve me; doe they kill men ith warrs, and ne're give
warning.
Mi.
Not so much time Io! as a theife has at Nottingham
Gallowes.
Ios.
Tirany, tirany; may a not pray insincerity nor request
the breethren, and sisters to have care of a departing brother.
Mi.
No Io! nothing but downe-right blowes, just as you fell
Okes, or kill Oxen.
Ios.
Most heathenish, and diabollicall; and do the shoote
Bullets.
Mi.
I Io, as thicke as haile a man may hit his owne father.
Ios.
Oh Infidells, and Barbarians; what will not the wicked
doe, kill men with bullets! oh these Guns, they are dangerous
things they sprung from the whoore, a Fryer was the inventor,
and the smell of the Dragon! oh my poore Pusse-cat; sinfull
man thou art Io: to bring the poore Pusse forth to dy by a Gun!
a poore Pusse, silly harmelesse Pusse.
Mi.
Ty her behind, then if thou runst shee may save thee.
Ios.
I run! thou prophane translater I scorne to run, my Cat,
and I will enter battell 'gainst the wicked! I run.
Gr.
Why returne so soone.
Enter Crosse.
Cros.
This my Lord.
Making for Edenborough to the Queene,
Nine hundred shot, and five hundred Corslets,
Came forth of Leith, under the conduct
Of Mortigue, and Doysells their Colonells.
We wish'd them peaceably returne to Leith
They now had issud? Mortigue replide
They on their masters ground resolved stood
And from their mistris would not budge a foote
For any English breathing.
Exit Crosse.
Gr.
Were not our promise given to the Queene
On which they build advantages, i'de make
These French Rats run as Wolves from fire,
Bid'em retire, and tell them thus from us
Weele make them win their ground ere the stand on't.
Nothing but circumvention in the French.
Clif.
By my Hollidam juglers, constant in nothing but
Inconstancy, thats the French Merchandize.
Ios.
And doe they fight, as it is in the painted cloth, of the
nine worthies, of Ioshua, Hector, Cæsar, Arthur, Charle-Magne,
Iudas, Machabeus, and Godfrey Bollogine.
Mil.
Yes Io: they doe.
Ios.
In the painted cloth Joshua stands formost
Bal.
With his Cat in stead of a Scutchion.
Ios.
Ball thou art full of rebukes—
Enter Crosse.
Cros.
Arme, arme, arme, regardles of true honour
Your message is defide, and facing the van
Dischargd a thousand shot, the Crag, and Chappell
They make a refuge 'gainst our great Artillery
Gr.
Let the bow-men shoute their slightest Arrowes,
As thicke as haile, the Musketteers shall follow
Alarum then; tis our first enterprise
When cowards fall the valiant spirits rise.
Ex. Omnes.
After skirmishes Enter Grey, Arguile, young Bateman with Colors, Clifton, Souldioers, prisoners.
Gray:
The Crag, and Chappells ours, and the French
Like Hares are leapd out of fierce Greyhounds gripes.
Doysells, and Mortigue, out-ran their Collours,
Y. Ba.
Whose Colors I display.
Gr.
How many of the French this day are falne?
Arg.
Seven score my Lord, and prisoners of noble worth.
Poiteers, Augois, Burbon, Shamoont, Shaldone,
Labrosse, and of the English meerely one man slaine.
Gr.
Thanks unto heaven whose arme was our defence,
What's he that beares the French armes displaid?
Clif.
A servant of mine, his name Bateman?
Gr.
Ther's forty Angells for thy good daies service,
And if thy merit retaine an Ancients place.
Y. Ba.
I thanke your honour.
Ios.
My prisoner is an Anabaptist, all I desire is that I may
convert him,
Mi.
It must be in's drinke then, else hees none o'th right
brethren;
Gr.
Can noble Arguile, and worthy Clifton
After these, toiles of bloud, and massacre,
Let's quench our raging motions in the Grape,
And in the French-mans Vine drinke his confusion?
Proud France shall know that our Elizaes Name,
Drives to confusion those that steale her Fame.
Ex. Omnes.
Enter Anne, and Vrsula.
An.
Do'st thou not beleeve it?
Vrs.
Let me faile of my best wishes, and I doe, I cannot
amuse my thoughts to't, thou maist as soone perswade me that
a Spiders Web will catch a swarme of Bees as thou marry German!
his head's like a Welch-mans Crest on St. Davies day? he
lookes like a hoary Frost in December, now Venus blesse me,
i'de rather ly by a Statue?
An.
Thou art pleasant still.
In nat'rall things we see that Herbes, and Plants
In autumne ever doe receive perfection,
As they, so man, never attaines his height
Till in the autumne of his growing age
Experience like a Mistris beautifies him,
Of wisdome, honours, counsell, knowledge, arts,
With all th'endowmens vertue hath in store.
Contrarily greene headed youth
Being in the spring or summer of his age,
Is prone to surfets, riots, intemperancies,
And all the stocke of ills that vice is queene of;
Urs.
Thou wrests a good text to an ill sense? but none but
fooles would ly in beds of snow that might couch in Roses?
but it may bee Cozen; but it may bee Cuz? you follow the
fashion of our Country Knights that marry your old London
Widowes; tis but keeping a handsome Chamber-maide, they
are necessary evills, and will serve with a small Dowery
afterwards to make parsons wives! you know my meaning
Cuz.
An.
He brings wealth, promotion, and tis the way.
Vrs.
To your ruine; to your blacke father presently? cocke
him with the herbe Moly that will put bloud in's cheekes? let
him be dieted like your Barbary horse? heele neere stand to
his tacklings else? feede him with Vipers flesh that will make
his white head blacke? doost thou refuse youthfull Bateman
to ly with wealthy Germane, reject a Mine of vertue, for a
Mountaine of muck? Cupid blesse thee, for i'le sweare, he has
blinded thee as blind as a Bat.
An.
I lov'd young Bateman in my childish daies,
Have vow'd to have him, and he againe to me,
But what of that, foolish lovers vowes
Like breath on steele, as soone are of, as on,
German is wealthy and by him I gaine
Recourse amongst the modest sagest dames?
Wealth has a priviledge that beauty cannot,
Bateman is young, embellish'd with a naturall,
Active, and generous, unspotted beauty,
German is old, indebted much to age,
Yet like ould Æson, gold can make him young,
Gold like a second nature can elixate,
Make the deformed faire, the faire seeme fowle,
A sparkling eye, or a smooth pleading tongue
Will not keepe hospitality with time.
Maides that love young men gaine their loves by stealth,
We that love old men, wed not man but wealth?
Vrs.
If I beleeve thee not; may I turne Nun before my probation?
to be serious let me touch thy conscience? if young
Bateman to whom I know tha'st vow'd thy faith? should at thy
falsehood fall into some malevolencies in himselfe, or on thee;
t'wood greive thee to have Ballads made on thee, to the tune
of the inconstant Lover, and have thy periuries pind on euery
Post?
An.
Conscience, pray no more o'nt?
Vrs.
No introth for I thinke tha'st asmuch pleasure in't? as
a hangd man has of his pardon, or a Dog with a Glasse bottle
at's taile? see heres thy father, with him the man that must be,
not the fore-man o'th Parish, but a bucke o'th first head.
Enter Boote, Germane
An.
My lovely Germane?
Ger.
My fairest Mistris?
Vrs.
If I had not rather Kisse a muffe made of Cats-skins,
then these mouldy chops of his, wood I might die an Anchoresse.
Bo.
Now neece whats your conceit of this?
Vrs.
Faith Vncle i'me a woman? and they say a woman is a
wether-Cocke for mine owne part some are I thinke? and when
I thinke they are not i'le tell you my conceit, till then i'le pay
you with thinking.
Ger.
Sweet beauty, rumor, that betters nothing,
But disproportionates every act,
Gives it out thus; that you are affianc'd
To youthfull Bateman? I wood not have the curse
Of contract breaking fall upon my head,
(If it be so, fairely I here acquit you,
From all engagements twixt your selfe, and me)
If not, like to a blessing I embrace you.
I have confirm'd, nothing now remaines,
But your reply, or mine, or whose you please?
An.
Sir I am yours?
I lov'de young Bateman with an inward joy
Affected him beyond a common rate,
Yet not so farr, but that I might reduce
My vowes, and my affections to my will,
For when I saw how disproportionable
Our jarring fathers were! I then began
To alienate all love; here I renue
To whom it comes as free, as bright, and pure
As are these unstaind Lampes beyond the Moone.
Ger.
Which as a blessing from the heavens I take.
Bo.
You shall be marryed instantly! and Girle thou shalt
have one Bagg more for this, it gladdes me yet, thou art so free
from Bateman. I look'd for other demonstrations! come German
this night wee'le feast, to morrow thou shalt be wedd,
At night enfold a maiden in thy bed.
Vrs.
Which if he does, may she dy of the pip, and goe to the
grave as a Sallet for the wormes.
Exeunt Omnes.
| The Vow Breaker. Or, The Faire Maide of Clifton | |