 | The Life of the Dvtches of Svffolke |  |
Actus Tertius.
Enter Dutches, Cranwell, Nurse, the Child, Sands, Master Goseling a Merchant.Goseli.
Most honourd Princes, thinke your selfe as safe,
In my protection at this towne of Lee,
As in the strongest hould you doe possesse.
Dut:
Good M. Goseling now vve flie to you
As to our harbor, in your hands it lies,
Either to comfort, or confound our liues?
Sands.
We now are chaced by many savage men,
That vvith blood-thirstinesse pursue our deaths,
Being yet vvithin the closure of their armes,
And desperate of all hope to you we flie.
Cranw.
Cosen Goseling 'moungst a world of other men.
The providence of heaven chose out you,
Either to be made famous for true faith,
Or by disloyall dealing infamous,
Presuming on your perfit honesty,
I brought my noble mistresse, this graue Doctor,
This infant Lady, and present vs all,
To your safe conduct: o betray our liues,
Bonner will giue you gold, woe to that good
That bad men get, by selling guiltlesse blood,
If any such thought haue possest your heart,
Make Marchandise of mine, let these escape,
For these are pretious in the eyes of heaven,
Let them depart, leade me to Bonner first,
Happy my blood, to quench his raging thirst.
Gosel.
Cosen I wonder, what desert of mine
Hath bred in you this bad opinion,
But I impute it rather to the zeale
You beare your Ladies safety, then the thought
Madam my life, yet out of dangers gripe,
I thrust into your perill, witnesse heaven,
I take vpon me to conceale your flight,
And now I am as deepe in Bonners hate
As neere to danger, as the next to death,
Be confident in me, the zeale I beare,
To the sincere profession of the truth,
Is a sure guard for you to trust vpon.
Dut.
The poorest Princes, only rich in faith,
Will pay you a large bounty of her praiers,
Remember then you call me Mistrisse White,
For by that name I past from Billings-gate,
Thence to Graues-end, and so from thence to Lee,
Where vnder your protection we remayne.
Sands.
In every place we heere the Hue and Cry,
Pursue our fearefull flight, in every towne
We heare the voyce of persecution.
Noyse within.
Crænw.
And harke I heere the officers within
If we be knowne, we are but dead.
Gosel.
Tush Mistresse White,
That name shall giue free scope vnto your flight.
Enter Constable, and Officers.
Consta.
Good you, good even M. Gosseling,
Good you, good even.
Gosel.
Welcome good M. Constable,
whats the newes with you.
Consta.
Marry wee haue a warrant heere from the high
Commission, to seeke for a Dutches, and certaine other
People, that are in her company, as Doctor Sands, and one
Master Cranwell, her Gentleman-vsher, we are commanded
to search your house for such suspected Persons.
Gosel.
See M. Constable, with me remaines
No more then these, it Mistris White my daughter,
Come with her Child, and Nurse to visit me,
If you thinke her a Dutches, him a Doctor,
Then you may apprehend them at your pleasure,
If not, you had best to make a further search,
For I protest, no stranger more then these,
Harbors within my roofe.
Con.
I take your word sir, and yet I will not, I wil search within.
She a Dutches blesse her good Woman,
Good Mistris White y'ar welcome to Lee, as I may say
We haue an honest neighbor of your Father,
Is this your Child, heaven blesse the little mopps,
Alack, alack, it is as like the Grand-sire
As ever it may looke, my pretty ducke.
Enter Fox.
Fox.
Where's M. Constable, haue you made search,
In these suspitious houses.
Dut.
Good heaven protect vs, now we are betraid,
This Villaine will, I feare, discover vs.
Fox.
I know her, them, and all.
Dutch.
Good M. Goseling stand to vs now,
Or we are betrayd.
Gosel.
Get you into my house.
Fox.
Stand there attend there M. Constable,
My M. Doctor Bonner in disguise,
Stayes at the gate, let me survey these parties.
Cranw.
Thou knowest vs Fox, wee haue bin fellow servants,
Confer the yeeres past, with the present times,
And it will make thy flinty heart relent.
Fox.
I know thee not.
Cranw.
O Fox she hath bin the most honord Mistris,
That ever servant serued, stay me,
And whilst their bloody hands are busied,
With ceising me, let her, and these escape.
Fox.
Peace fellow, now no fellowes, thy Mistr. when she was
In prosperity, turn'd me off, and therefore I will not know
Cranw.
Wilt thou not know her in extremity,
Vngratefull villaine.
Fox.
No sir, I will not, I come to looke a Dutches,
Woman be gon, I know thee not, thou a Doct. thou a dunce,
Get thee gon, Cranwell I knew, he was my fellow servant,
Thee I know not, thou art a paultrey fellow,
Away Goseling, take in your geese,
Ship them at your pleasure, when the coast is cleere,
I my selfe will giue you a watch-word.
Sands.
The fellow may meane well, let vs withdraw.
Dut.
I now perceiue, I haue done his faith much wrong,
His heart has no relation to his tongue.
Exeunt.
Fox.
Away, whers the Constable.
Heeres neither Cranwell, Sands, Dutches, nor Child,
Goe call in my Lord Bonner.
Enter Bonner, and Clunie.
Bonn.
Fox.
Fox.
My Lord.
Bon.
What hast thou found them Fox?
Fox.
My Lord we had a wrong intelligence,
But thus you shall surprise them, passe they cannot
But by this way, now will we watch these passages,
For now the tide's at height, if they intend
To ship themselues, it must be presently,
Place your selfe heere, directly by this well,
By you Clunie, heere I meane to stand,
Guard that place well by me this shall be mand.
Bon.
Stand by me Clunie, Fox, ile pay thee well,
If by thy meanes we catch these miscreants,
Twill bee thy making Fox, M. Cunstable where will you stand.
Fox.
Let him keepe that way, that beares to landward,
That way, I am sure they will not take,
Goe make a strong watch there.
Con.
I warrant you M. Fox, let vs alone to guard that passage.
My Lord, you had best sit for your ease.
Exit Con.
Bon.
Oh I could watch houres, daies, nights, moneths, & yeeres,
So I might see their hearts weepe bloody teares.
Fox.
Looke you stand sure Lord Bonner, for I hope,
Anon youle neede a bucket, and a rope.
Enter Goseling, Dutches, Sands, Cranwell, Nurse, and Childe.
Gose.
Keepe close together, lest you loose your trayne,
My barke is ready to receaue you straight,
That way you neede must take, Ile not be seene,
Heaven be your guide, with me you haue not bin.
Exit.
Dutch.
Good sir farewell, my prayers on you attend,
I will report you for a Princes friend.
Fox.
Stand, trust me and keepe on,
What ere you see shrinke not, away begon,
My Lord they come, they come, away, away.
Bon.
Helpe, helpe, for heavens sake helpe.
Exeunt they.
Clu.
My Lord is in the well.
Fox.
A rope for Bishop Bonner, Clunie run,
Call helpe, a rope, or we are all vndone.
Clu.
Ile to the watch for helpe.
Exit Clunie.
Bon.
Helpe, helpe, good Fox.
Fox.
Soft Bonner, not too fast
Heere is no comming out till they be past,
My armes too short my Lord, a rope is comming.
Enter Clunie, Constable, Watch, with Ropes.
Clu.
Heere in this well, ropes, ropes my masters.
Fox.
By this they are far enough,
Well done my Masters, lends your hands,
Draw Dun out of the ditch.
Draw, pull, helpe all, so, so, well done.
They pull him out.
Bon.
Oh Fox oh Clunie, oh my Masters all,
I am almost drown'd, oh lead me to some fire.
Fox.
What would you haue me doe, I saw them comming,
And I had not the power to stay my selfe.
Enter Goseling.
Bon.
And are they past.
Gose.
What stand you trifeling here, what seeke you for?
If for the Dutches, if for Doctor Sands,
For Cranwell, and the rest, they in disguise,
Are got abord a Ship, and with full sailes,
Flye from the Shore.
Bon.
Thou telst me a sad tale,
Post Fox, run Clunie, hire a Parke with speede,
Goseling we were suspitious of thy faith,
But by this message, thou hast cleer'd thy selfe,
See Goseling, I am almost drownd.
Gos.
I am sorry for your honor, that you scap't.
Bon.
Tush we trifle time in their vaine pursute,
Thou shalt haue gold Fox, Clunie, thou reward,
Helpe me to fire good Goseling, Fox away,
We loose much expedition by thy stay.
Fox.
Ile after them my Lord.
Bon.
May all things prosper to thy hearts desire,
Come Goseling, prethee lead me to a fire.
Exeunt Omnes.
Enter Bartie, and Pericell a Walloune.
Bertie.
And as I told you sir, with that excuse,
I grounded this my colorable passage,
And sent a ship, which staies for her at Lee,
Where by appointment she had promis'd meeting,
But She is so watcht, so guarded, and so bard,
Of her true servants presence and accesse,
That I despaire of her arrivall here.
Pere.
Good M. Bertie, cheere your drooping thoughts,
We are Walloones, but in subiection,
Rewards and promises, are sent abroad,
To every forreine Prince, and Burgomaster,
To stay the Dutches, for the rumor runns,
She is escapt already from her house.
Enter Sands.
Ber.
Tis very certaine M. Pericell,
Now shall we heare some newes,
Here's Doctor Sands.
Sands.
Newes of the Dutches, that will please but ill,
I will forbeare to speake of our escapes,
All which were wing'd, with fortune, and successe,
And tell you of one haplesse accident,
We all tooke Ship at Lee, but not together,
For I alone past in a Hollander,
No sooner did the wind blow from the shore,
But rose a tempest, which disperst our ships,
And we might see the Barke wherein she went,
By violence of the waues forc'd backe againe,
Even to the havens mouth.
Ber.
Even to deaths leane armes,
Thy tragicke newes, hath slaine me M. Sands,
We are as one, and what betide her person,
I feele in a true essence of her griefe.
Pere.
In these extreames, tis good to hope the best.
Ber.
Oh M. Perecill, the worst of ills,
Falls on her head, and can I hope the best,
Shees like a Lambe, trapt with a heard of Wolues,
A harmelesse Doue amongst a thousand Haukes,
If she return'd, what providence can saue,
A body doom'd already to the graue.
Enter Cranwell, Dutches Nurse, Child.
Sands.
See M. Bertie, lift vp your sad eyes.
Dutch.
Bertie.
Bertie.
Madam.
Kisse.
Oh see the meeting of two faithfull soules,
What a sweete vnion it doth of hearts,
When one another mutrall ioy imparts.
Dutch.
Defer the story, of our dangers past,
To acquaint vs with some comfortable ayd.
Bert.
Oh pardon me one minute gentle Madam,
If I delay your faire request a little,
To take my fellow servants by the hand,
Good M. Cranwell, the firme loyalty,
You beare your Mistrisse, in her great extreames,
Shall be recorded in a booke of Brasse.
Cranw.
Alas I haue scanted of my duty much,
My liberall will's ioyn'd with vnable power,
With my true service I doe joune my life,
And owe them both, vnto your princely Wife.
Bert.
You are a Mirror, Nurse, so art thou,
Thy noble carriage, thus I Kisse with ioy,
Alas poore Lady, thou, ere thou canst goe,
Art forst to leaue thy countrey, thy returne,
Will make them smile, that now are forst to mourne,
Thy infancy in Pilgrimage is spent,
Yet thy abode heereafter shall be Kent,
And be an honord Countesse of that name,
For so my true divining spirits doe ayme.
Dutch.
What Gentleman is that.
Bert.
Tis a Walloone Feris de Ryviers, alias Perecell.
Dutch.
May we repose with him?
Bert.
Madam you may not,
Neither in this place may I challenge you,
For I am noted and your comming hither,
Both promised, and expected by great men,
Who to surprise you, haue receiv'd reward,
All Ports are laid, all passages are stop't,
Search, and inquirie posts through every towne.
Pere.
Madam tis true, nor would I haue you stay,
In Emden long, for you are laid for heere.
Dutch.
What shall we then doe?
Madam, lets to Santon,
Let M. Bertie stay with Perecell,
And meete vs there heereafter.
Dutch.
Content, let it be so,
Never two lovers, Married to more woe,
Heere meete we, and heere part we, oh short pleasure,
Which fortune serues vs, in too small a measure.
Bert.
My body is devided in the midst,
That way goes halfe my heart, and this way tother,
Necessity thy sterne deeds I beshrow,
That thy rude hand, giues vs the parting blow,
At Santon I will meete you Madam, heere
Exeunt Berty, Pererell.
I dare not know you, so adue my deere.
Dutch.
Berty farewell, to Santon bound we are,
With these companions, and our conduct care,
You people happy in a land of peace,
That ioy your consciences, with the worlds increase,
Looke with indifference into my sad life,
Heere my poore husband, dares not know his wife,
And I a Princes, to avoid like a danger,
Must vse my owne deere husband, as a stranger,
Towards Santon we, through deserts, any way,
Though all should leaue me, I for griefe must stay.
Cranw.
Madam, you see what strictnes, we are forced to.
Lets wing our feet, till we can get to Santon,
Sands.
Madam, let me admire your constancy,
For heaven hath prov'd your patience every way,
Yet you are confident, and more your zeale to trie,
Yo'r forst your loyall husband to deny,
Cran.
Then what pale trembling cowards heart would faint,
To wade through danger with so pure a saint?
Enter 4. or 5. Theeues.
1. Thiefe.
A bootie, stand, dispoyle them, downe with them.
Dutch.
We are beset with theeues.
Sands.
Sands, thou must flie,
For weaponles, thou canst no mastery try.
Exit Sands.
Theeues, theeues.
Exit Nurse, and Child.
1. Theefe.
Pursue them not, lets ceise on them that stay,
Fight, Wound Cranwell.
Cranw.
Slaues, you haue murderd me.
Theefe.
No matter, ceise on her, and rifle both,
Ha, by my faith a gallant lusty wench,
Tis the best booty, that we met this moneth.
Dut.
Oh my true servants death, doth grieue me more,
Then all the sorrowes that I felt before.
They drawe her aside to rifle her.
Enter Bertie.
Ber.
I am iealous of the safety of my wife,
And to escape the better through the woods,
I haue cloath'd my selfe thus in an Out-lawes shape,
Oh, sight of ruth, my fellow Cranwell slaine:
My wife graspt in the armes of ravishers,
Then heaven instruct me with some present meanes,
That I may find some aid to rescue them,
I haue it, a booty, a booty, a braue booty:
But we want helpe, and ayd to compasse it,
Foure wealthy Merchants, are come downe this hill,
Some little ayd, and we shall share them all.
2. Thiefe.
Some of you looke to see the Woman safe,
Ile helpe to take the booty.
3. Thiefe.
And so will I.
1. Thiefe.
One bird ith' hand's worth two ith' bush:
Ile take my present purchase.
2. Thiefe.
Weele share a both sides, come conduct vs to them.
Bert.
I will, stirre not from hence with her,
Till we returne.
Exeunt.
1. Theefe.
My life for yours, come, will you vncase.
Dut.
Doe not disrobe me of my clothes, as y'ar a man.
1. Theefe.
Tut, stand not vpon tearmes,
I loue to see a Woman naked.
Dutch.
Defend me heaven.
Bert.
So ho, ho, I haue lost a Iewell,
And left it heere behind, when I departed hence.
1. Theefe.
What valew.
Bert.
More precious then thy soule, and this it is,
Villaine, thinke not to scape, your mates are far enough.
1. Theefe.
How goodman rascall.
They fight, the Theefe falls.
Bert.
Thus Villaine, for the world,
I would not stayne my hands with thy base blood:
But rascall, I will bind you to the peace,
Binds him.
So now, let this ditch shelter you.
Dutch.
My Berty? heaven be prais'd,
Though I am rob'd of all the wealth I haue,
I am rich enough, in my possessing thee,
Bert.
Is M. Cranwell slaine?
Cranw.
But sorely hurt, and I am neere to death.
Dutch.
Bind vp your wounds, with this white hankercher,
Bertie, I am so vs'd to misery,
That it seemes nothing, wheres the Nurse and Child?
Bert.
Oh crosse on crosse, lets looke about the woods.
Dutch.
My Susan lost, I will not stir one foot,
But to the Villaines be a second prey,
Vnlesse I find her.
Cranw.
Lend me your hand deere sir, get I once vp,
Ile spend the remnant of my blood thats left,
In search of my young Mistresse.
Exeunt Omnes.
Enter Nurse, and Child.
Nurse.
Oh whither shall I flie, to saue my life,
From the rude hands of these fell ravishers?
My haplesse Lady, and her husband both,
By this, haue felt the cruell stroake of death,
Or which is worse, are captiue led away,
Noise within so ho, ho Nurse.
And to the Vulters gripes become a prey,
Hard is thy hap, that must be left alone,
Deere babe forgiue me, I am forc'd for life,
Leaue Child.
To ease my carriage, leaue thee to their strife.
Exit.
Enter Berty and Dutches looking.
On forwards Madam, this way they are gone,
Heaven be propitious, directs vs in our search.
Dutch.
Amen, amen.
Enter Cranwell staggering, and falls neere the Bush where the Child is.
Cranw.
Oh I am lost, sinke body to the earth,
Ascend my soule, mongst Saints receaue new birth.
Dutc.
Helpe Bertie, helpe, tis Cranwell faints, oh helpe.
Bert.
Speake to me man, looke vp, some wound belike
Is yet vnstopt, from whence proceeds this large effasion,
Its heere, lend me some linnen, so, so, he comes againe,
And see heavens bounty, he at once hath given,
Your Servant, and your Child: looke Madam, see,
Throwne in a bush, and smiles, and laughes at yee.
Dutc.
Having my Husband, Child, and this my servant,
I am the richest Princes on the earth,
But Berty, where's the Nurse, and Docter Sands.
Bert.
Both fled, but wherefore Madam looke you pale.
Dutch.
Oh Berty, I doe feele the time approach
Of my delivery, oh for helpe of Women.
Bert.
What shall we doe, I am beyond my selfe.
Dutch.
Cranwell, what towne is this that stands before.
Cran.
Madam, they call it Wezill.
It snowes, and raines, thunders.
Dutch.
Goe, begon,
Thy lookes pleads for a cunning Surgeon,
We shall not neede, thy helpe, thy wound is deepe,
But stay you Bertie, you the Child must keepe.
Cra.
Madam, this storme, the cold, and my deep wounds,
May well excuse me, till my hurts are drest.
Be gon I say.
Bert.
How fare you Madam.
Dutch.
Sicke I am, heaven knowes,
Ready to die, with these my pinching throwes,
It raines, and hailes, and snowes, and blowes at once,
Where Berty, may we hide vs from this storme.
Bert.
Here in this Church-porch, Madam pray remoue,
Dutch.
Helpe, and leade me thither, now lay the Child downe Berty.
Goe gather sticks, to helpe to make a fire,
More plagues my sinnes doe merit yeere by yeere,
But these, good heavens are more then I can beare.
Bert.
Alas, alas, this is a homely place,
To bring a Princesse of such state to bed,
A wide Church porch, is made her bed-chamber,
And the cold stones her couch, here are no curtaines,
But the bleke Windes, could Clouds and stormes of hayle,
And they begirt her round, heaven for thy mercy,
This poore distressed Princes shield and saue,
Whose cold head lies vpon some dead mans graue,
Heere comes the Sexton, I will speake to him,
It may be, he may helpe vs to releife.
Enter Sexton.
Sex.
Gods sacrament vat maukt ye dare.
Bert,
Patience good sir.
Sex.
Vat bedlers in den kerke, loopt hence strax.
Bert.
Vncivell fellow, what thou speakest, I know not,
But thy ill meaning by thy deeds, I guesse:
Take that to teach thee more civillity.
Exit Crying helpe.
Sex.
Out skellum one hundred towsan divel.
Bert.
Still fortune is against vs, this base fellow
Will raise some tumult to betray our liues,
Yet yonder comes a man of gravity,
Enter Erasmus, & others.
It may be he can speake the Latine tongue,
In that Ile let him vnderstand my griefe:
Optime & ornatissime vir, audi quæso.
Quis es qui tot clamoribus, & tanta exclamatione,
Non modo Divinum Cenatorij locum irreverenter &
Orrose occupas, at vrbem tam claram civesque & Senatores,
Propter etates suas adoratissimas tam flactiose disturbas.
Dutch.
Si cum fronte tam generosa cor tuum humanum consentire
Uidetur, infortunij nostri miserere.
Era.
Erasmus Roterodamus propter miserias vestras toto corde
Dolet, colo perfectiones & virtutes, quas intimo meo animo
Complectar, multi pendo.
Bert.
Is this Erasmus borne in Roterdam,
He that so highly lou'd Sir Thomas More?
Erasm.
Portate hanc ad domum Francisci de Ryvers alias Perecell
Sic domino dominæque Erasmus Roterodamus omnibus
Officijs est observantissimus.
They beare her off in a Chayre. Exeunt.
Finis Actus Tertij.
| The Life of the Dvtches of Svffolke | |