 | He Wou'd if He Cou'd ; Or, An Old Fool worse than Any |  |
SCENE I.
A Hall in Goosecap's House.Goosecap enters, driving Simon in before him, with his Cane.
Simon.
Help! help! here, hold, Sir, go no further;
Icod you'll make me cry out murder;
And if I do—
Goose.
What then?
Simon.
Why, then,
You may repent.
Goose.
Take that again;
A stroke or two will never kill you.
Simon.
Once more, I say, be easy, will you?
What have I done?
Goose.
You dog, you knave,
What have you done! you ought to have
Your ears cut off for your assurance;
And then at least a twelve-months durance.
Simon.
Why so?
Goose.
To laugh, and make your sport
Of your superiors in such sort;
A lady too of wealth and fashion;
But let me not give way to passion:
Come, sirrah, strip yourself with speed,
And quit my house.
Simon.
I shan't, indeed.
Goose.
No, instantly, I say, depart.
Simon.
Well, then, I will, with all my heart.
But is not Betty to go too?
Goose.
You jackanapes, what's that to you?
However, let her too be gone;
Two plagues I'm rid of, 'stead of one.
Dost hear; tell Betty she may go:
It will be ten times better so.
But one thing still is to be settled:
I know my lady is high mettled;
And her resentment, I'm afraid,
Will not be easily allayed:
But what of that, though hard the task,
When I forgiveness humbly ask?
Yes, yes, success my mind presages;
Call Betty down, to take her wages.
14
Two plagues I'm rid of, 'stead of one.
Dost hear; tell Betty she may go:
It will be ten times better so.
But one thing still is to be settled:
I know my lady is high mettled;
And her resentment, I'm afraid,
Will not be easily allayed:
But what of that, though hard the task,
When I forgiveness humbly ask?
Yes, yes, success my mind presages;
Call Betty down, to take her wages.
A bear that has been long confin'd,
And hamper'd in a chain,
If freedom he should gain,
From his den comes out,
Unmuzzles his snout,
Ope's wide his jaws,
Extends his paws,
With pleasure growls,
And jumps and rolls,
In ecstacy about.
And hamper'd in a chain,
If freedom he should gain,
From his den comes out,
Unmuzzles his snout,
Ope's wide his jaws,
Extends his paws,
With pleasure growls,
And jumps and rolls,
In ecstacy about.
I am myself the bear;
Odds bobs I could tread in air;
Since liberty I've got,
I could dance a rigadoon,
Leap over the moon,
And do, I know not what.
Odds bobs I could tread in air;
Since liberty I've got,
I could dance a rigadoon,
Leap over the moon,
And do, I know not what.
| He Wou'd if He Cou'd ; Or, An Old Fool worse than Any | |