University of Virginia Library

ACT I.

SCENE I.

SCENE, a Chamber.
Enter Hubert and Guards.
Guard.
Not to disgrace, or hold thee captive, lord,
Doth he desire thee back—Wolfort is noble,
Thy life, thy honour's safe.

Hub.
I pr'ythee, peace!
And let him make the largest use he dare
Of his ill-gotten power. Lost Jaculin!

Enter Wolfort.
Wolf.
What, Hubert stealing from me! fly a friend,
Unwearied in his study to advance you!
What have I e'er possess'd that was not yours?
Yet, after these assurances of love,
These ties and bonds of friendship, to forsake me;
Forsake me like a foe! Hubert, you must
Give me a reason.

Hub.
Wolfort, so I will,
If I may do't in private, and you'll hear it.

Wol.
All leave the room—
[Exeunt guards.
You have your will. Begin,
And use the liberty of our first friendship.

Hub.
AIR.

Wol.
To me this is strange language.

Hub.
To you! why, what are you?

Wol.
Your prince and master, the earl of Flanders.

Hub.
By a proper title!
Rais'd to't by cunning, circumvention, force,
Blood, and proscriptions; and maintain'd therein,
By frequent murders practis'd on all such,
As serv'd or lov'd old Gerard; which, at length,
Compell'd the good man, with his daughter, Jaculin,
(The chosen, the betroth'd of my affections)
To leave the city. They, by secret ways,
(As you give out, and we would gladly have it)
Escap'd your fury; tho' 'tis too much fear'd
They fell among the rest: but your late cruelties
So far transcend your former bloody acts,
That, if compar'd, they only would appear
Essays of mischief.

Wol.
O! repeat 'em not.

Hub.
Who was the lord of house, or land, that stood
Within the prospect of your covetous eye?

Wol.
You are in this to me a greater tyrant,
Than e'er I was to any.

Hub.
AIR.

Wol.
Oh! Hubert, these your words and reasons, have
As well drawn tears of blood from my griev'd heart,
As these drops from my eyes; can you think
Where any of the proscrib'd lords are hid?
Where Gerard is, or your lost love, or Florez?
Whom in his infancy—

Hub.
You stole; and since
Have kept conceal'd, the better to maintain
Your usurpation of his seat.

Wol.
By Heaven,
I stole him not, nor know I where he is,
Nor if he lives. Soon after my return
From Brabant, whither I was sent to treat
About a future match with our prince, Florez,
And their young heiress, Berrha, (whose feign'd loss since
The crafty Brabander made his pretence
For the ensuing war, thereby to lay
An unjust gripe on Flander's earldom) he,
Florez, our prince, was missing, and remains
Unheard of to this hour: if you can find him,
I will resign the earldom.

Hub.
Do not abuse
My aptness to believe.

Wol.
Suspect not you
A faith, that's built upon so true a sorrow;
Make your own terms, ask for them all the ties
Humanity can give: Hempskirke too shall
Along with you to this so wish'd discovery,
And, in my name, confirm all that you promise.
I have of late receiv'd intelligence,
That some of them are in, or about Bruges,
To be found out—which I did then interpret
The cause of that town's standing out against me;
But now am glad, it may direct your purpose,
Of giving them their safety, me my peace.

Hub.
Be constant to this goodness, peace is yours.

Wol.
Distrust me not, till you have well built cause,
And may your search be prosp'rous. Farewel, Hubert!

[Exit.
Hub.
AIR.

[Exit.

SCENE II.

Bruges.
Enter three Merchants.
1st. Mer.
'Tis much that you deliver of this Harrol.

2d. Mer.
But short of what I could; believe me, sir,
He bears himself with such a confidence,
As if he were the master of the sea;
And not a wind upon the sailor's compass,
But, from one part or other, were his factor,
To bring him in the best commodities,
Merchant e'er ventur'd for.

3d. Mer.
This, and his merits,
Make many venturers with him, in their wishes
For his prosperity and fame. Yet more—
Is there a virgin of good fame wants dow'r?
He is a father to her—or a soldier,
Who, in his country's service, from the wars,
Hath brought home only scars and want? his house
Receives him and relieves him. Never doubt,
He is your man, and ours.

1st. Mer.
I only wish
His too great forwardness t'embrace all bargains,
Sink him not in the end.

2d. Mer.
Have better hopes;
For my part, I am confident—he's here.

Enter Harrol and fourth Merchant.
Har.
At your own rates, I take your wine of Cyprus;
But for your candy sugars, they have met
With such foul weather, and are priz'd so high,
I cannot save in them.

4th. Mer.
I am unwilling
To seek another chapman: make me offer
Of something near the price, that may assure me
You can deal for them.

Har.
I both can, and will,
But not with too much loss—your bill of lading
Speaks of two hundred chests, valu'd by you
At thirty thousand gilders—I will have them
At twenty-eight; so in the payment of
Three thousand sterling, you fall only in
Two hundred pounds.

4th. Mer.
You know they are so cheap—

Har.
Why, look you, I'll deal fairly; there is in prison,
And at your suit, a pirate, but unable
To make you satisfaction, and past hope
To live a week, if you should prosecute
What you can prove against him: set him free,
And you shall have your money to a stiver,
And present payment.

4th. Mer.
This is above wonder,
A merchant of your rank, who have at sea
So many bottoms in the danger of
These water-thieves, should be a means to save 'em,
And stay the course of justice!

Har.
You mistake me,
If you think I would cherish, in this captain,
The wrong he did to you, or any man:
But I was lately with him (being assur'd
A braver fellow never put from shore)
And read his letters of mart from this state granted,
For the recovery of such losses, as
He had sustain'd in Spain; 'twas that he aim'd at,
Not at three tons of wine, bisket, or beef,
Which his necessity made him take from you:
If he had pillag'd you, or sunk your ship,
Or thrown the men o'erboard, he then deserv'd
The law's extremest rigour: doing this,
Set your own price; save him, the goods are mine:
If not, seek elsewhere; I'll not deal for them.

4th. Mer.
Well, sir, for your love, I will once be led
To change my purpose.

Har.
For your profit rather.

[Exit 4th. Merch.
2d. Mer.
What do you think of this?

1st. Mer.
As of a deed of noble pity, guided
By a strong judgment.

2d. Mer.
Save you, master Harrol!

Harrol.
Good day to all!

2d. Mer.
We bring you the refusal
Of more commodities.

Har.
Are you the owners
O' th' ship, that last night put into the harbour?

1st. Mer.
Both of the ship and lading.

Har.
What's the freight?

1st. Mer.
Fine linens, cochineal, choice china stuffs.

Har.
Rich lading.
For which I were your chapman, but I am
Already out of cash.

1st. Mer.
I'll give you time
For the moiety of all.

Har.
How long?

1st Mer.
Six months.

Har.
'Tis a fair offer, which, if we agree
About the prices, I with thanks accept,
And will make present payment of the rest.
Some two hours hence, I'll come aboard.

1st. Mer.
The gunner shall speak you welcome.

[Exeunt Merchants.
Har.
Heaven grant my ships a safe return, before
The day of this great payment! as they are
Expected three months sooner, and my credit
Stands good with all the world.

Enter Clause.
Clause.
Bless my good master!
The prayers of your poor beadsman ever shall
Be sent up for you.

Har.
God a' mercy, Clause!
There's something to put thee in mind hereafter
To think of me.

Clause.
May he, that gave it you,
Reward you for it with increase, good master!
These seven years I have fed upon your bounties,
And by the fire of your blest charity warm'd me;
And yet, good master, pardon me, that must,
Tho' I have now receiv'd your alms, presume
To make one suit more to you.

Har.
What is't Clause?

Clause.
'Tis not for money,
Nor cloaths, good master; but your good word for me.

Har.
That thou shalt have, Clause, for I think thee honest.

Clause.
Some half hour hence then, master, take the trouble
Of walking unto Beggar's Bush; and there,
As you will see me among others, brethren
In my affliction, when you are demanded
Which you like best among us, point out me;
And then pass on, and notice me no farther.

Har.
But what will that advantage thee?

Clause.
Oh! much sir,
'Twill give me a pre-eminence of the rest,
Make me a king among 'em; and protect me
From all abuse, such as are stronger, might
Offer my age.

Har.
Troth, thou mak'st me wonder:
Have you a king and commonwealth among ye?

Clause.
We have—and there are states are govern'd worse.

Har.
Ambition among beggars!

Clause.
Many great ones
Would part with half their fortunes for the place,
And credit, to beg in the first file, master.
But shall I be so far bound for your furtherance
In my petition?

Har.
That thou shalt not miss of,
Nor any worldly care make me forget it.
I will be quickly there.

Clause.
Heaven bless my master!

[Exit.
Har.
AIR.

[Exit.

SCENE III.

The Wood and Bush.
Enter Clause, Prig, Higgen, Ferret, Snap, Ginks, Jaculin, and other Beggars.
Hig.
Come, princes of the ragged regiment,
You of the blood, Prig, my most upright lord,
And these, what name or title e'er they bear,
Behave with order, and due loyalty,
On this important day, when Beggar's Bush,
Our ancient kingly seat, must be supply'd.

Prig.
Ere we begin our customary forms,
Let a centinel be set out.

Snap.
The word.

Prig.
A cove comes, and fumbumbis.

[Exit Snap.
Fer.
Well, pray, my masters all, Ferret be chosen;
You're like to have a kind mild prince of me.

Prig.
AIR.

Enter Snap.
Snap.
A cove comes—fumbumbis!

Enter Hubert and Hemskirke.
Prig.
To your postures—arm.

Hub.
Yonder's the town, I see it.

Hig.
Bless your good worships!

Fer.
One small piece of money!

Prig.
Among us all poor wretches!

Clause.
Blind and lame!

Prig.
Deaf and dumb!

Hub.
There's among ye all.

Fer. &c.
Heaven reward you!

Hub.
Do I see right, or does my fancy cheat me?
Sure 'tis her face—come hither, pretty maid.

Jac.
AIR.

Hub.
For whom, dear maid?—her every feature!—tell me.

Jac.
AIR.
[Retires.

Hub.
Her voice too says the same; but, for my life,
I would not that her manners were so chang'd:
Hear me, thou honest fellow, what's this maiden,
Who lives among ye here?

Prig.
Ao—ao—ao.

Hub.
How! nothing but signs?

Prig.
Ao—ao—ao.

Hub.
This is strange;
I would fain have it her, but not her thus.

Hig.
He's de-de-deaf, and du-du-dumb, sir.

Hub.
'Slife, they all spoke plain enough, methought e'en now.
Dost know this maid?

Hig.
She was born at the ba-ba-barn yonder,
By Be-Be-Beggar's Bu-Bu-Bush; her name is
Ma-Ma-Madge; so was her mo-mother's too.

Hub.
I understand no word he says—how long
Has she been here?

Hig.
Lo-long enough to have got a hu-hu-husband,
And she had go-go-good lu-lu-luck.

[Beggars retire.
Hub.
I must be better inform'd, than by these means:
Here was another face too, that I mark'd,
That of the old man; but they are vanish'd all
Most suddenly—I will come here again.
[Aside.
Protect us our disguise now! Pr'ythee, Hempskirke,
If we be taken, how dost thou imagine
This town will deal with us, which hath so long
Stood out 'gainst Wolfort?

Hem.
E'en to hang us forth
Upon their walls, a' sunning, to make crow's meat.
If I were not assur'd o' th' burgo-master,
And had a fair excuse to see a niece there,
I should scarce venture.

Hub.
Come, 'tis now too late
To look back at the ports; good luck, and enter.

[Exeunt.
Beggars advance.
Prig.
A peery dog, I'll warrant him.

Fer.
What could his questions mean?

Clause.
I know not—yet 'twas time to fly—he grew
Too close in his inquiries.

Prig.
And disturb'd
Our noble ceremonies—shall we renew 'em?

Hig.
Unquestionably, brother.—Snap—

Snap.
I'm gone.
[Exit Snap.

Hig.
All now stand fair, and put yourselves in rank,
That the first single comer, at first view,
May make his choice, who shall inherit this,
Our vacant throne.

Prig.
'Tis done, Lord Higgen.

Hig.
Thanks! and here a judge comes—cry a judge.

All.
A judge, a judge!

Enter Harrol.
Har.
What ail ye, sirs, what means this outcry?

Hig.
Master,
A sort of poor souls met, Heaven's fools, good sir;
Have had some little variance 'mong ourselves
Which may be honestest of us, and who lives
Uprightest in his calling:—now, as we thought
We ne'er should 'gree on't 'mong ourselves, (for truly,
'Tis hard to say) we all resolv'd to put it
To him, that should come next, and that's your mastership.
Which does your worship think is he? Good sir,
Look o'er us all, and tell us.

Har.
I should judge this the man, with the grave beard—

Clause.
Bless you, good master, bless you!

Har.
If he be not,
I would he were! There's something too among ye,
To keep ye honest.

[Exit.
All.
Now good reward you!

Hig.
What is it? see; Snap has got it.

Snap.
A good crown, marry.

Prig.
A crown of gold—

Fer.
For our new king, good luck!

Ginks.
To the common treasury with it; if it be gold,
Thither it must.

Hig.
AIR.

Prig.
And if the beard be such, what is the prince
That owns the beard? the father? no: the grandfather?
Nay, the great-grandfather of you his people.
He will not take away your hens, or bacon,
When you've ventur'd hard for't; nor force from you
The fattest of your puddings.

Hig.
A song to crown him, Prig, th'accustom'd song.
His majesty is seated.

Prig.
AIR and CHORUS.

[Exeunt.