English drama -- Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600
_Ele_. Since I must be your prisoner let me have
My keepers company, for I am afraid
Some enemy in your absence, like a woolfe
May ceize on me. I know not whither now
I ere shall see my father: doe not you
Ravish yourselfe from me, for at the worst
We may dye here, _Henrico_; and I had rather
Fall in your eye than in your absence be
Dishonord; if the destinyes have not
Spun out a longer thread, lets dye together.
_Hen_. Oh doe not racke my soule with these sad accents.
Am I _Henrico_? there is not any place
Can promise such security as this
To _Eleonora_. Doe not talke of dying,
Our best dayes are to come: putt on thy quiet,
And be above the reach of a misfortune.
Ile presently wayte on thee, by this kisse.
_Buz_. Would I might keepe your oath: so please you, lady,
_Buzzano_ will sweare too.
_Hen_. What?
_Buz_. That you'le be there and here agen presently.
_Hen_. Attend here, sirra.
_Buz_. If you must needes goe, pray, sir, keepe yourselfe out of
Gun-shott.
_Hen_. Mind you your charge.
_Buz_. You shall heare a good report of my piece, I warrant you.
Take heed you be not sent to heaven with a powder: a company of hott
shotts[15] are abroad, I can tell you.
_Ele_. If you will goe may your successe be faire.
_Hen_. Farewell; heaven cannot chuse but heare your prayer.
[_Exit_.
_Buz_. Now what please you, madam? that I shall amble, trott, or walke?
_Ele_. Any pace.
_Buz_. Yet, if you would referre it to me, I'de use none of them.
_Ele_. What wouldst doe?
_Buz_. Why I would gallop or run, for I think long till I be at home in
our Castle of comfort. If it please you Ile lead you a hand gallop in
the plaine ground, trott up hill with you & racke[16] downewards.
_Ele_. Talke not of rackes, prithee; the times present too many.
_Buz_. Ride me as you will, then; I am used both to curbe and snaffle.
_Ele_. I prithee tell me, _Buzzano_,--so, I heare thy master call thee--
_Buz_. He may call me at his pleasure, forsooth.
_Ele_. Dost thou know the nature of the _English_?
_Buz_. Both men and women: I travelled thither with an Embassadour. For
the men Ile not misse you a haire of their condition; and for the women
I know 'em as well as if I had bene in their bellyes.
_Ele_. Are they not cruell?
_Buz_. As Tygers, when they set on't: no mercy unlesse we aske them
forgiveness.
_Ele_. That's somewhat yet.
_Buz_. But not to you; that's onely to men; for lett the women fall
downe afore 'em never so often they'le rather fall upon them. Nay, some
of them are so spitefull they'le breake their owne backes before they
let 'em rise againe.
_Ele_. Foole, I meane not your way.
_Buz_. Keepe your owne way, madam; I meane the playne way.
_Ele_. Are they not unmercifull in their natures to such as are in their
power, their Enemyes as we may be?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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