English drama -- Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600
_Serv_. Good Madam,
Beare (with your usuall wisdom) what is not
In you to help. The strict guard's kept upon him;
His State ceizd on; my Lord your Son disgracd, too,
And all your frends suspected, may assure you
No price beneath his head must answeare for him.
_Daughter_. But is he not alredy dead?
_Wife_. I, I,
There lyes my feare.
_Serv_. I sweare to you I saw him
Not many howres since, and hundreds more;
But yet, as one that's bound to honour him,
I had rather have had assuraunce of his death
Than so to have seen him.
_Both_. Why?
_Serv_. I have followd him
When every step he made met a Petition,
And these, that are his Judges now, like Clyents
Have wayted on him. The whole Court attended
When he was pleasd to speake, and, with such murmours
As glad Spectators in a Theater
Grace their best Actors with, they ever heard him;
When to have had a sight of him was held
A prosperous omen; when no eye gazd on him
That was not filld with admiration, not
As now with scorne or pitty. His rude Guard,
For proofe that they contempne all such as ayme
Or hope for his release (as if he were
Some prodigie or monster), each night show him
To such as greive his fortune, which must be
To him worse then ten thousand deaths made horrid
With all the actes of Crueltie.
_Daught_. I have hope yet
To see an alteration.
_Wife_. My good Servant,
He has some frends left yet and powerfull ones
That can doe more then weepe for him as we doe;
Those I will strayt sollicite. In the meane time,
That to his comfort he may know so much,
Endeavour thou to have this simple present
As from thy self sent to him.
_Serv_. I will hazard
All that can fall upon me to effect it.
[_Exeunt[199] Wife and Daughter_.
_Enter Provost & Guard_.
_Pro_. What makes this fellow here? Whether would ye, Sir?
_Serv_. Sir, to desire accesse unto my Lord
Were to ask that I know must be denide,
And therefore I forbeare it; but intreating
What cannot wrong you in the graunt, I hope
To find you curteous.
_Pro_. What's the Suit?
_Serv_. This onely:
My Lord, your prisoner, for my service gave me
A poore house with an Orchard in the Cuntry.
The fruites of which he did not scorne to taste of
In th'height of his prosperitie; but of all
That pleasd his pallat there was one faire tree,
On which theis Peares grew, which by his appointment
Were still reservd for him, and as a Rent
Due for my Living I stood bound to tender.
Theis, yf you please, the last I shall pay to him,
I would present him with, by what Attorney
Your goodnes shall prescribe me.
_Prov_. They are faire Peares,
Exceeding faire ones: ile make bold with one,
The rest beare to him.
_Serv_. [aside[200]] All wilbe discoverd,
I am glad I am got off, yet. [_Exit_.
_Enter Provosts Wife_[201].
_Prov_. What make you here?
Do you come to traile a pike or use a Musket?
_Wife_. For neither, Sir; I came to see you.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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