English drama -- Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600
_Cap_. For you know, _Thomas_, that the Spider and the Bee, the Spider
and the Bee, do both--something, but in troth I have forgott what tis.
_Un_. Tis no matter what; let us goe.
_Cap_. Goe? no more but goe? though I be a Captaine, if I be not chosen
in this imployment--
_Tho_. What, then, Captaine?
_Cap_. Why, then--I cannot goe.
_Tho_. Very right; but wo' not those young gentlewomen you talk'd of
give a man something to make a man afraid of pepper upon occasion?
_Cap_. You will be prating so long till I breake your head for
pretending to that which you have not, sirra.
_Tho_. Alas, I never had it in my life.
_Un_. What's that, Captaine?
_Cap_. Wit, I talke of wit.
_Un_, Who has any wit? does my man offer to have wit?
_Cap_. Nay, take no offence at it, for I meant none to either of you
by this sack. Drawer, give me my oath, cannot you drinke without wit?
cannot you game without wit?
_Un_. And yet by your favour the gamesters are cald the wits now.
_Cap_. Tis no wit to cozen; confederacy and dishonesty will doo't
without wit. Ile iustifie it: do not you know the receit of Cozenage?
take an ounce of knavery at the least,--and confederacie is but so many
knaves put together,--then you must take a very fine young Codling heire
and pound him as small as you can.
_Un_. And what then, Captaine?
_Cap_. Why, then you must cozen him.
_Un_. But which way?
_Cap_. Which way? Why, which way you will: is not cozen him enough? thou
art a pretty fellow, ile talke with thee. Thy name's _Thomas_; take
heed, I say still, _Thomas_, of being drunke, for it doth drowne the
mortall soule; and yours cannot swim, _Thomas_,--can it?
_Tho_. Not as I know, Captaine; if it scape fire tis as much as I
looke for.
_Within Eng_. Oh--oh--
_Cap_. What's that?
_Tho_. Tis Mr. _Engine_ recovered from his dead sleepe. [_Exit_.
_Un_. D'ee heare, Captaine, for all this I have a great mind to a wench,
and a wench I must have if there be one above ground. Oh _London,
London_, thou art full of frank tenements, give me _London_. Shall we
wheele about yet?
_Cap_. Give you _London_? Wo'nott _Cheapeside_ serve your turne, or the
_Exchange_?
_Enter Thomas_.
_Tho_. Oh, gentlemen, Mr. _Engine_ is surely bewitch'd.
_Cap_. What, what's the matter? bring the witch and Mr. _Engine_
before us.
_Tho_. He does vomit the strangest things yonder.
_Cap_. Did not I say, murder will out?
_Tho_. I thinke he has eaten and drunke nothing but Monopolies, and too
hard to be digested they come up againe.
_Within Eng_. Oh!
_Tho_. Harke, I must hold his head. [_Exit_.
_Cap_. Did not I tell you something would come out?
_Tho_. Pins, pins, they lay across his throat. I told you he was
bewitch'd. Heyday! cards and dice, out with 'em, the Divells a gamester
and paies the box soundly--Now, now, now.
_Un_. Whats that?
_Tho_. Tis something clammy,--now,--oh, tis sope!
_Cap_. Sope? give a man leave to wash his mouth.
_Un_. Does not the lyme burne his throat, _Thomas_?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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