English drama -- Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600
_Tho_. Alas, poore gentleman, something now agen is ready to strangle
him; out with em,--hides, hides,--it was the hornes stuck in his gullett.
_Within_. Oh--
_Tho_. Well straind; what a foule stomack he has! open your mouth,
Mr. _Engine_.
_Cap_. Throw downe a pottlepot.
_Tho_. I have, sir, and it has come up full of medium wine; if you have
any charity come and helpe me to hold his head; now agen!
_Within_. Oh, oh, oh!
_Un_. This is very strange, Captaine; the man is certainely enchanted.
_Tho_. Master, master, tis _Shrovetuesday_[267] and the prentices are
pulling downe _Covent Garden_; the Brickes come as whole out as if he
had swallowed Cherristones. Hey! will you take Tobacco in the Roll? here
is a whole shiplading of _Bermudas_ and one little twopenny paper of
berrinas, with a superscription 'To my very loving friends the
Custome-house.'
_Cap_. Put up that for a relique, _Thomas_, and open it upon high dayes
to clear the sore eyes of our _Spanish_ Marchants. _Thomas_, no more,
but call the Drawer, an understanding Drawer and one that writes
orthographie.
[_Enter Drawer_.
--Sirra, I charge you set a padlock upon that Chamber doore; there is a
dangerous fellow must be brought to his purgation. And looke all the
goods that he hath vomitted be forthcomeing, while we discreetly goe and
enforme the Magistrates.--At your perill, sirra, at your perill seale up
the Doore; and do you pay the reckoninge.
_Un_. Sir _Richard_ is a Justice. There's your money, and yet wee need
not pay; the gentleman hath left enough for the Reckoning in the next
Roome.
_Un_. I ha made him fast, you are very welcome, gentlemen. All's paid in
the Percullis.
[_Exeunt_.
[SCENE 3.]
_Enter Courtwell and Sister_.
_Sis_. Ile walke no further; if you have a secret
To impart, you need not feare this place; the trees
And hedges will not listen. What's the business?
I hope your phlegmatick stock of verse is spent.
_Cou_. Why then in prose, the worst that I can speake in,
I doe not love you, Lady.
_Sis_. How? you ha not
Traind me thus farr to tell me that?
_Cou_. You are
Of all your sex the poorest emptiest trifle,
And one with whome tis most impossible
I ere should change Affection; theres nothing
To invite me too't, not so much as that
Wee call a seeming reason, upon which
All Love is built, seeming, I say, not it,
My understanding Ladie.
_Sis_. You thinke I am very dull that you expound
Your witt thus, but it needes no Comentator,
Not by the Author, tis so very plaine;
But to despise me most of all the sexe
Is something oversaid. Though I affect
No flattery, I hate uncivill Language.
You do not meane to quarrell, now you have
Betraid me to the feilds, and beat me, Sir?
_Cou_. What is there in your face more to attract mee
Then that Red Cowes complexion? Why the Divell
Do you thinke I should dote upon your person?
That thing when she is stroak'd gives milke.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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