English drama -- Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600
_Ri_. I prethe come to bed agen.
_La_. So, so, do not troble me; I am now in some little ease; its a
heavenly thing to be goeing.
_Ri_. Dost heare?
_La_. Your noise will bring my paine back agen; if you knew what a
vexation it were for me to speake, You wo'not put me too't so. If you
doe talke I wo'not answere a word more, oh!
_Ri_. Well by this no light ile to _London_ tomorrow.
[_She takes Dorothy by the hand and exit_.
Now do I see it is possible that a womans teeth should be as
troublesome as her tongue.
_Do_. Oh, oh!
_Ri_. I cannot choose but pitty her, that any woman should hold so much
paine in a hollow tooth.
_Do_.--If my Mr. touched with so much compassion should rise and force
me to bed with him, I must not cry out a rape; tis at the worst on my
side but fornication in my owne defence.
_Ri_. I prethe come to Bed.
_Do_. Oh, oh, oh!
_Ri_. The musick at a convocation of Catts upon a witches upsetting is
the spheres to this Catterwalling. I will thrust my head into the
pillow, as _Dametas_[274] did in a bush when the beare was a comeing,
and then I shanot heare her.
_Do_. Oh, this is a kind of Purgatory for sins of the flesh. If she
should fall asleepe with the tother knight it is not possible I should
hold out till morning; that which would fright away an Ague would put me
into a feare, I shall ha the toothache indeed with counterfeiting; I
have knowne some men caught the stammers so; my gums begin to murmure,
there is a feare all over my flesh, she will stay so long, and then---
_Ri. coughs_.--Uh, uh!
_Do_. Oh, oh!--Ile shift places to shew more distraction; at the worst
my noise shall be within his reach; it may give her notice to returne
too.
[_Exit_.
[SCENE 6.]
_Sir Francis a sleepe; a table, inke, and paper. Enter Lady_.
_La_. I am full of feares, and my owne motion frights me;
This furious love is a strange pilot. Sir,
Where are you? ha! asleepe! can any dulnes
That is not Death possess a gentleman,
So valiant in desires, when he expects
To meete his Mistresse? How I blush to raise him!
Was I not worth thy waking expectation?
Farewell; yet something that [like?] a charme that's fastned
To my poore hart restraines me. Inke and paper!
Ile leave him a short monument of this shame
And my neglected Love. [_Writes_.
He knowes my hand: farwell, forgetfull Lover.
[_Exit_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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