English drama -- Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600
_Pike_. The freshnes of this Ayre does well after the saltnes of the
Sea. A pleasant Country, too, to looke upon, & would serve well to live
upon if a man had it & knew how to place it out of this hott Clymate! I
would I had a matter, or a Mannour, indeede, of a 1,000 acres of these
woodlands & roome to sett it in _Devonshire_; I would compare with any
prince betweene _Tavistoke_ & _Parradice_ for an Orchard. But I could
wish I were not alone here in this Conceit, dreaming of Golden Apples,
least they prove bitter fruite. Whether are our land soldiers straggeld,
troe? I would faine sett eye on some of them; Ile venture a little
farther; _Devonshire Dick_ was never afraid yet.--How now, my hearts?
upon a retreat so soone?
_Enter Three Soldiers_.
1. I, to the shipps; we have our loades here of the best merchandise we
can find in this Quarter.
2. Will you taste a Lymon? excellent good to coole you.
_Pike_. They are goodly ones; where gott you them?
3. A little above here in an Orchard, where we left some of our Company.
_Pike_. But may one goe safe, without danger?
1. As safely as ever you gatherd nutts in _England_; the _Spaniards_
are all fled.
2. Not soe much as the leg of a _Spanyard_ left to squayle at their
owne appletrees.
[_Exeunt Soldiers_.
_Pike_. Ile have a pull at these pomcitrons for my noble Captaine;
& if I had a Porters basket full of 'em I would count them no burthen
in requitall of some part of the love he hath shewen me.
[_Exit_.
(SCENE 4.)
_Enter 3 other Soldiers_.
1. They cannot be far before us, I am sure.
2. But for the hedge we might descry them within two muskett shott.
3. Pray God the enemy be not within one musket shott of us behind their
hedges; for I am sure I saw an Harquebuse whip ore the way before us but
even now. Oh, oh!
[_Three or 4 shott dischargd, 2 soldiers slaine,
the other falls on his belly_.
_Enter Pike_.
_Pike_. Are you bouncing? Ile no further. Sure these can be no
Crowkeepers nor birdscarers from the fruite! what rascalls were my
Countrymen to tell me there was no danger!--alas, what's here? 3 of
our soldiers slaine! dead, shott through the very bowells! so, is this
quite dead too? poore wretches, you have payd for your Capon sauce.
3. Oh, oh!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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