English drama -- Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600
_Crac_. Creditt me, my Captaine carries fortitude enough for a whole
legion; twas his advice tooke in[77] the _Busse_[?], and at _Mastricht_
his courage did conclude _Papenhams_ overthrow.[78]
_Suc_. Pish, you to farr exemply[fy]. I have bin at some few skermishes,
kild halfe a score or soe; but what of yt? men are but men.
_Tim_. What wines that, fellow _Grimes_?
_Grimes_. Sack by this light, the Emperor of liquors! Captaine, here tis
well keepe of push of pike yet peirce like shott of Cannon: a Cup of
this upon an onslaught, Captain?
_Suc_. Is beveredge for a Generall: I doe use to drinke it when I am
engagd against a squadron or a whole company.
_Grimes_. He meanes of drunkards.
[_Lovell grunts_.
_Suc_. Ha! Cinielaro[?] an ambuscado! see, whos that lyes there
pardue[79]? fort of Mars! my wroth shall eate him up.
_Grimes_. Soe, soe, now softely letts to him: ha, alreadie[80] dead
drunke, as I am vertuous. Assist me gent[lemen]; _Timothy_, hast thou
thy Salvatorie about thee.
_Tim_. Yes, heere, here.[81]
_Grimes_. Quick, quick; make some plasters and clapp em on his face:
here, bind this napkin about his hand; who has a garter, lets see, to
bind it up?
_Suc_. Some blood, my sonn of _Mercury_, were neceseary for consummation
of the jest.
_Crac_. And here, _Grimes_, ty this cloath about his head: oh, for some
blood!
_Grimes_. Here, I have prickt my finger.
_Tim_. Let you and I, Mr. _Crackby_, goe to buffitts for a bloody nose.
_Crac_. No, no, you shall pardon me for that, _Tim_[82]; no, no; no
boyes play.
_Suc_. So, so; now set him in the chaires. Hart of valour! he looks like
a Mapp oth world. Death, what are these?[83]
_Enter Musike_.
_Grimes_. The Town Waites whome I appointed to come and visitt us.
_Suc_. 'Twas well donn: have you ere a good song?
_Tim_. Yes, they have many.
_Suc_. But are they bawdy? come, sir, I see by your simpring it is you
that sings, but do not squeake like a _French_ Organ-pipe nor make faces
as if you were to sing a Dirge. Your fellowes may goe behind the arras:
I love to see Musitions in their postures imitate those ayrey soules
that grace our Cittie Theaters, though in their noats they come as short
of them as _Pan_ did of _Apollo_.
[_Musike_.
_Grimes_. Well, sir, this is indifferent Musicke, trust my judgment.
Sing, boy.
[_A song_.
_Crac_. Now on my life this boy does sing as like the boy[84] at the
_Whitefryers_ as ever I heard: how say you Captain?
_Suc_. I, and the Musicks like theires: come, Sirra, whoes your Poett?
_Crac_. Some mad wag, I warrant him: is this a new song?
_Mus_. Tis the first edition, sir: none else but we had ever coppie
of it.
_Suc_. But you wilbe intreated to let a gent have it?
_Mus_. By no meanes; the author has sworne to the contrary, least it
should grow so wonderous old and turne a Ballad.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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