English drama -- Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600
_Bus_.--If prynces have edgtooles I graunte it; but does his grave
majestie looke like a lorde of that mettall? Come, come, be not seveare;
let us prate whylst they whysper.
_Rich_.--Is that good manners?
_Bus_.--Shall not we doe as the kynge does; manners give place to
pollycie and I am suer greate formall outsyds thynke it an aspyringe
pollycie to doe or seeme to doe as the kinge dothe.
_Rich_.--Come, thou art wanton!
_Bus_.--As the Bishopp is costyve in hys begging. Twere a myrackle
should he aske nothynge. Let me see: does no bodye stande in his way to
be removed? (thanks to heaven my father is shrunke allreadye) or does
not somebodye stand toe farre of that a would draw nearer. Somewhat
there must be.
_Char_. How now, cossen, what says _La Busse_?
_Bus_. Marrye, my lorde, I say if you should give half the libertye of
begginge to a courtyer of myne acquayntance that you gave to the
Byshopp, you would be beggd out of your whole kyngdome in a cople of
mynuts.
_Char_. Like enough, for thy acquayntance are foule beggarlye
companyons; yet would thy father had thy vertue.--But, sweete frend,
Assure thy selfe th'ast fyxte my resolutyon
As fyrme as destenye, and I will give
All satisfactyon to the Palladyne.
_Tur_. It wilbe royall in you.
_Enter Ganelon_.
_Char_. Kysse me, sweete.--O you are wellcome; stand up.
And howe does thys retyred life agree
With _Ganelon_?
_Gan_. As _Ganelon_ with it,
Most desolatlye, sir. I have induerd
Subjection to my fate since last I sawe you;
In all which haplesse bondage I have gaynd
[Not one] howers comforte tyll twas dooblye yearnd
Synce fyrst I knewe what sleepe and wakinge mente
I never slepte in quyett nor awakt
But with a hartye wishe to sleepe my last.
Not a pore simple jest hathe made me smyle
Tyll I had payd the tribute of my cares
Over and over. Fortune has opposd
My naturall blessings and my wishest ends;
Those verye honors which my byrthright claymes
Have cost me more vexatyon to preserve
Than all the numerous tyttells of a kynge
Purchasd with plauge and famyne; yet in all
My days of sorrowe I was styll to learne
A suffrynge of that impyous accounte
Which nowe afflycts me.
_Char_. O you are conynge.
_Tur_. Yes, and may teach the worlde to counterfayte.
_Enter Orlando, Reinaldo and Oliver_.
But here comes the earle of _Angeres_.
_Char_. Nephewe, y'are discontented and I woulde
Give all rights to your honor, which did cause
Me latelye thus to send for you.
_Orl_. Tys true,
You sent unto me, sir, and I obayd
And came: but then, Sir, what became of me?
You sente me presentlye away for _Spayne_.
Nay, never frowne, I doe remember thys
As well methynks as if it hapned nowe.
_Char_. Your memoryes toe blame; you doe mistake.
_Orl_. O that I could mistake or never thynke
Uppon thys daylie terror to my sence.
Sir, tys a thyng I labour to mystake
But cannot, for my starrs will have it thus.
_Char_. You wronge your fortunes and convert theire good
Into a stronge disease.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account