English drama -- Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600
_Accut_. Thou deservdst it, thou't make thy self a Cucckold, be it but
for company sake; thou hast long eares, and thinkest them hornes, thy
onceites cuckolds thee, thou art jealious if thou seest thy wives ----
with another mans palme. And foole, thy state in that sense is the best;
thou art claspt with simplicitie, (a great badge of honestie,) for the
poore foole has pawnd her cloathes to redeeme thy unthriftines; be
jealious no more unlesse thou weare thine eares still, for all shall be
well, and you shall have your puppie againe.
_Get_. Shall I? by my troth, I shall be beholding to you then.
_Acu_. Now to ye all, be firmaments to stars,
Be stars to Firmaments, and, as you are
Splendent, so be fixed, not wandering, nor
Irregular, both keeping course together.
Shine not in pride and gorgeous attire,
When clouds doe faile the pole where thou art fixt.
Obey, cherish, honor, be kinde enough,
But let them weare no changeable stuffe;
Keepe them, as shall become your state,
Comely, and to creepe ere they goe.
Let them partake your joyes and weep with you,
Curle not the snarles that dwell upon these browes.
In all things be you kinde: of all enough,
But let them weare no changeable stuffe.
_Host_. Fore God a mad spirit.
_Hostis_. Will ye beeleeve what such a bisket brain'd fellow as this
saies? he has a mouth like a double cannon, the report will be heard all
ore the towne.
_Cittie wife_. I warrant he ranne mad for love, because no good face
could indure the sight of him, and ever since he railes against women
like a whot-shot.
_Len_. Nay, nay, we must have all friendes,
Jarring discords are no marriage musick;
Throw not Hymen in a cuckstoole; dimple
Your furrowed browes; since all but mirth was ment,
Let us not then conclude in discontent,
Say, shall we all
In friendly straine measure our paces to bed-ward?
_Tul_. Will _Terentia_ follow?
_Teren_. If _Tully_ be her Leader.
_Host_. Good bloods, good spirits, let me answer for all, none speake
but mine Host; hee has his pols, and his aedypols, his times and his
tricks, his quirkes, and his quilits, and his demise and dementions. God
blesse thee, noble _Caesar_, and all these brave spirits! I am Host of
the Hobby, _Cornutus_ is my neighbour, _Graccus_, a mad spirit,
_Accutus_ is my friend, Sir _Scillicet_ is my guest; al mad comrades of
the true seede of _Troy_, that love juce of Grapes; we are all true
friends, merrie harts live long, let Pipers strike up, ile daunce my
cinquepace, cut aloft my brave capers, whirle about my toe, doe my
tricks above ground, ile kisse my sweet hostesse, make a curtesie to thy
grace; God blesse thy Maiestie and the Mouse shall be dun.
_Cor_. Come wife, will you dance?
_Wife_. Ile not daunce, I, must you come to Court to have hornes set on
your head? I could have done that at home.
_Host_. I, I, be rulde at this time; what? for one merrie day wele find
a whole moone at midsommer.
_Daunce_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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