English drama -- Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600
_Denis_. All wee servants
Are bownd to doo, but not examine what;
That's out of our comission.
_Lord Av_. 'Twixt us too
I shall resolve thee further.
_Denis_. I am gone, Syr.
_Lord Av_. Nowe, sweete ladye, have you doon?
_Lady_. As you commanded.
_Lord Av_. Itt wants nothinge nowe
But seale and superscription; I'l see't doone.
And marke mee nowe; at evensonge, passinge through
The cloyster to the chappell, when the fryar
Amongst the rest bowes with his wonted duckes,
Add rather then deminish from your smiles
And wonted favours. Let this shee post then
Conveigh this letter to the fryar's close fist,
Who no dowbt gapes for answer.
_Lady_. All shall bee
As you instructe; but punishe, syr, with pitty;
Putt him to payne or shame, but deathe, alas,
Is too seveare.
_Lord Av_. Tush, wyfe, feare not; think'st thou Ile
quale[102] a churchman?
[_Exeunt_.
SCENE 2.
_Enter after a great noyse within, the Clowne,
meetinge with Ashburne and Godfrey_.
_Clowne_. If this villadge bee inhabited with men as this place within
is with monsters; if with men that have eyes and can distinguishe bewty,
or that have hartes and therfore saver of pitty; if you bee fathers and
know what belonges to children, or christians and therefore what is ment
by charity; if husbandmen and have hope of your harvest, or marchants of
your trade's increase; if fishermen that would thryve by your labours,
or any of all these that would be knowne by your honesty--
_Ashburne_. Many of those thou namest have place in us,
Great'st part if not all.
_Clowne_. Then lend your helpeinge hands to succor, releive, defend,
deliver, save, serve, patronadge, abett and mynteyn--
_Ashb_. Whom, what?
_Clowne_. Bewty, vertue, purity, syncerity, softnes, sweetenes,
innocens, and chastity.
_Ashb_. Gainst what? gainst whome?
_Cl_. Oppression, frawde, rudenes, reproch, synn, shame, debate,
discourse, theft, rapine, contempt of religion and breach of sanctury,
against a magazine of misdemeanors and a whole monopoly of mischeif.
_Godf_. I knowe the busines, syr, if in that place
These are the too distressed wrecks at sea
We sawe this morninge floatinge, sweeter guerles
I never yet sett ey on, and opprest
By too ill lookeinge raskells that to warme them
Wisht all the towne a bonefire--
_Ashb_. Miscreant slaves!
For one younge damsell's sake I once cald daughter,
And in the absens of there greater frends,
I'l stand betwixt them and these injuryes.
_Clowne_. These are they after whome I have been seeking, and my mayster
was enquiringe. If you will but secure them heare in the villadge whilst
I carry woord to my mayster in the citty, you shall doo me a curtesye
and him a most noble offyce.[103]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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