A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 02
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 02
English drama
[_Here entereth_ ABHOMINABLE LIVING.[124]
ABHOMINABLE LIVING.
Hem! come away quickly,
The back door is open;[125] I dare not tarry:
Come, Fellowship, come on away!
HYPOCRISY.
What, Unknown Honesty? a word!
[_Draws_ A. L. _aside_.[126]
You shall not go yet, by God I swear;
Here is none but your friends, you need not to fray,
Although, this strange young gentleman be here.
JUVENTUS.
I trust, in me she will think no danger;
For I love well the company of fair women.
ABHOMINABLE LIVING.
Who, you? nay, ye are such a holy man,
That to touch one ye dare not be bold;
I think,[127] you would not kiss a young woman,
If one would give you twenty pound in gold.
JUVENTUS.
Yes, by the mass, that I would;
I could find in my heart to kiss you in your smock.
ABHOMINABLE LIVING.
My back is broad enough to bear away that mock
For one hath told me many a time,
That you[128] have said you would use no such wanton company as mine.
JUVENTUS.
By dog's[129] precious wounds, that was some whoreson[130] villain;
I will never eat meat that shall do me good,
Till I have cut his flesh, by God's precious blood:
Tell me, I pray you, who it was,
And I will trim the knave, by the blessed mass.
ABHOMINABLE LIVING.
Tush! as for that, do not you pass;
That which I told you was but for love.
HYPOCRISY.
She did nothing else but prove,
Whether a little[131] thing would you move
To be angry and fret;
What, and if one had said so?
Let such trifling matters go,
And be good to men's flesh for all that.
JUVENTUS [_He kisseth_ ABHOMINABLE LIVING.]
To kiss her since she came, I had clean forgot:
You are welcome to my company.
ABHOMINABLE LIVING.
Sir, I thank you most heartily;
By your kindness it doth appear.
HYPOCRISY.
What a hurly-burly is here!
Smick smack, and all this gear!
You will to tick-tack,[132] I fear,
If you[133] had time:
Well, wanton, well;
I-wis, I can tell,
That such smock-smell
Will set your nose out of tune.
ABHOMINABLE LIVING.
What, man? you need not to fume,
Seeing he is come into my company now;
He is as well welcome as the best of you:
And if it lie in me to do him pleasure,
He shall have it, you may ye sure.
FELLOWSHIP.
Then old acquaintance is clean out of favour:
Lo, Friendship, this gear goeth with a sleight;[134]
He hath driven us twain out of conceit.
HYPOCRISY.
Out of conceit, quod-a? no, no;
I dare well say, she thinketh not so:
How say you, Unknown Honesty?
Do not you love Fellowship and me?
ABHOMINABLE LIVING.
Yea, by the mass, I love you all three;
But yet indeed, if I should say the truth,
Amongst all other, welcome Master Youth.
JUVENTUS.
Full greatly I do delight to kiss your pleasant mouth.
[_He kisseth_ ABHOMINABLE LIVING.
I am not able your kindness to recompence;
I long to talk with you secretly, therefore let us go hence.
ABHOMINABLE LIVING.
I agree to that; for I would not for twenty pence,[135]
That it were known where I have been.
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.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account