A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 02
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 02
English drama
RIOT.
No, sir, so mot I the,
Let not thy servants fight within thee;
For it is a careful life
Evermore to live in strife;
Therefore, if ye will be ruled by my tale,
We will go to the ale,
And see how we can do;
I trust to God that sitteth on high,
To lese that little company
Within an hour or two.
PRIDE.
Now let us go, for God's sake,
And see how merry we can make.
RIOT.
Now let us go apace;
And I be last there, I beshrew my face!
YOUTH.
Now let us go: that we were there
To make this lady some cheer.
LECHERY.
Verily, sir, I thank thee,
That ye will bestow it on me,
And when it please you on me to call,
My heart is yours, body and all.
YOUTH.
Fair lady, I thank thee;
On the same wise ye shall have me,
Whatsoever you please.
PRIDE.
Riot, we tarry very long.
RIOT.
We will go even now with a lusty song.
PRIDE.
In faith, I will be rector of the choir.
YOUTH.
Go to it then hardily, and let us be agate.
CHARITY.
Abide, fellow; a word with thee:
Whither go ye, tell me?
Abide, and hear what I shall you tell,
And be ruled by my counsel.
PRIDE.
Nay, no fellow ne yet mate,
I trow thy fellow be in Newgate;
Shall we tell thee whither we go?
Nay, i-wis, good John-a-Peepo!
Who learned thee, thou mistaught man,
To speak so to a gentleman?
Though his clothes be never so thin,
Yet he is come of noble kin;
Though thou give him such a mock,
Yet he is come of a noble stock,
I let thee well to wit.
RIOT.
What! Sir John,[15] what say ye!
Would you be fettered now?
Think not too long, I pray ye;
If misfortune come soon enou',
Ye shall think it a little [too] soon.
YOUTH.
Yet, sirs, let this cease,
And let us talk of goodness.
RIOT.
He turneth his tail, he is afeard;
But, faith, he shall be scared;
He weeneth by flattering to please us again,
But he laboureth all in vain.
CHARITY.
Sir, I pray you me not spare,
For nothing I do care
That ye can do to me.
RIOT.
No, whoreson? sayest thou so?
Hold him, Pride, and let me go;
I shall set a pair of rings,
That shall set to his shins,
And that even anon.
PRIDE.
Hie thee apace and come again,
And bring with thee a good chain,
And hold him here still.
CHARITY.
Jesus, that was born of Mary mild,
From all evil he us shield,
And send you grace to amend,
Ere our life be at an end;
For I tell you truly,
That ye live full wickedly;
I pray God it amend!
RIOT.
Lo, sirs, look what I bring.
Is not this a jolly ringing?
By my troth, I trow it be:
I will go with Charity.
How say'st thou, Master Charity?
Doth this gear please thee?
CHARITY.
They please me well indeed!
The more sorrow, the more meed!
For God said, while he was a man,
_Beati qui persecutionem patiuntur propter justitiam_;
Unto his apostles he said so,
To teach them how they should do.
PRIDE.
We shall see how they can please;
Sit down, sir, and take your ease;
Methink these same were full meet
To go about your fair feet.
YOUTH.
By my truth, I you tell
They would become him very well;
Therefore hie that they were on,
Unto the tavern that we were gone.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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