A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 07
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 07
English drama
WILL. Frank! what Frank? 'sblood, is Sir Ralph mad? [_Aside_.]
Here's the bow.
PHIL. I have not been much private with that voice:
Methinks Frank Goursey's talk and his doth tell me
I am mistaken; especially by his bow;
Frank had no bow. Well, I will leave this fellow,
And hollow somewhat farther in the fields. [_Aside_.]
--Dost thou hear, fellow? I perceive by thee
That we are both mistaken: I took thee
For one thou art not; likewise thou took'st me
For Sir Ralph Smith, but sure I am not he:
And so, farewell; I must go seek my friend.
So ho!
[_Exit_.
WILL. So ho, so ho! nay, then, Sir Ralph, so whore!
For a whore she was sure, if you had her here
So late. Now, you are Sir Ralph Smith![366]
Well do ye counterfeit and change your voice,
But yet I know ye. But what should be that Francis?
Belike that Francis cosen'd him of his wench,
And he conceals himself to find her out;
'Tis so, upon my life. Well, I will go,
And help him ring his peal of so ho, so ho! [_Exit_.
_Enter_ FRANK.
FRAN. A plague on Coomes! a plague upon the boy!
A plague, too--not on my mother for an hundreth pound!
'Twas time to run; and yet I had not thought
My mother could have followed me so close,
Her legs with age I thought had foundered;
She made me quite run through a quickset hedge,
Or she had taken me. Well, I may say,
I have run through the briars for a wench;
And yet I have her not--the worse luck mine.
Methought I heard one hollow hereabout;
I judge it Philip; O, the slave will laugh,
When as he hears how that my mother scar'd me!
Well, here I'll stand until I hear him hollow,
And then I'll answer him; he is not far.
[_Enter_ SIR RALPH SMITH.]
SIR RALPH. My man is hollowing for me up and down,
And yet I cannot meet with him. So ho!
FRAN. So ho!
SIR RALPH. Why, what a pox, wert thou so near me, man,
And wouldst not speak?
FRAN. 'Sblood, ye're very hot.
SIR RALPH. No, sir, I am cold enough with staying here
For such a knave as you.
FRAN. Knave! how now, Philip?
Art mad, art mad?
SIR RALPH. Why, art not thou my man,
That went to fetch my bow?[367]
FRAN. Indeed, a bow
Might shoot me ten bows down the weather so:
I your man!
SIR RALPH. What art thou, then?
FRAN. A man: but what's thy name?
SIR RALPH. Some call me Ralph.
FRAN. Then, honest Ralph, farewell.
SIR RALPH. Well-said, familiar Will! plain Ralph, i'faith.
[_Hollow within_ PHILIP _and_ WILL.][368]
FRAN. There calls my man.
SIR RALPH. But there goes mine away;
And yet I'll hear what this next call will say,
And here I'll tarry, till he call again.
[_Retires_.][369]
[_Enter_ WILL.]
WILL. So ho!
FRAN. So ho! where art thou, Philip?
WILL. 'Sblood,[370] Philip!
But now he call'd me Francis: this is fine. [_Aside_.]
FRAN. Why studiest thou? I prythee, tell me, Philip,
Where the wench[371] is.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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