A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 07
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 07
English drama
LADY F. The prince, if he give heed to Marian's suit,
Must hear heart-sighs, see sorrow in my eyes,
And find cold welcome to calamities.
ROB. And why, for God's sake?
LADY F. Even for Gloster's sake.
ROB. Why, by mine honour, and Prince Richard saith,
Your brother Gloster shall have liberty,
Upon condition you release a prisoner,
That you have long held in captivity.
LADY F. I have no prisoner.
ROB. Yes, a world of eyes
Your beauty in a willing bondage ties.
LADY F. Go to, you are dispos'd to jest, my lord.
ROB. In earnest, I must be an earnest suitor
To you for love; yet you must be my tutor.
LADY F. Are you in love?
ROB. I dearly love Prince Richard.
LADY F. Then do you love the loveliest man alive,
The princeliest person of King Henry's sons.
ROB. I like this well. [_Aside_.
LADY F. He is virtuous in his mind, his body fair;
His deeds are just, his speeches debonair.
ROB. Better and better still. [_Aside_.
LADY F. Indeed he is, what nobody can deny,
All lovely, beauty all, all majesty.
ROB. I'll tell his excellence what you report;
No doubt he will be very thankful for't.
LADY F. Nay, hear you, young lord! [for] God's pity, stay.
ROB. What, have you more in Richard's praise to say?
LADY F. I have said too much, if you misconstrue me.
Duty bids praise him, not unchastity.
ROB. Unchastity? holy heavens forfend it,
That he or I, or you should once intend it!
SCENE THE NINTH.
_Enter_ BLOCK _and_ RICHARD.
BLO. They are there, sir, close at it, I leave
you, sir; the more room the less company.
RICH. Drink that; farewell. [_Gives him money_.
BLO. If that Sir Richard comes; this ties, this binds;
O gold, thy power converteth servants' minds.
[_Exit_.
RICH. How now, fair madam, who hath anger'd you?
LADY F. Grief at my brother's durance angers me.
RICH. I had thought my ward, young Huntington, had vex'd you.
LADY F. Who? he? alas, good gentleman, he wrong'd me not;
No matter, for all this I'll tell your tale.
_A noise within, enter_ SKINK, BLOCK, CONSTABLE.
BLO. Sir, there comes no more of you in with him than the constable.
Zounds, here's a beadroll of bills at the gate indeed; back, ye base!
LADY F. Now, sirrah, what's the matter?
BLO. Marry, here's a stammerer taken clipping the king's English, and
the constable and his watch hath brought him to you to be examin'd.
CON. No, madam, we are commanded by the king to watch; and meeting this
fellow at Mile-end, he tells us he is the porter's son of the Fleet,
[and] that the Earl of Gloster sent him to you.
SKINK. Ay, f-forsooth he desire[d] you to speak to the p-prince for him.
LADY F. O, I conceive thee; bid him blithely fare,
Bear him this ring in token of my care.
SKINK. If I be rid of this evil angel that haunts me, many rings, much
Fleet, will Skink come unto. [_Aside_.
CON. Madam, if you know this fellow, we'll discharge him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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