A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 07
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 07
English drama
_Enter_ BLOCK _and_ REDCAP.
HEN. What are you two?
RED. M-ma-marry, and't please you, I am Re-Re-Redcap.
HEN. And what's your mate?
BLO. A poor porter, sir.
JOHN. The porter of the Fleet, that was condemned?
BLO. No, truly, sir; I was porter last, when I left the door open
at the tavern.
JOHN. O, is't you, sir?
LEI. And what would you two have?
RED. I co-co-come to re-re-re-qui-quire the young k-k-king of his
go-goo-goodness, since Glo-Gloster is t-taken, that he wo-wo-would
let my fa-fa-father have his pa-pa-pardon.
HEN. Sirrah, your father has his pardon sign'd.
Go to the office, it shall be delivered.
RED. And shall he be p-p-porter a-ga-gain?
HEN. Aye, that he shall; but let him be advis'd,
Hereafter how [he] lets out prisoners.
RED. I wa-warrant ye, my lord.
HEN. What hast thou more to say?
RED. Marry, I wo-would have Skink pu-punish'd
For co-co-coney-catching me.
LEI. Is that your business?
RED, Aye, by my t-t-troth is it.
HEN. Then get away.
GLO. Against Skink (poor knave) thou gett'st no right this day.
BLO. O, but run back, Redcap, for the pursuivant!
O L-Lord, s-sir, I have another s-suit for the p-p-pursuivant,
That has l-l-lost his b-b-box and his wa-wa-warrant.
HEN. What means the fellow?
RED. Why, the pu-pu-pursuivant, sir, and the po-po-porter.
GLO. The box, that I had from him--there it is.
FAU. Marry a me, and I was charg'd with it.
Had you it, brother Gloster? God's good mercy!
HEN. And what have you to say?
BLO. Nothing, sir,
But God bless you! you are a goodly company!
Except Sir Richard[543] or my lady will command me
Any more service.
FAU. Away, you prating knave! hence, varlet, hence.
[_Exit_ BLOCK.
LEI. Put forth them fellows there.
RED. Af-fo-fore I g-go,
I b-b-be-s-s-seech you, let Sk-Skink and Gl-Gloster be lo-lo-looked to;
For they have p-p-play'd the k-k-knaves too-too-too b-b-bad.
HEN. Take hence that stuttering fellow; shut him[544] forth.
RED. Nay, I'll ru-ru-run; faith, you shall not n-n-need to b-b-b-bid
him ta-t-take m-me away; for Re-Re-Redcap will r-ru-run rarely.
[_Exit_ REDCAP.
HEN. The sundry misdemeanors late committed,
As thefts and shifts in other men's disguise,
We now must (knave Skink) freely tell thy faults.
SKINK. Sweet king, by these two terrors[545] to mine enemies, that lend
light to my body's darkness: Cavilero Skink being beleaguer'd with an
host of leaden heels, arm'd in ring Irish[546]: cheated my hammerer of
his _red cap_ and coat; was surpris'd, brought to the Fleet as a person
suspected, pass'd current, till Gloster stripped me from my counterfeit,
clad my back in silk and my heart in sorrow, and so left me to the mercy
of my mother-wit. How Prince John released me, he knows; how I got
Fauconbridge's chain, I know. But how he will get it again, I know not.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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