A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 09
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 09
English drama
NURSE.
Faith, a whole sackful of news. You love Sophos, and Sophos loves you,
and Peter Plod-all loves you, and you love not him, and you love not
Master Churms, and he loves you; and so, here's love and no love, and I
love and I love not, and I cannot tell what; but of all and of all
Master Churms must be the man you must love.
LELIA.
Nay, first I'll mount me on the winged wind,
And fly for succour to the furthest Ind.
Must I love Master Churms?
NURSE.
Faith, you must, and you must not.
LELIA.
As how, I pray thee?
NURSE.
Marry, I have commendations to you.
LELIA.
From whom?
NURSE.
From your brother Fortunatus.
LELIA.
My brother Fortunatus!
NURSE.
No, from Sophos.
LELIA.
From my love?
NURSE.
No, from neither.
LELIA.
From neither?
NURSE.
Yes, from both.
LELIA.
Prythee, leave thy foolery, and let me know thy news.
NURSE.
Your brother Fortunatus and your love to-morrow night will meet you by
the forest-side, there to confer about I know not what: but it is like
that Sophos will make you of his privy council, before you come again.
LELIA.
Is Fortunatus then returned from the wars?
NURSE.
He is with Sophos every day: but in any case you must not let your
father know; for he hath sworn he will not be descried, until he have
effected your desires; for he swaggers and swears out of all cry, that
he will venture all,
Both fame and blood, and limb and life,
But Lelia shall be Sophos' wedded wife.
LELIA.
Alas! nurse, my father's jealous brain
Doth scarce allow me once a month to go
Beyond the compass of his watchful eyes,
Nor once afford me any conference
With any man, except with Master Churms,
Whose crafty brain beguiles my father so,
That he reposeth trust in none but him:
And though he seeks for favour at my hands,
He takes his mark amiss, and shoots awry;
For I had rather see the devil himself
Than Churms the lawyer. Therefore
How I should meet them by the forest-side
I cannot possibly devise.
NURSE.
And Master Churms must be the man must work the means: you must this
night send for him; make him believe you love him mightily; tell him you
have a secret friend dwells far away beyond the forest, to whom, if he
can secretly convey you from your father, tell him, you will love him
better than ever God loved him: and when you come to the place
appointed, let them alone to discharge the knave of clubs: and that you
must not fail, here receive this ring, which Fortunatus sent you for a
token, that this is the plot that you must prosecute; and this from
Sophos, as his true love's pledge.
LELIA.
This ring my brother sent, I know right well:
But this my true love's pledge I more esteem
Than all the golden mines the solid earth contains--
And see, in happy time, here comes Master Churms.
_Enter_ CHURMS.
Now love and fortune both conspire,
And sort their drifts to compass my desire.
Master Churms, y'are well met; I am glad to see you.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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