A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 10
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 10
English drama
SIR ARTH. Is not this the George? Before Jove, there's some
villany in this.
CHAM. Foot, our sign's removed; this is strange!
_Enter_ BLAGUE, _trussing his points_.
HOST. Chamberlain, speed[309] up to the new lodgings;
Bid Nell look well to the bak'd meat--
How now, my old jennet's back?[310] my house
[Is] my castle: lie in Waltham all night, and
Not under the canopy of your host Blague's house?
SIR ARTH. Mine host, mine host, we lay all night at the George
in Waltham; but whether the George be your fee-simple or no,
'tis a question. Look upon your sign.
HOST. Body of St George, this is mine over-thwart neighbour
hath done this to seduce my blind customers. I'll tickle his
catastrophe for this; if I do not indict him at the next
assizes for burglary, let me die of the yellows;[311] for I see
it is no boot in these days to serve the good Duke of Norfolk.
The villanous world is turned mangy;[312] one jade deceives
another, and your ostler plays his part commonly for the fourth
share. Have we comedies in hand, you whoreson, villanous male
London lecher?
SIR ARTH. Mine host, we have had the moilingest night of it
that ever we had in our lives.
HOST. Is it certain?
SIR ARTH. We have been in the forest all night almost.
HOST. Foot, how did I miss you? Heart! I was stealing of a buck
there.
SIR ARTH. A plague on you; we were stayed for you.
HOST. Were you, my noble Romans? Why, you shall share; the
venison is a-footing. _Sine Cerere et Baccho friget Venus_,
that is, there is a good breakfast provided for a marriage that
is in my house this morning.
SIR ARTH. A marriage, mine host!
HOST. A conjunction copulative; a gallant match between your
daughter and Raymond Mounchensey, young juventus.
SIR ARTH. How?
HOST. Tis firm; 'tis done.
We'll show you a precedent in the civil law fort.
SIR RALPH. How! married?
HOST. Leave tricks and admiration; there's a cleanly pair of
sheets on the bed in the Orchard-chamber, and they shall lie
there. What? I'll do it. I serve the good Duke of Norfolk.
SIR ARTH. Thou shalt repent this, Blague.
SIR RALPH. If any law in England will make thee smart for this,
expect it with all severity.
HOST. I renounce your defiance; if you parley so roughly, I'll
barricado my gates against you. Stand fair, bully; priest,
come off from the rearward. What can you say now? 'Twas done
in my house. I have shelter in the court for't. Do you see yon
bay-window? I serve the good Duke of Norfolk, and 'tis his
lodging. Storm, I care not, serving the good Duke of Norfolk.
Thou art an actor in this, and thou shalt carry fire in thy
face eternally.
_Enter_ SMUG, MOUNCHENSEY, HARRY CLARE, _and_
MILLICENT.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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