A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 10
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 10
English drama
_Enter_ FRISCO _and_ ANTHONY.
FRIS. Gi' ye[512] good-morrow, sir. I have brought you monsieur
Mouse here, to teach my young mistresses: I assure you
(forsooth) he is a brave Frenchman.
PIS. Welcome, friend, welcome. My man (I think)
Hath at the full resolv'd thee of my will.
Monsieur Delion, I pray question him:
I tell you, sir, 'tis only for your sake
That I do mean to entertain this fellow.
ANTH. A bots of all ill luck! how came these here?
Now am I pos'd, except the wenches help me:
I have no French to flap them in the mouth.
HAR. To see the luck of a good fellow: poor Anthony
Could ne'er have sorted out a worser time.
Now will the pack of all our sly devices
Be quite laid ope, as one undoes an oyster,
Frank Heigham and mad Ned, fall to your meuses,[513]
To help poor Anthony now at a pinch,
Or all our market will be spoil'd and marr'd.
WAL. Tut, man, let us alone: I warrant you.
DEL. Monsieur, vous estes tres bien-venu: de quelle pais estes
vous?
ANTH. Vous, that's you; sure he says, how do men call you.
Monsieur la Mouche?
MAR. Sister, help, sister! that's honest Anthony,
And he answers your wooer cujus contrarium.
DEL. Monsieur, vous n'entends pas: je nè demande point vostre
nom.
MATH. Monsieur Delion, he that made your shoes, made them not
in fashion; they should have been cut square at the toe.
DEL. Madame, my shoe met de square toe, vat be dat?
PIS. Why, sauce-box! how now, you unreverent minx!
Why, in whose stable hast thou been brought up,
To interrupt a man in midst of speech?
Monsieur Delion, disquiet not yourself,
But as you have begun, I pray proceed
To question with this countryman of yours.
DEL. Dat me sal do tres bien, but de bella madonna, de jeune
gentlewoman, do monstre somesing of amour to speak lot me, et
pour ce, monsieur, mee sal say but two tree four five word to
dis François: or sus, monsieur La Mouche, en quelle partíe de
France etiez vous nè?
HAR. Francis.[514]
HEIGH. Ned.
WAL. What, let me come.
Master Pisaro, we have occasion of affairs,
Which calls us hence with speed; wherefore, I pray,
Defer this business till some fitter time,
And to perform what at the Exchange we spoke of.
ANTH. A blessing on that tongue, saith Anthony.
[_Aside._
PIS. Yes, marry, gentlemen, I will, I will.
Alvaro, to your task: fall to your task!
I'll bear away those three who, being here,
Would set my daughters on a merry pin:
Then cheerly try your lucks. But speak and speed;
For you alone, say I, shall do the deed.
[_Exeunt_ PISARO, HARVEY, WALGRAVE, _and_
HEIGHAM.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account