A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 13Dodsley, Robert
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 13
Dodsley, Robert
English drama
+Cle.+ My heart!
How sick am I o' th' sudden! Good my lord,
Call your dwarf hither.
+San.+ Garragantua! boy.
_Enter +Browfildora+._
+Cle.+ Prythee, thy pedigree?
+San.+ Madam, what mean you?
+Cle.+ O, anything, but to divert from love:
Another word of courtship, and I swoon.
+Brow.+ My ancestors were giants, madam; giants,
Pure Spanish, who disdain'd to mingle with
The blood of Goth or Moor. Their mighty actions,
In a small letter, nature printed on
Your little servant.
+Cle.+ How so very little?
+Brow.+ By the decay of time, and being forc'd
From fertile pastures to the barren hills
Of Biscay: even in trees you may observe
The wonder which, transplanted to a soil
Less happy, lose in growth. Is not the once
Huge body of the Roman empire now
A very pigmy?
+Cle.+ But why change you not
That so gigantic name of Browfildora?
+Brow.+ Spite of malignant nature, I'll preserve
The memory of my forefathers: they shall live
In me contracted.
+San.+ Madam, let's return
To the love we last discours'd on.
+Cle.+ This, my lord,
Is much more serious. What coarse thing is that?
_Enter +Oniate+ and +Floriana+._
+Flo.+ I owe you, sir, for the pleasure of this walk.
+Oni.+ Madam, it was to me the highest honour. [_Exit +Oniate+._
+Cle.+ Welcome, O, welcome, to redeem me!--What
Can the best wit of woman fancy we
Have been discoursing of?
+Flo.+ Sure, not of love?
+Cle.+ Of that most ridiculous hobby-horse, love;
That fool that fools the world; that spaniel love,
That fawns [the more] the more 'tis kick'd!
+San.+ Will you betray me?
+Cle.+ Thy lord hath so protested, Floriana,
Vowed such an altar to my beauty, swore
So many oaths, and such profane oaths too,
To be religious in performing all
That's impious towards heaven, and to a lady
Most ruinous.
+Flo.+ Good Cleantha, all your detraction
Wins no belief on my suspicion.
+Cle.+ Be credulous, and be abus'd. Floriana,
There's no vice so great as to think him virtuous.
Go mount your milk-white steed, Sir Lancelot,
Your little squire attends you there: in suburbs
Enchanted castles are, where ladies wait
To be deliver'd by your mighty hand;
Go and protest there.
+San.+ I thank your favour, madam. [_Exit +Sanmartino+._
+Cle.+ It is not so much worth, sir. Come, we'll follow.
+Flo.+ But stay, Cleantha. Prythee, what begot
That squeamish look, that scornful wry o' the mouth,
When Oniate parted?
+Cle.+ Why, thou hadst
So strange a fellow in thy company,
His garb was so uncourtly, I grew sick.
+Flo.+ He is a gentleman; and, add to that,
Makes good the title.
+Cle.+ Haply he may so,
And haply he's enamour'd on thy beauty.
+Flo.+ On mine, Cleantha?
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