A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 13 — John Shaqi
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 13Dodsley, Robert
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 13
Dodsley, Robert
English drama
+Jar.+ The softest wax ever sealed bawdy business! Now for old
Bloodhound: I'll meet you upon the 'Change, sir, with a blind
bargain, and then help your son to a good pennyworth; this
night shall be all mirth, a mistress of delight. [_Exeunt._
_Enter +Bloodhound+_,[76] +Sim+, _and +Moll+._
+Blood.+ Nay, nay, nay, mark what follows; I must bring her
home i' th' dark, turn her up to bed, and here she goes to
church. My cloak, sirrah.
+Sim.+ 'Tis a very dark night, sir; you'll not have a cloak for
the rain.[77]
+Blood.+ I'm going to steal the widow from I know not how many.
+Sim.+ Nay, then I'll let your cloak for the rain alone, and
fetch you a cloak for your knavery.
+Blood.+ To bed, to bed, good Sim. What, Moll, I say!
+Moll.+ Sir.
+Blood.+ I charge you, let not one be up i' th' house but
yourself after the clock strikes ten, nor a light be stirring.
Moll, trick up the green bed-chamber very daintily.
+Moll.+ I shall, sir.
+Blood.+ And--well-remembered, Moll--the keys of my
compting-house are in the left pocket of my hose[78] above i'
th' wicker chair; look to them, and have a care of the black
box there I have often told thee of: look to that as to thy
maidenhead.
+Moll.+ I shall, sir.
+Blood.+ Pray for me, all; pray for me, all.
+Sim.+ Have you left out anything for supper?
+Blood.+ Out, rogue! shall not I be at infinite expense
to-morrow? fast to-night, and pray for me.
+Sim.+ An old devil in a greasy satin doublet keep you company!
[_Aside._
+Blood.+ Ha, what's that?
+Sim.+ I say, the satin doublet you will wear to-morrow will be
the best in the company, sir.
+Blood.+ That's true, that's true. I come, widow, I come,
wench. [_Exit +Bloodhound+._
+Moll.+ O sweet Sim, what shall I do to-morrow? To-morrow must
be the day, the doleful day, the dismal day! Alas, Sim! what
dost thou think in thy conscience I shall do with an old man?
+Sim.+ Nay, you're well enough served; you know how your
brother, not an hour ago, lay at you to have the Ancient, one
that your teeth e'en water at; and yet you cry, I cannot love
him, I wonnot have him.
+Moll.+ I could willingly marry him, if I might do nothing but
look on him all day, where he might not see me; but to lie with
him--alas! I shall be undone the first night.
+Sim.+ That's true: how will you go to bed else? But, remember,
he is a man of war, an ancient, you are his colours: now, when
he has nimbly displayed you, and handsomely folded you up
against the next fight, then we shall have you cry, O sweet
Sim, I had been undone, if I had not been undone.[79]
+Moll.+ Nay, and then the old fellow would mumble me to bed.
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