A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 13Dodsley, Robert
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 13
Dodsley, Robert
English drama
+Alex.+ You must pardon the rudeness of the gentlewomen, sir,
in not unmasking; they entreated me to inform you, there are
some i' th' house to whom they would by no means be laid open.
+Blood.+ They are witty, they are witty.
+Alex.+ But, for myself, I am now your most obedient, virtuous
Alexander.
+Blood.+ Obedience! hang Virtue, let her starve. Has she money?
has she money?
+Alex.+ Two chests of silver and two Utopian trunks[103] full
of gold and jewels.
+Blood.+ They are all Alexander's women, do you mark?
+Sim.+ Alexander was the conqueror, sir?
+Blood.+ Come, come, we'll to church presently. Prythee,
Jarvis, whilst the music plays just upon the delicious close,
usher in the brides, the widow, and my Moll. [_Exit +Jarvis+._
+Sim.+ I tell you true, gallants, I have seen neither of them
to-day. Shall I give him the lie?
+Blood.+ They are both locked up, i' faith, trimming of one
another. O these women, they are so secret in their business,
they will make very coxcombs of us men, and do 't at pleasure
too. 'Tis well said, friends; play, play. Where's Sim?
+Anc.+ How he bestirs him!
+Alex.+ Yes, he will sweat by and by.
+Sim.+ Here is the sign of Sim, sir.
+Blood.+ Have the guests rosemary without?
+Sim.+ They have _Rose_ the cookmaid without; but they say you
have Mistress _Mary_ within.
+Alex.+ Well said, rascal.
+Blood.+ Mary's above, goodman blockhead. Call my son,
Ear-lack, bid him for shame make haste.
+Sim.+ He shall make haste for shame. [_Exit._
+Blood.+ I am so busied; you must bear with me, gentlemen: they
leave it all to me here.
+Con.+ But I will go charge some of the inferior guests, in the
king's name, to fill some wine.
+Blood.+ No, no, good Master Busy; we will first usher the
brides.
_Enter +Sim+._
+Sim.+ O gentlemen, where are you? Where are you? Where are
you, gentlemen?
+Omnes.+ What's the matter?
+Blood.+ Where's Moll, Sim? the widow, Sim, the dainty widow?
+Sim.+ There's no Moll; there is no dainty young widow; but
a damnable bawd we found abed, with a face like an apple
half-roasted.
+Omnes.+ How's this?
+Blood.+ Why, gentlemen!
+Anc.+ Now it works.
+Blood.+ Jarvis, you're a rogue: a cutpurse, Jarvis. Run, Sim,
call my son Ear-lack: he shall put her into the spiritual court
for this.
+Sim.+ Nay, he has put her in there already, for we found him
abed with her.
+Omnes.+ Possible!
+Blood.+ Ha, boys! the informer and the bawd, the bawd and the
informer have got a devil betwixt them, gentlemen.
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