A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 13Dodsley, Robert
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 13
Dodsley, Robert
English drama
+Abs.+ His excellent carriage spoke him of noble birth.
+Tim.+ And this same duke's son loves you, Millicent.
+Abs.+ Now Heaven defend me!
+Tim.+ What, from a duke's son? marry, come up with a murrain,
from whence came you, trow, ha?
+Mor.+ Thus nice Grace was at first, and you remember.
+Tim.+ I would have ye know, housewife, I could have taken my
coach, and fetched him one of the best pieces in Milan, and her
husband should have looked after me, that's neighbours might
have noted, and cried, _Farewell, naunt,[151] commend me to
mine uncle._
+Mor.+ And yet from these perfumed fortunes Heaven defend you!
+Abs.+ Perfumed, indeed.
+Mor.+ Perfumed! I am a pander, a rogue, that hangs together
like a beggar's rags, by geometry, if there were not three
ladies swore yesterday that my mistress perfumed the coach! so
they were fain to unbrace all the side-parts, to take in fresh
air.
+Tim.+ He tells you true; I keep no common company, I warrant
ye. We vent no breathed ware here.
+Abs.+ But have ye so many several women to answer so many men
that come?
+Mor.+ I'll answer that by demonstration. Have ye not observed
the variation of a cloud? sometimes it will be like a lion,
sometimes like a horse, sometimes a castle, and yet still a
cloud.
+Abs.+ True.
+Mor.+ Why, so can we make one wench one day look like a
country wench, another day like a citizen's wife, another day
like a lady, and yet still be a punk.
+Abs.+ What shall become of me? O, the curse
Of goodness, to leave one woe for a worse!
+Phil.+ Morrow, sweet madam.
O, look how, like the sun behind a cloud,
The beams do give intelligence it is there!
+Tim.+ You're reciprocal welcome, sir.
+Phil.+ What, have ye not brought this young wild haggard[152]
to the lure yet?
+Tim.+ Faith, sir, she's a little irregular yet: but time, that
turns citizens' caps into court-periwigs, will bring the wonder
about.
+Phil.+ Bless you, sweet mistress!
_Enter +Antonio+ and +Slave+._
+Mor.+ 'Sfoot! here's the prince: I smell thunder.
+Tim.+ Your grace is most methodically welcome. You must pardon
my variety of phrase: the courtiers e'en cloy us with good
words.
+Ant.+ What's he?
+Mor.+ A gentleman of Ferrara, sir; one Pedro Sebastiano.
+Ant.+ And do ye set her out to sale? I charged ye reserve for
me alone.
+Tim.+ Indeed, sir----
+Ant.+ Pox of your deeds! [_Kicks her._
+Tim.+ O my sciatica!
+Ant.+ Sirrah, you perfumed rascal!
[_Kicks +Philippo+. They draw._
+Tim.+ Nay, good my lord.
+Mor.+ Good sir, 'tis one of the duke's chamber.
+Phil.+ Let him be of the devil's chamber.
+Ant.+ Sirrah, leave the house, or I will send thee out with
thunder.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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