A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 13Dodsley, Robert
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 13
Dodsley, Robert
English drama
+Ven.+ She changes colour.
+Dor.+ He will not, sure, reveal confession!
+Ver.+ We'll rise, and to our lodgings: I think your highness
Keeps better hours in Venice?
+Ven.+ As all do, sir:
We many times make modest mirth a necessity
To produce ladies' dreams.
+Fran.+ How they shoot at us! Would I were in Milan!
These passages fry me.
_Enter +Jaspro+ and +Lodovico+._[161]
+Jas.+ Here's strange juggling come to light.
+Ver.+ Ha; juggling!
+Jas.+ This friar hath confess'd unto Count Lodowick,
That this lady here, being absolv'd, confess'd
This morning to him here, in her own house,
Her man Francisco here had lain with her.
At which her lord runs up and down the garden
Like one distracted, crying, _Ware horns, ho!_
+Dor.+ Art mad? Deny it yet; I am undone else.
+Clown.+ Father Tony!
+Lod.+ I confess it, I deny it--ay, anything. I do everything;
I do nothing.
+Ver.+ The friar's fallen frantic; and being mad,
Depraves a lady of so chaste a breast,
A bad thought never bred there.
+Dor.+ 'Tis my misfortune still to suffer, sir.
+Lod.+ Did you not see one slip out of a cloak-bag i' th'
fashion of a flitch of bacon, and run under the table amongst
the hogs?
+Ven.+ He's mad, he's mad.
+Clown.+ Ay, ay, a tithe-pig: 'twas overlaid last night, and he
speaks nonsense all the day after----
+Dor.+ Shall I, sir, suffer this--in mine own house too?
+Clown.+ I'd scratch out his eyes first.
+Ver.+ Since, lady, you and your man Francisco
Are the two injur'd persons, here disrobe
This irregular son of his religious mother,
Expose him to th' apparent blush of shame,
And tear those holy weeds off.
+Fran.+ Now you, my frantic brother,
Had you not been better spar'd your breath?
+Dor.+ And ye keep counsel, sir, no better,
We'll ease you of your orders.
+Clown.+ Nay, let me have a hand in't: I'll tear the coat with
more zeal than a puritan would tear a surplice.
+Fran.+ See what 'tis to accuse when you're mad.
+Dor.+ I confess again to you now, sir, this man did lie with
me.
+Clown.+ And I brought him to her chamber, too: but come, turn
out here.
+Duke.+ Who's this?
+Omnes.+ 'Tis Count Lodowick.
+Lod.+ How dreams, sweet wife, do fall out true!
+Clown.+ I was a-dream'd, now I remember, I was whipped through
Verona.
+Lod.+ I was your confessor:
Did not I enjoin your chaste nice ladyship
A dainty penance?
+Jas.+ And she perform'd it
As daintily, sir, we'll be sworn for that.
+Dor.+ O good sir, I crave your pardon!
+Lod.+ And what say you, Francis?
+Fran.+ You have run best, sir: vain 'tis to defend;
Craft sets forth swift, but still fails in the end.
+Lod.+ You brought him to her chamber, Pambo.
+Clown.+ Good my lord, I was merely inveigled to't.
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