A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 14
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 14
English drama
_Which health, when it is gone about,
And stoutly set their foot unto't,
No doubt they shall enrolled be
I' th' Book of Fame, as well as we.
Come, follow me, spruce sprigs, come follow me,
And, if thou fall, I'll fall with thee._
_Enter a rank of_ TARPAULINS, _pressed for the same adventure,
marching over the stage, and joining in the catch, an
health-cup in the leader's hand_.
TAR. _When this grand health is gone about,
Where you as stoutly stood unto't,
Doubt not you shall recorded be
I' th' Book of Fame, as well as we.
March after me, &c._
_And when this bowl shall run so round
Your legs can stand upon no ground,
Fear not, brave blades,[154] but you shall be
Sworn brothers made as well as we.
March after me, &c._
_No other obsequies we crave,
Nor quaint inscriptions on our grave;
A simple shroud's a soldier's share,
Which if he want he needs not care.
March after me, &c._
_Such vails are all we wish at last,
Which if we want, the care is past.
This done, to think of us were just--
Who drink not get[155] as dry as dust.
March after me, &c._
_While you act what we did before,
Discharge with chalk[156] the hostess' score;
And if the hussy[157] challenge more,
Charm th' maundring gossip with your roar.
March after me, we'll frolic be,
And, if thou die, I'll die with thee._
SCENE IV.
BENHADAD _furiously accosts them_.
BEN. I proclaim you all Edomites; dragooners of Dagon; ding-dongs
of Dathan! A generation of vipers!
1ST TRE. No, father Benhadad, your gravity is mistaken grossly;
we are rather a generation of pipers!
[_They smoke tobacco._
2D TRE. Go to, holy Benhadad; stand you to your calling as we to
our arms. Thou art for converting the Great Turk, and we for
lining our pockets with Tunis gold. Where if we get our design,
hold to thy principles, but no further than thou canst maintain
them, and we shall create thee our household chaplain.
_Enter_ MARINER.
MAR. To sea, to sea! the winds are prosperous.
CAPT. And may we prosper with them! So farewell Seville and her
dainty doxies.
ALL. Ran-tan! hey for Tunis and Argiers!
[_Exeunt colours displayed, with fifes and drums._
1ST CIT. Such was the duke's care to remove those weeds,
Whose fatal growth might choke maturer seeds.
2D CIT. Good governors wise gardeners imitate:
These cheer their plants; those steer a planted state.
[_Exeunt._
TRIL. [_From the high gallery._] I cannot, gentlemen, contain
myself.
TIM. Thy genius has surpass'd itself;
Thy scene is richly various: prease on still;
These galleries applaud thy comic skill.
[_He takes his seat again._
SCENE V.
_Enter_ CONSTABLE _and_ WATCH, _in rug gowns, bills, and dark
lanthorns_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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