A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 14 — John Shaqi
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 14
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 14
English drama
GIO. I cannot find her yet. The king of flames
Protests she is not there: but hang him, rogue,
They say he'll lie. O, how my glutted spleen
Tickles to think how I have paid the slave!
I made him lead me into every hole:
Ha, ha, ha! what crying was there there?
Here on a wheel, turn'd by a fury's hand,
Hangs a distracted statesman, that had spent
The little wit Heaven to strange purpose lent him
To suppress right, make beggars, and get means
To be a traitor. Ha, ha, ha! And here
A usurer, fat with the curses of so many heirs
His extortion had undone, sat to the chin
In a warm bath, made of new-melted gold;
And now and then a draught pass'd through his throat.
He fed upon his god; but he being angry
Scalded his chaps. Right against him
Stood a fool'd gallant, chain'd unto a post,
And lash'd by folly for his want of wit.
The reeling drunkard and plump glutton stood
Making of faces, close by Tantalus:
But drank and fed on air. The whoremaster,
Tied to a painted punk, was by a fury,
Termed insatiate lust, whipped with a blade
Of fire. And here----
What's here? 'tis my Evadne's veil; 'tis hers, I know't:
Some slave has ravish'd my Evadne! Well,
There breathes not such an impious slave in hell.
Nay, it is hers, I know it too-too plain.
Your breath is lost: 'tis hers: you speak in vain.
[_Exit._
_Thunder and lightning._ _Enter the_ BANDIT, _with_ EVADNE
_by the hair_.
CAPT. Come, bring her forward; tie her to that tree, each man
shall have his turn: come, minion, you must [now] squench the
raging flames of my concupiscence: what, do you weep, you
puritanical punk? I shall tickle mirth into you by and by.
Trotter, good Trotter, post unto my cell, make compound of
muskadine and eggs; for the truth is I am a giant in my promises,
but in the act a pigmy: I am old, and cannot do as I have done;
good Trotter, make all convenient speed.
TROT. Faith, master, if you cannot, here's them that can ferret
in a coney-burrow without a provocative; I'll warrant you, good
master.
CAPT. No more, I say, it is a parcel of excellent mutton: I'll
cut it up myself. Come, minion.
[_Exit_ TROTTER. _The Captain takes his dagger and winds it
about her hair, and sticks it in the ground. Thunder and
lightning._
EVAD. Kill me! O, kill me! Rather let me die
Than live to see the jewel that adorns
The souls of virtuous virgins ravish'd from me.
Do not add sin to sin, and at a price
That ruins me, and not enriches you,
Purchase damnation: do not, do not do't.
Sheathe here your sword, and my departing soul,
Like your good angel, shall solicit Heaven
To dash out your offences: let my flight
Be pure and spotless: do not injure that
Manhood would blush to think on: it is all
A maid's divinity: wanting her life,
She's a fair corse; wanting her chastity,
A spotted soul of living infamy.
CAPT. Hang chastity!
3D BAN. A very voice.
_Enter_ TROTTER.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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